Servus,



Last week we played a new scenario made by Gladiator.
Yes the guy from the Lappland, First Clash and Bissiger Serval mission.
This time he asked not for a tank, it was not necessary, because it`s a scenario with 4x Leo2A4.
We had 6 guys to man 4 Leo2A4. I was the platoon commander and Falli my gunner.
My wingman was Gladiator. In charge of the other section was Ricopico. His gunner was Eisenschwein and his wingman was Bierstuebel.
Bierstuebel is a new player and I think it was his 3rd onlinegame with us.

I thougt, ok one greenhorn, but Gladiator, Falli, Eisenschwein and Ricopico what can go wrong, thats a major victory for us!

I give this AAR the name: "Death of a platoon".

1.situation
a)enemy:
Yesterday russian troops forced the river ALLER and move to the north. Civilians reported russian units in
the village MUNSTER, unknown strength. Our Intel guys think, it`s a battalion.

b)own:
PzBtl911(v) and PzJgKp910 (tankhunter company) on the march in an area 5000 north of MUNSTER.
We are the ALPHA platoon of 4th company. We are the point platoon and reached village REHRHOF.
The rest of our company will arrive here in 1 hour.
In front of us is a recon element of our 5th company. They overwatch the area south of EHLBECK.

2.mission
1. take ZZ,
2. move to Line König, within 45min,
3. overwatch the area south of Line KÖNIG,



3.execution
Alpha platoon move forward in column formation, Alpha 1 point man, till PL HERZOG. On PL HERZOG Alpha 2
move in line formation and take western part of ZZ. Take battle positon on SB 4 to overwatch the open area
to the south. Main observation point is the area "GROSSER STERN", reference point GOLF. In the same time my
section move to bp 2 and adapt to move forward, when Alpha 2 is in position.
After taking ZZ my section move forward along REHRHOFER WEG to PL KAISER.
From there my section move to PL KÖNIG and take bp 3, Alpha 2 follows 200m behind Alpha and move to bp 4.
In bp 3 my wingman Alpha 1 (Gladiator) overwatch with main direction between Bunker Mitte and Barbara Dorf.
My Main observation area was between Barbara Dorf and Südkreuz. Alpha 2 overwatch to the south direction
"Südkreuz", and with one call sing to Bunker Mitte.

4.support
Arty: 1 plt with 4 tubes (ICM, HE, smoke)
1 ARV in ZZ in x+60min.

5.leading elements
brevity list: ALPHA - MIKE
call sing:
Cdr PzBtl911(v) - HANSEAT
OC 4th company - LANGROHR
OC PzJg company - LICHTBLITZ

fire at will,
battle visor 1000m
save 2 sabots, 1 HEAT and 250 rounds for MG

questions? no... let`s start.


commanders place Leo2A4


reloading one sabot


moving in column formation, Alpha 1, Alpha, Alpha 2 and Alpha 3.

After the scenario started we loaded the main gun, reloaded on sabot and set the battle visor and every call sign moved in his position.

The march to PL Herzog was boring, we had contact with the recon elements of the 5th company.
So after 5 Minutes we started to take ZZ.


Alpha 1 infront of my tank


on the road "REHRHOFER WEG"


speedlimit 80km/h


Alpha 2 and 3 behind me


In position to overwatch left flank of Alpha 1 to go in bp 2.


used my glass from my position

In x+ 6 Minutes we reached the northern part of ZZ and in x+ 10 Minutes ZZ was ours.
No enemy contact in ZZ, but Alpha 2 reported an enemy infantry squad at "Grosser Stern".


x+ 6min


bp 2


x+ 9min

Damn, an enemy infantry squad infront, regular infantry or recon guys or airborne?
It dosn`t matter, time to call our FSO. 2min:49sec later an HE Arty strike came down.
Alpha 2 gave me some corrections and I ordered the strike again.


Arty menue


2min:49sec left


x+ 14min


Alpha on my left side


incoming HE strike

During we wait for the next Arty strike, I gave Alpha 2 new orders. And used the Arty strike to go in a line formation with the platoon. After the Arty mission was finished Alpha 2 hold down the enemy and my section moved forward. The second Arty mission was very good, so the area "Grosser Stern" was in our hand.


x+ 15min


and the second HE mission


Alpha 1 to my left side


line formation


no survivors

I think a short time later an other enemy infantry squad attacked us from the left side. No time to think about, with machine gun fire and some HEAT rounds we hold the area. Our battalion commander pushed us to the south.
2km through the forrest with no infantry support, but orders are orders and the time was running.
We moved forward with my section in line formation and Alpha 2 was following us also in line formation.
If we reached a crossroad, the section in front overwatched to the left and right and the following section moved forward. During our attack to the south my wingman destroyed 3 IFV`s. Ok enemy airborne units are here, because the IFV`s were BMD-2s.


x+ 24min


"Alpha to Alpha 1 stay in line, over"


crossroads


Alpha 2 now in front


and my section behind Alpha 2


destroyed BMD-2

In x+ 31min we reached our splitting point. Alpha 2 was moving to the left and bp4. Alpha 1 was moving to the right to move in his bp. I found the other 2 destroyed BMD-2s and my gunner reported enemy infantry south of "Nordkreuz" platoon strenght, damn, fire, Driver backwards quick, quick. I was moving back, gave a SITREP to my plt and the Battalion commander and ordered another Arty HE strike.


x+ 31min


Alpha 1 to the right side


"Nordkreuz" in front of me and another BMD-2


x+ 33min


enemy infantry is overwatching in the direction to Alpha 2


backwards


Arty menue


x+ 35min


hiding place behind the BMD-2



The HE Arty mission was successful and in the crossing fire between ALpha 2 and me the enemy infantry had no chance. So my section was in position and Alpha 2 on march.





I´m in position.

My gunner told me some problems with some trees in front of him. Ok no problem we have a tank, no enemy units in front, Alpha 1 was overwatching, so I decided to improve our bp.




better

After my platoon was in position, I gave the order: "Switch off engines".
Our Job was to arrive on PL KÖNIG in x+ 45min, just in time I reported:"Reached PL KÖNIG, Overwatch to the south".

A short time later we heard some tank engine sounds. After some seconds we heard one single tank shot.
I asked my platoon, Alpha 1 and Alpha 3 reported no contact. Alpha 2 was not answering. A short time later Alpha 3 reported the bad news. Alpha 2 was destroyed.


Alpha 2 destroyed

No time to rest. Alpha 1 spotted 3 enemy T-72s north of "Südkreuz".
I gave him the permission to fire, I gave Alpha 3 the order to fall back to my position and to overwatch the REHRHOFER WEG to the south. My gunner still overwatched the area Barbara Dorf. Gladiator destroyed the 3 tanks very quickly and was now overwatching Barbara Dorf again and I moved back and overwatched along the destroyed T-72s.
A short time later Alpha 3 was on my left side.



Alpha 3 is moving back


Alpha 3 left infront of my position

During this time I got a new order. My mission was to recon south to PL PRINZ and to overwatch the area of SB 1.



My intention was to overwatch Barbara Dorf with Alpha 1 and to recon along REHRHOFER WEG to PL PRINZ (Südkreuz) together with Alpha 3. I gave the orders and we started our new mission.


destroyed T-72s


x+ 57min


line formation with Alpha 3


my right flank is very open!

I had a bad feeling. My right flank was very open, so I ordered Alpha 1 to my right side. During we waited, I heard a SITREP of PzJg coy 910. They started now moving in their bp along PL KÖNIG north of Bunker Ost.


x+ 58min


Alpha 1 on the way


again


Alpha 1 behind me


Alpha 1 in position

A couple of minutes later Alpha 1 was in position and I moved forward overwatched by Alpha 1 and 3.
I found Alpha 2 but it was a total loss.


Alpha 2

But we have a mission,:"Alpha 3 forward to my left side, overwatch the left track of REHRHOFER WEG to the south, march, march!"


x+ 62min


overwatching the right track of REHRHOFER WEG


Alpha 3 to my left overwatching the left track of REHRHOFER WEG

Everything was fine till this moment. Alpha 3 was on my left, Alpha 1 behind to my right,...
Engines off...., ok I heard our tank hunters but there was something more. Alpha 1 reported also some sounds.
Suddenly we heard tanks shooting a lot.
My gunner had no enemy contact, where are these guys???
Alpha to all over, here Alpha 1 no enemy contact over, here Alpha 3 no enemy contact over.
This is Alpha copy, engines on, holding positions, Out!

I was overwatching infront and Falli, my gunner, took a round view. He reported:"4 o`clock tanks, I´m firing".
Damn did he say 4 o`clock: "Alpha to all backwards in line formation to PL KÖNIG, march, march; OUT".
Alpha 1 was moving to the right and started firing to support the withdraw of Alpha 3 and my tank.





But this time we had no luck, Alpha 1 was in fire fight with a tank company. He destroyed 2 but had no chance against the rest. I got a hit and my driver was injured. I fired some smoke grenades, but the enemy tank company was also moving forward and still in our deep right flank. The second hit was our death.


first hit


second hit and death

Bierstuebel our greenhorn was the last man and moved as fast as he could.



x+ 66min

Unfortunatly he had also no luck.




Mission end x+ 66min


the score board


and here you can see the enemy forward tank company in our right flank. They did a very good job. Destroyed the tank hunters and our platoon.

What a mission.
A very good team play during the mission. But in the end I made a wrong decision.
I think it was the false decision to withdraw along the REHRHOFER WEG, next time we will withdraw to the east in the woods and use the roads in the woods to drive north. But nobody knows how the next try will work.
A mission made by Gladiator has a lot of variants.

Sorry for using the Leo2A4 skin of our 2nd company and not the skin of the 4th company.

cheers

Duke

Thanks Duke,

Pretty challenging advancing through the woods with no infantry.

Maybe next time you'll get some Grenadiers.

Superb AAR! As usual, top notch stuff here.

Servus guys,

thx, I´m working on the next one, only ca. 2000 picturs to check.

cheers

Duke