Operation Desert Storm, G+1 day. Originally ordered to stand by as a reserve, the 1st US Cav is ordered to screen the VII Corps right and center.
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| Right click and open in a new window for a better view. The 1st US Cav (counters outlined white and green) are spread thin for this screen mission. The rest of VII Corps (HQ counter highlighted yellow) is moving north, pushing aside the Iraqi infantry brigades found in its path. Green counters = US, Brown Counters = UK, Light Green (Teal?) = Iraq, Other counters south of the border = Rest of the Coalition. |
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| The starting position of the 1st US Cavalry Division (counters highlighted white and green). Note the enormous gap west of the Division (~40 miles), ripe for picking for Iraqi units. In order to screen this gap, I had to order the cavalrymen to move west. |
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| Eliminated Iraqi units at day 3 of the offensive. Although it may look good, the computer-controlled Iraqi forces are putting up a good fight and maneuvering quite deftly. |
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| Day 3. The 1st US Cavalry (highlighted white and green) is lucky that it has to mount just a few holding attacks on the Iraqis. Close air support is brought in to help with that. Note the rest of the VII Corps, which has already broken through and is exploiting towards the depth of the Iraqi held territory. |
The game is
Middle East War 1948-2010 by Schwerpunkt Games. This is a great operational level computer war game with turns that simulate one day of operations and hexes that are 7.5 miles wide.
As I write these words, I am finding it quite challenging to move the 1st US Cavalry in a more offensive role as it happened in the real operation. Borrowing air support from other units - the XVIII Airborne Corps is not exactly fond of that - is one option I can't count for the whole operation.
Cheers,
I think it is coming from the scale. 7.5 miles is a lot for hex game. You have to bend reality into tables and there is need for balancing (who ever heard of that in the real world?).
ReplyDeleteA small force is enough this days to wreck havoc to enemy or to delay his actions. But at this scale manuvering becomes a choir and is very limited compared to reality.
Chris Adamus
Or from my own shortcomings ...
ReplyDeleteI don't see too much of an issue with the abstractions in this particular case, but rather that the Iraqis are very efficient compared to their real life counterparts. You have to see their battlefield interdiction efforts ... They are coming hot.
Do you own this game?
Cheers,
Hk JC
ReplyDeleteNot a fun of modern warefare ;) I stick with IIWW. I had experienced some issues with their WWIIE where in Blitzkrieg Polish troops seemed to be bonusing from good comms where in reality this was one of their biggest shortcomings. Coordination of counterattacks and defensive effort was impressive. I don't mind it. Heck I enjoyed it. But this was very inaccurate representation of the true capabilities of Polish army.
Chris Adamus
Also the encirclements looked strange (but it's the scale I guess).
ReplyDeleteI love everything Ron Dockal has done, and especially how he's somehow singlehandedly created an AI that puts nearly every other wargame to shame. His games aren't gorgeous, but the graphics fit the subject matter and the gameplay is excellent. Anyway, I'm obviously a big fan from way back. I just cannot see anyone being disappointed with one of his wargames.
ReplyDelete