AAR: Bear vs Dragon

[Aeraaa]

Turns 1-12





My recon troops move east and southwest and soon occupy the important hills at (1) and (2). Reinforcements arrive: two BMP companies with two T-90 platoons attached, together with several engineering vehicles. These will be useful, for there is a blockade at (3) with barbed wire and dragon’s teeth. My BMPs move south, but they come under fire by 85mm AT guns at (4). It seems that, in addition to the Chinese, North Korean forces are also opposing me. One gun is spotted after firing three rounds ineffectively and gets neutralized by 30mm fire from overwatching BTRs. The other is yet to be seen, which makes me more cautious.

My engineering vehicles move south to clear the obstacles. Russian 122mm artillery masks them with smoke barrages. Nevertheless, enemy mortars shell the Russian force intensely, forcing the supporting T-90s to retreat to a safer place. Despite the enemy bombardment, the engineers manage to slowly remove any obstacle they see. So fat, my only losses are two Sappers from an undetected minefield.
One BMP-3 platoon will relieve the scouts at (1) and defend the location themselves. Another BMP platoon will move with the scouts at the ridge at (5), to capture this important high ground as well.
Resistance was very light so far: only sporadic MG and AT fire, together with mortar barrages. That will soon change I believe.

When the mechanized platoon reached (1), Russian recon started advancing towards (5). They soon came under ATGM fire from that location, which destroyed one BTR. Russians called artillery on that location to suppress the ATGMs. Chinese tried to stall the Russian advance with mortar fire of their own.

To the south, the engineer vehicles and troops, clear the obstacles under heavy mortar fire. 3 vehicles were immobilized, but progress is being made and a breach will soon be a reality. Behind the breaching teams, two platoons of SP artillery specialized for infantry support is about to go into the breach. Each platoon has a ZSU-23 for anti-infantry work and one BMPT infantry support AFV. Behind these, a T-90 squad and a BMP squad will get ready to assault the hill at (4).

[Aeraaa]

Turns 13-20





Capturing that hill on (1) was a very good idea: very soon, at least a company of Chinese infantry was seen moving east. The well placed forward observer called accurate artillery fire and the Chinese advance lost momentum and significant casualties have been caused. However, I have trouble supporting my infantry on the hill with vehicles, since Chinese ATGMs prove to be deadly and kill one BMP as well. One Russian mechanized platoon flanked the Chinese infantry from the north at (7) and caused one Chinese platoon to fall back. In addition to that, Chinese heavy artillery causes losses to my own off map artillery with accurate CB fire. On map, Chinese use mortars. A lot of mortars. So many that maybe they are actually blotting out the sun, Thermopylae style. This present a clear problem to me, should I use my artillery to blunt the Chinese infantry assault, or knock out a few of these pesky mortars? Decisions, decisions…

To the centre, the breach has been made. The other 85mm AT gun is also spotted and knocked out. Things looked to be quite simple there, but then an unspotted N.Korean reserve infantry squad changed things. It managed to ambush and destroy one BMP with its entire passenger cargo. It caused another squad to retreat under heavy small arms fire. A panicked T-90 friendly fired the third squad, causing 3 casualties (Z-fire blunder from my part). The reserve squad was quickly taken down after that, but the damage and confusion it created was disproportionate to its strength. Another reserve squad was spotted nearby, holding fire and was also eliminated. These squads probably acted as observers, because my forces took enormous mortar fire. Two more engineer vehicles have their tracks blown off, which is a big blow, since the area is heavily mined. I also lose one T-90 from a mine that got its track blown off. The tank is now a static turret and not much else. To make things worse, more 85mm AT gun fire comes from around (2), killing two ZSU-23s and one BMP, without being spotted. With these things into consideration, I decide not to press on with my remaining infantry towards (3). Instead, reinforcements will try to flank from (4), with the goal of capturing the high ground at (5).

The plan proves to be harder than I thought, since Chinese ATGMs overwatch the road at (4) and knock out one T-90. On the bright side, I get some helos to help me. Two Ka-28s and an observation helo armed with guns, grenade MGs and rockets are good against massed infantry and they soon prove this. Together with my artillery, they stop the Chinese advance. More Chinese infantry is spotted at (6). So far, they advance slowly because of MG fire from the hill at (1), but more drastic measures are needed. 300mm rocket artillery comes as reinforcements, but I cannot decide on the target yet. Chinese infantry assaults are kept in check, and I do not want to waste my rockets that early.

Chinese mortars continue to shell my forces and soon I receive 122mm howitzer fire and artillery launched minelets as well, targeting the platoon at (7). I finally dedicate my 152mm MSTA battery for CB fire against Chinese mortars. Soon, two 60mm mortar teams are annihilated. More targets will soon be given.

Chinese vehicles also appear. They are wheeled tank destroyers. My recon vehicles manage to knock out one of them, but their numbers are numerous. I will probably have to commit more dedicated AT platforms to counter them.

So to conclude, my plan seems to stall for a bit thanks to the Chinese counterattack. If or when I manage to defeat it, I will resume my slow push towards the hills.