Canalzone
Seven chapters of a battle loosely based on Canalzone (the original) and TF.
— [P]Asphyxia
Chapter 2
The Briefing
We arrive in the Operations tent to see our gracious host, Nightmare, Slayer, his First Sergeant, a couple other black-clad troops, and our command staff, 12 in all. There is a white screen set up along with a laptop computer and a small projection unit. These guys get all the good stuff. We grunts have to make do with bubble gum and wire to get something high tech to work. Seeing the gear that they have makes me wonder if they know anything about combat.
I take my seat next to Tot in the second row. One of the assistants walks around with a stack of folders and hands one to each of us. It�s marked with some mission number, CZ-1266, and a �Secret� classification stamp on it. I open it to examine the contents. One map with markings of troop movement, occupation, and defensive fortifications, several aerial reconnaissance photographs, and one sheet of paper that is titled �Mission Objectives�. I figured I better not tear it apart looking at everything since the Lieutenant will probably tell us what�s going on. I take out a pen and my notepad and get ready.
�Good morning. I�m Nightmare of Echo Company Special Operations Division. I know our arrival is a bit of a shock to you, but we didn�t want to risk sending our flight plan over the radio in case of enemy eavesdropping. I�ll get right to it.�
I whisper to Tot, �Must be something REAL big if they didn�t want to tell anyone they were arriving.� He just nods to me in agreement. I noticed that he was a bit pale. I have a feeling that he knows that this is going to be a real bad mission.
�Mission CZ-1266, classified secret. Contained in the folder is information regarding this mission.� The screen flashes to life with a map. I get this sinking feeling in my stomach after seeing what is on it. �Our objective will be the town of Wilson. It is the control center for a canal that links Port Royale and the inland industrial center of Calais.�
I�ve heard horror stories from the beginning of the war about Wilson. It is a major engineering feat that the canal even exists. It was constructed through the Imperial Mountains, a massive chain of mountains that cuts this country in half. This canal is the only easy ground-based access for large volumes of men and material East and West. An infantry company could make it through the mountains, but they would have to be well supplied and trained to make it alive. Wilson is midpoint of the canal and acts as a control center for traffic. If you control Wilson, you basically control the canal. That is where the first shots of the war were fired when they sieged the town for weeks and then overran it, killing everyone there. They had the town, thus they had the canal, and they then had Port Royale, gateway to the West. I guess that since we beat them back from Port Royale, this was the next logical step.
�In order to gain control of the town, we must gain control of eight key points within the town. On your maps, you will see where they are located and there is a corresponding aerial photograph for reference. The enemy presently has control of these points and we must take them. They have been in that town for over two years and, as you can guess, have had time to dig in and fortify.�
I raise my hand. �Sir, this seems like suicide to me. Is there any support? Artillery? Air cover? Anything?�
�No, Sergeant. We have not had time to move those resources into position. This is a ground mission only. Now then, we have offloaded 2 companies of new troops for this mission.� He looks at me, �Sergeant, you will be in charge of the first wave. You are to secure a command post and capture as many of the points as you can.� He then looks at Tot, �You, Captain, will be in charge of the second attack wave. You are to reinforce the initial assault and capture any of the remaining points. Each of you will have two Special Ops personnel attached to your company for deployment as you see fit. Sergeant, I�ll be with your company.�
Lovely. Just fantastic. I guess he�s getting back at me for our first encounter. �Why such a small force? Why don�t we just send in several battalions and wipe them out?�
�Like I said before, we have not had the time to move the men or materials into position and Command feels that we need to hit them while they are still recovering from the battle at Port Royale. They also think that it will not be necessary to involve a large offensive force to capture the town. Most of the troops that occupied the town have been redeployed in an effort to slow us down.� Nightmare replies. �The first wave is scheduled to attack at first light. You have two hours to prepare your troops and to make attack plans. Any questions?�
Again, I raise my hand. �Request supply of body bags be issued to my troops?�
With a look that would kill an elephant he says, �This briefing is over. Good luck. Dismissed!�
I sit there for a minute with a look of disbelief on my face. I can�t believe that we are being sent on this suicide mission when we could just carpet bomb the place and walk in to sweep up. There would be little risk in civilian casualties since only military forces have long occupied the town. I guess that the big wigs think that the enemy would expect that and that they wouldn�t expect this. Well, I�ve had hard experience that the brass at HQ doesn�t know that a plan doesn�t survive first contact with the enemy.
Tot nudges me. �You OK? You look like someone walked on your grave.�
�Yea, I�m fine. I�m just thinking, that�s all. I need a drink and a place to look this over. Care to join me and brainstorm?�
�Why not. Besides, I think better after a couple of stiff belts. First round�s on me.�
 Back: Chapter 1: It Begins
 Next: Chapter 2: The Flight
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