What a game!X-Man here,
During the MilSim test game I served as the Tan Platoon Sargeant.
As the Platoon Sargeant my pre-game role was purely administrative and I initially thought my in game role would continue as the
Platoon Sargeant ( run the HQ section, coordinate re-supply, manage casualties ect). However, right from the start my role morphed into the
on field Platoon Leader with our commander and First Sergeant acting more like a true rifle company HQ. The last time I had this type of experience was leading a platoon in the Marine Corps.
There were several moments where I felt like we had just pulled off a really cool tactical manuever and there were many others when I was like, “Ok, back to the drawing board”. While I knew how I wanted to maneuver the platoon there were times when the rust in my platoon leader skills showed.
First, I misread the terrain up at Hamburger and Apache. While I have walked the terrain and played the field several times I never appreciated just how steep the terrain in those areas are. In retrospect, given what I know now I would have seized that terrain from the start of the game and fought a defensive counter punching strategy.
At about 9:30 I recieved authorization to insert our recon team, lead by Dave Thompson of Capital Offense. We split them into 2 teams (of 2) with the idea of getting eyes on
Hamburger Hill which was our primary objective and reconning the area we expected the green forces to enter the AO (area of operations), in the vicinity of
Sim City and routes 9/8.
Let me say that our recon team did an
OUTSTANDING job! Under Dave’s leadership they were feeding us good intel all day long and for a long stretch during the morning they held Fort Apache by themselves no doubt accounting for some good points.
Meanwhile. The green force received about a 15 minute head start onto the field and immediately started moving towards
Fort Apache and Hamburger, which would be the secondary and primary (respectively) game objectives for the day.
I sent one squad to
Fire Base Alpha and the other to sweep around the right side of the fire base towards Hamburger but the green force beat us to the high ground at Hamburger. I then decided to occupy Fire Base Alpha as a base of operations against Hamburger and Apache as well as being in position to interdict the green supply lines. This also gave us the shortest re-supply route possible given the tactical situation.
We were able to occupy Firebase Alpha but because the green team beat us to Hamburger it became an uphill fight for the rest of the day. 2nd squad was operating to the south east of Alpha, just outside the base perimeter while 1st squad was trying to move towards Hamburger. The problem was I oriented 2nd squad towards the direction of route 9. Dave and the recon team, continued to hold on to Apache.
This is where misreading the terrain became a problem. I thought we could push from Alpha up towards Apache and Hamburger.
WRONG! The terrain gave a distinct advantage to the green team. Our first few attacks just stalled out at the bottom of those hills. Also, our tank was down for part of the early morning so we were forced to make unsupported attacks into an enemy position on high ground, taking heavy casualties, especially when they were able to bring their tank down route 3. At that point the green team came rolling down behind their tank and pushed 2nd squad back into Alpha. Given the teams were evenly matched our heavy casualties attacking uphill made it easier for them to overrun our positions in Alpha.
Looking back, I should have made an attempt to reinforce Apache via Sim and route 9,
then attack downhill toward Hamburger. Honestly I have a feeling that may have been open all day. We could have hit Hamburger from the rear and front at the same time. This also would have denied the green team access to DZ 3 which turned out to be big for them. Well,
C'est la guerre!Could we have held that position? I don’t know. Given the location of our CP, we would have had a long, exposed supply line, but they would have had to attack uphill as we had to. Hindsight is 20/20 vision.
Then I made my second big mistake of the day, I failed to adequately secure our left flank which allowed the green team to flank us on the Sim side of Alpha and hit us from the rear, 2nd squad and the HQ section were basically wiped out. 1st squad was pushed back to the rear boundary of our AO (this was about the time we got word of a hurt walk on player and the game stopped). The green team then focused their attention on Apache and our recon team holding that position.
Walking back to the Platoon CP talking to Blue Max, he efficiently sized up the situation. We basically oriented right, they went left to our open flank. I was kicking myself all the way back to the CP. I had made a butter bar mistake that cost our unit. But I told myself to chalk it up to rust (in this type of tactical game), put it behind me and soldier on, the day was still young and we had a battle to win.
By this time Dave and his recon team had been pushed out of Apache (I may be off in timeline but others will fact check me.) This was the opening to our finest tactical maneuver of the day. I mean text book perfect. This next episode was really a testament to Runaway and Big Bird who lead their squads with great élan and aggression in this attack.
The remnants of 1st sqd (under Runaway) had been pushed back along the creek bed to our rear boundary (grid D6) while 2nd sqd was reorganizing at the platoon CP. I decided to send 2nd sqd through Sim to attack towards rte 9. However, talking to Runaway, it became apparent that the green force had overextended into Alpha. I immediately instructed 2nd squad to reorient towards the southern flank of Fire Base Alpha. My intent was to try and launch a coordinated attack on the green force in the fire base from 2 directions at the same time.
2nd sqd would strike first from the southeast attacking west while 1st squad would hit the northern end of Alpha (attacking south), crossing the T in Navy lingo.
Well, all I could say is both squads were
magnificent. We had great tactical coordination. 2nd squad moved into position and went on my command. After additional conversations with Runaway, we decided 1st squad would attack once they heard 2nd squad start their attack. 1st squad hit the northern entrance to Alpha and fixed the green team while 2nd squad swept through the base east to west. As 2nd squad crested Alpha 1st squad ceased fire to avoid hitting friendlies. 2nd squad swept through and consolidated on the objective.
It was one of those moments you just want to spike the ball and dance like Billy White Shoes Johnson.
Wanting to be aggressive and take advantage of our offensive momentum I immediately ordered 1st squad to continue the attack towards Hamburger. At first it seemed like we were making progress and were on the verge of taking the position when the green tank hit first squad coming from route 4. That tank simply decimated 1st squad. Once again we got pushed out of Alpha.
We reorganized at the platoon CP, after talking to the squad leaders and Blue Max, who became a great resource during the rest of the game, we decide to take Sim and attack from there towards Apache.
I wished I had recognized what a great assetBig Blue was earlier. In truth, while he is great at killing tanks he would have served our unit better as a squad leader or our senior tactical advisor. If there is ever a next time I’ll keep him close if he is in my platoon.
Quick hit here. In our planning we did not discuss mines but the green team did. appearantly they mined a road (not sure which one) But because we did not discuss mines we weren’t prepared to deal with them. Back at the CP I was discussing it with the CO and First Sgt when Ferg walks up. The CO is like
“Hey Ferg, we got mines out their but no engineer assets to deal with them. How do we get engineers?” Ferg looks at me and goes
“Okay, you got no engineers. In the real world what would you?” It was one of those Basic School moments I remember so well when an instructor would turn and say “what now lieutenant?” The light bulb went on and I grinned to myself,
“shoot them or blow them up with explosives.” Ferg just smiled, Milsim Huraa!
We also requisitioned a 50 cal and satchel charge. Given our tank support had been iffy at best I wanted to have alternative ways of dealing with the green armor. Of course I was later told that the 50 cal was ineffective against their tank.
So we set off for Sim. 1st sqd was sent to hit Apache but somehow they got oriented towards Alpha. I think they must have hit resistance and flowed to the open area. No biggy, you take what you can get. One fire team went toward Apache and the rest of the squad went towards Alpha.
The recon team was tasked to move to recon DZ 6 and then to try and get to DZ 3.
I directed 2nd squad to move towards DZ 6 but somehow they went out of bounds. They quickly came back in and came back to the Sim side of the creek. I then called them back to Sim for base security.
Meanwhile the recon team met resistance and could not get close to DZ3. They linked up with one of the 1st sqds fire teams (that had been cut off from the rest of the squad) and tried to take Apache. The rest of 1st Squad had occupied Alpha and was calling for reinforcements. I tasked Blue Max to take a squad and our tank to Alpha to support 1st sqd. The plan was to try and retake Hamburger once we had massed enough combat power at Alpha.
At that point our TOC radioed in that we basically needed to take Hamburger. I then relocated the HQ section and 2nd squad and ordered 1st squad to move out while second squad supported from Alpha.
About this time Blue Max apprised me of our situation.
Taking Hamburger would be damn near impossible! The green team had established a solid defensive line from DZ 6 to Hamburger (holding the high ground) and the terrain was steep and uphill the entire way. At that moment I knew how General Lee must have felt at Gettysburg when he realized that not taking the heights (The hills running between Little and Big Round Tops) on the first day would cost him dearly and like Lee I commenced several fruitless and costly assaults on those heights, all resulting in mass casualties and our guys getting worn our by going up and down those hills then having to go all the way back to our CP.
We did try different combinations of attack. One comes particularly to mind. Blue Max had come back to our
FTOC at FB Alpha and I sought his advice about a plan of attack. He shook his head again and said no matter where you go it will be tough. Then looking at the map again he pointed to the stream bed that runs north on the west side of Hamburger and Apache and was also the AO western boundary of the AO.
He scratched his head and said, we might be able to get some folks in the stream and get by their line. I just said lets go for it. I assigned him a fire team and sent him on his way. Meanwhile, I ordered Runaway to attack up the hill again. He looked at me skeptically and said, "if we go up that hill a again we are all going to die". I just shook my head and said yes I know, but I need you to hit their line as a distraction. I knew we needed to fix them in their positions in order to give Blue a chance. I don't know how far up Blue Max was able to get, I just know they got taken out. It was really shaping up to be a bad day.
By now I'm standing there thinking what next? Finally, like Lee I decide to try an all out gambit and focus an assault on a narrow front to force a break through. If we could breach their line maybe we would be able to turn their flank and roll them up.
By this time Dave had rejoined the main body and I decide to use him and his recon team as straight infantry, we broke up into three elements. The first lead by Dave, the second by runaway and the third by myself. My goal was to hit one point on their line with a rolling wave hoping to achieve a point break through. My version of Pickett’s charge.
Well, the outcome was exactly the same. Dug in on those heights the green team poured murderous fire first into Dave’s then Runaway's teams. Because we were focused on a narrow front and our forward momentum had stopped the green team was able to send a few guys down our left flank and hit my team from the flank.
Like Pickett, I watched the remnants of my command trudge back to our CP. The rain was beginning to come down heavy and I was really having that strong Gettysburg feeling. Like Lee I was retreating in the rain thinking about what might have been. My command had been decimated, it was late in the day and our opponents remained strongly entrenched on the high ground.
But here is where our story ends differently than Gettysburg. When Lee retreated from that Pennsylvania town he had reached his high mark. He was never again going on the offensive and it was only a matter of time until the South’s defeat.
In our case when I got back to our platoon CP I was greeted by a unit that was still highly motivated even though it had been a long, hard day. I walked into the CP to talk to the CO and First Sgt. I told them we had tried to take the position but that once the greenies got the heights they had the upper hand. We started to talk about making one more push when one of the Tan troopers also in the tent suggested that we hit Sim one more time and try to take Apache and see what we could do from there. The CO looked at me and said lets do it. Attacking through Sim had worked twice before would the green team fall for it a third time! I had my doubts but what options did we have.
Just then Ferg walks into the CP and says he’s calling the game in 30 minutes. He looked at me and said,
"You have got time for one more push and you got a bunch of guys out there rearing to go". At this point I’m feeling my blood rise and that flush of excitement. Hell, what’s the worse that could happen; we go out with a bang.
I walked out to the open tent where I was met by Dave and his guys, and a mix of the two squads. All were chomping at the bit, ready to go again even as the downpour was coming down, their masks were fogging, and they were soaked to the skin. Dave had that infectious smile on his face that was saying “come boss let get this thing on and deal out some hate and discontent." Runaway was doing his thing quietly re-arming, and Big Bird who had been the rock of 2nd squad all day was loading up.
By this time we were no longer organized in our original squads we just grabbed all the tan troopers in the tent and organized them into 3 elements (just like our last ill fated attack. The technique was sound we had just been on bad ground). Dave’s assault team lead the way followed by Runaway’s, followed by Big Birds whom I traveled with.
There comes a time in every conflict when strategy and tactics don’t count for as much as sheer will power and determination. What I saw in the Tan platoon in that attack had less to do with some fancy plan and more to do with heart and desire. Perhaps the green team let their guard down, perhaps they had overextended their line when our last attack failed thinking they had the game won. I don’t know.
(I think our using Alpha as a base of operations throughout the day might have lured them to heavily defending that area thinking that's the way we would come,
if we even came at all.)
I fully expected for Dave’s element to take heavy casualties maybe even be wiped out. My hope was that they would weakened any force in their way allowing Runaway’s element to overrun them. I knew I had Big Bird’s element as my final option. When I heard Dave’s call that they had taken Apache I knew right then we had a chance! I immediately directed Dave to continue his attack to Hamburger. By the time I got to Apache Dave was pushing Hamburger with Runaway right behind. Big Birds Element occupied Apache and set up a 360 perimeter.
Runway, on his own initiative took off with his guys to hit DZ3, our opponents FTOC, which they took. Dave’s element pushed the green off Hamburger and set up a defense. I move up to Dave’s position and took it all in.
We had done it!In the end we had exerted our will on our opponents and finally taken those paint filled heights!We now held both the main and secondary objectives! Quite frankly I was shocked! How the heck were we able to roll the other side up so easily when they’d been giving us a tough time all day!
The green team tried to counter attack Hamburger as time was running out but apparently, MGB, a first squad fire team leader (field promotion), had taken out the green team's reserve element before they could sally forth.
Ferg had stated in one of the first threads in the MilSim forum that the NCOs’ would be key to this game and they were. They kept it going all day long, even when things weren’t going right. They lead from the front, showed excellent initiative, and just delivered when it counted. At the end of the day no matter how good a plan you have, without the right horses it just dots and lines on a piece of paper.
At game end the green team had more points, 800 to 700, just one base difference! But we held both objectives,
tactical victory!Man oh man, you just had to be there!Just a quick shout out to Ferg and the gang at CD. This game concept is incredible. It's depth and texture offers an experience unlike any other I hav had in paintball. It may turn out that it is not everyones cup of tea. But I surely hope that there will be more of these games beyond August!
I know this has been a long time in comming, but thanks so much for bringing this idea to reality. You have done a great thing for paintball. 
