Serraxx Landing Council, Discuss the imminent landings

[Captain Lithonius]

[OOC] Captain-General Valentine has extended an invitation to any commanders wishing to discuss the imminent Serraxx landings. Thus I have created this thread for any discussions over strategy you wish to conduct. An organized landing is in everyone's best interest.

I would guess that this is mainly for the Secundus Hive Attack, although I believe that any IG reps can front up for it. NPCs in attendence will be Dragon-Lord Arkadius, and a Tech-Guard Adept representing the Adeptus Mechanicus. You can also contact via hologram-projector anyone else you wish to involve in the discussions. I will also monitor this thread for intel requests. [/OOC]

[=][=Nine Breaker=][=]

Captain General Valentine watched as the Imperial Guard commanders and assortment of other characters entered the meeting room aboard the Star of Karusa with his arms resting on those of his chair. This meeting room was a stark contrast to the bare and uncomfortable chamber where the TSC meetings took place. The chairs situated around the table - which doubled as a holomap - were tall and well cushioned and the walls were decorated with tapestries, paintings, and ancient maps. It was a true war-room. Perhaps the only downside being that the temperature in the room was at a bitter cold.

Valentine himself looked the exact same as always. His posture and uniform as perfect and straight as one would expect from a veteran Mordian on the parade grounds and countless small battle honors and unit citations covering his chest. Perhaps the detail that caught the eye the most however was the fact that he seemed to be completely comfortable in the frosty atmosphere.

“Welcome gentlemen. I’m sure you all know exactly why you’re here, so we should be able to get through this meeting quickly.

Now, I take it that most if not all of our forces will be landing either at Hive Secundus or the Derandus Complex. The only one of us who has openly expressed a different opinion being Captain General De Brye. I believe that taking those two targets those would be the most feasible goals at this point, but if anyone here has a different opinion then feel free to share and explain your situation.”

Valentine looked around the room, waiting for any relies before he continued to explain his plans.

[Commissar Molotov]

Captain-General Huxlow entered the meeting room; it was certainly rather different to the one aboard the Sword of Elannius where, even now, his men were training with the Eden Legions.

He nodded to Valentine, a wry smile escaping as he remembered their last encounter. It seemed the dour Mordian did not appreciate humour.

"Captain-General Valentine, I would invite you to explain your planned actions to us all. Doing so may well provide us with inspiration."

[G8Keeper]

Ferzar took his seat amongst the assembled Serrax assault force commanders, noting that all seemed unusually enthusiastic, perhaps things were taking a turn for the better.

"I believe that would indeed be a good start to the proceedings, i would also wish that each commander present be able to list readiness and status of their units so that we may proceed with as few pauses as possible."

[Erkyde de Brye]

DeBrye arrived and took his seat, his dress was more subdued than the last meeting, no medals or cape. It appeared that he was ready to get down to business.

"General Valentine, I would be happy to lend my support in an attack at the Derandus complex. It is a logical first step, but I would rather our first objective be Hive Primus, once we have taken Darandus and established a beach-head."

[BrotherIgnus]

Merkos took his seat and looked around the room. He was new to this operation and was very curious to see how these folks ran it. He sat quietly, with obvious anticipation shown on his face.

[Brother-Librarian Akritedes]

Gaia shakes his head and leans forward in response to Captain-General de Brye's comment. No surprise really, given the rumours.

"With respect to the Captain-General, I wish to vehemently disagree. Hive Primus is without a doubt the most obvious first target available, as well as the heart of the enemy. Therefore, it would be foolish in the extreme to attack it without sufficient intelligence and knowledge of the enemy force composition. I can understand the reasoning that suggests an immediate attack on Hive Primus, but I prefer a more subtle approach."

Steepling his fingers, Gaia leans back in his chair before continuing to speak. "Think of it as a delicate surgical or interrogation procedure. First we cut away the extraneous flesh, in this case, Hives Secundus and Tertius. Then, you carefully, slowly remove the target, perform your operation, then replace what was removed and seal off the wound. To wit, we make an overwhelming armored thrust against the enemy and cut the head from our foe, then seal the breach and cut the enemy into managable portions. Which brings me to another point, in fact".

Gaia turns to look at Captain-General Valentine, his face set in a mask.

"As I understand, we have the ability to simultaneously deploy the Airborne Corps and my 81st Corps, plus sixteen other regiments. I would like to request temporary command of the Airborne Corps to coordinate drops and support to secure a landing zone, plus any heavy infantry or slow-moving highly defensive troops we may have available. If we encounter any enemy unit in force, my troops WILL hold them, and die trying if necessary, but that is the worst-case option and to be avoided if possible. Therefore, I am making this formal request."

[Commissar Molotov]

"You should not forget the very large amount of anti-orbital defenses arrayed across Serraxx. I would look further afield, to the wastelands. There are huge empty expanses with very little in the way of Anti-Air defenses. My army is rather suited to them. Gaurai and Syra are both Hive worlds, far more toxic than Thraxx. My soldiers are equipped for toxic conditions. In fact, the only soldiers better suited are the Valmare and the Avernus. I would advocate a portion of the Fifth Army landing in a flat area of the wasteland, and using Engineers to construct and fortify a base."

Huxlow waits a second.

"That said, I do not wish for this to seem as though I am seeking glory. I am perfectly willing to share the landing with alternative forces. The Mordian "Nukes", for example, could possibly land along one of the Highways leading to Hive Secundus. By eliminating AA within a section of the highway we find ourselves with a flat area to quickly land troops on."

"As to the necessity of attacking Hive Secundus, I believe that it would be far better than attacking Hive Primus initially. By taking Hive Secundus - an easier target in nearly all respects - we give ourselves a beachead which the enemy should not be able to shake us from. In effect, gentlemen, we get our foot in the door."

[AmCjkh]

Severan slipped through the door and toward an open seat, trying his best not to disturb the conference that was already in cession. Silently, he cursed himself for being late. Being new, it would be to his best interest to take a nice long look before contributing comments of his own.

[=][=Nine Breaker=][=]

Valentine considered what everyone in the room had said before answering with his own thoughts. Their suggestions were interesting, but they were already behind schedule and could not wait any longer.

“Lieutenant General Gaia, I hereby give you command of the 24th Karusan Airborne Corps in addition to the 81st Karusan Foresters. As long as you can effectively command them they will stay under your command. Do not misplace my faith. Take that however you will.

Anyways, my plans for the Serraxx Landing - Operation Meteor - have gone under much revision, and here is the draft product. I'm sure none of you will hesitate to give your views on the plan.”

This post has been edited by =][=Nine Breaker=][= on Jul 18 2005, 03:46 AM

[=][=Nine Breaker=][=]

Captain General Valentine pressed a large activation rune and the table leapt to life in an explosion of light and color before the shape of Serraxx took shape just above the table's surface. He then pressed another, smaller rune and the image zoomed onto the hemisphere facing away from the sun. He pressed it once again and the image faded into an aerial view of Hive Secundus. Valentine produced a long stylus from a compartment on the side of the table and began revealing his plans.

“As you all may know, the Archenemy has been present on Serraxx for well over a year now, and are undoubtedly well fortified, armed, and reinforced. They have had all this time to prepare, and they couldn’t be more prepared to meet our assault, but there’s one thing they don’t know…that is exactly where this assault will come from. And this fact, gentlemen, is what I intend to take full advantage of.”

Valentine pressed the smaller button one more time and this time instead of zooming, the area around the image was filled with data while the image of Secundus itself was suddenly marked with lines, shapes, and calculations.

“Operation Meteor would begin with a crippling blow off the bat. Utilizing the Navy ships and especially aircraft, we would first sweep down from orbit and use the power of our air forces to destroy the anti-air and orbital defenses located on and around the target, Hive Secundus. With the reports I have seen on the Naval order of battle we should have no problem attaining complete air superiority. And once the anti-orbital defenses have been destroyed, that allows our cruisers to close in and help with eliminating the anti-aircraft guns as well as use their firepower to obliterate the two super-highways leading to and from Secundus, thus greatly delaying the arrival of any enemy reinforcements or supplies. In other words, we sever the arteries that feed the heart. However, another option for the highway leading to Hive Tertius would be to place an “obstinate” force there to hold the highway so that we may have easier access to Tertius when the time comes to attack it. The downside here being that the enemy could still possibly mass a large enough force to remove our own and gain access to Hive Secundus before we can properly take and fortify it.

The next phase of Operation Meteor is a massed airborne strike on Secundus’ very own front door, the spaceport. As you can see -” Valentine pointed his stylus to a patch in information at the edge of the image “We have a total of eight airborne units, and it would be these units plus our detachment of Ogryns, that would land directly on the spaceport under heavy aircraft cover and attempt to take it as quickly an effectively as possible without damaging the landing pads themselves. I would also be honored if the Steel Dragons would commit themselves to this attack.

Before this air assault goes off however, we should have landed a much larger mechanized and armored force of Guardsmen east of the Hive. By placing them about two-hundred and fifty kilometers away we should be able to avoid most if not all anti-aircraft defenses while we land. This force would be able to reach Secundus within the day, with our own artillery being used as anti-batter fire to counter the enemy’s. With an orbital bombardment, we could likely destroy the enemy fortifications before this force reaches the Hive, therefore making our job much easier. If things go as planned, this land assault should reach the Hive just as or a small period after the air assault begins. These two assault combined would likely take enough ground to create a firm beachhead for further pushes into Secundus, and if the spaceport could be captured within the day we’d be able to land a considerable amount of additional forces a day. It is a high risk, yet very high gain plan…but I have faith that we could pull it off.”

Valentine looked around the room at each person in turn, giving time for the plan to sink in.

“Any comments, questions, or suggestions?”


This post has been edited by =][=Nine Breaker=][= on Jul 18 2005, 05:15 AM

[Pvt Vanguard]

As the General began to speak a holographic image of Admiral Dacus appeared. Obviously ready to speak he instead concentrated on the plan, before an invitation was granted.

"Regardless of where we attack the anti-ship defences of the entire planet will be embattled with the Naval fleet, however, Hive Secudnus does pose as great an opportunity as any and in that regard the operation has my full support. Some issues to consider remain. By asking aircraft to destroy anti-air facilities you are asking us to strike not at a weakness, but at a strength. The risk of high, even unsustainable, losses is great. To land on top of a spaceport is the very greatest risk as anti-air defences there are formiddable. Not only do transports risk being shot down, our only assault transports, the troops inside would also perish. Another issue is how far East we can go, to fly in from the sunward zone will damage the aircraft and even then only the largest transports and assault transports could withstand it. Finally, simply reviewing our order of battle is a poor estimate of superiority if we have no information on the enemy. Such an assumption is a dangerous one I am unwilling to make.

As a result I propose some revision. That the direct assault on the spaceport be reconsidered. I am willing to undertake this operation but I want my notification of the risks involved officially recognised. That the reinforcement attack land at the mining stations south-west of hive Secundus. There is little anti-air defence there and it would be possible to establish another base of operations as well as reinforcements. Finally, that we reconsider how many anti-air defences need to be destroyed by a risky air assault. I have intelligence that some defences around the hive are inactive but it remains a dangerous operation."

[Captain Lithonius]

Dragon Lord Arkadius spoke, his deep voice booming.

"The Steel Dragons will destroy these air defences that bother you. We shall fall from the skies and destroy the enemy as they flee before us! The direct attack on the spaceport is the best plan! Let us tear the heart from the enemy before he knows the Emperor's vengeance is up on him!"

[Pvt Vanguard]

"Dragon Lord, are you confident that you can take and hold the spaceport?"

[Captain Lithonius]

Arkadius leaned back in his chair as he barked triumphantly.

"HA!"

A plasteel gloved hand moved forward in a chopping motion of dismissal as he leaned back to address the table again.

"The pathetic Chaos forces of the spaceport do not stand a chance against my brothers and I! When your soldiers and aircraft arrive there will be none left for them to test their might against!"