Prequel OP/ BN FTX Warno

OPERATION ENDURING SPEAR

PREQUEL — ESTABLISH THE FOOTHOLD

17TH RANGER BATTALION
LYTHIUM THEATER OF OPERATIONS

DATE: 29 AUG 2026
TIME: Morning
WEATHER: Clear
STARTING LOCATION: Marauder Airfield — AO BASTOGNE

SITUATION

The 17th Ranger Battalion has completed its initial deployment into Lythium and established its primary operating base at Marauder Airfield in AO BASTOGNE.

Intelligence collected during the opening days of the deployment indicates that insurgent forces maintain significant freedom of movement throughout the interior of Lythium. The distance between Marauder Airfield and the battalion's future operating areas presents a serious logistical and tactical problem.

Operating exclusively from Marauder would force Ranger elements to travel long distances through insurgent-controlled territory before reaching their assigned areas.

Before Operation Enduring Spear can formally begin, the battalion must establish a network of forward Combat Outposts.

Three locations have been selected:

OBJ EAGLE — AO APACHE
Future site of COP EAGLE

OBJ FALCON — AO RANGER
Future site of COP FALCON

OBJ CHIEF — AO SABER
Future site of COP CHIEF

Insurgent elements currently occupy or operate around all three locations.

The 17th Ranger Battalion will conduct a coordinated clearing and logistics operation to seize these positions and establish a permanent American presence across the operational area.

MISSION

On 29 AUG 2026, the 17th Ranger Battalion will depart Marauder Airfield and conduct operations across AO APACHE, AO RANGER, and AO SABER to seize three designated objectives.

Ranger elements will:

CLEAR. SECURE. SUPPLY. HOLD.

Each objective must be cleared of insurgent forces before logistical assets can be brought forward.

Once secured, each position will receive the supplies and equipment necessary to establish an operational Combat Outpost.

OBJ EAGLE

AO APACHE

END STATE: COP EAGLE

Ranger forces will assault OBJ EAGLE and eliminate insurgent forces occupying the position and surrounding terrain.

Once the objective is secure, logistics elements will move forward and establish the initial sustainment capability of the outpost.

The following resources must be delivered:

AMMO SOURCE
FUEL SOURCE
REPAIR SOURCE

Once all three resources are established and the position is secure, OBJ EAGLE will be redesignated COP EAGLE.

COP EAGLE will provide the 17th Ranger Battalion with a forward operating position supporting future operations throughout AO APACHE.

OBJ FALCON

AO RANGER

END STATE: COP FALCON

Ranger forces will assault OBJ FALCON and clear insurgent personnel from the objective.

Insurgent resistance should be expected along approaches to the position as enemy forces attempt to prevent the establishment of a permanent Ranger presence inside AO RANGER.

Following clearance of the objective, logistics elements will deliver:

AMMO SOURCE
FUEL SOURCE
REPAIR SOURCE

Once all three resources are established and the position is secure, OBJ FALCON will be redesignated COP FALCON.

COP FALCON will become the primary forward staging position for Ranger operations inside AO RANGER.

OBJ CHIEF

AO SABER

END STATE: COP CHIEF

Ranger forces will assault OBJ CHIEF and destroy or drive out insurgent elements occupying the area.

Following clearance operations, the position will be secured while logistics elements move forward.

The following resources must be delivered:

AMMO SOURCE
FUEL SOURCE
REPAIR SOURCE

Once all three resources are established and the position is secure, OBJ CHIEF will be redesignated COP CHIEF.

COP CHIEF will provide the battalion with a permanent forward presence supporting future operations throughout AO SABER.

ENEMY FORCES

Insurgent forces throughout Lythium have become increasingly aware of the growing American presence at Marauder Airfield.

Enemy elements operating near the three objectives are expected to consist primarily of decentralized insurgent cells equipped with:

AK-pattern rifles
PKM machine guns
RPGs
Light technical vehicles
Static heavy weapons
Improvised explosive devices

Enemy strength at each objective is unknown.

Insurgent forces are expected to exploit villages, compounds, elevated terrain, and restrictive road networks to observe and engage Ranger movements.

The movement of American logistics convoys will provide the enemy with particularly valuable targets.

Commanders should expect the possibility of:

IED attacks, ambushes, hit-and-run attacks, reinforcement of contested objectives, and attacks against newly established COPs.

FRIENDLY FORCES

The 17th Ranger Battalion is operating from Marauder Airfield, AO BASTOGNE.

Marauder will serve as the primary staging and logistical hub for the operation.

Ranger elements are responsible for clearing and securing each objective while supporting logistical elements transporting the equipment necessary to establish the COP network.

Air and ground assets may be utilized as required to support movement between the widely separated objectives.

CIVILIAN CONSIDERATIONS

Civilian populations remain present throughout the operational area.

Many villages and compounds surrounding the objectives remain inhabited.

Insurgent forces may operate from or move through populated areas in an attempt to conceal their activities.

Ranger elements will positively identify hostile forces before engagement and minimize unnecessary damage to civilian infrastructure.

The establishment of the COP network represents the first sustained American presence many of these communities will encounter.

Actions taken during this operation may influence local perceptions of the 17th Ranger Battalion throughout the campaign.

EXECUTION

The operation will be conducted in four general phases.

PHASE I — DEPLOY

17th Ranger Battalion elements stage from Marauder Airfield and prepare personnel, vehicles, logistical equipment, and supporting assets.

PHASE II — CLEAR

Ranger elements assault:

OBJ EAGLE — AO APACHE
OBJ FALCON — AO RANGER
OBJ CHIEF — AO SABER

All hostile forces threatening the designated COP locations must be eliminated or driven from the area.

PHASE III — ESTABLISH

Once an objective has been declared secure, logistics elements move forward.

Each objective must receive:

1 × Ammo Source
1 × Fuel Source
1 × Repair Source

The loss of logistical equipment may require replacement assets to be transported from Marauder Airfield.

Convoy security remains the responsibility of the 17th Ranger Battalion.

PHASE IV — HOLD

Once all required resources have been delivered, Ranger elements establish security around the position.

The objectives will then officially become:

COP EAGLE — AO APACHE

COP FALCON — AO RANGER

COP CHIEF — AO SABER

These positions will form the forward operating network from which the 17th Ranger Battalion will prosecute Operation Enduring Spear.

COMMANDER'S INTENT

The purpose of this operation is not simply to destroy insurgent forces.

It is to establish the infrastructure necessary to fight the campaign that follows.

By nightfall, the 17th Ranger Battalion will no longer operate solely from Marauder Airfield.

American forces will have established permanent footholds across three additional Areas of Operation.

These positions will provide staging areas, resupply locations, patrol bases, casualty collection points, and launch points for future Ranger operations.

The enemy has spent years using Lythium's valleys, villages, and mountains as sanctuary.

That sanctuary ends today.

END STATE

OBJ EAGLE cleared and COP EAGLE established.

OBJ FALCON cleared and COP FALCON established.

OBJ CHIEF cleared and COP CHIEF established.

Each COP possesses an operational:

Ammo Source
Fuel Source
Repair Source

The 17th Ranger Battalion maintains control of all three positions and possesses the forward infrastructure required to begin Operation Enduring Spear.