Band of Wargame Brothers: ZOGO- African Flashpoint - NATO RAPID REACTION FORCE IN KELWAZI, Patanga Province ( Part 6)

ZOGO- African Flashpoint - NATO RAPID REACTION FORCE IN KELWAZI, Patanga Province ( Part 6)

AFRICAN FLASH POINT: ZOGO

For more pics see Spyros’ Blog ( No Duff gamer)

-->

The serious deterioration of the situation in the southern provinces in Zogo is of grave concern to the UN Security Council. Despite his brutal subjugation of the rebellion, which is on its last legs, bloody violence has plagued the southern provinces as tribes hostile to M'shombe's ruling tribe, and his regime, have inflicted bloody retribution on the minority Baako tribe who have responded with violence of their own. Rebel groups, none associated with the PLF (Patanga Liberation Front) have sprung up and are causing mayhem.

KELWAZI: Looking from the north, the mine in the middle, hills to the west ( right) airfield at the far end. The NATO troops were airdropped to the west (the right).

Situation:

An unaligned rebel group has seized the mining and airport facilities of the town of Kelwazi and are holding the European engineers and the families hostage.

Mission

A combined force of French Foreign Legion paratroopers and US Rangers are to be parachuted in to seize the airport, the mines and secure the safety of the hostages.

Execution.

Both forces, from the NATO Rapid Reaction Force are to be parachuted in to the WEST of the town. From there they will make their way east to secure three key objectives; The Mine, the airfield and the Hostages.

Tasks:

The respective sniper teams will take up positions on the slopes of the nearby hills to be able to observe all activity in the vicinity and provided much needed cover to the Legionnaires and Rangers. The US Rangers will move directly to the hangar building and airport terminal to seize the vital communications. The Legionnaires will cover the mine area and the road heading north, from where, it is anticipated, that the majority of reinforcements will come; from the main township.

Once the area has been secured an airlift from the US Fifth Fleet will land further troops and light armoured support to allow the Rapid Reaction force to be reinforced and spread its area of operations.

Administration/Logistics

Each force will carry supplies and ammunition for a 12 hour operation. Each unit will have grenades and anti tank weapons to deal with ‘technicals’. The rebels do not have any armour support but anti-tank weapons may be needed to deal with bunkers or light vehicles effectively.

Command/Signals

During the operation both forces will have access to NATO Command and the US Fifth Fleet. There will be no air support as the political fallout from the use of ground attack aircraft at this stage would be substantial.

NATO RAPID REATION AFTER ACTION REPORT

US RANGERS:

The Ranger sniper teams took up position in the area between the mine and the airfield to cover both areas. The Rangers ( Spyros) made straight for the main hangar at the western end of the airfield. Within moments contact was made with rebels who hit the rangers with a large volume of fire, albeit inaccurate. The Rangers quickly disposed of the enemy and moved onto the airfield itself. The second platoon of Rangers took fire from two groups of rebels and two technicals, but thanks to the snipers, who neutralized one technical, they were able to deal with the other; with a grenade launcher. They then turned their attention to the rebel groups, dealing them heavy casualties, after taking one themselves.

Unfortunately, the snipers had now revealed their positions and a rebel DSHK opened fire, hitting one of the snipers. A third platoon raced across the open airfield, the flat open expanse making them targets for every gunman and scumbag on the table. Two went down, slowing their advance substantially, and the Ranger command was wishing they had air support!!

More technicals were arriving and the Rangers had their hands full, but two lucky shots destroyed two more technicals and suddenly the fire power of the enemy seemed to slacked as some of the gunmen raced off to deal with the arrival of a platoon of Legionnaires who had just taken the mine. The search for the hostages went on as the Rangers continued moving east, neutralizing enemy resistance. A few groups put up some very stubborn resistance and when the last remaining technical drove into a platoon of Rangers supported by heavy MG fire from the DSHK, the second sniper was hit as were two other Rangers. The platoon pinned on the runway managed to get itself moving, take out the DSHK and secure the terminal. Resistance was beginning to diminish as the gunmen realized they were outclassed! Securing the airfield on the last turn, with 6 dead and 7 wounded, the Rangers were able to take pride in the fact that they accomplished a very tough mission!

The Legion

The Legionnaires (Phil) deployed quickly and under the watchful eye of their sniper teams, fanned out east, south east and south, quickly seizing the mine area but coming under heavy fire as they crossed the railway line. Two Legionnaires were killed but the timely arrival of the Command HQ drove the rebels off.

To the east, the anti-tank team and a platoon took up position on the edge of the long grass area and over the course of the next three turns were able to drive off five insurgent groups of reinforcements. They provided a valuable service protecting the northern flank of the Reaction Force, allowing the Rangers to secure the airfield. The tough paras of the Legion moved rapidly from building to building looking for the hostages. Finally, as resistance was building, the Legionnaires were forced to halt, deal with their rising casualties (there would be four dead and 4 wounded by the end), and drove off several waves of gunmen. In the second last move they found and secured the hostages.
Another successful mission for the Paratroopers of the 2^nd REP!

REPORTS FROM THE UN:

Despite some misgivings at last night's Security Council meeting about the NATO intervention the UN thanked the French and Americans for the successful humanitarian effort. However, a joint Chinese-Russian resolution calling for the immediate removal of Franco-American forces was passed. Many African nations wholeheartedly supported the Russo-Chinese resolution, seeing the NATO involvement as a return to the Imperialism of the 19^th Century. It is agreed that the existing forces will leave forthwith once some minimal but essential infrastructure is repaired.

The Belgian Mining giant Union Minere du Haut Kelwazi has taken back operating control of the once nationalised mine and has requested , through the European Union and the NATO high command that the US and French Forces remain on the ground in Kelwazi to ensure the safety of the mining company personnel.

An Al Jazeera report has hinted that several multinational mining companies are collaborating on allowing a more pliant (pro Western ) Kelwazian tribal leader to agree to rule the province under temporary guidance from the mining company, or (companies). The EU and NATO have vehemently denied this, but Chinese sources continue to confirm this disturbing information.

Large quantities of mining equipment (military hardware) and mine operating staff have arrived. Private Military Contractors are also being brought in. The NATO forces have been reinforced.

ZOGO: THE STATE OF THE NATION

Zogo state media reported that the NATO forces used the President's absence from his homeland to attack the country. It is believed by many from the small African nation that had the President not been overseas, NATO would never have attacked as the President would have fired one shot and killed all the invaders. Such is his military capability.

His Imperial Majesty and Royal Highness, the Right Honorable and Most Eminent, Admiral General President for life T’Mbolo M’Shombou, Father to his People and Messiah of Zogo is very upset. Not concerned, but upset.

It has been reported that in a conference with his cabinet and his senior officers he was quoted as saying.

‘I left to go to see my bank manager in Switzerland for a few days, and have a quiet Mediterranean holiday with my 65 wives and 176 children. Much deserved after crushing the rebels in both the north and the south of our beloved country. The situation, I had, again singlehandedly saved, and thought that I had MEN who could look after our beloved nation! But no! I return to find that the colonialists are back. American and French troops are on the sacred soil of our nation! This is an act of WAR! ”

The state run media service, on M’Shombou radio, the MBC (M'Shombou Broadcasting Corporation) and the national newspaper, the M’Shombou Times, all report that the President is leaving the capital and is heading to Kelwazi to embrace his loyal subjects and reinstate his benevolent rule. He has left the crushing of the final embers of the Rebellion ( Meeko Momfasa and the Baako dominated PLF) to the key generals of his Presidential Palace Imperial Life Guard. The bulk of his guard, with Chinese made equipment and Chinese advisors is with the popularly elected President. (107% approval rating from the last M’Shombou poll on the MBC).

The Airfield- hangar in the foreground, terminal with tower in the middle.

Reuters NEWSFLASH

Sources on the ground in Kelwazi say that US and French troops are not preparing for departure but more troops are being deployed and airlifted into the airport captured by the Legion and Rangers.

US Commander General Rick Hackensack was quoted as stating that :
“The US and her allies will continue the great humanitarian assistance began in the early day of this week. We are here to help bring stability, democracy, and freedom to the people of Zogo. The minorities of this African nation deserve the freedoms that we in the USA take for granted."

President T'mbolo M'shombe was outraged at the blatant military aggression shown by the western allies.

'This is an outrage! The freedom loving peoples of my beloved Zogo are feeling the steel boot of the European colonial oppressors. This is the New World Order! The brutal repression of my peace loving people was done at a time when I was attending important business in Switzerland!”

The Presidential Guard is moving toward Kelwazi.

The Mine area

The Main road from Kelwazi: It was in the grass to the right that Legion platoon took up positions and staunchly defended the flanks of the reaction force, driving off over five times their number of rebel gunmen.

The center of the Area of Operations.

Rebels loitering in front of the Hangar- these guys were hit hard in the very beginning by the Rangers.

The DHSKa to the left, caused the Rangers some problems!

The Rangers arrive at their first objective

The Legion paras followed the rail line into the edge of the township and came under heavy fire suffering casualties in the opening fusillade of shots.

The Legion in the firefight.

First Ranger team takes out a technical patrolling the runway

Rangers vs another technical

Another one bites the dust!

The legion moving to take up positions.

The sandbags at the eastern end of the runway- the last opposition to the rangers- they took two hits and the rest ran!

This squad was guarding the mine and sprung a trap on the Legion- killing two paras- but they didn't survive!

The Legion Snipers, they were a valuable asset!

The Ranger snipers, providing much needed support- both would be casualties by day's end!

The Legion Snipers firing at the group who were in fact guarding the hostages!

The First Legion platoon to arrive.

First shots!- the Rangers arrive on the western end of the airfield, and obliterated the group there.

The action heats up: The Rangers are on the hill and behind the airport terminal.

The Hostages were in the shanty town buildings - this group was guarding them, but decided to run off and get into the fight with the Rangers- leaving the hostages unguarded as the Legion found them safe and sound.

The first technical to bite the dust!

The hostages inside a dark room ( two of them anyway)

The third platoon of Legion paras takes position on the end of the high grass field. From there they stopped all attempts to reinforce the fight at the airfield.

Legion paras enter the mine area- looking for hostages.

This particular group, near the eastern end of the runway caused the Rangers some problems until taken out with automatic weapons and grenades!

The Rangers- Very vulnerable on the open airfield- The medic carrying a wounded Ranger.

A Technical decides to launch an 'all or nothing' charge against the Ranger HQ and sniper team, their audacity led to the death of a Ranger, wounding of another- but their own destruction.- Check out the 4WD capability on that vehicle!