Crossing the Ukraine: What Could Go Wrong?

The Soviet Airborne Invasion of Ireland (Revisited)

So after a four year hiatus, I brought back my Russian airborne invasion of the Irish Republic "Cold War Gone Hot" scenario at a local convention as I am planning to run the game at "Little Wars" next month.  The map had a couple of changes.  I replaced a field with a pub building and improved the secondary roads.  

My research on the Irish military relies upon Adrian J. English's book, Irish Army Orders of Battle: 1923-2004, and provides a breakdown of unit organization, weapons, and the location of forces. (Unfortunately, the book needs to be edited for typos).  Back in 2022, I play-tested the scenario with friends (and the Irish didn't do well) before running the scenario at a wargaming convention that May, and the Irish won all three times!  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 players were instructed that they must stay on the main road until engaged by the Irish as they are not expecting real resistance.  Once contact is made, the Soviets can move off road and engage as they see fit.

Soviet Forces

Armor:

1 BDM 1

4 BDM 2s

 

Infantry:

1 HQ section (7 paras)

4 Squads of paras (8 figure squads)

Irish Forces

Armor: (*with limited ammunition)

1 Scorpion tank*

1 Panhard AML 90*

1 Panhard M3 APC

Infantry:

1 HQ section (7 troops) includes a Carl Gustav  (84mm ATG).  

2 Squads (10 man squads)

Support Weapons:

1 MMG team

1 Carl Gustav 

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.

Soviets enter left on the main road.

The Cu Chulainn Pub

The Russians arrived on the table.

An Garda Siochana directing civilian vehicles towards Dublin as the Russians advanced. 

The first Russian BDM stops at the petrol station.

Civilian vehicles hastily leaving the table.  The Russians did not fire on them.

The Russian view of road.

The Irish Defense Forces had not engaged yet, meaning that the Russians stayed on the road, but a para squad debussed to check if there was petrol in the pumps.  The Soviet players' sighting rolls were poor and did not see the Irish that were hidden.

The marker on the BDM indicates that the commander is exposed and could be fired upon.

A lapse in judgement by the game master (me).  A Soviet player wanted to enter the field through the gate, and I initially said ok, but he bogged the BDM.  It was at this point that I told the Soviet player he could not do that move because they had not yet engaged the Irish.  So he would then advance the BDM and turn at the T junction.

This BDM had debussed the squad at the petrol station and next turn advanced passing the T junction. The commander had buttoned up and failed to pass his Troop Quality check, and therefore saw nothing.

As the BDM passed the pub, an Irish Panhard AML 90 armored car lay in ambush and successfully immobilized the BDM, compelling its crew to bail out.

The BDM was immobilized and the crew failed their morale.

The BDM that previously tried to enter the field proceeded to turn the corner now that the Irish engaged and found Irish infantry along the hedge line on the road.

The BDM saw two five man fire teams of an Irish squad. Before reactions took place, another Irish player intervened with a Carl Gustav 84mm ATG team that was on overwatch and, having passed a TQ check, fired and scored two dice hits on the rear of the BDM.  The Irish player rolling on a D12 caused a catastrophic hit that destroyed the vehicle and an eight man squad of paras!!!

The ATG team was at the gate when it fired on the rear of the BDM whose rear armor was 1D6.

The Irish fire teams withdrew around the wreck and sought cover behind a wall.

Having engaged the Irish, two BDMs entered the field as the one on the road is about to see the Irish infantry.

Coming under fire elsewhere, another Soviet player decided to debus his squad in the field.

The first Soviet squad never moved for two turns when they were joined by another squad that debussed and proceed to move to the roof of the garage.

Unfortunately for the newly arrived para squad, a five man fire team had been hidden on the roof and were not spotted due to poor die rolls and that they were out of opportune range (eight inches).  In addition, another ATG scored a hit on the BDM's side armor and knocked it out.

The Irish won the reaction test and fired on the Soviets but failed to score hits; the Soviets responded, and failed to hit the Irish on the roof.

At the end of the sixth turn and having played for nearly three hours, the Soviets gave up.

The Irish positions on the map when the game ended.  The Irish had no KIAs and two light wounds.

The Soviets lost three BDMs and eight paras KIA.  A decisive Irish victory in this game.