The scenario from which last week I wrote an AAR is available at Battlefront's file repository.
Suggestions, impressions, tactical insight will be very welcome!
Stay tuned for an AAR on a similar tactical situation but using Steel Beasts ProPE.
Cheers,
Just played it.
ReplyDeleteLost 2 men killed and 8 wounded. No LAVs were destroyed, 1 immobilised.
Began by bounding infantry towards the ditch with 2 LAVs overwatching at their starting positions and 2 following the infantry. Followed the ditch to the village. Got 2 men killed and 5 wounded trying to assault the heavy mg. Another 3 wounded clearing the village. LAV's were mostly used to fire at areas where infantry found the bad guys. Only once an LAV has spotted and engaged a sniper that was crawling somewhere.
In the end got major victory with 100 points for securing the village, 300 hundred for taking out the mg, recoilles rifles and rpg teams, plus a 100 for enemy casualities.
In retrospect i could have done better if i first secured the hill on the left and established some kind of support by fire position there. But since i was not sure regarding the oposition i was going to meet in those woods i've decided to take more direct route.
Anyway, nice scenario.
Thanks for playing it and for tanking time to write an AAR.
ReplyDeleteYou kicked some serious butt here, sir.
Just downloaded. I'll take it for a spin tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for uploading!
ReplyDeleteThanks for playing, Doug. If you get a chance, let us know how it went.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Just wrapped up a first attempt. Good heavens that was a bad one. I showed my lack of ability in using the CM interface to the fullest extent. Was totally defeated with severe casualties and only six inflicted upon the enemy. I bounded the rifles up from their initial position to the ditch, expecting to get some fire down the lanes in the field. No dice. So I shifted through towards the middle and got torn apart by one hidden Taliban in the field not a single Canuck in the platoon could ID. My attempt to storm the left flank failed when my teams stopped moving (Hunt doesn't fire back in SF, apparently) and started eating a lunch of RPGs and sniper fire.
ReplyDeleteThe LAVs had a bad run, too. The 1st AFV was mysteriously immobilized by what I can only assume was a lack of fuel or a landmine that failed to do any actual damage. The other three were quickly dispatched by RPG fire when I wheeled them right.
Planning on giving it another go, which will be uploaded with pictures regardless of the probably dismal outcome.
Hi Desdinova and thanks for your detailed AAR.
ReplyDeleteThe hunt command will make the troops stop on contact, but if they can't ID the target (upon sound contact for example) they will not shoot. It's a tricky command: you can get your troops stopping cold in a crossfire while sitting in the open.
A thing that works very well in CM is suppression fire. In particular, the rounds of the LAV cannons suppress the hell out of the enemy even when they are landing a few meters nearby.
I should make a modified version of the scenario that includes mortar support ... I don't know.
All in good fun! :)
Cheers,
Played real-time on Elite difficulty.
ReplyDeleteAfter taking a look at the ground I decided my best bet was to move to the left, advance up the hill, and use the cover of the trees to maneuver close to the marsh crossing point at the back of the map that leads into the rear of the village. I set 1 Section and the Weapons section in the field to the front of the village to lay down suppression fire, and advanced the right-most two LAVs to about 250m from the front row of buildings, also to lay down fire on the village.
Under cover of this fire I advanced 2 and 3 sections and the HQ section to the base of the hill on the left, using the orchard to the left front of the village as cover. I then bounded the remaining two LAVs past the infantry and about half way up the hill. I continued this pattern until the LAVs were at the top of the hill and the edge of the tree line overlooking the village, and they and the infantry had engaged the insurgents in the woods. I then moved 1 Section to the ditch in front of the orchard, and Weapons section up the hill. Two LAVs remained in front of the village to fix the enemy.
Unfortunately, I advanced Weapons section too far out of the tree line, and they took casualties from a sniper. After clearing the woods I again bounded LAVs and infantry through the woods, clearing opposition as I went, until I was overlooking the crossing point. One LAV was too far out to the right, and was quickly picked off by an RPG.
Once I could move to the crossing point and lay fire on snipers between me and the village, it was really just a matter of bounding infantry fireteams into the village and clearing house-to-house. I used the LAVs to overwatch and lay heavy fire on any enemy positions that opened up on the infantry.
Final tally was a Total Victory for the Canadians, with 3 KIA and 3 WIA and the loss of an LAV.
This is definitely a scenario where you have to make excellent use of cover, formulated a plan of assault before moving, and use strong suppressive fires on the objective. The enemy are in excellent positions and well hidden. Moving toward the trenches in front of the village seems tempting because of the cover, but it also struck me as the ideal location for ATGM teams. Flanking and a good base of fire are recommended.
This was a lot of fun. It was the first time I'd played Canadians, who seemed a lot more fragile than the US Army and USMC trrops I'm used to. I could have also made a lot more use of smoke on my approach to the village, though it probably wouldn't have saved me from the casualties I did take were from poor unit placement and not during advances across open terrain.
All you guys and your experience playing Combat Mission. Must be nice.
ReplyDeletePosted up a full AAR of my second try this morning in technicolor failure. I'm proud to say I went from total defeat to a tactical defeat, which is nice because I don't want anyone to say I lost the whole damn war because of one village.
Used the LAVs a lot more, not to much more luck. Weapons section turned out to be the best thing I had. My fire was generally terrible. I pinned MMG elements a few times, but no amount of rifle, grenade, or machine gun fire seemed to connect to Taliban flesh. I killed command teams, though.
Maybe I ought to stick to Arma 2.
Woah! Those were excellent AARs, gents. :) Really appreciate you guys playing this scenario.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you would agree to have your AARs posted in a blog entry. This will get better visibility.
@Desdinova: didn't know about your blog. Added to the blog roll.
Cheers,
Absolutely yes on the blog entry JC. That's the least I can do in exchange for the scenario.
ReplyDeleteI'll probably play Across the Canal tomorrow. I'm reading "Marines in the Garden of Eden" right now and I'm interested in your spin on Charlie Company's fight. I sure wish CMSF had water!
Thanks, Doug. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteDesdinova: I will post a direct link to your fantastic blog (great read!)
What about anonymous' 1st comment? Clear to post?
Cheers,
Clear to post.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Will do.
ReplyDelete