USMC Alpha Co 1/6 Marjeh 09/2009*
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Location: Marjeh, Helmand Province, Afghanistan (310 31'16" N, 640 7'7" E)*
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Battle Type: USMC assault vs Taliban defend *
Date: September 2009*
Designed by: shahadi*
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Background*
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In support of Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan (OEF-A), Alpha Company 1st Battalion 6th Marines, 22 MEU participated in the sweep of Marjeh, a Taliban controlled town in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in April 2009 (In this scenario, the operation takes place in September of 2009). This is a semi-historical scenario.*
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SITUATION*
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Taliban fighters control the town of Marjeh, a sparsely populated agricultural town in Helmand province of Afghanistan known as a major source of opium production providing cash to the Taliban insurgency. Our satellite and HUMINT confirms a battalion size of Taliban fighters, approximately 1,000 hard core fighters, are based inside Marjeh and the immediate surroundings.  The Taliban has had time to prepare for our operation since talks in Kabul deteriorated earlier in March. Our sources advise that the Taliban have prepared many obstacles, brought in additional AA assets, and laid booby traps, IEDs, and mines. We believe, although we have witnessed many families leaving Marjeh by lorries and on foot, many civilians remain in Marjeh. *
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Their insurgent operations have undergone significant transformation since the days of OBL and al-Qaeda. We have unanimous reports from Coalition partners that the Taliban use smaller fighting teams of four or five fighters in lieu of large fifteen man squads. They have adopted better command and control resources, and methods, and have shown to engage in direct combat only when they feel the likelihood of victory is much greater than in the early years of their jihad. Particularly, in Helmand province, the Taliban will not stick around and fight nor engage at ranges under 600 meters. They prefer to "shoot and scoot," especially knowing that to stick around will bring about very accurate fires from FA and air strikes. This we believe is how they've adapted by using light machine guns (to engage at longer ranges), IEDs as substitute indirect field artillery although they have accurate mortar fires, and the employment of very capable snipers. The best practice we have is to pay heed to the routes the civilians walk in Marjeh. We believe the Taliban have advised civilians where they've planted IED's, therefore  the foot paths the villagers take will be free of IED's. *
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Alpha 1/6 "Hard" will conduct a vertical assault to remove Taliban fighters from Marjeh in order that restoration of Afghan civil rule may proceed by the elected government in Kabul.  Alpha 1/6 is tasked to defeat the Taliban, seize all contraband, and opiate related material in the area known as the "alsuuq al markawz" or Central Market in a way that prepares the civilian population to support the Kabul government. Therefore, no field artillery or mortars will be available to Alpha 1/6 so as to mitigate tensions and possible festering of poor relations as a result of the loss of civilian property due to Marine employment of in-direct fires.  This operation is not simply winning "hearts and minds," Alpha 1/6 will show the civilians of Marjeh that we are the strongest, fairest, and only force trustworthy to protect them and provide for their welfare in their transition to civil rule and normal life.*
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A. ENEMY FORCES*
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 Approximately 1,000 Taliban fighters with a contingent of Chechen fighters, aka "the Martyrs" are suspected in the AO by a unit of the 75th Army Rangers.*
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B. MISSION*
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Alpha Company 1/6 Marines will seize and control Objective Beyonce, the "alsuuq al markawz" and Objective Jay-Z the stores and warehouses in the AO with minimal damage to civilian homes and fields.*
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C.  EXECUTION*
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Commander's Intent: Immediately upon debarkation establish a patrol base (PB) in compound 21 and occupy surrounding compounds 20 and 22. NLT turn 15 3rd platoon will assault the warehouse building 10 and occupy buildings 05 and 06 at the northern stream crossing bridge. Third platoon will continue attacking Taliban units until it occupies compound 50. First platoon will seize warehouse building 12 and press its attack killing all Taliban units to the Aden Gate, whereupon First platoon will enter the market from Aden Gate and occupy compound 70. Second platoon will enter the Central Market from the Sulaiman Gate and seize compound 60 and compound 80, destroying all Taliban units therein.*
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D. CONCEPT OF THE OPERATION*
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1. Maneuver: This is a vertical assault. Although a section of AH-1W Super Cobras will direct CAS fires against Taliban mortars, vehicles and other high value targets in the AO, it is imperative the Cobras neutralize the LZ of all Taliban units. Immediately, NLT turn 12, Alpha 1/6 will establish a PB HQ and occupy the two surrounding compounds with which to launch the assault.*
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2. Fires: No in-direct fires are available. CAS sorties will employ bombs and rockets against targets not occupying buildings in order to minimize loss of civilian property. *
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3. Close Air Support: The Cobras will direct CAS sorties against mortars, vehicles, and AA units in that order with reconnoiter coordinates for the UAV Shadow aggressively employed to locate Taliban mortars. FAC has designated the following coordinates and approach for the Shadow (designated as Priority Target Hex): (67,59 90), (69,59 90), (75,54 90), and (66,42 90).*
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E. COMMAND/SIGNAL*
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Captain Gary Taniguchi, CO Alpha Company 1st Btn 6th Marines is the mission CIC.*
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F. FRIENDLY FORCES*
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Ground Combat Element*
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 Alpha Co 1/6 Marines "Apache" Camp Lejeune, North Carolina USA*
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Aviation Combat Element*
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AH-1W  Super Cobra x2  HMLA-167 "Warriors" MCAS New River, Jacksonville, NC*
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CH-46D Sea Knight "Phrogs" 4x2 HMM-744 "Wild Goose" NAS, Norfolk, Virginia*
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AV-8B Harrier x2 VMA-542 "Tigers" MCAS Cherry Point, NC*
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USAF A-10 Warthog x3 104th Fighter Squadron Maryland ANG Middle River, Maryland*
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UAV Shadow x1 VMU-2 "Night Owls" MCAS Cherry Point, NC*
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UAV RQ-1 x1 "Cotton Pickers" 15th Reconnaissance Squadron , Creech AFB  Clark County, Nevada *
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Narrative*
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"You win the confidence of the people, whether it be Iraq or Afghanistan by being the strongest tribe; that means that there can be no place in our area of operations where we don't go, and right now, Marjeh is one of those places." Marine Corps Commandant General James Conway (Stripes.com, 12/2009)*
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"You remember the PI," said Taniguchi, commanding officer, Alpha 1/6 "Hard".*
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"What is this Tan, a stroll down memory lane, shit man yeah I'm glad to be here, even with you, after that hell hole," lamented Peter "PR" Rice Taniguchi's senior NCO, Alpha 1/6's first sergeant, as cool, and smart as they come, a real smart ass in high school from of all places Portland, Oregon. *
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Immediately, without a thought as if on cue, Taniguchi leaned forward, "Damn Rice, how many times do I have to remind you that I am a Christian, cut that 'shit' talking profanity with me."*
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Smiling as if reading a script, Rice, the all-city standout in football, basketball, and baseball raised his head, took a deep breath and exhaled, "Sure skipper, that's right, you're Christian and I'm Jesus Christ, turning the other cheek, and you and I both know those kids we got, those men YOU gonna ask, no you going to order into battle tomorrow want to know if YOU are ready to get some." He smiled, "So, what you gonna say to the men? "*
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Taniguchi, rubbed the stubble on this face, as if rubbing a crystal ball for answers, then turning around he looked Rice squarely, "What did I tell my platoon in the Philippines, you remember don't you?"*
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"Yes sir, I do." Rice continued, "If you see the bush move, shoot, shoot, shoot and please kill that bastard, don't miss." He got up and walked around the table, "And, you said a hundred of them ain't worth one of you, my brothers, my Marines." He looked him eye to eye, "Shit, sir, sorry, but damn your words had me holding back tears." He lowered his head, then taking in a long breath as if to make a confession, something he hadn't done since the eighth grade in preparation for spring Confirmation at Saint Michael's, "Then, I knew this California kid with a name my dad only knew as the name of the enemy on Saipan, was not Japanese but Marine." *
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"First Sergeant Rice, are we ready?" Balked Gary Taniguchi the son of an interned Japanese American family, whose father and two uncles fought in Italy with the famed and much decorated 442nd Infantry Regiment, whose mother raised three children, two of whom became doctors, and one of them, the coolness in the eye of his father, a captain of United States Marines.*
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Rice replied, shouting in a loud voice, a voice of thunder and authority, "We be ready, sir, oorah!"*
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Both men smiled seemingly a long time, standing, as if alone, but yet needing not to say a word, while speaking an unspoken language between men on the epoch of battle between life and death, good and evil, right and wrong.*
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Abruptly, Rice stepped back, looked at his friend as if committing to memory every detail, every outline of his face, from the widow's peak of hair atop his forehead, to the thick eye brows, to the dark brown eyes nearly swallowed over by his eyes lids, to his cheek bones and to his two day old facial hair. Taniguchi immediately, recognized the look creeping across Rice's face, then instinctively, he reached out to Rice and they grasped each other's hands, and wanting to say something, he could only tuck in his lips and nod his head, as if to say, "We'll be okay my friend."*
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"I should leave now, you need anything sir," said Rice.*
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"Yeah, I know you keep a mean "dog eat dog way" with the men, but I know you pray too, I know you pray a lot, so yeah, I need you to keep me in your prayers."*
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"Aye, aye sir, see you at the bird at oh four hundred hours."*
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As Rice departed, Captain Taniguchi, sat down taking out a picture of Meredith his wife, his high school sweet heart and only woman he has ever known with carnal knowledge, and their little baby girl, and he smiled thinking, "We go a long way back baby, I'm coming home by the grace of our Lord."*
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Gameplay*
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Play this scenario from the side of the USMC against the AI. Gameplay is 60 turns with visibility at 22 with timed objectives on. Therefore, it is important Victory Flags are captured early as the Taliban gains 3 points per VF each turn after turn 20 on the number of VFs under their possession.*
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Victory conditions*
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Destroy Taliban forces at Marjeh and occupy the Central Market and warehouses. Moreover, player must: (1) Move "Phrogs" off map, (2) Maintain and capture all flags, and (3) No victory at loss of personnel (damage) above 12 percent of force.*
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Notes*
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See Shrapnel forum for additional notes and hints:  Alpha Co BLT 1/6 22 MEU OEF-A  (http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/showpost.php?p=834244&postcount=1).*
