The bitter taste of Army coffee stings your tongue, but the warmth as it goes down your throat makes up for it. The drastic desert temperature swings in Atropia continue to shock your system. It’s March 5th, and while the days are warming up the nights remain frigid. Moments like these you almost rethink your dedication to being a paratrooper…almost. You look down at your watch and see it’s almost 1800. Realizing you need to get to the BN TOC for the OPORD, you call for your RTO, “Specialist Ayala, please grab two copies of the map of our AO, your map markers, a roll of acetate, and your notebook. We leave for the TOC in 15 minutes. New orders – intelligence suggest the enemy is mounting a counterattack and we have to defend forward of this town if we have any chance of making it until 2-325th reinforces our position.”
This is part of our Tactical Decision Game Series. For this TDG, I want to thank Lt. Col. Keller, the current Red Falcon 6, for allowing me to consult him on some of the things he would be looking for in a TDG of this nature. There is no ONE right answer, but there are varying degrees of right and wrong. It is ambiguous and lacking a full picture for two reasons – 1. It allows flexibility as you employ it with your team and 2. Because sometimes, perhaps often, the information you receive in combat is broken, incomplete, and open for ambiguity. Feel free to post your answers in the comments, on Social Media, or submit to The Company Leader. For an aggregated list of TDGs click HERE. To subscribe to The Company Leader click HERE.
Situation
You are the Company Commander of A CO TM, 1-325th Airborne, 2nd BCT, 82nd Airborne Division. Your brigade conducted an airfield seizure of the Donovian-controlled Atropian National Airport five months ago and has been expanding the lodgment ever since. The primary enemy within Erdabil Province, your area of operations, have been factions of the Bilasuvar Freedom Brigade (BFB) – a local insurgent group – who are reinforced by the 111th Donovian Brigade Tactical Group (BTG).
Over the last two weeks the 111th has been reinforced with a mechanized battalion. You recently liberated two Donovian controlled cities, Urtz and Rankin. Your company is currently establishing security and helping the Atropian people re-establish local governance within Urtz, 25km west of Rankin where B Co and C Co are committed. But kinetic operations are not over. You are only 48 hours post-liberation of these cities and expect a larger force is preparing to counter-attack. 2-325 IN is mobilizing to reinforce you from the north, but aren’t expected for another 72 hours.
Enemy
Intelligence reports indicate that the enemy brigade tactical group will employ three battalion-minus fixing forces to determine where to send their striking and exploitation forces. We believe their primary direction of attack is through a pass to the east of your AO. B Co is being employed to defend that pass with C Co in reserve. Their alternate direction of attack is in your AO. S2 believes they will commit a battalion-minus fixing force made up of 1x troop-minus reconnaissance element, two infantry company teams composed of 2x motorized platoons and 1x mechanized platoon each. They also have a motorized mortar platoon with 120mm capability. The enemy will likely commit their striking and exploitation forces wherever they find success with their fixing forces.
Task Organization
Your airborne CO TM consists of 1x AT platoon from D Co, and your 2x organic A Co airborne rifle platoons. You have 2x 1097s with TOWS and ITAS, 1x CROWS with a mounted M2 .50 cal, and a MK19. Additionally, you have organic AT systems to employ: MAAWS (Carl Gustaf 84mm) with 5 rounds per rifle platoon, 1x AT4, and 3x Javelin rounds with 1x CLU per rifle platoon.
Mission
Your company will establish a defense, forward of the city, to defeat enemy forces along enemy AOA X, in order to allow time for reinforcements from 2-325th and protect host nation critical infrastructure and security.
Additionally, your Battalion Commander has specified one critical PIR to support his DSM – Where will the enemy commit their striking and exploitation forces?
Output Required
You have 25 minutes. Get with your CO HQs and platoon leadership to devise a plan. First, determine your key tasks from higher. Then use the operations graphic below to draw your concept of the operation. Prepare a brief FRAGORD for your platoon. Include your analysis of enemy disposition, re-stated mission statement, a concept statement, and the rationale for your plan.
Some Leader Questions to Consider:
-
How will you employ your AT Platoon? Other key weapons systems?
-
What is your Decisive Point
-
Where is your kill-zone?
-
What is your displacement criteria? Do you have any?
-
Under what conditions will you be able to answer your BC’s PIR? Any NAIs you think will help?
-
How will you integrate observation of NAIs with the kinetic plan to defend? 7. What are your key reports to higher?
-
Are there other organic assets, not specified, you can employ to help achieve your mission?
-
What other assets at BN-level might you ask for to help with establishing your defense?
Want a PDF (Power Point Format) version of this Tactical Decision Game for use at your unit level? Click HERE.
Subscribe to The Company Leader!
Complete archive of The Company Leader Posts
Tactical Decision Game Archive