Still learning the rules.

We had another club game yesterday. Force on Force. Given that the last game the Taliban were easily out gunned it did lead to a rather one sided game. Taking that into account I adjusted the Talibans numbers up and the British numbers down. I also added a reporter and camera man as well as a Terp (interpreter) to the British which would count as dependants. WE played 6 people played and it would have been better with 4. We managed two games, so everyone got to be both British and Taliban forces. The first 3 pictures were taken near the end of he first game. (Unfortunately Relfie did not attend due to work commitments and he usually gets me some extra

pics which he then emails me. Which is always appreciated). 

I think it's fair to say that the first game was a blood-bath. Two of the youngest club members took charge of the British. They seemed to base their tactics on "Call of duty" computer game more than real life.  One of them seemed intent on taking the DMR (Designated Marksman Rifleman) from it's normal place in their own fire team and assigning it to his command. He then constantlyreffered to it as a sniper. As a club we have not used "Snipers" in Force on Force just yet and a DMR does not fill the same role. Peter was also with the younger players, but he was to suffer from trying to act as a team when they were not. Peter took a few light (50mm) mortar rounds before getting his team where he wanted them. (Top pic) . Patrick galloped his command section with cameraman reporter and terp straight forward and left them dangling in the open with no cover at all. Frasier kept his troops in the poppy fields . The Taliban sprung the trap and caught Patrick stood right in the open with no cover and cameraman filmed it all. Frasier could have attempted to react to the Taliban but choose not to leaving his command section fully exposed. The Cameraman was the first casualty and suffered a serious wound. The Terp died outright and his troops took a couple of light wounds.  All in all a "cluster-flup!" Taliban Tim then revealed his rooftop troops as well and squirted of some fire at Frasier's lot in the field who then ran round the corner out of sight with a couple of wound markers. They hugged the walls and reached the next corner turned it into the line of fire of a 12.7mm HMG and another Taliban squad. Disaster! Peter laid down some semi effective fire on both the HMG and the first lot of Taliban (Kev's).

 Patrick still making morale checks got inside a building with "Fake Adie" the wounded Cameraman and the wounded soldiers. To his credit he did then TRY to call in air support, but due to low dice rolls noting turned up. His position was then close assaulted by Kev's Talibs and the managed to capture the reporter, the wounded cameraman and three British Soldier (all wounded). Clearly this was decisive victory of the insurgents. Nothing at all would stop other journalists from reporting the  captures of the British subjects which included two civilian non-combatants. Basically Game over. 

We swapped sides. And a different result. Peter went home (was on a night shift that night so needed to catch a few hours before work). I took Peters place. Now the Younger players (both about 14 before you ask) decided that they would do the same tactics that had been employed against them. Well Patrick tried exactly the same position a Kev, but had placed his HMG in what I thought was a better position. The Cameraman died again.The difference was of course all the British troops with overlapping fields of fire could and choose to bring every gun to bear. (I was hiding my troops at the back (far left of the picture).) Anyway coming to the point All Patricks troops were squashed pretty quickly. Having tried to move to a position of safety Stew flanked me. I was very lucky and won the reaction test and shot back first and did enough damage to stop him tearing me a new one. I gave Patrick some new troops (two RPG teams on motorbikes) he rushed them forward, got them to a roof top and Kev (who the others had MADE be the CO called in an air strike. They had managed to task a Dutch AH64 Apache with hellfire's, rocket pods, 30mm chain gun and a strong desire to use them. Kev Designated a building with Taliban on the roof. Total overkill later two smoking ruins several civilian casualties (and a good number of Taliban causalities). Both sides could claim this as a win, The Taliban pointing to the waste of civilian lives and the death of the cameraman. Whilst the British achieved the objective despite several wounds and the valiant sacrifice of a television news reporter. They also got to destroy some buildings which did put smiles on their faces.

We ended it there as time was pressing. All in all I learnt a lot about how to structure a better game. Everyone learnt don't leave troops exposed in the open and I got to use the Taliban I have been painting for the show. Several issues were raise in the game and I acknowledge I'll have to re-read the rules a few more times (about 30 times) before we really become fluent. However as a learning curve we managed a game so not too bad.

Now as we have less than 5 weeks before Broadside now (was 5 weeks Sunday morning). I really must make a concerted effort to get the terrain and the British finished and NOT GET SIDETRACKED!

That's it for today, another totally bias AAR. Thanks for looking. Thanks to Kev for the use of his terrain and Brits and thanks to the guys for playing. All the best I'll post again on Wednesday. Now I'm off to B+Q for model supplies. Cheers Clint