Scenario: Al-Hawl Offensive Battle Report

[shahadi]

Al-Hawl Offensive Battle Report

Date: November 13, 2015
Battle Location: Al-Hawl, Syria
Battle Type: Kurdish YPG assault vs ISIS defend
Design by: Ulf Lundstrom.

Battle Date: 09 May 2016

Description: Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) with allied Al Sanadid Arab militia forces moves in to assault the Syrian town Al-Hawl.

Situation: After successful attacks in late October the Syrian Kurdish forces are approaching the strategically important town of Al-Hawl where nearby the road connecting the two major towns under Islamic State rule, Raqqa and Mosul, runs. Cutting that road is considered an important objective. The Kurdish forces have momentum on their side and are believed to have a numerical superiority at Al-Hawl but are lightly equipped and lack heavy weapons. In the air USAF jets, “Vipers” are active and can may help tip the scales.

Design Notes: None. This is an Ulf Lundstrom scenario, therefore expect a surprise.

“Daesh: ‘…a bigot who imposes his view on others.’” Zebah Khan, Boston Globe (New Republic, 12/2015)

Mission: Allied YPG and Arab militia forces will destroy ISIL forces in and around the town of al-Hawl to control the roads connecting Raqqa and Mosul.

Commander’s Intent: The ISIL forces will likely expect a frontal attack from the east of al-Hawl and the two surrounding villages to the north and south; therefore we may anticipate heavy weapons and fighting positions to the north and east of al-Hawl. However, we have sufficient time and forces to maneuver to attack at the Daesh’s weak points, his rear and southern flanks at al-Hawl and the village to the south. Hotel (H0) will secure the village to the north of al-Hawl, with Delta (D0) passing through to attack the northwest neighborhood of al-Hawl. Simultaneously, Papa will maneuver to attack the neighborhood east of the river, while Lima (L0) moves south along the paved road to the junction north of the southern village of al-Hawl then proceeding north to attack al-Hawl’s southern neighborhoods, with Zulu (Z0) proceeding southwest to attack the southern al-Hawl village from the southern flank. We will hold AU in reserve until Delta breaches the northern neighborhoods; whereupon AU with sappers as the assault force will attack and push to the center of al-Hawl.

Rockets and mortar fires will be used in mass as each company approaches its attack position while the F-16 “Vipers” will inactivate bomb stores, flying gun and missile sorties over al-Hawl until massed infantry ISIL units are identified.

Play Notes: The Kurds must attack in force, meaning platoon against an ISIL squad. Or, the Kurds must leverage numerical superiority, preceded by rocket and mortar fires, and aerial strikes by the Vipers, before engaging ISIL forces.

Turn 2: Maneuver to assault positions began. An F-16 did not lock on target but reported an IED. F-16 attacked and destroyed heavy weapons in al-Hawl. Flew several sorties with stores inactive in order to detect ISIL positions and draw heavy weapons fire.

Turn 11: J0 platoon probes village north of al-Hawl.

Turn 20: Delta and Hotel commence assault of village north of al-Hawl. Lima arrives at assault position.

Turn 25: Village north of al-Hawl captured. Delta with K0 platoon marches to attack position of al-Hawl. Lima captures all objectives and pushes west towards river east of al-Hawl.

Turn 35: Papa secures road junction north of village south of al-Hawl, turns north to attack position against al-Hawl. Zulu arrives at attack position on village south of al-Hawl. Delta secures northwest neighborhood of al-Hawl.

Turn 40: Daesh HQ (ISIL) or the al-Dawla al-Isamiya fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham headquarters located and destroyed.

Turn 50: Papa enters southern al-Hawl neighborhoods pushing north and east. Lima crossed the river using the northern bridge into al-Hawl proper taking up blocking positions. AU and sappers captures al-Hawl center turning east pushing towards the river. Zulu secures village south of al-Hawl.

Turn 56: With all objectives captured from ISIL, battle ended with a marginal victory.

Battle Report



Battle Result



Kurdish YPG AO



Ulf Lundstrom delivers another tough fight in the way of Wild Bill Wilder.

Thanks for posting wulfir.

Find scenario download here:

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showp...1&postcount=93

[Mobhack]

Thread moved to AAR forum as it's an AAR.

[Tomas]

So we just finished this PBEM (the turn was 45 i think).

Results



Report

I've played as YPG/Syria. Most of my forces advanced via northern road to capture objective north of Al-Hawl. Part of the forces was sent to probe Al-Hawl from the east and finally two platoons went to south using road to scout enemy positions south of the city.

The advance of the central group stalls on eastern outskirts of Al-Hawl and is unable to cross the river and enter center of the city. Northern group captures village in the north and tries to rally to make fast assault across the open plain and enter the city. Southern group is pinned by long-range fire from HMGs and can't advance, so they just wait behind the hill.

Main force has hard time advancing towards the city, as they're constantly pummeled by enemy mortars and howitzers. With help of heavy smoke barrage they managed to cross the plain and enter the city from the north. The battle in the city is very harsh and YPG is countinuously harrased by enemy artillery. Several enemy strongpoints are destroyed using F-16 CAS with AGM-65. After capturing the city remaining forces advance slowly to the south, while friendly arty bombards southern objective. Two APCs are lost to unexpected Malyutka ATGMs.

Sole remaining BTR-60 captures the now vacant southern village.

Notes:
- Insufficient firepower of YPG must be countered in using large force concentrations, which in turn makes them easy target for arty
- Being unable to locate enemy artillery positions is painful, especially when your forces are concentrated and visible in the open areas of the map
- No smoke grenades make everything even worse
- I'd definitely exchange a bunch of F-16s for one little UAV to find the goddamn mortars

Thanks for the great scen!

[Oche]

SPOILER ALERT

Very good scenario. I just PBEM this one as Daesh side. Got a marginal defeat after 43 turns. My opponent as the Kurds (Tomas) implemented great tactics for the assault very similar to those described in the previous AAR, but with not just the three avenues of approach used in that battle, but also adding a fourth avenue of approach through the middle roadless sector of the map between the northern primary road and secondary road into Al-Hawl, which helped to suppress my ambushing Daesh units placed around Al-Hawl and eased the advance of the kurdish infantry.

I believe the scenario briefing underestimates the YPG overall assets. Though the YPG had no artillery support against the dug in opposing force, except some mortars and on board rocket launchers, it had very good air support consisting of eight (8) F-16's which had a perfect milk run clearing out fortified houses and infantry with their AGM-65s, cluster bombs and strafing runs due to the feeble AAA Daesh defense. Kurdish infantry had high morale.

The Daesh force consists mostly entirely on infantry well spread out around the map, it had a couple of Mortar teams and an onboard 152mm FG with BTR-50K carrier and some Ammo dumps.

As a scenario designer, i must say that this is yet another Ulf Lundstrom fine scenario which is highly inspiring for designing further scenarios and PBEM. Thank you Ulf.