DAR: Russia

[RERomine]

US vs. Russia

Mission: Meeting Engagement, Moscow Region, 6/2009 - grouped objectives.

Enemy: Reinforced Battalion - 2-3 Armor Co, 2-3 Mech Infantry Co, 2-4 Artillery Btry, plus SAM, AAA, ATGM, etc. Average force experience, ~70.

Terrain: Map = 100x100. Lightly wooded terrain with a few low hills. Some single tree hexes does not block LOS. There is one stream running from northwest to southeast. The map is relatively busy with roads. Two roads run from the east to west across the map. One is a straight dirt road all the way across within 150m of the south edge. The other is a more centrally located paved road with curves. There is a generally straight railroad extending from the northern edge of the enemy deployment zone to the southern end of the friendly deployment zone. Roughly parallel to this and 2km to the west is a dirt road. It spends most of it's time in the friendly deployment zone and exits the west central edge of the map. Because of the stream and the number of roads, there are seven bridge hexes. There are about a dozen building clusters scattered about the map, most of them between the deployment zones and along roads. Visibility = 5.

Troops: Battalion sized Task Force - 1 NG Armor Co. (14xM1A2), 3 Mech Infantry Co. (NG Infantry in M113A3 APCs), 3 Artillery Btry (On board, 8xM109A6s and 4xM1129s), 2 SP-SAM sections, 2 SPAA sections, 2 AH-64D attack helos, plus recon, ammo supply and a few other assorted HHC units. Average force experience, ~80

Time: 20 Turns

Analysis

An initial observation is one of the objective groups is IN the enemy deployment zone!! The other more distant objective groups are within 200m and 400m of their deployment line. If I were in the AI's position, I would set up defensively and say, "Come and get them". I know that won't happen, however.

The northern third of the map is relatively open, aside from two villages near the enemy deployment zone and one small hill near mine. There is a tree line in the middle of this area. Some blocks LOS and some don't. Given the general openness of the area, it doesn't seem like a good area for either side to move through. At least here, the stream is well behind the LD, so forces could be posted east of it easily. It doesn't really pose a hindrance to either side. Roads aren't of much use here either, at least not if you want to stay in the area. Two roads (one being a railroad) going to the southwest cross the northern section. The AI could use them to concentrate an attack on my center, where I could use them as a means to quickly spread out or shift reserves.

The center of the map is dominated by a large, somewhat round, wooded area about 2km across. It starts in well into my deployment zone and extends the center of the map. The east-west paved road passes through the southern edge of these woods. Since I will get first move and the woods start in my deployment zone, I can easily take up positions in them before the enemy can. The only real annoyance is the stream. It bisects these woods almost evenly from northwest to southeast. The bridge I would need to cross is 600m outside of my deployment zone. It should be easy enough to get some units across on turn 1, I don't like choke points. Control of the woods would allow a central axis of advance and the ability to fan out on the other side to move on the objectives. There is are a couple of small villages in a small wooded area about 300m southwest of one objective group. This would work as a nice jumping off point to capture the objective group if I can get to it before the enemy does. Further east, the objective group in the enemy deployment zone is tucked between two hills. The enemy will have control over them almost immediately. They will provide decent visibility as long as the enemy units have some TI or night vision capability.

Down south, there is an east-west dirt road and it's straight as an arrow, at least between both LDs. In the center, there is a small cluster of trees that the stream passes through. On the friendly side of the map right at the LD, there is a small hill that allow visibility as far as TI will allow. The enemy has a few sparsely spread out trees around the road in their deployment zone. Those trees are the the southern edge of a small woods which is almost entirely in the enemy deployment zone. Just outside the woods to the northwest is the southern objective group. Just to the northeast of the objectives is a hill. Because of the stream, any approach from this area would have to cross either the road bridge in the south or the railroad bridge 600m to the northwest. The stream could also be crossed, but I ran a 50% mire rate in my first battle. Before anyone wigs out, I tried to cross with two units and one got stuck

Since the enemy all but have ownership of the objectives, I'm going to let them have them. Any attempt to capture them will cost more than they are worth, which is a total of 1365pts (65pts x 21 flags). What is that, three MBTs? I will lose more than that if I rush out to get them. Keep in mind it is a battle and not a game of "capture the flag". The plus side is the AI will more than likely not just defend the objectives. I fully expect the enemy forces to come out to play

Plan

My plan is fairly basic. Two infantry companies will move into the woods in the center of the map near my deployment zone. One will deploy on the north side facing north and northeast. The other company will deploy on the east side of the woods facing roughly east and southeast. They will be supported by one tank platoon and the tank command section. The tanks will deploy on a hill between the two infantry companies, but back away from the edge to avoid ATGM fire. Anyone coming up on the hill will be engaged by the armor and the armor will be in a position to shift support to either infantry company.

The remaining company will have one platoon deployed in the north sector, moving to take a position on or behind the hill just east of my deployment zone. A second platoon will take a position in the woods in the southern sector, covering the dirt road there. Supporting each of these platoons will be one tank platoon. The third infantry platoon and the gunships will be held in reserve behind the central woods with the intent of supporting either the southern or northern platoons as needed. Once it is determined where the enemy's main effort will be, units in the north or south will be shifted as needed.

Recon with TI will cover gaps in the positions.

The overall objective is to ambush an attacking enemy force and destroy it. Capturing the flags is a secondary interest. If the enemy gets routed and there is time, I'll go after the objectives as more of a mopping up procedure.

I've attached a map with my basic plan outlined on it.