Major Aleksei Tallow "Null"
20:21 December 2, 1992 // Ravenwood Naval Base, Beiarusia
The eight F-15C Eagles of Warrior were quick to follow after Snowcat, splitting formation with half going low to engage hostile anti-air whereas the others remained high on overwatch as if daring the enemy pilots to intervene. A single Fishbed moved to intercept but was chased off, and without capable air support the naval base was reliant on its gunners on the ground to provide some measure of defense. Tracers tore into the nighttime sky as the first bombs were dropped. A cargo truck narrowly escaped incineration; an APC wasn't so lucky as the blast tipped it end-over-end, a cartwheel of metal and screaming men. More explosions followed as the Eagles dropped their munitions. Then came the Seianese planes to repeat the pattern. Enemy AAA was ineffectual, and allied aircraft were allowed to disengage without so much as a scratch. They circled back around for another pass.
Elsewhere, the BRN Scarborough was making headway towards the open ocean, its defensive picket forming a formidable shield between it and the attacking aircraft overhead, but the allied squadrons were undeterred and already planes carrying anti-ship missiles were moving to standoff range. Low-flying missiles were loosed, and immediately after shipboard CIWS came online to counter the attack. Of the ten missiles fired only one reached its target. The closest ships retaliated with a barrage of surface-to-air missiles, downing a Seianese JH-7 as it attempted to slow to pull around, sending it and its pilots careening into the dark waters, as well as hitting two Dorusian aircraft for light damage. Another attack by four F-15E Strike Eagles fared little better.
The battle in the sky was turning to the favor of the allies. Two MiG-21's had been shot down early on in the engagement by Reaper, and while Jiangshi stalled the enemy Fencers an enemy Flanker had been destroyed by Null with assistance from Angel. Not that casualties had been avoided. A friendly F-16 had been lost in the fighting as had two Chengdu J-7's, the latter pair having been avenged soon thereafter. The enemy aircraft were losing ground, but they were making life exceedingly difficult for the allied squadrons, their pilots both skilled and desperate.
The enemy knew that this skirmish could well decide the fate of their nation. They wouldn't make things easy.
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ALLY
Warrior -> APC
Warrior -> Tank
Warrior -> SAM, Fixed x2
Warrior -> AAA
Q-5 Fantan -> Cargo x2
Q-5 Fantan -> AA, Fixed
Q-5 Fantan -> AA, Fixed
Q-5 Fantan -> AA, Fixed
Q-5 Fantan -> AA, Fixed x2
Q-5 Fantan -> SAM, SPAAG
JH-7 Flounder -> N-Frigate
F-15E Strike Eagle -> N-Light
Reaper -> MiG-21-93 Fishbed
Reaper -> MiG-21bis Fishbed
Null/Angel -> Su-27M Flanker-E
F-16A Fighting Falcon -> Su-33 Flanker-D
ENEMY
Su-27M Flanker-E -> F-16D Fighting Falcon
Su-33 Flanker-D -> Chengdu J-7 x2