Rear Area Security with Light Armored Vehicles: After Action Report (Steel Beasts ProPE)

Continued from here.

I'm in command of 2nd Platoon, the one taking the west approach and attempting to get really close to the enemy BMP-2s.

Tactical Plan from the previous entry. Click the image to expand it.

And to re-phrase why both 2nd and 3rd Platoons are tanking such convoluted routes to get into firing range, this nugget of wisdom puts it very eloquently:

A 4,000-metre line of sight allows the enemy to shoot you 2,000 m before you can shoot him.

Rule #9 out of "Nine Rules to help you stay alive with the LAV III"
Canadian Army Field Manual

So we march ...

First nasty surprise of the mission: the route I choose for 2nd Platoon was not 100% covered. In the screen above, an AT-5 missile fired from a BMP-2 just splashed on the opposite side slope of the hill we were skirting. We just pushed pedal to the metal and continued forward. Click the image to expand it.

Our right flank continued to be our upmost worry. Click the image to expand it.

Luckily, the last leg of our approach had a dirt road that that allowed us to march faster. Click the image to expand it.

Last hundred meters of our march. We are moving north now and the enemy is on the reverse slope of this hill. We can hear the firefight between the BMP-2s and the 3rd Platoon in SBF 1 position. It's good that the BMP-2s are busy so we can ambush them from behind. Click the image to expand it.

We sneaked on the rear of the enemy position successfully, but as soon as our first rounds were fired, the BMP-2s turned on us. Under the cover of smoke, I could maintain my position and destroy this vehicle. Click the image to expand it.

I've had a terrible time with the laser range-finder and the ballistic computer for this point-blank engagement. I had to lase something some 400 meters behind the BMP-2 to get the gun elevation of my ASLAV-25 for firing onto targets that close.

While my smoke curtain was still up, this BMP-2 charged on us. It took the combined fire of two ASLAV-25s to stop it. Click the image to expand it.

This is after the smoke washed off. Close combat doesn't get more close than this. Click the image to expand it.

The remaining enemy infantry threat was no slouch. Remember the thin armor of the ASLAV-25 can be taken out by an RPG and that we are in very close terrain. We pulled a bit back and shelled the infantry with HEAT and 7.62 mm rounds. Click the image to expand it.

With the target area finally clear, we can relax a bit with sightseeing. This is 3rd Platoon on SBF1 position. Click the image to expand it.

Cheers,

Rear Area Security with Light Armored Vehicles (Steel Beasts ProPE)

This tactical vignette is about the use of the light armored vehicles, specifically the ASLAV-25 featured in Steel Beasts ProPE.

Given the high tempo of modern armored/mechanized operations, rear area security is always challenging and a major concern of operation planners. In this user-made Steel Beasts mission, I wanted to see how well a couple of ASLAV-25 platoons would cope with bypassed mechanized units threatening the rear area of an advancing NATO column.

Five minutes before the mission start, NATO supply trains moving east through main supply route "Key" (MSR Key) received enemy direct fire coming from the south. At least two Russian BMP-2s have been spotted 3 km south of MSR Key. These enemy vehicles are probably part of a unit bypassed by an earlier NATO attack.

Two reconnaissance platoons (4 ASLAV-25s each) of Company A were tasked to destroy the enemy vehicles in order to allow the flow of supplies along MSR Key. On order, the two platoons are to secure the area where enemy forces are located until more forces are assembled to screen MSR Key.

I introduced the ASLAV-25 in a previous blog entry. Essentially a reconnaissance vehicle, the ASLAV-25's agility and speed will take you out of bad places very fast. Unfortunately if driven by the tactically impaired like me, the vehicle will get into a hot zone as equally as fast. Compared to an infantry fighting vehicle, the ASLAV-25 is under-armored and under-gunned. The main 25 mm autocannon can fire both sabot and HEAT rounds up to a range of ~2,500 m. It should be noted though that the tracers for the 25 mm cannon rounds appear to almost burn out after ~1,800 m and checking where your rounds are hitting beyond that range is very challenging. The ASLAV-25 has also a ballistic computer and a powerful thermal imaging system.

The ASLAV-25, looking good before the mission. Expand the image by clicking it.

In a nutshell, the LAV reconnaissance line of vehicles is designed more for mobility and stealthy observation of the enemy rather than fighting. This doesn't mean that LAV can't be used to fight. For more details, I recommend the wonderful short book whose cover is shown below.

This is one of the best books out there about the use of LAVs in reconnaissance and security missions.

Coming back to the mission, here is the view from the ambushed supply vehicles in MSR Key towards the hilly-wooded terrain south where the enemy BMP-2s are located.

Looking south from the main supply route "Key". The enemy is in the hilly-wooded terrain in the background. Expand the image by clicking it.

The enemy is protected by 3,000 m of distance and out of reach for the ASLAV-25's autocannons. Any ASLAV-25s putting their tires through MSR Key or the terrain south of it would be in open terrain and defenseless against the long range AT-5 missiles fired from the BMP-2s.

To close with the enemy within the range of our weapons, the two platoons will approach by separate and covered routes. 3nd Platoon will approach from the west of the enemy position and occupy a support by fire position (SBF 1 in the map, a saddle that hopefully offers both good cover and observation) in order to suppress/harass the BMP-2s and allow 2nd Platoon's approach for a close-range kill from the east.

Plan of attack. MSR Key is the dotted line winding northeast. The box labelled "Kill Zone" is the region where most of the enemy fire landed so far. The suspected position of the enemy is labelled with a red ambush tactical symbol. See text for more details. Expand the image by clicking it.

If anything goes wrong with 2nd Platoon's approach, 3rd Platoon will move to an alternate attack by fire position (ABF 2 in the map) in a last attempt to destroy the enemy.

That's the plan.

Continues here.

Cheers,

Free Tree Removal Service, Courtesy of the British Army (CMSF-British Forces)

As I mentioned in a previous entry, I'm having a CMSF-British-Forces PBEM match with my friend Olav.

After 10 minutes of unbearable battlefield silence (briefly interrupted by Syrian indirect fire) things are picking up.

Olav is defending as the Syrians and has placed a well-concealed, stationary T-55 tank in the outer perimeter of what I am guessing will be a defense in depth.

Contact, tank, front!

A Challenger British tank chickened out at the sight of the Syrian T-55 and reversed under the cover of smoke. A minute later or so, the British tank crew gained back enough composure to try again. A firefight between both tanks is still raging after some long 25 seconds. In tank warfare, 25 seconds is a very long time ...

A stationary Syrian T-55 under fire from a British Challenger. Expand the image by clicking on it.

Note the relatively big explosion in the picture above.

Does it mean that the British Challenger tank is using HEAT (High explosive anti-tank) instead of sabot rounds?

Same as above from another angle. Note how the explosion blew out the foliage of the tree in front of the tank. Expand the image by clicking on it.

The explosion was big enough to de-foliate a tree in front of the tank. Very likely a HEAT round would do.

Damn it, I never payed attention to tank ammo selection in CMSF. Is it automatically done by the AI?

That's great landscaping, lads! Would you fancy focusing in the tank now? :)

Cheers,

US Marines' Assault on Danahem: Close Combat is Here to Stay

The USMC, NATO and ANA forces joint assault on the Taliban-held village of Danahem (Afghanistan) is all over the news today.

A U.S. Marine of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment fires on Taliban positions from a rooftop in the village of Dahaneh, Aug. 12, 2009 in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Alfred De Montesquiou)
Used without permit or monetary gain. Comment to this entry for concerns about copyright infringement.

For civilians like me, details on how the assault was conducted at the tactical level are only available from the traditionally poor media reports.

A marine with Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment of the 2nd MEF, patrols the outskirts of the village of Khwaji Jamal, Aug. 10, 2009, in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Used without permit or monetary gain. Comment to this entry for concerns about copyright infringement.

But something can be sorted out from those news stories.

"Marines were met with small arms, mortar and rocket propelled grenade fire as they flew in helicopters over Taliban lines and dropped into the town." CBS/AP

"... Marines rolled into the town despite roadside bomb attacks and gunfire." CBS/AP

Our Marines pushed through and got really close with the Taliban. In a certain way this is no surprise, the small-units tactical doctrine of the USMC recognizes that there is no substitute for close combat.

From the above quotes and if one takes the media reports face value, apparently the Marines maneuvered through the Taliban without gaining fire superiority. I'm not talking here about shooting back at the Taliban who opened fire at the incoming troops but rather to the old American-style better-safe-than-sorry, all-out type of fire superiority. Do you guys remember the old saying: "Fire without maneuver is indecisive, maneuver without fire is fatal"? That saying is even on one USMC doctrinal publication for small units! Part of this apparent departure from old time SOPs can potentially be explained by the concerns to harm the civilian population. Take a look at this other snippet:

"Martin [Captain, Golf Co, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines] said the Marines had devised tactics to minimize civilian casualties in the densely populated area. He said troops would strictly limit the type of weapons they used and would stick to a "proportional response" when under fire." CBS/AP

If this is true I can't even imagine the effort and the increased risk faced by our troops while changing their drills and tactical stance from soldiers killing militants to SWAT cops liberating hostages. I can only commend the sacrifices they make for our nation.

And finally, the always controversial point of air support for fighting insurgents.

"U.S. Marine Harrier jets streaking overhead and dropping flares in a show of force." CBS/AP

I find it hard to believe that these aircraft were there just as a show of force. But the fact that apparently they didn't have to drop ordinance on the town is good news.

As time passes, stories from this battle will start to come by.

On the meantime: Semper Fi!

Suggested reading:

Let's Get Closer: Remembering the Relevance of Close Combat
By Lt. Col. Robert R. Leonhard, U.S. Army retired
Army Magazine September 2004

On War #293: The Price of Bad Tactics
By William Lind, February 2009
(Discusses the relationship of poor infantry tactics and the excessive reliance on close air support)

Cheers,

Steel Beasts ProPE v2.483 Release Notes Posted

As you may now, Steel Beasts ProPE will soon be upgraded to v2.483.

A few minutes ago, Ssnake posted in the official forums a link to the release notes.

Almost everything I'm playing is getting upgrades/patches! Can't complain ...

One of the things I'm waiting the most from this patch is the infantry being able to shoot from buildings/bunkers. For some reason that was broken in v2.460.


Cheers,

Stay Off the Line of Fire of Your AI Platoon ... or Else! (Steel Beasts ProPE)

Hello, folks!

The ASLAV-25 is one of the many fully crewable armored vehicles in Steel Beasts ProPE . Intended mainly for reconnaissance missions, the ASLAV-25 is an Australian spin off of the LAV-25 used by the US Marine Corps.

Nimble and small, the ASLAV-25 can take you to places no tank can go. This screenshot is from a deep reconnaissance mission I played a while ago. Image is clickeable.

As soon as you hop in your simulated ASLAV-25 you feel its lightness, speed and agility. It is a sense of empowerment being liberated from the threads and the heavy weight of a tank's armor. Unfortunately, any comfort brought by that washes away as soon as you spot an enemy tank or infantry fighting vehicle. More about this in a new blog entry that will come soon.

Fighting in an ASLAV-25 requires very cautious tactics. That I was practicing last night, when my platoon of ASLAV-25s was surprised in a nightmarish worst-case scenario: a platoon of BMP-2s with a 2,000 m+ field of fire on our left flank. The problem with BMP-2s is that they have ATGMs with ranges of 3,000 m+. Compare that to the 2,200 m maximum range of the ASLAV-25 cannon.

I wanted to get out of the kill zone and I didn't even bothered to re-orient my platoon. Full speed forward! I could see the fireballs of at least two ATGMs being launched. Move, move, move! Damn it, where is that fold of terrain when you most need it?

Quickly enough, the adrenaline rush gave way to the disappointing realization that my ASLAV-25 was no more. What the hell?

If that wonderful "after action report" (AAR) tool Steel Beasts ProPE has wouldn't be there, most of the time I would never understand what in earth happened. This AAR tool allows you to review the action, shot by shot, at the pace of your choosing. Here is the screen of what hit me.

There is nothing friendly about friendly fire. In all my rush, I ran my ASLAV-25 (foreground) through the line of fire of a vehicle from my platoon (background). The red line is the path of the armor piercing round. Image is clickeable.

I didn't know that blue on blue was possible in Steel Beasts ProPE.

Stay tuned for more ASLAV-25 action.

Cheers,

DCS Black Shark 1.0.1: Taking the Patch for a Ride

As I mentioned in a previous entry, DCS Black Shark has been patched to version 1.0.1.

One of the things I was most waiting for is the new trim implementation. The new 1.0.1 trimmer waits for you to re-center the controls before starting to take your inputs again instead of giving you just one second as in the previous version.

I took my 1.0.1 Black Shark for a ride in order to test this new trimmer implementation.

It works like a charm. My control of the bird is more natural and precise than before. Only thing I found a bit disorienting is the effect of the trimmer on the yaw. There will be some re-learning, but overall I'm really happy.

Also, when you press and release the trimmer button there is a metallic sound (maybe the electromagnets holding the controls in place?) that resembles heavy coins thrown into a can. Pretty neat metallic feeling into that.

To this under-skilled virtual pilot, nothing is more challenging than landing the Black Shark in a FARP. No other maneuver is better to test if my control of the helicopter is easier after the patch.

Coming in high (~500 m) and relatively fast (~100 kmh). Can you distinguish the rectangular form of the FARP, below the speed indicator? Click the image for a better view

The way I land on FARPS is a bit rough in the edges, so bear with me.

I set the collective and trim the controls for a 3-5 m/s descent with a forward speed of ~100 km/h. A couple of hundred meters off the FARP, I flare the helicopter until the forward speed drops to around 20 km/h.

After the flare, I use the nose pole of the Black Shark as a visual reference. I try to keep the landing spot between the tip and the base of the pole. Click the image for a better view

When the helicopter is trimmed correctly after the flare, all it takes to land is collective and small cyclic inputs! And the new trimmer implementation, off course ... :)

Right after touchdown, pull the stick a little and trim it so you avoid forward movement. Don't forget the parking brake! Click the image for a better view

The landing shown above accomplished without sweating or cursing as during the pre-patch days.

Cheers,

DCS Black Shark 1.0.1 Patch Released!

The wait is over!

Finally, the 1.0.1 Patch for DCS Black Shark has been released.

Go grab it here.

Cheers,

Combat Mission Shock Force: British Forces; PBEM for the Rusty Solo Player

After a long hiatus, I'm slowly starting to PBEM again. This one scenario I'm playing against a fellow wargamer from Europe features a British "armoured Coy" (getting used to British military terminology is another game within the game!) against a Syrian Republican Guard mech. inf. formation (possibly a company too?). I am playing as the British.

I was never good at PBEM with Combat Mission Shock Force (CMSF). I am just too spoiled by hundreds of hours of real-time, solo play. Moves I could do almost in my sleep during a real-time game require a thorough thought for a turn-based PBEM game. In addition, during real-time games against the computer, I am the only witness of my tactical ineptitude. This makes me overly cautious during PBEMs, particularly when I'm the one attacking. I am convinced that even General Montgomery would be astonished at my glacial tactical tempo.

So, fellow wargamer/PBEM opponent: that's my story and I'm sticking to it! :)

Seriously, I am enjoying the PBEM game. Is there something more exhilarating than the beginning of a Combat Mission PBEM game, when you send your combat patrols ahead?

A dismounted British armoured infantry section moves to contact in a combat patrol role. Image from the PBEM game I'm playing. Click the image for an expanded view.

And speaking of combat patrols, this scenario I'm playing by e-mail wiped out some concerns I had from the demo. The demo showed some light reconnaissance forces bumping at a murderous short range into the teeth of a heavily defended Syrian suburb. Light reconnaissance forces are only good for reconnaissance from the protection of long ranges. Light reconnaissance forces are not suitable for combat patrol, a tactical task that a formation performs when it is already commited into battle. In this scenario, I have the right tools (armoured infantry) for my combat patrols.

A Plt command team anxiously waits for the SITREPs from the combat patrols roaming ahead. I hope that mortar is not needed in the immediate future. Image from the PBEM scenario I'm playing. Click the image for an expanded view.

Also, I was very happy to read the word "templated" in the briefing. Kudos to designer George McEwan for a meticulously written briefing.

Let the real fighting begin ...

Cheers,

ArmA 2: Update 1.03 Released!

A new patch for ArmA 2 has been released.

The patch includes:

* Major AI tweaking and balancing (especially AI infantry can hear much less)
* Improved multiplayer and cooperative campaign (saving games, connection issues)
* Numerous fixes and improvements in the Harvest Red campaign

Sadly, no performance enhancements ...

Go grab it here.

Cheers,