Friday 15 January 2021

1982 Lebanon War: Operation Peace for Galilee.

 On 6 June 1982 the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) launched a military operation in Lebanon aiming at removing the military threats from northern Israel, destroying PLO Forces, ending Syrian presence and influence, and assisting in forming a more friendly government in Lebanon that would be able to sign a peace treaty with Israel.   

John and I got together and put on a 28mm game using the Rapid Fire rules. We find these rules better at putting on large scale games as they are simple and move fast and don't bog down.

Minis are from Badger Games Mongrel Miniatures range and Eureka.

IDF here: https://shop.badgergames.com/category.sc?categoryId=76

Syrians here: https://shop.badgergames.com/category.sc?categoryId=81

PLO Militia substitutes here:  https://www.eurekamin.com.au/index.php?cPath=126_150_850&sort=2a&page=2

Vehicles are custom made by Leslie Applebee from Uncle Les Models. 

Link to his site. https://uncleles.net/

The objective was for an Israeli armoured column to move through a town on it's advance north and clear out any PLO and Syrian Military presence.

At the end of the game the IDF  achieved it's objective, but at a heavy cost to vehicles and armour. 

A short video of the After Action Report and walk around of the board is attached at the bottom of this post.


The town from the IDF entry point.
                                                       


The town centre. 
                                                                 



IDF Armour.

IDF Recce elements approach the towns outskirts.



PLO militia  spring there ambush from a roof top onto the IDF Recce unit. 

PLO militia.

Having made contact, the IDF Recce unit calls in some fire power in the form of  2x TOW ATGM and a VULCAN variant M113's to add some fire power until the armour arrives.  


The VULCAN opens up on the PLO Militia on the roof top.

More PLO militia join the fight from an adjacent rooftop. 


One of the IDF Reece Willy's Jeeps is immobilised by the PLO militia.

IDF armour arrives to join the battle. 



More PLO militia spring there ambush on the IDF elements.

The IDF Recce unit starts to take casualties. 

IDF infantry dismount from riding a Merkava tank to join the fight in an attempt to clearing the town.



PLO Technicals. 



The first of the Syrian army elements join the fight by springing there ambush. 


The IDF VULCAN is taken out by an RPG. 


The IDF splits into two flanks attacking the PLO on the right flank and the Syrians on the left flank. Smoke and flames rise from the IDF vehicles and armour knocked out. 

The chaotic battle with the IDF taking out the PLO Technicals. 

Syrian T55 tanks spring there ambush.


The IDF left flank taking fire from Syrians on the roof tops.

With the PLO Technicals destroyed the IDF right flank presses on. 

Syrian BMP1 joins the fight...

...but is taken out by a TOW ATGM. 

Both Syrian T55's are taken out.

Syrian troops open up on the advancing IDF right flank. 


A Syrian RPG Anti Tank team ambushes the IDF left flank.

Overview of the battle from the IDF left flank.

The Israeli's press on.


IDF infantry attempting to clear out the Syrians.

IDF right flak clearing out Syrians.

Another Syrian RPG Anti Tank team springs it's ambush on the IDF right flank.

A Syrian BMP1 that snuck up at the rear of the IDF left flank is taken out by a TOW ATGM. 

A Syrian BMP 1 moves past one of his fellow T55 tanks that is knock out, coming face to face with an IDF M60 "Magach" tank from the IDF left flank.

A Syrian RPG Anti Tank team runs into the middle of the street in a suicide attempt and manages to take out the IDF Merkava tank.  

Suffering a high number of vehicle damage the Israeli infantry go from door to door mopping up the last of the opposing forces.

IDF Command HQ takes out the RPG Anti Tank team that knocked out the Merkava tank.

Last of his squad a Syrian RPG trooper stays in the fight.


Last of the Syrians is taken out with the IDF mission completed. 

Attached bellow is a short video of the after action report and a walk around the board.