It's a Trap - An AK-47 Republic AAR

After an unflattering radio interview with "Colonel Lion," President for Life Johnson was out for blood. Lion, a suspected MCC leader, had managed to get himself broadcast on Litumsian Radio One. While Johnson's troops ransacked the radio station, Lion himself was safe, miles away. The interview had been pre-recorded and an MCC sympathizer had gotten the tape into the radio station earlier in the day.

The furious President Johnson issued orders for a purge of leadership and other sensitive positions. In an unfortunate mix-up, Major Charles Courbet, a savvy leader in the eastern province of Bazinga was executed as an MCC infiltrator. 

Days later, government forces began rolling through Bazinga. Colonel Lion assembled a group of fighters and put together a trap.

The battlefield. The WPA objectives were the crossroad, the redoubt and the observation tower.

WPA militia with an armored car and a group of Type 59 tanks. Their focus is the crossroad which is currently held by a large group of MCC militia. At the top of the frame you can see some rebel tanks in the redoubt .

 

Far off to the other flank, government regulars advance on the tower, protected by traitors and an armored car.

Early into the proceedings. The WPA tanks advance on the crossroad and begin blasting away at the communist sympathizers guarding it. The tankers are sure to stay back out of line of the way of the rebel tanks they'd gotten wind of. You can see Colonel Lion taking pictures to send to the worldwide media to gain support for the MCC uprising.

WPA tanks take their toll on the militia.

Over on my right flank, a firefight erupts between former compatriots.

Apparently fighting against their erstwhile cohorts was too much for the WPA regular army troops and they fled the field. Curses!

Or perhaps it was a football game about to begin? The rebel militia holding the crossroad also headed for home, having been the subject of the tanks' attention for too long.

Just then, another platoon of President Johnson's soldiers arrive. Not a moment too soon, but way out of position. We don't need reinforcements over here!

 

 Meanwhile just ahead of them, the slowest platoon on earth finally reaches the village. 

The hits keep on coming for the WPA force. More reinforcements arrive in the form of some field artillery. Hopefully with their transports, their terrible location won't but a major disadvantage.

During this time there was a significant lull in fighting as the WPA forces got into position while the MCC cautiously stood their ground, hopeful that reinforcements would arrive.

No government troops at all on the southern 2/3 of the table! 

But they got it in gear (literally!) right away and the infantry and artillery began making great strides. The tanks still held still, hesitant to expose themselves to a fusillade from the rebel tanks.

The reinforcement infantry keeps up its strong pace. One of the Type 59s pulls out to provide some covering fire for the ground-pounders. It's swiftly pinned by the distant M46es.

But now was the time! With too many targets for the three rebel tanks to deal with, the tanks and infantry flooded forward. 

Infantry close in on the crossroad.

And the artillery is close to it's destination!

 

 Rounds swiftly rip through two of the President's tanks. Return fire was ineffective

The MCC tanks continued to pour shots into the WPA forces near the town. The third tank brews up and a gun crew is taken out.

But all of that that shooting comes at a price! The MCC tanks run out of ammunition and flee the battle while they can still get away safely. Things are looking up for the Workers' Party Army.

Right place, right time. The artillery batteries' transports gun their engine and make a bee-line towards the recently-abandoned redoubt. Fortune smiles on the righteous!

The armored car over on the train tracks begins lobbing shells at the cannons as they start setting up. No casualties are caused but the militia crews are getting quite nervous!

The lone MCC unit.

The explosions are too much. The gun crews abandon their equipment and flee the field! Tragedy for the President!

A strange sight appears in the sky.

Time expired and the battle ended. 

At the end of the day, the MCC rebels had held and President Johnson's raids in Bazinga suffered a setback to be sure, especially losing three good tanks and an artillery battery.

What a fun game. AK-47 is easily one of the most entertaining miniatures games ever put to paper. Simple, effective, fun. What more do you want? My wife game me a good whipping, 63-43. There were a couple of things that could have swung it in my advantage easily that just didn't go my way. The crossroad objective was only worth 10 points and was the only one I managed to capture. The center objective that I captured for about 10 seconds was worth 30. If I hadn't flubbed three morale tests in two turns with the artillery unit, that would've won the game for me.

Of course, the real game changers we the pre-battle political tables with gave my wife a free armored car w/ cannon (that AMX13/75 on the train tracks that ran my artillery off) and screwed me with an unfortunate political purge, allowing my wife to choose where my reinforcements would arrive.

Wifey did very well, especially considering the complete lack of reinforcements she received. In AK-47 Republic, you can start rolling for reinforcements / late arrivals on turn 4. The game went on for ten full turns and my bride was 0-for-14 on rolling sixes to get additional units into the battle!

Another fun chapter in the running history of the Litumsian Civil War.. or will it be the Litumsian Revolution? The way things are going, revolution seems more likely!