HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report - Part One

HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report

HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report - Part One
with Dane 

The two officers turned in the direction of the noise just in time to see two jets come screaming Into the valley from the east, drop down low and fly up the valley on the right of the Team's positions. Bannon didn't recognize the aircraft type. Aircraft recognition wasn't one of his strong points. But it wasn't necessary to identify the exact type. A glimpse of the red star on the fuselage told him everything that he needed to know about the two jets. The waiting was over. The balloon had gone up. Team Yankee was at war.
-Harold Coyle, Team Yankee

Background:
The Huntsville Historical Gamers gathered in November to war-game the Hof Gap Scenario. The HHG Mega-Game stretched across 5 tables. The Mega-Game pitted 6 NATO players against 6 WARSAW-PAC players. Each side had 600 points for a mega-Game total of 1,200 points.

Though the Fulda Gap, was the WARSAW-PAC primary avenue of attack into West Germany. The Hof Gap was a very critical supporting avenue of attack into West Germany. The HHG Mega-Game hoped to simulate what might have happened if WARSAW-PAC forces attempted a breakthrough of the NATO defence in the Hof sector.

Forces:
NATO : Deployed with 3x 100 point companies on the board and 3x 100 point companies in immediate reserve.

2nd ACR (US) - Screening force vic. - Hof .
4th Panzer (WG) - Defend in Sector vic - Munchberg.
Irish Guards (UK) - Defend in Sector vic - Nurnberg.

NATO Forces available for immediate reserve:

N1st Armor (US) (Arrived turn 1) vic - Bamberg
3rd Armor (UK) (Arrived turn 2) vic - Bamberg
2nd Armor (US) (Arrived turn 3) vic - Nurnberg

HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report

WARSAW PAC: Deployed with 5x 100 point companies on the board and 1x 100 point company in reserve (only because there physically was not enough room on the board to deploy them)

Soviet T-72 Armor. (Right March Column)
East German T-55 Armor.(Center March Column)
Soviet T-72 Armor. (Left March Column).
Assault Landing Company #1
Assault Landing Company #2
Czechoslovakian T-72 Armor Exploitation Force.

Senario Plus-ups: The Mega-Game allowed for Soviet "Front" support aircraft sorties (3x flights of 4 aircraft each) (Turn 1 only). As well as "Front" Artillery support (2x 152mm off-board batteries) able to hit targets on boards 1 and 2. Scenario rules also allowed for NATO Corps Artillery support (2x 155mm off-board batteries).able to hit targets on boards 3, 4 and 5.

Turn 1
Both Soviet Assault Landing Companies land in fields outside of Bamberg with orders to "hold until relieved". Bamberg was a 5 point objective in the game..

HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report

As well as massive WARSAW PAC armor advance south, along Autobahn 9.

Just as the Soviet Assault Landing Companies were landing, a lucky reserve die roll for NATO brings in1st (US) Armor M1 Company from reserve, vic Bamberg. To make matters worse for the Soviets, NATO A-10s drop CBU-52 cluster bombs on the landing areas.

Turn 2
Massive amounts of Soviet tank gun fire and artillery only accounts for a few NATO casualties

HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report

Soviet Mi-24 Hinds go after UK Tracked Rapier SAM section, killing 3 and bailing the 4th. During the NATO turn, NATO air-power turns out in force to target the Soviet Mi-24 Helo-wing.

HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report

Another lucky die roll for NATO brings in the 3rd (UK) Armor Company from reserve, vic Bamberg. 1st (US) Armor M1 company advances east from Bamberg, attacking the Soviet Assault Landing Company #2.

HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report

Turn 3
Massive amounts of Soviet tank main gun fire destroys 3x West German Leopard IIs from the 4th Panzer Brigade. Though hit numerous times, the US M1s from 2ACR prove very resilient.

HHG Team Yankee Mega Battle Report

During the NATO turn, the 2nd (US) Armor M1 Company arrives from reserve, vic Nurnberg. The 2nd (US) Armor M1 Company road dashes north on Autobahn 9 to meet the Soviet Hordes.

Turn 4
Massive amounts of Soviet tank gun fire continues to punish the thinning US and West German covering force. Soviet attempts to breach minefields with mine-plows are unsuccessful. Compounding the Soviet movement problems, NATO forces have dropped a scatterable minefield on top on the T-55 march column.

2nd ACR (US), begins to withdraw from its forward fighting positions to alternate covered and concealed positions. The West German Fliegerfaust Gruppe also begins to withdraw from its forward position.

President Reagan will be keeping a careful eye on the NATO combat action in Germany.

Regan Smash! Regan Smash!

To be continued...

Read Part Two here...