>>11048199On a related note, elements of this unit had their baptism of fire in the bloody assault on the Greys not too long ago. Post-action assessment deemed their performance to be "satisfactory" at best, something of a harsh critique. However there were multiple mitigating factors that ultimately served to give them a positive reputation undeserving of such conclusions:
>an elite formation, they were nonetheless relegated to 3rd wave reserves status instead of leading the assault, something they were well suited forThe desperate short-notice nature of the offensive and doubts about these untested soldiers contributed to this decision, one of those great what-if moments armchair generals will debate vigorously for years to come
>they were directly responsible for shooting down at least one enemy helicopter gunship and knocking out a tank>only one reinforced company's worth of the unit was available for the offensive yet their combat performance was comparable to/greater than the much larger units also engaged>despite heavy losses and the tide of battle turning against them they were the only Green unit to hold their ground in the face of the oncoming GreysWhile the right flank was collapsing with the Green units there routing, these troops were doing their best to stand firm on the left and parts of the centre. Ironically, had there not been the sudden dramatic shift in fortunes that ultimately decided the battle and the unit been forced to fight to the last man, they likely would've gone down as legendary warriors.
One thing is certain - they will get another chance at battlefield glory someday.
