The Blind Lightning from the Skies

One of REDFORs decisive weapons in the campaign are the SSM brigades. There are three of them (well, it's not much of a secret...) at the start of the campaign.

They have stationary launch sites on the OPmap, in predefined hexes. The BDEs are mobile and don't have to deploy at these sites, but they do get some extra shelter at the launch sites, which may prove valuable.
These three BDEs are directly subordinate to the Syrian GHQ, meaning it will be the CinC that handles them.


The BDEs have a limited number of strikes they can perform (how many is classified!) during the MC. These strikes may be launched at strategic locations like NATO air bases or where REDFOR suspects a MOB is located.

But, and here's the tricky part -they might also be used to strike at Israeli territory - which is out-of-bounds to any other activity in the MC. There's a random chance/risk that this will provoke a Israeli retribution - and this may lead to moslem countries abandoning the Coalition. And that would render quite a lot of negative SVPs to BLUFOR...

So what can counter these missile strikes ?(BLUFOR has CMs-Cruise Missiles) Well, some ADA units are capable of defending against this kind of strikes. Hopefully, as the MC starts, the OPCOs will have reviewed which ADA units to put where...

Testing the TACBAT parameters

The TACBATs have three parameters that decide the point allocation. These points also decide the tactical outcome of the battle - i.e. if it's a victory or defeat. The tactical outcome renders SVPs - but also other things render SVPs - men lost, vehicles lost, units routed and so on. This means that a tactical victory sometimes may result in negative SVPs. And that would probably mean that you have been a bit reckless in the TACBAT. Playing as BLUFOR will by default be harder in TACBATs, to put it short...

Specific properties of units

Some units in the campaign will have specific properties that don't necessarily affect the combat performance, but will be important to the campaign play anyway. Here are some additions to the properties mentioned earlier on.

Transportation – some units have a special capacity to transport other units. These include cargo air units, larger naval units and logistical ground units. The capacity is noted as the number of TOEPs that can be moved in one air lift.

It is possible to transport more than one unit at the same time, just as long as the sum of the TOEPs are less or equal to the maximum transport capacity.
All cargo/transport air units can transport ground units that move by foot (yellow MP marker).

Cargo/transport air units marked with 15 or more TOEPs as cargo capacity may also transport ground units moving by wheel or tracks (green MP marker). Cargo/transport air units may only make 1 airlift each STRATturn. This means it can't stop halfway to drop off one of the units it transports and then go on with another unit.


Weapons range; all units have a specific weapons range on the OPmap.This range indicates the distance the weapon system of the unit can reach. Manoeuvre ground units can by default only reach the hex their occupying. Other units have longer range and can strike at their targets from distance.

Air units capable of AISO mission (Air Interdiction Stand Off) may conduct air strikes at targets within their weapons range, sometimes this means striking at targets several hundred kms away.
An air unit that has been assigned a CAS mission must however be positioned in the target hex. More details on air units and the different kind of missions they may be assigned to be found in the section on Air Units (in the OPrules).

Zone of control (ZoC) exercised by ground units is one hex in every direction.

Ground Units - both OPUNs and TACUNs, may be either Manoeuvre Units (MU)or Administrative Units (AU). AUs are HQs and KC:S – units supplying or transmitting supply to other units, MU are the units that consume supply. Key Characters influence on TACBAT/OPBAT.
The KC's have a large OPinfluence on motivation/training and recruiting/equipment quality/levels of supply/levels of intel (tactical or operational)/regional and local influence. They are important to preserve/protect or to eliminate. Rules for how they might take part in TACBAT/OPBAT and how they suffer losses are still in development.

Recruiting/raising of Irregular units; these may be recruited or assembled spontaneously in rural or urban hexes. Units may be recruited each new STRATturn. Units can be raised by the regime (i.e. the players of REDFOR) or they may assemble on their own initiative – GMs placing UNCON TOEPs by GMD – Game Masters Discretion.

Units may also assemble as a result of random events (RET) – always in rural or urban hexes. Units may be raised by REDFOR team in rural/urban hex within friendly units ZoC. Unit may assemble spontaneously in any rural/urban hex not within hostile ZoC. Spontaneous assembly of UNCON units is controlled by GMD. Static Irregular units that is forced to retreat as a consequence of a loss in OPbat will dissolve/disband spontaneously.

Stealth mode – some units have the ability to hide and avoid being detected. These units may for instance blend in with the population or mask their presence in a hex. Typically, SF and irregular units are the ones that have this ability. Some highly trained units may even move on the OPmap in stealth mode, thus avoiding detection.

Turn Sequence

How do one keep track of all the files in a MC? Well ,there has to be a procedure for file management, everyone has to be fully clear as to what is expected of everyone.
TACCOs don't really need to know what OPCOs have to know and vice versa.
A tentative sequence for the OPturn (when losses are tracked, battle results are applied and operational orders are given) and the TACturn (the phase of CM battles!) will possibly look something like this;(application to be used in brown colour)

DETAILED MC MANAGEMENT SEQUENCE
tentative 2009-11-10

3 weeks OPturn

1.GMs collects results from previous STRATturn TACBATs (and the OPres )

2.GMs calculate gained or lost SVPs from previous STRATturn. Adds or deducts to the current SVP of each side.

3.GMs decide which side that has initiative (INdet): the side that has gained most/lost the least SVPs during last STRATturn will hold initiative.

4.STRATturn AAR; GMs announce BAT results from previous STRATturn. (Team Docs – Google Docs? Or team HQ?)

5.SVPSIT; GMs announce the score on the MC website (HQ section). There is not full intel on changes affecting the opposing side and the exact number of current SVPs will not be known.

Example; BLUFOR has 1325 SVPs, REDFOR has 350 SVPs. At the blue HQ the current score will be presented as B:1325/R:~300SVPs. There will be a general trend distinguishable, meaning if REDFOR gains SVPs this positive change will be noticeable at the blue HQ – however the exact amount of SVPs will be “unreliable.”

6.GMs generate random events. Number of events may range from 1-10. Use RET (Random Events Table) (CaT?)

7.GMs identify any situations involving very low levels of supply. Points for concern is noted in the OPSIT report. (CaT)

8.The Operational Situation; presenting the current OPSIT to the teams (CaT, team HQ?).

• a)GMs OPSIT report contains; Weather situation - Random Events - Low Supply Notifications (Team HQ?)
• b)TACCOs; study SVPSIT, OPSIT and STRATturn AAR. Notify their OPCOs of their TACBAT priorities. (GDocs?)
• c)OPCOS; study SVPSIT, OPSIT and STRATturn AAR. Plan missions and movements. Set up OPORDs for the TACCOs (and the GM) (GDocs?)

9.Preparing the Battles

• a)GMs get new OPORDs from the OPCOs (based on their evaluation of the OPSIT) including TACBATpriority – which units are prioritized for TACBAT?(GDocs?)
• b)GM; OPmovement; the side holding the initiative moves its counters first. (CaT)
• c)GM; BATdet – Battle determination - which situations lead to battles, and what kind of BATs (based on the TACBATpriority)
• d)GMs; set up the resulting new TACbats (see “TACBAT set up procedures”) (CMSF)

4 weeks TACturn - OPBAT and TACBAT resolution

1.GMs; provide the TACCOs with the battles (GDocs)

2.TACCOs; play the TACBATs (CMSF)

3.GMs; OPres; resolve the OPBATs (OPUNs and TACBATs lacking players) (CaT)

4.GMs; OPres; Air Missions (except CAS) resolved (Air strikes and ADA) (CaT)

5.GMs; Artillery Strike Missions (except combat support – artillery support in combat) (CaT)

Now that's quite simple, don't you think? ;-)
Good thing is, most players in the MC won't have to know half of this to participate! I'll be presenting this as a flow chart to explain more further ahead.

Fog Of War

The Campaign will feature a simple level of fog-of-war that will contribute to the operational challenges the OPCOs will be facing. The F-o-W will have three levels that also have their equivalents in the TACBAT.

On the OPmap a hostile unit may either be totally unknown - ie. the location, size, state and branch is not known. These units are "invisible" on the OPmap.

Or, if a unit is detected by a nearby ground unit or recon air asset the units location is revealed, but no other intel.

If more info is gathered on that specific unit the branch or country and sometimes the size or state will also be revealed. However - you can never be sure that the intel acquired is the correct one - it might turn out that the enemy BN wasn't disorganized after all, as reported to you...! So, you can never trust the intel to 100%, keep that in mind.