Spearhead: Modern- West Germany, 1985 Part 1

This past Saturday at the Tyneside Wargames Club, I got to participate in a game of Modern Spearhead that Andy and Ian were kind enough to put on. I was the Soviet commander, and Ian and Andy commanded my American and British foes, respectively.

Our scenario revolves around a disjointed NATO counterattack to reclaim a West German airport, seized by a regiment of Soviet Guards Airborne (all seasoned veterans of Afghanistan), and a Motor Rifle regiment of three battalions in support. The NATO forces are American Cavalry and a British ..... consisting of the Queens Own Highlanders, the Irish Guards, and the 17/21st Lancers armoured support.

The far side of the table, the airport is visible in the distance. The roads leading into the center of the board are all possible entry points for the NATO forces. Their attack is poorly coordinated, so their point of entry was randomized, meaning the defenders didn't know where their foes would be coming from anyways.

And from the opposite side of the table (Where the Soviet players were seated.) Our only objective was to hold the airport until the end of the game. Our forces included a Motor Rifle regiment, which consisted of three battalions of infantry in BMP-2s and a battalion of T-80s (which I didn't realize we had access to right at the start, so instead of dividing them amongst the infantry battalions, they were off-table and only arrived far later in the game, a glaring error on my part.)

A close-up of the Airport. Very nice models, you can even see the little Lufthansa sign on a building.

The village/town at the crossroads. 

My favorite thing about the Spearhead rules is that you have to draw out a map and coordinate an actual battle-plan, and your units and sub-commanders have to follow those plans. You can attempt to change their orders once battle is joined, but it hinges on a dice roll. Obviously more flexible armies like NATO have an easier time of changing their orders on the fly than the Soviets.

The Soviet deployment has the Guards Airborne regiment garrisoning the airport, and the Motor Rifles regiment deployed in a sort of broad arc around it. I/290th was stationed at the crossroads town, and on the ridge nearby. If the airport is on the eastern side of the board, II/290th was deployed to the north-west, defending along that road. (Our forces were hidden from the NATO players, and our troops were all dug-in). III/290th was just south of the airport.

Some of the British forces, including air support.

British Chieftan tanks, of the 17th/21st Lancers!

The Soviet forces available initially. Three motor rifle battalions, an airborne regiment, some self-propelled artillery, and a battalion of T-80s who were late to the battle. 

We also had an entire regiment of MiG-27 'Flogger' ground attack fighters in support, along with some HinDs based out of the captured airport.

2S3 Self-propelled artillery in the foreground, with the motor-rifle battalions behind them. Note that each base in this scale is a platoon.

That's all for now, next post will have the start of the battle and some action pictures. Stay tuned!