Operation Walrus: 40mm Rounds have right of way

Prelude:
"Maih, here, try this, its really good." Palavi Zyah said, shoving a stick with a grilled, and salted fish into Maih Aafah's face.

The Doctor was already starting on her second, chomping through the charred flesh with a loud crunch.

"I don't think you have stopped eating since we stepped off the adh-Dhiʼb. How are you not any bigger?" Maih said, taking the proffered fish and having a taste.

"Side effect of the procedure, my metabolism is a bit in over drive. I have a inspection scheduled when we make landfall at Al-Medinat in a couple of months. Its nothing to worry about currently. Just need to eat more is all. My personal examinations told me that they are doubling up on the grafting diffusion drugs, but you know doctors are not allowed to doctor ourselves so they are "reviewing" my work."

Nodding, the pair continued walking through the beutiful residential area of New Hypatia, Sèlentra. The smell of the ocean permeated the air, and the well maintained public walking areas had children playing various games. As the pair passed they often got strange looks. Their drab colored uniforms, and rifles slung on their back, made them stick out in this area of green vegitation and white structures full of glass. They had nothing better to wear though, the adh-Dhiʼb had a sudden issue with its network and engine drives while enroute to Bourak and New Hypatia was the closest port that would be able to take a look and diagnose the ships issues. While it wasnt a Haqqislamite port, they were able to get approval from High Command to dock and hire with the Nomad Nation.

"Well if it isnt my old friends, Maih and Palavi, welcome to New Hypatia, how are you doing?" the voice was warm and welcoming, but it made the two freeze in their tracks as they recognized it.

Collecting themselves and turning with almost forced smiles, Maih responded to the olive skinned, black haired woman, "Alya, as-salamu. I did not know you were living in New Hypatia."

"Yes, well I moved here for work not too long ago. My old man always told me the city had a wonderful color to it."

Walking up to them, Alya gave both of them a quick hug.

"I do apologize that I am unable to stay and chat more but work is really blowing up here, and I must get to it. I do look forward to seeing more of you both in the future though. Bisalama!"

Watching the woman walk away, Maih checked her pockets, before she found what she was hoping she would not. A short handwritten note, "Ra'id Maih Aafah, we need your assistence and expertise in a mission. A rogue AI named Brutus has taken control of this city, and is locking it down. There is a residence in this district containing a shard of this AI that we need for examination. I trust you can take control of a force locally and complete this mission. Allahu'akbar."

"What does he mean a rogue AI?" Palavi asks while reading over Maih shoulder. Shrugging, she tapped her communicator on her ear.

"adh-Dhiʼb, this is Ra'id Maih Aafah, sending comms check. Confirm receipt, over."

Suddenly an explosion ripped through the peace of the area. Sighing and groaning, both women unsling and loaded a magazine into their rifles, and began hurrying towards the commotion.

Deployment:
Arriving into a residential liesure area, the armored and lithe form of an Asawira soldier stepped out of the shadows stopping them, and removed her helmet.

"Ra'id Aafah and Cavus Zyah, it is good to see you again, I have gotten our forces spread out into the field. Some local followers also joined at the Old Mans request will be providing a screening force-"

"I am not a local, nor a follower lass. Is this one my employer?" the interuption was from a huge dogwarrior that moved suprisingly slilently up to them from behind them, pulling a massive claymore from his back.

"Aywa, Mr. McMurrow, asalam." Maih responded without skipping a beat, and holding out her hand, "I have heard of your exploits but have yet to encounter you in person."

Giving a rouch chuckle and a toothy grin, the dogwarriors clawed hand enveloped Maihs gently as he shook it, "Finally, a Hassassin with some decorum and manners. That is refreshing. Where do you want me?"

"It is good to work with you again as well, Naqib Mostafa, and your team." Nodding to the Asawira.

Reviewing the AO quickly, she points to an area near the Farzan, Fariba Rajavi. "Assist Sotvan Fariba here in her operations."

Nodding, Taerlock sniffed the air suddenly, "I smell tesseum...and hear Gaelic. It appears we have some company little lass. I will be on my way." "Ra'id, I have sight of movement ahead. I see multiple contacts from our left side and right side. Varangians, and a Kosmosoldat." came a voice over the comms.

Turn 1:
The sounds of a heavy machine gun oppened up as the Shihab designated to this mission notified the unit of its engagement. IFF and pseudo AI on the remote identified the target as a Kosmosoldat with an Autocannon that was attempting to engage the remote at long range. The heavy rounds whistled through the air as it fired and tracers of the responding hmg streaked through the sky. A daylami tried to take advantage of the enemies poor positioning, but it appeared to simply be a bait as the elite Ariadnan deftly dodged the incoming panzerfaust and responded with his autocannon, the heavy rounds impacting the daylami in the chest, and throwing the remains of his body from the rooftop he was on, to the street below.

As the teams two heavy rocket launcher muyibs scanned the streets below for movement, a shadow darted between them and down a ladder behind them. A Ghazi Muttawhi on the street below yelled up, pointing, "Theres an Ariadnan up there behind you!"

The Asawira, Mostafa, responded with instinct diving forward behind a food stand and turning to bring her spitfire to bare in the direction of the SAS Uxia infiltrating their lines. Looking around Maih and Palavi were slow to respond, not expecting one of the Ariadnan elite to be so close and passed their perimiter. The Shihab responded the fastest though as it saw the smoke grenade in her hand spark. A short burst of HMG fire put the SAS down.

From the left, the Unknown Ranger advanced with a Rokot and Wardriver. Taking cover on the corner of a building, he was able to identify and engage another Daylami lieing in wait to ambush them. Moving up the Ranger discovered a viral mine laid by a Muyib, and with a short burst of fire took it out. This allowed the team to move in towards the Shihab and tracers filled the air as the two fought. Bullets impacted the cover around each of them, wounding the Unknown Ranger, before the soldier finally silenced the remote. The robot collapsed to the roof top it was perched on as the Rangers team repositioned itself to bring line of sight to one of the Muyibs with a rocket launcher, perched in over watch on a roof top. Another short burst of fire caught the Muyib unaware, and he collapsed to the ground.

The Ghazi rushed forward, laying smoke infront of Maih's team, and in front of the Unknown Rangers team. McMurrow moved up along a wall, waiting for his chance to pounce. One of them, took the initiative ran into the smoke she laid to advance on the Ranger and his team. Bursting through the Smoke infront of a startled Wardriver, her shotgun slammed and knocked him to the ground. Shrugging off the return fire, she advanced forward. Stalking along a short distance commuter train car, the Farzan, Fariba raised her rifle and put a short burst into the suprised Rokot, putting him down. Hearing the shots from the other side of the train, The Ghazi burst into the central structure where the Ranger was waiting. Not even the increased reflexes and skill sof the veteran Ariadnan could save him from a shotgun slamfired into his chest and he collapsed.

The Farzan returned to her position, putting shots out towards a Varangian, forcing him further into cover. Maih and Palavi too the opportunity to move up now, under cover of smoke. Flipping down her multispectral visor, and raising her marksman rifle she put a couple shots into the Kosmosoldat. The shots only announced her presence though as he swung the autocannon around to her and launched a round directly into her chest armor. The blow of the massive shell sent her flying back onto the ground, at Palavis feet, and her chest armor cracked and falling apart. Caughing and clunching her chest she stood up slowly behind the cover as Palavi provided medical attention.

"Pretty sure I got some cracked ribs there." she quiped weakly.

"At the minimum! Don't do that ag-wait stop!" Palavi cursed.

Rounding the corner again, hoping to this time take a better shot, Maih was suprised to see the Kosmosoldat already leveled at her and waiting. She tried to duck back in time, but was too slow, both of the heavy rounds hit home on her cover, blasting it and her back to the street. Darkness over took her as she bled.

"Damn it! Mostafa cover me!" Palavi screamed as she dragged the limp form of Maih behind cover and began providing emergency medicine.

At this time, Alya, walked down from a observation tower onto the street below behind a group of Varangians. The Caledonians were suspicious too late when her costume melted away around her revealing the Fiday for what she was, raising her rifle and shotgun, she shot down two Varangians.

Turn 2:
The other Varangians wasted no time in coming for Alya. One leveled its pistol at her, but the round was caught by her armor. Drawing back into cover behind a car, the Kosmosoldat turned and made short work of Alya and the car both, the autocannons heavy rounds ripping through both. Moving to draw sight on Mostafa, the report of the autocannon could be heard again, as the rounds exploded on the concrete building the Asawira was using for cover. Returning fire, a couple of the spitfires rounds found purchase on the Kosmosoldat, but his heavy, tessium armor shrugging them off. The two traded fire again, and this time, one of the armor piercing rounds from Mostafas gun got through, and the Ariadnan slumped to the ground.

A shadow suddenly moved in the central structure as an SAS moved quickly to the southern door. The ghazi spied the elite infiltrator too late as a short burst from its rifle put the irregular down. Settling against the door, the man checked the streets for Haqqislam soldiers, and spieing none, took further cover and sat in waiting, setting up his own ambush of those coming in.

With Maih suddenly out of action, the irregulars rushed forward. The Ghazi began to converge on the SAS soldier taking cover in the central structure. They thumbed their jammers as the electronic devices pinged on the Ariadnans comms. The soldier was deftly familiar with such attacks though, quickly flipped his electronics off before they could be overloaded and rendered useless. McMurrow moved towardsthe Varangians across a courtyard from the commuter rail train, throwing a grenade at the fellow Caledonian. not expecting a grenade, the mercenary simply let loose with his chain rifle, wounding the wolf man.

Turn 3:
With their big guns down, the Kosmo soldiers began rushing forward. The Varangian on the flank charged towards McMurrow, its axe held high. Throwing caution to the wind, he swung the heavy weapon, finding purchase in the big, hairy form of McMurrow, while the dog soldiers sword came down on the wild Varangian. Both figures slumped into the street, breathing and bleeding heavily. Across the forested courtyard, another Varangian bolted from cover, trying to make it further up, but a Muyibs rocket made short work of him. From a tall structure on the left flank, another shadow moved, not taking chances, the Ghazi quickly primed a dropped a smoke grenade only for chain rifle shrapnel to come tearing through the smoke, wounding him. Continouing along the roof top, the SAS noticed the hidden form of the Farzan below it. Taking its chance it sprayed the chain rifle over the general area, forcing the Farzan to dodge behind the drain, going prone as shrapnel roared over head. Withdrawing back into the roof top to cover the street below, the SAS hid itself again as its compatriot in the central structure came out, going for the last remaining Ghazi on the outside of the structure. While his chain rifle roared and downed the Haqqislamite irregular, the Muyibs rocket found purchase and blew him away.

With the Hassassins offense beign blunted, Mostafa took charge.

"Ariadnan resistance was unexpected, our Primary Objective is unattainable. Sotvan Fariba, switch to our secondary objective and sabotage the structure I am designated on your HUD. All other units begin pulling back."

With her active camoflauge coming online, the Farzan moved quickly up the street underneath the enemy SAS. The structure was straight ahead, and she primped the demolitions charge. Setting its timer, she stuck it to the wall of the power substation, and dove for cover. The blast rocked the area as half of the structure collapsed and the mangled power lines inside set fire to the rest of the structure. Slinking off into the side streets, the operative moved to reconnect with the rest of the Hassassin force withdrawing.

Conclusion:
Regaining consiousness on a bench in an abandoned street, Maih coughed, wiping some blood from her lips. The stoic Asawira soldier, Mostafa stood above her watching the street, her helmet clipped to her belt, sweat dripping from her brow. Palavi was busy working on a few of Maihs wounds, breathing heavily like she had just done a mile run, also dripping with sweat that she was busy wiping away wit the back of her hand. Groaning, she sat up.

"I assume the mission did not go well?"

Looking down to Maih, the Asawira nodded, "It did not go as planned. We achieved our secondary objective, and a tactical win, but the enemies data beacon eluded us. The Ariadnans were an unknown variable we were not expecting. My assumption is they were dispatched by the local O-12 office to investigate the same thing we were."

Nodding, Maih tried to ping the rest of her unit again, "Ra'id Aafah, is that you ma'am?"

"Affirmative, what is the situation?" she asked.

"adh-Dhiʼb is secure, but it appears a rogue AI has locked our ship in its dock. The Nomads are furiously trying to fight it off in cyberspace, but that is currently unsuccessful. We can launch the Roc though to come and pick you up. We have your transponder up."

"Yes, pick us up on my coordinates. Be aware there may be some hostile forces in the area, threat level is low."

"Affirmative, on the way."

Looking up to the Asawira, the woman shakes her head, "I still have my other objectives. We know where you are if we require additional assistance. Stay safe, and good luck."

As if unencumbered completly by the heavy armor, Mostafa turns and heads down the street, spitfire ready.

"Palavi, we need to stop having our leave interupted like this." Maih groans, laying back down on the bench.

Scenario: Capture and Protect
Result: 2-1 Win for Hassassin Bahram

Notes: The Kosmosoldat with Autocannon was a terrifying unit. Especially with the number of crits he handed out. Maih Afah is played as Yara Hadad, and unfortunately in her second activation she got double crit in ARO from it. Nothing survives 8 AP+EXP saves. That ARM 6 also made it very survivable. The game in general was very bloody, but a couple misplays (such as Uxia running into the middle of my force and trying to drop smoke opposed) managed to give me an advantage. In the end though I was unable to capture the beacon due to the Autocannon locking it down too well, and then a Varangian sitting in the bath to the most accessable route. This was a win through secondary objectives.