Road to Odessa DAR

[HerrTom]

Okay, so this took a bit longer to organise than I thought.  Thankfully all the pieces fell together just as Kinophile and TFO finished their wonderful DAR!

(Right click "Open in new tab" on the map to view full size.)  This battle is occuring in the area around the village of Pryvitnoe in Southern Ukraine.  The crossing here represents a strategic chokepoint, one of the only highway crossings across the many canals north of Crimea.  If the Russians can capture this crossing, they threaten Odessa and even Kiev.

Currently dug in around the bridge is a lightly reinforced company.  Word of an attack after the start of hostilities has kickstarted the Ukrainian forces, and the rest of the battalion is en-route.  A Russian MRB is bearing down on the village, key to the rest of the regiment's attack.

Tactical map and screenshots are forthcoming...

[HerrTom]

FLASH MESSAGE FROM UKRAINIAN HIGH COMMAND:
ATTN ALL UNITS RUSSIAN INVASION CONFIRMED ALL RUSSIAN UNITS ARE HOSTILE ENGAGE AT WILL GODSPEED

-----

Priority message from 26. Mechanized Brigade HQ:
To commander 2. Battalion
8 JUNE 2017

SITUATION
Russian military units crossed the border in force an hour ago in Eastern Ukraine.  We must assume that the forces stationed in Crimea will begin operations at any time.  High command is quickly forming a plan, but until then we are ordered to stay in position.
* Enemy Forces *
The 18. Motor Rifle Brigade is currently stationed on the border in Crimea.  You can expect elements from it to move North along E-97, straight into your AO.  Expect T-72s, BMP-3s and artillery.
* Friendly Forces*
2. Battalion, 26. Mechanized Brigade is the only formation in the area for at least the next two hours.  The Battalion is composed of BMP-2s, T-64s and an attached Shturm platoon.  The PSU is scrambling aircraft, but it is unknown whether any strike aircraft can be sent to support you.  

MISSION
Defend the bridge crossing at Pryvitnoe.  Keep the bridge intact until ordered otherwise.

EXECUTION
1. Company is already in position along with the battalion antitank and reconnaissance platoons.
2. Company will arrive in approximately 20 minutes and will move to take defensive positions near the river
3. Company will arrive in 40 minutes

SUPPORT
A battery of 2S1 Gvozdika SPA are on call.  Battalion mortars are on the way.  Possible air support in the coming hour.

SIGNAL
* SONYASHNIK - 26. Mechanized Brigade
  * TULPAN - 2. Battalion
     * MALVA - 1. Company
     * ROSMARYN - 2. Company
     * CROCUS - 3. Company
  * KROPYVA - Brigade artillery

-----

The situation at 0800:

1. Platoon, 1. Company (Moskalenko) is holding the westmost edge of the battlefield, but has been hit pretty hard by the advancing Russian tanks.
Next is the Antitank Platoon (Prikhodko) and 2. Platoon (Boiko)
The Battalion Reconnaissance platoon (Fedorenko) and 4. platoon (tanks, Kovalenko) are dug in around the bridge.
3. Platoon is in reserve, dug in facing the bridge at Pryvitne.
We currently see a company-sized force of BMP-3s advancing across the field to the East, and a T-72 platoon moving into the treeline in the west.

Pictures forthcoming...

(I think with the maps, you'll have to right-click and "view image in new tab" until I can figure out a good way to hyperlink them.  Normal images will be hyperlinked, though.)

[HerrTom]

0800-0802

4th platoon's tanks engage BMPs cresting over the hill in the distance.

The BMPs close in, but not before 2nd platoon begins raking them with autocannon fire.

The Russian BMPs manage to guide an ATGM straight into 4th platoon's foremost tank  The commander is killed before the other two crew members bail out.

A BMP-2 explodes in a huge fireball as an autocannon shell ignites its ammunition stores.

A Konkurs impacts a T-72 in the treeline.  Only time will tell if it's knocked out.

Only two minutes into the battle, and I'm already down some 4 BMPs and one of my four T-64s.  Russian casualties include one (suspected) T-72 and two BMP-3s.  This looks like a reconnaissance force, so I'm sure I can expect both artillery strikes on my positions and even more enemy units moving in on me.  At least my dismounted Konkurs teams are doing qiute well, taking credit for a tank and a BMP knockout.  One BMP is tallied to the now-dead T-64, and the last was taken out by two BMPs pumping shells into it.

Even this forward force is getting a little overwhelming.  I fear what the rest of the Russian force is going to do to my defences.  Promises to be quite the fight!

[VladimirTarasov]

Excellent map, is there a link to the download? You're in for a fight if you've lost your forward defense lines.  

[HerrTom]

Hell, why not.  I still haven't finished a lot of stuff.  Map itself needs road cleanup and the Russian briefing has some errors in it.  And there's no Ukraininan briefing or AI plans. Here it is anyway!

[VladimirTarasov]

17 hours ago, HerrTom said:

Hell, why not.  I still haven't finished a lot of stuff.  Map itself needs road cleanup and the Russian briefing has some errors in it.  And there's no Ukraininan briefing or AI plans. Here it is anyway!

Thanks really cool map tbh. 

[c3k]

Use that amphib capability and cruise up and down the canals! Dreadnoughts rise again!

Great pix. Thanks.

[gnarly]

57 minutes ago, c3k said:

Use that amphib capability and cruise up and down the canals! Dreadnoughts rise again!

 

River monitor perhaps?

 

 

[JUAN DEAG]

If ATGMs fail, give the Russian tanks a good broadside. 68-pounder guns have been proven very effective against the frontal arc of a T-90 during the American Civil War and near misses are capable of destroying the external sub-systems tbh.

Edited December 14, 2016 by JUAN DEAG

[VladimirTarasov]

@JUAN DEAG that gives Russia the go ahead to use nukes in self defense. Not a wise choice at all. 

[HerrTom]

43 minutes ago, JUAN DEAG said:

If ATGMs fail, give the Russian tanks a good broadside. 68-pounder guns have been proven very effective against the frontal arc of a T-90 during the American Civil War and near misses are capable of destroying the external sub-systems.

Haha, topical!

29 minutes ago, VladimirTarasov said:

go ahead to use nukes in self defense

Oh damn.  Don't want to tempt fate here...

[Kinophile]

This is actually a real thing...

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2016/11/29/18th-century-cannon-technology-used-syria/

Their camouflage scheme is actually quite good.

Edited December 14, 2016 by kinophile

[gnarly]

28 minutes ago, kinophile said:

This is actually a real thing...

Wow!

I love the range safety in the first one (civilian traffic in the background...).

 

Sorry @HerrTom, keep up the DAR!

Edited December 14, 2016 by gnarly

[HerrTom]

49 minutes ago, gnarly said:

Sorry @HerrTom, keep up the DAR!

How dare you!?!  No worries.  I'm still waiting for the next turn from my buddy.

6 hours ago, c3k said:

Use that amphib capability and cruise up and down the canals!

Unfortunately the canals are both deep and surrounded by trees.  There's a fording point south of Pryvitnoe but that's about it.

1 hour ago, kinophile said:

This is actually a real thing...

Teaser for upcoming Combat Mission title?  Combat Mission Crimean War?

[IICptMillerII]

I'm very excited for this AAR! I really liked the one you did previously. Great screenshots and map graphics to help inform the situation. I'm looking forward to see how this battle plays out and if the Ukrainians can hold out at all.

As a side note, I downloaded the map to check it out myself and I noticed the vehicle fortifications you made. It got me thinking, so I set up a few test battles with tanks in the fortifications and was pretty impressed. The fortifications definitely improve the survivability of the dug in tank. I did find that that they tend to work better with Abrams than Soviet made tanks because the Soviet made tanks have such a shorter profile that it prevents you from being able to put too much dirt in front of them. With the Abrams you can put up a nice barrier to the front and the tank can still spot and engage over it. Not so much with the Soviet/Russian designs. Still very useful overall. 

[Chudacabra]

I played through about ten turns as the Russians and wiped out everything the Ukrainians had on that side of the river with fairly minimal casualties. I think the map has a lot of potential, but I would recommend a few changes (not sure if you're soliciting feedback, but the internet is the best place for unsolicited opinions!):

1. Move the vehicle fortifications (which are great, by the way) back and/or have fallback positions. At the ranges in this battle, the Ukrainians are profoundly outgunned and should be trying for flank shots. The Konkurs teams are just about the only thing that actually did any damage.
2. I'm not too sure about the Ukrainians defending on a forward slope with very poor withdrawal routes. If I played as the Ukrainians, I would probably focus on defending the crossings, rather than trying to engage a far superior force over open ground.
3. The Russians should appear behind some sort of cover, especially unarmoured units like engineers or HQ units.

It's great to have new content for CMBS, so thanks a bunch for taking the time to make a scenario!

[HerrTom]

3 hours ago, Chudacabra said:

I played through about ten turns as the Russians and wiped out everything the Ukrainians had on that side of the river with fairly minimal casualties. I think the map has a lot of potential, but I would recommend a few changes (not sure if you're soliciting feedback, but the internet is the best place for unsolicited opinions!):

1. Move the vehicle fortifications (which are great, by the way) back and/or have fallback positions. At the ranges in this battle, the Ukrainians are profoundly outgunned and should be trying for flank shots. The Konkurs teams are just about the only thing that actually did any damage.
2. I'm not too sure about the Ukrainians defending on a forward slope with very poor withdrawal routes. If I played as the Ukrainians, I would probably focus on defending the crossings, rather than trying to engage a far superior force over open ground.
3. The Russians should appear behind some sort of cover, especially unarmoured units like engineers or HQ units.

It's great to have new content for CMBS, so thanks a bunch for taking the time to make a scenario!

Thanks for the feedback!

1. and 2. - I was planning on using most of 1. company as a picket force to delay the Russians such that 2. and 3. companies can take up positions on the other side of the canal in force.  You may be right, though.  So far, my T-64s have done nothing but miss the BMP-3s.  Konkurs and BMP-2s seem to be doing much better.  Perhaps the two Shturms can be put to good use...  I am probably going to retreat my remaining tanks to the other side of the river, along with the Shturms further back to provide long range support where ATGMs are pretty good.
3. That's definitely a mistake on my part.  I didn't really think they were within range or something, but it's definitely a problem that needs fixing.

Overall, I'm probably going to add more earthworks to the map for the players to decide where they want to set up to address points 1 and 2.

10 hours ago, IICptMillerII said:

I'm looking forward to see how this battle plays out and if the Ukrainians can hold out at all.

I wonder the same thing!  Orders be damned, I'm going to blow the bridge with my artillery if the Russians get too close. Then I can focus on the ford.

[Chudacabra]

Oh, as for the Russians, maybe give them one or two more drones? I'm also not sure if they need quite so many forces. Are the Ukrainian reinforcements just BMP-2's and T-64's?

[Haiduk]

On 13.12.2016 at 0:58 AM, HerrTom said:

26. Mechanized Brigade

Never mind, but 28th. It's dislocatining in Odesa, 26th is artillery brigade

[HerrTom]

6 minutes ago, Haiduk said:

Never mind, but 28th. It's dislocatining in Odesa, 26th is artillery brigade

Oh no!  Another bugfix!  Thank you for catching my mistake.

[HerrTom]

0803

A tank shell explodes harmlessly against the trench walls protecting a Konkurs team.

The battalion FO team pulls back from the fighting after calling in an artillery strike.

1st platoon retreats from their fighting positions behind their burning BMPs.

Another BMP smoked by Russian autocannons.  This one belongs to the weapons platoon.

A squad from 1st platoon advances through the treeline to defend the ford crossing.

The view of the crossing from the north side.  there's a lot of cover on the south side, but I've mined one of the approach paths, and there's a TRP located right in the middle of it.

Panicked messages are coming into my command centre faster than the orders are being sent out!  Perhaps we underestimated the Russian army!  Bah to that, I say!  The initial engagement forced the rest of the Russian scout company into the orchard, as expected.  An artillery barrage is already on its way to cover the entire area with steel!  1st platoon got hit pretty hard by the Russian tanks, so they've moved to the ford crossing to defend the south side.  Recon and 4th platoon are moving back to prepared positions on the north end of the bridge.  Any Russian forces heading for the bridge will meet mines and a knife fight with T-64s, RPGs and some long range Shturm fire located further back.

I'm going to continue skirmishing the Russian force with my Konkurs teams along with the antitank platoon's vehicles.  2nd platoon will also remain in place to greet any Russian forces attempting to leave the orchard.  Sometime in the next five minutes, I'm going to pull back most of my forces to the other side of the river, leaving behind some brave "volunteers" to ambush advancing Russian forces from the buildings in Malooleksandrivka.

Hopefully I've bloodied the Russians' noses enough to slow down their advance. After all, I need all the time I can get for my reinforcements to arrive.

 

[HerrTom]

Wow. 11 days!  The holidays sure get in the way of wargaming, don't they?

0804

One of the weapons platoon's BMPs gets nailed by a T-72 as it retreats from its fighting position.  This flank is getting dangerously exposed, so I ordered an ATGM team to get into position to take on the tanks if they decide to move forward.

The weapons platoon's final BMP catches a BRM-3 unawares, raking it with 30mm cannon fire.  The enemy crew disembarks and retreats from the fight.

Unfortunately, the dismounted squad couldn't warn the commander fast enough about the enemy BMP-3 that appeared in the woodline of the orchard.

At the end of the minute, my artillery shells begin to land on the orchard, hopefully we'll stall the advance of the recon company through the forest.  I'm going to increase the intensity of the fire mission now that enemy troops are confirmed to be in the forest.

The situation.  2 more BMPs lost this turn, in exchange for one enemy BMP.  Hopefully I can make up for those losses with artillery and mines.

[Rinaldi]

Don't rush on our accounts - I'm watching this with interest no matter what.

[HerrTom]

On 12/24/2016 at 7:59 AM, Rinaldi said:

Don't rush on our accounts - I'm watching this with interest no matter what.

I wouldn't dream of it!  

0805

A Ukrainian ATGM team tracks a Russian BMP advancing past the orchard.  They manage to knock out the one on the left and catastrophically kill the right hand one.

...But not before one of them fires a shot at their comrades in the trenches.  The shot injures four, three critically.

Another ATGM in the weapons squad manages to knock out another T-72 in the western flank.  I think they managed to wipe out the whole platoon and probe on that side.  Both teams are moving to relocate to avoid Russian artillery fire from ruining their day.

3 knocked out T-72s next to their escort BRM-3

Meanwhile, 3rd platoon sits in their trenches, listening to the chaotic sounds of battle, worried about what the Russians will throw at them.

... And a bonus video!

Edit: Damn! I even went through the effort of cropping the UI out of the video but uploaded the wrong one!  Oh well - expect it in the next video, whenever that is!

 

Oh, and the map:

Edited December 29, 2016 by HerrTom

[Chudacabra]

ATGM team of the year!

Are you playing PBEM or against AI?