Tactical Decision Game #1

You are the leader of a Marine rifle platoon attached to a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), embarked with an Amphibious Ready Group in the Caribbean Sea. Your combined task force is on patrol in an attempt to eliminate a recent surge in pirate activity in the region. Intelligence from several captured pirates has led the ARG to the vicinity of the small island of Saint Michelle, a former French holding. Satellite imaging indicates a large pirate force based on the island, and the detainees describe an indifferent attitude from the local population; although the locals are Roman Catholic, the pirate leaders funnel money into the local economy. The island itself is small, with one natural harbor, cliffs on the majority of the shoreline, and a lengthy beach stretching from the northwest to southeast corners of the island.

Your platoon is tasked with a night raid on the docks in the only harbor in Saint Michelle. As most trade shipments arrive on the docks in the village of Kipton, the docks in the harbor are used almost exclusively by the pirates, save for a couple of fishing boats. Satellite images show four large patrol boats and eight speed boats armed with mounted machine guns, small arms, and rocket-propelled grenades. The speed boats are normally crewed by four pirates, the patrol boats by eight, plus two flotilla commanders. These crews are housed in tents near the docks, but their crews are reported to be drunk most nights. In addition, the docks are guarded and crewed by a team of four, armed primarily with AK-47 assault rifles.

The harbor is guarded additionally by a hilltop defense post, and the entire harbor is visible from a command post on a hill on the northwest end of the harbor. Pirate reinforcements can be deployed quickly from the harbor defense post, but reinforcements from the command post must take a long double-back route, and must cross a bridge on the trail to the docks. The total number of pirates based on Saint Michelle is estimated at 150, but their locations are fluid, and the concentration of available reinforcements is unavailable at the time of your departure from the ARG.

You are in command of a standard rifle platoon supported by an attached heavy weapons squad (two M240G machine guns) and a two man sniper team (shooter and spotter). You complete your insertion using inflated Zodiac boats and quietly make your way to the docks, leaving a four man fire team to guard the Zodiacs. Your objective is to destroy seventy-five percent of the pirate boats, including three of the four patrol boats. Rules of engagement require no civilian deaths. Your mission is the only one being carried out by the MEU(SOC) at this point, so your unit has priority assistance from two AH-1W Cobra gunships; however, your Commanding Officer has made it clear that this option is a last resort, as political considerations require a surgical strike on pirate assets.

As you reach sight of the objective area, you receive a call on your radio from the sentry squad you left with the Zodiacs. The squad leader informs you that an apparent pirate and a local woman are walking down the beach, and may discover your beached rafts within ten minutes. If you are discovered, reinforcements are likely to be dispatched to defend the docks.

What now, Lieutenant? I need to know:

A specific course of action

Deployment scheme for all units

A withdrawal plan

You have twenty-four hours to submit your answers, either in comments or through E-Mail. Questions can be referred either to me, or to Global Security's military information section. I look forward to reading your responses. The best solution will receive a yet to be determined prize; bonus points if you can identify the origin of the map.