Israeli Mechanised Company vs Syrian Mechanised Company, Lebanon 2006

This scenario supposed that the Israeli invasion of Lebanon followed a similar path to that of the 1982 invasion and met Syrian forces around the Bekaa Valley. It was a meeting engagement between 2 reinforced mechanised infantry companies.

The Israeli Force (Morale - Professional, Training - Expert)

  • Company HQ - 2 x Zelda2 each carrying 1 Command Rifle Group and 1 Weapons Group with Dragon-2.
  • 1st Platoon - 4 x Zelda2 each carrying 1 Rifle Group and 1 Weapons Group with NT-Gill.
  • 2nd Platoon - 4 x Zelda2 each carrying 1 Rifle Group and 1 Weapons Group with NT-Gill.
  • 3rd Platoon - 4 x Zelda2 each carrying 1 Rifle Group and 1 Weapons Group with NT-Gill.
  • Attached Anti-tank platoon - 4 x Giref ME.

    • The Syrian Force (Morale - Regular, Training - Raw)

  • Company HQ - 1 x BMP2 carrying 2 Rifle Groups, one being the commander.
  • Motor Rifle Platoon - 3 x BMP2 each carrying 2 Rifle Groups.
  • Motor Rifle Platoon - 3 x BMP2 each carrying 2 Rifle Groups.
  • Motor Rifle Platoon - 3 x BMP2 each carrying 2 Rifle Groups.
  • Tank Platoon - 3 x T72M.

    • Here is the table from the south before the opposing forces arrived:

  • The table from the south at the start of the game
  • The woods in the west are all open woods. The buildings all have 2 storeys and flat roofs.
  • Each side had the objectives of ensuring the hamlets were free of enemy while securing passage along the road.

    • Turn 1

  • The Syrians won the initiative and became the Active player first in each turn. The 1st Platoon and the tanks approached to secure the advantage point of the ridge. 3rd Platoon advanced on the nearest wood to secure the western flank. 2nd Platoon and the CHQ used the road to get to the central hamlet and block any Israeli prgress along the road.
  • A platoon of BMPs drive to the central hamlet
  • The Israelis made a bold start. 1st Platoon sought to secure the western flank with a fast move towards the northern wood. 2nd Platoon used the Transit option to rush to the western hamlet via road. These were risky moves if any Syrians were able to fire at them.
  • An Israeli platoon in Zeldas advances quickly on a hamlet
  • 3rd Platoon similarly moved quickly to the eastern hamlet. The CHQ moved cautiously through the southern wood.
  • An Israeli platoon in Zeldas reaches some buildings
  • The anti-tank platoon halted in the open near close to the Israeli baseline ready to target any Syrian movement on the ridge. This was another risk for the Israelis as they could be sitting ducks.

    • Turn 2

  • The T72s reached the ridge and took up turret down positions behind the crest to look for targets before exposing themselves. 1st Platoon took up a flanking position half-way up the slope.
  • A platoon of T72s takes up position behind the crest
  • The leading BMP of 2nd Platoon reached the southern edge of the central hamlet and the platoon halted ready to respond to any Israeli moves in its direction. 3rd Platoon reached the nearside of the wood.
  • A platoon of BMPs in a hamlet
  • The Israeli 1st Platoon slowed to a tactical speed but continued its move towards the far wood. 2nd Platoon reached the central hamlet and the infantry dismounted from the Zeldas.
  • Israeli dismount from their carriers among buildings
  • 3rd Platoon reached the eastern hamlet and also deployed its infantry.
  • Infantry leaves their carriers in a hamlet

    • Turn 3

  • The T72s moved into hull down positions and fired at the Girefs, hitting and destroying one.
  • A platoon of T72s takes moved into hull down positions
  • 1st Platoon crossed the crestline and advanced on the eastern hamlet. 2nd Platoon held its position in the central hamlet. 3rd Platoon deployed its infantry who advanced into the wood
  • Syrian infantry leave their BMPs and enter the wood
  • The Israeli anti-tank platoon passed its morale test and responded to the loss of one vehicle by firing MAPATS at the T72s on the ridge. One missile was dodged, one hit the ridge in front of its target, and the other scored a direct hit on the turret which was promptly removed. 3rd Platoon occupied the buildings on the northern side of the eastern hamlet, deploying weapons groups with their Gills on rooftops.
  • The 1st Platoon reached the northern wood but did not have time to dsmount.
  • A morale test showed that the Syrian tanks were unphased by the loss of one T72.

    • Turn 4

  • The T72s fired at the Israeli anti-tank platoon, destroying another Giref, and decided that they had the advantage in the firefight so held their position on the ridge. 1st Platoon advanced on the hamlet firing its BMPs' 30mm cannons and deploying its infantry in a textbook attack.
  • Syrians infantry and their BMPs advance
  • The infantry of the Syrian 3rd Platoon advanced into the wood followed by its BMPs.
  • Syrian infantry move into a wood followed by their carriers
  • The Syrian 2nd platoon held its position and the Israeli anti-tank platoon passed its morale test - just!
  • The decision by the Syrian commander to keep the tanks on the ridge was shown to be a bad one when the surviving 2 Girefs fired missiles and destroyed both T72s.
  • Knocked out T72s line the ridge
  • The Israeli 3rd Platoon opened fire from in, on and around the buildings with Gills and small arms at the Syrian 1st Platoon. The results were 2 BMPs and 1 infantry group destroyed, 1 infantry group neutralised and 1 infantry group suppressed.
  • A Syrian platoon suffers losses to infantry and vehicles
  • A weapons groups from the Israeli 2nd Platoon on a rooftop spotted the leading BMP of the Syrian 2nd Platoon and destroyed it with a Gill; one of the passenger infantry groups escaped from the vehicle.
  • The infantry of the 1st Platoon dismounted and advanced past their carriers into the wood.
  • Israeli nfantry move into a wood supported by their carriers
  • The Syrian 1st Platoon saw its morale drop by one state to 'Uncertain' but the 2nd Platoon was unaffected by its losses

    • Turn 5

  • The Syrian 1st Platoon's last BMP fired an ATGM at a Giref and scored a kill. The infantry hit the dirt and opened fire on the Israeli 3rd Platoon. Their shooting was first class as they removed a rifle group and a Gill group and suppressed a Gill group.
  • Israeli infantry fight from the eastern hamlet
  • The Syrian 3rd Platoon commenced a firefight in the wood with the Israeli 1st Platoon, suppressing 2 rifle groups.
  • Syrian and Israeli infantry fight in a wood
  • The Syrian 2nd Platoon pulled back from the southern edge of the central hamlet to avoid any more Gills.
  • BMPs use buidlings as cover from Israeli missiles
  • The last Giref saw its morale drop to 'Halt', but the Israeli 3rd Platoon maintained its morale state.
  • The Israeli 3rd Platoon fired destroyed the last BMP of the Syrian 1st Platoon with 3 Gills. The rest of the platoon fired rifles and machine guns suppressing 4 infantry groups.
    • In the west, the Israeli 1st Platoon fired in the wood inflicting 6 hits - 2 kills, 2 neutralisations and 2 suppressions
  • The Syrian advance stalled as both the 1st and 3rd Platoons suffered morale drops to 'Halt'

    • Turn 6

  • The BMPs of the Syrian 3rd Platoon switched targets to fire at the Israeli Zeldas, destroying 2 and suppressing another. Small arms fire inflicted a loss and a suppression on the Israeli infantry.
  • Israeli Zeldas destroyed by Syrian BMPs
  • The Syrian 1st Platoon inflicted a kill and a 2 suppressions on the Israelis to their front. The morale of the Israelis held
  • The Israeli 1st Platoon used its anti-tank weapons to destroy 2 BMPs while the Zeldas fired at the Syrian infantry. Meanwhile the 3rd Platoon inflicted another kill on the Syrian 1st Platoon.
  • These last losses were the last straws for the Syrian 1st and 3rd Platoons who both turned and ran. The Syrian Company morale test was passed but the Syrian commander saw the hopelessness of his situation and gave the order to disengage.

    • Verdict

  • A decisive Israeli victory. The early quick advance paid dividends as it allowed the Israelis to seize good positions. The Syrians failed to exploit their advantage of having a lot of mobile firepower that they should have used to achieve local superiorities, and instead blundered into firefights against larger number of Israelis. The Syrian tanks were handled particularly poorly and should have manoeuvred to avoid the Girefs.

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