Rolling Thunder 16 - Mission 1

[Gibsonm]

OPERATIONS ORDER - PzBrig 20

 

Firstly my thanks to Harvey Black for writing some excellent novels (The Red, Black and Blue effect) which inspired much of this.

 

Situation:
 
Date: 14 FEB 91
Time: 0630 GMT/Zulu (0730 Local)
Location: West of HANNOVER, North of MITTELLANDKANAL
 
General:

Rolling Thunder 16 back story

 

Enemy:

Overnight elements of the 12 Guards Tank Division, 3rd Shock Army forced a crossing of the Leine river at great cost.

It is expected that having achieved this breakthrough, the Forward Detachment (tactical version of a Operational Manoeuvre Group) of 12 Guards Tank Division, based around 48th Guards Tank Regiment will attempt to exploit west towards the River Weser.

 

It is assessed that the 48th Guards Tank Regiment consists of:

3 x Tank Battalions, equipped with T-90
1 x Motor Rifle Battalion, equipped with BMP-3

 

The Soviets are supported by prodigious amounts of tube and rocket artillery and appear to have access to large amounts of Frontal Aviation (fixed and rotary wing, attack and transport).

 

The Soviets have also used Chemical and Biological agents during their assault and we have no reason to doubt they will continue to deploy them.

There has been no reported Nuclear release to date.

 

Friendly:

 

 

Brigade Covering Force: 7th Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion (7th Panzeraufklärungsabteilung) is arrayed East of the Battle Handover Line (BHL).

 

They are tasked with maintaining contact but once the main assualt begins they will fall back through your positions and head West.

 

Verteidigungskreiskommando (VKK) troops are sending reports back from isolated pockets in HANNOVER itself.

 

202 PzGdr Battalion is to your left.

204 Pz Battalion is to your right.

 

South of the MITTELLANDKANAL and across the I WG / 1 BR Corps boundary, the 2 Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) Battlegroup is conducting an area defence centered on BAD NENNDORF.

 

There is a series of Reserve Demolitions sited along the MITTELLANDKANAL with Demolitions Guards from 1 BR Corps. These Reserve Demolitions will be blown as Soviet recon forces approach in order to (IOT) deny the crossing.

 

You command 201 PzBtl.

 

This consists of:

1 x Marder Kompanie - 3 platoons, each of 3 Marder IFV.

Each Marder carries either a Rifle Team (with 3 x PzF-3) and a MG3 Team or a Rifle Team and a MILAN Team. The "2" vehicle (A2, B2 and C2) carries the Rifle/MILAN team grouping.

2 x Leo 2A4 Kompanies - Each having 3 Platoons of 4 tanks.

Each Kompanie has a Commander, FISTV and Echelon (1 x ARV, 1 x AMB, 2 x Tr)

 

This can be displayed graphically below:

 

 

 

Attachments/Detachments:

You have six batteries of 155mm guns in support and access to CAS.

You have also been assigned two platoons from the 200th JagdPanzer Company. Each platoon has 3 Jaguar 1A3 ATGM vehicles.

A Gepard Battery from 7th Air Defence Regiment is in location (not at your disposal) to defend the crossings over the Weser.
 
Civilians:

Large numbers of German citizens are fleeing Westward. These internally displaced persons (IDPs) are choking roads and making movement Eastward on the main routes very difficult. The crossings at PETERSHAGEN have been especially hit.

The obstacles created by this press of people have been increased by vehicle accidents, abandoned vehicles and wreckage caused by air and artillery strikes.
 
It is expected that this movement will thin out in the next couple of hours as people seek shelter in cellars, etc. rather than move in the open as Soviet combat forces approach.

 

Mission: PzBrig 20 will deny penetration within boundary IOT, prevent the crossing of the WESER and maintain contact with 1 BR Corps.
 
Execution:
 
General Outline - The Brigade will deploy all four Battalions fwd.

201st PzBtl - Centre
202nd PzGdrBtl - Left
203rd PzBtl - Far Right
204th PzBtl - Right
 
Grouping and Tasks
 
201st Panzer Battalion

 

Grouping

 

Attached - 2 x Pl, 200 JagdPz Kompanie

 

In Location - Elm 7th Air Defence Regiment, 7th Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion.

 

Tasks

- Conduct Battle Handover with 7th Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion
- Facilitate rearward passage of lines by 7th Armoured Reconnaissance Battalion
- Impose delay within boundary
- Deny penetration of STOP LINE WICKETKEEPER
- Maintain contact and alignment with 202nd PzGdr Battalion and 204 Pz Battalion.

 

202nd PzGdrBtl - Detail Omitted

203rd PzBtl - Detail Omitted

204th PzBtl - Detail Omitted

 

Co-ord

Boundaries - as marked
Brigade Report lines - as marked
Brigade Named Areas of Interest (NAIs) - as marked
 
Admin and Log:
 
Each Kompanie has an echelon.

Re arming will be priority

Recovery assets limited, need to ensure they are not risked/wasted unduly.

 

Command and Signals:

You are the Battalion CO.

Recommend one person be the Artillery person and be given ownership of all FISTV vehicles.

Deployment area mirrors AO.

TRP are deployable.

Manning List to follow.

 

Edited May 25, 2016 by Gibsonm

[Gibsonm]

Manning List

 

 

 

 

KpChef/201 - Abaddon "Black 6"

VB/201 - Gibsonm "Black 7"

 

 

KpChef/2./201 - ???? "Anvil 1"

 

 

I/2./201 -

A/2./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) Kingtiger

A1/2./201

A2/2./201

 

 

II/2./201 -

B/2./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) Wiglif

B1/2./201

B2/2./201

 

 

III/2./201 -

C/2./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) smithcorp

C1/2./201 Bond_Villian

C2/2./201

 

 

KpFu/2./201 -

 

 

 

KpChef/3./201 - Major Duck "Arrow 1"

 

 

I/3./201 -

A/3./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) Deekay

A1/3./201 muzzleflash

A2/3./201 jumo213

A4/3./201 Grizzly

 

 

II/3./201 - 

B/3./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) Swordsmandk

B1/3./201 Roerbaek

B2/3./201

B4/3./201 maximuis

 

 

III/3./201 - 

C/3./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) Dr.Hat

C1/3./201 chrisreb

C2/3./201 Garmon

C4/3./201 Zaphod

 

 

KpFu/3./201 -

 

 

 

KpChef/4./201 - Cupcake "Hammer 1"

 

 

I/4./201 -

A/4./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) Tango29

A1/4./201 Panzer_Leader

A2/4./201 12Alfa

A4/4./201 Skyshark

 

 

II/4./201 -

B/4./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) Mirzayev

B1/4./201 Connaugh

B2/4./201

B4/4./201

 

 

III/4./201 -

C/4./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) dta delta

C1/4./201

C2/4./201

C4/34./201

 

 

KpFu/4./201 -

 

 

 

I/200 - ????? "Sniper 1"

A/I./200 (Platoon commander's vehicle)

A1/I./200

A2/I./200

 

 

II/200 -

B/II./200 (Platoon commander's vehicle)

B1/II./200

B2/II./200

 

Randoms (people who are indecisive, unsure if they can make it, commitment issues, ...):

TSe419E

mpow66m

Nebuluski

 

Edited June 11, 2016 by Gibsonm

[Gibsonm]

Just a reminder that:

 

1. The CO for the mission can chop and change which units go where, so on the night they may, or may not, be arranged as above.

 

2. The CO may determine that a person per Platoon is better than a Platoon fully manned and two other empty Platoons.

[Major duck]

KpChef/3./203: 1 x Leo 2A4 - : Major duck 
FO: 1 x FISTV -
 

• I/3./203: 4 x Leo 2A4 - : Deekay, Grizzly, muzzleflash (DK PLT,Kanium))
  II/3./203: 4 x Leo 2A4 - : Swordsmandk, Roerbaek, maximuis (DK PLT,Kanium)
  III/3./203: 4 x Leo 2A4 - : Dr.Hat, chrisreb, Garmon, Zaphod (International PLT, Kanium)
  KpFü/3./203: 1 x Wisent, 1 x M113A3 Amb, 2 x Unimog -

KpChef/3./201 - Major Duck

 

 

I/3./201 - (DK PLT,Kanium)

A/3./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) : Deekay

A1/3./201 : muzzleflash

A2/3./201

A4/3./201 : Grizzly

 

 

II/3./201 - (DK PLT,Kanium)

B/3./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) : Swordsmandk

B1/3./201 : Roerbaek

B2/3./201

B4/3./201 : maximuis

 

 

III/3./201 - (International PLT, Kanium)

C/3./201 (Platoon commander's vehicle) : Dr.Hat

C1/3./201 : chrisreb

C2/3./201 : Garmon

C4/3./201 : Zaphod

[Gibsonm]

Thanks for that, however I have to go through the previous posts where people nominated for slots and transcribe them (hence the comment about populating it).

 

Once I have those over I'll add yours.

 

I don't want people who asked for a slot weeks ago missing out due to more recent posts.

 

Also again as I said before people need to be prepared to be moved around. Unless language is an issue, I don't the CO will want a Platoon fully manned (e.g. III/3/201) and another empty. So those people may be moved around to flesh out other tank Platoons - maybe in 4./201 in this example.

[Gibsonm]

So I've done the straight transfer, now to try and fit in the "Baltic Block".

 

Just remember:

 

Its not going to work if one tank Platoon has two people in it and the rest of the Company is empty.

 

Certainly I'll fill slots based on people's preference but at the end of the day people may need to be moved to ensure the units are workable.

 

The first and third missions especially are designed to have well manned forward units and the reserve with a skeleton.

 

The CO will be given strong guidance to have depth so for example in the German scenario it might be (I'm not the CO and can't direct this):

• 4./203 is the front Kompanie, 2./203 is behind that and 3./203 is in the rear.
• On contact, 4./203 pulls back through 2./203 and 3./203 so 2./203 is in "front".
• Then 2./203 pulls back through 3./203 and 4./203 so 3./203 is in "front".

In that case, if we aren't lucky in terms of attendance I suspect we'll need to initially man 4./203 and 2./203 in preference to 3./203.

 

As Kompanies are attrited people will be moved around so the "front one" is well manned.

 

So if groups want to be in a platoon with their mates, fine but my guiding principle is that you want to be in a Leo Platoon, not necessarily wedded to II/3./203 specifically to the exclusion of any other Leo Platoon.

 

[mpow66m]

Does everybody use a mic?or can I go commando?

[Gibsonm]

You mean for Teamspeak?

 

I guess I'd say "yes".

[Gibsonm]

No CO ("KpChef/201") or guns.

 

Suspect the Company commanders might miss them.

 

Edited May 26, 2016 by Gibsonm

[12Alfa]

Can you place me in Tango29 Tp?

[Gibsonm]

Sure, any particular vehicle?

[Gibsonm]

Please review the listings to make sure I didn't miss anything.

 

Be aware that for some of you I've had to move you (e.g. 2 people wanted to command a specific Platoon, etc.).

 

To resolve that I've gone with "first in best dressed" and the person displaced has the same job but elsewhere - so if two people both wanted to lead a tank platoon, one got the specific platoon they asked for the other is still a tank platoon commander but a different tank platoon to the one they specified.

 

If that's a big issue ("Callsign XYZ has a special place as I used to fill that role in real life", etc.) let me know and I'll try and adjust to accommodate your needs.

[Wiglif]

B/2./201 please

[Gibsonm]

Done.

[Gibsonm]

Here is a link to a file for Recon purposes only:

 

https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZ0NmbZBhTUWb5wchhz45XePtOysJqdMnBk

 

PLEASE DO NOT create a "Plan" file based on this scenario file as it will not work with the full mission file!!

 

You will do a lot of work and then have to do it all over again.

 

You can however review the ground, confirm your ORBAT, etc.

 

Please remember to set your contour interval to 10m or less.

 

Full mission file will be up by No Later Than this Sunday - my time.

 

Edited June 2, 2016 by Gibsonm

[Gibsonm]

Here is the link to the Mission file itself:

 

 https://my.pcloud.com/publink/show?code=XZM8DbZVlEIUaN8jWfMBbUcNcPdKbzeY2JX

 

If no one else steps up I'll CO but I wont be planning as I know what Red is going to do.

 

If MAJ Duck and Cupcake want to get together happy to co-ord those two Kompanies. Perhaps KT has a battlefield promotion?

 

Please send me a PM if  you want to go down that road?

 

Also once the co-ord is done happy to build the Plan file by editing it and passing it one to the next Kompanie commander?

 

In any event this one will probably need the Kompanies "Task Organised" to create maybe three composite mixed Kompanies?

 

Edited June 5, 2016 by Gibsonm

[Skyshark]

On ‎5‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 7:16 AM, Gibsonm said:

A4/4./201

Could I man This

[Zaphod]

Civilians:

Large numbers of German citizens are fleeing Westward. These internally displaced persons (IDPs) are choking roads and making movement Eastward on the main routes very difficult. The crossings at PETERSHAGEN have been especially hit.

The obstacles created by this press of people have been increased by vehicle accidents, abandoned vehicles and wreckage caused by air and artillery strikes.
 
It is expected that this movement will thin out in the next couple of hours as people seek shelter in cellars, etc. rather than move in the open as Soviet combat forces approach.

 

 

This is awesome Gibson! I want to make a few scenarios later that involved around this feature so to say.
I am getting anxious for the 11 th 

[Gibsonm]

4 hours ago, Skyshark said:

Could I man This

 

Done.

[Zaphod]

On 5/25/2016 at 9:02 PM, mpow66m said:

Does everybody use a mic?or can I go commando?

We won't even ask what you are or are not wearing lol

[Abaddon]

My weekend plans got cancelled so I'm up for this. I can go fill any slot you want. CO is fine also.

[Gibsonm]

OK.

 

In that case I'll do Artillery.

[Major duck]

59 minutes ago, Abaddon said:

My weekend plans got cancelled so I'm up for this. I can go fill any slot you want. CO is fine also.

It would be awesome if you could do all 3 as co

 

Have invited you to a pm

 

MD

[Gibsonm]

Except for #2.

 

I have to have some fun after all this.

 

Just need the Troops to be commanded.

[Abaddon]

Unfortunately I can CO only the first one.