TDG 12: Rock and a Hard Place

Last year I ran a series called TDG (Tactical Decision Game) Tuesdays, to get you more in the mindset of how you could potentially handle a given tactical scenario with a limited amount of resources and manpower.  I have decided to resurrect this series and write a couple more TDGs for you guys to further hone your decision-making skills.

You will be given a scenario, confronted with a tactical problem, and given a time limit to think about and write out your answer.  The time limit is to simulate the pressure of a real-world tactical decision, where you must quickly assess the information you are given and come up with the best answer you can.  Then comment below with your answer so you can discuss the different approaches together.

TDG 12: Rock and a Hard Place

Week 3 into WROL.  You are a member of a MAG that has been holed up at a buddy’s home in the countryside where the terrain is rolling hills with farmland and patches of forest.  In the last week your security patrols have twice encountered a band of thugs aggressively patrolling the area.  You have heard reports over CB radio that this group is approximately 30 strong and has been scouting out remote farms and conducting raids.  They are equipped with a variety of small arms, and some of the thugs appear to be somewhat competent, likely prior military or LE.  They are known to wear all black clothing as a uniform, so they are easily PID’d.

Yesterday you observed a small quadcopter drone over your compound that flew away to the North when you attempted to shoot it down.  The MAG leadership suspects that you are being scouted for an attack, and decided to send out a squad-sized ambush facing the most likely avenue of approach, the road to the NW.  The ambush squad decides to emplace on the military crest of the ridge NE of the road.  5 men are left watching the compound while you’re away.

You are in charge of a 4-man LP/OP tasked with providing early warning to the ambush squad.  Before you stepped out on your patrol, the ambush squad leader briefed you on your mission.  “Let us know over the radio when you see them coming.  Don’t try to take them on yourself, wait for us to trigger the ambush.”

At 2130 you take your fire team and patrol West to your LP/OP on the ridge facing NW.  You call the ambush team on your radio to let them know you’re in position.  The radio check is broken, but readable.  While you are emplacing your OP, you pause for a second, thinking you might have heard something to your SW.  You send Greg to scout the South side of the ridge while you continue camouflaging your LP/OP.  5 minutes later, Greg comes back out of breath.  “There’s an enemy patrol of about 15 men in the valley due south of us heading East!” he says.  “They all have rifles, and at least two of them are using night vision with IR floods on their helmets.”

“Did they see you?” you ask him.

“I don’t think so, I snuck back here as fast as I could without making noise.”

You immediately grab your radio and try to tell the ambush squad about the enemy sighting.  “Roger- *static* -ready for them.  Remember, don’t shoot until- *static* -ambush.”  is the reply you get.

“Negative,” you say, but through your radio you hear the ambush squad leader talking to his men.  He must have rolled over onto his PTT.  “Hot mic, hot mic!” you try to say, but to no effect.  You attempt to radio the compound but they are closer to the ambush team than you, which means that they are getting “jammed” by the hot mic.

The time is 2240.  Weather is cloudy and the moon is a waxing crescent.  Your team is equipped with the following gear:

In a time limit of 5 minutes, write the fragmentary order that you will give to your fire team.  Comment it below and discuss each others’ responses.  

Each square represents 100 square meters.

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24 Comments

  1. American Yeoman May 24, 2022 at 10:35

    My belief is that they will continue to travel in pretty much a straight line down that valley- it’s the easiest way to travel in the dark. I fear, at some point they will likely split their force with a group moving to the east and up onto the hill over looking our compound while the remainder continue on down the valley.

    Clearly our other element is going to attempt an ambush. To do that, they need to re orient and turn to face the attackers head on at the mouth of the valley. I expect they will move 2-300 yards due south- they have to, there is no way they can engage in that terrain at that distance in the dark. I would move my people south and east in an attempt to create the L of an ambush in support of our ambush force.

    It’s not much of a plan but it’s simple and in the dark with bad comms, simple is best.

    • Chris May 24, 2022 at 21:58

      I Can Not play this out by your rules.
      Beyond my Skillset honestly.
      “Mans gota know his limits”

      I kept finding myself going to my gear, and that wasn’t allowed for the exercise.

      WOW, This is great food for thought.
      Thank You, Sincerely.
      I have enjoyed the replies, especially thee…what appears to be “Experienced” Ones.
      No Offense to anyone.

      I…..need to get better squared away, from this perspective. That, is damn evident.

      Hope to see more, Food for Thought like this.

  2. Oughtsix May 24, 2022 at 10:35

    I would with all possible haste hot foot my squad due east (500 meters) staying below the ridge line. Periodically attempt to reach ambush formation. Comms should improve the closer we get to their posititon. At the end of the ridge, cross over/around below the crest, set up ambush/lp/op overlooking the route down the creek valley where the opfor is expected. Now comms should easily reach the compound, where preps are made to repel the attack.
    If the ambush team responds and comms are good, they should be advised to reset the ambush to the best cover in the valley east of the road.

    Three positions now have fields of fire on the enemy line of approach, forming an L shaped ambush. From our elevated position we should note the approach first, alert the other teams, and initiate fire when opfor is committed, likely as they pass our position and are abouto attack. All team fire on our command. Our team should take responsibility not to allow retreat back up the valley. One prisoner, if possible. Otherwise no survivors for opfor.

  3. T.Roy May 24, 2022 at 10:41

    Lp/op hauls ass to the ambush position. Entire element briefed to proceed south along road and make contact from cover. Half of the element instructed to make contact first from higher elevation. Twenty seconds after contact, element at road level cuts loose with everything they have.

    • Boon May 24, 2022 at 12:57

      Anyone looking to defend a fixed position with limited resources needs to research force multipliers that can be positioned along approach paths. I probably can’t go into detail but the knowledge is out there and we can’t afford to loose people in our MAGs at every conflict, so time to research and manufacture. Sorry this response is out of the conditions given but we need to plan for these scenarios earlier. MAG groups need to be larger and cover square miles for earlier warning and larger response group if needed.

  4. Oughtsix May 24, 2022 at 10:44

    All dependent on time and comms, and assuming comms are good. Fire on enemy at about 400 meters out from compound. Enemy has 700 meters to go from discovery to that limit at 3-400 meters to compound. We have approx 5-600 meters to reach at get over the ridge to our position. So yes it’s a race but we have no need for extreme quiet or concealment behind the ridge and ahead and above opfor. One man sent ahead as scout. Initiate fire when all teams are in place.

  5. Arthur Thief May 24, 2022 at 10:54

    Let me preface this with I have absolutely NO leadership and group tactical training, and only limited basic training. Everything I would attempt comes from video games (albeit the more “realistic” ones like Arma and Tarkov) and reading my pa’s old tactical manuals. This is my absolute amateur answer. I hope someone corrects me so I can learn. :)

    I would order my team to take a position at just below the crest at the radio tower to the E. If the ambush has been compromised by poor comms my team will still be able to provide support to the men at the compound (hopefully with complete surprise, but I wouldn’t want to count on my scout being correct about having not been spotted) and then hopefully the fire will alert the ambush team, worst case. Best case, I’m just keeping eyes on the enemy patrol, and maybe comms will get reestablished when the ambush team lead shifts his bum and gets off the PTT. I’d send one guy with the PVS out to scout along the NW of the ridge to ensure that there are not additional hostile elements inbound another route. The primary order here is avoiding alerting the enemy patrol of our ambush at all.

    Best case, I avoid contact as ordered while keeping eyes on the hostiles and in a position to quickly shift back to spotting possible incoming up the road. Worst case, I end up supporting the defending team back at the compound.

  6. Cajun May 24, 2022 at 12:00

    Mike

    Thanks for resuming the TDG. Good stuff to exercise the brain on relevant problems.

    FRAGO: Move east-southeast along ridgeline to Forward slope of hill 89 VIC radio tower. Establish hasty ambush position to stop movement of OPFOR toward our COP. PL and Rifleman 1 will lead and establish position on east side of hasty ambush. AR and Rifleman 2 will follow and establish position 100 M west of PL on ridgeline. PL will initiate ambush on lead element. AR will engage trailing OPFOR elements to prevent envelopment.

    Enroute, we will attempt radio contact with COP and AMBUSH PATROL. Instruct AMBUSH PATROL to relocate vic HILL 71 south of current location, near the outlet of the draw northwest of COP. That may or may not happen.

    O/O disengage and displace back to original OP site.

    BOUNDARIES. No fires of effects of fires to the EAST of the main road going North_Northwest from our COP.

    END of FRAGO.

    Considerations. The purpose of the mission is to protect the COP location, also the home of friends. All actions are driven by this mission. So, interdicting the enemy patrol becomes more important than the planned ambush site.

    Assuming the team is trained, the main body will be up on the C2 net as soon as they hear gunfire. If not, they will be proficient enough to move to the sound of the guns. The COP security force will also be alerted. Converging forces without positive fire control measures presents a fratricide threat. We don’t know what SOP are in place to address direct fire control. Let’s assume it’s PID and no suppressive fires.

    Hasty ambush is usually begun with the most casualty producing weapon. In this case, the AR might be a better choice than an M4gery with IR laser and NODs. Judgement call here: stopping enemy forward movement through wooded low ground vs stopping enemy flanking or envelopment of the hasty ambush until help arrives.

    Sending a runner to the main AMBUSH PATROL is too high a risk with only the 4 man OP team. Sitting by and doing noting is mission failure.

    If things go sideways, move to LAST ORP and reassess.

    Wondering what the PACE plan might have been for this mission.

    Standing by

  7. PBRStreetGang May 24, 2022 at 12:14

    Civilian here, zero tactical training. Imagining that the cloud cover and little moonlight would be to our advantage along with knowing the lay of the land. We’ll keep the high ground and go East along or just below the ridge line, should be able to keep eyes on the enemy as they are about to get slowed down in that wooded valley, they probably will keep their IR floods on which will make them easier to track (correct me if I’m wrong, never used NODs). Where terrain permits, start to close with the enemy to effective firing range, splitting the squad into two teams, but close enough to support each other, automatic rifle in the higher elevation. Try to contact ambush team and take the enemy in an L ambush as they are trying to cross the road in the open and without cover.

  8. snowmiser May 24, 2022 at 12:52

    Why assume OPFOR continues down the valley?

    If I were OPFOR, I’d head in due east, just to the south of that ridge marked ’91’. Hit the compound broadside. The ridge would shield OPFOR from both the ambush squad and the LPOP team…

    • Snowmiser May 24, 2022 at 13:08

      Thus, I’d initiate an immediate ‘shoot and scoot’ command to disrupt OPFOR and slow their advance. I’d break contact N and then to the E using the ridge line as a shield. After break contact, I’d try comms with ambush squad leader and advise them to move down the valley or move to the ridge to the W/NW of the compound to prepare for OPFOR.

    • American Yeoman May 24, 2022 at 16:16

      I specifically said I think they will continue down the valley so I’ll comment on that.

      I figure they will continue down the valley because they are operating at night with what appear to be limited NOD assets. They are using their IR and that tells me they either 1. Don’t think anyone else has any- foolish in the day of Youtube Hog Hunters- everyone and their friggen brother has SOME form of NODs these days 2. Or, they aren’t very confident operating in the dark in unfamiliar terrain. I know from personal experience in using a PVS 14 to hunt with etc…that it takes considerable time to REALLY get good at moving around in the dark with NODS- a rag tag group- doesn’t have the time in field under NODS likely to make all of them confident and the IR signatures confirm that to me anyway….Since I consider the second case most likely- they will take the path of least resistance instead of “bushwhacking” any more than they have to and continue on down the valley in one group until they have to split.

      Now, at some point I DO feel they will split and send one group over the hill and one will continue down the valley. That way they would have two firing points into our compound vs. one. That creates more confusion and it in theory would work to their advantage- it makes finding cover twice as hard for the defenders etc….They may not send many guys on down the valley, but they will send some. My belief anyway.

      I am hoping we could hit them BEFORE they separate.

  9. KBYN May 24, 2022 at 12:53

    Assuming our ambush squad is composed of nine men, with my four guys and the five at our compound we have a total of 18 to the enemy’s presumed 15. My immediate goal is to scare them off by hitting them from the flank and rear before they have a chance to hit our compound. We’ll have a chance to make careful plans and slaughter them some other day. Today’s watchwords are speed, surprise, and violence of action.

    I’ll tell my guys to drop their sustainment gear and grab only what they need for a fight, because we’re about to run to the battle while bringing the ambush squad with us.

    Our route is indirect but fast, following the road just west of us that runs downhill to the north. We’ll hang a right and run east on the road paralleling the north side of our ridge. The elevated ground will screen us from the enemy’s view, but as we turn right onto the road to our compound and begin trotting uphill to the southeast along the route the enemy was supposed to be following, our ambush squad will see us. Since we’re not in black, they’ll be quite concerned and will likely begin trying to raise us on the radio.

    Again, I know our ambush squad will see us because they’re watching this road for the enemy. I’ll pause in the middle of our kill zone and try to give them the prearranged “abort mission” code over the radio, but if I get no response I’ll give them hand signals for “You. Come. Hurry.” I’ll also use the signal for “Enemy” while pointing toward the incoming raid.

    Once the ambush leader sees us he’ll know something’s gone pear shaped, and we’ll quickly and quietly gather all thirteen guys. I’ll take thirty seconds to explain the situation to everybody, and tell them we’re going to run southeast toward home and hit the enemy patrol from the flank and rear when it rounds the bend and starts turning southeast.

    We’ll form a 12-man line abreast and move out. I’ll be up ahead about 50 yards, so that I’ll see the enemy first while minimizing the odds they’ll see us 13 running men draw the eye, but by myself, I might not. Worst case: I get shot but my guys don’t, and they can attack intelligently.

    I’ll scan to my front and right as I come downhill to the southeast on the road. As soon as I see the enemy I’ll take a knee to let our patrol know I’ve got eyes on. If we have the jump on them, and depending on where the enemy patrol is, we should be able to go prone in an east-west line and fire south on them without risking our rounds passing through and hitting our compound. If there’s no way to avoid it, we’ll still fire, but we’ll aim a bit low to minimize friendly fire on our five guys back home.

    If we’re lucky, our speedy movement will get us within 300 yards of the enemy patrol’s left flank while they’re focused on approaching the compound. Our initial volley will perk up the guys on the compound, and hopefully one or more of them has a long gun (DMR?) that can pick off enemies facing toward our attack and standing with backs turned toward the compound.

    We’ll keep up the firing until the enemy withdraws or dies, and if they don’t withdraw we’ll bound uphill to the west toward the radio tower in order to take advantage of higher ground and really hurt them.

    Thugs tend not to be brave when caught with their pants down by a superior armed force on its home territory. We’ll let them retreat west, and we’ll send a drone to confirm they’re leaving.

    After the fight ends, we’ll relieve the guys at the compound and tend any wounded. We’ll drink water, eat something, catch our breath, and then start sending send quick two man patrols in turns to police up their dropped gear at the LP/OP and at the ambush point. Another handful of guys will search any enemy casualties for intel, and bring the bodies to the compound.

    Then we start planning for the enemy’s inevitable response.

  10. flatcabbage7 May 24, 2022 at 13:49

    no real proofreading in the 5 minutes given haha.
    2 of the 4 will switch to alternate frequency send 1 man towards the peak 500m east of the lp/op to send visual signal (ir laser) to the ambush squad from the northeastern military crest. he will have the automatic rifle, a pvs 14, and ir laser, and his radio to relay messages between assuming they get the visual signal. He will alternate between checking that the primary frequency is no longer cleared and checking the alternate for comms from the remaining 3.

    While he is doing that, the other 3 men will quickly move 450m east slightly over the northern crest and then cut south through the saddle to avoid silhouetting against the bright sky. The 3 will then spread out 50m or so from each other 250-350 meters up from the valley floor behind cover, with good visibility of the approaching enemy patrol.

    The man on the Alternate radio frequency will attempt to contact the compound in hopes that someone at the compound will have had the good sense to do the same, given the unusable Primary frequency. He will attempt to warn the compound, but failure to do so does not change what happens next.

    If by the time the enemy patrol has made it to the steep valley between the two peak northwest of the compound no radio contact has been established, the 3 will notify the initial scout sent to make contact that they will begin firing upon the enemy. The scout will make his way south east. Regardless of whether he is able to see the enemy, he will open fire with bursts in their general direction as soon as his other 3 teamates do so. This will ensure that the ambush squad is fully aware of what is happening, and help to suppress the enemy as they feel surrounded. He will also continue attempting to search for and signal members of the ambush squad and the compound using his IR laser and pvs 14.

  11. X-Beast419 May 24, 2022 at 15:01

    I would have the LP/OP team move 100 meters east to the crest of hill 89 and engage immediately to hold down the BG force. One shots are fired the hot mic problem goes away. Instruct the ambush team to move south to hill 89 and engage. Send 3 men from the compound due east to the crest of hill 91 as a blocking force. If the BG team moves forward they will be triangulated. I’m just an old Nam vet looking at a topo map!

  12. SOG May 24, 2022 at 16:04

    Flares,Field Phones,FLIR, oh and and bear traps.

  13. Greg May 24, 2022 at 16:59

    I would send poor ole Greg to the East with both IR Lasers and have him in the trees loosely but oriented to the opposing force from our ambush group. Give them something to investigate. That’s only 50 meters away so ole Greg should’ve been in good enough shape for this mission. I would close into about 20 meters from the lasers with the LP/OP team and hit these hamburgers hard…Don’t worry your command and ambush teams will wake up soon enough and it will be as good a signal as you can send under the circumstances. Because the commies are easily ID’d your teams will know who to shoot…

    • Greg May 24, 2022 at 19:28

      Am altering my reply slightly. It would be fine to send one person to each of the other two locations. At a minimum one person to beat the crap out of the person laying on the ptt. It would also benefit the ambush group to d-d their fat asses to behind the attacking force, maybe. It should also be considered that the attacking force will probably split up before attack.

  14. PBRStreetGang May 24, 2022 at 17:51

    Lot of good replies here Mike, thanks for posting this and looking forward to more. So many things to think about. 3 weeks into WROL, gas is still around so possible that enemy would have vehicles for QRF or to load their loot. Definitely would want to capture one for intel/interrogation, and hope you caught the right one. Also highlights the need for DMR/sniper with NV/thermal for area denial. Above all it makes one really see the need for community/MAG…and getting it spun up now while we have the time.

  15. DryCreek1976 May 24, 2022 at 19:53

    Get within range of the bad guys as quickly and quietly as possible before they get within range of your home base and from good cover try to shoot one or two of the bad guys in the gut or in the ass there buddies will hopefully fall back to take care of them. Either way they probably won’t proceed with there assault on your compound because they won’t know how many of you are shooting at them Your ambush team will hear the shots and try to make radio contact with you and your base camp will also hear the shots and be alerted.
    Maybe after re establishing contact with your other guys you can close in on and shoot up some more bad guys….. maybe not…… depends on what the bad guys do…….. most important thing is keep them from taking your base or loosing any of your peeps……… maybe bad guys fall back and you quietly follow them back to their base.

  16. Grumpster May 24, 2022 at 22:28

    I would take my team with me to the radio tower quick to double time while trying to re-establish contact with the ambush team. Once at the tower, I would set up a hasty ambush with the ‘Auto Ar’ and two other team members on the saddle between 96 and 89 and contact the ambush team and notify them of the OPFOR’s position and recommend they re-establish the ambush point on Hill 91. Once the OPFOR approached the structure on the north side of the valley near Ridgeline 64 I would open fire.

  17. Smith May 24, 2022 at 23:02

    If I were going to kill me-I would assume going into anything that they had eyes on, before and while they moved into any position. That is what I would do, how this changes anyones response, is what I am interested in. Is anyone monitoring for any signals from them?, if they have any experience, going in blindly, probing for a response would not be normal. In any situation with limited resources, having to care or replace people is not something anyone with a brain would want to do foolishly. Not a tactician on this end, just want to learn with you all. I get a lot out of these exercises, and am glad there is another one, and thank you for all responses.

  18. Smith May 24, 2022 at 23:15

    In addition to my previous comment, if they are experienced, I would proceed that the 15 man column is either the supporting or attacking element moving into position. Which puts the possible total enemy at 30. I would plan to GFO, moving to a secondary position to gather intel, and come up with a plan that is not so hasty. “Know your enemy”

    The LPOP element would have to suffice as a distraction while the main group moves/relocates, caches what you can until you can use the terrain and what you know against what you don’t know-yet. If this is an attack and you do make it out intact, they will be burdened with what ever they find during their foraging. Good people you can count on and trust are priceless, I would plan accordingly. Getting caught unprepared was the mistake make the best of it.

  19. John May 25, 2022 at 00:17

    I’m going to make a couple of assumptions here. 1) A commo PACE had been established prior to stepping off 2) The ambush team has some sort of NOD capability 3) The enemy element is moving tactically and not just out for a stroll in the woods (i.e. they will have a slower rate of movement as they are near their OBJ).

    Immediately move hard and fast west to east along the backside military crest of hilltop 89 through 96 to 89 to an intercept position SE of the radio tower. During this movement, one man tries to raise the ambush squad on primary comms, one tries to raise them on alternate comms. If by hilltop 96, we cannot raise anyone, we push out on the emergency channel and advise the SITREP.

    Assuming I can get to the radio tower far enough ahead of the enemy patrol, I try to get the attention of the ambush squad via lasso with IR lasers, directed light flashes, etc from the north side of the military crest. Also from this position, keep trying to raise both ambush and the compound via radio.

    Assuming that all of this is ineffective and I cannot notify anyone, we take the enemy element under fire as they pass immediately south of the radio tower. Ideally, they are in position to be effectively engaged. Regardless, a mag dump out of the machinegun will alert everyone that SHTF and hopefully either 1) causes the incoming element to break contact or 2) fixes the enemy and gets my people to come up on comms allowing time for friendly elements to maneuver onto the OBJ 3) everyone collapses back into the compound (if the enemy force continues in, and arrives before the ambush force, hopefully the ambush element can maneuver onto them from the flanks and hit them).

    In the event we initiate contact, we dump a mag (ish) each and then break contact east towards the road. Running passwords are used. Circle towards the compound ASAP. Any equipment not needed for the fight is ditched.

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