The overall plan:
This is happening at around the same time as BG EAGLE launches Mission #1.
Detail:
BG Orders
TOPOGRAPHY
The ground is generally flat with some hills and varies from open pasture in the West to built up and Industrial areas in the East.
Key Terrain: The ridge providing the LD.
Decisive Terrain: The urban areas and port complex.
Known obstacles: Some wooden fence lines but shouldn't pose an obstacle to our tracked vehicles.
SITUATION
Further to the General Brief issued by the S2 earlier, the following update is available.
Enemy:
The Enemy is assessed as possibly as large as two Mech Coy, reinforced with Tk and anti armd spt. There is also the chance of a heliborne force launching from RAAF WILLIAMTOWN depending on the success of BG EAGLE’s operations there.
T-80 were sighted during the initial lodgement and must be assumed to be present in the TAOR.
Apart from rotary wing, it is assessed that due to the current air parity situation, he can insert fixed wing assets for short loiter strikes on High Value Targets (HVT).
Most Likely Course of Action (MLCOA): Is assessed as imposing delay and withdrawing under pressure in order to (IOT) gain time for negotiations, to inflict casualties on ADF forces and to damage infrastructure as much as possible.
This would cause the Government of Australia (GOAS) to be embarrassed by its perceived inability to defend its own territory.
Most Dangerous Course of Action (MDCOA): Is assessed as accepting decisive engagement. This would generate a full scale MOUT engagement, generating heavy casualties and inflicting long term damage on infrastructure.
This would create more embarrassment than the MLCOA and if implemented would cause massive civilian casualties and inflict large scale economic damage on the region.
Friendly:
Higher Commander’s Intent
Two Up: To regain Australian sovereignty with minimal civilian and ADF casualties and limited disruption to NEWCASTLE’s operations.
One Up: The Brigade Commander has been directed by the PM and CDF to clear the NEWCASTLE region IOT re-establish Australian sovereignty and set the conditions for GOAS to seek reparations from the invading power.
GOAS has declared a ten nautical mile exclusion zone around the mouth of the HUNTER RIVER. The Maritime and Air component commanders (MCC and ACC) have been tasked to DESTROY vessels that cross that line to ensure that there is no attempt (possibly as part of the MDCOA) to block the channel with a sunken merchant ship, along the lines of the MV Pasha Bulker incident of 2007. ACC and MCC have deployed assets with HARPOON missile system to effect this policy. All ship’s Captains have been advised by radio that this will be a “no warn” policy if a vessel crosses the boundary line.
There is a very short chain of command here. The BDE Comd and all unit COs were recently briefed in person by the CDF with the PM in the room.
CO’s Mission: BG TIGER is to clear Northern NEWCASTLE IOT regain AS sovereignty in the NEWCASTLE region.
BG TIGER is 1st BDE’s Main Effort (ME).
Civilians:
Our TAOR is lightly populated in the West however there are bound to be pockets of civilians who were unable to leave NEWCASTLE before the current deployments took place. Civilians have been asked to evacuate via the PACIFIC HWY to the SOUTH so there should not be too many refugees in our AO.
Regardless, combat (cbt) in NEWCASTLE is to be conducted using the required level of force but no more.
Attachments and Detachments:
Attached:
A Sqn 1st Armoured Regt Operation Control (OPCON)
B Sqn 1st Armoured Regt Tactical Control (TACON)
1 x TP of ARH, TACON for the duration of this activity.
2 x MRH90 for AME tasking.
Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP) assets
1 x TP, 16 AD Regt TACON
6 (building to 9) TPs of two guns each from 8/12 Medium Regiment, RAA in Direct Support.
MISSION
BG TIGER is to clear Northern NEWCASTLE IOT regain AS sovereignty in the NEWCASTLE region.
EXECUTION
Purpose: We are here to remove the Enemy from the city of NEWCASTLE and to re-commence coal loading operations as soon as practicable.
Method: To achieve this the BG will atk “3 up” with a Tk Sqn providing spt. Combat Team (CT) B, the NORTHERN CT, is BG ME.
Endstate: The endstate will be the main portion of NEWCASTLE’s commercial harbour back in AS control. This along with the securing of RAAF WILLIAMTOWN (BG EAGLE) and NEWCASTLE’s CBD (BG BOAR) will complete the liberation of NEWCASTLE.
Concept of Operations
Scheme of manoeuvre: Three CTs will clear within sector. A Coy is BG Res. Spt Coy, B Sqn and an ARH Tp will provide a Support by Fire (SBF) location. Guns will be reinforced once the BG EAGLE task is complete.
Spt Coy’s Recon & Survl PL has already identified some enemy locations visible from the LD. They haven’t reacted so the deception plan is working.
