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Lone Tree Hill Virtual Staff Ride

This virtual staff ride examines the 158th RCT and 6ID efforts to seize Lone Tree Hill, key terrain that overlooked Maffin Bay and the airfields on Wadke Island along the northern coast of New Guinea. This operation was designed to secure the lines of communication for the larger campaign aimed at liberating the Philippines.

The staff ride begins with an overview of the campaign, followed by the 158th’s attack, and the 6ID relief in place of the 158th RCT. The study continues with a detailed examination of the 6ID’s seizure of Lone Tree Hill.

The primary learning objective is to discuss insights of attacking in a jungle environment and small-scale amphibious operations, especially at the battalion to division level.

The Lone Tree Hill VSR is fully exportable to any organization that has access to the Army-licensed gaming software, Virtual Battlespace 3 (VBS3). Each exportable package includes full instructor support materials, student readings, and instructions on how to use everything. Please see below.

Lone Tree Hill Virtual Staff Ride Material

Lone Tree Hill VSR Introduction

This file provides an overview of the VSR, what products comprise the VSR, how to download the products, and how they are used to conduct the VSR. The exportable VSR contains all the elements of a “ground” staff ride, but with the terrain being presented with a computer in a classroom environment.

Download the VSR Introduction

Virtual Terrain for Lone Tree Hill

The VSR runs off the Army’s games-for-training platform, Virtual Battlespace 3 (VBS3). Only current license holders with a CAC enabled computer can operate VBS3 at the present time. New license download authorizations are unavailable due to contract restrictions with the software manufacturer. Use this link to access the Army’s Milgaming site for the Lone Tree Hill terrain files. After downloading VBS3, the user must download the terrain and model files and then upload them into VBS3. Detailed instructions on how to complete this process are at the Milgaming link. For technical questions or issues relating to VBS3, contact customer support at Bohemia Interactive Simulations at (866) 755-5127.

Army Milgaming Site

Preliminary Study Materials

These materials help prepare staff ride participants for their virtual visit to the campaign area. The Lone Tree Hill read ahead is an excerpt from CMH Pub 5-8-1, The Approach to the Philippines.

Download the Read Ahead

Field Phase and Materials

These resources are for the staff ride facilitator or instructor. The notes are the materials the instructor uses to tie the terrain, the historical narrative, and the visual aids together. The visual aids help keep the participants oriented to the virtual terrain and to the historical context of the operation. A separate set of operating instructions are included for the computer operator, to include videos, to synchronize terrain movements with the historical narrative.

Download the Instructor Notes

Download the Operators Notes Pt.1

Download the Operators Notes Pt.2

Download the Visual Aids