Fire Support Coordination Measures and Cross Boundary Engagement

[CharlieB]

I am more than aware of the methods that can be used for putting in graphics to enable battlespace to be identified and managed in terms on Manoeuvre.

 

However, what I have not managed to achieve is the control of battlespace in terms of Fire Support Coordination - ie boundaries are Restricted Fire Lines (RFL)/ Areas (RFAs), management of Coordinated Fire Lines etc.

 

Clearly I don't want to stop units engaging cross boundary if they are being engaged, but it might be useful to apply fire control between adjacent Pls and Coys / Tps and Sqns.

 

Any thought of how this could be achieved using existing exercise design tools.

[Gibsonm]

I'm assuming you mean for neighbouring AI controlled units, since the human controlled training audience (for want of a better term) are controlled by the scenario brief / orders they may receive from HICON during the activity.

 

For the flanking forces, you can script units to move to a location and "Open Fire If ..." and set the condition that they only open fire if the enemy have entered say a pre defined EA or similar area /region.

 

You can finesse this a bit further by adding controls for Blue units.

 

So you can have a a flanking unit commence providing SBF on say OBJ A as the assault unit crosses the LD (with an associated region) and check fire as the assaulting unit enters a region around the OBJ (with a different associated region).

 

Is that the sort of thing you are after?

 

Edited December 8, 2017 by Gibsonm

[CharlieB]

I will give this a go as described and see if I can create the effect I am after...

[Gibsonm]

Hope you get the outcome you are after.

 

Happy to work through it with you, if you need a hand (assuming we can create the desired effect).

 

[CharlieB]

Cant create the effect.  If you use the command open fire if Unit this can see at least 1 enemy forces in 1Pl EA, they open fire but will engage En in both EA 1Pl and EA 2Pl.  In the basic scenario to Pls are advancing within their EAs.  These are two boxes either side of a Pl boundary.

[Gibsonm]

Ah I see you want to restrict fire to the designated EA, not a global "weapons free".

 

Let me have a think about it. I'm assuming there is no convenient terrain feature masking 1PL EA from 2PL EA?

[Gibsonm]

Ah I see you want to restrict fire to the designated EA, not a global "weapons free".

 

Let me have a think about it. I'm assuming there is no convenient terrain feature masking 1PL EA from 2PL EA?

[CharlieB]

The test above is using the flat terrain file so not really.  Clearly in reality this would be the case.

[DarkAngel]

there is no "fire at units in this area" option. Setting the fire control to fire at will is a global fire at anything you see. Maybe this is one for the wish list.

[CharlieB]

I suspect that this would be the only way of doing it.  I also don't imagine that it would be simple.

 

Why do I think it is useful?  I would hardly be able to debrief units on cross boundary direct or indirect fire if the AI units were doing it.  I would also not want to remove their right to self defence, ie it is fine to engage across a boundary if you yourself are being engage or have deconflicted with the neighbouring unit...

 

As I said - I suspect it would not be simple.  Fire at units it this area or if being engaged...

 

Possibly one for the wish list...

[Ssnake]

As of right now, no such means of fire control exist. You can restrict units from opening fire until a specific condition is met, but beyond that point it's unrestricted free for all.

 

HOWEVER, you could possibly REDUCE cross-boundary fire if you set many short routes and have units advance relatively rapidly. This will re-set the "open fire" condition so that units will stop firing at targets outside of their EA again, as soon as they adopt the fire control orders of the new route (or battleposition, on arrival). So you would have a more or less rapid toggle between "hold fire" and "weapons free".

Once that the own EA is empty of enemy, and enemy in the other EA isn't shooting across the boundary this will then result in an effective ceasefire in the empty EA while the shooting would continue in the other.

 

This doesn't fully prevent firing across boundaries, but will restrict the number of incidents.

The price to pay is more effort in scripting (you can however use the "copy route" and "paste" option to good effect as long as you want to re-set explicit fire control settings), and an incessant reporting of computer-controlled units having arrived at the gazillion of waypoints.