Tactical Decision Game #96-10 Solution A
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Tactical Decision Game Solution #96-10 A October 1996

On a Clear Day

by Maj John F. Schmitt, USMCR


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Battalion Commander's Frag Order

"Alpha: Take the TOWs and get on that ridge to the southeast. Go now! Speed is of the essence. Send Whippet ahead and report back. You're looking for enemy armor. Develop the situation using your best judgment.

"Bravo (LAR): Attack now to destroy enemy truck force vicinity of the airstrip to the northeast. Don't pursue without talking to me first.

"Charlie: You're the reserve; be ready to support Alpha or Bravo."


Explanation

I'm assuming the 30-40 trucks at the airstrip are not the force we were sent to destroy. They make a good target, though, for my LAR company (Bravo). I don't want Bravo to pursue because I don't want to split my battalion out of mutually supporting range. The enemy trucks at the airstrip plus the convoy and the mobile air defense unit to the south make me think that the enemy armored force I'm after has continued to move and is south of the ridge. I want to get forces there ASAP to: (1) find out what's there and (2) gain the advantage if there are enemy forces there. If there's going to be a fight, I want to have the good firing positions that the ridge will offer. If I find enemy armor to the south, I'll commit Charlie in support and won't let Bravo pursue to the north; if not, I'll let Bravo pursue the enemy trucks north and reinforce Bravo with Charlie if I think Charlie can get there quickly enough.


Premortem

If my plan is to fail, what would likely cause the failure? My basic assumption is that the enemy armor force is no longer at the airstrip and may be on the other side of the ridge to the southeast. If that's true, and the enemy seizes the initiative, I'm in trouble. That's why I want to get somebody on the ridge quicklyÑso l can get a better handle on what's going on and so l can grab the key terrain. What else could go wrong? By sending parts of my battalion in opposite directions, I'm concerned I could lose control of the situation and lose the ability to concentrate my entire force if needed. For that reason I'm somewhat reluctant to detach Bravo, but the trucks make a good independent mission for my LAR company. That's why I haven't cleared Bravo to pursue the enemy yet; I want to be able to get it back quickly if I need it.

Despite my shortage of ammunition, division believed I could handle this enemy force and directed me to destroy it. What might defeat my plan is another armor forceÑan enemy reserveÑattacking me from the north once I've oriented my force to deal with a threat to the south. Actually, however, having committed Bravo (LAVs) to the airstrip and held Charlie in reserve, I am not entirely exposed to the second enemy armor force emerging from the north. As the result of the premortem, I consider my plan an acceptable risk.


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.