Kalistani Major History

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RSMoK Militia conducts exercises at Bozo RiverDefensive tactics focus on hit and run and demoralization
Bozo River CAGTC, Ananto
October 3, 4702


Militia Infantry take a break from MOUT training

The Revolutionary Socialist Militia of Kalistan have been conducting joint training exercises with the Kalistani Regular Army at the Bozo River Combined Air Ground Training Center, at Bozo River Ananto.  The exercise, which began in the middle of last month, will continue through October.

"This is an excellent opportunity for the Militia and the Regular Forces to coordinate their command and control apparatus so that we can better support one another," said Regular Army spokesman, Lt. Col. David Marshall.  "These exercises allow us to learn how our counterparts move and operate, and will increase cooperation between our two groups."

Militia spokeswoman Cpl. Yolanda Ramierez had this to say:  "We liked working with the Regulars.  I feel like we kind of whipped them into shape on some things."  She states that she believes that training against a real force with different tactics better prepares the Regulars to be flexible on the battlefield.  "A day will come when our commanders will have to think outside of the box, and fighting against the militia gets them started along this path."

In the wargames, Regulars acted as defenders of the MOUT course's fictional town known as Sunnydale.  The militia operated as attackers, and launched determined efforts against the Regulars utilizing a number of different strategies, both conventional and unconventional.  "Some of the things they tried," said Marshall, "... well, I wouldn't want to be facing them in actual combat!"  Militia strategies involved mobility gambits, where contact was made in one part, and before significant defensive force could be mustered, the militia would melt away, only to appear in another area.  "We also tried a new tactical plan, simply called Smoke," which involved the use of white phosphorous smoke grenades laced with CS gas. 

"The requirements that we mask up really diminished out ability to gain full view, and allowed the militia to distract us and confuse us," said Lt. Col Marshall.  "We held our own for a while, but ultimately, we couldn't repel the 'invaders' and were overrun."

The Regulars scored a few victories of their own against the militia. "We tried one tactic which forced us to fight more like a regular army utilizing conventional tactics" said Ramierez.  "But as we were not utilizing our artillery, and were forced into a pitched battle by the Regular army, who decided to launch their mobility tactic against us and outflanked us, naturally, this is not something we have much experience with, and it certainly allowed us to see some of our own weaknesses."

Wargames have just recently moved outside the MOUT village and into the countryside, where the Regulars, still on defensive, will be able to call defensive artillery fire, and the Militia will bring their own guns to bear.  Lt Col Marshall: "These 155s, which Kalistan has been using for a long time, are new, in that they are made of much lighter material which is more durable, and require a 5 man crew as opposed to a six man crew.  We still staff each gun with six, but given the technological improvements in indirect fire, the sixth crew member now serves in a more utility position for the crew, doing what needs to be done.  New projectiles and fuse/powder combinations have increased our max effective range from about 14 clicks to close to 20, and with RAP, we can push it out to 23 clicks.  The Rocket batteries, which we aren't firing this time out, and the SPs have dramatically improved the Regular Army's mobility and destructive capabilities."


Regular surveyors prepare to lay a new Gun position for the Militia, as they try out their new M777 155mm Howitzers in wargames at Bozo River

The militia is also utilizing the lighter 155mm howitzers.  "Their base plate can be dropped here, and the gun pops up, and you can just basically swivel it around!" said Ramierez.  "It is amazing.  We've trained on the 777s before, but the militia recently procured several batteries them from the National Proving Grounds, and this is the first time we are bringing our own out to the field."  The new guns can be stowed onto the back of a Jeep or a Mobile fighting Vehicle, as opposed to a 5 Ton truck, dramatically increasing mobility of the Force.  "We had our guns laid and sending rounds down range in less than 4 minutes!" said Ramierez.  "This is one thing I will say for the Regulars:  Their Surveyors are f--king awesome!"

The wargames have thus far gone off successfully. "We look forward to training with the Nationalists next and putting some of these tactics to the test!" said Lt. Col Marshall.