TFA2 5.1 - Oplan Black in The Night

Colonel Glass was the second highest ranking officers in Ground Combat Group, and also the strongest defensive specialist after Vex. Therefore, it was decided that he was more than enough to lead the attempt in stopping Battle Group A.

And so, Nate could focus his mind on thwarting the advance of Battle Group B. Together with General Khartoum and Viscount Issel, he observed how in the most efficient way possible, the artillery element hit the ships and personnel in the landing corridor.

'So far everything is in our favor,' Nate muttered as he strengthened his resolve.

In normal circumstances, he would only disrupt the chain of command by targeting the bridge on each ship. Unfortunately, TF Amethyst was not in a normal situation. In the face of low ammunition while opposing combatants numbered more than a million, Nate had to make sure every shot bleed the opposing force as fatally as possible.

Then, as Nate took a deep breath, a Major from IDG approached him. "Sir, Winter Flight just wiped out a flight of more than a hundred riders in one strike."

Question instantly mark appeared on Nate's forehead. "How did they do that?"

"The report said they dropped four GBU-16 on the flight."

Nate lightly nodded, but when he tried to imagine the airstrike, no picture came into his mind. "Major, show me the footage from Hornet's recon pod."

"Sir, we need to wait until Winter Flight returns to base before we can download the footage offline."

"Can the Winter Flight send it online, like Reaper or Poseidon?"

"They can't do that. Let alone to us here, without satcom, Super Hornet can't even send recon footage to the ground element right below their position."

Another thick question mark appeared on Nate's forehead. "If I remember correctly, the Old Harrier can send recon footage without satcom. So, how the fuck the young Super Hornet can't do the same?"

"Well, Harrier is a dedicated ground support, while Super Hornet is a jack of all trades. It's good enough in everything, but not great at anything."

"I see." Nate nodded and muttered, 'No wonder, even to this day Vex is still trying so hard to get a fleet of Harriers.'

In the end, Nate only asked so that the airstrike footage was immediately sent to him once it was available. Then, he changed the topic.

"What about the final preparation for Oplan Black in the Night?"

"It is ready to go. Once the conditions is met, we can launch it."

"Good, and thank you for your hard work, Major."

"Sir."

Without delay the Major returned to his station. A moment later, Nate, General Khartoum, and Viscount Issel enjoyed a simple lunch in the command center. In the middle of it, the attack on FOC Venom finally stopped. As for artillery strike to Battle Group B's element, it was continued until no target under the artillery’s reach.

Then, Battle Group B launched a beach landing through the only remaining corridor, under the protection of human shield. Therefore, the airstrike from Reaper couldn't be launched. However, Nate, General Khartoum, and Viscount Issel observed the massive number of landing troops that came together with slaves, equipment, and logistics without showing any worry.

In fact, they looked like a butcher who watching a plump slaughter cow entered the slaughter house voluntarily.

---

At dusk, it was concluded that Battle Group B would not launch an attack until tomorrow, or at least until they finished piling up sufficient strength and logistics. Nate then went back to his quarter, leaving behind General Khartoum and Viscount Issel who chose to stay in command center.

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In his quarter, Nate immediately slept and woke up at 7:30 pm. After taking a shower and dinner, he then returned to command center. There, he found General Khartoum and Viscount Issel were enjoying melon seed while observing activities at the wooden dock.

Nate immediately joined with the two. "What did I miss?"

General Khartoum immediately replied, "So far, 18,000 combatants, 5,000 slave workers, 9,000 slave women and children,1,200 horses, 800 mules, and other animals."

And Viscount Issel added, "They have also unloaded several thousand tons of provisions, weapons, construction materials, and equipment."

"That’s really fast," Nate said in surprise, but then he calmly continued. "Fortunately, their strength has not reached the point where we need to revise Oplan Black in The Night."

"Hopefully, we can launch it tonight." A thick hope was clearly visible in General Khartoum's gaze.

At the same time confidence filled Viscount Issel's face. "Believe in me, tonight we will meet the conditions we need."

""We do,"" Nate and General Khartoum firmly replied, almost at the same time.

Then, the three went back to observe the unloading at the wooden dock. They patiently watched and waited while enjoying melon seeds. Then, at 9:10 pm the unloading had to be stopped because the tide began to arise and sink the wooden dock.

Not long after that, every transport ship and supply ship returned to the open sea. Only frigates and corvettes which formed the landing corridor remained in their place.

"Finally," Nate muttered softly as he recalled intel from Viscount Issel.

According to Viscount Issel, in this season the tide would rise after nine at night and last until three in the morning. At the same time the wind would blow towards the sea until the sunrise, and at midnight fog would fall along the coastline. In short, it was an ideal condition to launch a silent raid.

During the last six days, IDG had made observations on Sandhur Coastline, and the results were exactly the same as intel from Viscount Issel. Even so, Nate still asked for the final confirmation.

"Ser Viscount, any last minute correction?"

"No."

"Then, Black in The Night is a go."

Nate said calmly, and General Khartoum nodded in agreement together with Viscount Issel.

A few minutes later, a P-8 Poseidon take-off from Davy Jones, while six AH-1Z Viper take-off from Castle Lagra, and more than 300 units of various ground vehicles left Lagra City toward south.

---

Under the night sky, P-8 Poseidon with callsign Rolling Panda took off from Davy Jones. Then, it flew to west in full speed before leisurely circling right above Battle Group B's formation.

Of the entire P-8 Poseidon operated by Air Combat Group, Rolling Panda was the only aircraft equipped with an anti-crystal communication pod. And in the Oplan Black in the Night it had the task of silencing the crystal communication network used by Battle Group B.

'Finally, we have the opportunity to test it in real combat,' Major Elliat, the operation control officer at Rolling Panda, muttered inwardly in full anticipation.

In the last five months, Major Elliat led Rolling Panda's crew to test the anti-crystal communication pod developed by IDG. By any means, it was not an easy job. Given that in front of science from earth, crystal communication was a foreign and uncharted land. And IDG only had one set of huge crystal communication, a piece of loot from Terry Hill.

Hundreds of combat simulations had been carried out, massive operational data was obtained, followed by constant improvement, but the damnable bugs were still popping up here and there. And so far, the obtained capability was only disruption against crystal communication network from a distance of 400 km.

More precisely, it was only a half of the effective range of conventional electronic warfare on P-8 Poseidon, and it did not include intercepting, infiltrating, isolating, or tapping.

'Well, we will just use what we have as effectively as possible.'

Wasting no time Major Elliat got up and approached the latest control panel in Rolling Panda’s cabin, where a crystal communication specialist preparing a gift package for Battle Group B.

And once he arrived behind the specialist, Major Elliat said, "Lieutenant, give me sitrep."

"The music is ready, Sir."

"Good." Major Elliat slightly smiled, then continued, "Play it."

"Roger."

The specialist from IDG calmly replied, while Major Elliat turned his gaze to main screen which was displaying thousands of ships under Battle Group B's command. A moment later, the ships shifted into visual communication by using lanterns.

'Thank God, its work,' Major Elliat muttered in relief. "Good job Lieutenant, and please maintain it as long as possible."

"Aye Sir."

*****