AAR: Ranger/Airborne Short Camp.

[Lt. Ketch]

It's been almost a week since I finished this battle, so details are a little sketchy at the moment.

2nd Ranger waited a brief moment moment to regroup before heading down the road towards the objectives. 1st ranger took up overwatch in the trees and a small hill directly north of the objectives. I was able to take to objective by moving both down the road, 2nd ranger securing the right flank and fending off units coming up the road, and moving across the open area north of the objectives with 1st ranger. There was little resestance immediatly around the objectives, but I did lose a MMG squad and APC to a stupid move on my part (ran full bore into a RPG team). 2nd Ranger routed a platoon's worth of squads comming up the NW-SE part of the 'X'. I kept moving past the objectives after taking them, knowing the AI would drop artillary on them. This proved doubly helpful as several squads of infantry began appearing east of the objectives, obviously trying to reclaim them. My choppers supported a couple of squads in eliminating these pests, however one was able to inflict causlties to one of my squads.

My airborne units were finally able to spot the other shoe that I've been waiting to drop. It consisted of a platoon of T-62s and three "Shiny" AFVs (Can't rememeber their names for the life of me). Apaches were sent to remove the T-62s as they were in a area that was known to be clear of LAD. My airborne targeted MLRS fire in the path of the "Shinies", hoping to eliminate them at range without endagering the Choppers. This worked in someways, but not in others. Ultimatly, the Apaches depatched the shinies at range after the MLRS fire suppressed them and the company's worth of infantry that was with them unseen.

With 3 turns to go, I made a desicion to made a try at the middle objectives in "the fort". It took a turn to load up a chinook with two squads and an APC and bring in the blackhawks to support, one loaded up a ranger patrol and Law team, the other with a Sheridan tank. As Andy pointed out above, this sort of thing is very very un-realistic. I thank him for that observation and instruction. The choppers landed made it to the objectives with no insident and the troops were able to take all but one of the objectives the next turn. The choppers were fired on by a MANPAD as they exited, but it was located and destroyed.

This battle was a good confirmation of things I learned in the last battle. However, if I had been playing a human opponent, I'm sure I would have been creamed as they would have likely responded early to the presence of my troops in close proximity to the objectives rather than acting when I started flipping objectives. Also, it turns out I did things with my choppers that can't be done in real life, so my tactics were flawed somewhat. Overall, I'm content with my marginal victory, but I am not pleased with my tactics. I still have much to learn.

The next battle is an advance and the last battle for this core. As such, I upgraded the Hummers I used for 1st and 2nd ranger to Bradleys, intending to use them as scouts and for a more anti-armour support. In support I picked up a section of Urban MBTs, six 82mm mortars, 3 105mm guns and a number of air units consisting of 2 WW F-16 SEAD, 2 A-10 Strike with Cluster bombs and Mavericks, and a UAV. I planned on using my choppers to move the artillary as needed. My plan is not set, but I'll post when I've begun.