AAR6: Enter the Separatists

This is an After Action Report for the sixth battle in my African Imagi-nation campaign.  The last AAR was:
http://irishserb.blogspot.com/2011/07/aar5.html

Mugabian leadership had long supported the ULF rebels, as both parties wanted the Pettu tribal territory in  Uwanda to be re-united with the Pettu region in Mugabia.  This support consisted of both training and the supply of small arms and ammunition.  As the conflict between Uwanda and Mugabia heated up, regular conveys began visiting the rebel training camps.

While the ULF rebels were getting support from Mugabia, the Separatists were not.  A sub-group of the Pettu people, their goal was to free followers of their faith from the control of both  Uwanda and Mugabia, and they burdened both nations equally.  Without support, access to weapons was limited, so the Separatist leader authorized more aggressive actions to rectify the problem.

Akida had been selected for this important mission because of his training in the colonial militia before the independence of Mugabia.  A natural leader with good tactical vision, he was one of the brightest stars in the Separatist forces.

A view looking east, the Mugabian convey has just entered the table.

Separatist forces are in the woods to the left of the "S" curve.

The action was to be an ambush of the Mugabian weapons convoy to the ULF camp.  Though the convoys had escort by light armor and/or troops, thus far, they had met no resistance, and the Mugabians were expected to be complacent.  The plan was simple, destroy the escort, take the supplies.

A view looking west, as the lead AML60 saw things. 

The Separatists are ahead in the forest to the right.

Akida took 20 men for the Ambush,  if the convey was typical, they would let the lead armored car pass, destroy the infantry leading the trucks and  that following the trucks to trap them, kill any resistance, and take the supplies.

Separatist fighters from Rebel Miniatures

" Ahh, the convoy is as we expected.  Abdu is a good shot, this should go well.  Here they come. Let them pass...wait...armored car...wait...infantry carrier...wai...what is he doing? Not yet! Not yet!"

The lead AML60 as the convey proceeds through the "S" turn.

Abdu fired his RPG true, and hit the side of the BTR-60 just before it got to him.  Unfortunately, this put the convey too far east, and put the trailing armored car almost out of range of the other RPG gunner.    The hit was catastrophic, destroying the APC, and killing or injuring three quarters of the squad inside.  Those that could, bailed out, and immediately found themselves in a barrage of small arms fire.  Meanwhile, the rest of the separatists opened up on the convey, trying to immobilize the trucks.

The BTR60 is hit too soon by the RPG7 gunner.

Up ahead the lead AML60 turned around and began peppering the RPG launch pointed with 60mm rounds.  At the rear of the column, the separatist RPG gunner missed the trailing AML60, who in turn did not.

As seen from the trailing AML60,  ULF fighters disembark to engage Separatists in the forest to the right.

From this point, a gruesome exchange of small arms and 60mm fire, all at close range, killed and wounded most troops on both sides.  ULF fighters bailed out of the last truck,  surprising the Separatists, and adding to the carnage.  The Separatist reserve of six men moved toward the rear of the column, one of them found the RPG, still in serviceable condition, and hit the rear AML60.

The ULF fighters as seen by the Separatists.

At the front of the column, the AML60 and RPG gunner exchanged misses for a little while, before mutually annihilating each other.  Akida was hit in the process, and though he would live, would fight no more battles.

The Mugabian infantry were quickly killed, as were half of the rebels, whose surviving forces ran into the jungle.  The separatists probably would have broke as well, but the fight happened so fast, that they didn't have a chance to retreat.

Towards the end of shooting,  just before the ULF fighters retreat into the forest.

Suddenly it was quiet, and only the cracking fire and moaning of injured men was heard.  Only five separatists were left unhurt, out of the original 21 men.  Four ULF rebels lay dead, as did 9 of the Mugabia infantry; two were still alive, but badly wounded.  Dogo decided that they would live, should God will it, and that the Separatists had better get on with their own business.

Originally, the plan was to take only what they could carry, but there were eight wounded separatist fighters.  They loaded supplies and the injured into the former rebel truck, the only vehicle still serviceable.

As they left, Dogo thought, "If this is victory, I do not wish to experience defeat."

When word of the Separatist attack reached the Mugabian leadership, they were outraged.  This had not happened before, Uwanda must be behind it.  They would pay, for attacks in Mugabian territory would not be tolerated.