MLRS Operations

[bayonetbrant]

I posted this over at Matrix in the FPC threads where there was an arty discussion going on.  Ought to be over here, too

http://bayonetgames.com/wmlrs.htm

What it's good for and what to avoid.

MLRS is not a point target weapon nor is it your best choice to deal with tanks and armored vehicles. It can do damage to lightly armored vehicles but isn't the best way to handle them. It can make them button up and causes confusion. But heavy direct fire weapons (tanks, ATGMs, helicopters and CAS) are the killers.

MLRS is ideal for counterfire, SEAD, assembly areas, POL, CPs/OPs, enemy bridging operations, troops in the open (but how often does that happen?). It's good in the counterrecon fight if the target is stationary or if the maneuver forces can cause the enemy to stop. During the planning for Desert Shield, one of our supported units actually wanted us to use artillery fires (among them, MLRS) to destroy the enemy reconnaissance elements moving through the desert, a brilliant example of misunderstanding artillery capabilities and an exercise in asininity.

In conjunction with attack helicopters MLRS can be especially devastating, either with rocket fires or with ATACMS. Just remember that the artillery should hit the target area first, immediately before the helicopters arrive on the scene. In that way the attack aircraft come upon an enemy that is recovering from an MLRS strike and that will present juicer targets. Then again, as soon as the attack aircraft leave the area, the artillery should hit it again. Aviators don't particularly care for this; they like to hit the target first. But they're wrong.

So take care in what you ask your fire supporter/artilleryman to do. If you give him mission impossible, he cannot help you. Maneuver asks for fire support to do certain tasks.

Don't simply ask for MLRS.

much more at the link

[mirth]

I've read that before. It's a great article.

[taijeronv]

Here are my MLRS "colors":

1985-1986 C 6/27 (MLRS), 75th FA BDE, Ft. Sill, OK (We were the last BTRY to activate)
1989-1992 A/76 FA (MLRS), 3ID, then C 2/14 FA (MLRS), 41st FA BDE, Bamberg West Germany
1992-1995 B/6 FA (MLRS), 1ID, Ft. Riley, KS
1995-1998 C 3-27 FAR (MLRS), 18th FA BDE, Ft. Bragg, NC
1998-1999 A 6-37 FAR (MLRS), 2ID, Camp Stanley, ROK
1999-2000 HSB 3-27 FAR (MLRS), 18th FA BDE, Ft. Bragg, NC

That's just my MLRS units.  I started in '82as a 13E in A 1/11 FA with the Old Reliables at Ft. Lewis.  And I was a Recruiter in Pittsburgh, PA prior to going to Germany.  Recruiting is what ruined my career, lol.

[GDS_Starfury]

I used to love them in Tacops. 

[taijeronv]

Yeah, after an MLRS strike in TacOps I always listened for all the pops which usually meant vehicles were dying.

One of my personal contributions to TacOps Cav (the official Army version) had to do with the way he modeled tube units.

In the version he provided the Army he failed to include a "FFE" value.  In a real fire mission the "requester" would specify how many rounds they wanted in effect.  If they did not provide a number then it was up to the FDC or the FDO to do so.  We had a standard fire order of three rounds in effect.

I called MajorH one morning and told him that no FFE value would mean that FA units would continue to fire until they were "empty".  He fixed it.

[bayonetbrant]

Here are my MLRS "colors"

show off ;)

[taijeronv]

Lol, I had to show off.

Not many people talk about MLRS.  It's good to see someone with the same background, and most likely some mutual acquaintances.

My usual screen name back when I was on active duty was Redleg7.

I was a 13M for a long time.  But my time as a 13M calculating firing data manually is something I will always cherish.  Especially during a hip shoot.  I'd stand on top of our deuce and a half "shelter" and call out commands to the gun bunnies.  Well, we used to be in a Gamma Goat but we ended up in a built-up deuce.  If you remember the 9th ID was designated as the Army'e HTTB ot High Technology Testbed.  Anyway I had all six guns at my command, and I was only a PFC.

[bayonetbrant]

It's good to see someone with the same background, and most likely some mutual acquaintances.

I refer to him as "dad" :)

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Stop fluttering your eyelashes at us. This one must be the happy epileptic. :D

Back on topic, Does MLRS really eat large volumes of supply as modeled in Airland Battle? It emptys the FOB so fast in that game it is hardly worth using.

Why cant you have a GPS guided MLRS to pepper the front exactly as you want?

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Theoretical example, They say the NORKS have massive numbers of artillery pieces. Assuming they are visible from recon could you let fly a huge salvo of GPS guided rockets that would hit these fairly soft positions?

[GDS_Starfury]

the game does have its abstractions.  and if you think MLRS drains a FOB try running a Apache/Cobra biased force and see how those little itty bitty Hellfires drain it.

[taijeronv]

It's good to see someone with the same background, and most likely some mutual acquaintances.

I refer to him as "dad" :)

During that period Binford Peay the III was the 101st commander.  Binnie was my 9th ID DIVARTY Commander back in 83 or 84.  COL Sakuma was the commander for 18th FA BDE (ABN) during that time as well.  At least that's what I was told.  MAJ Sakuma was my BN 3 in 1/11 FA, same time early 80's.  Ah the early 80's.  Say what you want, that was a special time in the Army.

[taijeronv]

Stop fluttering your eyelashes at us. This one must be the happy epileptic. :D

Back on topic, Does MLRS really eat large volumes of supply as modeled in Airland Battle? It emptys the FOB so fast in that game it is hardly worth using.

Why cant you have a GPS guided MLRS to pepper the front exactly as you want?

In FOB Salerno the HIMARS BTRY (MLRS on wheels) was assigned to the Ranger TF.  Keep in mind that MLRS doesn't fire as much as tube artillery.  In the old days each Division had separate MLRS BTRYs, think of it as the Division commanders own personal firing BTRY. 

Typically we will conduct deep fires, and will only shoot at HVTs or High Value Targets.  So the point I'm making, while Airland Battle may allow you to fire at anything, in the real world MLRS is used mostly for HVTs, CF, and SEAD, as COL Guillory pointed out in his article.  Shooting at some poor infantry unit with MLRS would be a waste.  Now a fat juicy enemy artillery unit would be the perfect target for MLRS.  Add a Q-37 radar and you're in business.

HVT = An asset(s) that an ENEMY commander requires in order for successful completion of his mission.
HPT = An HVT that must be acquired and successfully attacked to achieve the FRIENDLY commanders mission.

I remember waking up on FOB Salerno to the sound of rockets going downrange.  It was around 0200 so I get out of bed run to the middle of the road and I'm standing there in my underwear.  I caught the last three rounds of a HIMARS fire mission.  The rockets red glare was in full effect, and someone was in for a rude awakening.  The BTRY that was shooting was from A 3-27 FAR (MLRS).  I knew who they were and who they were shooting for.  At breakfast I overheard guys talking how low the "jets" were flying.  Of course I knew what it was the second it woke me up.  Not jets, just the scream of rockets being set free into the wild, raining hate and discontent on some poor souls.

Ok enough Redleg porn.

[bayonetbrant]

During that period Binford Peay the III was the 101st commander

His ADC-M was Hugh Shelton - yes, that Hugh Shelton - whose son was a year ahead of me in ROTC and who, as XVIII Corps Commander, commissioned our class in '94.

[mirth]

It's good to see someone with the same background, and most likely some mutual acquaintances.

I refer to him as "dad" :)

Must have been convenient growing up, being able to call in rocket fire when the other kids picked on you.