2nd 100pt TY battle

[Brother Glacius]

So last night my newly assembled Soviet/Warsaw Pact force took on some pesky Americans. I was really hoping t be able to run an actual Warsaw Pact nation instead of Soviets. However, I didn't quite have the time to assemble all of the model I would have needed, so I ended up making a Soviet T-72b force instead so that I could use a few units from the two player starter...namely a pair of T-80s and some BMP-3s. 

My opponent went with a Bradley company that he took a bunch of 2 tank units, supported by a 4 tank abram unit, some arty with an observer, and two pairs of apaches. I was the defender in a No Retreat scenario I believe. I was able to have a small mine field and have one unit in ambush.

This was another learning game obviously and I've already identified a few things we did wrong. One question I have though is about Deep Reserves and Ambush units. Deep Reserves states you can only have one unit with armor 4 or higher on the table or an aircraft unit. Does that include your ambush unit? I started out with one T-72b unit on the table, and then I had my second platoon in ambush. Not sure if that was correct or not. 

This was also our first time using infantry, so that was new. I didn't realize the BMP transports were a separate unit. Now I know and knowing is half the battle.

The game was going okay, with the Americans being quite cautious. Concerned with the ambush unit they knew was out there, and the fact that four Gaskins were just waiting for his Apaches....the US commander was slow to advance. The large minefield in front of the first objective also was worrying.

However, after pushing forward with his Abrams, they fell afoul to the combined shots from both T-72 companies. Two abrams lay as smoking wrecks. The death stroke really occurred when they then missed all of their return shots. Soon all the abrams were gone and the Bradleys were facing a good number of T-72s, and then a horde of T-55s arriving from reserve as well as T-80s. The apaches proved very resilient, but fell over time to gaskin fire and BMP-2 stabber missiles.

I think one thing this game is very clear about....if the defender has reserves, you have to push hard to overwhelm. Oh, and tank platoons of two do not cut it. In a series of bad rolls, the US lost three platoons of Bradleys after they lost one of their number.

On the russian side, despite firing 8-9 stabber missiles at the apaches each turn....they constantly failed a 3+ FP test when given the chance. Ugh.

I need to finish assembling the last of my warsaw units, and when I do, I'm hoping to turn away from soviet forces and play as East Germans. Need some more T-72b's though as well as variety of support.