senior officer Mikael van Atta

Same loadout as Teresa's for 8-Ball, please. It is a good loadout. And take along his medical bag (we'll drop it for safekeeping at the town hall, can't really haul it along with the Viper).

It would be useful to have an Auto-GL on the team, as a fire-support weapon (well, more a crowd suppression weapon, since it should be loaded with flashbang, teargas and/or smokes if we have these - and if we have an ACPA-compatible Auto-GL. We don't need whatever pintle gun the Airjeep normally carries, so there might be lift capacity available). TJ seems to be the best-trained person to operate it. And 14,5mm, especially on autofire, should be able to deal with anything that isn't a proper armored vehicle. 

Note to anyone save for TJ (given he knows what those puppies can do way better than 8-Ball): hope these batons are electrified (for a taser-like stun effect), and we merely tap them gently against anyone we decide to club with these. And even then, not to the head. We aren't expert trained in PA operation, and even a lightweight ACPA like Viper has STR 16 - every hand-to-hand attack we make will have relatively enough oomph behind it as two reasonably strong people. Meaning we'll be breaking bones and caving skulls in on anyone who isn't a well-augmented cyborg with every hit, unless we're extra careful (and even then, accidents happen). 

Questions:

• Technically, are we (save for TJ, he's in his element here) competent enough to use martial arts while wearing the Vipers? 
• Has the aerial recon picked up (or do intel gained form Eureka loyalists in the town hall indicate) any heavy weapons on the ground?
• Has the aerial recon picked up (or do intel gained form Eureka loyalists in the town hall indicate) any vehicles that don't fit in there? I assume there are several desert deathmobiles and light trucks / pickups and the like (the mob had to come in somehow, and it wasn't on foot. Not likely to be on horseback either, at least not all of them) that won't match against what should be in Eureka, but they do fit. Proper combat vehicles (well, or technicals with visible heavy weapons) don't.

Now, keep in mind that information is what we got intel on.

• If the answer to either one is a positive, we should assume it is true. Better safe than sorry.
• If the answer to either one is negative, it means only that so far none has been observed. Meaning they may still pop up once the things get heated (more likely on the man-portable heavy weapons than combat vehicles. Matter of being easier to hide).
• If the answer is we don't know, assume it a positive. Until confirmed otherwise. It would also mean we're coming in way more blind than I would like.

13 hours ago, Allen1 said:

Monday, December 24, 2074:  The City of Wells holds a surprise unveiling of a small monument in the Western Heritage Park across the street from the El Rancho Hotel, Bar & Casino in honor of the first anniversary of (what is known locally as) The Battle of the Sunflower Fields.  On it is carved likenesses of the Dacian Wolf and the GMI HoverTransport on a field of sunflowers.  The names of Cossack, the crews of those two hover vehicles and all the Team members including US Marshals that help defend the town last year are also carved in that stone.  (The sculpture was created by Mia Miller, 8-Ball's wife.)  The City Council presents all of named people on the monument and Mitzi with a Proclamation of Thanks.

🤣 "Jayne, the man they called Jayne..." 🤣

Now, regarding the situation in Eureka - 8-Ball will of course come with the first dispatch Airjeep.

We'll need clear Rules of Engagement. We seem to have a potential policing action, rather than a military op, on our hands (well, or it may turn into a military action quick...). I mean - we do have the assets (air support, hovertanks) to totally massacre a mob of lightly armed people, but if they are some form of locals or other "civillians", we don't want them massacred. Bad for Eureka County, bad for Whyte Hats PR, bad for Teresa's career, simply - bad. Also, we'd be likely to demolish the town if deploy such assets with heavy weapons.

What do we know about the "armed mob" - are they more or less local people, or did our wanted men brought themselves a force from an outside? Outside mob may mean for example Desert Devils in disguise, or maybe folks form a different county. If we talk "several hundred people", they have to be at least partially from outside of the town (I assume here the population of Eureka doesn't differ much from the IRL 2018 census, which showed the town to be a little shy of 500 people, and the entire county slightly more than 1800... and that includes a lot of folks who aren't combat-capable).

8-Ball is going to voice his opinion that if possible, we would better be dispersing them using police tactics for riot / crowd suppression, than attacking them as a combat force as per military tactics. Angry mob or not, if we're not talking Desert Devils in disguise, no-one is going to be happy with a few hundred dead local taxpayers. And that's what's going to happen if we deploy military-grade firepower against them.

Suppressing them and scaring them into giving the insurrection up is the preferable course of action.

Sure, in the long run nobody is going to mind a few leaders / frontmen of the mob getting shot dead while conducting an armed insurrection (especially given the ex-Under Sheriff is a wanted man, and the ex-Comissioner Barker is clearly in league with him), but 8-Ball suggests that deadly force should be used with surgical precision. We should have the means to apply it en masse if necessary (because if situation turns to that, we won't be having time to request additional means), but it shouldn't be our first resort. 

Do our vehicles have loudspeakers? If not, we need to take along handheld ones. I'd love to have air support outfitted with riot suppression ordnance (teargas bombs or eqiuvalent) if we have these available. But standard heavy ordnance has to be carried as well- there won't be time to re-arm, and we might need to bust a vehicle, or a building (or a large group of people... I hope not!).

It would be crucial to know if the angry mob is carrying anti-air weapons (MANPADS, heavy machineguns like .50cal or better). If not (or not likely, according to the intel available), then AVs (other than open-topped Airjeeps) and drones may operate with reasonable impunity (small arms fire shouldn't bother them much). Facing off against AV-4 or AVX-9 without having weapons that can actually harm them should have a powerful psychological effect.

8-Ball will also point out (again) to Teresa that it is likely to get ugly court-wise, once the dust settles down. Some may - and in 8-Ball's assessement, will - want to get her ass fried over how she handels the situation. We'll need records - admissable as court evidence - showing that we were doing the proper thing. Also, if judge Morris and / or comissioner Morris requested us to act in Eureka (which is outside Whyte Hats agreed area of operations), and if they have mandated the use of deadly force in military-grade amounts, we need to have that registered as evidnece. "By all means necessary" is not a statement good enough: as her for specific declarations. Does "all means" include use of heavy weapons, air strikes, artillery, weapons of mass destruction (which we don't have, and no one in their right mind would authorize. But we should ask about it, and have the Eureka authorities response recorded, yay or nay. It is, again, the paper trail to cover Teresa's butt after the situation is over. Yes, I don't exclude the possiblity that someone - most likely the elderly comissioner Morris - would actually clear us to nuke the assilants to Kingdom Come - which, I expect, would later fly in court as an evidence the man wasn't in his right mind while doing so... again, pefectly understandable of him, given the circumstances). It will be then up to Teresa's knowledge of the law to tell whether the Morrises - with the positions they hold - are even authorized to give us such clearances! But not exceeding the clearances given by Eureka authorities would be pretty important once we have to face an investigation. And if we exceed them, have the evidence showing it was the right thing to do. And that we applied moderation in use of the force available to us. 

Given the scale of the problem, I assume a court wouldn't even blink to any non-permanent injuries, or pumping the town chock-full of riot-suppression agents (like teargas). But any dead bodies need to come with a good reason behind them.

How far have they managed to get to? Into the town of Eureka itself? Given that the Morrises and their supporters are barricaded in the city hall, it sounds like they did...

8-Ball intends the Trade Town militia for defense within city walls (and immediately outside it), including defense of fortified positions. They don't have the training or resources (primarily, manpower) for patrolling far outside. But if they could pony up a technical or two (or if we could provide such vehicles), a limited mobile response force could be useful.

Important aspects of the training will be also:

• security procedures (for policing duties)
• preventing and dealing with enemy infiltration.

He insists on having at least one person per squad competent in First Aid. I guess getting them to Wells to give them a Teacher run isn't feasible, so it will have to be doen the old-fashioned way. Luckily, they should be mroe than motivated to learn it, given the aftermatch of the Petrochem raid.

Regarding both Wells and Trade Town militias, it would be desirable to give them an organic drone component, as a part of their HQ sections. Militech Bulldog (the one from NeoTribes - or equivalent model) drones would be IMO adequate: inexpensive, reasonably low-maintenance, they will allow both militas to have their own "eyes in the sky". Sure, for now they don't have trained operators, and Whyte Hats (and allied assets) provide them with aerial & orbital surveillance they won't be ever able to deploy on their own, but 8-Ball would advise they should have that capability. Eyes-in-the-sky are the most important element, they may up it to drones with strike capability further down the road if they feel the need (and have the budget). 

A set of two Bulldog RPVs and a HUD control kit runs at 2500e$, per the books. For the Wells Militia, 8-Ball is willing to fund it out of his own pocket (as he is formally a member of this force. Given they are a Wells militia, it may well be a stationary / non-portable contol rig), if the Wells Militia HQ is willing to assign personnel to such duties (the drone / aerial recon section is defintely an asset to be deployed on the Militia HQ level).

If the 4th commando's (offtopic: they do call themselves "The Wells Pool Association" by now, I guess - a tongue-in-cheek reference to their's commander's nickname / callsign) RTO (i.e. the 3rd man in the commando's HQ) shows any talent for drone operations, 8-Ball will fund a portable HUD control rig and a small recon drone (PseudoDragon or eqivalent: a small, recon-only flyer) should run 1300-1500e$.

Since we're at that: he is also willing to fund 4 personal communicators (walkie-talkie-equivalents, one each for 4th squad leaders and one for the HQ section), and a (probably surplus) shortwave, manpack radio. That should be another 900e$. 

Well, operational assessment from 8-Ball was what it was. Mitzi and Teresa overruled it from the political level (and 8-Ball recognizes their authority to do so). So, here we stand.

Regarding the tents - we have to make sure there are underquilts (padding / insulation. I assume those are surplus military tents, and here, such add-ons are provided for army tents... but very often missing when the tents are used outside of the military itself...).) for these, otherwise they'll become deathtraps once the cold part of the year really sets in. Ah, and include tent stoves to warm them (actually making such a stove should be a breeze for any competent tech - some metal tubing and a an old metal barrelfor a fireplace).

The industrial-size 3-d printer from B&B Tech... that's a godsend. Use it to print double walls with grider-like supports between them, fill it with packed dirt for insulation, and we'll have pretty decent housing that has a chance of proving itself against the Nevada winter. 8-Ball would love to have the same tech for defensive emplacements, but I guess there's no spare time available for that: shelter from elements must take precedence.

Nb. when presented with the problem (and I'm sure someone will point this to him!), Angel will suggest superadobe construction: it takes little more than able-bodied people with shovels, sandbags, barb wire and the local dirt. And I guess dirt is in plentiful supply. Sandbags or equivalent should be easily (and cheaply) available, and I guess barb wire as well, given the amount of ranches around, should be easy to buy. Superadobe buildings can be created in a couple of days each by a small crew to the standard of emergency shelter, and can be later finished to make them permanent structures that last a couple decades.

Yes, 8-Ball will make his best to train the Trade Town militia into a force capable of defending their home. Whyte Hats may consider donating some of the captured weapon stock to the militia there. We have enough of these to equip 40+ people many times over. 8-Ball suggests the layout of 8-man squads for the Trade Town militia (each trained to operate as two 4-man fireteams, and able to break down into 2-man buddy teams for flexibility). The support element really depends on who we have there, and how many of them.

Regarding force projection: keep in mind Trade Town is ~130km away from our main base in Wells. Any ground force from Wells will need 1,5-2 hours to get there (the larger convoy it is, the slower it will travel), so only AV-borne QRF (and attack drones) can get there in any sensible timeframe.

So. The Ghosts of Numaga are out of the picture.

Somebody needs to track down the Schwarze Jager. Once tracked down, I guess nobody will have any issues with us wrecking that group.

Trade Town... That's a trainwreck. Has any of the leadership there survived? Anyway, there is a major job to be done there. Trade Town as-is is not likely to survive the winter:

• they're out of supplies,
• they have loads of wounded who need care,
• their defenses are nonexistant after the Petrochem airmobile assault,
• Whyte Hats has no ability to maintain a force presence that far south to protect the survivors against bandit raids (and Desert Devils would likely love to pick the bones clean).

He'll make these facts abdundantly clear to anyone involved. Especially any survivors who insist on staying in Trade Town. They may have a chance to come back in the spring and restart the Trade Town, but that's only if they survive the winter. And surviving it in the ruins of Trade Town is unlikely.

So, in the course of humanitarian relief, 8-Ball suggests to have as many vehicles as needed mobile again, and simply close Trade Town down. Anyone who can should relocate to other settlements in Nevada. He'll ask Mitzi to contact other town leaders if they are willing to accept refugees (many of whom are likely quite skilled - techs, traders and other people who actually made a living in Trade Town, or attended it with their wares) - also, he'll have an eye for people who would be useful in Wells either to the community there, or directly to Whyte Hats. No point letting other towns get all the benefits. 

Things to do while dealing with the relief effort:

• Bury the dead. If there's any spiritual leader left in town, let them do their rites, but for 8-Ball this is primarily a matter of sanitizing the battlefield. 
• discretely tow away the team's van (for repairs, likely at Oasis). We could have the Oasis Snakes show up and do it. Defintely Angel shouldn't show up in Trade Town anytime soon.
• Once he learns about the Desert Devils presence in Trade Town, he'll check the debris. Those guys came with a M-40 GEV, and while it stayed outside of the town itself, I'm damn sure the Petrochem didn't miss the Desert Devils' motor pool outside of town. So, if they disabled it, it should be still there (if it isn't, it means it manged to leave before the attack). Scavenge what is scavengable of it (if it means hauling a disabled M-40 GEV to Wells, so be it!), or make sure the stuff will stay wrecked for good, if it seems even remotely repairable.

Sounds like a major operation by Petrochem is in the works.

Personally, I'd guess the convoy disappearance to be Desert Devils job (unless Petrochem is devious enough to attack and execute their own personnel). But it seems it is our Nomad allies who are going to suffer for that.

Now, we can't act in Eureka County, right? It is outside of Whyte Hats zone of operations. We also don't have the power to defend the Goshute Reservation against a battalion of airmobile infantry. But we can surely keep an eye on that, and warn our Snake Nation allies down there.

Therefore, suggestions (which, I guess, aren't going to make 8-Ball popular... but I see no good options there):

1. Use surveillance to warn the Snakes that the strike is coming. One of our long-range recon drones could probably do that, and if we pick it at liftoff, it should be able to give the Nomads about half an hour warning. Enough time for them to pack up and move to predetermined hideouts. Yes, this will mean the Petrochem troops will come and destroy whatever infrastructure is left in the reservation, but the people will be nowhere in sight. So the strike will essentially hit the void (and we can also have the target area under satellite and ground surveillance by remote means, effectively compromising the Petrochem operation and allowing us to embarass them in the media). 
2. Discretely supply the Snakes with some anti-aircraft armament (likely MANPADS) and hope it'll be enough to bloody the nose of the attack. This would be expensive for us, risky, of limited expected effectiveness. But I'd expect it to be one most likely for the Snakes to choose: fighting back.
3. Hire a fighter force (Geronimo's Flying Circus is likely to be willing to support another Native American reservation - so they may even give them a kind of discount, Luftwaffe will do anything for the right money) to break the attack on their way. An airmobile assault force in transit is going to be an easy prey for a dedicated fighter force. 
4. Send out a commando raid to sneak into the municipal airport in Beaver, Utah, and sabotage the aircraft, thus grounding the assault force. I am not sure the Snakes have adequate resources to pull that. And it would antagonize Utah authorities.

Now, we could pull the #4, but it would be a very risky ooperation - and if we get compromised, Whyte Hats are toast. If anyone has a taste for a balls-to-the-wall run, we could give the Dacian Wolf a makeover to look like a Desert Devil vehicle (the Desert Devils got themselves an A-20 recently, haven't they?) and send it on a raid to Beaver Airport: kill as many of the aircraft as possible while they are still on the ground. I guess that local authorities, Petrochem or the mercenaries aren't expecting that kind of a move, and such a move is likely to result in a very expensive equipment loss with minimal loss of life (I mean shooting parked, non-loaded aircraft). It will also be pretty difficult to prove it was us (unless Cossack gets himself killed!), although it would be clear for everybody with an inch of a sense: Cosscak is likely the only hovercraft pilot skilled enough for it in the area, and Desert Devils have no reason to raid a Petrochem merc force in Beaver, even if the video footage tells everybody it was "their" panzer.

Keep in mind the Petrochem may be able to utilize its own aerial / satellite reconaissance assets. They are a large and wealthy corporation with an axe to grind. 

So, 8-ball's recommendation would be #1. Let the Petrochem strike, but make sure the strike hits the void. Film as much of it as we can (from orbit, from surveillance drones, from remote cameras deployed by the Snakes in advance) and feed it to the media. The Petrochem executive responsivble is likely to get neutralized: there was significant money expended to hire the mercs and fly the mission, but there was no effect. So the money is, effectively, wasted on a fool's errand. If there's an extensive media footage showing the raid on tribal lands, it becomes a royal headache for the Petrochem PR department (I still have in mind the footage of US troops landing in Somalia in 1992, IIRC... and being greeted on the beach by a row of TV reporters wating for them there!)...

As for finding the people responsible, I guess we can safely blame the convoy strike on the Desert Devils (that's not that far south from Alpha, so definitely DD's prowling grounds), the problem is - we don't have the assets to really investigate. And I guess even if we did, it wouldn't persuade the Petrochem anyway.

As of now, wiping out the Desert Devils would likely solve the problem (well, perhaps negotiating our patrons into expanding Whyte Hats contract to cover the Eureka County - but we'd need extra men and personnel for that), but as of now, we don't have the strength to do it.

8-BNall's suggestion: Whyte Hats / Mitzi should act as in-between between Jackpot and Elko County authorities.

Sure, the Elko authorities aren't going to be happy - the Jackpot crew were a thorn in their side for quite some time. And there might be quite some bad blood and claims. They might want revenge, justice, or something along that road (regardless how they label it). but there might be a set of conditions the Jackpot would have to fulfill to be considered legitimate by the Elko County authorities. I mean, the Visigoths have managed that, and they aren't shiny paragons of law and order either (though, I agree, they seem to have a... less stained record than Jackpot did).

On the other hand, Lucky Mike & the Jackpot government (call it city council or whatever) seem to actively want to be recognized as legitimate, official government.  They are a bunch of marauding ne'er-do-gooders, but they want to become legit. Meaning they can be made to work for it. Like with Trade Town, starting to pay taxes into the County treasury (perhaps even noticeable overpay them) definitely would be a start. I guess they would also need to "elect" a city council, a city clerk, a constable and all other officials. Also, accept a Elko County's Sheriff's Office presence on their territory (it would definitely requitre some really quick-thinking and flexible Sheriff's office personnel to handle that!), start a school system for the local youth and so on. A lot of things that are going to be unpopular (I mean, who likes to be taxed...), but necessary if they want to become a legitimate government...

On the global scale, if this is successful, it would be beneficial to Whyte Hats and our goals in Elko County (as well as for the county as a whole): neutralize the Jackpot raiders, and make the town pay its dues to the County budget. 

We might also want to consider what Mitzi and Whyte Hats might want to get out of it on the personal scale. Obviously, a success would mean gratitude of both Jackpot leadership, and Elko County council. In case of Jackpot, this might be turned into contacts (which is how Mitzi, being a Fixer, makes her living) with anyone who has any business in Jackpot, legitimate or (given Lucky Mike's past) not, includign people from the Idaho side of the border. I'm not able to see what else could we milk the situation for, tohugh (not that even the general benefit of making northern Elko County more secure is not worth it on its own!).

Two and a bit of a thing for 8-Ball, semi-related:

• IIRC, the Wells Colony has its own militia. If they'd accept it, he'd love the Wells Militia (or at least 3rd and 4th Commandos) to cross-train with them. Just to know how our neigbours work, so in case of SHTF Wells Militia could help them (that's the real as well as official reason there. Kinda like various allied forces occasionally train together).
• Similar with Montello Militia. In that case though it will be also a manner of playing wargames against the Montello folks, with a light cavalry commando (i.e. 4th - or 3rd, if they can be talked into it) playing the role of a raiding party (therefore allowing the Wells Militia to train for their intended light cavalry role, and the Montello Militia facign against a technical-borne raiders). That is, once both sides are up to it.
• Regarding Jackpot - they are likely to need to raise a militia-like ofrce on their own. 8-Ball will suggest Mitzi he can help Jackpot in forming and training such a force (of course, fitting it into his busy schedule is going to be a problem, but I guess it can be, eventually, done) - thus adding a card to her hand if she decides to negotiate with Jackpot about them going legit (sometimes one needs a n extra bit in negotiations).

Now, as for the "Miracle of Elko County", we need to be wary: this making it the news might turn someone's envious eye on us. Somebody is going to dislike it, and thus we can't wirte out a possibility of someone spending some resources to throw a wrench into out gears. Petrochem being a first suspect, but I'm sure there would be a number of others in the line.

Well, the M-40 GEV is an asset that can give us quite some trouble. So, we'll need to neutralize it as soon as possible. 

As for the legal fuss in Eureka County, that was kinda to be expected. It is yet to be seen if the new (acting) DA makes a change. I hope so, but I do not expect her to. Plus, she's in a kind of a hot seat, she might be next on the kill list for Desert Devils and whatever cabal is supporting them. 

So, 8-Ball's opinions on this:

• Desert Devils. Likely our next problem to deal with. A big, aggressive group that is likely to be quite hungry once the truce is over. Teresa seems to be having a plan on how to deal with them, or at least is in the process of formulating that plan.
• Jackpot. We should keep an eye on them, make sure the road to Jackpot is open, and that there's enough trade going on. This should keep Jackpot happy - and if they're happy, we can press them to become more and more legit. Which will, eventually, mean things like taxes and so on. The fact they concentrate their business on enterntainment, well, that's not a problem, as long as they can stick to what's legal in Nevada (and from what I understeand, really a lot of things are). Have them grow some fat on their bones, and they'll be worried not to lose it - being hungry and desperate would be what would make them dangerous.
• Montello Madmen. Out of the picture. 
• Snake Nation Reservation. Currently not interfering in our business and on good terms with us. We should make sure they stay that way. Wouldn't be a bad idea to make sure there's some trade going their way (but it is a job for Mitzi, we'd need to learn what would they be interested in).
• Trade Town. I believe it should be our next focus (along with the Desert Devils). We should make an effort to drive them to legitimacy (seems they want to be legit). I don't see the problem with them enjoying bloodsports (IIRC these are technically legal in Nevada. I guess there are many legal issues regulating these, but it is a minor thing that may be cleared later). We need to talk them out of the slave trade. Also, paying their taxes to the county would, likely, go a long way on their road to legitimacy. Obviously nobody likes paying taxes, but on the other hand, I guess we might pull a reverse classic on them: no representation without taxation. Once we get to that point, we may try to estabilish Elko County Sheriff's presence in Trade Town, and try to solve the Raffen Shiv problem.
• Visigoths of Halleck. Doing fine with them, need to keep them happy.
• Ghosts of Numaga. Not really our concern, so far. Seems this bit requires a political - economical solution (making sure the conditions in the reservation improve. Which could be done by improving it economically). This, in turn, would likely cut the roots of this group, reducing it to a handful of grizzled, hardcore guerillas without real support in their local population. Which is how you stop a guerilla movement.
• Oasis Toll Collctors. Out of the picture.
• Schwarze Jager. Didn't raise their ugly heads in our area of operations yet. 8-Ball would prefer to deal with them like one would deal with a pack of rabid dogs, once they do. Except perhaps for the part where you don't want to strangle rabid dogs with your bare hands, which 8-Ball would gladly do to the Schwarze Jager. In the name of the principles. But, I guess, he'll maintain professional integrity when the time comes.
• Small bandit groups. We can easily kill them out if they interfere. And regarding the psycho ones, we should do that whenever we can get them. The other ones - brought to banditry by desperation - can be, of course, given the same treatment. However, it would be (morally, and, in the long run, economically) better to give these people a way out of it. 8-Ball thinks the Trade Town is the key there: they know the bandit groups that come to do business there, they can identify which ones are the crazies and which ones are not. We can then think of a method for affecting the economy to make other pursuits viable for the people. 
• Geronimo's Flying Circus. An episodical threat, the problem is the forces like the Desert Devils may choose to employ the Geronimos against us. 8-Ball suggests contacting the Circus and politely asking them to avoid contracts in our area of operations. As there is little to gain and much to lose in that, both for them and for us. I mean - so far, they are down one aircraft, and got another damaged. They may want to even the score, but honestly, it wouldn't be a shrewd business move.
• Luftwaffe. They seem to be happy so far, having a secure access to Jackpot, and occasionally working for us. They'll become a problem once somebody decides to pay them enough to attack us - our anti-air defences are not likely to deter them. I'd say some more VSAMs could be handy. Another problem possible is once the guys in charge of Idaho decide they don't like Jackpot being the hive of scum and villainy just over their border...

OK.

Oh, I thought 4th Commando had the HQ pickup, the sand-beige Frankentruck 8-Ball got for his use as constable (both peace officer and 4th Commando's leader)...?

Note: I'll keep updating this post, as you gave me quite a bit to chew through

1. Horses. Yes on return of the branded ones. Inform their owners they are available for pickup in Wells. We'll arrange delivery for those who won't turn up for their animals as we have time and resources, i.e. at our convenience (I mean it. Keeping the horses in our care means expenses). As for the horses with no brands (or other identifying marks), I think we should keep them. Teresa intended to put together a horse-borne scouting force, I'm sure she'll make use of some of the horses. Give her as many as she thinks she needs, sell the rest.
2. Vehicles for the militia commandos. Humphrey's 3rd has placed a request for 3 technicals (they do have Humphrey's own truck as HQ vehicle). Double that up with 8-Ball's 4th Commando, so we need 6 technicals total. Preferably the CHOOH2 variants. Check with these two commandos if there are enough men competent with a motorcycle to request one reasonably compact dirtbike per commando (intended to be used as a dispatch / liaison bike, and normally carried on the HQ technical). Maybe a handful more for the militia HQ / 1st and 2nd commando, for exactly the same role. Sell the rest if we don't have sensible use for these.
3. 8-Ball will have an eye for larger trucks, then. Nothing urgent. Stuff that could be used to get the 1st and 2nd commando around, should they decide to go with it. I'm talking here about 4x4 / 4x6, maybe 6x6 military-style softskin trucks. Things that can easily carry 12+ people (inc. crew) in reasonably offroad conditions. Maximum Metal Deuce-and-a-half would be more thna perfect (we don't really need amphibious capability here).

Question on the armored vehicles: do we have suitable crews for them? Drivers, gunners etc?

On 13/06/2022 at 10:31, senior officer Mikael van Atta said:

We have captured a number of frankentrucks, recently, IIRC, 4 large gun trucks in repairable condition (damaged with autocannon fire).

A number of more or less civillian vehicles. Recently, quite some bikes. Before, some bikes, too.

There's bound to be some vehicle-mounted weaponry as well. I guess the Wells Militia would love themselves some, to install it on their newly-acquired gun trucks & technicals.

 

 [...] 8-Ball estimates that the 2 commandos who are willing to go the "light cavalry" way (Humphrey's 3rd and 8-Ball's 4th) will need 4 pickup trucks / jeeps each (some of that requirement is already covered. I don't know how much exactly). The more traditional 1st and 2nd might be talked into becoming a motorized infantry, with 1-2 gun trucks / flatbed trucks for mobility per commando.

Regarding 8-Ball's opinion on Wells Militia & heavy weapons: it would obviously be handy if the Militia had the means to counter enemy vehicles.

The problem is, proper anti-tank weapons are expensive. Even if they can obtain the weapon for free (captured from enemy / donated by Whyte Hats), keeping them running is expensive. RPGs are a few hundred euros a pop. ATGMs are thousands of euros a pop. You need to spend a number of rounds just getting proficient (and then keeping proviciency) with a given weapon. Especially given we don't have a proper training facility for them with simulators for these weapons. 

So, as far as 8-Ball thinks, ATGMs in militia hands are out of question. That's why he had chosen rifle grenades as militia squad's integral anti-vehicle weapon: while they are effectively short-ranged and inaccurate, they're relatively cheap. Especially in training mode: an inert training grenade is reusable, the expendable elemnt being the rifle round needed to propel it. Something the militia can be, in a pinch, able to fund. 

Besides, while there are some proper combat vehicles out there (the coalition we kicked butt of at 2nd battle of Oasis had two real-deal IFVs), the majority of the vehicles used in combat are still technicals and gun trucks. Using ATGMs on these is an overkill. Hunting for a fly with a cannon, as we say here. 

The adequate heavy weapon for a militia commando, 8-Ball thinks, is a machinegun. For the light cavalry commandos (3rd and 4th), it should be even their in-squad machinegun - while equipping the technicals with a pintle mount and a gun shield for it (so the SAW could be used as mounted weapon while in transit) may make sense, these vehicles aren't armored, and the way he trained the militiamen in these units, they aren't menat to be used as fighting vehicles: they're purely transport. Putting heavier weapons would also affect their carrying apacity - and they are meant to carry 6 men and their kit, and still have spare room should the commando be forced to leave one of their technicals behind.

He accepts the idea of having the commando HQ vehicle equipped for fire support role - a pintle mounted .50cal, or maybe 40mm AGL (AGL is tactically a better option, but more difficult to use, and more expensive to feed...) might make sense. It would also have enough firepower to remain a viable option against enemy technicals & gun trucks.

Regarding 1st and 2nd commando, well, those are less likely to follow his advice. Still, even equipping them with guntrucks and the weapons mounted on these - machineguns (5,56, 7,62 or .50 BMG and their equivalents) are the logical maximum, in 8-Ball's opinion. and even these can be a significant burden on militia's budgets, if anyone turns out to be trigger-happy. Plus the vehicles themselves require maintenance and fuel. Which ain't free...

As I said earlier, Wells Militia - with 4 "commandos" of 20 men each - is roughly an equivalent to 4 weak infantry platoons (or 3 so-so ones). There isn't the manpower to develop the force into a fully fledged independent company. I mean, 8-Ball would love to, but it'd require way more men (my estimate is a support / heavy weapons platoon, and a HQ platoon).

We really need the list of our spoils-of-war. With comments on what is actually repairable (including the time required & cost of replacement parts... assuming they can be relatively easily obtained).

We got ourself an Arasaka Combat 10, currently in working condition, now a M-75 tank (with, I assume, pretty extensive damage to the interior, given the heavy HEAT warhead managed to kill one crewman instantly, and mortally wound the other), a Patria LMT-475 (more of a fire support variant of an IFV, no idea why Wisdom000 classified it as a tank... Still, it had its left-side motive gear messed up by another HEAT warhead. It might be as simple as needing some new wheels, or messed beyond repair with wrecked axles and disturbed hull shape).

We have captured a number of frankentrucks, recently, IIRC, 4 large gun trucks in repairable condition (damaged with autocannon fire).

A number of more or less civillian vehicles. Recently, quite some bikes. Before, some bikes, too.

There's bound to be some vehicle-mounted weaponry as well. I guess the Wells Militia would love themselves some, to install it on their newly-acquired gun trucks & technicals.

And that's just the vehicles. In my mind's eye I see the Wells base of Whyte Hats having a massive motor pool of captured vehicles waiting for us to make them running again. IMO that's not what we're there for. 

Suggested solution:

1. Set up a "technical triage commission" - made of Cossack (because he can assess any vehicle as a potential user) and Angel (or the base's chief mechanic - in either case, someone who can tell how badly is the vehicle messed up, and how difficult /expensive is it going to be to bring it back online. Angel has a basic understanding of accounting which might be handy there).
2. See if anyone has placed a request for the vehicle (like the request for technicals for the militia 8-Ball made quite a while ago).
3. See if we can put it out to work for us (like the tractor/trailer big rigs Whyte Hats rented out to Elko Transport).
4. See if we can expect to sell them for reasonable price (if neither of the above applies), given the amount of repairs necessary.
5. Decide what we need to do with the vehicle (based on the above): keep it for ourselves, donate to our allies, employ them for a profit (and how much of a profit), sell them with a profit (will it cover the repair cost and time with enough gain?), or perhaps just sell it to Mr. Garcia / Mr. Hernandez so they can repair it themselves / disassemble it to recover salvageable parts. I assume it will be - ultimately - Mitzi's call there, as we really don't see into Whyte Hat's budget balance, and sales of our spoils of war may be a serious contribution to it.

Regarding #2, 8-Ball estimates that the 2 commandos who are willing to go the "light cavalry" way (Humphrey's 3rd and 8-Ball's 4th) will need 4 pickup trucks / jeeps each (some of that requirement is already covered. I don't know how much exactly). The more traditional 1st and 2nd might be talked into becoming a motorized infantry, with 1-2 gun trucks / flatbed trucks for mobility per commando.

Oooh, I love the sports idea

Though out of character I'd suggest volleyball rather than soccer (or futsal, if that's what you mean by intramural - indoor?): the teams are smaller (so easier to form, just six players plus potential backups. Though futsal has teams of five), and there is no direct physical contact between the opposing teams (which should help avoiding foul play, as well as reduce potential for brawls if the temperature gets too high). It also uses relatively small, easy to manage playing court, which may be either indoors or outdoors (as long as we're not talking about really serious competition leagues).

8-Ball would be hard-pressed to participate (though he would love to! Likely never played volleyball or soccer in his life, but he's pretty sporty in general), given the number of pies he has his fingers in. 

Well, it was worth a try

Silva rerum...:

• Yes, 8-Ball is interested in Shoshoni classes. Kickstarting it up with a Scholar chip course - if possible - is also a great idea. That'd cover the Language slot for him, one of his classes slots is covered by Archery, the other, well let's see what is available. Artillery Operations, Sniper (well, for him, more likely in a counter-sniper role), Vehicular Weapons could be useful in a pretty direct role. Animal Riding is a kinda limited skill in a cyberpunk world, but in the outback it might get useful (and I'm sure there would be a plenty of teachers in Wells area) - and it could also be cut with Animal Handling (I mean, I find it hard to imagine learning just how to ride a horse, without learning how to read its behaviour). For the more scholarly pursuits 8-Ball might find useful (either professionally, or in some cases, personally) are Diagnose Illness, Psychology (I'd like to know what exactly does the skill do - 8-Ball is no therapist material, he's however a bodyguard, a military commander, a local constable and, in perspective, a family man, after all!) and Forensics. 
• No ideas for what to do with the extra money Whyte Hats / the team get. Therefore I'd suggest keeping it as a rainy day fund.
• Good to hear we're now on speaking (and doing business) terms with the Visigoths. 
• Surveillance and recon - we should keep an eye for location of air assets. The Luftwaffe, the Desert Devils air wing, the Geronimo's Flying Circus (who tried to get us on our way back from Vegas). It would be good to have air superiority, and one of the ways we could achieve that would be finding where they sleep, knocking their door down at zero dark thirty, and messing them the heck up. Luftwaffe's jets are formidable opponents when in the air, but way less impressive when on the ground. Same with air pirates and Desert Devils air wing, though I guess they aren't as impressive. Once we learn where to find them, we can think about getting rid of them. 

Now, depending on what they fly, airbase requirements are going to differ (a bush plane is one thing, a multirole jet fighter is something very different in terms of runway, supplies, maintenance facilites and so on), but still - finding the base and destroying it is going to be way easier and cheaper than building a major air defense network (and then maintaining and defending it!).

Well, as I said, ball's in the Marshalls' court. 8-Ball doesn't know much about lar enforcement, his suggestions flow more from his approach to the problem as a military one - and he is aware it is not exactly, purely, exclusively a situation that can / should be solved by military means. 

He therefore offers advice, but assumes that in those matters, the Marshalls really do know what they're doing. No hurt feelings on his side. 

His little black heart, however, is having a special part of attention dedicated to the Luftwaffe (and the Dirlewanger group, should they appear on the horizon). Y'see, the fate has brought him an unexpected opportunity: there are some real-deal nazi he could, perhaps, have a hand in fucking up real bad. It might've been well over a century, but there's some unfinished business, there are bills for Nijmegen, Bastogne, Hurtgen Forrest and several other places that need to be paid. There will be those bills unpaid as long as any of those bastards draws breath.

Sure, for the moment, he'd accept paying the Luftwaffe to bomb the living shit out of the Desert Devils. Because that's something Sun Tzu would have approved: using one of your enemies to strike the other. But if he has an opportunity - and he'll look for one - he'd love to send the fuckers to bloody hell. Something "Jumpin' Jim" Gavin would have approved. Because that'd be something right.

All in due time, though.

That sounds like an idea. 

I'm unfamiliar with a BOLO (I've googled it means "be on a lookout", but that's about it...). How would that work in a practical manner in this situation? 

Also, since he's a member of law enforcement organization himself, wouldn't that get to him that he has been a target of BOLO? Especially given we know (but can't prove it in court) that the (potentially entire) Elko County Sheriffs Department is dirty?

I see three options here.

1. We may snatch him now. We have some court-legit research on him having more money than he should be, so most likely from illegal sources. That could be enough to arrest him, and hope that the Marshalls can grill enough interesting information out of him through an interrogation.
2. We may let him remain free (and doing his thing). We know who he is, we know where he is, we know his primary contact channel. I guess the money trail could be enough to get a court approval (whatever is the correct legal term - sorry...) to put him under surveillance, bug his phone, his flat and his car. And start seriously milking him for information. 
3. Confront him and attempt to turn him. Make him our man, and offer him protection if he provides us with information on his employer. Tell us where all the corpses are buried (methaphorically... and not). 

I'd be in favor of option #2 (I'm afraid we don't have a hand strong enough o pull #3, and that's an one-shot approach). We need to learn more about the entire plot, and he's our best source.

In an intelligence / counterintelligence game, removing an idenitifed spy is rarely the most profitable move. Once you have identified him, he can be watched, and the information he receives (and passes to his superiors) controlled - and doctored, so they are fed misinformation. Careful observation is also likely to lead to his contacts, communications methods and so on. This gives us a chance to unravel the entire network. 8-Ball's holy scripture, Sun Tzu's The Art of War, has a whole chapter on espionage...

By comparison, quickly elliminating a spy means this one is out of the game - but this is a short-term advantage. The opponent will, likely, know he has been compromised, and change his communication methods, codes, ciphers... also, they will attempt to place an another spy, and we will have to spend time finding them. 

It is a game of: they know. And we know that they know (that's where we seem to be at this point), so we have the upper hand... unless they know that we know they know, so we better keep it that way and remain vigilant for signs of them knowing that we know they know. The plot with blaming outr intel on an inside source among the Devils is an attempt to obscure the source of our knowledge - because by this point it should have been obvious to the opposition that we have that knowledge. We need to control the information the opposition gets... but do it carefully, so they won't realise they are being fed a controlled information feed.

...yup, Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon. Presents that whole pyramid of intelligence and counterintelligence warfare in a really convincing fashion... 

And keep in mind such mindgames are nasty. Being dishonest and inhonorable is an unavoidable element of it. But, as Sun Tzu teaches, all warfare is based on deception...

In the end, however, that's still a ball in the Marshalls' court.

Yup, 8-Ball is solid on his bet the Desert Devils won't last two weeks in their peace agreement. 

1. There's a lot of bad blood between them and Whyte Hats.
2. Wendover Source seems to have lost both them (due to the truce) and Montello Madmen (who are essentially wiped out) as tools to influence the situation between Wendover and Battle Mountain. So it will press on the Devils to act regardless of the truce (for the obvious reasons, pressing the Montello Madment won't be effective ). That, or they'll reveal who else is on their payroll.
3. This is based on what we know on the Devils, so it may be false (as our knowledge is limited), but AFAIK raiding the highway is the Devils primary raison d'etre and source of income (as in, sellable loot). No raiding on the road means no looting there. Which, in turn, means no income - and they have a lot of people and expensive equipment to keep fed, stocked, fuelled, maintianed, or, in short, overall happy. Cutting them from their main source of income will effectively starve the organization, and make it scatter and / or change their profile (which I sincerely doubt they are capable of). Internal strife and a, hmmm..., change of management is also likely, if they try to abide by the terms of the truce for any significant length of time. It is really the easiest and most logical for them to break the truce.

As for the gangers who killed the Gundersons, it all depends on whether we could reach the hideout undetected. If there's a chance of doing this, 8-Ball would suggest a silent approach rather than an air assault operation. Have a cadre of Whyte Hats personnel sneak in, and take the gangers out up close and personal. Tasers, rubber bullets, knockout gas, y'know: stuff. Forcing surrender at gunpoint and delivering martial arts knockouts. With surprise on our side, we could pull that with minimal collateral damage (and less ammunition expenses than a combined drone / AV strike). 

However, this is Teresa's call. If she wants to do it with shock and awe...

Sad news regarding Penny. 8-Ball doesn't have any idea on where to start an investigation though. 

As for the Wendover Source at the Nevada Border Patrol station, it depends on the legal status of the situation. We don't know whether it is a single border guard, or a wider conspiracy in the force. coming in ham-fisted brings the risk of antagonizing the state government, too. 

8-Ball's suggestion, though it depends a lot on what Teresa approves and what is legally possible for the Marshalls: 

• Keep milking the Wendover Source via SIGINT. For now, we know what they send and to whom. As mentioned in the Desert Devils section, their two primary pawns in the area (Montello Madmen and Desert Devils) are currently out of the picture (at least until the Devils decide to break the truce). Meaning the Wendover Source is likely to contact another actor, and therefore reveal them to us. Unless they don't have other actors (which I see as unlikely).
• Send some vewy, vewy sneaky people (Mitzi...?) to West Wedover, burglarize the Border Patrol Station (in the way they wouldn't be any wiser!), copy any records, and bug the place to hell and back. This way we could potentially learn who the Wendover Source personally is, and perhaps who is behind them. Because I personally doubt - at this point - that they are anything more than a middleman. Corrupted Border Guards aren't likely to be criminal masterminds or political string-pullers. And my bet is on the stuff behind it being political, with someone being deeply interested in Northern Nevada being what it is: an unstable, underdeveloped area with unstable transport route. The question we come to, at that point, becomes: cui bono? Who (upstairs) does profit from such a state of things?
• It wouldn't be a bad idea to set up a netrunner on the personnel of the West Wendover Nevada Border Patrol Station: follow the money, check which one of them was depositing extra money to their bank account(s). Money they couldn't've come from their offical wages. Which may be, if they've been lazy / stupid enough - which people often are. 

I guess most of these would need a warrant / court order to do (if we intend for it to be admissible as court evidence), so again it is ball in the Marshalls' field. I mean, we could just get to West Wendover, turn the station into rubble and kill every Border Guard in sight, but I'm rather sure it would bring us more harm than good. We're supposed to work with the Law, not apart from it (even though, of course, there might be some fuzziness around the edges...).

Note: if Teresa intends to visit the Border Patrol Station in West Wendover, it would be a good place to let them in on our source of Desert Devils intelligence, i.e. the man inside.  This will surely make its way to the Devils' ears. We might actually use it to gauge how long does it take for information to make it to the Devils, and should keep the Devils occupied with a spy hunt for a while. Besides, it is a great red herring for them to chase, and it would be a pity to waste it.

If timetables in conflict, 8-Ball is definitely more useful at the bandit hideout, as is the Swede. Angel won't likely be useful at either location, I'm afraid (and still has his hands full of tech stuff).

11 hours ago, Snowyn said:

All the fight talk is waaay over Wyn's head. Just tell me what my characters should be doing. JJ will be at the underpass making the "You're Under Arrest" announcement via loudspeaker. Jamal can be wherever he would be best needed. Or perhaps best protected as the Team's doctor.

JJ: if the announcement doesn't work (and we assume it won't), grab a gun and help us taking the bad guys out. Go for those you can reliably hit. As for exact target selection, standard guide (well, primarily for snipers, but it works in general, too) is:

1. commanders & leaders, (if you can identify them),
2. communications guys (with big radios)
3. heavy weapons crew
4. everyone else.

Here, I'd add "vehicle drivers" (if you can reach them, and don't really mind individual bikers) somewhere at 3.5. 

Stay in cover if possible.

As for Jamal, I'd keep him in one of the groups that will be taking heat. Just not to the front of it: we have loads of people who can shoot at other people, but very few few folks who can save mortally wounded ones. Keep in mind you'd prefer to be out of sight / out of line of fire when administering first aid, too (as you will be busy and not liekly to be really aware of the situation around) for a while doing so. Therefore, either grab the person (most milspec body armor / web gear kits these days have a drag handle somewhere between shoulderblades and neck areas. So you could grab a wounded buddy by it and drag them to safety a few meters away), or have someone else do that for you. Hide out of sight with them: behind a terrain feature, in a foxhole, behind a vehicle (the sturdier, the better. A wreck will do just fine, too), and do your thing. 

OK, then 8-Ball under the bridge, and swede with the flanking force. 8-Ball will take a RPG-A plus 3 rockets for it, total, in addition to his Mk.IV rifle w/40mmGL and a handgun (one of the moments when having a shitload of BOD comes handy: it is not such a stretch of imagination to have him carry all that hardware). 

8-Ball actually has a Pilot: AV +3 chip - he bought it back in NC, after it was discussed it would be good to have backup pilots for AVs, in case our primary one is incapacipated. As you recall, I have said it wouldn't be practical, player-wise, to invest Teacher Rig slot into a difficult skill we won't be using much, but a skillchip should do. And there it is, in 8-Ball's expenses spreadsheet - and plugged in for our entire time in Elko County. Why does the character sheet you sent me omit it, I cannot tell. Still, if there's a dedicated pilot, that's better.

As for the rest:

• At low priority, we'll need someone to speak to Penny. Discretely. IMO, Jamal (the Doc) or Mitzi (girl talk), as not to spook her: we know who you are, we don't want any harm to come to you. If you wish, you can confide to us, and maybe we could help you out. Let's be honest, 8-Ball doesn't look like someone she would trust easily.

If there's enough figting positions for a half-squad and us, I guess 8-Ball & Swede could as well be under the bridge.

And they can have an Airjeep parked on the other side of it  (so, out of sight for the incoming Devils), should we need to pursuit them. 8-Ball is chipped for AV piloting - that should do, as long as he doesn't have to pull any fancy maneuvers.

Regarding the main fire element - what do we have in stock apart from the HATGM (Militech Anvil 2, if memory serves me...)? I'd really prefer to have two anti-vehicle systems on the flank, we're talking a lot of vehicles incoming. Three of them armored (M-75, Combat-10 and the ARV. Sure the ARV isn't going to be armored above ARM 1, maybe ARM 2, but it'll have plenty of Structure...), plus a tractor-trailer, and a number of gun trucks. 

As for the other points:

• We'll need a PC team to investigate the signal source. Preferably na AV-borne team.
• I guess 8-Ball would be a good choice to go with Mitzi to the Duck Valley reservation. 
• Allright, so we have Pretty Penny accounted for (shiny!). We can guesstimate what makes her so terrified (and who is the father of her future kid...) - my guess would be the rich asshole whose kid she was a nanny for. He was rich, he was an asshole, and he wouldn't be above trying to take revenge on her if he learned she has been rescued (he didn't give a dman about us asking how did she look like, since she was unrecognizable from the picture he left us. Prbably wasn't a picture of her to begin with). We can punch him in the nose if he shows up around again, but apart form that - sorry, we have other problems here. If she wants to live peacefully in Montello, well, I see no reason to put my fingers into that matter.
• Yup, keep the Visigoths in mind. We didn't really had time to visit them (and I think it should be us visiting them. Do it on their territory).
• On family matters, I'll send you a PM.

Well, that might work, too.

Notes:

• Since Theresa anticipates being fired upo as soon as she challenges the Devils, I'd suggest she did it through a remotely-operated loudspeaker. They might get lucky with their shots.
• Chaingunning the reactive armor on the tank would make sense only if we can have explosive rounds for the .50 chainguns. Basic kinetic ones aren't likely to provide enough energy to make the ERA react. Otherwise, we should use the 40mm AGL (HEDP rounds would be perfect, they already are HEAT warheads, if rather weak ones). I guess a rocket barrage from the AV could help, too. Alternatively, try to bypass the ERA by going for the rear deck of the tank, the engine cover usually has no ERA on it - from the air it shouldn't be impossible to hit it (and doubly so, if the ATGM is IR homing). 
• Keep in mind that game-wise, Combat 10 is a rather tough target, too. 
• You have mentioned an important asset in the support group: armored recovery vehicle. Now, it won't be important in the fight - it isn't a combat asset, really - but we definitely would do better if we deprive the Devils of it in the longer run.

Quick note, before we go into the planning phase. 

We need an excuse to be in the area of the attack, with adequate resources to stop the Desert Devils. Because somebody - perhaps with clearest intentions - will ask "but how did you know they were about to jump on that convoy?" and our answer absolutely cannot be "oh, we have intercepted their comms and decrypted it". 

For that would sooner or later make its way to the Desert Devils / Wendover Source, and make them change their codes, and possibly their method of communications too. I don't think too highly about the Desert Devils, but I expect the Wendover Source to be the brains behind the trouble in our part of the world. So, the longer they are unaware how we get our info, the better. 

I'd suggest to attribute any info to "our man inside. Y'know, them raiders will tell you everything if you pull the right strings...". Of course, we'd need a plausible explaination for the method of contact (well, or at least one that would be possible), but this would turn neemy attention away from possible signal interception and, if we're lucky, toward hunting for a spy among themselves. 

Regarding ambushing the Desert Devil raiding party, I like the spot on the Frenchie Road near Canyon Nursey. A lot of high ground, this might make the tank and APC ineffective (not enough elevation to use thier main guns on us), and the AV-4 should be able to shoot them almost like fish in a barrel. We could also hide the hovercraft further south, along the creek, and let them hunt what is left of the raiding party once the tank and APC are out of the picture. 

We should be able to position a decent ambush with defilade fire against left (or right...) flank of the column at 400-700m. We just need to take adequate anti-tank weaponary to get rid of the M-75 and Combat-10 effectively. The buggies, technicals and bikers won't be able to do much after that, although I don't count on a complete wipeout: bikers in particular are hard to catch, especially if they scatter. While the terrain may limit their ability to scatter, we should assume some of them will be able to go cross-country. Still, indivdual bikers are of no consequence, and I guess without the heavier vehicles the group won't be able to pose a danger to the convoy.

1. I'd say we need about two sufficiently powerful anti-vehicle systems (ATGMs and the like, with a couple of reloads) set up for flanking fire, preferably in elevated position and in good range. That's our primary asset.
2. Set up a machinegun position or two to protect the ATGMs against an infantry overrun assault. It shouldn't happen, but we can't exclude it: the Devils may be driven / competent enough. 
3. add an armed drone in the air, also set with ATGMs. Though some unguided rockets on top of it wouldn't harm either. That's our backup. It may strike the vehicles from the air, or we may use it to perform strafing runs agaisnt infantry / bikers.
4. If we still have manpower available after setting up the #1 position, we might want to set up a close assault force with LAWs, RPGs and small arms. Their task will be to 1. attack the armored vehicles at close range, if the ATGMs fail to stop them & 2. attack other vehicles and dismounted infantry. We'll need a good place to hide such a sloce assault force though, so depending on terrain this is something we might have to give up on, and just use them to man & protect the ATGM positions.
5. The role for the hovercraft force is to hit the Desert Devils form behind, and block their retreat route back to Alpha. Because that's likely to be the default route of retreat (folks tend to run back, rather than run forward, in general. In military thinking, the reasoning tends to be "we've been there, we know what is there, we assume it is safe - as opposed to escaping forward, as we don't have an idea what is there"). I'm not sure whether there's any job for hoverborne infantry to do as such, so it might be better to use them on the main position.
6. I see a problem with timing. The ambush force can lie low and wait in position. The drones can loiter outside of view. Both of these can jump into action at a moment's notice. However, the hovercraft need time to build up speed and reach the ambush site already with adequate speed and engage the Desert Devils - yet not too early and not too late. And "too early" would be worse (as it would spook the Devils and cause them to pick up a fight before they reach the kill zone of the ambush) than "too late" (which would mean the Devils have entered the killzone, and are being engaged by the ambushing force) - the hovercraft themselves would have hard time against the tank & the APC, and there would be little we could do to assist them, apart from airstrike with the drone. 

What is important in the long run is taking the armored vehicles out of the picture for good. Either snatch them (if we're lucky enough to capture them and find them still able to move on their own. We won't be able to bring in a recovery vehicle to the site!), or damage them to the point where they are irreparable (so, have a demolition group ready to take care of the vehicles once they are disabled. Not a difficult job at that point, basically toss some explosives in through an open hatch, or stick them to the side, and get away to a safe distance - but needs to be done. Naturally, the the vehicle in question is already a burning wreck, one does not need to bother...). 

Which is why I keep saying we should withdraw from Montello when it is possible. Including politically feasible. I think I made my point about stretching our forces thinly already, I also get that for political reasons, we won't be pulling our men out of there anytime soon.

Ah right. As for Visigoths of Halleck and a show  of force - I haven't worded how I intended to do that: at some point, a Whyte Hats-escorted convoy is going to roll that way (going to Battle Mountain) anyway. Have our emissaries ride with it, leave the convoy for a (pre-arranged with Visigoths) meeting at Halleck. Re-join the convoy as it is rolling back East. But it isn't necessary to do it that way.

That would mean our "force on display" has a legitimate reason to roll through the area, one that has the plausible deniability of "we're totally not here to intimidate anyone" - but at the same time, undeniably rolling through the area with a number of armored vehicles and other heavy support. 

As for Desert Devils, I'm sure we could have shown them a few tricks, but I get that we are occupied with other things, and elsewhere. I'd still prefer to get their heavy assets (the tanks and the air wing) out of the picture. So we should have an eye out for an opportunity, see if one presents itself. 

Trade Town have shown they can be reasonable (and that they do have some moral backbone). We definitely need to be talking to them. 

Now, as for the raid on Jackpot:

If Theresa is sure (as she'll be out there with no support available... though I guess we could divert an attack drone to watch over her?) she can pull variant #2, 8-Ball is all for it. 

Variant #1 requires the team on AA supression duty to carry in a bulky and ammunition hungry weapon (40mm AGL - and a number of ammo belts for it). Plus, supressing the town with it is likely to mean some destruction and collateral damage, even if we use non-lethal ammo (as in, flashbang rounds. They are theoretically non-lethal, but can still cause a fire, or bring physical harm to anyone who happens to be too close to one). While our Christmas encounter with the Jackpot crew didn't indicated them to be really well-organized, and there will be the surprise factor, there is still a risk they could mount a counterattack on the AGL position. Sure, our guys could likely repel a few Jackpot Raiders, but bringing in and then leaving behind a 40mm AGL is not a good idea. And again, carrying it back... Nah.

Note: a few well-placed rifle bullets will cripple the SAM launcher / missiles on the launcher, just as they would the radar array's antenna. The main problem is she'd have to carry an adequately powerful sniper rifle with her. And a Light Fifty is not a good proposition for a long overland travel. Explosives are certainly easier to carry, but in turn require her to get in direct contact with the opposition, and are loud - same with disposable rocket launchers (LAW / HLAW and the like). If possible, I'd advise against killing Jackpot guards - we need just to get their air defences out of the picture, and there are political considerations involved. Also, depending on the exact moment she wants to lit the AA systems up, it wouldn't be bad to have the Jackpot unaware that 1. something untowards is going on, 2. their AA defences are offline. The longer they are unaware of that, the longer they are going to assume they aren't under attack, and any noise (including gunfire) at the Montello Madmen compound is actually the Madmen's internal problem ("I guess they decided to settle any ruffled feathers that resulted from them being kicked out of Montello... we shall be take a look there in the morning, see if they have a new big boss, or it is still the same guy as yesterday").

Do we have any satellite photos of the Madmen compound and surroundings?

8-Ball will also stress to the infiltration team the need to use silent approach and quiet methods of taking out potential guards. He'll be bringing his bow in additon to the rifle (and supressed handgun) - I assume he can do that?