Khemed campaign, Ride of the Abrams AAR

This battle that took place in Area 15 on the campaign map.. Success here would allow the Marines to strike into the rear areas on the map, needed for success in the campaign. I decided that the Americans would need to cross the board with their whole force to score a victory. The table set up had a number of compounds and trees that provided a lot of cover for an ambush force. I chose 3 random locations and then assigned the 3 on table Khemed units to them using a d6. They would start hidden until theyoved or fired. 

I also used this Solo AI that I found online. Khemed forces would base their actions on this. 

Below is the board. The US forces would need to travel the length of the road, heading north and exit off the board. 

The D6s show where the Khemed forces would be hidden. The FAO was on the hill to the left. 

US forces

CO

HQ

FAC

2 Abrams

2 Abrams

3 infantry, 1 81mm mortar, 1 AAVP7

1 infantry, 1 truck

Air support- AC130 Spooky

Khemed forces

CO

HQ

FAO

3 infantry, 1 HMG, 2 BMP2

2 T62s

1 infantry, 1 truck

Off table- 2 BM21 Rocket artillery

Turn 1 saw the AAVP7 advance up the road and the infantry deploy, ready to clear through the BUA, the first unit of two Abrams deployed in overwatch to the left of the road. At this point the Khemed FAO called in the BM21 artillery and with a minor deviation, scored hits on the tanks and knocked out the mortar team, the AAVP7 and an infantry unit. One of the BMPs exposed itself and fired, suppressing some infantry. According to the AI, the unit will have chosen to engage with 50% of the force with the rest 'scurrying', so some of the infantry and the second BMP2 withdrew to the cover of some trees. 

The Abrams returned fire, inevitably destroying the BMP and shrugging off some RPG7 Opportunity Fire. 

The remaining infantry scattered to the cover of the high ground to the right while the Abrams advanced down the road. The second infantry unit in the truck also sought to put some distance between themselves and other friendly units. 

The unit of T62s now swung out from behind a compound and took some really poor shots at the flanks of the lead US armour. The American response was to call in air support, with a command bonus of double 1, no less! 

combined 105mm, 40mm and Gatling gun rounds managed to suppress 1 tank and hit the second. 

the US commander now decided to trust in his armour and that racing through the town was the way to, so as to avoid the rocket artillery. The two lead tanks led the way, firing stabilised main guns and coax guns at the infantry and BMP2 that they passed, knocking out both. The rear infantry unit remounted their truck thanks to a command bonus roll ten immediately rolled a blunder, which saw them retreating off the table and getting knocked out! The infantry from the AAVP7 suddenly found themselves having to do the Khemed equivalent of the Mogadishu Mile and running the length of the table, under fire. 

i allowed them to mount the rear Abrams as tank riders (I'm guessing there is a rule in BKC4 for this and perhaps in CWC2?), but the tank could only move at half speed. Thus the rest of the US forces made their way to safety. 

An enjoyable, reasonably quick game. The Abrams tanks barrelling through the BUA, guns blazing in move/fire/move orders was great fun, as was realising that the infantry we're going to get forgotten unless I did something about it. The benefits of playing solo, being allowed to do what I wanted to support the game narrative! The campaign will now enter the endgame, with move 6 to come and US forces poised to strike the rear areas of Khemed. 

Then I plan to start a new little project, Khemed'83 and a Lebanon-style Multinational Force of Marines, British Fox armoured cars, French paras and air support in the form of Corsairs in classic grey/white colour schemes taking on an earlier revolt of Bab el Ehr, back in the day. But first this campaign needs to be resolved. My thanks again to the creators of Warning Order and the gamers at Wasatch Front Historical Gaming Society in Utah for their campaign rules.