SITUATION
During the second Bear campaign against the Eurasian Solar Union in July of 2215, the Western Combine hatched Operation: Trident- a plan that would launch three separate task forces into enemy space to disrupt supply lines and disable key targets along the Galactic Eastern Front.
Task Force Charlie was diverted into Federated space to help prevent the FSE from jeopardizing the actions of Team Bravo. This detour met with only limited success.
BACKGROUND
After the ill-fated raid on the Federated research center (Seren Province, Auvergne II) the defeated 31st Pathfinders were making their way to the extraction point for dustoff. As they made their way through the wooded countryside, the attached element from the 3rd Gurkha Rifles acted as rearguard.
The Gurkha platoon knew that they had to be ready for anything the State troops could throw at them, as the battered 31st had little stomach for fighting after what they'd endured at the dropsite.
BATTLEGROUND
The area between the Telion-Renault Research center and the dustoff site is wooded, with a broad hill west of the extraction zone.
RED FORCE
The attacker consists of a platoon from XIV Fusiliers of the Federated XX Legion, sent to bar the WesCom troops from reaching their rendezvous point.
The Platoon is REGULAR; Leadership 2; Motivation HIGH
OBJECTIVE:
XIV Fusiliers must prevent the Combine troops from leaving off the eastern map edge.
ORGANIZATION
Command Squad (Commander; Platoon Senior Sergeant, 4 Other Ranks)
Commander, PSS and three riflemen armed with FA-75 railguns. One soldier armed with FM-77.
3x Infantry Squads (8 ORs each)
Each squad consists of a sergeant, a SAW gunner armed with an FM-77 and six riflemen.
TROOP TYPE: FSE Legionnaires Infantry
MOVEMENT: 8"
ARMOR: 3
WEAPONS: FA-75 (FP 2/IMPACT d12)
BLUE FORCE
The fleeing Combine troops consist of two shot up and demoralized
squads from the 31st Pathfinders RCT and a platoon of Gurkha light infantry.
OBJECTIVE:
The remnants of the 31st must reach the eastern edge of the table within four turns.
ORGANIZATION
1st Squad (Lt. Major, 5 ORs)
All armed with L7A3 rifles. These six men are the remains of the Forward Observation unit.
2nd Squad (Sergeant, 7 ORs)
Sergeant and six men armed with L7A3 rifles. One man with an L58 SAW. This squad is made up of the remaining members of the recce platoon.
3rd Gurkha Rifles
Field Command (Lieutenant, Platoon Sergeant, 4 ORs)
Most men armed with L7A3 rifles, one man has an L58 SAW.
2x Rifle squads (sergeant; 5 ORs each)
Alpha and Bravo, flanking the Pathfinder survivors. All men armed with L7A3 rifles, save one L58 gunner in Bravo squad.
The Combine troops are REGULAR with Leadership 2, and HIGH motivation. MORALE for the pathfinders begins as SHAKEN; Gurkha troops are STEADY.
TROOP TYPE: Gurkha Light Infantry
MOVEMENT: 8"
ARMOR: 3
WEAPONS: L7A3 (FP 3/IMPACT d10)
TROOP TYPE: WesCom Pathfinders Infantry
MOVEMENT: 6"
ARMOR: 4
WEAPONS: L7A3 (FP 3/IMPACT d10)
VICTORY CONDITIONS: The Federated player wins if he can prevent the Combine scout platoon from leaving the table from the eastern table edge. He wins a moderate victory if he succeeds but suffers 33% casualties; a marginal victory if he suffers ~50% casualties and a Pyrrhic victory if the Combine forces are eliminated or delayed for four turns but he suffers more than 50% casualties.
The Combine player wins if he can make it to the eastern table edge with at least 80% of his troops. He gains a moderate victory if he escapes with 60% and a marginal victory if he escapes with 50% or less of his force.
HISTORICAL OUTCOME: The Fusiliers arrayed their squads on the flanks of the fleeing 31st, keeping their Command embedded to direct operations from the woods. The Gurkha platoon fought a desperate hit-and-run battle and allowed the Lt. Major and seven of his soldiers to escape, but the 3rd Rifles suffered heavy casualties for their efforts.
In the end, Task Force Charlie of Operation: Trident could not entirely prevent the FSE from lending aid to the Eurasian Solar Union, though their efforts did lessen their usefulness.