Cuba Libre!

[bigjackmac]

Thanks Phil, and another batrep coming this evening.

V/R,
Jack

[bigjackmac]

All,

It's 1930 on 1 Feb 1990, and the CLA's C Company, Unconventional Warfare Group, is charged with blocking east-west running fast routes through the Escambray Mountains (just east of Cienfuegos), the goal being to isolate powerful regime forces at Camaguey, Las Tunas, Holguin, and Santiago de Cuba and prevent them from influencing the fight in the west, with Havana being enveloped from both west (Playa Colorada landing site) and east (Bay of Pigs landing site).

C Company has spent the past several hours variously conducting reconnaissance to identify enemy columns heading west, and dispersing to dodge harassing regime ground attack aircraft ("I thought our flyboys were supposed to take care of all that...").  In any case, C Company has identified an enemy column of Task Force A, 12th Mechanized Company, sallying forth out of Holguin; the Company Commander quickly issues orders for a hasty ambush.  It would turn into what would surely be one of the most ferocious firefights of the entire War of Liberation...


So far we've had:
1) B Squadron SOF destroyed a radar site in support of amphibious landings at Playa Colorada (5).  B Sqdn then egressed and linked up with CLA rotary wing assets for their follow-on mission in Havana (6).
2) C Squadron SOF destroyed a the Cuban military's communications center.
3) 1st Para Battalion dropped in and seized a bridge to screen the landings at Playa Colorada (5).
4) 2nd Para battalion dropped in and eliminated a Castro-regime garrison to screen the landings at the Bay of Pigs (just west of (4).
5) 1st Marine Company, 3rd Infantry Battalion, made an amphibious assault at Playa Colorada.
6) A Squadron SOF attacked a Castro-regime SAM site near Havana, which failed to clear the way for B Squadron's helo assault into Havana.
7) 2nd Marine Company, 6th Infantry Battalion, landed at the Bay of Pigs then turned east and ran into a strong enemy force, which it handily defeated.
B Company of the UWG pursued and destroyed an enemy garrison in the Escambray Mountains.
9) B Squadron SOF conducted an aerial insertion into Havana to seize a radio station and broadcast news of the invasion.
10) 10th Popular Force Battalion seized and destroyed the Pedroso bridge to protect the Bay of Pigs landing site from the Matanzas garrison.
11) 1st Airborne Infantry Battalion successfully fought off a regime counterattack near the bridge at Sandino, protecting the western (Playa Colorada) landing site from the Pinar del Rio garrison.
12) 6th Infantry Battalion fought through an enemy ambush while pushing inland from the Bay of Pigs landing site.
13) 8th Popular Force Battalion ambushed a mechanized column of the enemy 2nd Armored Battalion, just west of Havana.
14) 2nd Airborne Battalion engaged enemy armored forces of the 6th Armored Battalion in the village of El Rincon, en route to the Bay of Pigs landing site.
15) 4th Infantry Battalion's 1st Air Assault Company conducts an air assault southeast of Sandino to counter enemy mechanized forces of 3rd Infantry Battalion (forcing 1st Airborne Battalion's right flank).
16) 9th Popular Force Battalion conducts a spoiling attack on the regime's 7th Infantry Battalion in the Matanzas garrison.
17) 2nd Air Assault Company, 7th Infantry Battalion, inserts east of El Rincon to block the escape of the regime's 6th Armored Battalion.
18) C Company of the UWG fought a running battle in the Escambray Mountains to delay/halt the regime's 12th Mechanized Battalion moving west.


The opposing forces, with regime forces on the left and the CLA on the right.  The CLA are Minifigs Australians from their Modern Range, and the regime forces are Argentinians from Pendraken's Falklands range, with an M-8 armored car and two SU-76s, also from Pendraken.

The CLA has a Command Stand representing their Company Commander (unfortunately it has four figures vice three, just like the regular rifle stands), six rifle stands, and a single leader figure representing their Battalion Commander.  Each rifle team is carrying multiple LAWs, but they have to get to very short range for them to be effective.  The regime force has a Command Stand, six rifle stands, an MG team, an 82mm mortar team, a very old M-8 armored car, and two very old SU-76s.


Overview of the map, north is up.  The enemy armored column is on the highway at top right, but they also have an infantry force at bottom right.  The CLA is also split into two forces, with Colonel Huistrella and three rifle teams in the north, and Captain Gonzalez and three rifle teams in the south.


Since they've proven so popular, how about another picture of my missiles in action (from "Fight's On!")?  The lightly armed Special Forces troopers use the rugged terrain to get close and fire a LAW at one of the enemy armored vehicles.

To see the whole fight, please check the blog at:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2015/07/cuba-libre-liberation-batrep-18.html

Well, that's 18 fights in the books, and that's just D-Day!  Of course, the following days will feature only a few fights each, and I can't see the War of Liberation going on for more than a week, there are simply too many other projects I need to get to.  Tomorrow or the next day I plan on posting a Situation Report ("SITREP"), outlining what exactly has happened so far in the overall scheme of things, and the operational plan for the next day (from the standpoint of the Cuban Liberation Army, of course).

I hope you're enjoying them, it's really been a lot of fun for me.

V/R,
Jack

[Techno]

Great stuff, Jack.   

I still don't know how you find the time to do all these reports and pics !

Cheers - Phil

[bigjackmac]

Thanks Phil, and I don't know how I have time either. If I ever suddenly stop posting, I'm probably recently deceased, and I'd ask you kind gentlemen to please point the appropriate legal authorities in the direction of my lovely wife, who doesn't seem to love gaming as much as I do

V/R,
Jack

[toxicpixie]

I have a condolences card with an offer to take care of your figures ready to post

[bigjackmac]

TP,

Ye bastid!

But, might as well be you

V/R,
Jack

[toxicpixie]

It's not that we don't like you, we just want more lead

Nah, getting them across the pond might be prohibitive. Charity auction, maybe?!

Although for preference, you not needing that option is better - don't wear yourself out to an early grave with the amount of battles you're fighting

[FierceKitty]

Chastity auction, maybe?!

What might that be, you strange Pixie?

[toxicpixie]

A highly amusing mistype 

If it was mine 

[bigjackmac]

What the heck!?

I need monetary donations to take the wife on vacation, or maybe send her on vacation whole I stay home and game? Dammit, what is wrong with me!?

Next batrep coming soon.

V/R,
Jack

[bigjackmac]

All,

This is the first fight of Day 2 (D+1).  Also, if anyone is interested, I posted the first SITREP, which is an overview to explain what happened on D-Day, and what the CLA's Commanding General is prioritizing for D+1.

http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2015/07/cuba-libre-d-day-sitrep.html

On to the fight.

It's 0700 on 2 Feb 1990, and the CLA's B Squadron SOF has linked up with C Company of the 8th Popular Force Battalion to push through to the Radio Station in downtown Havana to relieve Colonel Quilveras and the hard-pressed troopers of A Squadron SOF, who are holding out against the regime's 2nd Airborne Company, 1st Airborne Battalion, pushing hard to retake the Radio Station and stop the CLA's transmissions to the local populace.


So far we've had:
D-Day
1) B Squadron SOF destroyed a radar site in support of amphibious landings at Playa Colorada (5).  B Sqdn then egressed and linked up with CLA rotary wing assets for their follow-on mission in Havana (6).
2) C Squadron SOF destroyed a the Cuban military's communications center.
3) 1st Para Battalion dropped in and seized a bridge to screen the landings at Playa Colorada (5).
4) 2nd Para battalion dropped in and eliminated a Castro-regime garrison to screen the landings at the Bay of Pigs (just west of (4).
5) 1st Marine Company, 3rd Infantry Battalion, made an amphibious assault at Playa Colorada.
6) A Squadron SOF attacked a Castro-regime SAM site near Havana, which failed to clear the way for B Squadron's helo assault into Havana.
7) 2nd Marine Company, 6th Infantry Battalion, landed at the Bay of Pigs then turned east and ran into a strong enemy force, which it handily defeated.
B Company of the UWG pursued and destroyed an enemy garrison in the Escambray Mountains.
9) B Squadron SOF conducted an aerial insertion into Havana to seize a radio station and broadcast news of the invasion.
10) 10th Popular Force Battalion seized and destroyed the Pedroso bridge to protect the Bay of Pigs landing site from the Matanzas garrison.
11) 1st Airborne Infantry Battalion successfully fought off a regime counterattack near the bridge at Sandino, protecting the western (Playa Colorada) landing site from the Pinar del Rio garrison.
12) 6th Infantry Battalion fought through an enemy ambush while pushing inland from the Bay of Pigs landing site.
13) 8th Popular Force Battalion ambushed a mechanized column of the enemy 2nd Armored Battalion, just west of Havana.
14) 2nd Airborne Battalion engaged enemy armored forces of the 6th Armored Battalion in the village of El Rincon, en route to the Bay of Pigs landing site.
15) 4th Infantry Battalion's 1st Air Assault Company conducts an air assault southeast of Sandino to counter enemy mechanized forces of 3rd Infantry Battalion (forcing 1st Airborne Battalion's right flank).
16) 9th Popular Force Battalion conducts a spoiling attack on the regime's 7th Infantry Battalion in the Matanzas garrison.
17) 2nd Air Assault Company, 7th Infantry Battalion, inserts east of El Rincon to block the escape of the regime's 6th Armored Battalion.
18) C Company of the UWG fought a running battle in the Escambray Mountains to delay/halt the regime's 12th Mechanized Battalion moving west.
D+1
19) A Squadron SOF holds off the regime's 2nd Airborne Company, 1st Airborne Battalion at the Radio Station in downtown Havana, while B Squadron SOF and 8th Popular Force Battalion move to reinforce.


The opposing forces, with the regime troops on the left and CLA on the right.  The CLA force is made up of Minifigs Special Forces for the the SOF troops, and Pendraken British and Argentinian Special Forces from the Falklands Range.  The regime troops are made up of Minifigs Russian Special Forces and a BMP-2, plus a machine gun from the Brits of Pendraken's Falklands Range.

The CLA force has three parts: two SF teams from A Squadron, with a single leader figure representing Colonel Quilveras (at the Radio Station), and the relief force, made up of two SF teams from B Squadron and four rifle teams from C Company, 8th PF Battalion, plus a single leader figure representing C Company's leader, Captain Talamantes.  The regime force has a Command Stand, six rifle stands, a MG team, and a BMP.


Overview, north is up, with Colonel Quilveras and two teams from A Squadron at top left, the relief force of B Squadron and C Co, 8th PF Bn, at bottom left, and the regime forces spread across the right side.


Continuing a theme...

To see the whole report, please check the blog:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2015/07/cuba-libre-liberation-batrep-19.html

Sorry, I'm running behind, I have three more batreps to post from last weekend, with more fighting planned this weekend!

V/R,
Jack

[Techno]

Good stuff again, Jack.  
Cheers - Phil

[Womble67]

Excellent battle report, thanks for taking the time to post these I really enjoy reading them.

Take care

Andy

[ronan]

I'm in holidays and I have a very slow (and erratic) access to the internet ( a small hamlet in the mountains): Can't read the AARs ! 
( but very-very sunny in Spain     )
Will read you when I'm back, have good games folks !

[bigjackmac]

Phil - Thank you Sir.

Andy - And thank you, I appreciate that.  It's good to know folks are enjoying them.

Ronan - Ahhh, good for you!  I hope you have a great vacation, I need to take the wife and kids somewhere too!

V/R,
Jack