Central Front - BAOR - Turn 1 Phase 3

End of Op Phase 3 of turn 1 which equates to about 1200Z on the first day of World War III

The Belgians have won the race to the bridges and have also managed to get 3e Lancers into a blocking position in front of the lead MRR. Means that all my hard work painting Brits up has come to halt as it seems that Belgians are going to be where most of the action is going to be (less the 4 ARMDDIV meeting engagements for 20 & 33 ARMDBDEs

The next turn will see the WP 2nd Echelon armies arriving as well as 12 GTD for 28th Army and 35 MRD trying to push on. 10 MSD should also be able to push the Belgian Screen back as well allowing them to support the flank, but cannot really see them getting into a tangle for the Kassel crossings. 6 MSD I think is going to get a rough handling from the British but will need to watch their flank from the 2nd Ech stuff moving on.

There is a gap opening up between 1 and 4 ARMDDIV which could be exploited but that will need some timing to get right and 12 ARMDBDE may arrive in time to stop that avenue of approach. However, it may be time to launch some air assault now that the Brit deployment is firming up to cause it some problems.


Main problem I have is that I have a birds eye view of both sides and it is too easy to match the moves of one side. I haven't worked up any decision matrices for soloing this proper so it is being done on the fly. But I have managed to get a couple of "realistic" scenarios out of it so far.

Central Front - BAOR - Turn 1 Phase 2 (NATO Ph1)

So the turn of NATO to respond.

I chose to ignore the NATO paralysis rule as I feel that it doesn't appy in 1985.

I have chosen to include some NATO Op graphics to show some possible theoretical deployment areas and use these to force the NATO forces into some realistic game options.  The original BAOR game allowed NATO forces to be intermingled for example the 2nd Panzer Grenadier Division units around Kassel would have been allowed to move into the area southwest of the Harz, ignoring the fact that this was the Belgian zone of Operations.

Anyway, we are where we are on this.  NATO hasn't managed to get as far forward as I would have liked.  FWIW If I do this again I would allow the NATO forces a 6 MP deployment move (but end on their FP Side).

Situation for NATO is a mix of good and bad.

In the North 207 MRD is in for a hard time as it will attract the attention of probably 3 Brigade equivalents of the WG I. Ge Corps forces.  That is what I deployed it there for to draw off forces from the South.

6 MSD is a little bit bogged down facing 9/12L and 10 MSD is having real trouble clearing out the Belgian recce forces.

35 MRD looks the best option for the WP player as it is almost completely unopposed and NATO are going to have to push elements of 4 ARMDDIV hard to contain it.

1 ARMDDIV looks to be in a good position and will be able to hold its sector again if the WP don't swing North in their coming turn.

3 ARMDDIV are suffering from their rear basing but are likely to be able to reach their area while 1 and 4 ARMDDIVs take the brunt of the fighting.

Central Front - BAOR - Turn 1 Phase 2

6 & 10 MSD are suffering from Friction and are stalled somewhat. 6 MSD have now run into 20 ARMDBDE from 4 ARMDDIV
207 MRD is doing its job of being bait.
35 MRD despite showing early promise has now bumped into 33 ARMDBDE from 4 ARMDDIV.

Both sides look tired so probably will call end of turn and we will move to the afternoon of Day 1 with the WP still having air superiority. Whether I decide to throw some air assault in this turn remains to be seen. Both sides are looking for reinforcements, for NATO the next Belgian Brigade is due and the WP the 12 GTD is about to follow up probably behind 35MRD, but as it can be committed last it will reinforce the success (as per doctrine)

Game combats as meeting engagements which might make the table top……
RHG/D and 1 RRW up against the TR and MSR from 6 MSD (might try that as a 2,1 BG (RHG/D) vs the TR and a 2,2 BG (1 RRW) against the MSR or 3,1 RHG/D and 1,2 RRW (if people want to try out the different BG combinations feel free)

SCOTS DG up against an initial thrust by the 35 MRD Ind Tk Bn which has been thrown forward as a Forward Detachment with the 69 MRR adding its bulk to the engagement.

33 MRR/207 MRD against 14 Pz Bn supported by a Coy from the Recce Bn.

Central Front - BAOR - Turn 1 Phase 1

BAOR Campaign – Solo War Diary Race for the Weser

Initial Air Supremacy 21.2 – Decided to replace this with a simple roll off against turn number.  So on Turn 1 they have air supremacy but roll a D6 if the roll equals the turn number they are on then the following turn it is normal Air Supremacy.  This increases the Fog of War as this is being played solo.

21.4 Warsaw Pact March Order.  The deployment into Battle formation should only occur when attacking at least a NATO Battalion.  As such the WP must follow the March order until such a combat occurs.  This keeps the WP loosely aligned with doctrine.  RAG counter does not exist but may be replaced with a SP Arty Bn which can then be stacked with a WP Unit.

21.6 NATO Corps Artillery.  This SSR is not in force as there is no way of assigning the requisite orders to this in real life (AFAIK) so each Nation can only call upon assets of its own nationality.

22.4 Warsaw Pact paradrop options.  With the realignment of the 1 Be Corps units which were based in FRG in 1985 Option B only affects units of 1^st Infantry Division.

Entry Hexes:

WP set up opposite the entry hexes prior to the WP Pre-Emptive strike rolls.

207 MRD will enter in one column using:

2751 :41 MRR, 33 MRR, DAG, Ind Tk, AT, 400MRR, 16G TR

6 MotorSchutzenDivision enter in two columns using:

1246: 61MRR, 63 MRR

1247: 62MRR, 62 TR, DAG, Ind Tk, AT

10 MotorSchutzenDivision enter in one column using:

0644 : 103 MRR, 101 MRR, DAG, Ind Tk, AT, 102 MRR, 10 TR

35 MRD enter in one column using:

0944 : 64 MRR, 69 MRR, DAG, Ind Tk, AT, 83 MRR, 219 TR

SSR 21.5 Warsaw Pact Pre-Emptive Strike.  The WP elected to conduct strikes against:

Celle/Scheuen

331      (6-1=5) down to a 4 as it is a battalion

333      (2-1=1)

334      (2-1=1)

Braunschweig

21        (4-1=3)

22        (4-1=3)

23        (3-1=2)

25        (1-1=0)

Hildesheim

1 RTR (1-1=0)

1 AAC (5-4=4)

14        (4-1=3)

11        (2-1=1)

Augustdorf

211      (2-1=1)

212      (6-1=5) down to 4 as it is a battalion

213      (2-1=1)

214      (3-1=2)

215      (3-1=2)

217      (5-1=4)

7 Aufkl (6-1=5) down to 4 as it is a battalion

Paderborn

1 QLR (1-1=0)

3 RHA (1-1=0)

3 RTR (1-1=0)

Detmold

4/7 DG            (5-1=4)

RHG/D            (2-1=1)

4 AAC (1-1=0)

Air Power Segment (4) so WP will have Air Superiority next turn as well.

12 AP

1 Interdiction Point 3942, 3936, 3521, 3520, 1130, 1131, 2101, 2901, 3939

Situation at the end of the WP 1st Movement Phase.

Central Front - BAOR Variant (West German Update)

Following in this four parter (Warsaw Pact will be part 4) is the update for the West Germans.  This update is needed because:

• The game concept allows WG forces from both I Ge Korps and III Ge Korps to commit troops into the 1st British Corps area rather than make them occupy their own "historical" deployment areas.
• Unit designations for Heerstruktur4 formations need updating as does start locations.

The update is as follows:

• Change the Covering force screen assignments as for the British.  This then places 1st Pz and 11th Pz in roughly the correct place.  As the detail is on the British page it isn't updated here.

I (Ge) Corps
16	Attack Helicopter	Hex 3640	12	New
130	Engineer	Hex 3620 (1)	12
1. PanzerDivision
11/1	Artillery Battalion	Hex 3334 (2)	12
12/1	Rocket Artillery	GT1 : 3931	9
1. PanzerGrenadierBrigade
11/1	Mech Inf (Mixed)	Hex 2336	12	Change
12/1	Mech Inf	Hex 0935	12
13/1	Mech Inf	Hex 3248	12	Change
14/1	Armour	Hex 2336	12	Change
15/1	SP Arty	Hex 1826	12
2. PanzerBrigade
21/1	Armour (Mixed)	Hex 2345 (2)	12	Change
22/1	Mech Inf	Hex 2345 (2)	12	Change
23/1	Armour	Hex 2345 (2)	12	Change
24/1	Armour	Hex 2345 (2)	12	Change
25/1	SP Arty	Hex 2345 (2)	12	Change
11. PanzerGrenadierDivision
331/11	Armour (Mixed)	Hex 3943 (1)	12	Change
332/11	Mech Inf	Hex 3248	12	Change
333/11	Armour	Hex 3943 (1)	12	Change
334/11	Armour	Hex 3943 (1)	12	Change
335/11	SP Arty	Hex 3648 (1)	12	Change
7. PanzerDivision (NORTHAG RESERVE)
211/7	Armour (Mixed)	Hex 2612 (1)	12	Change
212/7	Mech Inf	Hex 2612 (1)	12
213/7	Armour	Hex 2612 (1)	12
214/7	Armour	Hex 2612 (1)	12
215/7	SP Arty	Hex 2612 (1)	12
AufKl/7	Armd Cav	Hex 2612 (1)	12
2. PanzerGrenadierDivision (III (Ge) Corps
21/2	Artillery Battalion	GT 1 : 0116	6
22/2	Rocket Artillery	GT 1 : 0116	6
4. PanzerGrenadierBrigade
41/2	Mech Inf (Mixed)	Hex 0627 (1)	12	Change
42/2	Mech Inf	Hex 0119	12	Change
43/2	Mech Inf	Hex 0627 (1)	12
44/2	Armour	Hex 0627 (1)	12
45/2	SP Arty	Hex 0627 (1)	12
6. PanzerBrigade
61/2	Armour (Mixed)	Hex 0911 (1)	12	Change
62/2	Mech Inf	Hex 0513 (1)	12	Change
63/2	Armour	Hex 0911 (1)	12	Change
64/2	Armour	Hex 0513 (1)	12	Change
65/2	SP Arty	Hex 0911 (1)	12	Change

• What is still to do:

• Work out how any other element of 1st Panzer Division will need to be handled
• Add the Jaeger Bns (if required) there are two on the map in the North
• Finalise the GT1 entry locations

Central Front - BAOR Variant (Belgian Update)

Following on from the update for the 1st British Corps units, I did the same for the Belgian forces assigned in the game.  The update includes:

• Changes to the Covering forces structure to align with more feasible boundaries but as this has been covered on the British page is not replicated here)
• Units located around Soest in the FRG now arrive on GT1 along with their UK counterparts.
• General update on the other Belgian units.

Belgian Update:

1 (Be) Corps
6 FA/Be	SP Artillery	GT 1 : 2101	12
17 FA/Be	SP Artillery	GT 3 : 0101	9
20 FA/Be	Artillery Battalion	GT 1 : 2101	12
3 LANCERS/Be	Armour	Hex 0911 (1)	12
1st Infantry Division
1st Mechanised Brigade
2 LANCERS/1	Armour	GT 4 : 2101	9
1 KAR/1	Mech Inf	GT 4 : 2101	9
1 BEV/1	Mech Inf	GT 4 : 2101	9
18 FA/1	SP Arty	GT 4 : 2101	9
7th Mechanised Brigade
1 LANCERS/1	Armour	GT 5 : 0101	9
1 ARDENNES/1	Mech Inf	GT 5 : 0101	9
12 LINE/1	Mech Inf	GT 5 : 0101	9
1 FA/1	SP Arty	GT 4 : 0101	9
16th Infantry Division
4th Mechanised Brigade
4 LANCERS/16	Armour	GT 1 : 2101	9
1 GREN/16	Mech Inf	GT 1 : 2101	9
5 LINE/16	Mech Inf	GT 1 : 2101	9
2 FA/1	SP Arty	GT 1 : 2101	9
17th Armoured Brigade
1 GUIDES/16	Armour	GT 2 : 0101	9
2 GUIDES/16	Armour	GT 2 : 0101	9
1 CY/16	Mech Inf	GT 2 : 0101	9
2 CY/16	Mech Inf	GT 2 : 0101	9
19 FA/16	SP Arty	GT 2 : 0101	9

What is still to do:

• Finalise the unit designations.
• Add more info as and when it arrives.
• Finalise the GT entry locations

Central Front - BAOR Variant (British Update)

I have had BAOR since 1981 and in fact it was the first proper board game I ever purchased.  It is however dated and definitely didn't reflect the BAOR I joined in 1983.

This is the Variant for 1984/85 period games. It has the following updates:

• Removal of the Task Force structure and reorganisation into 3 Armoured Divisions. 
• The original game has five major battalion sized units in each division and the pre 1981 force structures for those units.
• 2nd Armoured Division becomes 2nd Infantry Division (2 INFDIV) and has the job of providing security for the Rear Comms Zone (RCZ).
• 3rd Armoured Division (3 ARMDDIV) has an experimental organisation and has the role of securing the Corps Rear Area. It has one Armoured Brigade, one Infantry Brigade and the last brigade is testing out the Airmobile Concept with 2 Airmobile infantry battalions with an increased establishment (Trial) of 40 Milan Firing Posts
• Elements of the Belgian army were located in the area around Soest in close proximity with 3 ARMDDIV and as such should be available as reinforcements irrespective of WP Air Assault options.
• The West German structures should reflect Heerstruktur 4 of which more information is now available.  Subordination and starting locations require to be updated.
• The Soviet forces require some changes to reflect what we now know about the intent of GSFG and also the structure of the follow on forces.  In addition the East German Army (NVA) doesn't feature.
• 1st Armoured Division.  The original game didn't have 1st Armoured Division (1 ARMDDIV) in it at all.  The assumption I think was that North German Plain (NGP) would cover this formation. However, the 1st Br Corps area should have been where 1 ARMDDIV would have been expected to operate. 
• 1 ARMDDIV & 4 ARMDDIV each have 3 Armoured Brigades each with a mix of 3 Armoured units or Mechanized Infantry.

So with those minor changes to be incorporated this is my take on things
By 1984 BAOR restructuring:

• NATO Covering Force has been removed completely and is replaced with the following divisional assignments:
• 1st Armoured Division Tracked Reconnaissance Regiment (13/18H) moved to 1746, 1649, 1543 & 1546.
• 4th Armoured Division Tracked Reconnaissance Regiment (9/12L) moved to 1940, 1942, 1139 & 1141.
• Other Changes are shown for completeness but will be included in their nationality section
• 2nd Panzer Division Panzeraufklarungsabteilung units in 0225, 0229 & 0124
• 11th Panzer Division Panzeraufklarungsabteilung added with Company sized Screen Units in 3849, 3649 & 3150
• 1st Panzer Division Panzeraufklarungsabteilung moved to 2650, 2449 & 2049.
• Belgian Forces (1st Jagers te Paard) 0739, 0540, 0436 & 0338.
• Belgian Forces (4th Chasseurs a Cheval) 0434, 0429, 0328 & 0232.

1 (Br) Corps
5 Hvy	SP Arty	GT1 : 2901	12	Change
32 Hvy	SP Arty	GT1 : 2901	9	New
39 Hvy	SP Arty	GT1 : 2901	9	New
1st Armoured Division
1 RHA/1	SP Arty	GT1: 3942	6	Change
4/1	SP Arty	GT1: 3937	6	Change
45/1	SP Arty	GT1: 3942	6	Change
1 AAC/1	Attack Heli	Hex 2433 (1)	12	Change
7th Armoured Brigade
RH/1	Armour	GT1 : 3937	6	Change
2 RTR/1	Armour	GT1 : 3937	6	Change
3 QUEENS/1	Mech Inf	GT1 : 3937	6	Change
12th Armoured Brigade
4 RTR/1	Armour	GT 1 : 3903	6	Change
GH/1	Mech Inf	GT 1 : 3903	6	Change
1 I RANG/1	Mech Inf	GT 1 : 3903	6
22nd Armoured Brigade
QOH/1	Armour	GT 1 : 3942	6	Change
1 RTR/1	Armour	Hex 2433 (1)	12	Change
1 WG/1	Mech Inf	GT 1 : 3942	6	Change
3 RGJ/1	Mech Inf	Hex 3742	12	Change
4th Armoured Division
3 RHA/4	SP Arty	Hex 2211 (1)	12	Change
27/4	SP Arty	Hex 2304	12	Change
47/4	SP Arty	Hex 3006	12	Change
4 AAC/4	Attack Heli	Hex 2516 (1)	12	Change
11th Armoured Brigade
3 RTR/4	Armour	Hex 2020 (1)	12	Change
3 R ANG/4	Mech Inf	Hex 3620 (1)	12	Change
2 RGJ/4	Mech Inf	Hex 3620 (1)	12	Change
20th Armoured Brigade
RHG/D/4	Armour	Hex 2615	12	Change
4/7 DG/4	Armour	Hex 2715	12	Change
1 RRW/4	Mech Inf	Hex 2917	12	Change
33rd Armoured Brigade
SCOTS DG/4	Armour	Hex 2212 (1)	12	Change
1 R SCOTS/4	Mech Inf	Hex 2016	12	Change
1 QLR/4	Mech Inf	Hex 2210 (1)	12	Change
3rd Armoured Division
2/3	SP Arty	GT1 : 3909	6	Change
19/3	SP Arty	GT1 : 3909	6	Change
3 AAC/3	Attack Heli	GT1 : 2201	6	Change
4th Armoured Brigade
17/21L/3	Armour	GT1 : 3909	6	Change
QRIH/3	Armour	GT1 : 3909	6	Change
1 IG/3	Mech Inf	GT1 : 3909	6	Change
1 AAC/1	Attack Heli	Hex 2433 (1)	12	Change
6th Airmobile Brigade
2 LI/3	Airmobile Inf	GT1 : 1801	6	Change
GORDONS/3	Airmobile Inf	GT1 : 1801	6	Change
19th Infantry Brigade
2 R ANG/3	Type A Inf	GT 2 : 2901	6	Change
1 KOSB/3	Type A Inf	GT 2 : 2901	6	Change
1 STAFFS/3	Type A Inf	GT 2 : 2901	6	Change
40/3	Artillery Battalion	GT 2 : 2901	6	Change

So what haven't I included (yet):

• The BAOR reinforcements from both the TA and the Regular Army.
• 2 INFDIV other than mentioning that their sector is the Comms Zone.  As they were UK based I might try them as an optional unit later.
• The twelfth Armoured Regiment.  There are 11 accounted for above therefore I am missing one somewhere. And also unsure about 1 RTR which would have been part of 6th Armoured Brigade before the trial.  Might see about assigning it to 19 INFBDE later.
• A Tracked Reconnaissance Regiment for 3 ARMDDIV which would have to been mobilised from the UK as a GT4 reinforcement
• Chinook and Puma units to enable 6th Airmobile Brigade (6 AIRMOBBDE) to operate