Andreivian Tales

07 December 2014

Matrix Game, Turn 1, Argument 4

Andy Canham came back quickly with this argument on behalf of the Andreivian Turks:

ACTION: Today, acting with support from the command and control of the Dvimim Naval Military Academy, the Black Sea Fleet Marines have secured the port facilities at Mdinar, enabling support for the peoples of Andreivia against the aggression of the Ottoman forces and their NATO allies. However, in an unfortunate series of events in the crowded shipping offshore, the fleet flagship helicopter carrier and amphibious landing ship "Admiral Kuznetzov" was rammed by the now obsolete battleship "Potemkin". The latter immediately broke in two and sank with the almost total loss of all personnel below decks, while the Ad Kuznetsov has been left badly holed and tilted at a nearly fatal 35 degree angle. From this position, the ship is unable to launch amphibious craft or fly off helicopters.

RESULT: Although this move has ensured effective command and control for amphibious infantry landings and also naval artillery from the destroyers deployed as a peacekeeping force to the area, the loss of the Potemkin has massively reduced ship to shore firepower, while the effective loss of the Ad Kuznetsov has severely limited the ability of the Russians to land troops in the foreseeable future, both from amphibious and heliborne methods. The world-wide syndication of images of the crippled Ad Kuznetsov and the ghostly outline of the remains of the Potemkin in the shallow waters off the mouth of the Krupnehr River are causing consternation in the highest echelons of the Russian hierarchy, with Boris Yeltsin allegedly falling from his chair, spilling his vodka, when he received the news from an aide. In NATO circles, there is immense satisfaction that the bear has got his feet wet, particularly in the higher echelons of the RN and USN.

REASON 1: The Black Sea Fleet is a cadre with high corps morale, and the Andreivan facilities and staff have been indoctrinated in naval fraternity since the days of Imperial Russia, through the days of the Great Patriotic War and in decades of stand offs with the Turks and their NATO allies, although, through years of Soviet miss-management and a focus on the Red Army, maintenance of the naval fleet has been sorely neglected, particularly with poor quality steel components. A PRAVDA spokesman has blamed the total failure of the steering mechanism on the Potemkin, while manoeuvring at high speed, for the collision, although there are dark rumours of sabotage by Crimean nationalists in support of their Andreivian brothers.

REASON 2: The waters in the eastern part of the Black Sea are non-tidal, but the strong currents near the mouth of the Krupnehr cause rapidly shifting sand banks, which the Potemkin was almost certainly trying to negotiate at the time of the collision, a situation which would have been aggravated by the limited visibility arising from coastal fog which is prevalent at the time of the incident.

REASON 3: It will take several weeks for the Russian Navy to replace the Ad Kuznetsov from Murmansk, which will severely limit the mobility of the Russian forces in taking up key positions in Andreiva, with the result that most troop mobility will be by foot.

I agreed with Andy a (possibly generous) "Average" strength for this Argument. It would therefore succeed on a 4+, I rolled the die and got a ... 5 so the collision does indeed take place.

Matrix Game, Turn 1, Argument 3

The third Argument in our Matrix Game comes from Tom Zunder as the Russians:

ACTION: Today, acting with support from the command and control of the Dvimim Naval Military Academy, the Black Sea Fleet Marines have secured the port facilities at Mdinar, enabling support for the peoples of Andreivia against the aggression of the Ottoman forces and their NATO allies.

RESULT: This will ensure effective command and control for amphibious infantry landings and also naval artillery from the destroyers deployed as a peacekeeping force to the area.

REASON 1: The Black Sea Fleet is a cadre with high corps morale, and the Andreivan facilities and staff have been indoctrinated in naval fraternity since the days of Imperial Russia, through the days of the Great Patriotic War and in decades of stand offs with the Turks and their NATO allies.

REASON 2: President Yeltsin made a coherent and passioned speech on TV last night denouncing the rise of a new Ottoman aggression in the area, and pledging Russian peacekeepers to prevent the rise of ethnic cleansing. Flanked by Russian and Armenian Orthodox priests and a Central Asian mullah, Yeltsin pledged a new freedom of conscience in the Confederation of Independent States.

REASON 3: Naval personnel in key positions in Andreiva have historically enjoyed a programme of officer exchange visits with the Soviet Union's Black Sea Fleet, and as such share the concern of all Russians at the outbreak of sectarian strife.

This is a nicely-structured Argument but it does involve a military operation and these must always be risky. I’d start, I think, at Strong (succeeds on a 3+) for a military operation that’s not overly ambitious. I should then come down from there to Average (4+) as the involvement of Andreivian Naval Officers in the operation has not been established in a previous Argument. However, this Argument would get us more Russian boots on the ground and so more for our Russian players to do when we get the toys out so I’m going to use Referee’s executive fiat to leave it at 3+.

The die is still here from last night so let’s roll now… It’s a 3 and the argument succeeds!

29 November 2014

Tcherbevan Tram

Picked this up for a bargain off a well known auction site. Been wanting to get one for ages but always seem to go for a bit too much.

Sold to the Andreivian Transport Authority for use in Tcherbevan in the mid 1950's by the Birmingham City Transport Co. after the system had stopped all services in Birmingham. This tram is the only one left running and operates along the south bank of the Krupnehr linking the capital with the coastal town of Kvish and its sandy beaches.

24 November 2014

Matrix Game, Turn 1, Argument 2

And now we have Argument number 2 from Ian Shaw representing the Andreivian Government!

The Andreivian Government has called upon the Security Council of the United Nations to deploy Blue Beret peacekeepers into Andreivia and to impose a no-fly zone over the country. This may have multiple results:

1. NATO or the Russians veto the request to avoid having UN troops further complicate the situation

or

2. The UN Peacekeepers arrive and de facto cement the Government in place as things stand.

and

3. Either way the legitimacy of the Government is reinforced in the eyes of non-aligned nations.

They can do this because they are the legitimate Government and have a popular mandate and because they are opposing a terrorist campaign.

This is a rather unconventional Argument but I think it is reasonably strong because Ian isn't actually seeking to determine what the result of the vote may be (though the NATO and/or Russian players may feel the need to use up an Argument to determine the result of the vote; or they may just ignore it). As such I determine the Argument to be Very Strong (fails only on a six).

I will now roll a d6.... It's a six! Sorry Ian. :-(

We can only assume there was some kind of dirty dealing in a back-room at the United Nations and for some reason the Andreivian Delegation was unable to call for the vote.

We now move on to Tom Zunder who has stepped in to act as the Russians for this phase of Andreivia's history.

20 November 2014

Matrix Game - Turn 1, Argument 1

The starting positions for the next table-top Andreivian game is to be determined by a Matrix Game of the type invented by Chris Engle.

Pete Jones has made Argument 1 on behalf of the Andreivian Armenians and has been successful. The following Action has taken place and has brought about the stated Result:

ACTION: Our spies in the Northern Hills and at the Airport will make detailed maps and report to the Armenian High Command on strongpoints, gun positions and troop deployments of the Russians.

RESULT: We will gain accurate positions of the Communist Invaders which will enable our artillery to shower them will Raining Fire in the first part of our objective to reclaim our Motherland.

REASON 1: When our glorious Deputy Serj Benkian declared the republic be dissolved last year every Armenian knew it was their duty to repel the Foreign Invaders and protect the Motherland. As they are fighting for what is rightfully theirs they will be fanatically dedicated to the course and go to any measures, risking their lives to scout the area. The Northern Hills give us a good vantage point over the airport with good Lines of sight.

REASON 2: Some of our Armenian brothers who work at the airport are loyal to the cause and remember the Soviet Forces occupying Andreivia after World War 2. They remain working for the Russians giving them the Impression they are no danger and pretend to befriend them. All the time they are plotting their down fall and using their detailed knowledge of the airport to to draw up intricate plans.

REASON 3: The Russians are so busy flying in reinforcements and patrolling the edge of their area they will not be expecting spying from within their boundaries.They are spread very thinly and will rely on local Andrevian workers to help them oblivious to the fact they are loyal to the Andrevian cause.

02 October 2014

Wargamer Generosity

Time after time I've found our hobby to be populated by good people who are incredibly generous with their time and resources.

Last week I asked on the SOTCW forum if anyone would spare some unwanted figures so I could make up Andreivia Lucky Bags. The idea being that people could buy entry to Crisis Point IV, enough figures to make themselves a suitable force, and some background material on the setting. I figured that if four or five people provided a dozen or so plastic figures each we could make up, with what I have spare already, three or four such packs.

This evening I came home to find that John from Glasgow (aka Bannockburn Bhoy on the SOTCW forum) had sent me the following:

That's 131 metal figures! With these we can make up Russian, British and American platoon packs and by adding some of my current stock of plastics and Atlantic Jeeps, a nice Armenian Militia unit too!

All I can say is, "Thank you, John. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and will go some way to ensuring that we make a significant surplus and can make a useful donation to our chosen charity".

30 September 2014

The Andreivian Battle Reports

I thought it might be helpful to have a single location with links to all of the reports of past Andreivian actions. So here they are with the most recent battles first:

Battle For Tcherbevan

http://redstorm2016.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/crisis-point-3-pictures-part-one.html

http://redstorm2016.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/crisis-point-pictures-part-two.html

http://redstorm2016.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/crisis-point-pictures-part-three.html

http://thelandofcounterpane.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/battle-for-tcherbevan-day-one.html

http://thelandofcounterpane.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/more-of-crisis-point-iii.html

http://thelandofcounterpane.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/battle-for-tcherbevan-cast-and-crew-list.html

http://russellphillips.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/battle-for-tcherbevan-crisis-point-iii/

Practice Game

http://thelandofcounterpane.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/a-week-to-go.html

SAS in the Southern Hills

http://thelandofcounterpane.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/holiday-gaming-part-4-arc-of-fire-again.html

Street-fighting in Tcherbevan