Operation TORPEDO

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Following the complete destruction of the United Federation of the Southern Rim's expeditionary force into The Black, a massive full scale battle group was prepared hastily to combat the Exile forces known to thrive in the region. The mission is specific; to search and destroy Exiles responsible for the attack, to capture Exile leaders/personnel, and to recover lost/stolen UFSR technology as well as recovering Exile technology. A total of thirty vessels which made up Battle Group Stalker lead by newly appointed Battle Group Commander Brian Finch entered The Black in late January of 105 AF. A total of [DATA REDACTED] personnel accompanied by [DATA REDACTED] and armoured elements made up the invasion force. The operation was seen as a total failure on the part of the UFSR's military council for hastily attacking a force still unknown. Despite the media's claim that the fault is on behalf of the military, it was the politicians who forced the military to take action against the warnings of Secretary-of-Defence Stephen K. Anderson. Military reports concluded that of [DATA REDACTED] Exile forces killed, the UFSR took [DATA REDACTED] casualties making the ratio 10:1 in favor of the Exiles.
=Background=
After the expeditionary force incident there was a media outcry for immediate retribution and retaliation for Exile forces in The Black. Driven by the political election season, many councilors from their respective planets voted on an invasion of The Black to seize control and to take Exile prisoners in order to better understand the unknown enemy.
Initial scans of The Black revealed nothing interesting in particular. Visual scans lacked a significant enemy presence leaving the UFSR to have to resort to thermal to electromagnetic scans of the planet Terrafirma. This yielded significant results. Although the planet was void of any significant life, electromagnetic scans revealed a relatively large force of [DATA REDACTED].
Because of the NOR-UFSR relations and the brewing tension along the boarder, not many battle groups could be spared for this risky mission. Military officials wanted to postpone the invasion until further information can be derived from the intelligence division, but constant urging (and a few threats of budget cuts) forced the military to make a risky decision. Newly promoted Battle Group Commander Brian Finch from the Naval Academy was given a battle group of his own without him having any prior experience on the battlefield. Regarded as the best of his class, many believed Commander Finch to be prepared for the upcoming invasion.
A total of [DATA REDACTED] was allocated to Battle Group Stalker as well as a [DATA REDACTED] which is housed in the battlestar itself.
[DATA REDACTED]
=Landfall=
UFSR 15th Ranger Regiment is the first to arrive on the scene setting up observation posts along a valley overlooking a flat perimetre in question. Teams Hammer, Steel, and Anvil observe no movements but spot many locations where ambushes can be present. Task forces Hammer and Anvil establish landing zones for UFSR troops to land. Aside from environmental hazards TF Hammer, Anvil, and Steel spot no significant enemy presence in the valley or in the perimetre in question.
==Day 1==
At 0200 HRS, UFSR ground forced landed with vehicle support from two carriers. A light entrance into the planet made for a stealthy advance instead of using orbital entrance pods. A contingent of drones swept the area searching for any enemy factions in the area. As before, no enemy units were spotted despite the reading of electromagnetic interference coming from unoccupied areas. With the all clear given, the rest of the invasion force landed along the rest of the established fighting zones, Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Indian.
At 0900 HRS the first readings of enemy contact registered with drones spotting a column of what appeared as enemy armour advancing on zone Pacific. Not wanting to take risks, the commanding officer in zone Pacific called in for an airstrike. A flight of two T-70 Sky Breakers ran two consecutive bombing runs dropping high impact GRND Pounders on the enemy position. Enemy casualties are unconfirmed. At the same time enemy signatures were spotted along the boarder of zones Atlantic and Arctic. At 1300 HRS enemy infantry was spotted accompanying armoured elements and what seemed to be H.M.Vs, or at least their equivalent, along zones Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic. However the UFSR ground units outnumbered the Exile forces by 4:1.
TF Hammer sniper teams begin to spot a single Exile vessel emerge from a crater deep within the planet suggesting that Exile forces are stationed inside the planet itself. Hammer relays information back to command who suggest teams to brace for enemy emergence from craters in the planet's crust.
1900 HRS marks when infantry clashes with infantry. UFSR troopers remark that the Exile infantry teams are small in size and are composed or artificial soldiers instead of flesh and bone. Companies are told to switch to electromagnetic based ammunition and other anti-synthetic based ordinance. Despite what should be an overwhelming victory, ground units report having difficulty scoring a kill using standard conventional weaponry.
In 2200 HRS, heavy casualties are sustained as UFSR forces attempt to hold zones Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic. Fearing that zone Indian may be holding additional forces waiting for troops to diverge onto the other zones of conflict, the UFSR troopers hold position. Moral has been reported to diminish as the units on zone Indian listen in on the radio chatter from the other zones.
==Day 2==
0500 HRS marks the beginning of a counter offensive as UFSR cruiser SFS Technical enters Terrafirma atmosphere. The vessel engaged Exile armour and ground forces allowing friendly ground forces to rover and collect the wounded in a brief respite. Elements of the 22nd Mechanized Infantry (Task Force Hunter) which were deployed to zone Indian were finally authorized to assist infantry elements in taking a strategic position overlooking the majority of the field.
At 0750 HRS elements from the 22nd Mechanized Infantry as well as the 47th Shock Regiment (Task Force Stalker) landed along the eastern edge of zone Arctic via Sea Raven dropship and were immediately engaged by Exile infantry forces and remained pinned down by mortar fire. With sustained fire by a Spectre gunship, which maintained position for a few hours, the special forces units were able to push pass Exile forces with minimal casualties as they hooked up with units in zone Arctic.
Sustained fire from the SFS Technical allowed units in zone Pacific valuable time to regroup and organize a counter offensive to eliminate the Exile armoured platoons.
At 1230 HRS all contact with units in zone Indian including air support and artillery emplacements. Reconnaissance elements were sent in zone India to investigate but quickly disappeared once they hit the "threshold". Units stationed close to zone Indian reported [DATA REDACTED] which confirms many suspicions regarding Ulraagi involvement. Further attempts to investigate the matter ceased due to the current massing of Exile forces along the boarder of zone Atlantic and zone Pacific.
At 1500 HRS Exile vessels entered orbit, seemingly from [DATA REDACTED], and quickly engaged UFSR ships. A further contingent of Exile vessels entered orbit via slipspace from behind UFSR ships and quickly engaged. All vessels pulled back into space leaving the ground forces to fend for themselves save for the UFSR carrier SFS Mountain Flower (CVN-909) who remained in atmosphere to provide support via care packages and vehicle/weapon drops.
Exile forces begin to push back UFSR units at a faster rate sustaining minimal casualties in the process. New elements from the Exiles emerge constantly catching the UFSR troopers off guard such as the [DATA REDACTED] which results in 100% casualties leaving behind zero wounded. Having to continually changing up their tactics has caused immense stress and fatigue on all ground forces. The UFSR has also began to lose control of the sky as Exile air units engage UFSR units with superior firepower.
At 1950 HRS, half of zone Pacific is lost to Exile forces.
At 2230 HRS, half of zone Arctic is lost to Exile forces.
==Day 3==
0333 HRS marks the beginning of the UFSR's continual loss of skirmishes and minor battles as Exile forces reclaims zone Arctic and Pacific leaving the bulk of UFSR units concentrated in zone Atlantic and the border of zone Pacific. Unbeknownst to the ground units, the UFSR has already lost the battle in orbit in a matter of a single day.
With thirteen ships of the original thirty remaining, Battle Group Commander Brian Finch orders a complete retreat. Remaining carriers manage to breach orbit and enter the atmosphere in order to pick up the retreating UFSR forces. When battleship SFS Emerald Hill (BB-404) attempted to follow, [DATA REDACTED] emerged from zone Indian and proceeded to [DATA REDACTED] splitting the battleship into four sections. Commander Finch immediately called for evacuation order END GAME spreading shock and awe throughout the ranks.
Exile forces continued to advance on the evacuation site forcing the UFSR to make a hasty exit. Those who could not make it to the evacuation site unanimously decided to defend the location to the death allowing the remaining vessels valuable time to exit the system. Given that the Exiles controlled the majority of the orbit, vessels still planetside entered slipspace in atmosphere damaging the surface of the planet, killing the majority of UFSR troopers left behind.
Seven vessels including the battlestar SFS Blackest Night (BTS-012) managed to exit the star system with various degrees of damages on all vessels.
=Aftermath=
When Battle Group Stalker returned to UFSR space, the public reaction was not what the military expected. What they thought would be fuel for anti-military and anti-government turned into an outcry for the elimination of the Exiles. The military, however, wasn't too happy about the outcome. Losing more than half of the battle group cost a heavy price in terms of personnel lost and the cost of damages as well as the cost of replacing the lost vessels and manpower. Commander Finch was blamed for this colossal failure, but considering the public interest in the commander as well as his ill-fated fleet, the military avoided a court martial for Commander Finch.
In the centre of Section, Termina rests a massive monument dedicated to the lives lost in the operation. As punishment, the military sent Finch on a surveillance only mission around The Black.
=Notable Units Involved=
*7th Infantry
**1st Brigade Combat Team (Warhorse)
*15th Ranger Regiment
**2nd Battalion
***Alpha Company
****1st Platoon (Task Force Hammer)
****2nd Platoon (Task Force Anvil)
****3rd Platoon (Task Force Steel)
*22nd Mechanized Infantry
**Alpha Company
***2nd Platoon (Task Force Hunter)
*47th Shock Regiment
**Beta Company
***1st Platoon (Task Force Stalker)
=Transcripts=
*//COMPLETE TRANS. CAN BE FOUND AT UFSRTTP://AAO:INTELNET/Transcript/fbr.075
Category:Events
Category:Conflicts