Area of Operations
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Waterways
The Area of Operations is bisected by the Cam Lo River running from the Wast to the North-East. The Cam Lo effectively cuts the AO into a north-south divide.
The Cam Lo is not bridged and there is only a single fording point in sector X5, Y1 to the north=west of Thon Quat Xa.
Several waterways run into the Cam Lo from the north and the south. All of these are fordable.
Roads
National Route 9 (QL9), like the Cam Lo, also bisects the AO running from Thon Tan Dinh in the east and exiting the AO in the south-west near Thon Thien Xuan. Just east of, and outside of the AO, it is joined by Provincial Road 558 running from the south-east corner of the AO, north as far as Thon Tan Dinh, where it then joins QL9.
Vegetation is cleared from QL9 to about 100-meters either side. However, there are still numerous potential ambush sites.
QL9 is bridged in sectors X5, Y3 and X6, Y3.
Numerous trails and cart tracks criss-cross the AO.
Elevation
Contour lines are drawn on the AO map every 20-meters.
A large part of the AO is low lying and below 30-meters. A length of low-lying hills runs east to west in the lower third of the AO. These hills barely rise above 100-meters although in the east there is a 250-meter summit at Nui Kiem in sector X2, Y5.
In the north-west corner of the AO, north of the Cam Lo river, elevations rise steadily from the river to a height of 300-meters at Dong Kio in sector X1, Y2.
Terrain Cover
The majority of the AO is forested. Above 30-meters elevation forest is dense and in many places jungled. Lower slopes are covered by extensive light forest.
Forestion provides good cover from aerial observation and clearly presents the enemy with opportunities for concealment of bivouacs, trails, base camps and caches.
Most valleys and slopes have significant coverings of scrub and brush.
There is a large area of rice cultivation south of Thon Quat Xa and north of QL9. This area is marked by extensive rice fields, berms and irrigation channels but otherwise devoid of ground cover.
Villages
There are several villages within the AO where the majority of the population live and farm. Few people live outside of the villages.
The largest village in the AO is Nui Kiem (X2, Y6) which constitutes approximately 40% of the population in the AO. Village details and intel are given below.
- Thon Thien Xuan (X2, Y3). Family dwellings = 14 (RF/PF Present x 1) (1-4 family members)
- Thon Quat Xa (X5, Y1) Family dwellings = 14 (RF/PF Present x 1)
- Van Quat Xa (X6, Y1) Family dwellings = 5
- Thon Tan Dinh (SE of Thon Quat Xa) (X6, Y2)Family dwellings = 8
- Van Ba Thung (East of Van Quat Xa) (X6, Y1) Family dwellings = 6
- Nui Kiem (X2, Y6) Family dwellings = 27 (RF/PF Present x 2)
Ruff/Puffs
RF/PF outposts are located in three villages within the AO (see above) and are equipped with radios. These serve only as defensive fortifications and early warning centers.
Current Intelligence
Latest intelligence reports score Enemy activity (EA) and enemy influence (EI) within the AO as detailed below.
The enemy is clearly active but operations are, at this time, relatively low-key. However, the EI score suggests that they are beginning to raise their influence throughout the AO and, left unchallanged, could soon be in a position to threaten the authority of the SVN Government.
| X1 | X2 | X3 | X4 | X5 | X6 | |
| Y1 | 1/12/- | 5/9/- | 5/14/- | 5/15/- | 1/12/- | 1/6/- |
| Y2 | 1/13/- | 3/7/- | 1/15/- | 1/7/- | 1/11/- | 2/5/-* |
| Y3 | 1/11/- | 1/7/-* | 1/14/- | 4/17/- | 1/9/- | 1/8/- |
| Y4 | 1/7/- | 4/10/- | 5/13/- | 3/11/- | 1/12/- | 1/4/- |
| Y5 | 4/11/- | 2/11/- | 2/13/- | 1/8/- | 2/7/- | 4/10/- |
| Y6 | 2/12/- | 5/8/-* | 2/11/- | 5/10/- | 4/14/- | 6/7/- |
| Shaded sectors are inhabited. Those marked with an Asterix denote the presence of a RF/PF outpost. | ||||||
Attached Units
The Company will occupy the FSB with a number of attached units. These units are detailed in the colum to the right.
