Wargame Articles

Modern Warfare: the Battle for the Green Zone by Thomas Atkins

The following account is of one such battle. Of course, as Sir Harry Flashman says in the Flashman series of novels, 'it is easy to criticise if you were not there and you were not in command'.

The assault was led by one platoon of the Queen's Company and 200 Afghan Army (A.A.) with the rest of the Queen's company in support. The company had suffered 6 casualties in the previous two weeks, with 2 dead (3% casualties per week).

The aim was take a section of the Taliban heartland in Helmand province. The area adjacent to the Helmand River is called the 'Green Zone' due to its lush, almost jungle like nature.

Ground a patchwork of fields, farms, farm buildings, thick 'jungle' hedge lines, where the main crop is opium. The ground provided excellent cover. Hence it is rare to see the Taliban.

Contact! The AA radio was on the same channel as the Taliban, hence the AA realised the Taliban were attacking the British led advance.

The firefight was initiated by the AA army firing an RPG at the Taliban advance. This was a poor tactic; it would have been better if the British platoon and lined up and opened fire with the hope of hitting some of the enemy before they went to ground.

Between 40 and 60 Taliban return fire with automatic weapons and several HMGs.

The Taliban attempted to outflank the advance (common tactic due to the absence of continuous front lines).

Assault v compound British Apachie Helo arrives to support assault on compound, but failure of communications means the British OC is calling an airstrike as the AA are kicking in the compound walls. The helo misses the compound, but causes 6 AA casualties.

The AA CO calls up the British CO and says the immortal words, "What the F*** are you British doing. You are giving me a headache". Fortunately for the AA, the Apachie has run out ammo.

British advance to compound. CSM goes mad at British poor field craft. He reminds them to lie down at all times when bullets are flying.

The British assault house, not using grenades, which is fortunate for the Afghan family (local farmers) sheltering in their farm house.

Wining the Firefight The British are pinned down in the compound until H+3 hours. The AA loose fire control discipline, waste ammunition, therefore run short of ammo.

British mortars fire in support and land 100 metres away (the fragmentation flies over ahead).

During the 2 hour bombardment (unil H+5), more ammunition arrives, casualties are taken to the rear.

Several attempts to advance from the compound are stopped literally at the front door by the weight of Taliban fire.

At H+7 the British OC calls in an airstrike from an American plan and requests a 500lb bomb 100 m to the front of the compound to break the Taliban position. The first bomb misses, the OC orders the plane to try again, but it misses by ½ mile (which shows that American pilots have more common sense than platoon commanders. A 500 lb bomb landing at 100 m away could have destroyed the British platoon).

At H+7 + 10 minutes CSM (senior NCO) stands on flat roof of farmhouse compound and directs the combined fire of the British GPMGs. As he can now see, the British fire, inspired by his courage, finally puts down accurate sustained fire on the Taliban positions. They are silenced one by one. The firefight is won.

Advance Resumes The British fire and manoeuvre 100 m to the front, but the Taliban retreat and break contact. There is no pursuit of the Taliban as the British and AA are exhausted. No reserves are available to carry on the pursuit.

The Afghan battalion is left holding the new front line. A new Afghan Battalion arrives to hold the new front line

Aftermath 7 grenadiers were casualties (23%), unknown number of AA and Taliban.

The British have a 2 hour walk back to their base (no transport available). During this walk, they hear on the radio that the Taliban have counter-attacked and retaken the compound at the centre of the day's fighting.

The intelligence intercepts said the Taliban radio said they had 40 dead, but the remaining 20 would fight on. The remaining '20' then ambushed the fresh Afghan Battalion moving to take over the ground won during the day's battle. Goes to show you should not believe everything you hear on the radio.

Analysis

(1) The friendly forces are too small to win decisive victories.

(2) Civilians will get killed as the battles are over the landscape they live and work in.

(3) The UK forces lack transport, mortars, artillery and air-support. They are fighting the war on a budget.

The Future There has been a 30% increase in skirmishes in 2007 over the 2006 figure. There are now 550 'violent incidents' per month in Afghanistan.