After Action Report--Battle of Friendship Starport (DS2) +

We just played a "quick" game of Dirtside 2 and here's what happened-

First, the participants:

As the evil Red Horde (the ESU) Chris (Laserlight) (never played DS2 before)
Frank (played DS2 once before) Wayne (played DS2 once before)

As the capitalist pig running-dog bandit aggressors (the RH)
John (never played DS2 before) Jeff H. (never played DS2 before) Rob (that's
me) (played DS2 once before)

The forces of the ESU: two mixed arms companies of Border Guards (light
tracked vehicles, militia) one composite line company (medium to heavy grav
vehicles, PA troops) one btty light artillery one btty mdm artillery

The forces of the Romanov's: one combined arms co of Reserves (light tanks,
light wheeled APCs, mlitia) one composite Guards co (fast hover ATG, line inf,
mdm tanks) two sections of Maritime forces (boats, fast hover ATG, line inf)
two sections of Port security (light wheeled trucks, militia)
    (the last two were combined into a company-sized task group)
2 btty mdm artillery

The Field of Battle:

    Approiximately 4x6 feet with the long axis being north/south.  ESU
started in North 2 ft while RH started in South 2 ft. Landing field just
south of area's mid-line, with port facilities (BUA) just to the east.
The eastern 8 inches or so of the battlefield were ocean. A large BUA on the
northeastern corner of land (with maritime port facilities). A large forest
was on the south edge of the battlefield and another just was south of the
large BUA. Several hills and smaller woods dotted the battlefield, but mostly
in the North. There was a small island in the ocean about midway up the board
and there were several spurs of hilly land thrusting into the water as well.

The Orders:

    Basically a meeting engagement--the RH was trying to draw off ESU
forces from other fronts by threatening the BUA, while the ESU was trying to
take the starport.

The Battle:

Okay, things went really badly for the RH, as their best unit (the Guards
assault gun platoon) was almost wiped out as it tried a mad dash across the
starport for a major hill (center of the battlefield). Then, RH calls for arty
got a busy signal. Next, ESU arty fell on the advancing Reserve company
(western flank of the battlefield). But after that things started to go a
little better for the RH, as their artillery finally arrived smacking an ESU
Border Guards platoon very heavily (western flank of the battlefield) and,
along with some SLAM shots from the patrol boats, wiped out another Border
Guards platoon and and damaged anoher platoon (on the eastern flank). Assorted
light tank fire (from the RH Reserves company on the western flank) and
starport security missile fire (near the center of the battlefield) broke up
an ESU grav IFV push for the same major hill that the RH Guards had been
decimated trying to reach. At this point, it looked like things were almost
even, but...

...then the artillery started splashing all around the RH patrol boats. Of the
three boats, one went under spectacularly (Boom chit) while the another lost
its engine.

At this point, the UN declared a cease-fire (we had to call the game as
we
had run out of time for the scenario--my 3-year old son had awakened and
I had to keep tabs on him).

The Results:

Though point values for controlled objectives were equal, we gave the win to
the ESU as they had really punished the RH forces. If the game had gone on
much longer, things may have been different, but who knows...

Comments:

We should have used much more smoke, but then we wouldn't have had the arty
for squishing things, but it would probably have worked out better.

Also, I should have put a little more terrain onto the field, especially the
southern half, as the wide open spaces made movement REALLY dangerous.

On the other hand, more terrain would have slowed things down and wouldn't
really be in keeping with the wide, flat spaces I think of when

considering where a starport/airport would be located...

After this fight, Chris ran a quick FT/FB battle: Islamic Federation
Sultan has to bring to two recalcitrant Amirs back into the fold.

Three 1000 point squadrons per side and treachery always an option, but I'll
let him post the info on that one if he's inclined. I learned one thing in the
game that I had been doing wrong (regarding threshold checks when dropping
multiple levels in one volley) and finally got to try out Vector
Rules (which was a surprise for me, as we--the group I normally play
with--had always used Cinematic in the past).  The game was fun, though
I couldn't actually give it the time and attention I should have (looking
after my son most of the time), and I do apoligize to everyone who played for
that lack on my part.

Anyway, that's it for this one--hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.

Rob

> Okay, things went really badly for the RH, as their best

To be fair, the Righteous Defenders of Progressive Socialism also had a
discussion about making a mad dash, but we eventually decided "it's not who
gets to the objectives first, it's who gets there last that counts", so we sat
tight and shot, which turned out (according to Inevitable Historical
Necessity) to have been the right thing to do.

> (western flank of the battlefield). But after that things

"Heavily"?  Okay, I lost (all) three APCs--after my infantry had
scrambled out. Unlike the bootlicking lackeys of the
reactionary capitalist running-dog forces, who stayed in their
APCs in what turned out to be a very permanent way.

To be fair also, the decadent enemies of the people were also contending with
my Teske field. If I recall correctly, of all the targets I engaged, one APC
survived (damaged but not destroyed). Not every shot killed, but when one
didn't do it, I always had another one in that activation.

> Though point values for controlled objectives were equal,

Was that the point where we said "We are prepared to accept your
unconditional surrender" and your two co-commanders said "Sure!"
?   <g>

Thanks for setting it up; now I'll actually have to buy (and,
eventually, paint--schedule that in for 2004 or so) some 1/300
miniatures.