Lenkova Campaign - Mission 2

Pre-Mission Setup
I roll a rescue mission. If I had any troops that had been captured by the enemy it would allow me to liberate them, but since I don't, it's going to be an 'allies in trouble' mission. I roll up the forces that are being rescued and come up with 4 unarmed civilians. A news crew in trouble.

Since I had a major victory in the last battle, I have a few extra assets that I can spend for this month. I request a sniper team, a VTOL Gunship and a Medivac Airship in case things get hairy. I'm would have liked a Forward Observer team and heavy artillery as well, but it's probably best that I'm not throwing around heavy artillery danger close to unarmed civilians. Hopefully the sniper team can make up for it.

I decide to bring Second and Third squads, as well as the Lt. and Mechanical Mule. I debate about bringing the medic on this one, but I don't want to over fatigue him, the Medivac airship should keep me covered for any mass casualty event, and I'll be relying on overwhelming force of numbers to sweep the field.

Of course, all this planning can go out the window in a heartbeat, and as I roll an ambush, it does.

Lenkova Campaign - Mission 1

Pre-Mission Setup
So for the first mission of the campaign I roll up a Terminate mission. Pretty straightforward, I also roll a 2 on the monthly assets, not much since it's still the first round, but enough to purchase a UAV that can identify some unknown contacts.

I select one of my squads to go on the mission, with the Platoon Sgt.in command and the medic attached in case of casualties. No need to fatigue everyone in the first round, if they run into anything that they can't handle then I can send reinforcements in the form of the Quick Reaction Force. What bothers me is that I won't have any air or heavy artillery support for this operation, although I should be able to call on the company mortars if things get hairy. Anticipating the possibility of close quarters, I also rearm one of the riflemen with a combat shotgun.

Now comes the part where I need to cross fingers, rolling for ambush. One of the features of the Year in the Valley system is that based on your Popular Opinion you have a chance to be ambushed or even attacked at your base of operations. Fortunately for me, I rolled low and avoided that for this turn. 

Next I roll up the location according to the Terminate scenario. 
Hills - Water - Water
Hills - Building - Hills
Rough - Open - Hills

So it's a small valley opening up on one side to a water source, possibly a lake house that has been converted to a command center. Or the vacation mansion of a crime lord. I imagine that there's probably a roadway on that one open sector, and with this much water and hills, I'm going to say that the rough area is covered with trees and thickets. (Note: each grid square translates to about 2 inches across on table)

A Year In The Valley Colonies - Lenkova Campaign Prelude

This new series is going to be a log of a campaign that I'm going to be running using my Year in the Valley campaign system, adapted slightly to a sci-fi setting as a little preview of the sci-fi supplement that I've been working on for the Fireteam to Fireforce system. The counter-insurgency aspect won't show off all of the cool things I've been working on, but there are a few cool items that I've tried to include and it's going to be in the back of my mind to try and include more teasers for what the still to be named sci-fi expansion will have in store.

I've also used the excellent free nation generator by Nordic Weasel Games with a few slight adaptations to add a little background to the conflict. 

Planetary Intelligence Report

Lenkova IV

Large Colony: 12 Million

Class M Planet

Limited Heavy Industry
Overwhelmingly Urban

Single Large continent dominated by a large mountain range. Most of the population lives on the coast in one of the spaceport cities or in the foothills where farming and mining are predominant pastimes.

Former colony of the Russian led 'Red Star' Alliance, it has a relatively homogenous cultural makeup, however is a melting pot of political ideals as it was used as political dissidents were often shipped off to serve out their time there. Lenkova IV declared its independence during the Sanur War under President Anton Kirov. Early on Kirov was seen as the popular choice, however massive purges quickly followed and he declared himself as Czar for Life. Widespread corruption and graft from organized crime quickly followed, and as a second wave of immigration arrived from in the form of refugees from the Sanur war, stories filtered out of extensive human rights abuses. 

As the Libra-Vega trade route rose to prominence, the lack of security at the Lenkova stop forced the major powers to action. The Red Star Alliance had lost heavily in the war, required extensive logistical assistance, the price however was that once freed, the colony would be administered by an interim coalition government with coalition members providing security for a handover to a democratically elected leadership. 

Coalition troops, many of them veterans of the Sanur War, swiftly deposed Czar Kirov and his army of Internal Security forces. The majority were recalled within three months of operations leaving a much reduced Peacekeeping force augmented by Private Contractors working to train a new Lenkova police force. 

It quickly became apparent that significant segments of the old Internal Security forces and organized criminal elements had escaped the initial sweep and began a guerrilla campaign to influence the coming the elections and resume business as usual. Multiple warlords and cartels have entered into conflict with the Peacekeeping forces. Although they only had access to weapons and equipment about a decade behind the times, they made significant gains, including the assassination of the Interim Minister of the Interior and destruction of the capital city's main courthouse. 

The Terran Treaty Organization authorized additional peacekeeping troops in response and one of the first units to arrive, 3rd Platoon, Alpha Company of the 1st Vega Light Infantry has just arrived on planet. General Kassel in command of the Peacekeeping force has planned a series of attacks aimed at destroying the rebel's safe havens. Operation Greyhound is about to begin.

3rd Platoon, 'Tramplers' - Lt. Valle commanding, Sgt. Sanchez 2ic
Organized into 3 squads of 12 men in 3 fireteams each, along with an HQ element which includes the LT. the Platoon Sgt, and a Mechanical Mule. In addition, a medic has been attached directly to the platoon(bought with asset points) for the duration of their rotation on Lenkova.

Platoon Armory
In addition to the standard assault rifles, LMGs and Under-slung grenade launchers the Armory holds 3 light AT weapons and are normally not distributed, and enough SMGs and combat shotguns to equip one to each fireteam.

Mechanical Mule
Nicknamed 'Wingnut' by the troops, the mechanical mule provides additional combat resupply, offers a small degree of portable cover and can be used to steady the aim of machine gunners. (Follows the team it is attached to, carries 10 points of resupply, can be used either as cover for 1 unit of the team it is with, or allows an MG to fire as if it hadn't moved that turn.)

Campaign Notes
I start at a Popular Opinion of 4, which is brought down to 3 by my inclusion of a medic for the platoon. One of the cheapest improvements and possibly the best bang for your buck. Keeping your men in the fight, especially as casualties mount is going to be important. The Vega platoon organization is built around the 4 man fireteam, with the general triangular idea that ideally any leader should only have 3 direct subordinates to keep track of at a time. The Vega military isn't that of a first rate power, more of the equivalent of a regional power in the modern world.