Bud Backer

Wise words, Steve!

Comparing the fighting potential of Arabs in the Israeli wars with Red army is like comparing South Vietnamese army with US Army.

Not a fair comparison IMO.  The Syrians and Egyptians in the Arab Israeli Wars were not the Soviets.  They were minor league at best... and in this game the first team, the Soviets, can be deadly and more than  match for a US force of equivalent size.

It is what it is... I can only put them in the best positions possible and hope they do some damage.  You can't account for equipment disparities in any other way than to maximize your chances with position and maneuver.
Expecting to run into T-64s (either A or B model) and perhaps T-62s.  See my METT-T analysis (Enemy) for more details.. link is in the initial post.
Bil 

Fifth Minute – Return of the Blood Board!
“Onward we stagger, and if the tanks come, may God help the tanks.”
William Darby
 
Near NAI2 a Tank Section 1 tank (1/9)) spotted the BMP-1PK that M-150(1/4) had spotted in the previous minute and fired short on. 

It took two rounds, but eventually the tank put one through the BMP, in the front and out the back.  This was the Company Commander BMP mentioned in my last post.  Hopefully the Company CO was on board when the round hit. 
Range:  1610m.

Another BMP-1PK (Company HQ vehicle) moved forward and was spotted on NAI2 by M150(1/5) .  It loosed a TOW, which after about 10 seconds in the air…

…hit the damned trees.  This BMP is very well situated and close enough to the edge of the trees to still be able to see out, yet far enough back that the trees provide some protection.  Classic positioning.
Range: 1546m

One of the Scout Teams has reached it’s observation position (OP) and notices some infantry movement moving from NAI3 and it looks like it may be heading toward the town.  No... this does not appear to be related to the MP that was just destroyed.
Also spotted as an infantry or scout team moving from NAI2 towards the smoke screen.  Will keep an eye on these contacts, but I find it curious that Warren would order dismounted teams to move towards Dolbach.

Reinforcements!  Received my first (of two) reinforcements this turn.  Including:
2nd AC Platoon equipped with M113A1, M-60A1, and M150 Tank Hunters
Mortar Section equipped with an HQ on an M-577 and x3 M106A1s Armored Cavalry (AC) Troop HQ and Forward Observer team, both mounted on M-113A1s
What are my plans for them?  It is way too early and I don’t have enough information to task them yet.
For now they will be the first component of my reserve, counter-attack force.  I plan on keeping 1st AC Platoon engaged and observing the enemy movements and positions.  Once I have enough information I will make a plan for my reserve.
I think I can put my M-106s to work pretty soon though, depending on what he sends down EAA1.

For Reference:

Oh there is plenty of air in game, the problem is most of it is attacking you !
P

I'll tell you what is fun though, is watching that Redeye plume streak off and then get the message of "Aircraft Destroyed"   
Dave

Satisfying "on target signal I am sure 😀
Buzz

March to Glorious Victory Post #2 - When Bourgeoisies Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (1-4 mins)
So we are off.  On map, I have a Recon Company of the finest young men that the Soviet Union has ever produced.  Given my relatively crappy position the good news is that there are a lot of trails and cutline so I have room to spread this Coy out and take a wide - EYES (wink, wink) stance.  This shot of initial setup turn one from Bil's (soon to be my) side:

You will note that I am going to leave my tank platoon back, saving it for the big push.
Then in the second minute I immediately see that decrepit old goats little ploy:
 
Oh Bil, you dirty capitalist dotard!!  Yep, he knows that Soviet troops do not do so well in smoke, while a lot of his units have fancy sights etc.  Next turn the smoke continues to build:

So this was turn three and by now, I am all along that tree line, playing the role of the Sneaky Pete, while Bill continues to pollute the planet.  S'ok, my tanks are still back and I have a screen of BMPs out there playing silly buggers.  Turn 4:

First shot, you can see my recon squads, already dismounted and starting to push out across the open area.  They are dead men already but they play their part.  My FOs are already laying in this nice red lines in my brilliant plan, but it is going to take a looong time for that to drop (18mins for big guns...thank you EW).
Second shot:

And there on a hill, through the smoke is a suspected contact, probably a TOW, which means it can see through the smoke like the world sees through the corrupt Yankee economic system.  That's it Bil, up on your hill....feeling so safe and superior...I can hear him whispering "come to me...come to Dollbach"...oh we are coming alright....
 
 

Fourth Minute - First Contact!
Forgive me for a second AAR post today, but I will be traveling tomorrow and wanted to get this one published tonight.
 
“One should not be diverted by geographical objectives, but should concentrate on the destruction of the enemy’s military forces.”
Classic Russian Military Principles
 
A little excitement during this turn, and first shot fired (all times are in Game Time, counting down from 40:00).  Yellow text for contacts equals a tentative contact, red text is for solid identified contacts. 
@36:47:  Early in this minute M150 (1/5) got a firm spot on an enemy BMP moving to the edge of the woods, then immediately lost the contact as it continued forward slightly.  Positive ID: BMP-1P.  Note:  this is a resolution of the tentative spot from the third minute.
@36:35:  M150 (1/4) noticed some movement near NAI3.  Appears to be a light armored vehicle, suspected to be a BMP.
@36:21:  The 36:35 spot becomes a positively identified BMP-1P as it nosed slightly out of the treeline.   This BMP is oriented directly toward M-150(1/4) but does not have a spot, it could be overwatching the ridge the Tank Hunter is sitting on.

Note the type of ATGM (AT-4 I believe) and the mast antenna.  The ATGM makes it a BMP-1P, the mast antenna makes this a BMP-1PK, a Company Commander's personal ride.  One Company HQ identified... make a note.
As the BMP halted at the edge of the treeline it gave M-150 (1/4) enough time to aim and loose a TOW, which alas, fell well short of the mark probably due to my smoke screen.  The contact was then immediately lost, probably due to the smoke, missile destruction debris etc.

With any luck, the enemy commander will have missed the missile launch and will think the missile’s impact with the ground is a spotting round.

@36:04:  M150 (1/4) noticed some movement within NAI2.  Appears to be a light armored vehicle, suspected to be a third BMP.  One full Company or parts of two?  Time will tell.  
Only one adjustment was made to my positions this turn.  After a quick check, M-150 (1/4) is only Partially Hull Down to the BMP it fired at this turn so will be reversing into a full Hull Down position to this enemy vehicle, and will also be narrowing its cover arc to focus on the location of this enemy BMP.
A note about Hull Down… just because you are Hull Down to one piece of ground, does not mean you are Hull Down to another.  You should check and recheck this as a scenario unfolds, especially when you have firm contact sightings.

Bil
COMING UP NEXT:  The Return of the Famous Blood Board!!

What is this emotion I'm feeling?
It's a strange mix of optimism and excitement?
There's just some thing about a giant infrared spotlight that just appeals to me on a fundamental level.
Aww, geez.
My one remaining heart string has been strummed.
My one last feeling has been felt.
Please just hurry up and take my money.

Lovely screenshots. This is perfection.

Oh this is pure gold! Thanks Cap'n! looking forward to this (and your humour and presentation style).

Warren I shared this in Bil's thread, so have added here so you don't feel left out. 

P

First Three Minutes!
 “Perception is strong and sight weak. In strategy it is important to see distant things as if they were close and to take a distanced view of close things.”
A Book of Five Rings, Miyamoto Musashi
 
The initial phase of this action will be me positioning my units to get eyes on the most likely enemy avenues of approach, especially EAA1 (NAI 1). 
After two minutes of action:
M113A2s and Scouts: Reached their drop off points and the two Scout teams have dismounted and are continuing on foot in order to get into positions where they can look into EAA1.  The Platoon Leader will stay mounted in his M113 for now.

M-60A1 (Rise+) Section 1:  Arrived in hull down positions with views of NAI 2 and 3. M-60A1 (Rise+) Section 2:  Arrived in hull down positions with views of NAI 2 and 3. Tank Section 1 moves into position:


M150 TOW Tank Hunters:  Both now in hull down positions overlooking NAIs 2 and 3.
Artillery Smoke Screen:  After two minutes I have cancelled the fire from both batteries.  Mainly because I want them available once my Scouts start to see into NAI 1.  The screen should build for a few more turns as laid then should last for several more.  It’ll be interesting to see how effective it is at messing with the Soviet spotting-targeting cycle.
FIRST ENEMY INDICATOR:  In the third minute M150 1/5 (1st Platoon, 5th Vehicle)) noticed some movement in the woods between NAIs 1 and 2.  Nothing is known about this contact other than that it is a light armored vehicle, suspected BMP from the Recon Company.

Now to place this image in context... in case you ever wondered what a Hull Down M-150 Tank Hunter looks like from the Soviet perspective:

Bil

Nothing is possible without Steve and the rest of the BFC boys. 
 
FWIW I think he was spot on for 2006. But, it’s been a few years since then, and things change. 

"You need hands!" 

March to Glorious Victory Post Number One.
  So Bil and I have a loose-agreement (I would say gentlemen's but that is probably a stretch) to not peek at each others threads.  The dirty truth here is that this isn't really an AAR per se, it is more of an IAR (In Action Report).  Full disclosure, we are only about 6 mins into the thing, so I can't really put a spin on my plan or anything because I have no idea how this will end.  So far so good  but we are in early days.  We should start posting turn summaries tomorrow but for now may I present an end-product of about roughly 32 years of military training in both line and staff positions...The_Capt's glorious Mission Analysis!  
So here we are on this grubby little peice of West German real-estate (seriously, Pete Wenman is a freakin wizard with these maps btw) facing off against what I am sure are overfed, overpaid and over-entitled Yankee capitalists all huddled in their vehicles waiting for something to happen.  So like they taught me back in the day..let's start with terrain:

So my guys are coming from the bottom, Bil and his jerks are up near the top.  I have a bunch of woods except for this defile behind a hwy bridge that I have to deploy my main force out of.  We have a big valley between us and the town of Dollbach in the center which is the golden goose we are both lining up to grab, whilst killing the other guy.  Not much to see on my map edge except a bunch of woods with some dirt roads cut through them.  
Bil has the high ground ridge up there and there are three major wooded areas that him and his ilk are no doubt hiding out in.  It is more one on the left but pretty much that approach along with the Valley is dominated by Bil's thugs.  In short, this is not an optimal starting position.
Bil's Plan.  So I have learned some time ago that you are not fighting vehicles and equipment, you are fighting a person (Capt's rule #1).  So spend time understanding and getting inside the head of that person.  With Bil it is easy because we have been sparring in CM for just about 2 decades now.  So here is what I am thinking, that Bil is thinking:

So Bil is probably going to be cautious and build a nice path to victory here.  First he is going to put out Eyes in those woodlines, then he will reinforce with teeth because why stick his neck out if he does not have to?  Then once I have watered the West German countryside with my blood (and other fluids) he will make his reach for Dollbach (Hands...dirty, old, wrinkly hands with yellow fingernails).  I will be at a significant disadvantage at this point because I will be dead, and you do not fight so well when dead (Capt's rule #2).  So my role here is to play peeky snipey from a really crappy position with Soviet gear that does not see as well as his sexy US optics...hmm...Capt no-likey, no likey...one bit.  So now the Plan:

My end goal is to make Bil more dead than me, not to get heavily invested in the West German real estate market.  So we are going to try something simple and blunt.  First, I will get Eyes on my woodline, gotta see what I can see (Capt's Rule #3).  Then I am going to put out hands...fingers really, to make it look like the land grab is my only game.  Then once my art start dropping (could be wait here cause he has EW turned on), I am going to bull rush that corridor and swing up into those hills to kill Bil (Teeth).  This is going to be tricky and I am going to take losses but I can afford them.  I get a MIC FSE in 5 and another Tank Coy-ish in 10, so I will have mass because I am betting the best he has is an Armd Cav platoon, maybe two.  So basically we will play Bil's snipey peeky game for a bit, push recon out into that town to make me look desperate and then freakin charge on the left.  Questions?
 

So we just surprise-won the combat mission lottery for $50Million, and all folks talk about is "too bad it wasn't $51M"???  geeeeez, tough crowd 🙂
All I have to say is THANK YOU to Bill H, The Capt, et al.

If you want to simulate nuclear you can always pull the plug on your computer halfway into a battle, watch the screen abruptly go blank, and say to yourself 'And then they all died'.
You can build abstracted affects of a chem attack into a scenario. In the orders say a half hour earlier your forces got hit, your head count dropped to 60% and those remaining are 'unfit' and low morale. Now, let the game begin!