Artemis258

We learn from the necessities of our wildlife. Kill it with fire. 

The ultimate sport utility vehicle:

That's why it's important to use bazookas. See, they're long. When the front of the bazooka hits something, and it goes "clang", then you know it's touched a tank. Pull the trigger! That's how you win.

So this was weird... 


 

That ATGM (fired from a Russian attack helicopter)  just bounced off the spare tire on the rear of the BTR. BOUNCED. OFF. 

Then it sped off int othe distance and hit a house. 

Anyone ever had this? 

So this was weird... 


 

That ATGM (fired from a Russian attack helicopter)  just bounced off the spare tire on the rear of the BTR. BOUNCED. OFF. 

Then it sped off int othe distance and hit a house. 

Anyone ever had this? 

A short while later...Overview, Turn 4Well I was right in wanting to rush to my forward positions quickly... while most of my units made it to their disembark points safely, a few laggers behind caught it in the face... but before we get to the gory bits...  Overview, turn 4: 1st Co. makes it to the town largely unmolested, thanks to the speed of their advance. Already they are moving to occupy positions in the own on the friendly side of the river, while 3rd platoon holds in reserve at Overwatch village. 2nd Co have started moving down to blocking positions on the southern side of town haven likewise incurred light casualties, however they have lost their company command element to Long range fire. That's what he gets for leading from the rear! Battalion FO, having achieved a good OP at the train station, calls in the first round of supporting fires from the 120mm mortar battery. Friendly forces have spotted enemy BMPs suspected of carrying enemy infantry down the hill to the east and the plan is to catch them as they dismount and move through the town. Might be danger close for the scouts I plan n pushing into the town proper but eh... War is hell. AT assets have mostly reached their positions and begun setting up. Reports are in that the recoilless rifle crews in particular are enjoying the shade and the scenery. Armour takes a casualty from an enemy AT missile, launcher unknown. The remaining tank from the 'open ground' section immediatly relocates to harder cover and gets a spot on an enemy BMP, launching an AT missile of it's own in revenge! I guess it got dazzled though, because part-way through it's flight it veered wildly off-course and missed by about 100 meters or more. So much for 'guided' missile. Company level support elements (Machine guns) and some of Battalion's grenade launcher elements are following the infantry into the town, with the hopes of taking up short range ambush positions in tall buildings. Now for some violence:  2 Co. command gets it in the face. Strangely Recon wasn't the first to take casualties...  ...But they're close behind. I thought through-and-through was supposed to be a good thing...  This isn't good... is this the one with APS?  Nope.  REVENGE! Oh dear. I sense the force is strong with this one.  'Guided' missile my arse. Casualties four turns in: 1 CO: 1 BTR4E (no pic, took a round while returning fire on suspected enemy positions) 2 CO: Command element and MANPAD section. Cowards Tank Platoon: 1 tank. RECON: 1 section + 1 RPG team. Eh, they died quick. Oh well, as C3k would say, you're not in contact with the enemy unless your ptrupen are burning!

First black sea quick battle! Med size forces meeting engagement!I'll be the Ukrainians rushing headlong into the evil invading Ruskies. OUT OF MY PRECIOUS HOMELAND YOU RUSSIAN DOGS! *ehem* Custom rules in effect: APS on only 20% of eligable vehicles (rounded up)Map:  Force TO&E: 1 depleted Mech rifle battalion (-1 company) in BTRs, with a platoon of Oblats attached! This gives me two companies of infantry supported by,-Some arty (bought some extra too! all off map, 2*3 tubes 120mm mortars, 1*3 tubes 81mm mortars),- Battalion support from an anti-tank platoon (Skiffs and recoilless rifles, re-enforced with two 'shturm' tank hunters) and a grenade launcher platoon (they say happiness is a belt fed weapon, but if that belt is 30mm HE then I think you should keep that 'happiness' in the bedroom)-And a Recon platoon (Irish Mine Detectors)  - to which I've attached two RPG-7 teams in the hope of catching something big and scary unawares.  Pictured: One Irish Mine Detector  Each  company command also as a Pvt Ivan with an Igla to scare away nasties and shoot down drones (do iglas work on drones?), and 1st Company get the shiny BTR-4E's instead of those crappy mobile tin targets the rest of the poor sods have. My strategy? Strength through numbers! I expect the game will appeal to the bloody-minded likes of c3k. Basic SOP is that 1st company with it's fancy taxis will be my assault force while 2nd company will form a blocking force on my right flank - securing the swampland which offers decent cover for my enemy's advance. The anti-tank platoon will be scattered at opportune positions on my side of the map, though the recoilless rifles will run down the left flank and (hopefully) secure that bridge from vehicle advance (though I don't expect them to last long). Grenade launchers will again be scattered, with at least two supporting 2nd company on over watch of the swamp. The idea is sort of 'bite and hold' - seize the major objective as quickly as possible, then defend it to the last man. I want the fighting up close and personal, where the Russian technological superiority (in terms of spotting and engagement range) is negated and my numbers count for more. If forces allow and the Russian attack is sufficiently bloodied I may consider pushing across the river with my reserve force, but given their technological superiority I doubt it.  Each company will keep a platoon in reserve of it's main advance  phew. 8,000 points buys a lot of Ukrainians!      THE PLAN - Blue is 2nd Co. Red 1st CO. and Green supporting assets (namely AT and tanks) the crosses represent positions for the Skifff AT launchers, the rest are tac symbols. Why no tac symbols for the Skiff? Because they're complex to draw, and there are lots of them.Not shown are the scouts because I forgot, but basically there is a section and an rpg team pushing ahead of each main element, and a section scouting ahead of the recoilless rifles on the north flank. My intention is to push these scouts across the river into good OP's to ID and maybe even ambush the incoming Ruskies, maybe force them to slow up. Expected life expectancy upon making contact with the enemy: 30 seconds.        CHARGE!     Scouts forward! Your bravery will be remembered!

First black sea quick battle! Med size forces meeting engagement!I'll be the Ukrainians rushing headlong into the evil invading Ruskies. OUT OF MY PRECIOUS HOMELAND YOU RUSSIAN DOGS! *ehem* Custom rules in effect: APS on only 20% of eligable vehicles (rounded up)Map:  Force TO&E: 1 depleted Mech rifle battalion (-1 company) in BTRs, with a platoon of Oblats attached! This gives me two companies of infantry supported by,-Some arty (bought some extra too! all off map, 2*3 tubes 120mm mortars, 1*3 tubes 81mm mortars),- Battalion support from an anti-tank platoon (Skiffs and recoilless rifles, re-enforced with two 'shturm' tank hunters) and a grenade launcher platoon (they say happiness is a belt fed weapon, but if that belt is 30mm HE then I think you should keep that 'happiness' in the bedroom)-And a Recon platoon (Irish Mine Detectors)  - to which I've attached two RPG-7 teams in the hope of catching something big and scary unawares.  Pictured: One Irish Mine Detector  Each  company command also as a Pvt Ivan with an Igla to scare away nasties and shoot down drones (do iglas work on drones?), and 1st Company get the shiny BTR-4E's instead of those crappy mobile tin targets the rest of the poor sods have. My strategy? Strength through numbers! I expect the game will appeal to the bloody-minded likes of c3k. Basic SOP is that 1st company with it's fancy taxis will be my assault force while 2nd company will form a blocking force on my right flank - securing the swampland which offers decent cover for my enemy's advance. The anti-tank platoon will be scattered at opportune positions on my side of the map, though the recoilless rifles will run down the left flank and (hopefully) secure that bridge from vehicle advance (though I don't expect them to last long). Grenade launchers will again be scattered, with at least two supporting 2nd company on over watch of the swamp. The idea is sort of 'bite and hold' - seize the major objective as quickly as possible, then defend it to the last man. I want the fighting up close and personal, where the Russian technological superiority (in terms of spotting and engagement range) is negated and my numbers count for more. If forces allow and the Russian attack is sufficiently bloodied I may consider pushing across the river with my reserve force, but given their technological superiority I doubt it.  Each company will keep a platoon in reserve of it's main advance  phew. 8,000 points buys a lot of Ukrainians!      THE PLAN - Blue is 2nd Co. Red 1st CO. and Green supporting assets (namely AT and tanks) the crosses represent positions for the Skifff AT launchers, the rest are tac symbols. Why no tac symbols for the Skiff? Because they're complex to draw, and there are lots of them.Not shown are the scouts because I forgot, but basically there is a section and an rpg team pushing ahead of each main element, and a section scouting ahead of the recoilless rifles on the north flank. My intention is to push these scouts across the river into good OP's to ID and maybe even ambush the incoming Ruskies, maybe force them to slow up. Expected life expectancy upon making contact with the enemy: 30 seconds.        CHARGE!     Scouts forward! Your bravery will be remembered!

A short while later...Overview, Turn 4Well I was right in wanting to rush to my forward positions quickly... while most of my units made it to their disembark points safely, a few laggers behind caught it in the face... but before we get to the gory bits...  Overview, turn 4: 1st Co. makes it to the town largely unmolested, thanks to the speed of their advance. Already they are moving to occupy positions in the own on the friendly side of the river, while 3rd platoon holds in reserve at Overwatch village. 2nd Co have started moving down to blocking positions on the southern side of town haven likewise incurred light casualties, however they have lost their company command element to Long range fire. That's what he gets for leading from the rear! Battalion FO, having achieved a good OP at the train station, calls in the first round of supporting fires from the 120mm mortar battery. Friendly forces have spotted enemy BMPs suspected of carrying enemy infantry down the hill to the east and the plan is to catch them as they dismount and move through the town. Might be danger close for the scouts I plan n pushing into the town proper but eh... War is hell. AT assets have mostly reached their positions and begun setting up. Reports are in that the recoilless rifle crews in particular are enjoying the shade and the scenery. Armour takes a casualty from an enemy AT missile, launcher unknown. The remaining tank from the 'open ground' section immediatly relocates to harder cover and gets a spot on an enemy BMP, launching an AT missile of it's own in revenge! I guess it got dazzled though, because part-way through it's flight it veered wildly off-course and missed by about 100 meters or more. So much for 'guided' missile. Company level support elements (Machine guns) and some of Battalion's grenade launcher elements are following the infantry into the town, with the hopes of taking up short range ambush positions in tall buildings. Now for some violence:  2 Co. command gets it in the face. Strangely Recon wasn't the first to take casualties...  ...But they're close behind. I thought through-and-through was supposed to be a good thing...  This isn't good... is this the one with APS?  Nope.  REVENGE! Oh dear. I sense the force is strong with this one.  'Guided' missile my arse. Casualties four turns in: 1 CO: 1 BTR4E (no pic, took a round while returning fire on suspected enemy positions) 2 CO: Command element and MANPAD section. Cowards Tank Platoon: 1 tank. RECON: 1 section + 1 RPG team. Eh, they died quick. Oh well, as C3k would say, you're not in contact with the enemy unless your ptrupen are burning!

pics and a map! pics and a map!  
We aren't huddled around the radio listening to commercials for an Ovaltine magic decoder ring!!!

Here's a modification of the movie mode shader that gives it a night vision effect for those night scenarios. It's designed to be used in conjunction with the artificial brightness mode (Alt+B), so to use it all you have to do is hit Alt+B and Alt+M. Here's a link to download it right now, and I'll also upload it to the repository.
DOWNLOAD
A couple screenshots:


Thanks to SLIM for the idea and BarbaricCo for making it known it was possible to mod the shader.

still running windows 7. Not changing. No need to. 

Camp : The Relief of Army Group North Mission 1: Clearing the Way

WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS! IMAGES! TEXT HEAVY!

Objectives: Secure the marsh crossing and clear the forests and nearby villages of soviet forces so the panzerbrigade can pass unmolested.

Forces: No 1 Panzerkompanie- PANTHERS! 11 of them!
No. 2 Panzergrenadier kompanie – bait... I mean cannfo... I mean beer beer beer cried the privates merry men are we! There's none so fair as can compare to the fighting infantieeee!


 
So this is my first DAR! Apologies for the early lack of screenshots- I'd only just got around to trying out some mods and wasn't prepared for how good the game would now look, nor how dramatic this battle's start would prove to be! I've tried to ompensate for this with some little soldier-stories around some of the more dramatic moments. Pics WILL follow shortly I promise!

Leutnant Haubman, hrs -(?) +4 minutes

“Herr leutnent, a seat!” Max had dragged a dusty old stool from the corner of the townhouse that would serve as their OP, and pulled it over to a nearby window. “Who Said war needed to be uncomfortable?”

“Halt die Klappe! We have a job to do!” Heubman snapped at the kid. 19 and already seen too much of war. Some grew silent. Others took refuge in jokes. Getting to old for this Scheisse. None the less he took the seat, gazing out over the daisies outside. A glint of metal or a movement might betray a gun or tank in the distant treeline. Behind them there was a chocking grumble as Fuhrmann shut off the Hanomag a few houses back. But the sound of engines didn't fade completely... “You hear that? Tanks!”...

Max perked up “Our panthers are here already?” The rapid putputput from their left dashed the boy's hopes.

“...Or not. Sounds like Eymer's found some Russians...”
 
PLAN AND FIRST 5 mins
The pre-deployment basically split my recce platoon in half, one squad and the commander center and 2 squads on the right. This suits me just fine. The woods on both sides seem the obvious cover to move up and get observation. Meanwhile the northern most house in town will be my initial OP down to the treeline. While it's hard to have a definite plan without knowing the disposition of the soviet forces, I want to make the best of the range advantage my Panthers have. That and not exposing their buttery sides. So they'll take up supporting positions on the flanks as best they can.

The West is much too open for my liking so I'm hoping the treeline cutting the center will screen my advance into the crossing. I figure the rest of my forces will follow the recce split so I'll move those down the eastern edge of the West woods then take up supporting positions in the middle for a base of fire. Third platoon of tanks should be on the board by then, so they can roll up to help out here. The eastern forces can then move in to the crossing village and then... I dunno. Forrest. I don't like forests. Hope I get lots of Arty here.



8 MINS IN:

Contact! The western scouts can hear the sounds of heavy vehicles on the road ahead! The briefing didn't seem to indicate this was a meeting engagement (in fact I thought I was expecting those ruskies to be consolidating their position!) but that's what I get for starting a battle at 2 am. The only AT capability the squad has is a couple of panzerfausts in a 2-man section to the rear, so there's not much I can do except hold tight and hope they're armoured cars or Really stupid. On the flip side I'm expecting my first tanks and infantry in 2 mins.... I just hope they enter on this side of the map!

10 mins:

“Marquardt, take the left! Set up in the trees, the scouts need our help!” Haubptmann Linder still had to yell to be heard, even with the mic to his mouth. Coughing, he tried to shield himself from the dust kicked up as the young officer's platoon surged off in front of him, barrelling down the road ahead. “Klaus, straight forward! We'll try to cut them off at the other side, through the village!” Behind him the Hannos full of panzergrenadiers pushed up, taking their own way between buildings as fast as the clattering halftracks would go. Better watch out boys, you'll rush too far ahead!

Yes! I have the armour right where I want it! More than that, the flanking positions I wanted to use for my westmost panthers allow me to engage those sound contacts quite well! No such luck for my scouts though though as another couple of minutes reveal not just an armoured car but a T-70 and an SU-76 with riders. A proper armoured reconnaissance force coming right for my squad! Thankfully they seem to drive right past the main part of my disciplined men up ahead, however they make straight for the road which my faust section is setting up on! Bagging one tank might be possible, but three vehicles and a squad of smg-armed infantry in the woods is too much! Before I can pull them back however the predictable happens and they're spotted by the riders – cutting down one in a somewhat long ranged fire and driving the other to ground. Thankfully they lose interest pretty quickly and seem to continue down the road bisecting the woods.


12 mins, Leutnant Marquadt “Right boys just around this corner... Gelband push up! I'll swing out, Metzger, those woods look passable, see if you can get to the road!” He lurched as the Panzer swung wide, leaving the road for a patch of trees that might make good cover. “Gunner! Rotate right! We don't know where they might be!”Marquadt focused on the wooded corner as the road ahead revealed itself. There! A T-70 about to head into the woods! “AP! Tank, 300, FEURE!” The vehicle lurched to a stop before rocking back, the hollow boom of the gun replacing the grumble of the engine for a brief moment. Beside him a second shot rocked Marquadt sideways as Gelbrand's tank belched fire too. The Russian tank ahead burst into flame, scattering it's crew and their mounted troops back to the road. To the left, a distant explosion drew his attention to a second column of smoke rising across the marsh.“Too bad Gelbrand, mine went up first, your buying!”

Haubtman Linder: “Driver! Edge forward! We'll poke our nose out!” Linder peered into the forrest ahead as his tank just cleared the house. Was that a... A bright flash lit up the morning mist somewhere in the forrest and before he could duck a deafening screeching crash shook the tank, cutting a glowing gouge out of the front glacis. “Scheisse! Gunner, you see him?”

“Nein herr Haubtmann”.... the Flash again, and a second, then a third shell hit the tank doing more damage to the paintwork, though thankfully not much else! Behind him, heedless of the duel the armoured beast ahead was engaged in, the Hanos surged forward onto the road, kicking up more dust to confound Linder's desperate search for his aggressor...

Leutnant Gruber, PzrGrn: “Forward, for the Fuhrer!” The halftracks stormed down the misty woods, two abreast, full speed. Gruber Wanted to be the first in his Kompanie to see action today. The first to destroy a soviet! To earn the respect and admiration of his men, his Vaterland, and his commander! The heavy crack of shells passing him by did nothing to slow his enthusiasm, and his troops fed off his mood. Suddenly the muzzle flashes gave way to clearer shapes – an Assault gun and an armoured car blocking their path! “OUT! To the cover and get them!” The hanno slid to a stop, it's gunnner pounding away with the 20mm gun as the soviet troops, caught by surprise, leapt off their tanks at the same time as the germans themselves dismounted. Caught unprepared, the Commie assault gun began to retreat into the trees, several glowing holes a testament to the coolness of the Hanno's gunner. Gruber however was not so lucky- the soviet infrantry had hit the dirt first, and cut him and his aides down as they made to the treeline. Almost as they did so the 2nd Squad's hanno pulled up and unleashed it's own mg fire, bringing swift vengeance.

Wow. What a turn.
I'd neglected to remember the time and weather, and couldn't understand why my fancy expensive well equipped command panther silhouetted on a rise in front of the sun couldn't spot the assault gun hidden off the side in the woods that was shooting at it. Thankfully it's armour held up and it 'tanked' it well enough! Meanwhile I got a bit of tunnel vision with my tanks and forgot the orders I'd given my infantry, so they barrelled straight into the soviet scouts! Though I've never seen such a mistake be rewarded so easily- sure, the platoon commander got cut down. But none of the halftracks got hit and that pepppy little 20mm scored 2 partials and a penetration on the Su, driving it off into the forest and I suspect (given it's fleeing the scene rather than blowing the thin skinned tracks to high hell) disabling it's gun. The halftracks did exactly what they should in this accident, suppressed the hell out of the enemy while the infantry bailed for cover. 3rd Squad got it's first kill on an armoured car, while 1st and 2nd chased the tank riders into the woods. Meanwhile the western panthers lived up to their reputation and scored two quick kills on the rest of the enemy's scouting armour.


Turns 13-16: Hans, Soldat, 3rd squad Aufklarungs Zug, AT specialist: “Klaus! Where are you Klause?” Hans called out into the woods. He'd dived for cover at the first crack of a bullet passing by and slithered as deep into the woods as he could go. Since then he'd not seen his squadmate, and the sounds of close by engines and heavy gunfire had further dampened his spirits. “I'm a failure... a coward!” he angrily leapt to his feat, kicking aside the branch that had been jabbing into his leg. “what the... Mein gott!” Through the thicket of trees, not 50 meters away, Hans could make out the open rear of an assault gun, the crew distracted by something that had apparently malfunctioned. At first he thought it might be an element of the supporting panzers, but as he approached it's distinctive open back, the light brown uniforms of it's crew and the snatches of foreign curses gave it away. Soviets! Fumbling, he dropped his machine pistole and grabbed the 'faust from his back, trembling as he flipped the sights. Here was his chance to prove he wasn't a coward! He could go home proud! A dull roar and the heavy fist was lobbed into the flank of the gun, lighting the mist with a flash and an almighty bang. “I hit... I hit it!” Hans just stood there grinning as he saw the crew bail out the back of their ruined vehicle. He didn't notice when it's commander aimed his pistol, and he was still grinning as he dropped to his knees, a cold darkness spreading over his body and his vision “I did it....”


The Panzers saw no more resistance this turn, however the drama continued to escalate as the surviving tank hunter from the scouts stumbled apon the SU that had been peppered by the halftracks just minutes earlier. Good old Hans got his shot off, and it was amazing to watch the crew bail and get their revenge with a single shot! This was the moment I decided the battle was becoming too exciting NOT to do a report for you guys, and I immediately downloaded fraps and started writing this up! I really wish I had a screenshot for you guys of that action, but rest assured everything is set up now!


The east side ccontinued to be uneventful- my scouts have pushed up to furhter sparse cover to survey the village ahead of the crossing, finding another armoured car as-yet unaware of my presence. Meanwhile the second platoons of infantry and tanks arrived behind them and are moving to support and staging locations to attack the town, once I have more concrete intel on what awaits me. And maybe some artillery. I like artillery in towns.

Here's a set of screenshots with the progress so far: 



Red Marks Marquadt's tanks as they move up through the forrest. Blue is Haubtman Linder's tank. The green circled units are the 1st platoon of myu grenadiers, and their planned line of advance to take positions in that treeline, and probably advance in through the orchards into the town. You can also see the 2nd platoons of panzers and grenadiers moving up on the eastern edge to hit the town from that flank. 




the view from Leutnant Marquadt's tank. Directly in front you can see the first burning T-70, and to the left the more distant one! Geldband's panzer is moving up to take it's firing position just ahead. 



The view of the forrest and road from Haubtman Linder's perspective. You can see the backs of the Hanomags from the panzergrenadiers here. 





Four tries and nothing penetrated! I think there's a lewd joke here somewhere... 

Losses so far: Scouts:
1 AT squad
PzrGr:
Command section, 1st platoon  
2 members of 3rd squad, 1st platoon (shell fragments from a missed SU shot)

Confirmed kills:
2 T-70 light tanks
1 Armoured Car
1 Su-76 
assorted tank riders killed + surrendered