Combat cards: late 1970's Africa in 28mm

The battle of Parr's Farm

Here is another game of combat cards, but this time trying out my new Rhodesian and Zipra Across the Zambezi set.

This time we used both the area movement add-on and the new technology cards add-on to give some more period flavour. The technology cards are assigned to units to give them extra abilities, very useful for the asymmetrical warfare between the Rhodesia and ZIPRA. I downloaded the "unit summary cards" from the website, which look like the picture below when filled in.

Unit summary card

Onto the game.

The scenario is about a Rhodesian chopper, downed in Mozambique in 1973.

Both crew from the chopper were thrown clear. The dazed pilot can be seen in the picture below running hither and thither through the bush. Both the Rhodesian armed forces (with the help of some Portuguese Cacadores), and Zipra get 2 VPs for seizing each Chopper pilot before the games end. The game lasts till the second deck of cards runs out.

Below is the Battlefield. Parrs Farm is to the North. A river runs through it, but the pleasant scenery is marred by a downed chopper in the middle. Both sides get 2VP for any quarter of the battlefield that they solely control at the end of the game. Another 2VP is added for contolling the crash site. If you look closely, you can see the battlefield is marked in 4 inch squares. These arse used for line of sight and measuring.

Here the navigator is running for Parr's Farm

From the South though, a squad of ZIPRA infantry, an RPG team and an ancient T34/85 make an appearance. It scares the crocodiles.

A Rhodesian Alouette III finds the downed chopper, and guides a couple of armoured cars to the scene. A stick of Rhodesian light infantry are moving along the river searching for the chopper crew.

A the other end of the river a Zipra technical is also looking for the aircrew. In foreground some mortars are setting up. And look! Joshua Nkomo himself has made an appearance, this must be important.

The chopper circles looking for the enemy.

A squad of Cacadores secure the downed chopper.

Meanwhile to the north a couple of squads of ZIPRA move towards Parr's farm.

An Eland 90 of the The Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment (AKA The Black Devils) moves into the river to support the RLI.

A squad of Caccadores persuade the confused Navigator (who doesn't speak Portuguese) to come to the farm house before he gets overrun by ZIPRA.

Which is made all the more important by the arrival of T55 chugging along the road.

The T55 damages an Eland 60 that cound't get out of the road fast enough.

The ZIRPA Mortar team just misses the RLI in the river, still suppressing (out-of-action) them.

The Aloute III misses everything,

As the technical moves forward, a squad of Cubans can been seen advancing though the trees. Cubans! Ian Smith said this would happen.

So its Eland versus Dushka armed technical, who is going to win this one.

OK, so Elands are not bullet proof after all.

All the while the Alouete III looks for gainful employment

And the RLI sort themselves out after being bombed.

A view across the ZIPRA front lines just before...

a ZIPRA Squad assaults the RLI.

Hand-to-hand combat with both sides convinced they are fighting for freedom. This will be messy. The RLI are Out of Action. How can you tell? Cause that's what it says on the card. Eventually though, they are wiped out.

The helicopter takes it out on the technical

The victorious ZIPRA squad is pinned by fire coming from another RLI squad.

... and a prowling helicopter

Shouting something, i don't know what, I can't speak Nguni

Back up North the Cacadores advance on the field.

...pursuing some ZIPRA, which would be an easy kill

... if a T55 wasn't coming the other way. Theya re pinned.

Tings are getting close, with both sides near breaking point. It looks as though ZIPRA can get an easy to VPs if they can occupy the South-West area.

The T35/85 makes a break for it, but gets too close to the RLI, who assault out of the river.

Kaboom: that is more than Joshua Nkomo can handle, and ZIPRA retreat from Parr's farm.

All is well, except framer Parr's flower beds are ruined.