Afghanistan 1980 - Xenos Rampant

Another run out of Xenos Rampant we wanted to push the rules a little further and picked on the scenario of a Russian Armoured column pushing into an Afghan town to rescue a downed helo crew. A Soviet version of Black Hawk Down if you will.

The Mi8 crew were pinned down with fighters closing in using the nearby compounds as cover to get close to the crew, the pilot and his comrades were not able to moved until they were reached by their rescuers.

The armoured column planned to sweep through the town but found their entry into town blocked by enemy armour which forced them to swing left and right off the tarmac surface. MBT's exchanged fire which left burning hulks on both sides. Wheeled vehicles ran the risk of bogging in the soft sand. Around every corner RPG's and HMG rounds seemed to find a Russian target, not enough to kill but to chip away at the advancing Russians.

The Soviets called in air support to help the rescue mission trying to get ahead of the rapidly closing irregulars.

As the Soviets entered the clearing with the down help they were confronted by a battered T72 who disabled a BMP causing the infantry to bail out. The Soviets were insight of the crew but before the could move to rescue them the crew were captured by the Mujahideen and were being forced at gun point away into the interior of the town.

Spetnaz dropped in to a nearby rooftop but were under fire from the deadly HMG who inflicted a number of casualties on the specialists. An aging PT76 tried to chase the hostage takers but it was peppered by RPG rounds as it attempted to close with gap.

Time was running out the for the Soviets stripped of much of their armour and the pilots dragged into the narrow streets and alleys the remaining infantry were in danger of also becoming prisoners of the Mujahideen 

It's fantastic to finally bring this game collection to the table after my friend had it stashed away for over 20 years. 

The rules are a blast—quick to play, with a plenty of toys on the table, and they really capture the essence of the modern encounters to my eye. We've once again learned that armour is extremely vulnerable in urban settings, and light infantry can be decimated if caught in the open by heavy weapons. Both scenarios seemed reasonable to me.

The helicopter statistics could use a minor adjustment to enhance their speed and combat radius.

Although the rules are set for 24 points, they're adaptable enough to accommodate larger units and formations within an evening's gaming session. I'm confident there will be many more games to come.