US Mobile Air Corps

[Galantrue]

Hi all, been lurking for a little while and decided that I should finally add an AAR to the mix. Any comments or suggestions are welcome!

My core concept is the Air/Cav but to a slightly more extreme level. All of my units with the exception of Area SAMS, SP-SAMS, and MLRS are airmobile, with the lift capacity built into the unit itself. Oh, and before ya'll start yelling at me, I would just like to report a small bug. During core purchase, if you delete an attack helo sec, the computer gives you an airstrike that you can purchase. So, because it fits within my idea for my corp, and because it would be cool, my core does now include 2 air sections. I'm also using the cold war mod by PlasmaKrab.

Core US

8 Rifle Platoons
4 Heavy Lift Sections (MH-47)
4 Support Platoons (1 Ammo-Carrier, 2 Stingers, 1 Para-Ops, 2 81mm Mortars, 2 Javilen ATs, 2 25mm AGL)
4 Heavy Lift Sections (CF-47)
1 SEAD Strike (F22-J)
1 CAS (A-12 Avenger)
3 Rocket Bats (MLRS)
2 SAM Bats (Patriots)
2 SP-SAM Bats (Avengers)
7 105mm Bats (Off-Map)
3 Attack Helo Secs (AH-66)
1 Light Helo Sec (RH-66)

Generated LC (200) vs NK, China, Veitnam


First Mission
Meeting engagement vs NK
Situation: The map is 120 x 120 and very hilly. V-hexes are not shotgun and fairly well scattered. One is in the middle of a -2 height stream on the southern border of the map, the other is located on a north-south running highway, with heavy woods around it, and the other is located to the north of the map on the edge of a hill. Visibility is 13, length is 37

Support: I purchased 1 Bat HIMARS, 2 Bats 105mms, 2 SEAD sections, 1 AC-130 gunship, and 1 mech rifle platoon.

Plan: This map has one stream that meanders all over, causing three bridges to appear. I have no need for the bridges so have targeted them for destruction with 3 bats each 105mm. Have called in all SEAD aircraft blind, with only their HARMS active. The current plan is for 4 Rifle platoons to land just behind the northen victory hex, seize it, and dig in. They are being supported by 2 Support Platoons, and all the attack helos, as after the hill the terrain becomes very open. The rest of my infantry and support platoons are being sent to land near a town to the south, approx. 15 hexes from the southern V-hex. Their mission is to dig in and bleed the enemy dry, until about turn 15 or so, and then advance onto the V-Hexs. The mech infantry platoon that I purchased as support is being ordered to secure the middle V-hexs. They should be okay due to the heavy woods all around the area, but I also targeted 4 artillery points there.

[Galantrue]

First turn

After watching the enemys artillery chew up several areas on my side of the map, I am pleased to say that the only causalty was one Avenger. My SEAD strikes went in, for relatively little damage only destroying one SAM (H-7 Croatle(sp?)) and buttoning another. Helo's landed as per plan, with some light AA fire on the southern group. Usually when the AI does things like this, it means that I'm about to be steamrolled by some huge force, but we'll see. No new enemys spotted during their turn, and my arty CBs on three of theirs.

Second turn

Have seized the northern V-hex and am now digging in around it. Southern group has started to find defensive positions and has already sighted some enemy armor and APCs. 2 Javelin teams got to work with good success (4 fired/ 3 kills). All helos fell back successfully, witht he southern group receiving light AA fire again. Arty missions plotted for the south include 1 Bat MLRS, 3 Bats 105mm (2 HE, 1 Smoke), plus 2 HIMARS. The enemy decided to send some congrats mail to my northern group, unfortuantly before they managed to disperse as much as I wanted, so I now have rifle platoons heavily suppressed with moderate losses in men. My souther Javelin teams Opfired into the enemy's advance destroying 4 more vehicles, however that turned out to be a feint, as I now have eyes on approx. 40 enemy armor and IFVs heading for the middle of the map. This area is where the bridges are located and if they seize the bridges they will be able to flank my entire corp. It goes without saying that this is unsat.

[Koh]

The last time I tried the "delete attack helos" trick to get strike elements into my campaign core force they disappeared after battle 1. So don't be surprised if you'll find them missing.

[Galantrue]

Third turn

My artillery plotted to the south went in, knocking out two vehicles and damaging who knows how many more. I was hoping for a more decisive strike but . My infantry to the north are starting to disperse into rough terrain, so hopefully the arty will not be as effective as this last strike. The bridges have become a priority target, with 1 bat of MLRS on the lead bridge, plus I'm calling the A-12s in on the enemy armor, with the F-22Js coming in onto the IFVs. I also called the AC-130 in. Am dropping 1 bat of 105 to the north on a small probe. Have found the enemys MBTs, as I redirected all of the AH and RH-66s towards the bridge, but once I stopped and thought about it, its not as scary as it used to be when I played mostly armor. Yes its big and bad, but tanks vs infantry in close terrain tend to be turned into scrap . The enemy continued to advance in the face of heavy Javelin, and now Longbow fire. Destroyed another 10 vechiles of various types but the NK managed to get 1 whole platoon across the bridge. Air strikes went in causing only minor damage to the enemy, and my AC-130 was driven off by hand-held SAMS. The only wooden bridge allow the enemy access to my rear appears to be impervious to MLRS fire .

[Galantrue]

Yeah, I figured it was to good to be true.

[Mobhack]

Originally Posted by Galantrue

Yeah, I figured it was to good to be true.

Fixed wing is not allowed in cores - and so are deleted on any upgrade cycle. That fixes anyone being creative and having a hacked formation with say a grunt up front and 9 strike planes...

The strike air should not be coming back as purchase options, so I will try to remember to look into that.

Andy

[Galantrue]

Hey, that's a pretty good idea!!! Have just your HQ, and then a whole mess of strike planes running around, bombing and strafing stuff. What if we got down on our knees and begged? Could we have them then?

[gila]

Maybe also Bombing and attacking your HQ's eh?

[Galantrue]

Not really. I usually always end up buying way more SAM and AAA than I ever use in game. Just call me paraniod.

Okay, unless someone objects, instead of turn by turn, I'll just break it down into about one hour play sessions.

The battle for the indestructible bridge continues. After sending in bombers every turn trying to blow it up and only ending up targeting enemy AFVs and IFVs, which I'm not completly complaining about, the stupid thing is still there. This is on top of being targeted by 5 105mm guns!!! My attack helos were wreaking havoc all across the map from their position near the bridge, but due to ammo shortages on everything except SAMs, I have withdrawn them for resupply (hopefully, not really sure if they will resupply from ammo trucks or not?). My infantry is finally getting into the battle, with the enemy launching a small IFV and infantry attack on the northern V-hex. This was easily repulsed for heavy enemy casualties, thanks to the 25mm AGLs and 81mm mortars. Actually my rifle squads have only fired their GLs so far, not a round of rifle or SLW. My artillery has shifted from random harrassment fire, to firing on the onmap artillery that revealed itself. Also having them fire on IFVs that appear on the map. My Javelins teams have almost been universal in firing their intial loadout dry and are now scrampling for additional ammo. Lessons learned so far? Have at least some kind of reserve, ready to go and respond. Need heavier artillery pieces. The 105 is a great gun, but dropping bridges and disabling heavy vehciles is not its strong suit. Need to replace the mgs in the Rifle platoons with some other kind of support weapons as 1) none of the mgs have fired yet, 2) they can't see as far as the Javelins or AGLs, probally due to a lower sight value.

[Galantrue]

Morning!

The battle is really starting to heat up as a group of 3 Ch'onma-Ho Ma MBT moved between the Northern/Central group and the southern group. I had just finished capturing the central V-Hexs with the Mech Inf and their APCs had dug in south of those hexes with an easy sight line on the road leading from the bridge battle. I was extremely lucky as the Javelin APC managed to knock out one MBT, and immobilize another. By then I had one AH-66 reloaded and it came running, quickly knocking out the other MBT and destroying the damaged one. The northern V-Hex was again assualted by infantry. This was a tougher fight as either by accident or design, their troops used the burning wrecks from the first assualt to move up closer to my troops. Heavy fighting saw me still victorious with minor losses and the enemy driven off. His off map artillery for some unknown reason pounded a group of buildings where my HQ was stationed. I hadn't fired from that area, none of his troops had LOS, and he still used 5 batteries to pound the area. The southern attack against my Rifle platoons has gone so badly for him that I decided to go ahead and send 3 squads forward to seize the V-hexs. If they succeed that would give me control of all three groups and hopefully end the battle. Not that I'm afraid of losing, but he can't have that many more units. All of my planes are out of ammo, with the last couple of passes being strafing runs. My MLRS on map are being reloaded by a couple of ammo trucks and I will use them on any enemy troop concentrations.