The Conflict in Hutanjia [Closed]

[Hutanjia]

ANJOUX, WEST CARDWITH

The two RHAF TU-22M bombers that didn't strike Hesttens, Hammer Three and Four, arrived at high altitude over Anjoux with a flight of RHAF fighter escorts circling a bit further below. Uli UAVs snuffed out SAM sites and spread countermeasures, attempting to destroy incoming Isotopian missiles. The UAVs themselves were destroyed while accomplishing their missions. None returned to the Uli recovery landing sites. Two RHAF Migs as well went down in flames.

They unloaded their payload onto the northern West Cardwith city and the military installations surrounding it. Hammer Three unloaded fuel-air bombs onto Anjoux itself while Hammer Four plastered the nearby Cardwithian encampment with cluster munitions and high explosive bombs. The ordnance didn't stop at a magical line between the Anjoux suburbs and the Cardwithian Army installations. On their return circle one of the four TU-22M bombers was hit by a missile as it came back over between the Falkasian and Falsean defense zones. It struggled, crippled to reach Vesselle, but crashed into the channel beyond East Cardwith. Two crew members made it out in time, the others burned to a crisp before the sea water could snuff out the flames.

The devastation was massive and firewalls swept through Anjoux, causing more collateral casualties almost on the scale of the Hesttens bombing.
Hundreds more Cardwithian civillian and military lives were extinguished.
While not sitting well with the Uli Regiment command, King Popilu insisted and signed off on the population bombings of Anjoux and Hesttens. He felt the people must pay for abandoning the Kingdom and supporting a corrupt Nellis and his foreign lackeys. Plus, consultation with Chief Atave convinced him that the collateral destruction and subsequent refugees and mass wounded would put a strain on the enemy and clog their logistics routes and hospitals. The benefits to the Royal side were deemed worth the cost and international condemnation.

OFF THE NORTHWESTERN COAST
WEST CARDWITH ISLAND

The landing craft were safely away and heading to Green Beach near Palegata as the Isotopian aircraft approached. Uli Gripens and RHAF MIGs and Mirages broke off the attack on Northern West Cardwith to intercept the enemy SU-25's and MiG-29's.
The KH-59MK Ovods were launched and already on their way to the RHN fleet. Every AA and Phalanx system on the corvette, RHNS Chastille and battle cruiser, RHNS Otumlo opened up. Chaff cannons went into action along with other countermeasures. Despite the wall of fire, one of the cruise missiles detonated nearby to rip across the decks and destroying a nearby torpedo boat. Quickly on that missile's heels, another one slipped through entirely. It drove into the hull and exploded near the stern, close to where the previous Istopian ASM had punched a minor hole. This hole was not so minor. The fireball ripped through the Otumlo, peeling it open like overripe fruit and causing immediate mass casualties. Right away, there would be no fire control. The Captain gave the order to abandon ship as the pride of the Royal Hutanjian Navy rapidly took on water. The fires quickly worked their way back towards the bridge. Rafts were tossed overboard as men jumped in after them. The RHNS Otumlo had 48 officers and 878 sailors at the start of its fateful journey. 236 survived the missile attack and subsequent shark attacks in the Wishton Sea. The Captain went down with the ship.


WESTERN NESSELBERG

Units of the 21st RHA Regiment and 23rd RHA Engineers finally began to drive back or wipe out the holdout UFF 1st Regiment rear guard and their handful of stay behind Falkasian Marine advisers. Royal casualties stayed steady as too eager RHA soldiers didn't wait for the Engineer squads to clear some traps and IEDs.

OVER NORITTS AIR BASE

The AA and SAM defenses were fierce and thick, but a dwindling number of RHAF F-16s and MIGs made it with their Uli counterpart Harriers over the Falkasian/Rebel allied complex at Noritts...

[Falkasia]

Sewers

Without revealing themselves, the two FSIS let fly. Dimitri, still facedown in the shit, fired his Uzi with an extended arm down the tunnel. He knew roughly where his Hutanjian allies were, but in the tight confines of the environment he made extra sure to fire where he saw muzzleflashes in her peripherals. Vassili meanwhile, was upright on his rear sending shotgun blasts down range. The sewage came up to his neck, soiling his already disgusting uniform with all forms of excrement and trash.

As a shilouette feel in front of him, his face was hit with a warm gooey substance. He recoiled, turning away and wiping it off with a brown hand. A bit dripped into his mouth, tasting of iron. He was disgusted.

As the fighting died down, it became obvious rather quickly who had been shot. Gordon was face down, having been shot through the head. It was a quick and easy entry, having burst out the rear and killing him instantly. Likely, the poor man hadn't even felt it. Several more bodies floated in the dark several yards down the tunnel, severed in places but all the same dead. Vassili hefted himself up, shivering as he felt liquid shit emptying from his clothing. He turned, grabbing Dimitri and pulling him up by the arm.

The other two PAST operatives were already up, dusting themselves off as best they could. In the distance the opposite way, very faintly, a green light glowed.

======

Kenega

The hovercraft pulled up, rounding the corner of the island as personnel filtered out onto the superstructure. Guards took position at machine gun emplacements on the deck, making preparations in case a firefight erupted. Ammunition in the form of belt-boxes were rapidly brought up from the armory and loaded into the chambers. There would be no chancing it.

Inside, the guards began raising the prisoners for disembarkation. At the ends, each was reissued his service weapon. They checked it over, making sure it was indeed unchanged. It'd be important, now as much as later. They made their way around, taking inventory of everything else and confirming the crew manifest. Each prisoner was double-checked, forced to his feet and into line at the mouth of the boat.

"Welcome to Kenega... local time... still too fucking early." The intercom said, blasting the message several decibels too loud.

It was time to leave, but the crew wanted to make sure it was as unpleasant of an experience as possible. In the back of the boat, several dozen paramedics were busy checking their gear with stretchers nearby. The large red crosses on their armbands made their presence here painfully obvious.

In the same instance, the boat lurched upwards and then fell rapidly to a halt. Several standing prisoners were knocked off balance and over, forced up by watchful and expectant guards. The humming died as the hovercraft powered down. The guards however, echoed the noise with the sound of cocking guns. There was a brief moment of dead silence before the main hatch fell, creating a sense of eerie calm.

With a crash, the front door dropped and the white beach sand was bathed in vibrant bright light. On deck, several dozen soldiers grounded around an inordinate amount of 50 caliber machine guns trained on the beach. Huge floodlights illuminated every inch of the track.

The prisoners were offloaded in lines, flanked on both sides by guards. On the beach they were unchained one-by-one, with the remaining guards fanning out into a brief semi-circle with guns at the ready. The hovercraft's loudspeaker would conduct the transaction.

"Send the survivors to the middile of the beach. Once they are there, we will send our's." Captain Ivanov said bluntly into the intercom.

[New Edom]

Nourselle

Colonel Hagar seemed to be everywhere—he knew that this was a hot LZ; and he had to keep his people moving. They had trained endlessly and were a strongly veteran unit, but nevertheless it was still hot; within minutes there were wounded in all the first landing units. He crouched with his CP near the mortar unit, shouting, “Keep going, check your targets Captain! Give us your best support.” He slapped an engineer officer on the shoulder. “Get ready to follow me up, my boy! We’ll need your demolitions!”

As he was doing this the attack helicopers swiftly moved over the upper defenses, targeting them with rockets and heavy machinegun fire, razing along the positions, slamming bunker busting missiles towards the protected positions of the enemy heavy machineguns. Light Troopers screamed below, both as they were hit and as they were rushing up to take the positions, their own mortar fire suddenly pounding along with their helicopters, and forward units crouching behind whatever cover they could to launch LAWs and 40mm grenades to give themselves covering fire—both smoke and HE.

Approaching Fort Mason


In the wave of anti-missile barrage that rushed up, the Kh-59s were swatted aside by the Storm Giant, still roaring away at multiple targets on air and land and sea. The New Edomite fleet battered back; however one frigate was dying, klaxons going off as fire plumed in a column of smoke and flames taller than the ship was long, the commander and watch crew doing their best to keep from panicking as crew fled the slamming compartments below decks, shrugging on jackets as they moved to lifeboats--some of them not waiting but leaping to avoid the explosions and fire. Another had already begun to sink, the surviving crew was being approached by search and rescue operations.

Not far off a destroyer was launching her anti-ship missiles in clouds of smoke and steam towards oncoming Isotopian vessels; one of her sisters was out of the game already; fire fighting crews were desperately working on the decks of several of the New Edomite ships. Above them missiles were howling towards the enemy and the fighters were dogfighting; helicopters had also moved out far ahead and around them to flank the advance with sonar buoys in case the enemy tried launching torpedos, mines or had submarines to face them.

Kazatlan Class Vessel Sterry

War was new to Ensign Aaron Gore. He was a slim young man, the son of a Baran mother and an Anglo-German father, and had felt very pressured into joining the military. He had chosen the Navy, because ultimately he felt that it would be more interesting and it seemed to require greater intelligence. However he found himself struggling once in. He was more of a dreamer than a practical young man, and he instinctively wanted to rebel against what sometimes seemed like senseless orders or confusing ones. On top of that he found himself constantly required to do the most menial tasks--or rather lead them. In a way doing them would have been better. As part of the deck force, he had the duty of commanding the group of men and women who either had the least aptitude for technology or else were almost as new as he. The warrants he had under him--it was ridiculous. It was like giving orders to his dad--that stern but kind man who owned a plumbing fixture warehouse and distributing center and had gruffly expressed his pride at his graduation. The same kind of thing, only they had to call him "Sir" which embarrassed him. It wouldn't have embarrassed his mother or father--his mother took it for granted that there were those who served and those who commanded. To give orders to Orrin Hanno, the Chief Bos'n's Mate, a balding thickset man with hands that seemed as big as his head, with a voice like a bullhorn, felt ridiculous, but he was a decent actor and would look for his cues.

However now Hanno was a screaming mess being taken to triage by medics who were carrying the poor soul on a stretcher as he wailed in agony, his face almost unrecognizable, bleeding and burnt, and Gore was desperately running no more dignified than anyone else as a Chief Machinist's Mate he didn't even know was screaming at him and others to get wreckage off the deck--fighters were coming in for re-arming and refueling and they had to move their asses or by God he'd throw them off the deck! And now he was being ordered to assist with Search and Rescue operations…

As Gore was running Machinist's Mate 3/C Tabitha Adams was down in the depths of the ship, at the crap end of the stick. There was still a prejudice against women in the service, but at least among the officers there was a courtesy about it. Among the officers it was mostly awkward; among the ranks it was at times unpleasant, but you never knew. It was even worse if you had a religious zealot as your immediate superior. MM 1/C Obadiah Yann and his superior, Senior Chief MM Schultz, had maintained the right to segregate female personnel, which meant finding quarters for them. But now no one cared who had breasts and who had balls, so long as they could reweave a wire or turn a wrench. So she and her two juniors were checking the fuel lines. One of them was another woman, a pretty Riemaian called Kati Nikulainen, and the other of whom was a Dawarf, Bran Grumman, a hairy short plump little guy who was a decent fellow and probably a better mechanic than her, but was so uncommunicative, shy and socially inept that he'd probably never rise above Seaman 1st. Up above there were echoes of lots of noise, but down in the plant it was their own world of lights and water and fuel lines, electrical wiring, motherboard maintenance and cooling plants. They were what was keeping the ship moving.

The Landings
Through the surf and up onto the beach, Lieutenant Ephren rocked in his Javelin as it shuddered to a halt, and the whole effect was like being popcorn in the pot; everything seemed to be shaking and horribly noisy; he shouted at his troops with him in the vehicle's belly, "Alright, follow me!" as the ramp went down, and he was moving out, motioning to the other squads in his unit, "On me, let's go!" trotting past the vehicle which was now giving them covering fire, autocannon doing a heavy barking roll of rounds towards the enemy position, there they were, darting figures ahead, moving among their own vehicles. It was like watching a dark sea; all the litter and burning wreckage as they had advanced only to run into some enemy resistance. "I want mortar fire on that grid!" he shouted to his sergeant. "Tell 'em to pour it on!" he had to trust that the APC team would take care of relaying commands to take out the tanks once he had given the information; he had his own troops using the cover as they advanced under creeping mortar, ship and artillery fire towards the enemy positions. He was certainly not the only one; those commanders with the nerve were advancing in spite of the enemy counterattack.

There were helicopters rushing overhead, and the rushing boom of fighter craft; the air war was raging too. The 21st was leapfrogging ahead towards the airport, which was under withering fire from the fleet. And from the artillery vehicles, mortars were thumping down on the enemy positions, and so he motioned his platoon, up uP UP! and they were running, forgetting fear in the adrenaline rush; a barb soared into his balls as he saw muzzle flashes around one of the ditches, and he dropped, and was flinging a grenade, counting with the man near him, for a moment not officer and cavalry trooper but just two young men in action together. They were rewarded by flying dirt and explosion and a scream,and were rushing up like lunatics to the ditch, spraying bullets into it and turning the men in there into meat.

[Neu Engollon]

NORTH OF MONTVIEUX

The commandos of Uli 6th Platoon, Lambda Company were heading up the beach, tearing their way through the UFF patrol that had inadvertantly stumbled into them on their beach checks.

One squad stayed a few yards up from the surf, taking out all of the UFF soldiers on one path. The rest of the Platoon rushed up the cleared path made evident by another UFF group. They ran at the men and then through them, knives, pistols and compact SG 552s making short work of the rebels point blank and up close. They lost a couple casualties and another man from one of the truck guards.

As they neared the junction of the path entrance and the dirt road, a flare popped and bathed the beach in an eerie glow. Flashes came from back farther down the beach, dropping a couple more of the Uli commandos within seconds. One with a shot through the arm and a corporal instantly killed by a head shot. The rest knocked up their night goggles and went to ground to return fire.
They had missed some UFF men, or they were already burrowed in when they hit the beach.
The team at the surf line took aim with one of their rocket launchers, quickly zeroing in on the muzzle flashes. The rocket sailed true.

BLUE BEACH

The hovercraft and landing boats headed in to Blue beach outside of Anjoux. Uli Gripens raced ahead using air to surface missiles on hardened targets and AA sites. Helicopters and VTOLS followed, Moliors, Ospreys and Viper and Agusta attack helicopters to hit further inland. They dropped munitions onto the defending trenches as they passed. The Moliors carried FAVs and the Ospreys, troops. They would release members of Lambda Company, those that hadn't hit the beach north of Montvieux, beyond the front lines to wreak havoc and flank the defenders.

Meanwhile, a mass armada of men unloaded onto the beaches, instantly taking casualties from zeroed in mortars and machine guns. Three more full companies, Delta, Psi and Iota, of the Uli Regiment, Platoons of the heavy weapons Company, Gamma, layed down covering fire with their launchers, mortars and MANPADs. The troops were supported by Piranhas and M12 Chronicles that came ashore on Blue 2.

Over on Blue 1, the troops of 14th RHA Regiment, and 3 Companies of the 8th Royal Marines, supported by Saracens, BMPs and T-84s from the 19th RHA Armored Brigade. The armored and mechanized elements were limited at first, as the infantry moved forward to clear out rocket and Anti-tank teams of the bravely outgunned Cardwithian defenders.

A T-84, 2 BMPs and a Piranha barely left the surf before being hit and stopped dead. They started to smoke - one BMP had taken multiple AT rockets and was pouring thick flames. The teams that fired them didn't last long as the RHA soldiers hunted them down and returned fire with RPGs and light mortars, tossing grenades in to finish up the job.

Blue 3 received the most withering fire, tearing into the men of 16th RHA Regiment and Sigma and Tau Companies of the Uli Regiment as they landed on the sand. Ospreys shot ahead to dump Uli Omega Company and a platoon of Gamma Heavy weapons Company behind the defenders flank. One Osprey was hit by two rockets and limped over the defenses, crashing just onto the plateau beyond. One pilot was killed in the crash, the troops that poured out were cut down by enraged Cardwithians. Three wounded Uli troopers were captured.

More RHA tanks came ashore to slam rounds into the machine gun pits and launcher sites of the DSR defenders that had survived the Royalist bombing/strafing runs and helicopter assaults. Uli Piranhas and M12 Chronicles with mounted launchers and .50 Caliber machine guns added to the return fire on the heavy weapons bunkers of the Cardwithian rebel defense.

IN THE AIR
BEHIND BLUE BEACH
EAST OF ANJOUX

One of the AH-1Z Vipers was piloted by Major Pieter Van Aardel, a former South African recce pilot and one of the top ranking Uli officers in Hutanjia. Currently, he was super focused on both staying alive and directing fire at other enemy sites, saving the lives of his men. He was escorting Moliors and Osprey V-22s that carried elements of Lambda Company who would be dropped to saddle up in their FAVs and continue the pressure on the Cardwithians.

"I have multiple radar locks up ahead! Silver One and Silver Five, nearest your ten...Hit those now!"

"On it sir!" Rockets sped off to the AA sites.

They were running out of time. "Okay, drop Lambda, before their birds get hit!"

He continued to toggle the pod trigger, sending rockets into the two enemy sites at his twelve. One was a heavy machine gun pit set back in some trees. It had opened up on Silver Four, an Agusta A129 in his flight. The MG crew gave itself away while delivering a few ultimately harmless rounds into the side of the Agusta. The other was a SAM battery, which most concerned him. Their signatures blinked out. He blew out the breath he'd been holding and waited for the word.

"Lambda on the ground. Brown and Dagger flights ready to boogie." Came the cold informative voice of Brown Leader.

Lambda troopers, jumped out of the Ospreys, and spread out in a defensive perimeter as their teammates unhooked the FAVs from cables slung under Moliors of Dagger flight. They waved the choppers off.

"Roger that, we're up and out." Replied Van Aardel.
Silver, Dagger and Brown flights headed back to the coast to re-equip for their next missions. Silver flight continued to send rockets into enemy positions, all the way back to the coast.

ON THE GROUND
BEHIND BLUE BEACH
EAST OF ANJOUX

Captain Gianni Ferrolla circled his finger and the rest of 4th and 5th Platoons of Lambda Company hopped into the FAVs. Odd rounds were kicking up the grass around them. One Uli trooper fell and was tossed in the back of one of the light dune buggy like vehicles.

3rd Platoon would be on foot to their target until more FAVs were dropped in. They helped to return fire on identified muzzle flashes until the mounted machine guns were up and firing. Several pumped grenades out of their attached launchers on their SG 550s, Stoners and Galils. Lambda's collection of assault rifles tended to be less uniform than the other Uli units. They were the elite company and given more leeway for preferred weapons as they tended to take the more dangerous missions.

One of the FAVs was hit by a rocket, catching fire. Lambda soldiers ran up to haul their stricken comrades out of the vehicle and away. The ammo started to cook off and a heated round struck another Lambda man from 3rd Platoon, hitting his breast plate and knocking him down. The wounded and dead were loaded onto the back of other FAVs as they got ready to move.

"Awright! Nous l'uberner lottaru!" (Let's take the fight to them!) Capt. Ferrolla shouted as he leaned out of his FAV and fired off his own GL 5040 grenade launcher. They zoomed off, circling the defender's pits as they lobbed grenades in on them. The hot LZ had become colder as Lambda rampaged on.

Meanwhile, The Uli and RHA invaders drove up the beach, taking casualties from mortars, mines, rockets and sniper hits. They were still able to push the DSR soldiers back. Blue Beach 3 stalled the most, where the resistance was heaviest. Vipers and Agustas continued to circle around and hit hot spots, concentrating, along with the RHA T-81 Tanks and Piranhas with mounted AT launchers, on wiping them out.

The rest of the Uli APCs and IFVs along with the Diamond Star produced M-75 Armored Recon Tracked Vehicles would come ashore later to probe inland towards the outskirts of Anjoux. Followed by more armored columns of T-84 tanks of the 19th RHA Armored Brigade.

The second biggest city on West Cardwith could be seen smoking just south of the landing beaches, reeling from the heavy bombs and cruise missiles that had hit it and the defenses surrounding it. Similarly, smoke plumes farther on the horizon were rising up from the approximate location of Hesttens. Flashes of artillery and exploding rockets on the southeastern horizon marked where the New Edomites and Estovakivans were hitting the enemy on the Orange Beaches and the capital defense zone.

OUREPEKA, KENEGA

Capt. Ari-Galan, Sgt. Morrison and Lt. Wentekgu waited with the Kenegan Gendarmes for their anti-monarchist counterparts to show. They tried not to get splinters from touching anything in the decrepit, gray faded wood boathouse. They didn't have to wait for too long.

The Falkasian hovercraft rolled up, jolting a few times. The Uli Captain and Sergeant looked at each other quizzically as they walked out of the boathouse to meet it. It smoothed out, and its ramp eventually lowered to the sand. Hutanjian pilots and Lt. Kernau were filed out, a little roughed up looking, but in much better shape than their UFF prisoners.
They stayed just in front of the hovercraft, barely off the ramp, with Falkasian rifles pointing at them. Some of the guards manned .50 cals and had them pointed at the Uli hovercraft, one was pointed directly at Ari-Galan and his group.

"Send the survivors to the middle of the beach. Once they are there, we will send our's,"
Came a flat Russian-accented voice over the Falkasian craft's PA.

Capt. Ari-Galan smiled. He didn't expect anything less. He waved back at their armored hovercraft. Like the Falkasians, Hutanjian Rangers manned a MK-19 and M2 on the Royalist craft, pointing towards the enemy. The rest of the Uli troopers and Royal rangers hunkered down in the bay of the hovercraft, ready to spring into action.

They dropped the ramp and then...slowly...prisoners stumbled out, some supporting each other. They hadn't had much time to rehabilitate them from their KHS ordeals.

Lastly, the FSIS agent Voroshnev walked out, determinedly and steadily. He overtook one cluster of UFF officers, pulling the one who had fallen to his knees up. He continued past, swiveling his head towards his comrades he hoped to join within minutes.

He stopped in the sand, scoping out the shacks behind him, the Kenegans and Uli men near him and the RHAF pilots across the beach, with a few quick glances at the encroaching trees.

Ari-Galan watched him watching everyone else. He opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, yelling across the sand:
"Okay, well, here they come. Are you sending over ours or what?"

[Falkasia]

Still working on my response to the Montvieux assault. Trying to get the other threads tied up first... and slow things down a bit for Isotopia.

Kenega

"Go on..." The guards gently shoved their trustees forward, giving them acknowledging glances.

It was ok to move. Most of the prisoners didn't need much of an incentive, making haste to meet the returning UFF officers. They reached halfway rather quickly, sending sand flying as many fell head-over-heels in an attempt to be repatriated.

Meanwhile, the Falkasian guards kept their watch. In deck, the machine guns were readied in case things went down hill. There was very little trust for the Ulis, at least at this point. It was not exactly unjustified either, them being the enemy, but there was a good deal of respect. As Ivanov knew, there was a very definitive line between respect and trust. It was one that, once breached, eliminated the other entirely.

As the troops made it halfway, the UFF prisoners began to hobble the rest of the distance across the white sands. Illyich led the way, dignified despite the severe bruising on most of his body. He refused to back down, walking straight and upright with his chest in the air. His life had changed, and because of his ordeal, he emerged a stronger man. As he approached the hovercraft, Illyich stopped abruptly. Turning around, he shot a salute back towards Ari-Galan without a word. As with all Falkasians, his face was blank in doing so, but the gesture conveyed his message well enough.

In what seemed like an eternity, but in reality took seconds, both sides were rejoined with their prisoners. A dozen stretchers were laid out helter-skelter on the sand as the medics spewed forth from the hovercraft's gapping mouth. The officers were flopped onto them, strapped in and carried inside. Illyich refused, instead deciding to slowly trudge up the ramp under his own power.

The Falkasians meanwhile, did not let their guard down. Their guns remained trained, as did the machine guns on the hovercraft. They would not relent until everyone was onboard.

"There you are," Ivanov stated over the intercom. "Consider this a token from us to you. We took the hit on this exchange... you owe us."

At that same instant, the center floodlight died with a loud pop. The Falkasian soldiers, one by one, fell back towards the front of the hovercraft. Their AK-113s were still raised, even as they backpedaled slowly.

[McNernia]

LANDING AREA
Mcnernian Forces


The boats hit the beaches, the first off were the tanks of the 2nd Horse Gaurds Regiment. They off loaded under the cover of rocket fire, they had their APS units working these were put to good use as the rounds started coming in. The Royal Engineers offloaded they worked under the cover of IFV and Tank fire to deal with IEDs and other such mines placed on the beaches. Fire was directed at the various bunkers that had not been claimed by the cruise missles of the Navy.

The Havenians offloaded behind the Gaurds tanks. There were Marines as well, 23 had taken casualities but the honor of the Royal Marines was at stake. So they joined the attack. Half a Marine Regiement, a tank Regiment and a Infantry regiement had been thrown into the fray. The DSRCDF troops fought back with what they had, men fell, such was war. The snipers began taking shots. Mortars were set up. And they began to press inland.

[Neu Engollon]

OURAPEKA, KENEGA

Shlomo Ari-Galan watched as his former wards slowly limped and stumbled to their ticket home. He had to go into a certain mode to make his mind accept that it was okay to work for a client that would do that to fellow human beings. The overall mission overrode the humanitarian concerns. I did the best for them I could in the time I had with them. Right?

70 some years ago, a young German watched Captain Ari-Galan's ancestors march off to the concentration camps and thought the same thing, he was sure of it. Poor sods.
Falkasian medics rushed out with stretchers and kits, checking over the UFF men before hauling them aboard.

The Hutanjian pilots passed him as he shook hands with the Kenegans and started to saunter after them, lastly, he put a hand on Lt. Kernau's back as he brought up the tail end of the Royal group returning to the fold. "Velkoma-vi Retouri" (Welcome back) he told the Uli pilot in Frandit.

"Dankmerz" Kernau tromped along in the sand with the Hutanjian pilots. He didn't look back. They were getting all 30 pilots back, no fuss, no negotiation. It was a very good day.

Ari-Galan was almost at the hovercraft when he looked back. Illyich the Falkasian looked back at him, then saluted.

The 6th Platoon Captain stood to attention and returned the salute. Maybe they would meet again and not have to shove a gun in the others' face.

The Rangers ushered their men inside and buckled them in. A medic checked them over and handed out water bottles. The men manning the heavy weapons stayed vigilant, steel glares at their Falkasian counterparts across the dock and the water.

"There you are," the same Russian voice announced over their intercom, "Consider this a token from us to you. We took the hit on this exchange...you owe us."

"Send us a bill." Ari-Galan mumbled as he did a brief wave. He thought about it, though. They may possibly have to return that favor. He hoped it was when they shipped all the Falkies back with first class tickets to their homeland and secured the last of Hutanjian territory.

The floodlight snapped off and the dusk overtook them again. Some creature called from the trees.

[Hutanjia]

RANGER BEACH
SOUTHERN WEST CARDWITH ISLAND

4th Brigade of the 3rd Royal Army Rangers continued to slug it out with the Cardwithian and Isotopian defenders. They'd driven through the final trenchline, taking out the bunkers and machine gun pits along the way. The victory so far was pyrrhic.

The casualties were beyond belief. The winning formula had been to bring in flamethrowers. Protected by RPG teams, snipers and heavy rifle fire, they got close enough to torch the holdout defenders. Still, three flamethrower bearers had been hit and engulfed in flames from the napalm tanks on their backs.

Returning Hind helicopters had driven the defenders further back to the hills beyond, still taking casualties from rockets and the occaisional Isotopian fighter that would strafe the beaches and focusing in on a juicy slow mover like a helicopter. Mcnernian Illusions, New Edomite Sparrowhawks and Terriers, Estovakivan superiority fighters and RHAF MIGs helped to keep the balance from shifting back to anti-monarchist air superiority in the southern sector.

The 3 RAR were so decimated that it was uncertain they could expand the beach head much further.

Salvation came in the form of Mcnernian Rangers and SBS commandos, landing in hovercraft onto the beach, or coming overland, climbing the ridges that separated their beach from the Mcnernian beach near Dernierville. Some brought their wounded comrades with them.

Until the Mcnernian and Hutanjian Ranger wounded could be evacuated, they were worked on under tarps set up on the beach by medics.

With the Mcnernian special forces reinforcements, they probed out further, keeping the rebel defense back with PK machine guns and the air cover overhead. Also, BMPs and Saracens finally arrived on the beach in the third wave, to spearhead the beach head expansion.
The downside was that with the withdrawal of Mcnernian forces from Dernierville, the Isotopian troops there would be able to close in and hit their western flank. They needed to be ready for that.

Heavy artillery rounds and missiles started to impact again on the beach. They needed to move forward out of the killing zone.

GREEN BEACHES
NORTHWESTERN WEST CARDWITH ISLAND

Landing craft hit the beaches on Green 1, 2 and 3. BMPs, BTR-80s and Saracens of the 41st Mechanized supported by T-72s of the 29th Armored came on in small groups. Right away, tanks and APCs were lost to mines that hadn't been stirred up and detonated by the RHAF bomber runs and assaults of the Gazelles and Hinds. Many of the Hinds were tasked elsewhere, so the main helicopter support was provided by the light Gazelles and Kiowas, mounting 20 mm guns and rocket pods.

5 ITPSV90 Anti-aircraft tanks also from the 29th and interspersed along the Green Beaches, kept up steady cover fire on returning

Isotopian craft that gunned for the little 'wasps'. Later, a few mobile tracked SAMs would be brought in when they could push up the beaches. The main drive on foot was provided by the 12th RHA Regiment and a Batallion of the 14th RHA. B company of the 23rd Engineers also came ashore in squads to clear obstructions and mines for the combined armor, mech and infantry groups of the RHA.

Mortar rounds crashed around them, killing bunches of the 23rd Engineers, but they bravely worked on, knowing that the whole invasion could be held up if they slacked.
Royal Hutanjian soldiers, like their allied comrades on the other beaches, fell in droves to set in PKM machine guns, rockets and missile strikes, as well as the mortars.

The T-72s, not likely to fare well against the more modern Falkasian and Isotopian tanks, did pretty good against lightly armored bunkers and MG pits. AT launcher teams were able to take out three of the aging Russian built tanks before being blasted themselves by RPGs or RHA sharpshooters.

Cardwithian Defenders seemed to be choppered or trucked in from Palegata to reinforce the beach bunkers and OPs. The MIGs and Gazelles attempted to intercept the convoys on their way to the beaches with some success.

PURPLE BEACHES
WESTERN COAST OF NORTH CARDWITH ISLAND

The 35th RHA Regiment and 1st and 3rd Brigades of the 8th Royal Marines came ashore alongside their Havenian and Mcnernian comrades. They hunkered behind Mcnernian tanks, letting their big guns take out the DSR machine gun and RPG bunkers.

The 8th Royal Marines joined elements of the Mcnernian Marines, their stretch of beach was rocky, which slowed progress, but afforded great cover, when their wasn't a booby trap waiting for them in the crook of the rocks. Many Marines were torn apart by blasts as they ducked down in the rocks to try avoid the Cardwithian fire.

Mcnernian Air Forces continued to hit the defender trenches and further inland, softening up targets around Torusogu and hitting the Falseans around Abamete. SAMs and AA fire raced up to meet them.

BLUE BEACHES
CENTRAL NORTHERN WEST CARDWITH ISLAND

The other batallions of the 14th RHA and the 16th RHA Regiment, supported by the 19th Armored and the Uli Regimental companies kept driving on their beaches, pushing. The 14th's goal was to capture Jalakra by the next morning, but they still had a ways to go. The

19th's T-84 tanks were able to drive back the Cardwithian defenders at some cost. The 16th RHA, along with the Ulis and the remaining tanks of the 19th Armored would head inland towards Lake Chahaka.

Hopefully, the way would be cleared or in complete chaos thanks to the Uli Lambda Company.
They would do two pincers around the Lake to link up with the New Edomites on the siege of Hesttens and Fort Mason.

ORANGE BEACHES
NORTHEASTERN WEST CARDWITH ISLAND

A Company, the other half of the 23rd RHA Engineers, mimiced what their brothers were doing on the other side of the island. They worked in squads to clear the beaches further up for the 21st

Lancers and New Edomite Marines. TH-300 helicopters and Estovakivan fighters screamed overhead, following up the Allied bombings around Fort Mason and other potential beach defender reinforcements. Enemy rounds also screamed overhead on top of them.

Lieutenant Lepergka popped the hatch on the BTR-80 as it came ashore. The APC was filled with New Edomite Marines and the rest of the crew from 2nd Platoon. A round pinged off the cupola. They might be aiming for him, guessing at his rank, but he didn't care. He just could never get a good picture from the view slits or cameras. He needed a firm naked eyeball view.

He glanced down the beach as other BMPs, Saracens and BTRs of the 28th RHA Mechanized ground through the sand to deliver their payloads of Hutanjian or New Edomite troops among the defenders.
Lancer and NE Marine officers directed the leapfrogging attacks up the beach and kept laggers moving. They took charge over their RHA brothers, mushing them on as well. The Hutanjians didn't mind. As long as someone knew the plan and took charge, they were happy to stick it to the filthy rebels.

He hadn't seen any actual rebel defenders yet, but word was that they were mostly Isotopian and with their better tech, they were putting up quite a resistance. Hopefully the bombings had knocked some of the fight out of them. He could see heavy smoke coming up from the Hesttens/Fort Mason area, just a few kilometers south.

An Isotopian...or was it Falkasian?...fighter slipped through and hit Sgt. Cubatgu's BMP with a missile, just meters to his right front. He ducked as the explosion and debris fountained out. It was going to be a long day.

[Falsea]

Marksville, North Cardwith Island

The days that followed the landing and establishment of the Falsean forward operations base were relatively quiet. Few events worth notice took place, although a couple of loyalist aircraft dropped by every now and then, dropping explosives on the more coastal parts of the northern Cardwith island. Colonel Black seldom got out of his bunker, as he and his top subordinates worked on plans for the defense of the island. Mines, barbwires, and sandbags, in addition to more supply crates, were brought in from the homeland, and were distributed down south to the 21st Infantry, and to the local revolutionary forces in the area.

Yet in the most recent days, airstrikes became more common, and the damage inflicted by the enemy's strikes began to seriously deal some casualties to the southern Falsean outpost. The 6 flight groups of Falsean aircraft, which consisted of 20 Mi-24s, 10 Mi-26s, 10 Mi-28s, 15 MiG-29s, and 15 MiG-35s were hardly deployed, being left at Marksville airfield for the Colonel's purported "defence before offence" strategy. Soldiers however, underwent daily training exercises, as if it were another day back in Falsea, but it wasn't, and conflict had begun to stir up. A few Flakpanzer 2Es located a few miles west of the main FOB helped lessen the casualties caused by the Mcnernian jets, although those who made it past tore through various defensive positions not far from the city of Marksville. Abamete itself was not exempt from the attacks. Aircraft arrived by the dozen, razing down various houses and fortifications within the city.

Although the amphibious fleet also conducted daily patrols all throughout the southern coastline, the arrival of a loyalist force in the far west took them by surprise, the furious Colonel Black at once sending out a force to scout out the enemy's location, and possibly set up an ambush.

Western North Cardwith Island

The force sent out by Colonel Black, which numbered at a thousand soldiers, 10 Mi-24s, 5 Mi-26s, 3 Mi-28s, and the MiG-35s were quickly dispatched from Marksville, followed by a convoy of 10 T-90s, 20 BTR-80s, and 30 Batomys light tanks, they headed to the direction of the west. Their task was to primarily halt the advance of the loyalists and their allies, although they were also charged with preventing them from passing through the "Andropov Line" at all costs. The Andropov Line was a series of long trenches and defensive fortifications constructed a few days ago in the centermost area of the North Cardwith Island.

The deployment was initially quick, and by an hour and half, they had arrived at Torusogu, where Cardwithian forces were also laying in wait for the advance of their foes. SAM sites were perched on the roofs of various buildings in the city, while barricades covered most of the larger roads, machine guns sticking out from them. The calm before the storm had not yet affected the men of the Preliminary Battle Group, the name given to the unit to hold the western part of the island.

The forces of the PBG quickly settled themselves in their new environment, taking up positions alongside the Cardwithians, and preparing for combat. The Batomys light tanks took up the PBG's vanguard, positioning themselves to the city's westernmost edge, while the other armoured vehicles remained nearer to the city's centre.

The PBG's commanding officer, CO Daniel Stephens got out from his BTR-80, the sound of explosions clearly noticeable in the far west. The situation was getting more tense, and the young CO planned to delay the enemy's assault on Torusogu by any means necessary.

About 200 soldiers and 10 BTR-80s were split off from the PBG, to reinforce allied positions in the coastal areas. The battle had begun, and defeat was not an option.

[McNernia]

RANGER BEACH

The SBS had spread themselves thin, there were rangers as well fighting on this beach, it seemed that they meant to have another invasion beach. Thomas and his men were not the freshest however they had not taken as many casualities. They had abandoned Deinerville on advise from the battle fleet. Often Hutanjian battles were not firefights but bloody melees. They drew their bayonets and fixed them to the ends of the carbines and rifles. They hung back covering the Rangers. Thomas ordered that wounded would be evacuated. He sought out the commander of the rangers.

"What is the order of the day?"

Missle strikes were called in on the UFF and New Isotopian positions. There were three Narvik destroyers offshore supporting the attacks with gunfire and missles. UAVs were overhead monitoring the New Isotopians. The men unleashed a hail of fire into the enemy forces, rifles, Machine guns and rockets.


AIR OPERATIONS


The Fleet Air Arm squadrons had been fly operations against the various UFF targets. In the end there were some who were lost, some aircraft were forced to break off from their attacks. Not many were shot down ,pilots were well trained so they could haul their jets back to the carrier and land them. Men were tired, in the end 4 Illusions were rendered unflying through AA fire, the pilots were all resuced from the sea. Salvage vessels worked to recover wrecks off the bottom of the Wishton.

AT-25 Gunships circled over the field firing on the Falsean tanks. Illusions were detailed to take on the Falkasian fighteraircraft, Mcnernian aviators were leaders of their breed. They had good aircraft, flexible and lethal, the MiG-29s were also good aircraft, the Mcnernians dropped tanks and armed missles it was then into the turn. Take the Migs down the middle like something out of a movie. Hope you locked him up when you watched him go by and then fire.

More Illusions were sent to shoot down the helicopters. The Falseans were on the radar of the E-7N AEWC aircraft launched from the Iliad and the other carriers of the fleet, the Mcnernian fighters could not easily remain to ensure that the Falsean threat was nullified. The Navy bombarded the airbases on the Island, the goal was to crater runways to make the Falkasian jets find some other place to land. Wich would not make the day easy for them.


ON THE GROUND


The Mcnernians had pressed their advantage against the DSRCDF. They were a ragging army, yet they seemed to be a fighting unit, no small part to the Falsean training and equipment. The Hutanjians were a professional lot, Emett thought highly of them, professional solidery. The Havenians got their wizkashi short swords into action to deal with the invetable close combat that ensued when the DSRCDF troops charged. The good use of rifle fire was what was needed to keep the enemy at bay.

The Horse Gaurds soon came across the Falsean tanks. Rifled 128mm shells were sent down range as the HT9A7s backpedaled in suprise at being confronted so suddenly with the defensive lines . The IFVs dropped off dismounts armed with anti bunker weapons. Tanks were things ment for war. The Horse Gaurds were one of the older regiments of the Mcnernian Royal Army. They would not fail, they had the tanks and the firepower. When the Falseans came in range of the anti tank gaurdsmen. There were anti tank systems brought forward by the marines and the Havenains.

[Falkasia]

North of Montvieux

"Oh shit..." mumbled one of the sentries as the rocket flew straight at them. Both of them ducked, as much as much as they could in the sand. It whooshed by, slamming into a rocket and deflecting it up into the sheer cliff face. Its explosion reverberated across the beach. If there was any mistake an invasion was happening, those preconceptions had quite literally been shattered.

That one missed, narrowly. The two sentries continued to fire shots. Another flash in front of them spewed forth another missile.

"Fuck...." they mumbled together as the rocket flew between them, slamming into the granite face several feet behind. The resulting fireball was enough to render them inert, vaporized by the concussion.

They were only two of a rapidly growing contingent of Falkasian defenders, but by no means were the only ones to fall. The remaining sentries had closed the gap, effectively sealing off the beach with a picket perimeter and pressing sustained fire on the encroaching mercenaries. The Cardwithians, in their usual manner, were pinned down dealing with a numerically inferior enemy. It would work though, allowing the Falkasians ample time to to thin the ranks before the QRF arrived.

From the cliffs above, spotlights exploded into illumination. Their harsh white light bathed the sandy beaches below, casting awkward shadows along the sheer face but nullifying whatever concealment the sand and rocks could glean them. They had been smart, landing to the northern part of the island. As compared to the southern and eastern coasts, this portion had the least in the way of static defenses, although the proximity of the QRF allowed flexible response to the size and scale of incursions.

There was a thin line of fortifications along the rim of the cliffs. Nothing like Normandy from the Second World War, but definiately enough in the way of concrete to protect several hundred soldiers for an indefinate time. The tiny garrison meanwhile, had reactived much of the fortress. As the spotlights went on, so to did the internal electric generators that powered much of the computer systems. SAM batteries a bit inland actively scanned the skies, while the M777 Howitzers were sighted in on the shoreline.

Several miles back, the QRF convoy moved steadily in the pitch dark down the road. Only the two Skyguard AA vehicles had their lights on, and it was up to the truck drivers to maintain correct heading. The act of maneuvering in zero visibility required considerable coreography, not to mention large amounts of training. It was one of those things the 8th Airborne had picked up during their Auxiliary Training Program, among other things.

To either side of them, tall grain fields and small forests were shilouetted against the darkened road. It was eerie, almost surreal. Only small slivers entered through the rear of the MRAPs, or through peepholes and firing slits in the superstructure. It became obvious rather quickly where most of the fighting was occurring, a gigantic bright spot surrounded on all sides by the dark of night. The ground shook as the cannons opened fire on the beach below. Many wondered if it was truly that bad, to have warranted premature barrages before the QRF had even come on station.

The convoy rounded the last bend, flipping on their lights to tactically lighten the area. In a large field they pulled in, flattening some of the stalk grass with the truck chassis. As the troops piled out, the Skyguards kept watch over the night sky. The violence was intensifying, now augmented by the patter of machine gun fire and tell-tale plomp of grenade launchers.

A battle plan was quickly drawn up.

"Platoons Alpha through Charlie will proceed to the beach and help hold the line. Delta and Foxtrot will run rear-guard, and sweep the area for any infiltrators."

The commander, a Captain, glanced around, the explosions from the beach casting red and orange shadows on his face. "Any questions?"

[The Cardwith Islands]

BETWEEN DERNIERVILLE AND NOURSELLE

The 2nd Brigade of the DSR 6th fought on, but with the reinforcement of the Hutanian Rangers by allies unknown, the fire, mortars and missiles became unbearable.
They fell back to other more defensible positions. After the last of the bunkers and trenches fell, there wasn't a lot of them.
There was, however, a small hydro power station that provided electricity for both Nourselle and Dernierville and was conveniently located not far from the coast and between the two towns.

Groups of Cardwithian and Isotopian defenders made their way to that power station as they lost ground to the combined assault of the Hutanjian Rangers backed up by the covering fire of the McNernian Rangers and SBS Commandos. Their only hope for reestablishing dominance over the invaders was a reinforcement from the freed up Isotopian Revolutinary soldiers that had been beating back the McNernian assault just to the west at Dernierville. Now that the McNernian forces had withdrawn to bolster the RAR landing, they might be able to shift and give chase to their former foes. Of course, they had no idea if they McNernian forces widening the beach head with the Hutanjian Rangers were the very same that had picked up and left the Dernierville beaches.

In the meantime, artillery and missile strikes continued to be called on to the defenders on the beach. They continued to fend off the Royalist allied air strikes with AA and SAM fire as well as handheld launchers. They would not give more ground without a lot more blood shed.

PALEGATA, WEST CARDWITH

1st Brigade of the 9th DSR Regiment also started to buckle under the assault of the Hutanjians, their former brethren turned foes.
They hoped to hold out for reinforcements from the New Isotopian Command, or even Falkasian forces that might be inbound from neighboring East Cardwith. In the meantime, they did their best to hold fast. Teams went around with AT launchers, hunting the RHA T-72 tanks that were starting to encroach beyond the beaches. They in turn were hunted by the RHAF Gazelles and Kiowas that sent rockets judiciously at each sign of rocket trouble. Enemy IFVs and APCs also poured into the gaps. The Cardwithians continued to fight on, burrowing down to take the RHA soldiers on group by group.


NORITTS AIR BASE, EAST CARDWITH

Two MIGs of the new DSR Cardwithian Air Force had made it back to Noritts Air Base. One of them was questionable as to whether it should be back in the air without some substantial repairs. These two aircraft were what was left of the Cardwithian/UFF contribution to the air war. The pilots were determined to get back in the air over West or North Cardwith as soon as possible to take the fight back to the Royalist bastards. They chowed on bowls of rice with fish oil as their planes were refueled, rearmed and superficially patched up. The go signal was given and they ran back out to the tarmac to take off for West Cardwith skies. Outnumbered and outgunned but they were determined not to be outshined.

ANJOUX, NORTHERN CENTRAL WEST CARDWITH

The 2nd Brigade, 9th DSR Regiment had been headquartered and spread out in defenses west of Anjoux towards the promontory at the northwest corner of the island. Many of their positions were closer to Palegata than Anjoux, despite still claiming the larger city as their HQ. When the missile strikes, air raids and heavy bombing raids struck, many of their positions remained unscathed.

3rd Brigade, 9th DSR on the other hand, was brutalized by the pounding they received from the Royalist allies, missiles and strafings from New Edomite and Estovakivan launchers and fighters, More hits from Uli fighter/bombers, then finally, the indiscriminate slamming by the RHAF TU-22Ms of a good chunk of Anjoux, the suburbs, and the 3rd Brigade encampment that abutted up to the Anjoux suburbs. They lost a third of their number before they could even rush to the beach defenses. The former French colonial port hemorrhaged smoke and smoldered.

Meanwhile, the people streamed south towards Jalakra, away from the fires, destruction and fighting and closer to perceived safety. The roads were clogged with thousands of civilians, preventing Cardwithian trucks from transporting troops up to the sudden front and evacuating wounded out. Nevermind the dead, who wouldn't be shipped out for days, if ever.

Platoons of the 3rd Brigade manning AA and SAM batteries further back from the coast were surprised by the heliborne raids that dropped Uli troopers in among them, but they took it in stride. As many of the sites were rocketed to extinction, others fought on, sending RPGs and heavy caliber rounds at the clusters of foreign mercs and then their dune buggy vehicles as they started to mount up. A couple hits were scored, but they motored on.

SOUTHERN WEST CARDWITH

Reinforcements were on the move, companies of the 3rd Brigade, 6th DSR headed towards Nourselle to help their Isotopian brethren.

Far to the west, in Ugeteka, Companies of the 1st Brigade of the same DSR 6th Regiment were on their way north, to link up with the 1st Isotopian Revolutionary Brigade near Jalakra, eventually to create a blocking force to any breakthrough invaders. They would also run into refugees fleeing south from Palegata and environs, slowing them down, but not making them give up. Further to the north, the small detachment of Cardwithian T-72s were on their way to the front, being directed towards Palegata, where no Isotopian armor would be able to reach while they were needed on the East of the island.

HESTTENS, CAPITAL
OF THE DSR OF THE CARDWITH ISLANDS

President Nellis had finally been freed from his bombshelter pit with Leila. His truest test would be to face the people, something he rarely did these days, without the aid of his cane and with a stressed and rebelling old body fighting his every step. He'd never been filmed in public with his cane, and he wasn't about to display it now, when they needed a strong figure to encourage them to bounce back.

They had made haste to the capital, with special stipulations from his bodyguards. They had all kinds of vehicles, from jeeps to ATVs ready to rush him to the safety of the west, away from potential action and another Royalist raid on the city.

The ruins smoked and several fires were not close to being put out.
His stay would not be long, but he was able to talk with many people who had lost family in the bombings and then he stopped at St. Rene's Church.

**CDWN**

"Hello, Cardwithian People, this is Leticia Omaktu. I'm coming to you for the last time from Hesttens. Tomorrow we will move to another undisclosed location on East Cardwith, but, now, here...we look at the devastation caused by the forces of a King that supposedly cares for the Hutanjian people. This is the skyline that you will no longer recognize. It used to be downtown Hesttens, but now you're looking at the start of the extinction of the Cardwithian people.

[The scene changes to Nellis moving past pews filled with rubble and timber]

President Nellis visited the burning capital and gave comfort to his struggling people. He stopped long enough to say this to the cameras at St. Rene's Church, underneath an open sky where a roof used to be:

'Tougher times may be ahead, but we will weather the storm and take the fight back to the enemy when we get our chance. We will rebuild brick by brick, we will use every scrap of steel and every bit of rubber to put together the war machine which will take revenge for this dark day. This, on behalf of the Cardwithian people, I swear!'

We will give you non stop coverage as long as we can. Stay strong Cardwithians!"

[New Isotopia]

OOC: Fewwww that's done. Note Edom that I haven't replied to the landings and naval combat near Mason and the combat at Nourselle so hold out on that until I respond to whats going on.

Fort Mason

The architecture of Fort Mason resembled that of a colonial age fortress, with aging yellowish stone and slits which allowed the defenders to fire their rifles out off. A vast, steel reinforced tunnel complex ran the length of the fortress, allowing for the men inside to reach defensive points without exposing themselves to the chaos and madness outside. Besides leading to key defensive points in the fortress, the tunnels lead to many rooms containing everything from bunks, to ammunition storage, as well as small hospitals.

Streams of smoke from destroyed complexes within the clogged the air, making it difficult for the enemy aircraft to hit targets within the fort unless they were using thermal optics. Thanks to the Isotopians and the Falkasians keeping the enemy occupied, both in the air and at sea, the bombings of the Fort and other Isotopian complexes became less frequent. The fort's rail guns, or at least the ones that had survived the bombings earlier, which had already been installed onto the fort by the Huntijians were being used to bombard the enemy landing zones not that far away from the fort.

Reconissance was provided by Satellites, which provided a steady flow of information to both the high ranking officers in the war room and to commanders on the ground, in the shit, in the middle of this great battle. But when Satellites couldn't provide sufficient information, ground recon squads put their eyes on it, for naval recon the coastal observers provided intel for commanders.

Ranger's Landing Beach

Isotopian reinforcements, mostly in the forms of QRF's began to arrive around the area of the beach. Tanks and APC's, many of them of either Soviet, Lyran, or Yohhanesian began to engage the enemy with their Cardwithian comrades. Shoulder to shoulder the men fired their rifles towards the Monarchist aggressors, who were beginning to approach them. The tanks, who fired their main guns and coaxial weapons were fitted with ERA (Explosive reactive armor), making them more difficult to take out.

"Wheres Foxtrot Company?" One of the Officers who just arrived on scene asked a man who had managed to escape the intensive fighting.

"Almost completely wiped out, save for around a platoon worth of survivors, many of who are WIA."

"Shit..." The officer said in disbelief.

Nearby, mortars continued to fire onto the beach, hoping they could manage to hit something. Which many of them did, the Isotopians could hear a occasional "Take cover!!!" from the beach, yelled by Rangers and other assorted personnel, which was sometimes followed by screams or explosions much larger than the mortar shells. Some of the limited number of artillery weapons on that side of the island, which had been flown in days earlier, such BM-21's and Akatsiya's let off a occasional salvo of ordinance onto the beach.

Over head the continuing air battle continued to unfold. Isotopian aircraft worked in shifts, making sure that their allies on the ground always had air cover.

Airbase Near Hesttens

Practical every minute aircraft were landing, being refueled and resupplied or taking off. Mechanics and other ground personnel were some of the true heroes of this battle, dodging ever present enemy artillery fire to get the planes off the ground and into the air.

AA weapons shot at enemy aircraft that had managed to evade the Isotopians air patrols. Due to the concerns of ammo consumption, SAM and AA gun operators only fired on aircraft that had entered a, 'Engage and Destroy' zone. Usually, due to how small that zone was, the enemy aircraft were destroyed, but occasionally one would slip through, dropping it's ordnance onto the strip or it's support facilities.

On the perimeter of the airstrip, air force security specialists frantically prepared makeshift defenses in case of a enemy assault on the area. The men dug 'fighting holes' and trenches, setting up various mounted weapons within them, such as machine guns and grenade launchers. The airbases artillery battery, 3 Akatsiya's, a Msta, and 2 TOS-1's fired counter battery fire in response to Edomite artillery fire, supported by Mason's Rail Guns. Already one part of the airstrip had to be shut down due to various pocket marks left by enemy fire.

Hesttens

Isotopian troops, including Revolutionaries and Special Forces teams assisted civilians on getting out of the city. Civilians, and there were some, who wanted to stay and fight were given a weapon and sent to help fortify the city for the impending attack that would be expected if the enemy wasn't held at the beaches by the Naval Infantry and allied groups. The scene in the city resembled that of one that had been invaded by aliens. Smoke and fire clogged the air, ruble covered the streets, people whose homes had been destroyed by the indiscriminate bombings wondered the streets or were attempting to get out. Medics were overflown, not so much with Isotopians and Soldiers but with Civilians. The tents were painted with a bright red crosses facing the air, hoping that it would stop the bombings of such facilities, though many had their doubts whether such methods would work

Barricades were erected in the streets of area's that had already been evacuated, with the men quartered in the basements of abandoned homes to shelter them from bombs. Occasionally the flashes of AA guns popped up over the city, or the sound of jets, it was difficult to tell of which side the belonged to.

Northeren Cardwiths
Near and Around the Blue and green landing zones.

Men, primarily revolutionaries, were being driven in to reinforce the UFF forces at the Monarchy landing zones. Many came in trucks, APC's, or jeeps, mostly at night, with lights off, in order to avoid enemy aircraft.

It frustrated many when they hit massive traffic jams near Anjoux. One group of BTR-80's, carrying a group of the men from the regular army, a element from the 18th Motorized Rifles Division which had sent a battalion to the Cardwiths, was at the center of this frustration.

"Fuck... Driver whats the hold up?" Said one of the sergeants in a BTR.

"Go see for yourself soldier..." The driver replied in a much more calm tone.

The soldier opened one of the hatches to see the massive traffic jam.

"Holy shit..." He surveyed the massive number of civies trying to flee the area. The BTR's honked their on board sirens, attempting to disperse some of the cars, something that did little.

"We are way to exposed out here. We need to get moving." It was the middle of the night, there was no telling if a enemy aircraft would come in, it was essential to their safety to get out of there.

Luckily, the BTR had could cross country capability. The convoy soon had driven off the road and toward the coast, under the cover of dense forestation.

[Falsea]

Western North Cardwith Island

"Aircraft incoming, get down!", yelled a scout of the forward scouting army. They had just arrived at the landing zones of the loyalist forces, and were immediately greeted the discordant sound of gunfire, bombardment, and airstrikes. The combined airstrikes and naval firepower were devastating, and although the small force was not responsible for holding off the enemy tide, they would do their best to delay it until defenses in Torusogu were ready.

The 179 and 8 BTRs joined the UFF forces as the Mcnernian assault continued. Right now, few bunkers remained standing to hold off the tide, but those that did were immediately manned by Falsean gunners, utilizing their heavy machine guns to rain bullets on the oncoming Monarchists.
Those that felt more courageous however, led the charge towards the enemy forces in the beach. The words "open fire!" and "shoot to kill!" were heard all around the blasted beaches as a few squads charged away from their defensive positions, guns blazing.

The scourge of aircraft continued to be a problem, and the BTR's mobility were drastically lessened. Nevertheless, the remaining 8 armoured vehicles advanced to meet the enemy's own tank regiment. Accompanied by a few small squads, the BTRs opened fire on the enemy's vehicles, 1 more being destroyed due to an enemy rocket, while a squad of Falsean riflemen were trampled under the advancing Mcnernian vehicles.

Above the skies, 5 out of the PBG's 10 MiG-35s arrived to reinforce the assault on the beach. Locking down on the pesky gunships, the MiG-35s released a hail of air-to-air missiles against them, before flying back to Torusogu. Further away from the beach, a few Falsean engineers had set up some more SAM sites, in an effort to deliberately weaken the enemy's aerial force.

Torusogu

Preparations for Torusogu's defense was at an all-time high. Almost every inch of the city was patrolled by either a Falsean or UFF squadron. Every building that looked like a bunker were boarded up, while SAM sites and machine gun nests were positioned above the roofs of a few other structures around the city. Barricades and abandoned vehicles blocked major streets and provided defence to the allied soldiers from gunfire.

The first line of defense was the outside of the city, where a hastily dug line of trenches blocked the city's western entrance. Kord machine guns mounted on bipods as well as podnos mortars could be seen at every trench. The armoured vehicles remained en masse inside the city itself. The rest of the MiG-35s continued their patrol around the area, 5 of them occasionally straying to lend aid the forward scouting army's efforts to slow the Monarchist advance.

"Torusogu was ready.", muttered Commanding Officer Stephens, as he sighted the fighting in the west with his binoculars.

[Neu Engollon]

NORTH OF MONTVIEUX

Captain Parkins had to make a decision to make and fast, Stay or go? Is all it really came down to. The zodiacs were still on the beach, and a quick call could get the nearby Vipers and Gripens for coverage. The squads on the beach at the surfline were still keeping up a good rate of cover fire and moving up to ensure the first crew of defending snipers were down.
Technically, from his last radio report, their mission had been accomplished. They had distracted and pulled attention from the main landings. They could hop in the rafts and go with that assured knowledge.

That wasn't how he and the rest of Uli 6th Platoon operated, though. The former American SEAL debated for only a split second more before snapping into action. He gave orders. 20 men would follow him to the FAVs while they still had a window to break through. The rest would take the casualties back down to the beach and with the other two squads, bug out. 2-3 men would stay behind with heavy weapons to delay pursuit or RPG crews and UFF snipers from getting close and tagging the back end of the zodiacs, at least until a couple Vipers or Agustas got on station.

The rockets had finally seemed to shut down the stay behind defenders for the time being, but others were closing in from beyond the beach, lobbing grenades, mortars and rockets from over the ridges. It was a precarious place to stay, only to remain on the receiving end. Plus, the accuracy and particular signature of the gunshots told him they weren't all old AKs and probably not local. They were facing Falkasians now. They had to move quick. The last few steps up the paths and they were on the road. They bypassed the trucks and dead drivers of the downed UFF patrol. One was smoking from a hit by its own side, a lucky mortar, the other would just be a big juicy target for faster moving vehicles or enemy air. They would traverse on foot, leapfrog, pepper-pot style. He got back on the radio as they moved across the road and into the scrub beyond. He needed to re-coordinate their air support for the new plan.

WISHTON SEA

The Uli hovercraft made good time leaving Kenegan waters.
The trip was pretty uneventful except for the constant chatter of the Hutanjian pilots in their patois. Ari-Galan could understand about a third of what they said. There was some definite anti-Mcnernian sentiment going on, some of it genuine maybe, due to the situation of their capture, some of it probably heavy Falkasian indoctrination. They had been filmed on EKTV burning a McNernian flag. Well staged, but still, they would have to answer for it.

How that would play out during their debriefing back home was anyone's guess. They were needed at the front. He hoped Hespatu's needs trumped Atave's wants.
Lt. Kernau, the rescued Uli Gripen pilot sat quietly, legs crossed and his head tilted back on the bench backing.

They kept a watch as they neared the corner edge of North Cardwith on their way towards Vesselle. A stray Falkasian or Falsean jet could find them, or even an RHAF or Mcnernian jet, hitting them in error. Hutanjian Rangers manned the top with AA handhelds, ready for all comers.

OVER NORITTS AIR BASE

It was pretty much a suicide mission. The Uli Harriers, retrofitted as multi role bombers came in low, flanked by RHAF Mirages and F-16s. The RHAF pilots were the best the Hutanjians could field and they'd done well at AA suppression. Still a few fighters were down from the far reaching SAMs, despite countermeasures and then the Falkasian interceptors had reached them, they'd blown through the pack, but lost two more in the process. A couple in the drink and a couple others turned back, crippled and limping back to Nesselberg.

They were over the air base finally, and AA flak and radar locks were intense. They only had one chance at a run. They were low and fast.

The missiles were fired at the hangars and the JP233 munitions were released, the Uli harriers breaking off and trying to avoid the SAMs, AA fire and pursuing Falkasian interceptors. Two more fighters were hit as they sped over the base. One RHAF Mirage crashed into one of the hangers, exploding. Quonset parts and shrapnel ballooned out. A Uli Harrier tumbled along a runway, shedding its wings and finally its nose as it pinwheeled.

The JP233 bombs penetrated into the runways, fountaining out chunks of the tarmac, while the anti-personnel parts of the submunitions sat on the surface with delayed fuses, daring the repair crews to come near the cratered runways. The JP233 had been banned by international laws and was no longer used by most Western countries. The Uli-Schwyz Security Corporation still retained it as part of its arsenal.

The remaining three jets, two Harriers and a F-16, mission accomplished, attempted to break out and away, heading northeast instead of towards the illusion of safety of the allied fleets which were closer. This route towards the channel meant they only had to return through one more wall of AA and SAM radars, instead of several overlapping that lay to the north and west. They would be running on fumes over Nesselberg. If they made it, that is.

[McNernia]

NORTH CARDWAITH ISLAND

The BTRs were fired upon by the HT9A7s. The Mcnernians had brought along their own AA wich had been set up on the beach. The Falsean air attacks were dealt with when they could. So naturally the men were wary, a great many MANPADS units were handed out to the troops who fired on anything that came back as a Falsean aircraft, the battlefield control systems were set up ,Prince Emett had come ashore. He was pleased with the proformance of the attacking forces. The matter of air superiority was going to be a tough hard won thing.

Emett was in the MA9A2 CV, he was directing the forces. He was pleased with his armored troops, the Havenians had MA9A2 SPGs wich were turned on the bunkers that the tanks had neglected. The HT9A7s had longer range guns, the large cannons belched out incendiary and other such ammunition on the enemy. The infantry worked to clear the bunkers. The fighting was fierce. The Artillery was called down on the advancing enemy formations.

The Hutanjians were sent in first, not because they were Hutanjian but Emett had spoken with the commander of the Hutanjian contingient and he had said he wanted his men in the vangaurd. Emett would grant that honor to him and his men. The Havenians went right in with them. A great many would fall on both sides.



AIR OPERATIONS


The Fleet Air Arm aircraft were able to evade the MiG missles. They banked off and headed back towards the carrier. The gunships desperately deployed flares, two were claimed by missles. The AA of the ground troops had claimed at least one MiG it seemed to the Mcnernian pilots who fired and swept down on the MiGs like the hunters they were.

The MiGs broke at the bouncing by the second flight of Mc 82s. "All hands break and attack. Kill them all." The Illusions locked up targets and fired and broke to attack on the MiGs from another angle. The Mcnernians were leaders of their breed. War was the place to prove ones mettle.

"Watch it mate, ya got one."

"I see him."

"Break right idiot."

The man broke right he looked back over his shoulder. His HMD read green, target locked up. The missle was released and the Mcnernian broke back around. It was a dog fight, what Mcnernian pilots trained for.

Eian Dobbs was one of the pilots comitted to the air superiority mission. The Falseans were good at what they did, it was a close call, there were 10 Mc 82s comitted to the action against 5 Mig 35s yet the Falseans were not going to give up easily. They also had some surface to air missles wich were making life hard. And the enmies day easier.


RANGER BEACH

Thomas and his men laid down a weithering hail of bullets into the New Isotopians. This was esclating beyond a damn deversionary raid. The Rangers seemed comitted to driving inland and taking down the DSRCDF from behind. The wounded were being evacuated along with the dead to the waiting Royal Navy ships. A A-400m flew over the combat zone. It dropped several vehicles, FAV buggies were what Thomas's men needed to keep up with the BMPs.

The buggies were mounted and the commandos fell in with the various units of Hutanjians. The New Isotopians put up a stiff resistiance to the attack of the Royalist forces. The FAVs had been outfitted with high explosive missles and machine guns wich allowed them to advance, that made them targets after taking out several bunkers.

[The UFF of Hutanjia]

WESTERN TO CENTRAL NESSELBERG

As the Echo Force Operatives and UFF 1st Regiment guerrillas began to march towards their objective, Riordian asked Jeremiah, "What exactly is our destination comrade?"

Lieutenant Jeremiah Jorgazu paused from hitching up his webbing and pack to respond:

"I have some coordinates that they transmitted to us by encoded, secured smart phone. That may change as we get closer, because our FSIS contact is also on the move. Generally, I think the idea is that we're going to be used to keep stirring up trouble behind the Royalist lines and hopefully keep them from reinforcing their Cardwiths invasion by tieing down troops here and disrupting logistics lines going to the occupied Cardwiths zones. We will be getting orders, via the FSIS agent, from the Unified command, which includes the Falkasians, your high command, the Falseans and the new DSR command appointed by President Nellis." He took a breath, a sip of water, and continued,
"...At this point, for us to establish a permanent base camp, or big target, would be foolish. We will always be on the move, taking support from sympathetic islanders if we can, or from other UFF groups which are also traveling around the southern part of Nesselberg. We will strike whenever and wherever we can."

THE SEWERS
SOUTWESTERN OUTSKIRTS OF CHASTILLE, NEVORN

The FSIS men and Miles and Kenneth had broken off the engagement, wiping out the last of the pursuing KHS team. They would have a respite until the next team, but there were sure to be KHS teams zeroing in above ground.

They stopped at the green glo stick hanging from the hole where an iron grate cover had been slightly pushed back. Miles climbed up, followed by Dimitri.

"Come now, while we are safe. My name is Amalia, we are PAST #12."

A beautiful woman's cocoa face appeared above the grate. She smiled, then she frowned and her nose crinkled as they got closer. As all four men climbed out, they faced Amalia and two other PAST men.

"We have a few others on watch over there and there. There's actually seven of us. You stink. Shed those clothes and get some fresh ones out of that box." She pointed to the open hatch back of a Toyota Four Runner.
"We need to get out of here quick, gentlemen."

[Falkasia]

Montvieux

The situation was degenerating rapidly. The combatants on the shores had advanced beyond the cliff-face, and resistance had to be presented to them in the form of small arms and not stationary weapons. It was not a desireble situation, one that was limited in scope simply by the fraction of men available to cover all aspects of the defense. The bunker garrison numbered no more than 50 or 60 soldiers, and were tasked with holding until the QRF arrived. When it would arrive however, was another matter entirely.

Rear-guard had radio'd in the approaching of trucks, no doubt elements of the QRF en-transit. It was, however, unknown where or why they stopped short of the beach. The troopers, still groggy from being roused so abruptly, would take time to wake-up and get their bodies and minds into the game. Each second that passed became a victory for the invaders.

The was a blur on one of the bluffs flanking the main defensive positions. No Falkasian or Cardwithian troops remained outside the beach or bunker, so it was instantly recognized as enemy. With a shout, on of the sentries alerted his fellow soldiers to the maneuver. In an instant, a squad shifted their position from the main line to the flank. They crouched in a shallow trench, the lip rising to their shoulders in such a position. The motion in front of them grew as they screamed for heavy weapons, recieving none. Their AK-113s would have to do, balancing them on the wooden bannister that defined the boundary between trench wall and surface.

It was difficult in the dark to discern the differing shapes, as the close proximity to one another only appeared as an enormously bright blob on their IR/NV cameras. There would be no accuracy this time, a dramatic depart from standard Falkasian procedure. Instead, all six soldiers squeezed their triggers and let fly a hail of automatic fire. They didn't expect to hit anything, only to force the enemy to ground and slow them a moment longer. They were at range anyways where spray-and-pray fire would be next to ineffective.

Behind them, the bunkers were lit up by explosions as errant grenades landed through the firing slits or peep holes. There were men screaming in the distance, albeit barely audible over the sounds of combat. An equally violent explosion erupted to their rear, followed by several more. The M777 cannons were finally sighted in, and in quick measure had begun opening up on the shoreline. Though limited to far-support roles, at horizontal or near-horizontal azimuths, they were capable of acting in a manner similar to low-caliber shore defense guns. Coupled with fragmentation shells to pepper the beach, they could keep any additional waves at bay should the need arise. As each cannon belched, a burning yellow streak flew through the sky and peppered the water with shot. In the halflight, the gun crews must have seen more approaching boats as the shots were a considerable ways off the surfline.

Behind the Beach

The platoons were separated after the briefing, joined by a chorus of affirmations to confirm their commander's orders. It took only a few minutes for the group to unload the finer nuances of gear from the trucks, pack them together, nad move out, The green they had arrived in would become the forward oepration base for the QRF, with all the command staff packed into a farm barn surrounded by a plethora of armaments and guards. The tenets were left alone, advised to hide in their root cellar until the assault had passed.

The commander, a middle-aged man with ragged salt-and-pepper hair concealed underneath a baseball cap, paced back and forth around the barn. The patch on his uniform read "Kasyanov," and right below that a large gold star was present signifying his rank. In the center of the barn was one of the trucks, locked into place by wheel braces and support struts. A ladder led up to the cargo bed, where a makeshift VICE command center had been set-up. Power chords snaked back and forth, to-and-fro, helter-skelter across the hay-strewn floor. The air stank of livestock and mildew.

"Yes... yes sir.." he said into a secure-channel radio. "Yes... we're on scene... no... no sir... no. We haven't come across the enemy yet. No sir... we don't need any reinforcements.... no... no... fine... keep them on stand-by if it makes you feel better."

He shrugged his shoulders and replaced the phone on a nearby collapsible table. He rubbed his face, moaning quietly as he did.

"Why does fucking Vadim have to be such a woman sometimes?" he screamed, much to the surprise of his command staff.

"Can't he just trust me and my men for once? It's like he's trying to make my day difficult! UGH!!"

He slumpt into a fold-out chair nearby, taking a few large sips from a coffee mug he hoped was his.

"If I need fucking reinforcements, I'll ask for them!"

======

Meanwhile, the five platoons made ready to move out. With gear in tow or stored securely on their backs, the men of Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie platoons made way for the coast. All the had to do was follow the bright flashes, and occassionally take inventory of their surrounding so they knew how to find their way back. It was not difficult, as the terrain here was incredibly clear and populated only by the sparse tree forests. A cool breeze blew in from the coast, carrying with it the smell of ash, gunpowder, and human demise.

The three platoons fanned out, spacing themselves in a sort of line-fashion five to ten meters apart. It was enough distance to avoid killing the whole company, but limited enough to where support could be rendered if one came under fire. There were about 90 of them, spread out across a derelict wheat field in the dying light of the moon. Their IR/NV Goggles made the trek easier, although every wild animal that crossed their viewscoper stopped the party dead in their tracks. At the present rate, it would take them perhaps ten to fifteen minutes to reach the shore. That was all hinging on the prospect of an easy walk, uneventful walk.

======

The two other platoons, Delta and Foxtrot, set out on their own in the opposite direction. There was no telling if the enemy had landed on other beaches earlier in the night, and whether they had somehow slipped past the defenders undetected. Their job would be to scout out the immediate area and determine if there was any evidence to suggest hostile infiltrators... at which point Vadim would have his way and deploy the entire 4th Brigade in the hunt.

Elements of Delta Platoon were also given a special task, locking down and securing the roads that led to the beach. If this was done early, they could prevent an overflow scenario from going into play in the event a full-scale landing occurred. Should there be troops that managed to vacate the beach, they wouldn't get far if they chose to take the roads. Basic barricades, consisting of no more than large boulders, tree logs, or abandoned farming equipment were erected across the pavement. If the enemy could not be stopped, they would be slowed one way or another.

======

Noritts

As a child, Vadim and his friends would get together late into the afternoon after school would let out and play wargames. At the time, Falkasia was still a part of the Soviet Union, and there was not much else one could do as a child that didn't involve run-ins with the KGB. They'd always meet up at his friend Ivan's house, a small townhome on the outskirts of Ekaterine and take-over the attic for hours at a time. There, with his beloved hand-painted Armored Division encased safely inside a plastic container within his back pocket, his buddies would battle each other over who was supreme ruler or whatever scenario they were playing. He loved it; be it Kursk, Stalingrad, D-Day, sometimes even the battle of Jutland if they had enough leftover eraser heads to represent ships. His favorite though, were hypothetical battles... the ones he defined. He loved those, not because he was able to deploy his Armored Division of hand-carved T-72 mockups, but because of the flexibility and storylines he and his buddies were able to concoct. It felt as though, there in that attic, they were playing out the future. A future in which they were key players, and they revelled in the glory of victory or shame of defeat.

He loved those days, recalling an airfield defense game they had played one night after Ivan's parents had gone to bed. He had made the mistake of relying too much on air force, deploying his MiG-29s and Su-27s too far forward and leaving too little in the way of rear-defense. When his opponent, Misha, had torn through his half-assed defense with American F-15s and cratered the shit out of his runway, Vadim knew he was done. With no where for his planes to land, they were forced to ditch and recorded as KIA much to the bemusement of his friends.

The VICE feed before him brought back memories from those days. His eyes kept darting back and forth between what he saw in front of him, and what a younger Vadim saw on the gametable many decades ago. He smirked slightly as he took mental note of the similiarities. Heavy emphasis on air power. Perhaps his counterpart on the other side had played games like this as well. If the two of them survived, a challenge might be in order.

Still, Vadim didn't let his mind drift. The lessons he had learned as a child were applied ever so diligently here. Air-to-air defense was only adequete up to a certain point, as he had been force-fed by a jeering young Misha. Surface-to-air defenses were the real defenders of an airbase, and no expense was spared in fortifying and securing this facility. The PATRIOT missile batteries alone would serve that purpose, knocking out huge clumps of aircraft from a distance before they came overhead. His other staggered waves of defenses would deal with the rest.

He watched attentively as the entire battle played out on his VICE set-up. He was transported back once more to the days of his childhood, watching a digitalized version of one of his battles before him. Missiles would streak, red planes would disappear off the map. No dramatic explosions or special effects, just quiet oblivion. Thus was the beauty of war, submerged below the levels of heartretching human emotion. A ballad of life, all encapsulated. Outside the ACC, he could hear the explosions and noise and circumstance of the battle that was going on overhead. Most of his staff had already gone, retreating to one of the bomb bunkers or returning to their frontal positions to personally command and direct AA defenses. His position was here, monitoring the battle and making over-arching corrections and adjustments to control the flow like some omnipotent being.

======

Over Noritts

Zvezda and Romeo flight arrived just as the last elements of the attack were fleeing. Some of the men tried to give chase, but were promptly reeled in by the veteran Chenko.

"Take a look at your fuel guys..." he said, "You wouldn't make it twenty seconds on afterburner."

The runway was damaged, that much could be seen from this high up. ATC warned them not to land, instead directing them to come down carefully on a nearby taxiway. Ground crews were busy moving rubble around, taking great pains to avoid the runway for the time being. Special consideration would be required to deal with that.

Chenko, being the most experienced, prefered to lead by example and was the first to attempt the awkward landing. They'd be coming down on a strip of concrete flanked on both sides by hangars. A miss would spell disaster, but it was the only way. It was nerve-racking, watching the Shadowhawk descend and shutter right and left as Chenko made minor adjustments. It was fortunate that the breeze was blowing out to the sea from the northwest, providing resistance and helping him slow down the airframe. The aircraft began to bob as it got closer and closer. The ground crew scattered, one lone soul standing on top of a pushback cart with a hastily made glideslope indicator plastered on cardboard extended above his head.

At the last second, Chenko pulled up. His rear wheels slammed into the concrete and bounced him off. The plane lurched forward as he forced all three wheels to come into contact with the ground, slamming both block and airbrakes and throwing his turbofans into spin. The plane skitered and slid as he tried to stop it, spinning as the end of the concrete grew closer and closer.

"FUCK!" he screamed over the radio, not a moment before his plane left the makeshift runway and onto the grassy field at the end. There his airframe slid for a few more yards before stopping, having left deep black burn marks on both the tarmac and deep grooves in the grass. His Shadowhawk was quickly rushed by ground crew, who after having extracted him from overhead with a maintenance crane, promptly removed his aircraft and made ready for another landing.

[Neu Engollon]

BLUE BEACH

Sergeant Jean Metain of 4th Platoon, Psi Company looked on as his men fought their way up the beach towards the bunkers and enemy pits in among the scrub and scattered trees. Not too many trees were left after several waves of bombardment. They were currently held up by a Cardwithian machine gun pit, the PKM machine gun had mown down two of their platoon before they went to ground. A platoon medic tended to them, checking for vitals.

He also looked over towards the next ridge. He couldn't really see anything, but he could hear the tribal war yells of Hutanjians of the 14th RHA as they frontally assaulted another bunker. There was one big factor that accounted for the massive unequal casualties of the Hutanjians, beyond the slight skill deficiencies. Body Armor. They refused to wear it, even when new shipments had come in and they were able to provide companies with whole kits. He had seen it time and again, first on Nesselberg, and now here on the Cardwiths, with both sides of the native soldiers, Hutanjian and UFF/Cardwithian alike. They did not wear body armor, even when it was available. They were convinced of their invincibility.

That, coupled with their fanatical banzai charges, again pandemic to both sides of the local Hutanjians in this civil war, helped to refute their claims of invincibility. The stack up of Royal and rebel Hutanjian bodies in the last two weeks in battles across the island chain had been worse than appalling. At this rate, the islands would be depopulated and up for grabs to the foreign allies on both sides. How did they translate ancient tribal Hutanjian warfare to the modern battlefield? That would be the pressing issue for the next few weeks in order to save their Hutanjian allies from annihilating themselves in senseless frontal attacks.

He could only worry about his own right now. The flamethrower operators of 4th Platoon had hustled forward, to deal their horror to the dug in machine gun pit as they got covering fire from a Piranha and grenades from the other squads. Counter sniper teams worked from cover as well, to take out the DSR sharpshooters scattered beyond.
In this way, they would work their way up the beach slowly.

OUTSKIRTS OF ANJOUX

Delta Company had made headway off Blue Beach, with the help of the heavy weapons of Omega Company and the T-84s from the 19th RHA Armored, they cleared their sector fairly well and were able to help take out some of the obstacles and defenses that were holding up Psi and Iota Companies from behind. They whittled away at them, while 2 platoons started to probe towards Anjoux proper.

The scouts of Delta Company moved forward. A M-75 ARV-T (Tracked Recon Vehicle) usually accompanied by a couple Piranhas and a FAV or two, would scoot forward, probing the roads and fields.

Near the northwestern suburbs, this particular M-75 did a scooting up the stretch of street, up to where the rubble blocked it. It stopped while the scouts kept an ear out, a hatch was opened by the car commander, then promptly closed as they took rounds from a Kalashnikov.

PING! PAANG! TOOONG! PONG!

The rounds glanced off the armored, Diamond Star made, scout vehicle.

The M-75 sped backwards as an RPG streaked across its nose, narrowly missing it. The more heavily armored Piranha, raced forward and past the rapidly reversing M-75. The turret mounted M2 poured rounds into the revealed enemy nest, ripping apart at the cover of the DSR troopers that had been too hasty in their opposition, unable to wait for less armored Uli infantry. On the other side of the M-75, an FAV had wheeled up with a flamethrower armed Uli Delta scout leaning out. He guided a stream of flames into the pit.

Three DSR soldiers leapt out bathed in flames, one straight into the line of .50 caliber slugs. They punched bits of napalm flaming flesh out into the air and around the semi-demolished house the Cardwithian had been holed up in with his comrades.
The other two ran screaming in the other direction, as the napalm ate through their flesh, their senses overloaded and general body function shut down. They slowed and then flopped down like ragdolls across a debris mound, rolling slowly down it like flaming barrels as they collected flammable trash to their sticky combusting outer shells.

A squad of Uli troopers crept up on the house and the former enemy burrow. They took a wide berth around the still smoldering and flickering concealed rubble pit. They poked in the other rooms covering each other, there was no other opposition and no upper level to the house. They dashed back to the Piranha, covering each other from various covering spots.
The convoy rolled on, finding another route around the rubble piles of this Anjoux suburb.

NORTHEAST OF NORITTS

The two remaining Uli Harriers continued to head more or less for the channel, doing evasion maneuvers when possible, and at times almost skimming the Cardwithian plains. They had lost their RHAF F-16 wingman, he had zigged when he should have zagged and took a SAM up the tail pipe, so to speak. Now they were all that was left of the Noritts bombing run, fleeing for safety and allied territory. Their fuel needles were approaching the red zone. It would be close.

6TH PLATOON, L CO. LZ
NORTH OF MONTVIEUX
EAST CARDWITH ISLAND

The squads on the beach continued to fire off their grenade and AT launchers at the closing opposition as select 6th Platooners ran to the rafts. The zodiacs were pushed off the beach. They had spread out and were sharpshooting at the incoming flashes. Artillery rounds started to impact, along with the rockets and mortars they had been taking. Slowly, the rearguard was picked off. Bodies were retrieved when possible and brought aboard the zodiacs, the perimeter closed as the boats were away, the surviving squad left one boat to withdraw in, but the chances were slimming by the second.

A flight of Gripens that had broken through the hole made in the rebel coastal defenses headed over the road to Montvieux, clearing the way for the helicopter flight a minute behind them. A convoy of vehicles showed up through infrared, lights out in blackout mode. There were some farm buildings in their back trail.

No civilians would be in blackout mode. They strafed the convoy and headed on, they were unable to use anything but guns, as their missiles were all air-to-air, for the expected Falkasian Shadowhawks. The Vipers, with an Agusta A129, swooped in, picking out Falkasian targets of their response force and launching rockets and putting their 30mm guns into action.

The Moliors they had been escorting banked and headed closer to the LZ to drop off their winched FAVs for the breakout Lambda Company members. A follow on flight of Vipers were targeting radar locks of SAMs and AA slaved guns that had been missed on the first round, taking them out before they locked onto the choppers or the marauding Gripens.
The FAVs were dropped as the couple squads of 6th Platoon troopers closed in. The Uli attack choppers shifted towards the DZ, popping off rockets and taking potshots at clusters of rebel troops as they went.

SECRET MEDITERRANEAN BASE

Delivery of new ordered aircraft started to arrive at the base for the Uli-Schwyz Security Corporation. There were only 7 pilots left at the base that weren't deployed to Hutanjian operations. Of the 7, only three were veterans that had served over Hutanjia. Out of those 3, only 1 had also been a veteran long enough to have also served in action over Covington. The rest of the pilots were not total greenies, but they were newbies to the Uli-Schwyz Security Air Wing. They had served in battles in the Middle East, Asia and South American drug wars.

Now they would be the first test pilots for the new purchases. Saab JAS 39 Gripens to replace those lost in combat had arrived, but since the veteran pilots and most of those who would be utilizing them were familiar with them, they put them on the back burner for now. The other new aircraft were F-36 Super Viper Multi-Role fighters from UNADS. Complete with trainers, support and maintenance staff for the initial shakedown. They needed to show their competence with the aircraft before the UNADS staff could depart. The fighters were put through their trials and outfitted for the Uli-Schwyz Security Corporations future operations by the ground crews that had been left behind. Soon, the new F-36s would be ready for deployment and hopefully able to match the Rebel alliance's Lyran fighters where some of the Gripens had fallen short.

[The Cardwith Islands]

NEAR GREEN BEACH
NORTHEASTERN OUTSKIRTS OF PALEGATA

Lieutenant Entapku was standing straight out of the Commander's cupola of the T-72 tank as he surveyed behind him. Spread out behind and beyond were the rest of the other 8 T-72s and 2 ZSU 23 AA tanks of B Company, 33rd DSR Armored. They had lost one T-72 to air to ground missile from a RHAF Mig on the way. The ZSU AA guns had dealt with it, but too late to save their comrades in Sgt. Nagapte's cracked open tank.

They were the only Cardwithian tanks on the island. A Company of the 33rd, another 10 T-72s plus ZSU's, were on East Cardwith. They had been the 33rd RHA Armored before the break with Hutanjia more than a year back. The Royals had managed to get some of the 33rd tanks off the Cardwiths, absorbing them into the 19th and 29th RHA Armored Brigades. The others were now theirs. In rebel hands, they had formed the core of the new Armored contingent of first the UFF Army, now the Democratic Socialist Republican Army of the Cardwiths. They would see action against their former masters.

They had had to slog their way through refugees, fleeing the coastal areas and Palegata as the Royalist invaders advanced into their homes and took out their rage at the 'traitorous' Cardwithians. The refugees were completely panicked, they didn't listen to the military authorities, their only thoughts to run and flee the terror. Clinging on to the 33rd DSR tanks, some had fallen off and been ground underneath the tracks as they tried to jump off the armored vehicles that headed back towards the melee they were trying to escape. It had been a nightmare for the men of B Company.

Lt. Entapku called a halt, except for B-4 and B-5 which were still bringing up the flank. According to the last report he'd received, they should be clashing with enemy elements now. They had armor, besides AT and armor killing gunships, so they had to be on the lookout. He called the scouts forward. They were two converted civilian Toyotas and a Ford, with PKMs and RPKs mounted to their roll bars. They would speed forward to probe ahead and make contact.

It didn't take long at all, just as they were less than a few meters ahead, one of the Toyotas started to take heavy rounds from an oncoming RHA Saracen, it flipped over and spilled out the scouts. The other two trucks turned back, their gunners returning fire on the Royalist Saracen as they did a quick retreat.

B-1, Lt. Entapku's tank was closest, they sighted on the Saracen and fired. A light piercing, HE round tore into the APC, imploding it. The fight was on. RHA infantry armed with AKMs and AT launchers crested the rise and dropped to firing positions. Entapku quickly got on the radio and ordered B Company back into action. They rushed forward, B-3, 4 and 5 moved in on the enemy troops, firing their mounted .50 caliber guns to target the AT armed soldiers.

They were in among the RHA troopers so fast that the few AT rockets fired were too short to arm or went wide. One did detonate on the side of B-3, but it wasn't a crippling blow. They drove on. The other T-72s dealing out cannon rounds at the supporting Saracens and one enemy RHA T-72 that tried to even the odds. For once this day, The Cardwithians would have a small victory.

EAST OF DERNIERVILLE
SOUTHERN WEST CARDWITH

The Cardwithian and Isotopian defenders, with counterattacks, managed to push back the Hutanjian and Mcnernian Rangers, containing them to the beach area. The hydro power station was still being used as a forward HQ for the joint defense command, but for now, it wouldn't have to be a last resort redoubt for them. Not that this option was off the table by a longshot, were they to face more reinforcements, the lock on the beach head might not hold.

SOUTH OF BLUE BEACH
ANJOUX, WEST CARDWITH

Men were holed up in bombed out rubble and basements. Snipers of the 3 Brigade of the DSR 9th had squirreled themselves away into piles of trash or back in the shadows of upper floors that were more intact. Some blocks hadn't suffered as much in the bombings and shellings, but those numbers were shrinking fast. Their best hope was to wait for the foreign mercenary troops to pass by before they struck. It was tough. Many of the men in the 2nd and 3rd Brigades didn't have the patience or fearlessness to wait, engaging the Uli troops head on and bringing on their firepower. Some of their units also seemed to be able to sniff out the defenders with electronics, knowing right where they lay in the ruins of Anjoux.

Still, once discovered, the Cardwithians fought bitterly, bravely and without quarter. Several men would team on a machine gun or AT launcher, replacing fallen comrades until an enemy grenade or shell finally took the hardware out of action.
Some had fled with the Anjoux refugees, but it was a small fraction of the holdouts. They expected Isotopian reinforcements any hour now, especially now that the front was bubbling out to meet them, instead of them having to get to the beaches. Enemy helicopters and Royalist fighter/bombers continued their runs against any DSR vehicles or large cluster of troops out in the open. The fight for Anjoux continued.

HESTTENS

What government administrative staff that had survived the bombings were packing up and evacuating southwest, towards Gaumain. Others made sure to destroy sensitive documents and make their offices generally unusable to the enemy. DSR or Isotopian troops might be by later to set booby traps and IEDs. A few stayed behind to help organize resistance or help the civilians that had stayed behind.

A home guard was developing. An announcement had been made over the radio by President Nellis. The conscription age had been raised and lowered. Now, boys as young as 15 and men as old as 55 were being pressed into service. If they weren't already putting out fires or digging out families buried alive, they were drilling with rifles and getting quick courses on how to shoot. They would be helping to defend the crumbling capital from the Royalist invaders and their white devil allies.

PRESIDENTIAL HQ
OUTSIDE GAUMAIN
WEST CARDWITH

Nellis sat in his study, hunched over the reports. Leila hung close by, watching the DSR Lieutenant that monitored the radio and text reports. When he said it was time to go, it was time to go. Enemy air raids and eventually, enemy troops would threaten their safety. They couldn't be unprepared. The nation depended on them.

It seemed as though the President had aged 5 more years in the last week. The news was rarely good these days.

"When are the Falkasians going to come and help us? I don't understand. They are not getting invaded at Noritts, are they? Our army is going to be slaughtered here in the north." Nellis regained his composure for his small audience. "I am sorry. I will not panic. We will remain strong. The men on the beaches are remaining tough for us, we shall do the same for them. I just need some privacy to work on the new defense plans, please."

"Of course, Mr. President." Leila ushers the Lieutenant into the next room and follows him. "Our nation depends on that man's peace and sanity."

[Falkasia]

Sewers

Dimitri and Vassili hefted themselves up, grasping the extended hands of their saviors to gain leverage. They slowly emerged from the dark confines, shit dripping off of them in long trails and slopping nastily back through the grate. Dimitri was temporarily blinded by the light, as was Vassili. Forearms instantly shot up in an effort to defend themselves, lowered slowly as their burning eyes were forced to adjust.

They were in a clearing, or what could amount for a clearing. Despite the building facades on three sides and a low white-plaster wall and gate on the fourth, it was relatively open and plein-aire. A used and abused Toyota idled not twenty steps away, secured steadily in the scrub grass and red-clay earth.

Amalia eyed them cautiously, keeping herself well-spaced from the foul men. Dimitri coped a bad poker face, while Vassili simply grinned broadly.

"We smell like men," he stated with a chortle. "Full of shit!"

Dimitri ignored the terrible joke, instead providing another hand to pull Miles and Kenneth out from the sewer. They changed shortly afterwards, ducking behind barrels out of modesty and pulling on what essentially amounted of old t-shirts and jeans. It was island wear, definiately, despite the prominence of an AC/DC album cover displayed on Vassili's chest. So long as they kept in the shade and their skin remained tawny and dirt-streaked, they should be indistinguishable from the other islanders at distance. The real trick would be getting past checkpoints, which would take some creativity...

[New Isotopia]

OOC: Here are the ships being used, note there is only one Slava Class Cruiser present
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovremenny_class_destroyer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burevestnik_class_frigate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slava_class_cruiser

Southern Western Cardwith Island

Counter Attacks from Isotopian and, more primarily, Cardwithian forces began to drive the enemy back towards the shore. While Isotopian aircraft continued to engage the enemy aircraft above, occasionally a enemy air plane would come down and strafe the soldiers bellow. The Isotopians weren't expecting to hold the enemy at the beaches, therefore Revolutionaries were ordered to dig several layers of trenches and other makeshift defenses.

Central Nessleberg

The Isotopian Echo Force members followed their UFF brethren through the jungle, towards their future objective, whether it be a enemy troop concentration or a supply line, they were ready to do what they did best, kill the enemy. Riordian listened to Lieutenant Jeremiah Jorgazu, he felt a much greater sense of responsibility on this op, especially after he was told their actions would help their comrades on the Cardwith Isles.

"Well we should get into the game ASAP. Our actions could save lives on the other islands."

New Isotopia
Watsonville Naval Base

Since being called up days before, the New Isotopian 19th Motorized Rifle Regiment, a component of the 30th Motorized Rifles Division had begun to mobilize for immediate deployment to the Cardwiths. At sister ports similar mobilizations were being carried out for the 19th's sister regiments.

Soldiers donned in their fur caps boarded their ships under the late night sky. The Isotopian task force, made of the 30th Motorized Rifles Regiment, more naval/air assets, and, perhaps most importantly, more ammunition for the SAM, AA, and various other weapon systems.

The task force began to leave their ports across the coast of New Isotopia.

Nevoron
Chastille

Like a typical day at Nevoron, it was raining. Men walked around in their ponchos, trucks and various military vehicles drove through the muddy roads, and many at the base to stay in their barrack's. Spirits and morale were high with the knowledge that the Cardwith's were under siege, for many it was, at this point, time to sit back and watch the fire works while the rebels and their allies were slaughtered. But there was also a sense of distrust and suspicion in the KHS, the Huntijian secret Police Agency, who were located all around them.

Two new recruits,from the slums of East Chastille, Saunder Terekgu and Johnson Rakatra had just arrived at their Company's barracks, C Company of the 5th RHA Regiment. The two men were Fillipino, were around 20 years of age, around 5'7, and fairly lean. As the men entered the barracks KHS men eyed them suspiciously for a few moments and then returned to normal. No one had even the slightest suspicion that the two men were NIIA (New Isotopian Intelligence Agency) deep cover agents.

The Naval Defense of Fort Mason

The Isotopian naval forces continued to slug it out with the Edomite enemy. Every minute a new barrage of cruise or anti ship missiles were exchanged by the two navy's. Two ships on the Isotopian side had already been hit, but the battle continued.

[New Edom]

The Palace War Room

General Unwerth had, due to having to move out a fair number of his staff to conduct the war directly (which was what he said anyway) had brought a number of female personnel into the palace area directed towards planning and operations. He had also requested a special meeting of the staff to hear reports from the attacks. At this point it was still very much early days, but the operation had begun, at any rate, and he clapped General Hespatu on the shoulder. "So far, so good," he said, "But I have a concern. A problem. Who ordered the bombing of civilian targets in the Cardwiths? I'd just like that little matter cleared up."

[McNernia]

SOUTHERN WEST CAIRDWIATH
Mcnernian Special Forces

The New Isotopians had been driven back. Thomas was grim, Foxtrot Squadron was not finished but by God they had taken a beating. Many were dead and more were wounded. The Rangers had suffered as well. Many a medal would be awarded to these brave servants of the crown. The order came through to withdraw. "Sir we got them falling back."

"Commander your men are fucked up, get out of there."

"Sir, we have the Commies on the run. And we cant leave the Hutanjians."

"Tell them to get out and save yoruselves."

Thomas nodded and tuned into the Hutanjian radio "Major get your boys back, I am pulling my men out." he switched the frequency to the men under his command. "Break contact and lets move out ,we gave them a bloody nose and now we may be needed elsewhere."
All down the line the men of the Special Forces broke contact. The vehicles would be loaded into the landing craft that had arrived. The MRS Province had landing craft. 35 Commando had been assigned to garrision Nessellburg and so there were a few landing craft that had been detailed.

The men withdrew, teams laid down fire as they withdrew to the beach. The drill was well rehersed, the vehicles withdrew first. Heavy weapons toted by foot soliders covered the retreat. The Rangers it seemed would stay. The wounded and the exhausted had been moved off first, next was the vehicles. The evacuation was a good drilled thing.


Torusogu
North Cairdwaith

The city would have to fall. Two companies of Marines and a battalion of the Havenians were detailed to deal with the city. There were tanks and engineers that were also detailed. The force had assembled on the city outskirts. The howitzers and the various forces were drawn up. The Prince looked at the port city. The Navy began to shell the city many missles and shells were sent into what ever was in the harbor as well as the city itself. Communications and fortifactaions were given the priority.

The guns roared the hate of the Crown on the enemy. The tanks rolled towards the city, they covered the mine clearance vehicles wich led the assault onto the city outskrits. IFVs covered units of infantry as they advanced. The DSRCDF was a force of soliders not insurgents, that was evidenced, of course the insurgent would fight if the home was threatened.

Prince Emett stood next to his command vehcile. At the insistiance of his command staff he was not in the hatch of a tank on the front lines. He sat in his command APC looking over the reports.

"Good job Major ,keep up the bombardment."

"video conference for you General."

"Ahh, Ill take it." The link was established . Emett wore faituges and had a grin plastered on his face. "I have them, Torusogu will fall. You have my word General." he listened for a little while. "The Navy has not bombed civilians intentionally. The AEWC aircraft have noted RHAF aircraft doing the the bombing." he pressed a button transmitting the relevant records.

[Hutanjia]

PALACE WAR ROOM

"All is well?..." Hespatu sighed, " Anyway, General, I take full responsibility for the civilian bombings." He looked around briefly and cautiously, "again, I took responsibility, for I don't want to resign in this crucial time when I'm needed most, but...I was overruled by the King himself. Had it come from Vobatu or Atave, I would've told them to go diddle themselves, but...the top, the very...royal top.
So, anyway, it's done. The only positive to take from it is the refugee jam and overload of civilian casualties is taxing the defenders' logistics. I fear the fallout though, even if we secure West Cardwith, those people, who were once our people, will never respect or follow us again. I fear our pursuit of ruthless victory may have cost us more than we can count right now." Hespatu shifted in his chair, massaging his temple as he watched Lt. Colonel Galien enter the War Room.

"The good news is that we've made headway on Blue and Green beaches, and I think Purple, as well. The only beach, the hardest beach, is Orange, where your Lancers and Light infantry are. We knew it would be some tough resistance, but...well, here's my thought. If we loop around and surround Fort Mason, what have we lost by not hitting it head on. If it was us, we would've turned that Fort into a termite den by now. They've had a year at least. There's only so long we can ignore it, but I think it would be prudent now, to not waste more lives on it. The naval engagement going on, I cannot begin to comment as that looks as it could go either way.
The south of the island is another story.
My question for you, General Unwerth, is who gave the order to pull out from the Ranger Beach?"

THE RANGER BEACH
EAST OF DERNIERVILLE

The Mcnernian Rangers and Commandos were pulling out. It may be for the best, but it was hard for the Hutanjians to not feel abandonment. The 3rd RAR had the duty of rear guard fall to them. They fought off the counterattacks and withstood the air attacks from Isotopian bombers. The AA missiles were running low, and few had found their mark. They hoped for more air cover from the Illusions and the other Royalist fighters, but as things wound down, the sorties were diverted north, to the main action. The defenders closed in, as more boats and VTOLs were loaded up. Not all would make it out, and the possibility of surrender was uncertain.

Rockets and shells continued to impact on the beaches. They'd been whiter on landing, now they seemd to have a reddish hue. Bodies that couldn't be reached continued to take more shrapnel. More rounds churned up the same bodies and parts. Fewer soldiers manned the temporary AA sites and launchers, with little ammo left. Combined with less troops to suppress the enemy AA, the helicopters and VTOLs couldn't risk many more runs in. Soon, three platoons were left, scattered among what cover they could find. They hung onto a few yards. A Captain Seyatga was the highest ranking officer left on the beach. Trusting in the higher call of human decency, he prayed for the best. Captain Seaytga gave the order for the men to lay down their arms. The battle for Rangers' Beach was over.

PURPLE BEACH

3rd Brigade of the 35th RHA took the vanguard of the attack onto Torusogu, leading the joint forces onto the heavy defenses. They leapfrogged and crept closer, taking advantage of the most recent Royalist naval shelling and bomber diving raids. Still their casualties mounted as the dug in Falsean and Cardwithian defenders poured on lead along sighted lanes of fire. Mortars tore into them from pre-bracketed positions. They drove on, for honor and the Regiment.

The rest of the 35th, along with some of the companies from the 8th Royal Marines drove south, through less resistance. Mcnernian tanks and RHA BMPs supported the push. They were able to clear much of the southern sector until they ran up against sturdy positions outside Abamete.

GREEN BEACH

Hearing of enemy armor, 2 companies of the 29th Armored split off, supported by Saracens, BMPs and ZSU AA Tanks from the 41st Mechanized, they headed for Northeastern Palegata to be part of a double punch to take out the Cardwithian armor. The other punch was provided by combined Gazelles, Kiowas and Hinds of the RHAF.

BLUE BEACH

Scattered units of the 14th RHA, supported by armor from the 19th RHA Armored supported the Uli mercenaries in Anjoux. Wherever they could squeeze a T-84 in through the rubble, they followed, clearing block by block of the Cardwithian holdouts. Four tanks were lost, ambushed from upper floors by RPGs, LAWs and even molotovs as they got stuck in the debris clogged streets. Like the jungles of Nesselberg, the house to house fighting turned to bloody machete to machete combat between the RHA and DSR infantry.

Uli Lambda companies rampaging in FAV convoys cut off support from the north of the city, driving trucks and DSR vehicles east to be stuck in among the refugee morass along the main road south. RHAF attackers weren't particular about avoiding civilian collateral casualties as they picked off the stuck DSR and Isotopian vehicles. The refugees abandon the road and ran through the fields south and east, away from certain death.

Meanwhile, the 16th RHA, with half the Uli Companies, and with more 19th Armored T-84s spearheading, punched through east, following the river until they found crossings. They would help to close pincers on the rebel reinforcements chasing towards Orange Beach.