Combatintman Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 This has been sat on my hard drive in an 'almost finished' state for a couple of years now. Prompted by this thread: I decided to finish it off. Some tasters ... Scenario Image: Strategic Map: Operational Map: Tactical Map: Overhead Comparison CM and Google Earth Eye Level Comparison CM and Google Earth: The basic premise is that Russia attacks the Suwalki Gap after a period of tension on the Russian and Belarusian borders with NATO (sound familiar anyone ...). This mission is set in Lithuania's western border with the Kaliningrad Oblast where a US force has hurriedly deployed in response to a threat of a thrust east out of Kaliningrad in support of the Suwalki Gap attack. The map is 3,328m x 1,920m ... Watch this space ... 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 Watching. Cool map BTW. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falcon_the_Slut Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 I'm ready. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted November 27, 2021 Author Share Posted November 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Sgt.Squarehead said: Watching. Cool map BTW. I'd like to think so - I can't remember how long it took me to make but a lot of the time in Street View was spent seeing what colour the buildings were and then picking the closest CM match. It was epic ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 Just now, Combatintman said: It was epic ... I feel your pain! I'm mostly over the shock of comparing my first template map with photos of the real area now! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOS:96B2P Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, Combatintman said: Tactical Map: Overhead Comparison CM and Google Earth Eye Level Comparison CM and Google Earth: The basic premise is that Russia attacks the Suwalki Gap after a period of tension on the Russian and Belarusian borders with NATO (sound familiar anyone ...). This mission is set in Lithuania's western border with the Kaliningrad Oblast where a US force has hurriedly deployed in response to a threat of a thrust east out of Kaliningrad in support of the Suwalki Gap attack. The map is 3,328m x 1,920m ... Watch this space ... +1. Cool and a little different. Russians attacking from west to the east. PIR: Will the main effort go north or south of the lake? Looking forward to playing it. Edited November 27, 2021 by MOS:96B2P 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted November 27, 2021 Author Share Posted November 27, 2021 Just now, MOS:96B2P said: +1. Cool and a little different. Russians attacking from west to the east. PIR: Will the main effort go north or south of the lake? Looking forward to plying it. Its got airborne in it too ... you will enjoy it I'm sure. Not as complex and innovative as your stuff but you knew that already ... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted November 28, 2021 Author Share Posted November 28, 2021 So here are the draft orders ... Situation Amid a background of tensions on the Russian and Belarusian borders with the Baltic states, Russia announced its Zapad exercise, which traditionally takes place in September, early causing alarm to NATO governments. This saw Russian forces move to border regions and the reinforcement of the Kaliningrad Oblast with airborne formations. The exercises finished a week ago, but these forward deployments are unchanged leading NATO intelligence analysts to assess that Russia and its Belarusian ally planned to attack the Suwalki Gap. In response NATO has started to move reinforcements into the area including the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (1 IBCT)/82nd Airborne Division which started to arrive in Vilkaviskis, Lithuania last night. A Troop 3rd Squadron/73rd Cavalry Regiment (A/3/73 Cav) was one of the first units to arrive and has been rushed west to deal with any Russian supporting eastward attack from the Kaliningrad Oblast. It is now 1100hrs on June 01, 2017, and the Russians crossed the border 30 minutes ago. It is warm, clear and there is a gentle west to east wind. Mission A/3/73 Cav guards in the vicinity of Maldenai until 1200hrs, 01 June in order to delay the enemy assault on Vilkaviskis. Tasks: Destroy enemy reconnaissance. Disrupt the enemy first echelon battalion. Deny enemy penetration in greater than platoon strength of the Battle Handover Line. Maintain 60% combat effectiveness. Withdraw no later than 1230hrs, 01 June. Friendly Forces A/3/73 Cav complete comprising 1st, 2nd and 3rd Platoons each with 2 x M1151 HUMMWV M2, 2 x M1151 HUMMWV Mk19, 2 x M1167 HUMMWV TOW and an LMTV truck. Also organic to A Troop are 2 x M120 120mm mortars and 1 x RQ11B UAV. Other support available comes mainly from 3rd Battalion/319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment (3/319 AFAR) comprising Battery A (6 x 105mm M119A3), Battery B (6 x 105mm M119A3) and Battery C (6 x 155mm M777A2). An additional RQ11B UAV has been assigned to A Troop from 3/73 Cav. Enemy Forces Intelligence assesses that either 7th Guards Separate Motorized Rifle Regiment (7 GMRR) or 79th Guards Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (79 GMRB), both of 11th Army Corps normally based in the Kaliningrad Oblast will lead the attack. The S2 assesses that 7 GMRR is the most likely of the two. Both are equipped with T-72 tanks, 7 GMRR is BMP-2 equipped while 79 GMRB is MTLB equipped. Whichever formation leads, Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace (IPB) indicates that the enemy unit will be a battalion-sized force tactically deployed to conduct a meeting engagement. Its likely mission is to defeat the friendly covering force and secure a jump off point for subsequent echelons to assault Vilkaviskis 7km east of the Battle Handover Line. There is no threat from enemy air assets. Plan It is your choice commander but be aware that you have been given a tough mission which will stretch the capabilities of your light and small force given that you will be facing a mechanized force that outnumbers you by approximately three to one and your force is not optimized for this kind of mission. Your plan will need to make best use of ground and your key assets which are your long-range anti-tank and indirect fire weapons. You must exit the eastern edge of the map (Battle Handover Line) before the mission ends. Conceptually this is a simple mission that requires a trade-off between inflicting casualties on the enemy, slowing enemy progress across the map while minimizing your own casualties and picking the right time to withdraw and exit the map. The enemy gets points for advancing across the map, exiting units from the eastern edge of the map and for inflicting blue casualties while minimizing red casualties. You lack the combat power to destroy every single vehicle, so you need to track your kills and enemy progress in order to choose the right moment to withdraw. Once you have withdrawn, you should ceasefire. Notes This mission was going to be part of a campaign depicting a ‘what if’ Russian attack on Lithuania which I never really progressed with. The Russian and US units have been researched and the map is as good as the Combat Mission editor can reproduce of the area depicted. I spent a lot of time in Street View in Google Earth while making it and I hope you appreciate the result. If you want to check yourself, the middle of the lake on the map is at Grid 34U FF 2386 5620. This mission has four Russian AI plans so if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. I hope you enjoy playing the mission. Combatintman 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 Looking forward to it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted November 29, 2021 Author Share Posted November 29, 2021 Just a couple more teaser screen shots while I crunch through the final checks ... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 Just wondering how much the terrain in this area has changed since, say.....1979-1982? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted November 29, 2021 Author Share Posted November 29, 2021 58 minutes ago, Sgt.Squarehead said: Just wondering how much the terrain in this area has changed since, say.....1979-1982? Or from the 1939-1945 period ... Vilkaviskis which is mentioned in the brief was known by the Germans as Wilkowischken which will be familiar to East Front fans. Although it is not mapped in the scenario because it is a few clicks to east, there were some cheeky engagements in that area during 'the second unpleasantness.' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 How remarkably fortuitous. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted December 6, 2021 Author Share Posted December 6, 2021 I'm trying to get this uploaded to the scenario depot and have messaged @Bootie for assistance. In the meantime, get it here ... Opening Encounter.btt 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootie Posted December 7, 2021 Share Posted December 7, 2021 CMBS – Opening Encounter (thefewgoodmen.com) Uploaded and install instructions updated. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted December 8, 2021 Author Share Posted December 8, 2021 For those that have downloaded it ... and those that haven't - I didn't credit @MOS:96B2P in the notes for casting a second eye over this before I kicked it out of the door. It was a very instructive experience as he introduced me to a map tile that I never knew existed ... and I like to think that I'm vaguely good at map making. Every day's a school day and all that. Thanks again mate. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 I'm intrigued now? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted December 9, 2021 Author Share Posted December 9, 2021 16 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said: I'm intrigued now? Your move ... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOS:96B2P Posted December 9, 2021 Share Posted December 9, 2021 A few screenshots from "Opening Encounter". A very well done scenario. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarendJanNL Posted December 14, 2021 Share Posted December 14, 2021 Thanks for the scenario, just bought CMBS after SF2 and currently setting up for the Opening Encounter. One thing that stands out to me in this and other modern defensive scenarios is the lack of TRP's. Every FO will plan TRP's when possible, so I would like to see more of these in both defensive and offensive scenarios. Especially because flexibility and speed is the main power of Western artillery. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combatintman Posted December 17, 2021 Author Share Posted December 17, 2021 On 12/14/2021 at 6:21 PM, BarendJanNL said: Thanks for the scenario, just bought CMBS after SF2 and currently setting up for the Opening Encounter. One thing that stands out to me in this and other modern defensive scenarios is the lack of TRP's. Every FO will plan TRP's when possible, so I would like to see more of these in both defensive and offensive scenarios. Especially because flexibility and speed is the main power of Western artillery. The whole scenario is based on the premise that the US force has just flown in from CONUS and rushed straight from an airhead. The recce element in this battle is conducting a task for which it is not optimised due to a pretty desperate situation and one of its tasks is to delay in order to allow other elements to set up their defences with fancy things like prepared positions, planned engagement areas with TRPs etc. In short the artillery guy didn't have the time. I toyed with giving TRPs to blue but found that they take a lot of the challenge of the scenario away - the red AI on the other hand has quite a few TRPs in this mission. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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