Cuba Libre - South Leon Campaign

[Just Jack]

All,

Well, it has started, my campaign in the fictional African nation of South Leon.  For background, please check here:
http://cubalibrewargame.blogspot.com/2015/12/south-leon-on-slow-ride-down-aka.html

In May 1990 Cuba sent a task force to South Leon in order to prop up the democratic government there against its Communist neighbor, the Fédération Socialiste Nationale de Leon, or FSNL, and against the Marxist domestic rebel group, the Free Leon Army (FLA).  Task Force Fulgencio, named for its leader, who is also the commander of the 8th Commando Battalion, is comprised of one company of Marines, one company of paratroopers, and various intelligence and special operations troops.  The parachute infantry company has been sent to the center of South Leon, to the capital city of Pendrakenville, to quell the growing insurgency there.  Meanwhile, the company of Marines has been dispatched to the northern border with FSNL, a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ, created following their war in 1949), to stop the infusion of men and equipment across the border into South Leon.
**Okay, I'm not gonna hide it.  The part about the Marines heading to the DMZ to stop infiltration of South Leon from FSNL is a poorly disguised attempt at some Vietnam-era gaming.  While I'd probably be better off just doing some 'straight' Vietnam gaming, many of you know I have somewhat of an aversion to gaming real life stuff, preferring to make up places and names, or at least units.  The other reason I'm doing it this way is that it allows me to keep my Cuba Libre series of wars/campaigns/deployments moving forward.  So two birds with one stone, if you will.  I hope that doesn't raise anyone's hackles.  But for all intents and purposes, my war on the DMZ of South Leon is USMC on the DMZ in Vietnam.  Hell, for that matter, my paratroopers in South Leon's capital are probably going to look a lot like Israel's war in Lebanon circa 1982.

In any case, the company of Marines (officially the 24th Seaborne Shock Infantry Company; they're quite esoteric/eccentric about their unit names in the Cuban Expeditionary Force) under 1st Lt Ordonez (he and most of his men are veterans of the War of Liberation) arrived in South Leon on 3 May 1990 and soon thereafter moved to their Area of Operations on the DMZ.  Lt Ordonez immediately set his three rifle platoons (under Lt Peres, 1st Platoon; Lt Lupe, 2nd Platoon; and Lt Rodriques, 3rd Platoon) on an aggressive schedule of daytime combat and reconnaissance patrols, and nighttime ambush patrols.

It is now 3 June 1990, and to date contact has been minimal, though casualties have not.  There has been a rash of Marines lost to the occasional sniper, booby trap, non combat injuries, and the worst offender: disease.  The Marines, still becoming acclimated to the wilds of Africa, have suffered from various ailments such as malaria, dengue fever, Ebola (sorry, couldn't help it), dysentery, and jungle rot.  On an average day the rifle platoons are down 15 to 20% of the paper strength, but the patrols continue.

At approximately 0600 this morning, Lt Peres led 1st Platoon out on patrol.  The aim of the patrol is to hump all day, visiting a number of villages, before holing up at approximately 1730 in a platoon-sized night defense position.  The day has been long and hot, the Marines toiling under the weight of their gear and anticipation of enemy contact, and twice the column has already halted to perform MEDEVAC: once for a Marine that stepped on a toe-popper near an abandoned village, and once to evacuate two Marines with heat exhaustion.  Peres' platoon is now on the cusp of entering what looks to be another abandoned village.


The table, 2' x 2', north is up, using the one terrain tile that I've actually managed to finish.  The village is at top center, and the Marines will enter from the bottom (south) of the table.  From up here you can see various fighting positions have been dug, those these are not yet apparent to the Cuban troops.

A quick word on rules: as always, I'm using Ivan's excellent 5Core series.  I'm basically running "Five Men in Normandy" activation, but with full firing dice on reactions.


Having lost several comrades already, a lone Lance Corporal goes berserk and charges an enemy fighting hole.  To see how the fight went, please check the blog at:
http://cubalibrewargame.blogspot.com/2016/09/south-leon-dmz-prelude-i.html

Well, I hope you liked it as much as I did, I've got two more fights just like it to write up and post.  And I hope the Vietnam/South Leon thing doesn't bother you.  Like I said, time is at a premium, and so being able to do Vietnam gaming and knock out Cuba Libre campaigns is really a great deal for me.

V/R,
Jack

[Just Jack]

Nothing?  Well, here comes another one.

V/R,
Jack

[Just Jack]

All,

This is the second fight of a three-fight series for the opening round of my South Leon campaign, which is actually a thinly-veiled Vietnam campaign being used to keep my Cuba Libre story going.  Task Force Fulgencio, comprising a company of Marines, a company of paratroopers, and various intelligence, special operations forces, and combat support detachments has deployed to prop up the fictional country of South Leon, which is suffering from guerrilla war begun by domestic Marxists and supported by its Communist neighbor, the Fédération Socialiste Nationale de Leon.

1st Lt Ordonez' company of Marines was dispatched to the border with FSNL, while the parachute infantry company was sent to the capital of South Leon.  The Marines have been aggressively patrolling the DMZ, and the first real contact with infiltrators from FSNL occurred several days ago.  Lt Peres' 1st Platoon met the enemy in an abandoned village, where the guerrillas sprung an ambush.  Both sides were bloodied, but the Marines ultimately carried the day.

It is now approximately 1045 on 7 June 1990, and Lt Lupe's 2nd Platoon has been on patrol since the wee hours of the morning.


The Marines fan out and enter the village, contact is imminent.  To see how the fight went, please check the blog at:
http://cubalibrewargame.blogspot.com/2016/09/south-leon-dmz-prelude-ii.html

What a fight, I'm exhausted!  I've got one more to write up and post, then I change gears for some modern Middle East fights.  My boy and I played most of a game, and have two more to go in that operation, playing co-op with SOF against insurgents.  Sorry, my wargaming butterfly-ness simply won't allow me to stay focused on any one arena for too long   Stay tuned.

V/R,
Jack

[Colonel Kilgore]

Very nice - I particularly like the "built in" trenches / fox holes and the general terrain clutter.

Looks like you had lots of fun!

[Just Jack]

Thanks Colonel, I appreciate it!

Yeah, the reason I did up the terrain tile (I have more, but this is the only one of finished; lotta work) was specifically to have 'below ground' features such as the paddies, stream, trenches, and fighting holes.  I'm happy with it, just wish it didn't take me so much time.

The fight was indeed fun, hope you enjoyed it.  I should be posting the last fight of this operation this evening.

V/R,
Jack

[Colonel Kilgore]

I will look forward to it!

And if ever you feel like writing up a tutorial on how you produce your "below-ground" terrain, folk here are usually interested. You could enter it for our competition and maybe even win a T-shirt!

[Just Jack]

Hmm, I'll see what I can do about a tutorial.  The only issue is time; every minute typing is a minute not playing or painting

V/R,
Jack

[Just Jack]

All,

This is the third fight in the initial trading of blows on the DMZ between Communist guerillas of the Fédération Socialiste Nationale de Leon and the Marines of Task Force Fulgencio.  Amid almost a month of monotonous patrolling in the sweltering African heat there have already been two short, sharp fights between the two sides, resulting in moderate casualties for both.  In both cases the Marines carried the day, though 2nd Platoon's fight (the more recent) was in less than exemplary fashion.

It is now 10 June 1990, and Lt Rodriques leads his 3rd Platoon on yet another patrol through the jungle, hunting guerillas which have infiltrated across the border between South Leon and FSNL.


Sgt Garcia hops in the streambed for cover and begins laying it down with his M-14 on full auto.  To see how the fight went, please check the blog at:
http://cubalibrewargame.blogspot.com/2016/09/south-leon-dmz-prelude-iii.html

Thus ends the three fight initial flurry of clashes between the Cuban Marines and FSNL guerillas.  Like I said, I've got some modern Middle East stuff going on currently, and I'm working on a raid in the Caribbean and some paratroopers in South Leon's capital (using 'Boots on the Ground,' a boardgame recommended by the good Mr. Peter Cooman), but then I'm planning on coming back to these Marines on the DMZ.  My plan is to base the next round of fights on platoon fights based on the Vietnam War's "Operation Starlite."  I'm doing some research right now.  If this goes as planned, the Marine war on the DMZ in South Leon will culminate with my Dai Do project, which I believe I'm going to do in 6mm.

V/R,
Jack