USMC vs Iraqi Republican Guard in Dust Up

Devil Dog tanks open up BMPs like tin cans!

My second game of Team Yankee was against Storm Trooper Nick and his Russians who we are calling the Iraqi Republican Guard. This was going to be the first game that I was able to play with my now fully painted (although I haven't finished the decals) USMC with it's latest additions of both an air component and newly upgraded M1A1 tanks (although all tanks in this game are representing M1s). This was also the first chance for us to use the newest Battlefront terrain in the form of the oil tanks and the factory. We decided on 100 pts and rolled up the mission Dust Up randomly.

Big Willie's USMC
OC in M1
4 x M60s (representing M1s)
4 x M1s
Half strength infantry platoon
4 x VADs
2 x Cobras
2 x Harriers (representing A10s)

Stormtrooper Nick's Iraqi's
OC in BMP2
10 x BMP2s infantry platoon
4 x BMP1s
4 x BMP1s
10 x T72s
4 x Gophers
2 x Shelikas
6 x Carnations
4 x Hinds

Set Up

Objectives are just above the scotch glass on the left, centre left soviet marking, cross roads on the far right and behind the Mosque

M60s guard the forward most objective supported by Cobras

M1s ready to advance and smash the Iraqi's defences

The Iraqi's are everywhere even with an expanded deployment move from spear head

BMP2s and T72s ready to advance against the Americans

Turn 1

The M60 platoon moves near the factory and opens fire on the BMPs knocking out 2 of them

Cobras fire into the advancing horde

In a Texas drall "This is punisher 55 opening fire on bandits to the west of the Mosque.."

"YeeeHaw gotcha!"

M1s attempt to knock out gophers to enable air strikes, but miss their target

Turn 2

M60 platoon splits fire between the BMPs and the T72s in depth as the Iraqi infantry moves into near by buildings

Punisher opens fire again, knocking out another T72

M1 platoon takes aim at both the T72s and the gophers with no real effect

The parking lot is starting to thin out as the Iraqi's advance

Turn 3

Cobras move to support the M60 platoon., which has lost a tank and has 2 others bailed out from the T72 fire

M1 platoon and Punisher continue to thin out the T72s

The return fire from the now more dispersed T72s takes out an M1!

Turn 4

1 x M60 remounts and the other doesn't, while the Cobras and remaining tanks continue to take out BMPs and T72s

Turn 5

Hinds and VADs arrive from reserve! The Hinds knock out another M1 while the VADs and Cobras knock out 2 x Hinds

T72s advance on the M60 platoon while the remaining BMPs hide behind high walls

Turn 6

Harriers take a chance and swoop in over the battle field knocking out a gopher but losing one of their own in the process

T72s advance safe in the knowledge that the carnations have laid down a covering smoke screen to cover their flank

The Carnations smoke is effective at screening the M1s from direct observation of  and fire at the T72s

Turn 7

BMPs attempt to flank the remaining M60s but the USMC pulls back first and makes them pay

The M1s take a chance and devestate 3 more T72s with side armour shots

The BMPs see an easy target in the VADs and bounce, knocking out 2 and bailing a 3rd

The newly arrived grunts hunker down and await orders from fire

Turn 8

The Iraqi's fire is on point and takes out the M60s and M1s with bailed tanks and fail motivation rolls and simply takes out all the VADs. Punisher 55 is unable to keep the force on task and calls for a withdrawal.

The USMC had a rough day, losing  the game 6-1.  I think the biggest lesson for me is that I'm still playing Flames of War with a Team Yankee army. Although a lot of the rules are the same, I didn't use orders once which would have significantly limited the amount of return fire the M1s took. Also, I needed to focus fire on units more rather than spreading out all the fire. I am also not using the Cobras or Harriers right. I have a specious that they might be over priced for the amount of fire power they put out, but damn if they don't just look so freaking cool. I can't wait to get my next game in.