AAR for CPX on April 25, 1998 This CPX had a few unusual elements, growing out of my thinking to do a CPX based on recon and counter-recon. Pay attention to the victory conditions for each side in the briefings. Players: Genforce: Nic Uloth (CO) Rick Nelson Canadian: Gary Wollbach (CO) Jammer 6 (had to drop out at the last minute) ---------- Orders & planning: Genforce Orders: 39th Guards Tank Battalion, 7th Tank Brigade, 5th Guards Tank Corps 1) The enemy is currently attempting to re-organize a defence after a sudden, planned withdrawal of at least 25 kilometers. It is expected that they will attempt to use much of this area as a forward defence area. While their main defence belt has shifted 25 kilometers, we expect that their main security zone will begin some 10 kilometers in front of this; beyond that there is likely to be an obstacle zone extending up to their old front line. The enemy will probably blow every bridge on your line of advance and can be expected to lay minefields as well. The enemy will have preserved a great deal of strength by ducking out from under our planned offensive. Enemy air strength is considerable and significant air assets will probably be comitted to forward defense. Expect strikes from both deep strike/interdiction aircraft and from close support aviation. 2) 5th Guards Tank Corps is moving immediately to conduct pursuit of the enemy with the intent of attacking and penetration their main line of resistance before it can solidify. For this purpose Forward Detachments have been formed from several battalions and are ordered forward. 39th Battalion will pass through 24th Motor Rifle Battalion's lines (forward edge: 12 easting) at 06.40 25.5 and cross 09 Easting starting 07.00 25.5. On your left will be 45th Guards Motorized Rifle Battalion; force boundary will be the 00 northing; the boundary will follow the Sanko River line from Easting 027 westwards. (The Sanko is a tributary of the Skoolka; the Sanko flows eastwards while the Skoolka flows northwards.) On your right will be the 3rd Guards Tank Battalion of 8th Motorized Rifle Brigade; force boundary will be the 06 northing. To your rear wil be the 51st Guard Tank Battalion. The current front line in your sector runs along 12 easting and is not expected to change before you pass through it. 3) 39th Guards Tank Battalion will consist of the following forces: [Deploy anywhere east of 09 Easting.] 39th Guards Tank Battalion 3 Tank companies (each 13 T-80U w/ ATGM) 2 Mech Companies (each 14 BMP-3, 10 P8 squads, 6 PKM MG, 6 AT-7) Artillery Battalion (1 battery 122mm SP, 2 batteries 152mm SP) Anti-Tank Battery (4 100mm towed AT Guns, 4 BRDM-AT) Air Defense Battery (4 2S6, 3 BMP-2 carrying 9 SA-16) Recce Platoon (3 BMP-2 with 3 P4 teams) Engineering Company (2 MTU-30 bridges, 1 IMR bulldozer, 3 BTR-80 carrying 2 Engineering squads.) Attachments: Engineering Platoon (2 MTK Mineclearing vehicles, 2 GMZ Minelayers, and 2 BTRs with 1 Engineering Squad and 4 Line Charge Reloads per MTK. (MTK has plough and line charge; GMZ have 1 load of 10 mines each. You may substitute extra mine reloads for mineclearing charges.)) Anti-Tank Battery: (4 125mm Towed AT Guns, 4 BRDM-AT) Brigade Recce Platoon (3 BMP-3 with 4 P4 Teams, 4 BDRM-AT) Anti-Aircraft Battery (4 2S6, 3 BMP-2 carrying 9 SA-16) While there will be no off-map artillery support, 39th can expect a moderate amount of close air support if it contacts the enemy. Decision: 39th Guards Tank Battalion (+) is to conduct a pursuit of the enemy, moving forward at maximum speed and finding a route for the main body to follow. Concerete decisions on overcoming or bypassing enemy resistance are up to the 39th GTB Commander, but speed and force preservation are paramount. (The route followed need not be a road as long as it is free of enemy fire.) 4) I ORDER: 39th GTB is to cross Phase Line Michiko (12 Easting) at 06.40 25.5. It will proceed to cross Phase Line Narwhal (09 Easting) at 07.00 25.5. 39th will proceed to the Skoolka River (running North-South along approx easting 03 and force a crossing, passing Phase Line Zelda (00 Easting) by 0830 to continue the pursuit westwards. 39th GTB will conduct operations to avoid resistance where possible so as to maintain maximum speed with minimal losses. 5) Logistics: Resupply will be conducted in laager at 23.00 25.5. 79th Motorized rifle Battalion will be responsible for escorting the convoy forward for 39th and 51st. 6) All units will be prepared by: 06.00 25.5 7) Command and Signals All commands will be issued on channel #opfor-ops, wind.hal.varese.it, port 6667. Coordination channel will be #opfor. Signed, Major-General Belaev, Commanding, 7th Tank Brigade Canadian Orders GROUND Area Map 100 is characterized by broken, mountainous terrain with dense forests, and the Skoolka river network in the west. The tributaries of the Skoolka in this area, from south to north, are the Sanko and the Chuffin. Along the E77 Highway Pass and along the Skoolka there are a number of moderate-sized urban areas. The locals are thought to be indifferent to both sides. SITUATION The Canadian force in this sector has been forced to conduct a planned withdrawal in the face of superior forces. The new defensive line is expected to be more capable than the previous of resisting a renewed Genforce assault. Your Team is conducting a Delay and Channel Mission in the very forward edge of our security zone, Area Map 100. This is to ensure that the enemy in your sector is not only directed into an ambush, which Brigade is preparing in another sector of the Forward Defense Zone to your west, but is also weak enough that the ambush will not itself be overwhelmed. Brigade estimates that the ambush can handle a force of up to 3 or 4 companies in strength. The enemy is expected to attempt to launch a rapid, fast-moving drive with armored forces in an attempt to pre-empt our arrival at our new defensive line. While enemy artillery support may slacken due to battery redeployment, air support will probably be intense. To your left will be Team Pekinese, boundary line 06 northing. To your right will be Team Chihuahua, boundary line 00 northing. You are responsible for the sliver of ground south of the Sanko River (splits frm the Skoolka at 024005) but north of 00 northing. Your Team consists of: 1 Platoon of C-1A1 Tanks (4 Tanks) 1 Canadian Rifle Company HQ Platoon: 3 M-113 1 ERYX 4 7.62 MG Teams 4 60mm Mortars 3 Rifle Platoons: 4 Grizzly IFVs 1 Command element P4 3 Infantry Sections 3 ERYX ATGM 1 Milan ATGM Canadian Recce Troop 7 Lynx RV and 7 Infantry ScoutTeams 1 UAV 1 OH-58 Helicopter 1 CH-53 Transport Helo 1 Hummer with 2 Javelin SAMs There is a slim possibility of unplanned attack helicopter support from the Americans. [May deploy anywhere WEST of 06 Easting.] You may choose to add any combination of up to three of the following (some options can be chosen more than once, using one option each time it is chosen.) - 1 Tank Platoon (4 C-1A1 tanks) - can choose multiple times - 1 Infantry Platoon (4 Grizzly IFVs, 1 Command element P4, 3 Infantry Sections, 3 ERYX ATGM, 1 Milan ATGM) -can chose multiple times - 1 AH-1 Cobra helicopter - extra intel on the enemy 4.0. MISSION Your Team will ensure the the enemy exits a force of no more than 3 or 4 companies in strength westwards through the ground between the SANKO and the CHUFFIN. The enemy is not to be permitted to exit greater forces, or to exit force in areas other than that designated. In addition, you are to preserve your own force as best you are able for continued harassment operations in Area Map 100. 6.0. COMMAND & SIGNALS All commands will go on channel #nato-ops, wind.hal.varese.it, port 6667. Coordination discussions will take place on channel #nato. 7.0. SERVICE SUPPORT Artillery: 1 155mm battery is on call. It has 30/7/3 HE/ICM Smoke. It can only fire out to 06 easting. You get 5 TRPs for this battery. Air Force: You can expect moderate air support in the event of contact with the enemy. Engineering: An engineering company will be available to you. You can emplace up to 20 of any combination of entrenchment and hand-laid mines west of easting 09. Any bridges you wish to have blown will be taken down. Bridges can also be wired for later demolition if you desire though there is an off chance something will fail to work under pressure. Army Aviation: As noted above. ---------- The Canadians, in this game, face a dilemma. They need to have a strong enough force to convince Genforce to go south if it originally intends to go north. But they also need to have firepower in place to attrit Genforce if it plans all along on a southern option. In the event, Genforce opted to go south, with a small force deploying up from its southern column to cover it in the center. Gary chose to get 2 infantry platoons and a tank platoon as reinforcements, and opted to build a strong defence near the Skoolka in the north, with a extensive belt of mines, 3 infantry platoons and one tank platoon committed to defence on that axis; one forward, in the valley at approx. 050040, one in the area of the town at 037054, and the third infantry platoon, along with the tank platoon along the edge of the woods just NW of 030030. The Recce Troop was thinly spread out to act as a fade force along the 06 easting, south of northing 03. In the far south, an infantry platoon held the sliver of land in the far southwest and some of the ground across the river. Finally, one tank platoon was held in reserve in the far northwest (in the town at 020050). Gary chose to drop every bridge except the one at 027025. ---------- What happened: Contact was minimal for about 20 minutes, in which time Gary's UAV spotted elements of the Genforce column - including its deployed artillery - and called in airstrikes upon them. Genforce began to blow through the isolated Recce Troop vehicles, and eventually collided with some of the infantry platoon in the far south (where 2 Grizzlys managed to ambush a number of successive Genforce vehicles, including the minelayers and mineclearers, before being spotted and destroyed.) Genforce slowly deployed forces into the chunk of forest overlooking the river vic 030010. Gary's troops were able to see much of the deployment, and he dropped his entire allocation of ICM onto Genforce's lead tank companies to good effect. Meanwhile, Genforce seemed preoccupied with getting its recon in order, and with a firefight that developed between a Canadian platoon deployed into the woods line NW of 030030, and Genforce elements (Recce and AT) deploying into the town at 035025. These Genforce elements, combnied with liberal dosing of Genforce artillery, mostly wiped out the Canadian platoon in that area. Genforce slowly edged BMP platoons across the river, and, surprised at the lack of resistance, brought up their bridging train to 024007 and began to set up shop. Gary responded with artillery which managed to kill off the engineers running the bridging equipment. Genforce proceeded to lay smoke to cover the bridges, and brought up engineers from the other platoons to continue the work. Unbeknownst to Genforce, Gary's artillery ran out of ammo at the point Genforce's smoke arrived. The bridge was eventually completed and Genforce tanks began to move across it. Moving back to the Canadian platoon deployed east of the river…. Gary decided to send them on a mission into Genforce's rear, loaded them onto their Grizzlies, and sent them south with the CH-53 and the OH-58 for escort. By chance, the CH-53 wsas spotted and killed, and the units which had spotted it were killed by the OH-58 - giving Genforce the mistaken impression that they faced some sort of airmobile force. This, plus the brief appearance of an Apache (shot down while trying to get missiles into Genforce's bridge), kept Genforce pretty nervous. They missed what turned out to be the real threat. The infantry platoon snuck its way into the town at 035025, and thence down into its SW corner, from which they could see the bridge. This area had been vacated only mintes before by a Genforce tank company… a few minutes might have made quite a difference! The Milan team blew the bridge down with ½ of a tank company yet to cross, and the platoon's infantry and Eryx teams killed another half company in the ensuring battle with Genforce tanks. Genforce concluded that it had to use the one remaining bridge, despite misgivings that it might be a trap. After a few more losses to remnant Canadian forces along their exit route, Genforce units finished exiting the map at about 09:30, and we moved to the #tacops channel for debrief. Excerpts from the log of the beginning of the debrief: Nic: could you assess to what degree you've met your objectives? I guess we made it but not on time Nic: Brigade wants to know if you've found a route they can exploit to get to the Canadian MLR and bounce then there. looks like a clear route Gary: would you explain your mission? to reduce GenForce elements to at least no more than 4 companies and channel them to exit the map on the west edge between the two rivers in the south uh-oh ! :-) we are a delay and channeling unit for a major fire trap to the west oh... very good ! :-) Genforce exited just under 2 companies of BMPs, and about 1.5 companies of T-80s, and some air defense units an hour late, after expending all of their artillery ammunition - directly into the trap planned by the Canadians. Game result: Canadian victory - although all agreed it was a narrow win! Statistics at end of game: Canada UNIT START NOW ELIM EXITED Lynx RV 7 1 6 0 Inf Scout Team 7 5 2 0 Eryx ATGM 16 11 5 0 Milan ATGM 5 2 3 0 Command Element [-] 5 3 2 0 Inf Section 15 9 6 0 Grizzly IFV 20 4 16 0 HMMWV 1 1 0 0 Javelin S15 SAM 2 2 0 0 OH58 Kiowa GP 1 0 1 0 CH53 Helo 1 0 1 0 UAV 1 0 1 0 Leopard C1A1 Tank 8 0 8 0 M113 APC 3 3 0 0 Command Element 1 1 0 0 MG Team 7.62mm 4 4 0 0 60mm Mortar 4 4 0 0 AH64 Apache AT 1 0 1 0 Force Lethality Value, Start: 4303 Force Lethality Value, Now: 1299 Casualty percentage: 69 Force Lethality Ratio, Start: 1:3.3 Force Lethality Ratio, Now: 1:7.7 Genforce UNIT START NOW ELIM EXITED T80U Tank ATGM 39 0 19 20 BMP3 IFV 28 0 3 25 Inf Squad 20 0 3 17 PKM MG Team 12 0 0 12 AT7 ATGM Saxhorn 12 0 0 12 SA16 SAM 24 0 0 24 BMP2 IFV 12 0 6 6 Inf Team RPK 6 2 3 1 BRDM2 AT 12 2 10 0 100mm AT Gun 4 2 2 0 Truck [OP] 8 2 6 0 125mm AT Gun 4 1 3 0 MTLB APC 6 0 6 0 BTR80 APC 5 0 0 5 Inf Engineer Squad 3 0 1 2 2S6 SP AAA/SAM 8 0 4 4 122mm SP Hwtzr 6 6 0 0 152mm SP Hwtzr 12 11 1 0 Force Lethality Value, Start: 13993 Force Lethality Value, Now: 10044 Casualty percentage: 28 Force Lethality Ratio, Start: 3.3:1 Force Lethality Ratio, Now: 7.7:1 Note: much of what Genforce still had on the map was, one way or another, not mobile. Lessons learned: Genforce: Genforce's biggest mistake was not doing recon across the entire front. They had some paranoia active - when they saw that there was only one bridge up, they got very suspicious of that one remaining bridge! But since they did not know of the solid defense in the north, the near-total lack of resistance in the south failed to ring alarm bells. On the other hand, Genforce did a lot correctly, too. They echeloned its forces well, to be able to react to trouble, they did have scouts out ahead of the main force, and they were very careful to have large overwatch forces when the tried to advance in the open. The latter ensured that when Canadian units did open fire on Genforce's main force (rare, but it occurred) the firefights were usually over very quickly, and Genforce rarely sustained significant losses in the fighting. Genforce was also careful to have good SAM protection up, which paid dividends, since most of the Canadian airstrikes did no damage. Canada: The only major criticism of Gary's deployment is that - arguably - it had too little firepower in the south. If the platoon that came around into Genforce's rear had not shown up, Genforce would likely have managed to get over 4 companies off of the map. This is a very tricky call, though, since the Canadians had to have enough force in the north to convince Genforce to go to the south, and the Canadians did not have the forces to stop Genforce completely unless they concentrated nearly all their firepower on one axis. In addition, the Eryx teams, defending the town in the splinter of land in the SW corner of the map, never entered the battle (having their range set short). Possibly, these might have whittled Genforce down to size without help from the platoon that came south. In the event, they weren't needed, and instead were saved for the next battle. Scenario design: Obviously, the scenario hinged on being able to pull off a bit of deception - made simpler by Genforce's determination, in the event, to go where the Canadians wanted! Further, though, it had elements of breaking the way players usually think of games. Nic Uloth, in particular, seemed to very much like this: This scenario is a great cure for game-think - the closed world assumptions of the normal wargame in this one even the victory conditions are off-map ! He then went on to admit that, in relation to the information I'd given about off- map items (neighbors north and south, location of old front line and presumed new Canadian front line) Most people (like me) would decode it work out what was off-map and thus irrelavent and just worry about the rest. We then went on to have a long and somewhat rambling chat on how Genforce might have detected the trap (answer: recon and active sense of paranoia) and whether or not the scenario was fair. They thought it was, a bit of relief to me - since I could easily see that players might do as Rick in the event of better recon finding the gap: i wouldn't have thought about channeling. I would have looked for a weak spot and gone there :-( I put the attrition requirement into the Canadian victory conditions for that reason: Rick's reaction is probably everybody's reaction. If Genforce fought well in the game, they could win by getting enough force into the off-map trap to defeat it…. -------- Rick Nelson's comments: This was my first CPX, and I had a blast. As James said in the AAR, I didn't even think about being channeled; I kept waiting to run into the main force. It seems to me that this might make a two part CPX, with the remaining GENFORCE units going into the next map and meeting the Canadian player's ambush if they were channeled. Of course GENFORCE wouldn't know that :-) The area I think I did the worst on was the orders I gave on reaching the staging area for the river crossing (028010). I waffled a bit about where to place the units (I had the first echelon consisting of the recce platoon , two tank companies, mining engineers, and an AA unit). I hadn't thought adequately about what to do when I reached the staging area. On one hand, I expected to have hit Gary's forces by then and be heavily attrited. On the other hand I didn't realize how long it would take the rest of GENFORCE to reach the staging area and regroup. I guess Gary saw me milling around and dropped ICM on us :-( Great fun, I'm up for another:-) Rick =============================================================== And Gary Wollbach's AAR: I see that the other have posted their AAR for the CPX of Aril 25th. I will resist reading them until after I write up my comments. I ended up being the only Canadian Force player due to conflicts in others schedules. A CPX is much more enjoyable with multiple players on each side but things happen. We had problems with IRC communications and ended up moving to a more standard IRC server - Spider. The Canadian forces were to delay the GenForce and make sure they exited through a 3km piece of the southwestern edge of Map 100, between the two rivers and be at 3-4 company strength when they did exit. I had an infantry company (5 platoons Grizzily/ERYX equipped), a platoon of recce, and 2 platoons of tanks. I was given some options and choose to beef up my forces by adding one tank platoon and two infantry platoons for the total mentioned. I also had 1 OH58, 1 CH53, a battery of 155mm, 5% air support, 19 mines, one entrenchment, and 1 UAV. I had the tank platoons and the 3 infantry platoons defend in the northwest using the rivers as a barrier with minefields. I placed one infantry platoon in the small sliver of land on the very south of the map, one infantry platoon in the north valley woods, and have the recce screen the southern woods. I dropped all bridges across the river except the southern bridge. I had decided to cause heavy looses in the north, present a weak defense in the south and encourage the GenForce to move south. I would atrite their forces on the way. The southern screen line was to melt away in front of the GenForce. One tank platoon was on the defense line and one tank platoon was in reserve. Early in the battle my UAV detected a massive buildup of GenForces in the very south. The makeup of the forces concerned me because it was a tank heavy force. I had expected a Regimental force but not that many tanks. I called in air. My artillery could only reach half way across the map so they were will out of artillery range. As the GenForce approached I lost contact as my UAV was shot down. I then made contact in the very south as a recce OP died. The GenForce continued to the river and met my infantry platoon. I had light contact in the center, mostly observations and some engagements with BRDMs and AT guns being towed by trucks. All of a sudden the entire tank forces appeared at the forest edge overlooking the river. My tanks fired and died. I had only one other long range weapon, Milans, one per infantry platoon. The GenForce had put his entire force through a 1.5 km wide section of the very southern part of the map. I even had my recce move west 1-1.5km and made no contact. My valley platoon was not in contact. GenForce engineers began to arrive at the river with bridging equipment. I ran out of artillery. I had forgotten that I had a limited supply and had been harassing the GenForce with some good results but no, when I needed artillery, I was out of ammunition. I did not want to commit my other tank platoon because I expected them to die as rapidly as the first. But the GenForce had chosen the 'one' place on the river where I could not fire. The Milans were not in the right positions to see the crossing site, the ERYX's could see it but it was out of range. I committed my last tanks, and they died. I ordered the valley infantry to pack up and move to a position to overlook the river crossing. They took awhile to load up and then moved. They got into a position and only one of their weapons could reach the bridging site - the Milan. That Milan gunner has been promoted and received the highest award. He took out the bridge. I had expected a frontal recon probe, it never showed up. I had expected a BMP heavy Regiment, I got tanks. If it had not been for the ability to move 2 platoons to engage the GenForce I would have failed in the mission. One other lesson here is that barriers and obstacles are as much of a barrier to the GenForce as they are to your own forces. Now - I am going to read the other AARs. I forgot to reset the sliver platoons weapons ranges to maximum - Ahhh I had to sacrifice some flexibility in the defense to ensure the GenForce exited at the proper spot. I was worried from the beginning that I did not have adequate anti tank weapons systems and when all those T80s showed up I KNEW I did not have enough anti tank weapon systems. What would I have done different? 1) I would leave the northern bridge up in addition to the southern bridge. 2) I should have better considered the overlapping of unit fires and insured there were no gaps like I was left with. 3) I would have put some ERYX on the hill overlooking the river. 4) I would have begged for more artillery ammunition and extended the range of the artillery. The GenForce moved almost 5km with no artillery on them even though I knew where they were. Waiting for the next one. gary ===============================================================