Historical Theatre of Operation: Locations

[narwan]

Since the battles of october '65 in the Ia Drang valley seem to be a possible take off point for the campaign I dug up some info on these:

http://orbat.com/site/history/histor...alley1965.html
(detailed description of battles and includes info on order of battles on both sides)

Two maps of the battle:
http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/web...20map%2027.htm
http://www.dean.usma.edu/history/web...20map%2028.htm

Eyewitness account of the battle:
http://www.mishalov.com/death_ia_drang_valley.html

[Pyros]

Thanks Stephane & Remco

This is fantastic!

We have probably not only defined the US formation but also the starting point of the campaign.

I think we have made the first serious step for the project.
I don't know if anyone else has to propose something different concerning the US units involved in the campaign?
But the 1st CAV seems to be a good possibility.

If anyone has something good to propose, please do it ASAP, in order to proceed with the selection of the historical missions and the selection of the evolving core force.

As much as I like the idea of 100% historical accuracy, we should allow the player to play all historical battles with his army group, and since this is not the case for a historical army group in the size of a specific division or a specific Brigade, then we should use generalized unit formations. Our core force will be units of the CAV DIV but not any specific one, rather a Generalized formation.
Next we should think how this army formation would have to evolve... For example every few chapters/theatre of operations we could add to the existing core force new formations...
For example from the point that the player will have a company level army core we will give him after a number of Chapters/Theatre of Operations an additional Company.
The question is what type of company?

Anyway, it is much better to add to the core force of the player additional companies at predefined time intervals (as the game evolves) and letting him this way to slowly built up his army group from a company level to a Battalion.

[Boonierat]

The 1st Cav is the obvious choice of course, it's one of the few units of the War to have fought in all four Corps Tactical Zones and in ALL the major and secondary theater of Ops I mentioned above (it even fought in the Mekong Delta in 1968-69, forming a NavCav unit to operate in the numerous waterways of the area, so we can even create a few riverine scenarios for the campaign and still be perfectly historical )

[Pyros]

ok,

Then we should wait a couple of days to obtain the approval from the group members and we may proceed to the selection of historical battles, and then we will have to decide the evolution of the core army group in relation with the battle/operations... Oh-oh... things get serious...

cheers,

[narwan]

Boonierat said:
(it even fought in the Mekong Delta in 1968-69, forming a NavCav unit to operate in the numerous waterways of the area, so we can even create a few riverine scenarios for the campaign and still be perfectly historical )

Happy happy joy joy!!!!

[Pyros]

narwan said:

Happy happy joy joy!!!!

I think I know who will design the Mekong Delta historical battle... LOL

[dita]

Pyros said:

I think I know who will design the Mekong Delta historical battle... LOL

Good to see that riverine operations may be making an appearance

[Boonierat]

JANUARY
23-25 Jan. Op.Root II, 2/5 Cav search and destroy around Kannack
27-31 Jan. Op.Bullseye V, 2d Bde, 1st Cav and 40th ARVN Regiment recon. in force southwestern Bong Son Plain
FEBRUARY
11 Feb. 67-18 Jan. 68 Op.Pershing I, 1st Cav; 1/50 Inf Mech; 3d Bde, 25th Inf, 22nd ARVN Division search and destroy, cordon and search, pacification of Binh Dinh from Kim Son valley to Quang Ngai province
APRIL
7-22 Apr. Op.Lejeune, 1/5, 2/5, 2/12 (1st Cav); 3/7 Marines logistical operation on Duc Pho
9-10 Apr. Op.Dazzlem, 1st Cav defence of Camp Radcliff
JUNE
18 Jun.-12 Oct. Op.Greeley (Battle of the Slopes), 173rd Abn, 4th Inf, 2/7, 5/7 (1st Cav), 5th and 8th TDNDs, 42nd ARVN Rgt search and destroy in Kontum/Dak To vicinity
28 Jun. Battle of Dam Tra-O lake (Op. Pershing I) 1/9, 2/5 Cav clash with 9/18 NVA 12 miles SE Bong Son
JULY
2 Jul. Battle of LZ Geronimo (Op. Pershing I)
AUGUST
9 Aug. Battle of LZ Pat (Op. Pershing I) 1/9, A/2/8 clash with NVA 32 miles SW Quang Ngai city
22 Aug.-3 Sep. Battle of Nui Mieu cave (Op. Pershing I), A/2/5 traps 100 enemy in cave, kills 33 and captures 41
SEPTEMBER
6-15 Sep. Op. Join Hands, 1/8, 1/5, 2/12 (1st Cav), 40th and 41st ARVN Rgts, VNMC TF Bravo search & destroy on Cay Ngiep mtns
19 Sep. 67-31 Jan. 69 Op.Bolling/Dan Hoa, 1/8 (1st Cav - 17 Sep.-14 Oct.); 1/503, 3/503, 4/503 (173d Abn) search and destroy, recon. in force, pacification in Phu Yen, Tuy Hoa Bassin.
OCTOBER
4 Oct.-11 Nov. Op.Wallowa, 23rd Inf; 1/7, 5/7, 2/12 (1st Cav) search and destroy in Quang Tin and Quang Ngai, Que Son valley
12 Oct. 67-31 Jan.69 Op.Mac Arthur, 3/12, 3/8 (4th Inf); 173rd; 2d Bde, 1st Cav; 3rd Abn Bde ARVN; 42nd ARVN Rgt search and destroy, border protection and recon. in force in the western highlands of Pleiku and Kontum provinces
DECEMBER
6-20 Dec. Battle of Tam Quan (Op. Pershing I) 1/9, 1/8, 1/12 (1st Cav; 1/50 Inf (M); 40th ARVN Rgt assault Tam Quan defended by 7/22 and 8/22 NVA

[Boonierat]

JANUARY
20 Jan.-1 Mar. Op.Pershing II, 2d Bde, 1st Cav, 3d Bde, 4th Inf cordon and search in Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai
22 Jan.-31 Mar. Op.Jeb Stuart I, 2/8, 5/7, 2/12 (1st Cav); 1/501, 2/501 (101st Abn) search and destroy in enemy Base Areas 101 and 114 and reinforcement of 3rd MAF between Hue and Quang Tri
31 Jan.-1 Feb. Battle for Quang Tri (Op. Jeb Stuart) 1/5, 1/12 (1st Cav); 1st ARVN Rgt; 9th TDND battle NVA Rgt 812 during Tet
31 Jan.-25 Feb. Battle of Hue, 1/1, 1/5, 2/5 Marines, 1/7, 2/7, 5/7 Cav, 2/12 Cav, 3rd ARVN Rgt, VNMC to retake Hue City
FEBRUARY
2-24 Feb., 3d Bde, 1st Cav battle for Thon La Chu
29 Feb.-12 Sep. Op.Napoleon/Saline, 3rd Mar, 2/1, 3/1, 1/4, 2/4, 1/9, 2/9, 2/26 Marines; 2d Bde, 1st Cav clear and search along Cua Viet River from Dong Ha in Quang Tri province
APRIL
1-15 Apr. Op.Pegasus/Lam Son 207, 1st Cav, 1/1, 2/1, 2/3, 1/9 Marines, 1st ARVN operation to reopen road 9 to Khe Sanh
4 Apr. 1/9 drives elts of NVA Rgt 66 from Hill 471 (Op. Pegasus)
6 Apr. 1/5 battle the NVA in an abandoned french fort 3 miles S of Khe Sanh (Op. Pegasus)
8 Apr. Khe Sanh is formally relieved by the 1st Cav (Op. Pegasus)
19 Apr.-17 May Op.Delaware/Lam Son 216, 1st Cav; 1st Bde, 101stAbn; 196th LIB; 3rd ARVN Rgt; 6th TDND airmobile raid in A Shau Valley
MAY
8-16 May Op.Concordia Square/Lam Son 224, 2d Bde, 1st Cav search and destroy in Quang Tri
17 May-3 Nov. Op.Jeb Stuart III, 1/8, 1/5, 2/5, 1/9 (1st Cav); 3d Sqn, 5th Cav clear and search, rice denial and pacification in central Thua Thien and Quang Tri
JUNE
1 Jun.68-16 Feb.69 Op.Toan Thang II, 2/7, 5/7 (1st Cav), 1st Inf, 9th Inf, 25th Inf, 3d Bde, 101st Abn, 199th LIB, 11th ACR, 1st ATF, Queens Cobras Saigon security in III CTZ
27-30 Jun. Battle of Binh An (Jeb Stuart III) 3d Sqn, 5th Cav reinforced with 1st Cav elts corners NVA Bn 814 in Binh An, Quang Tri province
AUGUST
4-20 Aug. Op.Somerset Plain/Lam Son 246, 101st; 3d Bde, 82d Abn; 1/9 (1st Cav), 1st ARVN Rgt search and destroy in A Shau valley
SEPTEMBER
10 Sep.-3 Oct. Op.Commanche Falls I, 1st Cav, 1st ARVN clear and search in Quang Tri and Thua Thien provinces
OCTOBER
3 Oct.-2 Nov. Op.Commanche Falls II, 1st Cav clear and search in Quang Tri and Thua Thien provinces
28 Oct. 68-23 Jun.69 Op.Liberty Canyon, 1st Cav redeploys to III CTZ and assumes responsability of its new TAOR in Sheridan Sabre and Navajo Warhorse areas
NOVEMBER
2-15 Nov. Op.Commanche Falls III, 1/5, 2/5, 3/5 (1st Cav); 1st Bde, 5th Mech SE of Quang Tri
7 Nov.68-2 Apr.69 Op.Sheridan Sabre, 1st Cav combat and screening operations along cambodian border in III CTZ
DECEMBER
3 Dec. Battle of LZ Eleanor (Op.Toan Thang II) D/2/7 Cav is ambushed by an estimated 400 NVA 17 miles NW Phuoc Vinh
6-9 Dec. Op.Charger Sweep I, 1st Bde, 1st Cav clear and search in Quang Tri
15 Dec.68-13 Feb.69 Op.Navajo Warhorse I, 1/8, 2/8, 2/12 (1st Cav) operations in Hau Nghia and Kien Tuong provinces

[Pyros]

Excellent work Stephane!

After we gather all these battles we should decide which battles (if not all!!!) should be included to the Campaign.
We should also consider mix the historical battles with fictional battles (like bunker attack, firebase defend etc...).

Anyway we have already made a very good progress in this field!

After Stephane finish the list,
we could start to propose/choose battles (if not all!!) for the campaign.

cheers,