Reich Marshal of the Belkan Reich

RM Vol 4: War – Chapter 15: Case Yellow (Day 3 – JTAC)

"Well, that could have ended badly." I say while taking a look at a battlefield report using my wrist-mounted tablet.

Demons and Zombies spawn where corpses, negative emotions, and mana are concentrated. If left at their device, the size of a horde can grow increasingly larger the more damage they cause. Unexpectedly, the Demons and Zombies spawned in a serious enough number in such a short period that Rosa was caught on the back foot. They would have grown to become a major threat by subsuming Volmunster if not for the timely intervention of Thomas the Train. That crew though, their luck is truly something. Regardless, had Volmunster fallen, I would have explicitly sent enough bombers to wipe that horde off the map. Unlike Rosa who would have called back her Army, I will not allow Alaya's toys to cause more damage. If this means eliminating an entire cultural commune, then so be it. Things like that are not as important as sapience lives... Well, most of the time.

That said, with Thomas the Train reinforcing Rosa's forces with more heavy weapons and armor, I can hardly wait to see her rack up some victories of her own down South. The girl has a certain gift in military command. It comes with being a Bonaparte, I guess. Napoleon must be proud in his grave.

Anyway, seeing as the situation is now under control, I decided to stop worrying about it, much. Using the tablet, I task some specialist units to help Rosa flush out the rest of the Demons and Zombies that may still be in their spawning nests. Regrettably, marching in the Months of Demons mean that we sometimes have to divert resources for these side quests. Now that's out of the way, I can focus more on what's about to go down.

Yup, it's time to perform some night battle.

Positioning myself on a covert hillside, I prep my laser designator and radio for immediate tasking. Next to me is Bryn and some of her Night Witches who are responsible for guarding me. The Witches are dressed in their SPI suits while I am still well-kitted out in my Storm Trooper BDU. Our spot is properly camouflaged and expertly hidden by using some illusion magic. This makes it so that we can set up an extensive overwatch position, decked out with everything we need to support the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team. Currently, our main objective is to seize a Loyalist airbase, intact if possible, and to use it as a new FOB for Army Group A. Situated directly on the path Army Group A will take to push to the Erusean Channel, this Loyalist airbase, callsign Warehouse, is an important crossroad to facilitate frontwide military operations. We must take it before the vanguard of Army Group A arrives. Speed is essential here for we're already running on a timer.

An inbound comms request makes my mind go into alert. I nod at Bryn, prompting her to keep an eye out for the enemy targets at the Warehouse. Accepting the comms request, I hear a female voice saying.

"Channel 80, this is Lightning 1. Inbound as fragged, reporting into the net."

"Lightning 1, this is Overseer 1, Roger. Requesting flight, ordnance, fuel status, and capabilities."

"Section of two F-1s, equipped with 6 GBU-500s, 6 JAGM-MR Jagers, 228 HE Hydra rockets, 10 BIU-350 incendiary bombs, 3500 rounds GAU-8 and 6 Irises, BREAK. Our fuel is at 95 %, with Lightning 1-1 having an OWL pod while Lightning 1-2 is a Gunfighter." The section lead reports.

"Roger." I reply. "Be advised. The western part of the AO is guarded by triple-AAs with an estimated range of 2 km, BREAK. Likely targets will be bunkers and trenches to the East of the AO as well as any AFVs. Possibly we might also need to engage mechanized, motorized, or footmobile units depending on the status of our forces, BREAK."

I stop before adding. "Friendly status as follows. Bloody is currently moving Westwards toward Warehouse. Hammer is located at L'Échelle with gun-target-lines between 260 to 270 degrees. Their primary target is the known enemy AA installations. BREAK."

"Remarks: Ground forces will move in after the attack phase concludes. Visibility is clear with minimal weather interference. My laser designator is on code 3105. CP Hotel and IP Alpha. Confirm remarks?" I ask the lead pilot.

" Ground forces will move in after the attack phase concludes. Visibility is clear with minimal weather interference. Laser designator on 3105. Use CP Hotel and IP Alpha." Lightning 1 replies in a level tone.

I nod to myself. "Affirmative. Proceed to CP Hotel and standby for tasking, Lightning."

"Roger."

Tuning out of the comms channel for a bit, I take a look at Warehouse with my designator. Bryn, who has been scanning the Loyalists' position, immediately marks some targets for me.

"Main gate, Southeast, they just reinforce it with a motorized squad." Bryn says while looking through her laser rangefinder, the visor on her helmet is retracted. "That brings the infantry count to fifty at the main gate alone, not to mention the static emplacements."

I nod, adding. "There's also sentries and patrols going about. The trenches and fighting positions should be garrisoned as well. I reckon the airbase will have anywhere from 1 to 2 Companies worth of soldiers. Other than that, they seem to have a contingency of armor vehicles. Intel says there are two Platoons of tanks and armored cars..."

"There," Bryn says while painting the vehicles she spots with an IR laser. "They're hull down, acting as additional bunkers to defend against our angle of approach."

"I see the tanks, seems to be Char D2s... I don't see the armored cars though." I move away from the designator, taking a look at the video feed from a nearby drone. "Those Panhards are either tucked in an ambush position or are kept beneath a roof. Some structures here can hide them."

"The forest due Southwest. I don't see any movement yet, but it has thick foilage and elevation. It's a prime location for an ambush or a defensive position." Bryn adds before lowering her rangefinder. "We should alert the Seventh about that area just in case."

"That would be for the best, yeah." I nod, prompting Bryn to nod before contacting Major Muller of the 7th Mechanized Company.

Leaving her to do that, I start looking at the rest of Warehouse, all the while jotting down targeting data, things like enemy troop compositions, range, and so on. After Bryn informs Major Muller of a potential ambush along their approach, we find more key targets like hidden anti-tank guns and MG nests. Some are in the trenches around Warehouse, others are tucked behind camouflage positions. The information we find is then promptly uploaded to the battlenet, thus facilitating the tactical planning of our attacking forces. Ultimately, we gather enough intelligence to identify priority targets for airstrikes. Right on time as it's near the moment when our artillery units will start shelling the Loyaliss AA emplacements in the backline.

I look at Bryn, nodding at her with a small smile. "Notify our commanders, it's almost time."

Bryn nods slightly before alerting the Company Commanders of the 1st ABCT. The plan is quite simple, really. The 1st ABCT will split into smaller elements, with some attacking Warehouse directly while others will seize the airbase's immediate surroundings. After that, the entire Brigade will dig in until support arrives at the Warehouse, thus turning it into our new base of operations. The kicker for everything will be our artillery units and CAS lighting up the fireworks.

As Bryn is busy confirming our force deployment, I take a look at the time display on my tablet.

"The 150 mm should be firing momentarily." I say to myself before tuning into Channel 80, contacting Lightning.

"Lightning 1-1, this is Overseer 1, requesting CAS."

"Overseer 1, this is Lightning 5-1, CAS request." The same female voice from before replies.

I say loud and clear. "Target one Infantry Platoon dug in, linear target 100 meters North to South. Grid 1770 tack 0240."

Lightning 1-1 confirms. "Target enemy Infantry Platoon dug in, linear target 100 meters North to South. Grid 1770 tack 0240."

I add. "IP Alpha with heading 180 degrees, marked with Laser with direction 270 degrees, BREAK. Friendlies East 1500 meters, BREAK. Egress South, climb to Angel 3, BREAK. Hunter will perform SEAD on the target with Gun-Target-Line 265 degrees, TOT is 2100. Requesting rockets. Readback."

The Section Lead replies. "IP Alpha with heading 180 degrees, marked with Laser with direction 270 degrees, BREAK. Friendlies East 1500 meters, BREAK. Egress South, climb to Angel 3, BREAK. Hunter will perform SEAD on the target with Gun-Target-Line 265 degrees, TOT is 2100. Requesting rockets. Confirm readback?"

I nod, more to myself. "Correct. Out."

There are repeated thunders in the distance. From our overwatch post, we can see big flashes and booming beyond Warehouse when the timer hits 9 PM. It seems the artillery units use MRSI to destroy the enemy AA installations in one go. That's good, saving the flyboys boy, and gal the trouble of a crowded airspace. When the artillery has ceded, Lightning 1-1 calls in, leaving CP Hotel.

"Pushing."

I reply concisely. "Continue."

Using the speed of their Phantoms, it takes no time at all for Lightning 1-1 to announce. "Ten seconds."

"Roger." I respond, pointing the laser designator to the main gate of the Warehouse but not turning it on just yet.

Passing Initial Point Alpha, Lightning 1-1 says. "IP inbound."

"Continue." I give them the go-ahead on the approach.

"Laser on." Lightning 1-1 requests.

"Lasing." I turn on the targeting laser of my designator. I watch through the zoom-in function on the designator, seeing Loyalist soldiers chilling in their entrenched positions. They're either smoking or chatting on the job, with only some actually standing guard.

"Looking." Lightning 1-1 says, trying to lock on to the laser. "Tally, in from the North."

I promptly reply. "Cleared hot."

"Rocket. Rocket." Lightning 1-1 replies.

Bryn and I, having VIP seatings, watch as an F-1 Phantom dives down from the North, its engines burning bright before unleashing a salvo of air-to-ground rockets on the unsuspecting Loyalists. The enemies have little to no time to react when the rockets start raining down on them in an explosive line. The warheads created big and bright explosions almost mesmerizingly. From our vantage point, we see that the main gate is basically a foregone conclusion, nearly everything around it is decimated. Trenches are unearthed while watchtowers are collapsing. Bodies lay everywhere as the survivors struggled to regain their bearing. Before the remainder of the Warehouse can react, the last F-1 Phantom starts its rocket run. Instead of raining Hell on the already broken main gate, Lightning 1-2 unleashes his weapon on the trenches that form a defensive perimeter around the main gate. While the damage is not as localized as Lightning 1-1, 1-2 does soften up a wider area for the 1st ABCT to capitalize upon.

I have no idea how many rockets the two Phantoms used, but the damage is pretty darn intensive. Even Bryn has to quirk an eyebrow in obvious appreciation. As expected of my Valkyrie, finding enjoyment in the marvelous aspect of Destruction.

After the attack, Lightning 1-1 reports. "Egressing South, climbing to Angel 3."

"Roger." I reply with a noticeable smirk on my lips.

I immediately start performing battle damage assessment. Honestly, the Warehouse's main gate is pretty much unrecognizable with debris, bodies, and destroyed trucks and emplacements everywhere in the vicinity. By this point, the Loyalists have sounded the alarm, and the 1st ABCT is charging at their enemy while I am doing my task.

I tell the Phantom pilots. "Lightning 1-1, Overseer 1, one Infantry Platoon fully destroyed. Standby for further tasking."

"Overseer 1, Lightning 1-1, one Infantry Platoon destroyed. Standing by for further tasking at CP Hotel. Out."

I let out a small smile, turning at Bryn. "Well, I have to say, being a JTAC is really a different kind of fun. Usually, we're the ones doing the flying instead of air controlling."

Bryn smiles, winking at me before returning to scan the Warehouse. "It's also more exhilarating, in a way, knowing that all you need is some precise instructions, and then, in the blink of an eye, your enemy is gone. The shockwave, the heat, the sheer intensity... This is truly an unforgettable experience."

I chuckle. "I know, right? But enough chit-chat. Let's direct Lightning to hit more targets. This time, let's bomb the Loyalist tanks."

"While you're doing that," Bryn says. "I will be paying attention to our forces, just in case they run into an ambush and require immediate support."

"I will count on you to do that then, dearie Bryn." I smile before focusing on JTAC duty.

The night is still long, after all.

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