Operation Thunder Dust

Operation Thunder Dust, also known as the battle of Dolmapolis, was the first large-scale battle fought by the UFPF after its formation, and focused on liberating the city of Dolmapolis from the USC in order to better secure Agalos City from USC encirclement. It was fought in a white coalition with FDC forces.

After the operation was approved by both governments, Tyr Eleythos was named Strategos, or ad-hoc commander, over the new coalition. As Thunder Dust Actual he mobilized the forces assigned - namely the 1st Volunteer Regiment from the UFPF and several brigades of the FDC's 3rd Mechanized Division. Units were reorganized to allow tasking of support elements to coordinate a large evacuation mission, as the USC had banned travel for the residents of the city, meaning civilians could not flee the combat zone beforehand.

One of the biggest complications to taking the city was the presence of the “Black Widow” - an sophisticated anti-air system built into Dolmopolis's fortball stadium. With sensitive detection arrays and a vast ammunition pool it could effectively eliminate any flying object bigger than a dragonfly from rising above roof level. This ruled out not only close air support tactics, but artillery support, mortar team support, and even some grenade tactics. The Black Widow was the focus of ranger teams, particularly seraphim squad.

Plans for the post-libration city were that a coalition regime, with the federation handling military defense and the council handling civilian administration, would rule until the ongoing diplomatic negotiations between the FDC and federation ended.

Before the start of the operation, both of the major independent “ranger camps,” or splinter factions, worked to undermine the stated outcome of the coalition, and secretly conspired with other squads to ignore RANGECOM's orders for their own goals.

The Pteros Eleytheros Episke, as a group, were not pleased that the FDC was being given civic governance of the city. Particularly controversial to the pteros was the FDC's counter-insurgency laws which meant martial law could extend indefinitely in areas where factional loyalties were not in the council's favor.

Lion approached seraph squad with an offer. He would supply helicopters and pilots experienced in flying below roof-top level, and priority tasking for unicorn squad for air support after the Black Widow was disabled. This would let the squad attack the Black widow much faster than following the front-line, hopefully leading to less casualties as air support could come in sooner. In exchange they would need to insert a specially crafted digital storage device (DSD) into the control console of the stadium after the Black Widow had been secured. Lion would not reveal its full capabilities, only that it would “send a message to the USC.” After a short time to consider the offer, seraph squad accepted.

The Kingslayers, namely Nocturne, felt the federation had the raw end of the deal in the coalition. They wanted the FDC to take the brunt of the defense, and had a plan to see it happen. Using her old FDC contacts, Nocturne would “turn” and let the FDC take the Black Widow and use it to extort the federation into giving the council full control of the city. Since she was being watched by federation counter-intelligence because of her previous leadership position in the FDC, she asked seraph squad to supply the federation battle network encryption keys to a council armor lance that would take control of the Black Widow. Seraph squad, uncomfortable with performing an act tantamount to treason, and mindful of the increased loss of FDC life after the federation would pull out, declined to take part in the conspiracy.