agusto

The Sixteenth Minute
 
US reinforcements.. I guess I am lucky I had enough eyes on the reinforcements to pretty much fully identify almost every formation.
 
US Company Team North (Infantry Heavy)

 
US Center Element (suspected Battalion Command Element)

 
US Company Team South (Tank Heavy) - note direction of movement

 
If you are keeping track, that is:
14 M1A2 SEP 15 Bradley This is nuts.
 
My losses in this turn:
note 1: this is labeled as 2nd MRC losses, but the two Khrizanthema were my ATGM section and the BMP in the North was from the GL Platoon)  note 2: all of these vehicles were killed without spotting their killer, none could fire in return note 3: the 2nd MRC T90 and the BMP 3 in the center were killed by the suspected US BN command element M1 and Bradley note 4: the North is completely defenseless at this point
 
All Scott has to do now is drive forward with all vehicles in line and I won't be able to do a thing about it.  Sure I can pop out and take a few under fire now and then, but this is not looking pretty.  I suspect 2nd MRC will be fully eliminated next turn (maybe in two).  1st MRC might be getting bypassed which would be an advantage to me.. but I suspect that Scott is concentrating on the 2nd MRC and then will turn on 1st MRC.. so their time will come.

I'll light a candle for you.
 
 

What is wrong with that, choosing the country you come from i mean? I would totally understand it if somebody does that, i would love to see the austrian Bundesheer too, despite it beeing laughably small and badly equipped when compared to countries like Germany or the US. I also prefer to play as Germany in the CMx2 WW2 titles because it was my grandfathers army, you know, i can somehow relate to that, and i even have a pair of binoculars from back than. I think it is absolutely normal to pick that country or faction you can relate to most, weather it is the US, Germany or New Zealand.  I am absolutely sure for example that most if not all USMC veterans on the forum are going to pick the USMC module as their personal favorite.

For precision strikes, laser has the advantage of allowing for some target movement.  GPS has the advantage of not having to acquire the laser spot, and not providing target warning, counterattack or countermeasures to come into play.  Believe that for most laser engagements, you are really only designating the target for the last seconds of flight.  Also believe that in this environment of laser warning receivers, units would extend that as far as practical, and that both designation and ranging lasers would frequently be used in a 'lase offset' technique to try and avoid warning the target.  However, this would reduce the chance of PGM laser acquisition, which is never 100% and likely closer to 60/40 under battlefield conditions. 
 
John - you tell me in one instant that the radar is irrelevant, and then ask my opinion on the damage model for it?  ;-)  Horn - fragile.  Dish - not so much.  Rotating gear (attached to dish) fragile, hates vibration or misbalance.  Also, FWIW, believe the systems sensitivity to dish damage is very likely dependent upon what we are asking the radar to do.  Detect presence of target with some damage = no problem.  Provide precise range data to fire control computer with damaged dish = more problematic.  BL:  I am near-certain w/o asking that BFC is  modeling this thing as 'radar.'  The reverse of granular.  Remember, our game is primarily a ground conflict and the focus is on that.  

Have requested it (again) from the powers that be.  More critical than ever with advent of precision munitions in the modern game.  See previous posts reference to sacrificial offerings and large shipments of South African wine.  

I would really appreciate this. It was a feature in CMx1 games. It was particularly satisfying with cruiser fire support (185 kills!).

Hi everyone,
 
I was just curious if BF will ever implement a system where we can determine how effective our fire support was during a scenario? For example, at the end of the battle when reviewing individual units combat victories, I would love the ability to determine who/what was taken out by fire support. Just a running tally would be fine but the ability to know who/what was taken out would be fantastic. Any developments on such a count system? 
 
Thank you! 
 
-Chris

How close to the edge do you guys think I am?  Most of what I suspect will be where Scott's reinforcements will arrive I have no visibility on at all.  I could have ran all the way to the edge of the map with 1st MRC, and with elements of 2nd MRC but that would have been less than sporting, and even if I had my units would not have lasted long at all.  No, I want to engage Scott's US forces in close terrain to nullify his range advantage, and to hopefully force him to piecemeal his units through this terrain as he hunts me down.  
 
The only unit I have that has some visibility on a portion of the edge is the Khrizantema section of two vehicles.  But I would have been a fool to not overwatch this area... if Scott comes in on the northern edge in strength then I doubt that little bit of force on my part will matter much.

Longtime lurker/player, first post here. But I have to say, this AAR is written B E A utifully. Keep it up!

“Vovk, Brytva 22 at checkpoint 2.  No sign of enemy.  We see nothing at the farm.  We are continuing.”
Serzhant Klim Levitsky, commander of Tunguska Razor 22 was so scared he could barely hold still.  Yet his fear gave him focus, and his crew simply thought he was extraordinarily attentive to his duty.  As air defense soldiers, their training and education was a notch above the infantry and other combat soldiers.  Klim had two years at University!  But ever since the Russian invasion, their world had narrowed to the grease, wiring and electrical tape necessary to keep their complex vehicle rolling and operating.  Though the electrical components were sealed, Levitsky had taught them together how to troubleshoot basic faults using a wiring diagram and a breakout box.  Their Battery mechanic had helped, although the radar tech had cautioned them to leave the fire control system alone.  He also led them through training drills, using their system to track birds visually, and to run the appropriate tests and checks on the missiles, fuze setters, lead computing sight, slew and elevation mechanisms and the cannon feed systems.  A nightmare of complexity when compared with a simple main battle tank, yet Serzhant Levitsky loved it, and was grateful for the opportunity to systematically engage any aircraft that came within his weapon’s range.
 
Unfortunately, Levitsky was not quite emotionally prepared for the chaos of combat.  While his technical and tactical skills were first rate, adapting oneself to the understanding that nothing was ever going to go according to plan was difficult for the orderly young college student.  Assigned to the Krichek air defense sector, he had absorbed the air defense plan, airspace control measures, IFF settings and learned to follow the rules of engagement to prevent them from engaging a NATO aircraft (and potentially losing NATO Air Support!).  But as the situation in Krichek became more desperate, he started getting anxious.  While his less organized peers adapted grimly to the new tasks of building a ground defense, Klim stuck doggedly to his air defense doctrine.  Not until KPT Kovtun himself had carefully walked him through the rehearsal for his role, had he allowed himself to accept that he might actually execute this plan.  Now he was rolling forward, unsupported to check out a Russian recon truck that had been spotted earlier by LT Lysenko, and his mind was reeling.  The artillery of the last half hour had rattled him badly, and his linkage to the command and control nets only fueled his fears as station after station stopped reporting, some with audible finality.  He fully expected to see the deadly snout of a Russian T-90 leveled at him with every new meter of ground he could see.  Only the familiar acid-tang smell electronics mixed with grease had kept him stable.  Outwardly though, he remained not only in control but rigidly focused, rattling off precise clipped commands and scanning literally non-stop.
“Gunner, ground burst, four-zero rounds, at the left side of the building,” he spoke into his intercom headset.
“Identified, armed,” said the gunner, followed an instant later by the radar operator:
“Safety off!”
“Fire.” 
“Firing!” 
The buzz saw whined, the twin cannons firing at a combined rate of well over 4000 round per minute, spitting a greater weight of explosive at the building than a tank round.  The building shuddered under the impact. 
“Repeat engagement, fire.” Another burst spat out, followed by another.  On the third, the building collapsed in a heap. 
“Confirm no truck,” the Serzhant said.
“Nothing,” the gunner responded.
“We have alerted the enemy – wide area scan,” Levitsky said.  As he spoke, a loud detonation sounded just outside the track to the left.  Peering through his cupola window, he calmly said:
“Correction, scan left.  Infantry 100 meters.” The turret slewed instantly to the ten o’clock position.
“I see them!”
“Gunner, ground burst, four-zero rounds, Infantry, fire!”  Klim’s voice finally rose as he gave the command to kill another human being, but his whirling mind that wanted to blubber uncontrollably was locked into near-robotic adherence to his repetitive training.  The Russian scout, inexplicably trying to run after his near miss with the RPG, suddenly reversed course when the twin lines of destruction blasted parallel paths to his front and rear. 
“Miss, reengage, fire and track.”
“Firing!”
This time the rounds physically struck the sprinting Russian, blowing his torso nearly in half and tossing pieces of him into the nearby trees.  Klim’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head in shock, but his voice remained ice cold and smooth.
“Return to wide area scan.”
“Look, another one!” the gunner sang out.  Again Klim responded automatically,
“Gunner, ground burst, five-zero rounds, Infantry, fire.” 
This time the burst caught the second Russian the first time, fragments tossing him to the ground like a shotgun blast to a running hare.  His blood painted the grass, and Klim could see his eyes go glassy through his magnified sight. 
“Continue to scan.  Radar Operator, check feed chute linkages and compensator fluids.” 
Klim told himself that he could handle this.  He would get used to it and it would somehow become okay.  He thought about the fact that he had just blotted two or more men from the planet, but then immediately refocused on how to keep his track alive.  He knew his designated route for this patrol, but also knew that he was unlikely to have killed all the scouts that threatened his fragile track.  Gears in his mind whirred and clicked into a new pattern, and he spoke again.
“Hey, uh, driver.  When we move out, we’ll pull back around behind these trees, not out in front of them.  And I want you to focus on keeping the ride nice and smooth so Mykola can scan, okay?  That was really well done.  We are in it deep, but we will get through it together. Remember our training, but think hard about what we must do.”  He wiped sweat from his brow and rubbed his gloved hands on his thighs. 
“Here, guns, have some water.  Everyone take a drink, but save the vodka for later.  We need to stay sharp.” 
“Vovk, this is Brytva 22.  Engaged and killed two enemy scouts.  Cannot identify truck.  Continuing patrol.” 
 
http://youtu.be/DiLjwZjG7k8
 
Brytva 22 is actually Robocop
 
In Starov village, LT Martynyuk was angry.  He knew what was happening – his experience back in 2014 left him in no doubt that the wheels had come off the car, and his mortar platoon was in trouble.  He strode towards one gun team to get confirmation on their round count – he knew he could call, but felt the urge to see his men up close.  As he approached the section truck, he felt a shock through the ground that merged with a concussive ‘Boom!’ from just beyond the village.  He looked, and saw another column of smoke marking the end of yet another Ukrainian BMP.  He looked over at the gun crew, then up at the cab of the truck.  The driver was smoking a cigarette. 
“Soldat.  You have an RPG, yes?”
Like a child caught with a sweet, the young man froze his mouth agape, staring at the officer as though the words were in a foreign language.
“Well, do you?”
“Yes, Leytenant!”
“Get it, get all your ammo, and go over to that building there.  Tell the Serzhant of 1st Platoon that you are there to help.  If any Russian tanks come through, I am counting on you to stop them.  You understand?  You must cover us – we cannot fight tanks with mortars”
Breathing hard, the pimple-faced soldier jumped down from the cab.
“Yessir.  I…   I will.  I understand.”  He fumbled with his ammo satchel with the rockets sticking out, but got it slung and jogged off without another word.
Martynyuk watched him go, wondering if he would ever see him again.  He needed to ask him his name.
 

I wouldn't say it is a walk in the park, but the US equipment does have some significant advantages.  Bil is also factoring in who he is playing.  If it were me instead of PL, Bil would more than likely keep all his forces forward and contemplate the nice snack he would be about to chow down on. 
 
Keep in mind the US has had a lot of time and real field testing to develop it's equipment and tactics.  The US army's level of professionalism is very high.  Russia is struggling to overcome many years of neglect of it's army.  It has some very good equipment and I am sure some very good officers, but that is undoubtedly a mixed deal. In a society so heavily corrupt and with such a high level of patronage, the number of officers who rise to the top based on who they know versus what they know is going to hurt, no two ways about it.  Some of that is not reflected at all in CM unless you deliberately set morale and experience levels to try and create it.  The equipment however is another deal.  The optics suite on US vehicles and larger crew sizes are going to give you an edge and it doesn't take much for an edge to become the basis of slaughter.  This game is very unforgiving.  Yes you can defeat an M1, but it is not easy.
 
Bil is looking at not just the unit capabilities, but also the abilities of a foe he has fought a few times.  Combine good units with a good tactician and you need to treat them with respect.

antaress73 I can't wait to read an AAR from you... seems you have all the answers.

What is wrong with that, choosing the country you come from i mean? I would totally understand it if somebody does that, i would love to see the austrian Bundesheer too, despite it beeing laughably small and badly equipped when compared to countries like Germany or the US. I also prefer to play as Germany in the CMx2 WW2 titles because it was my grandfathers army, you know, i can somehow relate to that, and i even have a pair of binoculars from back than. I think it is absolutely normal to pick that country or faction you can relate to most, weather it is the US, Germany or New Zealand.  I am absolutely sure for example that most if not all USMC veterans on the forum are going to pick the USMC module as their personal favorite.

Well, if you would have been able to avoid that Tungushka in your back, it would have been a near perfect battle for you so far. 
 
I admire the way you used 1MRC to cover 2MRC. Very nice and highly organised (organized?) move.
 
Question: How do you feel about getting as much of your troops as possible in built-up area's, even if that means getting them back? (Oh boy, I can already hear c3k's indignation!) No modern day combat knowledge here, but I suspect that fighting the US army in the open would spell disaster for your troops.  
 
Many thanks for many days of fun. Just as during your earlier battle-reports the first thing I do when I get home from work is checking this site for new turns.
 
Good luck with the oncoming slaughter..  

A bit of an update.. just spoke with Scott and I am going to pause my turn reports at this point to let him catch up.  Phase II of the battle is beginning, or as I like to call it: The Beginning of the End.
 
Any critiques of my play at this point would be welcome to fill up the time (I think 3 or 4 days).  I will chime in and try to answer any questions or reply to any comments.  For starters.. I think 2nd MRC is in for a world of hurt.  Thoughts?  Agree?  Disagree?

And they seem to have infinitely better infantry transporting capabilities.

As the Russian forces relentlessly move forward over Hill 347, they keep the remnants of the Ukrainian 3d Company in a deadly crossfire.  Overwhelming firepower, accurate gunnery and the amazing spotting advantage of their more modern vehicles complete the destruction of their Ukrainian enemies.  The southern Mechanized Rifle Company (MRC) keeps up a devastating long range suppressive fire on the orchard, pinning LT Upham and SSG Svendson’ Javelin Team.  To the south side of the hill, a Russian T-90 dispatches the last 3d Company command BMP-2 with a casual point-blank shot, as one of his southern MRC comrades does the same to the final 1st PLT BMP-2, completing the destruction of the company.  The only surviving combat effective Soldiers are the 1st Platoon Leader and his dismounted squads, now preparing for a desperate last stand in the Starov Village. 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJHvg64eaGY
 
PdPK Borys Levchenko was bleeding.  He felt along his lower back, and brought his hand back to see the blood.  His RTO pulled out another dressing and lifted his tunic to apply it as the senior officer knelt behind a tree. 
“Sir.”  SGT Lerner approached quickly through the trees, crouching low.  He dropped to a knee next to the haggard Ukrainian.
“Sorry Sir.  Our intel had no idea the Russians would attack into us like this.  I’m not sure if they updated or not – I’m out of comms now.  The Russians must be jamming us.  I’d like to tell you they’ll be here soon, but I just don’t know.”
“Yes, we both should have known better, eh?”  Borys replied. 
“Now we have no troops left, but we have stung a Russian or two, and we know exactly where they are.  Can you not get the information to your forces?  If you can kill these devils with your precision weapons my men will not have died for nothing!” 
Lerner took off his sunglasses and looked straight into the older man’s eyes.
“Believe me Sir, I am trying, and so are the scouts up north.  I see about a company down there to the south, and estimate another company coming over 347.  They must have left something back to keep Krichek bottled up.  I’ve seen two Russian Tunguska, one to the south, and one right over there on 347.  If we want air support to help, those have to go down.”
Borys raised a pained eyebrow: “What exactly do you expect us to bring them down with?” 
“Not sure Sir.  Try to keep everyone that’s left down and keep eyes on them.  If we can hang on until Battalion gets here we can send them our feed and get this thing turned around.” 
“This is our homeland.”  Borys replied, “we aren’t going anywhere, alive or dead. Now keep moving your team back, and stay dispersed.  The airbursts are hell.”   
 

 
As this conversation passed in the treeline near Starov, the lone Ukrainian team at the government grain storage site prepared themselves.  The four men could hear Russian motors whining, and the unmistakable squeeking clatter of steel-shod tracks.  Situated in the second story of the building, their orders were to observe and report, unless the facility came under direct attack.  In that case they were expected to defend it – to the best of their ability.  As a Russian T-90 suddenly loomed out of the forest, the squad leader directed his teammate to hit it with the older rocket first.  He was unsure if it would even fire, but wanted to see if he could take out one with this expendable munition to save his RPG rounds for the second tank moving to its flank.  The young man’s aim with the old folding rocket was admirable, as it flew straight and true, but it detonated against a reactive armor tile specifically designed for this very task.  The explosive charge sandwiched between two metal plates exploded when the tip of the shaped charge jet touched it, blasting the outer plate into the path of the forming jet, and causing it to spend its energy cutting the plate laterally, rather than penetrating straight into the tank’s armor.  The tank rolled forward oblivious, but the team held its collective breath as they watched its path.  They had been supplied with all the anti-tank mines the home guard unit had to spare – six mines.  They had placed them in a 2 x 3 grid along the road to the south, and they recognized that through some miracle, despite all the other terrain available, the tank was headed directly for them.  The first Russian tank fired its cannon, and the team leader knew the air defense team hidden in the woods was having a bad day.  Then suddenly, the second tank rolled directly over one of the mines actually lying in the road.  The detonation of the AT mine was stunning at such close range, but the team leader had scant time to cheer.  His RPG gunner lined up on the other tank and unleashed a rocket.  Unfortunately, these men had none of the newer PG-7VR tandem warheads which were designed to defeat reactive armor, and this round like the one before it, exploded harmlessly, spending its energy on an ERA tile. 
“Hurry – reload!” the team leader cried, as the tank suddenly pivoted towards their building.  The gunner complied, moving swiftly through his drill, snapping in the rocket, cocking it, lining up again on the target a scant 30 meters away and slamming another rocket towards it, hoping for a luckier hit.  But he didn’t even get a hit.  The ARENA APS radar was now looking directly at the team, and it tracked the rocket’s flight almost from the instant of launch.  Though close in shots like this are challenging for APS, the slight up angle gave the radar just the edge it needed to get a countermeasure cassette into the air and detonate it just above the winging rocket.  The gunner, grabbed for another reload, but the team leader just hung his head and covered his eyes as the tank cannon rose towards their position. 
 
http://youtu.be/iEWxIl8NALc
 
Congrats to Bil for finding the lonely minefield.  I think I only got 6 or 8 for the whole thing, and this is one of just two I placed outside of Krichek.  Him finding this one was a friendly miracle in a sea of badness.  'If you build it he will come..."
 
On the north side of Hill 347 LT Upham knew he was in deep.  “C’mon driver keep us coming back.”  Their Bradley reversed behind the building smoke screen.
“Keep scanning,” Upham told his gunner, although they were unlikely to see through the dense smoke that kept them alive.  As they backed into the gulley and swung south to find a better firing spot, the Russian MRC commander to the south gave a curt firing order.  The orchard that sheltered them exploded into smoke and buzzed with whirring fragments, as first the tanks and BMPs, and then the air defense Tunguska laid down a withering searching fire.  SSG Svendson and his team were caught as they moved forward, diving to the ground and hugging mother earth, they prayed for the fire to cease, while expecting a fatal blast at any second. 
“23 you okay?”  SSG Svendson could not even hear his LT’s radio call over the world exploding around him, and did not respond. 
“Driver, pull us back up.  Let’s see if we can find one.”  The Bradley rolled back up out of the gully, to find its own smoke still screening hit, having drifted south on the mild breeze.
“Okay, give it a second.” 
Neither LT Upham nor SSG Svendson heard the Russian platoon now angling towards their left and closing the distance at a sprint. 
 
Alone in the gully at the foot of 347, PFC Haskel hesitated.  The smoke launched by the dying 3rd Platoon BMP to his rear gave him some cover, and he was loath to go running panicked down the gully, just to get cut down by an overwatching vehicle on the hill above.  He needed to get back up and check on SSG Venar, and maybe pull him down to cover.  Suddenly Haskel heard an engine growling closer – he unslung the AT-4 from his back and flipped the small firing lever to arm it.  The AT-4 is a US Army initiative built to replace the aging M-72 LAW.  Unlike most other Armies, the US forces felt the need to put anti-armor munitions in the hands of soldiers across the battlefield outweighed the requirement for a more capable munition that would require training and a crew of 2 or more.  The M-72 initially fulfilled this need, as it provided a fairly light, easy to use single-shot rocket which was capable of defeating most tanks… of the 1970s.   The AT-4 replaced it in the late 80s, essentially a single shot variant of the Swedish Carl Gustaf 84mm rocket launcher.  Though even simpler to operate than the LAW, and more accurate with dramatically improved penetration, the AT-4 is much heavier and does not fold up, so it is bulk and difficult to carry.  Not popular with troops, it is nevertheless a capable weapon and Haskel figured he was owed some payback.  The T-90 clattered into view above Haskels hide in the gully, never seeing him and angling off to the north.  The PFC waited a second to be sure, aiming low to try and come in under the ERA, and then squeezed hard on the firing lever.   The rocket zipped out of the gully, never more than a foot from the ground, totally evading the ARENA’s radar view and detonated against the rear hull.  The powerful unitary warhead easily penetrated the thinner rear hull armor, but with no apparent effect on the roaring tank.  The engine never missed a beat, and the tank rolled away to the north to play havoc with the PFC’s Platoon Leader. 
“Well,” thought Haskel, “maybe it did some damage.”  Then he looked up the gully slope to where his SSG lay and steeled himself to go forward to check rather than back the way he so wanted to go.
 

 
“Vovk, this is Brytva 21.  We are taking fire, and have pulled back.  I think 21 Mike is down.  Something exploded over there.  They are hunting us.  We must move.”
KPT Kovtun acknowledged – he did not want to lose the Tunguska after it had done so much, but its armor was like paper to a main battle tank’s. 
“Brytva 21 – yes, pull back.  Move to the bridge.  The Americans say it is clear.  Their missile team is moving up and can cover you.  Don’t shoot them, whatever you do!” 
“Yes, this is Brytva 21, moving.”  The excitable commander of TG21 knew he had been lucky to back up just as the Russian tank to the south fired.  He would shift north and wait for another opportunity.  He didn’t know that only the actions of the team at the grain storage facility had saved him from the same fate as his Strela wingman, now burning from the destructive fires of the two hunting T90s.
 

 

Actually the whine sound you hear in many movies when aircrfaft are crashing does not appear in reality. What you are hearing in those movies are the Jericho-Trumpets, large sirens that were mounted on the WW2 german Stukas in order to instill fear among the enemy troops on the ground. Those Jericho-Trumpets were burnt into the collective memory of hundereds of thousands of people during the war, so that today still many believe that crashing aircraft cause a noise like siren.
 
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho-Trompete
 

 
 
EDIT:
 
Regarding the audio message when aircraft get hit by SAM fire, i would prefer to hear a readio message, something like this at 1:45:
 

 
"Dodge 2 is hit, Dodge 2 is hit! Bail out! Bail out! Bail out! ~inaudible~  BAIL OUT! BAIL OUT! - Okay i marked the position on the INS, coordinates blablabla"
 
or
 
"Dodge 1 on guard. Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Dodge 2 has just been shot down."
 
Take this and add some cockpit beeping from a radar warning indicator, or maybe some 'nagging nora' computer voice commands:
 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/home/video-8946/How-voice-Nagging-Nora-sound-battle-conditions.html

Rather interesting site, a bit beyond my understanding.... http://www.longrods.ch/
 
Douglas Rudd

Outlaw 16 knew he was in trouble.  He could hear the engine noises ahead of him, whining and roaring as the Russians moved up on him.  His quick instructions to SSG Svendson were to get forward into position and put a Jav on a tank or BMP up on 347 to give them something to think about.  That wouldn’t be enough.  He had to get some fires of his own going. 
“Driver, ramp up - back up.”  He usually called his crew by name, but in times of stress, training kicked in and he reverted to their duty positions. 
“Okay, now forward right.  Head down the draw a bit, then ease us up for a look.  Gunner, missile up as soon as we crest, and scan the hill only.  I’ll cover everywhere else.”
As they moved up, Upham looked carfully around trying to see everywhere but up on the hill, but a sudden burst of fire ripped his eyes back.  The last 3d Platoon BMP-2 was backing desperately and was spiked on bursts of 30mm fire from two completely different directions.  The steel vehicle shuddered under the impacts and Upham watched in momentary awe as hunks of steel flew into the air, the armor plate buckling and shattering as the heavy armor piercing rounds ripped through both sides.  Then the hatches burst open, not from the occupants trying to escape, but from pressure as something inside exploded. Fire and smoke built quickly and the LT knew that none of the Ukrainian crew had escaped.
“Identify PC!” his gunner screamed, tearing Upham’s attention back to his mission.
“Fire!” he shouted back, not even bothering to check what they were shooting.
“On the way!”  the gunner replied, but in their excitement, neither had checked their weapon selector.  The TOWII leapt from its launcher and streaked towards the BMP-3 that was now clearly visible on the hill haloed in the dust from its fire on the Ukrainian vehicle.  The missile sped straight and true, detonating in midair several meters short of the BMP, blown from the sky by the ARENA APS system.  Upham dropped down inside the turret.
“Holy ****, why’d you shoot the TOW?  Quick, go to AP!”   
“I can’t see him now through the dust.” His gunner replied.
Upham popped his head back up, rapidly scanning the hillside, his excitement warring with his training, verging on panic.  He had seen fire from at least two directions hit the Ukrainian vehicle, but could not find the second enemy vehicle. 
 

 
At that instant, Upham’s concern melted into fear.  To his right he could actually see one of his scout HMMWVs – it took him a second to realize it was Outlaw 12, SFC Bagby’s truck.  The truck was backing up fast, 30mm fire peppering the ground around it.  As the LT watched, the deadly autocannon rounds found their mark, blasting into the front of the lightly armored vehicle, powdering the armored glass windshield.  He saw PFC Purtle slump down over his spade grips, an instant before a final round detonated the Mk19’s ammo box.
 
http://youtu.be/15fJXy-V7H8
 
“Popping smoke, driver back up.  Too much heat up here, too close.  We need to get some space.” 
Keying his mike:  “Outlaw 23, you find a target for that Jav yet?”
“16 this is 23, nothing yet.  We’re looking.  Gonna keep creeping up.  Hard to see out of this orchard.” 
Suddenly, another voice broke in on the net, speaking low.  “16 this is 13 delta.  My actual is down.  They rolled right up on us.  I’m back down in the gully.  I’m gonna wait here to see if I can get back up to him.”
SSG Venar was one of the LT’s better scouts, and he had learned a lot from him.
“Roger, is he KIA?”
“Sir, I don’t know.  I couldn’t stick around to check.  I know I have to find out, but you have to give me a minute.”
“Roger that, keep your head down. Plenty busy here.  Keep me informed.  16 out.”
 
http://youtu.be/QCypvpfubqA
 
Ukrainian infantry and SSG Venar fall to Russian fire as artillery pounding Krichek causes casualties in the background..  The last Ukrainian 3rd Platoon BMP-2 is blasted from two directions simultaneously, as LT Upham's TOW shot whips towards a Russian BMP-3.

Hover your mouse over the name on any screen. That will give you that info in a popup.

First post here.
 
Been playing since CMBN and I just wanted to say thank you Bil for your excellent posts as I have been following for quite some time without joining the forums.
 
Quite excited for this next installment and even more excited for what BF will be able to accomplish with their next game engine in the future! 

Heh, but the guy with the thermal imaging RULES !

I will just say that modern warfare is disturbingly violent. I mean that in the good way.

You know what this means, don't you? MORE QB MAPS to play!