Project Calendar: Target August [semi-open]

[Allanea]

D-Day, 00:00, Reichsburg Time

The Congress votes for the Declaration of War near-midnight. The Administration had planned for this. By the time the clock strikes, cameras are prepared for a series of announcements – and even as they are made, they are uploaded to dozens of websites, beamed to satellites across the world.

The first one is Kazansky's address to the nation of Automagfreek. It commences in a manner similar to that of many addresses by Alexander Kazansky – wherein Alexander Kazansky appears on-screen, with the Allanean flag behind him. Yet now it is different.

For now Kazansky is not merely the President of Allanea. He is also the Emperor of Greater Prussia.

Thus he now appears with two flags unfurled behind him – the Allanean flag and the Prussian one. He is clad in ornate, gold-plated armor – the symbol of his new rank in the Alliance – and perched upon a massive throne. In one hand, he holds an unsheathed sword, its gleaming blade turned downwards. On the Boy-Emperor's brow gleams the Crown of Prussia, gleaming with precious stones.

And thus the President of Allanea and the Emperor of Greater Prussia begins his speech:

Hear me, my allies and subjects.

Hear me, Allanean Freemen.

Hear me, Freeks.

For many years, we had tolerated your depredations. For a time, when you were opposed to yet greater evils, we were allied. But today – when you ally yourself with the loathsome barbarians of Kraven – when you continue raiding the nations of the world with the utmost brutality to please some Dreadfire or another – we are forced, finally, to do what should have been done long ago.

Only half an hour ago Congress has given me free hand – but the plan, my dear Freeks, had been in the hatching for months. Even now, as I speak, great armies are rising – in Allanea, but also in Wanderjar, in Spizania, in the Shogunate. Thousands of ships are preparing to sail. Millions of men are preparing to march. Bayonets are being sharpened. Bomb fuzes are being armed. For whom? For you.

Yes, Freeks. There are the blades that will stab under your hearts. These are the bombs that – in perhaps a month from now – will be screaming towards your bridges, and warships, and factories. We will come – and now for the first time, you will begin to be punished for your sins.

Freeks! For many years you have been invading, torturing, executing and exterminating. You have made yourself quite a name. And – perhaps it appears strange – many men now have a grudge against you. It was a simple effort for me to gathese these men – forging them into a vast cabal against you. What will transpire is not a consequence merely of my deeds – it is also the consequence of your own.

With your cruelty and arrogance, you had forged the sword that I will wield against you now. Do not be surprised, then, that it is aimed at your very breast. Rather, learn from this. Prepare for it.

I would recommend preparing by planting trees along your boulevards. Our soldiers will be kinder to you if they can march in the shade.

That is all.

May God Bless Our Allies.

May God Bless Greater Prussia.

And May God Continue to Bless Allanea.

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Even as the President speaks, from the harbours of the Allanean homeland and from the massive island that holds the capital, from the New Bavarian peninsula and from other harbors throughout the Prussian sea, hundreds upon hundreds of ships set sail.

Among these, the carriers were chief – but they did not, of course, sail first. Protecdted from all flanks by cruisers and destroyers, and underwater by SSGNs, they formed dozens, nay hundreds of small combat groups, sometimes deploying far from each other – and it was a testimony to the size of the Allanean armada a carrier battlegroup could be considered 'small' compared to it. Twenty pocket superdreadnaughts set sail with the fleet. These had long been outdated – not in terms of the electronic or weapons aboard them, these were on par with any other weaponry – but because they had been relics of a doctrine the world no longer used – and yet Allaneans refused to abandon.

The men here were led by one of Kazansky's disciples, Grand Admiral Kanna Karishima. She knew that she had a hard task ahead of her. Never before had an enemy soldier set foot upon the Freekish soil – and today, the Freeks would have a month's worth of warning of her coming.

But she had given her word and the Boy-Emperor had put his trust in her. She had a quarter of the Allanean navy at her command, and could rely on countless of allied fleets to back her up.

If ever there was a fleet to defeat the Freeks, it would surely be this one, she thought.

OOC: This is open to AMF and any of his allies, however, for obvious reasons, I believe it is best to keep the amount of attackers no more than five people. I hope AMF will reciprocate - any more and the thread will become unreadable. If you wish to join on the attacking side, please contact me first. Please do NOT post any further OOC comments in this thread.

[Automagfreek]

Vladius was largely silent as the Allanean declaration of war came to his desk in the early hours, his eyes scanning the document several times as Defense Chairman Marv Bonesplitter stood nearby, his face grim and determined. Allanean scum... scoffed the Imperial Warlord. I have toiled every single day to bring this Empire back to its place as a symbol of honor and principle, and instead of offering forth a hand to me under the spirit of peace, they conspire and plot our supposed demise. A scowl was now clearly visible across his face as Bonesplitter moved closer to the large oak desk. I cannot stress this enough Vladius, the Allaneans are cowards and traitors, and we should rejoice at the prospect of sending them in droves to meet their false Gods.

After thinking for several moments, Vladius turned his head slowly towards Bonesplitter and looking him in the eyes. I know of our history and our dealings with the Allaneans. They cannot be reasoned with, as an infidel has no capacity for rational thought. If war is what they seek, then we shall oblige them. Mobilize our people, make them ready for what is to come.

As Bonesplitter departed the grand throne room from within the Great Hall, Vladius called an emergency press conference and ordered it to be broadcast on every radio and TV station across the Empire. The symbol of House Dreadfire appeared prominently across every TV as networks issued their breaking news bulletins, and shortly thereafter cameras from inside the press room at the Great Hall began rolling.

My people, I come to you today to announce a matter of great national and regional urgency. First and foremost, let me make it abundantly clear that in the short time given to me that I have taken all appropriate steps to rebuild our standing in this world, and in that I have been quite successful. But even as we as Freeks continue to round the corner and turn a back to our fiery and blood soaked past, an old enemy rears its head once more. The Allaneans, lead by their heathen king Kazansky, have announced their intent to sail to Automagfreek and make war upon us. And we can be certain they will be bringing others with them in hopes of accomplishing this ungodly awesome task, for they are cowards who dare not face us on our own soil in honorable combat.

So I say to you my people, arise! I have ordered the full deployment of our entire military, reserves and all, and will be ordering all Freeks and Fallen who bear arms and are registered to report to their tribal militias immediately for briefing and training. As of now our economy is to shift to full 24/7 wartime production, and those who are currently unemployed will be conscripted into government weapons factories immediately. This is a serious matter that requires serious attention, and we as a people must hold fast if we are to be able to assist our Gothic allies, some of whom have had war declared upon them as well.

These Allaneans come here to seek glory and retribution, and they shall find neither. All they will find in Automagfreek is death and ruin, and upon our mighty shores the infidels shall break like water upon rock. Even now as their hoard of cowards take to the seas they fear YOU my brave people, and when they face the full might of the New Gothic Empire they shall flee in panic, and in their defeat they will come to know my name well. Not since the days of Operation Hellfire have we faced a direct invasion, but I trust that you as Freeks will conduct yourselves with order and discipline, the staples of our society.

So I say onto the heathens, let them come! Let us now tend to our defenses and make ready, once more dragons lay siege to our kingdom, and together we shall slay them and stand triumphant atop their ruin!

Shortly after his speech, a state of emergency was declared and military forces across the Empire began to scramble and make ready for what was to come. Vladius has ordered the full mobilization of all 10 active Cohorts, some 100 million men strong, with an additional 5 Cohorts of tribal militia, some 50 million men, to be deployed as front line forces. It was a staggering number of soldiers and support personnel, but with the announcement that an additional 150 million reserves and tribal militia were on emergency standby, it was clear that this fight would be a monumental one. Police vehicles drove slowly down the streets with lights flashing, blaring over their speakers that all registered militiamen and reserve units were to take up arms immediately and depart for their tribal camps. Somber farewells and tear filled departures could be seen everywhere as Freeks gathered their gear and loaded up onto school and city buses that were parked at community checkpoints across the Empire.

The Empire had always maintained an up to date set of plans concerning homeland defense, and now they would be put to the test for the first time in ages. The first priority would be to prepare defenses in the waters around Automagfreek and beyond, and the task would fall to the Department of the Navy to put into place quite possibly the largest naval minefield in the history of mankind. Vladius knew that it would take his adversaries some time to reach Gholgoth, and as such he would be able to deploy mines in staggering numbers from both surface vessels and from the air. The naval forces of Vidimir Breathstealer had already been fully mobilized in light of the declaration of war against The Grand World Order, though now they would be kept inside Gholgoth to help defend AMF. Almost immediately the ships under his command that wielded mines set sail towards the 3,000nm mark to begin dropping a whole variety of mines ranging from CAPTOR, to magnetic, acoustic... nearly every type in service.

Large transport aircraft would be tasked with deploying naval mines in the far reaches of Freekish waters alongside Vidimir's ships, though most of the ships that would be laying mines would be doing so in strategic areas to deny the enemy safe routes of passage the closer they get to the Freekish mainland. Assisting them in this endeavor would be smaller cargo planes and helicopters, while the submarines of the Freekish navy would be strategically placed around the most likely avenues of advancement in order to delay the enemy fleets and engage them accordingly from behind in case they attempted to advance through the minefields. The Supremacy class submarines were marvels of engineering, and as such they would not be carelessly thrown at hostile fleets in numbers but instead would be used defensively to silently pick off high value ships such as carriers and large troop transport vessels. The naval defense plan called for a drastic increase in the density of mines closer to the mainland... especially in the Mako Sea stemming from the southwestern tip of the Forbidden Isle and going all the way south towards the Ekraysian mainland, the St. Freeksburg straight between the Forbidden Isle and Freeksburg Island, and the Brigg Straight between Freeksburg Island and the northernmost tip of AMF proper, Port Freek.

The Supremacy class subs not taking part in the defensive plan would be sent out to sea in order to passively monitor the advance of enemy ships and to report their movements accordingly. High Command also called for scores of UUV's to be deployed out to sea as well to attack enemy supply lines well after the combat fleets had passed, and the small craft were constructed entirely out of composites and non-magnetic metals which would allow them to sit ass undetected as possible at great depths and engage supply ships seemingly at will. The enemy would find no friendly port in Gholgoth, no clear sky, and the task of maintaining secure supply lines would be one of the most daunting tasks conceivable, and with the vast network of underwater sonar arrays and RORSATS, Gothic Command would be able to track enemy fleets with a high degree of success. Given that the Allaneans and whoever else they were bringing with had no allies from within the Gothic region, they would be fighting for their lives at every angle from a well experienced, well disciplined, and highly effective fighting force in its own backyard. Vladius wondered if perhaps Kazansky had gone entirely mad, for with such odds stacked against him it seemed both suicidal and insane to attempt to defeat Gholgoth within its own borders.

The vast expanse of sea to the east of Automagfreek would be difficult to fully mine off, though the Navy would attempt to do so as best they could. The Forbidden Isle had always been both a good natural defense as well as a hindrance, because in all reality it was completely infested by demons and creatures not of this world. It was perhaps one of the only places on the planet that remained completely untouched by man, for every attempt to both explore and colonize the island has ended in tragedy, with all of those who set foot on the cursed soil being literally swallowed by the land itself. A natural obstacle it was, but it also restricted movement of Freekish ships and denied the military a place to station shore batteries, but the upside of the Forbidden Isle was that it would be inaccessible to the enemy.... unless they were foolish enough to set foot on it as the Allaneans had learned once already. But perhaps the most insidious defense would come in the form of mines placed in the shallow waters off the beaches, which were scheduled to be placed while the enemy was still several days away from making their landing attempts.

The density of mines that were to be placed in waters ranging from ten feet and lower would be at near sickening levels, with helicopters deploying scatterable mines ranging from large ones designed to destroy landing craft and smaller ones designed to maim and kill those wading ashore. Even as enemy soldiers walked ashore they were to be greeted by thousands of small scatterable mines, some as small as sugar packets, designed to blow the feet off infantry and bog down advances while friendly artillery, mortars, and air strikes eliminated those left. These horrific minefields would be deployed shortly before a landing was to take place, and pods attached to 'Raven' class helicopters would be able to lay down miles of mines in a very short period of time. It was a system of defense that had proven itself invaluable in Freekish conflicts over the ages, though it would also fall to air and ground crews to assist in softening up the hostile advances before they hit the shores.

The Freekish air defense network has always been one of the most sprawling and imposing in the world, and it would most certainly be put to the test. Stationary missile batteries, radar and LIDAR networks were strategically positioned everywhere across the country, and mobile platforms would be deployed in force throughout sectors at high risk for ground and air assault, as well as neighboring sectors. Large number of reserves would be kept on hand in districts adjacent to those deemed at risk, and they would be able to provide almost immediate assistance should they be called upon to bolster front line forces and engage encroaching forces. Reserve forces of MBT's, IFV's, MLRS, and mobile artillery would be able to rapidly deploy to any crisis area and provide both direct and indirect fire support, all while maintaining the luxury of maneuverability. Should hostile forces make landfall they will inevitably find themselves surrounded by scatterable mines, pinned down by infantry and vehicle fire ranging from light armored car with .50cal machine guns all the way to the DT-5 'Behemoth' MBT, all while having artillery, mortars, rockets, and missiles dropped directly on their heads.

The vast number of ground forces involved would be at the heart of Vladius' defense of AMF, and particular care had been taken during organizing to make sure that congestion was not going to be an issue and that his forces would be able to maintain the option of maneuverability should those on the very front lines become overrun. A large number of reserve forces, being vital to the effectiveness and survival of any army, would be placed in sufficient quantity all across the nation and would be able to deploy to the front via road, rail, and airdrop very rapidly. Reservists would also be protecting runways that the Allaneans and their ilk would no bout be targeting, and their presence would help deter an airborne assault and outright defeat it in the unlikely event that transport planes were to penetrate deep into Freekish airspace unopposed. Sentinels, Freeks, and Fallen were already being deployed en mass to the coasts in order to build up the static defenses already in place and make themselves ready. Millions of soldiers would soon cram the highways in transport trucks and be packed into rail cars as they departed from their bases, with tons of supplies and heavy equipment following close behind.

The most likely avenues for assault would be Freeksburg Island in the northeast, for it was a natural first line of defense and would be able to successfully lay waste to any force that decided to bypass it and make for the Freekish mainland itself. The terrain was extremely treacherous due to the high, jagged peaks that dominated most of the island. Once being a massive super volcano that helped create the AMF landmass many millions of years ago, it was now a twisted chain of mountains that had been strategically carved up by Freekish engineers over the centuries in order to accommodate the transport of soldier and vehicle alike, and subterranean structures were literally everywhere, ranging from missile silos, bunkers, gun batteries, and tunnels. Freeksburg Island was also home to the infamous "Devil's Fingers", massive underground guns that fired 40" rocket assisted, GPS guided shells deep over the horizon and had proven to be a formidable defense in past conflicts. The few beaches that could be found lay in the shadows of the great peaks nearby, which contained thousands of pillboxes overlooking the sands below which would be able to rain down a blistering amount of firepower on the enemy from multiple angles.

Another potential landing zone would be the island to the south of the mainland, called Mako Island. This was easily the hottest spot in the country and one of the most popular Freekish tourists spots, and sported sandy beaches on the far west side, but was caked in dense forests and rugged hills in the east. Mako Island was frequently used by the military as a testing station for armored vehicles due to the wide variety of terrain that one would encounter, and Vladius made it a point to deploy sufficient infantry and armored forces to this area. The two smaller islands in the north, Brigg Isle and the island of Kensington, were both primarily occupied by the military and sat at the mouth of the dreaded AMF-Panteran straight, a narrow sea corridor that was heavily armed on both the Panteran side and especially the Freekish side. Word had reached Vladius that much turmoil was taking place inside of Pantera, and thus the Reavers were reluctant to have to declare their neutrality in the coming conflict, which would be perhaps one of the only lucky breaks for the Allaneans.

Further strengthening the Freekish defense would be the vast arsenal of aircraft, of which even more were now being churned out due to full wartime production. Providing the backbone of rapid response airborne fire support would be the stealthy FAF-1 'Vassago' attack helicopter, which had proven itself invaluable and extremely lethal against Blackhelm forces. The 'Vassago' sported the most advanced avionics ever put inside a Freekish helicopter, and was armed to the teeth with powerful 30mm cannon and was capable of housing 6 Hammerfist extended range anti-tank missiles, or 8 Hellrage-A (air to air) or 8 Hellrage-G (air to ground) medium range missiles, and up to 16 Gladius short range air to air missiles all from inside the helicopter, as well as the option to carry pods containing the Hornet FFAR. Joining it in defending the skies and supporting the boots on the ground would be the famous Stratosfighter-II stealth air superiority fighter (and all of its constituent variations), the Land Scorpion and its naval equivalent the Sea Scorpion, neither of which were specifically designed for stealth, and scored of UAV's of every variety. Heavy stealth bombers would be primarily used for attacking enemy ships at sea in order to either halt or delay their advance, and would likely not be used in any other role except in the event that enemy ground forces somehow managed to secure major real estate in large numbers.

The sheer number of planes that the Empire commanded alone would all but totally ensure complete air supremacy, and this was made all the more likely by the imposing static and mobile air defense systems that would be tasked with keeping enemy planes away from the skies over Automagfreek, as well as inbound missiles (as best they could). Millions of missiles would no doubt be spent in liberal amounts in order to keep enemy aircraft, ships, and missiles at bay, and factories would be working around the clock in order to churn out mind boggling amounts in order to bolster existing stocks and to replenish what will inevitably be fired off. These factories, along with all factories producing military goods as well as ports, runways, power plants, and the like, were extremely well defended by sensor networks and missile launchers ranging from static cells to mobile units on patrol, all the way down to soldiers on the rooftops armed with MANPADS. The Freeks themselves had learned through generations of warfare that the best way to bring a nation to its knees is to attack the vital infrastructure, and thus every appropriate measure would be taken to deny the enemy the chance to weaken vital assets across the Empire.

The stage had been set and the pieces were now in motion, and as Vladius continued to toil over the latest intelligence reports coming in from the Novans and Doomani, a familiar figure casually entered the throne room at the Great Hall and made himself know. It was none other than Damien Dreadfire, and Vladius was quite surprised to see his brother given that it was rumored he had disappeared into the wild. Good day to you brother, what business brings you here? Vladius said with papers in hand, his attention still largely focused on them.

I have heard of Kazansky's declaration of war, and I have just spent the last hour being personally briefed by Bonesplitter. Interesting to say the least, and I suspect that he would not order such a suicidal campaign unless he was bringing a large amount of allies with. He seems confident in his ability to defiantly march into Gholgoth and beat us into submission, a bold claim to say the least.

Vladius paused for a second. My thoughts exactly....but I must ask, why is this cause for concern? As you no doubt know by now, I have the situation well under control. Forget not what I told you, I was the one that drafted all of our father's war plans, and I'm quite capable of routing this filth.

Aye, I did not come to question your resolve. I've noted that Zander is off in Tyrrhenia laying siege to The Grand World Order, and the rest of his Second Cohort is without a leader. I have come to fill his void and take these men into battle, for I have been simply dying to kill some Allanean infidels ever since they betrayed us and dared to prod and insult me. Now is my chance to get some revenge before I take my leave. Vladius smiled and rose from his seat, walking over to Damien and placing his hand on his shoulder with authority. Naturally I would not deny you a chance to defend your honor, and to help you in doing so I will relinquish my command of the First Cohort and take up the helm of the Second. The men of the First Cohort have served under you for years, and they will rejoice in getting the chance to do so once again.

Dreadfire gave an evil smirk and a slight chuckle as he joined his brother to discuss and craft war strategy. An encrypted statement was also issued from the Great Hall to all the Gothic Lords concerning the Allanean declarations of war that had surfaced.

~From the desk of Lord Vladius Dreadfire, Imperial Warlord of the New Gothic Empire of Automagfreek~

Rise up, sons and daughters of Gholgoth! Remember the oaths you have taken...allegiances you have sworn...for many ages they have been invoked only on the rarest of occasions when we as Goths face true danger. No doubt you are aware of Allanea's declaration of war upon the Freekish Empire and on our brothers and sisters in Ralkovia, the Kraven Reich, and so forth. Such a bold endeavor is hardly the work of a madman, but of someone who has a plan and plenty of those willing to follow through with that plan. Even now the wolves can be seen massing on the horizon, and if we do not ready ourselves properly then they shall descend into our kingdom and we shall end up their meal.

I know I do not command the respect amongst the Gothic Lords that my brother Damien does, but I intend to prove that under my leadership Automagfreek will be as stiff in its resolve and defense of you our brethren as ever before. Having seen up to date intelligence reports, it is highly likely that we face something large, something we have never faced before on our home turf. Therefore I humbly request that all Gothic Lords ready themselves for the coming storm, for it is wise to prepare for any possibility however unlikely. We must not take this threat lightly, my friends. Goths are people of honor, and people of their word. When we pledge ourselves to our fellow region-mates, it is a pledge that cannot be broken. Our word is our bond, and if we fail to act during this pivotal turning point in world history, how will our children and grandchildren be able to look at us? How will they be able to carry on with our spirits broken and our bonds of brotherhood failed should we be bested in combat?

I say to you no, we do not face a future of defeat and subjugation! War is upon us now whether we choose it to be or not, and inaction is simply not an option. We must make ready my brothers and sisters, for we Freeks will not be cast down into the darkness, we will not be trampled underfoot and slip silently into the night. By the Gods we will give them such a fight and unleash such unspeakable horror upon them that generations of Allaneans yet unborn shall cry out in agony, and curse the ignorance of the heathen king Kazansky. They shall find nothing but blood and ruin in Automagfreek, and I pray to you that their reception across the whole of Gholgoth will be just as cold and terrible.

May the Gods bless you all, and may our ancestors watch over us.




Almost immediately after the secret communique went out, air crews throughout the country received orders to take to the skies with Stratosfighter II-E electronic warfare planes, and larger commercial sized Sky Serpents would also be spreading an intense wave of jamming frequencies in hopes of denying the enemy the ability to communicate and share date. Any non-Gothic satellite lingering in the heavens and within range of Imperial planes would be subjected to this treatment, with intent on denying the enemy access to their movements as early on as possible. High Command fully expected similar treatment from all opposing parties in the form of jamming and blinding, and therefore lose a significant number of friendly satellites over time. Freekish LORAN networks across the Empire would serve as a backup in case a large amount of satellites were lost or damaged, which was now being expected, and would allow the military to function normally almost without interruption. AMF battle doctrine focused heavily on electronic warfare anyways, but possessed little means of blinding the optics in hostile spy satellites, which would have to fall to other Gothic forces.

Freekish High command continued tracking all foreign objects overhead and relaying their data to the joint Gothic Command, where it would be funneled down to the militaries of the individual Gothic States so they could begin their own EW and laser attacks. It would not be pretty, and collateral damage of space assets was expected to be high in the weeks to come in the event that fried, unresponsive, and useless satellites crashed into each other, but the Freeks proudly commenced the first actions of the war, marking the beginning of a great and bloody conflict as of yet unnamed.

**********************

OOC: Here's a close up view of my MAP. And here's a version strictly for everyone else's OOC use which is divided into provinces and then into sectors which I will be making reference to throughout the RP, for the sake of keeping track of everything. 2nd MAP

[Ekraysia]

Paloh, Yinxi State
Ekraysia
13:41 EST


Captain Khoo watched quietly from his perch on top of the railings on one of the many bridges over the Jin River, watching a squadron of Sh92 Main Battle Tanks roll by. The diesel fumes were mixing with the ever-present tropical air to create an even thicker gas that might have suffocated someone more used to a temperate climate, but he was unaffected, instead opting to complain to the pedestrians to get out of the way. The tanks were rolling past two Sh03 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns to the eastern side of the bridge, while the pedestrians who might otherwise be going home by now, were now stopped and staring at the suddern burst of military activity.

General Mobilisation. He didn't really know what that meant. What he did know was what his commanding officer had informed him; two and a half million soldiers of the army and marines were being mobilised with immediate effect, and that here in Yinxi, he would consitute a small part of an army group. Eight hundred and ninety-six thousand men were being mobilised in this part of the country alone. That was surprising. That, in itself, was...worrying, he guessed. Three million.
However, he'd been more surprised when he heard the General - that would be Lieutenant-General Chen, who in peacetime would be responsible for Paloh - had said that, across the country, two million more men, in their respective Regiments, would be active within two weeks, and the remaining three million army and marines would, Supreme Command expected, be active within four weeks. Such a massive mobilisation, the entire land forces strength, in four weeks, might be impossible elsewhere, but he reminded himself proudly that of course it was possible here.

The Ekraysian military operated on a Regimental militia basis; the military (regardless of branch), in each seperate state, would raise in regiments an army, navy, air force, or whatever else regiment by regiment, flotilla by flotilla, as what was essentially an exceptionally well-trained and well-equipped militia. Everyone was a reservist; it just depended on how often you visited home, which would usually be close by, that affected your operation status. He also made clear that he expected two-point-seven million men in three army groups to be almost completely mobilised within four days, although the remaining six army groups, which would. with the others, be organised into three group fronts, were expected to be operationally off the ground by this time in two weeks. That briefing was behind him now. He also knew that 7.2 million other soldiers in the navy, air force, AAD (Air-Defence Force), internal troops, and strategic force were mobilising as his regiment was, but that was irrelevant.

WOOSH! He was almost knocked to his feet by four FY9 fighters banking now overhead, subsonic by the lack of a defeaning roar after them, climbing into the sky on patrol. Judging by the massive red stripe over the nose and wings, they were AAD.

"What the hell is going on?" He looked to his right to see his elder brother approaching. They were both from a warrior family, from the majority Chinese population (as opposed to the other thirty percent, who were Indians or Malays, and Sikhs, of whom there were many in the 'forces), and he too was a Captain, same regiment, fourth battalion. He hadn't been at the briefing; he was at home with the family, chatting over a bowl of rice when he'd heard. Typically, he had finished his meal before grabbing his rifle and Dao and vaulting the front gate of the barracks.

"Sit down, brother." He did so. "General mobilisation, as you may have guessed. They're mobilising the entire armed forces, literally. Did you see the news?"

"No"

"Apparently, it happened yesterday. Allanea has declared war on AMF, as have a bucket-load of allies, and it seems we shall contribute to their defence. Very generally, at least - from what I gather, World War Three has started. And not like all the other fake World War Threes, either. This is big, really big. Munju is in Shan Cheng, he called me an hour ago, said that he went up the Twin Towers for a better look and he counted ten fighter patrols, like the one that just went over, and tanks, too. He said that hundreds of soldiers are marching down the streets, and the police are out in twice their normal number, with rifles"

"Bloody hell..."

Jin's sincerity worried his younger brother. He was always the joker of the family, so when he looked him in the eyes with his head tilted slightly down and told him that it was big, he knew there was cause for concern.

"They're mobilising Army Group Yinxi as one of the three primary army groups. As per the First Defence plan, they're substituting quite a few divisions from Qiaoshi and SC to cover for us while our less-ready formations mobilise, but still...if anything happens, I guarantee you we'll be in the thick of it"

"So what did General Chen say at the briefing?"

"There was little that was actually clear, but they said that it was likely the Freeks would be invaded. He said they expected they could look after themselves, but if we don't have our hands full fending off a possible invasion, we could be deployed to anywhere between Sniper Country and AMF at a moment's notice. There was a lot of fanciful propaganda-ish stuff, and he knew that we knew that. At the end, he just said we may well be defending our own soil once the enemy naval forces enter Gothic waters, which will take at least a month. If so, we are to collect our red and blue defence-of-Ekraysia stripes and fight"

"To the death?"

"What would you do?"

"Yes, then"

"I'd check your rifle and your Dao, brother. You will likely need them"

---

FEDERATION OF EKRAYSIA
Diplomatic Transmission

To: Whom it may concern, Allanea and her allies
From: Prime Minister James Cheong


We know as of yesterday a state of war now exists between yourselves, numerous other nations, and Automagfreek and their gothic allies. I shall not mince words; you have one warning. That if you do not turn back immediately, reverse your decleration of war and allow suitable Gothic security preventative measures to be put in place, you will be destroyed. However, as I suspect you will not heed this warning, I can inform you openly that Gothic militaries will not take this lightly and will probably be at full alert. We are mining our waters, and, because our government in the past has had nothing against you, we will take no agressive action against you or your warmongering cronies unless you breach the territory of any of our Gothic allies. Then, you will be subject to the full force of our retaliation as an entire continent. This was your warning.

[Wanderjar]

“And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse; and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”-Revelations 6:1


Union Building,
Bloemfontein, Wanderjar - 1300 hours


Seated around the State President’s meeting table, a large mahogany table taken from the finest tree, were the National Council of Ministers. Dozens of Ministers, each filling the critical positions within the Afrikaner Free State and her extensive Commonwealth. State President Michael Blair, of the Nationalist Party, sat his rightful place at the head, with the other being occupied by Prime Minister Jan van Hoyek. The words to be spoken here would decide the fates of billions of people the world over, and ignite a war to claim the lives of untold people.

“Gentlemen,” Blair began, “I’ve called you together today to formalize what has been in motion now for months.” He scanned the eyes of each minister, meeting their gazes. “We are, as you all know, hereby in a state of War with the nations of Gholgoth. There is no turning back. Our allies in Allanea and across the coalition have begun to mobilize and move their forces to striking positions, and we intend to join them as soon as humanly possible. I have drafted a formal declaration of war to be presented to the Freekish Government, and readied an address to give to our people.” Light applause filled the large chamber. “Also mobilizing are forces from the Commonwealth nations, and they will be joining us in route.” He nodded to the Kaztanian and Francadian Ambassadors, who were also present. “Ours is a divine task, the shining example of God’s great plan for our people. We will cleanse the earth of these travesties to His name and work, and for it the world shall be a brighter, freer place.”

“Mr. President,” began Minister of Defence James Craft, “I am pleased to announce that all military forces are ready to begin embarkation, and their deployment. We‘re ready for this.”

“Excellent,” replied Blair, “The sooner we deploy our men out of here the quicker we can accomplish our objectives. Chief of Staff Kees Hemjnk will now outline the general strategic idea which we are following. Kees?”

“Yes sir,” the General stood. “Thank you. Our basic plan is not to conquer Gholgoth, that simply is impossible. We just want to damage them economically and militarily to prevent them from waging war in the near future. The ultimate aim, which has been presented to me through Defence Minister Craft and his Honor the State President, is to quite frankly teach these brute’s a lesson.” All the ministers present threw their heads back with laughter.

“It is quite true,” Kees continued, still laughing. “At any rate, we will engage the enemy, and we will move in, decimate his cities, and let his people know that the time of Gholgoth is passed.” The room stood in applause. Wanderjar was now at war.


Fort De Wet,
Bloemfontein, Wanderjar - 1430 hours



“Gentlemen,” began Chief of Staff Kees Hemjnk, to a crowded room of Generals and Staff Officers, “today begins the greatest undertaking the Free State has ever embarked upon. Earlier today, as some of you know, President Blair issued a declaration of war upon Gholgoth, as did our allies in Allanea. We have been preparing for this war for months now, moving men and material to prepare for this undertaking.”

“And our strategic plan is sound. For the moment, get your final preparations down and begin the process of transporting them to the Naval Bases in Greal and Yanitaria. For the moment, that is all we are going to discuss, as all plans and contingencies have been established. Are there any questions?”

One hand was raised, by Major General Julian van Strijp of the 5th Airborne Division. “Kees,” he began, “what are our rules of engagement for this conflict? They were never established.”

General Hemjnk was silent for a moment, thinking. Finally, he smiled, chuckled under his breath, and said cooly, “None.”

“Sir?” Colonel van Borcharen of the 192nd Brigade Combat Team, 18th Armor Division asked slowly.

“This is a war of punishment for the crimes of not only the Gholgothan Governments, but also of their people. For too long they’ve reaped the proceeds of these wars of conquest and lived happily away from the carnage which they so vehemently support. We’re going to show them the true meaning of terror, and leave them so destitute that they will never again wage a war of aggression.”

“Are we going to arrest Lord Dreadfire and the others?” asked Lieutenant General Skylar ter Harst, Commander of XVI Corps.

“We will provide you all with a deck of cards, each with the face of a highly wanted Freekish government or military official. Of course,” he added with a smile, “Dreadfire is the Ace of Spades.” the room echoed with laughter. “However, we aren’t honestly counting on this occurring. But if the opportunity presents itself, we will pursue it. If there’s nothing else?” he asked, the room was silent. “Thank you gentlemen, now let’s get to work.”




****


Afrikaner Naval Base, Yanitaria
1545 hours


Admiral Stephen Holder walked the deck about his flagship, the HMS Suid-Afrika, familiarizing himself with the surroundings of a new ship, a mighty Ark Royal Class Carrier. This ship alone held thousands of Wanderjarian sailors, marines, and airmen, awaiting to fight this newest war which their country called upon them to fight. Dozens of aircraft lay dormant in their sub-decks, ready to strike, as well as many of the weapons which the Royal Marines would need to land and engage the enemy in close combat. However, this was only but a small piece of his force, the greatest naval battle fleet in Wanderjarian history was assembled here. Almost fifteen thousand ships, millions of men and machines ready to sail to fight the tyrannical nations of Gholgoth, and join their Allanean brothers in this great struggle.

The power he felt, the sheer might at his finger tips, was incredible. He nor any other Afrikaner had ever commanded such a force as was now at his disposal. We cannot be stopped, he thought to himself, smiling to himself as he passed through another bulkhead, Not this force.

He waved off a Master at Arms who called, “Officer on deck!” at his presence, exchanged salutes with the ship’s captain, Captain Michael Howard, and shook his hand. “Quite a force we’ve got here, eh Mike?”

“Yes sir,” Michael nodded. “I don’t think the Freeks can fully understand what’s coming after them.”

“You’re damn right they don’t,” the Admiral said, suddenly looking fierce. “We’re gonna tear that country apart.” The Captain smiled, and the other officers and enlisted men present nodded with bravado. It was a powerful feeling, the adrenaline surging through their bodies. The great ships which were slowly slipping out of the Dockyards and out to sea were full of such men feeling the exact same thing. Each of them knew this, and each of them could not stifle the pride they felt within themselves for being part of such a momentous occasion.

“Let’s take her out, shall we Captain?”

“Aye, sir,” Howard responded, then turning to his Boat Driver, he said, “Bring the ship out of dock.”

“Aye,” replied the Ensign. “Bringing out the ship.” With that, the ship’s great engines began to whine, and slowly she pushed away from the docks, lined with troops, sailors, and materials to be loaded. As she pulled into the sea-lanes, the ship awaited entry in a long line of vessels. Though as impatient as he was, the Admiral thought he’d never seen a more beautiful sight in all his life: a vast array of thousands of ships against the setting sun, pulling out to sea, and to destiny.

[Doujin]

By all accounts it was a peaceful day throughout the Empyrean Society, as it usually was, and it was on this peaceful day that Ki'atra, Empress of Doujin and High Seat of the Empyrean Elders, would receive the most devastating news. Ki'atra spent most of her time in the Atrium, a deep palace located beneath the Emerald Isle; a land overgrown with lush vegetation known only to exist in this holiest of places. Surrounded by sparkling waterfalls, beautiful blooming flowers, and trees of various vibrant colors, Ki'atra often sat in meditation to reflect what was good in life and on how best to protect the Empyreans and the lands of Gholgoth itself. And it was in this beautiful, sacred place where Ki'atra would get the horrific news that the ancient lands of Gholgoth were soon to be under attack.

Although in deep meditation, Ki'atra sensed that the Empyrean Elders were waiting to seek her council on a serious matter. And it was at this moment the waterfall of Síocháin parted and three Elders appeared to summon Ki'atra. The first to appear was Brigit, Elder of Wisdom. Tall and slender, Brigit's presence simply radiated beauty and knowledge. Brigit's beautiful amber hair waved effortlessly as she glided towards Ki'atra without saying a word.

"Hello Brigit," said Ki'atra with a slight smile on her face. "How fitting that a Council of War approaches me through the waterfall of peace. The threat to Gholgoth must be dire for you to bring Morrigan and Manannan to such a sacred place of life. While I have sensed a growing darkness approaching, I expected it to pass as it has before." Opening her eyes, Ki'atra turned in the direction of the two Elders that dared not enter. "Morrigan. Manannan. You have no place here. Leave this place now, and we shall discuss this darkness shortly." As soon as Ki'atra finished speaking, the path through the waterfall disappeared.

Hall of Light, six hours later:

Ki'atra sat silenty in the Empyrean Council chambers as she read the message from Lord Vladius Dreadfire and the declaration of war from the Allanea. It has been many years since the Empyrean Society was faced with such a threat not only to it's people, but to the ancient Gothic lands that they were sworn to protect. The only course of action was clear, however difficult it may be. Ki'atra turned towards Elder Brigit, "Brigit, please draft a response acknowledging Vladius' request for assistance in defending these ancient lands that we took an oath to protect. As you can undoubtedly sense, this Kazansky has been planning this for quite some time and will come prepared. And remind Vladius that in the light of this oncoming threat, we are only as strong as we are united, and as weak as we are divided. Differences in our customs and language are nothing if our aim is identical and our hearts true."

With Brigit's nod of understanding, Ki'atra turned to Morrigan, "Well, Morrigan, it looks like your insatiable thirst for blood and slaughter may once again be invaluable. They seek war and destruction, and that is what they shall find. It is time to protect all that is good and punish the wicked, to establish a firm foundation for righteousness in the hearts of our enemies. We must restore order. Bring forth the Wraiths, with haste. They must be ready for deployment as soon as possible, for I fear we have not much time to prepare. Make war so we may continue to live in peace."

Finally, Ki'atra faced Manannan, "We still have time to counter this force if we act quickly. Take the Guardians and maintain control of the seas. In the midst of the din and horror of what is to come, we must rely on you to keep us safe. Do not let our enemies set foot on our soil." Looking to the rest of the council, Ki'atra stood to make her leave. "I must address the nation, prepare them for what is to come. Coordinate with the other Gothic Lords and carry out your orders so we may ensure the continued safety and peace within our nation." With that, Ki'atra left the room to prepare the Empyrean people for what is to come.

Communication Officielle de l'Empyrée des Aînés

People of Doujin, Gholgoth, and the World. Hear me now. Our way of life as we know it is being threatened by a few warmongers that seek to settle a personal vendetta long held against the proud nations of Gholgoth. They send thousands of ships towards our seas in the hopes of destroying all that we hold dear. I tell you now that we will not let this happen. We, the people of Doujin, will not let this happen. We must secure peace in this time of global conflict; we must sustain hope in this winter of anxiety and fear.

More than any other time in our history, our destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek nor did we provoke such an arrogant assault on our freedom and our way of life. But we will stand with our brethren in Gholgoth in defense of our people. We did not expect, nor did we invite, a confrontation with such evil. Yet the true measure of the fortitude of our people is how they rise to master that moment in which it does arrive. And yet everytime I think we have reached our capacity to meet a challenge, I look back and am reminded that our capacity to do what must be done may well be limitless. This is a time for Doujini heroes. We will do what is difficult so that we may achieve what is great.

[Zepplin Manufacturers]

Haven Megacity One, sector 3, Hopeworthy harbor.

The quay stank of the sea, fuel oil and the odd smell of wet old concrete and rotting wood. It had been almost disused save for the few who went to its jetties to fish.  It was one of the few points that overlooked past the massive overhanging kinetic storm guard walls that surrounded the military port section, an anachronism in a city obsessed with progress to a fault. Apart from the few wooden shacks left from the time that small craft that had decades ago plied the bay itself this little piece of the megopolis had been left in peace, the odd fishing enthusiast kept a careful eye on by the single lamp post mounted int-sec eye, the posts single LED display screen half dead and its plastic greening in places.

It was now full, an evening sky and sea breeze rushing through the pack of people of a kind though many would classify them as nothing but parasites. At least they were damp, a steady drizzle pouring down collars and over primary colored hats. Press vans there satellite dishes rising to the horizon by the dozen, camera crews and lights almost pushing the presenters into the sea in commotion as boom mikes struggled for area to swing. Through it all Int-SEc black caps massive armored cars having dozens of inputs from the vans and crews rooting through them for processing, jammers and cut offs waiting the touch of a finger or the systems automatic recognition of a fleet ID barcode. Though allowed to broadcast all that would be allowed out was digital fuzz of angular shapes, the stark storm walls and presenters themselves, all illuminated by the massive visual spectrum LADAR search lights that now swung in endless rapid cycles like a dozen demented lighthouses from the tops of the walls. Back from the quay a mass of M1PD stood somewhat grim, huge riot shields with explosive pitons and steel supports ready to create an instant wall again the grumbling crowds mixed with enthusiasts and peace party faction supporters.

Then there was the massive roar of engines rising above the constant noise of chopper blades, thrust vectors and the endless drone of traffic. The odd screech of the cable car network, the trams and subways, the huge 14 lane megways all droned out by a noise that was Well above civilian decibel limits the first hulking water buffalo military hovercraft nosed out, notably far different from the dumpy roro civilian versions whos white advertisement spattered hulls darted between the artificial islands and roads that jutting ever further out into the sea as the years pass.  No this was no happy familiar object, stark angular appliqué armor rising up above the metal plates of its skirts as the massive nuclear driven electric jet turbines pushed the mass upwards and it bellowed outward. The press went back to shouting and talking up a storm as every few minutes they would be silenced by another of the huge craft leaving.    

Through all of it the press watched. From further out telescopic lenses click and whir and capture it. The odd massive form of a conventional monohulled warship hissing outward with her consorts, a line of bulk carriers hauling nothing but quick setting plascrete, there decks now studded with anti aircraft defenses, the mass of combat cargo ships on the horizon that seemed to be building.  As they passed vendors slowly but surely passed through the M1Pd lines, these new boys gawping as the ships went buy and letting enough grease get past them to kill a regiment. The vendors new there market well.



This place is different from the rest of the city, it has its own storm walls, they ride across what should have been more perfectly planned megway and infrastructure are cut off by massive and never opened riot gates, they intrude on the rolling sectors of industry and inhabitation like a sprawling parasite. The cable car network that stretches between the habblocks upper decks is here broken in a ring, only two lines running into a space that otherwise would have housed millions.  Only two lines and they served its population perfectly as instead of above they lowered themselves for them to reach. After all they could hardly have common citizen shareholders pass above them.

Tendrils of the storm walls reach for high ground to allow those within the best views, one section running clear through what had once been the massive foundation of a hab block, its base strangely blackened and in some places almost glassy.  It shouldn’t have existed. Had the concilium had its final wish it wouldn’t have. But thing had ..not turned out as the last executive had wished or expected.  On the storm walls instead of the grey and yellow of Civ Def a rainbow of what had essentially become a half dozen clashing house colors showed.


Flick. The TV channel changes. It and a hundred others were before the fat man in the chair. Flick. One hand reaches down and reaches for the next dainty. All the while the eyes stare. A flare of red hair above it all. Finally a hiss. His white suit should be immaculate. Each day its silk and synthetics were cleaned. It wasn’t. Spots of food dotted it. Flick. A meeting recorded. The poppinjay prussian lunatic spouting his patriotic democratic twaddle. Let people decide? people without a lifetime of preparation and generations of power behind them? People whose miserly concerns and middle class ideals would have beggared them of power and privilege?
No he didn’t think that. He simply had thought of it as protecting the proper order.. but beneath it all lay a contempt and a dangerous pride.
Flick. A hand reaches down for more of the food that had driven him to this state. A crowd of families watching as troops were saying there goodbyes from inside the base. Footage carefully controlled and the internal data providers logos neatly crossing the bottom with the provided news of the day. Flick. As the vendors surge forward, there lack of the proper logos the eyes grow hard. ..Later. He will deal with them later. After all he has plenty of time now.

The voice is underplayed as though spoken through fluid. Rough and eroded from years of misuse and smoking.
"All right. That’s enough"
Flick. The screens go dark. Each snapping out instead into the wash of statistics that usual dominates the room.
Instead of turning a flick of a nicotine stained finger rotates the chair.  
A figure rises. Ex councilium leader Eric Staedholder, slim and still most of the time, that stillness a dangerous cover for the rages the man gave into. He  seems willing to exert some will. To be watched but not trifled with unless absolutely necessary.

"We all know that Valin is capable but can we trust him with that much authority power? My god he has full plenipotentiary Baron!"

Baron. What had been a joke. Some of the more noble settler families had retained at least the pre tense of rank and class even if they had done nothing but herd cattle while the canker of the super city had been risen up and its damned citizenry had taken to arms and the air. Hell they still celebrated the damn thing.

The smile was almost cruel. But not quite.

"And he can do nothing with it we cannot see. Nore can his officers. No ... we are going to be far from lowering our defenses where Valin and his type are concerned but as long as we command the civilian departments and INT-SEC Valin wont pick his oversized nose without our express permission, after all the concilium itself empowered our council with supreme authority! Ha! and all it took was shaking the hogs trough a little!"
A hand slaps down on the tray beside his chair. A mild reaction for the engineered economic collapse that had allowed them to surge to such levels of power.
"No Valin knows what would be entailed now. we’ve gained too much too fast for them to respond and to win they still need the support of
A grimace. And then a cough. Exertion. he mustn’t exert himself too much.
"the mob, and they are far from unhappy. After all as far as they are concerned nothing has ..changed."

An attendant wipes his forehead before being waved back.

"As I said before Eric the plan is fool proofed as much as I can make it, the amount of munitions needed by the various states involved will be catastrophically large, even if we loose the entire expeditionary force, with the investments we have made we would still pay for the cost and projected if any counter attacks on the mainland."

"I promised you I would give us a fortune great enough to influence the entire region without the use of hard power gentlemen, with the chance of doing just as we did here. I do not go back on such things"

The accent in this is ..put on. Sounding just a little like his families original homeland. That another baron who justly holds his title may exist ..it doesn’t bother him. Nore does the fact that for all the now fell power of government he holds it was earned on nothing more than the profits of Baron Valentine Hastiks happy toothpaste.


8,300 Miles from the coastline of Objective august. North east 2100 meters submerged.

The modified and once proud ray class SSN Ventures Guard was under pressure, from the shrouded sound baffled engineering equipment that marred its perfect form and made it just that little bit more than audible to the fact that it was near its standard safe operating depth, to keeping in constant laser communication with its escorts.

Mostly however what put her and her crew under pressure was the four dumpy shapes fully the size of the entire boat that it towed behind it. At least it wasn’t a throw together job but none the less they had worried constantly under course change and when the damn things azi pods decided now was a good time to power up. Just three hours the next tank had to be emplaced. Time. It was all about time and fuel. A conventional SSK had to have it, with it they could easily cruise at top standard cruise speeds and maintain them, without these and these abortions of navicom they could never do what they were about to.

Commodore Mark Vander was from a respectable old navy family and had expected a respectable navy placement on a combat boat. The Venture class was due to be phased out after the Expedition hulls so he hadn’t worried, and after this new retrofit he had imagined they would be around for some time, possibly even fully podded. They hadn’t been, and when he had read over the document he had been horrified of the butchery involved. This ... rig as its engineering packed crew called it was far from what he had hoped for. Oh at least it was a command, half the officers with the Vander name now had none after the event, but he had balked when he had seen her and half the rest of her class layed up. His grandfather had always said his mother had been a fool for marrying a trucker. Now he was to be nothing but a glorified one. Then had come the promotion. unexpected in some ways but ..a certain grade of officer had become hard to find.

"Time to deployment?"
"1 minute 35 till payload release"
"Carlson is the next one of your eggs ready to lay ?"
"All green captain"

Pressure not just from directly behind but from around. The six wolf packs of SSKs that the damn tanks had to support. God knows how Navicom intended him to keep rearming them with only four of the huge boomer hulled conventional tender subs. He didn’t. Nore with a growing ennui was he caring as much as he once had. However.. being on what had been designated a non main combatant even if she did retain her forward torpedo tubes and being a commodore had some advantage as did the ample room the conversion had made for something that really didn’t belong on a normal SSN.

"Carlson for gods sake can the pol bilge, if I wanted to learn some sort of new speak on my flag bridge i would have joined the press corp, your an engineer in the Navy. Act like it."

"Commodore I "
The lights in the CIC suddenly grow different as screens and chatter build.
The plot tanks light up like Christmas trees from the dull glow that doesn’t cause eyes to burn to the etching of alert. The green haze of sea floor topography now dulled.

"SIR! Tango detected, 6,300 meters from the Savage and traveling parallel. No reaction to Savage or the outrider drone yet!, "

A mutter.

"All right, he isnt active and nore are we and the only one of us he should be able to see is Savage if he’s shadowing her. Tell Arthur to go silent and drop back  and have the Shredder and the Sark drop one pod each. Savage is to load full counter fire and give me active on that tango for 20 seconds at exactly ..solution!"
One of the combat information officers didn’t even look up.

"13:43 sir pods to launch without cold gas charges at 13:28 from Shredder and 13:12 from Sark"

A grin from Vander. At least some things still were the same.

"Lets see just how our ..companion likes 24 of the finest Hopeworthy 50/50s. I want that tango dead plot, but savage is to hold rapid fire as per engagement rules. Tell Arthur that fire restriction still stands."

The clock read 13:01.