Tactical Tuesday with Modern Milsim
Tactical Tuesday is the podcast where we discuss in detail the application of a broad spectrum of actual military (and in some cases law enforcement) tactics to Military Simulation (MILSIM) operations. Our goal is to assist players in formulating more efficient tactics, techniques and procedures that will make them more effective on the MILSIM battlefield.
Tactical Tuesday with Modern Milsim
Tactical Tuesday Episode Twelve - Raids: Hitting Them Where it Hurts
In this episode of Tactical Tuesday with Modern Milsim, we discuss raids and their use on the the MILSIM battlefield. Specifically, we discuss:
- Definition of Raids (0:53)
- Fundamentals of a Successful Raid (1:21)
- Elements of a Raid Patrol (3:14):
- Planning and Preparation for a Raid (7:14)
- Conducting a Raid (8:50)
- Actions on the Target Objective (12:03)
- Defending Against a Raid (14:44)
- and more.
A new episode of Tactical Tuesdays is uploaded on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
SHOW LINKS/RESOURCES
To learn more about Craig White click HERE.
To find “From Alpha to Omega, A Milsim Tactical Primer and Training Manual” : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FZ57B23/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
To find “From Insertion to Extraction: Advanced MILSIM CQB Tactics, Techniques and Procedures” : https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07THX1CFT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
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You can also find “From Alpha to Omega, A Milsim Tactical Primer and Training Manual” and “From Insertion to Extraction: Advanced MILSIM CQB Tactics, Techniques and Procedures” at Amazon.com.
TACTICAL TUESDAY WITH MODERN MILSIM - EPISODE 12 TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to another episode of Tactical Tuesday with Modern MILSIM. Through this podcast, we will bring you real world tactics, techniques, and procedures that will enable you to succeed on the MILSIM battlefield. It's time to make ready.
Hello, and welcome to episode twelve of Tactical Tuesday with Modern MILSIM. As always, I'm your host, Craig White. Thank you for being here. Now, today we're going to talk about tactics, techniques, and procedures for conducting raids. So let's get to it.
Army training publication 3-21.08 defines raids as surprise attacks against a position or installation for a specific purpose other than seizing and holding the train. It is conducted to destroy a position or installation, to destroy or capture enemy soldiers or equipment, or to free prisoners. A raid patrol retains terrain just long enough to accomplish the intent of the raid. A raid always ends with a planned withdrawal off of the objective and to return to its parent unit.
Now, the fundamentals of a successful raid include 1. Surprise and speed. Elements of the raid must infiltrate and surprise the enemy without initially being detected. 2. Coordinated fires. The raiding force must seal off the target objective with well synchronized direct and indirect fires. 3. Violence of action. The raiding force must overwhelm the enemy with fire and maneuver. And then finally, four, planned withdrawal. As indicated earlier, the raiding force withdraws from the target objective in an organized manner while maintaining security.
Now, there are many reasons to conduct a raid, including destruction of enemy equipment or facilities, temporary seizure of key terrain, gathering intelligence of strategic and or operational importance, securing hostages or prisoners, creating confusion or surprise of the enemy or disruption of its plans, and creation of windows of opportunity for other friendly forces.
A raid is a form of combat patrol. As such, the raided patrol leaves its parent unit, moves to the operational rally point, also known as the ORP, through a series of in route rally points. Once the operational rally point is established by the patrol, the elements of the raid depart the ORP to conduct the raid against the target objective.
There are also several differences between an attack and a raid. Typically, raids involve more planning, including specific infill and exfil route plans, than a typical attack. This additional planning is necessary because raids are typically executed by a smaller unit behind enemy lines and beyond the range of support from the raiding force's parent unit.
Raids also tend to be more surgical than a general attack. Typically, raids are conducted by platoon sized units. However, larger raids can involve other platoons that conducts screen, guard, or cover security missions in support of the actual raid.
So now let's talk about the elements of a raid patrol. The raid consists of the same structure of elements as the ambush. There is a support, assault, and security element. The principal difference between the ambush and a raid is that a raid is conducted on established stationary targets at a time determined by the raiding force. In contrast, an ambush is conducted against a moving or temporarily halted enemy or target at a time that is determined by the enemy. In other words, the enemy has to move into the kill zone before an ambush is initiated. To learn more about patrolling and ambushes, listen to episodes 8 and 11 of this podcast.
As with all combat patrols, the Raiding Force Officer in Charge, or OIC, needs to task organize the members of each element based on the task and purpose of the raid.
For example, if the purpose of the raid is to destroy a particular facility, The assault element needs to be organized around a demolition team. If the purpose of the raid is to capture an enemy leader or other high value target, the assault element needs to incorporate a grab/snatch team.
Similarly, if there is a greater chance that any reinforcements to the raid objective may be mechanized, security elements should have significant anti-tank capability. One other thing that is different between an ambush and a raid is that the support element of the raid includes multiple crew served weapons such as tripod mounted, general purpose machine guns, or heavy machine guns such as the M2 or the Dushka.
The security element is most commonly deployed in teams on the left, right, and on occasion the rear of the raiding formation as it is being deployed around the target objective. The purpose of the security element is to isolate the target, to prevent the enemy from reinforcing the target, to prevent the escape of enemy from the target objective and to cover the withdrawal of support and assault elements to the ORP.
The security element usually consists of riflemen and SAW gunners. On occasion, members of security teams may also possess limited anti-tank capability. The security element shoots only if detected, on order of the OIC, to prevent enemy escape from the objective, and/or to prevent enemy reinforcement of the objective.
The support element is typically deployed near the center of the raiding formation. In such a manner that its members have clear observation in fields of fire on the target objective, the support element typically consists of heavier, mass casualty producing weapon operators, including support gunners, grenadiers, and anti-tank weapon operators.
The primary purpose of the support element is to provide a high volume of fire to not only inflict as many enemy casualties at the target objective as possible but also to surprise and shock the enemy into being largely combat ineffective. This will help ensure the success of the assault team in completing its mission.
Now, keep in mind that the support element can be divided into one or more teams, depending on the task and purpose of the raid. Typically, the support element will not only initiate the raid by initiating suppressing fire on the enemy, but will move support teams to support by fire or blocking positions to isolate the target objective from the surrounding terrain. Doing so helps set up the assault team for mission success by limiting and/or cutting off enemy avenues of approach into the target objective. The support elements also cover the withdrawal of the assault element. After conditions for mission success have been met, the assault element is deployed as closely to the target objective as possible, as stealthy as coordinated fire support will allow.
Although it may have special equipment, the assault element members are typically armed with rifles, some machine guns, and other small arms. The assault element is responsible for accomplishing the raid's mission. Because they are assaulting through the target objective, the members of the assault team are the most exposed and least armed element of the raid.
The assault element can also include specialty teams including demolition teams, snatch/grab teams, sensitive site exploitation, or SSE teams, and/or Explosive Ordnance Disposal, also known as EOD teams. Speed, surprise, and violence of action are essential to the success of a raid. Because the enemy will likely have reinforcements in the immediate vicinity of the target objective, that increases the risk inherent with the raid operation itself, a raid is often conducted under severe time restraints.
The raiding force needs to accomplish its mission and to withdraw before the enemy can react. As such, surprise and violence of action are critical to mission success. The enemy located at the target objective must be rendered largely combat ineffective at least until the raiding force can withdraw to the ORP. Immediate and overwhelming superiority of fire combined with surprise will likely stun the enemy and lead them to believe that the raiding force is much larger than it actually is. To maximize surprise, A raiding force will preferably initiate the raid in darkness or some other time when visibility is limited.
In addition, the raid should be initiated from an unexpected avenue of approach, such as from seemingly impassable terrain. Obviously, selecting the avenue of approach for a raid entails significant terrain analysis and intelligence preparation of the battlefield.
Now, one essential element of planning a successful raid is the proper use of radios and a comms plan. In most platoons, the platoon leader, platoon sergeant, and each of the squad leaders will already have radios. For a raid, the OIC, or platoon leader, must ensure that the left and right security team, along with the rear security/observation and surveillance teams, have radios. The assault or support elements will also have radios by virtue of the fact that the OIC that is leading one of them will have a radio.
The other element will also have a radio because it is being led by the 2IC. Setting up comms in this manner helps to ensure mission success for the raid. Now let's talk about conducting the raid. After infiltrating into enemy territory and properly occupying the ORP, The OIC, a two man security team and the leader of either the assault or the support element that is not being led by the OIC of the raiding force, will conduct a leader's recon of the target objective.
During the leader's recon, the OIC will emplace the security team in such a manner that they can maintain constant observation on the objective to ensure the target remains present and that enemy reinforcements do not arrive at the target objective. The location of the security team, also known as the observation and surveillance team will later act as the release point for the raiding force.
It is important to note that the surveillance and observation team, also known as the S&O team conducts a SLLS check, S L L S check immediately upon reaching the release point. The S&O team must always have eyes on the target objective. At the completion of the OIC's recon, he returns to the ORP to form up the remainder of the raiding force to move out to the target objective.
The OIC leads the raid formation to the release point in the following order. The OIC leads as the point man of the formation, followed by the security element, the support element and then the assault element Upon reaching the release point and confirming with the S&O team that there has been no significant changes at the target objective, the raiding force releases the security teams to take their pre assigned positions for the attack. Unlike with an ambush, the raid OIC does not accompany the security element teams to their position. The security teams take positions that will provide them with good observation and fields of fire on the avenues of approach from each side of the objective.
Prior to execution of the raid, the left and right security teams provide early warnings should the enemy attempt to move reinforcements onto the objective. Once the raid kicks off, the left and right security teams cordon off and isolate the objective from enemy forces entering or leaving it. The Raiding Force OIC then releases the Support Team followed by the Assault Team.
Typically, the OIC will lead one of these elements with his 2IC leading the other one. All elements of the Raiding Force must be given sufficient time to move into position before commencing the raid. The Support Element establishes one or more support by fire positions from which to initiate the raid.
This support by fire position must have eyes on the objective and is critical to protecting the assault element if things go south. If the assault element is compromised, the support element can immediately place effective suppressing fire on the objective so as to allow the assault element to break contact and withdraw.
The assault element moves into a concealed position that is near enough to the target objective that it can immediately assault through it. Each of the raid's elements check in by radio once they reach their assigned positions. Once in position, elements of the raid maintain their position until the signal to commence firing or to withdraw from the objective is given.
Once the signal is given to commence firing, every member of the support element immediately opens fire on the objective. Failure to immediately suppress the enemy and allow the enemy to gain the initiative will likely result in mission failure and probable destruction of the raiding force. Failure to gain immediate fire superiority that physically and psychologically overwhelms the defending enemy is often fatal to the raid's mission.
Security teams should prioritize their fire against enemy attempting to either reinforce the target objective or trying to escape from it. While the support element is providing suppressive fire on the objective, The assault element holds fire and moves to its last concealed and covered position.
After effectively suppressing the objective, the OIC signals the support element to lift or shift fire. At this point, the assault element leaves its last concealed and covered position and assaults through the target objective in buddy pairs to secure the far side of the objective. After the objective is secure, any specialty teams will conduct their mission task.
Once the specialty teams have completed their assigned task, their respective leaders advise the Raid OIC of that fact. At that point, the Raid OIC gives a series of three signals. The first notifies the assault element to fall back through the release point and to the ORP. The second signal notifies the support element to do the same.
Finally, the third signal notifies the security teams to fall back through their designated routes to the ORP. Once all of the elements of the raid have returned to the ORP, the raid OIC reconsolidates and reorganizes the force back into its patrol and moves back to its parent unit.
So as you can see, raids are hit and run affairs. They strike a specific location for a specific task, completes that task, and then withdraws before the enemy can effectively react. Because raids are conducted by smaller units and often against objectives behind enemy lines. They are at greater risk of destruction by larger enemy units either enroute to the target objective or by enemy forces already on the objective.
As such, it is critical for the raiding force to move quickly, use massed, accurate fire to overwhelm the enemy, on and immediately surrounding the objective, and to complete the mission and withdraw before the enemy can react. Because raids often involve many moving parts in a small area during a very short period of time, there is a significant risk of fratricide, hence the need for significant planning prior to executing the raid.
The OIC must make sure that the various teams, including the support and assault elements, are de-conflicted from each other. This is typically achieved through control measures implemented during planning. So how do you effectively defend against a raid? Besides establishing a defense in depth, the defending force needs to use counter patrolling to detect the enemy raid, preferably before the elements of the raid are in position to execute it.
Patrols should not only be sent to keep avenues of approach to a potential target clear, but to also clear potential support by fire positions near potential raid targets. The point of these efforts is to compromise one or more of the raid elements, preferably the support and assault elements, before they are in position.
Again, a raid relies on speed, surprise, and violence of action. If you deny the enemy any of these three, the chances of its success are greatly reduced. Use of platoon or larger quick reaction force is also effective in disrupting an enemy raid. Such a force can quickly move to the target objective and reinforce friendly forces at it. Finally, fortifying the objective and properly manning it, in other words, making it a hard target, facilitates in its defense.
Now, next week, we're going to discuss tactics, techniques, and procedures for dealing with danger areas. If you have any topics you would like to see covered in future episodes of Tactical Tuesday, please let us know by posting it on the Modern Milsim Facebook page. If it's not one of the topics we are already planning to cover, we will likely add it to our ever growing topic list.
If you like this podcast, please subscribe to it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, as well as many other podcast directories. As always, thank you for your support, and I'll see you in our next episode. See you then.
To our listeners out there, thank you for tuning in and I look forward to providing you with new episodes every two weeks. If you like what you're hearing on this podcast, please subscribe and provide us with a review. We want to know what you like and how we can improve. You can also contact us on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/ModernMilSim with any suggestions you may have. In our next episode of Tactical Tuesday, we will discuss tactics, techniques, and procedures for addressing danger areas on the milsim battlefield.
If you want to know more about application of real world tactics, techniques and procedures to MilSim, please check out From Alpha to Omega: a Milsim Tactical Primer and Training Manual, as well as From Insertion to Extraction: Advanced CQB Tactics, Techniques and Procedures. Both books are available at Amazon.com. As always, thank you for your support, and I'll see you at our next installment of Tactical Tuesday.
