Notice

This is not, I repeat, not a Starcraft battle report. As a matter of fact, it's not about any game of any type. Nope, it is in fact a story...though the story contains a battle hence I decided here would be a good home for it (caught up with me?).

So, with that out of the way, I suppose we can get started (hope both of you still reading enjoy this).

I peer out my window, both guards taking up their posts on opposite sides of the camp. Today was relatively un-eventful, mostly just beauracratic bullshit with HQ. I'll never get over how clean cut they seem to think things are out here. They know as well as I do that I'm the best tactical commander in the theatre, but they keep setting idiotic limits on my forces.

Today they told me that we would be unable to attack an enemy encampment under a mile away. General Boulder said that the encampment had been formed next to a small town, and that the chances of civilian deaths were too high. I tried to explain to him that we had spotted two top generals in that encampment, making it well worth the loss of under 50 civilians at most. Of course, he replied with the ubuiquitous, "Just stay put, Colonel". I really hate that.

So, instead of taking out two high ranking officials and crippling our enemy thereby saving American lives, me and my men stay put and allow them all to escape in the name of...if only I knew.

I need sleep. I've a long day of staying put ahead of me and it's already late.

"Sir,"
"Yes, Lieutenant?"
"Enemy forces are on the move"
"Towards?"
"They're headed east, sir"

Damnit! I might as well be back home cleaning the gutters for all the good I'm able to do here. Although, I assume HQ gets quite a kick out of driving me crazy, they do it often enough. But, as long as I'm here, I'll try to keep tabs on things.

I gather up 3 soldiers, 2 new men I haven't met yet...I get so little time to meet people here, and Lieutenant Inez. These new men seem rather anxious to see combat, though I must admit I was too, but they'll see all they want soon enough I'm sure. Inez is one of the few people I have left from my last command, so many have died or been promoted to different position, or gone home. She's quite possibly the most level-headed person I've ever served with, as such I make it a point to let her break in the new guys...plus I think she gets a kick out of it. Today, I'm sending them out on a scouting mission to the west, mostly to keep them busy.

With that out of the way, I shuffle through some quartermaster reports and await the daily "Bullshit Monologue" from headquarters. About the time I read that we've been sent 500 rolls of toilet paper, the call comes in. Amazingly, it's General Boulder again. And even more shocking to me is the fact that he tells me to stay put, intelligence is handling things. Right, the same intelligence who spent 3 days and 40 high-trained men "de-mining" a field of cole-slaw...I feel so much safer now that they're on the job. The general rants on for another 15 minutes about this and that but never says anything, one good thing about command is that you know what not to listen to.

After finishing up with the general, Lieutenant Kelly comes in and announces that the last of the enemy forces in the encampment to our east have left. I'm tempted to tell him I want to know what's left there, but decide against it...you never know when a good scout can save you ass and I'll be damned if I'll let my best man get blown up thanks to some booby trapped ex-hideout.

Kelly leaves, and even though it's noon I'm not hungry. I've been lucky, I always seem to have a good cook on staff though I'm not always able to keep them away from top brass. A good meal can really boost the men's morale after day after day of this seemingly useless passivity. The men are growing restless from inactivity, neither side has done anything in this area for quite some time though I hear reports of heavy fighting going on to our west.

About the time I close my eyes to try to get a few minutes rest, Lieutenant Inez bursts in, visibly shaken. This being so uncharacteristic of her, I'm instantly alarmed. What she has to say only serves to highten my anxiety.

"Colonel, a full enemy batallion has been spotted to our west, heading this way."
"Are our forces giving chase?"
"No, sir. Though they do appear to have been in a skirmish recently."
"Get the camp prepared, I'll tell HQ that we're going to need reinforcements or somewhere to run to."

A full batallion? What the hell is a full batallion doing this far east? There's no strategic strongholds in this area, no large cities, only a few hills and miles of farmland. Unless this has something to do with those officials...

I place the call. Colonel Bradburn puts General Boulder on and I explain the situation. A full batallion against my piss-ant force of 500, mostly green, troops. It will not be pretty. I expect to hear him tell me to fall back to our eastern stronghold, only 6 miles distant. Instead I hear, "Stay put." To say I was shocked would be an understatement, to say I was pissed would have been an understatement, to say I wanted to bash his skull in would have been about right. When I ask if he means to reinforce my position he says, "I'll see what I can do." In other words, "I'm sorry colonel, but your life and the lives of your men are not important, where's my filet mignon?"

After that rousing pep-talk with the general, I decide to give Kelly something to do and send him to keep tabs on the enemy. As he heads out, I head for my office. Upon arrival, I skim through the personnel files, I might as well know these kids by name if we're all going to die together. Inez will be able to get the men prepared a lot better than I could, it's best to keep my nost out when I'm not needed.

Reading the files only serves to depress me more. I have just over 500 men in this outfit, none of them ranking higher than lieutenant. Never before have I been in the position where I had less than 2 majors in camp. Then again, I've never been in charge of such a small group of people, either.

With the personnel files out of the way, I begin considering our position. We set up camp on top of a hill with trees all along the slopes. At the bottom of the hill are plains for many miles in any direction. Between the trees and the height advantage we should be able to hold out for a while, but we simply don't have the numbers to survive. Of course, I haven't reached full colonel by giving up, I've been through enough to know that Plan B is normally the plan to use. Now to come up with Plan B.

Since I don't have a clear knowledge of their formation or direction I will attempt to just set up a skeleton plan to be filled in upon Lieutenant Kelly's arrival...if he arrives. With so few men, and mostly open land, we can't duke it out. To just retreat would be difficult and would go against orders. How am I going to obey orders and yet get my people out of this?

During the few hours I spent reading and planning Kelly finally returns. He comes directly to my office and tells me something amazing.

"Sir"
"How far away are they?"
"Well, sir, you see...they aren't heading for us."
"Then where?"
"They seem to be heading for the newly-abandoned base to our east."

I breathe a sigh of relief that they aren't heading for us. At least I'll have more time to plan a course of action. Damnit! I really wish I had sent Kelly to see what was in that base now. This really smells like we have something, I just hope that slow-witted sloth of a general agrees with me. I honestly believe I could tell him I had found nuclear weapons and he would say it wasn't important.

Gathering up what's left of my patience, I put in the call to HQ. To my surprise, the phone is answered by a measely sergeant. I prode him a little for information, but he's better at keeping his mouth shut than most sergeants I've run across. I finally give up and ask to speak with the general.

General Boulder: "What is it, colonel?"
"General, the enemy forces I told you about are moving into the base to our east."
General Boulder: "The one the other forces left?"
"That's the one, sir"
General Boulder: "Hmm, keep tabs on them, if you see anything suspicious act at your discretion."
"Yes, sir."

I'm stunned. This is the first vote of confidence I've recieved from the general and it's a hell of a vote at that. He's given me the control I need to work, which is what should be given to a commanding officer, anyway, I should think. I guess good things do come to those who wait.

First thing to do is to get some information on the encampment. It's closing in on 5:00p.m., I'll give them until abotu 7:00 before sending anyone in. In the meantime, I send Corporal Niet to keep an eye out for enemy scouts. Niet has been learning from Kelly, and, in lieu of his availiability (he, Inez, Lieutenant Barry, and Sergeant Lee are resting up) is my best bet to keep an eye on the base.

The next few hours pass quickly, I go wake up Inez, Kelly, Barry, and Lee at about a quarter til 7, giving them tiem to eat before they head out. Before sending them on their way, I remind them to "stay the hell out of trouble, get as much information as you can safely then return."

Now for the waiting, I really hate this part. Sending men into risky situations has never been easy on my nerves. In a situation like this, with so much potentially on the line, it drives me absolutely batty. To take my mind off the problem at hand, I let my mind wander which I am usually hesitant to do.

Not long after midnight, my mind is brought back to the situation at hand when my scouts return. Inez comes into my office, I suppose she came because she's closest to me, or maybe the others are just scared, once she comes in she announces that they did find something interesting.

"Colonel, the enemy has set up camp in a very erratic pattern, probably thinking there are no American forces in this area."
"Were you able to penetrate their perimeter?"
"We were able to get a look into the encampment nearest our position, but not much of a look at the bunker. It appears, however, that a large amount of supplies have been delivered."
"Good work, get some sleep."

Supplies? That means they're looking to hold that position for some period of time and that someone besides the batallion has been or is still there. Since I have a few questions left before I make my decision, I send for Kelly.

Upon his arrival, I ask him if he thinks he can get a look at the bunker, I need to know what's going on in there or, more importantly, who's in there. He tells me that he can, and heads out.

It's nearing 1a.m., I never was one to tell time in a military fashion...0100 hours just sounds so assinine to me, and I need sleep. I force myself to close my eyes in my desk chair, and manage to nod off.

Kelly rouses me from my somewhat uncomfortable sleep, with news of the enemy.

"The generals are there again, sir."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, sir, and they're very agitated over something."
"Get some rest, we're going to be very busy tomorrow."

At least the news removes all doubt, we're attacking them as soon as I can set up a plan of attack. But for now I must rest.

I open my eyes to remember why I stopped sleeping in my desk chair, my back and neck are killing me. I'm getting too old for this. But, there's work to do and I'm just the man to do it.

The important thing is to have surprise on our side, hitting spots that are lightly defended then running, hoping to catch them with their brass out. But first, I want to set up some defenses in base for the inevitable counter-attack.

Inez volunteers to be in charge of getting the base ready while I brief my group of commandos on what they'll need to do. My kingdom for experienced combat troops, but I'm just going to have to use what I have.

I'm figuring on attacking in two waves, focusing on different areas and attacking back-to-back. Therefore, I will split the grenades I have left after Inez is through with them between the attacking troops, maybe they'll be able to get to that bunker. I also dig up the 3 walkie talkies we have left, giving one to Inez, one to Kelly, and one to Barry. I do hate to put Barry and Kelly into battle like that but they're my only options for team leaders with Inez and Lieutenat Cole working on getting the base prepared.

Finally, I finish briefing the men on what I want them to do, then attack will commence at 9p.m. and it's already 3, so I let them rest. Inez has set up booby-traps in my office, the communications tent, and all around the perimeter. Cole has gathered up as much of our supplies as possible for quick pick-ups when we need to retreat. Things seem to be moving along well without me so I return to my quarters to get some actual recuperative sleep.

7:00 comes and I wake up feeling rested, though anxious. I step out and view the camp, which is eerily quiet. I stand there for a half hour with my thoughts, while our attack force gets ready. I keep calm around the men, but once they all pass by and into the supply tent I return to my tent. This isn't the first time I've had to send boys into the face of death, but never have the odds been so amazingly stacked against me. The assumption that we'll even get off a single attack much less get off two and a retreat is quite a stretch, but I'd like to have a plan if we survive.

It's 8:45, and all is prepared. The tension is strangling, though most of the men seem to be handling it well. In what may be my last act as their commander, I tell the men to remember their training and to be careful. As 9 o'clock rolls around, I nod at Kelly and his group moves out.

Kelly moves down the hill, his group's target is the encampment closest to our position which puts them in front of the bunker. Barry's group is coming around to attack from the other side of the bunker which is mostly undefended.

Kelly's troops pour through the trees, catching most of the defenders dozing off. The guards are instantly taken out, and our forces start fighting their way into the heart of the encampment. Kelly left his walkie talkie on and attempts to describe the scene, giving me an idea of what is going on.

Enemy troops scramble out of their tents, catching up firearms as they do. Most of them go down as soon as they come up, but a few do find their weapons. The rest of the enemy camps are coming to life as the sound of gunfire fills the air. The enemy starts firing back and I order Kelly to turn back, he's hit the wall now no use getting too many people killed. Before he retreats, Kelly orders his men to throw all their grenades at the enemy bunker, the resulting explosions do quite a bit of damage but the structure is still intact. They fall back into the woods, and Kelly reports to me that he lost 3 men in the skirmish, a small loss numerically but a huge loss morale-wise and strategy wise.

Before I ordered Kelly to withdraw, I received confirmation that Barry was in position. Once Kelly's troops pulled out, Barry's started in from the opposite side.

I hope you enjoyed the report...story, whichever you want to call it. If you did, please comment and get ready for the next installment which will be out as soon as I finish it (interestingly enough). The next part will focus more on battles, for those of you who don't like reading about characters and stuff. If you didn't enjoy it...put it in a comment and post it (even if people hate it I'm happy as long as I get lots of comments ;p).

And, expect a new starcraft report from me in the near future...hopefully including image thingies and other staples of my other reports.

Thanks for reading, have a nice day.