Lt. Doltstein's day: A Flashpoint adventure

[Hottentot]

OK, let's try this again. This time we leave the happy Caribbean people to live their happy lives and liking their glorious leader and move on to something little more grim. Namely the Cold War turned Hot War.


Operation Flashpoint. Do I even need to introduce it in a forum like this? Ever since I played that game for the first time as a kid, I have been happy that I haven't had to experience a war. Mostly because if Flashpoint is realistic, then the most common reason to die in a war is that the intelligence of your comrades in arms is comparable to that of a hamster. No wait, I take that back. Hamsters are at least capable of breathing independently.


Anyway. If you have played the game, I take it you remember the second mission of the original campaign. You know right after Morton. The one where you attack that little village called Regina and then, uh, something happens but I don't want to spoil it for those two people who haven't played the game and the mission. In any case: I have always wanted to know who was the freaking military genius that ordered the men to attack over a hill and an open field against fortified positions when there are two forests on the either side of the village.


Now I shall introduce the said genius to you. Welcome to follow "LIEUTENANT DOLTSTEIN'S DAY. Or: How I killed an entire army, saved the world and lived to tell the tale."


This isn't exactly an AAR, since there is no real action to report. Instead I used Flashpoints excellent editor to create a story, again with lots of shiny pictures. Nothing more, nothing less. I hope you still like it. If anyone is interested, the mod used on the pictures if FFUR 1985. It keeps the theme of the original game, but adds much more stuff, graphic updates, features and overall realism to the game.


Anyway...


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PART 1: REPORTING FOR DUTY




Right. Morning company! Today's briefing is as follows.






Target for today is a small town called Regina on Southern Everon. Intel says it is defended by only a handful of enemies, while the reds' mainforce is concentrated further south to secure the strategic mainroad from the oceanport to inland. However, before we start our offensive on there, we must first eliminate Regina's pocket of resistance. Otherwise we risk them flanking us trough the mountains to the east of the town.






We estimate a small force, no more than a company, should be able to accomplish the mission with minimal casualties to the good guys. That lucky company in question is you, gentlemen. The trucks on my right will take you right into the heart of the action.






The operation shall be coordinated and executed under the leadership of Lieutenant Doltstein, a veteran of many battles. You may have heard of his great feats before. Lieutenant Doltstein knows everything there is to know about staying alive. He has survived hundreds of encounters where the rest of his squadmates have been next to obliterated. This man is a survivor!






Speaking of Doltstein, he should be here already...












ZzzZZzzZZzzZZzzZZzz...






Well, while we wait, I want you to know, how important your task today is. Don't let the small size of the target fool you. Your effort today shall dictate our future offensive's success. If any of you screws up, not only will you be going home in coffins, so will your squadmates. And our whole operation will be delayed.






Each one of you is a specialist, trained by the best army in the world. You all defend the best country on the face of the earth. You are the first, best and last line of defence against the invasion of these red bastards. They oppose everything we stand for. And that is why we must stand for it! This is not only about Everon! This is about the very way of our life! It's them or us!








ZzzZZzzZZzzZZzzZZzz...huh? What?






Yawn. Wow, I slept well. I love camping outdoors. God, what a beautiful morning!






I just can't help wondering if I have forgotten something.


Oh crap! Oh man, oh man! The clock! The mission! My country needs me!!






...Your country needs you! Your families, your friends, everyone you have ever met needs you on this most important hour of your life! You must stand for what you believe in!

[Hottentot]

Hold on, captain! I'm coming! Lieutenant Doltstein is coming to save the day! Hang on, America!!






Oh shoot, I can't kill the enemies of my country without my trusty assault rifle! Keep hanging, America! I'm coming to save you! I'm coming, I sure am!!








Luckily I borrowed this car yesterday before I left camping! God bless General Motors!!








...The commies want to take our factories and turn them into common property! They want to take our churches and turn them into barns! And do I even need to tell you what they want to turn our women into?!






Lieutenant Doltstein on the way sir! OK, full throttle!!






Stupid tree! Did you have to grow there just today?! I'm in a hurry!!






Man, I should have cleaned the windshield! Are those trucks in front of me? I think they are...






Yeah, they sure look like trucks. Well, they are going to move out of the way. I'm higher ranking than they are.






Or then not. How can these things be in military if they don't recognize ranks?!






Idiots! Didn't you see I had the right of the way?!






Well at least it cleaned the windshield. I think I see our soldiers there on the field. Hold on, sir! I'm coming! Lieutenant Doltstein is coming to save the day!!








Who's that moron standing out of formation?!






...And finally I must be honest with you. This is a very dangerous mission. Not everyone of you is necessarily going to survive this day...






Out of my way, I have a country to save!!






Huff, huff, huff! Man, couldn't they make this gear any lighter?! Well, can't complain. Heroes don't complain!


Lieutenant Doltstein reporting for duty sir!!






...Sir?





Why are you guys just standing there looking right? Here! Look at me! I'm the boss around here! Not you, private Whateveryournameis. That's better! Right people! We have a country to save, so pack your gear and put those trucks over there into good use! We have no time to waste! Move!!!

[Hottentot]

PART 2: ADVANCED RECOINNASSANCE




We arrive to our target approximately 0800 hours. I draft a masterplan with which we shall drive those commie scums back to the sea!






We advance with only one squad at first. I will lead it personally. I believe this is enough for us and the rest of the guys can just sit back and watch cartoons or something. Once those red SOBs see me, they are sure to run away anyway.






So I tell the men to form a battle pineapple formation and give them a rousing speech.






They are excited. Notice the killer's look in his eyes.








We know the road on the right leads directly to Regina. The commies probably have it carefully watched as long as they have sobered up enough from their last night's party.





But we are going to be more clever than them! We shall advance from the cover of this hill, right next to the road. They'll never see us coming!






Good recon is important for any successful mission. So I take a look at the target with my binoculars. I see no one. The red rats must be hiding in their dens.

[Hottentot]

We shall root them out. I order the men to form a line right behind the crest of the hill.






After that is done, I tell Corporal Someoneidontremember to conduct an armed recon to flush the enemy out. Look how he goes over the hill without fear! That's the spirit, soldier!






OK, number two, are you there? Where are you? Do you see anything? I heard some loud bangs, did you trip into commies' old peasoup cans. Two? Two, come in two? Two...?


Lesson learned: the commies have sobered up enough.






However, we still don't know how many of them there are and where they are positioned. So I tell number three, Private Shortlifespan to go check it out and also see if he can help two.






Lesson learned: They are watching the hill as well.






However, I have fought commies before and know their tactics! I know that by now they can't have anymore ammo, because their officers don't want them wasting common property.


But two and three are still out there somewhere! We must help them! Uncle Sam leaves no one behind! I tell number four, Private Ireallydontwanttosir to volunteer and go look for them. It should be safe now, seeing that the enemy has ran out of ammo.






OK, number four, report. Are you there? Do you see two or three? Have the commies wasted all their ammo already?






You could have just said "negative sir", you know.






I now have enough intel to conduct an attack. They can't stop ALL of us! They will run out of ammo eventually anyway! Charge!






What a glorious sight! Patton would be proud!






Maybe I too should go and see how it goes. Just a little and very extra carefully.


Now where the heck are my soldiers? We really have great camouflage, I can't see them even when it's an open field!






Oh. Right.






Well, I think this is what they call "tactical retreat" in Squad Leader's Handbook.






Uh, Papa Bear, this is Captain America One. The target is heavily fortified. We are falling back, repeat: we are falling back.


Send in the reinforcements.

[SgtPotato]

[Hottentot]

PART 3: SEND IN THE CAVALRY




Sheesh, didn't they get my message? Hours have passed already. What is taking them so long? The commies have time to fortify deeper and deeper every minute we waste here!






Oh, now I understand. The clever men had insisted that the mission is too dangerous for simple trucks. So they visited the depot and exchanged them into something with more firepower. Excellent!






Ah, the M113. Our motorized cavalry! It has armor, speed, offtrack capabilities and a huge machinegun. The commies have nothing to match this baby!



Well, except the BMP. Which, incidentally, also has armor, speed, offtrack capabilities and a huge machinegun. And a cannon. And antitank missiles...


Well, screw them! It's the men, not the machine! Besides, we outnumber them anyway. The HQ didn't send just one, but two M113s to assist our vital mission!






However, I wanted to personally test the machinery before I rely on them on battle. I know the lives of my men and the success of our mission may depend on them.






And it was a good thing too, since I discovered that one of the APCs they had sent from the depot was faulty. It failed the climb test miserably. How fortunate we didn't put our men into this piece of sabotaged garbage under fire! I really took one for the team there, but fortunately survived without injuries. During the accident the brave gunner, private Apricot broke my fall with his neck.


The men, however, insisted that the other APC had already been tested and that we could rely on it. Since they seemed so unanimous about it, I decided to believe them and didn't test the second APC.






Well, I am still certain that this fine piece of American engineer work will beat absolutely anything the reds can throw at us. Now if only the driver would realize that I'm here and stop going the wrong way...

[Hottentot]

We don't have time for huge planning, so I draft another quick masterplan to utilize our newly acquired cavalry.






As I order the M113 and the two platoons stuffed inside it to advance over the hill, I am bothered by a lingering thought that I may have forgotten something.






Something crucial. It said it was crucial in the Squad Leader's Handbook.






Oh yeah! Chapter 6: "Always find out if the enemy has any anti armor capabilities before sending in the vehicles." Hmm, I think we forgot that.






Ah, my brave men have already found out by themselves! It appears the answer is yes!



Hey, come back! Not that way, cowards! The enemy is over there!






Bah, do I need to do everything around here myself?! It's just a minefield anyway. I'll disarm them and then we proceed with our attack.








I'd better proceed crawling. That way I spot the mines better. Yeah, I sure do. Actually I think I can see something already. There, right over that hill...






Err, that's no mine...






Uh, hello from Texas. Apple pie?






RUN AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!






KEEP RUNNING!!!!!!!








Whew, OK, we have reached the North shore. There is no way that commie has followed us all the way here, right guys?








Guys...?






Crap.

[Hottentot]

PART 4: FLANKING MANEUVERS FOR DUMMIES


Whew, that was close. Fortunately some nice farmers gave me a lift to the nearest outpost, where I got rearmed and resupplied. Ha! Lieutenant Doltstein is ready for action again!






From the outpost I requisitioned a Carl Gustav launcher and Private Cannonfodder. I left rest of the people back there, as the next phase of my masterplan requires us to be sneaky. Too many people would attract just unwanted attention.






Here is the plan as I see it. We flank trough that forest to the west. There we get into position on the edge of the woods, overlooking Regina. Private Cannonfodder shall act as my spotter and cover, as I can't carry much ammo with this big antitank weapon on my back.


We spot the tank, turn it into scrap metal and scarper. Then we launch a full scale assault as per original mission plan. Without their tank support the commies should be easy targets.








OK, let's go. Move it, Cannonfodder!






Whew, you'd be surprised how easy it is to get lost in a small forest. Cannonfodder was getting desperate already. I swear he cried "mommy" at one point too when it became too dark to see anything. Bah, soldiers these days. Back when I was in the bootcamp, we made some real men out of those wussies. But enough of that for now. The important thing is that Regina is right there in front of us.








And there is the commies' tin can. He hasn't spotted us.






We go all sneaky like now.






OK, Cannonfodder, are you in position? Cover me, I'll take aim...






I see him. Right on my sight. Say good night, Gracie...and while you're at it, do something to these bloody mosquitoes that keep flying around my head!






Damn mosquitoes. Shoo! Shoo, I say! Get out, I'm on an important mission for the free world! Out! O...oops...






Crap, I missed. Okay, Cannonfodder, fall back! Quick, before he starts wondering where that shot came from!







Cannonfodder...?


Holy cow! There must be a commie sniper somewhere! He must have fired exactly at the same time as I did! Sneaky SOB! OK, hold on, CF! We'll get you back to the field hospital! Hang in there buddy!


Funny, I smell something. Did you soil your pants, Cannonfodder? This smell reminds me of something. Weird thing, Cannonfodder. I'm reminded of apple pie. Like that one time I tried to bake it myself, it smelled just like this...






It even looked like this...


Um, you've always wanted your remains to be cremated under a pine, right CF? Well, now you've got it. So, uh, see you later, I guess. Don't get cold...

[Oberon]

I swear I've played alongside this guy in some of the Subsim clowns ARMA missions...

[Arclight]

Could be anyone, considering the group.

[Hottentot]

Years ago we used to have a small group that played Flashpoint's co-op missions together. I could write hundreds of stories like this based on those missions. They just wouldn't be nearly as good as those actually were, since I could never replicate alone the chaos and carnage that three clueless people can cause when they are given almost unlimited supplies of weapons and vehicles.

So either one of the guys from my old group has somehow wandered into yours or then it's an universal phenomenon.

Man I miss those days...

[Arclight]

Aye, friend of mine started their own community and I played with them a while. Thing I remember most is the lot of us up on a ridge taking sniper fire. This sniper was particularly accurate and stealthy, never had a situation like that again.

Or me trying to conserve ammo by using single shots to pick off a running target at ~400m with a ACOG-fitted M16. I kept missing by a hair and all of a sudden the whole group lets off a barrage. I suddenly see the guy disappearing in a blur of gunhit effects through my scope.

Good times.

[Lionclaw]

Ah, getting nostalgic feelings seeing Flashpoint again. I was quite active playing multiplayer in '03-'04.

[Arclight]

Pretty much the only game I played online untill I met some guys here on SubSim.

[Hottentot]

Alright, one more update today. I'll get the rest up tomorrow morning once I get it edited properly. Then it's probably a good time to have a break. Then maybe Flashpoint gets another go. Or...or...

Silent Hunter 3

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PART 5: SNEAK ATTACK!






Papa Bear, this is Captain America One. The tank remains intact, repeat: tank intact.


New platoon arrived. Proceeded to lay a minefield on the hill and road in front of Regina. If the tank won't let us in, we won't let it out!


Commencing new attack at 0215 hours. Out!






My plan is to confuse the commies with a cunning maneuver, which should take us right into their rear. The tank is still a problem, but as we approach from behind, we should be able to strike its weak spot with our antitank weapons.


Besides it's over 9pm already. The commies are so stinking drunk by this point that the only guys they manage to hit will be their own.






OK, let's go men. Men? Stupid darkness...






We...or at least I...approach the forest in very stealthy manner. I hope my men are still in tow.






OK, careful now men. This forest is a perfect place for an ambush. Some commies might have strayed here to take a leak and we don't want them to warn their buddies about us.






Speaking of commies! There's one right in front of me! I have a clear sight! Opening fire!!






DIE YOU RED PIG!!!!!






There's another! There, prone in that bush! It must be a patrol!






Darn! Third one further down! Must be their leader!!






I LEARNED THIS TACTIC BACK IN 'NAM! DIE DIRTY COMMIES!!!




Whew. Out of ammo, but I guess I got them all. Now let's see if these reds are as ugly as the rest of their types. As if there were any other kinds...






Bizarre. This one has U.S. gear...






This one too. The face is too bloody for me to make out details though. Probably better...






Holy cow! Third one!! Those sneaky reds! This can mean only one thing!