Marine Staff Briefing

Posted on Thu May 6th, 2010 @ 9:09pm by Commodore Edward Fannin & Colonel Wilhelm Baron von Hackleberg & Commander Dhindara Vrel & Commander Ian Casey

1,547 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Liberation Of A World
Location: 21st Marine Briefing Room
Timeline: Current

ON

Major Erwin Reynolds had received the message shortly after arriving on the starbase. He was still a bit groggy from the stun he had been given during the joint exercise but a quick shower helped. He jumped into a fresh set of greens and hit the door to the briefing room. As he entered he saw Jerry Parino sitting at the table drinking coffee.

Jerry got up and shook Reynolds hand, "Your Sergeant Major sure gave us a fight Major."

Reynolds grabbed a cup, "I wasn't expecting him to get that tactical really. He's good with the men and a devil to train with." He sat down at the large table, "Have you met the new XO yet?"

Jerry took a drink. "No sir, sure haven't. But I here she's been around a long time, started earning combat citations at seventeen."

Ian walked into the room and looked around. "Having a party without me?" he asked.

Wilhelm walked into the conference room and took his seat at the head of the table after grabbing a cup of coffee. "Gentlemen. Glad to see you all together. We'll begin in a few minutes when Col. Purr arrives." Wilhelm says then takes a drink of his coffee.

Reynold was the first to speak. "Sir I've heard a few rumors about the unit Sir."

"Rumors?" Wilhelm said with a quizzical look on his face, "Please, elaborate Major."

"Well sir it's been in the news, the planet Exeter has been invaded and we may be taking off."

"As I understand our new orders there is no 'may' about it. That's right gentlemen. It's time for the whole regiment to earn its combat pay." Wilhelm said with a shrug as he dropped that particular bombshell.

M'Eow walked into the briefing room. She was carrying a stack of PADDs. "Maps and a list of defence installations on planet Exeter", she announced, passing them out amongst those present. She turned a chair around and sat down in it.

"Thank you Colonel." Wilhelm says taking a PADD. "First things first. Lietenant Colonel M'Eow Purr. This is Majors Reynold and Parino and Commander Ian Casey of the Fleet Air Arm." Wilhelm says using the old name. "Now we need to plan to get the Regiment and our accompanied air support," Wilhelm nods toward Ian. "...Out of here within Eight days. Has any issues arisen so far that we need to take care of ASAP?"

"No? Well that's good. Now in eight days we will depart on the MAS Gladius for the trip to Exeter." Wilhelm looks down at his PADD, "Have any of you found where a decent LZ would be when we arrive? I'm thinking we might want to avoid the major cities and defensive installations at first."

Parino was tapping his padd, There's a small river delta guarded by small ridges Sir." He flipped the view screen and uploaded the map, If we could get the 181 recon on the ridges a landing could be made safely. Heavy woods all the way to the capital, about Eighty miles I figure."

"No", M'Eow said. "We need to insert directly where the enemy is. It can take us days to cross that distance through dense forest. We need to come to grips with the enemy as quickly as possible. They're going to massacre the colonists if we give them the opportunity."

"I wouldn't say inserting directly is the best choice, but neither is 80 miles away over less then ideal terrain. Looking at the map, I like the this small town right here. Thessalon, its about 20 miles from the Capitol, over some rolling plains with scattered tree cover. I think this should be the spot. We just need to bring the FOX and FOXL's with, which is a good idea anyway. What do you guys think?" Wilhelm asks.

Ian had waited patiently but it was time to speak up. "What do you need from me, Colonel?"

"What we need from you Commander is air support. Our orders say we are to take a full wing of your Razors with us." Wilhelm said to Ian.

"My boys will be glad for the action," Ian replied. "We'll be ready when you need us."

"I wouldn't expect anything less Commander." Wilhelm said with a smile "Speaking of which...If you happen to see anywhere that would be good for basing you boys out of, speak up. Now, back to the current task. How about landing in Thessalon?" Wilhelm asks.

Parino Put his padd on the table. "I'm ready either way, lets get it done as quick as we can."

Reynolds liked the idea of a direct attack, but the unit was untested. "Lets do both, Two battalions at Thessalon and one drops right into the center of them. Hammer and anvil."

Ian had been studying the maps and said, "That river delta may not be a bad place to hide my birds. It would only take us a matter of minutes to cover the distance between there and the cities."

M'Eow was shaking her head. "No, no, all this does is give them time to be prepared. A landing twenty kilometres off, then having to drive into the city, is going to end up being a direct attack against prepared defences, if hastily prepared at that." She extended a claw. "We need to take out any anti-air defences they have, then land here, here, here and here, with two hoppers each. We should have the town secured in a matter of minutes, without giving the defender the benefit of a clear defensive line, disrupting their communication from the start. Simultaneous attacks should take place on the other cities." She looked at their fighter wing commander. "And the river delta has no facilities. All you can do there is hide, there is no way to refuel and resupply your craft there."

Ian looked at her and said, "It would be a temporary staging area until the assault teams can get in place. Once we take control of one or more cities we can move the fighters to a better equipped location."

Reynolds sat back and looked over at Major Parino, clearly this debate was now over their heads.

"Then have your base on the ship carrying us there for the time being", M'Eow said. "That's going to be a lot more effective than coming down in some flood plains or swamp."

Wilhelm finally broke in after thinking "Fight nice kids...", "Alright here's what we're going to do: Ian will keep his Razors on the Gladius until a suitable base of operations can be established quickly. The First and Third will land first after a recon scan of course, with Third landing north of the capitol near their spaceport. The Third will seize or destroy any mercenary and Breen craft they find. After securing the spaceport Reynolds two combat companies will start an assault on the city from the north. First will land to the south about Five klicks out and proceed with their assault. After both battalions are engaged Second, with LtCol Purr in the lead, will jump into the city center, emplacing sniper and mortar teams on the top of suitable buildings, with the rest to ambush any loose enemy forces and secure any civilians. Of course the Razors will be made available for any CAS work. However, before hand I was thinking of having the MAS Gladius lauch senors drones to all the major cities on the continent to do recon and unmask any AA sites that can be pounded from orbit." Wilhelm finished. "Thoughts?"

M'Eow did a few calculations on her PADD. "If we shell the town we should be able to neutralise about eighty percent of the enemy forces", she said. "It'll come at a cost of a mere 15,000 civilians, conservative estimate, and we'll get the job done. I think it's a wonderful idea, you might become more famous even than Kodos."

Wilhelm rolled his eyes and said "Now who said I was goin to shell the city? I was just thinking of hitting any AA sites with "precision" weapons and tactics not carpet bombing." Wilhelm then added with a purposely heavy German accent, "Besides, it vould've vorked in the old days..." Then switching back to his normal tone. "This is the plan we are going to use. Now any "constructive" criticism?"

"No? Well start training your marines against the Breen and mercenary forces in this neck of the woods. We depart in eight days at 0800. All equipment and marines and pilots are to be boarded onboard the Gladius by then." Wilhelm said then paused and continued, " One other order for you all." Wilhelm said with dread, "Make sure your all of your men's Last Will and Next-of-Kin forms are up dated as well. Questions?" Wilhelm finished.

M'Eow bided her time. They had to wait a week for their transport to get there, plenty of time to refine the plan. And refinement it needed. But she would continue the discussion between four eyes only.

OFF

Colonel Wilhelm Baron von Hackleberg
CO, 21st Marines
SB Typhon

Lieutenant Colonel M'Eow Purr [NPC]
Marine Detachment Deputy Commander

Commander Ian Casey
Air Group Commander
SB Typhon

Major Erwin Reynolds
3rd Battalion Co, 21st Marines

Major Jerry Parino
1st Battalion Co, 21st Marines

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