| Combat Summary, September 10th, 2021 2021-09-10 by: badanov From: Chernarus Coastal Operations Group Subject: Weekly Summary of Combat Operations, from September 3rd to September 9th Inclusive. Message begins: The tempo of combat operations continued at a decreased pace. Chernarus Defense, Naval and air forces have engaged in three operations in three regions. 1) In Rosche on Friday afternoon, a hastily assembled task force from 4th Bn, Chernarus 10th Separate Tank Brigade was ordered to Ratzlingen to relieve and evacuate a small rifle force. The troops in Ratzlingen had spent the previous four days patrolling the area on the orders of brigade command and at the request of the mayor of the town. Friday morning the site commander reported enemy forces were massing to the north in preparation for an attack. In relief/evacuation operations, speed is paramount. The main task is to get as many forces to the area as possible, make contact with the enemy and preserve a safety buffer zone to allow the troops to board transport for evacuation. The BRDM scout cars were the first to arrive. By that time, separatist rifle forces had entered the town and were trying to pressure the forces out of town. The two CDF technicals were destroyed by infantry and by light armor. By the time tanks and then the BTR squads arrived, the stranded forces had kept enemy armor and troops out of the area, but paid a high price. The tanks were deployed along two north-south road, and caught the lion's share of enemy attempts to enter town. By the time the trucks assigned to evacuate the troops arrived, brigade command issued new orders for the task force to retreat about one kilometer south. With enemy heavy armor trying to close in, the task force retreated to the new objective. The trucks carrying the evacuated infantry arrived at the forward zone, effectively ending the operation. Casualties were moderate. First light rifle squad lost seven while the 2nd squad lost five. 2nd BTR squad lost two. One BRDM was destroyed by enemy armor. One tank was destroyed in a rollover accident. Field counts place enemy losses at three BRDMs, two BTR-80As, two technicals and two tanks. 2) Local officials in Rottorf in Werferlingen requested 13th Separate Mountain Motorized Rifle Brigade to assist in the evacuation of a number of local residents Saturday afternoon. The evacuees were individuals who had been undergoing constant harassment by local sympathetic to separatists and others, including threats by electronic means aa well as through social media. When the task force from 1st Bn arrived, they took up positions along a straight line facing north. Rottorf is just 400 meters south of a river with three bridges across, making the town easily defensible. Attacks began on the west side, north of the river, and were augmented by a BTR-80A APC. Heavy machine gun fire from Tank 2 and from Scout 2 BRDM stopped those attacks. An RPG shot from 3rd squad destroyed the BTR-80A. More attacks came from the northwest. Commander ordered an artillery attack on a small group across the river, while other enemy infantry closed in on the west edge of town. Just as heavy armor started to attack in some mass, an enemy RPG shot destroyed Tank 2, stripping the western flank of the defensive zone of an antitank defense. When the order to retreat was issued, scout cars left first, per brigade SOP, and then the infantry. Commander ordered Tank 1 to the center of the defensive zone, the better to catch enemy armor from the nearest two crossings. As 3rd squad was leaving, it was attacked and stopped. Command squad mounted up and rushed to the area to cover with withdrawal of 3rd squad. 2nd squad in the meantime had overturned its BTR. Since there was only one tank, and it was engaged in defending the defensive zone, 2nd squad was ordered to retreat by foot south. Casualties were moderate. Tank 2 was destroyed and 2nd squad lost its BTR to an overturned vehicle. 3rd squad lost four, while 2nd squad and command squad each lost one. Field counts of enemy vehicle losses include one BTR-80A and two tanks. 3) 1st Bn Chernarus 13th Separate Mountain Motorized Rifle Brigade was ordered to attack the town of Ribbenstedt in Werferlingen late Saturday night. The town had been occupied by separatist forces led by Ferid Murad and Ersela Coba, both experienced troop commanders who were on a Chernarus kill list. The operatives also brought with them a mortar battery. The tactical plan was for 2nd and 3rd squad, supported by Tank 2 and a scout car to attack from the south on the east side of the river. 3rd squad would then execute a turn maneuver west and conduct house clearing operations. 2nd squad would push passed the road intersection north of town in order to cover incoming enemy reinforcements. Command squad supported by Tank1 would attack from the west on the west side of the river. Command squad in its initial attack ran into infantry and a heavy machine gun Humvee. Commander was killed. Second in command ordered Tank 1 to close on the Humvee, but it was small arms fire that eliminated the technical. 3rd squad, coming in from the east also ran into the Humvee and was stopped cold. 2nd squad moved further north. They destroyed the mortar battery. Commander located the two operatives' hideout, eliminating both with a hand grenade, but only was able to strip documents from Coba, a list of ammunition supplies and their arrival dates. Command did not receive retreat orders. Instead of waiting for them and risking the arrival of quick reaction forces, the commander retreated the unit back south to the railroad tracks. Casualties were high. Command squad lost seven, while 3rd squad lost their BTR and three more. 2nd squad also lost five. 4) On Monday morning, an amphibious naval infantry detachment from 2nd Bn Chernarus 2nd Separate Naval Infantry Brigade was ordered to Selakano in Altis to clear the town of a separatist force. Leading the separatists were a pair of criminal operatives, Matija Depreradovich and Elena Kots. Upon their entry into Selakano they ordered the detention of a trio of local NGO aid workers. The tactical plan for the attack on Selanako was for the entire rifle force to attack in a solid row from the southeast, 3rd squad screening the advance under the cover of smoke delivered by naval artillery, the command and 2nd squad advancing in parallel. Command squad encountered severe resistance as they penetrated into the separatists' defensive zone. The commander got caught in a crossfire and was killed. Second in command continued to advance to the operatives' safe house. The two operatives were killed by other elements of the marine force. Command located Depreradovich, but was unable to find Kots. Documents seized from Depreradovich was a list of extortion victims. The three prisoners were released, but were badly hurt. After receiving first aid, the marine force retreated back to the boats. Casualties were heavy. Command squad lost seven, while 2nd squad lost five and 3rd squad lost four. One of the two Hellenic Air Force F4s providing air cover was shot down with the loss of the air crew. 5) Wednesday morning a rifle task force for 2nd Bn Chernarus 17th Separate Light Rifle Brigade was ordered to Dorogino in east Beketov to attack and clear the town of separatist forces. Leading the separatists were the criminal operatives Enver Kadare and Anna Alliluyeva, who had taken over the town the night before. The forces while in town were ordered to arrest three civilians: the town mayor, his wife, and his sister. The tactical plan was for the task force to advance in the town from the west in a line, while being supported by two SU-25 ground interdiction fighters and an MI-24 gunship. Command squad reached the southern part of the town first, turned north and began to probe north towards the housing unit of the operatives. Meanwhile the other two rifle squads were ordered to advance into town until they reached the north-south road. Commander reached the operatives' hideout and eliminated the pair, plus their security detail. Important documents were recovered, including a list of informants and a list of towns the separatists were planning to attack. Command squad then went to the house where the three prisoners were being held, and released them. While preparing to return to base, the command decided to aid 2nd squad in returning to their vehicle, by counterattacking enemy forces arrayed in the north. Casualties were heavy. Command squad lost four, while 2nd squad lost eight and 3rd squad lost seven. One BRDM scout car was destroyed by an enemy BTR-80A. 6) A light rifle task force from from 2nd Bn 4th Separate Light Rifle Brigade received a warning order from brigade recon staff that a heavily armed separatist force was heading for Sosnovka in Chernarus Wednesday afternoon. Sosnovka is the last settlement before 2nd Bn's forward zone deployment. There was no not stopping the enemy advance. Heavy attacks by separatist infantry hit the west side, the deploynent of which included 2nd squad and both BRDM scout cars. Command squad took forward positions in the north of town, which 3rd squad was on the east side. The task force was left with no reinforcements, and no artillery support. The initial attack cost 2nd squad heavily, and destroyed one of the scout cars. Command squad attempted to stop several enemy technicals in town, while the flanking squads fought off infantry attacks. In the initial contact, the commander was killed. Seeing both flanking rifle squads were reduced in size, including 2nd squad from fighting off a T-34/85 tank, the commander called a retreat deeper into town. But it was too late. The town already was surrounded, so by the time the acting commander received orders to retreat, a further retreat was no longer an option. Casualties were catastrophic. Not one element of the task force was left alive. 7) A Chernarus Defense Forces special operations team was ordered to locate and assassinate two operatives in north Chernarus Thursday night. Recon staff of Chernarus Coastal Operations Group issued a warning order that the two operatives, Boris Yurinov and Anastasia Klimov had brought in four Russian speaking contractors to be used as assassins. After inserting via Mi-17 transport bird, the team proceeded to Novaya Petrovka where the two operatives were staying. The area was poorly defended so the team located them and eliminated them easily. The team then proceeded to Topoloniki to locate the four operators. The commander eliminated the last two operators. Exfiltration was conducted 1,500 meters from the area of operations. Casualties were moderate., The supporting MI-24 gunship was shot down with the loss of the air crew. Documents that were recovered were simply a restatement of orders the recon staff already knew about. -----------------------------------------COMMENTS---------------------------------------- |