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.