"How would you defend this valley?" Topic

It's 1985. You are Captain Super McHeropants and you command a small holding force comprised of one company of tanks (10 x M1), an infantry platoon (4 x M113, grunts and M47 Dragons) along with two M901 ITVs. Here is the map.

You set up on the western hill. Your goal is just to slow the Sovets down. What's your plan (expect to be hit by a Soviet Motor Rifle Battalion from the east):

Would prefer to set up further west. Grunts with dragons in the village. Ambush tanks in village then duck and cover. Get to M113s if possible.
M113s as far south in the village as possible to pick up the grunts if possible. Then move south and swing west.
M1s dug in on ridge to the west.
M901s in the trees furthest to the south with field of fire to the north and northeast. Cover the M113 withdrawal then withdraw south and maybe swing west to the building/trees by the southmost fork in the road.

If I am stuck defending on the ridge I would dig in the M1s on the ridge with the M113s/grunts/M901s to the south. If they can I would advance to the south edge of the village and trees to the southwest and engage the south flank of the Soviets.

P.S. This looks like the opening battle in Coyle's book "Team Yankee".

Damn, I should have read this post before responding to the other. In any case, I've still gotta believe the Soviets are going to avoid that urban are like the plague.

-put the infantry in the center east wood (the one just south of the town), set to engage then hop in their tracks and none northwest into the town, where they can reorganize and then either reorient themselves to a new threat axis or ride like the Light Brigade to certain death in a local counterattack.
-put the 901s at the west edge of the southeast wood, facing northeast. Engage, fall back to the copse of trees, engage, fall back to hull down in the depression (straight west), engage, fall back to (hopefully?) pre-dug hull down positions on west hill.
-put one tank platoon on the south side of the west edge of the town, oriented southeast (towards the gap between the two woods there). Here they can cover that gap and the fall back by the grunts, but this really needs to be rehearsed so the grunt tracks don't mask the tanks. This platoon should also have an easy time reorienting north if the Sovs push hard there. This platoon should also have pre-prepped and marked fall back positions on west hill.
-the other two tank platoons go to the northeast wood, one in the wood in hull down positions covering straight east, the other behind the wood in reserve.
-since we have no indirect fire assets displacement for all elements is gonna be hairy, with each unit having to make its own smoke.
**the counter to all this is that, if force preservation is tantamount we're giving the grunts a break on the west side (off map) of west hill, then all my vehicles are hull down on the crest of west hill. M1s fire 5-6 round each, 901s Fire a TOW, maybe two, then everyone falls back off map, out of sight (but more than likely with Sov arty fire raining down on their heads).

V/R,
Jack

This is a great exercise EC!
Ok, it's interesting that you posted the same scenario right after, because explaining how I would defend is determined on how I think the Soviets will attack.
If I was attacking I would concentrate on the south side of the village, taking both woods and using them as a fire base to move a cross the valley in force.

That being said here is how I would defend.
First split the infantry, M113's and 901's positioned on either side of the western village edge, catching the flank of enemy units moving to either north or south. Either group repositioning as necessary.
The M1's position 3 covering the north area, which can be used as a flanking unit in moving into the village if the Soviets move south.
Position 7 M1's in the south spread out to cover angles as they move down towards the woods.

One platoon infantry? String a squad along the eastern edge to act as a trip wire. One squad a bit further south and the last squad a bit back (centre of town) to reinforce as needed.

Dragons go on top of a house at the south end.

Stick one tank platoon at the south end, one on the west hills (assuming they can fire across) and one somewhat west of the town centre.

Tanks top right down quadrant, on mid green contour, infantry on southern spur of town, ready to do a reverse move by bounds- hit some vehicles, then bug out covered by second line, who do the same

Soviet Tactics are two or 3 axis of advance and to re-inforce successful one. The AT to the south will kill tracks early, holding them, and maybe making them consider FIBA. Any advance to the north will therefor look more successful, meaning they will be going towards your tank guns – the north is more open so more condusive to long range gunnery- bearing in mind LoS on the hill is probably no more than the central northern wood, less if in the valley.

Yes I did see the other thread first, but I know WP run Bn up units on a 3/1 split, so as Intel say this is MR that would be 3 MR coy, 1 tank. Of course Intel tell you its a MR BN, so in real life expect 3 Tank Bns, and 2 MR…

To me there has to be a point. Clearly the only logistic route out of the valley on the west side is to the north of the village. If the Russians fail to get that there will be no Strogonof or fuel at the end of the day.

So the Russian assult needs to be north of the village or go a VERY long way round the village or through it, both will give NATO time to restore order.

Given that the first players are the M901's they need to be out of gun range. The lower wood south of the village is about 3 to 4 km from the top of the map so this is the optimum position. At over 500m wide this is proably OK for a back up position for the M901's if it gets too hot. If it goes pear shaped there may be a second position to the east about in line with the first wood close to the sharp bends in the road. This again covers the key road junction.

Tanks want to be above the village about 1k or so from the key junction. Idealy with terrain masking them from the village below.

Now the Infantry want the village as this threatens the Russian right flank. The most northerly village on the east side would be OK for at least 1 platoon. They would need a FDF from the artillery in case it gets too hot. RV would be in the village further south. Alternate infantry positions are required if the Russians decide they are going round the south side of the village to get behind the M1's east of the village but not engageable except from the north.

Best option is for the Russians to move as far north as possible with planned fires on the southern wood (M901 positions). The longer the M901 range the less shots they may fire as travel time is an issue. Hold back on the infantry doing much if it can be avoided as once its down to the Grunts its going to be long and bloody. Artillery will help but the village is way to big to stonk it summerily. It is well be worth taking the northen wood with a platoon and having a good go with a couple of platoons each on the to most northery outliers of the village. The main issue here is to prevent the NATO infantry threatening the Right flank of the assult with Dragons but they are of limited range and effect other than on a flank of a tank.

I couldn't tell from the map; what's the contour interval?

I'd position my armor and ITVs about mid way up the slope on the Western side of the valley, in positions just forward of the road and north of the intersection on the hill. The Soviets will be highlighted against the sky as they come over the hill to the East. Blow away their armor and transports at range as they come down the hill and continue to shell any infantry that moves into the town.

Since this is merely a delaying action there is no need to risk the infantry in the town. They wouldn't be able to hold back a Rifle Battalion themselves and they would be too vulnerable withdrawing to the West and to far forward to be immediately supported by the rest of my forces, so I would conserve them. I'd have the infantry on security duty covering the road to the North West behind the crest of hill.

Armor would withdraw one platoon at a time starting from the southern most positions, moving north along the road over the hill as remaining platoons cover them. ITVs withdraw last.

Unless I am mistaken, the two high points of the valley are +/- 5,000 meters across. Assuming bog standard 901's and 105mm Abrams, My max range is with the 901's at around 3,500 meters. I don't know how far the tanks can shoot, so I'm going to cap it at 1,500 for the sake of argument.

Position M901's in the northernmost wood on the 1st level elevation. from there there can reach most of the opposite hill and almost all the way through the town, if they can identify targets which I doubt.

Dameon is right, there is no real reason to risk the Infantry. The Armor will have to carry most of the fight. DEATH BEFORE DISMOUNT!! lol. Leave the infantry in the wood covering the 901's. There is zero cover on the western slopes, and the 105 gun won't reliably penetrate a T72 at long range, so we are going to have to advance into the town, set up some firing positions, and then bound backwards. If we can get the soviets to shake out from march column we should stomp the 1st echelon and might be able to take out most of the second. as the third echelon comes on line, start bounding backwards out of the town and away from battle. With some luck we could get some covering fires from arty or mortars as we pull out. 901's will also cover the pullback. if things go south, captain goes down with the ship, Infantry and 901's pull out and tanks cover them, occupying the Soviets as long as possible.
If the Russians deploy on a Northern axis to counter the 901's or try to bypass by going south, the Armor displaces to Northern or southern edge of town and hits them in the flank. Then we will pretend we are Hussars and charge them, von Bredow's death ride style. Straight through and out, to pull out with the infantry.

Wait, do I have to evacuate the civilians? Cause that would cock everything up…