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Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH)

 
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Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/9/2020 3:58:54 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Red Banner Slam – NATO Side

Reading MikeJ’s AAR made me want to run one, and since a human opponent had just invited me to take the NATO side in Red Banner Slam, it seemed like the ideal time to do it. I’ll leave it up to the Soviet Commander if he wants to speak up during the AAR or remain anonymous.

Situational Overview

The Pact has achieved their much longed for break through in the Dutch sector, crushing a Dutch division and then sending the 10th Guards Tank Division through the hole. Their Deep Battle doctrine relies on just such opportunities. If successful, it should dislocate the entire NATO line and open the way for follow on forces to race for political objectives, shatter the NATO rear area, and turn the war into a series of meeting engagements where Soviet mass and speed will overwhelm the allies. The Germans scramble to put a blocking force in their way trying to slow down the Soviet operational momentum before what is already a crisis becomes an unmitigated disaster. Elements of the 52nd Jaeger Brigade, reservists with light infantry and a handful of outdated tanks, are thrown into the path of the juggernaut. The Panzer Lehr races to add weight to the perilously thin line, but won’t arrive for several hours.

The mission is clear. Retain key road intersections for 10 hours to prevent a rapid Soviet advance and allow NATO to shift forces to contain the breakthrough. Failing that, disrupt the 10th DTG to the extent it is no longer a viable offensive force.

The Terrain

The terrain is initially quite locally constricting for the Soviets until the first major belt of intersection, but gives quite a few options for approaches. The center and south both have no-nonsense high speed approaches (red arrows) which remain mostly obscured from observation until they open up to one final 2,000 meter stretch before the initial objectives, while the northern road allows a virtually completely covered approach until the first river line – but at the cost of needing to turn south and cross yet another bridge to seize Ateln, or advance across miles of irrelevant open ground on the far side.

There are also a number of stealthier approaches (red trail signs) where a soviet commander could conceivably get very close indeed to his initial objectives if he was willing to spend the time doing it.



The Enemy

According to staff estimates and signals analysis before the division went radio silent, the 10th DTG is bringing forward a Guards Tank Regiment (90x T80 BVs, 30x BMPs, 6x 2S1 SP Arty) and a full Motorized Rifle Regiment (39x T64BVs, 90x BMPs, 6x 2S1 SP Arty) as the core of it’s force.






Supposedly they have an independent recon battalion attached, consisting of both light vehicles and helicopters, which combined with the regimental recon gives the Soviets a plethora of reconnaissance assets at their disposal. Additionally, part of an Attack Aviation Regiment brings another 12x Hinds with it.



Finally, between the DAG and RAGs, 48x SP artillery pieces will be available in addition to regimental mortars when the division is fully deployed.



So. A serious force, though I have no idea how much of it is up yet – I presume the IRB and an advance guard at least, quite possibly more. The IRB will no doubt attempt to find paths through my limited obstacle belts, attempt to identify my forces, and guide engineers to crossing sites ahead of the main forces.

If the regiments commit on separate axes, the MRR will struggle to move into the teeth of firepower if it’s tanks can be attritted significantly, but it’s infantry can take a lot to finally clean out if they get anywhere.

In contrast, the GTR is an excellent offensive formation, capable of storming through fire and delivering killing effects right back against the best NATO has to offer. It’s only real weakness is that while each tank is quite formidable, the tank companies are a bit more brittle – lose 5 BMPs, and three quarters of the company keeps fighting on foot. Lose 5 tanks and the tank company is nearing ineffectiveness.

A more mixed approach might help balance those weaknesses, at the usual cost of not being excellent at anything.

I figure the Soviet commander has one real decision, and the rest is just details. He can go fast, coming up those beautifully obvious roads into no doubt prepared defenses, but quite potentially smashing right through and carrying on before NATO has a chance to react and feeding whatever arrives onto the battlefield into the gaps as soon as it’s up.

Or he can go slow, probe the NATO lines, bring his full DAG up, pound the crap out of whatever he finds, and then commit to a deliberate attack – likely using the concealed approaches – at the expense of knowing he’ll have gifted NATO hours and that he is now all in on getting it right when he throws the dice. (At a sort of larger operational level vaguely reflected by VPs, this also means stacking up the roads behind the 10th GTD, so husbanding the first echelon is letting deep strikes work over the second one, but that’s beyond the scope of the game.)


< Message edited by GloriousRuse -- 6/9/2020 4:07:05 PM >
Post #: 1
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/9/2020 4:49:45 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Friendly Forces

And what stands in the way of the soviet horde? Well, initially not much. One reinforced company of M48s from the reserves (20x tanks), two light infantry companies (6x infantry platoons in trucks) armed with panzerfausts – yes, panzerfausts – as their primary AT system. At least each of those infantry companies has a full mortar platoon+ with them. Six jeeps cover recon, and a set of WWII era 20mm AA guns round out the air defense.

The forces of freedom:





The good news is that Panzer Lehr is marching and a battalion of their finest should close within the next three hours, though they’ll be arriving from the march and directed to positions piecemeal as they arrive. When they arrive, they’ll bring 24 much needed Leopard 2s, a company of infantry in Marder 1s (9x Marders), and one in M113s. Their infantry. unlike the reservists, carry real ATGMs and can do good work if they can get to defensible terrain before the Reds arrive.



They also come with a battery and a half of artillery, one rocket artillery battery (-) of LAR-160s, some priceless Gepard air defense platforms, and three platoons of Jaguar 2 ATGM vehicles (12x vehicles). The artillery is hardly going to inflict massive casualties in the manner you might see the firepower heavy Americans fight, but it can keep Ivan cautious. An important note is that unlike the MLRS, the LAR is not a sub munition spewing machine (yet; upgraded rockets are available now-adays) – and the basic load bog standard HE rockets struggle against armor. Both the Gepards and Jaguars are excellent and lethal, capable of swatting helicopters and tanks at range, but very fragile if the enemy closes or targets them with artillery.





Supposedly there are two flights of Alpha Jets on call at some point, though the odds of them surviving the hostile skies to deliver their payload over a GTD’s worth of air defense are…well…not good.




< Message edited by GloriousRuse -- 6/10/2020 12:32:04 PM >

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/9/2020 5:01:39 PM   
MikeJ19


Posts: 3696
Joined: 1/29/2014
From: Ottawa, Canada
Status: offline 		This looks great! Love the photos and your write up!

I'm going to enjoy this!

Good luck!

_____________________________

Mike

Retired Gunner

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/9/2020 8:21:44 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Initial Friendly Deployment

I decided that the Panzer Lehr would be my main effort, tasked with defeating the 10th GTD between the Reingrab (1st eastern river line) and the Haaren-Altenau line (the major town on the hill in the south tied in with the river to it's north). After all, if the full weight of the GTD got into knife fighting distance, they would probably both overwhelm the Lehr and own the key highway junctions to expand their break out operationally. In execution, I wanted that to be three engagement areas covered by at least two companies of fire each, which are the dashed blue boxes. Exact battle positions would have to be fluid and dictated by the situation, but would strive to maximize stand off.



But to do that, the reservists would have to delay the on-rushing red horde. They got the un-enviable mission of an initial forward defense, where they should do neutralize enemy recon efforts, destroy the local bridges, and hopefully delay and disrupt the lead elements of the GTD.

In practice, that meant rushing infantry to the bridge sites (red circles) while the M48s tried to set up reverse slope (or equivalent) defenses which might prevent their early detection and either control the range or set up flank shots into designated EAs (blue boxes). Two company teams of an infantry company with two assigned tank platoons and mortar platoon each were formed for this purpose, with the brave jeep observation posts left to hopefully call in fire on my handful of obstacles.


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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/9/2020 11:19:38 PM   
Deathtreader


Posts: 1039
Joined: 4/22/2003
From: Vancouver, Canada.
Status: offline

Let the games commence!


Rob.

_____________________________

So we're at war with the Russkies eh?? I suppose we really ought to invade or something. (Lonnnng pause while studying the map)
Hmmmm... big place ain't it??
- Sir Harry Flashman (1854)

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 9:01:52 AM   
Secret45

 

Posts: 24
Joined: 1/29/2020
Status: offline 		Hello everybody,
I am GloriousRuses opponent and the commander of the 10th DTG in this Scenario. Wanted to share my point of view and my plan in this match although it wont be as detailed and well written as GloriousRuses posts.
My initial deployment looked like this:


I started only with my HQ, a few recon assets and 2 attack helicopters. I divided my recon assets in two groups. One part of the Southern groop will move two the forest on the hill in the South, check if it is empty and take positions on the edge of it in order to spot enemy units and positions on the opposite elevations. Other units in the group will move further North after crossing the southern bridge, scout for units around Dalheim and the Reingraben and if the area is clear start to construct bridges over there for my incoming combat formations. My northern recon group will also be split in two groups and move to different areas. One unit will move towards the VP at Altenau, cross the river, scout the are between Dalheim and Husen and afterwards also start to build bridges. The other part of this group will move North from their deployment area, take a VP over there on my side of the river and afterwards do scouting and bridging in that area. In my recon units my BRDM 2s will lead the way followed up by better recon units with a slight delay so that I can hopefully redirect them in time should the enemy presence at their destination prove to be a threat. This assets are very good at long range spotting so I want to try keeping them alive

In order to provide additional cover and intel my helicopters will fly ahead and hopefully destroy any spotted scouts and light units in my recons way. That's basiclly all for my initial deployment. Will have more stuff to do when the tanks and infantry arrive during the next hours.



Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Secret45 -- 6/10/2020 11:11:52 AM >

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 10:25:43 AM   
MikeJ19


Posts: 3696
Joined: 1/29/2014
From: Ottawa, Canada
Status: offline 		Awesome! This is going to be lots of fun to watch!

_____________________________

Mike

Retired Gunner

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Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 1:29:34 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		At Dawn's Breaking Light: 0600-0740

0600: The last of the nautical twilight gives way to a clear sunrise and a sweeping view of the positions and fields of fire the reservists could only be vaguely sure of in the haste of an unplanned night march. Platoon sergeants hastily work to unf&*k the inevitable clumping and errors of a night time occupation and sort out proper positions (in game, if you can HOLD a hex long enough, you get a DUG IN bonus).



0630: The scouts move to their designated OPs, and have the good fortune to report that by 0630 all but one slightly confused jeep section has arrived at it's location - the last one apparently got lost, as scouts sometimes do (ok, I clicked the wrong hex for a waypoint and didn't double check it). No ground vehicles are reported, but in the distance the outlines of bulbous scout helicopters can be seen in the bright morning sun. A dull crump rolls over the valley as the first Reingraben bridge falls into the river; years of local funding destroyed to hopefully buy 30 more minutes today...





0740: By 0740, the fight is evolving. A series of short and sharp engagements with BRDMs and BMPs carrying extra antennas and "something that look like a radar" - according to the ever accurate reporting of our highly trained soldiers - confirm the S2's read that the IRB is in the lead. They are approaching on a broad front, seeming to avoid the roads. These fights have been one sided, with the soviet recon running into infantry ambushes and tank engagement areas. We can only hope that they died before they could report locations.

There are two notable engagements beyond the norm - the lost jeep section tried to move to it's actual OP, but met a pair of hinds with predictable results. It's wing section on the high ground watched as several soviet recon vehicles drove into a minefield. The company FDC barely had to adjust the target.

And most hearteningly the lead reconnaissance platoon of the panzer Lehr arrived and after ten minutes of fiddling with frequencies finally managed to raise BN HQ to get new orders. (They arrived mid command cycle)




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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 2:13:28 PM   
MikeJ19


Posts: 3696
Joined: 1/29/2014
From: Ottawa, Canada
Status: offline 		This is great - I really enjoy your commentary.

_____________________________

Mike

Retired Gunner

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Post #: 9
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 3:54:42 PM   
fluidwill matrix

 

Posts: 140
Joined: 12/7/2006
Status: offline 		Nice to see both sides of the hill, thanks guys, looking forward to this.

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 6:59:44 PM   
CapnDarwin


Posts: 8467
Joined: 2/12/2005
From: Newark, OH
Status: offline 		Nice AAR. Thanks for sharing it. Looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

_____________________________

OTS is looking forward to Southern Storm getting released!

Cap'n Darwin aka Jim Snyder
On Target Simulations LLC

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 7:10:36 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Thank you all for the comments; I'm glad you like it. As this AAR is lagging the game by "long enough that anything posted is irrelevant now", I think I can drop a spoiler and say there will be some rollercoaster moments.

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 8:44:24 PM   
Secret45

 

Posts: 24
Joined: 1/29/2020
Status: offline 		Situation of the 10th DTG at 7:48 AM:
My recon met some strong resistant on my side of the river and I lost more of units then I excpected to. One of the reasons for that was my initial command cicle of 56 minutes that made it impossible to warn and redirect my follow up recons away from known ambushes. During this time also many of my combat units arrived. With my command cicle not fully established yet I decided to use my 20 orders to redirect some recon units, constructing bridges and start to move units that were close to my 2 newly arrived Gvozdika artillery batteries. That way I could move already atleast some of my units closer towards the frontline and have my arty start to shoot and scoot without risking my stacked up units getting hit by the counter battery fire and taking massive losses.

Ps: I wanted to post this with 2 screenshots but it seems like I am not allowed to do so for the next 7 days due to having only 10 posts on this forum. Screenshots will come later then.

Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Secret45 -- 6/10/2020 8:52:32 PM >

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/10/2020 10:09:36 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Much Waiting, With Brief Moments of Terror: 0740 - 0850

0740-0810: Despite the IRB's initial inroads, nearly half an hour goes by where the only further contact is another soviet recon platoon running into the central minefield. By now the mortars are barely bothering to adjust; the tubes are still laid on the old targets. The company XO begins to tally up his round count, wondering if he'll have anything left when the reds show for real.



The other soldiers wait nervously, scanning through optics or over iron sights, peering out into woodlines and fields for an enemy who simply isn't there. More than one driver is reminded that sergeants may be in the turret, but a long bit of metal through the escape will check if you're awake.

The TF commander has more pressing concerns. This isn't like the soviets at all - not that he really knows what they're like - the schoolhouses all drummed it in. The soviets hit fast, arriving minutes after their recon to shove their plan down your throat and keep going, damn the cost. And here - nothing. Did he call it wrong? Are there right now armored columns racing past him in some defilade he didn't see? As a second recon platoon arrives, he sends the Lehr's forward elements to screen his flanks and see if they can't see something - anything - from the high ground.



0813: The commander is reminded that scouts being on the highest visible piece of terrain for miles, while letting them see everything, also means...well...you know...they're on the highest visible piece of terrain for miles. The S2 confirms that yes, the enemy has artillery. The southern jeep section reports driving off a BRDM patrol making its way through the heavy woods. Minutes later, the lead mechanized infantry company and a platoon of artillery arrives from Lehr.

Perhaps, in some graded exercise somewhere, an observer would ding the Lehr for not having the tanks arrive first. As it is, they were probably told to simply turn around on the roads they were on and drive with all speed to the new AO, damn the march order. The TF commander certainly doesn't mind...



0850: CONTACT! TANKS!



< Message edited by GloriousRuse -- 6/10/2020 10:13:52 PM >

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/11/2020 4:21:28 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		An Attack with Limited Objectives?: 0850 - 0950

0850: FEUR!



OGON!



Scheize.



The reverse slope defense in the north, predicated on the idea of shooting attackers in the flank or at least catching a moving enemy, was ill-prepared to handle the Russian T-64s halting in position to trade rounds. A handful of M48s versus the entire tank battalion of the MRR turned out to be a one sided fight. Everyone expected the Soviets to just push through, but instead it looked like they were interested in seizing the far ridge line as a support by fire to bridge farther north...maybe? Or to support a heavy attack by the rest of the MRR?

Fearing the worst, the marder company was ordered to prepare another reverse slope defense furhter west, focusing their fire on the one crossroads the Russians would have to cross regardless of intent.

The artillery detachment, now fully up, set to work on what was going to be a very long day.



0950: And yet, the expected follow through didn't come. The Soviet attack seemed to simply...stop. A few more recon elements were destroyed in the south - the panzer Lehr's scouts came with Leopard 1s for just that purpose. Limited shelling from the reds gave rise to the hope that maybe the division wasn't fully up after all, and there would be time to get the rest of the 92nd Panzer Lehr BN into battle positions before the attack developed in full. Columns arriving from the road march were met by staff officers with maps - EW jamming by now was high enough that any other form of order was unreliable; the Panzer Lehr's men were relearing the skills of their forefathers on the job. (In game, the EW settings were, indeed, on HIGH - this doens't delay your OODA loop, but does make units MUCH slower to respond to your orders).

As tanks arrived one company was sent north, to occupy an initial hide position aimed at preventing an envelopment, with an option to drive to a hopeful flanking position on the northern roads if the soviets moved in that direction. The rest of the force was sent to cover the initial two EAs in the south-center.



TF Bear's Fire Support Cell (we're playing with staff fire support ON) thought they had a golden opportunity to employ the Alpha Jets, and sent two streaking towards the soviet tank positions.



The Alpha Jet was supposed to be used in low air threat areas, breaking up catgeory B and C formations while allowing the more expensive and sophisticated American and British aircraft to focus on major targets. The pilots, while determined, were outclassed from the moment they rode over a GTD. No one knows if they ejected.

Down south, the reverse occurred. The bulk of the soviet Hinds overflew the M48 defensive positions, but...



None of the hinds got a shot off; three of the eight made it back.



< Message edited by GloriousRuse -- 6/11/2020 8:57:23 PM >

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/11/2020 5:11:22 PM   
CapnDarwin


Posts: 8467
Joined: 2/12/2005
From: Newark, OH
Status: offline 		Fast and deadly combat.Great AAR so far!

_____________________________

OTS is looking forward to Southern Storm getting released!

Cap'n Darwin aka Jim Snyder
On Target Simulations LLC

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Post #: 16
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/11/2020 6:15:33 PM   
Secret45

 

Posts: 24
Joined: 1/29/2020
Status: offline 		good job with that new part. Always looking forward to the next one. Loosing so many Hinds hurt a lot. Didn't spot any AD previously and didn't excpected you to move it that quickly into range.

A small nitpick: Pozhar means fire in Russian (usually in context of catastrophes and natural disaters),but in this particular situation the tank commander would shout "ого́нь -> ogón" also meaning fire.

< Message edited by Secret45 -- 6/11/2020 6:16:09 PM >

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/12/2020 3:27:31 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		The GTR Makes Itself Known: 0950-1300

1030: After the northern M48s died in a blaze, there was yet another lull in the battle; presumably the MRR was re-organizing for another deliberate attack along the northern axis. Supporting that theory was an ever increasing amount of artillery fire landing on German positions - including the TOC, which we really should have hidden better:



The German artillery, struggling to affect the T-64s, shifted to counter-battery to deal with the new weight of Russian fire.



Forward scouts did not report hearing many secondaries, maybe four, but the volume of Soviet fire fell off as presumably their batteries got the message and began displacing after each mission.

Then finally, at 1030, the Soviets began to move again, the lead elements of the MRR turning into the river valley - and exposing themselves to flanking fire from a platoon of Leopard 1s. The platoon leader reported seven kills before the tanks drive out of sight and turned south.

Meanwhile, lead elements of the GTR made their presence known as fighting patrols dispersed the forward German infantry platoon and guided in bridging assets who threw up a hasty crossing over the Reingraben. It seemed as if the Russian assault was finally underway.




1100: Yet by 1100, it was clear this was yet another false start. While the infantry fought for their lives, the question pinging around the headquarters was "when will the Russians really come? Will they be content to move forward a few kilometers every few hours, chewing through the reservists?" Ever the optimist, the S3 suggested that if the Russians kept this up, the TF might be able to hold without committing the Lehr. As per tradition, the S2 dissented and declared that the Soviets had foxed them all and would just grind the force into paste will small advances and massive barrages.

The current operations staff were too busy to state their opinions, being as they were re-directing the Lehr to new positions and prosecuting the engineer targets that had so graciously shown themselves down south.



The conversation is cut short by reports of a new and unpleasant development near the northern scout platoon. They survived the first pass, but not the second:



1220: The last of the northern reservists have scattered or died, with the MRR last seen opening lanes in a FASCAM minefield as they moved through onto their initial objectives. Yet the entirety of the Lehr BN is in place now, ready to execute it's plan. Finally, Lead GTR tank elements are spotted closing on the southern crossing sites. The M48s fare little better against moving T-80s than they did stationary T-64s. Still - something feels different this time. The reds are coming; the positioning suggests it, as does on final fatal overflight by the remaining Alpha jets and a series of desperate reports from the southern scout platoon before they fall off the net. The enemy is committed. It is now just a matter of time.

Gunners make final adjustments to the gain on their sights while sergeants run one last series of TRP drills. Officers wait to see if their hours of preparation will pay off in the minutes to come. Everyone looks to the east.



1300: The Russian artillery fires one final series of intensive missions and then. And then. For a moment, you might think that it was a scene out of Tolstoy, a moment out of time. Your mind's eye could see it, the same banners waving, sergeants yelling at men to close up, officers leading their formations in a grand advance. A page out of Russian history now encased in armor and diesel...










< Message edited by GloriousRuse -- 6/12/2020 6:42:44 PM >

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Post #: 18
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/13/2020 3:03:22 AM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Half a league onward. 1300-1400



















1400: Bear 2 reports the 10th GTD is templated to be below 50% strength. 1/92 Panzer is ordered to attack into the flank of the MRR.




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Post #: 19
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/13/2020 1:42:35 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		An Aside To The Above

A lot happened in the space of one hour, and despite being two soviet and four NATO command cycles, the basic action didn't change. The soviets conducted a broad front advance into the planned EAs. My understanding is that the delays caused by seizing earlier objectives had de-synchronized the soviet movement, so rather than arriving as one massive wave they were slightly staggered - usually five to six companies were entering the EAs at once instead of fifteen to twenty.

In many ways a charge across the open like this is basically a contest where the front ranks of the soviet advance are paying for the privilege of getting the forces behind them into close contact. When everything arrives as one hammer, it isn't unreasonable to expect to see a couple battalions go up in flames at first, only to watch as the follow on battalions get within a 1,000 meters and start trading one for one with NATO. But when only a couple battalions are out there, they might not achieve anything. More of a step function than a linear one, if you will.

Essentially, the following layers engage the Soviets (as happened above).

Long Range ATGMs: Either distributed among American Bradleys or concentrated British/German Rapiers/Jaguars, these will start taking their toll about 3500 meters (7 hexes) or even further out. This period of the charge is pure slaughter for the Pact. They have nothing that can reply with direct fire, not really - the occasional tube launched ATGM just can't keep up with the flood of missiles. The upside is that the ATGM launchers are usually vulnerable to artillery or once you get within 2,000 meters. They also run down their ammo quite quickly. Still, those three hexes accounted for 32 vehicles in the charge above, with only seven Jaguars firing. Secret, sensibly, targeted them with virtually all of his artillery after the lead three companies evaporated. The jaguars didn't last long under that. NATO is trying to balance getting long, clean lines of sight for these shots with not giving away the position of ATGMs early and not losing them to supporting arms. (And for fun history, this is why ERA was developed - WP planners didn't expect that putting ERA on vehicles would save them, merely that it would increase the missile count needed per kill, allowing formations to both outlast the NATO ammo supply and cover more ground at ranges the pact was outclassed at)

Tank Fire: Really isn't effective until 2,500 or so meters (5 hexes) , and varies greatly depending on armor facing (well, not for BMPs) until about 1,500 meters (3 hexes). The goal is that soviet tanks - if they have to cross this gap at all - are frontally approaching NATO. BMPS are especially vulnerable here as the tank ROF means that entire MRCs can be hosed away in a couple minutes. Frontal tanks are still going to take mostly unanswered losses unless they're T80-U's, but a lot less of them. NATO, in turn, is looking to always create tank L's where a formation is exposing flanks to at least one firing element. For above, of the 40 or so tanks the Leopards destroyed, over 3/4 were flanking shots.

Infantry ATGMs and the close fight: Lots of the NATO nations use Milans or other short range ground launched ATGMs that really don't open up until 2,000 meters (4 hexes) or less. By the time a soviet charge reaches this range, it's starting to hit back at the vehicles that have been tormenting it. The dismounted ATGMs are not individually decisive, but can add that much needed touch to tip the balance when the pact gets in close. Up north you can see a soviet tank company that drove into a reverse slope defense using Milans, which is now down to a handful of tanks as a result. One more company would have overwhelmed that position, but sometimes there's just not on more company to give.

Really the pact's goal is to arrive at this final range band with a slightly better than 1:1 force ratio. There will be one final slaughter as the WP crews look to acquire targets and NATO gets their shots off first, but then it's just two brawlers trading blow for blow. If they can do that, then NATO dies even if the lead pact formations do as well.

(in reply to GloriousRuse)
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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/13/2020 3:51:59 PM   
fluidwill matrix

 

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Post #: 21
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/13/2020 4:19:09 PM   
CapnDarwin


Posts: 8467
Joined: 2/12/2005
From: Newark, OH
Status: offline 		Great assessment GloriousRuse!

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OTS is looking forward to Southern Storm getting released!

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Post #: 22
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/14/2020 4:22:39 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Hubris: 1400-1500

1415: After grins and cheers in the command post, the staff set back to their work with a sense of hope and pride. Then the reports start to come in. The soviets still have over 100 AFVs, and a second major attack is emerging from the far woodlines. Units are low on ammo, and the constant soviet artillery has been sapping combat power. All of the jaguars and nearly half of the southern Leopards are out of the fight - very few are burning hulks, but firepower and mobility kills have left them just as useless as a full penetration

Soviet fire efforts double, and then re-double. The commander makes a bitter quip about consumption rates while the S4 elects not tell him their own guns are at this point consuming shells on direct throughput from division stocks, and even that is unable to keep up with the terrible demands of modern war. (In game, they are on "R" status - this is one of the areas where the game is very forgiving.)



Here they come again.

1418: One of the S1 clerks securing the TOC perimeter reports rumbling.

1421: The TOC is in tatters, its command vehicles no match for soviet tanks.



1430: LTC Seydlitz, commander 92nd Panzer Lehr BN, assumes command of TF Bear. The situation is not as bright as it was, but the outlook is positive, especially with the northern counter-attack getting ready to move. All fires are directed in support of the southern defenses, and the surviving tanks finish transferring ammo from the semi-ready just in time to meet the reds head on.



1500: The northern counter-attack fails.

"Tanks before PCs, threats before flanks, stopped before moving." A simple mantra drilled into every tank gunner over countless hours of training. And one forgotten in moments as the Leopards crest the hill. They have a field day with BMPs in their sights, and fail to notice the remaining T-64s in overwatch. Only one Leopard is actually penetrated, but a hail of 125mm shells smash the rest into inoperability as tracks blow off, guns are knocked out of battery, and spalling metal causes casualties. In minutes eight Leopards are either destroyed or being withdrawn from the field.

Still, the battle is grim but manageable. The soviet attack in the south made small gains, but petered out. Both sides are battered into uselessness there. And if the northern counter failed, it also put an end to any further moves by the MRR. Radio messages on division net indicate that the rest of the Lehr will be arriving in an hour if the battalion can just hold on.

Then there is one final crisis: scouts report a company of T-80s has made its way unobserved through the deep woods to the south, and is now racing towards the critical highway bridges. LTC Seydlitz has no forces left to send.

Germany doesn't need a colonel now; it needs a tank. He tells his driver to move out.



< Message edited by GloriousRuse -- 6/14/2020 4:25:33 PM >

(in reply to CapnDarwin)
Post #: 23
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/15/2020 5:47:12 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Did you know they don't give out Iron Crosses anymore? : 1500-1600 (end of game)

1547: The last desperate soviet thrust closes on the highway bridges, having been chased by shells for it's last three kilometers.

Inside the 6 track:

"Gunner, Sabot, Tank - 1 o'clock, 1850"
"Identified."
"Fire"
"On the way."
"Target, cease fire. Pick up your scan"

"UP!"
----

"Gunner! Tanks! 1150! Left tank first!"
"Identified!"
"Fire as you acquire!"
"ON THE WAY!"
"UP!"
"ON THE WAY!"

----
"Tank right THERE! 350! SHOOT THAT M)%#$ker!!"
BOOM!



The political backlash in Germany in the 70s lead to the Iron Cross no longer being an award of the Bundewehser. A new "cross of honor for valor" was instituted in the late 2000's. I'm not sure where that leaves LTC Seydlitz, but he deserves something after that...




(in reply to GloriousRuse)
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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/15/2020 6:48:59 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/15/2020 8:25:08 PM   
Darren_H_slith

 

Posts: 69
Joined: 3/21/2019
Status: offline 		Very informative and enjoyable AAR...

(in reply to GloriousRuse)
Post #: 26
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/16/2020 9:35:53 AM   
fluidwill matrix

 

Posts: 140
Joined: 12/7/2006
Status: offline 		Excellent, GG both, thanks.

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Post #: 27
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/16/2020 10:47:20 AM   
loki100


Posts: 10920
Joined: 10/20/2012
From: Utlima Thule
Status: offline 		very enjoyable write up and its a great scenario.

if you want the full on horror of dealing with the Soviet Hinds, I'd recommend Dawn's First Light, its another gem either HtH or vs AI

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RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/16/2020 12:56:19 PM   
CapnDarwin


Posts: 8467
Joined: 2/12/2005
From: Newark, OH
Status: offline 		Great AAR. The reporting was top notch and the comments on how things work were very well thought out. Looking forward to seeing the next one.

_____________________________

OTS is looking forward to Southern Storm getting released!

Cap'n Darwin aka Jim Snyder
On Target Simulations LLC

(in reply to loki100)
Post #: 29
RE: Red Banner Slam AAR (HvH) - 6/16/2020 12:57:10 PM   
GloriousRuse

 

Posts: 906
Joined: 10/26/2013
Status: offline 		Thank you all for you comments. And thank you to Secret for maintaining a steady turn rate and being a good opponent.

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Post #: 30
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