DMX 08: “Sometime the Wolf.”
“When the lambs is lost in the mountain, he said. They is cry. Sometime come the mother. Sometime the wolf.” ― Bandit leader in Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian"
Editor’s Note: This is an installment in our Decision Making Exercise (DMX) Series. Solutions should be sent to cxfile0302@gmail.com NLT 28 December for a chance at publication.
Situation:
You are the team leader, Battalion Scout Team Two, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines. 3/7 is fighting as part of a MEB in a heavily wooded highland region. Thick secondary-growth forests intersperse open scrubby plains. Multiple creeks and small rivers run through the area, and the land bordering the watercourses is boggy swamp. Prominent hills rise up rapidly and dominate the open areas. Dirt and rock trails cross the region, leading to a series of roads and urban buildup approximately 20 KM south of your current position.
Catastrophe has struck. After weeks of defensive operations, the MEB transitioned to the offense last week. Your adjacent battalion was the advanced guard and passed forward to lead the regiment-sized movement to contact north through the terrain 3/7 currently holds. After making impressive initial progress, they met with disaster. As the main body battalion moved to pass forward through 3/7’s position, a threat Charlie reinforced mechanized marine brigade rapidly encircled the advanced guard battalion. The enemy, originally thought to be on the back foot, had been covertly reinforcing, and their unexpected spoiling attack took the MAGTF by surprise. Defeating the covering force, the enemy brigade cut off the advanced guard battalion. For several days, the main body counterattacked the encirclement before finally securing a corridor to enable the advanced guard to escape. The enemy ruthlessly pursued both battalions back while 3/7 held the line and interdicted the chasers, allowing the bulk of the regiment to withdraw under pressure back behind the terrain they started from.
That was three days ago.
Undaunted, the MAGTF is reconstituting and digging in for the expected enemy attack. Since the chaos of the withdrawal, groups of isolated Marines have been returning to friendly lines. The MAGTF still does not have full accountability of its personnel.
Your team has been tasked to RECON NAI 17 in order to alert battalion defenses to enemy units. You have been told to pay particular attention to enemy recon vehicles or mechanized assets attempting to use the ford across the swampy river.
Your team of five Marines and one Doc has been in place in their hide site on Hill 200 for twelve hours. CAAT inserted you, and they are now establishing a Forward Engagement Area 3km south of Hill 200. Your team has priority for 81mm mortars. Artillery is available, though it is in general support of the regiment, with priority going to an LAR unit operating in the MEB security area. LAR is also priority for fixed and rotary wing fires.
NAI 17 is littered with evidence of the withdrawal. Craters pockmark the swampy ground and trees splintered by fire dot the landscape.
It is currently 1830, and the sun is setting. As you prepare to jump on the net for your team’s allotted comm window, your Doc flags you down. She motions you over and points out of the hide towards NAI 17. Two of your Marines are also glassing it with their optics.
It’s a group of Marines. They’re across the river, and they are in bad shape. You can see about 10 of them. They are filthy, and their uniforms are torn and soiled. Several are wearing bandages, and one is limping along, supported by a buddy. They are moving slowly, taking advantage of the available cover. But they are visibly tired, and some don’t even have weapons. You can make out what looks like the leader. He is on a knee looking across the river. His head is bandaged, and the dirty wrapping completely covers one eye. The leader alternates checking a map and desperately keying a PRC-152. He pulls a chunk of air panel from his pocket and starts waving it nervously towards the south. You immediately realize that this must be a group of stragglers from last week's failed offensive.
Suddenly, Doc points at something else.
In the dying light, you can see an enemy squad reinforced. They are cautiously picking their way along the river, just south of Hill 215. Their NVGs are mounted, but up. They are wearing camouflaged hoods and have at least one large backpack radio. One of them is fiddling with a small quadcopter UAS. At least one soldier has what looks like a sniper rifle.
The enemy unit does not appear to see the distressed Marines, but their patrol route will bring them into contact at any moment now. The Marines are now stopped and conferring next to the river; they appear to have no idea about the enemy unit to their northeast.
What now, sergeant?
Your team has one reconnaissance quadcopter UAS. All Marines are armed with suppressed M4A1 rifles except for your designated marksman, who carries a suppressed M110. Your assistant team leader also has an M320 grenade launcher. In addition, you have smoke grenades, frag grenades, and red/green/white star clusters.
Brief your plan, immediate actions, and any reports to higher and/or adjacent units.
