Saturday the 3rd September

[Brun]

Why was I moved out of 1st platoon? I can understand because i'm a new guy, but i'd prefer to be with John if possible, if jazjar wants to trade.

You were listed as 1st platoon and as RECCE. As more experieced players join I would like to have them in m1's so you got bumped down the line. Perhaps 3rd platoon might change a bit also depending on who shows up at game time. Normaly I would not be so picky about positions but with radio's out and sadistic evil genious zipuli hell bent on our failure, I must be a bit more like a DICTATOR.

Also if you fall back without permission there will be Blue on Blue:1:

[JohnO]

Brun, go ahead and place me where you want me. I have been playing around with the infantry today and will tomorrow.

[krause]

You were listed as 1st platoon and as RECCE. As more experieced players join I would like to have them in m1's so you got bumped down the line. Perhaps 3rd platoon might change a bit also depending on who shows up at game time. Normaly I would not be so picky about positions but with radio's out and sadistic evil genious zipuli hell bent on our failure, I must be a bit more like a DICTATOR.

Also if you fall back without permission there will be Blue on Blue:1:

Do I have a dragon at least?

Doesn't look like it from the mission zipuli uploaded.

Edited September 3, 2011 by krause

[jazjar]

I'll go wherever you need me, Brun, I'll dig our own graves if that becomes necessary ( zipuli apparently would like that LOL ).

[Kingtiger]

Just remember you aren’t a tank and your life expectancy should improve.

Thats me (the gunner) in my PVB302, its like a M113 with a 20mm gun. always being opfor to the CV90s... So Im used to remember Im not a tank (or IFV for that matther....:frown:)

[Gibsonm]

Thats me (the gunner) in my PVB302, its like a M113 with a 20mm gun. always being opfor to the CV90s... So Im used to remember Im not a tank (or IFV for that matther....:frown:)

Ah well just the skill set we need here.

My submission for the planning group:

The orders and indeed the boundary indicates that there will be difficulties achieving the hoped for combined effect (further challenging given the lack of radios).

While the recce and AT guys share an AO and a deployment box, the Coy itself can’t push fwd (without a boundary change - Brun by all means ask for one. ) to spt them until the 28th Easting.

The ground doesn’t look like a challenge. The North South “River” isn’t an obstacle (crossed it in a HMMWV) and there aren’t any bridges where the road crosses it.

However a AT grouping near GR 310 763 can engage the rd junction in GS 32 77 and tell us if the Soviets are staying on Route 82 or using the secondary route (remember the boundary is “ours” not “theirs”) or both.

The ridge that 310 763 is part of is probably the best initial delay position for the AT M3’s with perhaps the recce elm providing a trip wire either side of the Route 82 high speed avenue of approach. There might be scope for a dismounted ambush on Route 82 as it goes through the woods in GS 30 77 but if they only have M-72 then its probably not worth it.

Once the Soviets cross the 28 and the Coy is clear to engage, there are some reasonable BPs just our side of the 28 and then a secondary line roughly North South through SOUTH MOUNTAIN. The final line would need to be the approaches to GATESVILLE itself.

The mission goes for 90 minutes so depending on how aggressive the Soviet is the AT assets might gain us 20 min of delay and the subsequent positions 5 or 10 with other gains primarily being transit times.

There’s very little arty either (one fire mission of 2 tubes at any one time, but ICM is available).

The good news is that even the Infantry have NVG (a bit generous for the early 80’s but I’m not complaining).

So the Coy probably needs to deploy with Tks fwd and the Mech Inf / CSS in GATESVILLE to provide a firm base for the last BP and with BPT task to deny GATESVILLE to some sort of heliborne insertion.

Timely recovery will be very important so we may want to consider staging the M88 fwd at vic SOUTH MOUNTAIN.

[Zipuli]

Please note, that the COY boundary marked on map is the REAR BOUNDARY. So the tank coy must first get into its AOR, and then prevent the enemy from crossing the same boundary towards west en force. So, tank coy AOR = BN AOR in front and sides, COY boundary in REAR!!! Otherwise it may be that first game is quite quiet for the Abrams

And now that you have no in-game-radios (=no real time situational awareness shared within the battalion) the pace should drop a bit, because the need of coordination is higher (=more realistic). Of course you have the radio networks using TS, but basically there will be no other map updates than 1) movement of your selected unit and 2) enemy updates of units your selected unit has spotted.

The red side will play realistically, using soviet doctrine and tactics, including timing and objectives. So if one of you guys (or more) is familiar with that stuff, you will be able to draw some conclusions along the way and predict the red force movements, size, composition, timing etc. If you are unable to do that, heck, it may get a bit reactive on the blue side

PS. I will TRY following method for making the AAR (new PC, anything can happen...): I will "film" on the red side and record the blue side comms. So hopefully it'll give a nice peek on the OPFOR side and your actions accordingly. Hopefully it works. If possible, someone on the blue side also record video, and later send it to me, so I can add some blue side footage as well. Or maybe you can make a "casualty's point of view" -video!

[Zipuli]

Ah well just the skill set we need here.

While the recce and AT guys share an AO and a deployment box, the Coy itself can’t push fwd (without a boundary change - Brun by all means ask for one. ) to spt them until the 28th Easting.

Nope, like posted above, the coy boundary marked on map is the REAR boundary of the coy AOR, the coy just haven't reached the AOR yet. Recce plt and ATGM plt will operate independently in the same AOR (though their rear boundary is not defined, like the tank coy has). I re-read the briefing and it was correct there. Hopefully Brun understood it and did not plan the actions on the wrong side of the coy boundary

[Tacbat]

I have a small feeling that 30mins into the game my "recce" assets will tell where the enemy are by the smoke they produce after being KO...

Always the optimist.

[Kingtiger]

Always the optimist.

It's called REALIST dude

[Kingtiger]

There might be scope for a dismounted ambush on Route 82 as it goes through the woods in GS 30 77 but if they only have M-72 then its probably not worth it.

Just tested and the infantry got 3 AT-4 per squad. good enough for ambush

[Brun]

Nope, like posted above, the coy boundary marked on map is the REAR boundary of the coy AOR, the coy just haven't reached the AOR yet. Recce plt and ATGM plt will operate independently in the same AOR (though their rear boundary is not defined, like the tank coy has). I re-read the briefing and it was correct there. Hopefully Brun understood it and did not plan the actions on the wrong side of the coy boundary

So 28 Easting is the rear Boundary line for the tank co and We must cross it First then deploy?

[12Alfa]

So 28 Easting is the rear Boundary line for the tank co and We must cross it First then deploy?

Will we be on the regular TS channel?

[JohnO]

Just tested and the infantry got 3 AT-4 per squad. good enough for ambush

How did you test that, so I will know how to test it? Plus how do yo turn on the NVGs for the Infantry?

[krause]

How did you test that, so I will know how to test it? Plus how do yo turn on the NVGs for the Infantry?

Press + on your numpad, like you would for a regular vehicle.

[Kingtiger]

How did you test that, so I will know how to test it? Plus how do yo turn on the NVGs for the Infantry?

Further up the thread Zip wrote that he has the ENY units to spawn on a trigger. which means you can start the scenario and drive around without bumping into ENY. So thats what I did and dismounted my grunts to see what they carried.

[krause]

I propose an alternative communication scheme than as I have encountered so far (wednesday games/friday night)

I HIGHLY recommend that we use a standardized format for contact reports - it will significantly cut down on net chatter and give everyone an expectation of what they are hearing.

Two standard forms are SALUTE and ACE reports. This are American-centric, I personally don't care what format we use, but I think we should use *A* format. Something more NATO friendly might be better.

Contact report:

Size

Activity

Location

Unit

Time

Equipment

It is reported as:

Line 1: # (type of unit) (size) i.e. "1 t-72 platoon"

Line 2: 2-3 word description of what they are doing i.e. "deploying and assaulting west"

Line 3: a grid or pre-established reference point

Line 4: The unit designation - this line can probably be left out in our case

Line 5: Time from spotting or contact

Line 6: Any special equipment they have such as MANPADs, ATGMs, engineering tools etc

Example:

1 t-72 platoon

assaulting west

GRID 048 031

guards

1030 hours (Can also do "time now" if in a rush)

mine plows

This can be abbreviated, but lines 1-3 should always be present.

Status report:

Ammunition

Casualty

Equipment

It is reported as:

line 1: green/yellow/red/black

line 2: green/yellow/red/black OR "X personnel, X vehicles"

line 3: green/yellow/red/black OR "specific equipment"

Green: 75% or more ammo; combat effective

Yellow: 50% ammo; less than fully effective

Red: 25% ammo; nearly combat ineffective

Black: Less than 10% ammo; combat ineffective and only enough for self-defense

example:

Green

Green

Green

or

Yellow

5 personnel, 2 vehicles

Black on javelin

"locstat" (location status):

line 1: your CS's current grid

line 2: your displacement at grid

line 3: movement/intended destination

Example:

My loc GRID 048 031

In place oriented north to south

Time now +5 moving to GRID 048 030

I also recommend we do not all spam into the same TS channel - as all callsigns have 2ics or even individual vehicle commanders. I highly reccomend each callsign have its own TS channel, and that all platoon commanders use a "Whisper list" to simulate a combat team net. This will allow for inner-platoon chatter without disrupting overall coms.

I am a noob to the community, so take what I am saying with a grain of salt, but I have organized 60-90 player missions in Arma2 in a similar fashion.

Edited September 3, 2011 by krause

[krause]

PS. I will TRY following method for making the AAR (new PC, anything can happen...): I will "film" on the red side and record the blue side comms. So hopefully it'll give a nice peek on the OPFOR side and your actions accordingly. Hopefully it works. If possible, someone on the blue side also record video, and later send it to me, so I can add some blue side footage as well. Or maybe you can make a "casualty's point of view" -video!

I'm gonna fraps the entire time.

[JohnO]

Further up the thread Zip wrote that he has the ENY units to spawn on a trigger. which means you can start the scenario and drive around without bumping into ENY. So thats what I did and dismounted my grunts to see what they carried.

Hell, I did just that last night and again today and fail to look up at the top right corner for the information on the weapons from the squad

Everything is good to go, played around with the Infantry and do have one question, how can I split the squad into two fire teams?

Thanks krause for the info about NVGs.

I will run FRAPS as well full screen.

[Brun]

There will be less use of Grid numbers to tell location, it is to time consuming. If I or anyone else needs to know the location of a friendly unit. Do a quick double click on the unit in the map screen and it will update on your map. Periodicly do this for all units to keep a location of friendly units up to date.

As far as enemy location. Use a reference point labled with type and number of enemy units. Example: (Enemy tank platoon 3 Kiometers west of my position) would be the comms and and a ref point (+tkplt) on map. If enemy moves just move the ref point to updated location and send to Blue.

We have players from different countries and different skill levels and many of us are used to different comms. With radios out and we will keep it as simple as possible.

[krause]

There will be less use of Grid numbers to tell location, it is to time consuming. If I or anyone else needs to know the location of a friendly unit. Do a quick double click on the unit in the map screen and it will update on your map. Periodicly do this for all units to keep a location of friendly units up to date.

so in other words, we will be as gamey as possible? :biggrin:

Didn't know they had blue force tracking in the 1980s.

[Zipuli]

Yes on your question, Brun. Also to both prevent gameyness and ease command and coordination, blue side should add named ref points on map to be used in name-direction-distance principle, example: point A12, SW, 400m, two T-72s, am engaging.

[JohnO]

I'm itching to know where I will be in this scenario, the more I'm playing around with the infantry the more I think I would like to be the pltldr for the Infantry

[jazjar]

Switch with Krause.

[Brun]

RECCE PLATOON (4x M113A3, 2x Humvee): Kingtiger,

ATGM PLATOON (4x M3A2 damaged (no troops, no 25mm) to simulate M901): Induction

CO B COY (M1): Krause

XO B COY (M1): GibsonM

FO B COY (FIST): Hedge

1st Platoon (M1):Hapag, Manteuffel

2nd Platoon (M1):Falli, Dr.Thodt

3rd Platoon (M1): JohnO, jazjar

4th Platoon (M113A3):Brun

5th Platoon (M88, M113med, M113rep): Hedge

Here is an updated position list. I feel you would be best to Co the campaign Krause. Being that you have so much experiece with Managing large battles in arma2, it should be no problem for you. Also you are free to adjust the rosters and positions as you see fit. I look forword to being under your command.

Congradulations!!!!