Ok,
Here are some not "air-lifted" elements of the 1st CAV DIV:
1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry (Air)
11th Pathfinder Company (Provisional)
Company E, 52nd Infantry (Long Range Recon)
Company H, 75th Infantry (Ranger)
Division Support
1st Personnel Service Battalion
8th Engineer Battalion
To any of the above units we may add a CH-47 Chinook after the ToO3 (?)
So, in order to make some infantry vs infantry scenarios we may start (ToO 1 & 2) with a force consisting from
Company E, 52nd Infantry (Long Range Recon) or Company H, 75th Infantry (Ranger) or 8th Engineer Battalion
Then at ToO3 we can add a CH-47 Chinook and give to these units the airmobility.
Another possibility would be to start with the classical composition of the D troops and making special scenarios buy "playing with the weight" of the transportable objective (very heavy to be transportable by the core Helos; need AUX reinforcement
BTW, I think this is our target core force (TroopD):
D. Troop makeup
1. Hq section
2. Aero Scout Platoon (War Wagons)
3. Aero Weapons Platoon (Crusaders)
4. Aero Lift Platoon (Longknives)
5. Aero Rifle Platoon (Doughboys)
6. Maintenance Platoon (Scavengers)
to the above we should add divisional attachments of any type.
Also take notice of the following:
D Troop, 3/5th Air Cavalry
Submitted by Don Armstrong
I. Introduction
The purpose, operation, mission, composition, and a typical day's operation of D troop 3/5 Cav.
II. Mission
To extend by aerial means the reconnaissance and security capabilities of the ground units. To engage in offensive defensive, or delaying actions within its capability and to seize and dominate lightly defended areas or terrain features. * (note: real mission was to search and destroy.)
III. Composition
A. TOE Authorized
1. 216 enlisted men
2. 14 officers
3. 36 warrant officers
B. TOE Actual
1. 221 enlisted
2. 18 officers
3. 29 warrant officers
C. Aircraft
1. 8 UH-1H lift ships
2. 10 OH6 scout ships
3. 9 AH-1G cobras
D. Troop makeup
1. Hq section
2. Aero Scout Platoon (War Wagons)
3. Aero Weapons Platoon (Crusaders)
4. Aero Lift Platoon (Longknives)
5. Aero Rifle Platoon (Doughboys)
6. Maintenance Platoon (Scavengers)
IV. Platoon Makeup & Tactics
1. Scout Platoon (Warwagons)
A. 2 Sections
(1) 2 teams each section
(2) 2 ships each team
B. OH6 Armament
(1) M60 on bunji cord-operated by door gunner
(2) 4000 rounds per minute mini gun operated by pilot
(3) 40 lbs of explosives
(a) frags
(b) CS gas
(c) smoke
(d) baby bombs-also known as W.W.A.S. (Warwagon air assault)
[1] 1 lb tnt 2 lbs C4
[2] 1 lb C4 a can of transmission fluid.
C. Tactics:
The scouts are given an area to work by the C & C (command and control) A/C. Only 1 team will work an area at any one time. They move into an area at tree top level and check any suspicious areas thoroughly. Some of the things the scout looks for are fresh trails, military clothing and equipment, fresh activity in abandoned areas and suspicious military age males. To help the scout to perform his mission of finding and killing VC, he uses a variety of armament which are utilized to blow bunkers, clear underbrush and kill VC. The lead scout is the one that does most of the work. The trail scout ship is closely behind the lead to give him cover at all times, and in case the lead is shot down the trail ship will be right there to pick up the downed crew. Some of the other function of the scout team was to screen for troops moving into an area, giving them constant air cover. Also, the scouts will pick out a suitable LZ for lift ships to insert troops.
2. Aero Weapons Platoon (Crusaders)
A. 2 sections
(1) 2 teams to each section
(2) 2 ships to each team
B. AH-1G armament
(1) 2-M59 Rocket Pods holding 19 rockets
(2) 2-M27 Rocket Pods holding 7 rockets
(3) 1 XM-28 turrent
(a) 1 mini gun- 1500 RPM, or 4,000 RPM
(b) 40 mm - 340 RPM
(c) or any combination of the above
C. Tactics
(1) The cobra is a vital part of the Aero weapons platoon. The aircraft commander is in charge of the aircraft and sits in the rear seat and controls the firing of the rockets. The gunner (also a lot) pilot control the firing of the turret and sits up front. He can also fly from the front seat to relieve the pilot.
(2) As with the scouts, the cobras only have 1 team on station at any one time (usually). The cobras cover the scouts in the A/O (area of operation) and usually orbit around them about 1200 feet. Anytime the scouts call "taking fire", the lead cobra automatically rolls in to cover the scouts exit out of the area. While the lead cobra is rolling in the gunner in the front seat is already putting down a heavy volume of mini gun fire into the area the scouts received fire. When the lead ship is in position he fires rockets into the area. Also at this time the trail cobra is putting rockets into the area to cover the leads break and to keep constant fire in the area. By the time the trail ship is ready to break the lead cobra has already gained altitude and is ready cover the trails break.
This cycle can continue until the cobras feel it's safe for the scouts to return or until the target is destroyed. Some of the other functions of the cobras is to cover the lift ships on insertions and extractions, and to destroy targets given to them by either the scouts or the ground troops. The cobras can provide close support to the ground commander.
3. Lift Platoon (Longknives)
A. UH-1H
2 sections with 7 ships for each section
B. Lift
UH-H (Huey) carries 2 M60 machine guns, troop capacity 8 U.S. or 10 ARVN
C. Tactics
The lift platoon uses 4 A/C to carry troops. They usually will fly a staggered formation or trail formation. The main purpose of the lift platoon is to insert and extract troops into the LZ. The lift ships are usually staged out of a staging area which is usually a base camp close to the AO. Another function of the lift ships is to be used as a medevac, or ash and trash missions.
4. The Aero Rifle Platoon (Doughboys)
A. 4 squads - 40 men (10 men each squad)
B. Armament
(1) 8 45 cal pistols
(2) 8 M-79's
(3) 32 M-16 rifles
C. Tactics
The Doughboys are equipped and trained to be ground pounders. Their main purpose is to give a ground reconnaissance of areas that the scout ships cannot check out by air. They are strictly a recon element. They are not a main fighting force and only about 32 soldiers are inserted at any one time. They can handle small numbers of VC. Anything of a larger size would have to be dealt with by a regular infantry company which would be brought in by an Assault Helicopter Company. Another function of the Doughboys (outside of details) is to secure any of our downed aircraft until it can be extracted.
5. Maintenance Platoon (Scavengers)
A. 4 sections and a platoon Hq
(1) A/C maint section
(a) Cobra maint team
(b) Huey maint team
(c) LOH maint team
(2) Allied Shops section
(a) engine shop
(b) prop and rotor shop
(c) sheet metal shop
(d) electrical shop
(e) avionics shop
(3) Armament Section
(a) Cobra armament
(b) LOH armament
(4) Tec supply section
PLL
B. Mission
To maintain and repair our A/C. 110 soldiers sometimes working 24 hours a day.
cheers,
p.s What is your opinion; SHOULD we start with "air-lifted troops from the beggining or should we add them in ToO2-3 ? (you must take into consideration that it would be nice to have some scenarios with only foot soldiers
, this is the reason (designing issue) why I am not sure if it is wise to use from ToO1 the air-lifted troops.
This is also the reason why I suggested to use in ToO1 the special forces platoon to defend the "SP" Base (historically correct - ranger attachment (?)
What is your opinion?
Re: Cross Link Scenarios: Timeline/Core army evolu
, and while it's easy to clobber the AI with air assaults few seem to master the art against a human opponent - I have yet to see a successful helicopter air assault carried out against a human opponent. Seasoned PBEM gamers do not seem to favour the helicopter assault to the same degree...
Hybrid Mode
