Hintergrund und Informationen/ backstory and general informations

Backstory: To be fleshed out but basically ...

After period of escalating political and economic pressure, the Russian Federation (RusFed) and NATO are at an impasse over Ukraine's right to act as an independent nation.

This deterioration in relations has taken place over a few months and has allowed several NATO nations (particularly Great Britain, Canada and the United States) to freeze and in some cases reverse their earlier policy of force draw down out of Europe.

NATO has formed a multinational Battle Group with Combat Teams from Canada, Germany, UK and USA.

This NATO Response Force (NRF) has been forward based in KRAKOW in Poland and is the lead component of the heavy forces that are concentrating further West.

Major components of 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) have begun to concentrate at Ramstein Air Base prior to potentially moving further East as required.

Most of this is posturing though intended to dissuade RusFed forces from intervening directly.

Inside Ukraine itself, the Ukranian Army (ZSU) has been mobilised in all but name and has taken up defensive positions with their largely Soviet era equipment.

The overarching campaign line of operation being that if needed, the ZSU impose delay while the NRF moves to confront the RusFed forces while more substantial NATO formations return to their old bases and become combat effective in order to deter RusFed aggression and "encourage" their exit from any occupied Ukrainian terrain.

Forces involved:

TBC (exact equipment and CT structures to follow) but likely:

Blue - NRF:

Germans (Leo 2E)
US (M1A2 SEP and Bradley)
UK (CR2 and Warrior with Scimitar providing part of the Formation recce)
Canadians (Leo 2E and LAV III)
Aviation CT (AH-64, Eurocopter, Chinook, Blackhawk or MRH-90)
Formation recce: Scimitar, Scorpion and an ASLAV Tp on exchange.

Green - ZSU*: T-64B, BMP-2, BTR-80, 2S3, Mi-24, ...

Red - RusFed*: T-90, BMP-3, 2S3, BMD, Mi-24, ...

* Not playable.

Mission Type: Co-Op against scripted AI

Format: Four Missions run back to back in one continuous activity.

Timings: Run at a European / Northern Hemisphere friendly time - say 1800 on a Saturday night (GMT)

Perhaps run over Easter +’s and -’s to that - happy to take feedback.

Likely time-frame remains a Saturday evening (GMT) in approx. 3 months (post OP VARIABLE 4) say late March / early April.

In terms of an exact date, OPV4 still has approx 8 weeks to run based on the "once mission a fortnight" plan.

In approx. a fortnight I intend to put up a poll of Saturday evenings (GMT) that covers say the next 5 Saturdays after OPV 4 is due to finish and ask for people's availability.

If OPV 4 goes longer than planned then the idea would be that there would at least be one Saturday break between OPV 4 and this.

Something similar will apply if OPV 4 finishes early, but its unlikely it will be any closer than say 10 Saturdays from "today" (because we still have to create the missions, etc.).

Hosted by: The PzBtl 911 server and staff (thank you for your support).

Bling: Still being worked on.

Current sign ups:

Canadians: Brun, 12Alfa, Kingtiger, Tango29, Tacom
Germans: D u k e, Ricopico, Froggy, Induction
UK: Crusty, Tjay, Bogusheadbox, Hoggydog, Hedgehog
US: dta delta, Connaugh, Rotareneg, MDF
Guns: ????
CSS Operator/s: ????
Cameraman: ????

Various:

Tacbat,
enigma6584 (due to the demise of the East Europeans)
Panzer Leader,
Mudpi*, (haven't heard from him since)
Myself,
Tac197,
pkcav39
and a couple of others from BG ANZAC.

C2 structure:

BG CO owns the Aviation CT, some 2nd line CSS and allocates priority for guns.

CT OCs own their own integral CSS, call for fires with their FO, can bid for additional assets from the BG CO.

CT OC’s given “orders” from BG CO prior and a trace so they can work up their plan (hopefully “save plan” works again by then ).

Each 2IC (XO for our American friends) would also get a copy in case their OC couldn’t make it after the “last safe moment” - no hospital passes here.

General:

Making it Co-Op maximises the number of players and should allow people to be vehicle or Platoon / Troop commanders if they wish, not forced to command more units than they are comfortable with.

OPERATION RISING BEAR

OPERATIONS ORDER - NATO RESPONSE FORCE BATTLE GROUP (NRF BG - "BG ARMINIUS") 1/14

Time Zone: BRAVO used throughout (Zulu + 2, Ukraine local time)

Situation

- GeneralIn 2013 the EU extended an invitation to the Ukraine to expand and consolidate its trade ties with Europe. This came at the conclusion of another round of successful NATO / Ukraine exercises during the "partnership for peace" co-operation programme. The Russian Federation viewed this with alarm as an continuation of the erosion of Mother Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Most of the old Warsaw Pact members from Central and Eastern Europe had joined NATO and the Baltic States were flexing their independence.

The initial Russian response to this was escalating economic and diplomatic pressure on Ukraine to remain tied to Russia. Russia retained a military option should these initial soft options failed.

The EU and its friends responded by demanding that the Ukraine retain its sovereign right to self determination as in independent nation.

Currently the Russian Federation (RusFed) and NATO are at an impasse over the issue, with rolling demonstrations and other unrest within Ukraine being the key reportable activity.

This deterioration in relations has taken place over a few months and has allowed several NATO nations (particularly Great Britain, Canada and the United States) to freeze, and in some cases reverse, their earlier policies of force draw down out of Europe. Holdings of AFVs from these countries in Europe have started to grow again and force dispositions have returned to credible levels.

Major components of 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) have begun to concentrate at RAMSTEIN Air Base prior to potentially moving further East as required. Less mobile heavy forces have also begun to concentrate, augmenting the pre positioned European Activity Set. Many comments in the media have likened this to the earlier REFORGER (REturn of FORces to GERmany) activities.

Most of this is posturing though intended to dissuade RusFed forces from intervening directly.

NATO has formed a multinational Battle Group (BG) with Combat Teams (CT) from Canada, Germany, UK and USA supported by Artillery, Engineers and an Aviation CT. This NATO Response Force (NRF) has been designated BG ARMINIUS and forward based in KRAKOW, Poland and is the lead component of the heavy forces that continue to concentrate further West.

Recent reports indicate that inside Ukraine itself, the Ukranian Army (ZSU) has been mobilised in all but name and has taken up defensive positions with their largely Soviet era equipment.
[B]
- Enemy[/B]As you now know, some hours ago Russian Federation (RusFed) forces crossed the Ukraine/Russian border and appear to be making and initial thrust on SUMY, approx 350Km East of KIEV. The RusFed crossed the border as part of an attempt to forcibly bring Ukraine back under the control of MOSCOW.

Recent activity:

RusFed forces, assessed as being at reinforced Brigade strength, have hit the Ukrainian Army's (ZSU) first delay line and appear to be approaching SUMY on three avenues of approach (North, Centre and South), refer below:[B][/B]

The intent appears to be to seize the airport and other critical infrastructure within SUMY and use it as a base for further operations West towards KIEV.

Having secured SUMY the next set of objectives are assessed as being in the area of BILOPILLYA and subsequent objectives further West on the road to KIEV.

The most likely boundary between the Brigade's lead Battalions has been marked.

RusFed forces have used prodigious amounts of artillery to support their advance and appear to have access to large amounts of Frontal Aviation (fixed and rotary wing, attack and transport).

The Brigade lead echelon is equipped with T-90S and BMP-3 with a second echelon force using BTR-80 as its APC.

As a lead formation, the Brigade appears to have also been allocated elements of an Air Assault Battalion and some Spetsnaz resources.

- Friendly

Ukraine

The Armed Forces of Ukraine, (Zbroyni Syly Ukrayiny, (ZSU)) have been able to conduct a delay from the Eastern border, falling back on successive positions forward of SUMY.

Due to interoperability issues with comms equipment the picture is unclear but it is understood that the ZSU forces within sector consist of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Guards Armoured Brigade, a reinforced Tank Battalion with T-64, BMP-2, BTR-80, limited Artillery and Engineer support.

The last information supplied by the ZSU LO was that the Battalion had been ordered to establish a final delay line forward of SUMY to buy time for reserve demolitions of major river crossings and the demolition of some key infrastructure (which were assessed as RusFed objectives).

Despite the comms issues, some ZSU / NRF co-ordination has been conducted with the key results being:[INDENT=2]- ZSU forces to delay East of the Battle Handover Line.
- Route AJAX to remain open and priority given to ZSU traffic.
- Those ZSU forces that achieve a clean break to reconstitute East of BILOPILLYA.[/INDENT]
These co-ord measures and the last known ZSU scheme of manoeuvre is displayed below:

The political climate demands that ZSU forces be involved in any subsequent offensive action to regain SUMY or other Ukrainian territory.

NATO

As detailed earlier, the NRF BG has been pre positioned at KRAKOW in Poland. At the commencement of RusFed / ZSU hostilities, the BG was dispatched on a forced road march to close with and link up with the ZSU forces.

Currently the lead elements of the BG, the attached formation recce element, is some ten Km NE of BILOPILLYA and is siting the BG Assembly Area. The tail of the column, the forward air refuelling and rearming point (FARP) is some 30 Km further back, near VOROZHBA.

The BG's sub units have made the journey in good order, a testament to their crews and the maintenance schedules. The crews themselves though are suffering fatigue with more than one non battle casualty suffered to date due to vehicle accidents.

NATO provided the NRF BG with an air umbrella for the advance but the RusFed air elements did not contest its movement. This was seen as an attempt to avoid unnecessary escalation of what was currently still a "local" affair.

The Battle Group's structure comprises:[INDENT]1 x BG HQ based on Panzer battalion 203
1 x BG 2nd line echelon drawn from Panzer Brigade 21
1 x Artillery Battalion attached (PzArtBn 215)
1 x Attached Engineer grouping (from pzpiKp 200)
1 x Recce Sqn (-) with 3 x Recce Tp and 1 x Engr Recce element.
1 x German Tank Company (3:0 Tank:Mech) - CT ACHILLES
1 x US balanced Tank / Mech CT (2:2) - CT ODYSSEUS
1 x UK Infantry heavy CT (1:2) - CT PERSEUS
1 x Canadian Tank heavy CT (2:1) - CT HECTOR
1 x Aviation CT - providing Attack, Lift and heavy lift - CT PEGASUS[/INDENT]

This can be seen diagrammatically below:

Battle Group Headquarters

Echelon and Artillery

Engineer Support

Formation Recce - force assigned OPCON drawn from B Squadron, 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards (1st QDG) with a Troop from 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CAV) on attachment. Also attached an Engineer Recon detachment.

CT ACHILLES - German Tank Kompanie (3:0) Kompanie 2, Panzerbattalion 203

CT ODYSSEUS - US Balanced CT (2:2) - force assigned OPCON from Charlie Company, 4-70 AR

CT PERSEUS - UK Mech heavy CT (1:3) - force assigned OPCON drawn from B Company, the 5th Battalion the Rifles, with Anti Armour Platoon and Mortars from the battalions Support Company with 2 Troop, A Squadron Queen's Royal Hussars (QRH).

CT HECTOR - Canadian mixed CT (2:1) - force assigned OPCON drawn from B Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) (LdSH (RC)) and B Company, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI).

CT PEGASUS - Combined Aviation CT - force assigned OPCON. Combined US and European unit with Eurocopter Tiger, AH-64, MRH-90, UH-60, CH-47 and UAV

- Civilians
Large numbers of Ukrainian citizens are fleeing Westward. These internally displaced persons (IDPs) are choking roads and making movement East on the main routes very difficult.

The obstacles created by this press of people have been increased by vehicle accidents, abandoned vehicles and wreckage caused by air and artillery strikes.

It is expected that this movement will thin out in the next couple of hours as people seek shelter in cellars, etc. rather than move in the open as RusFed combat forces approach.

Mission
The NRF BG is to advance within boundaries, to relieve the ZSU force near SUMY and repulse the RusFed aggression, in order to set the conditions for a negotiated settlement.

Befehle Rolling Thunder: Operation Rising Bear