Bad Spelling chapter 2 - rescue the logistics officer

18/11/1983 The Russians focus on advances to the North (into Holland).  5th & 3rd DDR armies occupy Hannover.  Refugees flood West.

Lt Beresford has received orders, and they're not to join the rest of his unit.  He is to gather what force he can and rescue a Major Lawrence who is being held in a section of 3-5 intact buildings near Hannover.  He'll need to take one of the vehicles off the base to reach the area.

This major is some kind of logistics officer with a briefcase, which must also be retrieved.

If the enemy are going to this much trouble, he must know about something more important than tins of corned beef, like the movement of battlefield nukes.

The enemy has 6 East German sentries, 3 guarding the target, 3 patrolling the town, all carrying AK-74s.

Motivation: 2 - these are secondary troops from DDR follow-up units, just holding an area, not here for a fight.

I deploy the sentries first, then the group arrives, vacating the vehicle up to 4" from the table edge. 

Searching the buildings for the Major is just like searching for the holy cross on p33 of OHSW, but succeds on any face card draw.

The layout of town

Please excuse what passes for terrain here.  I've not done any Cold War action before, so don't have modern buildings, lamp posts etc..  There may be even worse to come in the next mission until I get hold of some relevant models.

Around the square is a group of historic buildings, including a small church.  The major should be in one of these.  Behind the church looks to be a small IBM office, and one side of the square opens onto some kind of parkland.

The Brits arrive in a corner away from the park and office block

A sentry on duty

The East German sentry at the T-junction spots them, and snaps off a quick shot at Davies, but comes nowhere near hitting him.

Davies & the Ostie trade a couple of shots.  The sound of gunfire attracts two more guards.

Green gets into position to cover the T-junction with the MG and puts down the sentry. One of the guards hits Green in return.  Harris shoots the guard and Davies runs up to finish him off.

Davies remains calm under fire

The last 2 sentries run into action and open fire, missing Davies in plain sight.

Lt Beresford rushes up to finish the other downed sentry, but then goes down himself under fire from the guards.

Davies gets back up, but Green & the Lieutenant stay down.

Harris moves in to start spraying with the SMG and puts one Ostie down. Davies & Harris go down under fire - the Brits are now heavily outnumbered

Harris is taken prisoner.

Davies gets up again, but the Ostie doesn't.  2 Brits now face 3 Germans.

Davies with Edwards just a blur in the foreground face three East Germans

There is a long pause for breath as the two sides eye each other up.  (A whole turn went by with no actions for either side).

Davies remains cool under fire from all 3 Germans, but goes down on the last shot.

Morale check - unbelievable, the defenders break!  (I pulled an Ace with 3 casualties against the DDR)

Davies gets back up again!

As the East Germans fall back, Davies & Edwards check on the rest of the squad and recover Major Lawrence from one of the buildings around the central square.

Assessment: top action yet again, and the Brits were phenomenally lucky not to all end up as prisoners.

After the fight:

• The Brits have achieved their objective.
• Of the 6 East Germans, the last one Edwards shot will be fine later, with a dramatic scar, and was carried away by his comrades. 2 were definitely killed by Davies & Beresford.
• No prisoners were taken by the Brits.
• Green is permanently injured and will be invalided home.
• Lt Beresford is mentally scarred by the memory of finishing off the sentry at the T-junction.
• Harris is seriously wounded and out of action for 18 days (back on 6/12/83)

I rolled for reinforcements and received one man with a pistol - that will be Major Lawrence joining the group.

2 more grenades have been found and will be carried somewhere among the group.

Major Lawrence turns out to be Inspiring.

Campaign events: 

• Lt Beresford is reassigned & gets his orders for some "proper" duty.
• The minimi is broken; the burst that hit Green also put one round into the firing mechanism.
• Maj Lawrence decides to add another member to the team and finds Pvt Mitchell.

Group morale: still 2 - rolled 3 good and 4 bad dice, with 1 hit on each side.

People:

• Lotte Meierling, a refugee from Hannover

Until next time, health & happiness to you all.