Part 25: Operation Buff Beefcake: Introduction

Hello again goons! Sorry about the beating... From the beginning I tried to act with the intent of playing an interesting close match instead of playing to win. I choose a force that focused on 'interesting' over 'superlative,' but with the map objectives skewed slightly to your favor and my units primarily squishy I played the first few turns hard. Unfortunately some luck (ATGMs missing for you hitting for me and AAMGs resounding failure to hit the Cobras despite the number of chances) quickly swung things irrevocably in my favor. During the last few turns I toyed with the idea of sacrificing some units. Charging with the British/Germans or ignoring your flank move. But I figured if you got any wind of me throwing the game, it would be as damaging as a landslide victory. I settled on continuing to play hard and wishing for luck to swing in your favor. I hope this loss hasn't soured you goons; I'd like a rematch.

Here's the orders I wrote back during my deployment:

Operation Buff Beefcake


2203 (Several officers of various ranks and countries gather around an American Lieutenant Colonel in the dank basement of a rural German house)

Hello Gentlemen, welcome to Combat Team Nordic Thunder. We are a conglomeration of several reserve platoons put together to stop the Russian incursion. The Spearhead behind our lines is still going strong. They’ve bypassed the latest blocking force in Steinau by swinging north. Now they’re coming up to the next set of hills between them and Frankfurt and will have to slow down and probe each of the routes through (Turban (us), Ball Cap, Fedora, 10 Gallon, and Fez). Fez provides them the best terrain but takes them near our units regrouping near Gedem, and Ball Cap near Rinderburgen provides ample opportunity for counterattack from our concentrations near Steinau. We can expect their main effort will be along Turban. Good news is VIIth Corp is being raced up to contain the Russians. The leading elements of the 48th Armored Infantry Regiment will be in the area by 1300. However, they’re going to need good ground to halt the breakout.

Terrain:
L3184, or Route Turban, heads south from Gleinhaar, bypasses Usenbom, and exits the hills through Berheim. Halfway between Gleinhaar and Usenbom is a ridge that parallels L3184. Control of the ridge would yield control of Route Turban. The ridge (Ale) is comprised of two hills and a saddleback; hills 310 (Brown) and 300 (Black). There is a small hamlet on Black. On either side of Ale is flat terrain divided into fields by tree lines. Two roads bisect Ale. A paved one crosses Brown and an unpaved crosses Black. (Don’t ask me why the one through the hamlet is unpaved. Suffice it to say maybe that’s why it’s a hamlet.)

Objective:
Our objective is to secure the dominating ridge over Route Turban between Usenbom and Geinhaar and hold it until relieved by the 48th.

Opposition:
The Russians will be reconnoitering in force; likely with similar objectives to us. We can expect ~battalion strength unit; probably armor battalion of T-72s or the new T-80. Most likely they’ve outstripped their support; perhaps a battery or less of artillery. And while this is likely their main effort, our Air has been hitting theirs hard. Likelihood of air support is limited. That said we’ll be facing A Class units.

Friendlies:
1 US Airmobile Platoon (Pancake) plus a Cobra Gunship Section (Hotcake) (Group name Snake)
1 British Cavalry Troop (Monkey Bars) plus an extra Section (Carousel) accompanied by a Striker Platoon (Swings) (Newt)
1 German Panzer Platoon (San Fran) with accompanying Mechanized AT Platoon (Boston) (Dragon)
1 Gepard SPAA section (Dallas) to be split between the Germans and the British (Kakapo)
1 Towed Rapier (Inkerman) (Lemur)

Deep Fires and Support:
The Air Forces are hitting the roads in the Russian Spearhead’s area and path to try to slow them up. A flight of B-52s will hit the paved road to deny its use to the enemy’s rapid forces.

We also have a flight of F-111s on standby for the region. If we got a good enough target, like a tank platoon or greater, then they’ll pound it for us. Call ‘em in early and fast; while they’re on a first-come-first-serve basis, it will take a couple minutes to secure them.

Scheme of Maneuver:
Snake will air assault onto Black, Newt will run up to the saddleback, and Komodo will race to the top of Brown. After the air assault, Cobras of Snake will hunt through the valley in front of Ale. Once on top of the Ale, each group will secure and hold their assigned position until contact is made. Once a group is engaged the mobile portions of the unengaged groups will maneuver on the flanks of the hostiles contacting the engaged group. Should the Russians occupy any part of Ale before us, retreat out of sight and wait for them to attack or for another group to flank them. If they occupy all of Ale before us, Newt will redeploy behind Dragon who will attempt to pierce the opposition’s line.

Our force is small. Make all effort to conceal our strength and mask our positions. Attack, retreat, and hit them from another side. Every minute the waste probing phantom positions buys us, the 48th, and all of NATO the time we need.

But above all speed is our priority. We need to be on top of the ridge before the enemy is even near the ridge. Unfortunately, the Russians are charging towards us with all speed, and Command is holding us until the Buff strike goes through. It’s going to be down to the wire, gentlemen, and I wanna get there first.


Alright, it’s 2327 now. Be back here at 0030 with Platoon plans. I want preliminary reflex responses in them. At 0330 we’re traveling to the FUPs. B-52s hit at 0500. We’re moving at 0501.

Pics!

HQ+Rapier

Neither would/should move for the whole match

Americans


Blue Primary Positions/Purple Secondary Positions
An F-111 strike is planned just down the road where fast moving units would be expected if the moved flat-out down the road first turn to protect the deploying Airmobile Platoon.

British


Yellow Primary Positions/Orange Secondary Positions

Germans


Boxes Leopards/Lines Panzergrenadiers


I'll be back in a few minutes with the turn-by-turn and to field any questions. Once I get caught up, I'll post my views of your side's actions should anybody wish it.