ICE Military exercises (OOC, discussion thread)

[Phonencia]

Alright gents, before we set up the exercise we're going to need a good location and we're going to need to pick sides and what types of units we'll be allowing (artillery, air support etc.)

The exercise as it stands will be a ground engagement focusing heavily on infantry. I believe the locale should reflect this (perhaps rough mountains or jungles where vehicles have trouble moving?)

[Erucia]

Any particular country we have in mind to host the exercises? Perhaps the drills could heavily focus on forested areas, and also on a urban environment?

I feel that because we'll be focused on infantry, we should try and make out units reflect infantry divisions/battalions. Perhaps a use of things such as IFV's and lighter artillery units would be good, alongside of helicopter support.

[Johamlandia]

Like I had said in my application, I have a rainforest in my country. Itll be like a Vietnam-type of warfare.

[Aleckandor]

Like I had said in my application, I have a rainforest in my country. Itll be like a Vietnam-type of warfare.

That can be arranged.

Like Phonencia mentioned earlier back on the ICE Signups Thread, this Exercise is going to mainly infantry-focused. The rainforest seems like the perfect location for that.

[Aleckandor]

Like I mentioned before, Aleckandor should be the OpFor aggressor in this Exercise. Perhaps, I and Erucia can face against a BluFor of Phonencia and Johamlandia in order to simulate jungle combat. I remember during a War Games RP with Schrattal, we used blank ammunition on guns that have mounted laser-taggers on them; every time the trigger is pulled and the weapon ejects a spent case, the laser-tagger will activate and send out an invisible beam that will simulate a deployed projectile. The soldiers participating in the Exercise will be wearing specialized electronic vests that will simulate their health status in combat. The health will deplete on a vest if its tagged enough by an enemy combatant's weapon.

[First Valerian Empire]

Is this open to anyone in ICE?

[Aleckandor]

Is this open to anyone in ICE?

I believe so, but I think we should keep this limited to only a portion of us. This Exercise is, by and large, meant to prove Johamlandia's worthiness to the Coalition.

[Erucia]

Actually, to note my own role within the exercise...

I'm not really sure about which role my armed forces should have. We're more centered towards quick reaction and then long attrition, and I don't know how well we'll do in OpFor. However, if this is just a case of using our standard equipment, then we should do fine; DU Armed Forces uses a different standard caliber than ICE, and we could act as a modernized opponent.

[Phonencia]

Okay, rainforest. Infantry engagements with limited air support from helicopters.

Do we,
A. Each set up a headquarters and fight until we kill/capture the enemy forces
or
B. set one centralized objective and pick a side to guard it for a set period of time.


We will be using the MILES system and other such training equipment.

[Johamlandia]

I vote B.

[Erucia]

I feel that B would be the best choice, since it would give each participating military force to learn and practice techniques for both attacking and holding objectives.

[Aleckandor]

I'm down for Option B.

[Phonencia]

Alright. We'll have a small compound atop a hill in a rainforest with Aleckandor and Erucia guarding it. Meanwhile, me and my young ward (Johamlandia, I'll be calling him Joey from now on just to piss him off) will skulk around the jungle taking out enemy offensive forces and patrols until we work our way up to assault the actual position. Once we have a winner, we'll switch places and we'll be the 'fendas.

Sound good?

[Aleckandor]

Alright. We'll have a small compound atop a hill in a rainforest with Aleckandor and Erucia guarding it. Meanwhile, me and my young ward (Johamlandia, I'll be calling him Joey from now on just to piss him off) will skulk around the jungle taking out enemy offensive forces and patrols until we work our way up to assault the actual position. Once we have a winner, we'll switch places and we'll be the 'fendas.

Sound good?

On board wholeheartedly.

[Phonencia]

Alright. We'll have a small compound atop a hill in a rainforest with Aleckandor and Erucia guarding it. Meanwhile, me and my young ward (Johamlandia, I'll be calling him Joey from now on just to piss him off) will skulk around the jungle taking out enemy offensive forces and patrols until we work our way up to assault the actual position. Once we have a winner, we'll switch places and we'll be the 'fendas.

Sound good?

On board wholeheartedly.

Great! Start drawing a map of the compound

[Aleckandor]

On board wholeheartedly.

Great! Start drawing a map of the compound

On it right now.

[Aleckandor]

Map done. BLUFOR's Starting Point is a small square perimeter zone with a FOB on the western side of the river, while OPFOR's Base is on the eastern side. We should, for operational purposes, be referring to the area of the OPFOR Base as 'The Jellyfish', noting the shape of the jungle roads surrounding the central hill (which is the main objective that BLUFOR is out to capture). Note that there are four small isles along the length of the river, and that there are no available bridges to use (the water is, however, shallow enough for infantry to wade through).

[Phonencia]

*nods* It's acceptable


Unit size anyone? Company? Battalion?

[Erucia]

*nods* It's acceptable


Unit size anyone? Company? Battalion?

I would guess that units would be around Battalion size, since company might be a little small.

Another good idea might be to factor in different logistics requirements. Like for example, helicopters would need a place to refuel or would be launched from bases nearby the compound, there would be supply lines for both sides, etc.

Also, note on helicopters: I'm thinking that attack helicopters would be restricted to either single or paired units, while transport helicopters would be in slightly larger amounts.

[Aleckandor]

I agree with Erucia. For me, a single battalion and maybe plus a platoon or two should cut it.

On the subject of logistics and supply chain management, I think I could elaborate on how it could be worked out. Notice how on the map that there are just these roads meant for the Exercise? That there are no outward paths stretching out to other areas, correct?

Well, what I was thinking is that the issue of the supply lines for both sides can be solved by using helicopters airlifting materiel - arms, ammunition, comms, et cetera - from stockpiles (in cleared areas, obviously) located outside the Zone Of Engagement. When aforementioned supply choppers are inside the ZOE, I should note that they are able to be engaged by any hostile forces that may encounter them. For the duration of the exercise, each side should only have at least a limited number of up to 5 of these supply choppers entering and exiting the ZOE. If one gets 'shot down', you can't use that individual chopper anymore. If they're all 'shot down', that's the end of your supply line, and you'll be forced to continue the operation.

On the subject of the helicopters, I agree with Erucia that the attack heloes should only 1 or 2 in increment, as opposed to the transport/utility choppers that may come in, say, 4 to 7 in total.

EDIT: By the way, congrats to Erucia for reaching their 3000th Post.

[Erucia]

...EDIT: By the way, congrats to Erucia for reaching their 3000th Post.

Huh...Didn't notice that!

[Arthurista]

Is it too late to sign up?

Also, when I deploy light infantry battalions on their own, I tend to give them enough attached support to allow them to function as independent battlegroups, e.g. a battery of 105s. Would that be ok?

[Johamlandia]

So much information, so little time. So we got the info, we got the location, and we got the size of the units. Anything left to discuss?

[Phonencia]

Is it too late to sign up?

Also, when I deploy light infantry battalions on their own, I tend to give them enough attached support to allow them to function as independent battlegroups, e.g. a battery of 105s. Would that be ok?

No. You can have man-portable mortars.


PREPARE FOR BATTLE! Post your ORBATs now.

Remember, Battalion size, so no more than 1,000 men total. That's headquarters/support AND infantry.
Light vehicles will be allowed but much of the area will be impassable by anything other than infantry.

Now, one more question. Do we take the extra time to RP this as an exercise, or just RP it like it's a legit war (IE, Pvt. Jones fired off a burst that struck the enemy soldier in the chest, spraying red across the bushes as he fell) and just place a note at the beginning and end that says it's just a training exercise canon-wise?

[Erucia]

No. You can have man-portable mortars.


PREPARE FOR BATTLE! Post your ORBATs now.

Remember, Battalion size, so no more than 1,000 men total. That's headquarters/support AND infantry.
Light vehicles will be allowed but much of the area will be impassable by anything other than infantry.

Now, one more question. Do we take the extra time to RP this as an exercise, or just RP it like it's a legit war (IE, Pvt. Jones fired off a burst that struck the enemy soldier in the chest, spraying red across the bushes as he fell) and just place a note at the beginning and end that says it's just a training exercise canon-wise?

I would say that we RP as if it's a war, just to give off the feeling to it (e.g. the transport helicopter took a direct hit to the tail rotor from the Patriot, blasting off the rear half of the Puma and sending it spiraling down in flames = the Puma took a simulated hit from the SAM battery, removing it from play and forcing the pilot to leave the engagement zone). But, we should try and stress that it is an exercise during the beginning and such.

Should we work out specific roles and teams for countries?