Orchard Drive

[LukeFF]

I've played this mission through a couple of times now and have been soundly defeated each time. It seems like there's always one tank or BMP too many that I'd not spotted that gives my units hell. Any good strategies for this mission?

[Pvt. Ryan]

I try to get my AT weapons at the very edge of the hill in hull down positions near the start point so they can pick off the Red armor as it presents itself. I also put a Javelin team on the crest of the hill on the right so it has a good view of the area behind the buildings.

But the key is to use the helos to wipe out the Red armor before you even see it. Get spotters in positions so they can call area fire in a wide area behind the buildings and to the left and right. The helos will take out a good number of tanks and BMPs. I wait for the second helo to arrive and order them in simultaneously. I notice that while the BMPs have many secondary explosions they don't injure the infantry that sit beside them after they bail out. Call in a short mortar fire mission on top of each knocked out BMP to make sure you get all of the infantry.

When your tanks arrive send them around the left side, all the way to the edge. Don't send them into the orchard or they will take a lot of damage. Once you get into the rear you can take out much of the surviving Red armor. But watch out for the ATGMs. Suppress the trenches with mortars if you can.

Then send your infantry into the orchards to clean up any remaining armor crews or infantry. But go slowly as you have no idea what might be in there.

[MarkEzra]

Pvt Ryan has it right...at least as I envisioned it during design and testing. The initial minutes of the scen are a test of nerve. Getting eyes on the battlefield is critical... the use of reverse slope cuts both ways. But remember this is a meeting engagement... the AI will come into your cross hairs too.

[LukeFF]

Thanks for the tips. After a few more false starts, I managed to eke out a blue Minor Victory tonight. I cleared out the left-hand objective without much difficulty, and I was very close to clearing out the right-hand side as well. I probably could have cleared out all three objectives, but I was being very cautious with my infantry.

Oh yeah, and I kept the two Cobras very busy. They certainly are a godsend on this scenario.