Excellent job on the airport!

And Tony, that video was truly priceless...thanks!

The idea of Taras choosing Woods Park as a primary landing is based on:

- Proximity to the initial assembly area in the Musqueam Reserve. The Reserve will serve as staging Command and Control post. A call forward area and engineer park can be prepared in the near bank not far from the assembly point.

- Woods Park is a suitable holding area once across the river with an excellent landing point (boat ramp) and is also easy to seize, secure and set a perimeter defense in the far bank by the assault forces before the maneuver forces set in.

- The transition from holding area to attack position is smooth as the road directly leads to the terminal which is the final objective. The progression goes in typical soviet fashion with a column march deploying into assault formation and finally the dismounts storming the main terminal with the firepower support of the armored vehicles.

A few more words on the assault:

The troops are on board of the armored vehicles practically until the arrival to the terminal in order to guarantee speed, surprise and protection from small arms, etc. Typical frontage covered by a mech. platoon is up to 200 meters (excuse my metrics). Dismounted infantry can cover this frontage while the vehicles provide fire support. The current international terminal in the map is somehow bigger than the T2K timeline as it was expanded recently. In any case bearing in mind that the Intl. terminal is our objective, the final stage is to reach the control tower and consolidate the area. [The objective, then, is well defined]. By that time the comms equipment would be already secured and the perimeter defenses of the trolls will be dislocated without their center of gravity. Severed and/or jammed communications will prevent them from coordinating in a possible counter-attack making easier the defense.

RCMP and militia personnael will reinforce the secured airport after the capture. Then the maneuver forces can move again to the offensive if needed.

The operation will be divided in phases to help coordination, understanding and overall achievement of assigned objectives. This is an example of phase 1 of the operation in Taras plan:

Phase 1:

After recce is done and breaching of natural or manmade defenses has been previously done (i.e. removal of logs, etc) the task in this phase will include to conduct traffic control to the crossing site and establish security on our near shore setting up hasty defensive positions to protect the crossing area. This will be done mainly by the RCMP taking a role of Military Police. Due to their road experience (traffic control) and our limited numbers this would make sense.

- Establish Main Command Post for operation in the Reserve (Celtic Shipyard)
- Recce of conditions of the river
- Recce enemy locations nearby
- Acquire and secure near shore locations
- Establish an Engineer Park for final preparations and/or repair contingencies.
- Use smoke and activate also smoke on fake landing sites.
- Move supply forward from the Reserve to the initial crossing site.

I'm putting also IC the following to keep things moving for the planning arrangements:

Access to the terminal to the terminal or final objective using the Western board of the Island means to conduct a breach in a typical defensive arragement including mobility obstacles (wire, mines) and possible manned stations with classic interlocking fire sectors (bunkers) that may or may not be manned. In any case is possible but I feel that we don't have time, personnel and means to do it in a effective manner. But before we get there there is the problem of how to get there. No serious landing craft is available to sail down the Fraser River turn around the large Iona Park peninsula and then sail around the breakers. Same goes for any Southern approach. The current bridge is occupied by the trolls and any detour would take several kilometers and will still represent the need for a river crossing in this case far away from a Command and Control centre and support elements and a wider span (Southern Arm of the river). Comms would be more spotty and the dispatch of reinforcements or a rescue team would require would be difficult.

As a secondary landing site I would go for the Sewage Plant. Still close enough and the presence of a transited avenue (Fergusson Road) guarantees automatically speed of entry and lack of mines.

Team,

Just letting you all know what the score is. I've managed to download a new set of T2K books to replace the ones that are inaccessible. Tomorrow I'll get on with the game, possibly in the evening (I run alternating Hackmaster and Morrow Project on Sundays.)

With any luck, I might be able to repair my computer with a salvaged power supply... you never know!

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:11, Sun 05 Dec 2010.

Good luck with the repairs, Tony!

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #83):

Javier,

Still no luck, but at least I think I have most of the books now.

Also, I've pegged this thread to the top as a "notice".

Tony

A good move boss, more user friendly now.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #85):

Team,

Sorry for the lack of follow-up today, if you can believe it my wife's laptop is now infected with a nasty virus. (Picked up by by going to some website, and it wasn't even porn.) I'm on her desktop now and you better believe that I'm not going to download anything to it! At any rate, still muddling through here.

Tony

So there it goes...

True to character, Taras took for granted that the "American thing" LAV III, (actually it is based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha IIIH 8x8 and built in Canada) was at the same mobility level as the lighter Soviet BMP-2 and BTR-70. The doctrinal differences came to play their part again. River crossing, with the geographical complexity of Central Europe in mind, was paramount for a rapid advancing Red Army mechanized force. The LAV III Kodiak, unlike earlier versions, is not amphibious.

Even though the formal mech assault idea is gone due to the drastic reduction of force the idea of the river crossing still valid. In this case the guy from Odessa will propose to use the reduced armor element as a supporting force for the raiding force. The inspiration comes from the tactical innovation of the Soviet Army in Afghanistan. Lessons, like Taras dream, written in blood.

Here is an excerpt of: "The Soviet War in Afghanistan: History and Harbinger of Future War?" By: General (Ret) Mohammad Yahya Nawroz, Army of Afghanistan
and Lester W. Grau.

Foreign Military Studies Office, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
June 1996


The Soviet Ground Forces developed the bronegruppa concept to use the firepower of the personnel carriers in an independent reserve once the motorized rifle soldiers had dismounted. It was a bold step, for commanders of mechanized forces dislike separating their dismounted infantry from their carriers. However, terrain often dictated that the BMPs, BMDs and BTRs could not follow or support their squads. The bronegruppa concept gave the commander a potent, maneuverable reserve which could attack independently on the flanks, block expected enemy routes of withdrawal, serve as a mobile fire platform to reinforce elements in contact, serve as a battle taxi to pick-up forces (which had infiltrated or air-landed earlier and had finished their mission), perform patrols, serve in an economy-of-force role in both the offense and defense, and provide convoy escort and security functions.

Sorry for my lack of posting - I should hopefully catch up tomorrow and be able to post IC then.

Thanks,

Andy.

Tony can we get a more detailed view at the Authur Laing Bridge since it's the one our sniper detachment has been observing? I am mainly looking at the exact placement of their bunkers on the bridge, their use of the M113 and the area they they do their toll collection on the southern shore. I'd also like to know the construction of the bunkers if possible so Taras can comment on what it might take to clear around or through them. If I had to guess they don't completely block the bridge so vehicle can still pass by them but it will slow them down

As a side note sorry but I had to work a 3 day weekend last week so I had to catch up but I will post a tentative plan of action once I have that info.

For anyone else that would like to help, I am working off this link until I can get more details from Tony and our recon. http://tinyurl.com/2ex5l83

I can see us taking Authur Laing bridge without much trouble. We will have sniper cover for that fight and once the heavy weapons are taken out our vehicle can do most the work. I would like to see us secure the Burkeville area and the sea island bridge with our main assault force. This leaves the Gilbert road bridge and No 2 road bridges to be secured by the amphib team or follow on forces. Recon needs to get eyes-on those last 2 sites.

The general plan is to defeat and secure their outer perimeter. The reopen negotiations with a bit of leverage on our side. Cut them off from their families and support and we put them in a siege situation. My main concern is the Burkeville area. We have to contain that area without killing them. If we start killing their families they will just fight that much harder and we lose the moral high-ground in this which will effect all our future negotiation attempts. We might be able to sweep the area and move the folks to the UBC for safe keeping this allows us more flexibility once they are safely removed. But rereading the map location it seems it's fairly heavily fortified so encirclement and containment might be the best option. I wish we knew if this is where their leadership is usually at or in the main terminal. Maybe our contact can tell us that.

Correct me if I am wrong but we are still planning on blowing up the new control towers with a SAM correct?

Howdy - new player checking-in. I've been following the threads for a while, so hopefully I can follow through cleanly.

It strikes me that seizing a bridge (as indicated previously) may be the key to this scenario: with over-watch from the sniper detachment to help ward against man-portable AT weapons, a bridge assault supported by the LAV a/or other mechanized assets should succeed. The idea of sending a team onto the island to mount the bridge from the other end as part of the assault, however, seems likely to result in friendly fire, given that fire on the objective proper will, of necessity, be directly into the path of one party or the other (at least when they close.)

With a foothold on Sea Island, and a main toll route controlled, we secure our own logistical lifeline, at least moderately threaten their (heavily-fortified) settlement in Burkeville, and provide ourselves with options. They cannot cut us off to trap us on Sea Island, while we retain the ability to pull-out, advance on Burkeville, bypass Burkeville along the north perimeter of the island and come back down on the terminal complex, or attempt to secure additional bridges in gradual steps. With that foothold, they may be amenable to negotiation; I would think that we've blown our best chance to talk it out when we start killing their sentries, but that's someone else's look-out.

Proceeding in-island via Grant McConachie Way (per Conklin's map link) or Miller Road brings us right across the face of Burkeville's northern line, which seems unwise; we could move west and north via Grauer Road or even the tarmac itself, albeit with little cover, if we have a base of fire sufficient to hold the bridge, and be screened from Burkeville readily enough.

Does that make sense?

Welcome to the new player and thank you for the input!

Regarding the previous question, Taras plan included an initial decapitation coup against the new control tower using the SA-8 "Gecko". This is technically feasible due to the redundant acquisition systems (search and fire control radar as well as electro-optic back-up).

As a possibility it remains open to be included in the mission or not. Same as with the artillery support that was suggested to purchase in the arms bazaar currently manned by the Hell's Angels in Annacis Island.

Both options would be theoretically put under the command of Captain Bezhov, an Artillery Officer and Taras close friend recently arrived in Vancouver.

In reply to Robert A. Conklin (msg #89):

Rick,

Not a problem, I knew when I posted that you worked weekends, but I knew you'd post eventually!

I will get to a detailed "surveillance" photo or map view. I have to do some reading on defenses! Gotta make it good, or at least convincing. Also, I'm going to purchase (actually re-purchase) a copy of Last Battle, the T2K mass(ish) combat system for v1. That should make things interesting!

Welcome to Ry! We've been talking for a little while, and I'm impressed on the effort he's made to grasp the situation. I'm very glad to have him aboard! I had a player interested in playing a Russian, and we'll see how that works out. Could be useful for any undercover operations involving any "Russians".

Tony
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:51, Tue 21 Dec 2010.

Just to let people know I will have access to a computer over Christmas but will have no access from 29th Dec to 4th Jan.  I will post when I can and do my best to keep up.

Also, in case I don't get the opportunity to say this later, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

In reply to Seth Joseph Delaney (msg #93):

Andy,

Back at you friend! The same to everyone else.

Don't worry, I think things will be slow for the next week or so.

Tony

In reply to Seth Joseph Delaney (msg #93):

Same to you & all!

Happy Holidays to everybody!

Happy holidays, one and all.

In reply to Robert Duncan Fox (msg #97):

Happy holidays from the NPCs!

Tony

Merry Christmas!

We'll be speding time with our virtual families! \

Which we don't have as NPCs.

Tony

Team,

I'm still working on the details, probably not tonight but soon. Last minute Christmas shopping, etc.

Tony

Tony,

Glad to see that you're enjoying a Christmas beer or three! <G>

Andy.

In reply to Seth Joseph Delaney (msg #101):

Aw, hells yeah!

On a more serious note, the details of the nearer defenses at YVR have been posted to the reference section.

Tony

Tony - sorry but I haven't been able to post IC over the Christmas period as I'd hoped.  I'm now not going to be able to post IC until 4th Jan so please NPC Seth as necessary.

Hope you have a good new year.

Andy.

In reply to Seth Joseph Delaney (msg #103):

Andy,

Unless I'm mistaken, Seth's going along on the recce, so I'll make sure to include that. As well, by the time you get back Kel's contact will have gotten back with much of the requested information, which will help in planning.

Tony

Team,

I was pretty sick the last couple days, and whacked out on cold medicine. Woo! I'm going to move things along to the evening ASAP, as I believe everyone's had their say?

Tony