Weekend War Report #2 (5/15-17)

Publisher: CX-X Canik
May 15th, 2020

Editor's Note:

     Hello everyone, and thank you for reading our second Official War Report! This past weekend we started our Stend IV Campaign, involving foes such as the nefarious CIS and the criminal masterminds of the Black Suns Crime Syndicate. We experimented with our article this week, including some forms of commentary, and tampering with how we write our articles. Feel free, as always, to let us know what looks good and what doesn't. Being our second week of the War Correspondent program going live, we still have a lot of kinks to work out, but are working hard to provide you with content related to what you all have been doing in game during the campaign.

 Our next goal is to provide you with more color in these articles in the form of in-game screen shots. For the sake of content, if you have cool screen shots taken in game during these Operations and FTXs, feel free to submit them in #news-open on the discord, or via PM to myself (CX-X Canik). We also would like to showcase a short and sweet recap video created by CM Target! He has agreed to join us in the News Team in order to further these videos that can be published in tandem with our War Cor Recap Articles. Keep an eye out for them!

Fortunate Sun

501st Platoon Operations

For Week of 5/15-17

Introduction

    A world clouded in darkness, the landscape of Stend IV is dominated by primarily swamplands and trees for as far as the eye can see. Its lands, shrouded under the canopy of trees and cloud cover conceal one of the galaxy’s foulest worlds. The Republic’s own 501st would find themselves descending upon the breeding grounds for the greatest scum the Republic has ever seen, the Black Sun syndicate. Join us as we delve in to the first reports to come straight from the front, as our troopers dig through the filth littered forests and crime-ridden cities. Their foes, more Man than machine, would be pitted against the Republic’s finest. Only the gifts of strength and courage bestowed upon them by the training they’ve endured over the years will allow the Legion to triumph today.

Operation “Isengard”

Avalanche Co. 1st Platoon

   Keeping the waves of Confederate machinery at bay was the main concern of the Legion’s troopers, but keeping order throughout the galaxy was the Republic’s concern. Their warriors turned peacekeepers would need to meet both the generals and senators halfway. The full might of Avalanche Company would descend upon the harsh features of Stend IV. With 1st Platoon at the vanguard, and Lieutenant Point at the helm. The Company’s spearhead would make landfall just short of their first point of interest, “Cougar”. Before this however, the area would need to be cleansed, and Point knew just the Detachment.

    The initial volley of blistering energy made its way in brilliant streaks across the night sky. Searing energy bore holes through the dense fog and the hillsides were devastated. Trees and smaller plants alike faced annihilation, being uprooted from their resting places as glowing rock deformed into craters. Mynock’s bombardment was incessant, and the fire they rained seemed unending. Just as the roar of their guns had begun to die down, the whine of engines began to pick up. Taking advantage of the blitz provided by Mynock’s batteries, 1st Platoon’s ‘Shock and Awe’ operation was well underway. From here on out, it would fall upon the shoulders of 1st Flight, of the Razor Squadron to shuttle the Legion’s men to their landing zone.

    Crimson strands of plasma hurled past the noses of their craft as the assault transports drew closer to their drop sites. Glancing hits and close calls forced the pilot’s hand, and the area was deemed fit for an additional fire mission. The gunships made way for another shelling, which left nothing in its wake. Stend IV’s garrison would be at the mercy of their guns, and just for a moment, the planet seemed to buckle under the intensive shelling. Finally, a second pass was authorized and the platoon’s fight through the jungle could begin.

    Skirmishing broke out amongst the squads from the onset of their assault, the Black Suns were hired killers who fought for their warlords, they were well equipped and had maintained a strong grip on their sectors of galactic space for ages. However while the gangsters fought for their leaders out of fear, our infantrymen fought for something greater than them, they fought for the Republic. As both alien and clone fell victim to bolts of plasma cast across the forest floor, it became clear rather quickly that Point intended to hold his ground. 3rd and 4th Squad made their stand at Landing Zone Shakira, refusing to falter under the mercenary’s attack. Sergeants Shape and Jupiter rallied the two squads under the dire conditions, and pressed onward.

    Stolen Republic guns found themselves being turned on their rightful users, and the 1st found themselves under an intensive bombardment yet again. Every proton bomb and mortar at the Black Sun’s disposal was slung down-range towards the Republic’s vanguard, leaving them no choice but to advance. The battle for Point Cougar left countless dead or wounded, yet the Republic had come out on top of the mercenaries. With Point Cougar under their control, the entirety of 1st began their advance to Point Jaguar. They trekked past the worst that Stend IV had to offer, the jungles offered many advantageous spots for the Black Suns to interfere with squad formations, and interfere they did.

    Durasteel-tipped MAAWS rounds greeted the weary platoon, accompanied by a hearty count of Confederate air support. The Independent Systems made their involvement clear, sending an assortment of support to the Black Suns aid. The 1st found its footing quickly and the platoon’s squads sprung into action, fanning out across the treeline as they hit Point Jaguar. Fog-filled skies were burnt away by the scarlet lances of energy shooting out from every dugout and bunker the Black Suns could cram their men into. Vibrant lavender-lit torpedoes sunk their way into squad formations, testing the platoon’s resolve to press their attack. The garrison at Jaguar soon followed suit as the defenders of Point Cougar. The position was overtaken by Avalanche’s spearhead, which brought their forces to bear down on their third and final task, Point Boa.

    A rifleman’s bane, the tracked monsters known by all for their endurance, tanks. Confederate armor plowed through the underbrush surrounding Boa. Their approach was picked up far before they rolled into view, yet rose-colored bolts from their cannons were still the first to make contact with the platoon. Plasma-scorched trunks were all that the Platoon could rally behind, the volume of fire suppressing all of the infantrymen before the Separatist Scorpions. Sergeant Jupiter motioned for his rocketmen, flagging a few down and sending them off to the armored section’s flanks. Guided munitions sailed past the platoon, finding purchase on the hull plating of the Confederate tanks. Detonations rang out across the jungle and the blaster fire died down yet again, replaced by the crooked whirring of broken-down machinery.

    With the Black Suns’ last trick played, Point and the 1st crept out onto Point Boa, seemingly uncontested. The fighting came to a close, and not a single trooper had fallen in the final attack. The platoon shored up a defensive line and dug in for the long week ahead of them, signalling the end of Operation “Isengard”.

Operation “Gone Fishing”

Avalanche Co. 2nd Platoon

   Pitted against the galaxy’s lowest, Pompano and the 2nd would undertake the long and arduous process of rooting out and destroying the mercenaries, starting at the stem. Flanked on three sides by waterways and a forested hillside that dominated its northern face, Objective Gharial housed the Black Suns’ base of operations on Stend IV. Ample defensive positions and vulnerable supplies provided the 2nd Platoon with a prime target, which they were swift to pick up on. As daylight broke out over the horizon, the Republic’s gunships kissed the clouds and descended upon the unsuspecting Confederate mercenaries.

    The area surrounding landing zone “Yellowfin” was hardly contested, with stiff branches putting up more resistance than Separatist defenders which were absent at the time and nowhere to be seen. Without a welcoming party ready for the 2nd, their squads hastily closed the distance between them and the walls of Gharial. 1st and 2nd Squad wasted no time moving through the dense jungle that overlooked the Black Suns’ base. Not a single soul caught wind of their approach, and they would keep it that way until they settled into well-selected overwatch positions. Despite the 1st and 2nd Squad’s success in navigating around hostile patrols, 3rd and 4th would be the first to spring the Black Suns’ trap. Like a wolf into the lion’s jaws, the unsuspecting mercenary patrol that came to bear down on the infantrymen were well-received by ionized bolts of energy. Cobalt beams found their targets in the early morning, leaving bodies in the wake of 3rd and 4th Squad.  With the bandits laid to rest in their trail, the two squads made haste towards their designated areas. The fight that had played out before them, unbeknownst to them, would provide the Confederacy with enough time to lay a trap to ensnare 1st and 2nd Squad. 

    With dawn well underway, Stend IV was brought into full light before Pompano and his men. An uneasy period of downtime went by before the platoon was ready for the next step in their plan. Though as soon as 2nd Platoon’s command staff began drafting up the next set of plans, the Separatists made their move. Sapphire stained streaks of energy snaked their way towards the platoon. Blasterfire riddled the two elements from all sides, keeping them firmly in place with nowhere to run. To make matters worse, the ambush was given enough time to coordinate with an artillery battery in the area. With their pieces sighted on Avalanche’s position, velvet-encased proton rounds were sent down-range. Shells hurled past the tree canopy and found themselves burrowing craters into the vicinity of 2nd Platoon’s position. Confederate battle droids pounced on the suppressed infantrymen, rapidly closing the already thinning gap between them and Pompano’s HQ Element. The unrelenting attack showed no signs of letting up, putting the Sergeant Major and his men in increasing danger of being routed. But as disaster seemed to crest the horizon, a new light outshined it. The Platoon’s Krayt liaison, Korvus, was present throughout the fight. The stars seemed to align in the moment for him, and when the situation grew dire there was no other option left for him but to fight. With a burning tenacity he drew fire from every corner of the jungle, laying waste to any artificial soldier he encountered. Waves of azure-tinted energy ebbed and flowed across the many fields of fire that his Z6 Rotary Gun could reach. The distraction bought the 2nd much-needed time, and they were quick to capitalize on the trooper’s efforts. The Platoon’s command element was able to mount a successful retreat, accepting that the odds were stacked against them unless they could devise a better plan. The Platoon seemingly vanished back into the underbrush, as both sides went about licking their wounds.

    With a rallied platoon at its back, HQ ordered a full advance on an enemy held town to the north. Harassed by heavy engagements, 2-2 was masscassed into submission. However, in the chaos, the 2nd platoon dutifully noted the relocation of Civilian and high value targets out of the operation area. Fighting tooth and nail, street by street, 2nd platoon eventually was able to rally and bring the Black Suns’ base into its control.. It was then however, that the mercenaries and their Confederate advisors threw an underhanded blow at the Republic. Employing one of their own troop carriers in a low-level raid to wreak havoc throughout Avalanche’s positions. Once the raid had been extinguished, and the casualties had been resolved, an intercommunicator from 2nd Platoon got a hold of a gunship via his radio. A few lines of clarification later and the troop carrier was blown off the face of Stend IV by assault transports from Razor’s 2nd Flight.

    With Objective Gharial secured, and the Black Suns’ main operating base under the new management of the 501st Legion, 2nd Platoon’s task was complete. The already battered defensive positions were once again manned by a new set of defenders, and the garrison looked onwards at a neighboring Confederate forward operating base. The Independent Systems had made their presence clear on Stend IV, and the base’s heavy fortifications were all but clear indicators of a siege that would take place during the inevitable assault. For now though, they simply looked on, and thought of the wars to come.

Operation “Kingfisher”

Avalanche Co. 3rd Platoon

   In order for the risky assault on Stend IV to be successful, the Company would have to do some tidy work around their Operating Base. The Black Suns had made a point of deploying stolen Republic assets against Avalanche, and Lieutenant Andromeda would be tasked with overseeing the end of these tricks. With Andromeda at 3rd Platoon’s helm, the many squads comprising the 3rd were sent barreling southward from their forward base towards possible Black Suns strongholds. The safeguarding of the Republic’s forward base on Stend IV was of the utmost importance to the planetary campaign. Its garrison was capable of projecting the Legion’s power over a vast stretch of land in every direction, proving itself a vital asset to the 501st’s own Hailstorm Battalion.

    By mid-day, the Lieutenant and his teams were making great headway into the jungles surrounding the forward base. Huge swaths of forest were carefully sweeped by large maneuver teams. The forest seemed to crawl to a standstill, the 3rd drew closer to their first point of interest, “Bobcat”. As the Lieutenant crept his forces along the northern face of Point Bobcat their objective came into full view. 3rd Platoon’s command staff were swift in tasking their elements, and within minutes the platoon shifted to meet the mercenaries head-on. Corporals Muzzer and Twine of 1st and 2nd Squad respectively, would take charge of teams skirting along the western face of the objective. With Twine and 2nd Squad at Muzzer’s back, the element ebbed closer to Point Bobcat. Flanking the objective from its opposite side, 3rd and 4th Squad shored up fighting positions in preparation for a two pronged assault, the perimeter of Point Bobcat almost entirely enveloped in Republic lines at this point. Finally, the Republic made their move, and the forests surrounding Point Bobcat lit up with a blinding assault from both its flanks. Just when 3rd Platoon began to close the distance to the enemy garrison, a new foe came into their sights to oppose them.

    Offworlders and hired contractors blitzed the unsuspecting platoon. The absence of battle droids dealt a crippling blow to the infantrymen, who were not well accustomed to combat with organics. Casualties began to mount, and the unfamiliar feeling of distress began to set in. Emerald and sapphire bolts of energy dotted the Republic positions, lumbering trees splintered and broke away at the sheer force of the mercenaries’ assault. The body count started to climb, but the platoon dug itself in and strengthened their resolve, unwavering in light of the new challenge. The scenes blurred together, and alien bodies were piled high well before the fight began to come to a close. Finally at the battle’s end, Point Bobcat had successfully been wrangled under 3rd Platoon’s control. Andromeda wasted no time, organizing the next advance across one of Stend IV’s many rivers. If the platoon’s sweep of the neighboring sectors was to be successful, the 3rd would need to stage a successful river crossing. 

    On the final leg of their push, Sergeant Major Drammon mustered an element of 3rd Platoon, leading an attack on the Platoon’s next objective, Point “Milk”. Their advance was met with barely any resistance, and their teams made short work of the defenders present. Sporadic contact throughout the lowlands began to die out, and Point Milk was under Avalanche’s control. With their spirits high, and their success leaving dozens of hired guns dead in the mud, Point “Caiman” was the next and final task at hand for Andromeda and his men. The lieutenant took advantage of dividing his force yet again, pressing a two-pronged attack on the flanks of the Black Suns-held objective. Kaminoan-bred warriors descended from the east and west, encircling the backworld criminals. A familiar drone of starship engines buzzed the platoon, and the disc-shaped troop carriers of the Confederacy came into full-view. The droid gunships were not to be trifled with, yet their reputation would suffer a blow today. Guided munitions sailed skywards, leaving thick plumes of smoke as they burrowed into Separatist machinery. Rocketeers made quick work of the remaining transports, and the gunships careened towards the ground. The platoon left nothing but heaps of scrapped Separatist property behind them, charred droids marking where the Independent Systems faltered, and the Republic triumphed. In addition to 3rd’s pincer move, Clone Intercommunicators signalled for an additional fire mission from the Mynock section present at the time. Artillery snaked its way through the clouds and uprooted the defenders at Point Caiman. Tossing both man and machine from their fighting positions. When the smoke had cleared, a derelict objective was all that remained, with the area under the Republic’s control. The 3rd mustered their squads by Caiman, and let out a well needed sigh of relief.

Operation “Blood Trail”

Avalanche Co. 4th Platoon

   Bursting into the atmosphere, the (Acclamator name here) came forth over the planet of Stend IV. The forward momentum thrusters easing to a dull rumble, silence came about the open deck of the Acclimator, clearing the way for Sergeant Major Drifter to relay the mission objectives given to 4th Platoon. Razor pilots scrambled to their LAATs, making final checks with the Petty Officers of the Warden Detachment to ensure all of the aircraft were fully operational. Shortly after the briefing ends, the squads hastily reach their assigned LAATs, boarding and making final mental preparations for the battle that is to ensue.

“Razor, Tower. You are cleared to depart downwind. Safe Flight.”

    The growing whine of the Republic’s assault transports precursored the jolt as they lifted from the ground and moved to formation. The troopers of 4th Platoon braced themselves for the impulse. During the flight to the ground, a strange tune about a fortunate one played over the intercoms of the LAATs, pumping the spirits of 4th Platoon. With a jolt, the aircraft landed on the surface, and the tunes dimmed, the intercom coming to life. “Dismount! Dismount!” Disembarking, the squads each formed a security detail encircling the craft until it departed, tasked with their own objectives. The dust cleared from the landing zone, and so began Phase 1 of the Operation.

“1st Squad, 2nd Squad, move out!”

    The jungle’s varying density made maneuvering difficult, but the first two squads of 4th Platoon moved anyway. Encountering a few B1 and Spec Op droids, they were eventually able to stage and begin the assault onto their first objective, POI Cheetah. Cheetah was a fortified outpost, its defenses consisting of trenches and barricades in a futile attempt to provide adequate cover against the mighty 4th. Occupying the outpost were a mix of B1s, B2 Super Battledroids, Droidekas, and Dwarf Spider Droids. “Lerooooooooooy! Jeeeeeenkiiiiiins!” shouted one of the troopers, who almost immediately fell to the blaster fire of the machines that were not programmed to appreciate such ancient jokes from an era long in the past. Smoke began to fill the air as the Dwarf Spider Droids were destroyed one by one. Despite the enemy popping up from the tall grass, shotgun blasters firing away, and the heavy fight from the droids whose intent was to not give the mighty 4th their outpost, 1st and 2nd squad were eventually able to secure the area. The CIS engaged them again with counter attacks from all sides, pre-dominately from the south and north, utilizing a plethora of force multipliers. However, despite the Hyena Bombers, the B2s, and all the machinery the CIS could throw at them, their efforts were thwarted by the steady aim of 4th Platoon’s 1st and 2nd squads. Razor rained plasma from the skies, filling the land surrounding the outpost with explosions and destruction. At last, the outpost was now under Republic control under a mighty grip.

“4th Squad, get a move on! We need overwatch now!”

    As the battle raged for Outpost Cheetah, to the south 3rd and 4th Squads faced similar hardships. Their task, securing POI Puma (a set of structures being used by the scum of the Black Suns), was literally an uphill fight. Pushing through the jungle vines dangling from the exotic trees, 3rd Squad began it’s assault of Outpost Puma. Blaster fire filled the space between the squad and the outpost as the members of 3rd Squad forced their way up the hill. As they fought on, 4th Squad continued along the side of the hill towards their overwatch point. As the sound of violence raged to their south at Outpost Puma, they quickened their pace. Their purpose at this phase of the Operation was to hold off any potential QRF forces that may be called for at Outpost Puma. Just as quickly as it had begun, the sounds of war dimmed. Phase 1 was complete.

    As the squads of 4th Platoon were landing at their new area of operations, they were met with silence. An eerie feeling crept along their skin, amplified by the sounds of the unknown within the jungle landscape. But like all good clones, they were to follow orders, no matter their feelings. The troops began their next move. 1st and 2nd Squads were moving to POI Ocelot, a compound holding a hundred or so enslaved prisoners, captured by members of the Black Suns. 3rd and 4th Squads were tasked to assault POI Perch, an advantageous position that allowed for a constant observation and the potential for interference of any CIS response forces that may push up the river during the rescue operations at Ocelot. 

“Get to the prisoners!”

    1st and 2nd Squads found themselves ambushed while en route to their objective. Fire came from their flanks, and the Z6 blasters pelted the jungle walls in response. The squads drudged through the muck, despite the resistance each step bore. The intensity of the fight only increased as they reached closer to the prison. Between the CIS machines of war, and the enginuity and cunning of the Black Suns, crossing the shallow marsh into the prison compound was not without heavy losses. 3rd and 4th Squads encountered similar push backs, but were able to secure Perch. 4th Platoon’s efforts saved almost 100 prisoners being held by the Black Suns, however they could not move on to Phase 3, where they would create a defensive line in order to hold all ground they secured. In a final attempt to cause as much damage as possible to the Black Suns, Razor was cleared to bombard the objectives, ensuring the enemy could not retake them as the advantageous positions they were 

Aftermath

The initial deployment to Stend IV was not without its troubles. A common topic in debrief among the platoons was spacing. While some did not have real issues with the spacing between troopers, for others it pre-ambled tragic losses. In a war of ranged fire, distance is your friend in every way. A safe distance prevents massive casualties during prolonged artillery engagements, as well as allows for a more organized travel in its own way. 

Understandably, this planet's surface has proven difficult to maneuver, what with its jungle-esque features and abundances of flowing streams and rivers. Another hot topic was platoon movements. Whether squads are moving to their next objective, or preparing for an extraction, we must remember to always keep our feet moving, and our mind focused on our formations and the situation around us. Delays can always be expected, but by expecting them, you can best prepare to keep moving through them.

The Black Suns have proven their cunning, and the dirtiness they are will to force us to endure. But, like all good soldiers, we follow orders and endure anyways. Good luck on your next deployments, and we’ll see you all next week with the next cycle’s recap! 

_{Publisher: CX-X Canik
Assistant Publisher: CT Momentum}

_{Chief War Correspondent: CP Swanny
War Correspondents: CW Super, CI-C Bastil, CS-M Drammon, CP Muzzer
Recap Article written by: CX-X Shnuffles, CX-W Rive, CT Momentum, CX-X Canik
Graphic Designers: CS Jupiter, CT Dragon}