The Professionals - Professional planning in Progress

[komemiute]

Holy forking shirtballs!
That was masterful…

I am speechless and impressed… The new Frontline looks majestic.

My initial idea was about concluding a decisive push south, yes including an HQ move, and reduce the Frontline to the narrow central part of the island.

I have two main reasons for that… Even if admittedly it looks like moving north could yield better reward.

Let me mull over it a minute and I’ll report.

EDIT:
@WarPig : Ok so , the main allure to the north is that airfield, literally within grasp…

My concern is that we would extend our frontline instead of shortening it and also find ourselves entwined in a war against two factions there- as CSAT has a foot hold, no matter how tenuous.

Evidenced byt the RED LINE …
So- as the saying goes “The enemy of my enemy is my friend” we let them exhaust their resources while they bicker with each other while we move southward.

Yes the AAF outposts to the south seems really having a hard time with manpower which could really allow us to catch them with our well trained forces.

I will do some stealth reconnoiter right now and try to see how far I can push my luck (or skill?), moving around alone.

Detailed plan:
I see it like this-

FIRST STEP should be pushing the frontline towards the Blue Line

SECOND STEP should be a push to get to the Green line

These first two steps give us both lots of Resources ( #HardColdCash ) and Manpower for the…

THIRD and FOURTH STEP a more long term plan but should be about making our frontline the Orange line.

This is something that will require further planning when we get to the Green line because we literally need to assault all the Outposts, towns, and factories surrounding the Airfield.

We need to assess first the responsiveness of the aircrafts on the runway to our actions.
Maybe even have a Spec Ops team of AA Missiles at the ready …

But this is something to plan way ahead- for now I’m going in for the Blue Line.

[komemiute]

OK so I launched a new Operation, named “ABLE SENTRY” and moved the HQ to a more suitable position.
As I mostly moved through territory controlled by our troops it was a relatively simple affair.

Here…

Even if it’s quite literally a dump, it’s the perfect place from which unleash our next conquest plans.

UPDATE, after a quick talk with the HR and the Union representatives face masks and corks for nostrils are being dispensed for free to all the Freedom Fighters.

Quick Recon of the “Weakened” Resource point makes me think the person who used that word is unaware of its meaning!

https://media0.giphy.com/media/K8zzqui9viWT6/giphy.webp?cid=8d2e674ab95kkzrkgqbq4mirp17kd7hiibolnbcthejerlmf&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=giphy.webp&ct=g(image larger than 1 MB)

This place is literally crawling with foot mobiles. I count no less then 20.
The relatively flat area makes them patrol quite far so my safest sniping/observation post is at 800 meters, give or take. Sub-Optimal, but nothing disastrous.

There’s also obviously a civilian presence…

I’m starting to form a plan.

If we prepare our troops on top of this hill, behind these houses

with some HMG, AA and AT on this other relief,

while I snipe from this present position… we could have a winning solution…

EDIT: apparently they are aware of the risk of that first hill I mentioned as their patrols circle around it…

A Spec OPs team with Silenced SMG might just take care of that…

EDIT 2: Ok…

At 900 meters I still nail people right in the noggin…
A two-men patrol that ventured too far on the wrong side of that hill is no more.

AND

The troops in the Outpost didn’t hear a thing!

EDIT 3: Well you know me… I can’t resist a good chance.
Two soldiers were perfectly aligned and even if at 700 meters I knew I couldn’t miss the shot.

Two for one baby.
Of course You only have my word for it…

And this screenshot.

After that- I abused of the confusion to shoot with calm and deadly precision and I lay to waste the compound, which is now… DECIMATED! YEAH!

I only left because of the ominous message “AAF requested an unknown support” Ehrrrr… time to skidaddle fast! I take my trusty Quad and blaze away.

Just as I arrive at our new HQ I see this even more ominous message!

Well I think I heard a jet fly by but I was too far (and safe) to notice anything else.
Who knows.

[komemiute]

Ok quick recap… All hell broke loose but I captured the secondary Resource point South east of our new HQ!

Hooray for the Professionals and Hooray for the Resistance!

[WarPig]

Nice! I will get on in a bit and keep pushing in that direction.

ETA:

Combat Operations Report 9/23/2023:

I really did fully intend to work on the southern push. However when TheJohnnyBol got on, he gave me a long, sad story about spending 4 hours attacking the airport to the north, and the pain of fruitless effort. He said if I refused to lend my assistance, he would attack the AAF airfield by himself, in his birthday suit with only a quadbike and a rusty spork. Obviously and understandably, I couldn’t let that happen; the reputation of the FIA cannot suffer the ridicule of fools.

So, my hands tied, I abandoned my plans, surrendered to the tides of fate and set to work designing an attack on the airfield utilizing the considerable resources of the FIA:

That some significant combat had recently occurred here was plain to see. We set up an overwatch position, accompanied by my trusty companion crate and loyal AI mortarman.

The risks were great, but the potential rewards were sweet. The seductive voices of heavy armor and aircraft sang in our ears, beckoning us to come and receive the gifts that the AAF had laid out for us.

Significant opposing forces stood in our way however. I counted a mortar, two outposts with HMGs on overwatch, and four full squads of enemy infantry patrolling the perimeter.

Over the course of an hour, TheJohnnyBol and I carefully observed the enemy airfield, and moved our forces into positions overlooking it, eventually creating an L-shaped attack that would envelop the enemy and take them from behind and in front. Supporting fires consisting of two more AI mortars were positioned, and two AA trucks were placed on adjacent hills to engage any enemy aircraft that entered the AO, or managed to become airborne during the attack itself.

About this time @komemiute joined our efforts, and we familiarized him with the plan and forces in play while he set up a sniper position on a hill behind outs. His input proved invaluable, and his sniper rifle would touch off the action, as he deftly took out the AAF mortar with a single shot at a range of one kilometer (!) seconds before the first rounds fell from ours. TheJohnnyBol targeted the AAF Wiesel armored reconnaissance carrier and destroyed it with a Titan shot before it could interfere.

The fight was fierce, and while our mortar batteries did a great deal of work to demolish the infantry, many targets had to be handled personally by komemiute and TheJohnnyBol with sniper rifle and machinegun, respectively. This included any vehicle crewmen rushing toward the armor in the motorpool. Our rebel infantry moved in swiftly and mopped up what remained, while our AA gunners managed to bring down both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft from other bases that approached in an attempt to assist.

Unfortunately during this action, an AAF mortar that we had failed to detect let loose a deadly barrage of mortar fire, blanketing the ridgeline of our command section’s OP and taking everyone but komemiute out of the fight. He narrowly dodged several rounds that splashed onto his hill, but managed to escape unharmed while we made our return to the AO in reincarnated forms.

From there the action was chaotic, as usual, but unexpectedly successful. komemiute turned his attention to the outpost to the north while I turned the flag and garaged armor and aircraft alike.

Both outposts fell within the next thirty minutes, and this northern sector now flies the glorious flag of the FIA.

There was more action to follow to the south, but I’ll let @komemiute tell about that. Long live the FIA and The Professionals!

[tempusmurphy]

Sorry i haven’t been around for the last week …my daughters got me Baldurs gate 3 ( which the eldest was so impressed with, that she also bought it for herself on the PS5 … so we have been playing it side by side, unfortunately there is no crossplay with PS5 and PC) but I will be back (to quote Arnie)

[WarPig]

Nothing to apologize for sir. It’s a video game, and we’re having some smashing fun. Look forward to when you rejoin us, but no pressure. Enjoy BG, especially since it’s an avenue to spend time with family!

TTPs for using AI mortars:

There are two types of AI mortars that can be utilized, disregarding the third type: “infantry squad with a mortar”.

This squad is useless, in that they cannot be ordered to conduct fire missions, cannot garrison captured points, and just generally fails to accomplish anything with the weapon.

The first type of actually useful weapon is the AI mortar team, a two-man unit that is recruited by the commander and given movement orders via the HC menu (CTRL-Space), and fire missions via the Shift-Y artillery menu. When moving the team will break down the mortar, then reassemble it, which takes a few minutes. Movement can therefore be ponderous. They can be equipped with a quad bike which is useful if you need them to move long distances, but brings with it the inherent risk that they will suffer an ATV accident and turn into a 1-man squad with no ability to set up the mortar. I only give them the quad if I have to, and often suffer the above consequence.

The quad bike is useful for shoot-n-scoot in order to avoid counterbattery fire, but that risk can be mitigated in other ways; namely conducting your own counterbattery fire early on. If resources and situation allows, having two of these teams can allow one to reposition while the other is firing, leapfrogging and providing continuous fire support availability. Options include single-point strikes of 1-8 rounds, HE, smoke and flares, or barrage fire which lets you pick two points and cover the area in between with any number of rounds.

The other type of AI mortar, and my favorite is a bit of a home brew solution that requires a bit more hands-on management, but works very well.
This is the squad-level mortarman, an organic mortar within your immediate squad operated by an AI and controlled through the normal squad leader command system.

Recruit a member of your squad at the flagpole, and then either purchase or equip a complete mortar or set of mortar backpacks. Ideally you could put a mortar in the back of any of the trucks available and have a highly mobile vehiclular mortar, but this seems to cause random explosions when the AI are involved, as discussed in my previous TTP post. What I do now is throw the disassembled mortar into a crate or vehicle inventory, and drop off the AI soldier and mortar wherever I want him to set up. Assemble the mortar, order the soldier into it and viola, you have organic fire support. Not as mobile as the HC mortar team, but much easier to employ.

One other advantage of this method is that you have access to any number of mortars, without losing a slot in your HC list that could be filled with an infantry squad.

To conduct firemissions with the organic mortar, select the squad member in the normal AI menu, and you’ll be given a scroll wheel option at the top left of your screen: fire artillery. This will lob rounds wherever you are pointing: use with caution. It works well with binoculars and allows very accurate fire at a point you can observe. This is the advantage of using organic fire support, you can quickly and effortlessly pinpoint exact targets. Firemissions of up to 4 rounds can be conducted, and as soon as you hear “rounds complete” you can target another point, allowing a massive volume of fire.

The other way is using the map, similarly to the HC mortar discussed before. This is also a little quicker and easier than the HC mortar team, but requires recent intel on where the enemy is presently, and the location of friendly forces.

[komemiute]

About to jump in again.
I have some sniping to do.

[WarPig]

Flying a full day today but look forward to seeing what you get done tonight when/if I can get on.

I understand that after I got off there was an unfortunate Armacident with one of our Leo tanks involving an AI driver running over a discarded coke can and flipping the entire 60-ton vehicle.

[komemiute]

So… not good. Went scouting in a town called Zaros but I unvoluntarily exposed my true affiliation and had to kill a few soldiers… On the run at the moment. Wounded, up a hill and around to see if I can make them lose my trail…

EDIT: ok that was crazy… I managed. I lost a SUV, I gained a truck, wounded two police officer but let them go to conquer hearts and minds!

Got a couple more loot boxes of stuff.

[komemiute]

Went again for a short stint on Altis last night and I don’t know if it was my fault or I was there right on time but I was right on time to twart a major attack to the southernmost resource point.
The one with the Quad caption.

As I was scouting Agios Dionysios for OPFOR I got several intercepted comms that pointed out something big was brewing up south of the HQ.

I rushed back, after nailing four cops with my Moonlight (dirty and unrefined sniping but I wanted to kill something before leaving… I had been scouting for almost 20 minutes!) and I noticed that the intercepted messages kept piling up… as the AAF aggression level mounts quickly to High.

One after the other: “APC spotted”, “Undefined support set up”, “CAS plane spotted”… “TANK SPOTTED”?!

I bought a quad fast and ran to a hill overlooking the Resource point to see what the hell was going on…
Gosh- our garrison had four men left at this point- with my binocular I could spot in the distance a Comanche-type helicopter raining autocannon shells and rockets all over the place…

I froze as I saw a jet dropping six big bombs on the garrison… the number of defenders dropped to zero.
I dashed back to the HQ and through Petros replenished the garrison’s roster and filled all 12 spots with MGs, AT, and AA soldiers.

As more helicopters (included two transport ones, one heavy and one medium) approached the place I was relieved to see the shoulder mounted missiles being shot with stunning precision (are the AI ones guided?) and after killing no less than three different helicopters, the heroes sadly started receiving fire from the APC and tank that had just crested the hill.

I bought a few more soldiers to fill in the slots (included a medic and a Team leader) and now, at full strength again, they finally wiped out the rest of the now disorientated AAF troops! YAY!
Immediately the AAF aggression level starts dropping to Medium and then Low again.

I am almost scared to login again and see if after I left something else happened.

As a side note I’m very glad that previous night we conquered the north airfield and outposts or I guess I would have had to defend there too.

To the Professionals!

“Skill over Luck, Luck over Misfortune”

[WarPig]

Well done!

[WarPig]

Last night scattered fighting took place in the south, with local FIA units passing confusing reports that painted an unclear picture of widespread small unit actions with few tangible gains for either side. Several helicopters and fixed wing aircraft were brought down by missiles, but authorities on both sides have released conflicting statements to news media.

Combat Operations Report 9/25/23:

Tanks are a death trap. Would not recommend any FIA forces even consider making use of heavy armor in any area where an enemy jet can launch a precision guided weapon without warning. (Kinda like real life, in hindsight?)

Also, when one human player steps on a mine, the proper response from the other human player(s) should not be “I’ll come help you, be right there!" like we’re both dumb as a bag of hammers.

[komemiute]

■■■■ happens.

Can’t wait to be through with impending life stuff so I can join the FIA again…

[WarPig]

Look forward to it!

TTPs for FIA units when inadvertently entering minefields:

• Minefields pose a significant danger to personnel and vehicles, for obvious reasons. Due to the current fluid nature of the Altis FIA-AAF-CSAT conflict, many unmarked anti-personnel and anti-tank mines can be found strewn about in less-travelled areas such as hillsides and open fields near previous military installations or activity. Unfortunately, the presence of mines in an area is not typically obvious until an individual has accidentally detonated a mine, often resulting in severe injury.

• Upon activation of a mine, determine where the detonation occurred, and the location and number of personnel nearby.

• Do not move or change positions. The squad leader should immediately order the entire squad to freeze.

• Identify the individual who set off the mine, and any other individual(s) who are injured.

• If there are individuals near the detonation site, determine whether they are ambulatory and capable of self-extraction to a safe (previously traveled) area. If so, order them to exit the hazardous area slowly, on the same path previously traveled.

• Once this has been accomplished, determine if there are injured, non-ambulatory personnel remaining within the hazardous, potentially-mined area.

• Shoot them, and then exit the area, avoiding the minefield. Consider marking it on the map for later reference. Or don’t, because that would demonstrate foresight and intelligence.

• Repeat the above procedure, beginning at step one again, because you failed to mark the minefield an hour ago and forgot where it was.

[komemiute]

Just in case, we do have (if I remember correctly) some mine-detectors in the Arsenal.

[Harry_Bumcrack]

@WarPig

• if there are injured, non-ambulatory personnel remaining within the hazardous, potentially-mined area.
• Shoot them, and then exit the area, avoiding the minefield.

Harsh

[tempusmurphy]

And that comes from tankers who call infantrymen “crunchies”

[komemiute]

@WarPig i forgot to ask… What’s “TTPs”?

[WarPig]

Tactics, Techniques, Procedures.

[TeTeT]

Don’t forget the UXO after a CBU strike with HQ powers … caught at least one Off-Road in our campaign by surprise