See previous videos of this play thru solo. Facing an opponent is always a challenge. This time was no different. Plus I had Brad inside my head know what I might do. I had to have a different game plan. I posted 2 videos on my expected opponents plan and my proposed defense assuming I was USA, Which I was.
Air Assault is tricky as you have just 3 squads v 8 enemy units + they have the benefit of choppers for 2 turns, then a Hind and a possibility of the Su 25 bombing run.
But they must capture every hex. This means splitting forces across the River.
The Soviet Leader lands predictably in reaction to my setup all away from the VP hexes. He wants to kill the enemy and then capture VP hexes. So turn one he moves to capture the 2 hexes on one side of the river and take up residence in the empty Factory on the other side. The 5 Mi-8s sweep in, deposit teams near my forces and place just 2 squads into the factory. Their Sagger unit has a limited short range,that team sets up where they have a good field of view, but too close I think. Things look ok so far!
In turn 2 the US is attacked by stacked squads of enemy forces, and their soviets move adjacent to allow spotting for the Choppers. The first US squad is easily killed and in reality should not have been where they were! Poor buggers. Sgt York and his men survive 10 rounds or more of high explosive missiles and MG fire AND an SU-25 bombing run. A squad and hero die. Things really look dire. Its turn 2…OMG.
Whose idea was it to setup this way?
Sgt York is suppressed and beaten up but they hang on into turn 3. All the Soviet forces are still across the river. Brad has just 2 squads covering 4 vp hexes on the other side of the river.
IF my teams can make it to the Factory in the Turn 4 reinforcement phase we are in good shape. Big mistake, stick to the plan, and double check those ranges for Saggers and Laws.
As turn four unfolds I make several (more) key mistakes the Soviets now in possession of all the hexes. He needs switches to defense, but he needs to still clear the town over the river as York grimly fights on in Melee. The arriving Tank and M113 do not coming in where I planned….
why? Because I am an idiot.
Instead of a nice easy route from A7 or 9. I decide to bunny hop around looking to avoid LOS….My men could have zoomed in to the edge of the red roof building with tonnes of support from the M1. The Hind where he had it was blocked with LOS in Hover mode. The M1 could have propped right at the bridge and chewed up those russians making a run for it.
Disaster! Plus I am too far from the factory still. I will only have one turn of fire or combat to suppress the enemy and get in there now versus two.
This is a real poop sandwich now. An M113 bites it, a squad is suppressed, and my last M113 whilst surviving the attack by that dam Hind gets shaken by the squad crossing the road…..ugh. Good news, I’m in the building. Now we need some luck.
The luck is not to be had, the M1 pours fire on the enemy, they return fire, my M113 does not recover, the Soviets then close in for the kill. In the meantime their evil Hind flies in gun blazing over the roof tops and unloads HE and MG fire at the men down stairs. Shaken! …..OMG. So close.
One more turn and I might have had a chance to win, but Brad has run a really tight combined arms battle, he used adjacent spotting for those gruesome choppers and peppered my boys. Even with him helping me I could not beat him. Great job. Love this scenario, it is not as unbalanced as every appears to think. This is a tough fight for the Soviets too.
I will be posting Brads AAR here soon or you can read it at Hexsides and Handgrenades.
Related articles
- Glory Conducts Platoon Air Assault Raid (clarksvilleonline.com)
- WIII – Update: The Russians Make a Move… Hook in the Jaw? (lamarzulli.wordpress.com)