Cold War Commander - Iran vs Iraq 1980s

On Tuesday evening Mick and I played another great game of Cold War Commander, this time pitting Iranians against Iraqis in the 1980s.

I was the Iranians and used:

• CO (Command Value 8)
• One Recce Unit (Scouts), two Recce Unit (4x4)
• HQ (Command Value 7), nine Infantry Unit (Regular), one Support Unit (HMG)
• HQ (Command Value 7), nine Infantry Unit (Regular), one Support Unit (HMG)
• HQ (Command Value 8), three Tank Unit (Chieftain)
• HQ (Command Value 7), six Tank Unit (M47 Patton)
• HQ (Command Value 8), six Tank Unit (M60A1 Patton)
• FAO (Command Value 6), three Artillery Unit (105mm)

Having played the Iranians previously I recalled how they had all the best toys but were let down badly by their commander so I had spent the extra points to upgrade the Chieftain and M60 commanders to CV8, it certainly paid dividend in this game.

Mick picked an Iraqi force of (IIRC):

• CO (Command Value 8)
• Three Recce Unit (BRDM2)
• HQ (Command Value 7), six Infantry Unit (Regular), one Support Unit (Sagger), six IFV Unit (BMP1), one Transport Unit (BTR50)
• HQ (Command Value 7), six Tank Unit (T-62)
• HQ (Command Value 7), nine Tank Unit (T-55), three Infantry Unit (Regular), three IFV Unit (BMP1)
• Two FAO (Command Value 6), three Artillery Unit (152mm)

A few turns in and the T-55 have still not showed

We laid out the table as the image on the right and decided to play the Encirclement scenario and after a roll-off the Iranians would be the defender.

With only twelve turns to get 11 stands off the other table edge with my poor Command Values it would be quite a challenge.

I deployed my troops, one column of infantry on the right would make an attempt to rush the road to the other side while supported by the battalion of M47. On my left another mass of infantry would attempt to use the large wood as a jump-off point for a drive on the escape point while supported by the M60s. The Chieftains would support both flanks from the centre. 

On my left flank Mick had deployed the T-55s and on my right the T-62s and the majority of his infantry.

I took the first turn and for probably the first time ever with the Iranians everything moved, which was a turn up for the books. As you can see from the photos above I had made some excellent progress before any Iraqi tanks had arrived, only the BMP-mounted battalion were deployed in cover from my tanks in that wood on the bottom right.

On my left the Pattons were supporting the infantry who were making great progress down the road from hull-down positions on a small rise. While, on my left the infantry were getting bogged down in the woods, with CV7 it's very difficult to move troops through difficult terrain.

Iranian infantry column capitalises on the road access.

Neither battalion of Iraqi armour had showed up yet, but that was soon to change. The T-62 battalion appeared on my right flank and supported by the Sagger from the infantry had soon made short work of my M47 Patton tanks. However, on the left the T-55 battalion eventually appeared and beat my sluggish M60s to the low hill on that side. From his hull down positions he should have really made mincemeat of my armour, however after a brisk fire-fight all nine T-55 were destroyed for the loss of only two M-60.

On my right the Chieftains swung into action, seeing to the BMP1 that were now shooting up my infantry and two of them engaging in a duel with the T-62s that could only really go one way. Soon, despite some losses I had exited eight infantry stands from the table edge and only needed another three teams off for a major victory although time was running short.

Eventually, on the final turn, with the Iraqi attack in disarray I scooted a pair of Chieftains an a M60 off the table and victory was mine, although the losses inflicted by Mick meant I had a minor rather than a major victory.

Upgrading the M60 and Chieftain commanders to CV8 certainly worked in this game, this coupled with the poor initial Iraqi rolls to activate their tank battalions really had them setting off on a wrong foot.

We polished the evening off chatting about setting up a campaign based in the 1980s, probably some Cold War got hot adventure.

I did not put in my dusty brown cloth and we played on a standard club table, so the terrain is probably a bit too verdant. All the miniatures are from mine and Micks collections mainly Heroics & Ros and GHQ models painted by ourselves.