From: Noel Weer <noel.weer@v...>
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2001 19:32:09 -0600
Subject: [DS2] Complex 15 Assault: AAR (long)
This was the first serious playtest of a scenario I am working on. The intent was for a scenario that could fit in a standard 4 hour con format without being a straight meeting engagement. I wanted a mission, with objectives, etc.... I also wanted it to feel more fluid, and like a story. To do this I added "cards" that the defender had to turn in to activate calls for support and reinforcements. Each of these triggered die rolls for how long they had to wait, and got them another "card" that represented the radio message exchange for their request. We simply designated 3 buildings in the facility for the operation. The scenario has an optional random, blind choice option. We also designated the facility as a urban environment - which is not necessary. I will be publishing a more flexible version of this for others to download and try, soon (pdf with the cards etc. included). [BTW: for those that remember the recent Genetic Engineered Infantry debate, this was the first serious combat test of their design. I removed the controversial extra arty observation ability but left them at 5 to kill.] RAIDER Objective ========= Intelligence has indicated that a significant threat is developing within the opposing force. Enemy research efforts are reaching towards a breakthrough that could unbalance the current military situation. Unfortunately, full details on the status of this research have eluded intelligence gathering efforts. Your mission is to escort and defend a force of engineers and intelligence elements. The priorities for this mission are to gather physical evidence of the current enemy research efforts and to destroy designated key portions of the facility. (There is more: essentially, the 33rd was to land first and clear the path. Then it was to set up blocking positions to secure the flanks and provide cover for later withdrawal. The 16th infantry was to provide the immediate escort and security for the engineers.) Force ===== 33rd Armored Company 2 armor platoons (B2, O3), each with: ** 4 T-BT-8b "Cavalier" type MBT (class 3, slow GEV, DFFGx5) 2 armor platoons (O2, B1), each with: ** 4 T-CL-2 "Claymore" type MBT (class 3, fast GEV, HELx5) 16th Infantry Company 4 infantry platoons (O2, O1, B1, B3), each with: ** 3 line infantry elements ** 2 GMS/L teams (enhanced FCS) ** 1 APSW team ** 2 power armor elements ** 3 I-CL-3a "Inverness" type IFV (Class 3, fast GEV, HELx1) ** 1 I-CL-2 "Chimera" type IFV (Class 4, fast GEV, HELx1) ** 1 C-CL-2 "Kentron" type command (Class 2, fast GEV, RFACx1) 2 armor support elements (attached from 6th Lancers) (O2, B1), each with: ** 4 D-CL-3 "Hellion" type combat cars (Class 3, fast GEV, 3 DFFGx2) 3rd Engineering Cohort (ad-hoc) 1 transport platoon (attached from 23rd support battalion) (B2), with: ** 5 H-CL-1 "Freshman" type trucks (Class 4, low mobility-wheeled, no armament) 2 engineering teams (B2, O3) 2 Intel Team (not represented on the combat board - consider them integral to the engineering teams) Fire Support The mission does have access to supporting fire from a heavy orbital platform. This platform's current fuel supply has not allowed it to achieve a stationary orbit. This limits its availability to single fire missions once an hour (4 turn intervals: Turns 1,5,9,13,17,etc., counts as 2 heavy arty guns). DEFENDER Objective ========= Technicians and scientists of the government are reported to be nearing significant breakthroughs that will greatly enhance our military capabilities. Our enemies will surely attempt to steal or destroy the knowledge that our researchers have garnered. (The air support, artillery, 8th armor, 11th infantry, and local militia were all random arrivals.) Force ===== Research Complex 15 Security Detail 1 infantry platoon (B1), with: ** 5 line infantry elements 2 armored platoons, each with: ** 4 Vampire Mk I BT (B2,B3) (Class 3, slow tracked, HVCx3) 3 AT elements, each with: ** 1 Buttress Mk I At Gun (Class 2, towed, HVCx4) Akeoga Volunteer Militia (G2) 2 elements of militia infantry 11th Infantry Company 3 platoons of infantry (B2, B1, G1), each with: ** 6 line infantry elements ** 2 GMS/L teams (superior FCS) ** 4 Beatle Mk Ia APCS (Class 3, fast GEV, no armament) 1 platoon of GE infantry (O1), with: ** 6 line infantry elements ** 2 GMS/L teams (superior FCS) ** 4 Beatle Mk Ia APCS (Class 3, fast GEV, no armament) 8th Armored Company 4 platoons of MBT (B2, B3, O2, B1), each with: ** 5 T-EC-1 "Yergecheffe" type MBT (Class 3, slow GEV, MDCx5) 2 platoons of heavy tanks (B2, B1), each with: ** 4 T-BT-3a "Dragonne" type heavy tank (Class 5, slow GEV, DFFGx4) Air Support 3rd Wing, 2nd Air Force, with: ** 2 GAF-5-A type ground attack fighters (Class 2, aerospace, RFACx1, DFOx2) Fire Support 18th Artillery, with: ** 3 Daemon Mk II SPG (Class 4, Grav, med. arty) (This was some days ago, so it may not be 100% accurate but the essence of the events is here) Turn 0 ===== The scenario lays out a defense outpost near a likely insertion site and approach towards the facility. The starting infantry for the defense was positioned there. The defending players were taken out of the room and notified of the loss of their forward position one of the "radio messages". This started the battle. Turn 1 ====== The raider armored company began moving towards the facility - 2 platoons on each flank around the central forest. The defenders exercised their option to call for their air support and advanced their two armored platoons (one to each flank) to harass the enemy's advance. Turn 2 ====== A brief exchange of fire on the southern flank produced 1 tank kill on each side. Initial exchange on the North produced no losses. The defenders placed their call for artillery support. Turn 3 ====== The raider infantry company landed and began moving out. On the Southern flank the raider's completely eliminated the remaining opposing tanks (3), at a cost of one tank. Fire exchanged in the North eliminated 2 defender tanks. Then the defender air support arrived. It dropped its MAK DFO upon the 2 Southern flank raider tank platoons. These tanks had been channeled by the terrain and were slightly bunched... the damage was severe - 6 tanks lost, effectively eliminating the two platoons (1 tank left). Turn 4 ====== On the Southern flank, the raiders cleaned out the opposing AT gun position. In the North, the defenders called down their artillery on a hillside occupied by an raider tank platoon. The platoon moved to avoid the strike - charging the AT gun positions and eliminated both of them. Then the defender's northern tank platoon exchanged fire with the other raider platoon on that flank - 2 defenders were lost at no cost to the raiders. Then the defender air support made its run with its HEF DFO ordinance. This was remarkably less dramatic - the first strike hit a tank platoon immobilizing 1 tank, the other strike hit an platoon of APC mounted infantry with no damage inflicted. Turn 5 ====== The engineers arrived, with their light armored support and moved towards the facility. The last northern defenders were killed off. The defenders called for their infantry support. Turns 6-13 ========== The raiders rushed their infantry forward - taking up dismounted positions within the facility, along its western edge, to block any approach to the working engineers. The engineers also entered the facility, beginning their work on 2 of the structures. The combat cars arrayed themselves along the road passing through the facility. The defenders held the arrival of their infantry company in Turn 13 to join in one rush with the armor reinforcements - that had been called when the facility was entered - and to avoid the raider orbital artillery that was available during Turn 13. Turn 14 ======= The defenders had the 11th infantry and 8th armor arrive. Initial fire exchanges were light - one combat car & 1 APC (raiders), 2 tanks & 1 APC (defender). (GE Playtesting Note: GE infantry die on board APCs just like norms.) The GE infantry then dismounted. The engineers finished their work on 2 of the buildings and moved to take care of the third structure. We marked full building smoke across the facility for the 2 demolished buildings. This eliminated visibility down the road... Turn 15 ======= The GE infantry close assaulted into the smoke. They encountered elements of 2 raider infantry platoons - 1 fell back, 1 held. Of the elements that held, 2 were PA (so excitement was high for the first GE-PA fight), losses were light and the second raider platoon fell back. (GE Playtesting Note: 1 GE unit had 4 valid hits drawn against it fighting the PA.) The defender did not pursue - concerned about over extending the GE force. On the Southern flank, the defenders recognized how lightly defended the raider was due to the DFO losses early on. 3 platoons began hooking up the large hill around the woods South of the facility. Fire exchange on the Northern flank heated up with 2-3 defender tanks lost, and some raider infantry elements falling. Turn 16 ======= The defender launched a close assault directly into the Western edge of the facility. Almost a full infantry platoon slammed into 4 raider infantry elements and an APC. The raider held to face the charge. Each side lost 2 elements. Each side held on the Reaction Checks, and in the second round of the fight each side lost another element. The raider forces held on their Reaction Check, but the defenders (tho still numerically superior) failed their check and fell back. (It was one of those cool dramatic moments that make gaming fun.) All the raider elements that could opened fire upon the defender forces flanking to the South. The impact from this was negligible - only 1 (or 2) tanks destroyed. Then the defender opened fire. Two vehicles had LOS upon one of the engineering trucks - the one carrying the engineer element that had finished its task and was trying to withdrawal. The DFFGx4 hit the target - and failed to destroy the armor 1, flanked, soft top truck.... It was amazing. So many 0's... Then a little class 1 HEL fired on the same truck... hit... and burned it to a crisp. The engineers failed to bail. There was some more shooting, but it was anti-climatic. Turn 17 ======= Did not materialize. We stopped and analyzed the situation. We agreed that there was slim hope that the remaining engineer could evac successfully. The freedom of the defenders to flank the raider force due to the depleted armor (from the air support) was what turned the tide against the raid. The remaining fighting in the facility would be quite high in casualties, but escape could easily be sealed off by the flanking force. We declared it a defender victory - but fun for both sides as the issue was not obvious until Turn 15 or so. Conclusions =========== We decided that the facility was too close to the Western map edge. The reinforcements for the defense should have had to advance under fire rather than reach the facility for attacks almost immediately. The attackers had no air defense - LAD or ADS. This proved to be serious flaw in the raider force structure. Some of the players wished that the initial orbital salvo would not have guaranteed the outpost died. They were willing to wave the issue of interface landers coming in close to enemy positions for a cool fire fight. The random arrivals and radio messages seemed to add a lot for the defenders. They felt it added flavor and brought the scenario alive. I was pretty happy about this and plan to add a few of these features for the raiders. The battle ran about 5 hours or so. Too long for the time limit goal, but it had gone quite rapidly up until the infantry started engaging in the facility (I am pretty sure there was more firing and what not that I left out above). This part is fairly important to the operational plan, so I am not sure what to do about it. The GE forces seemed OK, but didn't get enough action to fully evaluate due