Battle of Fresnon Range

We are still combing through records, but it's thin.
This article's title is a conjecture. There is no official name for the article's subject slthough it contains canon information.Any changes to the article's title should reflect consensus.
*This article is about an in-universe event. For the in-game mission, see Frontiers.*

## Details

### Location(s)

Fresnon Range, Yellowstone Exclusion Zone, Cascadia

### Outcomes

**Sicario victory*** Sicario arrives in Cascadia

Strength| Gunsel SquadronAssassin Team Hitman TeamCariburnCircus3x Sk.273x F/C-15 |  Federation Air Force* Blue Squadron †
* 4x Sk.27 †

 Federation Vertical Navy* *Espadon* †

*"Sicario is moving west, ladies and gents. Information coming out of country has been spotty, but, well, let's just say there's a demand for people of our pedigree."*
― Commander Arnold Frenken
After completing its contract with the Creole Republic, Sicario crossed the Cascadian border and **engaged** Pacific Federation forces for the first time in the Cascadian Conflict over the Fresnon Range.

## Prelude

*"We've reached out and were given a rendezvous by a Cascadian group called the Independence Force, the main anti-Federation group recognized by the national government. I presume the Federation has the borders on lockdown to stop people like us from coming in, so stay on our toes. If we get found by a patrol, we'll send one of our flights off to take care of them."*
― Arnold Frenken
Having completed their contract with the Creole Republic, Sicario was planning on flying west to Cascadia, which was recruiting mercenaries for the Cascadian Conflict (then in its 24th day). While the Federation had imposed a communications blackout on the region, censoring all news that a war was ongoing and instead reporting riots, the true state of affairs was known within the mercenary community. Sicario's main contact was the Cascadian Independence Force, the primary government-recognized rebel group. Commander Arnold Frenken, their leader, arranged for their squadrons to take escort turns to preserve ammunition and fuel, with Hitman Team being the last group to do so. He also gave permission for any Sicario member to leave if they did not wish to challenge the Federation.

On February 1, the Federation diverted or grounded every flight inbound to Cascadia and threatened lethal force on any trespassers. The following day, Sicario took flight to Cascadia.

## Battle

*"Looks like it's true, the Federation is weapons free in Cascadia. Even when we crossed into other Federation states illegally, they didn't dare open fire on us like this."*
― Peter Kennedy during the dogfight
While flying over the Fresnon Mountain Range on the outskirts of the Yellowstone Exclusion Zone, Sicario was pursued by a Federation patrol. Hitman Team and Gunsel Squadron volunteers were detached to engage the patrol. Taking on the entirety of the 20-man Blue Squadron, the Federation pilots were taken by surprise by their effectiveness and requested an ID on their hostiles to their AWACS planes. After shooting down the entirety of the squadron as well as one of their AWACS, they came across the air battlecruiser *Espadon*, which engaged Sicario's rear guard against the other AWACS' advice, using its escorts as cover. Though flabbergasted at the Federation so soon resorting to using airships, Hitman intercepted and shot down the airship and her escorts regardless.

## Aftermath

*"To approaching unidentified aircraft: When the night comes, how do we return home?"
"By midnight's light."
"Confirmed. Welcome to Cascadia, Sicario. Follow us, we have a temporary landing strip set up for you mercenaries."*
― J. Griffiths and Arnold Frenken exchanging countersigns
Afterwards, Sicario, via a countersign, rendezvoused with their CIF contact, Cascadian Air Force Captain J. Griffiths, and landed at a makeshift airfield to rearm and refuel to prepare for further sorties.