BATTLEGROUND

Airsoft in the YubaCity / Marysville area.

OP: Ephemeral Spectre 6
 

This OP was held in the Nevada high desert near Dayton. The OP began with setting camp upon arrival Friday, and night
patrol on foot. Saturday began with a demolitions demonstration, followed by
mine clearing, vehicle escort, and a defense mission. Saturday ended with a
fighting refuge back to a helo extraction and aerial recon of the AO. A ceremonies
banquet and awards around the camp Saturday night were followed by Sunday
morning firefights through creek side lowlands, woods and a mining camp.


Corps Operators Involved: Kattiana, Ferge, Komissar, Sproket




Sept.17 Friday 1400 Hours: Diamond Corps Arrives



All preparations for transportation, directions, and equipment were made in the week prior, allowing little to do except have coffee and enjoy the ride and
conversation. We arrived at the AO at around 1400 hours with the helicopter flying
past us bringing in the Recon Team.
 



The operations camp was set up beside a small creek about half a mile up from an old mining facility. At arrival we set camp on higher ground at a ridge overlooking the operations
camp. Plenty of room for all the gear with just the three of us in a seven man
tent. At this OP, Sproket was part of the four-man Recon Team (RT) we would be
hunting. He had been flown in on that helo we had seen while driving in. The Recon
Team had a solid 24 hours of nonstop operations from the time their boots hit
the ground. They had already been on the move while we were setting camp. We
assisted OPCOM in setting camp as more operators arrived. Ferge gave us some
instruction on the night vision equipment as the sun was setting.


Sept.17 Friday near 1900 Hours: Night OP



After a limited briefing, our Hunter Team (HT) was joined by Fritz, and given orders to move West beyond the mining area (Delta) to locate another allied camp
(Whiskey) and make contact. We set our order of march as Fritz, Ferge, Kattiana
then Komissar, and moved into the night. The moon was about half full which
made us feel like we were walking around in broad daylight. The moon having
just risen made long shadows near the wooded areas.

After locating the western camp (Whiskey), Fritz gathered Intel while the rest of us worked the perimeter. White light had been spotted on the mountain to the South on our
way in and again while we patrolled the perimeter of the camp.


Having completed our mission, we set out back to the operations camp in the same order. We patrolled along the base of the Southern mountains, so as to return on a
different path then the one we had left. This also put us in complete darkness because
the mountain blacked out the moon all along its base. Feeling safer we moved at
a quicker pace. This complacency was a slip that could have been exploited by
skilled enemy.

A challenge issued from the front, and told Fritz to put his weapon down. Ferge and I immediately moved right, and into hard cover. Kattiana who was still unseen quietly raised
her M14, took aim at the challenger. Fritz gave an incredibly calm order to
flank, and then began speaking to the challenger who was still telling him to
drop his weapon. Another enemy, beside the first, foolishly turned on his red
lens flashlight and began searching the woods for me. Ferge quietly kept aim
from his cover behind the large rock, and I moved fast (but not quietly)
through the trees to get behind them.  Fritz
and the challenger kept talking and posturing at each other. They had had the
advantage, and now we did. The third member of the enemy team moved from his
cover to get a better position and lined himself up cleanly for me. I had
settled in a ravine within twenty feet of the first two and now had a clean
line of fire. Our HT had gone from a possible ambush to a solid advantage while
Fritz negotiated at point blank with the challenger. Having underestimated us,
the challenger lowered his weapon, and told his team to stand down.


We continued east toward camp, after OPCOM radioed us, telling us to allow the enemy patrol to leave. Upon entering camp, Fritz gave OPCOM his brief, and we retired for the
night expecting a full day to come. We dozed off to real-steel, full-auto at
operations camp. Ferge smiled.




Sept.18 Saturday 0700 Hours: The First Day


We woke well rested, and had steak and potatoes, and mocha for breakfast. Roughing it. OPCOM gave its briefing, and asked our squad to take point for the team as we moved out this morning. We were to lead a foot patrol with HMMWV
(Humvee) out to an area we had passed through on our night patrol. Geared up,
we moved out. Passing the mining structures (Delta) on the path we had come in
on the night before, we retraced our steps to location Tango. This location, up
on the hills above the mining flat and near an old water storage structure was
a hub where several paths converged. We were told to take position in the trees
overlooking the mining flat some 500 feet below.



Operation Perk: Down below us on the flat were three civilian dressed men and a police 4WD vehicle. This was the Nevada bomb squad, and they were here to put on a demonstration of firepower for us. Cameras and video at the ready we
watched them get in the vehicle and clear the area. Over our comm we were given
a 30 second warning. The first string of daisy chain explosions was incredible.
Smoke and dirt from the mining flat shot over 100 feet in the air filling the
entire valley with dust. The sound and dust clearing slowly up the valley, they
proceeded to do it again! Another huge chain of explosions again filled the
valley. The shock wave from the valley was louder than any thunder I have ever experienced.
The dust again dissipated, and it became quiet. The final demonstration was
described to be equal to a 105mm round. This explosion left the other two
behind. The dust and debris, and smoke shot up in a column over 300 feet high!
It was incredible, and neither my words, nor the video can do it justice. Once again,
you had to be there.



Sept.18 Saturday 0900 Hours: We Move Out

Returning to the OP, our squad volunteered for the engineers to perform land mine removal. (I felt motivated since I had just witnessed what incredible power a prepared
explosive could produce). I moved forward to clear the road of mines with Ferge
and Kattiana guarding me to each flank. More of our team took positions high
and low of the road, and again we slowly moved east. I cleared four mines, the
last one taking me a bit longer than the first three, and we moved forward.
Just above the mining structures we came under fire from above and below the
road. We could see enemy moving through the structures below us, but the heavy
woods above us made it difficult to locate the attackers. Below us were the
local “insurgents”, and above us the four man RT, who had moved over the
mountain to engage us from above. We fought the enemy here for over 40minutes.
They would take control of the Humvee, and we would push them back. They would
attack from the trees, and then the mining structures below. Our DC squad
worked well together, but the remainder of our side was uncoordinated, and too
spread out to hold against this highly mobile enemy. They didn’t listen to
command or didn’t have comm altogether. Either way, it took us a good deal more
fight to gain control and push forward than it should have. We finally moved
through and secured a hill at the base of the mountain called the “mud hill”. A
brutal engagement, with loads of shooting which demonstrated that our team
would have organize in the future to survive what was to come.


Fritz and I moved over the mountain to location Charlie where we were to set up a mortar and defend our teams retreat as they passed through Tango and the area with the
water storage structure. We met up with Ferge as we crossed over the ridge. I
wasn’t part of the firefight, but I could hear the troops and Humvee battling
its way up the canyon to get back to where we had set up the mortar. With the
mortar set up and firing away, Ferge and I took up position covering the only road
into the canyon. Our troops and the Humvee soon arrived and reinforced the position.
We set perimeter and waited.


Sept.18

Saturday 1400 Hours: Narrow Escape



Kattiana was the first to see the RT coming over the ridge above the road and Ferge’s position. (The distance she spotted them at was amazing and gave our troops enough time to ready). Command decided
that instead of fight from the box canyon, we would wait until the enemy got
close. At that point, we would use the Humvee and push through the enemy center
and down the road exiting the canyon. Taking heavy casualties, and dishing out
plenty in return, most of our team ran the gauntlet and escaped the enemy
attack. I would have preferred to stand and fight, but orders are orders.


We moved down the road, returning to the water storage area (Tango) and set up defensive positions for the enemy who were sure to follow us after our breakthrough. Just
as the enemy began pressing their attack, I got a message over the comm. I received
orders that our squad was to move north, toward the mud flats below the mining
structures (Delta). The flats had been riddled with foxholes from the morning
demolition demonstration. Otherwise it was wide, open and flat. There we would
meet up with an operative who had a recon mission we were needed for.

Ferge, Kattiana and I fought a skirmish as we exited to the North and down a steep path overlooking the mud flat. Ferge took point, and led us out to the flats.
From there he had us take cover in a creek ravine where we could offer covering
fire. Ferge alone moved out onto the dusty flat riddled with craters. He looked
like a man walking on the moon. After a few cautious minutes, an operator
appeared on the far side of the flat and we all converged to meet. It was OPCOM.
He described that he needed us to perform a recon of the AO and that transportation
for the mission would arrive on station shortly. We moved into the cover of the
creek along side the flats and awaited our meet up with the transport.




Sept.18 Saturday 1515 Hours: Air Assault

We waited only three minutes before hearing the rotors. The helo moved into view from the West keeping low. It was quickly on the ground, and Ferge led the way out onto
the flat. The pilot waved us over and we climbed aboard. (Yes, this is a real helicopter,
not a truck we are calling a helicopter). It was great! He flew us over the
entire AO. He would bank us hard over the operations camp and the mining area, and
then looped around over the mortar camp “Charlie”, and then right down in the
canyon and over the Humvee and troops who were still battling it out near the
water storage structure. This isn’t Airsoft. It’s MIL-SIM!


We came back to land on a road where the four man Recon Team was in formation awaiting their flight back to civilization. We high fived as we passed them. They got on board
as we moved off the road and awaited orders. They helo lifted off, and pulled
away to the West, as a Humvee came down the road to pick us up. We loaded the
RT’s extra equipment that they had hid nearby into the Humvee, and smiled as we
rode back to the operations camp. It’s hard to describe, but I had some feeling
of victory. It was an incredible day.




The troops returned, by Humvee and by foot, back to the operations camp. Allied and OPFOR, together we set about making preparations for the dinner feast. At 1700 hours
the RT arrived and was greeted after their 24 hour non-stop MIL-SIM experience.
 They were awarded their recon tabs, and
were treated to some real steel firing salutes. During dinner several more
awards were issued, and stories of the days battles were discussed.

NOTE: Kattiana was made a Cimmerian. First and only combat lady of Cimmeria! With Air Assault and Mountain tabs!




Sept.19 Sunday 0700 Hours: Rise and Shine



Well rested, and feeling better than the day we arrived, we rose and had a great breakfast and mocha. (Thank you to Ferge and Kattiana who made camp meals better than
eating at a fine restaurant) We broke camp by 0800, and relaxed as operators
from the RT and OPCOM stopped in to talk about yesterdays operations. Clouds
rolled in overhead keeping the temperature nice and cool. We prepped our gear,
and reported to the operations camp.


OPFOR loaded in and on a Humvee for its ride out past the flats (13 operators). We passed the lower camp (Whiskey), where we had gone on night patrol just two nights
ago. The Humvee came to stop in a ravine near the creek that winds its way
through the valley up to operations camp. Here we began our mission. Move east,
find and engage the enemy moving up the valley toward the mining structures.
Our squad took the left or north flank, while the rest of the team took center
and South. We used the sunken creek bed to hide our advance, while the rest of
the team moved through the woods. It was a great fire and maneuver, force on
force. We pushed hard, while Ferge and Fritz kept the team from getting
overextended. Our squad would push along the creek bed flanking, and then hold
position and suppress to lend support to the center. It worked well until some
of the newer operators, finding little opposition on the northern end moved out
in front of our line. (The absence of enemy on the northern end was due to our
three operators killing them, this leaving a ‘vacuum’ which the newer operators
then advanced into) The firefight continued, with the enemy falling back up the
hills and into the woods in front of the mining structures. At this point,
Fritz called for our squad to move to the southern flank (right), and continue
the pursuit into the structures to clear them. We anxiously obliged. A
tremendous battle ensued around and through the mining structures. Using
grenades we managed to clear the facility of all enemies, who had decided that
this would be their last stand. Again, victory!


Sept.19 Sunday 1230 Hours: Synopsis



Having done it again, all I can say is, ‘Wow’. Ferge and Kattiana were fun and awesome to work with. We worked well as a squad, even though only three of us, we took on
far greater numbers in defensive positions, and we did it aggressively. I wish
more operators would have made the arrangements and commitment to attend. I am
sure glad I did, it was a OP to remember. My simple AAR cannot go into enough
detail to give you the full experience that we had over this three day, two
night MIL-SIM operation.  I would like to
give thanks to the Cimmerians for putting on such an extensive, incredible
event! Even more, I want to say thanks to Ferge and Kattiana for making it an
awesome time. Whether shooting, moving, discussing tactics, or just having chow
back at camp, you two made everything even better with a great attitude!
Thanks. Thanks also to Sproket who gave us good sport, and didn’t make it easy!
A good friend and worthy opponent all in one. Congrads to you and the Recon
Team!


To operators reading this; hopefully this will motivate you to make the effort, to get out there a little more when you can.
Too often it’s, ‘just another OP’. And then, sometimes, it’s even better than
you imagine it would be. Until the next time . . . MOLAN LABE! Komissar out.

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I missed a good one I am really really bummed
Thank you to all the people who made this happen! I wish we could have stayed longer to help with tear down. Finally the only thing I lost this trip was 4 lbs :) and only 4 more to go! Wonderful AAR Komissar, thank you for the wonderful anniversary weekend! Having major gun malfunctions my favorite Airsoft moments only happened when I managed to sneaked up under 100' as most the bb's were in the dirt at my feet. Even so I had a great time. The experience of it all was incredible! Wild wind!

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