Planning Page 1 | Planning Page 2 | Back to Berswar Pages
Commencing on 3198.122, the combined Esteeler, Martian and Earther forces landed and successfully stormed the Berserker installation on Flypaper IV. After many hours of careful planning, for an operation unprecedented in human military history, the plan went through three main stages:
Pacifier sweeps on outlying SDI positions. 60 pacifiers caused considerable damage, losing 30 pacifiers shot down. 19 downed pilots were later recovered, the rest missing in action.
This was backed up by a Group-size probe from the north of the position. 3 out of 5 shuttles were shot down, forcing an abort of the mission.
An attacking wave of pacifiers OP MIRROR I (some 60 pacifiers), armed with mixed nuclear missiles/convetional arms attacked SDIs either side of the main LZ. A total of 11 tactical nukes were successfully detonated on the targets, effectively eliminating 4 SDI installations.
The main landings in shuttles by 4 Marine Bde, supported by 40 pacs went in unopposed. 4 Bde dug in and prepared the logistic base for the next wave.
Right on time, the second wave comprising 1 Marine Bde and 1 Marine Armoured Bde in shuttles came in, and was rapidly shuttles forward down 'the pipe' to the jump off points at DZ1 and DZ2. No resistance was met.
A distraction force of combat robots was dropped off at DZ1 and they launched a slow infantry attack towards the SDI at 073016 (OSCAR-13).
By H+1.5, the assault wave (1 MBde = 1 MArmd Bde) was in position and ready for the attack.
At H+2 a pacifier attack was launched to deliver airburst tactical nukes over 090060, followed by a conventional arms sweep against positions INDIA-6, INDIA-7 and INDIA-8). 40 pacifiers from the support wave were used in this attack, 13 shot down. Pilots were not recovered.
The airburst went off on time, and as luck would have it, right over a clanker and combat robot counter-attack that was passing INDIA-7 at the time - destroying around 250 enemy machines with EMP. The conventional sweep was quite successful, the enemy being distrupted by the EMP from the airburst.
See map for the first 2 stages
At H+2.2 The two marine brigades stormed forward onto INDIA-6 and INDIA-8. They received incoming from fixed SCA-class defences, but these were quickly neutralised. The 1 Armoured Bde encountered an functioning defensive HELL undamaged by the pacifier sweep on INDIA-6, but using missiles and cannon from the GCV, quickly destroyed it. Each INDIA had some functioning clankers, but these proved no obstacle. Losses were very light.
Around H+3 Reports then started coming in from orbiting observers that a number of VERY LARGE vehicles were heading towards INDIA-6. The Armoured brigade rapidly deployed to meet this threat, which turned out to be 8 gigantic armoured fighting vehicles, supported by about 50 combat robots.
Orbital photo-recce picture of 'berserker super tank'
Despite being huge and heavily armoured, there vehciles had only fairly short range weapons, and a number of them were destroyed at long range by the massed fire of missiles from the GCVs. 4 enemy vehicles made it into the marine's positions, but were destroyed eventually by close assault and grenades and democharges in true marine fashion. The enemy combat robots were mostly destroyed at long range by HVPW fire. Again, losses in the action were light.
By H+3.5 the brigades were ready to continue the advance onto the central complex. A brief consultation with MADCOM (HQ at DZ2) confirmed the order to 'go'.
1 Armoured Bde sent 201 EMR on a flanking operation to silence a functioning HELL on INDIA-4, and stored forward against little or no resistance. As they approached the central complex, reports came in of further super heavy tanks lurking in amongst the 'buildings' - presumable where their close-range weapons could not be outranged.
1 Bde, similarly, send a flank against INDIA-5, using VANIR regiment. The main force uncovered buried power cables to the INDIA positions, and cut the power with demo charges.
The battle inside the complex against the remaining 8 super tanks was short - this is, after all, just the sort of close-in action the maarines excel at. The phrase 'shooting fish in a barrel' comes to mind. Losses were negligable.
See the map of this stage of the battle
By H+5 the surface was clear and all INDIAs disabled or destroyed. The final assault wave of 2 Bde and 3 Bde (some 600+ marines) stormed the extensive underground facilities and quickly destroyed the 300 clankers and 50 combat robots remaining, for light losses.
The entire central complex was cleared and subdued by H+8. Extensive equiment, manufacturing and storage facilities were uncovered.
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Troops of 1st Armoured Brigade with one of their 'super tank' kills.
HUMANITY PREVAILS!
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Subject OPERATION DUST PAN CONTINUATION
1. 743 Regiment from ASS MALVINAS is to replace 708 Regiment acting as the CSAR pilot rescue unit with immediate effect. 2 x additional shuttles are to be attached to ASS MALVINAS for this purpose.
2. The 743 Regiment is to remain on Flypaper for the duration of the ASS MALVINAS scientific mission.
3. The Regiment is to conduct operation trials of weapon systems and tactics on enemy facilities and equipments, where such trials do not interfere with the scientific mission; and submit regular reports to Allied Fleet Intelligence.
Stipes
CINCSEVEN
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