Firestorm

[Markus Wilding]

Back in country, Red Army commanders began to reorganize their soldiers. To ensure a steady supply chain, the more exotic weapons in the Communist arsenal were slowly phased out and replaced with FN FAL variants built in-country by the factories that the Communists held in the industrial parts of the nation they controlled. The Imperials had control over some factories, yes, but they were not as extensive or sophisticated as the Communist ones. Ammunition, the weapons themselves, and spare parts for the FAL rifles were created in these factories. The doctrine of the Red Army at this point was not to drown the enemy in a mass storm of bullets, but rather to overwhelm the enemy with precision fire designed to kill those who dared peek out. Optics such as ACOG scopes and red dot sights were commonly added and handed to soldiers to increase the ranges at which they could engage those against them, however, just to allow for the fact that the country does have jungle environments, select factories were commissioned to construct PP-19 Bizon 2 sub-machine guns for close-quarters and jungle environments. All of the weapons created in these factories would be marked with a hammer and sickle inside a star on the receiver, as well as the factory name imprinted above the serial number.

 

Reports from both the Imperials and Communists confirmed one evening of a land mine being detonated on the "border". Imperial reports claimed 7 dead Communist soldiers, while the Communist report stated 1 dead and two wounded severely.

[Captain Enema]

With the refusal of either party to voluntarily allow peacekeepers in the country and the recent skirmishing, Legion decides to act. The B-52 Bombers already in position, in a race track pattern between Legion and Sierra Leone, are provided with the latest and updated data for targeting both group's communications networks. Further, the larger troop concentrations are designated as targets to be struck. A total of 72 cruise missiles are fired into Sierra Leone with more to come should they refuse to cooperate with international authorities.

 

Legion Annoucement

 

"Citizens of Sierra Leone, the forces of Legion have struck a blow at your military leadership. Overthrow them, cast off your yoke, and hold free elections."

Edited March 20, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Triyun]

Dispatch from the Emperor of Tianxia:

 

Tianxia hereby reaffirms its commitment to its Mutual Defense Treaty with the Legion, and that Legion forces operating in this conflict fall under the protections of that treaty.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Triyun

[Captain Enema]

Intelligence Gathering

 

The last attempt at gathering intelligence for keeping tabs on troop movements had not gone well. Somehow the sattalite had photographed all the wrong locations. This was hopefully corrected as the orders go out for another pass and more investigation into the movements of both groups in Sierra Leone. The aircraft sniffing away at radio frequencies outside of Sierra Leone are used to hone in on the sites under attack to determine if follow up strikes are needed.

 

In the North, at Firebase Zulu, drones are launched and sent to the south. Their operators have orders to watch for ground movements.

 

 

Firebase Zulu

 

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regimental Combat Teams are fully equipped and waiting at their points of departure. The three regiments have their orders to advance into Sierra Leone once they receive the proper signal to do so. They will advance in a skirmish formation and will take great care to identify civilians and to keep them out of harms way when feasibly possible. Extra sniper teams have been brought in from Legion and assigned to the infantry units of the three units to assist them with targeting instigators of violence with precisions rather than calling in an artillery strike or worst.

 

Behind the three infantry centric regiments is the Legion Heavy Division. The twenty five thousand men of the Heavy Division have been brought in mostly by plane and train. The 200 plus M1A1 tanks of the Division and M1 Bradley Armored Personnel Carriers are ready to ply their trade if so needed. They will follow behind the advance of the three regimental combat teams with specific orders to hold themselves in reserve for either an all out assault on enemy strong points or to provide local assistance with smaller obstacles. Normally, a unit such as the Heavy Division would smash a path into an enemy occupied nation, but the necessity of reducing civilian losses has made it important that the lighter less destructive units guide the way into Sierra Leone.

 

The squadrons assigned to Legion Expeditionary Force are doing their own work. The men of the squadrons patrol, they refuel, they wait, and they drill. Not much more can be done by them as they idle their time away. While they aren't overly busy, the B-52 squadrons running a racetrack pattern between Legion and Sierra Leone are quite busy firing Cruise Missiles or bring up more for follow on strikes. With them are a dedicated squadron of B-2 Bombers carrying their own precision munitions. The F-15s of the Legion Air Force make their own appearances as they escort the B-52 bombers to and from their firing points and use FOB Zulu's air station as a refueling point.

 

Task Force 1.01

 

Refueling is something greatly on the mind of Admiral Marcus White of Task Force 1.01. As his ships cross into the waters of Sierra Leone he waits patiently for word that a fleet replenishment vessel will soon be catching up to his task force. Whether or not the replenishment vessel catches up soon or not won't play much of a difference in the 11th Marines and the heavy missiles of the LNS Austria being used against targets in Sierra Leone should their deadly currency be needed to make transactions of a violent sort.

Edited March 21, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Triyun]

[b][i]Dispatch to all Maritime Commands and Organizations[/i][/b]:

 

The Empire has authorized the Atlantic Fleet to begin an interdiction and inspection of ships transiting towards Sierra Leone based on intelligence.  Additionally we will begin an Air Identification Zone for planes enroute to the region.  Tianxia will expect full compliance with the civil aviation authority and through the United Nations.  Aircraft not identified with these organizations may be subject to further measures.  

 

[b]Classified[/b]:

 

In addition to the surface action group and carrier action group, and mobile offshore base already in the region, submarine forces and an expeditionary taskforce was being dispatched from South America, and regular bomber deterrence patrols were now being flown over the region in a stepped up show of force signalling that the Tianxia government was getting very angry at the lack of a diplomatic political solution.  

[Markus Wilding]

The effect of the bomings was devastating. In Imperial territory, Eniola McGreggor and his staff became casualties when a bomb directly hit Imperial General HQ, also taking out several senior officers of the Imperial military structure. Close to twenty-five thousand Imperial troops, who thought themselves safe in their hideouts, also became casualties in the strikes. Those in the cities, however, were mostly unharmed due to Legion's careful avoidance of civilians.

 

In the north, however, thirty thousand Communist troops became casualties as the bombs fell from the skies, and two generals were named KIA, along with their staff. Communications systems for both sides were also extensively damaged, most beyond repair. For the Communists, however, stations in Freetown were still operational and would be used to contact the UN.

[Captain Enema]

Legion Announcement

 

"The refusal of the Sierra Leone authorities to comply with a fairly offered peace agreement to bring about an open vote has necessitated the removal of these authorities from power. Upon removal, open and fair elections will be held. Civilians are urged, strongly urged to remain in their homes. Communist and Imperial rebels will be given one vocal warning to surrender, failure to comply and any sign of hostile intent will be met with lethal forces. Distribution points for relief supplies will be made available in a short while."

 

2nd Wave of Attacks

 

The refusal of the belligerent parties to accept the original peace accord forces Legion forces to go on a full offensive. The waiting B-2 Bomber squadron slips across the borders with specific targets to hit vehicle parks containing military vehicles. The flickers of radio traffic from Freetown make it an automatic target for another salvo of cruise missiles. Troop concentrations in the north are subjected to direct attacks from Legion F-18, F-16, B-52 Cruise Missile attacks, and those closer to the border are to receive even more.

 

Legion North

 

The combine MLRS units of the Legion Heavy Division, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd RCTs open fire near simultaneously. Their targets being identified troop concentrations of communist concentrations in the north of Sierra Leone. 155 Self-propelled artillery open fire as well, again, on clearly identified targets. With the these salvos on the way or landing, the order for the direct invasion of Sierra Leone is given and the leading elements of the 1st through 3rd cross the border at high speed with orders to proceed in loose formation along the directest route to Freetown. Behind them, at a respectable distance is the Legion Heavy Division.

The rear, the middle, and the flanks of the advancing Legion units are covered with a variety of units and devices. Drones hum their way over the desert keeping their restless electronic eyes open to what may reveal themselves to them. LAVs and RAVs carrying reconnisance troops that are an intregal part of every Legion unit are keeping a watchful eye on the flanks to ensure good notice of an attempted enemy flanking movement. Helicopter gunships make their presence known as they also take their turn at extending the eyes of the advancing Legion units over the horizon. The purpose of all this being to protect the lines of supply, to detect attacks to the flanks and rear, and to project firepower of the Legion deeply into the enemy rear when the opportunity presents itself in a manner that justifies the risks.

 

Going deep into Sierra Leone and keeping watch over the advancing units are the helicopters of the Legion Heavy Division Aviation Brigade. With those helicopters are the A-10s that are waiting for identified hostile targets to deploy their own special brand of foreign aid upon, the very lethal variety. A special flight of B-52 bombers is being held in reserve for a traditional deployment of dumb munitions for a carpet bombing of entrenched forces should it prove needed. Extra squadrons of F-18 Fighter Bombers and F-16 Fighters are en-route to reinforce the planes already in theater now that room is available to them with the forward deployment of Legion assets that were previously occupying scarce space on the tarmac.   Medical evacuation flights are on standby with paramedics and flight nurses to evacuate injured soldiers and civilians to a large temporary casualty evacuation point at FOB Zulu.

 

Legion South

 

The LNS Austria opens its numerous hatches and from them roars dozens of cruise missiles that howl their way towards Imperial targets in the south. As this occurs, the men of the 11th Marines, under the watchful guns of Task Force 1.01 begin landing on a stretch of coast considered relatively unpopulated. Once fully deployed the 11th Marines will assist friendly African forces with neutralizing the Imperial forces in the South. To support the 11th Marines the helicopters of the LNS Enterprise are there to give cover fire and to assist in transporting the Marines ashore. Likewise, the supporting fire that can be called upon from the four destroyers, one battlecruiser, and the LNS Enterprise itself are not to be dismissed.

[MostGloriousLeader]

New orders were given to Commonwealth forces in the Atlantic.  The Independence Carrier Battle Group was ordered to proceed to Sierra Leone at top speed along with an Amphibious Ready Group.  Once on station they would cooperate with Tianxian Naval forces in the area.

[Triyun]

Imperial global hawks now patroled the edge of airspace using it's sensors to monitor targets building strike portfolios for strategic command as well as capture electromagnetic transmissions. Imperial forces still on the ground for the humanitarian mission were ordered to begin assisting in target acquisition for when hell rained down.

[Centurius]

With Athenian forces not even close to completely removed from Sierra Leone orders were issued for all forces to hold their positions for now, meanwhile the Hellenic Air Force would continue to keep a watchful eye on all movement inside the airspace of the country. Further ground and air forces were redirected to the area while the full Atlantic Fleet was ordered to assume positions in the South Atlantic and near the coast of Sierra Leone.

[Markus Wilding]

The missiles falling upon Freetown would annihilate the last military-owned broadcasting station, shutting down any means of communication with the outside world in Freetown as well as knocking out the local power grid with some of the missiles having struck a nearby transformer. Those of the Combat Engineering Regiment that had elected to join with the Communists were dispatched to the area in question several hours after the attack at repair the structures and restore power, as well as catalog the damage created by Legion air strikes.

 

Meanwhile, farther north Communist ranks would be relatively unharmed, given that a vast majority of the soldiers had been on the "border" with the Imperials and simply were not concerned with holding the northernmost sectors. The only casualties would be from local Communist militias that had set up long-term camps and still stayed in them, leading to around four hundred dead and many more wounded, mostly old men and young radicals, but missile strikes produced an additional nine thousand dead or wounded. The few Communist Army elements that remained in the north opted to stay in their camps and simply keep to themselves rather than harass the Legion forces as they made their way through, although the recent rocket and missile strikes would undoubtedly reach their ears soon enough. Already as Legion advanced through Sierra Leone, news of their attacks had already made the rounds in the major cities and towns, and by this point even the remote villages knew about their thinly veiled invasion.

 

In the south, various self-proclaimed "hunter killer" packs and the larger bases became victims of the rocket strikes, adding a further fifteen thousand dead and wounded to the already increasing total. Imperial troops in the area began to fall back and made no attempt to fight, knowing the risks if they dared do so.

[Captain Enema]

The missiles falling upon Freetown would annihilate the last military-owned broadcasting station, shutting down any means of communication with the outside world in Freetown as well as knocking out the local power grid with some of the missiles having struck a nearby transformer. Those of the Combat Engineering Regiment that had elected to join with the Communists were dispatched to the area in question several hours after the attack at repair the structures and restore power, as well as catalog the damage created by Legion air strikes.

 

Meanwhile, farther north Communist ranks would be relatively unharmed, given that a vast majority of the soldiers had been on the "border" with the Imperials and simply were not concerned with holding the northernmost sectors. The only casualties would be from local Communist militias that had set up long-term camps and still stayed in them, leading to around four hundred dead and many more wounded, mostly old men and young radicals, but missile strikes produced an additional nine thousand dead or wounded. The few Communist Army elements that remained in the north opted to stay in their camps and simply keep to themselves rather than harass the Legion forces as they made their way through, although the recent rocket and missile strikes would undoubtedly reach their ears soon enough. Already as Legion advanced through Sierra Leone, news of their attacks had already made the rounds in the major cities and towns, and by this point even the remote villages knew about their thinly veiled invasion.

 

In the south, various self-proclaimed "hunter killer" packs and the larger bases became victims of the rocket strikes, adding a further fifteen thousand dead and wounded to the already increasing total. Imperial troops in the area began to fall back and made no attempt to fight, knowing the risks if they dared do so.

 

 

Legion North

 

The current drive on Freetown is halted due to ongoing events within the United Nations. In order to better prepare for ongoing operations rear area control and intelligence gathering activities are emphasized. Military Police Teams, Reconnaissance Battalions, and Mechanized Infantry Companies are detailed to start rigorously patrolling the Northern portion of Sierra Leone that Legion has occupied. With warfighting activities halted for the time being, bringing in food and relief supplies to captured population centers becomes important.

 

Food, water, and medical aid is handed out to captured villages and towns where needed. Weapons other than bolt action rifles, shotguns, and revolvers for personal defense are confiscated. A survey of water, power, and sewer plants is started by Legion Combat Engineering teams to bring civil services back online. Hospitals are visited by a dedicated Legion Medical team to determine what needs to be done to provide immediate medical care in the form of medical evacuation and what is needed to repair damage done to the hospitals. Random patrols are instituted and the basic rules of engagement for hostile forces are emphasized.

 

Legion's long experience within Africa makes the Legionnaires aware of the various cultural traditions of the region. This being the case respect for women, elders, and great care not to give offense to religious sites is reinforced amongst the rank and file of Legion's troops. While these will not prevent a full inspection of any one person by Legion troops, it will ensure that female Legionnaires will have their hands full in dealing with the local female population. Further, culturally appropriate relief supplies, tailored to this part of Africa are distributed as well. Language guides and translators have been well distributed amongst Legions units to ensure positive and useful interactions with local troops.

 

 

Legion South

 

The 11th Marines having fully landed begin to dig in and wait for further orders. They have the same rules of engagement but so far have met little resistance and have had little interaction with local citizens.

 

Legion Air

 

The halt of peacekeeping via dynamic means brings a halt to the ongoing air offensive. While air patrols are still being flown, the active engagement of belligerent forces within Sierra Leone has ceased for the time being. As this goes on additional squadrons of F-18 Fighter/Bombers and F-16 fighters are flown in from Legion. Though the planes are ordered to halt their attacks, intelligence gathering missions quadruple and a careful watch is to be kept on movements around Freetown and areas under Legion control.

 

Legion Navy

 

Replenishment vessels begin resupplying Legion ships with food, fuel, water, and more missiles for the LNS Austria. As this occurs, no further missiles or munitions are fired.

 

 

Freetown

 

The Captain of the Legion Hospital Ship at Freetown's docks sends a quiet message to the Communist authorities in Freetown to request a meeting. His ship being well equipped with communications equipment allows it to be a decent point of communication between local leaders and Legion's Prime Minister Suiwi Duvall and Legion's Council of 13.

Edited March 22, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Centurius]

With the resolution granting a wide mandate to the Athenian Federation and TSI forces in general it was time for the Hellenic Forces to execute previously developed plans. Using the force of the full Atlantic Fleet a wide blockade of Sierra Leone would be established to prevent any kinds of weapons or personnel from being smuggled in. Likewise forces at the Exarchate-Sierra Leone border would prevent any transports from working these things into the country. Additionally operating from air bases inside the Exarchate squadrons of F-1s and F-2s would be used to impose a no-fly zone while F-2Es and FB-4s imposed no-drive zones near all major cities. Any military asset belonging to either side breaking these zones would find themselves directly engaged by the Hellenic Air Force. Great care was taken to coordinate with allied forces as to prevent overlap. 

 

As Legion forces were formally operating under order of the Athenian Federation they would remain in this role, a change was however implemented by formally labelling them as Hellenic auxiliaries which would grant them the ability to act under the current UN resolution.

 

The next stage would consist of a very simple message to all sides, surrender unconditionally to TSI forces or face hell.

[Captain Enema]

Private Communication to all Legion Forces

 

"Command of Legion Expeditionary Force subordinated to Athenian control, hold positions, provide relief to local citizens, continue following current rules of engagement, and continue to collect intelligence."

 

Movements

 

Legion forces swiftly shift from preparing to attack Freetown to enforcing and supporting the blockade.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Markus Wilding]

Both the Communist government gave notice of their surrender once power and functionality was restored to the radio station in Freetown, and soon the Imperials also gave notice of their surrender through their own channels as well. Grudgingly, the soldiers that only a week ago had been deeply suspicious of one another were now gathering to see their weapons and gear being stored in the various armories and bases scattered about the nation.

[Justinian the Mighty]

As a member of the TSI Russia has deployed 500 soldiers to work in an advisory role and carry out any additional tasks that are required. Additionally the Russian frigate, Falcon has been deployed from Russian East Africa to support coastal operations.

[Triyun]

Imperial Marines would begin being air lifted in across the country from their off shore presence, under the cover of E/A-18 Gs to provide jamming support against any rogue MANPADs.  They would be placed throughout the country at strategic points with several air fields secured and used to provide cover for four C-130 gunships, 8 A-10s, 6 RQ-9 Reapers, and 12 F/A-18 E/F super hornets.  The commands would be stood up to provide close air support encase the Marines found themselves in an insurgency, with the bulk of Tianxia's heavy fire power being projected from offshore by its carrier and battleship.  

 

The wait would begin now...

[Markus Wilding]

As the weeks went past, civilians would mention to soldiers providing them with food and water about the local Imperial militia commanders who "encouraged" some of them not to "bend to the will of the foreigners". Some were even kind enough to provide the exact location where they lived - rather eagerly too.

[Captain Enema]

As the weeks went past, civilians would mention to soldiers providing them with food and water about the local Imperial militia commanders who "encouraged" some of them not to "bend to the will of the foreigners". Some were even kind enough to provide the exact location where they lived - rather eagerly too.

 

The intelligence is shared with Athens and Tianxia. Sniper teams are sent to put those persons in Legion's zone of control under surveillance from the distance. Drones are put into place and teams of paratroopers are put on standby back at FOB Zulu. The 8th Regiment of the Legion Heavy Division is ordered to maneuver in battalions and companies for the purposes of providing fast moving armored columns to surround the villages and towns the targets reside in. Once confirmation is given to bring these individuals into custody or to outright eliminate them, Legion would do so within the Legion zone of control.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Justinian the Mighty]

No intelligence was shared with the Russians, so they just sat around all bored-like.

[Captain Enema]

No intelligence was shared with the Russians, so they just sat around all bored-like.

 

The famous comedy skit from Legion, Mr. Boffo and his Dancing Monkey, are made ready for the purposes of entertaining the Russian troops to help them with their boredom.

[Triyun]

Tianxia would share intelligence with the Russians.

[Markus Wilding]

As time went on officials on all sides of the board would start beginning the process for elections. The long inactive Independent Voting Committee of Sierra Leone is brought back together to gather data about the various political entities that still exist in Sierra Leone. After a month-long data collection period, they would present the following to anyone who cared to look at it.

 

Data on Popularity of Political Parties in Sierra Leone*

 

Communist Party of Sierra Leone - 52% popularity

Imperial Party - 50% popularity

Educated People's Union - 44% popularity

Afro-Russo Party - 38% popularity

Capitalist's League - 26% popularity

Christian Alliance - 20% popularity

Afro-Military Front - 17% popularity

Silver Legion - 6% popularity

 

*The Independent Voting Committee of Sierra Leone wishes to point out that in this case popularity is measured by how willingly the population is to vote for said party. Citizens were allowed to pick multiple parties, leading to a total percentage over 100%. According to an interim Constitution drafted by Communist Party members, those identifying as Fascists have been reported to TSI forces operating in Sierra Leone.

[Captain Enema]

Message to Athens- classified

Unless otherwise directed, Legion forces will be moving to arrest targets identified as fascists within Legion controlled territory. The purposes of this move is to encourage a smooth transition of power back to the local population, supporting the elections, and to remove individuals identified as trouble makers.

Legion North

Five of the fascist leaders that were singled out by local citizens are determined to be the most destablizing. They have been watched by Legion Sniper teams, drones, and the occasional foot patrol has passed through their townships and questioned the local civilians to gather more information. Once it was decided to move ahead with the operation, the 8th Armored Regiment is put on notice to move aggressively to take all five targets into custody without leveling anymore of the country.

Three of the targets are in somewhat remote locations. Each of these targets are surrounded by an armored company, put under the watchful eyes of a pair of helicopter gunships, and M-1 Bradley APCs are sent in carrying the Legionnaires detailed to entire the homes of the three individuals and arrest them. Up until the the villages are entered by the teams detailed to collect the targets, a single officer has the assignment of monitoring the radio traffic of the snipers and drone operators for reports hostile forces. Once everything is in movement, the designated officers are the only ones who will be tasked with calling off the teams going in to make the arrest. Should there be an abort called, the arrest teams will pull back and assist the armored company detailed to surround the targets with containing the site and they all will wait for further orders.

The two targets in larger urban areas have entire armored battalions assigned to surround the homes of the fugitives. They are also given mechanized infantry companies rather than mechanized infantry platoons to make the arrest. Further, they have more gunships and even air support if needed. Though the have more strength than the three smaller sites, they have the same operating proceedures. Once these five operations commence, they will be supported in other ways as well.

The 9th Armored Regiment will come out of its laagers and begin patrolling the surrounding villages. The purpose of this move is to block support from outlying villages from shifting towards the locations of any of the five fugitives. Extra patrols of helicopters, recon troops, and military police are sent out as well. Finally, the entire 501st Airborne Battalion, soon to be intergrated into the 1st Regiment of the Legion Parachute Division, is on standby to be air dropped into sites needing infantry support to contain or eliminate threats.

In the event one or even all of the fugitives prove too dangerous to capture, A-10 warthogs are on standby to provide the necessary leverage that might help persuade the fugitives and their followers to exit their mortal coils in a timely manner. Edited March 27, 2014 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Centurius]

Classified Reply to Legion

Negative, regardless of the questionableness of the fascist movement we can not take oppressive measures against the party. Especially if we are to avoid turning them into martyrs. Only those in violation of Sierra Leone law or TSI decrees should be arrested.

 

General

While the Hellenic Forces would remain hardly visible to the common civilian Imperial Intelligence worked overtime to map the locations of leadership from all parties and their support bases. This intelligence would be shared with TSI and Legion forces. For now the goal was to just index it but should one of the parties act up they'd give coalition forces the ability to act fast and decisively.