AAR-39: Hunting the Lion (African Imagi-Nations)

They called him "Simba", "The Lion", maybe because of his full beard which framed his face as if it were a mane, or maybe because of his wisdom and tenacity in fighting the French in his younger days.  Likely the most powerful and respected leader left in the ULF, he wasn't sure of what the future would might for his cause.  Working to sort out the situation that the ULF now found itself in, he was trying to figure out his next move.  

As he pondered the situation, he noticed the increased chatter on the radio in the far corner of the room.  "Simba, lookouts are reporting that something is happening.  To the east...and from the west...  Russians!"  

The Lion had expected as much, it was mostly a matter of "when".  And "when" was apparently now.

The Border region between Uwanda an Mugabia, 

the battle takes place at objective B-19, 

a little blow and right of center above.

The Lion's stronghold was located in the town known as objective B-19 on Uwanda's maps.  He had a significant force of dedicated fighters and several vehicles including a couple of old French armored cars.  The Soviets had moved to surround and isolate the Lion in his den, incorporating both Motor Rifle and Airborne troops in the assault.

The Soviets had decided not to be heavy handed in this operation and to rely on various infantry and support from their fighting vehicles for the fight in the city.  

ULF Forces

The Lion and personal guard of 10 men.

5x 10 man sections, plus (4d10) additional fighters from the surrounding town

2x Technicals with HMG

2x Panhard AML60

1x cargo truck

1x GAZ69

1x Pickup truck

ULF Forces.

Soviet Forces

2x Motor Infantry pltn and HQ (6 squads in 7 BMP-1s)

2x Airborne pltn (6x Squads and HQ in trucks)

3x BMD-1

Soviet forces.

The Soviet plan was simple, the primary attack would be from the east by the infantry and their BMPs, pushing the ULF west into the waiting paratroops.  Victory would be achieved, when the body of "The Lion" could be identified.

The center of town, a ULF stronghold.

The Soviet infantry commander lead the way into the fight, driving down the main road, with infantry platoons fanned out to either side.  He wanted to get as close the target as possible, before deploying infantry, on making contact with the enemy.

The Soviet infantry advancing in their BMP1s from the east.

Meanwhile, the Paratroop commander would establish a blocking force along the western edge of the city.

The Soviet paras deploy along the west edge of town.

The noise from the IFVs quickly gained the attention of the ULFs watching eyes, and The Lion was alerted well before shooting started.  When shooting did start, among the first to die was the infantry commander and his BMP. 

The Soviet infantry commander and most of he CHQ 

died when his BMP was hit early in the battle.

This left a void in communications and leadership, with the infantry platoons advancing into a swarm of RPG fire, meanwhile, the paratroops, sparred at range with ULF fighters to the west, while their trucks were steadily picked off by those pesky RPGs.

Soviet paras advancing, while their trucks have an allergic 

reaction to RPGs.

The infantry platoon leaders pushed their troops to advance despite the loss of more BMPs, and they began to inflict notable casualties on the ULF.

The Soviets continue to advance from the east.

On the west side of town, the paratroop platoon to the south, dismounted and engaged a small number of ULF fighters ULF fighters, both taking and inflicting significant casualties.

Paratroops engaging UF fighters to the southwest of town.

As fate would have it, there were a larger number of ULF fighters than intelligence reports had suggested, and they offered tougher resistance than expected.  Additionally, the ULF had been just plain lucky, getting far more hits with their RPGs than anyone could have expected.

Despite the loss of the infantry commander at the start of the fight, both Soviet platoons pushed on with leaders on both sides somehow maintaining control of their forces.  The paratroop commander had hesitated, not knowing what had happened to to the overall infantry command, and missed opportunity to advance and gain greater advantage, choosing instead to follow his last order.

The northern Soviet infantry platoon advancing west

 (towards top above).

And the southern platoon advancing west (left above).

The paratroops to the northwest had advanced to gain better cover, but contnuing to take casualties, started to withdraw, and they seemed to face greater forces, despite inflicting many casualties as the battle progressed.

More ULF fighters resist the paratroops tot he northwest...

...While the paratroops begin to fall back.

The ULF had spent their last surprise, sending two AML 60 armored cars and two technicals, pick-up trucks with heavy machine guns, into the fray.  Initially the AMLs had little effect, while the technicals each got off a single, if lethal burst, before their gunners were hit.

One of the ULF technicals joining the fight.

To the east, the ULF was in a bad way, having lost a significant number of fighters, while, the Russians slowly advanced.  The paratroopers to the northwest were dropping back, and those to the southwest held their ground, waiting to catch the fleeing ULF fighters, which to this point, did not appear.

Many ULF and some Soviet infantry lie wounded or dead in 

the streets.

On the east side of town, Soviet infantry continued to advance, dishing out more casualties, than they incurred.  The Para commander, finally got a a response from someone up the command chain, found that he wasn't the only one not talking to the operation commander, and was told to continue to follow his last order.

One of the AML armored cars had been tracked in a position that permitted it to continue firing against the paras to the northwest, who were continuing to withdraw.  The other AML60 circled around the most northerly BMP and enguaged it with its 60mm, crippling, but not killing it.  

After missing a couple of shots, the BMP finally hit and destroyed the AML60, but shortly afterword, received a ht from an RPG that penetrated the engine compartment, and at which point the crew abandoned the BMP.

The BMP (left) and thee AML60 (under the cloud of smoke 

to the right).

The crew included the infantry PHQ, who issued an order to withdraw.  The southern Soviet PHQ could see this happen and also ordered a withdraw for the last advancing Soviet unit. 

With all but the Southwestern group of paras withdrawing (and the heavy casualties taken by he ULF), the firing diminished, and after a few minutes, the paratroop commander also ordered a withdrawal.

Soviet paratroops withdrawing to their trucks.

The ULF had taken terrible casualties, and Simba's personal guards had grown concerned, so they were in the process of abandoning their compound, and working their way north, but the Soviet withdrawal came before Simba had been able to escape town.

The Soviets had failed to catch or kill Simba, but had functionally destroyed his immediate ability to fight.

His guards hurried him to his jeep, as the driver accelerated, the old Lion noticed that the shooting had subsided. "Stop! STOP!", he yell to the driver.  "They are beaten, they are leaving, we shall stay, for now."  But the old man, rubbing his beard, knew that they couldn't stay for long.

_______________________________________ 

Casualties were high on both sides:

ULF:

1x truck

1x AML60

53x KIA

4x WIA

(14x survivors including Simba)

Soviets:

5x BMP

2x BMD

4x Gaz 66 truck

1x UAZ 469

35x KIA

9x WIA

I can't explain the high KIA to WIA ratio.  The ULF should have had a high number of KIA, but should have had  less than they ended up with.  The Soviets should have had about two thirds of their wounded survive.  The dice were just evil today.

This was also true for RPG shots.  Something like 11 of the first 13 RPGs hit targets even with chances to hit often under 20 percent.  

The game ended up being a mess, with ULF fighters being released at different times, and having no central communication.  And with the Soviet overall commander being killed in the first turn of fire, the Soviets had no cohesion until they had already started to withdraw.

Platoon leaders did an exceptional job of keeping their forces under control for quite some time (as did ULF leaders), but for the most part didn't or couldn't communicate with each other, and had little situational awareness.

It ended up just being a really bloody, really weird fight, with crazy good dice for shooting, and really horrible dice for effect of wounds.

And on a side note, I now realize that I still need a lot more buildings.