AAR AAR Charlie Company C/2-7 FTX: Operation Darling Picky

[Balazova.S]

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
S3 BATTLE STAFF
Headquarters
7th Cavalry Regiment
COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT
Name of Combat Mission: Charlie Company 2-7 FTX: Operation Darling Picky
Game: Hell Let Loose
Server Hosted on: HLL Training Server 1
Date of Combat Mission: 04AUG24
Time of Combat Mission (Zulu): 2300Z​

Mission OIC: First Sergeant Balazova.S
Mission Controller: First Sergeant Balazova.S
Number of Attendees: 78
7th Cavalry Personnel Involved in Action:
Major Rollins.R
First Lieutenant James.M
First Lieutenant Smith.V
Second Lieutenant D'Amico.J
Second Lieutenant Korfias.F
First Sergeant Balazova.S
First Sergeant Webber.R
Staff Sergeant Busch.J
Staff Sergeant Hellious.T
Staff Sergeant Hermes.S
Staff Sergeant Rasmus.M
Staff Sergeant Zulu.P
Sergeant Button.J
Sergeant Guillermo.C
Sergeant Noriega.D
Sergeant Richmond.DA
Sergeant Sotelo.R
Sergeant Strole.Z
Corporal Ackelson.K
Corporal Anderson.J
Corporal Bean.P
Corporal Coutu.M
Corporal Curran.J
Corporal Dallas.E
Corporal Jinto.H
Corporal LaRoche.P
Corporal Lee.N
Corporal Leifried.R
Corporal Macpherson.C
Corporal O'Culien.M
Corporal Slagg.J
Corporal Williamson.J
Specialist Bearden.C
Specialist Bell.T
Specialist Baldrick.D
Specialist Donk.B
Specialist Etoh.I
Specialist Feathers.A
Specialist Fowler.D
Specialist Gimson.M
Specialist Hood.D
Specialist Jat.R
Specialist Johnson.G
Specialist Johnston.J
Specialist Justin.V
Specialist Knapp.D
Specialist Kugo.El
Specialist Laui.M
Specialist Leaf.J
Specialist Lemon.D
Specialist Leonardo.E
Specialist Maines.Z
Specialist Mason.P
Specialist McKenzie.Z
Specialist Parton.D
Specialist Quake.B
Specialist Rousseau.A
Specialist Russell.T
Specialist Simonis.T
Specialist Sokol.Z
Specialist Wagner.D
Specialist Watters.W
Specialist Williamson.JR
Specialist Woody.W
Private First Class Barret.JH
Private First Class Bower.W
Private First Class Ellison.C
Private First Class Loup.N
Private First Class Mustang.F
Private First Class Patterson.C
Private First Class Smith.ER
Private First Class Von Busch.M
Private First Class York.M
Private Barnes.D
Private Hawthorne.S
Recruit Cord.A
Recruit Dixon.L
Corporal Smith.N RET

 

[Lee.N]

Element Callsign: Lead TC Axis, Callsign "Rocinante"
Element Leader: Corporal Lee.N
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Corporal Richmond.DA
Specialist Bearden.C

Pros:

• Great tank-tank cohesion, even though we had to talk to the 3rd TC through two PLs
• We lived for 1 hour and 9 minutes in the free Panzer IV; we never lost it until after the final phase started.
• 14 vehicles, all tanks
• Infantry was great to work with, they reacted quickly when we had infantry flanking us.

Cons:

• This was an FTX and the goal is to practice how we fight; both this FTX and the last FTX we have not had the use of heavy tanks. This is something that nearly all of the tankers on the Axis team agreed with. It would be great for this to be considered for the next FTX.
• The command comms with split PLs was difficult; it took two extra steps to get a communication to the third TC.
• Pings took a while to clean up on several occasions.

 

[Leifried.R]

Element Callsign: 2nd Platoon TC A, Callsign "In The Mood Too"
Element Leader: Corporal Leifried.R
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:

Corporal Dallas.E
Private Hawthorne.S

Pros:

• Excellent utilization of time for an FTX.
  • Really buckled down on a specific skillset of having infantry see what it's like working specifically around tanks and have tanks work specifically around infantry. Feel like we all learned some things tonight
• Balanced armor conditions for this operation
• Great idea, more iterations please
• Giving the PL's charge of the tanks

Cons:

• More incentivization of less turtle-ing to simulate a more dynamic battlefield to force leaders to adapt to changes

 

[Guillermo.C]

Element Callsign: Armor TC, Allies
Element Leader: Sergeant Guillermo.C
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
SPC.Watters.W
SPC.Simonis.T
Pros:

• A lot of fun
• The attached armor to infantry element was a fun challenge
• Crew performed well to commands, and were performing very well, got to 50 kills for the game.
• I would like to see this OP again with different maps!
• Responded quickly and efficiently to platoon commands for the tank

Cons:

• Having both teams start off with a medium means that the enemy teams medium can stay alive after capturing the point and become a menace, recommend both teams start off without Mediums and only once mid is captured, then mediums allowed.
• Were restricted to following infantry orders instead of going Goblin mode in the backlines like we do during Other armored FTXs, This meant we were not allowed to harrass backline garries which may have restricted us. This is of course what the OPORD wanted us to do, but I wanted to point out our potential for future Operations

 

[Maines.Z]

Element Callsign: Allies Negat Squad
Element Leader: Specialist Maines.Z
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Specialist Maines.Z
Sergeant Strole.Z
Corporal OCulien.M
Specialist McKenzie.Z
Private First Class Bower.W (Disconnected within 30min)

Pros:

• Overall good concept to ensure more realism
• Strole Medic skills
• O'Cullien's AT Move did some great damage
• McKenzie did great with Keeping the tank alive as much as possible

Cons:

• Change in comms channels didn't quite fix the clutter in some cases. A couple of times it was still difficult to communicate.
• Garrisons on the way up to a point does not go amiss, ESPECIALLY with the lack of OP's. Really had a walking simulator experience here in this FTX.
• Had to request direction multiple times due to the changes in scope of mission without communication.

 

[Curran.J]

Element Callsign: Allies Mike Squad
Element Leader:Corporal Curran.J
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:

Pros:

• Great idea of an FTX
• Looked like squads moved together well
• Corporal Bean did well with leading 1st platoon and comms were clean and direct

Cons:

• Maybe have a better center point

 

[Hermes.S]

Element Callsign: Allies - Defensive QRF
Element Leader: Staff Sergeant Hermes.S
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Specialist Donk.B
Specialist Sokol.Z
Private First Class Patterson.C
Private First Class Smith.ER

Pros:

• Great Concept - One of the most smooth, well-spoken, understandable presentations, great use of time, and overall very impressive Bala.
• Big props to Bean for trying to organize and plan with everyone - Was handed the hardest deck of cards and played it well. Head up Boo.
• Fun concept - With minor adjustments, could be even more fun.
• Extremely strong squad work. In regards to infantry; the highest scores in all categories. The whole team: the highest score in offensive and support score.
• Super fun and strong coordinated efforts taking the lynchpin village w/ Mainez. Good teamwork and communication locally.
• Williamson's tank proved vital in making a continued push in said village ^.
• Everyone hates road fights. I lovem. I love trying to sneak up and get into the spots.
• I can always tell when I go up against a force from ACo, then to have it supported by their recon. Ugh.
• Doctor Donk on the spot with the revives!

Cons:

• Always going first for hotwash. Literally like the last year and a half. I'm not done being mad if I lose.
• Village at B5-KP3/6 proved pivotal for both teams. Axis holding it prevented a huge opportunity for the allies to harass and maneuver.
• Point and terrain heavily favored Axis - with just garrisons, it was hard to gain any ground and hold it long enough to get a garri up to move from. Perhaps giving the attacking squad use of Ops to balance it. Consider some audibles mid-game if it's heavily favored.
• Find a system that doesn't promote turtling.
• The MG that was supposed to be paired with me kept getting pulled away.
• Crazy strong push by the axis at the end. I saw it coming but we could do little to stop it once it started.
• I felt command comms in Discord was too much. I ended up muting many of the people that I wasn't directly working with.
• Reapproach smoke throwing and placements.

 

[Baldrick.D]

Element Callsign: Allies MG Team 1st PL
Element Leader: SPC. Baldrick.D
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
PFC.Loup.N

Pros:

• Comms set up was very organized
• Communication and movement with leadership and my MG was fast and effectively

Cons:

• Consolidate the smaller squads (MG, support, AT) into larger squad

 

[Hellious.T]

Element Callsign: Axis Infantry Rifleman Squad
Element Leader: Staff Sergeant Hellious.T
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Corporal Burgin.J
Corporal Macpherson.C
Specialist Wagner.D
Specialist Gimson.M
Specialist Kugo.E

Pros:

• Overall good with the restrictions on infantry - keeps some accuracy historically and causes some different concepts to occur with the restrictions
• Foy is a very open map the limitations on the machine guns did open up some
• Tanks did a nice job to of supporting infantry and rotating to pop identified targets
• Artillery wasnt to abusive, command comms were alright, the split in discord for comms relay was nice
• Squad deployed and created effective skirmish lines to stop ally pushes east of west bend
• Initial organization and presentation of the event was very nice - good work

Cons:

• early comms chatter was a bit of a mess
• lack of rolls variety can be a bit meh with the tight restrictions.

 

[Jinto.H]

Element Callsign: Axis MG team 2
Element Leader: Corporal Jinto.H

7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Private First Class Barret.JH


Pros:

• good FTX

Cons:

• squads need to be less spread AT/MG/Logistics

 

[James.M]

Element Callsign: Allies, 1st Platoon, Echo Squad
Element Leader: First Lieutenant James.M
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Private First Class Mustang.F


Pros:

• Always fun playing against 7th Cav guys, Steel sharpens Steel
• Good OPORDS, Fun Match with Interesting restrictions
• Great coordination and execution of Charlie Company getting the Team(s) in place and ready to play
• Communication channels were well set up and utilized

Cons:

• West Bend is an Objective heavily skewed in favor of the AXIS Faction by its orientation and context in relation to the map of FOY, even with the "balancing" features that were implemented
• 106 Troopers signed up for this FTX, only 76 showed up, this needs to be better, 30 cancels is not acceptable

 

[Hood.D]

Element Callsign: Allied "Love" Infantry Squad
Element Leader: Specialist.Hood.D
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Specialist Rousseau.A
Specialist Laui.M
Recruit.Cord.A

Pros:

• Good FTX concept, the constraints on OPs added more challenge to the fight but on the other hand allowed me to observe more than looking for the next OP placement.
• The communications from both the squad and on the command was really good. Honestly that command chat system did alot to reduce the unnecessary noise that fucks SLs up sometimes especially when we're having to hear callouts from within the squad (especially for someone that gets sensory overload).
• When doing point defense on N30 Highway or covering the tanks we worked really well and reacted to hostile pushes quickly.

Cons:

• Others already mentioned the meat grinder nature of the N30 Highway to West End axis; honestly felt like I was playing Verdun or Tannenburg with how rough it was. Result was slow offense at best to falling back under MG/tank cannon fire at worst.
• In the last 10-15 minutes we were encountering enemy movements from the south to southeast, but lack of rear security diverted our attention from a concentrated combined arms push on West End to defending N30 Highway.
• Didn't feel much artillery presence until the last 15 minutes, but granted I'm sure I should've called for more arty support as an SL.

 

[Rollins.R]

Element Callsign: Axis Bravo Squad
Element Leader: Major Rollins
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Second Lieutenant Korfias.F

Pros:

• Great idea of an FTX
• Had fun and liked the idea of a Garrison only operation. I feel it made troops more aware of defending those garrisons as they could not rely on op's for getting back to the fight.

Cons:

• two-man squad with a Section leader for AT is ineffective. SL role is useless without OPs and lack of ability to talk to command chat when we utilize discord channels for platoon communications.

Note:
When an AT squad is set it should contain a squad of 4-5 dedicated to hunting and destroying tanks. Squad leader,.Supply, AT, Engineer and assault role with satchel when available. If attached to a platoon and no OP's or command comms, remove the Section leader for AT Squads and flex in another role with Satchel.

 

[Leaf.J]

Element Callsign: Axis Charlie Squad (Support)
Element Leader: SPC.Leaf.J
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
PFC.Ellison.C

Pros:

• Very organised and clean FTX.
• Really enjoyed the no-OP gameplay. Very refreshing.
• Despite feeling under-utilised at times, and even with a disconnect in our squad, our scores were actually pretty good for a 2 man squad.
• Was a great match and always satisying to win.

Cons:

• Felt under utilised after initial set up phases. Could be rectified by combining smaller elements (AT, Engineer, Support) as discussed in the hotwash.
• Occasionally was frustrating to make our way or re-deploy to a location fora new garry onky for the commander to drop supplies there anyway.
• Comms were confusing at first but settled down and I enjoyed the more focused command instructions. I shy away from SL roles normally but this made it way more accessible.
• Looked like lots of cancellations.

 

[Bean.P]

Element Callsign: Allied Jimmy Squad
Element Leader: Cpl. Bean. P
Number of Attendees:
7th Cavalry Personnel Involved in Action: Ain't nobody but me


Pro: The guys listened to the suggestions and did very well with what we were told to do.
We tried to push to the east they stopped up. Honestly our guys tried their best it was a hard point to attack.

Cons:

The point. That was unbalanced as all get out.

Perhaps the support and the anti tank squad need to be put together. More garries but they kept taking them down.


What Could be done Next time?....

Perhaps ops for the team that does not take the mid point. Its just a thought.
Yeah it was fun thanks for this

 

[DAmico.J]

Element Callsign: Infantry Platoon Leader 2
Element Leader: Second Lieutenant DAmico.J
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element: None


Pros:

• I enjoyed the challenge that this FTX provided. I had to really be careful with how I utilized my assets. I only had one fully combat effective section with Smith.N, so I had to place him where it was most important whether that be on defense and offense. AT team was usually on the front, trying to hit armor as best as they could. My smaller teams (Support and MG) were usually placed on the eastern MSR to cover the flank. They did an excellent job of covering that area to save the team from getting outflanked. They were also able to spot incoming armor which was critical to the success of our defense.
• It was probably one of the most enjoyable operations I have ever attended!
• The coordination required between 1st platoon (Webber) and 2nd platoon (myself) made this operation a really fun challenge. We were able to allocate our resources really well, and I think it showcased our capabilities to work together as a battalion. The challenges we faced together showed to me that we are capable of working as a unit in so many ways we don't even realize.
• My SLs (Mason [MG], Leaf [Support], Smith.N [Infantry], Von Busch[Tank] ) listened to everything I said, responded as needed, and did everything I asked of them. I was so pleased to have them under my command! Absolutely fantastic job.

Cons:

• I am not so sure that separating the comm channels was effective. It made it harder to coordinate with the armor and the other infantry units. For example, we had three tanks pushing towards the end of the match. I was only able to communicate with one of them, and the other two were left in the dark. They wound up confused, formed up a line, and got picked off one at a time. It was hard to delegate additional support towards them since communicating with the other SLs was challenging.
• I wonder what command comms were like for the other sections in my platoon? I was talking a lot and with a delay as information trickled in. That's probably just on me, but I felt like I was yelling at my guys the whole match lol
• The lack of OPs made it very hard to properly support the tanks. If the goal of the FTX was to coordinate infantry support and tank support, I think that the goal was missed. At the very least, it could have been more effectively trained.
• The support teams and AT teams felt a bit underutilized. I was having a hard time figuring out where to place them. The AT team couldn't flank without OP support, and the Support Team had little purpose once the garrisons were up. I was able to flex the support team around to the weak spots, but a two man team has a hard time making the difference. I think it may have been a bit boring for them.

 

[Feathers.A]

Element Callsign: Allies AT Squad
Element Leader: SPC.Feathers.A
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
SGT.Noriega.D

Pros:

• Well organized event.
• Explained quickly and efficiently.

Cons:

• Op's for attackers would have been beneficial to balance gameplay.
• Lots of Cancellations

 

[Button.J]

Element Callsign: TC Axis, Callsign "Swamp Thing"
Element Leader: Sergeant Button.J
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
Specialist Leonardo.E
Corporal Anderson.J

Pros:

• Great tanks comms
• Crew worked cohesively to execute our back line objectives.
• Great work with infantry

Cons:

• Spread to thin, allowed a flank to establish and stay established while being outgunned.

 

[Woody.W]

Element Callsign: 2nd Platoon squad lead. Callsign blunt arrow
Element Leader: Spc.Woody.W
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:

Pros:

• I liked trying different tactics on the assault on the west. I tryed infantry first tank last, I tried the in a line, I tried to have one rush up with the tank but he goT one Garry and was instantly destroyed.... I tried smokes with just infantry, I tried smokes with tank and infantry, I tried walking arty a couple times to walk our troops forward and I tried it with smoke as well… The arty with smoke was most effective with infantry first and the light infantry like mg and at stick with the light tank just behind. But every time we made head way we could keep reinforcements up so we would all die and have nothing. And would pretty much have to reset evry time… expect when I brought up the half track it worked as a forward spawn and I used the mg to help suppress with the arty smoke.
• coms were good and could be better tho On my end ( a few miss clicks) I think the coms thing had ppl not using the game comes as much and. More discord. If you see a hazard call it out in command coms it may take to long to go through the chain of command. Local comes were good tho for the most part!
• I tried my best

Cons:

• i tryed building Garry’s but I couldn’t get supply’s… and if I did the were destroyed instantly.. I had to set back a garry so I could build closer to the attacking point.. i Evan drove a half track up and it lasted a little but one w we got a little aways out of the blue zone we started hacking to run and lose ground.. I tried arty push with smokes it started to work then collapsed when we got into the redzone.
• At the end a p4 rolled over us and just finish us off.. if they were not allowed that tank cuz they had center.. and we got a medium becuse the had center . it may of made it bounce back and fourth more.. I couldn’t get my armor anywere cuz I had a light tank as support on the front line attack… and when ever we had a medium they would help the disaper to another spot or die… I could of maby sent my light on flanks. But if I left the west the allies would have taken the point faster/ earlier. So I couldn’t move the Hole match and if I did we usaly lost ground . Or maby allow the loosing team a heavy..

 

[York.M]

Element Callsign: Axis Infantry squad
Element Leader: PFC.York.M
7th Cavalry Personnel Within Element:
CPL.Laroche.P
SPC.Knapp.D
SPC.Bell.T
SPC.Russell.T


Pros:
- My guys enjoyed the fighting for the initial start.

- thought it brought out a lot of guys to understand the definition of flexing around instead of just one dimensioned

Cons:
- to long of a grind. Even if we were winning the entire time the guys and myself felt exhausted and seemingly bored since it was the same thing over the 75 minute gameplay.

-having guys not be able to change roles especially after being forced to play a role they may not like.

-tanks need to learn to work with infantry more. Felt like when they did that column formation and all the infantry just died around them they froze there instead of reversing back to their support