5.11 - Versus Contact
Former farmland around the Villa Hagel.
For a combatant to fight comfortably, the individual combat weight is usually limited to 10-12 kg. Where 7-8 kg of them is for ammunition and weapons, and the rest is divided into NVG, medic-bag, radio, and combat knife.
Meanwhile, other equipment will be packed into a backpack which will be put down when a versus contact occurs.
Green Raccoon personnel is also inseparable from the maximum combat load concept. The individual armaments carried by Green Raccoon personnel on this mission consist of three variations.
Carbine HK416A5 + Eotech 551 + tactical flashlight + 6 extra magazines, HK M320 40 mm grenade launcher + 12 rounds of ammunition.
Precision Rifle HK M110A1 + long range all-weather scope + bipod + 4 extra magazines
Long Range Precision Rifle, AWM 338 Lapua Magnum + long-range all-weather scope + bipod + 35 rounds of match-grade .338 Lapua Magnum
Each variation of individual weapons has one thing in common, weighing no more than 8 kg.
As soon as he decided to intervene, Sergeant Liam immediately ordered all Green Raccoon personnel to gather. He then asked who was willing to volunteer, and without further ado all Green Raccoon personnel raised their hands.
Subsequently, tasks, weapons, and ammunition were immediately divided while unused equipment was wrapped in poncho before being buried with a mini-transmitter.
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Sgt. Liam is an experienced veteran, but his heart is still pounding as he and the first sub-team members walk closer to Villa Hagel relying solely on the darkness of the night as cover.
Villa Hagel has no outer walls and no plants or trees to hide in the former fields around it. In addition, carrying out the Hostage Rescue is a foreign thing to Sergeant Liam and his men.
And even though he and Green Raccoon personnel managed to rescue the hostages, the problem did not end. Because intelligence said that 8 km west of the targeted villa, there was a border post containing hundreds of potential enemies.
Meanwhile, defending a captured target was not the task of the STA Platoon.
A well-led, well-equipped, and highly morale regular unit platoon would give better results when asked to defend a captured target, compared to 12 STA personnel with a wide range of advanced skills but unsuitable for conventional combat.
Secrecy is the main weapon of the STA Platoon, therefore instinctively STA personnel are trained to avoid large numbers of enemies. Whereas if they are forced to engage with larger units, then they will rely heavily on artillery support or close air support.
If artillery strikes or airstrikes cannot be provided then measures to be taken are 'Resistance, Evasion and Escape'. Prolonged versus contact should be avoided at all costs, as it will allow the opponent to carry out a siege before launching a fatal attack.
If ammunition runs out, the weapon can be thrown away, of course it had to make sure that the weapon cannot be used again. If possible, acquire looted weapons when performing evasive maneuvers. If not, then just focus on leaving the location of versus contact as quickly as possible.
Therefore STA personnel carried minimal ammunition. Apart from the fact that gunfire is the last line of defense, statistics also show that elements of reconnaissance that carry excessive ammunition are usually killed because they are trapped in prolonged versus contact.
But currently, Green Raccoon personnel are volunteering to enter into a possibility of versus contact with larger units, with limited ammunition.
The operations control center at FOC South 860 is already sending in air support, but it will take some time for the air support elements to arrive. Meanwhile, Green Racoon personnel couldn't wait any longer.
The Green Raccoon personnel was fully aware that the possibility they would die with the hostages was quite high. But for them, it is much better than coming back alive but being a laughing stock for choosing to be a coward.
To be honest, Sergeant Liam and several Green Raccoon personnel had experienced how painful it was to be laughed at for choosing to be a coward. They therefore don't want to repeat the experience no matter the reason.
The Green Raccoon personnel split the force into three sub-teams that were approaching from three different directions. The first sub-team approached from the front and was tasked with attacking the main building and rescue the hostages.
The second sub-team is approaching from the left side, and will attack the barracks beside the main building. Meanwhile, the third sub-team will split the force into a two-man cell that takes a position 200 meters from the villa and is tasked with eliminating opponents on the right and back of the villa.
As soon as all the sub-teams confirm that they have arrived at their designated positions, the raid is executed.
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The first sub-team was led directly by Sgt. Liam, and managed to close into the main building without difficulty, as there were no sentries or patrols around the villa.
All personnel of the first sub-team used HK416A5 with a sound suppressor. The HK M320 grenade launcher on the carbine had been removed. The buttstock which was stored in the backpack then installed before the four grenade launchers were distributed to the second and third sub-teams.
The assault formation adopted by the first sub-team is a point-man, two strikers, and a rear-guard.
Point-man will enter first and secure the side with the majority of the bandits. This side is commonly referred to as the heavy side.
The first striker then catches up and secures the light side or side where the number of bandits is smaller. Followed by the second striker that will come in last and help point-man clear the heavy-sides.
Meanwhile, the rear guard is in charge of opening the door, throwing a flashbang, and then securing the point of entry from opponents who might try to sneak from behind. Although unfortunately, in this attack Green Raccoon personnel did not carry flashbang or tear-gas.
The living room of the villa is only lit with candles and oil lamps, but the lighting produced is so adequate that the NVG will lose its effectiveness. So Sergeant Liam turned off the NVG he was wearing before peering in through one of the glass windows.
Not long after that, he gave instructions to the personnel of the first sub-team using hand signals. The fastest right-handed shooter would be the point-man because the heavy side was on the left, and on that side the hostages were lying on the floor.
Sergeant Liam will take the second striker position, and bandits must be eliminated as quickly as possible.
Once the positions and assignments have been determined. The four personnel of the first sub-team immediately lined up beside the front door of the main building.
As soon as Sergeant Liam gave a small nod, the rear guard immediately opened the door which happened to be unlocked, then took a position to secure the entry point.
Then, with a steady step and HK416A5 barrel directed towards the front, the point-man walked in followed by the two strikers.
Beep! Beep!
Point-man's first victim was a bandit who was standing with his hand on his hips, while watching his comrades having r*ape the hostages.
A silenced double-tap slammed into the bandit's back and shattered his heart. The bandit instantly collapsed to the floor.
Be-beep! Be-beep! Be-be-be-beep!
As soon as the first victim fell, the following victims immediately followed. In three breaths of time, seven bandits collapsed to the floor in a puddle of their own blood. At the same time, the five bandits who were engrossed in intercourse with the hostages were realizing the dangers that were coming to visit.
The five bandits swiftly crawled towards the short swords that were propped against the wall not far from their position. Unfortunately, at the moment their hands grabbed the short sword, they fell into the aim of the third striker.
Without a second thought, the third striker pulled the trigger, and the combination of a long and short outburst instantly tore apart the bodies of the five bandits.
Meanwhile, Sgt. Liam only found three bandits sitting around enjoying wine as his target. He instantly knocked down two of them as they tried to grab short swords at their waists. While the third bandit smiled before casually placing the wine glass in his hand on the table.
The bandit looked at his guest who was wearing a black headcover and only showing his eyes, nose, and mouth before speaking.
"Soldiers of Amethyst Merchant, I challenge you to a one-on-one duel bare-handed. If you win, I will give you every piece of information I have."
Be-beep!
Without further ado, Sgt. Liam pulled the trigger, and the bandit in front of him instantly fell to his knees while squeezing his chest.
"Sorry, I don't have time to play."
Ignoring the hateful look in the bandit's eyes, Sgt. Liam pulled the trigger one more time and send the bandit to the afterlife.
Eighteen bandits were knocked down, while some of them manage to escape through the back door.
Sgt. Liam and point-man then checked the hostages' condition and used the curtains to wrap their bodies. After that, the second striker was tasked to guard them while he and the point-man clean up the 2nd floor.
Not long after that, the hostages were moved to a room on the 2nd floor.
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