The combinations of situations on the Operational map are close to infinite. Have to test the most probable operational situations to see that the rules will work properly. Here's an AAR from a syrian attack on the 2/6 marines.
The 2BN/6th Marines has just landed south of Tartus. The unit has orders to consolidate the beachhead and prepare for a Syrian counter attack. BLUFOR has intelligence that Syrian 9 DIV/43 BDE is in the vicinity - 3BN MECH BN of the BDE was thrown back earlier in the inital assault and suffered severe losses.
To support 2Bn/6 2 SQNs of Navy F-18s are dispatched to the hex to act as CAS should a Syrian attack occur.
The Syrian OPCO decides to attack the beachhead from two directions, with the 2BN (arm, 25 TOEPs) and the remains of the 3BN (mech, 8 TOEPs). To mount a quick counter attack is of essence - as soon as the marines have landed more equipment they will be harder to stop - and the risk of air strikes on the Syrian army units will increase - they are more vulnerable out in the open on the countryside than they are in built-up areas. This means however that the attack will be without any DIV or BDE artillery assets - these OPUNs are much slower than 3BN and 2BN - instead of waiting for them to catch up, the attack will go ahead without them.
The attack takes place in the early hours of the morning. Playing as the Syrian TACCO I decide to divide the tanks from 2BN into two smaller taskforces and advance on the village and the highway from the east. The smaller force from 3BN (mech) enters the battlefield from south. Their mission will be to seize the hamlet in front of them. In the center the rest of the tanks will advance on the village from southeast.
3BN moves towards the hamlet. I decide to advance under the protection of a smokescreen. No signs of enemy activity yet.
The northern armored taskforce enters a narrow valley that leads down to the coastal plain. One of my MBTs placed in overwatch takes a hit from an ATGM - and I have no idea where it came from!
As the tanks exit the valley they run into a tremendous ATGM ambush. I realize it will be difficult to advance any further in this area.
At the very same moment air strikes hit the 3BN that has reached the southern hamlet. Mavericks from the Navy F-18s take out BMP after BMP - now I wish the ground forces would've been screened by ADA units in an adjacent hex! But ADA units are slow on the OPMAP, there was just no time to wait for them...
So, this is the tactical situation some minutes into the battle; the mech force of 3BN has seized the hamlet in the foreground - but the airstrikes destroyed all the IFVs! The northern tankforce is stuck in the narrow valley and can't reach either the village or the highway. I have a pretty good picture of where some of the enemy AT positions are - at this moment it would have been appropriate to call in artillery strikes on these suspected positions - that would probably have solved it. But no ART support... However the tankforce in the center succeeds in reaching the village without any problems.
Finally I decide to make a run for the highway; protected by smoke the northern tankforce starts to advance. I know that the BLUFOR cannot afford losses the way REDFOR can, so if I can take out some enemy units by charging head on, it might work!
The columns of smoke dot the landscape... It was a suicidal attack indeed. The only thing gained is that I managed to take out several TOW Humvees and a few AT positions between the village and the highway. I decide to call it a day and offer a ceasefire. At least I'm in control of the hamlet and the village.
A Tactical Defeat... Could've been worse! As it happens BLUFOR has suffered 17 men KIA/WIA - which will render BLUFOR some heavy penalty in SVPs (Strategic Victory Points)
When I check the SVP chart I realize that the outcome wasn't so bad afterall; the BLUFOR gets 5 SVPs fot the TACBAT victory, but REDFOR don't lose any. However, BLUFOR suffers -15 SVPs due to the losses - which actually results in a total for BLUFOR of -10SVPs, REDFOR 0SVPs. Now, the only problem is that I suffered 61% losses, which means there's a major risk of losing the participating units entirely - with such high casuality figures the units might rout or surrender. And that would render me additional negative SVPs. But that's a totally different story - which I'll get back to later on! /sdp
