Gabon Arises

[Captain Enema]

"No, I won't question him, but I have a Sergeant who is quite adept at such matters. The question I have for you is just how much do you know about Doctor Steiner's political leanings and financial situation? Why don't you put him in a room, alone, for now. Take his cell phone, shoe laces, and belt. Actually force him to strip down to his underpants and turn on the air con to nice low setting. Let's make him highly uncomfortable. While we do that, let's get into this man's life and find out everything there is to know about him," Denard replies. After he says this he is given a piece of paper from one of his assistants who carries a scrambled satellite phone.

 

He reads the note and looks visibly relieved. He nods to the assistant and then says to the General, "I don't know how Athens found out but for now they are content with us dealing with this matter. General, let's find this damn nuke, let's run this rebellion into the ground and snuff it, and let's get the rebuilding of Gabon underway. As Athens is giving us time to handle this, I will keep a line open to their high authorities to tap into their much more sophisticated space borne arrays."

 

As Denard elaborates on the different intelligence options, the planes he called for earlier take off in Legion. The flight will be several hours, but they are on their way. FOB Destiny launches a dozen long range drones into Gabon's remote areas to get a better idea of what is going on in those quarters. The plane at Librevilee and the aircraft overhead Denard's position are ordered to fly to FOB Destiny, refuel, and the both of them are to standby for further orders. A pair of Legion Army Golden Hinds would be tasked with providing Denard with transportation and security. With them a twelve man security team is authorized  to supplement the vehicles already on the ground.

Edited February 15, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Captain Enema]

With so little response of the government of Gabon, Brigadier General Denard authorizes Operation Kneecap. The preceeding weeks had shown the build up of Legion forces in FOB Destiny to that of a reinforced division strength. Denard having returned to Destiny some time before to conduct the ongoing search for the "so called" nuclear weapon had found himself with less and less government support. The ongoing operation had fruitlessly scanned the countryside and cities of Gabon with little success. Rather than wait until something more unfortunate happens, Denard and the Government of Legion, have taken it upon themselves to go into Gabon in strength and conduct a stabilization and search operation.

 

A mass of  Legionnaires, 3000 vehicles, and hundreds of aircraft swing into action as they cross into Gabon. With them comes long supply trains of food, water, and medical supplies. In the passing the Legionnaires leave detachments of Military Police and Reserves cross-trained as Military Police to ensure stability is brought to the countryside. The rules of engagement are simple, fire back when fired upon, with the lee way necessary to preemptively strike potentially hostile targets who are demonstrating a clear and present danger to Legionnaires or Gabonese civilians.

 

An alert notice is sent to Athenian authorities advising them of the operation just as it kicks off. With this alert notice is a highly detailed time table for the departure of Legion forces. Also, the written assurances from Legion forces that they will hand over the territory reclaimed for the Athenian protectorates in a timely manner. Further, all information regarding the nuclear weapon and the search for it is sent to Athens along with a request for electronic assistance in tracking this possible weapon. Finally, Legion's Order of Battle is attached to the message to show the following forces and forces arriving that will be used to stabilize Gabon.

 

 

Gabon Stalization Force

Commanded by General J. Denard

2nd Regimental Combat Team
3200 men

3rd Regimental Combat Team
3200 Men

4th Regimental Combat Team
3200 Men

9th Regimental Combat Team (armored)
3200 Men

21st National Guard Brigade (armored)
8000 men

 

501st Airborne Battalion
800 men

99th Legion Military Police Detachment
7000 Military Police and Reservists
- Equipped with infantry weapons, police equipment, light armored cars, and all terrain vehicles

100th Legion Engineering Detachment
4000 Legion Military Engineers and equipment

Air Combat Group Gabon
108 aircraft

Helicopter Transport and Assault Group
144 helicopters

Air Transport Group Gabon
144 C-5A and C-130 transports

Legion Navy Reserve Transport Group
34 Legion Reserve Merchant ships

Legion Supply and Services Group Gabon
8000 men and equipment with security detachment of 1200 reservist - 9200 men
 

 

 

ooc- the only IC response from Kevin is on a thread that is about Dragons, I'll take this as a sign that he's collapsed into inactivity given his last formal IC post was Feb. 14th.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Captain Enema]

D plus 3

 

Legion Forces have advanced halfway into the country and are fanning out to commence security operations and aid missions. Air drops ahead of advancing troops by the 501st Airborne Battalion have proven useful in providing timely intelligence and creating chokepoints to constrict the flow of Gabonese rebels and former Gabonese military members. The Gabonese Army who surrender themselves to Legion troops are put in temporary camps, given food, water, and medical care. They are told that training will commence immediately to prepare them to serve as the future National Police under the supervision of Protectorate authorities.

 

The Gabonese Army troops personal information is gathered, addresses collected, and food parcels are delivered right to their homes. The families of the soldiers are checked up on, given 20 minutes to speak with their loved ones of a phone, and then they are given instructions on how to keep in contact with them. Assurances are given that their loved ones will be returned to their homes, with jobs, as soon as their training is completed. In the cases where medical care is needed that can not be provided locally, the family members of the former Gabon Military, are flown directly to Legion. Also, at the same time, Military Police detachments are coming into contact with local police departments and are setting up joint security patrols. Further, Engineering teams are getting the water, power, and sewer back on line.

 

Special Forces teams from Legion are sent to the camps to begin conducting the training needed to turn the Gabonese soldiers into well trained police officers. They have a carefully thought out curriculum that is designed to make them highly trained officers within a twelve week period. Half way through the training program they will be returned to local training centers, set up as temporary camps near their home towns, so that they might start going on weekend passes. The Legion Code of Military Justice is also instituted through out Gabon and is distributed in pamphlets written in the local language. The rules being very simple forbid all the usual offenses and set up procedures on how they should be dealt with by civilians and police officers.

 

Back at FOB Destiny the first of two Civil Action Teams is being unloaded from the transport planes that carried it across Africa. The men of the CATs will fan out through Gabon, contact the former civil administration, give them tests to determine competency, and then begin the process of returning the competent ones to work under the newly formed Gabon Protectorate Administration. These units are also responsible for creating lists of projects needed to return the Gabon infrastructure to working order. They are also required to begin creating lists of companies, local ones, that can be depended upon to complete these projects. Extra detachments of Engineers are sent to assist the CATs to check up on the progress of these projects and to ensure corruption is kept to a minimum.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Centurius]

In response to the request Athenian intelligence and logistical assets were mobilized as Legion networks were given the ability to link up to Athenian ones in an effort to provide the requested information. A message from the Exarch would be sent to Legion thanking them for their quick response and granting a formal mandate for Legion forces to assume a police duty in Gabon as their efforts so far had been more than up to standard.

[Captain Enema]

Using the newly gained electronic intelligence from Athens the location of the nuclear device is located. A dedicated team under the command of Colonel Rol Mbembe, Kickapoo Rebellion fame, are ordered into action. Colonel Mbembe's Direct Action Team is comprised of some of the finest light infantrymen that Legion has to offer. None of them are burdened with the training of Special Forces, they exist simply to kick in doors and kill everything that crosses into their sight pictures. Having spent weeks preparing for this assault, the men of Mbembe's command are lithe agile angels of death, which is reflected in their Team motto of, "Heaven's Killers."

 

The device is located in a remote corner of Gabon. Mobile teams are vectored in and ordered to get within driving distance of the site. The teams consist of the men of the 501st Airborne Battalion and their Rapid Assault Vehicles. These are fresh off the assembly line, unlike man other Legion vehicles that show the signs of being often repaired and upgraded. The hefty V-8 engines and massive tires give the RAVs an impressive all terrain vehicle. The ability to turn off four of the eight cylinders gives the vehicles an equally impressive range of operations. As the vehicles move into position, Mbembe's team is waiting at FOB Destiny for confirmation of their arrival.

 

While the 501st Airborne mobile units move into place, after be air dropped in, the Legion Missile Command prepares a single special munitions package for the site. It is a unique device designed to jam radio, cell, and other wireless signals for a prolonged period of time. The authorities in Athens are put on alert that a single missile would be fired over Athenian protectorate territory and into Gabon along with the reasoning behind the launching. While this package is being prepared a single squadron of Legion Ground Attack planes are prepared and tasked to give their full attention to this operation.

 

A single battery of artillery is plucked from the ranks of the 2nd Regimental Combat Team along with an infantry company. As the unit's advance has been temporarily halted to allow logistical units to catch up the detachment of forces will in no way hinder ongoing operations. The men and towed 105 mm howitzers are matched up with heavy transport helicopters. Their mission is to create a battery sized firebase within firing distance of the devices location just after Colonel Mbembe's troops touch down. It would be an audacious move as the infantry and artillerymen will be on the far edge of Legion's control and poorly dug in for the duration of the operation. Yet the ability to bring down artillery fire in a timely manner is something all involved want to be able to bring to bear. Further, the Firebase, to be named Firebase Sarrisae, in honor of Athen's cooperation, will serve as a fueling point for Helicopters used in the operation. 

 

The timing of plan is very precise but is simplified by the fact that the only troops really needed to pull it off are Colonel Mbembe's troops. All the rest are merely there for support and to hopefully ensure Mbembe's casualties are kept to a minimum. However, should the men of the Direct Action Team be required to win the day at the cost of their lives, it would be done, though all of them and everyone else quietly prefers that not to be the case. Once the 501st Mobile Teams are in place things begin to occur quickly.

 

501st Mobile Teams

 

The six units of two RAVs each move into position in a loose circle around the location of the nuclear device. They keep themselves far away enough to avoid detection but close enough to be able to assist Mbembe's troops if needed. The powerful V-8 engines have enough speed in them to close the distance between their hides and the battlefield within 30 minutes of hard fast driving. Once in place, they settle in for the rest of the day and night as Legion satellites and intelligence from Athens is used to monitor the location for signs of movements. It is feared that if the RAVs are detected by the rebels, they will attempt to move the weapon.

 

Luckily, for all involved, the rebels stay right where they are with minimal traffic in and out of their compound.

 

Mbembe's Detachment

 

The 44 men of Mbembe's unit stand nervously in the hold of the ancient C-130. The plane had been checked over to ensure it was capable of completing its mission, but knowing the Legion Logistical Command, the plane they are in the one nearest to being sent to the salvage yards. The assault site has a long stretch of freeway that runs along one of the walls, which allows the C-130 to swoop in, land, and disgorge the troops in one wave. With the men will come a pair of RAVs and their .50 caliber machine guns mounted on the roofs. In the passenger seats a .40 mm automatic grenade launcher is mounted. Each vehicle also has a detachable recoil-less rifle and several additional reloads for the weapon.

 

Mbembe looks over his men and remains quiet. He's got a fair bit on his mind as he knows that once the missile deploys its jammers, the men of his command were going to have to rely on special radios to communicate. Radios that in the past have proven finicky. Better than nothing at all and better that the rebels aren't allowed the luxury of calling for help. Still, he can't help but feel nervous, though as an experienced combat officer he doesn't allow his feelings to be shown to his men. No sense in getting them worried any more than they are, and given the dangers involved with the mission, each and everyone of the 44 Direct Action Team members and the 8 men crewing the RAVs are very worried.

 

Legion

 

A single long range missile is fired towards Gabon.

 

 

2nd RCT

 

The men of the artillery battery and infantry company fidget in their seats as their helicopters clatter their way towards their landing zone. The infantry men will go in on the first wave and once they secure the drop zone, the artillery men will rapidly follow. Each of the men is loaded down with a large package of empty sandbags. Extra mines, razor wire, and sensors for securing the perimeter are being taken was well. A last minute addition to the group is a small Engineering team to take care of the finer points of creating a working Firebase.

 

 

Air Team Adam Sarah Sarah

 

The squadron selected to fly air cover is in the air, though at the distance. They have specific orders to hit a single radar site a few minutes before the C-130 crosses into the radar's optimal radar range. As their timer click down they wait and watch. Once they've reached the time to carry out their run on the radar site the squadron commander gives the order to proceed. Two of the planes drop right down to the deck and fly at tree top level. They cross over the roof of the radar site at just a few feet and leave a pair of parachute equipped bombs in their wake. The parachutes act as brakes on the bombs giving the planes time enough to escape the blast radius. As they clear their runs the rest of the squadron swoops to attack in pairs as they come in at a higher altitude to make it look like a routine assault as part of the larger Legion Stabilization mission.

 

 

The assault..

 

Colonel Mbembe and his men feel the plane lurch under their feet as it touches down on the freeway. Nearly instantly they hear the impact of enemy fire as it chews pecks away at the plane. Mbembe suddenly feels much better about putting the RAVs first to exit the plane knowing their heavier weapons will be useful in suppressing enemy fire. As the plane rumbles to a halt the ramp is already lowered and even before the plane stops moving the two RAVs are disgorged as their drivers slam their feet down on the throttles. Right behind them come the Direct Action Team men who have their weapons up and are rapidly closing on the walls of the compound where the nuclear device is held.

 

As this happens the single missile deploys its payload and a heavy jamming cuts into the rebel communications. This cripples their ability to call for help and sows a great deal of confusion into their ranks. Confusion that is exploited as the rebel units nearby come out of their hides and expose themselves to the Legion planes in the air who show no qualms about attacking them with cluster bombs and napalm. While this is occurring the attack on the compound quickly heats up into a full on gun battle that soon as Mbembe calling for artillery support to suppress groups of rebels not within the compound.

 

The helicopters have already deposited the infantrymen at Firebase Sarrisae and just as the Colonel starts calling for fire support, the 105 mm howitzers touch down as well. Pallets of 105 rounds are deposited nearby and soon the artillery men and their officers are manning their weapons. Not waiting to dig in the officers order the first of several fire missions that would occur on that day. Within minutes of arriving the four howitzers of the battery would rip out its first salvo and follow it up with several more. The effects of which are immediately felt by the rebels who are blown to bits and Mbembe's men who are relived from having to be shot at by those rebels who were flanking them from positions outside the compound.

 

The RAVs of the 501st begin to close the distance and half of them immediately encounter small groups of rebels who are also in movement. Rapidly the units find themselves in small scale firefights though given the disparity of firepower and training they quickly beat down the rebels and wipe them out. Within a few minutes nearly a dozen rebel vehicles are left smoking heaps of twisted metal and dead bodies as the Legionnaires leave them in their trails to catch up with their fellow Airborne troopers.The other three units commence their approaches and are able to join Mbembe's unit just as they have finished fighting their way into the compound and securing the nuclear device.

 

Mbembe's unit blasts its way into the compound and within minutes have overwhelmed the occupants with heavy precise fire. No efforts are made to distinguish civilians from rebels. All are considered lethal threats under Legion's Rules for dealing with nuclear terrorism. Within twenty three minutes the Direct Action Team killed all fifty seven civilian and sixty three rebel soldiers. They managed to do so at the cost of five direct action team members and two members of the RAV crews. Even with this overwhelming success their work is far from over as they now have to extract all usable intelligence and the nuclear device and get all of it back to FOB Destiny.

 

A third wave of helicopters drops fuel, ammo, and food at Firebase Sarrisae. With the jammer switched off, the helicopters are joined by several Legion drones who take up patrol over the battlefield. Their intelligence that is gathered and forwarded to the appropriate units proves very useful for the helicopter pilots to avoid enemy ground units, the fighter bombers to bomb the rebel ground units, and the artillerymen to fill their traditional role of being the Queen of the battlefield. The intelligence collected quickly brings Mbembe and General Denard to the conclusion that they have managed to stir up a major rebel unit.

 

Before long Denard decides to engage the rebel directly by swinging the 8th RCT out of its temporary positions and having them assault the rebels directly. Until then the men of Firebase Sarrisae, the 501st Airborne who are dropped in to support it, the RAVs manned by the Airborne troopers, and Mbembe's Direct Action team are left at the firebase to hold the rebels in place. The nuclear device is put on the first chopper back to Firebase Destiny and flown out at full speed with an escort of Fighters and Ground Attack Helicopters.

 

Once the device is secured at Firebase Destiny, Athenian authorities are notified and a request is made for them to come collect it.

 

 

 

A

[Captain Enema]

The day of the assault on the rebel fortress that held the nuclear weapon faded into the night. Once the sun dropped over the horizon a task force of Legion AC-130 gunships took to the air. Using Athen's intelligence, their own sensors, drone information, and other sources they ran the rebels down without mercy. Any armed group of men within the battle area that was not a Legionnaire was given exactly one chance to surrender before coming under a swarm of chain gun fire. The affect on the rebels proved catastrophic and they died for their crimes against Africa in bloody swaths on the unforgiving desert floor.

 

Upon arrival of the 8th Regimental Combat Team (Armored), the Legionnaires in Firebase Sarrisae went on the offensive and between the two Legion forces they reduced the surviving Rebels to a bloody few trembling survivors. Those that lived were chained up, put on transports, and shipped to Legion to serve out life sentences in labor camps. No mercy was shown to those who take part in nuclear terror and the events that transpired during the battle and the ruthless crushing of the rebels would be retold to serve as a warning to others foolish enough to threaten the African peace with nuclear weapons.

 

Once the rebels had been crushed the stabilization of Gabon went fairly smoothly. Within 10 days the entire country invested with Legion troops. The majority of the Gabonese Army was in training camps receiving police training. Not all were being trained as police, some where sent directly to Legion to participate in Legion's Combat Medic Course. Others were sent to undergo a period of study in administration, engineering, medicine, and other subjects. As per Legion tradition, the rebuilding of a nation began with propping up the youth and giving them the educational tools they need to give birth to a new and stronger people.

 

With the country fully occupied, the 21st National Guard Brigade is rotated out. It is replaced by a regiment of infantry who have just finished a military police course. As the 2nd and 3rd Regiments prepare to depart, they too will be temporarily replaced by units more suited to providing long term security operations for the Gabonese. Remaining behind will be the 8th Regimental Combat Team and the 501st Airborne Battalion. With them will be three Special Forces Groups to conduct the training of the Gabonese police. Also there will be the temporary assignment of a Composite Air Group to provide air support, medical evacuation services, and transportation to the Gabonese and Legion.

 

The nuclear device at Forward Operating Base Destiny is disarmed and is then flown directly to Athens under a heavy guard and deposited with the appropriate authorities.

Edited March 10, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Captain Enema]

D plus 60

 

The first large class of newly trained Gabon national policemen are due to graduate within thirty days. Their training has been intense and hopefully thorough enough to to enable the National Police of Gabon to function properly. Recruitment for the Gabon Division has been authorized as well. This Unit will be commanded by Legion Officers and staffed entirely by Gabonese citizens. The purpose for this unit being to free up Legion forces from providing local military support. Payment for the unit will come from taxes being collected by the newly form Gabon Administration Authority.

 

Most of the former Gabon Military, Civil Service, and Police forces have been vetted. Nearly seventy percent of them proved competent and trustworthy enough to send for additional training or return straight to work. This eased the rebuilding of a government network of services considerably and the went a great distance in ensuring there was not a readily made pool of angry out of work individuals to cause problems later on. Those members who were not returned to work or training are usually those found guilty of corruption, collaboration with the rebels, and a large number of those who choose to move onto the private sector on their own.

 

The relative stability of the region allows Legion to rotate all of their forces with the exception of the Special Forces teams, the Gabon Security Division (consisting of 12,500 Military police or infantry cross-trained as Military Police), a single Engineering regiment, and a over-strength services and support division. One of the two Civil Action Teams has departed along with the rest of the combat units. An air transport wing remains along with a detachment of helicopters and a pair of fighter bomber squadrons. Once the National Police prove themselves capable, the Military Police will depart and it is projected that within six months nearly all Legion forces will have left Gabon.

 

The future security concerns of Gabon will be entirely directed by the National Police, the Gabon Division, and a Legion Civil Action Team.

[Centurius]

The Legion forces transporting the nuclear weapon would soon find themselves accompanied by Athenian rapid response units as air support would fly over them to make sure there was no way unwanted parties could get to it. As soon as the transport reached the Athenian border the Hellenic Corps of Engineers took over transport and under protection of the rest of the Hellenic Forces would transport it to Fort Qiyamah at a classified location somewhere in the Sahara far away from civilization. There the materials would be safely destroyed.

[Captain Enema]

Upon delivery of the weapon all Legion aircraft would return to Forward Operating Base Destiny.

 

 

D + 180

 

The rebellion, the collapse of the government, and the aftermath seems like a bad dream to most Gabonese. The Legion forces have mostly left the place and the Gabon Divsion with the Gabon Protectorate Police have taken over the bulk of the security duties. A single Special Forces Group remains in the region along with a dedicated team of civilian administrators hired from Legion and Gabon to ensure the proper flow of taxes, civil services, and security needs are being sorted out in a timely matter.

 

FOB Destiny is returned to more or less its previous state. A Gabonese company is hired to demolish the buildings and roads. Firebase Sarrasae is turned over to the Gabon Division as a training site. Within sailing distance Gabon a single ship is anchored, upon it is the combat equipment needed to provide the food, water, fuel, vehicles, and munitions for a mechanized armor battalion. Its location and purpose is not kept a secret from the Athenian government.