OPFOR The Battle of Carmichael

I ran a game of OPFOR at the Sacramento Miniature Wargaming Society meeting on Sunday.  OPFOR is the modern addendum to PanzerKorps.  The forces involved were the 1st Brigade of the La Cucaracha army and the German Brigade of the Buena Vista army.  This was a playtest of the scenario that I would be running at Pacificon on the first weekend of September.

The La Cucaracha 1st brigade had two T-90 battalions, one BMP battalion, three BTR battalions, and one SP 122mm artillery battalion.   The Buena Vistans had two Leopard 2A6 battalions, one Puma IFV battalion, and one SP 155mm artillery battalion.  The Buena Vistans cross attached one infantry company with one tank company from each of the Leopard battalions leaving the Leopard battalions with three tank companies and one infantry company.   The Puma battalion ended up with two infantry companies and two tank companies.  Both sides used a Red decision die and had career commanders.   La Cucaracha troops were reservists, while the Buena Vistans were regulars.

Both sides had some attachments that they parceled out between the battalions.   The La Cucarachans had an AA battery, a recon company, an engineer company, an ATGM company, and a 120mm mortar battery.   The Buena Vistans had a recon company, an engineer company, an ATGM company, and a 120 mortar battery.



Ground Scale was 1cm = 100 meters.  The six foot by six foot table gave a battlefield of 18km by 18km.   Except for the movement distances everything else was at the 1cm = 100 meters scale.   Movement rates were kept as per the rules.  The scenario was a meeting engagement with both sides entering from their table edge.  Aaron and Gary commanded the La Cucaracha army and Chris commanded the Buena Vista army.  



Aaron on the left, Gary on the right

Chris



Chris chose to enter all three of his brigades in deployed formations on the left half of his table edge, while Gary and Aaron split the six La Cucaracha battalions between them for each half of their table edge.   Gary entered his battalions in a deployed state while Aaron came on in road column.  The battle started at 6AM with the first day segment having three turns.   The next three day segments had one turn and the last one had two.



Chris advanced and engaged Aaron's battalions, while Gary moved his battalions forward as quickly as he could to engage Chris from the flank.   Chris had initially advanced with the Puma battalion in the center of his formation.   After he started engaging Aaron's command he shifted the Leopard battalion on the right all the way over to his left.  Aaron had pulled his two BTR battalions back into a couple of woods where he dismounted the infantry.  His tank battalion was in the center of his command.



Chris's artillery was fairly accurate and hit one of the BTR battalions and the tank battalion.   The La Cucaracha artillery targeted the Leopard battalion that had started on Chris's left flank.   Aaron later attempted to retarget the artillery on the Puma battalion, but it went long and fell on the far side of the town.   We used a scatter die from Games workshop to determine deviation direction.   This is a die with arrows on all faces (there is a hit marker on one of the faces with a small arrow).  The next attempt to hit the Puma battalion fell short.



Gary's battalions finally arrived on the right flank of Chris's Puma Battalion, but they had arrived too late as Aaron's BTR battalions panicked taking the tank battalion with them.  At this point Gary and Aaron conceded the game to Chris.   Both Aaron and Gary tended to have poor die rolls throughout the game, while Chris tended to have better than average die rolls.



After assessing the game the La Cucarach forces will upgrade with brigades that have BTR's.   The BTR's were armed with a heavy machine gun and had to dismount the infantry in order to be able to engage their opponents with any hope of damaging them.  I will be replacing them with the improved version that has the 30mm Auto-cannon and also mounts an ATGM from GHQ, but they will not arrive before the convention.  The game started at 11 and finished by 1:30

The Akamar Herald Year Six The Campaign Ends

It was now Ron's turn and he drew several event cards, including the one that ended the campaign.  At this point it was time to determine the victor(s).   There were two things that counted towards the determination of the winner.   The most important was the number of countries controlled.   There were three who controlled three countries.  Gary, Mike, and Hal and John.   Ray and Ron had two countries, while Ken controlled one.  The next item was the amount of money in the treasury.  Mike had amassed a huge fortune of 152 talents putting him in first place followed by Gary in second with 70, then Hal and John in third with 49.  Ron took fourth over Ray in fifth by having 10 more talents than Ray.   Ken ended up in sixth after grabbing seven countries at the start of the campaign. 

The campaign had started in June of 2005 and ended in May of 2006.  Mike had provided several stories based on events that happened to his countries along with an improved version of the campaign map. 

There was fortified city that was never brought into play.   This was Al Nair.   It could only be played by someone controlling Horologium, Piscis, or Aquila and had to be melded with one of those countries.   As it turned out Ron had held it in his hand throughout the campaign.  He couldn't play it as he never controlled any of the three countries and if he had discarded it, then one of the following players would have quickly grabbed it.

Other than Ron none of the players who controlled the Misty Isles ever made use of the campaign magic available to whomever had the Wizard, the Sorcerer Silidon, or the Sorcerer's Apprentice controlling the isles.

THE AKAMAR HERALD

BOAT OF MOLTAR ARRIVES

THE LATEST MERCHANT FLEET HAS PASSED ALONG THE SOUTH COAST.  STOPPING AT PERSEUS AND SAD AL BARI.  

SURPRISE DONATION

THE GRAND CONFEDERATION HAS RECEIVED A DONATION OF 10 TALENTS FROM A MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.

SWORDS BEATEN INTO PLOWSHARES

A STRANGE SPELL HAS BEEN CAST UPON THE CONTINENT OF VELA.  ALL MILITARY FORCES HAVE BEEN DISBANDED,   LEADERS OF ALL THE COUNTRIES ARE SWEARING ETERNAL FRIENDSHIP WITH EACH OTHER AND AN AURA OF PEACE AND TRANQUILTY CAN BE FELT THROUGHOUT THE LAND.

PLAYER		KEN		RON
TREASURY		49 talents		56 talents
MELD		hydros 4		SAIPH 1,FNEBish ARMADA, KARL DOENUTZ
		SAD AL BARI		SYRMA 1,3,4
				WU
HAND		7 cards		11 cards
	MIKE				RAY
	152 talents				46 talents
	AQUILA1,2,,4,6, sniss				CHI
	KETOS 1,3,5,6,7				argos 4,10,dragon/GREAT SWORD,gen. Max.
	KAELUM 1,8, SALVATION ARMY				misty isles  2,3,10,admiral.haz,
	6 cards				9 cards
	GARY		HAL and JOHN			DISCARD
	70 talents		49 talents			monokeros 7
	PISCIS 3,4,7,10		CHU			ASSASSIN
	ERIDANUS. 1,8		MONOKEROS 1,4,5,6,			KAELUM 5
	MUSCA 1,2,4,6		PERSEUS 2,3,4 CONDOTTIERI VISCONTI/ns			PERSEUS 1
			horologium 1,2,3,5,7,fnebish army			VANDMEER FLEET
	13 cards		11 cards			CARRACK

 

The Akamar Herald Year Six The Return of the Grand confederation

After being reduced to only the fortress of Sad Al Bari, Ken started to rebuild the Grand Confederation.   One of the cards he drew was the event The Assassin.   This card can only be used against individual political control cards not groups of people.  If the person who drew the card has the only individual political control card in play he must use it against himself.   Fortunately for Ken there were quite a few individual cards in play.  

THE AKAMAR HERALD 

KAELUM - COUNT CLANNANO POISONED

WHILE ATTENDING A BANQUET, COUNT CLANNANO WAS KILLED BY A RARE POISON.  HE HAD JUST BITTEN INTO A PRETZEL WHEN HE STARTED CHOKING.   ALTHOUGH A PHYSICIAN WAS AVAILABLE, THE DOCTOR WAS NOT ABLE TO SAVE THE COUNT.    AFTER INTENSIVE QUESTIONING OF THE CATERING STAFF, THE CITY GUARD WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT AN AGENT OF THE GRAND CONFEDERATION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POISONING OF THE COUNT.   HOW THE AGENT WAS ABLE TO INFILTRATE THE BANQUET AND ONLY TARGET THE COUNT IS STILL A MYSTERY.

ORDER RESTORED IN HYDROS

FOR SOME TIME HYDROS HAS BEEN IN A STATE OF ANARCHY.   THE GRAND WIZIR HAS BEEN ABLE TO RESTORE ORDER IN THIS TROUBLED LAND.  HE HAS ALSO PROVIDED A SAFE HAVEN FOR REFUGEES FROM THE GRAND CONFEDERATION AND HAS VOWED TO RETURN THE CONFEDERATION TO ITS FORMER GREATNESS.

PLAYER		KEN		RON
TREASURY		30 talents		67 talents
MELD		hydros 4		SAIPH 1,FNEBish ARMADA, KARL DOENUTZ
		SAD AL BARI		SYRMA 1,3,4
				WU
HAND		7 cards		9 cards
	MIKE				RAY
	144 talents				46 talents
	AQUILA1,2,,4,6, sniss				CHI
	KETOS 1,3,5,6,7				argos 4,10,dragon/GREAT SWORD,gen. Max.
	KAELUM 1,8, SALVATION ARMY				misty isles  2,3,10,ad.haz,
	6 cards				9 cards
	GARY		STEVE			DISCARD
	66 talents		41 talents			monokeros 7
	PISCIS 3,4,7,10		CHU			ASSASSIN
	ERIDANUS. 1,8		MONOKEROS 1,4,5,6,			KAELUM 5
	MUSCA 1,2,4,6		PERSEUS 2,3,4 CONDOTTIERI VISCONTI/ns			PERSEUS 1
			horologium 1,2,3,5,7,fnebish army			VANDMEER FLEET
	13 cards		11 cards			CARRACK

The Akamar Herald Year Five An exchange of messages

Normally Gary's turn would have been before Hal and John's.  However Gary had to be out of town for a while and did not have internet access at that time.   As such his turn took place after Hal and John's.   This issue included an exchange of messages between the players.

THE AKAMAR HERALD

INVASION OF PISCIS HALTED

DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY OF TRYING TO CROSS THE MOUNTAINS SEPERATING THE CALIPHATE OF MONOKEROS FROM PISCIS THE CALIPHATE HAS DECIDED NOT TO INVADE THE INFIDELS.  THE PRESENCE OF CASTLE TMOS DEFENDING THE PASS THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS WAS ALSO PART OF THE REASON FOR CALLING OFF THE INVASION.   ATTACKING THE CASTLE IN THE NARROW CONFINES OF THE MOUNTAIN PASSES WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.    UPON LEARNING OF THIS THE MERCENARY CONTRACT ISSUED BY THE CHURCH OF THE ONE TRUE FAITH IN ERIDANUS WAS CANCELLED. 

BLACK DAN EXILED

BLACK DAN, THE FORMER RULER OF PERSEUS, HAS BEEN EXILED FROM THE CALIPHATE.  HE HAD BECOME THE RULER OF PERSEUS FOLLOWING A COUP AGAINST BROWN DORT THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE DELPHINAN LEAGUE.  BROWN DORT HAS RETURNED THE FAVOR WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CALIPHATE OF MONOKEROS.

WARLORDS TAKE CONTROL OF MUSCA

NONOOK (THE GIANT KILLER) AND UNGOOK (THE TUSK EATER) HAVE TAKEN OVER THE COUNTRY OF MUSCA AND BROKEN ITS TIES WITH THE ALLIANCE.   MISSIONARIES OF THE ONE TRUE FAITH, LED BY ARCHBISHOP BUCKET (PRONOUNCED BOOKAY) HAD BEEN SPREADING THEIR GOSPEL TO THE TRIBES OF MUSCA.  NONOOK AND UNGOOK REALIZED THAT THE RECENTLY CONVERTED ZEALOTS WOULD HELP THEM SIEZE THE COUNTRY BY PROMISING TO CONVERT ALL THE INHABITANTS TO THE ONE TRUE FAITH.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE EDITOR OF THE AKAMAR HERALD HAS RECENTLY RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING CORRESPONDENCE

Distinguished Reader,

You will at times receive a copy of The Argonaut, Argos's own newspaper. The main reason for doing this is not to either rival or supersede The Akamar Herald. (The Herald is, after all, The Newspaper of Record.) The raison d'etre is for having available to distinguished readers investigative journalism which will concentrate on the V.E.L.A. Group, and especially on Argos.

NOTE: The Argonaut is published in the town of Jasonia--close enough to Argos's Capital, Nekkar, but far away enough to not contaminated by the "Capital Lifestyle."

M. Etternich
V.E.L.A. Coordinator

Sounds like a Socialist rag to me !!!!!!!!!!!
Down with the Proletariat................... 

THE DELPHINIAN LEAGUE

Publishing in Jasonia is not by choice.  M Etternich is well aware that the so called “Capital Lifestyle” that he so wishes to avoid, is actually the smoldering seeds of the Alliance.  He is also aware, that despite his efforts, the Alliance dies hard.  The true Argonauts do not forget that the Alliance offered M Etternich shelter when he was in fact “a man without a country.”  He is apparently peddling his V.E.L.A. trash outside of Argo as he finds it a very hard sell within Argos and especially in the boulevards and alleys of Nekkar.

Always of the Alliance (AotA)

Brave words from the FORMER Emperor of the Known Universe......................

THE DELPHINAN LEAGUE

The Akamar Herald year Five Religious Ferver Sweeps the Caliphate of Monokeros

The following two issues cover the turn of Hal and John and other events.    As Year Five of the campaign drew to a close Hal and John decided to expand their empire at the expense of other players.  There is another missing issue which covered Gary's turn and the coup he staged in Musca

THE AKAMAR HERALD

BROWN DORT RETURNS

BROWN DORT, THE FORMER RULER OF PERSEUS, HAS RETURNED TO ITS THRONE WITH THE AID OF CALIPH OZNAN OF MONOKEROS.  BROWN DORT HAD BEEN IN EXILE AFTER THE DELPHINIAN LEAGUE INVADED PERSEUS.  AT ONE POINT IT WAS THOUGHT THAT HE HAD BEEN IN HOROLOGIUM, BUT IT APPEARS THAT HE HAD BEEN HIDING IN THE ANCHA DESERT IN THE OASIS TOWN OF MATAR.

TRADE CARAVANS ARRIVE

THE VANDMEER, CARRACK, AND NESDE CARAVANS HAVE ARRIVED IN THE GLORIOUS CITY OF AKAMAR AFTER CROSSING THE ANCHA DESERT.  THEY HAVE BROUGHT UNCOUNTABLE GOODS AND GREAT WEALTH TO THE NATIONS OF VELA. 

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE CRYSTAL BALL

AFTER AN EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH OF THE WIZARD’S CHAMBERS THE CRYSTAL BALL COULD NOT BE FOUND.   IT HAD BEEN IN HIS POSSESSION PRIOR TO HIS ASSASSINATION.   BEING A POWERFUL MAGIC ITEM THE SORCEROR SILIDON HAD HOPED TO GAIN CONTROL OF IT WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE MISTY ISLES.  HOWEVER, IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN ATTUNED TO THE LIFE FORCE OF THE WIZARD AND MAY HAVE VANISHED WITH THE WIZARD.   INTENSIVE QUESTIONING OF THE ASSASSIN BY SILIDON’S INQUISITORS HAS REVEALED THAT BURNT REMAINS IN THE WIZARDS CHAMBER WERE ACTUALLY THOSE OF A SERVANT AND NOT THE WIZARD’S.   WHEN THE ASSASSIN STRUCK THE WIZARD VANISHED IN A BLINDING FLASH LEAVING NO REMAINS.

THE AKAMAR HERALD

CALIPHATE OF MONOKEROS

THE CALIPHATE OF MONOKEROS HAS EMBARKED ON A MASSIVE MILITARY BUILDUP.   UNTIL RECENTLY THE CALIPHATE HAD ONLY HAD A SMALL TRIBAL MILITARY FORCE.   NOW THE CALIPHATE CAN BOAST ABOUT HAVING FIVE ARMIES.   THE CALIPHATES TAKE OVER OF PERSEUS NETTED TWO ADDITIONAL RMIES.   THE TRIBAL LEVIES HAVE BEEN DOUBLED AND A MERCENARY FORCE KNOWN AS THE FNEBISH ARMY HAS BEEN HIRED.

THE CALIPHATE HAS MADE DEMANDS FOR TRIBUTE FROM ITS NEIGHBORS AND THREATENED THE USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST THOSE WHO WILL NOT MEET ITS DEMANDS.

ARCHBISHOP DENOUNCES CALIPHATE

THE ARCHBISHOP BUCKET (PRONOUNCED BOO-KAY), LEADEER OF THE ONE TRUE FAITH HAS SPURNED THE DEMANDS OF THE CALIPHATE.   CALLING THE CALIPHATE A SNAKES NEST OF PAGEN INFIDELS HE HAS STATED THAT NOT ONE TALENT OF TRIBUTE WOULD BE GIVEN TO UNBELIEVERS.

CALIPHATE ATTACKS V.E.L.A.

THE CALIPHATE HAS SENT THE FNEBISH ARMY TO INVADE HOROLOGIUM, A MEMBER OF V.E.L.A.   HOROLOGIUM, A PEACEFUL KINGDOM DID NOT HAVE ANY MILITARY FORCE TO DEFEND AGAINST THE INVADERS.   FOLLOWING ITS CONQUEST OF HOROLOGIUM THE CALIPHATE IMMEDIATELY IMPRESSED ITS CITIZENS TO FORM ANOTHER ARMY.

CONVERSION BY THE SWORD

THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE CALIPHATE ARE URGING CALIPH OZMAN TO USE THE ARMIES OF THE CALIPHATE TO SPREAD THEIR FAITH.   THEY ARE INCENSED THAT ARCHBISHOP BUCKET (PRONOUNCED BUCKET) WOULD CALL THEIR FOLLOWERS A SNAKES NEST OF INFIDELS.   THEY ARE DEMANDING THAT BUCKET’S (NOT PRONOUNCED BOO-KAY) HEAD BE SENT TO THEM IN A BUCKET.

CALIPHATE PLANS INVADSION OF PISCIS

CALIPH OZMAN HAS ACCEEDED TO THE DEMANDS OF HIS RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND HAS ORDERED FOUR OF HIS ARMIES TO MARCH ON PISCIS.  THIS WILL INVOLVE AN ARDUOUS MARCH ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS THAT SEPARATE THE TWO COUNTRIES.

PISCIS HIRES MERCENARIES

UPON LEARNING OF THE ADVANCE OF THE CALIPHATE’S FORCES AGAINST PISCIS ARCHBISHOP BUCKET (THAT IS PRONOUNCED BOO-KAY NOT BUCKET) HAS HIRED THE CONDOTTIERI OF SFORZA.