Coop - Operation Dark Crusade - Mission 5

War Stories
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1

Map: Panthera
Time: 0200
Weather: Rain
Host: [user avatar=“https://assets-cloud.enjin.com/users/13688253/avatar/small.1433248519.jpeg” name=“Highway”]13688253[/user]

The world has changed. In 2021, China’s economy crashed and the Western markets followed. Millions found themselves without the basics they had lived with for years. Austerity ran rampant. In 2023, Oil wells in the Middle East and the US ran dry. Within six months, every nation in the world was in a desperate struggle to hold onto anything they could get their hands on. High tensions and economic instability forced the UK back into the fold of the EU, which was now vying to become a federal superpower on par with Russia and the US. In 2026, China was forced to launch an unprecedented and desperate invasion on Russian soil, in an attempt to grab what little reserves remained to quell the uprisings happening internally. The Russians, surprised and without much mechanized help, were pushed back quickly and effectively by the Chinese. Within 4 months, Russian Leaders were in conference rooms in Brussels, brokering an alliance that would help their country survive. The EU agreed knowing that Russia could be used as a barrier country for their own defense, at the cost of souring relations with the US. It’s been three years since that deal was made and the US and the re-branded European Federation have been fighting proxy wars across the globe to secure any and all remaining resources. Two months ago, a survey team on the Isle of Panthera discovered a huge well of oil far below the surface and every major power has their eyes firmly set upon it.

OPORD

I Situation:

After establishing FOB Crumpet situation is stable. There are no major offensives from either side. But the intent of EU forces is to end war quickly and remove US control from the islands.

Friendly Forces:

[indent][list]
[] Task Force Sabre Plt
[] 1st Bn, 27th Royal Irish Regiment
[/list][/indent]

Assets:

[indent][list]
[*] 3x Transport truck
[/list][/indent]

Enemy Forces:

[indent][list]
[] US Army - mixed elements - reconnaissance units, armor, infantry and mechanized infantry supported by artillery.
[] Bn reconnaissance platoon has conducted detailed reconnaissance of the area - see AO graphics.
[*] EN will likely execute an immediate counterattack if provoked.
[/list][/indent]

Civilians:

[indent][list]
[*] Fled the area.
[/list][/indent]

II Mission:

[indent][list]
Task force Sabre is to bypass EN forces at line of contact (LOC) and destroy EN artillery and communication installations in EN rear no later than (NLT) 0530 in order to (IOT) disrupt EN and support 1st Bn, 27th Royal Irish Regiment penetration maneuver.
[/list][/indent]

III Execution:

Commander’s intent

[indent][list]
[] Destroy all EN communications and artillery installations.
[] Establish FOB deep behind EN lines.[/list][/indent]

Movement Plan

[indent][list]
[] Infiltrate the EN held area using multiple infiltration lanes.
[] Linkup behind front line of EN.
[*] Proceed towards OBJ. [/list][/indent]

IV Administration / Logistics:

Resupplying

[indent][list]
[*] Resupply unavailable until 1st Bn, 27th Royal Irish Regiment break through the EN lines and establish MSR. [/list][/indent]

Reinforcements:

[indent][list]
[] At predesignated times, reinforcements will be sent out of the base in trucks.
[] Their task will be to assault EN front line defenses.[/list][/indent]

Area of Operations:

2

Looks tough to go unoticed.

  1. Pick one (or both, if we have the numbers) route depending on how the terrain looks from the point where routes 1 & 2 diverge (route 1 seems easier especially for Evac towards FOB OBJ)
  2. Assault Artillery position using the terrain to be in cover from the forces stationed directly North
  3. Vacate Artillery position towards the South to avoid potential indirect fire
  4. Ambush Mechanized infantry stationed North of Coms center if they attempt to retake the Artillery position
  5. Move on Coms center from South-West
  6. Regroup South of Coms center & move West towards the FOB OBJ, take the truck from route 1

For element selection, I’d say 2 squads or 1 squad + MAT depending on attendance.

Do we have anything special to destroy the artillery & communication equipment?

3

If we wanna try to go unnoticed I think that crossing the mountains isn’t a good option as it leaves us without cover for quite long. Perhaps we could get our allies to engage the western side so that any enemy QRF would engage that side.

  1. TFN sneaks along one of both routes or splits up if both routes are viable (decrease amount of infantry at one point to avoid detection)
  2. Regroup
  3. Move on the comms center and disable the comms tower with a rocket –> no comms -> no QRF or artillery
  4. Move on to artillery and then the FOB location

Elements: infantry squads

4

You’ll need to use multiple infiltration lanes, it’s written in OPORD. Smaller footprint, harder to detect, SOP. You should designate a linkup point to, well, link all your forces prior to assault. 2 or even 3 subelements advised, the smaller they are, the easier they will infiltrate. There is no backup, no artillery/medevac/evac support is available not to disclose the upcoming offensive operation. There is no MAT, ENGs nor MMGs you’re traveling light and going Spec Ops. Avoid needless contact especially with enemy armor. Explosives are provided in initial FOB.

5

I beg to differ Mr. Zo, agreed there are no trees in the mountains but the passes will provide defilade from the marked EN positions.
If we really want to be quiet, then no trucks. Your green route makes for a very long hike but the yellow one is reasonable.
We could have 1 or 2 groups infiltrating on the East side & 1 or 2 groups infiltrating on the West side through the mountains. Groups could be composed of 1 fire team, so 1 squad split in 2 on each side.

For the assault, your plan is better by starting with the comms tower after groups have regrouped South of the objective.

6

Agreed Stuka, Split up between 3-4 routes.
Only thing that worries me about those routes you made is that central village… If one of the teams get spotted from there while cresting the hill they will get slaughtered. A fireteam might make it though

7

Units that get spotted will very likely be surrounded, captured for display in New York’s museum or completely annihilated. :slight_smile:

8

If you get spotted, you make them pay!
Plus it will be a diversion for the remaining elements.

9

Is’s going to be the middle of the night. So if we do not sky-line and they don’t have NVGs then we will probably be ok with some of us sneaking through the hills…

10

Should we maybe set some actions on contact during the infiltration? Maybe pull back to the frontline and try go through the next available route?

11

Good idea.
As you said Xerses, action on contact could be to try & disengage, pulling back to LoC & then create a diversion by causing damage to the closest EN position trying to pull forces away from other infiltrating groups.

12

Well, since we have those transport trucks and those explosives, you know what creates a big friggin distraction (BFD) in case of need? An exploding truck!

13

Important update to OPORD - Platoon has UAV support operated by Platoon rifleman. Night gear is provided.

14

Let’s remind [user avatar=“https://assets-cloud.enjin.com/users/15519795/avatar/small.1493755975.png” name=“Argon”]15519795[/user] to turn the lights off.

In that case, PLT could actively guide fireteams through patrols.

15

I took the liberty to redraw the plan with all changes:

  1. Split up in 4 groups
  2. Move towards regroup point behind enemy lines if enemy contact is taken, retreat and provide distraction
  3. PLT rifleman keeps track off the separate groups and enemy patrols (lights off and sufficient altitude!!!)
  4. Destroy comms
  5. Destroy artillery
  6. Establish FOB
16

This is too late but anyway. I’d much rather come in contact with a recon unit that an inf- or armor unit. SOP may be, but I don’t see how splitting into many groups makes us more stealthy. Bigger surface area. Keeping the unit together also enables us to utilize our entire force if in contact.