Narrative AAR: FPCRS..Time to Dance

[bootlegger267]

This scenario covers the actions of the 2nd Squadron, 11th ACR which had the Area of Operations screening the border in the vicinity of Bad-Coburg. The major roadways are the 303 which runs West/Southwest towards Schweinfurt, and the 279 which runs West/Northwest towards Fulda. It is the battle that takes place along the 279 that causes the 1st Squadron, 11th ACR to pull back from their positions east of Fulda, in the previous AAR.

0400Z....Col Johnson, Cdr 2/11 ACR was not in a good mood. The Soviets caught NATO by surprise and were able to cross the IGB in the vicinity of Bad-Coburg with little resistance. When the Soviet columns reached the intersection of the 303 and 279 highways, elements of the 79th GTD broke off and were now approaching Bad Neustadt along the 279. The Advance Guard of the Soviet Main Body was reported near Saal and the hard Stand at Camp Lee in Rodelmaier had come under artillery fire just as the vehicles left. Instead of rolling to their deployment areas, they were forced back to Bad Neustadt.

[bootlegger267]

Situation at 0400Z....The Scouts pull back.

[Deathtreader]

Oh boy!!

Subscribed

Rob.

[bootlegger267]

0419z....As BMNT arrived, the Thermals on the M2's over watching the N279 approach were picking up BRDM's coming down off the high ground. The Scout Sections reported destroying the overpasses and bridges at 169144, 147161, and 127185. The Bradley's opened up at 2000m.........

Col Johnson arrived at the Jump TOC which was parked in the backyard of a home outside of Wolbach. Cpt Fisk, the Reaction Force Duty Officer was on the radio when Johnson stepped up to the M577. "I say again! Get your section up to Oberstau and destroy the bridge, over!" "Damn jamming!" Fisk yelled as he let go of the mic. "Kelly, fill me in" said Johnson as he stood in the open hatch that was part of the ramp door. "Sir, the Reaction Plt has two vehicles destroyed but they took out at least 4 BRDM's, the bridges and overpasses have been dropped, but Ivan caught us with our pants down." stated the Cpt. "There are two more demo targets to reach but I don't know if the Scouts will make it in time" said Fisk. "Any heavy armor spotted yet?" ask Johnson. "Not yet" replied Fisk.

[Mad Russian]

The action that started it all...

Good Hunting.

MR

[bootlegger267]

0439Z....Johnson was monitoring the fight from the Jump TOC. Reports from the Bradley Plt indicated that the Soviet Recon elements had turned north towards Heustreu and were now out of sight. Unfortunately for the Bradley's, the last volley of Spandrel AT missiles damaged one vehicle, leaving only one operational set of thermal eyes.....

The heavy electronic jamming was raising havoc with radio comms. Johnson decided to go to the Bradley position and get a first hand look at the situation. As he pulled away from the TOC and turned onto the 2292, he saw the first tanks of Alpha Troop arriving. He had his driver pull up along side the lead tank and asked "You know where to go Sgt?" "No Sir, can't reach anybody over the radio. I was told to head towards the Recon Plt position at 140140." replied the Tank Commander. "Follow me Sgt, I lead you in......"

[bootlegger267]

0451z...They knew all the small logging trails that criss-crossed the terrain. Staying within the trees, the 2 M1A1(HA) Plt's moved slowly forward towards the Recon Plt position. As they came to trail intersection, one Plt went left, one right and both continued to the edge of the tree line. The Alpha Troop Cdr ordered his tanks to halt some 500m from the position the Recon Plt Bradley's had occupied...They all saw the destruction...

It was the 1st Plt on the left of the formation that spotted the BRDM's darting out of Heustreu heading south down the St2245. The small, fast moving vehicles proved a hard target to hit as the tanks opened fire. The unmistakable sound of a 120mm cannon caused the far left tank of Alpha Troop to look behind him. Four tanks from Delta Troop had also arrived and had also seen the Soviet Recon vehicles.

What concerned Cpt Degroat, the A Trp Cdr, was the fragmented last report from the Recon Plt that there were tanks approaching his position. None were to be seen....

Two Sct Sections from B Trp arrived at the same time as the tanks from Delta. Col Johnson knew he had to prevent getting decisively engaged. He did not have enough intel to make sound decisions, he was reacting to the enemy and each move had consequences.

[bootlegger267]

0507z...The tanks of 1st Plt Delta reported destroying 4 BRDM's vic 143168. Johnson allowed himself a small grin after hearing the spot report. The close proximity of his units allowed most comms to get through the heavy jamming. He ordered that Plt and another Delta Plt that had just arrived to displace to Lebenhan and take up positions overwatching the 279 as it exited Bad Neustadt. Two M2 Sections from B Trp were already in position along a low rise overlooking Heustreu and were keeping the enemy recon from moving north. Johnson knew the risks of weakening his line, but at this point, he needed to cover as much terrain as possible as his Squadron continued to arrive in bits and pieces.

[bootlegger267]

0524z...The sounds of the battle reached a crescendo as both tanks from D Trp and Bradley's from B Trp tore into the Soviet Recon element. Thin copper wires glinted in the rising sun as both sides fire their missiles. Two Bradley's were damaged in the exchange but tank fire had destroyed 7 vehicles and the 25mm Bushmaster Cannon on the M3's tore into the thin armor of the BRDM's. Three more enemy vehicles were reported destroyed.

The haze and fog thickened reducing visibility even more. Johnson was in Wollbach when more of B Trp arrived. The Trp Cdr dismounted his vehicle and ran over to his Squadron Cdr. "Joe, I've got your boys over here" as Johnson pointed to his map. "Have your 1st Plt swing behind us and take up a reverse sloop position behind 2nd and 3rd. Put your HQ's in the east end of Wollbach and tie into Delta." ordered Johnson. He was beginning to get a handle on the fight. He also knew he didn't have much time before the enemy tanks that were reported earlier were bound to show up.

"Sir, the bridges at 095205 and 239049 have been destroyed", reported Johnson RTO. "Tell Cpt Fisk to keep those elements in place" replied Johnson. He needed as many eyes as possible and the most important set right now were the ones in Bad Neustadt. A Trp was over watching the 279 but had yet to report any activity since the initial clashes.

[bootlegger267]

0542Z.... Johnson canceled the move of D Trp since A Trp was dug in and had eyes on the 279, while the Scts had eyes on the streets leading through Bad Neustadt. He did order them to spread out along the tree line and to coordinate with the Bradley's of B Trp.

As fast as the fog thickened, it just as quickly cleared and the tanks that were last seen by the Recon Plt had appeared out of the mist, bunched up in the rubble that was the 279 overpass and bridge crossing the Streu. 10 T-80's and 4 BMP's were spotted by the Bradley's of B Trp. Another 10 T-80's were spotted north of Rodelmaier, also coming down the 279.

Col Johnson now had a problem........

[bootlegger267]

0558z...As Delta spread out along the wood line, the fog again settled down in typical West German fashion. "Black 6, White 6, Contact PC's south out!" came the report over the Cmd net. Johnson recognized the call sign of the D.Trp Cdr. The crack of the 120mm cannon is unique. Three rounds were fired and after what seemed forever, the radio crackled through the jamming. "Black 6, White 6, engaged and destroyed 3 BRDM's vic 147140, Charlie Mike over." "This is 6, roger, out" replied Johnson. If could take out the enemy's eyes, his day would go a little easier as now he lost visual contact with the enemy armor force......

Johnson climbed out of the TOC as the Charlie Trp Cdr pulled up with one of his Plt's. He unfolded his map and showed the Cpt where he wanted him to set up. "Stay in the low ground behind Bravo south of Unsleben. On order, be prepared to advance down the St 2245 to the NES14 intersection. All of Bravo will be in overwatch as you begin your move." ordered Johnson. "Calahan, don't get heavily engaged, back off if you spot those T-80's, understood?" "Yes, Sir said the Cpt. If the fog clears, Bravo should see anything moving or hot out front." said Calahan. "If they do, you stay put, out of sight" stated Johnson. The Cpt stood and saluted Johnson and ran back to his track. within a minute he had the Bradley Cdr's around him as he passed down the order. Few questions were asked and within 5 minutes the group dispersed.

[bootlegger267]

0558z cont....Alpha Troop spotted the Recon vehicles moving along the 279. They opened fire and the fusillade of eight tank cannons tore through the BRDM's. The ambush Alpha had set worked...to a point. Not more than a few minutes had passed before a hail of artillery shells landed on their positions. One tank was damaged......Cpt Degroat sent the spot report on the Cmd net as the fog again lifted. A fist fight was about to happen....

[Galahad78]

Subscribed! Loved your Fulda Frontier AAR, although I struggled to follow your moves. I'm kinda new to the land warfare side, being more of a flight sims and Harpoon/CMANO guy. I routinely have my a** handed over to me in Wargame:AirLand and Red Dragon games, and I expect the same in this game too [:D] so I wouldn't mind some tips & tricks from people who've done this thing for real [;)]

[Mad Russian]

ORIGINAL: Galahad78

I routinely have my a** handed over to me in Wargame:AirLand and Red Dragon games, and I expect the same in this game too [:D] so I wouldn't mind some tips & tricks from people who've done this thing for real [;)]

Galahad78, there is a War Room section on this forum for just that purpose. To ask questions and look over all the suggestions on how to fight.

This is another excellent AAR bootlegger!!! Keep up the good work!!

Good Hunting.

MR

[bootlegger267]

0558z cont...Over 30 Russian tanks appeared in the sights of the Bravo and Delta Troops vehicles. 10 had broken north heading towards Heustreu, the rest were moving down the 279. The contact reports came through the Cmd net in succession and Col Johnson knew he had to commit his forces in order to blunt the Russian advance.

[bootlegger267]

0615z...This time the finicky German weather played into the Russians hands. Visibility dropped again to less than 2000m and the Russian tanks made it to the low ground in front of the Streu. Out of nowhere appeared a flight of enemy fast movers over Delta's position and all hell broke loose. Artillery fires were hitting Alpha and Delta, tanks were exchanging fire, then Alpha reported destroying another 2 BRDM's for a loss of 1 tank damaged from indirect fires. Delta reported a tank destroyed and 1 enemy tank killed before the weather settled in.

Col Johnson had to make a decision, and make it fast while he still had time. The Russians were attacking on multiple routes, he figured they wanted to use the 279 to advance east/northeast towards Fulda. His tanks, except for Alpha Troop, were not in position to stop them.

"Kelly, get your tanks to the following grids, and get there fast!" ordered Johnson. Cpt Fisk was saw what his commander was trying to do, it was a matter of time whether they could pull it off.

Johnson wanted to defend the 279 from long range. Alpha would initially take the brunt of any attack from their ambush position north of Bad Neustadt. It would be the tanks of Delta Troop who would do the damage from long range. Once he knew the bulk ogf the Russian force had committed to the advance down the 279, he would send Bravo and Charlie down the St 2445 to close the back door.....

[bootlegger267]

0702z....As Johnson finished telling the Troop Cdr's their missions, numerous reports started to come over the Cdm net. The fog had obviously lifted out of the valleys as tank fire echoed through the air. From what he gathered, the enemy forces had veered southwest along the river. Indirect fires were hitting multiple positions as Johnson's Delta Troop began to maneuver into their new positions. "Contact tanks, pc's south, out!" came the report from Cpt Degroat. The first evidence that the enemy was moving along the river....

Johnson got on the radio..."Blue 6, Black 6...I want you to send a section down the ST2445 and gain visual on Heustreu". "Roger" came the response.

"Black 6, Green 6, Set and RedCon 1 over". Delta was in place..... All of B Trp had pulled onto the low rise to provide overwatch as the Section from Charlie started to move....

Alpha had gotten the attention of the Russian's and Cpt Degroat started to shift his Plt's. They had already been hit by two artillery attacks and more had to be on the way.

[bootlegger267]

0702Z cont....with his tanks overlooking the 279 from a distance of over 2500m, Cpt Fisk knew he had the advantage if the Russians made themselves visible, and if the damn fog would finally stay lifted. The M1A1's 120mm cannon was lethal up to 4000m and with the introduction of M829A1 Sabot (Depleted Uranium Penetrator), the hypervelocity round could defeat any known Russian armor package. "Red 6, Green 6 over." Fisk said into his mic. "Red 6 over"...came the distorted response. "Art, my left limit is the St2292. If you need to displace, make damn sure your guys stay to the east of that road...over"..Degroat knew he would have to fall back due north into Wollbach. Any other route would leave him exposed. "Roger Kelly, I have one Plt repositioning within the tree line. Tell your TC's to keep an eye out for them, Over"

"Roger, Out" replied Fisk.

[bootlegger267]

0718z..."Red 6 White 6, you got about 30 tanks due south of your position over" came the spot report from the B Trp Cdr. Cpt Degroat knew he did not have enough firepower to stop the Russians if they crossed the river, so he ordered his tanks to pull back deeper into the woods they occupied and they would attempt to hit the Russians from the rear as they passed south of the town...

[bootlegger267]

0747z...Delta began engaging enemy tanks at over 4000m and the long range fires force the Russians to turn away from Bad Neustadt. "Black 6 Blue 6, Heustreu is clear over" Johnson ordered his C Trp to occupy the low rise that overlooked the small village. Just as he finished his transmission, indirect fire started to land not even 500m to his right, hitting the Mortar Section hard....