Royals in Parwan, Fight #5

All,

It's now 3 June 2002, ten days since the last fight, and the "Loya Jirga" ("Grand Assembly, where tribal leaders were invited to Kabul to vote on the leadership of a transitional government) is drawing near.  Pasha Gul of Khowt Gin has been invited, but the Royal Marines have received information that the Pasha (as many have been) is being targeted by the Taliban, as well as powerful warlords, trying to sway his vote, or keep him from voting altogether.  Pasha Gul is determined to make the trip to Kabul; in order to ensure his safety he's been offered helicopter transport, as well as an armed convoy, both from ISAF.  But not wanting to look a tool of the Westerners, he has declined both, insisting there is no threat.  But battalion has received credible information the Taliban is moving on the Pasha this very moment.  This comes at a very bad time, when much of the battalion is already committed, so our rifle section, beat up as it is, is sent.

It's 2345 local time; the section has moved as quick as possible to Khowt Gin, and now they have dismounted and are entering the Pasha's compound on foot.

Overview, north is up.  The Pasha's compound is at far right, with another villager's home just below (bottom right), a third home at bottom left, and an orchard between them.  There is a dense thicket of woods at center left, known as Central Park, and other than that the battlefield is made up of cultivated fields.

The opposing forces, with Taliban on the left and Royal Marines on the right.  A bit of a disparity with nine bad guys and five good, but the Royal Marines will have the advantage of night vision gear.

The Marines, from top left: Conk (has dropped the LSW in favor of a UGL), Gimlet (has taken over Knocker's SAW), Knocker (acting Section Leader); bottom left: Wali (SA80) and Sparks (SA80).

The Taliban, with a leader, two RPG gunners, and six riflemen.

The table, with troops deployed.  You can see the squaddies at far right, in and around the Pasha's compound, while the Taliban are spread across the table.  Two atop the building at bottom left, three in the orchard, two in the fields south of Central Park, one just above it, and their lead man just above the Pasha's house.

The Royals' situation: Knocker and Gimlet have gone upstairs to visit with the Pasha and his wife, while Sparks is in the courtyard and Conk and Wali are still on the road.

Conk had moved up the road and was about to say something wise to Sparks (both at center bottom with Conk on the road and Sparks in the compound), when he noticed movement.  "Contact" and he fired his rifle...

Putting a Taliban rifleman down (right), and pinning an RPG gunner (yellow bead at far left; Conk is off camera to right).  The terrorists are shocked at the sudden blast of gunfire, and unable to react.  They were expecting an easy evening of kidnapping the Pasha unopposed.

Knocker spots a bad guy creeping across the field north of the Pasha's house; he calmly moves to the wall and fires...

Another terrorist out of the fight.

Sparks moves up next to the red pickup (from down across from Conk at bottom center)...

The Taliban atop the southwest building (bottom center, with pinned RPG gunner at left and three of their buddies visible in the orchard at right) spot Sparks and open fire (top center)...

They miss, and Sparks (bottom center) fires on the pinned RPG (top center), but he misses too.

With Conk still on the road (bottom center left), Wali hops the wall and moves up next to him, then fires on the pinned RPG gunner (top right).

Dropping another terrorist.

While Knocker stays down with Pasha Gul and his wife, Gimlet decides to hop up and take a look (far left).

Gimlet (top center, atop Pasha Gul's house) is spotted by the Talibs atop the southwest building (bottom center), and they fire on him...

They miss, and Gimlet (top right) returns fire with his SAW...

Knocking one of the two rooftop-terrorists out.

But the RPG gunner just north of Central Park (bottom center left) is drawn to Gimlet's gunfire and launches a rocket propelled grenade...

The rocket slams into the Pasha's house, knocking Gimlet out of the fight.

The Talib then moves into the cover of Central Park (bottom center).

Meanwhile, the remaining bad guy atop the southwest building (bottom center) empties an entire magazine at Conk, but it doesn't even faze him.

But the fire helps cover the movement of the bad guy boss and two of his men moving up through the orchard (two behind twin trees, one still in orchard at bottom center right).

But Conk (still on road at far right) spots the third terrorist in the orchard (far left) and opens fire...

Driving him back (red bead at far left, from explosion at far right, just below the other two Talibs).

But Sparks (far right, behind wall next to red pickup, with Conk at bottom left and Wali above him) has drawn a bead on the two terrorists behind the trees near the orchard (top center)...

Both bad guys go down!!!

The bad guy on the rooftop (bottom left, with hunkering buddy in orchard with red bead at bottom center right, and the two Sparks just dropped next to the explosion at the twin trees at far right) returns fire on Sparks, pinning him down.

Conk (on road at far right) fires a rifle grenade at the southwest rooftop (bottom left)...

The round lands square on target, knocking out the terrorist.

Knocker moves up on Pasha Gul's house (bottom right) to check on Gimlet, while Wali, Conk, and Sparks fan out and begin moving west (top).

Gimlet's got a large gash on his forehead, but he's otherwise okay.

But the last two remaining bad guys (far left and top right) have had enough and leg it off the battlefield.  The Royal Marines have not lost anyone, no significant injuries, while they collect seven dead Taliban bodies, which they use to convince the Pasha the threat to his life is real.  He retreats into his home and deliberates with his wife, finally emerging at dawn to inform Knocker he will accept ISAF transportation to Kabul.  Pasha Gul, now warming up to the Marines, shares a tidbit (via the RM's interpreter): "As we shall be travelling to Kabul very soon, I recommend a merchant you should like to speak to.  He's a very shrewd man, very cunning; he likes to play both sides, or every side, or no side, whatever best suits his side.  I have heard you seek retribution for the ambush ten days ago; this merchant, he can tell you who did this.  Even better, he can tell you where they are."

Now, that's what I'm talking about!  It feels good to put such a resounding ass-whoopin' on the bad guys after what happened the last fight.  I made British fire more accurate than Taliban fire due to the NVGs, and early on I was making the Taliban roll to see if they could react.  These fights have been very quick and bloody; I reckon none of these have taken up more than four minutes of 'real-life' time.  It certainly feels right for the era.  I hope you liked it, I'm working on the next one.

V/R,
Jack