The Space Liberators

Chapter 22: Boots on the Ground

After the battle with the Germanican defense fleet; Admiral Smith's fleet bursts through the clouds only to see his allies starting their amphibious assault against the Germanican defenses; Admiral Smith now began his amphibious assault, "FORM LINE A STERN, TARGET THE COASTAL DEFENSES, PREPARE THE TROOPS FOR THE AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT, ALSO I WANT THE AIR FORCE TO START BOMBING THOSE DEFENSES" ordered Admiral Smith; the guns of Admiral Smith's fleet sung into action targeting the Germanican defenses, while the aircraft carriers HMS Eagle, Courageous, and Indefatigable launched the Ironcomet Fighter Bomber; The army began their preparations for the amphibious assault, General McFarrison was briefing his platoon on the planned assault "IN JUST A FEW MINUTES WE WILL BE EMBARKING ON OUR BIGGEST MISSION YET, TODAY WE BEGIN THE CHARGE OF FREEDOM AND LIBERATE THE PEOPLE OF ZATOR AND IT BEGINS WITH OUR AMPHIBIOUS LANDING ON THE BEACHES OF MOLICIOUS, ONCE WE'VE HIT THE SAND WE BEGIN TO TAKE OUT THE COASTAL GUNS THAT THREATENS OUR NAVAL BROTHERS AND SISTERS AFTER THAT WE CHARGE TOWARDS THEIR ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSES WHEN WE TAKE THEM OUT OUR AIRCRAFT WE HAVE A SAFE PASSAGE INTO THE CITY ITSELF AND WE COULD USE THEM AGAINST THE ENEMY, THAT'S OUR FIRST PHASE; OUR SECOND PHASE WILL BE TO TAKE THE CITY ITSELF, IN ORDER FOR THIS TO BE A SUCCESS WE SHALL DO A PINCER MOVEMENT, ONE HALF OF THE PLATOON WILL FLANK THE ENEMY ON LEFT AND THE OTHER HALF WILL FLANK TOWARDS THE RIGHT EACH HALF WILL BE SUPPORTED BY TWO ARMOUR DIVISIONS WITH THIS PLAN WE'LL BE ABLE TO CUT OFF THE GERMANICAN'S FROM THEIR SUPPLIES, THIS WOULD CAUSE THEM TO CAPITULATE AND SURRENDER; BUT FOR NOW WE FOCUS ON PHASE ONE... DISMISSED!"; McFarrison's platoon got into the landing craft and waited for the order to begin the amphibious assault.

Meanwhile on board HMS Liberator, "GUNS ARE LOADED AND READY TO FIRE" shouted Katie Safire; Admiral Smith gazed upon the Germanican defenses, he looks at his watch; it read 1515 hours, he put his watch back into his uniform... "OPEN FIRE" he shouted "GIVE THE ORDER, BEGIN THE AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT"; the naval guns erupted, the coastal bombardment began. Meanwhile the landing craft began their perilous journey towards the beach, while aircraft flew past to begin their attacks against the Germanican defenses; the aircraft hurled their bombs towards the defensive guns; explosions erupted from the coastal guns just as the landing craft hit the beaches; "CHARGE!" shouted General McFarrison as his platoon poured out of the landing craft and charged, towards the Germanican fortifications, his regiment (Royal Oxfordshire Regiment) progressed through the Germanican defense trenches with ease and infiltrated to Germanican coastal guns, knocking them out; meanwhile Admiral Smith saw the coastal guns being destroyed, he then ordered "Deploy the armour"; landing craft carrying tanks, mobile artillery; and tank destroyers charged towards the beach.

Meanwhile General McFarrison's battalion continued their advance deeper into Germanican lines; catching up to Boudiccas' forces; General McFarrison initiated phase two of his plan, with the support tanks just arriving at his position the general quickly briefed his platoon on the second phase; "NOW THAT WE HAVE CLEARED OUT THE GERMANICAN DEFENSES ON THE BEACH WE CAN NOW FOCUS ON PHASE TWO; THE PINCER MOVEMENT, NOW SINCE WE HAVE OUR SUPPORT ARMOUR WE CAN NOW HAVE TWO HALVES OF THE PLATOON FLANK AND BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT OF THE CITY, HOPEFULLY CUTTING THEIR SUPPLY LINES AND ALSO BLOCKING OFF THEIR ESCAPE; ONCE WE'RE IN POSITION WE SHALL CHARGE TOWARDS THE CENTRE OF THE CITY, WHILST WE MAKE OUR WAY TO THE CENTRE MAKE SURE TO KEEP A WATCH OUT FOR ANY SNIPERS AND DESTROY ANY FORM OF SNIPER POSITION... DISSMISSED" General McFarrison's platoon begins their second phase.