OPERATION RED STAR - AFTER ACTION REPORT
PREPARED BY: SFC Shaojie Zhang
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
- 1x Sectoid, 4x Mutons, 10x Floaters, 6x Thin Men
o Friendly Forces
- SFC Shaojie "Chilong" Zhang (China)
- SGT Wushun "Tu-Tu" Zhu (China)
- SGT Lara "Athena" Jordan (Australia)
- SGT Clarisse "Interrogator" Poncelet (Belgium)
- CPL Maurice "Nitro" Vos (Netherlands)
- CPL Kelly "Luna" Meirelles (Brazil)
- CPL Meixing "Yuan Gui" Wong (China) - KIA
- PFC Sivert Harstad (Norway)
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Aswan, Egypt, 28 JUL 2016 @ 0726 hrs, IOT extract a scientist with possibly useful research.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
The Mission Alert came in at 0515 hrs. The squad was assembled and ready to roll by 0533. We made contact with Dr. Marazuki by 0726, and prepared to escort him back to the Skyranger when Central came across comms and alerted us to incoming hostiles.
I directed Wong into the next room to try to get eyes on our flanks, and she caught sight of a mixed pod of X-Rays. Myself and Meirelles moved to support, backed by Jordan and Poncelet while the rest of the squad took up positions near the other entrances to the observatory, closest to the LZ. Before we could get into proper position, the Muton fired through the window and killed Wong instantly.
Meirelles moved immediately into the room where Wong was killed, and took the Muton down with a blast from her shotgun. Vos and Harstad opened the door to reveal a trio of floaters and another Muton moving into cover positions between the observatory and the LZ. Luckily, one of them took cover inside of the room that Tu-Tu was covering, so he kicked open the door and shot the Muton, nearly killing it. Vos took a shot at the nearby floater, critically wounding it as well. Poncelet threw a smoke grenade to cover Zhu; The Muton was still dangerous, even wounded. Harstad fired a rocket at the Floaters further back, but only managed to injure them slightly.
The X-Rays, meanwhile, continued to advance, including one Floater who rocketed up to come down on our rear. Before it could draw a bead on our flanked troopers, I dove through the window and shot it point blank. Meirelles, still stationed at the window, took out a Sectoid as it approached. Vos eliminated one of the Floaters that Harstad had damaged, and Zhu came under fire as he drew his pistol to finish off the Muton he'd injured, but the smoke seemed to do its job, and he was unharmed. Jordan joined Meirelles at the window, and took a shot at a nearby Floater as it took a shot at Meirelles, managing to throw off its aim, but not kill it.
I caught the sound of movement on the rooftop, so I directed someone to try to get up there and investigate. Jordan responded that she saw a ladder up, but the Floater was covering the window. She and Meirelles took shots at it, finally taking it down. Vos and Harstad combined fires on one of the remaining Floaters, and eliminated it at the same time. This seemed to set the X-Rays off, as several more Floaters jetted into the cover of the distant panel van. Meirelles took this momentary calm to charge out, and climb the ladder, her shotgun raised to shoot. However, once on the rooftop, she reported negative contact. Then we waited for the aliens to move in.
When the X-Rays moved, they moved fast. We took several shots, but only Zhu and I managed to wing one Floater. Meirelles finally spotted a Thin Man on the rooftop, and move in for the kill. Vos and Harstad continued their double-team, and took down another Floater. Jordan, moving to support Meirelles on the roof, took a shot of opportunity and finished off the injured Floater. Then even more Floaters and Mutons charged into view, quickly scattering to cover positions.
Realizing we were in a target rich environment, Harstad threw his launcher up on his shoulder, and launched another HE Rocket into their midst. One was killed in the blast, and their cover was completely destroyed. Vos followed up on the Muton before it could recover and blew it away. Poncelet, inside with Zhu, popped the door and took a shot at a Floater, knocking it out of the sky. Jordan, moved back into ground cover, took some potshots at one of the remaining Floaters, while everyone else repositioned and reloaded.
Most of the X-Rays, disoriented by the blast, withdrew out of range, but two Thin Men charged forward, both focusing fire on Poncelet, injuring her. She returned the favor with a grenade that appeared to do minimal damage. Vos managed to catch and eliminate one of the withdrawing Floaters before it was out of range. Zhu moved up to support Poncelet, throwing a Flashbang into the panel van. Meirelles, Jordan and I moved up to the forward edge of the roof to provide overwatch for the rest of the squad below.
The X-Rays focused fire on Zhu and Poncelet, but the flashbang had done its work, and they both escaped injury before Zhu returned fire, resulting in a dead Thin Man. I took out the remaining Thin Man and Muton that were plaguing Zhu and Poncelet from my rooftop vantage. Poncelet moved forward to cover Meirelles' advance to the fore.
When a single Floater returned to the fray, Zhu ensured it didn't survive to regret its decision. Meanwhile, Meirelles, having moved to the front, provided first aid to Poncelet. With no immediate resistance, the squad advanced carefully, clearing the way for Dr. Marazuki to move to the LZ. Suddenly, Central broke in with a report of incoming hostiles, at the same moment that Poncelet, Harstad and Jordan reported contact to our rear, and fired. The single Thin Man never had a chance as he was vaporized by three lasers at once. We advanced slowly, weapons at the ready, when another Thin Man came into sight from the rooftop to our rear. Vos designated it, and I shot it down so the rest of the squad could continue their advance; With Marazuki in the open, we could afford to keep still.
The squad continued to advance until the LZ was fully covered; We could see the pilot revving the engines through the back hatch. When Central reported movement on our left flank, we repositioned, with Meirelles moving to the roof, where she was able to lock a Thin Man down and injure it. Then I directed Dr. Marazuki to make for the Skyranger, while the rest of the squad moved to eliminate the remaining hostiles. Poncelet and Jordan moved to support Meirelles on the roof, as she barely avoided return fire from the Thin Man. Jordan was able to catch the Thin Man as he withdrew to cover, and that was the end for him.
A cursory inspection discovered no further resistance, so we returned to the Skyranger to bring the VIP home.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
- Fire team structure
- Clear enemy cover with explosives
o Improve:
- Move carefully into the unknown
- Withdraw into more secure cover when in doubt
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
OPERATION BURNING CROWN - AFTER ACTION REPORT (25 JUL 2016 @ 0605)
OPERATION BURNING CROWN - AFTER ACTION REPORT
PREPARED BY: LT Jared Houston
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
- 6x Chryssalids, 1x Cyberdisc, 1x Drone, 4x Seekers, 3x Thin Men
o Friendly Forces
- LT Jared "Mercury" Houston (United States)
- SSG Spencer "Leo" Donohue (United States)
- SSG Ana Lucia "Mustang" Mardones (Ecuador)
- SGT Jade "Mineral" Colman (United Kingdom)
- SGT Lieselott "Maschine" Faber (Germany)
- SGT Sylas "Fawkes" Maillet (Canada)
- SGT Jirina "Stiletto" Markusova (Czech Republic)
- SPC Osazenomwan Olufunke (Nigeria)
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Ogmobosho, Nigeria, 25 JUL 2016 @ 0605 hrs, IOT combat Alien Terror Attack.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
The Mission Alert came in at 0420 hrs. The squad was assembled and ready to roll by 0437, with boots down in Nigeria by 0827 hrs. The site was completely destroyed by the time we arrived, but we found what cover we could as the first pod of Chryssalids came into view. Stiletto was the first to fire, managing to injure one of them, with Olu taking a shot immediately after, injuring a second. Donohue flashbanged the pod, which caused them to pause briefly in disorientation, allowing Fawkes and myself to maneuver and kill two of them. The last one, showing more self-preservation than we've previously seen from the bugs, fled into the line of fire from Mineral and Maschine, who put it down. Only seconds later, another pod of 'Lids charged Mustang. She let loose several hasty shots, but only managed to slow them down slightly, injuring one as she withdrew.
Olu followed up with a Rocket which seriously injured the pod, leaving Fawkes to bomb them into oblivion with an AP grenade. When there was no more immediate resistance, we advanced to locate civilians to evacuate. Stiletto made contact with a single drone, but did not manage to do more than graze it. This brought the Cyberdisc into the open, where it started to focus fire on her. The rest of the squad took shots at the Seeker that swooped over the wall, hitting it with several shots, but failing to stop it before it wrapped Markusova up. Faber didn't let that stick too long; She put the Seeker down from the back almost as soon as it got to Stiletto.
Markusova didn't rest long; Despite just having been choked by the Seeker, she drew her pistol and designated the Cyberdisc for Mineral. Unfortunately, it managed to jink aside as she cut loose with her cannon, completely avoiding damage. The rest of the squad, lacking a clean shot, held in place and waited for a target. Meanwhile, we could hear the X-Rays continue to make civilian casualties.
Colman took a second before firing another burst, and managed to nail the Disc head on, while Stiletto eliminated the Drone before it could move forward to support the Disc. Instead of advancing, the Disc continued to focus it's fire on Stiletto, who thankfully avoided it, and spanged a few pistol rounds off of it, which didn't seem to help the rest of the squad. Fortunately, Olu had been taking careful aim with his rocket, and managed an air-burst which badly damaged its armor, without seeming to slow it down any. Finally, Mustang took it down with a shotgun blast, freeing the squad to move.
Our line of advance didn't reveal any more X-Rays, but Fawkes did manage to direct two civilians back to the Skyranger, before I decided we needed to flex to the right. As soon as we redirected, A pod of Seekers jetted out from behind the ruins of the building. I managed to take the first down with a reaction shot, while Fawkes ran up and lobbed an AP grenade, damaging one and killing another. Leo took a few shots and managed to finish off the damaged Seeker before it could close further.
When Fawkes move to the left flank, he spooked three Thin Men into cover, though his HE grenade blew one of them out of cover before it had properly made it. Stiletto, waiting for a clean shot, finished the Thin Man off before it could recover. I moved up and managed to wing another as it peeked out from cover. When it tried to advance, Olu, from his elevated position, finished it off. Leo and Mineral managed to eliminate the last one as it tried a desperate charge into range.
We scouted the rest of the ruined district, but we managed to find no more civilian survivors. The only thing I was thankful for is that we didn't have to deal with any survivors that had been caught by Chryssalids. We evacuated the two survivors, and returned to HQ.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
o Friendly Forces
- LT Jared "Mercury" Houston (United States)
- SSG Spencer "Leo" Donohue (United States)
- SSG Ana Lucia "Mustang" Mardones (Ecuador)
- SGT Jade "Mineral" Colman (United Kingdom)
- SGT Lieselott "Maschine" Faber (Germany)
- SGT Sylas "Fawkes" Maillet (Canada)
- SGT Jirina "Stiletto" Markusova (Czech Republic)
- SPC Osazenomwan Olufunke (Nigeria)
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Ogmobosho, Nigeria, 25 JUL 2016 @ 0605 hrs, IOT combat Alien Terror Attack.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
The Mission Alert came in at 0420 hrs. The squad was assembled and ready to roll by 0437, with boots down in Nigeria by 0827 hrs. The site was completely destroyed by the time we arrived, but we found what cover we could as the first pod of Chryssalids came into view. Stiletto was the first to fire, managing to injure one of them, with Olu taking a shot immediately after, injuring a second. Donohue flashbanged the pod, which caused them to pause briefly in disorientation, allowing Fawkes and myself to maneuver and kill two of them. The last one, showing more self-preservation than we've previously seen from the bugs, fled into the line of fire from Mineral and Maschine, who put it down. Only seconds later, another pod of 'Lids charged Mustang. She let loose several hasty shots, but only managed to slow them down slightly, injuring one as she withdrew.
Olu followed up with a Rocket which seriously injured the pod, leaving Fawkes to bomb them into oblivion with an AP grenade. When there was no more immediate resistance, we advanced to locate civilians to evacuate. Stiletto made contact with a single drone, but did not manage to do more than graze it. This brought the Cyberdisc into the open, where it started to focus fire on her. The rest of the squad took shots at the Seeker that swooped over the wall, hitting it with several shots, but failing to stop it before it wrapped Markusova up. Faber didn't let that stick too long; She put the Seeker down from the back almost as soon as it got to Stiletto.
Markusova didn't rest long; Despite just having been choked by the Seeker, she drew her pistol and designated the Cyberdisc for Mineral. Unfortunately, it managed to jink aside as she cut loose with her cannon, completely avoiding damage. The rest of the squad, lacking a clean shot, held in place and waited for a target. Meanwhile, we could hear the X-Rays continue to make civilian casualties.
Colman took a second before firing another burst, and managed to nail the Disc head on, while Stiletto eliminated the Drone before it could move forward to support the Disc. Instead of advancing, the Disc continued to focus it's fire on Stiletto, who thankfully avoided it, and spanged a few pistol rounds off of it, which didn't seem to help the rest of the squad. Fortunately, Olu had been taking careful aim with his rocket, and managed an air-burst which badly damaged its armor, without seeming to slow it down any. Finally, Mustang took it down with a shotgun blast, freeing the squad to move.
Our line of advance didn't reveal any more X-Rays, but Fawkes did manage to direct two civilians back to the Skyranger, before I decided we needed to flex to the right. As soon as we redirected, A pod of Seekers jetted out from behind the ruins of the building. I managed to take the first down with a reaction shot, while Fawkes ran up and lobbed an AP grenade, damaging one and killing another. Leo took a few shots and managed to finish off the damaged Seeker before it could close further.
When Fawkes move to the left flank, he spooked three Thin Men into cover, though his HE grenade blew one of them out of cover before it had properly made it. Stiletto, waiting for a clean shot, finished the Thin Man off before it could recover. I moved up and managed to wing another as it peeked out from cover. When it tried to advance, Olu, from his elevated position, finished it off. Leo and Mineral managed to eliminate the last one as it tried a desperate charge into range.
We scouted the rest of the ruined district, but we managed to find no more civilian survivors. The only thing I was thankful for is that we didn't have to deal with any survivors that had been caught by Chryssalids. We evacuated the two survivors, and returned to HQ.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
- Use of Cover and Terrain
- Explosives to control the fight
o Improve:
o Improve:
- Faster OPTEMPO could have saved lives
- Pre-Combat Checks on Equipment
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
OPERATION BROKEN CALM - AFTER ACTION REPORT (24 JUL 2016 @ 1254)
OPERATION BROKEN CALM - AFTER ACTION REPORT
PREPARED BY: LT Naomi Bowden
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
- 5x Sectoids, 2x Seekers
o Friendly Forces
- LT Naomi "Artemis" Bowden (United Kingdom)
- SGT Leigh "Beacon" Fahey (United States)
- CPL Beatrice "Preacher" Rydberg (Sweden)
- CPL Rainhard "Ogre" Horn (Austria)
- SPC Jermaine Glynn (United States)
- SPC Qutuz Safar (United Arab Emirates)
- SPC Joosef Hintikka (Finland)
- PFC Kaseem Quadri (Indonesia)
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Marseille, France, 08 JUL 2016 @ 2301 hrs, IOT assist CO Markusova in protecting the transmission of EXALT Data to XCOM HQ.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
We received the Mission Alert at 1229 hrs. The squad was assembled in the Skyranger by 1244, and we touched down in Arizona at 1254 hrs. We expected it to be blazing hot, based on the intel reports, but the sky was incredibly overcast, though it wasn't yet raining. It was still uncomfortably warm however, and it didn't take long to be drenched in sweat.
There was scant cover near the LZ, so I advanced my squad the best I could, and was able to get everyone to some sort of cover before Hintikka made contact with a pod of Sectoids. Glynn was able to zap one, which forced them to keep their heads down while the squad moved into killing formation and took two of them down, leaving the third to flee.
Hintikka advanced again, taking cover in front of a semi-truck, and spotted a pair of Seekers, which immediately advanced, snaking through the air and dodging our initial fire. From the back, Glynn managed to line up a shot and knocked one of the squiddies out of the sky. Hintikka drew his pistol and designated the second, lighting it up for Rydberg to blow to hell.
Our next bound forward revealed a live canister of meld. With no contact, I ordered Hintikka and Safar forward to keep eyes on it as the rest of the squad moved into position. Just then, we heard movement off to our right flank, and a pair of Sectoids came into sight, just as the Sectoid we'd scared off earlier came back, presumably to secure the meld before we reached it. Safar and I took reaction shots at the sectoids on our flank, managing to kill one.
PFC Quadri moved under cover and claimed the meld, spotting another in the distance, then lobbed an AP grenade at the Sectoid to his front, wounding it. Rydberg was perfectly positioned to eliminate the Sectoid on our right flank, and took the shot, putting it down for the count. Horn attempted to blow the Sectoid to our front out of cover, but his rocket went slightly astray. I drew a bead on the Sectoid, but ordered Beacon forward, holding my shot in reserve. She was able to finish off the X-Ray, after which point, we met with no further hostilities. We also managed to recover the second Meld canister, just before the rain started.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
- High Operational Tempo
- Multiple shooter coverage
o Improve:
- Better Skyranger recon
- Calibrate weapon sights prior to mission
PREPARED BY: LT Naomi Bowden
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
- 5x Sectoids, 2x Seekers
o Friendly Forces
- LT Naomi "Artemis" Bowden (United Kingdom)
- SGT Leigh "Beacon" Fahey (United States)
- CPL Beatrice "Preacher" Rydberg (Sweden)
- CPL Rainhard "Ogre" Horn (Austria)
- SPC Jermaine Glynn (United States)
- SPC Qutuz Safar (United Arab Emirates)
- SPC Joosef Hintikka (Finland)
- PFC Kaseem Quadri (Indonesia)
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Marseille, France, 08 JUL 2016 @ 2301 hrs, IOT assist CO Markusova in protecting the transmission of EXALT Data to XCOM HQ.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
We received the Mission Alert at 1229 hrs. The squad was assembled in the Skyranger by 1244, and we touched down in Arizona at 1254 hrs. We expected it to be blazing hot, based on the intel reports, but the sky was incredibly overcast, though it wasn't yet raining. It was still uncomfortably warm however, and it didn't take long to be drenched in sweat.
There was scant cover near the LZ, so I advanced my squad the best I could, and was able to get everyone to some sort of cover before Hintikka made contact with a pod of Sectoids. Glynn was able to zap one, which forced them to keep their heads down while the squad moved into killing formation and took two of them down, leaving the third to flee.
Hintikka advanced again, taking cover in front of a semi-truck, and spotted a pair of Seekers, which immediately advanced, snaking through the air and dodging our initial fire. From the back, Glynn managed to line up a shot and knocked one of the squiddies out of the sky. Hintikka drew his pistol and designated the second, lighting it up for Rydberg to blow to hell.
Our next bound forward revealed a live canister of meld. With no contact, I ordered Hintikka and Safar forward to keep eyes on it as the rest of the squad moved into position. Just then, we heard movement off to our right flank, and a pair of Sectoids came into sight, just as the Sectoid we'd scared off earlier came back, presumably to secure the meld before we reached it. Safar and I took reaction shots at the sectoids on our flank, managing to kill one.
PFC Quadri moved under cover and claimed the meld, spotting another in the distance, then lobbed an AP grenade at the Sectoid to his front, wounding it. Rydberg was perfectly positioned to eliminate the Sectoid on our right flank, and took the shot, putting it down for the count. Horn attempted to blow the Sectoid to our front out of cover, but his rocket went slightly astray. I drew a bead on the Sectoid, but ordered Beacon forward, holding my shot in reserve. She was able to finish off the X-Ray, after which point, we met with no further hostilities. We also managed to recover the second Meld canister, just before the rain started.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
- High Operational Tempo
- Multiple shooter coverage
o Improve:
- Better Skyranger recon
- Calibrate weapon sights prior to mission
Friday, September 11, 2015
Gratitude (24 JUL 2016)
Constance woke slowly, as though rising from the lightless deeps of the ocean. The first thing she consciously noticed was how bright it was through her closed eyelids, and even through the fogginess of the drugs they were pumping into her system, she ached. The second thing she was conscious of was of the fingers wrapped loosely around her left hand. Groggily she pondered this, considered opening her eyes to see whose hand it was, but in the end it was too much trouble, and she slipped down once more into the darkness.
When she woke again later, the light seemed less intense, and her eyelids flickered open. It took several long seconds for her eyes to focus on the sterile ceiling above her, though the steady beeping from somewhere nearby still seemed to echo weirdly through the haze of anesthetics. After several more moments, Constance remembered how to move, and she gently squeezed the fingers that still grasped hers, before turning her head to look at the owner.
She was unsurprised to see Oskar's bed pushed close, his hand stretched out to grasp hers. He was asleep, his face relaxed artlessly, and his whole torso still swathed in a mass of bandages from his injuries of a month ago. She smiled gently, though even that bit of movement set off twinges; How long had she been out? For everything to feel this stiff, it was probably several days at least. She heard a quiet shuffle, and turned her head the other way to see a medic approaching her.
"Sergeant 1st Class Makhandule," said the medical officer as he approached. "You're finally awake." His address caused her to lift an eyebrow; She must have been promoted while she was under sedation. "How do you feel?" Constance considered the question before answering, idly noting the name tag that read "Medical Officer 3rd Class Lentz" on his chest.
"Sore, stiff," she replied after a minute. "Alive." It was the medic's turn to raise an eyebrow at her reply, and she smiled. She was alive. That was what counted. In the end, that was almost the only thing that mattered. "What happened? My memories are hazy right now."
"Well, the laser went straight through your chest, burned through a lung; Luckily it cauterized the wound, or you probably wouldn't have made it," his smile faded as he described her injuries. "It was touch and go, but we've managed to patch the lung as best as we're able; The rest will be on your body's ability to recuperate." He paused and looked at the chart that he'd picked up from the foot of her bed. "The flak from the rocket explosion was more problematic. It opened an artery on your cheek, and completely tore up your chest and abdomen. The blood loss, aggravated by your continued activity, was extreme, and there will be extensive scarring." Medical Officer Lentz's face was grave as he delivered the news, and Constance winced at the matter-of-fact description of the damage.
"Thank you," she said, and once again his eyes widened in surprise.
"Thank you?" he repeated uncertainly. "Why are you thanking me?"
"Thank you for being honest with me," she answered. "Thank you, and the rest of the medical staff, for my life."
"I expected you to be considerably more upset by the news," he admitted frankly. "Most troopers aren't happy to hear that they will carry extensive scarring for the rest of their lives, especially on their faces."
"I'm not happy either," she replied with that same serenity. "But what will getting angry do about it? Will it heal the scars? Will it bring back my lung capacity?" She shook her head, and smiled again, realizing now why it hurt to do so.
"Well, it might help with the lung capacity," he said with a fleeting smile, "though I'd refrain from yelling at medical staff until the mesh is fully healed." He shook his head, and returned the clipboard to its hook on the foot of her bed. "That's a surprisingly healthy outlook."
"When you have seen what I have seen," Constance explained, "you have a few choices before you. You can let it break you, you can let anger define you, or you can accept that there is evil in the world, strive to change what you can change, and be grateful for the good things that come your way." She paused to formulate her thoughts before continuing. "Today, I am alive. There are others who cannot say so. So I am grateful for what I have."
Before the medic could respond, the fingers wrapped loosely around hers twitched, and she heard Oskar stirring. She gave the medic a brief smile before turning to watch Oskar as he woke. His eyes opened, and she saw the startlingly blue-green eyes focus on her face, and he smiled sleepily. He was pale after a month in medbay, but all in all, he was looking good. Medics said he had another month at least, but she had a feeling he'd be up and about before they knew it.
"Connie," he said, his voice scratchy from his slumber. She wrinkled her nose, bringing another twinge of pain, then smiled. She hated the nickname really, but from Oskar, it wasn't so bad. He laced his fingers within hers, and scanned her face intently. She could see the small winces as he took in the bandaging on her cheek, and as his eyes trailed down her neck to the full cast that encased her chest, but he said nothing else for a moment.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked quietly.
"Nein," he replied. "Not really. Couldn't, until I knew you were okay." they laid quietly, their hands intertwined, for several minutes, with just the quiet hum of the machinery and the beeping of the monitors. Oskar finally broke the silence. "I thought I might lose you, when they brought you in. You... flatlined three times."
"It seems the medical staff earned their pay," she murmured back, gripping his hand tightly. "I'm still here." Bits and pieces of the mission were coming back; It had gone well, all things considered, but she knew she'd be out of action for a while. The very real concern she saw in Oskar's eyes told her just how close permanent retirement had been. "Besides," she continued, smiling though it ached, "I had to make it back. I couldn't let you have all the fun."
When she woke again later, the light seemed less intense, and her eyelids flickered open. It took several long seconds for her eyes to focus on the sterile ceiling above her, though the steady beeping from somewhere nearby still seemed to echo weirdly through the haze of anesthetics. After several more moments, Constance remembered how to move, and she gently squeezed the fingers that still grasped hers, before turning her head to look at the owner.
She was unsurprised to see Oskar's bed pushed close, his hand stretched out to grasp hers. He was asleep, his face relaxed artlessly, and his whole torso still swathed in a mass of bandages from his injuries of a month ago. She smiled gently, though even that bit of movement set off twinges; How long had she been out? For everything to feel this stiff, it was probably several days at least. She heard a quiet shuffle, and turned her head the other way to see a medic approaching her.
"Sergeant 1st Class Makhandule," said the medical officer as he approached. "You're finally awake." His address caused her to lift an eyebrow; She must have been promoted while she was under sedation. "How do you feel?" Constance considered the question before answering, idly noting the name tag that read "Medical Officer 3rd Class Lentz" on his chest.
"Sore, stiff," she replied after a minute. "Alive." It was the medic's turn to raise an eyebrow at her reply, and she smiled. She was alive. That was what counted. In the end, that was almost the only thing that mattered. "What happened? My memories are hazy right now."
"Well, the laser went straight through your chest, burned through a lung; Luckily it cauterized the wound, or you probably wouldn't have made it," his smile faded as he described her injuries. "It was touch and go, but we've managed to patch the lung as best as we're able; The rest will be on your body's ability to recuperate." He paused and looked at the chart that he'd picked up from the foot of her bed. "The flak from the rocket explosion was more problematic. It opened an artery on your cheek, and completely tore up your chest and abdomen. The blood loss, aggravated by your continued activity, was extreme, and there will be extensive scarring." Medical Officer Lentz's face was grave as he delivered the news, and Constance winced at the matter-of-fact description of the damage.
"Thank you," she said, and once again his eyes widened in surprise.
"Thank you?" he repeated uncertainly. "Why are you thanking me?"
"Thank you for being honest with me," she answered. "Thank you, and the rest of the medical staff, for my life."
"I expected you to be considerably more upset by the news," he admitted frankly. "Most troopers aren't happy to hear that they will carry extensive scarring for the rest of their lives, especially on their faces."
"I'm not happy either," she replied with that same serenity. "But what will getting angry do about it? Will it heal the scars? Will it bring back my lung capacity?" She shook her head, and smiled again, realizing now why it hurt to do so.
"Well, it might help with the lung capacity," he said with a fleeting smile, "though I'd refrain from yelling at medical staff until the mesh is fully healed." He shook his head, and returned the clipboard to its hook on the foot of her bed. "That's a surprisingly healthy outlook."
"When you have seen what I have seen," Constance explained, "you have a few choices before you. You can let it break you, you can let anger define you, or you can accept that there is evil in the world, strive to change what you can change, and be grateful for the good things that come your way." She paused to formulate her thoughts before continuing. "Today, I am alive. There are others who cannot say so. So I am grateful for what I have."
Before the medic could respond, the fingers wrapped loosely around hers twitched, and she heard Oskar stirring. She gave the medic a brief smile before turning to watch Oskar as he woke. His eyes opened, and she saw the startlingly blue-green eyes focus on her face, and he smiled sleepily. He was pale after a month in medbay, but all in all, he was looking good. Medics said he had another month at least, but she had a feeling he'd be up and about before they knew it.
"Connie," he said, his voice scratchy from his slumber. She wrinkled her nose, bringing another twinge of pain, then smiled. She hated the nickname really, but from Oskar, it wasn't so bad. He laced his fingers within hers, and scanned her face intently. She could see the small winces as he took in the bandaging on her cheek, and as his eyes trailed down her neck to the full cast that encased her chest, but he said nothing else for a moment.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked quietly.
"Nein," he replied. "Not really. Couldn't, until I knew you were okay." they laid quietly, their hands intertwined, for several minutes, with just the quiet hum of the machinery and the beeping of the monitors. Oskar finally broke the silence. "I thought I might lose you, when they brought you in. You... flatlined three times."
"It seems the medical staff earned their pay," she murmured back, gripping his hand tightly. "I'm still here." Bits and pieces of the mission were coming back; It had gone well, all things considered, but she knew she'd be out of action for a while. The very real concern she saw in Oskar's eyes told her just how close permanent retirement had been. "Besides," she continued, smiling though it ached, "I had to make it back. I couldn't let you have all the fun."
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
OPERATION PATIENT THUNDER - AFTER ACTION REPORT (21 JUL 2016 @ 0826)
OPERATION PATIENT THUNDER - AFTER ACTION REPORT
PREPARED BY: SSG Constance Makhandule
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
- 16x EXALT Agents
o Friendly Forces
- SSG Constance "Deadbolt" Makhandule (South Africa)
- SSG Shousei "Lightning" Daiwa (Japan)
- SGT Wushun "Tu-Tu" Zhu (China)
- CPL Anant "Rooftop" Dhalon (Pakistan)
o Covert Operative
- SPC Edward Dudek (Poland)
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Argentina, 21 JUL 2016 @ 0826 hrs, IOT extract CO Dudek with EXALT Data.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
We received the Mission Alert at 0655 hrs. The Skyranger was wheels up by 0714, and we touched ground at 0826 hrs in a trainyard in Argentina. We made contact with CO Dudek, who notified us that he needed to hack two more transponders before he was complete, but that EXALT had already moved into the area. I directed him to flex around the edges of the trainyard, and meet up with us, so that we could attack from the same direction.
As he moved toward us, we moved toward him, and spotted the first EXALT agent. Daiwa, in concealment took a shot and crippled him, leaving him vulnerable for me to finish off. When Dhalon advanced, he spotted another, and was able to put Zhu on target to take him down. When another pair of EXALT came into view from the trainyard interior, Zhu was able to put one of them down as well. When I advanced to get a better angle, I was spotted by a few other EXALT, who scattered to cover, leaving myself fairly exposed. To eliminate the biggest threat, Dhalon charged in and took him down. The remaining EXALT, caught off guard by our advanced, took one shot at Dhalon and pulled back to regroup.
One of them was foolish enough to take cover in a direct line from SGT Zhu, who ensured he'd never learn from the mistake. SSG Daiwa moved forward to the nearest transponder, drawing fire from a pair of EXALT, which cleared Dhalon to advanced and take down the sniper across the flatbed car, and me to move up and injure the other agent. He was still able to take a shot at Dhalon, but he reported no injury. I then advanced to nearby cover, but did not account for the sniper in the rear; I felt the bullet pass through my chest, and I had to crawl into cover.
Zhu and Daiwa reported black ammo, and Daiwa withdrew to reload, which left Dhalon to cover the center. he advanced and eliminated the injured EXALT, remaining in cover to hopefully dissuade any further advance. Dudek also linked up with us, and hunkered in cover near me, asking if I was good to continue the fight. Somehow, knowing I was injured, the EXALT fired on my position, but I avoided further injury hunkered by the cargo crate.
Daiwa and Zhu, reloaded, advanced to provide cover. I attempted to eliminate the two who had Dudek and myself pinned down with a rocket, but when the launcher kicked against my shoulder, I nearly dropped it, and the rocket went wide. Dhalon went after the sniper remaining on the right flank, taking a hit in the armor as he charged. Unfortunately, he only managed to wound him, when the sniper threw himself to the ground. Meanwhile, the EXALT on the left side continued to focus fire on my position.
Then I felt the heat as Zhu took a long shot directly over my head, through the train car, and eliminated the EXALT agent furthest back on the right side. Then Dudek rushed forward, disabled the transponder and shot the EXALT rocketeer at close range. Daiwa took this opportunity to meet me and provide first aid for my wounds. Feeling somewhat better, I took a shot and winged the wounded rocketeer. The EXALT withdrew, disoriented by the comms outage from the disabled transponder, as heavy reinforcements came in from an EXALT chopper.
Dhalon finally managed to catch the sniper in the open and put him down, clearing our right flank for now, and opening the path for Dudek to move to the second transponder, once the overwatching reinforcements were taken care of. In the meanwhile, he finished off the rocketeer he'd wounded. I took another shot at where the reinforcements were positioned on top of the train car with a Shredder Rocket. At the same time, Daiwa moved into the open to draw their fire, allowing CO Dudek to get clear and move toward the second transponder, before dropping back into cover.
As Dudek continued toward the second transponder, Dhalon did a scoot-and-shoot, throwing himself into the train car where one of the EXALT had taken cover, putting him down decisively. Daiwa moved onto the top of the train car to take a look, and spotted the other EXALT agent, eliminating him before he could get a shot off. Then Dudek reported that the second transponder was down, and we started to move back toward the LZ.
That was when I heard a warning beep from my rocket pack. I pulled a Shredder rocket and realized it had been damaged when I took that hit, and was about to detonate. I flung it as far as I could, but wasn't able to get completely out of range before it detonated, peppering me with flak. Only the painkillers from the medkit kept me upright.
Then EXALT reinforcements came in from our front, and rear flank. Zhu was able to take down one immediately, while Daiwa killed another. I ordered Dudek to get the data onto the Skyranger, and tried to get the squad back too, but we found ourselves surrounded on all sides. They started firing at me and Dhalon, pinning us down. I managed to make it to the Skyranger ramp, but was still in the open while the rest of the squad maneuvered in. I did not expect to survive.
The rest of the squad moved in as quickly and safely as they could, except for Dhalon, who opted for cover by superior firepower, shooting down the EXALT agent who tried to get into his way as he made a beeline for the LZ. I can only credit God that the sniper who had me pinned did not manage to hit me as they moved in. I also credit Daiwa, as he reached the LZ, for not giving the sniper another chance. I fired my last rocket at the remaining target, managing to catch him in the blast, though he was still moving. Then Zhu and Dhalon made it in, and I was unceremoniously scooped up and carried into the Skyranger before I passed out and woke in medbay.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
- Coordinated movement and fires
- Maintaining appropriate OPTEMPO
o Improve:
- Manage ammunition better
- Trust cover over divine intervention
PREPARED BY: SSG Constance Makhandule
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
- 16x EXALT Agents
o Friendly Forces
- SSG Constance "Deadbolt" Makhandule (South Africa)
- SSG Shousei "Lightning" Daiwa (Japan)
- SGT Wushun "Tu-Tu" Zhu (China)
- CPL Anant "Rooftop" Dhalon (Pakistan)
o Covert Operative
- SPC Edward Dudek (Poland)
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Argentina, 21 JUL 2016 @ 0826 hrs, IOT extract CO Dudek with EXALT Data.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
We received the Mission Alert at 0655 hrs. The Skyranger was wheels up by 0714, and we touched ground at 0826 hrs in a trainyard in Argentina. We made contact with CO Dudek, who notified us that he needed to hack two more transponders before he was complete, but that EXALT had already moved into the area. I directed him to flex around the edges of the trainyard, and meet up with us, so that we could attack from the same direction.
As he moved toward us, we moved toward him, and spotted the first EXALT agent. Daiwa, in concealment took a shot and crippled him, leaving him vulnerable for me to finish off. When Dhalon advanced, he spotted another, and was able to put Zhu on target to take him down. When another pair of EXALT came into view from the trainyard interior, Zhu was able to put one of them down as well. When I advanced to get a better angle, I was spotted by a few other EXALT, who scattered to cover, leaving myself fairly exposed. To eliminate the biggest threat, Dhalon charged in and took him down. The remaining EXALT, caught off guard by our advanced, took one shot at Dhalon and pulled back to regroup.
One of them was foolish enough to take cover in a direct line from SGT Zhu, who ensured he'd never learn from the mistake. SSG Daiwa moved forward to the nearest transponder, drawing fire from a pair of EXALT, which cleared Dhalon to advanced and take down the sniper across the flatbed car, and me to move up and injure the other agent. He was still able to take a shot at Dhalon, but he reported no injury. I then advanced to nearby cover, but did not account for the sniper in the rear; I felt the bullet pass through my chest, and I had to crawl into cover.
Zhu and Daiwa reported black ammo, and Daiwa withdrew to reload, which left Dhalon to cover the center. he advanced and eliminated the injured EXALT, remaining in cover to hopefully dissuade any further advance. Dudek also linked up with us, and hunkered in cover near me, asking if I was good to continue the fight. Somehow, knowing I was injured, the EXALT fired on my position, but I avoided further injury hunkered by the cargo crate.
Daiwa and Zhu, reloaded, advanced to provide cover. I attempted to eliminate the two who had Dudek and myself pinned down with a rocket, but when the launcher kicked against my shoulder, I nearly dropped it, and the rocket went wide. Dhalon went after the sniper remaining on the right flank, taking a hit in the armor as he charged. Unfortunately, he only managed to wound him, when the sniper threw himself to the ground. Meanwhile, the EXALT on the left side continued to focus fire on my position.
Then I felt the heat as Zhu took a long shot directly over my head, through the train car, and eliminated the EXALT agent furthest back on the right side. Then Dudek rushed forward, disabled the transponder and shot the EXALT rocketeer at close range. Daiwa took this opportunity to meet me and provide first aid for my wounds. Feeling somewhat better, I took a shot and winged the wounded rocketeer. The EXALT withdrew, disoriented by the comms outage from the disabled transponder, as heavy reinforcements came in from an EXALT chopper.
Dhalon finally managed to catch the sniper in the open and put him down, clearing our right flank for now, and opening the path for Dudek to move to the second transponder, once the overwatching reinforcements were taken care of. In the meanwhile, he finished off the rocketeer he'd wounded. I took another shot at where the reinforcements were positioned on top of the train car with a Shredder Rocket. At the same time, Daiwa moved into the open to draw their fire, allowing CO Dudek to get clear and move toward the second transponder, before dropping back into cover.
As Dudek continued toward the second transponder, Dhalon did a scoot-and-shoot, throwing himself into the train car where one of the EXALT had taken cover, putting him down decisively. Daiwa moved onto the top of the train car to take a look, and spotted the other EXALT agent, eliminating him before he could get a shot off. Then Dudek reported that the second transponder was down, and we started to move back toward the LZ.
That was when I heard a warning beep from my rocket pack. I pulled a Shredder rocket and realized it had been damaged when I took that hit, and was about to detonate. I flung it as far as I could, but wasn't able to get completely out of range before it detonated, peppering me with flak. Only the painkillers from the medkit kept me upright.
Then EXALT reinforcements came in from our front, and rear flank. Zhu was able to take down one immediately, while Daiwa killed another. I ordered Dudek to get the data onto the Skyranger, and tried to get the squad back too, but we found ourselves surrounded on all sides. They started firing at me and Dhalon, pinning us down. I managed to make it to the Skyranger ramp, but was still in the open while the rest of the squad maneuvered in. I did not expect to survive.
The rest of the squad moved in as quickly and safely as they could, except for Dhalon, who opted for cover by superior firepower, shooting down the EXALT agent who tried to get into his way as he made a beeline for the LZ. I can only credit God that the sniper who had me pinned did not manage to hit me as they moved in. I also credit Daiwa, as he reached the LZ, for not giving the sniper another chance. I fired my last rocket at the remaining target, managing to catch him in the blast, though he was still moving. Then Zhu and Dhalon made it in, and I was unceremoniously scooped up and carried into the Skyranger before I passed out and woke in medbay.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
- Coordinated movement and fires
- Maintaining appropriate OPTEMPO
o Improve:
- Manage ammunition better
- Trust cover over divine intervention
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
OPERATION LOST KING - AFTER ACTION REPORT (08 JUL 2016 @ 2301)
OPERATION LOST KING - AFTER ACTION REPORT
PREPARED BY: LT Naomi Bowden
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
-
o Friendly Forces
- LT Naomi "Artemis" Bowden (United Kingdom)
- SSG Shousei "Lightning" Daiwa (Japan)
- SGT Spencer "Leo" Donohue (United States)
- SGT Jade "Mineral" Colman (United Kingdom)
- SGT Leigh "Beacon" Fahey (United States)
- CPL Wushun "Tu-Tu" Zhu (China)
- CPL Sylas "Fawkes" Maillet (Canada)
- PFC Osazenomwan Olufunke (Nigeria)
o Covert Operative
- CPL Jirina "Stiletto" Markusova
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Marseille, France, 08 JUL 2016 @ 2301 hrs, IOT assist CO Markusova in protecting the transmission of EXALT Data to XCOM HQ.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
We received the Mission Alert at 2115 hrs. The squad was assembled in the Skyranger by 2129, and we touched down in France at 2301 hrs. Despite this being a Covert Op, the damage to the police station made it obvious that the alien occupation was not going easy on the country. We made contact with the operative, and staged our advance toward the Encoder while Stiletto, our Operative, moved to hack a nearby transponder.
We heard a helicopter as we entered the room where the Encoder was, but it was Lightning who first put eyes on the enemy; Two EXALT agents behind the building. They scattered to cover when they spotted Fawkes moving into the building. Meanwhile, Tu-Tu and I took up flanking positions at the front of the station lobby. Then Maillet fragged the EXALT and blew their cover away, opening them up for Leo and Lightning to eliminate two of them, while Fahey, dashing in from the back severely wounded the third and flushing him out, where she finished him off with a second blast. Meanwhile, CO Markusova finished hacking the transponder, disrupting EXALT communications.
One EXALT agent advanced too aggressively and took a shotgun blast from Beacon, and a followup from Fawkes put him down. On our side, I moved into the room and spotted an enemy through the back door, then ordered Zhu to take him out. Once that was done, I had Markusova join us on our side, as there was another transponder nearby. Then the EXALT made their move. The first to advance on the main squad was tagged, but not killed, by Leo. I snapped a shot through the backdoor when I saw movement, and managed to take down an enemy.
Then we heard the chopper moving in, as Central alerted us to heavy EXALT reinforcements to our rear and flank. Markusova dodged through the enemy lines of fire to hack the nearby transponder, and cripple the EXALT agent nearby with a point-blank shot from her laser pistol. We're unsure of why this seems to disrupt their ability to fight so thoroughly, but it saved lives just then. Zhu then took down the rocketeer to his immediate rear, and I eliminated the other with a couple of shots, leaving only the critically injured agent near the transponder.
Maillet, back on the right flank, lobbed a grenade at the advancing EXALT, killing both of them as they got close. Another pair of agents charged recklessly in. The first managed to dodge several shots before Mineral tore him to shreds, and the other ate the business end of Beacon's shotgun. Not content with one kill, she runs forward as Leo covers her with smoke, flanks and puts down another agent. On our left, Lightning comes to join us and finishes off the wounded EXALT, as Stiletto eliminates another reinforcement with her laser pistol.
The EXALT continue to show a reckless disregard for their own lives, rushing toward the Encoder. Fahey manages to wound two with snap shots from her shotgun as they close on her. Once again, we hear the chopper dropping reinforcements on the right flank. Zhu spots one of the new agents, and drops him before he can even get his bearing. Olufunke unlimbers his rocket, and yells at Fahey to get clear. She darts forward, rolling under reactive fire, and blows her attacker away, just as Olu's rocket splashes down and kills the two agents that Fahey had previously wounded.
At this point, we did not immediately meet any further resistance, though Central had reported more agents entering the AO. The squad searched around the building, including tossing out a Scanner, but initially found nothing. We were about to report negative contact, when an EXALT rocketeer dashed out of the shadows behind a large delivery truck, followed by another agent, both managing to avoid the startled reactive fire from Colman and Maillet. Maillet followed up with his last grenade, injuring them and blowing the rest of the wall. Fahey and Colman then finished off the shell-shocked and exposed agents.
A final sweep through the area revealed no further hostiles.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
- Split squad into fire teams
- Explosive shaping of the battlefield
o Improve:
- Never assume your rear is clear
- Judicious use of Scanners can shorten a long engagement
PREPARED BY: LT Naomi Bowden
SITUATION
o Enemy Forces:
-
o Friendly Forces
- LT Naomi "Artemis" Bowden (United Kingdom)
- SSG Shousei "Lightning" Daiwa (Japan)
- SGT Spencer "Leo" Donohue (United States)
- SGT Jade "Mineral" Colman (United Kingdom)
- SGT Leigh "Beacon" Fahey (United States)
- CPL Wushun "Tu-Tu" Zhu (China)
- CPL Sylas "Fawkes" Maillet (Canada)
- PFC Osazenomwan Olufunke (Nigeria)
o Covert Operative
- CPL Jirina "Stiletto" Markusova
MISSION
o Strike Team deploys to Marseille, France, 08 JUL 2016 @ 2301 hrs, IOT assist CO Markusova in protecting the transmission of EXALT Data to XCOM HQ.
EXECUTION NARRATIVE
We received the Mission Alert at 2115 hrs. The squad was assembled in the Skyranger by 2129, and we touched down in France at 2301 hrs. Despite this being a Covert Op, the damage to the police station made it obvious that the alien occupation was not going easy on the country. We made contact with the operative, and staged our advance toward the Encoder while Stiletto, our Operative, moved to hack a nearby transponder.
We heard a helicopter as we entered the room where the Encoder was, but it was Lightning who first put eyes on the enemy; Two EXALT agents behind the building. They scattered to cover when they spotted Fawkes moving into the building. Meanwhile, Tu-Tu and I took up flanking positions at the front of the station lobby. Then Maillet fragged the EXALT and blew their cover away, opening them up for Leo and Lightning to eliminate two of them, while Fahey, dashing in from the back severely wounded the third and flushing him out, where she finished him off with a second blast. Meanwhile, CO Markusova finished hacking the transponder, disrupting EXALT communications.
One EXALT agent advanced too aggressively and took a shotgun blast from Beacon, and a followup from Fawkes put him down. On our side, I moved into the room and spotted an enemy through the back door, then ordered Zhu to take him out. Once that was done, I had Markusova join us on our side, as there was another transponder nearby. Then the EXALT made their move. The first to advance on the main squad was tagged, but not killed, by Leo. I snapped a shot through the backdoor when I saw movement, and managed to take down an enemy.
Then we heard the chopper moving in, as Central alerted us to heavy EXALT reinforcements to our rear and flank. Markusova dodged through the enemy lines of fire to hack the nearby transponder, and cripple the EXALT agent nearby with a point-blank shot from her laser pistol. We're unsure of why this seems to disrupt their ability to fight so thoroughly, but it saved lives just then. Zhu then took down the rocketeer to his immediate rear, and I eliminated the other with a couple of shots, leaving only the critically injured agent near the transponder.
Maillet, back on the right flank, lobbed a grenade at the advancing EXALT, killing both of them as they got close. Another pair of agents charged recklessly in. The first managed to dodge several shots before Mineral tore him to shreds, and the other ate the business end of Beacon's shotgun. Not content with one kill, she runs forward as Leo covers her with smoke, flanks and puts down another agent. On our left, Lightning comes to join us and finishes off the wounded EXALT, as Stiletto eliminates another reinforcement with her laser pistol.
The EXALT continue to show a reckless disregard for their own lives, rushing toward the Encoder. Fahey manages to wound two with snap shots from her shotgun as they close on her. Once again, we hear the chopper dropping reinforcements on the right flank. Zhu spots one of the new agents, and drops him before he can even get his bearing. Olufunke unlimbers his rocket, and yells at Fahey to get clear. She darts forward, rolling under reactive fire, and blows her attacker away, just as Olu's rocket splashes down and kills the two agents that Fahey had previously wounded.
At this point, we did not immediately meet any further resistance, though Central had reported more agents entering the AO. The squad searched around the building, including tossing out a Scanner, but initially found nothing. We were about to report negative contact, when an EXALT rocketeer dashed out of the shadows behind a large delivery truck, followed by another agent, both managing to avoid the startled reactive fire from Colman and Maillet. Maillet followed up with his last grenade, injuring them and blowing the rest of the wall. Fahey and Colman then finished off the shell-shocked and exposed agents.
A final sweep through the area revealed no further hostiles.
LESSONS LEARNED
o Sustain:
- Split squad into fire teams
- Explosive shaping of the battlefield
o Improve:
- Never assume your rear is clear
- Judicious use of Scanners can shorten a long engagement
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