Return with us now to those golden days of the mid 1980’s, when Communist were evil and Capitalist were good (or at least better). It’s been a while since we last visited the region of Africa known as Eurica. What’s that you say, you’ve never heard of Eurica? Or maybe it’s just that it’s been about 3 years since the whole Eurica foolishness started and you have like, actual important stuff to remember.
In any event, for a refresher you can check out the Eurica overview at https://barrysredoubt.blogspot.com/2022/03/eurica-was-project-x.html for the 1985 CIA (that’s Conceptual ImagiNation Assessment) Source Book on the region. If that peaks your interest enough you can always find the assessments of the other belligerents by sorting on the label ‘Eurica Campaign’. The orders of battle are outdated, but the backgrounds are accurate.
While 3 years have passed for you and me, time moves differently in Eurica, where it has only been 5 months since the events in Eurica Goes Hot (see here https://barrysredoubt.blogspot.com/2022/07/eurica-goes-hot.html ). One of our stalwart Lt. from that adventure return.
On with the foolishness!
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2:45 a.m., November 3, 1985. Wilhelmsland Border with Rubishland
Lt. Weber was pleased with the stealth his platoon showed as they moved into their observation positions under cover of darkness. He felt a slight sense of unease, as this location was a mere 45 miles from the location on the border he and Lt. Koch had fought the initial battle of the last Rubishland invasion at. He was also uneasy as this was his platoons first deployment with their ‘new’ gifts from the Americans, a platoon of M551 Sheridan light/recon tanks; he missed his old Scorpion. His Company and a Company of the newly arrived M-60A3 tanks just assigned to 2nd Brigade had been deployed to monitor this region of the border. The M-60A3 platoon was commanded by LT Holt, who Weber really didn’t know that well. But the big noisy tanks managed to take up their observation positions without giving away their presence. Now the boring part of staying hidden and observing.
Apparently high command had a reason to expect the Rubishlanders may be preparing another incursion.
But a nagging thought kept telling Weber this wouldn’t be boring for long, the rules of engagement had been too specific. He remembered his briefing from Oberst Richter– “if they cross to our side of the ridge line do not engage, but report. If they continue on and contact the Border Road, light them up, do not wait for authorization. Report immediately, air assets will be standing by ready to scramble if needed.” As he reflected on this more, he began to wonder just what the hell command knew that they weren’t sharing. Any if they knew something, why did they just send 2 platoons?
The view of the soon to be battlefield, looking Southerly. In the upper right is a farm house and farm. At the top of the photo is the Ridgeline that defines the border, and the nice, paved, Border Road on the Wilhelmsland side.
At 6:12 a.m. Weber’s gunner announced, “Sir, movement front, still on their side of the border”. Weber dropped down to the commander’s gun site and mumbled a curse, “T-62’s? where the hell did they get those from.”
Thirty seconds after calling in the spot report Oberst Richter responded, “Rules of engagement are unchanged, I’m getting air assets vectored your way.
This ‘tip of the spear’ shit while being outnumbered and outgunned is getting old, Weber mused. It was then Weber realized the mistake he made in his initial deployment, he was still thinking like a Scorpion Commander. The Sheridan’s Shillelagh missile had incredible range but they couldn’t be used up close. That meant they had to rely on their 152mm main gun HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) rounds, and his left most tank was too close to the road and would only be able to get one missile shot off most likely.
Unfortunately, the recoil from the conventional rounds had a bad habit of screwing up the IR missile tracking if they tried to switch back to missiles.
Turn 2
As his command crossed into Wilhelmsland territory, the Commander of the Rubishland Battalion was still trying to grasp his orders. “Cross the border near the outlying farm and liberate the crops in the fields from the capitalist oppressors and return the crops to Rubishland for the Generals dinner. Use of deadly force on any attempt to interfere with our people’s right to the Capitalist food is authorized. From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. Now go Comrade Major, do your duty to Rubishland.”
Lt. Weber watched as the Rubishland vehicles advanced willing them to stop before reaching the Border Road. Sadly they didn’t, as the Recon BRDM entered the middle of the road he ordered his to platoon to fire.
Weber's left most tank hit and killed a T-62, the next tank missed, apparently the early morning sun washing out the Infrared single to the missile causing it to careen wildly into the sky. Lt. Weber's tank fired at the BRDM-2, apparently getting a glancing hit by the missile body (curse that sun shine), causing the BRDM to take a morale check, which it passed. The remaining tank of Weber's platoon fired at the Recon BMP destroying it. The M-60A3 tanks of Lt. Kirk's platoon remained in their hide positions.
With Lt. Weber's Company now visible after firing, the Rubishland forces return fire. Only 3 of the Rubishland tanks were in range, hitting one of Lt. Weber's tanks causing it to take a moral check, which it passed.
Turn 3
The Rubishland Commander swore as the recon BMP to his front burst into flames.
Curse generals and curse these damnable Capitalist, why couldn't they peacefully accept the inevitability of the Peoples Revolution? He ordered his left most company to proceed to the fields and begin to harvest them. His right and center companies were ordered to advance and eliminate the Wilhelmsland units. The crew of the BRDM said 'screw this', and fell back.
The Wilhelsmland units stayed in the woods.
The Rubishland units fire, destroying one of the Sheridan Platoons on their right flank, and one of the Sheridan Platoons in the center. Lt. Weber's Company fires at the 2 advancing companies of T-62's, destroying 3 platoons. The left most company of the Rubishland force closed in on the field to their front, while some of the members of the tank platoon by the farm house dismount to loot the home, (no doubt looking for one of those elusive betamax video players that were the objective of the last Rubishland invasion.)
Lt. Weber winced as he saw one of his tanks explode in a brilliant ball of fire. "only Americans would use aluminum for Tank Armor" he muttered and then he heard a loud road and saw a sheet of flame as his tank erupted into flames and darkness engulfed him.
The Commander of Rubishland Battalion swore as the more of his command died, then we was thrown face first into the commander's gunsite and everything went dark.
Wow - the Platoons both Commanders were with were destroyed... that was a bloody round. I'll have to come up with some rolls at the end of the battle to see who lived or died.
Turn 4
The Rubishland unit on their left flank moved into the field, the laborers jumped out of the trucks and began shucking corn and throwing it into the trucks. Finding the farmhouse already looted, the troops of that platoon remount and advance to engage the remaining Sheridan near them. The other 2 Rubishland Companies, each now down to a single platoon continue to advance to engage the remaining Sheridans.
The 2 left most Wilhelmsland M-60A3 tank platoons charge out of the woods to get into range to engage the remaining T-62. The other 2 platoons stay in the woods and prepare to engage the T-62's in the field to their front.
The Rubishland tanks fire and destroy another platoon of Sheridans. The far left T-62 by the farm house fires and destroys the last Sheridan. The remainder of tthe far left company of T-62's is out of range of the visible Wilhelmsland forces and can't fire.
The Wilhemsland Sheridan's fire and destroy 1 platoon of T-62's and force another to take a morale check which it fails. The M-60A3's that charged out of the woods fire at the platoon by the farm house, forcing it to take a morale check which it fails.
The 2 M-60A3 platoons still in the woods fire at the T-62's in the farm field and missed. The fancy, high tech thermal imaging sites confusing the gunners still new to the technology.
The sole surviving Rubishland Company Commander decided they had enough corn for the General and ordered his troops to prepare to retreat.
Turn 5
The surviving Rubishland vehicles begin to withdraw back to their side of the border. The M60-A3 tanks advance, and the Air Force finally decides to show up. I guess they needed to hit the breakfast buffet at the Officers Club one last time before they headed out to the flight line.
A Wilhelmsland Tornado came screaming in unloading cluster bombs on the fleeing Rubishlanders, Causing one T-62 to fail a morale check and destroying the truck full of corn that all of this blood was spilled over. Two of the M-60A3 platoons fire at the remaining T-62 platoon and the other M-60A3's fire at the second retreating truck, destroying both.
Well, that went quick. And it was definitely a bad day for the Sheridan recon tanks. If used in a proper recon role they may be ok, but trying to use them as a cheap tank, isn't going to work. Lt. Weber should have changed his deployment, M-60A3's close to the road, Sheridan's with the stand off range of their missiles further back.
Speaking of Lt. Weber, he survived, at least he was still alive when they pulled him from the wreckage of his tank.
The Rubishland Commander did not. Probably for the best for him and his family as President for Life Idi Sanford is not a forgiving man when commanders fail him.
What will Wilhelmsland do now? They still haven't recovered in either material or trained manpower since the last war ended mere months ago. What exactly is the Wilhelmsland high command up to? And the really big question, how long will go by until I get around to the next installment? Months? years? decades?
Enjoy the nice fall weather. Probably less than a month before the first snow.
So much lead, so little time.
