Gunther

Current Mood in One Gif

Spearhead in the Gap; A WWIII war game (1985)

Next step is, I need a number of 1d10 die rolls for your HQs as stated in the PMs. The number of rolls is listed in the PM. Please link them there, instead of here, if you please and thank you.

Current Mood in One Gif

Spearhead in the Gap; A WWIII war game (1985)

Spearhead in the Gap

Assault: Tactical Combat in the 1980s


M60A3 Main Battle Tanks of the 3rd Armor Division move along a Deutsches Autobahn

“Lariet Advance!”, the charge of quarters or CQ yelled as he moved from room to room in the barracks of the 1st Battalion, 33rd Armor at Ayers Kaserne in Kirch Göns, West Germany. The first sergeant’s duty roster randomly assigned a Sergeant or Staff Sergeant in the company to serve as Charge of Quarters after duty hours. This junior NCO was responsible for the unit while the company commander and first sergeant were relaxing at home.

Within the hour, the entire 1st Brigade, 3rd Armor Division was on the road headed to their General Deployment Positions near Bad Hersfeld, Germany in the Fulda Gap. Upon arrival. They would receive an upload of their Basic Load of Ammunition (BLA) and receive their orders from higher headquarters.

Although the entire USAREUR (US Army Europe) conducted alerts once a month at 0230 hours, this was no drill. The WARSAW Pact was threatening military action and declaration of war by the US Congress was imminent. All of NATO was on alert, tensions were high.

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The Deutsches Demokratische Republik’s (DDR) 91st Panzer Regiment as well as the entire 4th Motorized Rifle Division reacted with professional skill as they rolled their tanks and infantry fighting vehicles out of their respective cantonment areas. They would move to attack positions along the 1K zone on the West German border. The soldiers of the 4th MRD could feel the tension of what they were about to do. No one was speaking.

The Soviet Army was well known for rehearsing battle drills until their execution was as rote as breathing. It was with precision and professionalism that the Soviet units could move into a battle efficiently. Their East German counterparts were no different; exercising that cold Germanic professionalism during the art of war.

The East German and Russian forces positioned themselves along the 1K zone waiting for their orders to push forward. Like their American, British and West German counterparts, they also had received a Basic Load of Ammunition. Their commanders were confident they could roll right over the arrogant Americans in their steel death traps.

Maps

I photographed and emailed the maps to myself. I then copied the images onto MS Paint and found that the town/village names are blurred by the process as well as the hex identifiers. I retyped the town/village names onto the maps in order to make them more legible. Also, I linked a larger version of the map, you can click on to make it more crisp; easier to read. If you are able to read the hex identifiers, which are a four-digit number, please use these when calling in artillery and CAS.

Map A is on the Western side of the combined map.



Map B is on the Eastern side of the combined map.



Combined map. North is to the top, south is to the bottom, west is to the left and east is to the right.



Terrain Key. This is what is depicted in each hex. Notice that the brown colored hexes depict higher elevation. Your units are assumed to be everywhere in a hex. Therefore, units in village/town hexes can be one level higher than the ground.

Town names as listed on the map include

Altfeld (2)
Ansbach (6)
Baumgartshof (2)
Eichenfurst (2)
Erlenfurt (2)
Hasselburg (5)
Hündsruck (2)
Lengfurt (1)
Lichtenau (1)
Marienbaum (1)
Neuenbach (4)
Oberndorf (1)
Rehberg (3)
Rettersheim (2)
Rottbach (3)
Steinmark (3)
Steinmühle (2)
Schollbrunn (2)
Tiefenhal (3)
Waldzell (2)

The number in parenthesis is the number of hexes the town occupies.

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Notes
1. I will serve as the Game Referee. I will use the rules of a war game called, “Assault: Tactical Combat in the 1980s.” I will also provide you with reports and messages from your subordinate leaders as though I were Role playing those NPCs.

2. In order to maintain the Fog of War, we will communicate via Private Messenger until contact with the enemy is made. You tell me where your units are moving along what route and who is firing at whom. I can answer questions related to the gaming system to help facilitate who is doing what, when and where.

3. I will use the gaming system to determine the outcome. Please do not argue about the outcome of an engagement.

4. There are several dice rolls to be made throughout this game. I may ask you to roll as many as twenty or thirty different rolls of 1d10 or more during each turn. I will use your rolls to determine the outcome of engagements. Since both commanders are giving me instructions at the same time, I will play one full turn to determine the outcome and then communicate this individually to each. If a Soviet unit can see a US unit and vice versa, I will post a map of what is seen on both sides in the In Character tab.

5. As you create dice rolls in the RPG forum’s Dice section, link them in the OOC tab for all to see. You can label them or compartmentalize then however you see fit. I will tell you how the dice rolls relate to the outcomes. I may come back and ask for more dice rolls if needed. In fact, I will need new dice rolls every game turn.

6. As I am made aware of outcomes of combat, I will communicate them to the respective player(s) so they can post them in their own style preferably using a role playing style. Create characters and tell a story about these character; about their life and maybe even their death.

7. The maps I will use have a hexagonal grid overlay which depicts sections of terrain that cover 250 meters.

8. Each game turn is 5 minutes. I will use both the NATO and the WARSAW Pact orders/moves/dice rolls as though everything is happening at the same time. I will post a timeline of each game turn below; broken down into 5 minute increments.

9. You do not need to know how to play the game. In fact, possessing a grasp of the game might interfere with your ability to enjoy the aesthetics of this role play.

10. You have the option to enlist (a) friend(s) to role play (a) subordinate(s) unit if there are too many units for you to manage.

The scenario we will use is a probe on the part of East German Forces. The element of the US 3rd Armor Division (Spearhead) will be in a defensive position in the vicinity of the Fulda Gap and will have been there for 24 to 72 hours prior to contact with East German probing forces. Their intention is to prevent East German forces from bypassing their defensive position. The East German army forces in the Gap are probing the strength of US resistance and are searching for an area where US forces are weak in an attempt to push through, continuing their advance to the west.

A few things you may need to know about the gaming system…

1. I will ask for die rolls for your HQs and TOC units (Tactical Operations Center).

2. Units move either in column formation (one behind the other) or in Line formation (vehicles are abreast). You may need to specify which you are using as column provides fastest movement speeds over great distances, but lacks combat power. Line formation provides the best combat power, but movement is slowed.

3. Units in column formation will not shoot. They must switch to combat formation. All you need to do is give me the instructions to have your units automatically switch to combat formation when fired upon.

4. Units that are in cover can execute Opportunity Fire which is similar to executing an ambush from a covered and concealed location. You must tell me before a battle which units and where are in cover. These are units which are in the defense. They may be dug into the ground and invariably are using some form of camouflage.

5. I will also ask you to give me locations of where you want your indirect fire (Artillery) to land, depending on whether you have artillery assets. Artillery is fired at a location on the earth. If enemy or friendly units happen to occupy that location, they must accept the consequences they receive.

6. Pay careful attention to the maps I provide you. The colors depicted on the maps refer to different elevations. Your HQs units need to be able to see their subordinate units in order to have a more efficient and positive effect on them. I can provide you with a guide to determine a clear Line of Sight (LOS) if you need one.

Note on Characters…

You will not need a character sketch for this role play. Feel free to name the characters in your command element and develop their characters throughout the game. The US or Bundeswehr commander will hold the rank of Captain, Major or Lieutenant Colonel. The Soviet Commander will hold the rank of Major, Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel. I will let you know when we know what size element you command. I encourage you to name the NPCs subordinate to your commander, whom I will play as when reporting to you about sightings and combat action.

If you have any questions, please ask. If there is something confusing in this OP, please let me know so I can clarify and maybe edit to this passage.

@CaptainBritton@Andreyich

Spearhead in the Gap; A WWIII war game (1985)

Thank you both for volunteering to do this. I look at this as an experiment. If either of you see ways to improve, please share. I hope to do more Roleplays like this one.

@CaptainBritton is the NATO Commander: USA
@Andreyich is the WARSAW Pact Commander: DDR

I will put the OOC thread together to include...

Map of the battle area
Terrain Key
Information on available vehicles
Ranges of weapon systems

I will send Private Messages (PM) to both NATO and WARSAW Pact Commanders. These PMs will include:

Organization of your force
Starting locations of your units
Request for orders

If either would like to invite a friend to help, that is their prerogative.

Spearhead in the Gap; A WWIII war game (1985)

I recall when I was with 2-36 IN(M) in 1984 - 1985, the S2 told us we would face East German units prior to seeing any Soviet units. Using a DDR unit does make sense. (Deutsches Demokratisch Republic)

Spearhead in the Gap; A WWIII war game (1985)

It won't make a very noticeable operational difference but I was wondering if I could play an alternate Warsaw pact army like the East Germans?

@Andreyich

Yes, of course. The rules of the game do not differentiate between DDR and USSR. Give me a 1d12 die roll.

Current Mood in One Gif

Spearhead in the Gap; A WWIII war game (1985)

Spearhead in the Gap

Assault: Tactical Combat in the 1980s

Elements of the US 3rd Armor Division (SPEARHEAD) have been alerted to an anticipated invasion of West Germany by units of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. First Brigade of the 3rd Armor have been deployed to the area around the Fulda Gap in Bad Hersfeld. The M60A3 Main Battle Tanks, M113 Armored Personnel Carriers and M901 Improved TOW Vehicles have been preparing a defense to defeat the Soviet army’s westward advance.

As this is a war game, you will play the role of either a US or USSR battlefield commander. If Interested, choose one of the following:

NATO Commander
You will command an unknown sized element of the US 3rd Armor Division or Deutsches Bundeswehr. The size and composition of your force will be determined by a dice roll. If you would like to take command of the NATO force defending the gap, roll a 1d12 and link it below in this OOC tab. Then I will send you a Private Message (PM) containing the unit and its composition you will command. You will also receive an image depicting the map where your units will be deployed. The unit could be as small as a company or as large as a battalion containing mechanized infantry, armor, reconnaissance and artillery assets. There is also the chance you may have air assault infantry or attack helicopter assets. Your maneuver units will be of platoon and section strength.

I will only disclose what the US force looks like, once someone steps up and says, “I would like to command the NATO forces in this game,” accompanied by results of the dice roll.

The NATO commander will win this engagement if he eliminates a certain number of soviet units and/or prevents Soviet units from exiting the west edge of the board. The game will last 18 turns or 90 minutes of game time. Each turn is five minutes and each hex on the map equals 250 meters of terrain.

USSR Commander
You will command an unknown sized element of a Soviet army element. The size and composition of your force will be determined by a dice roll. If you would like to take command of the WARSAW Pact force probing the gap, roll a 1d12 and link it below in this OOC tab. Then I will send you a Private Message (PM) containing the unit and its composition you will command. You will also receive an image depicting the map where your units will be deployed. The unit could be as small as a battalion or as large as a regiment containing mechanized infantry, armor, reconnaissance and artillery assets. There is also a chance you may have air assault infantry or attack helicopter assets. Your maneuver units will be of platoon and section strength.

I will only disclose what the USSR force looks like, once someone steps up and says, “I would like to command the NATO forces in this game,” accompanied by the dice result.

The Soviet Commander will win this game by eliminating NATO units and/or exiting Soviet units off the west edge of the map. There is a bonus, if you can exit units to the west by turn 12 or within one hour of game time. The game will last for 18 turns or 90 minutes of game time. Each turn is 5 minutes of game time and one hex equals 250 meters of terrain.

OOC
1. I will serve as the Game Referee. I will use the rules of a war game called, “Assault: Tactical Combat in the 1980s.” I will also provide you with reports and messages from your subordinate leaders as though I were Role playing those NPCs.

2. We will communicate via Private Messenger until contact with the enemy is made. You tell me where your units are moving along what route and who is firing at whom. I can answer questions related to the gaming system to help facilitate who is doing what, when and where.

3. I will use the gaming system to determine the outcome. Please do not argue about the outcome of an engagement.

4. There are several dice rolls to be made throughout this game. I may ask you to roll as many as twenty different rolls of 1d10 or more during each turn. I will use your rolls to determine the outcome of engagements. Since both commanders are giving me instructions at the same time, I will play one full turn to determine the outcome and then communicate this individually to each. If a Soviet unit can see a US unit and vice versa, will post a map of what is seen on both sides in the In Character tab.

5. As you create dice rolls in the forum’s Dice section, link them in the OOC tab for all to see. You can label them or compartmentalize then however you see fit. I will tell you how the dice rolls relate to the outcomes. I may come back and ask for more dice rolls if needed.

6. As I am made aware of outcomes of combat, I will communicate them to the respective player(s) so they can post them in their own style preferably using a role playing style. Create characters and tell a story about these character; about their life and maybe even their death.

7. The maps I will use have a hexagonal grid overlay which depicts sections of terrain that cover 250 meters.

8. Each game turn is 5 minutes. I will use both the NATO and the WARSAW Pact orders/moves/dice rolls as though everything is happening at the same time.

9. You do not need to know how to play the game. In fact, possessing a grasp of the game might interfere with your ability to enjoy the aesthetics of this role play.

10. You have the option to enlist (a) friend(s) to role play (a) subordinate(s) unit if there are too many units for you to manage.

The scenario we will use is a probe on the part of Soviet Forces. The element of the US 3rd Armor Division (Spearhead) will be in a defensive position in the vicinity of the Fulda Gap and will have been there for 24 to 72 hours prior to contact with Soviet probing forces. Their intention is to prevent Soviet forces from bypassing their defensive position. The Soviet army forces in the Gap are probing the strength of US resistance and are searching for an area where US forces are weak in an attempt to push through, continuing their advance to the west.

A few things you may need to know about the gaming system…

1. I will ask for die rolls for your HQs and TOC units (Tactical Operations Center).

2. Units move either in column formation (one behind the other) or in Line formation (vehicles are abreast). You may need to specify which you are using as column provides fastest movement speeds over great distances, but lacks combat power. Line formation provides the best combat power, but movement is slowed.

3. Units in column formation will not shoot. They must switch to combat formation. All you need to do is give me the instructions to have your units automatically switch to combat formation when fired upon.

4. Units that are in cover can execute Opportunity Fire which is similar to executing an ambush from a covered and concealed location. You must tell me before a battle which units and where are in cover. These are units which are in the defense. They may be dug into the ground and invariably are using some form of camouflage.

5. I will also ask you to give me locations of where you want your indirect fire (Artillery) to land, depending on whether you have artillery assets. Artillery is fired at a location on the earth. If enemy or friendly units happen to occupy that location, they must accept the consequences they receive.

6. Pay careful attention to the maps I provide you. The colors depicted on the maps refer to different elevations. Your HQs units need to be able to see their subordinate units in order to have a more efficient and positive effect on them. I can provide you with a guide to determine a clear Line of Sight (LOS) if you need one.

Note on Characters…

You will not need a character sketch for this role play. Feel free to name the characters in your command element and develop their characters throughout the game. The US or Bundeswehr commander will hold the rank of Captain, Major or Lieutenant Colonel. The Soviet Commander will hold the rank of Major, Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel. I will let you know when we know what size element you command. I encourage you to name the NPCs subordinate to your commander, whom I will play as when reporting to you about sightings and combat action.

If you have any questions, please ask. If there is something confusing in this OP, please let me know so I can clarify and maybe edit to this passage.