Into the Void (Part 2)

Following on the from the pre-game intelligence gathering, a couple of NATO installations had been identified at Haverbeck and Emmerthal, although it was a bit unclear what they actually were. The northerly was suspected of being a fuel dump. The Spetznaz team had also been successfully inserted, tasked with securing the bridge at Emmerthal, they had also identified what appeared to be a regular motorised patrol in the area.

Hamelin from the north. The spetznaz were lurking in the woods SE of the town.

The Brigade CO selected DZs either side of Hamelin, two battalions were tasked with securing the town and bridges, while the third cleared roads west of the Weser to allow the Antonovs to bring in the rest of the brigade. The drop was scheduled for dawn, and airstrikes were ordered against the suspected NATO installations.

We had a big turnout for this one, so Pete, Mark and Kayte were assigned para battalions, Connor got the mech battalion and Comrade Tim was ably assisted by his staff officers Jerry and John.

34th Air Assault Brigade in its box! Antonovs and ground attack aircraft in the foreground.

Petes battalion lands successfully and secures one of the bridges. Marks drop drifts and takes some losses. Hamelin also seems to have a certain amount of military activity taking place within it.

Kaytes battalion starts clearing the roads to allow the planes to land.

Mark overruns one German unit (which turn out to local police) and the Heimatschutzen take casualties from Petes VDV. 

Warpac planes hammer the woods NW of Haverbeck as Kaytes battalion approaches.

The fuel dump goes up in a huge explosion, which makes the camera shake.

Marks men continue their victorious advance and overrun the last of the local defence forces.

The first wave of Antonovs comes in.

Landing successfully it unloads the BMD battalion.

The planes clear the road as the next wave comes in.

These planes disgorge brigade HQ and its associated hangers on.

Kaytes battalion have dug in just as an enemy motorised column approaches. The entrenched paras are invisible to the approaching vehicles.

Both bridges in the town are secured and the Russians dig in. The brigade recce company sets off to Emmerthal as the NATO installation there burns.

The recce uncover a few demoralised survivors from a maintenace depot.

The Warpac hold on the town is consolidated.

The fires in the north spread and the motorised column is ambushed, taking heavy losses and settling down into a firefight with the paras.

The recce bypass the NATO troops and link up with the Spetznaz.

So a glorious victory for the defenders of the Motherland, despite all the things which could have gone wrong. Skilful planning and execution, coupled with a good dollop of luck (the timing of the arrival of the Jagers could not have been worse from a NATO pov) won the day. We shall return later in the campaign to see how they fare in their precarious airhead 50km behind the NATO front line and slap bang in the main battle zone for BAOR. Also a game which shows it is possible for players to have a fun game whilst only commanding two stands of troops each! Well, I think they had fun anyway....