Abatis - Combat Mission: Cold War

This scenario was fun for me because it was my first Combat Mission Cold War scenario of the month.

While the scenario was fun, I do have some problems with the mission parameters. The US requirement is to hold the abatis as long as possible until the engineers are able to complete the abatis. There was no defined way to complete the abatis except to hold it for the entire scenario which in my view was totally unrealistic considering the overwhelming Soviet numbers.

There was no defined time limit to which the US was supposed to hold the abatis. I think the designer should have set up a timer for the US to hold the abatis and then withdraw, or that there should have been a requirement for the engineers to lay down mines before the US was allowed to withdraw.

Because of the lack of clarity in the mission parameters, it seemed to me that the best plan was to do some damage to the Soviets and get out, abatis be damned. And when the anti-tank ammo is gone, what can the US do anymore in the first place. In other words, why risk high casualties for something that is worth few points in comparison to keeping your forces in tact.

I won the scenario because I ambushed the advancing Soviets and then bugged out. I think the Soviet goal was to eliminate my forces. Yet, there was no reason for me to stick around and let him do that. If anything the scenario designer should have has some type of requirement for holding the abatis and then set up points for each individual and/or armor vehicle that was withdrawn after the allotted time limit had passed or the mine laying requirement had been completed.

I do think the scenario favors the Soviets. They have overwhelming superiority in armor and troop transports. The US has LAWs and Javelins. There is some extra supply in the half tracks, but the supply is limited. What is given to the US is enough to do some damage, but when the ammo is gone there is not much one can do except to get out (GTFO).

Much of the scenario depends on how the Soviets commit their armor. But if done right, I do not think the US has a chance.

I played this as Soviets. Can't remember exactly what the goal was, but I found the map not be very interesting. Moving vehicles outside roads, in forest, was very clumsy and slow. Since spotting speed is so much better for the US side I moved my vehicles without passengers so that if a vehicle is hit with some antitank weapon I don't lose all the passengers. So I advanced at walking speed, got most units to exit zone during the playing time. I prefer bigger maps with more chances of manoeuvring.

This is a pro-Soviet scenario.
My opponent did a fantastic job on harassing, delay. Damage 1 T-62 and kill at least 7 BTR-70. But in the end I achieved a tactical victory.

To balance this scenario it either need to give more arty support and AFV to NATO side, or reduce the time of the scenario. The current 45min battle need to be reduce to 20-25min. Based on Soviet doctrine, they have to pass through such small NATO delay force quickly on mount. They can dismount Mech Infantry to avoid the ambush but the cost time on dismount/re-amount will cause them a defeat.

another suggestion on balancing is to delete the exit in the open field on Soviet right wing. make the road in the woods the only exit.

This is very difficult for the US side. The Russian has a good number of BTRs and tanks, but the US side only has Dragons in terms of a real anti-AFV capability. They needed a Bradley or tank to assist.

Dragons can be deadly, but honestly, they rarely get a second shot. My US forces took out 6 Russian vehicles, but it still was not enough.

I also think that a US victory condition is not worded correctly. It states 'hold' the crossroads until near the end and then withdraw to the exit. I occupied the crossroads until the timer hit '0' and then withdrew - and got no victory points for holding the crossroads. The briefing should likely say 'occupy' the crossroads.