The date is August 21st 2017, and the war is going poorly for NATO. The Russians
have broken through to the south of Kiev and are pouring units into the depths of
NATO's rear. I command one such unit: 3rd battalion of the 32nd motor rifles. The
lead elements of this unit are now approaching objective.
Presently available to me are the lead elements of my battle group: the battalion scouts and
a reinforced rifle platoon. Their task is to push forward try and establish
observation on the city and secure any high ground that may pose a threat to
the MSR. The vanguard of my battalion will shortly be joined by the lead
company which is reinforced with a tank platoon as is usual with the Russian
forces. The battle area has a large water obstacle and several bridges that would
serve as choke points, however the stream is fordable in almost every place. The
main obstacle to crossing the river for vehicular traffic is a soggy ground. I
envision two possible courses of action depending on the strength of the enemy's
anti-tank defenses. The first is a dismounted attack across a swollen
stream. The second is a mounted assault towards bridges with a supporting attack by the lead elements
The scout platoon advances down the MSR and begins to
approach the high ground. Nothing suggests it is occupied and they take no fire, a foot
patrol however, will be dispatched to confirm that this is true or not
Meanwhile the reinforced platoons weapons teams move to establish
overwatch on the city these will cover the MTLBs that will
soon cross the river. The treeline is thick, offers good cover, and hopefully better
concealment. It also provides good lines of sight into a broad part of the city.
Scout platoon is fording their water obstacle and are preparing to snoop the high
ground on foot.
Attempting to remain inconspicuous, the weapons team to crawl the last few
meters to the edge of the tree line. There they rapidly set up their weapons
and await the order to fire. Using a convenient gully to dismount unseen near
the high ground, a dismounted Patrol is dispatched and is swiftly able to
confirm that the hill is unoccupied.
Automatic grenade launchers will soon join this position, reinforcing the
observation post, and allowing it to rapidly become a base of fire if need be.
Perhaps sensing something is afoot enemy artillery begins to range in on the
weapons team's location. The MTLBs carrying the rest of the platoon move
forward to their jump off positions regardless.
As they move to their final jump-off positions in a woodlot one, of the MTLBs -
being overexposed - is struck by an ATGM. This is a costly early mistake and
all the dismounts are made casualties. My owner artillery now begins to land and this
will cover the dangerous cross-river dash. The buildings being shelled will serve
either as a jump-off point for a continued attack by this rifle platoon -
now less a squad - or as a support by fire position.
With fortuitous timing the follow-on rifle company, tank platoon in tow, begins
to arrive just as my shaping attacks begin.
It will however take some time to iron out the traffic difficulties inherent
with such a packed formation arriving.
The observation post has not been idle either and the scouts posted their
reported movement of enemy infantry on rooftops and a key-holed BTR-70. The
info will have made its way through the battalion group net well before the main
effort is launched.
With everything nearly in position, the first real aggressive moves in the battle
begin, as fire is placed on several prominent buildings by the Weapons teams.
Frustratingly, my enemy maintains his fire discipline. As he declines to engage
my weapons, I gather no real information about his defenses. The Scout OP
more productive. BTR 70s are reported as seen being driven westwards out of town.
I'm not exactly sure what to make of this however.
A Forward Observer sets up a second observation post in what I believe is
meant to be a water tower.
Just below him, the assault company has formed up it is centrally located and
can easily execute either the templated courses of action.
The enemy's lack of response to the weapons teams allows the rifle platoon's
surviving MTLBs to make the dangerous cross-river dash
without further loss.
The scouts have remounted and are attempting to seal the Western exits to
the city; a group of apartment buildings just opposite the urban area is their goal.
First, however, they engage the previously spotted BTR. Using the tall multi-storey
buildings as reference points, a six tube 120 millimeter barrage is arranged to
prepare the main effort.
The attempt by the scouts to get behind the objective only earns me another
destroyed MTLB. Surviving dismounts quickly tumble out of their tracks and
attempt to engage the offending enemy.
However, they take fire from the city, are caught in enfilade and are forced to break
contact under the cover of smoke.
A firefight rapidly develops as more and more enemy positions unmask in the
struggle for fire superiority.
With help from the fragile but still potent MTLBs the enemy fire begins to
slacken considerably.
Eventually most of the enemy wisely call it quits
and begin to pull back, covered by the machine guns. This suggests that this is an
orderly withdrawal and not a panic-induced route. The firefight is
definitely a notable success: several anti-tank teams were swept from the
rooftops. The hornet's nest has been kicked: with the knowledge that the
wooded hillock which was by the smoke to the left edge of the screen, has at least
ATGM that can fire on the bridge, I've elected to go for the first course of
action. The attack will be dismounted and supported by armor my plan is to break
into the suburbs if for no other reason than the fact enemy weapons teams were
killed or compelled to retreat from this part of the city already after that a
push to the center to roll the enemy out of town is the obvious course to
continue the attack.
With the barrage falling the assault company deploys.
The t-72s soon add their direct fire to the mix as the infantry dismounted in a copse
of trees just behind them.
The exchange is not one-sided as my opponent reminds me he has a voice in the matter
as well. Scratch one T-72.
The infantry begin their
advance and the covering fire is intensified.
The lack of enemy small-arms fire is beginning to become disconcerting. My own
infantry are filtering up any scrap of cover available, and yet they take no
fire. Indeed, the only activity at this point is enemy ATGMs nonchalantly
displacing. They're able to escape without taking any casualties either.
Foolishly believing that the coast is clear
I begin to fan out a bit earlier than planned enemy fire begins almost
immediately in response to this it's sporadic at first but rapidly
intensifies.
Opposite of the main effort the independent platoon starts to push out
of their buildings and towards the objectives
Using the smoke generators to frustrate any enemy ATGMs, my tanks prepare to move
up to the infantry.
From the riverbank I'm hoping the tanks will be better positioned to help cover
my men as they ford the river.
The smoke generators continued to be put to good use
flinging smoke onto the exposed bank.
Normally it's a bad idea to advance through smoke like this but the opposite
bank is actually in dead ground thanks to a raised wall so I decide to break
this little rule
The first men have finished wading across the river, unscathed
and I'm forming up along the raised wall.
The armor soon follows, risking immobilization in the soft ground. My
opponent has begun fighting from ground floors and my lead unit soon began
exchanging fire with enemy infantry
It appears that the enemy have caught their breath; BTR and RPG fire is intense but
it cannot stop the constant stream of men flowing into the city.
The bulk of my assault company is now across the river, despite my enemy clinging to
positions tenaciously things appear to be going my way. The goal now is to make
the city into manageable platoon sized chunks and drive the defenders towards the
West.
The fight is intense, but goes my way almost invariably.
The trail platoon of the assault company has crossed the river, and is now moving up to its platoon
objective.
Enemy riflemen aren't the only threat. RPGs are still game and make several attempts at
my tanks.
These attacks tend to be suicidal however, and draw furious return fire. Sheer fire superiorty
is cutting what would otherwise be organized resistance at the knees.
Under this immense pressure resistance inexorably collapses. Nasty surprises
remain however; closer to the city center the enemy still has a stomach for the
fight.
With the clock running down impatience inevitably creeps in. Mistakes are made
as a result, and in a vicious cycle, these last-minute frustrations lead to even
more haste more avoidable losses this hurry costs me another MTLB from the
scout platoon, and even more embarrassingly a second T-72.
Despite these last-minute frustrations we're able to clear the suburbs and
secure the town center, accomplishing the majority of our objectives.
The fight may as well serve as a cross-section of conventional conflicts:
despite the small size of the forces involved the city is a smoking, heaping
ruin in many places. Munition expenditure is also ghastly. My remaining
Armour is down to a handful of HE and HEAT. Losses on both sides are equally
serious: the enemy all but wiped out and the equivalent of a platoon destroyed on
my end.
The horrors of modern combat aside, the mission is a tactical success. My
opponent, in a sportsman-like gesture decides to surrender, rather than call
for a ceasefire. Despite having stragglers on several of the remaining
objectives. I'm upset at the late-game losses, especially considering how light
the enemy force ultimately ended up being. However it is always satisfying to
see a plan play out more or less as one hoped. I'm Rinaldi, thank you for watching, and
I'll see you all next time
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