CLOSING ON BALA VAGA
Hazel flight was up off the ground, having made a short flight to Vesselle from Trakanu. The new Uli UNADS built F-36s with stealth and tighter maneuverability and increased engagement range would be able to square off to the Falkasian fighters, where the Gripens had fallen short in a couple categories. The Harriers and MIG-29s that were now escorting the RHAF Backfires were running into heavy resistance as the Falkasians came up to intercept and more SAMs fired off.
Hazel flight was receiving constant data on the rapidly shifting situation from several sources, the highly powerful radars at Vesselle ACC, the New Edom naval command in the channel, the Uli AWACs and RC-135 that hovered north of Nesselberg, and of course the other Royalist pilots whose craft continued to transmit data, whether they were conscious of it or not. Despite all this, the amount of aircraft up in the air at the moment, both Royalist and rebel was mind boggling. Isotopian, Falsean, Mcnernian, Hutanjian, Uli, Falkasian, New Edomite, Estovakivan, even, if reports were to be believed, a couple Cardwithian MIGs. IFF was in overdrive to keep track and blips constantly blended with each other and formed mass globs if a screen was zoomed out to take in a bigger picture. Not to mention, the amount of stealth fighters whose signatures were fleeting at best. Missile flares were the best way to mark their coming and going.
While the Estovakivan barrage created a gap, the bombing sortie tried to exploit it, but the Falkasians had chosen that moment to get their squadrons in the air. While the RHAF and Uli fighter/bombers swooped in to hit the AA sites missed in the first couple waves or new ones come online, the Falkasians struck. Shadowhawks and Warhawks tore into them, as they were attempting to evade the ground fire and get off a few lucky shots in at the AA sites. The Uli pilots had the slight advantage over their Hutanjian counterparts at ducking missiles and deploying flares and chaff at the right moments.
One Harrier was hit becoming a fireball, with no time for the pilot to bail out. Another was slightly flaked with shrapnel as a SAM exploded nearby, it was still mobile, if not as maneuverable as before. Four RHAF MIGs were taken out in the ensuing flurry of missiles and rockets. One of the TU-22M Backfires was destroyed by the defensive battery of missiles that hit the bombing armada. Another was gravely wounded, but kept on to the targets, unleashing its payload over Bala Vaga before crashing into the surf beyond. The final heavy bomber of the Royal Hutanjian Air Force, rather than risk the shitstorm that was the AA/SAM defenses over Bala Vaga, dropped its payload early, towards some central SAM sites that were secondary targets. It then raced for the channel and the relative safety of northern West Cardwith, bailing on its primary mission.
The second wave of multi-role fighter/bombers, mostly Uli Harriers, targeted some of the Exocet and Hellion II sights that they were able to reach from this distance with their ASMs. They followed the last Backfire Northwest. Other sights were falling under the fire of New Edom naval launched cruise missiles and Estovakivan suppression missiles. Escorting duty done, the remaining, surviving MIGs, Mirages, Gripens and Harriers hightailed it for friendly airspace, heading northwest first, as well, before turning back East.
NORTH OF MONTVIEUX
It turned out that not all the teams had made it off the beach after all during the evac of Lambda Company. The last rear guard team was not able to push off before the ring closed. Surrounded by several fallen comrades, the last four men of 6th Platoon on the beach LZ raised their hands and squinted their eyes as the floods came on to disorient them. None of the tactics were unexpected, and they knew there was the chance the net would drop before they could disengage and get the last zodiac off the beach. The mission had overall, been a success as its original diversionary intention had been accomplished.
Still, the shock of failure helped to twist the mental knife.
The Uli Regiment was elite, and the 6th Platoon, Lambda Company was the elite of the elite. They were not used to being helpless on this end of a gun barrel.
Lieutenant Rory McKannis gave the order for the men to drop their weapons, and 2nd Lieutenant Dewayne Edmond, Sergeant Stanislas Kierczemiwcz and Corporal Vari Jitpuuri complied, knowing their value alive to both sides was more important than some throwaway last minute heroic gesture. They dropped 2 SG 552s, a Galil and a Stoner M63A LMG into the boat, to join a rocket and grenade launcher already in there. The rounds for both had been expended several minutes ago. The commandos then raised their hands, slightly shielding their eyes from the floods. Falkasians eased up, weapons trained on them like they were Hannibal Lecter x4.
The former British Lieutenant spoke in a soothing tone:
"Easy now, lads. Meer. You've got us...let's have it dun now, eh? Cheers. Veh govoreeteh Po-angliskeh?"
FAV DZ FIELD
9km FROM THE BEACH
NEAR MONTVIEUX
The rest of the 6th Platoon members left on East Cardwith were still in the middle of their fierce firefight. They traded grenade rounds and rifle bursts with the Falkasian QRF soldiers that had beaten them to the FAVs. They kept to the cover of the treeline as they worked their way closer to the vehicles. Several had small shrapnel wounds their body armor had not blocked from the return Falkasian grenade fire. Two men were more critically wounded, one still mobile. Another team member covered them as the rest leapfrogged around the clearing without leaving the cover foliage.
One of the Moliors that had circled around to bug out with the rest of the Uli air insertion group was hit. One of the Vipers, pouring smoke was able to struggle and keep up, but the Molior rapidly lost height and belly flopped at the far end of the field. Flames started to envelop it. The mercenary commandos said little prayers for the crew, hoping they made it out. As soon as they could deal with their present situation, they would try to recover the pilots and crew.
Falkasians were dropping, but whether it was due to them seeking cover, or rounds had found their way past body armor was difficult to tell in the strobe effect of flickering flashes and small phosphorous fires around the FAVs. From glimpses through the night vision goggles, they could tell their foes were definitely not lightly armed and armored Cardwithians. Plus the skill with which they closed in was of a much more professional trained force.
The Falkasians were climbing into the FAVs and training the mounted LMGs onto the Uli troopers. The bursts started high and then the gunners worked the elevations down, chewing up the branches over their heads and raining foliage down on the Uli Commandos. Two of the crouching Ulis were stitched with the heavy caliber rounds. It was the final straw.
The situation was becoming untenable and Lieutenant Tippet made a decision. They would have to give up the vehicles and go the rest of the way on foot until they could capture enemy ones. Tippet, a former GHawkinsian veteran of the Special Warfare Operations Battalion (SWOB), gave the order to hit them with the heavy artillery they had. Basically, rocket and grenade launchers.
"Hit the FAVs! We lost 'em."
Word went through the squads. Rocket and grenade launchers that had so far been avoiding damaging the Uli commando vehicles now focused fire on them, especially the one with the MGs in action against them. One rocket and two grenades both converged on it, blasting the Falkasians out of it.
Another one which sheltered several of the Slavic troopers also had HE and phosphorous rounds rain down on it. The Ulis had flipped the settings on their night vision goggles in anticipation of the explosions. They pinpointed shots at the Falkasians that now tried to scramble away from the big dune buggy targets.
OVER THE CHANNEL BETWEEN THE THREE CARDWITH ISLANDS
The Uli air group heading into West Cardwith had taken some losses as they expected. Even with a heavy escort of Purple flights Warhawks and Black Flight's Gripens, they still had to fend off several rebel aircraft attempts to breach the cordon.
Despite the number of Royalist craft engaging the rebel air, some Falkasian and Isotopian interceptors split off towards them, some SAMs were also still in operation, despite heavy pounding. They were also skirting the southern edge of the Falsean air defenses as they came in. It couldn't be helped. The northern air defense sectors in West Cardwith were now in Royalist hands, so once they broke that space, they were safe.
Still, a Harrier, Agusta chopper and an Osprey were all hit before they reached the DZ north of Lake Chahaka, between Anjoux and Hesttens.
The aircraft all went down, the Agusta exploding, but the fate of the Harrier pilot and Osprey crew and passengers were unknown, hopefully awaiting recovery in the channel.
The LZ was cleared by the elements of Lambda Company that had been doing behind the lines harassment in their FAVs during the Anjoux battle. The L Co. contingent rounded the Lake and hit from the south, while meeting up with elements driving south from Green Beach. Piranhas, Saracens and M-75s cleared the northern end of the LZ of Cardwithian defenders.
Captain Shlomo Ari-Galan, being the senior man on the ground, took charge of the combined group of 5th, 6th and 7th Platoon, Lambda Company and Hutanjian Rangers. They were able to get 3 FAVs and some Hutanjian trucks and jeeps. The rest would be on foot. They headed east to add their punch to the assault on northwestern Hesttens.
HEMSWORTH HEIGHTS, HESTTENS SUBURB
Just a little further north and to the east of Lake Chahaka, Uli Beta and Theta Companies battled past white fences and once immaculate lawns in front of grand old houses. The fighting quickly churned up the grass and several of the houses were smoking from mortar or rocket hits. There were some small pockets of DSR and Isotopian resistance in the houses, but the bulk were probably further in towards the town center, on the road to the city. Uli and RHA Platoons each took a road and started clearing houses, backed up by 19th RHA tanks, BMPs and Saracens.
OVER EAST CARDWITH
Hazel Flight, the Uli F-36 fighters, raced in to the aid of the bomber group and escorts. They launched their first volley of missiles at the Falkasian Warhawks, who were preoccupied with their Harrier and MIG prey. They hoped to exact revenge for their Harrier pilot comrade.
