Campaign idea/Work in Progress: "Golden Cross"

[PT_Belt_Hero]

Hello, I am currently am working on a campaign for Black Sea. totally new to the scenario editor and learning as i go.

The campaign has the player command core units of the U.S. Army National Guard 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. It's unofficial nickname being "Golden Cross". This brigade actually had elements of it deployed to Ukraine prior to the 2022 invasion advising and training the Ukrainian army under the name "Task Force Illini". The brigade is based in the state of Illinois under the Illinois Army National Guard.

My goal is to have the player follow the journey of this brigade and preserve it as best they can to get it through its tour on the eastern front. I liked how I got attached to the various units of Task Force Thunder in CMSF2, following A, B, and C companies of the stryker units and trying to preserve the pixel truppen through the war.

Background: 2025, The Ukrainian army is worn down and has lost most of its professional contract servicemen, the vast majority of the army is mobilized conscripts with an average age of 45. The US government is unwilling to allow a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, and decides to commit American troops under the premise of preventing RU from gaining a foothold in Europe. Unfortunately for the US, they have also deployed troops to the middle east again and are also preparing for a fight for Taiwan after significant signs China is about to invade. This leaves the US stretched thin with its active duty force. Desperate to avoid a draft, the US begins to mobilize the National Guard to fill in the gaps. The entirety of the 33rd Infantry Brigade is one of those brigades selected. The brigade had recently finished its culminating training exercise known as JRTC and is considered "ready" to deploy during its availability window. The 33rd will relieve beleaguered Ukrainian brigades and is expected to hold static positions due to the Ukraine theater commander hesitant to commit National Guard brigades to offensive action.

33rd IBCT Order of Battle (open source info) core units

2-106 Cavalry squadron

3 Infantry Battalions:

2-130 INF RGT

1-178 INF RGT

1-196 INF RGT (Puerto Rico Army National Guard)

766 Brigade Engineer Batallion

2-122 Field Artillery Rgt (1 BN, 3 Batteries)

State of the Brigade:  The majority of the GWOT vets have gotten out so all of the battalions are "green", this will be most soldiers first combat deployment. The battalion cmdrs and Platoon sergeants are "veteran" to reflect soldiers that stayed in and have deployments under their belt. the 33rd faces recruiting and retention issues like the rest of the US army, all of the battalions are at varied levels of being understrength. The war's are unpopular with the american public and the US is struggling to retain and recruit people. The brigade also suffered a series of AWOLS after news of its mobilization hit the force.

The Campaign so far: the condition of the eastern front worsens, it is decided to send in the 33rd to conduct offensive action on its assigned sector of the front. The player will face the understrength 200th MRB, which is set to "conscript" experience to reflect the brigade's destruction in 2022 and subsequent reconstitution.

1st mission "Tow the Line":  elements of A Trp 2-106 CAV conduct reconnaissance on positions of the RU 200th MRB.  The players ability to spot and call artillery on the RU force will determine the condition of the RU positions in the next mission when the infantry assaults.

2nd mission: "Blackhawk Batallion": elements of 2-130 infantry conduct an attack against RU trench lines after recon by the 2-106. player will have the brigades Arty battery in support. This mission will show the current reality of trench warfare in Ukraine. with the 2-130 having to take two trench lines from the enemy.

3rd mission: "Hold the Line": Player will have to hold the captured trench lines, facing an initial wave of RU disposable infantry (Storm-Z, Wagner prisoners). Follow on waves will be RU VDV in BMP 3s. This is to reflect current observed russian tactics of "recon" of positions with disposable infantry and then attacking weak points with dedicated assault infantry.

overall, I want the campaign to be brutal but also fun. I've tried to balance things by making the RU force severely understrength or at conscript status, at least for static positions. The player will face more experienced forces when terrain is taken. The player will have limited or no replacements, to reflect the US having not set up the infrastructure of a combat replacement system due to no draft in place.

I welcome any suggestions or questions!

Edited November 11, 2023 by PT_Belt_Hero

[Alexei3755]

Sounds good, any updates? I have a question though, the 200th Motor Rifle Brigade was not destroyed in 2022, it did allegedly suffer heavy losses though but how would this affect it's status in 2025?

[Vergeltungswaffe]

He hasn't been on the forum since the day he made this post, so don't hold your breath for an answer.

[stikkypixie]

An update can be found here