International Combat Brigade - Invasion of Altis - IC

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

OOC Thread:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=348669

Situation:

Turkey has invaded the strategic Island of Altis. To counter this threat from within NATO a multinational combines arms brigade has been assembled to combat Turkish forces on the island. The task force, known as International Combat Brigade 06 or ICB6, the other five being committed to combat in the mainland of Greece.
As an officer of your nation, you must lead your force to victory on Altis.

Objective:

To close with and destroy the enemy. To force the Turkish government to sue for peace of withdraw completely from Altis by destroying, capturing or defeating the Turkish armed forces.

Maps:



Strategic Map:

http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/201 ... -titre.png

Tactical Map HD:

Please use this file to show troop movements and positions.

http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb2 ... tled-5.jpg

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

Triangles = SAMs
Squares = Battle Units

[Murovanka]

Fifteen kilometers off north-east Altis | Aegean Sea
0045 hours | July 25th, 2015


Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Wedell peered into the darkness, trying to make out the faint outlines of the island of Altis. He was head of the first group of Wankan special forces operators, attached to ICB6, to be infiltrated into the captured island. Under his command were the four teams of the 3rd KKK’s 3rd Platoon, the unit responsible for maritime-based special forces operations. Also attached was a team of four officers of the 99. Sonderhubschrauberschwadron, the airborne support wing of Special Deployment Group 130. Each team, consisting of six troops, had its own silent Zodiac boat which sped toward the island in formation.

His troops were the vanguard of the larger force that would be converging onto the island later on, who in turn would be the vanguard of the main invasion force which was scheduled to land later on today. The 3rd Platoons objective: find a suitable landing zone for the incoming special forces teams, and conduct reconnaissance of the landing zone and its surroundings.

As they neared the island, Wedell ordered all motors to be shut down. The last few kilometers were completed by rowing. One by one, the three other Zodiacs steered away. The second team found what they were looking for, and the five Zodiacs converged on that point. It was a cave, conveniently big enough to dozens of Zodiac boats while keepings its occupants in cover. As the second team stood guard with their night-vision goggles and silenced STG-S assault rifles, the others climbed out and readied themselves for the march ahead. Each soldier carried, together with their main weapon and body armor, on average fifty kilograms on them. This included enough supplies for three days, by which time they would either have to find their own food and drinking water, or would have to be exfiltrated. Hopefully, as the plan stated, the allied force would have landed by then.

Within twenty minutes the Zodiacs were secured and everyone was ready to leave. Face-paint was once again checked and redone. Lighter green for the dark areas of the face, dark green to black for the lighter areas. The first team was left behind to watch the cave- in case they had to flee, they were in charge of rapidly prepping the boats for departure. As planned, Wedell lead his troops out. He looked at his watch; they were half an hour early. The teams split up, maintaining contact by radio.

In the forest, Wedell suddenly heard voices ahead of them, with the light beam of a torchlight leading the way- a patrol. On his signal, the three on his side and the three on the other side of the road disappeared into the forest. The two Turks, young men no older than 20, appeared, talking animatedly with no idea that the muzzles of six high-powered, silenced rifles were pointing at their heads. When people applied to join the 3rd Kampfkommando-Kader, they probably had action-filled images in their mind, killing every enemy soldier in their way before ninja-ing out of the zone, leaving behind a pile of dead corpses. The reality was that most commonly avoiding detection was of highest importance. And as such, these two would live for at least a few hours longer.

After two hours of trekking, the team arrived at a small village which supposedly housed a small coastal watch detachment. Peering through his binoculars, he could make out a small army camp, within which three Turkish Army infantry fighting vehicles were parked. Wedell motioned at his machine gunner to take out the compact, man-portable Aladin drone. After spending five minutes assembling it, the gunner readied the drone and handed Wedell the control system. Radio contact was established with headquarters, who would be able to receive the video recordings that the drone would make via its infra-red camera.

Several hours later, as the sun went up, the troops of the 3rd KKK had accomplished their objectives. Hundreds of pictures and video recordings had been sent back to the Allied headquarters in Athens along with several detailed reports on the landing zone and positions of enemy troops. Wedell’s 3rd Platoon had been joined by the 10th KKK’s 8th Platoon along with two teams of the 2nd KKK and a squad of snipers from the KKK’s elite, Koppa-Koppa.

There was no time to lose. Still using the cover of the darkness, the Wankan special forces rushed into the village, approaching the army camp from behind. Wedell, having handed over command to the leader of the 8th Platoon, now found himself on the ground once more. Ahead of him, he heard two silent bursts. Arriving at the camp seemingly unnoticed for now, the operators piled up behind several huts as two men of the 8th Platoon planted explosive charges on the camp wall. Wedell counted fifty six troops on his side who would storm the camp, against around perhaps forty sleeping Turks. The troops of the 2nd KKK had formed an outer perimeter to engage any enemies that attacked from the outside.

Perched on a forested hill some three hundred meters away were two Koppa snipers who surveyed the camp with their scopes. The position was good, giving them an overview of the entire north face of the camp. On Wedell’s command, they both pulled the trigger, killing the two visible guards stationed in the front. Seconds later, the charges on the back of the camp detonated, and the Wankers rushed in. Now, all that counted was speed. Several Turks engaged them, their automatic rifles loud enough to wake up the entire village. Enemy soldiers were running all over the place now, trying to find out what was going on while the officers attempted to gather men to form some kind of resistance to the rude invaders.

At the same time, a heavy-weapons fireteam of the 8th Platoon approached the three parked infantry fighting vehicles to destroy them. Suddenly, one of the engines started with a growl and a lumbering IFV moved out. As the four Wankers scrambled for cover, they were torn apart by the IFV’s autocannon which spat out nasty high explosive shells. Having killed its first targets, the IFV then moved to the center of the camp, continuously firing and sending the KKK troopers diving for cover. Wedell cursed loudly as he sent a burst at the IFV, which had seemingly turned the tide of the battle. The IFV, which was on the receiving end of a hailstorm of small arms fire, had forced the Wankan troops down, giving the rest of the Turks time to recover and reorganize.

While reloading in cover, Wedell desperately looked for the 8th Platoon’s heavy weapons team. He did find them- all lying dead in a pool of blood a dozen meters ahead of him.

”Deckung geben!” (“Give me cover”) he yelled at his team, who promptly sent suppressive fire at the Turkish positions. Wedell sprinted out of cover, firing his Glock pistol at the enemy (his rifle had been shot out of his hands). Arriving at the fireteams position, he quickly picked up the loaded Panzerfaust, hoisting it on his shoulder. He had to destroy this IFV, or the battle was lost. Wedell took careful aim- when a ricocheting bullet slammed into his shoulder, sending him to the floor. Ignoring the pain, he stood up again, and let loose. The rocket tore into the armored vehicle, striking its ammunition rack. The IFV exploded.

Behind him, his troops saw what their commander was doing, and rushed forward to help. One took the Panzerfaust from him, targeting the next IFV which had just started up. Wedell picked up a rifle from a dead soldier and continued fighting. With the next two IFV’s destroyed in quick succession, the Turks quickly gave in. Accurate fire from the Koppa snipers behind them had taken out the officers and the enemy troops soon found themselves leaderless. Twenty-two were captured, ten of them wounded. Another fourteen Turks lay dead.The battle had lasted half an hour, and Wedells look-outs had reported that Turkish gunships were inbound. There was no time to waste. Wedell ordered the prisoners, including the wounded to stand in a line. Each was quickly executed with a double tap to the head. Wedell didn’t like it, the troopers didn’t like it, but it was vital that there would be nobody to report that Wankan troops had been here. While the chance of the Turkish command thinking that this was the work of Greek resistance fighters was virtually nil.

With the base blown up, the Wankan dead and wounded were shoulder-carried back into the woods while two Turkish officers were dragged along for questioning later on. The Wankers themselves suffered four dead and fifteen wounded- an over 20% casualty rate. High, way too high in Wedells opinion, but when he considered the time he was given, he told himself that this was what he should’ve expected. Or worse. Either way, the base had been destroyed and the Turks had now lost their eyes and ears on the Allied landing zone, which could now proceed.

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

Altis International Airport (Occupied by Turkish Eighth Squadron Army Aviation)

Reports of an enemy assault had hit the Kavala HQ just minutes after the first shots. While the initial invasion had gone smoothly, it was the continued patrols and occupation that had been an issue. Almost immediately insurgency had begun, fuelled by ethnic tensions between Greeks and Turks. In just a week Colonel Ayberk Alhamid had lost thirty six to enemy fire, with another seventy two wounded. This latest attack by insurgents was the largest yet, an entire mechanized platoon was all but wiped out. Unless he wanted to be stripped of his command then he would need to hunt down and destroy those responsible.

Six T-129 helicopter gunships lifted off from the Altis airfield. Their triple barrelled 20mm Gatling cannons twitched back and forth, scanning the horizon with infra-red cameras. The crews watched as the Quick Reaction Force (QRF) assembled below, a platoon of M60 Patton tanks, with a company of Mechanized infantry riding in ACV-15 IFVs. It was a potent force and with the cover helicopter gunships, the insurgents wouldn't stand a chance.

The QRF moved at rapid speed through the highways to the northern flank of the island and in just under thirty minutes the battle group had reached the region of interest. They had long since lost radio contact with the outpost but quickly spotted the pillar of smoke rising high into the perfect blue sky. "This is Tiger 1-2, we have eyes on smoke at bearing 354." The pilot of the second heli in the Tiger wing said.
"Roger, 2, move to investigate. I will relay to the ground forces."

Tiger wing moved cautiously towards the coast line of Altis and to the smoke. They danced over the tree lines, letting the terrain mask their sound and protect them from being spotted. At the last moment they leapt up, gaining altitude to several hundred meters and pouncing on the destroyed outpost. Below them lay dozens of bodies, destroyed vehicles and blown apart buildings. The outpost was utterly destroyed. "Tiger 2, I have a spike from the north, can you confirm?" The pilot of Tiger 1 said, watching the radar warning receiver ping.
"Uhh, that's a negative, 1. I have nothi-" Tiger 2 cut himself off as he glanced out to the sea. hundreds of landing craft with bristling turrets covered the sea. "Contacts bearing direct north!" he screamed into his mic. A missile shot out from the heavily armed landing craft, lancing straight into Tiger 1. The gunship shuddered under the impact, twisting sickeningly in the air as the air frame buckled under the force.

"We're hit, going-" Tiger 1 was cut off by static as his craft burrowed into the ground, exploding as the ammunition on board cooked off.
"Command, this is Tiger 1-2, we have a-" A second missile smashed into Tiger 1-2. The explosive package scooped the cockpit out of the aircraft, leaving it an empty, mortally stricken hull. It tumbled to the ground, cutting a deep gash into the tree cover.

North Eastern Beach of Altis

The International Combat Brigade 06 was landing hard and fast under the cover of an intense radar and IR SAM bubble. The landing craft were huge, bristling with missiles, ECMs, flare and chaff launchers and an assortment of weapons to suppress enemy forces on the beach. Nearby them the infantry landed in amphibious combat vehicles. SPQC A-2 and A-6 fighting vehicles propelled themselves through the water, engaging any locations that could potentially harbour an enemy with a grudge.

They hit the beach hard as missiles shot off above them, down yet another gunship that had been too curious. The huge landing craft hit the beach second, their doors opening and giving way for the A-13 heavy tanks. The tanks rolled onto the sand, their wide tracks giving them ample traction to pull themselves along. Thermal cameras scanned for live targets, the 20mm commander's gun and the 125mm main cannon ready to tear apart anything that dared to show resistance.

The enemy QRF had no concept of what lay beyond them, on that beach. The M60 MBTs rolled out of the valley onto the ridge above the beach, investigating the downed gunships. Instantly the M60s were taken out. 125mm shells ripped into the obsolete armour, making the vehicles jump with every impact. From the outside they looked all but unscathed, a small hole marking the impact. Inside the crew was obliterated, the ammunition slowly burning and the interior torn apart.

The QRF infantry unloaded, their vehicles hanging back to engage defensively. The elite 6th Armoured Regiment of the SPQC cut a swathe through the hopelessly unprepared enemy units. The beach head was secure and a dozen burning enemy vehicles marked its position. SPQC and other ICB troops unloaded onto the beach, fanning out to quickly expand and secure a wide enough front for the entire brigade.

[Empire of Donner land]

Over Altis

45 DC-TP-430's, Stealth Troop Transports fly over Altis at 10 thousand meters above. Carrying a entire Battalion and enough supplies to build a very small base and some vehicles. The aircraft were huge. It took extremely skilled pilots to keep them stable and advanced computers to help. The stealth coating and structure of the aircraft hid it from Radar technology from both the ground and aur. The angles were built to deflect Radar and the coating to absorb it. The combination of the two made it expensive and almost invisible.

The cargo ramp doors on aircrafts slowly opened reflecting some of the moon light as they went down. First the vehicles were sent out of the aircraft and then the troops and supplies fell out and jumped. They were to set up a small F.O.B on the northern coast of Altis. A staging ground for a even larger operation.

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

Altis

Turkish forces were now alerted to the presence of hostile forces on the island. The entire Marine Brigade and the armoured, aviation, artillery and medical elements attached to it went to full mobilization. An entire battalion of mechanized infantry with heavy mortar and tank support was moved to intercept the landings immediately.

In entirety a fifth of the Marine Brigade had been deployed immediately to counter the threat. it totalled some eight hundred mechanized infantry carried in heavy, amphibious IFVs escorted by SAMs and a company of M60 tanks. They were digging in along a line surrounding the ICB beach head. They would wait until they could either regroup with enough strength to counter attack or until the enemy broke against their lines.

It was a race, would the enemy attack first or would reinforcements reach the Turks to counter attack?

[The Teutonic Republic]

Northeastern part of Altis,Off the ICB6 Beachhead, 00:30

Under the cover of darkness 2 kilometers off the northeastern section of Altis 5 Heroic Class Amphibious Assault Ships of the Teutonic Rapid Strike Force Unload their 15 LCACs, each carrying two Specter tanks, and 42 amphibious Puma IFVs carrying 30 panzergrenadier squads. The craft make their way to shore where the tanks are deployed form the LCACS and the Pumas unload their panzergrenadier squads. Despite the complete darkness the panoramic NVGS and thermal optics of the panzergrenadiers illuminate the darkness. Defensive positions throughout the beachhead are created by the panzergrenadiers while the Tanks and IFVs are preparing for a head on assault against the massing enemy forces.

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

Altis

Two full strength battalions of Turkish mechanized infantry was arranged to encircle the ICB landing zone. It was almost midday now when the word for the assault was given. 120 IFVs with 20mm cannon, 40 M60 ERA equipped MBTs, assorted SAMs and the incoming strike wing of an elite Turkish air force squadron were taking part in the assault with support from 105mm howitzers. Armed with Mavericks, AIM-120s and AIM-9s the F-16 flight came in hard and fast, well aware of incoming flights from ICB support units thanks to AWACS. The Mavericks shot off the rails, smashing their targets to pieces as the elite pilots dodges MANPADS and short ranged SAMs. Two F-16s were brought down by SAMs in balls of fiery death.

The assault followed shortly, proceeded by a sudden barrage of 105mm howitzer HE. The bombardment was precise and limited, only on spotted targets. The tanks and IFVs moved up and made contact with the ICB. Under a bubble of both friendly and enemy SAMs it was the role of the ground forces to fight it out for superiority.

[Empire of Donner land]

Altis, Northern Coast

The paratroopers all regroup under the cover of night bringing the supplies and vehicles to the spot where a F.O.B will be constructed. 300 troops have been sent out to create ambush points in roads incoming to the F.O.B construction zone to slow down any assault.

[Murovanka]

Vicinity of ICB6 LZ | North-West Altis
0830 hours | July 26th, 2015 | Day Two


The enemy was doing the right thing, Brigadegeneral Victor Cüstrin thought. The fifty-five year old one-star had been appointed head of the newly created Sondereinsatzgruppe 130 composed of an assorted collection of Wankan special forces to serve as the reconnaissance and special-operations battalion of the International Combat Brigade Six.

His troops already had a good first day behind them. The landing had gone smoothly without much enemy interruption and enemy units in range of disrupting their plans had been destroyed, all thanks to the Kampfkommando-Kader. Of course, the initial casualties had been uncomfortable to receive (another six operators had died, along with two pilots, when a Little Bird chopper crashed on a training exercise), but all in all it had been a success. Still, the hardest lay before them.

Thanks to the reconnaissance of the 8/10th KKK, ICB6 was well aware of the two battalions en route to their positions and was responding effectively. Nevertheless, for safety reasons, Cüstrin had moved his staff and equipment toward the cave which had been used earlier for KKK landings. The occasional nearby explosion served to rattle his officers a little, but they knew they had it better than the majority of the men and women out there. It was unusual for a General to come down to the combat zone, especially when considering the risk, but Cüstrin wanted to get a feel of the area in which he sent his tough and loyal soldiers into.

“Second team of 8/10 Platoon reports another command vehicle destroyed… First team of 1/2 Platoon reports a supply convoy destroyed… Turks getting hit hard on right flank, Koppa snipers taking out platoon commanders now…” his communications officer reported, keeping up his running commentary. With the battle here in full motion, Cüstrin hadn’t really intervened yet. The KKK teams were operating independently in coordination with each other, using their own initiative. With such a fluid battle in motion, there was little that Cüstrin, located dozens of kilometers from the fighting, could do. First platoon of 2nd KKK was watching the Turkish rear, detailing precisely enemy movements and reinforcements coming into the conflict zone, while occasionally jumping in to destroy soft, easy targets such as supply convoys which they could take out with their light weaponry.

Located more or less within the combat zone, 8th Platoon of 10th KKK was operating. Attempting to maximize damage while minimizing casualties, they took out targets of opportunity: command vehicles (identified by the antennae on the vehicles), isolated outposts, enemy recon units, the isolated artillery battery. Nevertheless, operating in such an area naturally incurred hazards. In addition to the casualties suffered the day before, the number of men and women that had been and would have to be shipped back to Wanka was reaching the high twenties.

---

ca. 1km from Turkish Air Defense site | Kavala Forest | Central Altis
0210 hours | July 26th, 2015 | Day Two


The Wankan SEALs, the 3rd KKK, had pushed deep into enemy territory; in fact, into the Turkish military heartland near Myrina. The UN’s signals intelligence operators had deciphered some Turkish radio chatter, which they initially thought to be useless. It detailed that the Turkish commander-in-chief was traveling out of Myrina to a command outpost in an isolated town north of the city outskirts. But before it was discarded as useless rubbish, it landed in the hands of Cüstrin, who realized that he coincidentally had a 3rd KKK team camped just several kilometers away. This team was ordered to watch for the incoming convoy, which they spotted in the midst of the night, despite the darkness. The command building was taken note of; a three-story building which used to be part of a Greek (now closed) primary school.

Cüstrin and his officers had been exhilarated and after minutes of discussion, decided it was worth to take the risk. An in extremis plan was worked out, according to Patton’s famous quote: A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan next week. As a thirty-four-strong Koppa troop was briefed and loaded onto choppers, Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Wedell was ordered toward the radar site which protected the airspace around Myrina. It was, due to its importance, heavily guarded, and Wedell and his team spent an unusually long time to get into a good position to complete their mission.

Above them, in the sky, flew a flight of two F-16 Fighting Falcons of the Allied air command. Flying in below the radar horizon, they went in straight for Altis. Each was carrying three Maverick air-to-ground missiles, along with an assortment of other missiles for air defense. Thanks to Wedell and his team, they could afford to switch their radar to passive, allowing them a greater chance of staying undetected.

On the ground, Wedell’s comms operator nodded at his heavy gunner, who was operating the teams laser designator. Wedell himself observed the target facility through a pair of binoculars. All of them were fully camouflaged into their forest surroundings.

Seconds after the laser beams shot into the sky, the site was completely obliterated by the six Maverick missiles. The F-16’s quickly turned and headed back to base. Flying towards Altis now were four stealth helicopters- two NH-90’s and two MH-6’s, commonly known as “Little Birds”. Black as the sky, the four choppers soared silently towards the target building, which was quickly identified. The guards on the ground had just taken notice at the silent whirring in the air when they fell to the ground, dead, in a flurry of rapid sniper shots from the Little Birds. The building remained silent, several lights still on. The first NH-90 came to a hovering stop above the building, and on both sides, ropes were flung out. Black-clad Koppa soldiers rapidly dropped down, just as they had done hundreds of times before, silently onto the roof. Sixteen troopers wielding silenced rifles and submachine-guns rushed into the third floor of the building.

Seconds later, the second NH-90 came to the same hovering stop, unloading its sixteen operators. These then proceeded to throw ropes down the side of the building and rappelled down. As the first man reached the second floor, he violently kicked in the window, jumping in and landing in a controlled manner. He raised his rifle; in his night-vision goggles, he could make out a Turkish soldier turning to receive him. A burst later by his silenced STG-S ended the guards life. Behind him, the second Koppa trooper swung in.

As the two teams entered the second and third floors, the two Little Birds, each carrying a Koppa sniper, hovered along the longer sides of the building. They watched and reported enemy movements to the teams as they saw troops pick up their weapons and run out of the rooms. Several never made it out, having been killed by the expert snipers in the air.

In the mean time, the fighting suddenly became louder. Flashbangs and frag grenades detonated while the muffled screams, shouts and gunfire from the Turks were heard by the chopper crews outside. The top two floors were cleared quickly and the two teams moved down. Two men appeared in the corridors, one firing prematurely. The first Koppa trooper went down. The one behind him sidestepped his fallen comrade, killing the two with accurate shots to the head. Another man appeared out of the first room, but he quickly withdrew back quickly in the face of a hailstorm of bullets. A frag grenade bounced in, exploding. The old man was thrown across the room. Two Koppa soldiers entered, each scanning the room for further targets. Finding none, they approached the grenade victim. He was bleeding profusely out of his stomach, but for now, seemed alive. His eyes were cold and filled with hatred as he surveyed the foreign invaders.

”Wir haben ihn!” (“We have him!”) shouted the first Koppa trooper into his mic as he flipped open the General’s ID. ”Wiederhole. Wir haben den Leopard- lebendig!” (“We have the Leopard- alive!”)

It was acknowledged by the assault team leader, who seconds later received incoming reports that the building was cleared. The Koppa private hung his prize over his shoulder and exited through the ground floor, where the two NH-90’s had come back down to receive them. Medics immediately tended to the wounds of the Turkish General, who had passed out. The choppers remained on the ground for another minute as wounded Koppa soldiers were carried out of the buildings. Six were wounded, two critically. So far, no deaths. As expected, the wounded took up more space in the NH-90s than on the way in, so several strapped themselves to the outside benches of the Little Birds. Having spent a total of fourteen minutes and thirty seconds on the ground, Wankas élite lifted off into the night sky.

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

In the night the Turkish F-16s darted in between the mountains and SAM bubbles. They controlled the sky, demanding of it what they willed. "Colt 1-1, EagleEye, popup group BRA 270, 16, Angels 200, flanking. Flight of four helicopters."
"EagleEye, Colt, roger. Moving to engage." the lead of Colt wing said. The AWACS had detected the flight of helos as they crested a ridge, their silhouettes shining out like a beacon as the super powerful radars took the reflection and compared it to a datalink of a ground based radar, both confirming the contact. The F-16s gunned it, burning hard and pushing into the AO. "Mud Spike, 12 O'Clock!" one pilot called as his RWR received a hit from a ground based radar.
"Roger, contacts bearing 211."
"Fox Three!" Another pilot called as he released his AIM-120. At this close range even the weak radars of the F-16 could have detected the very latest stealth fighters, with the data link to the AWACS and the IRST assistance it was too easy. The missile dropped off the rail, activating its rocket engine as it fell. The missile shot off into the night, turning into an orange dot surrounded by darkness. In the distance the pilots saw the missile impact. "Splash one! that's a kill." the pilot yelled, exhilarated with his first combat kill.
"SAM launch!" the flight lead yelled, "Break, break, break!" on the third break he pulled hard, jettisoning chaff and flares as he went. The flight broke its formation and dodged the incoming missile. The young pilot, the one that scored the kill, ignored the warning and pulled in line for a second shot.
"Going guns!" he yelled, coming up behind them fast. The choppers fell behind another ridge, hiding themselves from the hunting fighter. The pilot glanced down, looking at the burning forest and the illuminated plume of smoke, the result of his handiwork. He grinned and pulled back on the stick, trying to pull around for a second attack. He never got that far. As soon as his craft jumped over the ridge he was lit up with radar and infrared tracking. His RWR screamed as missile warnings and lock warnings lit up the HUD and cockpit. He saw the flash of missile launches across the entire front, all aimed for him. He pumped out countermeasures and watched a missile sail past, just meters away. A moment later the Turkish jet exploded. The air frame was ripped apart under the impact from three Anti-Air missiles, filling the night sky with burning shrapnel.

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

The Turkish ground attack was faltering in the center where the assault faced the combined strength of SPQC and Teutonic heavy weapons. Dozens of vehicles and hundreds of soldiers from both sides lay slain. The vehicles blazed away, illuminating plumes of smoke that reached endlessly into the night sky. On the flanks where the light Donner paratroopers guarded it was a different story. The heavy Turkish armour and IFVs were not ill-trained militia or Jihadis, they were elite Marines and they scanned each choke point with thermals and approached dismounted, flanking far around possibly ambush points and encircling completely before attempting to pass through. Recon on the ridges and heavy artillery on immediate call resulted in heavy fire power pouring down on Donner positions.

The Commander of the ICB06, Colonel James Harper, contacted the Donner command and requested a situation report.

[Empire of Donner land]

The Turkish ground attack was faltering in the center where the assault faced the combined strength of SPQC and Teutonic heavy weapons. Dozens of vehicles and hundreds of soldiers from both sides lay slain. The vehicles blazed away, illuminating plumes of smoke that reached endlessly into the night sky. On the flanks where the light Donner paratroopers guarded it was a different story. The heavy Turkish armour and IFVs were not ill-trained militia or Jihadis, they were elite Marines and they scanned each choke point with thermals and approached dismounted, flanking far around possibly ambush points and encircling completely before attempting to pass through. Recon on the ridges and heavy artillery on immediate call resulted in heavy fire power pouring down on Donner positions.

The Commander of the ICB06, Colonel James Harper, contacted the Donner command and requested a situation report.

F.O.B, Northern Altis coast.

"The FOB is under going construction and the 300 troops we sent out to intercept the enemy incoming are engaged. I'm not worried by this. By the time they do get here if they do we will have the F.O.B set up. Defenses are constructed now." The Lieutenant Colonel said into the radio in a make shift command tent in the center of the construction site. Officers were moving in and out putting in and taking out crates. H-Barriers were being put up and barracks and other things were being set up. The current ETA is an hour and a half until fully operational.

Ambush Point, Northern Altis

The three hundred troops sent to ambush were engaging the Armored troops. They were prepared. Only 200 were actually at the ambush points on the front. Another 100 is waiting as a secondary line to cover the retreat of the others or assist. They were given the order to move in on the flanks of the armor. Their objective was to stop the advance at all cost.

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

The decoy Turkish armour had been spotted by the enemy, two platoons of M60s were out in the open while concealed marksmen, kilometers away, watched silently, calling in updates through the encrypted radios. The Donner paratroopers came down on the flanks of the M60 ERAs, hitting them with the light Anti-Armour weapons that airborne forces came equipped. Unfortunately for them they had been watched the entire time and shells were already in the air, dozens of them. 105mm HE shells rained down on the Donner infantry that had come out of hiding. Instantly they were dashed apart by high explosives while several companies of mechanized infantry pushed out of reserve and encircled them. Now those surrounding the tanks were encircled by 20mm armed IFVs, hundreds of infantry and had heavy shells raining down on their heads. They couldn't last long.

[Empire of Donner land]

The decoy Turkish armour had been spotted by the enemy, two platoons of M60s were out in the open while concealed marksmen, kilometers away, watched silently, calling in updates through the encrypted radios. The Donner paratroopers came down on the flanks of the M60 ERAs, hitting them with the light Anti-Armour weapons that airborne forces came equipped. Unfortunately for them they had been watched the entire time and shells were already in the air, dozens of them. 105mm HE shells rained down on the Donner infantry that had come out of hiding. Instantly they were dashed apart by high explosives while several companies of mechanized infantry pushed out of reserve and encircled them. Now those surrounding the tanks were encircled by 20mm armed IFVs, hundreds of infantry and had heavy shells raining down on their heads. They couldn't last long.

The troops were taking casualties. Using their helmet HUDs the 100 troops supporting the 200 surrounded retreated to the 2nd defence line and called in U.N Air support by contacting the F.O.B behind them calling in targets around the 200 that are surrounded. The 200 surrounded dug in and used their training to fight on the back foot. Donner Land was trained in fighting out numbered. While retreating they set up well placed traps and Machine gun emplacements with AT support. From the Tented HQ the commander could see everything from above.

[Senata Populus Que Caelum]

UN aircraft were some fifteen minutes out, equipped with Mavericks and JDAMs they would pack a punch for the troops in contact at risk of the entire wing being destroyed. Another wing was already on station but loaded out for CAP, unable to support with anything more than gun runs. For the mean time they troops on the ground would have to hold out as best they could. The Turkish forces closed the noose around the Donner forces. The paratroopers were completely encircled by elite Turkish Marines, getting smashed by heavy artillery and hit with heavy cannon and tank fire the entire time. Any soldier that showed his body for more than a few short seconds could count on catching shrapnel, cannon or bullets. The Turks assaulted, closing to bayonet range at times with leaping suppressive fire and well drilled attacks. It was doubtful how long the Donner troops could hold out as they were so outclassed by the heavy weapons and fire support, caught out in the open without prepared cover as they tried to ambush the M60s.

[The Teutonic Republic]

Vicinity of ICB6 LZ:

Spectre tanks lay buried in hull down positions around the hilltops of the ICB6 landing zone. With their stealth systems active and main engines turned off and running their small APUs for power the tanks are effectively invisible to enemy radar and thermal imagers. Puma IFVs lay underneath multispectral camouflage nets, laying in wait to pulverize the advancing vehicles and infantry with their hellfire missiles and 35mm cannons.

Lieutenant Michael Carrius, Commander of one of the Spectre tanks buried in the hills, observes the advancing forces through his thermal sight, waiting for them to get within range. 105mm artillery fire rains down near his position, mostly ineffective against the heavily armored tanks and IFVs.

M60, 2,000 meters, 11 o'clock. Gunner, Fire AP

The gunner centers the turret of the M60 in his targeting reticle and depresses the trigger. Within an instant the 15 kilogram depleted uranium round, resembling a large arrow, flies out the barrel of the hyper-velocity 120mm gun, knifing through the air at more than 3.5 kilometers per second towards its helpless victim. The tank, an obsolete M60, explodes in a ball of flame, the pyrophoric depleted uranium fragments igniting the ammunition stored within the tank.

While the gunner was engaging the first M60, Carrius has already spotted and ranged another, taking advantage of the tanks hunter-killer fire control system.

M60, 1,850 meters, 12 o'clock. Gunner, Fire AP

The auto-loading system within the tank immediately loads the enormous 120mm round into the breach. The gunner, who already has his targeting data from the tank's internal computer, simply depresses the trigger. Another depleted uranium sabot flies through the air toward its target. The M60 is hit in its upper glacis plate and has its insides blown out the back of the hull. The ammunition then cooks off and the tank explodes, the turret flying high into the air before smacking down onto the ground with a large thud.

The enemy tanks, realizing they were marching into a death trap, broke off from their formation in an attempt to flank the position of the concealed Specter tanks.

M60, 1,920 meters, 2 o'clock. Gunner, Fire AP

Another depleted uranium round flies towards the enemy M60 tank. The round hits just behind the frontal drive wheel, ripping through the drivers compartment and blowing the frontal half of the tank to pieces. The process continued with enemy tank after enemy tank being reduced to rubble, no match for the power of the Specter's 120mm gun.

Meanwhile the Puma IFVs had emerged from their camouflage nets to fire their mix of thermobaric and HEAT hellfire missiles at the approaching enemy forces. Thermobaric missiles rained down on the enemy infantry, their 8 kg metal augmented charges vaporizing the soldiers near the blast while those unfortunate enough to be further away had their lungs crushed and their body engulfed in third degree burns. The HEAT missiles targeted the enemy armored vehicles, their 9 kg tandem warhead blasting the enemy M60s and IFVs to pieces. Troops in the open are engaged with Puma's 35mm airbust cannon, sending tungsten fragments flying in every direction, shredding the exposed infantry to pieces. Meanwhile the panzergrenadier's elite snipers pick off the suppressed enemy troops at extended ranges using their .338 and 0.50 caliber EXACTO rifles from their camouflaged positions.

The enemy attack has been contained and their frontal assault stalled, reports Lieutenant Colonel Steinmetz to UN command.

Realizing that the enemy front has been weakened, Steinmetz decides to launch a counter attack against the retreating Turkish forces. The Specters are taken out of hull down positions while the IFvs have their hellfire missiles reloaded. The panzergrenadier squads cram into their IFVs, ready to launch a frontal assault against the enemy forces.