Counterattack - Israeli & Egyptian Tank Forces

by Tom Burgess

My friend Greg and I had a chance to get in another Fate of a Nation game recently. With a desert board already set, we rolled up "Counterattack" as a mission. Unfortunately I rolled up as the Defender and thus the Mobile Reserve rule was really going to hamper my force.

I was running an AMX-13 based Israel force with:

HQ: 2 x AMX-13
Plt 1: 4 x AMX-13
Plt 2: 4 x AMX-13
Inf: Full Mechanized Infantry Platoon with extra Blinidicide
MTR: 3 x 120mm Mortar Halftracks
AAA: 2 x 20mm AAA Halftracks

I set my infantry on my right across from the UAR deployment area. The stream/wadi I hoped would help my infantry withstand a full on tank assault.


A stalwart team of Israeli troops holds one of the key wadi/stream passes!

Greg's Egyptian Tank Battalion had:

HQ: 1 x T-55
Plt 1: 10 x T-55
Plt 2: 10 x T-55
Plt 3: 10 x T-34/85
Infantry Co with two platoons
Artillery: 6 x 122mm
AAA: 2 x ZSU-57

 Greg's UAR Tank Battalion

Ground level view of Greg's force deploying out of the northwest corner of the battle area.

 For his opening move, Greg moved one of his T-55 companies right at the stream/wadi.

 While T-55 Company 1 moved on the wadi/stream, the bulk of Greg's force moved off toward the objective on my left, trying to use the town to help screen his move.

The only shooting Greg was able to accomplish in turn one was to range in his artillery, but no Israelis were hit by this initial bombardment.


Another ground level view with Greg's first T-55 company in the background advancing on the wadi/stream passes while his second T-55 company moves towards the center town.


A ground level view of Greg's T-34/85s and infantry advancing on the town behind the screen of the second T-55 Company.

So I started my turn one, failing to roll up any reserves and just getting one plane from my Ouragon jets.

In my turn I popped my 1st platoon of AMX-13's from Ambush. Even at close range, my AT-14 guns would have a hard time getting through the T-55s' front armor, so instead I targeted the T-34/85s knocking out three of them.

 My CO Tank on my far right managed to knock out a ZSU-57, to assist my Ouragon air strike, but the surviving ZSU-57 chased off that air strike.

 After shooting, my AMX-13 "stormtroopers" back out of sight.

 My CO AXM-13 on my far right was also able to back down out of sight.

On Greg's turn two, he moved his 1st T-55 Co laterally across the wadi/stream rather than trying to force the position.

 Greg's 1st T-55 platoon was able to get close enough to get a good roll and knock out my 2IC AMX-13.

 Greg's now ranged in artillery now started to pummel my infantry on the wadi/stream bend.

It was now my second turn. I rolled up n reserves and of course chose to bring in my 2nd AMX-13 platoon. Again, I only rolled up a one plane Ouragon air strike.

I moved my AMX-13 platoon up again and hitting with a four tanks and Greg obliged me by rolling up three "1's" resulting in three burning T-55s.

Flank view of the burning T-55's.

My Ouragon makes it second appearance, and though it dodges the AAA fire, it fails to hit any of the UAR artillery.

My reserve AMX-13's arrive and are able to score four kills on Greg's T-34/85s forcing a unit morale check which they fail!

In Greg's following turn he has difficulty in getting any shots on my elusive AMX-13's but he still pushes closer the south west objective, leaving my infantry and 1st AMX-13 platoon isolated from where he is applying most of his force.

 
Greg does just catch enough of a line of sight to range in his 122mm artillery on my 1st AMX-13 platoon, which fortunately sustains no damage.

In my following turn I again roll up a single Ouragon for air support.  Time is running out and Greg's T-55s are too strong for my AMX-13's to take on frontally. I get in my AAA Halftracks from reserve and bring them in on to attempt to take out Greg's sole remaining ZSU-57.

My CO AMX-13 manages to knock out a 122mm howitzer...so no more rerolling misses for Greg's bombardments!

My Ouragon air strikes just continue to come up empty handed as I only ever get a single plane in each flight! 



My attempt at a cheap Victory Point comes up short as my AAA Halftracks fail to knock out Greg's ZSU-57.



 
My 2nd AMX-13 desperately tries to keep what little cover is available between themselves and Greg's closing fast T-55s. One is not so lucky here.

Greg really starts to put the pressure on now.
 

The ZSU-57 has no problem knocking out my AAA Halftracks that attempted to do it in.

Greg negates my cover by swinging around the hill on both sides knocking out my second AMX-13 platoon and leaving the southwest objective completely clear for him to seize.

To make matters worse, Greg's 122mm howitzers avenge their fallen gun my knocking out my CO AMX-13 who failed to stormtrooper out of line of sight on my previous turn.

 

Greg's 1st T-55 Company had swung back toward the center to and following two bog results that I had when I moved my AMX-13s in to the palms had no problem knocking out another two AMX-13s and forcing a platoon morale check which I failed. Following in my next turn I'd find myself below half strength with neither a CO or a 2IC and so the game was Greg's as a 5-2 win.


Greg's 2nd T-55 Company on top of the southwest objective at games end.

A very tuff fight for my AMX-13s. Poor air support results really hurt and the mission was about the worse I could get, but even without that poor luck it was going to be hard to beat Greg who did a great job splitting my force and keeping me off balance with his 1st T-55 Company by redirecting it twice.

Tom has been playing wargames since the late 70’s, and Flames of War since 2007. He maintains a gaming website www.battlevault.com for the BattleVault Gamers of Kentuckiana and posts and moderates WWPD as Iron-Tom.