16 July, 2011

Action at Sittangbad

Based on ‘The Battle of Sittangbad’ by Young & Lawford from Charge! or How to Play War Games. You'll recognise the scenario if you're a SOG member over at Ambush Alley (or indirectly if you're Old School!)


A major Taliban offensive in Helmand has been thwarted by British forces and the resulting counter-offensive has the group running for the hills.

The local leader is unwilling to loss his most valuable supplies and has set up a rear-guard operation in advance of the main bridge across the Sittang to give him time to evacuate his headquarters.

Sittangbad

The Taliban supply dump is a hive of activity

Taliban Supply Dump

The first echelon of the British raiders advance

British Raiders

The advance to Ishaghar is interrupted by the outlying Taliban groups

Advance to Ishaghar

The Warrior targets the group inside Ishaghar at point blank

Warrior at Point Blank

Civilians on the Front Line complicate matters

Civilians on the Front Line

The medic renders aid to them, before long he's called over to help the sniper team

Rendering Aid

Taliban snipers are cornered by WMIK, which jumps ahead of the main body to prevent their withdrawal

Snipers cornered by WMIK

The WMIK stays behind poppy fields, hoping that the cover will protect it

WMIK behind poppy fields

The drivers (well, some of them at least) spring into action

Drivers into action

A driver getting onboard

Getting onboard

The DShK team setting up a hot reception

Setting up a hot reception

The senior Taliban leader leaves his advanced position

Discretion better part of valour

Taliban set up firing position on the tomb

Taliban set up firing position

Technical's MG cuts out

Technical's MG cuts out

Moving through the ravine - this Taliban team intends to cut off the advancing British at Ishaghar

Moving through the ravine

Setting up on overwatch inside the village

Setting up on overwatch

Civilians in the line of fire - maybe the heavy machine gun next door is going to sour the goats' milk!

Civilians in the line of fire

Fireteam feels confident that it's bringing enough firepower to the party

Fireteam feels confident

Warrior tries to get Technical, but the 4x4 speeds away just as it opens up

Warrior tries to get Technical

Leader gets back to Sittangbad to pick up a lift out of the town

Leader gets back to Sittangbad

WMIK driving around the poppy fields - it's hoping to slow down the withdrawal - its engine has been damaged in an exchange with the .50cal

WMIK driving around poppy fields

Second batch of trucks gets ready to move out

Second batch of trucks

Holed up in the town - the British snipers attempt to suppress these Taliban to cover the advance - but they come off second best

Holed up in town

IED triggered, but somehow the WMIK is unscathed - it drives back the way it came, who knows how many IEDs are nearby?

IED triggered

IED goes off in the house a fireteam have chosen to set up in too - again they luck out and none are injured

IED goes off in house too

GPMG team humping along behind Warrior (why did we get out of that again Herby?)

GPMG humping behind Warrior

Fireteam moves around village, trusting the fireteam inside the village to cover its flank as it passes the ravines

Fireteam moves around village

The Mastiff roars into action, a fireteam is inside, due for a bumpy ride right into Sittangbad!

Mastiff roars into action

Demolitions team sets up with a view on the bridge, but very well hidden from other directions

Demolitions team sets up

Sticking to cover as it advances

Sticking to cover

MOnty, the Warrior commander licks his lips - his shot completely obliterates the truck

Warrior commander licking his lips

Traffic jam not helped by exploding truck, which must've been carrying ammunition

Traffic jam not helped by exploding truck

The first Taliban truck makes it across the Sittang

First truck makes it across

The Taliban's senior leader takes this opportunity to trash-talk - he's nearly safe and across the bridge

Trash talking as he crosses the bridge

The fireteam inside Ishaghar takes more fire from the ravine

Taking more fire from the ravine

The action inside Sittangbad heats up

Action at Sittangbad

An RPG team shows up just beside the WMIK and Sniper team

RPG team shows up

Warrior's advance stopped by IED near bridge - it was intending to drive right up to the bridge, shooting at the 4x4 and the demolitions team

Warrior's advance stopped by IED near bridge

Technical knocked out by the Warrior - the leader, a bodyguard and the driver all bail out and run for the other side of the bridge

Technical knocked out

Mastiff trains MG on Taliban leader - wiping out the small group as it crosses the bridge

Mastiff trains MG on Taliban leader

The bridge is blown after the leader is gunned down

Bridge blown after leader is gunned down

The goat herder leaves the killing zone unharmed

Goat herder unharmed

You'll never guess what happened to my truck!

My truck!

Fireteam disembarks from Mastiff, and starts taking control of Sittangbad

Fireteam taking control of Sittangbad

GPMG team runs across open ground - even though the battle may seem over, there are still plenty of Taliban on this side of the river

Run across open ground

Lurking RPG team takes a shot at the WMIK

Taking shot at the WMIK

Sniper team takes punishment - again the snipers are beaten to the punch and take a casualty (and their return fire is entirely ineffective)

Sniper team takes punishment

A groggy Taliban leader is taken prisoner outside the tomb

Prisoner

The aftermath - Sittangbad has survived the maelstrom

Aftermath

The British win this one 20-13, miraculously there were no serious casualties on their side. At the end the escape of the senior Taliban leader would've made it a marginal victory for the Taliban so pretty close all things considered.

5 comments:

  1. Wonderful models, great terrain and a good read as always! Keep posting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Finally taking the plunge. I'm gathering up the pieces to put together a small force of Lybian freedom fighters with technicals. Look forward to deploying them soon as the paint dries.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great looking game - looks heaps of fun.

    Frank
    http://adventuresinlead.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree with Jonathan !! Just fantastic

    ReplyDelete
  5. Look upon my blog ye readers and despair!

    http://joyandforgetfulness.blogspot.com/2011/07/donoghs-contest.html

    I liked this post, click the link to find out why.

    ReplyDelete

More like this