AAR: FPCSS. Fog of War

[bootlegger267]

FlashPoint Campaigns: Southern Storm.
1st ID (Fwd) Fog of War Campaign


First and foremost, a shout out to the developers and Beta testers. I've had this sim for about six months and finally delved into it. Just Leaps and Bounds from Germany Reforged. Thank you all!

Capt Donelly, Cdr of C Troop ¼ Cav was both cursed and blessed. He was about to rotate stateside to attend the Command and General Staff College when the shit hit the fan. That's the curse. The blessing was he was in command of a reinenforced Cav Troop with two Sct Plts, two M1A1 Tank Plts, and a Mortar Section. He also had the most stable and experienced soldiers in the Bde. His Plt Ldrs (Though he was short two) and PSG's have been together for over 12 months, as were their vehicle crews and squads.

He had gotten his Troop clear of the cluster fuck outside of their Kaserne three days ago after the Chemical Attack and made it first to their LDA where they uploaded their ammo, but instead of going to their GDP position, they occupied a local AA where they sat and waited as the rest of the Bde tried to recover.

It was D+3 0723890545z

He was at the Bde TOC for the 0600 briefing when Col Nichols, the S3 and S2 pulled him inside the S2 577. “Ed, we lost contact with the 1AD over 12hrs ago. We've got runners out trying to get any info we can. Jerry, give him a breakdown of what we know” said Nichols. Maj Jerry Taub was the Bde Intel Officer. “I'll skip all the premptive BS as we are pressed for time.” Donelly looked at Nichols. “Here's what we know. 2nd ACR's Aero Scts have been tracking advance recon elements who we believe to be part of the 48th MRD. Where they going? Best guess, here, here, here...Current Composition of forces observed? Divisional Recce, Combat Recce Patrols, Forward Security, you know the drill. Best big picture guess...there're looking for a way to threaten Stuggart and VII Corps rear areas...” “Three, give him the good news” said Nichols. “ Ed, you're to take your Troop to Westhausen and be REDCON 1 NLT 1800hrs Begin a sector screen then, if the situatioon allows, a Zone Recon, but deny the enemy the B29/A7 interchange.” said Maj Bierworth as he handed him some basic operational graphics. “Do not get decisively engaged but make em pay.” “When I get to Westhausen...my show?” asked Donally. Nichols looked at him and said “All yours Ed. We sent the S3 NCO to your CP so your XO already has the Warning Order and graphics. Save you some time once your get back to issue your order.

“Good Luck, God Speed Ed”

When he got to his Humvee, Donelly threw his map on the hood and placed the graphic overlay on top of it. “Jacobs, bring my map bag here.” Donelly lined up the hashmarks on the graphics with the associated grid corners. “Hold this right there.” He grabbed a marker from his map bag, looked at the graphics, raised them up, studied the terrain for a moment, then drew 4 goose eggs.

When he reached the Trp CP, everyone who needed to be there was. He issued his order. He told them they were to be at REDCON1 by 1000hrs. He dismissed them except his XO and SFC Pete Falcone, the acting 2nd Sct Plt Ldr. “Jack, Pete, hang out a bit.” said Donelly. “Look, I left out something in the orders brief...on purpose. You guys are the Advance Party and you need to know that we lost contact with 1AD over 12hrs ago.” “So we don't know what's in front of us?” said the XO. “Other than the Aero Scts reports, and they can't see everything...yup.” “Fuck” said Falcone. “You'll SP at 0900hrs. The rest of the Trp will move at 1200hrs. Watch the civilian traffic. The more you see moving south and west...” “Yeah,” said the XO. “You'll be weapons hold for aerial, weapons free for ground as I have to think that there are no friendly ground units to your front.”

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[bootlegger267]

0723891500z...The Troop was in position as per Donally's order. He was co-located with the Tank Plt in Westhausen, where his defense/screen was centered. He reported his positions to Bde. Col Nichols was with the S2. “He's waiting for them Col. He seeing things we don't.” said Taub. “The way I see it, everything forward is an “if”. He has really good positions.” said Taub. Nichols looked at the map, analysing the terrain from years of experience. “Taub..” “Yes Sir” “Keep me straight” said the Col with a smirk....

0723891812z-1842hrsz... Westerhausen. Falcone's section had been scanning the B29 leading into Laucheim since 1500hrs. Nothing but civilian vehicles so far. By 1800hrs something changed. “Sarge, we got us a crap load of cars and trucks coming down the road.” Falcone looked through his thermal. A slew of vehicles were exiting the village. He swore under his breath. They were coming...

“Identified BRDM coming down the road!” said Falcone's gunner. Falcone looked at his gunner's sight picture, range, track...”Fire TOW!” The next few minutes were a blur of missile tracks, explosions, and the reloading of the TOW launcher. Falcone saw a BRDM explode about 900m off his right flank. Then he heard the distinctive crack of a tank cannon...

Donelly was in his tank as he listened to the contact and spot reports. The tank to his right fired causing him to flinch. “Rich, what's he shooting at?” said the Cpt as he furiously scanned the terrain to his front with his bino's. “I dont know Cpt but there's column of smoke south of the village.” Then the spot report came over the net....

“Sarge...I got tanks coming off the high ground east of the village...on the road.” said the Gunner.

[bootlegger267]

0723891902z..The smack of a tank cannon firing is unmistakable. Donally heard multiple firings as he spun around in his cupola. The contact reports followed. Recon forces were probing his whole line. Down the A7, B29, and the aux roads branching off the Autobahn. “Put me on Vinson1” ordered Donally. His loader switched the freqs on their 1950's radio and now routed their comms through a 1980's piece of tech. It was a secure means to talk to higher Hq's without being intercepted or jammed.



“Sir, we've got Donelly on the secure net” said the S3 NCOIC. He handed the mic to Nichols. He keyed the radio and waited for the “beep” that told him to proceed. “Give me a status Ed” said the Col. “All the contacts are confirmed....Break. BRDM's probing the B29, A7, K3319, L1029. Aprox 10 destroyed. Break”

“2-4 tanks were spotted going into Laucheim but we lost track of them. Break. Class I, III, and V all green. No losses, over.” “Nichols keyed the mic...”2nd ACR Quickstrike has arrived at the FARP. They'll reach out and contact you on your net once they're reloaded and refueled. Break. No change to the mission..Over.” “Understood...Out”.

Nichols looked at his S2. “Jerry?? Taub looked down at his contact list, then at the map for another few seconds. He turned to Nichols and said “Sir, there's more than one Bn/Regt recon he's fighting” Nichols said one word..”Yeah...” Nichols went over to the Ops side of the TOC. “How long before the artillery arrives?” yelled the Cdr to no one . His FSO put the mic down and said “At least an hour”
Nichols walked over to him and got real close... “You tell that Battery Cdr that we're in contact and he needs to do better than that...”

[bootlegger267]

0723892006Z...Donelly scanned the hilltop where his mortars had bombarded. He saw no movement
and then caught sight of the attack bird that was also working it over. The mortars, now displaced, were working up the target and locations that a aero scout had given them...the road intersection just east of Laucheim was bustling with enemy.

Based on the contact/spot reports from the helo's, Donelly decided to execute phase 2 of his op order. “HK1, HK2, move to and establish positions on Phase Line Duck.” HK stood for “Hunter/Killer” A tank Plt along with a Scout Section. He would have 8 tanks and 4 M3's advancing. HK2 would establish itself in the small village of Hartbuck, just across the river. HK1 would occupy a position at the intersection of the K3319 and L1029.

SFC Cano, the Tk PSG and leader of HK1 had his gunner do one more slow scan across the open ground to their front. “Anything Jimmy?” asked Cano. “Nothing. Just the burners.” said the Gunner. Cano was scanning the same area with his bino's. “Alright Jennings, you know where we're going, lets move.” ordered Cano. He looked over to his wing man and gave the signal to move out. The order was passed down the line... His Scout section would hold here and over watch his move.

[bootlegger267]

0723892006Z...Donelly scanned the hilltop where his mortars had bombarded. He saw no movement and then caught sight of the attack bird that was also working it over. His Mortars, now displaced, were working up the target and locations that a aero scout had given them...the road intersection just east of Laucheim was bustling with enemy.
Based on the contact/spot reports from the helo's, Donelly decided to execute phase 2 of his op order. “HK1, HK2, move to and establish positions on Phase Line Duck.” HK stood for “Hunter/Killer” A tank Plt along with a Scout Section. He would have 8 tanks and 4 M3's advancing. HK2 would establish itself in the small village of Hartbuck, to over watch HK1's move.. HK1 would occupy a position at the intersection of the K3319 and L1029.
SFC Cano, the Tk PSG and leader of HK1 had his gunner do one more slow scan across the open ground to their front. “Anything Jimmy?” asked Cano. “Nothing. Just the burners.” said the Gunner. Cano was scanning the same area with his bino's. “Alright Jennings, you know where we're going, lets move.” ordered Cano. He looked over to his wing man and gave the signal to move out. The order was passed down the line... His Scout section would hold here and over watch his move.

[bootlegger267]

Donelly was moving with the tanks of HK2 when the artillery hit. The Sct section was still in the outskirts of Westhausen as the lead tank reached the bridge. “Move!” yelled the Cpt into the mic. The enemy artillery ravaged the town. His Mortars, and Scouts were being pummeled.. SFC Cano and his tanks had also reached their bridge across the Jast when Russian artillery began falling on his position. “Get me across that fucking bridge!” yelled Cano over the intercom. He was being bounced around his turret like a rag doll as the rounds landed.

The Vinson beep came thru his Aux receiver. Donelly's Loader pushed the preset button for Bde. “Ed, the Aero Scts are reporting a large column of enemy vehicles heading south into Rohlingen. Attack birds are on station to try and whittle them down some. Your status, over.”

“Westhausen came under heavy artillery fire and took out one of my Scts. The bridges over the Jagst are also getting hit...break. I have my two HK Tm's currently moving to PL Duck, request permission to advance to Goose, over.”

Nichols looked at his S2. “Jerry, what are you seeing?” “Donelly has smacked around the enemy recon elements pretty good but like I said before, they have to have come from multiple units. The group the bird dogs sighted...that's an FSE with the advance guard behind them. That's a lot of firepower coming at him” said the intel officer. “Yeah, but it's getting dark Jerry and we own the dark” said Nichols.

He grabbed the mic..”Permission granted but do not, I say again, do not get decisively engaged.” ordered the Cdr.

[bootlegger267]

SFC Cano looked at the terrain around him and his Plt as they arrived at the bridges. No cover. His tanks were exposed. He toggled his CVC switch..”6, this is K1 over..” “Donelly was about to enter Killigen when the call came over. “My ass is hanging out in the wind here. Request permission to cross the bridge and take up positions vic...” Donelly could see Cano's tanks. He could see the wood line he wanted to get to. He was right, but crossing the waterway would be a big risk. “K1, this is 6...go for it. We got your flank”

Cano had arrived at the wood line just before the Russian's started to pour out of the town. At the same time, Cobra's arrived from the FARP after rearming. Another Sct Section also started to engage, The Cobra's were taking heavy SAM fire and had to back off but Cano's Tankers went to work...

Scouts, Cobra's, and Tankers began to lay waste to the lead column. The Russian's used ATGM's fired from their tanks to no avail. The tanks and M3's took their toll on the Russian's. It became known as “The massacre at Rohlingen”

Col Nichols was sitting in his jeep which was about 50m away from the TOC, a map board in his lap, a red filtered light illuminating the inside of the vehicle. It was pitch dark outside, no moon. The TOC was being torn down, getting ready to make a jump to a new position. NCO's and soldiers were pulling down the extensions and canvas that had connected the 3 M577's. Even as this was happening, operators in each track, the S2, S3, and FSO were still manning radio's and updating reports and maps. Nichols needed to get out of their way....

As he was staring at the map board, a jeep came to a skidding halt to his right. A soldier jumped out, a piece of rolled up acetate in one hand and a manila folder in the other. He watched as the courier first went to the S3 track, then to the S2's. He got back into the jeep and sped off....

Maj Bierworth, the S3, posted the graphics he'd just received on a map board hanging on one side of the track. He took a step back, staring at the graphics, his S3 NCOIC standing by his side. They turned towards one another then looked at the graphics again. Bierworth let a low “Holy shit”, his NCOIC the same. He tapped the S3 Air, who was manning the radio's, on the shoulder. “Get Donelly on the secure line now! Tell him be prepared for a change of mission.” He then turned and grabbed a soldier by the arm and told him to go find the Col....

The S2, Maj Jerry Taub, was looking at the thermal photo's that were just handed to him from the runner. As he flipped from one to another he also let out a “Holy Shit”. Besides showing all the heat sources, the burning vehicles brighter than the others...there were too many “others” The VII Corps intel guys had also annotated the photo's with known and suspected Russian unit ID's. He called over to Maj Bierworth. “Jim, you gotta come over here and see this.” Bierworth came over and Taub handed him the recon photo's. He too, flipped through them, going back and forth before looking up at Taub. “I count over fifty destroyed vehicles” said Bierworth. Taub just bobbed his head up and down. “They beat the shit outta them, but that's not what's concerning me. He pointed to “other” hot spots. “FSE's and Advance Guard here and here. Main body here. An Independent Rifle Bn here.

The Col joined them. “Jim, what's up..but I can guess” said Nichols. “We gotta pull Donelly back like right now.” He handed Nichols the order from VII Corps. “Damnit! Your people working up the route he'll have to use?” said the Col. “Yes Sir, it aint going to be pretty, but it will be the fastest” said Bierworth. “Alright, get him moving Jim. Jerry what do you have?” Taub showed him the photo's. Nichols brought his hand to his forehead. He also let out a “Holy shit”....

Donelly was plotting the grids coordinates as they were transmitted. He also let out a “Holy Shit”. After 4hrs of hard combat, he was being told to disengage and then conduct a 45km road march back towards Goppingen. He also had to issue the orders on the fly. He got on the horn to his 1SG and ordered him to place road guides at the major intersections. His XO would lead the column, he would trail with Falcone's Scouts who would pick up the guides as they passed. He looked at his map one more time..45 fucking kilometers.

[CapnDarwin]

Thanks for posting this very detailed AAR!