BATTLE REPORT: Soviets vs Canadians Team Yankee 64 pts Allied Forces

By Matt Varnish

Coinciding with the release of Stripes, Battlefront has stipulated that one can be used in any Team Yankee force. While surely some folks can plug in some tactical gaps in their list with an allied formation, we can also put together a historical list for a force that is not out yet, like Canadians!

My good friend Rob is a retired Artillery FOO with the Canadian Army, and he can use Allied Formations to better represent his 4 CMBG force in Team Yankee. While there is a list coming out for them down the pipe (if rumors are to be believed), he can run them right now. Canada bought NATO tanks (Leopard Is and later Leopard IIs) but retained many of the M113-based vehicles.  As you can see by the above picture, Rob is eagerly awaiting the LAV box release!!

 

Rob’s Cdn / West German 64pt force

M113s with license plates! Luchs, Leopard I’s and M113 TOW / ITVs

We decided to try the Allies out, at the 64pt tournament level (we have a tournament early in 2018) and we were keen to try out Rob’s new laid out on top of his Afghanistan contoured table. We played No Retreat, and I ended up Defending with Soviets!

Rob’s German-Cdn force:

Leo 1 HQ 3 pts
Leo 1 platoon 3 pts
Leo 1 platoon 3 pts
Leo 1 platoon 3 pts
2 Gepard 5 pts
2 Flieger 2 pts
2 Luchs 1 pt
2 Luchs 1 pt    44 pts

US Inf Company
M113 Hq, 1 stand: 1pt
M113 platoon, 4 M113, 4 SAW etc stand, 3 Dragons 5pts
M113 platoon, 4 M113, 4 SAW etc stand, 3 Dragons 5pts
2 ITV 3pts
2 ITV 3pts
2 ITV 3pts      19pts

 

BMP-2 Motor Rifle company

My list:
BMP Motor Rifle Battalion HQ – 1x BMP-2, 1x AK-74 (2 pts)
BMP-2 Motor Rifle Company – 10x AK-74 with RPG-18, 9x RPG-7, 2x PKM LMG, 12x BMP-2 (24 pts)
BMP-2 Motor Rifle Company – 10x AK-74 with RPG-18, 9x RPG-7, 2x PKM LMG, 12x BMP-2 (24 pts)
MI-24 Hind Assault Helicopter – 2x MI-24 Hind (5 pts)
55 Points of Soviets

T-55AM2 Panzer Bataillon HQ – 1x T-55AM2 (1 pts)
T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie – 4x T-55AM2 (4 pts)
T-55AM2 Panzer Kompanie – 4x T-55AM2 (4 pts)
9 Points of East Germans   *Yes I know I could have taken the min-max formation for 7pts*

 

DEPLOYMENT:  Motor Rifles dug in near one Objective

I ended up putting both Motor Rifle companies dug in to defend his attack, one set of BMP-2s behind a hedge and the other BMP-2s in ambush. The Mi-24s and T-55s were held in reserves.

Attacker’s view of the deployment, he is aggressive with all but Fliegerfausts and ITV’s spearheading up

Rob Spearheaded both units of Luch’s to make sure his forces could rush; his tanks on my BMPs and his US Mech vs my Motor Rifles.

His M113 TOW ITV’s overwatch from a hilltop

 Rob’s first move was to get as many vehicles within minimum range of my BMPs. He then rolled a crazy amount of misses and failed Firepower checks, leaving 7 of my BMPs alive/bailed.

 

 

I counter-attacked with my infantry, trying to get as many AK-74 teams within 8-inch range of his Mech Inf. which were in the open. I managed to pin both units. On the other flank, I shot RPGs and a few BMP missiles at his vehicles.  This caused the dreaded Gepards to break at least. At this point, we weren’t sure if the Fliegerfausts should break. Per the , they do not break if the Gep’s break or are destroyed.

 

“I had to use my AK, I guess it was a good day”

Rob then obliterated the surviving BMPs, leaving his own vehicles behind the low hedge, awaiting my reserves/ambush. He dug-in his infantry. I was also able to dig-in (BN HQ skill 4+ roll) my infantry. We settled in for a prolonged 4 turn firefight

 

Rob’s Leopards finally break into my backfield, only to face ATGMs from my ambushing BMPs and my Mi-24s.

Rob decided to use his infantry and lone Luchs to finally assault the remnants of my Motor Rifle company. I failed my Counter-Attack roll. The Motor Rifles escaped, with exactly 3 models left. Enough to be In Good Spirits. Once I killed his last Leopard with Mi-24s, we call the game 4-3 for me, because he had nothing left out of his Core Formation. Although his Mech Inf and M113 TOWs were still In Good Spirits, they were support options and didn’t count toward his core.

It’s tough to really judge how effective the Allied Formations were in this game, though the US infantry are cheaper than their West German counterparts, as were the ITV M113s, Rob really could have kept it all-German and not had his formation break.

As for me, my T-55s came in so late. When they DID come in, they were +1 to hit (slow-firing) whilst on the move. Firing at concealed targets meant I didn’t hit very much! I plan on using T-55s along with my Motor Rifles, if for no other reason as the Soviets had thousands of T-55s of various models (T55, T55A, T55AM, T55MV, etc) but I am sad they are only included as East Germans for now.  I just bought some BRDM-3 Spandrel’s and some 9P149 ‘Shturm’ AT-6 launchers, so not sure how my list will change for the upcoming tournament.   Stay tuned!

Video of this battle can be seen

 

Matt Varnish, AKA Dennis Campbell, plays Team Yankee, Flames of War, and Black Powder in the frozen wastes of Canadia.   Check out my youtube channel for hundreds of :