MRB Attack - Take 2.04

[IronMikeGolf]

0414 hrs - Soviet orders:

FSE ordered to attack at 0553 hrs. MRB mortar battery in position and assists in the arty prep.

The AGMB has not yet been spotted.

[IronMikeGolf]

0420 hrs - US orders:

Casualties have been light from the arty bombardment with 3d Plt losing a Med MG. Readiness is dropping below 50% and the US commander still has no sign of the main body. He orders survivability moves by 1st, 2d, and 3d Plts.

[IronMikeGolf]

0446 hrs - Soviet orders:

It is a little over an hour until the attack commences. Prep continues and 3d Plt loses an M2 and its mounted squad. The companies of the main body are in their attack positions and have remained undetected.

[IronMikeGolf]

0459 hrs - US orders:

2/Sct briefly sighted, then lost, the southern MRC of the main body. 2/Sct ordered to regain contact and observe fires for ICM mission. 1st and 3d Plts have completed survivability moves and are rallying.

2d Plt, at 22% readiness, is in the process of its move when the A Co commander orders it to the east side of Kalbe. The commander suspects the FSE has bypassed his defense. If it does appear from the north, 1st and 3d Plts have fields of fire from their defensive positions, which they will re-occupy shortly.

[IronMikeGolf]

0520 hrs - Soviet orders:

Main body ordered to attack. It will follow the FSE attack by about 20 minutes. Known and likely defensive positions to be heavily shelled by all batteries.

[IronMikeGolf]

0536 hrs - US orders:

2/Sct searching for the rest of the main body. @d Plt has occupied a position on the east side of Kalbe. 1st and 3d Plts are moving back to their positions. A Bty firing ICM at one MRC.

[IronMikeGolf]

0609 hrs - US orders:

FSE attack is underway and the FSE has been redused to 1xInf, 1xSA-14, and 3xT80.

2d MRC was hit by ICM and suffered casualties of 7xBMP, 6xInf, and the company HQs.

US forces has taken no further casualties.

[IronMikeGolf]

0619 hrs - Soviet orders:

Main attack underway. 4th Tank Company (-) lost 1xT80. 3d MRC lost 4xBMP and 4xInf. 2d MRC has lost an additional 2xBMP and 3xInf. FSE has occupied their objective. All available arty is massed on the east side of Kalbe.

[Mad Russian]

For those of you trying to follow along, that have never been in the military, this may be of some help.

printable.asp?m=279405

Good Hunting.

MR

[IronMikeGolf]

0626 hrs - US orders:

One MRC of the main body has been rendered ineffective. The FSE has traded fore with 1/A/4-8 IN and lost 1xT80. 4th Tank Co has lost another T80. 2d MRC is at about 20% strength with 2xBMP, 2xInf, and the SA-14 team remaining. The entire RAG is frantically resupplying 122mm ammo.

2/A/4-8 IN has been overrun and is down to 1xM2, 1xInf, and 1xDragon and is nearly shattered. Soviet mortar fire rains down upon both sides of that fight.

3/A/4-8 IN has been forced off its position and has sustained heavy casualties with 2xM2, 1x40mm GL, and 1xDragon remaining. 1/A/4-8 IN remains in good shape, with no further casualties as yet.

A Bty is ordered to pound the FSE with 155mm fire.

[IronMikeGolf]

0641 hrs - US orders:

1st Plt has traded fire with the FSE and is down to a single squad and Mk 19 GL. 2d Plt has been destroyed. 3d Plt took fire from the FSE got reduced to its MK 19 and Dragon teams, and fled to the A Company command post.

The FSE has a single tank operational. 2d MRC is down to just a single inf squad. 4th Tank Co has 4 T80s.

A Bty will keep hitting the largest concentration of Soviet combat power visible. Batteries of the RAG continue resupply. MRB mortars are firing on 3d Plt's now vacated defensive position.

[IronMikeGolf]

0741 hrs - US orders:

The Soviets have seized the objective. A Co has the HQ M2, 1xInf sqd, and 1xDragon remaining. The MRB HQ and Mortars are moving forward and the remaining 4 T80s of the 4th Tank Co will soon press on to the MRB's subsequent objective.

The RAG is resupplied and fires upon the remnants of A Co.

At this point, I am stopping the fight. The Soviets have 37% of forces and Decisive Victory of 69%. US forces are at 44%.

[IronMikeGolf]

Commentary and Lessons:

I don't think I violated and principles of Soviet doctrine from this period. I'd be grateful for comments in this regard, especially if I was amiss somewhere. This scenario is loosely based on an experience of mine at CMTC (scaled up to the AGMB). In that one, we were fighting the FSE and a remnant of the CRP (a sole BMP) popped up behind one of the platoons out of a gully and wreaked havoc.

Some lessons:
1. Artillery preps matter. Very much. Even when they do not inflict casualties, the reduction in Readiness greatly enhances the survivability of the attacking force. And the drop in Morale makes it easier to push defenders off their chosen ground. That is a plus, since defenders will be on the best ground available to them. A fresh mech company will tear up an MRB attack. A rattled one, as we have seen, not so much.

2. Recon elements are not simply VPs awaiting collection by the enemy. The Sct teams screening A Co did yeomen service, though they should have been screening further forward. That would give earlier warning.

3. When playing against a human opponent, you need not always engage a unit to fix it. The knowledge that a unit is "out there" can definitely have an effect.

4. I should have started the survivability move by the US plts earlier. The plt in Lengenbostel could have kept eyes on the CRP/FSE assault route and the Sct tm to the east would warn of the main body attack.

Comment and speculation is heartily invited!

[Panzer_Leader]

Excellent AAR and exposition of the doctrine and tactics used by a Soviet MRB acting as an AGMB Iron Mike Golf. My understanding is only based on the publicly available US Field Manuals, DIA publications, ARMOR articles and writings by Glantz and Isby but your application here looks spot on to me. I think it also demonstrates that, when applied correctly with realistic force ratios, Soviet doctrine and tactics builds the pressure on NATO in a linear fashion (CRP, FSE, AGMB, Regt etc.) and can be lethal. Of course, a section of M901 ITV or cross-attached platoon of tanks could have tipped the balance back in favour of NATO - or not. Great stuff!

[Mad Russian]

It's always about the balance of power and the individuals wielding it.

Good Hunting.

MR

[IronMikeGolf]

Thanks P_L. My personal experience in the US Army's modernization from M113 to M2 was that D Co traded M910s for M2 and ther personnel were reclassified from 11H (Heavy Antiarmor Infantryman) to 11M (Mechanized Infantryman). I do believe a plt of tanks would make quite a difference. 1500 m is not quite enough depth for a pure mech company.

I very much agree with MR. The closer to parity of forces, the more the outcome hinges on the skill of the leaders.

[Panzer_Leader]

A slightly off-topic question Iron Mike Golf. The victory markers you use, i.e. the NATO star, are not the originals shipped with the game so I presume they're mods. I've had a look for them on this forum but can't find them. Where did you get them from?

[CapnDarwin]

Panzer Leader, they are packaged in the custom folder of 2.04. Plodder did them and gave us the ok to ship out with 2.04. You should see them in any game you play with 2.04 unless they are missing from the Map Markers\Custom folder.

[Panzer_Leader]

ORIGINAL: Capn Darwin

Panzer Leader, they are packaged in the custom folder of 2.04. Plodder did them and gave us the ok to ship out with 2.04. You should see them in any game you play with 2.04 unless they are missing from the Map Markers\Custom folder.

Ah, thanks Capn Darwin, that explains it; I'm still running 2.03 while I complete a PBEM game. I should see them as soon as I finish that and load up 2.04.

Cheers

[CapnDarwin]

Get ready for the impact of the updated engine. Heck 2.05 may be ready when you are too. We are working hard on that this weekend to address the few things we dinged up in 2.04.