Operation Geronimo #1

All,

It's 0630 on 27 July 1990 and Operation Geronimo has kicked off.  The goal of this operation is to parachute infantry into blocking positions to screen the landing beaches where Cuban Liberation Expeditionary Force (CLEF) forces will be landing later this morning in response to forces of the Fédération Socialiste Nationale de Leon (FSNL) invading South Leon three days ago.  The CLEF, which already had a small Task Group (under Major Fulgencio) on the ground, assisting South Leon government forces in counterinsurgency operations and guarding the DMZ between South Leon and FSNL, is being reinforced in order to throw FSNL forces out of South Leon and end the insurgency carried out by the Communist "Free Leon Army" (FLA).

Earlier this morning, Lt Villagrosa's ODA 212 (Task Force Dusty, in Operation Currahee) parachuted in further north to secure a vital traffic hub and draw FSNL forces away from the actual amphibious landing site.  Now Lt Espinale's E Company, 6th Para Bn (Task Force Hawk) is parachuting in to secure blocking positions screening the landing beaches.  The parachute landing went nice and smooth owing to Lt Villagrosa's men doing an outstanding job; Lt Espinale's men quickly formed up and began moving on their objectives.

Overview, north is up, with Cubans entering the table in the west (left).  There's a crop field in the southwest, the northern edge of a local village at bottom center right, a dirt road running east-west, a small knoll at top center left, and a river that's only a few feet deep at bottom center running to riht.  Other than that there are only stands of trees and bushes breaking up the landscape.

Lt Espinale is with the forward elements of Task Force Hawk, moving west to east on the dirt road, looking to defeat any enemy forces encountered and clear the route for follow-on forces to continue movement east to the blocking positions.  There are no FSNL regulars in the area, they've all been drawn north to deal with TF Dusty, but there are plenty of FLA insurgents around.  The Cubans will begin the game off table, moving east each turn; the FLA insurgents will start the game hidden, only revealed once contact is made.

The opposing forces, with Cubans at left and FLA insurgents at right.  The Cubans are Modern US Marines from Flytrap Factory, the insurgents are Somalis from Flashpoint Minis, and the Technical is from Peter Pig, everything in 15mm.  I'm playing these games out solo using Ivan's "Five Men at Kursk," modified a little bit.

The Cuban force: two grenadiers, two SAWs, and four riflemen.  All the men pictured here will be in the fight.  The force consists of, from top left to bottom right:
Sergeant First Class Saupold
Private Soto
Pvt Alcantara
Pvt Cabrera
1st Lieutenant Espinale
Sergeant Barbato
Corporal Jimenez
Private Moreno

The FLA insurgents, ten of them plus a Technical.  As mentioned, they will start the game hidden, and I don't know what I'll be facing.  I use Joe Legan's 'blinds' system (a little modified), so this is the absolute most I could possibly face with my eight Cubans, but more than likely I won't see all these bad guys on the table.  In any case, there is a leader, an RPG gunner, an MG gunner, the Technical, and seven riflemen.

The Cubans enter the battle area, their pointman, Pvt Moreno (far left) leading the way.

Moreno (top center) continues leading the way as more Cubans file on after him...

"CONTACT!!!" screams Pvt Moreno (top right).  The Cubans are all on the road, from right to left: Moreno (M-16), Cpl Jimenez (M-203), Sgt Barbato (SAW), Lt Espinale (M-16), Pvt Soto (SAW), SFC Saupold (M-16), Pvt Alcantara (M-203), and Pvt Cabrera (M-16).

Overview, and there are bad guys everywhere!  The Cubans are on the road, center to far left. There are six bad guys and a Technical with HMG.  Bad guy riflemen are at:

-bottom left, just right of the field and below the tree
-center left, on the edge of the river, just below a stand of three trees
-center, below a stand of four trees, with bushes below him and to his right
-top center, in the corner created by bushes running north-south and east-west
-bottom center right, just below the river, just right of a building and just above a tree with some pots
-the Technical is just to his left, between two huts
-the enemy machine gunner is at bottom center, in the corner created by two wooden post walls, just left of a hut

Looking at enemy troops in the south, you can see three riflemen (bottom left, center, center top right) and the machine gunner (far right).

Further east, in the village, you can see the FLA Technical (bottom center) and a rifleman (top center), with a fishing boat at far left and a mud footbridge just above it.  All these scenic items are from Jimmi at Flashpoint Minis except for the fruit stand, which is from Crescent Root.

Looking at the north center, we've got the Cubans on the road, with enemy rifleman flanking each side (top right and bottom left).

Fight's on!

The fight begins with Pvt Moreno, in a fraction of a second, assessing the most serious threat as the enemy Technical.  The enemy gunner is racking the bolt back as Moreno drops to a knee (bottom left) and opens fire (top right).  Rounds skip off the pickup-truck...

And ricochet into the FLA gunner, putting him out of the fight!

But the enemy rifleman in the center (bottom left) levels his AK and rattles off a long burst at Moreno (top right)...

And the young Private falls in a hail of 7.62mm rounds!

As Moreno goes down (far left, with Cpl Jimenez to his right), Sgt Barbato (bottom right) returns fire on the enemy gunman, his SAW sending a flurry of rounds into the nearby treeline (top center).

And while Sgt Barbato (far left) is firing, Cpl Jimenez moves to Pvt Moreno (top center) to provide first aid.  But the enemy rifleman (bottom right) is unfazed by Sgt Barbato's fire, and he has spotted Cpl Jimenez...

The FLA rifleman (bottom left) cuts loose another long burst of fire...

Forcing Cpl Jimenez to flop down beside Moreno, suppressed (red bead on the road at right).  Lt Espinale (far left, with Sgt Barbato just to his right), sees a bad situation developing and he takes off at a sprint...

Lt Espinale reaches Cpl Jimenez and rallies him.

While the other SAW gunner, Pvt Soto (bottom left) spots the enemy rifleman in the north (top left) and opens fire to protect the Lieutenant (top center, with Moreno and Cpl Jimenez, and Sgt Barbato between them and Soto).

Lt Espinale and Cpl Jimenez (bottom left) snap their heads to see what the hell Soto is shooting at, and Soto's rounds have done their job, dropping the insurgent (top right) in his tracks.  "Damn, I never even saw that guy!" exclaimed Lt Espinale.

Friggin' officers... ;)

As Pvt Soto (left, with Sgt Barbato at right) laying down fire to the north, SFC Saupold dashes south through the trees (bottom center, from far left)...

Straight into a hornet's nest!  SFC Saupold (top left) was looking to flank the enemy riflemen that shot Moreno (top right), unaware there were two more insurgents nearby (center and bottom left).  The enemy soldier in the southwest (bottom left) opens up with his rifle on the Cuban NCO...

Rounds zip and snap by SFC Saupold's head (bottom center); he drops and returns fire, but he doesn't hit anything.  The FLA gunman (top center) hits the dirt and the two antagonists dig their noses into the South Leon soil and spray rounds in the general direction of each other.

And while SFC Saupold (far left, just left of the orange tracer) is shooting it out with the enemy's southwestern rifleman (far right), Pvt Cabrera (bottom left) sights in and fires on the insurgent (top center left) that shot Moreno...

The insurgent is pinned (far right, with yellow bead) and Cabrera moves up (left, just above the trees at the top right corner of the field, with SFC just to his right).

But the enemy machine gunner (bottom center), across the river, hiding behind a wooden wall, spots Cabrera (to left) and cuts loose.

Cabrera (yellow bead at center, with SFC Saupold just to his left) is pinned by the enemy MG (top right).  Pvt Alcantara can't see a damn thing, but he knows there's problems ahead, so he goes charging into the cornfield (center right).

In the center, the insurgent there, though pinned (bottom left) keeps up the fire on Lt Espinale and Cpl Jimenez (top center)...

Which allows the enemy rifleman in the southeast to dash ahead and jump in the fishing boat (center, from bottom right) to get a better vantage point.  The Technical is at bottom left, its gunner dead and its driver trying to figure out what to do.  You can see the enemy rifleman in the center (top left) firing on Lt Espinale and Cpl Jimenez (top center left).

Cpl Jimenez (bottom left) does manage to pop his head up long enough to spot the bad guy that just jumped in the boat, and pop a few rounds at him (top center)...

But the rounds sail by harmlessly and the enemy rifleman (bottom right) returns the favor...

 Forcing Cpl Jimenez' nose back into the dirt (red bead indicating suppressed).

With the bad guy in the boat banging away (left), the driver of the Technical hops out, moves the gunner's body out of the way, and gets the heavy machine gun back in action.

The other FLA troop in the center spots Sgt Barbato (top center right) standing in the road and opens fire...

Sgt Barbato dives off the road into some bushes, pinned.

While that guy (center) is popping off at Sgt Barbato (just visible through the trees at top right), the FLA machine gunner (in the village, bottom center) keeps up his fire on Cabrera (top center, with Alcantara in the field at top left), keeping him pinned.

In the southwest, the enemy rifleman shooting it out (bottom left) with SFC Saupold (top right) slams a fresh magazine in and, just as the Cuban Sergeant is reloading...

Pops up and fires, putting SFC Saupold (top right) out of the fight.  Cabrera (bottom left) looks on in horror.

Alcantara (top left) can hear the commotion but can't see anything as he pushes forward in the cornfield; the enemy soldier that shot SFC Saupold dashes forward (center, from bottom left), running straight into Cabrera!

But Cabrera (just visible at top center, between the trees) is pinned by the enemy machine gun and doesn't see the encroaching insurgent. Luckily, Private Soto (bottom center) spots the enemy movement and cuts loose with his SAW...

Cabrera (top left) digs his nose even further into the dirt as Soto's rounds kick up dirt and debris.  The FLA troopers dives through a hole in the hedge and takes cover, suppressed (bottom left, from center).

In the north, Sgt Barbato (bottom center, with Lt Espinale, Cpl Jimenez, and the shot up Pvt Moreno on the road at far left) lets rip with his SAW at an insurgent creeping in the trees just below the river (top center)...

Filling him full of holes and putting him out of the fight!

But as that bad guy goes down (far left), the FLA soldier in the boat (bottom right) returns fire on Soto (top center)...

Knocking him down (white bead at bottom left).  Lt Espinale (yellow bead at top right) sees Soto fall, raises his weapon...

And then (bottom left) squeezes off several bursts at the enemy Technical (top center left).

The enemy machine gunner flinches in the back of the pickup truck (bottom left), then begins sending rounds back at the Cuban Lieutenant.

Lt Espinale and Cpl Jimenez dive into the cover of the bushes, suppressed!

Back in the west, at the tail end of the Cuban patrol, Pvt Cabrera (bottom right) raises up and fires on the enemy machine gun behind the wood-stake wall in the village (center top right)...

And the enemy gunner goes down!

And while Cabrera (bottom left) is laying down fire, Alcantara comes sprinting up through the cornfield (bottom center)...

Cabrera (top left) looks on as Alcantara bursts out of the cornfield and crashes through a nearby hedge, running straight into a suppressed enemy soldier!  "That crazy bastard," Cabrera mutters to himself...

Alcantara makes quick work of the cowering insurgent (bottom left), then plunges into the hip deep river (center right).

As Cabrera (bottom right) and Alcantara (far right) are handling business in the southwest, Soto (bottom left) again cuts loose with his SAW, this time firing on the enemy Technical (top center)...

Pinning the enemy gunner (yellow bead in truck).

Soto then sprints ahead (center, from bottom left), looking to help Sgt Barbato (white bead).

Lt Espinale and Cpl Jimenez are still lying suppressed in the bushes (top right); "ya know," the Cuban officer mentions to his struggling subordinate, "we should probably get our asses back in the fight.  Whaddaya say?"  "I'm with ya El-Tee, let's do it."  "Okay let's go!"

But just as they are resolving to get their butts back in the fight (top center right), the Technical's MG barks out another long burst...

Convincing Lt Espinale and Cpl Jimenez that their aggressive offensive plans were perhaps a bit premature.

And while the Technical (bottom left) is keeping the Cuban center pinned down, the bad guy in the boat (bottom center) spots Alcantara (top center left) splashing across the river, levels his AK, and begins spraying.

Alcantara is hit and knocked down in the water!  "Noooo!!!" screams Cabrera (top center), seeing his buddy go down in the river and knowing he's gotta do something quick before Alcantara drowns!

Soto (bottom left) sees Alcantara (top right) fall and returns fire on the bad guy in the boat...

Knocking him down.

The enemy rifleman in the center suddenly finds himself all alone, with these crazy foreigners all around him and bullets cris-crossing above him like angry hornets (bottom center).  He decides to make a break for it...

Dashing into the river (center, from bottom left), looking to reach the only two comrades left, the Technical gunner, and the knocked down guy in the boat.

Soto finally reaches Sgt Barbato and checks him; the Cuban gunner snaps out of it, he's back in the fight.

Sgt Barbato (bottom center right) gets back to his feet as Soto moves left (bottom center) and squeezes off another burst at the Technical (top center left), keeping the gunner pinned down.

Just to Soto's left, Lt Espinale and Cpl Jimenez are still sheltering in the bushes.  "Hey El-Tee, what do you think?  Now?"  "Yeah, I think now is good, let's go."  Lt Espinale and Cpl Jimenez are once again back in the fight.

Back in the southwest, with Soto (off camera to top center left) laying down fire, Cabrera breaks cover, sprinting ahead (center, from top left) to go and save his buddy Alcantara from drowning.

While in the southeast, the Technical gunner (bottom left) sees his buddy Eri splashing across the river (center left), trying to make it to the boat (center) to aid their comrade, so he pokes his head up and lays on another burst in the direction of Lt Espinale, Cpl Jimenez, Pvt Soto, and Sgt Barbato (top center).

Cpl Jimenez (red bead) is suppressed for the twelfth time this fight...

Under the covering fire of the Technical, the insurgent known as Eri is able to reach the boat (left) to check on their knocked down comrade...

But just as Eri reaches the boat (top center), Soto (bottom center left) spots him and fires his SAW...

5.56mm rounds kick up spray and stitch several holes in Eri, felling him.

And with that resistance ends as the last able-bodied FLA insurgent, the Technical gunner, abandons the gun (center) and slinks away to the south (far right), leaving his knocked down comrade in the boat.

Cabrera drags Alcantara to shore and revives him, he's okay!

As the Cubans close in and secure the village, capturing the wounded enemy soldier in the boat.  The Cubans quickly consolidate their position and look after the wounded, and it's not good, both men are gone for good.  Private Moreno, the point man hit in the initial burst of fire, had a bullet sever his spine and is paralyzed from the waist down.  He'll be evacuated to Havana, treated, and medically retired.  Sergeant First Class Saupold was also hit bad; he reacted to the ambush by charging straight into the enemy center and paid for it.  As he charged in he was shot twice in the right leg, breaking his femur in several places and shredding the artery, to the point the only way to save his life was to amputate the leg.  He will also be evacuated to Havana and treated, but will be allowed to stay in the Cuban Army, albeit in an administrative capacity.

On a more positive note, Pvt Alcantara was awarded the Bronze Star with V and meritoriously promoted to Private First Class for his bravery in charging the enemy positions in the southwest, eliminating an enemy soldier in close combat.  Private Soto, the SAW gunner who held the Cuban center together, and Private Cabrera, who was a stalwart in the southwest and then braved enemy fire to dash into the river and rescue Alcantara from drowning, were recognized for bravery and meritoriously promoted to Private First Class.

So a decent start to TF Hawk's campaign in South Leon.  Lt Espinale quickly re-formed the company and got them on the road moving east towards their blocking positions.  But on the way they came across a large farming compound that locals confirmed was occupied by FLA insurgents.  Lt Espinale immediately grasped that bypassing the farm was not an option, it had to be dealt with, but before an assault on the farm could be made, a bit of high ground further east needed to be secured.  Lt Espinale ordered Lt Gonzalez to ready his men to assault the farm compound as soon as Lt Candelario's men had secured the high ground; things wouldn't go quite as planned...

V/R,
Jack