Several Divisions of Syrian armor are racing across the Golan Heights. They have met fierce resistance from the tiny number of IDF defenders, but not enough to stop the thrust. Only a handful of friendly units remain. They are exhausted and almost out of ammo from continuous fighting through the night. Within ten miles of their objectives the Syrians are in sight of victory.
The only thing stopping them is what is left of the IDF forces on the ground and air strikes. This mission is exceedingly dangerous because the threats include MiGs, SAMs, and radar-guided AAA. You are tasked with helping blunt the spearhead.
Mission briefing:
Your mission today is modified Close Air Support. Overlord will be able to provide general guidance to targets or groups of targets as information becomes available.
There are three routes in South Golan to the Sea. These are annotated on your briefing map. They are designated North Gate, Middle Gate, and South Gate. Anticipate Syrian Armor will use these to press West.
Napalm is on the outer two stations of your aircraft today.
After yesterday’s success expect Syrian MiGs to be confident and willing to engage today.
SA-6 battery numbers and locations are unknown. The assessment is they will move forward to provide cover to the advancing army.
Friendly ground units should be arriving on the East side of the Sea during your mission window.
Your aircraft will be loaded to 75% fuel since the flight distance is short and you will be carrying a full load of weapons close to the ground.
Full situation briefing:
The night was savage on the Golan Heights. Fighting went all night, with Syrian tanks advancing across the entire region. Their T-55s and T-62s are equipped with night vision gear the IDF does not have, giving them a significant advantage in darkness. Fighting was the armored equivalent of hand-to-hand combat in the dark. IDF’s 188 Brigade essentially ceased to exist overnight. Only a few of their tanks remain and are still fighting.
The front line is within six NM of Yam Kinneret. Syrian armor is nearing the IDF's Golan HQ at Nafakh. They have not stopped advancing, despite losses.
Reports say two new brigades of tanks totaling over 200 vehicles are advancing behind the first waves that attacked yesterday in the South. One account of the battlefield described it as, “From horizon to horizon the entire Syrian Army starting to drive across.”
In the air, the existence of the SA-6 SAM on the battlefield was confirmed yesterday. So was the willingness of Syrian pilots to engage. The IAF lost almost twenty planes in a single afternoon of fighting. This cannot continue.
IDF reserves began arriving and pulling equipment out of depot throughout the night. There was no time for them to do full calibration of guns and sights or even to take their own unit’s equipment. They are moving out in whatever tanks and equipment are ready to go.
With crews departing as vehicles are made ready, they are going out in small groups a few at a time. Most are not even from the same units and do not know each other. Communications and cooperative tactics are going to have to rely on base training. The situation is that desperate.
***Historical note***
This mission replicates the situation faced by both sides in the Yom Kippur War on its second day in the Southern Golan Heights. Efforts have been made to get the basic unit designations and rough composition correct. Substitutions were made to make the scenario work with the limitations of the DCS World. Some elements of the actual conflict (minefields, specialized units, etc.) are removed for simplicity.
IAF forces:
188th Battalion
- 53rd Brigade (-)
- 74th Brigade (-)
- 7th Brigade (-)
“Peled” Armored elements (begin arriving 07 October)
“Laner” Armored elements (begin arriving 07 October)
Syrian forces:
5th Infantry Division
- Brigade 61 Infantry (-)
- Brigade 112 Infantry (-)
- Brigade 132 Mechanized Infantry (-)
- Brigade 46 Augmented Armored (+)
- Brigade 51 Augmented Armored (+)
