Dull Garrison Chronicles, Part II: Buy Us Some Time, Lieutenant! R
Posted on: July 20,2016Unit / Type:
Operation:
By Carl F. Kusch
Situation
This is a continuation of TDG 07-16R. You are the platoon leader for the 3d Platoon of the 3d Special Infantry Company of a provisional rifle battalion that has been deployed only recently to Dull Garrison Island in the Indian Ocean. Currently, you are located in the vicinity of the small village of Al Bandi.
The enemy is continuing its invasion of Dull Garrison Island. Against overwhelming odds and in the face of heavy casualties, the fight is not going well for your provisional rifle battalion, which has begun to consolidate into a single perimeter in the hopes that it can hold out until relieved. The 3d Company is being used to establish platoon-sized outposts across a wide front and has been instructed to trade space for time in order to give the battalion an opportunity to prepare its defensive positions.
The north-south road through Al Bandi is just one of the likely avenues of approach for the enemy’s continued advance. The enemy will be approaching from the north. Several hundred meters to the south are other fallback positions for your platoon as well as the company’s command post. The battalion’s final perimeter is located a couple kilometers to the south of those.
Your mission is to establish your first blocking position in the vicinity of Al Bandi. You are to disrupt and delay the enemy for as long as possible at this position without becoming decisively engaged. You are to fall back to your next position either when ordered to do so or when the local situation dictates. Inform the company of your withdrawal. Although most of its citizens have not yet evacuated Al Bandi, the situation has become so desperate that you have been authorized the use of its buildings as part of your position if needed. You have been assigned one machine gun squad (two M240G machine guns) and one assault squad (two SMAWs) from Weapons Platoon as well as one heavy machine gun squad (two HMMWVs, each with one .50 caliber M2 machine gun and one 40mm Mk19 machine gun) and one anti-armor squad (four AT-4 launchers) from Weapons Company. For indirect fire, the company’s 60mm and the battalion’s 81mm mortars will be available.
Requirement
In a time limit of five minutes, decide how you will deploy your platoon. Include an overlay sketch and provide a brief discussion of the rationale behind your actions. Submit your solutions to the Marine Corps Gazette, Tactical Decision Game 08-16R, Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, or by email at [email protected]. The Gazette will publish solutions in an upcoming issue.
