The Southern Offencive

[Validus]

Sergeant Marks and is section were sitting around a pick-nick table near the coast of the Great Lake. The sun was shinning hard down on this section of airborne troops. All 8 soldiers sat there chatting away, eating food cooked for them by a local family. Free Dysanii soldiers stood only 10 meters away, they were drinking pop out of their canteen cups. And in the distance could be seen ten tanks of the 3rd AD.

"So, Sarge. When do you figure they will have us move out and actualy do some fighting?" asked Corproal Spencer.

"Anyday now, there are word in the tube that the higher ups are working on something."

"Really?" asked Master Corporal McManus.

"Oh ya, and boys this time we will actually see action."

"You sure Sarge, remember what they said about the jump in to Artemis."

"Well Chuck, you know the Fens cant fight worth shit. Thats why they are going to take on the Marines."

"True Sarge, true."

Warrant Officer Harold walked over to Marks, "Sergeant, keep your ears open, we might be getting warning orders soon."

~Thanato

[Validus]

The night had fallen on the coast. The First Airborne was getting ready to do a vary unconventional Airborne attack, a Land Offensive. They were going to do a tail gate jump from trucks and APCs. The orders given show that the 1st Airborne is tasked with capturing a city 50 kilometers west of their currently front line. To get them there was a fleet of vehicles from light trucks to medium trucks, even some M113s. The Marine Division that was recently deployed to the front line from Validus is mechanized, they will be moving lighting fast and will be fighting to capture another city north of the 1st Airborne's Objective in the south.

"So Sarge, we moving out soon?" asked Private McKenzie.

"You know better then to ask questions McKenzie, but ya, with in the next 5 hours we will be getting our orders to movie so keep your kit close."

"Sergeant, so what are we doing?" asked Corporal Simpson.

"Aren't you the Signaler, eh?" laughed Marks.

"Aye, Sarge, but I was curious if or when we are going to get briefed?"

"Well, I was going to get to that, but well you know I got interrupted by you and the Private."

"Sorry Sarge,"

"Ok, we are getting a platoon brief at 2 hours time from Captain Lestor."

~Thanato

[Kingdom of Acadia]

The sky was silent and the air around Specialist Malcolm Raines was clean. The war isn't a long way off though. Word had come that the Canadian forces in New Beaconsfield were still fighting a long siege, while closer to home, the Valideen had organized an entire corps to take southern Acadia. Malcolm looked at his uniform. A mountain grey uniform with a mountain camo flak jacket. Over top of his uniform was a cape and hood that were in the mountain rock camo. Goggles and a facemask would keep him face warm. The 9th Mountain Division was moving into the Kalacus Mountains to hold off the Valideen. As a sniper, he was more of a lone wolf, but in this case, they organized the snipers into teams of five or six called wolf packs. The trucks were leaving. He jumped onto his truck bound for the mountains. The other five men of his squad were there. All were snipers, but also had other functions such as medic or radio operator. He looked at his rifle. It was an older bolt-action rifle with a powerful scope. Malcolm took out a silencer and twisted it unto the rifle. "Alright lads, time to hunt."

[Validus]

Sergeant Marks was the last person to hop in the back of the Medium Logistics Truck. He smacked the outside of the truck and it jerked forward. This area of the line had been quiet only minor skirmishes every couple of days. It was time for the Valideen Military to get off and do something to stop this war on this continent. The trucks sped off across the front. This night was perfect to star the offencive, as Marks looked up the moon was barley visible and the stars were being covered by many clouds.

The men of the 1st Airborne were dressed for battle, their faced painted black, most wearing kevlar helmets with a few wearing Combat hats. The large mountains silhouetted them selves against the dark sky. The trucks stopped after 30 minutes of driving into the woods and mountains. The troops all dismounted from the trucks and ran into the woods for cover.

"Ok, our objective is a 5km walk away, we need to secure a cross roads before the Tankers get here. We will be sent first as we are the Recce platoon, but we need to be lite on our feet. Ok lets move," said Sergeant Marks. He raised his hand then motioned it forward. The section set out ahead of everyone else, the entire regiment was behind them securing the area for the trucks to get out of there.

They walked, with their night vision monocle down over their non shooting eye. After 30 minutes of walking, Sergeant marks raised his hand then quickly crouched on the ground. Acting quickly the entire section took up their archs as they covered all angles. Marks could see in the distance movement, people, Acadians. So far it looks like they hand been noticed. Marks positioned his section to face all their firepower forward. They did this quietly and quickly.

~Thanato

[Kingdom of Acadia]

"Mal, the forward elements have engaged the Valideen." said Specialist Jayne Maus over the radio. Malcolm had placed his men on the mountains around a pass that was wide enough to allow a few small Valideen units in. But the mountains on the side where tall and the Acadians were hidden very well. He looked from his hiding spot out towards the east. Mal took out his cross that he wore around his neck. He got down on one knee and prayed. "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thin name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. By the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." He kissed the cross and put it back into his shirt. Mal lied down and looked through his scope. The camofluage that he wore made him virtually disappear. A voice came over from the radio. It was Jayne. "Sir, four other wolf packs seem to have joined us on this pass. Also a group of mortars are hidden farther west. It seems that this is one of the main passes to get to the other side." Mal took the radio. "Well, even going through this pass, the Valideen will take a week at the least to get through here. By then they will demoralized and broken by the time they get to the other side." The first victims were seen walking into the pass. They seemed to only muster around fifty or sixty men. Mal took aim at the highest ranking officer. That was the rule. Hit the officers first, then whoever took his place and tried to rally the men. He whispered. "Here we go." He squeezed the trigger.

[Validus]

"SNIPER!" yelled 2LT Neilson as they dove for cover behind trees.

The lifeless body of Captain Harrison lye 10 meters from Neilson's position, still clutching the map in his hands.


Sergeant Marks section crept up on the Acadian soldiers who had taken a position over a valley. They heard a crack, not coming from the position in front of them but another, further away. Marks raised his hand above his number one gunner then he placed it on his shoulder and the gunner opened up. The rest of the section followed suit and all the targets were down in a matter of seconds. "Charlie team, move up and find out what they were doing." ordered Marks quietly.

Charlie team headed out, staying low and moving making sure not to silhouette them selves. They checked over the dead Acadians then headed back to Marks.

"So what is it Johnas?" asked Marks.

"Snipers, sarge. Probably more then one of them, since we heard that shot. We have two platoons moving through the valley right now, using the cover of the night. They are probably getting shot at."

"I agree," he looked at his watch, "well lets move on and see if we can flush out any other sniper teams."

~Thanato

[Dysanii]

Slightly closer and working their way across the mountain passes were covered fireteams of Dysaniian scouts. They had been especially selected by command to attach themselves to the Valideen forces - most if not all were local men living near the border, and knew these ways as good as the next Acadian.

Armed with lightweight assault rifles, plenty of grenades, knives and the odd sniper rifle, their job was to flush out the famed Wolf Packs of the West. Carrying little to no equipment save their firearms, they were quick and nimble and traveled in small numbers, silent and deadly. Using their knowledge of the terrain alone they would sniff out the vulnerable groups of snipers in their nests...even able to call in Valideen artillery if they needed to.

[Validus]

"COVERING!" yelled a young corporal, as she fired her rifle in the direction of an Acadian position.

"MOVING!" yelled an even younger private as he stood up and darted forward to a new position. In the prone firing position he opened fire on the target, "COVERING!"

This action was being carried out throughout the entire platoon as they assault the position along a broad front. The Acadians were returning fire but sporadically as the Heavy Machine guns were keeping their valuable gun crews away from firing on the troops below. A team of marksman kept a mortar crew under cover as the infantry moved forward.

~Thanato

[Kingdom of Acadia]

"Get down!" screamed Malcolm. The sniper battle soon turned into a shooting skirmish. Mal knew that if he stayed, he would lose his men. "Alright, fall back. Call in air support. Also call in mortars and skirmishers. I don't want them to gain an inch without getting pounded." The radioman called in for an air assault from any nearby bases. The snipers slipped away as silently as they had come. The screehing of aircraft over their heads zoomed by. A few explosions were heard. Malcolm smiled. "Wow, the Valideen and the Dysaniian pigs still aren't all the way into the mountains. Soon, skirmishers, wolf packs, artillery, aircraft and mountain weather will get them." The other snipers nodded.

[Validus]

"General, reports show that the third Battalion of the 5th Marine Regiment has managed to break through on the north." Said Lt. Col. Howard.

"Ok, Divert the 4rth Marine Regiment to that sector, and capitalize on that and lets try and stretch them thin."

~Thanato

[Validus]

Sergeant Marks and his section had reached the edge of the mountains. They had pushed through the natural barrier with little resistance after the start of the offencive. They were now preparing for what was to come.

~Thanato