[OOC] Flames on the Dnieper

[Gunther]

How's that OPORD coming @Gunther?

@Landain

I am writing a five paragraph OPORD as used by NATO countries. I wasn't planning to including Paragraphs IV and V. They deal with IV. Administration & Logistics and V. COMMAND & SIGNAL. We can write that as part of our Roleplay. I am currently writing the tasks to subordinate units. which is an important section. For Task Organization, I have given my No. 5 Company (tanks) to @Landain for the operation and I also gave my No. 4 Company, 1st and 2nd AT platoons to Brigade Control, which I will write for anyway. This is one of hte reasons, I wanted to leave my unit for Reserve or Supporting effort--following the sucessful units through their breaches. @Dutchbag@Andreyich and @Landain are each breaching the enemy positions at three separate crossings. My first battalion will follow whichever battalion meets success. That is the Soviet way.

[Gunther]

@Andreyich@Landain I have submitted a rough draft of the OPORD to @Dutchbag

[Gunther]

I spent a good hour or more drawing hte operational graphics. Somehow, when I saved it, I save the original plan that was somewhat vague, without the specifics. So I closed everything down. I was going to save it to IMGUR and then post. Guess what? I lost everything I created and now I have to start over. Piss me off. :/

[Gunther]

I posted the 0th Post. This is the Brigade Commander, General Major Dmitri Mishenko approving of the Brigade's OPORD and asking the battalion commanders if they have any question. The Task Organization is slightly different than the units you created. The Tank Company that belongs to Second Battalion, 34th Infantry has been given to the Sokol Group for Operational Control. Once the Operation is over, the company returns to the Second Battalion, 34th. Sokol Group also gets one of the 2nd battalion's Anti-Tank platoons. The Czech Mercenaries are retained for Brgiade control and initially are given the mission to deal with an Anti-Tank threat on the Brigade's western flank during our march up towards Smila. This is also Sokol Group's left flank. That company will initiate its attack prior to the Brigade's attack.

The Mission statement is repeated here:

II. MISSION. At 0600 29 August 2004, the Ukrainian 53rd Infantry Brigade (Blue), attacks Objective WHITE (Cherkasy Oblast in southern Smila) in order to support the 54th Brigade’s attack on the railyard to the north.

and the Commander's Intent:

A. Commander’s Intent. The Commander intends to attack the entrenched enemy in southern Smila along a broad front. The Armor battalion will assault through initially in order to attack the tank company defending along the high ground to the north. Two infantry battalions will attack left and right of the tank battalion and a third battalion will follow the tank battalion along their attack route.

Finally, the Scheme of Maneuver:

1. Scheme of Maneuver. The Sokol Group will attack along the secondary road in western Mal Smelyanka in order to clear the bridge area of enemy units and support the Brigade main Effort. 1st Battalion, 37th Tank (Main Effort) attacks along the primary road west of Mal Yablonovka in order to create a breach and attack successive objective at Hill 140 south of Smila. 2nd Battalion, 34th Infantry attacks along secondary road through Mal Yablonovka in order to clear the built up area around the river of enemy units and support the Brigade main effort in its attack toward Smila. 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry follows Brigade main effort along primary road west of Mal Yablonovka in order to clear enemy units from the built up area in the vicinity of the river and to support the Brigade’s main effort as it attacks north toward the city.

The Complete OPORD is listed in the 0th post. AT the bottom are the Operational Graphics and the Enemy situation in our AOR.

If you have questions, you can ask them both here in OOC and/or in character in the IC thread.

[Landain]

@Gunther I have read the OPORD in the 0th post of the In Character thread. I believe I understand what we are doing. I have a few questions...

Notes:

- I have no attachments, nor am I detaching any units to the others.
- My battalion is the Brigade main effort focusing on the armor threat at Hill 140.
- There appears to be obstacles at 25.53, 25.54 & 25.55. I assume these are Anti-Tank mines? Maybe anti-personnel mines?
- There appears to be three mechanized infantry platoons dug into the built up area on the north side of my breach point. A company CP to the left and one 750 meters to the north of the river.
- There is also one company of tanks on Hill 140.
- I assume, I must pretend I do not see them yet. That I must roll to spot them and then roll to hit and destroy them?
- What should the remainder of my battalion do, once we have secured objective SABLYA and a company establishes an Ambush or Support by Fire position at the north end of that road, to the right of the Sokol Group?

[Gunther]

- I have no attachments, nor am I detaching any units to the others.

@Landain

Correct!

- My battalion is the Brigade main effort focusing on the armor threat at Hill 140.

@Landain

Correct! You can either destroy the enemy in front of you or leave them to II./34th Motorized Infantry to deal with.

- There appears to be obstacles at 25.53, 25.54 & 25.55. I assume these are Anti-Tank mines? Maybe anti-personnel mines?

@Landain

Corret! There are minefields along the roads of all breaching points. Also, note the enemy deployed a few long range patrols forward of the river to watch the Brigade just before it attacks.

- There appears to be three mechanized infantry platoons dug into the built up area on the north side of my breach point. A company CP to the left and one 750 meters to the north of the river.

@Landain

Correct!

- There is also one company of tanks on Hill 140.

@Landain

Correct!

- I assume, I must pretend I do not see them yet. That I must roll to spot them and then roll to hit and destroy them?

@Landain

Correct! You will need to roll to see them.

- What should the remainder of my battalion do, once we have secured objective SABLYA and a company establishes an Ambush or Support by Fire position at the north end of that road, to the right of the Sokol Group?

@Landain

Prepare for offensive operations. Your battalion may lead an assault north into the railyard if the 54th Brigade is not successful in its attack.

[Andreyich]

I'll start on something later in the morning, well done.

[Landain]

I'm starting on something, but I may not get it posted until Monday.

[Dog]

This be a hardcore mili-stim?

[Landain]

This be a hardcore mili-stim?

@Dog

A wargame

[Pepschep]

This week and next will be incredibly busy for me. At the earliest I can post this weekend

[Gunther]

I kind of hope someone posts. @Landain? @Andreyich? How's it going?

[Landain]

I started writing a post over a week ago. Let's see if I can finish it tonight. I spent some time in the Army, as you know, @Gunther I was going to use the same format you used. Since my battalion is the Main Effort, it makes sense I take the lead.

[Andreyich]

I started writing a post over a week ago. Let's see if I can finish it tonight. I spent some time in the Army, as you know, @Gunther I was going to use the same format you used. Since my battalion is the Main Effort, it makes sense I take the lead.

@Landain

Can you give me the gist of your plan? I was also writing something but I don't want to step on those toes

Also, pardon the brief disappearance. However I do not give up on RPs

[Landain]

Can you give me the gist of your plan? I was also writing something but I don't want to step on those toes

Also, pardon the brief disappearance. However I do not give up on RPs

@Andreyich

No worries on the brief disappearance. This is my only RP at the moment and I don't have a lot of time to do this either. I believe @Gunther is the same way. He seems to disappear a lot too.

The gist of my plan:
- I will organize my battalion into four company sized Teams.
- My No. 1 Company is a Tank heavy team (3 Tk & 1 IN) which will provide two missions; First, they will lead the advance through the Breach and Mal Yablonovka. Second, they will assault the tank formation on Hill 140. 3rd in Order of march south of the AO.
- My No. 4 Company is an Infantry Heavy team (2 IN, 1 Tk & 1 EN) which includes an Engineer platoon, will breach the obstacles south/east of the river and fight through Mal Yablonovka to defeat the entrenched threat along the river. 2nd in order of march south of the AO.
- My No. 2 Company is a Tank team reinforced by Anti-Tank assets (2 Tk & 1 AT) which will lead the advance up the Main Supply Route (MSR) and provide Support by Fire or Overwatching fires for the Breaching element (No. 4 Company). 1st in order of march south of the AO.
- My No. 3 Company is a Tank team reinforced by Anti-Tank assets (2 Tk & 1 AT) which will trail the rest of the battalion in the order of march but then follow the No. 1 Company during its advance to Hill 140 and provide Overwatching fires for that second assault.

No. 2 Company provides overwatching fires on enemy while artillery and/or mortars provide smoke on the obstacles in the road and on the enemy position. No. 4 Company provides overwatch and breaches the obstacles with the Engineer platoon. Once breaching lanes have been established, the No. 1 Company, followed by the No. 2 Company will fight through Mal Yablonovka, avoiding contact with the enemy in order to race ahead to fight the battle on Hill 140.

Once in the attack position leading up to Hill 140, the No. 1 Company should be first to arrive. They will immediately halt and engage targets on the objective. They will also observe for the Field ARtillery and mortars providing a preparatory fire on Hill 140. When the No. 2 Company arrives, they will occupy a support by fire position to engage targets on the objective. Then the No. 1 Company will advance online to eliminate enemy units on the objective.

Once both objectives have been eliminated, the battalion will consolidate and provide security oriented to the north and west. One of our companies will tie in with you along PL IVAN to the west. WE will then allow for the passage of First Battalion 34th Infantry which will estgablish a support by fire position in the residential and industrial district at the south end of Smila in support of the 54th Brigade attacking the railyard to our north.

[Landain]

My opord is complete. I hope to be able to make a post this evening. If not, definitely tomorrow morning (EST).

[Andreyich]

If Landain doesn't post first I'll do so tmrw.

[Landain]

I was planning to post last night. I was sitting at my laptop, writing away and fell asleep. I may not get it done today, but defintely tomorrow. date night with the wife tonight.

[Landain]

OK. I finished the Operations Officers operations brief. I didn't continue with a question and answer session wiht hte company commanders. I may write a second post just to put that in there. This at least has my battalion's operations plan for the attack on Smila.

[Gunther]

@LandainIt looks good so far. If you want to have your company commanders write questions in a follow on post, go for it. I'll plan my post for the 1st battalion. It looks like @Andreyich has something to follow you with. Then me and @Dutchbag can write ours. You don't need to write an operations order if you don't want. An operational plan would suffice.