Gold digger in distress - battle report

Played on the 28th of June 2009

On Sunday the 28th of June I arranged a second multiplayer scenario based on the new AK-47 REPUBLIC (Reloaded) for our gaming club. The scenario was staged to take place in the mining districts of my Imagi Nation Zagoria. To ensure that we was in the right mood for this tropical battle, the game was played out door in my garden. (It was a baking' hot day an a huge amount of non alcoholic beverages was consumed...)

(My camera was not in a good mood so I have no live photos of the actual battle)

Scene setter

The multinational company Global Oil and Mining Inc (GOM) have the sole rights to all mining in Zagoria. They have also managed to acquire the right to provide security to their facilities, thus having a pretty well trained, well equipped and well paid security force(ok everything is relative, but hey, we are in Zagoria). Best of all, the contract state that it’s the Zagorian government that is responsible for security for the transports of all the refined products. So what ever get lost, GOM will get compensated anyway.

Lately the security situation in Neu Bavaria where Obertopf, the largest Zagorian gold mine, is located has been deteriorating. The left wing rebels of ZAP (Zagorische arbeiter Partei) have been increasing their activities in the area in a campaign to rescue the oppressed masses from the corrupted capitalists of GOM (and it would not harm the revolutionary cause to have access to ones own gold mine).

Another subversive group led by the holy reverend L. Zeppelin, charismatic leader of the “Stairway to heaven cult”, has shown up in the area after the not so successful engagement with miss Vienna Dupree (see the Rumble in Knutendorf) last spring.  

Over the past weeks the roads has been too dangerous for the regular convoys to travel, so the god diggers in Oberdorf are now running short on supply at the same rate as the stock pile of gold bars are growing. By putting some extra pressure on the self proclaimed ruler of Zagoria major Marcus Doppelmeier (aka Big Mac) GOM has finally convinced him that it’s for his own best to send elements of his army to the Neu Munchen-area to conduct a rescue operation.

The rumour of a large shipment of gold bars coming down the hills has drawn the attention of all kind of gold diggers…

… and over the horizon hovers a couple of choppers carrying the famous secret mercenary group called the ”The Wild Ducks”. It’s not clear why the ducks are in the area… are they hired by Big Mac, GOM or someone else? Or, are they here on their own? It is well known that the ducks have a “goose to pluck” with the holy reverend and his gang since their latest engagement in Knutendorf.  

Rule system RFCM AK47 2009 (Reloaded).

 The rules where simplified and adjusted to fit a multiplayer scenario.

The gaming area (90x140 cm

A and B: Built up areas
C: Mine in forest
D: The main road
Green areas: Forests
Bluish: Swamps
Brown: Hills
 

Order of Battle and  instructions to the teams

GOM            (Regular)

Hold on to Obertopf (B) and the mine (C). Hand over the gold to the army or the Wild Ducks when/if they arrive to Oberdorf. Try to talk the army and the “ducks” into leaving as much troops behind to help you defend your objectives.

OOB
5 Infantry w Small arms,     1 HMG          1 Mortar        1 Towed old gun

2 Technicals w HMG           1 Technical w RCL

For each truck the army bring in to Oberdorf (B) you will get 3 bases Small arms militias (they bring in arms to hand out to the workers).

 Army             (Regular)

Your top priority is to get the gold out of Oberdorf (B) and to make sure it  reaches safety in Nue Munchen (A). If that fails you have lost - end of discussion. All your troops start in Neu Munchen with a convoy of trucks carrying your troops and a shipment of weapons badly needed by the GOM forces in Oberdorf (B). The Ducks can be of great help to get the gold out, but if you want to see the medals on your own chest you better bring it out yourself.

OOB
2 armored cars w regular guns. 4 Infantry w Small arms, 1, HMG and 1 Mortar . 2 Technicals w HMG, 1 Technical w RCL. 2 APC w HMG for your troops to ride in and two trucks for transportation of the weapons and the gold.

 The Wild Ducks                 (Proffesionals)

You are hired to support the army to bring the gold out… but if you can bring it out your own you can surely count on a bonus. However, your top priority is to wipe out the holy reverend and his elite force “the purple gang”. This is a matter of honour and pride so it overrules everything, no matter how much gold there is at stake.

OOB
4 Infantery w Small arms, 1 HMG, 1 mortar. 2 transport helicopters and a light assault helicopter for support. The Ducks start the game in their choppers somewhere along the board edge at (A).

 ZAP               (Militia)

Capture and hold Obertopf (B) and the mine (C). If you can liberate the gold from the capitalist pigs and bring it of table you will surely be spending the rest of your life in the politburo, not in this god forsaken jungle!

OOB
8 Infantry w Small arms, 4 RPG and 2 Old Tanks.

ZAP deploy on any edge on the right side of the table.

L Zeppelin    (Militia)

You are in desperate needs of weapons and money. Now the good lord has presentad you with this golden opportunity to get your holy hands on both! Go for it, and to night you may celebrate with your devoted champions… and for those who does not make it to the party… there is always ”the Stairway to Heaven” to climb. For each truck going towards Oberdorf (B) you destroy, you will be allowed to put 3 bases of the “purple gang” on the table. They will surely come in handy as the convoy with the gold is coming back.

OOB
8 infantry w small arms, 4 RPG, 2 HMG, 3  RCL, 2 Mortars and L Zeppelin in person (shoots as pro). Set up at any edge on the left side of the table.

Possible reinforcements (The Purple gang) 6 small arms regular quality. They arrive at your starting egde.

 Initial set up

The situation for the army looks bad with hostile forces closing in on both flanks, but their captain proved to be a gambler. He opted for the “pedal to the metal” tactics and with a couple of lucky rolls he made it. Right under the muzzles of the ZAP-guns and the RCL’s manned by the reverends holy warriors, the army convoy arrives to Oberdorf more or less unscratched. Meanwhile, the ZAP infantry is moving in on the mine.

Slowly the ZAP infantry (ZAP 3) drives the GOM’s away from the mine but their comrades in ZAP 2 suffer from the fire unleashed from the APC in unit A 3. In the centre the ZAP tanks and the army A/C’s are locked in an inconclusive fire fight.

So far the ducks has just hovered around, making a lot’s of noise but not much more. Now they decide it’s time to engage and decent to the ground in the wooded area in the rear of Zeppelin militia.

The arrival of the ducks proved to be a decisive point in the game. The holy reverend was now facing a dilemma, either stick to his initial objective or deal with the ducks that has so unfortunately appeared in his rear. Finally the player chooses to stay on track and continue his pursue of the gold and he runs for cover behind the hill near the road.

However, the ducks have managed to deploy their heavy weapons and the holy warriors are caught in a deadly crossfire between the ducks and the small army group (A2) in the outskirts of Neu Munchen. The reverend disappear in the dust as mortar shells and machineguns ponder the area.

On the other side of the table, the army and GOM join forces and delivers a series of deadly blows to ZAP. One of their tanks in ZAP 1 is knocked out, the infantry in ZAP 2 is wiped out as they tries to cross the open area and reach Obertopf and finally, GOM 3 launches a successful counter attack and routs the ZAP 3.

Repelled on all fronts ZAP decide that they have had enough and slips back into the mountains.

Later, as the Ducks search the area for the Holy reverend, they find nothing… but schoo… listen… there is a humming in your head that just wont go a way...

In a tree by the brook
There's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Ooh, it makes me wonder

 Conclusions

The battle turned into a decisive victory to the federal forces and a disastrous defect for the rebels, but I’m sure that they will be back…

 About the game and scenario

To have five players that have not played the rules before makes it a bit of a challenge. The introduction and the first rounds turned out to be a bit slow even though I have made some radical simplifications to the rules. But from the third round things sped up as the players grew more and more into the rules.

 Two lessons identified:

1. To make things faster at the beginning, consider to give the players just one unit to concentrate on, not two or three. The rest of the contingents can be brought in as reinforcements later on.

2. The Order of Battle I have created is rather unbalanced and favours the federals. If the game is played with four participants, remove the ducks. If played by five, add some 50 points to ZAP and the Zeppelin gang, or remove the same amount from the federal side.

 Still, the scenario served it’s main purpose, and that was to give us all a fun and challenging afternoon.

(Sorry guys but the poster had nothing to do with the scenario… but I got your attention didn’t I?)

Back to start

Disclaimer:

All the stuff on this page is purely fictional and has noting to do with the reality. Zagoria is a country made up for gaming purpose only.
Pictures, intrigues personalities etc is there to spice up the story, but are only the result of my imagination. These notes should not be mistaken as a description of my attitude against different nationalities, religions, cultures individuals etc. If there is anyone that has any objections to the content of this page, let me know and I will deal with it as  soon as possible.
laros6006@yahoo.se