The Battle of Jerusalem, Paratroop Brigade 55 vs. Arab Legion

 By Eric Lauterbach

During the Cold Wars blizzard John Sulek, Allen Smith, Jim Best and James Best played a battle of Jerusalem game.  We had been wanting to do it for some time and now that John Sulek's Israeli Paratroop force was done they needed their first outing.  What better way than a historical scenario about the Battle of Jerusalem?

Essentially, his force was two companies representing the various Paratroop battalions, with attached tank support. The Jordanians had 3 companies of Infantry scattered throughout the city and a strong fortified area representing Ammunition Hill. Like in the real battle, we started with a night attack by the paras, with the objectives being to take Ammunition Hill, The Old City, and Central Jerusalem. Almost immediately the fighting went ugly on Ammunition Hill with the Paras sneaking up in the dark and firing everything they had on the outer defenses.

 Central Jerusalem

 Ammunition Hill

 Jordanians waiting in the night.

 Its quiet... too quiet.

 Gate to the Old City

 The Para commanders: John Sulek and James Best (the son, the father was on the Jordanian side)

 John Paratroopers

The Israelis start their attack.

 The assaults on the trench-line comes real early, The Jordanian AT bunker is little help.

 Recon units sneak through the city.

 Off board artillery pounds Ammunition hill.

 The Israelis are not allowed to call indirect fire anywhere near the Old City.

 Attack by the Paras: the defensive fire is very weak.

 Jordanians break or are killed.

Strong forces hold up the Israeli advance.

The Jordanian AT bunker kills an M50.
  

The Jordanians blast those pesky recon jeeps to pieces.

 Tanks move out of the field of fire of the bunker.

 Israelis attack the second line of trenches.

 Again, the defensive fire fails to stop the attack.

 After a couple of rounds of hand to hand the paratroopers take part of the trench

The AT bunker goes down to an assault.

 Its a bloody fight with heavy causalities on both sides.

 Bringing all the firepower they can on the Jordanian position.

With the paras taking heavy casualties the tanks go in for the assault.

 Jordanian HMG bunker facing the wrong way.

 Blowing the enemy out of houses.

 Allen and John fight it out.

Father against son in a prison rules fight.

The Jordanians counter attack.

 But are thrown back.

 Still very strong Jordanian positions

 Recon jeeps blasting houses.

 The fighting is house to house

This becomes the house of death.

 The paratroopers are thrown back.

Tanks blast them out.

Tanks move in to finish off the Jordanians but bazooka fire takes one out.

The tanks are crunching HMGs but the Jordanians won't budge.

 The Jordies counter attack!

 And blow up another tank!

 The last tank runs but it's Pyrrhic victory.

With most of his command dead the Jordanian CO and last stand run away.

It was pretty good fight with all the forces involved. John's paratroopers are gorgeous and it was great change to play Arab Israeli wars where it was not just a tank on tank fight. We had turn after turn of house to house and trench fights.  In the end the Jordanians lost Ammunition Hill and the center of town. The Jordanians still held the Old City and just like in the real battle the Israelis let them sneak out the back door and run away.