Conflict '89: The Defense of Latakia; Part 1

Hey Folks,

Ive been stupidly busy with work recently (hence the long delay between posts) but we managed to whip together a massive game of Moderns for Pooch's leaving game (as he is soon to depart for windier climes).  This used our work in progress rules for Conflict '89...a micro armour game set in, you guessed it the 1980's and early '90s

I was running my newest army: Bundeswher - cause Ze Germans are cool no matter what time period you are playing (I have Ancient, Napoleonic, WW2 and now Modern Germans)

In this we are playing 3000 points EACH, with half on (rounding down) for a MASSIVE 6k per side.   So my part of the force looked like;

Defence Force; (deployed)

• Full 3 Platoon Fallschirmjager Company with 3 MILAN ATGM teams and 2 Stinger MANPADS
• Raketjagpanzer Company: 8 Jaguar-2 (MILAN armed Tank Destroyers) with a Flakpanzer Gepard (as this is the coolest SPAAG ever)
• Panzermorser Battery: 4 M125 (120mm) Mortar Carriers with a Command Marder 1

The Reserve Force;

• Leopard 2 Panzerkompanie: 9 Leopard 2 MBT's with a Flakpanzer Gepard
• Panzergrenadierkompanie: 2 Platoon Panzergrenadiers (9) with Battlaion Command (2) in 11 Marder IFVs
• Aufklarungs Platoon: 5 Panzergrens in 5 TpZ-1 Fuchs
• Spahpanzer Patrol: 4 Luchs Armoured Cars

The Lufwaffe (can engage from 1st turn)

• 2 F-4E Phantoms (staging out of Turkey)

The scenario was based around the UN Defence of the port city of Latakia following a breakdown of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel.  Andy whipped up an amazing table on very short notice!

The Port City of Latakia: This is two 6*4 foot boards cunningly balanced and built up with bits of wood around my garage to cobble together an L-shaped table with a diagonal harbour section.  This diagonal cut out worked really well as we could reach into the center.  There are three objectives on the approachs t the City and a Blitz on the Docks (its the chopper)

The Air Field: The other Blitz is by the bridge.

Panzaermorsers (left) and Raketjagpanzers (right) lurk in the Wadi's outside the city

6 (!) Companies of Soviet  Tanks (T-72's and T-55's with supporting ZSU-23's) and a  sole company of Infnatry form the North-East threat...

While a sole Full Company of Fallschirmjager are dug in around the objective to try and delay them

The Syrians approach from the South-West.  3 T-72 Tank Companies., Infantry, BMP Recon and supporting 120mm Mortars.  Two artillery Batteries are deployed to the rear with MiG-29's on CAP

US Navy Air Support inbound: A A6 Inturder on a Weasal mission while two F-14 Tomcats fly cover...note also a  Trafalger class Attack Sub:  This counts as a MLRS Battery and is representing a British Navy sub firing Cruise Missiles in support!

While the Soviet and Syrian forces closed on the city from two axis of advance part of a USMC MEU Tank Platoon (Abrams)and LAR (Lav-25's with Humvees) was forward deployed into the port itself and a Bundeswher Fallschirmjager (German Paratroopers) Company held the northern approachs with supporting light armour (Mortar M113's and a Jaguar -2 Raketpanzerjager Company)

You can see the Syrian Commanders bat rep here: Syrian AAR