Scenario: Red Raiders v Aggies 06/2020

[shahadi]

This scenario is a depiction of a typical US Army ROTC Field Training Exercise (FTX). The cadet battalions competing are the Red Raiders of Texas Tech University and the Texas A&M Aggies.

Battle Type: Texas Tech advance vs Texas Aggies defend
Date: 20 June 2020
Turns: 27

Location: Fort Still, Oklahoma USA

Force Value
Texas Tech Red Raiders: 555
Texas A&M Aggies : 555

Men
Red Raiders: 40
Aggies: 40

Background

"The Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) was born when President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Defense Act of 1916. Since its inception, Army ROTC has provided leadership and military training at schools and universities across the country and has commissioned more than a half million Officers. It is the largest commissioning source in the American military."

"The FTX is an exercise held over the course of a weekend during which cadets use skills previously learned during leadership labs such as Land Navigation and Troop Leading Procedures. Cadets spend 1 to 2 nights in the field receiving additional training and executing events in conditions similar to those they will in future training."

Situation

A cadet platoon of the Red Raiders are facing a similarly composed platoon of cadets from Texas A&M, fondly called the Corps of Cadets. The Corps occupy a tree line at the far end of the open danger zone. Time and territory does not permit the Red Raiders to bypass the open danger zone.

A. OPFOR FORCES

A comparable infantry platoon.

B. MISSION

A cadet platoon of Red Raiders must advance over an open danger zone to capture the Texas A&M flag.

C. CONCEPT OF THE OPERATION

1. Maneuver: Infantry FireTeam Platoon advance.

2. Fires: Medium machine gun and and rifle fires.

3. Close Air Support: None.

4. Indirect fires: None.

D. COMMAND/SIGNAL

MSIV Senior Cadet Valdez, Texas Tech Baseball, 3-year ROTC Scholarship, Branched Infantry, Lubbock High School, Lubbock Texas is the mission OIC.

E. FRIENDLY FORCES

Cadets of 2nd Platoon, 1st CO Red Raider Battalion, Texas Tech University

2nd Platoon HQ
MSIV Richard (Rick) Valdez, PL
MSIV Gammon, PSG
MSII Villegas, RTO

1st Squad
B0 Fire Team
B1 Fire Team

2nd Squad
C0 Fire Team
C1 Fire Team

3rd Squad
D0 Fire Team
D1 Fire Team

Wpn Squad
2x 7.62 M240 MMG
2x Javelin Team

Gameplay

Play the scenario from the Red Raiders side against the Aggies.

Victory conditions

No special victory conditions.

Notes

The Red Raiders should advance by bounding teams with one squad should leading the advance supported by the M240s. You may opt to place the Fire Team with the designated marksman in overwatch or alternately, put that Fire Team leading the advance.

The A0 force headquarters is rendered as the platoon headquarters.

I would appreciate suggestions, critcisms, or praise. The absence away from the game has been long and now requires substantial effort to return to a level of competence necessary to appreciate the many fine scenarios posted on the forum.

[cbreedon]

Well since I went to Tech I'm going to have to try this. RAIDER! POWER!

[RetLT]

Good scenario.

Playable against AI only since an assault over open ground at a 1:1 force ratio against a human is suicide.

The small size really makes the player focus on infantry tactics of fire and movement.

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by RetLT

Good scenario.

Playable against AI only since an assault over open ground at a 1:1 force ratio against a human is suicide.

The small size really makes the player focus on infantry tactics of fire and movement.

Yes, you're correct. I'll amend the scen txt advising the scenario should be played from the side of the Red Raiders.

Thanks.

Wreck 'em, guns up Red Raider Battalion!

[SaS TrooP]

Originally Posted by shahadi

Yes, you're correct. I'll amend the scen txt advising the scenario should be played from the side of the Red Raiders.

Thanks.

Wreck 'em, guns up Red Raider Battalion!

If it is, why the hell people do train this scenario

[Suhiir]

Sea Story (i.e. the US Navy/USMC version of "This happened, tho what I'm about to tell you has be embellished a "bit".) time:

When I was stationed in Scotland in 1975 for one reason or another the powers that be decided it would be good for US/UK relations if a bunch of US Marines acted as the OpFor for a training exercise for the Sandhurst (i.e. the UK "West Point") cadets.

Things went pretty much as expected until the final battle, an assault on the OpFor position. As I understand it in the UK many of the medical personnel are Conscious Objectors (damn good idea if you ask me, let them serve in a capacity that doesn't violate their beliefs), the US Navy Corpsman (i.e. medic) with us was a guy nicknamed "Tiny" (you can guess how huge he was from that) who was a Vietnam vet ... where he'd earned a Navy Cross (one step below the Congressional Medal of Honor).

As our position was being over run by the cadets "Tiny" jumped into one of the last positions to be overwhelmed and M60 machinegun in one hand and a radio in the other calling in (simulated) artillery atop our own position.

What stands out was British Sgt Major all but having an orgasm at the sight of this. "That's the way to fight!"

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by Suhiir

Sea Story (i.e. the US Navy/USMC version of "This happened, tho what I'm about to tell you has be embellished a "bit".) time:

As our position was being over run by the cadets "Tiny" jumped into one of the last positions to be overwhelmed and M60 machinegun in one hand and a radio in the other calling in (simulated) artillery atop our own position.

What stands out was British Sgt Major all but having an orgasm at the sight of this. "That's the way to fight!"

Tiny sounds like a great guy...as for the Brit SM, they (the Brits) seem to exaggerate a wee too much

Thanks for sharing Suhiir, you never fail with a good story or sound advice.

[shahadi]

A little rivalry is good for the mind, body, and warrior spirit.

Sho ya right, Texas A&M






Yep...Texas Tech Red Raider Battalion

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by SaS TrooP

If it is, why the hell people do train this scenario

This scenario is best played against the AI so that a player gets the feel of small unit fire and movement tactics. To do so, move your units no more than two hex at a time, 100m, or no more than 4mph. At the road, move your mouse over the map to locate terrain with height equal to -2. Once contact is made do not return fire; simply rely on opportunity fires; therfore keep your units close so as to place a lot of lead on the target.

At the time that I built the scenario, I couldn't decide how to place natural cover (concealment) such as field depressions, feld trees, thick shrubs, etc.

Additionally, I had forgotten to modify the javelin teams with at 1 least HE round. I got this idea while researching marine operations in Helmand province of Afghanistan; I witnessed (youtube) a young marine successfully fire off a javelin round at a Taliban position.