Game 05 - Chopper Down

As Paul was slacking this week and couldn't make it, Tom (normally an Easterner) stood in, and promised not to get all Paul's Western troops killed quickly!! SteveW was playing the Easterners - who had earlier downed the chopper near a small farming village of Wrexhaminov, on the border, high up in the Ukrovian mountains.... 

1. A Western Gazelle light helicopter, carrying a valuable officer, has been downed near the border.

2. The chopper was downed in the centre of the village, taking chunks out of the walls and bringing the telephone lines down. Where did the occupants go? Did they survive the landing [D6 chart, for crew and survivability, then determine hiding place]

3. Eastern Socialist forces quickly moved towards the village...

4. The Eastern troops had the initiative and advanced tactically towards the chopper.

5. Two turns later and the Western force had rapidly moved into the village.

6. On the right flank of the Eastern forces [right of image] heavy fire was exchanged pinning down the advance on that side but causing casualties and damage to the vehicles of the Western force.

7.  Turn 7 and most of the buildings had been entered, and, with no fliers found, firefights between the buildings had been continuous. The M113 APC had been knocked out a turn earlier but the surviving crew dashed into the open, taking cover at the chopper, finding the crew stunned and trapped in their seats. At this point air cover for the western forces arrived.

8. The following turn air support was in the form of a Blackhawk, with a pylon gun run at the remaining troops in the open.

9. With a Danger Close Fire Mission the Kiowa helicopter rained down destruction on one of the village buildings with its Hydra rockets, strafing down the road.

10. The Western troops slowly pulled out, carrying the fliers to safety. Further air support came in to carry out another pylon gun run, but did not notice the shoulder launched surface to air missile that suddenly hit it, bringing it down on the left side of the image. One Humvee and an M113 APC were knocked out with the other Humvee suffering severe mobility problems, but the Officer managed to get to safety (for now). He was quickly rushed to the nearby town of Shelkanitza where Western forces were rapidly preparing defences against a huge Eastern force massing nearby...

Game Ends.

 Victory Points

Tom - Minor Victory - Westerners 2 Points (Managed to Rescue and didn't take heavy casualties)
SteveW - Easterners 0 Points (Failed to Kill/Capture Officer) ONLY JUST FAILED.

2 Brownie Point to SteveW for suffering nasty chopper strafes without complaining, and for causing a fair bit of damage to the superior Western forces.
Revenge will be sweet Steve!