Staff EX 2017 Scenario 1 - 32 Armd Bde (US)

[MikeJ19]

Concept of Ops

Ignore Dog initially. Secure Cat and then move on Tiger and Lion from the West and South.

Speed is important – need to capture Cat quickly and be ready to move towards Tiger/Lion.

Three phases:

Phase 1

Inf Coy pushes through Cat
Armd Coy heads East along the L3139

Phase 2

Armd Coy secures Tiger
Armd Coy secures Lion

Phase 3

Inf Coy secures Bear

Throughout
Inf Coy (-) in reserve
AT Pl Northern flank security
AH Sqn Northern flank security
Recce lead

Groupings
One Inf Pl attached to Southern Armd Coy

[MikeJ19]

Thoughts

My orders are to capture a crossing over the Schlitz river with the 1-32nd. They also state that I am facing a light Soviet screen.

Given this, options 2 and 3 are more complicated than needed, so I will go with option 1.

I need to find, fix and then attack. This means, I need to get recce out early, especially around Dog and towards ANGERSBACH. They need to be looking for Soviet recce elements.

I using my AH and AT Coy as flank security – but I still have to be careful that the AH do not get too far out on their own. Also, the AT Coy vehicles are not as mobile or protected as my Bradleys. So, I have to be careful.

With my AH and air support, I need to take out the Soviet AD resources early on – this will give me more freedom of movement.

I have 6 hours to secure the crossings at Lion and Tiger. I have time, so I do not have to move too quickly. That being said, speed is important and if I can secure Dog (LAUTERBACH) before the Soviets that will make things easier.

I need to keep my AD units far enough forward to cover my lead troops. I may want to group them with the lead Companies.

Here is a look at my plan:

[StuccoFresco]

Man, your AARs sells games better than any youtube videos.

[CapnDarwin]

Mike does great AARs. [&o]

He also shows why planning is a real part of military operations and that there are many factors to consider when doing it. [8D]

[altipueri]

ORIGINAL: CapnDarwin

Mike does great AARs. [&o]

He also shows why planning is a real part of military operations and that there are many factors to consider when doing it. [8D]

Fair enough I accept the criticism.

I'm worried that Mike might find the war is already over before his plans are tried.

Or as "Mad Jack" Churchill said despondently after the Japanese surrender - "If it hadn't been for the damn Yanks we could have kept the war going another ten years." (Mad Jack was also the last British soldier to kill an enemy with a longbow - a luckless German on the outskirts of Dunkirk in 1940 !)

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily ... f-warrior/


How about everybody who is following this thread have a go at one of Mike's plans. I'll charge in.


PS - Mike - I like your AARs please don't be put off by my cavalier attitude to shedding the blood of my pixel troops.

[MikeJ19]

Evening All,

Altipueri, it is fun having someone to chat with and to watch try different things - I learn lots that way. I'm glad that people like my AARs. I have a lot of fun going through them. In some ways, I like the planning as much as the battle - although the battle gives me chances to change things up and to see new planning opportunities.

Feel free to try any on my options. I keep thinking I will come back and try a different option. I have not yet, but one of these days I will start, I think! There are just too many good battles to fight.

Stucco and Jim, thanks for the kind words.

Good gaming!

[altipueri]

Well Mike seems to be busy teaching himself CMANO which I fear means he won't be back soon to show me what I could and should have done.

Anyway, I've tried the scenario a few more times and not got any better than 54% so it would be nice if someone else could have a go and share their results.

I even tried a go with fog of war off, and got some results using artillery mines which are a new toy to me. I'm still reckless with helicopters and forget to move things because even though they say they are unspotted they soon are targets.

Oh and I had 8 Abrams in one hex and lost 7 of them in one artillery pounding. Ouch!

[MikeJ19]

Altipueri,

I'm still going to work on this battle, too. Not sure that I will do any better than you. I'm going to have fun, what ever happens.

My forces are starting to move.

[MikeJ19]

Things progressing well

[MikeJ19]

More Soviet elements spotted.

[MikeJ19]

Keep seeing more Soviets...

[MikeJ19]

Last move for a bit.

[MikeJ19]

B Coy has taken a beating. Between the Soviet tanks and artillery, two Pls and a lot of the Coy HQ are almost all destroyed. I should have added a tank Pl to B Coy. Oh well. There are two more Soviet TCs just to the SE of LAUTERBACH. This changes the situation a lot. It is going to take a bit to secure Dog. So, I’m going to bring C Coy forward to help secure Dog.

Mt two Artillery Btys are going to attack the two TCs. I think I will bring in my air support as well.

In the centre, I have D Coy in Cat, and the Soviets are bringing a TC into the battle. I’m going to swing two AHs up from the South to engage the Soviets from both sides.

[MikeJ19]

That was a deadly 14 minutes for both sides. Soviet Artillery destroyed one of my M109 Btys. Meanwhile, one of my AT Sections (the one attached to B Coy) destroyed 15 tanks and 4 recce vehicles. An airstrike discovered a ton of Soviet units moving along the B254 East of LAUTERBACH. The pilots were able to take out 4 tanks and a couple of other vehicles.

An tank pl in D Coy destroyed the combat recce patrol just to the South of Cat.

With the identification of around two Soviet Bns advancing towards LAUTERBACH, the situation has changed. There is no way that the 1-32nd can secure the crossing over the Schlitz River. They are going to be hard pressed to hold what they have in Dog.

The 3-32nd has just arrived. This is going to be a big help.

Right now, I need to slow down the Soviet Bns along the B254 – I think my three remaining M109 Btys will put in a minefield. Along the road. Now, I’m going to need to take some time to think and figure out my new plan.

[CapnDarwin]

Seems like a tough fight is brewing.

[MikeJ19]

Capn Darwin,

Agreed, this is going to be interesting...

Here are my thoughts:

As stated the situation has changed and the Soviets have a lot more power than a screening force. They have already done lots of damage to one of my Inf companies and have at least two Bns enroute. My goal remains to get a crossing over the Schlitz, but I have to deal with this threat.

I see three options moving forward.

1-32nd reinforces Dog and holds Cat. The 3-32nd attacks through directly into Dog – probably from both the West and the South.

1-32nd reinforces Dog and holds Cat. The 3-32nd swings towards ANGERSBACH. From there, they can send some forces East towards the Schlitz and others West to hit the Soviets attacking Dog from behind.

1-32nd defends Dog – this means all the remaining companies move towards Dog. The 3-32nd swings towards ANGERSBACH.

Remembering my goal is to capture crossing sites over the Schlitz, means that the first option does not really work. I also do not know what other surprises the Soviets have for me. Are they sending something in the South as well. So, I need to hold onto Cat. It gives me a firm hold on the East side of the Lauter River.

That means I’m going with the middle option.

1-32nd:

I already have C Coy tasked to move into Dog to reinforce the rest of B Coy. A Coy will be given orders to join the fight as well.

D Coy will extend their bridgehead slightly.

3-32nd:

3-32nd is deployed with recce forward, the two armour companies next and then the Inf Coys. I need a reserve, so B Coy (Inf) is going to become the reserve for my formation. The two armour companies are going to head towards – one on the North side of the Lauter and one to the South. A Coy will follow on the South side. The AT Pl, will move on the Southern route as well. The AD Pl will move in the centre of the formation, along with the mortars.

AH Squadron:

The arrival of the 3-32nd frees up this resource. This is a tough call. I’m going to hold onto them for now as a mobile reserve.

Fire Support:

The guns will lay down a minefield to slow the advance of the Soviet forces along the B-254. I have to be careful as the Soviet artillery has already proven its ability to take out my guns, so I need to make sure that I do not interrupt their quick moves too often.

My air support will attack the mass of Soviet forces around ANGERSBACH.

[MikeJ19]

The battle around LAUTERBACH is getting more intense.

[MikeJ19]

The beat goes on...

[StuccoFresco]

A swing along the road that bisects the big forest on the hill, SW of Angersback, seems a good route to flank the enemy forces.

[MikeJ19]

Stucco,

That is the plan...



The Soviets are moving very slowly westward. I think that it is because of a last second air strike that I can still see the Soviets around ANGERSBACH. That is a very large force.

The battle in LAUTERSBACH continues. The Soviets have really hurt the Coy HQs there. C Coy’s HQ is lost completely and B Coy’s is down to their last elements. The A Coy commander is about to get a really large and tired force. His company should arrive into the town in force shortly.

The tank Pl to the NE of D Coy’s position took out 7 tanks that came out of the woods (red spot). The newly resupplied AT Section to the North of LAUTERBACH continues to take out lots of Soviet vehicles.

I have a recce element pushing along the woods to the North of the Soviet formation along the B254. He should be in position soon. Hopefully, he does not start engaging targets.

Still no indication of any Soviets in the South. The lead elements of the 3-32nd are going to continue to push East. The rest of the Bn has shaken out nicely.

The Soviets hit one of my M109 batteries again – taking out one gun and a couple of other vehicles . Another CB attempt just missed another bty. It is almost time to start using my ICM on the Soviets.

My remaining air plane is resupplying and will likely only have one sortie left before having to head out.

My AH have been quiet so far. I would love to fly them over the Soviet main body, but they would be torn up by the AD. I need to find a good field of fire for them.

As for what the Soviets are doing. They appear fixated on LAUTERBACH at the moment. I’m sticking to the plan to send the 3-32nd along the road towards ANGERSBACH, hitting the Soviets on the flank.