The Washboard**

US Army vs NTC OPFOR*
US Deliberate Assault**

Head-to-Head Play only**

Fort Irwin, NW of Bicycle Lake Airfield*
Oct, 1982*
Turns: 30*
Scenario Size: Medium**

Design: Kevin "Hub" Peltz*
sabot_up@telus.net*
Tested by: Hub and Rame**

__BRIEFING:*

New to the NTC and the prowess of OPFOR, the Task Force pushes tiredly into their third day of operations. Units are exhausted and out of contact. The supply trains are in a shambles. But, the tempo is unrelenting, and TF Dragon now must execute a deliberate assault against a reinforced Motor Rifle Company.**

The TF recon platoon had been in contact with the enemy during the night, but were withdrawn before daylight from Hill 1406, in order to provide a screen against a possible enemy incursion through Coyote Canyon. At dawn, the whereabouts of the enemy MRC is unknown...**

__ENEMY INTELLIGENCE:*

Intelligence estimates one MRC(+) somewhere in the vicinity of Nelson Dry Lake.**

__NOTES*

TF Dragon units start out in column (travel) formation. Combat formations were in a state of flux at this point in time- the "wedge" and "vee" only just then being considered as possible alternative advance-to-contact formations. Travelling Overwatch generally had one section of the lead tank platoon moving ahead of the balance of it's platoon, and the follow-on formations: HQ platoon, 1st mech platoon, ITV section(s), SP mortar section(s), logistic unit(s), 2nd mech platoon.** 

All OPFOR units are actually VISMOD M551 Sheridans. Because of this, OPFOR IFV's cannot carry infantry. In some exercises, dismounted infantry are made available to the OPFOR commander. Also, the "Parrumph Guerillas" (OPFOR "insurgents") act as an additional thorn in the side of BLUFOR. The Parrumphs excel at raiding BLUFOR TOC's.**

Although TF Dragon had SP artillery on call, the fire support plan was poorly conceived, and the big guns were not a factor in the battle.**

Much of the TF Combat Support Company was either disorganized (half the AT Platoon was "missing"), or off doing other, ultimately futile, things (such as the Scout Platoon).**

In order to save transport costs, much of the TF TO&E was drawn from the Boeing International equipment pool in Ft. Irwin. M901 TOW's were replaced by the less capable M220 (M150 TOW), and the M60's were earlier models without thermal sights. To complicate matters, much of the equipment drawn from the pool was in execrable condition, nor was there enough to bring the TF to it's full TO&E.**

Based on events from the book,"Dragons at War: Land Battle in the Desert," by Daniel P. Bolger.**