Operation Amboss Tropfen

Commanders| **IGVA*** **Kommandokompanie**
+ Dominik Hippel
+ Berand Fidell

Strength| **IGVA*** **Kommandokompanie**

**IGVN*** Aircraft Carrier *Himmelßturz, leFZT.*
+ 206th Navy Helicopter Sqn
+ Headquarter garrison

Casualties| * 1 Kommando killed
* Berand Fidell killed

## Battles and Events

**“Today... *Nein*... Tomorrow-In 5 minutes, we will be making history as the first unit in all of Gra Valkas to go into real combat in this world, Asherah...”**

**- Chapter 12: Amboss Tropfen**

Operation Amboss Tropfen was a hostage rescue mission conducted by the Imperial Gra Valkas Army's Kommandokompanie to infiltrate into Paganda and rescue ten diplomats including the leading diplomat, Dallas Claymond, who are under captivity.

## Background

As the negotiations with the Pagandans broke down, a company-sized force of Kommandos lead by Oberstleutnant Dominik Hippel, also known as the Kommandokompanie (KMK) are chosen to conduct an infiltration on Paganda to extract the diplomats and return them back safely. During a briefing before the mission, the Kommandos are given intel from the Geheimdienst stating that the compound where the diplomats are held captive is a military police compound which will be heavily defended by Pagandan military police. They are also given a crude sketch of the main building that dominated the compound showing points of entry, guard posts, the armory and possible patrol routes. To the relief of the Kommandos, the Pagandans are coincidentally celebrating their three-day National Day event which will provide them multiple methods for distraction and diversion. Furthermore, the loud explosions from the fireworks will be able to mask the sound of gunshots and explosions. After careful consideration, they have decided that they will insert into Paganda with a high altitude, low opening jump (HALO) from a Zs-635 transport plane of the Imperial Gra Valkas Army (IGVA) at an altitude of 30,000 ft.

## Execution of the operation

### Approach and entry

The infiltration is carried out by 35 Kommandos that are split into six teams: Anton, Berta, Caesar, Dora, Emil and Fritz. Anton would maintain oversight of the Pagandan MP compound and handle the diversions, while Berta, Caesar, Dora, and Emil would be the ones to break into the compound and rescue the diplomats. Fritz would stay behind as a reserve. At the stroke of midnight, the Kommandos jumped off the aircraft and descended towards the Kingdom of Paganda. Due to the altitude at which they deployed their chutes, they were able to slip past the observation posts that still maintained their eyes towards the skies. All 35 Kommandos managed to steer their parachutes towards their designated landing site which is a clearing in the forest some distance away from the military police compound.

When they all landed on the clearing, they did a headcount before organizing themselves into their respective teams. After that was done, Anton went towards a cliff south of the compound overlooking it while the four assault teams moves towards their staging points. As the spotters and snipers of Anton reached their position, they shockingly found out that the intel and sketch given by the Geheimdienst is extremely different. The main building at the center of the compound is a three-story building instead of a two-story. What was supposed to be the southwestern main entrance is instead a stable which is also supposed to be separated from the main building. Moreover, there is now an entirely new wing to the northeast that extended from the main building which is likely the detainment wing as the windows are barred. Finally, there are different entry points, windows that are not shown in the sketch and two extra guard towers. Despite the frustration felt by the Kommandos, they swept it aside and continued on with their mission as they are taught and trained to push through against all odds.

Running out of time, the members of Anton moved to proceed the mapping of the building and the compound while the other members separated from the group to plant diversionary explosives and gunshot simulators with delayed timers in a shooting range to the northeast. To confirm whether the diversion worked, they also set up anti-personnel mines on the road leading to the shooting range. After they finished setting up the explosives, Hippel gave Anton the signal to detonate them and hearing the cue, Werber, who possessed the detonator, activated it. The sounds of explosions and gunshots roused everyone up and are ordered to investigate the source. All 24 MPs exited through the north gate and moved towards the shooting range.

### Entry into the compound

Hippel then signal the four assault teams to emerge from their staging points in the forest to the south and start converging on the compound. He also signaled the snipers of Anton to point their rifles onto the lookouts. In a synchronized manner, their sniper rifles fired successfully neutralizing all of the lookouts. With the lookouts gone, the four assault teams are able to enter the compound uncontested. As the teams split to take their designated entry points, explosions are heard from the shooting range, indicating that the diversion worked. Meanwhile, the six men of Berta took their position on the southwestern entrance next to the stables, waiting for orders to breach the door. Once all four assault teams are ready, Unterfeldwebel Eugene Günther pointed his shotgun, shot the hinges off and kicked the door down. Following up, Roland threw a stun grenade into the hallway. After it exploded, the Kommandos entered the hallway and found themselves in the barracks part of the compound. Berta then proceeded with clearing the rooms of hostile targets while searching for the diplomats.

Meanwhile, teams Caesar and Dora both entered through the main entrance and secured the lobby after disorienting four MPs with stun grenades and killing them. They then headed towards a flight of stairs that will lead them to their designated destinations: the basement. The first operator, Obergefreiter Klemens Hartmann, pointed his gun and flashlight down the hallway and killed two MPs who are blinded by his flashlight. They then advanced onwards and arrived at a short hallways with a doorway at the end. Hearing the gunshots, two MPs emerged from the doorway and immediately got killed by the Kommandos. Arriving at the doorway, they threw another stun grenade and entered into the room which turns out to be the armory. In there they saw a surrendering MP and knocked him out. After exiting from the armory, Hippel ordered his Kommandos to set up a tripwire mine by the doorway.

### Location of Hostages

Arriving at Dallas' cell, they burst open the door, blinded a Pagandan MP commander with their flashlight and killed him with two shots in the chest. As the Kommandos secured the room, they recognized Dallas from pictures during the briefing. As they are unlocking his chains using the keys from the dead commander, Dallas cried in relief and joy for the fact that the Gra Valkas Empire has still come for him. Later on, all four teams have managed to find the other 9 diplomats injured but alive. Two were found in interrogation rooms, six in the prison wing and one in the barracks being sexually harassed by a Pagandan MP.

### Withdrawal

Successfully finding all ten diplomats, the four Kommando teams exited the compound through the southwestern entry point which is their point of exit. However, as they exited the compound, the Pagandan MPs have returned. Spotting the escapees, they chased the Kommandos but were slowed down by the AP mines and the snipers from Anton. Some decided to go back into the building to recover their firearms while others decided to go around the building and flank them from the northeast wing. They are again killed by the mines set up by the Kommandos. Fortunately for them, reinforcements have arrived on horseback at the gate to the northeast to investigate the explosions they heard from the shooting range. Feeling the pressure, Werner of team Anton decided to order a retreat and regroup with their fellow Kommandos. They then discreetly descended from their overwatch position back into the forest to the south while laying down mines along the way to slow down the Pagandans' advance.

Several minutes later, the assault teams together with the diplomats are moving through the woods southwards towards their extraction point. Suddenly, gunfire erupted at a treeline to the west down the hill on their right. These were from the Pagandan soldiers posted on guarding the observation posts who are also coming to investigate the explosions they heard from the shooting range. Despite not expecting the gunfire to come from that direction, they still reacted professionally and some carried the diplomats down the hill and into the forest while the others returned fire into the spots where they saw flashing lights to help cover them. Their skill and rate of fire, coupled with being at a higher elevation, offered them the advantage against the Pagandans. After safely carrying the diplomats out of the area, the Kommandos that were covering them withdrew from their positions to join the escape. Unfortunately, Hartmann, who is the last man to withdraw, got shot by a Pagandan soldier which caused him to fall and scream in excruciating pain and agony. Noticing his screams, the Kommandos pulled him out and carried him away from the firefight and towards the extraction point.

Their extraction point is on a slight hill that had ancient earthworks surrounding its base with a monolith on the summit. It is also situated next to a cliff which leads to the ocean. Once the Kommandos had reached the monolith, they tended to the wounds of the ten diplomats with their medic, Helfried Lehmann who is currently treating Hartmann. His conditions look grim. Meanwhile, the other Kommandos are setting up explosives on the ancient earthworks which might be used as cover for the Pagandans. After 25 minutes of waiting, they heard soft explosions that are gradually getting louder and closer, indicating that the Pagandans are almost there. Once the first Pagandans emerged, they opened fire on them, killing dozens of soldiers. However, more Pagandans start to pour out from the north and later the northeast, turning the tide towards them.

After 25 minutes of fighting, four dark blue Navy Krauss helicopters, deployed from the *Himmelßturz*, leFZT., a light carrier of the Imperial Gra Valkan Navy, has finally arrived at the extraction point. The Kommandos then threw colored smoke grenades, a purple one to designate the landing zone and a red one to designate the Pagandans' position. As three helicopters are trying to land on their landing site, one of the helicopters continued to hover to reveal a door gunner with an MG 12, a 7.92 mm caliber general-purpose machine gun on the right side of the helicopter which then unleashed bullets down on the Pagandan soldiers. Taking advantage of the chaos unfolding, the Kommandos made a dash towards the helicopters. The diplomats and Hartmann were loaded first while some of the Kommandos took position around the helicopter and will later board the four helicopters. After everyone has boarded, all four helicopters lifted off while the door gunners are still firing at the Pagandans. They then flew southwest away from the Pagandans and return back to the safety of their carriers.

## Conclusion

After the four helicopters had landed safely on the deck of the light carrier *Himmelßturz*, Navy medical personnel rushed towards the helicopters and evacuate the injured diplomats together with a stretcher carrying a body covered in cloth - Hartmann has succumbed to his injuries; he was only 27 when he died.

Overall, Operation Amboss Tropfen is a massive success despite the loss of one KMK commando. The successful rescue of the diplomats allowed the Gra Valkans to freely carry out their military campaign on Paganda.