20-28mm Wargames

  

The Soviet Airborne Invasion of Ireland

June 1982

I worked for over a year and a half on this 28mm scale project.  Over a decade ago, I did a similar scenario in 20mm based on research about the Irish military completed by Adrian J. English. His book, Irish Army Orders of Battle: 1923-2004, provides a breakdown of unit organization, weapons, and the location of forces. (Unfortunately, the book needs to be edited for typos).  I play tested the scenario with friends (and the Irish didn't do well) before running the scenario at a wargaming convention this May.  The rule set used was "Force on Force, Modern Wargaming Rules " (Cold War Goes Hot).

 

In the summer of 1982, Soviet Airborne troops (or VDV: Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska) land in large numbers north and south of Dublin, at Cobh in County Cork, and at Shannon Airport.  One force of Soviet Paratroopers is to cut the Dublin to Belfast Road (the N1) north of Drogheda.  “A Company” of the Irish 27^th Infantry Battalion is defending a portion of the N1 with orders to keep the road open.  Soviet forces are travelling south and must remain on the N1 until engaged by the Irish; at that point they may move off road.  Soviet forces are to cut the road by getting to the opposite end of the table (5 points) and, if possible, occupy key buildings (5 points each: the petrol station, railroad station, and an abandoned factory) to meet victory conditions within 15 turns.  For each enemy soldier killed, one point; for each prisoner, two points; and three points for each vehicle destroyed.    The Irish forces' objective is to deny the Soviets their objectives.

Soviet Forces

Armor:

1 BDM 1

3 BDM 2s

1 Bedford lorry (civilian)

 

Infantry:

1 HQ section (7 paras)

4 Squads of paras (10 man squads)

Irish Forces

Armor:

1 Scorpion tank

1 Panhard AML 90

1 Panhard M3 APC

Infantry:

1 HQ section (7 troops)  

2 Squads (10 man squads)

Support Weapons:

1 MMG team

1 Carl Gustav (84mm ATG)

Reinforcements

Army Ranger Wing (ARW). One eight man section (or two four man fire teams) enter the south end of the table in two Land Rovers (WKIP) on turn four.

                                              

 Map of Table

                                                    

The south end of the table.

                                                

The north end of the table (Soviets enter on the road).

                                                

The Dublin to Belfast railroad line.

Turn 1

The Soviets cautiously entered the table at tactical speed (10 inches) in force, and the Irish watched patiently.

Turn 2

                                                

The Soviets continued to advance with some BDMs carrying five man fire teams (squads could not be mixed, so two fire teams from the same squad travelled in separate BDMs).  The BDMs travelled at tactical speed (10 inches), and the paras on the flank made rapid moves (12 inches).  The Soviets had to remain on the road until engaged by the Irish, and the Scania lorry (that came out of the petrol station)  approaching them in the first turn was destroyed.

Turn 3                                                

The Soviets started to separate their BDMs. The first was sent to scout the road and was hit and destroyed by a Panhard AML 90 hidden behind a hedge south of the petrol station.  The BDM was destroyed and suffered casualty checks the following turn.  Unfortunately, the Soviets failed to locate the Panhard. 

Turn 4

The Soviets retained the initiative, and after completing first aid checks in which there was an officer casualty (the unit passed their morale check), proceeded to advance.  The Soviets sent a BDM into a field to attempt to flank the petrol station.

                                                

The second BDM (that left the road) was spotted and destroyed by another hidden Irish unit.  Surrounding Soviet units took morale checks for seeing the explosion, and they all passed.  However, not all was lost as the BDM on the road passed a Troop Quality check, and spotted a Scorpion tank hiding behind a hedge and (close to the gate) thus exposing its side armor.

                                                

Although light woods separated the two sides (beside the petrol station and Celtic Cross), it didn't block line of sight, and thus both sides lost vehicles.  The Scorpion was hit in the side armor having been spotted by the BDM on the road.

                                            

                                           

                                              

                                                

The Scorpion received a catastrophic hit and was ablaze.

During this turn, Irish reinforcements arrived.  An eight man Army Ranger Wing unit (split into 2 four man fireteams) with two Land Rovers (WKIP).  The Irish players decided not to bring them on until turn 6.

Turn 5

                                                

The Soviets continued with the initiative. They advanced their para units on both sides of the road and sent their third BDM around the wreckage of the first BDM only to be hit by the hidden Panhard AML 90 (which remained unseen).

 

                                                

Again, the AML 90 hit and destroyed another BDM (which carried no paras) and thus blocked the road.  

                                                                                 

Two Soviet squads (one was the HQ) cautiously advanced using the woods and path as cover towards the petrol station.

                                                

                                                      

Turn 6

At this point the Irish won the initiative and moved their hidden units (but leaving the AML 90 in place), and then waited to react to the Soviets' movement.

                        

Soviet paras moved towards the petrol station and to the right.

                                            

                                            

                   

A Soviet unit split into two fire teams seek cover. In this position they spot a hidden Irish Infantry squad hiding behind a hedge where the Scorpion had been positioned.  The Irish player having been spotted by the Soviets won the reaction test and fired first, but inflicted no casualties.  The Soviet player responded in kind, and also failed to hit.  Both sides were well protected due to cover and having body armor.  This firefight went back and forth three times before breaking off.

                                                

Irish Infantry were well protected and held their own.  They had passed a morale check on seeing the Scorpion being destroyed.

                                                

Meanwhile on the other side of the road, the Soviets continued to advance through the light woods and into the field.  The last BDM would try and use the cover to advance down the railroad track.

                                            

The Soviet remaining was slow to advance initially, but started to move rapidly through the woods having passed troop quality (TQ) checks.

                                            

    

                                            

                                            

Soviet paras entered the field.  The unit furthest away with the blue caps on their heads indicate light wounds.  Red caps are severe wounds, and if a unit leaves wounded behind they suffer a decline on morale rolls and Troop Quality.  However, if a medic (or another unit figure) is left with them, the unit doesn't suffer the penalties mentioned. 

                                            

The Soviet paras in the field rolled a TQ check successfully and beat the Irish player's roll, and then won the reaction test.  The Soviet player opted to stay in the field and a firefight erupted between the two sides with neither side being able to inflict casualties.  The BDM in the woods and close to the hedge failed a TQ check and didn't see the Panhard APC.

The ARW Land Rovers moved onto the table unseen at rapid movement (20 inches) and moved towards the railroad sheds.

Turn 7

                                            

The Irish kept the initiative and fired on the paras in the field, inflicting casualties.  The Soviets did likewise, and although the Irish had more defense dice, they caused two casualties.  This exchange went back and forth and finally the Soviet RPG successfully hit the APC and destroyed it.  The Irish infantry successfully passed their morale and stayed in place.  The Soviet player rolled excellent defense and morale dice, and they stood their ground  

                                            

The Panhard AML 90 was finally spotted along with the HQ squad (and an attached mmg team).

                                          

As of Turns 7 and 8, the Irish line still held in place, and the Soviets decided to send a squad behind the repair shop to advance.  The Panhard AML 90 fired on them but missed.  However, the Soviets retreated to cover.

                                            

Turn 8

Besides an exchange of fire between both sides around the petrol station and field, the real action was on the Soviets' left flank.  The Irish Infantry squad beside the burning APC withdrew and took up a position in the field behind the railroad sheds, but the Soviets could not see them.  The sole remaining BDM and Bedford lorry with paratroopers in support started to move on the railroad tracks and the paras in the field (some having crossed the hedge) advanced and came under sniper fire.

                                            

Although this unit had one KIA, two severely wounded, and three light wounded in the unit, they never failed morale checks and continued to engage the Irish.  Having come under sniper fire (from the factory roof) the unit hugged the hedge row.    

                                            

                                           

With the Irish Infantry having withdrawn from the road, the Soviets advanced down the railroad track and across the field.  

Turn 9

                                                      

The Soviet player attempted to make a rapid movement down the tracks, but failed his TQ check and could only advance 10 inches.  At that moment, the Irish player in charge of the ARW tried to fire on the BDM from the railroad shed with a Laws.  In the reaction tests both sides failed to get a 4 or better, but because the Irish had the initiative they fired first and destroyed the BDM.
   

At this time, the game was called after playing 3.5 hours, and with three turns left, it was decided the Soviets would not achieve their main objective of closing the Dublin-Belfast road.  The factory and railroad station were still in Irish hands and control of the petrol station was still in question.  The Irish had destroyed all four BDMs - totaling twelve points - and inflicted four KIA at one point each (four points).  The Soviets had not killed any Irish troops, but had destroyed a Scorpion and an APC totaling six points.  It was agreed that the Irish won the engagement.

    

                                            

Irish positions and their table movements.