A civilian orientated CPX...

[SJJ]

Thought people might like to have a look at the OPORD we used for the Aceh CPX. All of us that took part in this one are uni students (with a couple of reservists) thus the OPORD is probably not as authentic as it could be. This is the OPORD for the 5/7 RAR CO for the CPX (5/7RAR being the active Mech btn of the ADF)

I was umpire for this one

Operation Beersheba

OPORD-002

1 Battalion TaskFORCE (5/7 RAR)

1. SITUATION:

The Indonesian province of Aceh has erupted into open rebellion against the Jakarta regime. After reports of numerous warcrimes by TNI forces, AUS has been given mandate by UN to disarm by force TNI units and restore order to the Province, hencewith it will become a UN protectorate.

A. ENEMY FORCES:

1. The 17th AB, has completed its reconstitution and is preparing to begin offensive operations. It is currently at approximately 80 percent with two Battalions (501st and 502nd) and attached BRIMOB and KOPASSUS Battalions (+)

2. The most likely course of action is that the enemy will attack in zone NLT 210800SEP03 to destroy the 3 Bde, and facilitate the continued attack to sieze 1ATF HQ. will attack with two AB Btns abreast, the 501st in the west and the 502nd in the east. These Btns will attack with two Coys up and two back. One Btn, the BRIMOB, will form the second echelon of the Bde and be committed to support the Btn which encounters the least resistance. The 501st Btn will be the main effort and will receive a Forward Detatchement which may attack NET 211800SEP03 to seize key passes to facilitate the attack. His AT helo and fixed wing assets have not been reconstituted and will not be a threat, however he does have sufficient aircraft to deliver dismounted company size elements deep within our sector.

B. FRIENDLY FORCES:

1. Higher Mission. 3rd Brigade defends in sector, NLT 210800SEP03, to destroy the first echelon Btns of the 17th AB and prevent penetrration of PL DINGO. o/o counterattack to complete the destruction of the first echelon brigade.

2. To our east, 2RAR has the mission of defending in sector to destroy the KOPASSUS btn. To our west, 3RAR is employed as airmobile containment to prevent TNI forces linking up. As such, Helo support is restricted. To our rear, 1RAR is serving as Bde reserve.

C. WEATHER:

1. Winds are expected to be out of the north-northeast at approximately 6.8 knot per hour.

2. The hours of daylight are as follows. Before morning nautical twilight (BMNT) will begin at 0705. Early evening nautical twilight (EENT) will end at 2008.

2. MISSION. 5/7 RAR defends in sector NLT 210800SEP03 to destroy the 1st echelon of the 501st AB Btn and prevent a penetration of PL Dingo. o/o 5/7RAR passes 1RAR through to allow them to complete the destruction of the 501st AB. o/o 5/7RAR conducts a counterattack to complete the destruction of 501st AB.

each of the commanders (5/7 RAR, 2RAR and 3RAR) received similar orders, and I controlled 1RAR mainly by "donating" units to the commander who needed them.

Given the nastiness of the Aceh uprising, and the repression methods used by the TNI (Indonesian armed forces) as umpire, I introduced all sorts of random things - like refugees clogging the roads, discovery of mass graves (and hence, the detachment of a platoon to investigate), weather change (causing 5/7RAR's M113s to withdraw lest they get bogged, and the addition of ASLAvs to the mix), and the removal of SAM and air-defence units from the area due to the presence of media helos.

2RAR got hammered by the KOPASSUS battalion, resulting in the early addition of 1RAR, and because of this early collapse of the eastern perimeter, I added the addition of a TNI amphibious group to threaten the Aussie forces.

3RAR handily wiped out the BRIMOB force, and then the Aussie force commander (1ATF HQ, also 5/7 RAR OC) detached them to harass the 501st's flanks.

Was great fun, though I think as an umpire I was more interested in adding more and more restricting events on the aussie forces, but we agreed at the end it was probably realsitic enough. (Though the 3RAR OC got slightly put out when told the survivors of his helo units that got shot down - I made him land to investigate for survivors - couldn't be supported by artillery due to civilian presence...lots of invective in use there )

However, I think my best action as umpire was the amount of civilian interaction in the game, with KOPASSUS units disguised as civilians and leading the Aussies into ambushes, and giving false positions, to actual Aceh civilians leading 1RAR right to the TNI command post, and eventually, afetr the BRIMOB unit (BRIMOB being the repressive special police force) was taken out of play, supporting the Aussie assault themselves. All of us who played in this game were really impressed how the civilians impacted the game and our plans.

As a matter of interest, we tried it without the civilian influence the next weekend, with a more standard military action, and it lost a lot of the flavour. Still fun, but a lot harder for the TNI force.

Cheers to the Major for giving us a game which allows us to do what others can't. The addition of a scenario and unit editor would make just about every conflcit in the last century possible, and make possible to simulate some of the modern LICs going on around the world.

[ August 04, 2003, 12:17 AM: Message edited by: SJJ ]