War of the Worlds - the Reality

[johnc]

http://www.donaldsensing.com/index.php/2005/07/06/report-from-task-force-smith/

 

BATTLE REPORT 07052005 1533Z

 

TASK FORCE SMITH

 

1. Upon arriving at the defensive area assigned to TF SMITH, units took up strong positions at the intersection of I-95 and Castledown Avenue. Combat vehicles were able to assume hull defilade due to assistance of TF 2011 ENG (NJARNG).

 

2. As directed TF SMITH prepared to hold assigned positions against MARTIAN attack and on order withdraw to reinforce 1BDE, 24 INF DIV (MECH).

 

3. MARTIAN tripods appeared on sensor screens at 1602 local, 4 Jul 05. Eight series of six MARTIAN tripods progressed at an oblique angle to TF SMITH’s main defensive line, heading southwest. At 1605 hrs I commanded the BN FSO to take the tripods under indirect fire.

 

A. Using Copperhead, laser-guided antitank rounds, 2-92FAR engaged the tripods with 155mm fire at six-second intervals. GLLD beams from friendly observation teams guided each round onto the top of a tripod beginning with the downwind tripod. It took two or three rounds of artillery fire to destroy each tripod. Reports that the tripods were protected by a so-called “force field” proved false. The tripods appeared very lightly armored, if indeed they were armored at all. Of the 48 tripods, 13 were destroyed in the initial artillery fires before the others dropped to the ground and sought concealment behind bridges, buildings or small hills.

 

B. At this time four PREDATOR unmanned aircraft were flown overhead by the division FSE, each armed with two HELLFIRE missiles. Despite the loss of one Predator from enemy heat ray fire and the enemy’s use of smoke as an attempt to conceal their locations, five missiles found their targets, bringing the number of undamaged tripods down to 30.

 

C. I directed A CO to advance along our left boundary to destroy enemy tripods that seemed to be attempting an escape to the southwest at a high rate of speed. Using TTS, A CO’s M1A1 tanks were able to engage six tripods at approximately 2,000 meters with APFSDS rounds. The depleted uranium, long-penetrator rods ripped through the tripods with ease, destroying four within a minute. The remaining two tripods attempted to engage A CO with heat ray, and while several buildings were burned to cinder, A CO’s tanks were able to evade the rays. The enemy could not fire while seeking cover from the tanks’ main guns, which enabled A CO to destroy the remaining two tripods by flanking them after they went to ground to escape 120mm cannon fire.

 

D. While A CO was destroying its six targets, B and C COS destroyed three more tripods with main gun fire, while five tripods were dropped to earth by BRADLEY 25mm fire severing legs of the tripods. Of the five tripods so dropped, three were destroyed by cannon fire after hitting the earth, one detonated upon impact and the third was captured nearly intact by SSG Marshall, leading a BRADLEY section. Sixteen MARTIANS apparently survived the crash; they were shot they tried to crawl from the wreck.

 

E. While this was going on, B CO suffered its first loss of the engagement when a heat ray struck the turret ammo bustle of an ABRAMS tank commanded by SSG Habash. The ammunition exploded, filling the crew compartment with smoke. The crew evacuated the tank and were picked up by a nearby BRADLEY. While maneuvering to pick the ABRAMS crew up, the BRADLEY TOW gunner fired a missile which struck the tripod at the juncture of its front leg and the tripod body. This apparently is a weak spot, for this strike resulted in a catastrophic explosion which left little remaining of the tripod or its inhabitants.

 

F. The remaining 15 tripods were successfully channelized to the center of the defensive kill zone by artillery firing more COPPERHEAD and WP, the former destroying four and the latter being used when battle smoke became too dense to employ laser-guided weapons any longer. WP seems to blunt the tripods’ sensor systems, which never have seemed very good. When the remaining 11 tripods converged at sector center, they began firing heat rays fairly wildly, striking a BRADLEY of C CO apparently by accident. Sadly, the BRADLEY began to burn fiercely almost instantly and no one aboard survived. These were TF SMITH’S only KIA.

 

G. Due to the superiority of its battle sensors, TF SMITH’S tanks and BRADLEYS continued to engage the enemy without serious adverse effect on targeting capability. By 1646 hrs local, all 11 tripods were destroyed.

 

4. TF SMITH is GREEN in all areas of combat capability, maintenance and supply and is prepared now for additional combat missions, provided there are any enemy tripods actually left to fight. Too bad for them the MARTIANS are using million-year-old technology.