Soest, Nordrhein-Westfalen, West-Germany D+68 | 25 September 1989
Length:5 hours
Side: Warsaw Pact
Opponent: frank1y8
Scenario background:
After weeks of fighting, NATO and Warsaw Pact forces were devastated by a tactical nuclear and chemical exchange. Both sides paused to rebuild. A month later, the Warsaw Pact resumed its offensive with Poland’s 12th Mechanized Division, while Task Force Alamo deployed near Soest to block the advance.
Our Forces:
Polish 12th Mechanized Division
On map: 2/9 MR Battalion and RC/9 MR Company
Reinforcements are remaining parts of 9MR - AA, AT and Eng companies, ETA 0728AM-0800AM. Separate Tank Battalion(STB) ETA 0800AM
Air Support: 1x SEAD 2xSu-22M4 and 2x CAS 4xL-39 (w/ CBU) eta 11AM and 1110AM
Artillery: On-map mortar company, 2S1 SPA Battalion w/ eta 07:28AM
*How did Poland ended up with L-39s?
Enemy Forces:
Task Force Alamo of Texas National Guard’s 49th Armored Division.
OPFOR composition (as per intel): Local enemy forces may contain 6 to 10 Recce, 1 to 5 Helo, 10 to 20 Tank, 30 to 40 APC, 10 to 20 Inf, 1 to 5 SP AT, 1 to 5 AT, 10 to 20 HQ, 1 to 5 Eng, 10 to 20 AD, 10 to 20 SPArty, 10 to 20 Utility and 6 to 10 Depot. No enemy armor has been spotted yet in this sector. However, per US Army doctrine, you should plan to receive an enemy counterattack after you have breached the initial American defense.
Objectives:
The 9th Mechanized Infantry Regiment is to attack at 25 0700 Sep 89 to breach NATO defenses vicinity the town of SOEST to enable division second echelon forces to exploit west along the Autobahn 44 corridor towards Dortmund.
Initial Situation, my assessment and plan:
I don’t know enemy reinforcements arrival time and full roster, only general idea of enemy forces composition since I played it once vs AI as my first scenario after tutorial, just to feel the game.
There are multiple ways to achieve this objective - either by occupying victory points or inflicting serious losses to the enemy or both. I'll go with brute force and will try to win by destroying enemy forces.
My initial plan is:
- Use a recon company with later engineers to advance forward along A44 until till contact with enemy forces and convince him that this is the main direction of attack.
- Use 2/9 MR Battalion to advance along Mohnesee river until Mohnesse town to secure town, and area up north. to provide a secure corridor for STB.
- The STB will use the provided corridor to quickly move along the river, by the road to the far west town of Niederense and attack in the direction of Rollingsen-Meiningsen. - to attack the enemy's backline and/or ambush reinforcements.
- 2/9 MR Battalion after a slight delay will commence an assault on the VP area south of Soest. - to inflict maximum damage to the enemy and secure VPs.
AT and AA elements will be used situationally based on immediate or potential threat.
I expect enemy troops to occupy VP area, and concentrate their AT capabilities along with helicopters along A44 direction. I also expect them to have recon and moto/mech infantry units on VPs area and their armor reinforcements would be used on VPs-A44 area. The biggest threat in opening hours are helicopters.
0700-0730
For the first 30 minutes our forces made good progress.
- RC Company reached their first holding points and spotted fortifications at Opmunden-Elfsen, on a hill south of Elfsen - dug in position with revealed enemy SPAT. 3/RC/9 lost 1x BRDM to SPAT fire on contact. After fierce firefight and more casualties we were able to force SPAT leave their dug in position and retreat. The enemy used smoke to cover them.
- Eng Company arrived and received their first orders to reinforce RC Company and together force themselves through enemy barricades
- 2/9MR reached their position by the Mohnesee and are attempting to enter the town and surrounding area.
- 5/AT/2/9 MR positioned on an eastern hill by the Mohnesse spotted enemy recon unit in the town - 1-5 recon vehicles. They also reported that there are enemy units in their position - danger close. After a short firefight enemy recon units were destroyed with support of nearby MR company. Further advancement on enemy positions revealed enemy SPAA units (M163 Vulkan), after destroying one, our units retreated.
- Artillery support arrived and their first order was to barrage forest behind the spotted SPAA position.
- MR Company under smoke from mortars attempt to storm SPAA positions and eliminate it.
- Eng company’s RC squad reached Elfsen with no resistance and now on the move to south Soest. Bad news is that SPAT is still active and keeping the southern flank of the engineer's company under pressure.
- On southern corridor direction: Enemy’s SPAA retreated to Graf York Kaserne, instead of woods as I thought, but nearby AT were able to eliminate one more SPAA.
0800-0830
Even though our positions are according to plan, we were not able to visually spot enemy defence forces and most importantly - I do not know where enemy helicopters are.
- The engineer platoon was able to successfully storm smoked barricades, lucky for us enemy SPAT decided to move to the same location and were destroyed on the spot.
- Enemy counter-battery started working immediately on our SP ART position. Luckily they already changed it. I think I know where it is - they were shooting from the area around Meiningsen.
- Some mechanized unit was spotted in the VP area in the open to the east, but they quickly retreated.
- STB along with AT and AA detachments arrived. The southern corridor appears to be clear, so tanks can rush west.
By 0830 everything goes in our favor, but main questions are still unanswered:
1. Where are enemy helicopters?
2. Where are enemy defences? Did they bite the bait?
- Intel reports that enemy HQ is located near Deiringsen and enemy AD at Lendrigsen. We’ll hit them with artillery as well as eastern woods on the east of the VP area.
- At 0838 enemy helicopter as well as enemy artillery position (7xM109A2) were spotted by our AA detachment. Far SW, exactly on the way of our STB.
- Few minutes later enemy Heli unit was IDed as 2x AH-1 Cobras and were dangerously close to our MR platoon, 1 was shot down by HMG fire. Remaining enemy helicopter retreated and was able to destroy 4 of our tanks.
0900-0930
My plan is to continue to hit the VP area with artillery, STB to continue their movement as per plan. I’ve decided to use STB HQ (1x T54AM2 and 2x BWP-1) to stop, come back, find M109A2s and destroy them.
- Recon units together with engineers continue their movements behind enemy barricades.
- 2/9 MR Battalion is positioned in the main assault direction, on hold at the south, SE flank move in closer.
- MR infantry assaulted enemy scout position at Graf York Kaserne.
- Apparently enemy artillery was trying to escape our tanks but ended up in a worse situation. They were spotted behind our lines. Little they know - they are surrounded by 2x MR companies and AT section. It was over within minutes.
- STB spotted enemy AD moving inside Soest - there's a chance our recon forces will meet them there. A few minutes later they were spotted by our recon platoon, but managed to escape.
- Enemy remaining helicopter destroyed one more tank and retreated.
- STB spotted enemy tanks coming West of A44 and turning north to Ostonnen. Later those tanks were spotted move under the slope to the east in Hiddingsen direction.
- Recon section in Soest found enemy AA destroyed one vehicle and force them to retreat furter north-west.
- By VP area, our MR forces were able to ID some vehicle group (?IDed as not combat effective?) and destroyed them on the spot as well as briefly saw enemy helicopter by that position. Our artillery destroyed some units on position marked as FlaRak Stellung.
- Our counter-battery were able to damage enemy mortars in VP area.
- Enemy helicopter was spotted again by VP area, but it does not pose any threat as far as I’m concerned about his state of ammo.
1000-1030
Now here and there enemy units start popping up - lot of activity around Hidingsen.
Its time for the final push. Everything looks like it is going according to the plan.
Based on intel, the enemy lost a lot of mech units, AD and ART, but not much infantry, only 1 unit.
As per plan MR ordered to assault enemy positions in Soest-Hiddngsten area.
STB closing in from behind. Recon with Engineer forces move in and around Soest and continue with light pressure on Hiddingsen town.
The weather got worse - overcast with heavy rain. It’s really bad. Our units can't see further than our noses. Air Support on the way. It’s bad timing. I had to check it beforehand - live and learn.
- STB - caught enemy tank forces HQ on the march and destroyed, sustaining some losses.
- 9MR assault forces secured one of the VPs but due to heavy fire from the FlaRak position and heavy losses had to temporarily retreat. Due to the weather, neighboring unit cannot assist.
- Recon and engineer forces sustained casualties from enemy helicopter and mortar fire.
- Our artillery performed multiple CB barrages.
The weather got even worse, 500m visibility, heavy rain. Looks like there would be no air support. I assume, based on enemy losses and my earlier maneuvers, that my opponent cannot do anything right now but sit and hope for the best.
- Enemy remaining helicopter rampaging by my engineer force and north-east flank of 9MR
- 9MR keeps pushing
- Our artillery keeps barraging estimated enemy positions, no time for relocation, we’re just using most of available ammo.
The weather did not improve - no air support and US forces have much better advantage due thermals.
- Finally the enemy helicopter was downed by a recon unit on BMP-2 by SW of Soest.
- STB continues to close in from W on the final VP area in Hiddingsen. Paying a high price they were able to assault the enemy positions in Hiddingsen. As of 1200 skirmish continues between the remaining T54M2 and enemy engineer platoon.
- All other VPs are occupied and firmly held by our forces.
- Enemy attempted to assault the Lendingsen position held by Mech Inf and Tank Companies. - As of 1200 skirmish continues but enemy leftovers, 1 enemy mech inf squad left.
- Western point was touched by enemy forces around FlaRak position - 1 battered mech. infantry platoon and 1 M48A1 in direct contact with a mechanized infantry company which was supported by ½ full company from about 500 meters west.
Conclusion:
The weather affected my plans so much. It was THAT close to alter final results.
For the last in-game hour I had very high hopes for air support, I wanted to use it by the northern VP, which would clear it and STB would still be alive. Weather is a huge part of game and should be considered whenever yours or enemies air forces are involved - I like it.
9MR would have a better position by W VP area, they were blind.
So basically everything was going according to a plan and very good K/D ratio until the weather worsened. It just forced me to perform the last steps of the plan in blind which resulted in such high losses.
Very interesting and unpredictable match. I hope to hear from my opponent his side of story.
Thank you!