Introduzione

Negli ultimi anni ha assunto particolare importanza, nel programmare la preparazione degli eserciti moderni, il combattimento negli agglomerati urbani.

Argomento poco trattato a livello di boardwargames, anche se in realtà molto interessante e con dinamiche che possono aiutare a comprendere gli eventi che ormai sono all’ordine del giorno nella nostra vita e spesso e volentieri, purtroppo, legati ad episodi di terrorismo internazionale. Di seguito, quindi, alcuni titoli nella mia collezione ed in attesa di pubblicazione che ritengo molto interessanti.

BEIRUT ’82: ARAB STALINGRAD, è il titolo del gioco contenuto nel numero 126 del 1989 della celeberrima rivista Strategy & Tactics, http://strategyandtacticsmagazine.com/site/

La rivista, all’epoca, era meno “corposa” delle attuali ma sempre interessante. Gli articoli di questo numero erano dedicati all’operazione Iron Brain, cioè l’assalto a Beirut durante le operazioni di “Pace in Galilea” del 1982, ai conflitti a bassa intensità come li si considerava in quegli anni e altri su vari argomenti. Il gioco tratta dell’attacco organizzato nel giungo 1982 da parte della IDF (israeli defence force) contro l’OLP, cioè l’organizzazione di Arafat. La battaglia ebbe grossi coinvolgimenti politici e le regole di gioco ne tengono conto in vario modo; L’autore, Thomas Kane, non a caso era un appassionato di Diplomacy, https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/483/diplomacy……………..

Pochissime le pedine necessarie al gioco, rappresentati corazzati, fanteria ed artiglierie a livello di brigate. La mappa è molto piccola ma molto colorata, completa di tabelle e una mappa geografica che permette di capire dove si svolse la battaglia. 

IN TO THE BEAR TRAP: THE BATTLE FOR GROZNY, JANUARY 1995, ricrea l’attacco sferrato dall’esercito russo alla città di Grozny. Il piano di attacco prevedeva un massiccio sforzo dell’esercito e dell’aviazione atto ad intimidire la popolazione come già era avvenuto nel 1991. Colonne di taks, artiglieria dispiegata in numerose batterie e gli aerei furono quindi lanciati contro le forze ribelli cecene. Da parte loro i ceceni disponevano di ottime armi RPG, mortai e diversi cecchini con le quali erano pronti a contrastare nelle vie della città, metro per metro, l’esercito russo.

Il gioco è contenuto nel Volume 3, numero 2 del 2004 di Against the Odds, https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamepublisher/1244/against-odds 

Ottima rivista anche questa, purtroppo non più disponibile. La rivista contiene numerosi articoli, in questo caso dedicati sia alla battaglia di Grozny, anche dal punto di vista dell’influenza operata dai mass media, sia ad altri interessanti argomenti quali modelli di combattimento e relative tabelle “CRT”, scritto da John Prados, e un approfondito articolo sui leaders della guerra civile americana e alcune simulazioni, fra cui anche la serie Great Battles of American Civil War, che trattano l’utilizzo di tali comandanti sul campo.

Un foglio di pedine, non molto belle, rappresentano le parti in campo nella battaglia del 1995 in Cecenia. Una mappa, altrettanto poco bella, raffigura gran parte della città di Grozny; una griglia esagonale regola i movimenti.

Su BGG ho trovato questa interessante recensione di Arrigo Velicogna, https://boardgamegeek.com/user/Mad%20Archeologist:

Into a Bear Trap is an interesting simulation of the first Russian assault in Grozny during the first Chechen war. Being a magazine game it is accompanied by a really interesting article about the battle that gives some interesting insights on the city, the story behind and the real battle. It’s definitely a tactical game with platoon size counters for infantry and vehicles (2-3 vehicles each counters that for standard russian organization is a platoon). The russian counters are color coded for formation identification and all counters discarded traditional NATO icons in favor of russian ones. It’s a nice touch even if at start it can generate some confusion. The map is a subdued representation of the city with really (and handy) large hex. IMO it is succesfull in conveying the idea of the large, socialist sytled, city. Table are included in the rules that are printed in the magazine. Two scenario (one historical with many restrictions on the russian player and a variation with a more careful russian plan).

The System
Into a Bear Trap has a chit based sequence. The chits representing russian formations and chechen “activations” are placed in the opaque container and then draw randomly. When a formation is activated (for chechens a number of units equal to a die roll) each activated unit can move, call artillery, close assault or perform a combine fire/move action. Fire results vary from outright elimination to progressive states of unit incapacitation. Artillery can also reduce urban hexes to rubble aiding the defender even more. Random events are included to covver some unusual actions in the battle.

Comments
I think that the game does a good job in simulating modern urban combat. The random activations grant that nothing is predictable and that coordinating different formation is almost impossible (this is more a problem for the russian player than for the chechen, the latter activations allow to stage more “coordinated” operations even it they are subejcted to the random roll for unit activation) and soon the russians are fighting separate battalion sized battle at various places. this bring another problem of the city terrain, the dependance on road for vehicles. While on paper the heavier russian units like T80 tanks are strong the dependance on the road network makes them vulnerable and force the soviet player to protect them with infantry (adding coordination problems due to the fact tha tanks a riflemen are on different battalions). And destroyed vehicles generated wrecks who block roads. thus the main heavy weapons in the hand of the russian player has to be employed carefully. 
The chechen are also provided by plenty of RPG and they are more mobile (6 mp compared to 3 for russian foot). the end results is a lumbering bear moving forward surrounded by smaller birds of prey. this doesn’t imply that the russians can’t win, just that they have to tailor their tactics to their force structure and bear in mind that the chechens will outmaneuver them (I have tried a Baghdad approach with garrisons at mayor crossroads to keep them open only to see them surrounded and wiped out if they weren’t less than half battalion sized). 
The fire system is a bit frustrating you have to roll a d10 and obtain less than the unit firepower. Considering that average infanytry units have 3 and for firing on built up area there is a +2 modifier to the die roll it means that you have to put a lot of fire in a hex to obtain results (there is a +1 if the target has been already subjected to fire). And activate units then become more vulnerable (the firer has a -1 do the roll for firing on activated units) meaning that more you push more you are vulnerable to enemy reaction, sa nice way to simulate the ambush prone nature of urban combat. 
In addition employing heavy firepower (off board arty and Schmel pseudo-flamethrower) risks to generate rubble that will only increase terrain protection. 
The rules are genrally well written even if the section on Russian forces entry on the map can be a little difficult to digest and can be interepreted in different ways. Still no major erratas are needed and the game isn’t affected by mayor problems.

Conclusion
A nice game on a less known, but veryinteresting battle. If you like city battles and/or contemporary conflicts this is a nice choice. 

FALLUJAH 2004: CITY FIGHTING IN IRAQ, Modern War #23, May-June 2016 https://shop.strategyandtacticspress.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=35, is a solitaire wargame system covering the Coalition fight to retake the city of Fallujah from Iraqi insurgents in 2004. This led to two battles, the first in April and the second in November. These became some of the biggest engagements of the Gulf War. The player controls Coalition forces while the game system controls the Opposition forces (the Insurgents), known in the game as OPFOR. This game includes scenarios for both battles for Fallujah, as well as a scenario allowing you to fight the entire campaign.

Discover brand new game mechanisms for tactical Modern Warfare! Urban Operations uses blocks to simulate the Fog of War, and blocks rotation to show units hits.

3 campaigns (16 scenarios) including some famous fights:

• Fulda – NATO vs Warsaw Pact (6 scenarios), Mogadishu (6 scenarios), Four Aces – elite units of 4 nations, US Marines in Fallujah (04), French Foreign Legion at Kolwezi (78), Russian Paratroopers in Groszny (99), British Desert Rats in Bassrah (03)

Game system: simple but efficient. From the very beginning the development of Urban Operations, all the complexities that occur in urban warfare have been taken into account. On a classical game board, terrain symbols on the map and specially designed rules help to represent weapons effects, which are one of the main sources of casualties during urban fightings.

In the same way, the map system allows the management of distant fire, even from building to building, as well as close quarter battle from room to room. When explosives are used to breach walls, or when a shell hits its target, collateral effects of the explosion are taken into account. It was also critical to integrate one of the major players of today’s conflicts, which is the civilian population. The presence of non-combatants often complicates the way forces can use their weapons, especially against irregular opponents.

In addition, the presence of tactical leaders is a real asset for assault squads. And combat service support teams can deliver logistical support on the frontline, in order to enhance the operational status of any element. Components:

• Boxed game, • 5 maps: Four 72cm x 54cm and one 72cm x 13cm, • Two 24cm x 30cm game map (underground), • 199 die-cut counters, • One 82 et one 74 stickers sheet, • 160 wooden blocks, • Rules booklet, • 3 Campaign rules booklet, • 16 scenario player aids, • 2 player aids in english, • 1 set of 144 playing cards, • 2 dices

URBAN OPERATIONS, della NUTS Publishing, è tutt’ora in preordine sul web della ditta Nuts, ma sembra veramente un ottimo prodotto. Sono già previsti vari moduli dedicati a varie situazioni e ambienti urbani, vedi http://www.nutspublishing.com/Urban-Operations

Disponibili anche le regole in lingua inglese: https://boardgamegeek.com/file/download/skvlswe4em/Rules_UrbanOperations_V1.pdf 

Altri titoli interessanti:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/29848/battle-baghdad

Gian Carlo Ceccoli