Bar Izian 1987: Action on the Umbar Highway

Last Saturday, Frank and I, had a small game set in the picturesque nation of Harad. The game was set in 1987, and had Khand backed separatists fighting a local Nod backed militia for the control of a minor settlement on the old Imperial highway to Umbar. The game was set up with a minimum of planning and was quite one sided in balance.

The small town of Bar Izian on the old Imperial Umbar Highway.

The Nod backed militia were a light force, consisting of a column of technicals, camel mounted patrol stands, and supported by a battalion sized group of infantry. Overall command of this force was in the hands of a Nod officer.

The Noddist Horde gathers prebattle. Limited Terrain and a light force.

 Nod Force. All elements Experienced, Morale 10.

Headquarters Company, with:
1 Command Stand
1 Landrover
1 Staff Radio Stand
2 Stinger Teams
1 Sniper Stand
1 Recon RPG Motorcycle Stand

Reinforced Nod Infantry Company, with:
1 Command Stand
4 Infantry Stands

Militia Company, with:
1 Command Stand
3 Infantry Stands

2x Militia Company, each with:
1 Command Infantry Stand
2 Infantry Stands

Combat Engineer Company, with:
1 Command Infantry Stand
2 Engineer Flamethrower Stands

Heavy Weapons Company, with:
1 Command Stand
1 82mm Mortar Stand
2 M-40 106mm Recoilless Rifles
2 Gun Crew Stands
1 Ammo Porter Stand (double size)

Mobile Group, with:
1 Command HMG Technical
5 HMG Technicals
1 106mm RR Technical

Militia Recon Camel Company, with:
4 Camel Patrol Stands

Frank uses flags rather than command chits. I used his for the game, and will probably steal the idea.

Pre battle sorting. a show and tell for both players.

The brave boys of the Militia Camel Corps. Figures are Airfix.

Mobile Group sounds much better than loads of Militia technicals.

Foreground, Combat Engineers, to the rear two Militia Infantry Companys.

Elements of the Heavy Weapons Company. Figures are Mars.

A  reinforced company of Noddist regular infantry. Figures are unknown.

The plan for the Noddists was simple: Surge up the highway to Bar Izian, then seize and hold the town. Due to a lack of trucks, the infantry (including the Heavy Company) would have to make their way by foot.  Frank's force had the same objective, except that they had somewhat more in the way of equipment to achieve this. The Separatist army was also all Experienced, morale 10. It consisted of around three companies of motorised infantry, with a light armoured car company, and a platoon of T-72s. Sometimes battles are rather unequal. This was going to be interesting....

Ex Nod Trucks, in separatist service.

A T-72 Platoon.

Look more separatist armour!

Seperatist 82mm Mortar Stand.

Medium trucks.

A wonderful mix of weapons and figures in the separatist army.

To be continued next post...