About This File
This is the second in a series of scenarios designed to familiarize new Steel Beasts players with basic Offense and Defense tasks executed by a Tank Platoon. This series uses US Army Doctrine as a basis, and aims to present the Tank Platoon's role when operating as part of an Armor Company. This series also focuses on introducing concepts within the game to the player, while maintaining a low level of difficulty to reduce frustration during the learning process.
An attack is an offensive task that destroys or defeats enemy forces, seizes and secures terrain, or both. An attack differs from a movement to contact because enemy main body dispositions are at least partially known, allowing the leader to achieve greater synchronization. Attacks incorporate coordinated movement supported by direct and indirect fires. They may be hasty or deliberate, depending upon the time available for assessing the situation, planning, and preparing. The leader may decide to conduct an attack using only fires. (ATP 3-20.15, Tank Platoon)
This scenario has been designed to allow the practice of the following eight (8x) concepts:
i. Conduct a forward passage of lines with a unit in contact.
ii. Control direct fire through the use of fire control settings.
iii. Conduct movement and maneuver through restricted terrain.
iv. Employment of smoke to deny enemy observation and fields of fire.
v. Conducting an attack by fire.
vi. Conducting an attack to seize an objective.
vii. Attacking infantry in fortifications.
viii. Anticipating and defeating an enemy counter-attack.
This scenario is rated by the author as very easy, and will likely take approximately thirty-five (35x) minutes to complete.
This scenario heavily favors friendly forces to facilitate a learning environment where tactical mistakes do not mean instant death. AVEPS have been included as a method for identifying tactical errors made by the player(s) by sorting through events during the AAR.
Special thanks to ben, and Apocalypse for testing and providing feedback.
Excerpt of the Company Operations Order for:
OPERATION STEEL BARRAGE
BERSERKER COMPANY, 1-77 ARMOR
OPERATION START TIME: 0540
TASK ORGANIZATION:
Main Body: B/3 (Blue Platoon; Your Platoon), B/2 (White Platoon), CO, B/1 (Red Platoon), XO
1. SITUATION.
a. Area of Interest. We are currently situated 38 KM from the regional capital of Chego to the northwest. Approximately 6 KM to our northwest is AA STEEL, our Battalion's Assembly Area. PL JACKSON, located approximately 4 KM to our east, is A CO's boundary with 1-501 Infantry. PL Dagger is our boundary with A CO. Our objective, OBJ STEELERS, is located to the south approximately 2 KM from PL DAGGER.
b. Area of Operations. Berserker Company’s AO extends from PL DAGGER to the north, and ends at PL WASHINGTON, our limit of advance, to the southwest. Our probable line of contact with enemy elements in our AO is PL LINCOLN. LANE BADGER will be used to conduct our FPOL with A CO. Other graphic control measures include DOA RED, DOA WHITE, DOA BLUE, DOA VIPER, and BPs 1, 2, and 3.
(1) Terrain. Our AO consists of restricted terrain (forests, hills, marshes, and bodies of water) that will reduce our ability to maneuver as a company. DOAs RED, WHITE, and BLUE serve as platoon-sized avenues of approach that will enable maneuver in a close column formation up to planned battle positions. DOA VIPER enables platoon-level maneuver in a close wedge or line. Observation and fields of fire will remain restrictive until we reach PL LINCOLN where we can expect engagements from 1,000 to 2,000 meters.
(2) Weather. The lingering effects of early morning fog will continue to reduce our visual range to approximately 2,000 meters; thermal optics remain unaffected. Wind speed and direction favor friendly forces as smoke will billow towards the northwest onto the enemy’s known fighting positions. Precipitation is light, and is expected to end by approximately 0545.
(3) Civil. Civilian presence is extremely limited due to the undeveloped infrastructure within our AO; the assessed likelihood of encountering non-combatants is very low.
c. Enemy Forces.
(1) General Situation. 16x hours ago, the 1-11 Armor Battalion conducted a successful retirement upon the seizure of the city of Chego by Coalition Forces. They have maneuvered into a heavily forested area to reorganize into a defensive posture to enable 11 Brigade to prepare for a counter-attack to fix Coalition Forces in Chego. The enemy has limited supplies, a lack of indirect fire support, and insufficient engineer assets to create an effective deliberate defense. It is assessed that poor leadership, and bad coordination will result in the enemy Battalion piecemealing their forces to focus on non-mutually supporting kill zones.
(2) Composition. The enemy that our company will face consists of an armor company (10x T-72B1 variants) with an attached understrength mechanized infantry company (6x BMP-2s with approximately 15x dismounts).
(3) Disposition. The enemy armor company (+) has established hasty defensive positions IVO OBJ STEELERS, and has positioned his forces to have effective observation and fields of fire up to PL LINCOLN. The enemy may possess a light reconnaissance presence between PL LINCOLN and PL DAGGER, but is not assessed to have established an effective disruption zone. The enemy lacks sufficient engineering assets to create vehicle fighting positions, but aerial-based ISR has observed clear evidence of trenches and bunkers being dug by the infantry contingent. Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) continue to suggest that the enemy is unorganized, and demoralized. Radio traffic from the defeat of the enemy Brigade's disruption zone by A CO strongly suggests that the enemy company we face is unable to withdraw, and will stay and fight.
d. Friendly Forces.
(1) Brigade Mission. 2nd IBCT, 11th Airborne attacks to destroy 1-11 Armor Battalion IVO the Danola River NLT (not later than) 1400 to enable the Division DO to defeat 11 Brigade.
(2) Brigade Concept. 1-77 AR will attack to seize OBJ STEELERS NLT 0700 to force 1-11 Armor Battalion to withdraw to the east. 4-6 IN will clear enemy mechanized infantry from PL DAGGER to PL WASHINGTON (65 easting) NLT 1300 to force the enemy to retrograde north. 1-77 AR will then force the enemy into EAs (engagement areas) ABLE and BAKER where 1-501 IN will destroy them.
(3) Battalion Mission. 1-77 AR attacks to seize OBJ STEELERS NLT 0700 to enable the destruction of the 1-11 Armor Battalion by 1-501 Infantry.
(4) Battalion Concept. A CO conducts a movement to contact to clear enemy forces from PL AXE to PLT DAGGER NLT 0545. B CO then conducts a forward passage of lines (FPOL) and attacks to seize OBJ STEELERS NLT 0700. C CO, 4-6 IN, remains as the Battalion Reserve. On order, C CO conducts a pursuit of 1-11 Armor Battalion to enable their destruction by 1-501 IN.
(5) Adjacent Units.
i. A CO, 1-77 AR is located to our south. We will conduct a forward passage of lines with them at PL DAGGER.
ii. C CO, 4-6 IN is located in AA STEEL and will act as the Battalion Reserve.
iii. 1-501 IN is located to the northeast of our AO beyond PL JACKSON.
2. MISSION. Berserker Company, 1-77 AR, attacks to seize OBJ STEELERS NLT 0700 enable the destruction of the 1-11 Armor Battalion by 1-501 Infantry.
3. EXECUTION.
a. Commander's Intent.
(1). Broad Purpose. Success in this operation will enable our Brigade to destroy 1-11 Armor Battalion IVO the Danola River.
(2) Key Tasks.
i. DOAs secured.
ii. Enemy destroyed in zone.
iii. Avoid employment of cratering munitions on improved roads.
(3) End State.
i. Terrain. Lines of communication secured.
ii. Enemy. Unable to project combat power onto the Brigade's Decisive Operation.
iii. Civil. Civil road infrastructure remains intact and continues to allow use by wheeled logistics vehicles.
b. Concept of Operations. Berserker Company conducts an attack to seize OBJ STEELERS. B/3 (your Platoon) will be first in the order of march, followed by B/2, CO, B/1, then the XO. B/3 will conduct a visual linkup with A/65 and will lead the company in conducting a forward passage of lines along LANE BADGER. We will remain at 'hold fire'€™ until we have crossed the passage point at PL DAGGER. Upon crossing PL DAGGER, we will shift to 'fire at will' and will execute DOA BLUE (B/3), DOA WHITE (B/2), and DOA RED (B/1) to position our company at PL LINCOLN. Upon all elements reporting being in position (use Trigger 1 with Shift+1 to report that your platoon is ready), B/1, B/2, and B/3 will occupy BPs 1, 2, and 3 respectively, and will initiate with direct fire on OBJ STEELERS. Simultaneously, B/65 will initiate HE/SMK indirect fire targets on OBJ STEELERS. Upon suppression being achieved, B/3 will on order attack along DOA VIPER to PL WASHINGTON to seize OBJ STEELERS from enemy elements. Upon B/3 reaching PL WASHINGTON, the company will establish hasty defensive positions and will transition to reconsolidation and reorganization.
c. Scheme of Fires. 2-8 Field Artillery will provide howitzer-based indirect fire for the duration of this operation. B/65 will direct pre-planned HE/SMK fire missions onto OBJ STEELERS to achieve suppression and obscuration. BN Mortars are available during this operation, and can provide both high explosive and smoke rounds. Priority of fire is B/3, B/2, B/1.
d. Tasks to Subordinate Units.
i. B/3 (Blue Platoon; Your Platoon).
- Conduct a visual linkup with A/65 and lead the company's FPOL along LANE BADGER up to PL DAGGER.
- Maneuver to position on PL LINCOLN, approximately 1KM east of BP 3 using DOA BLUE.
- On order, occupy BP 3 and conduct an attack by fire.
- Attack to seize OBJ STEELERS via DOA VIPER; advance to PL WASHINGTON.
- Be prepared to destroy enemy counter-attack.
d. Coordinating Instructions.
i. Operation Start: 0540
ii. FPOL Complete: 0550
iii. Company set at PL LINCOLN: 0615
iv. Suppression achieved on OBJ STEELERS: 0620
v. OBJ STEELERS seized: 0630
4. SUSTAINMENT. All Platoons will top off on Class I, III, and V before initiating movement. Logistics, maintenance, and medical support will be unavailable until we have seized OBJ STEELERS, and have cleared enemy forces from zone up to PL WASHINGTON. Platoons will conduct internal resupply of ammunition to remain in the fight. Maintenance issues sustained during operations unable to be corrected by crews will be worked on by the Combat Repair Team. Platoon Sergeants will submit maintenance issues requiring CRT assistance NLT 30 minutes after establishing hasty battle positions IVO BPs 1, 2, and PL WASHINGTON.
5. COMMAND AND SIGNAL.
a. Command.
(1). Location of Key Leaders. CO and XO will follow B/2 and B/1, respectively. 1SG will be co-located with the company trains initially located at AA STEEL.
(2). Succession of Command. CO, XO, B/1, B/2, B/3, 1SG.
b. Control. The XO will maintain the company CP and will submit reports to the Battalion MAIN, TAC, and CTCP.
c. Signal.
(1.) Call Signs.
i. Archer 6 - Company Commander
ii. Archer 7 - Company Executive Officer
iii. Archer 5 - Company First Sergeant
iv. Archer 9 - Company Forward Support Officer
v. B11 - Red Platoon Leader
vi. B21 - White Platoon Leader
vii. B31 - Blue Platoon Leader
What's New in Version 1.0.2 See changelog
Released
- Added an event to the mission that ends the mission if the player goes the wrong way.
- Changed wording of certain hints.