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  <TITLE>Fulda Gap 4: Soviet Invasion</TITLE>
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       <B><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT SIZE="6">Fulda Gap 
       (Mission 4</FONT></FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT SIZE="6"><B>):
        </B></FONT></FONT><B><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT SIZE="6">Soviet
        Invasion</FONT></FONT></B></TD>
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   <FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>You are 
   the commander of the </B></FONT></FONT><B><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE">2
    Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment</FONT></FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>,
    </B></FONT></FONT><B><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE">screening
    the border between West and East Germany</FONT></FONT></B><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>.
    </B></FONT></FONT><B><FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE">The
    mass migration of East Germans through Czechoslovakia to Western 
   Europe has prompted hardliners in the Soviet government to mass huge 
   troop concentrations all along the Iron Curtain. Your squadron has 
   been ordered to the international border in anticipation of an 
   all-out invasion.</FONT></FONT></B></P>
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  <P>
   OPORD (Operations Order) 16-89<BR>
   11 ACR (BLACKHORSE)</P>
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  <P>
   1. SITUATION:</P>
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   <P>
    A. ENEMY FORCES:</P>
   <UL>
    <P>
     1. At 091900NOV89, G&uuml;nter Schabowski, the leader of East 
     Berlin's communist party (SED), announced that emigration from east 
     to west would begin on a limited basis. The announcement precipitated 
     civilians vic EAST BERLIN to begin demolition of the Berlin Wall. 
     This triggered reconnaissance infiltration across the Corps Sector. 
     Enemy artillery groups have moved up to the IB (international border) 
     and are now within range for offensive operations.</P>
    <P>
     2. VII Corps faces the 19th CAA (Combined Arms Army), a Soviet 
     frontline force. The enemy's mission is to attack NET 100600NOV89 to 
     seize FRANKFURT and facilitate the Red Army (West) attack to seize 
     the BRD (West Germany). He is positioned with two MRD's (Motorized 
     Rifle Divisions) abreast, the 173rd in the south, and the 171st in 
     the north. The 75th TD (Tank Division) forms the second divisional echelon.</P>
    <P>
     3. In our sector, the 173rd and 171st MRD (Motorized Rifle Division) 
     will attack NET 1000600NOV89 with six MRR's (Motorized Rifle 
     Regiments) abreast, (from North to south) the 156th, 157th, and 119th 
     in the 171st zone and the 315th, 316th and 223rd in the 173rd MRD's 
     zone. These MRR's are at 95% strength with approximately a 30 / 90 / 
     30 (thirty T-72S's/ T-80B's, ninety BTR-60PB's/ BMP-2's, and thirty 
     BRDM-2's with AT-5's). Each MRR has a RAG (Regimental Artillery Group 
     consisting of 1 BN of 2S1's at 18 tubes. The DAG (Division Artillery 
     Group) consists of 6 BN's of 2S3's and 3 BN's of BM-21's (pushed down 
     from the 19th CAA). Expect the 2S3's to be task organized to the six 
     MRR's evenly.</P>
    <P>
     2. The most likely course of action is that the enemy will attack 
     with 3 MRR's abreast along PL ARMAGEDDON. Each MRR will attack with 
     two MRB's (Motorized Rifle Battalions) abreast and one back, as the 
     exploitation force. Expect to see fixed wing sorties as the enemy 
     crosses PL SODOM and SOKOL (rotary-wing aircraft) protecting the 
     flanks of the enemy attack. The enemy may use non-persistent 
     chemicals on key terrain that he will not be passing through.</P>
    </UL>
   <P>
    B. FRIENDLY FORCES:</P>
   <UL>
    <P>
     1. Higher Mission. VII Corps defends in sector NET 100600NOV89 to 
     prevent penetration of the Corps rear boundary and destroy the 19th 
     CAA in order to maintain the IB (international border).</P>
    <P>
     2. To our left, the 18th Armored Corps (GER) defends in sector NET 
     100600NOV89 to prevent bypass of VII Corps (US) and protect the VII 
     Corps (US) left flank. There are no units to our right. To our rear 
     the, VII Corps first divisional echelon defends NET 101200NOV89 to 
     prevent penetration of the Corps rear boundary and destroy the 19th 
     CAA in order to maintain the IB (international border).</P>
    </UL>
   <P>
    C. WEATHER:</P>
   <UL>
    <P>
     1. Winds are expected to be out of the west at approximately 10 miles 
     per hour</P>
    <P>
     2. The hours of daylight are as follows. Before morning nautical 
     twilight (BMNT) will begin at 0606. Sunrise will be at 0706. Sunset 
     will be at 1745. Early evening nautical twilight (EENT) will end at 
     1835. Moonrise on the afternoon of 09NOV89 is at 1610. Illumination 
     will be at 90%. Moonset is at 0500.</P>
    </UL>
   </UL>
  <P>
   2. MISSION. 11 ACR (BLACKHORSE) guards the IB (International Border) 
   along PL ARMAGEDDON NET 100600NOV89 in order to destroy the 171st and 
   173rd MRD's and prevent penetration of the regimental rear boundary 
   for at least 6 hours in order to allow VII Corps to complete 
   preparations for a defense of FRANKFURT<FONT FACE="Times New Roman,Times,New York">.</FONT></P>
  <P>
   3. EXECUTION:</P>
  <UL>
   <P>
    A. COMMANDER'S INTENT.</P>
   <UL>
    <P>
     1. Key Tasks:</P>
    <UL>
     <P>
      a. Prevent penetration of the regimental rear boundary for at least 6 hours.</P>
     <P>
      b. Destroy the 171st and 173rd MRD's.</P>
     </UL>
    <P>
     <FONT FACE="Times New Roman,Times,New York">2. Endstate. 11 ACR 
     guarding along PL ARMAGEDDON with at least 1 squadron of combat power remaining.</FONT></P>
    </UL>
   <P>
    B. CONCEPT OF THE OPERATION.</P>
   <UL>
    <P>
     1. Maneuver. This operation will be conducted in 3 phases.</P>
    <UL>
     <P>
      a. Phase One. This phase begins at 100600NOV89. The 11 ACR guards 
      along PL ARMAGEDDON and destroys the first battalion echelons of the 
      171st and 173rd MRD's This phase ends with the destruction of the 
      first MRB echelon of the 171st and 173rd MRD's.</P>
     <P>
      b. Phase Two. This phase begins with the first MRB echelon of the 
      171st and 173rd MRD's destroyed. 11th ACR guards along PL ARMAGEDDON 
      to destroy second MRB echelons of the 171st and 173rd MRD's. This 
      phase ends with the 171st and 173rd MRD's destroyed.</P>
     <P>
      c. Phase Three.</P>
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      <P>
       <FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>&lt;paragraph
        omitted&gt;</B></FONT></FONT></P>
      </UL>
     </UL>
    <P>
     2. Fires. The commander's intent for fires is to weight the initial 
     main effort, 2nd Squadron with 155mm SP fires from 3-18 FA (DS, 155mm 
     SP) and fixed wing aircraft (4 X A-10 Thunderbolt). The Corps GS 
     assets are too far back to provide fires in support of our guard.</P>
    <P>
     3. Tasks to Subordinate Units. See Appendix C for Task Organization.</P>
    <UL>
     <P>
      a. 1st Squadron.</P>
     <UL>
      <P>
       <FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>&lt;paragraph
        omitted&gt;</B></FONT></FONT></P>
      </UL>
     <P>
      b. 2nd Squadron.</P>
     <UL>
      <P>
       1. Destroy the 315th MRR.</P>
      <P>
       2. Prevent penetration of squadron rear boundary.</P>
      </UL>
     <P>
      c. 3rd Squadron.</P>
     <UL>
      <P>
       <FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>&lt;paragraph
        omitted&gt;</B></FONT></FONT></P>
      </UL>
     <P>
      d. 4th (Aviation) Squadron.</P>
     <UL>
      <P>
       <FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>&lt;paragraph
        omitted&gt;</B></FONT></FONT></P>
      <P>
       2. Provide 1 AHT (Attack Helicopter Troop) to 2nd Squadron.</P>
      <P>
       <FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>&lt;paragraph
        omitted&gt;</B></FONT></FONT></P>
      </UL>
     </UL>
    <P>
     4. Coordinating instructions.</P>
    <UL>
     <P>
      a. The limit of advance for all elements is initially PL ARMAGEDDON. 
      Should the enemy cross the IB (international border, PL ARMAGEDDON) 
      with more than a platoon of combat vehicles (defined as tanks, APC's, 
      or anti-tank platforms), the LOA is no longer in effect.</P>
     <P>
      b. No fixed wing sorties or indirect fires are authorized across PL 
      ARMAGEDDON unless and until the enemy crosses the IB (international 
      border, PL ARMAGEDDON) with more than a platoon of combat vehicles 
      (defined as tanks, APC's, or anti-tank platforms).</P>
     <P>
      c. Indirect fire inside population centers (any area indicated as 
      Urban Level 1 or higher) is not authorized. Direct fire inside 
      population centers is authorized only on positively identified targets.</P>
     <P>
      d. PIR</P>
     <UL>
      <P>
       <FONT FACE="Arial,Helvetica,Monaco"><FONT COLOR="OLIVE"><B>&lt;paragraph
        omitted&gt;</B></FONT></FONT></P>
      </UL>
     </UL>
    </UL>
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   4. SERVICE SUPPORT. There will no resupply of any class of supply 
   until mission completion.</P>
  <P>
   5. COMMAND AND SIGNAL.</P>
  <UL>
   <P>
    A. Succession of command is per SOP</P>
   <P>
    B. Current SOI is in effect.</P>
   <P>
    C. Should the regiment be overrun, the rally point is vic FRANKFURT, 
    HWY 45.
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