Beyond Breaking:  3rd August 1982

The following is a fictional scenario set in the North West Germany during during 1982. It is designed for use with the "Modern Spearhead" miniatures rule system. 

The table required for this scenario measures 1.8m by 1.2m. The alternate ground scale of 1" = 125m has been used for this scenario.

Background:

Major WARPAC formations, in strength, are applying extreme pressure all along NATO's forward line of defence. BAOR are extremely hard pressed and there are simply no longer the forces available to plug every potential gap. Your division in particular is now stretched beyond breaking. As brigade commander you must allocate your limited resources carefully.  
Soviet T-64 move forward to engage British forces.

The divisional sector is divided into smaller brigade sectors. The sector allocated to your weak brigade battlegroup is some 7km in width. Within this sector you can expect to be facing elements from two Soviet regiments drawn from a single Soviet motor rifle division. You are however unclear which of the four combat regiments the division will use to lead the advance. 

1st Armoured Division HQ has a number of support units. You can request support from these formations, however the more units allocated to your sector the less will be available to other sectors. Breakthroughs elsewhere can not be accepted.

The weather is fine. Air superiority is contested. Fixed wing air support is primarily conducting deep strikes and is only available for direct support in limited numbers. The Soviets however are switching increasing numbers of aircraft to direct support missions.

Soviet attacks are in many sectors have involvied concentrated pre-planned artillery fire. 

British Order of Battle:

The British player starts with a base force allocation. He can optionially supplement this force with additional units. However, as he adds units he is penalised with respect to victory points. 

The British core battlegroup is as follows:

22nd Armoured Brigade, British 1st Armoured Division:    Veteran
1-Brigade Headquarters:  
1-HQ stand in FV432 or Sultan

1-Mechanised Infantry Battalion:  
1-HQ stand in FV432
Recce Plt:
 1-Scimitar stand
3-Infantry Companies, each with:
 3-FV432 Infantry Combat Teams
AT Platoon:
 3-Milan teams in FV432 

1- Armoured Regiment:
1-HQ Chieftain V stand
Recce Plt:
2-Scorpion stands
AT Plt:
2-FV438 stands
3-Armoured Squadrons, each with:
3-Chieftain V stands

Divisional Assets:
1-Artillery Regiment:
1-FAO
6-Abbots (6 FM)

The battlegroup can be reinforced. Possible reinforcements have a number in brackets associated with them. This value denotes the victory point cost associated with the unit. Refer to the victory conditions below.Optional reinforcements can include:
 

British 1st Armoured Division: (Elements)          All Regular

Reinforcements: Up to one battalion may be selected from the following list of battalion sized battlegroups:

1-Mechanised Infantry Battalion (4):
1-HQ stand in Fv432
Mortar Plt:
2-FV432(m) stands
Recce Plt:
2-Scimitar stands
3-Infantry companies, each with:
 2-FV432 Infantry Combat Teams
1-Armoured Squadrons, with:
2-Chieftain V stands
AT Platoon:
2-Milan teams in FV432

1- Armoured Regiment (4):
1-HQ Chieftain V stand
Recce Plt:
2-Scorpion stands
AT Plt:
2-FV438 stands
2-Armoured Squadrons, each with:
3-Chieftain V stands
1-Infantry companies, with:
 2-FV432 Infantry Combat Teams

1-Territorial Infantry Battalion (2):  
1-HQ stand
3-Infantry companies, each with:
2-Infantry stands
1-AT company with:
2-Milan stands

Reinforcements: Up to three points may be optionally selected from the following list:

Divisional Assets:
1- Artillery Regiment (1):
4-M109A2 stands (3 FM)
Air Defence Battery (1):
2-Blowpipe stands (attach by stand)
1-Divisional Reconnaissance Squadron (1):
3-Scimitars stands
1-Striker stand
1-Attack Helicopter Squadron (3)
1-Flight of two Lynx Helicopters.
 
BAOR Corps Assets (1):
1-Air Defence Battery:
1-Towed Rapier stand (off-table)
Fixed Wing Air Support (1):
1-Sortie of Harriers (on-call, no AGC)

 

Russian Order of Battle:

The revised Russian TO&E as documented at the Modern Spearhead website should be used as the basis for Soviet forces. Minor modifications to these organisations are defined below. All Soviet battalions have regular morale.

207th Motor Rifle Division:                                 Regular

1-BTR-60PB Motor Rifle Regiment:
As per TO&E. All companies reduced to two combat teams. ATGW is Fagot. The tank battalion equipped with seven T-64B tanks. Regimental support companies available are only anti-tank and anti-aircraft companies. Artillery is towed D-30 (6FM) with one FAO. 

Reinforced with either of the following regiments:

1-BMP Motor Rifle Regiment:
As per TO&E except only two battalions. All companies reduced to two combat teams. Two stands in each battalion are BMP-2 all other with BMP-1(Fagot). The tank battalion equipped with ten T-64B tanks. Regimental support companies available are only anti-tank and anti-aircraft companies. Artillery is 2S1 (6FM) with one FAO.

1-Tank Regiment:
As per TO&E except three battalions of T-64Bs, each of seven tanks and one battalion of BMPs. BMP companies reduced to two combat teams. Two stands are BMP-2 all other with BMP-1(Fagot).  Regimental anti-aircraft company is available. Artillery is D-30 (6FM) with one FAO. If this option is used the BTR regiment replaces its T-64B tanks with T-62M.

 Divisional Assets:
1-Artillery Regiment:
1-FAO
4-2S1 (6 FM)

1-Artillery Regiment:
1-FAO
4-BM-21 Rocket Launchers (3 FM)

1-Air Defence Battery:
1-SA-6 stand (off-table)

Fixed Wing Air Support
2-SU-7 ground attack sortie or
1-Mig-23 ground attack sortie

Up to six fire missions total and selected from any mix of Soviet artillery battalions may be pre-planned prior to the battle. 

Soviet Air Support arrives randomly. Each turn the Soviet player rolls one D6 and if a six is rolled one sortie of SU-7 or Mig-23 aircraft arrives that turn. Up to maximum of two sorties of SU-7s or one sortie of Mig-23s may be used in the game. The player defines the weapon load of each sortie before the game. Aircraft attack a random British battalion, determined by a die roll.

Scenario Rules:

The game lasts a maximum of 16 turns. 

The streams are crossable count each as having a 1' width.

Single sector towns are treated as villages, refer 13.5. The two sector town is considered to comprise town sectors. The small farm is larger to provide spotting cover only to one stand.

All artillery is limited to a maximum of two rounds of smoke ammunition. All special artillery rounds, excluding smoke, count as two fire missions for ammunition supply purposes.

SAM designated as off-table is able to provide AA cover for the entire table against fixed wing aircraft.

British forces may set-up with 300mm of the Soviet table edge. Normal off table reserve rules apply. The British player places HQ stands from each of his battalions deployed initially on table. After the Soviet player has drawn his command arrows these battalion HQs may be moved up to 150mm and all stands of the battalion are placed on table. Except that the British player elect to hold up to three stands in hidden deployment. The position of these stands is not revealed until they are spotted, move or fire. A detachment may be dropped off outside command.

No flank marches are permitted.

Both armies are limited to five Electronic Warfare Missions with a maxium of one per turn.

The Map:

The map is based on a 1.8m wide by 1.2m deep table. Each grid square is 12" across which equates to 1500m. Objectives are indicated on the map with labels, [A] - [E].

Victory Conditions:

Victory points are allocated as follows. The side with the higher number at the end of the engagement is deemed the winner.

  • +2 VP is allocated to the Soviets for each British battalion thats is forced to test morale, exluding any helicopters.
  • +2 VP for holding, at the end of the engagement, each marked objective. To be held no enemy stand can be within 1km (10") and be capable of bringing direct fire down on the objective. Objectives are marked on the map.
  • The Soviet player is allocated victory points equal to the British player's selected reinforcements.
  • +3 VP for each Soviet battalion that exits the British base line and all if all the following apply:
    • The exiting battalion has not had to test morale.
    • The exiting battalion did not conduct a flank march or is a reconnaissance battalion.
    • The battalion exited the table within 10" of a road and the road can be traced back to the players base line with a corridor of 5" either side of the road that is clear of enemy stands at the end of the game.

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