Operation Grand Master - 12 - Battleground Rio

Within a few days of the start of Operation Grand Master it was apparent that it would be nearly impossible to conduct large scale infantry operations in the South American continent without a thorough analysis of the vast spectrum of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical agents spread all around the region. At all the landing points of the Airborne troops several soldiers had fallen sick with infections and hundreds of them are now quarantined in a secure hospital at St Helena. It was decided that any combat activity would have to be done mostly by mechanized units for the time being, an option that was proving to be more and more difficult in the apocalyptic and rubble strewn cities of the continent which turned out to be more or less centers of hostile activity.


A week after the invasion it was found out that all the cities of South America fell into either of two categories – absolute depopulation due to massive WMD attacks or centers of extreme militant activity, survivors of decades of the most intense civil war human history has ever seen. Literally hundreds of S-RECOs are now flying across the skies of South America with special packages to detect trace amounts of NBC agents in the atmosphere. The abandoned Dois de Julho International Airport was reclaimed by the Quarter Master Command after a thorough Cleanup by one of several NBC Cleanup teams that are flying in now from the Kingdom. A massive warehouse inside the airport compound has been sanitized by Quarter Master Command to be a quarantine center where the hundreds of S-RECOs and its sensor pods would be analyzed. A massive contingent from Center for Biological Warfare Defense and Center for Chemical Warfare Defense have also arrived to take station at this quarantined base to study the spectrum of diseases and agents that is wreaking havoc on the land. CBWD and CCWD have over the years done a wide variety of highly sensitive research and all the experience in Falklands assisting HAE in routing out the contagious diseases there would prove its value now. Already mass inoculations of special vaccines and antigens are being carried out at all Task Force Headquarters for incoming troops with thousands of tonnes of inoculates being mass produced back in Cochin. Even so it there are possibilities that hitherto unknown NBC agents are also in work in the area. A conflict zone of this zone has after all never ever before seen in the world. However no recuse is still possible for the several cities and areas that have become nuclear wastelands though certain attempts are being made by Strategic Command to conduct cleanup operations there too.


However it is not just diseases, radiation and chemical weapons that are inflicting a death toll on the Cochin forces, the city of Rio de Janeiro, the landing site of Task Force Khampa is turning out to be a battlefield of the most heinous sort. Though only 10% of its pre-civil war population, the city is full of vast bands of heavily armed militia and replete with internecine inter favela warfare. Rio is in fact a city over run by the favelas surrounding it. S-RECO reconnaissance showed images of the once booming Centro and South Zone districts laid out to absolute ruin. The threat from the favelas were found to be so severe that the Task Force Khampa was forced to shift its landing site from the coast of Gavea to Santa Cruz after a week of heavy attacks and excessive casualties. It was decided that a better tactical strategy would be to encircle the city before pacifying it. This decision came after the loss of almost 1400 soldiers in the week of fighting to secure the beaches. During this week the other brigades of the 8th Marine Division and 9th Marine Division landed at Santa Cruz and secure a defensive perimeter. The fighting retreat of the lead battalions of the 8th Marine Division was secured through ample fire support from the Arsenal Ship CNS Genghis, Cruiser CNS Talwar and the Metac Aerial Artillery Platforms of the RM05 squadron. With the securing of second landing site Santa Cruz, the heavy divisions of Task Force Khampa are being landed especially the Fifth Mechanized Division and the 6th Armored Cavalry Regiment, whose firepower would be vital in the battle to conquer Rio de Janeiro.


However as in other parts of the continent this war is first being waged by the S-RECOs flying over the city in droves to detect NBC agents. Only after inoculating the soldiers for the agents awaiting them in this once beautiful city would the Battle for Rio begin. 

Operation Grand Master - 11 - Battle In The Mountains

The fire team 25BD had laid out fully three layers of defensive perimeters, each with successively shorter circumference. They had got information that a 1st Airborne Division GH44 was coming their way carrying a squad strength of combat infantry to relieve them. It is apparently only an hour or two out, flying at maximum speed towards them. Till then they had to hold the ground. Between the four commandos they have 2 CS56AR Assault Rifles, one CS76AR Assault Rifle, one CS76AW Squad Automatic Weapon, four CS90SM Sub Machine Guns and one CS40GL Grenade Launcher. Each commando carried 500 rounds each of 5.56 x 45mm and 7.62 x 51mm rounds and ten 40 x 46mm grenades and 15 each of fragmentation and smoke grenades. Their stocks of MNP Anti personnel mines were already laid out in the defenses. As they distributed their ammunition stocks in preparation for the assault, the militias could be seen approaching from around 4 kilometers out, they mentally prepared for the impending fire fight.

Hunkering down at the outermost perimeter where they had all dug their own foxholes, the fire team started shooting bursts at single shots at the extreme range of their CS56AR Assault Rifles. The rifles with their silencers were being silently effective driving the horde in a very planned fashion towards the mine traps. After a sufficient number of militia had crossed the first minefield, the mines were remotely triggered and in a massive crump several of the militia fell down. This however only enraged the militia further and they started running towards the team shouting and screaming, with several of them firing guns at them, albeit with a relatively poor aim. The team started firing in volumes at the approaching hordes but soon realized that their outer perimeter is untenable. Triggering smoke grenades they grabbed the remaining munitions from that defense line and raced to the middle line hoping that the distraction of smokes and triggered grenades that would explode in a few seconds would buy them enough confusion in the enemy ranks for them to settle securely in their second firebase which was in a skewed axis from that of the approach towards the outer defensive line. 

However as the smoke cleared the commandos were in for a shock themselves. Contrary to all aspects of common sense and intelligence the militia had run blindly through the smokescreen and exploding grenades to be only a few yards in front of them. In a controlled panic the fire team started firing at the approaching militia many of them apparently injured already from the numerous blood stains all over their body. Several of them even seemed to be injured in the face but still keeping on fighting, their faces also bloodied. As the firefights soon turned into close quarter combat the commandos all switched to their sub machine guns and laid out a massive volume of fire on the rampaging horde of militia. Crouching shoulder to shoulder in a tight arc, they had realized earlier on that the militia were not very proficient in small arms and did not seem to have any explosive munitions, they as one increased the tempo of firing and laid out a volley of grenades from the under slung grenade launchers of their rifles. In the devastative lull caused by this intense volley they made their run towards the last defensive line. Immediately after reaching this line they triggered the rest of their mine traps, hoping against hope that the devastation caused by this round of attrition would make the militia retreat. As they watched to their horror that the militia though depleted severely in numbers were still approaching with a mad fury, the Team Lead, a Major in RCSF called to the GH44 which should have been at their position almost 15 minutes back. However there was only static in the comms codes corresponding to the GH44 sent to them. As he switched around to the base frequency of Task Force Rajput he finally made contact and he shouted, " This is SpecFor Two Five Bravo Delta! Where is that bloody relief you promised us."

To this after a tense two seconds came the reply, "Bad news, the GH44 crashed on the way at El Tuparro National Park, causes unknown. You are on your own. You are advised to escape and evade from the location as soon as possible. Sorry."

The Major had only one response to that, an expletive of four syllables. 

"Team, we are on our own, we have to fight our way out. No alternative. Rescue team has crashed and no one is coming now," the Major screamed to the rest of his fireteam.

"Well isn't that just wonderful? They have got more numbers than we have bullets left and they seem too hyper aggressive to even care about attrition," The Squad Sergeant said derisively while wiping dirt, sweat and grime off her forehead.

"So basically we are screwed?" The Lieutenant asked while shooting another 3 round burst at two approaching militia from his CS76AR.

"Oh yes Sir, we are definitely dead here. Well at least let us take more of them down before they take us down. After all by numbers we are certainly way ahead of them. I have a count of 58. How many have you tagged, Lieut?" the Lance Corporal asked.

"I think I have tagged around 49, but the champ is the Sarge, with her Machine gun. Sarge, how many have you tagged?" The Lieutenant asked.

"Shut up and kill more of them instead of counting. And knowing you Corporal, I am amazed that you even know to count up to 58," the Sergeant scolded the two team mates before laying another swathe of fire at the approaching militia whose gunfire were now becoming actually dangerous enough to matter, because of proximity. "Also, I believe 145, " the Sergeant replied with a rare smile.

"Well, well, well. We have had the miracle of our lifetimes. The Sergeant has cracked a wit. Now let us get on with it, friends," the Major said bayoneting a militia who had jumped rather close to him and shooting through him to take out two other militia. The four commandos of the Royal Cochin Special Forces carried on firing at the militia, not unmindful of the fact that death is but a few minutes away but determined to embrace it blazing and with panache as is traditional for the "Invisibles" of the 25th Special Forces Regiment. 

Operation Grand Master - 10 - Order of Battle

COCHIN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE SOUTH AMERICA - ORDER OF BATTLE

CEFSA based from Royal Cochin Naval Base St Helena is primarily divided into three Task Forces

Task Force Rajput

Task Force Headquarters: Georgetown

Objectives:
To secure northern Brazil, Guyane, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela and Colombia. 3MAR to proceed to Bogota and Maracaibo via Caracas along the coast but not to cross the Andes Mountains. 4MAR to secure Guyane and proceed to Manaus via Macapa along the banks of Amazon River. 1AD to proceed to Boa Vista and then to Manaus and Bogota. 8MD, 7ACR and 7IR to be reserve units. TF Rajput not to conduct any operations in Caribbean region.

Royal Cochin Army
3rd Marine Division
4th Marine Division
1st Airborne Division
8th Mechanized Division
7th Armored Cavalry Regiment
7th Infantry Regiment

Royal Cochin Navy
A01 CNS Sakthan
DS01 CNS Amindvi
DS02 CNS Trinity
FR01 CNS NIlambur
FR04 CNS Patton
CR01 CNS Kavaratti
CR03 CNS Horemheb
BS01 CNS Kannur
BS02 CNS Cariappa
CV02 CNS Cutlass
CV03 CNS Kirpan
H02 CNS Rokossovsky
H03 CNS Kirov
MOB3

Royal Cochin Air Force
RF01
RF02
RF03
RF05
RF06
RF07
RS03

Task Force Jhansi

Task Force Headquarters: Salvador

Objectives:
To secure Central Brazil. 5MAR to proceed along the coast and via Maranhao to secure Belem. 7MAR to proceed via coast and via Barreias to secure Brasilia. 4MD to proceed to Palmas and from there to secure Mato Grosso and Para regions. 8IR, 9IR, 1ACR, 2ACR, 4ACR to be reserve units.

Royal Cochin Army
MAR
7MAR
4 MD
2AD
8IR
9IR
1ACR
2ACR
4ACR

Royal Cochin Navy
A02 CNS Cochin
DS03 CNS Hannibal
DS04 CNS Nelson
FR05 CNS Billiere
CR04 CNS Excalibur
BS03 CNS Rommel
BS04 CNS Asoka
CV04 CNS Katara
CV05 CNS Khadga
H04 CNS Vatutin
H05 CNS Emden
MOB2

Royal Cochin Air Force
RF09
RF11
RF12
RS02
RM03
RA01


Task Force Khampa

Task Force Headquarters: Rio de Janeiro

Objectives:
To secure Southern Brazil. 9MAR to secure Vitoria and Cuiaba. 8MAR to proceed towards Asuncion via Porto Alegre. 5MD to secure Rio Verde and from there assist in securing of Asuncion and Cuiaba. 6AD, 11IR, 12IR, 5ACR, 6 ACR to be reserve formations.

Royal Cochin Army
8MAR
9MAR
5MD
6AD
11IR
12IR
5ACR
6ACR

Royal Cochin Navy
A06 CNS Venad
DS06 CNS Hunter
FR06 CNS Sekhon
CR06 CNS Talwar
BS05 CNS Genghis
CV06 CNS Urumi
H06 CNS Rapier
H07 CNS Swift

Royal Cochin Air Force
RF14
RF16
RF17
RM05
RS03

At all the Task Force landing points massive logistical facilities are being built and the operational reserve units are rushing in to secure the territories. Considering the massive NBC wastelands that is most of South America special precautions are being taken.

A Maritime Exclusion Zone is also being declared by Royal Cochin Navy where no foreign vehicles, aerial or maritime are being permitted. The MEZ is a temporary measure to secure the continent and to ensure that no criminal entities venture into the continent. 

Operation Grand Master - 9 - Scout Reports

Of the eleven commando teams that had infiltrated into South America before the full fledged invasion, three teams had completed their tasks. The recon teams which had lied in wait and had been transmitting on the ground tactical intelligence to the Task Force commanders at Suddie near Georgetown, Camacari near Salvador and at the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro are being extracted now.

The team at Suddie had laid in wait at the extremely think coastal woodlands for the weeks upto the invasion in their camouflaged poncho tents. Venturing out only at night in teams of two the commandos had ensured that no combatant activity was being taking place in the region. Though they were protected by their NBC protective gear the stench of the dead all around them had still been overwhelming. It was indeed a ghastly chore for them during their mealtimes when they took their sustenance trying to blank out the stench of the dead. However they held on with their tasks until they heard the sounds of the invading forces of Task Force Rajput landing at the beaches of Georgetown. A day later as a GAL Blackhawk came to collect these commandos it had been a very relieved fireteam which jumped into the helicopters to civilization and life.

At Camacari the arriving commandos had learned within a day that landings here would be a trivial matter. However they waited for fully three days to ensure no human activity was going on in the land before they ventured out of their camouflaged shelters. Walking south to the ghost town of Camacari the seasoned commandos of Royal Cochin Special Forces were appalled at the brutality meted out to the civilian settlements. The senior most of the fireteam, a Chief Boatswain's Mate commented that this would be an expedition that would give an added measure of combat tested strength to the Royal Cochin Defense Forces. They commandeered a more or less uninfected truck which was surprisingly in working condition and drove around the ghost town of Camacari. A few days later as the Task Force Jhansi made landfall at the beaches to the South East the fireteam waited for a few hours for the adrenaline of the landing forces to die down and then walked towards them waving a white flag. Then to the shocked Marines the commandos described the purgatory they are entering to for a few hours before a Blackhawk landed at the beachhead to collect them back for debriefing.

The Blackhawk that was sent by the 8th Marine Division to relieve the recon team at the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Corvocado mountains outside of Rio de Janeiro were in for a bitter surprise. Hovering in from the east of the massive statue the crew of the helicopter were aghast at seeing what looked like the remnants a battle. Several bodies were strewn along the grounds in front of the mammoth statue and several blackened pockmarks evident of a fiery firefight. Fearing the worst the Blackhawk swiftly disgorged its squad of 8 Marines who ran around looking for the RCSF commandos. Two dead bodies of RCSF commandos were found amidst grenade rubble at the base of the steps to the Christ the Redeemer and one other body was found at the top of the pedestal, the commando's fingers clenched tightly into the trigger of his sniper rifle and a bullet having destroyed his communications pack. The fourth commando was nowhere to be found. Two Scorpion gunships had arrived by that time to the station to provide offensive over cover to the exfiltration as the Marines radio'd back the information about the missing commando and the three dead commandos.

It was as they were about to leave for the beachhead that one of the Marines saw a clump of bodies on the western side of the statue, behind its right foot. Walking over there to examine it the soldier saw around four or five bodies lying in a huddle. The bodies all seemed to be wearing dresses similar to that of the attackers below but one of the bodies was that of the fourth commando. The Marine tentatively checked his pulse to feel it beating, albeit faintly. He immediately shouted for his team mates and in a few minutes the barely alive commando was hauled aboard the Blackhawk which took off immediately towards the Aircraft Carrier CNS Venad stationed 50 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. It looked like the fireteam of 4 commandos had taken out a group of almost 64 rebel militia for the loss of three of their own. The squad of 8 soldiers were ordered to secure the area and realizing that the pacification of Rio de Janeiro wont be the bloodless invasion it had been so far at other landing sites across South America, additional reinforcements were ordered to be sent to the Christ the Redeemer area. Within a day, the area would have a Company sized force which would secure the entirety of Corovado Mountain . Some isolated encounters had already started at the beahhead at Vidigal favela where despite initial lifelessness, bands of guerrillas were starting hit and run attacks against the Cochin forces. So far the attackers had all been destroyed thoroughly but it was clear to the commanders of Task Force Khampa that the complete pacification of Rio de Janeiro would require significant forces.

Meanwhile at Viamao, Brasilia, Macapa, Rio Preto da Eva, Cayenne and Caracas the Royal Cochin Special Forces commandos were reporting status varying from complete depopulation to intense combatant activities. The teams themselves had secures positions of relative safety as they continued relaying tactical information that would be of invaluable benefits to the CEF forces advancing across South America. However messages from Bogota were of another nature entirely.

The Commandos that had landed at Ubaque, South East of Bogota had learned quite early on that their mission intelligence briefing had been flawed. There was no line of sight from their position to the city of Bogota. After duly appraising the Task Force commanders they started trekking towards the Chorro la Palma. They had already seen several bands of apparently deranged hyper aggressive militia roaming the country side so it was with extreme care that they started trekking towards the new Reconnaissance Station. Despite their several precautions their covert trek of around 15 kilometers was not without incidents. At several times they happened across the bands of deranged militia and several short firefights occurred all of which the Cochin commandos prevailed through. However as they crossed the crest and reached Chorro la Palma they noticed a large group of militias approaching them from the direction of Las Tapinas. They had only one alternative, defend their present elevated position from the oncoming onslaught. They immediately set out deploying their mines and grenades and started preparing a defensive perimeter. An immediate call for assistance was also placed with the CEF Command in St Helena however they knew that even if a rescue mission is launched it would take several hours for them to reach their positions, during which time they would have no alternative other than to fight these crazy militia with what weapons they were carrying. 

Operation Grand master - 8 - Land of the Dead

The presence of an active radar popping up was a surprise to Brigadier General Prakash Bhosle. Standing in an NBC protected field tent at the Pernambues area of Salvador Brig. Gen. Bhosle already had a couple of scores of seriously infected soldiers who were evacuated to the warships of Task Force Jhansi. After these early few who had ventured into the near dead city without protective gear had come down with biological agents, the remaining troops had donned their NBC gear in a hurry. As the T150 Main Battle Tanks and the Armored Personnel Carriers of the Fifth Marine Division across the bay region the Cochin Expeditionary Force had changed orientation from an invading army to a disaster relief force. It was apparent that any semblance of governance is extinct in the continent. Seeing the putrid piles of corpses strewn haphazardly all over a once booming town, it seemed that a population to govern was extinct too. However chances are there would be isolated pockets of extremely lucky people who would form the basis of a whole new society and those people had to protected from scavengers from across the world.

It seemed that some of those very same lucky persons had revealed themselves. The radar signal seemed to originate from the locales of a military base thought to be abandoned and unmanned some kilometers outside of Salvador. Perhaps at least some living souls could be savaged from this hell. Brig. Gen. Bhosle immediately ordered one of his battalions in the vicinity to make way towards the military base, to secure it and to offer relief to the beleaguered souls in there.


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With the combat action that they were being promised non existent the soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 5th Marine Division had been tasked to move towards the city of Feira de Santana. The First Brigade is assigned with the task to securing the land till the city of Petrolina and the third Battalion is currently in the lead of the columns. Conducting their flag march from Camacari along the BR324 the battalion is led by its BTR99s configured for engineer operations since most of the roads and pathways were filled with rubble and overgrowth. As the core group of the Battalion's heavy vehicles kept to the main roads the GAL Blackhawks assigned to the battalion were flying further inner scouting for any human inhabitation along the areas. Wherever settlements are seen The BRDM6s and Axes would scout for any living humans. For places further inroad the Blackhawks would land and do the recon with their own infantry squads.

It was then that the Lieutenant Colonel commanding the Battalion received the orders from Brig. Gen. Bhosle. Quickly discussing his new orders with the other Battalion commanders of the Brigade and the Brigade commander, Lt Col Pyotr Shevchenko ordered his battalion to change course towards the former HAE Imperial military base. As the ground units swerved off the BR324 highway towards the base the ten GAL Blackhawks and five Piranha attack helicopters raced off to do the recce. While feeds were starting to come from the scores of S-RECO surveillance and reconnaissance UAVs that were launched all over the region the past few days the reconnaissance net was still not fully secure.

The Blackhawks would approach the military base from the south, the lead Blackhawk with its radar active and painting the military base with a mega horn on the helicopter announcing these words.

"Imperial soldiers of Holy American Empire, this is the Royal Cochin Army speaking. We are here to assist you. We request your officers to come out and open your facility for inspection. You are being offered food and medical supplies. Please cooperate with us."

As the Blackhawk circled around the military base waiting for human presence its sensors were working to trace any amount of NBC agents present in the atmosphere. The other Blackhawks would take station a few hundred meters away with the Piranhas providing defensive overwatch. Some of the Blackhawks would disgorge its combat infantry who donned in their protective NBC gear would first test the soil for contaminants and then proceed towards the gates. The 4 squads of soldiers, 32 in all would approach barrels down to give a non hostile impression but the safeties are off. Private Bayanchur Bagha looked apprehensively at the massive doors of the military base but was even more apprehensive about the funeral pall of silence that surrounded the region. Belatedly he realized that there was no sounds even from the countryside. 

Operation Grand Master - 7 - Assault Begins

Pvt Bagha is holding on to his assault rifle with whitened hands as the Amphibious Fighting Vehicle is approaching the beaches of Salvador. Just an hour earlier the lead units of the 5th and 7th Marine Divisions had conducted an airborne invasion of the beaches of Salvador assisted by the countless fighters, bombers and Close Air Support aircrafts from the Task Force Jhansi. The Marine Private knew as lead echelons of the first wave of amphibious reinforcements he and his comrades would have a tough time to secure the beachheads the airborne troops would be trying to hold now. Though he had trained for this in several amphibious assault exercises, the prospect of actual combat was quite daunting. Several hours of videos and documentaries the troops had been shown of the Normandy Invasions of World War Two had also acclimatized them to expect a substantial measure of attrition.

Through rolling waves the AFVs carved a way through jostling the combat infantry inside, waiting to be shot at, waiting for the defenses of Holy American Empire to tear through their ranks. Though the batteries aboard the warships of the Task Force and the combat aircrafts patrolling above would ensure that any hostility would be suppressed effectively, it was the norm to expect casualties. However the only roar the soldiers heard were those of the AFV’s own massive engines and numerous aircrafts screaming overhead.

“Prepare yourself for the landing, just 100 meters out, “ the AFV driver announced and the platoon sergeant shouted, “Brace yourself, men, this is it.” With a loud thud the AFV’s tracks made contact with the soil of the beach and started churning it to mud as it raced forward, its turret mounted heavy machine gun scanning for targets and the combat infantry inside pointing their rifles out through the reinforced gunsights. Pvt Bagha who was at the front of the vehicle and the last to leave the vehicle braced for the rear doors to open and the attack to start with fury. The rear doors were thrown open and as the light of breaking dawn ventured into the vehicle, Pvt Bagha ran out of the vehicle following his squad to take firing positions. 

It was a mad dash to reach the clearly visible beachhead occupied by the airborne troops and only after he reached the beachhead lines and let his adrenaline be overcome by other senses that he was aware of the most unseeming quietness. No defense. No attack upon them. In fact there seemed to be no human presence at all.

It was then that the stench hit his nose. The most revolting and evil smell that he has ever experienced. The smell of charred and putrifying human remains. It was coming mostly from the South West where the town of Salvador was supposed to be. The Uighur lad prayed a silent prayer to Allah to give him strength to face the horrors he realized he had in store for him.

The same was the story across the Eastern seaboard of South America as the landing units of Task Force Rajput, Jhansi and Khampa arrived at vistas of apocalyptic destruction. The Third and Fourth Marine Divisions had landed north of Georgetown in Guyana and the 8th and 9th Marine Divisions landed South of Rio de Janeiro. Following the Marine Divisions the three Airborne Divisions would be landed at the beachheads as the engineers established logistical pathways for the heavier units to come. The Marine Divisions would start moving along the coastline to secure the continent to be replaced by the Armored cavalry Regiments and Mechanized Divisions as they disembark.