Battle Report - Crisis In Kaliningrad - Modern Spearhead

BMP-3s and motor rifle troops take up a position to defend Russian sovereignty - and Gazprom pricing

Last week Dallas hosted the Conscripts for a game of Modern Spearhead.   The scenario was an imaginary ultra-modern confrontation between Poland, NATO and the Russian Federation along the border of the Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad.  The battle was a "limited engagement" taking place in the context of escalating tensions around a Russian cut-off of gas supplies to Poland.

It was a great turnout on Thursday, and we were particularly happy to host veteran conscript Sean M, returning to Winnipeg for a visit from parts east in Canada.  Was great to see you again Sean!

Polish Leopard IIA4s advance

The scenario pitted a mixed brigade of Polish and NATO troops against a brigade of top-notch (for the most part) Russian Federation troops.  The Polish/NATO goal was to surround the small border town of Bagrationovsk (political symbolism for Poland).  The Russian goal was to break the Polish units only - Russian leaders, while making all sorts of noise in the media - were privately concerned that any excessive casualties on NATO countries would inflame public opinion in the West to encourage further conflict.

Another view of the BMP-3s on the hill

The Russians had two battalions of top-end T-90s, a battalion of BMP-3 motor rifle troops, and for "flavour", a battalion of naval reserve T-55MVs.  The Polish had a battalion of Leopard IIA4s, a battalion of PT-91 Twardy tanks (upgraded T-72s - we used T-80BVs to represent these on the tabletop because they have the reactive armour bricks), and a battalion of motor infantry in BWP-1s (domestic Polish BMP-1 IFVs).  The Dutch had a mechanized infantry battalion in YPR-765s, with a couple of YPR-765 TOWs for support.

PT-91 MBTs (represented by GHQ T-80BVs) advance against the BMP-3s...it will end in tears...

Both sides had off-table artillery and air.  The Russians also had some Hind F helos.  But I substituted the normal "check for support" table with one of my own for the scenario to represent the general queasiness of the higher level Russian/NATO command to send in all sorts of assets that might lead to a general escalation of the conflict.

T-90s under fire as they try and hold the Leopards back...

Kevin H, Sean and Dallas took command of the Russians.  Mike F and Brian H rolled with the Polish/NATO combo.  Brian surprised all of us by volunteering to run the Dutch - but he was later disappointed to learn their battalion had zero MBTs (after all, the Dutch sold off their Leopards).

Sean's T-55s hang out in reserve, waiting to score a moral victory...

The game would last 10 turns - or until one brigade or the other broke.  The game itself proceeded quickly - fast enough that we were able to take a number of breaks to catch up with Sean's hilarious stories, and watch the Winnipeg Blue Bombers somehow win a game.  

A Tunguska provides AAA/SAM cover to the BMP-3 motor rifle troops

Kevin's T-90s took a real pounding - from air strikes and from the Leopard IIs of the poles - but they managed to stick in to the bitter end.  Mike pushed the Leopards and the Polish mechanized infantry around the west of the town, while sending the PT-91s around the east side.  Dallas had the BMP-3s dug in on a hill to block that move, and the BMP-3 were absolutely amazing, and with Dallas' hot rolling, they massacred the PT-91s with AT missiles and 100mm guns.

Dallas' troops got hit hard by an air strike, but otherwise the NATO troops didn't get to them. BMP-3s are awesome

Sean had the T-55s hanging back on the north of the town.  He tried to move up and support Kevin, but rolled the "scottish number" on his order change check for three straight turns, leaving the T-55s in place while poor Kevin was hammered.  Sean did rack up a moral victory when one of his T-55MVs managed to engage and knock out a Leopard IIA4 using tube-fired ATGMs.  I think he will be talking about that for months...

The Dutch move out.  Dallas's company commanders, however, are pretty sure they "look" Polish...

Down a battalion, the NATO troops brought the Dutch in to try and take the Russian motor rifles out.  Dallas was aware of the command direction to NOT inflict excessive casualties on the Dutch, but in the heat of the battle, the various platoon commanders could not be certain the new troops were not Polish, and so let them have it with a combination of 100mm HE and 30mm cannons.  The Dutch got blasted to pieces...

Kevin's T-90s paid a high price against the Leopards, so he evened the odd with a call for air support.

The outcome was a military victory for the Russians - the Polish/NATO brigade broke on the seventh turn.  On the other hand, with CNN footage of the helpless Dutch mechanized troops getting ventilated by the BMP-3s, public opinion in the west will harden dramatically against the Russians.  Poland lost the battle, but took a step forward in the war....until next time....

A big thanks to Dallas for hosting, and to everyone who came out to play some Modern Spearhead!