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Play? I Ain’t Got Time to Play.


BREAK BREAK BREAK

SITREP 20230705 1631ZT:

1. 1985:Under an Iron Sky resisted the enemy assault for 23 minutes, 1985:Sacred Oil heroically stood for 60 minutes. There are no survivors.
2. US POMCUS for Less Than 60 Miles 2nd Echelon has been overran.
3. The remaining copies of  Less Than 60 Miles 2nd Echelon will be shipped from FRANCE.

END


Since Thin Red Line Games started, I’ve had this insane habit to keep some copies in “strategic reserve” for any eventuality: SACEUR asking one to decorate his office, sudden collapse of the frontline, conventions….you never know!

This kind of behaviour has been sometime criticized, as just a few days after you’ve paid 400 bucks for a 1985:Under an Iron Sky copy on the private market, I suddenly announce that there’s “some reserve copies available”…Of course, at 4AM in your time zone.

In short, I’m a pain in the ass…and here’s another chance to prove it beyond any possible doubt! Sorry for that 🙂

I’ve finally realized that the time I can dedicate to conventions is very limited, so there’s no point in keeping several copies aside for similar events. Therefore, I’ve just committed the following to the FEBA:

Continue reading Play? I Ain’t Got Time to Play.
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Charles S. Roberts Awards 2021

For the third consecutive year, we have a nominee in the Modern Warfare category of the CSR Awards….Except this year we have two!
1985: Sacred Oil and The Dogs of War have been both nominated.

A big THANK YOU to every Grognard who supported us! Report to the nearest office of the Directorate for the Evaluation and Assignment of Patriotic Honors and Decorations to receive your Order of Kutuzov, 1st Class.

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1985: Sacred Oil, 1985: Mutual Assured Destruction – Japanese Rules

Grognard Emeritus Kaya Moriya is back from the front, bringing three new booklet translation in Japanese! Here they are:

A big thank you to Kaya for his outstanding support!

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1985: Sacred Oil – And the Sea Gave Up the Dead

This After Action Report covers the Soviet push toward Bandar Abbas, where the first direct clash between Soviet and American forces occurred during the opening phases of World War Three. This report tries to offer a quite detailed description of the events, while at the same time avoiding to plunge into technicalities.

Prologue

Bandar Abbas is the most ambitious initial objective of the Soviet offensive against Iran, as its control would achieve two strategic goals: denying the Americans one of the best strategic areas for building up forces and controlling the sea lanes needed by Western countries for oil supply.

Soviet forces from Afghanistan and Central Asia Military District are assigned to the task, but for once Soviet High Command cannot rely on quantity, as the poor lines of communications and the scarce number of usable airfields do not allow committing vast forces to the operation.

In the days preceding the Soviet attack, Iranian clergy remains impervious to US offers of military support. When access to Iranian air space and bases is finally granted, only a few hours are left for organizing some sort of defense. With time running out and no other forces immediately available, CENTCOM decides to take its chances and orders USS CV-64 Constellation battle group to pass the strait of Hormuz and protect Bandar Abbas until airfields in the area are made operational and the Marines arrive.

Continue reading 1985: Sacred Oil – And the Sea Gave Up the Dead
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1985: Sacred Oil – And It Became Blood

CENTCOM Commander Kev Sharp reporting from the Horn of Africa. As usual with Kev, top-notch narrative.

Part 1: https://bigboardgaming.com/sacred-oil-and-it-became-blood-1/
Part 2: https://bigboardgaming.com/sacred-oil-like-a-virgin-nato-turn-1/

INITIAL SITUATION BRIEFING

With the Soviet tanks rolling over the Iranian border on June 28th, it was only a question of time before United States and Soviet Union became directly involved in a military confrontation.

On June 30th, an F-14 Combat Air Patrol from USS Constellation engages a Soviet strike package approaching Bandar Abbas, and all hell breaks loose.
USS CV-63 Kitty Hawk and its battlegroup are ordered to neutralize the Soviet bases in Ethiopia and South Yemen and support the subsequent land assault to the Soviet facilities by special forces based in Diego Garcia.

With no lines of communication to the Motherland and scarce supply, the Soviet forces in Aden and Asmara can only hope for the surprise effect of a first strike. An auxiliary intelligence ship and three nuclear submarines have been shadowing the Kitty Hawk battlegroup for days, ready to make the Americans pay dearly for any aggressive move.