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TACTICAL VIGNETTE 00-01

Ragin Cajun Time Platoon Leaders Decision

Overall Situation

Enemy Situation:

A battalion (-) size element of the Chaf-fenburg Army is moving south along the

border of the nation of Dansu. Heavyfighting has attrited them to 70%strength. They are looking for a favorablelocation near the capital or a surroundingtown from which to conduct an insur-gency. They are equipped with 6 - 9 x T-

72s, 22 - 25 x BMP-2s with infantry, and2 x 2S3s. They have the ability to employnon-persistent agents, although none have

been used as yet. Their most probablecourse of action is to invade the southern

portion of the border somewhere betweengrid 2310 and grid 2301. Their doctrinedictates that they first send their recon-naissance across to find a suitable avenueof advance (this element may be split intotwo sections). Expect to see at least twotanks and five BMPs alongwith a minimum of one ENvehicle in their reconnaissanceelement.

Friendly Situation:

As part of Operation SteelFist, the 1 BDE has deployedto the desert nation of Dansuand successfully repelled a

border insurgency by the Chaf-fenburg Army. TF 6-46 is cur-rently consolidating and reor-ganizing west of the capital. Asthe most southerly deployedunit of the 1 BDE, they have

been alerted. The TF com-mander orders a company-sizeforce to conduct security op-

erations in the vicinity of theborder.

Company Situation:

You are the platoon leader of2nd Platoon, Alpha Team (taskorganization: Company HQ,1st Platoon, 2nd Platoon, 3rdPlatoon, and FIST). Your com-

pany has priority of fires.Alpha Team is at 100%strength and has just finished

conducting a relief in place of CharlieTeam. After Bravo Company finishesrefueling, the TF will continue to marchto the border for further operations. Onesection of scouts (2 x HMMWV) is for-ward of your position screening at vicin-ity MR250060 and MR256060. Charlieteam is held in reserve to be the spear-head of the TF counterattack.

Company Mission:

Team A/6-46 AR defends vicinity BP 1

NLT 230900MAR00 in order to preventenemy forces from penetrating the taskforce rear boundary (PL Apache). O/O,establish an SBF vicinity SBF 2A to se-cure the flank of the task force while itconducts a counterattack.

Platoon Situation:

Your platoon is moving toward BP 1when you receive the following transmis-sion: Guidons, this is Black Six, frago

follows. All elements acknowledge. Sixthen sends Scouts report three BMPsfollowed by one T-72 vicinity AA 2moving east vicinity MR235047.

Red: Occupy BP 1B and orient on EAHOUSTON from TRP 1 to TRP 4. Onorder, shift fire to EA SEATTLE orient-ing from TRP 5 to TRP 6.

White: Occupy BP 1A and orient on EAHOUSTON from TRP 1 to TRP 3. Onorder, displace and reposition to BP 1D

and orient from TRP 7 to TRP 8.

Blue: Occupy BP 1C and orient on EAHOUSTON from TRP 2 to TRP 4 andEA SEATTLE from TRP 5 to TRP 8.

Trigger is three tanks or four BMPs (theFSE) in either EA.

WHATSYOURNEXTMOVE??

Continued on Page 45

EA

SEATTLE

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

08

07

06

05

04

03

02

01

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10

AA1

AA2

EA

HOUSTON

BP 1

BP

1D

02

01

03

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06

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08

BP

1C

BP

1B

BP

1A

A2B

A1B

TF

6-46

SBF

2A

1BDE

TF 1-81

TF 6-46

TF 6-46

1-502 INPL SIOUX

PL APACHE

PL SIOUX PL APACHE

ARMOR January-February 2000 43

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The trigger for any platoon to reorientits fires into an alternate EA is:

- Negative contact in primary EA.

- Confirmed enemy company (+)identified in the alternate EA.

Engagement priority is tanks, EN vehi-cles, BMPs, all other vehicles.

Displacement criteria for White: Threetanks vicinity EA SEATTLE.

I will move with Red. XO, you staywith Blue.

All other OPORD information has re-mained unchanged.

Task 1:

Send the pertinent FRAGO to your pla-toon and occupy your position in BP 1.

Situation 2:

Your platoon sergeant sends you the fol-lowing SPOT report: White One, this isWhite Four. Observing one tank and oneBMP moving northeast vicinity TRP 1,over. As you attempt to send the infor-mation higher, you hear Black Six, thisis Blue One. Observing one tank and oneBMP slowly moving northeast vicinity

TRP 1, over. After thirty minutes, youhear, Black Six, this is Red One. Con-tact, three tanks and two BMPs vicinity

EA Seattle, out. Red sends Black One,this is Red. Fire TGT Group A2B, tanksand BMPs in the open. Main gun fire tothe north is audible from your position.Your attempts to contact Black Six andBlack Five yield no results as they aresending information higher.

Task 2:

What actions, if any, do you take?

Requirements:

Readers wishing to submit solutions tothe scenario should provide the follow-ing: 1) a sound FRAGO for your platoon

and 2) the appropriate procedures andsupporting rationale for the second situa-tion. Send your solution by e-mail toBerkowitzA@ftknox5-emh3.army.mil or

by mail to: Platoon Gunnery DoctrineBranch, ATTN: ATZK-TDD-PG, FortKnox, KY 40121-5210.

Solutions to this vignette will ap-pear in the May-June 2000 issue ofARMOR.

Tactical Vignette 00-01

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