"What's your attack plan?" Topic

You have found a weak spot in the American lines. You have 3 full infantry companies supported by 4 platoons of T72s (9 tanks total), as well as having three batteries (6 guns each) of 2S3 SP guns on call. You enter from the east. What's your plan and why?

Mark,

I love stuff like this, but do we have any further info?

Any idea on enemy strength and disposition?

And what are our objectives?

With no further info:
-my FO goes into OP atop eastern hill, start registering targets on south side of town, west hill, and northwest wood.
-first MR company goes into southeast wood, over watch to screen west.
-second MR company goes into wood just above them to screen town.
-third MR company leads the four tank platoons through gap between first and second MR companies, push west off map to lead the rest of the division's breakout.
-third MR company and tanks need to stay south, well away from the urban area, and so will end up masking first MR company, so first MR company will assume reserve role while second screens town.
-if there are problems from northwest arty will handle, if contact from west hill third MR company will deploy while tanks avoid fight and continue west.
-once tanks clear of west hill (that is, drive past the hill to the south) first MR follows in trace, followed by second MR company once first has cleared the west hill.
-direct support arty pulls up stakes and follows in trace of second MR company.
-third MR either gets chewed up on west hill and enemy troops there are dealt with by more (some other friendly element's) arty and follow-on echelons, or secure the hill then work to catch up.

How'd I do?

V/R,
Jack

Strength and disposition of the enemy are all over rated. Locate the enemy lines. Pound them with artillery and advance with everything. Once we break through, advance to capture as much territory as possible or until someone stops us again.

As stated in the previous thread, send one MR companies north of the village as a screen drawing enemy units from the south.
Take the two woods south of the village. Use them as a fire base with 6 tanks, covering the attack by the other two MR companies and remaining tanks.

1 Motor rifle company overwatches the town from the hills on the east side to fire ATGM on anything armoured they spot.

Rest of the force swings around the south "arm" of the town, the two remaining infantry companies moving closer to the town and the tanks swinging wider.

When enemies are encountered, motor rifles "anchor" them and tanks swing to land the left hook blow.

Or you know.. die horribly in the process.

Looking at the manual, the rifle companies shake out into combat formation (a long line). Each with an attached tank platoon, deployed in line roughly 200m in front.

As I'm Russian, I'm supposed to use two echelons, so well keep one company 500m back.

The artillery stonks all the obvious terrain features and we roll forward as one great mass, just like we trained to do in the Ukraine.

The second echelon will be committed on the axis of least resistance.

Urrah!

Village is a trap. And should be avoided.

Southern passage between forests is most obvious way, so it should be avoided. It will be a trap. Mines maybe.

First stonk northern forest with artillery.

Send all forces northern passage as fast as possible, setting horizontal smoke screen to the north from vilage (do not count on it much – casualties are acceptable).

Intel Update

Intel reports enemy not present in much force – two companies at most. Mixed armor and infantry. M1s spotted on hill on western edge of map.

So possibly 14 Abrams and 14 Bradleys plus the infantry. Decent opposition for 9 T64s and up to 41 BMPs/BTRs (type unspecified above). Could be nasty.

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.

You may all be overthinking it

link

In reality you wouldn't be attacking as a Regimental Commander, you be part of a Divisional (minimum) attack.

However, for purposes of this thread, regarding what John says

Arty pre-planned on the two copses south

One company north of BUA, 1 south, go in hard and fast to negate tech/range advantage.

Re-enforce success with 3 Coy and tanks.

"Intel reports enemy not present in much force – two companies at most. Mixed armor and infantry. M1s spotted on hill on western edge of map."

You expect me to attack two enemy companies in a defensive position with only three of my own? And they've got bigger companies and tanks my own ones can't knock out??

OK, can I have the divisional rocket launcher battalion in support as well please. With the 'special' warheads on. 10kt should be sufficient.

Then we line up and charge, as before, albeit suited up. Like we trained to do.

Failing that, I need the rest of the regiment.

You cant defeat two dug in companies with three companies.
But you can bypass them.

What Martin said.

This reminds me of the 'tactical problems' posed in the old Wargamers Digest.

Last Hussar,
Why would you go south? You have to take the north junction to keep your logitics trail intact. That means passing yopu flank against the village on the wrong side of the original battle lines.

Bypass town, identify as potential enemy strongpoint for later echelons to deal with.

Ok, this will be a tough one. the approaches to the town are completely open, enemy technologically superior, probably better trained, and with superior kit.
If I HAD to take the town…
I would risk it and go in with a night assault. my opening move would be a illumination bombardment of the western hill, perhaps with a little smoke, to mess up their thermal and night vision. last salvo will be fires on the leading edge of the town.
this is followed up by a dash to the town. Entire force, including SP guns. One Tank Platoon will keep an eye on the Abrams while this is going on, bounding with another.Rally point on the grouping of 4 buildings with the bush to the east, just north of the northernmost woods on the east side of the map. once in town, infantry will dismount ASAP. we will form ambush positions to the allied counterattack ideally hyper close range should eliminate their use of ATGM and equalize the superiority of the Abrams armor and 120 guns and targeting and all that other stuff they are better at. If must attack, a Tank will be operating with each infantry platoon, along with each dismounted squad operating with its BMP, for use of its thermal sights and night vision. (my guess is that my infantry are not equipped with it.) SOP for approaching building strongpoints will be an infantry recon AKA "vehicle check", and building scan with thermal/night vision for infantry. and identified infantry will be dealt with by HE Fire, seems as though we could work our way west through the town without exposing ourselves to any long alleys of fire. Infantry assault will ONLY be used as a LAST RESORT. keep operational tempo up as high as possible. Town clearance will be 2 up one down. armor will be integrated with infantry. Meanwhile, there will be a "covering Force" of the SP guns, the BMP's of 3rd company, and the last tank platoon. (situation dependent.) their mission is to keep an eye on the western hillside. keep the Abrams blinded. Tanks and BMP's will be on overwatch, ready to target any tank that tries to move, while the SPG's are going to fire over open sites on the tanks, Preferably keeping them blinded, in such a way as that when they try to bound forward, we are only dealing with one or 2 tanks at a time. At commander's discretion, one battery may alternate between this mission and supporting the infantry assault, although they have a decent amount of direct fire support.

please note I'm not very good at commanding anything too far over the platoon, maybe company level.

This plan will probably fail I guess. Its probably too complicated. However, the way I see it, this is the best shot I have. an assault in the daytime will get me slaughtered on the approach to the town.