Soviet MRB in the Attack

[IronMikeGolf]

I've put together a scenario and walkthrough to give you my take on on a Soviet style attack by a Motorized Rifle Battalion in this game. I've used US Army FM 100-2-1 and 100-2-3 as reference material and the unit data that ships with the game.

For this battle, the town of Kalbe on map CA2 is defended by a US mechanized infantry company. The battalions's mortar platoon and the brigade's Direct Support artillery battalion are present. Their respective HQs are present to facilitate staff fire support coordination. Two section of the battalion's Scout platoon screen north and northeast of Kalbe.

The MRB is reinforced with a tank company and has one battery of 122mm from the RAG. Regimental recon will precede the MRB to confirm or deny intel gathered by Division recon the previous day.

Situation:

Division recon detected elements of the 4th Bn, 8th Infantry preparing defenses in the town of Kalbe. The MRB has the mission of seizing Kalbe and will attack at 0545 hrs. The battalion is currently in pre-battle march formation as it moves down autobahn A1. The tank company is in the role of Forward Security Element (FSE). Note that the FSE is only 2 km forward of the main body, instead of the doctrinal 5-10 km. I did this instead of messing with the main body arriving as reinforcements. Combat Recon Patrols (CRPs) are not modeled here for simplicity.

[IronMikeGolf]

In this walkthrough, I set the game to use Head to Head and full fog of war. The player does need to do a few things while wearing a US helmet. First, is giving ongoing orders to the scout screen. You just need to move them back and forth between the starting hex and the Waypoint 2 hex for each section. Keep them in the woods and on a straight line between those end points until contact is made by the sections. For this walkthrough, I will have the staff run indirect fires. There is a contingency repositioning of one platoon in Kalbe, depending on which direction the enemy attacks. Once the MRB main body is detected assaulting Kalbe, maneuver at will.

US Situation:

A Co is Holding in Kalbe. Higher HQs and the arty bn are southwest of the town. Scout sections screen in the woods north and northeast. These guys are looking for the main body of the MRB, so the company in town can reposition and reorient as needed.2d Plt, on the southeast corner of town, is responsible for detecting at attack down the river valley.

[IronMikeGolf]

Attack Position

The MRB's attack position is highlighted below. If that attack position is observable by units in Kalbe, the MRB will shift the attack position 500 meters northeast. This will be confirmed by regimental recon and the FSE. The FSE will ensure the attack position is free of enemy presence.

[IronMikeGolf]

Recon of the Objective and FSE Clearing the Attack Position:

Barring enemy contact, Recon HQ and 1 Recon Plt will be in position around 2250 hrs. @d Plt will be in position 30 minutes later. Enemy spotted on the objective will be engaged with indirect fires. Arty will be in position to provide supporting fires around 2230 hrs. Mortars will be in position around 2300 hrs.

Barring enemy contact, the FSE will be in the attack position around midnight. The FSE will destroy any enemy recon elements in the vicinity of the battalion Attack Position.

[IronMikeGolf]

Main Body:

The MRCs will follow the FSE about an hour later, passing the alternate Attack Position around 0100 hrs and occupy the primary around 0115 hrs. Once in the Attack Position, units will resupply, then hold until the attack is launched.

[IronMikeGolf]

Dawn is at 0549 hrs and that's when I intend the main body to bust out of the woods. So, I will issue Assault orders to the MRCs around 0330 hrs and adjust waypoint delays so the exit the woods at 0550 hrs. At 0400 hrs, I will initiate an artillery prep of the objective.

Now to run the game for the recon battle....

[smithcorp]

Keen to see this!

[Emx77]

ORIGINAL: smithcorp

Keen to see this!

Me too.

[IronMikeGolf]

Action commences at 2200 hrs. Scout team makes contact with Rgt Recon HQs at 2229 in the forest south of A1. Sct tm destroys the HQ over the course of a 30 minute fight.

[IronMikeGolf]

2255 hrs: FSE pauses just short of alternate attack position. He's supposed to be at waypoint 2 at midnight, so he's about 40 minutes early. Contact lost with US Sct element.

[IronMikeGolf]

2310 hrs: US view of sector. Time to issue more orders to Scout screen.

[IronMikeGolf]

0002 hrs: FSE has destroyed the Sct element in this sector and is now in the center of the MRB attack position. MRCs are moving up. Atry and mortars are in position to support. So far, so good.

Note: you need to keep checking waypoints and adjusting delays. Waypoint ETAs can change based on other units' movement.

[IronMikeGolf]

0004 to 0027 hrs: 3/A/4-8 IN spots the FSE and calls arty on them. FSE is ordered to pull back and the MRB will use the alternate attack position. Last waypoint for each MRC is deleted.

[IronMikeGolf]

0057 hrs: The FSE has sat there for 30 minutes and the US has continued to shell. Although the main body has not been spotted, seeing the FSE tells the US commander that the main body is not far behind. 1/A/4-8 IN is ordered to shift to the east side of town, per contingency plan.

[IronMikeGolf]

0206 hrs: FSE is still pinned. MRB mortars shells the whole east side of town in an attempt to disrupt the observers. 3/A/4-8 IN takes a casualty and is broefly spotted by the FSE in the northeast corner of town. Both side trade arty fires inflicting light casualties. MRCs resupply in the attack position to recover readiness and make final preparations for the attack.

[IronMikeGolf]

0324 hrs: MRCs are ready. FSE is at 50% strength and trying to pull back. It's a little over 2 hrs until the MRB rolls forward to attack. 0515 will see the artillery prep of the town.

[TigerTC]

This is excellent.

I have a hard time translating a COA Sketch/Plan into action in the game engine. This is very helpful.

[IronMikeGolf]

Fixing a leaky roof today. When I get done with it, I can resume running this. Got a boring time coming up. Command cycles are looking like 15 min US and 17 min Soviet. I'll let loose with the big heat at 0500, I think. I'll issue the assault orders then, too. I'll set delays so the MRCs hit the edge of the woodline at 0550 hrs (start of the thermal inversion window). The MRCs and what's left of the FSE should cross the open area before thermal sights get fully functional again.

The sun would be in the defenders' eyes, but I don't think the game engine models that!

[IronMikeGolf]

0449 hrs: MRCs get their assault orders. The FSE will lead, hitting the woodline at 0550 hrs. The MRCs will follow 2 minutes behind. FSE is in a final resupply cycle to recover a bit more morale (currently 49%). FSE has 5 tanks remaining and will get assault orders next cycle.

First salvo of the arty/mortar prep impacts at 0500

[IronMikeGolf]

0450 hrs - US view

Mortar plt is finishing resupply and will be up in 15 min. Arty resupply is complete.