Their command structure fell into disarray in the very first turn, with leaders discussing their different views and versions of their plans far to long without acting, giving the US Forces a considerable head start.
The first US Humvee approached the main road while the Taliban where still quabbling over minor details. As you can see, the road was cluttered with suspect devices, forcing the US commander to advance carefully or take considerable risks of having his ass blow up.
More movement followed, the Taliban were merely able to activate one unit. So I chose to deploy my hardcore RPG-team into the treeline along the main road.
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| Beginning of Turn 2 |
Turn two was a lot better, rolling for activations still gave the US Forces initiative, but this is to be expected when playing against veterans.
The US commander disembarked his first fireteam (note that we overcrowded the Humvees a little, they did have gunner, commander + 4-5 passengers, so it must have been very cramped in there) and headed straight for the first suspect device to disable it. The other vehicles followed up and lined up nicely behind the first humvee. Unfortunately I didn´t have Line of Sight, otherwise that would have made a nice mortar target.
But the Taliban where still struggling to get into position after the fatal results of the first turn.
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| Turn 3 begins |
Turn three actually yielded a draw in the initiative phase, which means the US keeps going.
As his first activation the US Leader advanced his Humvee, trying to pick off my Hardcore-RPG team (Team 3). The Humvee makes his PID-check and identifies the hostiles, but finds itself under fire before it can walk the rounds in.
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| Taliban positions |
The RPG wooshes past the vehicle and lands somehwere far behind it, causing no damage.
Infantry small arms fire fails to do any damage to the up-armored Humvee, but the Humvee Crew is still struggling to spot the Insurgents and fail to hit them with their HMG.
The Stryker turns up on the scene and also starts pumping HMG-rounds in the direction of my RPG team, again missing their mark (but just barely, the impacts are coming closer), then the second Humvee follows on the track of the heavier vehicle
The Taliban commander orders their right flank to catch up with the rest, hoping to prepare an L-shaped ambush. Unfortunately Team 6 does not get the order or still has other plans - anyway, they refuse to move at this time and need more shouting, threats and insults.
Last action is bringing more reinforcements onto the board - and I roll a Sniper-Team which should give me some counter-sniper ability against the marksmen and enemy leaders. I set them up on the right (eastern) table edge where they can observe the entire main road.
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| Turn 4 is about to start |
Rolling initiative for Turn 4 I thought for a second that I could wrest initiative from the US with 4 successes - if the US rolled badly.. but of course they achieved 5 sucesses which will have me on the backburner this turn just like the previous one...
So the HMG continues to put fire on my unlucky RPG team...
Again, my RPG-team is faster to fire but as the Taliban logistic network is far from effective, they have no more munitions for their RPG, which leaves them in peril. They resort to their AKs, burst-firing at the Humvee and riddling the vehicle with bullets. Aiming for the wheels they manage to destroy a tire, immobilizing the up-armored jeep.
Unfortunately this leaves the vehicle operational, so no Victory points for that feat.
The Humvee returns fire, this time hitting with full effect and causing a casualty and a morale effect. I decide to retreat in the face of massive US Firepower and lose another man while pulling out. Hopefully I can patch at least one of them up, but the chances are slim.
Volker then dismounts his Infantry Squad from the Humvee, fanning out to inspect the suspect devices that scatter the road. A high-risk strategy as any of those could be an IED!
And all the while, they are observed by the patient Sniper team waiting for the right time to engage...
Stay tuned for part 3 to see if my ambush suceeds or if the superior American firepower and training will win the day!
Part 3 is up: Click here to view
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