The 1979 Hakim Oasis Incident, Pt. 2.

The Archduke has put up two more parts of his very detailed AAR report on our game last Sunday. Part two is here, and part three is here. The Archduke's reports are quite good, and his photographs are superb. Full CD3 TOEs are listed here. My own efforts continue below:

Imperial forces on the move!

The Imperial forces resident in Hakim started a limited sweep across the town, whilst maintaining a sizable garrison within the Police station compound. Outside the town, the infantry of the Imperial relief column started to enter the outskirts of the town, while the relief column's armoured car company, and RCL company, moved to engage the first of Diesela Khann's technicals.

First blood to the Rebels!

The Imperials were somewhat surprised by the ability of technical mounted RCLs to take out armoured cars. This was matched by the ability of the Imperial forces to take out the technicals. as they are only soft vehicles, direct fire HE is quite effective on them!

A bad day for the Heavy group!

That, coupled with the low morale of the technicals, led to the surviving platoon failing its morale check and fleeing for cover in the Village of the Infidels. While the first of the mobile forces were engaged outside the town, the central thrust of the Imperial garrison's sweep towards the mosque encountered a group of the Arch Mullah's Brotherhood of the Faithful, and after a brief firefight, was forced back to the Police Station.

An Imperial infantry stand is halted in its advance towards the Mosque.

Surviving Diesela Khannite tribesmen take time to review the days events.

On the other side of  town, the forces of the PLFK advanced into the outskirts of Hakim, while government allied tribesmen moved to intercept them.The PLFK armour, nervous at the smell of camels, failed its morale and withdrew back to its original position. Meanwhile, the other Imperial armoured car company swept around the town, only to bump into the other group of technicals.

Another Saladin lost to RCL fire.

The usual exchange of fire occurred, only this time the technicals, aided by PLFK Saladins, managed to gain the upper hand. Two Imperial Saladins were destroyed with the third platoon forced back, atfer failing its morale.

And the return fire destroys the RCL armed technical.

 The RCL armed technicals were proving to be quite a powerful, if somewhat fragile unit.

But the Khand armoured cars manage to destroy another, and hit the other.

Although they lose one to return fire from the Imperial armoured cars.

The remaining technicals hold the field. Shortly after this picture they were reduced to burning wrecks by Imperial action.

 By this stage the Imperials had managed tom get a TOW stand into a position to engage the technicals. This resulted in the elimination of the technicals as a fighting force. The next logical step was for the Imperials to remove the threat of the PLFK armoured cars. The TOW armed Mule, and the two remaining Saladins of the relief column, started towards the PLFK Saladins. The mule out paced its armoured escort and was destroyed by the PLFK during the opportunity fire phase.

Imperial armoured cars ignore the Mullah's mortars and drive towards the PLFK armoured cars.

Burning Imperial armoured cars.

The survivor reflects on the days events.

 This exchange began a series of exchanges of fire between the two groups of armoured cars, as neither wished to take the risk of getting closer to increase the effectiveness of their fire, and thus that of the enemy.

 While both sides mobile elements were in the process of destroying each other, the Imperials made another effort to sweep through to the Mosque and solve their Mullah problem. Alas, for the Imperials, they managed to launch their attack after the PLFK had finally managed to link up with the Arch Mullah's troops. This resulted in a quite substantial increase in the available defenders for the Mosque.

The PLFK finally link up with the Arch Mullah's men.

And move to reinforce the mosque.

The Mosque became the focal point of the urban battle. At one stage it was only held by the Mullah, and two somewhat depleted stands of infantry.

 The Imperial assault was conducted by the dismounted infantry of the relief column, who had been working their way through the town towards the mosque all day. Had the rebels lost the Mosque, I would have conceded the day to the Imperials. Fortunately, I managed to roll well, and gun down the Archduke's Imperials.

The Imperial Motorised Infantry company launch their assault on the Mosque.

And are repelled.

The survivors are forced back.

The Mosque holds.

 Having the PLFK close enough to be able to consolidate the Mosque's defense, meant that there was little point in the trained bands of the Citizens' Defense Militia trying to achieve what the Imperial army had failed to do. 

Rebel forces plan their next move.

The imperial garrison prepares for night, and a siege.

The action ended at this point, as neither side quite had the forces to dislodge the other, and it was in the interests of the Mullah to renew operations under the cover of night - where the superior troop quality of the Brotherhood, and the PLFK, could be used to good advantage against the loyalist militias.

The last of the gunfire stops as both sides wait for night.

The days fighting resulted in both sides claiming a slide edge over the other, but since neither was able to dislodge the other from the town I feel it was most likely a draw. overall it was a very pleasant and enjoyable game, for which I must thank the Archduke for being such a genial opponent!