Using the my TDG “Battle along the Tziepov” inspired map, pitted a USMC battalion with mech support, a tank platoon, and a section of AH-1W against an OPFOR company’s worth of BTR-80’s. Their ATGM support was in the form of AT-14 Kornets. OPFOR also had a battery of 2S31 SP 120mm Mortars.

 

Each has a sortie of air support with the US and OPFOR having 25% and 10% respectively additional support.

 

Changed M1A1D’s to M60A1’s.

Changed AT-7 Saxhorns to AT-14 Kornets

 

Running the 1min turns in 5min clips

 

0700-0705

Starting out in ageton, Heavy Guns punches out as a screen. Ends about 1km south of the Thorpe Bridge. Alpha Company moves up maintaining a supportable distance.

 

0706-0710

Guns are across the Thorpe Bridge and entering the woods both east and west of Route 9.

 

0711-0715

Continue to develop the situation. Once in place, with launch the AH-1W section to do a route recon on the Clarkson Bridge.

 

0720-0725

HMG's are in postion, they have eyes on the Clarkson Bridge.

Plan to launch Cobras, see what they can stir up while moving up a mech company and the tank platoon.

 

0726-0730: Cobras entered a hornets nest. Spotted and engaged three separate enemy positions in treelines. Now have an estimate of the enemy company's trace center in woods both north and south of the river centered on Clarkson Bridge.

One cobra downed in exchange for three BTR-80s and some dismounts.

 

0731-0735

HMG took out a BTR-80 to its front.

First Mech Company is across first bridge and about to conduct a passage of lines with HMG on the right side of the battle area.

 

0736-0740: arty arrives for both sides. HMG's taking some suppression. An enemy position gave away a secondary explosion. US airstrike also got a secondary and a number of dismounts on the cobra killer position.

 

0741-0745

First Kornets make their appearance knocking out 2x AAV-P7's.

AAV's making their presence felt in the infantry fight with their up-gunned turrets.

The first mech company, the one that lost about a platoon worth of AAV's to a Kornet team, has taken a beating clearing those woods, however have given as good as they have got.

A second mech company has breached the enemy position, crossing the Clarkson Bridge on its way to a crossroad objective.

 

0746-07757:

Game called, only mortars and enemy HQ left. US has breached the position. An entire mech company is engaging the enemy mortar battery, not a fair fight. Mk19 gets kills while the mortar may get suppression. Still have a mech company in reserve.

Gave the situation some more thought.

 

Should have dismounted the defenders, as well as the attackers when in the “attack”. It would have drawn out the battle longer, but more likely for both defender and attacker.

 

Better use of supporting arms (use of smoke, getting the 81mm into the fight)

 

Don’t push the cobras too far forward. Use more overwatch than gun run when in an uncertain environment. By losing one of the cobras I created a whole ‘nother tactical problem, a possible TRAP.

 

Mass – should have paired the second mechanized company with the first for more mass and momentum.

 

Bring the reserve up, at least north of the first bridge.

I have the solution: sniper team. Equals good forward recon, and goodbye Kornet missile team(s).

I have the solution: sniper team. Equals good forward recon, and goodbye Kornet missile team(s).

I did ponder the insertion of snipers by helo, but thought against it since just about every OPFOR swinging tail has an SA-7. I double checked and found that the game codes the snipers/recon teams as non-amphibious, so no long term foot entry. Next plan will inlcude a sniper team with the HMG Teams get quick eyes on and we'll see what happens.

 

Didn't want it to become too much of a drive by.

Being a grunt in Red Orchestra with Brad sniping from afar really brings home to me the value of a sniper or three. On more occasions than I would care to note Brad has picked off someone coming around a wall behind me or on a hill above me and saved my bacon until I made some other idiotic move and got myself killed. Takes time to get them in place though and they way it sounded your fight was pretty fast moving Pete.

Pre-battle reconnaissance, to include the insertion of snipers, and the like, has often been the "long pole in the tent" for many military training operations I have been on, both active and reserve. Snoopin' and poopin' on foot takes time, an lots of patience. A Marine infantry battalion has a sniper platoon, formerly known as "Surveillance & Target Acquisition" platoon or STA (pronounced STAY), within its T/O&E.

 

During an op back in 2000, I was in the COC, as the Fire Support Coordinator, and my buddy of mine was the S-2 (Intel Officer). The Battalion CO, who should have known better as he was as we would call dual cool having earned both the Marine Corps scuba and airborne qualifications kept hovering over the S-2's mapboard asking over and over "what's STA doing", "what's STA doing". Final Al turns to the CO deadpan and says "the same thing they were doing five minutes ago.......sir."

 

In wargaming, reconnaissance/counter-reconnaissance is actually a game within the game. Oftentimes requiring running it separate, even with different players to "shape the battlefield" and provide an intel dump to the players prior to the start of the main game itself.

There are Helicoper Landing Zone (HLZ) icons/markers that can be placed on map within wooded or urban areas to denote at least 150x150m open areas acceptable for HLZ operations. These markers are only seen by the establishing force until the opposing force has a viable LOS to the marker.

 

My conundrum is provided the enemy commander has been in his AO for a while he should have already identified most if not all of those zones. Ones that he deems important/threatening enough, he will place a Zu-23, MANPAD, or infantry platoon to counter any opponents helo-assault.

 

Thoughts?

Hmm, tough one. Helo insertion into an enemy occupied and defended area where they are more familiar with the terrain than you. Recipe for trouble. Recon, recon, and more recon. Coupled with perhaps a diversion or deception maneuver ? Last resort, overwhelming area suppression in the chosen LZ ?

Well, that's why "they" get paid the big bucks. When you go into indian country, you have plan for and expect the worst. I suppose that's why you would prep the LZ, escort the insertion birds, and if possible do dummy inserts to confuse the quick reaction unit.

 

You do not want to drop right on the enemy, so insert them and give them the time to move into position. In a game in which turns are 1min, the gamer needs the patience to "develop the situation", the game within the game. Resist the "what is STA doing now" cycle.

 

Bottom line I suppose, and as we discussed previously, patience, patience, patience.

 

On a side note, last night when a sniper team got waxed approximately 200m from an enemy mech platoon, they were not being employed properly, you could accuse me of almost conducting a movement to contact with those bubbas. Not employed correctly.

 

Thanks for the lively discourse, even though its not Harpoon.