[Sun] 05 Jul 2015 (The ducklings have safely passed)

[fer]

Missions:

• Buzzard (updated)
• Puddle Jumpers
• Short Straw

27 brave comrades where present in the first Sunday session following our adoption of the Folk ARPS 2015 platoon, and it was glorious. At nearly 3.5 hours, the official session was remarkable not only for the proportion of comrades that slotted the final mission (over 80%), but for the general lack of casualties in the second and third missions - both of which were mechanised. After many weeks of hard work - mostly by comrade Ferrard Carson (but with behind-the-scenes support from all hosts, some friends from external communities and even comrade kefirz) - it was amazing to see our FAXORBAT programme begin to bear fruit. Rumour has it that a smile was seen at the Dacha (although it was subsequently arrested and suffered a totally accidental death whilst in police custody).

Something old, something new: we began with comrade Eagle Eye's updated Buzzard, now with the new OrBat. Under the leadership of comrade Kefirz, Alpha squad attacked the airbase whilst 2 x MAT and 2 x MMG attachments (under me as an impromptu DC) attempted to cover from high ground to the south-west. It was actually going okay until the pilot crashed on take-off. Then it got progressively worse, until it became so upsetting that the Party cut the satellite link. Nobody could have survived that (at least, that's what we're telling the families). Next up, new mission: Puddle Jumpers, in which comrade Ferrard Carson at last realised his vision for an actual amphibious assault, as our mechanised CSAT platoon cleared Katalaki and then the western side of Neochori. Although by 'cleared' I really mean: one squad wasn't entirely thorough in its execution of this task (no names, Alpha). Still, it was adjudged a success, and comrade CO Aquarius even survived to the end. As did comrade CO blip2, who led us in the third mission, Short Straw, which was another new mission from comrade Eagle Eye. With only a half-strength Alpha (infantry), an MMG and full-strength Charlie (mechanised), comrade blip2's ramshackle platoon cleared an entire valley of CSAT hold-outs. Squads covered each other, vehicles covered fireteams and colour teams functioned as nature intended ... and very few comrades were lost to enemy fire. Although one or two nearly found out the hard way why armoured crews refer to dismounts as 'crunchies'. My favourite moment was in this last mission, when my vehicle commander (comrade on_certainty) told me I could begin driving forward again, because 'the ducklings have safely passed'.

As ever, please post your thoughts, feedback, screenshots and video here - comrade YouTube Hero SuperU doesn't just produce our video idents, but provides leadership and guidance to propaganda artists. We also have a new YouTube channel that he manages so if you have any content you think should feature then let him know and he will sort you out, for more info check out this thread!; more guidance on video editing for Folk ARPS is provided by comrade Ferrard Carson. Posts in the AAR threads really help us (the hosts and mission makers), both with understanding how we can improve the experiences, and showing potential comrades what our sessions are like.

Finally, some recommended reading for all comrades, new and old:

• The Folk ARPS leadership programme
• Comrade Head's new launcher / mod updater (Swifty)
• Folk ARPS tags

[Sparks]

The new ORBAT was a lot of fun last night.
(Still think the medic needs more smoke grenades though )

[Tigershark]

Tigershark is unstoppable shark.

[Eagle_Eye]

Not once had I ever seen the real need for a Deputy Commander. Until the one mission I replaced the deputy commander with 4 attachments. Might have to re-add him to buzzard!

Can I ask what we missed in Katalaki? Alpha had a rough time from 2xtechnicals as soon as we entered the town, so we got a bit frazzled. Was it that side of the town (East) that we missed out on? Because I thought the North-East and North-West that me moved to clear after were pretty thoroughly swept.

[Sparks]

Tigershark is unstoppable shark.

Tigershark is rambo shark.
Next time you charge 200m ahead of the squad, the squad lead, the medic, the transports, the other squad, CO, and the armour, all while under suppressing fire, please drop your AT and backpack first so we don't have to kill twenty enemies to steal your stuff off the twitching giblets that are all that remain of your slowly cooling corpse

[madrak_the_red]

Not once had I ever seen the real need for a Deputy Commander. Until the one mission I replaced the deputy commander with 4 attachments. Might have to re-add him to buzzard!

Can I ask what we missed in Katalaki? Alpha had a rough time from 2xtechnicals as soon as we entered the town, so we got a bit frazzled. Was it that side of the town (East) that we missed out on? Because I thought the North-East and North-West that me moved to clear after were pretty thoroughly swept.

You missed a total of 4 guys, basically all spread between two outbuildings you hadn't cleared. Reasonably forgivable. Obviously, had I still been there such a situation would never had happened

[Eagle_Eye]

You missed a total of 4 guys

Ah nuts. Curse you ARMA triggers!!!

[Tigershark]

Tigershark is unstoppable shark.

Tigershark is rambo shark.
Next time you charge 200m ahead of the squad, the squad lead, the medic, the transports, the other squad, CO, and the armour, all while under suppressing fire, please drop your AT and backpack first so we don't have to kill twenty enemies to steal your stuff off the twitching giblets that are all that remain of your slowly cooling corpse

In my defence...what good is suppressive fire if we aint moving. You call it rambo...I call it....seizing the initiative. Tomato..tomahto.

And your reply suggests you had to actually kill 20 people to get my tube...for the record...I survived to the very end with 8 kills. Just saying.

[fer]

A really enjoyable session, but comrades, come ... let's talk about ...

Clearing buildings

• COs/SLs - When tasking squads or fireteams with building clearance:
  • Be specific about which element is clearing which building or sector. There are various methods: mark buildings on the map with numbers (remember to use 'side'), or provide an unambiguous set of rules, e.g. "Charlie 1 clears all structures north of the road, Charlie 2 clears all structures south of the road; sweep west to east. FTLs, do you copy?"
  • Be clear about how you want FTLs to indicate that a building is clear. Again, there are many methods, but a simple one is to have them place a single dot marker on a cleared structure (again, remember to use 'side').
• FTLs - As your fireteam (or a colour-team) clears structures:
  • Don't allow any structures to your rear to remain uncleared. Whilst this sounds simple enough, it's amazing how easily the enthusiasm of your colour teams can carry them forward. Stay in control, comrade!
  • Mark each cleared building using the method requested by your SL.

Meta: if the mission uses an 'enemy not present' trigger, a single living AI cowering in an upstairs bedroom with his cache of Australian pornography can delay the whole platoon whilst re-sweeps are conducted, or a kindly mission host uses his classified powers to find the remaining needle. Slow is fast, comrades!

Vehicle-unfriendly terrain

Vehicle Commanders - has your SL or CO asked you to drive over some rocks? He has? And are you going to do it? No, no you're not. If your SL or CO asks you to pass through terrain that will present your vic with severe mobility issues (rocks, dense forest, steep slope), tell him you can't. Better yet - because leaders like you to come to them with solutions as well as problems - if you understand his intent, suggest a practical alternative*:

CO: "Tank, I need you to move west so you can support Alpha's advance into the village."
TNK: "Sorry CO, it's too rocky. However, I can move north-west and support from there. Also, I love you."
CO: "I know."

* Note: This is not carte blanche for 'planning by committee' - if the original order is possible, follow it. Even if your heart tells you not to, because really you wanted to be a dancer.

Screening IFVs in urban environments

Words you should not want to say or hear: "Driver, creep forward a bit so I can get a look around this corner."



When operating with dismounts (those 'crunchies' in fireteam #1), vic commanders should remember that it's safer - and cheaper - to have one of the ducklings poke his squishy head around the corner and look for the nasty men with RPGs. If you don't have associated dismounts (because you ran them over), climb out of the turret and go see for yourself. This has the added advantage of allowing you to select juicy targets, explain them to your gunner, and then have the vehicle execute a pop up attack. Armour is stupidly vulnerable in urban environments, but we can do a lot to preserve our vics by providing them with infantry screens (ideally to the front and sides).

Don't make me take this out of the vodka budget.

The CO as the more forward / isolated element

Speaking of protecting things, here's a thing that needs better protection: the CO.

Meta: If you selected the CO role, you took on some responsibility for the enjoyment of your fellow guests. We plan quickly, and COs often only communicate the first part of their plan to the platoon. That's both good and intentional, but if you die cheaply then you've just given your successor (usually ASL) a quadruple headache: manage his current squad, obtain platoon-wide situational awareness, guess at what the hell you would have ordered next (or how to react) and then lead all the elements. If you took a bullet to the head because you were off being rambo on the flank, or 200m ahead of the platoon, you might want to stop and consider if you were doing the right thing. Obviously, platoon COs are not expected to command by moving Games Workshop models around a map in a Hitler Bunker, and moving so you can see the terrain is critical. Just, please, remember that the Party cares about you. Or, at least, the Party cares about having to dry-clean the blood out of your uniform before issuing it to some kid out of officer school.

[Sparks]

In my defence...what good is suppressive fire if we aint moving.

It was incoming suppressive fire
The idea was we'd hunker down in hard cover, let Charlie vic annihilate the idiots who were firing and letting us know where we were, *then* we'd move up and clear the buildings and loot the corpses. We had three more targets after that one and we'd just lost someone to incoming 50 cal fire while trying to get the HEMTT to a point where we could bail out with cover (instead of bailing out in an open field in a 50 cal's line of sight which seemed like a tactically unsound decision at the time). My plan was to save up most of Alpha 1 for the final glory charge at the other end of the valley after Charlie vic had exploded and all of Charlie 1 had been shredded by its shrapnel as it cooked off...