-- Enemy Forces --

The Syrian armed forces comprise some 480,000 troops upon mobilization. The military is a conscripted force; males serve 24 months in the military upon reaching the age of 18.

The Syrian Army is commanded by three corps HQ (1st, 2nd, and 3rd). There are seven armoured divisions (1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 11th), three understrength mechanised divisions (4th, 7th, and 10th, each with one mechanized and two motorized brigades), and a Republican Guard Division (one artillery regiment, one mechanised brigade, three armoured brigades). Special forces are organised into 14th Special Forces Division with three SF regiments, plus another ten independent SF regiments. There are four independent infantry brigades, two independent artillery brigades, two independent anti-tank brigades, and three Surface-to-surface missile brigades (one brigade each with FROG-7, SS-21 Scarab, and Scud-B/C/D).

The breakup of the Soviet Union — long the principal source of training, material, and credit for the Syrian forces — may have slowed Syria's ability to acquire modern military equipment.

Syrian military forces have been operationally overwhelmed by the dilemma of facing the US Army's impending ground attack from the east, the Coalition attack from the north, and the US Navy and USMC amphibious threat on the western shores. Attempting to defend against all threats has overstretched Syria's military capabilities, creating gaps in their defense and causing the Syrian high command to rely on an interior defense-in-depth around Damascus and other key cities to force a war of attrition. The Syrian Army has garrisoned its western shore-line with coastal defensive battalions and reserve forces in order to impose delay.

-- Friendly Forces --

2nd MEB(REIN), with 26th MEU(SOC) under command, is the prime USMC component of the invasion of Syria. 2nd MEB(REIN) is supported by MAG-29, and elements of the US 5th Fleet.

The GCE of 26th MEU(SOC) is based around 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines. The battalion consists of:
* HQ Co
* Co E (Mechanised)
* Co F (Helo Transportable)
* Co G (Mechanised)
* Weapons Co (distributed amongst rifle companys)
* Scout/Sniper Plt
* CAAT Plt

Under command to 26th MEU(SOC) are:
* L Btry (6 x 155mm M777 Howitzers)
* 3rd Tank Plt (4 x M1A1 FEP Abrams)
* 1st LAR Plt (6 x LAV)
* 1st Recon Plt
* 2nd Engineer Plt
* 3rd AAV Plt (13 x AAV-7A1)
* Transport elements from CLB-26

-- Terrain and Weather --

Along the Mediterranean, a narrow coastal plain stretches south from the Turkish border to Lebanon. The flatness of this 10km wide littoral is broken only by lateral promontories running down from the mountains to the sea. The coastal plain heavily farmed and populated. The only first class port on the southern Syrian coast is at TARTUS.

The Jabal an Nusayriyah mountains, a range paralleling the coastal plain, has an average elevation of just over 1,212 meters; the highest peak, Nabi Yunis, is about 1,575 meters. The western slopes catch moisture-laden western sea winds and are thus more fertile and more heavily populated than the eastern slopes, which receive only hot, dry winds blowing across the desert. The Jabal an Nusayriyah range terminates before reaching the Lebanese border, leaving a corridor — the Hims Gap — through which run the highway and railroad from Hims to the Lebanese port of Tripoli. For centuries the Hims Gap has been a favorite trade and invasion route from the coast to the country's interior and to other parts of Asia. Eastward, the line of the Jabal an Nusayriyah is separated from the Jabal az Zawiyah range and the plateau region by the Al Ghab depression, a fertile, irrigated trench crossed by the meandering Orontes River.

Inland and farther south, the Anti-Lebanon Mountains rise to peaks of over 2,700 meters on the Syrian-Lebanese frontier and spread in spurs eastward toward the plateau region. The eastern slopes have little rainfall and vegetation and merge eventually with the desert.

In the southwest, the lofty Mount Hermon (Jabal ash Shaykh), also on the border between Syria and Lebanon, descends to the Hawran Plateau — frequently referred to as the Hawran — that receives rain-bearing winds from the Mediterranean. All but the lowest slopes of Mount Hermon are uninhabited, however. Volcanic cones, some of which reach over 900 meters, intersperse the open, rolling, once-fertile Hawran Plateau south of Damascus and east of the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Southwest of the Hawran lies the high volcanic region of the Jabal Druze range (renamed Jabal al Arab), home of the country's Druze population.

The entire eastern plateau region is intersected by a low chain of mountains, the Jabal ar Ruwaq, the Jabal Abu Rujmayn, and the Jabal Bishri, extending northeastward from the Jabal Al Arab to the Euphrates River. South of these mountains lies a barren desert region known as the Hamad. North of the Jabal ar Ruwaq and east of the city of HIMS is another barren area known as the Hims Desert, which has a hard-packed dirt surface.

Northeast of the Euphrates River, which originates in the mountains of Turkey and flows diagonally across Syria into Iraq, is the fertile Djazirah region that is watered by the tributaries of the Euphrates.

The climate in Syria mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in DAMASCUS and the coastal mountain chains.

-- Overall Description --

2nd MEB(REIN), with 26th MEU(SOC) under command, will force an amphibious entry onto the southern Syria Coast in order to disrupt Syrian defence in depth and secure the city of HIMS.

-- Commander's Intent --

Commander 2nd MEB intends to establish a beachhead in the AL HAMIDIYAH area, secure a lodgement including an all-weather SPOD at TARTUS, then drive across the coastal mountain range, and effect a junction with US Army force IVO HIMS.

-- Basic Plan --

This is going to be a long operation. The Syrians have a large, well equipped army, and are fighting with the home ground advantage. Take care of your forces, and they will take care of you.

Glossary:
AAV - Amphibious Assault Vehicle
Btry - Battery
CLB - Combat Logistics Battalion
Co - Company
FEP - Firepower Enhancement Program
GCE - Ground Combat Element
IVO - In the Vicinity Of
LAR - Light Armored Reconnaissance
LAV - Light Armored Vehicle
MAG - Marine Air Group
MEB(REIN) - Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Reinforced)
MEU(SOC) - Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)
Plt - Platoon
SF - Special Forces
SPOD - Sea Point Of Disembarkation