AAR12: Beating Around the Bush (African Imagi-Nations at War)

Current Situation in the Mugabia-Uwanda War: All of Mugabia's recent advances on the ground and in the air have been stopped cold by Uwanda's armed forces.  This has resulted in some loss of confidence in their leader by the military and population of Mugabia and the ULF (Uwandan Liberation Front), a rebel force fighting for independence of traditional Pettu tribal territory from Uwanda.  Uwanda's leadership, apparently surprised at their recent string of successes, seems unprepared to take the initiative.

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Despite President Upepomfuko's effort, news of the setbacks quickly reached the people of Mugabia.  His enemies postured to use the losses against the president, as many hoped that his hold on the country was weakening.  Despite some minor outcry, Upepomfuko still firmly grasped the throat of "his" nation.

By the time word had reached the masses, the weakness in the president's staff had already been purged.   Chief of the army (the president's brother) had been fired, the minister of defense had a large hole in his forehead, and the Air Force Chief had moved into his new single room apartment with barred door and windows.

The president had a new plan that included lobbying the Soviets for better equipment, pressing the Cubans for more training, and instigating the ULF to step up guerrilla warfare to buy time.

While the dance with the Soviets and Cubans began, the ULF sent teams into Uwanda to spread chaos.  Those in Pettu territory loyal to the central government were harassed.  Livestock was stolen or killed, people beaten, and homes burned.

With the army deployed along the border, the national police took up much of the response to the ULF mischief.  The most active area was to the south around objective A55, resulting in police frequently patrolling the roads between the villages. 

Objective A55 is located near the bottom center of the map.

On most days, patrols yielded only dusty police, as the ULF forces always seemed to melt away.  Today wasn't one of those days.

A small group of ULF men moved through the countryside with supplies for the local ULF fighters.  As it turned out, moving unseen across the border and into Uwanda, proved easier than finding the local ULF contingent.

As Wakili lead his men and supplies through the bush, he thought to himself, "Two days late!  When I find them, I'm don't know whether to supply them or shoot them.  We could better serve the cause, than by walking endlessly, looking for those lost among the trees."

Finally, four of the local ULF men were seen walking in the distance, making their way through the scrub. At about the time Wakili saw them, so did somebody else.

Two Uwandan carriers head west on the road toward

objective A55. They would be the two little things that look

pretty much like bushes in the road to the left.

Though nearly antiques, the Uwandan National Police still operated a number of old Universal Carriers.  The old armored carrier rumbled down the dirt path that nearly passed for a road.  As the carrier approached a farm, some men were seen moving through the brush.

Oman was tired of this task, seemingly searching for that which could not be found.  The men in the bush were probably nobody of interest, but questioning them would offer a few moments of distraction.  Oman shouted to his driver, "Turn right! There! See them?  Go! Go!"

Well, Oman saw them, but I can't make out the men in the

bushes nearest the trees.

As the carrier bounded through the some bushes and churned up a farm field, one of the men in the distance took note, and then the men began to run.

A captivating photo of men running.  See? Oman

did spot dudes in the distance.

 

Wakli's men watched as their contact was spotted and pursued by the little armored carriers.  Unable to assist, his men took up positions, should they be spotted. 

As the men ran to the trees, the carriers began to overtake them.  The policemen disembarked the carriers as they reached the trees, and advanced cautiously on foot, as they had now lost sight of the men.

Oman and a subordinate advance into the trees.

After a moment, one of the men hiding in the bushes opened fire on the police, wounding one of them.  The police returned fire, wounding the two closest ULF men.  The police took the two wounded men prisoner, but the others slipped away.

Capturing the wounded men.

Eventually, Wakili found the now leaderless survivors.  He and his men joined with the local ULF group, while two men were sent back to give word that he would take over here as leader. 

Wakili settled in as local commander, discovering that he had nearly 50 men at his disposal.  As he began to imagine the number of wounds that he might inflict upon the beast, he could not help but smile to himself.


Most of the potential for this scenario was undone by the dice before the game started (guess my scenario generator  needs a little tweaking).  Between the separation of the ULF force and the crazy sighting roll for the Uwandan police, the game resulting in a brief chase and the equivalent of about 15 seconds of shooting.  If nothing else, it did help set up the next couple scenarios, which will be a little more substantial.