Somewhere in the Middle East; The Present day.

Somewhere in the Middle East a town goes about normal business. However, things are about to change.

 

French diplomacy at its best. A junior diplomat codename “Grenouille” is in negotiation with a local warlord concerning the release of some Western hostages. His less-public mission is to sell said Warlord some ex-French army VAB armoured personnel carriers and out-of-life MILAN missiles. The local Al Qaeda group have got wind of this and decide to intercept the French. After all, they prefer the offer from the British for some clapped-out Saxons as an RPG7 makes a bigger mess of a Saxon than a VAB complete with an RWS!

The French army team under command of Sous-Lieutenant Chevrechaude wait nervously outside the mosque.

Their mission is to escort “Grenouille” back to the safety of the French military compound and a helicopter ride out. Troops take up overwatch positions peering down the road and down the maze of alleyways.

Already they can hear the ill-disciplined Al Qaeda troops moving through the buildings towards them. 

Sergeant Cotedeboeuf lets rip with his Minimi as he spots an opponent.

However, such a fleeting glance means a miss and AK47 rounds come back in his direction, hitting and scoring a critical hit. He will be dead in minutes without medical attention. His fireteam move into action. The squad medic tries in vain to staunch the wound, whilst another trooper guns down a hapless insurgent.

The firefight continues with the insurgents trying to outflank the French plus cross the road to provide enfilading fire.

More Al Qaeda die and their fireteam is suppressed, dramatically reducing their combat effectiveness. They are “hors de combat” as the French would say. Sergeant Cotedeboeuf breathes his last and Chevrechaude, Grenouille and the lifeless Sergeant’s body are bundled into the vehicle to manage the extraction. The second Al Qaeda fireteam armed with an RPG7 and RPD or RPK light machine gun move round the corner to engage the French close to the Mosque, only to remember that an LMG can’t move and fire. Merde! French small arms fire rips down the alleyway and the insurgents dive for cover.

With 50% of the insurgents dead and a French blocking force in place to prevent a counter-attack it is decided to call it a day. Grenouille escapes to complete his morally dubious weapons deal. His next assignment is to sell out-of-life MICA missiles to an island off the South coast of China. They are reportedly feeling under threat and need anything they can get.

This was out 2nd outing with Spectre v2. It played well but we barely scratched the surface of the “chrome” contained in the rulebook. No vehicles, snipers, drones or the rest of the paraphernalia seen on a 21st century battlefield. That is still to come. Can’t wait!

Simon