Across the Canal - A Combat Mission Shock Force / Marines Scenario

If  not interesting, at least it's going to be challenging.

Right after the catastrophic loss of an AAV-7 to an enemy RPG, a Marine moves away to safety with his machine gun. The rest of his machine gun crew died in the blast of the rocket impacting the vehicle.

The scenario about the infamous "Ambush Alley" (Iraq War 2003) is ready. I played it and the battle was not pretty.

Combat Mission Shock Force, Marines Module - Making my Battle from Scratch

Do you remember the "Game vs. Book" stint from earlier posts? The one about the infamous "Ambush Alley" at Nasiriyah (Iraq War of 2003)? In episode two, I played a pre-made scenario from John Tiller's Modern War. The scenario fell a bit short in the last part, where the US Marines crossed the Saddam Canal. In real life, it was a very sharp fight. In Modern War, a bit of a cakewalk. So, I took a deep breath and re-installed my copy of Combat Mission Shock Force. I have to thank the guy at Battlefront's help desk, who went above and beyond to solve my e-license problems. It's really impressive to receive support for a game on a Sunday morning.

So, after a bit of Google maps, mate and the map/scenario editor of the Marines module for Combat Mission Shock Force I have a map for the battle.

Short Stories from Small Wars IV - Breaking the Peace at the Peacekeeper's Camp South of Tskhinvali - Mission Snapshots

These are some snapshots and a very brief narrative of how the mission unfolded.

The T-72 M1 proved to be more than adequate for this mission.

Short Stories from Small Wars IV - Breaking the Peace at the Peacekeeper's Camp South of Tskhinvali - Reconnaissance and Tactical Plan

Continued from the previous entry.

I am now at the observation position. The Russian camp can be seen in the far background.

The observation position turned out to be a bit too close for just observation. My gunner is itching for a shot.

Short Stories from Small Wars IV - Breaking the Peace at the Peacekeeper's Camp South of Tskhinvali - Understanding the Mission and my Own Troops

This is a continuation from a previous post.

From what I read in The Tanks of August, the three Georgian tanks executed what in US Army doctrine is called an "attack by fire" tactical mission. Seemingly the simplest mission (fire at the enemy), it actually requires thought and planning.

Short Stories from Small Wars IV - Breaking the Peace at the Peacekeeper's Camp South of Tskhinvali - Intro

Another scenario inspired in the South Ossetia War of 2008, this time using Steel Beasts Pro PE.

Steel Beasts ProPE has no map of South Ossetia so I had to use one of the stock maps and buildings. This scenario and blog entry is just loosely inspired in the true story.

Lots of ideas right now. One of them is a more detailed look and discussion of small units tactics, so I hope to combine it with the "Small Wars Series" successfully. I also hope to be wrong  frequently so I can get comments from you, folks.

Phaeden's Upcoming Marine Corps Twentynine Palms Air Ground Combat Center - A New ArmA 2 "Island" Now in Beta

Phaeden was kind enough to share a beta of his upcoming map/"island" based in the famous US Marine Corps base. The map covers a very large area, including the adjacent town of 29 Palms.

This picture taken in the middle of the town of 29 Palms.

Screenshots inside ...

Argentine Army Sherman Displayed Near my Hometown

This image posted here courtesy of Fabian Pesikonis, the man behind the great blog "Carros de Combate" (fighting vehicles in spanish). Check out Fabian's blog for more photos.

This tank is displayed at the base of a monument honoring the III Argentine Army Corps. I maybe wrong but this looks like a Sherman Ic "Firefly", hybrid variant (welded aft joined to a cast glacis). I can't be sure about the gun, because the Argentine Army modified con gusto the stock guns of these Sherman exports.

This display is a couple of kilometers west of the city of Cordoba, Argentina and some 90 kilometers south of my hometown. I may have traveled past this site like a million times on my way to college. Never payed attention to it (maybe too focused on parties and girls by that time).

Cheers,

Short Stories from Small Wars III - Two Cops Delay the Sinking of the Navy of Georgia - Shootout!

This is the continuation of the previous blog entry.

Not a big fan of two men ambushes! Find out what happened to the two-cop team at the port of Poti.

Short Stories from Small Wars III - ArmA 2 - Two Cops Delay the Sinking of the Navy of Georgia

This one is for a cheap thrill and not for anything tactically relevant ... Still, the context is based on real events.

The real events
During the 2008 South Ossetian War of 2008, the Russian troops took advantage of what appeared to be a general withdraw of Georgian troops and quickly seized the town of Senaki. The small airbase at Senaki was also raided. The overall effect of this move was the isolation of the port of Poti, which was some ten miles west. On the afternoon of August 12, a squad of the Russian 45th Independent Airborne Reconnaissance Regiment entered the port of Poti and blew six Navy and Coast Guard Georgian vessels. These vessels included the fast attack craft Tiblisi and Dioscuria. The humble Russian squad sunk almost the entire Georgian Navy.