Talk:AFOH/@comment-5846899-20150822032249/@comment-14850713-20151008162729

IC:

Bismarck Sea:

The Millennium attack catches Force E's heavy units west of Umboi Island in the Vitiaz Strait, too far to help the heavily outnumbered Confederate task force. Still, Diable fighters engage the Adlers, shooting down several striving to untangle themselves from CIS aircraft. A squadron of 3 Napoleon heavy cruisers and 6 Forbin destroyers try to lend support, firing ERGMs at maximum range but are in turn hit by a swarm of Millennium missiles which cripples 2 cruisers and a destroyer. Approaching Confederate reinforcements soon relieve the pressure, allowing the heavily damaged ships to be towed back to New Britain. The squadron commander radios in the clear to Task Force 702-1: "We've never seen an action as gallant as the one you fought today."

Papua New Guinea:

With 450,000 troops now fighting in Papua New Guinea, SOUTHCOM has reorganized the ground forces for better control and coordination. The 11th and 36th LIDs will be under the JMAGTF and thus not under AFOH command. The XIX Corps will control the divisions in the Northern Front (52nd, 69th and 117th LIDs). The 3rd Army will now take control of the Southern Front with 2 corps: V Corps with the 1st and 2nd Marine Div, the 83rd and 106th LIDs, and 2 SAU divisions; and the Rapid Reaction Corps with the 51st and 53rd LIDs and 4 SAU divisions.

The Coalition offensives in the north and south have created a dangerous salient for the Millennium forces. The front now runs from Madang to the village of Usino, traces the Ramu River all the way to Noreikora, and forms an arch from this town to Soliabedo. It then follows the Purari River to the northwest up to Winja after which it veers to the west up to the border town of Erekta. Much of the frontline is 2,000 m above sea level.

Millennium units are dug in either behind the rivers, which form natural barriers, or on high ground, intending to make a stand on the rugged, mountainous terrain which equally hampers both attacker and defender. On the Coalition side, the JMAGTF is massed in strength on the east bank of the Ramu while spearheads probe the enemy defenses in Madang. The AFOH XIX Corps has shifted its axis of advance and now faces the Noreikora-Solabiedo arch. The RRC holds the positions on the west bank of the Purari, while V Corps occupies a large part of the Western Province of Papua.

After a massive artillery barrage and air strikes, JMAGTF divisions attack across a wide stretch of the Ramu. Millennium forces react quickly to try and throw the offensive back across the river. Because Millennium commanders consider the Confederates as the more dangerous force, heavy and elite units are quickly sent to this front. Far to the south, AFOH artillery also open up followed by Griffon air strikes. Leaving the SAU divisions to cover the southern shoulder of the salient, the RRC (with the 2 marine divisions attached for a total of 120,000 troops with 800 Martel MBTs, 1,600 Jaguar IFVs and 400 towed artillery) strikes the Millennium positions around Winja. The objective is to capture the major mountain cities of Wabag and Mount Hagen, and the Highlands Highway, which leads all the way to Madang. Once it links up with the JMAGTF it will form a pocket far bigger and containing more troops and equipment than the Cauldron.