[Hermit]

So far, the operation has progressed as planned. Initially the enemy let loose with several batteries of 122mm howitzers, but either their plotting is very bad, or they're just randomly shooting and hoping to get lucky. Either way, after ten minutes of counter-battery fire, their divisional guns have gone silent. Then they started with a couple of 122mm field howitzers, and our own SPA artillery fired at the area where their smoke was coming from. They have been silent for a while now too, and I think we got a couple of 'em.

We haven't run into a cohesive defensive line, per se, so I think our bold thrust must have caught them off guard a little. The colonel had our new observation helo take a high orbit, and it drew alot of AA fire from enemy vehicles in the lead part of the enemy defenses. Most of them were APC's, and we assigned artillery batteries to smother them. Several blew up after a couple minutes of shelling.

The hot action has started in a clearing near the first big town on the E-W road. The enemy had three T-54-3 tanks and two 85m AT guns in the wooded area just past the town, and several infantry and MG positions to the South. Our infantry crept forward occassionally taking fire as they were spotted by enemy units. We elected not to smoke the area, as we wanted to locate the enemy units when they fired at us at long range, instead of stumbling on them real close. Artillery was rained on the AT guns, and we brought up the four heavy M103 tanks to engage the T-54's. We shelled them with the 60 mm SPA mortars in the 1/2-tracks just to harass them, then the M103's rolled out from the woodline and exchanged fire with them. Two of the enemy tanks were destroyed in this manner, while the third was screened by smoke resulting from the 60 mm mortar barrage. While we were repositioning, the enemy replied with a volley from their own 82mm and 120 mm mortars. Most fell off target (we moved) but several fell among our infantry, and we took about 10 casualties. One squad took 5 all by itself. Time to bug out of that area until we can find their source.

To avoid crossing that open area with more vulnerable units who could get popped by unseen enemy AT units, the 2nd battalion has been diverted south through the woods to cross at a smaller gap. They'll then work their way back NE to link up and provide more fire support for the infantry that will head down the dirt road.

After a heavy shelling of 105mm, the town is partially rubbled and on fire. Four enemy infantry were encountered in various states of disarray and cleared from the town by our men, backed up by the Pershing CS tanks and one of the flame tanks. Another T-54 is hiding in a wooded thicket on the eastern side of the town, blocking the road since we can't get at it from the front with the M103's. Besides, at that close range (350 meters) it stands a good chance of knocking them out instead. We'll have to wait for artillery to knock it around a bit before approaching, but we can't afford to hold still while the Russians still have those mortars available. For now, most of the force on the north side will drive deeper into the woods and creep slowly forward to bypass that clearing area.