The 1979 Hakim Oasis Incident, Pt. 1.

Last Sunday I played a game of CD3 Moderns with the Archduke down at the Woolston Club. The game itself was a nice little scenario set in Harad. The game took place in late 1979, a time of great uncertainty in Harad, in a small provincial town called Hakim, built around the Oasis of the same name. Hakim is a town in Northern Khand, a traditionally rebellious territory of the Empire. (The Archduke has a very nice write up of the game posted here. Plus the photos are much better.)

Hakim, named after the oasis.

Due to the rather ungrateful attitude of some of the Khandish locals to the benefits of Haradian rule, the Empire has stationed small military garrisons in the major settlements of Khand. These towns are administered by military governors, who report directly to the local provincial governor. Officers who receive the honour of of a military governorship in Khand, have often done so due to the result of committing a career limiting move at some earlier stage in their career.

For this game, I gave the Archduke the choice of four different factions. Once he had chosen his core force and faction, I would then given him the rest of this forces and explain to him the current situation as his faction saw it. The Archduke's initial choices were as follows:

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Bringing the joy of Marxism to the People of Khand.

Peoples' Liberation Front of Khand (PLFK)-Troop Quality: Regular, Morale: 8.
 HQ w/
  1 Command  Stand
1 Infantry Company w/
   1 RPG-7 Team
   3 Infantry Stands
1 Armoured Car Company w/
   1 Command Saladin Armoured Car
   1 Saladin Armoured Car

The relief column, Friend or Foe?

Imperial Relief Convoy - Troop Quality: Experienced,  Morale: 9.
 Motorised Infantry Company w/
  1 Command  Stand
  1 Landrover
  2 Infantry Stands
  1 Weapons Stand
  3 Light trucks
  1 Mechanical Mule w/ TOW
1 Armoured Car Company w/
  1 Command Saladin Armoured Car
  1 Saladin Armoured Car

Just how loyal is the Governor?

 Imperial Garrison - Troop Quality: Experienced,  Morale: 9.
 Imperial Infantry Company w/
  1 Command  Stand (Military Governor)
  2 Infantry Stands
  1 Weapons Stand
  1 TOW Stand
 1 Armoured Car Company w/
  1 Command Saladin Armoured Car
  1 Saladin Armoured Car

The Arch Mullah has quite a few friends...

The Arch Mullah of Hakim - Troop Quality: Experienced,  Morale: 12.
Brotherhood of the Faithful w/
  1 Command  Stand (The Arch Mullah)
  1 Command  Stand
  2 Patrol Stands
  3 Infantry stands
  1  81mm Mortar Stand (DS)
  1 Ammo Porter Stand (DS)

The faithful are well equipped with WARPACT weaponry...

While the basic premise of the gane was that there existed possible revolt in Hakim,  exactly what the situation was going to be would be determined by the Archduke's choice. if he had chosen the relief column, then the rebellion was going to be led by the Governor in league with the PLFK, choosing the PLFK would have the relief column be in league with the PLFK against the Governor and the Mullah combined as Imperial loyalists, and choosing the Arch Mullah would have generated a large horde of the faithful against all comers.

Since the Archduke chose  to be the Governor, then the relief column was on his side, and the rebellion was that of the broad base Khandist Popular Front (KPF), with the Mullah's forces and the PLFK acting together for the sake of liberating Khand from the evil foreign oppressors....

It also meant that the Archduke's forces were increased, with each armoured car company gaining an additional Saladin, and the relief column gaining an additional company of 106mm Recoilless Rifles.

An expanded Relief Column prepares to advance.

 Imperial Heavy Weapons Company w/
  2 106mm RCLs
  2 Gun Crew Stands
  2 Light Trucks

Imperial forces were also swelled by the additional of the local Citizens' Defense Militia.

Citizens' Defense Militia - Troop Quality: Trained,  Morale: 8.
 Militia Infantry Company w/
  3 Infantry Stands

and if that wasn't enough, the Archduke also got to treat the Police HQ building as having the effects of  a Staff Radio Staff, for as long as the Governor remained within the building. Plus, he also got to dice to see if his rousing speech could sway addition forces to the Imperial cause - and it did! Additional forces came in the form of  local tribesmen, who provided a strong mounted element to the Archduke's force:

Mounted Tribesmen - Troop Quality: Trained,  Morale: 8.
Tribal Force w/
 1 Mounted Command Stand 
 2 Cavalry Patrol Stands
 4 Camelry Patrol Stands

Each pair of Patrol stands is able to combine into a Recon stand of the appropriate type.

Of course, the rebel forces also gained some additional reinforcements, firstly the PFLK also gained an additional Saracen for their armoured car company, and the KPF also gained the support of some of Diesela Khann's tribesmen, mounted in their technicals:

The 'Light Group" of Technicals - Diesela Khann drives again!

Tribal Motorised Force - Troop Quality: Trained,  Morale: 6.
Light Group w/
 1 Command Jeep
 1  Technical w/ 106mm RCL
 3 technicals w/ HMGs
Heavy Group w/
 1 Command Technical w/ 40mm AGL
 1 Technical w/ 40mm AGL
 1 Technical w/ 106mm RCL

Places everyone!  Ok?!  Action!

Now that both forces were sorted and deployed in their starting positions, the battle could commence! Stay tuned for part II soon.

EDIT: Minor typos corrected, and labels added.