Write a Wargame scenario based on an invasion of a Texas/Mexico border town of Insurgents attacking vs Army National Guardsmen and civilian militia members. Insurgent should number no more than 30 men. Include a detailed map of the area of the invasion.
Below is a wargame scenario titled "Border Breach: The Battle of Rio Viejo", designed for a tabletop skirmish game pitting a small insurgent force against a combined defense of Army National Guardsmen and civilian militia members. The scenario is set in a fictional Texas/Mexico border town called Rio Viejo, inspired by real-world border dynamics and terrain. Following the scenario description, I’ll provide a detailed map concept that can be adapted for gameplay.
Wargame Scenario: Border Breach - The Battle of Rio Viejo
Background
Date: March 7, 2025
Location: Rio Viejo, a small border town in Texas, just north of the Rio Grande, approximately 10 miles west of Eagle Pass.
Rio Viejo is a quiet border community with a population of about 1,200, known for its proximity to the Rio Grande and a history of minor smuggling incidents. On the night of March 7, 2025, intelligence reports indicate a small but heavily armed insurgent group, numbering 30 men, has crossed the border from Mexico with the intent to seize the town’s central supply depot. Their goal is to capture weapons, fuel, and medical supplies before retreating across the river. The insurgents are suspected to be a splinter faction of a narco-militia, well-trained and equipped with small arms, explosives, and a single technical (a pickup truck with a mounted machine gun).
Defending Rio Viejo is a mixed force of 15 Texas Army National Guardsmen, recently deployed as part of Operation Lone Star, and 10 local civilian militia members who have rallied to protect their town. The defenders must hold the supply depot and repel the insurgents before they can escape with the stolen goods.
Forces
Insurgents (Attacking Force)
Size: 30 men
Composition:
1 Leader (armed with an assault rifle and pistol)
2 Squad Leaders (each with assault rifles and grenades)
20 Riflemen (assault rifles, some with underbarrel grenade launchers)
5 Support Gunners (light machine guns)
2 Explosives Experts (carrying satchel charges and pistols)
1 Technical (pickup truck with a mounted .50 cal machine gun, crewed by a driver and gunner)
Morale: High – these are determined fighters with a clear objective.
Objective: Capture the supply depot in the town center, hold it for 2 turns to load supplies, and retreat across the Rio Grande with at least 50% of their force intact.
Defenders (Texas Army National Guard and Civilian Militia)
Size: 25 total
Texas Army National Guard (15):
1 Platoon Leader (assault rifle, radio)
2 Squad Leaders (assault rifles)
10 Guardsmen (assault rifles, 2 with light machine guns)
2 Designated Marksmen (scoped rifles)
Civilian Militia (10):
1 Militia Leader (hunting rifle, pistol)
6 Militia Riflemen (mix of hunting rifles and shotguns)
3 Militia Support (1 with an AR-15, 2 with improvised Molotov cocktails)
Morale: Moderate – the Guardsmen are trained but stretched thin; the militia is motivated but less disciplined.
Objective: Prevent the insurgents from capturing the supply depot and drive them back across the Rio Grande. Victory is achieved if the depot remains secure after 8 turns or if the insurgent force is reduced to below 25% strength (7 or fewer men).
Scenario Rules
Game Length: 8 turns
Terrain Effects:
Rio Grande: Difficult terrain, slows movement by 50%. Insurgents can only retreat across it at the ford (see map).
Buildings: Provide hard cover (+2 defense).
Scrubland: Light cover (+1 defense), slows movement by 25%.
Night Conditions: The attack begins at night. Visibility is limited to 18 inches unless units have night vision (Guardsmen only) or a light source (flares, vehicle headlights).
Reinforcements: If the defenders hold the depot for 5 turns, a National Guard helicopter arrives with 5 additional Guardsmen (assault rifles) to reinforce the defense.
Technical Breakdown: The insurgent technical has a 1-in-6 chance of breaking down each turn it moves (roll a D6; on a 1, it stalls and cannot move or fire for one turn).
Victory Conditions
Insurgents:
Major Victory: Capture and hold the depot for 2 turns, retreat with supplies and at least 20 men.
Minor Victory: Capture the depot but retreat with fewer than 20 men.
Defenders:
Major Victory: Prevent the depot from being captured and eliminate or force the retreat of all insurgents.
Minor Victory: Depot remains secure, but some insurgents escape across the river.
Detailed Map of Rio Viejo
Below is a textual description of the map, designed for a 4x4-foot gaming table. You can sketch this out or adapt it to a grid-based system (e.g., 48x48 inches, with each inch representing 10 feet in-game). The map features key terrain and strategic points for the scenario.
Legend:
- R: Rio Grande (river, difficult terrain)
- F: Ford (shallow crossing point)
- S: Scrubland (light cover)
- B: Buildings (hard cover)
- D: Supply Depot (objective)
- T: Town Square
- H: Hill (elevated, +1 to shooting range)
- = : Dirt Road (normal movement)
- X: Starting Zones (I for Insurgents, G for Guardsmen, M for Militia)
Map Layout (Top-down view, North at top):
| 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 |
-------------------------------------------------
1 | R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R | South (Mexico)
2 | R R R R R F S S S S S S R R R R |
3 | S S S S S = S S S S S S S S S S |
4 | S S S S S = S S S S H S S S S S |
5 | S S S S S = B B S S H S S S S S |
6 | S S S S S = B T B S S S S S S S |
7 | X S S S S = D B B S S S S S S S | (I)
8 | S S S S S = B B S S S S S S S S |
9 | S S S S S = S S S S S S S S S S |
10 | S S S S S = S S S S S S S S S S |
11 | S S S S S = B B S S S S S S S S |
12 | S S S S S = B B S S S S S S S S |
13 | S S S S S = S S S S S S S S S S |
14 | S S S S S = S S S S S S S S S S |
15 | S S S S S = X X S S S S S S S S | (G) (M)
16 | S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S S | North (Texas)
Notes:
- The Rio Grande runs along the southern edge (Row 1-2), with a ford at Column 6.
- The dirt road runs vertically from the ford (Column 6) north through the town.
- The supply depot (D) is in the town center (Row 7, Column 7), surrounded by buildings (B).
- Insurgents start at X (Row 7, Column 1), west of the town near the river.
- Guardsmen start at X (Row 15, Column 7), on the northern edge of town.
- Militia start at X (Row 15, Column 8), adjacent to the Guardsmen.
- A hill (H) at Rows 4-5, Column 11 provides a vantage point.
Map Description
Rio Grande: The southern boundary, a wide river with a single ford (F) at Column 6, where the insurgents cross and must retreat.
Scrubland: Covers most of the map, offering light cover and slowing movement.
Town Center: A cluster of buildings (B) around the supply depot (D) and town square (T), providing hard cover for defenders or attackers who reach it.
Dirt Road: A central artery from the ford to the north, allowing faster movement but no cover.
Hill: Northeast of the town center, ideal for the Guardsmen’s marksmen to set up overwatch.
Starting Zones: Insurgents begin west of town near the river, while defenders deploy on the northern outskirts, simulating a rapid response to the incursion.
Gameplay Notes
This scenario balances a numerically superior but exposed attacking force against a smaller, dug-in defense with the advantage of terrain. The insurgents must move quickly to avoid being bogged down in the scrubland or pinned by the hill’s defenders, while the Guardsmen and militia must coordinate to hold the depot and cut off the retreat. The night conditions and technical’s unreliability add tactical wrinkles, encouraging creative play.
Feel free to adapt the map to your preferred wargaming system (e.g., adding hexes or adjusting scale) and let me know if you’d like further refinements!
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