Battle of Musa Qala

[GioCor87]

Seems impossible to have such large area completely free of Taliban, especially since handover takes place and long range artillery and apaches cannot be used. How did you beat this scenario?

[Shenji]

Hand over will happen at turn 45, you'll have plenty of time. Prompt as many as possible ANA SOF units and veteran units before the hand over.

[strykerpsg]

Also, nothing stopping you from building additional COPs, equipped with additional arty, mortars and can station Apaches there too. Not an impossible scenario, just need to stage additional forces further forward. I usually emplace 2 COPs with arty, mortars and Apache each. Use your SF units to build ANA arty, helos and ASVs in your FOB, then send those units, with an SF team to your COP wherein your SF now train ANA infantry units, maximum of 3 per SF team. It also pays to use your reinforced Air Assault INF units and blackhawks as an Air Assault force, reinforcing main avenues of approach, since the taliban like to place IEDs and bobbytraps along the MSR.

[Shenji]

In this mission(Musa Qala, aka Snakepit), you should not rely on ISAF forces. They will pull out at turn 45.

[strykerpsg]

Originally posted by Shenji:

In this mission(Musa Qala, aka Snakepit), you should not rely on ISAF forces. They will pull out at turn 45.

I would disagree, as the ISAF forces bring much firepower and mobility to bear until turn 45. Capitalize on their increased mobility to put about 4 transports of FOB resupply and 2 more of ammo resupply for the coming turnover. (Hint, truck costs will drop about turn 25)

Just use the time up till 45 to establish the ANA INF at various COPs and get them promoted prior to handover.

[CapGun1977]

Originally posted by GioCor87:

Seems impossible to have such large area completely free of Taliban, especially since handover takes place and long range artillery and apaches cannot be used. How did you beat this scenario?

I built 4 FOB`s in all and link all towns to highway to help with H&M. By the time handover happend I had alraedy sent all US forces home. ANA can get the job done but don`t let them sit in FOB`s get them out and in ambush position to get promotions. ANA SF will help with large view.

[GioCor87]

How do you place FOBs exactly in this map?

[strykerpsg]

Originally posted by GioCor87:

How do you place FOBs exactly in this map?

You can use either the CH-47 Chinook or the Buffalo to build the COPs

[strykerpsg]

Originally posted by CapGun1977:

I built 4 FOB`s in all and link all towns to highway to help with H&M. By the time handover happend I had alraedy sent all US forces home. ANA can get the job done but don`t let them sit in FOB`s get them out and in ambush position to get promotions. ANA SF will help with large view.

I use the same strategy most every game. Building the road network helps with hearts and minds, but more importantly, provides additional PP when IED farming with the husky.

[GioCor87]

Originally posted by strykerpsg:

Originally posted by GioCor87:

How do you place FOBs exactly in this map?

You can use either the CH-47 Chinook or the Buffalo to build the COPs

Sorry I mean where do you place them in order to cover the zone Alpha as best as possible?

[strykerpsg]

Originally posted by GioCor87:

Originally posted by strykerpsg:

You can use either the CH-47 Chinook or the Buffalo to build the COPs

Sorry I mean where do you place them in order to cover the zone Alpha as best as possible?

I placed both of mine near the 1st bridge crossing on the main supply route, one about 3-4 hexes off the MSR to the east, another, just northwest of the town next to the bridge crossing, against the hill mass. That way, I had over-lapping arty support and Apaches that could mutually support those 2 COPs and stay on station 3 turns without returning to the main FOB. I also use 2 arty positions at each COP, 1 US artillery and 1 ANA artillery. That way, I get 3 indirect shots from each COP, if you count integrated mortars at each COP too.

[strykerpsg]

Now, the downside once the US withdraws is you have reduced range on your arty coverage and they no longer overlap, but as other poster commented, you must use your ANA INF and SF a bit more aggressively. I generally leave one SF unit at each COP, since this expands your awareness around your COP.

[GrooGrux]

Here are the FOB positions in my game. Gonna put at least one (two if I can fit 'em) more FOB northwet of Musa Qala North http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=917615572

[Shenji]

Originally posted by strykerpsg:

Originally posted by Shenji:

In this mission(Musa Qala, aka Snakepit), you should not rely on ISAF forces. They will pull out at turn 45.

I would disagree, as the ISAF forces bring much firepower and mobility to bear until turn 45. Capitalize on their increased mobility to put about 4 transports of FOB resupply and 2 more of ammo resupply for the coming turnover. (Hint, truck costs will drop about turn 25)

Just use the time up till 45 to establish the ANA INF at various COPs and get them promoted prior to handover.

That's exactly what I mean, don't rely on the ISAF.
There will be a Taliban massive full frontal assault right after the hand over.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=912469258

[EverySingleSoldier]

Great discussion :)

[strykerpsg]

Originally posted by Shenji:

Originally posted by strykerpsg:

I would disagree, as the ISAF forces bring much firepower and mobility to bear until turn 45. Capitalize on their increased mobility to put about 4 transports of FOB resupply and 2 more of ammo resupply for the coming turnover. (Hint, truck costs will drop about turn 25)

Just use the time up till 45 to establish the ANA INF at various COPs and get them promoted prior to handover.

That's exactly what I mean, don't rely on the ISAF.
There will be a Taliban massive full frontal assault right after the hand over.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=912469258

Indeed there is a full assault, but I think that depends on how well you clear your zone. Each time I play this scenario, with the initial ISAF forces and overlapping and redundant indirect fires, I have essentially made a kill sac and accomplish the mission of clearing zone Alpha each time. Then, at turn 45, because I had deployed ANA arty to supplement the COPs, they are already emplaced and while lacking overlapping fires, i just forward deploy my ANA SF and expand my viewing. Also, I keep a standby ANA INF unit attached to an MI8, to query the villages.

I do not think you can win this scenario if you are not using ISAF forces superior equipment in the first 45 days. Without the overlapping ISAF arty, Apaches and SF CAS, you cannot kill the taliban as they show up in your AO. I firmly believe if you can elevate the hearts and minds to 75 by turn 45, you will get much more accurate intel updates. If you can get H&M to 75, once handover is complete at turn 45, you only need to repair the odd broken water tower and visit the occasional village to maintain about a 70 point average. Oh, and do not forget to regularly sweep your buffalo built roads and MSR. That will endear the population and keep the H&M way above 65.

I think another asset that is greatly overlooked is the ability of the ANA ASV and your MRAP to also be used as a fighting vehicle. Even if it gets disabled, it still picks up promtion points and once it's promoted to SSG, it is far mroe likely to survive a contact unscathed, without having to even dismount your INF.