Turkey: Lightning Shield Operation, 1st Echelon Battle*
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Date: September 17, 2012*
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Battle Location:  Kafar Houm village, along the Syrian Turk Border, NW of Aleppo*
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Battle Type: Turkey B Co, 2nd Abn Bn defend Vs Syrian 19th Mech Brigade, 1st Echelon advance*
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Description: This is a gameplay test of the first phase of the Lightening Shield Operation. The 39th Mech INF Bde at Iskenderun, VI Corps, 2nd Army, conceived the operation. In this scenario, B Co, 2nd Abn, 1 Cdo Bde executes a defense along PL Big Poppa to destroy the 1st Echelon of the Syrian forces.  2nd Abn must hold PL Big Poppa, preserve designated buildings and civilians, and retain unit combat effectiveness. In order to simulate these real world objectives, 2nd Abn platoons carry a cost of 350, while helos cost 550 per unit. Additionally, designated building and civilian units have a cost of 999 per unit, there are six such buildings and four civilian units; therefore, do not loose platoons, helos, designated buildings or civilians as the lost will cost dearly resulting in a defeat.*
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Captain Yuzbas 'Batman'  Baturaip commands Bravo Co 2nd Abn Bn. He is regarded as a fast rising 'young Turk.' His father, a Turkish national, is a physician teaching at the University of San Francisco Medical Center, while his mother, an American by birth lectures public policy down the Bay Shore freeway at Stanford.  Batman spent a semester at his mothers school auditing a management course before completing a rigorous field course with honors at the US Army Combined Arms Center at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. There, while enrolled in the International program, he met an Oklahoman cowboy commanding an airborne company by the name of Percy. Batman and Percy hit it off from the 'get go.' As their friendship grew, Percy introduced Batman to country music while Batman showed Percy how to brew strong black Turkish coffee. As Batman mounted his helo, he gave a 'thumps up' to his pilot. The pilot smiled, in acknowledgement, flipped on the radio, dialed up all the helos in the company playing Batmans favorite, now the companys motto: 'Thats the only way I know, dont stop till everythings gone straight ahead never turn round dont back up, dont back down full throttle wide open!'*
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Now in the air, while everyone was 'pumped up,' Batman jokingly reminded the platoon leaders of the importance of killing all Syrian mortars within in the first ten minutes (five turns) before Syrian scouts communicate 2nd Abn positions to their mortars.  As he calmly tasked his mortar PLs with destroying Syrian fires immediately, he flashed a smile at his FOO as he said a third time, 'ID those damn mortars as soon as possible.' Batman knew that the lives of his men depended on 'shutting up' Syrian mortars.*
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As the helos maintained 'full throttle' speed at minimum altitude, his mind raced through NATO, American, and Turkish doctrine. He recalled numerous conversations at CAC, Ft Leavenworth with Percy and others. Suddenly, slapping his thigh he quipped,'Bingo!' He smiled as the lights came on.' Taking his command com in hand, he dialed up his childhood buddy riding 'shot' in the Rangers platoon, relaxing finally as 2nd Abn crossed the LD, resolved knowing he had the answer brought an eerie calmness that only battle commanders and good soldiers display before combat. The Syrians will hear the whirl of 2nd Abn rotors, they will undoutedly dismount, fire smoke along the rideline, and advance aggressive with infantry rather than motor in along the road. The smoke fires will give 2nd Abn a good fix on the Syrian mortars.*
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'Hell.' He thought aloud, the attrition rate at NTC was 47 per cent for commanders in the first hour of the fight. 'This will be over in thirty, we aint backing down, no way, no how.' His FOO was still bobbing his head and patting his foot to the beat of 'The Only Way I know' as they sped to the fight willingly, taking the odds, and the cards dealt to them as warriors.*
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Gameplay.*
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This scenario is played from the side of the Turks only. Gameplay is 20 turns with visibility at 25.*
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Victory conditions*
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Destroy Syrian 1st Echelon forces arrayed East of Kafar Houm without loss of property and civilians, while maintaining combat effectiveness.*
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Designed by Abraham 'Shahadi', February 2013**