BF4: Masters of War

by BadNano-9MM

Meet the 'Dirty Old Bastards' of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit as they fight the enemy (and occasionally each other!) in the air, on land, and at sea... Critical Skills Operators one and all, they are the MASTERS OF WAR!

Battlefield 4: Masters of War

by BadNano_9MM

Author's Note: This is dedicated to our fighting men and women of our Armed Forces who lay it all on the line in harm's way day in & day out. This is for our veterans who we thank for their sacrifices to keep our country free. Finally for the #1 gaming Clan of Heartbreakers and Lifetakers in the world, the Dirty Old Bastards, for accepting me as one of their filthy own. Anytime, Anywhere, Any game mode I will be rolling in hot, guns blazing…..

PLAN Naval Barracks

Money Island Garrison/ Coastal Defense Force

0600 GMT

Captain Ji Yang stepped out onto the balcony and admired the view he had of the South China Sea. According to the weather reports it was going to clear and sunny, with the temperature in the mild 80's. Birds darted in and around the parade ground where the flag of the People's Republic of China flew proudly. Two full squads of Coastal Defense Troops were policing the area of any errant trash on the central square. His oceanic blue combat utilities were ironed & pressed; knife-edged creases were visible on his trousers. On his feet were jungle boots that were polished to a mirrored finish. His regulation field cap sat evenly on his shaved head which added to his 6-foot, 4-inch height. A 9mm QSZ-92 pistol sat in its leather holster on the captain's gunbelt. Today was a fine day for an execution. It wasn't every day that the world would be witness to the consequences of defying the 'nine-dotted line' which marked China's territory on the high seas.

Seventy-two hours earlier and after a fierce battle along the base's docks, Captain Yang's 16th Flotilla of the Coastal Defense Force had captured a live British marine commando. There were tersely worded cables exchanged between Beijing and London. A tech-savvy sailor in Yang's command had recorded the lengthy 'interrogation' sessions with the prisoner and uploaded it onto YouTube; it raked in over two-and-a half million views and counting.

Foreign correspondents from Al-Jazeera, BBC, CNN, FoxNews, and Sky News UK had been reporting non-stop since the first episode went live on the popular website. Questions had been asked, government officials provided no answers, and pundits provided opinions aplenty. Everyone had agreed that the poor, dumb Royal Marine who had the misfortune of being captured alive was going to be sacrificed for Queen and Country. Captain Yang had grudgingly admitted that the hardened English veteran gave them nothing of value except to say that Corona was the best beer in the world. It was quite a pronouncement from an English hooligan. The captain signaled for two other armed sailors to follow him to fetch the prisoner. It was time for this execution to be seen live on cable TV and the internet. The world would heed the warning from Beijing concerning its territorial claims on the South China Sea.

USS Bataan (Wasp-class Amphibious Assault Ship)

LHD-5 aka 'The Dirty Nickel'

100 km from the Paracel Islands

0610 GMT

Major Rebecca "Pink" Ransom strode through the steel-grey corridors of the ship until she came to the hatch that marked the entrance of the Combat Information Center. After swiping her ID card through the magnetic reader, a metallic buzz sounded and the hatch unlocked for the marine officer. Today the major wore the regulation MARPAT utilities, OD-colored jungle boots from Danner, and a customized 9mm Ruger SR9 pistol that snugly rested in a Galco shoulder holster. The rig also had a quad magazine carrier since Major Ransom always believed in being prepared for the worst. It was a lesson she learned the hard way as a young second lieutenant serving with Team Lioness, the forerunner of the Female Engagement Teams deployed by the U.S. Army and Marines. She still carried the scars inflicted in that first battle where she was awarded the Navy Cross.

Today she was the commander of Bravo Company, aka 'Bad Company', 2nd Battalion/ 5th Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).The 2/5 had a long and distinguished history that stretched back to World War I fighting in the Battle of Belleau Wood. In World War II, the 2/5 slogged it out in the Pacific in places like Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, and Okinawa. During the Korean War, it was Colonel Lewis 'Chesty' Puller that gave Bravo Company the other nickname they were known by. As the veteran leatherneck passed by the company on the way to the head, he said the following:

"Well, I'll be damned! These dirty old bastards always seem to be where the action is!"

Chest y Puller pulled out a flask of fine Kentucky bourbon and shared it with the men of Bravo Company. The legend was born in the crucible of the Chosin Reservoir campaign. The company's exploits continued in the 60's at the height of the Vietnam War in Hue City and the Siege of Khe Sanh. Thirty years later the 2/5 saw action in both Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Bravo Company was the spearhead in the liberation of Kuwait. The Bastards also deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. From 2003 to 2012, they participated in some of the bloodiest fighting in Marine Corps history. Now in 2020, the Dirty Old Bastards were ready to storm the beaches again.

Major Ransom looked over the HDTV flat-screens as they displayed a continuous update of scrolling graphics, text, and video. Marine and naval techs continued to monitor developments relating to PLAN ship and troop movements. Live feeds were now coming in from three Boeing ScanEagle UAVs nicknamed Dewey, Huey, and Louie which were circling the target area 6,000 meters above the 16th Flotilla's main headquarters. 'The Dirty Nickel' now had a complete picture of Money Island and its surrounding environs. The techs were now marking targets and uploading strike packages for the upcoming assault.

"Are the Bastards ready to move out now, major?"

The marine officer did a quick about-face and was surprised to see Colonel Nathaniel 'Kzan' Kilpatrick walking around on crutches. The last she heard was that the battalion commander was medevac'd back to Okinawa. He was injured in the last major engagement with the Chinese forces as the 2/5 helped take back the Spratly Islands for the Philippines. An enemy sniper shot the colonel in the knee and left hip. Major Ransom could see that her superior officer was in some considerable pain but she wisely kept her mouth shut. Colonel Kilpatrick had relieved officers for much less minor offenses. The major typed in some commands on her Panasonic Toughbook GZ-1 and presented the latest reports to Col. Kilpatrick. He grunted his assent then allowed a sailor help him into a vacant seat in the CIC.

"Sir, the Bastards have been ready for the last 48 hrs. We have pre-positioned elements that are now feet-dry and awaiting orders."

Colonel Kilpatrick donned a headset and keyed in a set of commands on the workstation before him. He gave a thumbs-up to Major Ransom who hurried out of the Combat Information Center. He clicked a stud on his headset and began to issue orders. The activity level in the CIC now became frenzied as the techs sprang into action.

" Operation WIMBLEDON is a GO! I repeat Operation WIMBLEDON is a GO! Commander is now on-line…."

"…initiating proxy attacks on primary objectives Alpha thru Delta…"

"…confirmed that Huey has released EMP small-tactical munitions…."

"…. Enemy networks are now down…."

PLAN Naval Barracks

Money Island Garrison/ Coastal Defense Force

0617 GMT

Colour Sergeant Tommy 'Touch-Dem-Titties' Newcastle woke up with a splitting headache. He sat up straight and immediately regretted it. Pain radiated from the middle of his back all the way up to his brain which felt as if it was being pinched in a vise grip. One eye had swollen shut. His face was all puffy from all the beatings those thrice-damned wankers gave him. His Multi-Terrain Pattern field uniform was torn in several places. In his mouth, Tommy felt some loose teeth. All in all, he was still glad to be alive but knew that this was the end of the line. What a bloody way to end one's career in Her Majesty's Royal Marines, Tommy thought to himself. His mum was going to have a stroke when his picture flashed on the BBC. At least my Military Cross and my pension will go to her when I…

The door banged open as Captain Yang and his escorts arrived to bring the prisoner back to the base's parade grounds. Tommy bristled at the sight of these gobshites. If his hands weren't cuffed behind him and his feet weren't hobbled by leg chains then he'd give them a right enough thrashing. The Coastal Defense sailors grabbed him by the scruff of his neck then frog-marched him towards the flag-pole. As their party moved towards the monument, Tommy noticed it was a packed house. He estimated that there were at least 200 coasties attending his 'sending-off' bash. The guard towers were still manned; the perforated barrels of the Type 77 12.7mm heavy machine guns pointed towards the sea. Nearby was a helipad upon which a single Z-9 Haitun troop transport sat. He sighed. If there was even a remote chance of escape, where could he go? The Z-9 had a limited range plus he wasn't sure which other islands in the Paracels were under PRC control. This situation was all a load of bollocks. As he stared out over the ocean, the captured Royal Marine smiled for the first time in days. He started laughing maniacally. It was going to be a good day for dying.

Captain Yang looked over to where the radiomen had set up the cameras and other various recording equipment to save this moment for history. The guards kicked the legs out from under the Royal Marine then made him sit on his knees. They flicked the safeties off their 7.62mm Type 56 Compact Assault Rifles. Tommy glared at his captors then snarled off some choice obscenities. He spat out some sand and gave a feral grin towards the garrison commander Captain Yang.

"So you cheeky fucker… where do you want it? In the head or in the heart?" Colour Sergeant Tommy Newcastle actually winked at the captain. The gathered coasties snapped to attention as Yang waved to the radiomen to begin recording. He was about to address his sailors when the twin crack! of high-powered rifle fire broke the calm air. The 7.62 Sierra Match King boat-tail hollowpoints tore through the guards' skulls that spewed blood and brain matter all over Captain Yang's pristine uniform. The follow-on shots rocketed through the captain's chest then throat moments later. As the three bodies dropped to the ground, Tommy scrambled for the closest set of keys. The damned Yanks had finally arrived. As he unlocked his restraints, explosions were suddenly everywhere. The buzz-saw whine of mini-guns and the whoosh! of rockets leaping from their launchers assaulted his ears. When he looked up, a matte-black AH-6 Little Bird gunship raked the parade ground with its Dillion Aero mini-guns. Thousands of 7.62 x 51mm NATO rounds tore into the ranks of the Coastal Defense Force shredding bodies into so much bloody meat.

Tommy was about to reach for one of the guard's AKs when he felt cold steel brush the back of his neck. He grimaced in annoyance when he heard what his assailant whispered into his ear.

"You have got to be the luckiest Bastard in the world, Touch. Here have a real weapon… and for god's sake, you need a shower! You smell like a something crawled up your ass and expired in there."

The Royal Marine commando turned around and smacked the cheek of his best American mate, Gunnery Sergeant John Jackson 'Jax' Stryker, a true bastard close to his own heart. Now the killing was going to start in earnest. The Dirty Old Bastards had arrived in the Paracels. May God have mercy on their enemies' souls…

Gunny Stryker handed over a L86A2 light support weapon and a bandoleer of 5.56x45mm NATO ammo that contained several 60-round magazines. He also handed over a couple of M67 frag grenades and a Sykes-Fairbairn fighting knife. Gunny Stryker knew Touch would be putting all these tools to work real soon. There were still plenty of Coastal Defense Troops to put down before these islands could be deemed secured.

"Touch, Pink sends her regards. She said that if you got captured again, you could swim home all by your damn self." The gunny smiled as he shot a Chinese sailor in the gut with his M4 carbine. The marine NCO switched mags as he scanned for yet more targets. He glanced at his MTM Hypertec watch. It was now 6:45 AM GMT.

He watched as Touch fired off several bursts from the L86A2 light machine gun. A hail of bullets pocked the wall where a group of Coastal Defense sailors were pinned down. One was foolish enough to poke his head up and Touch scored a kill as the sailor's head burst open like a rotten melon. Gunny Stryker fired off another burst at two other coasties trying to flank them. Touch primed one of the frags then tossed it towards the monument. The whump! of the grenade's explosion took three more coasties out of the equation. Touch saw that Jax was looking at his watch again.

"You got a hot date with Kate Upton or something, mate? If you bugger about we'll all get nicked by the Chinese. I've had enough of these twats' hospitality thank you very much."

Jax sighted his M4 carbine and triggered another three-shot burst. "To answer you old chum, if we don't extract out of here in the next hour or so, we'll be stuck with these moo-moo gai pan assholes. There's a fast moving hurricane passing through and the Paracels are directly in its path…"

TO BE CONTINUED…