TO Admiral E Rice-Burroughs, MSS Conqueror
TO Admiral H Stipes, ASS NO PLAN SURVIVES
TO Admiral BR Chevron, ASS HAS HE LUCK
FROM Admiral AB Burwasher, ESS Alligator
DATE 3198.120
Gentlemen,
1.1 I have received all your comments and suggested courses of action, and am as ever grateful for your advice.
1.2 The latest analysis of the capabilities of the Berserker DEW batteries on the surface of Flypaper IV indicate that the losses the Grand Fleet would receive, whilst destroying these batteries by bombardment, would be approximately 17.35 percent. Having destroyed these batteries the Grand Fleet would still have to make a Marine assault on ODIN'S SEAT to ensure that the Berserkers were neutralized.
It is clear that such a bombardment would incur high losses without completing the capture of the base, and that is not acceptable.
Therefore it is my intention to capture ODIN'S SEAT by Marine assault.
In honour of the discover of ODIN'S SEAT by the Martian Navy, this will be titled OPERATION FENRIR.
1.3 The latest intelligence on the location and arcs of fire of the Berserker DEW batteries indicate that their coverage is only around the immediate area of the base. Therefore the Marines can be landed over the horizon thus avoiding the DEW fire, and make an approach march on the surface of Flypaper IV to ODIN'S SEAT.
1.4 There is little information on the nature of the Berserker Base, and none on the garrison robots nor their weapons. The plan of OPERATION FENRIR and the equipment deployed must be capable of dealing with the widest range of tasks possible.
1.5 When ODIN'S SEAT has been captured and neutralized the Grand Fleet will leave Flypaper. I will issue orders to effect that at the time.
ODIN'S SEAT will remain under Martian control - as the colonial power that is closest and discovered the Berserker presence. I would be grateful for Admiral Rice-Burrough's comments on how the Martians will occupy ODIN'S SEAT upon completion of OPERATION FENRIR.
2.1 GRAND FLEET MARINE FORCES
There are 21 ships with Marine Regiments and 5 ships with Marine Groups or the equivalent within the Grand Fleet. I require that two thirds of the Marine complement of the Grand Fleet be assigned to the Marine Assault Division (MAD) under command of the senior Esteeler Marine.
Admiral Stipes will appoint this officer as (Acting) Major General of Marines (MADCOM). The senior Martian Marine will be Deputy Commander MAD (MAD2IC).
2.2 COMPOSITION OF MARINE ASSAULT DIVISION
15 Marine Regiments or equivalents will form MAD. These will be organized in to 5 Provisional Brigades each consisting of 3 Marine Regiments (or equivalents) under the senior regimental commander as (Acting) Senior Colonel. 2 of the Brigades will be Earther/Martian commanded by Martians officers. The 3 remaining brigades will be Esteeler. The Earther Marine contingent will be all but 1 group of the 2 regiments on board ALSI ESS Alligator and ESS Polnochiny.
2.3 NAVAL SUPPORT FOR MARINE ASSAULT
Admiral Stipes will take overall command of the naval support of OPERATION FENRIR. ESS Polnochiny and MSS Intrepid will be primarily responsible for landing the Marines. Pacifiers will provide close range Space Support. Warships will provide fire support. Any ship in the Grand Fleet may be assigned to these tasks.
2.4 SPECIAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
Suitable means of demolishing Berserker DEW batteries are required.
Suitable digging equipment may be needed to gain entry to ODIN'S SEAT.
2.5 OUTLINE PLAN
2.5.1 1 Brigade will land to establish a base camp.
2.5.2 3 Brigades will then land at the base camp, and advance to ODIN'S SEAT.
2.5.3 At ODIN'S SEAT priorities are to destroy all DEW batteries. Then gain entry to the base.
2.5.4 The remaining Brigades will be held in reserve.
2.6 COMMANDER'S INTELLIGENCE REQUIREMENTS
The optimum location for the Marine Landing Zone (MLZ), and route to ODIN'S SEAT. (TO FOLLOW)
There are 2 Esteeler and the (depleted) Martian Fleets, plus the 2 ALSI which form the JACHQ. So the warships that are available to draw Marines from are as below ( ignored the LSSI):
ESTEELER SHIPS MARINE COMPLEMENT [From Stipes SITREP 07 (REVISED) of 1/3/99]
CARRIERS:
LIGHT CRUISERS:
DESTROYERS:
SCIENTIFIC SURVEY SHIPS:
CARRIERS:
BATTLESHIPS:
LIGHT CRUISERS:
DESTROYERS:
5 CVI:
1 CLI:
1 ALSI:
Assumed the Marine Complements are the same as for the Earther equivalent ships. Thus CVI, BBI, ALSI and SSSI are taken to have aMarine Regiment each, and CLI and DDI a Marine Group (or equivalent) each.
On this basis, the Marine Assault Division to consist of 15 Regiments in 5 Brigades: 3 Esteeler and 2 Earther/Martian.
Map of whole of ODIN'S SEAT installations
Map of layout of the main central installation
Map of an individual Surface Defence Installation
TO Admiral E Rice-Burroughs, MSS Conqueror
TO Admiral H Stipes, ASS NO PLAN SURVIVES
COPY Admiral BR Chevron, ASS HAS HE LUCK
FROM Admiral AB Burwasher, ESS Alligator
DATE 3198.120
MARTIAN ADMINISTRATION OF FLYPAPER
1. NAVAL DEFENCE OF FLYPAPER SYSTEM
Upon completion of the capture of Flypaper IV, the Esteeler Fleets and major ships of Fleet Midgard will leave as soon as practicable. I consider that Admiral Rice-Burroughs might leave MSS Hero and Intrepid to secure the system until they may be replaced.
2. SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION OF FLYPAPER IV
I consider that the ASS Malvinas would most profitably remain in system to start the investigation of ODIN'S SEAT subject to Martian agreement. Admiral Rice-Burroughs may find it advantageous to order a Martian survey team to be sent as soon at possible.
3. GROUND FORCE GARRISON OF FLYPAPER IV
I consider that a Ground Force Division should be used to secure the ODIN'S SEAT site. It should arrive as soon as possible.
To Admiral AB Burwasher, ESS Alligator
Copy Admiral E Rice-Burroughs, MSS Conqueror
Copy Admiral BR Chevron, ASS HAS HE LUCK
From Admiral H Stipes, ASS NO PLAN SURVIVES
1. Astrogation Staff report that there are only 20 items of debris readily accessable for OP HOGAN'S HAMMER. It will take 7 days bring the first into range to commence Orbital bombardment, and we would be able to keep up a rate of about 1 per day.
2. Given your recent direction, this is clearly not acceptable and leaves us with few choices: Low and Slow, or High and Fast. The arguments against Low and Slow have been well put and need no reiteration. The problem with High and Fast is that we really know very little about the efficiency of the defences. If we are going to attack into such an unknown we must ensure that we overwhelm the defences by a rapid application of as much force as possible over the shortest time.
3. This can only be achieved by using every shuttle, ship's boat and other form of transport suitable for carriage of Marines directly onto the target, at the same time. Covering fire by a wave of Pacifiers operating a very short time ahead of the shuttles would be imperative, and the ability to bring capital ships to bear if a disaster should occur would also be a requirement.
4. The concept of attacking one area of the defences and then attempting to "sneak up through a gap" is unlikely to have a significantly greater chance of success than an all-out vertical envelopment. It might be appropriate however, to mention that when I say "High and Fast", I mean higher than ground level. The best approach would probably be a Nap-of-Earth flight profile from OTH, with several converging lines of attack, at the maximum speed, and possibly some orbital decoys.
4. The only decisions that remain to be taken by the Admiral are as follows:
a. Low and Slow, or
b. NOE and Fast.
c. If NOE and Fast, do we send a Pacifier recce group in early to attempt to fulfill some of the Op HH objectives?
5. I await your direction.
Stipes
CINCSEVEN
To Martian Colonels Fonda and Lyon
From Major-General Skinner MADCOM
CC Adm. Stipes
I expect to go into battle with you within hours and I would have you know that I and the Esteeler Marines regard it as a signal honour to fight alongside the Martian Colonial Marine Corps, a name that rings through the Halls of Martial Glory. Whatever the outcome, I regard commanding this Operation as a privilege.
Let me have soonest your candid opinion of current plans for Operation FENRIR as laid out by Admiral Burwasher, [Supreme Admiral and Earther], and your position on the comments and clarifications of the concepts. I am sure you have noted that, given the order to capture ODIN'S SEAT, the paramount consideration according to Burwasher (Earther Navy) is the maintenance in being of the Grand Fleet of battleships and carriers. I trust I can rely upon you to be entirely frank, forthright and blunt. Allow me to assure you I will treat any queries or reservations you have with the utmost seriousness. I regard it as your duty to raise your concerns with me now. I must stress that I do not regard concerns about casualty levels as indicating weakness, squeamishness or lack of moral fibre. Do bear in mind that the time available to ascertain the soundness of the military logic underlying the proposed battle plans is very short.
Skinner (MADCOM)
Col Lyon replies:
Thank you for your kind words General. I am sure that Mars will not let you down.
I have been somewhat out of the loop on the planning, but I have made a close study of the computer briefing notes, and my concern is this: do we have any idea about the angle of traverse of the planetary DEW installations? Their capability is the key to any Berserker defence.
If they are primarily designed to prevent spaceborne incursions, and they are not able to fire upon targets on the ground closer than the planetary horizon, then a marine attack over the surface starts to look a distinct possibility: all we will have to face are enemy robots and the smaller point defence weapon systems, and each DEW battery can be taken or neutralised to clear a path to the central (assumed) command structure. I assume this is what Admiral Stipes means by 'Low and Slow'.
If, however, they can sweep the planetary horizon and below, then a slow, methodical assault like that starts to look pretty suicidal even to a Martian, and there will be no option but to try a mutli-pronged Nap Of Earth insertion using all available transport, plus decoys, as has been proposed by Admiral Stipes, to minimise exposure time to DEW fire of the incoming Marines - I take it this is the 'High and Fast' option.
If it would be helpful, I am willing to commit a small force to an initial probing attack so that the DEW batteries' capability can be assessed and a final decision made.
Obviously whatever the final tactics, some preliminary bombardment of the outlying DEW batteries would be helpful, either using directed asteroids as discussed (although one per day may mean that the Berserkers are repairing damage as fast as we are doing it) or tac-nukes. However, given that this latter may expose ships to DEW battery fire, there is then a trade-off between Marine casualties and ship casualties. If Admiral Burwasher views the ships as being more strategically valuable (and I cannot fault that logic) then so be it.
We are all aware of the importance of this attack, and on the Martian side are prepared to make whatever sacrifice is necessary for the survival of our species.
Col Lyon, Martian Colonial Marine Corps.
TO Admiral H Stipes, ASS NO PLAN SURVIVES
TO Major General Sherrod E Skinner
TO Admiral E Rice-Burroughs, MSS Conqueror
TO Admiral BR Chevron, ASS HAS HE LUCK
FROM Admiral AB Burwasher, ESS Alligator
DATE 3198.120
My Dear Stipes,
Thank you for your comments on my last signal.
1. MAD TACTICS
1.1 You require my decision as to the mode of attack to be used against ODIN'S SEAT. The MAD Assault will be NAP OF EARTH AND FAST. That is the Marines will be flown in shuttles along surveyed routes through the hills around ODIN'S SEAT to be below the Berserker DEW horizon. Pacifiers will provide close fire support using the same 'safe' approach vectors. You are authorized to use Pacifier sorties as preparation for the MAD Assault.
1.2 The Marines will assault one of the outlying SDI sites first, followed by the neutralization of sufficient of these SDIs to allow an uninterrupted assault on the Main Complex. I appreciate your comment that rapid, vertical envelopment is to be preferred, but we do not have sufficient forces to simultaneously attack all the Berserker sites.
There are 24 SDI structures as well as the Main Complex, and that would mean that less than 2 Marine Groups would be tasked with capturing each of them, however effective the Pacifier strikes were to be.
2. PREPARATION *** FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION ***
2.1 Admiral Stipes, you are requested and required to survey ODIN'S SEAT and the surrounding surface of Flypaper IV and by 3-D modelling, to determine the arcs of fire of the Berserker defences and the safe routes through the hills from over the horizon.
2.2 Given the results of the above survey, Major General Skinner, you are to plan the MAD Assault on ODIN'S SEAT. You should include the following points in your plans:-
2.3 TIMINGS = Please present your plan by 3198.122
3. SCJAC COMMENTS
3.1 At this stage we can only guess at the strength of the Berserker defences. There is no guarantee that MAD will be strong enough to defeat the enemy, and our plan will inevitably require modification as we learn their strengths and weaknesses.
3.2 Consequently I consider that one Marine Brigade be committed against the first SDI site with a second in reserve. MAD strength used in subsequent attacks will need to be judged from the results of the first.
3.3 The Earther and Martian ALSI Marine Regiments are trained to use the 24 Ground Combat Vehicles. My Marine staff recommend that these GCVs continue to be operated by these Regiments, and that they be combined into one, Armoured Brigade. They consider that this Armoured Brigade should be used in the first assault.
3.4 The GF HV Projective Weapons and GF Armour should be used by Marines tasked with securing the ground around Berserker sites. They should not, of course, be used by Regiments assaulting into the SDI and Main Complex buildings.
3.5 In the - I trust unlikely - event that MAD is not sufficiently strong for OP FENRIR to succeed, it will be aborted. Then my intention would be to send Fleet Audie Murphy to Matanzas ready to intercept BSBs. OP HOGAN'S HAMMER would then be instigated, followed by attack by GF Forces.
Your comments are welcomed.
TO Admiral AB Burwasher, ESS Alligator
COPY Admiral H Stipes, ASS NO PLAN SURVIVES, COPY Major General Sherrod E Skinner, COPY Admiral E Rice-Burroughs, MSS Conqueror, COPY Admiral BR Chevron, ASS HAS HE LUCK
FROM Admiral E Rice-Burroughs, MSS Intrepid
Following your orders, I have conferred with Acting Brigadier W. Fonda and on her advice I have transferred 6 x GCV to Major V. Hennessey's C Group LIAL Regiment and 2 x GCV to Colonel J. Lyons' HELA Regimental HQ. [I would point out that the provision of 24 GCV will only allow mechanisation of approximately 1 regiment of the three. I would also take this opportunity of reminding you that Martian groups contain 42 men (and no combat robots).]
The 2nd Earth/Mars Provisional Brigade will be renamed 1st Earth/Mars Provisional Marine Armoured Brigade. For your convenience, Sir, I have attached a revised Martian OB for Q7 [NOTAL]. Incidentally, names of Martian groups on LSSI have been confirmed. I know they consider it a great honour to allocated the task of first assault.
I have also allocated sufficient of the GF Armour and Projectile Weapons available to 1st Martian 1st Martian Provisional Brigade so that, if allocated the holding task, they will be ready. However I would like to put in a personal request on behalf of Acting Brigadier W. Fonda that her command be involved in the assault on the central installation.
Admiral E Rice-Burroughs, MSS Intrepid
CLASSIFIED TRANSMISSION STARTS
OPERATION FENRIR - PREPARATION PHASE - OPERATION SMOKE AND MIRRORS
1. The aim of the OPERATION SMOKE is to achieve the following:
2. The preliminary attack will take place using 30% of all available Pacifiers, allocated as follows:
3. The Deception for OPERATION SMOKE will take place using 20% of all available Pacifiers. These will follow randomly generated approach vectors which are to be more than 20 degrees from the allocated approach vectors.
When engaged, these forces are to break off immediately and return to parent ships.
4. The aim of OPERATION MIRROR is to achieve the following:
5. The attack will take place using 50% of all available pacifiers, in two waves; and 80% of all available Shuttles. 30% of the Pacifiers in the first wave and 20% in the second wave, with 80% of all shuttles.
6. The Deception for OPERATION MIRROR will take place using 20% of all available Pacifiers. These will follow gandomly generated approach vectors which are to be more than 20 degrees from the allocated approach vectors. 50% of this force is to attack any surviving RED installations from OPERATION SMOKE. The remainder, when engaged, are to deploy chaff and then break off and return to parent ships.
7. The aim of OPERATION MAGIC is to provide combat support to the ground force commander.
8. To this end, the following have been allocated:
9. The Operations will be aborted if, at any time, more than 50% of the committed force has been destroyed (except where stated) or if more than 30% of the ground force has been destroyed prior to a landing taking place in the area of the BLACK installations.
10. As follows:
Stipes
CINCSEVEN
CLASSIFIED TRANSMISSION ENDS
TO: General Skinner
My Dear General,
Thank you for your signal.[NOTAL]
I require OP FENRIR to be completed by 3198.127.
My intention is for the Grand Fleet to leave Flypaper on or before that date.
You will appreciate that the Grand Fleet consists of 3 of the 5 JACQ7 fleets. There is a danger that one or more BSBs may appear in Q7 while the Grand Fleet is here, and that JACQ7 may then not be in position to defeat it or them. The quicker the fleets leave Flypaper the better.
However you are to ensure that the casualties incurred in OP FENRIR are kept to a minimum.
The details of the timetable for OP FENRIR are to be determined by Admiral Stipes and Major General Skinner to suit the Operational Plan and in accordance with the required completion date of 3198.127. The Operational Plan is the responsibility of Admiral Stipes and Major General Skinner.
You are requested and required to submit both plan and timetable to me before commencement.
Admiral Burwasher
JOLLY SECRET
To Brigadier Fonda 1B
To Colonel Lyons 1AB [may I suggest all commanders of Brigades be addressed as Brigadier from now on?]
From Maj-Gen Skinner MADCOM
CC General Staff for info
3198.120
I am drafting plans for the Marine phase of FENRIR for submission to the Admirals. Be assured that my thinking is still that your two Brigades will lead the assault, in two prongs, securing the Main Central Complex area for the access of the follow-up Second Wave 'Underground' Brigades; 2B Brig. Ranjit*; 3B Brig. Wu*; and perhaps elements of 4B Colonel Philby*. I am equipping 708th of 4B with G-F armour to act as a Mobile Reserve for Overground.
It is immediately apparent that your mission will involve much rapid cross-country movement and shuttle hitch-hiking under fire, and I recommend you equip on that basis. My thinking on this is as follows. To use an analogy from ancient warfare, you are swordsmen attacking a unit of pikemen. Get inside that fence of blades, with speed and agility, and you can do bloody execution.
More detail on that soon.
8 Martian GCVs have been allocated to 1AB, 2 to HELA (Col. Lyons) and 6 to LIAL (Maj. Hennessy.) There are 16 Earther GCVs available to Short-201(Senior Col. Wakenshaw*) and 302 (Col. Ho*). If these GCVs are similar in capability to Esteeler machines they will do 40kph cross-country, weapon ranges missiles 5km, multicannon 2km. Confirm.
ACTION Will Colonel [Brigadier?] Lyons let me know how he will allocate the Ground Combat Vehicles within his Brigade.
Note that I approve equipping 1AB personnel with Ground-Force Armour, capable of min. 10kph. I expect you to have your Marine armour in the follow-up Logs.
Note that I approve equipping all 1B personnel with Ground-Force Armour, capable of min. 10kph. Also, issue of HV-P projectile weapons range 1km LOS.
I expect you to have your Marine armour in the follow-up Logs.
[*currently NPC].
MADCOM
FROM Capt A Gator, EN, JAC HQ Logistics Officer
TO Maj-Gen Marines Skinner
CC Admiral Burwasher, Senior Naval Officers (Captains & above), Marine Colonels, Naval Logistics Officers
I have done a quick audit of shuttle availability in the combined fleet. The details are in the attached spreadsheet.
Summary
The fleet has 196 shuttles with a total lift capacity of 5,530 pax, or just about enough to lift 18 Marine Regiments with their organic support units simultaneously.
Total Shuttle Availability
Extra-Large shuttles (100 Pax) 12
Large Shuttles (40 Pax) 68
Medium Shuttles (25 Pax) 30
Small shuttles (10 Pax) 86
Shuttles available for Assault:
Shuttles available for second-wave movement and logs
Shuttles reserved for logs
Only the small shuttles are suitable for use in the combat zone. These have a total pax capacity of 860, or just under 3 marine regiments, including organic support (4 with just the fighting echelon).
Given that casualties are likely to be highest with small shuttles I would recommend that they be split into four wings with a reserve pool to fill out casualties and to allow continual operations when shuttles are refuelling. Each wing should be large enough to move an entire Regiment with its fighting echelon only. Regimental Logs units can be landed after a toehold has been established.
I intend to use some of the large shuttles as mobile field hospitals by fitting them out with an autodoc and some medical staff as crew. I would like to fit out one shuttle per marine brigade plus a divisional reserve. Where possible I propose to use KFZ Heraklion's as these have a pressurised cargo area and airlocks. This will allow the medics to operate without environment suits. This will use 8 large shuttles and reduce total pax capacity by 320.
The Extra-large shuttles will be used to transport the GCVs to the surface. I would prefer this to be done with enough time before the operation so that they could then be converted to fuel tankers to refuel the small shuttles as close to the combat area as possible. Of the 12 I would foresee 4 being left for general logs use.
Landing the GCVs prior to the assault will mean that some temporary hab-domes will need to be established on the surface for the marine contingent. However this will also allow some time for familiarisation training on the GCVs and in GF Armour.
If you are content then this can start immediately you determine where the GCVs are to be landed.
The remaining large and medium shuttles will be used for strategic movement of Marines to RVs with the small shuttles and movement of supplies to within small shuttle range.
The overall logs plan is to keep as much of the stocks mobile as possible with a series of RVs ever closer to the combat area for dropping off reinforcements and re-loads. As areas are declared safe from SDI fire we will move the RV up. Regimental logs units will be responsible for transporting logs from the RV to the unit and casualties back to the RV point.
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