03-29-2018, 11:23 PM
![[Image: iwrXhMW.png]](http://i.imgur.com/iwrXhMW.png)
Situation:
Tau-31 is under Royal occupation since the opening statges of the invasion, main enemy force concentrations at planet Harris - with the battleship Dax in orbit and unknown troop numbers and disposition on the surface. No prewar corporate personnel is known to remain. Additionally, there is the IMG outpost holman, which remains in the guild's collaborators' hands much in the same way as Java. The station's gn crews are either under duress or manned by Royal personnal - and will fire upon our vessels. Conversely - the ice miners just off Harris demonstrably remain in the hands of free guildsmen. It is an asset that should be handled very carefully.
Gaians remain active in the system. Intelligence suggests, that the only way Gaians could hope to sustain operations in the documented intensity for so long is through the existence of a drilled-ice installation, likely close to the Leeds-Holman lanes. Unknown whether the enemy has discovered the installation. Gaians have attacked our civilian infrastructure before and will most likely continue to harass whoever controls Harris.
The Maquis/Council established Charost outpost in a conveniently large ice concentration. Specific information on combat assets politely withheld, estimated as one squadron of council-issue fighters. The enemy has no knowledge of this installation. It is feasible to expect Council support if requested.
Our own fleet is concentrated in T-44 and Coronado mainly with the Helios on garrison duty in T29. The exact details of which I am quite certain each legitimate reader knows well enough.
Minefields from the previous war remain in place on the approach axis from the Leeds gate. Unfortunately, neither their present yield nor field density make them a useful asset.
Objective:
Capture planet Harris and thereby decisively disrupt Royal logistics system-wide. To summarize, the operation appears likely to succeed up to the point where our marine assault ships enter atmosphere. There is insufficient intelligence data to
Execution:
Variant A: Utilizing the recent innovations in faster than light travel - designated fleet assets from both the Coronado and Tau-44 task forces will converge at a pre-determined location and prepare for the next jump - into Tau-31. For that purpose precise coordinates will need to be obtained. The ideal location from a tactical surprise and therefore casualty rate standpoint is the Harris darkside, opposite the Dax's stationary orbit. Once the entire task force, along with landing ships exist FTL at these coordinates, escorts and warships will immediately secure the immediate area and following that - proceed to engage the Dax and whatever enemy assets present in Harris' immediate vicinity. Speed is of the essence, as the enemy maintains a large force at Leeds - just 5 minutes away from the operation's focal point. Thus - the marines will have to advance without aid from orbiting Fleet assets until the Dax has been disabled. Following the successful establishment of beachheads, the marines will be tasked to seize the nearest locations of importance at the commanders' discretion - such as communications arrays, fortifications (if any), industrial installations and infrastructure. No allied or neutral personnel are known to reside planetside, therefore all those encountered are to be considered enemy - combatants and otherwise. Prisoner treatment is to be afforded according to the units' commanders discretion and standing droit the guerre. Once the aforementioned locations have been secured - the marines must immediately commence work on fortification and aerospace infrastructure and await reinforcement and resupply.
Variant B: Using the aforementioned forces, albeit without jump drive technology, the detachments will meet in Tau-29 west by the Tau-31 jumphole and cross it at the appointed hour. After the jump, the entire unit will make best cruise speed directly for Harris Warships will move in first, engage and distract the Dax from the marine transport vessels following. The marines will land proceed with combat operations as outlined above.
Logistics:
Regardless of astronomic distance, each jump requires a credit-value of 5 million in special fuel. Sufficient means have been set aside for that purpose. Marine landing craft designated as Celestra-class transports in sufficient numbers to accommodate the entire CMC along with a month's worth of supplies, munitions as well as materials and tools for basic fortification work. Alternately, there allegedly exists a class of troop carriers manufactured by the Council that is basicallly obsolete navy-issue destroyers converted to a new purpose. These would be preferrable. Fleet units will all commence the operation with standard stores.
Command and communications:
Overall operational command will be handled by the commander in chief. Once planetside, the marine battalion commanders will each excersise discretion to coordinate and seize targets of importance nearest to their respective landing zones. Communications to be excersised through vox and script as necessity dictates.
Additional considerations:
There is a number of risk factors involved. at the present time, we posess no information regarding Royal assets on the Harris surface. Our marine units will be operating blindly and without orbital fire support for the first, crucial moments on the surface. Relying mainly on (hopefully) overwhelming advantage in numbers and a dispersed attack pattern. What is however established is that the local garrison is well-drilled and prepared to rapidly respond to harassment against the trade lanes. Additionally, the battle on the surface of Leeds is still ongoing and it's reasonable to assume it occupies the best and most Royal ground forces in the region. These can bring us tremendeous advantage seeing as an assault and invasion necessitates very different means from what the Royals deploy against Gaian raiders for instance. Nevertheless - much of the Royal fighters could be drawn away from Harris' vicinity should a diversion be staged against the trade lanes between Holman and the Leeds gate.
~ Fleet Section Chief S-4 Gaetan Moliere