I Counted Them All Out…. . . and if I hadn`t been too busy being seasick, I`d have counted `em all back in again.
Two nights ago, I watched two Sea King helicopters take off from the decks of HMS Inedible in the dying light of the South Atlantic dusk. It is now safe to say that aboard were two bricks of SAS troops headed for the the mainland of South America.
Two four man bricks of SAS troopers were tasked with destroying the enemy air facilities at Los Ribenos, the closest air base posing a threat to the South Atlantic Task Force. The base was thought to house stocks of the infamous EXOCET missile capable of destroying a ship.
The SAS gained covert entry to the airfield after an arduos approach march attacking over the Chippolata Mountains. The long flight from the HMS Inedible and subsequent tab left little time for a close recce of the airbase. Upholding their "Who Dares Wins" motto, the SAS troopers made one last check of their weapons before breaking through the perimeter fence at two points.
The first M203 grenade launcher rounds took out the ROLAND AA position. The following firestorm left the Control Tower, AA Control Hut and Guardroom all damaged. The Argies at the Control tower and AA Control ran for it whilst those at the guardroom dug in for a fight. The heavy AA gun on the guardroom roof opened up and was not going to be put out of action easily.
At this point, the Argies at the Motor Pool woke up and decided to join the party as did a group of reluctant Argies at the Green Shed. Meanwhile, a jeep full of Air Force officer types returning from the local hotspots turned up at the front gate; their jeep was instantly shot up but they hit cover and returned fire. With hot lead flying in all directions, Brick no.2 was now stalled and pinned down in a firefight.
Up at the west end of the airfield, Brick no.1 were merrily planting charges and setting fuses on parked Mirages and A4 SkyRaiders. With a hefty kick from size 11 boots DMS, Shamaq Sid forced entry into the Black Shed, overwhelming the surprised occupants and laying explosives amongst the piled EXOCETS.
Back at the main gate, Charlie G and his brick were not chuffed to hear an APC with two fireteams of local conscripts clank up the road. The APC was taken out right away by a `66 from Pete Pig. Charlie G was forced back into a gun pit where he was joined by Steve Short, who finally nailed that troublesome AA gun.
With charges all laid, Brick no.1 formed a skirmish line and worked their way through the airfield to where Brick no.2 was laid up. An armoured car careered through the gate to be met by a hail of LAWs; alarmingly all of which missed.
Shamaq Sid scored a mobility hit with the last of the 66's; as the crew scampered, No.2 brick cleared out the remaining Argies at the gate. With the sound of choppers approaching from the sea, it was time to break contact ....the last sounds the SAS troopers heard before they were whiked away to safety were a satisfying number of loud explosions as the Control Tower, Very Seceret Black Shed and 3 of the 4 aircraft all disappeared in bright orange balls of flame.
The figures all came from Peter Pigs AK47 range; the Argies were the pack described as berets with G3`s, the APC being a wayward Bulldog and the armoured car a Panhard 90mm. The ROLAND AA was a Battle Machines toy missile launcher, whilst the aircraft were from the local toyshop at £2.00 each.
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© Copyright 1999 by Craig Martelle Publications
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