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CM Black Sea – BETA Battle Report - Russian Side


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Bil -- I'm really interested to see how you conduct your assault on the Power Plant. In the picture from your Nineteenth minute post, it looks like a few of your teams (one in each of the three groups) are panicked or similarly reduced in effectiveness. Am I reading that correctly? How much defensive fire are you receiving from the Plant compound itself? How have you set up your suppressing fire? It looks like the group of teams in the lower-right corner of the Plant are going in without such accompanying fire. 

 

The (not-so) young apprentice seeks wisdom from the Master...teach me...

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Bil -- I'm really interested to see how you conduct your assault on the Power Plant. In the picture from your Nineteenth minute post, it looks like a few of your teams (one in each of the three groups) are panicked or similarly reduced in effectiveness. Am I reading that correctly? How much defensive fire are you receiving from the Plant compound itself? How have you set up your suppressing fire? It looks like the group of teams in the lower-right corner of the Plant are going in without such accompanying fire. 

 

The (not-so) young apprentice seeks wisdom from the Master...teach me...

 

Regarding incoming defensive fire from the Power Plant.. I have received none. Not since a Ukrainian team fired a few RPG rounds at one of my T-90s... I have received incoming fire from the US Company Team North.. and that is what panicked the team at the center-left in this image.  

 

The teams on the corners that are panicked was due to a mistake on my part.. I moved them up too quickly and they caught some friendly fire from the BMP attempting to breach in that area.

 

I had thought to bring a second BMP into the compound to help with the assault, but I think one will be enough and I really wanted to get that second BMP off to support the platoon that is clearing the east side of the river.  In fact as soon as I get a good feeling as to what Scott has in this objective I'll be pulling the other BMP out as well.  I think I have enough infantry to deal with whatever is in there... if there was the equivalent of a platoon then I would have seen something more than the two faded contacts that are in the image.  Unless Scott is being shy.. but that isn't like him.. so I suspect he has a small force, a couple squads maybe?  Observer team?  I can rule out an ATGM team... I would have noticed one of those and he would have had plenty of opportunity to use one.. so no on that.

Power%2BPlant.JPG

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OK, Bil...many thanks for the summary. I went back to an earlier post (#702) and found a description of your assault plan...guess I should have checked that earlier... :( 

So I see you have decided to commit the platoon at the lower-right corner of the above image, your original group #4, that was intended to be a reserve force for the assault...without the BMP, I assume? Has this vehicle disengaged to assist in the river clearing operation?

(I know, I can always wait for the next post, but I'm impatient!)

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So I see you have decided to commit the platoon at the lower-right corner of the above image, your original group #4, that was intended to be a reserve force for the assault...without the BMP, I assume? Has this vehicle disengaged to assist in the river clearing operation?

(I know, I can always wait for the next post, but I'm impatient!)

 

Yes, that platoon will enter the compound without the BMP, which has started moving toward the other platoon facing off against Scott's Javelin team.  It will work with a T-90 and a BTR as fire support to that platoon.  These are the vehicles that were stranded on the east side of the river with Scott's M1s dominating the highway.

 

Bil

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Best way for Russian forces to take down those pesky M1s is to retreat all the way to Moscow. And wait for winter to set in.

 

Sometimes not even General Winter can reverse the battle. Bil might though [commence cheerleading]

 

Bill is your plan now to try and set up Krichek as a blocking position? You seem leery on the possibility of holding H347 with such high profile, easily spottable ATGM vehicles. Are you going to make an attempt to contest it regardless or withdraw the units from H347? Is pulling back even feasible in the long run?

Edited by Rinaldi
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Bill is your plan now to try and set up Krichek as a blocking position? You seem leery on the possibility of holding H347 with such high profile, easily spottable ATGM vehicles. Are you going to make an attempt to contest it regardless or withdraw the units from H347? Is pulling back even feasible in the long run?

 

If I can capture Krichek, yes that is where I will make my last stand.  H347, Hill 347?  I know that's what Scott calls what I call center hill... no, sadly there is no retreat for the 2nd MRC remnants... they will die in their tracks and generally right now are there to slow Scott down.  He could bypass them and hold them with a Bradley platoon... that's what I would do at this point if I were him.   I did pull out some units though... two T-90s and two BMPs were sent to the Krichek Assault Company.

 

1st MRC though has flexibility to maneuver and to withdraw in a delay operation.

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If I can capture Krichek, yes that is where I will make my last stand.

 

Yeah, force him to clean the village room by room. Ambushes + short covered arcs will let you kill his infantry on by one. The claustrophopbc urban environment will allow you to deny him using his vehicles superior firepower. If you cant capture Krichek, the Power Station seems to be an object valueable enough (300 victory points) for a defense to the last breath as well. Along with the buildings at Provinska Dvor and the woods to its south-east it is also reasonably well located for defending it.

 

 H347, Hill 347?  I know that's what Scott calls what I call center hill... no, sadly there is no retreat for the 2nd MRC remnants... they will die in their tracks and generally right now are there to slow Scott down.  He could bypass them and hold them with a Bradley platoon... that's what I would do at this point if I were him.

 

I cant wait to read about their inspiring heroism. Make sure they all receive the Hero of the Russian Federation award.

 

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The Twentieth Minute

 

1st MRC - the US Company Team South again made few movements this turn as can be seen in this time-lapse of the turn.  I often do scrub through an entire turn to spot movement paths and note direction of movement of an entire formation:

US%2BCo%2BTm-South%2BTimelapse.gif

I have a BMP that could be on the flank of this enemy company.. I don't know if Scott has noticed this movement or not.. as all of the enemy vehicles I can spot throughout this turn are oriented toward my infantry teams and the other BMP, so maybe not.  A tank icon does appear in the gully around the corner at the end of this turn though.. but I think that must be an echo.. why would he pull a tank off the line when a Bradley or better, an infantry team could do that job better?

 

In the time-lapse you might have noticed the AT Team taking some Bradley fire in the bottom right... well, this team gets off two RPG rounds at this Bradley before it is noticed.. alas both went high... good news is that though they are suppressed, they take zero casualties.

RPG%2Bv%2BBradley%2B2.gif

 

2nd MRC - again a time-lapse shows that movement is picking up, but Scott is being very careful.  He is ensuring that he has a good base of fire prior to maneuvering forward.  Still, not much distance has been traveled since these reinforcements came on the map.  

 

Five minutes until my air support arrives. 

US%2BCo%2BTm-North%2BTimelapse.gif

 

A 2nd MRC BMP and the M1 with what I suspect must be Scott's command element spot each other simultaneously.  The M1 pops smoke, while the BMP, foolishly, backs out of its beautiful position... sigh...

BMP%2Bspots%2BM1.JPG

 

Power Station - the attack continues.. time-lapse: 

Power%2BStation%2BTimelapse.gif

 

Outside one of the buildings a team hunts outside, while suddenly they spot an enemy team within, it is over in seconds.  That is one enemy team down.. another was spotted moving through the central buildings.. and will be the focus of my efforts next turn.

Power%2BStation-InfantryTm.gif

 

Note: I often skirt the outside of a building, or will sit a team next to it for a turn or two before entering.  This allows them to listen and watch for enemy movement while having a wall between them and anything inside.

 

Krichek Assault - here is an overview of the Krichek area at turn end:

Krickek%2BAssault.JPG

 

The Javelin team (now confirmed to have two members) was chased off the ridge by my fire.. it fired a Javelin at one of my teams which hit close but caused no casualties.  

1st%2BPlt-3rdMRC-Jav%2Bhit.gif

 

Note that Tunguska 1 re-crossed the bridge... it is oriented away from my Assault Company however.. and an RPG fired by a recon team was left hanging at turn end... killing that vehicle would be a HUGE score for me... and would be just in time for my air support (5 minutes out and counting).

RPG%2Bv%2BTG%2B1.JPG

Edited by Bil Hardenberger
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What's the distance from the Recon team to the Tung and how skilled are they?

 

About 300m.. yeah probably too distant to really hold much hope.  ;)

 

This is getting nailbiting with air support getting inbout. What do you estimate US own air defences to be? 

The only thing I know about is the two Tunguskas and the one other AA asset in Krichek... guess I'll find out in about 5 minutes.   :mellow:  

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Bil, one comment about the time-lapses if I may. They are a nice feature, but I find it difficult to know just where they begin and end sometimes. I would find it helpful if you could find it convenient to include a two or three second pause before the cycle begins again. Otherwise, still loving your reports.

 

:)

 

Michael

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Bil, Thanks a Great Tip!!


 


Outside one of the buildings a team hunts outside, while suddenly they spot an enemy team within, it is over in seconds.  That is one enemy team down.. another was spotted moving through the central buildings.. and will be the focus of my efforts next turn.

Power%2BStation-InfantryTm.gif

 

Note: I often skirt the outside of a building, or will sit a team next to it for a turn or two before entering.  This allows them to listen and watch for enemy movement while having a wall between them and anything inside.

 

Edited by Holien
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Hi Bil, have been following your AAR for a few weeks now, but havent had any cause to pipe in. I have a question: you seem to be counting quite alot on the Air support arriving in a few minutes time. This is the first AAR i have read on CMBS. Is the air support really powerful in this game? Can it be a battle-changer?

Thank you in advance, and great job with the AAR and with the battle on the whole.

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Hi Bil, have been following your AAR for a few weeks now, but havent had any cause to pipe in. I have a question: you seem to be counting quite alot on the Air support arriving in a few minutes time. This is the first AAR i have read on CMBS. Is the air support really powerful in this game? Can it be a battle-changer?

Thank you in advance, and great job with the AAR and with the battle on the whole.

 

Yes, the air support can be decisive.. I doubt mine will be.. unless I can take out his AA assets.. which is a tall order in the next 5 minutes.  I expect his will have more luck as I only have two Tunguskas, and zero MANPADs so will be at his mercy.

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Bil,

 

I don't know how the Russian Army does things these days, but the scale of Issue during the Cold War used to be one SA-7/SA-14/16 gripstock and several missiles (3?) per MR platoon. Given your force size, I find it odd you have no MANPADS at all. A lucky BMP! Looks as though your infantry attack is going very well. Shall be most interested to see what happens when your flying tanks arrive.

 

Regards,

 

John Kettler

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Yes, the air support can be decisive.. I doubt mine will be.. unless I can take out his AA assets.. which is a tall order in the next 5 minutes.  I expect his will have more luck as I only have two Tunguskas, and zero MANPADs so will be at his mercy.

Thanks for the asnwer. Do planes perform a strike and fly on, or do they loiter for a few turns, engaging targets of opportunity until their weapon load is spent?

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VasFURY,

 

I can't speak to the game, but the actual analyses we conducted during my Cold War days at Hughes as a military analyst showed beyond all doubt that one and done was the only survivable approach to ground attack in a Fulda Gap type air defense environment. Repeat passes simply cost lots of planes and did very little further damage. Studies showed, the magic flight altitude number for approach prior to brief weapon delivery popup was 200 feet, high enough to avoid ground clobber (plane goes splat!), yet low enough to keep from being eaten alive by SAMs and AAA.

 

Regards,

 

John Kettler

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