Chinese Mechanised Company vs Indian Mechanised Company, Ladakh, 2014
A further scenario from our border war campaign between China and India. A mechanised force from each side is tasked with seizing a group of objectives in a meeting engagement. This is one of the game options we suggest with the entry for each side being staggered at different rate. All models are 1/300 by Heroics & Ros. The buildings are from ebay.
The Chinese Force (Morale - Regular, Training - Trained)
Company HQ - 1 x ZBD04 carrying the Commander
1st Platoon - 3 x ZBD04 each carrying 2 x Rifle Groups
2nd Platoon - 3 x ZBD04 each carrying 2 x Rifle Groups
3rd Platoon - 3 x ZBD04 each carrying 2 x Rifle Groups
Attached Tank Platoon - 3 x ZTZ96A
Artillery Support - 1 x jeep carrying an Artillery Observation Officer observing for a divisional battery of 6 155mm guns howitzers
The Indian Force (Morale - Regular, Training - Trained)
Company HQ - 2 x BMP2 Sarath each carrying a Commander.
1st Platoon - 4 x BMP2 Sarath each carrying 2 x Rifle Groups
2nd Platoon - 4 x BMP2 Sarath each carrying 2 x Rifle Groups
Tank Platoon - 3 x T72 Arjeya
Artillery - 1 x jeep carrying an Artillery Observation Officer observing for a divisional battery of 6 x 130mm guns
Here is a view of the table from the south - the Indian entry edge - before any troops had entered. The objectives, each marked with a small red counter, were the road junction, a building in each village, the eastern-most ridge, the north side of the wood and a point on the road to the north. Each side would gain points for capturing an objective with more points being awarded for objectives nearer the enemy baseline. The hill close to the Chinese baseline had steep slopes and there were 3 areas of broken ground.
The first unit to enter was the Chinese tank platoon which moved into a good field of fire near to the steep hill.
The Indians led with their tanks too. The T72s got fleeting shots at the ZTZ96s but failed to achieve any hits.
The T72s were accompanied by the AOO in his jeep who drove rapidly to the wood to get into cover.
The ZTZ96s returned fire on the T72s inflicting 1 kill and a drop in the Indian platoon's morale.
The second wave of Chinese entered in the form of the 1st mechanised platoon and the AOO who headed for the village in the west.
The T72s halted to get better shots at the ZTZs and were rewarded with 2 kills, reducing the Chinese platoon's morale too.
The Indian 1st platoon arrived on the table and made a rapid advance towards the eastern-most ridge.
The Chinese 1st platoon reached the western village and its infantry piled out of the ZBDs.
The Chinese 2nd platoon entered the table and moved towards the central village.
The Indian CHQ and 2nd Platoon entered the fray and moved forward using the central ridge for cover.
The Indian 1st platoon moved its Saraths into hull down postions along the eastern ridge and fired 30mm cannons at the ZBDs of the Chinese 1st platoon advancing towards them.
Superb shooting meant that they destroyed 2 of the ZBDs and neutralised the other.
The remaining ZTZ96 passed its motivation test and advanced to fire at a T72, destroying the opposing tank.
The good shooting by the Indian 1st platoon had not gone unnoticed by the Chinese 1st platoon around the western village. An ATGM went rapidly towards the ridge and hit home on a Sarath's turret to put it out of action permanently.
The Chinese CHQ and 3rd platoon arrived and advanced cautiously in the shadow of the steep hill.
The Saraths of the Indian 1st platoon fired ATGMs to destroy 3 ZBDs, 2 in the Chinese 1st platoon and the last one in 1st platoon. The Indian position on the ridge was enabling them to fire onto the Chinese with major effect and had to be dealt with. The Chinese AOO made a plea for support and was rewarded with an accurate barrage of DPICM that destroyed a Sarath and 2 rifle groups.
We decided to take stock and look at the overall situation half-way through the 8 turns allowed for the game.
The Indians were getting bogged down around the ridges so the Chinese took the initiative and the 3rd platoon advanced quickly towards the wood.
The Chinese 2nd platoon, despite its heavy losses and failing morale inched toward the central village until the Indian 2nd platoon moved into a firing postion and halted it with automatic fire. The Chinese artillery was asked to continue its fire but instead shifted to another target giving the Indians some respite.
The ZTZ96 covered the advance of 3rd platoon as it reached the wood and the infantry dismounted from the ZBD04s.
Under fire from the ridge the Chinese 2nd platoon could take no more and broke. The T72 passed its motivation and advanced to take position on the road junction challenging the Chinese infantry moving through the wood to take the objective. The Indian 3rd platoon fired at the ZBD04s of the Chinese 3rd platoon still near the wood and neutralised one vehicle. A desperate request for artillery from an Indian commander was rejected.
The Indians on the ridge received fire from the last ZTZ losing a pair of Saraths.
The Chinese infantry advanced through the wood towards the road junction as the game drew to a finish
Verdict
At the end the Indians were holding 2 objectives while the Chinese could claim 3. The objective in the central village was never captured by either side. The objedctive in the wood was also in the Indian half of the table so counted double for the Chinese to give them a convincing win. The Indians seized a commanding position but became too static and the Chinese artillery barrage was a game-changer. By contrast the Indian artillery was poorly used mainly because the Indian AOO was unable to get the good vantage point his early arrival on the table should have ensured he had.