CSI
One of the tougher ones. I was MGer in Etzu's team. Started well, but I was surprised at number of hostiles on outskirts of town and we took heavy casualties (50%) of team at western side of objective.
McG took over like a pro, and we linked with survivors of Alpha. I took a M855 to my Agent 47 barcode when I was checking contact outside. I got one of them, but the second one was faster than me. Fun bread'n butter, great leading Etzu and McG (like always). We also learned differences between chapel, church and heathen.
Warport
We did better on a previous attempt though. I started in Evans's team, but got hit at LZ during revive. My next assignment was in Alwarrens team. I was buddy teamed with Den just like last time, but we got cut down by machine gunner at southern beach. Again, I managed to get one of them but not the second target. However shortly after that most of the teams were decimated, and there was no realistic chance to complete mission. I experienced some radio issues with this one, I wonder if it is related to start in vehicle underwater.
I had lot of fun in both teams. Thanks to teammates of both teams and Alwarren/Evans for great leading.Â
Winter's road
I was the curator (aka Zeus, HQ)Â for this one, Ltn Variable was leading Marine combat engineer team Alpha and Lt McGregor was in command of combat engineer team Bravo. Both teams were reinforced with Hospital Corpsmen, and M113 crews from I/22nd Infantry.
Ltn Variable laid a solid plan. Sending one team to deliver MHQ to software update and taking care of Foxholes made sense. Mission started well until...
...I received a call to my command radio. Medical Trauma unit CO (Navy) was furious and fuming. "<Word cannot be printed here> did your -censored- just -censored- do?! Can't you for once get your -censored- engineers do something right?! My heater in my barracks isnt still repaired, my coffee is cold and two of your rascals, speaking with Swedish accent, one lieutenant and someone else, grabbed my medtruck, almost overran my sergeant, and casually drove it off like it was their personal sports car. Do you expect me to patch this mans chest with glue and staples?!".
"Uh yes sir. Right away sir. I shall investigate at once sir"
Subsequent inquiry to incident revealed that two men (who have not yet been reliably identified) had casually grabbed Mobile Medical Trauma Unit from the hands of medical team providing life saving first aid. Fortunately the truck was returned in one piece. I explained that my men are engineers, not geniuses. I can't expect them to read tasks or to tell a difference between Mobile Command Truck and Medical Trauma Unit. Medical officer calmed down and no one was court martialed.
(
I was checking the Alphas efforts with minefield at a time, and when I returned the camera to combat logistics, I saw someone cruising away on wrong truck like a boss. The trucks looks identical and I should likely remove the med unit to avoid confusion, but I had lots of fun ;D on your expense)
Meanwhile Alpha had completed dangerous task of clearing a minefield without incidents and the right truck found its way to HQ. Artillery was happy with the detonations, and Lance Corporal Alwarren's bulldozer team valiantly cleared the wreckage despite defying laws of physics. Medevac to timber mill and supply convoy delivering hot food to starving defenders got through, thanks to my engineers. Infantry squad marching on the road to bulldozer's jaws were saved by divine intervention.
CO of 1st Battalion (22nd Infantry) was impressed by my men as repairs at point Uniform were completed swiftly and professionally. At least there were no alluring med trucks to lure my unwary Marines.
At this time, Alpha company of 1st Battalion (6th Marines) had engaged VDV forces at outskirts of capital. Firefight was observed at a distance and Marine lieutenant on ground requested tank support. Unfortunately minefield was still blocking the road! Team leaders smartly ordered to concentrate on mines on road first, and Marine M1A1 was able to get through. Again my engineers had made the difference, without firing a shot.
My superior officer, call sign 'Hawkeye', dispatched my engineers to clear unmarked minefield further north near vital X-roads. I was particularly impressed that Variable, leader of Alpha, had paid attention to command radio earlier, and had taken mental note of enemy recon team in the area, even if it didn't directly affect them at the time. Alpha team requested permission to do pre-emptive flanking at their last known location, just in case, as Bravo was moving to clear the unmarked minefield. Good thinking. I gave my lieutenant free hands, but reminded that their job is to clear road, not to hunt Spetznaz. Later inquiry revealed that enemy recon team had indeed been at the area, but had already moved further west, evading detection. Bravo team would find this out first hand very shortly.
Bravo team's M113, carrying a full team, was about to find trouble.
Was it one of the friendly mines they were supposed to clear? Or enemy planted? We do not know. All we know is their APC hit a mine, and same time, fire was opened from roadside bushes. Enemy ambush!
Alpha heard the firefight and raced to rescue their fellow Marines. Eventually ambushing recon team was defeated, but this cost us 5 of my men.
(
I was busy at Alphas location with camera at this time. When I switched to Bravo, I noticed to my horror you guys were casually strolling on a road and about to hit a mine. It was furthest mine of the minefield. I knew it was at least 50 minutes more to mission so it would have been lots of lobby time. I had very little time to react. Obviously warning you in radio would have been plain wrong. I hastily added flare, red smoke as 'enemy signals' but I think you missed the 'warning signs'. Lighting bolt was accident. It is right below another function in Zeus interface, so it wasn't supposed to happen It would have likely opened your eyes, but 'damage' was already done. )
Situation calmed, but there was no time to mourn. Alpha reported of casualties, and I asked whether they feel they can continue mission. Answer was without hesitation. They would go on.
Meanwhile situation at eastern sector had started to collapse, but its effects would be felt later. First sign of trouble was that a friendly convoy which was supposed to travel through the X-roads never happened. Instead two VDV teams did. They were dealt professionally and Alpha and remnants of Bravo were now eyes and ears open (even if some players were likely half asleep).
Part II. Eastern frontÂ
Next job was to investigate last known whereabouts of a Marine tank platoon missing on eastern road. Last known position was just south of lighthouse. This wasn't a job for engineers, but there was no one else. The tank platoon was soon discovered. Tanks destroyed, bodies of both friend and hostile. Nothing could save those tanks, but my men managed to repair, and eventually salvage a highly valuable fuel truck. They also dealt another enemy ambush, partially with luck as enemy AT specialist missed the fuel truck with RPG.
This was escalating to something worse. My engineers are trained specialists, not infantry grunts. However, there was no one else available to do the job. That's why they are called
combat engineers. They continued east on the road to find missing Marines. Grim sight awaited at abandoned industrial complex. No survivors.
Industrial site was soon to be hit. VDV squad, not expecting resistance, met a suprise. They were cut down by accurate fire, but sergeant managed to report the situation and coordinates to enemy HQ. Firefight soon erupted further south. Marine rifle platoon, reconnoitering enemy positions further south, was hurrying back to industrial site as they met ambush.
Alpha reported of sounds of M4s and tracers of both hostile and friendly weapons at a distance. Alpha requested permission to intervene and assist, which was denied. It was now apparent we had lost entire tank platoon, rifle platoon, and sector which was supposed to be clear, was crawling with hostiles. My engineers are tough hombres, but they are engineers. Not infantrymen.
Enemy had now fix of my men at the industrial site. Indirect fire was called, and it was observed from the site. I had a bad feeling about this, and I gave them preliminary command to prepare to bug out. Shortly after this my superior officer received intel from a drone. Entire T-72 platoon was about to hit industrial site, and my men. Order to disengage and pull back was given.
But it would get worse. Enemy infantry had been inserted to forest between my men, and friendly lines. At least two platoons. My engineers now had unknown number of hostiles AND friendlies ahead of them as sector spiraled to chaos.
Alpha leader did not hesitate. One of best orders is preliminary order. Teams at industrial site had been prepared and as soon order had been given, they moved out at same instant. Two minutes later they would have had a date with T-72's.
Alpha and remnants of Bravo would have to fight their way out. They put pedal to the metal, and now we know they avoided two full VDV squads enroute to industrial site, but ran into skirmishes on the eastern road with enemy fireteams. At least on one occasion their APC was narrowly missed by RPG-7.
Toughest spot was when they had several wounded at a same time, and VDV lieutenant was observing them from distance, and called in mortar fire. First rounds to adjust fire landed close, but my men didn't stay behind to watch in awe. Wounded were patched, and they made it to friendly lines.
It wasn't a typical job, but they handled the tough day like pros.
So ends my after action report, sir. My engineer team is well rested, and ready for further tasking.
(
This mission turned to be much longer I anticipated. It was particularly long wait for those who got hit in APC wreck. Of this my regrets. Hope you had fun. I had, despite extensive extra babysitting I had to do for AI. )