THE SYMPHONY OF GUNS
WAR 118, DAY 115, Saltbrook Channel, ENDLESS SHORE --- As I stepped off my bicycle, I heard [DOD]'s soldiers laughing and cheering. I walked up to their commanding officer, [DOD] DatGijs, and asked if I could interview his men. He was more than willing to help out the press. We sat around a bonfire and the soldiers started telling me about the operation.
For the past few days, [DOD] had been planning an artillery operation in Endless Shore. Their main base and facility were located in Morgen's Crossing, and was very far from the frontline. It was a logistical nightmare, but it was one they had planned to tackle. They loaded three "Huber Lariat 120mm" guns and more than 1000 shells into three freighters. They sent two flatbeds ahead of the ships to help with unloading the equipment. The ships then sailed through the night to the port of Vulpine Watch.
On arriving at the port, the troops unloaded the guns from the ships and loaded them onto flat beds. They loaded six pallets of ammunition on additional trucks and left the rest for the local garrison. In the words of [DOD] Second Lieutenant Niboo: "Providing for the public is needed at times." The flatbeds were then driven all the way to Saltbrook Channel. On the way to the front, the convoy was occasionally harassed by Colonial partisans but no significant damage was done.
Upon reaching the frontline, they set up their guns just beside the road. They expended four pallets before friendly forces managed to breach into the city. They had to reposition to within the confines of the town, and reinforcements started bringing more guns. From two pieces, the artillery battery grew to an imposing four. As stated by [DOD] Niboo : "I love the collective incentive to bring more guns. When they saw we had about 15 more pallets to shoot, everybody started working together and listening to our spotter calls."
One of flatbed used during the operation
To keep the momentum, the artillery guns weren't even dug in. Zest and zeal carried the way as infantry complemented the artillery's bombardment with a devastating assault. Several Colonial guns were present, but for some reason they only seemed to fire poke shots. The artillery was able to also suppress any light armoured vehicles the Colonials were able to muster.
The Colonials were almost entirely surrounded. They were relentlessly pounded by artillery for hours. There were also several friendly fire incidents due to the close quarter urban fighting and squad leaders calling in strikes directly on their positions, but such casualties were minimal. When the smoke cleared away, the Colonials had lost a bunker base and three safe houses. [DOD] left their artillery pieces and ammunition pallets in the field, in case someone else had to use it. They loaded up in their truck and returned to their home base.
And as I finished noting down their stories I could finally see; the faces of the men covered in tar and ash, which were washed away by the snow of Caoiva.
Writer: [PRESS] Renold Dasilov
Sources: [DOD] Niboo, [DOD] Sunshinenl_Alma, [DOD] Soapetr394, [DOD] Countvondabar
Editor: [PRESS] Jean Baricave, [PRESS] Teadora 'Teddi' Rococo
Date of Publication: 04/12/2024