Shock Force 2 AAR: Stryker's Attack

[beeron]

Stryker's Attack

By: Beeron

B/1-24 Infantry conducts a movement to contact against a reinforced SLA armored battalion, October 2004.

Introduction

Armor Attacks might be one of my favorite scenarios in Shock Force 2. Created by the great GeorgeMC, the scenario puts a US Army heavy company team against a reinforced Syrian armored battalion, but their equipment and training level really puts them more at a generic OPFOR level. While not an unbeatable challenge for an experienced/competent US Army player, the scenario tests your fundamentals while making sure to punish any rookie mistakes you might create on the way. Inspired by IICptMillerII's excellent after action report on this scenario (which you can find here), I was extremely curious to see how a Stryker infantry company would fare in this scenario. We both concluded the Stryker infantry would mop the floor, the firepower US Army dismounts can produce is unmatched. To add on, the Javelin missile and the heaps of ammo the Stryker can carry would allow the infantryman to control the decisive terrain on the map (which we shall get into).

Mission

B/1-24 Infantry is to conduct a spoiling attack against an SLA mechanized battalion heading into the sector. On contact Bravo company is to develop the situation as is deemed appropriate by the commander by destroying the enemy units or fixing them to allow the battalion to move around their flanks.

Objectives

• Destroy/fix in place SLA mechanized battalion between the LD and LOA.
• Occupy decisive terrain on OBJ Bear
• Deny the enemy access to OBJ Elk

Desired End State

• SLA mechanized battalion rendered combat ineffective
• Bravo company in control of OBJ Bear
• Bravo company reaches LOA Tennessee 
• Breathing space for battalion
• Maintained a 50% ammo load
• 85% of Bravo company still intact

Tactical Map

(The tactical map from the original scenario)

(Another graphic from the original scenario)

Enemy Forces

Information from the battalion S2 states the following:

Enemy mechanized units in reinforced battalion strength are expected to be attacking in force into this sector from the north/north east. Elements from these units have been attacked by our air support, suffering heavy casualties. However this does not appear to have slowed their advance although it has split the unit up into smaller parcels. 

The S2 templates that threat forces will establish counter recon units, armed with ATGMs to counter and neutralize our recon assets thereby screening their main effort which will be from tank and mech infantry units. 

The small town of Al Quasimli is believed to contain an enemy mechanized rifle platoon supported by several tanks, possibly T72s. Exact locations are currently unclear.

Terrain & Weather

The terrain in this scenario might be the single most important thing in it, one look at the map will tell you all you need to know. He who controls the decisive terrain at OBJ Bear, wins the battle. This especially applies to the SLA commander, who would enjoy a turkey shoot at my poor Stryker company. The other piece of key terrain on the map is OBJ Elk, which also gives a very nice view of the valley. The downside is that it is across the map, a risky movement for my men dismounted or mounted through complex terrain. Other key terrain features include a town to the northwest and another west out of my deployment zone. An oasis with a building and lots of trees and vegetation is also located in the middle of the map. 

(The view from OBJ Bear)

(Overview of the map from deployment)

Troops 

I have Bravo Company "Bulldogs", 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, under my command. These men have great leadership, high motivation, and are excellent soldiers. However, they lack combat experience since their deployment to Iraq in early 2004 was cancelled to respond to the SLA threat in this country. Bravo company consists of 3 rifle platoons, an MGS platoon, and 2 Stryker mortar carriers. In addition the company headquarters team, XO team, FISTer, and Sniper team are present on the battlefield. Note the MGS platoon is technically anachronistic (wish I remembered that before committing to the scenario), having not been deployed into combat until 2007. For the sake of this scenario, it shows up three years early. The Bulldogs have priority fires from A/2-8 FA, and CAS from a 2 ship F16 flight in the area.

Initial Scheme of Maneuver

  The plan is simple, since I do not have much battlefield intelligence, my plan will remain flexible and help develop the battle further. 3rd platoon moves dismounted and secures OBJ Bear. 2nd platoon will cover the flank dismounted, fending off any flanking movements or targets of opportunity they might encounter there. For now, 1st platoon and the MGS platoon are the company's reserve. In addition, a platoon from A/2-8 FA will pound the reverse slope with their M198s. The 2 ship F16 flight tasked to support the Bulldogs will find targets of opportunity around the map, hopefully killing enemy armor.

Fun times ahead.....

This thread will likely consist of three parts, the deployment, battle, and conclusion. I am well aware that I have not finished my other AAR, but I practically already have this one written already. Anyways, this battle ended up being probably the coolest engagement I have ever had in Combat Mission, and is again a great example of the excellent scenario design GeorgeMC blesses on this community. Also, after I wrap up this AAR, keep your eye out for a Battle for Normandy write up! Stay tuned for the next update!

Edited May 12, 2022 by beeron

[beeron]

The Battle Develops

It's go time! The men of Bravo company move out from their deployment area. 2nd platoon moves to the flank, while 3rd platoon begins their ascent up the hill towards OBJ Bear. In the distance, F16s drop bombs on targets I can't yet see while the artillery pounds OBJ Bear's reverse slope.

The enemy has rocket artillery they drop preplanned on my avenue of approach, slowing me down a bit. Luckily, no one is hit by the inaccurate fire. These rockets are also not very big either.

'

2nd platoon deploys on the flank and takes sniper fire from the town of Ar Sariya. They also immediately begin getting partial spots, armor and IFVs around the northern slope of OBJ Elk. The sniper fire is responded with suppressive fires from 2nd platoon's weapons squad. The return fire dies down and I resume 2nd platoons movement. 3rd platoon continues their ascent, nothing notable happening until they reach the top.

(The M240B in action)

The sniper fire dies down and the rest of the PL and the javelin teams move to engage the partial spots ahead. However, trouble arises when a key-holed BMP-2 surprises the platoon leader and his anti tank elements. 

(A bad situation)

The BMP-2 lays down horrifying amount of 30mm fire at 2nd platoon, but only one man is hit by it, severely wounded but alive. A moment later - the BMP-2 is silenced with a Javelin missile through the turret. My big mistake was underestimating the strength of the SLA picket forces in the town, that engagement could have ended a lot worse.

2nd platoon also develops the partial spot earlier on OBJ Elk into a BMP-2, and quickly destroys it with a Javelin missile. Finally, 3rd platoon gets some action in. The oasis develops into uh, a cluster ****. An extremely incompetent SLA commander has a bunch of tanks and IFVs bunched together in the oasis, stuck. 2 Javelins are enough to disable every vehicle in the cluster. Note that there are about 2-3 unspotted vehicles in this clump. 

(Yeah.... not the greatest employment of these assets)

The 3rd platoon reaches the top of OBJ Bear, with no resistance on the hill. So far, everything is going smoothly. A T-72 in the distance is also nailed by 3rd platoon. At this point, I begin to feel overconfident (a mistake not unnoticed by the enemy). During this action, 2nd platoon continues to engage targets of opportunity with the Javelins. Much to my annoyance, 2nd platoon is cut in half by SLA mortars and I am not able to maximize their strength where I want it. Luckily no one is hit by the mortar fire, but it serves it's purpose.

2nd platoon takes more sniper fire while taking cover from the SLA IDF. The sniper ends up severely wounding two men. Fire superiority is soon established and the fire begins to slacken. The platoon's medic is brought up to render aid to the casualties. To ensure to kill, the MGS platoon leader's vehicle is moved up and pours a couple of rounds into the sniper's building. The fire stops.  

The Calm Before the Storm

That concludes the end of this half of the battle, the next update will include lots of decisive action and conclude the combat in this scenario. Things might seem quiet now, but they really take off in the next few turns. I'll just say the SLA won't let me control the map without a fight....

In the meantime, enjoy some action shots

 

[danfrodo]

Thanks for that, Beeron.  Absolutely epic war reporting from the front. 

[IICptMillerII]

Fantastic! Great screenshots as always. The write up is getting better too. Can’t wait for more!

[beeron]

The Bulldog's Make Their Stand

Life has gotten in my way of making another update, but I finally have time to conclude this AAR. Contrary to what I said before, I will not be making a Battle for Normandy AAR next but another SF2 one (I'm pretty excited about it). After the conclusion of these two AARs, I will be gone for a period of 5+ months, so enjoy my writing while it's still here! Anyway, it's time to witness some very intense combat, probably the coolest CM experience I've had in my year and a half of playing. 

The situation as of last post. 2nd platoon with the help of a Stryker MGS is able to suppress a sniper in Ar Sariya. Luckily, the two men that are hit by the sniper are still alive and we were able to evacuate them. Meanwhile, 3rd platoon holds the decisive terrain on the map and starts engaging whatever they can see in the valley. The first target engaged is a BMP-2 which is promptly smacked by a javelin missile. I was feeling pretty confident at this point, but little did I realize how serious things were about to get.

3rd platoon spots a platoon of T-72 tanks entering the battlefield from LOA Tennessee. This is obviously the SLA battalion's CAR (combined arms reserve), and I waste no time engaging them. 

 

A Javelin gunner from 2nd squad, 3rd platoon flings a missile towards the lead T-72.

In a excellent display of timing and SLA incompetence I am able to nail both tanks with one missile. #1's wingman made the mistake of trying to pass him and they both paid the price.  

3rd platoon fires another missile, this time from 1st squad. The result is extremely disappointing. 

(How many times have you had a Javelin fail to penetrate?)

Despite the dangerous threat the appearance of the CAR presents, I still feel very confident. After all, where can they hide? I can see everywhere into the valley. As always though, my overconfidence is soon checked by the enemy. 

More armor begins to appear, and I suspect the SLA commander's CAR has at least a company sized element of T-72s at his disposal. 3rd platoon also has another issue - only a single Javelin missile remains with the dismounts, with 2 more in 3rd platoons Stryker's below the hill. With the possibility of a push onto OBJ Bear, it's time for me to activate my reserve - 1st platoon. 

3rd platoon is able to hit the remaining tank again from the first tank platoon we encountered and destroy it, but now they have no means of dealing with the other T-72s. Spotting rounds are also falling, but I keep my men hunkered down in defilade. We cannot abandon this hill.

With a somewhat safe route cleared, I move 1st platoon up the hill mounted in their Stryker's. They dismount on the reverse slope and begin moving to reinforce 3rd platoon. Feeling I had control over the battlefield, I was oblivious to the nightmare about to unfold.

Those previously mentioned spotting rounds turn into a FFE call, likely air-bursting heavy mortars. It's not the most accurate fire mission, and I have decent cover from it, but the shrapnel exploding overhead does cause casualties. The rounds incapacitate a team leader from 1st Pl, 3rd Sq and give light wounds to various joes. The casualties are not good, but the worst part is that 3rd platoon is suppressed and unable to observe the CAR's movement in the valley. This scenario has turned into a good example of why IDF doesn't have to always kill to be effective. At this point I can surmise the SLA commander is likely coordinating his fires with his armor's movement in order to give himself some freedom to maneuver. After a couple minutes, the barrage ends and I move the Javelin teams from 3rd and 1st platoon back into position to observe the CAR's movement. My jaw drops at what I find.

I find a friend waiting for me, and a sudden feeling of dread hits me like a train. I am realizing now how bad this situation is quickly getting. I am about to have to fight for my company's life.

Yeah... this is quickly developing into a nightmare situation. Two platoons of T-72s are barreling towards my dismounts, the men have no choice but to brace for impact. Loosing OBJ Bear to armor would probably result in the destruction of my company, there is no choice but to stem the tide. The next few minutes will consist of decisive action, and friendly casualties will be inevitable. 

I am shown a beautiful flank shot on one of the tank platoons, which is going around OBJ Bear on my left flank. The MGS platoon is deployed in BPs below the hill and 2nd platoon is watching the left flank as well.

(Scratch one)

(I was watching this with my jaw dropped)

A bad situation is soon turned worse... a platoon sized element of BMP-2s crest over the hill to the north and begin suppressing OBJ Bear with their 30mm auto cannons, blowing a javelin gunner to a few chunks. The anti tank gunners retreat to the rest of their respective platoons in defilade between them and the BMP-2s.

In a role they were not intended for, the MGS can be quite useful against armor in a pinch. Two SABOTs from the MGS platoon take out a T-72. I can only imagine the intercom chatter during this, the T-72AV TURMS-T is a scary threat in an M1A2 SEP, let alone a Stryker MGS. 2nd platoon takes IDF and their PL and a Javelin gunner become casualties, severely wounded. I have no choice but to pull them off the hill, leaving the MGS platoon alone to defend the flank. 

The situation develops more, and another SLA mechanized infantry platoon reinforces the effort to push me off OBJ Bear. I am extremely worried about these BMPs, they pose the biggest threat to the dismounts on OBJ Bear. However, I am quite confident in my company's ability to win a dismounted fight. Communist armies never seem to excel in training effective infantrymen (they are good at cooking them in the back of their personnel carriers though). 

Another T-72 destroyed by the MGS platoon.

A 1st platoon Javelin team gets an angle on a BMP-2 and smacks it with a Javelin missile.

The situation after less than two minutes of combat. This fight is happening very quickly, and it's far from over. Much to my annoyance, I have a platoon leader and his HQ stuck in front of 1st and 3rd platoon's positions. However it's safer to keep them put than to risk those BMP-2s shooting at them. To make matters worse, a T-72 on my left flank is in an area where the MGS platoon cannot see it.

(Oh ****)

The shell hits 1st platoon's positions, killing a grenadier in 2nd squad. Looks like there is another enemy tank platoon exploiting my weak flank. 

This presents a very big problem. My company is unable to engage this tank platoon breaking through my flank, let alone see them. My whole company is now in a very bad spot, especially my Stryker's that are no longer in cover from the enemy with their flanks exposed. On OBJ Bear, I take another javelin gunner KIA from BMP fire, and two radio operators are casualties from tank fire, one killed and one wounded.

The MGS platoon gets an angle on a T-72 cresting over the hill, but I am still mostly blind to their movement.

A BMP crests over the hill and is promptly destroyed

The first round is shot back at the MGS platoon, fortunately it is way short. Annoyingly, the two SABOTs that impact on the T-72 do not penetrate it and it reverses into cover.

Concurrently, the first BMP-2 moves into OBJ Bear, right into 1st and 3rd platoon. It's an awesome slaughter that's almost an homage to the halftrack scene from SPR.

An AT-4 eliminates a BMP, killing everyone inside. We're in business!

The situation has improved in many ways, but I still have the problem on the left flank. All but two T-72s have been eliminated, but even one is a massive threat to my men. The MGS platoon is punching well above their weight, I had only intended to use them for fortification busting and sniping the occasional BMP. At this point in the battle I am also wishing I had a platoon sized element of anti tank Strykers equipped with TOW missiles to help me out. 

Another BMP is destroyed by an AT-4. You never know when you might need these things, it's worth humping the extra weight. Remember the lessons from the Battle of Mogadishu!

The SLA mechanized infantry platoons are quickly disintegrating, thanks to poor tactical employment of their vehicles and dismounts in typical 3rd world army fashion. Great for me.

Another great little victory for me - a T-72 I couldn't previously see is engaged & destroyed by a Javelin gunner on OBJ Bear. You can see 2nd platoon in the distance moving to engage this guy, luckily they didn't end up needing to.

"BMP, Cover!"

Both 1st and 3rd platoon light these guys up. So many rounds were fired at these poor bastards the game couldn't process the audio. The CAR is almost completely eliminated now, only two tanks remain and the mechanized infantry elements have been rendered CI, only stragglers remain. However, those two tanks now have spots on 1st & 3rd platoon's Strykers. I have no choice to push the MGS platoon out of cover to engage them. I am prepared to lose them in order to save the rest of the company.

The last two tanks are destroyed, but an MGS is destroyed, killing everyone inside. Kudos to the infantry for saving the other MGS with a Javelin through the top of the turret. The loss of the MGS is rough, but it was necessary to prevent further damage. Lots of medals will be handed out after today. 

The intense report of small arms and tank shells flying through the air dies down, replaced by the screams of the wounded and the crackle and fire & secondary explosions. In the span of 6 minutes of combat, the entire SLA combined arms reserve is destroyed. 3 platoons of armor, and two platoons of infantry disappear in minutes. I finally have some time to compose myself after some of the most intense combat I've had in Combat Mission.

Wounded & dead men are removed from the battlefield, while my platoon leaders get ammo & headcounts from their squad leaders. Considering the circumstances, friendly casualties were not high. I'm still angry that I lost so many men KIA, but we made those bastards pay. 

While decisive action may be over, there is still work to do. 2nd platoon will take over as the company reserve and hold OBJ Bear while 1st & 3rd platoon clean up stragglers. 

While waiting for their Strykers to arrive, 2nd platoon gets sweet revenge when they hose down a fleeing tank crewman with their SAWs. No mercy.

The battlefield looks like something you'd see in a Fulda battlefield, destroyed eastern bloc armor litters the field like trash thrown from a window. It's an awe inspiring sight.

The mop up operations move smoothly, the broken tank crews & infantrymen scattered around the hill offer little resistance. 1st platoon starts doing ammo runs up the hill with their Strykers. 

 

The Bulldogs are good shots, best in the battalion.

No SLA soldier can hide from the men on this hill.

The company's FSO calls for fire on a group of stragglers, the 120mm airbursts rip them to shreds. 

Annoyingly, SLA in-direct continues to be an annoyance. Waiting for their Strykers to arrive, a soldier from 2nd platoon is killed and another wounded from it. The craters in this photo illustrate how much ordinance was dropped on 2nd platoon through the scenario. Repositioning every five minutes does get old after a while. 

Another key-holed BMP-2 is destroyed in Ar Sariya, contributing nothing toward the SLA effort. 2nd platoon mounts up and moves out towards OBJ Bear.

Mopping up the stragglers is an easy affair, everyone gets some.

Even a Stryker is able to have some target practice.

The battle is just about won at this point. 3rd platoon is bounded up to hill 92, covering the rest of the valley. I move them dismounted for fear of ATGM ambush, the last thing I want is to get men killed for the sake of convenience. Eventually, 1st platoon joins them while 2nd platoon holds OBJ Bear.

 

The rest of the scenario consists of movement with no more fighting. I will spare the boring details, but the forest on the eastern side of the map proved to be an excellent infiltration route for my dismounts. LOA Tennessee is reached, and I call for a cease fire. 

Conclusion

The battle is a tactical victory, I was able to achieve my objectives outlined at the beginning of the AAR. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs lost 8 men achieving this outcome. Enemy casualties were far greater, with 31 vehicles destroyed and 128 personnel killed or wounded. The combat power of the SLA battalion in the area is severely depleted. They certainly do not have the ability to conduct offensive operations in their state. Hours after this battle, the Bulldogs will be reinforced and the rest of the SLA battalion destroyed in place.

Lots of SLA dismounts remain on the map, unable to contribute to the battle. Unsurprisingly, most of them occupy the various villages.

 

The most surprising find after the battle concluded was this platoon of T-72s & platoon of BMP-2s on the western slope of OBJ Bear. Had the enemy commander chosen to commit this element on my weak left flank with the rest of the attack, I am sure my company would have been destroyed. 

Moving dismounted to LOA Tennessee was the right call, turns out three AT-3 Sagger teams had eyes on the decisive terrain the whole time. Even with fancy thermal optics, the infantryman's ability to conceal himself will always be a lethal ability. Moving those platoons mounted through the open would have likely been catastrophic.

The MGS platoon leader deserves a congressional Medal of Honor for his platoon's role in the battle. Without them, I am sure B/1-24 would have been destroyed in place by Sahrani armor. The MGS platoon is accredited with four T-72 kills & a BMP-2 kill. The infantrymen punched way above their weight as well, with 4-8 AFV kills per platoon. 

The 2 F-16CJs tasked with destroying targets of opportunity didn't hit anything except this recon team. Not much is left of them. Supporting fires weren't utilized as much as I wanted, mainly being used to deny terrain. I am curious how the BMP attack would have played out if I was able to get the battery of 155s dropped on them, after all I had sufficient cover to do that. I was at least happy I got some mileage out of the 120mm mortars though. Usage of supporting fires will be something I continue to work on.

My Thoughts

"Stryker's Attack" ended up probably being the greatest CM experience I've had. My fundamentals were tested, along with my ability to use a SBCT formation against a near peer enemy equipped with armor. As he does with his other scenarios, GeorgeMC provides challenging AI plans that keep you on your toes and surprised at moments, like I was. It is very easy to tell when a scenario is play-tested well, and "Armor Attacks!" is definitely one. I was seriously impressed by the AI's suppression of the decisive terrain and subsequent thrust to drive me off the hill. I was literally giddy with excitement while the big battle for OBJ Bear took place.

One of my favorite parts of this experience was demonstrating the ability of the SBCT in the offensive. The Stryker gets a bad rap from those ranging from morons or to people who don't understand it's capabilities & correct usage. Here it was utilized in it's correct application, an infantry carrier and ammo hauler. It's not a Bradley with ****ty armament, it's a way for the infantryman to be taken to point A to point B with protection from shrapnel & small arms with plenty of ammunition resupply. Stryker infantry in real life can dismount up to 10 km away from their objective. It's a vehicle best concealed from enemy fire, much like the American half-tracks of World War 2. Operationally, the Stryker is an excellent rapid reaction force, with the ability to deploy to areas much quicker than their heavy counterparts.

Similarly, the Stryker MGS is a very misunderstood vehicle. It isn't a very good vehicle by any means, with a small ammo complement & notorious mechanical problems. However, that doesn't mean you can't use it in the way it was intended pretty effectively. That means engaging buildings, fortifications, and the occasional light vehicle. If you've ever taken Stryker infantry into urban areas in CM, you've probably gotten good mileage out of the thing. The 105mm round makes short work of enemy strongpoints. That being said, the MGS does have the ability to engage armor, but it isn't a good idea unless you absolutely have to. As evidenced by this AAR, the 105mm round struggles to penetrate modern T-72 tanks at times, although older tanks like T-62s or T-55s and light vehicles will be cut through like a knife through butter. The MGS also obviously lacks the armor to be engaged by anything bigger than 12.7mm. When you stop treating the MGS as a bad Abrams, it does have a role that can fit into the modern battlefield.

This AAR also demonstrates the punching power of the modern US Army dismounted infantryman, the firepower a single platoon can dish out will never cease to be incredible to me. The Javelin missile gives incredible capabilities to the infantryman, from the ability to engage armor at 99% kill rates, to the ability to destroy enemy strongpoints and weapons teams. The AT-4 continues to be a reliable killer of light vehicles & armor at close range, much like the LAW that the Cold War infantryman humped. When it comes to killing enemy personnel, the SAW will remain the #1 killer. Accurate, a high rate of fire, reliability and ammo combability with the rest of the squad makes it the best tool for the job. The two M240Bs the platoon's weapon's squad compliment the SAW with their ability to kill the enemy and/or keep their heads down. At the end of the day though, "There are no dangerous weapons; there are only dangerous men.” Even with the best infantry & armor in the world, CM commanders still managed to get their pixeltruppen killed in droves. I've personally rendered US Army heavy company teams combat ineffective as the Syrian/Red player. I've seen other red commanders to do the same on "Armor Attacks". It is insane to see the best of the best units in the world dominated by inferior enemies, but again, they aren't a magic win button. Poor employment of your assets will always result in good men dying, and embarrassing defeats.

In conclusion, I enjoyed the hell out of this scenario. Not only for the entertaining combat in provided, but also the excellent lessons it demonstrated. Your fundamentals are guaranteed to be tested. Play any of the versions of "Armor Attacks!", they are all great experiences, but "Stryker's Attack!" will test you in it's own cool way. Stay tuned for my next AAR, GeorgeMC's Passage At Wilcox with a light infantry company from 10th Mountain attacking the town.

 

 

 

Edited June 11, 2022 by beeron

[Erwin]

Xnt AAR.  Thanks.

[George MC]

Wow! Excellent AAR

Love your work

[Vacillator]

Yes, that is some excellent reporting with graphics that are second to none .

Have you got some kind of mahoosive allowance for attachments?  Mine is generally full after a handful of screengrabs.  I generally use direct links to Imgur images, maybe that's my problem?

Anyway, well done and please do more !

[beeron]

5 hours ago, Vacillator said:

Yes, that is some excellent reporting with graphics that are second to none .

Have you got some kind of mahoosive allowance for attachments?  Mine is generally full after a handful of screengrabs.  I generally use direct links to Imgur images, maybe that's my problem?

Anyway, well done and please do more !

I use services such as Imgur & Giphy to upload photos/gifs, that way I can upload as many attachments as I need. I simply upload the photo/video to the respective service and then attach the link into the post. Hope that helps!

[Vacillator]

7 minutes ago, beeron said:

I use services such as Imgur & Giphy to upload photos/gifs, that way I can upload as many attachments as I need. I simply upload the photo/video to the respective service and then attach the link into the post. Hope that helps!

Hmmm, same here but I only started doing this recently so perhaps I was previously posting direct images.  Anyway, thanks again...

[IICptMillerII]

Fantastic write up, amazing screenshots (seriously, some of the best combat photography I have ever seen) and a great analysis at the end. @Bil Hardenberger, how do you think my padawan here is doing?

22 hours ago, beeron said:

The battlefield looks like something you'd see in a Fulda battlefield, destroyed eastern bloc armor litters the field like trash thrown from a window. It's an awe inspiring sight.

I see you. A highly applicable Clancy reference. 

22 hours ago, beeron said:

One of my favorite parts of this experience was demonstrating the ability of the SBCT in the offensive. The Stryker gets a bad rap from those ranging from morons or to people who don't understand it's capabilities & correct usage. Here it was utilized in it's correct application, an infantry carrier and ammo hauler. It's not a Bradley with ****ty armament, it's a way for the infantryman to be taken to point A to point B with protection from shrapnel & small arms with plenty of ammunition resupply. Stryker infantry in real life can dismount up to 10 km away from their objective. It's a vehicle best concealed from enemy fire, much like the American half-tracks of World War 2. Operationally, the Stryker is an excellent rapid reaction force, with the ability to deploy to areas much quicker than their heavy counterparts.

Preach.

But yes, you are 100% correct. This AAR will serve well as a ready example of how a SBCT unit should be employed. Very well done. Don't let the inevitable naysayers dissuade you. 

22 hours ago, beeron said:

"There are no dangerous weapons; there are only dangerous men.” Even with the best infantry & armor in the world, CM commanders still managed to get their pixeltruppen killed in droves. I've personally rendered US Army heavy company teams combat ineffective as the Syrian/Red player. I've seen other red commanders to do the same on "Armor Attacks". It is insane to see the best of the best units in the world dominated by inferior enemies, but again, they aren't a magic win button. Poor employment of your assets will always result in good men dying, and embarrassing defeats.

Again, 100% spot on.

Looking forward to Passage at Wilcox! Hoping you get it out of the way before your extended "vacation."

[Bil Hardenberger]

13 hours ago, IICptMillerII said:

Fantastic write up, amazing screenshots (seriously, some of the best combat photography I have ever seen) and a great analysis at the end. @Bil Hardenberger, how do you think my padawan here is doing?

@beeron has done an amazing job on this AAR. I love the floating icons too.  

There are so many high quality AARs getting posted recently, it is very nice to read and experience them.  

Edited June 12, 2022 by Bil Hardenberger