Red Storm - A TOAW AAR

[Raptor1]

Why, yes, it is another one of these. I know I haven't exactly finished the last one, but I decided to declare victory after accomplishing my objectives (If anyone wants, I'll make a last update to it).

Right, this will be an AAR of The Operational Art of War III's Red Thunder 1988 scenario. (As your can probably guess) this scenario covers the classic NATO vs. Warsaw Pact war, with the Soviets launching an invasion of West Germany. Since it is actually based on SSI's Red Lightning, a game which was released before the Cold War ended, this scenario unfortunately has quite a few OOB mistakes. HPS' Danube Front '85 is more accurate, but I wouldn't get anywhere in that game, so I decided to go with this.

Hex scale is 25 kilometers, turns are half days. Unit scale is Battalion to Brigade and formations are Armies.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Warsaw Pact Order of Battle - Central Front - June 21st, 1988

East Germany:


Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG)

20th Guards Army

25th Guards Tank Division
32nd Guards Tank Division
90th Guards Tank Division
25th Motor Rifle Division


2nd Guards Tank Army

16th Guards Tank Division
21st Motor Rifle Division
94th Guards Motor Rifle Division
207th Motor Rifle Division


3rd Shock Army

7th Guards Tank Division
10th Guards Tank Division
72nd Guards Tank Division
47th Guards Tank Division


8th Guards Army

79th Guards Tank Division
27th Guards Motor Rifle Division
39th Guards Motor Rifle Division
57th Guards Motor Rifle Division


1st Guards Tank Army

1st Guards Tank Division
11th Guards Tank Division
20th Guards Motor Rifle Division




National People's Army (NVA)

5th Army

9th Tank Division
8th Motor Rifle Division


3rd Army

7th Tank Division
11th Motor Rifle Division
4th Motor Rifle Division


Berlin Garrison

1st Motor Rifle Division





Poland:


Northern Group of Forces (NGF)

28th Army

45th Guards Tank Division
56th Guards Motor Rifle Division
58th Guards Motor Rifle Division
84th Guards Motor Rifle Division




People's Army of Poland (LWP)

3rd Army

5th Tank Division
11th Tank Division
4th Motor Rifle Division
6th Guards Motor Rifle Division (NGF)
20th Tank Division (NGF)


2nd Army

16th Tank Division
20th Tank Division
12th Motor Rifle Division
15th Motor Rifle Division
2nd Motor Rifle Division





Czechoslovakia:


Central Group of Forces (CGF)
Czechoslovak People's Army (CSLA)

1st Army

19th Motor Rifle Division
20th Motor Rifle Division
18th Guards Motor Rifle Division (CGF)
15th Guards Tank Division (CGF)
48th Motor Rifle Division (CGF)


4th Army

9th Tank Division
15th Motor Rifle Division
31st Tank Division (CGF)
30th Guards Motor Rifle Division (CGF)





-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 1 - June 21st, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

Warsaw Pact invades Western Europe!
Spetsnaz units attack NATO rear areas.
Warsaw Pact units deploy chemical weapons.
Soviet invasion of Norway and Iceland underway.
Third Battle of the Atlantic begins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Fair, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Overcast, warm, moderate precipitation.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Negotiations between the Western and Eastern blocs have broken down. With no chance for peace, the Cold War turns hot as Warsaw Pact units cross the border in a massive invasion of Western Europe.

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/2931/map1h.png

North German Plain

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/7774/ngp0.jpg

In the north, the 2nd Guards Tank and 3rd Shock Armies, supported by landings executed by Airborne Divisions, will launch attacks aimed at taking Hamburg, Hanover and Bremen. The initial aim of this attack will be to isolate and destroy NATO fighting strength in the area east of the Weser river. If successful, the attack should allow an attack towards the Rhine and the Low Countries.

AFNORTH

In a secondary attack, the East German 5th Army will push into the AFNORTH area by striking towards the Kiel Canal and Jutland. Landings by the Soviet and Polish Naval Brigades will be executed in Zealand with the objective of cutting off and taking Copenhagen, hopefully rapidly knocking Denmark out of the war.

West Berlin

With overwhelming material superiority, the 20th Guards Army and the East German Berlin Garrison will attack NATO's West Berlin Garrison. Since the 20th Guards Army will have to be quickly redeployed to participate in the westwards push, the taking of West Berlin will have to be completed before the end of the day. Heavy casualties are expected, since the NATO brigades are heavily dug into the urban terrain.

Fulda Gap

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3117/fg0r.jpg

The 8th Guards and East German 1st Armies will take leading positions in the attack through the Fulda Gap, aimed at quickly reaching Frankfurt and the Rhine river, with the 1st Guards Tank Army acting as reserve and Operational Maneuver Group for the offensive. This push has the shortest route to the Rhine and will therefore likely be heavily contested by NATO formations.

Danube River Valley

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/5422/drv0.jpg

The final main attack will be executed by the Czechoslovak 1st Army into Bavaria and the Danube River Valley. This push will start with the aim of taking Nuremberg, Stuttgart and outflanking NATO's Fulda Gap positions. This attack has the least amount of initial forces, but NATO is expected to be stretched thin in this area.

Austria

In support of the Danube River Valley attack, the Czechoslovak 4th Army will prepare for a possible invasion of neutral Austria, in order to allow an attack on Munich and the rest of Southern Germany.

[Skybird]

Do it! But may I recommend to use screenshot sizes one or two nothces smaller than 1680 pixels in width? It is a pain needing to constantly scroll left and right for each line to read. I have a 1680 resolution here, and need to do so. Resizing the images above a bit would help to not mess up the whole first page of this thread.

TOAW3 has won greatly with that recent major overhaul ot has gotten. I also have Danube 85 which is also a very great design. It is a shame, but for some reasons I do not get to play both cosims too often, flightsims and SBP consume most of my playing time - and this although I cxall myself a strategy lover! :D They would deserve more time, really, even more since I changed the counters in Danube in colours.:DL

[Raptor1]

Actually, these are only 1,280 pixels in width. The pictures in the updates themselves will be smaller, but I needed the first ones to show the entire relevant area.

EDIT: I suppose I can resize those as well, but subsequent posts seem to be normal so it shouldn't be such a big problem.

Speaking of updates, the first one will be up soon.

[Oberon]

Can you get to the Rhine in seven days without using nukes? :hmmm:

Oh, and beware the crickets...

[Raptor1]

Without using nukes? We'll see about that...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/4386/ngp2.png

With heavy air support, the 94th Motor Rifle Division sweeps into northern Hamburg, engaging elements of the West German 6th Panzergrenadier Division. After a short and brutal street battle, with both sides taking roughly equal casualties, the West German forces retreat, leaving a third of the city in Soviet hands.

To the southeast, ferry-bridging teams set up crossings across the Elbe river, allowing the 2nd Guards Tank Army's 21st Motor Rifle and 94th Guards Motor Rifle Divisions to cross unopposed. The 3rd Shock Army advances towards Hanover, meeting little opposition.

West of the Weser, VDV troops of the 103rd and 106th Guards Airborne Divisions execute combat drops, overrunning a number of airfields. However, they are rapidly counterattacked by NATO forces and unable to effectively advance. A third drop by the 7th Guards Airborne Division utterly fails west of Hanover, with the unit dropping into undetected enemy units and rapidly evaporating.

Towards noon, a NATO counterattack is hastily mounted. The 7th Panzergrenadier Brigade reinforces the defenders of Hamburg, which manage to push the 94th Motor Rifle Division out of Hamburg, while the 9th Panzer Lehr Brigade counterattacks the 21st Motor Rifle Division southwest of the Elbe.

AFNORTH

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4527/afn2.png

Sweeping aside the 6th Panzergrenadier Division's recon elements, the 5th NVA Army's 8th Motor Rifle Division pushes towards Kiel. After advancing some 50 kilometers, the Division meets the 6th PzG Division's 18th Panzer Brigade southwest of Kiel. In a massive battle, the NATO forces lose nearly a quarter of their force, including 42 Leopard 1 tanks, while narrowly holding their ground.

Meanwhile, the Polish 7th Brigade and the Soviet Baltic Brigade execute unopposed landings in Zealand, coming into contact with but not engaging a Danish Mechanized Brigade.

West Berlin

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/7190/wb2v.png

The West Berlin Garrison comes under a massive attack, but due to to the urban terrain and prepared defensive positions, it manages to withstand three attacks. However, by noon, the defenders have suffered massive casualties, and the survivors of the French and British Brigades (The American Brigade has been annihilated), as well as the remaining West Berlin Police have dug into the British sector. They are unlikely to hold for long.

Fulda Gap

http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/3590/fg2x.png

The 8th Guards and 3rd NVA Armies push towards Frankfurt, attacking and pushing aside recon elements in the way. However, they are soon counterattacked by armoured and mechanized divisions of the US VII Corps and West German III Korps. Suffering heavy casualties, especially among East German units, several Regiments are forced back towards their starting positions.

Danube River Valley

Encountering little resistance, the 1st CSLA Army and its CGF elements advance to the west. Several of its northern units, however, are caught in the NATO Fulda Gap counterattack and suffer casualties.

Reinforcements

The 28th and 2nd LWP Armies have formed road columns and are heading to support the Fulda Gap/Danube River Valley and North German Plain attacks, respectively.

[Oberon]

Fulda is going to be struggle, what's your approximate percentage of Category A B and C troops?

Oh, and:

the 5th NVA Army's 8th Motor Rifle Division


Somewhere in West Germany:
http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/l/1/17907-ex-vietcong-showing-secret-tunnels-cu-chi-vietnam.jpg

[Raptor1]

Fulda is going to be struggle, what's your approximate percentage of Category A B and C troops?

If the OOB was accurate I could tell easier. I would guess most of the Soviet units currently on the field are Category A, while the coming reinforcement divisions might be Category B or C units coming in as they are brought to full strength. I'll have to look at the state they come in at when they arrive.

[Raptor1]

Day 1 - June 21st, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

NATO retaliates with chemical weapons.
France pledges military to NATO defense.
West Berlin reduced to ruins.
Hamburg reduced to ruins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Hazy, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Overcast, warm, heavy precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/4386/ngp2.png

The Battle of Hamburg continues as the 94th Guards Motor Rifle Division regroups and attacks the city once more. Meanwhile, the 18th Panzer Brigade retreats towards Hamburg, pursued by the East German 8th Motor Rifle Division, which joins the battle. Hours later, Soviet forces occupy Hamburg once more, with NATO forces pushed back to the Elbe river.

West of the Elbe, the rest of the 2nd Guards Tank Army's forces advance to the northwest. In a series of running battles, the 9th Panzer Lehr Brigade loses over a hundred Leopard 2 tanks and is reduced to a handful of survivors. Meanwhile, the 3rd Shock Army engages elements of the West German I Korps east of Hanover in a massive battle. In one engagement, the 33rd Panzer Brigade is utterly annihilated after suffering 99% losses at the hand of the 7th and 10th Guards Tank Divisions. By the end of the battle, NATO forces east of the Weser are effectively destroyed, with the exception of forces in Hanover itself, which Soviet units find heavily defended by West German and British Army of the Rhine Brigades.

AFNORTH

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/4527/afn2.png

With the armoured units blocking the 5th NVA Army's path having mostly retreated towards Hamburg, East German units quickly break through. The 9th Tank Division, 5th NVA Army's reserve and Operational Maneuver Group, is sent forward to exploit the breakthrough, capturing Kiel without resistance and continuing north into Jutland.

The Battle for Copenhagen begins as the 35th and 36th Air Assault Brigades, along with the Polish 6th Airborne Brigade drop into Zealand. Together with the Polish 7th Brigade and the Baltic Brigade, Warsaw Pact forces attack and defeat the Danish 2nd Zealand Brigade and Life Guard Regiment, putting Copenhagen under siege.

West Berlin

With a final assault, the survivors of the NATO garrison are annihilated; the Battle of West Berlin is over. The Berlin Garrison moves to occupy the city, while the 20th Guards Army regroups and begins heading west, to the gap between the 3rd Shock Army and the 3rd NVA Army. The KGB and Stasi move to purge the city of NATO sympathizers.

Fulda Gap

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/2550/fg2.png

Regrouping following the NATO counterattack, Warsaw Pact forces continue the push across the front. While NATO forces in the area are not broken, they suffer heavy casualties, especially among West German III Korps units north of the Main river, and are pushed back an average of 50 kilometers to the southwest. Warsaw Pact units, however, also suffer significant casualties, especially among 8th Guards Army units attacking elements of the US VII Corps.

Danube River Valley

Attacking along with the 8th Guards Army, the 1st CSLA Army manages to drive US forces from the road to Nuremberg. By the end of the day, lead elements of the Czechoslovak 19th Motor Rifle Division and the Soviet 15th Guards Tank Division reach the outskirts of Nuremberg, finding it defended by NATO security forces.

[Krauter]

What game is this?

Really enjoying the reports so far.

Edit: woo 2,000

Would it be possible for the NATO Order of Battle?

[Raptor1]

What game is this?

Really enjoying the reports so far.

Edit: woo 2,000

Would it be possible for the NATO Order of Battle?

The Operational Art of War III, one of the greatest wargames ever.

As for a NATO OOB, I can construct one based on my unit sightings, but I'd rather not post the full one, at least until the end of the game.

[Krauter]

Aah fair enough. Perhaps add intelligence estimates as to what you think you'll be fighting or what is in your immediate vicinity based off of aerial recon and your ground forces sightings

[Raptor1]

Sure, I planned on adding the occasional equipment and losses report, I'll add intelligence estimates to that.

[Krauter]

Sure, I planned on adding the occasional equipment and losses report, I'll add intelligence estimates to that.

:up: Sounds good. I've never heard of this game before so this is a pleasant surprise. Keep it up :)

[Crécy]

Ah, darn. Makes me want this game even more.

Strategic advice:

LEAVE NONE ALIVE!

[Raptor1]

Right, might as well do one of these now. Prepare yourselves for death by boring statistics.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 2 - June 22nd, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

Operation Reforger begins.
US III Corps begins to arrive in Western Europe.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Overcast, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Overcast, warm, occasional precipitation.

Western TVD Report

With the conclusion of the first day of the invasion, information has been assembled by the Western Theater about losses and enemy strength, in order to assess the situation on the Central Front.

The Air War

Massive air battles have been waged over Central Europe over the last day. Reports from all Air Divisions has compiled about the strength and losses of the VVS and other Warsaw Pact air forces.

Helicopters:

Light Recon Helicopters - 50 operational, 0 lost.
Mi-24 - 636 operational, 5 lost.
Mi-28 - 8 operational, 0 lost.

Total Helicopters - 694 operational, 5 lost.

Fixed Wing:

MiG-17 - 45 operational, 0 lost
MiG-21 - 634 operational, 44 lost
MiG-23 - 911 operational, 83 lost
MiG-27 - 459 operational, 26 lost
MiG-29 - 569 operational, 37 lost
Su-7 - 88 operational, 3 lost
Su-17 - 44 operational, 0 lost
Su-20 - 32 operational, 11 lost
Su-24 - 399 operational, 21 lost
Su-25 - 264 operational, 6 lost
Su-27 - 126 operational, 5 lost

Total Fixed Wing - 3,571 operational, 236 lost

Total Aircraft - 4,265 operational, 241 lost

Aerial losses have been acceptable. Helicopter losses are especially light, a surprising fact considering attack helicopters have participated heavily in the land battles of the previous day.

Tallying claims from pilots and anti-aircraft forces has led the Western TVD to estimate NATO aircraft losses have been 1.5 to 2 times higher than Warsaw Pact losses. However, these figures are uncertain.

The Ground War

The first day's fighting has been intense, and heavy losses have been suffered by both sides. Current armoured vehicle strength and losses amount to:

T-55 - 1,771 operational, 92 lost
T-64 - 969 operational, 492 lost
T-72 - 3,534 operational, 456 lost
T-80 - 7,076 operational, 740 lost

Total Tanks - 13,350 operational, 1,780 lost

Total APCs and IFVs - 13,665 operational, 1,946 lost

Total AFVs - 27,015 operational, 3,726 lost

Tank and AFV losses have been high; approximately a third of the T-64 tanks deployed to the field have been destroyed, while modern tank losses are significant. These losses are not crippling yet, however. Other equipment losses, including artillery and support equipment, have been moderate. Surprisingly enough, infantry losses have been comparatively light so far.

Estimates of NATO losses are also high, especially among West German tank units in the North German Plain and Fulda Gap, however the exact numbers of NATO casualties is unknown.

NATO OOB

Pieced together from combat reports across the front, the GRU has compiled a list of known NATO units along with their organization and location:

AFNORTH Sector


Danish Army

COMLAND Zealand

2nd Zealand Brigade (Zealand)
Life Guard Regiment (Zealand)





And additional unknown Brigade (Assumed Danish 1st Zealand Brigade) is garrisoning Copenhagen, and a Danish Corps of unknown strength is deployed in Jutland.

North German Plain


Bundeswehr

Schelswig-Holstein Korps

6th Panzergrenadier Division (Hamburg)

16th Panzergrenadier Brigade (Hamburg)
18th Panzer Brigade (Hamburg)







I Korps

1st Panzer Division (Hanover)

1st Panzergrenadier Brigade (Hanover)
2nd Panzer Brigade (Hanover)
3rd Panzer Brigade (Hanover)


3rd Panzer Division

7th Panzergrenadier Brigade (Hamburg)
9th Panzer Lehr Brigade


7th Panzer Division

20th Panzer Brigade
21st Panzer Brigade (Oldenburg)


2nd Armored Division (US)

3rd Brigade






British Army of the Rhine

I Corps

1st Armoured Division

7th Armoured Brigade (Hanover)
22nd Armoured Brigade (Hanover)







Additional unknown forces including several NATO Armoured Brigades have been spotted west of the Weser.

Fulda Gap and Danube River Valley


Bundeswehr

III Korps

5th Panzer Division

15th Panzer Brigade
13th Panzergrenadier Brigade


2nd Division

34th Panzer Brigade
5th Panzergrenadier Brigade


12th Panzer Division

35th Panzergrenadier Brigade
36th Panzergrenadier Brigade
14th Panzer Brigade




II Korps


US Army

V Corps

3rd Armored Division

1st Brigade




VII Corps

1st Armored Division

1st Brigade
2nd Brigade
3rd Brigade


3rd Infantry Division

1st Brigade
3rd Brigade


1st Infantry Division

1st Brigade


2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment





Multiple unknown units have also been spotted in the area.

[Skybird]

I must question the OOB on the Russian tank numbers, especially the T-80.

In 1985, the Russians operated just short of 2000 T-80s. During the climax of T-80 numbers over the first half of the nineties, they still had not even 5000 - most but not all stationed for action in Europe. Today the Russians have around 3000 T-80s.

No chance they were able to show up with almost 8000 T-80s in 1988. Not even half of that number, I think.

I think that insane number has quite a distorting effect on the match, considering the immense imrovement the T-80 meant over the T-55 and T-62/64 (agility, armour).

[Raptor1]

Yes, I know. As I said in the first post, the OOB is not very accurate due to the scenario being mostly based on a game made during the Cold War. However, from what I can see the Warsaw Pact has significantly less armour than it did historically, and a lower force quality than I would have liked (Well, actually, I think it's NATO's which is just slightly way too high), so it sort of balances out.

I also don't know how NATO's equipment ratios are, that might balance things as well. Perhaps one could chalk the differences up to the heightened tensions that have led to an actual war breaking out.

I've considered the possibility of making my own scenario based on the real OOBs and TO&Es eventually. That would be awesome, but I'd probably never get around to doing any such thing.

[Skybird]

There is some mod or scenario for Danube 85 which has an OOB that the author claimed to be the result of intense research that he or others had run.

[Raptor1]

Do you know what the scenario is called? I'd be interested.

Not that DF85's original campaign OOB isn't impressive as it is, of course. It's probably of the most accurate I've yet seen in a game.

[Skybird]

I think it is WWIII by Patrick Foor. (http://www.members.shaw.ca/gcsaunders/downloads6_MC_Scns.html)


This scenario is a full campaign scenario of a possible war in Europe staring June 5, 1987. The year 1987 was selected because this is considered by many defense experts as the first year that NATO had a real chance defeating a Warsaw Pact (WP) attack without resorting to tactical nuclear weapons. The date June 5th was simply selected because I wanted something different from the stock version. All the major potential combatants of this hypothetical conflict are included. The OOB is as accurate as possible, with a few exceptions for game balance, or a very few special cases.

I had some separfate design notes on it, but I cannot find them anymore. But load the scenario, and check it with everything visible.

It's a monster, covering the whole front from Denmark down to Austria, both included.

If people ever wanted to simulate a WWIII in the central European front - to my best knowledge this is the title to do it with.

http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/Products/ModBat/DanubeFront/D85_Planning_Map_50.jpg



Just the visual interface is a pain on a 1680 resolution screen. The "3D"-maps cause eye cancer, the bigger 2D-maps are displayed with toosmall hexes and counters. I have redone the 2D counters' colour codes and use Volcano's (yes, the SBP guy :) ) altered 2D map design, and while writing this I decided to have a look at what can be done without too great effort for the 3D graphics.

Don't take the word "3D" literal, please. :lol:

Apropos Volcano, he has reworked all the default scenarios and altered their balancing, making them more realistic. You can recognise them by the "_alt" in the the scenario titles.
http://www.volcanomods.com/ (http://www.volcanomods.com/)

P.S. Correction, the map mods for the 2D maps are by somebody else, if you do not know them,check them here. (http://www.hist-sdc.com/MapMod/modern.htm) They are much more pleasant to the eye than the default map.

[Raptor1]

Interesting, thanks.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daring Raid!

The 106th Guards Airborne Division, dropped behind the Weser on the previous day, has found itself fighting against superior armoured and mechanized forces. During the night, the surviving two Regiments moved and seized the Jever airfield under the nose of US and West German armour, and have now evacuated themselves back behind Warsaw Pact lines.

And the real fighting...

North German Plain

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/4508/ngp3.png

After over a day of heavy combat, the West German 6th Panzergrenadier Division surrenders to Warsaw Pact forces, ending the Battle of Hamburg. Meanwhile, the rest of the 2nd Guards Tank Army occupies much of the eastern bank of the Weser, but is unable to advance further with the bridges in Bremen destroyed and a Dutch Armoured Brigade in the way.

The 3rd Shock Army exploits the gaps in NATO defenses east of the Weser and completely encircles Hanover along with two NATO Armoured Divisions. NATO forces attempt to break the encirclement through a gap in Warsaw Pact lines to the east, but are unable to advance anywhere.

The 20th Guards Army has reaches the front and is advancing towards the Weser south of Hanover. Its objective will be to seize the bridges in Bielefeld before NATO can destroy them, and then to advance towards the Ruhr.

AFNORTH

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/5780/afn3.png

The remnants of the Danish 2nd Zealand Brigade and Life Guard Regiment are rapidly destroyed by Warsaw Pact troops, and all forces are moved to attack Copenhagen itself. An early attack is attempted while all forces are not yet in position, but it produces no results except reducing the city to ruins.

In Jutland, the 5th NVA Army mops up surviving NATO units and heads northwards, crossing the border into Denmark.

Fulda Gap

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/2059/fg3g.png

Warsaw Pact forces north of the Main river continue to push forward through the Fulda Gap. A gap appears between III Korps and VII Corps' positions, but NATO forces manage to reform before the 8th Guards Army's OMG manages to exploit the breakthrough. However, this breach reveals a weakness in the NATO position that might allow an encirclement of much of VII Corps' strength north of Nuremberg.

Danube River Valley

The 1st CSLA Army continues its slow advance. Nuremberg is assaulted and NATO forces are cleared from it, but Warsaw Pact troops find the bridges had already been blown. Elements of the Czechoslovak 19th Motor Rifle Division advance along the road to Stuttgart and run into a defensive line composed of West German and Canadian Forces.

The 28th Army has arrived at the front and is preparing to cross the Danube in a strike towards Bavaria. However, significant NATO forces have been spotted by aerial reconnaissance advancing towards Warsaw Pact lines to the north and south of the Danube.

[Krauter]

About your equipment losses.

I'm concerned about the loss of such high number of MiG 29 fighters, though you've still got a good number of Su-27s. Still its worrying that you're losing such a high number of modern fighters.

Also, in regards to armoured forces losses. Why have you lost such little numbers of obsolete units like the T-55 compared to the more advanced T-80, T-72 and T-62? Is it due to the fact that no category B or C units have entered the fight yet?

[Arclight]

Just a guess, but I wager his heavier tanks are on the vanguard and are therefore taking the most punisment. Same for the fighters.

I'd also add the Mig-29 is terribly overrated, but that's just opinion. :hmmm:

[Skybird]

In reality, it probably would have been the other way around, on the ground: the Russians would have launched the first wave of attacks with T-72s and older, expecting it to stall, the second wave then exploits the breach made by the first, and then stalls too, while the third wave would have been expected to acchieve the decisive break through in place of the breach established by the first two waves. The T-80s probabaly would not have entered the fight before the second wave. At Normandy landing, the Allied did it much the same way: they landed young, unexpeirenced units first, knopwing that they would get slauightered, and sent the experienced veteran units after these (the fear was that the veterans, knowing what lied ahead of the, would show lesser enthusiasm to go into the opening massacre, and to save their experience for a time when they would have better chances to survive). The older tanks therefore should have had punishing losses, making NATO to lose organisational structure, and depleting its ammo, and also maybe causing losses. However, modern units may have become targets for NATO air attacks - but not that early. I would assume in the first days, all NATO fighters and multirole aircraft would have been needed to acchieve air superiority. While technologically superior, NATO air forces would have fought seriously outnumbered. The Pact probably would have made its toughest air attacks early in the war, when it still could counter NATO fighters by superior numbers of its own. With that ablance shifting against it'S chances, NATO more and more would be able tio free assets for non-interception missions. So, in the beginning, the air war would have been the Warsaw Pact's, in the end it would have been NATO's.

However, allow me to doubt that any side had the capability to run a lasting all-out-campaign in europe. The Russians lacked logistic capacity and organsiation, and thus, especially fuel would have run thin. NATO probably did have too limited ammounts of stockpiled ammunition for heavy guns, missiles systems, and aircraft.

The big unknown variable would have been to what degree the new armour type of the Abrams tanks would have surprised the Russians. Also, the early Leopard-2A4 needed to prove itself against the T-72 and the T-80U. I do not take it for granted that the Leopard-2s would have dominated the T-72 in the same way the Leopard-1 dominated the T-55, T-62 and M60. After WWII, no other tank dominated the international competition of contemporary adversaries like the Leo-1A5, buit with the new players like T-72, Leo-2 and M1 and T-80 around, that era of clear dominance in tank design already had started to fade since the early-80s.

[Krauter]

Just a guess, but I wager his heavier tanks are on the vanguard and are therefore taking the most punisment. Same for the fighters.

I'd also add the Mig-29 is terribly overrated, but that's just opinion. :hmmm:

Oh I do not doubt that the MiG-29 would have had problems in the late 80s, but compared to the other fighters he's got as reserve, it's still a heavy blow.

[Arclight]

In reality, it probably would have been the other way around, on the ground: the Russians would have launched the first wave of attacks with T-72s and older, expecting it to stall, the second wave then exploits the breach made by the first, and then stalls too, while the third wave would have been expected to acchieve the decisive break through in place of the breach established by the first two waves.
Good thing I'm not a general then. I'd have resigned the T-55 to a direct support role for infantry and guard duties, serving as an armoured reserve distributed well behind the lines to plug gaps, support in case of counter-attacks and to make sure there's some armour present to counter airborne or amphibious invasions.

Think that if there is one thing that became painfully clear from Desert Storm (edit: ie. second gulf war), it's that MBTs are pretty much useless against a technologically advanced oponent.

[Krauter]

Good thing I'm not a general then. I'd have resigned the T-55 to a direct support role for infantry and guard duties, serving as an armoured reserve distributed well behind the lines to plug gaps, support in case of counter-attacks and to make sure there's some armour present to counter airborne or amphibious invasions.

Think that if there is one thing that became painfully clear from Desert Storm (edit: ie. second gulf war), it's that MBTs are pretty much useless against a technologically advanced oponent.

The last part of your post rings true. I think that using T-55s and T-62s as a mobile "gap plugger" would be inneffectual because by the time they reached the area they're supposed to cover they'd probably be under fire that can pierce them easily. To be honest, once an armour package is proven to be easy to penetrate, and has a weak gun (in armoured terms...) then it pretty much becomes a waste of an AFV useful only for covering supply areas from aerial drops.

[Arclight]

Aye, fair enough. Think they might still serve a purpose in urban combat and ambushes though. Anything done to reduce the engagement range goes a long way to overcoming the technological gap. Vanguard forces falling back in the face of stiff opposition, allowing enemy forces to pursue into well-prepared kill-zones before turning around to support the ambushers would make far better use of those obsolete designs.

At least compared to sending them in first, only to be turned into scrap metal for the sake of depleting a bit of ammunition.

Technically they wouldn't even have to penetrate the armour of anything. Blowing off tracks, destroying optics, triggering reactive armour, it all goes towards reducing the effectiveness of the more modern designs, giving the T-72 and T-80 tanks a better fighting chance.

I think. :hmmm:

[Krauter]

Sounds about right to me.

Might kind of give an explanation as to why Raptor is having troubles in Fulda, lots of open spaces means that obsolete designs like the T62s and T-72s (compared to Abrams and Leo's) can't get close enough to penetrate, whereas in urban areas like Hamburg and Hannover he can close the engagement ranges :hmmm:

[Skybird]

Both TOAW and Danube 85 base on an assumption that I think is highly questionable. Both scenarios are desighned in a way that implies that nukes would not get used early on, and that both sides would not use them as long as they see their cause improving at good pace. NATO would use nukes once it thinks it cannot defend anymore, or in reply to use of chemical weapons by the Soviets (the NATO threat to use chemicals more or less was toothless as for a number of technical reasons for many years the stockpile of chemical weapons in Europe in parts were existing only on paper, or when unusable - Danube 85 reflects that by saying that NATOs lack of chemicals int hze game is intentional and no bug). The Soviets would use nukes in reply to NATO'S first nuclear strikes.

I think that is nonsense, and I am certain that the Soviets would have used nukes from day one on, already in the preparatory stage of the opening move. I think their logic they learned from WWII - that the opening move already is decisive and massive preparatory artillery bombardement is the safest way to secure success chances for an advancing attack - would have led them to that conclusion necessarily.

And since they knew that this would nevcessarily trigger a major nuclear exchange between the US and the Rodina sooner or later, I am also pretty much certain, that neither side ever seriously planned or intended to intentionally start WWIII by attacking Germany. Triggered by accidents and situational misunderstandings and technical failures - that was always a risk. Launched by intention: never.

Seen that way, it all was just a giant stage play, and everybody knew that it was never meant to be mistaken with reality.

[Oberon]

MiG-29 overrated?!

http://www.inventioninfo.info/logfiles/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/1307277036-60.jpg

[Raptor1]

Whew, I come back and find all that...

Arclight is correct about the modern tank losses. The T-55s are only heavily featured in the Polish and Czechoslovak infantry regiments at this point, the majority of which haven't seen combat yet.

While from what I know Skybird is essentially correct about usage of older designs first, but I don't think the reason is correct. It was not so much to expend older designs weakening NATO, but because the weaker designs would have been assigned to infantry units while newer tanks assigned to Tank Armies and similar units, which would have largely constituted second echelon and operational maneuver units that would not have been committed to the front until a breakthrough is achieved.

As for nuclear war, I agree it was practically guaranteed if everyone followed their doctrines. NATO would have employed it in direct response to WP chemical weapon attacks, and there are plenty of indications the Soviets intended to use a first strike with strategic and tactical weapons as part of its war plans. However, since this game (And HPS') is about a ground war, it would kinda defeat the point by having both sides use nukes and end the game from the start.

BTW, thinking about it, I think the discrepancy in tank numbers might be a necessary abstraction because of TOAW's inability to change unit TO&Es mid-way through the game, so present units can't be replenished with older tank types as they take losses. So the scenario uses different numbers of fewer tank types for each unit in order to solve that problem.

Oh, and I only lost 37 out of about 600 MiG-29s, I don't think it's really that crushing...

[Arclight]

MiG-29 overrated?!
It barely gets off the runway before running out of fuel. :O:

I mean, just from a "OMG gr34test fighter of all tiem!!1" perspective, the short legs hinder it. I'm sure it's capable enough in it's intended role though.


(warning: sunday+hangover=lame)
People during the cold war just needed to play more war games. Concept of mutually assured destruction isn't that big of a wopr to grasp, eh?

[Raptor1]

The MiG-29 looks awesome, and therefore it is awesome. QED. :stare:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 2 - June 22nd, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

Copenhagen has been reduced to ruins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Overcast, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Hazy, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9651/ngp4.png

The elements of the 2nd Guards Tank Army still around Hamburg cross the Elbe and advance towards the Weser. The Dutch 41st Armoured Brigade is assaulted by the 21st Motor Rifle Division and a Tank Brigade north of Bremen and retreats to the Weser with heavy casualties.

On the 3rd Shock Army's front, the Hanover pocket is assaulted. With both sides suffering heavy casualties, the British and West German Divisions are dislodged from the city and retreat to the salient to the northeast. The remaining troops are attacked by nearly the entire 3rd Shock Army, resulting in an enormous engagement including over a thousand tanks on both sides. The surrounded NATO forces suffer massive casualties, but the survivors manage to hold on until the following day.

Meanwhile, leading Warsaw Pact units cross the Weser. Detached elements of the 3rd Shock and 2nd Guards Tank Armies set up crossings 50 kilometers south of Bremen. The 20th Guards Army seizes the bridges east of Bielefeld and cross the river, finding itself opposed by nothing more than rear area anti-aircraft units. Further south, the 1st Guards Tank Army is moved northwest to cross the Elbe on bridges previously taken by detached units of the 3rd NVA Army; though slowed down by skirmishing with a Brigade of the US 3rd Armored Division to the south, the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division succeeds in crossing the river without direct opposition.

AFNORTH

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/1507/afn4.png

The 5th NVA Army continued to head north with little opposition. Copenhagen is assaulted by four of the five Warsaw Pact Brigades on Zealand and is taken with moderate losses, leading to the possibility of Denmark signing a separate peace.

Fulda Gap

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/5899/fg4.png

Warsaw Pact attacks continue to little effect when another large scale NATO counterattack hits the lines. The 8th Guards Army emerges from the fighting intact, having set up a proper mobile reserve, but the 3rd NVA Army is mauled severely.

Hof Corridor*

With the Fulda Gap lines split, the US VII Corps' position in the Hof Corridor deteriorates. The Corps' heavy armoured units have been able to inflict heavy casualties on forces of the 8th Guards and 1st CSLA Armies, but they now find themselves behind the destroyed bridges at Nuremberg and with their bridging units defeated and driven off the west. Aiming to encircle VII Corps' leading elements, the 1st CSLA Army claws its way to the northwest, managing to create a clear path to the rear of the US salient.

Danube River Valley

The rest of the 1st CSLA Army halts its advance to Stuttgart as it waits for trailing units to catch up. Facing it appears to be a hastily assembled assortment of units, including a West German Brigade, a Canadian Brigade and two French Armoured Divisions.

The 28th Army crosses the Danube and advances towards Munich, but it runs into another West German Corps rushing towards the front and stops on the outskirts of the city.

*I've decided to split this off since units from both the Fulda Gap and Danube attacks are participating in the battle and it sort of got separated from both of those. It applies to the area northeast of Nuremberg.

[Oberon]

Well it's an interceptor isn't it? It doesn't need that long legs, that's what the Su-27 is for. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the MiG-29 is some kind of god plane, plus by '88 the MiG-29s radar system was compromised thanks to Comrade Tolkachev, so it could probably be jammed easily. However she could be thrown around the sky at a rate that NATO underestimated, and could hurt F-16s before they could hurt it. However against something like an F-15 then...yeah, the 29 is going to struggle a bit, but that's where you bring in the Flanker to compliment it.

But yeah...the air war in the opening stages of WWIII would have been a complete grinder, I really wouldn't trade places with those pilots for a second. Pure chaos with both sides trying to kill AWACs and kill ground attack aircraft. Pure bloody chaos. I imagine going up above the cloud layer would be like sticking your hand into a blender.

And Arclight...bad pun...bad...go and drink some coffee for gods sake... :nope::haha:

[Arclight]

Coffee? I did... maybe it needs more Scotch. :hmmm:
The MiG-29 looks awesome, and therefore it is awesome. QED. :stare:
Can't argue with that. It does look awesome. :rock:

[Raptor1]

Day 3 - June 23rd, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

Warsaw Pact occupies Copenhagen. Denmark surrenders!
Danish forces in Jutland fight on.
NATO releases strategic reserve.
Hanover reduced to ruins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Hazy, temperate, no precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, no precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1267/ngp5.png

The pocket northeast of Hanover is assaulted for the final time, and all remaining NATO forces surrender. The battle has resulted in the utter destruction of the West German 1st Panzer Division and the British 1st Armoured Division, costing NATO nearly 500 tanks and thousands of men.

With the surrender of remaining NATO forces east of the Weser, the 3rd Shock Army continues its crossing of the river. NATO forces in Bremen are attacked and retreat, while the 2nd Guards Tank Army sets up crossings north of the city and begins to move westwards. However, the Dutch 1st Corps mounts a counterattack that forces the Soviet troops back to their bridgeheads.

Bielefeld Breakthrough

The 20th Guards Army advances from the Bielefeld bridgehead after clearing minor opposition. It finds its way completely open, defended only by rear-area air defense and minor special forces units. The Army rushes forward, advancing no less than 75 kilometers and reaching the outskirts of Dortmund. However, it is hastily counterattacked by NATO reserves and its leading elements forced to retreat from the city.

Further south, the 1st Guards Tank Army mirrors the 20th Guards Army's movement, advancing towards the West German capital of Bonn. But due to the lack of roads on its axis of advance, it advances fairly slowly.

AFNORTH

Warsaw Pact troops continue to advance; Arhus and Esbjerg are captured without opposition. Warsaw Pact line units in Zealand begin to withdraw from the island.

Fulda Gap

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/2526/fg5u.png

The 3rd NVA Army continues to retreat in the face of NATO's counterattack, losing a further 25 kilometers to the West German III Korps, while the 8th Guards Army makes some advances towards Frankfurt. The 3rd LWP Army has been released from the reserves to relieve the 3rd NVA Army, and will arrive at the front by the end of the day.

Hof Corridor

Czechoslovak units advance to the river, while a regiment of the 79th Guards Tank Division establishes a crossing and links up with them, trapping a large amount of VII Corps forces 75 kilometers northeast of Nuremberg. The pocket is assaulted from all sides with heavy air support, but despite suffering over 50% casualties, the American troops hold on.

Danube River Valley

Finding gaps in the NATO defense east of Stuttgart, the 1st CSLA Army unleashes a devastating offensive against the French and West German units, rapidly encircling the French 3rd Armoured Division, 3rd Armoured Recon Regiment and the West German 55th Brigade. By the end of the attack, the French Division has evaporated and the remaining units have suffered massive losses. A hasty counterattack is attempted by NATO forces to rescue the survivors, but it utterly fails.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/7821/28a1.png

The 28th Army clashes with the West German II Korps around Munich, with both sides attacking each other to little result. However, the 28th Army then decides to completely stop and go into reorganization for absolutely no good reason whatsoever. KGB agents have been dispatched.

Reinforcements

The Category A 1st Unified Corps, comprising several mechanized brigades, enters from the east. However, it will not reach the front until the next day.

---

Full Map (http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4192/fullmap5.jpg) - Warning, fairly big.

[Oberon]

Looking good, the breakthrough in the north is going well. I think you'll be on the outskirts of Dusseldorf before long, although I'd wager NATO will probably try to organise a defensive line there, possibly one in front of Dusseldorf and another on the other side of the Rhine, then blow the bridge and hope you don't have the air resources to drop paras to secure a crossing point. Neuberg could be a tricky one to take though, particularly if NATO can hold you back long enough to get reinforcements in (what is the typical NATO reinforcement rate in this?), however equally it's possible that it will overextend itself in its counterattack and allow you to encircle and isolate it.

How is the air war going? What kind of toll are NATO Attack aircraft taking on your armour?

[Raptor1]

There seem to be a large amount of Belgian units going into the Ruhr, I bet NATO is going to use them and the other West German and BAOR units to defend Dusseldorf/Dortmund and Bonn. I have some airborne units in reserve now that Copenhagen has fallen, that should help with the Rhine. NATO reinforcements are variable depending on control of reinforcement sites (Marked with a +) and pre-positioned equipment sites (Marked with a *), but I think if I feed enough reserves into the Fulda Gap attack, I'll eventually make it to Frankfurt.

As for the air war, I think it's equal or slightly in my favour. NATO occassionaly interdicts my ground units, but I don't think I've seen them participating in ground support for a while, so either they are spread really thin or they're holding back their aircraft. NATO also seems to have taken a curious liking to bombarding my off-map airfields with conventional MRBMs, but that's not achieving all too much...

[Oberon]

Think they might be preparing to go nuclear? Knock out airfields for your nuclear armed attack aircraft first? They're certainly concerned about your long to medium range airforce if they're focusing on off-map airfields. Certainly you have two nice large areas of troop concentrations that would be tempting targets to blast a hole in, then use the attack aircraft they have in reserve to exploit an armoured thrust through it. Of course, it will achieve little because you would retaliate with tactical nuclear weapons on the advancing NATO forces and their supply lines...and then we all know the escalation ladder. So either the AI is having a prototypically NATO breakdown in communications or it's got a hidden agenda of its own.

Either which way, the lack of attack aircraft is worrying...I'd have thought that with the A-10s, Tornados and Mirage F-1s and 2000s as well as Harriers operating from forest FOBs and roads that there would be enough to survive attrition for longer than that. So either you've been a lot more successful than expected or they're holding it back for something. :hmmm:

Oh, and here's a video to set the mood for this thread:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpBCx4Eowc


EDIT: Ah yes, there was one other thing I was going to ask. Is there a risk that NATO will land reinforcements from Norway on Denmark as your forces move south to reinforce the Fulda front? Or is that something not modelled in this particular campaign?

[Raptor1]

NATO might well go nuclear at some point, especially if they are losing badly, but I doubt the bombardment of my airfields is in preparation for that.

I know very well that NATO still has sufficient attack aircraft and fighter bombers, but either they are tasked with other missions (Some are definitely interdicting my troops), are held back for now or they are being regularly driven off by my aircraft and air defense sites. Or most likely a combination of all three.

I doubt NATO reinforcements will appear in Denmark, but they certainly do get reinforcements if they win the Norway campaign and might well try an amphibious attack on Denmark with them (Or some other forces).

[Stealhead]

This game looks damn fun.It has been some time ago but I had The Operational Art of War II: Modern Battles 1956-2000 (1999) around the time it came out for some reason the game would not work on the PC I had at the time and I was not very PC savvy back then so I never got it to fully run but it was clear that it was a good game.

Gonna have to get the newer version of this if that is the best one to buy.

[Skybird]

Either which way, the lack of attack aircraft is worrying...I'd have thought that with the A-10s, Tornados and Mirage F-1s and 2000s as well as Harriers operating from forest FOBs and roads that there would be enough to survive attrition for longer than that. So either you've been a lot more successful than expected or they're holding it back for something. :hmmm:

Those would need air coverage, they could not operate in a SAM- and shoulder-pad infested environment AND deal with a massive threat from above at the same time. But at that early stage of the war probably evertyhing that could fly and fire Sparrows and Sidewinders is scheduled for intercepting Soviet air strikes.

I have seen this going in the Third World War series by GDW too: Everything that could fly was needed to intercept incoming Russian fighterbombers threatening the already poundered NATO ground units. The OOB was organised by GDW such that only when the airwar slowly shifted numerical balances by causing more attrition on the russian interceptors and bombers than on the NATO fighters, that the ground attack capacity of NATO could throw it's weight into the battle. For acchieveing this, the superior maintenance and better qualaity of NATO aircraft was assumed to be felt saooner or later. The Pact, so GDW assumed, would have more of its planes grounded and for longer time, due to less ergonomic maintenance options and logistical problems. NATO aircraft would make more sorties than Russian aircraft, therefore.

Without a massive interceptor wall, NATO ground attack airplanes going out on their own got reduced to nihilistic numbers pretty soon whenever we played that GDW title. But their day came later, from third or fourth week on. The game assumed a war duration of eight weeks.

Note that in reality NATO has changed its ground attack doctrine that it once had. Low-flying Tornadoes and A-10s are almost a thing of the past, already in Kosovo, or was it even in Iraq 91 the pilots were told not to drop below 10,000 feet, to stay out of reach of triple-A and shoulder-launched SAMs. In the 80s, in a WWIII, I think NATO would have learned that lesson the hard way very soon when trying low flying over Russian army formations. Leave that low altitude to choppers - of which NATO had not too many in service in the mid-80s, the Apache was still arriving, the German PAH-1 was available in limited numbers and had six shots only (and no cannon anyway), and Cobras were not too many around, too. No matter, I think helicopters would pay a heavy toll for confronting a massive Soviet front, too, at least in mid-Eurpopean terrain. In the open desert maybe it would be different. But in europe, gunships would need to close in to shorter distances to their targets, or need to expose themselves to more risks in scattered terrain where you cannot forsee each and every threat.

[Raptor1]

Gonna have to get the newer version of this if that is the best one to buy.

Yup, even the latest patch is a huge improvement over the previous version of the game (Which was also excellent, of course).

Sorry there wasn't an update yesterday, was too busy. I'll put one up today.

[Raptor1]

Day 3 - June 23rd, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

Bremen reduced to ruins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Fair, temperate, no precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reinforcements

The first element of the 5th Guards Tank Army, the 3rd Guards Tank Division, enters from the east.

North German Plain

More Warsaw Pact units continue to cross the river to the north and south of Bremen, but they are unable to advance, suffering heavy casualties. Further south, the 20th Guards Army achieves minor gains while losing hundreds of tanks and suffering large amounts of casualties, while the 1st Guards Tank Army fares slightly better, but is still unable to advance much. The only significant achievement on this front goes to the combined troops of the 20th Guards Army's northern flank, the 3rd Shock Army's southern flank and the 103rd Guards Airborne Division (Dropped behind the lines on the first day), which manage to encircle and largely destroy four British Armoured Brigades on the road between Dortmund and Oldenburg.

In the AFNORTH sector (It's not worth its own section anymore), East German forces find and attack Danish troops north of Arhus to little effect. Some slight gains are made at the end of the day, trapping one of the Danish brigades behind the lines.

Fulda Gap

The 3rd LWP Army relieves the 3rd NVA Army on the front and immediately goes on the offensive. Together with the 8th Guards Army, Warsaw Pact forces manage to regain the terrain lost to the NATO offensive and inflict significant casualties, but are still unable to break through.

Hof Corridor

The last of the US forces in the pocket are crushed, and the remaining VII Corps troops on the river north of Nuremberg are attacked by Warsaw Pact forces, to various degrees of success. Bridging units allow 8th Guards Army units to cross the Main river and, together with elements of the 1st CSLA Army already present in the area, envelop the remaining VII Corps combat units.

Danube River Valley

The 28th Guards Army, still reorganizing after its leadership has been sent to the Gulag and replaced, is unable to advance and does nothing.

Meanwhile, the remnants of the encircled French and West German troops are destroyed and the 1st CSLA Army pushes forward, inflicting large amounts of casualties and reaching the outskirts of Stuttgart. At least until the...

NATO Counteroffensive

With the Warsaw Pact offensive apparently stalled in most areas, NATO launches a large counteroffensive across the front. Air strikes against airfields are mounted by NATO fighters and bombers, but these result in as many losses to NATO as to the Warsaw Pact air forces.

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/7062/ngp6.png

In the north, the 2nd Guards Tank and 3rd Shock Armies are pushed back and lose most of their gains, while the encirclement around the remnants of the (two remaining) British Armoured Brigades on the Dortmund-Stuttgart road is broken. Fresh US forces attack the massively damaged 20th Guards Army and push it back from Dortmund, while the Belgian 1st Corps swings around the Weser from the Fulda Gap region and pushes north towards the rear of the North German Plain offensive.

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/2466/fg6.png

In the Fulda Gap, things fare better for Warsaw Pact units, as damaged NATO units are unable to achieve much results against the fresh Polish reserves, but the 3rd LWP Army goes into reorganization (WHY?!). However, the 1st CSLA Army's push towards Stuttgart is hit hard and the front is completely torn apart. The 28th Guards Army comes under attack, and due to its bad positioning, it is defeated in several places south of the Isar River.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/4873/fullmap6.jpg)

Gah, terrible turns are terrible, especially when I fail initiative and NATO gets two in a row... :shifty:

[Raptor1]

Day 4 - June 24th, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

Nothing significant.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Fair, temperate, no precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Hazy, warm, light precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With the defeats of the previous day, it has become apparent that Warsaw Pact forces are no overextended. Offensive operations have been scaled back significantly in order for front line formations to be restocked with supplies and reinforced. Additionally, the 20th Guards Army and the 3rd NVA Army have been heavily mauled over the previous days, and will be withdrawn from the front as soon as they can be relieved.

Reinforcements

More units of the 5th Guards Tank Army enter, while the 4th CSLA Army is moved from the Austrian border towards the front.

North German Plain

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/963/ngp7.png

The 2nd Guards Tank and 3rd Shock Armies carefully rearrange their forces to keep the front secure and keep a sufficient mobile reserve, then resume a limited offensive to straighten the front. The attack is successful, leaving Bremen completely in Soviet hands and pushing the Dutch forces back in several places.

Further south, the 20th Guards Army digs in, attempting no attacks against the American units before it. A limited offensive against the former British pocket results in heavy casualties on both sides, but Warsaw Pact forces manage to force NATO forces to retreat. The 1st Guards Tank Army, on the other hand, attacks the forces opposing it, destroying the West German 31st Panzergrenadier Brigade and making some headway towards Bonn.

The 3rd NVA Army, which has been hit hard by Belgian forces in the NATO counterattack, is pulled from the line and replaced with the 2nd LWP Army, which successfully attacks the leading Belgian Brigades.

The 5th NVA Army in the AFNORTH sector attacks and destroys two of the three Danish Brigades opposing it.

Fulda Gap

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/3594/fg7.png

The 3rd LWP Army is reorganizing and unable to move, but the 8th Guards Army manages to trap the cut-off 1st Brigade of the US 3rd Armored Division and destroy it.

The Nuremberg pocket is assaulted by Warsaw Pact forces, but nothing is achieved yet.

Danube River Valley

The 1st CSLA Army rushes to reform its shattered line and digs in. A minor attack is staged against the Canadian 4th Mechanized Brigade, but it fails completely.

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7706/28a7.png

The 28th Army resumes its attack to some success, advancing slightly in the west, forcing NATO forces to retreat from Northern Munich and cross the Isar to isolate several West German Brigades to the east. However, it goes into reorganization again for no apparent reason. All officers of the 28th Army will now be sent to Siberia...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9933/fullmap7.jpg)

[Oberon]

Looks like the limit of advance is about where it was expected to be by western analysts. Of course, once you have reinforced and resupplied you can go on the offensive again, but this is the time for NATO to rearm and reinforce too.

Is that a NATO Corps and and Mech Inf brigade in Denmark? :hmmm: What the devil is that Corps? Never seen that particular symbol before...

[Raptor1]

That's the WWII German symbol for Army Headquarters, one of the few non-NATO symbols regularly used in wargames, usually to depict a formation HQ unit (Unit HQs are usually just marked with the letters 'HQ'). That particular unit appears to be NATO's Schleswig-Holstein Corps and the Mechanized Brigade is (I believe) its last remaining unit.

Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention the 5th NVA Army in Jutland also going into reorganization, bloody idiots.

[Raptor1]

Day 4 - June 24th, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

NATO meets to consider desperate measures.
Munich has been reduced to ruins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Fair, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, no precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/9674/ngp8.png

Warsaw Pact forces continue to dig in and resupply, with little offensive operations being undertaken. The 1st Guards Tank Army attacks and routs a West German Brigade, then entrenches in the forests southeast of the Ruhr. The 1st Unified Corps and the remains of the 3rd NVA Army are brought in to patch together a solid line on the 20th Guards Army's front.

NATO attempts attacks on several sections of the front, but because of the Warsaw Pact's dug in positions and mobile reserves, they are unable to advance in most areas.

The 2nd LWP Army attacks Belgian and West German forces along the Weser and manages, despite heavy casualties, to drive them back. By the end of the day, all remaining NATO forces in the area are forced into a pocket on the riverbank, surrounded by Warsaw Pact forces.

Fulda Gap

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3174/fg8.png

The still fresh 3rd LWP Army goes on the offensive, managing to drive NATO units to the west and linking up with the 2nd LWP Army on the Weser. An attempt is also made by the Polish formation to encircle several US Brigades in the middle of the front, but that attempt is unsuccessful. The exhausted 8th Guards Army only repositions its forces and digs in, attempting no offensives.

Warsaw Pact forces soon come under yet another NATO attack, which forces back Warsaw Pact forces in some areas but does not manage to advance much.

Hof Corridor

Warsaw Pact forces finally manage to achieve results, and now only a single US Mechanized Brigade is left in the pocket directly north of Nuremberg. However, several HQ, artillery and air defense units have managed to slip through the gaps in the line into the rear of the 1st CSLA Army.

Danube River Valley

The 1st CSLA Army comes under another attack which nearly shatters its front again, but it manages to hold together. The 4th CSLA Army is starting to arrive in the area, and together with forces freed from the Hof Corridor engagement, should be able to turn the tide against NATO forces.

----

Full Map (http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/8528/fullmap8.jpg)

[Raptor1]

Day 5 - June 25th, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

Third Battle of the Atlantic escalates, Soviet and NATO fleets clash in a major naval engagement.
Soviet naval victory! NATO supplies, replacements and sea transport decreased.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Overcast, temperate, heavy precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, no precipitation.

Western TVD Report

The war moves into its fifth day. Both sides have suffered thousands of casualties and the losses continue to mount with no end in sight.

The Air War

The intensity of the air war has significantly lowered since the first days of the war as NATO air activity significantly decreased. The most active parts of the aerial battle in the last several days occurred when NATO air forces attempted counter-air strikes on Warsaw Pact airfields, usually during their counteroffensives, which usually caused as much damage to NATO air forces as to Warsaw Pact air forces.

Helicopters:

Light Recon Helicopters - 50 operational, 0 lost.
Mi-24 - 693 operational, 25 lost.
Mi-28 - 24 operational, 0 lost.

Total Helicopters - 767 operational, 25 lost.

Fixed Wing:

MiG-17 - 33 operational, 8 lost
MiG-21 - 623 operational, 119 lost
MiG-23 - 775 operational, 259 lost
MiG-27 - 421 operational, 83 lost
MiG-29 - 501 operational, 130 lost
Su-7 - 70 operational, 25 lost
Su-17 - 45 operational, 4 lost
Su-20 - 36 operational, 16 lost
Su-24 - 398 operational, 39 lost
Su-25 - 250 operational, 29 lost
Su-27 - 108 operational, 30 lost

Total Fixed Wing - 3,260 operational, 742 lost

Total Aircraft - 4,027 operational, 767 lost

Aerial losses are consistent, and still fairly replaceable, especially when it comes to helicopter losses. NATO air losses are unknown.

The Ground War

NATO has committed much of its reserves to the front line in order to stall the Warsaw Pact offensive, and it is unlikely it has many more fresh forces to throw into the fight. However, the offensive has stalled and a stalemate has now descended on the front until either side goes on the offensive again.

T-55 - 1,498 operational, 490 lost
T-64 - 559 operational, 1,021 lost
T-72 - 2,406 operational, 1,624 lost
T-80 - 5,594 operational, 3,553 lost

Total Tanks - 10,057 operational, 6,688 lost

Total other AFVs - 15,781 operational, 5,551 lost

Total AFVs - 25,838 operational, 12,239 lost

Even after the halting of the Warsaw Pact offensive, tank and AFV losses remain high. Replacements cannot hope to make up for the AFV losses suffered by Warsaw Pact forces so far. However, NATO has also suffered heavily, and it appears that both sides are quickly losing their ability to significantly hurt the other.

Note: Operational equipment does not include vehicles and aircraft on hand but not assigned to units. This number is fairly insignificant.

NATO OOB

Updated NATO unit sighting along the Central Front. These are not assigned by sector because NATO formations are spread out too much:


Danish Army

Schleswig-Holstein Korps

2nd Jutland Brigade




Dutch Army

I Corps

1st Infantry Division

12th Mechanized Brigade
13th Armoured Brigade


4th Infantry Division

41st Armoured Brigade
42nd Mechanized Brigade
43rd Mechanized Brigade


5th Infantry Division

52nd Mechanized Brigade
53rd Mechanized Brigade






Bundeswehr

I Korps

7th Panzer Division

19th Panzergrenadier Brigade
20th Panzer Brigade


11th Panzergrenadier Division

32nd Panzergrenadier Brigade




II Korps

1st Mountain Division

22nd Panzergrenadier Brigade
23rd Gebirgsjäger Brigade
24th Panzer Brigade


4th Panzergrenadier Division

10th Panzergrenadier Brigade
11th Panzergrenadier Brigade
12th Panzer Brigade


10th Panzer Division

28th Panzer Brigade
29th Panzer Brigade
30th Panzergrenadier Brigade




III Korps

2nd Panzergrenadier Division

4th Panzergrenadier Brigade
5th Panzergrenadier Brigade


5th Panzer Division

6th Panzer Brigade
13th Panzergrenadier Brigade


12th Panzer Division

14th Panzer Brigade
36th Panzergrenadier Brigade




V Wehrbereichskommando

65th Brigade


VI Wehrbereichskommando

66th Brigade


Fallschirmjäger Reserve

26th Fallschirmjäger Brigade




French Army

I Corps

7th Armoured Division
12th Light Armoured Division
14th Light Armoured Division


II Corps

15th Infantry Division
5th Armoured Division


III Corps

2nd Armoured Division
8th Infantry Division
10th Armoured Division




US Army

III Corps

1st Cavalry Division

1st Brigade
2nd Brigade


3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment


V Corps

3rd Armored Division

2nd Brigade


8th Infantry Division

1st Brigade
3rd Brigade




VII Corps

1st Armored Division

1st Brigade


1st Infantry Division

2nd Brigade


3rd Infantry Division (HQ Only, presumed destroyed)




British Army of the Rhine

I Corps

4th Armoured Division

11th Armoured Brigade
20th Armoured Brigade






Belgian Army

I Corps

1st Mechanized Brigade
4th Mechanized Brigade
7th Mechanized Brigade
10th Mechanized Brigade
17th Mechanized Brigade
4th Mechanized Brigade




Canadian Forces

4th Mechanized Brigade


NATO Reserve

5th Airborne Brigade (UK)



Several unknown units are still beyond the lines and cannot be identified. Additionally, many units below Brigade size are present, including recon, air defense, and special forces units. NATO special forces activity, particularly by US and Dutch units, is especially high near the North Sea coast.

[eddie]

Nice AAR Raptor! One thing that's always bugged me about TAOW III is that when you move the cursor over any unit, that info box pops up on the screen, wonder if there is a way to turn that off. Especially when you have a lot of units on the map, it gets real annoying for that constant popup!

[Raptor1]

Nice AAR Raptor! One thing that's always bugged me about TAOW III is that when you move the cursor over any unit, that info box pops up on the screen, wonder if there is a way to turn that off. Especially when you have a lot of units on the map, it gets real annoying for that constant popup!

There's a Tool Tip Show option in the Player Options panel, you can set the delay there so high that it practically doesn't show up at all. I keep it on a moderate delay so it only shows up when I hover the mouse for a bit, since it is useful sometimes.

[eddie]

Thanks Raptor, that sure makes a difference,lol

[Raptor1]

North German Plain

http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/2622/ngp9.png

While still not ready for a full scale offensive, the 2nd Guards Tank and 3rd Shock Armies undertake an operation to envelop the Oldenburg salient and, with it, the Dutch I Corps. Elements of the 3rd Shock Army attack the weakly held southwestern flank of the Dutch Corps, requiring two assaults to break the defenders, then turn north and head for the North Sea coast. Simultaneously, the 35th and 36th Air Assault Brigades drop behind the Dutch lines, while the Polish 7th Brigade executes an amphibious landing to the north, closing the gap. The Corps is assaulted in places where Warsaw Pact forces could achieve overwhelming superiority, forcing the NATO units into a pocket 50 kilometers across.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Warsaw Pact forces continue to dig in, and the 1st Guards Tank Army retreats to shorten its line. NATO attempts an attack, supported by heavy counter-air raids causing the losses of over a hundred planes on both sides, but it completely fails to achieve anything.

In Jutland, the sole remaining Danish Brigade is forced back to the river, where it will surely be destroyed soon.

Fulda Gap

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/4271/fg9o.png

Warsaw Pact forces, low on supplies and combat strength, once again dig in. NATO attempts a single attack on the line with the Divisions of the French I Corps, but it too fails to achieve anything.

Warsaw Pact attacks on the Nuremberg pocket continue, but they achieve nothing.

Danube River Valley

The 1st CSLA Army repositions its forces as two Divisions of the 4th CSLA Army arrive at the front, stabilizing the line. No attacks are attempted by either side.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/534/28a9.png

In the south, the 28th Army finally achieves results. Forces of the 58th Guards Motor Rifle Division isolate much of the West German II Korps' fighting strength south of the Isar, while the rest of the Army secures Munich in a series of brutal street battles. Finally, a Regiment of the 56th Guards Motor Rifle Division manages to secure an intact bridge across the Lech River.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/4672/fullmap9.jpg)

[Raptor1]

Day 5 - June 25th, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

Nothing significant.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Hazy, temperate, light precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Overcast, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2412/ngp10.png

The combined forces of the 2nd Guards Tank Army, 3rd Shock Army, Warsaw Pact Airborne Reserve and Marine Reserve assault the Dutch I Corps, hoping to collapse the pocket before NATO can assemble forces to rescue it. Still hampered by lack of supplies, Warsaw Pact forces suffer heavy losses, but because of their overwhelming numbers and advantageous position, Dutch forces are forced back into a tighter pocket only 25 kilometers across, with numerous units surrendering or evaporating during the retreat.

No combat occurs on other parts of the front in this sector, with the exception of the Polish 2nd Army attacking and destroying the NATO pocket along the Weser.

Surviving Danish troops make a last stand in Jutland, but are destroyed by overwhelming Warsaw Pact forces, bringing the campaign in Denmark to an end.

Fulda Gap

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5470/fg10.png

The Polish 3rd Army continues a hard push into NATO lines in the northern part of the Fulda Gap front, making the largest advance in this sector yet. However, it emerges from its drive exhausted and facing yet another line of French and West German troops. An attempt by elements of the Polish 3rd Army and the 8th Guards Army to encircle the leading elements of the US V Corps results in another failure. However, NATO's inability to extract their troops from the salient leaves the possibly for a successful attack the next day.

After days of bloody fighting, the Nuremberg pocket is finally crushed. The victory has cost Warsaw Pact forces severely, but the freed units could now be used to reinforce the Danube front.

Danube River Valley

The fresh units of the 4th CSLA Army attack the salient in the middle of the front, mauling the French 5th Armoured Division and forcing NATO forces back. The line stabilizes again 50 kilometers east of Stuttgart.

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/2404/28a10.png

The 28th Army continues its offensive. After a couple of inconclusive battles, West German forces southwest of Munich retreat towards the Lech, further cutting them off from the remaining NATO forces in the area. The 56th Guards Motor Rifle Division crosses the river, defeating the French 15th Infantry Division and destroying the West German 23rd Gebirgsjäger Brigade. Meanwhile, the rest of the Army faces the trapped units of the West German II Korps, content to wait for the NATO units to run out supplies before attacking.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/2713/fullmap10.jpg)

[Raptor1]

Day 6 - June 26th, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

Nothing significant.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Fair, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Overcast, warm, moderate precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/505/ngp11.png

The remnants of the Dutch I Corps are assaulted twice, completely destroying the remaining strength of the NATO formation. Warsaw Pact units exploit the new gap in the NATO lines; the 3rd Shock Army moves northwest, crossing the border into the Netherlands, while the 2nd Guards Tank Army gets on the road to Rheine in order to outflank the NATO front at the Ruhr. In the northern part of the 20th Guards Army's Front, successful attacks against remnants of the British I Corps drive NATO back, straining their lines even more.

Meanwhile, the 1st Guards Tank Army pushes once more towards Bonn, successfully routing NATO units from its path. The Polish 2nd Army sets up crossings in order to flank NATO positions in the Fulda Gap, but they fail to advance further.

NATO responds with another series of counter-air attacks, this time severely damaging the Warsaw Pact air forces. Taking advantage of the results, NATO drops three battalions of the British 5th Airborne Brigade and several Special Forces companies around Bremen. The 1st Guards Tank Army is also flanked and counterattacked by NATO units from Dortmund.

Fulda Gap

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3214/fg11.png

The vanguard of the US V Corps is at last successfully encircled and destroyed, allowing the 8th Guard Army to move forward. Meanwhile, attacks on the north of the line by the Polish 2nd and 3rd Armies mostly fail. NATO counterattacks the north of the line, but they too fail to advance.

Danube River Valley

Attacks along the entire line east of Stuttgart manage to push NATO back 25 kilometers, but Warsaw Pact formation disorganization allows a NATO units to attack the north of the line and break through, partially enveloping two regiments of the 48th Motor Rifle Division along the Main river.

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/9132/28a11.png

The 28th Army continues to advance. The southern flank of NATO's Isar position on the Austrian border is assaulted and disintegrates, leaving most of the West German II Korps with its back to the river and surrounded by Soviet forces, while the rest of the Korps units, including the HQ, is trapped nearly 200 kilometers away on the Lech. Meanwhile, attacks along the western bank of the Lech utterly destroy the French 15th Infantry Division. Warsaw Pact forces arrive at the outskirts of Memmingen and the Danube River, linking up with the 4th CSLA Army.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2374/fullmap11.jpg)

[Raptor1]

Day 6 - June 26th, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

Nothing significant.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Hazy, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Following the air attacks in the morning. NATO aircraft squadrons return to regular operations. Massive air battles are waged over the Central Front again as Warsaw Pact and NATO aircraft fight for air superiority.

North German Plain

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8426/ngp12.png

The collapse of the Dutch Corps has precipitated a collapse of the entire NATO northern front. Taking advantage of the situation, Warsaw Pact forces on the North German Plain resume a full scale offensive. NATO forces are hit hard by the 20th Guards and 2nd Guards Tank Armies to the north of the Ruhr and retreat southwards. The 1st Guards Tank Army counterattacks NATO forces to the south, reaching the outskirts of the urban area. The ad-hoc formation of East German and Soviet units to the east of the Ruhr assaults Dortmund, capturing the city and its surrounding areas.

Elements of the 5th Guards Tank Army enter the front to the south of the 1st Guards Tank Army, aiming to finally take Bonn. Meanwhile, the airdropped NATO units in the rear of the 2nd Guards Tank Army are attacked, with both Special Forces companies and one of the Airborne battalions wiped out and the rest surrounded on the banks of the Weser.

Netherlands

The 3rd Shock Army drives into the Netherlands, aiming to seize bridges across the Lower Rhine river and knock the Netherlands and Belgium out of the war. Warsaw Pact troops advance unopposed in massive columns towards Arnhem and Amsterdam, seizing the eastern part of the Afsluitdijk. Meanwhile, the Marine Reserve (somehow) executes an amphibious invasion in the IJsselmeer with the Soviet Baltic Brigade and the Polish 7th Brigade, directly threatening Amsterdam.

Fulda Gap

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/448/fg12m.png

Despite both sides being utterly exhausted, Warsaw Pact forces continue pushing towards Frankfurt. The French 12th Light Armoured Division is annihilated, and several US and West German Brigades are trapped on the Main as Warsaw Pact troops arrive at the outskirts of Neuberg. Meanwhile, the Polish 2nd Army crosses the river and attacks from the north, destroying the last Belgian brigade and flanking the northern part of the NATO front.

Danube River Valley

The 1st and 4th CSLA Armies counterattack, rescuing the trapped Regiments and destroying the vanguard of the NATO attack. The Warsaw Pact offensive continue along the entire front leaving the NATO line utterly shattered. Soviet and Czechoslovak troops enter southern Stuttgart, and most remaining West German, Canadian and American troops are encircled.

The 28th Army destroys the secondary pocket on the Lech and crosses the Danube to the west. However, fortified air defence troops manage to thwart Warsaw Pact attempts to take Memmingan, and the stalemate on the Isar pocket continues.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/4045/fullmap12.jpg)

[Stealhead]

I am glad that I noticed this thread I went and got myself a copy of TOAW III the other day and all I can say is this game is really enjoyable.If you are into war gaming or military history you should get this game it is well worth the cost.($39.99 I think) With all the different sceranios it boils down to a few cents per scenario.

I have been messing around with a few scenarios to get the feel for the game and it not overly complex really it makes sense unlike many other war games.I have not tried anything on the scale of WARSAW vs. NATO yet.I am currently running the Tet Offensive scenario as the NVA/NLF I'd post my AARs but I did not have the recoding option checked until the third day and the screen it takes are well squashed looking :damn:
I currently have control of Saigon and Hue and I nailed the air base at Cam Ranh Bay but was forced out.

[Raptor1]

Yeah, it is awesome, I'd recommend it to most people interested in wargames. The phase system takes some getting used to, but other than that it's not even that complicated.

I think I had the problem with the squashed images, but using the 'Create Map Image (JPG)' option in the menu works just fine.

Sorry about my slow and erratic updating, my worthless (and possibly non-existant) schedule is getting in the way.

[Oberon]

Damn MOSSAD training courses...

[Schroeder]

Damn MOSSAD training courses...
You mean damn Mossad deployments.;)

[Oberon]

You mean damn Mossad deployments.;)

No...no I meant 'training courses' :03: That just happen to take place deep inside the West Bank... :hmmm:

[Stealhead]

Yeah, it is awesome, I'd recommend it to most people interested in wargames. The phase system takes some getting used to, but other than that it's not even that complicated.

I think I had the problem with the squashed images, but using the 'Create Map Image (JPG)' option in the menu works just fine.

Sorry about my slow and erratic updating, my worthless (and possibly non-existant) schedule is getting in the way.


Thanks I will try that JPG option I use GIMP so making AARs is easy if I have good images to work with.My schedule is fairly crazy as well maybe when I am an old man I will be able to play games like this all day:haha: Oh well that is at least 30 years away.

What will the two TOAW graphics apps do?I assume they change the look a little I am using what ever the default one is.IS one of them better looking?Mine is ok but I can only look at it for about 20 minutes before my eyes start melting like the Nazi in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[Raptor1]

You mean the classic and default graphics? They only change anything if you disable PNG graphics, which makes everything roll back to what it looked like before 3.4 (Yuck).

[Raptor1]

Day 7 - June 27th, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

Nothing significant.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Fair, temperate, no precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Overcast, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/8564/ngp13.png

Warsaw Pact forces continue the offensive into the Ruhr, spearheaded by the 1st Unified Corps, pushing NATO forces back in one of the largest urban battles of the war. Meanwhile, advances are made to the north and south of the urban area as the 20th Guards Army drives on the Ruhr and the 1st Guards Tank Army arrives at the outskirts of Bonn and Cologne. The 5th Guards Tank Army attacks NATO east of Buchel and drives to the banks of the Rhine, cutting off NATO forces in the Fulda Gap and the Ruhr from each other (Vodka for everyone!).

Immediately afterwards, NATO launches a series of devastating counterattacks, pushing Warsaw Pact forces in and north of the Ruhr back beyond their original positions, driving the 1st Guards Tank Army from Cologne and partially driving back the 5th Guards Tank Army (whose troops were completely drunk). However, NATO's customary counter-air strikes utterly fail this time, with their aircraft and bombers cut to pieces by Warsaw Pact air cover and air-defence units.

Netherlands

The 3rd Shock Army continues to advance, defeating a Belgian reserve brigade west of the Afsluitdijk, capturing Arnhem and reaching the outskirts of Amsterdam. The Baltic Brigade attempts a foolishly ill-advised into the city, which fails completely and sends the Marine Reserve into organization (due to the execution of its commanders).

Fulda Gap

http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/8372/fg13.png

With NATO's northern flank turned, the tide swings in the Warsaw Pact's favour. NATO units are cleared from the south flank, and an assault on Neuberg succeeds in capturing the city, bringing Warsaw Pact units to the outskirts of Frankfurt. In the north, the Polish 2nd Army succeeds in expanding its bridgehead, severely mauling NATO units in its path.

NATO launches a counterattack at Neuberg, but unlike the similar offensive in the North German Plain, it utterly fails when Warsaw Pact reserves enter the battle.

Danube River Valley

The collapse of the NATO line continues. The pocket in the north largely disintegrates following a concentrated assault, and Warsaw Pact forces push forwards into western Stuttgart, encircling two US Brigades and the remains of the French 5th Armoured Division in the city. NATO reacts by scratching together an ad-hoc line, including Home Defence units and French Airmobile reserves, as well as blowing the bridges at Mannheim and Karlsruhe.

The elements of the 28th Army which crossed the Danube advance along the south of the line, reaching the Rhine at the French border near Strasbourg.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4633/fullmap13.jpg)

Oh, and...

Can you get to the Rhine in seven days without using nukes? :hmmm:

Yes, I can.

[Stealhead]

You are getting close to my old duty station Ramstein which was an F-16 base back then I do not see Sembach(which is about 30 miles from Ram) though which was used by A-10s in the 1980s(now the runway is not even used) Hann was used by F-15s.

Also I am wondering what of all the F-111s based in England and the A-10s there as well not to mention ANG and reserve A-10 or the ones(active duty) at Davis Monthan or Moody they would would have been deployed immediately(in fact many A-10 units did TDYs regularly to Germany so some of their force should be there at all times) are they even simulated? They would obviously have been heavily involved I say that because if they are not taken into account I think that makes the scenario unfair towards NATO if they dont have assets that they would have had in reality.I know it is hypothetical but still I am not sure that NATO air power is being allowed it full ability.

[Raptor1]

There are NATO off-map boxes representing Britain (and France) which have quite a few aircraft squadrons based in them. Also, NATO gets a lot of air units as reinforcements as the scenario progresses, so that's taken into account. I don't think it's being too unfair to NATO, seeing as they destroyed something like 250 of my aircraft during one of their air offensives a few turns ago...

[Oberon]

NATO has been hammering Raptor but their effects have been negligible, I think there was an incident around Day four or so when NATO tried to launch a major counterattack that they brought out a lot of CAS but otherwise they've been focusing on CAP.

Congratulations on getting to the Rhine in seven days, I must admit I didn't think you'd make it there without either yourselves or NATO going nuclear.
Now that you are there though, I'd say that the chances of NATO resorting to desperate measures has drastically increased. If the AI doesn't launch a nuclear offensive to prevent you crossing the Rhine then it needs to be removed from its post and shot. :03:

[Raptor1]

There was a really big NATO counter-air raid at the start of day 6 which, as I said, cost me around 250 aircraft damaged and destroyed. After that NATO aircraft returned to regular engagements with air support and everything else.

I'm not actually sure what the triggers are for NATO going nuclear, though I know they exist. There was a news message a while ago about them considering desperate measures but I guess they decided against that, maybe they'll reconsider at some point.

[Raptor1]

Day 7 - June 27th, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

Amsterdam reduced to ruins.
Arnhem reduced to ruins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Hazy, temperate, light precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/1552/ngp14.png

Regrouping from the NATO attack, Warsaw Pact forces resume their offensive. The US 1st Cavalry Division's 1st Brigade, which spearheaded the NATO thrust, is wiped out, while NATO units are pushed back in the Ruhr and to the north after very heavy fighting. The 1st Guards Tank Army arrives at the outskirts of Bonn in force, while the 5th Guards Tank Army recovers from its rout and attacks southwards, seizing Büchel and cutting off NATO from the last remaining Rhine bridge in West Germany. By the end of the day, NATO forces in this sector are left with only a 25 kilometer wide strip east of the Rhine on the Ruhr front and a couple of cities on the Rhine itself.

Netherlands

The 3rd Shock Army attacks and destroys the Belgian Reserve Brigade and then assaults (the ruins of) Amsterdam, but the attack fails to crush the dug-in Dutch Royal Marines fortified in the city. Nijmegen is successfully attacked, but retreating NATO units blow the bridge before Warsaw Pact troops can seize it.

Fulda Gap

http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/8699/fg14.png

Following the 5th Guards Tank Army's attack from the north, NATO forces around Frankfurt are cut off and trapped in a pocket north of the Main river. Advances continue by the Polish 2nd and 3rd Armies, driving NATO steadily back towards Frankfurt and Mainz.

Danube River Valley

NATO units in the Stuttgart pocket are assaulted and suffer heavy losses, but manage to hold on until the next day. Meanwhile, the 1st and 4th CSLA Armies reorganize their scattered forces, with the 4th facing the pocket and the 1st continuing the advance to the north. The lead elements of the 28th Army cross the Rhine for the first time, but are stopped by ad-hoc NATO defenses due to insufficient strength.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/7343/fullmap14.jpg)

[Stealhead]

There was a really big NATO counter-air raid at the start of day 6 which, as I said, cost me around 250 aircraft damaged and destroyed. After that NATO aircraft returned to regular engagements with air support and everything else.

I'm not actually sure what the triggers are for NATO going nuclear, though I know they exist. There was a news message a while ago about them considering desperate measures but I guess they decided against that, maybe they'll reconsider at some point.

Yeah I think they made it that way because it is pretty likely that the whole thing would have gone nuclear pretty fast.I bet for sure in real life they would have if either NATO HQ in Brussels got attacked NBC wise or if it was in danger of being over run.Hard to say though from what we know about the Cuban missile crisis it got dangerously close and no real combat was even occurring.

[Raptor1]

Day 8 - June 28th, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

Nijmegen reduced to ruins.
Stuttgart reduced to ruins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Fair, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/2377/ngp15.png

Warsaw Pact forces make no headway against NATO units dug in the Ruhr itself, but they are successful in routing the enemy to the north, reducing the NATO salient to the urban area itself. After two attacks by Warsaw Pact troops, Bonn falls into Soviet hands as the West German government hastily evacuates their capital.

Low Countries

Two more Warsaw Pact assaults on Amsterdam finally succeed in breaking through, and the Dutch Royal Marines surrender the city. Bridging teams are brought in to replace the destroyed crossings at Nijmegen, but the 3rd Shock Army makes no advances beyond the city.

Meanwhile, all remaining Warsaw Pact airborne reserves, totaling three Brigades and two Divisions (one understrength), are successfully landed around Brussels in the largest airborne operation of the war, cutting off the Belgian capital and one of the major NATO supply routes from France.

Mainz Pocket

NATO makes a last stand in Frankfurt, then abandons the city, signalling the end of the massive battle in the Fulda Gap. Warsaw Pact attacks from the north shrink the pocket further, closing to within 50 kilometers of the city.

Danube River Valley

http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/3366/fg15.png

The Stuttgart pocket is collapsed and NATO units in the city surrender. The French 4th Airborne Division attacks and manages to reach the outskirts of the city, but it arrives too late to rescue the pocket. Meanwhile, steady progress is made to the north of the city, pushing NATO units back towards the Rhine. The 28th Army makes another attempt to get across the Rhine, but it fails again.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/3889/fullmap15.jpg)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 8 - June 28th, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

Netherlands surrender! Dutch army disbanded.
Frankfurt reduced to ruins.
Bonn reduced to ruins.
Brussels reduced to ruins.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Overcast, temperate, moderate precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9350/ngp16.png

The offensive into Ruhr continues. While the main attack from the east stalls and gains no ground, the northern and southern attacks succeed, nearly encircling NATO's remaining units east of the Rhine. Meanwhile, the 5th Guareds Tank Army sets up bridges south of Bonn and crosses the Rhine.

Low Countries

Warsaw Pact units in Nijmegen succeed in pushing forward and establish a bridgehead while the rest of the 3rd Shock Army heads south from Amsterdam towards Belgium. Warsaw Pact airborne units engage a Belgian brigade east of Brussels and defeat it while maintaining the siege of the Belgian capital.

Mainz Pocket

Warsaw Pact forces secure Frankfurt and cross the Main to the south, linking up with the 1st CSLA Army. The NATO line in the pocket is reduced to a 25-kilometer wide position north of Mainz itself.

Danube River Valley

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/3145/fg16.png

Warsaw Pact forces destroy the French 4th Airborne Division, and push nearly the entire NATO front to the other side of the Rhine. Meanwhile, the 28th Army succeeds in establishing a bridgehead on the other side of the river, but NATO reserves, including the French 6th Light Armoured Division and elements of the US 4th Infantry Division counterattack and manage to push it all the way back to the river.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/5790/fullmap16.jpg)

*looks at the map*

What the hell are French aircraft doing in Austria...?

[Oberon]

French nav aids are worse than I thought.

I'm astonished that NATO hasn't dropped a bucket full of sunshine on you yet, I mean what have they got to lose? Germany is pretty much gone, Holland has gone. Russian forces are on the doorstep of France...heck, the French surely would have gone nuclear outside of the NATO command structure as soon as Soviet troops neared their borders.

I'd be very surprised (and a little saddened) if NATO goes out with a whimper rather than a bang.

[Raptor1]

Yes, there are a few things about the design of this scenario I don't really like too much, but it's pretty fun so far. Though if one side or the other wins a significant or overwhelming victory in this scenario I'm going to go ahead and assume the losing side starts a strategic nuclear war regardless of what the ending screen says.

When I (don't ever) get around to making my own scenario, it will most certainly have near certain nuclear war in these situations.

[Stealhead]

I have always felt that a war between NATO and Warsaw Pact would been a 100% guarantee of all out nuclear war.I think that if NATO even notably stalled Warsaw the Soviets would have used tactical nukes on NATO HQ in Brussels and possibly other major NATO bases and that would have been that.The other way would be NATO using tac nukes on the Warsaw pact forces and the same result it would have triggered one side or the other to go ahead and launch in the hopes that they just might destroy enough of the others nuclear forces to bring him to the table and since the rule was launch on waring that seals the deal.

It would be nice to see a scenario where as either side there was an escalation if certain criteria where met like NATO stalling Pact for a certain amount of time or Pact making a certain number of VPs at a given point.This would be interesting because it would have an effect on your actions.

[Raptor1]

The Warsaw Pact almost certainly intended to use nuclear weapons from the beginning, and NATO was fully prepared to respond the Warsaw Pact use of chemical weapons with nukes. So, yeah, a war like this would almost certainly become nuclear very quickly.

Danube Front '85 (And the other HPS Central Front games) actually has an optional setting that if one side or the other gains enough points for a decisive victory, then the scenario terminates in a nuclear war and a draw.

[Oberon]

http://www.dia.mil/images/history/military-art/1980s-series1/96_964.jpg

[Raptor1]

Day 9 - June 29th, 1988
Dawn

Izvestia

Headlines:

First major NATO convoy arrives. NATO supplies increased.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Hazy, temperate, occasional precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/1363/ngp17.png

The last NATO units in the Ruhr east of the Rhine are attacked from all sides in a massive battle and surrender. To the south of the Urban area, attacks on NATO units still possessing a tenuous hold on Cologne by the 1st Guards Tank Army fails to capture the city. However, the 5th Guards Tank Army crosses the Rhine in force, mauling the British 4th Armoured Division in a series of running battles while extending its bridgehead.

The defensive line north of Mainz collapses and Warsaw Pact forces enter the outskirts of the city.

Low Countries

The 3rd Shock Army advances into Belgium and attacks Antwerp, but the Belgian Para-Commando Regiment fortified in the city puts up fierce resistance and the assault fails to capture the city. Meanwhile, Warsaw Pact paratroopers assault Brussels, overwhelming the security forces in the city and capturing the Belgian capital.

Danube River Valley

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/9058/fg17.png

The 28th Army makes no attempt to cross the Rhine again, and instead establishes a line behind the river until supporting forces can be brought up. The 4th CSLA Army attacks Karlsruhe and captures the city, but the 1st CSLA Army fails to take Mannheim. The pocket of NATO units south of Frankfurt is attacked, but manages to hold on.

Reinforcements

The 1st Tank Division, leading element of the 11th Guards Army, arrives in Poland.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/5530/fullmap17.jpg)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 9 - June 29th, 1988
Dusk

Izvestia

Headlines:

Warsaw Pact captures Brussels. Belgian resolve wavers.
Mannheim reduced to ruins.
Antwerp reduced to ruins

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Hazy, temperate, no precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, no precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North German Plain

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6034/ngp18.png

Warsaw Pact forces attempt to drive remaining NATO units out of the Ruhr entirely, but the assault fails to make any headway. A similar attack on Cologne fails, but the 5th Guards Tank Army manages to continue to advance south of the city, reaching the outskirts of Spangdahlem and inflicting more casualties on the British 4th Armoured Division.

Mainz is attacked and easily captured, ending combat on the Fulda Gap front completely.

Low Countries

A second attack on Antwerp captures the city, allowing the 3rd Shock Army to link up with the Warsaw Pact paratroopers. Meanwhile, the 3rd Shock Army attacks and captures Volkel and demolishes a nearby Reforger site, but fails to capture Eindhoven.

Danube River Valley

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2958/fg18.png

The 4th CSLA Army sets up crossing along the Rhine and establishes a bridgehead opposite Karlsruhe. The French 6th Light Armoured Division is attacked by elements of the 4th CSLA and 28th Armies and heavily defeated. To the north, more attacks on Mannheim fail to capture the city, but the NATO pocket south of Frankfurt is crushed, marking the end of NATO presence east of the Rhine.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Full Map (http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/240/fullmap18.jpg)

[Oberon]

I'm beginning to wonder if NATO is run by Greenpeace... :hmmm:

[Raptor1]

Neg.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 10 - June 30th, 1988

Izvestia

Headlines:

Soviet forces achieve decisive victory in the Battle of Iceland. NATO forces on the island surrender.
Warsaw Pact overruns Reforger site.

Weather:

Northern Weather Zone: Hazy, temperate, no precipitation.
Southern Weather Zone: Fair, warm, occasional precipitation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As Warsaw Pact mechanized units roll into the Rhineland and beyond, and NATO troops in Iceland surrender, Pravda and Izvestia claim the collapse of the West is imminent (http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/4683/endscreen.png). With their lines in Western Europe shattered, the front on the verge of collapse and increasing civil unrest behind the lines due to the their inability to stop the Warsaw Pact offensive, NATO leadership again considers adopting desperate measures.

On the dawn of the 10th day of the war, NATO unleashes all of its remaining aerial reserves as the majority of the Western air forces take to the skies. In the midst of the ensuing air battle, NATO aircraft move to strike numerous targets in and behind Warsaw Pact lines, armed with nuclear weapons. Massive devastation ensues as Warsaw Pact front line units, facilities and headquarters, along military targets along the Vistula and Oder rivers, are attacked by NATO aircraft and medium range ballistic missiles.

Warsaw Pact forces respond by firing their nuclear-armed tactical ballistic missiles at NATO units in the Ruhr, on the Isar, and elsewhere behind the Rhine. Aircraft and ballistic missile strikes target NATO's naval facilities in France, utterly destroying the country's largest port cities.

By midday, the Warsaw Pact offensive has ground to a halt. Battlefield command on both sides has completely broken down and formations are left in disarray. American, French and British submarines begin to target silos across the Soviet Union with ballistic missiles, but the Soviets quickly launch their land and submarine-based missiles at Western Europe and North America. NATO responds with their own ICBMs. Over the following hours, Moscow, Kiev, Warsaw, Berlin, Paris, London, Washington, New York and numerous other major cities are annihilated in nuclear fireballs. Communication and electronics break down completely as high altitude detonations black out the entire northern hemisphere, and the world sees its darkest night in centuries.

By the dawn of the first day of July, civilian and military control has completely broken down in most parts of the world. No one is certain about the scale of civilian and military casualties, which continue to mount as radioactive fallout sweeps through Europe and North America. The war has ended, and with it most of the civilized world.

Over the following months, survivors struggle as nuclear winter sets down across the globe. Remaining military units, completely cut off from control and supplies, turn to bandits and raid for food and materials. The future of the world is uncertain, but it is unlikely to quickly, if ever, completely recover from the war.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Final Map (http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/104/fullmape.jpg)

Well, the scenario is supposed to run for a while more, but I reached the goals I set when I started it, so I decided to end it. Naturally most of the stuff here didn't happen in the game, but I thought this deserved a worthy ending.

[Oberon]

I wonder if the actual AI would have gone nuclear or just sit back and let you take all of Western Europe.

Good AAR anyway.

http://www.freewebs.com/battlestarrs/Capricanuked.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btpnI__tQdE&feature=related

[Task Force]

Hmm. could NATO be ran by those anti nuclear people? and we just didnt know it!

[Raptor1]

Nuclear weapon release in this scenario seems to be mostly random, even I couldn't initiate it by choice. Don't forget that these scenarios are mostly made for simulating the ground war, so having them degenerate into full scale nuclear war too easily defeats the point.

Ah, almost forgot, I'll put up a list of losses for both sides later.

[Raptor1]

Warsaw Pact Central Front Unit Strength and Casualty Report - June 30th, 1988

Unit Type - Operational (Assigned to unit) / On Hand (Not assigned to units) / Lost (Destroyed, captured or permanently disabled)

Infantry:

Military Police Squad - 912 / 2 / 2
Assault Squad - 1,050 / 145 / 0
Assault AT Squad - 5,546 / 111 / 2,468
Assault AT+ Squad - 9,104 / 133 / 5,087

Total Infantry - 16,612 / 391 / 7,557 (30.7% losses)

Artillery:

85mm (Improved) AT Gun - 9 / 1 / 3
100mm (Improved) AT Gun - 936 / 78 / 19
122mm Howitzer - 100 / 1 / 81
152mm Howitzer - 1,040 / 138 / 24
Dana 152mm SP Gun - 237 / 2 / 38
2S1 122mm SP Gun - 3,801 / 37 / 1,525
2S3 152mm SP Gun - 2,680 / 10 / 372
2S5 152mm SP Gun - 528 / 10 / 27
2S7 203mm SP Gun - 72 / 17 / 2
2S4 240mm SP Mortar - 18 / 0 / 0
2S9 120mm SP Mortar - 48 / 16 / 47
RM-70 122mm SPMRL - 411 / 2 / 57
132mm Katyusha MRL - 16 / 0 / 14
BM-21 122mm SPMRL - 1350 / 8 / 226
BM-9P140 220mm SPMRL - 198 / 16 / 2
FROG (Late) SSM - 72 / 17 / 2
SS-21 SSM - 146 / 8 / 10

Total Artillery - 11,662 / 361 / 2,449 (16.9% losses)

Armoured Vehicles:

PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank - 7 / 0 / 55
BRDM-2 Scout - 192 / 20 / 0
OT-64 HMG APC - 1,800 / 50 / 1,720
BTR-60PB APC - 564 / 7 / 536
BTR-70 APC - 975 / 27 / 738
BTR-80 APC - 2,387 / 28 / 1,120
BTR-80A APC - 132 / 1 / 196
BMP-1P ICV - 1,153 / 32 / 755
BMP-2 ICV - 4,639 / 89 / 4,077
BMD-1P - 98 / 10 / 35
BMD-2 - 530 / 15 / 607
BRDM-2 Sagger SPATGM - 371 / 0 / 62
BRDM-2 Spandrel SPATGM - 302 / 7 / 128

Total AFVs - 13,150 / 286 / 10,029 (42.7% losses)

T-55 (Improved) - 662 / 13 / 625
T-55 (Late) - 407 / 26 / 585
T-64 (Improved) - 334 / 16 / 1,445
T-72 - 12 / 144 / 0
T-72 (Improved) - 1,477 / 67 / 2,677
T-80 - 3,091 / 83 / 5,556
T-80 (Improved) - 524 / 20 / 693

Total MBTs - 6,507 / 369 / 11,581 (62.7% losses)

Total Armoured Vehicles - 19,657 / 655 / 21,609 (51.5% losses)

Aircraft:

Light Recce HH - 50 / 0 / 0
Mi-24 Hind - 746 / 0 / 42
Mi-28 Havoc - 25 / 0 / 9

Total Helicopters - 821 / 0 / 51 (6.2% losses)

MiG-17 Fresco - 21 / 2 / 22
MiG-21 Fishbed - 603 / 10 / 214
MiG-23 Flogger - 663 / 13 / 432
MiG-27 Flogger D - 374 / 0 / 138
MiG-29 Fulcrum - 421 / 11 / 251
Su-7 Fitter - 44 / 1 / 50
Su-17 Fitter - 45 / 15 / 7
Su-20 Fitter (Export) - 37 / 1 / 26
Su-24 - 371 / 1 / 79
Su-25 Frogfoot - 227 / 1 / 63
Su-27 Flanker - 96 / 2 / 55

Total Fixed-Wing - 2,902 / 57 / 1,337 (31.1% losses)

Total Aircraft - 3,723 / 57 / 1,388 (26.8% losses)

NATO Central Front Unit Strength and Casualty Report - June 30th, 1988

Unit Type - Operational (Assigned to unit) / On Hand (Not assigned to units) / Lost (Destroyed or permanently disabled)

Infantry:

Military Police Squad - 463 / 12 / 1,104
Heavy Rifle Squad - 0 / 49 / 360
Assault Squad - 524 / 1 / 1,390
Assault AT Squad - 2,139 / 18 / 113
Assault AT+ Squad - 3,665 / 76 / 11,570
Reconnaissance Assault Team - 0 / 0 / 80

Total Infantry - 6,791 / 156 / 14,617 (67.7% losses)

Artillery:

85mm (Improved) AT Gun - 102 / 0 / 0
105mm Howitzer - 278 / 1 / 93
105mm Gun - 36 / 6 / 120
155mm Howitzer - 15 / 11 / 144
155mm Gun - 47 / 0 / 421
8" ER Gun - 14 / 0 / 12
F3 155mm SP Gun - 86 / 14 / 560
FV433 Abbot SP Gun - 21 / 2 / 46
M109 155mm SP Gun - 54 / 2 / 58
M109A 155mm SP Gun - 647 / 9 / 1,359
M110 203mm SP Gun - 8 / 0 / 12
M110 (Improved) 203mm SP Gun - 122 / 1 / 329
M106 107mm SP Mortar - 156 / 1 / 615
M125 81mm SP Mortar - 67 / 3 / 283
LARS 110mm SPMRL - 27 / 1 / 165
MLRS 227mm SPMRL - 133 / 3 / 137
Pluton SSM - 0 / 0 / 30
Pershing 2 SSM - 60 / 3 / 50
Lance SSM - 11 / 1 / 83

Total Artillery - 1,884 / 58 / 4,517 (69.9% losses)

Armoured Vehicles:

AMX-10RC - 37 / 13 / 338
ERC-90 - 17 / 13 / 32
Luchs - 112 / 0 / 510
M113 Lynx C&R / 25mm - 2 / 3 / 311
Scorpion - 131 / 1 / 342
Fox - 78 / 0 / 56
Scimitar Scout - 234 / 0 / 495
M3 Bradley CFV - 254 / 1 / 1,167
Armored Engineer Vehicle - 24 / 1 / 27
Chieftain AVRE - 13 / 0 / 5
M728 CEV - 43 / 1 / 120
Wheeled HMG APC - 0 / 2 / 127
Wheeled 20mm APC - 5 / 6 / 4
S-4K4FA-G2 MICV - 264 / 20 / 0
AMX-10P ICV - 65 / 25 / 825
VAB APC - 135 / 175 / 607
VAB IFV - 0 / 17 / 86
Marder I (Improved) ICV - 767 / 63 / 2,249
YP-408 - 0 / 7 / 130
YPR 765 - 0 / 51 / 1,285
Saxon APC - 228 / 5 / 192
Spartan APC - 72 / 16 / 131
Warrior MCV - Milan - 143 / 9 / 918
M113 APC - 33 / 18 / 1,312
M2 Bradley IFV - 374 / 4 / 2,149
VAB HOT - 12 / 6 / 96
YPR 765 TOW SPATGM - 0 / 38 / 469
FV438 SPATGM - 95 / 0 / 161
Striker SPATGM - 0 / 11 / 18
M150 - 0 / 7 / 46
M901 ITOW SPATGM - 82 / 1 / 468
SK-105 Kürassier - 108 / 18 / 0
Jagdpanzer Kanone - 0 / 5 / 68
Jagdpanzer Jaguar I - 52 / 10 / 352

Total AFVs - 3,380 / 540 / 15,096 (79.3% losses)

AMX 30 - 0 / 55 / 176
AMX 30B - 107 / 11 / 1,045
Leopard I - 76 / 2 / 381
Leopard I (Late) - 163 / 0 / 1,545
Leopard II - 298 / 15 / 2,268
Centurion (Late) - 0 / 13 / 87
Chieftain (Improved) - 86 / 1 / 407
Challenger I - 0 / 34 / 271
M48 Patton III (Improved) - 35 / 5 / 142
M60A3 - 162 / 18 / 0
M1 - 461 / 17 / 122
M1 (Improved) - 115 / 19 / 953
M1A1 - 75 / 0 / 1,323

Total MBTs - 1,578 / 190 / 8,720 (83.1% losses)

Total Armoured Vehicles - 4,958 / 730 / 23,816 (80.7% losses)

Aircraft:

Light Recce HH - 60 / 3 / 9
Light Transport HH - 42 / 0 / 12
Medium Transport HH - 299 / 1 / 29
Heavy Transport HH - 88 / 7 / 13
Light Attack HH - 31 / 2 / 39
Medium Attack HH - 149 / 0 / 181
SA-319 Alouette III - 84 / 28 / 55
SA-342 Gazelle - 150 / 19 / 88
Bo-105 - 133 / 0 / 53
Lynx AH - 0 / 40 / 83
AH-1 Cobra - 353 / 0 / 183
OH-58 Kiowa - 531 / 0 / 227
OH-58 Kiowa Warrior - 80 / 17 / 1
AH-64 Apache - 269 / 1 / 47

Total Helicopters - 2,269 / 118 / 1,020 (29.9% losses)

Mirage III - 90 / 5 / 23
Mirage IV - 40 / 0 / 5
Mirage V - 29 / 17 / 46
Alpha Jet - 184 / 17 / 1
Mirage F1 - 90 / 1 / 17
Mirage 2000 - 105 / 1 / 16
Lightning - 9 / 0 / 3
Harrier II - 22 / 0 / 14
Jaguar - 139 / 2 / 43
Tornado IDS - 218 / 8 / 215
Tornado ADV - 24 / 0 / 12
A-10 Thunderbolt II - 210 / 1 / 36
B-52 Stratofortress (Late) - 164 / 0 / 31
B-1B Lancer - 43 / 0 / 9
F-104 Strafighter (Late) - 27 / 0 / 8
F-111 - 51 / 0 / 7
F-111 Aardvark (Late) - 220 / 0 / 43
F-4 Phantom II - 468 / 0 / 127
F-5 - 24 / 0 / 15
F-15 Eagle - 220 / 1 / 63
F-16 Falcon - 374 / 7 / 194
F-18 Hornet - 52 / 8 / 13
F-117 Nighthawk - 46 / 0 / 2

Total Fixed Wing - 2,849 / 68 / 935 (24.2% losses)

Total Aircraft - 5,118 / 186 / 1,955 (26.9% losses)

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Right, that's about it, I think. I left out some of the less interesting equipment, but this is most of it. Just some notes:

1. Destroyed units are only permanent losses, damaged and wounded units are recovered and cycled into the 'On Hand' count.

2. NATO's list includes the Austrian Army, which hasn't participated much. So their strength is slightly lower.

3. NATO had two Civilian Groups in one of their unit TO&Es. I wonder who those are...