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This will be my first time writing up an After Action Report, so please bare with me, bootlegger267 and I, decided to try a PBEM, and Fulda Frontier of Freedom was selected. I will be playing as the Soviet General of the 79th Guards Tank Division (79GTD) and will try to follow Soviet tactics as much as possible. (FM 100-2-1 Tactics and Operations) OPSEC is requested from both sides and please ask questions and I will answer as best I can. Note that I'm not Zhukov and I will make mistakes.

So lets get started,

Game Play Options
Everything is unchecked except: Emergency resupply is automatic, Allow "Ctrl-L" line of sight (LOS) checks, and Allow continuing past Sudden death ending.

Soviet Mission and Forces:
as of 1 Aug 85 at 0500 hrs, near Fulda, West Germany. Fog and Calm during the morning,.becoming partly cloudy with moderate wind from the southwest. There is a 40 percent chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Dawn is at 0549 and dusk is at 2032.

Unit Readiness: (Green) 95%, Unit Ammo: (Green) 90%, Unit Morale: (Yellow) 80%

As the Commander of the 79th Guards Tank Division, Gen Alexi Belekov - as the first echelon to the 8th Guards Army, my mission is to seize NATO positions in the vicinity of Fulda and then advance my forces southwest toward Hanau. LD is at 0500 and I will have only 8 hours to complete my mission. I do not have any off-map supporting assets available. there is no reinforcements.

I must secure more than my initial share of VPs to win. A Decisive victory requires 90 of the total VPs won. A Tactical victory requires 75 and a Marginal victory requires 64.

Intel reports indicate that local enemy forces (11 ACR) may contain up to 30 to 40 Recce, 10 to 20 Helo, 30 to 40 Tank, 10 to 20 APC, 1 to 10 Inf, 30 to 40 HQ, 30 to 40 AD, 30 to 40 SP Arty, 30 to 40 Utility, and 1 to 10 Air subunits.

Attached is the 79GTD OOB instead of me pasting it in.
79GTD OOB

Estimated state of forces at present time:
- Soviet Forces:
160mm Mortar (Towed Mortar) x 18.
2S1 Gvozdika (Self Propelled Artillery) x 42
2S3M Akatsiya (Self Propelled Artillery) x 24
30mm AGS GL (Grenade Launcher Unit) x 18
BM-21 Grad (Self Propelled Rocket Launcher) x 24
BMP-2 [m] (Tracked APC) x 198
BMP-Ksh (Command Vehicle) x 58
BRDM-2 [g] (Recon Unit) x 48
BRDM-2 AT-5 Spandrel (Self Propelled Anti-Tank) x 9
BRM-1K Korshun (Recon Unit) x 19
BTR-60PU (Command Vehicle) x 20
GAZ-66 (Wheeled Utility Vehicle) x 44
Headquarters (Command Unit) x 66
Mechanized Rifle (Infantry Unit) x 162
Mi-24D Hind (Attack Helicopter-Gun/ATGM/Rkt) x 6
Mi-6 Hook (Utility Helicopter-Gun) x 8
Mi-8TV Hip (Utility Helicopter-Rkt) x 8
MT-LBu 1V12 (Recon Unit) x 5
PT-76B (Amphibious Tank) x 3
SA-11 Gadfly (Self Propelled SAM) x 12
SA-13 Gopher (Self Propelled SAM) x 32
SA-14 Gremlin (SAM Infantry Unit) x 19
SA-6 Gainful (Self Propelled SAM) x 8
SA-8 Gecko (Self Propelled SAM) x 4
SA-9 Gaskin (Self Propelled SAM) x 4
Su-25 Frogfoot (CAS Aircraft-Gun/Rkt) x 4
T-64BV [m] (Main Battle Tank) x 97
T-80B [m] (Main Battle Tank) x 238
UAZ Jeep (Wheeled Utility Vehicle) x 11
ZSU-23-4M2 (Self Propelled Flak) x 20

My Plan:


79 GTD COA 01 Attach is the screenshot so that you can see where the units are on the map. Plan

Color Code:
Black = 17 TR
Red = 211 TR
Green = 66 MRR

As you can see by the screenshot, I elected to create my own elevation code, don't like all those numbers on the map when trying to plot my routes

17TR Route: Black,
Objectives: B1 - Bridge (2108), B2 - Bridge (2408), B3 - Langenbieber (3010), B4 - Intersection (2513), B5 - Dipperz (2416), B6 - Intersection south of Dirlos (1721)

211TR Route: Red,
Objectives: R1 - Intersection (3115), R2 - intersection northeast of Kleinsassen (3615), R3 - Wolferts (3417), R4 - Frieshausen (2920), R5 - Dietershausen

66MRR Route Green,
G1 - Hill (4414), G2 - Dietges (4519), G3 - Intersection south of AbTsroda (4325), G4 - Poppenhausen (3528), G5 - Weyhers (2429)

Three echelons forward with one echelon follow (65TR)

Initial Setup:



Div Recon will move out first, 3/113 Recon route green follow by Rcn/211, 2/113 Recon route red follow by Rcn/66, 1/113 Recon route black follow by 17TR Rcn.

0500-0515 Turn 01



0508 hrs - 1/1/113 RCN loses 3 BRDM-2 [g] KIA in hex 3008 to mines.
0510 hrs - SitRep - 2/113 RCN HQ with screen orders has 1 x BMP-Ksh and 1 x Headquarters in hex 3509.
0511 hrs - 2/113 RCN HQ suffers 1 HQ KIA in hex 3509 (Shows up as BMP-Ksh destroyed not the HQ).
0514 hrs - 2/3/113 RCN loses 1 BRM-1K Korshun KIA in hex 4211 to mines.

Trying my luck in using MilSketch (Unknown symbol)
One thing I found out is that I will have to redo the fire plan because the Direct Support (DS) does not work as I hope that it would.

Will post my last three turns as soon as this blizzard blows through here at Colorado, power coming in and out. Well the blizzard is over, now to dig out [:)]

0515-0521 TURN 02



0520 hrs - Weather: Haze / Fog / Dawn, Visibility: 2500 meters.
0520 hrs - 2/1/113 RCN suffers 2 Recce KIA in hex 3109
0520 hrs - 1/1/113 RCN is receiving artillery fire in hex 3008
0520 hrs - 1/1/113 RCN suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 3008
0520 hrs - 3/1/113 RCN is receiving artillery fire in hex 3008

0521-0528 TURN 03



Lost one of my Div Recon elemnt, 2/1/113 RCN

0521 hrs - 2/1/113 RCN suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 3109
0524 hrs - 2/1/113 RCN suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 3109
0525 hrs - 2/1/113 RCN suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 3109
0525 hrs - 2/2/113 RCN is receiving artillery fire in hex 3409
0525 hrs - 2/2/113 RCN suffers 2 Recce KIA in hex 3409
0527 hrs - 3/SPA/66 GDS MRR - neutralizing fire (3x) in hex 1720
0527 hrs - 3/SPA/66 GDS MRR : fires 122mm D-30 basic hit chance of (8%) against a M577A2 C2V at a range of 14000m / 15300m
0527 hrs - 3/SPA/66 GDS MRR : fires 122mm D-30 basic hit chance of (8%) against a M3 Bradley [m] at a range of 14000m / 15300m
0527 hrs - 3/SPA/66 GDS MRR : fires 122mm D-30 basic hit chance of (4%) against a Headquarters at a range of 14000m / 15300m
0527 hrs - 3/SPA/66 GDS MRR (Unidentified enemy units) in 4003 is engaging a HQ unit (Unidentified enemy units) in hex 1720 at range 13,818m.
0527 hrs - 3/SPA/66 GDS MRR claims 1 HQ KIA in hex 1720
0527 hrs - 3/SPA/66 GDS MRR - new orders received: Barrage (Neutralizing Fire (3x)) on hex 1721 starting at 0532 hrs and with estimated finish at 0536 hrs
0527 hrs - 2/SPA/66 GDS MRR - neutralizing fire (3x) in hex 4113
0527 hrs - 2/SPA/66 GDS MRR - new orders received: Barrage (Neutralizing Fire (3x)) on hex 4113 starting at 0532 hrs and with estimated finish at 0536 hrs
0527 hrs - 1/SPA/66 GDS MRR - neutralizing fire (3x) in hex 3212
0527 hrs - 1/SPA/66 GDS MRR : fires 122mm D-30 basic hit chance of (26%) against a M3 Bradley [m] at a range of 6500m / 9100m
0527 hrs - 1/SPA/66 GDS MRR : fires 122mm D-30 basic hit chance of (22%) against a Cavalry Scout at a range of 6500m / 9100m
0527 hrs - 1/SPA/66 GDS MRR (Unidentified enemy units) in 3802 is engaging a recce unit (1 x M3 Bradley [m] and 2 x Cavalry Scout) in hex 3212 at range 6,549m.
0527 hrs - 1/SPA/66 GDS MRR claims 2 Cavalry Scout, 1 M3 Bradley [m] KIA in hex 3212
0527 hrs - 1/SPA/66 GDS MRR - new orders received: Barrage (Neutralizing Fire (3x)) on hex 3112 starting at 0532 hrs and with estimated finish at 0536 hrs
0527 hrs - Mtr/1/66 GDS MRR - neutralizing fire (3x) in hex 3212
0527 hrs - Mtr/1/66 GDS MRR : fires 160mm basic hit chance of (39%) against a M3 Bradley [m] at a range of 5500m / 7700m
0527 hrs - Mtr/1/66 GDS MRR (Unidentified enemy units) in 3704 is engaging a recce unit (1 x M3 Bradley [m]) in hex 3212 at range 5,356m.
0527 hrs - Mtr/1/66 GDS MRR claims 1 M3 Bradley [m] KIA in hex 3212
0527 hrs - Mtr/1/66 GDS MRR - new orders received: Barrage (Neutralizing Fire (3x)) on hex 3112 starting at 0532 hrs and with estimated finish at 0536 hrs
0528 hrs - 2/1/113 RCN suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 3109 and is wiped out

0528-0541 Turn 04



0535 hrs - 1/SPA/66 GDS MRR is receiving artillery fire in hex 3802
0535 hrs - 1/SPA/66 GDS MRR suffers 1 Recce, 3 SPArty KIA in hex 3802
0535 hrs - 2/2/113 RCN is receiving artillery fire in hex 3409
0535 hrs - 2/2/113 RCN suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 3409
0535 hrs - 2/2/113 RCN is receiving artillery fire in hex 3409

0540 hrs - Weather: Haze / Fog / Dawn, Visibility: 1500 meters.

Need to limit my artillery missions to only one mission per battery, because of the counter-battery fire.

0541-0555 Turn 05



65GTR has just arrive along with parts of the DAG element.

0556 hrs - 3/RCN/211 GTR suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 3712
0557 hrs - 2/RC/17 GTR suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 2107 and is wiped out
0557 hrs - 3/RCN/211 GTR suffers 1 Recce KIA in hex 3712
0558 hrs - 3/1/113 RCN loses 1 Tank KIA in hex 3009 to mines

0618-0621



Because of the narrow width (only 6 KM) of trying to find out where is the good place to push through and being after 0600, need to start my forces. Moving 211MRR and 17TR at this time.

Also my artillery is doing more damaged then my vehicles. Not one Soviet vehicle destroyed anything.

bootlegger knows but just a heads up, I'm on a WFX 16-4 at Ft Riley, KS for two weeks and I should have a turn posted soon. Having to deal with greensuitor's (Colonels, Majors) my brain is pretty much fried by the end of the day [:)] I will be working with the DIVARTY and CAB TOCs, asking a lot of questions.

Just an update, I got stuck with two more BWFX. I'm right now at Ft Indiantown Gap, PA, working with the 50IBCT. So everything is on hold.