PLA - Road to Kyongan Ni

[Outlawz7]

Legend:
Red line - defensive line! Not even one USMC player should get past this line and live!
Green arrow - friendly support fire
Yellow arrow - enemy attack routes

Icons:
Defend marker = bunker
Satellite dish = firebase
Star - Friendly RPs

Squads:

Squad 1:
-Officer
-Medic
-Grenadier
-Light AT
-Marksman
-Support

Squad 2:
-Officer/Rifleman
-Medic
-Medic
-Support/Light AT
-Engineer/Grenadier
-Support/Rifleman

Squad 3:
-Officer
-Marksman
-Heavy AT/Light AT
-Support
-Medic
-Rifleman

Squad 4:
-Officer
-Medic
-Support
-Rifleman
-/
-/

Squad 5:
-Officer
-Medic
-Grenadier
-Marksman/Support
-/
-/

Squad 6
-Officer/Spec Ops
-Sniper/marksman
-Medic
-/
-/
-/

Squad 7
-Engineer/Spec Ops
-Medic
-/
-/
-/
-/


Intro:

Squad 1 takes one truck from main base, goes to the designated spot and requests a firebase when the order is available.

Objective: Defend the west flank with all means necessary.


Squad 4 goes on foot from main base to the designated spot and sets up.

Objective: Decoy for squad 1, do not attack; instead bait the enemy into squad 1's line of fire.


Squad 2 goes with commander straight to Kyongan Ni, where the commander sets up a bunker and defenses needed (sandbags are preferred) then takes to truck to Estate. Squad's engineer blows up the bridge at the flag.

Objective: Defend Kyongan Ni at all costs.


Squad 3 spawns at Estate and sets up one Nanjing for defense.
The SL can go set a RP north of Estate for back-up spawn.
Wait for the commander to arriver and set up a second bunker.

Objective: Defend the east flank using all means necessary.


Squad 5 spawns at Estate, set RP between Estate and Kyongan Ni, take the second Nanjing that spawns at Estate for fire support.

Objective:Fill in the defense gap between Kyongan and Estate, support fire on east flank.


Squad 6 spawn at Estate, wait for bunker to be set up and request a sniper. Then move to the designated spot.
Alternately you can go onto the eastern hills and report enemy movement on the eastern flank/harass them from higher ground.

Objective: Sabotage mission, report on enemies near the east flank and delay them as much as possible.


Squad 7 Spawn at Estate and go on foot to Kyongan Ni, support sqaud 2 in the defense of the flag and put weight on the CP to prevent it getting overrun by USMC on east side.
Alternatively, you can spawn at main, request a Spec Ops kit and use the D1 boat to go all the way down to D6 where you'll blow up the bridge, which can cripple the USMC team. Note that this is a suicide mission more or less.

Objective: Support squad 2 or suicide mission.


Final thoughts:

This is a strategy adjusted for minimum of one commander and 3 squads. As you can see excess squads are used for support.

Note, that there is a medic in every squad. Normally not every squad would have one, but note that USMC starts with ticket advantage which you must neutralize by killing more and dying less, meaning medics are mandatory.

The idea here is to hold the line and use all means necessary.
The Nanjings spawning off the commander assets are to be accumulated and used for defense and heavy fire support, not taxis.

The strategy also makes most of the equipment with marksmen, AT and grenadiers assigned to every important squad.

As far as Kyongan Ni defense goes, only have one person at most occupying a rooftop, preferably well hidden and spotting enemies instead of being a bullet magnet.

Disclaimer: This strategy cannot guarantee winning this map as PLA, but it should certainly improve the odds.

Discuss.

[Outlawz7]

So five days and nothing? Does anyone even check this sub-forum?

[arjan]

Cool idea, like defensive lines ideas

[Razick]

Well thing is that nobody really likes this map or at least dont care enough to actually bother with strategies.

[Outlawz7]

I know, I played it the other day and PLA lost miserably, people still think if they are all piled up on the Kyongan flag, they'll win, so I decided to think up a simple plan on what to actually do if you are PLA, taking into account of what I've seen USMC do on the map; mainly flanking by going through Estate and getting RPs and firebases all around it, then attack Kyongan from behind.

Oh well, if anyone plays this anytime soon hope you take bits of the idea into practice

[chimpyang]

I don't understand why this map isn't played more. It's a brilliant map with interesting wooded areas. Possibly that it's been in PR for a while now, people got bored of it? Sure it gets boring if the chinese rush airdrop and pin the US back the whole game, but that rarely happens these days.

[Michael_Denmark]

I agree that this plan will increase the odds winning the map. Good plan in my opinion.


Initial thoughts


The objective of the plan


This West-East-Mid-Map-Defensive-Axis-Deployment covers most/all of the ground level entry points/paths for the USMC team. Thus denying the enemy access to PLA rear defined as I understand it from the image posted, pretty much anything ground level above the 4th Main Grid line, will not only make PLA reinforcement/supplies flow more easy to the main battle line area (defensive momentum factor covered) but also provide the PLA commander increased potential tactical overview, reducing the communicational level within the PLA team it self and thereby providing potential more room for making defensive mistakes (harass/suicide-attack factor covered).

If the PLA is able to deploy into these defensive positions without ending up in any larger/longer fight before being deployed, then the USMC team will get a tough nut to crack. No doubt. And especially if the USMC commander is not able to create a full picture of the PLA defence.

With luck the incoming and probably confused squad-leader-reports/requests, coming from the potential USMC west-flanking-squads moving through the Charlie, ending up in that PLA ambush, will increase the blur of the USMC commander overview.



Question

Are the PLA March-Timings safe in the intro phase? Does PLA forces anywhere have to fight through potential USMC element/s in order to deploy accordingly to the planned positions?

"The-Thin-Red-Line"

Only danger to this set-up is if the USMC commander becomes aware and recognize the MID-MAP-line-set-up. Cause then the logical decision would be to use weight as a tool to break a specific part of the line and then roll up, envelope and or flank; attack-operations involving taking out PLA spawn-assets nearby the main-battle-line. (potentially forcing some PLA units to spawn at main and thereby downing the defensive-momentum-factor)

In such a situation, the PLA commander must have the overview so reserves can be directed from other parts of the line to the break-in-point. Reserves that are ready to such a move, thus not engaged below the 4th Main Grid line. Then of course counter-attacking and regaining the line has to be processed as coordinated as possible since the USMC CO probably will deploy a defensive/ambush element in/around/nearby the break-in-point.

But even if the PLA commander does recognize the situation there could be a danger in not having enough weight to stop/slow down the USMC concentration trying to flank/envelope/roll up. Creating a possibility for a large meeting engagement along and or above the very axis of the line. (and then the line looses its North/South "fire-zone" strength.)


The very time to create weight could end up being the decisive factor in such a scenario. Specially because there's a waterline for PLA reinforcements to cross if USMC breaks into one of the flanking parts of the line.

And yes, that waterline is of course a problem to both sides; the PLA throwing in reserves and the USMC trying to keep up the attacking-momentum-factor.


Well...initial thoughts.



Anyone tried the plan out on a public sever yet?

[Tartantyco]

1. F5 is way more defensible than Estate and it doesn't leave your forces open to sniper fire due to the foliage. I had my one squad hold off 2 enemy squads and take out a firebase just south of us two times along with a firebase across the river two times throughout the entire game. Didn't lose the rally, didn't have to fall back. Squad Equipment/Kits was a Nanjing, AR, AT, Engineer, Medic, and Rifleman. It also denies access to the city by following the river.

2. The hills to the west are vital and there should always be a squad holding it unless you've been pushed back to Estate. They should at the bare minimum be holding A/B1, though overlooking Airdrop is best. However, unless you get a squad up there by the first 5 minutes of the game it'll be hard to reclaim the hills. Airdrop is almost impossible to take without controlling the hills -by either side- and if you're not able to push offensively it's hard to win.

[Outlawz7]

Advancing into F5 is suicide without proper support, since from my experience some SLs on USMC usually go straight to there.

Again as I said, using overpowered weapons in masses, Nanjing .50 cals in this case and some coordination can give USMC a hard time.

One thing you could always use is back side support. For example, USMC gains control of the west Kyongan Ni flag in D4. Put a squad or a Nanjing into D3 and provide fire support from there onto the flag. Counter-attack from where they never expect you from is the key to successful defense.

I have put this plan to use on one round as PLA commander last week, USMC won 31-0 which is a lot better than xxx-0 I see on most rounds.

I have found a hole in the plan however, it's tactical retreating, which requires plan B - defense of Estate.

[cyberzomby]

looks like a solid plan but not fail proof ( but than again what is ) But If a USMC squad decides to be sneaky they can sneak by in the mountains. Than get a hat and blow the spawnpoint.

Yesterday I was USMC and when we arrived at Airdrop and started capping a PLA jeep came by and a few seconds later there was infantry on the flag. They had a supporting squad up the mountains. They blew me and the other squad away and capped it and dug in. We had a newb team ( only 2 squads knew what they where doing ) but we couldnt get airdrop back.

Seemed like a very solid tactic. Rush in and cap it before US can.

[Outlawz7]

Yeah but you have to be super organized and fast, on a game where both teams are equal in skill that doesn't work really as USMC can get to Airdrop faster.

[+SiN+headhunter]

Well done

[cyberzomby]

Yeah but you have to be super organized and fast, on a game where both teams are equal in skill that doesn't work really as USMC can get to Airdrop faster.

Well the game I talked about, the squad I was in rushed to that flag and a few secs later the PLA was there AND had a squad in the mountains. So I think you can get there at roughly the same time.

[Michael_Denmark]

Well the game I talked about, the squad I was in rushed to that flag and a few secs later the PLA was there AND had a squad in the mountains. So I think you can get there at roughly the same time.

Unless the map and its assets hastened been remarkable changed since I made my own PLA battle plan for that map some months back now, it is not possible for the PLA to reach that destination before the US.

With training and luck the PLA can maybe suppress X of the entry points leading to the destination using long ranged fire and or indirect fire. But in public game, stuff like that is very rare.

[Outlawz7]

They removed the APCs for 0.75, but nothing else changed.

[=]H[=TangFiend]

Good luck trying to get that many squads to just hang and defend. players are bloodthirsty, usually a defend order from a commander will yield about 10 or so minutes of obedience from a squad before they start to wander off probably toward airdrop.

Would be a fun plan though if you had a super organized clan who wanted to work it.


EDIT ---- 8-29

Ok I tried it more or less with team last night I kept everyone N of the Lateral East - West line built a bunker at KY, Estate and two FireBases on each side of the river. Once they started smelling the western most firebase they started overloading that side and the "Thin Red line" broke then smashed east into KY. By the time we got it back we were down 50 tickets and it turned into a fiasco by then.

[Michael_Denmark]

Good luck trying to get that many squads to just hang and defend. players are bloodthirsty, usually a defend order from a commander will yield about 10 or so minutes of obedience from a squad before they start to wander off probably toward airdrop.

Would be a fun plan though if you had a super organized clan who wanted to work it.


EDIT ---- 8-29

Ok I tried it more or less with team last night I kept everyone N of the Lateral East - West line built a bunker at KY, Estate and two FireBases on each side of the river. Once they started smelling the western most firebase they started overloading that side and the "Thin Red line" broke then smashed east into KY. By the time we got it back we were down 50 tickets and it turned into a fiasco by then.

You tried it out. Cool that you post a battle report, although maybe a bit short from my experience. Good stuff!


So was it the difficulty about reinforcing your west part of the line which they overloaded or did they cut you off from your main up north after breaking through?

What happened after they broke through?

Did your squads actually stay in defence?

Did you lack the overview of the battle when trying out the Thin Red Line?

[=]H[=TangFiend]

So was it the difficulty about reinforcing your west part of the line which they overloaded or did they cut you off from your main up north after breaking through?

What happened after they broke through?

Did your squads actually stay in defence?

Did you lack the overview of the battle when trying out the Thin Red Line?

Sorry forgot about this one for a few days. .809 distracted me

Once they realized there was a firebase in the western part of the line at the edge of the mountains they must have camped and harrassed it which cost the team a lot of tickets. They were probably firing in from some sweet spots and rallies in the mountains.


The squads even without being initially briefed did great. Only had one squad tried for airdrop and once they got there told them to fight it out until they died then when they respawned they stayed back on the line.

Once the western flank was broken however units from KY and even the other side of the river tried to adjust to help the firebase and the whole line was strained. If I recall KY went neutral for a stint and those units had to fight to get it back.

I have been struggling as commander with this map on PLA. You can beither push TOO hard and control airdrop and grind your men into the dirt outside of the US main. OR on the other hand you can fall back into defense and lose by turtling up at KY and estate. I have lost this map both ways as commander a few times by 40-60 tickets.

[Michael_Denmark]

Sorry forgot about this one for a few days. .809 distracted me

Once they realized there was a firebase in the western part of the line at the edge of the mountains they must have camped and harrassed it which cost the team a lot of tickets. They were probably firing in from some sweet spots and rallies in the mountains.


The squads even without being initially briefed did great. Only had one squad tried for airdrop and once they got there told them to fight it out until they died then when they respawned they stayed back on the line.

Once the western flank was broken however units from KY and even the other side of the river tried to adjust to help the firebase and the whole line was strained. If I recall KY went neutral for a stint and those units had to fight to get it back.

I have been struggling as commander with this map on PLA. You can beither push TOO hard and control airdrop and grind your men into the dirt outside of the US main. OR on the other hand you can fall back into defense and lose by turtling up at KY and estate. I have lost this map both ways as commander a few times by 40-60 tickets.

Copy.

Sounds like the battle turned into a US roiling up the line after the West part of the PLA line fall into enemy hands. Seems like a logical move for the US CO. (If they had one)


One squad could do the job if Air Drop is only lightly defended. But if its medium or heavy defended then any attack on Air Drop will only be loosing tickets.


Throughout two campaigns in the tournament I designed 3 PLA plans for this map and X thoughts about US moves. Two of those PLA plans proved to be tactical successfully, one proved to be a partly successfully.

Its not an easy map for the PLA but then again, compared to when the US side had birds it is pretty easy now.

I like the map, cause its a good CO training map when it comes to try out width and or depth in a battle space small enough to feel immediately consequences if/when making a wrong move.

Thus CO/SL discipline in my opinion is needed on a map like this, to counter the short-time-factor raising the consequence-factor.

Using reserves to counter the short-time-factor is essential, but in PR reserves means doing nothing for X time. Doing nothing requires discipline.


Nice read. Thx.

Mike