Trouble at the VCP

Situation

You are the Squad Leader, 1st Squad, 3d Platoon, Company G, Battalion Landing Team 2d Battalion, 1st Marines (BLT 2/1). Recently the MEU was sent to Jalalabad, Afghanistan, in support of NATO forces during Operation Enduring Freedom. You have been in-country approximately 2 months and have been assigned to the northeast sector of the area of responsibility, Nangarhar Province. Last month Company G engaged sizable needihajum forces under Sher Dil during a cordon and search operation within the valley. Company G was able to disrupt arms trafficking via the valley; however, small pockets of resistance continue to slip through the valley (squad-sized, Soviet small arms, light machineguns, and rocket propelled grenades). Some of the platoon checkpoints (CPs) have received inaccurate 82mm mortar fire in the last week. Additionally, Company Gs actions last month resulted in significant collateral damage to local poppy fields and goatherds. Several houses and barns within Ada At ah were damaged, and the sole pump in the village center was crushed under the weight of the company’s assault amphibious vehicles. Unequal distributions of solatia payments (appearing to favor Kushtuz farmers in Ada over the minority Nu ristani) have led to increased theft and violence against the Kushtuz by nonaligned Nuristani tribesmen. The company CP is located 25 miles southwest, and the commanding officer has deployed his platoons throughout the valley to provide security for nongovernmental organizations, conduct security patrols, and support human exploitation teams in answering demographic requests for information about the local leaders, population, atmosphere, etc.

It is 1030 and your squad has been at work in Ada Atah for about an hour and a half. You have been in radio contact with your platoon commander and the vehicle CP (VCP). The VCP is closing up shop and is about to push out to continue patrolling along the main supply route. It’s about time; you believe they’re just a target there. In the street in front of you, children kick around a soccer ball that one of your Marines produced out of his pack earlier in the morning. You can hear music from flutes of shepherds who are intermingled with the growing crowd of locals at the seed distribution center and the building housing the health workers. As you clip the handset back to your flak vest you hear the dull thud of two mortar rounds to the north and look up to see a brown pickup truck tear off of the main supply route into a poppy field, heading south. Your radio crackles to life with the voice of one of the heavy machinegun (HMG) corporals up at the VCP, “Orphan 1-3 this is Thor 1. Brown pickup with four Afghans heading south along the dirt road.”

One of the HMG HMMWVs wheels around to the south in the poppy field west of the dirt road and stops. Its gunner traverses the .50 caliber and fires a six-round burst over the pickup that impacts about 100 meters short of the creek bed. The brown pickup jumps onto the northsouth dirt road and continues south at about 40 kilometers per hour. You have about 20 seconds until that pickup makes it to Ada At ah. What now, Sergeant?

Requirement

Given the deployment and current activities of your squad, and in a time limit of 5 seconds, issue your verbal orders to your element leaders and any reports to higher headquarters. What are you doing after your orders are issued?

Issues for Consideration

1. Do you engage the pickup truck? Did the truck’s occupants commit a hostile act/show hostile intent? How does the indirect fire play into your decision? Do your actions change if the passenger points an AK-47 straight in the air out of the window? What if the passenger fires the AK- 47 back at the HMG section?

2. What do you tell the HMG section to do, if anything?

3. Do your actions and their probable results escalate or deescalate violence in your area of operations?

4. What do you expect the enemy to do as a result of your orders? How do your orders exploit the enemy’s response?

5. How do you expect the nongovernmental organizations to react to the actions of your squad?

6. What do you expect civilian reaction/sentiments to be to the collateral damage and/or the actions of your squad? Within 2 hours after you have arrived? At the end of the day? At the end of the week?

7. What is the expected enemy response to collateral damage and/or actions of your squad? Within 2 hours after you leave? At the end of the day? At the end of the week?

8. What actions can you and the BLT take to counter and exploit enemy and civilian responses to collateral damage? While you are in the area? After you return to base?

9. What actions can you, the company, and the BLT take to deter future enemy activity in this area? While you are in the area? After you return to base? During subsequent patrols in the area:

No Bugles, No Drums

Situation

For the past 7 weeks the 2d Marine Division has been conducting conventional operations against an invading enemy force in the country of Hartland. The enemy has been fighting a delaying action as 6th Marines has pressed its attack across the open countryside; however, they are beginning to consolidate in more urban areas as they approach their own borders. Intelligence believes they will continue to consolidate forces and attempt to reinforce while they prepare to defend more earnestly.

Brownsville is a small town that sits along the White River, 15 miles south of Orange City, the metropolis in a string of urbar communities along the White River known as the “Upper Valley.” The Upper Valley and Highway 5 have been serving as important transportation and supply routes for enemy forces operating within this area of Hartland.

You are the company commander of Company G, 2d Battalion, 6th Marines (2/6). 6th Marines is conducting an attack on the southern sector of Orange City, and 2/6 is supporting that attack by seizing Brownsville and isolating enemy units in their area of responsibility in order to prevent enemy interference with the main effort to the north. Your battalion scheme of maneuver is sending Companies E and F into Brownsville from the northeast via assault amphibious vehicles, while a combined antiarmor team screens to the northeast. You have been tasked with conducting a heliborne insertion south of Brownsville and isolating the town south of Phase Line Blue (PL Blue) along route Baltimore. 3/10 is in general support of the regiment, and two sections of rotary-wing aircraft are in general support of 2/6. Company E has priorities of fire from the 81mm mortars platoon. PLs Red and Blue are serving as company boundaries for this operation.

The S-2 (intelligence) reports that the majority of the indigenous population has fled the town. Those who remain are sympathetic to the enemy invasion and should be considered dangerous to U.S. forces. Expect at least a company-sized enemy force within the town itself. They have been using BMPs/BTRs (Soviet mechanized infantry vehicles/Soviet armored vehicles) and 82/120mm mortars but have been operating without adequate resupply for some time. Their morale is waning due to the lack of support and bad weather, but their increased defensive posture indicates they expect an imminent U.S. attack. There have not been any reports of reinforcement or resupply within the past 72 hours.

You inserted into Landing Zone Eagle, 7 kilometers (km) to the south of Brownsville and have proceeded north in a movement to contact formation for 5km. The terrain on the western side of the White River consists mostly of rolling hills that gradually rise into a low intermittent mountain range off to the west. The local country alternates at varying intervals between cleared farm communities and wooded areas. The forests contain moderate undergrowth that thankfully does not limit foot trafficability. Heavy rainfall in recent weeks has swollen the river and streambeds while hampering vehicle mobility on all unimproved surfaces.

Along your route toward Brownsville your company has been involved with two brief engagements with the enemy. 1st Platoon, at the lead of the company formation, came into contact, and both times you directed 3d Platoon to maneuver to the west with one assault squad and one machinegun team in accordance with your unit standing operating procedure. In both instances the enemy disengaged and withdrew ahead of the company as 1st and 3d Platoons pressed forward and pursued by fire. As you approach PL Blue, 3d Platoon is still out forward to the west and you have been unable to communicate with anyone over battalion Tactical Net 1 (Tac 1).

3d Platoon now calls you over the company Tac and tells you he has spotted what looks to be a platoon (minus) dismounted from three BTRs attempting to drive northeast toward PL Red. They are traveling along an unimproved road not recorded on the map. At that moment you hear single shots and automatic weapons fire erupt from 1st Platoon’s direction, and the battalion operations officer suddenly comes through over battalion Tac 1 asking for an update. What do you do?

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, develop your plan. Include an estimate of the situation, your intent, scheme of maneuver with overlay, and all reports to higher headquarters. Send your solution and the rationale for your actions taken to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #04-5, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <gaze [email protected]>.

A World of Hurt

Situation

You are a platoon commander in Company K, 3d Battalion, 8th Marines. Attached to your platoon is one squad from the machinegun section of Weapons Platoon (two M240Gs). The company is conducting a movement to contact, through gently rolling wooded terrain broken by small streams, in order to locate and destroy enemy forces infiltrating your battalion’s area of operations. Yours is the lead platoon. Visibility is generally limited to less than 75 meters because of the thick vegetation. Streams have occasional pools, but are easily waded.

The company march objective is Hill 410. A half hour ago the company commander told you to step it out and reach Hill 410 as soon as possible to begin setting up the company’s defensive perimeter for the night. As a result, you are about 500 meters in front of the company when your lead squad seems to run into a large ambush directly to your front. It sounds like an enormous amount of fire is being delivered on 1st Squad as the whole platoon goes quickly to ground. 1st Squad begins to return fire, and you can hear the squad leader screaming commands. From your position with the machineguns, you start to make your way forward toward 1st Squad when a similar amount of fire erupts on your right flank back around where 3d Squad should be. From your position you cannot see either contact, but you can hear rounds whizzing overhead.

LCpl Vargas, from 1st Squad, crawls back to your position and reports: “Sir, Sgt Carden says 1st Fire Team is down, and we can’t get to them. He thinks there’s got to be a platoon in front of us!” At the same time, word is passed forward from the rear of the platoon: “Platoon sergeant says two men are down in 3d Squad; at least two enemy squads closing in from the right and rear.” Your company commander is on the radio wanting to know what’s going on. What now, Lieutenant?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, issue any orders you would give and any reports/requests you would make. Once this is done, provide a sketch of your plan and an explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-3, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

Advance guard at Colenso Crossing

Situation

You are the commander of Company A, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, currently assembled about 45 miles west of Middleburg. Your unit is part of I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), which is supporting Arconian defense forces in resisting an invasion from Baltonia, its neighbor to the east. Reinforced by infantry, tanks, and artillery, the battalion is ordered to secure at first light the two bridges near Colenso Crossing in order to facilitate the attack by follow-on mechanized forces east along Highway 8 to defeat Baltonian forces and restore the Arconian border.

The time is now 2115. Your battalion commander briefs you on the situation: Arconian forces have broken contact and withdrawn to a hasty defensive line along the Longhorn River following a Baltonian attack. An Arconian regiment is located in Middleburg with forces on Hills 299 and 304. Since the Baltonian attack, only small enemy patrols have been sighted near Colenso Crossing, with no reports of enemy movements further west. Baltonian forces are equipped with secondhand Soviet-style gear and adhere loosely to Soviet doctrine. The Baltonians are not equipped with the latest thermal devices for night fighting, but there is a good chance they have captured some thermal devices from the Arconians. The Baltonians can achieve local air superiority for up to a few hours at most.

Highway 8 is a paved, two-lane highway in various states of repair between Middleburg and Colenso Crossing. The terrain is mostly rolling farmland with patches of forest. Because of steep banks, it is believed the Longhorn and Mineral Rivers can be crossed only at bridges or identified fords. Sunrise is at 0500 and sunset at 2000. Colenso Crossing is culturally significant, being the site of several historic Arconian landmarks.

Your company will form the battalion advance guard and main effort, and at 0500 will conduct a surprise attack to seize Objectives Gin and Tonic, the two bridges at Colenso Crossing. You will be reinforced with an infantry platoon on assault amphibious vehicles and a tank platoon, both of which are on their way to your company assembly area. The battalion main body will follow an hour behind and will consolidate positions around Colenso Crossing or reinforce your attack if needed. Supporting artillery will provide on-call suppression. Radio listening silence will be in effect until contact with the enemy. The battalion commander instructs you go forward with him at 2145 to coordinate the passage of lines with the Arconians at Middleburg, leaving you very little time to make the necessary arrangements. What is your plan, Captain?

Requirement

In a time limit of 10 minutes, issue any orders and make any appropriate reports/requests. Then provide a sketch and explanation of your plan. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-2, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

For more detailed information on the structure of Marine Corps units, Marine Corps equipment, and symbols used in TDG sketches, see MCG, Oct94, pp. 53-56 and the modification reported in Jan95, p. 5.

Bridgeton Crossing

Situation

You are a rifle company commander in lst Battalion, 3d Marines. Your company is mounted on AAVs and has been reinforced with a tank platoon, TOW section, combat engineer section, and Dragon section (attached to the rifle platoons). The MEF has been advancing generally north. Your regiment has been ordered to swing west and seize a crossing of the Diesty River at Bridgeton in order to facilitate the continued advance. Originally the regimental commander had hoped to force a hasty crossing with 1st Battalion, but bad weather has slowed the advance. The previous night, friendly reconnaissance elements were driven from Bridgeton by an enemy mechanized force estimated to be platoon to company strength. Intelligence now reports an enemy mechanized battalion heading south on Highway 1 to reinforce Bridgeton, expected to arrive sometime midmorning. As a result, the regimental commander has decided he will now have to conduct a deliberate crossing and has ordered more forces forward. In the meantime. your company has been ordered to conduct a reconnaissance-in-force toward Bridgeton along Rte 6 in order to ascertain the nature of enemy defenses along the axis of advance as well as at Bridgeton. You are told to advance as far as you can without getting decisively engaged. You are also instructed, if able, to look for sites near Bridgeton suitable for crossing by AV since the banks of the Diesty are frequently accessible to amphibious vehicles.

The weather is lousy and you doubt if much will be flying until it clears. By 0805 you have advanced within 5 kilometers of Highway 1 and are surprised that you have not made contact with enemy security forces. In response to your inquiry, battalion reports no new information on the enemy battalion approaching from the north. You deploy 2d Platoon onto River Bluff to protect your blind right flank. At 0825 Ist Platoon, your lead element, reports: “Just flushed a scout car off Bridgeton Rise toward the town.” Moments later, Ist Platoon calls again: “You better get up on the double to look at this.” You move forward and find the platoon commander watching Bridgeton from a turretdefilade position offering excellent observation of the entire town. He says: “Take a look. I’ve been watching for 5 minutes now and I’ve spotted 3 scout cars and maybe a handful of troops. . . enough for a recon detachment. Otherwise the town is dead.” With your binoculars you confirm the lieutenant’s observations: no sign of infantry, mechanized vehicles or heavy weapons; no signs of any defensive preparations. Just then, 2d Platoon comes on the net: “We got enemy mech on the River Road about 3 clicks east of Bridgeton. So far I count six APCs and two tanks, but there could be more coming into view. They’re heading for the town like a bat out of hell. Do you want me to engage?” It is 0835. What do you do, Captain?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, issue any instructions and make any reports/requests. Once that is done, provide a sketch of your plan and a brief explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #984, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

For more detailed information on the structure of Marine Corps units, Marine Corps equipment, and symbols used in TDG sketches, see MCG, Oct94, pp. 53-56 and the modification reported in Jan95, p. 5.

Bridgeton Crossing, Part II

This scenario is a continuation of Tactical Decision Game #89-4, “Bridgeton Crossing,” based on the author’s solution to that problem published on p. 83 of this issue.

Situation

You are a rifle company commander in 1st Battalion, 3d Marines. Your company is mounted on AAVs and has been reinforced with a tank platoon, TOW section, combat engineer section, and Dragon section (attached to the rifle platoons). As the MEF advances generally north, your regiment has been ordered to swing west and seize a crossing of the Diesty River at Bridgeton in order to facilitate the continued advance. The previous night, friendly reconnaissance elements were driven from Bridgeton by an enemy mechanized force estimated to be platoon to company strength. Intelligence now reports an enemy mechanized battalion heading south on Highway 1 to reinforce Bridgeton, expected to arrive sometime midmorning. As the regiment prepares for a deliberate crossing, your company has been ordered to conduct a reconnaissance-in-force toward Bridgeton along Rte. 6 in order to ascertain the nature of enemy defenses and find possible river-crossing sites for AAVs.

The weather is lousy, and you doubt if much will be flying until it clears. You approach Bridgeton with 2d Platoon deployed onto River Bluff to protect your right flank. Gaining a vantage point to the town, you discover that Bridgeton seems to be unoccupied except for a reconnaissance patrol. Just then, 2d Platoon reports “enemy mech on the River Road about 3 clicks east of Bridgeton. So far I count 6 APCs and 2 tanks, but there could be more coming into view. They’re heading for the town like a bat out of hell.” You order 2d Platoon to engage and 1st Platoon to take the town immediately, with tanks and TOWs in overwatch at Bridgeton Rise and 3d Platoon and engineers in reserve. Your FO calls for fire east of the town. Once your platoons are on the move, you report your decision to battalion.

At 0850 you meet up in the town with your 1st Platoon commander who reports: “Town secure. We got 2 scout cars. One escaped north. Otherwise, the place seems empty.” The battalion commander comes on the net: “Imperative you hold Bridgeton until we can reinforce. I’m getting you all the support I can, including anything that’ll fly. You’re now division main effort. Hang on; we’ll be there as fast as we can. Good work.” The firefight to the east has died down. You check in with 2d Platoon, which reports: “We knocked out one APC. Enemy has pulled back. We’ve got three tanks and an APC visible in the treeline 3 klicks northeast of the town. The rest of the column seems to have withdrawn; I can’t tell where.” The time is now 0900. Battalion still has no word on the enemy battalion to the north. What next, Captain?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, issue any instructions and make any reports/requests. Once that is done, provide a sketch of your plan and a brief explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-6, P. O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

For more detailed information on the structure of Marine Corps units, Marine Corps equipment, and symbols used in TDG sketches, see MCG, Oct94, pp. 53-56 and the modification reported in Jan95, p. 5.

Bridgeton Crossing, Part IIa

Like TDG #98-6, this scenario is a continuation of TDG #98-4, “Bridgeton Crossing,” based on the author’s solution to that problem published in MCG, Jun98. Only this time, things have turned out differently.

Situation

You are a rifle company commander in 1st Battalion, 3d Marines. Your company is mounted on AAVs and has been reinforced with a tank platoon, TOW section, combat engineer section, and Dragon section (attached to the rifle platoons). As the MEF advances generally north, your regiment has been ordered to swing west and seize a crossing of the Diesty River at Bridgeton in order to facilitate the continued advance. Intelligence now reports an enemy mechanized battalion heading south on Highway 1 to reinforce Bridgeton, expected to arrive sometime midmorning. Your company has been ordered to conduct a reconnaissance-in-force toward Bridgeton along Rte 6 in order to ascertain the nature of enemy defenses.

The weather is lousy and you doubt if much will be flying until it clears. You approach Bridgeton with 2d Platoon deployed onto River Bluff to protect your blind right flank. Gaining a vantage point overlooking the town, you discover that Bridgeton seems to be unoccupied except for what looks like a reconnaissance patrol. Just then, 2d Platoon reports “enemy mech on the River Road about 3 clicks east of Bridgeton. So far I count 6 APCs and 2 tanks headed southwest, but there could be more coming into view.” Convinced that you have a momentary opportunity to seize a critical crossing site, you order 2d Platoon to engage and 1 st Platoon to take the town immediately. You put the tanks and TOWs in overwatch at Bridgeton Rise and hold your 3d Platoon and engineers in reserve. Your FO calls for fire east of the town. Once your platoons are on the move, you report your decision to battalion. 1st Platoon races for the town and appears to have crossed the bridge into the town without resistance. Your tanks and TOWs succeed in holding off the enemy column from the east; a couple of enemy tanks have been knocked out. The battalion commander comes on the net: “Imperative you hold Bridgeton until we can reinforce. You’re now division main effort. Hang on; we’ll be there as fast as we can. Good work.”

Hardly moments later, Bridgeton Rise begins to come under artillery fire and you hear and see explosions and sounds of combat erupting from the town. You are unable to contact the Ist Platoon, but it has obviously come up against well-concealed, wellprepared defenses-some sort of urban ambush-deeper in the town. After a couple of extremely long minutes an unidentified voice, which you believe to be from the 1st Platoon, reports, “We’ve run into a mess. All the amtrac have been hit. It’s awful. The lieutenant’s dead. We’re in buildings just across the bridge, but everybody’s hurt. We need help.” The time is now 0920. As of 10 minutes ago, battalion still had no word on the enemy battalion to the north. What now, Captain?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, issue any instructions and make any reports/requests. Once that is done, provide a sketch of your plan and a brief explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-7, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640823.

Attack on Rommerbach

Situation

You are a colonel commanding a task force of roughly battalion strength that includes 2 U.S. Marine light armored reconnaissance (LAR) companies, Alpha and Bravo each with a platoon of antitank variants; a TOW section; and 2 host-nation Marine companies, one a company of 12 M60 tanks, the other a company of mechanized infantry. The host-nation Marines are reasonably well trained and can generally be relied on to accomplish basic tasks with a reasonable amount of supervision.

The terrain is rolling farmland punctuated by small villages and wooded areas. Enemy forces have invaded the host nation from the west. The Combined Marine Forces (CMEF), of which your task force is a part, are advancing generally northwest along Highway 7, clearing the area of enemy forces in order to restore the border. Your task force has been ordered to break off from the Highway 7 axis and advance south-southwest from Jennau through Ostglossen and Glossen to Rommerbach and Schilte to clear any enemy forces in zone. Intelligence indicates that as of 48 hours ago an enemy reinforced mechanized company was reported in Schilte, while Rommerbach appeared to be unoccupied save for periodic mechanized patrols. You will have a battery in direct support along the Highway 7 axis and are told that close air support and Cobras will be available based on priority.

You move out with Alpha in the lead, followed by the mech, tanks, TOWs, and Bravo in the rear. You reach Glossen without any enemy contact. As planned, Alpha moves on Rommerbach while you continue with the mech company, tank company, Bravo, and TOWs toward Schilte. You drop your combat operations center (COC) in Glossen and instruct the tank company to halt just west of Glossen as the battalion reserve.

Radio traffic suggests that 10-12 kilometers north, along the Highway 7 corridor, a major engagement is beginning to develop. Meanwhile, Alpha reports it is engaging an enemy force of unknown size near Rommerbach. About 2 kilometers east of Schilte, you gain observation of the town and halt to have a look, searching for signs of a defense. Radio traffic now indicates that sizable enemy forces are launching an unexpected coordinated attack along Highway 7 against CMEF which is now on the defensive. CMEF warns you to be alert for major enemy offensive activity. You should not expect much in the way of aviation support since all available air is now being vectored to the developing battle. CMEF instructs you: “Imperative you secure Rommerbach and Schilte and hold those positions in order to protect CMEF’s left flank.” Through your binoculars you see signs of a prepared defense in Schilte, but the enemy strength is unclear. You maneuver your mech, TOWs, and Bravo into attack positions outside of Schilte. Alpha now reports it has driven six reconnaissance vehicles from Rommerbach and is consolidating the town. Your COC reports that your tank company does not seem to be occupying its designated assembly area, and the Bravo CO reports that the tanks have continued with the column and are directly in trace of him.

Your first indication that something more is up with Alpha is a fire mission called against an enemy mech battalion west of Rommerbach. Shortly after that, the Bravo company commander comes on the command net to report that he has reached the west edge of Rommerbach to discover that a sizable force of mech and armor is closing on Rommerbach from the west: “A battalion, at least, in assault formation. Lead elements inside 3 clicks and closing.” You can now hear the sounds of tank main guns echoing from the north.

What do you do, Colonel?

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, describe any actions you will take in the form of orders you will issue or requests/reports you will make. Then provide a sketch of your plan and a brief explanation of your actions. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-10, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

Battle Along the Tziepov

Situation

You are the commander of a brigade-size task force consisting of a tank-heavy battalion (1st Bn), a mechheavy battalion (2d Bn), a motorized reinforced infantry battalion (3d Bn), a reinforced light-armored reconnaissance company (Alpha), and 2 host-nation mixed battalions (4th Bn and 5th Bn, each consisting of 2 tank companies and 2 motorized companies). Your host-nation battalions are battle hardened and capable of most basic missions. You are supported by a battalion of direct-support artillery. Your forces are depleted to about 70 percent strength. The terrain is rolling and thickly wooded in places. The wooded areas are impassable to all but infantry. Enemy forces, also depleted, are principally mechanized and motorized.

Friendly forces (advancing north with the mission of destroying enemy forces en route to the operational objective some 30 kilometers north) and enemy forces (advancing south) have clashed head to head along the trace of the Tziepov River. The Tziepov is a shallow, slow-moving river some 300-400 meters wide (with branches 100-200 meters wide). Upon contact, in an effort to seize the initiative, both forces have started shifting west, trying to turn the other’s flank and establish a bridgehead on the far side of the river. Unopposed crossings of the Tziepov, although time-consuming, are generally not difficult for vehicles or infantry. Assault crossings are another story. Fording sites can be found along most stretches of the river; generally, wherever the river is accessible, crossing sites can be found.

Your brigade is sent west along Rte. 30 with urgent instructions to secure bridges in the vicinity Emamiville-Gunnington-Pageton, or at least to deny those crossing sites to the enemy. Combat intelligence indicates an enemy mechanized regiment closing on Emamiville from the east along Rte. 18. Alpha races ahead and clashes with a reinforced enemy company of tanks and mech at Thorpe Bridge. After a heated engagement, Alpha repulses the enemy, who withdraws to blocking positions north of the river. 3d Bn reinforces Alpha and also continues west and meets an enemy battalion in the process of crossing at Fouse Bridge. Meanwhile, sensor hits indicate heavy vehicular traffic between Emamiville and Fouse Bridge. As darkness falls, a close, confused engagement develops on the wooded slopes of Leon Ridge. The 3d Bn commander reports he has only a rough idea of current friendly– enemy dispositions and that the operation has devolved into a series of intense small unit actions with the use of supporting arms being problematic.

By 2130, Alpha holds its position south of Thorpe Bridge and also screens the river between Rtes. 7 and 9, making periodic contact with enemy probes along its entire front. The company commander estimates he is now opposed by a battalion. 2d Bn has established a blocking position along Rte. 7 north of Gunnington. By 2300, 1st, 4th and 5th Bns occupy assembly areas near Pageton. Your mobile combat service support detachment (MSSD) has already replenished Alpha in its positions and will have your units in GunningtonPageton replenished by 0300. Throughout the night, reconnaissance teams report continuing vehicular movement, estimated at more than battalion strength, west across Heredia Bridge on Rte. 18. By 0030, 3d Bn commander reports the sounds of significant mechanized activity near Fouse Bridge. He reports that the situation has stalemated, with friendly and enemy forces interspersed and the enemy holding a tenuous bridgehead south of the river. He estimates that the situation is very unstable and will not be sorted out at least until dawn. In the meantime, a lull seems to have settled over the battlefield. What will be your next move?

Requirements

1) In a time limit of 15 minutes, make your decision in the form of any order/guidance you will issue to subordinates and/or reports/requests you will make. Your staff can work out the complete order as time permits. Include a sketch of your scheme. 2) In an additional 5 minutes, explain likely or possible follow– on actions you are considering. 3) Provide a brief explanation of your decision and follow-on plan. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #99-4, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

For more detailed information on the structure of Marine Corps units, Marine Corps equipment, and .symbols used in TDG sketches, see MCG, Oct94, pp. 53-56 and the modification reported in Jan95, p. 5.

Attack on Rocky Run Hollow

Situation

You command the 1st Battalion. Your enemy is elements of the Quantico Liberation Front QLF). A tough and effective guerilla force, the QLF tends to operate in small units, relying on ambush and hit-and-run tactics. Faced with a superior enemy, QLF forces will usually withdraw quickly, springing ambushes on their pursuers. QLF forces have shown themselves capable of mounting operations up to battalion size, with up to 8-10 light tanks in support. The terrain is thickly vegetated; line of sight is rarely more than 200 meters, and often less than 100. The largest stream, Rocky Run, is never more than 3 feet deep; the others are intermittent and pose no obstacle to infantry. The only road in your area is Highway 6, a one-lane dirt road. Vehicles are mostly limited to the road and trails.

Regiment hopes to bring the QLF to battle with a pair of simultaneous predawn surprise attacks. Your battalion is tasked to locate and attack a possible enemy regimental supply depot in Rocky Run Hollow west of Highway 6. The regimental commander makes it clear that the true objective is to force the QLF to fight, and the idea is to do that by threatening his logistics. Meanwhile, some 10 kilometers east, 2d Battalion will launch a helicopterborne raid on Triangletown, a suspected QLF assembly area.

You have two sections of Cobras (Zipper 1 & 2) in direct support and two preplanned close air support missions. Your antiarmor assets are organized into “Whiskey” Company, consisting of M2 heavy machineguns, Mk19 grenade launchers, and TOWs mounted on HMMWVs and organized into four platoons of four vehicles each.

You come up with what you think is an adaptable plan. Alpha will swing around to block the western flank near Hill 86. Whiskey will advance north on Highway 6 to block from the cast. Bravo will advance directly north on the suspected logistic site in order to fix the enemy or flush him toward Alpha or Whiskey. Charlie will be in reserve, ready to exploit the situation. Aviation will be on call.

The approach march goes well. Alpha reaches its attack position at 0300 without making contact. Whiskey reaches Homestead 1 having lost only one vehide to an enemy mine. Bravo advances quickly in the face of sporadic harassment from an estimated squad and reaches the rise overlooking the suspected logistic site with minimal casualties. Radio traffic indicates 2d Battalion has rim into a sizable force near Triangletown. As Bravo continues to advance at 0400, Whiskey moves north from Homestead 1 toward the E-14 trail intersection to “tighten the noose.” Bravo reports increasing resistance, probably platoon strength, but no sign yet of a logistic site. At 0430, Whiskey reports an enemy colunm of infantry with six enemy tanks at the Highway 6/E-14 intersection, heading east on E-14. Whiskey was able to knock out a light tank before “everybody went to ground. They didn’t expect us.” Just then, you receive a report from higher headquarters of an enemy infantry company “double– timing” south on Highway 6 near Homestead 2.

What will you do?

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, make your decision in the form of any orders you will issue or reports you will make. Then provide an overlay and a brief explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #99-11, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax (703) 630-9147.

A Bridge to Westcott

Situation

You are the commander of Company G, 2d Battalion, 2d Marines. Your company is at table of organization strength. You are mounted on AAVs and have a platoon of tanks attached. You have been tasked as the advance guard in a battalion movement to contact toward the village of Westcott. Within the last 24 hours, the enemy has withdrawn to the north, breaking contact. Your battalion is advancing north to regain contact in order to bring the enemy to battle and destroy him. Up to this point, enemy resistance has been limited to a brief contact with a platoon-size unit approximately 20 kilometers (km) south of Westcott. The enemy unit was traveling in BTRs and broke contact to the north along Rte. 2. The S-2 believes what we hit was part of a rear guard of a battalion mechanized/motorized force.

Terrain is made up of several large hill masses, a north/south river, which is fordable during the current dry season, and two unimproved roads trafficable by wheeled vehicles. Vegetation has patches of mature hardwood forests with sparse, grassy fields in the open areas. The swampy low ground directly south of Westcott is not trafficable to mechanized assets and is slow-go by foot.

You’ve just received word from your lead platoon commander that he is in contact with what he believes to be a squad-size element located in the vicinity of Hill 130. The platoon commander reports that his lead track is “down hard,” and he is currently dismounting in attempt to clear the enemy from Hill 130. In his last transmission to you, he said that he could see dust clouds to the north approximately 4km away. Your current position is with the company’s main body, which is 2km from the Krause River. The forward air controller tells you that a section of Cobra’s is en route and will be there in approximately 7 minutes.

Requirement
In a time limit of 5 minutes prepare a frag order that you would pass to your subordinates, to include your intent. Include any reports that you would make to battalion and complete the graphic with your actions for the company. Be prepared to provide a brief explanation of your solution. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #00-5, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-630-9147.