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After Action Report by Beta Tester "Jaws" from the current beta version of the Combat Mission Shock Force - NATO module. 27 June 2008, Prologue: Dutch Bn Commander 17 (NLD) BTG Garde Fuseliers Prinses Irene. We as the Dutch Battle Group are fighting more then one week intense combat in the northern Syrian green zones. Most of us slept only 2 hours per night and accidents, due exhaustion occur more and more. This morning our recon element reported a Road Block at Highway 4, 45 miles northwest from Kameshli Airport. The badly needed recuperation of the B-Company, needed after the tense Urban fighting at Ar Raqqah, comes after 3 hours abrupt to an end… most of the soldiers were still busy with maintenance and didn’t even see their sleeping bag. The B-Company just move into the direction of the Road Block without Tank Support since they were replacing damaged tracks. They will link up after one or two hours.
Situation: Lt Jansen of the Recce platoon and the FO of the B-Company spotted Syrian Mech units Company (+) size in the surroundings of a blown bridge one km southeast of At Tibni at highway 4. 
B-Company is on its way towards the unnoticed roadblock. Satellites, RPV’s helicopters and planes completely missed this Syrian Defensive position and we got an other proof that ground bases reconnaissance are a must. In order to soften the defence all available arty is assigned to the B-Company and the recce platoon. Somehow the Air force feels guilty about the missed roadblock and we got an flight of F-16’s incoming. Recce Platoon. Lt Jansen in an observation post looking towards the Tutunji Farm High ground orders the FO and his section buddy to conduct a Call for Fire mission on the spotted Syrians at the opposite side of the dry Riverbed. The he seeks contact with his Alpha Section “Alpha hier Romeo over…”, “Alpha hier Romeo over..” “answer the F**** radio FFS….” The moment Lt Jansen real pissed trying to call Alpha again a calm voice on the radio sounds… “Hier Alpha over” Lt Jansen counts to 10 and asks for a sitrep. “All quiet here atm and we are about to establish an over watch position on the rooftops of some buildings here … over..”. “Hier Romeo.. roger uit”. Alpha…Sergeant Roos..” I love to wait with answering the radio. I am 100% sure the Lt was about to explode”. Cpl Everts smiles.. 
Sergeant we are ready to go. Roos and Everts move towards a housing area in front of them… it seems abandoned…. The door is open, all kind of properties are all over the floor and it seems the owner and his family left in a hurry. From a window at the second floor they have a beautiful sight over the valley.. damn almost forgot we are fighting a war here Everts stated. Roos dives to the ground taking Everts with him.. “Holy crap did you see that? “”What… Sir?” At least 3x Bmp 1 and tons of Syrian soldiers an the other side of the Riverbed. They having breakfast or something and did not spot us. “Alpha hier Bravo over”, “Hier Alpha over” Bravo,the Section buddy of Alpha, is less fortuned. “Hier Bravo while advancing towards our OP we were spotted by an BMP 1 and some Syrian soldiers just next to Highway 4 east of our position… we are in cover but are not able to move anywhere atm” “Hier Alpha.. hmm B-Company is on its way, mark your vehicle, stay low and pop smoke if under fire. No Arty since we got own troops inc soon, good luck out”. Syrian Battalion HQ. Lieutenant-Colonel Bin Haji, at the Tutunji Farm, looks out of the window of his confiscated luxury apartment over the Valley towards the blown bridge. Two months and not even a sight of an enemy plane or helicopter here. Those Gentile Dutch are still locked at Ar Raqqah and will never reach us. Why don’t they send us to the front where we can fight an honourable battle where are grandchildren can be proud of? Kamil the Bn 2IC hesitates to answer. Sir… I don’t want to argue.. but we haven’t got any news from Ar Raqqah for days how you are so sure they are still at Ar Raqqah? If the Dutch were successfully they would have to show up here since there is no road in any other direction form Ar Raqqah. Well anyways back to business… A-Company and C-Company are in position for days their discipline and readiness is below zero. They are having breakfast in the open and some guard positions are abandoned. Order the Company Commanders to come here asap. “Will do Sir” Kamil confirms. 
“Sir” Kamil shouts towards the Bn Commander. “A unknown vehicle spotted near the Abdul Khair Residence northwest of the A4”. Send a patrol towards that location. “What about the Company Commanders”? “They are on their way Sir”, “You still want them here or is it better to let them stay with their units due possible hostile action?”. “It will take not long and it is good to see them in the eyes before action anyway”. Sergeant Roos (Recce Platoon). Everts I reported the enemy composition towards the Lt and he ordered me to conduct a Call for Fire on the Barki Market, the centre of graffiti of the spotted enemy. 
… done. Lets see how fast our “Gele Rijders” can be on target. “Contact front.. 4…5.. 7x Syrian soldier coming direct towards us #@*” Everts wispers. “Damn.. if we disengage we can adjust the fire, if we stay we are dead meat” Roos thinks. “How long before B-Company shows up?” Roos asks the Lt by radio. Any minute the Lt replies… “Death or Gladiolus open fire Everts” The Syrians caught by surprise break off their patrol immediately and run back towards their BMP 1. 
Syrian Battalion HQ. “Sir the Company Commanders….” Kamil informs Lieutenant-Colonel Bin Haji. “One second Kamil… one of the patrols ran into heavy enemy resistance and I am speaking to the 2IC of the A-Company atm”. Just as Kamil went back to the Company Commanders the 1st Arty Shells explode on the roof of the Farm house. Within seconds the complete staff and commanders of the 1st Syrian Mechanised Infantry Battalion are buried under the rubble of the once so pretty farm house. 
Bravo Company Arrives. The Company Commander of the B-Company and his 1st Platoon arrives to the scene. Directed by the Bravo Company Commander the 1st Platoon links up with Sergeant Roos Section. The driver of Roos guarding the Fennek runs towards the Infantry Commanders and explains the situations fast. “Our Bravo Fennek to our left pinned by Syrians from the other side of the road and meanwhile from the Abdul Khair Residence to the South of Bravo too. Roos and Everts are in combat with a Syrian patrol on the other side of this house here. Arty incoming on market downhill soon and already started at high ground Southeast of us and you can hear, see and smell it Sir” with a grin the driver ends his short brief. The Platoon Commander shouts some orders and his Platoon Sergeant Section moves towards the Bravo Fennek to relieve it. The Platoon Commander section moves to secure the House defended by Sergeant Roos and Everts. 
2IC 1st Syrian Mechanised Infantry Battalion. Major Mohammad Kamil recovers from his temporally unconsciousness and finds himself blown 10 meters away from the former farmhouse hanging in a tree. Groaning from the pain in his right arm and shocked by the sight of his dead comrades he realises he is one of the few lucky survivors of the arty bombardment. Climbing down the tree, moving through the dust away from burning vehicles with the danger of getting caught by secondary explosions he tries to find a radio carrying vehicle. After a short run he find a abandoned BMP1 just next to the Highway 4. After checking the frequencies and before asking a SITRAP he orders his reserve, the B-Company, to move ASAP towards his position. The SITRAP tells him the C-Company is scattered and unable to do any combat for a while. A-Company was not hit by arty but is meanwhile in heavy combat with Dutch Mechanised units north of the Barki Market. He orders all units to stay in position and warns them for a large scale attack within the coming hour. 
Syrian A-Company Commander: Kaptain Al Salam Commander of the A-Company realises he is the only unit left to prevent the Dutch from taking the essential Highway 4 bridge until reserves arrive. The high ground around the Abdul Khair Residence west of the A4 and northeast of the Barki Market is crucial to hold his position at the Barki Market. He orders his forward platoons to reinforce the defenders at Abdul Khair Residence. 
While ordering his platoons arty shells drop to the right of him and a BMP in front of him explodes after duel with a CV9035NL. 2 months of preparing and waiting here at this forsaken bridge and in within 5 minutes the battle seems to be lost. 1st Platoon Bravo Company. After the hard and bitter fight at Ar Raqqah the 1st platoon is flabbergast by the fast and unexpected success. Keeping the momentum the Platoon Commander orders the Platoon Sergeant Section to take and hold the Abdul Khair Residence while his section advances towards the Barki Market. 
3rd Platoon Bravo Company arrives. Informed by radio and the liaison of the recce platoon Lt Uilenbroek, Platoon Commander of the 3rd Platoon, orders his platoon to go strait forward without observing the battlefield first. His Section will move towards the west riverbank of river junction and his 2IC will move towards the South bank of the main river. When secured the next step will be the high ground and the Tutunji Farm, the former HQ location of the 1st Syrian Mech Bn. 
Sergeant Roos. Over watching the battlefield from his 1st row position Roos start to feel pity for the Syrians. He never had that feelings when he fought against the Taliban in Afghanistan. War suppose to be good versus bad. Those poor conscript bastard on the other side of the river are the victims of an corrupt and lust for power government. Why they just don’t surrender and we can stop the fight? 2IC 1st Syrian Mechanised Infantry Battalion. “More incoming Dutch troops from the northeast” a panicked soldier shouts over the radio. A Panicked, rattled, shaken and inferior battalion versus a highly motivated and superior enemy company... Kamil thinks…Retreat is no option cause we will be executed by the republican guards. Surrender would be fine but than our reserve Company will be slaughtered as soon as they arrive here. Kamil starts to pray.. he ran out of options. Walk in the Park? The rush forward by the 3rd Platoon B-Company is punished by casualties. While Lt Uilenbroek got involved in a Close Combat fight his YPR765PRI was taken out by an RPG. He saw the missile flying over his squad but he could do nothing more then watch the impact on his YPR. Private Betten didn’t came out of the vehicle… he was informed by radio. Now a Syrian squad, the RPG gunner and a BMP1 are just in front of him inside the dense forest and hand grenades are popping all around like popcorn only a little louder. 
2nd Platoon Bravo Company arrives The 2nd Platoon with the Company 2IC arrive at highway 4. Informed by the 3rd Platoons trouble the Platoon Sergeant Section of the 2nd Platoon is ordered to support Lt Uilenbroek. The Lt section of the 2nd Platoon starts to sweep the forest just east of the highway. 
The Platoon Sergeant Section of the 2n Platoons links up with Lt Uilenbroek but the resistance is far harder then expected. Not even are they in Close Combat with this unit but this enemy unit also manage to foie AT rockets on the Platoon Sergeant Section of the 3rd platoon on the other side of the riverbank. Speed is essential now to clear this forest. Aftter a short while the forest is cleared only one of the YPR’s got a mobility kill but with no casualties. Bravo Company commander. Analysing the situation the Commander of the Bravo Company orders the 3rd and 2nd Platoon to consolidate at the Tutunji Farm high groun. 2nd Platoon facing southwest and 3rd Platoon facing southeast. The Company 2IC is in charge of the consolidation. He himself will stay in over watch north of the Barki Market. 
Saved by the Bell? Kamils pray got disturbed by the sound of tracks of the Bn Reserves B-Company. Even supported with 3x T55. My prayers have been heard.. its not to late. He orders half of the reserve to make an flanking move to the east and the rest to suppress the enemy. 
The moment some vehicles of the reserve Bravo Company came under fire they panicked and started to flee. Kamil angry about this cowardice of these man ran towards the Company Commander to take over control of the unit…. He never made it and got shot by a burst of 35mm rounds who were aimed at the Company Commanders BMP who brew up. Platoon Sergeant section 3rd platoon. One of the first things Sergeant 1st Class Ing Iim learned when he joined the Royal Netherlands Army was to never volunteer or be first at any occasion other then a prestige event. Why was he running up the hill as first unit here he asked himself. The better you act versus an enemy the more they will send towards you is the general rule. And just as he approached as first the Tutunji Farm he was alarmed by the sound of dozens of vehicles. The moment he and his man were able to look over the top they were shocked by the sight of complete mechanised infantry company supported by tanks. One YPR 765 PRI section versus a complete company…“FALL BACK… FALL BACK” The Platoon Sergeant shouts. Back to the river. The YPR 765 PRI’s immediately reversed but the Ing Lim and his dismounted squads got pinned in the attempted to break of the advance. I am not going to surrender guys use the house at cover and block the doors and windows. Lets see how long we can hold this. “2x T55MV flanking Sergeant!!”. Let them go, focus on dismounted infantry that’s where I am really worried about. 
As suddenly the Syrian reinforcement appeared they disappeared too. The flanking T55’s where destroyed in a crossfire of 35mm and 25mm. The remaining Syrian infantry fled back in the southern direction towards Kameshli Airport. Dutch Bn Commander: Well done all, consolidate and take care of the wounded. 
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