A Fistful of TOWs is a Cold War ruleset (that handles WW2 as well), for playing reasonably large scale games. It has an optional 1:1 rule set, but at the default level, every stand/base of infantry is a platoon, and every vehicle represents 4-6 of the real thing. Me and a friend of mine played a simple 7500pt game, which I hope you enjoy reading. Because the scale of the game is so small (or big depending on how you look at it), I have overlaid NATO graphics to represent the units. If you can’t read these arcane symbols, fear not, I have a handy guide for you!

This indicates an Armored Battalion.

This indicates a Mechanized Infantry Company from the 1st Battalion. See how the X symbol for infantry has been combined with the oval shape for armor? Sometimes Battalion and Company is abbreviated like so; 1/1.

This is a Soviet Armored Battalion. They operate in larger units than the Americans, but otherwise it represents the same style of unit.

The other symbols are largely irrelevant to following what happens; they represent some Soviet artillery, Recon on both sides, some anti-tank units, and some mortars.

If you want to read more about NATO Symbology, you can find resources online.

The Lists

I was playing the Americans, while my friend took the Soviets. I chose to field an Armored Battalion- consisting of 12 stands of M1 Abrams, and two Mechanized Infantry Battalions, each having 12 infantry stands and 12 transports. I also took six anti-air APCs, but no enemy air units appeared. All three Battalions had mortars and recon units in support. My opponent brought a classic Soviet list; some slight anti-air and recon, three units of heavy artillery, and thirty-six stands worth of T-72 tanks.

This was going to be fun.

Summary

Here’s something new I’ve been trying out; the images of this battle report stuck together as a gif! Let me know if you like it!

The Game

The year is 1984, and US forces are attempting to prevent a breakout by lead Soviet units. The US objectives are to hold the town and destroy the enemy. The Soviet objectives are to capture the town, and destroy the enemy.

The Soviet deployment is simple but effective; two thrusts, the first by Battalions 2 and 3 of the 1st Regiment, with the first Battalion acting as a flank guard. The second attack will be made by all three Battalions of the 2nd Regiment, taking the shortest possible route to the objective, and damn the casualties!

The US deployment emphasizes dug in infantry, their mechanized transports kept well back. 4th Armored Company is kept in the center to act as a linchpin for the defense, while the rest of the Battalion is set up on the left flank to launch a curving counterattack, with 1st and 2nd Company of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion in support. 3rd and 4th Companies are kept as a mobile reserve, while 2/3 and 2/4 hold the center and 2/1 and 2/2 hold the right flank, which seems precariously undermanned.

Attacker has the first turn, and he does not waste it- the flank guard sets up its defense, and aggressive probing attacks are launched on the right flank. The central assault moves towards its staging area and waits for the right moment to launch.

The US response is restrained- smoke barrages prevent any of the long range probing attacks they fear are coming, forcing the Soviets to close engage or not engage at all. 4th Armored Company moves to attack the staging area, but cannot quite make it in time, while its slower infantry escorts are left behind. On the right flank 2/1 and 2/2 dig in along the edge of the town, turning buildings into strong points.

On the left flank, the Soviet flank guard launches an ill timed assault, wiping out three platoons of VADS, but leaving themselves in the open against more than their own number of M1 Abrams. The central attack by the US is similarly rash, and here the numbers are exceedingly unequal- 4th Company takes two thirds casualties and withdraws across the river in disarray. The central defenses go onto Over-watch, trying not to be unnerved by how few of their armor assets return.

The right flank sees the Soviet tank line ride through the smoke bombardment without reconnaissance- straight into close engagement with the dug in infantry. LAW and Dragons send several platoons of Soviet tanks bursting into flames, inflicting heavy casualties on the leading units despite being mauled themselves.

On the left flank, what remains of the flank guard retreats into the woods, stumbling over and routing some US recon as it does so. In the center, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 1st Regiment creep to the edge of the treeline and begin to hammer AP and HE shells into the buildings and hedges. They badly maul the ITV support, and inflict casualties all along the line.

On the right flank, 2/1 is annihilated by careful, surgical shooting, while 2/2 is forced back under a hail of fire. Anticipating an attempt at relief, Soviet artillery pins down the 2nd Battalion’s ITV support.

Realizing how dire the right flank is, 2nd and 3rd Armored Companies floor it back behind the river and across to hold the center, hoping to free up 1/3 and 1/4 to stem the tide. 1/2 accompanies them, leaving 1st Armored Company behind to launch the planned but now under-strength flank attack. Both the center and the right flank defenders begin to pull back slowly, careful to choose only the most defensible locations to resist from.

The right flank cracks under the assault- 2/2 is destroyed and routed, and soviet units begin to move through and even around the town, threatening to envelop the entire battle line. Worse, in the center, the remains of the 4th Armored Company and the 1st Battalion ITV’s are destroyed by determined Soviet assaults as their armor prepares to cross the river.

Darkness approaches as both sides batter one another; the left flank counterattack finally materializes on both sides of the river. First, the leftmost remnants of the flank guard are engaged and destroyed by 1st Company, then the Soviet elements crossing the river are heavily mauled by the Armored Battalion, which has finally redeployed into hasty firing positions- just in time, as 2/3 routs, out of ammo and overflowing with casualties to treat. 2/4 is no better- its single remaining platoon mounts up and falls back as well.

On the far right, Soviet elements will have to force their way through 1/3 and 1/4, which have finally redeployed from the main road into the buildings- but it may be too little too late with the Soviet advance threatening to bypass the town entirely. Darkness approaches before any more substantial gains are made.

The center of the Soviet advance falls back under cover of darkness- but perhaps the right flank slips through the lines, and will have to be dealt with another time. Assuming of course, that they do not become the linchpin of a new, heavier assault.

Whew! Wasn’t that fun?

Out of 7500pts each;

USA: 4,858pts survived vs Soviets: 3,671pts survived.

Mitigation: Soviets partially completed their objective of taking the town. It is unlikely I would have been able to stop the almost full strength 2nd Regiment from moving off the map, thus breaking my line and having dire strategic consequences. However, given more time, I would have annihilated the remainder of the 1st Regiment and its support, with minimal additional casualties This match was declared a narrow draw, and lots of fun (and bad accents) were had all around.

If you’re looking for a reasonably simple but comprehensive ruleset that doesn’t make fielding large units into a nightmare experience in bureaucracy, then I highly recommend A Fistful of TOWs. Many of the more complex rules are kept as strictly optional- not optional in the sense that they are expected once you have the hang of it, but optional in the true sense of ‘if you enjoy this, you could add this rule’. The core game, with no optional rules is truly one of the more balanced and entertaining I have played. If you’re interested in giving it a go, you can find the module in the downloads section, or grab a direct link to it here.

I hope you enjoyed yourself, and I wish you luck on the battlefield!

(Unless you’re against me)