*
OPERATION BARRAS
The Gunfight At Rorkel Creek *
*
UK Assault *
vs *
West Side Boys Defend*
*
10 September, 2000 * 
Gberi Bana, near Freetown, Sierra Leone.*
*
Designed By: Sgt Walrus*
*
Tested By: Wild Bill Wilder, Andy "Weeble" Weaver, Massimo Rocca, Fabio Prado,
Tom DeShetler.*
Cheers Team!*
*
Game length: 15 Turns.*
* 
Some history:*
In the early morning of the 10th September 2000, three Chinooks and two Lynx helicopters of the RAF sped at 200mph over the tangled jungle inland from Freetown, the capital of the Western African nation of Sierra Leone.
Inside the shaking hulls were packed over a hundred elite SAS and Paratroops. In a few minutes they would be putting their days of intensive training to the test. Their mission that morning was to rescue seven UN Peacekeeper hostages being held in the village of Gberi Bana by a brutal local gang, the West Side Boys.*
*
*
This was to be no easy police action. These gangsters were heavily armed, drugged out of their heads, and afraid of no-one. The women would fight as hard as the men and no quarter was expected.
Six of the hostages were British troops from the Royal Irish Regiment. They, and their local army liason, had been captured a few days earlier when they strayed into the area controlled by the West Side Boys. 
Five other Royal Irish troopers had previously been released by Foday Kallay, the self-styled "Brigadier" of the gang, but his intentions were increasingly vague and time was running short!*
*
*
The gang's HQ had been under observation for over a week by elements of D Squadron SAS and a small SBS team. More of D Squadron were onboard the incoming helicopters along with a large part of the 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.*
The time for talking was over, it was now time for action!*
*
*
The seven hostages were released by the SAS teams after twenty minutes of sharp action dealing with their guards. They were then safely escorted to the waiting Lynx and whisked to freedom. It was at this moment that the British had their only fatality, Trooper Bradley "Brad" Tinnion of D Squadron, SAS (ex-Royal Artillery). The fighting in Magbeni, to the south-west, continued for over an hour until the British forces gained control of the area. Mopping up continued all day, including the "rescue" of the three Landrovers taken by the gangsters during the hostage-taking.*
*
The battle was fierce. By the end there were at least 25 dead gangsters, including three women. The leader of the West Side Boys, Foday Kallay, was captured and delivered to the authorities in Freetown.*
*
Can you do as well?
*
*
Your Mission:*
The seven hostages are being held in a large hall in the village of Gberi Bana, it is marked with an "X". There are SAS and SBS on the ground watching the area. Use the SAS and Para Support Ptn in the Spec Ops Chinook to secure the area around the hall and rescue the captives. The hostages have a high point value to reflect their importance in this mission. The leader of the Lynx helo support section, unit D0, has been configured to carry them out of the battle area. It is NOT advisable to move the hostages until they are in contact with the relief force.*
*
Be aware, the SBS are frogmen and can swim with ease in the semi-flooded Rorkel Creek.*
*
The second Lynx and the other two Chinooks, carrying a company of Paras, are tasked with subduing the enemy camp in the village of Magbeni, which is south-west of Gberi Bana and across Rorkel Creek. 
This simultaneous attack aims to stop any gangsters from crossing the river via the ford and harrassing the British rescue forces to the north.*
*
*The three landing zones are marked "LZ", one in the north and two in the south, and have already been been cleared by the recon troops on the ground, though you need to be careful as these gangsters are unpredictable at best!* 
*
*
Intel:*
The attack is timed for first thing in the morning to catch the West Side Boys off guard. Initial resistance is expected to be weak but these guys have nothing to lose and will fight hard when they get organised. There are in excess of sixty gang members in the Magbeni area, less in Gberi Bana itself, though there are thought to be more in the jungle to the north.*
*
*
They are not expected to have SAM defences but they do have heavy MGs. SAS reports that at least one has been  configured for AA. Try to keep your helos alive, they have high point values to reflect their scarceness in this theatre. The two Lynx had to be flown in from Europe for the mission. The loss of a helicopter will make a Decisive Victory nearly impossible. The enemy MG positions are sited where the roads meet the river.*
*
*
Jordanian UN troops have sealed off the roads leading to the area from the south. It is not known how many gang members are in the jungle to the north or what their response to the assault will be. If you can capture or kill the West Side Boy's leader, Foday Kallay, it will be worth the points. He was last seen north of the river. He's never far from his car, it's a black Mercedes. 
*
*
Be patient and cunning in the north, strong and decisive in the south, watch your back at all times.*
Good Luck Commander!
*
*
NOTE:*
This battle has been made for one player vs the AI.*
The Human player should be Player 1, the UK force.*
* 
For Two Player PBEM it is recomended that the West Side Boys (Green) have "Infantry Toughness" set to 80 percent in the preferences menu. Leave "Country Training" set to "ON".* 
*
*
Information for this scenario was gleaned from various sources online including;*
*
http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Sierraleone/Operation-Barras*
http://www.specialoperations.com/Counterterrorism/Barras*
http://archive.thisisherefordshire.co.uk/2001/03/01/60774.html*
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2000/10/29/nsas29.xml



