1912-1990 Era War IC (Semi-Closed)

[Skarten]

"Operation Burning Rice"
13th of April 1929
Southern Smirsja, Northwestern Indianum

The march of a million boots echoed across the land, engines roaring alongside it. It was the sound of the eastern men, the Skartentine Ground Forces. Proud warriors of the Kingdom, these men were in their great majority veterans, some from the Nine Years War and some from the more recent Consolidationist Insurgency. But nevertheless, they had all seen combat in some way. Already proficient with the tradition of war, these men were ready to throw their lives in danger to secure the interests of their nation.

Their objective was somewhat simple. Upon being notified of the green light, they would advance through the border into Manchukuo and secure the Manchurian Coast. Reports were that, in the east, The Manticoran forces had already made great advancements, and that the Nihonese concentrated their lowland troops on this region. According to their information, the Royal Navy would be taking hold of the bay as to make sure that further reinforcements would not arrive. This offensive would be made many times easier, given the fact that the attack would be opening yet another front against the already fighting Nihonese. With the advance of the Manticorans through the Prairies, the Officers of Skarten knew that Victory would soon come.

It was early in the afternoon when it happened. The roughly 2.6 million men present there were waiting, preparing for their orders to initiate the attack on Manchukuo. It was in this late afternoon, that the news were given. The Kingdom of Skarten had, at last, declared war on the Nihonese. Immediately, messengers ran across camps, spreading the news to those who needed to know it. The commanding personnel were swift, and soon the first phase of their plan of attack was put in motion.

With their directives given, it was time for the Artillery men of Skarten to shine. And soon, the quiet afternoon was there no longer. Cutting through the skies like Heralds of Death flew shells, shells in numbers too great to be counted. Aimed upon any position of importance nearby the border of Smirsja with the Nihonese Colony, they fell upon the earth like strikes from a vengeful god, their highly explosive content welcoming those around it to the warmth of fire and the coldness of death. And so, civilian and soldier alike, they perished, both fort and city being caught within the man-made hellstorm.

To one present within the range of this attack, it would appear as if the very core of the earth shook as the sounds of the falling ammunition made even those who were able to escape its destructive gasp suffer, their ears bleeding as everything around them fell apart.

This pandemonium would continue, minute after minute, hour after hour, shell after shell. Deep into the night the barrage resisted, explosions lighting up the land like fireworks on a new year's sky. Not satisfied by the mere bombardment, The Royal Air Force was called in. Into the heart of Manchukuo, Nocturne Bombers struck, their attacks covered by the mantle of darkness. Military Positions, cities, all that posed a possible threat to the Skartenian advance would be targets to the wrath of Skarten.

Skartenian Artillery Men Utilize a Howitzer

It was early in the morning when the sound of falling shells stopped. For a moment, peace was able to, at last, return, as the soothing sound of the morning wind flew. Sadly, this quietness did not last for long. From the north, the war cries of two million souls could be heard as their assault began. The Skoczek Offensive had, at last, begun! Aided by tanks, from light to heavy, trucks, motorcycles and armoured cars, the Skartenians began their attack. At their front would be the deadly rain of artillery, always careful not to hit their own men, and the ever-courageous planes of the Air Force, who served as scouts, fighters and bombardiers at the same time.

Striking from the north, they advanced, knowing they would be engaging an amount of roughly one million Nihonese soldiers, knowledge that came from scouting missions and skartenian collaborators on Manchukuo. Many of the new tools of war which had been recently introduced saw, at last, their first results in action. The combined arms of the Rifle Regiments and Mechanized Divisions fell upon the Nihonese, their artillery support solidifying their doctrine of superior firepower. Cavalry Divisions, albeit in lesser number, still roamed around, either using their superior mobility to strike against Nihonese Armoured Divisions with Anti-Tank Rifles as well as engaging less defended groups of soldiers if such was determined to be viable. It was time for the Skartenian Eagle to Rise once Again!

---

"A Rather Easy Movement"
13th of April 1929
Northwestern Manchukuo, Snowy Bay

The salty air of the sea filled the nostrils of sailors as they manned their titans of steel. Great ships they were, those of the Skartentine Royal Navy. Newly-introduced ships such as the heavy cruiser SSK Paula of the recent Kasandra Class were present, showing the ever-developing might of the naval forces of Skarten. The duty of these ships was, for these moments, easy. Having sailed from Skartenian ports, they sailed through the seas southwards towards the Nihonese-Held part of Snowy Bay. According to naval scouting planes and submarines, the entirety of the Nihonese coast in Manchukuo was clear from military naval activity, save from a motorboat here or there.

This was, of course, great. A lack of Nihonese ships meant that there would be no combat and the bay would be simply taken by them. Of course, there was no doubt that the Navy of Nihon would, at some point very soon change this, lest they give the Coalition complete control over Manchukuo, but for the moment, their presence was none, and that would allow for rapid completion of their objectives in this early period of the war.

With Snowy Bay now under their finger, the second phase of their mission was initiated, as the Colonial Flotilla was allowed to return to the guarding of the coasts of Smirsja. The Royal Fleets present, however, still had much to do. Completing their blockade, the capital ships of the Skartentine armada turned their weaponry to the Manchurian coast. And with the command of a whistle and a siren, they began to fire, raining destruction upon the coast, adding more names to the already extensive list of dead Nihonese. Things, for the moment, seemed as if they were going according to plan...

SSK Paula Heavy Cruiser

---

"Battle at "
13th of April 1929
Near the Ironton Islands, Niebieski Sea

On the other side of the world, a similar flag flew in the sea, reminding those near it of the nation who commanded these ships. This fleet was a mighty sight, being composed of many, many ships of all shapes, sizes and roles. It was the Skartentine Battle Fleet, ready to deliver a powerful blow to their enemies. Their first goal in the war was to secure the Ironton Islands, an archipelago just south of Skarten, as to prevent the Nihonese from launching attacks into their mainland. Accompanied by the Royal Marine Corps, hope among the ranks of the Skartenian Royal Navy was high.

It was reported, through their scouting missions, that there were, overall, two Rusklandr Battleships, as well as a few cruisers and destroyers, were the only force guarding the area. This was, at the same time, good and bad. For one, there was the fact that, albeit able to pose resistance, even in the worst case scenario, these two dreadnoughts would not be able to deal a crippling amount of damage to the battle fleet, which boasted numbers many times higher than the naval force in the archipelago. However, the flotilla in question was from the eternal rival of Skarten, Ruskland. At first sight, one might be happy that this was a chance to sink two battleships of their hated enemies, but destroying their vessels would, to a certain extent, likely result in an all-out war between Ruskland and Skarten. Now, this was not the first time they would have went to war, not even close. But even then, the opening of a second front in the war against the Nihonese was not something the High Command of Skarten wished. But war was war, and if those ships stood against their target, then they would fall.

Making part of the fleet were countless ships and vessels, such as the mighty SSK Renata of the Angela Class or the modern SSK Grażyna Aircraft Carrier of the Renata Class, between many other ships. Aided by Torpedo Bombers and Naval Fighters, the power of the Battle Fleet was a great one. Battle was fast approaching, and the sailors of the Skartenian Navy would make sure that it ended with the Rusklandrs dancing with the fish.

They were here, a whole swarm of them. A plane on patrol had spotted them earlier, and whatever forces they had in Ironton were readied to fight. But from the start, it appeared to be a losing battle. Two battleships, a cruiser, and five destroyers? They might as well given up by then, but they refused. Better broken than bent by a Skartenian. A destroyer screen was at front, scouting for the battlefleet, and the remaining ships were arranged in a triangular formation, with the cruiser at the tip and the Gullstadt-class Battleships, Gullstadt and Dunwich, on the sides. They were nearly ten miles away from the islands when the destroyers found them. Everyone tensed up, and the light drizzle starting and the forboding clouds on the horizon did not help one bit to the tension growing like a weed.

In the Skartenian Battle Fleet, the situation was rather different. As they continued to advance, loud sirens broke the sounds of the sea, as reports of a hostile fleet were given by naval scouting aircraft. As the sirens of war touched, men rushed to the battle stations. On Air Craft carriers, pilots rushed to their planes, the droplets of water falling upon them. According to forecasting, a storm would be coming soon, which would make flying more difficult. They knew, then, that if they were to successfully aid the navy in this battle, they would have to release their payloads before this gale began. The combat stations had been manned. Aircrafts began to take off, rising into the sky. The Rusklandr fleet had been spotted. Immediately, the ships of the Skartenian fleet steered towards their positions in the battle formation. The time of battle had arrived.

The two battleships got into formation as quick as they could, into a position where they could fire a full broadside. The Gullstadt trained its sights on a cruiser, and managed to score a hit. The Dunwich on the other hand, fired upon a destroyer, successfully hitting it and dealing heavy damage to it. The rest of the fleet began preparing as well, destroyers readying their guns and firing at anything they could fire at and have a decent chance of hitting. The lone cruiser on the other hand, went slightly ahead of the battleships and began firing at their targets with its guns. It successfully scored a brutal hit on the destroyer, ripping it into pieces and sending her crew into the depths.

The Skartentine Fleet watched as the Rusklandr began their attack, damaging one of their cruisers and destroying the destroyer SSK Gilinsky from the fire of the advancing cruiser. Now with a clear broadside and in battle formation, the fourty capital ships of the battle fleet returned the hostile strike with a salvo of fire. The shells made their way through the sky, descending then into the enemy like vindictive spirits of the dead, lighting up the seas as explosions landed left and right. A rain of fire and steel, the naval projectiles hit their targets with great accuracy, the advancing cruiser who had sunk the Gilinsky exploding like a barrel of gunpowder. By the end of the salvo, the entirety of the Rusklandr destroyer flotilla would be wiped off the map, being sent to the bottom of the sea to rest. Even the two giants of their armada, the Dunwich and the Gullstadt, were not free from damage, their starboard and stern respectively suffering damage.

The Dunwich explodes as cruiser shells enter the wound at her starboard, making it worse. Then another hits, and another, and it becomes a downpour of steel and fire. The Dunwich sinks, to the bottom of the seas, or rather, the blobs of steel that used to be the Dunwich. The Gullstadt was luckier than her sister ship, all shells fired at her miraculously missed and she was also able to find an opportunity to fire back, it scores a perfect hit on a capital ship as a massive fireball is seen in the distance. The storm has intensified greatly by now, and using this to her advantage, Gullstadt slips southward. Her crew transmits a single message to Nihonese command on Ironton:

"THE SKARTENIANS ARE HERE".

The ship in question that had been hit was the SSK Szwarzman, an veteran Mirosława Class battleship of the nine years war. The lucky shell had hit it's bow Keel, causing great damage and disabling it's engines. It would be towed back to their homeland for repairs. Nevertheless, with one of the Rusklandr battleships being sunk and the other slipping away in the storm, celebration rises amongst the rank of the Skartenians. The Naval Planes had been recalled, being now stored so that they would not be lost in the upcoming tempest. But regardless of that, they had won the battle. With their only considerable threat now out of the way, the Skartentine Battle Fleet continued at higher speeds towards the Ironton Isles.

Over an hour later, they had, at last, arrived on the Ironton Archipelago. The storm continued on strong, the darkened skies falling down the earth as thunderbolts and lightning struck left and right. Despite the decrease in visibility, the two main islands that constituted the greatest part of the archipelago were visible. The sailors returned to their combat stations, preparing to launch their move on the Nihonese. The capital ships of the armada positioned themselves, and soon a hailstorm of shells flew just like the rain which fell upon them, as a naval barrage begun. Salvo was followed by salvo, as any military fortification in the islands was targeted by the naval weapons. This was not all that the fleet did, however. Even during the barrage, ships and submarines patrolled the archipellago, searching for any possible threats.

A fair distance behind the battle fleet was yet another formation of ships. Made up mostly of transports and it's escorts, this flotilla was the group tasked with transporting the Royal Marine Corps towards their goal in the Ironton Islands. As soon as the bombardment was finished, they would land on the shores, assaulting the Nihonese positions and taking over the archipelago for the Kingdom of Skarten. Their rightful force would not be stopped!

Skartentine Battleship Delivers a Salvo

[TENNOHEIKA BANZAI NIHON]

Manchuko
May 4, 1929

General Seishirō Itagaki had been informed of the state of the Skartenian invasion. Nihonese forces had done quite well in keeping back the enemy, as divisions were routed back up to the mountain defenses. Under bombardment, Nihonese forces in their bunkers had killed hundreds of advancing enemy troops and injured thousands as the enemy underestimated the strength of Nihonese construction, and overestimated the effectiveness of artillery and air bombardment against heavily fortified concrete bunkers. Yest still casualties were too in the thousands and Nihonese forces had been pushed back to the secondary line of defense. So at this moment in time, as the general listened to reports of the enemy advancing quickly, he made a highly encrypted radio message to the Imperial Nihonese General Staff Office in Gokyo. It was a grim one, and had to be sent to the Emperor himself in order for its approval.

The message was requesting permission for the deployment of Unit 731 weaponry to combat zones in order to push back the enemy offensive, and deal the most effective damage to enemy forces. In the end, after deliberations with his commanders, the Emperor granted his approval. This was special approval, as usually use of these weapons would require authorization from Gokyo in each event of its use. But this approval extended to use against Skartenian forces up into the end of June.

So that very day, after word from Gokyo was given, commanders watched as men put on their gas masks, and as Unit 731 men ran wearing full on protective suits loading shells into their guns. The first volley sounded with a loud whoosh! Hundreds of shells arced across the flat land striking enemy positions and advancing enemy troops. The first shells that were launched were Phosgene gas, not something irregular. The hope was that it would take the Skarten troops off guard. Commander Nakagawa watched as several enemy troops fall from the effects dead, but knew those were new recruits and watched as the force continued to advance supported by armor, all with their gas masks and training from the past 9 Years War, where they experienced similar weapons. But that was only part of the plan. The next shells fired were concentrated chloropicrin gas, and while not very lethal, it can be absorbed systemically through inhalation, ingestion, and the skin. Its side effects were barfing which ultimately would force the enemy to remove their gas masks and be left unprotected against the phosgene gas that was still being launched by some other batteries. While the General had ordered that restraint be used when using more effective chemical weapons, in addition Sulfur Mustard was the too launched and so was Lewisite both blister agents meant to injure the advancing enemy forces and render them unable to fight. While it would not kill the enemy, the advancing troops had not been equipped with protective gear, and many where falling due to the gas. All while regular artillery rained down and anti-tank guns rip off rounds into enemy tanks. Machine guns ripped off rounds and the Nihonese flag flew high. Thousands would die and even more would be injured by this use of chemical weapons, but it was just good business. 5 million would die before Manchuko was taken.

Nihonese High Command had expected to have to use these weapons some time, and ever since the beginning Nihonese commanders relied on having a superior chemical weapons program to win the war. Spread out through Nihon, Manchuko, and Shishiri sat bases of the "Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department" or also known as Unit 731 and Unit 100 under the command of Unit 691 and the Kenpeitai. There were 150 of these bases, each containing 156 cauldrons for producing various chemical weapons, allowing for the production of 2,376,000 tons of chemical weapons to be produced a month during war. While actual stockpiles were not so high, they could be quickly made, as the war had gone on for a month now. Commanders of all bases saw no need in the complete use of all of these facilities not to mention the costs so at the time being, production remained at only 50,000 tons of chemical weapons for the month of April. The majority of production was seen in Shishiri and Manchuko to prepare for the defense of such territory, but in Nihon production was almost non existent, as commanders deemed the current stockpile to be enough, of over 100,500 tons of chemical weapons in existence.

Elsewhere in Manchuko Manticorian and Hoosier forces continued to advance though the empty lands, the troops that left leaving nothing of use and word had reach command that the use of poison in water had actually been quite effective to the unsuspecting enemy forces, while locals still remained knowledgeable of the water that was not contaminated.

While the Hoosiers slaughtered entire villages, they would have to just wait until they reached the mountains. Villagers were encouraged to move there and those that stayed urged to die with honor for the Emperor, or the rare few ordered to gain intelligence and report back to command.

Ironton Isles
April 13 1929

The Rusklandr force honorably defended the isles, yet when the time came they fell back. Imperial Nihonese Navy Commander of the Ironton Takaki Tanaka had ordered the coastal guns to hold fire so far, as the fog and the near proximity of allied forces made it impossible for the guns to fire both accurately and not endanger allied forces. While the anti-aircraft guns downed multiple enemy aircraft in their bombing, now was the time for the coastal guns to do their work. Fortified, and obscured by the dense forest and bushes, they would remain hard to destroy yet lethal to enemy ships and landing craft alike. With the storm coming, it would be soon even harder for the enemy to land. The bombardment was hitting bunkers, but merely forced the defenders to take cover in them and wait out the bombardment, providing them ample time to run back up and man the guns. Coastal artillery had managed to destroy an enemy destroyer that strayed close into range of the 8 inch guns with several devastating hits and they so far managed to keep the enemy back. Forcing enemy destroyers to remain out of range of Nihonese guns forced them to be out of range to use their guns. And older cruisers would face a similar issue. What the enemy intelligence had failed to uncover, was that the Commander of the Ironton had ordered two 18 inch naval guns and four 16 inch guns to be placed on the islands, and with their long range, abruptly fired when given the direct word of the Commander. The Skartenians were surely shocked as huge flumes of water erupted near their battle line. Deep inside the islands, and covered by the dense forest, it would be hard for the enemy to eliminate the batteries since they would not be able to figure out where they were as the storm prevented planes from taking to the air and the batteries heavily covered with anti-air guns. The second volley proved to miss too, yet now closer. The 18 incher scored a direct hit in the 3rd volley striking an unidentified Skarten battleship. And if the enemy did not pull out of range, the enemy would see its fleet sunk. Notably the enemy had managed to destroy several of the 8 inch batteries with accurate fire, yet is seemed clearly, the enemy would have to take the islands first, and they were not going down without a fight. When the enemy small craft pulled from the 8 inch range, the guns would silence.

Soldiers already knew the drill. They would fight to the death. Not in suicide charges, but rather jungle guerrilla fighting. A message was sent to Gokyo to ready the 1st Fleet for battle and requested assistance from Ruskland. These where battle hardened veterans, having fought in Aclusian or Warglorian regiments as volunteers in the 9 Years War, in the Obakata War, the First Karabeian War, the Second Karabeian War, and the seizure of the Takashima. Ironically these very men had sat in positions in Shishiri two years ago, ready to wage defensive war on Ruskland, and now where depending on these Rusklandrs to defend their nation and be saved.

While not having been given authorization yet, Imperial Army commanders knew with the enemy Marines weak and vulnerable on the beaches, it would be ample time to deploy Lewisite and Phosegene. The enemy did not know these weapons would be here, so they would be in for a shock.

[Azenyanistan]

1929
Inevitable. The war was inevitable, and all the people of Rachana, under the guidance of the General, and of her clique, knew it had to come. When the enemy announced that it was striking first against their ally, Breyburg, the masses of the country which possessed an empty throne held their breaths. And those who hated war; who feared it, and who saw it, they wept. The rest were held by the fist of shock and awe, and then they were released. The others? They rushed to action.
As their fathers and as their mothers did, and just as their uncles and aunts followed, and as their grandmothers and grandfathers went forth, those who were already under the command of the government, and those who were not but were able and willing and with spirits high, hurried out of their homes, out of their offices, out of their factories and their workshops, and out of their birthplaces.
Villages and towns and cities emptied out. Their strong, young men and women followed the older but more experienced and more powerful sergeants, lieutenants, captains, and majors. The train stations were overwhelmed by the mobs of men and women who were holding on to their uniforms or to their helmets, to their rifles or to their papers. Yelling, singing, and whistling mixed with the screams of trains and the roars of planes moving over their heads. And these people, they cheered for their brave pilots as they raced beyond the airfields to join the fight against the enemy to the north. Against the Nihonese in the north and their allies in Crimetopolis. It was a war for the fate of Rachana.
And most of all, for the fate of the throne that was once empty. Now it would no longer be. Married to a foreign man, the now-Queen of Rachana, the Lady named Azaneth, presented herself to the people in the capital. Together with the General, they both spoke to the fearful but determined subjects of the throne of the children of the land.
They did not give speeches that were too long nor too short; they did not call upon the people to give their lives up nor did they beg them to defend themselves. No, instead, as one, the women who now rule Rachana summoned up the people to stand up for what is dear to them. And it worked.
Like a wave, the people applauded. And then, slowly, their voices began to call upon the anthem of their homeland. And to their delight, to their inspiration, the Queen of their country unfurled the battle flag before their eyes, waving it as she and the General sang from the balcony of their new home.
And once that came to end, the entire nation was occupied by activity.
On the land, tanks and trucks took over the roads and the bridges just as men and women marched if they could not ride upon them. Motorbikes and bicycles and horses moved as one just as civilians continued to calmly move away from the coasts and into the safety of inner Rachana.
They and their children would witness that it was not only their fighting men and women coming out to protect them from any invader. No, they were not alone. For with them were their allies. From almost all nations composing the Central Alliance, the troops were marching not only for their homes and their families but also for the homes and families of their friends from afar and nearby.
No. No, no, no, never would the Rachanans march alone until the war comes to an end with peace for the country and for the people of the country.
And despite the initial shock of some people, the people were happy to see that the socialists were marching in the same ranks as the troops, their arms proudly wearing the band of red with a star shining upon them. Former prisoners too were given the right to bear arms in the name of defending their country from the Nihonese and the rest of the enemies which declared upon Breyburg and upon the entire alliance.
From only 10 divisions, the army had expanded by a few more divisions. There were militias that joined the efforts but they were not yet counted officially. And in addition, the civilians, who would not be asked to bear arms yet, would do their duty of feeding and providing everything their troops would need to keep the foe at bay.
Upon the waves, the Rachanan Navy was responsible for protecting the entire coast of Adrillas, leaving the defense of Valleyland, South Carosalas, and Narasia to the army and to the marines. They would have to handle the security of the closest province of Rachana against Nihonese naval invasion. While some ships were sent away from the main force to buy time for the army and the marines to get to their defenses close to the coasts but not too close, the air force was busy.
In the skies, despite their tardiness, they were responsible for bringing bombs and gunfire from above against the southern provinces of Crimetopolis, supporting the hurrying divisions in the north. Under the CINC of the North, three infantry divisions and one armored division went northward and halted to consolidate their positions within Rachanan territory, upon the border, using artillery to soften the enemy positions and land ahead of them. And the men and the women did not wait for the artillery and the air force to stop hammering the enemy. They would maintain their positions, acting defensively and waiting for the enemy to react. And they prayed that they would stand against the tide of Nihonese men and soldiers from Crimetopolis.

---

THE KINGDOM OF RACHANA DECLARES WAR UPON THE AGGRESSORS AGAINST BREYBURG. WE, THE PEOPLE, AND WE, THE THRONE, OF RACHANA, DECLARE A DEFENSIVE WAR AGAINST THE AGGRESSION OF OUR ENEMIES TOWARDS OUR ALLIES WITHIN THE CENTRAL ALLIANCE. WE, THE PEOPLE, UNDER THE THRONE OF RACHANA, AND WE, THE THRONE OVER THE PEOPLE OF RACHANA, DO HEREBY PROMISE TO OURSELVES AND TO THE FLAG OF RACHANA TO DEFEND OUR SOVEREIGNTY AND TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF EVERY ALLY CLOSE TO OUR NATION, TO EXTEND OUR VOWS TO ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE ALLIANCE, AGAINST THE HORDES OF FASCISTS, CRIMINALS, AND MURDERERS OF THE FRIENDS OF THE NIHONESE AND OF THE PEOPLE OF CRIMETOPOLIS. WE THEREFORE DECLARE THIS STATE OF WAR AND VOW TO END THIS WAR WHICH THEY HAVE STARTED. GOD SAVE THE QUEEN OF RACHANA AND HER KING. GOD SAVE THE STATE. GOD SAVE RACHANA.

[The Traansval]

-deleted-

[Crimetopolis]

DELETED

[Aclus]

Operation Poseidon
The Naval order of 1924 to 1929
May 30th, 1929

Long has the Aclusian people took to themselves, not bothering with any conflicts that had taken the mainland by storm, especially those matters that shook only the weaker nations of the Indianum continent. Slowly but surely, the Aclusian spirit had begun to come back and fill the streets. Besides the recent political struggle within the the halls of Westminster, the people went on about their day, only caring little of the news that filled the papers of War in the far reaches beyond the Empires borders.

With that said, the great patience of the Aclusian giant took to the rebuilding and armament of her navy. The Aclusian Royal Navy had been approved years back in 1922 for a rearmament, followed by a Naval order set in 1925 to completion of the year 1929, bringing in a brand new set of capital ships, multiple battleships now to be activated across the empire, just as seeming to be a response to the Manticoran leap of size and budget.

In total, the major Aclusian shipyards set in Northern Indianum would activate 6 Battleships of the L2 and N3 class. Followed by the Massive ship works or Portsmouth in the Zeeland territories activating 6 More battleships of the L3 Class, set to join the Indianum fleet. Lastly, the ship works of the Southern regions of the Aclusian Raj finishing a staggering order of the last 4 Capital ships of the G3 Battlecruiser class, set on their distributed use among active Aclusian fleets.

The purpose of this order, was established as a means of further security of the Aclusian Empires overseas territories, following the collapse of the Western League, there came to light the vulnerabilities of the Aclusian trade and naval transport routes. With the rise of Naval prowess in Hoosier and Nihon, it was deemed necessary for a refit and increase of size of the Royal navy itself. Along with the new capital ships of the line being laid down, there came the process of construction of further naval bases to be brought to a start. With places like the region of Naisaira a base had been completed, followed by the stationing of troops.

Aclusian Broadcasting Channel
April 1st, 1929
BREAKING NEWS

On the eve of today, the first of April in the year of our Lord nineteen-hundred and twenty-nine,
the Great powers of Manticore, Hoosier and the fellow Central Alliance have formally declared
a state of War upon the Empire of Nihon and all its territories.
Following the failed negotiations of a "Peace in our time" conducted by Aclusian
ambassador Sir Nevile Henderson, the state of war had been enacted first by the Manticoran government,
followed by every other nation aligned against the Nihonese.

As of this very moment, the Royal Navy had begun the withdrawal of the Aclusian garrison
that had been for nearly 4 years stationed on Nihonese soil. Following this, Ambassador
Sir Nevile henderson has boarded a transport plane and is to be flown to the capital city of
the raj, New Delhi, where he is to seek transportation back to the home isles.

Further news on the develop of the situation will be announced over time.
Though it seems the cloud of war that blew over from the Great War has not been fully erased.
Once again however, God bless you listeners, and godspeed for the end of this conflict

[Crimetopolis]

DELETED

[Newne Carriebean7]

Das Kapital Region
Presidential Palace
April 17th,1929

President Marvin Washvelt gripped his pipe of tobacco as much as he could while resting within his chair. His blood was about to boil over the numerous news that had occurred within the country. A slew of new international affairs came like a torrent of wind and slashing rains, much like the abhorrent weather that currently cursed the Carriebeanian Capital.
“Nihon is in trouble.”
The grim faced ministers of various positions merely nodded in affirmation of the fact. Nihon seemed to have everyone and their dog run after them. If Carriebean was in a better military position, the allure of retaking at least half of Shishiri from the Nihonese would have been a militarily viable alternative in taking advantage of this news.
However, despite all the rampant rearmaments, ships and tanks being funneled out from various blacksmiths and corruptly paid idiots that only know how to make military equipment and lack basic social skills, Carriebeanian military officials wisely deduced the nation was not strong enough for an invasion of Shishiri, or even an attempted cross channel invasion of the historic Carriebeanian Homeland. Carriebean may have had fifteen total military divisions within it’s capital, but those would be needed defending said capital, rather than on ill plotted misadventures that would undoubtedly lead to the extinction of the fragile City-State.
Carriebean may have been insane, but suicidal President Washvelt was not. He’d rather not take charge of a government in exile, if any self-respecting diplomat worth his salt would shelter insane Carriebeaners. More likely they’d make excellent target practice for new foreign weapons.

With a deep breath, the President nodded at the Minister of Manufacturing, who opted to bring some sort of elated optimism to the bleak situation.
“Oh, President. Don’t be so glum. The Heavy Destroyers planned out have proven to be easier to construct, which is a surprising ray of sunshine to our current situation. We’ve already commissioned nineteen within our naval ranks. These ships have the firepower of a light cruiser, the speed of a very slow destroyer and the intelligence of a slightly death mouse!”
The President would only have a split second of a raised eyebrow at the third criteria before turning his face into less of a sour puss.
“That’s alright for now. We’ve managed to construct even more warships within the fleet. Good. Good. Now, I need an update on the carrier-“
“It’s at a promising twenty five percent so far. The last of the old decks of the paddle wheel steamer have been cleared away, though more progress has yet to be seen within the dockyard.”
“That’s progress goddamnit.”

The Naval-Minister of State Intelligence (a department Washvelt and every naval officer had long since forgotten about under a mountain of bureaucratic paperwork) rose, catching the president’s eye as he nodded slowly as permission to speak.
“Mr. President. Despite my department’s desert of funding, what scraps we were able to rob from neighboring departments was enough to conduct naval reconnaissance with several biplanes throughout Carriebean. Pictures have been taken for a large collection of unknown things within the approaches of the Indianum Straits. We’re still not sure what these things are, but I’d guess they’re mines.”
“Mines? How predictable. The enemy’s securing it’s ass. Well I can firmly say we’re not even going to attempt to sail south with the main fleet. I instead insist on having all ships come about to the northern approaches, if our ships get ice on them, so be it. That’s what pissing is for, right, to clean off the decks of the ships.”
“Sir, you do know we have at least rudimentary anti ice measure-“
“Oh no, I know that the best deterrent to frozen shit on yer ship is a good, a- never mind. Anyways, the fleet will be adequately provisioned for such a sortie.”
“Fleet?”
“Yes, I propose that we send an expeditionary force to the north, around the main continent of Indianum, through the arctic seas and arriving near Snowy Bay to relive our allies of Nihon. If we cannot sail south, we shall sail north.”
“But what of the main Carriebeanian Fleet?”
“Oh, inform them to chart a course for the northern seas, with an ultimate destitution being Snowy Bay. Come hell, high water or both, we shall liberate our allies in Nihon. They’ve been there for us, we shall be damned if we’ll abandon them now!”
“But President, the enemy forces probably outnumber us immensely, I’m having second thoughts about such a military excursion. Do you understand the cost of materials we’ve spent? This economy is in economic free fall with the measures undertaken by unknown foreign individuals. I highly doubt they’re simple entrepreneurs with the gumption to undertake a few financial investments. Rather, I surmise that we’ve borrowed far too much money to ever repay, defaulted on our payments god knows how many times, and left millions in debt throughout our country. I’d argue we might need to cut military spending.”
“Nonsense, if the Parliament and Congress come to an agreement on a set amount to spend, we still have a maximum over that amount of no more than 70% of the agreed total in dire circumstances. I’d reckon the whole continent going to war with one another would define as ‘dire circumstances’ in this case.”
“But, President, we’re 147 percent over that number. It appears that we’re still spending as if we’re not some shitty city state. Apparently our politicians have illusions that we occupy a slice of mainland Indianum.”
“Why was I never told of such staggering debt? You know what, I don’t give a damn right now. This’ll be our great, great grandchildren’s problem, not ours. We’ll be long dead by the time anything of major economic consequence comes to fruition from our spending sprees on rifles and carbines.”
“That fucking attitude sir, is why we are in debt! You always want to pass it on to the next poor unfortunate schmuck that waltz into here!”
“Do you think I haven’t tried to do things about it?! Do you people remember the fleeting surplus we had when my presidency began in the 1890s?! I was forced to lower more taxes due to a hostile congress that would not pass my vast infrastructure and banking plans. Instead of Carriebeaners holding their money in pseudo banks, we would have our constituents sleep softly knowing their funds were behind brick walls rather than a fucking two feet of dirt and a minefield! I want the fucking economic issue dropped immediately! I’ve tried to fix it and you can’t fault me for trying, now can you?!”
“Sir, those infrastructure plans are why we’re in such crippling debt, but I understand your stress of managing this unmanageable shithole of a country. Let’s move over to more recent news. The Empire of Nihon is now at war with Manticore, Hoosier, Breyberg. I wonder if it would be too late to maneuver the Imperial Carriebeanian Navy, or at least detach the Squadron commanded by Prinz of Wall to rendezvous with the Nihonese Fifth Fleet? Do we even know where our own fleet is?”

This question fell onto the shrugging shoulders of Naval Minister of State Intelligence Elijah Gusteau Montcalm.
“I’m sorry, but Admiral Hood von Hoth has not communicated his intentions at all. No Morse code messages, no carrier pigeons, no smoke signals or gunshots heard. We’re in the dark as to his true intensions.”
“You mean high command’s not informed about anything occurring on the front lines until news gradually trickles back? What a fucking surprise.”
With a simple salute, the Naval officials left the room as Operation Spiral Hell had its own folder and place within the filing cabinet readied by military aides.

Carriebean City
Bay of Lovers
Ocean Liner Songs of the Illustrious Dynasty

The Abusively hot temperatures forced Captain Mary Potters Samantha to temporarily undo her tight fitting bonnet, removing it to allow her hair to flow freely for some cold comfort. She took pride in the fact she had been assigned to captain, no, lead the Carriebeanian Transport fleet from the harbor. Within the Bay, numerous hammers finally stopped it, as supplies were steadily lowered into the hulls of the dozens of transport ships, with hundreds of soldiers marching on board the passenger liners. A light tap on her shoulders suddenly jolted her to a sporadic action, almost hitting her second in command that narrowly avoided being slapped.
“Goddamit Mary, watch where you’re aiming those things?”
“Oh these?” She smiled, looking at her hands before paying attention a bit more.
“I just came to inform you the fleet is readied to sortie from the bay. Every unfortunate idiot has been shoved on board the fleet.”
Mary mused at her wrinkling fingernails before smiling slightly.
“Even the smart ones? What an unfortunate set of circumstances. I was hoping we’d save the IQ points of Carriebean by having several ships sink. But I’d be grilled and berated by the pompous council of vendee faster than I could say ‘oh shit.’”
“If you don’t want to undergo with this sortie, simply bark it at me and I’ll have the President on the phone within a few minutes to hire some replacement lady.”
“Hmph, I’ll show you that this aging old lady of the night has a bit more smarts than the ones on those weird pebble filled things.”
“you mean roads.”
“Right! Those unspeakably heinous surfaces of rock and movement. Speaking of which, do we have any idea where the fleet is?”
“What the hell does that have to do with roads?” Charter Officer Hugo Potters , her second in command stammered, feeling frustrated with Mary.
“Charter Officer. I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I had to break the fucking window! If you’re ever robbed, I’ll probably be the one to do it you bitch. Now are we going to get this fleet underway or shall I tell everyone to hold their proverbial and literal horses for another half hour?”
“Oh no, no, we’ll….we’ll get underway. Signal the N-4 to begin the sortie from the harbor, the rest of the fleet shall follow a few at a time until formation is organized as such to point the convoys towards our destination, that is all.”
With a slight sigh, Potters saluted as orders were howled out from his lungs at the poor seamen that rushed from smoking weed and tobacco pipes and went about manning their stations with a drug high. Multiple heavy anchors were lifted up out of the water by their strong crew members and the noble assistance of capstans.

Steam was formulated from the ship’s boilers, fed steadily on a diet of various furniture pieces and limbs of wooden family members known as trees. The smaller and more maneuverable destroyers were the first to leave the harbor, followed by the slightly faster yet more outdated paddle wheel steamers that used to roam various riverways of Carriebean.
Armed Fishing Trawlers were also seen to partake within the fleet, captained by individuals varying in sea experience. The most skillful of these captains had spent their entire lives near or on the waters, with a few skilled navigators sailing all around the world. The ones with next to no naval experience were the ones that still remained in port fiddling around with anchors or polishing up their 7 cm Field Gun housed in a casemate on their bow while cursing up several storms. Eventually, even a few of these managed to figure out which sides are port and starboard, sailing off as stragglers for the invasion fleet.

Carriebean City
Dead Rich Graveyard Open Bank

Floor Manager Quincy Applegate flicked a rather small looking Sai metallic coin in his hand with a grin as big as the large tobacco stubble that sat akin to a baby in a high rocker within his mouth. Catching the coin a few more times, the sound of a bell wringing caused him to slap his suspenders a few more times before tossing a mint in his mouth and walking out to greet the customer with charm a horse salesperson would say was too damn much.

“Ah, howdy doo partner. Welcome to Dead Rich Graveyard Open Bank, what can I do for you?”
The man he talked to wore a rather thick overcoat, topped with black shades and a slight orange stubble emanating from his beard. Applegate frankly didn’t give a damn if the man was a drunken naked lunatic, as long as he was a drunken naked lunatic with money to burn.
“I would like a transfer of my funds into a different currency. You do know of the markets, right.”
“What the fuck is a mark-oh I see what the fuck you mean my son. I know I’ve only known you for a few moments, but you’re starting to feel like the son I never had. Can I fucking hug you?”

The stranger gently acquiesced to the request and immediately felt like two of his ribs had broken once the hug had ended. Gasping for breath, Applegate gingerly carried him off of the ground to a series of graves that had recently been cleared of the dead occupants.
“Now these here, these are made from the finest Carriebeanian soil. It’s only got a few worms, and I can give you my personal guarantee that the security of this place is top notch. Oh, and watch your step, there’s mines everywhere.”
The stranger was now more aware of the insane nature of a Carriebeanian “bank”, but he had to admit they were secure, if by more unconventional means. He caught out of the corner of his eye a metallic cadge with a screaming, howling animal coated in hair.

“Excuse me, but may I ask what that bear is doing in the cadge?”
“Oh, Mr. Pooh bear. He’s a nice bear, keeps this place on guard and lock down. We rented him out from the local zoo. Do you have zoos where you come from?”
“Yes, we have elephants in my local zoo where I am indeed from and am totally not here to deposit fake currency.”
“Well you don’t need to worry your head about that, we don’t even bother with counterfeiting measures, too many bills, not enough hands to muse through them. It’s just a logistical improbability. Now I hear you wanted to make a deposit. I’m truly sorry for my side tracking, but you’re a goddamned foreigner. Please, step into my office.”
With a slight nod, both men entered the tomb that had been turned into the only sheltered building within the bank’s large field. The space seemed out of place, with elaborate paintings of various Carriebeanian naval battles, military victories (there were few) and Carriebeanian bankers and pioneers of the underground cemetery banking industry within Carriebean.

“Now, how much did you reckon you’d want to deposit in the finest financial institution west of the shit river?” Applegate casually inquired while pouring a couple of shots of whiskey into glasses and handing one to the businessman, who took a polite sip of it.
“I currently have a fifty thousand Manticorian dollars, I wish to exchange that for an equivalent amount in Aclusian pounds.”
“Aclusian pounds, why of course I can help you out my friend.” He clapped his hands cheerfully as the mysterious man could practically see dollar signs take shape for actual eyeballs for a moment or two. He grabbed a scribbled up piece of paper with the standard terms and conditions.
“So If you default on this, I’m going to need some collateral for my losses.”

The Man pulled out a rather thick looking sock, which fell to the desk with a fierce thump. A massive yellow nugget immediately got Applegate’s attention.
“That’ll do.” He grabbed a small set of keys from a large clock on his wall, turning a small pebble on the ground as a complicated series of gears and cogs clanged to life, revealing a staircase. Tossing the shiny yellow object, he heard a satisfying splash before closing the chamber.
“Now, you’re probably thinking to yourself, what the hell was that room? It’s quite simple really, my collateral room and corruption chamber. It not only gets me a massage, but enables me to ‘inspect’ the gold my collateral wielding idiots bring in. As you could hear, not a whole lot of it these days, just worthless paper notes which get soaked in the brine water. Damn shame. Anyways, thank you very much for your donation. I’ll fetch you some fresh paper notes.”
Grabbing the telephone that the man had just noticed was on Applegate’s desk, a few strings were plucked before he spoke into a receiver.
“Flores from Supplies, yes please bring 50,000 Aclusian pounds. No the real thing. I don’t give a damn if you have to steal them. Oh book fucking hoo Flores, I know you have eleven jobs, I wish I was that lucky you daughter of a bitch!”

Slamming the guitar-phone down in frustration, Applegate got up from his seat to a small grate on the floor, where two hands revealed the necessary currency.
“Here you are good sir, 50,000 Aclusian pounds. The real McCoy, the old tip top ship, the… alright my patience is rather thin right now, so I thank you for making this deposit and altercation in currency. Your gold is very much appreciated, have a wonderful day.”
With the blinding light of outside, the man with a trench coat stumbled outside with his money, escorted off of the premises by two soldiers wielding carbines as a rudimentary escort.

Sea of Europeia
Imperial Carriebeanian Naval Flagship Bartholomew

The cooler headed Prinz of Wall’s arguments managed to win the day as the unknown fleet closed in with the Carriebeanian Main Fleet. While every sailor sat practically on top of one another at their battle positions, sweat cascading down from the oppressively hot temperatures on board their turrets and other various locals, the Officers were in an air conditioned bridge, pacing gradually and methodically on board the flagship.
The collection of destroyers, battlecruisers and battleships glided somewhat gracefully through the relatively calm waters of the Sea of Europeia. The fleet scarcely had left port for the sortie several hours prior and had been forced to reduce speed due to the aging hulls of many of the capital ships. The Imperial Carriebeanian Naval hulls were riddled with tens of thousands of barnacles which slowed them down as the fleet made sluggish progress leaving port and turning to their starboard side. The vast swinging boom being tossed aside by the larger ships, even as some propellers snagged on the underwater torpedo netting recently installed, causing abrasive sounds to drive men mad.

If someone was to have a closer look at the decks, the sounds of abhorrent gagging and the scramble for the toilet would be the first ones said person would be inclined, hell, impulse to conduct. Carriebeanian decks were caked in numerous gallons of human feces, piss and shit all over the deck, as bathrooms were not needed on warships. Just have the men go over the sides to relive themselves or just directly onto the deck.
An officer tapped the shoulders of Admiral Hood von Hoth, spurring him to a more prepared status of alertness.
“What is it? Do we see the enemy?”
“Negative sir, we’ve intercepted a radio communication from the force.”
“What the hell is a ray dee oh?”
The naval aide sighed, rolled his eyes and pointed to a small table to the side of the room, with a man wearing headphones tapping madly at a small bar, producing little dots and lines on a paper.
“Oh. Morse code. You think we had a radio on this piece of shit? You’d be mistaken. Now what is it you wanted to show me.”
STOP-IMPERIAL NIHONESE NAVAL FORCES- FIFTH FLEET-IDENTIFY YOURSELVES- FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN MY SHIPS FIRING ON YOURS FULL STOP
“The Nihonians?”
“Nihonese sir, they’re our allies.”
“I see.. That’s wonderful news!”
An officer interjected the conversation.
“Sir, May I remind you that the Nihonese were the very people who committed atrocities against Carriebeanian citizens during the hell of the 1910s?”
“Those…those never happened. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
The officer exploded with rage, slamming Hoth to the floor with a savage right hook to the face.
“Are you fucking kidding me?! Have you forgotten when we were at war with them?!”
“You do know that they merely saw an opportunity to declare war on us, after we had declared war on Breyburg for allegedly funding a communist uprising in Carriebean known as the Casso Uprising.”
“If you are so inclined to remember history, do you not recall the goddamned treaty of Shishiri which broke us apart from some of our territory. Then we strangely allied with the Nihonese and Breybergian forces once Ruskland-Preuben declared war.”
“Then there was the Parsi fiasco, but we stuck with them throughout it. It just hasn’t been prosperous for Carriebean as a state. Our territory has continuously shrunk throughout our recent history on this land. I wonder how long it will be before we are completely exterminated.”
The ominous tone of the last statement was enough to make a universal shudder of every man on the bridge before the subject was changed.
“Inform them that this is Admiral Hood von Hoth of the Imperial Carriebeanian Navy Surface Fleet. Our intentions are to raise steam with all available ships to break through the enemy’s blockade of Snowy Bay with a Carriebeanian Expeditionary Force of twenty thousand soldiers. Carriebean has been a strong ally of yours and will not forsake you.”
“And if they don’t have Morse code?”
“Then inform them via flags, semaphores, smoke signals, gun shots and light flashes.”
“Yes sir.”

STOP-CARRIEBEANIAN FLAGSHIP BARTHOLOMEW OF THE IMPERIAL CARRIEBEANIAN NAVAL SURFACE FLEET. INTENTIONS ARE TO RAISE STEAM WITH ALL AVAILABLE SHIPS TO BREAK THROUGH SNOWY BAY BLOCKADE, RV WITH CARRIEBEANIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE AND ESCORT IT TO A SAFE LANDING TO ASSIST NIHONESE GROUND FORCES CURRENTLY ENGAGED FULL STOP

[Crimetopolis]

The FT-17 tank was back in full production. Hopefully, improved 37mm AP shell designs were inbound from WArglorian. For the air force, A small company called Dewoitine had devised a parasol monoplane fighter. The airforce was converted from it's obsolete JU-11s. to this superior fighter But it was doing done south of Dutch Creek state police arsenal for secrecy.

The huge piles of lebel 1886s captured from Breyburgian forces were simply cannibalized for raw materials. Likewise its ammunition was cannibalized, two. Project Katana was the destiny of the Mannlicher 8mm rifles. They were converted to 7mm Mauser stripper clip fed carbines and sent to Manchukuo by the Little Chicago express. To avoid air attacks, they only moved between sunset and sun rise. The shortage of modern anti aircraft guns and artillery were ending.

Gun-mart, the huge civilian arms firm donating 90% of it smalls arms to production to the war effort, as were Winchester, Murakami, Mauser, Walther, Colt, Browning, Remington, Arisaka, and Nambu subsidiaries based in Crimetopolis. Nobody would want for small arms and ammunition.

There was no draft, as the recruiting stations for the military, Landsturm, and law enforcement were constantly flood with recruits. While disability checks were not touched, but welfare was cancelled for the duration of the emergency. One riot by welfare recipients resulted in mass shooting by police and civilians in which 5,000 welfare recipients were shot dead, The was no further resistance by the unemployed.

Captured Breyburgian, Hoosier, Parsan, and and Manticorean prisoners were simply disarmed and sent home. TEn elite divisions, all armed with RM-7 semiautomatic rifles, M11 submachineguns and Mauser pistols were being trained south of Dutch Creek State Police. Two divisions would to train Nihonese that way and two more divisions would be used likewise train both the regular army and the Landsturm. The rest were to mobile 'fire brigades' to prevent enemy break throughs.

The front lines were holding, now that were no more suicide attacks, While two thousand military and landsturm had died but 898,000 Christian civilian fanatics had been killed. A new naval dockyard was cranking more ships for the navy.

Crimetopolis had accepted that this was going to be a long, nasty war.

[TENNOHEIKA BANZAI NIHON]

Carriebean
May 1929

As a part of Operation Okane, Nihonese agents in Carriebean would under orders of the garrison command, purchase in large quantities gold, silver, weapons, steel, copper, and other metals critical to the war effort. In efforts to still use the Manticorian fakes before the newly authentic ones were sent out, banks across the Carriebean would see the use of these fake bills in exchange for real currency. With fake Hoosier dollars the metals would be purchased, and throughout the month, submarines would load itself with cases of real money and metals, before slipping back to Nihon. This way, the Empire could get free money, and have metals to continue production and keep up the war. In Nihonese Shishiri conscription has begun, and the issuing of special military money. This way different currencies in banks could be taken and spent, replaced by a worthless "Shishiri Yen"

At sea once the Nihonese 5th Fleet were given message from the Carriebeans, they were ordered to escort the force all the way though potential hostile waters, and leave elements of the 3rd Fleet to escort them to Snowy Bay. Its commander, Rear Admiral Kōichi Shiozawa had frowned slightly at the sight of Carriebean ships and announced, "We must be desperate that I even consider to fight alongside this force."

It was sent out;

CONTINUE UNDER FULL ESCORT OF THE IMPERIAL NIHONESE 5TH FLEET. WILL TRANSFER ESCORT TO 3RD FLEET AND WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH ENEMY IN SNOWY BAY.

And to encourage support of the Carriebeaners on both Shishiri and occupied territories, the Ambassador to Carriebean announced that "The Empire of Nihon will return all Carriebean territories with conditions imposed during said time in May 1934 and being allowing Carriebeaners to run for low level government positions in Nihonese Shishiri, along with allowing the formation of a Carriebean Shishiri Army."

(Co Write Rachana and Nihon)

Island of Hokkaido
Sapporo, Nihon
May 6, 1929

With the Rachanan declaration of war, a Nihonese one, similar to that sent out before was issued. Yet the day the order was issued, Admiral Baron Mineo Ōsumi of the Imperial Nihonese 2nd Fleet knew one way to win this war was one decisive naval battle yet while his force was not powerful enough to take on the Manticorian Fleet, his force was enough to wipe out the Rachanan Fleet. Intelligence suggested the Rachanan fleet was centered on coast of Adrillas consisting of what was believed to be 7 cruisers and 28 escort ships, if the enemy fleet had stayed the same since 1927 which High Command believed. The most powerful cruisers in the enemy fleet had about 6 inch guns, so the biggest worry would be enemy submarines. Being close in proximity, the Hokkaido based fleet was within enemy waters within a few hours of launch. The plan was simple, destroy any enemy ships in sight and if left uncontested, which naval planners believed would happen, bombard enemy coastal positions from a range outside that of the enemies coastal defense guns with the fleet's superior 16.1, 14, and 12 inch guns from its battle cruisers on enemy defenses and then once enemy positions neutralized, the plan called for cruisers and destroyers to move in, launching a more complete bombardment, before deploying aircraft on recon missions and possibly deploy marines.The Fleet had set sail and was soon upon the enemy coast. Destroyers remained at ready for any submarine attack, which cruisers readied to silence any ship, no matter civilian or not that would threaten giving away the fleet’s exact location.

The Rachanan Navy was at its smallest size in years. But it was as deadly as it was in the years before. It had engaged rebel ships, and it had given support to ground forces in their efforts to destroy or defend against rebel forces. Most of all, it was vital to escorting civilian ships through the waters of the kingdom.

And now, they were to face battle against a larger, better, and more experienced force. Three squadrons against a whole fleet.

But the Rachanans were, despite some fear, prepared. They had gone on exercises before. And they began to draw from their experience.

The plan was simple. The first step was in drawing the enemy fleet close. Despite their small size, their warships were fast, and they were well maintained. This gave them a better chance at handling and moving themselves around the waters. The second step would be to use their submarines in harassing the Nihonese, just as Rachanan planes would do their best in harassing the fleet, especially their carriers. At the same time, the light cruisers and destroyers could concentrate their efforts at hitting the enemy’s ships and then running.

Speed and reliability was their advantage here. The longer they could fight on the waters, the more time they could buy for the army to do their thing.
The first step was underway; Rachanan frigates were running in a column against the Nihonese fleet, trying to provoke them.

Admiral Baron Mineo Ōsumi was notified as a lieutenant yelled, “Enemy frigates starboard!” The vice admiral nodded, “Battle Speed!; Ready our battle cruisers in a battle line. We out number, out gun, and out range our enemy. Hold our seaplane tenders back! Have our Protected Cruisers pose to defend them. I want 10 destroyers on our other suppliers and the seaplane tenders. All other escorts, protect the fleet!”

As the battle cruisers fell into line, they readied their guns, ranging in size, and then the order “Fire!” was heard. The guns boomed, and funnels of water filled the air around the enemy ships. Gunners, having seen action in Srivanska before, calmly reloaded as officers directed fire. The enemy was still around 10 miles off, out of range of the enemy ship’s guns, but in range for the battle cruisers. If enemy forces drew too close, they would be in range of the cruisers and destroyers, and such a hail of fire would be devastating no matter how quick the ships are. The battle cruisers were quite fast, and so were the light cruisers, but there would be no point in giving chase an enemy that you can hit, but he cannot hit you back.

The Rachanan warships were quick to break off. They scattered and they refused to go closer. But they were annoying as they refused to get out of the way of the fleet. They remained out of range, but they were intent on drawing them away from the waters and closer to the coast.

At the same time, Rachanan planes were coming over to spot the enemy warships while faster and heavily armed fighters were intent on strafing at or harassing the Nihonese sailors and their ships at the flanks before pulling up, retreating into the safety of the clouds up above.

The Admiral nodded considering his next moves to counter this consevative defense, and said “Fire the flak and anti-aircraft guns. I want the sky filled with flak. Call the air wing in Sapporo, I want them to deploy their fighters to support. And send message to the 6th Fleet. If we need assistance, I want them at ready.” Nihonese flak fired a screen into the air, and while the commander considered his options, one battle cruiser moved in, covered in a flak screen by two light cruisers and four destroyers to move into range of the enemy ships. A single salvo was fired… short. They would need to get closer, but commanders also wanted to be sure to stay out of range of any coastal batteries. Although the Admiral had a plan.

The Rachanans were too fast. But one was caught. A shell had struck it at the bow, causing it to slow down. At the same time, the other warships were risking themselves for the survival of that one ship. Two frigates went at full speed, exposing their flank to the enemy as they tried to get in range. If they did, they fired their guns, and then they tried to escape out of the range of the enemy.

At this time too, their planes were focused on preventing the enemy from firing too accurately. Their next strafes were concentrated on the battle cruisers and on the other ships that were in range. Despite the fact that flak was up, their pilots were stubborn on the attack, losing eight of their number to the enemy. But they did not let up. Again and again, they put themselves in danger in order to distract the enemy from firing.

At the same time, submarines used this window to launch torpedoes at the flanks of the fleet before disappearing into the waves and escaping just as the other frigates that were not charging at the enemy nor escaping focused on studying the fleet, looking for gaps or for movements.

As soon as the two frigates rushed into range, it gave the perfect chance for the rest of the fleet. Nihon had numbers and once the enemy ships where in range, over 374 naval guns ripped off their shots, and mathematically, the odds of landing hits where in the Nihonese Fleet’s favor.

Concentrated on the enemy frigates, the Captain of a protected cruiser yelled out “Evasive action!” As torpedos swam through the water towards her. Old and slow, two torpedoes hit her, leaving the ship dead in the water. The ship had been lucky, as numbers really mattered and during this period of innovation, torpedoes are quite inaccurate or suffer other problems.

To fire these torpedoes meant the enemy submarines had to be close, and five destroyers were ordered to begin dropping depth charges.

Enemy pilots obscured vision of officers trying to pinpoint enemy locations, yet luckily this was done inside the ship and she was not facing very much damage.

If the battle was not won quickly, the Admiral was sure the 1st Fleet would be called in, and he wanted to prevent that.

A frigate was lost, the guns tearing her hull and her superstructure apart, while depth charges damaged one submarine and forced her to surface to prevent flooding. The other frigate escaped, firing at the enemy in her wake, while the other submarines returned and shot torpedoes at the enemy ships before retreating.

At this time, too, to replace the Rachanan planes fleeing from the battle, two squadrons, each squadron composed of 15 planes, stormed overhead and then began their attack runs against the ships, strafing them, because they had no bombs and were not trained for diving into enemy ships. However, there were some pilots who did not dare to remember the limits of their planes. This was their home they were fighting for and they gave their lives, meaninglessly, ramming their planes, if they survived the flak, into the ships, targeting the hulls and decks.

But that was a minority. Only two ships committed to these kind of attacks. The rest were focused on strafing, merely harassing the Nihonese until they all retreated away into Rachana. They were fewer than their enemy counterparts and they had to conserve their strength. And though there were five planes or so that dropped bombs on their enemies, they were doing so from a higher altitude, rendering their efforts almost meaningless.

Meanwhile, the Army was enjoying the time being bought by the Navy. For every hour the Navy and the Air Force fought off the Nihonese, the Army was reinforcing their defenses, while also evacuating hundreds of people away from the coasts. Already, thousands had been evacuated; there were some that had to be evacuated now. And at that time, the Army was creating more defenses; new trenches appeared as did fresh bunkers of wood, stone, and tough steel armored plates.

Gunners cheered as the Rachanan ship went down, its comrades firing its small caliber guns unable to penetrate the battlecruiser’s armor. The threat was the submarines that made a run scoring his heavily damaging a destroyer and one lightly damaging a protected cruiser.

The enemy planes did not pose a threat as they did not have the ability to dive bomb or torpedo, so they were forced to remain high above meaning their bombs less accurate, and if they were low, easy to shoot down. To provide air support, an hour into the battle 35 planes from Hokkaido arrived to defend the naval group from any aerial attack.

The fleet was ordered to push on the retreating enemy surface ships, using superior firepower to take them out.

The Rachanan frigates now had to keep their distance while still drawing the enemy fleet, trying to, towards the coast, closer to their defenses. Meanwhile, submarines were now replaced by destroyers who were challenging the Nihonese ones while the light cruisers began to assault the flanks, using their bigger guns to punch into their ranks.

At the same time, half of the 1st Rachanan Air Wing had arrived to reinforce the attacking squadrons, engaging enemy air once they arrived in an hour and a few minutes. Although they were obsolete, they were manned by trained pilots, experienced ones from the wars for the colonies and against the Carribean and against the nomads. And they were eager to defend their homes, using their guns to engage their counterparts in the skies while twenty planes carrying bombs split off to drop them on the enemy fleet, knowing that even if they miss, they had to do it in order to slow them down, buying time valuable to the Army.

The enemy cruisers and destroyers were managing damage against the fleet, yet Admiral Ōsumi knew that numerical superiority and technological superiority were what was going to win the day. The Nihonese destroyer force, made up of many newer destroyers including the Fubuki Class, capable of 38 knots, could out maneuver and out run the enemies fleet. The light cruisers were not the highlight of the fleet, yet they were quite modern and quite fast.

The battle cruisers however, were perfect for this sort of combat. In order for the enemy to get into range to harass the Nihonese fleet, forcing enemy cruisers to travel 10 miles while in range of the Nihonese battle cruisers before they even were able to fire at their maximum range. That would allow for 48 shells per salvo to be fired at the enemy… and the enemy would not be able to fire back. And it was even better once the enemy came into range of the rest of the fleet, allowing for hundreds of shells to be fired at the enemy at once. The First Fleet was on its way to assist with coastal bombardment, as the 2nd Fleet had only 6 battle cruisers that could outrange enemy coastal defenses.

Air patrols continued to engage the enemy force, suffering some casualties, their pilots being picked up by Nihonese destroyers. A request for a far superior Nihonese air group was requested, asking for the deployment of 200 fighters, and while some of them older, good enough to take on the enemy.

Realizing that the battle was turning against them, the Rachanans in command of this battle, both in the skies and on the waters, and on the coasts of the homeland, reached out by radio to their allies, especially to the incoming fleets and forces of the Manticore and of the Aryamehr. While they did this, their own forces were ordered to get the hell out of the way.

Warships still able, now disregarding the losses of another frigate and two destroyers, began to push their engines to the limits, trusting in them to flee from the enemy. Submarines disappeared and the planes in the skies began to pull off a fighting retreat.

But time was bought. Enough time was bought now for the defense of Rachana on the ground against the invading Nihonese.

“We will be heroes! First strategic and tactical naval victory of the war!” said one of the lieutenants up on the bridge.

“With the enemy fleet retreating, I want our damaged protected cruisers moving back to Nihon for repairs. I want constant patrols. We have simply completed our first objective. The war is not yet won. Order the Amagi and Kongo class battle cruisers to start bombarding the shoreline, their coastal guns are out ranged by theirs. Have the 4th Fleet try to track down the enemy force so we can decisively destroy it. Pick up any enemy survivors for interrogation.” the Admiral said grimly. He considered chasing the enemy down, but figured the enemy was not able to actively resist enough. Fighters returned home, and from the two seaplane carriers of the 2nd Fleet, scouting planes were launched to find the coordinates of the enemy coastal defenses and bombard them. The 1st Fleet was on its way and would be able to wipe out enemy defenses. Enemy POWs were to be picked up, and interrogated, and then shipped back to Nihon.

Nihonese Casualties: 2 protected cruisers moderately damaged, 1 destroyer lightly damaged, 8 planes lost, 4 planes damaged. 43 sailors and pilots dead, 68 injured

Rachanan Casualties: 2 frigates sunk, 2 destroyers sunk, 1 submarine damaged, 2 planes from 3rd squadron lost, 21 planes from the air wing deployed lost, and around 400-500 sailors dead or missing. At least 20-40 pilots dead and missing.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

With the capture of 173 Rachanan POWs, they were shipped back to Nihon after interrogation, many not revealing anything of importance. The ones that refused to talk had been brutally beaten by the Kenpeitai and abused as they were shipped back. Once in Nihon, a camp for them was being built, deeper in the Nihonese mainland, where they would immediately be put to work, some in mines, other making uniforms such as boots and coats, while others digging trenches further back as fallback lines.

Meanwhile back on the coast of Rachana, the 1st and 6th Fleets began to near, ready to preform a huge bombardment. While minelayers set mines on both sides of the strait.

[The Manticoran Empire]

7 May 1929

The Grand Fleet was halfway to its destination and nearly at the point where it would split its forces. A flash message, however, halted that in an instant. The Nihonese battle fleet had struck Rachana and another Nihonese fleet was sailing from Shishiri with a Carriebean escort. Instead of detaching a full ten battle squadrons to head in two different directions, it was decided to send only six battle squadrons, 24 Super Dreadnoughts, to join the Hoosier Fleet and the Scouting Fleet in an attempt to intercept this Nihonese Shishiri force.

OSS reports from prior to the war indicated that it was the Nihonese Fifth Fleet, a force consisting primarily of light units. Fast ones, yes, but nothing larger than an obsolete protected cruiser. These ships could easily hit 26 knots, so it was necessary for the Scouting Fleet to find them. The 33 knot speed of the battlecruisers would allow them to catch the Nihonese ships and hold them in action until the main body, comprised of 12 Hoosier Battleships and 24 Manticoran Battleships, could be brought to bear.

The main body of the Grand Fleet, 40 Super Dreadnoughts, all of which had been commissioned over the span of the last decade, would then link up with the Aydinirian Battle Fleet, some 39 battleships. A signal would also be sent to Breyburg for them to send their battle fleet, another 31 battleships, to join the operation. OSS reports put the Nihonese Battle Fleet at around 40 battleships and 2 battlecruisers, with another 4 battleships embedded with the carrier fleet. The carriers did not worry the Manticorans. Tests on retired dreadnought hulls indicated that aerial bombs carried by carrier aircraft were too light to do anything more than superficial damage. Tests done with torpedo bombers also indicated that torpedoes dropped from aircraft were incredibly unreliable, with about 1 in 20 actually hitting a target. Of those, barely 1 in 50 detonated.

Various causes explained the failures. The speed of the aircraft dropping the torpedo had a major impact on the viability of the torpedo, with has many as half the torpedoes dropped from aircraft breaking up or otherwise failing shortly after impacting the water, due simply to hitting the water at high speed. As one designer had put it, "Dropping an aerial torpedo is like doing a belly flop. Too fast, and you won't be swimming." Another cause of failures was superficial damage on impact causing shorts in the electrical systems that ran the motor and the detonator. The end result was that, while torpedoes were theoretically capable of sinking even the most powerful battleships, they could only do so from short range and at low speed, which made the torpedo bombers easy prey for Manticoran fighters.

The majority of Manticoran Carrier Air Groups contained Armed Scouts equipped with wireless sets and fighters. The scouts were there to direct the fire of the battleships, hence the wireless sets. The fighters were there to keep the scouts alive. A few aircraft were equipped to drop torpedoes and bombs but the Empire didn't see those as very effective and they were honestly correct. Aerial torpedoes were in their infancy and they had reliability issues a-plenty to overcome before they could be considered effective weapons of war.

[Remnants of Exilvania]

The Tsardom of Exilvania
Capital City of Vladia
Parliament
9th of May 1929

"And you are sure that you will be able to push this through with parliament?"

, General Boris Kasov asked, his eyes betraying a clear lack of belief in what his counterpart was trying to sell to him. Kasov was a military man and one of the rising stars within the Exilvanian High Command and the propagator of multiple modernisation projects, among those the more recent pushes for the enhancement of the military's air defense, leading to some of the newly developed anti-air guns such as the automatic 2 cm AA as well as the newest 7,65 cm AA cannon.

"And I am telling you, if you curtail your demands the way I told you to, you'd get your wish. You know just as well as I do that development costs are high, considering just how many funds your anti air pieces ate. Be happy if you receive any funds at all for your little pet project."

, said his partner, General Boris Harkov, leader of the Tsarskoje Khora and a staunch militarist and authoritarianist. He had been one of the previous Tsar's most trusted aides, had been promised titles of nobility and land, just to lose all of that with the abdication of Tsar Klemenz I and the compromise made with the other political parties. Known for his brutal suppression of dissidents as well as his support for General Broskiev's coup, he is an illustruous figure to still have in a democratic parliament.

"Pet project you call it! If even you don't think that highly of it, what of the other deputies? Can't they see that the army will need these weapons, preferably domestically produced, to continue competing with other nations? To guard our sovereignity against the foreigners and liberate -"

, the young man shouted or atleast attempted to, before he got slapped by the much older General Harkov. The old fox carefully looked left and right to see if they were alone before hissing at the young General:

"Your patriotic fervor is well received Kasov but you should be careful how much of it you voice in which place. Parliament could have you kicked out of the army unceremoniously for your ties to the KPE if they had any solid evidence, not to talk about approving your little wish."

Kasov looked hurt as he held his red cheek, hurt and ashamed as he said:

"But it is true General Harkov. We will need these new weapons to stay competitive and capable of effective military action beyond gunning down political dissidents. Everyone already seems to have them and we both know just how important fast movement and redeployment is. Having only immensely bulky automatics and slow firing rifles will not help us there."

Harkov though still appearing angry over the younger General's slip-up just moments ago, seemed to have calmed down a bit and explained his plan to Kasov:

"And I agree with you Kasov but there is only so much we can do to rectify that. Not to mention that other projects do take precedence. The studies about the Integration of motorized vehicles into the army are eating funds, the studies for the development of experimental armoured, tracked vehicles are still in their very early design stages but already consuming billions of Lewa, the DAR factory is receiving funds to construct a new aircraft, our artillery corps is still far from fully equipped and still needs enormous amounts of funds to fill itself up. Inbetween all these projects, it is difficult to convince the parliament that even more funds for the military will be necessary, even if the world around us is at war once again. You will need to settle for a very small budget for your little ambition and even then I expect that much of this budget will be used to solve current deficiencies with the new, tried and tested category of light machineguns and equipping our troops with these in greater numbers."

Kasov let his head hang at that, quietly muttering:

"I know General Harkov...but submachineguns are an entirely new class of weapons and as such should definitely be explored. I must have one developed and built by the DOR, regardless of the costs."

The old general gave the young one a sly smile as he said:

"Why are you so stubborn about having it entirely self-built? It costs us far less to simply put a notice out onto the market for a certain quantity of these submachineguns and then pick and choose from the best that is offered. The limited budget you will be working with should be enough for that and most of the foreign designs are well tried and tested. And then we'll simply have the DOR take some of them apart and build on the experiences gained from that."

"But...is that even legal?"

, the young man Kasov seemed insecure about this path, so much so that old man Harkov threw his hands in the air, shouting:

"Oh look at me, I am General Kasov and I have big dreams for my country which are closely interwoven with high treason but I have pangs of conscience when it comes to stealing some foreigners' technologies.

Get a god damned grip on yourself Kasov! The road to greatness is not plastered with flowers, wine and virgins but blood, sweat and trickery."

General Harkov then leaned in very closely to Kasov, now whispering into his ears:

"However, you are in luck Kasov. Something is in the works that could bring great benefits to us and our cause in the next legislative period. We won't be having to worry about the parliament anymore then. I originally intended to inform you later but...well...see it as a symbol of the trust and belief in your abilities that I have."

He then quickly put some distance between them, smiling as though nothing had happened and patting the stunned young general on the shoulder, firmly leading him towards their destination:

"Now come General Kasov, into the Lion's den."

[The Hoosier Alliance]

An offer was extended to the Parsi government from the Hoosiers. The offer was a series of loans to the Parsi to be used in their efforts to modernize the country and rebuild after the Nihonese invasion. Additionally, several Hoosier Army engineer battalions were offered to assist with the construction of roads, bridges, power stations, sanitation facilities, and other important infrastructure. At the top of the list of things to be built, both in Parsa and in Hoosier, was a series of roads and highways to connect the two countries, as well as Aydinir. All three countries had agreed to begin construction on roads and highways to allow better trade between the nations and allow travel easier. Eventually, it would be possible to easily travel from Bâmiyân, to Indianapolis, to Assurhan.






War torn Manchuko, May of 1929
Black smoke filled the sky as fires burned throughout the town, most of which had been purposely lit and were enjoyed by the arsonists. The predominantly Nihonese town had fallen victim to the rampaging Hoosier Army. Elements from the Third Cavalry Division, First Army, attacked the town in the night. By morning, the few Nihonese defenders, mostly militia fighters, had been massacred by the surrounding Hoosier soldiers and the people were at the mercy of the vengeful foreign occupiers.

Iron Shirt Captain Joseph Bolton walked down the street, admiring the handiwork of the Hoosier soldiers after they were given free reign in the town. People, soldiers and civilians alike, hung by their necks from trees and buildings. The remains of several firing lines littered the sidewalks and sides of buildings. Many corpses laid on the ground, shot, beaten, or stabbed to death and left to rot. Hoosiers walked and gathered all over the streets and buildings, talking, looting, and burning as they saw fit.

Captain Bolton stepped off the street as a convoy of trucks drove past. His eyes followed them and he spotted the cargo through the canvas flapping in the wind of one of the trucks. Children sat in the back, under the watchful eyes of their guards, their little bodies huddled together as they were taken from their homes. Once the vehicles passed, Bolton continued his walk.

As he strolled through the town, whistling, he turned his head to see the source of the noise off to his right. Farther down the street, Bolton could see a crowd of men circling around something and cheering. A brief opening in the crowd showed a glimpse at the spectacle. Two men, Nihonese, either soldiers or civilians, were staring at each other, knives in hand. Several bodies on the ground seemed to show the result of other similar battles.

He paid the small forced gladiator fight no mind and went along his way. Eventually, he heard screaming. He was nearing his destination.



Inside the small warehouse stood a detail of Hoosier Iron Shirt guards, armed with rifles and submachineguns, who patrolled the inside and outside of the building, keeping anyone from being too curious and investigating the noise. Near the middle of the warehouse, hidden from view from most of the building by boxes and shelving, a man was tied to posts, his arms and legs restrained and spread apart. Three men stood around him, two in front and one behind him. The man's shirt was gone and he was constantly crying out in pain.

"You know," Officer Bolton said from behind the man, eyeing his back, "I've got a saying."

The two men watching stood at attention and witnessed the interrogation technique of the Hoosier. The two men, as well as their bound counterpart, were Nihonese Kenpeitai officers. The two unrestrained men were frozen in place by fear, both of Bolton and the countless armed men in the building.

"I really like the saying. My superior officer, the man who taught me everything I know, told it to me during one of my...sessions with him."

Bolton smiled as he picked a nice spot on the man's back.

"A naked man has few secrets; a flayed man, none," Bolton said as he cut another strip of skin off the Nihonese officer, peeling it back and letting it fall to the floor.

Yet another howl from the Kenpeitai prisoner echoed through the room.

"Now, are you ready to talk?"

The Nihonese officers, all three of them, nodded furiously. Bolton chuckled.

"Not yet you two. Answers without pain come only from cowards. We all know what happens to cowards."

The two Nihonese looked over to the group of dogs as chewed contently, pulling meat from the bones they were enjoying.

[The Hoosier Alliance]

December 1920
Twenty miles outside Indianapolis

Dwight Steinberg looked around him, taking in the landscape around him. The small farm consisted of a few acres of land, most of which was reserved for crops, though a few pig pens were clustered near the tiny house that sat in the middle of the family farm. Armed men, dressed in the silver shirts and trousers that had become synonymous with the fascist paramilitaries in the rural parts of Hoosier, patrolled around, checking the various buildings and possible hiding spots around the property.

"Please," the man said, shifting uncomfortably in his rope bindings, "Let us go. We ain't done nothin' wrong."

Steinberg stopped his pacing in front of the man. His gaze, however, was aimed over the man, his eyes resting on the home. Steinberg spoke, not looking at the man who rested on his knees, "That, dear sir, is where you are wrong. I've received several reports of your...backwards beliefs."

The man shook his head, furiously, "No, it's not true."

Next to him, his wife began to cry again. She, too, was bound and on her knees. An armed guard, his rifle shouldered, was standing behind her. The same could be said for their son and daughter, as well.

"Quiet your woman," Steinberg said, looking at the man for the first time. He went on as the farmer tried to hush his wife with encouraging words, "I'm here for a simple reason; to serve my country, my party. To do that, I must play doctor to the many ills plaguing our nation. Monarchism is cancer, and cancer must be cut away for the betterment of the entire body."

Steinberg paused for a moment and looked at each of the four civilians before asking a question to them all.

"Do you know who I am?"

After a few moments, the young girl, no older than sixteen, nodded slowly. The fascist smiled as he walked over to her, bent down, and looked her in the eye.

"Who am I, darling?"

She swallowed.

"Dwight Steinberg."

"What is my occupation, sweetie?"

"You're one of the...Iron Shirts."

He nodded.

"How did you know?"

"I was in town when you..."

Steinberg nodded and stood. He knew she was referring to the corrective measures he was forced to take in the small town nearby. Good work, God's work.

"I offer you all the same choice," he said as he stared them all down.

"Take the Oath, or die."

The man shook his head, fear and tears filling his eyes, "Please, sir, no."

Steinberg pulled his Webley revolver from its holster, a souvenir from his days in Tamir. He pulled back the hammer and aimed it at the man's head.

"The Oath, or death. Your choice."

The farmer gave no answer, just stared at the Iron Shirt, fear making him mute.

A gunshot sounded, and the man's head jerked back, blood and brains bursting out. His wife screamed as he went limp.

Steinberg aimed the revolver and offered the woman the same choice. He pulled the trigger when she refused to stop crying and babbling about her husband. The son was next, and his brains painted the grass behind him when the only thing he was a simple, but cut short, "Fuck yo-."

The daughter was more receptive to the offer, taking it over the threat of death. Steinberg smiled as he replaced his Webley in his holster. He turned his head towards the small fire that had been started with scrap wood and shouted to his followers.

"Bring me the iron. It looks like we'll have use for the brand after all."

Indianapolis, 1930
Dwight Steinberg breathed in the fresh, misty air of Indianapolis. He and all two hundred of his followers had been imprisoned for the past eight years. He served as one of the original Iron Shirt officers, leading one of the countless paramilitary factions that helped keep the peace in the reborn nation following the coup in 1920. Most paramilitaries received rewards for their service. Steinberg and his men received prison sentences. Something about being "too brutal." Still, their loyalty was rewarded in its own way. The men got special treatment, such as a longer time in the yard, their own cell blocks, and rather lenient rules when it comes to items from the outside. In reality, it was house arrest.

Now, however, the men were free. They had been given a choice to either remain imprisoned or join the Warglorian Foreign Legion. The choice was offered to them not just to get rid of criminals, but to give the men a second chance. They would be able to live free, or close to it, under Warglorian arms and make a living for themselves. When Steinberg accepted, all his men followed.

A long convoy of trucks waited for them outside the prison — many more than needed for the two hundred and one ex-paramilitaries. Apparently, the offer had been made to many in prison.

Steinberg took a deep breath and said to himself, "Looks like I'll have a chance to see my father's homeland after all."

[Crimetopolis]

DELETED

[Breyburg]

Ohio, Crimetopolis War Zone
May 15th, 1929

Defendere Delictum II
Their boots pounding in the fresh mud, splashing the substance back up at them. Pushing foliage aside. They were advancing towards the Crimetopolis capital. The land, poorly governed, was easy to push into, that is, except for the mountains. The forest they had no problems with, virtually all of Breyburg is forest after all, this land wasn’t too different in that sense. Breyburg, on the other hand, is relatively flat, except for parts of the border connecting Crimetopolis and the nation.

The only resistance that they ran into was that of Crimetopolis Police, Ranch owners and Ranchhands, and locals. The Crimetopolis Police had no experience fighting a modern army, only the Comanche tribe. They didn’t understand warfare in that sense, only hunt and kill, which made them formidable in a way. The Ranchers did all they could, they didn’t try to kill them, for they were just people, as they were, but some who had been stained by Crime propaganda, fought till they’re deaths. The rancher’s brandished old firearms from many decades ago, presumably passed down from generation to the next. The police wielded an odd assortment of weapons; most carried submachine guns that were effective in urban settings, but not in rural ones, and the others carried expensive handguns that were ineffective in the rural setting.

They confiscated the Rancher’s weapons, that is, the ones that complied to Breyburgian force, and that was only about 33% of the total Rancher’s the SASB forces encountered. They either took the weapons ammo, or burned the mostly wooden ones. They confiscated all materials that could be used in hand to hand combat and that could be used to make an improvised explosive device. After this, the Breyburgian forces were met with little resistance from the Ranchers.

Some remaining Crime Ranchers and locals.

Crime Ranchers and locals handing over weapons to Breyburgian forces to be burned.

Buffalo, Crimetopolis War Zone
May 15th, 1929


Willie Rivers
5/15/1929
Some Crimetopolis Police had begun to fire at us with their sub machine guns. I heard gunshots, but from where I couldn’t gather. They didn’t sound like the sub machine guns the Crimetopolis Police were using. They sounded less mechanical. I saw movement over at a ridge about 50 feet away, near where they had been firing at some Crimetopolis Police. Then suddenly, deathly cries came from the foliage and a handful of Comanche ran towards the police. They attacked them with hatchets and other handheld axes, and Lebel 1886s. These were some of the Comanche the Breyburgian command said they funded.

They stood over the police’s bodies and searched for any valuables. Once they noticed us they jumped back. There were about a couple dozen of us, and they were outnumbered in their eyes. We shouted, “Breyburg! We’re Breyburg! Allies! Friends!” We put our hands in the air to further imply our allyship. The supposed leader of the group of Comanche set the others to ease, and walked over to us, spoke with us about what we know of the fighting. We told them about the Hoosiers, and the Skartentians, the Nihonese, the Rachanans and the Manticorans. It really seemed the world was set ablaze in the matter of a month. They told us of known hideouts for Crimetopolis Police and where other Comanche were hiding.

We were grateful for them, yet we never saw those particular Comanche again. Bless their souls.

Some Breyburgian funded Comanche Freedom Fighters.

Current advancement of Breyburgian forces, showing Breyburg/Crime fighting, Breyburg/Comanche/Crime fighting, and Comanche/Crime fighting.

[Nasaira]

 

-MILITARY EVENTS

-OFFICER COUP

A group of young officers unhappy with the current government has succeeded in assassinating several key government officials, including the prime minister. They have secured the capital and have taken control of the imperial palace. Announcing their intent to purge the government of "corrupt officials". Their main goal is to reinstate the Emperor as the sole ruler of the nation.

Their actions have had an unexpectedly large following in the military, where counter actions have been forestalled by mass arrests and assassinations of politicians and key military members loyal to the old government. With the sudden actions of the rebels and with rebel control of the imperial palace, the emperor has made no move to denounce the rebels.

Organized government resistance seems to crumble and the rebels are expected at any time to announce the establishment of total imperial authority and control over all areas of domestic, foriegn, and military matters.

-NAVY ON THE PROWL

The imperial navy under orders of the new government has dispatched several squadrons of destroyers and capital ships around the main home islands of Nasaira. Any foriegn vessels are intercepted and turned around before coming within 50 nautical miles of home islands.

At one of these occasions an imperial destroyer fired 3 rounds from it's 5 inches smooth bore cannon at an Aclus merchant vessel that refused to answer several hailing calls. The shots damaged the vessel, but it was nothing serious that prevented it from being sea worthy.



 

[Vulkata II]

15,000 feet up in the air over Harton.

---

Up in the sky was a slow-flying bomber plane, the Confederacy's new bomber plane and was making its way for a pseudo-bombing run. Though the main island was a far larger area to attempt this, it was a far more populated one and the island's smaller size made mistakes much more forgivable.

The plane was slow but it made its way to its target location; It was nearing the location on which it was asked upon and the crew members of the metal bird were either recalling orders or they were at their stations with their tasks memorized and prepared to enact upon them. Using instruments in the cockpit, the captain nodded to his co-pilot and a mic was pulled down to his face and spoke through it, echoing his words throughout and letting each man know when their duties were to be executed.

Steadily flying pass through clouds the men held a deep breath in their lungs, ready and waiting. On their watches, the second hand ticked - perhaps once, twice, or thrice - whatever it was they made it to their target. The bomb bay door let a blinding light inside through the expanding slits until the white clouds were visible along with small outlines of buildings, terrain, or the ocean.

There was shrieking as the bombs fell off their racks, gravity guiding them towards the ground as observers from far away just how deadly their 500kg bombs were. While the initial explosions seem promising, many were unimpressed by the aftermath of such an attack with the speed of the dropper being too slow for such an ineffective run. Notes were sent and the next few days were used to see if the prototype bombers could be used for war.

As reports piled up, Alberto Aneñyo shook his head furiously with his Wing-Admiral just as disappointed as he was. The two men sat across each other until the former eventually blew a raspberry and stood up, hanging his head in shame and walked to a window.

"We made one breakthrough in our aviation, something we have neglected for years." The Great Leader started, not even bothering to look back at his general, "Then we try our hands with a bomber and it's a total bust."

"I wouldn't be so disappointed by such progress, Great Leader." Wing-Admiral Gerald Decker replied, "A fisherman doesn't catch the same fish with the same weight and taste after he successfully catches a beautiful prize; the fact that we even made a successful fighter plane says we are on the correct path."

"While true, I fear for something. What if our planes are already obsolete by the time we use them in war? We're fighting nations and empires with years of experience, we just recently liberated ourselves a few decades ago and now we're waiting to be thrown into the fray ourselves sooner or later. I just hope that we can at least learn from what others are doing."

"What are your biggest fears then, Great Leader? Obviously there's a hierarchy of what makes you afraid the most."

"It's our own experience." He had his hands behind his back trembling before he had one of them grab his forehead, "We were fighting militias in Sylba. Slugging through the terrain and not knowing who was friend or foe and they weren't armed properly either. Our airforce doesn't even have experience in dogfighting with modern-day planes and our ships are clearly outmatched and outnumbered by anyone else.

"It's the lack of war that makes me afraid not the amount of it. In the industrial sector, we are fine; in the economical sector, we are fine. But it's the idea that we are supporting and funding our own war under our own supervision."

The other man in the room stared at him, the fears of the leader being absorbed by the Wing-Admiral as he looked down at his shoes for an explanation. After possibly a minute of silence, the other man rose from his chair and blurted out the sentences that he was forming from the deafening quiet.

"And this is why we must learn the rules of engagement, how one nation fights the other and what tactics both employ. In my opinion, it's better not to look at war as either rock, paper, scissors or chess, the enemy will see that anyone doing such a tactic is inexperienced for following a set of rules. Instead of the pawn, the rook, the bishop, the knight, the queen, and the king, the king must see that those previous pieces evolve into something better before and utilize their new abilities to maneuver their way into victory."

"Yes Wing-Admiral, but you yourself contradict yourself. War is not like chess, in chess, a pawn can make its way behind enemy lines and be promoted without being supported, resupplied, and fear that they are surrounded by the enemy. But I see your point, even if I myself don't like this new prototype plane, perhaps there's still use in it.

"With its slow speed, we might make something of it. Go tell the rest of the aviation industry, the four companies under our belt, to try and develop proper working propeller planes, most specifically fighters and perhaps even a small bomber if possible. The current ones that we have we'll need to either sell or try to see just what its true potential."

With a nod and another topic less important being discussed, Decker would call upon subordinates to send the message. In workshops around the Confederacy, designers were drawing up designs on paper and what the possibilities that were available for a fighter, some even tried imagined their planes to have been able to carry a bomb under their bellies, but that was an optional feature anyhow.

[Skarten]

”Beachfall”
14th Of April, 1929
Ironton Islands

For an entire day, the bombardment had continued. For an entire day, a rain of fire and lead befell upon the Nihonese defenders of the Ironton Archipelago. They shook the earth, spreading death where they made their fall. The defensive constructs near the shore of the island, the majority of which had been built by the Rusklandr, were all but wiped out, having been a prime target for the invading force.

The beach was not, however, the only region damaged by the naval barrage. As far as the range of the naval guns extended, there was danger. With the end of the storm, the Nihonese positions would be much easier to spot. Any coastal gun who dared to fire or remain uncovered would be soon spotted by the blimps and planes of the armada, and pinpointed for strategic fire.

Furthermore, the natural biome of the Ironton Islands were of no help to those who attempted to hide in it, with the islands showing no great forest or swampy marshlands, both of which were far more suited for camouflaging than the open prairies that were instead present. Indeed, as the naval shelling of the islands proceeded, the defensive positions of the Nihonese decreased in size and quality. By the time the sun rose on the archipelago, thousands of defenders would have perished.

But it was not over.

Far from it, in fact. With the possibility of a war on the northern front, the battle fleet was needed in other places. Even more so because of their proximity to their homeland. The Islands of Ironton were but a small target. Because of this, Command decided that it would be wise to, rather than initiate a full amphibious attack, to starve them out of food, ammo and general supplies. Left to enforce the blockade would be the 4th Fleet, as well as two Aircraft Carriers. Their numbers were more than enough to continue the bombardment, destroy any ship going out of the island, and their escorts were in sufficient number to seek and wipe out submarines that attempted to attack them.

With the guards chosen, the rest of the Battle Fleet, together with well over half of the numbers of the Marine Corps began its movement northwards, towards the Svacic Strait. And so, the blockade of Ironton began. Albeit in smaller quantity, the bombardment barrage persisted through the day. As the sun began to set, and the natural light of the world began to dim, however, thousands of men prepared themselves, for success in this operation would surely dictate success in the Battle over Ironton. From Airbases in Niecsaska, hundreds of planes began to take off, heading south as they did. Among a great number of these planes were the Goliat-96 Bombers, one of the recent additions made to the Air Force.

They carried with them a rather special payload. ZE1 Incendiary Devices, bombs who included in their makeup a thermite charge and a magnesium and alluminium alloy casing, It would be used in this scenario to destroy the agricultural capabilities of the enemy, therefore injuring their war effort as a whole. It would be deployed through the means of shells, which could be delivered by gun or by aircraft. And with it, they would burn.

While the sun on the horizon still remained orange, the fleet of planes took off, knowing that the mission they were to accomplish would be dangerous. The aircraft flew, and but around one hour later, they approached their target. The sun had completely set. Radio operators on the ships were notified and the news spread to the fourth fleet, which continued its bombardment of the islands. It was already nighttime, and with darkness as a protective mantle, they sprung onto action. Corridors would be made, points in which the firing artillery ceased for a moment as the planes passed through it, only to continue as the last aircraft passed through.

One thing that had to be known about air warfare was that night raids were the safest. With the lack of any truly suitable way to identify aircraft other than great spotlights, it became a great advantage to raid positions of which there was minimal need for tactical deployment of payloads, the exact scenario in which they were in. The aircraft flew as they dropped shell after shell of ZE1, and together with it other bombs of the same type. The bombs would fall and ignite, starting great fires which spread like lightning upon the cereal plantations of the islands, in numbers far too big for the Nihonese to put down.

Once their payloads ran dry, the aircraft made their way home, refueling and resupplying as they did. Once they returned, different points of entry were chosen. This sequence repeated itself through the night as planes released considerable amounts of the incendiary shells. As the sunrise approached, the raids ceased, as the planes returned to the mainland, waiting for the upcoming night in which the cycle would begin anew. It was warfare that the Nihonese wanted, and it would be warfare that they would receive.

4th Fleet Ship Bombarding Ironton, Circa 1929

”Chokepoint”
14th Of April, 1929
Ironton Islands

A plane moved through the skies, a blue ocean under it. It went northwest, flying towards its objective. If one was to look at this plane, the first thing they would notice would be its odd shape. The wings of the aircraft stood above it, a great propeller in the center. The four-men crew which filled this plane already had knowledge of the reason for this oddity. This was a SRŁL-155 "Smilling Gull" Reconaissance Aircraft.

This aircraft was part of Operation "Neck-Holding", which had been devised for the case in which Skarten found itself at war once again with Ruskland. With the start of the war and the Naval Battle over Ironton, it became obvious that war had begun between Skarten and Ruskland once again, the only thing that lacked being an official declaration by the Rusklandr government. Yet they had fired first, and with that, Skarten was allowed to initiate its turn. The ships of that fleet had, as soon as news of the conflict in the islands south arrived, begun their work on the strait. Laying down naval mines, both ground and moored, the Skartentine took no time in turning the strait into a deadzone of which no unguinded ship could hope to pass without damage. With the aid of nearby bases and the air force, this task was achieved with success.

They knew, however, that conflict would soon come. The Rusklandr Barbarians would not allow this move to go unquestioned, and fight would soon come to them. The Battle Fleet was to arrive soon, all that they had to do was wait and hold. And hold, they would.

Naval Mine

” Digging In”
6th Of May, 1929
Northwestern Manchukuo

It had been twenty three days since the war had begun. Twenty three days since the Skartentine Forces charged against the south. They had made much progress ever since. Having pushed the Nihonese from their first defensive line, the Ground Forces were able to continue on their offensive as they continued to further push the Nihonese into the mountains or the deep south. On the coast of Manchukuo, much action took place. Due to the nature of the ports in Smirsja, whose entire province was located in extremely high latitude which became frozen in the winter. Because of that, the warm ports of Ironton became a prized target for the Skartentine war effort. Until now, one port of useful size had been captured, namely the port city of Kuraiminoto. Even more so, further southwest, nearby the war front, the city of Hano, another warm harbour, faced a battle between Skartenians and Nihonese.

The Skartenians had launched a strike upon the city on the last week of April, and had been since fighting over it. Artillery and mortar shells flew as soldiers from both sides engaged in urban warfare, firing from houses, barricades and foxholes as they fought over dominance. However, one noticeable point that one would notice would be the disparity between arms of the two sides. While the Nihonese held in their armories older submachine guns, all of which were foreign designs, as well as no shotguns so to speak of, the Skartenians had made considerable advances in these fields. These weapons, which were greatly fit for urban warfare, as well as the advances in Mechanized Warfare of the Skartenian Ground Forces meant that the Eastern Europeian empire held an advantage. The Nihonese were being pushed back, their numbers ever growing smaller. Soon, Hano would fall.

While that, alongside the defensive lines of Skarten, advancements had ceased. Command had decided that more than enough territory had been gained for the moment, and, as to continue with the plans of Operation Burning Rice, they had ordered the armies to stop the offensive. With these orders, the Skartenians quickly initiated construction of their defenses, building trenches, foxholes and whatnot. Reinforcements had arrived as well, consisting of four field armies, all ready to enter their roles in the war. Bombardments led by artillery continued day and night, day and night. Sturdy supply lines, aided by motorization, had been estabilished, roads through which supplies could arrive for the rest of the campaign decided. Messages to the Manticoran High Command, asking of the force of which they had only a few days ago mentioned in their messages and of when it would enter action were sent, among many other deeds. They Skartenian Metal would not bend nor break.

Skartenian Field Gun, Manchukuo, Circa 1929

[Newne Carriebean7]

Das Kapital Region
Presidential Palace
May 7th,1929

The sound of a kitchen knife hitting a wooden board echoed through the rather elaborately designed kitchen within the Palace. The thud thud thud sound effect being audible to many within the halls outside of the room. An older looking gentlemen fiddled with a box of matches before lighting one on the rather rickety stove that sat in the center of the room.
President Marvin Washvelt rubbed his hands together, still shivering from when he had scarcely been awoken at the ungodly hour of five in the morning. The shining sun still refused to peek it’s head over the horizon, blanketing the palace in a still darkness that was offset with the numerous open flames and small gas lamps that aligned the walls of the palace.
Since the slaves hadn’t bothered to wake up, he opted to make himself the traditional rich carriebeanian breakfast of refried beans from some can. Pulling out his trusted colt side arm, he used the unorthodox can opener to blast a hole through the tin. He would then be pouring the contents out and stirring it with his bare hands before grabbing a spoon upon the realization that he was suffering from third degree burns by sticking it in hot refried beans. Grabbing a handful of fresh shredded cheese from the icebox and dumping it in the beans, he ladled up a small bowl and sat at the elongated bar within the kitchen, armed with a spoon and a hungry stomach.

The familiar face of Louise made Washvelt’s eyes shimmer and a grin replace his slightly groggy look.
“Louise, what a pleasant surprise. Come down for breakfast?”
“I wish I was bossman, we got tis ol woman ‘skin to sees yous bossman. Claims she de ‘bassador to Nee hawn.”
“Oh, Well help yourself to some beans if you wish, and please do send her in the kitchen, I’ll receive her as I’m eating.”
“That’s odd, didn’t I hire a man to be the ambassador to Nihon?” He thought to himself.
A small nod of approval from Washvelt prompted the slave to escort the ambassador into the room. What he saw was a rather stubby looking older woman, with silver, greying hair, a face that was as wrinkly as an un-ironed shirt. On her person was a thing of bright, eyepopping red lipstick, a string of fine pearls and a minor leather bag slung around her shoulder, complete with black high heels.
Quickly shaking her hand and greeting her with his best morning voice, she took a seat next to him near the rickety stove that also acted as a furnace, wrapping both parties up in a warm glow of heat in stark contrast to the bitter air from the outside that occasional wafted in from a draft or shot out window.

“I’m Loretta Burns. I was the Carriebeanian Representative to the International Council of States.”
“Didn’t we have Harold Doorman as our ambassador, pray tell how you became the ambassador?”
Loretta Burns shook her head as he reached in her purse for a cigarette, striking a match from the bundle of matches and box on the table and blowing a cloud of smoke out from the tobacco product.
“He resigned.”
“Resigned? How the hell can that be possible? I’m the only one who fires and hires around here.”
“He simply submitted his tenure of imminent resignation three days ago. A report was sent to your desk.”
“Ah, that’s probably why I haven’t heard about this. I haven’t checked my desk in a week. I’ve been on vacation as the President, part of my fuck the poor people entitative.”
“Y…you’re a terrible president.”
“I know, I know. It’s the only thing I’m good at. I think a lot of Carriebeanian leaders have that in common, being terrible at their jobs. Now what can you report back from our Nihonian Allies?”
Burns slowly nodded her head before reaching into her purse and pulling out several documents from the local embassy with Nihon, landing on the desk with an unceremonious flop.
“The Empire of Nihon will return all Carriebeanian territories with conditions imposed during said time in May of 1934 and to allow Carriebeanian locals to run for small scale public service positions, along with the formation of a Carriebeanian Shishiri Army.”
Washvelt frowned slightly at the news.
“That’s very vague. No specifics on what constitutes a small scale public service position, no clear indication on what these conditions they’ll impose on us? If anything, they’ll award the position of Fatty catcher to Carriebeanian locals while still keeping a tight grip of mayors and governorships! How do we not know they’ll already plotting sabotage of our venerated financial institutions? I wish I could be more encouraged by these promises, but that’s all they are right now, promises!”
“You want me to go back to them in order to hammer out specific, concrete details about such a plan, correct?”
“Bingo bango motherfucker, you read my goddamned mind.”
A government aide then walked into the room.
“Sir. Congress is calling a meeting in order to allocate funds for our military.”
“It’s about goddamned time.”

To: Prime Minister of Nihon Naruki Hashimoto
From: Carriebeanian Ambassador to Nihon Loretta Burns
While the Carriebeanian government is encouraged by such promises of the return of territory in May of 1934, certain high ranking members of the government have voiced concerns about the vagueness of such terms. Not wanting to humiliate the country in having a carriebeanian official merely win the office of postmaster-sheriff, we would implore your majesty’s government to better define the offices Carriebeaners shall undertake in.
However, we are very much encouraged by the news of a Carriebeanian Shishiri Army, though ultimately we need to define what “conditions” are relevant to future discussions. Should the need arise, I shall embark to the embassy or travel in person to your capital. I hope your Majesty is well.

Carriebeanian City
Das Kapital Region
Congressional Meetinghouse

Usually, when you get 365 people in a single room to get at least 183 of them to agree on something, you’d think confiscating potential firearms would be a priority. Not the case with Carriebeanian politics, which was dominated by two distinct echoes with each session, one of a speech from a member’s tongue and the other from a revolver or pistol. Such has been the dangerous status quo for the political process within Congress since the 1850s.

With a mild amount of anxiety building up in the hallways, Majority Leader Kimbal Lenegi stood up to the center podium to address the local business, silencing the chatty and violent congressmen and women with a few shots to the ceiling for a clamor of order, which was widely and universally obeyed by the rowdy politicians.
“Congress will now consider Bill 39 of this session. Working Title, Military Allocation Act for the Fiscal Years of 1930 and 1931. Arguments for and against the legislation are to begin, followed by calls for amendments to the bill before a final vote is taken on its passage.”
A rather tall woman stood up, being nodded on by the Majority Leader as she began with a few prepared remarks.

“Congress will now hear from Patriotic Party member Wanda Sharp Williams of Lao Inlet.”
“Thank you Majority Leader. Fellow legislative motherfuckers and firm allies of the cause, I stand before you today to urge the passing of this bill. This will enable over the course of two years, more ships, guns and tanks within our military. We must have a strong defense, especially in times of war, though this is obvious. With this bill we can update our armed forces with Vinegar Machine Guns, cut back on the number of unwieldy Gatling guns, and begin the planning of a true Carriebeanian Air Force. The latter of which I press most firmly on. We need airplanes, be it bombers or scout fighters.
Sure these planes may be inaccurate in their bombing runs or delivery of high explosives, but that is why technology exists. I am as shocked as the next cave dweller that some women can vote in elections. Ironic, given my representative status as one of a female within Congress. I can promise you all that if our boys and drunken women are granted more efficient ways of killing each other, there will be peace. I’m not sure how that actually works out, but just trust me on this. We need more weapons in order to ensure that Carriebeanian children grow up to eat their good salted shit, not be forced to eat hot bread, gross.
In closing, we can achieve peace by paradoxically splurging millions of Sais and gold on weaponry for our military to scare off enemy armies somehow. Maybe we’ll draw angry faces on our helmets once we figure out what those are. “
The speech ended with hails of cheers and a smaller cacophony of hisses, boos and curses from those in opposition to more military spending. The latter camp was granted their turn to speak by Lenegi with a raised hand and a call.
“Congress will now hear from Pirate Party member Robinson Fox from Tir.”

Another similarly built tall man wearing traditional overalls with a straw hat stood up, capturing the attention of the room as his thick southern, traditional Amanzo era tounge picked up a pace.
“Now this here business in the Congress proposes that we, the Carriebeanian Congress, pass onto the Carriebeanian taxpayer the expense of maintaining such a massive war machine. I have to question the simplest one that has failed to receive a straight answer from those proponents of such military spending. Why? Why do we need five hundred thousand rifles and a pair of battleships? Why spend the money on machine guns, armored cars and field guns when we could be using this money to better the lives of our citizens, which by the way, have one of the highest rates of poverty, insanity and political extremism within the known world.
I have run the calculations, and with the amount of money we’re spending on this one bill, we could use it to put gas lamps in half of every Carriebeanian home of the original territory. We could help our citizens not only when there’s an election coming up, but all the time to ensure we’re held accountable to our constituents.
In closing, spending this much money on our military is not only reckless, its dangerous, and will lead to the death of millions within the nation and the former sacred territory of Carriebean! We must not pass this bill!”
Majority Leader Kimbal Lenegi hammered the session back to order as the sound of hoarse cheers and loud booing came from the respective political parties on the matter at hand.
“Calls for Amendments for the relevant legislation will now be heard and voted on. As always, any amendment to any piece of legislation requires a 75% Majority, or 274 affirmative votes.”

Two representatives stood up, holding a small piece of paper just before Lenegi called on them.
“Congress will now hear from Representatives Fabian Roche from Curasse and Thomas Benson Benedrick from Earzha.”
Roche cleared his throat as Benson readied several papers before beginning.
“Thank you Majority Leader. Me and my colleague have worked on a proposed increase in the number of Armored Trains from 5 to 15, the number of Machine Guns from 1000 to 4000, the quantity of Carriebeanian Bolting 1905 Rifles from the previous 300,000 to half a million, The Construction of forty heavy destroyers, five hundred more Tractor Assault Vehicles and the implementation of four Zeppelin airships to act as reconnaissance forces in battle for the Imperial Carriebeanian Navy.”
“In order to more easily digest such remarks, Congress shall vote on each point to see if it is added to the bill. Armored Train Increase of 10 is the first amendment to be voted on. All those in favor say aye.”
A sound of ayes was heard throughout the chamber while the floor manager rummaged through them to count.
“All those against?”
More bellows of nay, no, and fuck no were heard, with the first result of the vote being handed to the Majority Leader.
“261 Ayes, 102 Nay, 2 Abstentions. First Amendment fails to pass. All those in favor of increasing the number of Machine Guns? 298 Ayes, 66 Nay, 1 Abstention. Second Amendment passes. Carriebeanian Rifles? 280 Aye, 85 Nay. Third Amendment Passes. Heavy Destroyers? 275 Aye, 90 Nay. Fourth Amendment Passes. Tractor Assault Vehicles? 299 Ayes, 66 Nay. Fifth Amendment Passes. Zeppelins? 250 Ayes, 115 Nays. Sixth Amendment Fails to Pass.”

Military Allocation Act for the Fiscal Years of 1930 and 1931.

I. The Need for 500,000 Carriebeanian 1905 Bolting Rifles has been approved by this legislature and shall direct the relevant facilities to begin the implementation of such an order immediately upon the president’s signature.
II. The Need for 100,000 Carriebeanian Colt Revolving Carbines has been approved by this legislature and shall direct the proper channels of diplomatic and international relevance to execute this upon the president’s signature.
III. The relevant needs of the Imperial Carriebeanian Army in the acquisition of 400 x 1905 75mm Cannons for artillery support has been heard and will be implemented within two days of the signature being sufficiently dry enough upon inspection of said documentation by the Office Clerk of Records within Carriebean.
IV. The desire that shall be fulfilled within 720 days of the construction and commissioning of 3,600 Vinegar Machine Guns to be utilized in 143 total Disun Command units of 100 soldiers, with each unit being granted 25 machine guns arrayed in 5 fire batteries of five guns with two crew a piece.
V. The Need for 500 more Tractor Assault Vehicles to ensure a mobile and rapid response military force for more flexible options rather than to rely on horses. Such an act shall commence immediately with the contacting of relevant facilities to begin the construction of such military craft.
VI. The Naval desire for Forty Heavy Destroyers, based off of an upgraded class of the existing N-Class Heavy Destroyers, to be named the M-Class Heavy Destroyer is to commence construction, space providing, within seven days or until space is available in the Carriebeanian Dockyards.
VII. The Immediate craving of the Imperial Carriebeanian Army for more Field Guns with regards to the 7cm caliber round, as such, this allocation shall grant 300 such cannons at this time to be constructed for the years of 1930 and 1931.
VIII.Armored Cars, feeling ignored, will be constructed for 100 such Pope Talos series 1926 craft with the relevant manufactures being contacted, contracted and bribed immediately upon signing.
IX. Carriebeanian Air Power shall also be blessed with the fact that we have some shitty planes, and wish to have less shitty planes, so shall order the construction of the Acorn .101 and Bacon 12.7 biplane level bombers to assist in Carriebeanian air power. First Production orders shall be 200 Acorn .101s and 130 Bacon 12.7s respectively.

AYE: 235
NAY: 122
ABSTAIN: 8

Sea of Europeia
To say the remaining ships within the Imperial Carriebeanian Naval facilities were laying idle was inaccurate. Already action stations for numerous destroyers left in the harbor were cleared away as main cannons maneuvered into position as steam was raised along with anchors.
The sudden flurry of activity and subsequent boost in morale can be attributed to the herculean actions of Naval-Minister of Destroyers William “Mad Billy” Doors. With Destroyers being his preferred bread and butter, Doors would sweep through a plethora of naval reforms for the Carriebeanian reserve fleet, such as allowing the increase of the number of active duty members that wished to slip into the comatose state of being a reservist.
While officially designated the Carriebeanian Reserve Fleet, there had been little distinction in appearing the fleet as a capable military force. Comprised of mostly elderly reservists who took enough drugs to be mistaken for a junkie, the force was ill equipped for a naval excursion. The only ships that lacked rust were the series of six Shard Class Light Cruisers. As the morning sun peeked it’s head over the foggy morning air that intermingled with the smell of thick tobacco spit and cigar smoke, two men on horseback rode out to the dockyards.
Paying only passing glances at the under construction Paddlewheel aircraft carrier and a few minelayers that were fitting out in dockyards, Admiral of the Fleet Joseph Jackson Bonaparte and his second in command, Vice Admiral Hugh Gordon Sydney, dismounted from their horses and approached the customary military guard of sailors armed with colt repeating carbines flanking either side of the flagship. Bonaparte only took eye contact with the drugged up elderly men and women that strained to hold their carbines or not to break out laughing unprofessionally.
The Flagship of the Carriebeanian Reserve Fleet was usually the largest vessel remaining in the harbor that hadn’t been killed from embarrassment. This humble honor fell on the Shard, the namesake of its aforementioned light cruiser class. Stepping onboard, he noticed the lack of shit thrown on the floor and the faint smell of fresh pine trees, a clear sign the ship had recently been built and the trial crew was well behaved.
Sydney turned to Bonaparte, who let out a small sigh.
“You think we’ll see action soon?”
“With fucking Mad Billy as my superior officer? Shit, I’d expect to be blown up by our own damned mines before we get into combat.”
“I’m sure that would be an inevitability, anyways. Anyways, signal all ships to sortie from the harbor at their own pace, and form up in eight columns line abreast, we’ll continue with a wall of warships. Our main objective will be to either rendezvous with the main dreadnought fleet under Admiral Hood von Hoth and Vice Admiral Prinz of Wall or to make our way independently to the battlefield to provide fire support or escort for the transport fleet.”
“Do we have any idea where those two fleets are?”
Bonaparte shook his head.
“Hell, the fucking military intelligence has already lost where our fleets are, the enemy’s not even jamming our communications, we’re just that incompetent! As soon as our ships disappear over the horizon, they might as well have vanished from our sights.”
“And if we run into the combined enemy fleet?”
Bonaparte’s face turned into a goofy smile.
“Run like hell.”
With that confidence thoroughly instilled in the Carriebeanian reserve officers onboard the flagship, orders to get underway took several hours, with counterorders and chaotic messenger pigeons and pilot craft swarming over the harbor from ship to ship to bark out commands. By the time the reserve fleet had left harbor, it had grown very dark, with only a faint light on each warship lighting the way as it began it’s steam north, in the vague direction to where the Carriebeanian Main Fleet had went a few days prior.

Sea of Europeia
Imperial Carriebeanian Naval Flagship Bartholomew

After the trepidation and near friendly fire incident with the Nihonese, most every sailor’s nerves were fried, forcing many of the captains to break out the ubiquitous stocks of cheap alcohol onboard to steady the nerves. Those onboard the escorting Nihonese ships would see scenes of unprofessional drunkenness, if the stench from what was caked on the sides of the vessels proved to be an insufficient deterrent in that regard of curiosity. Although the fleet was smaller in size compared to the reserve fleet, it contained the surviving Carriebeanian Heavy Hitters, with scarred veterans of the Rusklandr-Carriebeanian disagreement after Nihon and Breyburg had kicked the shit out of Carriebean. Still, morale seemed to improve among the men with an ally alongside, either that or the alcohol began to have an effect. Most likely the latter rather than the former, Admiral Hood von Hoth clinked a champagne glass with Vice Admiral Prinz of Wall, whom he had invited over for dinner and military planning on the flagship.
The officer’s dining hall of the Bartholomew resembled a two star hotel in normal countries and the finest Carriebeanian cuisine, such as fried plantains, mountains of coconut rice and thin slices of meat. It’s one of the best meals Hoth had in a long time!
“So, have you heard from the capital?”
“Only a small telegraph was sent out, something about a transport fleet we need to escort.”
“Transport fleet, huh? I faintly recall such machinations during the meeting with Washvelt. The… expeditionary force.”
The meal was interrupted by an officer handing him a recent report, with the sailor stiffly saluting.
“Shit.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Apparently our submarine picket line’s caught something. Here’s the report.”
Hoth mused through the small telegraph letter, grimacing at it.
STOP-ENEMY FLEET DETECTED NORTHWEST OF SUBMARINE LOCATION-STOP-SUBMARINE LOCATION FIVE-TEEN MILES NORTH OF MAIN FLEET-STOP-SEVERAL CAPITAL SHIPS WITH MANY MANY ESCORTS-FULL STOP
“Five-teen?”
“Fifteen miles, or five and one tenth of a mile. Either difference is rather consequential. Pass this information onto Rear Admiral Shiozawa immediately.”
“Yes sir.”
The following message was raised via semaphore flags onboard the flagship, aimed at the Nihonese fleet.

ENEMY FLEET DETECTED FIFTEEN MILES FROM CURRENT LOCATION-WE’RE GOING TO ENGAGE-ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASSIST OUR NOBLE BATTLE-LONG LIVE CARRIEBEAN AND THE EMPIRE OF NIHON

[TENNOHEIKA BANZAI NIHON]

Ironton Isles
1929 April 14
Night

Hearing the drone of enemy planes overhead, Nihonese soldiers put on their gas masks, and with the black outs in place already, they ran to man their flak and machine guns. Soldiers that did not have a duty to man the guns stayed in the cover of their bunkers always at ready. Search lights lit up the sky, as flak and machine gun rounds flew through the air, and as several fighters intercepted bombers and along with the flak brought over twenty bombers down. If their crew survived, they were captured and interrogated by Kenpeitai, in the harshest means possible, and where kept prisoner deep in the bunkers with spoiled or no food and the only water was that of puddles. The garrison remained strong, despite the gas bombardment and even the former naval bombardment, which did not last very long. The garrison remained strong, and even then it was worth of how much the enemy had wasted.

Experts estimated throughout the over ten hours of bombardment, with a battleship with 16 inch guns can get an average fire rate of around 2 salvos a minute, the enemy got off 36,480 shots an hour. As each shell cost $718.49 that would put the enemy at a total cost of $262,105,152 for just the shells fired alone. They where outspending Nihonese forces in Ironton, and while they could afford it, with their bigger economy, it would only help the Nihonese war effort.

The enemy firebombs had proved not very effective, with soldiers being in cover and the bombs landing in the rice paddies causing little to no damage.

But command wanted retaliate and the means in which to do so where found at the small Unit 731 outpost deep inside the island, highly protected and well disguised as a hospital. Inside was the top secret project that had been experimented upon in the past, Fu-Go balloons. These were not as advanced as the ones operated in Shishiri and Nihon, rather these where very simple and cheap. They where using surplus weather balloons some outfitted with a thin steel wire and small payload, which would see the balloon drag the wire and trials predicted that there would be between a 10% to 75% chance of a balloon's wire coming into contact with a high-voltage overhead line, telegraph, telephone, or something of such during a 30 miles (48 km) transit along the ground. Which would be able to shut off power or damage communications. They would fly at 16,000 feet and some were armed with different weapons, some grenades, some with Molotov cocktails, others incendiary jelly, socks, or gas equipped bombs. The "socks" when dropped, formed a V‑shaped sausage designed to catch in the crown of a tree. Fuses were inserted in each end of the device and it would burn from each end for 15 minutes, meaning they would be able to set fire to enemy forests or farmland.

On the 16th, with the covered, underground hydrogen plant, command was able to deploy 150 balloons from the coast, using times when the wind blew north, with 50 equipped with the wire, 30 with incendiary jelly, 10 with multiple grenades, 10 with multiple socks, and 50 carrying bombs equipped with mustard and phosgene gas bombs. The enemy fleet was not large enough to encompass the entirety of the two islands, so they where launched with no detection as they flew north, ready to wreak havoc among enemy lines.

Manchuko
May 1929

The Skartenian forces had managed to capture a single small port in Manhchuko, abandoned after being damaged to the extent of the need of months of repair, as another port came under siege. Forcing thousands of casualties among the enemy. Yet Nihonese commanders deemed the port too important to the war effort, and as a result Nihonese forces dispatched the entire Indianium Expeditionary Forces to resecure the port and force the enemy back. With superior artillery and troop numbers, along with the employment of more gas, the enemy was forced away from the port with staggering losses. With modern submachine guns from allies, and the wide employment of carbines, along with troops skilled with bayonets and the sword, urban warfare was something Nihonese forces were practiced in, and after pushing the enemy out of the port city, began to force them back to retake the city of Teramashi they enemy had captured before. Employing shock tactics, and wide spread use of concentrated chloropicrin gas, and while not very lethal, it can be absorbed systemically through inhalation, ingestion, and the skin. Its side effects were barfing which ultimately would force the enemy to remove their gas masks and be left unprotected against the phosgene gas. Adding to the two gasses was Lewisite, both colorless and tasteless, and being a blister agent, was perfect for use in clearing enemy positions as infantry and armor pushed forward. Something Nihon enjoyed early on in the conflict is knowledge of the terrain, and with loyal locals, being able to have organized attacks by civilians on enemy supply lines along with air strikes. With superior artillery numbers the enemy was slowly forced back and by June, the port would hopefully be retaken, and the enemy forced back to where they had come from.

Against the Central Alliance however, Nihonese forces had dug in in their secondary lines, readying armor for a counter offensive, softening up enemy lines with artillery, and anxious troops waiting until the right moment arrived. Tales of horrible Hoosier atrocities has come to the troops and now all they wanted was revenge. Nihonese troops where prepared although they knew if they did not push the enemy back, the war would not be ended. More critical however, would be tricking the enemy into attacking heavily fortified positions and dealing the maximum casualties upon them.

By now accompanied by the Carriebean Fleet, the 5th Fleet had broken off to protect Shishiri, and where now joined by elements of the Nihonese 3rd Fleet. When Admiral Baron Kantarō Suzuki learned from the Carriebean force of the enemy being spotted, he gave the order to ready for battle.

Gokyo, Nihon
May 1929

In Nihon, tanks, planes, men, and other war material was continually being produced, and the introduction of Operation Fu Go was underway. These cheap, but in Nihon and Shishiri, more advanced balloons had armaments similar to that used in Ironton, yet these could be made and launched en mass and they were able to fly longer distances, making Nihon the first nation with intercontinental weapons systems. The balloons would utilize the strong current of winter air over Nihon, that scientists were calling a "jet stream" The project had been in the works for a long while now, at first, considered to gain intelligence or use as weather balloons, but now attention shifted to weaponizing them. Armed with incendiary bombs, they could potentially cause major damage and casualties if they hit an urban area, or they could do little damage if they hit a rural area. Since the project was far from a last ditch means of winning the war, and Nihon had been somewhat successful so far, the advanced balloons where in their test stages, and though testing, it was estimated 10% of all balloons launched would reach their target... Manticore.

The first balloons were launched on May 10th, a wave of 100 balloon bombs. Since the size of the attack was small, commanders were attempting to prevent the enemy form being able to tell where the balloons originated from, using sand in the ballast bags dug in Shishiri to confuse the enemy. And by any chance, the enemy would think the balloons where launched by submarines or by spies as the world had not seen a weapon of this range before.

Otherwise in Shishiri, a mix of crude and advanced balloons where being launched, with the hopes of hitting the Central Alliance, in retaliation for the cruel attacks in Manchuko. Being closer, the crude and advanced bombs would both hit targets, but the hope was the longer range ones would be able to hit deeper in.

In Nihon production had begun on Shin'yō-class suicide motorboats in hopes of being able to destroy enemy capital ships with a small cheap boat. They were armed with 300 kg (660 lb) of explosives that could be detonated by either impact or from a manual switch in the driver's area. They where mainly made of wood, although several had been made out of steel, and could in theory serve in patrol operations Many young men had so far been trained in its use, yet they were simple enough training did not have to be so extensive. In this case, the goal was to impress commanders higher up into using the weapon, should the chance arrive.

A good chance to test on how powerful the weapon was when a cruiser from the 3rd Fleet came into contact with a small Skartenian merchant ship, which presumably was headed to Aydinir. The cruiser proceeded to follow the enemy merchant and before long, a dozen Shin'yo had intercepted, with two boats moving in and destroying the ship. The boats while having come under small arms fire, were fast enough to evade damaging hits, and their pilots successful in their mission. Before long, the 42 survivors of the merchant ship had been captured, and sent to POW camps in Nihon. Command saw the demonstration as informative, yet not enough to devote too many resources in until they would fight in real combat.

[The Hoosier Alliance]

May 1929, Manchuko

The Hoosier Army occupying part of Manchuko had been, for some time, pausing their advance to fortify their positions and wage their ethnic cleansing in that part of the region. Now, however, Hoosier high command had ordered a fresh offensive based in northern Manchuko, aimed at breaking through Nihonese lines and marching to the sea.

The renewed offensive would consist of ten Hoosier infantry divisions and five armored. Five divisions would remain in reserve, while five remained behind to continue the unofficial genocide of the Nihonese people. Air assets took to the air to provide air support and wrestle for control of the skies. Reinforcements were also being sent to the Manchuko front to take positions on the frontline with Nihon. The total troop composition would be eighty-five infantry divisions, fifteen armored divisions, and fifteen cavalry divisions.

Hoosier forces would avoid the mountains and would instead advance through the Manchuko lowlands. The objective of the assault was to connect with Skartentine forces fighting the Nihonese on the coast, and secure ports preventing supplies from reaching the Nihonese, as well as capture any Nihonese and send them back to the reserve lines for "detainment."



On the Rachanan front, Hoosier support was requested. Ten infantry divisions had already taken positions near the Rachanan coast, but reports of Nihonese movements in the area required more Hoosier soldiers sent to fight off the invaders. Five infantry divisions and five cavalry divisions made their way from Hoosier to join the frontline against the Nihonese. In contrast, another five infantry and five cavalry divisions traveled to the Rachanan capital to fortify the capital city and the surrounding countryside from a possible Nihonese assault.

Hoosier forces abroad consisted of forty infantry divisions, ten cavalry divisions, and ten armored divisions. Five hundred fighters and bombers had taken control of the air over Crimetopolis, but their services were required elsewhere. The thousand aircraft are in the process of being redeployed in Rachana to assist against the Nihonese threat. The ground forces in Crimetopolis were also pulled back and were sent to assist as needed in other fronts.

In the waters near Shishiri, the Hoosier fleet was sent to engage the detachment of the Nihonese 5th Fleet. The Hoosier fleet consisted of twelve battlecruisers, twenty-four cruisers, and forty-one destroyers. They would, hopefully, eradicate the Nihonese detachment of a single cruiser, fourteen destroyers, and twenty-three gunboats before having to face the remaining portion of the Nihonese 5th fleet.

[Skarten]

The Second Attack
27th Of May, 1929
Northwestern Manchukuo

The War had been going successfully. The gains made by the Skartentine Army were considerable, having captured hundreds of kilometers of hostile land. But they were far from completely defeating the enemy, much less of ending the conflict. While the port-city of Kuraiminoto, which had been captured by land forces was now in working condition, ready to receive supplies, and the Battle of Hano, which had claimed hundreds of Skartenian lives reached it's end with the majority of Nihonese and Manchurian forces being pushed out, there were still many war targets to be conquered.

A renewed opportunity at reaching their objectives, however, became clear when the Iron Guard forces contacted the command of the Royal Land Forces about an joint offensive. After much discussions, their plan of action was determined. With the use of Railway lines, around eleven divisions of Hoosier Infantry, ready for combat, were delivered to the western frontlines. This brought the number of total boots on ground for military action of the front to well over four million.

Reconaissance of the terrain had been done, with great aid of the Air Force present at Indianum, which took missions to take information on enemy lines, terrain and anything else that could be of value. Their knowledge would be of great use in this following campaign.

With data on the terrain and on the Nihonese and Manchurian armies, as well as reinforcements from the Hoosier, the campaign was ready to begin. For the following four days, strategical bombardment continued at an elevated rate, behemoths of artillery firing without stop at their targets. Any city within their range that did not possess military value was targeted with incendiary devices, which, added to the purely wooden-made cities that would be the only choice, economically, of the people who there lived, took great effect, causing fires of gargantuous dimensions.

As the barrage reached it's fifth day, however, the offensive begun. Great quantities of soldiers, ready to risk their lives, began their movement. They were swift, moving towards their respective end goals. According to the information they had gathered, there was a distinct majority of manchurian soldiers in their frontlines. This would give an advantage to the skartenian army, for the manchurian puppet force were, by both experience and statistics, an enemy easier to deal with than even the Nihonese.

Mechanized Infantry Divisions, transported through converted versions of the Ozvri and Illakher armoured vehicles, were among the ones to first meet combat. Aided by tank corporations and air support, they became the spearhead of the initial strikes, using their higher mobility, higher firepower and higher protection to engage the enemy. The use of shock tactics and lightning warfare proved effective, territory being gained as the enemy began to be pushed back. With the complete arrival of infantry on the battlefield, the Manchurians who held the defensive lines would be, without a doubt, overwhelmed by firepower. Behind the line of combat followed the artillery divisions, providing support to the land troops as the combined arms assault continued.

If all continued right, they would be able to break through the enemy lines, seizing the southwestern portion of the coast and landlocking the already blockaded Nihonese. They would not attack their positions on the mountains, for doing such would without a doubt end in a great cost of lives. If the Nihonese would not leave their holes in the hills, then they would starve.

Map of The Charleston-Karwics Offensive, Northwestern Scenario

Battle Ahead
14th Of May, 1929
Snowy Bay

It had been a monotonous month for the sailors of the Royal Navy stationed in Snowy Bay. They had met no resistance from the Nihonese, and were thus relegated mostly to normal duties, with the exception of the eventual bombardment. It was common knowledge that at some point this peace would be broken. It had been taking some time, but the Nihonese would have sooner or later come to battle, as to attempt to reclaim the bay to be able to supply their armies in Indianum. Luckily, they had been given reports that naval reinforcement would soon be soon coming, in the form of their battle fleet.

Yet it appeared that, finally, this event had come to fruition. They had gotten reports from their sources that enemy vessels were approaching. They were Caribbean vessels, a rather bizarre sight. As soon as they had been taken knowledge of, sirens began to be blared as the orders for sailors to hurry to their battle stations were given. Battlecruisers, heavy cruisers, they all entered combat formation as they prepared. Turrets turned in the direction of their targets, waiting with great anticipation for the moment in which they would begin this naval clash.

The enemy, at last, entered their range. With a deafening roar, like that of a thunder, the guns of the ships of Skarten were sounded. Shells flew through the sky, directed at the enemy ships who dared approach them. The Battle for Snowy Bay had begun, and its result would greatly effect the course of the war, one way or another.

[The Manticoran Empire]

A Short, Victorious War Part 3

---

Vicuna
Middenland
Manticore
1 June 1929

The last two months of war had been quite successful for Manticore. They had secured almost half of Manchukuo and had only suffered about 20,000 casualties, most to partisans. Reports of Hoosier atrocities had reached Catherine's ears and she grew ever more uneasy as the days went past. She had been almost relieved when a Nihonese envoy reached out to offer peace and a ceasefire. She had agreed to the ceasefire and it would go into effect today. The peace agreement, however, would still take some work. The Secretary of State had already worked up a draft and would be providing it to the Nihonese when their delegation arrived for the negotiations. It would allow Catherine to finally clear her conscience and deal with the Hoosiers.

However, it wasn't all good news. Skarten had spent the last 44 days trying to breakthrough the Nihonese border forts. She had to give the Nips credit. Their paranoia had proven itself a pain in the ass. The OSS estimated that Skartenian casualties probably exceeded 1 million men by now, with almost 600,000 losses to take just the first line. It quite honestly reinforced Catherine's desire to end the war now, while the Empire was ahead. If Nihon could do that against forces along that wide a front, imagine the casualties along the far narrower front Manticore faced. Of course, Nihonese casualties had be equally heavy but a 1 for 1 casualty exchange wasn't something Catherine was interested in.

She turned to her typewriter and put the finishing touches on a letter to the Hoosier government.

To: The Iron Marshal of Hoosier
From: The Queen of Manticore

Sir, you are hereby required to order all Hoosier forces in Occupied Manchukuo to are required to withdraw before the end of June. Any forces remaining in Occupied Manchukuo by the 30th of June shall be required to surrender themselves for internment. Failure to abide by these demands will be considered an act of aggression.

[Shahinay]

Somewhere in Rachana
8th May 1929

Soldiers stepped aside the buisy road, making a way for a column of black military trucks going towards the camp. Countless men moving by, fulfilling given orders, drilling and marching, shouts and commands all around them. High in the sky the banner wave, black ńarmad eagle. Most of the soldiers had imperial uniforms, although some Rachanans were to be seen amongs them. As the column of dozens trucks stopped and people came to unload whatever was being transported, a formation of aircrafts flew low over the military camp, forcing several workers at their knees.

As more and more canisters and large wooden boxes appeared on the ground, slowly growing into an entire mountain, men that were unloading them could clearly see alarming signs printed on them.
Danger. Fragile. Flammable. Explosive.

When the commanders appeared, they talked with several scientists, ingeneers, as well as with men in black. The Eyes. They inspected the cargo, nodding to each other with satisfaction. Careful ear could have perhaps hear certain key Aydinirian words in the midst of that conversation.

Éxan Ākhcim - Great Fire.
Eniyan Ākhcimiz - The Art of Fire.

Art of Fire was a term used for Aydinirian pyrotechnics and alchemy, practised around the subcontinent for millennia back and up to the present day. It was said that everyone from the Red Priests and imperial scientists, through renegate pyromancers to common fire eaters and fire dancers were practisioners of the Art of Fire, in one way or another and with different degree of initiation. Great Fire, known also as Liquid Fire or popularly as the Aydinirian Fire among Younger Peoples, was the pinnacle of the historic advancements in Eniyan Ākhcimiz - intensely potent incendiary substance, flammable liquid, a weapon of horrible strength, praised in legends and songs but not seen in action for the last nearly 200 years, since the fall of the Ardashian Empire. It was during the holy wars of this predecessor of Imperial Aydinir against Neuraros when that substance was said to be last used en masse. According to old sources it was nearly impossible to put down, burning even under water, spreading fear and terror in the hearts of enemies, destroying entire fleets and burning whole cities. After the fall of Ardashian Empire the Khshāyar banned use of Great Fire, calling it "blasphemous and too dangerous". Kings followed, especially as production of such a weapon on large scale was beyond capabilities of individual Aydinirian Kingdoms. As the years passed, Great Fire turned into a mere legend, to the point that many Europeian scientists began to doubt in its very existence. Yet, the wonder that was Éxan Ākhcim was not extinguished. In utmost secrecy, few pyromancers and Red Priests still produced it and studied its secrets. However, after Sacred Defense was lost and Yindrai fell to the Aclusians, when the Unificationists took power and reunited Aydinir, things changed. Desperate times and constant danger pushed for desperate means, as old regulations were abolished and remaining pyromancers and Red Priests working with Great Fire were recruited into imperial service. For the last 4 decades, scientists that took their mantle were working in secret, trying to reforge ancient weapon into a one suited for modern warfare.

Successful tests and experiments on small scale were so far conducted inside the Reeducation Camps and on the dens of Sirvanskan rebels, yet it was this war that was to be its real baptism of fire.

Coast of Southern Adrillas, Rachana
9th May 1929

Artistic representation of the Battle of Cantas

Co-write between Aydinir and Nihon

The sun rose upon the Sea of Nihon (or the Vairyan Sea, as the Aydinirians called it) and the 1st, 2nd, and 6th Fleets could be seen right off the coast of Rachana, laying down heavy naval bombardment from Nihonese battleships and battlecruisers that outranged enemy positions. Planes from the seaplane tenders and carriers had been providing constant intelligence to the fleet as to the location of enemy positions, along with dropping bombs of their own, dealing devastating damage. As other scout planes cruised over the waters surrounding and fighters provided aerial cover for the carriers. Cruisers and destroyers kept vigilant ready should the Rachanan fleet returned or other hostiles proceeded to engage, while other battleships and battlecruisers that did not outrange the enemy’s coastal guns also secured the fleet, ready to engage at all times.

At the same time, the Nihonese could not move far inland before overcoming enemy defences on the coast and securing the beachheads. Although Nihonese battlefleets themselves were safe in their positions, Nihonese air raids were definitely not uncontested. Each time Nihonese planes approached from the water’s side they were met with a warm welcome of anti-aircraft guns and enemy fighters coming to greet them from above the mainland. They were ready and the reception they gave to the Nihonese was equally as devastating as the bombs the Nihonese dropped.

Such resistance was perhaps more than the Nihonese command expected. Careful observer could notice that there was quite a few foreign planes among the Rachanan fighters, while some of those anti-aircraft guns still possessed Aydinirian markings on them. Clear indication of Divine Empire’s presence.

The enemy’s air defense was formidable, and something Nihonese Command was worried about. The main hope was through, through the naval bombardment that had been raining down for three days now, would take out much of the enemy’s naval guns. Much of the enemy’s coastal artillery and anti-aircraft guns had been hit in the bombardment, so being able to land ground forces was not the worry. It was the enemy fighters that would pose the biggest threat, and they would have to be dealt with.The carrier fleet with the first fleet would be able to launch hundreds of planes should the need arise, yet so far the only battles in the air came in small skirmishes.

Such state of affairs continued for the whole 9th May. When the sun was setting over Rachana, Adrillas' southern coast was dotted with craters, artillery shells and occasional burning planes, shot down by anti-aircraft guns or during one of the sky duels above. As the heavens darkened, the fighting ceased, but among those wrecks a few people still crawled - pilots, who somehow survived the landing. Rachanan and Aydinirian ones were quickly transported to the nearest field hospital, where they would be examined and their wounds tendered. Nihonese pilots however would be soon met with a fate much worse than death. Taken captive, they were handed over to the infamous SAVAK. The Eyes of Emperor. Those unfortunate souls would soon regret they survived crush of their planes.
Meanwhile in the south, Aydinirians were making their move.

Minor clashes and skirmishes between Aydinirian and Nihonese ships were happening for over a month now, ever since the Ultimatum and the beginning of the war, yet no major battle occurred so far. Aydinirian behaviour was surprisingly cautious, passive even, especially giving the fiery rhetoric constantly delivered by imperial propaganda. Even as the Nihonese joined their forces, Imperial 5th Navy did little to directly oppose the enemy. Instead, they kept to their own shores, protecting Nirah and coasts of Southern Rachana, content in occasional probing attack on enemy position. One could even say that they were actively avoiding open battle. Some would find that attitude suspicious, yet for many within the Nihonese Command it would seem like a clear sign of Aydinirian weakness.

Those probing attacks continued on 9th May, but were swiftly repulsed, without much casualties. With darkness however, things were about to change.

Around midnight, several Carisūra-class Aydinirian destroyers closed in to the Nihonese positions, accompanied by Gārah-class submarines and launched torpedoes against the Nihonese battleships, before quickly retreating. Their aim - enemy aircraft carriers and seaplane tenders. At the same time as those first Aydinirian ships closed in, plane engines were heard. This time however, it was Rachanan and Aydinirian planes that were coming over to the Nihonese, not the other way around. It was a coordinated attack of the Imperial 5th Navy and Rachanan-Aydinirian air force, marking the beginning of the first major battle between Nihon and Aydinir.

Nihonese aircraft carriers where a priority for commanders to protect, and they had around eight destroyers surrounding each, yet the seaplane tenders, where just that, tenders and not under heavy escort.

It was dark, a disadvantage for both sides, with visibility limited. It was only seconds before impact a destroyer lookout yelled “Torpedoes! Brace for impact!” as several rocketed a destroyer that surrounded the carrier it was protecting. The enemy had put up a fair volley, and two other destroyers took on damages. The seaplane tenders however where not so lucky, with enemy torpedoes dealing devastating damage to one, and medium damage to another. The Nihonese Fleet had several advantages though, as the fleet was absolutely massive and now with warning, could fight off any force. Commanders figured the enemy destroyers would get away, too fast and unimportant enough to not give chase, as commanders figured it would lead them to a trap. Enemy submarines however, where slower while submerged, and that would allow destroyers a target.

Under orders, Nihonese destroyers fanned out, dropping their depth charges and hopefully hitting home. Every ship in the fleet began to fire flak and machine guns towards enemy planes, as numerically superior Nihonese fighters readied to be launched, or the 50 that were already in the air began to engage. Flying low across the water, seaplanes and recon planes fanned out searching for either enemy subs, or ships.

First phase of the attack was however designed to cripple Nihonese airpower as much as possible. As some ships, carriers and seaplane tenders suffered damage from torpedoes, allied planes dived down and descended upon them, opening fire at Nihonese machines which were readying to soar into the air. Still on the ground, they were unable to really defend themselves. From a few of Aydinirian planes strange grenades, or maybe little bombs, were thrown, aimed at the hangars and airstrips of the ships. They quickly erupted in bright flames, burning alive pilots who were about to jump into planes, creating chaos at ships’ deck and blocking the runway. Terrible loses were inflicted upon Nihonese aircrafts before many of them could even face the enemy.

Aydinirians and Rachanans too would find themselves in much trouble, as many of them were caught in a crossfire after the diving attack, being attacked by both ships’ guns and Nihonese aircrafts that were already in the air. Many of them didn’t manage to soar higher into the air, paying the ultimate price for this daring attack. Those who were more fortunate soared higher to face the Nihonese, as full blown air battle ensued. Planes of both sides were falling down into the cold and dark sea or crushing at the ships, as Aydinirians and Rachanans were fighting their retreat.

As if that wasn't enough, with each minute the weather worsened. It was no storm, but clouds that were present on the sky since evening were becoming thicker and darker, as the rain started falling down. Visibility decreased even more.

While destroyers managed to escape intact, 3 submarines were not so lucky. One was caught very soon after by enemy destroyers and obliterated, while two others were badly damaged but escaped and lost the pursuiters. None of the enemy ships followed Aydinirian destroyers, none of them wanted to stray away too far from the main fleet either. It was a wise decision. Main body of Imperial 5th fleet was only waiting for the Nihonese to be baited into their trap.
As that didn’t work out, second phase of the attacked followed. 5th Fleet sailed forward, attacking nearest enemy destroyers. The Nihonese had no idea how strong really was the enemy that just attacked them. Aydinirians were going to make it look like force much stronger than they actually were.

As was agreed, surviving Rachanan fleet was nearby. Aydinirians began sending several radio messages, deliberately with relatively weak encryption, hoping the Nihonese would intercept them. Messages were supposedly directed at the Rachanans and main Aydinirian force of combined Imperial 3rd, 4th and 6th Fleets. They were to surround the Nihonese and attack them from all sides, with 5th Fleet gaining all Nihonese attention, while Rachanans and combined force of 3 Imperial Fleets attacking from the back. That wouldn’t be too hard to believe. After all, what a madman would attack an enemy outnumbering him more than 1:3 without proper support?

The only problem was that Imperial 3rd, 4th and 5th Fleets were nowhere near. Nihonese Command probably knew that. Yet such desinformation was for sure a powerful weapon. Could it be possible that the Aydinirians were attacking alone, despite being so outnumbered? Could the Nihonese risk being surrounded, attacked from the back?
At the same time, north from the battle, entirely new, large formation of Aydinirian aircraft was flying west. They sneaked their way largely unnoticed. Even if the Nihonese spotted them, it would only support credibility of intercepted news of amassing Aydinirian forces.

Admiral Saburo Hyakutake looked out considering his options. The air attack had been damaging, but lucky enough aircraft would have a hard time actually diving, and it was quite dark, so hits on ships where limited. Fire crew had managed to put out the fires yet it had been quite a struggle, although high power hoses plus smothering the flames did the trick for the smaller fires. On the carriers and they were quite lucky, the decks were not big enough for all the planes to fit, thus meaning a sizeable body planes where saved, stored below decks.

The admiral was worried however about the presence of multiple enemy fleets in which intercepted communications made him believe. Yet it was quite useful, that the 2nd Fleet was there. He ordered them to dispatch 4 battlecruisers escorted by 8 Fubuki Class Destroyers to gain intel on enemy positions and report back, and then fall back. There were to only engage if necessary and then would support the full Combined Fleet. The admiral knew this was a huge risk, but one he was willing to take. His forces had trained in night battles, and if they could heavily damage the enemy battle fleet beyond use, then in the coming battle with Manticore, it would truly be an easy victory. Why not destroy an enemy divided? This could prove something quite helpful to his career. It would be embarrassing to report he had only destroyed one enemy submarine.

The battlecruiser force quickly sent a message of sighting hostile forces, and soon the entire fleet was on its way, ready to fight. Already shells had been fired by the battlecruisers at the enemy, and with their long range, plus their speed, the ships captain knew the battle if the numbers on the enemy’s side where true, devastating to the enemy fleet. And he smiled as a small flash of light, an explosion, was seen in the distance, one of the many to come.

Rachanan arrived from the north-west, on the opposite side of the battlefield to the Aydinirians. They were spread on a long distance, intentionally turning on as many lights as possible. In the heavy rain and low clouds, those lights were smudging and blurring out, like a shapeless wave, making an optic impression of a much larger force. With the Nihonese right in between, sailing and firing towards the vanguard of Aydinirian forces, it really looked like the intercepted messages were telling the truth - the Nihonese were being encircled.
Several ships sailed even further south, yet keeping the distance, making it look like there was another, third force coming from the west.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Imperial 5th Fleet under the command of Dhrāyatar Rhūbrai Vāhishaīr prepared for their long planned maneuver. After first Nihonese shells hit the vanguard of imperial forces, the rest suddenly changed the course, still largely invisible in the rain and low clouds.They extinguished almost all of the lights, in a risky attempt to not be detected and turned east, navigating on the basis of enemy lights, flanking the Nihonese force from the left. Although successful, the maneuver had its toll. Two of the ships lost their way in rain and darkness, with one leaving the battlefield completely and one crushing at the coastal rocks.

Shelling continued as Aydinirian vanguard and Nihonese main force were coming closer and closer, yet there was much less hits and explosions visible than predicted. One could sense that something was wrong. Then, two forces met and vicious Nihonese attack rushed at the Aydinirian vanguard, with ferocity reminiscent of tales of the samurai of old. Yet roughly at the same time, the rest of the imperial forces pierced through the surprised enemy flank, inflicting terrible damage and creating much confusion.

At the same time, Rachanans unbeknownst to the enemy, were deploying mines at the north and west and placing fisher boats and wherries on the sea, setting them on fire. That only strengthen an impression of a third incoming force. When that was done, Dhrāyatar Vāhishaīr gave an order for another transmission - one that was intentionally fragmentary and incomplete, to be intercepted by the Nihonese. Transmission seemed to give the allied fleet an order to retreat, while attack of the combined 3rd, 4th and 6th Imperial Fleets was to come from the west. So far, all intercepted transmissions seem to be genuine so there was no reason not to believe this one.

Amid the confusion several Nihonese destroyers, sent out to recon the area were fired upon by allied forces, inflicting damages until the two recognized from the guns, and further communication they were both on the same side. The battle was one of utter confusion.

Although direct fighting lasted for only 30 minutes or so, there was not much left from the Aydinirian vanguard that took at itself the bulk of Nihonese fury. Had entire Imperial 5th Fleet attacked the Nihonese directly, not much would have left from it as well. Remnants tried to escape, sailing full speed southwards.
At the same time, surprising Aydinirian flanking attack inflicted terrible losses on the enemy. They were much more grave than what the Nihonese could predict just a day earlier. Yet, they too suffered serious losses, being forced to retreat, for continuous fighting could only benefit the enemy. With smaller and quicker ships, rest of the 5th Fleet swiftly detached from the battle.

Rachanans sailed away too, avoiding the battlefield and joining with the retreating Aydinirian navy at the other side. Meanwhile, the Nihonese, sure that the real threat is yet to come, prepared for the impact that was not to come. Admiral Hyakutake waited, having ordered the fleet at ready. Minutes were passing by and the combined fleet was nowhere to be seen. Lights were still on the horizon, gleaming in the distance. But as it was soon to turn out, those were just dozens of fisher boats and wherries, some with many lanterns inside, and some outright set on fire.

When Rachanans and Aydinirians were at a safe distance, sailing south, they sent a final goodbye message. One word.

Visweŝryineńan.

It was an old Aydinirian term, describing a special kind of performance, relying on the usage of two elements - light, often in the form of fire, and shadow. The art of illusion so to speak, ancient Aydinirian type of shadow theatre.

Looking to the small boats on fire as the sun rose, Admiral Hyakutake slammed his fist down in extreme anger. He looked to his officers, wanting to pursue the enemy force, to seek them out and to destroy. But he calmed down and thought, knowing that his orders were to support the attack on Rachana. The Aydinirians would pay… but not yet. For now, his vengeance would be felt by the poor Rachanans, who would see new weapons being deployed against them. He ordered his minesweepers to clear a path out, and his destroyers to sink the fishing vessels. And then the rest of the fleet set out.

Summary of the Battle of Cantas:

To be filled later
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Meanwhile...
El Pueblo de Fortuna, Rachana

- Sire! We have the news - Strike Force successfully avoided the battle, flying to the north. No further obstacles encountered. Operation Enlighted is proceeding as planned.
As soon as the imperial officer conveyed that information, he saluted, swiftly putting his right fist to his chest.

Shanrhain was sitting behind the desk, looking at the fireplace. His leg stretched in front of him. Forever damaged, is served as the eternal reminder of what was done to him. Injustice, that that demanded revenge. He turned to the officer, and for the moment looked at what lied at the desk in front of him. Large, detailed map of Rachana and... Nihon. Markings, lines, all remnants of the recent war council. He smirked slightly - he entered Rachana as the chief commander of the Imperial Forces and stayed as the king. Husband of the Rachanan Queen. And what a queen it was...

- Excellent. Inform Khārstyas, it's time for him to activate our network. Order 65. He will know what that means.
- Yes, Sire! Fean!

So, it's time, Shanrhain thought. It was certain he will have no sleep this night. Operation Enlighted was his handiwork, as well as an instrupent in his personal quest of revange. He could still recall the events from St.Osloverg, like flashbacks playing in front of his eyes. Shots. Fire. That Arenginian wench dying at his hands. Shame, what a beautiful girl she was. And of course, Imperial Minister Eltariyos Sûrennah, later laying dead on the hospital bed. Good old Eltariyos...

Suddenly, doors to the room opened and through them a young man entered hastily. Shanrhain recognized him. It was one of the scientists working on the Liquid Fire.

- Your Majesty, you cannot!

Shanrhain raised an eyebrow, looking at the intruder.

- We never tested the bombs in such conditions. We have no idea...
- I said, what I said.
- Traditional Nihonese architecture relies mainly on wood. Fires can, and for sure will, easily spread to the civilian buildings as well and...
- You are a brilliant scientists and the Empire needs your services. That's the only reason why you are still not punished for your insubordination.
- Attacking such densly populated city will surely result in innumerable civilian casualities!
- The Nihonese showed they do not honour distinction between civilians and soldiers, when the Imposter raised his hand on the diplomats and servants at St.Osloverg. Moreover, he raised his hand on me. On the Divine Blood. Caused the death of my father and your Divine Emperor! Those mongrel dogs rejected my sister's Ultimatum. You reap what you sow. There shall be no mercy now. Just retribution.
- Tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands may die in the fires caused by Liquid Fire Bombs.
- Burn them all!
- But, Your Majesty... The innocents...
- There are no innocents in Nihon.

Sapporo, Nihonese Empire
Deep night, early 10th May 1929


Warglorian military base on the outskirts of Sapporo was quiet. There was no wind, no birds, not even marching steps of soldiers patrolling the alleys from time to time seemed very pronounced. They too were few and far between - it was coming closer and closer to dawn. Then, they could finally be replaced and go to sleep, thought the guards.

There were also the workers. Few of them, whose schedule did not allow them to rest with others in one of their baracks, were still performing their mostly their manual labor, even at this late hour. Among them was Agent Xar, wearing an especially dirty Warglorian worker's uniform. He skulked around the camp and its familiar corners. Then, he saw something. Or rather someone.

Turning and looking around in search for possible company, he put the bag he carried on his back as if absolutely nothing happened, stretched out and pulled out a cigarette. Agent Xar went towards a lone figure smoking around the corner. No one else was nearby.

- Hast du ein Feuerzeug? - he asked
- Ja, bitte. - answered the senior worker, handing him a lighter. And as he did, he leaned slightly adding:

- Visqizhin Xar, Khamanvan Dûshārhwisios cvarchûzarto. Ṕartan 65 kshiseno.
- Ferwen. Fean!
- Fean.

- Agent Xar*, Operation Enlighted starts now. Execute Order 65.
- It will be done. Glory!
- Glory.

*ayd.: xar - sun

Agent Xar nodded him while lighting a cigarette, then turned and went down the alley, passing next to a group of patrolling Warglorians. Within a few minutes he found the one he was looking for. A soldier, judging by his darker skin tone coming from one of the Warglorian colonies. He was leaning against the wall and watching the city in the distance. When he saw Xar, he looked around for a moment and then said:

- Hey, Arbeiter! Hast du ein Feuerzeug?
Xar nodded and passed him the lighter, saying quietly:
- Ṕartan 65 kshiseno. Eas, Espānd kshidzalo.
- Fean.
- Fean.

- Execute Order 65. Also, pass the Message.
- Glory.
- Glory.

And so, the spy network has been activated and Order 65 initiated. Within a next hour an artillery depot inside the Warglorian military base caught fire. Similar acts of sabotage soon occured all across the city - damages were directed at the anti-aircraft instalatons, such as radars, searchlights and the artillery itself, as well as to several military magazines. In case of discovery and failure to escape, all agents had an order to consume an ampoule of poison, that all of them carried. Even if trapped, none of them would be taken alive.

And so happened, as Operation Enlighted entered its second phase.

No one really expected any full-scale Aydinirian attack on Sapporo. So far, two month deep into the war they so passionately announced as a crusade of vengance, Aydinirians were surprisingly cautious in their behaviour. The only confrontations up to this very night were some minor naval skimrishes on the Vairyan Sea (or the Sea of Nihon). So far it seemed like Aydinirians were actively avoiding any direct battle, giving many within the Nihonese Comman impression that Aydinirian forces are either weak, unprepared, uncommitted to the war. Or simply inferior. It was Nihon who came to Rachana with full force. It was Nihon who was on the offensive. They had command has every reason to feel self assured.

And that was precisely the point. Silence before the storm.
Events of this night and coming days were to shatter that impression.

Large formation of Aydinirian aircraft that bypassed the Battle of Cantas was already flying over Hokkaido. 200 Aydinirian bombers were formed in two waves, to come one after another. One was equipped with typical bombs, the other however with experimental Liquid Fire Bombs. Attack on Sapporo was planned as the first large-scale usage of that new weapon during this war. Even Aydinirians themselves were not entirely sure just how much destructive would their wonder weapon turn out, yet Imperial Command was more than happy to test that out. Even if the Liquid Fire turns out to be... less than anticipated, raid on Sapporo should still be a success. On the one hand, trategic bombing of Nihonese military installations could significantly damage enemy war effort, and on the other the raid itself would be a giant propaganda victory. After all, Aydinirians were about to strike at the Nihonese mainland itself. And if so, could anyone of the archipelago really feel safe?

When they began to go lower, the crews could already see a few explosions guiding their way. Sign of sabotage but for them lighthouse in darkness.
First wave of the attack fell on the important military sites of the city - Nihonese Air Base near Sapporo, where they aimed to destroy as many planes as possible while they were on ground, city's docks and ships moored there as well as the factories, fueling enemy war effort. It was the second wave however that was the most damaging, as it did not have any particular targed in mind besides creating as much chaos and destruction possible. Those planes did not refrain from hitting civilian areas. On the contrary, they had the orders to unleash Liquid Fire Bombs at the city center, residential areas and anywhere with high population density .

Although the attack was like a bolt from the blue, Aydinirian High Command expected high losses, even with the element of surprise, initial shock and compromised enemy air defences. It was one of Nihonese more important cities after all, and their starting point for the ongoing invasion of Rachana. As expected, for a few minutes confusion reigned in Sapporo, as the first wave descended upon the defenders. Initial attack caused grave damages, especially to the grounded planes stationed in the military base, soon however the Nihonese shook off their shock and started to mount a formitable defensive.

That's when the second wave arrived. Flying over Sapporo, they started firebombing the city. Their bombs fell down, exploding much brighter and more violently and the fires that soon started were like small suns in darkness, dazzling onlookers. Those bombers however had to pay their price as well, as anti-aircraft artillery and those Nihonese planes which menaged to start off from the Air Base answered fire with fire. The strange thing was that when those bombers were hit and shot, they either catched fire and fell down at the city below, crushing at the wooden buildings, or outright exploded in the air, their burning debris causing even more fires below. And what a sight to behold those fires were - they seemed almost impossible to extinguish and burned even when drenched with water, only insane amounts of sand or specialistic high power hoses could stop its spreading and cut them from oxygen. Otherwise, they spread like chainfire, devouring one district after another. Traditional Nihonese wooden architecture proved to be an excellent fuel, igniting like dry brushwood in a forest. Houses and streets soon turned into death traps, rubble of collapsing buildings blocking a way of escape. There, countless civilians - men, women and children - awaken from slumber by heat and explosions would meet their horrid fate.

Unstoppable fires were causing large amounts of smoke and ash to fill the air, obscuring the view and making it harder for searchlights, artillery or enemy planes to detect Aydinirian intruders. After just a dozen or so minutes of intense bombardment they began to retreat. It was really hard to follow them in current conditions. The air crews were directed to not throw out empty fuel cans or other debris from their planes in flight, lest such a trail of debris lead potential Nihonese pursuers back to their base, and to make no markings on their maps for the same reason, lest those documents fall into enemy hands. Air raid on Sapporo was from the begining a risky gambit, and the Strike Force surely suffered significant losses. Yet the conflagration that they started down below was beyond even their wildlest expectations.

Fires raged for many hours. Even at downbreak, skies were black and red. Some remaining inhabitants of Sapporo desperately tried to cross the Ishikari River, hoping that water will guard them from the ever spreading madness. Others, already on the other side of Ishikari, looked at the scarlet carpet of death that was in front of them and weped in pain and sorrow, their laments almost as loud as the noice of cinder and burning timber.

As the city died, wooden houses fell one after another, the conflagration attained such intensity that it created and sustained its own wind system, creating a firestorm that soon covered much of Hokkaido.

It heralded to the world that this night hell descended upon Sapporo.


People desperately trying to cross to the other side of the Ishikari River, runrise, 10th May 1929


Firestorm over Hokkaido

Later Nihonese painting of the burning Sapporo

Bâmiyân, Kingdom of Parsa
12th May 1929

As Aydinirian ally, Parsi participation in the war so far manifested only in volunteers joining Hoosier forces in Crimetopolis and Manchuko. Today however, Kingdom of Parsa, which from the times of the Nihonese Invasion of Parsa continued to be in a state of war with this expansionist power, officially sent its troops to help the allies.

Royal Army of Parsa, created after the Nihonese retreat, consisted of the fighters of this defensive war, militias and veterans of the First and Second Parsi Uprising as well as of many fresh recruits that wanted to avange their loved ones and protect their freshly won freedom. Now, they headed both north and south, towards Rachana and the Manchuko Front.

With religious zeal and hatered for the heathenish invader still burning bright in their hearts, they marched in straight columns, chanting their songs.
Men of the Mountains forged their blades in the fires of truth and purged the world of darkness.

It was their duty. They made ready for war.

Ryukyu Archipelago, Nihonese Empire
13th May 1929

When a few days ago Aydinidian and Manticoran navies met around Ceylonian Isles, everyone expect them to sail forward togather, towards the Nihonewse mainland. This however did not happen. After some time Imperial 3rd, 4th and 6th Fleet, some 39 capital ships, including 2 aircraftcarriers, sailed north, while Manticorans hold their positions around Ceylonian Isles. On 13th May 1929 imperial forces reached the Ryukyu Archipelago, southernmost part of the Nihonese Empire.

Ryukyus were much different from the rest of Nihonese mainland. Not long ago, islands were an idependent state, togather forming the Kingdom of Ryukyu, abolished in 1879 - exactly 50 years ago. Those islands had their own distinct language, culture and even Ryukyuan religion, influenced by Nasairan Shimbun, Aydinirian Jarism and Nihonese Shinto. Before 1879 independent Kingdom of Ryukyu was a vassal of both Nihonese Empire and the Kingdom of Yindrai in the same time. The Nihonese however always had en eye for the islands, ever since their first invasion in 1609. So when the Aclusians arrived to the Aydinirian Subcontinent, using internal troubles of Yindrai for their own advantage, the Nihonese too sensed blood in the water. When Yindrai Civil War broke in 1879, Nihon and Aclus attacked the islands togather, repelling Yindrai'i garnisons, abolishing the independence of the kingdom and splitting islands between themselves, with Nihon taking most of it and Aclusians capturing two easternmost islands of the archipelago - which they later used to take controll over all of Yindrai, causing the Sacred Defense and eventually, Reestablishment of the Aydinirian Empire.

What happened later was Nihonese initiation of wide scale programs, aimed at elliminating distinct Ryukyu culture, religion and identity. To Nihonize them, so to speak . Giving the fact only 50 years passed, there were still people living who remember free and independent Ryukyu. And since the Reestablishment of Empire Aydinirians always had a claim on them, as they saw all lands that were under Aydinirian direct controll or indirect influence prior to the arrival of Aclusians as their own.

It was a right time for historical revanchism then.

As combined fleets appeared, they started to bombard the shores, outranging enemy defenses. First air raids started as well, some of them strategic - aimed at military instalations. But from meny bombers no bomb dropped, but leaflets. Propaganda, in both Nihonese and Ryukyuan. A call for uprising, fight for freedom, overthrowing thier Nihonese masters and oppressors. But in reality, it was a threat.

Submit, or risk sharing the fate of Sapporo.


What Aydinir consideres to be the historical borders and territorial extension of the Kingdom of Ryukyu


Flag of the Kingdom of Ryukyu

Assurhan, Aydinirian Empire
13th May 1929

Entire Imperial Palace was the state of haste and turmoil as the servants rushed from one building to another, making sure everything is tidy, clean and shiny. This great cleaning heralded one thing for sure - guests. Divine Empress wanted to make sure everything will be excellently prepared for the meeting that was to happen in this most ancient of cities. That was now a tradition of sorts, as Assurhan became Empress' main headquarters, and in the same time, representative hall for all foreign meetings, ever since the Parsa Crisis. Nobles of Ezhid could be perhaps less than thrilled with the prospect of their city declining in importance, but it was war after all. It's hard to receive visitors in a fortress.

Invitations too were already sent. One to the Iron Marshal Stewart of Hoosier. One to the President Martin Harvey of Breyburg. And one to the newly married and crowned Queen Azaneth of Rachana and her husband.

He however was a different type of beast entirely. Cifrinah's brother, with whom she was in bitter conflict for a few years now. Only recently they started to repair long burned bridges, after what happened at St.Osloverg and the death of their father. Now, imperial forces in Rachana were granted to his command and he had an important duty, in service of both his homeland and his new countrymen. It was uncertain if he would appear in Assurhan, but common courtesy required for invitation to be send.

Imperial Palace, Nasaira
13th May 1929

It was peaceful in Nasaira.
Something that could not be said about the rest of the continent.

Aydinirian rode through the city's streets, observing low yet ellegant buildings of wood and stone decorated with orange, yellow and red lampions, that were drowning the city on a blissful haze. Above them, multi-storey towers hanged, raising over the haze. Nasairans, dressed in colorful clothes contrasted well with Aydinirians, clad in black, white and scarlet. Their cheerful step with Aydinirian march. They seemed immersed in happy celebration, as if free from the world's troubles. As it turned out, it was their old emperor's birthsday and the city - a sight to behold.

It was then fitting that a mission from one imperial monarch to another would arrive at such a day. As agreed earlier via telegrams and secret talks conducted by both nation's ministries of foreign affairs, Aydinirian mission here was clear. Strenghtening of relationships, trade and royal marriage of Princess Eltaryel, the youngest of the troubled siblings, to the heir to the Nasairan throne.


Emperor's Birthsday in Nasairan capital