Combatintman

Thought I'd throw you some bones ... The map is 2834m x 1520m, this is what it looks like in Google Earth: This is what it looks like in CMSF: The bottom of the CMSF map is cropped as I couldn't screen grab the whole area shown in Google Earth but rest assured it is there. The mission is my best guess at recreating the action described in the link in the previous post. I have also researched this in Patrick Bishop's book '3 Para' and Col Stuart Tootal's book 'Danger Close'. Unfortunately none of the accounts specify the exact area of the action so I had to hunt on Google Earth around Zumbelay to find an area that matched the description. The key features being the canal, a crossing point over the canal and some high ground providing a good overwatch position for the FSG. Anyway ... enjoy.

I did the scripts for the UK JTAC dialogues based on what was written in Ed Macy's two books 'Hellfire' and 'Apache' which described his experiences as an Apache pilot in Helmand. I'm no JTAC so can't speak with any authority but my guess is that this would indicate that the JTAC can see the air asset, the target and friendly forces and can therefore actively give target indications to the aircrew. My other supposition is that if there was an incident requiring investigation such as a blue on blue or civilian casualties, then this dialogue can be used to establish the circumstances of the attack. If under positive control then the investigation would probably focus on the actions of the JTAC. Hope this speculation is useful.

Hi all, Apologies for my protracted absence - lack of internet connectivity and a new computer are mostly to blame. I've had to shelve my Op SILVER project but I have been working on something new. The line in the thread title is the clue here. To add further flesh check out the linky: http://www.christinalamb.net/pages/articles/pistol.html This mission is not far off being finished and is a little different from my other missions in that there is not bucket loads of offensive support on call. I have playtested this twice now and it plays out exactly how I want it to play and I think you guys will really enjoy it. More to follow...

Ok fellas - I'm off the internet again for a couple of weeks so no updates for a bit. I suspect there won't be a huge amount of progress either for a bit. Luckily, thanks to Battlefront I have managed to install CMSF and get it to run which was looking decidedly dodgy from the perspective of first thing this morning!!!

The one with the tanks is the 'what if'. Due to the work involved it will be either one or the other I'm afraid.

Gents, thanks for your comments so far. The sticking rigidly to events issue is less important to me than the number of players who will be able to download and play the campaign. While all of my Helmand missions are based on reality, none of them can be described as totally accurate due to: 1. Not knowing the enemy strength. 2. Having to beef up the enemy in order to make a decent challenge. Of the missions I have released I reckon only the Habibollah Kalay one is closest to reality followed closely by the Op GLACIER 2 mission due to the limitations described above. All of that said, my design philosophy has always been to get the maps right and the Blue forces as close to being right as is possible. I then combine that with the desire to give you guys a feel for the operating environment out there at that time. If I get those right (and I think I have) then I am happy. Overall then, the inclusion of the Canadians as part of this campaign will not conflict with my design philosophy above because they were available and in fact their 155mm artillery were used extensively in support of the 82nd Airborne Division and 42 Commando Royal Marines in the approach to Sangin during this operation. As stated before, there was a troop of tanks allocated as a reserve for the whole operation and my plan therefore is to include this in one of the missions along with a platoon of infantry mounted on LAVs. This is presupposing that I get more positive votes for the inclusion of the Canadians.

Ok guys - having finally put the Op GLACIER series to bed I can now devote my full attention to my next CMSF project. Yet again it is set in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. This project will depict Operation SILVER which was the operation towards the end of 3 Commando Brigade's tour of Afghanistan in 2006-2007 aimed at clearing the insurgents out of Sangin District Centre. On current planning I aim to depict as many elements as possible, this will therefore require the NATO module so that I can get the Canadians in. The options are: Yes please I want the Canadians. No thanks I'll live without them. By sacrificing the Canadians I can just swap out the artillery for US 155mm and paradoxically stay close to actual events. However if I keep the Canadians I can stretch reality and include a troop of Leopard tanks which were available for the Operation but not called into action. What do you think?

Ok ..... done!!! To be honest I'm not totally happy with the result but it is possible to win this scenario. My main issues were trying to avoid triggering a red surrender which meant beefing up the enemy to a large degree. However by doing so it is almost impossible to tick off all the objectives. All of that said I have decided to release this for two reasons: 1. I want to move on from this one now. 2. I reckon that you will still enjoy this mission despite the limitations stated above. Enjoy and happy Easter ... hoping that it will upload to the repository without difficulty.

Ok ... nearly there I think. I've tweaked the terrain elevations very slightly (by 1m) on the west bank of the Helmand Rud to make the CVR(T) more useful. I've also playtested with a new blue plan which has reduced the casualty count to a much more acceptable level. Despite this I still only got a draw though so I've increased some victory point values to ensure that at least something resembling a blue victory is possible. I will then embark on what I hope will be my final playtest. If that goes well we should be good to go. Reference tactics on this one - like many of my missions there is a whole bunch of offensive support available for this mission. My advice is to stand off and make good use of it. As to the future ... I have more Afghan stuff I'm working on (three maps done).

Well I have at least managed a full play test this time. Not good ... only one objective taken and 37 casualties!!!! Still working hard at getting this out of the door for the Easter Holidays but it could be as late as Easter Monday. I think I can safely say that when you do get a crack at this one it will probably take a couple of plays at the mission to get a victory so hopefully it will have been worth the wait.

Sorry to take time in replying - my internet access is pretty limited at the moment. As far as FOV is affected there are no issues for you as the Blue player due to the availability of night fighting equipment.

Ok - life is conspiring against me in releasing this one. Yesterday I playtested once and got about 45 minutes in only to have my computer crash. I reloaded about an hour later and had exactly the same problem!! So as another teaser - I have now finished off all of the front end stuff and orders for the mission briefings. Here are some images from the mission briefing. This is the Strategic Map This is the Operational Map This is the Tactical Map Apologies for all of these delays - looking like Easter holidays is going to be a more realistic release date. As a further teaser - I am working on another Helmand project which I should finish over the same timeframe. This is going to be a four or five mission campaign and will definitely involve US, British and Canadian forces. It is based on Operation SILVER which was the Operation to clear the Taliban out of Sangin towards the end of my tour in Mar-Apr 07. For you armour nuts there is the possibility that I will include a troop of Canadian Leopard tanks that were on call for this operation.

Ok, I neglected to mention that the last post represented the draft orders for this scenario ... but you'd probably worked that out! I was hoping to have released this over the weekend but unfortunately I got a very unintended result on my last playtest so it is back to the drawing board and more playtesting. The net result is that you won't see this for a couple of weeks while I refine the victory points however I hope the wait will be worth it.

Situation: Enemy Forces Despite recent disrupt operations to the south of GMR DC, the Taliban continue to pose a significant threat to the DC. Since occupying the DC towards the end of Op HERRICK 4, the Taliban continues to man compounds and trench systems in the immediate vicinity of the DC. Frequent direct and indirect fire attacks are launched from these positions. The most recent of these occurred on 15 Feb 07 when the Taliban launched a coordinated attack on JTAC Hill resulting in 4 UK casualties. The enemy in this area is assessed at approximately company strength and equipped with small arms, RPGs, recoilless rifles and indirect fire weapons and frequently reinforce from the South. They are also assessed as determined and will fiercely contest any friendly force moves south of JTAC Hill. ^ Situation: Friendly Forces Despite the success of earlier Op GLACIER missions, Helmand Task Force (HTF) has not yet created the conditions to enable long-term reconstruction of GMR DC. Accordingly, IX Group comprising Zulu Company 45 Commando RM complete, a troop of 59 Independent Commando Squadron RE, two troops of C Squadron the Light Dragoons (LD) has been concentrated in the GMR DC area. Offensive support on call for this operation comprises a battery of 105mm Light Guns from 29 (Commando) Regiment RA, Zulu Coy’s mortar detachment, US F15s (C/S Bone) and two Apache pairs (C/Ss Ugly 51 and Ugly 52). Ugly 52 will conduct a RIP with Ugly 51 in 90 minutes. ^ Situation: Terrain and Weather The principal terrain feature is the Helmand Rud (river) which runs N-S and is on the W flank of the AO. It is currently impassable for manoeuvre assets due to the ongoing winter run off. Key terrain is JTAC hill which is topped by a fortified building. JTAC hill offers excellent observation and fields of fire over the whole AO. The remainder of the ground is a mix of flat arable land bounded by irrigation ditches/trench systems and walled compounds (Qalas). Observation and fields of fire are generally good throughout. The compounds offer excellent cover and concealment. It is 2300hrs on 17 Feb 07 and the prevailing weather is forecast as overcast. Recent rains mean that the ground is damp. Overall the weather provides no impediment to friendly force operations and the low light conditions favour friendly forces due to our superior night fighting equipment. ^ Mission: Overall Description Mission: ATTACK: IX Gp is to clear the enemy south of GMR DC IOT set the conditions for reconstruction of GMR DC. Tasks: 1. Secure the NW Qala Complex. 2. Secure the NE Qala Complex. 3. Clear the Northern trenches. 4. Secure the SW Qala Complex. 5. Secure the SE Qala Complex. 4. Secure PL TAUNTON. ^ Execution: Commander’s Intent My intent is to conduct a deliberate clearance of the AO defeating all enemy elements encountered. I will use ISTAR assets in overwatch on JTAC hill to cue strikes on all elements identified. C Sqn LD on the W flank will be employed in both the ISTAR and fire support role, supporting dismounts in their clearance of the NW and SW Qalas. Dismounted elements of Zulu Coy, supported by 59 Indep Cdo Sqn RE are to advance on a broad frontage, clearing all enemy encountered. End state is PL TAUNTON secured with all enemy N of TAUNTON cleared. ^ Execution: Basic Plan Your choice CO IX Group, but I suggest that you make maximum use of your ISTAR assets on JTAC hill to cue both direct and indirect fire strikes on identified and suspected Taliban positions. Compounds are likely to be strongly contested and therefore your approach should be deliberate and conducted with offensive support preparation as required. Remain alert for signs of Taliban reinforcements arriving from the S. Designer’s notes This mission in reality encountered very little enemy opposition so the enemy is more reflective of those encountered in Op GLACIER 5. Friendly forces reflect those deployed for Op GLACIER 4 and the mission date and objectives are more closely aligned to those of Op GLACIER 4. CMSF unit constraints mean that the B1 bomber (C/S Bone) that was available has been replaced by a pair of F15s. US F18s were also on call during this mission but have been omitted in the interests of force balance. Op GLACIER 4 was also notable in that ANA D-30s were used in fire support, although available in the CMSF force pick, these have been replaced by 105mm Light Gun. In relation to how to play this mission, the biggest factor for the British is how you deal with ammunition consumption for the dismounts. To that end you will need to grab ammunition from wherever you can. The obvious choices are the various TUM, the less obvious ones are the WMIKs. Blue objectives are all ‘Occupy’ however you will get the points in the event of an enemy surrender. My playtesting has always triggered a surrender within the time limit due to casualties so I would suggest that ensuring a blue presence on these ‘Occupy’ objectives is not necessary. Like everything, I’ll leave that decision to you. On a personal note, one of the blokes who worked for me while was over there was one of the 4 wounded described in the Situation Enemy Forces paragraph. I am pleased to say that he is very much alive and doing well. This action is described in the book 3 Commando Brigade by Ewen Southby-Tailyour from which this mission was researched.

I'm sure you'll work it all out - I'm a pretty average player and spent a lot of time playtesting this before I found what worked and what didn't. Even with this knowledge I still end up getting caught out occasionally and end up having some of my guys getting shot up by determined remnant fighters.

Guys - I am really thrilled that you like this one so much and many of the points of difficulty that you are facing are the same ones that I encountered in play testing. I'm glad I stuck with it because at one point I thought that I was going to have to tone the enemy down a bit. As you can see, I did persevere and it does seem as if I have got it about right. Reference the offensive support, I have also found that you need a mix of offensive support and suppressive fire to keep the Taliban down. Mortars I tend to use on point targets with lots of short or quick missions right on top of identified enemy units in the irrigation ditches/tree lines. The 105 light guns I use generally on linear shoots again mostly on tree lines and again only when I have identified enemy units in them. This is all in the interests of ammunition consumption. Air and aviation I tend to use against buildings and I try to get the most bang for my air buck by dropping on buildings that are close to irrigation ditches/tree lines in the hope of getting some kills of enemy that may be lurking there. Reference the questions about the ANA ... I put ANA in the scenario to add some flavour to it. They were there on the day but their actual task was to provide rear area security. I note your comments about giving them some form of ammo supply and am still toying with whether to do it or not. Fire discipline and logistics are not the ANA's strong suits so the fact that they have limited ammunition and get through it quite quickly is realistic. With reference to the function of the ANA HQ, I put it in there to ensure there were no command issues for those playing at the higher levels of difficulty. The HQs themselves would be colocated with their ISAF mentoring elements (OMLTs).

Ok here is a taster to leave you with: The image was captured in daylight although the mission will be a night mission. This is obviously so you can have a good look at the map. Blue setup is along the left hand side of the image as you look at it. Red will be pretty much everywhere else. The map shows the area immediately to the south of Garmsir District Centre, Garmsir District, Helmand Province. Unfortunately I am unlikely to have internet access for the next month so you won't see any updates or the mission itself until I can get back online. What I can say is that I am progressing well with the mission and have playtested it twice. It still needs some tweaking to keep red from triggering too early a surrender but I have a pretty good idea of what I need to do there. Anyway - I'll post updates when they are done and when I am back online. Regards Combatintman

One of the maps that 'I have up my sleeve' has developed a little faster than I thought. This mission will probably complete my Op GLACIER series and will be a hybrid of subsequent GLACIER operations which took place in early 2007 during 3 Commando Brigade's Op HERRICK 5 tour. The reason this will be a hybrid is largely due to the fact that on Google Earth the area around Garmsir District Centre has got imagery which doesn't overlap too well and unfortunately the subsequent objectives for the GLACIER series sit on the other side of the join! More to follow in due course.

Erwin - I don't know if the Brit vehicles will resupply the ANA or not - strictly speaking they shouldn't because the AK is 7.62mm short vice the 7.62mm NATO cartridge. I don't see it as a showstopper to be honest but it depends how you choose to use the ANA guys. If there is a big call for it I'll issue a new version with a truck - trouble is if I do that people will need the NATO module as well I think.

Thanks very much for all of the comments on this mission by all accounts it seems to play out for you in the way that I intended it to work which is very satisfying. My main issue as a scenario designer is that most of you seem to be much better players than I am - I don't think I've ever finished this one with more than an hour on the clock and I usually incur more casualties ... and of course I know pretty much what is going to happen!! Well done all who have achieved that. As to more missions - I have a few maps up my sleeve at this stage and of course there is the TELIC campaign to finish off. Unfortunately I am now back at work which means I have less time to devote to the fun activities in life so these will be a while off in the pipeline. Thanks again all for the feedback.

Well not three attempts yet!!! Just had a second go at uploading this.

This should appear in the repository fairly soon - hopefully it won't take three attempts to upload like the last one did!

Ok, final dump of screenshots ... This is a view from the Western edge of the map (blue setup) This is a view from the Eastern edge of the map This is a view from the North This is a view from the South Hopefully you will find this an interesting set of terrain to fight over.

Some previews: This is the Google Earth image which can be found at the following Geo Coords: 31 50 16 35 N 64 37 28 33 E This is the map editor view: This is the overhead screenshot: Enjoy!!

Should be with you in a few days gents - got the timings to work and found a way to prolong the insurgent surrender so that you have to work all along the map.