Battle in the Mountains (Part 1)

Well, I've written the amended rules for fighting in the mountains and it would be a shame not to try them out.

I wanted to create a small representative battlefield in which I can try out armies from different theatres and periods.  I can see this being used in the Northwest Frontier, Afghan Wars (19th & 20th Century), Arab Israeli Wars and the Iran-Iraq War.  For this first outing I wanted to use my WW2 North African forces so I imagined an operation on the left flank of Monty's advance into Tunisia in which 8th Army is attempting to open up communications with Patton's American units.

The Wehrmacht crosses indicate objective points.  Mountain peaks are impassable, the wadi is rough ground and there are movement bonuses for using the road. 

Mark agreed to give the rules a try before I roll them out on a club night.  He would play the British and have 2 x Indian infantry battalions, regular but mountain trained.  In reserve, he would have a motorised infantry battalion and a tank battalion.  In support there is an entire divisional artillery complement of 3 x 25 pounder regiments with four fire missions.  Mark also had a flight of medium  bombers and 2 x fighter bombers which he could preplan or attach to one of the units.

I would play the axis defenders.  This would consist of a battalion of green but dug-in Italian infantry with a supporting battery 75mm field artillery and 90mm AT/AA portees.  I placed a company with MG support around the mountain village defending the approached to the wadi.  The remaining mg with a platoon of infantry was entrenched on the first mountain overlooking the cross roads and an 81mm mortar with 3x platoons of infantry was dug-in on the first level of the furthest mountain overlooking the crossroads and the approaches from the bridge.  The portee was dug-in behind the cross roads and the remaining infantry and 75mm field gun were ensconced in the fort.

In addition, I had a FOO on the upper level of the back mountain controlling a battalion of German 105's off table with four fire missions.  The crossroads were mined and the bridge was set to explode if tapproached by the British (a 6 on a D6 would be required).  A battalion of motorised infantry with Sig33 and Marder supports were in reserve ready to be committed once the the hill top village was taken - a roll of 1-3 they would arrive from the West, on a 4-6 they would arrive from the North.

The Italian MG and infantry support revealed by the patrol.

Before the game began Mark was allowed two fighting patrols and an aerial reconnaissance flight.  He sent the two patrols either side of the first mountain on his left.  The first patrol discovered no enemy and no garrison at the western road exit.  The second patrol briefly engaged the detachment above the crossroads before returning with the information.

The aerial recon was ordered to inspect the hilltop village and immediate area.  The Italian garrison and HQ was spotted and the pilot went in closer for a better look.  However, the 20mm AA guarding the bridge opened up and drove the Lysander away.

That was all the information Mark was able to glean and based on that he made his plans.  In the next post I will write up what happened.

Amended spearhead rules for Mountain fighting.

As a child I had these excellent figures in 1/72nd scale and always think of them when contemplating mountain warfare.  Classic 1970's figures despite the box blurb!

I've been very busy completing  mountain terrain this summer.  I am aiming to expand the scope of my existing desert terrain and give further options for operational games in East Africa, Tunisia, Sicily, Southern Italy and Iran.

With this in mind I thought it would be a good idea to post some outline ideas on rules for mountain warfare.  I want to keep them simple and obvious but cover all the peculiarities that will make fighting in the mountains different from other games - so here goes;

Amended Spearhead Rules for Mountain Warfare

1. Supporting units cannot fire through friends on mountains.
2. Units on mountains are always in -1 cover.
3. All units firing from one mountain at a target on another mountain suffer a -1 penalty (apparently it was notoriously difficult to judge the range)
4. Mountain trained troops get a +1 in close combat.
5. Only support units of 76mm and below in calibre can be manhandled up mountains and move at 1/3 normal movement.
6. Infantry units move at a max 1/2 normal movement when on a mountain (see later for ascending/descending) and cannot fire when moving.
7. Mountain trained infantry move at a max 1/2 normal movement when on a mountain but can fire in the moving infantry phase.
8. Only howitzers and mortars can fire onto or over mountains.  Calibers of 105mm or less can fire up to two levels.  106mm to 149mm can fire up to 3 levels.  150mm and above up to 4 levels. This is in addition to and not instead of their usual range from other tables.

It's probably simpler if I illustrate how mountains are ascended (and descended).

The units movement ends immediately once in contact with the mountain.  At this stage if it has moved up to half its normal movement rate it can fire in the moving infantry phase.

On the second turn the unit can begin its ascent.  The rear of the base is placed on the level and the rest is lent against the mountain (the first mountain base is equal to two levels).  This is a full move.

On the third move the unit is placed on the initial level area.  This is a full move.  Movement around this level is according to the rules above at 1/2 rate.

The unit is required to continue its ascent. Again the rear of the base is placed on the level straight away without stopping at the base and the rest is lent against the second tier of the mountain (the second mountain base is equal to one level).  This is a full move.

On the second move the unit is placed on the top of the second tier.  This is a full move.  Movement around this level is according to the rules above at 1/2 rate.  The mountain top is impassable and counts as a fourth level for calculating arc of fire for howitzers and mortars.

All I need to do now is put on a game and see how they work.