by Lt. Jesthar. Mission date Friday 1st March 2024, 19:00 GMT
SITREP:
TFA has arrived in a remote northern area of Laos to investigate a mystery. The Laos government recently authorised the experimental drilling of a number of small, high quality oil deposits to determine if it can be done without significant damage to the local ecology (and therefore the tourist industry) – but only in locations with the full support of the local villages.
A small but well connected Texan oil company which specialises in ecologically sound well development was contracted to aid these explorations and provide critical technical support. In the months the site has been in development, they learned through their local workers that villagers had been going missing – not unheard of given the dangers of jungle living, but the number was significant and always in specific areas.
Some of the workers grew worried enough to request for their families and friends to be given sanctuary at the drilling site due to the protection offered by the site guards. The company agreed and also reported the events to the government via their SatCom link, who responded by providing armed military river patrols operating from a base to the north of here.
Two days ago, the government reported to the drill site that it had lost all contact with the patrol base. The arrival of another group of frightened villagers with reports of hearing gunfire from the area of the river patrol base led the oil company to request more substantial assistance, and TFA received the call.
INTEL:
The local refugees from nearby villages unfortunately aren’t able to provide us with much concrete information. Disappearances were initally blamed on a rogue predator, and people just started to avoid the northern areas. However, more recently the population of whole villages started to disappear.
This place is so remote it is unlikely any outside assistance would have arrived if it hadn’t been for the oil project involvement. It is not uncommon for armed criminal gangs to operate in such locations, and we are working on the assumption this is the case here, and that they are responsible for taking the villagers.
MISSION:
TFA will insert by helo (two pilots needed) to a clearing a safe distance from the river patrol base and investigate the area on foot. Should the situation prove hostile, we will deal with it and search the base for any information on what happened, and act on it accordingly. Should we need to cover any distance from the base, we should be able to borrow their patrol boats – well, if we can find the keys!
Ground Topography: Dense river jungle with scattered settlements.
Weather: A hot and humid dawn of a new day.
MAPS
OpFor
Unknown, but assumed to be armed and dangerous, although probably not using advanced or heavy equipment. Should we find a base of operations, caution will be required when searching as it is likely they are responsible for the civilian disappearances.
TFA Equipment
Limited Arsenal available
Riflemen/SL/PL: HK416 D10, M4A1 Block II
MG: M249 PIP, MK 48 Mod 1
Engineer: 400g TNT
No AT or grenades due to potential civilian presence
Transport:
Insert by 2x UH-1H – 2x pilots required
2x Offshore Raiding Craft GPMB available at the river patrol base
Respawn: Inital rolling respawn point for the river base investigation. Should you take the patrol boats from the river base, they are platoon respawn vics accessed by flagpoles next to the respawn point.
Communications: SOP will be followed.
Ammo: Sure, why not?
Rations: Everyone likes rice, right?
Mission Failure: Death of the civilians, if located.