It Begins! - A New Scenario by Wild Bill Wilder

[Busko]

I finally found time to play this scenario. Let's cut it short, it's great.
I love fast, small scenario, where planning and deploying unit it's just made on opportunity and on what the enemy lets you.

If any of you still haven't played the scenario, consider that by reading my short AAR you could read spoilers of the scenario.
I achieved a marginal victory, with 6 tanks and a couple of of APCs destroyed on my side, and almost the totality of Soviet units destroyed.
The first part of the battle it's quite linear, you start seeing hordes of t72s coming down the hill, hoping that yuor gunners earn their pay.
Mine did.
Flaming hulls of Soviet tanks flourished on the peak of the hill, while my infantry deployed in the woods under the slopes helped keeping BTRs and infantry occupied.
Then massive air strikes from the Soviets happened, most of my casualities happened now (i lost to enemy tank fire barely one of my Challengers).
My SAMs couldn't stop the Su-27 from unleashing hell on my formations, i lost 4 Challengers and 1 Centurion in that phase. But the Soviet pilots paid with their lives their precisions
Other tanks (T80 and T80bv types) showed up, only to be destroyed by my tanks.
Then the rest of the battle is just beating the remains of Soviet forces, mainly remnants of mech infatry squads.
My Tow equipped Lynx helos were almost useless in taking out enemy vehicles, but were capital in spotting 5 or 6 Sp-ATGM vehicles, wich were hidden in the rear of the map, they could probably have been very dangerous, but i avoided advancing too much, and they were not a problem.

That's all. Another fine scenario from WBW. Congratulations.

P.S.: i don't know, should i post this small AAR in the proper section?

[WBWilder]

Busko, my thanks. I've been hoping for some AARs on some of the scenarios I've done. I've had a few, including the staff of SP-Camo, which I've greatly appreciated.

Knowing of the likes and dislikes of those who do venture onto these battlefields guides me in my future choices and designs.

This is a great little AAR. I don't know where it belongs exactly, but whereever it goes, it means a lot to me.

Thank you again...Wild Bill

[WBWilder]

Wow! Now I am looking at the other posts. Thank you all! THis is great encouragement. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to write and let me know.

Yes, if my work inspires you to be creative or just want to play the game more, it is work already rewarded.

Bring 'em on, Alpha. There is a big crowd here waiting to take on your battles.

WB

[Busko]

WBWilder said:
Busko, my thanks. I've been hoping for some AARs on some of the scenarios I've done. I've had a few, including the staff of SP-Camo, which I've greatly appreciated.

Knowing of the likes and dislikes of those who do venture onto these battlefields guides me in my future choices and designs.

This is a great little AAR. I don't know where it belongs exactly, but whereever it goes, it means a lot to me.

Thank you again...Wild Bill

Thanks for the kind words.
I also noted one more thing, replaying it to achieve a decisive victory. The Helo ATGMs are quite effective against tanks, but totally unuseful against the BRDMs, SPSAMs and SPAAs vehicles. The missile have always a 1% hit chance against a normal 40-50% for a first shot against a MBT.

Maybe it has something to do with smaller dimensions?

[MacGalin]

Well i finally found tim to play it. Great work, Wild Bill! Get a DV, lost two centurions during airstrike + one of my challenger crews panicked and bailed out of almost undamaged challenger (they returned after two turns). Most of russian tank havent even managed to fire... TI is great advantage. In my opinion adding TOW armed helos was a mistake - they make things too easy for player .

[Pierre]

That's a very enjoyeable scenario to play.
The first time I played it I underestimated two things that caused me a lot of trouble.
First I lost the Jaguars to SA-6 fire. And second I lost almost all the centurions killed by sprandel equiped BRDM-2's. That's two problems that may easily be cared of with the two TOW armed lynx.

[WBWilder]

The interesting thing about this scenario is its variability. Even as in the real thing, luck or fortune does play a role.

A unit gets hit, a key unit, but keeps going. In another game it is hit and is destroyed, complicating a victory for you.

Those helicopters are important for victory. If their aim is good, you are on your way. If they should get shot down, you have big problems.

As always good air support is so important.

Thanks Pierre and MacGalin for your comments and suggestions. These things help me a great deal, both in motivation and in attempting to do better the next time around.

The always ready to listen Wild Bill

[Artur]

MacGalin said:
Well i finally found tim to play it. Great work, Wild Bill! Get a DV, lost two centurions during airstrike + one of my challenger crews panicked and bailed out of almost undamaged challenger (they returned after two turns). Most of russian tank havent even managed to fire... TI is great advantage. In my opinion adding TOW armed helos was a mistake - they make things too easy for player .

Try the scen with the Russians - without using their Air ofrce.

Artur.

[WBWilder]

Now that is an interesting variation and worth a try, Artur. Without air assest, I imagine that its quite a challenge, but can be done. The Chieftans pack a terrible punch. Don't let them get the drop on you!

WB

[Gooseman2448]

WB,

Dittos!!!

You are the master of challanging and interesting scenarios.

I have played all of them a few times. Just finished It Begins, but with a different twist. I substituted US units.

1 Mech plt
1 M1A2 SEP Plt
1 M1A1HA+ plt
1 Mech AT plt (M2A3+)
2 Hmmwv Scout sec
1 AH64D sec (one w/ 8 Hellfires and 1 w/ 4 Hellfires and rockets)
2 Linebackers and 1 Vulcan
1 M7 FIST-V w FO
And last but not least...
2 A-10s w/ Mav ATGM and CBUs.

I have gotten several Marginals and one Decisive between the different versions. Probably because I am a bit aggressive.

I have the same basic tactic in all versions. I send my scout just short of Hill 141 to watch for units coming around the hill and ambush any Inf. I move my AT units to covering areas, one to the North to cover the North road, two in the center and one to cover the south highway.

I pull my tanks (Challenger 1, Leo 2, M1 SEPs) up to the rail road. This gives good view of top of hill. I bring the second tank platoon down through the southwest to cover the southern highway and southern side of the hill. As the reinforceing tanks arrive I usally send one north and the others to fill in for lost vehicles.

I tend to use the infantry to fill in the middle, kind of a speed bump, with metal spikes!!! I set them up defending the little house before the west face of the hill. If any one makes it that far the will ambush them. Usually I have to put one squad in the trees south of the the north village (approx 19,10 or 19,11) for some scouting of the north intersection.

This is my basic plan. I works fair enough.

As I said I just finished my US mod. Marginal victory. I got pounded in the middle. Lost all but one M2A3 of my INF Plt. Infantry got pounded also by Art. (Id swear the Computer was learning .
Everything started out well, M1 SEPs and M2A3 ATs were knocking Russian tanks like a old WW1 trench assault. Nothing that came over the hill seemed to have a chance.

A few T90s and BMP3s slipped down the hill and beat up my M2's. But the covering M1s got then one shot too late.

Usually I get more of a split in the attack, but this time most of the force came around or down the hill. It baecame a fist fight. Arena and VRRS popping everywhere.

Finally with the center contained I move my M1HAs slowly along the southern highway to clean up and move to the east side. I have lost quite a few tanks along this route, Kriztema-S (and BRDMs) hide back here.

By about turn 6 I have used my AH64s and A10' to pound the left overs and I can move units in to strat to take the VIC Flags by turn 9.

I think the 2005 version is harder. With the Russian ATGM defenses missiles are less of a sure kill. If they defeat the missile they are usually going to get the light skin ATGM APC.

The first time I played this US mod I didn't fair too well. Russian takes got better shots and I lost 2 SEPs trying to defend the northern road. Lost 3 M1Ha's and 2 M2A3 AT's defending the southern highway. Lost one apache also and A10's were knocked out the sky (bad floght plan).

Overall, TOW's good, Hellfires only killed one, they seem to be defeated easly.

Keep up the great work Bill.

BTW, I loved Larry, Currley, and Moe so much I modified it a bit with basically same units, just with units from my current MOD. I might get it out before the patch.