Combatintman

This will hopefully be my next scenario. I have always wanted to do this since reading the late and great Richard Holmes' Dusty Warriors book about 1 PWRR Battlegroup in Al Amarah during their Iraq tour of 2004. I'm not sure which of the actions around CIMIC House I will do yet but there is plenty of scope for a decent mission involving both dismounts, Warrior AIFV and Challenger 2. This will probably be a while in the making because I only started the map today but I will shortly be in a position to devote more time to scenario making so I should be able to crack on with it properly in about a fortnight.

Gents - as I have had the odd problem uploading to the Repository before - if this doesn't work in the next few hours or so unfortunately you are not going to see this mission for about a fortnight due to my lack of internet access over this period. Rest assured the mission is done and as soon as I get back to the virtual world this will be uploaded.

Ok - just fought this through to a tactical victory which is good enough for me - should be up in the Repository soon.

Yep get the bundle, if for no other reason than for the force pick options. I can't remember the exact nuances but for instance the Brit Module also includes the US Light Infantry units, the NATO module gives you useful things like Syrian Trucks and the Syrian Airborne. With reference to the British equipment, I did the research for the Brit TO&Es as well as knocked together a couple of the campaign missions and this thing with Scimitar loadout has cropped up before. All of the loadouts came from the relevant in-service pamphlets of the time so they are bang on accurate. They may suck but they pass muster against 'Grog' scrutiny. I agree wholeheartedly with Paper Tiger's comments about the Canadian Campaign - I still haven't nailed the first mission in that campaign (after about 4 attempts)!!! Paper Tiger came on board for the NATO module and the quality of his work is easy to appreciate.

Imperial Grunt ... hope I have not triggered any unpleasant memories, with Northern Ireland (twice), Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan (thrice) under my belt myself I know how this can be. Also - no pressure on me to get this mission right then ...

Here are the orders for the mission (with my attempt at US spelling): Situation: Enemy Forces The city of Fallujah has become a hotbed of insurgent forces since the overthrow of the Saddam regime and these forces pose a serious threat to stability. Overall insurgent numbers in Fallujah are unknown but could number between 2,000 to 5,000 fighters. The exact strength of the enemy in the TF Wolfpack AO is unknown but the hospital has been identified as an insurgent C2 node and can expect to be fiercely contested. Intelligence has also identified a possible IED factory in the west of the AO. The insurgents are likely to be well-organized and tenacious and therefore will resist strongly. It is likely that the insurgents will field the full range of asymmetric capabilities ranging from small arms and RPGs through to IEDs, technical and indirect fire. Night vision capabilities are unknown but are assessed to be limited. The assessed most likely COA is to defend in place and the enemy will probably remain well-hidden until friendly forces enter close range engagement areas thus minimizing friendly force stand-off capabilities. It is possible that city-based insurgents will reinforce the defense once the insurgents identify the scale of TF Wolfpack’s attack. Situation: Friendly Forces Today the Iraqi authorities signed the order to clear Fallujah. This operation will be carried out by 1 MAR DIV with US Army and Iraqi forces. Civilians have already been advised to leave Fallujah and many have done so. 1 MAR Div, including TF Wolfpack has cordoned Fallujah as part of initial shaping operations and is now poised to clear the city from North to South. TF Wolfpack’s attack is part of further shaping operations aimed at deceiving the insurgents and forming a block on the West flank of the main effort attack. TF Wolfpack comprises A Company, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and A and B Companies, 36 Iraqi Commando Battalion accompanied by US Army mentors. Indirect fire support is provided by organic 81mm and 82mm mortars. The remainder of 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and 36 Commando Battalion have already secured the Line of Departure to the South and will continue to do so throughout the operation. Situation: Terrain and Weather Terrain is generally flat and open interspersed with small clusters of buildings on the East and West flanks of the AO. Vital ground is the Hospital itself comprised of a mix of single and multi-story buildings, the latter providing dominating overwatch over the whole AO. The AO is flanked on both East and West by the Euphrates River which is impassable to mounted and dismounted elements. There are two main embanked highways, one oriented East to West and the other Northeast to Southwest. The two bridges over the Euphrates are key terrain and canalize enemy attempting to reinforce the AO from the city. It is 1900 on 07 November 2004, weather is generally clear with warm temperatures and light winds. It is dusk with low levels of light which will continue to deteriorate during the operation. Temperatures and light conditions favor friendly forces. Mission: Overall Description Mission: TF Wolfpack secures Fallujah Hospital in order to provide a secure west flank to main effort clearance operations in Fallujah City. Tasks: 1. Secure the Highway Junction. 2. Secure the South Bridge. 3. Secure the North Bridge. 4. Secure the IED Factory. 5. Secure the Hospital. 6. Exploit to the Limit of Exploitation (Hospital Boundary). Execution: Commander’s Intent My intent is to initially identify the insurgent defenses by establishing observation posts in suitable buildings. These observation posts will then provide overwatch and cue both direct and indirect fire against identified insurgents. A Company LAVs will be employed as mobile bases of fire for dismounted clearances of the assigned objectives ensuring sufficient stand-off and overwatch for the assaults. ROE is a key consideration and damage to civilian structures, particularly the hospital, is to be minimized. LAV in particular are to limit employment of their 25mm cannon to prevent unnecessary collateral damage. Endstate is the AO cleared of insurgents with the hospital secure and exits to the city blocked to prevent insurgents escaping the main effort clearance of the city. Execution: Basic Plan Your choice Wolfpack 6 but ensure that you make best use of your assigned forces and in particular do not overestimate the capabilities of your Iraqi forces, they are brave but still relatively inexperienced. Your LAVs are your most powerful asset but you must exercise care in their deployment and use of firepower. You have plenty of organic indirect fire support in the form of mortars which are both light enough and deadly enough to neutralize insurgents likely to be encountered while minimizing collateral damage to civilian objects in accordance with the ROE. Your biggest problem will be securing the Hospital while avoiding unnecessary damage. It is likely to be a tough nut to crack so you may need to be imaginative in your choice of tactics during this phase. Ensure your dismounts are well-supplied with ammunition at all times to enable you to suppress and assault defended insurgent locations and maintain your tempo. You have until 2130 to complete your mission. Designer’s notes This mission attempts to replicate the successful attack to secure Fallujah Hospital by the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion USMC (Wolfpack) and the 36th Iraqi Commando Battalion during the evening/early night of 07 November 2004. This mission was one of the shaping operations as part of the wider clearance of Fallujah by 1 MAR DIV. In order to provide balance and a more challenging mission, the Blue force has been pared down from the real life TF Wolfpack force. Likewise, the enemy is much stronger than that faced on the day for similar reasons. Further reading can be found in the publication On Point II Transition to the New Campaign: The United States Army in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM May 2003 – January 2005. This is the tactical map:

Ok this is the draft map - I just have to throw in flavour objects, sort out building joins and make sure that the building colours are right. Dimensions are 1226m x 1354m which are pretty close to the actual dimensions. A little dark I'm afraid but you cross the start line at 1900 hrs ...

Thanks mate - in some ways I wish I could revisit some of the earlier ones because I've picked up tips from feedback here that would have made some of those earlier creations better. To be honest I don't think I'm that great at scenario design - I just find battles that interest me and I have the patience to generate the maps from them (for me it is about the map and the ORBAT). All I do is add a bit of research and from there just make them play so that they are winnable without huge amounts of difficulty (I play RT 'basic training' every time). Notwithstanding the above - this one could be a bit cheeky ...

Ok - I have given Airborne a try and it has worked pretty well. I have just tested this again and added a 2nd AI plan. Fought it to a draw - I think by tweaking the victory parameters this will play right next time around.

I'd not even considered Airborne ... I may give it a try. I'm having another big hack at this scenario today.

I may do another Fallujah battle - I have started a map on the Eastern flank of the main operation but sort of lost the will to live with it temporarily - I may return to it. To be honest FIBUA/MOUT doesn't really appeal to me which is why I got bored of slogging through making the map whereas the Fallujah Hospital battle offers a bit of room to manoeuvre and is less of a slog.

Buzz - spot on.Yes that is the one. If you look here you'll find a little more about the USMC Recon Bn: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Light_Armored_Reconnaissance_Battalion And here for the Iraqis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraqi_36th_Commando_Battalion

This is where the battle will take place in the real world: The hospital is the complex at the extreme north of the image.

For a change I thought I'd take a break from the Brits and try my hand at a US scenario based on the 2nd Battle of Fallujah in Nov 04. The map is done but a first test has shown that I need to trim the Allied force considerably to make it challenging (36 Iraqi Commando Battalion and 3 Light Armored Recon Bn USMC). More to follow in due course.

Hi folks - I am back on the internet for a couple of days. I see that the file eventually uploaded - it is called Zumbelay Withdrawal.

Fourth attempt at uploading this mission to the repository has just taken place. Hopefully this time it will be done because this is my last go at internet access for at least a fortnight.

Third attempt to upload this has just been made ... the Repository is so flipping painful at times. Hopefully this time I will be successful.

Ok - I've had my first shot at uploading this to the Repository - hopefully it will appear soon. If it isn't there after I've returned from the boozer I'll give it another try.

I have just put together the 2nd AI plan and playtested it. It required one tweak to prevent an early surrender trigger. So I will release this fairly soon but before doing so I want to manage expectations a little. Predictably I love this mission – of the few (4 I think) I have put together this one has given me the most pleasure. The main reasons for this is are: It is very different from many of my missions. It comes closest to giving a historical result than my other missions. I love the map and it gives the player lots of freedom. It allows TUM WMIKs to display their real life qualities. It poses many challenges. However there are caveats: I don’t think that this will suit IGOUGO players because it requires a lot of micromanagement. My recommendation is to play this in realtime mode. To give you a clue I had to hit ‘esc’ repeatedly during this one. The area over which the battle is fought is my best guess rather than the actual locations that I have used in my previous missions. You will need to invest a lot of time in this mission (it is 2:30 long). There are periods when not much happens (depending of course on your plan!) but you can use this to plan your moves. Anyway I thought I'd get all that off my chest ... barring any dramas uploading this to the Repository it should be with you pretty soon.

Erwin, in essence the 'Support' units in all of the British infantry orbats are those that belong to the manoeuvre support company. The way the orbats were structured in the game was that each rifle company would get a 'slice' of the support company's assets which in reality is how the manoeuvre support company is generally task organised. In terms of employment the best way to think of it is to think of the old WW2 era sections where the section was typically comprised of a rifle group and an LMG/gun (or BAR if you're American) group. The LMG provided the base of fire to enable to the rifle group to manoeuvre. The 'support' elements task-organised to the rifle companies in the British orbats are therefore the 'gun group' for the company providing that base of fire for the platoons to manoeuvre. Hope this explains it.

In this scenario you have the dismounted group which is the element that is potentially in real trouble. Using the Light Infantry Battalion CMSF force pick it comprises: Coy HQ MFC Two sniper pairs 9 Platoon comprising the Platoon HQ and three rifle sections The two journalists (represented by spies) The FSG is made up of the support company elements task-organised in the Light Infantry Battalion CMSF force pick minus a couple of vehicles. Specifically you get: Two WMIKs carrying two Javelin Teams. Two WMIKs with HMG Two WMIKs with GMG The company mortar detachment of 3 barrels is off map but in this engagement it was grouped with the FSG. Also in the scenario there are a number of Landrovers (mix of TUM ST and TUM FFR) which represent the Coy's logistics or echelon and were the means of transport for the Coy to get to the location from FOB PRICE and back. As I have alluded to in the orders, the situation is such that the Coy group is in trouble because the dismounts are separated from their support elements. This means that they are not fully mutually supporting and cannot concentrate their combat power. Your job will be to regroup the Company in one location by withdrawing the dismounts to the location of the overwatch position. The FSG's tasks are as listed in the orders - it needs to ensure that the unit transport doesn't get whacked while preserving its own combat power to provide long-range fire support. The last task makes best use of the long range and firepower of the weapon systems on the WMIKs. One of the reasons I really like this mission is because the WMIKs actually stand a chance of providing this support. Many of the missions I have played which have WMIKs in them have resulted in the WMIKs getting whacked in fairly short order (I am a bad player though!!) Hope this helps.

Second appetiser is a close-up of the crossing point: Enjoy!!

Ok - some more appetisers first here are the draft orders: Situation: Enemy Forces Right lads, this is a set of Quick Battle Orders (QBOs). We have just had a shura (meeting) with a couple of guys calling themselves local elders. They took off pretty sharpish and the atmospherics are going downhill rapidly. The FSG (Fire Support Group) on the East bank of the Nahr-e-Seraj canal have reported suspicious movement and, as you have just seen, the ‘elders’ couldn’t wait to get away from us and did not offer any chai (tea). Civilians are conspicuous by their absence, which is always a bad sign. Unfortunately I can’t tell you anything more of use about the enemy because this is the first time that 3 PARA BG has been to Zumbelay. Based on the atmospherics I assess that we have been lured into a Taliban trap whose main object is to trap us on this side of the canal and defeat us in detail. Therefore I expect that we will come under attack in our current locations fairly soon and the enemy will attempt to prevent us crossing the canal and regrouping with the FSG. The enemy are likely to deploy small arms, MGs and mortars against us. ^ Situation: Friendly Forces To remind you, we are C Coy, 3 PARA comprising two groups for this task. We have the FSG on overwatch comprising 6 x WMIKs, a mortar detachment and the other Coy vehicles grouped for security. 9 (Ranger) Platoon is the dismounted group accompanied by C Coy HQ and other attachments. We have two embedded journalists from the Times newspaper grouped with the dismounts. I have contacted 3 PARA BG HQ to inform them of the situation and have requested urgent air support but have been told that there is a major TIC (Troops in Contact) ongoing in Sangin which has priority. We have been promised support but it will not be available until the Sangin TIC is closed. The best estimate I can get out of BG HQ is that we will not get any support for at least the next hour so we are pretty much on our own until then. ^ Situation: Terrain and Weather The canal is our main problem, there is only one crossing point and therefore a choke point which is likely to be covered by fire and possibly sown with IEDs. This is vital ground. Key terrain for us is the overwatch position currently occupied by the FSG as it offers excellent observation and fields of fire over the Dasht (desert) on the E bank and the ‘Green Zone’ to the W. Otherwise on the E of the AO, the terrain is mostly flat open desert which is covered by the FSG and our superior target acquisition and weapon systems should allow us to dominate this area easily. The terrain to the W of the canal is typical ‘Green Zone’ characterised by a mix of flat cultivated fields, interspersed with irrigation ditches and areas of vegetation. The compounds offer excellent cover and concealment to both friendly and enemy forces and compound roofs will make good fire positions. Irrigation ditches offer good cover and concealment to ourselves and the Taliban alike. All vegetated areas offer concealment. Point to note from the shura was that the main elders are praying in the village mosque. It goes without saying that we should avoid targeting that building unless we receive fire from it. It is 1700 hrs on 27 Jun 06, it is very hot and this is not helped by the lack of wind, skies are clear. The temperatures are not helpful and are more likely to offer an advantage to the Taliban but the clear skies will give us an advantage for target acquisition and air support. Last light should be between 1830 and 1900 hrs which will give us a considerable advantage over the enemy. ^ Mission: Overall Description Mission: WITHDRAW: C Coy gp is to withdraw to FOB PRICE in order to deny the enemy a propaganda victory and to retain combat power for future operations. Tasks: FSG: 1. To secure the overwatch position and provide fire support to dismounted elements withdrawing to that location. 2. Suppress all enemy elements IVO crossing point. 3. Protect the Coy’s B echelon vehicles. Dismounts: 1. Withdraw to the overwatch position. 2. Protect the attached journalists. ^ Execution: Commander’s Intent My intent is to conduct an orderly withdrawal to the overwatch position and thence to FOB PRICE for which a separate set of QBOs will be issued. Key to our success will be the support offered by the FSG in its overwatch position. The withdrawal of the dismounts will by necessity be driven by recce pull. It is critical that C Coy does not become decisively engaged by the enemy as this will fix us and enable the enemy to defeat us in detail and as such we will seek to bypass significant enemy groupings during the withdrawal. Where bypassing is not an option which is likely to be at the crossing point, we will concentrate our firepower and defeat the enemy. ^ Execution: Basic Plan Currently both the FSG and dismounted element are in secure locations, therefore we will assess the situation in place before committing ourselves to the withdrawal. The FSG will detect, track and disrupt any elements identified. With the situation established, the dismounted group will conduct a controlled withdrawal attempting to bypass significant enemy groupings. Key factors will be identifying and avoiding the enemy, ammunition conservation, casualty avoidance and protection of our attached journalists. Designer’s notes Although well-documented in Christina Lamb’s Times article, Colonel Stuart Tootal’s book ‘Danger Close’ and Patrick Bishop’s ‘3 PARA’, the actual ground over which this mission was fought is not obvious. As a result, while the map accurately models terrain in this part of Helmand, the location was chosen based on a ‘best guess’ of the ground from the accounts above. The Blue force is close in size and composition to those that fought on that day. The Taliban force is unknown and has therefore been structured to provide an interesting mission. Blue objectives are quite simple – keep your casualties down, don’t target the mosque and get to the crossing point (‘touch’ objective). On the day, the force successfully extracted under continuous contact over a period of 3 hours without suffering any loss and inflicting approximately 20-30 casualties on the enemy. This mission is dedicated to the memory of Captain David Patton and Sergeant Paul Bartlett who were killed in action in the Sangin area on that day.

They would have been the Op GLACIER missions GLACIER 1, GLACIER 2 and GLACIER 4 - to whet your appetite it does get dark in this mission. Glad you enjoyed the earlier missions - this one I think you'll really like - I have really enjoyed putting this one together and playtesting it.

Yes mate it certainly is ... this will go live on Sunday (Australian Eastern Time) - I'm going to knock up an alternate AI plan before release (which is tomorrow's task). The main AI plan and how the mission functions has been tested entirely to my satisfaction - the alternate AI plan will be tested once to check it ain't too crazy - if it isn't then all will be good. Thanks for your support.