Friday 30 March 2018

Team Yankee - No Retreat for the Gordons!


This Thursday at the uni we were glad to be able to catch up with our mate Daniel, who was on an Easter long weekend leave pass from his officer training at HMAS Creswell. Daniel had asked if we could lay on a Team Yankee game? Does a bear poop in the woods?
 

I laid out some terrain and Daniel rolled for the scenario:  No. - 5 'No Retreat'. I had organised with Daniel and his opponent Colin - ex RAAF btw - that it would be 60 points, no Air, no AA.


Turns out that Daniel could get a lot of East German assets within that 60 points - 2 companies of T-55AM2s, a company of T-72s, a medium sized company of infantry mounted in BTR70s...



and lots of artillery:



both Carnation 122mm SPG and Hail MRLs!


Colin opted instead for a British Mechanised Infantry Company: tenacious and aggressive Highland infantry platoons, richly endowed with support weapons: 81mm mortars and sustained fire MG's, which, uniquely in the TYverse, can lay down an artillery barrage - Colin's favourite trick!


However they also had some heavier firepower in the form of Abbot 105mm SPGs, and, of course, some direct firepower in the form of a troop of 3 Chieftain MBTs!



Colin deployed first, able to deploy 3 platoons, garrisoning the central village and its objective with infantry...



Placing another platoon out near the second objective over on his deep right flank. With immediate deep reserves, he couldn't put his Chieftains on table so his third platoon consisted of his Light Guns


Daniel as the attacker had the first move and split his armour into 3 distinct prongs, driving fast and hard with each. These T-55s and Spandrels (above) went for the deep objective on his left flank, carefully avoiding the minefield...


His other T-55 company on his right flank drove straight for the objective in the village...
 

While his T-72s held the middle course. His infantry company remained mounted and headed for the cover of the woods nearest the village.



For the next couple of moves, as Colin deployed a steady stream of immediate reinforcements, Colin continued with his bold advance, deploying his infantry...


and their 2 Spandrel platoons, in the cover of the wood commanding the southern approaches to the village.


So that he was well on the approach to both objectives.



Whilst the village was strongly garrisoned with infantry teams,


and bristling with Milan ATGWs, a succession of well executed HAIL rocket strikes kept the infantry pinned down, allowing the T-55s to get within the Milan missile's minimum range... 


However the Milan teams over on the northern objective were not pinned, and soon made their presence felt!



By this time, Colin's Chieftain platoon had Blitzed into position...



and cut loose on the nearest T-55 company around the village...



Not a pretty sight! However, with the East German artillery taking an increasing toll on the village's garrison, Daniel decided it was time for some direct action with his motor-schutzen kompanie!



And so in they went! With the garrison's few shell shocked survivors being flogged by HMG fire from the BTR's...



the eastern half of the village was successfully broken into by the Ossi infanteers!


Further north, Daniel's red tide was also advancing closer to the other objective...



It had reached the point where Colin had to finish his move contesting both objectives or hand Daniel the game!



The survivors of the village's garrison rallied and prepared to counter attack...


bringing forward the support of their APC's pintle mounted MGs and whittling away at the BTR's with their 'Charlie G' 84mm AT projectors...



And whilst there were few enough of them surviving to re-claim the village, they had driven the East Germans away - the village objective was still in play!


But what of the East German northern and centre prongs - would Daniel seize the deep objective with his panzers?


By this time all of Colin's forces were in play, including a troop of Scorpions. Diminutive they may be, but their 76mm guns could still penetrate the side armour of Daniel's T-72s!


And so it proved! The destruction of the second East German tank platoon meant that the formation had broken, and the hard fought defence had held!

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