AAR: Long Generated Campaign US v Communist

[Hermit]

As we began to move forward, the enemy pounded the dirt road with 122mm heavy artillery. I was orinally a little ticked off at the Colonel for not allowing us to ride the tanks down the road until the heavy jungle and steep hills began, but I'm beginning to see his wisdom now. It wouldn't have been pretty to have been caught in that barrage. Heck, I didn't even know they had 122mm artillery. I thought the biggest thing they had was the 85mm stuff. At the last minute, division called and said that we'd receive some artillery support ourselves, two batteries of 105mm howitzers that would be dedicated to us.

After plastering the mountain peak above with 8-inch SPA fire, the heavy helos dropped two platoons of scouts and three platoons of our infantry on our side of the ridge to the NE of the central horseshoe ridge. No enemy fire was received during the offload, but as soon as the troops crested the ridgline, the fight was on. The enemy has at least two platoons on the reverse side of the slope, and elements of several other platoons fired at us from the SE ridgeline as well. The helos went back for another load of troops while our vehicles from Bn B navigated the heavily forested plateau to make a screened approach to the northern side of the ridge. Scouts sent ahead of the vehicle column spotted two ambushes by enemy soldiers, which were quickly neutralized by helos spraying the canopy with MG fire. The suppressed enemy units were then overrun by our vehicles.

Rounding the northern foot of the ridge was not as easy. The column came under fire from three B-10's somewhere on the lower slopes of the NW ridgeline from long range, and despite the column's multiple eyeballs, the launchers could not be located until after the lead Patton was lost. When the B-10's were eventually spotted, they were fired at with everything the column had. While the enemy attack did succeed in destroying one tank with a lucky shot, they paid dearly. All three B-10's were destroyed. I'm guessing they knew what would happen once they were located, but they just kept shooting round after round until they scored a hit. You have to admire the courage of those guys!

In the southern area, the tanks of Bn A eventually took a quick jaunt down the dirt road after it had been cleared up to the crest of a smaller hill. On the other side, our infantry once again came under intense MG and small arms fire. Two of the MG's were spotted, and tanks moved into place to take out their positions. An SKZ launcher popped up from over the crest of the hill, having crawled their way through a broken area unspotted by our now suppressed troops. Fortunately the Colonel had the column headed by the slower, but more protected, M103 tanks since they can still manage a good pace on the road. Two shots from the SKZ hit home, but neither penetrated, and as you can imagine, there were no more chances given to the enemy. At the same time, we dismounted all the heavy MG crews of our own that had been piggybacking on the rearward tanks. Just in time too, as the enemy had two heavy MG's of their own somewhere on a ridge about 1 click to the south that began raking the column with bursts of 12.7mm bullets. Everyone hunkered down for a few minutes, until one of the scout teams got the courage to give the enemy the finger before popping a few smoke grenades and screening us from the incoming rounds. Now we'll have to decide whether to move forward and push through the enemy blocking force, or deploy more spread out around the road to avoid incoming artillery until we can neutralize the enemy. We know better than to just sit here too long. Gotta move, shoot, move.

[Hermit]

The Colonel opted to spread out around the road and make a serious effort to annhilate the enemy troops rather than smoke or suppressing them and passing through. The heavy MG's to the south kept the heads of our infantry down, so the armor would have had to advance without escort. That option was judged unacceptable. The armor has both climbed and descended the small ridge to either side of the road. In the meantime, the loaded helos were diverted to the south, and under cover of smoke, deployed two platoons in the fields of long grass to the south. One platoon was put to the western edge, to approach the woods and small hillock believed to be screening the enemy heavy MGs. The other was dropped in a wooded clearing to find the source of some 7.92 medium MG's that began firing as well. This platoon began receiving lots of small arms fire as soon as it emerged from the woodline, losing 2 men in the hail of gunfire. Bullets were flying everywhere, and all they could do was drop to the ground and hope that help would arrive soon. You'd be amazed how flat you can make yourself when it really matters! Fortunately, some of the armor that had repositioned higher up the ridgeline could see the spots the firing was coming from, and laid down some suppression fire with their machine guns and a few cannon rounds. The Dusters made some good use of their rapid-fire 40mm guns, since they weren't expecting any air threats. In fact, after the Dusters sprayed the area, the enemy firing almost completely ceased, and we were able to get up some screening smoke.

The platoon to the west fared better, taking only a few bursts from the heavy MG's which went over our heads, and small arms fire from one enemy squad that must have seen our movement in the tall grass. The MG's were spotted after they spewed a few more bursts at the remaining troops on the hill with the tanks, and the helos and two Pershings shooting from long range were able to silence them after a few minutes.

In the north, it was a continued slug-fest as our men on the SE ridge and theirs on the SW traded shots. Some casualties were caused on both sides, but niether side lost any units. One of our squads will have to be retired due to men lost, but our armor has finally negotiated the rim of the mountain and is inside the "bowl" formed by the surrouding ridge lines. Two AA MG's on the NW peak were spotted when they shot continuously at our orbitting helos. Our 8-inch SPA made short work of them after a few minutes of dropping their huge shells all over that peak. The Colonel took advantage of the shelling (and its suppression effects) to go ahead and drop a platoon on the inside rim of that ridge to provide recon info. There was a suprising volley of small arms fire at the off-loading troops that came from the wooded valley in the center of the bowl. Apparently the 10 minutes of 105mm barrage hadn't done as great a job of suppressing that area as expected. As the men scrambled for cover, an enemy squad hidden in rough terrain on the eastern edge of that ridge fired on them from above as well. Since our men had taken cover based upon the fire coming up from the bowl, they were exposed to fire from above and took several casualties before suppression fire from our ammo supply 1/2-tracks, shooting from all the way across the bowl, managed to force the enemy squad back into cover. Subsequent fire from the tanks' main guns, especially the CS Pershings, eventually drove the enemy from his shelter, and the much relieved infantry squads dispatched the survivors as they ran for the safety of the reverse slope of the ridge. Unfortunately, one of our squads on the ridgeline will also have to be retired from combat now. The bowl received several more liberal applications of 105mm, and that seemed to have quieted that area as well.

[Hermit]

Once a good smoke screen had been established, another platoon was helo'd in to support the troops that came under fire after emerging from the woods down south. After the smoke cleared, even more enemy fire erupted. We estimate there are three to four enemy platoons in the area. Since headquarters never believes the figures we report, we probably out to tell them there's three companies down here, and then they'll cut that number down and arrive at the correct actual amount! The tanks on the small ridgeline along the dirt road fired upon as many enemy units as they could spot, and then we laid another smoke screen down while the helo's come back to evacuate us, and we'll await further orders. By this time, some of the heavy MG's we had left behind had established good positions on the ridgeline as well, and they began to fire at the revealed enemy infantry after the smoke cleared again. The tanks had already rolled forward, screened in front by the divisional scouts. Just in time too, as several rounds of mortar fire walked back and forth across the road where the vehicles had previously stopped and fired. One of the machine gun teams newly established on the ridge caught a mortar round close to their setup spot, and it put two good men out of action. However, those enemy troops are starting to get chewed up from the hail of MG fire. Some have even started moving back toward their base. The MG fire is turning out to be so effective, we've contacted division and called off a planned artillery strike so the resulting smoke won't block the line of sight.

Enemy troops on the NW side of this same road-ridge have started shooting at our troops on the SE ridge of the bowl, as well as shooting from behind at our scouts moving west in front of the tanks. The CS Pershings and the Sherman Flails have been diverted to engage those enemy troops, but were themselves taken under fire by an SKZ bazooka. It hit one of the Pershings, but did only minor damage, and was shortly taken out by one of the Pattons with a couple bursts from its coaxial machine gun. The other tanks have pushed down the road another 400 meters or so, and are waiting there for some real infantry support before they approach a small village with woods on the north side.

In the bowl, the Bn B tanks have pulled even with the infantry on the ridges and down in the wooded bowl and are now offering some serious fire support to the troops. While the enemy squads continue to appear out of nowhere and cut down one or two of our men occassionally, they have short lives in the face of all that firepower. A platoon of grunts has also now been successfully emplaced on the western edge of the NW peak of the bowl and has spotted and engaged 4 enemy squads and provided targetting info against two of the enemy heavy MG's that were suppressing our troops to the east. Light attack helo's maneuvered around and were able to spot another AA MG and engage two squads with deadly effect.

[Hermit]

A heavy firefight developed on the western edge of the SE peak of the "bowl." A scout team blundered into an enemy squad hiding just below a large cliff as they descended it. The enemy was very cunning, waiting until the scouts were in point-blank range before cutting them down like so many stalks of grass (4 stalks, to be precise). The two of our squads following them heard the gunfire and rushed to the scene, lobbing smoke grenades over the edge of the cliff before approaching the precipice. They shot blindly down upon the area the shots had come from, and received a fusilade of return fire, much more than that expected from a single squad. An observation helo arrived to monitor the scene, and it spotted three enemy squads hiding in the woods on the slopes below, as they suddenly changed target and started shooting at him. Tanks in the bowl managed to get a bead on one of the squads, and poured round after round of HE into the area. We think it caused a few casualties, but were satisfied regardless since it forced the enemy to bury their faces in the dirt. The cavalry also arrived in the form of a light attack helo that strafed the enemy squads until our men could descend to the enemy's position. We threw all our grenades down the hill at the enemy and succeeded in driving them out of their hidden ambush ground. They are being encouraged to continue their "strategic withdrawal" by a prod from one of the circling A-26 Invaders. The vegetation on that whole side of the ridge was flayed with cluster bomblets as the plane flew over and dropped it's payload. Take that, you lousy SOB's!

Down south, our MG fire continued from the smaller ridge, and we were able to get a platoon of scouts helo-lifted to the edge of the woods. After signalling all clear, they ventured further south and southwest looking for the enemy positions. They spotted several enemy militia units, and also an SKZ when it fired at them and killed one of our troopers. A pair of 40mm AA guns were also helo-lifted to a sheltered rock outcropping on the eastern end of the small ridgline as well. Those guns and the MG's kept the enemy squads suppressed, and gradually whittled away at them until two CS Pershings arrived and cleared the area.

Enemy resistance increased as our infantry and medium armor pressed forward on the western side of the small ridge, toward another small wooded ridge north of the road. Several of our squads took one or two unexpected casualties, as the number of enemy units in the area was much higher than previously estimated. Apparently our scout teams are not detecting many enemy units in this terrain until/unless they stumble right into them. We'll have to be more careful approaching these pockets, but we need to make sure no enemy AT weapons can take shots at our armor as it passes by. In fact, one Sherman Flame tank was immobilized by a lucky B10 shot from almost 750 meters away, hidden in tall grass south of the nearby town. Our infantry teams temporarily fell back to regroup and plan a better attack route. Meanwhile, some 155mm off-map artillery was requested to pound the new ridgeline for a couple minutes in advance of our advance. We had hoped to avoid the need for artillery support in this area, as it could heavily pockmark the road if it's off-target, as well as the fact that most of our artillery is currently engaged in destroying enemy artillery and mortar units spotted in the region by their lingering smoke palls.

[Hermit]

The heavy M103 tanks finally caught up with the infantry on the smaller ridge to the south. Using their thick frontal armor as a defense, they plowed their way forward into close proximity to the enemy infantry emplacements. Many RPG-2 rockets were fired at the brave tankers, but fortunately most missed, and the few that hit did not penetrate. One of the M103's was immobilized, but it basically just turned into a heavy pillbox at that point. It continued to pour serious amounts of lead into the enemy positions from its three MG's. Eight enemy infantry squads were eliminated or forced back into the woods. The B10 launcher was taken under fire by several Pattons, and was forced to cower in its foxhole until a light attack helo crept close enough to strafe it into oblivion.

Our infantry and scouts are now making good progress down the west side of the SE peak and across the valley to the SW peak, assisted by a battery of 105mm, tank fire, and MG volleys. Smoke is screen them from long range fire, and most of the enemy units they uncover are heavily suppressed and unable to return fire effectively. Time is getting to be a problem since we still need to climb that peak. The men are getting hot and very tired. I don't think they can be pushed much harder or they'll lose some of their fighting ability.

Up north, the tanks are turning south to approach the NW peak, while the two transport helos have managed to deposit a company of infantry in a sheltered area at the base of the peak. Sniper and MG teams have been doing a good job of covering fire as the other troops press forward to join them. Two A-26's have been ordered to make a pass ahead of them and pepper the slopes with cluster bomblets to allow them a chance. Otherwise, the enemy shooting down from the slopes is liable to cut us to pieces.

-----

After an additional 20 minutes or so of heavy fighting, we have managed to reach our objectives with minimal losses. The enemy, seeing our flags raised above the objective areas, slunk away and left us to celebrate a hard won victory.

[Hermit]

We have returned to the Korean peninsula, to head off another incursion by those pesky Chinese. The terrain is rolling hills with moderate woods clumped in groups. We're moving in from the east, expecting to encounter the enemy after taking the objectives due to our superior mobility, armor, and the relatively good lines of sight. This will allow us to advance quickly without worrying about ambushes from enemy units. The warm summer weather has made the ground firm and we'll be able to move cross-country and take advantage of the terrain for cover and firing positions. Two roads pass through enemy territory from West to East, and then angle towards each other, eventually crossing in our territory. A large village borders the dirt road on a hilltop just in enemy territory, and this is expected to be a primary encounter area.

Several platoons of M59 APC's have been requisitioned from the motor pool to provide mobility to the leg infantry, and four heavy-lift helos have also been lent from the local air wing. A flight of A-26 Invaders with cluster bombs have been made available for overhead cover. No enemy air activity is expected. At the last minute, division called and said two batteries of 105mm will be at our disposal, in case we need to suppress any stubborn enemy units. The battalion was joined by two platoons of armored infantry on the way to the battlefield, along with their supporting section of 106mm jeeps and M21 1/2-track mortar carriers that we'll use as fighting scouts.

***

As hoped, we have moved swiftly to take up positions beyond the objective areas in the northern and middle areas of the battlefield. We haven't been able to reach the southern objective yet, but chances are good we'll take that without much resistance as well.

Enemy artillery pounded the roads with a surprising number of HE rounds. 122mm, 85mm, 76mm ... you name it. It's fortunate we've chosen to advance over the countryside, or we'd have taken a beating this morning. Our own artillery has returned fire, with an estimate of about 1/2 of the enemy guns out of action within 20 minutes. We sent our light attack helos forward behind the hills, so that we can scout out the enemy disposition. But the minute they exposed themselves, all hell broke loose. The enemy is saturating the air with light SPAA fire. It seems they've recently aquired an APC with twin AAMG's mounted on it. And they have a multitude of them. Our helos are defenseless against this nefarious new vehicle, as their own machine guns cannot penetrate its thin, yet sufficient, armor. For the meantime, our helos will have to cower behind the hills and wait for another opportunity.

The enemy has also apparently loaded up with mortars, as 60mm and 82mm rounds are starting to fall everywhere. Fortunately, only one barrage hit our troops and was ineffective, except to scare the crap out of the inexperienced APC drivers. We're trying to get a fix on their location, so at the moment we hope they continue firing, since they're not doing any damage.

***

One helo managed to get a peak around the hills without bolting for cover, and reported back some really good news. The Chinese have a column of trucks advancing along the road approaching the village. We took some of our 155mm artillery off counter-battery duty, and plotted in the coordinates of the road just outside the village, figuring they'll stop and unload before entering the village. We were rewarded with the sight (and sound) of many secondary explosions, and thick clouds of greasy black smoke rose into the air as a dozen trucks blew apart and burst into flame when the artillery rained down on them. The A-26 pilots radioed that they were going to make a pass down the road to pick off the survivors fleeing back toward their momma's. The Colonel waved them off, however, worried about all the enemy AA fire that was waiting to riddle those slower, bigger aircraft.

[Hermit]

We've got one of the scout platoons emplaced and creeping toward the village, while our infantry has unloaded in wooded areas all across the battlefield. The infantry line will be used as trip wires and ambush points in the trees, while our armor is taking up overwatch positions to cover the clear areas between the woods. We've also helo'd in a few AT guns to provide extra fire support to watch hilltops where we expect the enemy will try to establish tactical advantages.

We're moving the M45 Pershings and the Sherman Flame tanks up to support infantry positions in the woods, where their short range heavy weapons will take out enemy armor and provide overwhelming destruction on enemy ground troops.

Some more artillery is being changed from long-range to short-range CB fire to take on enemy mortar teams, and also a few AA batteries we've located. It seems this enemy commander is relying on truck transports, T-34/85 tanks, the new SPAA MG APC's and LOTS of mortars. That and the typical horde of Chinese infantry. No other enemy vehicles have been spotted so far.

***

The Colonel has decided to move a platoon of nearby infantry into the Eastern edge of town, since the scout platoon has laid low and allowed several enemy squads to take up positions concealed among the buildings. They're doing a good job of spotting, but it appears that the enemy will be overrunning the place soon unless we get some troops up there. Calling in a barrage of artillery would probably solve the problem, but HQ has ordered us to minimize collateral damage. We were concerned about the civilians too, but apparently they've all fled by now.

***

The first wave of enemy tanks has surged forward and ran smack into our overwatching armor. Most of the enemy tanks erupted in flaming wrecks as soon as they made their appearance out from behind the woods, but a few managed to dodge and weave enough to avoid being hit in the first volley. However, their advance quickly ground to a halt and we began hunting down the survivors. Our infantry in the woods also managed to get some kills with minimal casualties. One squad unsuccessfully launched an assault, and two nearby enemy tanks laid into them with MG fire. After popping some smoke, they let out an old-fashioned "rebel yell" and charged back at the enemy tank again. This time they were not halted by the presence of the enemy armor, and succeeded in getting some grenades into their objective that put it out of action.

Another team placed a well-aimed bazooka round into an enemy tank from 200m away. The impact made a "Crumpf!" sound as it impacted the side of the turret. A small hole appeared, and shortly thereafter smoke began to billow out of both the hole and some of the hatches. They waited, trying to decide if they should let the crew escape or gun them down as they bailed out, but no one emerged from the vehicle.