I need help with a new campaign

[lomir]

Hi,

I'm constructing a campaign placed in the Northeast of Syria (Al Jazerah region). I would like it to be accurate and consistent with the official outline of the Battlefront CM:SF series, but unfortunately I don't have the gorgeous map that comes with the Deluxe Collector's Edition of the base game (margin note to Battlefront: I think it would make good sales to offer the option to get the map with the future NATO module for some extra bucks. I would definitely go for that). So, sadly I can't tell apart which units are involved in the area of operations of my campaign. Can anyone help me? Please, don't get me wrong: I do NOT want anyone to send me a high definition scan of the map as I do believe that the owners of the map, and only them, have paid to have it and that wouldn't be fair, as well as there is a copyright on it. Just I need your help to name the five "blue" and six "red" units I have circled so I know what size and kind of forces I should use in the campaign and when.

The campaign will be around 10 missions in length as I think some of the units depicted at the Turkish border are another NATO (non-U.S./British) forces, so I won't be able to include all the progression axis shown in the map. The first scenario is in Tall Kushik at the Syrian-Iraqi border. The idea of the campaign is to end up sealing off the main city of Al Hasakah and their regular forces from the rest of the country and to control the natural gas and oil resources of the region (cough, cough...). Hehehe, alright, we'll see, we'll see... I still have to do the script of the campaign and I think that will take me a tough time, since I read yesterday some particular thread and I realized that some of the members of the forum doesn't let you get away with anything, huh? Just kidding a little, hehe.

To see how seriously I'm taking this campaign, just to say that I'm using a 8x8 meters overlay grid in Google Earth, so all the maps will be as much close to reality as possible (there is always some distortion as the map gets bigger, of course. There's no way to avoid some things). An aerial picture of Tall Kushik with the grid I'm using:

And two screenshots for now:

I'm getting very into the small details, i.e. a door connecting two buildings has another door facing it exactly on the opposite building, there aren't windows within the walls, I'm using many flavour objects as street lamps or telephone poles facing the correct angles, etc. Somewhat time consuming but the result look is very rewarding. So last but not least, I have to sincerely congratulate all the developers of the CM:SF Editor. It's simply wonderful what you can create with it!! Great job, gents.

Soon I'll upload the first scenario in the repository as a stand alone, so you can play it (in v1.20). Let's say in a couple of weeks now so I can create the Order of Battle and a good AI script. Any ideas and opinions will be very welcome.

Cheers,

Lomir

[Starlight]

Sorry cannot help with the map info, regret not getting the version that included this at the start

I like the map, its the sort of thing I have been thinking about, surveying the route of march and picking lots of good battle area and mapping within reason close to the actual area.

Looking forward to updates as you progress.

[ScubaSam]

I've got the boxed paradox version, It came with a printed manual (scaled down, no editor section in it) and the Map

With the Blue Units, starting at the top and working clockwise, you have:

A Mechanised Brigade, designated "FI" on the right hand side. (Finland, perhaps?)

An Infantry Battalion, designated "GR" on right hand side (Possibly Germany?)

The flagged unit above the GR battalion is a Division HQ designated "EURO"

then there is an Infantry Battalion designated "SP" (Spain?)

the last unit to the South East is 3rd Brigade, 2nd US Infantry Division. They look like a Stryker Brigade to me.

As for red units, some of the designations are unclear because of the blue arrows overlapping them, but:

- A brigade sized infantry force lies in the FI Brigades path, right in the middle of the blue

arrow. Can't see their designation. (but at a guess I'd say its a 5)

- to the NE, what looks like 7th Infantry Brigade lies in the path of the SP bn.

- E of that, 6th Infantry Brigade is covered by the arrow with no NATO icon at its base.

- the two units in Al Hasakah are 8th Infantry Brigade (the northernmost unit) and 14th Special Forces Regiment.

- the Southmost unit is 9th Infantry Brigade, in 3/2 Infs path.

Hope all that helps. Main US unit seems to be 3/2 SBCT. Can't see any British forces there, but you could always add small detached units to the Euro forces or something similar.

[lomir]

Thanks a lot!

Well, yes, the Mechanized Brigade designated "FI" could depict a reinforced Finnish Rapid Deployment Force, although I wonder why Finland was to hypothetically field such a big unit not being a member of NATO neither a contributor to Eurocorps... Anyway, it's not possible to use them in the game. The Infantry Battalion designated "GR" I would say it's likely to be Greece (Germany would be D), and the Infantry Battalion designated "SP" would be Spain, both members of NATO. Another two countries not possible to use so far. So I may follow your piece of advice and add some small (company-sized or less) British forces as part of the Divisional HQ designated "EURO" to do some separate scenarios in the two northern attack routes. From the Southeastern towards Al Hasakah I will use a mechanized infantry battalion of the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd US Infantry Division (the "Arrowhead Brigade") and one reconnaissance troops as a core unit but not the whole 3/2 SBCT since it seems that is attacking Syria through three different axis (one per battalion).

And as far as the Northeastern attack route is concerned, it's true that there's no unit depicted and it's not likely that the 3/2 SBCT would attack in such a big front, so I guess I can use an unit of my election We'll see, but it will probably be a British one. Unless you'll be a little "fed up" of Britons for a while and willing to play the most of the campaign with the good old Americans chaps.

[Sequoia]

Here is a thread where we were trying to decipher the unit designations on the map. I don't think the map needs to be considered Canon by any scenario developers. It's really just for flavor.

http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=87901

[Combatintman]

lomir,

That's one hell of a map you're putting together there - as one who likes going for realism on my own maps, I know how much effort it takes to get it right and your pics show you're doing a great job..

[ScubaSam]

I like the sound of that lomir

As Sequoia said, feel free to tweak with those forces a bit. I'd love to see another British unit enter the fray, maybe a Mechanised or Light formation as those were barely touched upon by the main module campaign (Warriors are great, but they get ooold).

[lomir]

Thanks Combatintman! I agree that the map shouldn't be considered sacred to make a campaign, but in view of the fact that I don't mind to make a campaign with the 3/2 SBCT or let's say the 4/2 SBCT as I think all military units have their own "flavour" that makes them special to play with, I wanted to be accurate with the data provided in the map. But I'll surely have to use in the Northeastern attack route some unit that it's not pictured in the map. I'm thinking in using one (American or British) on the stand alone scenarios and another unit from the country not used before when the full campaign will be "released", as it will make the campaign good to play again all through and to compare the results.

That's right: I'm really enjoying the Editor as much as playing the game, but it takes a lot of effort to make a map that looks right and realist (I'm still adjusting things in mine as I've found myself to be a quite meticulous map maker) and that's why I take my hat off to the many good developers I've seen here when I understand now by myself what they have really done. And I'm even more looking forward to the CM:British Forces since I've read in the forum that it has stunning maps! It should be en route...

Cheers,

Lomir

[Sequoia]

Yes think of the map as an early Time Magazine version of what the media thought was going on. It's up to historians like yourself to come up with the actual events.

[lomir]

Yep, ScubaSam, I'm going to do that. Let me do some research into which British unit would make it enough acceptable and at the same time fun to depict in the campaign, and also wait that I get an idea of what kind of British toys you've been playing with during the last days! I haven't got CM:BF yet and I don't use to read the spoilers! I will keep you updated in the progress of the first scenario making. Scenario that in fact is placed in the Northeastern attack axis (at the Tall Kushik border post).

[lomir]

Hi,

So the first scenario of the campaign (Hell for Leather) is almost done. The British 4th Mechanised Brigade (The Black Rats), supported by the Queen's Royal Lancers, invade Syria at the Tall Kushik Border Crossing. Map size: 1616x1200m. I'm just putting the final touches. As long as I'm not a English native speaker and I'm the first person that likes to read a correct English text in a briefing, I'm looking for some forum member that is fully proficient in English Grammar to do some proof reading and that has some passion for writting as well, because I understand that my writting can be a little bit thick to read at some points and it will be great if someone could mend those parts, too. I do believe that too many spelling typos and wrong English expressions doesn't help a lot to arouse everyone's interest in any matter, don't you? Of course, the person helping will be credited. Thank you!

I leave the briefing text here so you can copy it.

[B][U]Hell for Leather[/U][/B]


[B]Enemy Forces[/B]


In order to delay the incoming invasion, the Syrian Army has called up a Militia unit to garrison the Tall Kushik Border Crossing. The Militia is mostly 

hidden in the urban area to avoid targeting by the Coalition airpower flying from Incirlik and Diyarbakir military air bases in Turkey. These forces are 

expected to attrite our invading forces so that other Syrian forces may then try to counterattack to push our forces back into Iraq.


Other enemy forces in the Tall Kushik AO consist of static tank batteries, obsolete BTR-60 APCs and a battalion of decent quality Border Troops dug in along 

the berm in a wide defensive line, as well as at some posts defending the border crossing, the ring road approach to the Syrian M4 highway (designated Main 

Route Acheron) and the Main Road 6 access (designated Main Route Tartarus). The Militia have also recently been equipped with limited quantities of older-

generation ATGMs, but we don't expect the Syrian militiamen will withstand effectively our push for long. Although beware of the better trained and equipped Border Guard.


The Border Guard have some mortars and artillery support (18 D-30 122mm towed howitzers and 6 Type 63 107mm multiple-launch rocket systems), but given the 

dispersed deployment of these units along the border it is only a nuisance problem to take care of. Our initial counter-battery fire and air assets should 

easily get rid of them on the first stage of the invasion.


Our aerial reconnaissance has not identified IVO Tall Kushik any of the T-62s that the Border Guards use to operate with as they might be hidden somewhere 

else, but after some recent rains, there are indications the Syrians have laid minefields along their side of the border to create tactical barriers to deter 

any direct attack and to act as area-denial weapons against the incoming Coalition invasion.


Military Intelligence has identified a few number of Kurdish Sunni Islamist mujahideen and other foreign Arab fighters assisting the Syrian local militiamen 

and local insurgents of Tall Kushik. The insurgency in the Area of Operation comprise approximately 150 men, and they are operating from the vicinity of the 

main mosque of Tall Kushik.


[B]Friendly Forces[/B]


All along the Syrian-Iraqi border, British recon teams an SAS troops have been very active further ahead of the FEBA in the last days determining the 

disposition of the Syrian military forces and any other unconventional threats.


Your invading force is mainly the British 4th Mechanised Brigade (The Black Rats), with the Queen's Royal Lancers from the 19th Infantry Brigade in the 

formation reconnaissance role, and air and artillery support. 4 MECH BDE has been task-organized into battalion-sized Battlegroups:


The Royal Dragoon Guards Battlegroup (RDG BG), based around the Royal Dragoon Guards (RDG) including elements of 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's 

Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) (1 LANCS) will lead the main attack on the Tall Kushik Border Crossing with their Challenger 2 MBTs and FV432 

Bulldog APCs.

1st Battalion, Scots Guards (1 SG) and some elements of the Queen's Royal Lancers (QRL), with their Warrior IFVs and Scimitar RVs, will act as a mobile force 

contraflanking any Syrian Border Guards flanking attempt on the RDG BG, while another two squadrons of the Royal Dragoon Guards with Recce elements will 

create diversionary attacks north and south of the main attack axis.

The 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment (Cheshire) (1 MERCIAN), with the remaining forces of the 4th Mechanised Brigade will stay back on standby to act as a 

reserve force ready to exploit the gap created by the Royal Dragoon Guards Battlegroup on the urban area of Tall Kushik.

You have priority for artillery support for the area from two batteries (the 3/29 (Corunna) Bty RA and the 94 (New Zealand) HQ Bty RA) of the 4th Regiment 

Royal Artillery (4 REGT) after their counter-battery assigments are complete.


The Royal Dragoon Guards Battlegroup in detail consists of:


The Royal Dragoon Guards Headquarters (2 x Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank).

A Mech Rifle Coy, 1 LANCS (23 x Bulldog Armoured Personnel Carrier; 2 x Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier).

B Mech Rifle Coy, 1 LANCS (23 x Bulldog Armoured Personnel Carrier; 2 x Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier).

C Manoeuvre Support Coy (-), 1 LANCS (12 x Bulldog Armoured Personnel Carrier; 1 x Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier).

D Armd Sqn, RDG (14 x Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank).


2 x Sabre Tp, 5th/16th Lancer Squadron, QRL (8 x Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle).

3 x Engineer Fd Tp, 1st Armoured Engineer Squadron, 21 ENGR REGT (12 x Bulldog Armoured Personnel Carrier; 6 x Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier).


3/29 (Corunna) Battery RA (6 x AS90 155mm Howitzer).

94 (New Zealand) Headquarters Battery RA (6 x AS90 155mm Howitzer).


1 x FOO Party, AS90 Tactical Group (4 x Warrior Artillery Observation Vehicle).

1 x Tac Air Control Party (1 x Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier).


Additional direct support will be provided by some elements from the Special Forces Support Group (SFGS) and the following aviation element:


No. 656 Squadron AAC (4 x Apache AH Mk1) flying from Diyarbakir AB in Turkey.


[B]Terrain and Weather[/B]


The terrain in the area of operations is relatively flat, with dry-farmed crop lands in the outskirts of Tall Kushik. The Iraqi side of Tall Kushik Border 

Crossing is mainly made of former Iraqi Army barracks and an station of the Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement, all of it actually controlled by the 

Kurdish Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Regional Government.


Light winds out of the Northwest, with clear skies. There is an almost full moon tonight.


It is now 0030hrs local time, 20 June. Recce teams will start moving in about two hours, and the main force attack is scheduled to begin at 0600hrs. 


[B]Mission[/B]


Your mission is to destroy the enemy forces in the area. Secondary objectives are the control of the Highway M4 (MR Acheron) ring road approach and the Main 

Road 6 (MR Tartarus) access next to the train station of Tall Kushik.


[B]Commander's Intent[/B]


We will conduct an all-force assault at dawn in the area west of the border berm and wall, with the destruction of enemy units as the priority. The Royal 

Dragoon Guards Battlegroup will attack on a relative small portion of the Syrian border at Tall Kushik to achieve a breakthrough. We'll slice through the 

enemy defensive line and we'll rapidly exploit the gap created. As the enemy units defending Tall Kushik break, the northern and southern Border Guard units 

along the berm will suffer adverse results from this (spreading panic, additional defensive angles, threat to supply lines) and, since they will be already 

pressured north and south of the main attack axis, it will lead them to snap as well, causing a domino-style collapse of the Syrian defensive system. We seek 

the complete destruction of the defensive force at the breakthrough point in Tall Kushik, giving us the option to rapidly move more troops into the gap, 

stabilizing our flanks and then exploiting the breakthrough in width (by flanking the remaining Border Guard units at the edge of the breakthrough) and in 

depth (advancing into enemy territory and towards our strategic objectives). Capture the town with minimal losses by the use of maximum firepower. Most of 

the civilians have fled to safety from the Area of Operation long time ago, expecting the incoming invasion, so there aren't any ROE restrictions. Gentlemen, 

we cannot fail now.


[B]Basic Plan[/B]


At 0500hrs infiltrate the area with the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) avoiding contact with enemy patrols and defensive positions. Occupy OPs to 

observe the area and report the disposition of enemy forces to higher, and to guide attack aircraft with their RAF Regiment Tactical Air Control Party 

(TACP). Eliminate any enemy HQ elements, fixed positions and targets of opportunity, if possible, but do not get decisively engaged yet. The SFSG should be 

prepared to support the main attack by coordinating supporting arms and reporting any enemy activities that could be a major threat to our forces. At 

0545hrs, the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery (The North East Gunners) (4 REGT), with its 24 AS90 155 mm howitzers, will start the counter-battery fire to 

neutralize all the Syrian artillery assets IVO the Area of Operation. At 0600hrs elements of the 21 Engineer Regiment (21 ENGR REGT) and the C Manoeuvre 

Support Coy (-), 1 LANCS, screened by Formation Reconnaissance, the Queen's Royal Lancers (QRL), will lead the attack opening breaches along the Syrian 

defenses at Tall Kushik and marking the not mined corridors to be used during the main force assault. Military Intelligence doesn't think that the Syrian 

minefields will be effectively covered by fire in its whole extension, so it's a matter of exploiting the weakest points of their defense. Coalition ground-

attack aircrafts will be on station to provide air support if required by 0600hrs. Two batteries (3/29 (Corunna) Battery RA and the 94 (New Zealand) 

Headquarters Battery RA) of the total four should be in position to provide fire support and smoke screens for the Royal Engineers and the main attack 

shortly after. At 0615hrs attack with the D Armd Coy, the Royal Dragoon Guards (RDG) and its Challenger 2s and destroy the remaining dug in static tanks and 

any heavy opposition. At 0630hrs follow-up with the A and B Mech Inf Coys, 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) (1 

LANCS) and destroy any remaining opposing forces in the Area of Operation, control the M4 highway (MR Acheron) approach and the Main Road 6 (MR Tartarus) 

access, and make sure to clean up the insurgent area around the main mosque of Tall Kushik. Good luck.


[I]Military Terms Glossary:[/I]


AAC Army Air Corps

AB Air Base

AO Area of Operation

APC Armoured Personnel Carrier

Armd Armoured

ATGM Anti-Tank Guided Missile

BDE Brigade

BG Battle Group

Bty Battery

Coy Company

ENGR Engineer

Fd Field

FEBA Front Edge of Battlefield Area

FOO Forward Observation Officer

HMS Her/His Majesty's Ship

HQ Headquarters

IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Inf Infantry

IVO In Vicinity Of

MECH Mechanised

MBT Main Battle Tank

MR Main Route

OP Observation Post

RA Royal Artillery

RAF Royal Air Force

Recce Reconnaissance

RGT Regiment

RN Royal Navy

ROE Rules Of Engagement

RV Reconnaissance Vehicle

Sqn Squadron

Tac Tactical

Tp Troop

I know, I know... the Brits are going to chew up the Syrian forces But I wanted to be realist in this part (forces involved) and please notice that this scenario will just be the first of a wider campaign (the Syrians aren't going to put all one's eggs in one basket next to the border), but it isn't going to be as so easy as it seems. Don't expect that the public opinion back in the UK will think that a major victory has been achieved when the first Globemaster with a dozen of coffins will arrive at RAF Brize Norton, so keep in mind that you'll really have to look after your troops and Challenger tanks a lot! The 12 AS90s might be a little too much... they should have spent most of their ammo in the meantime they will start supporting the scenario, but I'm not sure yet of how much destabilizing could be. Well, the main idea is to test the scenario for the campaign. Any comments, ideas, after action reports, etc. about the scenario will be really appreciated. And of course, when it will be uploaded in the Repository (soon), you'll be totally free to change it as much as you want (maybe adding a battalion of T-90s or so...).

Cheers,

Lomir

[Combatintman]

A couple of things about British units.

1 LANCS - Rifle Companies are called:

Anzio Company

Burma Company

Corunna Company

Manoeuvre Support Company for 1 LANCS is Somme Company

1 SG is a Warrior equipped Armoured Infantry Battalion and therefore it should have the Mech Inf APP-6A symbol with a 'W' in the bottom centre of the symbol on your image.

Scots Guards companies are named:

Right Flank Coy

B (Support) Coy

Left Flank Coy

C Coy

QRL Sqns are:

A Sqn

B Sqn

C Sqn

D Sqn

21 Engineer Regiment:

The Field Troop in 1 Armoured Engineer Squadron is 2 (Fd) Tp.

With the gunners (4 Regt RA) - the RHQ battery doesn't have guns so take them out and just stick with 3/29 (Corunna) Bty. If you decide you absolutely must have two gun btys then the other btys in 4 Regt are 88 (Arrakan) Bty and 97 Bty (Lawson's Company).

Looking at the composition of the RDG BG, it is infantry-heavy and comprised mostly of 1 LANCS - the obvious question is 'why not call it '1 LANCS BG'?'

As a general note you don't need to go into all of the honorific titles so we can just refer to:

RDG BG

1 MERCIAN BG

4 Regt RA

3/29 Bty

2 Fd/1 AES

Hope this is useful.

[Combatintman]

On to the glossary:

'AB' for 'Air Base' is not really a term we would use and I'm not sure you need it for the purposes of the narrative. If we are referring to a place that the AAC is operating out of then 'FOB' would be more accurate (Forward Operating Base).

'BDE' would appear as 'Bde'

'ENGR' would appear as 'Engr'

You have HMS in there for Her Majesty's Ship - I did the Brit TO&E for the module and I can assure you there are no ships in any of the builds!

'MR' for 'Main Route' - not used. It would be Route followed by a codename e.g., Route DIAMOND. The abbreviation would be 'Rte DIAMOND'. Another variant would be (if it is such) 'MSR' for 'Main Supply Route'. Similar conventions apply e.g., MSR DIAMOND.

The British abbreviation for Regiment is 'Regt' and not 'RGT'

'RN' - see my comments about 'HMS' - do we really need it?

The term 'RV' is used for Rendezvous and not Reconnaissance Vehicle - the correct term would be Recce Veh.

[lomir]

Thank you very much, Combatintman!! I'll correct all the mistakes I made and post the briefing again.

I used the App-6a map symbology from April 2001 and the "W" for the Warrior didn't appear, but now I can recall that I saw this symbol in the CM:SF British campaign, so I should have known I was missing something... ayayay I'll make the needed corrections on the strategic map, too. And I forgot to paint the "I" on top of the No. 656 Squadron AAC! It's supposed that there are 8 Apache AH Mk1 supporting the attack, but only four of them will operate within the boundaries of the map. I just bunch them all together in one AVN (ROTATORY WING)-ATTACK symbol for simplification. And the Militia unit is going to be a battalion, not a company (since I believe that half of them will go "?" when the artillery barrage will start... it wouldn't be nice to find empty such a large map ).

About the 4th Regt RA, now I've read the good source (www.army.mod.uk). Just 18 AS90s, 6 per battery. One battery should be fine then. Let's say the other two are firing at the northern and southern Border Guard companies, out of the map limits. One question about the 88 Battery: do you know if it is spelled Arracan or Arrakan? I've seen it written almost everywhere with "c", although it looks like the correct former English name for the town in Burma is written with "k".

Yes, it should be called 1 LANCS BG. I thought about it at the beginning and at the end I didn't change it. You are right, Combatintman: it makes more sense that having the 1 LANCS three companies and the RDG just one, the Headquarters for this Battlegroup should come from the 1 LANCS and so its name. Especially in this scenario, where the Challengers 2s are just acting as a fast maneuvering asset for the mechanised infantry, that is going to do most of the hard MOUT work. So, I'll follow your piece of advice and I'll change that, too.

The HMS and RN shouldn't appear in the glossary of this scenario, thanks! I've been adding some terms from the whole campaign briefing and there you'll find this:

Naval Strike Wing RN (9 x Harrier GR9) flying from HMS Illustrious aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea.

I hope that is correct. As far as I know (and about the British Army is not too much, though), the Royal Navy could use that Harrier GR9s from an (that) aircraft carrier. Do you know if they would use the NSW just to support a Royal Marines deployment or that could make any sense here? I thought it was acceptable and even realist to see that aircraft carrier deployed close to the waters of Cyprus and their British bases in the force protection/support role.

And last but not least, thanks a lot for the explanation in the spelling conventions and the correct English military terminology.

Cheers,

Lomir

[lomir]

Ops! One more question...

So, the QRL four squadrons aren't named anymore after their former regiments? Like this:

5th Lancer Squadron

16th Lancer Squadron

17th Lancer Squadron

21st Lancer Squadron

I amalgamated the four squadrons in two: 5/16 and 17/21 (my fault), since the TO&E that you can find in CM:SF for a Recce Regiment only comprises two Sabre Squadrons and one Surveillance Squadron, plus the small HQ Team... I guess now that the HQ Squadron should be the fourth of these squadrons, but because it's mainly administrative it doesn't appear as such (the HQ and 2IC Teams with just 2 x Sultans). Well, I have to say that now I'm very confused with this... :confused:

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it.

Lomir

[Combatintman]

lomir - with the artillery you would normally expect a BG to be supported (the correct term would be General Support Reinforcing) by a battery. So if you stick with 3/29 Bty as an example, the Tactical Group (TAC Gp) would come from 3/29 Bty. The spelling of Arrakan I'm guessing at - because it is an honorific title I would be surprised if the spelling had change to the new 'in vogue' spelling so my guess would be 'Arrakan'.

As to the NSW embarked on HMS Ark Royal supporting the RM .... yeeesss it could happen but that isn't really the way that air power works these days. Most things that fly, regardless of which service or country for that matter owns them, will ultimately come under a JFACC (Joint Force Air Component Command). The JFACC then allocates the sorties. This is one of the reasons the US Marines got a bit irritated in Gulf War 1 I think because they wanted to hang on to all USMC aircraft and Shwarzkopf said 'Ain't going to happen - they come under the JFACC'.

The other thing about the air piece is we have a whacking great air base on Cyprus called RAF Akrotiri so this would give you flexibility to use other aircraft operating out of there. They would take off - top up their tanks over the Mediterranean fly the mission and could return to Akrotiri (possibly requiring a top up to get them back).

With regard to the QRL squadron names - according to the Catterick Garrison Army Telephone book they are named as I described. As to the structure you just need to stick with A, B and C Sqns with A and B being Sabre Sqns as per the CMSF TO&E.

[lomir]

The briefing is already corrected. If you are reading it and you find any typo or you have any comment about it, please post it. I'm working on the strategic and tactical maps now

Hell for Leather

Enemy Forces

In order to delay the incoming invasion, the Syrian Army has called up a Militia battalion to garrison the Tall Kushik Border Crossing. The Militia is mostly

hidden in the urban area to avoid targeting by the Coalition airpower flying from Incirlik and Diyarbakir in Turkey. These forces are expected to attrite our

invading forces so that other Syrian forces may then try to counterattack to push us back into Iraq.

Other Syrian forces in the area consist of static tank batteries and a battalion of decent quality Border Troops dug in along the berm in a wide defensive

line, as well as at some posts defending the border crossing, the ring road approach to the Syrian M4 highway (designated Route Acheron) and the access to

the Main Road 6 (designated Route Tartarus). We expect to find just a reinforced company of them with obsolete BTR-60 APCs in the Tall Kushik AO. The Militia

have also recently been equipped with limited quantities of older-generation ATGMs, but we don't expect the Syrian militiamen will withstand effectively our

push for long. Beware of the better trained and equipped Border Guard, though.

The Border Guard have some heavy mortars and artillery support (18 D-30 122mm towed howitzers and 6 Type 63 107mm multiple-launch rocket systems), but given

the dispersed deployment of these units along the border it is only a nuisance problem to take care of. Our initial counter-battery fire and air assets

should easily get rid of them on the first stage of the invasion.

Our aerial reconnaissance has not identified IVO Tall Kushik any of the T-62s that the Border Guards use to operate with as they might be hidden somewhere

else, but after some recent rains, there are clear evidences that the Syrians have laid minefields along their side of the berm to create tactical barriers

to deter any direct attack and to act as area-denial weapons against our incoming invasion.

Military Intelligence has identified a group of around 50 Kurdish Sunni Islamist mujahideen and other foreign Arab fighters assisting the Syrian militiamen

and local insurgents of Tall Kushik. That group probably is the most dangerous enemy we'll have to face, since most of their members are hardened veterans

from the Chechen, Iraqi or Afghan wars. The local insurgency in the Area of Operation comprise approximately 100-150 men, mainly poorly armed civilians. They

all seem to be operating from the vicinity of the main mosque of Tall Kushik.

Friendly Forces

All along the Syrian-Iraqi border, British recon teams an SAS troops have been very active further ahead of the FEBA in the last days determining the

disposition of the Syrian military forces and another unconventional threats.

Your invading force is mainly the British 4th Mechanised Brigade (The Black Rats), with the Queen's Royal Lancers from the 19th Infantry Brigade in the

formation reconnaissance role, and air and artillery support. 4 Mech Bde has been task-organized into battalion-sized Battlegroups:

The 1 LANCS BG, based around the 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) (1 LANCS) including elements of the Royal

Dragoon Guards (RDG) will lead the main attack on the Tall Kushik Border Crossing with their Challenger 2 MBTs and FV432 Bulldog APCs.

Two companies of the 1 SG with elements of the Queen's Royal Lancers (QRL), with their Warrior IFVs and Scimitar Recce Vehicles, will act as a mobile force

contraflanking any Syrian Border Guards flanking attempt on the 1 LANCS BG, while two squadrons of the RDG with their organic Recce elements will create

diversionary attacks north and south of the main attack axis.

1 MERCIAN, with the remaining forces of the 4th Mech Bde will stay back on standby to act as a reserve force ready to exploit the gap created by the 1 LANCS

BG on the urban area of Tall Kushik.

You have priority for artillery support for the area from the 3/29 (Corunna) Bty of the 4 Regt RA after their counter-battery assigments are complete.

The 1 LANCS BG in detail consists of:

1 LANCS Headquarters (2 x Bulldog APC; 1 x Sultan APC).

A (Anzio) Mech Rifle Coy, 1 LANCS (23 x Bulldog APC; 2 x Spartan APC).

B (Burma) Mech Rifle Coy, 1 LANCS (23 x Bulldog APC; 2 x Spartan APC).

C Armd Sqn, RDG (14 x Challenger 2 MBT).

D (Somme) Manoeuvre Support Coy (-), 1 LANCS (12 x Bulldog APC; 1 x Spartan APC).

2 Fd/1 AES, 21 Engr Regt (4 x Bulldog APC; 2 x Spartan APC).

2 x Sabre Tp, A Lancer Squadron, QRL (8 x Scimitar Recce Veh).

3/29 (Corunna) Bty, 4 Regt RA (6 x AS90 155mm Howitzer).

1 x FOO Party, 3/29 Bty TAC Gp (1 x Warrior Artillery Observation Vehicle).

1 x Tac Air Control Party (1 x Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier).

Additional direct support will be provided by some elements from the Special Forces Support Group (SFGS) and 4 Apache AH Mk1s from the 656 Squadron AAC with

Hellfire missiles and 2.75'' rockets.

Terrain and Weather

The terrain in the area of operations is relatively flat, with dry-farmed crop lands in the outskirts of Tall Kushik. The Iraqi side of Tall Kushik Border

Crossing is mainly made of former Iraqi Army barracks and an station of the Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement, all of it actually abandoned since it is

controlled by the Kurdish Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Light winds out of the Northwest, with clear skies. There is an almost full moon tonight.

It is now 0030hrs local time, 20 June. Recce teams will start moving in about two hours, and the main force attack is scheduled to begin at 0600hrs.

Mission

Your mission is to destroy the enemy forces in the area. Secondary objectives are the control of the Highway M4 (Route Acheron) ring road approach and the

Main Road 6 (Route Tartarus) access next to the train station of Tall Kushik.

Commander's Intent

We will conduct an all-force assault at dawn in the area west of the border berm and wall, with the destruction of enemy units as the priority. The 1 LANCS

BG will attack on a relative small portion of the Syrian border at Tall Kushik to achieve a breakthrough. We'll slice through the enemy defensive line and

we'll rapidly exploit the gap created. As the enemy units defending Tall Kushik break, the northern and southern Border Guard units along the berm will

suffer adverse results from this (spreading panic, additional defensive angles, threat to supply lines) and, since they will be already pressured north and

south of the main attack axis, it will lead them to snap as well, causing a domino-style collapse of the Syrian defensive system. We seek the complete

destruction of the defensive force at the breakthrough point in Tall Kushik, giving us the option to rapidly move more troops into the gap, stabilizing our

flanks and then exploiting the breakthrough in width (by flanking the remaining Border Guard units at the edge of the breakthrough) and in depth (advancing

into enemy territory and towards our strategic objectives). Capture the town with minimal losses by the use of maximum firepower. Most of the civilians have

fled to safety from the Area of Operation long time ago, expecting the incoming invasion, so there aren't any ROE restrictions. Gentlemen, we cannot fail

now.

Basic Plan

At 0500hrs infiltrate the area with the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) avoiding contact with enemy patrols and defensive positions. Occupy OPs to

observe the area and report the disposition of enemy forces to higher, and to guide attack aircraft with their RAF Regiment Tactical Air Control Party

(TACP). Eliminate any enemy HQ elements, fixed positions and targets of opportunity, if possible, but do not get decisively engaged yet. The SFSG should be

prepared to support the main attack by coordinating supporting arms and reporting any enemy activities that could be a major threat to our forces. At

0545hrs, the 4th Regt RA (The North East Gunners) with its 18 AS90 155 mm howitzers, will start the counter-battery fire to neutralize all the Syrian

artillery assets IVO the Area of Operation. At 0600hrs elements of the 21 Engr Regt and the D Manoeuvre Support Coy (-), 1 LANCS, screened by Formation

Reconnaissance, the Queen's Royal Lancers (QRL), will lead the attack opening breaches along the Syrian defenses at Tall Kushik and marking the not mined

corridors to be used during the main force assault. Military Intelligence doesn't think that the Syrian minefields will be effectively covered by fire in its

whole extension, so it's a matter of exploiting the weakest points of their defense. Four Apache AH Mk1s will be on station to provide air support if

required by 0600hrs. 3/29 (Corunna) Bty should be in position to provide fire support and smoke screens for the Royal Engineers and the main attack shortly

after. At 0615hrs attack with the C Armd Coy, RDG, and its Challenger 2s and destroy the remaining dug in static tanks and any heavy opposition found. At

0630hrs follow-up with the A and B Mech Inf Coys, 1 LANCS, and destroy any remaining opposing forces in the Area of Operation, control the M4 highway (Route

Acheron) approach and the Main Road 6 (Route Tartarus) access, and make sure to clean up the insurgent area around the main mosque of Tall Kushik. Good luck.

Military Terms Glossary

AAC Army Air Corps

AES Armoured Engineer Squadron

AO Area of Operation

APC Armoured Personnel Carrier

Armd Armoured

ATGM Anti-Tank Guided Missile

Bde Brigade

BG Battle Group

Bty Battery

Coy Company

Engr Engineer

Fd Field

FEBA Front Edge of Battlefield Area

FOO Forward Observation Officer

Gp Group

HQ Headquarters

IFV Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Inf Infantry

IVO In Vicinity Of

Mech Mechanised

MBT Main Battle Tank

OP Observation Post

RA Royal Artillery

RAF Royal Air Force

Recce Reconnaissance

Regt Regiment

ROE Rules Of Engagement

Sqn Squadron

Tac Tactical

Tp Troop

[lomir]

Please, feel free to play finding the error

[Combatintman]

Another thing - I'm pretty sure QRL are the Formation Recce Regiment for 4 Mech Bde now so you can take out the reference to QRL being 'borrowed' from 19 Lt Bde.

[Combatintman]

lomir,

Try this:

Hell for Leather

Enemy Forces

In order to delay the incoming invasion, the Syrian Army has called up a Militia battalion to garrison the Tall Kushik Border Crossing. The Militia is mostly hidden in the urban area to avoid targeting by Coalition airpower flying from Incirlik and Diyarbakir in Turkey. These forces are expected to attrite our invading forces so that other Syrian forces may then counterattack to push us back into Iraq.

Other Syrian forces in the area consist of static tank batteries and a battalion of decent quality Border Troops dug in along the berm in a wide defensive line, as well as at some posts defending the border crossing, the ring road approach to the Syrian M4 motorway (designated Route ACHERON) and the access to highway 6 (designated Route TARTARUS). We expect to find just a reinforced company of them with obsolete BTR-60 APCs in the Tall Kushik AO. The Militia have also recently been equipped with limited quantities of older-generation ATGMs, but it is unlikely that they will put up as strong a resistance as the better trained and equipped Border Guard elements.

The Border Guard have some heavy mortars and artillery support (18 D-30 122mm towed howitzers and 6 Type 63 107mm multiple-launch rocket systems), but given

the dispersed deployment of these units along the border they are likely to be of little more than nuisance value. These assets have been registered as counter-battery and air targets and should therefore be dealt with early on.

IMINT has so far failed to identify T-62s assessed to be organic to the Border Guard elements and it is possible that they may be hidden somewhere. Minefields have shown up on imagery taken after recent rainfalls and these have been laid either side of berms to create tactical barriers in order to deter any direct attack and to act as area-denial weapons against our incoming invasion.

Intelligence has identified a group of around 50 Kurdish Sunni Islamist mujahideen and other foreign Arab fighters assisting the Syrian militiamen and local insurgents of Tall Kushik. That group probably is the most dangerous enemy we'll have to face, since most of their members are hardened veterans from the Chechen, Iraqi or Afghan wars. The local insurgency in the Area of Operations comprises approximately 100-150 men, mainly poorly armed civilians. They all seem to be operating from the vicinity of the main mosque of Tall Kushik.

Friendly Forces

All along the Syrian-Iraqi border, recce and SF elements have been active beyond the FEBA identifying current enemy dispositions.

Your invading force is based on 4 Mechanised Brigade (The Black Rats) with air and artillery support. 4 Mech Bde has been task-organised into the following battalion-sized Battlegroups:

The 1 LANCS BG, based around the 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) (1 LANCS) including elements of the Royal

Dragoon Guards (RDG) will lead the main attack on the Tall Kushik Border Crossing with their Challenger 2 MBTs and FV432 Bulldog APCs. Two companies of 1st Battalion the Scots Guards (1 SG) with elements of the Queen's Royal Lancers (QRL), with their Warrior IFVs and Scimitar Recce Vehicles, will act as a mobile force countering any enemy flanking attacks on 1 LANCS BG, while two squadrons of the RDG with their organic Recce elements will create diversionary attacks north and south of the main attack axis.

1 MERCIAN, with the remaining forces of 4 Mech Bde will form the Bde Reserve ready to exploit the gap created by 1 LANCS BG IVO Tall Kushik.

You have priority for artillery support for the area from 3/29 (Corunna) Bty of 4 Regt RA once counter-battery tasks are complete.

1 LANCS BG in detail consists of:

1 LANCS Headquarters (2 x Bulldog APC; 1 x Sultan APC).

Anzio Mech Rifle Coy, 1 LANCS (23 x Bulldog APC; 2 x Spartan APC).

Burma Mech Rifle Coy, 1 LANCS (23 x Bulldog APC; 2 x Spartan APC).

C Armd Sqn, RDG (14 x Challenger 2 MBT).

Somme Manoeuvre Support Coy (-), 1 LANCS (12 x Bulldog APC; 1 x Spartan APC).

2 Fd/1 AES, 21 Engr Regt (4 x Bulldog APC; 2 x Spartan APC).

2 x Sabre Tp, A Lancer Squadron, QRL (8 x Scimitar Recce Veh).

3/29 (Corunna) Bty, 4 Regt RA (6 x AS90 155mm Howitzer).

1 x FOO Party, 3/29 Bty TAC Gp (1 x Warrior Artillery Observation Vehicle).

619 TACP (1 x Warrior OPV).

Additional direct support will be provided by some elements from the Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) and 4 Apache AH Mk1s from the 656 Squadron AAC with

Hellfire missiles and 2.75'' rockets.

Terrain and Weather

The terrain in the area of operations is relatively flat, with dry-farmed crop lands in the outskirts of Tall Kushik. The Iraqi side of Tall Kushik Border Crossing is mainly made of former Iraqi Army barracks and an Iraqi Department of Border Enforcement Station, both are currently controlled by the Kurdish Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Light winds out of the Northwest, with clear skies. There is an almost full moon tonight.

It is now 0030hrs local time, 20 June. Recce teams will start moving in about two hours, and the main force attack is scheduled to begin at 0600hrs.

Mission

Your mission is to defeat enemy forces in the area. Secondary objectives are to secure the M4 motorway (Route ACHERON) ring road approach and the Highway 6 (Route TARTARUS) access next to the Tall Kushik railway station.

Commander's Intent

We will conduct an all-force assault at dawn in the area west of the border berm and wall, with the defeat of enemy units as the priority. 1 LANCS BG will attack on a narrow frontage across the Syrian border at Tall Kushik to achieve a breakthrough. We'll slice through the enemy defensive line and rapidly exploit the gap created. As the enemy units defending Tall Kushik break, the combination of this reverse and our attacks on the Border Guard units north and south are likely to cause a wholesale collapse of the enemy defence. As this occurs, I will launch the Bde Reserve to exploit the gap created both widening and deepening the breakthrough created by the initial attack. Key to this will be capturing Tall Kushik with minimal losses by the use of maximum firepower. Most of the civilians have fled the AO in anticipation of the Coalition invasion thus reducing potential ROE constraints.

Basic Plan

Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) elements are to stealthily infiltrate the border at 0500 to occupy an OP matrix to facilitate the coordination of air strikes. Targeting priorities are HQ elements, fixed positions and opportunity targets.

At 0545hrs, the 4 Regt RA counter-battery fire plan will start with the initial crossing operation commencing at 0600hrs led by QRL acting as a screen for Somme Coy, 1 LANCS and 21 Engr Regt elements, their task will be to identify and clear lanes through enemy minefields at points where they are not covered by fire.

Four Apache AH Mk1s from 656 Sqn AAC will be on call from 0600 with 3/29 (Corunna) Bty available shortly afterwards.

H-Hour for C Sqn RDG is 0615, their main task is to eliminate remaining dug-in armour and areas of heavy resistance. Anzio and Burma Coys, 1 LANCS will launch at 0630hrs and they are to secure the M4 and Highway 6 objectives respectively as well as deal with the insurgents centred on the Tall Kushik mosque.

Good luck.

Military Terms Glossary

AAC = Army Air Corps

AES = Armoured Engineer Squadron

AO = Area of Operation

APC = Armoured Personnel Carrier

Armd = Armoured

ATGM = Anti-Tank Guided Missile

Bde = Brigade

BG = Battle Group

Bty = Battery

Coy = Company

Engr = Engineer

Fd = Field

FEBA = Front Edge of Battlefield Area

FOO = Forward Observation Officer

Gp = Group

HQ = Headquarters

IFV = Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Inf = Infantry

IVO = In Vicinity Of

Mech = Mechanised

MBT = Main Battle Tank

OP = Observation Post

OPV = Observation Post Vehicle

RA = Royal Artillery

RAF = Royal Air Force

Recce = Reconnaissance

Regt = Regiment

ROE = Rules Of Engagement

Sqn = Squadron

Tac = Tactical

TACP = Tactical Air Control Party

Tp = Troop

[lomir]

Combatintman, a huge thank you!!

[Combatintman]

lomir - no sweat - I didn't change that much, it was just the final narrative that I thought I could tighten up without changing the sense of what you were trying to get across. Anyway - I win too because it means you can spend more time on those superb maps of yours and the Campaign gets released earlier.

One thing you might change in your briefing is to give the motorway/highway junctions that you mention names. This would tighten it up a lot and also means you can add them as landmarks in the mission editor.

So for instance the bit where we say:

'Secondary objectives are to secure the M4 motorway (Route ACHERON) ring road approach and the Highway 6 (Route TARTARUS) access next to the Tall Kushik railway station'.

If we call the ring road Obj OVAL for instance and the access Obj TRAFFORD it makes the whole thing a lot more concise as it would then read:

'Secondary objectives are to secure Obj OVAL and Obj TRAFFORD'.

Similarly in the final paragraph we currently have:

'H-Hour for C Sqn RDG is 0615, their main task is to eliminate remaining dug-in armour and areas of heavy resistance. Anzio and Burma Coys, 1 LANCS will launch at 0630hrs and they are to secure the M4 and Highway 6 objectives respectively as well as deal with the insurgents centred on the Tall Kushik mosque'.

Which would now read:

'H-Hour for C Sqn RDG is 0615, their main task is to eliminate remaining dug-in armour and areas of heavy resistance. Anzio and Burma Coys, 1 LANCS will launch at 0630hrs and they are to secure Objs OVAL and TRAFFORD respectively as well as deal with the insurgents centred on the Tall Kushik mosque'.

It also has the benefit of being more realistic as reference is usually made to named objectives in real orders paperwork rather than trying to describe them.

[lomir]

Already changed

Before I had done it using the names of the Routes and the description to not disconcert the player by the idea of controlling two objectives that are set on the edge of the map (looks quite gamey this "on the ropes" situation) and then to ask the reasonable question about their importance. So, now I've used your Objective names (that are just known to the Blue player) and in the place where the roads are going out of the map I've placed two Landmarks saying M4 and Highway 6, so any reader of the briefing can easily make a connection between the Routes and the Objectives, and understand the importance of controlling the access to these roads in the next scenario. I haven't named Route ACHERON and Route TARTARUS the landmarks if somebody wants to play H2H or I decide to make someday the Red vs AI in the stand alone scenarios. But you are right, now it looks nicer with the Objetive names (as you point out that it should correctly be).

One question: in British English is Mechanised or Mechanized??? I used to write the latter before, but lately I'm just seeing written the one with the "s" and that's what I've used here... What would be the correct form in this case? :confused:

So, the first scenario is finished and I should be able to upload it to the repository this weekend. I'm working on the last details of the images for the briefing... It's getting quite disheartening because I have find out that the size of my operational map fits very nicely in the space alloted for the tactical map In its correct place the operational map I've done seems to be completely unreadable!

Cheers,

Lomir

[Combatintman]

lomir - it should be mechanised in English but where I work is right opposite 4 Mech Bde and we had two of their units in last week. The sign outside their HQ reads 'Headquarters 4 Mechanized Brigade' and all of their websites use the 'z' spelling rather than the correct 's' spelling.

[lomir]

Hi,

So the first scenario (UK Hell for Leather) has already been uploaded in the CMSF - British Forces Repository. It should appear there for downloading in 2-3 hours.

I tested it yesterday and I think it's ready to be played. I'll upload as well the empty map (hopefully if my work permits, by the end of next week) for those that want to use it in QBs.

Any comment in this Forum about the scenario is very welcome, so I might make some changes for good in the campaign version. You'll have to wait for this, though (10 scenarios intended and probably the NATO module will be available by then!).

A piece of advice about the scenario. Not an spoiler. The briefing clearly states that during the first hour you'll only have the equivalent of a reinforced platoon (around 35 men) of the Special Forces Support Group to operate with. The SFSG is Britain's newest special operations unit (similar to the 75th Ranger Regiment in the U.S. Military) but they are not SAS/SBS forces (the SFOD-1 (Delta Force) in the U.S. Military). Their men still are very tough guys, but you'll have to use them wisely. Remember that you have plenty of time for doing things slowly and nice until the 4th Mech Bde arrives! Patience is the key. The map size is 1616 x 1200 m. (1 mile x 3/4 mile) and you'll have a time limit of 4 hours for not rushing things up

Combatintman, thanks: I had already used "Mechanized" as I saw that it seems to be the official spelling of the Mech brigades in the British Army (www.army.mod.uk). Now your answer has definitely dispelled my doubts. Probably it's just a matter of old fashioned words vs the new trends, as you was saying before in some reply.

Cheers,

Lomir

P.S. ScubaSam, you'll get credit for your great help in the unit's recognition at the campaign map. In this first scenario none of these troops are used and that's why you are not mentioned, but I just wanted to make you know that you'll be on the next one. I really appreciated it