Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

I Corps’ and the advance into Likatonia continue to make progress, even as intermittent reports point to the presence of supposedly battle-hardened Kundrati troops in the AO (Area of Operation). Amidst their advance into Likatonia wherein the speedy armoured advance spearheaded by the Lodamese Marine Corps’ 1 MECF which sought to sow confusion among Likatonian frontline units and the capture of the town of (Insert), the DoD has noted that the advance into central and soon western Norwalk begins taking shape. At the afternoon briefing held by the DoD, BGEN Micheal Smith, a spokesperson for the Lodamese Marine Corps noted that although the 1 MECF and its counterparts in 1 Corps (AotH) had been largely successful in capturing North Bend, a detachment of some 4,000 troops are expected to remain behind the western advance where they will remain to “completely pacify North Bend. 

“Our forces have been largely successful in their initial advance into Likatonia. We have captured and pacified numerous minor border towns/villages, however the pacification of North Bend, the first major population centre we had encountered in our advance remains largely incomplete,” BGen (Smith explained. He noted that given the nature of the urban environment, a simple concentration of armoured forces followed by a “thunder rush” into the centre of the city itself would be largely disastrous as armoured vehicles, particularly the main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles which make up the vast majority of the punching power of the western advance, are largely ineffective in such an environment. “I think it is reasonable for us to note that although our armoured offensive continues, an advance into the town itself would have placed our assets (i.e. main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles etc) at a unique disadvantage compared to entrenched infantry units. It goes without saying that in the tight corners and alleys of the urban environment, armoured vehicles struggle,” BGen Smith added.

With some 4,000 troops set to remain in North Bend, even as the offensive continued westward, BGen Smith noted that the pacification of the city was likely to be brutal. The town, which has been garrisoned by some battle-hardened Kundrati units, but which is largely comprised of Likatonian formations, would likely see a major concentration of artillery fire and airstrikes. Dismounted marine units are reportedly sweeping the city’s outskirts with the intention of gradually moving closer to the city’s centre, where they predict heavier fighting might occur. Earlier this morning, the city had been pounded by Lodamese airstrikes. “We’ve been bringing up artillery units including howitzers and MLRS (tactical ballistic missiles) closer to the town. With the main battle tanks having simply avoided the town altogether, we’re currently sweeping through the outskirts where we’d gradually make our advance into the city centre. All the while, we are hammering suspected garrison positions. Although these artillery strikes have been indiscriminate and far from being based on actual intelligence, as we get closer to the city centre, these strikes will become deadlier as we begin to laze position and provide better intelligence to the airforce and the artillery units,” Captain Aidan Gardner, a company commander for one of the marine units currently fighting in the North Bend outskirts reported.

 Attack helicopters have been rotated to assist in North Bend’s pacification, however, some crews have noted that the urban environment makes it extremely difficult to discern between civilians and combatants, especially given the helicopter’s relative distance from the targets themselves. This, alongside the fact that there have been reports of MANPADS hiding in key parts of the city ultimately restricts the attack helicopter’s roll to a “call if needed” basis instead of their conventional loitering over the area itself. “It’s like playing “peek a boo” with manpads and anti-air vehicles. We’ve had to alter our complement to support operations in North Bend. Whereas previously we’d be carrying ATGMs only, we’re also carrying a complement of unguided rockets. The reason is sometimes the unguided rockets provide a better area of effect compared to the ATGMs, especially if perhaps the enemy is playing “peek a boo” from an above-ground parking lot.”

With North Bend encircled and the noose around its neck soon to be tightened by the Lodamese Marine Corps, the western advance has supposedly run into its first major issue: a river crossing. Of the many concerns related to Likatonia geography, the existence of numerous rivers and other inland waterways flowing from the nation’s interior out to the Mad Dog Ocean had been identified as a major cause for concern among Lodamese commanders as they noted the inherent vulnerabilities associated with bridge/river crossing. Intelligence reports note that some Likatonian units have contemplated an early slowdown of the offensive via the destruction of the various bridges which run across Norwalk. With this in mind, frontline Lodamese formations have sought to hasten their advance towards the key bridges, turning the western advance into a partial race to capture bridges before they are destroyed by retreating Likatonian forces. “With our offensive literally hugging the coastline and some distances to the south, it is imperative that we capture key bridges that would allow us to move further west. Although we have the capability to construct make-shift bridges, our use of the civilian infrastructure already present would ultimately allow for us to speed up our timeline,” BGen Smith explained. 

An M1A1 Connelly attached to the 22nd Armoured Battalion, 1st Armoured Division

Marine Corps AAVPs have been at the forefront of our efforts to capture these key bridges and dislodge the Likatonian/Kundrati forces defending them. While the main battle tanks hold out, AAVPs (with some marines in tow) have been diving into the rivers to engage combatant forces on the other side of these rivers. Once the opposing end of the bridge had been captured, then would the main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles be called to continue their advance. However, the advancing force did not have smooth sailing. Some bridges had been destroyed via pre-planned explosions whilst others had been destroyed via artillery strikes. In one reported instance, an M1A1 Connelly and its M2A3 Brock IFV reconnaissance had been knocked out after an unexpected MLRS attack on the bridge that they were crossing.

There have been mixed responses to Lodamun’s invasion of Likatonia. Frontline units have reported that what civilians do remain have, in some instances expressed both their disgust and relief amidst the presence of Lodamese and Kalistani troops. BGen Smith noted that Lodamese forces had been hailed as supposed liberators at some of the border hamlets adjacent to the Lodamese-Likatonian border, however, as the force moved more west and towards the more urban population centres of eastern Norwalk, Likatonian citizens made their hatred of the Lodamese invasion force known. “Our forces were welcomed in some of the border hamlets, however as our advance continues into Norwalk’s interior, the positive reception of our presence diminishes,” Smith explained. 

Secretary of Defence Andrew Jordan noted that although the reception of the Lodamese invasion of Likatonia had not been welcomed positively by the broader Likatonian population, it did not alter the objectives of the conflict. He noted that Lodamese troops have been issued strike orders to avoid action against Likatonian civilians and to provide help wherever possible. BGen Smith noted, in answering a question related to the possibility of a low-intensity insurgency developing under the nose of the invasion force, that the mode of Likatonian forces, for now, favoured a conventional conflict, pointing to prior notions that the Commonwealth Guard may have to become involved should the broad insurgency being predicted by some were to materialise.