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AAR #1 Every Cat is Black at Night

Scenario After Action Report

Andrew Spearin, Producer, On Target Simulations

Introduction

The purpose of this AAR is to showcase how playing Flashpoint Campaigns: Cold War is less about gaming the systems, and more of an exercise in thinking and acting as a commander of ground forces. We'll take an analytical approach to how we planned our operations and see how the scenario unfolded; highlighting the strong points and invite any discussion on points to improve.

We are using the Every Cat is Black at Night play through from the October 16th, 2025 gameplay livestream on the SlitherineTV Twitch channel. You can watch the full battle in real-time action here. Read on below as we break down in further detail.

This will be a multi-part AAR posted below, with this initial post providing a situational picture of the scenario. Next, we'll look at the general plan for our primary course of action. We'll chronologically follow the main events as they unfolded. Finally, we'll assess the end results.

1. Situation:

Figure 1: Area of Operation, Most Likely ECOA

Every Cat is Black at Night
D+1 | 21 July 1989, 2300hrs - 0500hrs | West Germany vs Czechoslovakia @ Landau ad Isar
Scenario by Jo Lima; Mike Johnstone | Map by William van der Sterren

Player 1:
NATO: 4th PanzerGrenadier Division \[4.PzGrenDiv]
Commander: Generalmajor Berthold \[Andrew Spearin]
Second-in-Command: Oberst Borsack \[Gary Chezem]

Player 2:
Warsaw Pact: 9th Tank Division \[9. Tank Divize]
Commander: generálmajor Weiss \[CPU]

As the battle in Straubing developed, the Czechoslovakian 9th Tank Division began to drift south towards Landau ad Isar. With the Czechoslovakian 2nd Motor Rifle Division locked in combat with the West German forces in Straubing, the surrounding countryside south of the city held promise for quick exploitation. Unfortunately, the day was lost in the engagements in Straubing, and it was nighttime before the 9th was in a position to exploit the temporary local advantage the Czechoslovakian forces had.

In the 9th Tank Division HQ, there was severe indecision about making a nocturnal advance in the barely reconnoitered ground. Unlike their fellow countrymen north of Straubin, the Czechoslovakian forces in this area had been plagued by indecision and stop-and-go movement. The 2nd Motor Rifle Division was in a difficult position since, even though it had succeeded in opening a gap in the 9th Tank Division, it had entangled itself with the West German forces in Straubing. This earned the Divisional Commander a stern rebuke from the Army HQ, which was still demanding continued pressure and relentless advance.

The West German 4th PzG Division had reasons to feel marginally more optimistic. Not only had they stopped two Czechoslovakian divisions, but they could now use the night to maneuver reinforcements and consolidate their defense. At a higher level, NATO had concerns over the fact that the Czechoslovakians had secured a bridgehead over the Donau and that there were no forces to make an immediate counter. They were going to have to rely on aerial and artillery attacks to eliminate and harass the bridgehead forces. There was also concern over the gap south of Straubing. It was uncertain whether the Czechoslovakians would exploit it before the 4th PzG Division could plug it. The Divisional Commander of the 4th PzG Division wanted to consolidate his defense and counter-attack at first light on 22 July. For that purpose, the commander was moving armored forces hastily toward the area. Unfortunately, the counter-attack against the bridgehead was not meant to be.

During the early evening of the 21st, the Czechoslovakian High Command, under Soviet pressure, took control of operations in this area. In a frantic affair, the forward groups of the 9th Tank Division were consolidated into a mighty armored fist with orders to make a night drive towards Landau ad Isar and beyond if possible. As they started the advance, they realized they had just moved towards a gap in NATO's defenses. Being the defender in their own land, the HQ 4th PzG Division was quickly made aware of this. The division immediately began rushing forward with whatever mobile forces they could assemble to throw against the flank of the advancing Czechoslovakians.

Annex A: Order of Battle (ORBAT) 4.PzGrenDiv

HQ 4. PzGrenDiv
- HQ JgBtl 47
  - HQ 2/JgBtl 47
    - 1/2/JgBtl 47
    - 2/2/JgBtl 47
    - 3/2/JgBtl 47
  - HQ 3/JgBtl 47
    - 1/3/JgBtl 47
    - 2/3/JgBtl 47
    - 3/3/JgBtl 47
  - HQ 4/JgBtl 47
    - 1/4/JgBtl 47
    - 2/4/JgBtl 47
    - 3/4/JgBtl 47
  - HQ 5/JgBtl 47
    - 1/5/JgBtl 47
    - 2/5/JgBtl 47
- HQ PzAufklBtl 4
  - HQ 2/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 1/2/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 2/2/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 3/2/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 4/Radarzug 4
  - HQ 3/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 1/3/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 2/3/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 3/3/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 6/Radarzug 4
  - HQ 4/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 1/4/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 2/4/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 3/4/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 4/4/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 5/4/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 6/4/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 8/Radarzug 4
  - HQ 5./PzAufklBtl 4
    - 1/5/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 3/5/PzAufklBtl 4
      - 2/5/PzAufklBtl 4
    - 10/Radarzug 4
- HQ 4/RakArtBtl 42
  - 1/4/RakArtBtl 42
  - 2/4/RakArtBtl 42
- HQ 5/RakArtBtl 42
  - 1/5/RakArtBtl 42
  - 2/5/RakArtBtl 42
- WG WLR

Annex B: Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB)

Area of Operations
Landau an der Isar, Bayern, West-Germany | 48°40'00"N 12°42'00" | 20 x 15 km area

Named Areas of Interest (NAI):

APPLE: A high value objective along the A92 mobility corridor; anticipated as a chokepoint for the main effort
BERRY: Left flank area with minor objective
CHERRY: Right flank area overlapping PIR EAST
DRAGON: Blocking position at a critical junction along the mobility corridor that leads to Landau an der Isar
ELDER: High value objective area
FIG: Critical objective area at western edge of the AO

Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR):

NORTH: required to monitor for a left flank maneuvre
EAST: required to monitor a right flank maneuvre

Terrain & Weather Analysis

Weather forecast is clear, with no moon 0% illumination.
Dawn is at 02:56

Enemy Forces

The 18th Tank Regiment of the 9th Czechoslovakian Tank Division is the expected opposing force.

Intel reports indicate that local enemy forces may contain 50 to 60 Recce, over 80 Tank, over 80 APC, over 80 Inf, 6 to 10 SP AT, 10 to 20 AT, over 80 HQ, 20 to 30 AD, 6 to 10 SPArty, 40 to 50 Arty, 30 to 40 Utility and 1 to 5 WLR subunits.

A typical force structure for a Czechoslovakian armoured reconnaissance element could look like this:

A typical force structure for a Czechoslovakian tank battalion could look like this:

NOTE: Intelligence reports T-72 tanks are equipped in the forward elements of this force.

A typical force structure for a Czechoslovakian artillery battalion could look like this:

NOTE: Intelligence reports 130mm M46 are equipped with this artillery battalion. They are likely equipped with illumination rounds to enhance their night fighting capability.

Enemy Doctrine

Expect a high tempo as the enemy tank division is pushing towards a breakthrough.
Reconnaissance elements will be in the lead, likely taking main roadways until making contact.
Expect T-72 tanks as their primary force, followed by motor rifle companies and second echelon tanks.
Artillery with this division is limited, but still effective.

Enemy Courses of Action (ECOAs)

Most Likely ECOA:
Main effort moving fast along mobility corridor towards APPLE

Most Dangerous ECOA:
Forces split with flanking elements through BERRY and/or CHERRY
High mobility advance party moving faster than our force can arrive to DRAGON, ELDER and FIG

Intelligence Gaps
Our forces are moving into the AO from the north-west and currently do not have active information from any NAI or PIR. Rapid movement of armoured reconnaissance to monitor PIRs is imperative.

Assessment
According to enemy doctrine, the MLECOA and MDECOA are both anticipated.

2. Mission

Block further penetration by enemy forces along the A92 corridor.

3. NATO Planning

Knowing that the 2ic has experience combat on this battleground before, the Generalmajor consulted an opinion as an initial consideration.

Oberst Borsack wrote:In the past, I've tried to take advantage of the southern side of the river... it's a good flanking route. However, you have to really commit to it or else you end up having forces where they are not needed.

Maybe just a town and high country defense of the objectives.

Time is of the essence for this meeting engagement, and a flank maneuvre south of the river would be time consuming and risky. The 2ic's advice will remain a consideration if resources allow.

ELDER will be a focus area for consolidating infantry to conduct a stalwart defensive position along the mobility corridor.

We also require infantry, supported by tanks, in BERRY which contains a tertiary objective. These forces will be used to slow the advance and potentially launch a counterattack into APPLE, if the opportunity presents itself.

Armoured forces will screen and attempt to slow down the enemy main effort in APPLE and BERRY.

2ic chimed in with some good advice, this time, regarding the deployment of tanks in BERRY:

Obsert Borsack wrote:It might be good to put one platoon on the north side of the river and the other two on the southern side because we're not going to stop them from taking the APPLE objective, so if we can hit them on the way by...

With the first delay force ready, we noticed a treeline south of CHERRY that offers a concealed location to monitor PIR EAST and intercept a potential enemy flanking maneuvre.

The initial orders we issue to our units are going to set the entire battle's trajectory, so we must carefully plan and prepare to pivot our COA as the situation changes.

4. Execution

Turn 1 (Setup): 23:00

The initial advance party is small: a handful of tanks, infantry and armoured reconnaissance with ground radar. We need to be economical about sending them into our initial priority areas and establish pickets to monitor the mobility corridor.

Orders:

- 3/PzAufklBtl 4 equipped with Leopard 1A5 tanks, armed with 105mm L7 cannon and equipped with nightvision are tasked to BERRY, setting positions on both sides of the Ressinger Bach.

- 5/PzAufklBtl 4 are typically armoured reconnaissance scout teams, but are bolstered by MG3 machine gun teams and a Carl Gustav team. So they will need to perform as mobile infantry to begin with until they are reinforced. They are being sent to the town of GANACKER and setup defensive positions to cover the objective in DRAGON.

- 2/5/PzAufklBtl 4 draws the short straw and is detached to seize the treeline south of CHERRY to monitor PIR EAST.

- Our two TPz Fuchs + RATAC units with ground search radar and being deployed in depth positions and set up to detect the approaching enemy.

Turn 2: 23:23

As the intial orders are carried out by our advance party, our first reinforcements arrive. A troop of Leopards accompanied by another RATAC enter the AO from the north.

Orders:

- 4/Radarzug 4 will move 1.5 km east and monitor PIR NORTH, hopefully to give us our first detection of the approaching enemy.

- 2/PzAufklBtl 4 is tasked to move hasty south to GANACKER and pivot east to set up defensive line in the treeline covering CHERRY and PIR EAST.

Turn 3: 23:46

The bulk of our Jaeger Battalion has now arrived in the AO, with an additional troop of Leopards and a few SpPz Luchs A3 recce units. We can use these units to bolster our advance party troops and establish a new defensive line in ELDER.

The objective in APPLE has fallen to the enemy. We have no contact reports from the area, but it's a reasonable assumption these are the advance reconnaissance units moving along the mobility corridor.

Radar detects our first enemy contact: 10 to 20 tanks moving south on St2325 into PIR NORTH.

Orders:

- 5 and 6/4/PzAufklBtl 4 are sent to cross the Isar at LANDAU and move hasty east and prepare to cross back north. 2ic gets his wish granted for this maneuvre.

- 4/PzAufklBtl 4 Leopards head south to reinforce the infantry at GANACKER.

- 2/JgBtl 47 mount up in their Unimog 1300 L utility vehicles and deploy defenses in HAIDLFING and support the 3/PzAufklBtl Leopard tanks in BERRY. 4/4/PzAufklBtl 4 will move with 3/4 to screen forward of the infantry and tanks, gaining sight on enemy forces in the vicinity of APPLE.

- 3/JgBtl 47 will move to establish a depth position in ELDER.

- 4/JgBtl 47 were initially intended to bolster DRAGON. However, due to 2ic's worries, this unit is being sent to WAIBLING as a reserve force to rapidly deploy when needed.

Next: Contact!

You can read the rest of Andrew's AAR as it develops on our forums here