Operation Sun Tears - Force on Force 6mm

An elite military rescue team and an airmobile US Marine Corps platoon attempted to find and evacuate aid workers (and a CIA operative) trapped in a village in a war-torn province in southern Syrda.

Despite reservations, we decided to try Force on Force again in 6mm scale using my under-base erasable unit cards (as we have yet to find a better system to mark casualties in this scale). We were not disappointed with how it turned out. We had put together matched forces based on a few draft points systems available on the internet for Force on Force and then thought up a plausible scenario on the day. I took the Syrdan militia and regular forces, and my opponent took his airmobile US Marines.

The Mission

McCreedy ground his teeth and sweated as stared at his top-secret encoded communications device, waiting for the signal. It was only a few minutes but it seemed like an eternity cliche. Eventually the lights blinked in sequence, telling him what he needed to know and immediately boosting his spirits: the Marines were on the way - he was getting out of this dusty s***-hole. Oh, and the French, British and Italian aid workers among whom he was under cover - yeah, they'd be rescued too. He'd better go tell them to get their things and get ready to go.

We set up the table with the rural village laid out in the centre between some hills and sparse bush at the T-intersection of paved roads entering west, south and east. Two groups of Syrdan local militia, one in technicals and the other in a Syrdan army truck, would start the game entering randomly on two of the three roads.

In the village buildings and aid worker camp we set up six blinds - markers that would be revealed when a unit of either side moved onto them. Four blinds were dummies and two had a number of aid workers with them - including undercover CIA operative McCreedy.

USMC forces would enter on turn one in their choppers. Syrdan reinforcements in the form of a mechanised infantry platoon of the "Iberrani" - the 147th Auxiliary Infantry Brigade, Syrdan 'Foreign Legion' - in BTR-70s and two T-74 Asad tanks, would arrive randomly from the three road entry points using Flames of War reinforcement rules.

We were ready to rock.

My new African Sahel-style terrain, made by me, hastily and cheaply of course.

The shiny circular discs distributed throughout the village, aid worker camp and palm tree grove. I made the buildings from Weet-Bix boxes, vinyl tile, Selleys, house paint and pen.

Choppers Coming

Captain Ahmad got word over the radio: an American aerial incursion was heading this way, directly for the village! Higher command was right: the Americans must have a spy among the foreign aid workers that his unit had been sent to round up for interrogation and to keep them out of trouble. Ahmad cursed the westerners and their meddling, their infiltrators and their prying satellites that had no doubt all combined to tip off the American spy to the Syrdan unit's orders and the approach of their columns. It would take time for the mechanised units to assemble at the village, so the Captain radioed ahead to the local Patriotic Forces unit to mobilise - they had to get there before the Americans.

Three technicals each carrying four Patriotic Forces militiamen raced along the road toward the village. The whump sounds of approaching choppers rapidly intensifying as three of the American aircraft swept past low parallel to the road. With not a moment to spare, the militiamen turned their guns to their left and opened fire at the helicopters.

USMC helicopters race past the militia technicals to reach the village first. (GHQ miniatures).

The militiamen's fire was innacurate, but the return fire from the helicopters' door gunners was not. One technical swerved into a roadside ditch and overturned, bursting into flames with two casualties. Another had it's tyres punctured and slowed to a crawl. The militiamen turned off the road and dismounted into the better cover of the crop fields as the USMC helicopters continued on toward the village.

More Patriotic Force miltiamen, three teams, in a Syrdan army truck also approached from the east while the USMC CH-53 set down in a field north of the village and deployed a MUTT jeep - the Americans were very much aware of the likelihood of Syrdan Army tanks showing up before the extraction had been completed.

Syrdan army GAZ-66 truck on loan to the local Patriotic Forces militia. (CinC miniatures).

The two CH-46 Sea Knights risked accident by landing on the main street of the village so the Marine squads could fan out to search the buildings for the aid workers and provide overwatch at the intersection. The two CH-46s immediately took off to get out of range of Syrdan ground fire. The CH-53 stayed on the ground for now.

USMC helicopters land in the village and the squad disembarks and fans out.

Aid workers (and Agent McCreedy) located

"It's about time you ladies showed up! Sorry to interrupt your workouts." said McCreedy as he walked up to greet the special forces rescue team soldier. The SF soldier retorted and the two men engaged in a back-and-forth of tough guy razzing and wisecracks, with McCreedy making sure to establish his ex-special forces credentials with his 'rescuers' - hell he didn't need no rescuing!

The special forces rescue team had also jumped out of the CH-53 and immediately headed for the air worker camp to search for McCreedy and the other westerners. What do you know - they were right there outside their tents packing!

The officer leading the team was receiving reports through his earpiece from the Marines guarding the perimeter: enemy softskins and light armour was headed their way. Where were the other aid workers? McCreedy, eventually disengaged himself from his verbal battle with the SF team member and said they went off in 'that direction' but he wasn't sure. None of the aid workers seemed to have any idea where their fellows were and didn't seem to perceive the urgency of the situation as they packed their gear. "Hurry please," said the special forces officer.

McCreedy and the first lot of aid workers is located by the special forces rescue team. (GHQ miniatures, Dave Graffam paper model tents).

The gun battle

While all this was going on the militia in the technicals engaged in a long-range firefight with the marines covering the western entrance to the village, taking several further casualties and having to merge two of their teams. A Syrdan Iberrani 'Dushka' team in another technical and a motor rifle squad in a BTR-70 showed up to lend a hand in the firefight. The militia caused some near misses to the special forces rescue team as they shepherded the air workers into the CH-53. "I'm sayin'" said McCreedy, and stay he did. The Marines damaged the Syrdan Dushka and blew up the BTR-70 with an M72 LAW rocket (the squad escaping relatively unharmed). 

Militia and Iberrani motor rifle troops taking accurate fire from the Marines. (GHQ figures, CinC BTR and Heroics & Ros technicals).

The militia approaching from the east in the army truck went off-road to get closer to the Marines through some woods, while a couple of Syrdan army BTR-70s appeared on the road. These armoured vehicles were quickly dealt with by the Marines with M72 LAW rockets, but not before one was able to fire at and damage the CH-53 which had just taken off. The helicopter escaped with the air workers, taking them to the carrier, but would not be able to return to the battlefield. The motor rifle squads got out of their destroyed BTR-70s with minimal casualties and began to advance up a hill toward the village.

The other aid workers are caught by the Syrdans

The Syrdan motor rifle squad on the western side found the other aid workers upon entering a house nearby to the firefight. This presented the US Marines with a dilemma: they would now be hard-pressed to rescue all the aid worker personnel.

The Iberrani motor rifle squad find the rest of the western aid workers hiding in a house. The blue mark on the card behind the Syrdans indicates a casualty with a serious wound (GHQ miniatures).

To add to the American's troubles, two T-74 Asad tanks had now showed up, one on the western approach and another advancing alone up the road to the south. To even further compound the situation, the MUTT jeep's missile launcher was found to be faulty! (A Fog of War card drawn earlier in the game indicated this weapon was out of action due to incorrect maintenance, but my opponent suggested the crew should continue to act normally, as they are unaware of the fault until they attempt to fire).

As the MUTT weapon operator prepared to fire at the T-74 approaching from the south, his blood ran cold as he realised the weapon would not work! Just then a the Syrdan tank fired it's main gun, blowing the jeep and its crew to smithereens. The Marine fireteam overwatching the southern road fired their two LAW rockets at the tank in response and managed to put the tank's main gun out of action. The Marines were now out of LAWs. Things were now dire.

A Syrdan T-74 Asad tank (a mislabelled T-72M) advances alone into the village to wreak havoc on the lightly-armed Marines. (GHQ miniatures).

Luckily the Marines had a FAC with a flight of AV-8 Harriers on station to lend a hand. Unluckily, the Marine pilots suddenly and unexpectedly reported they were now unavailable to support the Marines and dropped off the coms net (another Fog of War card). What had happened? We don't know, but I suspect it might require a later game of AirWar C21 involving my opponent's Harriers and my Syrdan MiG-21s and SAM batteries to game it out.

Mohamed shows up

The Syrdan Iberrani motor rifle troops were pulling back out of the village with their captive aid workers and with the tanks showing up and the Marines taking casualties, the chances of affecting a rescue were getting slim. Just then McCreedy's contact, Mohamed, showed up with his truck, his cousins and their own Dushka.

Mohamed's technical drives up. (Heroics & Ros).

"Over there" McCreedy pointed out the enemy troops running across the crop fields several hundred metres away. Mohamed understood. He yelled to his cousin, who aimed and fired the 12.7mm at the Iberrani troops, knocking down several of the running men. Just then McCreedy saw the light-coloured uniforms of the medical personnel running with the group of enemy soldiers. "Cease fire! Cease fire!" he yelled to Mohamed and his cousins, frantically making the appropriate field signal. It was too late, though none of the Americans knew it yet: one of the aid workers was killed and another slightly wounded.

Iberrani motor riflemen and BTR-70 crew with the aid workers as they come under fire.

As this was going on the Marine GPMG team was taken out by a shot from the T-74 Asad and the other fireteams had started taking losses from the closing Iberrani motor rifle troops, the militia and the other T-74 with the disabled main gun. They had to get out ASAP. The Marines started to pull back toward the eastern side of the village and the platoon commander called in the CH-46s on the radio.

One of the T-74s and a militia gun truck pursue the retreating Marines (GHQ tank and Heroics & Ros truck).

The Rescue Team, McCreedy and Mohamad take the initiative

The special forces rescue team leader and McCreedy looked at one another - they had only one chance to rescue the aid workers and complete the mission. They knew what they had to do and they seized the initiative. McCreedy jumped in the passenger seat of the truck next to Mohamad and quickly explained the plan to him as the special forces soldiers mounted up. Within seconds they were moving, racing down the road toward the Syrdan militia and motor rifle squad, Mohamed's cousin holding his fire this time as ordered to avoid hitting the civilians. At the same time, the CH-46s struck down from above, door guns firing to distract the overwatching T-74, managing to slightly wound the tank commander.

The special forces rescue team, McCreedy, Mohamed and the CH-46 sweep in heroically to wipe out the enemy and save the remaining aid workers!

Mohamed steered his truck straight in between the militia and the Iberrani in the crop fields. His cousin opened fire at point-blank range with his Dushka at the militia to the right, away from the aid workers. Shocked, the Iberrani and militia were unable to bring their weapons to bear in time, as the special forces, together with McCreedy jumped clear of their slowing vehicle straight into a close quarters fight with the Iberrani motor riflemen. A moment of fire and fury later, and the mercenary motor riflemen and most of the militia lay dead, the skill of the special forces showing.

Under the direction of the special forces, the shocked and terrified aid workers got up to a crouch and were guided toward one of the CH-46s as it settled down into the crop field, the back ramp opening up.

Mohamed snapped McCreedy a casual salute and then, without further words, drove off in his bullet-damaged technical. McCreedy hoped his loyal contact would be able to evade the Syrdan authorities.

Sea Knight Down

As the Marines, special forces and aid workers were being extracted by one of the CH-46 Sea Knights, the other was engaging in a duel with the enemy T-74. At this moment the Sea Knight lost the duel and fire from the tank severely damaged the helicopter. Trailing smoke, the CH-46 shuddered away to crash behind a nearby hill. Miraculously, none of the three Marine crew aboard were seriously injured in the crash, and they were able to escape, putting plenty of distance between themselves and the crash site before the Syrdans showed up. The Americans will have to launch another rescue mission to get them back (though as my opponent pointed out, this is likely to need a skirmish-level ruleset to depict accurately, rather than a platoon-level one such as Force on Force).

Aftermath

The US Marines had achieved their mission and emerged victorious from the engagement, destroying three enemy BTR-70s and a couple of technicals, damaging a tank and inflicting heavy casualties on local militia and regular forces. However, the Marines had several men KIA and WIA, a MUTT jeep and helicopter destroyed, and one of the aid workers was killed. 

Furthermore, the Marine FAC was seriously wounded and was unable to be CASEVAC'd by his comrades before the enemy militia in the army truck threatened to overtake them and cut off their retreat. The Syrdans captured this man and he is now receiving treatment in the regional government hospital, under very heavy guard. Unless the Americans can also launch a rescue mission for this Marine, and assuming he survives his wounds, he will risk becoming the honoured guest of President El-Bad of Syrda!

The wounded US Marine FAC, left behind by his retreating comrades, is captured by the Syrdan Patriotic Forces militia.

Conclusion

Myself and my opponent really enjoyed this game, which had plenty of remarkable and tense moments - I was sure I would be able to retain the aid workers, but an inspired and daring action by the elite American rescue team, CIA assets and helicopters turned the tide at the last minute. The very cool narrative nature of Force on Force, including appropriate Fog of War cards, has produced plenty of ideas for follow-on games to sort out action that happened on the periphery or after the battle (air combats and rescue missions specifically).

Although there were sometimes issues with the small scale and group-basing of the miniatures (when the action got very close), overall Force on Force in 6mm is very fun and do-able.

I give it:

Many stars out of ten.