A different way to win a battle

[IronDuke99]

So you are a Platoon Commander on the border between South West Africa and Angola in the late 1980's, you have a very good, highly trained and experienced platoon, supported by a mortar section.

On a hill ahead of you is a lightly dug in group of low moral insurgents, they have a bit more than a section of men, and two RPD MG's. Capturing this hill will push back the enemy, no more, no less.

If your platoon attacks the hill you will certainly win, but you will lose men doing it.

On turn 19 there will be a an airstrike on the hill that will likely kill some enemy and make the others less happy to fight.

On turn 10 your Company commander, pushed by his battalion Commander urges you to attack soon.

On turn 12 your Company commander, strongly urged on by your battalion commander tells you to attack now, and swears a bit. You say you are holding Orders Groups, etc.

On turn 15 your company commander is saying your military career might soon be over, he is pushed by the battalion CO, and the battalion CO is being pushed by Brigade.

Now bear in mind, sometimes, with good officers, brigade and battalion orders, might get a bit of a filter, in the sense that senior officers rage might not reach you in its original form...

Your mission in this scenario is to take the hill while getting the least number of your men killed , before, or after the air strike...

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by IronDuke99

So you are a Platoon Commander on the border between South West Africa and Angola in the late 1980's, you have a very good, highly trained and experienced platoon, supported by a mortar section.

On a hill ahead of you is a lightly dug in group of low moral insurgents, they have a bit more than a section of men, and two RPD MG's. Capturing this hill will push back the enemy, no more, no less.

If your platoon attacks the hill you will certainly win, but you will lose men doing it.

On turn 19 there will be a an airstrike on the hill that will likely kill some enemy and make the others less happy to fight.

On turn 10 your Company commander, pushed by his battalion Commander urges you to attack soon.

On turn 12 your Company commander, strongly urged on by your battalion commander tells you to attack now, and swears a bit. You say you are holding Orders Groups, etc.

On turn 15 your company commander is saying your military career might soon be over, he is pushed by the battalion CO, and the battalion CO is being pushed by Brigade.

Now bear in mind, sometimes, with good officers, brigade and battalion orders, might get a bit of a filter, in the sense that senior officers rage might not reach you in its original form...

Your mission in this scenario is to take the hill while getting the least number of your men killed , before, or after the air strike...

Sounds like a nice tight scenario.

First, I'd follow mission orders.

I would move my platoon to assault position with two squads supporting an assault squad. The assault squad will fire suppression with MGs and rifle grenades, and snipers, etc.

The mortar section will laid fires on the insurgents.

After the air strike is exhausted lay smoke to advance squads for final assault on the insurgent position.

Now, it could very well be true the insurgent position is ripe for taking after five or six turns of mortars and fires from the assault squad before the air strike, but oh since they are coming and it is not a timed objective, let the air strike have a go at it too.

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[Suhiir]

About the same here.

Move your men into position and use the time to locate and observe the enemy defenses, let your best marksmen play sniper, arrange your mortar support.

But remember in most nations a mere platoon commander has no ability to communicate with air support, if you take the position prior to the air strike it's probable you'll be the one it lands on. So yes, I'd wait till after the air strike, if my commanders don't like it tough ... I'm the one on the spot making the decision.

[Imp]

Depends on distance to close & terrain but air strike 19 turns in I would use the mortar to lay smoke so I can deal with just one or 2 units without worrying about the others. Deal with them pull back slightly if needed due to incoming air.
Any are time I would concentrate mortar fire on the MMG, more chance of a kill as a grouped unit & also dust might obscure LOS.
If possible working a unit round to the rear to pick off encourage routing units would be high in my mind. Mortar & airstrike vs low morale could cause a route with little extra input.
If attacking from the rear looked good at the start might have used time before airstrike to get there & set my route hex so I routed in the same direction as them.

[Imp]

Sorry edit failed should have read

Any spare time I would concentrate mortar fire on MMG

[shahadi]

Originally Posted by Imp

Depends on distance to close & terrain but air strike 19 turns in I would use the mortar to lay smoke so I can deal with just one or 2 units without worrying about the others. Deal with them pull back slightly if needed due to incoming air.
Any are time I would concentrate mortar fire on the MMG, more chance of a kill as a grouped unit & also dust might obscure LOS.
If possible working a unit round to the rear to pick off encourage routing units would be high in my mind. Mortar & airstrike vs low morale could cause a route with little extra input.
If attacking from the rear looked good at the start might have used time before airstrike to get there & set my route hex so I routed in the same direction as them.

Yeah, a lot depends on terrain, distance to close, and direction of air strike.

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[Aeraaa]

Move the platoon in a perimeter to ensure that the insurgents will not be able to retreat, wait for the air strike to hit them, use mortars a few turns before as well, and assault the hill with two sections. The third will be there to mop up runners.

In the end find an excuse why it took you so long, but it doesn't matter. Job's done with minimal casualties.