Massacre in Miami

An Invasion Florida scenario

As part of a grand invasion of the US, Cuban Communists (CuComms) landed in South Florida. They seized Homestead Air Force Base. Now a column advances through Miami. But Cuban exiles wait for a chance to strike back.

Opposing Forces

• CuComms - 3 regulars, 1 elite infantry (counts as bayonets), 1 light armor, and 1 helicopter (fire support)
• Cuban exiles - 2 irregulars, 1 unreliable irregulars, 1 zealous exiles (counts as bayonets). The front line exiles are in buildings (defensive advantage).

In addition, there is an American Air Force plane in the area that can provide fire support for the Americans.

The Battle

As the CuComm column advances through the streets of Miami, the exiles strike.

The zealous exiles rush out an destroy the armor. But the CuComm elite infantry wipe out the irregulars.

 

The elites then run off the exiles' reinforcements. However, an American Air Force plane that was circling the area has spotted the battle. It strikes the CuComms.

CuComm regulars drive off the zealous exiles.

Then more regulars get into the fray (left), driving off the last of the irregulars.

The Air Force jet breaks off. The CuComms can continue their advance.

GAME NOTES

• I need to create some streets.
• I played this with Dominion of Rice and Napalm
• I used the American rules for fire support for both sides in this battle. I did not think that a Communist opening bombardment made sense in this scenario.

Invasion Florida Redux

The Tangerines! Campaign

Last year I began a Red Dawn style campaign, featuring hordes of Commies overrunning America in 1985. I have decided to reboot the campaign

Background

• Washington, DC 1984 - a terrorist attack kills much of the senior leadership of the Federal government. After much politicking, Representative Walter Taub becomes President. An isolationist, he immediately orders de-militarization.
• Mexico, 1984 - a coup establishes a pro-Soviet Mexican government.
• Germany, 1985 - a Soviet invasion overruns most of Europe. The US remains neutral.
• United States, 1985 - sensing an opportunity, the Soviet launches a sneak attack on the US. They land in Alaska and push south through Canada and down along the American west coast. Meanwhile, the Mexicans invade Texas and the Cubans land in Florida.

Battle of Homestead

Communist Cuban forces advance on Homestead Air Force Base, south of Miami.

As the Commies (brown, top) advance on the base, American forces scramble. Mechanics and civilians join the defenders but are unreliable. The Americans manage to get an aircraft off the ground.

Commie bombardment disrupts the Air Force security teams. The Commies advance on the right and center but their attacks fail. The American plane strafes the Commies regulars (right).

But the Commies regulars press forward and rout their American counterparts.

The Commies successfully advance on both flanks.

The American center still holds but the Commie armor wipes out the reserves.

The Commie armor outflanks the center.

The Communists take the base!

GAME NOTES

• For this campaign, I will use Dominion of Rice and Napalm, Steve Parker's Vietnam War rules.
• For this game, I used the An Loc scenario, with the North Vietnamese as the Cubans and the South Vietnamese as the Americans.
• I just realized that the American Fire Support should have been Elite! That may have changed things. 😢
• Going forward, I'm not sure what to do about Fire Support. Should the Commies be able to call Fire Support every turn, like the Americans in Vietnam? I'm not sure they should be so effective.
• I also would like to find or create a scenario generator and a random force generator.

Another Project

I'm starting another project thanks to Steve Parker's newest venture, Dominion of Rice and Napalm.

It's not a Vietnam project, though. Last year, I experimented with rules for Red Dawn style games. I did not get far. My prognostications for 2026 mentioned some late Cold War battles. I think the time is nigh.

Why Rice and Napalm?

I have passed over a few recent titles in the Dominion of series.

• Blue and Grey? Kind of burnt out on ACW
• Red and White? Not really interested in RCW
• Blitzkrieg? Thought about it, but I really want to do 80s Cold War. Need helicopters!

Rice and Napalm (RaN) has a helicopter on its cover! This could be what I need.

I was initially hesitant; 1980s tech was a bit more sophisticated than 1960s. But I figured it was only $6. Why not?

I did a quick read through and I'm glad I bought it. It should work fine. These aren't rivet counter rules. What really matters is the relative effectiveness of troop types. Thus, I think I can port these to the 80s.

One tweak I plan to make is with armor. I want to distinguish between tanks and armored personnel carriers, which are all Armor in RaN. But I can give tanks the defense bonus to represent their toughness.

As I mentioned, I plan to use these rules for Red Dawn style games, with American irregulars vs. Communist occupiers. This will be easy to do, the roles just flip from Vietnam.

Project Plans

• I already have counters so I'm set there. I may make some mortars to supplement my current forces.
• I think I'll make a Modern box. I'll need battlefields and terrain.
• Got the rules.

I should be ready to go soon!

Tangerines!

Part 1 of an Invasion Florida Campaign

The Campaign

So far, I've dabbled with a couple Cold War games, but I decided to do a mini-campaign.

• This will be a best of 3 scenarios.
• I'm using my MicroBattle rules.
• Scenarios will come from Neil Thomas's One Hour Wargames (OHW)

Background

I'm using the same backstory as before.

This campaign follows a band of American insurgents. Known as the Tangerines for their orange bandanas, these insurgents are behind enemy lines in South Florida, striking at the military forces of the Communist Cuban occupiers.

Defense of Lonely Hill

The Tangerines retreat into the Everglades after hitting a Cuban depot.

They must make it across a canal and hold a defensive position on a lone hill.

This is scenario 20 - Fighting Retreat from OHW.

The Tangerines' light infantry make it across the canal and make for the hill. The heavy infantry units make a stand at the bridges.

The Cuban light armored vehicle wipes out the infantry on the east bridge.

The Tangerines on the west bridge faces long odds. The Cuban armor races toward the hill.

The armor wipes out the hill's defenders. The Tangerines stubbornly holds the west bridge.

I got so caught up in the game I forgot to take more photos! :(

Things look bleak for the Tangerines. The heavy infantry on the bridge gets overwhelmed while the Cuban armor takes the hill.

But then the last remaining Tangerine infantry drives the armor off the hill. Following up, the infantry seizes the hill. This gives the Tangerines the victory.

GAME NOTES

• Campaign score: Tangerines 1, Commies 0
• I was perusing OHW, wondering if I could convert the scenarios to a 3 x 3 type game. Finally, I just decided to play one of the scenarios using MicroBattle.
• Because my units can only take 2 hits before being eliminated, I decided to reduce the number of turns the Tangerines had to hold on. Victory would go to the side holding the hill on turn 10.
• This scenario was cool in that the Tangerines were in it to the end, even though they got shot up pretty bad.
• Kudos to the heavy infantry on the bridge. They really kept the Tangerines in the game by bottling up the bulk of Cuban forces.
• You might notice that the Cubans were short a unit. They also had a helicopter, but I require a 6 on the activation roll for it to come onto the field. It just never happened.

Cold War Dominion Style

My Cold War Gone Hot campaign has gone cold. Meanwhile, I've spent most of my gaming energy on the Dominion of (Do) series of games. Do makes it very easy to pull out and play a game in a short time. Because of that, I found that I would reach for my Do box set rather than set up a Cold War game when I had some free time.

This has got me thinking - it would be nice to have a Do version for modern games.

Why I Like Dominion

I really like the Do series (Dominion of the Spear, Dominion of Pike and Shot) because it really fits my preferred style for solo gaming:

• Fast play - 5-10 minutes for a battle
• Small board - my battles have been on 4 by 6 inch "mat"
• Each base = 1 unit - no bothering with multiple figures or bases per unit
• Quick combat resolution - a single die roll determines results

Applying Dominion Principles to the Modern Era

Can I do Dominion for the modern age? I see opportunities but also issues.

• Coupled with DoPS's rally rule, I think the 1 hit = a kill rule can work. Although I may do like the Portable Wargame and roll to see if the unit retreats or is destroyed.
• Having left, center, and right sections can work. It works for Memoir '44 after all.
• Due to the ranges of modern weapons, engagement ranges are much longer than ancients or pike & shot. Therefore, I think the battlefield needs some depth. Perhaps make it 3 deep (long range, medium range, and short range).
• Also, modern armies rely far more on cover. Therefore, I will need to introduce terrain.

Test Game

I decided to run a quick test, making up rules on the spot.

Florida 1985. An invading Cuban column (brown) advances through the Everglades up US27. American partisans prepare to ambush them.

The Cubans catch wind of the attack, sending heavy infantry and IFVs to deal with the ambushers. A unit of American partisans flees the field.

Followed by another unit. But the Americans use anti-tank missiles to destroy an IFV platoon.

But the other IFV platoon flanks and scatters more American partisans.

The rest break retreat from the field.

Game Notes and Thoughts

• The result did not go my way, but it was a fun and quick (about 10 minutes) game.
• The rules I used are not strict translations of Do to the modern era. They are more inspired-by. In the end, the game was more like the 3 x 3 Portable Wargame.
• I started the armies 3 spaces away, which I declared as long range. I actually rolled to see if the Americans could sneak up closer, but they failed.
• I used a number of mechanisms from MicroBattle.
• Each turn I rolled to see how many units a side could activate.
• I used the hit resolution system.
• I made a few changes, however.
• Units were destroyed with 1 hit.
• But, units could roll to retreat instead of rout. Interestingly, in this scenario, all units failed the retreat roll.
• I also allowed 2 units per square. It worked fine.
• I technically, did not have a reserve but it worked fine without one.

Modern Age Box Set

Last year, I consolidated all my gaming from period-specific boxes to a couple joint boxes - one with counters and the other with boards, terrain, dice, etc.

Now I find myself thinking of reversing that. I created a dedicated DotS box, which I also used for DoPS. How about a modern box? I still haven't decided; stay tuned.

Modern Terrain

I also need terrain that is more appropriate for modern warfare, especially urban environments. Another little project!

Invasion Florida

I decided to do a little Cold War game. This will be a prelude to my upcoming not-Wolverines campaign.

I decided to run a One Hour Wargames scenario. I rolled randomly and got scenario 1 - pitched battle. I fiddled with the terrain to fit the story.

Introduction

• Washington, DC 1984 - a terrorist attack kills much of the senior leadership of the Federal government. After much politicking, Representative Walter Taub becomes President. An isolationist, he immediately orders de-militarization.
• Mexico, 1984 - a coup establishes a pro-Soviet Mexican government.
• Germany, 1985 - a Soviet invasion overruns most of Europe. The US remains neutral.
• United States, 1985 - sensing an opportunity, the Soviet launches a sneak attack on the US. They land in Alaska and push south through Canada and down along the American west coast. Meanwhile, the Mexicans invade Texas and the Cubans land in Florida.

We now join American forces at Homestead Air Force base south of Miami. The Cuban invaders advance on the base.

Deployment

• The Cubans (brown) advance upon the base's gates from the south (right). They need to pass through a residential area.
• There is a unit of infantry manning the gates. Reinforcements rush to the gate.

Note: I don't have appropriate modern terrain so I am substituting. The walls represent chain link fences so do not block line of sight. I assume there are sandbags so there is light cover.

The Battle

The Cuban armor rushes forward. Their initial attacks fall short. An American aircraft joins the fray (center).

Note: Because this is an airbase, I figured it is fitting to give the Americans some air support. I had a rule that I had to roll to bring it onto the battlefield.

The Cubans push their armor through the gates. There are heavy casualties.

A Cuban helicopter (top) is hit and retires from the battle.

American air support destroys the Cuban armor.

And Cuban rocket launchers.

The Cubans retreat.

Aftermath

Realizing that they cannot hold the supply lines to Homestead, the Americans abandon the base and pull northward. They escape with most of the base's aircraft before the Communist hordes overrun South Florida.

More Cold War Thoughts

Just some random thoughts on my Cold War project.

New Counters

I was short on counters so I made a few. I added some more infantry and artillery to the mix.

I also made some helicopter counters.

They turned out bigger than the 1/2 inch square bases I had (they are closer to 1/2 x 3/4). I mounted them on 1 inch wooden square bases, which I subsequently cut down to size.

Air Battles

I'm thinking of adding some aerial conflict to the project. Why? Just because.

I have WW1 and WW2 style plane counters for air wargames but I lack jets. Time to rectify the situation.

I made some generic fighters jets, loosely based off the F-15.

I debated making some attack planes but have held off for now. Given the wide range of missions that late Cold War fighters could undertake, I think these will do for now. Just need to print and mount them.

When?

This is a question that I am pondering. When should my fictional Cold War Gone Hot take place?

• The movie Red Dawn came out in 1984.
• But I was thinking of switching up to late 80s. This is when I would have been in the military if I hadn't washed out of Air Force pilot training due to medical issues.
• I ordered the Team Yankee: Red Dawn booklet from Battlefront. I understand it is set in 1985. Might be best to stick to that date.

Cold War Convoy

In keeping with my Red Dawn craze, I played a quick scenario using my MicroBattle rules.

Somewhere in the US, The year 1984. 

A Soviet (brown) column is heading down a road. American insurgent forces (gray) strike, destroying the infantry at the head of the column.

The Soviets take damage, but they drive a squad of insurgents out of the woods.

They pursue.

But this opens the Soviet tank to short-range fire. Kaboom!

The rest of the column turns around and flees!

Game Notes

• I initially created the counters for sci-fi battles. They may not look exactly like Soviet vehicles of the time period, but they'll do as stand-ins.
• I haven't mounted my green army yet. When I do, Americans will be green.
• I assume that the American infantry have anti-tank weapons. In addition, the heavy infantry (oval around a dot) have mortars.
• I would ultimately like to add helicopters to the mix. Need to make some new counters!

Wolverines!

Ah, GADD (gamer's attention deficit disorder) has struck again!

My New Inspiration

It's all because of this movie.

I finally watched it last weekend. It gave me a hankering for some Cold War action.

If you are unfamiliar with the movie, here is the Wikipedia description.

The Project

How to go about gaming this?

Well, I don't think I will reprise the movie itself. Instead, I'm considering an "inspired-by" approach gaming a Soviet invasion of the U.S. in the 1980s.

I have some generic counters I can press into service.

I'd like to have each counter represent a squad or team of infantry or a single vehicle.

For rules, I'll likely tweak MicroBattle for my needs. I am researching rules, looking for some ideas on handling the different weapon types. For example, how can I include helicopters and RPGs? Also, how do I adjust the rules so that guerrillas have a fighting chance against regular force? I welcome any suggestions!

Rather than battling in the Rockies, like Red Dawn, I may set battles in my home state of Florida. Perhaps a Cuban invasion in support of the main Soviet effort.