Battle for the West Bank Isreali Vs Jordanian AAR

By Eric Lauterbach

Here we have another battle between Eric and John Sulek's Fate of the Nation Forces for Flames of War's new Arab Israeli line.  This time we decide to do 1700 points and the Mission is Hold the Line.  The Israelis will be defending this time so this should be different from our previous battles where the Jordanians just hide from long range tank shots.   It will be good to have the whole force of Jordanians on the table together. 

John's Israeli tank  force is only 5 platoons, pretty rough in a half on half off scenario like Hold the Line. 

Army lists courtesy of  EasyArmy.com

Here's my Jordanian Confident Trained Patton list. 

The West Bank battlefield

The near objective placed by the attacker defended by the Israeli Mech platoon

The back objective placed by the defender the only thing here is the Israeli Tank company commander

The whole Jordanian force ready to roll

This hill is going to slow me down so I decide to send some forces around to seek cover behind the village.

I did get some "ALAMAM" (ed: Like "Avanti" for Italians, it lets the Jordanians make a stormtrooper move during the shooting step) moves off in the shooting step so maybe the hill won't be a big problem

With no Recon we kind of lead with our face. (Ed: Something we all know Eric is used to!)

The back objective is lightly defended If I can get my Jordanian Mech platoon in the houses near we could really threaten it.

Ambush Popped!

Six shots reroll misses.....this is going to hurt.

BLAM! well at least I pass my morale check.

Turn two I have one platoon that is making ALAMAM moves and they are safe from ambushers in this valley so they are headed right to the objective. Which  did get some Artillery fire on the objective and pinned the Israeli platoon.

Most of the forces advances trying to hide from the long range Magachs of death. We can't shoot back with the crap Taa hen and chick rule.

XO takes command of the lone survivor so we do not lose a platoon and pulls back out of range. 

The one bright spot of the Jordanian Mech platoon is speed so being bold is the name of the game. Next turn I make it to the houses next to the objective.

It could get ugly with two dice for reserves coming in but I think its worth the risk. We are threating two objectives

Yikes he successfully rolls for a reserve platoon and decides to bring them in against the Mech boys.

Its only 4 shots long range and its a large platoon should only lose two tracks

Nope....all four hits.   2+ firepower....Blamm

I fail all but two get out alive rolls.. then I fail platoon morale.  So much for bold. 

It's my turn and I am going for it! The Israeli Mech platoon failed to unpin so its now or never.

The Magach fired at me on my turn and actually missed for once so I leave one platoon stationary to return fire and move the rest.  I get lucky and kill one of the dreaded Magachs.  Much rejoicing! Allah be praised! 

Two tank platoons headed to the objective.

Well I tried to lay in some smoke for this attack but it failed to range in.  He has two pinned Blindicide AT teams he could bounce me.  Doesn't matter Jordy got to jump in it. 

He hits only once with the AT and my side armor bounces it!  Three trained swings we get one.  We actually go back and forth for a couple of rounds I have top armor two and keep saving the hits he puts on me the problem is I am not rolling well on my attacks back.

Yikes! My luck fails me but Jordanian Lions rule is keeping in this fight.  (The same as the British bulldog rule)

I decide to stay and fight it out and the Israeli fails morale and has to pull back.  I even pass my platoon morale check!

He rolls another reserve die and brings it in to help out the Mech platoon.

BLAM! he shoots me off the objective.

The Magachs shoot down the valley picking off one more.

All his tanks are on table and this battle is going bad now.

Ishermans move to get some long range concealed shots.

BLAM! not good.

Its now my turn and my options are crap.  Move to the objective and not be able to shoot because of the stupid Taa rule or sit and shoot and try to at least get a point.   It concedes any chance of victory but getting killed 12" closer to the objective with no shots back seems worse. 

Besides, If I kill one more Magach he'll be forced to make a morale check. Even though he re-rolls failed platoon morale tests, it seems to be my best chance for a point.

Bang bang ..bounce .. hit and bail.  No check.

The Arty has been all most useless this game, they did get a pin though.

The Ishermans failed their stormtrooper, I can't resist not shooting at them.

I miss.

His turn, and its a long range tank duel that the Jordanians  have no chance of winning.

Boom... another platoon.  Failed morale

Boom another Magach victim.

I committed the Commanders tank trying to get that point.

Shooting Magachs is almost pointless

Bouncing rounds.

The Valley of death

Boom the lone survivor tank gets clocked and another platoon goes down.

Hiding the AAA. At least it's a platoon that keeps me in the game.

More Ishermans get into the fight. BUT they fail the stormtrooper I now have a new target to shoot other than the dreaded Magach 3

But first I need to pass a company morale check....which I do.  Yeah!

I get one bail one dang!  No morale check.  I can't get my point

The CO moves to get a shot  but it leaves him exposed.

The XO still holds the hill.

My last tank platoon still hanging.

The Isherman bails back in...not good.

The Magach sits still and finishes my last tank platoon.

The far Ishermans take out the XO

The CO is taken out as well...  game over 1-6. 

I probably should have just attacked Russian style in echelon vs the one objective. That is not how Jordanians fight but with the crap rules BF has saddled you with its your only viable tactic. Drive blindly forward until you get to short range and hope for the best. The only problem is that your company isn't designed for the punishment like the Egyptians. 

What the Jordanians killed.

What the Israelis killed.

Well I have played my last game using Battlefronts Fate of the Nation rules. They are not balanced for the force I want to play. The Israelis have every good rule in the book and the Isherman is under pointed if you ask me. It does not matter that it has no armor when it faces Hen and Chick armies with Stormtrooper moves. I get that the Israelis were good but right now they are so good its not even a game.  If its not a remotely balanced game its not fun and there is no reason to play it. I certainly am done with it. It may work verses the Egyptians but I do not want to spend a ton of money on a force that the only tactic is drive blindly forward for some attrition modeling attack. Its dull to me. I love the vehicles Battlefront made for this period they are some of the best I have ever seen and I truly hope that this will be like the Vietnam rules which got much better on second release. Until then these guys are going into the closet or I find some other rule set.

Eric Lauterbach can be heard with Luke and Jon on the WWPD podcast discussing flames of war and the finer points of Virginia Salt fish Pancakes the tidewater special.