NationStates Jolt Archive

REVOLUTION IN CAPE VERDE

Cast of Characters [Will be updated every so often]:

Karl Shanotogo- HLA Leader
Marco Volsa De Rossa- Communist Government President (Deceased)
General Carlos Menezes- PAF's Senior Military Officer
Amane Kwame- HLA Second in Command
Sanye 'Sunny' Mgoto- Commander of the Praia HLA
Johannes Agator- Commander of Tarrafal HLA
Major Olsen-Officer in Charge of the Royal Norwegian Marines [Cotland]
Oversersjant Thor Bøe- Royal Norwegian Marine [Cotland]

General Information:

HLA- Hirgizstanian Liberation Army. Name taken from a vague European tribe.
HLA is a nation-wide revolutionary movement. Based on Conservative values the group has been trying to overthrow the Communist Government for five years. Popular support has been rising steadily across most of the populated islands, as the repressive policies of the Rossa government become more and more harsh.

HLA began 500 years ago during Portugese Colonization of the island, sprang up because of the heavy repression of traditional national heritage. Petered out after independence was gained. Re-surfaced under Karl Shanotogo in the late 90’s, after the rise of the Rossa Government.

Autumn 2005- The Capital Praia is the scene of a failed assassination attempt on Rossa. He begins a crackdown on the population across the entire nation, forcing more and more people to starve and publicly executing critics and so called ‘dissidents’.
October- Shanotogo is again planning to assassinate the President and cause a national revolt under the HLA. Will he pull it off?

Cape Verde Military:

People’s Armed Forces (PAF)

15,000 Full time Conscripts and 3000 Officers across three Corps of 5000 men.

I Corps- Standard Infantry Troops. Light Jeeps and Trucks- no armour. Based on Boa Vista.
II Corps- Armour- 250 Sherman M4A3 Tanks, 20 M3 Grant. Conscripts have little skill in using the tanks in combat. 150 Shermans on Sao Tiago, 50 in Fogo, and another 50 in Santo Antao. 20 Grants based in Sao Nicolau.
III Coprs- Mechanized Infantry- 20 M113 APC’s, + 50 Dodge Half Tracks. Based on Maio and Sao Tiago.

No offensive aircraft in service.

Peoples Navy:

Small Coastal Patrol MK IV Pibber’s- 20, based on the various islands.

Military is disgruntled, starving and pushed to the breaking point. Loyalty is not guaranteed. Officers will be loyal, troops may not follow. Numbers of troops belong to the HLA.

Guaranteed Loyalty from Rossa’s bodyguards, the Presidential Guard. 100 Guard his three palace’s in Sao Tiago, Sao Vicente and Santo Antao.

90% of civilians have no love of Rossa’s devastating economic reforms. Many will support a change of government, but most will not show it openly until Rossa is gone.

National Information:

Cape Verde is an island chain in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Senegal.
There are ten main islands in all, and several smaller ones with no inhabitants. The coastline is quite large, going for just over 960km. Cape Verde has a temperate climate, but can often go for long periods without rain, or for long periods with rain. The terrain depends on the particular island but it can be rugged, mountanous, rocky and volcanic.

Current population of Cape Verde is 418,224 and this continues to grow at over 0.60% a year. The largest ethnic group is Creole (71%), and the second largest ethnic group is African (28%), with 1% being of European ethnicity.

The Capital city is Praia, with Tarrafal and Santa Maria being the second largest cities.

Maps:

Smaller Map: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapimages/africa/cape_verde/cape_verde.gif

Bigger Map: http://www.africa.upenn.edu/CIA_Maps/Cape_Verde_20087.gif

Detailed Map: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/cape_verde_rel_2004.jpg



Key:

Words in Italics are speech
Underlined words are thoughts

The streets of Praia were noisy and bustling as usual. The Capital was a maze of small streets and cobbled courtyards, mucky main streets and shaded coves. The Portugese Architecture was everywhere, intermingled with more modern buildings with neon signs and lights advertising everything from TV’s to kebabs. Clapped out cars added to the overall shouting and general buzz of the main streets, kids splashed in and out of the muddy pools at the kerbside, left from the autumnal rains.

Palm trees and fading green grass bowed slightly in the sea breeze. People strolled about on the sand, sometimes bending over to pick up coconuts or the odd pineapple. People gabbled about their daily lives in a fast, plucky accent, the language a hotch potch of West African and Portugese words.

A bell from a church rang out somewhere deeper in town as Karl Shanotogo jumped over the puddles and ended up on the sidewalk, weaving in between old women in shawls and kids running amok.

He stepped into a doorway with a worn wooden door and peeling pink and white paint. He glanced up the street at the huge white palace sitting squat and strange against the muddy, busy street. Soldiers stood glaring at people at the foot of the white steps, a chicaine of sandbags prevented anyone getting near the steps, and guards with Alsatians stood behind cheap sunglasses, sweating in the afternoon heat.

No doubt Rossa would be sweating in his opulent palace as well. Probably designing some new communist slogan to further degrade the people. All over the country, on gable walls and fading billboards Rossa’s emotionless, thin face proclaimed empty communist slogans like ‘Work for Bread, Bread for Work’ and ‘Resist the Western Evil’. On some the islands, Karl observed, people had come at night and dobbed slogans all over the murals, proclaiming Rossa a hypocrite and calling him everything but the ‘People’s Saviour’.

Karl checked his watch, a cheap gold contraption with a plastic fake leather strap. It was 4 pm. Three days ago a Government informer had sold a golden piece of information to a HLA cell in Santo Antao, the northernmost of the Cape Verdean Islands. Rossa had sent all his advisors to his palace there to gather for a banquet on Friday night. This mean Rossa would have to travel to the military port a few miles out of Praia.

Karl was warned it could be a trap, after all he had nearly been captured, along with some of his men, the last time they had tried to assassinate Rossa over six months ago. No, this time Karl would be on his own.

He checked the small duffel bag that lay against the wall of the doorway. It clinked heavily against the whitewashed concrete. Inside was a battered old M16. Karl scanned the heavy wooden doors of the palace for any movement. There was none, the only movement was the guard patrolling the balcony above the doorway.

A few minutes later a black Mercedes limousine coasted through the busy streets, most cars making way for the gleaming black car. It was an old model, but heavy, reliable and armoured. There was no way Rossa was going to be killed if he made it into the car. No, Karl would have to get him as he walked quickly from the steps to the car, that pulled through the sand-bag chicaine and came to stop at the foot of the steps.

Moments later a few bodyguards dressed in black military fatigues, carrying brown holsters on thick belts, exited from the house and took up position outside the limo, opening the door. Rossa then appeared, a pair of bodyguards either side of him. The skinny little man breathed in the afternoon air and began to descend the steps. Karl grabbed up the rifle from the duffle bag, shaking it loose and bringing the scarred plastic covered butt up to his shoulder. People in the street in front of him said nothing, just ushered their kids out of the way and ran for cover.

Karl took aim, a few centimeters in from of Rossa’s chest as he descened the steps. He squeezed the trigger and the gun coughed, a fan of blood erupted from Rossa’s stomach as the shoot connected. He turned slightly as he became wobbly on the steps. Within the second Karl shot again and again, two more jets of blood popping from the chest of the falling Rossa, contrasting against his white shirt. He slid forward onto the ground and bounced head first down the steps, leaving a trail of intermittent blood streaks as the four bodyguards began to converge on his lifeless corpse. People on the street began screaming and shouting, running for cover in the maelstrom.

Soldiers reappeared from behind sandbags, scanning the crowd as people ran for cover. Karl sank back into the crowd as he ran down an alley way and disappeared.

As the evening drew on and sun became less strong the city began to get more frantic. Praia had been torn apart since the afternoon. The Army had driven through the streets declaring Martial Law and a curfew. It seemed the country was now under military control, with the hated General Carlos Menezes in charge. People hated the man, he had publicly executed hundreds of innocent men and women, he had personally pulled the trigger more than a few times. He was also known to kidnap teenagers during the night, usually girls, never to be seen again.

He truly was hated, and Karl knew it. De Rossa was dead, that was certain, but things still were not going right, not yet anyway. He had to whip up public opinion, show them that now was the time. He stood in the shadows of an alleyway looking across a wide square, with an empty fountain in the middle. Portugese buildings dominated all sides of the sqaure. On one the initials 'CV-TV' were plastered in fading red paint down the centre, between some windows. Aerials and satellites plastered the top of the building.

Cape Verde-Television was the state's mouthpiece. Owned by De Rossa it pumped out propaganda 24 hours a day. On some islands people had access to television from states in West Africa, but they were fined and beaten if they were caught watching anything but CV-TV.

The steel doors at the foot of the building cracked open, spilling light out onto the darkening concrete of the empty square. In the distance a loudpseaker could be heard from a military patrol. A man appeared in the doorway and waved his hand above his head. Karl took one last look around him and sprinted across the square, half expecting to be caught.

He fell in the door out of breath, and looked up to see the smiling face of Amane Kwame, a HLA agent in the CV-TV, one of many. Karl smiled back before coughing and stretching his legs. He embraced Amane warmly.

They moved out of the hall, past an empty reception desk and headed over to a ground floor office. Inside a bare wooden desk, covered in paper, with a single telephone, dominated the bare room. A dead plant sat in one corner, dwarfed by a grey filing cabinet. The shelves were bear apart from a few of Amane's family pictures, and pictures of him fishing on a small boat.

Amane motioned for Karl to sit down on the only other chair in the room. The ground floor was eerily silent, but this was out of business hours, only the news crews stayed on after 6pm. Amane spoke, "So you made a clean getaway then?"

Karl smiled before replying in his deep, rolling voice, "Yes, of course. I was at the docks before the military began their crackdown. Thanks for putting the food on the boat, I was famished."

"No problem my freind. Its the least I could do. The evening broadcast is going to start in a few minutes, shall we make our move? The other guys are ready for us. They managed to get onto the evening crew last week."

Karl nodded and grabbed up a backpack from the floor. He took out two old M1911 Pistols, gave one to Amane and took one for himself. The two men got up together and headed across the floor to the old lift on the other side. They rode up silently.

At the top floor of the building was the broadcast room. The floor was always covered in black leads running from camera to camera and computer to computer. At one end of the room a semi-circular news desk was set up, a red and silver coloured thing with two blue screens on either side of the news casters positions. To the left of the news desk was the weather station, with a blank blue screen.

The newscasters sat on the chairs, talking to each other and going over their notes. One was a blond haired, severe looking dark skinned woman, the other an older African man with greying hair and a crumpled suit. The weather man sat in a chair off to the side of the blue screen, eating a sandwhich of sorts.

Camera men panned around the room, sound men checked appliances and crews gave instructions to the newscasters. Suddenly things began to move faster as the broadcast approached. The two newscasters straightened up and looked at the two camera's pointing at them. A man began counting from ten behind the camera's. At one a red light on the roof blinked on to signal they were on air, and the newscast began.

The door to the lift opened as the broadcast began. Karl and Amane walked into the middle of the room and fired two shots into the roof. Some plaster fell down in front of them, amid the scream of the female newscaster. She began to shout at the crews in front of her to do something, but they ignored her shouting. They were part of the HLA. Amane and Karl moved toward the news desk, Amane grabbed the older man and dragged him out of the way, he didn't struggle, he knew the game was up. The woman did struggle, she kicked out at Karl who simply dragged her like a child out of the way, into the arms of the waiting crews.

He returned to the camera and sat down. He looked at the camera and began to speak. "Good evening citizens of Cape Verde. Today we have dealt a great blow to the oppressive tyrants who threaten our lives. De Rossa is dead." He paused for a second.

"Good people, we must now seize the moment that we have been provided with. The Hirgizstanian Liberation Army is poised to strike out at any who oppose our transition to better government. I, Karl Shanotogo, will immediately step in as an Interim President until elections can be organised, hopefully next week. General Carlos Menezes thinks he will simply take over where Rossa left off. We must show him he is wrong. People, rise up and cast off your chains, smash the communist palaces, teach a lesson to all who oppose the march of freedom. Memebers of the Peoples Armed Forces, you have nothing to fear from the HLA. We want freedom, and we know many of you do aswell. Do not listen to your Officers, they are pawns of De Rossa and Menezes. Rise up with the people and help bring freedom to Cape Verde." Clapping could be heard in the studio as Karl stood up to move away.

The crews in the studio had knocked out the three newscasters and had dragged them downstairs to a waiting vehicle. Karl and Amane hopped into the idling Jeep that tore off into the night.

Bump

The news of the uprising in Cape Verde came as no surprise to the Norwegian government. The public executions were not seen with favorable eyes by the Norwegian government, and the reports from the agents in the island only underscored the need for someone to rise up against the supression. Now, someone had finally done so, and the discussion in the weekly meeting between the King and the cabinet was about whether or not Norway should help the people that were rising up against the communists. Finally, Prime Minister Rothsky, who had just been elected in as the head of the party Høyre in the government coalition Høyre-Fremskrittspartiet, called the vote from the twenty ministers, and the result from the cabinet-vote was to support the rebels and if needed intervene, with seventeen votes for and three votes against. The King, who had the ultimate word in every government decision approved of the plan, and at 1300 hours, the ministers left the meeting and headed for their respective ministries and departments. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense were going to have to work together on this one, along with the Ministry of Commerce.

As Morten Meyer (http://www.hoyre.no/Bildearkiv/portretter/1086697255.17/1086697255.17.jpg?display=sakbilde), the Minister of Foreign Affairs got to his office in the government block in downtown Oslo, he immedately got his assistants to find someone in the HLA that they could talk to. He was going to send them a message very soon. All he needed to do first was talk to the Minister of Defense, John Alvheim (http://pub.tv2.no/multimedia/na/archive/00192/John_Alvheim_Frp_192259g.jpg) to find out what they could send to the HLA.

Alvheim, a elderly yet strong-willed gentlemen of 75, walked into the halls of his ministry, accompanied by aides and officers, who were trying frantically to find out what they could send to the HLA. Some proposed fighters and ships, others were more rational and suggested small-arms and vehicles, such as APCs, IFVs or maybe even LBTs or MBTs. Alvheim was very clear that he wanted a viable suggestion on his desk within the hour, complete with ways of delivering them to the HLA should they agree to accept them.

Fifty-three minutes later, Alvheim looked over the document on his desk while explaining it to Meyer, who were listening to Alvheim over a secured videolink along with the minister of Commerce, Ansgar Gabrielsen (http://www.ehealth2005.no/getfile.php/141007.795/AnsgarGabrielsen_150.jpg).

[Translated from Norwegian]

"The best idea is for us to send about fifty thousand rifles or carbines to Cape Verde, along with pistols, ammunition, grenades and other assorted small-arms." Alvheim said while looking over the memo. "The head of the Logistics recommed we send AG3 rifles, AG5 carbines and P17 pistols, because those can be produced very quickly here and get shipped."

Gabrielsen then piped in. "The only problem is to get the weapons there before the regime can destroy the HLA. Shipping the weapons will take up to two weeks."

"Not a problem. The Air Force has enough cargo planes to fly them to Ascencion Island, and from there they can be shipped to Cape Verde quickly using a fast replenishment vessel to the strike group we have in the area. Not really a problem at all." Alvheim said confidently.

The discussion then went into the way they should contact the HLA, but it was decided to send one of the agents in Cape Verde to the HLA with the message. It would be done the evening that were to come.

In five hours, four C-17 transport planes would take off from Gardermoen Airbase, filled to the ghills with 30,000 AG3 assault rifles, 20,000 AG5 assault carbines and 20,000 P17 pistols, as well as G67 fragmentation grenades and seventy thousand rounds of 6.8 x 43mm and twenty thousand rounds of .45 ACP ammunition.

***********

The message to the HLA were finally delivered, and it sounded as follows.


To: Hirgistanian Liberation Army
From: Royal Norwegian Government
Subject: Supporting your cause

Dear sir(s),

The Kingdom has been following your struggle for freedom and independence from the communists for some time now, and we have decided that it is time to help you break free from the yoke of communism. Therefore we are willing to offer you both weapons, money, official support and, if you wish, military intervention on your behalf.

Right now, we have a total of 30,000 rifles of the type AG3A1, 20,000 carbines of the type AG5A1 and 20,000 pistols of the type P17 heading for our base on Ascension Island. If you accept our offer of assistance, the weapons will be shipped to Cape Verde aboard a Norwegian naval vessel to just off Cape Verdian territorial waters and then covertly to a location of your choosing. Attached are the specifications of the weapons we are offering. We can also aquire other weapons and equipment, as well as additional ammunition and explosives, should you require it.

With deepest regards and hopes for a swift and positive response,


- Government of the Kingdom of Norway

Attachments: 3


AG3A1 Assault Rifle

http://img344.imageshack.us/img344/689/ag38yx.jpg

Caliber 6.8 x 43mm
Action Gas operated, roller delayed blowback action
Fire Mode Semi-auto, 3-round burst, or automatic
Overall Length 1023 millimeters [A1]
Barrel Length 450 millimeters [A1]
Weight 3,5 kgs [A1]
Magazine 35 rounds, or 100 rounds in double drum
Rate of Fire 850 rounds per minute
Effective Range 360 meters [A1]
Muzzle Velocity 934 meters per second [A1]
Underwater Shoot No
Chamber Pressure 51,800 psi
Equipment Avalabilities Equipment rail, scope optics, suppressor, front handle, G32 Grenade Launcher, laser, flashlight, bayonet
Cost $900 [A1]
Service Life 35,000 rounds


AG5A1 Assault Carbine

http://www.americasarmy.pl/screeny/m4weaponmods02.jpg

Caliber 6.8 x 43mm
Action Gas operated, rotating bolt
Fire Mode Semi-auto, 3-round burst, or automatic
Overall Length 838 mm [extended]; 757 mm [collapsed]
Barrel Length 370 mm
Weight 3.0 kgs
Magazine 40 rounds
Rate of Fire 760 rounds per minute
Effective Range 300 meters
Muzzle Velocity 940 meters per second
Underwater Shoot No
Chamber Pressure 47,000 psi
Equipment Avalabilities Suppressor, scope optics, front handle, G32 Grenade Launcher, laser, flashlight
Cost $800
Service Life 52,000 rounds

P17 Sidearm

http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/8674/p172be.jpg

Caliber .45 ACP
Action Double Action
Fire Mode Semi-auto
Overall Length 186 mm
Barrel Length 117 mm
Weight 0.9 kgs
Magazine 14 rounds
Rate of Fire N/A
Effective Range 150 meters
Muzzle Velocity 340 meters per second
Underwater Shoot Yes
Chamber Pressure 23,000 psi
Equipment Avalabilities Suppressor, laser, flashlight
Cost $600
Service Life 25,000 rounds

OOC: Welcome to E2 Hirgy

OOC: Thanks Cotland, glad to finally be here.

IC:

The two news reporters had been taken to a house a few miles outside of Praia. Karl and Amane left them there with a few volunteers. They would keep them until they could re-take a jail, and then move them there. The capital, during the night, had turned into a maelstrom. People were out protesting against the Government, and had been since word od De Rossa's death got out.

Karl and Amane arrived at a beach house off a dusty track. It was the main HLA HQ. The Island Commanders were there in force and ready for the briefing from Karl. They hid the jeep in a small lean-to and entered the kitchen to find the 9 Commanders sitting around a table or leaning on the cabinets, smoking cigars and drinking imported foreign soft drinks. They began to clap as Karl and Amane arrived.

One of the commanders stepped forward and handed Karl a note. The commander of the Praia HLA, Sanye 'Sunny' Mgoto, smiled as he handed Karl the message, "Your going to like this my freind."

Karl studied the paper for a minute and then looked up at the other Commanders. "My freinds, it seems the Royal Norwegian Government have offered to help us. They're sending us thousands of arms and ammo and say they are prepared to use force if we need it." The Commander's thrust their cans in the air and shouted in triumph. This was a major step for the movement, it had long been a worry that the HLA would be shunned and seen as a pariah, but De Rossa had to be taken down, and things seemed to be working out well at the moment.

On the back of the note Karl scribbled another message.


To: The Royal Norwegian Government
From: Hirgizstanian Liberation Army
Subject: Re: Supporting the Cause

Dear Sirs,
We are deeply, deeply thankful of your kind moves to help our cause. With your help we will surely triumph against the communist evil that has ruined this nation. We thank you for the weaponry you are sending. Currently we have no news on whether a port is in freindly hands, but by tomorrow we will, and I will send you confirmation then.

As for your offer of military support, at the moment we cannot tell what the bulk of the Army will do. Our main concern is the 3000 or so Officers and the grip they hold over senior sections of the Army, especially in the Armoured Corps, which is our biggest threat. If we need military help, we will surely ask, but it is too early to predict what will happen at this time.

Once again I wish to thank the Royal Norwegian Government for choosing to help the Cape Verdian people. Our future will surely be brighty.

HLA

Karl lifted the pen from the paper and handed it to Sunny. "Get this to the Norwegians, and you know what to do if you think your followed. Don't get caught Sunny. Hold on for a few minutes, I need to brief you all."

The Commanders shifted in their sites to concentrate on what Karl was going to say. Amane had taken a seat on the sideboard next to the old fridge and was cradling a can of soda. Karl began to speak.

"We're going to move soon. We have to secure a port within the next few days, and I mean really secure it becuase we need those supplies from the Norwegians. Praia will, I think, force the Government troops out due to protests. Our agitators our surely at work now. We need to make ourselves known across all the islands, especially those with little military prescence. We need to watch out for the Police aswell. They're corrupt and inept, but they can still fire guns. Basically I want all cells to activate across the country, we need reports from our Agents in the Police and Military about their situations and what Menezes plans to do. The boats are waiting my freinds, good luck to you all." Karl, Amane and the Commanders stood and embraced each other and shook hands. They would succeed at freeing the nation, or die trying.

In the port city of Tarrafal on Sao Tiago Sunny Mgoto stood atop an M4A3 Sherman Tank, proudly adorned with the Cape Verdian flag. Behind him stood another 25 tanks and five M113 APC's. Troops in Olive Drab uniform stood in front of him. A line of 50 officers were lined up in front of the mass of soldiers, blindfolded with white cloth and sitting on their knees, each with a soldier behind him, cradling M16s.

Sunny lifted the grey bullhorn to his mouth. "My freinds...the revolution has begun!" A rapturous cheer went up from the few thousand soldiers standing in front of the line of tanks and APC's. Some I Corps soldiers were also present due to a scheduled military exercise that now wasn't going to take place. Nearly 5000 soldiers were present, almost a 1/3 of the entire military. The majority were HLA agents or simply young conscripts tired of being kicked around and bullied endlessly by their Officers who grew fat off of De Rossa's table while the soldiers went hungry.

Sunny spoke again, "We have seized the port in Tarrafall and can use these tanks to blow up any of the Navy bastards that try and disrupt the arms shipments from Norway that will help secure our victory. Our great leader, Karl Shanotog has praised our bravery and commends our victory here. However, the people of Praia, our families and freinds, are beiung tormented by General Menezes. I will ask you men for one final effort to free our people. We must march on the Capital. Two tanks will be left here to guard the port along with some infantry. The rest of us must press on to the Capital. Once we take it, our freedom is assured. Are you with me?" The crowd again cheered and the Officers were dragged off to a nearby holding pen and thrown roughly inside.

Tank and APC engines began to roar to life, lifting clouds of diesel fuel and dust into the air as they lurched out of the base, beside lines of soldiers marching toward their freedom. At the gate Sunny handed a note to a HLA agent before jumping onto one of the tanks and pushing on a helmet.

MESSAGE

To: Royal Norwegian Government
From: HLA
Subject: Arms

Dear Sirs,
We have secured the port of Tarrafal on the island of Sao Tiago. You may unload the arms there. We suggest coming at night due to the risk of being seen by a coastal patrol during the day. They will be too drunk during the night.

HLA

OOC: Cotland, I'll let you RP the arms shipments before i continue, if you want?

The next night, the vessel in question, the HMNoS Vinje (D149) and the HMNoS Sirdal (D179), both destroyers of the Devlin [Flight II] class slipped into the port of Tarrafal under complete EMCON, which meant that all active radar and communications equipment was turned off. The ships were also at General Quarters, with all hands manning their battlestations, just in case.

In the holds, the two destroyers carried the fifty thousand rifles and carbines, the twenty thousand pistols and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition and grenades. Also aboard the two destroyers, who were accompanied by the Kubler class cruiser HMNoS Fauske (C26) which remained off the coast to provide support, should they need it, were a platoon of Norwegian Royal Marines. The Marines were there to help the HLA in getting to know the new weapons. The leader, Major David Olsen, stood on the port bridgewing on the Vinje and looked at the people at the dock. On the helideck on the stern of the Vinje, his platoon of Marines stood, ready to disembark. The twenty-five Marines in his platoon, himself included, were all dressed in the standard green BDUs with their tactical vests and battlesacks on. They didn’t have helmets on, but the normal maroon berets that all Marines were issued.

As the Vinje was secured to the dock, the bosun got his thing going. Quiet calls and cussing in Norwegian were heard near the dock where the destroyers were docked, and everyone helped out getting the many crates down on the dock. Of course, no foreigners were allowed aboard the ships, where the sailors and Marines were busy offloading the weapons and ammo. The cranes on the destroyers hauled large amounts of weapons, and within three hours, all the weapons were unloaded. All that was left before the HLA could start using the weapons were for them to sign the receipt. After all, it was weapons and equipment for more than a million of the taxpayers money that was being transferred, and the Norwegians didn’t want any problems with their accountants.

Major Olsen disembarked the Vinje after saluting the flag on the stern, followed by the skippers of the Vinje and the Sirdal. They headed straight for the HLA representative there and handed him the receipt.

”If you’d be so kind as to sign there sir. Its for the weapons and ammunition.”

Once he did, the skipper of the Vinje took the word.

”Sir, I’d like to introduce Major Olsen of the Royal Marines. He and his men will be training your men in the use of the new weapons, and tag along with you. They’ll act as advisors, if you will.”

Olsen shook the hand of the man and waited for the HLA rep to say something.

Amane was pleased. The Norwegians had come through on their promise and standing before him was now a relatively large and well fed Marine Officer, an imposing character amongst the scrawny HLA agents looking bemused at the many crates on the docks. Amane nodded at the two officers and spoke, "Gentlemen, the new Government of Cape Verde welcomes you. Training for the new weaponry would be much appreciated. Many of the men here know how to operate Assault Rifles, but they are not quite proficcient yet. The Marines would be more than welcome as advisors. If training could start immediately that would be excellent. We have armour on the way to RV with our leader, Karl Shanotogo. We will take you with us if you want to when training finishes." Amane paused for a response.

Olsen smiled and nodded.

"Of course sir. If you'd get the people you want trained first get to somewhere, perhaps that old warehouse there?" He pointed at a large warehouse, some fifteen by thirty by five meters large, thirty meters away.

"If your men would get a few crates of weapons and ammunition over there, we can start training in a few minutes. Oversersjant Bøe here is a expert marksman, he even trained our Marines in basic training a few years back" Olsen said while motioning for a older, taller, clearly stronger man to come over. On his name tag, it read "BØE", and he had the distinctions of a oversersjant, the highest non-commisioned rank available in the Norwegian Royal Marines. The man was in his thirties, two meters tall, almost a meter wide over the shoulders, and with a MG49 light machine gun on his shoulder. This was Oversersjant Thor Bøe, the most decorated and feared soldier in the Norwegian military ever, and he was going to train the HLA.

OOC: Hirgy, you got AIM or MSN?

ooc: Is this open? If nto I'll delete this. If it is, then the rebels on Koror (Palau) will offer an alliance and friendship. Another revolutionary island nation to be, they kicked out Elephanti military presence and declared independence. Our nation is too busy to go get them right now, and will probably just let them be (when you have almost 2 billion people, 20,000 declaring independence isnt a big problem)

OOC:

@Elephantum- This is an open RP, feel free to jump in. Am I right in saying the rebel group you speak of is hostile the the established Elephantum Government? (Its just i wouldn't want to create an alliance with a group that might be destroyed by a bigger national government, who might turn on us aswell.)

@Cotland- I have MSN, check your TG's for my address.

IC:

Amane motioned over a couple of aides in Khaki brown shirts and trousers, he told them to go and unlock the empty loading warehouse the Norwegians wanted to use for training. When Amane turned back he was faced with perhaps the biggest man he'd ever seen, with the strangest name. The large machine gun looked like a toy hanging off his shoulder. He would certainly cause an interested stir among the HLA operatives. Amane signalled to the two Norwegains to follow him toward the warehouse, where a large group of HLA operatives were taking crates on motorized docking carts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

25 Miles outside Praia...

Sunny Mgoto had brought the column down into the large desert depression that marked the valley plain between Praia and Tarrafal. The tanks and soldiers couldn't be seen by scouts from the city unless they stumbled directly over them, which wasn't likely due to the snipers Sunny had ordered to take up positions around the large group.

Karl Shanotogo arrived as night began to fall. He arrived riding in the back of a Dodge Halftrack, which had a 107mm Mortar set into the back. A Willy's jeep also followed them with a trailer packed full of crates of RPG-7's, which were handed out to the numerous foot soldiers in the encampment.

Karl conversed for a while with Sunny about their strategy. "A runner told me the Norwegians arrived this morning, Amane is with them. He has orders to bring the weapons and the rest of the men down here once they know how to use the weapons."

Karl scratched the stubble on his chin and kicked the sand into little hills by his feet. "Yeah...I wonder if the Norwegians will be coming? Anyway, it seems Menezes wasn't in Praia until tonight, he was on another island, enjoying his wine and palaces no doubt. I think he'll stay in the city, there's close to 150 Shermans there. And a few hundred I Corps soldiers. A couple of agents brought the Dodge Halftrack to the safe-area this morning, they say some III Corps elements arrived on a ferry this afternoon. I say we wait here for the rest of the men, lets hope Menezes doesn't attack us."

Sunny looked off into the distance, leaning against the green and sand blasted metal of his tank. "What else can we do, we can't engage the tanks in the city anyway. Hopefully the RPG's will do enough damage to the tanks to force the conscripts to bail out. I've told the men to aim for the split between the turret and the chassis, or the back if they can. Fighting is better than starving Karl, all these men are here out of their own free will, this is our time my freind, it is better to fight against evil than do nothing."

Karl nodded.

OOC:

Two More Maps added, see first post.

OOC: Cotland, do you want to RP some training?

Oversersjant Bøe took out a AG3 assault rifle from the wooden crate in which it was packed and removed the tar-paper that kept the rifle dry. This rifle was new, never having been fired before. He then opened another crate and pulled out four magazines, each holding thirty-five 6.8x43mm rounds, the standard ammunition used in the Norwegian armed forces. He pulled back the cocking handle, smalled the magazine into the feeder and gave the cocking handle a slap, causing it to slide back into position and load a round into the 450mm long barrel. The rifle was ready to be fired. He took a quick look down on the firing range before he placed the 3,5 kg heavy rifle firmly at his shoulder, looked down the iron sights and aquired his target before switching the firing selector to fully automatic and gently squeezed the trigger, pulling out all thirty-five rounds in the magazine, all of whom slammed into the target. The rifle barked as the rounds were pulled out by the gunpowder, and it barked for a good 24 seconds before it was empty. Only then did Bøe bother to look at the roughly two hundred individuals that were going to learn how to shoot the mainstay rifle of the Norwegian arsenal.

"Good morning. I am Oversersjant Thor Bøe, and you have been gathered here this morning to learn how to shoot this rifle. The A G three assault rifle. It weighs three and a half kilo, is just over a meter long and fires either thirty-five or a hundred six point eight by fourty-three millimeter rounds, contained in a magazine or a double drum, respectively. It can fit most equipment, such as grenade launchers, bayonets and what-not, but you will not be trained to use that at this moment in time. However, you will learn to shoot adequately with it, and you will learn to fear it!" Thor paused, then started to reload the rifle.

"Observe how it is loaded. You pull the cocking handle, here at the front left side of the rifle, backwards and up into the slot here. Then, you insert the magazine in this large hole, here. Like so." He inserted a fresh magazine. "Then, you remove the cocking handle from the slot and back to the original position, like so..." He gave the cocking handle a good slap downwards, making it fly into the slide again and up to the front of the barrel. "...and the rifle is loaded. Now, for Gods sake, do not attempt to fool around with this rifle, as it will kill you if you treat it with neglect!"

Thor and Major Olsen then handed out AG3s to all the men there, and gave each three magazines as well. Then men then rehearsed loading the rifle for a few minutes, each of them getting tips and further instructions from the two Marines before Thor called for their attention once again.

"Alright. I want you to form lines of ten, and get on the firing line."

The men did, and Bøe showed them how to aim down the sights and how to breathe properly. After a few shots, they looked up and saw that most had missed terribly, but after more instruction and two magazines, they were getting more accurate by every round. Within two hours, the first two hundred were trained in the AG3s and sent out to train others, assisted by the other Marines. In twelve hours, if the rate kept up, more than 3,000 HLA fighters would be sufficiently trained to operate the AG3s and AG5s with acceptable accuracy (60 - 80 % of the rounds fired hit something). Officers were given quick training in the P17, which fired the .45 ACP round. It was basically a more modernized M1911, only in a slightly different form, and hence it should be familiar to them.

While Amane was overseeing the remainder of the 2500 HLA agents in Tarrafal being trained, he was frantically phoning to agents in surrounding cities and villages to bring the men down toward Tarrafal to get rifles and training. They trickled in in groups every now and then and went into the warehouse that was beginning to smell pungently of cordite.

Amane had sent a colum of 500 men with their new weapons up to meet Sunny and Karl.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

A scout came running down a sand dune in the distance, sand billowing behind him. He arrived exhausted at the foot of Karl's new tank, out of breath and scared as hell. Between mouthfulls of air and water from his canteen he spoke, "Menezes...mobilised tanks...50 of them...this way...a mile off."

Karl quickly grabbed up a radio mic from inside the tank and shouted, "Sunny, about 50 tanks on the way, get the RPG's up over the dune's and get somone to spot for the mortar. Ready all the tanks...if they can't hold them off we'll have to sacrafice these babies."

Sunny acknowledged the order and almost immediately around 200 HLA operatives in a motley assortment of military green, Khaki brown and civilian clothes ran forward from the line of vehicles, hefting RPG's on their shoulders and carrying three more grenades in sacks strapped to their back.

Karl couldn't see of the dune's so he ordered his tank forward behind the line of RPG soldiers. He hopped out and signalled for the green monster to stay put, and he ran up the side of the dunes ahead of the RPG soldiers. He saw, rightly, around 40 Shermans and a few Grant tanks, along with some jeeps and soldiers, coming steadily toward the basin depression.

Suddenly, from beside Karl a streak of bluey-white smoke erupted with a squeal and careared toward an M4 near a building. The RPG hit the frontal armour and set stowage bins alight. But the tank kept moving. Another streak from down the line and the same tank lurched to a halt as its left tracks were blown off.

Now more and more streaks of smoke followed by explosions could be seen and heard as the RPG soldiers made it up the dunes. They fired first, taking the enemy by surprise. Some of tanks rolled onward, burning alight. A few crews had bailed out here and there and one tank's turret was blown clean off by a well placed shot.

The tanks and soldiers began to get their bearings amid the confusion and 76mm shells began to erupt in front of the line of RPG soldiers, sending dust and bodis flying into the air. However, the enemy was doomed, there were far too many RPG's and too little cohesion within the enemy ranks. The Grant tanks further back began to turn around and head back. It was too late though, the poorly trained conscripts showed the weakest spots on the tanks, and this was exploited to the full. Karl watched as the tanks went up in balls of flames due to multiple RPG hits. However, more RPG soldiers fell due to enemy fire.

Suddenly dense thuds could be heard and seen amongst the enemy as the 107mm Mortar got underway. Karl snapped up his binoculars and could see the enemy troops outside of the tanks get blown into pieces by the well placed mortar rounds. He glimpsed a sliver of white amidst the smoke for a second, and then again, atop a wooden pole held by a young soldier running through the chaos. He was carrying a white flag, they were surrendering. Karl quickly scrambled down the hill and sprinted toward his tank, running up the glacis plate and grabbing the radio mic hanging from his cupola. He clicked it and shouted "Cease Fire, CEASE FIRE." Some few seconds later a few hands went up among the RPG troops and the fire eased off. A few pot shots still echoed from retreating enemy troops. A few Sherman and Grant Tanks rolled into view, displaying white flags and relived faces.

In the chaos the HLA had lost 25 RPG troops, with another 10 injured. But the enemy had, by the looks of things, lost 30 tanks and about 50 men. 15 tanks and their crews were now on the HLA side, and some 25 troops also surrendered.

'Not bad for a days work.' thought Karl.

OOC: Cotland, do you want to RP anything more?

The Empire of Layarteb has authorized $100M to be given to rebels supporting the Hirgizstanian cause.

OOC: yeah lame I know more to come later.

OOC: Lol, no problem. Not really in the mood for big post today myself. Just finished a Uni essay on 'the relationiship between sovereignty and balance of power in realist thought.'

IC:

In the small desert depression the HLA and the newly surrendered troops talked and drank the night away under the stars, freinds re-united, and new freinds being made. Karl was looking over one of their newly 'acquired' Grant tanks, an interesting looking behemoth to say the least.

Sunny walked up, his rifle shouldered, a can of beer in his hand. He gave a note to Karl, winked happily and walked off to see what the party was getting up to. Karl looked round, the note still in his hand, checking the sentries were doing their duty. They were, scanning with bincoluars, all of the groups vigilant up on the ridge, to the sides and rear. It had been a long day, they had buried the bodies of their fallen in a nearby church, the Priest giving a small ceremony. Karl slumped to the ground beside the dusty road wheels.

He unfolded the small not and his eyes lit up at what it said. He suddenly wasn't tired anymore. He jumped up and ran across the the Party and shouted, "The Empire of Layarteb has just given us 100 Million Dollars, 100 MILLION DOLLARS!" Someone hoisted his rifle and fired a few rounds into the air joyously.

OOC: Lol, no problem. Not really in the mood for big post today myself. Just finished a Uni essay on 'the relationiship between sovereignty and balance of power in realist thought.'

IC:

In the small desert depression the HLA and the newly surrendered troops talked and drank the night away under the stars, freinds re-united, and new freinds being made. Karl was looking over one of their newly 'acquired' Grant tanks, an interesting looking behemoth to say the least.

Sunny walked up, his rifle shouldered, a can of beer in his hand. He gave a note to Karl, winked happily and walked off to see what the party was getting up to. Karl looked round, the note still in his hand, checking the sentries were doing their duty. They were, scanning with bincoluars, all of the groups vigilant up on the ridge, to the sides and rear. It had been a long day, they had buried the bodies of their fallen in a nearby church, the Priest giving a small ceremony. Karl slumped to the ground beside the dusty road wheels.

He unfolded the small not and his eyes lit up at what it said. He suddenly wasn't tired anymore. He jumped up and ran across the the Party and shouted, "The Empire of Layarteb has just given us 100 Million Dollars, 100 MILLION DOLLARS!" Someone hoisted his rifle and fired a few rounds into the air joyously.

OOC: We figure that should buy a lot of guns & bullets.

OOC: Damm straight. We already got quite a bit from Cotland, so maybe some new vehicles and a new tank or two once things calm down.

OOC: Hirgy, get on MSN please. I wanna discuss something with you.

OOC: Damm straight. We already got quite a bit from Cotland, so maybe some new vehicles and a new tank or two once things calm down.

You def know where my storefront is.

OOC: Is that your new storefront?

Cotland, I'm quite busy at the moment with Papers for Uni, I will be on MSN sunday afternoon from about 2.30 onwards. If you can't reach me direct, email me.

OOC: OK, I'll talk with you in the morning then. As for the training, the Marines'll train your men. I don't think I'll RP the training anymore, unless of course you want me to.

IC: The Marines kept on training the HLA fighters. Meanwhile, Major Olsen walked over to Amane.

"Sir, I'd like to talk to you for a moment. My government want me to have a meeting with the leader of the HLA. It's about further Norwegian involvement in this situation."

Amane nodded at the large Marine. "Our leader is currently at the front-line with the bulk of the HLA on this island. It will take him a couple of hours to get back here. But I will inform him you want to meet. Excuse me for a second."

Amane dissapeared outside the warehouse for a while. He ran across to the police station in Tarrafal to use the radio station set up by the HLA. He managed to contact Sunny who put him through to Karl. "Karl, listen. The Norwegians want to speak with you. Can you get back here for a bit. I think they want to get involved more?"

There was silence on the radio for a second before Karl replied, "Ok, I will try and get back for tomorrow. Menezes is smarting from our victory yesterday, he'll be regrouping. I can only come back for a while though. But I'll be there tomorrow morning hopefully, if i leave this evening."

Amane said his goodbye and ran out into the town and back toward the docks, thinking he needed a jeep instead of running. Olsen was busy instructing a new batch of Officers with their new pistols. He interrupted him for a second. "Our leader is coming back. He'll be here tomorrow morning hopefully."

"Good. Now, let's see to getting you some training with this baby." he said, pulling out a P17 pistol from the open crate and giving it to Amane. The weapon was made out of a light-weight metal alloy and fitted with a rubber grip, ensuring that the shooter wouldn't loose it by accident. Olsen let Amane feel it for a moment before he continued.

"This is the P17 sidearm, standard sidearm in the Royal Norwegian Military. It holds fourteen rounds of the point fourty-five ACP caliber in the clip and one in the chamber, and it fires the rounds towards the enemy at a speed of roughly three hundred and fourty meters per second. The effective range is one hundred and fifty meters, so the bullets hit their target in less than half a second. With the use of the ACP round, lethality is very high. As an extra bonus, the P17 can be fired under water, something which is ideal for island warfare. Also, it can be fitted with various equipment, such as lasers, silencers or flashlights. Here's a clip. Try firing a few rounds and find out how it feels. I can guarantee you, its a unique feeling."

Olsen smiled while handing Amane three clips fitted with live rounds. Who better to recommend the weapon to his bosses than the local leader?

Amane took the pistol from the Marine's meaty hand. It felt good. Amane had been a former Bodyguard for De Rossa, which essentially he meant he was special forces. They had trained with the M1911A1's, firing double taps until the inside of their hands was red ands blistered. It had given Amane the perfect shooting hand. No doubt his skinny frame and calm demeanor belied the fact he had been a highly trained killer, and he had done much of that before De Rossa had seen fit to murder his family.

Amane aimed the pistol and looked over his shoulder at Olsen. He thought it would be fun to mess a round for minute. Instead of looking down the sights Amane pointed the pistol downrange and fired, his head looking the other way as if he was scared. He missed and the kick threw his arm up toward his head. Olsen looked doubtful, almost amused.

Then Amane smiled and turned to look down he sights, stetched his neck and double tapped the head of the soldier shaped target. He did this again and again, moving downrange double tapping as he walked briskly, until there was literally nothing left of the plywood target. Olsen's smiled widened and Amane looked at the gun, sniffed the cordite and walked back toward the large Marine.

"Not bad...I think I'm getting the hang of it."

Olsen shook of laughter. The man had tried to play him, and almost succeeded. He handed Amane a belt with a polyester holster for the P17 and four clips. This man would be a very valuable allie indeed. Then, as if on que, Olsen looked down to the docks, where the Vinje and Sirdal were slipping out of port, quietly and undetected due to the quiet nuclear reactors that powered them. Just like the plan said.

Little did he know that twenty nautical miles off shore, the Fauske had sunk a patrol boat with its 8" cannon on the forecastle, something which was not part of the plan.

The battle had been short but intense, with one Norwegian seaman wounded. However, the Norwegians had prevailed, and the Mk-IV Pibber had gone to the bottom of the sea along with all but two of its crew. The two survivors had been picked up by the SH-60R 'Seahawk' helicopter that the Fauske carried aboard and taken back to the aircraft carrier that waited fourty nautical miles off Cape Verde along with the rest of the ships (and Marines of Marinebrigade 14) that made up Amfibiske Kampgruppe 14. The unit which was to help the HLA if they needed it. Once it was called upon, it could be at Cape Verde in force in less than two hours, with Marines being flown in within twenty minutes!

OOC I hope you don't mind.

OOC: No, i don't mind at all.

By the way, i FINALLY broke 1000 posts today!

IC:

Karl made it into Tarrafal at around midday. The rickety white jeep had barely made it. He reported into the police station and was directed up toward the warehouse at the docks.

He could hear shooting coming from inside the long warehouse, he was happy to hear the training going well. He ducked in through one of the side doors and found himself looking out at a makeshift firing range, lots of open crates and weapons, HLA operatives training in hand-to-hand combat, pistol and rifle firing and maintennance. All overseen by pale white Marines in strange camouflage who towered above most of the HLA men.

He found Amane fiddling with a pistol belt, with a shiny new pistol in the holster. He smiled on seeing Karl, who looked tired and bedraggled, covered in oil stains with his hair dusty and matted. Amane spoke, "Good to see you my freind. The Marine who wanted to see you, his name is Olsen, I'll take you to him." Karl nodded through a yawn and walked outside behind Amane.

Olsen was unpacking some crates with the help of some HLA men. Olsen was being gazed at by a number of small kids, interested in the newcomers. Amane spoke with him and he turned to face Karl, who stretched out his hand. The Marine took it in a strong grip and a smile. "You must be Olsen, I'm Karl Shanotogo."

"Mr Shanotogo, how do you do? I'm Major David Olsen of the Kongelige Norske Marineifanterikorps, the Royal Norwegian Marine Corps. If I could get a word in private with you...?" Olsen said while shaking the hand of Karl. While the man was shorter than Olsen, he had an aura of respect surrounding him.

[OOC: Assuming you allow it]

Olsen guided the man away from the crowds and over to the water. Standing on the relatively deserted part of the dock, the talking could begin.

"Well sir, I've got orders from my government to offer you any support you need. We have a naval task force about fifty nautical miles away from here, fully ladened with fighters, bombers, helicopters and a full Marinebrigade.

Also, my government has instructed me to inform you that it is willing to offer you armaments, money, aid and other supplies. You name it, you will probably get it. All I need from you is a account for the money to be wired onto. As a first payment, my government will transfer roughly two hundred and fifty million dollars, with more to come.

Now, naturally we don't just give away the money, weapons and other items. What we wish in return is a formal alliance and trading rights with Cape Verde and potential other aquirings that the HLA may obtain in the future.

Do we have an accord sir, or do you wish to have some time to think it over? I can assure you that the offer from my government is true."

Olsen looked at the man, waiting for his reply. It was a very good offer for the HLA, and apparently a poor trade for the Kingdom. However, the Norwegian government believed that the HLA in charge of Cape Verde would become a highly valuable ally in the future. An ally worthy of investment.

Karl mulled it over, as usual kicking sand together with his feet, one hand under his chin, supported by the other, twirling the little hair he'd let grow there. The sun was warm now, beating down on his back. The Norwegians were sweating, probably not used to this continental climate.

"Major, the HLA, and hopefully the new Government of Cape Verde, accept the kind over of your Government and nation. We wish to offer you, and the Government of the Empire of Layarteb a full SOSUS base option on the island of Sao Antao. As far as we know the EOL seems pleased with this offer, and I hope your Government will be aswell. Naturally we'll accept monies from your Government, but I insist we only take $100 Million. Once in Government I am hoping to open mining and offshore drilling around the islands, as I happen to know there are vast resources there, and I'd also like to open the islands to tourism, especially for your nation and that of Layarteb. What do you say Major?"

Olsen was surprised at the wish to accept only $100M from the government, but if that was what he insisted, then that was how it would be.

"Very well, I'll inform my government of your wish. Anyway, I'm sure that my government would accept the offer of a base here. I'm also certain that once the HLA prevails in this conflict, my government will invest large monetary sums here, to support not only the tourist and mining and drilling industries that are sure to pop up here, but also the people of Cape Verde. However, we need to end the hostilities here first."

Olsen stopped talking and took a sip of his canteen before continuing. The heat was close to killing him, although there was no way in hell he would admit it to anyone. After all, he was a Marine. It was do or die, litterarily.

"I've talked to my government, and we're willing to offer you, free of charge, a total of twenty main battle tanks of the type M2030A1 'Lion', twenty-five armored personell carriers of the type M2035A1 'Gramstad' and twenty-five anti tank missile equipped vehicles of the type M2035A5 'Gramstad'. They are already loaded onto a LST waiting with the naval task force. The task force is ready to move in and assist you at your command. Just give the word sir, and they'll be here in force within three hours."

"Major, we'll accept the tanks and the task force. We need to crush Menezes now. When i left our position near Praia this morning we got word he was pushing the civilians into military uniforms. We have to stop him now. We won a short battle yesterday, but he could be planning to use De Rossa's bodyguards, and I used to be one along with Amane, so we know what we're up against. Once we destroy his armour and mobility, he'll crumble. When will the new equipment be arriving? And how soon can the men here be trained to use it? Some of them are former Tank Crewmen by the way."

"Major, we'll accept the tanks and the task force. We need to crush Menezes now. When i left our position near Praia this morning we got word he was pushing the civilians into military uniforms. We have to stop him now. We won a short battle yesterday, but he could be planning to use De Rossa's bodyguards, and I used to be one along with Amane, so we know what we're up against. Once we destroy his armour and mobility, he'll crumble. When will the new equipment be arriving? And how soon can the men here be trained to use it? Some of them are former Tank Crewmen by the way."

Olsen sat up and nodded.

"Very well sir. The training shouldn't be any problem, although they'll need to be trained by the men that are delivering them, not myself. Anyway, the first advance party should be here in about half an hour, then the heavy equipment will arrive within three hours. Which island would you like for the troops to be landing on?" he asked while getting eye contact with the radio operator. The man nodded and came over with the radio ready, but waited till he knew where to dispatch the troops.

"Land them on this island Major, this is where we win or loose this nation's freedom. I'll want to be trained myself to Command the new tanks, I plan on putting the barrel up Meneze's ass once i find that blundering coward! I'll gather up the former tank crews that i can see in the warehouse. I'll meet you back here in a few minutes and we can go to meet the new arrivals then." Karl received a nod from the big Marine who began to talk into his radio in Norwegian.

Karl walked off toward the warehouse to pick out the tank troops who would get to ride in the new armor.

[Translated from Norwegian]

"Big Goose, this is Tiger six, do you copy, over?"

"Tiger six, Big Goose, I read you give by five. SITREP, over."

"Big Goose, Tiger six. The HLA want our help immediately, I repeat, they want boots on the ground immediately. Copy last transmission, over?"

"Copy that. We're coming. ETA two hours, fourty minutes. Which island, over?"

"Santiago, repeat Santiago. Over."

"Copy that. Big Goose, out."

On the Ragnarok [Flight II] class battleship Ormen Lange, fourty-three nautical miles from Santiago Island, the admiral in charge of Amfibiske Kampgruppe 14 ordered the entire group to enter Cape Verdian territorial waters and head directly for Santiago Island, flank speed. It was an impressive view, to watch the roughly fourty vessel streched over a portion of the open South Atlantic Ocean go to flank speed and head for Cape Verde.

The Admiral also ordered the battlegroup to go to battlestations and for nine CH-53E 'Sea Stallion' heavy transport helicopters stationed aboard the Odin [Flight II] class amphibious transport vessel Cappelen to be filled with Marines and flown ahead to Tarrafal, escorted by three AH-75B 'Stalker' gunships and four F-35C 'Rapier' fighters.

Each 'Sea Stallion' could carry 44 combat-ready Marines, giving a total of 375 Marines, three full companies, being carried to the area immediately. The ninth helicopter carried only 23 Marines. However it carried mortars, machine guns, ammunition and water as well. The AH-75B 'Stalkers' that escorted the helicopters were each armed with four AIM-210A 'Improved Starstreak' air-to-air missiles (although it was highly unlikely that they would be used, they were still carried), four Hydra-70 rocketpods extrenally with 19 2.75" rockets each, giving a total of 76 rockets, eight AGM-114X 'Hellfire' anti-tank missiles and 1,200 30mm rounds for the SQB-32MX twin barreled cannon. The F-35C 'Rapier's carried two AIM-9X 'Sidewinder' and four AIM-120D 'AMRAAM' air-to-air missiles, as well as four GBU-12 500 lb. laser-guided bombs for air support, should it be needed.

Exactly seven minutes after the order to deploy was issued, the helicopters took off from the Cappelen while the F-35s took off from the Ynoga class aircraft carrier Framsyn and headed for Santiago Island.


Amfibiske Kampgruppe 14

Odin [Flight II] class CVAEN: 1
Ynoga class CVL: 1
Ragnarok [Flight II] class BBGN: 1
Tiger class BCN: 2
Winters class LPD: 3
Wilson class LHD: 2
Elestee class LST: 2
Hordaland class CGN: 1
Kubler class CGN: 2
Devlin [Flight II] class DDG: 5
Rothsky class DDG: 4
Bergen class FFG: 4
Mjelde class FF: 2
Hades class SSN: 2
Moengen class T-AO: 2
Kilauea class T-AE: 2
Supply class T-AOE: 1
Lewis / Clark class T-AKE: 1


Air Wing

AH-75B 'Stalker': 6
CH-53E 'Sea Stallion': 16
F-35C 'Rapier': 16
SH-60R 'Seahawk': 27
SH-97A 'Serpent': 10
SH-99C 'Lynx II': 6
UH-95A 'Huey II': 8

[Twenty-two minutes later]

The Marines already in Tarrafal and the many HLA fighters saw the virtual air armada long before they could hear it, as the many large but sleek fusilages of the CH-53Es came towards Tarrafal, escorted by arguably the most modern and deadliest attack helicopter in the world, the AH-75B 'Stalker'.

As the attack helicopters preformed a fly-over to check the area, the many people on the harbor looked at it in awe. Clearly they had rarely seen a helicopter before, and certainly never a helicopter such as this one. The 'Stalker's started circling the area, patrolling, while the F-35s were flying over the entire island, well above the range of any sort of air defense equipment the enemy might be equipped with.

Then the first of the CH-53Es started decending down to a large open space which the Marines had cleared of people and now made sure remained deserted. At last, the helicopter came to a hover two feet above the ground, and the ramp at the rear opened and allowed the fourty-four Marines inside to exit quickly. They filed out and away from the helicopter, clutching their personal weapons and equipment. Major Olsen saw that Amane and Karl stood along with the rest of the fighters, watching the disipline that the Norwegian Marines had in exiting. They made their way over to Oversersjant Bøe, who had taken a break from training the fighters in elementary rifle skills. Clearly he too felt the heat, as he had taken off the top part of his BDU and stood there in a T-shirt, which was plastered to his body due to excessive sweat from the heat.

As the first helicopter took off again and allowed the next one to land, Olsen walked over to the new arrivals. They were busy checking their weapons and equipment, and barely noticed the Major approach. However, Bøe detected it.

"Giv akt!" he called out. The equivalent order in English would be "Attention!". Anyway, it was sufficient to make the Marines jump to attention and face Bøe, who saluted the Major.

[Translated from Norwegian]

"At ease gentlemen. Who is the highest-ranking officer among you?"

A young Sersjant pointed to a man that was exiting the second chopper.

"That would beKaptein Borgein sir. That's him over there."

"Thank you Sersjant." Olsen said, then wandered over to the newly arrived Kaptein, or Captain in English. They shared some words, and Olsen ordered Borgein to take his company and set up a proper perimeter, while the next two companies would be sent to assist the HLA fighters. In two hours, the remainder of the Brigade, roughly 7,500 Marines and a lot of equipment, would be here.

Olsen then spotted Karl and Amane and walked over to them, followed by Bøe.

"Gentlemen. I've been informed that the rest of the brigade will be here in about two hours time. Then, the equipment I promised you will arrive as well. I've ordered two companies to head for the front lines to assist your men. They are under your command sir. Any orders for us?"

Karl looked concernedly at Amane before talking to the Marine Officers now stood in front of him. "While your men were coming ashore I got word that Menezes is sending out another attack toward our positions outside Praia. One of my most trusted Commander's is there, he has asked for help. I would be grateful if your men could depart, with some HLA operatives, for that area immediately." Karl paused for a second and listened, looking for the strange helicopters he had seen appraoch the town minutes ago. "Some of those fancy helicopters would sure scare Menezes..."

Olsen smiled when Karl mentioned the ’Stalker’s. He knew that they were the best damned fighting helicopters in the world, and since the majority of the population on Bjornoya hadn’t ever seen a helicopter before, the use of the ‘Stalker’s, firing rockets and thirty-millimeter rounds into the enemy would be an invaluable psychological weapon.

”It will be done sir.” he said before turning to the radio operator.

[Translated from Norwegian]

“Tell Kaptein Dale and Major Kåstein that they are to head towards Paria to assist the HLA fighters defending the position. Have Fenrik Ås tag along with his mortar platoon. Then get me the carrier on the horn.”

The radioman did as ordered, and soon, commands from the officers and affirmations from the enlisted in Norwegian could be heard throughout the area. Pretty soon, three hundred of the Marines left the area in a few trucks appropriated by the HLA. A smaller section of around ten men, each carrying parts for 81mm mortars and AG3A2 rifles followed in two Land Rovers.

Within twenty minutes, they were moving into position, guided by their guides from the HLA. The Marine officers scanned the area and found that the area overlooked Paria itself. The harbor looked intact. If the battlecruisers could anchor in sight of the residents at the same time as the HLA sent a demand for the surrender of Praia, it might be enough to scare the enemy into submission. But that was for later. Now, the officers started positioning their men in defensive positions, deploying light machine guns along natural chokepoints and getting the AP72 and AP84 anti-tank weapons ready for service. Three platoons would be held in reserve, able to move quickly to the area where they were needed. A bit behind the lines, the mortar team assembled their three 81mm mortars and elevated them towards the enemy, assisted by the Marines on the front line. The Marines were ready for action, and it seemed that their presence was helping on the already boosted morale of the HLA fighters that they were fighting side by side with.

Meanwhile Major Kåstein, the highest-ranking officer in the area went out to find the local HLA commander. He was dressed in the standard combat uniform, helmet and tactical vest, while donning a AG4 assault carbine. He approached a bunch of HLA fighters, some equipped with Norwegian-made AG3s, others with P17s and one with a AG5, standing a bit behind the front, looking at some maps.

”Good morning. Is any of you the commander?” he asked them, speaking in accented English. Overhead, the ‘Stalker’s streaked past the front and over the enemy-held area. For now, they were just doing some reconnisance, finding targets and troop formations. However, as soon as they were given clearance from the men on the ground to attack, the enemy would get a up close and personal meeting with the business end of the AH-75B ‘Stalker’ stealth attack helicopter!

From the turret of his M4 Sherman, nicknamed 'Rising Sunny', Sunny Mgoto observed the Norwegian troops moving into position. The HLA soldiers smiled and politely acknowledged the new arrivals, their morale visibly imrpoving. Sunny was still worried. Menezes was planning an attack, something big. But he had been out of contact with operatives in the military for nearly three days.

He heard a strange thumping noise behind him, very low, something that a normal soldier would have ignored. But Sunny had been, like most of the HLA senior Commanders', an Elite Guard for De Rossa, he knew the sound of a helicopter. Then, right on queue, they appeared, racing overhead toward Praia. Sunny smiled.

A young soldier ran over to his tank and shouted up, "The Norwegian C/O wants to speak with you." Sunny jumped down into the hard packed sand and trotted over to the Norwegian, standing over the map table with a few other tankers. Sunny must have looked a sight, unshaven, wild hair and two M1911 pistols hanging off either side of his waist.

The Norwegian looked over at Sunny and walked around the table. Sunny extended his hand, which the Norwegian took politely and shook. "Sir, I'm Sanye Mgoto, call me Sunny. I'm Commander of the Praia HLA Units, and I seem to be in charge around here since Karl left. You must accept the gratitude of me and my countrymen for your help in our struggle. Now, if there is anything at all i can help you with, just ask."

OOC: Cotland, I'll wait for you to reply.

Major Kåstein looked in awe at the Sherman. He had never seen one in the field before, with all the Shermans of the Marine Corps having been retired fifty years prior. Then he saw the short fellow with the weird hair and dual M1911s in his belt.

"Ah, eh yes sir. My men have dug themselves in as you see, and we're ready for action. We've got three mortars for immediate support untill the rest of the brigade gets here, three 'Stalker's with rockets and cannons and four fighters with bombs for close air support. I'd like to recommend that we hold this position untill the rest of the brigade gets here, and then push on to Praia itself. Strength in numbers sir."

He stood ready, waiting for the response from the man.

OOC Sorry for the late reply. School = bitch...

OOC: School= Tell me about it, lol. No worries.

IC:

Sunny ran his finger through his hair, drawing sand out like water. He wondered how the Norwegians were faring in the heat. They seemed to take it quite well. Sunny remembered tourists lying on creaky sunbeds and swimming in large pools when he was a kid and De Rossa was barely out of University. Times were good then, his dad ran a beach bar and tourism boomed. Now they were lucky to get visits from aid workers.

"Indeed Major, we're going to hold this position as long as we can. I told Karl via radio this morning that I thought Menezes was massing for an attack, and I see he got my message. Nice helicopters by the way. Anyway, a scout reported back saying Menezes had a sudden change of plan and has since pulled the force away, back into town. He must have heard the planes arrive. Anyway, expect some action tomorrow. Maybe snipers or something. Anything you need, come to me, I'm here 24-7" Sunny winked at the Major and waited to see if he needed any info or anything they didn't have.

[Hills outside Praia]

"We're fine for now sir, but thank you for the offer. My men will remain dug in untill the rest of our brigade arrives." Kåstein said, then took off his helmet. His brown hair, while only sticking a few millimeters up from the skin on the head due to the standard haircut that was common among the Marines, was shiny and wet from the sweat. "I'll have to get back to my men sir." Then he looked at his watch. It had been exactly two hours and fourty minutes since he left the HMNoS Cappelen. The rest of the brigade should be landing by now.

*******************

[Tarrafal, Santiago]

The bay of Tarrafal was crowded with ships now. Closest to shore were the Winters class LPHs, Wilson class LHDs, Elestee class LSTs and Odin [Flight II] class CVAEN. Outside that were the Ragnarok [Flight II] class BBGN and Tiger class BCNs along with the supply ships, and cruisers of the classes Hordaland and Kubler, destroyers of the classes Devlin [Flight II] and Rothsky, and the frigates of the classes Bergen and Mjelde as the outer ring of protection. Off the shore, a single Hades class SSN protected the area.

Then, the rear gates on the transport ships lowered and allowed HLCACs, LCACs and LCU-2000s to transport vehicles and troops ashore. The two LSTs moved up to the beach and opened their front doors. A ramp decended down from the open mouth and allowed the vehicles inside to be unloaded. CH-53Es and UH-95As were busy shuttling troops to shore, while F-35C 'Rapier's and AH-75B 'Stalker's patrolled the skies.

Marinebrigade 14


Officers: 605
Infantry: 6 050
Logistics: 845


M107A7 Paladin SPH: 16
M142A3 HIMARS MLRS: 16
M2008A1 Dingo APV: 128
M2010A1 Bushmaster IMV: 128
M2011A1 Scout: 36
M2011A2 Scout TD: 36
M2012A1 Marauder APC: 132
M2012A3 Marauder TD: 36
M2012A4 Marauder C3: 16
M2012A5 Marauder MRTR: 32
M2012A6 Marauder EW: 16
M2012A7 Marauder AT: 32
M2017A1 Frog APC: 60
M2018A1 Wolf LBT: 48
M2025A2 Devestator AAA: 8
M2035A7 Gramstad FAADV: 8
Five Ton Truck: 144


Two hours later, 80% of the brigade had been unloaded, with the light battle tanks, trucks and logistical units remaining. Reccee elements, consisting of four M2011A1 Scouts and two M2008A1 Dingo APVs headed for the front, to see if they could find out something. Ten minutes after them, two of the M2012A6 Marauder electronic warfare vehicles, backed by six M2012A1 Marauder APCs carrying a total of 36 Infantry Marines, 8 Electronic Warfare experts and 24 crews left for the front lines. They were going to inflict some morale damage on the enemy and send some pro-HLA propaganda back. The rest of the brigade would move to the front under cover of darkness, and most likely assault Praia in the early morning hours tommorrow.

OOC: Can i assume the HLA are now supplied with he Lion Tanks and Gramstad APC's?

OOC: Can i assume the HLA are now supplied with he Lion Tanks and Gramstad APC's?
OOC: Yes. They've been delivered, and twenty tank crews from the Norwegian Army are busy training them in how to use them.

OOC: Ok, so when will they be ready to we can RP a big battle?

OOC: Ok, so when will they be ready to we can RP a big battle?
OOC: How about now? A short time-jump shouldn't hurt too much... ;)

IC: The following morning, 0520, and Marinebrigade 14 was fully deployed on the hills overlooking Praia. The M109A7 Paladins and M142A3 HIMARS artillery systems were behind the lines, ready to offer support, as were the battleship and two battlecruisers which cruised calmly off shore, cannons trained on Praia. They were roughly three nautical miles out, and clearly visible from the city. Anyone with a good pair of binoculars could even see the Norwegian ensign flying from each ship.

Brigader Ingvald Oen, the commanding officer of Marinebrigade 14 was up early, walking among the troops, reviewing the situation and showing that he cared about his men. The man, who was some fifty-three years old with graying hair was dressed in his BDUs with a single large star showing off in the moonlight. The sun would be up in about ten minutes, and by then, they would be ready to start the assault. The people from the Army had just finished the crash-course with the HLA tank crews, who ought to be ready to use the new vehicles they had been given by the Norwegian government by now.

Oen walked over to Sunny. The Marines considered that the man held a position equal to the rank of Brigader, or Brigader General in English. Therefore everyone except Oen called him sir and treated him with utmost respect. Not that they didn't treat the others with utmost respect, but they treated Sunny with extra much respect, him being a Brig.Gen. and all.

"Sunny, I presume. I'm Ingvald Oen, commanding officer of the 14th Marinebrigade. Nice to meet you. My brigade is standing by, ready to move at your command. So do the ships off shore. Just give the word. Anyway, how are things holding up here?"

Sunny was again standing at the foot of his Sherman, which he painted with some skull and fire art, standing out in black over the desert paint scheme, that in parts was flaking to reveal rust or olive drab paint from a bygone era. The Norwegian troops and Officers, often when on a break, walked around the tanks and were allowed to ride in them and on them. Most of them had never seen working tanks like the M3 and M4, too old for most armies. They seemed genuinely bemused that they could still be used in combat.

Sunny listened intently to the Norwegian Officer, he was good man, he could see that, a man who commanded respect from his troops. "Brigadier, things are...strange to say the very least. I had excpedt Menezes to attack by now. Maybe the ships and helicopters have spooked him. Anyway, I was outside the perimeter last night watching from the hills, and I ran into a bunch of De Rossa's Elite Guard trying to set up an OP. Needless to say they're deceased, but its spooked me. I hope they're not expecting us. I asked Karl, with his new tanks, to enter Praia from the west flank, while I'm sending myself and my tanks up the middle, and I would appreciate if you and your men went in from the east flank. I doubt they will be able to handle three attacks. I assume everyone is in position? What time shall we kick off, bear in mind these older tanks can't target in darkness."

"I would suggest we assault at first light, about ten minutes from now. That ought to catch them with their pants down. And yes, my men are in position. I'll relay the orders to the units in question, and then we'll be ready to move in on your command." Oen said, then nodded to the radioman two steps behind him who had heard the entire thing. Within fifteen seconds, Marines started moving about, mostly M2018A1 Wolf LBTs, M2012A1 Marauder and M2017A1 Frog APCs, filled with Marines. A total of 24 Wolfs (crew: 96), 24 Marauders (crew: 72, dismounts: 144) and 18 Frogs (crew: 72, dismounts: 432) would lead the advance into Praia, followed closely by a 9 M2008A1 Dingos (crew: 27) and a M2012A4 Marauder command vehicle (crew: 4). They would make out the first assault wave, supported by the rest of the Marines and the ever present helicopters and fighter-bombers. Within two minutes, they would be in position along the east flank, and Oen, who hadn't been in charge of a fighting unit in fifteen years, having been stuck behind a desk at the MoD, would finally get some action!

Sunny nodded at the Norwegian, he blew a whistle around his neck and began to run down the line of old tanks in front of him, blowing the whistle. Time to mount up. Sunny's elements would be the first into the city.

He signalled to his crew to start up as he drew near and he, as usual, ran up the glacis plate and jumped into the commander's hatch, strapped the radio on and raised his hand. He watched Commander's mount up, and watched diesel fumes explode from the rear grilles of the old tanks as they started up. Infantry lined up behind the tanks and the Norwegians set off to the east, followed by clouds of sand.

Sunny asked and received confirmation that all elements were ready and he dropped his arm. The line of 25 Shermans and 10 Grants lurched into movement, the troops falling into position behind the steel beasts. The formed into an arrowhead formation and Sunny's tank was at the forefront. He received word from Karl that they were on their way into the town from the west. Helicopters flew over the formation, and began to strafe positions with their guns, barely audible over the roar of the tanks.

Once on either side of the main road into the city Sunny and his tanks began to encounter resistance. Enemy tanks appeared in streets and alleyways and began to fire, Sunny's men returned fire with gusto. Many of the shells missed however, as there was no stabilizer when the older tanks were moving. A couple of enemy tanks burst into flames. But many still fired at the advancing HLA.

Two more helicopters advanced toward the city from behind, as two Grant tank's erupted in flames a few positions from Sunny, who could feel the heat of the munitions erupting. The helicopters overheard fired missiles at the tanks in front, literally blowing them up like giant firecrackers. Sunny's elements had reached the suburb areas and he buttoned down his hatch. They would have to clear the infantry before advancing into the main city.


OOC: Obviously we can RP this battle over a couple of days. No point in rushing it.

OOC: Cotland, I'll wait for you to post the Norwegians moving into the suburbs on the east.

The Norwegian Marines started advancing down the suburbs of Praia. They moved down slowly, methodically wiping out any resistance that popped up. Most of the resistance was in from of antiquated M4A3 Sherman tanks, vehicles that hadn't been in active service in the Norwegian military for more than fifty years. The armor, which hadn't been too effective in the 1940's, certainly wasn't effective in 2005! The 25mm M242 chainguns on the Marauders easily sliced up the armor of the tanks, killing the people inside. As did the 105mm cannons on the Wolf light battle tanks.

As the Norwegians got deeper inside the city, they started taking fire from the buildings. Not wanting to level the city completely, the Norwegian instead fired at the building with the machine guns on the vehicles, thus providing cover for the dismounted Marines, who rushed the buildings. Usually, a single squad of 12 men, lead by a fenrik (2nd Lt.) would be sent in, while the vehicles covered them. The weapons loadout for the men was usually (5) AG3A1 rifles, (2) AG3A2 rifles, (3) AG4A1 assault carbines and (2) MG49 Minimi light machine guns, as well as the standard loadout of pistols of the type P17 and hand grenades of the type G67 (fragmentation, standard loadout: 4) and G68 (flashbang, standard loadout: 2). With that firepower, the squads methodically cleared the buildings, using their weaponry to the max.

Unlike normal combat situations, in this one they had been ordered to not under any circumstances fire on civilians or unarmed people. This was an order directly from Forsvarets Overkommando, the military high command. It was feared that the civilians wouldn't see the HLA and the Norwegian Marines as liberators if they killed civilians, so therefore no civilian was to be harmed. Logical, right?

One building in particular, a fifteen story large office building attracted the attention of the Norwegians, as they took loads of small-arms fire and fire from what seemed to be M9A1 Bazookas! That in itself was enough to have them attack the building. Due to the size, two platoons of 25 men each would have to move in. Nine Marauder APCs carrying 6 dismounts each stopped fifty meters from the building, with the weapons trained on the building. The rear doors opened, and the Marines filed out and to the right. The Kaptein (Captain) in charge of 1st Platoon took charge of the situation, and had the platoons move in quickly and quietly, with orders to shoot anyone carrying a weapon. As they started moving, the nine Marauders opened up with their M240 machine guns at the enemy, while the troops ran like hell to the building.

As they reached the building, they moved in in lots of four, clearing every room as they went along. A single squad secured the ground floor and defended the entrances, while the rest moved up through the building. They moved in fast and ferociously, going for headshots. The weapons were on single-shot, thus conserving ammo. A floor was cleared in a few minutes, then they moved onward. Most of the civilians were still at home, sleeping or, more likely, hiding in basements and similar areas, but there were a few in the building who hadn't evacuated yet. They were quickly frisked by the Marines, and sent down and out if they didn't have any weapons or other threatening stuff on their person.

As the Marines reached the ninth floor, they encountered armed resistance. They were armed with what seemed like M14s and M16s. Of the two, the M14s were the greatest threat, as the Marines were equipped with advanced body armor which would withstand rounds up to 7.62 NATO, the ammo the M14 used.

[Translated from Norwegian]

"There they are. I want prisoners, so try not to kill all of them. Understood?" the Kaptein said to the seven other Marines that were with him.

"Yes sir, we'll try," the oversersjant said on behalf of the men, as the senior enlisted in the corridor. "But we can't promise anything sir."

"Well, just try." the Kaptein insisted. He had just been assigned to this unit, having been stationed in the Artic Warfare Center in Bodø earlier. Now, he was clutching his AG4A1, hoping that the men would obey his orders. They didn't know him, and he didn't know them. A hell of a time to get to know the men, while involved in urban combat. He looked at his watch, then waited for a short lull in the weapons fire inside. The Marauders outside had already been ordered to cease fire.

"Go go go!" he called out, then burst into the room with his weapon ready. Three other Marines were right behind him, two of them with pistols drawn. The rifles were a bit too long for effective use in the building.

In the room, the Kaptein saw that it had infact been bazooka fire they had encountered. One man stood there with a weapon, waiting for the fellow behind him to reload it. Another one had a M60 light machine gun, while the other nine in the room had M14s and M16s. They were dressed in olive drabs and steel helmets, as if drawn directly from the late fifties, early sixties! They stared at the screaming Marines with modern weapons trained at them with confusion for a flash of a second, then tried to shoot. Bad idea. Seven of them were dead immediately, taken out with single 6.8x43mm or .45 ACP rounds to the head, while the others went down with rounds of the same caliber to the shoulder, knee or both. Extremely painful, but not immediately lethal. In exchange, a single Marine had been taken out with a 5.56x45mm round to the head. He had been knocked unconcious, but the helmet had done its job and dissapated the energy from the round and stopped it from penetrating the mans skull and kill him. The other four Marines followed in and secured the prisoners and weapons while the Kaptein called out for a medic.

The medic came, he saw, and he did his best for the Marine first (he had a concussion), then he checked the prisoners. He applied pressure to the wounds and gave them enough painkillers for them to be moved safely out to the waiting APCs. They would take the men behind the lines for interrogation. They could know something worth knowing.

The rest of the building was secured after another ten minutes, and it had yealed a relatively large weapons cache and four prisoners. Further more, it had given the Norwegian Marines a place to station snipers and spotters. The advance was going according to plan!

From the Western side of the city, the poorest and most troublesome for De Rossa Karl rolled in, triumphantly, sitting atop the beastly looking Lion MBT, the Cape Verdean flag flying proudly on the radio mast. 20 more came in behind him, followed by 50 Gramstad APC's laden with men equipped with Norwegian rifles and pistols.

Civilians filed out of their shanty-like buildings waving to the approaching HLA soldiers, some old men marching out on the sidewalk bearing shotguns and antiquated hunting rifles. Kids ran along beside the tanks. Everyone could hear shooting and explosions in the distance, smoke was rising up all over the city.

Karl and his armoured column began to take sporadic fire once they moved into the high-rise apartments near the University quarter. Shermans and Grants, and Dodge Halftracks rolled out of alleyways and sidestreets...bad idea. Karl's tanks fired first, fired fast and fired effectively, turning the enemy tanks into hulks of charred and blackened metal. The Lion tanks were impervious to the 76mm Ammo and AT Rounds from the halftracks, they simply bounced off the new armor on the modern MBT's.

Their ETC cannon's simply sliced through the enemy's thin armor. Troops began to dismount from the APC's at the University. Machine guns chattered away on the roof of the huge, old looking University buildings. The Gramtsad's returned fire, covering the advancing soldiers, who formed up and ran into the nearby buildings, followed by windows being blown out and bodies falling out of windows followed by long bursts of gunfire from the powerful Norwegian weapons.

Karl and his 20 tanks moved on, leaving the HLA Infantry to advance into town with their APC's. Karl's mission was different. He was to clear tanks and heavy guns on the West side of town and advance toward Sunny, they would both then punch through to the port side of the city, right up the steps of De Rossa's palace, Menezes new command post.

One of the twenty tanks dropped off from the column, Amane’s head could barely be seen under a helmet, behind a pair of heavy steel binoculars. He would take command of the Infantry and move them into the city to meet up with the Norwegians in the East.

Karl’s column began to move on into the city via the biggest roads. Bullets and RPG’s whinged, pinged and exploded all over the lurching Lion Tanks, leaving black marks and chipped paint, and bustle racks on fire. But the mighty tanks plowed on, their machin guns blazing.

Karl was nearing the outskirts of the city centre. He could hear the battle roaring outside, the distinct thud of bullets pinging off the tank wasn’t enough to keep out the chatter of machine guns and powerful booms of tank guns.



Cutting straight through the middle of the suburbs was Sunny in his now reduced and heavily battered formation. Ten tanks had been completely destroyed, four more were out of action, their crews now acting as Infantry, many of whom lay dying and dead in the gardens and pathways of houses. Sunny himself had a shrapnel wound to his calf after leaping out of the tank to put out a fire above the engine compartment. The blood was soaking through his trousers, running down his boots and gathering in a pool on the steel floor of the tank, mixing with spent rounds and pieces of metal that had come off the tank from repeated direct hits.

From the outside Sunny’s tanks were no longer a sandy color, now they were blackened, dented and charred looking. The troops moving behind the tanks were almost as fast.

Sunny pushed on. The reports suggested the rest of Menezes tanks had been pushed back into the city centre and were preparing to defend. Sunny was now clearing out infantry from the outskirts of the city as the drove headlong up the freeway toward the larger buildings of the city.

OOC: Cotland, you want to make another post at this point or would it flow better if i posted another bit?

OOC: Nah, you make another post, then we can RP the linking up and such.

Over the radio Karl was receiving good news from the University Sector, they had captured a good lot of enemy soldiers, but where still receiving withering fire from surrounding buildings. He could hear the dull thud of heavy Machine Guns and shouts in the background as Amane, slightly out of breath, talked quickly over the radio.

Karl pressed on with his 19 Tanks, he now sat in the surprisingly comfortable leather chair, with the cupola hatch closed down due to heavy fire. Thuds echoed around the tank and he jolted about on the seat as he spotted for targets through the periscopes and sights, shouting to the Gunner to fire. The enemy tanks were being constantly cut down by the might ETC cannons.

Suddenly around 10 Sherman's appeared down side roads off the main drag into the city. They fired together, Karl gasped, thinking this was it. But the shells mostly exploded on the tank behind him, knocking the turret out of place and ripping the tracks off fore and aft on the tank. Karl and the other 18 beasts returned fire, turning the Sherman's into hulks of twisted metal.

More Sherman's appeared in the distance, but they were moving into the city, as Karl saw them speed past through roads up ahead. He shouted over the radio for Sunny, who responded saying he was headed toward the centre square. Karl popped out of his hatch, M16 in hand, instead of the AG3 most of the HLA now had. A new Kevlar helmet jostled about on his head as he jumped off the tank. Incoming rouns bounced off buildings nearby and the tanks behind Karl fired their MG's continuously as he ran and jumped up onto the tank behind him, now sitting at an angle looking dejected. The Commander was dead, he was hanging out of the turret, his torso split nearly in half. Karl shouted for survivors. Suddenly the body of the Commander popped out of the turret, followed by his now detached legs, and soon the three crew, bloodied, dusty and bruised, knelt behind the tank.

Karl spoke over the din, "You guys have got to go back the way we came. I'll tell Amane to send a patrol for you, stick to the buildings and keep something white high and in view. Good luck." The three men nodded and loaded their rifles before running off into a nearby building.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunny sat grim faced firing the Machine Gun from the Assitant Driver's position in his Sherman. They had run out of main gun ammunition and were now mopping up Infantry approaching the Main Square. RPG's exploded on the road in front of Sunny's approaching tanks, some carreered off into the sky as the soldiers firing them were hit.

Sunny's eyes bugged out of his head as hey saw that nearly 20 Sherman and Grant tanks, as well as a few Dodge Halftracks blocked the way into the sqaure. He was about to radio for the other tanks to fire when the first line of Sherman's suddenly exploded in white hot flames, their turrets flying off into the air. Sunny held the radio mic in his hand, shocked. Then he received a report over the radio, "Commander, this is Bravo 1-2, we have Freindly tanks approaching behind us, they're firing on the enemy!" Sunny breathed a sigh of relief and replied.

Karl and his now 18 Lion tanks rolled up alongside Sunny's seriously battered Shermans and Grants, now whittled down to only 18 of the old warriors. Another volley from the Lions took out the reamaining enemies blocking the road, and the columns of tanks rolled into the Square to be greeted by surrendering Infantry.

The tanks parked up in a protective square formation, Karl and Sunny jumping out of their tanks, dusty, sweaty and tired, but triumphant. They shook hands in the middle of the square, gunfire and explosions still evident around the city as the Norwegians cut a swathe through the east side of town. Five Lion's and 5 Sherman's had been sent out to meet and greet them as they moved into the city.

OOC: You could RP the link up now if you want?

The Marines had progressed through their sector of Praia painstakingly slow, compared to the normal doctrine of the Marineinfanterikorps. That lead to the enemy getting time to try to lay ambushes, which the Norwegians saw thanks to the advanced equipment and superior training they had. So instead of Norwegian Marines dying, they flanked the enemy and neutralized them instead. Thanks to this tactic, and the friendly civilian population, the death toll had been very low, compared to the projections. Only seven Marines had perished, with another seventeen wounded, out of a total force of 7,500 Marines. They accounted for less than 0.1 % of the force. Those who had perished, were transported to the HMNoS Cappelen where they were placed in the ships mourge and stored untill the airstrips in Cape Verde could be sufficiently secured to accept military transports which would transport the dead home to their home towns for propper and full military burials.

Right now, the forward elements of "E" Company, Bataljon 2 of Regiment 1/14 were the first to meet up with the HLA. The unit, which consisted of 5 M2012A1 Marauder APCs, 2 M2017A1 Frog APCs and 2 M2008A1 Dingo APVs equipped with MG15s (15.5x115mm heavy machine gun) and 125 Marines, therein ten officers and NCOs, was moving through the district when the forward squad (the troops were fighting dismounted, using the vehicles for cover, protection and close fire support) detected something moving up ahead. He immediately raised a clentched fist, the signal to stop and get down. They did, and the squad leader, a korporal came up to see.

[Translated from Norwegian]

"Shermans. Get sersjant Eriksen up here with the AP84 immediately." he said. The Marine got up and ran quickly down to the middle section of the collum and had the sersjant and the five other Marines in the anti-tank team to come up with the AP84 recoilless rifle. This weapon fired a 84mm anti-tank rocket towards targets up to 2,200 meters, although the effective range against moving targets were on 300 meters. Still, the weapon could take penetrate through both ERA and up to 580mm worth of RHA. More than enough to take out the Shermans. The whole thing, loaded and ready, weighed 9,5 kilos, and therefore two men were used per team. One to carry the launcher, and one to carry the rockets.

The sersjant moved up quickly and got set up, then waited for a clear shot. The korporal kept a lookout, and then spotted something else. A rectangular turret, identical to the one used on the M2030 Lion main battle tank, which was a Norwegian design.

"Hold your fire! Friendlies!"

The men relaxed a bit, then the kaptein in command of the company ordered the men to move forwards, carefully, as they hadn't completely secured the city yet. They moved forward, and the HLA tanks moved towards them again. Finally, they linked up on a plaza. Marines were immediately sent in to the occupying buildings to clear them, while the kaptein climbed out of the Dingo he had been driving in and walked over to greet the HLA, who were climbing out of their tanks, which were proudly flying the Cape Verdian flag.

"Good morning gentlemen. How do you do?" the kaptein asked in english while shaking the hand of the HLA commander, who had apparently climbed out of one of the Lions. As they met, another Dingo came into the square and deposited some international journalists, who took pictures and filmed the event. This was going to make the evening news throughout the world.

Johannes Agator stood on the turret of his tank, the Cape Verdian flag flying proudly behind him. He stood barrel chested, defiant against the odd incoming round that pinged off the tank or riccoched off the ground nearby. The other tank commander's ducked into their cupola's but Johannes stood on the top of the turret as it traversed back and forward looking for targets as they neared the Norwegian soldiers.

Reporters ran up to the tanks as they rumbled into the square, many taking pictures of the flamboyant Johannes. His shaved head and calm, jovial demeanor took them by surprise and they snapped away eagerly with oversize camera's.

He jumped off the tank and surveyed the area from ground level. Smoke billowed out of buildings nearby and plumes rose from around the city as enemy, and freindly, tanks burned in the distance. The HLA tankers eagerly talked to their Norwegian comrades, and reporters alike, having their battered Sherman tanks photographed, shell marks covering them like a siph. Johannes walked up to the Norwegian man in charge who smiled while talking to another Lion commander.

The other Commander introduced the two, "Captain, meet the Tarrafal HLA Commander, Johannes Agator." Johannes dutifully stepped forward and vigorously shook the hand of the Norwegian. Johannes, unlike many of his compatriots, was heavily set, muscled and tall, with a strong barrel chest. This time he towered over the Norwegian Captain. His voice boomed as he spoke, while TV crews filmed the meeting, "Finally, i get to meet our Norwegian allies. I can see your mean are hard charging sons of bitches ey, Captain? And those tanks you gave us, my god what machines! Well Captain, our commander is in the main sqaure down the road, what do you what to do? I understand Menezes is holed up in the Presidential Palace, with a whole load of tanks and men."

The kaptein nodded seriously to the new intel offered by the large Cape Verdian. This guy might even be stronger than oversersjant Bøe, who was a living legend in the Marineinfanterikorps!

"He's in the palace you say? Then sir, may I suggest we surround the palace, consolidate our positions and shell the palace a bit before call for his capitulation?" the kaptein suggested.

"Captain, that sounds like an excellent plan. Why, Commander Shanotogo himself was explaining something similar on the radio earlier. We'll need to fight our way from here to the palace. There are still many troops and tanks about, all near the palace no doubt. Well, do you want to attack from here, with my tanks, or shall we head back to Commander Shanotogo and Commander Mgoto's forces, and attack from there?"

OOC: Cotland, its up to you as to the choice of tactics. You can answer whatever way, entirely your decision.

BUMP for Cotland.

"We should attack from all edges, effectively surrounding them and cutting them off from any forms of reinforcements or supplies. If they refuse to surrender, we can chose to starve them out or we can kill them all. That will be up to your political leaders. For now, we should move directly to the palace from here, and let your commanders send their forces to assist us. We have 6,000 infantrymen ready to attack. Now, shall we get moving?"

OOC Sorry for the late response. Exam in 3 days, and I'm sick with stress. You just start the RP, and I'll jump in whenever I get a chance, ok?

IC:

Agator said his peace, nodded to the reporters and walked away. The Norwegians had a good plan, no point in trying to change it. Agator and his tanks would move in the centre, the Norwegians to his right, Karl and Sunny to his left, and Amane would sweep in behind them with HLA Infantry, clearing out any last pockets of resistance and RVing at the Presidential Palace.

Karl gave the order and tucked himself down into his seat in the turret of the Lion Tank. Beside him Shermans and Lions lurched forward, some infantry moving along behind the tanks for cover. They broke the first line of houses and immediately came under heavy RPG, mortar and AT fire from Dodge halftracks. Enemy tanks sat on the main road between the Palace compound and the line of buildings. The Norwegians broke free from the apartment blocks about a mile down the highway, they came screaming across the road, the guns of their vehicles and armor blazing away. Agator and his tanks burst out from a courtyard of a bar, sending debris everywhere.

As usual Agator was sitting up in his cupola, a pistol in both hands, firing wildly in front of the tank toward enemy soldiers scrambling out of their sand bagged defenses in the road. His tanks bounced over shallow trenches and obstacles stuck in the way.

Karl and Sunny took on the brunt of the enemy tanks, facing them down from the outside of the Presidential Compound. There was no tactics, it was simple warfare. The enemy tanks sat motionless, except when they fired their guns and rocked from side to side. Karl kept up the constant targetting process inside the tank, laying waste to tank after tank. He only hoped the other forces were doing well.

OOC: No probs about the late post, better late than never. Exams are priority. No point in rushing revision. Take your time.

The Empire is authorizing another shippment of arms to the Hirgizstani forces. If tanks are necessary, please let us know.

IC:

In Tarrafal the EOL's communication was received. A hurried reply was made out.



We need new M16's and pistols, as well as Mortatrs, Rocket Launchers and ammunition. At this time tanks would be appreciated.

OOC: Cotland, I'll wait for you to make another post before continuing.

BUMP for Cotland.

Given the terrain of the islands and the necessity for light-weight, quick-deployable vehicles, the Empire shall send, immediately, 120 light tanks, M2018A1 Wolf vehicles. 120MM, 80MM mortars will be sent as well as artillery rockets and M16s.

M2018 Wolf
Weight: 35 tons
Length: 34.60 ft.
Height: 8.53 ft.
Width: 9.84 ft.
Ground Clearance: 2.50 ft.
Ground Pressure: N/A
Obstacle Crossing: 4.50 ft.
Trench: N/A
Power Plant: MMVE-5601-EXA1 500 horsepower diesel engine with hybrid Fuel Cell/Battery system
Transmission: 4 forward, 2 reverse
Maximum Speed: 75 MPH [land]; 10 MPH [water]
Maximum Slope: 60%
Amphibious: Yes
Fuel Capacity: 115 gallons
Efficiency: 4.50 mpg
Range: 517.50 miles
Armament: 1 M68A1E4 105MM cannon with muzzle brake with 35 rounds; 1 M240 7.62MM machine guns with 10,800 rounds; 1 Stinger MANPAD launchers with 1 rounds ready and 4 rounds stowed; 1 TOW launcher with 2 rounds ready and 4 rounds stowed; 12 Smoke Grenade rounds
Crew: 4
Variants: LBT [A1]
Armor: Equal to M2A3 with 25% improvement; anti-mine protection plate; RPG-7 resistance
Unit Cost: $1.0M [A1]

At the same time as the HLA moved towards the Presidential Palace, the Norwegian Marines manouvered around and effectively surrounded the area. Advanced pathfinders reported in positions of enemy tanks and infantry, leaving it to the AH-75B 'Stalker' attack helicopters and M2012A5 Marauder mortar carriers further behind the lines. Pretty soon, the enemy positions were no more, and the Norwegians moved onwards quickly, rooting out the enemies who had somehow survived the helicopter/mortar attacks. Their morale and remaining fighting spirit had evaporated like morning dew in sunlight, and they surrendered.

At the hills overlooking Praia, the Norwegians' MLRS batteries stood, unused. However, that was to change. Two M142A3 HIMARS MLRS units had been loaded with special rockets, and were now fired directly at the Presidential Palace. Inside each rocket, there were 3,000 flyers, all saying that if the remaining army didn't surrender now, their lives would not be spared by the Norwegians. They also said that if they surrendered, they would be given food, water and medical attention, and no harm would come to them from neither the Norwegians nor HLA. The twelve rockets fired contained a grand total of 36,000 flyers. Enough for all the defenders to get at least one copy.

Meanwhile, the Marines were surrounding the area. No lives had been lost in this move, but two Marines had been mildly injured when a squad refused to surrender. They had been killed on the spot by three snipers and two Marine platoons, as well as a tank. The message was clear; Surrender, or die!

Fourty-five minutes after they moved out, the Marines linked up with the HLA units, effectively cutting the Presidential Palace and the surrounding areas off from the outside world. Then the 16 M2012A6 Marauder electronic warfare vehicles started doing their magic, jamming everything that might exist of electronic communications equipment in there, with exception of the radios used by the Norwegian Marines and the HLA.

Brigader Oen looked at the readouts from the various units on his laptop, through a secure datalink which connected the PC with the other Norwegian units here. It was a relatively new thing, part of the Soldat-2000 system which was being implemented. It gave him a real-time up-to-date system of tracking his men. It also prevented units from getting lost. Now, he waited for the HLA commanders to give him orders of what to do next. Starve the enemy out, or assault the area and kill them all. Those were the two logical options, and the most viable. The Norwegians had plenty of supplies, and plenty of time too. They were going to help supply the HLA too if they needed anything. The presidentialists had nothing other than the things they had inside the palace. Hopefully they would come to their senses and surrender.

OOC Sorry for the late response. Exams and school sucks!

Smoke billowed up into the air all around the Presidential Palace and the surrounding area. Leaflets floated down to earth outside the Palace, on it itself. Surrendering soldiers sat in gigantic compounds of razor wire, playing cards and smoking cigarettes, happy to be alive. Some of the HLA men talked with the soldiers, old freinds, happy to be reunited, no longer enemies.

From the south east of the city gunfire and explosions could be heard every now and again as Amane and his troops made his way to the Palace, clearing out retreating troops.

The HLA soldiers inspected their equipment and vehicles. Nearly every enemy tank had been destroyed, and now Sunny's platoon, that had started with over 50 tanks, was now made up of just 12. Sunny himself had a bandage around his forehead and another around his shoulder, shrapnel wounds from a shell that shattered instruments inside the turret.

Other HLA soldiers talked and joked, and ate rations with the Norwegians. Karl watched as their allies moved in vehicles that hummed and beeped, something about jamming the enemy's radios they said. An APC turned up and some Norwegian Officers jumped out. Karl climbed down from his battle scarred Lion tank and sauntered over to the Officers. He saluted them, and had his salute returned in kind. "Sirs, good to see you. As you can see we are almost at the end of our great adventure. That coward Menezes is in there with, reportedly, 50 Elite Guards. I have an idea to storm the building. I was planning to drive my tank up the steps and through the front door, then HLA and Marines storm in behind us, and take the East and West wings, will i go searching for Menezes with Amane, as him and I know the building well. What do you say sirs?"

OOC: Over to you again Cotland.

Lay, how do you suggest getting the equipment to Cape Verde, so that i can RP a reply suggesting it?

OOC Sorry for the late replies. School is winding down a bit now though...

The oberstløytnant (Lieutenant Colonel) who commanded Bataljon 4 shook his head while the oberst in command of Regiment 3 spoke up.

"I can understand your desire to root him out immediately, but we have to assume the worst-case scenario, which is that the Elite Guards have anticipated such a move and mined not only the front door, but also all other entrances. We must also assume that they will be lying in fortified positions with machine guns trained at the front door. Any attempt of entering would be suicide."

The oberst pointed out the areas of the Palace where they might be able to enter.

"What I suggest, is that we use the chainguns on the APCs and open a few new entrances in the wall where we can enter without risking mines or other kinds of booby-traps. We already have snipers and Marines in and on top of all the surrounding buildings, and they are firing at the building as we speak."

It was true. All around the building, a full Regiment had dismounted and occupied buildings, and were now firing their rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, submachine guns, LAWs and 84mm recoilless rifles into the sturdy large brick building. Anyone inside would have to keep down to aviod getting killed or seriously injured.

"We can also insert a couple of teams into the building from above. Using a few Seahawks, covered by Stalkers, we can easily insert about a company in there. But you are the head of this operation. You call the shots."

Karl thought for a second. He was angry, damm angry. He seethed with hatred for Menezes. He wanted him dead, he wanted him to personally beg for his life in front of him. But he remembered his men, his training and his country. Certain death lay in his plan. The Norwegians were subjective, they were clinical, and did not have such a deep rooted hated for Menezes. Karl nodded slowly.

"Yes...we will follow that plan. Punch a hole in the wall and I will drive some tanks in, if they have any heavy stuff in there we'll take it down. Once the tanks move, everyone else is to move. My men will assault from the hole in the righ, once it is made, your men from the left. And troops in from the top of the building is a good idea, like you said. We also need snipers covering the windows and exits, and a squad of Marines on the beach area behind the Palace. Most likely Menezes will be in the bunker, several floors below the Palace. We need to clear the Palace, then decide on how to breach the bunker. Agreed?"

"That will be satisfactory. Marines are already in position, a full company of them. We've got frigates off the beach too, so don't worry about anyone escaping. I'll have the sappers thing out a way to breach the bunker... we could try bombing it with GBUs?"

While the oberst waited for answers, the Marines moved into position. Three M2018A1 Wolf light battle tanks trained their 105mm cannons on three points on the left wing and waited for the Marines to get into position. A company would enter the palace from the soon-to-be-made hole in the wall, while five SH-60R Seahawks and two UH-95A Huey IIs would insert 60 Marines from the rooftop.

The snipers were in position too. One of them, a korporal armed with a SG92 rifle (RL Super Magnum) saw something move inside a window on the second floor, and trained his large rifle on the movement. There! A soldier peeking out. Too bad for him. The korporal aimed at the socket of his right eye and squeezed the trigger. Out flew a 8.6x70mm projectile, travelling 915 meters per second. That meant that in the same instant as the Marine fired, the projectile slammed into the eye of the man and effectively decapitated him. The shot echoed over the battleground, and caught the attention of the oberst.

"Well, one less enemy to worry about."

That was all he said while he waited for the HLA commanders to make up their mind. His Marines were ready. It was about time for the final phase.

”No, we don’t want to kill Menezes, we want him alive, he is going to stand trial for his crimes, in front of the people. However, if we can’t breach the bunker, or it is defended too well we will have no choice but to bomb it. However, it is an old bunker, a welding torch or a sizeable portion of C4 should do the job. Now, if you’ll excuse me I think we’re ready for the off. Good luck gentlemen.” Karl saluted the Norwegians and they returned it. He shook hands with a few Norwegian Marines, wishing them luck before running back to his tank and signaling to the driver to crank it up. The beast roared to life as he clambered into the turret.

Sunny sat in the turret of his tank looking at the commotion in front of him, he would provide a ‘rear guard’ with his battered Shermans, his bloody bandages a testament to the battering they had received.

Karl waited inside the tank for the Norwegians to punch in the walls so he could smash the tank through and into the palace.

The tank turned its turret 53°, elevated the barrel to 6°, and stood still for a few seconds. Silence before the storm, because after those few seconds, the relative silence was replaced by a large boom and a muzzleflash. The 105mm shell, a high-explosive projectile, slammed into the brick wall and detonated, vaporizing the bricks and opening a large opening for the Marines to pass through. The side effect of the use of the tank killed four Elite Guards hiding in the wing.

Ten seconds later, with the surrounding area being filled with rubble and smoke, Marines wearing gas masks entered the building, AG3s and AG4s ready. A team entered, saw the bodies of the four Elite Guards, walked over and opened fire, weapons at single shot. 6.8x43mm projectiles slammed into the corpses' heads, ensuring that they really were dead. Then they proceeded to clear the building.

Meanwhile, the helicopters, supported by two AH-75B Stalker gunships came to a short hover a foot over the rooftop, holding still only long enough for the Marines aboard to jump off and move out of the way. The Marines who landed there first were armed with AG4A1 assault carbines and MP5A1 submachine guns, firing single-shot.

They moved inside, and proceeded to kill anyone they found inside. They met seven people all together, all of them killed. They all kept their gasmasks on, not wanting to contract any illnesses from the dust that had been spread throughout the building thanks to the explosion.
Within 17 minutes, the Marines had cleared the left wing with 21 enemies dead and two Marines injured. Now it was all up to the HLA.

As soon as the right wing wall was breached Karl's tank tore a huge hole in the rest of it as he crashed through it at almost 30mph. The tank jolted and banged over the rubble before coming onto flat ground. They were inside. Small arms fire could be heard outside the tank, some bouncing off the heavy armor.

Karl jumped up into the Commander's Cupola and began swinging the big 50.cal MG for targets. He found them in the masonry decorations by the large swimming pool a few hundred metres away. The big calibre rounds literally tore the masonry to pieces, hurling debris and bodies into the air. Two more Lion tanks crashed through the wall followed by a couple of platoons of HLA infantry, wearing newly acquired gas masks. They made a b-line for the ground floor windows and within a few seconds they had disseapeared inside.

Karl reeled back into his cupola as the Gunner let go a main gun round that tore through an MG bunker in the garden of the palace. Another couple of bunkers were hastily vacated and Karl hastily ripped the Elite Guards to shreds. The heavy tank barelled over the landscaped garden and bounced up over the masonry at the back entrance. Helicopters roared overhead as Norwegian soldiers slid down ropes onto the roof. Karl grabbed his M16 and checked his pistol before jumping down from the tank and running up to the large dining area looking out toward the beach. He shot a couple of retreating Elite Guards firing back into the building.

Karl kicked open a heavyset wooden door and was finally inside the building. The smell of cordite combined with smoke was almost overhwhelming. He started to wish he had a gas mask. He could hear firing coming from both ends of the building. An Elite Guard burst out of a doorway ahead and Karl dropped him with a burst to the chest. Another ran out behind him but was cut to pieces before Karl could fire. A Norwegian ran out behind him and checked his kill. Karl ran ahead and dodged to the left, running up a flight of stairs. HLA soldiers were firing down a corridor to the right, Karl took a left and ended up walking straight down an empty corridor.

He crouched low, hands tight around the rifle, butt in the shoulder. He closed up on a door and heard voices inside. He jumped up kicked it open and was inside. He was staring at a couple of young looking Elite Guards, cowering in a corner of a guest bedroom, away from shattered windows. Two dead comrades lay by each windowsill. One tried to jump up but Karl double tapped him. His freind pleaded for his life, but Karl removed his 1911 pistol and shot him.

As he exited the room he heard shouts of 'CLEAR!' from all over the house. He began to make his way down to the front entrance to greet the Norwegians and work out what to do about the bunker.

OOC: Cotland, you want to do another post?

Satisfied that the bunker had been cleared, the Marines sent in a couple of sappers to check it out. The bunker was sealed with a large steel door, but nothing they couldn't handle. They had a saying. Sufficient amounts of Composition 4 will take down anything. In this case, they calculated that two kilos would suffice. However, they placed nearly eight kilos of C4 on the door, and just to top it off, they mounted bags of water outside the C4. The water would deflect the explosive power into the door, thus increasing the blasting power by more than threefold!

The HLA and Marines were cleared from the closest area, and the C4 set to blow. A final message was sent through the still functioning intercom to the bunker by the Marines.

"This is the Royal Norwegian Marine Corps. You have one minute to get out here and surrender, or we'll come in after you. This is your final warning!"

The clock was ticking...

OOC Hirgy, you do the blowing up and clearing of the bunker. Just assume that a couple of Marines will follow you and do what you tell them to.

There was no reply, nothing at all. Karl sat and watched the sappers as they primed the explosives. They flicked an electrical switch and the consuming blast rocked the entire building, raining down dust and debris from the ancient high roof. The Sappers moved in to check their work and signalled everything was good.

Karl jumped up, M16 into his shoulder, crouched low, 1911 strapped to his leg. He wore a black ballistic Kevlar helment and green body armor. A reporter with a camera followed him as he went, three HLA soldiers and three Norwegian Marines in tow.

They quickly burst into the bunker, the barren, concrete walls reverberating from the blast, charred and black from the fire.

The bunker was a simple layout, one long corridor leading two ways at the end. On the right, it led to the President's personal quarters, probably where Menezes was. On the left, the Guard post, most likely where the elite guard where holed up.

As the seven men entered the building, all in tight formation, a gun popped out from the side of the wall up ahead, spraying the corridor with AK fire. It was wild, and it missed, sending the bullets into the roof, the seven men, crouching low and hugging the opposite wall avoided the fire. Then a head popped out to check if he'd hit anything, Karl blew his forehead off with a quick shot, blood and grey matter splashing over the bare concrete up ahead.

Shouts were heard and a grenade came out into the hallway, Karl froze, nothing he could do, he was dead...

...a dud. The grenade simply rolled around and came to a halt, Karl exhaled, as did the men behind him. A Norwegian and Karl chucked their own grenades around the corner, flashbangs. They heard the dull thuds and then burst into the guard room.

Seven men stood hopping from foot to foot, trying to rub their eyes furiously. A steady burst of fire dropped all of them, without so much as a whimper.

A heavy MG sat on a table pointing out toward the hallway, the HLA men looked at and nodded knowingly, that would have cut them into swiss cheese.

They took one last look around the room and headed out into the corridor again.

Up ahead they stopped at another door. A Marine ran up with a large bore Shotgun and stood ready by the door, he blasted the hinges off after a couple of kicks it gave way. He dropped back into formation and the bunker returned to silence.

Inside the next room was a living area, silent. No signs of life. Playing cards, cigarettes and vodka bottles lay strewn across a nearby table, some half finished food sat near a filled sink, with a drippy tap.

As the men checked the room a utility cupboard burst open and out jumped an Elite Guard wielding Uzi Mirco Pistols. He sprayed the room, one of the Marines went down, a HLA man also went down roaring in agony. Before Karl could bring his gun up he felt his ribs almost come out his back, as he felt himself sucker-punched. He dropped his gun and fell to one side clutching his chest, thinking he was dead. There was a distinctly louder report from a nearby weapon. A Marine opened up on full blast with his AG, spraying the Guard with automatic heavy rounds, sending his body reeling back into the cupboard, the Uzis clicking empty as he hit the metal frame and splayed out on the floor.

The Marine who was hit lay unconciouss on the floor, the HLA man gripped his thigh tightly as blood sqeulched out between his fingers. One of the Marines tended to his freind, the other to the wounded HLA man.

A few minutes later medics arrived into the bunker and lifted the HLA man out on a stretcher. The unconcious Marine wasn't dead though. One of the Uzi rounds his hit his helmet, knocking him out. They took him out as well before turning to Karl who lay groaning, clutching his side.

He felt down his chest, the medic looking on. He wasn't shot, instead the body armor had stopped the bullet, but he was told one of his ribs was more than likely broken.

He waved the medic away, and pulled himself up, picking up his battered old M16.

The remaining two Marines and the two HLA men formed up again behind Karl. The same routine went on with the shotgun as the next door was blown apart and kicked through.

They entered the next room quickly and took down another Guard who ran at them with a gollock (machete). They were in a large bedroom. Menezes sat hunched in a corner, sweating and looking up at the roof. A scream came from another, a womans. Menezes jumped at it.

Karl walked over to the quivering General. He tried to pull a pistol but Karl was too quick. He punched him heavily in the side of the face and he keeled over on his side, the pistol scattering to the ground. His green uniform was creased and dirty, obviously he had been in the bunker some time. Two HLA men began to carry the bastard out into the living area and back upstairs.

Karl and the two Marines entered another area of the bedroom. There was a bathroom on one side, and a walk in wardrobe on the other. Up ahead there was another door, another scream.

Karl and the Marines catiously walked up toward it. They opened it and were in a small utility cupboard. A mop, bucket and chained up women and teenager sat in one corner of the murky room.

Karls eyes bulged out of his head. Their clothes were in tatters, tears streaked their faces. The teenager wouldn't look at any of the men, both of them cowered away as Karl approached. He turned to one of the Marines, "They've been raped, get a female medic down here. Now." One of the Marines nodded and talked into his radio.

Karl walked back out into the living room. Menezes was coming round, Karl grabbed him by his graying hair and proceeded to drag him behind him, kicking and squealing, dribbling and spitting, all the way up the stairs, past the female medic and all the up to the temporary CP. Karl dropped him with a thud at the feet of his men, the Norwegian Officers and soldiers, crowding round for a closer look.

*tag: chk tg's hirg*

OOC:Bjornoya, check your TG's now;).

OOC: Cotland, you want to make another post.
We're nearly finished this thread i think.

The officers crowded around the roughed-up Menezes, curious. Immediately, two Marines threw him on his stomack and zip-tied his hands behind his back, securing him. They then trained their AG3s on him, ensuring that he wouldn't try anything stupid. Oversersjant Bøe was among the men, and he pulled out his P17 and cocked it.

[Translated from Norwegian]

"We ought to just shoot him right here and now sirs."

Major Olsen agreed, but Brigader Oen disagreed.

"No oversersjant, we will not. That man might have done some horrific crimes, but we are Norwegians. We have it imbedded in our constitution that we don't execute anyone without a fair trial where they are proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. We'll let the HLA deal with him. They know best what to do."

Bøe nodded, and holstered his pistol while Oen turned to Karl.

"Congratulations. You got him. Do you think that there will be any difficulties taking over the rest of the islands? We are at your disposal."

Karl looked down at Menezes, lying like a pig on his front, his mouth gagged, hands tied awkwardly behind his back, staring down the muzzles of two rifles. He was visibly scared.

Karl looked at the Norwegian, "No, the country under De Rossa and Menezes was like a snake, you cut off the head, the body will die. We have already sent out radio transmissions to the police in the area, stating they are now under command of local HLA forces and will be re-organised soon. We had reports of socialists and communists being beaten and harassed on some of the islands, all in our favour really. I will declare myself President today, via the radio and television, that will hopefully bring order to everything. You know we are eternally grateful to you, your men and your country, for what you have done for us. You will always be welcome here." Karl shooks the Norwegians hand, both smiled.

Karl turned and walked out the door of the Palace, and he was met with rapturous applause and screaming adulation from a civilian and military crowd outside. Police Chiefs and Army Officers were lined up at the walls of the Palace, handcuffed and under guard. People spat and jeered at them.

Karl was cheered and patted as he walked from the foot of the steps to a waiting jeep and driven to the nearby Media Station were he was to give a speech and radio broadcast. Crowds followed him there.

Amane and Sunny were waiting in the room set up for a broadcast, they clapped him as he entered the room, the TV crew and everyone else gathered did the same. He took it well, nodding and shaking people's hands, before embracing the injured Sunny and the tired and dusty looking Amane.

He stood in front of a podium, the red, black and yello flag of the HLA and Cape Verde on either side of him, mircophones over the podium from Norwegiana media outlets.

He began his speech.

"My people, today is a new day in the history of our great nation. We have finally, after much struggle thrown off the shackles of our communist oppressors. We are greatly indebted to our allies in the Empire of Layarteb and in Norway, we will remember what they have done for us. My freinds, no longer will we work for nothing, and toil for nothing. Now we are free. We are a small country, but already we are expanding into central Africa, soon our Commonwealth will be vast, and we will be prosperous, never hungry again. Today, as President, I declare Cape Verde the new Hirgizstanian Commonwealth of Cape Verde. Markets are hereby re-opened, trade is now free. We will grow strong, my people, for today is a new day."

He stood back from the podium and listened to the roar of approval from the crowd gathered outside the building.


The Commonwealth of Hirgizstan is born.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

OOC: Cotland, thats pretty much it, i will post a trial of certain people in the next few days, you can add some more posts if you want.
Lay, i need that equipment you promised me. If you land it a Praia can i ask the pilots to take it to Lusaka in Zambia?
Cotland and Lay, you can now begin to make your base in the place we discussed.

[OOC I hope you don't mind this, Hirgy]

[Four days later]

By now, the Norwegian Marines and the HLA had totally erradicated any and all resistance from the few people loyal to Menezes. The Marines had gone from "killing mode", the normal way of them to be when landing on a foreign island, to "humanitarian mode". That meant that they were wandering around, rifles strapped to the backs and with berets instead of helmets on their heads, handing out food, water, supplies, medicine and generally helping keeping Cape Verde safe.

A few of the ships in the naval group had docked in Praia and in Tarrafal, and sailors were helping unloading supplies to the people. Navy doctors were busy helping anyone who needed help, mostly at the local hospitals, which were restocked with medicines and some equipment from Norway, and basically did goodwill work. A lot of children and adults were given vaccines against just about everything, free of charge, and medical treatment.

As Marines patrolled the cities and towns, people came out and cheered, while children came over and asked all kinds of questions.

[Praia]

Brigader Oen looked over the company which was assembled. They stood in formation, still in their webbing, ready for action. It made his heart swell to see the soldiers he had lead into combat, his very first combat experience, and with so few casualties. The final tally had been thirty-nine wounded and nine dead, out of 7,500 Marines in the Area of Operations.

http://www.mil.no/multimedia/archive/00033/mfu_oppstilling_370_33332a.jpg

Now, he was to hand out medals to these troops, "E" Company from Bataljon 2, Regiment 1/14. They had fought the hardest, the toughest and taken the bulk of the casualties. They had been sent to the troublespots all the time, taken the most enemy fire, and still fought on and prevailed. The King himself had authorized the issuing of Krigskorset (http://www.saintolav.com/images/180_WarCrossNorway.gif), one of the highest decorations available to the soldiers of the Norwegian Military. These men had earned it. Those who were wounded would also recieve the Medal for Fallen and Wounded Soldiers (http://www.norvetnet.no/forum/uploads/vetnet/2005-01-17_233555_medalje_saaret.jpg). All in all, a lot of medals would be handed out, and the pay of the Marines, which was already relatively high, would become a notch higher as they were granted veteran status. It had been a good battle for the 7,500 men.

Message to The Commonwealth of Hirgizstan

The Allied States of Celtayoshi is delighted to reconise Hirgizstan as a soverign and independent nation of this great earth. We would be eager to establish diplomatic relations with such a modern nation and hereby submit an official request to exchange embassies, our capital resides in the city of Ottawa. Please also accept a small donation of CYSC10million to help establish and run a national project worthy of your nation.

Patrick Nikea,
Premier of Celtayoshi.

As Norwegian troops patrolled the city many HLA operatives returned their weapons to military bases around Praia nd Tarrafal. The bulk of the HLA would go into the new Army, but some returned to their families.

The streets were now bustling with people once more. The Norwegians played soccer with the kids in the street, joined by Hirgizstanian Army soldiers. Markets began to slowly spring up around the city hall and plazza as commerce was once again allowed.

However, in a small courtroom in the Municipal Hall former General Menezes, and a host of other traitors were on trial. For four days the defendants had been cross examined and lawyers, waiting and building their cases against the establishement, for years-some in exile-finally had success. Menezes was to be executed, along with a couple of Chief Elite Guards. It would not be public, as Menezes had done, rather a private affair, but the people would hear the verdict.

Justice would be served in the Commonwealth.

COMMUNICATION

TO:Patrick Nikea, Premier of Celtayoshi, Ottawa
FROM: Foreign Affairs Department, Praia


Dear Sir,
Thank you for your kind words of support and for the funds you have donated on behalf of Celtayoshi. We will begin a Celtayoshi charity with this money to help control poverty in the inner city areas of Cape Verde.
We also agree that an embassy exchange should take place between our two nations.

COH

From: Monegasque Grand Duke Reginault
To: Foreign Affairs Department

We already officially recognised your country before, and now would like to send 20 million Monegasque Euro's, equal to 24 million US Dollars, and I would like to make an official state visit, after my time in Oslo, Norway.

Grand Duke Reginault Van Luxemburg

COMMUNICATION

TO: Monegasque Grand Duke Reginault, Van Luxemburg
FROM: COH Foreign Affairs Department, Cape Verde

Thank you for your kind diplomatic stance and recognition, and for your very generous donation of monies.

We would be most gracious to receive you as a guest. We will leave it up to you when to decide to come to our country.

Once again, thank you.

COH

After days of travelling, the merchant marine convoy finally arrived, with almost eighty Liberty II class transport ships, escorted by a pair of Unforgiven CGNs, two Dnalkrad FFGNs, and two Verrazano DDKNs. They brought with them a large order of light battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, trucks, transports, and arms.

The Hirgizstani revolution on the Cape Verde islands were heavily funded and supported by the Empire, though such knowledge was still classified.

The Army and Navy Reserve in Tarrafal met the Layartebian transport ships at the port and immediately began to unload to precious cargo to be transported out to Praia for immediate deployment, either to Cape Verde or to central Africa.

The Army and Navy Reserve in Tarrafal met the Layartebian transport ships at the port and immediately began to unload to precious cargo to be transported out to Praia for immediate deployment, either to Cape Verde or to central Africa.

Was my post too lame or should I do something better?

OOC: Up to you buddy.