| “ | With strength and consistency
— Motto of Malta
|
” |
The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM, Maltese: Forzi Armati ta' Malta) is the name given to the combined armed services of Malta. The AFM is a brigade sized organisation consisting of a headquarters and three separate battalions, with minimal air and naval forces. Since Malta is the guardian of the European Union's most southerly border, the AFM has an active role in border control.
In large part due to low funding, the Maltese Armed Forces make use of both Western and Soviet-bloc equipment, with weapons such as MP5 submachine guns and M240 machine guns serving alongside AKM assault rifles and RPG-7s.
The Armed forces of Malta trace their origins back to a unit of Maltese soldiers in the British Army, including light infantry and coastal artillery. The units were later reorganized into the Royal Malta Fencible Regiment, first raised in 1815, originally serving as infantry, and later converted to artillery in 1851. The other unit the Maltese armed forces trace their roots back to is the Royal Maltese Militia formed in 1801 and later reformed into the King’s Own Malta Regiment in 1903 and went on to see action in World War II. These units became the Armed Forces of Malta in 1974 after the island became independent from the United Kingdom.
Battle vs. Luxembourg Army (by SPARTAN 119)[]
- Malta: 2x vehicles, 10x troops
- Luxembourg: 2x vehicles, 10 troops
A squad of Armed Forces of Malta Troops advanced into an open field with a scattered trees, supported by the .50 caliber machine guns of two Iveco VM-90 light military vehicles. On the other side of the field were a similarly-sized military force centered around two similarly armed Humvees. Neither side was aware an improbable clash of European microstates was about to begin.
From the other side of the field, a soldier of the Luxembourg Army fired an MBT-LAW, the missile impacting one of the VM-90s, sending it up in a ball of flames that also killed one of the Maltese soldiers who was standing too close. At that, both side opened up. The .50 cal on one of the VM-90s perforated one of the Luxembourg Army Humvees, sending it up in flames. The remaining VM-90, however, did not last long after it, being destroyed by the heavy machine gun on the second Humvee. The remaining Maltese soldiers dove for cover in a dry ditch a few meters away as the firefight began. (Malta: 9x troops; Luxembourg: 1x vehicles, 10x troops).
A Luxembourg soldier was struck by fire from a PKM, dropping him to the ground instantly, while two more dove for cover behind the remaining Humvee. Unfortunately for them, a Maltese soldier with an RPG-7 chose that moment to fire the weapon at the Humvee, the rocket striking home and destroying the vehicle and the the two men taking cover behind it. A second later, however, the Maltese RPG gunner was struck by 5.56mm round to the head, killing him instantly. (Malta: 0 vehicles, 8 troops, Luxembourg: 0 vehicles, 7 troops)
Realizing the Luxembourgish troops were pinned down, a Maltese lieutenant gave the order for five men to follow him along the dry ditch, into a narrower side-channel which would give them a flanking position on their adversaries. Meanwhile, the man operating the PKM and one other would provide covering fire.
A stray bullet from from the Luxembourgish FN MAG struck the PKM operator twice, cutting down the Maltese soldier, and forcing the other two into cover. The distraction had lasted long enough- the Maltese troops had made it to the flanks of the Luxembourgish troops and opened fire into the their flanks. A hail of bullets struck first one, then two, then three Luxembourgish troops, causing all three of them to collapse to the ground. (Malta: 7 troops, Luxembourg: 4 troops)
Realizing they had been flanked, four remaining Luxembourgish soldiers got up and ran for the wreckage of one of the destroyed Humvees. While one of them was struck in the back by a burst of three rounds, the rest of them made it to cover, returning fire and hitting two Maltese soldiers in the ditch. (Malta: 5 troops, Luxembourg: 3 troops)
A second later, however, the two Maltese soldiers still in their original position got up, one taking the PKM from their fallen comrade and opening fire. The burst of fire hit the Luxembourgish troops in the sides, killing all of three in short order. (Malta: 5 troops, Luxembourg: 0 troops).
Then, the unexpected happened. An alarm sounded signalling "range clear" and all of the "dead" men got up, while the two vehicles were revealed to be perfectly intact. This entire battle was a "training exercise" with participants from over 20 European nations, the bullets were blanks, and the destruction the result of an overactive imagination of some of the participants. The pitting of the two microstates against each other was no doubt the not so subtle result of the sense of humor of the officers planning the entire exercise.
The newly "revived" Luxembourgish lieutenant got up and walked over to his Maltese counterpart and said, "Guess the beer's on us tonight".
Expert's Opinion[]
TBW