Operation Currahee, into South Leon

[bigjackmac]

Thanks Paul, hope all is well.

V/R,
Jack

[paulr]

Thanks Jack, all good, the Marines repulsed another Japanese assault on Guadalcanal 

[bigjackmac]

All,

And now for Operation Geronimo, which began right after Operation Currahee.

It's 0630 on 27 July 1990 and Operation Geronimo has kicked off.  The goal of this operation is to parachute infantry into blocking positions to screen the landing beaches where Cuban Liberation Expeditionary Force (CLEF) forces will be landing later this morning in response to forces of the Fédération Socialiste Nationale de Leon (FSNL) invading South Leon three days ago.  The CLEF, which already had a small Task Group (under Major Fulgencio) on the ground, assisting South Leon government forces in counterinsurgency operations and guarding the DMZ between South Leon and FSNL, is being reinforced in order to throw FSNL forces out of South Leon and end the insurgency carried out by the Communist "Free Leon Army" (FLA).

Earlier this morning, Lt Villagrosa's ODA 212 (Task Force Dusty, in Operation Currahee) parachuted in further north to secure a vital traffic hub and draw FSNL forces away from the actual amphibious landing site.  Now Lt Espinale's E Company, 6th Para Bn (Task Force Hawk) is parachuting in to secure blocking positions screening the landing beaches.  The parachute landing went nice and smooth owing to Lt Villagrosa's men doing an outstanding job; Lt Espinale's men quickly formed up and began moving on their objectives.


Overview, north is up, with Cubans entering the table in the west (left).  There's a crop field in the southwest, the northern edge of a local village at bottom center right, a dirt road running east-west, a small knoll at top center left, and a river that's only a few feet deep at bottom center running to right.  Other than that there are only stands of trees and bushes breaking up the landscape.

Lt Espinale is with the forward elements of Task Force Hawk, moving west to east on the dirt road, looking to defeat any enemy forces encountered and clear the route for follow-on forces to continue movement east to the blocking positions.  There are no FSNL regulars in the area, they've all been drawn north to deal with TF Dusty, but there are plenty of FLA insurgents around.   Bad guy riflemen are at:

-bottom left, just right of the field and below the tree
-center left, on the edge of the river, just below a stand of three trees
-center, below a stand of four trees, with bushes below him and to his right
-top center, in the corner created by bushes running north-south and east-west
-bottom center right, just below the river, just right of a building and just above a tree with some pots
-the Technical is just to his left, between two huts
-the enemy machine gunner is at bottom center, in the corner created by two wooden post walls, just left of a hut


Cubans pinned down in the bottom left hand corner struggle to return fire on the insurgent positions in the village.  To see how the fight went, please check the blog at:
http://cubalibrewargame.blogspot.com/2018/02/operation-geronimo-1.html

So a decent start to TF Hawk's campaign in South Leon.  Lt Espinale quickly re-formed the company and got them on the road moving east towards their blocking positions.  But on the way they came across a large farming compound that locals confirmed was occupied by FLA insurgents.  Lt Espinale immediately grasped that bypassing the farm was not an option, it had to be dealt with, but before an assault on the farm could be made, a bit of high ground further east needed to be secured.  Lt Espinale ordered Lt Gonzalez to ready his men to assault the farm compound as soon as Lt Candelario's men had secured the high ground; things wouldn't go quite as planned...

V/R,
Jack

[Techno]

Excellent, Jack.

Great pics, as always. 

Cheers - Phil

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Good report Jack

[Womble67]

Great report

Take care

Andy

[bigjackmac]

Thanks fellas, next one is on the way!

V/R,
Jack

[bigjackmac]

All,

It's 0730 on 27 July 1990 and Operation Geronimo has kicked off.  The parachute landing went smoothly and Lt Espinale's E Co, 6th Para, AKA Task Force Hawk, quickly formed up and began pushing east, clearing the area of enemy forces and moving to blocking positions to screen the amphibious landings scheduled for later this morning.  An hour ago the TF Hawk commander, Lt Espinale, ran into enemy forces, insurgents of the Free Leon Army (FLA).  The Cubans suffered two very serious casualties, but killed six FLA soldiers, captured one, and destroyed a Technical, thus opening the route east.

TF Hawk continues towards its blocking positions when the point man calls a halt; they'd come to their next objective, so the troops posted 360 degree security while the leaders huddled up.  Just south of the road was a farm that needs to be cleared, but you can't clear the farm without first clearing the high ground to northeast of the farm.  Lt Espinale's group would hold place in support while Lt Candelario led his group to the north to clear the high ground (this fight).  Once the high ground is secured, Lt Gonzalez' group will take the farm from the south (next fight).


Overview, north is up.  The northern edge of the farm is at bottom center, while just right of it is a canal running north-south.  At top right and far right is the troublesome high ground Lt Candelario's group must take.  The dirt road runs from far left to top center right; there are a few cultivated fields throughout the area, as well as some boulder-strewn patches of rough ground, as well as a few stands of trees and plenty of bushes.

The Cubans are in two wedge formations (top center and top left), and again there are bad guys everywhere, a total of six riflemen, an RPG gunner, a Lieutenant, and a Technical.  The riflemen are at:

-bottom left, where two of them are in the fields.  Someone in the farm (bottom center) saw something and ordered some sentries out to check on things to the north
-bottom center right, just right of the canal and below a stand of three trees
-the RPG gunner is just right and above that guy
-at right, atop Point 2
-the enemy Lieutenant is just above and to the right of that guy
-two more riflemen are atop Point 1 at top center right
-the Technical is in the farm at bottom right.  The Technical will not move, but it will engage the Cubans.  The whole issue is that the Cubans need to clear Points 1 and 2 without becoming decisively engaged by enemy troops in/around the farm, which will be assaulted from the south by Lt Gonzalez' troops once Points 1 and 2 are secured.


The Cubans are pushing forward under heavy fire...


But bad guys (bottom center and right) have crept in behind them (top left) and are opening fire, plus the Technical (off camera to right) is hammering away with its heavy machine gun.  It's gonna be a long day...  To see how it started, please check the blog at:
http://cubalibrewargame.blogspot.com/2018/02/operation-geronimo-2.html

More to follow.

V/R,
Jack

[Orcs]

Looks Excellent.


I am surprised thee has been no rude comment on the thread about "going into South Leon"   

[fsn]

Always enjoyable.

I am surprised thee has been no rude comment on the thread about "going into South Leon"   

We all thought it ... only you were brave enough to say it.

[bigjackmac]

Uh-oh...

Hey, this wasn't my idea! If you recall, a couple years ago I posted here looking for help with campaign background, and I took what was provided.  You know, South Leon, capital of Pendrakenville, bad guys are FSNL, etc..

V/R,
Jack

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Sooo many innuendos, so little time!

Nice report Jack. 

[Techno]

Another goody ! 

Cheers - Phil

[bigjackmac]

Thanks fellars!  Next fight coming right up.

V/R,
Jack

[bigjackmac]

All,

It's 0750 on 27 July 1990 and Operation Geronimo has kicked off.  The parachute landing went smoothly and Lt Espinale's E Co, 6th Para, AKA Task Force Hawk, quickly formed up and began pushing east, clearing the area of enemy forces and moving to blocking positions to screen the amphibious landings scheduled for later this morning.  Earlier the TF Hawk commander, Lt Espinale, ran into enemy forces, insurgents of the Free Leon Army (FLA).  The Cubans suffered two very serious casualties, but killed six FLA soldiers, captured one, and destroyed a Technical, thus opening the route east.  Then TF Hawk continued east towards its blocking positions, coming across a farm south of the main route that needed to be cleared.  Lt Espinale ordered Lt Gonzalez to prepare to clear the farm, but first Lt Candelario was tasked to continue further east to clear some high ground that would threaten Lt Gonzalez' assault on the farm.  But Lt Candelario and his men ran into a buzz saw, taking heavy casualties from the high ground and a heavy machine gun mounted on a Technical on the north end of the farm.  Lt Candelario and his few remaining men, shocked at the ferocity of the FLA insurgents' resistance, fell back into a hasty defensive perimeter and got on the radio to plead for help.

The commander, Lt Espinale, ordered Lt Gonzalez to assault the farm immediately.  "But Sir, that high ground is still in enemy hands, we'll get torn to pieces."  "I know, but Candelario is about to be overrun, we've got to do something now.  You assault the farm, and as soon as you've got the compound under your control I'll push through on your right to secure the high ground and relieve Candelario and his men.  If you can take the north end of the farm, great, if not, we'll handle it.  But I need you moving as quickly as possible to take that compound."  "Roger, Sir."


Overview, north is RIGHT.  The objective, the farm compound is at left/top left, with a small fish farming pond at top center, and the north end of the farm (with the Technical) at top center right.  The southern high ground, known as Point 2, is at bottom right, with the canal running north-south (right-left) from the fish farm to the far right.

Lt Gonzalez' men will enter at bottom left, their mission to take the farm compound and, if possible, silence the Technical at the north end.  The bad guys will have a group of riflemen (amount unknown) in the farming compound, but they'll also have a rifleman in north end of the farm (he can fire on Lt Gonzalez' men, but the Technical's HMG is firing off screen to the north -right-, keeping Lt Candelario's men pinned down), and the bad guys have a light machine gun atop Point 2.  It will be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to kill the enemy soldiers on Point 2 and in the north end of the farm.


Here is a new set of buildings I picked up for Christmas, from Crescent Root Studios.  That's also where I got the trees and hedges; they're awesome!!!


The Cuban assault element manages to push onto the objective (top right), but the base of fire element is getting its butt handed to it by flanking fire from Point 2 (off camera to bottom left) and the north end of the farm (bottom right).  Can they do it?  Can they take and hold the objective, relieving pressure on Lt Candelario's beleaguered force long enough for Lt Espinale to pass through and assault the high ground?  Check the blog to find out:
http://cubalibrewargame.blogspot.com/2018/02/operation-geronimo-3.html

I'll do my best to get the fourth fight posted tomorrow night, but I'm a bit behind and can't promise...

V/R,
Jack