kbluck
18 Mar 04, 15:54
Another great victory for the forces of freedom!
Sand Castle 2.0 is on its surface a difficult situation. However, in my opinion,
attacks against static entrenched defenses like this are actually the easiest
of all missions. When the enemy just sits in his holes and passively waits for
you to drive into his sights, it is not difficult for an attacker with good
mobility, strong fire support, and flexible combined arms capabilities (like the
US Army) to methodically pick him apart with little risk, as long as you refuse
to play his game. That is essentially what really happened to the Iraqis in
both wars. Here is one way you too can do exactly that in this scenario.
***SPOILER ALERT!****
What follows is essentially a recipe on how to win this scenario, complete
with pictures. If you want to beat this scenario by your own devices, do not
read any further. Once you have read this AAR, you will have an excellent
idea of where everything is and how to kill it. Do not read this AAR unless you
have already beaten it, don't care about beating it by yourself, or have lost
all hope and wouldn't play it again anyway.
******SPOILERS FOLLOW ****
My initial plan:
Looking at the graphics, I could see that the Iraqis had set up what looked
like a conventional static defense, complete with massive obstacle belt.
Taking a brief review of my engineer assets, I found only 4 tank plows and 3
MiCLiCs available. Given the apparent considerable depth of the belt, I
doubted the MiCLiCs would be of much use for that one; they might not even
be able to get all the way through it. Obviously, the plows would have to do
the heavy lifting on this one. I'd save the MiCLiCs for any other, relatively
minor minefields closer to the objective.
So, it was imperative that I thoroughly secure the main belt before setting to
work, since the breach was going to be a fairly long operation. Undoubtedly,
it was covered with fire; I would have to eliminate anything that can range
the breach site. If the Iraqis were smart at all, they would use units that
can't be seen easily from the friendly side of the belt, so I'd need to pass
something through to get eyes on them. Clearly, this called for a dismount
infiltration under cover of darkness. They would be able to cut their own
footpaths through the obstacle, gauge its depth and location, and advance
forward to identify the enemy covering force, and perhaps assist in its
neutralization with direct fire. Once the breach site(s) were secure, the
plows would set to work. The taskforce would pass through, destroy any
remaining opposition, and converge on OBJ CASTLE. The dismounts would be
prepared to go forward once again to identify and help reduce any further
obstacles found, as well as to get into any enemy strongpoints and call fire.
Engineers would hang just behind, ready to address any unexpected
obstacles found on the way. The final assault on the objective would be a
straightforward big push, with dismounts leading into the village with tanks
and Brads behind keeping the Iraqis pinned.
Because the Apache icons were green, I assumed they were allied and
would "come to life" on their own eventually, so I didn't factor them in. It
turns out I was wrong, and they were under my control the whole time. Oh
well, didn't need them, although they sure would have made some things
easier. As it happens, they remained in the rear guarding the beer the whole
time.
What happened:
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Start.jpg
I set up with scouts forward around HAWK. Everything else I basically left in
the AA. On game start I let the scouts have a look around to see if anything
jumped out. It didn't. I began leapfrogging them forward in 500m bounds,
three at a time. The scouts started picking up enemy vehicles, well behind
the obstacle belt. zAt the same time, I started bringing forward slowly my
two infantry-heavy companies (A north, C south) up to HAWK, so they'd be
in position to respond as events develop. Once the scouts had cleared
forward of HAWK, I also began bringing forward my 155mm batteries to set up
in range of CASTLE.
Before long, Scout #6 received some ATGM fire. Luckily, thanks to his
cautious stance (hold fire) it missed. I tracked back the shot and could see
that it came from about 2 klicks behind the obstacle belt. Where there's one
dismount, there's usually more. I guessed that there were was at least one
strongpoint, likely covering the obstacle with ATGMs. Luckily, it seemed the
Iraqis were jittery and ready to give away their positions with premature fire.
However, I didn't want to further risk my unarmored scouts as bait. So, I
called forward two M1 platoons from A and C companies on a "recon by fire"
mission. I put them on hold fire as well, and set them to carefully advance
towards the obstacle belt, and the rest of the companies well behind. I also
brought up the mortar platoon along with the trailing Bradleys, so they'd be
ready to set up once something was found. B Co was to hold around HAWK
for further developments as a reserve.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Recon.jpg
My A Co tanks got shot at first, around 26 minutes in. Again, it missed. Using
the tanks in this fashion, I was able to determine the absolute limit of safe
advance, and so I was able to squeeze the scouts forward to get the best
possible picture. I also was able to determine relatively safe points to drop
off my infantry. With my scouts in their new location, they spotted some ADA
assets and a couple of BMPs. Interestingly, I also hadn't found any obstacle
belt at its templated location. Where is it?
I had accumulated a few good targets based on fleeting spots and what little
fire I'd taken. I targeted and destroyed an AT-5 team with mortars, while the
artillery killed the Tunguskas they'd spotted (where did the Iraqis get
those?!?) and a 9P148 ATGM carrier. I'd also IDed a few BTRs, but I decided
to leave those for later since they posed little long-distance direct fire
threat.
The Bradleys came forward and dropped off their dismounts behind the tanks
around 40 minutes in. Since the tanks were in direct fire range, I didn't want
to just turn them around, so I dropped mortar smoke in front of them to
cover their withdrawl. Spending about 15 minutes to round up my infantry
from their usual dismounting disarray, they finally came on line and started
forward to find the enemy.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Infiltrate.jpg
While this was going on, I decided to test an enemy deployment pattern; it
looked like the enemy was sticking one 9P148 missile carrier behind each
platoon of BTRs. I fired some artillery to test this theory and soon destroyed
3 more of the 9P148s.
Soon the dismounts were closing in on the sources of the earlier missile fire.
Since it was still dark, I didn't want them to blunder right into the enemy. So,
I had the mortars send up a couple of flares. It worked; the dismounts
immediately identified a few infantry positions.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Illum.jpg
The mortars set to work with HE and eliminated all the spotted positions in
about 10 minutes. A few minutes later, both companies received some
machine gun fire and went to ground. At the same time, A Co had targeted
two BMPs with Javelins and destroyed them. Again, the BTRs were left alone
as unimportant at this point. Both companies gradually worked forward to
develop the situation. Taking note of the muzzle flashes, they figured out
where the enemy MGs were and popped a couple more flares to try and spot
them. Sure enough, more targets for the mortars.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Illum2.jpg
What was still missing, however, was the obstacle belt. Apparently the S-2
had gotten that one entirely wrong. He was wrong about the enemy
strongpoints, too, as it was becoming apparent these enemy infantry
positions weren't mere pickets. I was identifying substantial infantry and
anti-tank strength in these positions.
My infantry companies continued their slow advance. The RPKs were
eliminated one by one as they opened up and revealed their position by
muzzle flash. The Javelin teams methodically targeted BMPs, BRDMs, and
tanks as they came within range, ignoring the BTRs. In the end, the fire
teams finally destroyed the remainder of the relatively defenseless ATGM
teams in a final assault with withering suppressive fire.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-ACoFF.jpg
The enemy's forward antitank defenses had been devastated. Every visible
system capable of killing an M1 was destroyed. There were still a number of
BTRs, however. Given the absence of any minefield, I decided the most
expedient method of eliminating the BTRs so the infantry could safely proceed
further was to order a pair of Attack By Fire missions with the M1 platoons.
They would pull up behind the infantry, which had already cleared the
ground, and approach just close enough to bring the first line of BTRs under
direct fire and destroy them, without coming into direct fire range of any
undestroyed anti-tank units in the second line.
With dawn, the scouts picture of the enemy position also improved. What
few unidentified vehicles remained were positively identified as BTRs, posing
no immediate threat. With this information, they shifted forward to exploit the
new visibility and further develop the situation. In their new positions, they
scored the big prize: they spotted what could only be an artillery battalion
position area behind CASTLE, complete with all six FDCs in the middle. The
155mm crews put down their coffee cups and swung into action. Two volleys
of BBDPICM later, all six enemy FDCs were smoking wrecks.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-ABF.jpg
The orders went down, and the tank platoons rolled forward. The operations
went off perfectly; soon the entire front line of BTRs was burning in their
holes. Their work finished, the tanks withdrew under cover of mortar smoke,
unscathed. The dismounts, free of the BTR-mounted machine gun threat,
continued forward to see what they could see.
Finally, around 2 hours into the game, A Co ran into a minefield. It was a
good three kilometers behind where the S-2 had predicted it would be, and in
fact was apparently behind the now-smashed enemy infantry strongpoints.
The infantry set to work inching their way through to determine the
obstacles depth and orientation. Given that it was supposed to be a deep,
straight line, I made some predictions about where C Co was likely to find
theirs. Let's see if the S-2 at least got that part right!
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Prep.jpg
A few minutes later, C Co did indeed find their obstacle right where expected.
In the absence of any enemy resistance, both companies had no difficulty
filtering through and developing a map of the minefield's extents. It appeared
to be a very uninventive straight line about 300 meters deep. A lot of Iraqis
must have broken their humps setting this in; too bad for them it wasn't
going to do them any good!
Reaching the other side of the obstacle, the dismounts continued their
advance. With no resistance, they were able to move forward and identify all
remaining anti-tank assets in the second line. Calling for fire, those BMPs and
9P148s were soon eliminated as well. However, two T-72 tanks had
stubbornly survived the artillery preparation. Rather than continue to expend
DPICM against them, I decided it was safe enough to sneak forward with the
FISTs and put laser spots on them. About 12 minutes later, Copperhead
rounds snuffed out these final hold-outs. As they died, A and C Cos rolled
forward to cut their breach lanes.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Breach.jpg
The covering fire had already been well suppressed and the obstacle secured
by the dismounts. I laid on smoke from the mortars and two batteries of 155s
to obscure the breach sites, and set to work reducing them with the plow
tanks. Having the luxury of time, I took the trouble to make three nice, wide,
well proofed lanes. The breach operation took about 30 minutes, and the
companies pass through without incident, recovering their dismounts as they passed through.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Pass.jpg
Some editorial notes about game-related breaching problems: I cut the lanes
exactly east to west, although it would have been shorter to cut them
perpendicular to the actual obstacle. I've found, in game terms, it is difficult
to reliably navigate your forces through a breach that is not exactly oriented
along one of the cardinal directions, since vehicles actually move diagonally in
a sort of "stair-step" fashion rather than continuously. The zig-zagging tends
to run them into the edges of a narrow lane, unless you are able to exactly
mimic just the right path segment with endpoints in the exact same place. I
also have found that breaching the lane usually doesn't "take" the first pass
through. I've found that you actually have to run the breacher back and
forth through the obstacle multiple times (A Company required five [Eek!]
passes, C a mere three) before the lane is reliably clear. A single pass will,
almost without fail, leave something behind for your non-breacher forces to
stub their toe against and pile up in the breach. This strikes me as a bug.
Keep running the breacher back and forth along the exact same path until it
passes clear through the lane without going into "breach mode". On a related
note, you have to watch those breachers like a hawk when they first enter
the lane. Keep your finger on the pause key. The instant the breach marker
appears, pause and adjust the breacher's path back to where you want it.
Almost every time, when the breacher first hits the lane, it unilaterally
decides to alter its path to a different angle than it was originally assigned.
This also seems like a bug to me.
Once A and C companies had cleared the breach, they charged forward to
attack the remaining BTRs in the second line. With the full firepower of two
mech companies concentrated on them, they died quickly in a hail of cannon
fire.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-PassACo.jpg
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-PassCCo.jpg
The path to CASTLE now cleared, A and C Cos continued forward slowly to
throw off any remaining enemy artillery, while armor-heavy B Co surged
forward and passed through A Co's breach. The engineers trailed along behind
B Co as well, to be in position should any further obstacles be identified on
the approach to the city.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Advance.jpg
As A and C Co idled slowly forward, tanks leading, the artillery preparation of
CASTLE kicked off. The 155 crews finally started getting a workout, as I
directed fire on all vehicle positions in 4-volley platoon fire missions,
destroying one after another and shifting fire to the next target. I didn't
bother to identify targets this time; I still had plenty of arty ammo and saw
no need to economize at this point by charging forward to ID targets or
waiting for the dismounts to do their thing. As the tanks inched forward, a
Spandrel popped off but failed to penetrate. Fire was called in on the
backblast in an open sheaf and in a couple of minutes, not only the Spandrel
but also some SPG-9s were no longer an issue.
Sidestepping A Co to the south to push into the city from the east, B Co took
over the northern approach, aiming at a cluster of vehicles spotted to the
north of the city, while C Co hooked around to the south. When a couple
more T-72s were identified, the FISTs once again crept up and clobbered
them with Copperhead, while DPICM wrecked the BMPs and 9P148s. B Co
closed first on the outskirts , chopping up the vehicles north of the city with
a combination of arty and direct fire, and then closing in on an infantry
strongpoint in the city, A and C Cos followed suit. The noose was steadily
tightening.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Noose.jpg
The final assault on the enemy infantry was a classic exercise in massive
suppression with direct fire and artillery. The tanks led forward to identify and
suppress any light anti-tank elements like RPGs and SPG-9s, with the infantry
in their Bradleys close behind to mop up inside the city proper.
As the tanks pulled forward, a few RPGs and SPGs popped off with almost no
effect except to expose their position and bring down a hail of fire on their
heads. The tanks ground slowly forward with all guns blazing, shrugging off
the pathetic return fire. The Bradleys added their 25mm to the mix before
long, and resistance dwindled to almost nothing as the overmatched
defenders found themselves unable to do anything but hug the ground. Even
this wouldn't save them in the end, as the 155s fired volley after volley of
open sheaves to keep them well suppressed and gradually grind them down
to nothing.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Mayhem.jpg
In the end, all resistance eliminated, the infantry dismounted and forged into
the city. This proved unnecessary, as there was no further resistance to be
found. Eventually, I deduced that the victory conditions weren't firing, as I
couldn't find anything else to kill in OBJ CASTLE. I briefly considered finishing
off the Giatsint battalion, but decided that would just be showboating, and
besides, I can't imagine those guns would have just waited around in view of
the collapsing Iraqi defense. So, I quit the game and found that I indeed
apparently had won, although for some reason the scenario denied me my
hard-earned attaboy from the brigade commander:
Mission Objectives:
1. Attrit the enemy to 66 enemy vehicles or teams.
2. Eliminate all enemy vehicles or teams in OBJ CASTLE and occupy it with at
least 10 friendly vehicles or teams.
3. Maintain at least 10 friendly maneuver vehicles or teams in tact.
Results:
1. The enemy has 16 vehicles or teams remaining.
2. No enemy vehicles or teams remain in the objective, OBJ CASTLE. The
objective is occupied by 57 friendly vehicles or teams.
3. Friendly forces have 144 maneuver vehicles or teams remaining.
--- Kevin
Sand Castle 2.0 is on its surface a difficult situation. However, in my opinion,
attacks against static entrenched defenses like this are actually the easiest
of all missions. When the enemy just sits in his holes and passively waits for
you to drive into his sights, it is not difficult for an attacker with good
mobility, strong fire support, and flexible combined arms capabilities (like the
US Army) to methodically pick him apart with little risk, as long as you refuse
to play his game. That is essentially what really happened to the Iraqis in
both wars. Here is one way you too can do exactly that in this scenario.
***SPOILER ALERT!****
What follows is essentially a recipe on how to win this scenario, complete
with pictures. If you want to beat this scenario by your own devices, do not
read any further. Once you have read this AAR, you will have an excellent
idea of where everything is and how to kill it. Do not read this AAR unless you
have already beaten it, don't care about beating it by yourself, or have lost
all hope and wouldn't play it again anyway.
******SPOILERS FOLLOW ****
My initial plan:
Looking at the graphics, I could see that the Iraqis had set up what looked
like a conventional static defense, complete with massive obstacle belt.
Taking a brief review of my engineer assets, I found only 4 tank plows and 3
MiCLiCs available. Given the apparent considerable depth of the belt, I
doubted the MiCLiCs would be of much use for that one; they might not even
be able to get all the way through it. Obviously, the plows would have to do
the heavy lifting on this one. I'd save the MiCLiCs for any other, relatively
minor minefields closer to the objective.
So, it was imperative that I thoroughly secure the main belt before setting to
work, since the breach was going to be a fairly long operation. Undoubtedly,
it was covered with fire; I would have to eliminate anything that can range
the breach site. If the Iraqis were smart at all, they would use units that
can't be seen easily from the friendly side of the belt, so I'd need to pass
something through to get eyes on them. Clearly, this called for a dismount
infiltration under cover of darkness. They would be able to cut their own
footpaths through the obstacle, gauge its depth and location, and advance
forward to identify the enemy covering force, and perhaps assist in its
neutralization with direct fire. Once the breach site(s) were secure, the
plows would set to work. The taskforce would pass through, destroy any
remaining opposition, and converge on OBJ CASTLE. The dismounts would be
prepared to go forward once again to identify and help reduce any further
obstacles found, as well as to get into any enemy strongpoints and call fire.
Engineers would hang just behind, ready to address any unexpected
obstacles found on the way. The final assault on the objective would be a
straightforward big push, with dismounts leading into the village with tanks
and Brads behind keeping the Iraqis pinned.
Because the Apache icons were green, I assumed they were allied and
would "come to life" on their own eventually, so I didn't factor them in. It
turns out I was wrong, and they were under my control the whole time. Oh
well, didn't need them, although they sure would have made some things
easier. As it happens, they remained in the rear guarding the beer the whole
time.
What happened:
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Start.jpg
I set up with scouts forward around HAWK. Everything else I basically left in
the AA. On game start I let the scouts have a look around to see if anything
jumped out. It didn't. I began leapfrogging them forward in 500m bounds,
three at a time. The scouts started picking up enemy vehicles, well behind
the obstacle belt. zAt the same time, I started bringing forward slowly my
two infantry-heavy companies (A north, C south) up to HAWK, so they'd be
in position to respond as events develop. Once the scouts had cleared
forward of HAWK, I also began bringing forward my 155mm batteries to set up
in range of CASTLE.
Before long, Scout #6 received some ATGM fire. Luckily, thanks to his
cautious stance (hold fire) it missed. I tracked back the shot and could see
that it came from about 2 klicks behind the obstacle belt. Where there's one
dismount, there's usually more. I guessed that there were was at least one
strongpoint, likely covering the obstacle with ATGMs. Luckily, it seemed the
Iraqis were jittery and ready to give away their positions with premature fire.
However, I didn't want to further risk my unarmored scouts as bait. So, I
called forward two M1 platoons from A and C companies on a "recon by fire"
mission. I put them on hold fire as well, and set them to carefully advance
towards the obstacle belt, and the rest of the companies well behind. I also
brought up the mortar platoon along with the trailing Bradleys, so they'd be
ready to set up once something was found. B Co was to hold around HAWK
for further developments as a reserve.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Recon.jpg
My A Co tanks got shot at first, around 26 minutes in. Again, it missed. Using
the tanks in this fashion, I was able to determine the absolute limit of safe
advance, and so I was able to squeeze the scouts forward to get the best
possible picture. I also was able to determine relatively safe points to drop
off my infantry. With my scouts in their new location, they spotted some ADA
assets and a couple of BMPs. Interestingly, I also hadn't found any obstacle
belt at its templated location. Where is it?
I had accumulated a few good targets based on fleeting spots and what little
fire I'd taken. I targeted and destroyed an AT-5 team with mortars, while the
artillery killed the Tunguskas they'd spotted (where did the Iraqis get
those?!?) and a 9P148 ATGM carrier. I'd also IDed a few BTRs, but I decided
to leave those for later since they posed little long-distance direct fire
threat.
The Bradleys came forward and dropped off their dismounts behind the tanks
around 40 minutes in. Since the tanks were in direct fire range, I didn't want
to just turn them around, so I dropped mortar smoke in front of them to
cover their withdrawl. Spending about 15 minutes to round up my infantry
from their usual dismounting disarray, they finally came on line and started
forward to find the enemy.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Infiltrate.jpg
While this was going on, I decided to test an enemy deployment pattern; it
looked like the enemy was sticking one 9P148 missile carrier behind each
platoon of BTRs. I fired some artillery to test this theory and soon destroyed
3 more of the 9P148s.
Soon the dismounts were closing in on the sources of the earlier missile fire.
Since it was still dark, I didn't want them to blunder right into the enemy. So,
I had the mortars send up a couple of flares. It worked; the dismounts
immediately identified a few infantry positions.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Illum.jpg
The mortars set to work with HE and eliminated all the spotted positions in
about 10 minutes. A few minutes later, both companies received some
machine gun fire and went to ground. At the same time, A Co had targeted
two BMPs with Javelins and destroyed them. Again, the BTRs were left alone
as unimportant at this point. Both companies gradually worked forward to
develop the situation. Taking note of the muzzle flashes, they figured out
where the enemy MGs were and popped a couple more flares to try and spot
them. Sure enough, more targets for the mortars.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Illum2.jpg
What was still missing, however, was the obstacle belt. Apparently the S-2
had gotten that one entirely wrong. He was wrong about the enemy
strongpoints, too, as it was becoming apparent these enemy infantry
positions weren't mere pickets. I was identifying substantial infantry and
anti-tank strength in these positions.
My infantry companies continued their slow advance. The RPKs were
eliminated one by one as they opened up and revealed their position by
muzzle flash. The Javelin teams methodically targeted BMPs, BRDMs, and
tanks as they came within range, ignoring the BTRs. In the end, the fire
teams finally destroyed the remainder of the relatively defenseless ATGM
teams in a final assault with withering suppressive fire.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-ACoFF.jpg
The enemy's forward antitank defenses had been devastated. Every visible
system capable of killing an M1 was destroyed. There were still a number of
BTRs, however. Given the absence of any minefield, I decided the most
expedient method of eliminating the BTRs so the infantry could safely proceed
further was to order a pair of Attack By Fire missions with the M1 platoons.
They would pull up behind the infantry, which had already cleared the
ground, and approach just close enough to bring the first line of BTRs under
direct fire and destroy them, without coming into direct fire range of any
undestroyed anti-tank units in the second line.
With dawn, the scouts picture of the enemy position also improved. What
few unidentified vehicles remained were positively identified as BTRs, posing
no immediate threat. With this information, they shifted forward to exploit the
new visibility and further develop the situation. In their new positions, they
scored the big prize: they spotted what could only be an artillery battalion
position area behind CASTLE, complete with all six FDCs in the middle. The
155mm crews put down their coffee cups and swung into action. Two volleys
of BBDPICM later, all six enemy FDCs were smoking wrecks.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-ABF.jpg
The orders went down, and the tank platoons rolled forward. The operations
went off perfectly; soon the entire front line of BTRs was burning in their
holes. Their work finished, the tanks withdrew under cover of mortar smoke,
unscathed. The dismounts, free of the BTR-mounted machine gun threat,
continued forward to see what they could see.
Finally, around 2 hours into the game, A Co ran into a minefield. It was a
good three kilometers behind where the S-2 had predicted it would be, and in
fact was apparently behind the now-smashed enemy infantry strongpoints.
The infantry set to work inching their way through to determine the
obstacles depth and orientation. Given that it was supposed to be a deep,
straight line, I made some predictions about where C Co was likely to find
theirs. Let's see if the S-2 at least got that part right!
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Prep.jpg
A few minutes later, C Co did indeed find their obstacle right where expected.
In the absence of any enemy resistance, both companies had no difficulty
filtering through and developing a map of the minefield's extents. It appeared
to be a very uninventive straight line about 300 meters deep. A lot of Iraqis
must have broken their humps setting this in; too bad for them it wasn't
going to do them any good!
Reaching the other side of the obstacle, the dismounts continued their
advance. With no resistance, they were able to move forward and identify all
remaining anti-tank assets in the second line. Calling for fire, those BMPs and
9P148s were soon eliminated as well. However, two T-72 tanks had
stubbornly survived the artillery preparation. Rather than continue to expend
DPICM against them, I decided it was safe enough to sneak forward with the
FISTs and put laser spots on them. About 12 minutes later, Copperhead
rounds snuffed out these final hold-outs. As they died, A and C Cos rolled
forward to cut their breach lanes.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Breach.jpg
The covering fire had already been well suppressed and the obstacle secured
by the dismounts. I laid on smoke from the mortars and two batteries of 155s
to obscure the breach sites, and set to work reducing them with the plow
tanks. Having the luxury of time, I took the trouble to make three nice, wide,
well proofed lanes. The breach operation took about 30 minutes, and the
companies pass through without incident, recovering their dismounts as they passed through.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Pass.jpg
Some editorial notes about game-related breaching problems: I cut the lanes
exactly east to west, although it would have been shorter to cut them
perpendicular to the actual obstacle. I've found, in game terms, it is difficult
to reliably navigate your forces through a breach that is not exactly oriented
along one of the cardinal directions, since vehicles actually move diagonally in
a sort of "stair-step" fashion rather than continuously. The zig-zagging tends
to run them into the edges of a narrow lane, unless you are able to exactly
mimic just the right path segment with endpoints in the exact same place. I
also have found that breaching the lane usually doesn't "take" the first pass
through. I've found that you actually have to run the breacher back and
forth through the obstacle multiple times (A Company required five [Eek!]
passes, C a mere three) before the lane is reliably clear. A single pass will,
almost without fail, leave something behind for your non-breacher forces to
stub their toe against and pile up in the breach. This strikes me as a bug.
Keep running the breacher back and forth along the exact same path until it
passes clear through the lane without going into "breach mode". On a related
note, you have to watch those breachers like a hawk when they first enter
the lane. Keep your finger on the pause key. The instant the breach marker
appears, pause and adjust the breacher's path back to where you want it.
Almost every time, when the breacher first hits the lane, it unilaterally
decides to alter its path to a different angle than it was originally assigned.
This also seems like a bug to me.
Once A and C companies had cleared the breach, they charged forward to
attack the remaining BTRs in the second line. With the full firepower of two
mech companies concentrated on them, they died quickly in a hail of cannon
fire.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-PassACo.jpg
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-PassCCo.jpg
The path to CASTLE now cleared, A and C Cos continued forward slowly to
throw off any remaining enemy artillery, while armor-heavy B Co surged
forward and passed through A Co's breach. The engineers trailed along behind
B Co as well, to be in position should any further obstacles be identified on
the approach to the city.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Advance.jpg
As A and C Co idled slowly forward, tanks leading, the artillery preparation of
CASTLE kicked off. The 155 crews finally started getting a workout, as I
directed fire on all vehicle positions in 4-volley platoon fire missions,
destroying one after another and shifting fire to the next target. I didn't
bother to identify targets this time; I still had plenty of arty ammo and saw
no need to economize at this point by charging forward to ID targets or
waiting for the dismounts to do their thing. As the tanks inched forward, a
Spandrel popped off but failed to penetrate. Fire was called in on the
backblast in an open sheaf and in a couple of minutes, not only the Spandrel
but also some SPG-9s were no longer an issue.
Sidestepping A Co to the south to push into the city from the east, B Co took
over the northern approach, aiming at a cluster of vehicles spotted to the
north of the city, while C Co hooked around to the south. When a couple
more T-72s were identified, the FISTs once again crept up and clobbered
them with Copperhead, while DPICM wrecked the BMPs and 9P148s. B Co
closed first on the outskirts , chopping up the vehicles north of the city with
a combination of arty and direct fire, and then closing in on an infantry
strongpoint in the city, A and C Cos followed suit. The noose was steadily
tightening.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Noose.jpg
The final assault on the enemy infantry was a classic exercise in massive
suppression with direct fire and artillery. The tanks led forward to identify and
suppress any light anti-tank elements like RPGs and SPG-9s, with the infantry
in their Bradleys close behind to mop up inside the city proper.
As the tanks pulled forward, a few RPGs and SPGs popped off with almost no
effect except to expose their position and bring down a hail of fire on their
heads. The tanks ground slowly forward with all guns blazing, shrugging off
the pathetic return fire. The Bradleys added their 25mm to the mix before
long, and resistance dwindled to almost nothing as the overmatched
defenders found themselves unable to do anything but hug the ground. Even
this wouldn't save them in the end, as the 155s fired volley after volley of
open sheaves to keep them well suppressed and gradually grind them down
to nothing.
http://www.netce.com/ATF/SC2/SC2-Mayhem.jpg
In the end, all resistance eliminated, the infantry dismounted and forged into
the city. This proved unnecessary, as there was no further resistance to be
found. Eventually, I deduced that the victory conditions weren't firing, as I
couldn't find anything else to kill in OBJ CASTLE. I briefly considered finishing
off the Giatsint battalion, but decided that would just be showboating, and
besides, I can't imagine those guns would have just waited around in view of
the collapsing Iraqi defense. So, I quit the game and found that I indeed
apparently had won, although for some reason the scenario denied me my
hard-earned attaboy from the brigade commander:
Mission Objectives:
1. Attrit the enemy to 66 enemy vehicles or teams.
2. Eliminate all enemy vehicles or teams in OBJ CASTLE and occupy it with at
least 10 friendly vehicles or teams.
3. Maintain at least 10 friendly maneuver vehicles or teams in tact.
Results:
1. The enemy has 16 vehicles or teams remaining.
2. No enemy vehicles or teams remain in the objective, OBJ CASTLE. The
objective is occupied by 57 friendly vehicles or teams.
3. Friendly forces have 144 maneuver vehicles or teams remaining.
--- Kevin