AN: I don't own Fallout or Halo. They belong to Bethesda and Bungie/Microsoft/343 Industries respectively.

Chapter Twenty-One

UNSC Frigate Heavy Hitter, holding position east of the State of Nevada. 1538 Hours, September 15, 2552 (Military Calendar)

The doors leading into the Heavy's TAC room slid open with a faint whisper, revealing the senior members of Alpha and Delta companies, and the four ODST squad leaders, who joined Scott in standing around the holographic table contained with the room.

'Captain, Lieutenant,' Scott said to the company commanders. 'Sergeants.'

'Sir,' everyone replied.

Once they were settled, Scott began his briefing by calling up a 3D topographical scan of the Mojave Desert, a mountain dominating the centre of it with a wrecked satellite station sat atop that, and to the east and west were a river and more mountains respectively that served as impassable barricades to the forces trying to take control of the region.

'This is the Mojave Desert,' Scott began once Tara's avatar appeared. 'Also known to the locals as the Mojave Wasteland, it became our new area of operations at 0830 standard military time.' He tapped Las Vegas, highlighting it. 'This is our primary objective, the remains of Las Vegas now dubbed New Vegas. Its leader, Mr House, is under the assumption it's about to be hit by two different armies. The first, the New California Republic, is said to be coming from this direction and the second, Caesar's Legion, is coming from this direction.'

He gestured to beyond the two boundaries as he spoke, Marine Captain Miles putting her hand up to speak. She was in charge of Alpha Company, the vehicular reconnaissance unit that wound its way in and out of enemy fortifications and formations to call down artillery barrages and designate missile strikes ahead of full scale assaults.

'Sir, how in god's name are we supposed to hold off two whole damn armies?' Miles asked. 'We've got just two whole companies.'

'By being there,' Scott said. 'Mr House is under the impression that by simply appearing in place we will dissuade both sides from starting a war of conquest.'

He could see the disbelief and incredulity Miles had at hearing the plan, as did Faust, the lieutenant in charge of Delta Company and the light infantry role it filled. Scott was sure his own uncertainty about the plan was plain on his face, free of the helmet that so often kept it hidden from view.

'That's one hell of a long shot, isn't it?' Faust said as he studied the map. 'And if it don't work, like Captain Miles said, we've got two companies to cover this entire region.'

'We don't have to worry about the whole region,' Scott said. 'Just Vegas. At least, so long as the benefits outweigh the costs. If it looks like we'll be overrun or sustain massive casualties, we'll pull out and begin our search elsewhere.'

He nodded to Tara who shifted the map to show a street plan of Vegas, Scott tracing his finger over its various points as he spoke.

'Pre-existing defences and the layout of the city will force any attackers to come along this path and funnel them into a single location, here, where we can use massed fire from turrets and rifles to thin their numbers and keep them from entering Vegas while pre-sited artillery and mortars rain down upon those away from the action. Coupled with strafing runs by our aircraft and Mr House's own forces, we can quickly and effectively thin out their numbers.'

'Okay, now we know what to do when they push us back,' Miles said. 'What do we do while we're waiting for that?'

Scott nodded to Tara again, an image of Hoover Dam replacing Freeside and New Vegas.

'You, captain, are to secure and fortify this position against attack,' Scott said.

Her incredulous look returned. 'I thought you Spartans were masters of warfare or something, because last I checked a recon unit ain't equipped to be a blocking force.'

'Against conventional forces, no,' Scott said. 'But the army coming from the east, the Legion, is not conventional at all. They're based on Ancient Rome so, accordingly, their weaponry is primarily geared towards melee combat.'

Tara shifted the image of Hoover Dam and brought up a collection of weapons Heyman said the Legion used, ranging from simple kitchen knives to makeshift throwing spears, and from five-shot revolvers to bolt-action rifles.

'What few rifles they use are given to the more experienced members amongst them,' Scott continued. 'And seldom few of these have the power necessary to puncture Marine armour.'

'You have got to be shitting me,' Miles said.

Scott shook his head. 'I'm not. Their armour is similarly inadequate by our standards, old sporting equipment given slight reinforcements, so against massed rifle fire from your troops will easily kill or wound them.'

'Okay,' Miles said as Tara displayed the three sets of armour worn by the Legion's members. 'But still, why is my company holding back these guys?'

'Your vehicles,' Scott said. 'Specifically, the Warthogs equipped with the M41. The armour of the Legion is very weak against small arms fire, to say nothing the guns mounted on the Hogs. If three or four are placed abreast of one another on the Dam, coupled with portable turrets and mortars, you'll be able to shred the Legion troops as soon as they come within range.'

'Until they start shooting back,' Miles said.

'Based of Heyman's intel and our own historical data on the Romans, that's unlikely to happen for a long while. The Legion sends its newest recruits into the fire first to soften their foes up and they're rarely equipped with anything other than a knife or a sharpened stick. If or more likely when they decide to send in their more veteran troops, those equipped with rifles, their only option to attack is to come at us over the Dam's eastern side where the linear path will bottleneck them. Once that happens, your heavy weapons can then turn the bottleneck into a meat grinder.'

'Oh, there's no doubt about that,' Miles said, nodding her head.

'So, what's Delta Company facing, sir?' Faust asked. 'More padding and knives?'

'No,' Scott said. 'Delta Company won't be on the frontlines. You'll be held in reserve, ready to support Charlie and Delta Squads. They're going to be the ones on point at the Mojave Checkpoint alongside Mr House's Securitrons and his mercenaries.'

Even before he finished speaking, Faust and the two ODST squad leaders began voicing their protests at their deployments, quieting down when Scott held up his hand for silence.

'Sir, with all due respect,' Rimmer, the sergeant in charge of Charlie, began to say. 'ODSTs aren't babysitters for checkpoints, we're the guys who get sent beyond them to fuck shit up. Why are we stuck there?'

'Because Mr House made it clear he only wanted the army of the NCR to stay away, not their citizens,' Scott said. 'He felt that if a whole company of Marines was garrisoned there with all the equipment they need, Hogs and Scorpions included, travellers would slowly cease coming into the Mojave due to intimidation which is unacceptable, apparently.

'The best alternative was to place Helljumpers at the outpost and garrison Delta Company in a nearby ghost town.'

'Why didn't you just tell House to stick it?' Miles asked. 'I doubt he's got all that much military experience.'

'Because we have to play along with his rules,' Scott said with a shake of his head. 'If I did have free reign, I'd have Delta Company manning the Mojave Checkpoint checking every single person coming in for weapons and have all four ODST squads operating behind enemy lines. But because I don't have the freedom I'd like, Delta Company is being held in reserve and I'm down two squads for long range recon and direct action.'

He could see the shoulders of Rimmer and Delta Squad's leader, Kochansky, sag at the prospect of border control in a single location.

'And what about us two?' Mitchell asked, gesturing at him and Adams. 'Where are we going?'

'Behind enemy lines,' Scott said. 'Gunny, you and Alpha are to scope out the major Legion towns and cities for evidence of troop build up and Staff, you're doing the same in the NCR. I want to know what's coming for us and when. Avoid contact with local forces as much as possible and only engage in direct action against targets of opportunity with my express approval. Understood?'

'Yeah,' Mitchell said. 'I got ya.'

He looked annoyed at operating only in a reconnaissance capacity, as did Adams, but then everyone else had mildly annoyed and irritated expressions of their faces at their deployments.

'I know the situation isn't ideal,' Scott said. 'For any of us. We're being forced to operate in a defensive, non-confrontational capacity when we're equipped and trained more for mobile warfare, but it's the hand we've been dealt. We adapt as best we can and hope the parts and machinery we need arrive before the fighting starts. Dismissed.'

The Marines trooped out of the room after giving him half-hearted salutes, returning to their respective commands to break the news Scott had given them. Once they were gone, he picked up his helmet and donned it, re-inserting Tara's chip to feel her presence fill his mind once more.

UNSC Frigate Heavy Hitter, holding position east of the State of Nevada. 1200 Hours, September 18, 2552 (Military Calendar)

PLNB Transmission 09306M-17

Encryption Code: NONE

Public Key: NONE

From: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SPARTAN-B124

To: CAPTAIN JONATHAN MCNEAL

Subject: ANALYSIS OF NCR AND LEGION MILITARY CAPABILITIES

Classification: NONE

NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC ARMY

WEAPONRY

THE NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC ARMY MAKES USE OF BALLISTIC WEAPONS PRIMARILY, SPECIFICALLY A SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE FIRING A 5.56MM ROUND AND A SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL FIRING A 9MM ROUND, BOTH OF WHICH ARE ISSUED TO EVERY COMPONENT OF THEIR ARMED FORCES. TESTING OF THESE WEAPONS AGAINST STANDARD MARINE AND ODST DEFENSIVE EQUIPMENT SHOW INSUFFICIENT BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE TO RELIABLY PENETRATE CURRENT ARMOUR SYSTEMS, EVEN AT EXTREME CLOSE RANGE AND REPEATED IMPACTS.

SOME PARTS OF THE NCR ARMY, PRIMARILY THEIR SPECIAL FORCES HEREAFTER REFERRED TO AS RANGERS, USE WEAPONS WITH LARGER CALIBRES AND GREATER BALLISTIC PERFORMANCES BUT THESE WEAPONS ARE RARELY SEEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD OR IN LARGE QUANTITIES. TESTING OF THESE WEAPONS AGAIN SHOW BALLISTIC PERFORMANCES BELOW WHAT IS CONSIDERED DANGEROUS TO MARINE AND ODST ARMOUR SYSTEMS, THE MAIN EXCEPTION TO THIS BEING A .50 CALIBRE ANTI-MATERIAL RIFLE THOUGH WEIGHT ISSUES AND SCARCITY OF THIS WEAPON RESULT IN VERY LIMITED DEPLOYMENT IN BATTLE.

ARMOUR

THE DEFENSIVE EQUIPMENT ISSUED TO NCR TROOPERS CONSISTS OF METAL PLATES SUPPLEMENTED BY LEATHER PAULDRONS, AND NCR RANGERS PRIMARILY MAKE USE OF MORE DEDICATED ARMOUR SYSTEMS BASED ON PRE-WAR COMBAT ARMOUR SYSTEMS AND POST-WAR DEVELOPMENTS BY THE NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC. A THIRD SET OF ARMOUR SYSTEMS EXIST WITHIN THE NCR ARMY, EQUIPPED BY THEIR HEAVY TROOPS, WHO USE SUITS OF T-45D POWER ARMOUR STRIPPED OF THEIR SERVO SYSTEMS, ENABLING THEM TO BE WORN WITHOUT PRIOR TRAINING BUT LIMITING THEIR RANGE OF MOVEMENTS AND RATE OF ADVANCE.

AGAINST STANDARD MARINE WEAPONRY AT CLOSE RANGE, STANDARD FIREFIGHT RANGE AND MAXIMUM EFFECTIVE RANGE, ALL MODELS OF NCR ARMOUR PROVE UNABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY PROTECT THE WEARER FROM INJURY OR DEATH IF HIT.

(SEE ATTACHED FILE FOR FULL QUARTERMASTER REPORT ON NCR ARMOUR EVALUATION)

PERSONNEL

ACCORDING TO NOTES MADE BY LEONARD HEYMAN AND HIS SOURCES, THE NCR ARMY IS PRIMARILY MADE UP OF BOTH CONSCRIPTS AND VOLUNTEERS WITH DEVOTION TO DUTY AND LEVEL OF COMPETENCE VARYING GREATLY AS A RESULT. ALL MEMBERS ARE ALLEGEDLY GIVEN TWO WEEKS OF BASIC TRAINING BEFORE BEING SENT ON COMBAT OPERATIONS BOTH INSIDE THE MOJAVE DESERT AND THE NCR ITSELF, THOUGH HEYMAN'S INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED DURING A TIME OF WAR WHERE ATTRITION RATES WERE HIGH AND REPLACEMENTS WERE NEEDED.

CURRENT TRAINING METHODS MAY BE DIFFERENT NOW THAT THE NCR IS NOT CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER GROUP BUT SOURCES WITHIN THE NCR ARE UNABLE TO CONFIRM THIS.

NCR RANGERS ARE SIMILAR TO OUR OWN NAVSPECWAR GROUPS AND ORBITAL DROP SHOCK TROOPERS IN CONCEPT, GIVEN TOUGHER TRAINING AND BETTER EQUIPMENT COMPARED TO STANDARD FORCES, AND ALLEGEDLY WILL NOT BACK DOWN IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING NUMBERS OR ODDS. THEIR TRAINING IS SAID TO BE OPEN ONLY TO THE BEST OF THE NCR ARMY AND CARRY WITH IT AN 80% WASHOUT RATE AMONGST CANDIDATES, THOUGH WHETHER THIS IS TRUE OR NOT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. REGARDLESS, ALL NCR RANGERS SHOULD BE TREATED AS A HIGHER THREAT THAN STANDARD NCR TROOPERS AND DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY.

NCR HEAVY TROOPERS ARE DESIGNED TO BE THE ARMY'S SHOCK TROOPS, MAKING USE OF SUPERIOR ARMOUR AND HEAVY WEAPONS TO FORM A BREACH IN AN ENEMY'S DEFENCES THAT FOLLOW UP FORCES CAN THEN EXPLOIT, HELPING TO EXPAND AND HOLD IT AGAINST COUNTER-ATTACKS, THOUGH THEIR ARMOUR HAMPERS MOBILITY AND, AS NOTED ABOVE, PROVIDES NO MAJOR DEFENCE AGAINST MARINE WEAPONRY.

LEONARD HEYMAN ALSO MAKES NOTE OF A FOURTH NCR ARMY UNIT CALLED 1ST RECON, A SPECIALISED SNIPER DETACHMENT UTLISING BOLT ACTION RIFLES CHAMBERED IN .308 THAT CAN WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH MAINLINE UNITS. WHILE CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN IF THESE UNITS ARE DEPLOYED, STANDARD COUNTER-SNIPER DOCTRINE SHOULD SUFFICE TO MINIMISE THE THREAT POSED BY THIS GROUP.

COMBAT TACTICS

THE NCR ARMY AND ITS VARIOUS SUB-UNITS IS SIMILAR IN ORGANISATION AND METHODOLOGY TO UNSC ARMY AND MARINE UNITS, ADAPTED TO FIT A SMALLER POPULATION AND WITH FEWER SUPPORT UNITS LIKE AIRCRAFT AND ARTILLERY THAN UNSC FORCES POSSESS. INDIVIDUAL UNITS ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE TACTICAL DECISIONS WHEN ACCOMPLISHING A GOAL OR OBJECTIVE, THOUGH AS NOTED ABOVE TRAINING LEVELS AND DEVOTION VARY AMONGST ALL PERSONNEL SO CONSISTENCY CANNOT BE RELIABLY EXPECTED.

GIVEN THEIR SIMILARITIES TO REGULAR ARMED FORCES, I PREDICT THE NCR ARMY WILL ATTEMPT TO BREACH OUR LINES AT THE MOJAVE OUTPOST AND PRESS FORWARD, ESTABLISHING FOOTHOLDS AT EVERY TOWN ALONG THE PRIMARY ROUTES INTO NEW VEGAS AND SECURE THE AREA THEY CONTROL TO ALLOW FOR AN UNINTERRUPTED FLOW OF FRESH TROOPS AND SUPPLIES TO THE FRONT, LAUNCHING THEIR ATTACK ONCE THEIR NUMBERS ARE HIGH ENOUGH OR WHEN THEY FEEL CONFIDENT TO EXPLOIT A WEAKNESS WITH OUR DEFENCES.

I EXPECT NCR RANGERS TO OPERATE BEHIND OUR LINES AUTONOMOUSLY, OBSERVING OUR POSITIONS AHEAD OF THE MAIN ATTACK AND TO THEN OPERATE IN A GUERRILLA CAPACITY ONCE THE MAIN ATTACK STARTS BY SABOTAGING OUR SUPPLY LINES OR ENGAGING MARINE FORCES FROM BEHIND TO DISORIENTATE THEM.

ANALYSIS

OVERALL, THE NCR ARMY IS A COMPETENT AND WELL EQUIPPED FORCE BY LOCAL STANDARDS, MANAGING TO EQUIP ITS TROOPS WITH STANDARDISED ARMS AND ARMOUR WITH A GOOD GRASP OF COMBAT DOCTRINE GIVEN THEIR CAPABILITIES AND ENVIRONMENT, BUT AGAINST UNSC FORCES ARE ILL-EQUIPPED TO POSE A SERIOUS THREAT IN A DIRECT BATTLE. THEIR WEAPONS LACK A SUFFICIENT PUNCH TO RELIABLY INCAPACITATE MARINES AND THEIR ARMOUR IS SIMILARLY INADEQUATE FOR COMBAT AGAINST UNSC MARINES.

ADDITIONALLY, SOURCES NOTE THAT THE NCR ARMY LACKS A LARGE FLEET OF VEHICLES NECESSARY TO TRANSPORT ITS TROOPS AROUND IN A CAMPAIGN OF RAPID ADVANCEMENT, RELYING INSTEAD ON FOOT TRAVEL TO MOVE TROOPS AROUND. GIVEN THE VAST DIFFERENCE OF THEIR TRANSPORT CAPACITIES NEXT TO OUR OWN, MARINE FORCES MAY HAVE SEVERAL DAYS BETWEEN ENGAGEMENTS AS THEY WAIT FOR NCR FORCES TO CATCH UP FOLLOWING RETREATS.

CONCLUSION

I DO NOT FORSEE ANY MAJOR THREAT BEING POSED BY THE NCR ARMY AGAINST OUR FORCES AS STATED PREVIOUSLY DUE TO THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES IN OUR ABILITIES AND THEIR OWN, AND THE FACT WE ARE UNLIKE ANY FOE THEY HAVE FACED BEFORE.

WHILE IT SHARES SIMILARITIES TO ARMY AND MARINE FORCES IN TERMS OF ORGANISATION, THE NCR ARMY EQUALLY HAS DISSIMILARITIES IN THAT IT LACKS ARMED MOTORISED TRANSPORT OR ADEQUATE WEAPONS TO DEAL WITH THEM WHILE SUCH ITEMS PERMEATE EVERY LEVEL OF THE UNSC DEFENCE FORCE. UPON FALLING BACK TO NEW VEGAS, HIT AND RUN ATTACKS BY ELEMENTS OF CAPTAIN MILES' ALPHA COMPANY SHOULD SERVE TO DISRUPT NCR SUPPLY LINES AT MINIMAL COST TO OUR FORCES.

THE MAIN THREAT THE NCR ARMY POSES IS IN THE LONG TERM AS OUR SUPPLIES AND RESOURCES WILL EVENTUALLY DWINDLE, WHEREAS THEIRS CAN CONTINUE TO COME IN, MEANING A WAR OF ATTRITION IS THEIR BEST OPTION TO DEFEAT US.

CAESAR'S LEGION ANALYSIS

WEAPONRY

THE LEGION, IN DIRECT COMPARISON TO THE NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC ARMY, FAVOURS BLADED AND MELEE WEAPONS OVER FIREARMS THOUGH RIFLES AND PISTOLS ARE STILL DISTRIBUTED IN VERY SMALL NUMBERS TO MEMBERS, PRIMARILY THE MORE EXPERIENCED AMONGST THEM, AND ARE OFTEN BOLT OR LEVER ACTION IN OPERATION. AS WITH THE NCR, BALLISTIC PERFORMANCES OF THESE WEAPONS FALLS BELOW WHAT IS CONSIDERED DANGEROUS TO MARINE AND ODST FORCES.

SOME MEMBERS WITHIN THE LEGION, SPECIFICALLY THOSE ASSIGNED TO GUARD HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS, USE A MODIFIED SHOTGUN MOUNTED ONTO A GLOVE WHICH IS FIRED VIA A PRESSURE PLATE MOUNTED OVER THE WEARER'S KNUCKLES THOUGH SUCH A WEAPON IS RARELY SEEN IN DIRECT COMBAT.

ARMOUR

LEGION ARMOUR IS ESSENTIALLY REPURPOSED SPORTING GEAR WITH SUPPLEMENTARY METAL PLATING IN SOME AREAS AND LEATHER STRIPS IN OTHERS, AND THE OVERALL DESIGN REFLECTS THE WEARER'S EXPERIENCE AND POSITION WITHIN THE LEGION. ALL VARIANTS OFFER NO PROTECTION FROM MARINE WEAPONS AT ALL.

PERSONNEL

AGAIN, LEGION PERSONNEL ARE IN DIRECT CONTRAST TO THEIR NCR COUNTERPARTS IN TERMS OF DEDICATION AND TRAINING IN THAT ALL LEGIONARIES WILL NOT BACK DOWN OR RETREAT FROM A FIGHT, AND WILL OBEY ALL ORDERS GIVEN TO THEM BY THEIR SUPERIORS WITHOUT QUESTION NO MATTER THE REQUEST, A NOTE MADE BY LEONARD HEYMAN SAYING THEY WILL CHARGE AN ENEMY ARMED WITH RIFLES WITH LITTLE MORE THAN A SHARPENED STICK IF TOLD TO.

IT HAS ALSO BEEN NOTED SEVERAL TIMES BY LEONARD HEYMAN THAT MEMBERS OF THE LEGION ARE SADISTIC AND CRUEL, TREATING PRISONERS OF WAR EXTREMELY POORLY, SUCH AS CRUCIFYING THEM OR FORCING CAPTURED SOLDIERS TO FIGHT AGAINST ONE ANOTHER IN A BATTLE TO THE DEATH. ADDITIONALLY, ALL WOMEN CAPTURED ARE AT RISK OF BEING RAPED AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY AND ARE TREATED AS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS AT BEST, ITEMS TO BE OWNED AT WORST. IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION THAT ALL ATTEMPTS BE MADE TO RESCUE ANY MARINES OR NAVAL PERSONNEL SHOULD THEY BE CAPTURED BY THE LEGION TO SAVE THEM FROM SUCH TREATMENT.

COMBAT TACTICS

THE LEGION, AS STATED ABOVE, IS BASED ON JULIUS CAESAR'S ROME AND THEIR MILITARY ORGANISATION IS BASED ON THE ROMAN ARMY. AS A RESULT, THE NEWEST AND WEAKEST SOLDIERS ARE MARCHED AT THE FRONT OF A BATTLE FORMATION AND EXPECTED TO ENGAGE WHATEVER ENEMY FACES THEM WITHOUT QUESTION, LEAVING THE MORE EXPERIENCED TROOPS FREE TO ASSAULT AN ALREADY WEAKENED POSITION SHOULD THE FIRST WAVE FAIL, REPEATING THIS CYCLE WITH TROOPS MORE EXPERIENCED THAN THOSE BEFORE THEM ATTACKING A POSITION THAT IS CONTINUOUSLY GROWING WEAKER WHILE FACING CONTINUOUSLY STRONGER TROOPS.

AS SUCH, HIGHER RANK WITHIN THE LEGION DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN A GREATER GRASP OF TACTICS, JUST THAT THE LEGIONARY IN QUESTION HAS SURVIVED A SET AMOUNT OF BATTLES OR KILLED A SET AMOUNT OF ENEMIES, SIMILAR TO THE RANKING SYSTEM OF COVENANT ELITES. BECAUSE OF THIS, TACTICAL FLEXIBILITY CAN VARY GREATLY BETWEEN UNITS AT ALL LEVELS AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLOIT THIS WEAKNESS.

LEONARD HEYMAN'S NOTES PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE OF THIS TACTICAL INFLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE LEGION, AS DURING THE BATTLE OF HOOVER DAM NCR FORCES LURED LEGION FORCES INTO A TOWN RIGGED WITH EXPLOSIVES WHICH THEIR COMMANDER FAILED TO NOTE, SUFFERING HORRIFIC CASUALTIES AS A RESULT AND WAS EASILY REPULSED DURING AN NCR COUNTER-ATTACK WHICH GAVE ITS MARKSMEN ORDERS TO PICK OFF LEGION COMMANDERS, CAUSING CONFUSION DOWN THE LINE.

GIVEN ITS MODEL AND PREVIOUS BATTLES, I PREDICT THE LEGION WILL ATTEMPT TO OVERWHELM OUR FORCES ON HOOVER DAM BY SHEER NUMBERS, SENDING THEIR RECRUITS INTO BATTLE FIRST TO DEGRADE OUR DEFENCES BEFORE SLOWLY INCREASING THE CALIBRE OF THEIR TROOPS UNTIL THE BEST THE LEGION CAN OFFER IS ASSAULTING HOOVER DAM, AND THAT ONCE THEY BREAK THROUGH WILL MARCH TOWARDS NEW VEGAS WITHOUT STOPPING TO REPEAT THE CYCLE AGAIN AT EVERY OBSTACLE THEY ENCOUNTER.

ANALYSIS

AS WITH THE NCR, THE LEGION IS A FORMIDABLE THREAT BY CURRENT STANDARDS GIVEN IT WAS ABLE TO FORCE THE NCR INTO A STALEMATE FOR FOUR YEARS DESPITE HEAVY LOSSES IN THEIR FIRST ENGAGEMENT AT HOOVER DAM, AND AGAIN POSED A SERIOUS THREAT FOUR YEARS LATER IN THE SECOND MAJOR ENGAGEMENT FOUGHT OVER THE DAM.

HOWEVER, THEY RELY PRIMARILY ON CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT AND MELEE WEAPONS, AND LACK HEAVIER WEAPONS NEEDED FOR ASSAULTING THROUGH A REINFORCED POSITION LIKE HOOVER DAM, FALLING BACK ON SUBTERFUGE AND SABOTAGE TO TIP THE ODDS IN THEIR FAVOUR. OF THE FEW FIREARMS THEY CARRY, HARDLY ANY OF THEM CARRY ENOUGH BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE TO THREATEN MARINES AND THEIR NUMBERS ARE TOO LOW TO MAKE ANY MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO A BATTLE.

CONCLUSION

I DO NOT FORESEE ANY MAJOR THREAT FROM CAESAR'S LEGION IN A FIGHT GIVEN THEIR RELIANCE ON NUMBERS AND LACK OF FIREARMS, THOUGH THEY DO POSE A SERIOUS THREAT IN CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT AND HAND TO HAND FIGHTING. MASSED TURRET FIRE FROM ENTRENCHED POSITIONS AT HOOVER DAM, ARTILLERY AND MORTAR SUPPORT, AND AIRCRAFT SUPPORT SHOULD ALL HELP TO KEEP THE LEGION FROM MAKING ANY SERIOUS ATTEMPTS ON HOOVER DAM AND CAPTAIN MILES' POSITION FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, THOUGH EVENTUALLY THEIR NUMBERS WILL CAUSE A SERIOUS DRAIN ON OUR SUPPLIES AND NECESSITATE FALLING BACK TO SHORE UP OUR SUPPLY LINES.

AS WITH THE NCR, VEHICULAR COMBAT IS SOMETHING THEY CANNOT EASILY COUNTER DUE TO A LACK OF EXPERIENCE OR ARMAMENT WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT OF LACKING ANY DEDICATED ANTI-AIR WEAPONS OR MECHANISMS, MEANING LONGSWORDS, PELICANS AND HORNETS CAN ENGAGE WITH ALMOST TOTAL IMPUNITY TO ATTACK THEIR REAR FORMATIONS AND TRANSPORT NETWORK.

THE MAIN THREAT POSED BY THE LEGION IS THE DRAIN THEY'LL PLACE ON OUR SUPPLIES GIVEN THEIR PREFERENCE FOR MASSED ATTACKS BY FOOT AGAINST ENTRENCHED POSITIONS.

OVERALL CONCLUSION

AS STATED ABOVE, NEITHER ARMY POSES A DIRECT THREAT IN A STRAIGHT UP FIGHT AS THEY HAVE NEVER DEALT WITH A FORCE THAT HAS ACCESS TO VEHICLES, AIR SUPPORT AND SUPERIOR EQUIPMENT, BOTH OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE IN NATURE, ON PAR WITH OURS. CASUALTIES ON OUR SIDE WILL BE SLIM WITH FATALITIES BEING EVEN RARER, WHEREAS CASUALTY ESTIMATES FOR THE NCR AND THE LEGION VERGE ON ALMOST TOTAL.

THE ONLY BENEFIT BOTH SIDES POSSESS IS THE ABILITY TO RESUPPLY THEIR TROOPS EASILY, THE NCR CONTROLLING SEVERAL ARMOURIES WITHIN ITS TERRITORY AND THE LEGION HAVING A REDUCED DEPENDENCY ON FIREARMS, WHEREAS WE REQUIRE SPECIFIC AMMUNITION FOR OUR WEAPONS WHICH CANNOT BE EASILY REPLENISHED. MR HOUSE CAN SUPPLY .308 ROUNDS WHICH ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE MA5B RIFLES MARINES USE BUT EVERY OTHER WEAPON REQUIRES THEIR AMMUNITION TO BE CRAFTED ONBOARD THE UNSC HEAVY HITTER.

RESPONSE PLAN

DUE TO THE LIMITED LOGISTICAL CAPACITIES WE ARE OPERATING WITH, MY PLAN IS FOR MARINE FORCES TO HOLD THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS UNTIL AMMUNITION LEVELS RUN LOW AND THEN FALL BACK STRAIGHT TO NEW VEGAS, WHEREUPON THE UNSC HEAVY HITTER IS TO TAKE UP POSITION ABOVE THE CITY TO FACILITATE RAPID OFFLOADING OF SUPPLIES AS DEFENCES ARE SHORED UP AND MANNED.

I EXPECT THE NCR AND THE LEGION TO ENCOUNTER AND THEN ENGAGE ONE ANOTHER IN BATTLE SHOULD THEY ATTACK THE MOJAVE WITHIN THE SAME TIMEFRAME, DRAWING MANPOWER AND RESOURCES AWAY FROM ASSAULTING NEW VEGAS, ALLEVIATING PRESSURE FROM OUR FORCES AS A DIRECT RESULT. IF EVERYTHING GOES ACCORDINGLY, THEN BOTH FORCES SHOUD SUFFER HEAVY CASUALTIES BEFORE THEY REACH THE CITY AND THEREAFTER CONTINUE TO SUFFER HEAVY CASUALTIES AS A RESULT OF ENGAGING MARINE FORCES ALONGSIDE OTHER HOSTILES.

DUE TO THE CONFLICT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE IDEOLOGIES AND RECENT HISTORY, I DO NOT EXPECT THE NCR AND LEGION TO ENTER INTO AN ALLIANCE TO TACKLE US AS A COMMON ENEMY, MEANING THEY WILL REMAIN FIGHTING ONE ANOTHER IN ADDITION TO OUR FORCES.

SHOULD AMMUNITION RESERVES DROP TO DANGEROUSLY LOW LEVELS DURING THE DEFENCE OF NEW VEGAS, OR OUR DEFENCES ARE BREACHED BY EITHER ARMY, IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION TO EVACUATE THE AREA IMMEDIATELY AND BEGIN OUR SEARCH ANEW IN ANOTHER REGION OR STRIKE A DEAL WITH THE NEW CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC.

ADDITIONAL

ODST SQUADS ALPHA AND BRAVO HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED INTO LEGION AND NCR TERRITORY RESPECTFULLY TO GAUGE READINESS LEVELS IN BOTH ARMIES, TO ACT AS AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM AND TO OPERATE IN A DIRECT ACTION ROLE AGAINST TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY IF AUTHORISED BY MYSELF.

ALL PELICANS, HORNETS AND SCORPIONS WILL BE GARRISONED AT THE MACCARRAN AIRPORT WHICH IS SERVING AS THE MAIN CENTRE OF COORDINATION FOR OUR FORCES AND WILL BE WHERE I AM BILLETED.

SPARTAN-B124

/END FILE/