A TDG is a Tactical Decision Game, a mental wargaming exercise designed to get you practice making tactically sound decisions in a hypothetical scenario. The ability to make sound and timely decisions based off incomplete and imperfect information is a critical skill to have, especially as a team leader.
You will be given a scenario, confronted with a tactical problem, and given a time limit to think about and write out your answer. The time limit is to simulate the pressure of a real-world tactical decision, where you must quickly assess the information you are given and come up with the best answer you can. Then comment below with your answer so you can discuss each others’ solutions.
TDG 18: Anti-Materiel
Cartel leadership is emboldened by weak federal policies and the overwhelming influx of migrants into the US draining law-enforcement resources. As a result, cartel soldiers have become increasingly aggressive on our side of the border. Local militias are formed by concerned citizens to attempt to protect their communities where LEOs cannot. YOU are the leader of one of these militias. Sometimes you augment the local Sherriff’s department with reconnaissance patrols, but most of the time your militia operates independently.
Cartels have begun targeting the families and homes of local law enforcement officers. They have been known to use “Monstruos”, improvised APCs made by welding armored plating onto large trucks. Their MO has been to swiftly move in with their vehicles, conduct a raid with enough firepower to keep law enforcement at bay, and drive off before SWAT or other resources can be brought to bear against them.
Your militia leadership receives a valuable tip, allegedly revealing the location where the cartels store the vehicles used in their raids, including the Monstruos. This prompted you to investigate it with a drone-equipped reconnaissance patrol.
You receive the following brief from your recon team leader.
“Sir, our reconnaissance has confirmed the presence of ten vehicles at the site, including three Monstruos. It appears to be a temporary site, not a permanent base.
“The location is an abandoned ranch with 3 buildings. We were observing for 13 hours and saw evidence of at least 20 individuals at the compound, possibly more. Security overall appears to be poor, with only 2-4 men on guard at any given time. Two men armed with rifles are always in the hut by the driveway, rotating out every 4 hours at 12, 4, and 8 o’clock. Other men have been seen moving between buildings, with and without weapons. All individuals observed were military aged males wearing some kind of camouflage clothing, some with body armor and helmets. We saw no evidence of patrolling outside the perimeter.
“At 4:32pm, a white panel van arrived driven by a woman wearing civilian clothes and some kind of ID card on a lanyard around her neck. The guards allowed her to drive in, offloaded several crates of what appeared to be food, and then the van left at 4:56pm. This was the only time anyone arrived at or left the compound. Here’s a map we made of the compound based on what we could see.”
For the first time, you have actionable intelligence on a cartel threat. The opportunity to seize the initiative rather than passively respond to attacks after they occur is too much to pass up. YOU must now decide what you will do to take advantage of this opportunity.
Affiliate link: https://amzn.to/4cGFptM
You have the following resources:
- Manpower: 9 men
- Yourself
- 2x 3-man fire teams with the following:
- 1x team leader (AR-15)
- 1x Automatic Rifleman (Binary trigger, bipod, and 60-rd drums)
- 1x rifleman (AR-15)
- 2-man AMR sniper team
- AMR sniper (.50BMG with armor-piercing ammunition)
- Spotter (5.56 DMR)
- Equipment:
- 3x NVGs
- 1x quadcopter drone with 3-mile range
- Can Cannon 66mm launcher with M7 DPS smoke rounds
- 4x handheld radios
- Various civilian trucks, jeeps, and cars
- Whatever your guys have in their garages, workshops, or backyards.
Areas off map do not have line of sight to the compound.
In a time limit of 15 minutes, plan what kind of action you will take. Select what resources you would use and write a basic scheme of maneuver. Provide a brief rationale for your actions.
Von Steuben Training & Consulting 
As much as a multi-pronged attack from two sides sounds cool, with 9 men my instinct is to keep it simple, stupid.
I want that hill to the west. Distribute NVGs and radios to each team leader, infiltrate at night with drone overwatch for changes at enemy position. Set up AMR team in the best position to hit the vehicles. Place one fire team ahead of the AMR team for protection and fire support. Hold the other fire team in reserve, in a depth position to prevent being outflanked (likely on the southern edge of the hill).
Commence firing ideally during change of the guard when more are exposed. AMR team focuses fire on the vehicles, fire team on guard shack. Do as much damage as possible to manpower and vehicles to avoid being pursued. Pop smoke and get over the hill under cover from reserve team. Haul ass to where we presumably stashed our vehicles and get back to friendly lines.
I realize this is more of a shoot and scoot than an assault. With 9 men going up against 20 enemy I’d rather not charge the compound. Hit ’em hard and fast, then retain combat power is my instinct here.
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For clarification:
What is the vegetation like on the hills to the east and west? A ranch would imply open fields, but elevation changes might denote trees.
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Good question.
No trees, just spotty desert shrubs that offer concealment and the occasional cactus.
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I’m not going to lie: I have obviously exceeded my time limit (work).
However,
Fo my teams, I would state my intent of priority (IoP) is as follows:
Personnel
Vehicles
Notional time sun hights highest terrain: 1950L
I would position the AMR team in the best concealment on the highest terrain to the north (about 200 yds from the vehicles) and designate their priority as the vehicles first, the personnel second. Additional Equipment: one set of NVGs to the TL; one radio.
FT One would be on the north slope of the hill to the west and FT Two would be on the south side of the same hill. Additional Equipment for each team: one set of NVGs to the TL; one radio.
I would position myself on the top of the hill to the west in the best cover to observe. Additional Equipment: drone, Can Cannon with smoke, one radio)
Exfil vehicles stationed 200m to the west of the west hill.
Abort signal: three shots evenly timed.
Position achieved signal on radio: 2 clicks for AMR, 3 clicks for FT One, 4 clicks for FT Two
Execution:
I arrange to get to the overwatch at 1850. Drone left behind to be launched when FT One starts to move (I maintain controller).
If not detected (no shots from either myself or OPFOR):
AMR team sets out for position in advance, but remains out of LOS of OPFOR until 1920. Final move in LOS at discretion to maintain concealment. Signal on radio whenin position.
FT One releases drone before moving. FT One and Two move to positions outside of LOS for OPFOR. Movement to LOS to commence at 1940. Signal on radio when in position.
Drone stays out of LOS and LOD (line of detection) behind hill. Once all teams relay in position, drone sweeps wide to the south before arching NE into a semi-conspicuous overwatch position about 200m SE of OPFOR perimeter.
Once OPFOR notices drone, 6 long clicks on the radio signals the AMR team to engage vehicles to disable – axles, drive train, engines… whatever presents the best chance of a mobility/capability kill with the least rounds expended (maximum of 5 rounds per vehicle).
Drone moves due east of OPFOR center mass. Remains there for the duration (recording for AAR and later recovery if possible once contact is broken).
FT One engages personnel taking positions to engage shots from AMR position. Center mass shots (thigh shots secondary priority).
Once OPFOR fire shifts to FT One, FT Two engages taking the opportunity to engage OPFOR personnel taking cover from AMR/FT One.
AMR breaks contact when Winchester (10% of rounds remaining). Disengaged via best route outside of LOS of OPFOR. Once outside of LOS, hastily retreats to vehicles.
I fire three smoke rounds upwind of the center of the largest number of remaining OPFOR. FT One and Two disengage out of LOS of OPFOR. Once outside of LOS, hastily retreats to vehicles.
I remain once FTs are clear and retreat using best concealment. Once outside of LOS, hastily retreat to vehicles.
Recover drone if able, via south then low west route to vehicles.
Vehicle Exfil to safe location, personnel and equipment check. BDA via recorded drone footage.
NOTES:
The intent of the secondary priority of focus on the legs/lower extremities is to create casualties that the OPFOR will more than likely not be able to care for. The added psychological component of the wounded is to break morale and cause slow death; shoot to severely wound if unable to shoot to kill… because physical wounds heal faster.
NVG distribution, even though this will largely take place at twilight, is to take advantage of any immediate opportunity once we regroup or are breaking contact. Since I will be the last to break visual contact, I could recall and reset for aided follow-on actions once it is dark; that would be situation-driven.
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Edit:
Smoke is the disengage signal for the FTs (typing on phone).
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From “Desert Tactical Solutions” (@DesertTacSolAZ) on x.com:
“My quick 15 minute plan: Each team has an NVG and a radio. Team 1 and 2 are the two 3 man teams and Team 3 is the AMR Team. Team 2 has the can canon. Team 1 and 3 will have a few smoke rounds to throw.
Early in the morning (0300ish), setup an ORP somewhere around 222/111. Do a quick recon by drone of the area at a high altitude to make sure nothing has changed since the last time we had eyes on the objective. Assuming everything is the same do a leaders recon of the hill to the East. Setup Team 3 on the hill so they can fire on the vehicles. Team 1 will be nearby to the North for security. Team 2 will be on the South side of the hill to cover the main entrance to the compound.
When all teams are in place, give Team 3 the command to being firing on the vehicles with orders to try to disable them. Firing down on the hoods of each Monstruo to destroy the engine if possible. If they can get a few good hits on each vehicle quickly then fire on a few of the other soft skin vehicles as a bonus. Security teams can return fire on anyone they see. The assault will not last anymore than 2 minutes, at which time each team will disengage, Team 1 will throw a few smoke rounds to the North a bit to confuse the enemy on our withdraw. All teams will withdraw to the East, and then South East.”
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I have a bit of a different take on this, assuming the time limit is due to them abandoning post. You stated vehicles are allowed including garage equipment I’d assume that goes for heavy equipment as well such as backhoes, excavators and bull dozers. The first thing that would be done assuming the terrain only allows the heavily armored vehicles to use the main driveway is to dig anti-armor/ tank ditches at several points along the road. Assuming it’s a long road as it seems to be. burms would also be set up and this can be done under cover of darkness and allow for more time due to not being up at the base but further along the road. The road will be held with 6 men with one being the .50 cal the other .50cal and his spotter will be hidden on the incline to the left of the compound overwatching it and able to look down the road from the opposite direction. The drone will be used to spot movement and keep an eye on the compound. In the meantime while the road is being held that will allow the other local militias to have a call to arms. By holding the only entry point and doing it at night, gives you more time than 15 mins to execute a plan and to gather more men and resources
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To clarify, the time limit is just for you to write out your answer. It’s NOT the actual amount of time you have to execute the mission.
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ohhh okay, I would keep the plan the same, hold the road and call for backup. This will also split their forces when the van does not show up to the compound. I also would add thermite grenades for the 66mm launcher and for the drone to possibly drop
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Infiltrate at 0100. Leave two vehicles to the west of the hill in the west side of the compound. Check immediate area of west hill, north fence, and monstruos / guard shack with drone to determine number and disposition of guards, and whether the monsters have heavy weapons mounted, and hopefully with ammunition. AMR team 1, overwatch on west hill. Team 2 with them on the hill. Team 3 50 meters north of the north fence. Each team issued an nvg/radio. If security is lax with no rovers, use hydraulic bottle jacks and cribbing to lift chain link fence quietly to gain entry in northwest corner. Leave team 3 automatic rifleman and team leader in position to place grazing fire into buildings in east side of compound. Take their rifleman with me through fence, and tool roll with common drainplug sized end wrenches, a half inch ratchet with 3/8 adapter, tubing cutters, lineman’s pliers and some screwdrivers. Rifleman will carry a gallon of gas and a propane torch. If monsters are armed and able to start, great.That will start plan B. If not, plan A is to drop the oil plugs out of the monsters and stab a screwdriver into the fuel filters. Cut fuel lines with pipe cutters or lineman’s pliers. Use gas can to make a trail between oil and diesel puddles between the monsters. Open west doors on thin skinned vehicles and light a seat on fire with torch, from east to west, time and lack of enemy vigilance permitting. Light the monsters and exfil out of the north fence to rejoin team 3. The enemy should be doing something by now, if not encourage them by engaging the guard shack and the other buildings. Kill anything that moves. Keep them in the fenced area if possible. If the enemy is overwhelmed and apparently defeated, take team 3 into the compound to verify that everyone has gone to their maker and collect any intel possible. Set the remaining buildings ablaze. Retreat to vehicles, pickup teams 1 and 2, leave the way you came. Plan B would have the automatic rifleman from team 2 remain with the AMR team on overwatch, and everyone else mount the monstruos. Truck lights would be the signal for overwatch to light up the guard shack with everything they have. Heavy weapons on the monstruos employed on the buildings if the compound, first, then rake the thin skin vehicles for good measure and drive out of the front gate. Provide cover while overwatch returns to vehicles and leaves the other way.
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Aggressive, nice.
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