"To Space Command, my Minutemen recon teams had discovered the enemy was trying to establish an eastern containment, splitting my teams from Salva. I relayed this information to Major General Taylor Webster (4th ID), who authorized the 1st LBCT to launch a counterattack against the enemy.
The operation launched at 1400 Zulu at three points. Three battalions (one 5th Rangers) confronted the Verliance Aristocracy Order (similar to the size of a Brigade), with one in reserve. Most of the fighting had been in northern sections of the forest, with the south seeing little resistance up to this point.
The 5th Rangers could dislodge the enemy forces from their fortifications from the river. However, they could not force the enemy into a route. They reformed their positions at their secondary lines, stopping our advance. The 5th Rangers and 4th Ivy Battalion are coordinating against these fortifications, attempting to dislodge them; however, they have been resistant. The effectiveness of artillery has been limited so far. Without a proper method to coordinate close artillery support without Military Grid References Systems/Maps (MGRS) and limited networking range for digital marking, we have been forced to use unguided bombardment tactics before making a ground assault, giving the enemy time to recover in between.
We have been mitigating the MGRS issue with drones with limited success. However, the enemy figured out that tactic and began prioritizing neutralizing them. Our boots on the ground have reported that they have removed two Seekers constructs (similar to our drones) that also provided artillery adjustments.
While the attack was a success, gaining much-needed breathing room around Salva and preventing the enemy counterattack on the City-State, it seemed we had exhausted our advance for the time being. The enemy Order that we faced had received a sizeable reinforcement. I spoke with Maj. Gen Webster on the manner and we both agreed that our focus should switch from taking the Iriskia from the enemy to keeping the enemy at bay until our situation around Salva stabilizes – causing as much distraction and destruction as possible." – Colonel William Hackett, Minutemen
March, 12th, 2068 (Military Calendar)
The forgotten tunnel, Yuplenia Mountain Range Verliance Aristocracy
Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore
*****
Sergeant Benjamin Ford stared at the mountain tunnel entrance from a vantage point. From this angle, he could see that a landslide covered a third of the entrance—the rest, foliage overgrowth. There were what remained of stone pillars and eroded statues that could barely be made out.
The overall point, if it was not for the Farian woman directing then, it would have been easy to miss the tunnel entrance without realizing it.
"Are we going into that?" Ford asked.
"I got a bad feeling about this," Higgins said.
Sergeant Bruno Barrios turned to the airman and said, "What was your first impression? A dark, spooky tunnel that no one had been in for a thousand years?"
"I am pretty sure this is how every horror story starts," Wallace added.
"What?" Ar'lya sat on the hood, legs crossed, leaning back, confused by what the Americans said. "I showed you the tunnel, and there it is."
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Ad Astra - The Alagore War
FantasyIn 2068, the United States was moving toward a second frontier era, a second Manifest Destiny across the solar system. Then, one day, thanks to a strange alien signal, they discovered a hidden facility on Mars. The signal was transmitted through a d...
