While the briefing indicates that I am authorized to blow only one of the bridges along the Womitz River to the east, there are no Penalty Victory Points at risk (as there are with utilizing certain WMD). Therefore in my opinion there is little value in leaving them both intact as traffic can be rerouted along the N47 and over the crossing point at Halle. I am here to win this standalone scenario, not to worry about fictitious next day logistics.
The scenario is a conversion from the original game Flashpoint Germany. In this incarnation I will be playing as the Warsaw Pact commander. Click here for my NATO AAR from the original game for this mission.
Game Options
Everything is unchecked except for FSCC control (which allows subordinate AI to utilize indirect fire support during turn resolution) and LOS checks (which allows the human player to evaluate the tactical feasibility of a specific hex).
Friendly Forces
21 Recce, 37 Tank, 71 APC, 58 Inf, 6 AT, 24 HQ, 18 AD, 18 SPArty, 12 Arty, 29 Utility
Enemy Forces
7 Recce, 9 Helo, 110 Tank, 54 APC, 39 Inf, 34 HQ, 38 SPArty, 23 Utility
Critical Units
The T-80U [m] Main Battle Tank features a 125mm 2A46 smoothbore cannon as well as the AT-11 Sniper guided anti-tank missile. I will have 37* of these units at 101 Victory Points each for a total of 3,737 points (only eight units are available at the start of the mission, the rest are later cycle reinforcements).
The BMP-2 [m]** Tracked APC features a 30mm 2A42 autocannon, the AT-5 Spandrell anti-tank guided missile, as well as the 7.62mm PKT machine gun. I will have 71* of these units at 17 Victory Points each for a total of 1,207 points (all units are available from the start of the scenario).
The 2S1 Gvozdika (Self Propelled Artillery) features the 122mm D-30 round and is capable of barraging with the three primary fire missions (Harassing, Suppression, and Neutralizing), as well as deploying a Smoke Screen (minelets are not available during this scenario).
I will have 18* of these units (formed into three separate companies) located on map at 6 Victory Points each for a total of 108 points (all units are later cycle reinforcements).
* Note that the images above are stock graphics so the vehicle count may be significantly off from this specific scenario).
** These vehicles also contain the following embarked units: 9 X Mechanized Rifle/2 X 30mm AGS GL/4 X Heavy MG/1 X AT-5 Spandrell/1 X HQ.
Pregame Setup Phase One
The Soviet deployment area is located in upper middle portion of the map. The bulk of the starting forces are located in the town of Westerbrück, with some reconnaissance elements across the Womitz River to the east in the town of Boffzen.
Objectives (Victory Points)
There are three Victory Point locations worth a total of 12,000 points. All three are stacked vertically and run along the end of the N47 roadway that terminates at the back of the town. While the southernmost objective is located at the intersection of a major unnamed autobahn, the other two are located deep within the urban center.
Strategy & Tactics
This is a standard defensive holding scenario and there are no objectives for the Warsaw Pact to go assault and achieve. They start in control of all the objectives and simply must prevent the NATO forces from gaining a sufficient amount of points (either by location or enemy kills) to win the mission.
While I do have some later turn armor reinforcements coming from the area of Kollerbach in the northeast, I will blow the two bridges over the Womitz River from the outset so as to make the process that much more difficult for the West Germans.
We fight and die here.
Pregame Setup Phase Two
The forces are arranged to cover the most likely avenues of approach. Two of the three reconnaissance units are placed along the Womitz River to blow bridges, while I have a line of tanks, mechanized infantry, and air defense units orientated facing southwest.
The weakest point is the N47 roadway running northwest into Westerbrück, which is presently being covered by a reconnaissance unit with Screen orders.
The other setup areas that pepper the map are completely abandoned.
Combat Action
Cycle 01 (31 minutes): Multiple West German tanks crossed over the Womitz River in the east at hex 3112, while the west side of my deployment was at first assaulted by attack helicopters, and then a company of tanks. Only one of the two Smoke Screen deployments that I had ordered was fired as the towed mortar unit took incoming counterbattery fire.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 5/0 (Fallen Out/Destroyed), NATO 1
Additional Orders: There are six orders available to me this cycle.
- 1/Arty/283 MRR (6 X 2S1 Gvozdika Self Propelled Artillery) to barrage with Suppression Fire at hexes 1410, 1311, and 1312.
- 1/1/283 MRR (10 X BMP-2[m]) to Move - Hasty to hex 1509 and Hold.
- Mtr/2/283 MRR (5 X 120mm Mortar) to barrage with Suppression Fire at hexes 2409 and 2510.
This will leave three orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 02 (30 minutes): This was a particularly bloody cycle for both sides as significant losses were incurred. My on map towed mortar unit lost a total of seven vehicles to an artillery attack, leaving them with a single 120mm gun. The West Germans did not fare any better as the armored thrust that came from the southwest was at first checked, and then destroyed by the entrenched tanks and mechanized infantry units holding a defensive line.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 29/8, NATO 12
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- 1/4/283 MRR (8 X T-80U [m]) to Move - Hasty to hex 1609 and Hold.
- HQ 1/283 MRR to Move - Hasty to hex 1605 and Screen.
- 1/Arty/283 MRR (6 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to Move - Hasty to hex 704 and go into On Call status. As the unit was already under a Move order (scooting based on doctrine) this change costs me two orders, however it will bring the artillery within range of an enemy HQ spotted in hex 1825.
- Recce/283 MRR (3 X BRM-1K) is changed from Screen to Hold orders at hex 1810.
This will leave two orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 03 (30 minutes): My on map HQ took a pounding from artillery, losing several vehicles while my indirect fire units were able to stall the assault coming from the east towards the two blown bridges. The attack helicopters have not yet reappeared, however several of my air defense units have also taken a beating from artillery fire so I anticipate an air assault soon.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 38/12, NATO 15
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- The two reconnaissance units at the blown crossing points are changed from Screen to Hold orders.
- 2/1/283 MRR (10 X BMP-2[m]) to Move - Hasty to hex 1408 and Hold.
This will leave four orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 04 (30 minutes): This was a terrible cycle for the Warsaw Pact forces as the 2/1/283 mechanized infantry company that was ordered to hex 1408 was heavily engaged by Leopard tanks upon arrival and lost a total of 10 vehicles (approximately half of its arrival strength).
Losses: Warsaw Pact 40/21, NATO 18
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- 1/18 ITB (7 X T-80U [m]) to Assault to hex 2406 and Hold. This location offers decent concealment (70% rating) and excellent line-of-sight to the West German tanks that have been sitting to the east of the Womitz River for several cycles.
- Mtr/1/283 MRR (6 X 120mm Mortar) to deploy a Smoke Screen at hexes 1907 and 1909. This will provide some concealment to the mechanized infantry and reconnaissance units holding at the blown crossing points.
- 3/1/283 MRR (10 X BMP-2[m]) to Move - Hasty to hex 1508 and Hold.
- The three air defense platoons that arrived as reinforcements are ordered to Move - Hasty and Hold at hexes 1407, 1709, and 1707.
This will leave one order not issued this cycle.
Cycle 05 (30 minutes): The original thrust that was coming from the east has been checked by artillery fire and armored reinforcements, so I am anticipating the enemy rerouting some forces to come from the southeast along the N47 roadway at some point.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 52/24, NATO 23
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- 1/Arty/283 MRR (6 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to barrage with Neutralizing Fire at hex 1825 (X 3) where the enemy HQ had been located.
This will leave six orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 06 (30 minutes): During the 30 minute cycle I received a total of 33 notifications of a suspected enemy HQ in hex 1825. With the game at beta 11.4 there is an option to suppress dialogs, however this one was apparently missed and will be rectified in the 11.5 patch. Kudos to the developer for implementing a solution to quash these messages so that the end user can further tailor the game settings to their individual tastes.
Oh yeah, both sides continued to shoot at each other.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 59/24, NATO 24
Additional Orders: There are nine orders available to me this cycle.
- A stack of armored reinforcements arrive in the northeast consisting of 13 frontline T-80U [m] and is ordered (as a stack) to Assault to hex 2406 and Hold.
- 1/Arty/283 MRR (6 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to Move - Hasty to hex 805 and go into On Call status.
- 1/2/283 MRR (4 X BMP-2 [m]) to change from Hold to Resupply. The unit has degraded to a Morale rating of 22%.
- 2/2/283 MRR (3 X BMP-2 [m]) to change from Hold to Resupply. The unit has degraded to a Morale rating of 21%.
- 3/2/283 MRR (11 X BMP-2 [m]) to Move - Hasty to hex 1710 and Hold. This is a 2,000 Victory Point objective that was being covered by an air defense unit that has since perished.
This will leave four orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 07 (31 minutes): With no reinforcements remaining for the Soviets, the battle has picked up significantly with the West Germans making a concentrated push from the southwest. Several Leopard tanks and Marder IFV’s have been destroyed in what appears to be an unsupported thrust as there was no preceding indirect fire or attack helicopter activity in that sector.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 70/31, NATO 35
Additional Orders: There are nine orders available to me this cycle.
- 3/Arty/283 MRR (6 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to barrage with Suppression Fire at hexes 2913 and 2914. This is a bridge crossing along the Womitz River where several West German armor units are presently spotted.
- 1/Arty/283 MRR (4 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to barrage with Neutralizing Fire at hexes 1409 and 1410. This unit was under a Move order and the change costs me two orders.
- 3/18 ITB (5 X T-80U [m]) to Assault to hex 2607 and Hold. This will give them excellent concealment at an 80% rating while bringing their line-of-sight into better range of activity running along the banks of the water obstacle to their south.
- Mtr/1/283 MRR (3 X 120mm Mortar) to barrage with Neutralizing Fire at hexes 1409, 1410, and 1510. This unit was under a Move order and the change costs me two orders.
This will leave three orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 08 (31 minutes): The NATO forces make another significant thrust from the southwest into my defensive line, with disastrous results. Although I lost a total of eight vehicles, the enemy suffered the loss of 31 vehicles.
The Soviet Command Cycle has further degraded to 37 minutes, while the West Germans have actually enjoyed an improvement of two minutes to a 14 minute estimated cycle.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 85/39, NATO 66
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- 1/2/283 MRR (4 X BMP-2 [m]) is pulled off of the bridge to Assault to hex 1609 and Hold.
- 2/2/283 MRR (3 X BMP-2 [m]) is pulled off of the bridge to Assault to hex 1710 and Hold.
- These reinforcements may help to shore up the line that is under serious pressure at the moment.
This will leave five orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 09 (37 minutes): The NATO units that had penetrated my line have all been eliminated. The battle feels as if it is settling into a stalemate of sorts as the West German attacks seem disorganized and unsupported.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 89/40, NATO 67
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle, and I opt to not issue any.
Cycle 10 (36 minutes): The five T-80U [m] tanks that I moved to hex 2607 to improve their LOS along the Womitz River have not achieved any kill claims, but have come under intense artillery barrages (four during this cycle). This has caused their Morale rating to plummet to 10% forcing them from Hold into Resupply status (they are at 98% Ammo).
Losses: Warsaw Pact 90/40, NATO 67
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- Mtr/1/283 MRR (3 X 120mm Mortar) to Move - Hasty to hex 1708 and go into On Call status (this costs me two orders as I inadvertently issued a Hold order initially that I could not change in the Waypoint Editor dialog).
This will leave five orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 11 (33 minutes): The tank company in hex 2607 that was previously suppressed into Resupply status has improved to 20% Morale and have switched back to Hold. Several units took indirect fire and as a result some additional air defense units were destroyed, thinning out my defensive line in the west.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 97/40, NATO 67
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- Three air defense units are ordered to Move - Hasty to hexes 1308, 1408, and 1810 to Hold in order to shore up my line.
- Recce/283 MRR (2 X BRM-1K) is ordered to change from Screen to Hold orders (I don’t need them bugging out by doctrine in the face of any enemy probe coming up the N47 roadway).
This will leave three orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 12 (35 minutes): The suppressed tank unit has reverted back into Resupply status in hex 2607. This is taking resources (communications and artillery fire) off of my units defending the various Victory Point objectives, so it is not totally without merit.
At the very end of the cycle a fresh West German armor counter has appeared in the southwest, so this could be the beginning of a final assault.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 99/41, NATO 67
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- 2/Arty/283 MRR (4 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to barrage with Suppression Fire at hexes 1312 and 1412.
This will leave six orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 13 (35 minutes): During the cycle a massive amount of NATO armor units appeared coming from the east with as many as six separate counters on my side of the Womitz River, however the entrenched armor units to the north decimated this assault with severe losses incurred by the West Germans.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 107/46, NATO 81
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- 2/Arty/283 MRR (4 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to barrage with Neutralizing Fire at hexes 1510 (X 3).
- 1/Arty/283 MRR (6 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to barrage with Neutralizing Fire at hexes 2512 and 2612.
This will leave five orders not issued this cycle.
Cycle 14 (32 minutes): This was by far the bloodiest cycle of the scenario with the Soviets taking 14 losses while the West Germans suffered a shocking loss of 43 vehicles, the vast majority coming from the thrust in the east that was soundly routed by my armor units that were pinned on that side by the blown bridges.
Losses: Warsaw Pact 119/48, NATO 124
Additional Orders: There are seven orders available to me this cycle.
- 3/Arty/283 MRR (6 X 2S1 Gvozdika) to barrage with Neutralizing Fire at hexes 1610 and 1511 (X 2).
This will leave five orders not issued this cycle.
During this cycle I received the pop-up suspected enemy HQ dialog a total of 45 times, at one point occurring 11 times in a row. As mentioned above, the developers are well aware of this issue and have a fix pending in patch 11.5.
Cycle 15 (42 minutes/29 minutes remaining): In the end a single platoon of Marder IFV’s was able to penetrate my defensive line and park themselves on the outskirts of the 4,000 Victory Point objective in hex 1607 throwing it into contested status.
Ебать мене.
This is almost as frustrating as the 277 pop-up notifications that I had to suffer through during the scenario. It is somewhat disconcerting that all notifications pointed to hex 1825 indicating that there is either some bug in the game or the enemy HQ never moved. That hex underwent heavy artillery barrages but there is not a single kill marker visible there.
After-action Reports
The Staff Summary Report tab indicates that the scenario ended with the Soviets achieving a 78% Tactical Success outcome with forces at 55% of starting (this is not my best outing by far, having just cleared a 91% Decisive Success the previous attempt before writing this AAR).
The final score was 16,896 to 4,775. This includes the West Germans picking up 2,000 location Victory Points for being able to contest the 4,000 VP hex right at the end.
The Reported Kills and Claims tab details the results of the battle in spreadsheet format. The Warsaw Pact ended with 122 Active, 122 Fallen Out, and 50 Destroyed units. NATO ended with 174 Active, 54 Fallen Out, and 86 Destroyed units for a total loss of 175 units (this doesn’t add up for some reason when it usually does).
The standout unit was 2/4/283 MRR (T-80U [m]) which accounted for 34 kill claims at the loss of three tanks fallen out, and two destroyed.
The Staff Summary Report tab for the West Germans indicates their Tactical Loss outcome at a 22% rating with forces at 50% of starting.
Review Final Situation
Full size image available here.
NATO outnumbered the Warsaw Pact in this scenario 314 to 294. There was a significant combat force left in the southwest (three separate Panzer companies) that should have been used by the AI commander to crush my deteriorating line. I am not sure if these were later turn reinforcements that could not be utilized in time (if so poor scenario design for the AI), or if the AI commander simply mismanaged their resources.
The three flights of attack helicopters were idling in the south with nothing to do, and were not employed past the first (and only) assault at the beginning of the scenario.
Had I those forces at my disposal (and time to use it), I would have destroyed the Soviets.
This scenario was played on 5/15/16 on a Windows 10 machine and scheduled to be published on 5/16/16.
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