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The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Type of AAR:
A user-generated campaign of 20 battles, taking place in 1991 shortly after the First Gulf War, in an "alternate" universe where the victorious coalition is actually dismantling the Iraqi state, rather than just liberating Kuwait. Human player has Iraq, and the three selected opponents are United States, Great Britain, and Saudi Arabia. General Idea for this AAR: This AAR is loosely based on the theme of the "Last Legion". There is an empire/country (here, it happens to be Iraq around the First Gulf War) that is crumbling under the weight of a foreign invasion, but a group of poorly trained and demoralized soldiers has decided not to surrender. This is because they have heard a rumor (it's hard to call it intelligence) that somewhere, there still exists a Last Legion (here, perhaps a Last Republican Guard regiment) that is making a last stand against the invaders. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, the rag-tag group of soldiers decides to fight its way toward that last stand, picking up any stragglers along the way. The search for the Last Legion becomes at least as important as what happens when it is "found". In line with that theme, the Iraqi units in this campaign are, at first, intentionally of low quality. However, they do have an assortment of support weapons, perhaps picked up from their defeated comrades (these troops aren't trained to handle more sophisticated equipment, and the support weapons they picked up reflect that). Because they are outside of a normal chain of command (which no longer exists), their attitude is not to win at any cost, as they may have been ordered to do if the Iraqi regime was still around; rather, any victory in battle has to be carefully measured against expected losses. After all, their overriding objective is to find the Last Republican Guard Regiment and to actually be of use to them in any future battles. Since the Iraqi troops are assumed to be moving around and picking up stragglers, some limited core expansion can take place during the campaign, and replacements are also possible. However, because the battalion is on the move, any unit with a speed of 3 or less (mortars etc.) will need its own dedicated transport. Units: 1x HQ unit 3x Peoples Army company, each consisting of 4 platoons of 3 squads each. Low quality, low morale, two companies are armed with Mosin rifles and grenades only, the other one has AK-47s and grenades. These are the backbone of the battalion, technically no match for the coalition, but giving it a shot anyway 1x Weapons Platoon - 2x 12.7mm HMG, 3x 60mm mortar 1x 30mm AGS-17 grenade launcher platoon (3 sections) 1x RPG platoon (3 sections) 1x SPG9 Recoilless platoon (3 sections) 1x 12.7mm HMG platoon (3 sections) 1x Sniper (with 15 vision - this is the one "hero" unit in the bunch) 1x ZPU-4 AAMG platoon (3 guns) 6x Pickup Truck (with MG) - to carry the 3 mortars and the 3 AAMGs |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 01: Iraq vs. US Army, Meeting Engagement
Visibility: 2 Length: 22 turns The first encounter for the rag-tag Iraqi force is a night battle against the United States. Every expectation is that the Americans will have night vision for a fair number of its units - whereas the only Iraqi units with night vision are the HQ unit, and the sniper... The map and positioning of VPs is straightforward: there exist no elevation higher than 10. Three VP clusters are in a vertical line; the top one is on a mesa or plateau, but close to plateau's edge from my troops' point of view, the middle one is right in the middle of a plateau, but there is a small village right there, and the bottom one is on flat ground, but with a small ridge just to the West of it. These terrain features, as well as the low visibility, will prove crucially important. My troops set up in a line, with each Peoples Army company assigned one VP cluster, and each company is backed by exactly one of each type of support weapon - one HMG section, one RPG section, etc. This will of course result in many of these support units being out of contact with their platoon leaders, but these types of command and control problems are to be expected with this bunch. The HQ keeps the weapons platoon with its three mortars and three pickup trucks in reserve. https://i.imgur.com/G0CkDaw.jpg Because of the low visibility, there never was a moment where my troops would have a good overview of the enemy advance. It turned out that the Americans decided to attack only the middle and lower objectives; the middle objective was attacked by a platoon with 10 night vision. All of these factors proved decisive. My troops in the south achieved basically a "reverse slope" situation. They sat right behind the low, single-hex ridge, and as the U.S. troops crested the ridge, the Iraqi soldiers would be able to get a first shot against them at point-blank range. Because the U.S. troops had no vision advantage, they could not take positions further away on that ridge to provide supporting fire. https://i.imgur.com/zKsVQKR.jpg In the middle, the U.S. infantry squads had night vision - but because there were a few buildings to completely block all vision, they could not fully utilize the advantage. Nevertheless, there were situations where the Americans were able to shoot the Iraqi infantry with complete impunity, inflicting punishing losses on the green Iraqi troops. In turn, the Iraqis would rarely begin a turn with more than 1 U.S. unit visible. The village was briefly captured by the U.S. infantry. https://i.imgur.com/FjsZtcc.jpg What turned the tide? Certainly not the HQ or the three mortars, as due to the low skill, their fire was slow in coming and scattered, hitting both sides about equally. Instead, it was the support weapons, and in particular the HMGs and AGLs that, when Z-fired at the areas where invisible shooters were firing from, were able to pin and suppress the superior American troops. The numerical advantage of the Iraqi troops (cost-wise, a Peoples Army platoon is worth about one American vision-10 infantry section) could then be used to advantage, as the Iraqi troops, even when advancing blind, would not get shredded before they closed to 1-2 hexes. Realizing the difference these weapons were making, I moved the AAMGs and the two HMGs from the weapons platoon to provide further support - but then their pickup trucks got decimated by American ATGMs, with vision far superior to anyone else on the battlefield. Nevertheless, in the end, the superior numbers took their toll, and Iraq was able to capture all the VPs before the time limit ran out. End result: Iraqi Decisive Victory |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Well done.
I assume no heavy elements of the Americans were present? No air support either? |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Quote:
What's in a Name? The first battle is over. A number of green troops advanced to be regulars. The dead were buried with honors, and as the survivors regrouped and gathered what weapons and supplies they could, some stragglers came in to replace the lost ones and even grow the force slightly. With a victory behind them, the first signs of cohesion grew among the soldiers, and in honor of their commander, who achieved that first victory, the men began to call their ad hoc battalion Mustafa's Marauders. Mustafa's Mobile Maniples had been bandied about, but no one really knew what it meant, so the subject disappeared quickly. Lt. Col. Mustafa's experience in the first battle slightly improved his ability to command artillery. Since his HQ unit has 10-vision and size 0, the Lt. Col. is planning to take a more active role in future battles, as a forward arty spotter/scout. New Hope Brings New Comrades Perhaps attracted by the sound of battle and the news of a rare Iraqi victory, several Iraqi units who had not yet given up completely managed to make contact with the Marauders and agreed to join them on their quest to find the Last Republican Guard Regiment. These include a new sniper, Mulazim Saqqaf (as more of an elite unit, he found it easy to survive the initial defeat of the Iraqi regular troops; he hopes to develop a healthy rivalry with the other sniper, Mulazim Qattib), as well as some Special Forces scouts (with NO night vision!) and a section of 120mm mortars. These mortars are too heavy for a pickup truck to carry, so unless the Marauders can scrounge up some transportation, the mortars may have to be left behind. All the Burning Bridges that Have Fallen Before Me... Following a lead about the possible location of the Last Regiment, the Marauders approach a river that has subsided to the point where it is little more than a stream, although in places the stream spreads out to form mini-lakes. The river valley runs SW to NE, and is full of rough and difficult terrain. No convenient bridge exists, but before the force can even attempt a crossing, they are met by a squad of sappers. The sappers offer no good news - an unspecified force of Coalition soliders, possibly British, have been seen fortifying the opposite side of the river. While the British force's objective may be unclear, the Marauders' choice is anything but - they must cross the stream even if it means an assault against the prepared British position. Fortunately the sappers, all three platoons of them, agree to assist, and they even call up the help of two 130mm field gun batteries, which have yet to participate in the war. BATTLE 02: Iraq vs. Great Britain, Iraq Assault Visibility: 2 Turn Limit: 38 turns As before, VP location, the terrain, and visibility, are all crucial to this battle. Two VP clusters are located toward the northern side of the battlefield, so these will become my primary objective. There is hope, if not ambition, to captue the lower VP cluster, but capturing the top two and getting most of force across the river valley should be enough to count as a "win" in this battle. The crossing will take place in the far north of the battlefield. Since the valley runs SW to NE, in the northern part the valley is close to the Iraqi staging area, and far away from the expected British staging area. Therefore, in the northern part of the river valley, there should be no British troops dug-in among the rough terrain on the other side of the river valley. Everywhere else, the Marauders would run the risk of encountering NV-equipped British units, dug in on rough ground, and defending a river crossing. The elevation on either side of the valley is about 30 - meaning that Iraqi support weapons, positioned in rough terrain on the eastern side of the valley, will have good fields of fire on the western side; to silence them, the British troops will either have to bring overwhelming firepower or attempt to cross the river bed and stream themselves. With the above in mind, the entire infantry force is massed on the northern side of the map, and it will cross the river valley as quickly as possible. The HQ unit and the two snipers are the ONLY units with NV; all others, including the sappers and SF recon units, have visibility of 2. Therefore, the HQ unite and the snipers will cross the river as well, and will act as spotters and scouts. https://i.imgur.com/6T5SjX0.png |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
I never tried it, so I don't know how it works, but when you create a new game you have the option to set the points for each side. Perhaps giving more points to the enemy side would work.
Or, if that failed, perhaps not using all the points yourself.? |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
As expected, there was no British opposition to the crossing itself. The first British unit was encountered well back from the river, with a field of crops providing it some concealment and allowing it to fire on the Iraqi troops as they emerged from the river valley.
https://i.imgur.com/VGrumY5.png And what a British unit it was - its basic weapon was the SA80 Rifle. Here it is compared to the AK-47, the Mosin M.44 Rifle and, just for fun, the American M-16: Weapon ACC KILL RAN SA80---6---3:0---9:0 M.44---1---1:0---10:0 AK-47---1---3:0---8:0 M-16---1---3:0---8:0 Why is the SA80 so much more accurate than its Iraqi or American counterparts? I don't know. Combine it with the fact that this British infantry section has 2 MGs at its disposal, with ACC of 30 and KILL of 5:0 (extra accuracy is, presumably, just a way to model the fact that there are two MGs in one weapon slot), and the fact that it had a NV of 15 - and what you have is a Terminator unit, all at a cost of 29 points, compared to 13 points for a Peoples Army squad (at equivalent experience). Peoples Army, again, are armed only with an AK/Mosin and grenades, with no NV. Still, as this battle showed again, there is no fire like Z-fire. https://i.imgur.com/KOlVOFB.png The battle settled into a pattern - a Peoples Army squad would advance, hoping to draw fire, and then either a sniper or the HQ would attempt to spot the firing enemy unit. If they fail, the hex where the fire came from, if identified, would still be subjected to Z-fire from HMGs, 60mm mortars, and AGLs, as well as the MGs on the trucks. After a few rounds of suppressive fire, another infantry squad would advance, and either draw fire or close with the enemy unit. This was a costly strategy, but the damaged squads could always be withdrawn (except when they couldn't - a couple of enemy units entrenched in the river valley were able to fire on retreating Iraqi squads; the only three Iraqi squads that were eliminated completely died in this fashion). In the end, no more than a marginal victory was achieved. The final VP cluster remained out of reach. With only three units - the HQ and two snipers - able to match the British units for visibility, it was simply not feasible to push too hard for that third VP cluster. The British fielded a reinforced rifle company (so roughly 1/3 of the force I did), with no air support or armor. However, their infantry units were so effective that they could stop my infantry in their tracks. https://i.imgur.com/R1oq9Lf.png End Result: Iraqi marginal victory https://i.imgur.com/kHN9ers.png |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
AFTERMATH:
A few units are no longer green recruits, but no one is a veteran, yet. In fact, one of the Peoples Army squads that had to be completely replaced was also one of the high-experience units (by which I mean - about 60 morale and experience). The only units to join the Marauder core were a platoon of mountain infantry (a ranger unit, with some NV, and organic mortar support - like the scouts before them, a specialized unit that managed to survive the general collapse of the Iraqi army) and a prime mover for the two 120mm mortars. However, two platoons of engineers and the two batteries of 130mm field guns decided to remain in support of the Marauders as they moved on from the river valley and finally encountered their first road - but the convenience was short-lived. Just as the Marauders were entering a small village with some fields of crops next to it, Lt. Col. Mustafa received a warning from one of the villagers - a unit of soldiers, who did not look European, has occupied a cluster of small hills that dominate the road intersection on the other side of the village. The only way forward is through... BATTLE 03 Iraq vs. Saudi Arabia, Iraq Assault Visibility: 43 Length: 39 Finally, a fight with high visibility. I expect that every unit will get some shooting experience. It is an assault, and the two engineer platoons who had temporarily joined up with the Marauders will hopefully clear any obstacles. The two 130mm batteries, with their 10km range, are also in touch and ready to provide support. The map is essentially flat, with an East-West road in the northern portion; the road has an intersection with a NW-SE road just west of the village the Marauders passed through. To the west of the intersection are several hills which dominate the approach and, due to the high visibility, will also dominate the entire expected battlefield. However, it is in the flat lands where it gets interesting. High grass grows freely on the battlefield, providing some concealment (but not cover!), but there are some hexes with an elevation of 2, rather than 0. By placing support weapons on these elevated hexes, I achieve a good field of direct fire, unobstructed by the grass. These two images are taken for a single HMG section, positioned at height 0 vs. height 2. A couple of hexes apart, a bit of hex-hunting to find the correct height, but the difference is stark: https://i.imgur.com/ttmz6zg.png https://i.imgur.com/oWUUZdi.png Since this is an assault, both the attacker and defender start dug-in. Due to the high visibility, a number of Iraqi support weapons will never need to move, and will still be able to direct-fire against the expected first line of Saudi defense. Unless the Saudis have excellent spotting ability, or decide to advance, they may spend the battle under fire from (to them) unreachable, perhaps even invisible, dug-in HMGs and mortars. In fact, this battle will be in a way the mirror image of the previous two - the Saudis may be able to see who is shooting at them, but won't have the range to engage them, as opposed to Iraqis having a 500m-range rifles, but not seeing anyone beyond 100m. The Iraqis set up in a line, but without attempting to cover the entire height of the map - the main axis of advance will still be along either side of the road, with an additional company further south. I make a mistake here - the hills in the north offer at least some break to the line-of-sight. The AK-47 company would probably do better there, able to close to 400m or less more easily. Instead, I deploy them as the southern-most company, facing the fewest natural obstacles and the longest fields of fire - a job for which the Mosin-armed companies would have been better suited. The ranger platoon will move along the road, behind the general advance, and hopefully provide a decisive punch if the enemy defensive line proves too stubborn. The sappers have AK-47s, grenades, flame throwers and satchel charges - in other words, at ranges beyond 50m, they are no better armed than a Peoples Army AK-47 squad. https://i.imgur.com/xBMvdV0.png The Peoples Army grunts advance to contact, and find it about where expected. Several Saudi platoons, supported by a few MGs, are dug in around the hills next to the road. https://i.imgur.com/5YenBxS.png The standard Saudi infantry looks like this: https://i.imgur.com/hNjW2H5.png Their FN-FAL rifles are actually less lethal than the AK-47, but more lethal than the Mosin, while sharing Mosin's range. Of course, each Saudi squad also has an MG, which is distinctly average in terms of lethality and accuracy. Nevertheless, the Peoples Army squads will engage at range, with support weapons used liberally to pin/retreat/rout the Saudis. For the first time, Peoples Army units will get to see the enemy they are fighting at the same time as the enemy sees them, and will get to shoot back when shot at. After several rounds of intense combat, some of my frontline troops are beginning to do something that rarely happened to infantry units in vanilla SP - they are beginning to run out of ammunition, starting with the grenade launchers. By choosing to fight a battle at the longer ranges of the weaponry (which means impunity for my heavier support weapons) I sacrifice accuracy and ammo consumption for fewer losses. I only have a single section of armored ammo carriers, but they will have to be enough. Grenade launchers will need it first, but AAMGs and even HMGs are not far behind. But, as none of the objective flags have been taken, I can't afford an excessive delay to resupply. The Peoples Army may have to advance without support, with only their trusted Mosins... I wish there was a good way to model bayonets... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
The battle against the entrenched Saudis raged on, and the initial mistake of deploying AK-47-armed People's Army units in wide-open terrain became more glaring as the fight progressed. Since the AK-47 company was also the southern-most company, the ended up advancing into the teeth of several Saudi platoons that could shoot them from 600m with impunity (AK-47 has only a 400m range) and, on top of that, there were no friendlies on their left flank. I ended up withdrawing them until the northern two companies, assisted by the mountain platoon, could punch through the Saudi defenses in front of them.
The only late-game surprise came from two MG sections positioned behind a small hill that protected them from head-on fire, but allowed them to harass my units from the flank as they advanced. It took a few turns to defeat them, but they could not turn the tide. https://i.imgur.com/PxnEaF1.png Overall, the first high-visibility battle was also the first battle where the Marauders inflicted more losses than they took. The Saudis brought just over 3 companies of infantry and nothing else to the battle. Lt. Col. Mustafa has grown quite nicely in the last few battles (I apparently wrote over the saves from the 1st battle, so I don't know what he looked like at the beginning of the campaign). Huge growth in Morale and Arty Command (which makes sense, as he calls in all the arty strikes). Now, the manual states that the Sniper class has a built-in accuracy bonus. I don't know if the HQ class has any built-in artillery bonus, but I won't be purchasing a FO for this campaign anyway. I should note that Lt. Col. Mustafa has never even stood next to a tank in his life, much less commanded one, so I can't explain the Armor Command increase. https://i.imgur.com/TF2xPcQ.png https://i.imgur.com/rIP4Qi5.png Sniper Kattib doubled his kills over the last two battles, and his experience and morale has also grown. He will not be the first Veteran among the Marauders (a 12.7mm HMG section took that accolade), but he's doing fine. Sniper Saqqaf has his work cut out for him if he wants to catch up. The HMG unit that acquired veteran status has only two kills - so kills really aren't that essential for good experience growth. I'm guessing the real consideration here is simply shooting the enemy a lot. https://i.imgur.com/GyNimDk.png https://i.imgur.com/pqkfp9q.png https://i.imgur.com/LkaxU9l.png Aside from that HMG section becoming Veteran, there are no seismic changes in terms of overall experience advancement for Mustafa's Marauders. Their next battle will be a "meeting engagement" with the British, where all the VP clusters are on the British side of a river. But that is another story.... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 04: Iraq vs. Great Britain
Type: Meeting Engagement Visibility: 51 (2,550m) Turn Limit: 22 turns MAP OVERVIEW: Yet another brook, yet again flowing from NE to SW, but this time there is a bridge, and a road! South of the bridge, the cliff on the British side goes from elevation 10-15 to elevation 90-95 in a single hex, with lots of impassable hexes. Given the high visibility, attempting to push over that cliff will be too risky. This is too bad, as two VP clusters are behind that hill. In the northern portion, the Marauders will be able to deploy west of the river, relatively close to the third VP cluster. That VP cluster is located right between two hills of elevation 100, so that position should allow the Iraqi force to dominate the battlefield. At least that's the plan - strong push in the north, with pretty much the entire force, followed by either a defense or a push south, with the two 100-elevation hills serving as a fire base for the support weaponry. https://i.imgur.com/qEY8oZE.png More Marauders! Given that the enemy forces in all three previous battles consisted of infantry only, and given that this is most likely due to the low point cost of the Iraqi force, I've decided to buy two sections of ammo carriers (2 vehicles each), a platoon of 100mm AT guns (mechanized, as all units with speed less than 3 need their own transport to keep up), and a platoon of T-55s. These additions swelled the point cost of the force, which will hopefully allow the AI to purchase some armor or artillery, but the units themselves are intended for limited use. The ammo carriers will never fire in anger if I can help it, unless perfectly safe. The AT guns provide a slightly better (still low-tech) answer to enemy armor, but are not particularly effective vs. infantry. The cost of each gun, including its dedicated transport, is 60 points, or about two Peoples Army platoons. Finally, the T-55s are not intended as front line troops, but rather as precious assets that the Marauders intend to preserve. The supply lines no longer exist, scrounging the battlefields yields mostly ammunition for the ubiquitous AK-47s and such, but not necessarily T-55 ammo, and no one has the time to fix a damaged tank. So, the T-55s, while costing full points, will essentially be kept out of combat. Support Units For the last time, the two batteries of 130mm M46 FG will make their appearance - again, their 10km+ range allows them to aid Lt. Col. Mustafa and his men without having to actually join the Marauders themselves. No other support is available. A Sporting Chance The map includes, yet again, a brook, and the opponent is, just as with the earlier brook, the British. Commanded by Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount of Alanbrooke, perhaps? I can try to wish away those 90-elevation hills on the side of the brook, but the realities of the battlefield err... brook... no argument... in any case, the hope is that the British finally bring some armor, artillery, or perhaps even aircraft to the battle. Their "Terminator" infantry units are dangerous enough by themselves, but in full daylight and not dug-in they will almost certainly provide a lesser challenge than before. The Marauders, of course, are gaining experience with every battle, while the AI troops remain the same... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Finally a Challenge
It looks as though the method worked - by expanding my core with relatively expensive units that I won't be heavily using, I gave the AI the opportunity to recruit some armor. The British have brought the Challenger I tank to the field. As subsequent events would show, it is only a section of two tanks, but they are enough. Virtually impervious to all my weapons, except for the AT gun (if it can ever get into position), or the RPG/recoilless (rear shot only), the Challengers are the kings of the battlefield. https://i.imgur.com/nZuDGS1.png Now, this challenger tank went all the way to the river - what was it looking for? I don't know. I tried to patiently position my AT units to take a rear shot, but the turn limit is only 22 - I have to push for a decision. The Iraqi troops captured the northernmost VP cluster, but the two southern ones, as expected, were captured by the British. The only way to get at them is to destroy the Challengers. https://i.imgur.com/Cs1vc35.png Interestingly enough, the Challenger did not take pot-shots at my jeeps or trucks, even the trucks that were carrying AT-guns. However, it must have seen them, as British mortars drew first blood and destroyed one of my AAMG jeeps, and retreated another off the map. https://i.imgur.com/eTC6830.png It proved impossible to directly take on the British armor. The Challenger that went furthest east was eventually close-assaulted by a mountain platoon, but it held off my advance long enough to protect the VPs behind it. The Charge of the Light (Infantry) Brigade The British did have plenty of infantry, armed with those ridiculous rifles and 2x MGs per squad, so they would have made mincemeat of my infantry... https://i.imgur.com/zsPyoEt.png ... if it weren't for a judicious artillery barrage. https://i.imgur.com/t9901hL.png Artillery really earned its place in this battle. The HMGs and grenade launchers were simply too slow to keep up with the Iraqi infantry, so at the point where the "meeting engagement" battle became a true meeting, the support weapons were far behind. Due to the 22-turn limit, there was no time to wait for them. Had it not been for artillery, Mosin rifles would have squared off against modern assault rifles and machine guns. Even so, the artillery barrage only stopped the British, but did not allow me to annihilate them or take their VP clusters. The battle ends a draw. https://i.imgur.com/UpZtb5g.png The AI got some artillery overload points, but that's really because it took no artillery for itself. The Iraqi artillery support was somewhat heavy, but I don't think it was excessive. In any case, the Iraqi guns have bid a farewell to Lt. Mustafa and the Marauders continue on alone... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
All Roads Lead to Rome
The British troops were not defeated in the previous battle, but nor could they stop Lt. Col. Mustafa from advancing along the road captured by the Marauders during the battle. Soon the Marauders came to the first Iraqi town encountered in the campaign so far. The locals welcomed the Iraqi troops with open arms, as news of their exploits have already spread to local Iraqi towns. As a result, a large number of young, untrained men offered to join the Marauders, and despite Mustafa's protestations, two more green People's Army companies were formed. The town's dilapidated weapons cache supplied only the most basic infantry weapons, but also three RPGs, which allowed an additional AT section to be created. Having lost contact with Engineers and the Artillery, Lt. Col. Mustafa acquiesced in this increase to his battalion. The respite, however, was short-lived as the Colonel received ominous news from the western outskirts of the town - a Saudi battalion supported by an unspecified number of fighting vehicles had just begun a door-to-door search of the town... Type: Meeting Engagement Visibility: 49 (2,450m) Turn Limit: 23 turns With a total of five Peoples Army companies, the Marauders once again decided to deploy in a line that covered the entire expected battlefield, without regard to experience of the units. The actual clash of forces would likely take place just east of the city - but that allowed the Saudis to take too many VPs in the city itself. The alternative was to try and push into the city and fight a pitched battle - always risky where the Marauders have only basic infantry weapons plus grenades, with no support weapons at squad level. Nevertheless, the Marauders' numbers would prove decisive - if you can advance everywhere, chances are the enemy won't be able to stop you everywhere... https://i.imgur.com/z4DeYKG.png The main Saudi push occurred in the northern ellipse. There are three VPs there closely spaced together on a grass-covered elevation. There were not many locations where I could place my support weapons to cover that mini-plateau. Troops in the forest to the east would at least have some protection, but any support weapons placed there would be in range of regular Saudi infantry. The southern ellipse was a fairly high ridge where I placed most of my support weapons. They had OK fields of fire, but could not effectively support the troops in the north. None of the above would have mattered if there were, say, 10 more turns on the clock, but as it was, I could not afford to let the Saudis advance as far as the northern plateau in order to defeat them with superior firepower while they were in open terrain. I had to push my rifle companies forward to try and take the city, stopping to fight the Saudis when encountered, retreating back into the protection of the support weapons when necessary, pushing ahead where there was no resistance. https://i.imgur.com/zN66vqt.png On Turn 10, the southern-most push encountered the Saudi advance of perhaps 1-2 platoons (as it later turned out, supported by some MMG sections, plus possibly an additional platoon and TOW vehicles) This is the Marauder C Company advancing, so it consists of battle-bloodied troops, but at ranges of 50-150m the lack of that squad MG was a killer. This company advanced perhaps a further 200m from Turn 10 until Turn 23, getting shredded at close range (one squad ended the battle with 1 soldier), but also getting opportunities to fire at 50m, where at least the grenades come into play. https://i.imgur.com/vaT6iom.png The TOW vehicles, unlike a section of V150F Commandos to the north, successfully resisted any close assaults with rifles and hand grenades. I didn't have time to push up RPGs (due to their low number of soldiers per section, I thought these would be too vulnerable in a city advance), so it ended in a stalemate. You can see the one RPG section that perhaps could have killed a TOW vehicle if I had 1-3 more turns. The squads coming in from the north of the picture were actually part of a separate push that could not help much until the very end of the battle. https://i.imgur.com/eyKY7T3.png In the upper-middle portion of the map the plateau was the key terrain feature. It had three objective flags and two Saudi AMX tanks moved to capture these. I had nothing to stop them with directly, but they eventually succumbed to the AT guns. Perhaps because of the grass, or the shape of the elevation, covering the approaches to the VPs with support weapons proved difficult. The infantry based in the forest at least had some cover, but entering the open terrain for a stand-up firefight with Saudi infantry proved too costly. https://i.imgur.com/me6ME66.png The above picture illustrates the difficulty. My scouts had already recaptured the VPs, so at least I could play defense here, but advance was proving difficult. The top-most Iraqi unit is a sniper hidden in a stone house. However, he's at elevation 11, and can't cover the VPs, or harass any of the Saudi troops that are approaching the VPs. The 12.7mm HMG section near the top-right corner (the highlighted hexes are the hexes visible to it) is one of the few units that actually can cover the VPs - but I had to place it in open terrain, within range of enemy infantry squads. A hit from an infantry squat can really tear up a HMG section, so this was a risk. Marauders are attempting to advance from the forest to get into the city and capture the VPs there, but that exposes them to fire from Saudi units that are either in buildings, or are hidden behind the plateau. Any advance across the plateau would even expose my troops to Saudi reverse-slope defense. I was able to hold on to the VPs but, again, not able to make much progress here. https://i.imgur.com/dq8qREj.png It is in the north where the Marauder A Company was able to advance without encountering much resistance. They close-assaulted the two V-150F Commandos which had no infantry support, and were able to get behind the Saudi line, take out a few mortar sections, and capture a number of VPs. https://i.imgur.com/rMx28OZ.png One enemy unit was in fact able to sneak through my line, and was advancing on a VP - but luckily Lt. Col. Mustafa, himself trying to get to a better spotting position to call in arty, was there and got his first kill. https://i.imgur.com/fTPPKU2.png In the end, a marginal victory was achieved. Of some note was the effectiveness of Saudi mortars - they brought four sections, and were able to inflict pretty good losses on my troops, including the complete destruction of an HMG section in one hit. Overall, the Saudi units were beaten, but not completely broken - nevertheless, the town was in Iraqi hands, and the Marauders could expect at least some rest and replacements... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
AFTERMATH:
With the Saudi unit in retreat, the Marauders replenished their losses and Lt. Col. Mustafa permitted the raw recruits who had seen combat to join the Marauders, forming two new companies with the supporting RPG platoon. Upon further search of the abandoned Iraqi regular army installations, and with the help of the townsfolk, the Marauders were able to bring four BTR-60PK back to working order. Not enough to carry the infantry, but at least the support weapons should not be falling so far behind any more. This advantage should prove important in the next battle... BATTLE 06: Type: Iraqi Assault vs. Great Britain Defend Visibility: 45 (2,250m) Turn Limit: 36 turns https://i.imgur.com/C6jtxwN.png ... because upon leaving town, the Marauders encountered yet another stream (this one even forks!), yet again defended by Her Majesty's finest. With visibility high, the two marked 100-height areas should provide some ability for either side to use longer-range support weapons. There are a few other, lower hills that still provide a good field of fire on the 100-high ridge that I expect the enemy to occupy. Due to the presence of five infantry companies, the Marauders will advance across the board, rather than trying to punch through a particular point in the line and then pivot to the objectives. The 36-turn time limit influences this as well. With certain approaches requiring as many as two streams to cross, there simply isn't time for maneuver. For the same reason, although the two roads are likely to be guarded, the Iraqi force simply cannot afford to not use them. Massing excessive infantry troops along the roads only invites artillery, so the advance along the roads will be staggered. Some use of mines by the British is expected, but without engineer units, mines will only be detected when stepped on. https://i.imgur.com/Nn153ar.png The southern advance was intended to put some support troops on the 100-high ridge and possibly provide a tertiary strike via a single rifle company. The two APCs that were intended to make this easier got bogged down and immobilized in the rough terrain around the first stream. I belatedly check their class - wheeled. Nevertheless, the advance must go on... https://i.imgur.com/WKq91D0.png By turn 9, the leading company in the northern advance has made it past the stream and is taking up position on the slope of a small hill that provides protection. Even though they will take a few turns to fully set up, I consider this to be time well spent. The stream itself is in a broad valley, and the approach appears to be fully concealed from the enemy; no British fire has attempted to disrupt the infantry columns advancing along the road. I therefore risk the use of APCs to make this process go a bit faster. https://i.imgur.com/oi8zt7v.png In the middle, the scouts encountered a minefield around the bridge, which slows down the stream-crossing. Infantry units came under fire from the first British infantry unit sighted so far. With their 2xMG and excellent accuracy, the Brits drew first blood (2 men killed) - but the Marauders soon brought to bear the fire of five rifle sections. Forty-eight Mosins gave as good as they got, literally, as the British unit also suffered 2 casualties. The difference? The Brits are in retreated status. I expect them to rally, though. https://i.imgur.com/sE2JdZ6.png With some help from mortars, the Mosin sections put paid to the one British infantry section, which became the first unit destroyed in this battle. It had friends, though. Two sections dug in together in one hex, and a further section covering their back. They bloody the first few squads that stumble into their field of fire, reducing one to just 5 men. Fortunately, several support weapons and APCs can target these units... https://i.imgur.com/7vSpFLA.png Even the southern approach, which I frankly expected to be undefended, results in a firefight as a British infantry unit opens up. However, support weapons are on-hand to suppress, and the AK-47-armed Marauders advance. The northern portion of this attack prong can also offer supporting fire to the central advance. So far, the northern-most prong has suffered 10 casualties to a mortar attack, but has not encountered any resistance... side note - positioning of the companies continues to be suboptimal on my part. The northern advance would have benefited from having the AK-47 company advance along the road, and the Mosin company be positioned more toward the center, where the 500m range of the Mosins would permit them to somewhat support the central advance. Fortunately, that distance can be covered in less than a turn - and hopefully that turn won't prove crucial... https://i.imgur.com/UfqSM6w.png The northern advance finally encountered some enemy defenses on the large hill behind which the VP cluster is located. The British units caused surprisingly few casualties, and themselves fell victim to surprisingly accurate support weapon fire. https://i.imgur.com/AKp45T8.png Northern defenses a few turns later. Perhaps they intended to defend the corridor between the two fields, where infantry advance would be quickest... in any case, support weapons plus overwhelming numbers do the trick. https://i.imgur.com/VSjLNMQ.png Three (at least) British Terminator squads begin their counter-attack and, at a range of 100m, beat up a few of my squads that were traveling full-speed along the road. The fire-exchange went fully in favor of the British. The area offers them cover, so this will be a close-range fight. I wish the game modeled bayonets... https://i.imgur.com/mKuw168.png The APC carrying support weapons to a good vantage point hit a mine and became only IMMOBILIZED, but both of the support weapons riding inside it were DESTROYED... too bad, as these were some pretty experienced troops. https://i.imgur.com/QmYsa2C.png The British counterattack is in full swing. Counting the troops near the road, it looks like about three platoons are attempting to secure/take back VPs. This is about the number of troops already encountered and destroyed - so roughly 1/2 of the enemy force was kept in reserve. Since my support weapons are mostly far behind, this is a straight-up infantry battle. Overwhelming numbers proved superior. Every British unit firing would get counter-fired by 2-3 or more Marauders. The fire was not getting many kills at distance, but it was enough to suppress the British units and allow the Iraqis to close. And so the battle ended, not with a bang, but with a whimper.... with the Britons unable to hold any objectives, and with all of their units destroyed, the Marauders were complete masters of the battlefield. A final check indicated that the total point cost for the British was 1002 points, including the HQ unit. My own post-battle, but fully-fixed battalion (with no core expansion) was at 2309 force value. So the British had less than 1/2 of my points, dispersed over a large map. This, plus good visibility and good fields of fire from several elevated positions made this battle easier. If the British had concentrated their forces more, and either contested the roads, or put in a reverse-slope defense behind that 100-height hill, they probably could have hurt me more. Still, the next encounter will be a different story... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
AFTERMATH:
A few units achieved veteran status, including a first Peoples Army squad. These units prove resilient, due to their 10-man complement, and due to the high number of squads, they always present a sufficient number of targets to the enemy to prevent any one squad being ganged up on. Only a few of these squads have been completely destroyed so far in the campaign. Beyond rest and refit, no new units join the Marauders, and the force remains at its 2,000+ point status. However, the Marauders' recent battlefield successes must have gotten someone's attention, because a local intelligence report indicates that a large U.S. Army force is on the way to the Marauders' location. With ample time to prepare a defense, Lt. Col. Mustafa chooses to withdraw back to the recently-liberated town, and await the U.S. assault there. Unfortunately, the supply depots provide no further aid to the Marauders - neither barbed wire nor mines are anywhere to be found. Nevertheless, there is some hope that in the narrow city streets, Iraqi RPG sections may even score some kills against enemy armor... BATTLE 07: Iraq vs. U.S. Army Visibility: 64 Turn Limit: 35 turns https://i.imgur.com/jzjk4oF.png The VPs are in two clusters, roughly on the SE outskirts of the town (their total value is roughly equivalent to the entire Marauders' force point value). The VP location means that the enemy will have to advance either through the entire town, or try to bypass it from the south, to get near the VPs. It is possible to deploy troops in advanced positions, and essentially have a gigantic bloodbath in the town itself, but that will inevitably mean high losses as Mosin + hand grenades will not hold up to Assault Rifle + MG + hand grenades. Wishing to preserve the force and avoid unnecessary losses, even at the price of not winning the battle, Lt. Col. Mustafa opts to put the majority of his force in positions that allow for easy retreat. No particular subunit will be expected to either stop a determined enemy advance, or to die trying. Rather, observation and careful application of especially the primitive anti-tank weapons will be crucial... https://i.imgur.com/USJdLwC.png Here is the Veteran Mosin squad. These are the types of units that should not be thrown away into an urban meat-grinder. Their best engagement distance is 500m, where a Mosin will find range, but many (most?) ARs will not. 10 rifles vs. 1-2 MG is a fairer fight than a 100m fight. https://i.imgur.com/RLAwqUw.png By Turn 5, Enemy APCs have captured some central VPs, which was expected. An Abrams is prowling the city streets, but I don't have any RPGs there to take it on. The infantry continues to hide, as it can't do a thing about enemy advance. Due to the location of the VPs in a dip in the ground, it actually is not easy to cover the VPs with fire. https://i.imgur.com/HSFmT5N.png This AT gun is able to cover some of the VPs, but it is also very close to them - within range of return fire. There was no position further north or east where that AT gun could still cover the VPs, but be at a much greater distance from them to make spotting and return fire more difficult. A price will be paid for this. https://i.imgur.com/DUolw6v.png In the south, the enemy advanced along the road and then dismounted troops from APCs. Again, without the ability to use AT guns from a distance, this was expected. Turn 13 https://i.imgur.com/otEh369.png While they pay a price, the U.S. troops capture all VPs in the center. With an Abrams tank standing watch, and additional infantry advancing from the West, the Americans look to hold the VPs. An Iraqi counter-attack aims to cut off the reinforcements. By this time, the AT guns have been knocked out - they were too close to the action, were quickly spotted, and then destroyed with direct hits from the Abrams main guns. https://i.imgur.com/GreG5bz.png A similar situation occurs in the South. The advance U.S. troops are bloodied, but do manage to capture the VPs and place an Abrams to defend it. My infantry continues to hide in cover and will seek only to prevent reinforcements from reaching the VPs. The AT gun is knocked out, so either RPGs or recoilless guns will have to take out the Abrams. Turn 21 https://i.imgur.com/SAzhiIQ.png This is the center position by Turn 21. Enemy infantry continues to pour east along the same road as they have for the previous 10-12 turns. There seems to be an endless supply of that infantry, but if there is anything the Marauders have, it's numbers. What permitted the recapture of VPs was the destruction of the Abrams - it took an RPG to the back from a Mountain squad. The Mountain squads have been shredded by the Abrams tanks, but did account for 2 of them. https://i.imgur.com/UtLEwyv.png The southern attack is quite similar... continuous advance by American infantry squads, with my troops attempting to engage them at range and prevent them from reinforcing the VPs. The southern Abrams is still going strong, and I won't try to flank it yet as it would require my AT units to leave their positions and risk getting shot up by enemy infantry. https://i.imgur.com/g58zjAD.png By turn 25, some of the troops that managed to secure the central VPs finally make their way down to reinforce the southern defense. The American advance has run out of steam, but their infantry remains a problem in terms of flanking the Abrams. Eventually, I use the tactic of drawing the Abrams' fire with infantry units, and then shooting it from the side with a T-55. After about 3 hits, that final Abrams goes down and the Marauders secure all VPs with some time to spare. https://i.imgur.com/c72TNTy.png In the end, a major victory was achieved, but the losses for Marauders were still painful. All three AT guns, plus two precious scout units with great experience were totally eliminated... the loss of comrades hurts, but new volunteers will fill the ranks, and the Marauders' adventure continues on... Lessons on hand (not saying "learned" because that remains to be seen...) 1. AT guns are extremely vulnerable to tank main-gun fire. All three were knocked out by single shots, with all crew becoming casualties. They did help destroy a few M113A2s, but overall they are much too vulnerable to use, except as "snipers" that carefully balance each shot taken. 2. The only hope that a Peoples Army infantry squad has in a city setting is to be stacked with 1-3 additional Peoples Army squads in the same hex, and let the enemy come to them, preferably to grenade range. Cheesy tactic, but with some US units having assault rifles, plus 2xMGs, plus a grenade launcher, plus a LAW (which I believe were used against my units - perhaps in stone buildings?), any sort of firefight at range was just too disadvantageous. Here's a picture of a US Rifle Squad: https://i.imgur.com/9F5fEX4.png Interestingly, the 2xMGs still only have ACC 21. Here's how they compare to the British Terminators (and the only squad MGs that Marauder Mountaineer (rangers) have): Weapon----------ACC---KILL M249 SAW (2)----21----9 5.56mm LSW (2)--30----5 7.62mm RPK SAW--19----5 Per wiki, the M249 and the LSW both use 5.56x45mm NATO and have comparable muzzle velocities. The British weapon may also use a LDS (lightweight day sight), which possibly grants it higher accuracy - but why the difference in lethality? And if indeed the (2) signifies that the squad has two of these weapons, then why does the Iraqi SAW have the same lethality as the two British LSWs? In any case, any squad equipped with these weapons is a nightmare to go up against if all you have is rifles. 3. There was no point in having scouts positioned in the town to warn of approaching enemy. In theory, the scouts should have been able to blend right back into the buildings and remain undetected, but in practice they simply let the enemy M113A2s waltz right past (scouts have no AT weapons), and ended up surrounded and eventually killed. Waste of veterans and, to add insult to injury, my scouts' entrenchment was used to great effect by enemy units. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
I think you'll find ATGMs far more useful then ATGs in defense scenarios as they "dig in" as infantry, and foxholes tend to be harder to hit then weapon emplacements.
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Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
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Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Bazooka/RPG/LAW.
Remember teams are 2-man, size 0, thus harder to hit then squads which are size 1. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Quote:
Now, you could arm your scouts with infantry ATs so if an enemy vehicle is within 1 hex, they'd have a good chance of scoring a kill. <br> |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
If you want low tech anti tank but better than nothing few options.
Buy a platoon from red or a “terrorist” OOB selecting captured I think it is they will use your sides experience morale. Should be able to select a unit with rifle of same stats and some sort of makeshift AT weapon, bomb, Molotov or whatever. Only trouble is they will not carry over. Other option edit your OOB to add one of the above weapons to your forces so do carry over to other battles. You could then upgrade say one unit per platoon to have the AT weapon. Could use same idea to give the odd unit an extra weapon if you wanted like a shotgun that they have picked up on their travels. Or one of the enemies LMG give it 30 ammo rather than the full amount if you like. Just some thoughts if you want a few “specialists” and a bit of diversity. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
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Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Glad it helped my thought was you are basically a guerilla force so would end up with a bit of weapon diversity.
Probably do anyway but with your RR units turn the range down to say 3 like scouts. Will defend themselves but no potshots. If have purchased game and long range RPGs might want to set armour engage range to 4 for those squads to preserve ammo and improve to hit. Game is not bad but stationary firer might open up before you want them to. Good luck. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
AFTERMATH:
The town was liberated of all American presence. Grateful residents supplied enough recruits to replenish Marauder losses. Not wishing to further endanger the town by remaining in it, the battalion continued West, utilizing the roads leading out of the town. Although beaten, the Americans were not gone - their remaining troops chose to fight a delaying action. Having fought enough battles against varied opposition, the Marauders found themselves in possession of quite an arsenal of Western weaponry; however, Lt. Col. Mustafa has not yet decided on how best to equip his troops with unfamiliar weapons, so this battle will still be fought with the faithful Mosins and AK-47s... BATTLE 08: Iraq ADVANCE vs. U.S. Army DELAY Visibility: 55 Turn Limit: 31 turns TERRAIN: https://i.imgur.com/QA1ESsA.png Hilly terrain with some woods, orchards and fields, and good visibility. The 100+ hills are all on the American side of the map, overlooking the valley where the scattered VPs are located. The big question will be how well defended are the hills that form the eastern side of the valley, marked with the straight line. No VPs there, and the hills should provide enough of a LOS break to permit approach, even if there are observers on the 100+ height hills... Due to the spread of the VPs, the Marauders will spread out and probe for weaknesses. I don't want to use the roads too much, but the fields slow down ground troops so much that I will strive to avoid them whenever possible. Turn 01 Already first blood is drawn. A Dragon team takes out my BTR, but is itself destroyed by a HMG. Other than that, Marauders advance without opposition. https://i.imgur.com/xskEOZH.png Turn 04 The northern advance encounters a MMG section with two MMGs. It is well positioned to cover the road, but is itself vulnerable to the Scout section that has a sniper rifle. The Americans cause the first casualties, but eventually that sniper rifle disposes of them. https://i.imgur.com/Jf7GNP8.png Turn 08 The center advance along the SE-NW road encounters a full enemy platoon. A proper infantry-only firefight ensues, as the mortar fire called in blind by Lt. Col. Mustafa succeeds only in barely suppressing the enemy infantry. Armed with an MG and a GL per section, the U.S. Army troops inflict casualties, but I expect that the weight of two full companies will overwhelm this force. https://i.imgur.com/bkblBbQ.png Turn 09 Indeed, the central advance routed the platoon in front of it, due to a combination of overwhelming numbers and fortuitous mortar bombardment. On the same turn, however, the northernmost company ran into its own opposition, with another 2xMMG section and what is most likely a full platoon hidden in an orchard. There is still at least one Dragoon team at large, which means that basically none of my vehicles have moved since the loss of the BTR on Turn 1. Just to the south of this skirmish, however, another Marauder company is advancing along the road without further opposition, and should begin to capture VPs in the next few turns. https://i.imgur.com/Sv4f2rW.png Turn 10 https://i.imgur.com/iQ165PT.png Some of the northern American troops were within range of the small "fire base" set up around the HQ unit on a 80-elevation hill. With the range of 2,500m, the AAMGs are particularly useful. Turn 15 https://i.imgur.com/0VkqEIj.png Even with fire support, the northern advance is slow going. The Americans have at least two platoons of infantry hidden in the orchard, plus Dragons and at least one MMG section. A Company is being ground to bits slowly but surely and cannot sustain their frontal advance without losing units. Most squads have 2-4 casualties already. Z-fire from support units is providing some help, but there are simply too many American units to suppress. At least one people's army company will need to be diverted to the northern orchard. In the south comparatively little happens, with the southernmost company encountering their first resistance, but the extent of that resistance is not yet known. https://i.imgur.com/RPDGAGx.png And what a difference a turn makes... Americans had close to a company of infantry hidden in the northern orchard, and that company is now breaking out to try and re-capture some of the VPs. My troops are fairly spread out, trying to reach the scattered VPs, so the next few turns will require consolidation and careful action to preserve the troops. The enemy advance is protected from indirect fire by the slope of the hill, so this will be close infantry combat. The good news is that the southernmost American troops are also on the move, so the company advancing in that area will be hitting moving troops, and not hidden stationary ones. ... There were no further tactical surprises. The battle of the orchard claimed two full squads from E Company and bloodied about a dozen more, but the Americans were thoroughly defeated, and all VPs were in Iraqi hands. Venerable A Company, although about half its squads were withdrawn due to suffering 4+ casualties, actually provided the decisive push. Enemy troops on the slope of the hill were softened up with Z-fire and then taken at close range by experienced troops that could withstand a point-blank volley and actually shoot back. The Iraqi units that found themselves on the western side of the orchard would have been in a good position to surround the Americans - but they were too inexperienced to withstand the firefight. Additionally, their retreat direction is east - so the retreating units were moving straight into the American troops... in the end, it was fortuitous that only two squads were wiped out. A decisive victory, with only the enemy A0 unit surviving. A number of Marauders became veteran units, and now Col. Mustafa and his quartermaster need to come up with a sensible plan for dividing up the captured western weapons... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
<<<< NEW RULES >>>>>
I made some rudimentary modifications to the OOB (essentially imported some Western and generic "primitive" weapons, per suggestions, and created new squads that use them). From now on,the Marauder units will receive promotions based on experience, or demotions based on losses. The new rules are: 0. The first rule is that the rule for excessive casualties (resulting in a demotion) is checked before the rule for promotion. The same unit cannot be demoted and then promoted after the same battle. 1. A unit with 60 experience is eligible for promotion to a different type of militia unit - gives access to PPSh-1 submachine guns, molotovs, shotguns, and firebombs - primitive or older weapons. 2. A unit with 70 experience is eligible for promotion to a second-line infantry type unit, which may be equipped with Western weapons, to model the fact that Marauders now have access to a considerable amount of western equipment. Ammo for these weapons is reduced, per the suggestions above. 3. A unit with 80 experience is eligible for promotion to a first-line infantry unit, which again may have Western weapons. It may also be an Iraqi engineer squad, for example. Sufficient Marauders have perished to mines, and sufficient Western engineers have been defeated, such that one or two engineer squads could be fielded. 4. Should any unit reach 90 experience, it can become elite. At this point, it can be promoted to an elite-type Iraqi unit, or a modified unit (with Western Terminator-tier weapons). The Mountain platoon is "grandfathered" into this rule (meaning no demotions of Mountaineers if less than 90 experience), but if any Mountaineer unit is excessively damaged/eliminated, it has to be demoted/start over as a People's Army squad. 5. Any non-heavy-weapon Marauder unit that is lost in battle must start over as a basic People's Army squad, learning the ropes with nothing more than a Mosin or AK-47 and a few grenades. This includes scouts and the Mountain platoon. Snipers start over as mere sharpshooters, and will progress within their own hierarchy, already provided in the basic OOB. 6. Any non-heavy-weapon Marauder unit that loses 50%+ of its complement is reduced in rank by one, to reflect the fact that the Marauders replenish their forces from the available manpower - perhaps there are some Iraqi military stragglers around, but most of the time the only recruits available are completely raw young men. Therefore, a first-line infantry unit cannot simply be "repaired" - it must be replaced with a second-line infantry unit, to reflect an overall loss of experience. Replacing units carries its own in-game decrease of experience, further punishing excessive losses. 6. Heavy weapon units (grenade launchers, HMGs, mortars etc.) can be replaced as normal - loss of experience is a sufficient punishment. Additionally, I will add some "dead" points to the force. For Battle 09, I've added a company of Republican Guard tanks as support units. After this battle, I will add a permanent force of "dead" points to the core. These units will not participate in the fighting, but will boost the total force points of the Marauders, which in turn should give extra points to AI. I don't want to simply set AI points at some arbitrary figure in the Preferences, because my understanding is that the AI will then get that amount of points for EVERY battle, regardless of its posture. I do want AI strength to vary depending on mission type, and this is my workaround (suggestions welcome). |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 09
Iraq vs. Saudi Arabia, Iraq Assault Visibility: 14 Length: 37 Special Battle There are two VP clusters, one in the North, one roughly in Center. A Southern approach along two roads is possible, and could potentially be used to flank the VP positions. A visibility of 14 means that infantry will be able to engage freely, but any units with 20+ vision will be able to act with impunity... the battlefield is dominated by two 50-height hills on the Saudi side, including one in the center that contains 2/3 of the VPs. On the Iraqi side, there is a 40-height hill that should form a good base for Marauder support weapons. An entire company of Republican Guard tanks appears on the Iraqi side, not to fight, but to boost AI points. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ After defeating the Americans, Col. Mustafa decided to immediately move his troops along the roads he had just cleared, without stopping for reinforcements, or to re-equip the Marauders with captured weapons. This proved a momentous decision, because without the benefit of rest and resupply, the Marauders found themselves face to face with fortified Saudi positions, with a frontal assault the only way forward. Col. Mustafa decided to split his infantry into three columns, each roughly equal to a reinforced company strength. This accounted for the fact that about two companies had suffered serious casualties in the previous battle that could not be replenished. Indeed, several Marauder squads never moved from their trenches in this battle, their numbers too low to provide any help. https://i.imgur.com/WVMr6fP.png https://i.imgur.com/o8Xjdrp.png Col. Mustafa adopted the same method as he had used in previous battles - a wide front of three axes of advancement, with emphasis on probing enemy positions and taking advantage of the numerical superiority of the Marauder squads. This strategy had worked before, but now the Marauders could only field roughly three companies, without dedicated engineers, that would have to advance on a prepared position sure to be protected with minefields... https://i.imgur.com/e92PhYo.png https://i.imgur.com/qTnG0xI.png ... precious veteran scout units took the job of moving in advance of the infantry columns. This proved a mistake, as a scout squad advancing up the southern road was stupidly lost to mines, without learning anything useful of the enemy. In the north, the sniper Mulazim Saqqaf perished because of a mine, again unnecessarily and without any gain. Still, both the northern and the southern advance made contact with the enemy, and the battle was joined... https://i.imgur.com/bJmVuNS.png ... the southern advance consisted mostly of troops equipped with AK-47s, although with 20/20 hindsight it should have been Mosins. The Marauder troops found themselves under accurate fire from numerous entrenched Saudi troops, firing their MGs at 600m, compared to the 400m range of the AK-47. The only available cover were two villages - the one along the southernmost road was too far away to allow trading fire, and the one accessible via the paved was defended. Additionally, the few Marauder vehicles providing support were quickly knocked out by as-yet-unseen missile units. Col. Mustafa decides to completely abandon the southern advance, in favor of a concentrated assault on the center. The northern advance encountered no such difficulties. With only a few Sauid squads opening fire in piecemeal fashion, the Mosin-armed Peoples Army troops are able to advance at a steady clip. https://i.imgur.com/TRk22fz.png https://i.imgur.com/29XDM99.png The souther attack is now completely abandoned. The cluster of buildings Marauders hoped to reach looks to be defended. Only a HMG and a sniper remain to keep the Saudis honest. In the center-north area, the Marauders are slowly advancing up the central hill, having identified two tracked TOW vehicles responsible for stopping the southern advance. https://i.imgur.com/QHDZfXg.png The Marauders painstakingly set up for the assault on the center hill, using available cover as they are harassed by Saudi mortars. The elite Mountain platoon knows that it will have to knock out the TOW vehicles, and the ATGs are also moving into position to engage. Because the visibility is only 700 meters, the ATGs, with sights of up to 1,000m, can set up in relative safety from Saudi infantry - but the TOW vehicles, which can see up to 2,000m, must be suppressed to allow the trucks towing the ATGs to get in position. https://i.imgur.com/Ldi4Bdi.png The slow, methodical attack through the center made considerable progress. Mortars were used to provide smoke cover against Saudi MMGs - it turned out there were no fewer than 6 MMG sections defending this one slope. Z-fire through the smoke proved crucial to suppress those weapons. The Mountain platoon and the ATGs each took out a TOW vehicle - a TOW missile being useless against either infantry or a gun. Marauders possessed the sheer numbers in this sector, so even though the MMGs, the TOW MGs, and the Saudi mortars each took their pound of flesh, there always were enough unsuppressed Marauder squads to press the advance. In retrospect, this was actually perfectly logical - the AI was always likely to mine the flank approaches, and defend the center with actual firepower. Lacking engineers, the Marauders' best course of action was a mass assault down the center. https://i.imgur.com/3qC8xpa.png Perhaps sensing that a breakthrough was imminent, a Saudi platoon launched a counterattack in the central village, abandoning its dug-in positions. This proved a mistake. Saudi troops were engaged at close range, and made to run by experienced, if depleted, Marauder squads. https://i.imgur.com/dF5OSOt.png The battle for the central hill/village/VPs is not over yet, as Saudi reinforcements arrive from the south, and AA artillery opens fire on the advancing Marauder infantry. Having now been in the thick of two battles without rest and refit, some Marauder squads must hang back or risk destruction. Indeed, most units are either in imminent danger of being wiped out by one bad volley, or are at half-strength. Nevertheless, with all three attack axes now focused on the village, the Marauder numbers put paid to this threat as well. With no further protection, the Saudi VPs are captured. https://i.imgur.com/UrRpU9b.png The end result of the battle was a Decisive Victory, but the interesting part was that roughly a company of Saudi infantry, set up to defend the southern approach, never left their foxholes, even when all the VPs were getting captured by the Iraqis. It is unclear to me why, although they would have had an impact in the center had they moved. As it happened, it was simply never necessary to defeat them. Of course, had the southern advance not been halted 1/5 of the way through the battle, these entrenched Saudi troops would have likely shredded my southern company, and possibly prevented a victory at all. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Having just won two significant victories, albeit with heavy casualties, Col. Mustafa halts his units for some rest, replenishment and refitting. Captured weapons and ammo are inventoried and distributed to the deserving troops. Fresh young recruits are inducted into the ranks. With the experience of almost ten battles, the Marauders are feeling confident and capable - yet the loss of every man hurts, because Iraq no longer has the military infrastructure to train soldiers, so each new man will have to learn by experience, or die trying...
... and there are plenty of opportunities for it, as the locals once again inform Col. Mustafa that an American force, including tanks, is powering down on the Marauder position. Without time to dig in, the best the Marauders can do is delay the enemy advance... BATTLE 10 Iraq vs. United States, Iraq Delay Visibility: 46 Length: 32 https://i.imgur.com/v2b8PCn.png The battle takes place in probably the best visibility conditions to-date, and it is also fought on very flat terrain, with only one east-west road in the northern part of the map. There are no rough patches, wadis, or any other elements that would slow an advance. Extensive grass provides some concealment, but in the area where battle is expected to be joined, there is nothing. The few hills on the Iraqi side do have a few "rough" spots, where AT guns will be placed. HMGs are placed somewhat behind the lines of infantry. With a 2,000m range, the HMGs and AAMGs should command the battlefield once American AFVs are knocked out. This is shaping up to be a bloodbath. https://i.imgur.com/r5INK9j.png A platoon of Abrams tanks approaches in the southern sector. In this terrain, with this visibility, the key will be to knock them out quickly. The tanks advance on my objectives, instead of hanging back, even though from a distance of even 1,000m they would be effectively impervious to my return fire. https://i.imgur.com/jsCCp0A.png Most of my troops have been given the order to cease fire (0m range). The southern ATG, however gets a rear shot on an Abrams, and takes it, successfully. https://i.imgur.com/a075mIs.png https://i.imgur.com/kNMAL81.png On the following turn the remaining tanks advance, and turn their flanks to the ATGs. Virtually without any return fire, each Abrams is knocked out by a side or rear shot from one of the ATGs. Colonel Mustafa, hidden in a forward position (where he can serve as FO), decides to take a shot at a retreating crew and earns his second kill. There are a couple of Vulcans approaching, but other than that, the American armor looks to be finished. https://i.imgur.com/etLTaR2.png Five more turns pass. The Americans clearly possess mortars and 105mm artillery, but these have not yet done any serious damage. American infantry has not appeared yet, either. One Vulcan is down. https://i.imgur.com/RKXvOZ6.png On turn 17 the American infantry finally arrives, and the bloodbath begins. They are attacking in the northern half of the map, where there are a couple of hills that block the view of my support weapons considerably. Placing these weapons on the hills themselves would expose them too much. My infantry moves only slowly, because any fast movement attracts fire from as-yet unidentified American MMGs. There are also minor pushes in the center and southern half of the map, but these should not result in a breakthrough, as they are smaller, and my support weapons can target them easily. https://i.imgur.com/xrdSifk.png The final elements of the American attack arrive by helicopter. They do not attempt to penetrate the lines, or otherwise provide a tactical surprise, but just their appearance is very cool. My HMGs and AAMGs take a few potshots but don't score a hit. The arriving force is roughly a reinforced platoon. https://i.imgur.com/BfB6h5i.png The following turns are simply a meatgrinder, where American forces are slowly whittled down, but any attempts to flank them are stymied by American MMGs. The northern attack had four MMGs concentrated right behind it, and more in the center. I do move some units in the north and south forward, but the MMGs can simply stop them with relative impunity. The American infantry captures some VPs, but it is clear they can only hold them for as long as the MMGs are providing cover fire. The U.S. 105mm artillery drops a few barrages that shred a number of my squads to below 50%. My infantry in the center moves only cautiously and tries to engage the Americans, because by now time is running short. Eventually, a simple smoke barrage blinds the US MMGs long enough for my infantry to close and defeat them. Without that support, the U.S. troops are defeated piecemeal, and all VPs recovered. Decisive Victory results. https://i.imgur.com/6ydrzCz.png AFTERMATH: a few units regained regular/veteran status, after losing some experience due to changing their equipment, but there are no outright promotions. There are perhaps half-a-dozen demotions, though. Overall, had the Abrams stayed back, they could have dominated the battlefield. The Air Assault was completely unexpected, even if ultimately it did not turn the tide... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
With the most recent attack repulsed, the Marauders quickly replenish losses, and set out on their way. Near dawn, with the darkness barely lifting and visibility still much reduced, the column approaches the outskirts of a new town. As the troops march down a dirt road between two low hills, first one horse rider, then several, then several more trot onto the road - and their leader approaches the Marauder column...
It turns out that a tribe of Bedouins has heard of the Marauders' exploits and wishes to travel with the force, to serve as scouts, messengers, and perhaps also the occasional support in combat. They possess several old British machine guns, some old British .303 rifles, as well as home-made explosives and grenades, but the chief weapon of the majority of these men remains the sabre... BATTLE 11 Iraq v. GB, Iraq Assault Visibility: 7 Turn: 39 https://i.imgur.com/61iJshF.png Having no desire for close combat in urban terrain, Col. Mustafa decides to advance only in one sector, in relatively more open terrain, and capture a low hill from which support fire can be provided in all directions. The infantry will push forward as a column, achieve a breakthrough in the center, and then spread out to capture the scattered VPs. The Bedouin cavalry remains as a mobile reserve. If used improperly, the men on horses present nothing more than huge targets for machine weapons; however, in a suitable situation, their mobility and close-quarters combat capability may yet prove useful... https://i.imgur.com/fyShjQ5.png The southern road eventually reaches an intersection with a North-South paved road that could be used to quickly shift units into promising sectors of advance. The intersection proves to be defended, and the Britons draw first blood. The advance company will continue to probe the cluster of buildings, to see if they can be captured without excessive loss of blood, but in the meantime the columns advancing behind it are diverted north. In the center the advance has not yet encountered resistance. https://i.imgur.com/s0cKICH.png The southern advance suffers a few more casualties to the British Terminator squad (15 vision, giving it twice the vision of my units, the SA-80 rifle with ACC 6 and 450m range, plus the 2xMG per section). My tactic will be to use cover as much as possible and bypass the dug-in Terminators whenever possible. https://i.imgur.com/Sp2Mdgc.png The advance has essentially stalled. British minefields extend all the way to the center of the battlefield, and the advance companies, being less experienced, have no sappers. A total of three veteran Marauder squads have picked up the sapper skills, and they are advancing to the front, but have not yet even begun to clear a path. And the battle is already about 1/3 over. In the center, a British infantry unit is in excellent position, essentially a reverse slope with flanks covered. I can bypass him, or I may have to brute-force him. https://i.imgur.com/5rPAKdx.png Without even waiting for the sappers, the Marauders begin to pour through as soon as the ground appears empty of mines (that is, as soon as troops stop dying to mines). The original plan was to advance in the southern sector, but now the entire force has had to switch to the north-central sector. Advance units are encountering fire, but do not stop to engage - smoke shells from the light mortars provide enough cover for the attack. Needless to say, any form of organization among platoons and companies has already broken down. I will have to rely on the experience of the troops, but on the other hand, do not wish to expose the veterans to too many losses... https://i.imgur.com/QsD3evC.png The few squads that managed to sneak through the minefield in the south eliminated an 81mm mortar section, and then exchanged fire with the Terminator unit in the reverse-slope position. Although they paid a hefty price, they did distract it long enough for the troops in the main advance to retreat it and finish it off. Center appears to be ours. The full strength of the five Marauder companies has probably never been concentrated to this degree before, but the plentiful housing offers good cover. The Marauder fist is within striking distance of the forward VPs now. And yet, of the expected 3-4 enemy companies, perhaps 6 squads have been identified so far... https://i.imgur.com/nlfsTv5.png As the Marauders capture the VP hexes, they come under fire from an entrenched British squad. I make a tactical error - instead of smoking/retreating, I move a squad east along the paved road to support. A second British squad opens up from close range, causes 2 casualties, my squad retreats east - that is, toward the Brits - gets OP fired again (2 more casualties), then again, then it retreats onto a British unit. It is slaughtered in the next turn. The Brits themselves begin to move to recapture the VPs, and close-range firefights ensue, with their Terminators doing tremendous damage. A BTR moves up in support and is taken out by a LAW. It is unclear whether this damage can even be repaired... https://i.imgur.com/P5IwPyx.png In the south, the Brits are moving up a barren hill to reclaim/protect some VPs. Some of my units are on that hill, without any cover, and the Brits open up, causing some initial damages. Rallying and retreating my units doesn't work, which puts these few units at risk of annihilation. Therefore, I decide instead to make a push on that hill, in hopes of giving the Brits too many targets to shoot at. Due to the open nature of the terrain, and visibility restricted to 350m, their units are able to target mine from 400-450m, whereas mine can only engage at 350m or less. Again, the Terminators have a 750m night vision - my units have none except for the Mountain platoon, which has 250m. Still, I have the numbers - but they have a couple of mortars. This will be a straight-up slaughter... ...there were no further tactical surprises. Brit units in the north and south continued to attack my positions and, due to the Vision advantage, were able to inflict some losses, including the complete destruction of several units (another BTR was destroyed by a LAW). I will replace the BTRs with a truck and a jeep - there are only so many times a BTR can be repaired. In the end, a decisive victory was achieved. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
The Marauders defeated the British force and were masters of the battlefield, but the locals insisted that at least a company of British infantry managed to get away, possibly to get reinforcements. Unwilling to risk the local population, Col. Mustafa instead ordered his troops to fortify themselves on the four high hills just to the west of the town. If the Marauders expected an immediate response from the coalition troops, they were disappointed, as nothing happened for the rest of they day. As twilight approached, however, the unmistakable rumble of powerful engines could be heard to the west. Heard, but not seen, as visibility dropped inexorably with each passing minute...
BATTLE 12 Iraq v. U.S. Army, Iraq Defense Visibility: 6 Turn: 36 https://i.imgur.com/Efha0OC.png The VP clusters are located on the western slopes of the four hills. The hilly terrain will of course slow any movement, meaning that reinforcement of troublesome sectors will be difficult. The extremely low visibility means that units with extra vision will rule the battlefield, and the 0-vision Marauder units will be unable to support one another with fire. I expect localized carnage - wherever the Americans choose to push, it will be without advance warning, and whoever stands in their way will simply have to do their best. The veteran troops are positioned behind the VPs - their job will be to re-take any captured VPs and to provide the hopefully decisive punch in any particular sector. The forward troops include the Bedouin tribe - with their horses, these troops can at least hope to detect the American approach, and then retreat if necessary. Of course, any units with superior vision will just be able to cut them down even as they retreat - so their mobility will be key. Ultimate success will depend on identifying the attack routes taken by American high-vision units (including armor), and then setting up side and rear shots to eliminate the expected armor. The hilly terrain will make long-range Z-fire more difficult to conduct. It remains to be seen whether these four non-descript hills will become the Marauders' Golgotha... https://i.imgur.com/LcbMCbw.png If the early smoke barrages are any indication, the attack will occur right down the middle of the VP clusters. Several Marauder companies are in the way, but the overall distribution of AT weapons is scarce. https://i.imgur.com/7PdP8Ra.png And yet, it is down the road that the initial American advance appears to be moving. One Marauder AT gun is beginning to engage the opposition - and since most of the American AFV have 0-vision, the AT gun is firing with relative impunity... this is a rare situation where the vision advantage has worked in the Iraqi favor. https://i.imgur.com/CGFqB4R.png Until it doesn't. Six Abrams tanks appear in the northern sector. The Bedouins are effectively trapped in their trenches, and the AT gun is receiving effective return fire. Since most of the infantry was concentrated further south, where two of the three VP clusters lie, the northern hill looks in danger of being completely overrun... https://i.imgur.com/G07Pkej.png There was simply no way to stop the Abrams tanks - of which there appear to be at least eight. The Bedouins are slaughtered, and the crew of one AT gun simply goes AWOL rather than face the monsters. When an Abrams tank approaches a neighboring hex, the entire crew abandons the AT gun; it does not save their lives - but it does reduce my most effective AT weapons by 1/3 with no shot fired. The Mountain platoon is slowly moving up in support - but can they stem the tide? It may be a case where the tanks have to be drawn in, and isolated from their infantry support... https://i.imgur.com/26bxIT6.png By turn 13, the Marauders have managed to knock out 1 Abrams - but the remaining juggernauts have the run of the battlefield. With their superior vision, they are able to shred any unit that opens fire, without taking any fire in return. RPG and Recoilless sections have been decimated. Ordinary infantry sections with AT weapons are seemingly never where they would need to be to take a pot shot at one of the lumbering giants. Slowly, slowly, Marauder squads try to position themselves for ambushes, but without success so far. All VPs are in American hands presently. About the only thing that is going well is that U.S. infantry assault through the wooded sector in the southern part of the map is being repelled. https://i.imgur.com/GYrw99P.png Without a doubt, this is the greatest slaughter the Marauders have experienced. Several veteran units are eliminated - since they were the only ones with AT weapons, they were also the only ones taking shots and getting spotted. Remaining Marauders sit tight with their small arms and grenades. Those with Molotovs or fire bombs attempt to at least make a difference against the remaining American armored vehicles, but with limited success. The Abrams are essentially invisible - they appear like ghosts or fire unseen, dealing death at will. They operate in groups, which makes ambushes difficult - but when one Abrams left the company of its fellows, it was successfully ambushed by an engineer unit... two down, at least eight more to go. https://i.imgur.com/v3d7Q1R.png The Abrams tanks are drawn toward a VP cluster to recover it, and finally an ambush goes off. The final AT gun immobilizes one and takes out another, only to be itself destroyed by a third Abrams. If only the first two AT guns had put paid to 4-5 Abrams, the Marauders would be in much better shape now. As it is, the cat-and-mouse game will continue... https://i.imgur.com/GZuhggv.png A Marauder engineer was surrounded by Abrams tanks and biding its time for a possible assault; instead, it was spotted and attacked by the American tanks. The engineer absorbed some damage, then fired at an Abrams, frontally, and... destroyed TWO tanks with one shot of the flamethrower. The warhead size of 45 probably helped. https://i.imgur.com/XltX9m5.png Slowly, slowly, the Abrams ranks are thinned, but at appalling cost. The battle draws near its end, and the best I can hope for is to avoid unnecessary losses and perhaps take out the remaining tanks. Enemy infantry advancing across the northern hills has caught up, and is now supporting the tanks - which means that my non-AT units finally have targets to shoot at, but it also means that my AT units are easier to spot for the Americans. Still, with each turn, with each Marauder drop of blood, the enemy is being reduced... https://i.imgur.com/gevPPZ3.png As the northern sector has been quiet, I use the remaining Bedouins to charge forward to engage enemy mortars. Even then a Stinger unit, of all possibilities, opens up and pins one of the Bedouin bands. Therefore, only two Bedouin bands are actually fit enough to charge the four identified 81mm mortar units, each of which has 3 81mm M29 mortars. These weapons have been responsible for considerable carnage on my side, and have thwarted several attempts to close assault an Abrams simply by pinning/routing my squads. The Bedouins will hopefully provide some payback. https://i.imgur.com/N7a56KZ.png Tactically, nothing further changed, except for that small Bedouin excursion in the north. Enemy tanks made their push to recapture the southern VPs and were eventually ground down to dust, with fire bombs proving effective in both destroying and routing the tanks. The last kill came from an Abrams which was routed by a fire bomb, escaped, returned to the battlefield, and then its crew bailed out and was eliminated by the Marauders. This is the reverse of the situation with my AT gun earlier in the battle. I suspect that the Abrams was still in a "routed" status, it attempted to withdraw east, but encountered a Marauder unit which caused its crew to automatically bail. The tank itself was then destroyed. Enemy infantry met a similar fate, although some of their units had Vision 10 - fortunately they were on the move to recapture the VPs. By staying in the woods, Marauders were able to take pot shots and retreat as necessary. Eventually, the infantry advance was whittled down. In the end, a decisive victory was achieved, but given the cost, it was not worth it. The battle looked bad from the start - low visibility, hilly terrain making the use of support weapons more difficult, and the fact that it was an assault defense - meaning that the Americans could afford that Abrams company - all combined to create a battle where heavy losses were always on the cards. About 1/2 of the Bedouins are down for the count (of course, their ranks will be replenished with tribesmen seeking revenge), and B company has ceased to exist as an experienced battle unit - it will be reconstituted with raw recruits, to be guided by the few veteran squads. But before any reinforcements, the Marauders must make ready for an American counter-attack. A special battle ensues... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 13
Iraq v. U.S. Army, Meeting Engagement Visibility: 42 Turn: 22 The inevitable had to be faced. With his troops unreplenished after their toughest fight so far, Col. Mustafa had to draw on his deepest reserves of morale, and use all of his tactical cunning to preserve his force, never mind achieve a victory. https://i.imgur.com/FIx5UBJ.png The battle is fought in good visibility, with precious little cover available to the Marauders. The two commanding 100m hills, and the wooded areas, are all on the American side. The VPs are scattered, so hopefully the Americans will divide up their forces in an attempt to capture them all... https://i.imgur.com/IuJ0QnD.png Perhaps due to the roughness of the terrain, nothing much happens for the first 40% of the battle - which is just fine by Col. Mustafa. However, finally, inevitably, an Abrams appears... https://i.imgur.com/le0uA1H.png Col. Mustafa attempted to use his 120mm mortars to destroy the wooden bridges, in hopes of stopping the juggernaut, but it will most likely not work... https://i.imgur.com/16B8Z9H.png It appears that the Americans brought only the Abrams tanks, albeit three of them, with some support units that probably won't make any difference. No shots have been fired so far... https://i.imgur.com/nrwyPn9.png One Abrams runs into the same hex as a Marauder's infantry unit and locates it on the next turn. The slaughter begins - the job now is to contain it to as few units as possible. https://i.imgur.com/E83aokm.png A fire bomb attack does its job - an Abrams is taken out. AFTERMATH: The Americans did have significant infantry forces following up after the Abrams tanks, but there simply wasn't enough time for them to get involved. Instead, the Marauders suffered their first Marginal Defeat of the campaign - but as no Marauder units were eliminated, this was all to the good. Finally able to rest and resupply, the Marauders were ready for whatever fortune may bring next... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
Fun fighting tanks with infantry isn't it ;)
|
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 14
Iraq v. U.S. Army, Iraqi Advance Visibility: 51 Turn: 29 After its grueling experiences in the previous battles, the Marauders decided to strike out across a road-less area, hoping to avoid any enemy concentrations. Col. Mustafa moved his men in a wide formation, with the infantry marching in columns and support units following behind - in the case of the old T-55s, well behind. With the sun shining and the sky clear, the Colonel hoped to reach a line of hills some three kilometers ahead and get a better view of the land ahead. Alas, as the Marauders were making their way through a patchwork of agricultural fields, the Bedouins came under machine gun fire - from the direction of those hills. With good visibility, no cover, and only some concealment offered by the extensive crop fields, the Marauders were caught in the open - and Col. Mustafa concluded that the best way out is through. With only 29 turns available, the battle will involve the Marauders marching into the teeth of the defenses, with their support weapons giving them a fighting chance... https://i.imgur.com/9Kz6q7v.png The crop fields are the only notable feature of the landscape. If Abrams tanks are present, then the high visibility will mean that they will rule the battlefield, with smoke useless against them. The advance will occur in columns, in spaces between the fields. https://i.imgur.com/zcKk6vq.png The Bedouin units, being on horseback and thus more visible, draw the first fire from enemy MGs... No casualties so far, but a follow-up artillery barrage is to be expected. The lack of concealment and cover works both ways - the American MGs are located in the open terrain, and eliminated by Iraqi HMGs. https://i.imgur.com/0kbeGWp.png Marauder attack continues apace. American rifle squads eventually open up as the Iraqi forces get into range, but they are again just as exposed, and almost as easily spotted, as the advancing Marauders. Long-range support weapons are enough to pin these units, and the infantry continues to inch toward the VPs. https://i.imgur.com/fTINaTQ.png It appears that the Americans chose to place their defenses within the crop fields - this means that the Marauder advance is not encountering them head-on. The fights are piecemeal, with sufficient support weapons being brought to bear to avoid major losses. https://i.imgur.com/JjUMBva.png https://i.imgur.com/qiHYlr3.png It looks like the major American resistance in advance of the VPs was concentrated in the central sector. The southernmost push, consisting of two PA companies and the Bedouins, overwhelmed its opponents with sheer mass, and was not significantly slowed. The lone company pushing directly through the center had to spread out and engage the Americans shooting at its left flank; its most advanced squads have also already received fire from the VP defenses on the hills. The northernmost two companies have not been fired at yet - they continue their advance at a steady clip, still in column formation. https://i.imgur.com/qv6kyxT.png Like any other respectable Iraqi irregular force, the Marauders do possess several MG-armed pickup trucks. These units can be useful as mobile support weapons, but they are extremely vulnerable to pretty much all kinds of fire. A Super Dragon launcher puts paid to one of these trucks, but is itself quickly spotted. https://i.imgur.com/3og1k61.png The US forces have additional troops near the VPs, but as before, these soldiers open fire in a piecemeal fashion, and are quickly suppressed and dispatched. The Bedouins to the south avoid the VPs for the moment, and instead will seize the high ground and determine if the Americans have any reserves - if past battles are any indication, the capture of VPs should trigger a counter attack. The tribesmen have acquitted themselves well, using their old Bren MGs en masse to suppress the few units that stood in their way, and even closing to saber range against a retreating squad. AFTERMATH: A Decisive Victory was achieved with, perhaps for the first time, every single opposing unit being eliminated. The increased visibility would have served the Americans well had they possessed units immune to small arms fire. Alas for them, they brought only infantry with some MGs and 60mm mortars for support. The American units were very easily spotted - for example, the Iraqi HQ unit was able to spot a MG section from over a kilometer away, after the latter had fired perhaps 2-3 times. And so, with their superior support weapons, the Marauders have punched through this defense. After two battles where the Abrams tanks took their toll, this relatively easy contest was a welcome respite... although Col. Mustafa knew that this luck would not hold. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 15
Iraq v. G.B. Army, Iraqi Defense Visibility: 62 Turn: 35 The Marauders had successfully disengaged from the American forces, but were now slowed by difficult terrain, with a rough-sloped river bed and a lengthy bridge over water too deep to ford. As Col. Mustafa pondered the best way to get his men and equipment across, he received an urgent message from scouts who had occupied a 100m hill on the other side of the river - what looked like a sizable unit was moving along the road toward the river. Perhaps inevitably, given the presence of a river and a bridge, the troops turned out to be British - but unlike the previous engagements, this time it would be the Marauders who would have the time to dig in and prepare for the coming assault... https://i.imgur.com/9Ze2Lag.png The battle will take place on an interesting map from the Iraqi perspective. There is an exposed 100m hill on the British side of the river, from which fire can be directed at the road. The bride is long, and wooden - a sapper unit ought to be able to destroy it, as could, theoretically, the 120mm mortar section. Should the Iraqis do that immediately? Count on being able to do it in the heat of battle? Should the exposed hill be manned by defenses, recon only, or no one? To give up the western bank is to give up the westernmost VPs, which are quite valuable. In the difficult terrain, it may be possible to stop the British and defeat them in detail, with a possible decisive victory in the end - but that means that the westernmost VPs have to be kept, or recaptured. Thirty-five turns is long enough for the British to do the same type of damage that the Americans did a few battles back - or it may turn out to not be enough for them to advance, given the terrain. Finally, both the northern and southern edges of the map offer avenues of advancing behind British lines. The northern one offers more rugged terrain for protection - but it is the southern one that is well-away from the road that the British are likely to use, and it is somewhat screened by the hills. We shall see what happens. https://i.imgur.com/cxuNNac.png With the battle taking place in excellent visibility, the British are quickly spotted. Marauders did choose to place some units on the big hill on the western side of the river, and the Bedouins are waiting in the valley just south of that hill. The Brits brought a helicopter, but it is an anti-tank variant. https://i.imgur.com/3KdWrVb.png https://i.imgur.com/sI9SphV.png The Scimitars forged ahead and were quickly dispatched by close assault, but now the Challengers are following up, both in the south and in the center. The helicopters were chased away with some AAMG fire - the few recorded hits were not enough to get past their front armor, though. https://i.imgur.com/xl5xGDK.png The Challengers advance straight toward the southern-most objective, and are successfully ambushed. British infantry has yet to appear. Marauders have suffered some losses - one AT gun and its truck are gone - but in general the defensive line is barely touched. https://i.imgur.com/OjHT3PN.png The infantry finally appears, and is able to target the forward slopes of the big hill in the south. This means that the remaining Challenger finally has some support. The few Iraqi squads in this area are effectively pinned down by the British grunts. Because of the rough terrain immediately behind the forward Marauder units, bringing up reinforcements is time consuming - but that same rough terrain protects those reinforcements from British artillery... https://i.imgur.com/EL11wz9.png ... while in the center, the British just merrily drive their Challengers right into a prepared ambush - these are definitely the easiest tank kills the Marauders have had so far. https://i.imgur.com/2MGZtbV.png The British continue their infantry advance, with the final Challenger immobilized... https://i.imgur.com/S0CUTLY.png Reinforcements are flowing toward the main battle area, but the British maintain their local advantage - their infantry squads are excellently equipped, as usual. https://i.imgur.com/zI2Euef.png In the center, a British infantry unit finally makes contact with the Marauders. Heretofore, only a few tanks wandered blindly into an ambush and were obliterated at close range. Due to the cover, the British again have local superiority, while any reinforcements will take a while to get involved. https://i.imgur.com/4sahwXs.png The British essentially did not use the bridge as an attack avenue. The few squads sent this way were chased away by Marauder HMGs. A Marauder engineer did try to take out the bridge, initially, but fortuitously failed (despite using up all of its satchel charges) - this means that now a small flanking maneuver can be attempted... https://i.imgur.com/3GK15iA.png ... which never really gets off the ground, as the battle ends - with no captured VPs and mounting losses, the British simply break off the engagement. In the end, this was a short, brutal, localized fight, with the painful loss of a few more veteran units. Rough terrain meant that not all Marauder sections could get their shots in, which affects unit development. B Company, for example, remains essentially a green unit. However, one should be careful with complaints, because the gods of war have a strange way of granting one's wishes... |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
The British commander apparently left his combined arms handbook at home. The destruction of the isolated tanks was painful to see.
|
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 16
Iraq v. U.S. Army, Iraqi Defense Visibility: 65 Turn: 35 Despite fighting off the British, the Marauders knew that the Coalition forces would soon be back - and with strength. Therefore, Col. Mustafa ordered a retreat - but alas his troops were simply not fast enough to outrun a pursuing American force. In broad daylight, and this time completely in the open, the Marauders were forced to do battle again, with barely any time to dig in... https://i.imgur.com/ZghqbQU.png The only notable features are a few hills in the center and northern part of the map, and the northern road. The VPs are so interspersed, that it is impossible to predict where the Americans may attack. With visibility at 65, the Marauders are keeping their heads down in their dug-in positions, hoping for flank and rear shots on enemy armor. The RPGs and recoilless rifles are positioned forward, hoping to be bypassed initially. Should the expected Abrams tanks be defeated, enemy infantry will likely not have an answer to Marauder heavy support weapons. https://i.imgur.com/5V7g96G.png And the north it is. Six Abrams, plus other assorted vehicles. https://i.imgur.com/xYRFTj4.png First blood is well and truly drawn. The sole northern ATG takes its toll on enemy vehicles, including an Abrams. Infantry immobilizes another one of the beasts. However, almost any unit that fires is spotted and subjected to devastating return fire. Two veteran RPG sections are done for, having destroyed only one M113 between them. https://i.imgur.com/Krxckk6.png The carnage continues. The northern ATG is out. Due to being positioned in the center, and just behind a hill whose slope runs SW to NE, the other two ATGs cannot see any American vehicles. An elite Marauder squad is out. Another Abrams is taken out by a fire bomb, while a repeated Molotov assault makes another Abrams retreat. Two are immobilized - meaning that there is now no way to lure them into an ambush ... but I put one of those Abrams under sustained small-arms fire, to button it as thoroughly as I can - and then a unit armed with nothing more than grenades manages to kill it in close assault. https://i.imgur.com/x8P7uZS.png The American infantry's advance appears to have been screened by that one hill in the north, while the grunts certainly benefited from traveling along the road - a pretty good idea, actually. They are now moving around that hill, and encountering the first Iraqi resistance. They are also actually within the LOS of Col. Mustafa himself, inviting a mortar barrage. No infantry appears either in the center or the southern sector, so the sizable Marauder forces positioned in those sectors begin to slowly make their way north - including the recoilless rifles, whose 1,200m range may yet come in handy... https://i.imgur.com/snaqhRS.png The only Marauder units on the central hill were three People's Army squads that are training up to become scouts. They are the only Iraqi troops that are completely exposed to all the American units that are advancing along the northern road - that is to say, all the American units. All other Marauders are either too far, or screened by a hill. Consequently, these three squads have borne the brunt of all artillery barrages, and have been targeted by American MMGs following up behind the infantry, as well as several vehicles. One of these unfortunate PA units is ground down to zero men without retreating - the others are basically in a constant state of retreat/rout. Reinforcements are finally arriving from points south but, in terrain this open, they are easily spotted. Getting in close enough to kill enemy vehicles will be the challenge. https://i.imgur.com/pvYxuim.png The battle is now essentially a meat grinder, with American infantry attempting to advance, supported by fire from their APCs, tanks, and MMGs. In the northern part, there are three operational Abrams tanks, but their behavior is bizzare - one is immobilized, and firing freely. One does not appear immobilized, but is not moving, yet firing freely. One was previously routed by a series of Molotov/fire bomb assaults, and retreated, but is now in "Ready" status, apparently undamaged, yet not moving or firing, and facing in the opposite direction. Marauder mortars manage to pin the US infantry assault, but the Iraqi infantry units are running out of ammunition, especially the western-armed troops. Reinforcements are marching up, but in this visibility, they have themselves suffered losses. American artillery barrages (105mm) have literally wiped out several squads in one shot. Marauder jeeps have been decimated by enemy Dragons. However, in all of this carnage, a recoilless rifle finally records a first kill - a Vulcan AA vehicle. This kill was achieved from some distance, by a unit that so far hasn't been used much in the campaign; a very satisfying kill. https://i.imgur.com/VMT3uer.png Bedouins attempt to bypass the battlefield and get at the enemy mortars, but a HMMV opens up on them from distance. A charge would be futile, so they will be withdrawn. AFTERMATH: Not much changed tactically for the reminder of the battle. The reinforcements from the central and southern sector, which included some very experienced troops, eventually ground down the enemy attack, and even took out two additional Abrams tanks. One of these was the strange tank that, while apparently undamaged and in "Ready" status, neither fired nor moved for most of the battle. A few smoke barrages broke LOS between the infantry squads and enticed the Americans to advance closer, which sped up the decision, as the infantry squads shredded one another from close range. Overall, the losses of experienced troops hurt, but there were a few promotions as well. The Marauders found a weapons cache with some old Strela AA missiles - just about enough to outfit three units of inexperienced men. RULE ADDENDUM: I have a few People's Army squads that earned enough experience to get a promotion, but that also lost 50%+ of their complement. I don't "demote" them by using the Change button to change them to the same type of unit (with loss of experience) - I simply replenish them, but don't promote them. If they manage to survive the next battle without 50%+ losses, they will be eligible for promotion. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 17
Iraq v. U.S. Army, Iraqi Delay Visibility: 2 Turn: 27 Having repulsed two assaults in succession, the Marauders were finally able to pull away from the Coalition forces. Col. Mustafa withdrew along the same East-West road that had seen so much carnage just a few hours prior. With night approaching, the Marauders settled in in the open fields near a small village. Pickets were posted, a few new Toyota trucks outfitted with machine guns to replace earlier losses, ammunition replenished. The night was moonless, with visibility limited to no more than a hundred yards. Col. Mustafa could not shake the feeling that something was off, so at midnight he ordered the crews of the three T-55s to get in their tanks and use their night vision equipment to scan the horizon... https://i.imgur.com/BhgeG0D.png The ATGs are positioned on the hills, with their trucks nearby, and the other vehicles are spread out throughout the formation. Infantry is sticking close to the objectives. The units equipped with enhanced vision are spaced a bit further back, where they can still survey the field, but without being the first line of defense. https://i.imgur.com/0K6jBjd.png It is the infantry pickets that spot the first enemy - it is again the Abrams tanks, advancing along the road. https://i.imgur.com/T3MMzZ4.png The Marauders make good use of the fortuitous layout of the village. The Abrams can either crush right through the buildings, or else move along the road, and expose themselves to assaults from infantry units that cannot be engaged by tanks that have not yet entered the village. Concentrated RPG fire from several units puts paid to one platoon of Abrams in short order. https://i.imgur.com/JjDvnVg.png The central Abrams advance grinds down a PA squad and then proceeds to wipe out two vehicles that were sitting in the open. Those vehicles have neither moved nor fired - they were simply spotted by the American tanks. https://i.imgur.com/7UjPson.png The battle has again settled into a pattern. The remaining Abrams basically do not move, but with each turn, they appear to spot several Marauder units (even the ones that that haven't moved or fired), and grind them to dust. An attack on the tanks still seems suicidal but, increasingly, so does staying put. A Company has already lost about 1/3 of its troops. I use support weapons in Z-fire mode to try and button the tanks, but these also get spotted - a very experienced ZPU-4 AA unit is wiped out with a single shot in this manner. Marauder reinforcements are coming up toward the Abrams - we'll see if they can make a difference. The American infantry has appeared in several places, with some of their units just as blind as most of the Iraqis, and some units with good NV. Because the Marauders are not dug in, to be spotted is to be killed. In view of this, the Marauder infantry sections have also taken to firing Z-fire. This provides an excess of targets for the Abrams tanks, and the destruction of A Company is slowed. https://i.imgur.com/Qvzdvtb.png Whilst any moves in the north are met with withering fire from the Abrams and more unseen infantry troops, across the southern and central sector, Marauders are making a push. Sheer numbers, and the occasional NV unit, allow American units to be spotted. Bedouins charge in for the kill several times, even though they are more easily spotted by the Abrams - at a distance of more than 1,000m, the tanks do little damage. Troops with AT weapons are being shifted north, to eventually put down the tanks. https://i.imgur.com/CVPVeNa.png Remnants of A Company, and a few units from C Company, finally pay back the Abrams tanks. One of the kills goes down to a simple grenade assault, albeit by a veteran team. This stabilizes the northern sector. With their flank secure, C Company re-enters the town and begins to clear out the road, where a few MMG and Dragon sections are advancing. https://i.imgur.com/zYdFqb8.png https://i.imgur.com/9acxW4D.png https://i.imgur.com/hjrEWhd.png Charging forward from the southern sector, the Bedouin cavalry reaches the North-South road in the American rear and spreads out to go after the mortars. In the open terrain, the American 81mm and 60mm mortars took a heavy toll on Marauder troops (even disintegrating a Bedouin band in one shot). Lost comrades can never be brought back - but they can be avenged... and on the way to the mortars, the Bedouins wipe out the American HQ unit. AFTERMATH: With the death of the tanks, the Marauders were able to recapture the victory objectives. The entire US force, except two Avenger units, was completely wiped out, but Marauder losses were heavy, both in infantry (where they lost more than the Americans) and especially, and unusually, in vehicles. |
Re: The Iraqi Lost Legion - generated campaign
BATTLE 18
Iraq v. Saudi Arabia, Iraqi Advance Visibility: 1 Turn: 32 Having literally wiped out the American attack, Marauders were finally safe for the moment. Col. Mustafa took only the bare time necessary to refit his force, and then immediately decided to move west and cross a river to put an obstacle between himself and any further pursuit. With the crossing accomplished, the force once again looked to find an encampment for the night. The Colonel decided to advance toward three hills that would provide some concealment and, together with the river, perhaps allow the Marauders to construct a better defensive position than they had last time. Alas, as the lead elements cautiously advanced, using their night vision to pierce the darkness, it became clear that the Marauders were not alone... https://i.imgur.com/oqEdThl.png The entire Marauder force is across the river. With visibility of 1, the name of the game will be avoiding another grind down by always applying overwhelming force. https://i.imgur.com/LIiP96r.png The Toyotas were not even moving, but were still spotted immediately and attacked by Patton tanks. One pickup truck is down... https://i.imgur.com/bmCO3KH.png Compounding the difficulty are the fields growing along the river, slowing down movement and funneling the advance into an area several hundred meters wide... any mortar barrage into that space will be devastating, but if tanks await, throwing numbers forward will be the only way... https://i.imgur.com/VvRsAZB.png The inevitable barrage takes a huge toll, destroying two soft vehicles and the ATGs inside them. https://i.imgur.com/OeS5a4F.png Slowly, slowly, the Marauders advance. Bedouins draw considerable fire, and find the first infantry squad. At 50m, the tribesmen get shredded by the infantry, but the Saudis, in turn, are equally helpless against Col. Mustafa himself, whose unit has Vision 10. Two tanks are identified, and have been peppered by HMGs for a few turns - but they continue to fire, as expected. https://i.imgur.com/4CdnPfi.png A third of the battle is finished and finally the first Patton succumbs to a close assault. https://i.imgur.com/koQm34J.png From 150m, a Mountain section puts paid to the second Patton. Depending on how many NV units the Saudis have, the tables may now turn in the Marauders' favor... https://i.imgur.com/XTfosAm.png Indeed, this is a strange reversal of fortunes. The NV-equipped Marauders are able to simply spot enemy units that have neither moved nor fired. These units can then be shot at, sometimes from only 100m, but they are unable to respond. They can also be suppressed with Z-fire, and then closed with - Bedouins really come into their own in this job... https://i.imgur.com/RmTJEnn.png The only Saudi units able to fire back are Milan ATMs and a (lone?) Scimitar. Other than that, it is a slow, but inexorable advance. Col. Mustafa is on the front lines - two of his squad became casualties but he's also taken out two Milans. https://i.imgur.com/q0R3lvo.png Scimitars are close assaulted - one is taken down by the Bedouin Chief himself, with nothing more than a few Molotovs. The pickup trucks and other vehicles are now tasked with moving support weapons to the northernmost hill, which by now should be safe. At least some of the Saudi squads appear to be trying to recapture objectives - this could be a problem, since any bypassed Saudi squads may run into the heavily wounded troops I pulled to the rear. Indeed, a PA unit (albeit a Company HQ unit) is wiped out in this fashion. https://i.imgur.com/8UBrFwI.png AFTERMATH: There were no further dangerous troops remaining - except two 35mm AA guns which, despite their excellent Vision rating, barely fired. The Marauders achieved a decisive victory. 81mm mortars remain absolute killers of infantry moving in the open. |
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