"Suitable orders for a Platoon please" Topic

Sunjester and I played a game (Sellswords and Spell Slingers) via video messaging today. I realised as I was playing I could use this for a pretty good WW2 Platoon game. The idea is I put my phone where his Platoon Leader is, so he sees only what the Lieutenant sees. I will reveal terrain etc as the men get LoS. Its almost Kriegspiel. (he doesn't know this yet).

No rules – roll a die (I'm thinking possibly 2d6 to give a curve) – High is good for him low is bad (Good and Bad is relative; it could be 12 – Die immediately 2 – slow lingering death!)

I'm going to use 1:72/20mm ish figures – so vertical and ground scale match.

What do you suggest as a suitable task from Company Commander? I'm thinking "Secure point 'A')

Dig in along this tree line (securing the flank of the rest of the company).

Capture a small bridge. Not sturdy enough for a tank to cross, but we will be able to move troops across later.

Deliver weapons to the resistance. You'll need a guard force to protect the weapons, a team to make contact and a reaction force if it goes bad. Who am I kidding…WHEN it goes bad.

Capture an enemy soldier for interrogation

Escort a sapper to lay mines

Escort a team to recover a tank/jeep/mobile laundry broken down in no-mans land

Recce enemy positions (I expect a nice sketch map)

Set up an ambush for expected enemy patrol

Rescue downed pilot

Escort arty obs to vantage point

Patrol

Patrol (+/- check out cellar rumoured to be full of Calvados)

From the UK manual from Training in Fieldcraft and Elementary Tactics, Military Training Pamphlet No. 33, 1940 – Attack – Exercise II. Platoon attack (by phases).

Information – The enemy are holding ridge D-D prolonged. Enemy LMG seen at Q.
"A" Company is capturing ridge. No. 1 Pl. right, objective farm at R, No. 2 Pl. left, objective copse at S. No. 3 Pl. reserve.

Intention – Pl. will capture farm at R.

I think this kind of game sounds like a good way to handle a reconnaissance mission, as the player will have no idea what kind of opposition is to be found and where. The opposition does not even need to be heavy, a couple of booby traps and a sniper taking shots before falling back could cause fair bit of delay if the task is also to minimise casualties – add in a hidden FO team calling in some mortar fire for extra annoyance.

As for capturing objectives, you might want to prolong the mission by requiring the attacker to dig in afterwards and hold the position against possible enemy counterattacks.

For a tougher assault mission, you could send the platoon to blow up a known enemy strongpoint (bunker or fortified house). However, there are probably unknown enemy positions protecting the flanks of the position.

Don't forget the mines.

Combat ran the recon scenario, last Saturday night, or was that two weeks ago(?).

Pull back and call in a TOT.

Wolfhag

I will also endorse the idea of a recon (or patrol) mission. Several years ago I played a double-blind recon mission (larger scale of recon -- lots of recon / scout platoons trying to cross through a multi-Km area). Key is that limited info is what recon and patrol are all about.

Another idea, hinted at in other posts above:

Enemy observation post believed to be in the area of point D (a derelict farm, village outbuildings, rocky outcropping, hardly matters what is in the area of point D). You are ordered to form a patrol, proceed to area D, find out what is there, and if you find an observation post destroy it.

This one set of orders can support several variations of game. The suspected outpost could be just a two person OP. Or it could be defended by a squad or an MG nest, or even a whole platoon. Or it could be a forward supply base being set-up to support an attack that jumps off the next day.

Or it could even be friendlies -- I recently read a first-hand account of that happening on Guadalcanal. A patrol cut it's way through miles of jungle, playing cat-and-mouse with fleeting figures in the leaves in front and behind them, finally got to the shack on a hillside that they were ordered to neutralize, found it un-manned, but with evidence of recent activity, set up an ambush, sat about for a while, and when no one showed up they eventually worked their way back, cutting a different route through the jungle to base. The next day when reporting findings at HQ, the platoon leader was confronted by a furious Australian coast-watcher, whose best outpost, with both an Aussie observer with radio, and a native contingent, had been rousted from their shack and chased off into the jungle for 2 days.

Simple orders, but a myriad of gaming opportunities….

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

Well what kind of Platoon ? Infantry, Armor, CE, etc. ?

Having served as both a Rifle Plt Ldr and then Mech CO Cdr. One of the big missions of an Inf Plt is all types of patrols.

As well as all types of offensive and defensive ops.

Normally Inf Cos don't do Co size Patrols.

Patrols can be broken down into – Recon, Raid and Ambush.

Inf Plt and Co. ops :

Movement to Contact

Hasty and Deliberate Attacks and Defenses

Some the posts here would be a mission for an Infantry or even Armor Plt or Co. So I won't repeat them.

I did not have the time with my first post, but I do now.

A Plt operates as part of the Co. Based on the Company's mission integrated in the overall Bn's mission.

As Rifle Plt Ldr I was give mission of being integrated into the Company's Defensive plan. In the Company's sector. Called the unit's Tactical Area of Responsibility[TAOR], or AO – Area of Operation.

To move with the Company as part of a Movement to Contact, or as part of an Assault Force. Leading, Supporting or as Follow on Force.

In the Assault to seize and hold or destroy an OBJ or location. As part of the Company plan. Including enemy bunker(s), installation(s), etc.

Or move into a Support by Fire Position. To provide suppressive fires to support the Company attack/mission.

Tasked to provide Security to a location, e.g. supply point, HQ, etc.

A Company can execute a Raid or Ambush mission as well as a Plt on it's own. E.g. Raid an enemy position, installation, Supply Point, HQ, EPW snatch, POW retrieval, destroy a bridge, etc.

Ambush a unit along a certain route. Including an Ambush of AFVs, soft skins, dismounted Infantry, etc.

Set Up a Strong Point at an Intersection, location, etc.

Send local Security patrol(s) in the Company AO. Integrated into the overall Co. Patrol plan.

Establish LP/OP(s) in Plt AO. Integrated into the Company Def plan.

Execute a stream or river crossing, beach landing with rubber boats and or Landing Craft. Secure a Beach Head.

Execute an Airmobile Assault.

Run a Recon of known or suspected enemy location(s), etc. Sometimes we were given a grid location to find out if anything was even there.

Secure and set up an LZ/PZ/DZ.

Provide Escort and Security to a convoy.

Work as part of a Company Tm with Armor.

Off the top of my head … I may have forgot some …
The advantage I have is actually having been trained, tasked, and executed these ops. With over a decade as an Infantry Officer.

General platoon orders that I got for a scout or cavalry platoon.
Hold until relieved normally for a certain number of turns.
You are given one or more key features that must either be physically occupied or you main the ability to bring effective direct fire unto it.
A delay and fighting withdrawal is the same as above but you maintain the position until a certain time. Sometimes it is associated with another team conducting another task, such as setting explosives.

Offensive would include search and secure or clear an objective area.
Some actions would have a time line and others are just get it done. Scout and evaluate transportation routes rate crossings and determine ambush and defensive positions.

I'm going to go with company is supporting an armoured attack. "There's an 88 in that French farm annoying the tankers, disable the bloody thing will you, lieutenant."

That will work …

E.g. During REFORGER '88, my M113 Mech Co was attached to a Tank Bn as usual. One night we were tasked to do a night raid on a Canuck LEO Co., laagered in a German town … Great Fun !

What scale map would the Lt have?

The same as everyone else in the Bn and Bde : 1-50,000. Literally everybody needs to be on the same map sheet …

Some images – may be of interest – link

'Senior officer identified in vicinity; try to look busy.'

Legion 4 has raised a good point; most platoon activity that is n't a patrol will be as part of the company's activity, not a solo effort.

Cheers. Guessed it would be the same, but wasn't sure if 1:25,000. I'm going to use a 25k one anyways I'm going to send him a photo of part of one of my hiking maps. Obviously even at that scale they lack all the detail my map will have 😈

'Senior officer identified in vicinity; try to look busy.'

That always worked for me & my troops !

raised a good point; most platoon activity that is n't a patrol will be as part of the company's activity, not a solo effort.

Yes generally you operate as part of the Company. Patrolling is one of the missions you may not. But you can even run a Squad or Fire Tm sized patrol too.

The big thing is to coordinate with the Company and other units in the AO. E.g. once one of our night patrols on the DMZ ended up in a ROK Sector. Or vis versa, some quick talking from the PL stopped the ROKs from shooting up our patrol.

And if you are moving thru some thick bush or even urban terrain. You probably not be able to see the other elements in the Company. But you have commo, etc. And at times by staying on the route designated in the Op Ord, etc., you may not get hit my friendly fires, etc. Same as setting up a defense. You may have to tie in with the other elements in the Company or other friendly units.

Knowing where you are all the times is critical if for no other reasons than to call-in mortars, FA, etc. Or even a Medevac.

Last Hussar, for your gaming purposes 1:25,000 is fine. You are playing a game not running a combat unit in the RW …