Force Interdiction Operation

This scenario was put together well before I acquired Arma 3, and will be duplicated on Altis using Arma 3

Major, Chernarus naval intelligence just received word that a Molation Army detachment is being sent to Cruce as a punitive measure for hosting the evacuation of the three personalities your team assisted two days ago.

The American regional commander says that at the moment, no other ground forces are available to counter this raid, so our forces, and an American tier one team are the only forces available.  The American team will infiltrate into town, and attempt to block enemy incursions into town. The commander also has made four US Navy ground interdiction aircraft (F/A-18Es) available for airstrikes.

According to wireless intercepts, the Molations are sending a BMP-2 rifle section consisting of two BMP rifle squads and a T-55 tank platoon to town with the intention of punishing the residents.  Additionally, several enemy patrols are expected to be in the area, including some light technicals.

The American team will act independent of your command, but may call for help in evacuating.  If not, the tier one team will evacuate aboard their Humvee at the same time as your team.

Your team and a weapons team will land by boat at MLZ1 and move with all due haste to a location south of Cruce overlooking town to set up your AT-4 Fagot ATGM.  It is recommended your team have as many RPGs as they can reliably carry as well as at least one PK machine gun.

Once the enemy forces come into range, use the airstrikes first to destroy as much of the enemy forces as possible before you use the ATGM.

Your task is to prevent the Molation force from entering town, if possible by destroying all enemy armor and their infantry.

A total victory means all enemy armor is destroyed, and Cruce is unoccupied by any Molation element.

Once the outcome has been determined, your teams will evacuate the area and extract by boat.


All the best, major.

Chernarus Winter Air Campaign

Note: This is one of the first scenarios/campaigns I planned after acquiring Arma 3.

Chernarus Winter Air Campaign

Chernarusian rebels are planning a spring offensive in the northeast.  At the moment some forces are already deployed to that area, but their plans involve reinforcing those troops with artillery and AA guns.

As of the date of this document, the rebels have one AA battery and one mixed artillery battery already deployed around Krasnostav, as well as other mobile troops, including tanks.

We have learned that the rebels are planning to move one mixed artillery battalion and one ZU-23/2 AA regiment into Chernarus, along with the necessary support vehicles.

Over the next eight weeks we estimate the rebel will move a total of 400 trucks laden with fuel and ammunition, along with 20 ZU-23/2 trucks, eight BM-21 and four 2S1 SP artillery vehicles.  The projected route they will take will start in Skalka to Petrovka to Grishino to Gvozdna to Krasnostav.

Your air squadron will be strained planning to intercept those vehicles in addition to maintaining maritime patrols between Solnichni and O'lsha.  Both are priorities, so reducing activity in one sector in favor of another is not an option.

We have two naval spetsnaz units deployed to the northeast to keep continuous observation on the projected rebel supply route.  Once a column is spotted, your air operations commander will be notified through Admiral Petrov's staff, giving your force sufficient time to intercept.

The supply convoys will have between five and eight trucks in them, and will likely include some technicals as escorts.  On any given day the rebels may choose to move two convoys through the area.

Thursday night's mission near Chalkeia

The highlights:

This was a night mission in terrible snowy weather.  Begin time was about 2230.

The enemy lost two tanks and one APC, one by heavy artillery fire and one by one of the the command squad's RPG gunners.

One friendly rifle squad was wiped out, while the other was whittled down to four out of 12.

Command squad lost six.

Lost control of the mortars, so that fire support was gone and heavy naval artillery was the only option left.

A decision was made since nearly all the losses took place before the main force even got the Chalkeia, to establish a defensive position at the church in Chalkeia and hold it for 45 minutes.

However, the decision was made to bug out before then since incoming enemy infantry was starting to overwhelm the position.  The commander requested emergency air support from a pair of Greek A7 attack jets loitering nearby.  Their intervention wiped out, by my count, four technicals, and another ten effectives, enabling the main force to retreat safely.

The failure of the mortars to get online caused an output storm, so fotos looked terrible.  What follows are the best of the last two missions:

An enemy antiaircraft position was captured

An enemy T-34/85 in the distance

A destroyed enemy tank in the distance

Countering enemy armor in Altis

Tanks are the bane of light infantry , and tank concept is best on display in Altis, where Chernarusian naval infantry must face tanks routinely.

The tank is the WWII era T-35/85, which is the weakest tank available to the rebels.  The basis for its deployment is that, when rebel occupy a town, and CNF forces are forced to respond, a two unit tank detachment is sent out to counter Chernarusian naval forces (CNF).

Chernarusian naval infantry tactical commanders have two types of artillery available to them, 127mm naval gun on one of the frigates, and 82mm mortars, which are deployed with the naval infantry forces.  

CNF naval infantry squads do have two RPG-7 gunners, who are adequate to the threat, but they have to be the right shot at the right time.  Those shooters are vulnerable to counterfire.

CNF naval infantry tactical commanders are trained artillery spotters and can land heavy naval artillery close to their targets in less than two minutes.  The artillery fire is devastating, but it is not very effective when spotted by the commander.

CNF frigates can fire their 127mm guns and hit moving targets with greater effectiveness than the tactical commander while using their targeting radar.  Terrain matters, however, so a tank detachment moving through the hills and rills of eastern Altis has protection while traveling to their destination.

The most favorable conditions for destroying an enemy tank is at night and in non-built up terrain.  There, naval artillery can be used to great effectiveness, without the additional worry of hitting nearby civilians and their property.

CNF naval infantry does not have any tanks organic to their organization.  In other locations, they must rely on army units (CDF) to supply armor, or air force units.  In deployments where heavy naval infantry must be deployed, the conditions, such as logistics and port requirements, are so severe and complicated, it makes no  sense for that kind of deployment.

An enemy T-34 in Feres, just 50 yards away from the CNF unit.

Counterinsurgency Mission in Pushtoshka

A Chernarus task force, a small battle group of the Chernarus 33rd Motorized Rifle Brigade, Task Force Viktor Romanov was assigned the task of clearing Pushtoshka of enemy troops and militia.

The highlights:

This time the tanks caught the enemy armored spearhead, and was positioned well enough to intercept.  But the two T-34/85s bested the Chernarus armored group by destroying one outright, while two of the enemy's technicals delivered mobility damage to the other.

Both 2nd and 3rd squads were wiped out including the BTRs.

Command squad managed to break out of the enemy cordon with the enemy in pursuit.  Command squad lost three effectives total.

The second damaged tank was repaired in the field, when a repair truck, escorted by another T-80 was brought into the area of operation.  The Bad Guys killed the driver.  The truck was abandoned in the field.. 

The first tank was damaged beyond repair.

Overall, the mission was a success, but it was costly.

This onboard campaign is the toughest one I ever have written, and so subsequently, the most challenging and fun.  This campaign is ongoing and missions will be continually assigned.

The rifle element of Task Force Viktor Romanov awaits orders to begin their maneuvers.

One of the T-80BVs in a gun fight with one of the enemy's T-34/85s

A friendly BTR burns in the distance

An enemy technical burns in the distance.

The remaining functional T-80 exchanges shots with two technicals. 
By my count it was hit no fewer than 10 times.

The T-34/85 had been abandoned.  The T-80 was destroyed

Heading back to base

Counterinsurgency Attack in Kabanino

A forward element of the Chernarus 33rd Separate Mountain Motorized Rifle brigade is assigned the task of clearing Kabanino.

The town had been taken over by a combination of local armed militia and professional shooters.

The mission highlights:

The damage to the squad didn't begin until one of the rifle squads took RPG fire.
Command squad once again took the brunt of the damage in the initial assault.
One of the squads was nearly destroyed trying to break out of the AO by a recoilless rifle technical posted on a height to the west.  The same technical destroyed one of the tanks.
The other squad, moving by a commandeered civilian truck made it out safely.
The task force continued to encounter enemy fire 500 to 600 meters from the southern edge of Kabanino.
The command squad lost four effectives.

At the Kolkholz in Kabanino

Looking to the northwest where an enemy rifle
group is attempting to infiltrate

Planning to exit Kananino after receiving orders

Looking east, as another enemy rifle group
attempts to infiltrate town

Looking north

One of the other rifle squad's BTR was damaged
 by several RPG shots.  It was abandoned.
When the order came down to evacuate, the rifle
squad commandeered a truck.

An enemy rifle group was destroyed as the
task force evacuated the town

Today's counterinsurgency mission in Chernarus

Anatomy of a tank gun fight:  Chernarus T-80BV vs. rebel T-34/85

Caught the action just as the first T-34 was destroyed. Another T-80 was maneuvering into position as the pictured T-80 was firing on the second enemy tank.

If you look closely, you can see the other T-34 moving right to left as the T-80 continues to acquire its target

Hit!

A dumb move.  Tried to stand and fight, when I shoulda run to cover.

Briefing: Spy Craft in Altis

Spycraft in Altis:

Strategic Situation: A Chernarus naval spetsnaz team was sent to a location near Liminchori to locate and extract a small group of Russians who want to defect to the Americans.

The team was caught by rebel patrols and were forced to hole the defectors up in an abandoned building and call for help.

Command sent in two naval infantry squads to take over security, but they were ambushed. We lost one assault boat, and eight infantry.

The other boat was damaged beyond field repair. At the moment we have 12 marines unable to fight and without weapons, and we have to get them out.

Situation: Nearly every boat in our inventory is either under repair or currently in use in other operations, along with replacement naval infantry units. Your unit is the only one left, and you have one boat left to extract our forces and the Russian defectors.

The boat will make several runs to evacuate every one, and it will take time.

At the moment, the leader of the group is in cell phone contact with our commander and with the rebel commander trying to get the best deal.

Our performance so far is getting close to breaking the deal.

Intelligence is light. Naval intelligence seems to think that the enemy is facing much the same problems we have with losses and shifting of forces to the north in Molos.

What we do not know is if the enemy decides to shift forces enough to overrun our positons.

Expect attacks by rebel infantry and by local militia units, as well as lightly armed technicals. We do not know how many, but we do know they will keep hitting us until they, or we are done.

The naval spetsnaz team is currently dealing with rebel attacks on the defectors location. We have 12 friendly wounded which are unable to fight if the enemy decides to overrun our evacuation zone. One four man naval shore security detachment is at the landing site along with a lone beachmaster.

Operational Order: The wounded go first and in two trips. Next, the defectors along with the naval spetsnaz team.

Your squad will be last to go along with the beachmaster and the naval shore security team. How to stall and delay/deal with attacks are your problem. Command says that if negotiations are not concluded in our favor in 90 minutes, you are ordered to eliminate the defectors and evacuate.

Armored Infantry Campaign in Altis

The beginning of a campaign near the mountains of Altis, showing two nighttime battles and one daytime. Random time start and random weather, Chernarusian motorized rifle/tank detachment is assigned any number of initial missions, then two possible subsequent missions. All set piece, all stand up fights. 

As the player you don't know where enemy patrols will pop up, but you do know when they do they have teeth sharp enough to ruin your operation. Air support includes two SU-25 ground interdiction aircraft on a free hunt. Rebel forces have tank/infantry rapid reaction forces, and forces in towns are garrisoned there.

Night time encounter at Koroni. While preparing for a subsequent attack on another town further north,an enemy foot patrol was spotted approaching from the south. All other forces, two motorized rifle squads and a tank platoon had been moved north to prepare for the attack. 

My squad I deployed south to deal with the patrol, when an enemy T-55 tank platoon started making for Koroni. Afraid of losing my battle taxi, I moved the BTR into the village and recalled the tank platoon. The tank unit made short work of the T-55s before they could come into contact with the BTR.

Two burning enemy T-55s. I programmed the game to have a three tank platoon, so somewhere on the map was a third tank. It was either destroyed by airstrike or was simply a straggler.

Continued south to deal with the enemy foot patrol, which ran off after dispatching one rifleman.

Continued