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Canadian Defense - CMSF 2 BETA AAR #2 (Quick Battle)


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Breaking away for a moment from the "Canadians who made it onto US cultural radar" banter, is this map new or a reboot (with water) of a CMSF1 map?

20180719142607-c6f31883.jpg

Either (pronounced "eye-ther") way, a little constructive criticism of this village.

It's presumably a bunch of structures dropped into an actual Google earth footprint. Fair enough for a start, but it looks more like something you'd see in the treeless deep desert, which is clearly not the dominant terrain on this map.

All structures except shops (mostly open fronted) should have some kind of compound wall surrounding them; low stone walls for farmhouses, high walls for more modern residences. Houses should also have a fair number of palms and mature shade trees, maybe an orchard. And outbuildings. I was hoping the little shed would make it in from CMBN, but alas no joy.  Where's the mosque? (a village this size will have one, even if there isn't a dome or minaret)

This is *not* just eye candy; it has very real implications for the battle. A 'dense' village squarely in the centre of the map provides a ready made fortress, with robust and varied concealment and cover for units, especially infantry AT teams who can keyhole and break contact at will.

I'd expect this benighted hamlet to be leveled by artillery or air in due course, but the rubble, walls and ditches would still provide plentiful and stubborn tactical cover. In its current barren state, AT teams can't so easily flit from building to building to keyhole, and can be readily pinned and killed off by ranged tank/IFV guns. Uber armour uber alles again, yawn.

Settlements are one of the only features that counter the overwhelming superiority of (usually) NATO ranged weapons. If you want a fair fight and a more fun game (IMHO), give these features more of their real life tactical properties! 

Here endeth my catechism. Exit Falstaff.

Edited by LongLeftFlank
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On 7/19/2018 at 11:46 PM, IanL said:

Initial situation

This AAR is being played using the Quick Battle system from the v4 engine in the new version of Shock Force. We are playing a Red probe with Bil taking the Syrians vs Canadians commanded by myself. The back story we decided on is that the NATO advance is proceeding well and the Canadian battle group has been assigned to flank protection for the main advance. D Company has been directed to take up positions around a village on the main East West road in the area.

Taking the walk through the village to meet with the local elders was something that Capt. Leslie actually enjoyed. The security situation for these types of meetings was much better here than in Afghanistan where, as a platoon commander, often had to provide security for the CO in one of these meetings. Over there it was always a nerve racking time. Here, today, his men had taken up their positions already and there was no love for the Assad regime around here. There was no love for the Assads anywhere actually – even in the enclave where his family drew the most support it was based on fear not love. So his walk today was pretty safe. Walking through the village reminded him of the last time he was in Syria. When he was just a boy visiting his father who was stationed on the Golan Heights as a UN Observer. Back then this trip to Syria was an exciting event. He got to fly on Hercules from Germany to Damascus where his Dad’s apartment was. The trip had made an impression. Not just the Roman ruins and the amazing castle Krak des Chevaliers (and having lived in the UK a few years earlier he knew castles) but it was really the people that impressed him the most. They were so friendly and open. It was this trip and listening to his father tell the stories of visiting with security guards on his way home each night that cemented in him the certain knowledge that you can go anywhere in the world and the regular people you meet are more like you then they are different.

This meeting was just a formality but an important one. They would not be here for long and the Canadians had no mandate to provide any kind of assistance this was just to introduce the force that would be on their door steps for a while and point out that most likely nothing eventful would happen today, tomorrow or the next day. Capt. Leslie had put off this meeting for a hour because he had to spend time on the radio sorting out their artillery support. They were not expecting any action and so had only been assigned only a battery of light artillery and some Battalion mortars but he wanted to make sure they were ready with solutions plotted just to be sure. For some reason there had been a delay. Usually the artillery guys were ready before his FO was but today somehow the assignments had been confused and no battery thought they were supposed to be on call for D Co.. He had the reputation not as a rising star but a solid cross the t’s dot the i’s find a solution get it done officer. And he had done so again. Other officers liked him because he did his homework and was fair even when he was pushing for something. He didn’t make a big production but he didn’t back down either. He remembered his Dad used to say “not everyone can be a rising star, those stars need good officers to get their jobs done”. His Dad’s other advice when he joined up as a junior officer was “always listen to your Sergeants and Warrant Officers, they are the ones that have the experience know how to help you find solutions and keep you from screwing up”. He had taken the advice to heart.

 

Force selection:

The Quick Battle system is still not complete so don’t read much into what you see other than the happy path I will describe J. As you can see the usual points panel is there along with the selected force’s flag and available branches. The various units might still need tweaking in the QB list and single vehicles and teams is not officially complete and the points might change. All the usual caveats apply. No one has tested the auto pick force make up yet – although the three times I used it during testing it actually did a good job. At any rate before release this stuff will be tweaked some more.

Similar to the CMBS game there are combined force battle groups available. That is where I will start:

 

 

Defending in a Medium Probe lets you purchase about a mechanized company or so. I start with paring back to D Company and a platoon of tanks. Then I do something I started doing recently – renaming the top commander on QB battle field after myself. I think it is more fun to think of yourself down there in the game. Hopefully no one thinks it is too arrogant since I have never served as more than a truck driver but I’m adding a little colour this time based on an alternate reality where I joined up back in university like I very nearly did.

 

 

Now the hard choices. I am pretty certain that Bil will be bringing armour to this and those T72s are every bit as deadly to the Leos as the Leos are to the T72s. That means I need to be able to handle enemy armour. So, to get the points room to have some support I chose not give up a tank but instead gave up a platoon of infantry. Therefore the basic force is two platoons of infantry and one troop of tanks.

 

 

 With that I’ll settled I chose to keep two of the battalion’s AT LAVs, one battery of mortars and a sniper team. Never leave home without your sniper team.

 

Nice! :)

Any chance of having some screens of your troops and their vehicles?

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METT-T: Enemy

Enemy Intentions

The enemy will attempting to control the road network in this area to undermine the NATO advance happing to the south and West of here. By controlling this area they can threaten supply routes and routes for reinforcements.

Enemy Force Capabilities

The enemy tanks can range from vastly inferior T55s to pretty much equal to the C2s T90 while their IFVs are not as capable as our LAVs the BMP3s are no slouch when it comes to firepower.

Possible Order of Battle

For the attacking force in a Medium probe I expect to see two companies plus some support. Bil should be able to purchase a tank company and a mechanized infantry company.

Enemy Strengths

Depending on which tanks Bil choose we could be looking at a large numerical advantage with inferior tanks – which can still deal with a LAV and still pose a real threat to the C2s or they could still bring a numerical advantage with an equivalent tank.

Enemy Weakness

None of the enemy AFVs can match the spotting ability of ours.

Enemy Equipment

There is no intelligence on what level of equipment the enemy force may possess. I would not be surprised if we face an elite guard force but second tier force is also possible.

Enemy Course of Action

·         AA1 Has good low areas to move through and it clears the first objective naturally. The enemy would not likely try this without securing KT1 and KT3first.

·         AA2 The least likely avenue of approach since this is under easy observation from KT7 and KT8. Again there is a need to secure KT1 and KT3.

·         AA3 Offers ways of moving without being constantly under observation. Again need to secure KT1 and KT3 but this avenue is already going towards KT1.

·         AA4 Also offers ways of moving without being constantly under observation. Again need to secure KT1 and KT3 but this avenue is already going towards KT3 and past KT1.

There is a good chance the enemy may recon all four routes. I expect he will favour AA3 and AA4 but we will have to see how the battle plays out.

20180723171328-7bea662f.png

 

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METT-T: Troops

As described in the earlier post this is a combined arms force created by paring back the Independent Battle Group from the force selection screen. The force is company sized, two platoons of infantry and one of tank troop plus some elements from the battle group support company, a section of Anti Armour, a batter of 81mm mortars and a sniper team.

Order of battle

D Company: Capt. Leslie

LAV Captain Team: Lt. Duncan (2IC)

FO Tea: Lt Finnegan

Also Attached to D Company from the battle group support Company:

Mortar Platoon HQ: Lt McKibbin (with four tubes of 81mm mortars)

Sniper Team: MCpl Morrison

One Section Anti Armour LAV: Lt. Golfrey

14 Platoon (Mech Infantry with no LAVs): Lt. Corhill

1 Section: Sgt Greentree

2 Section: Sgt Bellemere

3 Section: Sgt Augustine

4 Section (weapons): Sgt Calder

15 Platoon (Mech Infantry LAVs): Lt. Jackson

1 Section: Sgt Pension

2 Section: Sgt Forbes

3 Section: Sgt Wright

4 Section (weapons): Sgt Merritt

18 Troop (Four C2 Lepards): Lt Bermier

1 Tank: Sgt Aurthor

2 Tank: Sgt Laurin

3 Tank: Sgt Gagon

Fire support

1 battery (4 tubes) of 81mm mortars off map from the battle group

1 battery (2x2 guns) of 105mm guns

 

HQ and support elements

 

20180724102635-7671c734.jpg

 

 

14 Platoon

20180724102636-12ffeb49.jpg

 

 

15 Platoon

 

20180724102637-4aee3144.jpg

 

 

18 Troop

 

20180724102638-aad4a948.jpg

 

Fire Support

20180725072003-7e46a5b8.jpg

 

METT-T: Time

That battle is 2 hours long. I am sure we will end the battle before that due to casualties.

 

 

Edited by IanL
Added missing fire support info
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14 minutes ago, Chainsaw said:

Wow. Those LAV commanders are really standing up like on parade, they will get moved down quickly. (BFC should fix that before release..) 

Then I will report that. Interesting I had never seen them open before since I always fight with them buttoned up. I only opened up for their photo. In a sense they are on parade...

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24 minutes ago, IanL said:

Then I will report that. Interesting I had never seen them open before since I always fight with them buttoned up. I only opened up for their photo. In a sense they are on parade...

yeah I don't see much reason to unbutton a LAV, I expect it actually lowers your optics.  Still it would be better to have their posture be more realistic.

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Did some thinking over lunch. Here are my current thoughts:


20180724113520-860af4df.png

An infantry platoon based in the north with the bulk of them on Lifeson to create a prepared reverse slop defence of that objective. I'll have a section positioned on KT8 with a scout team keeping their eye on AA1 and AA2.

The sniper section at the farm at Rutsey so they can see what is happening early. They can use the low area to evade and return to Lifeson - hopefully.

The FO, a section of tanks and the Anti Armour Lavs at Lee. I'll have the FO direct fires and spot for the anti armour units and let the tanks and anti armour use the village and the terrain to attack various enemy units as needed from key hole positions.

The mechanized platoon at Peart with a section detached and paired with a section of tanks to move to KT3. The infantry can dismount and spot for the tanks from KT3 and have the tanks and the LAV attack targets using the terrain hide in. Then can with draw along AA4 back to Peart. This unit can also redeploy to Lee if needed as well.

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1 hour ago, IanL said:

An infantry platoon based in the north with the bulk of them on Lifeson

 

1 hour ago, IanL said:

They can use the low area to evade and return to Lifeson - hopefully.

 

Did you ever in your life think something like that would be written, let alone by you? I am fairly certain Alex didn't.

 

Cool seeing the infantry using binocs, you always had to imagine it in SF1. The LAV and Leo textures look new. Very nice! More up close pics (when you take them again), please.

 

Mord.

Edited by Mord
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26 minutes ago, Mord said:

Cool seeing the infantry using binocs, you always had to imagine it in SF1.

Cool I didn't know that. I have never played CMSF1 so this kind of thing is cool to know. I could have taken the shot when he had his weapon in hand but just thought it looked cooler with the binos - especially since that is Capt. Leslie.

26 minutes ago, Mord said:

The LAV and Leo textures look new. Very nice!

Lots of tweaks in the new game - not just the infantry models

26 minutes ago, Mord said:

More up close pics (when you take them again), please.

What how close do you want? The guy holding the C9 is so close you can see his flag and his determination. :)

25 minutes ago, Mord said:

Less thinking, more dying!

Oh that will happen Bil gets his hands on a turn soon the dying will happen soon after that.

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1 hour ago, IanL said:

What how close do you want? The guy holding the C9 is so close you can see his flag and his determination. :)

More, as in more of the same...I should've did a google translate before I typed but I figured my Canadian was pretty fluent. Damn foreign languages!

1 hour ago, IanL said:

Cool I didn't know that. I have never played CMSF1 so this kind of thing is cool to know. I could have taken the shot when he had his weapon in hand but just thought it looked cooler with the binos - especially since that is Capt. Leslie. 

Yeah, it would show binoculars in the equipment list but they never used them visually. It is a nice little detail, I am glad to see it brought into SF.

 

3 hours ago, sburke said:

yeah I don't see much reason to unbutton a LAV, I expect it actually lowers your optics.  Still it would be better to have their posture be more realistic.

 

They are at the same height as they are in SF.

SF1 LAV.

olvLsFv.jpg

 

Mord.

Edited by Mord
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8 minutes ago, MikeyD said:

Just want people to be clear, that LAV 3 pict above is the CMSF1 vehicle with the CMSF1 texture on the CMSF1 terrain. ^_^

I made it clearer. LOL. Yeah, your new textures are waaaay better. Nice job!

 

6 minutes ago, IanL said:

Yeah that's @Mord's screen snot not mine.

Dp61Y7L.jpg

Don't worry they're ultra soft so they won't irritate your nose.

 

Mord.

Edited by Mord
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