I recently played my first game of Lock ‘n Load’s new game, “Raid and Riposte” which was featured in their latest issue of “Line of Fire” (issue 12 for those of you keeping count).
Raid & Riposte is a light wargame based on an event in designer Mark H. Walker’s novel, “World at War: Revelation”, which took place during a fictional invasion of Western Europe by the Warsaw Pact in 1985. The game is centered on the Soviets’ attempt to defend the captured West German city of Tanenhause from a NATO counter-attack. It features a pretty interesting set of game mechanics like action points, assaults and units with special abilities, all of which encourage players to use combined arms tactics to achieve their goals.
LnL’s “Raid And Riposte” |
This AAR is a report of my first time playing this game. I’m the NATO player and Kev Sharp took the role of the defending Soviets. At times, we were forced to muddle our way through the rules to determine if we were doing things right and I think we largely succeeded. Here’s the turn by turn report:
The West German M48 tanks approach the city of Tanenhause. |
Turn 1: The Soviets have a lot of equipment pointing towards my measly tank force. My two West German M48 platoons, along with the Luchs recon element, move their way towards the city. I’ve decided to basically get the M48s in a position where they can fire at the city from long range and hopefully do enough damage to help the following waves of NATO units behind them.
Unfortunately, one of the M48 gets suppressed by a Hind helicopter. I’ve noticed that the Soviets don’t have much protecting the north side of the city so I send my remaining M48 towards Tanenhause in hopes of making some sort of progress.
An Mi-24 Hind helicopter suppresses a W. German M48 |
Not wanting to leave the Luchs out in the open, I decide to bring it into the light forest area to give it some cover.
I move up my M48 towards Tanenhause, hoping to absorb some hits so that the reinforcements can safely enter the map later on.
With the help of an airstrike, the Soviet BMD assaults the Luchs. |
The West German infantry approaches the outskirts of Tanenhause. |
Turn 3:
Again, the West Germans pour infantry at Tanenhause and again they are met with overwhelming force from the Soviets. NATO is attempting to crack the egg but it seems impossible! Kev wipes out another West German infantry unit.
Luckily, the Soviets pull some of their units out of the northern sector of the city and the West Germans jump in, happy to be out of the open. This joy is short-lived, however, when the Soviets counter-attack into the northern part of the city, using air strikes to add to the hurt. The West German infantry pull back to the west, panicked and miserable.
The West Germans get a temporary break as they capture the north of Tanenhause. |
The Americans come on the board from the south. |
Turn 4:
Disaster! As the Americans rush out into the open, a Soviet Hind attack helicopter appears, blasting away an American infantry platoon. Private Hudson is killed instantly.
Turn 5:
NATO finally gains a foothold in the city after an assault. |
With only two turns left, it’s no time to play gingerly so I follow up the previous assault with another one and push the Soviets back yet again. The Americans now have control over the vital bridge that leads deeper into Tanenhause. After spilling much blood, things are finally looking up for NATO.
The West Germans follow up in the north area of the city while the US takes the south. There is a combined West German and US force on the bridge and it will lead the main assault on the rest of the city.
NATO follows up its initial success with a second successful assault to capture the bridge. |
The W. German HQ unit sits in the northwest and feeds its action points to friendly units. |
Col. Petrova and her boys enter from the east. |
Turn 7: (Last Turn)
The Soviets make a push for the bridge after suppressing and eliminating some of my M60 tank units. The assault is unsuccessful but I believe it has taken enough wind out of my sails to make victory impossible at this point. More airstrikes, assaults, and firing from NATO. No results.
Finally, the Spetsnaz make an assault on my lone West German infantry unit on the bridge and they retake area 19. NATO is pushed back to the edge of the city. As a point of pride, I retake the bridge easily with multiple units but the action points and the luck are gone and NATO is shut out of a victory by a steadfast and determined opponent.
The Soviets temporarily capture the bridge, forcing NATO to counterattack. |
OWNED.
haha! I had you on the ropes, dude! Just admit it!