We TWATS had decided upon a Modern game for this years Durham demo but various personal and work commitments cut us down to just 3 Andrew the tekkie Scribbling Steve and your pooe Author made up the Triumvirate of assembled TWATS. Jiom the Painter provided transport to anf from the venue in between working ..
For the game we were back in "Harraq" with the 69Commando Royal Marines Battle group. whose order of battle for the day is here.
Battle of Al-Kahol
June 8th 2003
69 Commando Royal Marines Battle group.
OC Col. Myles Overlap DSO.
Intention.
Prevent the destruction of the oil facility by the enemy if at all possible.
Secure the town of Al- Kahol.
Drive enemy Irregular forces from the banks of the Schatt –an Harab waterway.
Enemy forces.
The garrison of Al-Kahol is of low morale and is not expected to pose much more than a Token threat. These forces strength Approx. 1 understrength Infantry battalion with minimal heavy weapons. They are however dug in . There also appears to be a separate town Garrison force with Anti- Aircraft capability. USAF F-17 pilots report AAMGs and missile fire from buildings within the town.
Local Irregular forces from the “72 Virgins Martyrs Brigade” of the Fedayeen al Rufa however pose a more serious immediate threat s they are highly motivated if poorly trained. They have mortars and some RPG and may have heavier weapons. They appear to be based in the Old fortress of Hal- Farhta on the banks of the waterway near the Ghall’ Agar Oasis.
However Republican Guard Armoured forces are in the area to the North of the town in strength with T-72 tanks and APC’s . They have not so far moved from their overnight poitions.
Start line for the advance at 0600 Zulu is the Shahwadhi wadi
Own Troops.
Elite Morale 10
HQ 69 Cdo Royal Marines Battle Group
1Command stand
1Landrover.
1 FV432 TOC.
Support coy with
1Command Infantry stand
1 HMG stand
1 Recon sniper stand
2 81mm Mortar stands
1 Milan Stand.
1Quad Bike and Trailer
1 Pinzgauer truck
1 landrover
2 companies each with
1 command Infantry stand
2 infantry stands.
Any stand from the Support company
may be attached to either of the infantry companies
Manovre Support group.
1 command WMIK
2 WMIK
Armoured group
HQ no1 Sqn Prince Regents Own Heavy Hussars
1 Command Sultan
1 Sabre Squadron with
1 Command Challenger1
2 Challenger 1
Attached armoured Infantry – 3rd Bn Queens Malabars
1Command Warrior IFV
2 Warrior IFV
1 command Infantry Stand
1 infantry stand
1Weapons stand
Air Support
In addition you may call upon
“Ugly Six Nine “ callsign
1 x AHU64D Apache gunship –Army Air Corps
The opposing Harraqi forces arrayed themselves thus,
Battle for Al-Kahol
June 8th2003.
Jhimhi Hussein Al- Rufa Al Kahol. President-for-Life and “Great Leader“ of the Republic of Harraq.
(Allah Help Us !!!)
Objective.
Deny the Town of Al-Kahol and its Oil facilities to the invading British Forces.
Troops
Infantry Battalion 19th Reserve Infantry Division
Trained Morale 6.
Bttn HQ with
1 infantry Command Stand
Weapons Company with
1 81mm Mortar stand.
1 weapons stand.
2 infantry Companies each with
2 infantry stands.
These troops may occupy any of the trenches and bunkers on the table outside the town of Al-Kahol.
Al- Kahol Garrison
Trained Morale 7
1 command Stand
1 Radio Car.
Garrison Infantry company with
2 Infantry stands
Garrison Weapons company with
1 weapons stand
1 HMG stand
Anti Aircraft Company with
1BDRM SA-9
1 Shilka SPAA
These troops may deploy anywhere with the town boundaries.
Elements 3rdSaladin Armoured division.
Experienced Morale 8
Tank Battalion with
Battalion HQ company
1 Command T-72
1 T-72
1BDRM SA-9
2 Tank Companies each with
1 Command T-72
2 T-72
1 Tank Company with
3 T-72
Mechanised Infantry Battalion.
Battalion HQ with
I Command Stand
1BMP toc
ATGW company with
3 BDRM AT
2 infantry Companies each with
1 Command Infantry Stand
1 Weapons Stand
1 Infantry stand
3 BMP2
These troops deploy anywhere along the North edge of the table once activated
the various "peaceful farmers" in the undegrowth were organised as follows.
Mullah Mustapha Narsul
High Commander “72 Virgins Martyrs Brigade”
Fortress of Hal –Farta.
The Infidel Cruasders are upon the Holy soil of Harraq. They must be destroyed , slaughtered ,Martydom is upon us Brothers.
Allah a Akbar !!
Available forces
Trained Morale 9
1 Command Stand.
1 14.5mm AAMG
1 Recon Jeep with HMG
4 Recon Motorcycle stands
1 Jeep with sneb Rocket pod.
Mortar Company with
4 81 mm Mortar Stands (ROF1).
2 Infantry Companies each with
2 Infantry Stands
1Weapons stand
You must protect your base if it falls to the infidels and they discover your stash of Heroin – which you wish to sell to finance the Holy War.... you may be a tad embarrassed...
I now had you over to John Adie of IBC embedded with 69 cdo for a report on the action
As the British battle group crosses the startline of the Shahwadhi wadi we come under desoultory mortar and RPG fire from a trenchline to our front . The Manovre support group replies with 50 cal and GMG rounds and the Queens Malabars Warriors join in with 30mm Raden guns and the mortars and RPGs fall silent.Nothing more is heard from that trench line.
Over on the British left 69 dismounted troops advance against the town of Al-Kahol coming under intese HMG and RPG fire. They go to ground and reply with Jimpies and 50 cals quicly followed by the Mortar platoon bringing their tubes into action. Thought lashed by fire and taking casualties the Harraqis continue to resist (good morale though here from Steve).
 |
| Early in the action . The Wmiks of the Manovre support group have taken hits. The Queens Malabars have occupied the Trench line . Challenger Tanks move up in support. |
The Challenger Tanks of the Prince Regents Own Heavy Hussars rumble up in support to the right of the Marines as word comes over the radio net that Harrqi T-72s have been spotted to the North. A slightly panicked British Commander puts in a call for Air support as the T-72s dash forward inan attempt to re-take the lost Trenchline in front of the Oil Depot.
Hell fire missiles streak out from Ugly 69and several T-72s are reduced to scrap along with a BDRM SA-9 launcher However in its death troes the BDRM launched 2 missiles and Ugly69 was seen leaving the battle area with smoke and flames pouring from its injured body.. The aircraft crashed behind British lines and both the crew survived.Nevertheless this gave the Harrqi morale an enormous boost.
 |
| T-72s advance- a grainy - satlite image- I wobbled the camera !!! |
 |
| The climactic tank battle in the centre of the table- photo taken by Andrew Oyston |
Over on the British left things were not exactly tickety boo... A column of BMPs and Sagger Armed BDRM were putting the Marines under intense pressure. The Challegers coud do nothing as they were engaging the T-72s. It was left to the Warrior IFVs of the Queens Malabars to support the Marines aided by Ugly 70 a late arriving Apache-v understandably a tad nervous considering the fate of his predecessor.
This time however the SA9s went astray leaving the Apache to chew up the surviving BMP and BDRM.
The battle was now all but over but the British had not been entirely successful. There were still Harrqi fighters in Al - Kahol
 | |||
| Harraqi Militiamen of the Fedayin Al- Rufa and the Dreaded N.A.I..L.S | (Nation Agency for IntelligenceLocation and Security) the hated secret police. |
Rooting out these die -hards would require a major re-alignment of forces....
So that will be another game on another day.
As for the rest of the show - it was its usual friendly self- always worth a visit. We've already been informally asked back for next year. Now what game shall we do....
0 Yorumlar