OVERVIEW

The Battle for Soto Cano Air Base is one of the most important engagements in the Second Central American War between the Paternian Republic and the Gran Hispanic Republic between June 17-20, 2037. Although outnumbered and outgunned, the Paterno-Mexican Army routed Gran Hispanic forces stationed to defend the base as well as the adjacent city of Comayagua.

ORDER OF BATTLE

Paternian Republic

Paternian forces, commanded by General Jose Bautista, numbered 50,000 across the 94th Mechanized Division, the 67th Mechanized Division, and several attached heliborne attack wings from the 9th Close Air Support, Rotary Wing Division. With 75 M6A7 Ardent main battle tanks, 75 M27 Scorpion II light tanks, 250 light armored vehicles (half armed with 90mm cannon), 1,500 trucks, and support from the 90th, 103rd, and 132nd Rotary Attack Wing, all equipped with AH-2B Devastator helicopter gunships, they were certainly outnumbered by the Gran Hispanic forces.

However, they did have air cover from Paternian Air Force fighters and attackers in Guatemala, and could rely on long-range gunnery from the Paternian battleships Iowa and Missouri. They also had support from Unity Intelligence Services, flying RQ-1 Finch drones as well as having infiltrators within the Gran Hispanic Army. They were invaluable for gathering reconnaissance on their positions and the condition the force was in. In addition, these were experienced troops with high morale.

Gran Hispana

Exact force composition is unclear, as various captured documents have contradictory information regarding precisely which unit was present where. However, it is clear that approximately three infantry divisions, two mechanized divisions, and two armored divisions were present.

With a strength of 80,000 soldiers, approximately 1,000 main battle tanks, half of which are the modern EGA-8 Condor II and the other half the dated EGA-6 Condor, thousands more of lighter armored vehicles, thousands more trucks, and heavy air support in the form of the 11th Attack Wing, 89th Attack Wing, 22nd Fighter Wing, 19th Fighter Wing, and 51st Logistics Wing.

However, the Gran Hispanic units, while well-armed and well-supplied, were poorly-led, had few and unreliable reconnaissance assets, and had low morale.

PRELUDE

The Paterno-Mexican Army surprised the Gran Hispanic defenders in Southern Mexico by breaching through extensive minefields with specialist engineering vehicles, line charges, and counter-mine tactics. With this defensive line breached, the Paterno-Mexican Army quickly took over Southern Mexico, isolating the bulk of the Gran Hispanic forces deployed into the Yucatan, where they would play no further part in the fighting.

This allowed the Paterno-Mexican Army to sweep through Guatemala and Belize with relative ease, but were now under increasingly heavy Gran Hispanic air attacks from Soto Cano. Both sides knew of the importance of the air base, and the Gran Hispanic Army stationed seven divisions to defend the airfield. A salient was formed, and it was believed that the garrison would hold out even if encircled, resulting in a lengthy siege and consequent loss of momentum.

Because of this, Paterno-Mexican High Command wanted to destroy the airfield, and Paternian Air Force 18th Bomber Wing nearly did so but as the aircraft were en-route, they were re-routed to the nearby city of Comayagua, an important supply hub. It was decided that the airfield must be taken, but with only two divisions to spare, the task seemed impossible.

However, Paternian Information Control reported that the troops send to defend the airfield had very low morale due to poor leadership and also had little in the way of intelligence operations. General Miguel Bautista, commander of the forces at hand, knew that such a force would not put much of a fight, and proposed an assault with his forces. He knew that with intelligent positioning and high mobility, he could make his force appear much larger than it really was, which would certainly cause panic.

With little choice in the matter, High Command decided to take General Bautista's plan. To further weaken their morale, harassment strikes delivered with artillery and FAPM Pummelers served to deprive the defenders of any sleep.

PATERNIAN BREAKTHROUGH, 17 June 2037, 1800-2330

General Bautista was aware of the poor reconnaissance, but took no chances. The 94th and the 67th Mechanized Divisions advanced west under radio silence through dense brush. The vehicles have been fitted with additional mufflers in order to make them quieter.

However, the Gran Hispanic Army, aware that the Paternian Army will attack soon, have camouflaged themselves into the terrain, and continued to do so in the night to avoid Paternian nighttime reconnaissance. Thus, neither side was initially aware of each other's presence. In fact, when they became aware of each other's presence, the Paternians have already infiltrated into the lines.

It would be the 890th Combined Regiment of the 94th Mechanized Division, commanded by Col. Carlos Cabal, that would discover this first. Colonel Cabal, risking detection, radioed the other units, who soon discovered they have in fact infiltrated past their lines. Other units reported that they are in a similar predicament. It was decided to engage the enemy at 2200, providing two hours to acquire potential targets.

On that time, all the unit opened fire. The Gran Hispanic defenders were taken under intense, accurate fire from within their lines, and chaos among their forces ensured. Their lines crumbled and the Mexicans soon found the Hispanic forces in full retreat, and the path to Soto Cano Air Force Base clear.

SEIZURE OF THE AIRFIELD, 17-18 June 2037, 2330-0430

The Paternian forces advanced carefully toward the airfield, unaware of the extent of the confusion inflicted during the nighttime assault. Reconnaissance at midnight discovered the full extent of the effects of that engagement, and the Paternian forces hastened their advance.

They found the airbase to be mostly undefended, with no troops defending the runways. While the anti-aircraft guns did turn their weapons to ground targets and inflicted not insignificant casualties against ground forces and light vehicles, were eventually knocked out by Paternian Ardent tanks.

Knowing that the capture of the base was imminent, the commander, General Alfonso Goas, ordered the destruction of fuel stores, the ammunition dump, and parked aircraft. All three were destroyed effectively, preventing the Paternian forces from employing them. The destruction of the ammunition dump also caused moderate damage to the base structures, but did not render the base inoperable.

By 0430, Paternian forces have secured the base and flanking positions.

GRAN HISPANIC COUNTERATTACKS

The Gran Hispanic Army was certainly unhappy with the ease which the base was lost, and had managed to regroup and launched multiple assaults into the Paternian positions. However, all were repulsed with the efforts of the 94th and 67th Mechanized Divisions, naval gunfire from the PRN Iowa and PRN Missouri, and airstrikes operating both from Guatemala and from Soto Cano repulsed the half-hearted attacks.

On 20 June, the Gran Hispanic Army made a concerted counter-attack against the airfield. They managed to break through the initial lines of defense, but was repulsed with moderate losses on either side.

AFTERMATH

The seizure of Soto Cano allowed the Paternian Air Force to operate much closer to the fight, and served as a logistical hub. The Gran Hispanic Army would never recover from that setback, and with the successful invasion of Panama, the Second Central American War came to a swift conclusion.