The battles against the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan provide a rich mining lode for wargame scenarios. "AK-47" are a set of rules created by a British group called RFCM (Rules For the Common Man), the same group that gives us Peter Pig Miniatures. These rules are intended to cover warfare at the battalion/local warlord level in the Third World from approximately 1955 to about 1990. However with a little work they do well depicting the current times. Some rules have been modified to play this scenario. Please read through these instructions before beginning. This scenario is all set up, ready to play. Do NOT use the political rules for force determination. The scenario's are not intended to be changed or altered. Further, if you look at the available forces for the Taliban player(s) you will note he has 7 units, not the normally allowed 5 units. This is allowed for this scenario. You will need a copy of "AK-47 Republic" and of the rules supplement "AK-47 Supplement" (don't you just love the Brits!) to play. Situation The was against Osama Bin Laden and his Taliban protectors has gone well for the Western Allies. Taliban forces in the northern sector of the country have collapsed and run for the South. Now the Allies need forward air bases in the southern half of the country to continue their bombing campaign against the regrouping enemy. An airfield has been discovered that would suit Allied needs well, but it is held by Taliban forces. Allied special forces will have to go in and take it away from them. (If it makes you feel better, call the airfield the one at Bagram. MB) Rules Changes Please note the following changes and supplement rules that will be used. 1.) Rule 19.13 Close Assault- Allied Special Forces will get an extra +1 to their die if they engage in close assault. This represents the extreme schooling they receive in hand-to-hand fighting. Allied player note: This gives you an automatic +3 in close assault (+1 firer is Professional, +1, +1 for infantry with small arms in close assault, +1 Allied Special Forces in close assault). 2.) All 19.15 Random Effects through Firing are used. 3.) Rule 19.17 Attack Helicopter is used. 4.) Collateral Damage rules from supplement is used. 5.) Ambush rule from the supplement is used. 6.) It is recommended that the victory conditions in section #5 of the AK-47 Supplement be used instead of the basic conditions. 7.) No mine fields used in this scenario. 8.) Allied player is the attacker. 9.) The Taliban player must still determine the type of his Overall Commander. Roll 1d6 and consult the Overall Commander list in rule 14.11 in the AK-47 Supplement. 10.) Rule 14.7 Car bombs and Major Explosions in the supplement is used. 11.) The Reclassification of Troop Types from pg. 16 of the Supplement is used. 12.) Night time Operations from Og. 6 of the Supplement is optional. If used, the attacking player rolls a 1d6 at the beginning of play. A 6 indicates this will be an Allied night action. FORCES: British SAS: All Professionals Unit "Alpha" 4-small arms groups 1-HMG group British SAS Unit "Beta" same Unattached 4 Sniper Groups USN Seal units: All Professionals Unit "Comanche". 4-small arms groups 1-HMG group Unit "Arapaho" same Unit "Pawnee" same Unattached: 1 AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter. Allied Notes. Please remember that sniper groups are independent of units. They move, fire and check morale independently. The Apache helicopter will be considered apart from any other unit. For game purposes it is equipped with 1 tank cannon and an HMG. These two weapons may fire on separate targets. The SAS and/or the Seals can be replaced by US Rangers or Marines. Tallban Units 1st Company "Allarh": Freelance Militia 4 - small arms groups 1 - RPG group 1 - Mortar group. 2nd Company "Allarh" : Clan Militia 4 - small arms groups 1 - RPG group 1 - Mortar group. 3nd Company "Allarh": Hardened Militia 4 - small arms groups 1 - RPG group 1 - Mortar group. 1st Company "Umalla": Freelance Militia 4 - small arms groups 1 - RPG group 1 - Mortar group. 2nd Company "Umalla": Clan Militia 4 - small arms groups 1 - RPG group 1 - Mortar group. 3rd Company "Umalla": Hardened Militia. 4 - small arms groups 1 - RPG group 1 - Mortar group. Pakistani Volunteers: Freelance Militia 4 - small arms groups 1 - truck with HMG and crew. Arab Volunteers: Freelance Militia 4 - small arms groups 1 - truck with HMG and crew. Deployment: Use the regular deployment rules on pg.13 of AK-47 for setting up the forces, but in this scenario the Taliban player will have two units already emplaced on the table. These represent to airfield garrison. The remaining 6 Taliban units must arrive in the usual manner. All Allied units arrive by helicopter insertion. See pg. 14 of AK-47 "Units arriving by Helicopter". Players may use either UK Pumas and/or US Black Hawk models. Snipers may arrive with any Allied unit. They may arrive all at once or scattered as the Allied player sees fit. If the arriving unit is lost, snipers are returned to the Allied pile of units waiting to arrive. However, if the last remaining helicopter borne unit fails it's arrival roll, then any snipers with that unit are not allowed to arrive for the game. The US AH-64 may arrive with any Allied unit. Like the snipers, if the unit escorted fails to arrive, it is placed back into the pile of units awaiting arrival. If the last remaining Allied unit fails it's arrival roll, the AH-64 is not allowed to arrive for the game. MAP Questions Each urban template may contain a maximum of 4 groups. The urban templates marked "Hangars" may contain 6 groups. The area marked RAVINE is considered rough terrain. Groups in the terrain may not fire out, nor be fired upon from outside groups. The Apache MAY fire on groups in the ravine. Map Back to Dispatch January 2002 Table of Contents Back to Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by HMGS Mid-South This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com