RAF Herstein, Aswick“Silly bitch!” Flying Officer Mulholland exclaimed. Just as the words passed his lips, another member of the squadron walked into the briefing room. “Calling you names again, Harold” another Flying Officer said to the new arrival.
The Pilot Officer looked up, grinned, and sat down in one of the chairs. “You know where to shove it, Devereaux.” the Pilot Officer said before revealing a broad smile.
Just then, the Squadron Leader commanding the Squadron entered. Every officer stood up and came to attention. “Stand easy, relax” the Squadron Leader told them. In turn, most of them decided to sit down, with just a few of the junior officers in the back remaining standing.
“Right, you all know why we’re here today. We’re officially kicking off flight operations. The Nightstalkers will be the first unit to officially wage war this time, in preparation of a ground offensive. You’ve all heard the report of Operation Red Dawn. While yes, they were the first to engage, they weren’t part of an official unit.”
A slight murmur went through the room. Then the officer continued. “Some fighters from Number Three Squadron will be accompanying us on SEAD operations, as well as to provide an escort, while we target enemy defences at the border. Our targets will be painted by a few blokes on the ground, so we don’t hit our troops on accident.”
“Flight one and two will target defences here, and here.” the commander said, pointing to two places on the large map besides him. “Flight three will seek out, and destroy artillery emplacements. Flight four will be on standby at CP Kelly in case we miss our shots, or if a target of opportunity comes up.” he then said.
A few curses were muttered by the pilots of flight four. Of course they would want to get some action as well, but someone had to do this job. Naturally the Squadron Leader understood where they were coming from -- his own flight had done the same in the last conflict.
The Squadron Leader then went on to explain everything in detail. Force dispositions, air defences, enemy reaction, and escape plans if things went wrong. Red Dawn had shown that things could definitely go wrong quickly. And as such, more planning had gone into escape plans.
Several hours later, the ordnance had been loaded, the pre-flight checks had been completed, and the first of the sixteen ‘hogs were rolling to the flightline. As the first entered the runway -its pilot was of course the Squadron Leader in command of the Squadron-
“RAF Herstein, this is Nightstalker One-One, flight of four taking off runway one-eight for a straight-out departure” the Squadron leader said over channel 79, the channel designated for ground control. His flaps had already been lowered to the take-off position. After a quick, cursory check, the Squadron Leader increased his throttle to full, and started accelerating down the runway.
Camp Fraiser, Kentauri Isles, AswickThe Kentauri Highlanders were assembled in formation in their dress uniforms -all of them wearing their kilts-, on the Regimental parade grounds. From this position they would parade the seventeen and a half kilometres to the airport where they would board commercial airliners and fly to the Aswickan mainland.
The Colonel sent a nod to each of his three Battalion commanders. Each of them turned around, and shouted something to their men. In an instant, all of them made a 90 degree turn. Three ranks of battalions turned into 3 columns.
“Drum Major, lead them off” Colonel Ian MacDenny told the Staff Sergeant holding the position of Drum Major. A moment later, the band starting playing ‘My Home’ -the Regiment’s march-.
Playing the pipes and drums, the Regimental band marched off from the parade grounds onto the road leading out of the base.
Then the first battalion followed by Company. First the Battalion Headquarters Company. Then A Company, following by the battalion’s colours. Then came Companies B and C. The same thing happened when the 2nd, and then the 3rd battalion followed after the others.
Last came the Regimental staff, along with the most important detachment of the Regiment. The Colour guard. The young Second Lieutenants -Holding the post of Ensigns- carrying the King’s Colour -the Aswickan flag-, and the Regimental colour -the Aswickan flag with the Regiment’s honours and decorations on it-.
Every officer had their sword out and held it in front of them. One young Lieutenant was just glad that the Regiment no longer used the old 2-handed claymores. The other rankers had their rifles shouldered. These wouldn’t be taken on the plane with them. Instead, they’d be loaded in the lorries that were delivering the men’s bags to the airport, and would then be bound for the Royal Air Force base some distance away for a military transport.
After 5 kilometres of marching, the column reached the outskirts of town. The streets were lined with people -mainly families of the men- to cheer them off.
Royal Palace, Havenport, AswickEach of the three Guards Regiments had taken up a position in the three forts at the border. The Coldstream Guards were now in Fort Vandegrif, the Grenadier Guards at Fort Riverrun, and the Aquitaynian Guards at Fort Griffith.
There was also the Rifle Brigade, temporarily stationed at the RAF base at RAF Herstein. Though the last of the Highlanders were still arriving.
Meanwhile, the Royal Dragoons, and the Light Horse were embarked aboard HMAS Victory, Invincible, and Intrepid -Aswick’s Tarawa, and Albion class ships-. They would be inserted via helicopters, along with a Royal Marines Commando that would be landing on the beach.
Lastly, there was still the Queen’s Royal Lancers. They would make the first Aswickan combat jump since the eighties -- much to the chagrin of members of the other Regiments in the Cavalry Brigade.
At the same time, the Air Force would be flying nearly around the clock to support the troops on the ground, as well as to take out important targets, or targets of opportunity if they came up.
While the reserves had been called up, they would not be participating in the main assault. Rather, they would advance behind the regular Army, and take up occupation duties.
Lieutenant-General Alec Marsden was standing in the war room at the Royal Palace. He was the Operations Officer for the Royal Aswickan Army, and he was the brains behind the entire plan. This would make, or break the rest of his career, and he was counting on the former.
The King looked at Marsden, and then to Field Marshal Shepherd. “Field Marshal, you have my go-ahead to proceed. And coordinate with the Aquitaynians, Field Marshal” the man said solemnly.
The Field Marshal nodded. “Very well, Sir” he said. The man turned to an aide-de-camp -a young Lieutenant-Colonel, for the four Aides-de-Camp assigned to the Field Marshal were entitled to that rank even if they didn’t have the nominal requirements for it and would therefore defer to the highest rank they could pass for if they lost their appointment-, and said “Mr Cole, dispatch to all commanders: ‘Engage Phase One.’”
Then he turned to another of his men. “Mr Grey, get me Colonel Dempsey on line One, and Lieutenant-Colonel Derringer on line Two.” he told him before turning to another officer in the room -an exceptional one at that, for he was the first non-Aswickan man to be allowed in here-. “Mister Keene, coordinate with your own command, please? I assume one of my men has given you, and your own people everything related to this, including the time schedule?” he asked the Aquitaynian Major.
“Aye, sir. Our Ospreys and QRF from Naval Station Anchorhead are already en-route to their designated landing sites. Our F-29’s and Illusions are airborne, waiting for Aswickan command to give the order.”
“Alright, thank you Major.” the Field Marshal said. He looked at the Air Force representative in the room, and asked “Wing Commander, what’s the status of Number Seven Squadron?”
The Wing commander looked at the screens for a minute and then replied. “Sir, they are en-route, and are coming up on their final waypoint before turning to engage. Give it about half an hour, Sir.” the Wing Commander said looking into the Field Marshal’s eyes.
“Very well. Now we wait. Mr Samuels, Would you be so kind as to fetch tea for everyone?” the Field Marshal asked. It wasn’t a question, though. If the Field Marshal asked something you might well consider it an order. Especially when it concerns something as sacred to Aswickans as tea.
Camp Henderson, Aswick“Twenty-nine reg’” the female Captain said as she picked up the phone. “Captain Walsh speaking” she then added.
”Ah, Captain, this is Lieutenant-Colonel Grey. Could you connect me to Colonel Dempsey please?” the voice on the other side asked. At least he was polite -for a Lieutenant-Colonel that is-, in the Captain’s opinion.
She tapped a few buttons on the touchscreen, and said into the microphone part “Colonel, there is a Lieutenant-Colonel Grey on the line”, after which she transferred the call.
“Dempsey” the Colonel said in the phone, and then waited.
“Good afternoon, Sir. Please hold for Field Marshal Shepherd” Grey said. It struck Dempsey as a little odd that his old friend had his ADC call him. However, he knew the circumstances. The entire Army was about to go to war, and this would likely include his Regiment, albeit in a rather more subversive role than the others.
So he held the line. And while he was waiting he filled a glass of water from the iced decanter in the corner of his desk. A few minutes later, just as Dempsey lit up a cigarette --a filthy habit, which he ought to have given up years and years ago.
“Aiden, good afternoon.” the Field Marshal said. “What can I do for you, Sir?” Dempsey asked, straight to the point.
”Aiden, His Majesty the King has given me the green light to proceed with the invasion. Now, you know the plan. I want to insert your boys into Daria to take out a number of bases. Chief among them Collingwood. Without it, their navy in the west will be crippled and unable to take up operations against Carrier Group Enterprise, Assault Group Aswick, and the Aquitaynian fleets.
Now, you can determine which Squadrons you assign where. You’ll have the exact plans by courier as soon as he gets there. Though he should be able to beat the evening rush.” the Field Marshal explained.
“Very well, Sir. Unless there was something else, I have some gentlemen to call in.” Dempsey replied.
”No, that was all, Aiden. Good evening” the Field Marshal said before hanging up.
Over southern Aswick“Nightstalker One-One, this is Chaos Three-Two. Stand by for Close-Air Support Brief” a voice crackled over radio channel 65.5 --the channel designated for air support.
“Rodger that, Chaos. Standing by” the Squadron Leader replied over the same net as he took his plane into a holding pattern some fifteen kilometres from the border. The fighters on SEAD duties were right behind. The A-10s would go in and attract fire from radar-controlled Anti-Air. The SEAD aircraft would then lock on to those radar emissions and fire their missiles at it.
Then the radio crackled. The voice of the Forward Air Controller was heard. Almost immediately, he began the Close-Air Support Nineline.
”Initial Point as fragged””Heading will be One-Eight-Zero.””Distance from IP is fifteen kilometres.””Target elevation is One-Four-Zero metre”.
”Target description. Six times armoured vehicle, Seven times soft vehicle, approx platoon strength footmobiles. “”Target location is…” the FAC said, before listing off a 10-figure grid.
”Target will not be marked.l””Location of friendlies is one kilometre to the north of objective.””Egress will be to the east, or to the west.””Readback please” the FAC then asked.
“Ehm, roger that Chaos…” the Squadron Leader said, and with that read back the brief.
”Copy that, Nightstalker One-One. Readback confirmed. Say when ready to copy remarks.” the FAC then said.
It took a minute or two before the pilot spoke again. “Nightstalker One-One, standing by to copy remarks”
“Nightstalker One-One, requesting you use CBUs on an east-to-west heading.” Chaos stated.
“One-One received, CBUs and guns, east to west” the pilot said, and then turned towards his assigned heading. He started to look for the target with his FLIR camera system. After moving it around a little, he centered it on his assigned target.
“Chaos Three-Two, Nightstalker One-One, ready talk on. I see a north-south road, buildings to the west.”
“Nightstalker One-One, Chaos Three-Two, call contact on the easternmost building.” Chaos said. The pilot replied with a singular “Contact”
“Your target is the vehicles in the compound two hundred metres east of that building” Chaos said. The pilot replied with “Captured” to indicate he had his target captured.
“Chaos Three-Two, Nightstalker One-One, target is a group of vehicles, CBUs.” the pilot said to confirm his target and ordnance.
“Good readback, call in with direction” Chaos replied.
The pilot started his run. “Chaos Three-Two, Nightstalker One-One, in from the east, 30 seconds.” he said. Chaos replied “Nightstalker One-One, Chaos Three-Two, continue.”
The pilot continued his run. “15 seconds.” he said. “Cleared hot” Chaos replied, and the pilot replied for the last time before he’d release weapons. “Nightstalker One-One”
He dropped his cluster bombs, and increased throttle to full thrust to speed out of there. “Nightstalker One-One, off hot, time of fall 10 seconds.” he said.
Eleven seconds later, Chaos replied. “Nightstalker One-One, Chaos Three-Two, good hits, standby for BDA, smoke and dust obscuring.”
The pilot got further away, and turned back north to return to the IP. “Nightstalker One-One, Chaos Three-Two, targets destroyed, say when ready next 9-line.” the radio crackled as he was approaching the IP.
“Chaos Three-Two, Nightstalker One-One, ready 9-line.” the pilot said. It would go on like this throughout the night for all the pilots in the squadron, as well as the Forward Air Controllers on the ground.
Royal Palace, Havenport, AswickSeveral UAVs were up in the air over the border to cover the air strikes. One of the feeds was now visible on the large screen on the wall. It showed several explosions in rapid succession. Then the area was sprayed by a burst of 30mm high-explosive rounds, producing its signature sound to the troops on the ground.
The Field Marshal smiled a little awkwardly. He remembered what it was like to see a show like that. However, he also knew that going out like that was a horrible way to go. That said, it was war. And in war, people died.
He turned to his staff. “Notify all ground assets. Operation Neighbour is go.” he told them. Operation Neighbour was the name assigned to the initial phase of the invasion. Ground forces at the border would push south. The paratroopers would take off, and the Aswickan and Aquitaynian amphibious forces would begin their landings.