Another Inconclusive Engagment in Northern Angola

 We had another battle yesterday between the FNLA and FAPLA, and once again it ended with a small difference in victory points, this time only two in FAPLA's favour. So, another disputed victory, with both sides claiming the win.

This is the table before deployment. FAPLA are attacking and three objectives are underlined running along a diagonal: the Western Union Billboard top right; a wrecked Mercedes at the crossroads in the centre; and a destroyed T-34 on the hill bottom right. We find if the attacker places the objectives like this then he (or she) is guaranteed to be close to at least one obejctive regardless of which table edge he/she comes on. Of course, the defender doesn't know the points allocated to the objectives but this time the FNLA had FAPLA deploying along the table edge marked in red. As luck would have it this put the 30 point objective, the T-34, furthest away and the 20 point objective, the Western Union Billboard, closest. The 10 pointer was the damaged Mercedes at the cross roads.

Most of the action took place in the early turns. The FNLA deployed one of their best units in the open around the objective on the hill (seven technicals, two armed with recoiless rifles and five with HMGs, togther with five infantry groups) and FAPLA immediately called in an airstrike as their T-34s and BRDMs began advancing across the table. This proved devastating and softened up the FNLA so much that the tanks successfully rolled up the survivors and secured the objective.

The FNLA did spring an ambush as the communist armour drove past but their recoiless rifles based in the town missed with every shot, much to the chagrin of their commander.

Things didn't go quite as well for FAPLA elsewhere. They committed the one other unit that arrived on time a militia unit whose Cuban advisors had gone AWOL and so elected to send in the overall commander to bolster their morale. A rapid assault forestalled any FNLA protective fire from artillery but the attack went badly as can be seen from the photo above - only one pin has been inflicted on the defenders but several attacking groups have been destroyed. The pink die of death denotes the morale hits. Shortly after this the unit failed another morale test and routed - taking the overall commander with it.

During the political manoeuvre the FNLA had successfully depayed the arrival of FAPLA reserves so when they did turn up it was too late to take any other objectives. Both sides were very wary as the game clock wound down and as dusk fell the result was inconclusive. The FNLA had denied FAPLA the 20 and 10 points objectives and destroyed a militia unit and killed their overall commander; FAPLA had secured the 30 point objective and destroyed a regular unit. 

In hindsight either side could have won but mistakes and luck denied them both a victory.

 

Colonel Callan and Commandante Roberto in Northern Angola

 Last night saw Paul (AKA 'Colonel Callen') and Rob ('Commandante Roberto') play their first game of Classic AK47 Republic using my Angolan Civil War & Border War Supplement.

Commandante Roberton had a mixed force of the military wing of the Angolan Marxist MPLA (FAPLA) and Cubans under his command. Mixed is putting it mildly. He had a unit of crack Cuban Special Forces mounted in GAZ jeeps, some armour and Angolan infantry of questionable quality with attached Cuban advisors to provide stiffening. Fortunately he had successfully secured air support from the Cuban base near Luanda under the command of his good friend Teniente Coronel Wootton...

The CIA backed FNLA commanded by Colonel Callan were also a very mixed bunch, ranging from a mob of hired thugs and students in a school bus and a commandeered truck, to Callan and his mercenaries, only some of whom had previous miltary experience, mounted in jeep and pick-up trucks as 'mobile hunter-killer groups'. The FNLA leader, Holdon Roberto, had had words with his brother in law the President of Zaire, and the latter had promised a big artillery bombardment if the communists came too close to the Zairian border.

The FNLA were defending and only three of their five units turned up. To make matters worse, word came through that Callan's second in command, 'Shotgun Charlie' was some way away and unlikely to be avaibale until turn 6 at the earliest. Callan deployed for an all round defence and waited for the Cuban column to arrive.

Commandante Roberto also had three units on table to begin with. These were all of his heavy armour and a unit of infantry. He elected to secure one objective with the infantry and drive on the town in the centre of the table with his armour. The lack of infantry support was a worry but when plans go awry one has to improvise.

Two passes by Cuban piloted MiGs dealt to the FNLA militia unit in their Toyota technicals.

In further bad news, the surviving technicals seemed to have run out of fuel and were immobile, rendering them easy targets for the FAPLA T-34 tanks and BRDM armoured cars...

The T-34s drove into the village and were promptly ambushed by Callan's infantry wielding RPGs and LAWs. This ambush was very successful, so much so that Callan, who had been praying for dusk to allow him to withdraw, could see there was hope after all. Shotgun Charlie still hadn't turned up, probably contemplating a return to his old career of holding up sub post offices in the Midlands, but Callan launched a fercious attack on the FAPLA armour using recoiless rifles and heavy machine guns mounted on landrovers and jeeps.

This proved spectacularly successful and a whole unit of BRDMs were destroyed or abandoned by their crews. One had merely been peppered with machine gun fire but having seen two of their comrades' vehicles blow up the Angolan crew lost all socialist zeal...

FAPLA reinforcements soon arrived to take Callan's position in the rear however. The promised artillery bombardment from Zaire had proved ineffectual and there was still no sign of Shotgun Charlie so Callan redeployed and took on a combined force of Cuban Special Forces and MPLA infantry. As the shadows lengthened both sides were showing signs of weakening...

In the above photo Cuban GAZ jeeps are tradig shots with one of Callan's and supporting a close assault on the few mercenaries still holding the objective. In the foreground FAPLA infantry with RPGs are getting ready to let loose at one of Callan's jeeps.

Then, in an episode of gratuitous irony, supprt arrived for Callan, not in the form of Shotgun Charlie and his recoiless rifles and ex-paratroopers and postmen, but the FNLA political cadre, AKA thugs, in their 'caravan of courage'. Having got lost behind the Marxist lines they were thirsty so made straight for Timothy's bar in town who, having found fuel for his generator from somewhere, had got the fridge going and could supply ice cold Simba beer...

The game clock wound down shortly thereafter and when the wash up was done a mere five points seperated the protagonists. In the words on the rules: 'a disputed military outcome with no clear victor'.

The political outcome was up for grabs however and both sides propagandists are claiming a resounding win. The fighting isn't over however...

Thanks to Paul, Rob and Nigel for coming and playing and being such good sports.

The Spring Recoils: SADF Counter Attack

AK47 Campaign 2020

54 Bn Yankee Base: Eenhana	Angolan -Namibian Border	Epembe Junction	Contact! Chiede	Evale PLAN Bde HQ	Mongua Township	Xangango PLAN Front HQ & Airfield
< PLAN/Cuban Axis of Advance – SADF / UNITA Axis of Advance >

Scenario 5:

After the defeat of the FAPLA forces at Yankee Base the SADF counter-attacked and a mobile battle followed across a wide expanse of territory near the border.

The fighting was confused for both sides with the enemy forces in all directions. The challenge was to coordinate an attack with widely scattered forces.

Cuban and Angolan FAPLA soldiers re-group at the border after the defeat at YANKEE Base

Terrain 

undulating scrub with the odd native settlement and one road bisecting the table from the centre of one long edge to the opposite edge

1.              1. Both players roll a die. The highest-scoring player is the Attacker.

2. The Attacker picks a table quarter to attack from.

3. The Defender defends from the opposite quarter.

4. Both players, starting with the Attacker, place one Objective in their own quarter.

5. Both players, again starting with the Attacker, place one Objective in their opponent’s quarter.

6. All Objectives must be at least 8”/20cm from all table edges and at least 12”/30cm from the table centre..

 DEPLOYMENT

1. Both players undertake political manouevre

2. Both players select up to three of their units to deploy and hold the rest in Delayed Reserve.

3. The Reserves will arrive from the long table edge adjacent to the player’s quarter.

4. Both players, starting with the Attacker, then take turns at placing a deployed Unit in their own quarter, at least 12”/30cm from the table centre.

WHO GOES FIRST Both players roll a die. The highest scoring player has the first turn.

WINNING THE GAME

At game end award 20 points for capturing an objective in the enemy’s quarter and 5 points per enemy unit destroyed. Player with highest points total wins.

SPECIAL RULES

DELAYED RESERVES (BOTH PLAYERS) Neither side may deploy more than 3 units on the table. The remainder must be held in Reserve. The entire Unit must be In Command at the end of its Movement in the turn it arrives from Reserves. Attachments and their core Unit must arrive from the same point, although Passengers may be Mounted or Dismounted.

ROLL FOR RESERVES At the start of the player’s third turn, they roll a die. On a roll of 5+ their first Unit arrives from the Reserve. It may be any Unit of their choice, but must arrive now. The Reserves move on from the long table edge adjacent to their table quarter at the start of their Movement Step. At the start of their fourth turn, they roll two dice. Each roll of 5+ results in another Unit arriving from their Reserves. They keep rolling at the start of each of their following turns adding one more die than the previous turn, so at the start of turn five they roll three dice, at the start of turn six they roll four dice, and so on. Each roll of 5+ brings another Unit on from the player’s Reserves. If a player rolled three or more dice to get Reserves in this turn, but failed to score any rolls of 5+, they automatically receive one Unit from Reserve anyway.

Game Length

As per AK 47 Rules

Order of Battle

SADF 800 pts

C in C: 25 pts

Political Manouevre: 36 pts

1 x Artillery Bombardment 24 pts

Unit 1: Tank Troop Regular

3 x Oliphants 198 pts

Unit 2: Infantry Platoon Regular

6 x Small Arms

3 x RPG

3 x Unimog Trucks

120 pts

Unit 3: Infantry Platoon Regular

6 x Small Arms

3 x RPG

3 x Unimog Trucks

120 pts

Unit 4: Recce Troop Regular

3 x Eland Armoured Cars

120 pts

Unit 5: Special Forces Troop Professional

2 x Landrovers with HMGs

1 x Landrover with RR

3 x small arms groups

156 pts

FAPLA  800 pts

C in C: 25 pts

Political Manouevre: 41 pts

2 x Arty Bombardment 50 pts

Unit 1: Tank Platoon Regular 

3 x T 55        180 pts

Unit 2: Tank Platoon Regular 

3 x T 55        180 pts

Unit 3: Special Forces Professional

2 x GAZ jeeps with RR

2 x GAZ Jeep with HMG

130 pts

Unit 4 Infantry Platoon Militia (stiffened to Regular)

1 x Prof Small arms

6 x Small Arms

3 x RPG

80 pts

Unit 4 Infantry Platoon Militia (stiffened to Regular)

1 x Prof Small arms

6 x Small Arms

3 x RPG

3 x URAL Trucks

125 pts

SADF Holds the Line: FAPLA Attack Beaten Back

Captain van Vleet climbed out of the turret of his Oliphant tank and checked his watch again. There was a low rumbling to the north. 'Smitty! Get on the blower to the loggies and find out when we can expect them.'

The radio operator reported to his commanding officer a few minutes later. It wasn't good news. 'The fuel tankers have been held up sir - apparently SWATF has traffic priority'.

'Bloody hell. We can't move without gas...'

________________________________________________________________________

The mechanic shook his head at Teniente Lopez, 'I can't fix this without spares,' he said in Russian. Lopez sighed. This was the second vehicle that had broken down in the past hour. They were due to attack at 0700 and that was only two hours away.

Lopez turned to the Angolan officer nominally in command of the battalion group. 'We should ask brigade for a postponement,' we're already under-strength and we're beyond the range of our artillery support.' 

Major Marcos shrugged. 'The Boers haven't stopped running for a week. Now is the time to strike hard!'

Great, thought Lopez, today of all days this clown chooses to assert his authority...

_________________________________________________________________________

The game started with political manoeuvre and the South Africans managed to upgrade their troop of three Oliphants to professional status and then promptly lost all three tanks to fuel shortages, along with one of the Ratel MICVs.

For their part the FAPLA force lost a T 55 and a BTR 60 to mechanical breakdown.

The SADF deployed their mortar platoon on table in the Kraal template, thereby securing the objective there. The two other dismounted infantry platoons were in ambush. The Oliphants were off-table and  immobile and played no part in the game. The mechanised infantry platoon (less one Ratel) was also off-table in reserve.

FAPLA massed on their left flank, two tank platoons up, followed by the motor rifle platoon with infantry mounted. The BRDM recce unit was deployed on the road and the mortars in the rear.

FAPLA advances straight into the SADF ambush. Despite losing  their most potent anti-tank weapons i.e. three tanks to fuel shortages the SADF have massed RPGs and Recoiless Rifles at the decisive point.

Meanwhile reinforcements in the shape of the mechanised infantry platoon arrive quickly and consolidate the hold on the objective in the kraal.

FAPLA's tanks and APC mounted HMGs  bang away at the dug in SADF infantry with little effect. As the game clock runs down they send in the infantry in a desperate assault...which fails...

 The result was a surprise given the SADF's lack of anti-tank weapons. On further analysis it was apparent  that long range fire tank and machine gun fire wasn't going to kill off dug in defenders. FAPLA didn't have enough infantry to force the issue and carry the position either. Mortar fire was ineffective and there was no heavy artillery support.

So it was a case of clever deployment, using the ambush rule, by the SADF and a FAPLA force that was not suited or equipped to take a well-defended position. Heavy artillery and an airstrike may have made the difference but, in keeping with the campaign narrative, FAPLA has out-run its supporting artillery and the Soviet and Cuban advisors weren't sending MiGs over Namibian airspace and out from under their SAM umbrella.

A convincing victory for the defending South African forces!

Hold the Line Axis of Advance Campaign Scenario 4

AK47 Campaign 2020

54 Bn Yankee Base: Eenhana	Angolan -Namibian Border	Epembe Junction	Contact! Chiede	Evale PLAN Bde HQ	Mongua Township	Xangango PLAN Front HQ & Airfield
< PLAN/Cuban Axis of Advance – SADF / UNITA Axis of Advance >

Scenario 4: Hold the Line

Background

FAPLA  managed to outflank the SADF on the Angolan-South West African/Namibian Border and have penetrated into South African controlled territory. At this stage it appears their operation is merely exploitation of an unexpected (and lucky) success and is unlikely to be anything more than a raid. The absence of air support (beyond combat air patrols) and heavy artillery supports this assessment. The situation is serious for both sides however, as this is already something of a propaganda coup for Luanda and Havana.

.

FAPLA Briefing
Our success at the border means the enemy has fallen back to defend their battalion base in this sector. They are not organised and their reserves are spread thin. You must crush their resistance at this point to allow us to open a path to victory!

Take at least one objective.

SADF Briefing 
The communists got lucky at the border but they have exploited a gap in our defence system. We have to mount a successful defensive action here or else they raid Yankee Base and claim a propaganda victory regardless of the military result. Reinforcements are on their way.

Hold the objectives and push the enemy back.

Terrain

Gently undulating scrub. A metalled road runs from the centre of one short table edge to the opposite edge. 

This is a sparsely populated area with only one native Kraal in the approximate centre of the table.

This is the rainy season so: The scrub is high and provides concealment to infantry.

Victory Conditions & Points

 As per Flames of War 2^nd Edition p204. Victory points calculated using AK47 rules p42 excluding objectives and the final six criteria.

The battlefield after the defender (blue) and attacker (red) have placed an objective each 

Deployment

SADF are defending.
Deploy as per Flames of War 2^nd Edition p204. At least two, and up to three, SADF platoons may be held off table in reserve. Up to two one table platoons may be in ambush. The on-table infantry platoons may be dug in modifying the attacker's shooting dice roll by -2.

Game Length

As per AK 47 Rules

Order of Battle

SADF 800 pts

C in C: 25 pts

Political Manouevre: 32 pts

Unit 1: Tank Troop Regular

3 x Oliphants 198 pts

Unit 2: Infantry Platoon Regular

6 x Small Arms
3 x RPG
1 x HMG
1 x RR             125 pts

Unit 3: Infantry Platoon Regular

6 x Small Arms
3 x RPG
1 x HMG
1 x RR             125 pts

Unit 4: Mechanised Infantry Platoon Regular

6 x Small Arms
3 x RPG
3 x Ratel MICV with HMG   195 pts

Unit 5: Mortar Platoon Regular

3 x Mortars
1 x Truck       100 pts

FAPLA  799 pts

C in C: 25 pts

Political Manouevre: 25 pts

1 x Arty Bombardment 25 pts

Unit 1: Tank Platoon Regular 
3 x T 55        180 pts

Unit 2: Tank Platoon Regular 
3 x T 55        180 pts

Unit 3: Motor Rifle Platoon Militia Stiffened
6 x Small Arms
3 x RPG
1 x Prof small arms
3 x BTR 60 with HMG    212 pts

Unit 4: Recce Platoon Militia Stiffened

2 x BRDM armoured cars with HMG
1 x Prof small arms       77 pts

Unit 5 Mortar Platoon Militia 
3 x Mortar
1 x Truck       75 pts

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.

Narrow win for FAPLA at the Border. SADF mobilises in response.

The Rand Daily Mail 3rd February 1983

Reports from the South West African border of several clashes between SADF and SWAPO terrorists backed by Angolan government forces indicate the long running border war is escalating.

Sources in Pretoria yesterday confirmed that elements of 82 Mechanised Brigade were called on to support 54 Battalion as Angolan army units approached the border.

'The communists were deployed in combat formation and were operating in strength,' stated a SADF source on the condition of anonymity.

'They crossed the border at several points and our troops engaged them in a firefight and inflicted severe casualties, ' he said.

'82 Mechanised Brigade as deployed as a precaution in support of 54 Battalion. Several prisoners were taken by our forces, including some Cuban mercenaries.'

'Fighting is continuing and the SADF will mobilise more forces to eliminate the communist incursion'

Andersson put down the newspaper and took a pull on his beer. Outside it was pandemonium. He'd never seen so much military traffic. 

'Hey Jacob! Another beer, and is that telephone working? I have to call our office in Johannesburg'.

He scribbled a few notes and looked outside again. Now they were shifting the big guns...

'Something's up. I think the commie's might be coming south,' he mused.

FAPLA won a narrow victory and unexpected victory in the latest game in my campaign. Full AAR to follow.