Afghanistan, April 2011
Stationed in Camp Spear, roughly fifty miles north of Kandahar City, Afghanistan, lays the composite forces of two battalions- the Canadian 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, and the US 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment- very different in their creation, and...well, disagreeing on certain matters, yet friendly enough. They form what is unofficially known as the "Devil's Brigade"- a harkening back to the days of WW2, when Canadian and US forces fought side by side in the US. Army's First Special Service Force- as a grouping comparable to the Rangers of the time. While their operations today are very different, that is where the similarity ends- the men and women of the "Brigade" forming a formidable anvil indeed against enemy forces, with both new recruits and veterans aware of the threats they face.
The troop surge by the US seen a year before has seen a wide ripple of effects turn Kandahar Province from a resurgent area of the country, with patrols getting hairy on more than one occasion, despite multiple IED factories and weapons caches being destroyed. It doesn't stand for much it seems- because it hasn't put the Taliban off, and an above-average harvest of Opium has bought them more than enough resources to pool into local recruitment process, buying AKs, explosive materials and other equipment required to fight a guerrilla war- and fight it well. Canadian and US Marines forces are becoming slowly withered, and are being pushed from the areas they had liberated weeks earlier, in the troop surge. They are seeing the Taliban risk attacking Camp Spear, a relatively isolated fortification compared to Camp Bastion and other significant outposts in the area.
So the unexpected is counted on. The Canadians and US Marines at Camp Spear are rallied to join the operation to take the Maz-i-Afar Valley, in the southern Hindu Kush, to the north of the province. The mission is known as Operation Talon's Claw, the purge that despite reduced troop numbers, and capability, proves itself to be the one timed when the Taliban least wanted it, and yet the one that proves Afghanistan's merciless brutality once more. The last operation, before they leave- the last purge to at least make the situation clearer to the Taliban that the ANA and ISAF forces can indeed push and hold their ground when asked. Yet for the next two weeks, the soldiers are to be pushed into a fight that will suddenly become one of the most ferocious conflicts of recent times in Afghanistan, with the soldiers of both battalions pushed far beyond what is asked of them.
Our story focuses on Charlie Squad, 1st Platoon, 3rd Battalion (Canada). However, due to an organizational shift, they have been pitched in their platoon as half-American, half-Canadian, as a troop exchange between the two battalions, that has been seen to be quite successful. As tactics and equipment is fairly similar between the two units, this non-standard pairing has been seen to work, and hence, the squad is half filled with Canadians, and the other half with Americans. They've been working in the area with a Canadian Provsional Reconstruction Team (PRT), so this is a big jump up for them- rather than protecting Engineers, they're on the vanguard of the offensive.
3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment- Light Infantry
-By Standard, armed with a Colt C7A2 Rifle, or Colt C8A1 Carbine. Automatic Riflemen use the C9 LMG (FN Minimi) OR the C6 GPMG (FN MAG), and Marksmen either use the C14 Timberwolf, or Parker-Hale M82. Grenadiers add a M203 GL to their rifles/carbines. Usually use C79 Combat Optics, or soldiers privately buy EOTech Holographic Weapon Sights, or Aimpoint Red Dot Sights. The Carl Gustav M3 is used by the Anti-Tank/Anti-Fortification man. The Pointman of the team will use a rifle/carbine, and a shotgun- namely the 870 Tactical.
-They wear CADPAT Arid Fatigues.
-As light infantry, they use lighter vehicles. Normally, they used G-Wagens for rapid transport, but increased IED threats have restricted the use of this to mere corresponding work. They use the LAV III, the older AVGP vehicle, the recently acquired Cougar for patrol and assault work, with support from Canadian Chinooks and the US Marines' gunship support.
-By standard, tend to be busy being Canadian. Couldn't research that one.
US 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment- Marine Infantry
-By Standard, armed with either the M4 Carbine, the M4A1 Carbine, or the M16A4 Rifle. Automatic Rifleman is usually armed with the M27 IAR (Very Recent), M249 LMG, or M240B GPMG. Marksman is usually armed with M39 EBR, or Mk11 Marksman Rifle. Grenadier adds an M203 to their rifle/carbine- with soldiers issued by standard a M68 Collminator Sight, or Aimpoint CompM2. Alternatively, a Trijicon ACOG, or in specialist circumstances, a EOTech Holographic Weapon Sight can be acquired. The SMAW is used as an Anti-Fortfication/Anti-Vehicle weapon- and the Pointman uses either the 870MCS, or the M1014 JSRS shotgun alongside a rifle.
-Wear MARPAT Desert Fatigues
-As a US Marine unit, they can rely on significant USMC firepower. They use Cougars and HMMWV M1151 Vehicles for patrol, while using AAV-7A1 and LAV-25 vehicles for heavier assaults, among others- with the unit being able to call on UH-1Y Venom and Sea Knight transport. AH-1 SuperCobras also stand on support, for any CAS or gun requests.
-OORAH, MAFUCKERS
Squad Roles:
Fireteam One:
Squad Leader/Grenadier (Canada): Staff Sergeant James "Chaplain" Bishop, kingkonrad
Designated Marksman/2IC (Canada): Corporal Zackary "Zack" Pelletier
Corpsman/Medic (US Navy): Petty Officer 3rd Class (Corpsman) Claire Duke
Anti-Tank Rifleman (US): Pvt. Nathaniel Jennison
Automatic Rifleman (US): Corporal Alexander Westfield
Name: James "Chaplain" Bishop
Age: 32
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Appearance James
James stands at about 6"1, being a fairly well rounded man, being seen wearing the standard Canadian BDU in Afghanistan, up to 2011 standards. He usually wears a pair of red Oakley sunglasses, over the yellow tint ballistic goggles, for personal reasons, as well as a pair of Oakley SI tactical gloves, bought personally. He has brown eyes and a dark brown hair, though it is shaved very short, as well as a clean shaven face. He has a particular scar on his left arm, that goes from the wrist to the forearm, from a prior training injury.
Weaponry:
Colt C8A1 Carbine
-EOTech 552 Holographic Weapon Sight, 3X Magnifier (Privately Bought)
-M203 Grenade Launcher
-AN-PEQ/15 Laser Designator
-Surefire XM300 Flashlight
FN Hi-Power Pistol
KA-BAR Becker BK3 Knife
-Cuts through straps, lines and people (when in extreme CQC).
Equipment:
CADPAT Arid BDU (Helmet, Plate Carrier, Uniform)
10x 5.56 STANAG Magazines (8 Regular, 2 Tracer)
15x 40mm HE Grenades
2x White Smoke
1x Blue Smoke
1x Red Smoke
1x Green Smoke
3x Chem Lights (Blue, Red, Green)
Radio Headset
1L Camelpak (CADPAT Camo)
Petzl Headtorch
Night Vision Goggles
CADPAT Arid Assault Pack
Holster for Hi-Power
Holster for BK3
Bio: Born in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, James was born to a lumberjack and a schoolteacher, his father and mother respectively. Being in the middle of nowhere, apart from school, there was nothing to do, apart from explore or fuck around- and he did both perhaps, in excess. He was a youthful delinquent, in the boring town, but found his place when he left High School for University, in Vancouver, British Columbia. He quit in his first year, disliking the study he undertook, instead taking an alternative route in the Canadian Army. He was involved in the Invasion of Iraq with the 3rd Battalion, rising to the rank of Corporal, and finding his own niche, a tough lifestyle he had taken forwards since he was young. He had always been active and curious about staying in the outdoors, with his father who took him out into the Boreal Forests, and the military felt like it was a perfect way to see a world beyond his cold and wooded home. While Iraq was completely the opposite, another tour later in 2008, the last in Iraq, put him in good stead to become a Sergeant. In 2010, he was deployed to Afghanistan with the Battalion, and ranked up to Staff Sergeant, gaining his own Squad- Charlie, of which was not yet entirely filled with forces. So as a part of a combined-troop sharing deal, James took a set of US Marines from the 5th Marine Battalion into his squad, as some other squads did- recreating the classic "Devil's Brigade" structure of mixed Canadian and American forces in one fighting unit. He visits home sometimes, and seems to have quite a strong Canadian accent, not being a city boy at all. His nickname, "Chaplain", comes from two sources- his Surname being semi-related to the nickhame, as well as the fact that he tends to be rather guiding to new soldiers, and acts as the Squad's Chaplain of sorts, in matters involving anything that troubles them, from moral support to general moaning.
Personality (Optional): James is fairly well-tempered, calm and speaks decisively when required. He is a trustworthy individual, someone to confide into and even in a world where men are men, James is prepared to listen and hear out any of his fellow soldiers concern, earning him his nickname for giving advice and moral support in the worst of times, from girlfriends to personal problems. He can sometimes perhaps act recklessly on the rare occasion, but doesn't threaten the lives of his own men- usually more himself than anyone. This isn't to say he is the most courageous solider alive- but perhaps moreover, a lucky one. He does have a good intelligence of the situation around him, and his fondness for being outside, as well as his active condition, means he doesn't mind staying in the dirt for long periods of time.
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Rank: (Most are likely to be Private/Corporal/Master Corporal, no higher unless 2IC)
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