Operation Chunky Bandit #5

All,

Current situation: It's 2215 on 31 July 1990 in South Leon.  Lt Gouveia's TF Black has moved into an area northwest of Pendrakenville, just east of Route 1.  To their immediate northwest is Hill 114, the dominating terrain feature they're looking for to establish an OP on and call in Cuban tactical air.  The past two days have seen South Leon Army forces attacking  FSNL troops occupying Hill 114, to no avail, and so the Cubans have stepped in to take over the area of operations.  Knowing they have time as freshly landed Cuban task forces (Hammer, Bowie, Dusty, Hawk, and 23) form up and prepare for the attack on Pendrakenville, and being severely outnumbered, Lt Gouveia has made the choice to carry out operations to reduce the enemy forces in and around Hill 114 only at night, where he figures his highly trained Special Forces troops will have a significant advantage.

Four nights ago Lt Gouveia led a 7-man patrol out to Hill 45/Siagnoa, where they ambushed a Free Leon Army (FLA) patrol slinking about, trying to recover a weapons cache.  The enemy guerrillas were sent packing, having not reached the cache and leaving three of their comrades dead on the battlefield.

Three nights ago MSG Soriano led another combat patrol out, this time to Hill 30, where they entered the Church right before encountering an enemy patrol closing in, on their way to recover a weapons cache.  The Cubans executed another flawless ambush, halting the enemy and costing them two more men.

Two nights ago Lt Gouveia took a patrol out to grab a prisoner, while the FLA went out to grab some land mines and plant them at various locations in No Man's Land.  The enemy was finally able to get to one of their weapons caches, and they managed to plant some mines atop Hill 45 in Siagnoa, but on their way to their second location they were once again ambushed by the Cubans, who managed to accomplish their mission by pretty much wiping the FLA patrol out, killing five and capturing one.

Last night MSG Soriano took out a patrol to insert a Scout-Sniper team to scout for observation posts in vicinity of Hill 114 for Forward Air Controllers to call in interdictory strikes on Route 1.  They accomplished their mission, but they moved into and triggered a booby-trap in Siagnoa, badly wounding SSG "Expo" Minoso, losing him for over two months, lightly wounding MSG Soriano, and badly shaking up SGT "Racer" Palmeiro.  The enemy was content to take up position in the Church and chill out.

And here it is, our little patch of No Man's Land in South Leon, north is up.  The enemy entry point is in the northwest (top left), on Hill 114, and the Cuban entry point is in the southeast (bottom right).  A deep, swift river crossable only at the four bridges (left, top center, center, and bottom center right) dominates the landscape, running north to south, with a branch heading west (left) to the sea.  There is an old colonial, bombed out church atop a small hill (Hill 30, bottom center), and there is an old garage/junkyard suspected of harboring insurgents in the northeast (top right), aside from four villages spread across the landscape (far bottom left, bottom left center, center left, and center right, atop Hill 45).  There are also two weapons caches on the table, one in the northeast, in the junkyard, and one just east of the bottom right bridge.  A dirt road traverses the terrain from west to east, with a feeder coming in from the southwest (bottom left).  Villages:
Far bottom left: Village 1 (Danfra)

Bottom left center: Village 2 (Marambokro)

Center left: Village 3 (Lasau)
Center right (atop Hill 45): Village 4 (Siagnoa)

The Cuban forces, stepping off in the southeast (bottom right), a seven-man force carrying out an ambush patrol.  The patrol consists of:

1st Lieutenant "Lobo" Gouveia, Detachment Commander (SS/V, PH, WLC, SLC)

SFC "Carpet" Marichal (WLC, SLC)

SSG "Starburst" Aparicio (WLC, SLC)

SSG "Mutha" Pagan (WLC, SLC)

SSG "Caesar" Alomar (WLC, SLC)

SSG "Tahoe" Galarraga (WLC, SLC)

SGT "Snoop" Concepcion (WLC, SLC)

Here is the Cuban patrol route.  The numbers represent where the patrol will be during each turn; for example, their starting and end point is F4, where they begin the game (Turn 1) and end the game (Turn 16).  The plan is to move to northwest, slowly and deliberately, staying hidden until they reach B2, where they're going to set up a 360 and sit on Bridge #3, Lasau, and the approaches to Hill 114, maybe catch the bad guys coming in or out of their operating base, then move southeast back home.

The enemy is  regaining his footing, and now believes he has the initiative.  Local informants have provided information that the Cubans will be coming again to Siagnoa, so they are going to move with all possible speed and establish defensive positions there, atop Hill 45 (E2).  We are almost guaranteed there will be a collision at some point, and there was.

The Cubans begin moving north (right), looking to skirt Hill 45 (center top) and move west (left) to establish their ambush position (just off camera to far left), but the bad guys are moving east, coming down off Hill 114 (top left), as quickly as possible, looking to set up atop Hill 45.

The FLA patrol is already at Bridge #4 (top left) as the Cubans are slowly coming up on the east side of Hill 45 (far right).

The enemy is moving up the northwest slope of Hill 45 (top left) as the Cubans are skirting around to the northeast (center top right).

It's 2230 and the two forces (FLA at top left and Cubans at bottom right) are moving straight at each other!

But the bad guys move straight up Hill 45, while the Cubans keep moving west (top left), two ships passing in the night!

The tail end of the FLA patrol is almost atop the hill (left), while the tail end of the Cuban patrol (top right) is almost past the hill.

But then the bad guy's Tail End Charlie (left) hears a noise, looks over, and spots the Cubans!!!

While the Cubans are totally unaware of the impending threat!  The Cubans are moving west, from left: Snoop, Caesar, Mutha, Lobo, Starburst, Carpet, and Tahoe.

Looking north at the village of Siagnoa, so you can see how the enemy is deployed, still moving into position.  Their pointman is at far right, then a rifleman, light machine gun (RPD), leader, RPG, rifleman, and Tail End Charlie at top left.

The Tail End Charlie (center) tries to whisper to his comrades, to get their attention and warn them the Cubans are nearby (top left, where you can see Lobo, Starburst, Carpet, and Tahoe).  All hell is about to break loose.

Just as the Cubans (top) hear the Tail End Charlie trying to summon his comrades, he (center right) decides he'd better do something.  He shoulders his AK-47 and rattles off a long burst...

It's 2330 local time.

He (behind the bamboo at center) is too wrapped up in trying to figure out what to do and so he totally misses!  But he know has his comrades' full, undivided attention, and the next man in line (rifleman at center bottom left, with RPG just below him) turns and fires...

And Carpet goes down!

Mutha (bottom left) turns and levels his M-60, sending a stream of tracers back up Hill 45...

The bad guy that just fired is knocked down (white bead at left), while the Tail End Charlie is suppressed (red bad).

But as Mutha (top right) is handling his business, a bad guy further east (bottom left) moves up...

*This is almost an exact reversal of the first fight, in which the Cubans ambushed and beat the crap out of the FLA guerrillas in the same exact spot.

Tahoe (left) spots the bad guy (center top right) and fires...

But he (top right) misses, and the bad guy brings his RPD light machine gun into the fight, pouring lead down the length of the Cuban column...

Tahoe goes down, falling next to Carpet, Starburst is knocked down (white bead), and Lobo is suppressed by the torrent of enemy machine gun fire.

In the east (this is looking northeast to west), two more bad guys join the RPD gunner (center bottom).  With him whacking everybody in sight, they have no targets, but the enemy leader busts brush and pops through in the center (right, just below the suppressed Tail End Charlie).

Further up the trail, Caesar (bottom center) spots the enemy boss (top center) and fires on him...

And dropping him like a bad habit!

But then the RPG gunner moves to the enemy left flank (top left)…

And promptly launches a rocket...

Harmlessly into the trees!  But it's the thought that counts, right?

Mutha's teeth rattle from the explosion (bottom left), but he pulls the gun over and the M-60 keeps sending rounds uphill...

Close enough to send the RPG gunner diving for cover behind the log retaining wall, suppressed!

It's 2340; a stalemate ensues for a moment, with neither side able to see the other, and both somewhat beat up.  The Cubans have three men down and their boss suppressed, while the bad guys have two men down and one suppressed.

The bad guys are strong on their right, but they can't see anything currently, and no one really wants to be the first to move up, skylining themselves to the Cubans downslope (not visible at top right due to the ground falling away).

Mutha (bottom left) can't see anything, but he knows there are still bad guys up there (the enemy's Tail End Charlie is suppressed and his buddy is knocked down, red and white beads respectively, at top right), but he keeps up the firing...

Which drives Tail End Charlie to run back and jump over the wall, cowering next to the RPG gunner (center bottom right, from top left), leaving his buddy lying out there in the line of fire!

Snoop, the Cuban pointman, moves right (center bottom, from bottom left), looking to cover his buddies.  He keeps up fire on the enemy, the two bad guys cowering behind the log retaining wall (top center right).

And the fire is enough to convince the RPG gunner he'd better move back a bit further, just to be sure (bottom left, from right)!

Things are looking up, I think!

Back in the dead ground, Caesar crawls over to Lobo, and grabs him, trying to help him get his marbles back, and it works, Lobo is alright!

But he crawls over to check on Starburst, get him back in the fight, but he remains unconscious.

The bad guys are using the stalemate to similar effect: the RPG gunner (far left) and the Tail End Charlie (center) both rally themselves back into the fight.

The Cubans try to firm up their line, while Lobo keeps working on Starburst (far right)…

But it's to no avail, he's out of the fight.  It's 0015 local time.

Leaderless, the bad guys find themselves a bit lacking in the aggressiveness trait.  The bad guys (two rifleman and the light machine gunner) at bottom right continue to mark time.  The enemy RPG gunner moves back up, into the fight, joining the Tail End Charlie (far left).  They know they need to get out there soon to help their knocked down comrade (white bead at center left top)…

Well, never mind, he bled out (top right).

It's 0130 local time.  Dammit!  Somebody's gotta do something!  The Cubans have two men (Tahoe and Carpet, bottom right) lying out there in the line of fire that are going to bleed out too, if something's not done quick!

Lobo (off camera to left) give him the high sign, so Snoop (bottom left) slaps in a fresh magazine and resumes firing on the enemy position at the retaining wall (top right)…

Snoop's fire (bottom right) doesn't do anything but, luckily, those two knuckleheads at top right aren't all that interested in pressing the fight.  Lobo (bottom left) screams "cover me!" and Caesar and Mutha open fire, focusing on the west (top center), where the enemy has two rifleman and a light machine gun...

The Cubans manage to suppress the machine gunner and pin a rifleman, even though none of them were actually in danger of being hit due to them being in dead ground.

*The Cubans only rolled three Shock dice, but got two results.

And with his men laying down fire, Lobo hopped up and dashed ahead (bottom center, from right), reaching Tahoe...

And safely dragging him back!

The bad guys in the west (bottom left) sit tight, but return fire, having spotted Lobo for just a second (top right)…

While the two bad guys in the east (behind the retaining wall, bottom right) open fire as well...

The combined enemy fire manages to suppress the Cuban machine gunner, Mutha (center), and their pointman, Snoop (top right)!  Both Cuban soldiers try to rally themselves back into the fight...

But both fail!!!  Mutha and Snoop both fall back to the river (red beads at bottom center, from center), leaving Lobo and Caesar alone with the wounded Tahoe and Starburst, and Carpet still lying out in the field of fire!

Caesar stands tall (top left) and returns fire as Lobo AGAIN dashes forward into the maelstrom, quickly reaching Carpet as rounds snap past his head and thud into the dirt nearby!

Caesar (top center) keeps firing as Lobo grabs Carpet...

Caesar's fire suppresses an enemy rifleman in the west (red bead at left), but the enemy machine gunner is back in action (just below the suppressed guy), and the other rifleman pushes forward, becoming pinned in the process (top center right).

Caesar (bottom center) keeps pounding away, pulling new magazines off his wounded comrades.

His fire knocks down the forward enemy rifleman (white bead at top right), but the enemy machine gunner moves up to join him as the other enemy rifleman rallies (bottom left).

Lobo (bottom right, with Caesar just above him) sees the new threat (top left) and picks up a rifle and hastily empties the magazine...

Forcing the enemy machine gunner to fall back (red bead at bottom left, from top right)!

The two bad guys in the west, at the retaining wall (bottom center), saw where Mutha and Snoop fell back to (top center), and they keep up the fire...

They (top center) suppress Snoop (red bead at bottom center), but Mutha is able to move back up (left center) to join Lobo and Caesar, firing as he goes.  It's 0230 local time.

With Mutha (left) laying down fire with the M-60, Lobo and Caesar work together to grab their three wounded comrades and begin dragging them back (top left) towards the river.

The Cubans are beat up and isolated.  Lobo gets them to a sheltered location and quickly gets a defense organized, ammo and water redistributed, the wounded taken care of.  Well, mostly; Starburst died at some point in the fiasco.  It's 0300 local time...

Leaderless and with three men dead, the FLA guerrillas were in no frame of mind to go down there and root out the Cuban commandos...

It's 0445 local time, the sun will be up soon.  The bad guys collect the personal effects of their comrades and decide it's time to get out of dodge before they get caught out in No Man's Land when the sun comes up.

The grab their buddies and take off down the south slope of Hill 45, moving west (far left).

Crossing Bridge #2 (far left) on their way west, up and over Hill 30, before turning north towards Hill 114, giving the Cubans a wide berth.

While back at the river, it's 0500 when Lobo decides it's time to grab his men and walk out.

They move around Hill 45 (off camera to right) and move south towards home (top left).

Where they are met by South Leon government forces.  They are able to breathe a sigh of relief and take care of their buddies.

A successful mission?  I suppose, guess it depends on how you score it.  It was an ambush patrol, so they definitely get an A+ for making contact.  And the Cubans got somewhat lucky with their casualty rolls: sure, Starburst was KIA, but the other two were "dramatic scar" and "knocked out," so they're both immediately available for action, or nearly so.  I suppose I'll bench each of them for a couple days; yeah, that sounds like a plan.  The enemy accomplished their mission, which was simply to make contact, though they lost three men themselves.

So Lobo, AKA Lt Gouveia, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions, specifically, exposing himself to enemy fire to dash out twice and drag Carpet and Tahoe back into friendly lines.  Additionally, Caesar, AKA SSG Alomar, was awarded the Silver Star for his actions, exposing himself to enemy fire to assist Lt Gouveia, particularly after Mutha and Snoop fell back to the river.  Tahoe had a round bounce off his ribs, need to rest them up a couple days and make sure the open wound doesn't get infected, while Carpet suffered a nasty gash on his head, and a concussion, which will see him sit out a couple days as well.

But the war continues tomorrow night, where the team is charged with a recovery mission.

V/R,
Jack