Contracting Trouble in French Indo-China - an Ambush Alley AAR

I've had the the original Ambush Alley and then the Osprey Force on Force rules since they were first released.  Although I like them and have been meaning to use them I never have - which is like many of the rules I own.  

For this first game I amended the Contracting Trouble scenario which appears in both the old AA rules and the pretty Osprey FoF.  You can download the full scenario details here.

Mission Brief

A team of French Groupement de commandos mixtes aéroportés (GCMA) have been attacked while visiting a contact at a village.  The villagers have since disappeared leaving them pinned down by Viet Minh.  A squad of the 8e BPC (battalion parachutiste de choc) are in the vicinity and hearing the gunfire make for the village.

French (Regular) Mission Objective 

The paras must locate the GCMA team and escort them off the south table edge. The GCMA are wounded and out of ammunition by the time the paras arrive on the table and may not fire on the Viet Minh. It is important to keep para losses to a minimum! 

Viet Minh (Insurgent) Mission Objective 

Prevent removal of the GCMA from the table. Due to poor command and control, the Viet Minh may not attempt to seize or kill the GCMA before the paras reach them. 

Table set up

The game

The first turn was spent with the 8 BPC moving into the jungle.  I decided to make all movement Cautious (6inches) for the duration of the scenario to take into account the difficult terrain.  

Turn 2 begins with a Viet Minh MMG team and leader generating at Hot Spot 1 and interrupting the paras advance.  They manage to inflict a casualty on the paras Fire team B.  Their morale holds and they return fire inflicting two casualties on the MMG team.  Para Fire team A also engage the MMG team and wipe out the remaining member.  

Turn 3 sees Hot Spot 1 activated again and drawn by the fire, six Viet Minh with small arms appear though the jungle.  They fail to interrupt the French who between use both fire teams to wipe out all six.  These veteran paras with their D10 are lethal! At the other side of the village VM B moves into the village.  VM A opens fire on the paras but with no effect.  

Turn 4 sees Viet Minh reinforcements in the form of another MMG and leader but this time at Hot Spot 2.  Para Fire team B spends the turn neutralising Hot spot 1.  Para Fire team A led by the attached sergent chef de groupe make for the village.  Attempts to interrupt fail and VM B fail a Quality check so can't initiate close combat to capture the GCMA. 

Turn 5 begins with Hot Spot 5 generating seven Viets with small arms.  Sergent chef leads Fire team A to contact the GCMA.  The Viet Minh must be rattled as all attempts to interrupt fail.  Fire Team B disposes of the MMG at Hot spot 2 and moves to the edge of the village. A good round for the French.

Turn 6 and the Viet Minh are reinforced at Hot Spot 5 by two fighters with a leader.  The paras start to escort the GCMA out of the village.  Six Viets Close Assault para Fire team B.  The dice are cruel to them and in the ensuing melee they are wiped out with no loss to the paras.  

Turn 7 generates eight further Viet Minh fighters but at Hot Spot 4 they can't do much and the same applies to the rest of the surviving VM units.  The paras triumphantly make the table edge and win the game.  

Vive les paras!

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