Turns 26-30
In these turns, I identify the main axis of advance of the Ukrainian mechanized force: Siret bridge to the south. The bridge is only defended by a depleted motorized company and what is left of a tank company (4 tanks), therefore my chances of holding the bridge are slim at best. They’re only expected to give their best shot and die defending their objective. My tanks and TDs at (1) fire at any tank that reveals its side armor, but their performance is poor and soon I have to retreat inside the town since the Ukrainian fire, direct and indirect has become quite effective, costing me one tank and one TD. The Ukrainian APCs move towards the bridge and suffer casualties from tank fire at (2) and (3), as well as RPF fire from isolated RPG teams round (4). Nevertheless, BTR-4s with their thermal imaging and powerful ATGMs manage to knock out one more TR-85 tank and wipe out all dismounts that were encircled by the mechanized column. Ukrainian air force is still over the battlefield, but I manage to shoot down one more Su-25 thanks to a MANPAD.
In addition to the tanks and APCs, I see that the bulk of the Ukrainian forces is composed of two infantry battalions riding soft-skinned trucks. 130mm artillery is swiftly called to hit the assembled troops at (5), while the other assembly at (6) is ruthlessly attacked by 35mm fire, as well as 152mm guns firing over open sights from (7). Some of my tanks also attack the trucks with HE fire. The result of this terrible amount of firepower is around 200 Ukranians dead or wounded and more than 20 trucks destroyed. The Ukrainian infantry is either disabled, fleeing or pinned and is definitely combat ineffective for the time being.
While my artillery is having a glorious feast over the poor trucks and infantry, inside the city the battle intensifies. Ukrainian paras and Spetsnaz are attacking the park at (8). While the heavy weapons and the BTRs there manage to hold them for the time being, one BTR is lost from a portable RPG shot. Sima’s House at (9) attacked again but holds; another Romanian platoon flanks from the east, but stumbles onto a para squad and a sniper and they halt, suffering some losses. They do manage to eliminate the sniper at least.
To the northeast, the platoon there secures the bridge and takes position in the building (10) next to it. They come under occasional weak counterattacks that have no chance of achieving anything.
Finally, at (11), the battle between Ukrainian paras and Romanian infantry is raging on. Romanians are advancing on foot, braving 30mm fire from Hinds to the south. The fight is centered around a statue just to the east of the main bridge. Ukrainians make numerous fierce counterattacks and the Romanians defeat every one of them. However, advance using directly the main road is impossible, since a sniper is causing heavy losses (his probable location is at the red circle at 12). Thus, I decide to flank from the south and I send one platoon to do that. The platoon encounters an engineer squad also on the move at (13). After a brief firefight, the damaged engineer squad retreats. The fact that there are engineers though (with the dreaded RPOs, perfect for urban fighting) makes things hairy for sure.
So the plan is to find where to put units to ambush the Ukrainian heavy force. I send some infantry at (14), planning to send them even more south. In addition, I will try to sneak one platoon of the force defending Siret bridge towards (15). They will probably be able to delay the Ukrainians for long enough until I figure out where to counter them…