Batrep 2, FURTIVE ARCHER, Gorazde, Bosnia-Herzegovina

[bigjackmac]

All,

Following on from the successful, if bloody, op in Malaysia, Halfstep provided information stating OTW had acquired WMD, apparently a nerve agent, and was storing it in the bombed-out outskirts of Gorazda, Bosnia-Herzegovina.  The world wants to be sure, so there will be no airstrike, JCSOG is being sent in.

Situation: OTW is storing a cache of chemical weapons for use in a near-term terrorist attack in an undisclosed European capital.  JCSOG is ordered to destroy the cache.

Mission: Airborne ISR assets have ascertained the location of the OTW chemical weapons cache based on Halfstep's debrief.  The cache is two separate sites located nearby, likely meaning the chemical munitions are a binary agent.  Two teams will infiltrate on foot, locate and secure the two cache sites.  Once the sites are secured two vehicles (Range Rovers) containing two pax (driver and demolition expert) and explosives to destroy the cache will race to the site, rig it for destruction, then exfil, followed by the two foot-teams collapsing back to a nearby HLZ for evacuation.


Overview of board, the same 3' x 2' from last time.  North is 'up,' with JCSOG entering on the west edge, the two caches at roughly board center, and the bad guy board edge on the east side, with three hotspots.  HS1 is at top right (NE), 2 is at far right (E), and 3 is at bottom right (SE).


The good guys; Honcho (platoon commander) up front, followed by Tm2 (left to right, Mace, Lancer, Tumbler, and Dragon) and then Tm3 (Corkscrew, Foghorn, Ballpark, and Transit).  The two Range Rovers carrying the explosives are in the rear.  Each vehicle has an assigned driver, a demolitions expert (Blaster and Detcord, respectively), and enough gear to ensure the destruction of the two caches.


Things heating up at cache #1, with Tumbler at bottom center left and Mace to his left rear, with bad guys to their right.


Bad guys rushing the center.


Bodies are piling up in the streets...

To see how it turned out, and about another 35 pictures, please visit the blog at:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2014/04/furtive-archer-gorazde-bosnia.html

V/R,
Jack

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Cool Jack! 

[bigjackmac]

Thanks Lemmey, I appreciate it.

These batreps don't seem to be garnering much love from the readership.  I'm open to scenario suggestions fellas: Special Ops types that can go anywhere in the world to counter non-gov't aligned, international terrorist, rogue government, or some combination of all three.  I'm going to keep playing them regardless as I'm having a good time, but I can always use help with new scenario ideas, particularly if it's going to get folks more excited about these.

I assume part of the problem is the use of non-Pendraken figures...  I apologize, but Pendraken has not yet released modern Special Forces, Warsaw Pact, or terrorist types.  I can promise that I will be getting some Pendraken vehicles into the mix, as well as Falklands-line UK and Argentinians and Vietnam-line NVA and Aussies. 

More to come this weekend (hopefully).

V/R,
Jack

[Techno]

Great report, Jack !
Thanks for sharing. 
Cheers - Phil

[toxicpixie]

Ooof, that was messy!

More "Black Hawk Down" flailing than "Embassy Siege" deft knife strike :S

Bad luck on all three leaders getting taken down, that looked hard work.

Still 33 bad guys casualties and both caches gone is a good result.

[bigjackmac]

Thanks Phil and Toxicpixie, I appreciate it.

Stand by for more mayhem this weekend, I'm going to get at least one more of these in and post.

Regarding the "Blackhawk Down," that's pretty much my intent on running all of these games.  That is, I have a relatively small band of elite troops, but the bad guys are just going to keep coming.  In the first two fights the bad guys have taken a slew of casualties, but I must admit mine have been a bit higher than I expected, and I need to figure out what I'm going to do campaign-wise, i.e., I need to roll to see who's not coming back (KIA) and who's just out for a bit (WIA), and then figure out replacements and get the teams back up to full- or near full-strength.

Regarding the rules themselves, I'm toying with the idea of putting less guys on the board, like six or seven good guys (there were 18 in the first fight and nine in the second) and 10 bad guys (both fights I used 12 bad guys as the max per turn, with constant reinforcements via hotspots).  I want games that are real quick so I can play lots of them and move the storyline forward.  Which reminds me, I need more scenario ideas! 

I'm about to go buy some wooden blocks ("Jenga"-style, if you're familiar with that) and build me a ship and a Gas/Oil Platform!

V/R,
Jack

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Great idea. Can the bad guys develop at all? Thinking Cobra soldiers picking up skills and becoming recurring enemies etc.

[toxicpixie]

Recurring or semi-recurring bad guys can add a lot but are easy to over use... But that ter who made the "golden BB" shot would be a good candidate. Unless he got KIA'd!

[bigjackmac]

The recurring bad guys is an interesting question.  I hadn't really thought about it as they're kinda just the 'faceless' enemy, though it could spice things up a bit.

I certainly don't want to go too far as I don't want to get caught up in book keeping, and the other problem is the fact they die some damned fast!

I don't know about the idea of them accruing skills, so to speak, but I had been thinking about better units, i.e., regulars and 'Guards,' or something similar.  Maybe a few 'known' officers would do it?

V/R,
Jack