D+1 | 21 July 1989, 12:00hrs - 20:00hrs | United Kingdom vs Soviet Union @ Hameln
Length: 8 hours
Side: Warsaw Pact
Opponent: maynard
Scenario background:
Even if expected, the air assaults by Soviet forces were still a problem. There was an abundance of targets and little possibility of defending them at all times. NATO was left with reacting and hoping the reaction could clear the air landing units.
The Soviets descended on the Hameln bridges as soon as the air battle was conducive to air assaults. They had some setbacks, courtesy of air interception of one of their flights and unexpectedly fierce ground resistance by local forces. Still, they were able to set a reasonable defence and were waiting patiently for the link up with the main body forces.
After some timid attempts at using air power to remove the Soviet forces, NATO command finally acknowledged that without a serious push by ground forces the persistent and resilient Soviet forces would not clear the area before the link up.
Our Forces:
USSR 35th independent Guards Landing-Assault Brigade
USSR 62nd Guards Tank Regiment, currently off map ETA 1400.
On map:
35th IGLAB which consist of: 1x Brigade HQ;
1st Battalion:3x companies, 3x manpad sections and 1x recon platoon on UAZs.
2nd Battalion: 1x company; 3x manpad section and 1x recon platoon on UAZs.
3rd Battalion: 1x BRDM-2U recon company and recon platoon on UAZs.
Off map (will arrive at 1400):
62nd GTR, which consist of: 1x Regiment HQ; 2x Tank Battalions; 1x Infantry Company on BMP-2s with mortar company and AD (manpads) platoon.; 1x Recon company on BRDM-2s with 1 platoon of BMP-1K (should be useful later on); 1x SPA Battlion (2S1); 2 2x Mi-24D sections
Enemy Forces:
A combined arms force of brigade size is advancing towards your positions. Expect them to have air support.
40 to 50 Reconnaissance subunits; 6 to 10 Helicopter subunits; 50 to 60 Tank subunits; over 80 Armored Carrier subunits; 60 to 70 Infantry subunits; 6 to 10 SP Anti-Tank subunits; 30 to 40 Anti-Tank subunits; 30 to 40 Headquarter subunits; 6 to 10 Air Defence subunits; 30 to 40 SP Artillery subunits; 10 to 20 Utility Vehicle; and 6 to 10 Depot subunits;
Objectives:
Having secured the bridges in the HAMELN area was but the first step to securing this area. Our main body forces is quickly advancing to secure your supply lines and relieve you from defensive duties
Weather:
1200-1800 Light rain, visual 7k-10k
1800-0000 Heavy Rain, visual 2k-8.5k
Doesn’t affect my situation much.
Initial Situation, my assessment and plan:
*Playing this scenario for the first time, as well as my opponent.
My plan is not sophisticated. I’ll try to ambush the enemy on every inch of land possible and hold off their offence until main forces arrive.
1/1/35 Company will hold Center.
2/1/35 Company will hold North.
3/1/35 Company will be in reserve behind 1/1/35.
1/35 Battalion’s Recon will spread out and take the highest grounds around the north-center area as well as high ground east of the river.
2/35 Battalion in full force will hold the South area and will provide AT support to 1/1/35.
Brigade’s recon company will be positioned around southern heights and 2 sections will retreat back and occupy highest points east of the river.
General SOP for infantry - Ambush, Recons - Sit and Observe, AT with guided missiles stay & fight, AT with SPGs screen & fight.
I expect high losses from recon units. I don't know about enemies' air support status but airspace as of right now is under our control.
I expect to deter enemy helicopters from meeting our tanks.
8 hours is a lot, air assault units have to hold off for at least 3 hours until 1st armored unit is close enough to provide direct fire support. Initial positioning is crucial since IGLAB units are on foot and are not able to change positions fast. On top of that some units will be out of reach of their HQs.
1200-1300
In the first minutes we spotted multiple enemies in the general western direction.
Recon forces were able to ambush all vanguards and were able to destroy 2 recon units, 6 tanks,10 IFVs and 8 infantry units. - I consider it a good start
For the rest of the hour our forces were able to observe the enemy main axis of attacks as well as we were able to spot enemy mortars but I cannot spare any unit right now to destroy them.
Enemy casualties: 2 Recce; 8 Tanks; 16 Mech; 10 Inf; 3 Helo;
Our casualties: 14 fallen out; 2 destroyed including 3x UAZ and 1x BRDM
The NW ambush was unexpected, recon units had to reach that position and observe but their ambush was extremely resultative - they claimed 6 enemy subunits.
Giving 1st hour results I’m pretty confident that IGLAB will be able to hold their positions until armored units arrive.
1300-1400
Another Lynx was destroyed by the same manpad team. Unfortunately their position was overrun by enemy mechanized infantry which I mistakenly IDed as mortar IFVs.
The enemy smoked the Central position by the bridges, preparing to assault them, I assume. Enemy closed in with tanks but was destroyed point blank with RPGs in town. He also attempted to move tanks through the open area which was overwatched by ATGM and SPAT units.
Enemy puts heavy pressure in Central and South areas woods by mech infantry.
1400-1500
Armored forces arrived and we can use them to stabilise the situation.
Recon units from recon positions #1 and #2 will regroup with their HQ.
4/62 GTR on BMP-2s (except HQ, Mortars and AA) will move far north to Hessisch Oi Dendorf and will cross the river to attack the enemy in the rear.
1/62 GTR will occupy heights by Hameln and will overwatch bridges. - 1445 on a dot, first units of 1/62 reached their positions and opened fire on advancing enemy forces.
2/62 GTR will stay behind the lines and will overwatch 2 southern VPs and will be used where needed.
2xMi-24D sections will move from south, stay behind hills and will hunt enemy mortars, SPA and HQs, will split up if needed. - By the end of hour 2 helicopters were downed by Javelins from enemy HQ positions IDed as Intelligence signals.
RC/62 GTR will spread out and observe the battlefield.
SPA/62 GTR have to move to their position and will stay on-call.
In the Central direction the enemy is just moving through our units, rushing to VPs ignoring casualties.- such a waste.
As of 1500 the enemy lost 132 subunits, while we lost 48, it’s encouraging and at this rate the battle will end before dusk.
1500-1600
I lost track of enemy helicopters, they can pose danger to 4/62GTR especially during river crossing.
I’ll probably lose the 2nd helicopter section to javelins. My order interval is 40 minutes and these Mi-24s are on the way to the ambush. They were able to destroy a few SPAs but were downed shortly by Javelins.
4/62 GTR crossed the river, but got under heavy artillery barrage and 3rd platoon was destroyed. New orders for 2nd platoon to move behind enemy lines and assault enemy HQ positions. 1st should provide support in the central woods. Given that HQ is far away orders are delayed for more than an hour.
SPA/62 GTR with 2/3rd provide much needed on-call support while 3rd unit shelling the west side of central bridges.
The rest of the hour saw some skirmishing in the central woods and a mutual artillery exchange around the central bridges VPs. Our artillery hit plenty of enemy units, while the enemy mostly shelled empty positions.
1600-1700
Artillery shelling continued for an hour from both sides.
The enemy moved a lot of tanks and mechanized infantry from the north VP area to south VP area and attempt to cross bridges on the go. Got ambushed by 2/35 rearguard units. Repositioning 2/62 GTR to provide support.
Enemy forces got engaged by 3/1/35 units by the north VPs.
Enemy losses 185 subunits; Friendly losses: 96. Odds are good but not much in my favor.
1700-1800
Right at 1700 4/62 GTR units started to move.
Around 1720-1730 2/4/62 GTR reached enemy HQ positions, destroyed 1 helicopter and assaulting enemy position right now.
At the same time 1/4/62 GTR met and destroyed enemy mortar units.
Amphibious crossing of the river without HQ support paid off in full.
1757 Opponent surrendered.
Conclusion:
This is a hard scenario in general.
I assume that my opponent tried to attack from all directions and to cling somewhere - my forces were spread thin along all possible avenues of approach and almost all initial ambushes were successful and it looks like my opponent changed his plans on the fly a few times.
If not initial success, Brits would have just marched through and occupied VPs.
Soviets have one chance to make a good enough defence to stop the initial push, because IGLAB units are legged and there is no way you can reorganize your defence in time.
Thank you!