“Just keep the convoy moving!” He yelled as his driver. The tracked vehicle thundered through the thick undergrowth as blaster fire reigned down on them.
“Three or four guerillas out to the east!” shouted one of his men and blaster fire started to erupt back from the convoy into the thick jungle. The attacks were becoming more frequent now – whether these were the indigenous descendants of the pioneers or New Republic special forces they couldn't tell – but incidents like this had tripled in the last month. Spotting one of their camouflaged attackers he took careful aim and squeezed off a few shots. The exposed soldier tried to run but a hail of fire gunned him down.
“Oh by the Force . . .” his driver moaned. He looked ahead to see that their path had been blocked.
“Form up! Wyvern squad go ahead and clear the path!” came an order on the comms.
“We'll never survive out of the vehicles!”
“Cease fire! We have further instructions. Cease Fire!”

The young soldier lowered his weapon as ordered and peered out into the undergrowth. The convoy was exposed, stationary and vulnerable, he couldn't imagine why they had to cease fire. Then there was an explosion in the distance, then another. No more blaster fire came their way, but the sound was still coming from out in the jungle. And all of a sudden it stopped.

A few moments a handful of imperials, decked in battered and hastily camouflaged stormtrooper gear sauntered out into the open. One of them approached the lead vehicle and looked directly at him. One eyepiece was missing from the stormtrooper helmet and the lone visible eye held his gaze for a moment.

“Get that road blockage cleared and get shifting. These parts are riddled with hostile.” Advised the trooper in a clear and calm voice. The troopers comrades were now pulling enemy corpses out into the open. One of them was still alive and started begging, but was shot without mercy.

“Who the hell are they?” The young soldier asked the driver.

“Ghosts.”

“Ghosts?”

“You're new here aren't you? Rumour is they were special forces, brought in to clear the guerillas out months and months ago. That didn't go so well obviously. Now they're a law unto themselves, roam the wilder parts of Thyveck routing out the Republic cells whenever they can. Phoenix platoon they used to be called I think.”


******



Thveck is the fourth moon of the lone gas giant in a relatively inconspicuous system. That system just happens lie within a short jump of one of the main hyperspace routes out of Vast Empire space. Many years ago a naval outpost was built in orbit and a hasty plan was put together to reform the arid planet for human habitation. Its location would make an ideal trading outpost.

The terraforming process never got fully under way and today habitable “islands” sit in a sea of sand, rocks and mountains. Pioneers were brought in to explore and tame the new world and the host of flora and fora brought in to fill the world.

When the Vast Empire navy moved to take the base as part of VE expansion they found it guarded by two Golan stations and the “Thyveck Bastion” city. A fortress on the moon which provided shielding for the stations and weapons capable of bringing down a ship from orbit. After a bloody battle the stations and the fortress were captured. The army occupied the Bastion whilst the navy rebuilt the stations. The Republic had been planning for this for months, the local population – descendants of those hardy pioneers – had been indoctrinated to fight back against their new imperial governors. Armed and assisted by NR special forces they dispersed into the wilder regions of the moon and started a vicious campaign against the Vast Empire. They new the land well and had the support of the local populace, somehow the Republic was constantly able to smuggle in arms, fresh soldiers and supplies.

Phoenix platoon was brought in six months ago to bring an end to this and route out all rebellion. They were not enough. The E45's were found to be hopelessly unreliable in the conditions on Thyveck, the LAAT's soon broke down and we were all but forgotten about. The war front moved on and Thyveck was left behind; command content as long as the naval base and Bastion city held. Phoenix are still on world, using E-11's and whatever armour and equipment they can fix and utilise they still wage war on the insurgents.

OOC:

This campaign will start fairly soon. Its a small jump into the future as we find out squads battle weary, but hardened. It will be competitive and each squad will have a series of missions to complete that will change the outcome of the campaign. As the mission goes on the Republic make a full blown effort to retake Thyveck. We will have to defeat the Republic, or destroy Thyveck Bastion before it can fall into their hands.

Map of thyveck. Grey is civilian outpost, Purple are the routes we try to keep open. Red indicates the heaviest enemy action.


Thyveck Bastion. The reason we hold the moon. It generates a shield to protect the orbital defences as well as supplying firepower of it's own.

One extra Rule:

-10pts for the squad for every active (non leave) member who doesnt post on the story in any week.

It's coming soon guys!

If anyone has any story or background issues they wish to discuss, please ask her or alternatively pm me!

expect a map update later today.

New rules on bonus points:

No post in a week: -10
Two posts in a week: +2
Three+ post in a week: +5