After Action Report Scenario 3 Axis of Advance Campaign.

So after a bit of a delay due to real life I finally played out the third scenario in my Axis of Advance Campaign set during the Border War in Southern Angloa and Namibia in the 1980s.

Previous posts outline the scenario and orders of battle.

After receiving one upgrade to a unit each during the political manouevre phase (SADF tank unit from regular to professional; FAPLA mortar unit from militia to regular)  the two sides deployed as follows.

The SADF have used both of their dismounted infantry platoons to secure the two FAPLA objectives and have positioned their other infantry platton, mounted in Ratel MICVs on their left, poised to advance to their objective in the right foreground. Their armour is deployed in support but more centrally.

FAPLA have secured the SADF objective in the right foreground with a dismounted motor rifle platoon and BTR 60s. Their two tank platoons and remaining motor rifle platoon is deployed centrally and could go left or right. The mortar platoon secures the other SADF objective in the right background.

A combination of SADF off table artillery and fire support from the tanks and armoured cars took a heavy toll of the FAPLA platton defending their left flank objective.

SADF did make an error by pushing their armoured cars too far forward during what was otherwise a textbook combined arms assault. The error was the cost them their armoured car troop, all of which was destroyed by FAPLA T55s and RPGs. The pink die denotes the end for the FAPLA infantry platoon however - three morale strikes and they are out.

So with an objective secure and one FAPLA platoon destroyed the game looked like it had gobe to the SADF. Then FAPLA switched focus and after banging away, largely ineffectually, with tanks and mortars against the SADF platoon holding FAPLA's right flank objective the latter mounted a desperate assault. One squad of FAPLA infantry were hit whilst still aboard their BTR 60 but an Oliphant was brewed up by a luck shot from a T 55 and the defending SADF infantry fell prey to two poor morale dies throws meaning they fled. On the last turn of the game FAPLA secured the objective! The pink die shows the FAPLA platoon that won the day was only one morale point from breaking.

So, with the honours even regarding objectives captured the SADF had lost two units to FAPLA's one (although FAPLA had lost a couple of tanks and a BTR 60 with a full squad aboard in its other units). Nevertheless the only stat that counted was the two units to one...

A narrow victory for FAPLA.