AAR: Long Generated Campaign US v Communist

[Lt. Ketch]

Great AAR! It's taken me a while to work up to here, but it has been well worth it. I particularly love your mix of the objective with the dramatic. Well done!

[Hermit]

Ketch, thanks for the vote of confidence. Glad y'all are enjoying this. My long absence was caused by a shoulder injury which prevented me from typing (and doing much else) for a while. So I got way behind in real life as well.

The next battle was an assault against Chinese that went fairly smoothly and took 42 turns. Nothing exciting to report that I recall, except I was able to locate the enemy HQ and destroy it. A Sherman Flail support vehicle, a few support 1/2 tracks, and one of my M-47 Pattons were destroyed. Year rolled over to 1954, next battle is Advance on Chinese, but haven't really started it yet. I didn't upgrade any of my units, despite the fact that M-48 Pattons are now available, figuring it wasn't worth the experience loss. However, in hindsight I should have done a few and phased them in over time, since they have 10 visibility. This was brought home by the visibility range of "11" in the new battle. If it had been less, the M-48's could have come in handy.

I'll continue reports as time permits.

[Hermit]

The team has been sent to China, our first deployment against them since the cease fire in Korea was signed last year. There are reports that many American POW's from the war are still in the hands of the Chinese. We have been sent on a reconnaisance-in-force to determine whether a small town is a POW site, and to resuce any Americans we find.

The terrain is still barren in this late winter expedition, although there are only a few patches of snow in the area. The ground is hard, with none of the infamous mud that we've encountered on previous battles with the Chinese. The trees are almost bare of leaves, which will help with the reconnaisance mission. The terrain is mostly flat, with a few level 20 hills scattered here and there, with scattered groups of trees as well. There are two E-W roads in the southern operational area, which converge near our launch point, and another on the far northern part of the area.

We're scheduled to launch the operation just after dawn, as soon as visibility gets to about 500 meters, the maximum range of our small arms. Because of the nature of the mission, and the pull-back of regular combat troops, the only divisional support available is some on-call airstrikes and a handful of recon teams that have been tasked to locate the detention camp. Those six platoons of scouts will fan out ahead of our two battalions, hopefully finding the objective and marking any enemy positions for engagement by our main forces.

As usual, we will be splitting into the two battalion-sized forces to advance until the enemy is discovered. The southern group will travel on the hard-packed earth between the two roads, while the northern group threads its way cross-country between the small hills and woods clusters. Just as we started off, some of the enemy's regulary patrol planes must have spotted us, because artillery started falling around us, although thank heaven none of our units were hit. They have started using the BIG guns against us this time, probably because we're on their own soil. At least two batteries of 152mm were heard blasting the earth up in the distance. We were also caught by surprise when an IL-10 Beast (yes, that's what its called) dove out of the sky and started an attack run over our position. Fortunately, our Dusters had not yet packed up for moving, and they were able to throw up a hellacious barrage of shells that distracted the Chinese pilot's attention. All the AAMG's in our group opened up as well, and the "Beast" ended up a smoking hole in the ground after it was hit several times. I counted at least three times his plane shuddered from the impact of our AA fire, but it wasn't until he had already headed for home that we were finally able to bring him down.

[Hermit]

Our forces began rolling forward, being careful to avoid areas of artillery strikes in case a second barrage follows. After clearing the original launch points and travelling about 10 mins into the enemy territory, our troops stopped. We wanted to make sure any units spotted and who's position was called in by the Beast did not receive an unwelcome "hello" from the Chinese arty. Then divisional scouts were deployed to recon the ground in front of the advancing columns. Our own recon platoons were dropped in blind areas, near units spotted during the two transport helo's forward flight. One of them drew enemy fire as it lifted off, and was hit lightly in the fuselage. The pilot radio'd that he wasn't taking any chances and headed for the rear lines to get repairs. I hope the recon teams aren't discovered and overrun by enemy forces, because it will be difficult to extract them with only one helo. Two of the light attack helo's have been moved forward to provide fire support in a pinch, but that won't help if Chinese armor moves in. So far they have not reported any incoming fire, so we believe the covert infiltration was successful.

I don't know what's going on back there with our artillery crews, but so far they've been doing a pretty crappy job of counterbattery fire. The enemy artillery keeps hammering away, searching out our location. Fortunately they haven't been very lucky, but that's gonna change sooner or later. Our guys better get their act together soon.

About 20 mins after we launched, another "Beast" came zooming out of the sky, and made a pass about 1 km ahead of us. It began strafing and shooting it's AT rockets at the crest of a small hill, and all of a sudden there was a big explosion. The colonel did a quick radio check to get a sitrep on all our units, wondering who was so gung-ho that they'd charged out ahead of the main body. All units reported in OK, and none reported aerial attack. That's when we realized they'd just ice'd one of their own! When the smoke and debris cleared, we could see the silhouetted outline of a burning tank on the crest of the hill. Shouts and "wooo-hoo's" erupted from our lines until the officers told everyone to shut-up and keep their heads down.

[Hermit]

We are pleased to report that rumors of the Colonel's demise, apparently started by unsavory characters in the enemy propaganda dapartment, are grossly exaggerated. While a serious injury was inflicted on him in the last battle (pulled his arm out of socket while moving computer equipment), an extended medical R & R break has allowed a sufficient recovery for him to return to the action.

It is now April 1954, and we've come back to the scene of the crime, fighting the Chinese. They are advancing in large numbers against our forces, and we've been caught with little time to prepare a defense. The terrain in the expected encounter location is a heavily wooded area with two roads and about 6 medium sized hills, plus two large hills in the enemy operating area. The paved road runs E-W basically through the center of the map. A dirt road comes down from the NW and then turns and runs parallel to the main road about 1/2 clik north of it. Both cross height 20 hills near the center of the battlefield, and about 1 clik in front of two of the enemy's objective areas. Control of those two hills will probably be crucial to the battle, since there is reasonalbly-sized open areas to the southeast of each.

Contrary to their usual modus operandi, the Chinese have been moving in broad daylight, rather than at night. We've noticed that their prior operations in daytime are at dusk or dawn, when they need at least some light to move vehicles. These brazen daylight manuevers have probably been necessitated by the large number of tanks they've been using lately. So while the extended visibility (3 1/2 cliks) gives us lots of warning, its also a sure sign there will be MANY enemy tanks. We've emplaced our units to take advantage of our superior armor, but at the same time hidden it to stave off enemy artillery effectiveness until the last minute when battle has already closed.

[Imp]

While a serious injury was inflicted on him in the last battle (pulled his arm out of socket while moving computer equipment),

What really surely not, better to break it its a lot less painful.

[Hermit]

[to Imp: you're right. Technically it's small tears to the tendon and resulting tendonitis, not dislocated]

The enemy is approaching from the West. The two sections of M103 Heavy Tanks have each been placed astride the two roads on the reverse slope where they crest the hills near the middle of the battlefield. Our other main-force units have been deployed in the western edge of woods that border open areas, with armor and infantry intermixed. The one exception is a mostly bald hill to the NW of the northern objective area, which will be a likely approach for the enemy. Due to its exposure, only AT guns and infantry have been placed upon it, with the guns occupying several areas of broken ground for better defensive protection.

The tactical plan is a true delaying action. All units have been ordered to wait until they "see the whites of their eyes" before engaging. We hope that a few well-aimed shots will destroy enemy armor by ambush at close range, leaving them no time to react and return fire. The hope is that burning wreckage will block shots from following enemy units. Then, the units that have fired and revealed their position will withdraw back through the woods and reposition at the far side of the next break in the woods. Infantry will remain a few hundred meters back in the woods, hopefully far enough to avoid responding enemy arty, to ambush enemy armor that attempts to charge in pursuit. Then rinse and repeat as often as possible.

We were excited at the prospect of such clear visibility offering some ripe pickings for our air power, but our hopes were dashed when division announced NO air cover would be forthcoming, other than two old planes that would be available for recon flights. We did get 4 upgraded tanks - a few partially damaged M-47's being replaced by M-48A2's with the night vision equipment. Also sent over in support were 6 mechanized recon platoons and 6 sections of the new Jeep-mounted 106 mm recoilless rifles. The Colonel plans on sending them around the enemy flanks as scouts and to spot enemy artillery and AA guns on hilltops. Apparently he read some tactical guides on employing this type of rig while he was in recuperation. The scouts will, obviously, scout. The accompanying APC's will supress enemy troops, while the 106-armed jeeps will try to ambush any enemy armor encountered.

Time to get into position and await the enemy.