DAR: Moscow Region

[RERomine]

Turn 14

Incoming artillery hitting around north line again. Most of it is over shooting my positions, but I'm going to move some units to be safe. For some reason, they are shelling my burning M113. Artillery is also hitting other random locations, so I think the enemy is about done.

My platoon in the Hill 1-2 gap is positioned behind a small tree line and the enemy is trying to poke through. Ten supporting tanks are tearing apart the enemy attacks, however. Friendly artillery is also dropping on the other side of the tree line. Further south, another platoon was engaged by an enemy infantry SAM unit. They should be able to dispatch it and capture a nearby objective.

Objective in the southeast corner of the map has been captured without opposition. Further north, a couple of enemy infantry squads were coming over a hill, but supporting tanks sent them running.

Casualties

Friendly: One Casualty

Enemy: Estimated 20 enemy casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 15

Enemy activity is increasing in front of the north line again. Along the south edge, a couple of enemy squads are pushing toward the platoon in the small woods. Almost 2000m to the front, two T-72BM tanks and one Zeus came over a hill. One tank and the Zeus were destroyed and the other tank was immobilized.

Center area is quieting down now. Some small arms fire was exchanged and a couple of my tanks engaged another enemy squad destroying it. Another flag in this area has been turned leaving the enemy with six. I might be able to take a couple more before the battle ends. Enemy artillery is hitting one AT team that was too suppressed to move.

The southern force is starting to push north and northeast. No Resistance.

Casualties

Friendly: Zero.

Enemy: One T-72BM and one ZSU-23-4M5 destroyed, estimated 15 enemy casualties.

[RERomine]

Turn 16

Destroyed the immobilized T-72BM. A few enemy infantry units were engaged as the tried to move forward or pull back.

Two friendly tanks engaged a couple of enemy infantry squads, destroying one and sending another running. A few other enemy units tried to poke through the tree line and got destroyed by the infantry behind it. The platoon pushing northeast was engaged by some infantry AT and SAM units, inflicting a few casualties. They may keep me from getting to one of the flags I'm after.

The southern force is still pushing north and northeast. No Resistance.

No artillery from either side.

Casualties

Friendly: Two.

Enemy: One T-72BM, estimated 15 enemy casualties.

[RERomine]

Decisive Victory!!!!

Turn 17

More small arms fire up north and the enemy artillery came to life again because of the tanks they lost from AT teams there. No friendly casualties here.

My force managed to push forward and get one flag, but was denied the other. Enemy AT teams were firing at the platoon as it advanced and I took one casualty. One T-62MV popped out of the woods and was engaged by an AT team with no effect. My tanks fired at a couple more enemy infantry squads that showed up.

No activity down south.

Casualties

Friendly: One.

Enemy: Estimated 10 casualties.

Total Casualties

US

Men: 24
Artillery: 0
Soft Vehicles: 0
APCs: 1
AFVs: 0
Air Transports/Helos: 0
Aircraft: 0

Russia

Men: 289
Artillery: 3
Soft Vehicles: 0
APCs: 28
AFVs: 12
Air Transports/Helos: 0
Aircraft: 0

Score

US: 14286
Russia: 812

Final Comments

I was expecting a tooth and nail fight and got a yawner Since I was using mostly US National Guard units, I expected to be at a disadvantage. Maybe I actually was at a disadvantage, but considering the AI didn't fire one tank gun or ATGM at anything, it is difficult for me to tell. There just isn't a reference point here. Now, I did make a point of avoiding those situations, but someone usually gets shots somewhere. Not this time.

The AI didn't seem like it tried I saw only seven enemy tanks during the battle. While the stats say I killed 12 AFVs, six of those were Zeuses. Four tanks I destroyed appear to have been in their original deployment position. Only two tanks destroyed were actually advancing on my positions and for some bizarre reason, the Zeuses were too! The point of the spearhead should not be a Zeus!! The AI had 12 remaining SABOT shooting tanks left and four didn't seem like they even moved! Of the remaining eight, three look like they just started moving in the last turn or two because they were deep within their own deployment zone. Only two Russian tanks were actually outside their deployment zone. I thought this was suppose to be a meeting engagement. It seemed more like the AI was running a delay at best.

There is a thread out there about how to fight the Russians and I thought this might provide a good example. Unfortunately, it isn't. This is nothing like I expected. I expected fixed wing and rotary air support, but maybe those weren't options for the AI. At the very least, I did expect them to come out to fight. It looks like only one Russian mech infantry company and a couple of recon platoons came out fighting with the bell. The rest sat around their fires singing Kumbaya

I've attached the save just before I ended my last turn. Enjoy!