Lightning Shield Opr 09/12*
*
OPORD 2012-291*
*
Date: September 17, 2012*
*
Battle Location: Kafar Houm village, along the Syrian Turk Border, NW of Aleppo*
*
Battle Type: Turkish TF 1-39 BCT defend Vs Syrian 19th Mech Brigade assault*
*
Background*
*
Abdullah and his family are Syrian Turkmen, Syrian citizens of Turkish descent whose forefathers settled in the Syrian provinces of the Ottoman Empire centuries ago. He speaks a mixture of Arabic and broken Turkish.*
*
As is the case with three-quarters of Syria's 22 million people, Abdullah is also a Sunni Muslim. In contrast, President Bashar al-Assad and his security apparatus, including the core of the feared Shabiha militia, are from the minority Alawite sect.*
*
"Their tanks surround the Sunni villages and fire on them, afterwards, the soldiers come into the villages, harass the people and beat the men and sexually assault the women," he said. Sobbing, he continued "They take any man over the age of 12 with them," as tears streamed down his weathered cheeks."*
*
Upon hearing this report and other similar stories, Recep Tayyip Erdogan the prime minister of Turkey immediately ordered General Erdal Ceylanoglu, commander of the Turkish Army to dispatch sufficient forces to secure the welfare and evacuation of Turkish citizens in the village of Kafar Houm that sits on the Turkish border. General Ceylanglu turned to the 2nd Army headquartered in Malatya to execute Lightening Shield.*
*
SITUATION*
*
A. ENEMY FORCES:*
*
1. The Syrian Internal Security Forces (SISF) have begun offensive operations in sector. He is currently near 95 percent combat effectiveness with support of regular Syrian army units to follow. This assessment remains fluid.*
*
2. His most likely course of action is to attack in zone using highway N15 to destroy the village Kafar Houm thereby precipitating the murder, rape, and debasement of the residents. He will attack down the length of the Highway N15 and North along the foothills east of PL Big Poppa using armor cars and BMPs as his first echelon with direct support by mortars and SAMs. He will follow up his initial attack with companies of infantry and armor from regular army units as his second echelon of attack. He will hear B Co, 2nd Abn, 1st Cdo helos, and will thereupon dismount and aggressive press his attack to the North along the foothills down to highway N15.*
*
We understand this situation is fluid. The Jordanians suggest the Syrians will press an assault on the village using the 19th Mech Bde and not as suggested above by NATO officials. Additional sources having passed intelligence to 2nd Army suggesting that elements of the Shabiha militia have laid mines along the Muhammad Ali Way road in Kafar Houm, have led Army planners to include a platoon of Engineers.*
*
B. MISSION:*
*
B Co, 2nd Abn, 1 Cdo Bde defends in sector to block the 1st Echelon of the Syrian 19th Mech Bde at PL Big Poppa - along the rolling hills Northeast of Kafar Houm. B-2Abn passes D-1st Inf Bn, 39th Mech Inf Bde through to complete the destruction of the 1st Echelon and all Syrian follow up units while L/138th Trans Bn, 319th SB transports civilians to the Casualty Collection Point also noted as the Civilian Collection Point (CCP) off the map. Alpha Co 3rd Ar Bn, 5th Ar Bde conducts a counter attack in sector at PL Big Poppa with B/2-1 Cdo Bde striking deep into the Syrian rear to destroy Syrian FA units. Furthermore, a platoon of Engineers will clear the roadway of mines and other obstructions that may hamper this operation. We will defend the village Kafar Houm without damage to civilian life or property.*
*
It is vital that B Co, 2nd Abn destroy Syrian FA units in the Syrian rear, as these field guns will significantly degrade our operation. We have replacement units (Milan teams, Snipers, AGL teams, and a M2HB team) riding with D-1st Inf enabling B-2 Abn to rapidly rally at their FAA for an assault on the Syrian guns.*
*
C. EXECUTION:*
*
1. COMMANDER'S INTENT. It is our intent to block the 1st Echelon of the Syrian 19th Mech Bde with B-2Abn while B-2Abn Rangers destroy Syrian mortars. Immediately thereafter, the Rangers will join B-2Abn at PL Big Poppa. When D-1st Inf arrives at PL Big Poppa, B-2 Abn rallies at the FAA after a pass through executed by D-1st Inf and 3rd Ar. As the attack on the 19th Mech Bde progresses, B-2 Abn will mount an assault on the Syrian rear striking from the Southwest along the zone destroying all Syrian FA units at the enemy's FAA.*
*
2. CONCEPT OF THE OPERATION*
*
a. Maneuver. B-2Abn will block the 1st Echelon of the 19th Mech Bde at PL Big Poppa. Rangers will immediately assault Syrian mortars. D-1 Inf Bn, 39th Mech Inf Bde with A-3 Ar will pass through B-2Abn destroying all Syrian forces in sector greater than platoon size at OBJ Chili Pepper. B-2Abn will mount up for a deep strike in the Syrian rear flying along the Southern edge of the sector to the Syrian FAA units in the rear.*
*
b. Fires. B-2Abn mortars will mass a counter fire on Syrian mortars, however, the fires will cease immediately when B-2Abn Rangers attack the Syrian mortars. Second phase, B-2Abn mortars will mass fires on Syrian dismounted units along the foothills North of N15 at Little Richard. Third phase, D-1st Inf SP mortars will mass fires to destroy Syrian AA units in sector once within range, while D-1st Inf mortars mass fires on Little Richard.*
*
D. FRIENDLY FORCES:*
TF 1-39 BCT*
Alpha Co, 3rd Ar Bn, 5th Ar Bde*
Delta Co, 1st Inf Bn, 39th Mech Inf Bde*
Bravo Co, 2nd Abn Bn, 1st Cdo Bde*
Zulu Co, 1st PL, 2nd Abn Bn, 1st Cdo Bde - Rangers*
Echo Co, 1st PL, 2nd Abn Bn, 1st Cdo Bde- Engineers*
Lima Co, 138th Trans Bn, 319th Sustainment Bde*
*
NARRATIVE:*
Captain Yuzbas 'Batman' Baturaip commands Bravo Co 2nd Abn Bn. All regard Him 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 University.  Batman spent a semester at his mother's 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, while Batman's favorite, now the company's motto, blared the song: 'That's the only way I know, don't stop till everything's ,gone straight ahead never turn round don't back up, don't back down, full throttle wide open!'*
*
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 communicated B-2Abn positions to their mortars.  As he calmly tasked his mortar PL 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.*
*
As the helos maintained 'full throttle' speed at minimum altitude, his mind raced through NATO, American, and Turkish doctrine for a solution as he felt in his stomach - intuition, that something was missing 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.*
*
Batman reasoned the following: 'The Syrians will hear the whirl of 2nd Abn rotors, they will undoubtedly dismount, fire smoke along the ridgeline, 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. My FOO will locate an OP on Lookout Ridge to coordinate Fires on the Syrian mortars until the Rangers engage the enemy mortars. Afterwards, the TF 1-39 BCT FOO will direct Fires on Little Richard.*
*
Speaking calmly into his command com, he said, 'One Zulu, you got to get through those southern hills.'*
*
The Ranger PL answered back: 'Copy that. I spent many summers here as a boy shepherding my uncle's goats from side of those hills to the other using an old pass that we to herd our animals. Yeah, we'll get through it quick enough, kill those mortars, and then join you guys at Big Poppa, over.' *
*
'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 'ain't' 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.*
*
Gameplay.*
*
Play this scenario from the side of the Turks against the AI. Gameplay is 30 turns with visibility at 25.*
*
Victory conditions*
*
Destroy Syrian 1st Echelon forces arrayed east of Kafar Houm without loss of property and civilians while maintaining combat effectiveness. Moreover, player must: (1) Move civilians off map at TF 1-39 CCP, and (2) Maintain and capture all flags.*
*
Notes.*
See Shrapnel forum for additional notes and hints: http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showthread.php?t=49388.*
*
It is sufficient to filter the ATGM and AGL teams in order to expend munitions on high value targets, such as Syrian tanks. Alternately, enable ATGM and AGL weapons only when ready to fire on a high value target.*
*
Use smoke judiciously. Smoke may cause the AI to rush in, whereupon a platoon's Har-66 can kill light vehicles and in most cases T-55 tanks when the range is within 50 meters.*
*
Keep your helos at low altitude. Do not move over a hex with a height of 25 or greater.*
*
Use Echo Co's 1st platoon Engineers to sweep the Muhammad Ali roadway and areas adjacent to civilians in order to clear the roadway of mines for civilian evac and advance of D-1st Inf and A-3rd Ar.*
*
If you manage the three battles within this scenario: the Battle of Hill 052, the Battle of the Orchards, and the Battle at Little Richard, you will secure a victory.*
*
Please note that I have modified the cost of the Turkish forces such that the Infantry, Rangers, Engineers cost 350, while the helos cost 550.*
*
Designed by Abraham Shahadi, February 2013**
