Big TEAM YANKEE Game: 100 Point "No Retreat" ENDGAME

A sad day for the forces of freedom and democracy as the Red Hordes of Comrade Ken steamroll over my hard-pressed M1 combat team!  Continuing our game from last week, Ken and I were able to finish this roughly 100 point per side game.

After 2 previous US victories, Ken and I played the very challenging "No Retreat" scenario and I had some difficult decisions to make in terms of forces to array against a pretty large Soviet force.  Facing off against my US Combat Team, Ken had fielded a full tank and BMP-2 company, along with a flight of FOUR Mi-24 Hind gunships, and a 6 x gun 122mm self propelled battery.

I chose to start with 4 M1s on the table, and was not allowed to place any more tanks!  So I placed my infantry holding the woods on my right.  (you can read the full synopsis 2 posts prior to this one).

Anyways besides some reinforcement arrival problems (they never show up when you want them to, and I should have placed them better).  The action takes up where we left off - Ken's Motor Rifle Company is about to over run the infantry platoon in the woodline, while his tank company on the Soviet right is about to break through to the objective!

URRAH!  URRAH!  URRAH!

US Defenders!

SHORAD arrives finally.  I was able to KO 2 more Hinds before the game ended!  (probably nothing could beat downing the first one with the .50 cal last week!)

 Ken sent his tanks in towards the objective at a breakneck pace, playing just like the Soviets!  I killed 5 and still had 5 coming on strong.

The Soviet assault on the woodline was repulsed with minimal casualties and Ken' infantry licked their wounds while preparing to make another go for the left objective. Ken will also ensure he uses his 30mm "woodpecker" autocannon next time when his Ivans go in!

Soviet armor massing against the objective - my only hope are the 2 Cobra gunships hiding behind the woods....BOTH ROLLING 1s TO HIT!!!

Ken moved his hinds back after the M163s show up!

The M1 platoon emerges from the treeline to help out.  Unfortunately more bad rolling as I bog down 2 tanks in the process.  Things are NOT going the US' way!

Also - fighting against BMP-2s is an entirely different game than against BMP-1s.  Those missiles HURT!

US Tank platoon wiped out.  Combination of Soviet gunnery and Hind ATGM hits.

US Infantry in close combat!

Soviets capture the objective!

I try for a suicide "danger close" mission against the Soviet infantry - alas!  The Battalion Fire Support Officer (FSO) and the rules won't allow it!  GUNS GUNS CEASE LOADING!  SAY AGAIN CEASE LOADING ALL TUBES!

Soviet artillery has no trouble coming in.

I attempt a cross country dash to contest the objective but this is also a forbidden move so we called the game.  This one goes to Ivan!

So lots of lessons learned here for you if you are playing or thinking about playing Team Yankee.

Mass Your Armor.  As obvious as this sounds, in the heat of battle you make decisions based on the forces in front of you.  Ken's MRC bearing down on my mech platoon had much to do with the placement of the additional M1 platoon on my right.  That being said, had I instead reinforced the infantry with priority of fires, and attack aviation, I think they could have held their own.  I should have brought in the additional tank platoon with the tanks that were already there.  

The M1s should have been placed together.  This was a critical mistake for me.

Counter mobility.  The mines proved to be an incredible nuisance for Ken who had to divert his tank company attack around the gap.  This enabled me to pick off the tanks who didn't get bogged in the woods one by one.  It's much easier to fight 2 tanks than 10 tanks!

Artillery.  Don't think of artillery like something you can shoot at the enemy 1 turn and expect good results.  You need to apply it against the enemy for subsequent turns to get it to pay off.

Place enough of your tracks so they can face out and engage enemy infantry but keep a reserve.

Anyways that's it.  I still have a little over a week left to play my March AWI game, and also finish the Ponyri Station practice game.  I'll say one thing, switching jobs has enabled me to game WAY more than I used to, but unfortunately my painting has suffered a great deal.  Stay tuned!