Team Yankee: 1 vs 1, 68 pts then 2 vs 2, 170 pts.

Not a European-Theatre M557.... but would make a kickass objective!

Howdy everyone, now that the Team Yankee books and the box sets are out, Kevin aka Glitch and I decided to head to the FLGS across the border to Quebec and play some kickoff Team Yankee.   Store owner Seb and Robert were already underway.  Robert built and spray-painted 22 T-72's in 2 days!

Robert's T-72 platoon

M557 "Queen Mary" Command objective, from the Bannon's boys boxset.

 Cdn and British soldiers dubbed the M557 "The Queen Mary" as in the cruise ship.. as it was the only vehicle that had enough room to stand up in.  Some other Brit command one is dubbed "The Gin Palace" after the HMS Agincourt, again, had a gigantic ballroom on board for the officers mess.   <end Cliff Clavin voice>

Seb had some Cobras out as well.

Robert's flock of Hind-D's.   Couldnt hit those M1s with ATGMs at all!

Enough of that other table's pictures, lets get to our game.   Kevin was running 2 platoons of 2 M1s, with two command M1s, a Mech Platoon, a VADS section, an ITV section, and 2 Cobras for 68 points.  I ran 9 T-72s, 2 Shilkas, and a minimum Motor Rifle Coy, in 4 BTR-80s which were subbing as BMP-1s.   Pics below:

Our table, comms tower in the desert near a border checkpoint. 

Abrams and ITV tracks defending the crashed Cdn Helo objective.

The inspiration for my title picture.  I am SO tempted to paint up a UN force.  All white, blue berets, special rule, cannot shoot unless fired upon, and a C-130 Leaflet bomber...?

Crisp details on the BF M1 compared to the Zvezda one.

Meanwhile here are my BTR's near the AA Radar objective, with T-72s in line abreast formation to the horizon ..!

T-72 platoon is mauled by M1s

Cunning plan, get into the forest.  if he assaults, I get missiles galore in defensive fire.

The irony:  Destroyed Cobra wreck next to the crashed UH-1 objective..

 My grandiose plan to repel the assault fails when it is realized that AT Guided Missiles have a minimum range of 8 inches.. so I had all three platoons not "In Good Spirits" which meant I was forced to take a Battalion Morale at the start of turn3 which I failed.  Victory for the USA.

Next Game, Seb and Kevin would team up with their Capitalists against Robert and my Soviets.  I wanted to use a larger Motor Rifle Coy, plus a 6 gun battery of Gvosdikas.   (PT-76 with T55 turrets are subbing in until my boxes arrive), 2 Shilkas and 6 T-72s.   Rob had a eleventy T-72s it seemed and a handful of Hinds.   We pushed the tables together, had some Pizza, and then got down to business.  Here is the table set up:

Seb debating where to deploy his M1s.   We were playing Dust Up, and we had the lower right corner.

Gvozdika battery.  Observer BTR-60 is just off camera on that stone hill at top of frame.

US forces deployed all tanks down first.  My arty had a pre-plotted ranged in marker, taking out a platoon of Kev's M1s first shot of the game!

VADS AA again defending the crashed Cdn UH-1.

Again, Cobras would duel the Hind's.  The Hind's would be shot down by measly AA MG fire from the M1s... sad.

We got our reserves which consisted of a dozen and a half T-72s, and they got NOTHING.  Next turn these VADS are dead meat.

Meanwhile I try and take down some Cobra's with my BTR's.  Fail.  I lost all my transports the next turn!!

After this pic was taken, all M1s and the VADS were killed on this flank, giving us the win, though it was flukey that we got so many T-72s from reserve into their flank..

All in all, the game flowed VERY quickly.   The Helo's having unlimited range was very interesting.. the Cobras have to either stand off and shoot TOWs at range, or move close to use their cannons to kill enemy Helo's but then risk instant death if they dont kill them all.  The Hind's on the other hand need to get in close, which gets them killed.   On paper we were chatting about Mass-BMP-2 armies, until we saw how quickly they fold to any sort of fire.   TOWs are move or shoot unless on the Hind, so unless you can place them all in a wooded firing line, its almost best to just deploy the infantry.   M1s do NOT have the 'Brutal' rule for their main guns, meaning no 'heavy breakthrough' like the russian gun has to winkle out dug in troops.   I loved the Arty.. being able to place my ranged in marker anywhere for smoke or for effect, rather than centered on a model is HUGE.

Stay tuned for more games as our stuff shows up.  Video below: