In the Beginning
All was well and great for the newly Socialist nation of Astarica. Men and women were working hard and getting along, cheering and waving Astarican flags for the newly elected leader, President Constance Reviero Stalveta. The 22 year old leader promised peace and fairness for generations, and that no nation would dare interfere with Astarican freedom and liberty. His first act was the closing of all national borders and ports and the securing all possible ways out of the USSA. Many people were afraid, surrounded by soldiers on their streets, tanks and Infantry Carriers surrounded by cars on the highways. President Stalveta ensured the people it was for their safety, but all along he was playing them from the start. Three years later, in 2005, the Socialist way of life was beginning to look unappealing when the President deemed it necessary for soldiers to barge into the homes of it's hard-working people because of their liberal comments towards the ruling of President Stalveta. The soldiers tried to be quiet as they dragged the men and women and children out of their homes at night but the screaming could hardly be muffled. Brave neighbors tried to interfere, leading those to be arrested and thrown into jail. Once a person was taken by the authorities due to speaking out against their government, most were never heard from again and those who did return, were not the same and refused to speak about what had happened to them. As the years went by, the Stalveta Government became worse and worse, lazier and lazier as the rich fed off of the people's hard work and gave nothing in return. Food storages maintained by towns and cities became personal playgrounds for the Garrisons as the mayors and Secretaries were paid very well under the table. Poverty hit an all time high and President Stalveta and his band of corrupt advisors fan base dropped sharply. People began talk of rebellion, too openly. Police detained them. People refused to work for such little pay, Police detained them. People refused to allow their homes searched by the local Garrison just because they heard a rumor from a rival neighbor, Police detained them. This pattern continued for many years, and the life quality of the average hard working citizen hit rock bottom. In 2012, electricity grids began to flicker as Repair Companies went out of business and the government did nothing. Around this time, a 18 year old boy from the town of Vrolik, Petyr Hasbetik, decided enough was enough from the government that fed off of the people's misery and suffering as the Military ensured no resistance could rise. With a small group of 15 people, he created the Astarican Liberation Army based off of the ideas of Freedom, Liberty, and Democracy and made every effort to keep it from the ears and eyes of the Vrolik Garrison. He was the smartest in his Grade School class and mastered every subject the Schoolmaster could throw at him, which helped him plan, organize and stay hidden for so long. For the next few years, the Liberation Army would gain strength quickly and very, very aggressively. At the beginning of 2014, the ALA could hide no longer. The citizens of Vrolik made the mistake of beginning an unarmed protest in the name of the ALA, unauthorized by Petyr. All 20 of the protestors were arrested and the city was put on lockdown for two weeks. the Vrolik Garrison began to raid every house on every street searching for the leader of this revolt, capturing 23 citizens. On January 8, 2014, Petyr approached a soldier attempting to separate a man and women, lifted his pistol, and fired a single shot into the soldier's head. The ALA members around him knew he set the pace of the entire Civil War. For the next few months, while the ALA and Police forces fought in the streets of Vrolik, across the nation, ALA cells sprang up almost over night, most waging a propaganda war against the Astarican government. The only city that had absolutely no Liberation Army presence was Severitoq, the capital city, where the Astarican Intelligence Agency kept a tight grip on everything that was happening in the city and executed 150 citizens who attempted to create a Cell.
The War
[align=center]For two years, the war raged in the Western regions, cities and towns being completely reduced to rubble yet still being fought over by the superior Astarican Army and the 100,000 strong ALA forces that resided in the West. The war was slow and was taking it's toll on General Petyr Hasbetik. He participated in 29 battles. In each battle, he brought home a different wound. Shrapnel filled his body and bullet holes scarred his flesh, a chunk of his right ear missing. Now, he was faced with a disease that nothing could treat, cancer. As his body began to waste away, so did the morale of his soldiers that fought across the land. The ALA began their descent back into disorganization as they lost every battle they were drawn into, losing thousands, many more being captured. Airstrikes drove the weaker soldiers into complete desertion and some even into the hands of the Government, becoming Informants. In 6 months, the Liberation Army lost every strategic position it had held since the war began and with it's leader on his deathbed, the Rebellion was set to follow with him. With Vrolik, Itiq, Fort Varonika, and Welton being it's last strongholds, and only 16,000 Rebels left spread thinly across it's territory, General Hasbetik calls out to any nation willing to assist the heavily undermanned and ill-equipped Liberation Army in fighting back the corrupt Socialist Government of President Stalveta to Severitoq and help usher in the beginning of a Democratic and free nation.
OOC: http://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=335143
Fort Varonika, Rebel-held territory
East Sector
Time: 12:19pm
Four ragtag soldiers sat quietly and exhausted around a large, warm fire. The atmosphere was cold, wet, and eerie ever since a large monsoon hit the Fort earlier In the day. Water droplets still fell from the roofs and rubble of the bombed out Fort, which barely deserved that title as of now. The four men could hear chatter from the other soldiers there, most talking about ways to shore up exposed regions that the Military could easily exploit. Others were explaining the ways of guerilla warfare opportunities in the Fort to rebels who looked in their teens.
"Enlisting children, giving us broken weapons for us to fix ourselves, setting us up in locations where we could get out heads blown off by snipers or artillery. This isn't what I signed up for." Said a Rebel, attempting to fix his G36C rebel forces earlier captured from a Military patrol.
"In times of war, we all do what we have to do. And those aren't children, those are teenagers. They're old enough to think for themselves." Said another soldier, sharpening his kitchen knife on a whetstone.
"Yeah, well...we don't have enough soldiers to defend what we have left, our gracious leader is dying and should be gone within the coming months. After that, this rebellion is nothing more than just an idea again. I don't know if I want to stay around and see that." Said the doubting rebel as he rose from the campfire and walked towards one of the makeshift watchtowers, where two other rebels stood, their spotlight looking out over the brushy, foresty plains. As he climbed the tower, he began to hear shouts from the tower. He couldn't tell what they were, but as he climbed faster, the entire watchtower erupted into fire, wood and metal flying in every direction, killing the doubting rebel, and many others. Before the rest could rise from their fires and retaliate, scores of Government troops flooded in, their guns precisely picking off rebel after rebel. Even the MG placement facing that direction that was firing away at the incoming Army soldiers soon tasted the metal of an artillery shell, leaving the remaining rebels with no defense other than their guns and a few grenades for grenade launchers. The battle continued on for some time, with the rebels getting pushed back every few minutes. The few thousand of rebel forces at the Fort were quickly depleted, forcing them completely out of the fort due to the sheer numbers of soldiers coming at them. Make no mistake, the rebels were accurate as well, for every rebel killed, 4 Army soldiers fell in battle, either from injury or death. Within the span of 13 minutes, the rebel force of 2,300 was completely annihilated and Fort Varonika was once again in the hands of the Astarican Military. With this attack, all across the Rebel territorial line, the Military was launching attacks just like this on every city held by the Rebels. Vrolik and Itiq were in the process of being invaded. Port Welton, was the last Rebel Stronghold still untouched by the Military might of Astarica. With only a force of 8,000 Rebels protecting it, they needed help. And they needed it now.
