Operation Reindeer Battle Of Cassinga (b) - Africa at War

Barnacle Bob
04 MAY 1978, Cassinga, Angola\\The attack on Cassinga (known in SWAPO's
code as "Moscow", and 260km north of the border) grew out of
the plan for Operation Bruilof, which had envisaged attacking
six SWAPO targets around the town of Chetequera. During the intelligence-gathering
portion of the planning for Bruilof, it became clear that the
little one-time mining town of Cassinga, previously overlooked,
was actually the organization's main HQ for the region, and in
process of development into the largest SWAPO training base.
Air photo-reconnaissance showed major military infrastructure
- miles of zigzag trenches, concrete drive-in AFV emplacements
covering road approaches, a star-shaped AA missile command-and-launch
facility characteristic of Warsaw Pact SA-2 sites, and - crucially
- a school bus which had been hijacked from SA-controlled South
West Africa/Namibia about 10 days earlier, with a load of local
schoolchildren kidnapped. In response to this, the plan for Operation
Bruilof was shelved and planning for a new operation, Operation
Reindeer, began. Reindeer was composed of three main actions;
the airborne assault on Cassinga, a mechanized assault on the
Chetaquera complex - which also involved SAAF defense-suppression
strikes - and an assault on the Dombondola complex by a light
infantry force.\\Special rules:\Air strikes available on turn
one are to be used on turn one. The FO will be withdrawn on turn
two. The city is labeled for targeting purposes.\\Cuban units
are here to fight. If they must be withdrawn they are to be withdrawn
through a nonobjective hex.\\Notes:\MB 326Ks represents Canberra
bombers armed with 300 Alpha anti-personnel bombs.\\Canberras
represents Buccaneer bombers armed with 8 1000-pound bombs.\\The
Alouette III represents a Cessna C-185 observation aircraft.\\Special
note for the SWAPO player. Do not watch turn one, you will not
like it.