No Instant Thunder: Air Power in Team Yankee

USAF A-10s quite possibly the best ground attack aircraft in the world!

I have been reading a lot of comments where players are complaining about how good or bad air power is in Team Yankee. While I admit that I am no expert I would like to think that I may have some good ideas on how to get the most out of the Fly boys on the battlefield. So the big question is should you take air power and if you do take it, what should you take and how do you use them?

Air power is not all singing and all dancing, it can be very powerful but it has limitations. Despite what we have all heard since Gulf War I, Air Power will not win a battle for you. However, Air Power can still be a massive force multiplier you may just need to adjust your thinking about how you use it.

Air can be for used as a weapon

Iraqi tank hit with a precision air strike

Or as a means to transport troops all over the battlefield.

USMC Riflemen inbound!

USMC Rifle Company vs US Army Mechanised Rifle Company in Breakthrough

Marines supported by Amtracks ready to bring the pain

Game 3 of the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee tournament was against Jay and his American Mechanised Infantry. Again we were playing with the battle plans and the more mission pack so I elected to attack and Jay elected to manouvre but this time we rolled breakthrough.

Big Willie's USMC
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Hueys
5 x M60s
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
4 x Stingers
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
2 x Harriers

Jay's US Army
OC
Full mech platoon with extra dragons
Full mech platoon with extra dragons
4 x IPM1s
2 x VADs
3 x M109s

Set Up

Objectives are top right by the house and far left where the road disappears off the table

USMC Rifle Company vs East German Infantry in Encounter

A TOW platoon commander covers the advance of the M60s

My second game of the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee tournament was against Dean and his East German and Russian force. The tournament was using the battle plans and more missions  so once again I decided to go all in and attack. Dean elected to manoeuvre which meant I was attacking and we rolled Encounter.

Big Willie's USMC Rifle Company
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 x dragons, 2 x SMAWs in Heuys
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
5 x M60s
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
4 x Stingers
2 x Harriers

Dean's East Germans
OC
Small Rifle platoon with all the crew served weapons
Small Rifle platoon with all the crew served weapons
4 x Shlikas
3 x Carnations

Allies
OC in T72
3 x T72
3 x T72

Set Up and Turn 1

East German objectives are behind the cops of trees bottom centre and top right just off camera. USMC objectives are by the stream top centre and just off camera centre left

USMC Rifle Company vs West Germans in Encounter

Leathernecks secure the LZ and an objective!

This weekend I had the chance to play in the Kingston Gaming Nexus' 64 point Team Yankee Tournament. Nexus has an fantastic set up and the tables and armies looked great. Ian organised a very well organized and run event with 10 players. The tournament used the more missions rules from Battle Front. I was paired against Ross and his West Germans, I figured that playing USMC meant I should be on the attack, so I chose to do so and he chose to manoeuvre. Which lead to us rolling Encounter as the mission.

Big Willie's Leathernecks
OC
Full Rifle platoon with 2 dragons and 2 SMAWs in Amtracks
Short Rifle platoon with 2 dragons and 2 SMAWs in Hueys
5 x M60s
2 x TOW
2 x TOW
4 x Stringers
3 x M109s with bomblets and mines
2 x Harriers

Ross' West Germans
OC in Marder
Full Marder platoon
Short Marder platoon
3 x Jugar Is
2 x Gepards
2 x Luchs
OC in Leo1
3 x Leo1s
3 x Leo1s
3 x Panzer Mosers
3 x Jugar IIs
2 x Rolands
4 x Tornadoes

Set Up

Objectives are just out of frame high right, and top left side of the board behind the hill. Objectives on the other side are in between the building and wood and top left side near the woods