Weekly Summary of Combat Operations, Dec. 27th

From: Chernarus Coastal Operations Group
Subject: Weekly Summary of Combat Operations,  from Dec. 20th to  Dec. 26th, 2019, Inclusive

Message begins:

The tempo of combat operations have slowed substantially, mainly because of enemy action in the last week.

Chernarus Defense Forces and Naval Forces have engaged in six separate operations against rebel forces in six different areas.

1) 2nd Bn. Chernarus 33rd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade launched a rescue mission in Cham in the city of Hirschhof, but were unable to complete the mission, due to heavy losses in infantry
2) 2nd Bn, 17th Separate Light Rifle Brigade launched a town clearing operation in Veeremevo, Beketov; but failed to complete their mission  because of heavy losses.
3) 1st Bn, 4th Separate Light Rifle Brigade conducted security for an evacuation operation in northern Chernarus, in Gorka.  Half the trucks involved never made it to the south. Rebel forces suffered severe losses in equipment and personnel.
4) 2nd Bn, 2nd Separate Naval Infantry Brigade launched a town clearing mission in Selakano, but were forced to abandon the operation because of technical difficulties. Losses were light for both sides.
5) Special operations continued in northern Altis and in Beketov.

Message ends.

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.

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

Taking Novi Sobor

Rebel forces last night under the cover of darkness occupied the village of Novi Sobor, with the help of six tanks, and some local militia.

If the rebels can hold Novi Sobor, they will prevent our forces from intervening in the almost weekly attacks and attempts to place the Black Forest region under their control. 

Most seriously is that Novi Sobor occupies the main east west road that enable us to resupply, and deploy our forces in the north and in the Black Forest region.  If the enemy holds Novi Sobor, they will force us to use the much longer coastal roads.

Novo Sobor is in the area of operation of the Chernarus 33rd Mountain Motorized Rifle Brigade, which has been the main force in countering rebel operations in south Zagoria since earlier in the year.

As a reminder, changes in command and strategy earlier in the year has left every part of south Zagoria under the control of the army (Chernarus Defense Forces)(CDF), except for the region north of Berezino and the coastal areas.  Those are in the area of operation of the Chernarus navy (Chernarus Naval Forces)(CNF).

Elements of the Chernarus 4th Separate Light Rifle Brigade holds a small arc southeast of Novi Sobor.  Those forces will take an active role in the army's counterattack, expected to take place as soon as tonight.  CNF forces will aid operations with their SU-25 ground interdiction aircraft flying out of their base at Balota.

Moschnyi Island amphibious landing operations

Two scenarios, both of them amphibious landings on Moschnyi Island , the Chernarus owned island in the fictitious Green Sea. Both are unopposed landings.

Both have similar objectives: to land a naval light infantry force supported by two ground interdiction fighters to secure a location, one in Kyslin, one at Musil Heights.

The basic strategic objective is to compress enemy forces and bottle them up on the eastern end of the island, until sufficient forces can be deployed to take over the island.

Only one has a subsidiary objective, to cross open ground and take the heights against an enemy fixed position. The height itself is meaningless, as it contains one log residential building and a barn, except to serve as a platform for an artillery observer.

The Musil Heights scenario is based on a minor operation during the Kursk campaign in WWII, 74 years ago this July, where the Germans could secure a height where they could observe artillery as far as visibility will allow. The Soviets knew what was at stake, and they fought the Germans to a standstill.

In the end the only thing the Soviet accomplished in their preventative counterattacks was to destroy the Germans' offensive capacity in the east for the rest of the war. And in so doing, destroying so much of their own offensive capacity, it would be nearly a year before the Soviets could mount a full assault on German forces again, next time in Bagation in July 1944.

In both scenarios, losses for the Chernarusian are usually heavy, minimum 30 percent. And in both I can play the whole scenarios without getting shot and killed, about half the time.

In other words,a great time.

Kyslin:

Spy Craft in Arma 3

Bear in mind I am trying to have as much fun as I can with this game, and at the same time, maintain some semblance of a serious air about it.

Four years ago the president of Chernarus, a former Soviet mobocracy, charged its intelligence service, the ChIS, with going overseas, finding and disrupting as much as possible all rebel international criminal activity. This activity along with financial help from, you know, rogue Russia military commanders, was fueling the insurgency in Chernarus.

Now, the asset was a new university graduate who took her first job as a translator for an unidentified NGO in Altis. Her folks and friends were so proud the day she took off for Altis to meet her new boss and co-workers.

Upon arrival, her new employers took her passport and trundled her off to a building somewhere in eastern Altis to begin her work translating.

When she realized she was working for the rebels, she tried every way could could to escape, to no avail. Her constant escape attempts caught the attention of a local criminal gang, friendly to the ChIS, who told the ChIS about her.

A decision was made to do a smash and grab, get her to the safe house, gain as much intelligence out of her as they could, then smuggle her out by cargo ship, through Pyrgos, which is a rebel stronghold. (I haven't put together the snatch scenario or the smuggling scenario yet, but it will be fun, I s'pect)

Now, the B-25 bomber is a dedicated attack aircraft brought to Altis to provide some light fire support. The plane is based in Stratis, about 120 kilometers south.

All the airfields/airports are monitored by criminal gangs, including the Chernarusian gang anyway. Stratis is occupied by NATO forces friendly to the Chernarusians and the only airfield available to them.

A 76 year old bird will get the attention of enemy forces in Altis, but in Stratis, with the cooperation of forces there, can be hidden from view, as an indicator that the ChIS operates in the region.

As for the sniper. He is armed with a .406 bolt action Cheytac rifle. As powerful as the rifle is, the shooter maybe gets one or two shots off before the Russians grid him and eliminate him. I have run the scenario about seven times and of those I heard his shots in two. He is like a speedbump in the scenario.

Of the seven, or so times I have run the scenario, I successfully got the asset out and to safety three times, the other four having been shot and killed.

In other words, a great scenario.

Moschnyi Operation 5

Major, your request for seaborne extract is denied.  Enemy air cover is too heavy at the moment to permit any other naval assets from being risked.

At the moment the MoD is planning a multifacted air counter operation which will include several overnight air raids on air bases used by the rebels to support their air operation.  The first of the air raids are expected to come by nightfall.  If successful, the earliest we could mount a rescue will be first light.

In the meantime, we suggest you prepare your forces to hold your position until then.

Moschnyi Operation 4

Major, the enemy, frankly to our surprise have gained air superiority over the island.  In the time between the ending of the last operation and now, our naval forces have managed to land additional ammunition at Moschnyi Harbor.  One freighter is preparing to leave while another will arrive in about ten minutes.  The two missile boats which were your transports will be anchored at the harbor to provide AA covering fire.  At the moment, the only aircraft available to our force on the island are two CAP fighters.

We are expecting an enemy bombing air raid within minutes.

Your orders are, as before:  Your spetsnaz team and two naval infantry platoons will continue to hold the middle of the island blocking all enemy forces from penetrating westward.  You must hold your position for as long as possible, then withdraw by bounds to the west, delaying enemy forces for as long as possible.

Commentary:  Here are where things get really hairy for the Chernarusians.  No air support, no CAP and no reinforcements with an expected air raid in mere minutes.  Rebel forces really have the air tied up in a knot.  The blocking force, in the first run through, lasts ten minutes before being forced back, due to constant air attacks by rebel fighters. Out of 16 naval infantry, six survive.  Out of six naval spetsnaz, two survive.

The spetsnaz commander decides to take command of the remnants and withdraw to a seaside resort on the north side of the island and request seaborne extraction.

Meanwhile the enemy air raid is a success.  Two freighters, two missile boats and three armed motor launches, along with all the ammunition stores are destroyed.

Moschnyi Operation 3

Congratulations on the successful completion of your task, Major.  The next phase of the operation will begin immediately.

Two naval infantry squads are tasked with holding Moschnyi Harbor to enable the landing of supplies, and two will be tasked with assisting your spetsnaz team.

Your forces will immediately move to a defensible position in the middle of the island and hold that position against any enemy forces attempting to gain the western side of the island.  We are expect a rebel rifle platoon and a technicals platoon will attempt to close with our forces in Moschnyi, so your forces must be prepared to stop them at all costs.

If you hold your position for at least 90 minutes without enemy forces penetrating to the west end of the island, yours will be a victory.

Commentary: This scenario turned out to be an immersion event, a game so good, where everything went so well, the player gets completely immersed in the experience.

As part of a campaign, however, things go against the Chernarusians.  Even as the task is being successfully completed, the rebels wrest control of the air and establishes air superiority sufficiently so their CAP begins to attack the naval infantry in the center of the island.  By the end of the game, things begin to look bad for the defenders as more rebel infantry begin to converge on the defended position.

No photo play of this scenario exists at the moment.

Moschnyi Operation 2 -- Liberation Begins

The liberation of Moschnyi Island is at hand, Major.  The rebels have occupied the island since last summer, but it is only since the first of the year we have had forces available to retake the island.

Your spetsnaz team will land at the southern coast of the island and proceed to the main road, holding that position against any enemy patrols.  You will hold that position for about 30 minutes, then call in the naval infantry to land.

Once the naval infantry have landed, you will task one squad to hold your position, two squads with taking the town of Moschnyi, leaving one squad to assist your team.

Your team then will proceed to the airstrip and attack and eliminate any enemy forces there.  Once you have destroyed all enemy aircraft at the location, the relieving naval infantry forces will land by boat near the airstrip.

The invasion will commence with a SEAD strike on the 23mm AA battery posted at both harbors.  You will have two airstrikes available to you to deal with enemy technicals.

No photo play is available for this scenario.

Moschnyi Operation 1

The first Moschnyi operation took place in late summer, 2015.  What follows is a description of the mission:

Only four days ago, a rebel force took over the eastern Moscheni town of  Novakvice. Landing by boat, and with agents planted inside the town, the rebels took only four hours to bring the town under their control. The rebels killed the mayor and his wife, and are holding several top civic and government leaders prisoner.

The Ministry of Defense had no warning about this invasion, and no military forces were in the area to stop the takeover.  Nearly every army and air force unit are occupied in northern or eastern Chernarus.  The only appreciable forces available for any counter operations are Admiral Gorkov's naval infantry, spetsnaz and naval forces based across the strait.

Naval intelligence has learned that the rebels are planning to take the rest of the island in a surprise attack to take place in about an hour. The island president is preparing to evacuate the island by air along with a number of people by boat, including police.  The evacuation is taking place as you read this.

You will have a naval infantry platoon at your disposal which will land by boat in extreme western Moschnyi.  Your spetnaz team will land by boat at the ferry area.  An ammunition truck has been parked at the ferry landing along with an offroad vehicle for your use.  The only heavy weapon available will be a recoilless rifle.

The battle will be by phases.  Your team will move first to Phase Line Alfa, where you will set up a defensive position. Use this position to stop any rebel mobile forces for as long as prudently possible.

 Naval intelligence says that as many as 12 technicals will attempt to move across Phase Line Alfa.  Once your position becomes untenable, or you receive word the president is on the move, you will withdraw to Phase Line Berkut, where you will set up a new defensive position. By that time all the enemy technicals should be destroyed, but by that time enemy infantry should be trying to infiltrate.

You must hold Phase Line Berkut at all costs until the president's plane is airborne. Once the president is safely away, your task will be to destroy all remaining aircraft, and fuel and ammunition trucks at the airfield with explosives available, then withdraw to Phase Line Vershinin.

At Phase Line Vershinin, you must hold until your naval infantry teams have been evacuated.

Raid on Bleonilba -- June 27th

On the southeastern coast, south and east of Cruce, the enemy maintains a number of positions on the main highway between Cruce and Bangaba.  One checkpoint is at a small hamlet, Bleonilba, directly on the coast.  Drone overflights show a single rifle squad and two technicals are at the position, as well ammuniton and fuel vehicles.  That checkpoint is a weak spot in their deployment.  Hitting the enemy there would be a rude introduction for the enemy.

The naval task force consisting of two corvettes will arrive at around 2130 hrs to provide preparatory naval artillery fire on any targets and will remain there for 30 minutes.  When the task force exits the area, your forces will commence landing operations.

Your spetsnaz team will land less than 200 meters from the hamlet, while your naval infantry squad will land 500 to 900 meters north as a blocking force against any possible enemy reinforcements from the north.

Your team will then proceed into the village, wiping out all opposition, destroying any enemy supplies at the location, and searching dead bodies for documents.

Once your tasks are complete, your team will reload onto your ships and exit the area.

Possible enemy counteraction could include African rebel forces, Molation light infantry, or Takistani regulars and irregular forces, most of those coming from the west and northwest in any combination.  Vehicles your forces could be expecting could include technicals and BTRs.

The only additional asset at your disposal is a Pchela drone.  The entire operation could take a long as three hours, so it is likely the drone will be forced to return to base before the operation is concluded.

Northern Airfield Raid December 27th, 2014

This scenario is the fourth of four scenarios wherein a Chernarus naval spetnaz strike team takes an airfield away from the enemy.  The one immediately preceding this one takes place at the airfield in Krasnostav, while this one takes place at the main airport near Kabanino.

The following is the briefing:

Major, naval intelligence has located a group of civilians the Chedakis kidnapped two weeks ago, at a small Russian manned airbase in extreme northern Chernarus.

The civilians have been identified as the mayor of Krasnoyarsk, Arsen Katukov his deputy Igor Ivanov, their wives respectively, Olga Bolodova and Larissa Mashunova, and four unidentified female relatives; six women and two men in all. Intelligence thinks they are being held at a small detention facility at the airport. Intelligence thinks the prisoners are being abused and are scheduled be transported into Russia by the morning.  We do not have much time.

The Admiral has approved your plan.  Your team and another team will insert into the airport from the south aboard MI-17 transport birds escorted by two more MI-17 gunships.  Your "B" team will insert at the southern end of the runway, dismount and attack the six aircraft on the ground, eliminating any sentries in the area and destroying the aircraft  with explosives.

Simultaneously, your "A" team will insert in the middle of the runway, and make for the detention facility, eliminating all resistance, collecting intelligence documents from any dead officers, and freeing the prisoners.  Your team medic will provide first aid to any injured civilians, and then a team member will escort the hostages to the transport bird.

Once the hostages are safe, you will head to the control tower, and download all data from their computer systems. Your team will then destroy any remaining enemy aircraft, along with fuel trucks, then board everybody aboard your transport bird.  By then, your "B" team will should have their task complete and will be leaving as well.

The airport is lightly guarded, and the Chedakis and Russians are not expecting this kind of action this deep in Chedaki territory.  A single Chedaki  rifle squad set as a quick reaction force is housed in Kabanino, but they are not expected to arrive in time to help their comrades. The entire operation should take no more than about 30 minutes.

All the best, Major.

This scenario did not quite work out as planned, as will be seen:

For some reason the wrong init file is being read.  The scenario is supposed to start at 2000 hrs and the weather is supposed to be random.  This started at 2300 hrs, which is close enough to the original start time.

The transport bird and the escort bird spin up and take off for the moonlit ride to the airport.  "B" team will board their bird and take off just a minute later, and we'll rendezvous about three kilometers south of the airport.

After a few minutes the bird makes landfall south of Chernogorsk.  Both birds are flying treetop level with the transport bird flying at 40 meters above the deck while the escort bird about 20 meters higher, lights on and normal speed.   40 meters at night is about as low as an AI pilot can go at normal speed without crashing into trees.

Lights off after reaching the rendezvous point, the "A" team waits for the second strike team birds to arrive.

The plan calls for the "A" team to insert once "B" is on the ground, and so it is time to go.

The "A" team bird approaches from the southwest.  The "B" team bird is already on the ground, and the team is heading for the enemy aircraft.

The lead from the escort birds is really flying now, as "A" team bird lands, and the team exits.  The "A" team objective is to the left about 200 meters away from the insertion point.

"A" team starts taking fire from enemy sentries.  The "A" team second in command  is dead and the medic is hit.  The commander kills the rifleman firing, and notices another inside the guard house.

The threat is suppressed, the medic gives himself first aid, so the commander starts for his objective, the detention facility.

Approaching the objective.  One dead enemy rifleman, and the enemy transport bird can be seen, along with the fuel trucks to the right.  Both are targets.

Targeting laser on!  An enemy rifleman is seen at the side door of the guard house and is quickly dispatched.  An officer is prone to the right as the commander approaches the detention facility.

A team member eliminates the officer while the commander kills everyone else in the guard house.

A sentry standing his post at the end of the hallway of the detention facility is eliminated by the commander.

An unarmed enemy officer and a civilian are caught in the shower room and eliminated by the commander.