Operation Bird Watcher

[sierra750]

“Christ, the Swede’s got wrecked, didn’t they?”

The analyst took a drag from his cigarette and leaned over the steel table, surveying the aerial photographs spread across its surface. Even from high above the Swedish islands, the devastation was unmistakable - hastily dug trenches, charred tank husks, twisted wrecks of downed aircraft.

“They weren’t ready. Not for that.” His colleague leaned in and tapped one of the photos. It showed a massive, half-buried shape that looked like it had stumbled into a house, smashing it to bits in the process. “Not sure we’d have fared much better.”

The words lingered for a moment as the men waited for desk officer Keane to finish pouring herself a cup of coffee. The analyst picked up a photograph of a downed jet, its fuselage torn open like a tin can. In the margin, someone had scribbled: Wilhelm 42, F23.

Keane returned to the table and took a sip - then grimached. The analyst gave a half-apologetic shrug.

“Washington wants to know what the hell happened. Our desk is on Swedish forces analysis. Who, what, where. The whole nine yards.”

Abandoning the cup Keane lit a cigarette instead, the flare of the match briefly lighting her face. She drew deeply, exhaled, then continued.

“The Swedes aren’t saying much. My guess? They’re still reeling from what happened. Until we get them to open up we work off our previous assumptions of what they had on the islands and build from there.”

“Operation Bird Watcher already has operatives in the field,” she added, flicking ash into the coffee cup without looking. “And we’re sticking to analyzing Swedish conventional forces. None of the resistance activity or Soviet invasion debacle. God knows there’s enough of that to fill another cabinet.”

Finishing, she turned toward the analyst. “Doug - can you put on some fresh coffee? There’s no way in hell you can deliver quality work on whatever that was.”

[sierra750]

Subject: Operation Bird Watcher – Preface

Classification: TOP SECRET // HCS-P/SI-G/TK // ORCON/NOFORN

Date: September, 1989

Prepared by: Joint Intelligence Cell – Northern Europe

Operation Bird Watcher is a strategic reconnaissance and analysis mission tasked with penetrating the occupied region of Östertörn, following a decisive and catastrophic engagement between Swedish armed forces and an attacking force. The operation’s objective is not to engage but to observe, assess, and report on the operational status, original intent, and post-battle condition of the Swedish units involved.

Initial aerial photographs and intercepted communications indicate severe material and structural losses across multiple Swedish defensive positions. However, little is known about the pre-engagement objectives, tactical intent, or the current state of cohesion and resistance capability within these units. The Swedish government has maintained silence on the matter, and on-ground visibility is limited due to occupation forces.

Bird Watcher aims to address these intelligence gaps through Intent & Battle Damage Assessments (I-BDA), which will:

1. Estimate the original mission objectives of the Swedish forces based on troop disposition, movement patterns, and defensive structuring.

2. Assess the scale and nature of losses, including personnel, equipment, infrastructure, and command structures.

3. Establish whether objectives were aborted, disrupted, or pursued to completion despite losses.

This assessment is critical for shaping regional response plans, supporting diplomatic positioning, and forecasting the strategic intentions of Swedish forces.

Operatives assigned to Bird Watcher are to prioritize operational safety, thorough intelligence gathering, and situational analysis. All findings are to be reported via encrypted channels for centralized review and assessment.

[sierra750]

Hello Battlefield Detectives!

Were you ever curious about how the battle for Östertörn unfolded?

As stated above, Operation Bird Watcher has the goal of analyzing the fate of Swedish forces on Östertörn. Starting with the Archipelago Region, the goal is to map presence of Swedish forces and estimate their intentions as the battle progressed. Part of that will be to try and asses what units were on Östertörn, based on in-game findings.

Now, the game doesn’t attempt to make an accurate portrayal of the Swedish military, so it’ll be like piecing together a movie prop puzzle where the pieces weren’t even necessarily made to fit. A lot of artistic freedom will be taken.

But, it’s a fun experiment - and you’re welcome to participate! Have a look at OPERATION BIRD WATCHER for more information.

[sierra750]

Identification

• Reporting Unit: Observer-1

Area

• Region: Archipelago
• Coordinates: 957, 3489 near Seggesta Farm
• Location Description: Outpost with checkpoint

Intent Assessment

• Estimated Pre-Engagement Force: Squad to platoon size element consisting of infantry supported by armor.
• Estimated Pre-Engagement Objective(s): Control main road on Södra Saltholmen.
• Indicators Supporting Assessment: Outpost placed along main road on island. Established roadblock in east/west direction. Armor facing toward roadblock and road.
• Assessed Level of Coordination or Planning: High: Prepared position, strategically chosen location, radio contact with command, access to supplies.

Battle Damage Assessment

• Assessed Force’s Role: Defending
• Confirmed losses: 4 KIA, 1 tank
• Other abandoned or destroyed equipment: 3 trucks, 2 cars, Radio 181, tent, equipment crates
• Damage source, if known: Runners, indicated by destroyed enemy forces. Unknown if this would be enough to destroy the tank.

Operational Impact Summary

• Immediate Outcome of Engagement: Enemy forces gained freedom of movement on Södra Saltholmen, while denying Swedish forces the same.
• Broader Operational Impact: Swedish forces west and south of Seggesta Farm cut off from remaining forces on Östertörn.

Additional Notes

No defensive preparations (sand bags, trenches). Partially unloaded trucks may indicate that the element was in the process of setting up camp when attacked. Position of destroyed Enemy Forces may indicate that the attack came from direction north east.

Photo Evidence

[sierra750]

Identification

• Reporting Unit: Observer-1

Area

• Region: Archipelago
• Coordinates: -110, 3300 Saltholmstungan
• Location Description: Defensive position

Intent Assessment

• Estimated Pre-Engagement Force: Reinforced infantry squad.
• Estimated Pre-Engagement Objective(s): Hold the land connection between Norra Saltholmen and Södra Saltholmen.
• Indicators Supporting Assessment: Small but well supplied camp on strategic location.
• Assessed Level of Coordination or Planning: Moderate: In ordered position, in radio contact with command. However, lacking prepared defenses despite a supposed defensive position, and seemingly using a pre-existing camp.

Battle Damage Assessment

• Assessed Force’s Role: Defending
• Confirmed losses: 6 KIA
• Other abandoned or destroyed equipment: Radios, tent, equipment crates
• Damage source, if known: Runners, indicated by destroyed enemy forces.

Operational Impact Summary

• Immediate Outcome of Engagement: Swedish loss of position, likely triggering a retreat east to Hästvik farm.
• Broader Operational Impact: Enemy forces gained control of a land connection to Södra Saltholmen. This is less exposed than the bridge and without weight restrictions, allowing heavier units to pass.

Additional Notes

Position of enemy forces may indicate the attack coming from the north. Presence of casualty treatment among defenders indicate prolonged engagement which was atleast initially moderately successful. Battle damage on nearby Hästvik farm suggest possible fall-back position.

Photos

[Mr_A1992]

Someone has been having a little bit of too much GZ lately…

Well, at least you have some fun, good for you.
I wish there was more to the story and to the environment stories/background (like above)

[sierra750]

It for sure is a fun thought experiment!

I agree with you on stories and background, and I think that to some extent the inspiration for this comes from a feeling that there is so much potential story wise out there.

Behind every one of these scenes scattered throughout Östertörn is a mini story, a diorama if you will, and while not fleshed out in the game perhaps contains more than we think when just running past looking for loot. So while it absolutely is speculative, it is rooted in the game helping fill a bit of that sense of story gap.

[Zesiir]

It’s fun to see more community content about the game. Go nuts, I’d love to see more.

It looks pretty detailed so far!

[sierra750]

This was personally a good find, as I hadn’t seen the soldiers outside the castle before!

---

Identification

• Reporting Unit: Observer-1

Area

• Region: Archipelago
• Coordinates: 3047, 2810 Iboholmen Castle
• Location Description: Castle ruins

Intent Assessment

• Estimated Pre-Engagement Force: Reconnaissance squad in three patrol cars and a supply truck.
• Estimated Pre-Engagement Objective(s): Set up observation post and recon south of Iboholmen to identify source of reported gunfire.
• Indicators Supporting Assessment: Intercepted transmission, seized map, supply truck.
• Assessed Level of Coordination or Planning: Moderate: In radio contact with command, brought along supplies.

Battle Damage Assessment

• Assessed Force’s Role: Reconnoitering
• Confirmed losses: 9 KIA
• Other abandoned or destroyed equipment: Three patrol cars and a supply truck.
• Damage source, if known: Runners, indicated by destroyed enemy forces.

Operational Impact Summary

• Immediate Outcome of Engagement: Complete destruction of reconnaissance squad.
• Broader Operational Impact: Vesslan command being alerted to the enemy threat, triggering a heightened military response.

Additional Notes

As the squad approached the castle three vehicles held back as a fireteam moved in to secure the site.
Finding the castle empty, the forward team starts to radio in but is attacked by enemy forces. With enemy forces pushing up the castle stairs, the forward fireteam is cut off from the rest of the squad and their own vehicle. Taking casualties, the fireteam retreats deeper into the castle but is destroyed.
The remaining squad turns the vehicles around and retreat back down the road, but are intercepted by machines and destroyed.

Enemy forces likely originated from landing in Källviken.

Photos

Forward fireteam’s vehicle:

Two scouts from the fireteam cut off in the castle:

Intercepted supply truck:

Patrol cars in the retreating column:

Källviken landing point:

[sierra750]

Identification

• Reporting Unit: Observer-1

Area

• Region: Archipelago
• Coordinates: 2949, 2331 near Stenhaga Farm
• Location Description: Outpost

Intent Assessment

• Estimated Pre-Engagement Force: Squad size infantry element supported by armor.
• Estimated Pre-Engagement Objective(s): Control Iboholmen’s main road.
• Indicators Supporting Assessment: Established outpost along road, simple concealment erected.
• Assessed Level of Coordination or Planning: Moderate: In radio contact with command, brought along supplies, position partially concealed.

Battle Damage Assessment

• Assessed Force’s Role: Defending
• Confirmed losses: 2 KIA
• Other abandoned or destroyed equipment: One tank, two supply trucks.
• Damage source, if known:

Operational Impact Summary

• Immediate Outcome of Engagement: Destruction of Swedish armor and position routed.
• Broader Operational Impact: Destruction of any organized military resistance on Iboholmen.

Additional Notes

Assumed blocking force similar to the one near Seggesta Farm. Attack initiated during arrival of armor to the camp. Low number of casualties at the camp may indicate that the defenders scattered when the armor was ambushed. The remaining squad members can either be found somewhere on Iboholmen or departed by boat to Östertörn or the mainland.

Recommendation: Search for possible rally points for scattered defenders.

Photos

[sierra750]

Identification

• Reporting Unit: Observer-1

Area

• Region: Archipelago
• Coordinates: 4053, 1702 near Björknäs
• Location Description: Road

Intent Assessment

• Estimated Pre-Engagement Force: Three to four soldiers in two cars and a supply truck.
• Estimated Pre-Engagement Objective(s): Retrieve equipment and ammunition from nearby military storage (4221,1558).
• Indicators Supporting Assessment: Small team with supply vehicle near military storage.
• Assessed Level of Coordination or Planning: Moderate: Convoy formed.

Battle Damage Assessment

• Assessed Force’s Role: Defending
• Confirmed losses: 2 KIA
• Other abandoned or destroyed equipment: Two cars, one supply truck.
• Damage source, if known:

Operational Impact Summary

• Immediate Outcome of Engagement: Destruction of convoy before reaching the supply storage.
• Broader Operational Impact: Limited supplies and/or possible restriction of special equipment for local Swedish forces.

Additional Notes

Assumed supply convoy dispatched by Vesslan Command after initial hostilities. Ambushed en route. No sign of driver. Supply truck door partially open, driver may have escaped.

Photos

[sierra750]

Identification

• Reporting Unit: Observer-1

Area

• Region: Archipelago
• Coordinates: 4331,2353 near Yttervik
• Location Description: Forest ruin and surroundings

Intent Assessment

• Estimated Pre-Engagement Force: Reduced squad of six soldiers.
• Estimated Pre-Engagement Objective(s): Evade enemy forces and wait for possible rescue.
• Indicators Supporting Assessment: Non-strategic hideout out on peninsula. Lack of transport.
• Assessed Level of Coordination or Planning: Low: Retreating force, but with some supplies and possibly radio contact with command.

Battle Damage Assessment

• Assessed Force’s Role: Defending
• Confirmed losses: 6 KIA
• Other abandoned or destroyed equipment:
• Damage source, if known: Runners, as indicated by destroyed enemy forces.

Operational Impact Summary

• Immediate Outcome of Engagement: Destruction of remaining Swedish forces.
• Broader Operational Impact: All Swedish military forces on Iboholmen neutralized.

Additional Notes

Possibly retreating soldiers from outpost near Stenhaga farm. In the initial attack on the survivors four soldiers are killed, with two making it out of camp. One attempts to flee the island via boat but is quickly killed. The other manages to get away, and successfully hides on top of the kiosk in Yttervik for some time until he is found and killed.

Photos