The Liberian Crisis (IC)

[The Republic of Liberia]

Edward Beyan Kesselly Barracks, Lower Margibi County

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OOC & Sign-Ups

By late afternoon on 4 July 2021, the Liberian Armed Forces had become fully committed to repulsing terrorist forces from Monrovia. Without the manpower or equipment to launch multiple assaults against enemy forces in the captured cities of Tubmanburg, Bensonville, Kakata, Gbarnga, and Sanniquellie, Major-General Daniel Dee Ziankhan, former Vice Chief of Staff and now current Chief of Staff through succession, has moved to focus his attention on retaking the Capital of the Republic. As the 23rd Infantry Brigade prepared to launch a full scale strike on Monrovia, a smaller detachment of the 1st Battalion gathered intelligence on enemy strength from remote positions beyond Monrovia. Current intelligence reported that enemy forces stood at around 3,000-8,000 fighters, most of which attacked from pre-established positions within and around the city, confirming the theory that this attack had been planned at least one year in advance. Reports of local police forces losing control from the other larger cities also confirmed that the pool of insurgents this new "Islamist Alliance" had access to was deep. It was also reported that by 0400, the National Police Headquarters had finally fallen after prolonged fights between the Police and insurgents, resulting in the last of Liberian resistance wiped out. The population of over one million people had declined sharply, with thousands fleeing the city to Brewerville, Mount Barclay, and Scheiffelin, all three of which still secured and holding against light sporatic attacks from the forests.

With defensive positions at EBK Barracks and Harbel, Major-General Ziankhan was confident in the military's ability to retake Monrovia.

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EBK Barracks, Operations Planning Building

The new Chief of Staff entered the large room, built almost identical to a movie theater with the projector showing a map of Liberia on the wall, below that was the desk where Major-General Ziankhan would stand to address the various Majors, Captains, and Lieutenants that formed the command structure for the 23rd Brigade and who would lead the assault on Monrovia.

"Good day, soldiers." He said simply, no such tone of pleasantries or formalness to his voice. He reached the table and laid down a folder of operation plans, troop movements and time schedules for the attack.

"As I'm sure most of you have already been informed, at 0200 tonight, we are retaking Monrovia. Now, we will be at a numerical disadvantage. With the Second Battalion assigned to holding Harbel for safe landing of foreign aid, we will be forced to make do with just the 1st Battalion. But, we will not be without our perks!" He said as he switched the projector to the vehicles to be used in retaking Monrovia.

"We will be taking in our Land Cruisers, armored and mounts for our weapons. Also, we will be given air support in the form of our single Mi-24 Attack Helicopter. With our scout forces already present on the outskirts of Monrovia, they will mark targets of the most concentrated locations of enemy targets and it will pound them into dust. Once the chopper makes it's rounds, it will be the duty of the First Battalion to launch their attacks." Major-General Ziankhan switched the projector screen to the map of Monrovia, with several roads leading from the east marked in red.

"From these roads, the Battalion will split into Companies and push in. We cannot afford to get bogged down in heavy fighting at the city limits sign. Therefore, we must push through. To hell if we leave some enemies behind us. Our focus needs to be on ensuring any anti-air defenses are dealt with and we establish a safe zone at the Capitol Building. Once there, Harbel will fly in our Mi-2 with reinforcements. It won't be much, but it's better than nothing. Our job at that point will be to hold out and form a defensive perimeter with our Land Cruisers. By then, I want to believe reinforcements from the Ivory Coast and Greece will arrive. Any questions?" Asked Major-General Ziankhan, his eyes scanning around the room to the uniformed men. One raised his hand and the Major-General pointed to him.

"Sir, my name is Major John Kamara, 3rd Company. If reinforcements don't arrive in time, what will be our goal?"

"If reinforcements do not materialize, we keep fighting. We hold our pocket, call out targets for our attack bird and with a little bit of hope, we push them back." With that answer, the Major sat back down.

"Now, if we're done with questions, let's move on to assignments. Major Kamara, you and your company will take the north road and-" the Major-General's words were cut off by the familiar popping sounds of gunfire, sounding much too close for comfort. Indistinct shouting could be heard on the other side of the door as Ziankhan pulled his worn Beretta M9 from his drop-leg holster as the other officers in the room rose form their seats. A man bursted through the doors, a lower ranking soldier in the AFL, wearing similar woodland camo fatigues. He rushed in, ripped open the button-up shirt he wore and revealed a sophisticated bomb vest. The Major-General's eyes widened as he shouted and rose his sidearm. The young soldier shrieked loudly and pressed the red button in his hand.

Fire, dust and smoke rushed out of the room, engulfing the larger hallway of the rest of the Planning Center, killing all present in the room as the roofing above began to collapse. Around the Barracks, gunfire broke out from the northern and western perimeters, several gates breached by insurgents driving through with trucks and dismounting to engage in close quarters fighting around the dozens of barracks packed in tight around the northern and central portions of the base. Identical explosions rocked one of the rectangular shaped barracks, engulfing it in fire that quickly spread to the others as Liberian soldiers engaged the terrorists or resorted to retreating from the base.

The last radio transmissions out of EBK Barracks ceased at 1908 Hours after reporting to Harbel that enemy forces were closing in on the communications station.

[The Republic of the Ivory Coast]

2nd Battalion Headquarters, Daloa

Lieutenant-Colonel Laurent Noufé looked around to the column of vehicles he had arrayed before him in a line, each with an Ivorian flag attached to them. It had only been a few days since the Liberian Crisis began and even still, the Liberian military was in a bad way. Communications between the Liberian Command at Harbel and Ivorian Command at Abidjan told of the fall of EBK Barracks. It could have been labeled a major loss for the Liberians and because of this, preparations for the Ivorian intervention force needed to be fast-tracked. They couldn't afford to wait on the armored vehicles to arrive from Yamoussoukro. Instead, they would be going in with the lighter, faster vehicles. They would be going in with only the twenty Panhard AML Armored Cars. 60 men would be crews for the cars, with 120 more riding atop the vehicles. The remaining 880 will await the arrival of the vehicles and fast-march into Liberia.

Lieutenant-Colonel Laurent racked back the slide of his AKM, chambering a round and strapping the rifle to his back by the sling. He looked to the rest of the vehicles and signaled for "all forward" before climbing into the tenth armored car in the row, which would be labeled as the Command Car. The Laurent Noufe reached for his radio and focused in on Liberian Command's frequency. "This is Lieutenant-Colonel Laurent Noufe of the Ivorian Army. We are approaching the border and our first stop appears to be Jidetaabo! We will hold there until we have received further orders from Liberia." He said.

[The Republic of Liberia]

Roberts International Airport, New Terminal
Base of Operations for the Armed Forces and International Aid Insertion Point
July 5, 2021

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Since the unexpected attack that saw to the collapse of Operation: Strikeback, the loss of Liberia's largest military installation and the death of the Chief of Staff, the Armed Forces were in a state of shock and confusion. In the hours after the attack on EBK Barracks, Companies of the 2nd Battalion pushed out of Harbel to assist in rescue attempts for soldiers that fled the EBK Barracks. Throughout the night, rescue operations found 112 soldiers with several hundred more K.I.A. or M.I.A. More than 37 firefights were reported between Islamist and Liberian fighters, with Islamist forces suffering heavy casualties. At 0367, 1st and 3rd Companies successfully pushed through to EBK Barracks but after suffering heavy casualties from increasing enemy presence, were forced back. With the loss of EBK Barracks and suffering casualties during the rescue operations following the attack, President Taylor has ordered no further offensive operations and instead will focus on defending Roberts International Airport.

From the temporary Presidential Office in RIA's New Terminal, President Taylor has ordered that Colonel Olujimi Kayode Akumbe, Commanding Officer for the 2nd Battalion and last highest ranking military officer of Liberia, be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and commanding officer of all remaining Liberian military forces. With his promotion, he is now authorized to make executive level decisions regarding the safety and security of the Republic of Liberia. President Taylor has also formally declared that Liberia is in a state of war.

Standing Orders

Lieutenant-General Akumbe is ordering all remaining Liberian forces to create a 2 mile defensive perimeter around Roberts International Airport. All remaining Liberian forces, amounting to 1,200 combat personnel, will be tasked with Airport defense only unless told differently by the Lieutenant-General. Civilian casualties stand at 7,840, most executed by Islamist forces.

To Ivory Coast

AFL Command is requesting Ivorian forces move to Zwedru, Grand Gedah County and establish a safezone for displaced refugees.

[Korrodos]

98th Frigate Section, 78th Frigate Squadron
Off the Coast of the Falkland Islands

“At least we will get some fracking answers…” one of the captains grumbled in the now packed briefing room. All the senior officers of the small frigate section and attached ground combat element were present. They were just waiting on the Commodore. The last few hours had been interesting and stressful. Having just finished an exercise with the British Royal Navy off the Falkland Islands they were all looking forward to getting home. However, just hours before all ships had altered course. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know they were now headed for Africa. But which hotspot?

The room hushed as the lights flicked, then the Commodore walked in. Everyone stood at attention. He looked over the room to make sure everyone was here.

“At ease… Lets get everyone up to speed here.” He said as he stood in front of the room, the Intelligence Officer bringing the computers to bear.

“Alright everyone, I know we have been looking forward to going home after our exercise with the British, however there has been a major complex and coordinated terrorist attack on the Liberian Government. Reports are sketchy on our end, and there is a major communication break down, but as of now we can expect very little as far as indigenous troops being able to mount a defense.

Currently, there are an unknown number of Korrodosian nationals in the Liberian AOR. We are reaching out to KMC to see what they have, but there was report of an anthropology team and some other scientists working on Ebola prevention. We will start a roster once we have it available.

This segways into our current orders. As you know we left most of our heavy equipment, as well as some our troops behind in an effort to sail as soon as possible. We are now en route at best speed for the Liberian capital of Monrovia. Upon arrival we will conduct a non-combatant evacuation of our nationals to the Hohenheim. Our secondary objective is liaison with the Liberian Armed Forces in an attempt to gauge if a secondary response will be needed.

Reinforcement or secondary response will be from our main unit, Taskforce 6.5 ‘Rodderhall’, the heavy equipment of the Expeditionary Battalion will be loaded on it. The 584th Airborne Battalion will be either embarked on the ships, or readied for airdrop in.

I am going to turn this over to our Intelligence Officer, Ensign Sara Dulles, who happens to be an expert in African Geopolitics.”

A bright eyed and blushing ensign took over for the Commodore. She only hoped she could live up to the introduction.

“Greetings. I am going to start with Geography and Infrastructure. Liberia is mountainous to the interior of the country and flatter closer to the coast. The terrain is dominated by heavy vegetation growth that will make observation of hostile forces difficult. Road infrastructure is almost non existent with most roads being unusable after heavy rain falls until repair. Most villages and towns have their own airstrip, however heavy air travel is limited to four airports along the coast. We are attempting to gain a better understanding of this as our intelligence is dated. We are assuming only the main airfield, Roberts International Airport will be useful for heavy air.

Moving on to geopolitics. Liberia has strong ties to the United States, however support for the country has been waning as of late due to the COVID financial crisis. Liberia has had a long running civil war between the descendants of colonists from the United States and indidgenous ethnic groups. The two groups have a long history of violence against one another. Most violence in the country to this date has been along these lines. This has hampered development of infrastructure and their economy in general.

Specifically the current situation seems to be a new line of violent religious extremism. A coalition of various Islamic groups has opened a campaign against the Liberian Government. This has been well planned and equipped. Enemy troop count is sketchy, but we estimate the fighters to be in the ten thousand range or lower. That is all I have.”

She politely bowed and dismissed herself.

The Commodore returned.

“Any questions?” he scanned the room. Everything had been pretty thorough despite the speed that they were moving. He nodded at one of the Marine officers.

“Sir, any possibility of swapping out one of the Heavies (Chinooks) for some attack birds?”

The Commodore nodded. “We thought about that, but the time needed to swap out the helicopters isn’t the issue, it is getting the specific support equipment aboard the ship. Unfortunately… the containers for them are on West Falkland and would take several days to repack. Had this happened before the exercise, it would not be an issue, we would take the risk, however we need to do a maintenance cycle with the flight hours we’ve accumulated.”

“Yes, go ahead.” the Commodore moved on to the next question.

“We are lacking any spotter teams, especially for NGS, are their plans to fly in augmentees?”

“A good observation. Yes, we do not have a formal Forward Observation of Fires team. However, I believe Captain Larson of the Gilliam has a plan…. Captain?”

“Yes sir.” The tall lanky captain of the assault frigate stood up. “As you know the Sentinel class is an assault frigate that is assigned on a perminate basis to host the section’s Marine Detachment. In response to this my ship has piloted a program to cross train willing sailors to support the detachment on a deployment. My ship’s security department will form two Forward Observation teams with the correct equipment and deploy with the marines. This will be the first combat evaluation of this plan, but I have every faith in my sailors that when we need to direct NGS or any terminal fires, we will be competent to do so.”

“Thank you captain…. Anyone else?” The Commodore scanned the room. “Ok ladies and gentleman, thank you. Let me remind you, we are going into an active war zone, one that has been in turmoil for a long time prior to our arrival. But it is also someone’s home. Lets try and help them make it better if we can. Thank you, dismissed.”

“Sara, good briefing… was their anything I could help you with?” The Commodore asked as the young female ensign approached.

“No sir, thank you. My boss wanted to relay his apologies for missing the meeting, he is working on getting us an Integrated Information Cell set up, the High Command is hesitant to use Damocles or any of the other constant monitoring set ups if this is a quick in and out. The team is pretty overworked that sets up these monitoring cells.”

“Thank you for the update. I am off now to see if the Diplomatic Command has made any inroads to contact with the Liberians.”

[The Republic of the Ivory Coast]

Ivorian Armored Convoy
12 miles east of Jidetaabo

Lieutenant-Colonel Laurent Noufé kept his head on a swivel as the convoy of 20 armored cars drove slowly through the unpaved dirt roads leading to Jidetaabo, where he was going to hold until further orders came in from Liberian command. The orders came sooner than expected.

"AFL Command is requesting Ivorian forces move to Zwedru, Grand Gedah County and establish a safezone for displaced refugees."

The Lieutenant-Colonel sighed. He was here to fight terrorists, not babysit refugees. But orders were orders and standing orders from Ivorian Command was "Do what the Liberians tell you to do." So he would.

"Roger that, Command. Re-routing to Zwedru!" He replied on the radio. He then switched his frequency to friendly comms.

"All vehicles, we are re-directing to Zwedru! Repeating, we are moving to Zwedru!" Said Noufe. The column shifted north, moving through the similarly dirt road, each car scanning the deep shrubbery and forest surrounding them.

[The Republic of Liberia]

A Dawn of a New Age
Islamist Occupied Monrovia

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The screams of innocents rang out through the stale and humid air surrounding the capital city. Fires burned out of control in some sectors of the city, local first responder support essentially non-existent since the United Islamic Alliance, the new name for the conglomerate of terror agencies across West Africa, gathered to bring Liberia to it's knees, took control of the "Jewel of West Africa" or what was once upon a time. Now, it was home to the brave fighters of Islam, those tasked with purging infidels. The plan to take Liberia had been something planned by Abu Ubaidah Youssef al-Annabi for two years. At first, it began as simply an idea proposed to former AQIM leader Abdelmalek Droukdel. It sat tabled for months before his death at the hands of French forces in 2020. Since Droukdel's death, al-Annabi had assumed control of AQIM and with his new agenda, made using Liberia as a symbol and example, his top priority. With Liberia's rich history of being the United States' pet for so long, it would have been prudent for the U.S. to make some move to save Liberia, save the African model of what was supposed to be Little America. Instead, like true cowards, pulled their advisors and ambassadors completely out of the country. The U.N. did the same, pulling the entire UNMIL out to friendly nations nearby. Now, with the capture of Monrovia and completely routing Liberian forces, morale for the UIA was high and more resources from the other groups would be poured into the effort in the form of more fighters. This operation was al-Annabi's brainchild, but it was Remilekun Abodunrin that executed the mission to perfection. A Nigerian national and top lieutenant of the newly formed Islamic State of West Africa, Abodunrin commanded the force responsible for taking Monrovia. Half of his force had been deployed the year earlier, sent to live among the Liberians and prepare for the incoming battle.

On the morning of the fight, the execution of the bombing wave went on without a flaw. Every agent knew their purpose and everyone followed the plan. UIA agents were able to secure jobs in crucial areas, including janitors at the Capitol Building. Within a few hours, Remilekun Abodunrin was able to secure most governmental offices, including the Capitol. As the President's Manor burned, Liberian National Police engaged UIA fighters. The blue uniforms and M16s of the Police forces marched through the streets, initially attempting to bring their peoples relief. Half of the Police force had deployed, promptly engaging fighters. The rest focused on shoring up defenses for National Police Headquarters on Capitol Hill. None of it mattered as the sheer scale of fighters the UIA were able to flood into the city far outweighed the capabilities of the local Police forces. By nightfall, Police had suffered heavy casualties, seemingly unprepared for a full scale engagement of this kind. National Police Headquarters fell close to the morning after Police forces were in full retreat. In the days that followed was total chaos and slaughter. Police officers who surrendered were tortured and publicly executed on the streets as Liberian flags burned behind them. Across the city, thousands of civilians were asked of their religious preference. Anything other than Muslim were beaten, spat on and executed by throat slitting. Blood would run red through the streets of Monrovia for days.

From the lofty offices of the Capitol Building, Abodunrin would plan the intricate invasion of Roberts International Airport and finally cut down the last of the Liberian Armed Forces.

[Korrodos]

A Joint Post, between myself and the Republic of Liberia

Various, Via Telephone

The phone in the makeshift headquarters rang. On the other end a very tired General Rupert Hayes stood. He had just spent the last hour in his office in Cairo working with the Egyptians on a way to curb the emergent Chinese influence in their government.

He was shocked when his staff announced what was going on in Liberia and that he had missed a call from them. He waited and prayed to Odin someone would pick up.

The phone call from General Hayes was quickly picked up by President Taylor's administrative assistant. The number used was reserved for the high level diplomatic conversations. Once the call was identified to be from the Korrodosians, it was immediately transferred to President Taylor's office. Lieutenant-General Akumbe, who had been in his own office speaking with company commanders, rushed to President Taylor's side upon hearing of the call. President Taylor and the Lieutenant-General were joined by Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tibli Olandrus Dickson, new Minister of National Defense.

"This is President Taylor speaking."

"Madame President, I apologize for the delay in contacting you. This is General Hayes of Korrodosian Forces Africa. How may I be of assistance?"

"General Hayes, your voice is a welcomed one, indeed. Are you up to speed on the current situation?"

"Not as much as I would like. We experienced a telecom failure at my command this morning. We are tracking that there was a major complex coordinated terrorist attack. We are unsure of your current situation or the status of your armed forces."

"Alright, then I'll hand this over to Lieutenant-General Akumbe." She said, leaning back and motioning for Akumbe to take command of the conversation. The Lieutenant-General nodded and leaned in to the table.

"General Hayes, this is Lieutenant-General Akumbe, commander of Liberian forces. Let me fill you in on the situation. On July 3rd, we essentially lost control of....well everything, for lack of a better word. A series of bombings killed the President and several government officials. Within the time frame of a few hours, terrorists who we believe had been embedded in Liberia for at least the last year, engaged our military forces in and around Monrovia. Before we even knew it, we'd lost half the damn country. Prior to yesterday's attack on EBK Barracks, we were preparing to retake Monrovia, or at least give them a fight for it. Well, we lost the Barracks as well as our Chief of Staff. We don't have the men nor the resources to take on these Islamist bastards. As for our armed forces, we've got just enough to defend the airport and the few counties still under our control, but not much else."

There was a moment of silence as General Hayes let the words sink in and process. "I now clearly understand your situation. What is your ask of my forces? What has the impact been on the civlilians?"

Lieutenant-General Akumbe remained in silence for a moment. He looked over to the President and to the Ministers in the room. "We don't have the men to retake large portions of our country. We have assurances of assistance from other countries, though the Ivory Coast is the only to make good on them. Their troops will be a big help, but we believe the enemy force to be much larger than what we see in Monrovia. We need help in pushing them back. Anything you can spare. As for the civilians, they're suffering heavy casualties. Mass executions and we believe because of their religion. Many of our people are Christians. Need I say more?" He said.

General Hayes continued in his steady tone. He was a rock, having been through the War of Unification as a battalion commander. He knew all involved were going to have a long fight infront of them. "May I make some recomendations?" He asked as he kept the phone to his ear. He sat down at his computer and started pulling up files and looking a few things over to get an idea of what he 'had to spare'.

"Of course, General." Akumbe said.

"If you have the airport you need to keep it. If you are able to keep the Freeport keep it. If not, focus on the airport. It will make everything easier..." He sighed as he looked over his available units. "I have two battalions wrapping up an exercise in the Falklands with the British. One Para, one Marine. We do not have a formal treaty..... hold on... I have a caller that would like to join our call. Highest level..."

"This is Emperor Rand, I am in the Palace Command Center and this flash came across the information center. I'm going to expedite some things.. We do not have a formal treaty. But we are going to help you. I'm going to redeploy whatever we can to get this sorted out. We will help you. Madam President Taylor, General Akumbe, hold the line... we will be inbound shortly."

"Your Imperial Majesty, it is an honor to speak with you." Said President Taylor. "We will not forget this act." She said in a kind tone.

Lieutenant-General Akumbe cut in. "Your Imperial Majesty, we have our Coast Guard cutters just outside the port of Harper. If you need to make a landing of sorts, that will be where it should go."

"Of course, Madame President, we are here to defend those in need."

There was a moment of silence before the emperor continued.

"We will commit both on deck battalions and I will task the theater command to find a brigade task force for follow up if needed. I will leave you with General Hayes to work out the details. Stand fast, you have friends coming. Rand out."

"General Akumbe, if Harper is an option for the Marines we will use it. I will have the incoming battalion commanders get a plan together and we will get you reinforcement as soon as physically possible."

"Acknowledged, General. We will hold what territory we have for as long as we can." The L.G. said.

<END>

[The Republic of Liberia]

The Battle for Roberts International Airport
Base of Operations for the Liberian Armed Forces

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The preparation for the attack took weeks. The last of the Liberian uniformed defense forces amassed where they could, securing the entrances to the New Terminal, while leaving the Old Terminal with only a skeleton crew of 20. President Taylor and Lieutenant-General Akumbe could do nothing but hold the Airport, even as everything else around them crumbled. By this time, most of the country was now firmly in the hands of the United Islamic Forces of West Africa, or UIF, formally changing their name. Whatever Liberian forces were outside of the Airport were either killed, dispersed in cowardice, or fled back to the Airport. Liberian Command had lost contact with the Ivorian forces at Zwedru and could only assume the worst. Firefights between UIF squads and Liberian gate security forces continued to intensify week by week.

It had all come to a head.

At 0400 exact, thousands of UIF fighters, in various uniforms and weaponry, emerged from the forests surrounding the Airport as well as dozens of technical trucks armed with light machine guns and RPGs. The sounds of crackling gunfire filled the thick, humid night air as flashes of light and explosions followed suit, all aimed squarely at the various entries to the Airport and the Old Terminal. Within minutes, President Taylor was awoken by Lieutenant-General Akumbe as Liberia's only Mil Mi-2 began spinning up for Presidential evacuation, several soldiers knelt around it to provide a security layer. In a matter of minutes, UIF technicals had breached the Northeast perimeter gate, forcing Liberian reservist troops, what few left they had to engage. Old Terminal had been occupied. As the Airport's security forces collapsed faster than expected, President Taylor was already on the runway, moving to the position of her way out of the area and to friendly Ivory Coast as there had been no other place to go. Her convoy had been abruptly stopped by the sight of three trucks racing to the helicopter from the other side, opening fire with their roof mounted RPK-74s, unleashing a hellish volley of 5.45x39mm rounds upon the cockpit and surrounding Liberian soldiers, shredding them with ease as fighters bearing AK-47s dismounted from the trucks and swept through the idling helicopter, ending the pilots' misery quickly.

"Back, back to the Terminal!" Screamed Akumbe as the vehicles quickly pulled a U-turn and headed back, just as the UIF overwhelmed security forces at the rest of the gates, making their way towards the New Terminal, which was now in danger of capture. Liberian soldiers were hemorrhaging faith that they'd live to see the night and many would now begin to feel doubt that Liberia as they know it would survive.

[Korrodos]

‘A’ -Avalanche- Company
584th Airborne Battalion
12th Airborne Regiment
Korrodosian Imperial Guard
0400 Local Time

Tomi thought of the last few hours as the plane continued to shake in the turbulence. He was particularly fixated on the company he was keeping of late. Heat washed over him as he thought of when the commander was asking for volunteers for the Liberia mission. As a unit the whole group stepped forward, the whole battalion in one thunderous movement. It was natural for him to move forward when everyone else did. He certainly had his reservations. The plane shook more. What was everyone thinking? He asked himself as he looked around at the one hundred and fifty other paratroopers packed into the C-141 Starlifter.

His thoughts dwelled on how everyone was braver than he was. Yes he wanted to be a paratrooper and get to where the action was. However he had serious concerns about this whole mission, especially the hot landing zone! In the background of these thoughts his head was still spinning at the speed they had been loaded in the aircraft, that winter gear had been exchanged for summer gear. Even with all the rushing of equipment swaps the big factor was the terrible weather in the Falklands. A sudden storm had left the entire unit grounded in blizzard like conditions.He would have to make sure praise got to the right support people nonetheless. The plane shook a little. He hated planes. He hated flying. This was the worst part of it all.

As if reading his mind the para across from him smiled at him. “Glory and honor! Woo!” She said with a broad smile as she shifted to try and get a knot out her back. The C-141 fleet was the most comfortable aircraft to jump out of, indeed that was almost their entire purpose now that heavier strategic airlifters such as the C-10 were in use by the Empire. So instead of getting rid of the aircraft the Airforce had decided to completely refurbish them and add as many creature comforts to the interior as possible. New seats, soundproofing, and monitors that allowed the troops to see where they were and gain other valuable information in flight added much to the otherwise bland aircraft.

Shaking his head at her he was about to say something but the aircraft started to spring to life. “Wake everyone up.” was heard by the leaders and the mass of troops started to move.
To his dying day Tomi didn’t remember the next few minutes except that everything went exactly like training. His body went into a well trained auto pilot and he exited the plane. The stars were out this evening and from his vantage point in the air he could see fires in the city and the surrounding area. Something in his heart told him that things were really bad. He hoped the Liberians knew they were coming.

He hit the ground and the next aircraft was discharging its passengers. Tomi stowed his chute and grabbed his gear bag. He heard gunfire but not close. So far no one was reporting contact. He slapped the power on to his BALCOTH helmet’s systems. Night vision turned on, assisted aiming, hearing augmentation, over 30,000 dollars worth of tech now boosted this warrior on his mission. He slammed his rifle to his shoulder, and charged the caseless round into battery. He began to sweat and was a little disorientated by the sudden change in climate and terrain.

Tomi imagined a tiger, he wasn’t here as a sheep, he was here to hunt. Hunt terrorists. Now that his feet were on the ground his confidence returned. After a brief burst out on his radio the navigation system kicked in and he quickly reunited with his squad. They made their way to the tree line, all the while scanning as they would take turns leapfrogging movement and cover. All around the drop zone at the airport Korrodosians were doing the same thing.

The cargo aircraft were next, dropping supplies and vehicles. Light tanks and APCs fell down onto the runway, troops securing them and then driving off moments later. An entire battery of guns was also dropped, they took less than two minutes once the troops reached them to begin their fire orders.

The entire scene was chaos, the UIF fighters had been swarming over the airport when almost a thousand elite Korrodosian Paratroopers started landing. Shots were taken at the aircraft but the weight of countermeasures in the air was enough that everyone passed through. The whole operation devolved into squad vs squad fighting. Leaving the better equipped and trained side to win.


‘A’ -Axe Company
4th Battalion
567th Regiment
Imperial Korrodosian Marine Corps

The CB90 raced along the river, several other fast landing craft in tow. The small flotilla blasted through the river at breakneck speed, the troops holding on in their g-reinforced seats. Sergeant Pytor Viliki couldn’t help but smile. The apprehensiveness of entering combat was still there, despite his 20 plus year career in the Imperial Marines. He was a massive fellow, over six foot tall, a full red beard and enough energy for two other sergeants, he enjoyed close combat and was sure to get some in the very near future.

He remembered a story his father had told him about the great raids, and his raids with the Marshites…. He couldn’t help but smile as he started to sing.

“My mother told me,
One day I would buy,
Galley with good oars,
Sail to distant shores,
Stand up on the prow,
Noble barque I stear,
Steady course to the haven,
Hew many foe men,
Hew many foe men.

The rest of the crew was silent for a moment but then one of the officers piped up and another chorus was started, and another, soon someone was broadcasting it over intercraft and the whole unit was singing.

“Thirty Seconds!”

The boat’s crew cut in, they were almost to the beach. The 15mm machine guns mounted on the craft opened up on some technicals in the way. The computer aided guidance of the remote weapon stations made quick work of the vehicles and their associated crews. One of the 'gunboats' a RHIB with a pair of 15mm machine guns and 40mm grenade launchers parked paralell to the shore and opened up on the unfriendly swarms.

Everyone felt the craft deaccelerate rapidly, suddenly there was the familiar lurch of a landing craft hitting a bank. Everyone tensed for a second and the doors opened up, troops started to jump out.

“Khazad!” was suddenly in the air, the battle cry of the marines. Unrelenting, they moved forward as units. Platoons formed quickly and smashed into the UIF fighters. Although equipped with advanced weapondry, the Marines were more than willing to get within knife range and sort things out hand to hand.

“All net Axe, all net axe, be advised, airborne still dropping, anyone that looks like they have a SAM, kill them first…”

Pytor looked around. He didn’t see any SAMs but there was another technical hidden between two of the hangar buildings. He switched over to this Gruingir under barrel rocket launcher, switched to guidance and designated the target and fired. It took only a few seconds but the 40mm miniature rocket streaked through the air and then airburst right above the soft skinned technical, causing a satisfying fireball.

“First Platoon, push forward to the terminal!”

That was him, Pytor looked up, his men formed around him and suddenly a rumble came from behind them. One of the LY4A2 tanks the hovercraft had brought in grumbled behind him. He walked over to the hull and grabbed the phone. After a few moments his men started to move forward, using the tank as cover, right up to the terminal.

The tank then spun around and parked itself immediately in front of the main doors, unleashing a terrible burst of machine gun and cannon fire as it was approached by some insurgents. They were making a last ditch run on the terminal before the Korrodosians were settled in.

“Dig in here, dig in here!” Pytor shouted, the lobby wouldn’t provide the best cover but the line of sight. His lieutenant was walking over to the Liberian forces. Pytor hoped he could convince them to get out of the way for now, the situation was a mess as is. But on the bright side as he took an inventory of his surroundings he could note that the volume of fire was less than it was a moment ago.

APCs and tanks started to form a perimeter around the terminal, troops entering it for cover and better vantage points. Although outnumbered the shear weight of fire, surprise and speed that the Korrodosians moved was starting to carry the day.

[The Republic of Liberia]

Battle For Roberts International Airport
Remilekun Abodunrin's Command Tent, Undisclosed
Operation conducted by UIF and ISWA forces

---

The arrival of Korrodosian support hadn't been foreseen by Commander Abodunrin, but due to his remarkable success in the Liberian Campaign, he wasn't without contingencies. Even as Korrodosian forces secured the New Terminal, reinforcements in the form of nearly 1,000 laid in reserve from other postings within a fifty mile radius were inbound, armed with RPG-7 launchers and heavy machine guns, most of which had been imported from out of country, including Nigeria and Mali. As reinforcements were expected to arrive within the span of three hours, Commander Abodunrin would double-down on his current holdings within the Airport, unwilling to pull back in the face of heavy vehicular and personnel losses. Soldiers of the United Islamic Forces of West Africa and the smaller Islamic State of West Africa forces would continue establishing entrenched positions within the Old Terminal and surrounding locations, including the various closed hangars along the main runway, using burnt out trucks and luggage delivery cars as cover.

Hundreds of combined Islamic fighters continued to lay fire upon the New Terminal, attempting to cement their hold upon the Airport despite the unparalleled power the Korrodosians held.

[Gonswanza]

Support was not going to come easily or quickly. With infantry being delivered via improvised and rather uncanny means, along with vehicles as well, they were due to arrive in force... Rather unprepared. Luckily, the troops had Karr Hoffman at the helm, riling up the soldiers even as their improvised delivery craft (fashioned from cargo ships with containers stacked up to hide the helis and some landing craft due to carry in armor later, along with supplies) slowly cruise along, avoiding the coast and sticking to deeper waters before closing in on Marshall as their final destination. The airport was obviously compromised, not that they would be well aware, as a few unarmed Harpy IIs were sent out ahead of the force to scout the zone. The intent was simple: Get the troops onto land, organize, assess the situation and then move into the hellscape of war, possibly even attempt to ferry any losses back to friendlier territory. Yet, the reports quickly come in that the airport was at risk of being overrun. And so, the speech goes with that minor wrench thrown into the works.

Men, it is good to be among brothers in arms. Yet, we face a dire threat to our existence. Terrorists are ripping into the fertile lands of Africa, threatening to poison her rivers and taint her peoples with fear as the plague spreads with nobody to stop it. And yet, we are the ones to aid in curing this vile disease. Our weapons are the medicine, the cure for this illness, while we hold the advantage. The Kashmirs shall break the stalemate and crush the inferior forces under their treads, while the Swords shall aid in moving us through the muck and offer fire support for particularly stubborn positions. We shall purge this threat from this world and restore order to the region, while those lost would not have died in vain. Beyond these waters, an airport lies under siege. And beyond that, the plague has gained a firm grip upon the land, intent to reach out with greedy hands. But we will not let that happen, we will cut off the hands that dare to reach and tear into the illness itself! Our drones shall aid us, while becoming the dreaded shadow of death for them. Are you all with me, willing to cure these lands? Or will you turn your back to the plague and let it consume you?!

That was met with roaring cheers, though the fact of the matter was, they had loitering munitions and small UAVs useful for scouting positions. Heavier vehicles like the Ripsaw and M219 were again due to arrive later, if at all, given a mild risk at this point in time of them being captured by the hostile forces, given they are ground assets rather than more agile and easily destructible aerial assets. Luckily the Kashmir would be difficult to capture, much less destroy, given the design, armor, and tech used on the tank offered a massive edge in survivability against threats such as the RPG-7 and IEDs along with mines. However, the same cannot be said for the Sword, and the two can still be immobilized and later abandoned if the situation is dire enough.

The troops are slowly bearing down upon Marshall, after having to cruise around through the Suez and later the Mediterranean to try to reach their destination. Their patriotism was unwavering, even if the helis would have to work on ferrying them until the Swords arrive... Which, again, given the logistics train, won't take long. But the MBTs would take the longest, arriving with crews to ensure that should they land at a hostile port, they can attempt to break out.

Back home, James Colt notifies President Mawar Al-Sherbak of the operation. It's all green, with approval. Footage gathered from the unarmed Harpy IIs would stay classified, as they were used to aid in organizing the landings and movements of infantry. Unmanned aircraft are nifty, though they are soon recalled to a drone ship that quickly sets course for Gonswanza, acting as a pit-stop for the drones to hop around the world. Literally. As it is not part of the operation, it was also necessary to recall as an auxiliary force, just to free up the airspace.

[The United Islamic Front]

Islamic State of West Africa / Mission to Marshall
0624 Hours

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The little town of Marshall had been, for the most part, left alone by the new established power in Liberia, which was now the UIF and ISWA. Monrovia sat solidly within the grasp of the United Islamic Front while large swathes of the country was under the dominion of the Islamic State, including Marshall. Thousands of militant fighters roamed the countryside but left the insignificant town of Marshall to their business. Until the Gonswanzans. As the battle for control of the Airport raged on between the UIF and Korrodosians, Commander Abodunrin realized how significant the operation conducted by the Gonswanzans was to their entire mission. Should they gain a foothold, they'd not only secure a spear from the south to stab the UIF operation in the back, but they'd also gain control of a landing zone. With most of his own soldiers devoted to taking Roberts International Airport, Commander Abodunrin handed the mission to repulse the Gonswanzans to Commander Abu Masab al-Barnawi, who had acted as the commander of all ASWA forces in Liberia but was also subordinate to Commander Abodunrin. While UIF forces would handle the Airport, all supporting Islamic State forces pulled back out of the Airport combat zone and moved towards Snafu, where they begun establishing a command camp in the thick forest that provided plenty of overhead cover. In the hours after the initial Islamic State mobilization, additional soldiers from postings at Gbono Town, Ben Town, Owensgrove, and Barclayville made the trek to surround Marshall, lining up across the Farmington River, placing armed checkpoints of Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi trucks and SUVs across the area.

Despite ISWA establishing it's operational command post at Snafu, it would take time for the crossing to be completely secured as additional fighters were still en-route to their position. Regardless, the western road from Marshall to Gbono Town would be awash in various makes and models of vehicles carrying hundreds of Islamic State fighters that would be responsible for engaging the new arriving force. In the meantime, two Defender-class boats armed with M240B machine guns mobilized from Monrovia, freshly captured from surrendering Coast Guard personnel who would be summarily executed shortly after. Each boat carried six fighters armed with AKM rifles and would open fire when they were close enough. There target would be any open personnel they could hit.

[Gonswanza]

The Gonswanzans would soon come unto the city en mass. Helicopters rise, carrying men and weapons, as more men began to stream in, unloaded from landing craft. The APCs were quick to arrive as well, almost ahead of schedule, though the rush was due to being strafed by offending craft, with return fire off the transports silencing the attempts. They had yet to arrive to the town, and already, there was combat. Infantry were then advised that the zone was not at all friendly, resulting in the swift movement to deploy loitering muntions and recon drones to seek out and destroy any waiting ambushes nearby the beach head. That of course won't alert the local defenders, until the first strikes occur to stir up chaos, with small drones taking flight to map out the surroundings.

Of course, it was meant to go smoothly.

In all reality, the beaches lit up with fire, as the infantry immediately fire back, guns blazing, with loitering muntions being quick to seek out and destroy their targets. Smaller drones would be faced with panicked small arms fire if they were spotted, making their deployment rather dangerous, but it was a worthy distraction as it grabs valuable intel. Swords open up against the hostile positions, with the beach being soiled by terrorist blood, at the cost of Gonswanzan blood. Karr takes hold of an AR-416, using it as a DMR to engage enemy units, aiding in the small skirmish for the coast. The sirens of defeat, he would call it, even if it was more akin to a slaughter. Heavy weapons against agile units, with helis moving around to try to drop in Gonswanzan soldiers to rather hot zones, intent on tearing up enemies behind the lines as more loitering munitions are delivered from these hovering demons. With a lack of air support due to the hope of air support from others, this was risky, but worth the risk given the rapid mobilization of troops. Securing a point can further their goals, though it seems those Harpy IIs would have been a burden had they been armed. Alas, out of the ~3,550 infantry pushed into combat, a small portion were lost to enemy fire, despite the crippling advantage (if any) of loitering munitions and small drones providing information. Paired to armored transports, this was already starting to seem promising.

The reports flow back to James Colt, who then informs Mawar. Mawar sighs, before punching a request for a Republic Type 1 to push into the area and provide support as a drone ship, deploying Harpy IIs into the field to get more eyes in the sky and set up a valuable series of hunter-killers well above the zone. James takes up the request, pushing it to the navy, who obliges, in spite of the mild risk. The task force will take a while to arrive, so for the meantime, the troops were left "naked" without a guardian angel. Given a lack of anti-air weapons save for a few Verbas (Verbae?) sticking around, the men holding them were considered the most important, along with the heavier machine gunners and grenadiers. Speaking of, they make use of the D40 liberally, as the drones quickly attempt to seek out their targets and destroy them with imputiny. No mercy was to be had, as the jingos try to tear their way into Africa like madmen. Savages, almost. It leaves one to wonder if perhaps they were the real threat all along, rather than the Islamic extremists they were ripping into.

[The United Islamic Front]

Islamic State of West Africa / The Defense of Marshall
0727 Hours

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The crackling sounds of rapid gunfire and explosions littered both the town of Marshall and the surrounding beaches across the stretch of land surrounded by water. As convoys of ISWA fighters arrived to the western outskirts of the town, fighting continued to intensify with casualties continuing to mount for the exposed troops attempting to defend Marshall in the face of a technologically superior opponent, similar to that of Korrodos at Roberts International Airport. Dozens of casualties had already been reported by company commanders as convoys of technical trucks, now devoid of their passenger complements opened fire on any Gonswanzan positions with their top-mounted light machine guns and RPG-7 launchers. From their command camp, Commander al-Barnawi ordered all fighters to target enemy aerial units with small arms or rocket-propelled grenades in an attempt to establish no-fly zones across the contested area to stem Gonswanzan forces into kill zones for ISWA forces. At this point, any civilians in Marshall were either captured by the ISWA, fled the town or ran to the Gonswanzans.

From the beaches on the other side of the Farmington River, I.S. forces opened fire on any Gonswanzan forces in range, be they infantry or aircraft. This distraction allowed fighters to occupy both the Liberia Maritime Training Institute and the Life Business Center of the town, beginning to establish fortified locations for PK light machine gun placements.

Upon Commander al-Barnawi's request, UIF logistical SUVs have begun moving 12 units of L16 81mm Mortar launchers to the western outskirts of Marshall to prepare for the shelling of allied landing zones and concentrated troop movements that was scheduled to occur late in the night.

[Gonswanza]

In the face of danger, in spite of the losses, their resolve only grows. They seem to pick up a frenzy, with men laughing and shooting at will. The landing craft aid in evacuating the civilians along with helis, while the men continue to fight like animals against an equally brutal opponent. They were unrelenting, unwilling to budge. Their armor, mostly consisting of plate carriers, helps them eat rounds, but in most cases, they were easily dealt with in the face of heavier guns. Still, they push on, bravely into hell. A "Blackhawk down" scenario was established, but thanks to the use of drones, the waves of enemies were pushed back, as civilians continue to be moved to the beach or flown out back to the cargo ships. Medical supplies and resources are supplied to the evacuated civilians, with necessary security checks taken to ensure that terrorists were not joining them, even if it meant executing them on the spot or hanging them per Gonswanzan law. A horrific sight, as any defenders approaching the beach may see the hanging bodies of their own men strung from the trees as if to establish that the beachhead was no longer theirs. (Small) Gonswanzan flags were planted as well, to signify that the area was somewhat safe, though tracers ripping through the brush would say otherwise.

In the city, it's complete chaos. Rockets are flying, infantry are shooting, SMAW-Ds are being used against machine gunners to blow them to pieces along with M67s to dispel the fighters. Loitering munitions are being used in excess, with minor incidents of civilian casualties coming up as they rush to attack terrorist positions. Moves are made to spread out of the city and possibly engage the countryside, as it was clear that the enemy was not going to hand over the city so easily, hence, it was assumed that they were likely setting up some form of artillery to shell the city regardless of whether or not it would fall to them. As mentioned before, the men fight like animals, refusing to die, much less surrender, in spite of the odds. The lack of UGVs however only made things a bit better for them, given that there was no chance of such vehicles being captured, but at the same time, they could have been used to aid in moving troops out of the pocket and to the beaches to regroup, prior to pushing around the city.

Karr Hoffman was moving in with the main spearhead, leading the pack himself as infantry around him engaged the fighters. Any terrorists who ran from them were hunted down and hung up for the world to see, or were simply shot for running away. No prisoners were taken, not a single soul either. They all had to die, as Karr simply said nothing about those small events, pushing his men to charge into the pocket and reinforce the beachhead, while also trying to get men to flank around the city and counter any artillery in the immediate area.

While the area was hazy for Colt and Al-Sherbak, Colt assures the latter that things are going well... In spite of some images coming back of the hung bodies. Those images are quickly disposed of, as Mawar enjoys himself with a glass of fine spiced rum while the slaughter continues half a world away.

[The United Islamic Front]

ISWA / The Defense of Marshall

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As Islamic State forces continued to engage in heavy and ruthless fighting, more and more friendly positions had either been overrun or blown from existence. Fighters with loud speakers began chanting and singing as the roar of war trumpeted loudly around them. The loss of life for the ISWA had been high with anchored positions within the city now lost due to heavier Gonswanzan munitions constantly bombarding those detected by their aerial recon drones. Whenever they could, ISWA fighters would target these drones to eliminate their targeting capacity and while it helped to some degree, it wouldn't stop the Gonswanzans from taking a majority of the town. Despite this initial loss of territory, it was only the beginning of this fight as soldiers began a tactical withdrawal from their positions inside the city and established a defensive line on the western outskirts, reinforced by technical truck positions. Armed with RPG-7s, small arms and LMGs, ISWA forces had begun establishing a heavy barrage of fire on any aerial and ground-based targets, hoping to bog their opponent down and force the pace to slow.

Meanwhile, the two Defender-Class boats that had been dispatched from Monrovia were now within the zone of fighting, opening fire on any open enemy personnel they put their eyes on. Passengers aboard the two boats opened up with their AKM rifles with reckless abandon while the M240B opened up with heavy volleys of fire.

Behind the defensive lines, the UIF vehicles had arrived carrying the L16 mortar launchers. From the tree lines, the operators established their artillery positions and within a matter of a half-hour, they were already launching mortar rounds at designated targets. As of now, ISWA casualties stand at 284.

[The Fifth French Republic]

French Forces Arrive in Liberia

---

As promised by the Fifth French Republic, the French ship Mistral arrives off the coast of Liberia, linking up with other allied ships. Complemented with several helicopters of varying make, French forces remain aboard the ship at the command of Captain Rodier, carefully watching as the fight for Roberts International Airport rages on. Regardless, pilots are ordered to remain with their aircraft and ready to deploy at a moment's notice. The same is told to the 4th Parachute Hussars, who've prioritized sleeping and eating in their combat gear over comfort.

French Command has contacted all allied forces and offered air support in the form of two Dassault Rafale B F3-R planes.

[Gonswanza]

French Forces Arrive in Liberia

(Image)

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As promised by the Fifth French Republic, the French ship Mistral arrives off the coast of Liberia, linking up with other allied ships. Complemented with several helicopters of varying make, French forces remain aboard the ship at the command of Captain Rodier, carefully watching as the fight for Roberts International Airport rages on. Regardless, pilots are ordered to remain with their aircraft and ready to deploy at a moment's notice. The same is told to the 4th Parachute Hussars, who've prioritized sleeping and eating in their combat gear over comfort.

French Command has contacted all allied forces and offered air support in the form of two Dassault Rafale B F3-R planes.

Given the battle's been split for the airport and the local town of Marshall, along with the chaos for the pocket as Gonswanzan forces were now slowed to a crawl for the city, reinforcing the beachhead with Sword APCs rocking hostile positions and soon turning their guns on the attack boats, the calls for air support were reported promptly. With the enemy attacking anything with wings, the helis were forced to be grounded, stuck on the disguised launch boats, which were now forced into retreat. They would be swapped out for similar craft at a later time, given the civilians, but a few of the helis that remained with them were too heavily damaged to continue operations, as a few were lost in the attempted evacuations. Enemy locations are shared, while the Gonswanzans seem to settle down from the initial chaos and break more into traditional combat. Orders fly back and forth, though the French are warned of enemy anti-air capabilities (limited as they were, still present regardless) and (presumed) mortar positions beyond the town, cutting the town off from the airport. It was more important, to the Gonswanzans, to pave a road to the airport in blood for their armor to roll in and crush the hostile presence there, than to raise the siege and lose what little progress was made in a hail of fire. Karr relays his own troop positions as well, noting the pocket in Marshall, just to avoid friendly fire.

Back in Gonswanza, the president is growing annoyed with things. At first, they had the momentum, but now it seems things were slowing down to a crawl, while James Colt tries to convince him again that the situation was still in their favor. And it was, too. Even without the Kashmirs, they were still holding an edge against the jihadist forces, while Mawar just had to roll with the punches.

[The Fifth French Republic]

French Forces begin operations

The two Dassault Rafale B F3-R variants flew low over the blue waters as they approached the small indigenous town of Marshall. Coordinates of both friendly and enemy forces had been received by commanders aboard the Mistral and was promptly relayed to the French fighters.

Within 15 minutes, the Rafales had arrived to the combat zone and, utilizing positional data received by the Gonswanzans, began the strafe with an unrelenting spray of 30mm rounds. As the jets flew by, they would double back and unleashn their Mark 82 unguided bombs across the frontal line of the Islamic State line, hoping to eliminate it entirely or force it to scatter.

[Korrodos]

Roberts International Airport
‘A’ -Axe Company
4th Battalion
567th Regiment
Imperial Korrodosian Marine Corps

The rest of the battalion had arrived by now. The initial plan had been to air assault them right after the landing craft assault, but that had changed once the terrorists established an adequate air defense over the airfield. Instead of being able to launch a lightning push with fresh units the first wave had to wait as the reinforcements were moved from helicopters, cross decked, and then launched up the river on landing craft.

This wasn’t to say that the Korrodosians were not slowly expanding their perimeter, the firefight around the airport had died down to the point that it concentrated on the nearby hamlets now instead of the terminal buildings. The airport was wrecked, the only two structurally sound buildings were the terminals, every hanager had something wrecked around it, most had small fires. Explosions could be heard randomly throughout the hell zone. Bodies and weapons lay everywhere.

Senior Colonel Emmet en Karluth surveyed his troops' positions and continued with his plan to reinforce his perimeter as the reinforcements continued to arrive. His` troops were tired, something that no matter how much of a technological advantage you had would always be a factor. He looked over the map, he had one company still at the terminals, as a last ditch defensive position. The other first wave marine company had moved to the ‘inner’ perimeter position of the outskirts of the airport, taking blocking positions along the roads that lead into their area. The Paratroop battalion had two companies in blocking positions to the far end of the airfield, starting to dig in with their vehicles. One company of paras and the weapons company of their battalion formed the reserve force, ready to respond to any attempted breaches of their peritimiter.

He looked over the notes for the next phase, the bulk of the marine battalion would now push through to take the hamlets on the outer perimeter of the airport’s zone. With ‘Blade’, ‘Cutlass’ and ‘Edge’ Companies firmly established and the helmets clear of SAMs and RPGs the Korrodosians would be able to airlift in follow-on forces, supplies, and push further out, even into the heart of the city. He knew down the road the paras would probably take control of the whole airfield, and his forces would withdraw to land again in the port area.

He flipped the tablet’s protector over it and slid it back in his bag. His command team knew this meant that their break was over and they would be moving around again.

‘A’ -Avalanche- Company
584th Airborne Battalion
12th Airborne Regiment
Korrodosian Imperial Guard

Tomi had thanked the gods for the full size shovels that the SAV-10 crew lent them. They had a fully dug in position now on top of a small hill, complete with covering foliage and claymores. Not resorting to entrenching tools saved them so much energy that they were able to jot down some quick fire coordinates on the map before the LY83 Fox pulled in behind their position.

Each one of them thanked the crew who handed them a meal container, water, topped off ammo and then sped away to the next team. Up and down the perimeter of the airport such positions were placed, some with only a fire team, some with a squad and the largest held the headquarters company. The senior Tomi watched as his troops ate. His stomach growled as he could smell the hot food prepared from one of the ship’s kitchens. Two Brats, Baked beans with bacon, mashed potatoes, rice and vegetables, with a beer and chocolate cake square for dessert. A lot of high energy food that hopefully would solid their guts up from the battle rations they had eaten for breakfast and lunch. It was a welcome relief to the otherwise luxuryless life of an infantry grunt.

Snapping out of his thoughts about food Tomi looked around. A small black object circled around ahead of his position. Was it a drone? He knew the company had just gotten some of the new Marshite drones that looked like birds. Whatever it was, it circled and hunted away from his position.

IKV Cutlass
Off the Coast of Monrovia Liberia
Detached from the Korrodosian Taskforce

Her grey hull cut through the waters gracefully, her sleek lines a throw back to the Great War all gun cruisers that she was a descendant of. Although she carried radar, missiles and other modern tools her primary function was fire support for amphibious landings. A mission that she excelled in.

The Cutlass only had to move herself slightly out of formation to bring her 9 205mm guns into range. Each turret turned and the guns raised to position as the firing computers took the information from the UAV overflight near Marshall and plotted it into the computer. Each turret had its own target, and the fire mission was only going to last two minutes.

But in those two minutes 216 shells would be fired and they would all land simultaneously on different troop concentrations. Picked because they were far enough back from the front that friendly fire and civilian casualties were the lowest risk, the technicals were forming checkpoints that would impede their allies further movement ashore.

“Fire…”

One word and the ship began to burst into flame from stem to stern, each gun rapidly firing off air burst and impact rounds in a mix at their target. The result was utter devastation and probably more than a little overkill.

As the smoke cleared the ship gracefully turned, two minutes were up and it now steamed to regain formation with the rest of the amphibious taskforce, now awaiting fire missions ashore from the team at the Airport.

[The United Islamic Front]

The Marshall Campaign - ISWA

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The defensive line established just west of the town of Marshall had been solid. Composed of light machine gun positions reinforced with soldiers carrying RPG-7 launchers and AKM rifles with drum magazines, the Islamic State forces were able to halt the Gonswanzans at their line, slowing the battle considerably just as Commander al-Barnawi intended. From the beginning, the UIF and ISWA never intended for the defense of Marshall to be successful. It was only intended to slow allied landings considerably, hopefully giving enough time for UIF forces at Roberts International Airport to push through Korrodosian forces and whatever Liberian resistance still remained and execute or capture the President. Gaining or killing that asset would have effectively crippled the Liberian government enough that whoever was next in line for succession would hand over control of the country to the United Islamic Front willingly, thus giving their own leaders the upper hand over continued foreign intervention. So far, that was growing increasingly and increasingly unlikely with every hour that passed with the Airport continuing to resist.

The defensive line had been solid, repulsing nearly all enemy assaults and quickly forcing those who penetrated to pull back at the sight of a near instantaneous mortar bombardment. For the few hours it stood, it would have appeared that the Islamic State would succeed in holding back allied forces from moving any further into Liberian territory. Sadly, they would be wrong very quickly after. The sounds of roaring fighter jets swept through the line and with it came a thunderstorm of bullets, splattering dirt, metal and body parts across the line as the French air support struck exactly where they wanted to. From the southern section to the northern section, French rounds slashed into the ISWA line, quickly forcing those surviving fighters to pull back immediately. This was quickly being alleviated, as Commander al-Barnawi simply ordered his mortar positions in the tree lines just west of the defensive line to provide a blanket of mortar fire until additional forces could establish a second defensive line further back from the initial line. This was soon to be stolen from him as hundreds of shells bombarded the area roughly where the mortars were, most likely identified during the operation of said mortars. The thick hail of heavy ammunition threw the entire operation into a state of confusion and shock. In the chaos of both the French air strikes and Korrodosian bombardment, 312 soldiers of the Islamic State were killed with 31 technical trucks and every mortar launcher destroyed or left behind in the confused retreat. With the loss of these assets in the area, Commander al-Barnawi was forced to relocate his command position, hastily gathering up his array of equipment and moving north from Snafu, 4 miles up the road. Even with so much destruction, Commander al-Barnawi continued the fight, relaying orders to forces in the towns of Gbono, Sopwe, Scheiffelin, and Ben Town to muster at Libassa Ecolodge, which had now been completely evacuated due to the early onset of fighting in Marshall. Orders were passed to the surviving soldiers of the bombings as trucks began moving in to provide improvised explosive devices that were to be planted on the roadsides for the Gonswanzan vehicles that would inevitable pass by. Though Marshall would now sit squarely in the hands of the Gonswanzans and other allied forces, additional Islamic State fighters, such as those who were already on the beaches across the river from Marshall continued laying heavy fire onto any vessel attempting to move upstream, establishing a command post at the Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue & Protection Center just up the river.

Despite the setback suffered by the ISWA, they would continue to hold the stretch of land west of Marshall to the main road that would lead north to Scheiffelin and open up to the whole of Liberia. After the progress report had been submitted to Commander Abodunrin, the UIF General remarked on Commander al-Barnawi, saying:

"We knew holding Marshall would have been impossible. But we must stay strong. Roberts Airport has not yet fallen and we cannot allow the enemy to breach your defenses. You must hold and not fall. Defend Libassa, defend the road, do not retreat, do not surrender, for you will find no mercy in our enemy. There is nothing here for us but victory and glory. Do your duty by Allah, brother."

The Harbel Campaign
0944 Hours

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The UIF and Korrodosian forces had been fighting for hours, with little advantage gained for either side. Reinforcements in the form of 500 fighters and 32 trucks from the surrounding towns and cities from different counties across Liberia. Most of these troops had mustered at the Roberts International Airport Aviation Depot on the other side of Harbel from the Airport itself and spread out to their various commanders from there. These troops would approach from the various entry points at the perimeter of the airport, including new ones on the western side of the main runway, where Korrodosian troops were not massed nor focused on. The arrival of these additional forces would be the sign that the second push would begin. They would begin by engaging the Paratroop vehicles on the far end of the runway, utilizing technical trucks to break through solid positions in the hopes of forcing them back. Additional forces would begin pushing for the Old and New Terminals both, utilizing mostly infantry with various small arms, including RPG-7 launchers.

A Change in Leadership

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As the fighting in Harbel and Marshall continue to intensify, political authorities of the United Islamic Front continue to solidify their holdings in the capital, Monrovia. Across the city, numerous uprisings and protests had been quelled, usually involving extreme violence and some deaths. Liberian flags and symbols have been burned, replaced by the Shahada. The flags of black and white were draped over every statue, adorned on the walls of schools and hung on every flagpole. The red, white and blue of the Liberian flag was outlawed under the new regime and punishable by lashings or severe beatings by soldiers of the Islamic State of West Africa. ISWA soldiers patrolled the streets while UIF spokesmen reached out to the population, attempting to convince them of the generosity of their new Emir as well as the army that was here to save them. Some believed in the new government, others fled, while some refused to recognize their cause, including that of Benjamin Yeaten, a Lieutenant-General in the Liberian Army that fled into rural Liberia with a small group of soldiers after the fall of Monrovia. Lieutenant-General Yeaten had been establishing a resistance group in the northern counties of Liberia and despite great efforts by the Islamic State to locate and kill him, they'd failed. Regardless, the UIF continued to cement their hold on Monrovia and the surrounding towns.

[Gonswanza]

Public support began to swell back home, with conscripts wanting to gain their fame in the intervention. That had to be settled with a harsh denial from the Minister of Defense, as the President declares that what they sent will be sufficient, unless the whole country collapses, forcing a total retreat a la Dunkirk. But that wasn't likely at this rate, while the MoD and President continue to monitor the situation. Despite the mild stalemate, it seems hostile forces were pulling back though James Colt expressed concern that it could be a trap. After all, to pursue a smaller force was unwise, especially when it could be a feigned retreat to set an ambush.

Karr Hoffman expressed the same concern, instead calling for troops to reinforce their positions, dig in and stay the night. As the battle for the beach raged on, the APCs decide to run forth, pushing for the city with infantry in pursuit. Eventually, the beach and Marshall were connected, with some losses of infantry, but within the city, the wounded are tended to. They could cross the river, or attempt to push west, but again, the order was given to stay. Crossing the river was a necessity now, given that the battle for the airport was growing dire, as that was the only other place they could get supplies in and out of the country without being harassed from the shores. Speaking of, Karr would then question where the Kashmirs were, while also questioning the sheer lack of recon drones overhead as overwatch.

Colt picks up the line, saying that the Kashmirs are slow to arrive, still slowly crawling over through the strait of Gilbitrar. In all reality, they would come by night, being forced to fight a night battle while moving around to try to swing for the airport without the Swords to trail in their shadow. An independent unit, even if it did annoy Hoffman. But the logic was seemingly sound until it wasn't. An armored fist swinging through enemy territory, delayed by combat, to try to punch into the airport after significant losses was not a sound tactic especially when it meant exposing tanks to IEDs that would cripple the advance every inch of the way. Pair that to willingly exposing light armor and infantry to hostile fire... It was a mess. A short bout of cursing later, the orders are changed, finally, to suit Karr's own experiences on the ground. The tanks are to land at the beachhead, fight their way through the jungle (thanks to engineers who should help clear a path), and later be floated across the river to the airport, using floats or, if possible, a pontoon bridge.

Having foreseen the need for river crossings, bridges were sent with the tanks. However, there were no real bridge layers, instead, pontoon bridges were to be used. It's more cost-effective after all, and it won't risk taking up space that could have been used to transport a Kashmir instead.