Tarsus para bellum

[Tiglath]

Frank and Klaus

Frank glances side-ways at Voss and then returns his gaze to Ms Pestis.

"Of course Ms Pestis, fire away."

The squad breathes a sigh of relief as Frank take Ms Pestis away.

"Check your gear, it looks like we could be engaging soon. Keep alert that creature might be back with us shortly."

At Frank's invitation to put her question Ms Pestis seems to cease any movement focusing entirely on him.

Voss keys his comm and places a direct message to Klaus "Klaus get a team to HQ immediately - I want Ms Pestis under armed guard... escort dammit!". Using his only arm he slowly draws a magnum revolver from the beneath the flap of the holster on his belt. In reaction what might be a distracted smile quirks Yersinia Pestis' features for a spit second before she focuses solely on Frank.

"Thank you for the opportunity of casual conversation Colonel Cross". She then goes utterly still while staring at Frank. She doesn't blink and Frank's not sure if she's still breathing even as she says "Colonel Cross of the SEMC please state what you know of the Study and Operations Recording Activities Group and define the relationship you have with them?"

[dongriffiths]

Klaus:

"Squad, escort duty we get that thing to HQ as quickly as we can. Ansels make it happen, you others get ready."

Klaus walks to the side room door knocks and opens it.

"Ma'am please come with me I have orders to escort you to a new location."

[shaidar]

Frank

Frank is genuinely surprised by the question.

"SORAG? The Zhodani psyops group? In this game you hear the usual rumours. They are master manipulators and have their fingers in almost every pie in the sector, probably cooked a good few of them themselves. As for my relationship with them, I don't have one. I'm surprised you asked."

As he speaks he does his best to remain calm, wondering if Ms Pestis has a lie detector somewhere in that head of hers. Not that he's lied... Yet.

[Tiglath]

Frank

Frank is genuinely surprised by the question.

"SORAG? The Zhodani psyops group? In this game you hear the usual rumours. They are master manipulators and have their fingers in almost every pie in the sector, probably cooked a good few of them themselves. As for my relationship with them, I don't have one. I'm surprised you asked."

As he speaks he does his best to remain calm, wondering if Ms Pestis has a lie detector somewhere in that head of hers. Not that he's lied... Yet.

Ms Pestis stares unblinking art Frank for several long seconds. She then reverts to her Corporate style and regaining a posture appropriate to her form smiles at Frank "There is high probability by biometrical observation that you have no relationship with the Study and Operations Recording Activities Group. We can continue our conversation. I am your ally. I will share relevant information".

Yersinia Pestis recites "It is predicated with high confidence that the organization Study and Operations Recording Activities Group is active within the Corporate Directorship zone recognized by the Imperium as District 268".

"It is further predicated with reduced confidence that this organization is responsible for: the degradation of Schunamann und Sohn AG market share on Collace prime and within that system, the degradation of the value placed on SuSAG's contribution to the welfare of the population of Collace City after an unproven allegation of the historic deployment of Bespoke Corporate Merchandise within that Arcology, the unscheduled performance review of Local Deputy Director Drace Keening whose contribution is valued by Executive Outcomes Division including the effective bankruptcy of the 268 Directorship due to the purchase of exclusive mineral rights for the less intrinsically valuable Planet 0938 local designation: Inchin".

"On arrival at Collace to manage the above opportunities Nemo Sicarius, Executive Outcomes Division, SuSAG AG, LIC, Trin, Trin's Veil was served with a notice by the Zhodani Ambassador of a breach of the "Camarena Protocols" unofficially observed by all Intelligence Agencies for the torture and murder of Urvash Gudrun - a Zhodani operative".

"You have no relationship with SORAG. However their operations appear to have a partial overlap with those of SuSAG and SEMC in both space and time. It is predicated with low confidence that this organization might make itself known to you once operations here are concluded. With the authority of Nemo Sicarius, Executive Outcomes Division, SuSAG AG, LIC, Trin, Trin's Veil inform them that SuSAG is willing to negotiate".

Ms Pestis gives a winning smile "Thank you for the opportunity of casual conversation Colonel Cross. I look forward to assisting our common goal by flying the shuttle as a radar piquet".

[shaidar]

Frank

"Well, I'm sure you know more of what SORAG is up to than I do. Our intelligence officer did suspect they were operating on Inchin, but never found any hard evidence. Life is full of odd surprises and concidences. In the unlikely event I get opportunity, rest assured I will pass the message on. Your assistence in piloting the shuttle is greatly appreciated."

[Tiglath]

Frank

"Well, I'm sure you know more of what SORAG is up to than I do. Our intelligence officer did suspect they were operating on Inchin, but never found any hard evidence. Life is full of odd surprises and concidences. In the unlikely event I get opportunity, rest assured I will pass the message on. Your assistence in piloting the shuttle is greatly appreciated."

Ms Pestis leaves escorted by Klaus' team "Colonel Cross, I will report any sensor findings to your HQ".

She sets off and after flight prep takes off at the controls of the "liberated" SuSAG shuttle.

[Tiglath]

Kit, Prerna and Freya

"Please scan our six and get me a full report. If you find anything noteworthy please do not take a hostile action without talking to me first." Kit plays out a wild and crazy thought.

He shortly states "Ma'am. Count confirmed from the uvver side. Twenty AFVS low/mid tech Avastan surplus tracked main battle tanks and APCs with infantry riding on top. Advancin' in two lines like a "short" Mech Regiment. Fek... all tank crew: commanders, loaders an' drivers seem to be still exposed. Um... dunno why... er... for observation?" He smiles "They seems to 'ave read the book but I'm bettin' it was a skim read. To suddenly get armour these boys are distance learnin' or mostly self taught. No proper mercs are gonna sign up under a ruddy lunatic. I'm puttin' up next weeks pay against the tenth tank behind the three forward trios bein' battalion command. 'Course the massive "Son of the Starfish" flag an the mug on the turret top wiv a... guitar... could be a ruse... but I reckon the muppet allowed the smaller flag might be 2i/c commanding the second squadron?"

(OOC: * 900m for ACR with DS)

"Probably." Prerna replies. "I'm not too wild about letting their armor up that close to our infantry. If they start laying down effective fire, then we engage them, no matter the range. Also, watch for enemy drones and air support."

Dougal responds tensely "Mum, no SigInt, no ELINT, no jamming save constant chanting over certain set frequencies. Plot is good as per the Battle Computer feed. Your signal strength R5". He then adds anxiously "Please be careful - Tech troop shouldn't be near the front let alone being it!"

Freddie slides in "It's Ma'am like jam. Don't bother trying to pronounce the middle bit unless you plan on being an officer. I'm here she'll be fine".

Freddie looks across at Freya "Ma'am, you're clever so you're looking for tactics but there aren't any if you're fighting fanatics. Cults are a dangerous thing - I've seen this before but not when they've been given armour. If the line is suppressed and then overrun by their infantry we'll call in the drones and use them to fall back. When we get to that you just get yourself away and take the smelly young rip" he smiles "I'll maybe just cruise for some action - you know my reputation".

Anyone see elements that will provide supporting fire as the horde press forward? I wouldn't be surprised if they have someone at the rear with automatic weapons to discourage an early retreat!

Kit

Kit monitors the SEMC deployment as the twin columns of the Son of the Star's force thrust directly down the valley and flanking it from the North and North/North East. Map ref:
viewtopic.php?p=702876#p702876

He notes that the insurgents seem to be lacking the artillery preparation that should, in a set piece attack, by now be hitting likely areas of resistance or defense.

Gaughan contacts him "Well, sir, they're comin' on like Inchin Grenadiers so they are. Mortars are zeroed in on the kill box. We're good to go here but if the daft bastards are going to hold that formation then the IFV might enfilade their lines if they engage them from the western heights while we hit them from the front".

Prerna

At the mouth of the valley Prerna continues to get updates from her snipers who identify and call targets coordinating with the Greys marksmen.

Easy calls it first "Ma'am, enemy force appears to be in pursuit of a pair of local civvy transports. The ruddy wonkers are engaging wiv MBT main armament but looks like they're using random rounds. Yep, that was a flat trajectory star shell. Pair of wheeled quad bikes movin' in closer brassin' 'em up wiv MGs. 'Ullo... 'e's sportin' aht! Ma'am, there's a ruddy Basil* climbin' on the roof of the lead vehicle. Droppin' back to cover the civvy wagon an' givin' the quad bikes the good news... wiv a fekkin' FN. Ma'am, given our previous, is 'e a friendly?"

Freya

Observing the closing columns and their more visible dust clouds Freya hears Freddy comment "Well, that's absolutely shocking... and yet... it might be fuschia. It seems that there's an appallingly dressed Vargr dragging the fanatics into our ambush. If I label he or she as an oppressed minority I can thereby elevate my abject moral ambiguity into fervent justification and then fek up anyone shooting at them from both actual and moral high ground - as well as just enjoying it. Damn, and I was selling that particular crusade so well...". Freddie sighs and says "We could use the drones to skirt west and re-deploy. Same evasion options, better target acquisition and we could still help the under dog... oh... now that was unfortunate...".

(OOC: Collace slang a "Basil" refers to a "Basil Brush" a not necessarily derogative but scientifically incorrect term for the humanoid species: Vargr).

[Tiglath]

Frank

Voss looks up from his study of the battle computer's holo display. "Sir, this just in from Deliverance. "As per the inbound threat from Rond we have two "dumb" missile boosts directly along the re-entry vector of both escort fighters and during re-entry the SuSAG shuttle performed a gross course deviation result..." that's all three inbound enemy assets eliminated, sir".

Voss quietly asks "Sir, do we have angels on our shoulders... or something else, sir?"

He adds "Sir, sensor analysis and commentary from the fighter jocks on Deliverance. There's just nothing as to comm or even guidance chatter in the combat area of that triple interception. No one can simultaneously launch missile attacks with no trace ELINT - at least at our peer Tech Level. The remnant tactical traces aren't ever usable but there's just nothing there. The Deliverance guys are rattled. Let me tell them that we're not fighting ghosts here, sir".

[shaidar]

Frank

"I don't believe in ghosts, Voss, or angels or demons. Tell the Deliverance that we should be happy we have allies with really advanced tech. I try not to worry about it too much."

[gurusql]

Kit

Kit has a moment that he is looking to the sky and then calls Colonel Cross with full encryption.

"Colonel Cross, Colonel Cross - I have been monitoring some extreme back channel communications. I believe the SEMC is launching a shuttle from ground HQ? If this is the case I recommend an immediate abort and returning the launching location. This airspace is about to have both friendly and hostile fighters in the airspace and both could target the shuttle. Repeat, please authorize and immediate landing or launch abort to avoid a friendly fire situation."

Kit switches the channel returning his focus more locally back to Gaughan, "Wait for maximum damage in the kill box and be ready to directed fire along a line from end to end."

[shaidar]

Frank

"Voss, abort the launch of Ms Pestis, or recall her immediately until we have clarity that the threat has been eliminated."

He then replies to Kit "Thank you Lieutenant, we are recalling the shuttle. We believe the enemy fighters have just been neutralised, but awaiting confirmation."

[joertexas]

Kit, Prerna and Freya

Prerna

At the mouth of the valley Prerna continues to get updates from her snipers who identify and call targets coordinating with the Greys marksmen.

Easy calls it first "Ma'am, enemy force appears to be in pursuit of a pair of local civvy transports. The ruddy wonkers are engaging wiv MBT main armament but looks like they're using random rounds. Yep, that was a flat trajectory star shell. Pair of wheeled quad bikes movin' in closer brassin' 'em up wiv MGs. 'Ullo... 'e's sportin' aht! Ma'am, there's a ruddy Basil* climbin' on the roof of the lead vehicle. Droppin' back to cover the civvy wagon an' givin' the quad bikes the good news... wiv a fekkin' FN. Ma'am, given our previous, is 'e a friendly?"

Prerna keys the tacc channel. "Recon team requests weapons free to cover some mad Vargr running for our lines."

[Tiglath]

Kit

Prerna keys the tacc channel. "Recon team requests weapons free to cover some mad Vargr running for our lines."

Kit notes the "friendly" icons representing Major "Dooley's" K car (air/raft) is circling the insurgent infantry column anticlockwise to the east of his position. He can hear the deliberate thump of the side mounted cannon. The barely quicker Newland G Carrier transits the display and runs up the enemy axis of advance. KIt recognises the overlapping staccato detonations of cluster munitions amid more cannon fire. The standard G cars now join the carousel orbiting the enemy infantry while constantly changing their altitude often appearing to briefly land. Studying the display Able comments "Them Light Infantry blokes are well up for it. Crickey, even the transport's doin' a gun run - just abaht 120 meters off the deck! Oh..." Able goes quiet then mutters to himself "... fek my old boots - will you ruddy look at that!"

Within effective range of the enemy twenty infantry icons descend from 120m to ground level and then begin to aggressively skirmish forward against the massive infantry column before them.

On the shared command channel Kit can hear nothing to indicate the Newland Light Infantry are doing anything more than conducting "business as usual". As the "sweep" reports its forward progress three "stop groups" report they are in position. It seems the "amateur" insurgent infantry are being forced to fight troops entirely out of their league. The enemy column has already stopped its advance and fragmented. The now disordered body now appears to be drifting towards the apparent safety of a dry river bed (or locally donga).

[gurusql]

Kit

Kit knows that the idea is break the morale of the enemy forces. The first priority is to not divert forces so that they can break through the kill zone box. If he is sure that is the case and there are a limited number of hostiles then he will keep the infantry locked in on box and allow the snipers to target those that drifting away from the kill box and the mortar fire to move over to the river bed.

[Tiglath]

Kit and refresher for all

Ms East (T'lia) transmits on the command channel "Enemy mobile column is being pinned by local force gunships. Now halted they are being attacked by highly aggressive and professional paratroopers. Their HQ has been destroyed and they appear to now exert no control over the battlespace". Her gauss rifle cycles. "Junior leaders are eliminated or ineffective. The gunships have dismounted stop teams with support weapons enfilading the river bed from high ground. This isn't going to end well for these insurgents".

Kit knows that the idea is break the morale of the enemy forces. The first priority is to not divert forces so that they can break through the kill zone box. If he is sure that is the case and there are a limited number of hostiles then he will keep the infantry locked in on box and allow the snipers to target those that drifting away from the kill box and the mortar fire to move over to the river bed.

Below is the rendition of the approach (with projected direction of travel and arrival positions) of Insurgent forces in the Valley. The two Special Forces units shown in the valley mouth are two half sections of The Greys mounted infantry under Sgt Isselbacher. They are providing precision real time data of the movement and positions of any enemy vehicle they can see.

The Newland Light Infantry Platoon (~30 men) are ETA 30 mins but are shown in the bottom right hand map corner for reference.

North is the top of the map.

The Valley and base of Spion Kop Approach.jpg (79.54 KiB) Viewed 377 times

Insurgent Forces are marked in RED

Unit identifaction markers are a little unclear in the image but the topmost is the enemy HQ consisting of vehicle mounted infantry in battalion strength ~600 infantry mounted on mostly civilian transports and goods vehicles.

The unit immediately below this is the enemy armour again in battalion strength about 12 to 15 lower mid tech tracked tanks and APCs of varying provenance but mostly loking to be Avastan military surplus stock. The APCs each carry a section of infantry (easily determined since they rate the armour of their rides to be so good that they are all riding outside the vehicles!)

The enemy unit on the right hand (eastern) side of the map is a battalion of ~500 infantry with few support weapons partially mounted in stolen light commercial and stolen farm transports supported by "Technicals" mounting HMGs and/or well supplied with handheld RPGs.

Clarification: Note my last only referenced the Infantry shown to your east and not those infantry in the valley. So it looks like the "local allied force" Newlanders are entirely negating the enemy outside the valley to your east. The position after the Para drop is as below:
Stop Groups are Green Circles Paras sweep line in Green T'lia as purple T (small near stop groups. The dried river bed / donga is in brown.

The Valley and base of Spion Kop Para Drop.jpg (103.59 KiB) Viewed 375 times

[joertexas]

Kit

Kit knows that the idea is break the morale of the enemy forces. The first priority is to not divert forces so that they can break through the kill zone box. If he is sure that is the case and there are a limited number of hostiles then he will keep the infantry locked in on box and allow the snipers to target those that drifting away from the kill box and the mortar fire to move over to the river bed.

Prerna repeats her request for weapons free.

[gurusql]

Kit

"With all the chaos today, we are running Weapons Tight?"

[BackworldTraveller]

Freya looks at the chaos, looks at her team and back.

This looks like my nieces playing football - lots of running about and all want a kick of the ball!

Switching to the battalion HQ channel...Have we got the "B" team facing us while the "A" team are sneaking elsewhere? Is this really it? This looks shambolic enough to be a diversion

[Tiglath]

Freya

Freya looks at the chaos, looks at her team and back.

This looks like my nieces playing football - lots of running about and all want a kick of the ball!

Switching to the battalion HQ channel...Have we got the "B" team facing us while the "A" team are sneaking elsewhere? Is this really it? This looks shambolic enough to be a diversion

Voss responds "If that was the A Team were attempting a vertical envelopment then, with some special help, they just burnt up in the atmosphere while attempting re-entry tumbling sideways".

[Tiglath]

Prerna

Kit

"With all the chaos today, we are running Weapons Tight?"

Prerna can hear her divided team calling in:
"Easy, on target TC"
"Pik, on target Infantry Leader"
"Baker, on - tank driver".
"Carel, on APC driver"

Beau's voice adds "AT defence is set solid in your six. Retire at your discretion. If they oblige us by running in close we are prepped for boarding action. 'Ooorah!"