Contact, enemy front! Wait, out.
Game night was very low attendance this week with only one game running. Chris and I bought Skirmish Sangin when it was released but have only played a couple of games. This is mostly due to the smorgasbord of games available to us on a weekly basis and having inappropriate terrain for Southern Central Asia. As Matt bought some of the superb Empress miniatures in the form of Royal Marines we decided to have another game and introduce him to the lethal beauty that is Skirmish Sangin or SkiSa as we like to call it.
We played fast and loose with scenario just to get some of the game mechanics running. The mission was for 2 Troop, 2 Company, 40 Commando to patrol to a local compound and search for weapons and bomb making equipment. For a change the intel was good and a local Taliban cadre were present including a high value target code name ‘Alan Akbar'
Drone image capture confirm Taliban in and around the target building.
A stealthy approach is very difficult and due to delays the operation is under way early morning rather than middle of the night the result is the Taliban are ready and waiting for the Commandos
Troop leader Cpl Butters comes under fire from the main compound is seriously wounded. Marine Hart applies first aid and drags him back to the Casevac point re-joining the troop some time later
The Taliban start to put fire down on the Royal Marines and a couple start to try and work round the flank.
L/Cpl Hamilton fires his Under slung Grenade Launcher (UCL) and the round lands directly in the compound. Killing 3 immediately and seriously wounding two more. The Taliban disengage. The Marines go on to search the compound and recover weapons and Intel. Mission success!
As you can see the first game was over very quickly. This is a very lethal game.
Game Two
2 Troop are back in action again this time the mission is a meeting with village elders, they are providing security. As Cpl Butter is wounded the troop is now led by Cpl Nutt
The time and place of the meeting is well known and local Taliban intend to ambush the Marine and Elders as the meeting breaks up.
Fighters move into their pre-planned positions
The marines have good positions in the centre of the village
The Taliban open fire but the Marines are well trained and pass all morale tests and operate as expected
Marine Wheelwright comes under heavy fire from a PKM machine gun, he is unfortunately in poor position in the open. After what seems like an age he manages to find hard cover behind a thick mud wall
Aseeb and Ashiq plan is to move into the building to fire on the marines from cover. Marine Wetherill has been ordered to clear the building to allow the troop to extract from the village. Neither knows they are about to contact
L/Cpl Read spots movement at the edge of a compound and moves to a better position to engage with his UGL. Unaware that he is about to be outflanked. However Ahmed isn’t used to his AKM and misses.
Ahmed doesn’t get another chance as Marine Hart opens fire from his position in the tower with the Minimi and kills him stone dead.
Marine Wetherill checks the building and spots enemy and opens fire but misses his shot. He calls for support and Marine Benn arrives. Unsure of whether there are friendlies in the building they opt not to grenade first.
As they enter both Aseeb and Ashiq fire but Marine Wetherill is saved by his armour. He shoots Aseeb dead. Marine Benn is right behind Wetherill as they enter and smashes Ashiq in the face with his rifle knocking him to the ground dead.
Troop Leader Matt plans his next phase
Mission over. Skirmish Sangin is a very deadly game and whilst it appeared one sided it was a much closer game. When it came down to it Chris was unlucky with the dice result in a couple of places notably his very low rolls for damage.
Another operation soon, hopefully with both sides fully painted and the scenery complete
Chris looks to the devil for help with his dice
