Sandokan

So welcome to our Beta AAR.  Introductions, I am The_Capt...hello.  Some old timers may remember me from back in the day but for the newbies (and hopefully there are a lot of you) I am the Simon to Bil's Garfunkel.  While Bil is detailed, deliberate and cool all resting on a foundation of real talent; I am erratic, insecure and hot-headed resting on very occasional unpredictable sparks.  Between the two of us we try to make wonderful music.
So first the obvious, what is CM Cold War and where did it come from?  Well the game is our brainchild, not that it took a serious leap of imagination as people had been talking about a Cold War game for years.  Bil and I had been looking for a title to cut our designer-teeth on for years as well, and after a few false starts we approached BFC with the idea about 7-8 years ago, to which Steve sagely looked at two complete amateurs and said "uh, sure...why don't you guys go pull some stuff together and we will do lunch".  So we did up all the boring and work-like stuff most of you never see; project documents, historical research, backstories, TO&Es (pouring over things like Senate Arms Committee records and back issues of the US Army magazines), and campaign designs.  Once we did all this we came back to Steve like proud children that had just performed surgery on the family cat.  Steve's eyes went a little wider and very Bruce Willis-like said, "ok let's give these kids a shot".  I am pretty sure we were to remain a weird side project in the basement - that is where the older Beta Testers go in the end - but last year things accelerated and we found ourselves suddenly thrust into the rock and roll lifestyle of computer wargame designers...without the groupies, cocaine or leather pants.
So with a very small team, a tight timeline and another look from Steve that was somewhere between "ya, there is no way these guys are going to make it" and "but if they do...?" (seriously, support from the BFC guys has been outstanding) we started the journey.  So when you play the game on release (it is no secret we are on track for Apr, after Easter) you know who to curse when something either does not look quite right or you are getting beat up on a campaign (the Soviet one is particularly brutal).  If you love the game, praise the entire team, if you are angry that the Soviet officer holster does not look right, feel free to vent at either Bil or I, mostly Bil.
Onto the AAR.  Ok in the proudest tradition of this thing, Bil will wow you all with dazzling intelligence products that would make an ASIC weep.  I, on the other hand, prefer a  more tactile and coffee-stained approach...I also tend to lose these fights.  This map comes from the US campaign, a scenario called Dollbach Heights, but do not worry the scenario is completely different so no spoilers.  This whole thing is occurring in the backdrop of a Cold War-gone-hot strategic situation set in summer of 1982, which may seem quaint today but back in '83 we actually came pretty close.  The Soviets are basically making a break for the Rhine as fast as possible before reserves can be called up and fly-overs conducted.  The US forces are the tripwire forces of V Corp with units like the 11 ACR and 3rd Armd Div (for this AAR we do not assign particular units) as the game centers on the Fulda corridor (between the West German border and Frankfurt).  So the strategic game is simple, Soviets have to move fast as possible to get in close to the major urban areas, knock France out and put the UK into close range.  The bet back in Moscow is that at this point NATO will fracture as half of them sue for peace...we will see how that works out.
A couple points on force balance and doctrine.  So this is 1980, the beginning of a vapid and synthesizer-infested decade (trust me I was there). The US forces are still recovering from the entire Vietnam experience.  Goldwater-Nicols has not happened so we are still talking about conventional service competition in the US military, which was unhealthy (still is) and a US Army that was slowly coming out of the old ROADs models and heading towards AirLand Battle.  The TO&Es are based on the '77 force structures (you will note US tank platoons have 5 tanks).  The "so what?" is that US forces are pretty much at their most vulnerable point in this era.  They lack mass and are moving to active defense and maneuver warfare but the equipment has not caught up.  It is going to feel weird to some but this is a modern (well semi-modern) title where US forces do not dominate the battlefield.  They have to be played carefully to achieve parity.  For example the T62 can kill an M60A3 in the front from about 1500m, so the US player must be elegant and clever...like the gentle fox.
The Soviets on the other hand are the bear that eats said gentle fox and then poops him out, barely breaking stride.  The Soviets at this point are pretty much near the top of their game.  Their equipment is solid, if a little blind, and they have mountains of it. Soviet operational doctrine is actually very good, it uses mass much like it did in WW2, and frankly Genghis would be proud at how well the Soviet can throw MRRs at a problem and simply keep going.  The T64 is a beast, probably the best Soviet tank in the game (particularly the B versions), the T80 can throw a punch too.  The Soviet use of ATGM is frankly terrifying.  First, they literally put those things on just about everything, and the AT 5 feels like the modern day Javelin in that, if it can hit, it will kill.  In testing one scenario of the US Campaign, I played sloppy and watched an BMP MRB shred all the US armor in about 5 mins...so there is that.   
At a tactical level the Soviet are all about lining up the punch.  They were not mindless hordes, they would prepare and shape with recon but when they decided to throw that punch...oh, my.  First they would drop the sky on top of you using massed artillery.  Then they would advance en masse  along multiple axis projecting dilemma everywhere for an opponent.  They would then trade shots until your armor is gone and finally they might dismount and clean up any poor infantry you have left.  I say 'might' because they would often simply bypass those huddle GIs and just keep going.
So for this AAR, I will try to emulate the soviet approach as much as possible.  Stay tuned and see how it turns out.       

This is something I threw together in my own time. Please remember that this is from a beta build of the game and is subject to change. 

Tentative Plan
Battle Planning:  My philosophy is to never develop a final plan until I have an estimate of the enemy situation. 
 
“The time to take counsel of your fears is before you make an important battle decision. That's the time to listen to every fear you can imagine!  When you have collected all the facts and fears and made your decision, turn off all your fears and go ahead!”
George S. Patton
 
In the above quote, Patton is describing the OODA Loop, though of course John Boyd’s description and breakdown of his now famous loop was still decades away.
OODA Loop (Observe-Orient, Decide-Act) - In the OODA loop the Observe-Orient components never stop, from the battle kickoff to the end. They are always running, and all enemy interactions and sightings feed Observe-Orient which add to the picture a commander has of his battle space making their decisions easier, faster, and more intuitive. 
If you can beat your opponent to “understanding the situation” then your OODA Loop will cycle at a much higher pace than theirs and your decisions will be more effective and they will be at least one step behind, which is a bad place to be in a fast paced combat zone.

For this battle, I need to get eyes on NAI 1, 2, and 3 as quickly as possible so this initial formation (1st Platoon) will act as my reconnaissance force.  
Once I have an idea as to how the enemy is deploying I can then Decide how to Act.  Once a decision has been made there must be no hesitation, act aggressively and with confidence in the decision.
  

 
I can make some assumptions: 
Assumption 1:  The enemy will attempt to seize the village.  This is a sure bet, as it is the main objective for this scenario, for both sides. Assumption 2:  The enemy will advance down EAA1 towards the village.  Another safe assumption due to the masked movement corridor this avenue presents. Assumption 3:  The enemy will build a SBF position close to either NAI2 or NAI3, or both.  Reasoning is that both of these positions can provide excellent flank support to the main effort, probably moving through EAA1.  

Reconnaissance Plan:  In order to get eyes on the enemy I need to close the distance as soon as possible. 
Scouts:  My main recon force will be the three M113s, Scout teams and the Platoon HQ team. Which will rush toward Dolbach, dismount prior to entering, and creep forward as far as possible.  These are not expendable units, I want them alive and capable to help in a later phase.  CMCW Feature:  New to Cold War, US Scout teams all have the ability to call for fire.
 

Overwatch: The two M-150 TOW vehicles will provide long range overwatch from the ridge.  Their visibility from up there is suspect and I am pessimistic as to the level of fire they will be able to place on the enemy.  

Overwatch/Support by Fire: Split into two, two-tank teams the M-60A1(Rise+) tanks will be on the extreme right flank providing Support by Fire and Overwatch for the M113s.  Their goal will be to shadow the M113s and to interdict any enemy vehicles they can.  

Obscuration:  My two Howitzer batteries will be laying down a quick smoke screen in front of the enemy in order to, hopefully, decrease his ability to engage any of my moving units.  Also this is meant to increase the difficulty of the enemy spotting and any shots the Soviets may attempt.  
Intent:  The intent and goal for this initial phase is to answer as many of the PIRs as possible prior to the initial reinforcement wave (5 minutes).  They are not to get decisively engaged or do anything stupid that will force them to suffer casualties.  Force preservation is key, especially for the tanks and the M-150s.
Bil

METT-T Analysis
MISSION
 “The Army I grew up in was focused on high-intensity conflict against a peer competitor called the Soviet Union.”
Mark Esper
 
Mission:  Seize and control the village of Dolbach that sits along an important Main Supply Route (MSR) which runs east to west just north of this village.  Advance to contact and “convince” the Soviets that this is not the village they are looking for.
I think Warren once described this type of fight as "two fat men fighting over a donut".    

 
So the mission is simple... at least it sounds simple.  However this is 1980 and the US does not have the technical advantages they will have a mere two years later. 
 “Everything is very simple in war, but the simplest thing is difficult.”
von Clausewitz
This is basically a meeting engagement, and our forces will be, in numbers at least, relatively balanced.  However there is a capability gap at this point in time in favor of the Soviets as you will discover.  
Bil

“Here, across death’s other river, the Tartar horsemen shake their spears.”
T.S. Eliot
 
This BETA game is being played against Warren (The_Capt), and we are very familiar with each other’s style, strengths and weaknesses as we’ve been playing CM against each other for close to 20 years now.
CM Cold War was our brainchild and has been on our wargame design table, off and on, for eight years now, but now it is a real thing.  You’re welcome.    With that said it is only fitting that Warren and I play in this BETA AAR.  We haven’t played in public since our original CMBN BETA AAR, Not your Father’s Combat Mission. 
I hope you enjoy the ride, and welcome to the COLD WAR!!

Sidebar!  I strictly use the Movie Mode when I play so all of my screenshots use that feature.  I don't mean it to insult anybody, but I just think the game looks better.
Meeting Engagement at Dolbach Heights, 1980
When Warren and I laid out the design for this game we wanted it to be primarily and ultimately a sandbox for experimentation and reflection.  A tool to test the tactical theories that were prevalent at that time.  Time… yes, we also wanted to be able to examine the different sides from different time perspectives, and this release, the base game in the CM Cold War series, contains the years 1979 to 1982.  We also only cover the months March to October, mainly so we didn’t have to generate winter textures and models which would have been one feature too many.
This particular scenario is one that Warren and I threw together that we thought would be fun to play and show off.  The map is from the US Campaign and when you play that you will see this map eventually.  I will start my METT-T analysis in my next post, but for now, sit back, enjoy the existence of this game, and don’t go away!
Bil

CONTENTS:
METT-T Analysis MISSION ENEMY TERRAIN TROOPS / TIME Tentative Plan The Action: First Three Minutes! Fourth Minute - First Contact! Fifth Minute - Return of the Blood Board! Sixth & Seventh Minutes Eighth Minute - One Meter Too Many Eighth Minute - BDA & Some Movements Ninth Minute Tenth Minute Eleventh & Twelfth Minutes - "...damn your eyes." Thirteenth Minute - The Board is Set Fourteenth Minute - Spoiling Attack Plan Fifteenth through Seventeenth Minutes Eighteenth Minute - Relearning Old Lessons Nineteenth & Twentieth Minutes Twenty-First & Twenty-Second Minutes - Beyond Here, There be Dragons Twenty-Third & Twenty-Fourth Minutes - Saga of Tank Section 1

Happy days, eh lads? 
PS - Outta likes as usual, I could use loads of 'em today TBH! 

I had posted awhile ago that the delays caused by BFC working with Slitherine last year on their military project for the Brits was liable to see a downstream benefit from BFC becoming used to working to a deadline. This was what I was talking about. Turnaround on this title is about a fast as anything I've seen from them. And no corners cut doing it, either.

https://www.battlefront.com/cold-war/cmcw-base-game/

Quoted  from wargamer.com:
 the game will include three campaigns and 15 standalone scenarios West Germany between 1979 and 1982  between the US and Soviet forces The game primarily centres on the Fulda Gap  the first of the game’s campaigns follows US forces [...] Players take command of two US regiments to stop a Soviet invasion of Europe and can play the campaign in either 1982 or 1979 The second campaign, playing as the Soviets, traces the opening 48 hours of a fictional USSR invasion of West Germany The final campaign gives you command of a US Army Company Team, simulating battle in the US National Training Center The game also includes 15 standalone scenarios set in the US V and VII Corps sectors of West Germany, involving different-scaled battles, from platoon- to battalion-level historically accurate equipment and weapons effects, alongside a suite of era-appropriate tanks and vehicles – including the M48, M60 series of tanks, and T64 – alongside a range of US and Soviet aircraft, such as the F-4 Phantom and Mig-23/27

Wargamer.com is reporting it is Combat Mission Cold War:
https://www.wargamer.com/combat-mission/cold-war-announcement?fbclid=IwAR0USC_EIaF6gq5zLohqoHK_HTRQP-CElPhDg4LgvMtlnvsHhsKsI_MZdKE

I am still waiting for a hero to date these pictures to a month. 😁
We know:
- Starship 1974-81
- Vehicle camo 1975-85
- Still wearing olive uniforms -1981
- M16A1 with 30-round mags approx.1977-
- ALICE carry system 1973–1997

My estimation is summer 1979

What did I miss?

Real world tactics. He has got the lot.
Captain DeLeon - YouTube

Greetings! Have been playing CM on and off for years now and have mostly been a lurker at the forums. Now that I have too much time on my hands I decided to try my hand at creating a scenario for the community to pick apart and hopefully enjoy. 
This a "mediumish" scenario of an ambush by Syrian guerillas on a US Stryker Infantry platoon. 
The setting is a guerilla zone located in the Latakia Governorate in the northwest of Syria.

The region is fairly mountainous and forested which should be a welcome change from the mostly flat deserts of Eastern Syria. 

 
Mission Briefing
Situation:
For almost 2 weeks the Americans have conducted what appears to be a battalion-sized sweep of our guerilla zone located in the eastern part of the Latakia Governorate. So far, we have merely observed their movements and frustrated their attempts to engage us in any decisive engagements. This seems to have frustrated them to no end. In their desperation to locate our main units, they have fanned out in several directions and spread themselves thin. The extremely mountainous terrain in this area has also made matters even worse for them as their columns are advancing along routes separated by deep valleys. This will make it difficult for their units to support each other. We must make them pay for this mistake.

Mission:
After studying the dispositions of the enemy during their advance, we have managed to pinpoint a weak spot. An isolated platoon on their extreme right flank is making its way southward towards the village of Al Edel. We shall concentrate a superior force there to ambush and annihilate this unit. Wiping out this platoon will not only provide us with captured arms and ammunition; it will also deal a huge blow to the enemy's morale and may also potentially influence public opinion in their home country against this war of aggression. 
Friendly  Forces:

Our main force of 2 undersized platoons (1 HQ team and 5 fire teams each) will be concentrating for this operation.  The zone's operational command has also allocated 2 machine gun teams, 3 RPG teams, a pair of snipers and 2 IED operators as added support. 
Our fighters who will be taking part in this battle have been steeled during the past few years of struggle and are fearless in the face of the enemy. We have also made sure to provide them with adequate supplies. 

Enemy Forces:
Our target is a platoon of infantry in Strykers. It is on the extreme right flank of the enemy's southward advance so its only immediate reinforcement is another infantry platoon, also in Strykers, located on its left flank on an adjacent ridge about 3-4 kilometers away. Several of our harassment teams that have been shadowing this 2nd platoon will try their best to delay them as long as possible once the ambush starts. However, assume that they will be able to reinforce their comrades within half an hour. 
Several Strykers with mortars have been spotted towards the rear of their advance. Attack helicopters have also been seen in the area recently.
Based on information supplied by our intelligence network, it looks like they are on the tail end of their operation and are poised to withdraw from the area. The absence of any engagements seems to have lulled them into a false sense of security and they have started to become careless in their movements. However, you must not underestimate the enemy and remain vigilant.

Plan:
Although strategically the enemy has vastly superior weapons and numbers, we should use the terrain, the element of surprise, and our superior numbers at the tactical level to offset this advantage. 
Study the terrain carefully and decide where to locate the "kill zone" of your ambush. This is where you should position the bulk of your forces who will be tasked with annihilating the enemy. 
The remaining forces should be located in secondary positions to ensure that the enemy remains boxed in within the "kill zone". They will also be tasked with pinning down any possible reinforcements to keep the enemy in the "kill zone" isolated. 
Once the ambush is sprung, speed of execution is crucial. Try your best to complete the mission and withdraw before enemy reinforcements and air support arrive. Do not stand and fight. Prolonging the battle unnecessarily will only allow the enemy to concentrate their superior forces against us. War is not only about destroying the enemy's forces but preserving our own forces as well. Our fighters are ready to die for our cause, but try to avoid any unnecessary casualties. Also, don't waste ammunition as supplies are generally limited. Only fire at identified targets as much as possible. 
Depending on the development of the battle, our forces may withdraw in 3 different directions marked on the map.

Playable as Red vs. Blue AI. 
The Red setup zone is fairly large. It will allow the player to try different dispositions and tactics to carry out the ambush.
There is only 1 AI plan so far but I'll eventually work on some additional plans for even more replayability.
 
Operational Map:

 
Tactical Map:

 
Some views of the scenery before you blow stuff up:
I tried to replicate the stepped fields they use in the region as best as I could. Could be better, though. The fields are pretty "squarish" for my taste. The plots should hug the contours of the terrain. I initially found the "elevation" tool in the editor pretty confusing (my excuse) and didn't want to redo everything as soon as I got to a certain point in creating the map. Now that I've got the hang of it I'll probably do better next time. 

 
A view of the mountain spring just north of the village....

 
A view from the north-east this time....

 
I have playtested the scenario several times and think it will provide a challenge to players of varying skill levels. I'm looking forward to people trying it out and providing me with their feedback. 
As the great Bootsy Collins once said: "Funk away!"
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1lha9pzu76x45x7/Ambush at Al Edel.btt?dl=0

For what I know there shouldn't be any. I was pretty surprised when CMSF 2 appeared at all.

---------------------------------------------------------
          Sniper in the Corn
----------------------------------------------------------

Description :
With the release of Shock Force 2 on Steam, I wanted to create an relatively simple introductory scenario with a low troop density thus easy to manage where new players can practice small units infantry tactics against an insurgent force. In the end the map size and the length of the battle are probably too large for a real basic scenario but that was my initial starting point.
The scenario has you lead a single platoon of British infantry plus support elements, belonging to the C Company, 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment and takes place in september 2008, early morning in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in the green zone roughly halfway between Sangin to the North and Gereshk to the South West.
Mission length : 1H30 minutes plus extra time.
Map size : 1150 X 1680m

There are three AI plans each with a different and semi randomized setup.
Play as Blue attacker against Red AI only.
 
Install :
Make sure your game is patched to version 2.04 and you have the British module, then extract in : documents/battlefront/Shock Force 2/game files/scenarios
or for a Steam install : steam root folder/battlefront/Shock Force 2/game files/scenarios
Download :
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4cqqqprigsy5n29/afg - sniper in the corn - isaf.rar?dl=0
Sources :
Insurgent Tactics in Southern Afghanistan 2005-2008
Jerry Meyerle, Carter Malkasian
Michael Yon, Death in the Corn
https://www.michaelyon-online.com/death-in-the-corn-part-i-of-iii.htm
 

Cheers, appreciate it. 
Couple of pointers for anyone giving this a go:
1 - Have a plan and set up accordingly.....It doesn't really matter what it is, but definitely have one (it will encourage you to study the map, which is important). 
2 - Split all your CTS squads and equip the section that doesn't have an RPG-29 with the SMAAWs & Ammo from the Nyala MRAPs (this gives most of your sections the firepower of an older MBT).
3 - Study the map carefully and plot your movement point by point, especially through the buildings.
4 - Use demolition charges sparingly as, despite me maxing out your supply, you don't have very many.
5 - If it looks like it might be a trap, it probably is (this ISIS you are fighting after all, if they were nice it wouldn't be so much fun killing them). 

@Sgt.Squarehead Downloaded this scenario now. Going to start it tonight if I can. Report asap.

Sorry to resurrect the thread somewhat, but I just wanted to thank you guys - something that I can be guilty of not coming back to threads to do.
Having built on my skills using lots of the advice here, I am improving! This is from a recent CMBS small battle against the AI only, but it was a mission that previously I had no hope of winning, but now, using realistic tactics, I was able to do just that.
I think the best advice was 1) To slow down; 2) To zoom down to eye level and think "would I run over there?" before placing a move order, and 3) For every movement I make a fire plan. I work out what enemy positions, or possible positions will be able to see me when I move, how I am going to deal with that, i.e. which of my over watching squads can open fire, and so on.
It has made the game 10x more enjoyable.
 

By the recon being done before the battle simply means you know the general location of the enemy force. Recon teams as small and can move around ahead and locate the DETAIL of the enemy positions, many times preventing a whole squad from walking into a buzz saw, or giving you a better idea of dispositions so that you can plan where you want to go.
When I don't have actual recon teams, I usually break out scout teams from squads to do the same thing. Better for 2 or 3 guys to find the bad guys the hard way than a squad or platoon.

The essence of warfare is friction. You're the commander so you want to reduce friction so go and look at the map, work out where you want to look to support your scheme of manoeuvre and assign assets accordingly. Read my planning tutorial or Bil Hardenberger's blog or any of his AARs.

Hello all,
I thought I'd tell a little story for what it is worth.  This post is bit related a little to CM's recent decision to start pushing the Steam front of things and a general need for exposure. 
Something like 15 years or so ago I owned and played CMBO, CMBB, and CMAK.  I played for about 2 or 3 years before life took hold and I felt like I had mostly played those games out. 
Well, a few weeks ago I was browsing GOG's sale and found all three of those old games for like $3 each.  For that price I bought all three to see if there was any magic left.  Partly nostalgia and partly based on fun game play, I had a grand old time even though the games are so old have have pretty poor graphics now.  So I decided to see if Battlefront was even alive and find out what they were up to.  Lo and behold, CMx2 was going strong. 
I immediately downloaded the CMBN demo and was very impressed with how everything had improved (except for a little frustration looking for the old LOS tool).  About 15 minutes into the battle I witnessed a hidden German MG position open up behind a stone wall and my Shermans and M1918s returned fire.  Seeing my tracers ricocheting all over the place after hitting the wall (pretty much like in real life) had me let out a giddy laugh and I was sold.  It's amazing to me how rare it is to see that happen in games.  I spent about 12 hours on the demo playing the missions and testing out stuff.
So thanks for letting GOG sell the old trio since you have apparently not spent a dime on marketing in 15 years ;).  As of now, I have purchased the CMFI big bundle. That GOG exposure will end up netting Battlefront at least the following sales from me within the next year: CMFI Big Bundle, CMBS (coding the need to split off some men from the squad disembarking the BMP to man the optics show a startling attention to detail that I love), CMRT + Fire & Rubble bundle (once released).  Who knows, maybe I'll get suckered in on some of the other titles too.
Regards

Check out the last page in Elvis AAR in the RT forum...

They have Abrams for mine clearing in RL. Talking about mines I wish I could equip troops with Claymores. Just to get even, knock on a door and run away after leaving a little present behind. 

BS-3 was a recent arrival to the title (yes, new content keeps getting added), I don't know if anyone wants to rework their finished scenarios to fit it in. I did a test of it using a converted QB map and it seems like a serviceable weapon. CMBS of course fields the MT-12 100mm gun.

Generally good to:
Never send a team anywhere a scout hasn't been.
Never send a squad anywhere a team hasn't been.
Never send a platoon anywhere a squad hasn't been.
Never send a vehicle anywhere infantry hasn't been.