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10 detailed idea's for scenario's


Koen

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On 4/15/2017 at 8:38 PM, Koen said:

10 tactical vignettes for Scouts-scenario's.

 

-> You'll find them here:

http://www.lesc.net/blog/scouts-contact-tactical-vignettes-cavalry-leaders-book-tactical-decison-exercises-cavalry-leade

 

-> If you need inspiration to create a scenario ... (personally don't have the time now)

 

Enjoy !

 

Found it via this thread, thx @Panzer_Leader

 

 

Thanks @Koen. I hadn't come across this myself.  I'm always interested in recce tactics so I've downloaded it for future reading.  I like its focus on each of the core principles of U.S. doctrine in turn.

 

Cheers

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I developed Vignettes 1 & 2 into Steelbeasts scenarios. Since Mirzayev is also working one One I opted to run scenario 2  with some friends. My friend Kurt a long time gamer but new to Steelbeasts has been training for a few weeks and has gotten down vehicle operations on a few US vehicles so next we started working on some platoon commanding. Here's a breakdown on how the scenario played out, the Multiplayer portion ran for about 2.5 hours.

 

 The task as briefed.:

 
Vignette 2: Do Not Keep Reconnaissance Assets in Reserve 
 
You are a scout platoon leader and your troop is tasked to conduct an area reconnaissance of named areas of interest (NAIs) 3030 and 3032 to identify the enemy’s defensive preparations to include obstacles, battle positions, and general locations of key weapons systems. Your platoon is currently executing a screen south of phase line (PL) BULLS. 
 
The enemy has recently conducted a series of attacks north of the brigade combat team (BCT) area of operations (AO). These attacks have pushed the BCT south of PL BULLS. The enemy is anticipating that your BCT is building combat power and will attempt to attack. The enemy has established a deliberate defense 3 kilometers north of PL BUCKS and is actively improving its position. The enemy’s defense is supported by two to three observation posts (OPs) to provide early warning, a section of 120mm mortars, and engineers to provide fighting positions and obstacles. The enemy has a company in reserve 10 kilometers northeast of its defense. The reserve will be dispatched when a battalion loses three or more platoons, or two platoons and one of their engineer assets. 
 
Your BCT commander does not know the location of the enemy obstacles, battle positions, and any antitank weapon systems. The BCT will attack in 24 hours. You have 12 hours to develop the situation and identify the obstacles and the enemy battle positions to enable the BCT to destroy the enemy. You are the priority of fires for troop mortars and are allotted two mortar targets. You have the troop’s Raven unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a dismounted engineer reconnaissance team you can employ to support your platoon. You also have a Prophet team consisting of three high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) mounted systems that can directionally find the enemy based on intercepting radio transmissions. 
 
You have 10 minutes to issue a fragmentary order (FRAGORD) and begin your reconnaissance. Act now! 
 
 
Kurt rose to the  challenge on this first one. He created a pretty good plan:
 
vignette2aPLAN.thumb.jpg.a2cc01fee1bed3a4aa9b94014a74c65d.jpg
KURTS' PLAN
  • Recon Teams
    • Regroup into 3 Recon teams of two vehicles each as follows:
      • R1 - Platoon Leader - Vehicles 1 and 3
      • R2 - Platoon Sergeant -  Vehicles 2 and 4
      • R3 - Section Leader - 5 and 6
  • UAV
    • Deploy the UAV on the blue course as shown on the attached map.  It will use the Western ridges to mask their initial approach and proceed from the NW to the SE along PL BUCKS with specific intent of:
      • a. observing NAI3030 directly 
      • b. IDing any enemy OPs 
      • c. Circling NAI3032 to confirm enemy presence and, if possible, identify possible obstructions
      • d. If there is enough loiter time available, a quick overflight of the anticipated reinforcements area to the north east but this is secondary priority
    • If the UAV identifies any enemy OP. armor, troops etc, all artillery assets should be prepared to engage from their prepared positions.
  • Prophet Team
    • Deploy the Prophet team as shown.  This position should allow good triangulation of enemy positions.  
      • If enemy units are identified, this should be communicated to the Platoon Leader ASAP including a confidence rating of their results
  • Engineers
    • Deploy Engineer team as shown.  The central ridges server as ready made obstacles so positioning them to the East and observing the open areas to the north seems like the highest probable areas of enemy obstructions.  If the distance is too great for good observation, then R3 will be tasked with transporting them further north to OP Check E1-2 along the orange route.  
      • They should be able to identify mines. dragons teeth etc and communicate positions to the Platoon Leader
  • Artillery
    • Deploy Artillery to A1a.  If the range is too long to cover targets vicinity NA! 3030 and NAI 3032 then use A1b instead.
      • They should be prepared to engage based on UAV recon as well as PL, PS, SL data.
  • Recon Teams
    • Once the UAV flyover has been done, R1, R2 and R3 will begin their movement north along the noted green routes.
      • Their routes contain places to make checks for possible OP positions.  If visibility is good, then they will dismount their troops and set up temporary observation posts with the ultimate goal of getting to the vicinity of their final OP Checkpoints
      • At their final OP Checks, the troops should be dismounted and tasked with first, security and then to send scouts closer to the NAIs as appropriate.  
      • All teams first priority is to observe undetected.  If detected, do not engage directly but retreat to a secondary observation position in the vicinity, hopefully identified on the ingress.
      • R3 is tasked with scouting the western ridges and to ensure that no enemy flanking maneuvers are taking place.  They should also have good visibility into the lowlands SW of NAI3030
      • R2 is tasked with scouting the western edge of the central ridges.
      • R1 is tasked with scouting the east side of the central ridges.  Additionally, if the Engineers need to move up, one vehicle will dismount their troops to establish security for the secondary engineering position at E1-2.  This vehicle will then transport the dismounted Engineers to their new location and stay with them as their new position is much closer to the enemy.  Contact with the remaining R3 element at R3-3 should be maintained.
Unit Legend
  • R1 - Platoon Leader - Vehicles 1 and 3 (note I swapped R1 and R3 i his plan since the engineers are in r1)
  • R2 - Platoon Sergeant -  Vehicles 2 and 4
  • R3 - Section Leader - Vehicles 5 and 6
  • P1 - Prophet Team
  • E1 - Engineers
  • UAV - UAV team
  • A1 - Mortar Platoon
I programmed Kurt's Plan into the Vignette 2 Steel beasts scenario. I ran it in single player up to the point that his initial Dismount positions would be in position. (I could fast forward time where appropriate.) The Platoon spent the day cautiously cleared the passes through Phase Line Bulls getting to positions to drop off the dismounts, and then successfully getting the dismounted OPs into the positions below without making enemy contact. The only command change I made in the SP was not to run the UAV route during broad daylight over suspected enemy positions as these things get shot down easily. After eight hours at Dusk, the positions were indicated below: Though the mission took me only 1.5 hours to run, I spent a combined total of about 7 years as a scout so I know damn well a dismounted patrol to an OP in up to 5-6 hours of mountainous terrain advancing to enemy contact in daylight  is not going to be done in 1.5 or 2  hours. (You actually have up to the whole rest of your life to make that movement) and we had 12 hours to complete the mission. So I started the next mission at dusk around 1930.
 
vignette2bDUSK.thumb.jpg.5951675348cf1716bbba68d00e37dd67.jpg
 
AT this point we ran the scenario as a multiplayer scenario with Kurt as the commander of the scout platoon, and I commanding the mortars and Prophet teams, (really those guys dont do anything in SB but their ELINT magic  but I passed traffic back from them to he PL ) Eventually I picked up the third scout section as well.
 
With fading light Kurt first ordered up the UAV. On this first pass we Identified enemy company-sized  battle positions holding a pass Just east of NAI 3030 and at NAI 3032. Careful scrutiny identify what looked like a large obstacle at NAI 3032 and this came in for additional scrutiny. In addition the Prophet teams, basically signal intercept teams, were detecting encrypted transmissions from the  NAI 3030.
 
Our Northern most OP came under direct fire from  the position near 3030 and unfortunately our mortar platoon was in the act of repositioning to get back in range and couldn't help them out. The OP lost one man before they could escape...he  ended up being the platoon's only casualty for the mission. Even that ticked me off since now that I have an actual son in the infantry I try extra hard to avoid unnecessary casualties in my milsim gaming and I hope the real commanders will do me the same favor. 
 
With partial information and studying the commanders requirements, it was deemed that further clarifying reconnaissance was needed, see below the plan for the second  half of the evening mission:
 
Vignette2cEndMidnight.thumb.jpg.4af1472acc087610cb5f9bd6da205c2a.jpg

in the west, Dismounted and mounted elements  moved forward carefully and augmented with the UAV ascertained  the BP west of 3030 contained about a company sized elements with a platoon of tanks and two or BMPs. A Bradley was able to approach to within 700 meters to count vehicles (4 T72s, 6 BMPs and dismounted) and then withdraw. No shots were fired but it was quite dramatic. We did id a BRDM OP in 3030 and this, was also suspected to be the source of transmission. It was eliminated with the company mortars. We noticed the flashes across the valley floor and immediately the mortars relocated to avoid counter battery.
 
Kurt displaced his engineer teams forward with carefully re-positioned Bradleys covering. Combine with the UAV, this section was able to count vehicles and bunkers at NAI3032 as well as define the dimensions of the obstacle belt which included Wire and Steel beams. It was too hazardous and time was running out to conduct a dismounted patrol up to the belt ( I would have ordered that anyway) to ascertain the nature of any minefield in the obstacle. Midnight and the 12 hour limit had arrived.
 
However all the dismounted OPs were left in position to observe the enemy position. First and second Sections of the Bradleys were pulled back to a defensible MSS (mission Support Site) at 2252. The third section pulled back to a screening position 2743 to cover avenues of approach to the NW.
 
Apart from the loss of one dismount and the elimination of an enemy OP using indirect fire, the platoon avoided contact. A report was mode to the commander. I judged Kurt to be a GO at this station. 

We had a lot of fun in a tense recon mission. It provided good insight into the nature and considerations of this type of scouting mission. It  had the feel and challenge of actual mission I have been on. Just without the perpetual fatigue. Hope you found this interesting.
 
Los
Edited by Los
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I totally blame myself for the casualty.  I was fumbling with commanding them back over a ridge for cover thus keeping them in danger a bit too long.  PFC Camisa-Roja's family was notified and he will be remembered as a hero.

 

-=Weasel

(Kurt)

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