Light Infantry vs MRB

[IronMikeGolf]

William's NTC map caused me to reminisce back to my time in the 7th ID(L) and rotations to NTC.

I made some scenarios to if a light infantry company can successfully defend against a BMP-2 equipped MRB.

The attacking forces consists of MRB HQs, 3xMRC, Bn mortar bty, RHQ, and 1 bty of 2S1 122mm off map as part of the RAG.

Thinking back to the TOE of 7ID mid to late 80s, the defending company is:

Rifle Plt: 3 x Rifle Sqd (M16, M72), 2 x M60 MG
Rifle Co: 3 x Rifle Plt, 1 x Mortar Section (2xM224 60 mm), Anti-Armor Section (3 x AA Sqd, each with 2 x M47 Dragon)
Inf Bn: 3 x Rifle Co, 1 x Mortar Plt (4 x 81mm), 1 x AT Plt (4 x M966 TOW HMMWV)

DS FA was a bn of 105mm towed howitzers.

So, for the scenarios, I have a rifle company with all it organic units, the Bn mortar plt, and one TOW system. Off map is a 105mm bty.

To simulate the Bn level fire support being used fr the other line companies as well, fires from the 81mm and 105mm are limited to either 1 Neutralize of 3 Suppression per command cycle.

Scenario Variations:
Basically, the scenarios vary according to counter-mobility and survivability engineering effort.
1. None. Units are in good terrain on Hold status
2. Improved positions
3. Protective minefields at 1 hex
4. Minefields and obstacles at 1 and 2 hexes.

One thing I had considered was modifying the Dragon squads and TW squad to increase the ammo level. This would represent pre-positioning more missiles with those elements and was something we did in 3d Manchu. I don't know about TOWs, but I was an company anti armor section leader and my guys would have 6 missiles per tracker. It was common practice to dismount the TOW and dig it in (by hand). Blades were busy digging ditches and such.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 1 - No engineering effort initial deployment.

Each line plt has a Dragon team with it and all are deployed on the northeast edge of town. 2 plts are astride N75 where it enters the town and the other is 500 m to the south.

The TOW sqd is n the high ground 1500 m east of town. Weather is clear.

The AI is running the Soviets for all these scenarios.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 1 - 0716 hours
The attack has commenced and the TOW squad kills 3 BMPs of the lead MRC. About a plt of infantry has dismounted the disabled BMPs and the MRC is proceeding at a slw pace. The company FIST is calling for fire and the commander has instructed him not to engage the lead MRC. They need to slow down the other two MRCs first.

Only the lead MRC is in range of the Company mortars. The trailing MRCs are just in range of the Bn 81's. 3 x Suppression is called for from the 81's and 105's on the trail MRCs.

The TOW squad has already begun resupply and will be ready to fire again in 20 minutes.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 1 - 0731 hrs

The lead MRC closes to the edge of town and is engaged at under 1000 m, losing 2 more BMPs and a rifle squad. The trailing MRC loses 2 BMPs and an ATGM team.

The lead MRC returns fire, but inflict no US casualties. the Dragon team with 1st Plt has expended all ordnance and will beat feet to the rear for more missiles. 3d Plt's Dragons have shot one missile, killing a catastrophically BMP.

Mortars prepare to fire the FPF and the 105's continue to work the trail MRC that is undamaged.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 1 - 0746 hrs

TOW fires another basic load of missiles, killing 2 more BMPs. The US company is being overrun by 2 MRCs. 1st and 3d Plts in the north are dealing with an 80% strength MRC (7xBMP, 7xInf) and 2d Plt is hosting a similar strength MRC (6xBMP, 8xInf). The remaining MRC is down 4 x BMP.

US 1st Plt suffers heavy casualties with only 1 x M60 MG team and one Dragon team alive. 2d Plt has lost a squad and one Dragon team. 3d Plt is full strength. Mortars are displacing due to counterbattery. 105's fire on the MRC in the open.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 1 - 0759 hrs

Fire from the 2 MRCs that first entered the town slackens and they begin to disengage, due to low ammo. The remaining MRC enters town and assaults 2d Plt.

The MRB commander, sensing his attack is going well, displaces his HQ and mortar battery forward.

1st Plt is zeroed out. 2d Plt loses a MG team. 3d Plt loses a squad and MG team. There are 4 Dragons remaining in the company, but they have no missiles. And, they are not in a position to get more at the moment.

The TOW squad is frantically humping missiles back to their launcher, but it will be 10 minutes before they can fire again.

The 2d Plt Leader orders danger close from the 60mm's. Bn 81's fire on the MRB HQ and the 105's are tasked with giving the Vasilek crews a headache.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 1 - 0812 hrs

All three MRCs are disengaging to the northwest. The MRB HQs has entered the town. The MRB is low on ammo and Readiness, but still has 16 x BMP and 22 Inf Sqds.

The US has lost 2 entire plts. The remaining plat has but 1 rifle sqd and 1 MG team. 4 Dragon teams remain.

The US will likely get a breather while the Soviets reorganize and rearm. It is doubtful the they could stop a second attack.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 2 - 0716 hrs

Same deployments, but here the US forces have dug in. Each is in a Improved Position. Mortars will not displace unless they take casualties from counterbattery or are in danger of being overrun.

As expected, the TOW squad draws first blood, killing 4 BMPs and two ATGM teams. They will be resupplied in 20 minutes.

[CapnDarwin]

Jeff, great set of battleline AARs. It is cool to see how the game engine is handling the mechanics of those types of attacks. I think there may have been too much belief placed in the Dragon as an anti-armor system at this time. Do this US forces have LAW or equal weapons in hand?

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 2 - 0731 hrs

The unmolested MRC overruns the position defended by 1st and 3d plts, losing 10 BMPs, the ATGM team, and a MG team. Indirect fires account for an additional 3 BMPs. 2 MRCs are on foot and are 1500-2000 m from the edge of town.

US casualties are 1 rifle sqd and one Dragon team from 3d Plt, which was overrun. All Dragons are Black on ammo.

[IronMikeGolf]

Jim,

Squads have the M72 LAW with ammo level 4. The squads are stock ones. Depending on year, AT4 instead of M72 would be proper.

For better accuracy, they should be 9 men instead of 11 and the M203 40mm grenade launcher.

Defending a town like this, we'd choose which buildings to defend, meaning a set per block or so. We's stash a few cans of rifle and MG ammo at each position, along with some grenades, rockets, and Dragon missiles.

At NTC, we had 4 Viper (MILES LAW/AT4s) per squad, with 4 rds of ATWESS per. No noght sights on those or the Dragons. But, me and a couple of other guys figured out how to modify a Miles Dragon to mount a PVS4 on them. We used "coded out" (i.e. scrapped) M16 upper receivers, cut the carrying handles off, and welded them a bracket we made in the motor pool. Hose clamped them to the Dragon and mounted the rifle night sight to them. The OPFOR was quite surprised to get hunted by dismount hunter/killer teams in the wee hours.

[IronMikeGolf]

ORIGINAL: Capn Darwin

Jeff, great set of battleline AARs. It is cool to see how the game engine is handling the mechanics of those types of attacks. I think there may have been too much belief placed in the Dragon as an anti-armor system at this time. Do this US forces have LAW or equal weapons in hand?

By this time, the Dragon was to be employed against tanks as flank or rear shots. LAW or AT4 was rear or volley of 2-4 against the flank. APC and IFVs were a different matter, of course.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 2 - 0747 hrs

The MRC slowing moving in the open suffer multiple casualties from both indirect and TOW fires. 2d MRC is at 9 x BMP and 7 x Inf while 1st MRC is down to 5 x BMP and 8 x Inf. 3d MRC is in a vicious firefight with 1st and 2d Plts in the town. Surviving in the MRC are 1 BMP, 5 Inf, and 3 MG teams. Out of ammo and at 14% Readiness and Morale, 3d MRC is disengaging, attempting to move northwest.

1st Plt has lost a squad and a MG team. 3d Plt has lost 2 x sqd. 1st and 3d have each lost a Dragon and all are out of ammo.

Tows will be resupplied in 24 minutes. 1st and 2d MRCs will continue to be engaged by indirect.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 2 - 0802 hrs

3d MRC, now combat ineffective, breaks contact and moves off to the northwest. 2d MRC, now at 67% strength, rolls on top of 1st and 3d Plts. 1st MRC, also at 67% strength, is just 500 m away. The MRB HQ has moved forward and the MRB mortar battery is displacing forward, too.

1st Plt loses another sqd. 1st Dragon double time back to the Co command post for more missiles. 2d and 3d AT are ordered to join them. TW will be ready to fire in 8 minutes.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 2 - 0815 hrs

2d MRC breaks off its attack after losing two more sqds. #d MRC continues to move and breaks contact. 1st MRC is poised t enter the town, but its volume of fire drops dramatically. It, too is abut to break. MRR HQs moves forward prematurely and TW kills two command tracks and their occupants.

The remaining sqd of 1st Plt is en route to the Co CP. 2d Plt has taken no more casualties, but is about out of ammo. 3d Plt is holding with 1 sqd and bot MG teams, but is also running low on ammo. TOW is just about ready to fire.

At this point, in Scenario 1, the Soviets had pretty much decided the battle.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 2 - 0829 hrs

2 MRCs are out of the fight for now. The remaining MRC is at 11% Readiness and 13% Morale. One more loss should break it.

TOW killed a Meatball and it's towed Vasilek. 1st Plt and 2d Dragon are rearming. TOW's resupply is interrupted by the proximity of an MRC.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 2 - 0842 hrs

1st MRC takes 105mm fire, losing to Co HQs track and commander. This breaks the units and it starts moving southeast. 3d MRC resupplies and Screens..

3d Plt is pulls back and stumbles into 3d MRC, killing one of its squads.2d Plt and the MRB HQs are both out of ammo. 2 Plt is calling 81mm and 105mm on them. 3d Plt calls 105mm on 3d MRC.

[IronMikeGolf]

Scenario 2 - 0855

It's a race to see who can resupply first.

The US has 3 sqds, 4 Dragons, and 3 MG teams. The TOW is not much of a factor, since the fight is now in the town.

The MRB has 11 x BMP and 16 Sqds. Given time, they will prevail

[CapnDarwin]

On other question I have is time. How long are these fights lasting? Given the engagement sizes does it seem reasonable in your trained opinion? Thanks for the info and doing these AARs. Really good stuff.

[IronMikeGolf]

It is taking about two hours or so. The tempo seem about right, once the MRCs have closed and the knife fighting starts. What does not feel right to me is a company slowing down to a walking pace because some squad lost their ride. I think in reality, the MRC continues the assault without them and one of the following happens:

1. Squad becomes static. These were called "remnants" (called 'em "Rembrants" in one company I was in) and acted as a combat outpost. They were built into CPX and CMTC scenarios. In those, you'd typically see one BMP/BTR and 1 or 2 squads.
2. Squad moves to the rear
3. Squad attempts to rejoin unit.

Absent any countermobility effort, the attacks above happen much faster and with a dramatically different outcome. Right now, were I King of Development, this would infidelity would be at the top of my list to address.

Also, we can see the dramatic difference improved positions make. Dismounted infantry becomes very survivable and that is accurate. A deep hole, thick berm, and 18 inches of overhead cover means all the difference in the world. Being able to move them around during deployment (like arty pre-plots) would be ideal for setting up a defense.