Ground Combat System Scenario AAR

The set is similar to that of the GCS Test Scenario from back in September. For those interested, load mapquest and search for New Bern, NC. This action begins southwest of New Bern, between Maysville and Pollocksville, all along Highway 58.

A "veteran" USMC LAR Company reinforced with 2x LAV-AT (total GCS rating of 8.28), and with 1x M-198 artillery battery in D/S (6.48) moves, from around Maysville, into a combat box centered around Pollocksville, NC, which is currently occupied by an "competent" OPFOR Recce Company (1.2324 per HNR2003 P.37) with a 122mm artillery battalion (2.16) in direct support.

While the OPFOR is in "Prepared Defenses Level1", the US player opts for a "Hasty Attack". Since this is the first turn of a specific combat, the attacker rolls for surprise – unsuccessfully.

US force equals (8.28+6.48) x1.8 veteran = 26.568.

The OPFOR player benefits from the terrain (x1.2 Flat Wooded terrain), and his level of defense (x1.5 Prepared1), so (((1.2324+2.6) x1.5 competent) x1.5 prepared1) x1.2 terrain = 9.15948

For the Hasty Attack, the US player divides his GCS Rating by the OPFOR GCS Rating. 26.568/9.15948 = 2.9:1 but drops to 2.8:1. The OPFOR divides his GCS by his opponents. 9.15948 /26.568 = 1:2.8. 2D6 rolls are made by each player, who then determines what losses he received from enemy action.

Turn 1 (30 minutes): both forces roll an 8. The US force has no effect, while the OPFOR suffers an “A” (Attrition point).

Turn 2: US rolls a 8 = “NE”, while OPFOR rolls a 6 = “A, D” (one Disruption point). The attrition points accumulate while the one disruption causes the OPFOR’s defensive posture to drop from Prepared1 to Hasty Defense. (The defensive factor drops from 1.5 to 1.3. At this point we have to recalculate the odds. In order to save you from as much of the math as possible, the OPFOR’s GCS factor drops to 7.938216.

A US mechanized company arrives in the box and is designated the reserve.

Turn 3 (0900): Odds are recalculated to be 2.6:1 US and 1:2.6 OPFOR. Rolls of 6 and 3 respectively results in the US receiving an “A” (Attrition point), while OPFOR receives “2A,D” – the Recce Company becomes disorganized, and routs from the Pollocksville Combat Box north into the Cove City Combat Box.

A platoon of M1-A1’s arrives in Pollocksville, added to the reserve.

Turns 4-8: US moves the veteran (x1.8) mechanized rifle company (10.3721) and tank platoon (8.4), supported by the arty battery (6.48) into the Cove City Combat Box. These forces begin to plan a deliberate attack on enemy forces within this box. Due to the size of the units – a company and one half, I will roll on the battalion sized attacking planning row. We do not roll now, we must plan, issue orders (BAMCIS) etc. We roll beginning on the sixth turn of planning.

The enemy forces include a “competent” (x1.5) leg infantry battalion (3.804), a ten tank T-72M company (16.0) and the 122mm arty battalion (2.6) in D/S. The terrain is still flat wooded (x1.2) (Author’s note: As I review my notes and write this, I neglected to include the terrain modifier in these calculations – shame on me.)

OPFOR shells the mechanized company with 122mm throughout the turns, to no effect.

Within the planning process, a section of AV-8B II is tasked with Close Air Support. They will be carrying 13 Mk-82 500lb bombs, and their GAU-16 cannon each. They will be on station throughout the first turn of the attack.

On Turn 9 (1000), (the 6th turn after beginning the planning), it is the first to provide for an attempt at a completed planning process. US rolls successfully. Initial odds are 1.2:1 US and 1:1.2 OPFOR. US rolls to NE, and OPFOR earns an “A”.

Turn 10: Air goes away, so odds must be recalculated. It is now essentially an even fight, 1:1. US rolls an “A. OPFOR gets a “A,D” – the disruption reduces the defense from “Prepared2” to “Prepared1”.

Turn 11-14: Odds are recalculated but odds still end up 1:1. US accumulates 2A and one Disruption which reduces the Deliberate Attack to a Hasty Attack. OPFOR

Turn 15 (1300): both combatants earn an “A”. The US’s 4th and the OPFOR’s 6th.

Turn 16: both sides again earn an “A”. This is the OPFOR’s 7th and earns it the distinction of having to modify all further combat rolls with a -1.

Turn 17 (1400): US receives an “A”, and OPFOR an “A,D” – their defense is beginning to crumble. It degrades from “Prepared1” to “Hasty Defense”.

Turn 18: While odds are again recalculated, it still remains to be read along the 1:1 odds row. Both sides receive an “A”

Turn 19 (1500): The US gets an NE result while OPFOR a “2A,D”. This changes OPFOR’s orders from Hasty Defense to Withdrawal”. At the end of this turn, the OPFOR units withdraw from the Cove City Combat Box.

Losses Summary: US had a total of seven Attrition Points. They remained on the field of battle so these points are modified by x.5. That calculates to 3-4% losses depending on how you round this. OPFOR, since they retreated from the combat box, multiplies its total Attrition Points (11) x1%. Its losses amount to 11%. This passes the 10% threshold to modify the effected unit’s base GCS rating, so the infantry battalion is now 3.4236, and the tank company is now 14.4. Since the artillery was not “in” the box, but ranged it, I did not attrit it in any way.

Comments: The omission of the x1.2 terrain modifier may have come into play as there were three recalculations in the deliberate attack which did not cause a change in odds. The 1.2 may have had an impact, at least once.

This system calls for counter battery fire. In this situation, I toyed with it but decided it was not worth losing my arty battery in direct support, but will consider it in future scenarios where there may be enough arty assets to provide some in General Support – thus able to conduct counter battery fire without lowering the attacking forces chances for success. For thought; global security displays the Q-36 with 90 degree arc and 24km range, while the Q-37 with the same arc but 50km range. We would need to come up with an agreed upon pD for these, and similar OPFOR, counter battery radar, and what the combat results would be for counter battery fires.

An entertaining exercise. Thanks