Tactical Decision Game #06–2
The Toca Hotel
by Rittmester Patrik Schaathun,
Norwegian Army
Situation
Your battalion is part of an amphibious task force in tropical waters off the coast of Webasto. It is 0420 hours. Sunup is at 0600. The distance from your position to the capital, Zuma, is 5 nautical miles. A civil war is raging in this poor Third World country. Fighting is ongoing outside the capital where government troops are trying to hold the insurgents at bay. Law and order has broken down. Gangs have taken to the streets to loot and plunder. Hundreds of foreign nationals, allegedly many Americans among them, have taken refuge at the Toca Hotel. The hotel is located in an upper class residential area and is surrounded by a 2-meter-high concrete wall. An African peacekeeping force, with which you have no communications, is protecting the foreigners. There have been attacks on the Toca by armed gangs attempting to get at the foreign nationals. Civilians trying to reach the safety of the hotel have been mown down by a heavy machinegun located somewhere inside the hospital. Gangs influenced by drugs or alcohol, and armed with automatic weapons, rocket propelled grenades, and machetes, have thrown civilians off of the hospital roof. Twenty-two U.S. citizens are hiding in one of the buildings on Beach Boulevard, southwest of the park. Friendly Cobras have neutralized several mortars in Zuma Park.
The battalion mission is to rescue the foreign nationals. Your commander’s intent is as follows. The purpose of the mission is to evacuate the foreign nationals to the task force. The method is assault and evacuation by helicopter. The desired end state is to have the foreign nationals safely onboard the task force.
The battalion commander’s plan is to seize the Toca with one rifle company by heliborne assault with two AH–1W Cobras in support. A second rifle company will assault by helicopter in order to find and rescue the U.S. citizens on Beach Boulevard. Once the Toca is secure, CH–46 Sea Knights will evacuate the foreign nationals. The third rifle company will be in reserve. Finally, both companies will return to the task force by helicopter.
You command Company A and have been designated the main effort. You have two AH–1W Cobras and enough CH–46 Sea Knights in direct support to lift your company in one go. Your mission is to secure the Toca Hotel in order save the foreign nationals and secure a landing zone. Then you are to move the foreign nationals to the arriving helicopters. Company B will assault by helicopter in order to find and rescue the U.S. citizens on Beach Boulevard. Company C is in reserve. You have priority on battalion assets. Rules of engagement allow you to fire on any threat, but you must minimize collateral damage. You have already conveyed the situation to your men in a warning order. Now get cracking with that plan of yours!
Requirement
Within a time limit of 15 minutes, write down your orders and messages and depict your plan on the map. Then provide a rationale for your actions.
