DAR: Moscow Region

[RERomine]

US vs. Russia

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

Enemy: Reinforced Battalion - 1-2 Armor Co, 2-3 Mech Infantry Co, 4-6 Artillery Btry, plus SAM, AAA, ATGM, etc. Average force experience, ~70.

Terrain: Map = 100x100. Moderately wooded terrain with 33% of the map having trees and the other 67% composed of clear area, fields and tall grass. The wooded areas are composed of some large clusters and some tree lines. There are a lot of small to moderate sized hills all over the map but none really dominate the terrain and aren’t high enough to allow vision over the trees. There is one stream that extends across the map on the north-south axis. It starts in the top middle of the map extending to the southwest until it reaches my deployment line before turning south, meandering back and forth across my deployment line. There is one East-West road one 50 meters north of the bottom edge of the map. Visibility = 10.

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, ~70 (base 80, but most units are National Guard which is a -10 penalty).

Time: 17 Turns

Analysis

There are two major factors that will impact this battle. The first is the low visibility. Infantry and the APCs will be groping around in the dark, especially my M113A3 relics being used.

The other factor will be the stream. Any vehicle crossing it is at risk of getting mired. There are a few locations were I can deploy units to the east of the stream to avoid that problem. On the northern third of the map, I can use the stream from a defensive perspective. It will slow any enemy units that advance in that sector.

One lesser factor will be the battle duration. There really isn’t a lot of time to take all of the objects. Being that this is an MBT game and most units are quite pricey, it might be better to set up ambushes and score points with kills rather than rush forward and allow the enemy to do the same to me.

There are so many hills on the map that most don’t offer any significant advantage over another short of there being a plethora of covered routes to places. One hill (Hill 1) is attracting my attention, however. It is located in the south central portion of the map just north of a large east-west wooded stretch (South Woods). The woods are over 2,000m long and roughly 250m wide. This could offer a nice covered, yet slow avenue of approach. The hill would work out well as a point covering the flank of the woods, over-watch several objectives a few hundred meters north and it could serve as a possible jumping off point to five objectives to the northeast.

Plan

My plan is very general at this point. I’ve already decided to use one infantry company as a blocking force up north. There is a line of trees that parallels the stream about 500m to the west. I will deploy some infantry in there and in a small section of woods to the south. There is a hill just west of the stream as well. I will get some scouts with night vision up there. Hopefully, they can find a spot that has some decent visibility.

Further south, there are two areas just east of the stream yet still in my deployment zone where the remaining two infantry companies will go. One will advance to the Hill 1 while the other advances through the South Woods. To assist them with their night vision problems while on the move, each will be supported by one tank platoon. From those positions, the infantry will try to determine the enemy’s main line of approach and set up some ambushes. The infantry in the woods will be in a nice position to turn on the road just to the south if the enemy chooses to use it extensively. I will push some scouts out along the road as eyes for my units in the woods.

The reserve will be thin. I will only have the tank company HQ and one platoon. They will be positioned to the south where they could support the either the infantry on the hill or in the woods. If nothing of consequence develops in those areas, they will move up to Hill 1 and with the infantry and the other tank platoon, try to push to the northeast and capture the objectives there.

The overall intent is to rack up points by destroying enemy units. If it appears their force is broken, units advanced in the southern region will push towards objectives in the enemy deployment zone and capture them.

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