Light Infantry vs MRB

[pzgndr]

ORIGINAL: Iron Mike Golf
At NTC, we had 4 Viper (MILES LAW/AT4s) per squad, with 4 rds of ATWESS per. No noght sights on those or the Dragons.

For a live fire at Graf we had a Dragon round for a night shot, but Murphy showed up and the night sight didn't work. I ask my FIST, we have illum rounds, yes? So, we shot some illum and got the target. Same could be done in the game, but that may be a level of detail difficult to model, firing company mortar illum for AT4/Dragon hunter/killer team ambushes. But it's something to consider.

ORIGINAL: Capn Darwin
On other question I have is time. How long are these fights lasting? Given the engagement sizes does it seem reasonable in your trained opinion? Thanks for the info and doing these AARs. Really good stuff.

Agreed, great AARs. Perhaps there are higher fidelity game models out there that could better simulate some of these tactical engagements (ie, NATO platoon versus WP MRC) to assess weapon effectiveness, ammo usage/resupply, etc. Then we could validate what's happening with this game model within an orders phase. I'd say the AAR results are reasonable. Jeff reported some platoons out of ammo but doesn't report final readiness and morale values. I suspect the friendly grunts are almost wasted, slightly better than the MRB units. But like Blackhawk Down, they'll keep fighting as long as they have ammo.

[IronMikeGolf]

pzgndr, I have auto-save on. Lemme load up last turns and check. IIRC, US Readiness and Morale was better than the Soviet's

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 1 (Readiness/Morale):
1st Plt - KIA
1st AT - 79/61
2d Plt - 51/57
2d AT - 91/36 (50% casualties)
3d Plt - 54/59
3d AT - 98/70
TOW - 87/70

Scenario 2:
1st Plt - 50/47
1st AT - 77/38 (50% casualties)
2d Plt - 79/70
2d AT - 100/70
3d Plt - 52/56
3d AT - 79/14 (50% casualties)
TOW - 91/70

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 3 - 0700

This time, the defenders have a belt of mines to their front. No improved positions. In many scenarios that ship with the game, it is not possible to cover obstacles and mines with direct fire or observe for calling indirect. Not so here.

[IronMikeGolf]

Interesting wrinkle this time. What I usually see is the AI wants to run all three MRCs down N75. The TOW squad engages the lead MRC and puts it in Leg mode. That causes a traffic jam and opportunity for the 105's to work them over a bit. This time, the lead company does not get hit and makes it to the minefield in one cycle. The middle MRC was hit and the trail MRC is swinging around it.

Between mines and direct fires from 1st and 3d Plt and their AT sqds, 9 x BMP and 4 x rifle sqd are killed. 1st and 3d AT are out of missiles. The plts are at 90-95% ammo.

The US will try to make that MRC break off before completing its in-stride breach.

[pzgndr]

Offhand I might question some of those higher readiness numbers? Moving (even within your own position), shooting and being shot at takes a toll and I would expect after a couple of hours of combat that these numbers would be lower. The morale numbers are more subjective but seem ok.

From the manual:

Readiness: A number from 1 to 99 (best) representing the ability of the unit to perform as required. Readiness is lost in combat and recovered by resupplying. The rate of recovery per hour for the unit is shown. This value will turn red when critically low.

So if anything maybe readiness in this game could be looked at, maybe increase the readiness lost in combat a notch for shooting and being shot at. This might also be something to add as an editable variable for players to adjust, depending on scenario. For example, desert scenarios during the heat of the day would exhaust troops faster than during a pleasant springtime day in Europe. Ditto for winter scenarios where troops have extra gear on. And for chemical weapons use, wearing MOPP gear will also affect readiness drops.

So far, this game doesn't provide for much dismounted operations, but if/when it does then readiness for light infantry will need more attention. Humping gear up hills takes its toll too, and there's only so much basic load the troops can carry. Dismounted resupply is also a bitch. Just saying...

[IronMikeGolf]

Totally agree. It seems Morale is a function mainly of casualties. Receiving fire, especially a lot of indirect, seems to contribute, but it's hard to isolate.

I'd argue that range to the enemy in a firefight, and to a lesser extent terrain, impact on Readiness. I am seeing Readiness being "the ability of a unit to quickly, correctly, and with good effect, execute orders." Confusion adversely affects this ability and the factors I listed all contribute to a degradation of situational awareness. Enemy contact at small arms range, not being able to see more than across the street, etc take a big toll.

The flip side is that readiness is not recovered in a linear fashion. Small units (in the US Army, at least) are trained to consolidate and reorganize after contact. In game terms, this could be modeled as a bump in Readiness for a platoon in the command cycle following contact. Of course, Readiness lumps a lot of other stuff in there, like minor equipment malfunctions and minor wounds that need tending, but not evac.

Bottom line, I agree that dismounted infantry should consume Readiness faster that AFV crews.

[CapnDarwin]

You are correct that morale is more casualty based, with a sprinkling of enemy and friendly unit proximities and can be effected by shock value attacks like NBC and to a lesser degree air, arty, mines, and obstacles. Readiness gets tagged at various weights for pretty much everything including MOPP type settings where radiation and chemical is involved. One area lacking is temperature and I plan on picking that up in 2.1 with the enhanced weather system.

[Tazak]

Iron Mike Golf, you should PDF these for future reference.

Don't forget though that some units are going to be more resilient to readiness drops when on foot such as the royal marines, para's, USMC, US airborne, Russian airborne etc...those units that train to a greater degree that normal units

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 3 - 0731 hrs

2d MRC, which was attempting to breach in front of 1st and 3d Plts, suffers heavy casualties (down to 2 x BMP and 3 x Inf). Readiness is 17% and Morale is 7% while Ammo is 17%. The unit breaks and ceases breaching, moving to the northeast.

3d MRC is now attempting to breach in front of 2d Plt.

1st Plt is down to a single sqd. 3d Plt has lost a MG as has 2d Plt. All Dragons ordered to the rear to re-arm. TOW will resume shooting in 5 min. All indirect fires are concentrated on the breaching MRC.

[WildCatNL]

ORIGINAL: Tazak
Iron Mike Golf, you should PDF these for future reference.

+1

This one would lend itself well for three columns, time line vertically, showing the alternatives side-by-side. It would help players and shows off the game system.

btw, I actually created pdfs of your AARs for reference when going on holidays for two weeks with limited internet access. I need my inspiration / guidance.

William

[IronMikeGolf]

Thanks, William. It will be 4 columns, actually! The last one will be with an obstacle belt at 1000 m.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 3 - 0744 hrs

Concentrated fires on 3d MRC has reduced them to 3 x BMP and 6 x sqd and broken them.

1st Plt has been eliminated, 2d is down to 2 sqds and 3d is at 1 sqd and 1 MG team. 1st and 3d AT are moving to re-arm. 2d has been ordered to do the same.

TOW killed 2 x BMP of 3d MRC and is re-arming.

All indirect will be concentrated on 1st MRC which has 10 x BMP and 9 x sqd.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 3 - 0757 hrs

1st MRC enters the minefield and begins breaching. Between indirect and mines, it loses 4 x BMP and a sqd.
2d MRC pulls back.
3d MRC continues to disengage

No further US casualties. Indirect continues to hammer 1st MRC.

MRB HQ and mortar battery move forward. It seems the AI throws the kitchen sink when the line companies become ineffective.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 3 - 0810 hrs

1st MRC sustains an additional BMP and 3 x sqd casualties and breaks before completing the breach. MRB HQ enters the minefield and between that, direct fire from 3d Plt, and indirect fire, is destroyed while breaching.

The US rifle company has been reduced to a rifle plt and 5 x Dragon. TOW and mortars are at 100%. The minefields are intact.

The MRB has 10 out of 39 BMP and 14 of 27 sqds. The will likely pull back 1000 m and attempt to resupply. This will be drawn out by harassing indirect fires and the MRB mortar battery will also likely get casualties.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 4 - 0700 hr

This is what it would look like for a prepared defense. All units are in improved positions. Obstacles present a choice to the enemy commander: breach or bypass and move where the defenders want you to move. Imagine the rest of the battalion is in the southeast portion of town and another company is on the high ground south of town.

Arty targets are plotted on the minefields.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 4 - 0731 hrs

2d MRC is in the lead and has sustained 5 x BMP and 1 x sqd losses by the time they begin breaching the outer minefield. 1st MRC has lost 2 x BMP and a sqd. 3d MRC has lost 2 x BMP and 3 x sqd.

US is massing indirect on 2d MRC while breaching.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 4 - 0746 hrs

3d MRC joins 2d in the outer minefield. 1st MRC begins breaching obstacles to the north.

Curiously, MRB HQ and mortars move forward and TOW engages, destroying a Meatball and Vasilek.

US concentrates indirect fires on units in the minefield.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 4 - 0801 hrs

Massed indirect fires put a hurt on 2d MRC (5 BMP, 6 Sqd). They break and abandon breaching efforts, turning to the north. 3d MRC (5 BMP, 4 Sqd), having been in the same impact area, also breaks and begins to move north.

1st MRC continues to breach the obstacle and the MRB HQ tucks in close behind. MRB mortars follow 500 m behind, stopping occasionally to let loose some rounds at the TOW sqd.

US fires will shift to 1st MRC.

Observations: These scenarios give us a sense of the concept of "force multiplier". The line plts of the US rifle company have not been fired upon nor expended any ammo, yet two thirds of the MRB are out of the fight. In the other scenarios, to reach this effect on the MRB, most of the ammo of the rifle company is expended and casualties are near 50%. Also of note is that 60mm fire has been effective, producing casualties every cycle. 81mm and 105mm have been producing plenty of casualties using Suppression missions.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 4 - 0816 hrs

Massed indirect fires destroy the MRB HQ. 1st MRC is largely intact and well supplied. It is down only 2 BMPs and 1 Sqd and has 91% ammo. Readiness is at 20% and Morale at 41%. It has completed breaching the obstacle and has orders to assault the VP hex that the US Co HQ is occupying. I do not expect it to succeed nor to inflict serious casualties on the US plts.