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Istrenyan Crisis: Difference between revisions
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Teremba was the key entryway to Lokokeja. Taking the town would allow for use of its wharf, rail junction between the coastal rail line and the mountain rail line, as well as access to Highway 1 - which ran the length of Istrenya to Karaba. The Norham Light Infantry encircled the town, and with fire support from the Craigfearn Fusiliers, managed to seize key objectives by June 17th, even with rebels in the city putting up stiff resistance. Within the town, parts of two Liberation Battalions, including the headquarters from the 1st Battalion, were destroyed due to combined mortar fire and the Combat Controller Section from the Arcer Air Force attached to 2nd Battalion, Norham Light Infantry coordinated with the Royal Arcerion Naval Air Service, coordinating air strikes and close air suppor to the infantry as the conducted the tough job of deliberate clearance in Teremba. | Teremba was the key entryway to Lokokeja. Taking the town would allow for use of its wharf, rail junction between the coastal rail line and the mountain rail line, as well as access to Highway 1 - which ran the length of Istrenya to Karaba. The Norham Light Infantry encircled the town, and with fire support from the Craigfearn Fusiliers, managed to seize key objectives by June 17th, even with rebels in the city putting up stiff resistance. Within the town, parts of two Liberation Battalions, including the headquarters from the 1st Battalion, were destroyed due to combined mortar fire and the Combat Controller Section from the Arcer Air Force attached to 2nd Battalion, Norham Light Infantry coordinated with the Royal Arcerion Naval Air Service, coordinating air strikes and close air suppor to the infantry as the conducted the tough job of deliberate clearance in Teremba. | ||
Despite a successful seizure of the town, and the now limited ability to Liberation forces to defend Lokokeja, there was a significant amount of | Despite a successful seizure of the town, and the now limited ability to Liberation forces to defend Lokokeja, there was a significant amount of damage to the civilian infrastructure, including the local electrical stations which had been destroyed by Arcer mortar fire. Then commander of the Norham Light Infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Iain Gonnegal remarked on the performance of the Istrenyan National Guard, "..at times we spent more staff hours and effort try to deconflict the armed rabble that we had fighting alongside us, than fighting the communists in the town." | ||
==== Battle at M'kelo Airport ==== | |||
7 Rifle Brigade after two months of patrolling and fighting with the fifth and sixth Liberation Battalions through the Southern Mountains of Istrenya had arrived at their objective, and began to engage Communist forces at M'kelo Airport, which was the largest civilian air freight airstrip in Istrenya. McAdams was determined to seize it for the Joint Task Force, as the ability to do so would allow them to stage fighters deep within Istrenya, as well as allow for a forward medical facility as 7 Rifle Brigade's deep drive into the Istrenyan foothills had meant evacuating their wounded had become more and more difficult. | |||
The opening engagement saw a significant action by the Royal Easthampton Borderers on the morning of July 22nd, although both 1st and 2nd Battalions were damaged and unable to fully seize their objectives due to a high volume of recoilless rifle and machinegun fire. 3rd Battalion of the Borderers, accompanied by two companies from the Royal Moorden Regiment and utilising a significant number of sorties from the Navy. Combat Controllers from No. 61 Squadron called in sixty-four sorties for close air support, which until then the largest single-day volume of strikes called for by ground forces in a single battle. | |||
After sixteen hours of fighting, around midnight the 5th Liberation Battalion began to withdraw slowly, leaving behind the shattered remains of the 6th Liberation Battalion to screen their retreat. On the morning of July 23rd, 8 Rifle Brigade took the airport in full. A follow-on air assault took place within the next 36 hours, and during the daylight hours on July 24th, 11 Parachute Brigade inserted onto the airfield to assist with the counter-offensive. | |||
=== Stabilisation and Withdrawal === | === Stabilisation and Withdrawal === | ||
8 rifle and 11 para link up and relieve Iraso | 8 rifle and 11 para link up and relieve Iraso | ||
opsns find Tytosh and kill him in Sofrine | opsns find Tytosh and kill him in Sofrine | ||
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==== Arcer Embassy Closure ==== | ==== Arcer Embassy Closure ==== | ||
diplo scandal and withdraw | diplo scandal and withdraw | ||
== OPSNS Involvement == | |||
== Aftermath == | == Aftermath == | ||
[[Category:Arcerion]] | [[Category:Arcerion]] | ||