Firestorm: Stripes

So this report will be well below my usual standards as like a fool I managed to delete all the pictures of the game.

The game was played at our weekly club meet between myself and Skillamac, a long serving club member. A 64 point battle with my Brits vs her US Armoured Cavalry Troop. As my opponent had only played three games of Team Yankee before, we decided to roll off for Theatre Choice but play as a Free For All so she could ensure all her units made it on the table to see what was good and what was bad. We rolled off and Skillamac was the Attacker.

The British Force List can be seen attached. The US Force consisted of:

Armoured Cavalry Troop HQ
M1 Abrams Tank Platoon (x3 Abrams IPM1)
x4 M113 Scout Sections
M106 Mortar Carrier Platoon (x3 M106)
UH-1 Huey Rifle Platoon (full platoon plus extra M47 Dragon)
AH-1 Cobra Flight
M163 VADS AA Platoon (x4 M163 VADS) - Support Option

So without pictures, this is the best description I can provide......

The “Battlefield” was a standard 6’x4’ table set in springtime. The US forces chose their “edge” from which I will describe the layout. The left flank consisted of a ruined town area with cratered roads, house and three large bombed out tennament ruins. The centre held the edge of the town where a main road continued out towards the right flank, a small wood, two small houses and a car park with several destroyed civilian vehicles (courtesy of Matchbox, a hammer and a blowtorch). The right flank consisted of the end of the main road and two woods, hedgerows and a small ruined house.

From the British perspective it was the same at the town end (US Left, British Right) and opened up in the centre with mainly cratered roads, hedgerows, small woods continuing all the way to the British left flank (US Right).

US Objectives were set as far apart as possible and the British ones in a similar fashion although with one slightly further in to avoid giving a building for easy contesting of an objective.

The deployment was a cagey affair but I as the British player benefitted from the additional "drops" that my list gave me. The units were deployed in the required alternating way with both sides holding on to their heavy hitting AT until last. The overall deployment resulting in:

US
Left Flank - Two sections of M113 Scouts (both spearheaded forward to cover and clear shots).
Right Flank - Infantry Platoon (dug in on the objective), M113 Scout section behind them providing AT from the M901ITV and the three M106 Mortar Carriers.
Centre - The Cobra Flight deployed behind a house (providing tall terrain and therefore concealment), the remaining M113 Scout Section spearheaded forward expanding the deployment area slightly but was hindered here by a spearhead already conducted by the British Force, the M163 VADS AA Platoon and the M1 Abrams Platoon deployed behind hedgerows in the slightly expanded deployment area.

BRITISH
Left Flank - Spearheads made by both the Scimitar Troop and one Scorpion Troop to push towards the US Infantry. This allowed the Chieftain Troop, Spartan HQ and Spartan MCT Troop to deploy behind woods and hedgerows just outside of 8" of the US Forces. On the Left Flank US Objective, a Mech Infantry Platoon (with attached Milans) dug in and deployed 4" in front of the objective itself with the Milan Teams set 7" back from the front row to enable them to defensive fire if they were assaulted later by the M1 Abrams.
Centre - The remaining Scorpion Troop actually was the first to deploy from the British and the spearheaded forward with one sole purpose, deny the US the ability to spearhead fully through the centre themselves. At the rear in the centre, the Spartan Blowpipe Section deployed within but at the front edge of a wood.
Right Flank - The remaining Mech Infantry Section and the F432 Infantry HQ deployed dug in just ahead of the other US objective. The Striker Platoon deployed behind a hedge and was the last deployed unit, waiting to appear until the M1 Abrams Platoon had been placed. Their position allowed them a shot but only if the British won the roll to go first.

We rolled off and Skillamac rolled a 1 meaning the British had the first turn.

Turn one was eventful with the Spartan HQ, Chieftain Troop and Scimitar Troop all successfully blitzing forward 4" towards the US Infantry, living them just over 4"-5" away. The Scorpion Troop in the centre, sensibly opted to run away rather than face the VADS, Abrams and M113 Scouts facing them. The cross country dashed towards the rear and round towards the British Infantry on the Right Flank to provide them support later if required.

The shooting phase was very successful for the British resulting in:
Strikers killing x1 Abrams
Spartan Blowpipes killing x1 Cobra
Scimitars killing x1 M106 Mortar Carrier

Although not many units killed, it forced the Cobras to morale check, added plus 1 to the Mortars 'to hit' roll (reduced to 'two guns firing') and introduced Mr Abrams to Mr Striker.

On the morale roll, the Cobra's fled the field!

The US right flank stayed stationary. In the centre the Abrams fled (I know!!) from the line of fire of the Striker Troop heading over towards the right flank to attempt shots at the Chieftain Troop. The VADS also moved in this direction to gain shots at the Scorpions and Spartan MCTs, however one bogged down on a hedge en-route. On the Left Flank the two M113 Scout sections attempted to Blitz, however one failed and instead moved back at tactical speed to clear the line of sight for the other.

The shooting phase resulted in misses on the Chieftains however one bail and two kills against the Spartan MCT's. Shots were fired at the Striker platoon but thanks to their "Swingfire" rule the were being hit on 6's and were missed. The M106 Mortar Carriers successfully ranged in and dropped a bombardment onto the Scimitar Troop and Spartan HQ however no hits were scored (thankfully due to the extra +1 from losing the third carrier!).

On the morale roll the Spartan MCTs fled the field.

Left Flank - The Chieftain Troop successfully Blitzed forward (out of line of sight from the Abrams) to be as close to the US Infantry as allowed. The Scimitar Troop used the Spartan HQ skill and together they successfully blitzed forward towards the infantry as well, moving out from under the bombardment zone.
Centre - The Spartan Blowpipes issued a "cross here" and terrain dashed through the centre.
Right Flank - The Scorpion Troop here blitzed round the corner of a ruin to gain shots agains the two M113 Scout Troops.

The shooting phase has one objective for me here, reduce the platoons against me no matter what.
Right Flank - The Strikers split their fire against the two M113 Scout Sections to their front resulting in a kill in one section and a bail in the other. The Scorpions also did the same resulting in misses against the section with one destroyed and another bail (leaving both bailed) in the other.
Left Flank - The Scimitar Troop destroyed the remaining two M106 Mortar Carriers. The Chieftains killed one of the M113 Scouts behind the US Infantry. The Scorpions killed two and bailed one of the VADS (luckiest rolling ever!). The Spartan HQ fired at the US Infantry and managed to successfully kill one of the Dragon Teams.

This now left morale rolls for the US.
VADS - Failed and ran.
Right Flank M113 Scouts - Failed and ran.
Left Flank - One M113 Scout Section failed and ran, the other remained but both vehicles bailed.

Skillamac (the US Player for those with short memories) now took stock of what was left:

Armoured Cavalry Troop HQ
M1 Abrams Tank Platoon (x3 Abrams IPM1) - REDUCED TO X2 TANKS
x4 M113 Scout Sections - REDUCED TO X2 SECTIONS, ONE OF WHICH HAD BOTH BAILED OUT
M106 Mortar Carrier Platoon (x3 M106) - DESTROYED
UH-1 Huey Rifle Platoon (full platoon plus extra M47 Dragon) - LOST ONE TEAM ONLY
AH-1 Cobra Flight - DESTROYED
M163 VADS AA Platoon (x4 M163 VADS) - Support Option - DESTROYED

She weighed up the odds and called the game there as she couldn't see anyway of now contesting the objective on her left flank. My Scorpions and Strikers would up sticks and dash their in my next turn and if she moved her remaining two Abrams to defend it, my Chieftains, Scimitars and Scorpions on the other flank would just keep chewing through her infantry there.

So another win for Major Slaptyback and his British boys.

There is in my opinion a bit of an advantage at 64 points and below for the British. The medium recce squadron is so good at expanding deployment areas and providing evil AT at light vehicles that they can almost be classed as overpowered to an extent. For other NATO allies the other issue lays with the cost of their main battle tanks. My addition of x3 Chieftains to my Mech Squadron costs me 18 points and they pack more than enough punch if you use them correctly. In Skillamac's case, she spent 27 points on x3 Abrams (all upgraded to IPM1) which are very, very good tanks but at nearly half the points cost for the list limited her not only in deployment (I held all my AT of 21+ off until she had put them down, then deployed in a crescent ahead of them) and meant she could only get one Infantry Platoon in her list. This meant once I had "cleared the road" if you will, I could drive down and take the other objective uncontested.

A great game but I will admit to feeling a little guilty as this was her fourth game of Team Yankee, despite being very very experience at Flames Of War. Speed and aggression again won the day for me and I won't deny loving the Brits. Now if only I could add an Allied French or Dutch Formation.............