"We're surrounded!!" - part 2

First turn deployment saw the armies revealed as shown below.



Initial deployment - turn 1

The US troops deployed with both tank companies in the west, moving to occupy hull-down positions on the large dominating ridgeline. The Stryker Infantry company was positioned on the S-N road on the eastern side of the battlefield. Ready to react and exploit any gaps in the Red defences.



Two US M1A2 SEP companies head for the ridgeline

US Stryker Infantry Company advances up the eastern road




RED Mech. Battalion (in BMP-3s) starts occupying the tree-line (light woods)

...and the other one occupies the town



RED T-90 Tank Battalions advance onto the battlefield - seeking contact

Both our plans worked almost immediately. John's Abrams MBTs occupied the ridgeline commanding the battlefield, and my first tank battalion certainly got its wish and encountered the enemy. Unfortunately they did it whilst crossing open ground. The M1A2s opened fire, maximising their superior range, gunnery (crew quality) and rate of fire (using CITV). The majority of the T-90 battalion was destroyed in a single turn (seven platoons!). Needless to say, the remainder of the battalion failed their quality check at the end of the turn and turned tail and ran. A good start for the US defenders.



RED T-90s push forward

M1A2 SEPs take position on the ridgeline (hull-down)

...and the inevitable happens. The first T-90 battalion was almost wiped out in one turn!

The next few turns saw one of the US tank companies push forward along the ridgeline, to take up a position in the dense woods at the northern end of the ridgeline. A US Recon Stryker also pushed forward, calling artillery and mortar fire onto the defending BMPs in the woods.



The second T-90 battalion sits in reverse slope, waiting, having seen what happened to their comrades...

The game settled down into an artillery duel for a couple of turns, with both sides taking cover in the woods, and calling artillery to try and destroy / suppress their opponents. The US came out on top in this duel, as John had wisely purchased ICM for his guns, which he used to great effect. Several Infantry and BMP platoons were destroyed, as was the entire Red Recon company (all in light vehicles, Tigr and BTR-80As, to their misfortune).



BMP-3 battalion occupies the tree line covering any US advance along the road

and the Recon Company sits in the tree-line above the cliffs, observing across the valley

To be continued...