Operation Fustian was an airborne forces operation undertaken during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 in the Second World War. The operation was carried out by Brigadier Gerald Lathbury’s 1st Parachute Brigade, part of the British 1st Airborne Division. Their objective was the Primosole Bridge across the Simeto River. The intention was for the brigade, with glider-borne forces in support, to land on both sides of the river. They would then capture the bridge and secure the surrounding area until relieved by the advance of British XIII Corps, which had landed on the south eastern coast three days previously. Because the bridge was the only crossing on the river and would give the British 8th Army access to the Catania plain, its capture was expected to speed the advance and lead to the defeat of the Axis forces in Sicily.

This is a meeting engagement as the British Paratroopers closing in on a German unit guarding a crossroad. The British are attacking on both sides. One British section was eliminated on the German left flank. The other units on that flank are circling around into the wooded area.

Another British unit is coming in on the right flank. These units took one one light light wound. While a German half track was destroyed by a British tank that seemed to be parachuted in along with a bridging vehicle. The Germans moved a machine unit into the mill after be moved from camping in an open field.

We played Sunday. The US Airborne (Jim) was assigned to rescue a downed helicopter crew and reinforce the firebase until extraction by helicopter arrived. The US Marines (Lee) assigned to the firebase were hunkered down in their bunkers. One NVA unit (Richard) was on Overwatch while a second unit (Chris) was tracking the Airborne unit as they were sneaking through the jungle. The Airborne was successful during the first part of the game since the NVA could not spot them no matter what was done.. including taking fire from the Americans.

The Airborne went off mission when they decided to stop and battle the NVA. The trackers were basically eliminated since they were not allowed to spot the Airborne units. Therefore, they could not fire back. The unit that was flanking the Airborne were finally allowed to try to spot the enemy. The Airborne units were basically wiped out with dead and wounded and the remaining two soldiers suffering PTSD and were useless.

Another NVA unit consisting of a HMG opened fire on a bunker killing a marine. Additionalyl, another unit tried to toss 12 hand grenades into the bunker but none were ever capable of detonating anyway. Another Marine was killed in the bunker and the third escaped to another bunker. Two marines in the other bunker tossed 3 grenades (capable of detonating) at the NVA and wounded an suppressed the entire unit which had to fall back.

A unit of NVA got into the abandoned bunker but were wiped out by more exploding hand grenades except for a RPG solder who took cover in a shell crater. The NVA had no grenades left since all where used but none were capable of exploding.

The NVA reinforcements came in, but all were wiped out or forced to retreat by grenades.

The extraction helicopters arrived. The first was forced back by the NVA HMG.The second helicopter was seriously damaged but managed to give precise landing instructions to the third so it could avoid all hidden NVA positions. At this point, the game ended since the NVA units could not damage any helicopters and they were going to land at a position that the NVA HMG couldn’t reach.

Sunday was the first run through of the Vietnam series.

1968 Laos: Đường mòn Hồ Chí Minh (Ho Chi Minh Trail)
US Special Forces operations do a helicopter incursion to collect intelligence. They meet limited resistance and manage to kill a few civilians and a couple of NVA. The SPF troops are followed by NVA tracking units and NVA excursion unit lie in wait. Unfortunately, the NVA have no stealth and are spotted in their hiding places, huts and bunkers with the SF knowing numbers, armament, organizational positioning.

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