Battle Report Israelis vs. Jordanians Counterattack

By Eric Lauterbach

On a snowy day, John Sulek and I were able to get a couple of games in playing 1700 points of Fate of the Nation Jordanians and Israelis.  Today we rolled the random mission Counter attack.  I was Jordanian and John was Israeli. He won the roll off and got to be the attacker.

Ugh.... this not good - defending if you are a tank company - its either two platoons of tanks or strip away the M113 and add the Artillery platoon and I still get one tank platoon.  Seamed like the better option. I could really be overwhelmed and killed before I get much on the table even if the objectives do not go hot until turn six. 







The Lists:

John's Israeli Tank Company.

Courtesy of Easy Army

My Jordanian Tank Company

The Table:

The West Bank is green and populated - its not the desert the Sinai is.

The thought of an ambush is tempting, but I want to scare him away from the near objective and I have little to work with.  Plus, losing my only tank platoon in return fire early in the game is almost guaranteed with the Israelis re-rolling misses at long range. I have a lot off of the board so I plan on  playing for time.

Israeli depoloyment

First move toward the town where my artillery observer was placed.

Bang ...long range, concealed,gone ground... reroll misses. 2+ firepower,  Two hits - observer dead turn one.

Jordanians hiding and holding an objective

My Pattons move to the objective on turn one.

While the Israelis take control of the town

I have a lot off table. The Israelis take up positions to whack my reserves. 

Oops... On turn three I get one reserve die. I get a reserve in, which is kind of bad. I do not want to piecemeal my tank platoons on the table, so I choose the Dusters and try to hide them, but there's very little cover in this corner.

The CO and the one tank platoon take up defensive positions in case the Israelis pop out of the town.

The Israeli Mech platoon filters into the buildings.

Leader meeting over - time to kill Jordanians...

From this position, they can get a shot on one of the Jordanian Dusters.

The rest of the Israelis take position to fight my reserves.  This is going to be ugly.

Its a trap!

Bang....one duster dead.

On my turn, I get reserves! Two of them!

Time to go all in and kill Israelis - the Patton platoon guarding the objective moves out for some shots. We need six's with the stupid "Taa" hen and chick rule. 

I bring on two tank platoons.

I have to get to short range or I can't shoot at all with "Taa" - even then I only hit on sixes.  Battlefront really screwed the Jordanians with this rule. 

With only nine shots and needing sixes I get two hits and two kills.

At least its enough for a morale check on a three tank platoon.....Israelis re-roll failed morale checks so....nope the last guy stays.

The Israeli company commander and the last tank from the 3 tank platoon I lit up on my turn pop out to shoot.

The Israeli Mech platoon moves to the Objective - its turn five

The Magach 3 take out three tanks, killing a platoon. AT 18 - the M48 can't handle it.  The IShermans hit six times, I bounce three of them but he fails is 2 up firepower with snake eyes. 

To bad I fail the morale test.....doh!



The Israeli Company commander kills a tank as well. The Jordanians lose 7 tanks this round. But eh company commander fails his stormtrooper!  Yeah!

I also get a reserve in my last tank platoon.

Payback!! I clock the Co and his buddy.  Look at that  roll!  I kill a platoon off and the Co.

I bring my reserve on to get a shot at the Magach 3 platoon I have isolated tow of the tanks so the return fire will not be as bad.  I kill one Magach 3 tank.

Israeli mech platoon on the objective.

Israelis on their turn move to kill my M48s

BLAM! BLAM!.... that was ugly.

They also clock the last duster. Jordanians are now in company morale checks... not good.

YEAH! The Jordanians pass company morale!

If I let the Isrealis come over the hill next turn they will probably kill me - game over.  Even if I did survive, I would have to pass a company morale check.  So I decide to ATTACK!

Nothing like going out "Camaron Style!!!  Ohoop Ohoop!"

Three dice for fives... of course we miss.

Blam! you know how this ends.

Israeli victory 5-2

Hey at least the Jordies got a point.

Well the Jordanians are tough to play, but I knew that all ready.   Counter attack is not the best of missions for a tank company so that had a lot to do with it plus the corner with no where to hide.  Another ugly battle for the Jordies.

Eric Lauterbach can be heard with Luke and Jon on the After hours WWPD podcast where they discuss Luke's theory of always be mean to pretty girls cause they never expect that.