Who: The Navy, Whitecap Triton, and the Semper Fi Marines in Aquatic Power Armor, attached to the Staurolite. Possibly some air support, if any can be spared from other efforts.
Where: Near the coastline between Savannah and Charleston
Transportation details: Convoy of ship will make their way up the coastline, looking for an optimal point for an ambush while scouting for enemy Deep One Outposts. The SNS Staurolite and Whitecap Triton will take point for the convoy, carefully using their sensors to scout the route out. Ambush will take place at a location of Op Lead's choosing, but any of the beaches, bays or inlets in the area could make good points to use. Don't enter their protected waters if you can help it, except with the Staurolite in quiet mode.
Mission Details:
Op is in support of ground-based retrieval of Bracer Phoenix and pilots, to divert attention from retrieval. Navy, Marines, and Triton are to make their way up the coast, carefully. Find a good point to set up an ambush, leave the PT boats, Sea Dragon, Triton, any air support, and possibly the Marines there, then have the Staurolite sneak in closer, and hit them with a missile strike. Target will either be provided by ground forces, at a timing of their choice, or be aimed at the coords of the former Naval Shipyard. After that, based on enemy forces drawn out of their defenses, either flee back to Savannah waters in a hit-and-run chase, or lure them in with the Staurolite, then launch an ambush with other forces.
Primary Objective: Draw out, distract, and destroy any and all units of the Charleston Navy and other forces attracted, while conserving allied forces.
-Note to Op Lead: Don't get yourselves killed. If the matchup looks like it's too overwhelming, break it off and just play tag with them. Coming back alive is far more valuable to us right now than sinking their ships at the cost of our own. This is more a probe and diversion than a serious assault. If you can pull them all the way back into our waters, our own defenses may take care of them, or at least tip the scales enough to deal with them.
Secondary Objectives: Capture ships of interest, possibly using Marines to do so, if viable. Such ships include any former museum ships, aircraft carriers, and anything nuclear powered.
-Note to Op Lead: Again, don't take unnecessary risks. If you can manage to isolate individual ships and board them successfully, or get them to surrender intact, do so. If you need to sink a historical ship, do so without hesitation. Those ships are not more valuable than ours. We can potentially retrieve and refurbish whatever remains if we sink it, especially if we sink it in specific ways, like via calculated shots from below.
Tertiary Objectives: Provide fire support for ground-based operations, gain knowledge of enemy forces, eliminate Deep One outposts.
-Note to Op Lead: If the ground-pounders or flyboys ask for missile support, you're authorized to provide it, assuming it doesn't unnecessarily endanger your own forces. If the Staurolite is currently hiding from the enemy Navy, and not in a position to fire, don't risk it.
As previously stated, this is something of a probe, an attempt to pull their navy out from the defenses they've established and get an idea of what they've got. It may very well be more than you can easily handle, given their infrastructure. But we need to know, at the very least, what they're willing to send our way if we poke the hornet's nest. If we can weaken them in the process, that's a major bonus.
As for the fish people, if you think Triton and Semper Fi can handle things quietly enough to not tip off Charleston ahead of time, or you need to do so to achieve other objectives, destroy any you encounter. If they outnumber you by enough, and you can get by them quietly, then record the location and pass them. You can handle them with more force once you go loud, or on the way back. Or leave them for later. It's up to you.