AAR: The rescue at Two Bush Atoll

When an embedded reporter wrote in his article about a small outpost called Two Bush S***hole the UN press liaison officer, Lieutenant Heidi Clare, ordered the Australian SASR and the Ghanaian Light Armoured Car recon unit to change its name, she proposed they call it Two Tree Waterhole.  The Australians decided Two Bush Atoll was better, and Heidi agreed.  Sadly, both the SASR and Heidi Clare were to perish in the bitter fighting in Malika City a few weeks later.

The Ghanaian's however liked the new name, and so on their maps it was Two Bush Atoll, and anyone who visited this sad little outhouse or outpost would agree.  When the invasion started the Australian SASR were ordered to Malika City and the Ghanaian's were ordered north to help repel the Hotakistani bridgehead on the western shore of the Malika River.  The Hotakistani force, however proved too strong and the Ghanaians were ordered not to engage but head southward.

MISSION: Find the pilots, 33% chance they are in the outpost, 33% chance they are at the crash site, 33% they are in the ruin above the crash site.  10VP for rescuing/capturing the pilots

Special Rules: 90cm vision, no NVG.

Ghanaian Force (TQ8 MOR8 Confident), Four AML-90 "Noddy Cars", One Ratel 20, One squad: Fireteam 1 (Ldr, RPG, GPMG, x3 AR), Fireteam 2 (Jnr NCO, x4 AR)

The Ghanaian force of four Noddy Cars followed by a South African Ratel 20.

Insurgents: Two forces of insurgents from the campaign lists:

1) Foreign Fighters enter by Hotspot TQ8 MOR10 Regular (PRIMARY)

2) Fanatical Poor Quality Insurgents enter on west edge TQ6 MOR12 (SECONDARY)

The two "trees" of Heidi Clare situated half-way between A and B

An Australian F-18 which was part of the UNs first attempt to gain air superiority crash landed near Two Bush Atoll Outpost.  It soon became a race between the a combined force of fanatical poorly trained insurgents and viscous foreign fighters vs. the Ghanaian's to reach the downed aircrew first.  The insurgents thought nothing of the small four man MANPOL (Malikastani National Police) force at the little checkpoint.  This was soon to prove a miscalculation.  The insurgents only had eyes for the for the burning F-18 (and claimed to have shot it down) and were determined to get to the crash site before anyone else.

With the deepening night a CIA UAV appeared over the area, but due to communication problems were unable to make contact with the Ghanaians.  They watched in helpless horror as the small armoured cars drove into the valley of death, the hills were absolutely swarming with insurgents.

First contact was initiated by a small force of foreign fighters, they let loose an RPG at the lead Noddy Car.  The RPG smashed into the lead car, but failed to explode, a dud.  The Ghanaian commander cranked the turret around and let loose a 90mm HE shell at the rocks on the ridge above, downing two of his attackers, his co-axial added to the carnage.  The second car moved up and finished off the insurgents.

The first two Noddy Cars destroy the foreign fighters.

 Weary of further ambushes the Ghanaians proceeded cautiously towards the outpost, also not wanting to spook the MANPOL policeman and end up taking a friendly RPG.  The Ghanaian commander also warned his men not to expose themselves in their turrets.  The Noddy cars bunched together, making a beautiful target, but with all their firepower and the inability of the insurgents to take advantage this proved an ideal tactic on the approach.

The convoy approaching the outpost.

On the hill, later christened as Hamburger Hill, the first foreign fighter reinforcements began to arrive.  This hill was soon awash with the blood of the fallen insurgents.

The first insurgents appear on the crest of Hamburger Hill

 The first group was mowed down, the second group came, with no RPG, they attempted to assault the lead Noddy Car, the car commander held down the hatch while his gunner sprayed the onrushing insurgents.  His other cars joined in, destroying the enemy.

The futile insurgent assault perishes under a hail of 90mm shells, 20mm shells and hundreds of 0.3 machine gun bullets

 To the west large groups of inexperienced fanatical insurgents begin to appear.  Very few were armed with RPGs, and those RPGs proved more often to be duds than working.  The Ghanaian overwatch fire never appeared to falter and they poured an endless stream of murderous fire into the insurgents.  The armoured car platoon commander spotted three men pushing some form of gun on the distant hill, before he could bring his gun to bear they ducked out of sight.  Soon, however, three 107mm rockets screamed in.  One overshot, exploding harmlessly, one landed short exploding and making the MANPOL duck.  The third, however slammed straight into the Noddy Car.

The insurgents fire three rockets from a 107mm Multiple Rocket Launcher as direct fire.

The third rocket, however was a dud, leaving a large dent in the car.  The Ghanaian commander was having nothing of this, he turned his turret and destroyed the gun crew, the 107mm MRL rolled harmlessly off the cliff.  By now some of the fantatics moved up from the west, the policemen engaged them with deadly fire.  The four policemen were to prove themselves this night, with sustained fire throughout the fight.

The Malikastani Police engage fanatical insurgents close-in, while the lead Noddy Car destroys the 107mm MRL crew.

 A third group of insurgents appeared at the crest of Hamburger Hill.  Down bellow the last insurgent from the assault arrived at the Ratel 20, he opened fire at point blank range and soon found he was unable to touch the vehicle while it remained buttoned-up.  Three South African riflemen in the Ratel used the fire slots to finish off this sad individual.  The newly arrived insurgents had an RPG, but died before they could use it.  The lead Noddy Car now left the police after finding out they had not seen the aircrew, they saw a large group of insurgents approaching the burning F-18 wreck, the 90mm cannon barked while the co-axial spat death, the majority of the insurgents went down, including the man with the only RPG.

The Ratel passengers finish off the insurgent while.

 In the western valley a VW Beetle packed to the brim began its approach drive.  The driver of the VBIED however ended up having second thoughts and never approached closer (three failed activation checks! A career change?).

VW Beetle VBIED approaches...then inexplicably stops and never moves any closer while the remaining insurgents are gunned down.

 With the Noddy Cars taking on all comers the Ratel moved to the F-18 and finished off the last insurgents searching the plane.  The aircrew came forth and were rescued.  From Hamburger Hill an RPG flew at and exploded against the side armour the Ratel.  The hit was too low in the hull and achieved nothing.  Return fire annihilated the insurgents.

An RPG hits the Ratel, but to no avail.

 Around the same time an RPG hit the commanders Noddy Car, it exploded, but the sand-plate on the front took the blast, the commander returned fire destroying the enemy.

The last fanatics dash towards the UN forces...and die.

The insurgents made one last rush, but were hit with endless overwatch fire, they perished in their droves.  The last surviving insurgents, very few, slunk back into the night.  In the dying moments of the fight one of the policeman was killed.  The insurgents learnt that day that the little Noddy Cars had teeth, big nasty gnashing teeth!

UN Casualties, three dents in their armoured cars and one dead MANPOL policeman.  Insurgent casualties?  Who knows, probably 4 to 5 dozen.

The three policemen joined the Ghanaians and drove past the roadblock.  The Australians had been rescued.  The Ghanaians had proved to be the best of the best.