[MarkSheppard]

I know this is the SPWW2 forum, but I figured I'd drop this here since it's a converted scenario.

This is a crude version 0.5 beta.

THE 82nd IN SINAI, OCTOBER 1973*
*
Egypt Advance*
_____vs.*
US. Army Delay*
*
Date: October 18, 1973*
Location: Thamad, Sinai*
*
===========================*
NOTE: This is converted from the SP2 scenario "THE 101st IN SINAI, OCTOBER 1973" originally done by Samy El Semman (samy@semman.com). Changes done during the conversion process was a totally redesigned US force OBAT, more in line with an airborne division's TO&E of the time.*
===========================*
*
The Egyptian assault across the Suez Canal proceeded like clockwork, with all Israeli counterattacks being successfully repulsed while the Egyptian bridgeheads were being consolidated.*
*
On October 14, 1973 the Egyptian 2nd and 3rd Armies launched a successful armored and mechanized offensive into the Sinai and succeeded in capturing the Mitla and Giddi passes. With their armored and mechanized formations severely blunted following several failed attempts to destroy the Egyptian Bridgeheads, Israel had no fresh forces available to stop any potential future Egyptian offensive.*
*
Facing severe strain, the Israelis had no choice but to ask for American intervention. Following a high-speed SR-71 reconnaissance sortie that revealed the catastrophe unfolding in the Sinai, President Nixon had no other choice but to begin a major air and sea lift to replace the IDF's losses.*
*
Due to the spotting of advance elements of the Soviet 103rd Airborne Division in Cairo by the aforementioned SR-71 sortie, Nixon had no other choice but to order direct American intervention to forestall any potential Soviet intervention in the Middle East. Accordingly, the 82nd Airborne Division was moved to the Sinai in a massive airlift, while elements of the US Army in Europe were alerted to begin preparations for moving heavy equipment to Egypt.*
*
On the 18th of October, the Egyptian advance finally met the American forces in the Sinai as elements of the Egyptian 23d Mechanized Division crashed into the 82nd's defensive positions.

This is something I wrote up while researching the TOE of a 1970s US Airborne Division:

I've been digging through old US Army Field Manuals, and the interesting thing is......the Airborne Divisions didn't really HAVE armor formally on their TOEs:

https://www.bits.de/NRANEU/others/amd-us-army.htm

Go to FM 101 – Staff Officers’ Field Manuals section and dig through them.

For example the 1971 Airborne Division (TOE 57G) in FM 101-10-1 (1971) had:

(9x) Airborne Infantry Battalions
Combat Aviation Battalion
Engineer Battalion
Signals Battalion
MP Company
Armored Cavalry Squadron
ADA Battalion (3 x Vulcan Platoons of 4 x Vulcan Squads each)
Div Arty (3 x Field Artillery Battalions, 105mm Towed)

And digging into the Authorized Tables:

54 x 105mm Howitzers
24 x Towed Vulcan 20mm in the ADA Battalion
34 x OH-6A (9 x in DIVARTY, 4 x in Cmbt Aviation Bn, 9 in Arm Cav Squadron)
19 x UH-1B (11 in Arm Cav Squadron, 6 in Combat Aviation Battalion)
35 x UH-1D (6 in Arm Cav Squadron, 27 in Combat Aviation Battalion)

Hundreds of trucks (including 818 x Truck, Utility 1/4 Ton), but no armored vehicles at all.

Heaviest direct fire weapon is the 106mm RCL, of which 120 are in the division, with 12 of them in the Armored Cav Squadron.

The Armored Cav Squadron is:

1 x Air Cavalry Troop (17-78G)
---1 x Aeroscout Platoon
---1x Aero Rifle Platoon
---1x Air Cav AT/Rocket Platoon

2 x Armored Cavalry Troops (17-77G) with each Troop having:

26 x 1/4 Ton Jeeps
6 x 1/4 Ton Jeeps with 106mm RCL
4 x 3/4 Ton Trucks with Winch
2 x 3/4 Ton Trucks

Officially

The troops were organized into

3 x Armored Cav Platoons, with each platoon having a:

Scout Section
Tank Section
Support Section
Rifle Section

This is interesting, because according to NOT JUST AN INFANTRYMAN’S WAR: UNITED STATES ARMORED CAVALRY OF THE VIETNAM WAR by BRIAN D. KERNS:

1965 Armored Cav Platoon before Vietnam:

1 x Jeep for Platoon Leader and a Scout Driver
4 x M114 in Scout Section
3 x M48A3 in Tank Section
1 x M113 in Rifle Section with a Rifle Squad
1 x M106 Mortar Carrier in Support Squad

Vietnam Era ACAV Armored Cav Platoon:

1 x M113 ACAV for Platoon HQ
4 x M113 ACAV in Scout Section
3 x M48A3 in Tank Section
1 x M113 in Rifle Section with a Rifle Squad
1 x M106 Mortar Carrier in Support Squad

Vietnam Era Armored Cav Platoon with Sheridan

1 x M113 ACAV for Platoon HQ
4 x M113 ACAV in Scout Section
3 x M551 Sheridan in Tank Section
1 x M113 in Rifle Section with a Rifle Squad
1 x M125/M106 Mortar Carrier in Support Squad

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I think the US Army was treating the Armored Cav Squadron of the Airborne Division as a "plug as you go" unit; to be customized according to the specific needs of whatever operation required the 82nd; thus making a potentially "fully augmented" Armored Cav Squadron have:

18 x M551 Sheridan
36 x M113 ACAV
6 x M113 Mortar Carrier