Operacja Samum (Western Iraq 1990)

Introduction: The fact that GROM (Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno Mobilnego - Operational Mobile Response Group), the Polish Special Forces unit played a key role in the recent Iraq War (notably capturing an oil rig near the port of Umm Qasr at the start of the conflict), is not one that was widely reported by the Western media. However GROM's missions in 2003 were not the first to involve Polish Special Forces in Iraq, their predecessors had seen action thirteen years earlier in the days before Desert Storm was launched to liberate Kuwait. Detail about the mission led by Gromoslaw Czempinski in Western Iraq to rescue six CIA agents is scarce and I have been unable to find much (in English) about the action, other than it happened and that there is a Polish movie called Operacja Samum about it.

The troops involved were part of a Polish Special Forces unit created in 1990 as a counter-terror unit following Operation Bridge, in which Poland helped Soviet Jews enter Israel. Intelligence reports indicated that Hezbollah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine were planning reprisals inside the Polish border. Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki recognized the threat and approved the plan for a new counter-terror force. Exactly what the unit was called I have been unable to find out and presumably they were replaced by GROM which came into existance in 1991 under instruction of the new democratic government in Poland.

Consequently this Scudbusters II scenario is inspired by Operacja Samum but does not claim (by any stretch of the imagination) to be a recreation of what may or may not have happened in Western Iraq in 1990. Hopefully though, it will serve to recognise the efforts and sacrifice of other nations than just the US and UK in the liberation of Kuwait and Iraq.

The Scenario:

The game area is one grid is size. The Polish Special Forces can start at any side and the starting location must be empty desert.

The Polish SF team is ten men max. They may deploy in two strategic units if the player wishes. Both units must begin at the same location (where they have been airlifted in by helicopter). The Polish SF troops are on foot and do not have vehicles.

To win an outright victory the Poles must rescue and evacuate the CIA operatives - six SF equivalents, (the Ace of Spades). However when the Ace of Spades is revealed the player must role a D10 to ascertain what Iraqi forces are attempting to capture the CIA operatives if any (roll against the Iraqi list on page 15). The Poles must suffer no more than three losses to claim outright victory.