MIKE’S LOG
Mission Briefing
The Congo, 1964. It’s a ‘Race for the Wreckage!’. Two pilots of a fixed-wing spy plane have gone down whilst flying on a northern flight path to investigate Paulis, rumoured to be a Cuban base. These two pilots must be recovered. The plan is to follow the flight path by land. The route will follow possible crash sites at Albertville on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, then inland to Kindu, Stanleyville and finally Paulis. The Task Force assembled for this mission at Elizabethville, the Merc (mercenary) Base, consists of:
Leader Mike (command & signal)
1 Armoured Car Section (recon)
2 Commando Platoons (transported in jeeps)
1 Heavy Weapon Platoon (heavy weapons mounted on half tracks)
1 Sapper Section (combat engineers)
1 Supply Column (various logistical vehicles)
1 Fixed-wing Air Strike (on-call air power)
Mission Briefing
The Congo, 1964. It’s a ‘Race for the Wreckage!’. Two pilots of a fixed-wing spy plane have gone down whilst flying on a northern flight path to investigate Paulis, rumoured to be a Cuban base. These two pilots must be recovered. The plan is to follow the flight path by land. The route will follow possible crash sites at Albertville on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, then inland to Kindu, Stanleyville and finally Paulis. The Task Force assembled for this mission at Elizabethville, the Merc (mercenary) Base, consists of:
Leader Mike (command & signal)
1 Armoured Car Section (recon)
2 Commando Platoons (transported in jeeps)
1 Heavy Weapon Platoon (heavy weapons mounted on half tracks)
1 Sapper Section (combat engineers)
1 Supply Column (various logistical vehicles)
1 Fixed-wing Air Strike (on-call air power)
Operation 1
Led by the armoured cars, The Task Force drives out of Elizabethville and heads north. Likasi is passed through without incident, but sporadic fire erupts at Inner Katanga! Three small units of Simbas (Congolese quasi-communist rebels), have attempted to ambush the column. After a brief long-range firefight, the superior Merc firepower drives off the Simbas. They melt into the boonies leaving a number of dead behind.
Leader Frederic later joins from Merc Base. He says that the wreckage of the spy plane has been located near the runway of the Albertville airfield! He also says there’s turmoil in central Congo and its a good thing the Task Force does not need to carry out operations at Kindu because a massacre has just taken place in that town!
Operation 2
The armoured cars attempt a recon on Albertville but fail to discover any OPFOR (opposing forces). The Task Force drives towards the town. The bridge across the Kalemie River is in disrepair and will not take the weight of the halftracks. The sappers reinforce the bridge, allowing the heavy vehicles to pass. The Task Force heads for the airfield, locates the crash-landed spy plane and find the two pilots in the hands of UN Peacekeepers!
Operation 3
The Task Force heads back south towards Elizabethville. The two pilots are transported in a truck belonging to the supply column. The site of the previous firefight is passed at Inner Katanga. Spent cartridges are everywhere but no sign of any bodies. As the Task Force hits the boonies of Likasi, three medium-sized units of Simbas are spotted coming from the direction of the town of Kongolo. Mercs move to intercept what must be a raid. Hard fight in open terrain. Sappers attempt to dislodge unit in cover behind road embankment with satchel charges. They are hit hard with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles. Vehicles are destroyed and there are KIA. Supporting commando platoon panics and falls back. OPFOR casualties mount and they finally withdraw, pursued by the armoured cars and hit by long-range heavy weapons fire.
Operation 4
The task force returns to Elizabethville and the two pilots are safely recovered.
Mission Debriefing
This should have been classified as an easy and successful mission but for the loss of the poor sappers who lost their lives during that act of bravery by the roadside.
Summary
Congo Merc has many aspects I look for in a game: solitaire; unit selection before each mission; combined arms options; high replay-ability; historical; loads of atmosphere ... just shows that size does not always count!
I have designed a Quick Play Card including fifteen Reminder Markers to help with the flow of the game. I have kept my components as 'neutral' as possible so they don't clash with the game graphics.
More information at: decisiongames.com
Led by the armoured cars, The Task Force drives out of Elizabethville and heads north. Likasi is passed through without incident, but sporadic fire erupts at Inner Katanga! Three small units of Simbas (Congolese quasi-communist rebels), have attempted to ambush the column. After a brief long-range firefight, the superior Merc firepower drives off the Simbas. They melt into the boonies leaving a number of dead behind.
Leader Frederic later joins from Merc Base. He says that the wreckage of the spy plane has been located near the runway of the Albertville airfield! He also says there’s turmoil in central Congo and its a good thing the Task Force does not need to carry out operations at Kindu because a massacre has just taken place in that town!
Operation 2
The armoured cars attempt a recon on Albertville but fail to discover any OPFOR (opposing forces). The Task Force drives towards the town. The bridge across the Kalemie River is in disrepair and will not take the weight of the halftracks. The sappers reinforce the bridge, allowing the heavy vehicles to pass. The Task Force heads for the airfield, locates the crash-landed spy plane and find the two pilots in the hands of UN Peacekeepers!
Operation 3
The Task Force heads back south towards Elizabethville. The two pilots are transported in a truck belonging to the supply column. The site of the previous firefight is passed at Inner Katanga. Spent cartridges are everywhere but no sign of any bodies. As the Task Force hits the boonies of Likasi, three medium-sized units of Simbas are spotted coming from the direction of the town of Kongolo. Mercs move to intercept what must be a raid. Hard fight in open terrain. Sappers attempt to dislodge unit in cover behind road embankment with satchel charges. They are hit hard with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles. Vehicles are destroyed and there are KIA. Supporting commando platoon panics and falls back. OPFOR casualties mount and they finally withdraw, pursued by the armoured cars and hit by long-range heavy weapons fire.
Operation 4
The task force returns to Elizabethville and the two pilots are safely recovered.
Mission Debriefing
This should have been classified as an easy and successful mission but for the loss of the poor sappers who lost their lives during that act of bravery by the roadside.
Summary
Congo Merc has many aspects I look for in a game: solitaire; unit selection before each mission; combined arms options; high replay-ability; historical; loads of atmosphere ... just shows that size does not always count!
I have designed a Quick Play Card including fifteen Reminder Markers to help with the flow of the game. I have kept my components as 'neutral' as possible so they don't clash with the game graphics.
More information at: decisiongames.com
| Congo Merc Quick Play Card.pdf |
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