The Gun Sight

"You mean like kamikaze pilots?"

"Somewhat, but they are not doing it to commit suicide but merely doing their duties to the fullest Captain Curtiss," her second in command explained to her, "Those men are gallant and brave. Cherish this moment that you witnessed Captain Curtiss and when you decide to go home in the U.S. then you can recall this moment and say you were in the presence of honorable warriors who are descended from the warriors of old."

"I will never forget it," she replied.

Ace climbed aboard his tank and squeezed into his command cupola. He readied himself for what it is that fate has in store for him.

"Ace Diwa to all Task Force personnel," he called out on his communication system, "bring your gun sight to bear and prepare yourselves."

"Copy that Task Force Commander Diwa," the reply comes over the communication channel.

"Ryan, let us get this fight on the road," with that his tank driver rolled their tank towards the mountain pass.

Another hour has gone by then from long range, the tank's sensor picked up movements within the other side of the pass.

"Task Force Commander to the drone unit, please identify movements picked up in our scanner," Ace requested over the communication channel.

"Scanning targets," replied one of the intelligence specialists.

Target Identified:

• 8 T-90/S Main Battle tanks

• 10 BRDM-2 Combat Cars

• 10 BMD-3 CFVs

• 10 BMP-3 CVFs

• 20 BTR-3 APCs

"Oh crap, it's a force reconnaissance unit," said Rick his communication specialist.

"Alright gentlemen this is it. Let them hit the mines then open up on the CFVs, Combat Cars, and APCs. Let the tanks in so we can take it out," instructed Ace to his command.

"Copy that," replied his men.

Soon enough the mines were detonated turning 2 BMD-3s, 2 BMP-3s, 2 BRDM-2s, and 4 BTR-3s into burning hulks. The infantry disembarked from their BTR-3 APCs and cautiously walked forward away from the flaming wrecks. With the sun which has set an hour ago, the darkness is an eerie sight for the Dune Warriors. The Rim-Cats infantry have already worn and activated their NVGs (night vision goggles) and every personnel who manned the Rim-Cats combat vehicles have night vision and thermal on their display illuminating the Dune Warriors and their combat vehicles.

"Don't fire until you're sure they can be hit," commanded the Infantry platoon leader of the Task Force Special Attack Group, "Snipers do your job against them."

The Rim-Cats 8 snipers opened up with their Barret 50 caliber long range sniper rifles, with accurate shots they have managed to eliminate 20 infantry troops while the rest took cover or have hit the dirt. At that moment the 2 Fenneks armed with 50 caliber machineguns mowed down the remaining enemy troops. The 80mm mortar mounted Fennek opened fire causing more casualties to the Dune Warriors. Enraged the enemy rushed in with their vehicles, soon enough the infantry fired their 8 shoulder fired anti-tank missile launchers taking out 4 BTR-3 APCs, 2 BMP-3s, 1 BRDM-2, and 1 BMD-3.

"Tanks rolling in," warned one of the infantry team leaders.

"Alright, Pumas get ready and rain down 30mm fire on the tanks, the rest of the tanks fire 2 shots from each target," Ace told the crew of his Pumas CFVs and Leopard 2A6EX.

He decided to exercise that particular method because he knows that the 30mm SABOT rounds will weaken the T-90/S armor and thus making them vulnerable to their 120mm tank guns.

"Ryan, position our tank for a good open shot of that pass," he commanded his tank driver.

"You got it Ace," the tank driver complies as the tank surge into position with the other 3 Leopard 2A6EX Main Battle Tanks of the Rim-Cat Regimental Mobile Combat Team.

4 tanks roared forward and passed the infantry's position, the 6 Puma CFVs opened fire with their 30mm cannons peppering the T-90/S tanks chipping away their armor.

"Target acquired," Ace locked onto one of the tank and pressed the button as the 120mm cannon thundered releasing its APFDS (Armored Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding SABOT) round against the target.

Quickly he thumb for a reload of another APFDS round and fired at the same target as his first shot found their mark, his second shot exploded turning the T-90/S into a spectacular fireball. Another flick of a switch he reloads another round into the 120mm tank gun. This time he chose a HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) round, locking on a second tank he fired as another Leopard 2A6EX fired at the same T-90/S. Immediately the tank exploded tossing the burning turret several hundred feet into the air before hitting the desert floor.

"Another 4 tanks coming in and with their machineguns blazing," warned one of the Boxer APC's vehicle commanders.

"Infantry troops, stay down," commanded Ace, "Pumas and Leopards, lock onto those tanks and fire!"

Loading a STAFF (Smart Target Activated Fire and Forget) round, he locked onto the leading tank and fired. Quickly he loaded another STAFF round and fired at the same tank before locking on to the next tank. As the T-90/S exploded peppered by both STAFF rounds and 30mm SABOTs from the Pumas, Ace once again loaded an APFDS round. Setting his guns sight to bear, he locked on the farthest tank and fired, flicking the loading switch again, another APFDS was loaded. Again he picked the same target and fired. Both rounds found their mark, the first destroyed the armor of the T-90/S and the second round punched through the remaining armor and detonated, turning the Dune Warrior's tank into a heap of scrap metal.

"The enemy is falling back," shouted the Puma CFVs commander.

"Load TERM (Tank Extended Range Munitions) round and fire!"

Using the drones scanners, the TERM rounds locked onto the retreating vehicles as the rounds rain down on them from the 120mm guns of the Leopard 2A6EX. 2 more T-90/S tanks, 3 BTR-3s, 3 BMP-3, and 6 BRDM-2 were destroyed before the reconnaissance unit of the Dune Warriors manages to disengage.

"Stand down people, re-load and top off on your fuel," Ace ordered his men, "Eat while you can. They will be back and this time they will be back with more to throw on us.