TDG Unit: Battalion

The Situation

You are the commanding officer of the 3d Battalion, 5th Marines (three rifle companies) reinforced with two platoons of tanks and a combat engineer platoon. You have been in reserve during the initial stages of a deliberate attack by 5th Marines. After overcoming several enemy elements in hasty defensive positions, the regiment encountered a well-developed fortified area, the commanding officer of the 5th Marines gives your battalion the mission of attacking this strongpoint and securing it (creating a gap) so that follow-on mechanized forces can continue the attack against lucrative targets in the enemy rear. In addition to your organic and attached units, you have close air support and artillery fires available to you.

Working through intelligence channels up to the MEF level, your S-2 obtained the attached sketch of the enemy position and determined that the area is held by a unit organized along the lines of a Soviet motorized rifle company but estimated to be at about 75 percent strength. Some of the positions shown on the sketch have not been completed, and some are dummy and alternate positions. In general the enemy bunkers and vehicles are well camouflaged. Observation/listening posts, minefields, and antiarmor ambushes have been detected forward of the position.

The Requirement

Your unit is presently located several hundred meters south of the area shown on the sketch. Develop the plan you will use to carry out your orders and attack the strongpoint area. Describe how you intend to organize your assets and the sequencing of your attack. Send your solution without delay to the Marine Corps Gazette, care of Tactical Decision Game #90-8, P. O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134. The Gazette’s TDG Board will select several solutions for publication in the December issue.

Readers will recognize this scenario as the continuation of TDG #90-1, “The Enemy Over the Bridge.” The actions described here are based on a solution submitted by Maj Claes Henrikson, an instructor at the Company Commander’s Course, Armored Troop Combat School, Swedish Army.

The Situation

You are the executive officer of 2d Battalion, Sixth Marines consisting of a rifle company on trucks, two rifle companies on foot, a tank company, and a TOW section. As the lead element in a major division offensive, your battalion was moving to an assembly area in preparation for an attack north across the river at 0400 tomorrow morning. Although the assembly area, bridge, and riverbank were supposed to be in friendly hands, at 2000 your battalion discovered this was not the case. An enemy force of at least company size has seized the bridge and occupied your assembly area.

Recognizing the importance of the bridge and the need to move at once if the division attack is to proceed as scheduled, the battalion commander directed the mobile force of Company E (in trucks), supported by Company A (tanks), and the TOW section to attack the bridge by East Farm Road within one hour. As this was the main effort, he accompanied the force with his mobile command group. Companies F and G were directed to attack immediately to the northwest across East Hill toward Hamlet, the original assembly area, and West Farm. The intent of this attack was to gain control of the main roads leading south, protect the deployment and advance of the main force, and divert the enemy’s attention from the bridge.

As executive officer, you moved behind Company F and were coordinating the attack of the two companies in the south. Briefing and preparation for the attack by both mobile and ground elements took longer than expected as troops were tired and had been looking forward to resupply and rest in the assembly area. At 2110 Company G reported that elements on East Hill heard loud explosions and an intense firefight to the northeast. It seemed clear that the mobile force had contacted the enemy, but neither you nor Company G on East Hill were able to raise anyone with the mobile force on any radio net. Periodic small arms could be heard for several minutes, then enemy artillery began impacting in the vicinity of East Farm. At approximately the same time, Company F reported contact with the enemy south of the original assembly area. At about 2120, you received a garbled, panicky report from a radio operator on the conduct of fire net. The mobile force had been ambushed with heavy casualties. It is stopped on the road, disorganized, and now under artillery fire.

As the battalion executive officer, what would you do?

Requirement

Within a 10-minute time limit respond to the above question by describing the actions you would take, the frag orders you would issue, and the reports you would make. Explain the rationale supporting these decisions and provide a sketch map showing the positions to be assumed by battalion elements.

by Capt John F. Schmitt

The following is an example of a tactical decision game like those in use at the Marine Corps University as a tool for developing military judgment and decisionmaking ability. The basic idea behind these deceptively simple games is to create a hypothetical battlefield dilemma of some sort and require the players to develop a solution under pressure of a time limit. The games work best in groups up to about a dozen, where Marines can argue the merits of various plans. The games are designed to teach students how to think rather than what to think, the rationale being that since each battlefield situation is unique it is futile to try to provide the right answer in advance for every conceivable situation. In fact, as in war, there are no absolute right or wrong answers. As long as a solution reflects the tenets of maneuver warfare, it is the “right” answer.

The Situation

You are the commanding officer, 3d Battalion, 6th Marines. Your battalion consists of two rifle companies on foot, one rifle company in trucks, a tank company (minus), and a TOW section on HMMWVs.

Friendly forces hold the bridge and the riverline. (You believe the river to be unfordable.) Reconnaissance elements are operating north of the river. Tomorrow morning the division begins a major offensive north across the river, with the division’s main effort in 6th Marines’ zone. Your battalion will spearhead the regiment’s attack.

You are to occupy the assembly area shown on the map west of Hamlet in preparation for the morning attack across the river commencing at 0400. You are moving north toward the assembly area as shown. At 2000, your surveillance and target acquisition (STA) platoon, which is forward reconnoitering the route, reports enemy infantry occupying your assembly area in strength and continuing to reinforce. The size of these enemy units is unknown but estimated to be at least a company. Further, the STA platoon commander reports he has just met a reconnaissance team that was operating north of the river but has been forced south across the river under fire. The reconnaissance team leader reports there is no sign of friendly forces holding the riverline or the bridge and that enemy infantry with some light vehicles has been moving across the bridge for at least 30 minutes. This is all the information the STA and reconnaissance Marines can tell you.

As the battalion commander, what will you do?

Requirement

Within a five-minute time limit, give your solution in the form of the fragmentary order you would issue to your subordinates-to include the intent behind your plan-and support it with an overlay sketch. Then give a brief (200 words or less) explanation of the reasons behind your decision, the key considerations that led you to choose your course of action. Since there is no school solution to a problem like this, the emphasis is not so much on the course you take as in the reasons behind that course. Send your solution without delay to the Marine Corps Gazette, care of Tactical Decision Games, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico. VA 22134. My solution and one or two others chosen by the editor will be published in the June issue.

by Team 1, H&S Bn

Situation

You are the CO, 1st Bn, 6th Marines, 4th Marine Brigade, 2d Infantry Division, American Expeditionary Forces. Your battalion is currently located to the southeast of Lucy-de-Bocage. During the Battle of Château-Thierry on 6 June 1918, the 4th Marine Brigade seized Hill 142 and the town of Bouresches and established a foothold in the southern portion of Belleau Wood. The clearing of Belleau Wood is now essential in preventing harassing fire and in ensuring the overall security of the Paris-Metz highway—the main Allied line of communication. With outcropping boulders, dense foliage, and steep, rolling terrain, Belleau Wood offers the perfect defensive position and is currently occupied by the German Army with elements of the 461st Infantry Regiment, 237th Division in the north and the 40th Fusiliers Regiment, 28th Division in the south. Operations conducted by Marines from 6 through 9 June have shown that the Germans are armed with heavy and light machine guns and are well supported with artillery fires. German artillery units have been known to utilize chemical munitions. The enemy has regimental-sized elements to the north and east of Belleau Wood that can make a movement to reinforce during the night.

On 9 June at 1830, you receive Field Order 3 from BG James Harbord, CG, 4th Marine Brigade. Your battalion has been tasked with clearing the southern portion of Belleau Wood to the limit of advance. Upon taking the objective, you are to link up with 2d Bn, 5th Marines to the west in Bois de Champillon and 3d Bn, 5th Marines to the east, in Bouresches. You have the 1st Bn, 15th Field Artillery Regiment in general support of your maneuver that can range all objectives within Belleau Wood.

Requirement

It is H-10; prepare a course of action graphic and narrative; identify and task your main effort and supporting efforts. Additionally, include a reconnaissance and fires plan.

Issues for Consideration

• 1. What is the enemy’s composition, disposition, and strength within the southern portion of Belleau Wood?
• 2. How can an integrated fires plan shape the battlespace?
• 3. How can you utilize maneuver or deception to avoid attacking the enemy’s main strength?

Instructions

Quickly formulate your plans and issue your orders. Provide a brief discussion of the rationale behind your actions. Submit your solution to [email protected] or Marine Corps Gazette, TDG 07-18, Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134. The Gazette will publish solutions in an upcoming issue.

^{>Members of Team 1 are found on p. 18.}