29-10-2025, 04:47 AM
5:21, the beach near Sholemberg, Hischar Nisrad, Amudim.
The radioman looked tense. No wonder, he had been constantly listening to the communications about the border infiltration from Pontesi land into the Nisrad. He put a hand on the shoulder of corporal Merlkaisrmko. "Do you have a report for us, Corporal?" The man took off his headset and nodded frantically. "Distraction worked, the convoy is moving inland, Nisrad troops in disarray.." For a moment he put the headset back on, asked something in code and then took it off with a smile on his face. "No fatalities on either side, sir." Good lad, he has humanity. "Excellent, Corporal." After checking his watch and making sure the map matches his GPS he gives a clear command. "Everyone up, we move, we got ten clicks to cover." The platoon of Royal Marines started marching without complaints. They looked like a rag-tag militia, no insignia, mixed camouflage, the only thing that gave them away as troops from Wrnuke were their distinctive firearms. Yeudi militias didn't use these, nor anyone else in Northern Majatra.
After an hour of marching the well-trained soldiers arrived at their rendezvous point. A local Yeudi scout was ready to meet them, so far the plan was going swimmingly. "Are your men in position?" He asked the local soldier. The man seemed to think on the words for a moment. "Commander reported everyone okay, all ready to do what asked." Great, he doesn't know proper Jelbic. In fluent Yeudish he checked again whether everyone was in position, the man seemed relieved that he was able to speak their native language. The fact he seemed surprised at that worried him, here's hoping not all of them are amateurs. Through dirt roads, crop fields, and back alleys the whole platoon of fifty Royal Marines was led right into Sholemberg. Their Yeudi scout pointed out the troubled spots on the map. "This is where we fear heavy resistance, Nisrad forces are very entrenched here, here and here." His pointing at the map matched his own intel. The city hall, the harbour administration office, and the local police headquarters. "What about the barracks?" he asked, pointing at the military area of Sholemberg. The man smirked and shook his head. "Mercenaries, your bosses already bribed them." He stared at the map for a moment and could not help but let out a chuckle. Such is the risk of hiring men to fight for you.
Corporal Merlkaisrmko informed him the convoy was approaching Sholemberg, five clicks out. Twenty-five armoured vehicles with heavy machineguns, all painted with local anti-Nisrad slogans. Jelbic vehicles, but their bosses in Wiel were gambling on plausible deniability. While they did the distraction, the local militias and the specialised Royal Marines would seize the heart of Sholemberg. He took a deep breath and threw in a small prayer to Tanhri above. Give me blessings for battle, I shall give you a worthy sacrifice. After his short moment of prayer he stood up again. "Platoon, split up, squad one to objective alpha, squad two to objective bravo, squad three to objective charlie, remaining squads on me for objective delta." The well-oiled machine of anonymous Jelbic Marines split up and moved out. Three squads had moved out, three followed him. Intel had suggested the local armed police would resist heavily. At what point do you stop calling them policemen and start calling them soldiers? The Sholemberg Quick Response Unit, the special police force, had APC's, assault rifles, grenade launchers, and even AT capabilities. This was the strongest foe he had faced so far.
The firefight lasted over an hour. His radioman had been fatally wounded early on. A grazing bullet had filled the sleeve of his right arm with blood. The replacement radioman informed him all other squads had been successful with minimal losses. His senior sergeant then reported in with five losses. A third of my assault unit. He pulled himself together to ask about the distraction force. It gave him some solace that they had suffered no fatalities, though two vehicles had been disabled and several men had been wounded. "Sergeant, inform HQ that Sholemberg has been secured. And where is Lieutenant Cahn?" The gunnery sergeant pointed him towards the triage area where he found his junior officer bleeding profusely from his head. "Apologies, sir, the bastards nicked my ear. Bleeds a lot but I'm fine." He felt a great relief to find his most reliable officer with minor wounds. "When you are bandaged up, make sure those local commanders get together for a photoshoot to declare their new state." The lieutenant nodded. "Will do, Captain, I'll meet them in fifteen minutes."
After everything settled down he ordered his replacement radioman to signal in the green light to HQ. Sholemberg is free.
The radioman looked tense. No wonder, he had been constantly listening to the communications about the border infiltration from Pontesi land into the Nisrad. He put a hand on the shoulder of corporal Merlkaisrmko. "Do you have a report for us, Corporal?" The man took off his headset and nodded frantically. "Distraction worked, the convoy is moving inland, Nisrad troops in disarray.." For a moment he put the headset back on, asked something in code and then took it off with a smile on his face. "No fatalities on either side, sir." Good lad, he has humanity. "Excellent, Corporal." After checking his watch and making sure the map matches his GPS he gives a clear command. "Everyone up, we move, we got ten clicks to cover." The platoon of Royal Marines started marching without complaints. They looked like a rag-tag militia, no insignia, mixed camouflage, the only thing that gave them away as troops from Wrnuke were their distinctive firearms. Yeudi militias didn't use these, nor anyone else in Northern Majatra.
After an hour of marching the well-trained soldiers arrived at their rendezvous point. A local Yeudi scout was ready to meet them, so far the plan was going swimmingly. "Are your men in position?" He asked the local soldier. The man seemed to think on the words for a moment. "Commander reported everyone okay, all ready to do what asked." Great, he doesn't know proper Jelbic. In fluent Yeudish he checked again whether everyone was in position, the man seemed relieved that he was able to speak their native language. The fact he seemed surprised at that worried him, here's hoping not all of them are amateurs. Through dirt roads, crop fields, and back alleys the whole platoon of fifty Royal Marines was led right into Sholemberg. Their Yeudi scout pointed out the troubled spots on the map. "This is where we fear heavy resistance, Nisrad forces are very entrenched here, here and here." His pointing at the map matched his own intel. The city hall, the harbour administration office, and the local police headquarters. "What about the barracks?" he asked, pointing at the military area of Sholemberg. The man smirked and shook his head. "Mercenaries, your bosses already bribed them." He stared at the map for a moment and could not help but let out a chuckle. Such is the risk of hiring men to fight for you.
Corporal Merlkaisrmko informed him the convoy was approaching Sholemberg, five clicks out. Twenty-five armoured vehicles with heavy machineguns, all painted with local anti-Nisrad slogans. Jelbic vehicles, but their bosses in Wiel were gambling on plausible deniability. While they did the distraction, the local militias and the specialised Royal Marines would seize the heart of Sholemberg. He took a deep breath and threw in a small prayer to Tanhri above. Give me blessings for battle, I shall give you a worthy sacrifice. After his short moment of prayer he stood up again. "Platoon, split up, squad one to objective alpha, squad two to objective bravo, squad three to objective charlie, remaining squads on me for objective delta." The well-oiled machine of anonymous Jelbic Marines split up and moved out. Three squads had moved out, three followed him. Intel had suggested the local armed police would resist heavily. At what point do you stop calling them policemen and start calling them soldiers? The Sholemberg Quick Response Unit, the special police force, had APC's, assault rifles, grenade launchers, and even AT capabilities. This was the strongest foe he had faced so far.
The firefight lasted over an hour. His radioman had been fatally wounded early on. A grazing bullet had filled the sleeve of his right arm with blood. The replacement radioman informed him all other squads had been successful with minimal losses. His senior sergeant then reported in with five losses. A third of my assault unit. He pulled himself together to ask about the distraction force. It gave him some solace that they had suffered no fatalities, though two vehicles had been disabled and several men had been wounded. "Sergeant, inform HQ that Sholemberg has been secured. And where is Lieutenant Cahn?" The gunnery sergeant pointed him towards the triage area where he found his junior officer bleeding profusely from his head. "Apologies, sir, the bastards nicked my ear. Bleeds a lot but I'm fine." He felt a great relief to find his most reliable officer with minor wounds. "When you are bandaged up, make sure those local commanders get together for a photoshoot to declare their new state." The lieutenant nodded. "Will do, Captain, I'll meet them in fifteen minutes."
After everything settled down he ordered his replacement radioman to signal in the green light to HQ. Sholemberg is free.