A skip across the puddle [Marrlan-Eleria]

[Artsy Astra]

Following the discovery of the Northern Tafatu fronts fall, they would shift to a new plan. General Kent had been eyeing a crossing area to the South for awhile now, and with the Northern plan falling through they had to shift course. Most troops went south while a force of roughly 2,000 Standard infantry stayed behind to help with relief efforts for retreating forces and the major refugee crisis. The rest of the force that had moved would begin preparations for a uniquely Marrish naval invasion plan onto the Elerian coast. General Kent had relayed this plan back to High Command and had received a time limit for a final plan with no execution date pending diplomatic proceedings with the legitimate Elerian government for potential coordination. Other CoN or SATO allies were freely open to participae and assist however they could, but regardless of their help, Marrlan would execute the plan come spring with or without Elerian contact.

The Expeditionary force participating in the invasion comprised of:
8,000 Standard Infantry, 2,000 Heavy Infantry, 2,000 Special Infantry (1,000 Beast Hunters), 20 Tankettes, 30 Armored Cars, 50 Field Arty, 100 Howitzer Arty, 80 Mortars
5 Fighter Biplanes, and 5 Bomber Biplanes.


The Refugee assistance force comprised of:
2,000 Standard Infantry, 20 Mortars.

The plan would be to march the aquatic service members through the water and make land fall at night where the Elerians would least expect a naval invasion of such size, much less from a force who freely breathed in or out of the water. The terrestrial service members would then launch a land based offensive in the mountain pass along the coast.

[Artsy Astra]

Required listening for first post.


With spring arriving in Touli, it was time for the plan to start getting into motion. Aquatic Marrish troops (2,400 Shazzak, 2,280 Rel, 720 Anguis: Totaling 5,400 Aquatic troops.) began their march into the open waves along the coast, obscured by the foam and deep blue above them. Half of the landlubbers (3,300 Humans and other non-aquatic species) of the Marrish army and Marine Corps boarded landing ships and made ready to assault the beachhead following the Aquatic assault. The other half (3,300 Humans and other non-aquatic species) would man the border between Tafatu and Eleria along with all the armor and artillery in the Expeditionary Force. Once all parts of the assault had reached their positions, the invasion force waited until the cover of darkness before striking.

Required listening for second post.


In a flurry of movement, Beast Hunters would march out of the water onto the beach and take up defensive positions using their heavy armor to shield the unarmored marines behind them. A previously unseen enemy surged across the beach, Shark, Gator, and Bug men and women surged up from the waves like a bad dream, meeting any defenders with fury and accurate rifle fire. Any opposition would face their armored might and the thunderous response of grenadiers launching concussion (HE) and Fragmentation grenades at rebel positions as they pushed up the beach. The troops at the border would open with a softening barrage for 15 minutes, then surge across it with armor in the front shielding the infantry behind them. Once friendly forces were in play, the artillery began firing illumination flares instead of HE to aid in visibility as they pushed the border with all their might, securing what they could. The overall plan would be to meet the naval invasion force at the end of the Copper Colt and follow the river up to the Franerri-Tafatu-Shysil border, cutting a swath through rebel territory and taking pressure off the Franerri and Elerian Loyalists.

[Greywall]

Northern and Central Eleria had already fallen to Loyalist regiments and Samurai, the South was largely faltering as what was left of the dwindling SU forces here now numbered in a paltry 300 or less men. Most of them former convicts pardoned to serve their new Emperor in Gulliver. 

They never saw the Marrish coming, with the arrival of invaders 90 of the men ran. The rest began setting up defenses near the village of Amulek, they hastily made makeshift barricades and began pooling the guns they had and even raided the nearby sheriff who refused to fight with them taking a few guns and ammo. 

"We're short as fuck, we don't have enough men!" they all began to panic, they had long been cut off from the rest of the SU with the Samurai seizing the Central region. Word had it that the Imperator was breathing down the very gates of the capital now. They had lost. 

"Oh fuck this i'm leaving" 

20 more left. 

Then more. 

Leaving just 70 Elerians now encircled at the village center within the barricade. Their Galran supplied machine guns and rifles pointing out waiting for the enemy. Unlike the shaken and weak willed men that left, these were Elerians who yearned for the sting of battle. They wanted to die here, in the blaze of it all. They were the last of the SU Elerian forces on mainland Touli not in Elenria. 

[Artsy Astra]

Forces on the border continued to push, even with minimal to no resistance as they went, they maintained their alertness and didn't fall into complacency. They searched high and low as they progressed across the flat coastal region tracing the waterline and mountains, pushing straight for the rally point. The Marines followed the river diligently and used it for transport and concealment similar to their landing when possible. They continued their rapid push to meet with the Eastern force. Finally reuniting, the combined force continued to push inland. Upon meeting contact within Amulek, they would slow down and scout their enemy. Seeing an isolated and now surrounded Elerian force, the Marrish units moved in for the kill. Forgoing a bombardment in case civilians remained, they began sending marines supported by tankettes ahead. The Beast Hunters would move up with army elements as they pushed into the small settlement.

[Greywall]

"Open fire!" The Elerian garrison sprung to life firing on the Marrish, "The fuck are they?" a few exclaimed, "Who cares open fire!" from the barricade they fired down on the attackers and tried to remain behind cover. The firefight at first swung in the favor of the defenders who had Galran 30 caliber machine guns but the arrival of armored units pinned alot of riflemen behind cover.

"Waste the ammo! Keep firing, don't let them reach the barricade!" several riflemen who were attempting to remain in cover fired their rifles blindly to keep the intensity of the defense up. 

[Greywall]

Casualties

Eleria: 12 standard infantry, 10 conscripts
Marrlan: 20 Standard infantry, 5 beast hunters

[Artsy Astra]

"Keep pouring it on 'em chums! They can't hold that ramkshackle line forever!" A Marrish officer rallied his platoon, standing on the engine deck of a Slug before turning around and using its roof mounted machine gun to suppress an area.
While the machine guns had pinned a few men down, the sheer number of troops on the field allowed more than enough men to return accurate rifle and machine gun fire.

Marrish armor would continue to roll forward before halting in the field and engaging the machine gun emplacements with cannon and machine gun fire. HE rounds pounded the Elerian line at a rapid pace, the smaller caliber rounds were as light as a cannon could get, and the loaders took quite a while to fatigue. Army elements would pull back what wounded they had as marine shock troops continued to push with the Beast Hunters. They tossed smoke grenades to obscure their approach, and grenadiers fired grenades at barricades and buildings housing defenders. Armored cars began to circle around the village, raking positions with .50 caliber machine gun fire and destroying both the cover item and whoever was hiding behind it. The encirclement closed like a noose around the Elerian rebel's necks.

[Greywall]

The renegades took heavy losses, the barricade was splintered and torn apart by heavy fire.

"Pressure on! P-" a bullet killed the commanding officer. The remaining men fell within the barricade into a warehouse where they would make their last stand, "Get off the barricade!" they yelled, what few left rushed for the warehouse.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Eleria: 30 conscripts
Marrlan: 14 standard infantry, 9 beast hunters

[Artsy Astra]

Marrish infantry simply surrounded the building, seeing the Elerians run inside. They surveyed other sections of the village, and if there were no civilians, would make the assumption that none had sheltered in the same building as well. Armored Cars, Tankettes, riflemen, and machine gunners. All of the above simply shot into the warehouse, peppering it with fire not wanting to follow the enemy into a breaching scenario. They unloaded into the building with everything until the enemy ceased returning fire at them.

[Greywall]

The building was riddled with bullets as the defenders were torn to shreds, a few fired back but their final moments were of what defiance that they could muster against the enemy. A few remained alive, bleeding on the ground either in good condition or gurgling blood in their final moment.

Silence fell as the men laid on the ground, few made groans in pain but the fight was over.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Eleria: remaining defenders dead or injured
Marrlan: 10 standard infantry

[Artsy Astra]

Despite the success of the initial supporting invasion, MHC soon found its assistance unwelcome and sent orders to begin pulling back into Tafatu territory. The men and women were disgruntled, but enlisted and officers. The long march back was taken seriously, but the blood they had already spilled left a sour taste in many a soldier's mouth. The ideas and planning used in the initial invasion however were studied for future application.

The dead Elerians were buried, the regulars anyway, were buried with respect. Crosses bearing any names or identifying information were placed above their heads. Any surviving Elerians in the building were taken out and treated to the best of Marrish abilities before they began to leave, asking for assistance in their burial efforts for identification lest they had other plans or wishes for their comrade's burial location.