5th Siege Brigade

5th Siege Brigade
5a Sieĝo Brigado
Country	Elizio
Branch	Land Federal Guard
Type	Infantry
Role	Siege warfare Urban warfare Trench warfare Tunnel warfare
Size	~12,000
Garrison/HQ	Filibusters Camp, Gadsden
Motto	"To the Point"
Equipment	M224 60mm mortar M252 81mm mortar M120/M121 120mm mortar M1203A1 155mm self-propelled gun M22 mortar carrier M1929 mortar carrier M70A1 multiple rocket launcher M1932 engineer squad vehicle M8 infantry fighting vehicle M19 infantry fighting vehicle M1 assault breacher vehicle CH-150B cargo heliplane
Engagements	2013 riots Operation Mountain Bloom
Commanders
Current commander	Brigadier General Hyrum Giles

The 5th Siege Brigade is a formation of the Elizian Land Federal Guard. It was activated in May 2013 as the 5th Infantry Brigade (Provisional). It is trained and equipped for sustained, autonomous high-intensity operations.

History

Upon review of fighting during secession, militia brass and civilian consultants (some of the latter themselves veterans) concluded a key contributor to victory was the use of flying columns. Their efficiency and focus was cited by Colonel (later President of the Federal Republic) Garth Lambert:

“	Though ad hoc and hastily assembled, units were well-led, with their limited weapons and other equipment distributed as efficiently as possible; given clear, specific roles; and equally able to function in urban and rural terrain.	„

The fledgling Federal Guard ground forces were thus organized along the lines of U.S. brigade and regimental combat teams. Five provisional formations primed the pump—infantry brigades of 12,000 troops, an acceptable minimum to function independent of a division unless a full-scale conflict was declared. To that end, each brigade was assigned organic combat support units (armor, artillery, aviation, etc.), turning them for all intents and purposes into task forces.

The brigade's trial by fire came on March 2nd and 5th of 2014, when 1st and 2nd Battalions were called to suppress race riots in Phoenix, Gadsden, and New Angeles, Independence. For a week, the militia stormed barricades, rooted out snipers and accompanied emergency-service personnel, suffering 4 killed and 21 wounded combined. 3rd Battalion, meanwhile, besieged United States Penitentiary Tucson following an inmate uprising. Of special note is the battalion's use of mortars to deliver CS gas.

In early April, 4th Battalion deployed with 5th Battalion, 11th Mountain Brigade, to clear a fortified cannabis farm in the western Mohawk Mountains. The farm was taken after heavy fighting and turned into an agricultural cooperative.