Czechoslovak Vet story 2 - Fun with the Russians
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The Soviet military doctrine for mechanized batallions was interesting. It boiled down to:
1) Throw whatever fire support you have on enemy positions. Heavy arti and rockets preferred, helicopters would do as well and worst case scenario you use planes for CAS.
2) Tanks roll up, provide fire support.
3) Infantry in BVPs rolls through the lines into the enemy back lines while the second and third wave secures the position.
It was an attacking doctrine and it had certain sense. Looking at Ukraine, it seems like they haven't progressed much further.
Regardless. My dad was to be a part of another exercise. They were supposed to attack a fortified position on a hill. Surprise though, the Russians would be joining in. Not only that, they will use their Hinds with live ammo and rockets. This meant that Recon dudes would be doing what mechanised infantry is supposed to do. Whatever, an order is an order.
So the stage was set. My dads unit set up below the hill. The various COs, both Czechoslovak and Russian were overviewing the attack from a platform on top of the hill behind them. The Hinds hovered nearby, my dads unit got the order to go on with the attack.
Now, the plan was for them to reach a certain spot on the hill. After that the Hinds would unload, and when my dads unit would reach danger close area, they would wave off, simulate attacks on deepers enemy positions and my dads unit would roll in. Badass, right? Sounds like something straight out of the evil imperialist Hollywood movies.
So my dads units BVPs are rolling up the hill. My dad was the driver. They reach the first point, the Hinds perk up and start blasting. Autocannons, unguided rockets, essentially everything they have in ordinance right. Dad said it sounded insane. He actually felt pretty pumped up about it. Finally some cool action if nothing else.
Then they reached the second point. And the Hinds were still shooting. And shooting. And shooting. As they were coming near to the top of the hill, in my dads mind was "these fuckers are not going to stop". And so he did the only reasonable thing and stopped the vehicle. The other guys stopped too. So you had a bunch of BVPs sitting on a hill in an exposed position with nowhere to advance.
Immediatelly there was comms on the radio. Direct orders to continue the attack. Keep moving. Push through the objective.
Dad said fuck that. Everyone else did so to.
After a while the Hinds waved off. Either they realised that they were supposed to stop, or more probably ran out of ammo. My dads unit then pushed to the scorched hill, secured it and then the exercise ended.
Sure, they got chewed out. But they survived. Fuck the Russians and their disregard for other nations lives.
Consider that they did shit like this in the 80s. It did not improve much since.
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