Starts on: 04/11/21
Ends on: No value
Deployable Units:
2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Spartans"
Alpha Company, First Battalion 30th Infantry Reg, 3rd Infantry Division
3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division
Coalition Support elements (US Forces)
Territory Name: Mopti is the fifth administrative region of Mali, covering 79,017 km2. Its capital is the city of Mopti. During the 2012 Northern Mali conflict, the frontier between Southern Mali which is controlled by the central government and the rebel-held North ran through the Mopti Region.
Territory Intel: Mopti is the fifth administrative region of Mali. The population in the 2009 census was 2,037,330. The region contains a number of ethnic groups, including Bozo, Songhai, Dogon, Fulani, Malinke, and Bambara.
The Niger River crosses the region, and is joined by the Bani, an important tributary, at the city of Mopti.
The region is separated into several areas: the Inland Niger Delta around Mopti, the Bandiagara cliffs and the plain of Bankass along the Burkina Faso frontier. Mount Hombori, the highest point in Mali at 1153 meters, is in the Mopti Region, near the city of the same name.
The Mopti region is known to be one of the last strong bastions of African terrorist groups. With its dense jungle, empty flat desert area and mountain plateau, the diversity of the terrain makes it a difficult terrain to navigate and fight on. Many small villages are dispersed all around the area, making it a perfect place to hide assets. It will be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Spartans" will be deployed in the Agadez region first. In order to help and consolidate the Agadez Airbase. Once the Airbase is out of danger, 3rd Infantry Division “Spartans” will be redeployed to the Mopti region in order to secure the region.
Territory Factcheck:
N'Djenahoud
400 km² of sand, rocks and nature.
Based on real word area in the "Ennedi Massif".
Kujari
Size: 16km x 16km
Gridsize: 2048x2048
Cellsize: 4
20 km long River
Two uncovered sand airfields
50 villages
1.7 million objects placed (all placed with MapBuilder)
Background Timeline
Early 1990s: War of independence for northern Mali
In the early 1990s Tuareg and Arab nomads formed the People's Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MPA) and declared war for independence of the northern part of Mali.
Despite peace agreements with the government of Mali in 1991 and 1995 a growing dissatisfaction among the former Tuareg fighters, who had been integrated into the Military of Mali, led to new fighting in 2007.
Despite historically having difficulty maintaining alliances between secular and Islamist factions the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad allied itself with the Islamist groups Ansar Dine and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and began the 2012 Northern Mali conflict.
January - April 2012: Tuareg Rebellion
From January to April 2012, a war was waged against the Malian government by rebels with the goal of attaining independence for the northern region of Mali, known as Azawad.
It was led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) and was part of a series of insurgencies by traditionally nomadic Tuaregs which date back at least to 1916.
The MNLA was formed by former insurgents and a significant number of heavily armed Tuaregs who fought in the Libyan Civil War.
June - November 2012: Islamist-nationalist conflict
Both the Islamists and MNLA formed an alliance in combating the Malian government. An internal conflict sprung up over the imposing of sharia law in the new state and the MNLA is distancing itself from the coalition to a democratic state.
Islamists gained popularity amongst anti-Tuareg tribes that helped it overthrow MNLA authority in Gao. Both sides clashed repeatedly leading to the Battle of Gao, where the MNLA was driven from the North's two main cities, Gao and Timbuktu.
The MNLA soon lost all of its strongholds in the North in a matter of months.
January 2013: Foreign Intervention
Following requests from both the Mali government and ECOWAS for foreign military intervention, on 12 October 2012 the United Nations Security Council unanimously, under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, passed a French resolution approving an African-led force to assist the army of Mali in combating the Islamist militants.
The resolution gave 45 days for "detailed and actionable recommendations" for a military intervention which would be drafted by ECOWAS and the African Union, with a figure of 3,000 proposed troops reported.
Islamist and Tuareg forces were reported to have retreated to the Adrar des Ifoghas, rugged badlands in northeastern Mali. Knowledge of and control over local sources of water is expected to play a vital role in the continuing conflict in that area.
The conflict began it’s Guerrilla phase.
A peace deal between the government and Tuareg rebels was signed on 18 June 2013.
September 2013: End of the ceasefire
The MNLA ended the ceasefire in September of the same year after government forces opened fire on unarmed protesters.
Following the attack, MNLA vice-president Mahamadou Djeri Maiga remarked: "What happened is a declaration of war. We will deliver this war. Wherever we find the Malian army we will launch the assault against them. It will be automatic. The warnings are over."
One of the MNLA's founders, Attaye Ag Mohamed, was also quoted as saying that the "political and military wings of the Azawad" had declared "the lifting of the ceasefire with the central government"
In the first half of 2018, there was an increase in rebel attacks. As of July 2018, northern Mali was largely out of government control.
2021: French withdrawal from the Mopti region and the Agadez attack.
The situation in central Africa has been tense for the last 20 years, War chiefs and rebels have been fighting over territories, contesting the local forces and authorities. Worse, a lot of those War Chiefs and rebels became terrorist Islamist groups, pledging allegiance to Al-Qaïda or ISIS. France tried to help Sahel’s countries, but with a high number of losses and a conflict everlasting, they quickly lowered the numbers of deployed personnel there, leaving a vast area out of control.
The US has a history of having troops deployed in Africa, but mostly on the “Horn of Africa”, in Somalia and in Djibouti. Nevertheless, the United States helped France during operation Barkhane, offering no less than 800 US military personnel to work toward building a drone base in Agadez, and also deployed Green Berets to train local armies.
With the withdrawal of French troops, the local terrorist groups got a boost in confidence, launching an armed assault on the not-yet finished drone base of Agadez, killing 15 US personnel in the attack. Drone Reports also state that at least 2 US personnel have been taken hostage and have been sent to central Mali.
US President Joe Biden, freshly introduced into his mandate, stated that this attack is an attack against the United States, and toward a free world. Needless to say that the 46th president needs to affirm his position with this attack, and cannot stay passive. He ordered the deployment of a force in central Africa, and negotiated an area of operation in central Mali, where the now withdrawn french forces were previously deployed.
The Secretary of Defense dispatched more resources to the U.S. AFRICOM, and tasked it to enter direct combat with local Islamist and rebel groups, including Al-Qaïda, ISIS and Boko Haram. General Stephen J. Townsend said that “the life of the two hostages is of utmost importance and saving them is a top priority”. He also stated that terrorist groups in the area will be hunted in order to free the population of the actions of local terrorist groups.
2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Spartans" will be deployed in the Mopti region, where the two hostages were last sighted. The Report also states the presence of multiple leaders of different Islamist groups. With the weakening foreign military presence in the region, Al-Qaïda and ISIS made a truce.
The Mopti region is known to be one of the last strong bastions of African terrorist groups. With its dense jungle and empty flat desert area, the duality of the terrain makes it a difficult terrain to navigate and fight on. Many small villages are dispersed all around the area, making it a perfect place to hide assets. It will be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Main Story Line
On 11Apr2021 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Spartans" will be deployed to Niger. First, to the Agadez region in order to reinforce the area and secure the airbase. They are part of the quick reaction force (QRF) attached to the AFRICOM for the operation Silver Guardian. With the taking of two US hostages, and the death of 15 US Army personnel, the secretary of defense decided to launch an offensive to help European powers already deployed, and to retrieve hostages. Once the Agadez air base and its vicinity is secured, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Spartans" will be redeployed to the Mopti region, in central Mali, where most of the fighting takes place.
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Starts on: 01/30/20
Ends on: 12/20/20
Operation Thin Ice
Deployable Units:
2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division "Spartans"
Alpha Company, First Battalion 30th Infantry Reg, 3rd Infantry Division
3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division
Coalition Support elements (ANDSF, US Forces)
Territory Name: Diyala is a province in Iraq located in the NW of Baghdad, extending to the border with Iran. This location saw intense fighting in the second Gulf War, and has been an epicenter of conflict between 2006 and 2008.
Territory Intel: Diyala is a province in Iraq. Since 2006, Diyala has served as the stronghold of Al Queda in Iraq. It boasts the tallest radio antenna in Iraq, and serves as a central media hub for Islamic propaganda and state-controlled media. It has a population of nearly 1.2M people, dominated the Shia and Sunni faiths. In 2008, US-led coalition forces, primarily comprised of the Iraqi Army, seized control of the province and stuffed out all remaining insurgent fighters. In 2012, Iranian-backed Qud’s Forces began operations within Diyala in order to control the media centers and boost support of Shia dominance in the area. Reports suggest that there is a significant threat of Qud-supported organizations operating from Diyala into the neighboring provinces. The fear is that Iranian control in there area will provide a strategic route into Iraq to supply further Quds destabilization operations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diyala_Governorate
https://www.google.it/maps/place/Diyala,+Irak/@33.9507589,45.5347153,9z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x15561c753edcdbf9:0xec1dc207253b450f
Territory Factcheck:
Size: 8,192 x 8,192 Km
Gridsize: 2048x2048
Cellsize: 4
Real Terraindata, Satimage, Roadnetwork, Elevationdata
Satimage: 16384 x 16384px.
10 different groundsurfaces
8 km long River
Ponds
irrigation canals
big Airport
some cities
many villages
525.000 Objects placed (all placed with MapBuilder)
Development time about 180-365 days
Background Timeline
1979: Iranian revolution
The US-backed Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlevi, is forced to leave the country on 16 January following months of demonstrations and strikes against his rule by secular and religious opponents.
Two weeks later, Islamic religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini returns from exile. Following a referendum, the Islamic Republic of Iran is proclaimed on 1 April.
1979-81: US Embassy hostage crisis
The US embassy in Tehran is seized by protesters in November 1979 and American hostages are held inside for 444 days. The final 52 hostages are freed in January 1981, the day of US President Ronald Reagan's inauguration.
Another six Americans who had escaped the embassy are smuggled out of Iran by a team posing as film-makers, in events dramatised in the 2012 Oscar-winning film Argo.
1985-86: Iran-Contra scandal
The US secretly ships weapons to Iran, allegedly in exchange for Tehran's help in freeing US hostages held by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
The profits are illegally channelled to rebels in Nicaragua, creating a political crisis for Reagan.
1988: Iranian passenger plane shot down
The American warship USS Vincennes shoots down an Iran Air flight in the Gulf on 3 July, killing all 290 people on board. The US says the Airbus A300 was mistaken for a fighter jet.
Most of the victims are Iranian pilgrims on their way to Mecca.
2002: 'Axis of evil'
In his State of the Union address, President George Bush denounces Iran as part of an "axis of evil" with Iraq and North Korea. The speech causes outrage in Iran.
2000s: Nuclear fears and sanctions
In 2002 an Iranian opposition group reveals that Iran is developing nuclear facilities including a uranium enrichment plant.
The US accuses Iran of a clandestine nuclear weapons programme, which Iran denies. A decade of diplomatic activity and intermittent Iranian engagement with the UN's nuclear watchdog follows.
But several rounds of sanctions are imposed by the UN, the US and the EU against ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government. This causes Iran's currency to lose two-thirds of its value in two years.
2013-2016: Closer ties, and a nuclear deal
In September 2013, a month after Iran's new moderate president Hassan Rouhani takes office, he and US President Barack Obama speak by phone - the first such top-level conversation in more than 30 years.
Then in 2015, after a flurry of diplomatic activity, Iran agrees a long-term deal on its nuclear programme with a group of world powers known as the P5+1 - the US, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany.
Under the accord, Iran agrees to limit its sensitive nuclear activities and allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.
2019: Tension in the Gulf
In May 2018, US President Donald Trump abandons the nuclear deal, before reinstating economic sanctions against Iran and threatening to do the same to countries and firms that continue buying its oil. Iran's economy falls into a deep recession.
Relations between the US and Iran worsen in May 2019, when the US tightens the sanctions targeting Iran's oil exports. In response, Iran begins a counter-pressure campaign.
In May and June 2019, explosions hit six oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, and the US accuses Iran.
On 20 June, Iranian forces shoot down a US military drone over the Strait of Hormuz. The US says it was over international waters, but Iran says it is over their territory.
Iran begins rolling back key commitments under the nuclear deal in July.
2020: Qasem Soleimani assassination
On 3 January 2020, Iran's top military commander, Gen Qasem Soleimani, is killed by a US drone strike in Iraq. Iran vows "severe revenge" for his death and pulls back from the 2015 nuclear accord.
Main Story Line
On 06Jan2020 roughly 4,000 troops of the 1st brigade combat team of the 82nd Airborne Division based out of Fort Bragg, N.C., have deployed to parts of Kuwait and Iraq. They are part of the division’s global response force, kept on standby for particular emergencies. A senior United States military officer said the deployment of the 82nd Airborne paratroopers and other ground forces was defensive, meant to position more troops in the Middle East who could be quickly deployed to defend or reinforce American embassies, consulates and military bases. The deployment comes in the wake of five U.S. airstrikes on Sunday Dec 29th, 2019, that targeted an Iran-backed militia known as Kata’ib Hizbollah — a group U.S. officials have blamed for a recent spate of rocket attacks against Iraqi bases housing coalition troops. 12JAN2020, The First Battalion 30th Infantry Reg, 3rd Infantry Division received orders to start remobilization training with intent to deploy to support the 82nd Airborne Division in the event of Iran’s continued attacks of US personnel in Iraq.
National Training Center - Ft. Irwin
Platoon FTX Training:
19JAN20 - Company wide requals with the M16 (Go/ No Go) and Tactical Road March
19JAN20- Company wide focused training on Battle Drill 1-6 (Go / No Go)
26JAN20 - Compnay wide focused training on Convoy Security (Go / No Go)
Squad Training Focus: Pre-combat inspections (PCIs) are inspections performed by squad leaders prior to the execution of operations. Every soldier has heard of or taken part in PCIs, yet current Army doctrine does not clearly define or identify them. FM 6-0, Command and Control, simply states unit preparation includes pre-combat checks and inspections to ensure units, soldiers, and systems are fully capable and ready to execute. FM 7-10, The Infantry Company, states inspections must be used to supervise and refine troop-leading procedures, and gives a list of items to inspect to include weapons, equipment, soldiers’ knowledge, and communications. At the platoon level, FM 3-21.8 (FM 7-8, Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad) states squad leaders should conduct initial inspections shortly after receipt of the warning order. It continues with the platoon sergeant conducting spot checks throughout the unit’s preparation for combat, and the platoon leader and platoon sergeant making a final inspection.
They should inspect:
• Weapons and ammunition
• Uniform and equipment
• Mission-essential equipment
• Soldiers’ understanding of the mission and their specific responsibilities
• Communications (Clear Radio Freq set from FTL, SL, P-Staff)
• Deficiencies noted during earlier inspections
Given this lack of definition and the clear importance of such inspections, the need to define a PCI is apparent.
Squad Training should focus on:
Completion of PCI - Pre-Combat Inspection on all soldiers assigned
Soldiers has mods updated and XML in working order
Soldiers has combat loadout saved via arsenal (can be quickly loaded)
Completion of Battle Drills 1-6 at squad level
Completion of Convoy Security at squad level
Remember: Not Inspected, Oft Neglected - Pre-combat inspections are an important tool to help ensure mission success. Current doctrine does not specify the format, time allocated, or content of PCIs. Those units that do not conduct PCIs have problems during mission execution. Some even risk mission failure.
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Starts on: 01/01/00
Ends on: No value
Alpha Company Award Ceremony
Alpha Company Award Ceremony is an in-game Award Ceremony for all soldiers of 3rd Infantry Division. This is held at Ft. Stewart, if the unit is on a deployment it will be held in the country of deployment.
Alpha Company Commander, MAJ John LaFlash holds the monthly ceremony first sunday of every month @ 1300 EST.
Soldiers will receive promotions, awards, and other important news from the Company Commander at the monthly award ceremony. It is required for everyone within the 3rd ID to attend unless they file a Temporary Pass Request or Leave of Absence.
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Starts on: 01/01/00
Ends on: No value
Squad Drills
Squad Drills are in-game training sessions for infantry Soldiers. 3ID currently has two infantry squads organized into First Platoon.
Squad Leaders develop and teach weekly lessons on soldiering, tactics and use of equipment for Drills. Topics include, among others, tactical formations and movement, Battle Drills (e.g. React to Contact), convoy operations, radio communications, medical aid, military operations in urban terrain (MOUT), close-quarters battle (CQB), etc. Fireteam Leaders assist their Squad Leader as needed in presenting and leading Drills.
These training sessions are held on one of 3ID’s Arma 3 Training Servers, typically using the Ft. Benning or Takistan maps. Soldiers form up in-server Saturday @1430 EST and step off @1500 EST. Under the Squad Leader’s direction, Fireteam Leaders and Members train to improve offensive and defensive combat capabilities. This training builds Soldiers’ cohesion and performance in 3ID Operations. Drills also improve discipline, timeliness, and stress management through regular training. Development of these skill sets aids the unit in its immediate mission, i.e. to close with and destroy the enemy.
Every Sunday, First and Second Squads form together as a Platoon for Drills. The Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant lead, supervise and refine the Squads in these training exercises.
Squad Drills produce results in Operations. Squads that regularly challenge themselves in Drills are generally best suited to adapt to and overcome tactical challenges in the field.
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Starts on: 01/01/00
Ends on: No value
Platoon Field Training Exercises
Field Training Exercises are in-game training sessions for infantry Soldiers. 3ID currently has one platoon organized into Alpha Company.
Platoon Leadership develop and teach weekly lessons on soldering tactics and use of equipment for Drills. Topics include, among others, tactical formations and movement, Battle Drills (e.g. React to Contact), convoy operations, radio communications, medical aid, military operations in urban terrain (MOUT), close-quarters battle (CQB), etc. Squad Leader assist their Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant as needed in presenting and leading Drills.
These training sessions are held on one of 3ID’s Arma 3 Training Servers, typically using the Ft. Stewart or other maps. Field Training Exercises, or FTX, are scheduled on a weekly basis Soldiers form up in-server Sunday @1430 EST and step off @1500 EST. It is required for everyone within the 3rd ID to attend unless they file a Temporary Pass Request or Leave of Absence. Under the Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant's direction, Squads train to improve offensive and defensive combat capabilities. This training builds Soldiers’ cohesion and performance in 3ID Operations as a Platoon. Platoon Drills also improve discipline, timeliness, and stress management through regular training. Development of these skill sets aids the unit in its immediate mission.
Field Training Exercises are platoon wide training exercises. Objectives may vary from the different Infantry Battle Drills, additional they can also vary from reconnaissance, search and destroy, garrison, etc. It is important that every Soldier stays aware of his situation on the ground as almost anything can happen during the training. Enemy presence is usually guaranteed and they will take advantage of any exploit they can acquire.
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Starts on: 01/01/00
Ends on: No value
Aviation Training Exercises
Aviation Training Exercises are in-game training sessions for 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade Pilots. 3ID currently has one Aviation Detachment organized into Alpha Company.
Flight Training Drills are in-game training sessions for 3CAB pilots, Enlisted Air Crew (EAC) and Warrant Officer Candidates (WOC). Training Cadre develop and teach weekly lessons on aviation skills, aircrew skills and developing WOCs into future 3CAB pilots. Topics include; Among Others, Flight Formations and Movement, Close Air Support (CAS) missions, Radio Communications, Medical Aid, Inserting and Extracting Infantry troops, etc. Flight Instructors and training cadre assist as needed in presenting and leading Drills.
These training sessions are held on one of 3ID’s Arma 3 Training Servers, typically using the Altis map. Soldiers form up in-server Sunday at 1300 EST and begin training no later than 1315 EST. This training will develop trust and confidence in equipment and tactics as well as build team cohesion.
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