AAR: Long Generated Campaign US v Communist

[Hermit]

We are pleased to report that rumors of the Colonel's demise, apparently started by unsavory characters in the enemy propaganda dapartment, are grossly exaggerated. While a serious injury was inflicted on him in the last battle (pulled his arm out of socket while moving computer equipment), an extended medical R & R break has allowed a sufficient recovery for him to return to the action.

It is now April 1954, and we've come back to the scene of the crime, fighting the Chinese. They are advancing in large numbers against our forces, and we've been caught with little time to prepare a defense. The terrain in the expected encounter location is a heavily wooded area with two roads and about 6 medium sized hills, plus two large hills in the enemy operating area. The paved road runs E-W basically through the center of the map. A dirt road comes down from the NW and then turns and runs parallel to the main road about 1/2 clik north of it. Both cross height 20 hills near the center of the battlefield, and about 1 clik in front of two of the enemy's objective areas. Control of those two hills will probably be crucial to the battle, since there is reasonalbly-sized open areas to the southeast of each.

Contrary to their usual modus operandi, the Chinese have been moving in broad daylight, rather than at night. We've noticed that their prior operations in daytime are at dusk or dawn, when they need at least some light to move vehicles. These brazen daylight manuevers have probably been necessitated by the large number of tanks they've been using lately. So while the extended visibility (3 1/2 cliks) gives us lots of warning, its also a sure sign there will be MANY enemy tanks. We've emplaced our units to take advantage of our superior armor, but at the same time hidden it to stave off enemy artillery effectiveness until the last minute when battle has already closed.

[Imp]

While a serious injury was inflicted on him in the last battle (pulled his arm out of socket while moving computer equipment),

What really surely not, better to break it its a lot less painful.

[Hermit]

[to Imp: you're right. Technically it's small tears to the tendon and resulting tendonitis, not dislocated]

The enemy is approaching from the West. The two sections of M103 Heavy Tanks have each been placed astride the two roads on the reverse slope where they crest the hills near the middle of the battlefield. Our other main-force units have been deployed in the western edge of woods that border open areas, with armor and infantry intermixed. The one exception is a mostly bald hill to the NW of the northern objective area, which will be a likely approach for the enemy. Due to its exposure, only AT guns and infantry have been placed upon it, with the guns occupying several areas of broken ground for better defensive protection.

The tactical plan is a true delaying action. All units have been ordered to wait until they "see the whites of their eyes" before engaging. We hope that a few well-aimed shots will destroy enemy armor by ambush at close range, leaving them no time to react and return fire. The hope is that burning wreckage will block shots from following enemy units. Then, the units that have fired and revealed their position will withdraw back through the woods and reposition at the far side of the next break in the woods. Infantry will remain a few hundred meters back in the woods, hopefully far enough to avoid responding enemy arty, to ambush enemy armor that attempts to charge in pursuit. Then rinse and repeat as often as possible.

We were excited at the prospect of such clear visibility offering some ripe pickings for our air power, but our hopes were dashed when division announced NO air cover would be forthcoming, other than two old planes that would be available for recon flights. We did get 4 upgraded tanks - a few partially damaged M-47's being replaced by M-48A2's with the night vision equipment. Also sent over in support were 6 mechanized recon platoons and 6 sections of the new Jeep-mounted 106 mm recoilless rifles. The Colonel plans on sending them around the enemy flanks as scouts and to spot enemy artillery and AA guns on hilltops. Apparently he read some tactical guides on employing this type of rig while he was in recuperation. The scouts will, obviously, scout. The accompanying APC's will supress enemy troops, while the 106-armed jeeps will try to ambush any enemy armor encountered.

Time to get into position and await the enemy.

[Imp]

Sorry meant to say good to have you back this is a great way to waste 10 minutes cant wait for the book.

[Hermit]

[to Imp: Thanks for the well wishes. Glad to be back too!]

Watching the droves of enemy tanks approach is slightly un-nerving. Even though our crews are better trained, and our armor more capable, it's still tough to sit and wait while that many armored vehicles are steadily streaming in your direction, without any prepared positions to hunker-down in. Because of the trees, we glimpse vehicles moving in and out of sight, and it's hard to know whether any given sighting is the same or a different tank. Thus, we don't really know how many of them are headed our way. In spite of our superior capability, they just might be able to overrun us with sheer numbers. It's difficult to restrain the men from firing at long range when they see a target, hoping to knock it out before it can get too close, and to thin the herd a little. However, discipline is holding up so far, and they only fidget a little while steadily tracking the closer targets.

Showing some of the bravado recon units are known for, the mechanized scouts the division sent over have raced off into the woods on both flanks, trying to get around enemy columns before they spread out for their attack. Two light helos sent to provide cover and extra eyes were forced to turn back when they came under heavy AA-fire from Chinese 37mm guns. We strongly suspect they are positioned on the two large hills in the middle of the enemy territory, but haven't managed to spot any so far. Thank goodness we were looking skyward, because we were able to spot two MiG-15 aircraft coming in from the north. Our own 40-mm AA guns opened fire, they and the Dusters being the only units given "free fire" engagement rules during this operation. While they probably spotted our four heavy tanks on the two hilltops, the planes apparently couldn't tighten their turns enough to bring them under fire on this pass. Instead they shot into the tree line in front of the objective areas. We don't think they spotted anything else clearly, since none of our units were targetted or damaged, but one of the new M48A2's was hit many times by flying fragments from their shells. Thank goodness that will be the extent of their harassment, as they were both shot down by our guns. One was taken out in his initial dive, as he flew almost right over two of the Dusters at low altitude. It must have been a direct hit, because that MiG just disintegrated when the Dusters let loose with their second burst. The other MiG was severely damaged after being hit on its pull-up by two of the fixed 40mm guns. The pilot bailed from his smoking plane, and a short time later it rolled to the left and dived into the woods. We'll send some of the recon units off to find him after the enemy advance is (hopefully) repulsed.

In the meantime, enemy 85mm and 122mm artillery has been hunting around the map, trying to find some of our units. Although several salvos landed close, none made hits. They are, as expected, concentrating on the area of the objectives, which is also why the Colonel avoided placing any of us near there at first. Our own batteries replied with counter-fire. It must have had some effect, as the second enemy barrage was significantly lighter in volume. However, that barrage included shells from some of their 152mm field guns that landed much too close for comfort, spraying a wide area with shrapnel. Finding and eliminating them will be a top priority for us now.

[Hermit]

A scout down south reported a company of T-34/85's moving at a rapid clip through the woods along that edge of the battlefield. Six of the eight APC's have been ordered to disgorge their onboard scouts to set up an ambush line across the tank's path of advance, and pull back. The 106mm jeeps are backing up the scouts, using their small size and stillness in hopes of spotting and shooting before they become targets themselves. Unless there is infantry riding on the enemy tanks, they appear to be unaccompanied. They are moving so fast, no infantry could keep up with them. Other observation units have also reported that the first wave of armor all across the battlefield appear to be alone. That will make is easier for our units to get a quick shot off and remain undetected.

As hoped, the enemy tanks down south blundered forward into the ambush line in the woods. Four tanks were assaulted by the scouts, with two being immobilized. All four, plus two others trying to rush by unmolested were capped by the 106mm jeeps. Those RR are rather effective weapons, expelling a large shaped-charge warhead with a loud "Whoosh!" and gush of flame. Rather like a large bazooka. The scout units then loaded up quickly and high-tailed it out of there, expecting enemy arty to arrive soon, which it did. Three batteries of 85mm fell in the area, some of it hitting their own remaining tanks, to the delight of our scout units.

Up on the northern edge of the battlefield, our recon units managed to get around the enemy thrust, but then got confined to a narrow band of woods, as enemy vehicles had a good field of fire through some open areas. One jeep cautiously motored up to the edge of the woods, but was immediately spotted and taken under fire. Fortunately, the driver was an agile fellow and dodged the incoming fire while careening around trees to get deeper back into the woods. Hopefully the enemy wave will pass by and the recon units can continue their progress deeper into enemy territory.

The Colonel has ordered our SPA to begin firing at a line of tanks coming down the two roads. I think it's a little early to let our artillery be spotted by the enemy, but he says he has a plan. Besides, he wants their fire to disrupt and slow the enemy advance as soon as possible. This way, the enemy tanks will be more spaced-out and possibly suppressed when they run into the M103 heavy tanks on the hill. He's the boss, so I guess there will soon be 203mm and 155mm shells falling amid the enemy tanks. I can't say I'm sorry to hear it.

[Hermit]

The enemy T-34's came right up to our M103's and attempted to overrun their hilltop position. It was all our crews could do to keep loading those large shells in time to fire the next round. At such point-blank range, there was no missing. And those 105mm AP rounds were not stopped by the lesser armor of WWII era tanks. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. We almost felt sorry for them, until we remembered they were the same people trying to overwhelm our own forces. After six or seven enemy tanks were dispatched at each location, they tried to make a flanking manuever around the hilltops. That was met with similar consequences, although they did have a little better chance of success due to longer ranges. The Pattons in the woods a little past the hills made short work of the ones screened from M103 fire.

Enemy tanks coming up through the woods fared better, getting to within about 500 meters of the objectives before they could be targetted. No enemy vehicle made it past there. It was a slaughter in every sense of the word. In their mad rush without infantry support, about six of their tanks fell to infantry assaults with bazookas or flamethrowers. Our men had initially been very nervous about the enemy attack, but after seeing several enemy tanks destroyed on the hilltops, our morale improved greatly. About 1/2 of the enemy force halted in the middle of the battle, not moving at all. We're not sure if they were contemplating their losses, or waiting for their infantry to finally catch up, or if they had reached their assigned positions and were waiting for more orders. Considering the usual doctrine of the Chinese to strictly follow orders (and nothing more), we're guessing the latter. We took advantage of the stalled advance to pepper the known enemy armor concentrations with artillery fire, and many were immobilized, with a few actually being destroyed. The enemy artillery, which had continued blasting at any position occupied by our troops, had mostly been silence by this time, so our fear of counter-battery fire was greatly diminished. Fortunately, our withdraw from previous firing positions minimized the enemy artillery effectiveness. One M4 flame tank was unlucky enough to be caught in what we believe was a stray barrage, rather than a planned target zone, and was destroyed, although most of the crew was able to bail out before it exploded in a tremendous ball of flame.

Enemy leg infantry did much better, using smoke to advance into one of the objective areas before several minutes of our artillery fire sent them packing. They lagged way behind the enemy armor, not having any transport. There were many of them, escorted by what enemy armor remained mobile. The sight of all those men running at you and shooting is different than facing down their armor. On the one hand, the armor seems almost invincible to our poor men on the ground, but at least one can attempt to hide from them in the woods. When several hundred men are coming at you, their doesn't seem like there will be any place to hide, and only the fear of disappointing your comrades makes you stay in place and fight. Fortunately most of the battle did not turn hand to hand, as our artillery soon caused the enemy infantry to go-to-ground, and our tanks began to drive them back with what seemed one continuous volley of MG fire. Our own crew-served heavy machine gun sections also opened up once it was clear that their positions would not be overrun if detected.

In the meantime, the recon teams coupled with our light attack helos were able to spot the locations of about 12 Chinese AA gun emplacements. Artillery was called, and the ones on the hilltops were silenced by that barrage. Our two transport helos brought in the sniper teams and dropped them in secluded woodland clearings. After sneaking into position, they were able to destroy several more. The last several were swarmed by helos after they had been suppressed by an exchange of fire with the APC's. Then the hunt was on for enemy 60 mm mortars, which had begun extensive harrassing fire on our frontline troops. Many of those were also located by the dust and smoke from their firing positions and dispatched by the helos, now roaming the battlefield with impunity since the enemy armor had no AAMG, and 90% of the enemy AA had been located and destroyed.

It soon became a rout, and in their haste to pursue the enemy, two more Sherman flame tanks were hit by enemy recoilless rifle teams and destroyed, both crews miraculously also able to exit their vehicles with few casualties. A company of T-34's came up from the enemy reserve, trying to salvage the situation, and managed to destroy two of the recon APC's before they could scatter into the woods, but it was a hopeless case, and the enemy abandoned the field. Casualties were minimal and the Colonel considers it a great victory. I have a feeling someone may be promoted!

[Hermit]

It is now August 1955, and tensions with the Russians have flared again. While our forces were conducting standard training exercises, some Russian recon forces were spotted and pursued by over-zealous West-German militia. A fight soon erupted, and now both sides have sent supporting troops into the melee. We should be encountering each other soon enough. The expected meeting place is an area of fields and farmland, hemmed in by long tree-lines and small pockets of woods. Two large-sized hills of height 30 or so dominate the center of the expected battlefield, with the southerly one having a paved road that goes right through the saddle of its twin crests. There's also another east-west road of hard-packed dirt farther to the south, lined in many places by trees. Our objectives are the fields east of the two hills, approximately evenly spaced to the northeast, east, and southeast of them.

Since the engagement erupted in the late morning, there will be plenty of light left during the afternoon hours in which we expect to meet the Russians. Visibility is pretty good, about 2 & 1/2 kilometers. Also, because training operations were already underway, there will be a whole squadron of F-86 Sabre's available for air support. Division said most of their planes are currently arming and re-fueling and expects 10 or so to be airborne soon. Conversely, since the Russians were merely spying on us, no Russian aircraft are expected to be ready in time to engage us. The Colonel has also requested that some of the recon troops/106mm jeeps be cross-attached from division, as he was pleased with their exploits on our last mission. Finally, Corps headquarters sent two more of the upgraded M-48A2's to replace damaged tanks. Somewhat surprisingly, the Colonel chose to request repair parts and keep our Sherman Flame tanks. With their low standard ammo load, mediocre armor, and poor-pentrating gun, I question his logic. While they are extremely good at digging enemy infantry out of entrenched positions, the short range of their flame weapons means they must get into range of the new enemy hand-held AT weapons and limits that use. I suppose if the enemy infantry are suppressed that might still work, and unlike our own grunts, they'll be shielded from enemy MG and small-arms fire. Maybe they'll still be useful after all. Only time will tell. At least I'm not the one riding around in those things...

The Colonel plans to drive directly for the hilltops, one hill assigned to each Battalion to ensure they do not fall into the hands of the enemy, then divert part of each to occupy the outlying objective areas. An additional portion from each will divert toward the center objective, hopefully flanking any Russian units attempting to occupy it. The larger, slower, and more heavily armored M103's will continue to occupy the hilltops to snipe from long range at enemy armor moving forward. They're the only ones with enough penetrating power at long range to be effective, and their thick frontal armor should provide some protection. Well, it's time to saddle up and get moving. I'll send more reports as time permits.

[Hermit]

As we begin rolling, the Colonel has decided that it will be more effective to have some of us grunts ride forward on the armored vehicles. Only about a third of us will fit, so its still a long, hot march for most of us. I'm beginning to wonder now if we'll make our objectives in time to set up any kind of defense, or whether it will be us trying to push the enemy out.

Soon after the helos took off, the radios started crackling to life. They were taking fire from some large enemy AA guns that they couldn't even see in the bright haze. And the fire was much more accurate than expected considering the distance they must be firing from. A hasty conference with the Intel section has disclosed the enemy is rumored to have new radar-guided 57mm AA guns, and we must have encountered some. It's all but paralyzed helo movement thats not screened behind the crest of the hills. Because of the unpredictable visibility through all these shallow tree-lines, even NOE flying is risky. However, with most of the enemy guns concentrated on our little attack helos, the two transport helos have managed to successfully insert our two FO/scout/sniper platoons into some small woods only about 300 meters from two of our objective areas to keep watch and provide spotting for our guns.

The helos have also spotted a large number of a new enemy armored personnel carrier, called a BTR-50 or some such, which they must be using to rapidly advance their infantry to the objective areas. There are also a fair number of enemy tanks, both T-34's and T-54-3's evenly mixed. This obviously will be no walk in the park. Enemy artillery, mostly 122mm guns, is also pounding the area around the objectives. I suppose they're trying to soften up the area before they reach it, not knowing that we're nowhere near them yet. Our own guns responded, hopefully suppressing theirs so that they won't bother us so much. The Colonel's also asked our arty to shoot a few rounds on the road just southeast of the central objective to disrupt any Russian units speeding along the road. The Colonel's also ordered our fixed guns to mount up and try to find some secluded positions in the treelines near the objective areas to set up some ambush points. The divisional scouts riding in their APC's and the 106mm jeeps have darted ahead of our main body to look for some likely places.

[Hermit]

Unlike the Chinese in the last engagement, who led with their tanks, the Russians have sent infantry forward quickly to feel out the area. They've used both older and the new model APC's to drive up really close to the objective areas and offload. We've managed to pick off a few enemy infantry with our snipers, mostly the vulnerable but easily concealed RPG-2 teams, but our snipers are going to be overrun soon if they keep shooting and get spotted, so for now they're laying low. Some of the scouts with them have crawled up through the woods to monitor the fields on the other side of the treeline, and both FO's have set up in places with long lines of sight.

The two lead tanks in each Bn were left riderless so that they could spot from hills and other vantage points at longer range a few hundreds meters in front of the other 10 tanks. This way, if the Russians open up on them they won't be covered by the hamburger that's sometimes left when infantry wait too long to dismount. The 106mm jeeps aren't nearly as helpful on the march. They're extremely vulnerable to any return fire, even small arms, and they can't hit squat at long range if they've moved much. The mechanized scout platoons encountered some of the enemy APC's and their infantry passengers, and started dueling at about 800 meters. Our APC's headed for the woods to dismount the scouts in concealment, and they've started spreading out to put some eyes on the enemy movements. They discovered a company column of APC's heading down the paved road and we've called in some arty to disrupt whatever nefarious plans they have. We've also diverted the two lead tanks from the southern Bn to take positions on the road and intercept any that proceed onward. The support tanks and infantry will take the sector to the south of the road, and the main-force tanks mounted with infantry will continue to move forward in the southern portion of sector between the two hills.

Up north, main force tanks from Bn B have also pressed forward diverting around to the northern perimeter of the northern hill. Support tanks have diverted even further north, to intercept an enemy thrust moving along the northern edge of the battle area.

The first major firefight erupted between the mech recon platoon APC's and 106mm jeeps, assisted by two Patton tanks on the paved road. At least two platoons of enemy mech infantry made it through the artillery barrage we laid on the road (althogh we had the satisfaction of seeing a third platoon being mostly demolished when several APC's blew up on the road and the remainder swerved wildly off the road and started smoking). The enemy infantry dismounted after taking MG fire from our APC's and a few near misses from the 106mm jeeps. The jeeps pulled back out of small arms range and out of sight of the enemy APC's. When the enemy infantry moved forward through some trees that occupied a bend in the road, those jeep crews just wailed on them like there was no tomorrow. Round after round of RR shells took apart that woods. Whether there were many casualties, I'm not certain, but they sure tried. Come to think of it, some of those flying tree limbs looked an awful lot like broken bodies. In any event, the infantry didn't get far, until a bunch of them rushed out of the woods at once, with two APC's rolling along as mobile MG's. The jeeps took out one and suppressed the other, but the advancing enemy troops forced the jeeps to pull back farther. Our APC's raked them with MG fire of our own, and they went to ground and took up defensive positions. A few fired their RPG-2 AT rockets, but thankfully none scored hits. That's when our two tanks joined the fight. They just slowly rolled forward, belching cannon and MG fire without a concern. The enemy infantry was pinned down for the most part, and part of the woods was on fire by then as well. Three more enemy APC's came out of the woods, probably to pick up their men and get the heck out of there, but our tanks left them smoking hulks. Eventually all the enemy infantry was driven back and scattered to the wind. Two more enemy APC's also bit the dust, while one of our tanks was slightly damage by an unseen RPG-2 team that must have rallied itself in the woods when the heavy fighting passed them by. Now we better clear out before enemy arty and tanks arrive. Hopefully we can keep them reacting to our probes, and we'll grind them up bit-by-bit.