Tactical Decision Game #95-7
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Tactical Decision Game #95-7 July 1995

The Roadblock

by Nadir A. El-Farra

View a map of the situation

Situation:

The United Nations (U.N.) has decided to pull its Protection Force (UNProFor) out of Spojnia, a civil war torn European country where it has tried unsuccessfully to keep the peace for the past 3 years. The United States has committed troops to assist in the UNProFor evacuation. U.N. commanders feel that a quick evacuation will result in the least loss of life and will give the rebels less time to offer significant interference.

Some elements of the UNProFor are evacuating via strategic sealift along Spojnias coastline. The 24th MEU(SOC) has been deployed to protect and assist this movement. You are in command of a Marine rifle platoon with four AAV7Als two M60 machine-gun teams, and two Javelin antitank guided missile (ATGM) teams attached. You are also equipped with several rolls of barbed wire and eight AT4 LAWs. You have been ordered to establish a blocking position on the East-West Road in the vicinity of Zorhadge to prevent rebel forces from moving east towards the UNProFors main evacuation route. You must also be ready to fall back to the main company position 3 kilometers east of Zorhadge on order from the company commander.

So far, rebel elements have only managed to harass UNProFor movements with mortar fire and scattered firefights. Rebel forces in the area are thought to number more than a battalion and are generally to the west of Zorhadge. Rebel actions to this point have been uncoordinated, usually Involving no more than a reinforced squad of troops. Rebel equipment includes T-55 main battle tanks, a local variant of the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle, Russian-made manportable ATGM launchers, as well as large numbers of medium- and heavy-caliber mortars.

You arrive in Zorhadge at a walking pace as your AAVs struggle through the refugee traffic moving east along East-West Road. Upon reaching the western edge of town you see ahead of you a stream of refugees stretching more than a kilometer down East-West Road as well as some moving south along North-South Road. Many of the refugees have begun begging your men for food and water; others are begging for a ride to the evacuation site. Mixed in with the crowds of refugees are handfuls of lightly armed government troops equally intent on reaching the temporary safety of the evacuation site.

What now, Lieutenant?

Rules of Engagement

  1. have the right to use lethal force promptly and effectively to defend yourself, other U.S. or U.N. forces, or persons and areas under their protection.
  2. You should use the minimum force necessary under the circumstances and proportional to the threat.
  3. Use force only when the military benefit of using force outweighs the risk of injury to nonmilitary persons or objects.

Requirements:

In a time limit of 5 minutes, relate the orders you will issue, followed by any reports or requests you will make. Then provide a sketch and a brief explanation of the rationale behind your plan.
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For more detailed information on the structure of Marine Corps units, Marine Corps equipment, and symbols used in Tactical Decision Game sketches, see Marine Corps Gazette, October 1994, pp. 53-56 and the modification reported in the January, 1995, edition on page 5.