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Title 118
RT (Rolling Thunder) -Level Campaign Battles Overview
I’m going to try to explain this as easily as possible. Understand that most people can’t
understand the written text, or when talking one on one, so they need drawings or demos to fully
comprehend the full scope of what you’re asking of them to execute. Normally at Danville,
participants only conduct coordinated battles on a platoon (approximately 4 members each)
level. They receive little direction other than ‘there’s the enemy, go get ‘em’. With RT-Level
Campaign Battling, participants are operating on a company level. This vastly increases the
involvement not only of the participants, but the level of excitement of the battle. At the
museum, I will brief with drawings, a demo, and get everyone up to speed within about 20
minutes.
What Is RT-Level Campaign Battling?
RT-Level Campaign Battling is a vastly more in-depth way to conduct battles both in
time, complexity, and the organization of participants. It begins with a battlefield that connects
to other battlefields through sequential battles. Simply, one team will enter, conduct a battle, and
exit from initial field, and where they exit will be the entrance to their next battlefield. The
opponent teams are either axis or allied teams. They are the size and structure of a fluctuating
tank company. The tank company has: a CO, a XO, platoon leader(s), platoon(s), and supporting
units. Each of these components has responsibilities in their conduct of the battle and each
directly affects the battle. Kills are made not only by tank-on-tank warfare, but by artillery
strikes and minefields. Air strikes are conducted at times to limit certain avenues of the
battlefield while the battle is being conducted. The supporting units are made up of trucks that
recover certain tanks that have been knocked out through enemy action. So unlike contemporary
battles whether with stock TBU orientation or TFA, the excitement, stress, and time-frame of a
given battle is much lower in contrast to RT-Level Campaign Battling. With RT-Level
Campaign Battling, a team has a structure of a basic tank company, and how they utilize each
component (CO, XO-support units, platoon leader(s), and platoon(s)) of their team directly
affects the outcome of a battle.
RT-Level Campaign Battling Defined
The Battlefield
The axis and allies start on a given battlefield on their respective sides of a DMZ line,
then after the battle, the winner advances to the next sequential battlefield in the enemy’s sector.
Advancing into the enemy’s sector makes conditions and circumstances increasingly harder for
the advancing team, as they would be in real life. Some of these things are decreased accesses,
established minefields that limit the aggressor and assist the defender. Where the team enters a
battlefield is where their support unit operates the company’s repair facilities. During some
battles, air strikes will be utilized at timed intervals to reduce accesses to areas of the battlefield.
These are planned and timed events. Each team will enter a given battlefield at a certain location
and exit from a certain location which will be given to each team’s CO at the battle brief. At no
time will accesses such as bridges be allowed to be blocked by team players (dead tank). A
number of bridges will be knocked out prior to the battle, or during the battle, since one team has
to succeed, the persons conducting the battle solely control access.
The Team (Tank Company)
The individual opponent teams for each side comprise a tank company. They have a CO,
XO, platoon leaders, platoon members, and a support detachment. An unseen part of the support
detachment is the artillery supporting unit for the tank company. The battle is planned and led by
the CO through the direction he gives to the individual platoons. The platoon leaders direct their
platoons in accomplishing the tasks that the CO has given them prior to the battle starting, and
may give them updated directions during the course of the battle. Teams should start and end
with the same members. While some members may come and go from the museum, the ones that
are involved should be on one given team. The battling will be enhanced this way, as the team
will start working out its quirks and establish standardized practices. Battles will be rough at first
as the team learns how to operate, during subsequent battles, they learn and adapt. The battles
will also become more difficult. The CO should always be the same, as are all the others, but at
times, the XO and platoon leaders and members can change.
The CO
The CO is the head of the tank company. He first plans how he wants the team to execute
the battle, and gives further directions while the battle is going on as needed. He is also in charge
of directing the artillery strikes. Every 5 minutes he can call in an artillery strike to illuminate
any tank (with the exception of the opposite team’s CO or XO). He only can direct these artillery
strikes, conducted at not less than 5-minute intervals, or he lose that round of artillery strike and
has to wait an additional 5 minutes for the next interval. Being the team CO is difficult as there
are many things that they have to manage, just as in a real battle, you have to manage the battle,
as well as assets. The CO gives orders to platoon leader(s), then the platoon leaders plan their
platoon’s part of the mission. The CO will direct the XO where he wants the XO and support
unit to operate. The CO cannot be killed by an artillery strike.
The XO
The XO is in charge of directing vehicle recovery and taking the place of the CO in case
he’s knocked out. The XO needs to keep abreast over who’s been knocked out, and what the
priority is for recovering vehicles. The priority is not the same as in fluff battles, with RT-Level
Campaign Battling it’s what tank or tank aspect is needed the most, and the whole team is not
recoverable, only a portion. The XO cannot be killed by an artillery strike.
The Platoon Leader and Platoon Members
The platoon leader gets his direction from the CO and then directs his platoon in carrying
the direction out. The platoon may only have two members, the platoon leader and another, or it
may have up to 4 members. This was how it was in reality, and it is how you ‘flesh out’ a team
no matter how many people show up. Sometimes you’ll only have enough for 4 platoon
members, and at other times more. So instead of having one platoon of 4, it would be better to
have two platoons of two members.
Support Unit
The support unit is the tank recovery unit. The team’s XO is in charge of this unit, and
directs the driver of the recovery truck to recover the knocked out tank. The recovery truck takes
the tank back to the repair facility which is always located where the team entered the battle.
The recovery truck CAN BE CAPTURED. The recovery truck can only go into a zone while
there are friendly tanks in the zone. If all the friendly tanks in the zone are knocked out while the
recovery truck is present in that zone, if there is an enemy vehicle present it is captured. The
enemy vehicle has to get between the recovery truck and its direct path to its repair facility to
make it abundantly clear. Additionally, if a recovery truck advances into a zone where no
friendly vehicles are present and only enemy tanks, the recovery truck could be captured. The
Capture of a recovery unit lasts for the duration of that specific battle. The team’s XO is in
charge of the recovery unit, and directs the driver of the recovery truck to recover the knocked
out tank. The recovery truck takes the tank back to the repair facility which is always located
where the team entered the battle. The recovery truck can only go into a zone while there are
friendly tanks in the zone.
An Example of Battle Execution
The CO will receive the battle information from the person creating the battle, and he will
then formulate a plan. That plan he will then deliver to his team. Below is an example of the
battlefield.
The CO’s team is to enter the battlefield in zone 1 and the enemy is entering from zone 2. All
bridges have been knocked out except for the one in zone 4 and the middle bridge closer to the
town. The enemy already is located in zone 2. At time 10 minutes into the battle, zone 3 will
become a mined zone and off limits to vehicles. The CO has 3 platoons of 3 members each. He is
going to give each platoon a series of battlefield objectives designed to win the battle and exit the
field. He will also instruct the XO where he wants his support, in order to counter the anticipated
casualties.
The CO tells platoon 1 that it is responsible for fire support across the middle
bridge while platoon 2 assaults across. After platoon 2 assaults across it will follow
platoon 2 across the bridge and assault Westward (towards town, but on the enemy side
of the river) all the while providing additional fire support for the other two platoons.
Platoon 1’s final objective will be the entrance of the enemy stronghold in zone 2.
The CO tells platoon 2 to assault across the middle bridge and take up firing
positions on the enemy side of the river, but oriented towards the castle. When the
opportunity presents itself assault towards the corner of zone 2, oriented towards the
castle and stone bridge. The CO will be accompanying platoon 2. The XO will be
accompanying platoon 1 and 2 along with the supporting recovery. The CO will provide
artillery support at the enemy opposing platoon 2’s assault.
The CO tells platoon 3 to race down to the bridge in zone 4, cross immediately
and battle their way towards the castle, all the while ensuring that the railroad and tunnel
are secured. After reaching castle, they are to battle towards the corner of zone 2.
Platoons 1 and 2 will be providing fire support.
Once the battle is in play, the CO can make adjustments and give additional
direction, but his communication is with the platoon leaders solely, then the platoon
leaders adjust their team. If the 5-minute interval is up, the CO directs an artillery strike
at an opposing tank which knocks out the enemy tanker (note: artillery strikes cannot be
directed against the opposing teams CO or XO). If the time selection for a minefield to
be enacted, all vehicles within the affected zone are knocked out per the briefing both
teams received prior to the battle. Tanks knocked out by mines can still fight, but cannot
move. They also cannot be recovered, as if the truck enters the minefield, it too is a
casualty.
Battles, Battles, and More Battles
During the event, there are 5 main types of battles. They are:
Basic-Level Battles -Battles that are at face value easy to conduct and driver’s have a
more relaxing time. These are interspersed along the schedule for relief of the more
stressful Intermediate-Level Battles and RT-Level Campaign Battles. If you’ve been to
Danville, these are the staple.
Intermediate-Level Battles -Battles that utilize the organization of the RT-Level
Campaign Battles, but are only single battles, not the sequential inter-locking battlefields
of a campaign. These are utilized in part to get participants used to the more involved
RT-Level Campaign Battles.
RT-Level Campaign Battles -These are highly organized battles that utilize a tank
company, directed by command structure, and are conducted over a series of sequential
inter-locking battlefields. Tanks are put out of action by a variety of implements, not just
tank-on-tank.
Competition Battles -Platoon-level (4 tank) completion for awards.
Two-Man Tank Battles -Tanks that have electronics added or modified to support two
separate operators of the vehicle (one for driving, one for fire direction) organized into
basic battles.
Jake
ACE Member