Decision Making Exercise 04: The Hills Have Eyes
"A well conducted battle is a decisive attack sucessfully carried out" -Ferdinand Foch
Editor’s Note: This is an installment in our Decision Making Exercise (DMX) Series. We publish a DMX at the beginning of every month. Solutions should be sent to cxfile0302@gmail.com NLT 21 May for a chance at publication. Responses will be highlighted in Saved Rounds and Substack Notes.
Situation
You are the Platoon Commander, 1st Platoon, Lima Company, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines
Our battalion is part of a Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB). We are conducting offensive operations against a Threat Charlie mechanized infantry force. The terrain consists of rough savannah-like dried mud flats punctuated by steep rocky hills and stretches of stifling jungle. Humidity and temperature are high, but the nights are cool and tend to be relatively dry.
3/7 has just been rotated back into active operations after a week held in reserve. MEB reconnaissance assets have identified a likely enemy logistics site with a mechanized company arraying in depth to defend it. It is suspected that this company will reinforce to a battalion within the next three to four days.
3/7 is deploying to attack now before the enemy reinforces or significantly improves his position.
An enemy infantry section with one ZBD-05 has been located establishing a security position on Hill 78. We don’t know where their parent platoon is located, though they are likely spread between several security positions. The section is assessed to be oriented on ROUTE BILLS, an unimproved dirt track capable of supporting vehicle traffic through the rough terrain. Two team sized sandbag/timber fighting positions with medium machine guns have been identified and a likely LP/OP appears to be setting up somewhere on hill 60. Last night, several enemy soldiers were seen stringing a single strand concertina wire obstacle on the West flank of Hill 78. The enemy likely has at least one QLZ-87 grenade launcher but we’re not sure where it is set up. The enemy likely has various small reconnaissance and kamikaze drones. We think the position can likely be reinforced up to a platoon size within thirty minutes if the enemy platoon commander decides to make a stand around Hill 78.
Lima Company’s mission is to DESTROY the enemy security platoon in order to allow the battalion ME to rapidly exploit the gap in the enemy defense.
1st Platoon’s mission is no later than 0630 tomorrow morning: DESTROY the enemy security section on Hill 78 in order to enable follow on offensive operations by Lima Company against the enemy security platoon. You are Supporting Effort 1.
It is currently dusk, 1945 hours, and your platoon has infiltrated to their Objective Rally Point concealed in dense brush and trees. Your platoon is at T/O and you have been reinforced with two machine-gun squads, two skyraider small UAS with operators, and an engineer squad. Your engineers have the means to mechanically breach plus two Bangalore Torpedoes. You are at T/E but two of your Carl Gustafs have been replaced with SMAW rocket launchers. You have three AT-4 rockets as well.
Sunset is in 30 mins. Sunrise is at 0530. You are first in priority for 60mm mortars and they are fire-capped to your South East. You are last in priority for 81mm mortars. 81s are also fire-capped to the South East. Your only allocated counter SUAS assets are two riflemen who are equipped with Benelli shotguns with birdshot alongside their primary weapons.
What now, Lieutenant?