Battle of Serabaeum October 1973

Battle of Serabaeum October 1973 

 Pedro and I played a simple Rapid Fire Able Archer.game based on the Israeli attacks west of the Suez in 1973 around the village of Serabaeum. We are play testing the new Able Archer rules before their release later in the year. 

Village is considered as hard cover, observation to fire required, auto observation at 6 inches, armour must morale test to enter village, artillery observation by Observation team and infantry commanders only. Isreali infantry and centurions elite.

Israeli Order of Battle 

243rd Paratrooper Brigade

After taking the village the Orders hold village of Serabaeum for 10 turns against Egyptian counter attack. Support infantry and armour arrives on a D10 turn.

1st parachute battalion (in village) 

HQ 

OC + 5 radio, light mortar team, anti tank team vehicle 

1st company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

2nd parachute battalion arrive Radom D10 turn 

HQ 

OC + 5 radio, light mortar team, anti tank team 

1st company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

2nd company 

8 figs, lmg, grenade launcher 

Tank Company 

2 x Sho ‘t Meteor Centurions L7 105mm, class 3 gun, class C armour, medium 

Egyptian order of Battle 

Egyptian orders are to recapture the village and prevent the Israelis from taking the high ground to the west of the village. 

73rd Sa’iqa Parachute Regiment  

1st Battalion 

HQ 

OC, radio, sniper, observer element + 2 vehicle 

1st Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

2 Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

3rd Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5

Support coy 

HMG, 81mm mortar, sagger AT vehicle 

2nd Battalion (arrive on D6 turn)

HQ 

OC, radio, sniper, observer element + 2 vehicle 

1st Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

2 Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5 + vehicle 

3rd Coy 

RPG, MMG, rifle grenade + 5

Support coy 

HMG, 81mm mortar, sagger AT vehicle 

Armour Battalion (arrive D6 turn) 

Morale tests per company for armour 120mm class 2 gun, D class armour, slow

HQ 

1 x JS3

1 x zSU 57-2

1st company 

3 x  JS3 

Rocket battery 

BM13 Katyusha rocket 132mm 10 points table 4, unguided rocket templates 4 rounds, after observation, use rocket template.

The village of Serabaeum

Egyptians arrive, the HQ Armoured coy arrived with the first battalion 

The first IS 3 falls victim to antitank fire

The Egyptians assault 

Isreali reinforcement arrives turn 5, immediately the first centurion is knocked out by long range fire from the IS-3

Israeli reinforcements arrive in the village turn 6

Second of Egyptians battalion arrives 

A draw, Egyptians held the edge of the village, however one battalion was down to below 50% and managed to pass its morale check.