[OOC] Able Archer: 1983

[Pepschep]

It has happened! Welcome to the club. Try to keep your head attached to your body and pray to a diety of your choice the nuclear button isn't pushed.

[Rare]

._. I'm still here, its just that I'm having a hard time to choose what unit my character should join.

[Pepschep]

Roll with the US armoured, Gunther has worked with them so there's a wealth of information.

[Gunther]

Rare, US 3rd Brigade, 2nd Armor Division (Forward) consists of the following units:

3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) [M113 APC]
4th Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) [M113 APC]
2nd Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment (Iron Knights) [M60A3 MBT]
4th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment [M109 155mm SP]
C Troop, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment [M60, M113 & M901 ITV]
498th Forward Support Battalion [A Co. Trans., B Co. Maint., C Co. Medical]
D Company, 17th Engineer Battalion [M113 APC]
588th Military Intelligence Company
Military police platoon
Aviation detachment [4x AH-1 Attack Helicopters & 2 OH-58C Observation Helicopter]

I can help you with details on any of these units. I took B Company, 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry (Mech). B/3-41 IN is Attached to 2-66 AR for this operation. C/2-66 AR is attached to 3-41 IN. My 3rd Platoon is attached to some company in 2-66 AR and I have 3rd Platoon, B/2-66 AR attached to my company. I also have a squad of engineers from D/17 EN and a Fire Support Team (FIST) from 4-3 FA. If you do a Company, you will also get a FIST team. As a suggestion, you could take A, B or D Company of 2-66 AR and 3rd Platoon, B/3-41 IN as your unit. With that said, you could take A or D Company with three armor platoons + the Mech Infantry platoon or B Company with 2 AR platoons + the Mech Infantry platoon.

If you take one of the 2-66 AR Companies, you could then be an adjacent unit to mine. We could collaborate on enemy contact.

I am more than willing to help.

[Gunther]

You could also take the armor platoon in my company team if you like. Your character would fall under mine in the chain of command. Or you could take the Battalion commander of 2-66 AR also. I could help you with that also. I have served on primary staff at Battalion level as S1 (Personnel), S4 (Logistics), S6 (Communications) and Asst. S3 (Asst. Operations Officer). I never served as S2 (Intelligence) because they always had an Intelligence Branched officer for that job and I was Infantry.

[Rare]

Thanks, Gunther. Do you have info about the 498th Forward Support Battalion [A Co. Trans., B Co. Maint., C Co. Medical].

[Gunther]

Rare said
Thanks, Gunther. Do you have info about the 498th Forward Support Battalion [A Co. Trans., B Co. Maint., C Co. Medical].

Wow! This is a large request and I am more than willing and capable of detailing this. I will put some stuff together and post here for all to read. I will cover Class I (Food & Water) resupply, Class III (POL Products) resupply, Class IV (Barrier Materials), Class V (Ammunition) resupply, Class VII (Major End Items) replacement/re-issue, Maintenance & evacuation, Casualty Evacuation and Soldier replacement process. Just as a hint, the Brigade Support Area, which is where the Forward Support Battalion lives is where all these Administrative and Logistics activities take place. They handle all of these rear area jobs for the Combat Maneuver elements deployed forward.

The other classes of supply, I won't cover because they are negligible in a combat environment are:
Class II (Personal Clothing Items) - These are the uniforms and field equipment everyone is issued at home station before being deployed to a combat zone. Any replacements are requested through the Unit Supply Sergeant in their company/Battalion field trains.
Class VI (Personal consumption items) - The most notable item in Class VI is alcohol, but also includes toiletries and cigarettes or other consumables. These are ordered by the Supply Sergeant through the S4 Chain of Command.
Class VIII (First Aid supplies) - Requests for first aid supplies goes through the Battalion Medical Platoon Sergeant and the Brigade S4 section.
Class IX (repair parts) - There is a TAMMS clerk (The Army Maintenance Management System) in the maneuver battalion's Maintenance Platoon and in B/498 FSB who order replacement parts through the Division G4.
Self Service Supply Center (SSSC) - Pens, paper and other office supplies are requested through the unit supply sergeants who have access to a SSSC set up somewhere in the rear area.

These classes of supply are not as important as I, III and V. Those three are what keep an army on the move.

[Gunther]

"Rare" said Thanks, Gunther. Do you have info about the 498th Forward Support Battalion [A Co. Trans., B Co. Maint., C Co. Medical].

Forward Support Battalion (FSB)

The FSB is the Administrative and Logistical support for the Brigade. They operate out of the Brigade Support Area (BSA). The Brigade S1 (Personnel Officer) and S4 (Logistics Officer) work in the Administrative and Logistics Operations Center (ALOC) which acts as the Command and Control node for all Administrative and Logistics activity within the Brigade. As a side note, the ALOC is also referred to as the Brigade Command Post (REAR). If the Brigade's MAIN Command Post was somehow eliminated by a Spetsnaz or Airborne Raid, the Brigade ALOC becomes the MAIN Command Post (CP).

The Brigade Support Area (BSA) is anywhere from 30 to 50 kilometers behind the Forward Edge of the Battle Area (FEBA). The Brigade MAIN CP is 15 - 30 Km behind the FEBA. The Battalion's Combat Trains is located 5 - 15 Km behind the FEBA. A division also has a Division MAIN CP which is located ~30 Km behind the FEBA and a Division Support Area located 50 - 100 Km behinds the FEBA. The DSA resembles the BSA, but larger. Whereas the FSB consists of A company for Transportation, B for Maintenance and C for Medical, the MSB consists of D company for Transportation, E for Maintenance and F for Medical support.

As I alluded to earlier, these rear echelon support areas or operational command and control nodes would be excellent targets for company or battalion sized airborne infantry or spetsnaz raids. Armies typically send their best troops against the enemy's least prepared soldiers. Cooks, Medics, Mechanics, Truck Drivers and clerks are not the best combat soldiers, but as soldiers, they are expected to occupy fighting positions in their designated section of the perimeter in the event of a raid or attack.

The ALOC is a large network of tents in the center of the BSA. The three companies of the FSB are spread out around the ALOC. They take up three quarters of the terrain in the BSA. The fourth quarter of the BSA consists of the Maneuver Battalion's Field Trains. The Field Trains consist of the Mess Sections (cooks), Maintenance Platoons and Supply Sergeants from each company and Battalion. Since the maneuver Battalions have 5 or 6 companies, there will be 5 or 6 supply sergeants, 6 Mobile Kitchen Trailers (MKTs) and the battalion's 100-man Maintenance Platoon. The Maintenance Platoon has a POL Section including six Fuel Tankers for resupplying the Battalion's Tanks.



The Forward Support Battalion
A Company is the Transportation Company for the Brigade. This Company consists of two platoons of M939 five-ton trucks and one platoon of M931 or M818 5-ton 6x6 tractor trailers. They also have a heavy lift section consisting of fork trucks and a maintenance platoon. Each of these three platoons has 20 trucks in them.

A Company hauls anything and everything the Brigade S4 asks them to move. Their primary job is to pick up Basic Loads of Ammunition for the Entire Brigade. This is ammo for the three maneuver battalions, the Cav Troop, the Field Artillery, the MPs, the Aviation unit, and all the other Combat Service Support units in the Brigade. They then divide it all up in the BSA, palletized by unit. It is stored in the BSA until a unit requests it. Then the unit either comes and picks it up or an A Company squad carries it halfway and transfers the load to a Battalion's Support Platoon.

Class III (ammunition)
Every Maneuver Battalion and Company is issued two Basic Loads of Ammunition (BLA). One is issued to the soldiers in the Assembly Area (AA) to carry into the field with him and the second is loaded on the Battalion's Support Platoon. The Support Platoon is retained in the Battalion's Combat Trains located about 5 - 15 Km behind the FEBA. As a company consumes its ammunition, it requests Class III resupply from the CBT TNS. The Support Platoon trucks the ammo forward and gives it to the units. The S4 requests a Class III resupply from the Brigade S4 at the Brigade ALOC in the BSA. Either the battalion support platoon drives all the way back to the BSA to pick it up or A/498 trucks it hall the distance to the BN SPT Plt and then they transfer the ammo to the receiving unit. That support platoon then holds onto it in the combat trains until it is needed. A/498 and the Brigade S4 then request additional Class III materials from the Division G4 and A Company goes to pick it up. They will go to an ammunition holding area or possibly to the port where the ammo was delivered at.

Class I (Food, water & trash)
Meals are prepared in the MKTs in the Field Trains. One Kitchen Trailer supports one company. Every company in the Brigade has its own MKT which is owned by the battalion's Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC). Food is requested through the Brigade S4 and picked up by the owning kitchen at a food storage facility located somewhere in the rear area.

Most units operate on a A - C - A schedule. What this means, is the Mess sections prepare morning meal and an evening meal out of the MKTs. The food is packed up in Mermites. The unit's supply sergeant and supply clerk pick up the mermites in their 2-1/2 ton truck and deliver the food to the unit wherever they are located. The C Ration or Meal, Ready to Eat (MRE) is usually stored on the supply sergeant's deuce and a half and issued to the soldiers in the field when they receive their breakfast meal. Many soldiers will refrain from eating all of their MRE, keeping a cache of MRE parts in their rucksack. They do this in anticipation of problems in the Kitchen trailers or with the First sergeant trying to get the food to them. Especially in combat, there are many variables that can prevent the 1SG and supply sgt in delivering meals.

Meals are classified in three codes. The letter A refers to a hot meal prepared in a kitchen. The meal may be served on paper plates and eaten with plastic forks, but it is still a "Hot A". The letter B generally refers to a meal served cold. It usually consists of a sandwich and a bag of chips and/or a piece of fruit. A C Ration is a vacuum packaged meal put together in a factory containing all the necessary portions for a meal. The C Ration is the easiest meal to serve and is issued by the supply sergeants, rather than the Mess section.

Any trash the unit accumulates is returned to the BSA on teh Supply truck and then evacuated by civilian contractor daily from the BSA. Water is towed forward in a water trailer or affectionately known as a "Water buffalo" and soldiers are permitted to fill canteens and Jerry cans as needed.



Class V (Fuel)
Every Maintenance Platoon has a POL Section which has a number of trucks depending on the number of companies in the battalion. So, if a battalion has six companies, there are six fuel tankers. Often times, the 1SG will escort a fuel tanker forward from the BSA to his unit in the field and conduct refueling operations behind one terrain feature away from the enemy. Vehicles are pulled off the line by platoon, go to the refuel point, take on fuel and then return to their positions. They may also get a meal when they get fuel if the 1SG coordinates refuel with a mealtime.

Class IV Barrier materials
A/498 FSB will deliver barrier materials to the Unit on the FEBA, free of charge. ;)
This could include concertina wire, 2x4, plywood, stakes, corrugated steel or what have you. They would also deliver Class III barrier materials like Anti Tank Mines and Anti-personnel explosives of all types. Typically, a unit will coordinate the delivery of barrier material with the presence of an Engineer/Pioneer unit.

Vehicle evacuation/recovery
As vehicles break down or suffer battle damage, they are evacuated from the battlefield by the most expeditious means available. The battalion maintenance platoon has an evacuation section consisting of six wreckers, one for each company. To haul an M113 APC, we use the M578 Vehicle Track Retreiver. To haul M60 Main Battle Tanks, we have the M88 Recovery Vehicle. A unit can also recover a damaged vehicle with a tow bar attached between two similar sized vehicles.

When a vehicle is evacuated from the battlefield, the first place it goes is to the owning unit's Field Trains. The mechanics there will inspect the damage and determine if it is a repair they can make. If it is, they fix it up and send it right back to the owning unit as soon as possible (ASAP). If they cannot, the vehicle is sent to B Company, 489th FSB. If the B/489 can fix it, they do and send it right back to the field trains. From there, it is sent back to the owning unit. If B/489 cannot fix it, they send it to E/MSB. If the Division Main Support Maint unit can fix it, they do and send it back to the field trains. If not, it gets shipped back to Depot, the factory or wherever the US has contracted to overhaul battle damaged equipment.

Any Class VII End Item, like a truck, tank, rifle, fuel tanker or APC that is damaged so badly that it is evacuated outside the BSA, the unit's supply sergeant will request a replacement through the S4/G4 supply channels.

If a vehicle cannot be recovered due to battle damage because the enemy has overran the position and the vehicle is deemed unrecoverable, then the supply sergeant must take witness statements from those who may know what happened to it and then request a replacement through supply channels. The witness statements accompany the request form (DA form 2765-1).

Casualty Evacuation
Every rifle platoon in the US Army has a line medic accompanying them. Every Armor Company has 2 or 3 medics located just behind the line at the Company Command Post. The medics do not ride on the tanks with the crews. Every Battalion has an evacuation section within the medical platoon. If the battalion has six companies, there are six ambulances, one for each company. You will find this ambulance behind the FEBA prepared to evacuate casualties to the Battalion Aid Station (BAS).

Every Company will designate a casualty collection point and a KIA collection point. These two locations should be separated by as much terrain as possible within the Company AO. Never let WIAs ride with KIAs anywhere at anytime. The ambulance carries casualties back to the BAS where the rest of the battalion's medical platoon is located in the combat trains. The BAS consists of one doctor, one triage NCO, the PSG and 2 or 3 medics. They can perform simple health care tasks. IF they can fix someone up, they do and send them right back to the front. If they cannot, there is an evacuation ambulance from C Company 489th FSB standing by in the battalin's combat trains waiting to carry casualties to the BSA.

"Charlie Med" is the casual term for the FSB's C Company. Charlie Med has field surgeons, nurses and several other healthcare professionals. If they can fix someone up, they do so and send them back. They do not have beds to hold patients for a long period of time. If casualties require long extended medical visits they may be shipped either to F Company in the Division's MSB or to the Corps Level Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) unit where that may be.

Replacement Process
As soldiers are WIA or KIA and shortages exist on company rosters, these shortages are reported to the Battalion S1. The S1 then compiles a list of shortages by MOS and rank. This report is then submitted on a daily basis to the Brigade S1. The Brigade S1 then compiles a similar report which he sends to the Division G1.

As replacements flow into country or the Theatre of Operations, the Theatre Replacement Detachment will issue orders sending large groups of soldiers based on rank and MOS to each of the Divisions or subordinate commands requiring replacements. Five bus loads of troops might get on busses at Theatre and drive to the Division MSA. Once there, the S1 will assign soldiers to various battalions and brigades within the Division. A bus load of soldiers will then arrive in the BSA, where our friendly Brigade S1 will assign soldiers to various battalions and companies. From there, they walk to the field trains and catch a ride from A/498 or from the Battalion's vehicle out to their assigned unit.

KIAs are evacuated out of company and Battalion Areas of Operation by the unit supply sergeants. They are collected in the Division Support Area, bypassing the battalion trains and the BSA. Once collected the Division's Graves Registration Unit processes paperwork on them and they are shipped back to the states and to wherever they came from to be disposed of per their family's instructions.

Battalion and Brigade Staff Officers
S1 - Personnel Officer is responsible for replacements, Personnel records, Awards, Promotions, Evaluation reports and Religious services.
S2 - Intelligence Officer works in the MAIN CP with the Assistant Operations Officer. The S2 controls the Reconnaissance assets. They report their observations to the S2. The S2 analyzes enemy intell and formulates a Most Probable Course of Action (MPCoA) for the Operations section. He also analyzes the terrain and constructs an Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield to include terrain. The S2 also serves as the Battalion's weather man.
S3 - Operations Officer plans all operations which would eventually be approved by the Battalion Commander. The Operations Officer rides his own tank in an Armor Battalion and serves as the Commander' Wingman.
Asst. S3 - Assistant Operations Officer works with the S2 in the MAIN CP and works for the S3. He tracks all current operations in the CP.
S4 - Supply and Logistics Officer runs the Combat Trains at Battalion level and runs the Brigade Support Area (BSA) at Brigade Level. The S4 handles all supplies into the battalion/Brigade.
S5 - Civilian/Military Cooperation Officer (CIMIC) handles all Public Affairs issues.
S6 - Communications Officer is responsible for all communications in the Battalion/Brigade.

All Battalion Primary Staff Officers are Captains except the S3 who is a Major.
All Brigade Primary Staff Officers are Majors except the Assist S3 who is a Captain.
Division Primary Staff Officers are referred to as G1, G2, G3, G4, G5 & G6. All Primary Staff at Division level are Lieutenant Colonels. Division Special Staff Officers are either Majors or Captains. The Chief of Staff at Division is a Colonel. The Deputy Commander or Assistant Division Commander is a Brigadier General and the Division Commander is a Major General.

[Gunther]

I sure hope I didn't kill the thread. :( That would make me sad :( Not my intention. I believe Rare asked me about the FSB either because he was honestly curious about the unit or he already knew and wan't to call me out. ;)

Come on guys, let's keep this going. Otherwise Dutchbag and I will just have to do a 1x1 WARSAW v NATO RP. Kind of like that Battle of Stalingrad one.

[Pepschep]

This is going, I just need to wake Vaexa up properly and we can work on a thing.

Do not wait on me or anyone else to IC. Go right ahead.

Furthermore, I am not expecting anyone to use every single detail Gunther throws in. The treshold for participation is not on his level. Do not feel intimidated by all the technical terms; This is not a writing contest.

[Rare]

Sorry, due to the guild being shut off. I couldn't post hours ago, but I'm still here!

[Pepschep]

Work on a character please

[SyrianHamster]

I need further information before I post. What is the 'scenario'? A routine exercise gone wrong? Itchy trigger fingers? Who's the aggressor? I'm unsure of how to start at the moment, because I have no idea what I'm walking into lol.

Gunther said
I sure hope I didn't kill the thread. :( That would make me sad :( Not my intention. I believe Rare asked me about the FSB either because he was honestly curious about the unit or he already knew and wan't to call me out. ;)Come on guys, let's keep this going. Otherwise Dutchbag and I will just have to do a 1x1 WARSAW v NATO RP. Kind of like that Battle of Stalingrad one.

I'll have you know that I was loyal to that RP, but it went days without anyone posting and I couldn't one-man it, as much as I wanted to. Once I'm on board, I'm on board; if I leave, it will only be because everyone else has left first.

[Gunther]

Able Archer was a Training exercise in which some units play the Opposing Forces (OPFOR) and some units play the friendly forces (BLUFOR). This scenario has the units about to go out and "fight" the training OP, but it is pre-empted by an actual attack by WARSAW Pact forces.

The training exercises were fought int he German countryside. They were not fought on a training base. I kind of missed that point the last time. They actually fight in the streets and fields where civilians can be found. Most civilians are sick of this and would love nothing more than to restrict NATO training exercises to training bases, which comes to fruition with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

If you recall, when we started the last time, I did it as if they hadn't actually deployed into the field. I wrote it as if the unit was still in garrison. The units were notified by the chain of command from Army to Corps to Division to Brigade to Battalion to Company. Then everyone rolled out to their General Deployment Positions (GDP) where they were issued live rounds and subsequently moved to their fighting positions.

[SyrianHamster]

Gunther said
Able Archer was a Training exercise in which some units play the Opposing Forces (OPFOR) and some units play the friendly forces (BLUFOR). This scenario has the units about to go out and "fight" the training OP, but it is pre-empted by an actual attack by WARSAW Pact forces. The training exercises were fought int he German countryside. They were not fought on a training base. I kind of missed that point the last time. They actually fight in the streets and fields where civilians can be found. Most civilians are sick of this and would love nothing more than to restrict NATO training exercises to training bases, which comes to fruition with the collapse of the Soviet Union.If you recall, when we started the last time, I did it as if they hadn't actually deployed into the field. I wrote it as if the unit was still in garrison. The units were notified by the chain of command from Army to Corps to Division to Brigade to Battalion to Company. Then everyone rolled out to their General Deployment Positions (GDP) where they were issued live rounds and subsequently moved to their fighting positions.

Didn't think to check if Able Archer was a real event - I assumed it was just the name of the RP. I will have to look into it. Sorry, my knowledge of the Cold War is rather limited (I found researching it incredibly boring, for the obviously morbid reason that there was no real fighting on the grand scale I like reading about, excluding the proxy wars). I wasn't involved in the previous RP, so this is all new to me.

So when the PACT launch their attack, they are doing this with intent? Or have they just misinterpreted NATO's training exercise and think they're the ones repelling an offensive?

EDIT: Ignore this. Having glanced over the wiki article, I think I understand the scenario perfectly. Will polish up my research, and post tomorrow. Promise. Forgive my floundering!

[SyrianHamster]

Okay, having done my research to the point that I've grasped the situation, I now have the following question:

This RP starting mid-Able Archer? Or at the very start of it? I'm trying to gauge the mood of the situation that my guy is going to be caught up in. Obviously by the time this exercise came about, the Soviets were already scared that NATO were planning a nuclear strike, but I imagine at the outset, the PACT ground forces would have been kept in relative dark over what was happening. However, with the exercise in full swing, and the Soviets deploying their nuclear and conventional arms in response, I imagine that the PACT soldiers would be much more aware of what was on the table.

Would it benefit me to read the old RP and assume that this one is more or less following the same groove?

[Pepschep]

The first version was a surprise assault by the pact on NATO installations from Norway to Turkey an hour before the training was slated to begin. I intend for some introductory posts before krieg happens at 0130, November 7th, 1983.

[SyrianHamster]

Dutchbag said
The first version was a surprise assault by the pact on NATO installations from Norway to Turkey an hour before the training was slated to begin. I intend for some introductory posts before krieg happens at 0130, November 7th, 1983.

Okay, but before you include these posts, we're to assume that it's "business as usual" on the barracks? Or would the PACT forces be secretly deploying along the border? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to work out where I start :)

[Rare]

Dutchbag said
Work on a character please

I'm working on one, will try to get done as soon as I can.

[Gunther]

SyrianHamster said
Okay, but before you include these posts, we're to assume that it's "business as usual" on the barracks? Or would the PACT forces be secretly deploying along the border? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to work out where I start :)

Yea, the way I played it out was my unit was preparing to go to Able Archer. It had not happened yet. So essentially, the unit was prepped and ready to go to the field; meaning they didn't have a lot of vehicles down for maintenance. Everything was squared away and ready to go.

The unit had not yet departed for Able Archer when the balloon went up. The unit was alerted and then went to their General Deployment Positions.

As far as the actions of the WARSAW Pact, it would go something like this...
1. No, there is no sneaky movement to the border. Any movement at all would be detected by someone and NATO would be on alert.
2. To move one vehicle, capable of 50MPH over a stretch of road is much simpler than moving a few hundred capable of those speeds over the same distance of road. Generally, armies set a convoy speed designed to keep the vehicles together. The worst thing you can do is rush your units into the fray at top speed. Someone will have problems. There will be breaks in contact and you would end up sending your units in against the enemy piecemeal. Convoy speed for tracked vehicles on hardball road is 25MPH (40 KPH) and for wheeled vehicles is 50MPH (80KpH) on Autobahns and 30MPH (48KpH) in built up areas. Since your tracked vehicles are leading the convoys, they determine your rate of march.
3. Once WARSAW units reach the 1K zone, the separation between east and west, they will encounter NATO Reconnaissance and Cavalry units patrolling the border. In the US VII Corps sector (Bavaria) that would be the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR). In the US V Corps Sector (Central/Fulda Gap area) that would be the 2nd ACR. In the Northern Army Group Region where we are fighting, this would be the 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers (UK) with elements of The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) attached.
4. The Queen's Royal Lancers (UK) would operate in Squadron-sized formations in an attempt to slow down the the WARSAW Pact Nations. They would use Indirect Fire and Close Air Support (CAS) to attrit enemy forces in the Dutch I Corps sector. NOTE: A British "Squadron" equals in size to an American Cavalry Troop (14 - 17 vehicles). Cavalry units have their own inherent Artillery which is very responsive. They would also use Attack Helicopters to help attrit the enemy.
5. By 1983 standards, The Queen's Royal Lancers, US 2nd ACR and US 11th ACR would have been able to slow down the WARSAW Pact in order to provide Dutch I Corps, US V Corps and US VII Corps 48 - 72 hours to dig in and prepare a defense.

You would not have seen a "Surprise Attack" by either side during this time period. Tensions were high, everyone was on edge and both sides were expecting an attack by the other side at any moment.

Rare, Did my information on the FSB help at all?