I've just completed a cool game set in the late 1970's between a BAOR formation
arrayed in a defensive posture vs an advance guard of the Soviet invasion force.
With Centurions and T-55's the cutting edge in tank design I was looking forward
to an exciting contest.
I fully utilised my solo rules so I was more an observer than participant. Both
commanders were competent leaders, the Soviet commander rated excellent but also
rash. This proved interesting in the way his aggressive style determined Soviet
engagement policy.
The game required the capture of a couple of villages held by the British. They
had partially entrenched their positions and I brought in a couple of new
special rules. The first gave them improved concealment from observation by
troops in front of the positions. This was my NATO entrenchment rule. The second
was Cautious NATO movement which allowed the unit to count as in cover in the
open for observation if it moved up to half it's move. Both were influential in
the ensuing game.
The Russians swept onto the board but had a couple of reserve issues with two
units performing a flank move which wouldn't enter the board until turn 3 and a
couple of motorised infantry units and a heavy weapons unit still off the board.
Initial advances were hampered by a couple of freak control tests which stalled
some of the motorised infantry. The British centurions started to advance to
engage the T-55's and in the following couple of rounds the T-55s were reduced
to one remaining unit. This proved to be decisive as the Soviet's had little in
the way of remaining armour and so their spearhead assault no longer had much
punch.
There was an interesting development in the British position on turn 2 when they
rolled an aggressive posture for the battle plan which forced some of their
units to advance on the Soviets and lose some of the integrity of their
position. This seemed to unhinge their strategy but a successful round of firing
on Soviet troops caught in the open sealed the victory and compensated for the
tactical error.
All in all an engrossing contest if rather disappointing for the Soviets.
