Modern Spearhead

Egypt 1973

Well, Dystopian Wars didn't happen Saturday so Zig and I got in our second game of MSH. We played the "Hunting the Hunters" scenario from the main rule book, but added a little to each force just to try stuff out. We added 3 batteries of 105mm off-board artillery and a flight of A-4 Skyhawks for the Israelis and 3 batteries of 122mm off-board artillery to the Egyptians.

The basic map set up was very similar to the map in the book - three hills, a road running north-south, large lake on the western edge. The tan area in the lower left of the battlefield is rough ground.

My starting orders were very straight-forward - one battalion was to head straight up the road, other three would do the same, minus the road - advance advance advance! OK, now you're wondering about the funny models since you've clicked on the pictures. The are a mix of Axis and Allies pieces and Monsters Menace America pieces. Since we're just getting started on MSH, I've made my own pieces with rich proxy goodness. Tan bases are Egyptian troops, Green bases are Israelis.

The Zionists had a mixed battalion of M48s and M113s with TOWs move out to meet my force.

My beverage...

The Egyptians continued their advance as the Israeli flanking force of a second battalion of M48s arrived from the east. Bah!

Looks like two of those M48s are trying to make a little M48.

After jockeying for position, the forces prepared to exchange fire.

And what was left after a couple rounds...

The Egyptians continued their advance, although the right-most battalion had been wiped out by the flanking force. Then the bottom started to fall out of the Egyptian attack. The Israeli Air Force started responding to radio requests. Their American-made Skyhawks cunningly disguised as Su-25s!

Bah! The lead two platoons on the road were destroyed. Where's the blasted air-defense!

The Israelis continue rolling back and blasting away at Egyptian T-62s and BMPs while the flanking battalion which has only lost one platoon continues to tighten the noose. The only respite was the fact that the flankers failed to change orders twice, leaving them in a terrible position.

With the end near, I push the rest of my force to the north edge of the battlefield - the Egyptian goal is the exit platoons off the north edge. I did manage to get two BMP platoons off the edge on turn 8. And then the Angel of Death showed back up in his A-4. Another bombing run takes out two more T-62 platoons.

The end-of-turn morale tests finished the game off. My last battalion of T-62s (which had just been taken below 1/2 and 2/3 strength by the airstrike) routed leaving me with just one of my original four battalions. After tallying the points for the scenario, it was Israelis 83, Egyptians 48.

A very fun game and quite interesting. It was rather dicey at the end - the final airstrike really did win the game for the Israelis, if it hadn't come on I would have gotten six or seven stands off the north edge on the next turn. Until next time!