Re: SCENARIOS!
Reference "Battle In East Ukraine" (2022 Updated version), I have the following additional notes to provide (I would have put them in the scenario notes, but those are already long enough...)
(1.) The map has a few patches of Mud terrain in it. Watch out for these; there is nothing so annoying as getting your T-90M (or Oplot) stuck in the mud, miles behind the battle line, just sitting there impotently waiting out the rest of the battle. (Trust me... it WILL happen.)
(2.) Both sides should treat the other side's infantry Chemical teams (anyone with a flame rocket weapon) with the greatest respect. I'm not sure exactly what the game mechanic is for this, but from what I have seen, about one in four direct hits from this kind of weapon can actually kill an otherwise very well-protected main battle tank (!).
(3.) As far as man-portable (unguided) anti-tank rockets are concerned, players will find that the RPG-18s, Mulhas, Nettos and so on, are basically useless against the frontal armor of tanks of both sides. However, some of the other such weapons, notably the "Vampir", are very definitely capable of knocking out even a modern tank, for example with a shot to the front hull. Also, the "Vampir" seems to be significantly more accurate than the other ones, in the 3 to 8 hex range... so if you see an infantry unit armed with this thing, steer clear of it!
(4.) Don't forget that even a hand grenade can immobilize a tank. The chances of this happening are obviously quite low... but they're more than "zero", so watch out!
(5.) Particularly as the Ukrainians, you will have a very difficult set of decisions to make regarding use of your ATGMs. These (even, sort of, the Javelin) have next to no chance against the frontal defences of modern Russian tanks; however, remember that every VIRSS or CIWS shot used to negate an ATGM attack, is one less available to that tank. So "strategy #1" is to fire off enough ATGMs to use up all the target's active defence shots; then, go for the kill either with another ATGM or an airstrike (or, of course, a helicopter-fired ATGM). However there also is a "strategy #2". This is to avoid firing ATGMs against enemy tanks if you can possibly avoid having to do so (sometimes you can't), and instead use your missiles primarily against soft-skinned enemy units like APCs and so on. The choice is up to you.
(6.) For the Ukrainians, I believe the only really viable strategy is to race forward toward the center of the map, seize as much as you can of the victory hexes around "Krasina Works" (and the other similar areas to its north and south) and then fight tenaciously for every inch of ground, from that point on. You have to do this mainly because the terrain further to the west is much more open than what's in the center of the map... which is bad news if your units get caught out in the open, they will be sitting ducks to Russian artillery, airstrikes and long-range weapons.
(7.) I mentioned this in the scenario notes but it bears repeating : as the Ukrainians, expect to take a TERRIBLE pounding from the significantly superior Russian air force. Try to take this in stride; there is basically next to nothing that you can do about it, and (I believe) it very accurately reflects the actual force balance on the battlefield today. The fact is that the Russian air force is vastly improved compared to its state even 10 years ago... this is very evident in how the scenario will play itself out.
(8.) Given the force balances, I would suggest that anything less than a "Marginal Victory" (for the Russians) should be considered a loss, whereas a "Draw" for the Ukrainians should be considered a "Marginal Victory" and a "Marginal Victory" (as judged by SPMBT) should be considered a "Full Victory". In practise, due to the extreme lethality of modern weapons, it will likely be extremely difficult for either side (even the Russians) to win a "Decisive Victory" as the game evaluates it.
To sum up... I hope you like the scenario! Let's also hope that it remains just that (a hypothetical wargame scenario), as opposed to a foretaste of the real thing. Wars, though fun to simulate, are anything BUT "fun", in real life.
Mr. Bill
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