Chp. 11: Haymaker

May 11, 1995

East of Drop Zone Chateau

"Charlie 6 this is Alpha 6, come in Charlie 6."

Captain Rodriguez dropped behind the walls of his cupola's turret and keyed the radio at the sound of the familiar voice.

"Go for Charlie 6." He replied softly.

"Charlie 6 be advised I'm bringing the whole of my company to reinforce you. What's your current strength?" Captain Clark O'Geary replied.

"I've got seven that are fully capable. Eighth threw a track while maneuvering but he can still shoot."

"Any Humvees left?"

"Sent the rest to Bulldog 6's position. Be advised that Pathfinders and outbound Kiowas report an armor-heavy force moving down the road to our position. Bulldog 6 says he should have CAS on station in five minutes."

"How large?"

"Two companies of Leo 2s, likely more mechanized infantry with either Marders or 113s."

The reason why the Belkans continued to try escaped Gabe, but he didn't want to think it was because the Marines' flanking attack had failed. Alpha Company's arrival was the only thing he could have hope about. The man yanked down his goggles and checked the belt on his M2 one more time. With a scowl he gave the remnants of Charlie company the order to crank up. As if it were part of the startup process, the guns under Golf 6 opened up against the yet-to-be-seen Belkans. Gabe monitored the exchanges between the arty and Bloodhound as they slammed the enemy's forward positions. He turned around in his turret and waited until he saw O'Geary's lead elements exiting Solis Ortus proper.

"Charlie 1 Actual, take your platoon and advance with me on the left flank. Charlie 2, take the right. Move slow and stick to the rocks until we hit the logging trails." He radioed.

On his order, Sevelinski moved the tank forward. Kendricks's Sheridan, the one with the track thrown, stayed behind and watched over the Company HQ. Gabe was feeling restless again as they advanced, though this time because they were willingly walking into the meat grinder. Hell, they were essentially rehashing the first major clash. The tank slowed by a boulder in conjunction with the rest of the platoon at the burned-out hulks of yesterday's battle. Gabe raised his binoculars and scanned the scene ahead. He ducked down at the sound of artillery, unfriendly stuff, but kept his nerves in control. The shells were falling at random, going for deterrence and disorientation instead of precision.

"Gunner, see anything?" He asked as the man slowly brought the turret from left to right.

"Got some heat signatures in the distance, sir. Appears to be fires from the artillery." Kelly noted.

"Charlie 6 to all Charlie victors...anyone see anything?"

He got a chorus of negative reports. Once Alpha's tanks were intermingled with his, he pushed his platoons to the edges of the valley, at the very limit of where the tanks could go. They picked up speed with every second, weaving back and forth from cover to cover. It took but a few seconds for the wait to end.

"ATGM! One-no two, our eleven. Charlie 1-1's eleven." Lieutenant Masters of 2nd Platoon barked.

Gabe raised his binoculars in that direction and caught sight of a rocket motor. He looked to the nearest group of trees and saw an M113 hiding among them. Atop it was a T-shaped device, which was the turret for its MILAN anti-tank missiles.

"Gunner identify, PC at our ten o'clock, 1300 Meters!" Kelly reported.

"Fire!" Gabe replied as he looked in that direction.

"On the way!"

"Deploy smoke...all Charlie victors deploy smoke and watch for more ATGM carriers."

Gabe flipped the switch on the smoke grenade launchers and ordered Sevlinski to slow near the edge of the shroud. Kelly spotted a missile coming their way and tracked its source as the tank lurched back. He fired in near unison with two other tanks, then Sevelinski moved forward again. They emerged to find Belkan infantry in fighting positions just ahead of the 113s. Gabe brought his M2 to bear against the first muzzle flashes he saw and ran a line of bullets from left to right. One figure stood up with a Panzerfaust on his shoulder and fired at the left flank. A second followed, aiming for the tank next to Gabe's. The Captain zeroed in on their position, but not before the other tank was hit in the driver's compartment. The Sheridan fell out of formation and stumbled to a stop, but Gabe ordered his driver to the left so they could fill the gap.

"Gunner identify! Tank at our one, 1900 Meters!" Kelly barked.

"Copy, maintain visual...Alpha 6 this is Charlie 6, we've spotted those Leo 2s advancing to contact. We're moving to the high ground." Gabe replied, pausing only to switch back to the radio.

"Gotcha Charlie 6. Alpha 6 will move to block enemy advance. Move fast, Gabe; we're outmatched as fuck here." O'Geary growled.

"Copy, break, Capo 62 this is Charlie 6. What's the status of our air support?"

"Charlie 6, CAS is two minutes out and we're setting up runs now. Proceed with your mission, do not deviate. Repeat, do not deviate. I'm giving them instructions based on the current plan of attack."

Sevelinski put the tank out front and led three other Sheridans up the slope, slowing only so he could deal with the tougher terrain. O'Geary's tanks moved to the trenches to suppress them, then pull back before the Leopards could get too close. Gabe turned his M2 towards the woods as they went deeper, searching for movement, especially more Panzerfausts. He noticed a glint and saw the control wires of one of the MILANs had settled atop the turret. It started to flare his temper.

"Easy, Gabe…" He reminded himself.

Through the trees he could see more 113s moving down either side of the road, some carrying extra troops atop them as they rushed to get men on the line.

"Driver, halt! Charlie 2, halt halt halt." He radioed as he spotted an APC turning towards them.

Almost immediately, he turned his machine gun and opened up on the dismounts and their transport. It caused a second 113 to stop and bring its MG3 to bear. On his orders, Bergson followed his tracers while the other two Sheridans tried to move back and get a clear shot. They managed to force the 113s back and catch a soldier before he could fire a Panzrfaust. Gabe ordered his driver to move forward slowly so he could keep up the fire. The rearmost Sheridan fired a round at the closest M113, then a second at the troops in the open.

"Charlie 1-4, don't waste your main gun rounds on infantry! We need 'em to stop the tanks." Gabe radioed.

He and Bergson moved forward while the other two made sure the attack had been blunted. The trail twisted to the right through some boulders, then started to gradually head up the slope to the treeline. Sevelinski slowed again as they came to a particularly steep climb. Gabe looked over his shoulder one final time before he turned his attention to the front half and new, unseen threats. As they were midway up the climb, a shape appeared at the top. The turret of a Leopard 2 appeared; the tank lurched to a stop.

"Gunner identify! Tank, 800 me-"

"I see it, engage at will!" Gabe interrupted, letting his temper go for a second.

The Leopard 2 depressed its gun as low as it could and fired. Gabe's Sheridan was just below that angle when it did. The shot whipped over Gabe's head with a terrifying buzz. In a brief moment of fight or flight, he hammered away at the tank with his M2.

"Fire, fire now!" He roared.

The gun recoiled and sent the HEAT round directly into the exposed belly of the Leopard. Marty frantically slammed another round in, which Kelly fired as soon as he heard "up" from the man. Bergson's tank peeked out as far as it could on the right and fired as well, striking the Leopard in the front road wheels. The tank remained still despite the sound of more tracks clanking beyond it. Gabe looked to the right for a wide enough opening in the trees, then back at the enemy tank.

"Load a Shillelagh!" Kelly demanded.

"Marty, after that grab me the Grease Gun and two extra mags." Gabe ordered.

Gabe made sure his flak jacket was on tight and that he still had his Berretta M9 on him. He lowered himself and grabbed his kevlar helmet, accepting the SMG and ammo with his free hand before he keyed his radio.

"Alpha 6 and Cap 62 this is Charlie 6. Got a knocked-out enemy tank blocking my path. I'm dismounting to find a way around, how copy?" He announced.

"Alpha 6 this is Charlie 6, copy that! Move fast, we need you on their flanks" O'Geary replied.

"Charlie 6 this is Capo, copy...ah, good luck. Stay frosty." The FAC added with a bit more hesitation.

Gabe switched helmets and drew in a breath, then climbed up and out of the turret. He half descended, half fell down the right side of the tank, then took off towards the Leopard 2. As he ran, the sound of small arms reached his ears. He hit the ground and looked down the incline to see more Belkan troops advancing up it. His tank turned its turret and responded with its coax machine gun, followed by Bergson's fifty. The Captain stayed low and went up the left side of the trail to the tank. He hid behind a rock and looked past the destroyed Leo to see two more tanks retreating, likely moving to where the trees thinned out. He got on his stomach and crawled to the back end of the Leopard to see if he could spot a way around it. The trees weren't packed together too tight, and the branches looked fragile enough to get pushed aside by a tank. He glanced over his shoulder as the roar of a jet engine washed over the valley. He saw a pair of A-4s for no more than a second and heard the explosions.

Below, the Leopards were retreating at speed. Gabe waited until they slowed, then decided to move back his tank to report their position. He started back towards the tanks, staying opposite the trees, and picked up the pace as he heard small arms fire drawing nearer. A second pair of jets roared overhead, and this time he could feel and see the explosions as they went off down in the trees near the highway. He got on his stomach and crawled the rest of the way. He'd never mounted his track as fast as he did that time. As he maneuvered into his turret, some ballsy Belkan popped off several rounds in his direction. Gabe ducked down, then jammed back the trigger on his SMG. The M3 responded with a sound more akin to chopping produce than a firearm. Bergson's gunner added to the response with a burst from his coax alongside the Lieutenant's M2. Gabe stopped only long enough to hit the safety on the Grease Gun and switch back to his CVC helmet.

"Okay Driver, move through those trees just before that destroyed tank. There's enough of a gap after them to get around the Leopard." He told Sevelinski.

Gabe switched back to the radio and told the tanks behind to follow him. He lowered himself in his cupola and held onto the grips of his M2 as they went forward. The M551 swivelled its hull to the right and started forward into the woods, pushing aside the branches on the trees. Sevelinski had to move at a snail's pace, but the Leopards seemed to be out of sight for now. Capo had a running commentary going on the attacking jets.

"Capo this is Alpha 6, does fast air have any fixes nowhere those Leopards are?" He asked.

"Enemy armor is still spread out between Alpha's position and yours. Additional elements are north, occupying your old position." The FAC replied.

"Copy, break, all Charlie victors launch smoke and hit the gas once you're back in the open! Capo, call off CAS; we're about to make contact with enemy armor."

Kelly ID'd a Leopard 2 in the distance, searching for targets. Gabe told him to fire as soon as they had a clear line of sight. The missile rushed from the gun tube and bent downwards towards the tank. It struck the Leopard in the side of the turret.

"Loader, 'nother Shillelagh!" Kelly snarled.

Sevenlinski pushed out into the open and the other three tanks followed suit. Kelly spotted a second Leo and fired immediately before deploying more smoke. Gabe saw the Leopard's shot flash by; it ended up skewering Charlie 1-3. Charlie 1-4 and 1-1 charged hard and fired two rounds each in rapid succession. The tanks came to a halt again and launched more smoke.

"Alpha 6, we're in contact with the main force." He reported.

"Copy Charlie 6, my lead platoon reports they have a visual on you. Second and Third are right behind them." O'Geary replied quickly.

Alpha Company emerged from the woods beside the highway, shooting off more smoke grenades. Masters and 2nd Platoon went further and came down on the Leopards closer to their flank. On Gabe's orders, his tanks moved forward in a weaving motion.

"Alpha 6 and Charlie 6 this is Capo 62. Second wave of CAS is inbound, TOT two minutes. Suggest you withdraw back to the treeline and standby." The FAC spoke up.

"Copy Capo, all Charlie victors shoot two more then move to your original positions and stick to the rocks." Gabe replied.

"Charlie, Alpha is gonna try and draw the Leos forward. Get you some better shots." O'Geary added.

The Sheridan's turret swivelled and Kelly fired a HEAT round at the tracks of a Leopard as it rolled past a pair of trees. Bergson engaged its wingman while it jolted to a stop but remained operational. Charlie 1-3 and 1-4 swung left of him and fired on two more Leopards emerging from the trees, nailing one with a lucky shot to the top of the turret. The lead tank took aim at one of Alpha's tanks and fired, knocking out O'Geary's XO. Kelly took a second shot at the first tank's turret, followed by one more from Bergson. The Leopard jolted to a stop, then belched fire from one of its hatches to confirm it was done.

"Loader, give me a round count!" He asked.

"Got 16 HEAT and 7 Shillelagh left, sir!" Marty shouted as he slammed one of the former into the gun's breech.

"Gotcha. Driver, move us back! Head for the rocks!"

Gabe turned around in his turret while the Sheridan sped off in reverse. They got back as fast as they could as an Ustian A-4M Skyhawk dipped into the valley and launched a pair of Mavericks at two fresh Leopards. A second one came in from high above Gabe behind another pair of Mavericks. Almost immediately, two Osean F-16s swept over Alpha Company and left several unguided bombs in their wake. Charlie 1 launched their final salvo of smoke grenades as they fell in behind the rocks. Gabe slowly lifted his head above the top of his turret and looked down onto the valley. To his surprise, maybe three or four Sheridans had been knocked out. By comparison, he saw close to a dozen Belkan vehicles ablaze. It was a reassuring sight, but he still checked the rest of 1st Platoon. Charlie 1-4 had a nasty scar on it from a near miss, and Charlie 1-3 came on the radio with bad news.

"Charlie 1 Actual, Charlie 1 Actual be advised that Charlie 1-3's main gun has been disabled. We're moving to cover, might have to ditch our track, how copy?" It's commander sighed.

"Roger that 1-3. Charlie 1-4 stick close to 1-3. Charlie 6 can you stick to my wing and help me cover?" Bergson replied without skipping a beat.

"Gotcha...ah, I've got eyes on a fresh platoon of Leos exiting the trees near Charlie 2. Charlie 2 do you see those guys?"

"We've got a visual on 'em, 6. Can't get our guns on target." Masters replied tersely.

"Copy...TC identify, tanks at my two low, 900 Meters!"

"Got 'em!"

"Fire at will!"

Kelly fired the HEAT round they had chambered, then requested a Shillelagh to follow. The platoon split after the first shot hit the nearest tank broadside. Marty loaded the missile round and leapt back as his colleague targeted the closest Leopard.

"On the way!" He reported.

The missile raced out of the tube and flew towards the Leopard. It hit the tank in the front of the turret, exploding against its primary gunsight. Gabe ordered Sevelinski to back up immediately and the enemy tank fired blindly. Its wingman fired at Gabe while they hid behind the rock, blasting a huge chunk of the boulder away. Bergson fired in response, but the shot bounced. He moved back too and stopped behind Charlie 6's track. Another pair of F-16s dropped more bombs on the Belkan advance, followed by Golf 6's guns. The Belkan artillery rejoined the fight, but now they were dropping a mix of explosives and smoke. The surviving Leopard 2s melted back into the woods. Gabe checked the field again and saw two more tanks in Alpha had been knocked out. More A-4s swooped in to keep the Belkans running, and from his position McKaffey watched them as they came around for a second run.

"Alpha 6, Charlie 6 this is Bulldog 6. Gimme a SITREP, how copy?" He asked.

"Bulldog 6 this is Alpha 6. Got three tracks knocked out, two total losses. Thermal's all cluttered from the fires but Belkan armor appears to be retreating. We've taken up position on either side of the highway, awaiting further orders." O'Geary outlined breathlessly.

"Charlie 6's elements have the flanks. Two tracks out of commission, one knocked out. Running low on ammo and our view is cluttered as well. Belkans appear to be laying smoke to cover their retreat."

"Understood, hold position until further orders."

McKaffey regarded the escort he'd brought with him or asking Bloodhound to move back to its observation post. Instead he looked up to the Skyhawks. The General looked to Capo 62 and held out a hand.

"If you don't mind, Staff Sergeant." He added.

"Go ahead, sir." The man nodded slowly before passing the handset.

"Thanks...Comet 1, Comet 1 this is Bulldog 6."

"Go for Comet 1-1, Bulldog."

"Comet 1-1, are you in a position to assess the Belkan advance from up there?"

"Uh, standby."

Mckaffey pulled out his mapbook and started marking up the right one. If the Belkans didn't want to give up, he'd have to draw his tanks back to his TOW teams. Then commit his Apaches to help thin the Belkan force, or help push and destroy them. The Marines were reported to be pushing hard into them, but they might be looking to take plenty of Osean troops with them. He heard his callsign again and keyed the handset.

"Report, Comet 1-1. See anything?"

"Negative Bulldog 6, don't see anything moving down the road. Just retreating Belkans." The Skyhawk pilot reported. McKaffey let out a sign; his shoulders felt much lighter.

"Copy that Comet 1-1, thanks for the help." He replied.

"Just keep the road to Directus open, Bulldog."