The Battle of Cape Canaveral was an engagement that took place near the end of the Day of the Consortium, it involved Task Force Talon being reinstated and trying to stop the launch of the shuttle liberty that was carrying a sample of the X-357 virus as well as battling a renegade US airborne division
Background
After Senator Watts had given an interview exposing President Cardiff as being in league with the Consortium, Task Force Talon had evacuated him on a helicopter to Washington D.C. where he could testify in person against the disappeared Cardiff and impeach him.
At the same time, as Watts had been discovered alive General Kelly was reinstated and informed Richter that after talking to AMRIID, he found out that the X-357 could only be altered in a pristine environment like space, letting Richter deduce that the VTOL that escaped from the Consortium base in the Bahamas was headed for Cape Canaveral to hijack the space shuttle liberty.
Stopping the launch
| “ | Remember, we're still America's most wanted, so I want you to take as many prisoners as you can, got it? - Richter |
” |
A countdown to launch has been started, and TFT have to quickly stop it.
Oz and Jefferson infiltrate into a small area outside the launch site with a large squad of TFT soldiers, Richter reminds them that they are still wanted for high treason and advises them to take as many prisoners as possible.
The squad slowly makes their way to the control center, Oz and the snipers eliminate guards in watchtowers while Jefferson and the commandos sweep the ground. The control center turns out to be lightly guarded, and Jefferson and Oz are able to take it without much difficulty.
Vega informs them that the countdown is continuing, so Richter authorises Jefferson to use "lethal force", Jefferson happily obliges, and the countdown soon stops.
Defending
Using a nearby supply store, TFT lands drone constructors and begins establishing a base around the control center, meanwhile, the three airborne divisions guarding the launch site have caught wind of TFT's presence, and are now directing their full force onto the base.
TFT is forced to endure waves of punishing assaults of vehicles, artillery, aircraft and infantry, Oz provides sniper support from the Control center while Jefferson moves about on the ground to help out with the defence, each wave is thrown back with many casualties for both sides, but TFT continues to hold fast to its position around the control center.
Then to TFT's shock, the shuttle actually starts its engines and lifts off, Richter demands to Vega how it happened, but Vega has no idea since the shuttle is not supposed to be able to launch like that, TFT is forced to continue holding its position even as the shuttle launches.
Defeating the 104th
| “ | Richter, we've done it. Cardiff's impeached, and Delaney has been sworn in as acting president - Kelly informing Richter |
” |
As TFT continues to hold, Kelly informs Richter of Cardiff's impeachment, Richter then informs him of the shuttle launch, and asks why the three airborne divisions are continuing to fire on him, Kelly quickly officially reinstates Richter to his command, and soon both the 81st and the 52nd stop their assault.
| “ | Who's the moron commanding that division? - Richter asking Vega who is commanding the 104th as they continue attacking |
” |
However the 104th continues with its assault, Richter wonders which maniac is commanding that division, to which Vega reveals that it's commanded by Whitemore himself, and is fully equipped with Consortium technology, Richter then declares the whole 104th officially renegade.
The 104th soon turns its assault on the 81st and 52nd, both are nearly ovewhelmed by the onslaught and are barely saved as TFT rushes to their aid, the 104th has a massive sprawling complex with many defences and vehicles to back it up. It even has Consortium airpower at its disposal.
With the 81st and 52nd pretty much out of commission from the battering, TFT it forced to pick up the pace, the new Spinner Tacit Rainbow Launcher is used to slowly wear down the defences even as new ones are brought up, the ability to detonate the missiles in midair also allows them to counter the airpower that the 104th is bringing in.
Eventually, TFT is able to ready a large force of Spinner drones, Stryker MGSs and SHIELD units to assault the base of the 104th.
The assault is a bloody affair, 104th fights for every inch of their base with both US and Consortium technology, TFT is forced to grind them down slowly with many casualties.
Eventually though, the 104th is completely annihilated. Whether Colonel Whitemore survived the assault is unknown.
Aftermath
After the destruction of the renegade US 104th Airborne Division, the shuttle is tracked to the Taklamaken Desert in Central Asia. Where the Consortium had originally modified the Typhoons that Task Force Talon had been tracking from the Yucatan Peninsula to Cuba and the Bahamas .
Kelly bemoans the fact that the whole situation is now an international crisis, and informs Richter Acting President Delaney has gone to the UN to present a case for the fight against the Consortium.
Trivia
- The designations of the three airborne divisions you face in this mission (the 104th, 81st and 52nd) are mismatched from real life airborne units in the 101st and 82nd.
- It is only known that red side is the 104th, it is unclear whether the 81st and 52nd are assigned to green or yellow side.
- It is possible that the 104th may attack they yellow side after that Division ceases fire on TFT.
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