Asteroid Blues

----Opening Engagements-----

Operations on Novvy Bangkok, initially identified within purview of Shasvastii elements of the forces of the Evolved Intelligence, have expanded in scope to include forces of the Morat Aggression Force. TaskGroup-Rebound Spear has been tasked with an initial assault on the hanger area. This assault faced elements of the Haqqislam organization known as the Hassassin Bahram. While documented as a pro-active light force dealing with precision response, one of their strike teams was found holding the hanger. Rebound Spear made a successful assault and broke through their defense. Documentation of the operation follows.

---Contact---

Reports from advance elements of TaskGroup-Rebound Spear initially shows significant resistance. An organized fireteam of the Hassassin Govad troopers with an Asawira heavy infantry trooper limit access to a primary lane towards the edge of the engagement area. Irregular Ghazi Muttawi'ah troopers cover other lines of advance dropping smoke grenades to conceal movement. Later, a Muttawi'ah attempts to isolate one of the Daturazi of the advance element to no real effect with communications jamming equipment. One of the assassins known as Friday advances under cover and is fired upon by a Rodok covering a flank to no effect. One of the EI Q-Drones sights a Lasiq sniper and fires upon it. Plasma removes that threat, limiting the coverage of lines of advance by the Bahram strike team. A Hassassin Barid advances under cover and attempts to set a demo charge on a building containing intelligence material, the charge is either faulty or the Barid fails to successfully wire it and the building remains intact.

End result of Hassassin deployment is successful coverage of the primary line of advanced with an MSV-equipped heavy machine gunner. As the engagement proceeds, the placement of this heavy machine-gun will serve as the source of the most of the MAF casualties.

A Daturazi advances in response to one of the Ghazi Muttawi'ah and kills them with a chainrifle blast, then throws grenades at the Barid to no effect. In an effort to cover the advance of troops in the face of the Govad HMG, Treitak Anyat throws smoke grenades. This fails to provide cover to the advancing Daturazi and Vanguard Forward Observer, seeing them knocked out of action. One of the Krakot mercenaries advances on the Govad position under cover, avoiding the HMG. The Fiday advancing on the flank is attacked by an attached Ikadron remote, which, while it starts several fires with its light flamethrowers, fails to kill the assassin. It does force it to move, and the Rodok fireteam in that portion of the engagement area, kills the Fiday and a nearby Ghazi Muttawi'ah.

---Active Engagment---

Ghazi Muttawi'ah further advance along the side and middle of the engagement area, covering their advance with smoke. The Ghulam Leila Sharif exposes herself to advance and datascan a building in the engagement area. In response to the loss of the Fiday, a Ragik completes and airborne deployment and attempts to scan a high-value target in the area. They fail to successfully complete the scan. The Govad fireteam redeploys to cover a different avenue of approach, one closer to the Rodok fireteam, setting the Asawira to cover the previous line of advance with an AP rifle. This later proves to be a mistake, as a Yaogat, shooting through smoke thrown by Treitak Anyat, removes the Asawira with two Panzerfaust rockets. A Daylami is revealed covering the Barid, and he attempts to kill a Daturazi with a Panzerfaust. The Daturazi's speed and agility are shown to be sufficient to avoid death by anti-armor rocket.

In response the Daturazi decapitates the Barid in close combat. The flanking Ikadron refocuses its interest on one of the remaining Ghazi Muttawi'ah and turns him to a walking torch. As the Govads are reorganizing from the loss of their Asawira comrade, a Kurgat engineer equipped with a Mk. 12 kills their heavy machine gunner. This loss and confusion within the Govads limits their efficacy later in the engagement.

---Exposed Weaknesses---

The loss of the Barid, later shown to be the commanding officer of this strike team, leaves the detachment in a state of confusion. While the Rajik is able to complete his data scan of the High-Value Target and Leila Sharif kills the Kurgat Engineer, the loss of command and control leaves the strike team unable to effectively oppose the actions of the MAF force.

The flanking Daturazi, after killing the Barid, advances on and kills the Daylami threatening him in a close range gunfight of light shotgun vs chain rifle. The Q-drone, quiescent for much of the engagement, re-engages the Govad fireteam, killing the recently revived Asawira and another Govad in a burst of plasma fire. The intact Rodok fireteam calmly advances under the Q-drone's cover to further shatter the remaining Govads and complete their data scan of the enemy HVT. Mission accomplished, the needs of the EI are met, and TaskGroup-Rebound Spear moves to another portion of this human station for new orders.