AK47 Game Report - Skirmish at S'Mosa (Part Three)

Turn 7

It was all or nothing in the penultimate turn of the game. The long awaited reinforcements finally arrived for the hard pressed Zumatans, in the form of two regular armoured cars, while the defenders were supplemented by a unit of regular T34/85 tanks that rumbled onto the table edge.

The Mbote commander, Major Mnuva, sensing ultimate victory slipping from his grasp, launched the professional jeeps and scout cars toward the principal objective, in a co-ordinated pincer movement with the militia technicals. It was hoped that this would overwhelm the Zumatan SAS and allow the Mbote infantry to take the objective under covering fire.

In the ensuing firefight, the exposed technicals and jeeps were pinned by heavy Zumatan suppressive fire, effectively distracting them from their aim. The Zumatans were unscathed but the technical convoy took a morale point hit as a result of the Zumatan crossfire. 

Turn 8

With only four spaces left on the game countdown, it was obvious that desperate measures were required by both sides to win the game. The Zumatans piled their armoured cars and SAS onto the objective, while the Mbote tanks advanced in support of the infantry. The key thrust was made by the technicals, however, with a high speed gun run up the main road and over the river crossing.

It was no surprise that this ended in a bit of a pile up, especially as both sides were able to call in artillery strikes at the last minute due to some double six dice rolls. The lead technical was reduced to a pile of scrap in the first missile salvo from the Vigilant equipped armoured cars, followed by the destruction of the second truck once the Zumatan FOO had got the column zeroed in.

Not to be outdone, the soviet trained Mbote artillery bracketed the SAS and pinned them down before they could take the objective, with a follow through from the jeeps and scout cars ending in the elimination of one base and the pinning of a third. A final roll of the dice and darkness descended on the field of battle, allowing both sides to withdraw and lick their wounds.

The Victory Points

Zumata = 12 + 30 + 7 + 3 + 3 = 55

Mbote = 17 + 5 + 20 + 14 = 56

The result was a 'damn close run thing' and a clear draw between Zumata and Mbote. The Zumatans had secured the main objective and had destroyed the militia unit, thus gaining a marginal points advantage over the Mbote defenders, who had destroyed more of the enemy but didn't hold the main objective by the end of the game.

Overall, it was a really good game with plenty of dodgy moments and some enjoyable randomness for good measure. The Mbote army will definately be investing in some more cheap but hard hitting militia technicals, while rumour has it that the Zumatans will be providing some softskin transport for their naval troops. There will be another game at some point in the new year, in which I might actually get to use my helicopter gunship!

Thanks for watching.