Contest AAR's

Started by ComradeP, December 30, 2013, 02:49:16 PM

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ComradeP

The thread for anyone who wants to post an AAR for his contest entry.

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It is essential to grab the initiative and hold it. Getting into the Soviet OODA loop only gives you the initiative in theory, it might not matter in practice at all unless you make good use of the means available to you and of gaps in the Soviet lines (such as those in between attack waves). Considering the experience level of the enemy units, you can't really expect to have a significantly faster OODA loop until late in the game, if it happens at all.

There are four 1250 points objectives under US control at the start.
There are three 2500 points objectives directly east of the river.
There are two 1250 points objectives divided between the northermost part of the map and the center south.

Situation:

Soviet forces:

Intel suggests that most of two Tank Regiments, supported by roughly 2 strong mechanized infantry battalions and a significant number of recon, artillery and air defence support assets are heading towards US positions. The attackers belong to a Guards Tank Division and are expected to be veteran or elite, with either the latest Soviet military equipment or at the least heavily upgraded older tank models.

Furthermore, significant numbers of Soviet helicopters are patrolling the area, but will only stay on the battlefield for a limited amount of time, before their services are needed elsewhere. 

It is expected the Soviets will attack in waves, with the initial recce units being followed by about 100 tanks, which will in turn be followed by an attack by about 100 tanks and the mechanized infantry.

US forces:

You have at your disposal: a battalion of mechanized infantry, supported by two tank companies, a handful of recon and attack helicopters, limited recon assets and lavish artillery support including MLRS assets. The units will slowly trickle in, initially only the recon assets and the helicopters are available.

One of the two tank companies still uses older M60A3's, which should not be used in equal firefights with Soviet tank units. The other company is equipped with the M1A1 Abrams. You have 24 frontline tanks at your disposal in 6 platoons of 4 tanks each, 2 more in the HQ units for the companies and several others in other HQ units, which are not intended for frontline service. The recce HQ has a regular M1 Abrams which can, in emergencies, be used on the frontline.

Planning map:



Red arrows indicate likely Soviet offensive movements.

Green: The Abrams company and two mechanized infantry platoons will strike the Soviet attack in the flank from the south and secure the two southern objectives on the eastern bank of the river. Their movements should be screened by buildings and woods. The Soviets won't know what will hit them until it hits them.

Yellow: The Patton company and one mechanized infantry will secure the objective wedged in between the two arms of the river. Individual platoons will move for the central objective at Platenhof.

Black circle: A single mechanized infantry platoon is ordered to delay any Soviet attack on the northernmost friendly objective.

Blue arrows: Two mechanized infantry platoons are to advance on the northern objective, together with a number of support units.

Security for the friendly objectives will be provided by SPAT assets. The third mechanized infantry platoon in the south will cross the river to secure the objective on the other bank as soon as the initial Soviet attack has been repulsed. A recon section that starts in the southern area will immediately rush towards that objective to temporarily secure it shortly after the fighting starts, but it is assumed the Soviets will recapture the objective as the recon section moves further to the southeast to spy on the Soviet rear.

No large scale movements are to be made close to the river until the Soviet helicopters withdraw.

Tank vs tank fights are to be avoided if possible, the artillery and the Cobra's will be the main tank killers.

The main advance is scheduled to start after the initial Soviet wave has been repulsed and/or destroyed. Throwing your small force against 100 Soviet tanks+helicopters is a recipe for disaster.

You have to guess where the Soviet second wave will hit, so you do have to be somewhat lucky. In my case, I was unlucky that 40 Soviet tanks appeared in the north just as my Cobra's were needed elsewhere. Artillery destroyed about half of the tanks before they destroyed the unfortunate mechanized infantry platoon defending the northern objective. On the other hand: the preoccupation of Soviet tanks with the objective allowed the Pattons to pass unscathed aside from one being destroyed by an expert shot T-80 gunner from the central objective about 4 kilometres away.

After roughly three hours:




The initial Soviet attack has been beaten back. US forces are preparing for the movement/assault on the designated objectives.

US losses are minimal thus far, Soviet losses are mounting:

(Note for those who are not familiar with the game: the A/F/D numbers indicate friendly active/fallen out/destroyed equipment, vehicles and squads. The other numbers indicate enemy equipment/vehicles/squads destroyed per category.)



After roughly three hours and twenty minutes:




The attack in the northmost part of the map has stalled in the face of Soviet artillery fire, which prevented units from moving forwards. The Soviets captured the friendly objective in the area, but are no longer on the victory hex itself. The other objectives have been captured or are within reach.

US losses are still low:



Frontline when sudden death was triggered:




Strength/losses overview:



Making sure the Soviet tanks were dealt with by artillery and Cobra's worked well, my own tanks hardly fired a shell in anger except against less well armoured targets. The infantry took some losses, but considering the numerical superiority of the Soviets, they are acceptable considering what has been achieved.

Sadly, the friendly objective in the north could not be recaptured in time, and the other objective in the northermost part of the map was just beyond reach, preventing the victory from being nearly complete.

All things considered, the infantry in particular performed better than expected. They might have done only a small amount of the killing, but if they would've folded none of my objectives would've been achieved aside from capturing the low point objective in the center-south.
The fact that these people drew inspiration...and then became chicken farmers - Cyrano, Dragon' Up The Past #45

LongBlade

Very nice. I'd been ignoring the southern flank. Thanks!
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Airborne Rifles

Me as well.  I'd been seizing the near objectives and defending them until I could counterattack.

LongBlade

Quote from: Airborne Rifles on December 30, 2013, 07:15:21 PM
Me as well.  I'd been seizing the near objectives and defending them until I could counterattack.

It seemed too obvious, but after several games I decided to move my helos down south. Then I hide them behind the ridgeline until I can suppress the Soviet air defense. Then they come rolling over the hill like Apocalypse Now.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

ComradeP

#4
I take out Soviet AD units as soon as possible, particularly the two units that can fire across most of the map.

Most of my forces are concentrated where the Soviets are not likely to attack in strength, but I keep the Cobra's in the center to deal with the larger concentrations of Soviet units. In the center, they're also closer to the Task Force HQ (to minimize resupply run downtime) and have short travel times to any likely locations where the second wave of Soviet armour might appear (which is supported by two additional Tunguska units as well, so you have to be careful until you can take those out).
The fact that these people drew inspiration...and then became chicken farmers - Cyrano, Dragon' Up The Past #45

Mad Russian

Quote from: ComradeP on December 31, 2013, 01:30:21 AM
I take out Soviet AD units as soon as possible, particularly the two units that can fire across most of the map.

Most of my forces are concentrated where the Soviets are not likely to attack in strength, but I keep the Cobra's in the center to deal with the larger concentrations of Soviet units. In the center, they're also closer to the Task Force HQ (to minimize resupply run downtime) and have short travel times to any likely locations where the second wave of Soviet armour might appear (which is supported by two additional Tunguska units as well, so you have to be careful until you can take those out).

As NATO, if I have helicopter assets my first mission is to find and take out his AD units. Then my helo's can go to work. Until then they find a nice hole somewhere and wait.

You did a very nice job on the AAR.

Good Hunting.

MR
The most expensive thing in the world is free time.

Con

This is in reply to ComradePs request for a quick update on my battle on the Grogheads contest scenario

This was my first battle that did not end up in Sudden Death instead I timed out as I was rolling up on the objectives.

Basic plan was to try and let the Pact advance thus forcing them to bring more of their arty and support units into my Arty range.

My main objective was to get eyes on to their units with the priority to kill Arty, Air Defense HQs then Armor/Inf.  I deliberate moved one Kiowa scout along the south map board until I could see units in Rotenburg.  I disabled FSSC staff support so that I could use the MLRS 7 hex fire when it arrived.

I moved the M1A1s South of Soltrum
Infantry I kept back and hidden with hold orders in towns otherwise always behind elevation terrain.  This was to ensure that the soviets do not spot them since Arty is the biggest killer in the game.

I sent my arty M109A2s south to Hellwege (hasty)
Mortar units were sent to east of Vorwek
Other infantry was hidden behind ridges NW of Nartum
M160A3 behind elevation west of Otterstadt

Plan was to allow the soviets to advance move the recce units back as quick as possible to save them from certain death from the helicopters otherwise get everyone into position.

Then with my infantry and soft units protected I went hunting for soviet AD and Art and pulverized them as much as possible almost all turns I designated the fire TRP.  I resupplied the MLRS as often as possible (set if to direct support to the Kiowa scout that was snooping around the enemy rear) and tried to use the 7 hex bombardment as much as possible.

Halfway in the game the weather turned to light rain and 2000M visibility (also a first for me in this scenario).

I slaughtered the soviet middle thrust after I let it cross the river in the center of the map to Reassun and it turned south to capture Stuckenborstel.

I moved my M1's too far north initially and lost 2 of them to arty fire.

I held off using the Cobras until the middle part of the game when I started using them to clear a patch for my counter attack from Soltrum, Ottersted and Stuckenborstel.  I assaulted out of the northern ridge to take Nartum.  Both attacks were launched about 45 minutes too late since I had the pact on the run but was not able to get units into the victory locations before time ran out.

The cobras had 95 kills between them (almost all in the last 2 hours of the battle)
Arty had 238 kills
Cobras and arty combined for about 75% of my total kills

My turn time was about 20 minutes and I was well within the Soviet decision loop with 40 of their HQs having bought the farm

Con