Wednesday, November 2, 2011

North German Plain 85 / Steel Beasts ProPE - Seeing the Elephant (Part 2)

The men and guns of the 2nd Panzer Brigade needed targets. They got them soon enough, but at this time of battle there were no guns to shoot at them.

The west edge of Coppenbrugge, as seen from the southern edge of battle position 1 (BP1) through a gunner's FLIR .



Tank crews were on the ready at battle position 1 (BP1). Gunners and commanders with their eyes pressed to the FLIR, one hand intermittently pushing the helmet's earpiece closer to the skull ... Nobody with a target-less gun sight wants to miss a bit of the last radio call . Drivers with their feet on the clutch. Loaders with one hand on the ammo compartment's door handle and the other up on the handrail ... Just in case the tank moves. Muscle memory never abandons a trained soldier in danger.

At 0810, the word "contact" crackling on the radio raised more than one heart rate. It was coming from observation post 3, south (OP3 South).

The men at OP3 south (the Marder IFV can be seen in the foreground, at the bottom left) report 2 BRDMs on route L425,     moving down the western slope of the ridge in front of them. I will leave to the reader to spot one BRDM in this picture. 
A pre-planned indirect fire mission on the narrow L425 road is called. It's as much guess work as shooting in the dark, because the target registration point can't be seen from OP3 south. But Soviet BRDMs are always followed by tanks.

The news were not good. It appeared as if the Soviets have chosen to attack exclusively through the south and the Bundeswehr's bet was on the north. A momentary ray of hope came from the tank crews at BP1, who spotted vehicles moving west from Coppenbrugge.

A gunner's FLIR view from BP1 of one of the vehicles moving west from Coppenbrugge.
These vehicles were actually civilians fleeing the battlefield. An earlier radio transmission has warned everybody about this, but in the anticipation of battle, most of the men forgot about it.

A civilian vehicle getting away from danger by driving through a tank kill zone.
More is coming stay tuned.

Cheers,

at

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 3, 2011 at 4:50 PM

    Come on... these little teasers are murderous. Give us details, man! :)

    Looking forward to reading about this epic battle in the making.

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  2. JamesNovember 3, 2011 at 10:57 PM

    I am thoroughly enjoying these "teasers". I like the whole concept of how you developed this scenario. Unfortunately I was unaware of either of these two games before this (I know I have been so tied up with arma, arma2 etc. that I have missed out on a lot of stuff). But I am now convinced to buy SB, if for no other reason than to run through this scenario lol.
    I may word this wrong but I have been keenly interested in applying TDG's and various other "strategy/mission planning" approaches to simulations and this is that whole concept incarnate.

    I'm not sure I fully understood the "freedom" or the "restrictions" regarding the AO as they applied to your ability to maneuver but I am watching and learning.
    Good Luck By the way.
    James

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  3. gibsonmNovember 4, 2011 at 6:21 PM

    Hmm, not sure you should assume that just because the first "contact" is in the South that that is ME.

    Beware the feint / diversion.

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  4. JCNovember 5, 2011 at 8:40 PM

    I am sorry about the delays posting these. I hope to finish this series within 5 days or so.

    James, I think that there is a big markdown now on Steel Beasts just a few days before a DLC is coming out.
    I know it is kind of difficult to figure out how the game plays and feels. Imagine ArmA 2, but you play as a single tank (all positions commander, gunner and driver). You handle the sensors and guns. In some scenarios like this one you can change the tank you are playing. While you play any tank in particular there will be units to which you can give orders.

    Steel Beasts is the best armor simulation for the PC.

    Gibsonm, the events are playing in the direction you suggest.

    ReplyDelete