Operation Reprisal: Disharmony

by Immortan Joe

Hoofington Incident Pt. 1 (Ambush)

“Goddamn...” Sergeant Rockwell of the 21st Bravo company shook his head when asked about the Hoofington Road skirmish. “Don’t even bring up that embarrassment, you’re going to make me blush.” He rolled his eyes sarcastically and leaned back into his chair.

“We were full of arrogance,” Said Lieutenant Henry Wells with a shame filled sigh. “After the landslide victory at the Iron Hoof Wall, a lot of our men had become complacent. Thought we already won the war...yet, when was the last war you heard of that was won with one skirmish?” He chuckled and shook his head. “No. The equines were far from finished.”

“Yeah, yeah, we may have gotten a little...arrogant but seriously. A hundred casualties, that’s all we took in the first assault! Second and third wave lost no one!” Rockwell said with great enthusiasm. “Reprisal is now number one on the list of most successful amphibious assaults in all of N. Alliance History! Of course the boys had let that go to their head!”

Henry leaned back in his chair and shrugged. “The point is cause of that, we drove head first into a disaster on Hoofington Road. If we had been with the entire battalion it hadn’t have been so bad. But...we were just a simple scouting party. One AAV and two Humvees. There was no way we were prepared for pincer maneuver.”

...

On April 3rd, 2062 the Terran’s People's Republic had successfully overrun the Iron Hoof wall and had begun to lay siege onto the Equine city known as “Las Pegasus.” With the city on the verge of capitulation, Supreme Commander, Arnold D. Weiser had ordered the 21st Bravo Battalion to lead a scouting expedition further ahead into mainland Equestria. However, with arrogance on their minds over the recent landslide victory, mankind had not expected for the Equestrians to lash out once more with brutal force.

:[-]:

“What I’m saying is...” Sergeant Rockwell took a breath. “We shouldn’t stick to the main roads, we should cut down a few side paths, maybe go through the woods. Who knows if we’re being watched.”

Henry took a breath and leaned back in his seat, his hand clutching onto the handrail as the AAV shook and bounced lightly over the larger holes in the dirt road. Gazing back down on the crudely drawn map generated by the overhead AWACs. “Understood, Sergeant,” The lieutenant looked up at the burly man who sat across from him. “But our orders are to stick the main roads, map out what we see and if possible disable any resistance that we may come in contact with.”

Rockwell blinked. “Are you fucking serious?”

“Watch your tone, Sergeant.” Henry looked at the man. “Believe me, I know what you’re thinking. But that’s the brass’s order.”

“So we’re the cannon fodder?” Said a corporal to their right, the two higher ups glanced at the younger boy who simply shrugged. “That don’t sound too bad, L.T. we’re fighting horses with pointy sticks and a couple brass guns.”

Henry sighed. “Guns that can take out a humvee wheel and leave our escorts out in the open.”

“But don’t worry lads,” Came the electronic voice of the driver through the loudspeaker. “Those prissy ass cannons won’t even dent the armor on old Shelly here.”

Both the sergeant and the lieutenant shook their heads. “Got a point there, we’re safe but those but our escorts are going to need to stay alert.”

“Lieutenant, we’re coming up onto a fork in the road. Which way we turning?” The driver called back.

Taking a breath Henry glanced down at the map. “If we take a right and head up north, within about ten miles we’ll arrive upon a small town. We could maybe go up that way, stop off about three miles before and traverse the rest on foot?” He glances up at the sergeant for suggestions.

“Or, L.T.” Rockwell rolled his soldiers and started to map out his own path with his finger. “We could maybe diverge, avoid the main road and cut through the forest and take a look.”

“How the hell are we going to shove two humvees and an armored transport through all that underbrush?” Henry asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Rockwell nodded. “We wouldn’t, we would stash the vehicles, keep some guards while the rest of us scout out the position,” He said as he used his finger to point out the potential route.

Henry jutted his bottom lip a bit in thought as he leaned over and contemplated the idea. Opening his mouth he was suddenly cut off by the .50 cal gunner shouting. “CONTACT LEFT!”

Suddenly the inner cabin of the AAV was a buzz with life as the soldiers instantly mounted the side guns. “Shoot the fuckers!” Rockwell shouted and not even a second to past as the fifty was unleashing a heavy stream of rounds into a nearby tree line.

A few moments of unrelenting gunfire and Henry began smacking his troops on the back. “Hold your fire, hold your fire––” Loud sharp bangs, followed by screeching metal rocked the AAV as a barrage of unknown artillery fire crashed against both ends of the armored vehicle.

“It’s a fucking ambush!” The driver said over the intercom. “Forward escort is reporting heavy damage on both sides, their back left wheel is shot out!”

“The fuck is he talking about?” Rockwell asked, Henry gulped and looked at him.

“Those fuckers took out Rapture’s wheel,” He clarified. “Those boys are fucking sitting ducks.” He looked at his men who were all looking at him with cocked eyebrows. Henry pointed to them. “Nobody goes outside, for all we know they have canister shells primed and ready to blast anyone who sets foot out there. I’m going to go check on the radio and see how Rapture’s holding up.” The men nodded and Henry turned to climb into the cockpit.

“Rapture, Rapture, this is Rhino, how copy over?” Henry heard the pilot speaking into the radio as he climbed up behind the driver seat.

“Sitrep?” Henry asked.

“Not good, Sir.” The man said, “Those Humvees aren’t equipped to withstand a barrage from Barnyard twenty pounders.” He shook his head and sighed.

“Are any of them still alive?” He asked, the man shrugged.

“I’ll keep trying them sir but I’m not too confident. From the visual monitor,” he tapped the screen above them displaying a tipped humvee which looked like it was smashed in by an abram. “It looked as if they were firing canister and standard rounds. Either those boys got shredded or they’re just unconscious.”

“What about rear escort, the Ranger Boys or whatever they called themselves?” Henry asked.

The man nodded and grabbed his radio. “Ranger, Ranger, this is Rhino, how copy over?”

A few moments passed before a small bit of static came through. “Nice and dandy, Rhino, we’re a bit upside down but...just a few cuts and bruises. How about you Over?”

Both men breathed a sigh of relief. “We’re fine, Ranger, those pissy batteries can’t even scrape this girl’s armor.” A few moments of silence passed.

“Y’know...some of us we’re wondering here...we ain’t at all safe here, mind if we––”

Henry snatched the radio. “Negative, Ranger, remain where you are, Equine forces are loaded with canister shells and will bombard the AO the second you place your pinkie toe on the dirt.” He sighed and handed the radio back over.

“R-roger that, I was afraid you’d say that...” the radio fell silent.

“Have you contacted Command yet?” Henry asked the pilot, the man shook his head.

“AWACs went to refuel, and the radio tower hasn’t finished construction yet. By 12:00 hours we’ll be in the dark.” Henry took a breath and straightened himself out. “Sir, by all means, if we can get close enough, we can probably get the guys from Ranger and check on Rapture before ripping back to Command.”

Henry rubbed the stubble on his chin. “I don’t know, I wish we could, but they’re just too many variables.” He took a deep breath and shook his head. “I’ll discuss it with the sergeant.”

:[-]:

Henry and Rockwell gathered the men around and gestured towards the crudely drawn map. “Alright, Girls, this is what we know of so far.” Rockwell said as he looked up at his men and two single women in his squad." He tapped the map. "The Barnyard animals have situated forces all around us; we’re surrounded. Judging by the amount of damage dealt to both escorts and the speed in which we took impact, we can roughly estimate that their forces are stationed no further than a couple hundred meters away on all sides.” Rockwell gestured with his finger by tracing a rough circle around their position.

A brief silence fell over them, after a few moments a corporal spoke up. “What about Rapture and Ranger, how are they holding up?” he asked.

Rockwell took a breath. “From what the L.T. says, Rapture ain’t doing so hot, Ranger though is fine but are probably having blood rush to their heads.”

Henry nodded and looked at the troops. “As of yet we haven’t been able to make communication with command due AWACs being out for the next few hours and if those men in lab coats are right, it’s going to be dark within the next two hours. Which by that point Command will already know something isn’t right.”

“Are we going to check on the others and try and rescue them?” Another trooper asked.

Both Henry and Rockwell nodded. “I was just about to get to that, once the sun goes down and night settles in we’ll get them. Unless these horses have N.O.Ds or some shit we should be fine.” The men chuckled and nodded their heads.

Henry smiled himself and shared competent look with Rockwell who in turn nodded his head. “Alright, then. Roger, Baker, you two watch our flanks. Caroline, I want you on that 50s controls, rest of you rest up!”

:[-]:

Henry climbed back into the cockpit of the armored craft at the sound of the pilot communicating over the radio. “Negative, Rhino, reinforcements is a no go. I repeat a no go; we cannot risk any more unnecessary casualties.”

“Bullshit!” The driver cursed before grasping the radio. “We’re sitting ducks out here, goddammit! Two humvees lost and a squad trapped outside, and we’re surrounded!”

“I’m sorry to hear that Rhino, but Command is focusing more on taking the coastal cities, over.” The radio man on the AWACs replied.

Henry took the radio. “What about air support? If they can at least kill or scare off our attackers that would at least make it so we can get out on our own.”

A few moments of silence past. “May I ask who is speaking? Over.”

Henry took a breath. “This is Lieutenant Henry Wells of Echo Company, over.”

“Shit, what are you doing with a scouting party? Over.”

“I volunteered, now can you fucking check if we can get some bloody air support? Over.” Henry sighed shook his head and a few moments of silence past.

“CONTACT EAST!” A shout came from the rear cabin followed by rapid shots coming from the side mounted machine gun. Henry looked back and scowled.

“Oh shit...” The pilot muttered and Henry turned to see the man looking at the visual monitor displaying a thermal image of what looked like an entire Equestrian battalion charging towards them.

Above Henry heard the mounted controlled .50 cal fire a barrage into the bonzai charging army. “Smoke screen,” Henry said as he looked down to the pilot. “Deploy smoke, obscure their vision and put this thing in reverse.” The driver nodded and shifted the assault vehicle into reverse before deploying a series of black and white smoke around the craft. Henry snatched up the radio. “Ranger, this is Rhino, Equine forces are converging on us!”

“You fucking think?!” The man on the radio replied, his voice nearly overwhelmed by the sound of repetitive gun fire.

Henry watched monitor as hundreds of armored Equestrians came rushing out of the trees and from over the hills, most of them running blindly through the smoke as they tried to near the vehicle. He brought the radio up to his mouth. “Gather your men, we’ll be on you in just a few moments, whatever you do, try not to make yourselves seen!”

“Roger that! But not being seen is a no go! The fuckers are all over us––fuck we got a DnD wizard! Put the bitch down!”

Henry looked on the monitor just in time to see a couple unicorns casually walking towards the fray, their horns glowing bright on the thermal imagery, a bubble like aura occasionally flashing as modern day ammunition bounced off the protective shield as if they meant nothing. Henry cursed. And ran back to the cabin. “Focus on those fucking unicorns! If they get closer we’re fucking done for!” He ordered the gunners, he turned and climbed back into the cockpit.

“Sir we’re right on top of Ranger, I’ll be opening the doors in just a moment.” The pilot said and deployed a second wave of smoke.

Henry nodded and snatched up the radio. “Ranger! Gather your boys, we’re opening the doors!” He said but received no response. “Ranger!” He hailed them again. A loud screeching bang shook the entire craft as equine artillery shell struck the craft, followed by another, and another. “Ranger you still better be fucking alive!” Henry growled into the radio as he eyed the three unicorns still approaching the craft, their horns flaring as three boulders came into view. Henry looked in disbelief as the unicorns whipped the massive stones at the craft.

The entire AAV lurched with each impact, the digital display flickering with every hit. “Dammit, Ranger––” Henry was interrupted by a wave of static.

“Open the fucking doors!” A younger, and very panicked voice yelled over the radio.

The pilot immediately lurched forward and opened all doors on the craft, within seconds the back, main door fell open with a heavy thud and out of the smoke came two lower ranking troopers, along with an onslaught of Equine soldiers.

“Open fire” Rockwell shouted. “Don’t let these Barnyard fucks on the craft!” Raising his rifle, he and every other soldier, began to fire at anything on four legs that came out of the smoke.

Quickly one of the two soldiers that ran onto the craft came into the cabin, it was a young female. “Close the doors!” She says her face looking panicked and tear stricken.

“What about the others?” Both the pilot and Henry asked.

“They’re fucking dead! Close the doors!” Henry looked to the pilot who then hesitated before nodding his head and activating the doors. Another succession of sharp bangs rattle against the side of the AAV, each hit shaking the vehicle with each hit.

Henry bit his lip, they were moving the cannons closer, it was only a matter of time now before they fully converge on them. “Pull this thing back, we’re getting the hell out of here!” He yelled just as another unicorn slammed the assault craft with another boulder, causing the men and women inside to stumble back.

The driver nodded and shifted the craft into reverse and began pulling back away from the carnage. Moving back by about a meter the ground beneath the craft shifted and churned before suddenly giving away. Yelping out loud as the craft slid off its wheels before rolling into the magically appearing sinkhole, Henry would find himself slamming back first into the side of the interior walls.

“What the fuck was that?!” The driver yelled, his voice panicked. Trying to contain his own composure, Henry doesn’t respond but instead snatches the radio.

“Where the fuck is our air support?!” Henry snarls into the radio. “We’re getting eaten alive out here!” Outside he could hear the repetitive thumps and smacks of hooves and weapons slamming against the AAV, as the Equestrians tried to rip their way inside with such primitive tools.

“CROW is down, Sir!” The woman controlling the fifty shouted from the back. “I can’t shoot them off!” Henry gritted his teeth and balled his hand into a fist, his patience for a reply teetering off the edge. Though before he could rip whoever was listening a new one, the radio began static.

“Echo team this is Phantom Pain we will be launching in ten mikes, what are your coordinates?” Suddenly the entire assault craft was filled with joy and tears as each and every marine began fist pumping the air and high fiving each other.

The driver blinked and looked at Henry. “Holy shit, why the Hell is Brass sending the Phantom in?” He muttered but Henry didn’t reply, grinning from ear to ear, he brought the radio up to his mouth.

“Nice to hear from you Phantom! You’re a fucking life saver!” Henry laughed as he lowered the radio and checked the visual monitor, from what he could make out from the dust, he could see the equines pulling off the AAV and climbing out of the sinkhole. “Just in time, looks like they’re regrouping.” He glanced at the driver and tapped his shoulder. “Start getting the coordinates down and ready to transmit.” He ordered just as the radio began to static once more.

“Godfather, to Echo, how copy over?” Henry’s heart lept into his throat and he brought the radio immediately back up.

“Echo here, you’re loud and clear. Over.” Henry gulped, that sounded like Commander Weiser.

“Ya’mind giving me a sitrep on your situation, over?” Henry bit his lower lip a little harder, his teeth feeling as if they were about to break skin, this wasn’t going to look good on his record at all. Glancing once more at the visual monitor, he unfortunately couldn’t see any Equine activity, they were possibly preparing for another attack. Taking a deep breath Henry started to explain their situation.

“So you were ambushed? Over.” The Supreme Commander asked as if he couldn’t believe it.

Henry took a breath and nodded despite no one seeing. “Affirmative, over.”

“So two escorts and an AAV out of commission, sounds to me you just handed the enemy some high valuable equipment, Lieutenant. Over.” The commander didn’t sound pleased at all, and quite honestly, that was to be expected.

“Coordinates are ready, sir, I’ll be transmitting them now.” The driver told Henry before getting to work. Still looking at the visual screen he knew all too well they were sending Phantom Pain.

“Affirmative sir, may I ask what your orders are? Over.” Henry lowered the radio.

“I need you and your troops secure those damn escorts, and neutralize any of those four legged fucks! If they get their germ ridden mouths on any of those weapons it may just extend this war! Do you copy?”

Henry took a deep breath. “I copy.”

“Good. Out.”

Comments

[Scarheart]

Pretty confusing, as any battle should be.

[Carpinus Caroliniana]

"Over and out" is incorrect radio protocol. It should simply be "out".

That said I do like this story. Will we see the "present" of this setting? Maybe Equestria and the Terran Alliance are now allies like Germany and the US.

[I am a fake]

Nanananananananana HUMANS VS PONIIIIES!!!! Kill all of the cute horses HUMANS VS PONIES!!!! They just wanted to be friends!

Nice story, IGN 10/10

[Earthpatriot117]

When next update?

[DOOMRIDER]

So I take it this is kind of a dead end story now. I had such high hopes for it as well. That's a pity.

[Immortan Joe]

8125368 Things tend to happen when you're a busy person

[theflammablefiredragon]

This is actually one of the best Pon v Human I've ever seen. Please, continue!

[Earthpatriot117]

When next AWESOME update?

[Earthpatriot117]

When next AWESOME updates!?

[John wulf]

So is it safe to say it's abandoned?

[StuffBuddy]

8126449
Bro u there? This is a really good story and id hate to see it abandoned

[Luna MacArthur]

Goddamnit. Another great story with lots of potential abandoned. Makes me sad every-damn-time.