AAR: Long Generated Campaign US v Communist

[Hermit]

Extended combat since my last report makes this one necessarily longer:

The "over the hill" troops stumbled into a mine belt as they advanced across the open ground to the west of the hill. As APC's rolled forward to discharge their engineer passengers, more enemy squads on the flanks opened up, causing a few casualties. Our AT and AA guns on the reverse slope of the hill responded with a fusilade , as well as 3 MG teams positioned in the enemies' former positions for this very purpose. Farther to the west, heavy artillery fire kept the two enemy tanks and AA guns on the low objective hill both screened and suppressed. Two flail tanks from the previously split group to the north peeled off to the SW and joined the mine-clearing operations here, after making a breach in their own sector. Once through the mine belt, the APC's and supporting tanks continued to move forward. One platoon of armoured infantry has dismounted within 100 meters of the objective, into much-cratered terrain and under cover of smoke. Artillery was rolled back farther to continue pounding enemy infantry and a tank destoyer (SU-76M) seen by observer aircraft behind the objective area. (On its second circuit, this plane was lost to enemy AA fire. The status of the pilot is unknown). An infantry assault is planned on the armor after crossing the intervening ground. Hopefully friendly fire won't disrupt that plan. Several enemy infantry squads also opened fire on our APC's from the orchard to the NW.

The scouts and a few infantry squads decided sufficient progress was being made toward the objectives, so they moved farther down around the south side of the hill and discovered four T-34 tanks hidden in emplacements. After snipers took out one of the defending infantry squads, and an airstrike suppressed another squad and two of the tanks, one of the scouts was able to make an assault upon and destroy one of the tanks. Another was knocked out by fire from three 75mm recoilless rifle teams that were loaned from the divisional armored infantry company. The remaining two tanks appear to be unapproachable at the moment. They will be watched in case they abandon their positions to make a counter-attack after we take the objective. The enemy responded to our AT and AA guns on the hill with a formidable barrage of 60 mm mortar fire, which caused four casualties to one gun team, and caused two others to abandon their guns and flee. There might have to be some disciplinary actions issued following this battle for cowardice under fire!

At the split group in the center, the heavy tanks continued to be blocked by the mines, rugged terrain, and enemy armor in and around the NE of the town. Flails and engineers breached a mine belt in the woods just to the west, and then most of them circled back to the north, flanking the town. By now, it was covered in smoke, and engineers from both our own troops and from division were able to both destroy the two enemy tanks in the town and clear the mines from the roadway. The two heavy tanks slowly worked their way forward in the woods to the east of the town, destroying a bunker and two enemy squads in the process. Main force tanks cleared the village surroundings and headed northwest along the south footing of the big hill, toward the objective area on the west slope of the hill. Two AA guns that opened fire on the APC's were destroyed by cannon and MG fire from the tanks.

In the far north, the battalion finally reached its split point, and 1/2 the force peeled off to the SW. Several enemy squads were entrenched in a large open area almost a kilometer square. It was bordered by a thin woodline on all sides, with a small village in the middle of the western edge. T-34's near the woodline on the north side were able to cover the whole area with guns. Travelling down the northern edge, engineers and 75mm RR were able to take out these four vehicles, after they had been supressed with artillery. Two more T-34's guarding the woodline from the north had to be taken out from long range by overwhelming fire from main force tanks, which allowed the infantry to approach. After those tanks were cleared, the remaining 1/2 of the force pushed west and is girding the northern foot of the big hill which screens the northern objective. That force also intercepted and destroyed three T-34's that were heading east at high speed down the road, presumably to aid their comrades. Clean-up operations are well underway in the open area by the other 1/2 force.

With about 45 minutes left on our timetable, we seem in a good position to seize all our objectives, possibly with time to spare on all but the northern-most. More caution will now be permitted to the southern-most units, with corresponding permission to spread out and seek enemy units, as well as the best positions to absorb a counter-attack.

[Hermit]

For those of you who are actually following my campaign story, would maps of the overall picture or specific action be helpful, or do you really even care for them?

If so, can someone assist me in how to create them? I sent a PM to RERomaine since he did them in his AAR (and even included annotations), but any other help would be appreciated. I'm running on a Win98SE platform.

In that vein, is there any way to capture a picture of the whole map at once, even if its not displayable on the screen because it is too large?

[Imp]

For me your descriptions are generaly good enough, if you wanted could post a picture of deployment & plan at the start of the battle. Dont really think it needs more than that unless somebody does something truly heroic & you want to show it.
Rays look like he uses paintnet which is a free download & you can use any number of screen capture utilities.
If you think it will effect your writing style leave it you have a good little following so unless a lot of people ask why bother.

[Hermit]

to Imp: OK, will do (or don't, as the case may be).

Significant progress has been made in the south. The dismounted armoured infantry platoon around the objective area was joined by another. Creeping forward under heavy smoke, through the cratered landscape, two squads were able to get within striking distance of the enemy IS2 heavy tank, which was hull-down in its emplacement on the lip of the small hill. The first squad was spotted and the big turret rotated in their direction. Then came the blast of HE from its 122mm main gun, and a ripple of MG fire at point-blank range. Two men went down, and the rest beat a hasty retreat. However, this distraction allowed the second squad to inch close enough that it was able to place a bazooka round in the side of the tank's turret from very close. At first we weren't sure it had been effective, since the tank didn't blow up or even shudder. Then the hatch popped open and one of the crewman jumped out. His face was blackened, and all they saw was his wide eyes, desperately looking around for cover. Our guys cut him down and waited for the next one, but that was all. The momentary silence was kind of ethereal. Then the ground to their front began heaving to the impact of our artillery, falling dangerously close. Everyone hunkered down as the shells kept falling. Much small-arms and vehicle MG fire was exchanged in the area, with a few casualties on both sides, but fortunately more were inflicted on the enemy despite their entrenchments.

Units in the central and northern area saw little action, moving forward slowly in the center, wary of both mines and infantry AT weapons. The split units in the north are attempting to rendezvous to make the passage through the wooded terrain on the west slope of the BIG hill and up to the objective area from the back side.

[Hermit]

The dismounted infantry continues to inch forward in the south, with some of the transport vehicles maneuvering around farther to the south to suppress the flanking fire, as they have no visibility to the front, and would be succeptible to AT weapons at close range anyway. One more enemy Su-76M was found when it blew up after an artillery salvo landed to the rear of objective area. One of our own M75 APC's was destroyed by an undetected RCL team. It was the last thing they'll ever do

Another AA gun was taken out in the center when it was seen by approaching vehicles, after firing at a spotter plane. Both the center and northern units advanced another few hundred meters toward the objective with little action.

The aforementioned spotter plane sighted a whole field of enemy infantry emplacements in a large open area to the SW of the other open area, and east of the large hill shielding the center objective. Northern units that had intended to link back up with the advancing units have been redirected southbound to place these enemy positions in a hammer-n-anvil move with the heavy units now being directed to move NE from the center sector. A lone IS-2M and a T-34 on the east slope of the central objective's screening hill are the only known threats in this area. The plan is to screen them until our heavy tanks are in a good position to engage them from medium range, and eliminate this threat. Then, placing the northern battalion AA and AT guns on the perimeter woods to provide more suppression, some support tanks and a platoon of infantry each from the central and northern units will crush the enemy infantry units like bugs!

[Hermit]

Some northern units continue to advance toward the objective, and the others are getting in place for the hammer-n-anvil maneuver.

Most central units are beginning the climb up the SW side of the big hill toward the objective. A Sherman observation tank was straggling behind and was unexpectedly hit twice by large caliber rounds. After the first hit, the crew began frantically searching for the source of the shells. Just at the edge of their vision, the commander saw the muzzle flash of what appeared to be an enemy AT gun. From that range, almost a kilometer, it must have taken a few ranging shots before scoring a hit, but they flew by unnoticed. It is strongly suspected to be a 76mm, as a 100mm shell would almost certainly have penetrated, even from that range. There is now a large gouge in the front armor; one of the shells must have almost made it through.

Meanwhile, the heavy tanks and two Pershings continued northeast to be the hammer on the enemy infantry fieldworks.

Once again, most of the hot action is in the south. Small arms and MG fire from vehicles is making the air thick with lead. Dismounted infantry continues its slow advance. Two more enemy squads eliminated, and two more forced back from their dug-in positions. Others are being heavily suppressed. There was almost no return fire on our advancing grunts. We also noticed several enemy squads leave their entrenchments and move up from the rear to intercept our advance.

Back on the BIG hill that we crossed in the beginning, there is stil sporadic fighting with enemy flanking squads. As one of the forward observers was sneaking down the southern side of the hill for a better view, he stumbled on some loose rocks, and the noise and movement disclosed his location. An enemy squad across the ravine on another low hill opened fire and one man is down. We couldn't even spot them at first, until one of our snipers looked with his scope. He wasn't able to get a shot off, as his own movement would have placed him in danger of the same fate. One of the 1/2 tracks serving as a tow vehicle for the AT guns ran down to pick up the survivor and lend support, and wandered into view of one of the two remaining T-34's. The 1/2 track narrowly missed eating an 85mm slug. After making a sharp turn to avoid further tank fire, the 1/2 track hasn't made it to the rescue yet. Hopefully our remaining observer man won't also get hit.

As a final bit of bad luck, another 1/2 track that was sent to pick up a 90mm AT gun from a disabled 1/2 track was itself de-tracked when it ran over a big rock. So much for roadside assistance when you need it.

[Hermit]

Northern units are almost to the back-side of the big hill, and will soon turn south to approach the objective area. No enemy units have been detected in this area at all. The quietness is a little disturbing, and it's gotten everyone on edge. We're wondering if an ambush is waiting around the corner. It's so nerve-wracking that the onscene commander sent two tank sections and a platoon of infantry in their M-75 APC's back northward to cover the road where the T-34's appeared from over a small rise a short time ago. The infantry dismounted and searched down the road past the burning hulks and adjacent woodland, but haven't seen any more approaching units. The support units heading south for the pincer move have just come into range of some of the enemy positions, and have started harassing fire just to lower the enemy morale.

In the center, we had some heroic action by the crew of one of the M103 heavy tanks. We had allowed the smoke to clear around the enemy IS-2m, and one of our heavy tanks deliberately maneuvered out into the open to get a shot at it. Although probably supressed somewhat by our recent artillery rounds, it still posed a real threat with its 122mm main gun. And it was singlehandedly blocking the southern arm of the pincer, and we didn't want to pass it by in case it decided to come at us from the rear. It got a shot off first, which impacted the M103 and left a huge divot in the glacis. The impact was so loud, it must have stunned the driver, since the grinding of gears could be heard and our tank slowed to a stop. The gunner was apparently not so severely affected, and he got his shot off from about 450 meters. He also hit on the first round, and it penetrated the side of the enemy tank with a "Cccrumpp!" A couple of the enemy crew bailed out, and hunkered down in the pit with their burning vehicle.

Other center units continued climbing the hill, and are just about to enter the woods surrounding the objective area. The enemy 76mm AT gun was made ineffective when one of our light attack helos made a few passes and tore up the exposed crew.

In the south, there was more heroism, as a 1/2 track from division ran a high-speed crossing movement about 500 meters from the remaining IS-2m guarding the southern objective. The enemy tank fired and missed with its main gun, although the 1/2 track's engine was shot up and it was immobilized by the large AA machine gun on the tank. We're mystified how the AAMG was able to function after the pounding that tank took from our artillery. Nevertheless, perhaps that's the reason the tank missed with its main gun, as the commander was busy working the MG rather than spotting main-gun fire. A nearby Patton took the opportunity to approach from the other side, and before the Chinese gunner could get his turret swiveled around, the Patton hit it with a flank shot from about 300 meters away, which despite its thick armor was enough to knock it out with one shot. That 1/2 track crew is going to be recommended for the Silver Star! With the main threat removed, our tanks and APCs followed dismounted infantry to within 100 meters of the objective area, approaching slowly due to both the heavily cratered ground, and the fear of mines. Those fears were realized when one of the infantry teams located an errant minefield with a Mark 1, Mod 5 Big Toe. "Stretcher!"