AAR: Moldavia shall be united principality

[SaS TrooP]

Thank to everyone who was so kind to merge my posts, looks better now and yet everyone knows new posts appeared.


Turn 11:
Sector central: fighting along Police HQ continues. Without casualties, I manage to take out or rout 3 enemy squads. The building itself is clear indeed, like a jewel... protected by spikes...
I slow down my tempo. I focus on taking out targets at a distance, at which I find my forces quite a successful.
South: my units in there declare barracks secured at last. Tanks engaging singular targets at the main square.
North: happily driving around... no it is not! A recon soldier of head elements is killed by enemies guarding the crossroad I was to capture and cut Moldavians off. It seems I need to take it by force. Sheer numbers make me not plot artillery on this threat.

During enemy turn, northern sector TABC is taken out with 5% chance (3rd such in this game) from RPG-7V. No survivors, of course. Anothe MLI-84 (empty) is finished by tank hunter teams. Infantry failed to provide overwatch...
Another TABC gets knocked out by SPG-9, what was quite a possible (16%). My air strikes are failed...
This does not look good. Romanian military fails extremely badly in urban areas.

Friendly losses: 5 men, MLI-84, 2x TABC
Enemy losses: 3 squads, some AT and AA teams


Turn 12:

Police HQ is declared clear now. Enemy is dug in in hospital, as expected. Tanks are answering fire, I knew I will force enemy to reveal their positions by putting tanks nearby. After Bizonuls are done, infantry moves in and takes out the straglers. In total 28 casualties are sustained by the enemy to 1 my soldier.
BG4 on the hill encounters tank hunters, but takes them out without any issues. I am bit worried though that hill is also seriously defended.
Seing progress at the hospital, sector south begins a push towards the centre. For now limited resistance is spotted.
But to my surprise, centre also seems to be left empty. Just a single MTLB with Fagot is spotted and taken out quickly by a tank. TABC is damaged by failed RPG round, no more casualties. Enemy reached about 20 take downs.
My expectations are city centre will fall next turn. But there are couple of communist flats nearby, I am woried these are defended heavily, as last time.
To the north, my recon platoon lays some suppresive fire at Moldovans covering the crossroads and waits for the main force to appear. But TABC with entire crew is lost in the process...

Enemy turn: no effects

Friendly losses: 1 man, TABC damaged, TABC lost, scout team
Enemy losses: ~50 enemies, ZPU-2


Turn 13:

As I expected, flat buildings area is covered by enemy. I loose one man, but MLI autocannons force them out. BUt after basic combat it seems there is... one more platoon, just in case.
With decisive thrust, taking no casualties, flats are secured by half of a tank company and same amount of mechs. In the same time, BG2 confirms city centre secured unless there is enemy activity inside the catherdal. Hospital will be in my hands very soon.
What is left: a factory, a crossroads and artillery crossing.
I send BG4 at the factory, since their fighting strenght is untouched yet. Looks like enemy deployed without noticable strongpoints, leaving no weak points around the city. Sadly, one more Bizonul is finished by SPG fire, possibly the same one that took my TABC out. Looks like SPG platoon is guarding the way to the factory. My infantry discovers one hat is just about to light my MLI. Smoke goes out. Its gonna be funny.
Luckily however, militia seems to be only combat unit that is left. Their weak fighting skills may be life saving for me in here.
TO the north: guess what! 3% chance hit removes my last TABC. Of course no survivors. In fact, Recon company is wiped out completely, what is huge blow for entire division.

Enemy turn: Bizonul is down to SPG fire...

Friendly losses: 2 Bizonul, 5 soldiers in various combat situations
Enemy losses: ~80 enemies at least


Turn 14:

Advance against a factory goes really bad. Militia with SPG help holds extremely well. Both sides suffer heavy casualties. Cathedral has ZPU on the roof that kills 2 more of my men. My entire artillery targets the factory and neoighbourhood area. Plan: similar to estate stronghold, pound and take during initial stun.
Northern sector clears the crossroads without casualties as soon as mechs come in to play. Enemy platoon wiped out.

Enemy turn: sporadic fire from factory area, third SPG is taken out.

Friendly losses: circa 15 troops
Enemy losses: circa 50 troops


Turn 15:

Steady preparations for factory assault are commenced. My task force slowly approaches, taking out another militia platoon on the way.
UAV would be helpful now, but well...
As soon as FM is over, I conduct a rush in...

Friendly losses: none
Enemy losses: militia platoon

[SaS TrooP]

Turn 16:

Artillery is done. My forces move in to capture and secure the factory.
Militia platoon is discovered from the southern route and dealt with accordingly. Additional rifle platoon seems to be covering the north. For now I have lost 1 man during disembarkment procedute, but all enemy teams are routed.
Moments later another man is down, but enemy pays entire platoon for it. My numbers are sheer advantage here and Moldavian remnants are unable to take up a proper fight.

My ATROMs begin to group up for advance. They must be quick, there is no time to loose!

Enemy turn is painful though. One of the mortars is still active and may threat the artillery. But one of my Bizonuls ends its turn right in front of undiscovered rifle squad...

Friendly losses: 2 men, 1 Bizonul
Enemy losses: circa 2 platoons


Turn 17:

Remaining rifle squad is neutralized within a minute. ATROMs carry on with advance under protection with no noticable complications.

Friendly losses: none
Enemy losses: Rifle squad


Turn 18:

Enemy mortart takes out 2 of my soldiers. I dispatch a squad to find it and kill it.
And I find it nearly immediately, as it is in nearby woods, like 200m away from the factory. My tank kills RPG-7 team that tried to sneak up upon me.

ATROMs carry on...

Friendly losses: 2 men
Enemy losses: 2x81mm mortars, RPG team


Turn 19 onwards till 24:

A single ATROM gets under fire from remainder non discovered by my troops and burns down. Remaining units carry on.
One of my tanks nearby find out the remainder and wipes it out.

There is a major engagement in turn 21, when ATROM security elements run into ambush of several RPG teams and a rifle squad. Reinforecements are rushed in to help. The outcome is: rifle squad down together with 3 RPG-7VR teams. 4 dead on my side, one ATROM slightly damaged. ATROM crews engaged the targets with own rifles this turn. Moments later additional rifle squad tried to run my back, but they are destroyed to a single man.
By the turn 24 all ATROMs are ready, one more border guards squad is destroyed in the meantime.

Friendly losses: ATROM, ATROM slightly damaged, 4 men
Enemy losses: 2 Border Guards squadS, 2 rifle squads, 3 RPG teams



TURN 24 - END OF BATTLE 1!

Romanian Casualties were as listed: 130 men hit, 10 APCs knowcked out, 8 heavy vehicles knocked out, 1 UAV shot down
Moldavian Casualties were as listed: 803 men hit, 12 static weapons destroyed, 6 armoured vehicles knocked out


Score: 7942:2868 what gives of course a marginal victory.

Here are the details:

Casualties sustained by unit:
Brigade Command - 0 losses
284th Tank Battalion - 7 vehicles total, 28 men total (yes, no crew survivors at all)
1st Company - 3 Bizonul tanks down, 77% of combat effectiveness maintained, UNDER expectations (90%)
2nd Company - 3 Bizonul tanks down, 77% of combat effectiveness maintained, UNDER expectations (90%)
3nd Company - 1 Bizonul tank down, 92% of combat effectiveness maintained, MET expectations

Overall combat capacity at 82%, UNDER expectations (90%)

Several tanks immobilized, will be back in service within 1 hour.
1st Coy - 1 tank, 2nd Coy - 2 tanks, 3rd Coy - 2 tanks (they shall enter late during the next battle)

280th Mechanized Battalion - 37 men down (19 KIA, 9 LWIA, 7 HWIA), 2 vehicles knocked out.
1st Company - 25 men, 1 MLI-84 lost, circa 80% of combat capacity left, UNDER expectations (90%)
2nd Company - 5 men, 1 MLI-84 lost, circa 92% of combat capacity left, MET expectations
3rd Company - 7 men, circa 92% of combat capacity left, MET expectations

Besides, 4 MLIs immobilized due to driving errors, they shall come in delayed.

Overall combat capacity at 88%, SLIGHTLY BELOW expectations (90%)

300th Mechanized Battalion - 4 men in total, 2 KIA, 1 LWIA, 1 HWIA. Combat efficiency of course maintained

Artillery Battalion: 1 ATROM lost (slightly damaged goes off list), with 8 men crew, all KIA
94% of capacity is UNDER expectations (100%)

Logistics Battalion: no losses, full efficiency


In total, my core force suffered: 77 men casualties (including 57 KIA!), 7 Bizonul tanks and 2 MLI-84 IFVs. This gives me 94,5% of fighting force, still capable of offensive combat operations.

Now, units that are NOT my core:
Recon Company from Recon Battalion "Vlad Tepes" - 35 casualties (18 KIA, 10 HWIA, 27 LWIA), 8 TABC-79 lost, 1 TABC-79 slightly damaged. This gives circa 20-23% of combat efficiency for this unit. That is a huge waste that divisional HQ shall blame on me... for a reason. Company will be taken away from me, what means I do not dispose a recon element anymore for the next mission.


MOLDAVIANS:
Moldavian defence consisted of:
1x Infantry Battalion (3 Companies with some support)
1x Reserve Infantry Company, acting as Border Guards
2x Militia Companies, acting as paramilitaries mobilized already

They have suffered 99% of their fighting strenght in the area (8 men are alive, HQ and FO) out of more than 800 defenders.
Additionally, 1x ZPU-2 and 2x DShKM were captured untouched and are available in my reserves.

Enemy losses are 250 KIA, 192 HWIA, 306 LWIA, 55 POW

CIVILIANS:
Due to heavy shelling and generally very bloody and dramatic fighting, civilian casualties are heavy, not without blame on Moldavians. We counted 1189 civilian losses, that include 86 dead, 956 seriously wounded needing instant hospitalization and 147 just scratched.
Circa 6% of the city buildings were destroyed, collateral damage is no greater than 4 milion USD.


Hospitals are completely overcrouded, pitty and poverty flood the damaged streets. Sadly, division does not dispose CIMIC battalion as does the 1st ID covering Serbian border. No actual support is granted except medical supplies. No doctors, no immediate follow up forces. More civilian casualties shall occur.

Political situation is really bad for now, government blames the incident on Moldavian defence based on heavily populated area. ICRC, UN and AI ask why more than 500 100mm shells were used in the city. Bodies are found everywhere, videos leak on YouTube, LiveLeak, Funker530 channel comdemns the invasion. Ukraine, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria does the same. Hungary and Poland does not comment by now. US expresses regret over Romania's actions and urge both sides to restrain, what means "go ahead but quickly".
Romania's 1 day of war is still going on. Roads must be secured, advance shall be provided...



OK, from technical side:
- Next mission gives me no reinforcements
- Recon Company is taken away
- New support will be dice rolled, possibly stay as it is, except the UAV

I dispose these reservers: when I go over them, no more reinforcements will be available:
200 men (excluding the crews), then I shall recruit conscript squads
13x TR-85M2 Bizonul (lucky dice roll)
10x TR-85 (slightly upgraded T-55)
5x TR-580 (in fact, locally produced T-54, slightly upgraded)
10x MLI-84M
5x MLI-84M- (without Spike ATGM)
15x MLI-84 (Romanian built BMP-1)
10x TAB-71 (Romanian BTR-60, as last resort)
6x M81 FGs (Romanian D-20, replacement for ATROM)
Infinite amount of trucks (too much to calculate really)

Captured equipment:
1x ZPU-2
2x DShKM


OK, some feedback would be welcome, some suggestions maybe as well. Next battle to come within 2 weeks, my deploying-guy must be back from Christmas and New Year.
In the evening of day 1, Romanian military shall carry on towards NE, though the national highway along Ukrainian border.