TF Amethyst

TFA1 7.12 - Clean Sweep

On February 5, 1994, a single 120 mm mortar round hit a dense crowd at Markale Market, Sarajevo. The mortar explosion killed 68 people and injured 144 others. Most of the dead victims were found outside the mortar's killing radius.

Why was a single mortar so deadly?

It was because the explosion occurred in an open area surrounded by tall buildings, where the walls of the building reflected the shockwaves. As a result, victims who should only suffered minor injuries became seriously injured. While victims who should have suffered serious injuries died on the spot.

The airstrike launched by TF Amethyst on Lagra City took the same principle as the mortar attack on Markale Market, where Buriek Guard elements were out in the open between castle wall and city wall. 

In addition, the dropping coordinates were set to form a circular pattern. Therefore, the shockwaves and heat waves would travel with a dense concentration towards the castle wall and city wall, sweeping away anything in its path before being reflected by the two walls and swept back into center.

This tactic was adopted with a hope that Buriek Guard elements in Lagra City would take the damage as maximum as possible.

While the four Vipers were busy handing out free ammunition to Buriek Guard’s elements, eight units F/A-18E Super Hornets arrived over Lagra City and immediately took positions.

Each Super Hornet carried 10 units GBU-32 JDAMs with thermobaric warheads commonly used in GBU-16 Paveway II, instead of conventional warheads filled with TNT, Tritonal, or other explosive.

As soon as Duck Leader alerted defenders at Castle Lagra and moved out of the danger zone, the airstrike was launched.

However, there was one thing that airstrike designers from ACG did not calculate. Buriek Guard’s elements in Lagra City actually brought a large amount of lamp oil for lighting, which was distributed to every corner of the city. The supply of lamp oil then became a booster for the airstrike.

As a result, the airstrike turned into a giant firestorm and swept clean every single one of Buriek Guard’s element in Lagra City, with exception elements who had been stationed on top of the city walls.

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In the assault on Lagra City, Captain Issak refused to execute a group of children captured by his unit when they tried to retreat to Castle Lagra.

Previously, he did not hesitate to behead children who killed his subordinates by dropping rocks as big as coconut from the top of the city wall. However, he did not want to execute a group of children who were no longer a threat, let alone they had surrendered while clutching each other and crying.

Captain Isak was aware that his decision would bring him trouble. Considering that Kingdom of Buriek was waging a genocide war. But he was fully prepared for the consequences.

Unfortunately, the punishments were not only imposed on him but also on his subordinates. All spoils of war and merits that his unit collected were erased. He was also given an additional penalty of delaying his promotion twice in row. After that, Captain Isak and his unit were assigned to stand guard on the city wall.

Captain Isak didn't mind his punishment, but he couldn't stand the hateful stares from his subordinates. He truly hoped that the operation in Sandhur Region would be finished soon. Then, he would resign from Buriek Guard and return to his hometown to become a farmer.

While gazing at the ruin of Lagra City and listening loud 'Dum dum dum!' who suddenly was heard from the direction of Castle Lagra, Captain Isak continued to ponder his plan. Then, an explosion that formed a ring of fire suddenly occurred in the center of Lagra City.

With wide eyes and hanging mouths, Captain Isak and his subordinates watched the firestorm that spread in all directions and turned Lagra City into a giant furnace, while more than two hundred thousand Buriek Guards were inside.

Several silhouettes seemed to be limping with their bodies on fire, then collapsed and stopped moving. Seeing some of his subordinates about to go help their comrades, Captain Isak reflexively forbade them.

"Don't go into the city."

Several Centurions wanted to argue, but after they saw Captain Isak pointing at the weapons and armor of the fallen personnel that were glowing red, emitting thick smoke, and forming a mist, they canceled their intentions.

The smoke emitted by burning metal was poisonous, and if the concentration was too high then within 2-3 breaths the person who inhaled it would pass out before entering a coma phase and eventually met with their death.

"We're going back to Levsait."

Whether it was coincidentally or not, as soon as Captain Isak finished his words, explosions after explosions suddenly appeared in the distance, or precisely at Levsait and Raisait.

"What have we done that gods in heaven poured out their wrath on Kingdom of Buriek."

Captain Isak mumbled helplessly, while a complicated expression was visible on his subordinates' faces.

--- 

When Vex and Nate decide to erase the pressure on Lagra City, they intend not only to erase the actual pressure, but also any potential pressure. Vex and Nate realized that there was no guarantee that Kingdom of Buriek would surrender even if Buriek Royal City had been reduced to ashes.

It should be remembered that during World War II, Japanese Empire high-ranking military officials refused to surrender even though two cities had become victims of atomic bombing. If it weren't for Emperor Hirohito giving direct orders to lay down weapons, there's a high chance the Japanese Empire would fight to the last man.

In addition, even if Kingdom of Buriek agreed to surrender, there was no guarantee that the high-ranking officers on the field would immediately accept it.

Therefore, destroying Buriek Guard’s element in Lagra City was not enough. Vex and Nate wanted to make sure that if field officers from Buriek Guard intended to launch a final attack after the statement of surrender, the potential they could use was at a minimal level.

With the distance between Davy Jones and Lagra City only around 200 km, Buriek Guard’s element in Levsait and Raisat was not something to worry about. Viper and Venom could be launched in a matter of minutes once there was an offensive maneuver from Buriek Guard’s ground elements.

The real threat to worry about was Buriek Riders. Therefore, while eight F/A-18E Super Hornets wiped out Buriek Guard elements in Lagra City, four units P-8 Poseidons were hunting and killing Buriek Riders on Levsait and Raisait. Their tactic was to hit the barracks for Rider along with the stall for Cloud Hawk using GBU-16 Paveway II, one by one.

The Paveway II is guided by targeting laser and using thermobaric warheads, which was if it exploded in the lobby of a five-star hotel, then the entire ceiling and walls in the hotel lobby would turn to ashes in less than a second.

In short, Paveway II was not designed for massive bombing, but for surgical hits. As long as the targeting laser marks the target, then Paveway II would not miss.

Technically, the P-8 Poseidon crew had no trouble carrying out hunter killer operations against Buriek Riders, but that didn't mean they're not mentally burdened. Among P-8 Poseidon’s crew, none had ever served on a bomber like B-52 Strategic Bomber. Therefore, even though they had been re-doctrine to carry out an airstrike, only a few could overcome their guilt when they finally executed the bombing mission.

While the ground crew refueled and rearmed some P-8 Poseidon that had just completed the sortie, the flight crew gathered in a small tent next to the hangar.

There was coffee, tea, and snacks prepared for both flight crew and ground crew. Even so, the flight crew only drank one mouthful of hot tea before chatting or helping each other to stretch. They ignored the snack because the nausea in their stomachs was almost unbearable. 

In front of the tent, Major Jenkins looked up at the night sky, while remembering the kill record for his mission.

After a deep sigh, he then muttered softly, "After the last two targets at Raisait, we will start hunting for carrier ships, landing ships, and supply ships. Then, finally, our part in tonight's massacre is finished."

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