Spectre: Hostage Rescue Africa

Friday 16 January saw Richard P. stage a Modern game set in Africa using his great 28mm figures from Spectre and Empress Miniatures, scratch-built and Sarissa terrain, and Spectre skirmish rules.

A group of indigenous militia (Doug, Paul B., our guest Ian, and Patrick) supported by enlisted Nigerian infantry (Joel) were instigating an uprising, and hostages had been taken to a secure compound. The rebels had three militia elements, a unit of Nigerians, three snipers, plus command.

Tasked with retrieving the hostages were the US forces (Philip, Jonathan, Richard G., Alex and Mark). They consisted of four infantry sections and a HQ unit, as well as four Special Forces figures.

The table was decorated with plenty of terrain including walls, barrels, buildings, vehicles, besides the compound. All masterfully assembled by Richard P.

Spectre rules are based on the concept of ‘momentum’. Each unit has two momentum tokens, which are added up, and the total can be allocated to any unit(s) for actions such as movement and firing. Up to three momentums can be used for movement for each unit per turn (5″, then 4″ and finally 3″ per successive momentums each turn). Figures have to maintain cohesion by being 3″ to 5″ away from one another depending on quality.

The US side deployed first, and had to rescue the hostages and then leave off their initial table edge. The rebels soon deployed their army on the opposite table edge.

The Game

Initial US deployment saw Philip’s infantry element occupy the building on the US left flank, while Alex’s men moved up to the wall in the centre, and Richard G. positioned his behind barrels near Philip’s building.

The rebels deployed with a sniper and one infantry element under Ian on their right, followed by Paul B. to his left, next Doug’s infantry, and finally the Nigerians behind the wall under Joel.

The game began with Philip’s infantry occupying the roof of the house they’d entered. Alex’s infantry held, and Mark’s infantry (tasked with the rescue) deployed on the US right.

Opening Exchanges

Philip’s men began firing and killed one of Paul’s militia behind the barrels.

Alex moved up to the building in the centre on the road.

As Mark appeared, Doug’s militia rattled off fire and killed a US infantryman.

Philip and Richard G’s infantry inflicted 4 stress points on Ian’s group. Meanwhile, Jonathan’s Special Forces appeared on the US left flank taking up positions behind some handy barrels.

Americans in the House

Alex’s group entered the building in the centre, where they had good cover and could lay down covering fire on Doug and Paul’s militia to help Mark’s advance. Mark duly advanced towards the barrels near the compound entrance for cover.

Having suffered 13 hits from Alex and Philip, Ian lost 2 men and his militia became suppressed. The plan to place his rebel sniper in the storeyed portakabin had stalled. At least Jonathan’s Special Forces failed to add to Ian’s tally of hits.

Richard G’s men began to advance in the centre between Philip’s and Alex’s positions, with three men positioning behind a white van.

But the rebels were not totally incompetent. Paul B. fired his rifles and two RPGs at Philip’s men on the building and inflicted a hit, increasing their stress by 2. Unfortunately Philip soon suppressed Paul’s force by adding three hits.

Mark’s infantry now crossed the road and reached the wall of the compound.

Meanwhile, Philip fired on Paul’s group, which lost an AK47 wielder killed, and the unit was suppressed for the rest of the game!

Alex meanwhile killed a member of Doug’s group, albeit in cover behind crates and barrels, with lethal fire from his US-held building.

This didn’t prevent Doug from firing on Mark’s infantry, which lost a casualty, but then moved to cover near the compound entrance.

Alex’s Infantry under Siege

Joel deployed a rebel sniper near the compound wall and managed to dispatch one of Alex’s infantrymen in the building.

Meanwhile Richard G. advanced further into the rebel held area across the road.

Doug followed up with two RPGs, which added stress to Alex’s men but killed none. But four more hits from rebel riflemen eventually added more stress and killed another of Alex’s men, who were now suppressed in the building until the end of the turn.

Joel’s Nigerians now came on to the left of Doug’s group adjacent to the compound.

Rebel Rout

While Alex’s men remained suppressed in the building, Philip now targeted Doug’s militia infantry element behind the crates and barrels, upping their stress by 3, killing one, and routing the whole group! They fell back 5″.

As Richard G. moved up to the shipping container, Paul B. unleashed an RPG at him, which stopped the US infantry from firing.

Mark’s men now entered the compound through the gate… While Doug’s group continued to retreat.

At the same time, the Nigerians dashed towards Mark’s infantry, and took a hit from Alex’s men in the building, but also managed to inflict one on them.

Down to the Wire

The final turn saw Paul B’s group kill two of Alex’s infantry in the building, which were now at max stress level, and had lost four out of eight comrades.

However all of Mark’s men were now in the compound, and the hostages soon emerged. The Nigerians were closing in, but perhaps a quick getaway could be arranged?

Ultimately Philip killed two more of Paul’s group, but eight others had already fallen back (along with 15 other militia from other units).

Overall, a boisterous game with 12 attendees. The rules revolve around managing stress and suppressions, which can be rolled off, and all units have a standard stress level. A promising debut for this take on Modern skirmish warfare, with unlimited scenario and unit possibilities.

The US team had engaged in a prolonged fire fight to pin the rebel forces for long enough to allow Mark to get into the compound. While the US forces did not extract the hostages, they had secured them and dispersed the bulk of the rebel army, so this was a US win. We enjoyed ourselves in this first engagement with Spectre rules, and look forward to playing another scenario in the ‘ultra Modern’ era in due course. Thanks to Richard P. for umpiring and to all the players.