In May of 2018, the Central Republic of Africa bombed the holy city of Mecca, causing much outcry in the international community. Over 30,000 civilians were killed in a devastating bombing raid. In the wake of the attack, the Muslim minority united into the GLA, a terrorist organization meant to fight anyone they saw as allied with the Africans. Unity officials decided to invade and occupy the nation before the GLA could do damage to any of the major nations. The nation of Awwam let troops pass through contested Libya. As soon as all troops were massed for the invasion, news came in that the African government had collapsed from controversy and infighting after the Mecca Bombings. Deciding that it was too late to recall the troops, the invasion went ahead as Operation Barricade. Troops, tanks, jets, and other equipment of war rushed through the CRoAs territory.
The first two weeks were fairly uneventful, but in early June reconnaissance forces made contact with both GLA and scattered CRoA forces. A three-way fight ensued that would last until early August. The defining battle of The Occupation War was the Battle of Firebase Foxtrot.
Firebase Foxtrot was a FOB for tanks, jets, helicopters, and troops. Over 4,500 troops, 20 helicopters, 24 F-53 fighters, 8 A-3 Reaper attack planes, and a small detachment of 20 M28A3 Basilisk MBTs, 10 M44A3 Spartan IFVs, and 2 M88 Viper II MGS.
On the night of July 15th, an informant working for Colonel Powell, the commander of the firebase, informed him that a large force of CRoA troops and tanks were amassing for an assault on the base within six hours.
Colonel Powell alerted everyone on the base, sending fighters and attack planes in the air, posting all troops on the perimeter, and tanks in concealed and protected positions around the firebases perimeter.
The informant came forward with information on African troop values. The news was not good. 6,000 enemy infantry, 6 helicopters, 15 advanced E-58 fighters, and no less than 60 A-103 and A-102 tanks.
At 2:30 in the morning, the sound of mortar fire and artillery rumbled in the distance. When they hit, troops on the perimeter received heavy fire from all directions: the firebase was surrounded. Tracer fire flew all over the place. The real advantage that the PMCs had was a chain of command. Troop coordination on the tAfrican side was nonexistent.
Unity aircraft quickly gained air superiority, allowing Gatling-armed A-3 attack planes mowed down advancing infantry and tanks.
By evening, UDC troops had pushed enemy troops back into a neighboring town.
After getting sleep and resupply, the Basilisk tanks stationed at the firebase along with the support of Spartan IFVs, went out to patrol the open ground between the firebase and the town.
Around noon, the Basilisks made contact with a forward force of 12 A-102 tanks. The Basilisks, superior to the A-102, easily wiped them out with the loss of no tanks. This was quickly followed by the more advanced and perhaps more dangerous A-103 tanks, which made up a minority (albeit a large minority). Unlike a Victoria, whose clean, beautiful lines would make it a disgrace to cover up with ERA (kidding still looks good in TUSK), the Basilisk is standard-equipped with the TUSK II kit.
The Africans caught the Basilisks and Spartans off guard. The Africans, with the numbers advantage, had the luxury of putting multiple A-102s or 103s on one Basilisk. Luckily, the Basilisk is one of the most heavily armored Main Battle Tanks in the world, and a second opinion (the Awwamis) proves such.
Not one of the 20 tanks and 10 IFVs was destroyed, even though they were facing 35 tanks. The Spartan heavy IFVs, armed with a 35mm autocannon and four missile pods containing R-15 ATGMs. The tactic was to pester the tanks with the 35mm, then fire one or two R-15s as a TAM (Top Attack Munition) to destroy the tank.
This would be the last engagement of the Battle of Firebase Foxtrot. Of the 45 attacking African MBTs, all but 6 were destroyed with the rest damaged or captured. Within a week, PMCs would march through the CRoAs capital, and all major combat would cease.
Soon, the Lanzarrian Federation would claim the land, and all troops were removed. Firebase Foxtrot was removed of all equipment. All that's left is the pockmarked and cratered ground, along with the trenches.