This is the third installment in the Red Line Syria series, following "Red Line Syria - Alpha Co 1/6 Marines." In this scenario Bravo Co 1/6 Marines will block a Syrian battalion strength force north of Hill 692.
Red Line Syria – Bravo Co 1/6 Marines 09/12
Red Line Syria – Bravo Co 1/6 Marines 09/12
BLT 1/6 Marines 22 MEU OPORD 2012-304-02
Date: 2012-09-30
Battle Location: Rugged mountainous region SE of Kafar Houm village North of Hill 692
Battle Type: Bravo & Alpha Co Battalion Landing Team 1/6 Marines, 22nd MEU defend Vs Syrian 2nd & 1st Bn, 1st INF Bde assault
TERRAIN AND WEATHER:
Rugged Mountain region designated Hill 692 on maps. Clear weather conditions with visibility at 1000 meters.
SITUATION
Bravo Co 1/6 Marines are loaded aboard VM-22 Ospreys en route to Objective Foxy Lady an area north of Hill 692 and to the left of Alpha Co. CH-53E Super Stallions will unload artillery, supplies, and vehicles at the Bn H&S AA. Although SEAL Platoon Golf has destroyed an advanced integrated AA/SAM Radar facility atop Hill 692 rendering effective Syrian AA non-existent, 1/6 Marines may encounter small flak units and INF SAM teams otherwise the sky is clear. Alpha Co has engaged a Bn sized force defending Hill 692. Lt. Col Percy Childs has ordered Bravo north of Alpha Co to block a Syrian force of possible battalion strength to protect Alpha’s left flank.
ENEMY FORCES
Syrian 2nd Bn, 1st INF Bde
Hezbollah Company of four platoons with INF rockets
Armed Recon Company with AA and 50 cal mounted atop technicals
Bn reinforced with Bde field guns most likely 152mm battery and a heavy mortar battery. A large Syrian force, possibly combined arts in scope with organic AA support, an additional gun battery, and other threats yet determined. The Syrian COA is to flank Alpha Co North of the Ridge Line with a battalion sized force with possible support from the 12th Armour Brigade out of Aleppo. Reliable Jordanian, NATO, and Turkish reports are coming in alerting Theatre of Iranian RBS equipped teams.
FRIENDLY FORCES
Bn HQ and H&S Co, Battalion Landing Team 1/6 Marines, 22 MEU
- 1xBn FSCOORD
- 1x120mm EFSS Mrtr Bn Hvy Mrtr Plt
- 1x155mm A Bty 1/10 Marines
- 2xHIMARS D Bty 1/10 Marines
- 1x81mm Bn Mrtr PL
- 1xCMD Vehicle LAV-C2
- 1xJTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller)
- 1xMPAD Sec
Bravo Co 1/6 Marines
- USMC Sniper
- MPAD x1
- LT Mtr Sec x1
- USMC Engr Team x1
- Inf Platoon x3
- PL HQ
- USMC Sniper x1
- Marine Inf AT x2
- Javelin ATGM x 1
- Marine Rifle Sqd x 3
Alpha Co 1/6 Marines
Aviation Combat Element
- 1xUH-1Y Venom Det (attached) HMLA167
- 1xUH-1Y Venom BN FAC HMLA167
- 2xAH-1Z Viper section HMLA167
- 1xMV-22B Squadron VMM263
- 1x4 Heavy Helos CH-53E HMH466
- 1x2 Heavy Helos CH-53E HMH466
- 2xAV-8B Harrier section VMA231 Ace of Spades
- 1xUAV Shadow VMU3
SEAL PL Golf
- 2xSEAL Fire Team
- 2xSEAL Team
- 1xMarine Sniper
- 1xSEAL Pathfinder
MISSION
NLT Turn 2 Bravo Co will deploy north of the Ridge Line at the LOA, PL Williams running from Hex 97,134 to Hex 89,118 securing Obj Foxy Lady to blocking Syrian units from flanking Alpha Co atop Hill 692.
EXECUTION
Commanders Intent:
Bravo Co 1/6 Marines will deploy along PL Williams, the LOA to block a Syrian force of possible battalion strength from flanking Alpha Co on Alpha’s left flank by defensive fire. Bravo Co will destroy all Syrian units at PL Williams securing Obj Foxy Lady. Bravo will not advance beyond the LOA.
CONCEPT OF THE OPERATION
A. Maneuver: Bravo will disembark and prepare a hasty defense at PL Williams to secure Obj Foxy Lady thereby securing Alpha’s left flank. Bravo Co will block Syrian units engaged at PL Williams. Bravo will locate, identify, fix, and communicate Syrian units for artillery and CAS fires.
B. Fires: The Bn FSCOORD will direct Smoke Fires screening Bravo’s deployment. The Bn UAV will reconnoiter AO to locate, identify, and fix Syrian tanks and FA guns. The Bn FSCOORD will lay Fires destroying Syrian guns. Bn FAC will direct Bravo Co mortar Fires targeting Syrian infantry units.
C. CAS: The Bn Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) will assign air strikes to destroy Syrian infantry. The JTAC will direct ATK Helo fires providing close air support missions. At the discretion of the JTAC and/or by direction of Bn Command, ATK Helicopter interdiction missions may commence to assess, fix, identity, and destroy Syrian FA units.
COMMAND/SIGNAL
Lt. Col Percy Childs, BLT 1/6 Marines is the mission CIC.
NARRATIVE
“The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike at him as hard as you can and as often as you can, and keep moving on.” President Ulysses S Grant
Captain Harris Flowers, a Houston, Texas native enlisted in the Corps at 18 after barely finishing Phyllis Wheatley High School. He’s fond of telling everyone who’d listen that his education, training, and manhood all came from the Marines making him a Mustang through and through to the bone. His men love him more than they fear him, for the fear of disappointment runs a long tall wave in his company. And, Harris Flowers loves each man in his unit although as he tells it he doesn’t love the women enlisted per se, he just keeps then at a distance to protect his own passions. Although he never married, he has enjoyed a comradely life in the Corps. Among his men, he is Skippy between them, although they all know he is their Skipper.
“Flowers, it’s Childs on the net,” yelled Major Lopez, flying the lead Osprey.
Flowers immediately punched into his handset on the radio net, hearing his boss, Lt. Col Percy Childs speaking as if he were riding in the Osprey with him, “Flowers, just a heads up, it is gonna be real hot, I’m gonna lay smoke down for ya, but I won’t give you the guns, you’re gonna have the mortars to mess ‘em up with, so that I can rain steel on their field guns.”
“Copy that,” Flowers replied as Childs closed the communication net.
Skippy was grinding his teeth again as his gunnery sergeant nudged him with the toe of his boot, then leaning forward, he quietly uttered, “Skipper, I’m hearing Alpha maybe strung out on the limb. Is that you’re read, sir?”
Stiffening in his seat, calmly he replied, “The Deliverer made it very clear, we are to secure Objective Foxy Lady to protect Alpha’s flank. He did not say Alpha was in trouble. Hey, you worked with Kidd in Helmand, you and you know all the NCO’s over there, if Kidd were in trouble, Percy would have told me so.” The he relaxed a bit, turning his head away to stare out the window.
Turning slightly to face his gunny, he knew Steward got word from Kidd’s gunny, having served in that capacity too, Flowers felt bound to say more, “Steward, I know the ropes, Kidd maybe up against a battalion, but he has good ground, he has the hill, with good LOS all over.” He continued, “We both know Kidd runs a good ship, all the decks are clear, and so do we.” Leaning closer he continued, “We have a full battery of guns and the new HIMARS rocket battery from Fort Sill is on the line, hell we’re bringing two of ‘em with us.” Now smiling he went on, “Hell Stew, you know what we got, as well as I do.” Then almost laughing he said, “We may be facing tanks too, so we better put down correctly the Javelins and we’ll fly the UAV to see what they got, but, this I can tell you, it will be a hot LZ because they know we’re coming.” Putting his fist together he explained the obvious, ”First Alpha in the first wave, then we load up and fly-in, then Charlie after us, hell they know the drill as we do.” Now Steward could tell Skippy was on a roll, “So, we got to get it right the first time, we’ll put our platoons down on the whole line, no reserves this time, everybody on the line upfront.”
“Okay.” A cough, then he said, ”Kidd did say they laid down IED’s, so make sure everybody is all eyes and ears so the Engineers can sweep as we fight.” With his hand motioning like a helicopter in flight, “Our Vipers will cover us and take care of the tanks, other than that, say a pray for them unlucky SOB’s to have met up with 1/6 Hard today.”
Gameplay:
Play this scenario from the side of the USMC against the AI. Gameplay is 10 turns with visibility at 20.
Victory Conditions:
Block Syrian units from flanking Alpha Co to the South, securing all flags, move MV-22’s and Heavy Helos off map. A draw is a defeat.
Notes:
This is the third battle in the Red Line Syria series following: “Red Line Syria – Put His Eyes Out,” and Red Line Syria Alpha Co 1/6 Marines.
Please note that I have modified the cost of the USMC units as follows: Attack Helos cost 655, Heavy Helos, Tilt-rotors, Venom Helos cost 550, INF Squads and HQ units cost 350 each, and Marine Snipers cost 750.
D Bty 1/10 Marines is a HIMARS battery with three firing SP Rocket units. Each HIMARS carries six tubes and fires one rocket at a time. One HIMARS is assigned to an infantry company although fires controlled by the Bn FSCOORD.
I have limited the lethality of Marine Snipers by restricting their rate of fire to 4.
I further modified the Venoms and Vipers by increasing their EW ratings to 24 and 18 respectively.
You should filter units as appropriate, especially the Vipers, SMAW-NE, and Javelins for target and range.
Bravo Co 1/6 Marines AO
