Semper Victorium [Open, MT, IC]

[Repulaea]

West Keymoan Sea

In conjunction with the Mallaskan forces, Repulaean naval units began to unleash their finishing barrages on the crippled Keymoan navy. The Keymoan aircraft foolish enough to advance upon the Repulaean fleet were soon assaulted by destroyer pickets from below, sending forth a torrent of 40mm anti-aircraft fire from their radar controlled RCAA-50 cannons. Seawalh interceptors were quickly dispatched to blunt this final hoorah by the Keymoan forces. Still, this assault came at a high price. Despite all efforts to save her, the damaged C.R.S. Royal Haze (FGA-949) finally lost to a flurry of Keymoan missiles. An additional four ships suffered damage before the Repulaean interceptors could engage the Keymoan strike group. From that point on, they had little hope of escaping, being outnumbered and outgunned from all angles. But the damage had been done. The cruisers C.R.S. Aura (NCV-2898) and C.R.S. Predum (NCV-995), the frigate C.R.S. Electra (FGA-2707) and the destroyer C.R.S. Prince Rubert (DRD-2995) were all damaged. Predum would be the first vessel of her class to receive her second battle star.

The shaken Repulaean navy had little time to recover. While the enemy air forces tangled with the fighters above, Repulaean fighter bombers streamed across the skies to deliver their payloads upon the weakened enemy fleet. The Keymoan fleet had reached its twilight. Together with a hail of surface-to -surface missiles, the Repulaean fighter wings proceeded to strike the embattled Keymoan fleet with everything they had.

The heavy losses suffered by the Coalition forces in the blackened seas off Keymoa would not in vain. The way was soon to be open for the invasion of Keymoa itself. Codenamed Operation: Archipelago, the invasion would likely be the largest and costliest military action of the Gavran War. COSPN and Camran forces were poised to hit the beaches of Keymoa once Coalition command finalized the plans. There was not a moment to loose.


Markoh, Mira Island
4th Battalion HQ, 120th RCR

"Jesus Christ! Ron?"

"That's 1st Sergeant Ron Mattius, to you, Allan."

"Shut the fuck up, you jerk."

The two soldiers embraced, Ron giving his old friend Allan Dreer a hard pat on the back.

Ron's return to the war zone was ironically a welcome relief from the past three months of comparable tedium. Since he returned to Repulaea in late March, Ron had received his Catican Legion in an official ceremony at the Royal Palace in Norslem, attended luncheons with the President and participated in many other functions involving celebrities, politicians and numerous other "somebodies," an exclusive club to which he now apparently belonged. Subsequently, the Army extended his one-week liberty to nearly a month and allowed him to be honorably discharged early. He refused, however, and instead volunteered for redeployment. In the meantime, he spent his time training new recruits, mostly draftees, at Fort New Constance in Chorodia. Before shipping out, he visited his family in Kisley Landing one last time. He also turned down the Army's official acceptance of his battlefield commission to second lieutenant, stating that he preferred to be among the men in his own company upon redeployment. His admirable self-demotion found him as company 1st sergeant of Sierra company, now a battle-hardened troupe of "old salts" and new "greens" that desperately needed some more experienced leadership.

Upon returning to Markoh, he found the island substantially changed since he first landed on it late last year. Much of the damage had been repaired by the people and the whole island was abuzz with Coalition activity. He found 4th battalion's HQ and quickly got situated with his old company who were glad to welcome him back. As company first sergeant, he acted as the men's liaison to the officers, especially Captain Drake Laur, S company's new unpopular CO. Laur was cold, distant and raw. Straight out of combat command school in Ancot, he had never been in action. Ron now knew he would have a tough job working in conjunction with this new CO and a battle-tested company itching for their next fight. And, by the massive buildup of 85,000 invasion troops on Mira, that fight was evidently not far away. Ron now prepared himself to receive his third landing pin on his Gavran Theater combat patch.

[Mallaska]

(OOC: I will no longer be named with the "Camran" side, due to my leaving the region alongside Grenfield, who is soon to join in the RP. I suppose just another name for me and Grenfield.)

Mallaskan Combined Fleet

The battle for the West Keymoan Sea was coming to a close, with heavy losses on either side. The remnants of the hostile 1st Fleet, within visual range of the Mallaskan fleet, were still a threat to the landing force. It was realized that, like the East Gavrans, the Keymoans would fight to the death. The Federal Navy, strong with guns bristling from every ship, were happy to accept the challenge. Orders from Fleet Admiral Jason Owens were simple: eliminate the remaining Keymoan fleet so it could not be a threat to the Coalition. The operation to finish up the operation was called Operation Loose Ends, fitting to the task of the full deletion of enemy competition.

The Mallaskan Fleet began a simple strtegy of brute-force to carry out Operation Loose Ends, advancing the large Mallaskan contingent guns-blazing at the tattered remains of the Keymoan fleet. The order was given at precisely dawn of the battle's fourth day. As the sun rose over the horizon, the Mallaskan Combined Fleet opened up with its heaviest guns and advanced towards the remaing ships of the still sizeable 1st Fleet, which in turn returned fire. The Mallaskans, were however, masters of the deck gun. Commanders made sure that ships with the largest guns were up front, a spearhead for the assault. The rest of the Combined Fleet, by order of biggest gun, then filed into an upside-down V-shaped formation. Ships such as the fleet carriers, logistical vessels, and other important vessels were placed inside the "V". The guns of the ships threw massive shells into the air and into the ocean and at enemy ships. The Mallaskan Navy had the advantage of superior firepower, something that would prove fatal to the Keymoan fleet.

1st Lieutenant Lawrence Timber
1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment, 1st Marine Division
Carruthis Naval Base, Mira Island

For the first time in months, the venerable 1st Marine Division had a rest. Staff Sergeant Lawrence Timber, along with the rest of the division, was preparing for its rotation home to Mallaska. The battered, but strong 1st Marine Division had received more decorations so far in the Gavran War than any other unit in Mallaska, and being only one of six Mallaskan units to ever receive the President's Remark Ribbon, showing how much their efforts were acknowledged by the Mallaskan leadership and populace, which was issued after the storming of the East Gavran Capitol. Timber himself raised the Mallaskan banner over Kemmonabative, and was acknowledged as a war hero in Mallaska.

It also, sadly, bore the most casualties in the Mallaskan Armed Forces. Of all Mallaskan casuaties, roughly 1/5 were of the 1st Marine Division. The 1st Division's rotation, was however, not permanent. The 1st Division was only to be home for a single month, mainly to regain its forces and receive new equipment. Their experience was required for the campaign against Keymoa. In the 1st Division's place was the 3rd Maruine Division, which had seen action since the landing at Port Utoria, but had sustained minimal casualties as it remained the occupational force of East Gavra until the Mallaskan Fleet prepared to leave for Keymoa, thus prompting commanders to induct this fresh unit into the war fully.

Staff Sergeant Timber himself was given several awards for his actions overseas, as well as many men in his company. Sergeant Timber was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, followed by receiving the Distinguished Gold Medal of Service, the highest honor a man can be given in Mallaskan service and a Marine Officer's Sword, and even an Officer's Revolver, a Smith and Wesson M1917 Service Revolver, given as a ceremonial piece to every Mallaskan military officer. He was now the highest-decorated Mallaskan serviceman of the conflict, and his platoon, which he now had command over, the most decorated in the 1st Division.

He was eager to return to his home in Sandley, Mallaska to his 2-month pregnant girlfriend Caitlin Wolf. Upon returning home to his woman, he proposed to marry her, and she accepted. He was now not as willing for his second tour of duty overseas, as if he were to fall he would leave his unborn child and wife-to-be alone. He, however, understood his role in providing experience to the new additions to the 1st Marine Division, which would be vital for the survival of himself and the campaign against Keymoa.

[Repulaea]

Just doing a little character development here, don't mind me!

Markoh, Mira Island

It was a warm day and the streets were bustling for the first time since before the war. Locals who were once told many evils about the Coalition forces by East Gavran propagandists were now overjoyed to be liberated and free. They were warm and welcoming as the plethora of soldiers passed them by on the streets. Ron was never so delighted to be in a war zone.

Ron strolled down the street with his belongings in hand after being officially designated as S company's 1st sergeant by the battalion staff. Along the way, he made several inquiries about the whereabouts of his company headquarters until he was finally directed to a small apartment complex marked "S/4/120" above the door in big block letters. He entered and removed his helmet. There where two young soldiers, replacements likely, on a couch playing on a video game console in the far room. At a desk was a lone clerk, not from the company, who was probably assigned by battalion as its logistical liaison to the company. Ron approached the desk and slightly startled the busy boy with his sudden entry.

"This is S company CP, right private?" he asked.

"Yes, sergeant." said the nervous clerk. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for," he drew a small paper slip from his pocket and read a name, "Captain Laur."

"Take a seat over there next to the door, sergeant. He'll be in shortly."

"Thanks." Ron sat down on a small chair by the door to the interior of the apparently hastily established CP. Uncomfortably shifting in his seat, he then asked, "So who's Laur? Our new CO?"

"Yeah, he just transferred from Camp Elbion in the colonies." said the clerk shuffling a thick stack of papers.

"Elbion? That's a jump school. Why was he there?"

The clerk looked nervous. "Well don't tell anyone I said this. I mean it's just a rumor but I heard..."

"Who are you?"

A voice came from the door next to which Ron sat. He sprang up and the clerk's face shot away from the door, making himself busy once more.

"I'm First Sergeant Mattius, sir. Just reassigned to S."

"Oh yeah." said the tall, gaunt man chewing on a piece of gum. He quickly swiped Mattius' papers from his hand and read aloud. "Mattius, Ronald Albert. First Sergeant. Serial number: 9019545. Specified transfer from Camp New Constance to GTO. Company S, 4th Battalion, 120th Royal Combat Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division." He then looked at Mattius, scanning for something unknown. "You're the hero, huh?"

"No, sir." said Mattius. "No hero. Just your first sergeant."

"Good answer," grunted the officer. "I'm Captain Drake Laur, CO. I'll take your papers, go on upstairs and get situated with the other NCOs." He then coldly walked off outside the building and down the street to only God knew where.

Mattius made his way through the door. Before he started upstairs, he suddenly stopped and turned back to the young clerk startling him again.

"Hey so what were you saying before? About the Captain?"

"No, no. It was just a rumor."

"Come on, private." Ron said, giving the kid a nudge.

"Hey, just tell the sergeant!" exclaimed a voice from the other room, likely coming from one of the video game-playing replacements.

"Well it's just that," continued the clerk, "I heard he was training at Camp Elbion with the 178th airborne division. He would have been a paratrooper."

"Well what happened?" asked Ron, pressing harder now.

"I heard...I heard he flunked. Some say on purpose because he didn't want to have to deploy to GTO and the 178th was slated for deployment. But he isn't happy because they gave him a combat command anyways. I mean with the troop surge and all...he picked a bad time to want to ditch."


After a couple hours of settling in and many afternoon drills, the men prepared their best uniforms for a night on the town. It would likely be their last real leave time before the big push into Keymoa so the men planned to make the most of it. A lot of the same old salts were still around and Ron was glad to see them. Corporal Allan Dreer and now Staff Sergeant Josh "Cal" Caluin were his two closest friends and both were unhurt after the East Gavran Campaign. First Lieutenant Paul Brice had returned from the hospital and a brief leave back home to reassume his former position as 2nd platoon's commanding officer. The men were delighted to see him back after being wounded by a grenade in November during the Mira Campaign. Ron also recognized Private David "Randy" Randal who was demoted from Lance Corporal for breaking into a liquor store in Callista during leave. Since then, he was affectionately known to all as "Vandal." There was Second Lieutenant Danny "Scar" Lecorus and Sergeant Alex "Kessy" Cross and Lance Corporal Roger "Helix" Deeter and Corporal Scott "Axe" Gemerius. Then there was the beloved Sergeant Ricky "Doc" Adrian. Doc Adrian was a favorite of the company from the onset of the conflict. Transferred from H company after the landings on Mira, he was with the company ever since and was loved for his compassion and devotion to duty. A quiet and serious but loving young man of 20, he would not hesitate in doing his best for his friends. Still, something was different about him after he couldn't save 2nd platoon's Lieutenant John Pettin in East Gavra. He was even more quiet somehow. It was disquieting.

Then there were the greens. Some of these new faces looked eager to take on the might of the Keymoan army all by themselves while others, draftees some of them, would have rather taken a posting on Mars to a combat deployment. Private Eddy Eckmus was one such rookie. A draftee from his hometown in Cosmin, Telemy, he was a shy kid with a bright mind. Ron was honestly hoping that he would make it, though he would never say so aloud. Old salts were not supposed to be too nice to the greens. Other draftees included Privates Harold Asumus, Dennis Cultring and Roddy "Eater" Dilimus, so named for his famously rapacious appetite. Corporal Dack Wilde and Sergeant Marcus "Tenny" Cluss were also newcomers but both were combat veterans of East Gavra and Mira transferred from the 14th infantry division. They commanded more respect than fresh-faced greens like Private Max "Thinker" Tesmus and Corporal Denny Makrin.

Lastly, there was Captain Drake Laur, a cold, distant CO who replaced the beloved Captain Lius Airus, S company's former CO who lost a leg to East Gavran guerrillas in the last days of the campaign. He survived but left behind a company in the wrong hands. Laur was known for making mistakes on drills and combat training actions. He got more than his fair share of Repulaean soldiers "killed" during wargame exercises and had never seen combat before. He was shaky and unpredictable in the field and he was famously cold, only speaking to his soldiers when he needed to or when punishment was in order for some minor infraction (with the exception of "Vandal" Randal). Many in S company, including the old salts like Ron, knew that Laur was going to be trouble. Only time would tell how much trouble.

All in all, Sierra company was comprised of 177 men including 33 NCOs and 12 officers. Nearly a quarter of its strength were replacements with the exception of a few transfers. As the men bolted out the company CP door into the nightlife of downtown Markoh, Ron took a brief moment to think about these new and old faces, wondering how many he would see when the campaign in Keymoa was over. But then he wrenched himself away from such thoughts. This was his last leave before combat started again. He had to make the most of it.

[Keymoa]

1st Fleet

The battle in the West Keymoan Sea had proved to be a losing fight for Keymoa. The 1st Fleet had sustained a loss of half of its ships, and the same fate for the 2nd Fleet. The final nail in the coffin was the barrage of deck gun fire within visual range. This sudden brutal attack wiped out several ships, and damaged others. It was clear that, to maintain a sliver of the Keymoan National Navy, the remainder of the 1st and 2nd Fleets had to escape to international protected waters.

The fleet began a manuever about twenty minutes after the Mallaskan ships began their brutal barrage near point-blank. With the heavy losses sustained and enemy ships enclosing around them, the Keymoan Navy made a mad dash away from the fray, full steam ahead. Several ships were caught by long-ranged guns and cruise missiles from various enemy ships. The 2nd Fleet managed to escape slightly better off than the 1st Fleet, as the enemy had taken less consideration of the 2nd Fleet after its early losses. The fleets still retained nearly all of their submarines, which were used only sparingly in the battle. The submarines were considered a priority, as they were the few still-effective means to harass enemy ships.

The aerial war above was still raging, as waves after waves of Keymoan fighters came and left the battle in the sky. The tactic was to exhaust the enemy air contingent, weakening them from further operations before they could be replenished.

Keymoan Mainland

After news of the defeat in the Battle of the West Keymoan Sea, it became common-knowledge that an enemy amphibious landing would take place somewhere in Keymoa. Commanders took the lessons learned that cost East Gavra their hold in the war, and instead of World War 2-esque bunkers and skimpy air defenses. Instead, the commanders took advantage of Keymoa's steep, rocky coasts to build massive complexes into the sides of cliffs overlooking many of the long sandy beaches. These emplacements were large and interconnecting, with several levels and armed to the teeth with everything from machineguns, to sniper firing ports, to anti-tank weapons, and even anti-aircraft systems for destroying helicopters and other aircraft attempting to strafe the emplacements. Anti-ship guns within the cliffs would be key in contesting enemy vessels, even without a naval fleet in action to do the task. The vast array of machineguns in the cliffs were arranged for the capability to spray open-topped landing craft with a hail of bullets. To combat armored vehicles, anti-tank guns were mounted to combat this threat. These cliffs, though not fool-proof, were formidable defenses against the tactics used on Mira and East Gavra. The beaches themselves were laden with landmines, tank traps, anti-landing craft spikes and other obstacles.

Above these defenses were diversion bunkers. Unmanned, meant to draw enemy airstrikes. Entry points for the defensive emplacements on the cliffs were often deposited in secret locations in cellars of buildings, warehouses, and other areas. These areas were patrolled heavily by Counter-Espionage Service agents in plain clothes, appearing to be workers at the buildings of entry points. Defense against bombers and other aircraft were also tucked away. SAM launchers, as well as radar systems, were hidden atop buildings in order to deter enemy bombers and fighters. To put the cherry on top, the Keymoan National Army had been prepared to combat enemy operations to knock out these defenses. Brigades of troops and theit vehicles were stationed in order to converge upon enemy paratrooper units and helicopters meant to land behind the lines.

(My coastline, though with cliffs, think of them a bit like Omaha Beach for reference.)

[Repulaea]

West Keymoan Sea

The hasty retreat of the Keymoan naval forces marked the end of the Battle of the West Keymoan Sea. After some subsequent scraps with the enemy fighters that were foolish enough to linger after the battle, all aircraft returned to their carriers. The price of the victory was shocking. Two Leviathan Crown class frigates, C.R.S. Dachly (FGA-992) and C.R.S. Royal Haze (FGA-949) were lost to the depths. Five other ships, C.R.S. Fury (NCV-7823), C.R.S. Aura (NCV-2898), C.R.S. Predum (NCV-995), C.R.S. Electra (FGA-2707), and C.R.S. Prince Rubert (DRD-2995), suffered damage. An additional 22 aircraft had been lost with twice as many damaged. Six Euneian aircraft were also lost with their pilots. Overall, 294 Repulaean servicemen and servicewomen were killed with about 500 wounded. It had been a startling toll.

The enemy slipped away to international waters and the Coalition navy had no immediate intentions to follow them. Their focus was on the impending invasion of Keymoa. The COSPN fleets established an airtight perimeter around the Keymoan coastal areas. No longer would the Keymoan navy be of any serious threat. Missile attacks and sorties were now being launched daily against the Keymoan coastal areas while the air forces' strategic campaign over the rest of the country picked up immensely. All across the Gavran Theater of Operations, Repulaean aircraft were being remarked in Summer colors and refitted with new planes including the NF-135B Pinnacle fighter. The latest model to enter service, the B had the technological edges to match and beat the vaunted Keymoan LY909A's in combat.

The time for the invasion was drawing ever closer. Both sides now geared for the final, bloody campaign of the Gavran War.


Markoh, Mira Island
0700 Hours

The Sierra men were seated at the far south corner of a large auditorium appropriated by Repulaean commanders for invasion preparation. Today, the whole of the 120th regiment was in attendance. Many were hung over after the previous night's debaucheries. Nonetheless, they were told to pay strict attention to Colonel Joshua H. Maraktin, the regimental CO. The conglomeration of well over 1,200 men were clumped together in the hot, stuffy auditorium for nearly an hour before the CO arrived with his staff. He stepped up on stage, the men snapping to sudden attention. He greeted his regiment and they returned the greeting as one. He then ordered them to return as they were and the room quieted and darkened with the dimming of the lights. A projector blasted a large, bright map of the Keymoan coastline on a huge screen that was erected behind the Colonel. Above the map read Archipelago.

"Operation: Archipelago," the Colonel began in a loud, firm voice. "is to be the single largest military action of the war. Yes, even larger than East Gavra. As you can see, we'll be landing on the northwestern coast of Keymoa on a date and at a time to be specified. Our goal is to put 85,000 Repulaean men ashore after the first day and 100,000 men after two days. Our landing sector is on the far right flank closest to the East Gavran border. It will be divided into three beachheads. Running from west to east they are codenamed 'Leonad,' 'Estia' and 'Remond,' named of course for the monarchs. The next three beachheads will be secured entirely by other COSPN ground forces. The Silvioni are to our left flank followed by the Euneians and Serans. At the far left flank of the Coalition line will be the Mallaskan forces and their allies. Lucky for you men, however, you need only worry about Leonad Beach because that's where the 120th will land. Gentlemen, we will be the extreme right of the entire Coalition line.

"On D-Day, while the Coalition is landing infantry on the beaches, three other elements of the invasion will be occurring simultaneously. Firstly, the air forces from East Gavra and our carriers will be pounding enemy fortifications and supply areas with heavy strikes in preparation for the landings. Secondly, airborne forces from the 178th, 127th and 79th airborne divisions will be landing behind Leonad, Estia and Remond Beaches respectively to secure roads and bridges and to disable hostile emplacements. Special forces troops, mostly from the Pathfinder Corps, will also be attached to the 178th. Thirdly, as soon as we land, the XIII Corps will deploy across the East Gavran/Keymoan border with two armored divisions, the 2nd and 3rd, at its head. It will lead a force of 50,000 Repulaeans into Keymoa by land while the rest of us make our entry by sea or by air. Overall, 200,000 troops will be entering Keymoa in the northwestern sectors and that's just COSPN.

"IX Corps' objective, after securing the beachhead, will be to push inland and link up with the 2nd armored division and the 178th airborne. From there, we secure the town of Cassatev, a major supply junction, and the surrounding marshland. II and III Corps will link up and take the town of Elikos. From that point on, the Repulaean army is pushing into Keymoa in earnest.

"Gentlemen, we expect to take the beach. We will take it. We know it and so do they. The question is how long and how many lives will it take? Troops, understand that this is different from the other landings we've faced. Most Keymoan fortifications are built into the cliffs and rocky heights that dominate their northern coast. We'll be pounding them with strikes but there's only so much munitions can to against Mother Earth. They'll likely have to be cleared out one at a time. The beaches are small and the cliffs are large. Airstrikes will be carving out paths through the hills so that your approach will be easier but it's going to be a rougher landing than the others. Finally, do not forget the enemy. Keymoan troops have a reputation for being fanatical and skilled, especially in the defense of their homeland which we are invading. This will be a tough fight, guys. Not many of them are likely to surrender this time. Are there any questions?"

And so a plethora of questions barraged the ears of Colonel Maraktin and his command staff for the next half hour or so while men anxiously pressed their CO for details that he could not always provide. The 120th strode out of the room knowing well that many might not come back from this campaign alive. Walking out, they spied the 122nd regiment entering the building on the far side. They were likely to hear the same speech from their CO who was likely just as reluctant as Maraktin to put his men into such terrible combat conditions. The men of S company now double-timed to the beach where their gear was already assembled. They had two scheduled practice landings on the East Gavran coast for the week, their first being that afternoon. They would then be shipped back to Mira in preparation for the final invasion. At that point, they would likely be leaving peace and civilization for the last time.

[Mallaska]

Staff Sergeant Collin M. James
3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, G Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 1st Brigade, 3rd Marine Division
FNV Liberty, Mallaskan Combined Fleet, West Keymoan Sea

The Battle of the West Keymoan Sea at a close, the Combined Fleet now positioned itself to perform the largest Mallaskan landing operation in history. The entire 3rd Marine Division, as well as the 1st Army Division and the 2nd Naval Expeditionary Brigade and various support elements were to land in full force onto the imposing Keymoan coast. Intelligence operations into Keymoa found that the location of the Keymoan coast in which Mallaskan forces would be landing would be some of the most heavily defended, with the cliffsides themselves having gun after gun jutting out to strike down opposing forces.

The landing at Keymoa was the debout of the 3rd Marine Division into the conflict. The only previous combat experience among the 3rd Division was from a small native uprising in the Reigert colony, and several humitarian aid operations into areas of East Gavra like Mira Island during its siege. The 3rd Division, was however, fresh and still well-trained to face the Keymoan foe. The men of the 3rd Division were rallied to live up to the legacy of the vaunted 1st Marine Division which had bravely conducted much of Mallaska's frontline fighting in East Gavra, now recovering from the 6-month long battle for the country. Staff Sergeant Collin James, like much of the 3rd Division, was a somewhat-green soldier, eager to fulfill his duty.

The cramped quarters of the FNV Liberty, a Kazatlan-class amphibious assault ship was overflowing with the full 1st Battalion of the 3rd Marine Division. The 768 men of the 1st Battalion were comfortably placed on the underfilled FNV Liberty, lucky enough not to have to live like sardines on the fleet's various LPDs. On the flight deck of the Liberty, each four companies were breifed by their commanders at separate times. As soon as E Company was through with breifing, it was G Company's turn. The 192 Marines of G Company piled onto the flight deck, getting into formation with their respective platoons on the deck. Captain Lewis Owens, commander of G Company, stood at a small raised podium next to Major Harrison Locke, whom was commander of the 1st Battalion. The morale of the 3rd Division was high, they had trained for the day which they took the lead in the war.

Major Locke walked to the podium like a robot, making tight clicks of the heels once he reached the podium. He was known as a textbook commander, and word had it that he was once in the 1st Marine Division, transfered to provide much-needed experience to the 3rd Division. Major Locke was a rather grizzly commander, highly protective of his men.

"G Company, I would like to finalize our landing strategy during this breifing. This will be our first combat operation of the war, and the nation requires that, for victory, we succeed in landing on Keymoa. You are a fresh unit, but do not allow that to fog your judgement. The Keymoans defending this beach are equally powerful, and their beach defenses in particular, are nasty. Do not take this lightly. we won't just be able to walk onto Keymoa like the 1st Division did in East Gavra. There will be a large amount of casualties, so look around you now, because their won't be this many of you when this is through. Aye?" Major Locke stated.

The company replied with a simple "Yes sir!" in unison.

"Good. Now-" Major Locke started as a projector flashed a map of the Keymoan coast onto a large screen behind Major Locke.

"We will be landing on the furthermost beach in the allied campaign, named Dresden Beach. The 1st Army will be landing on Chane Beach, next to the last COSPN beach, and the 2nd Navy Expeditionary the middle beach known as Harris Beach. The Keymoa coastline, in a majority, is cliffs matched with long beaches and low tides. These cliffs, as affirmed by intel, are packed with enemy defensive posts. They are going to make sure as many of you die as possible on that beach. There are, however, ways up these cliffs. On our beach are three 'Slope-Zones' which we will call Slopes A, B, and C simply. These slopes are rockey, but are not steep enough to hinder movement up them. Good for you infantry, there are also lots of rocks jutting out on the slopes to give you cover while advancing. We will focus our efforts on these three areas." Major Locke said, pointing to each slope area on Dresden beach.

"There is no doubt that the enemy will be defending these slopes. For this, we have been assigned a rather generous armored element so that you aren't all gunned down. The bread and butter of these will be several LY224 IFVs and LY219 APCs, modified by the Marines for this particular operation. These vehicles will be up-armored to protect against most enemy ordnance, and with bulldozer blades to uproot enemy obstacles. Several have also been modified to clear mines, and these will keep you guys on the Slopes safe. One cmpany each will advance on a slope. Companies E, G, and F will work on securing Slope A. D Company, meanwhile, will be inserted into the battle by helicopter behind the beaches to flank enemy defenders of the slope. They will be inserted via the CH-25 Vasteras heavy-lift helicopter, our newest beast capable of carrying to fully-armed LY4A1 Wolfhound Main Battle Tanks. If your still not sure what a Vasteras is, look behind you for the big fat fucker of a helicopter." Major Locke continued.

After a pause, Major Locke concluded. "Finally, you all will be inserted by LY219 APC, which, by the way, do float. Additional vehicles will be delivered via LCAC, and you will have extensive air-support. MBP-1 Ragnar stealth bombers will be striking enemy targets on the slopes regularly, alongside LY908AMNs and K-JAS-39MN Sea Gripens, and NFX-30s which will provide close-air support to you on the slopes and beach. Our ships will work at striking enemy cliffside defenses with the new SMR-10 Beserker stealth cruise missiles that we operate. These missiles are also making their debout to the war, and they should prove deadly to fixed defenses." Major Locke concluded, dsmissing the company shortly after.

The Mallaskan forces were prepared to land. The landing forces were put at the ready, and MBP-1 Ragnars operating out of Mira began night sorties against enemy vehicle columns and supply depots the night of the breifing. Unknown to the landing forces, the 1st Air Force Paradrop Division was also going to be dropping on Keymoa after last-minute decision by Mallaskan commanders. They would be dropping in large C-3000 'Conquest' strategic lifters, comparable only to the massive An-225. The C-3000s were going to drop the full 1st Paradrop Division behind the beaches to choke out beach defenders and intercept enemy reinforcements to the landing zone. The capabilities of the C-3000 allowed the 1st Paradrop to bring heavier loads to the battlefield. Previously only operating up to M551 Sheridan tanks from C-130s, they now could operate LY7A1 Rottweiler medium tanks, heavily armed tanks not to be judged by their Medium status. The 1st Paradrop combined with other Mallaskan units would be a very formidable landing force. The landing was slated to commence at the moment COSPN begins their landing.

[Repulaea]

West Keymoan Sea
C.R.S. Maxima (AAV-4912)

"That was another example of pure bullshit." said Sergeant Cross.

"Calm the fuck down, Kessy." said Mattius. "We'll be fine, man."

"I'm serious, Ron!" he said climbing into his bunk. "That asshole got half my squad killed and about a quarter of the company along with 'em. This was just an exercise. What's it gonna be like, Ron, when the bullets are real?"

"Captain Laur is just green. He'll get the hang of it. Pay no mind to it. Remember your training. Keep on your squad."

"'Get the hang of it?' Ron, I just got back from the HQ section. S-2 says we land sometime this week. He doesn't have much time to just fucking 'get the hang of it.'"

Mattius didn't know if he believed in his own reassurances but they were the best things that could be said. Nothing more could be done about Laur who performed poorly on both practice landings in East Gavra codenamed Operation: Fox and Operation: Devil. All tactical and operational common sense went out the door with Drake Laur. He got nervous. He got lazy. He frequently went "down the line" to check on other platoons never to be seen again for hours. Most men in the company assumed that he just couldn't handle the pressure of the dummy explosives and blanks. The Keymoan beaches were going to be an even ruder shock to him in that case. If it were not for Sierra's excellent platoon commanders, Mattius would not know how to cope with his CO.

The men of Sierra, and the rest of the IX Corps were situated far off the Keymoan coastline. Distant rumblings of the shore and air bombardments were audible to the anxious men in the ships. The cluttered spaces of Sierra company's Continental class amphibious assault ship were made worse by this intense thumping and pounding as well as the anticipation of the landings themselves. Captain Laur's recent performance on the East Gavran beaches did not help. Mattius considered it such a waste to have the best, most experienced company in the regiment, likely in the whole 3rd infantry division, being led by a raw, disastrous CO who would likely get many of them killed. The men's best hope now was for Laur to get shot on the beach and be done with him.

"He doesn't gotta die." said Corporal Denny Makrin, a replacement. "Just maybe lose a leg or something."

The men did have one thing to celebrate, however. Their Corps just received a new commanding officer. Lieutenant General Brandon Igador, affectionately known as "Iggy" to his men, was a decorated combat veteran of the Seran Regime War in the 1970's and serviced as the chief commander of all Repulaean ground forces during Operation: Caspian Spring in 2011. He was a man noted by a reporter as being "reserved in the officers lounge and ferocious on the battlefield." Igador, the son of poor Silvioni immigrants, worked his way up the army ladder to be one of the most decorated and experienced generals in the modern Repulaean army. He served as chief of staff to the Chief of the Royal Military Board, Fleet Admiral Jerad Calistol, since mid 2011 but attempted to move Heaven and Earth to get a combat command. Two weeks after the fall of Kemmonabative, he got it and finally took command of IX Corps on June 12. He was a particular field commander the vaunted Keymoan army would do well to not underestimate.

Now poised off the Keymoan coastline in a massive task force were nearly 100,000 Repulaean troops and 50,000 other COSPN forces along with many thousands of Mallaskan troops farther to the east. The stage was set for this conflict's final, epic campaign.

After dinner was served, the men received the news of the night from the regimental S-2 and S-3 sections. D-Day for Operation: Archipelago would commence on June 20th. On the night of the 19th, airborne troops from the three airborne divisions being deployed behind enemy lines would take off from their bases in East Gavra and Mira to drop onto the waiting enemy who was surely expecting them. Still, it would be difficult for the Keymoans to stave off three divisions in a sudden night attack. H-Hour on the 20th was 0500, just six hours after the paratroopers land. Therefore, troops were told to enjoy their last full day of peace.

[Keymoa]

Keymoan Northern Coast
Captain Erlav Jutev

Captain Elrav Jutev of the Keymoan National Army's 1st Division had his company of 240 men in formation in front of him in the clearing of one of several small military depots on the Northern Defense. The entirety of the Northern Defensive Line was mobilized following a grim discovery by maritime patrol aircraft, verifying that the enemy was forming up their fleets to land on the northwest end of Keymoa. The Company was filled with well-armed infantrymen with heavy training following East Gavra's defeat. Each infantryman was armed with an LY21 Advanced High-Lethality Assault Rifle (AHLAR), a firearm vastly superior to conventional platforms such as the AKM or M16. The LY21 AHLAR was capable of providing a high volume of fire, coupled with a 60-round box magazine. Its caseless ammunition allowed for such staggering statistics. It was selected during the dawn of the Gavran War in a competition to replace the AK-74M from service, and it never disappointed. The ability of the LY21 allowed squad leaders to rule out LMGs, as the LY21 was fully capable of sustaining an equal amount of fire superiority. This combined with trained 15-man squads would prove a deadly combination to enemy infantry.

Though defenses became operational long before enemy forces had even taken Port Utoria in East Gavra, defense analysts predicted that more divisions than originally projected would be hitting the beaches. To make up for this, the National Army and the rest of the Keymoan military went with a strategy of having large armored divisions in central locations with which to intercept enemy forces as soon as they land. The Western Border with enemy-occupied East Gavra, meanwhile, had one f the largest forces posted near it. Four divisions were spread across defensive lines in the West, and spare divisions in the south and east were linked up to the defensive lines in the north. The Northern Defensive Front now had a total of 10 military divisions, and another 5 behind the lines on standby after a large percentage of forces were transferred to the North. These ten divisions, coupled with effective air defenses and LY908A Warhawks, would prove a deadly match to the enemy. The LY909A Sparrowhawk, being as small as it was, could easily be outclassed by higher-end enemy fighters. The LY908A Warhawk, however, being much more powerful and maintaining much more modern systems, could still easily take on enemy fighters.

The coastal defenses began full cmbat-alert for the coming landing that seemed inevitable. Fighter patrols were tripled in size, airfields with fighters circling 24/7, and constantly mobile units were ensuring Keymoa go unmolested by enemy invasion. The Keymoans, unlike the East Gavrans, were armed with totally modern equipment, and were easily capable of contending the enemy.

[Repulaea]

Over Northwestern Keymoa
D-Day, 1200 Hours

The day had finally come.

Naval and aerial bombardment was at an all time high in the Gavran Theater. Strategic bombers launched gargantuan strike operations all across Keymoa while other squadrons simultaneously struck Central Gavran cities far to the north. For the past 24 hours, ships, submarines and aircraft did not relent in pounding the Keymoan defenses with an unprecedented magnitude of ferocity. A few cliff faces actually crumbled to the surprise of even the Repulaean commanders. The entire Keymoan horizon was lit up in a flurry of lights and sounds as men anxiously watched from offshore, most unable to get any sleep before the invasion. AF-53A Virgo fighters struck shoreline installations low and fast. Armed with precision AAGS-99 missiles fixed with napalm warheads, the Virgos launched their small, deadly projectiles directly into any openings within the enemy fortifications or openings made by previous strikes. The interiors of the targets would leave no one alive after the missiles detonated. In addition, cruise missiles from the fleet assaulted enemy units far behind the lines in preparation for the coming troop deployments. Even 5 inch shore guns from the ships were being used to hammer the Keymoan defenses.

High above the coast were the 178th, 127th and 79th airborne divisions being carried in TS-53 Nordic transports. Escorted by three fighter wings, the airborne troops quickly got over their targets. The cacophony of the midnight skies was amplified to the troops when the rear bay doors of the TS-53s opened. Two red light indicators on either side of the door indicated for the men to stand up and prepare for the jump. When the green light flashed on, the time had come. Three divisions of airborne troops deployed into the chaotic skies almost simultaneously at 1200 hours. Several Nordics went down but overall, the speed and surprise of the attack left the Keymoans little time to do any serious damage before these elite troopers quickly hit the ground. It was Repulaea's first major airborne combat operation of the war and the largest in its history.

The parachutists descended rapidly and hit the ground hard. Most men had landed in or near their designated deployment zones and forces quickly massed at their rally points. Now, as command posts were being created, the first order of business was to establish a firm defensive position to ward off enemy attacks. This had been drilled into the airborne troops time and again over the last few months. They were spot on in their defensive setup. The Repulaean forces knew well that the Keymoans had counterattack units in place to drive back airborne troops in rear sectors. The men were ready for action nonetheless. The Keymoans likely did not expect to face this many men in a single airborne action. About 20,000 strong were now behind enemy lines.

The airborne forces quickly assumed the work of disabling or securing weapons emplacements, supply depots, fuel stores, communications lines, enemy escape routes and vehicles. Their priorities were anything that could directly attack the ground troops who would land on the beaches in a few hours time. Some units even got so close to the beaches that cliff emplacements could be attacked from the rear. There was rough, rapid and unrelenting combat all through the night, the Repulaean airborne troops taking advantage of the fact that their enemies were likely bewildered by the sudden advent of hell on their shores. The Keymoans knew they were coming but could not have known exactly when.

It was the perfect scenario for the airborne men and yet soldiers were still dying. Their enemy, though fewer in number than the East Gavrans, were well trained, well equipped, and very determined. These factors were taken into serious consideration as Repulaea now faced off with her most powerful enemy since Fascist Serany. What made matters worse was that the Keymoans had built up an incredible force in the northwest of the country to brunt the Repulaean landings. Therefore, the toughest resistance of D-Day would be faced by the Repulaean landing force. Though other Coalition forces would likely have an easier time in their landings, Repulaea would bear the largest portion of the Keymoan defenders. In light of this fact, the ships offshore were preparing for a plethora of casualties.

Still, the Repulaean forces never felt stronger or more determined. Finally they were taking the fight to the enemy who drew them into this war. This was enemy who attacked their embassy, killing 24 Repulaean citizens. This was the enemy who oppressed its own people and held Repulaea's allies in terror. This was the enemy who would see the their end begin with these 20,000 airborne boys.


Leonad Beach
D-Day, 0600 Hours

At exactly 0555 hours, a horde of A/RT-267 Penance armored fighting vehicles, an amphibious adaptation of the RT-267 Penance, and other landing craft were deployed across the waters toward the shoreline. With them were platoons of ANT-5 Serpent amphibious tanks for infantry support. At the same time, all COSPN forces deployed along their respective battlefronts. The Mallaskans were surely not far behind. At exactly 0600, all forces would hit the beaches and the XIII Corps would cross the East Gavran border into Keymoa. The invasion had begun in earnest.

Ron was huddled within the cramped spaces of his A/RT-267 attached to 1st platoon under the command of 1st Lieutenant Paul Brice, one of the most experienced and respected of the company's leaders. Several men were getting seasick as they drove through the choppy waves of the Keymoan coast. A terrible mix of noises could be heard from outside as the radio screeched with the cries from other damaged vehicles. Many were already lost to Keymoan shore emplacements before they even reached the beach. Overhead, bombers, gunships and attack helicopters made some final runs on the beach before the friendly units got ashore. It was now 0600.

The A/RT-267 could be felt rolling up on shore just in time. Frighteningly, bullets could be heard pinging off the armor of the vehicle as it rolled up the beach, firing away with its 60mm chain gun the whole time. A young, fresh-faced Denny Makrin looked to Lt. Brice who was praying calmly. He then shot a frightened look to Ron.

"Just remember your training." he said, grasping Makrin's hand. "We'll get through this."

The vehicle shook as a mortar landed next to it nearly halfway up the beach. It slowed to a halt. The internal radio blared as the driver shouted at the men inside.

"Golf Tango Foxtrot Oscar! Ooah, Sierra boys!"

The rear door opened and the men, led by Ron Mattius, swarmed out into the crisp morning daylight to greet a scene of pure hell on Earth. Just like their practice beaches, the shoreline was dominated by steep cliff faces bristling with emplacements. Machine guns, mortars, artillery and antitank missiles rained down upon the beach. Men were shouting, screaming, crying and shooting all in a stifled effort to crawl up the beachhead. It was an indescribable kind of hell that had not been seen on the other two landings. It was a special hell made just for the Repulaean fighting man. He had to take it in stride and advance nonetheless.

Their damaged Penance vehicle turned to the side and made an excellent barrier for the men. It then sat there and hammered away with its chain gun until a Keymoan antitank round did away with it and the three crewmen inside. They had made themselves a target just to protect the men on the beach.

"What do we do, Lieutenant? What do we do?" cried a private crouching in the sand.

"Form the fuck up!" shouted Lt. Brice. Most of the platoon was now behind this destroyed fighting vehicle and a thick sandbar just down the beach. Brice bellowed so they could all hear, though it was still nearly inaudible. "All right guys, here we are! We're gonna push up the beach. Second platoon is supposed to be to our right so we'll link up with them in Delta-Orange sector. Torakin, Sentrof and Dilimus, I want fire superiority on that MG to the west. Suppress that fucker and the rest of us will move up. Mattius, take third squad and envelop right. If you can, get to Captain Laur and find out what the fuck we're doing just sitting here on the beach. You good? Okay, Go!"

And just like that, the platoon, under covering fire, pushed up the beach. Ron Mattius took 3rd squad and flanked right around a thick clump of sand. Beyond that point was open ground, exposed to a large pillbox with several machine guns and some artillery pieces. His goal was to reach a smoldering A/RT-267 up the beach which would provide sufficient cover. Beyond that was likely to be 2nd platoon and Captain Laur.

"Okay, here it is," began Mattius to his squad. "We're gonna scoot and shoot over to that 267 on the far side. Helix, stay back with Cpl. Tespin and suppress these bastards. Then we'll provide fire for you two."

1st Sergeant Mattius grasped his RM-10B assault rifle, the mainstay battle rifle for Repulaean infantrymen, and rushed out across the sands, firing all the way. Behind him, the roar of Cpl. Dave Tespin's RM-130 machine gun was heard tearing into the enemy pillbox.

The squad made it safely to the destroyed vehicle and Mattius promptly sent his friend Cpl. Allan Dreer to reconnoiter Captain Laur's position. Tespin made his way over to the vehicle under Mattius' covering fire, Helix Deeter following behind him. Then suddenly a massive jet of sand shot up into the air where Deeter once stood. He had been unfortunate enough to step on one of the few landmines that survived the pre-landing bombardments.

"Helix!" cried Mattius. "Helix! Shit, we need a medic up here!"

Lance Corporal Deeter lay strewn on the beach with his right leg torn asunder and his left hanging on by a thin strand of charred flesh. He writhed and screamed in the red sand as Cpl. Tespin tried to get to him. It was no use. The enemy's fire was too heavy. Soon, a streak of bullets made a target out of the squirming Deeter and he was killed on the spot. Mattius was in disbelief having seen an old salt who he had known for nearly a year killed.

There was no time to morn, however. Dreer was back with Laur's position found about a quarter mile down the beach. Why he was so far away, no one knew. Mattius picked up his rifle and led 3rd squad down the beach. He did not want to tell Deeter about Helix's death yet. The men found Lt. Danny "Scar" Lecorus, second platoon's commander. His men were spread out along a thin bank that gave some cover but little else. Beyond the bank was certain death.

"I want enfilading fire across the line! Jonus, Kale, gimme some suppression on those motherfuckers now! Cross, get the rest of your squad up onto the bank!"

And so he barked orders to his men left and right as the company formed up in their sector. The whole beach force was now slowly crawling toward the enemy emplacements, knocking a few out when they could. Overall, however, most troops were pinned down about half way up the beach. Fighter jets roared overhead to provide air cover and bombers did their best to soften enemy defenses but many of the largest Keymoan installations remained intact within the cliffs. There was a path made by the bombers up the center of one cliff that would lead to the entrances of two enemy bunkers. It was ripe for the picking if the company could get moving. Mattius had to find Laur.

"Scar! Where's the CO?" asked Mattius to Lt. Lecorus.

"Third platoon, I think!" he answered.

Mattius made his way over to third platoon and came upon a clutter of men huddle around a shell shocked man leaning against an A/RT-267. He moved in closer and that's where he found Captain Drake Laur shivering in terror, unable to speak while men in S company were being killed.

[Mallaska]

Staff Sergeant Collin M. James
3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, G Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 1st Brigade, 3rd Marine Division
FNV Liberty, Mallaskan Combined Fleet, West Keymoan Sea
0610 Hours

The men of G Company had been ordered to prepare for the landing. It was finally the day the 3rd Marine Division would show its worth. News had just came that the rest of the Coalition had begun their landing operations, and Mallaska was to follow up. The ships of the Mallaskan Combined Fleet began to tear at the enemy cliffs with a steady destructive stream of cannonfire and precision cruise missiles. Above the fighting Mallaskan aircraft of all kinds zipped over the Keymoan beaches, some tangled with enemy fighters while others began ruthless strikes against any enemy unit they could spot. The flight deck of the FNV Liberty was busy sending and receiving aircraft, and the deck was filled with the deafening roar of many helicopters which were to ferry D Company behind enemy lines.

The Marines that were landing by sea, however, were stuffed into amphibious conversions of LY219 Ironheart APCs and LY224 Sorcha IFVs. Staff Sergeant James and his squad were stuffed into an LY219 Ironheart APC, armed only with a turret bearing a Mk 19 grenade launcher and an M240B machinegun mounted beside it. The Beretta BM59 battle rifles issued to the Marines certainly did not help the cramped space. Even with the shortened "Marine Rifle" variation with a shortened barrel and side-folding metal stock, the hefty BM59s took up a large amount of space. The BM59MR (Marine Rifle), despite its weight and size, was still loved by the infantry, however. While it lacked in mobility and capacity, it gained in range, power, and accuracy. While only having a third of the magazine capacity of Keymoan LY21 AHLARs, it made up for in its range and power.

Meanwhile, the call came over the radio that all vehicles had been loaded.

"All proceed, 3rd Marine 'Skans step up." The radio stated to the whole of those landing on Dresden Beach.

The amphibious vehicles began to advance towards Dresden Beach, named after President Scott Dresden, asassinated in March of 2013. Out of the hardened plexiglass windows placed around the troop compartment of the LY219, Sgt. James' squad could view the battle in detail as the neared the beach. The LY219 rattled as the myriad of helicopters transporting D Company zoomed overhead, escorted by two NFX-30 VTOL fighter aircraft and several AH-1J Cobras. The new CH-25 Vasteras heavy lift helicopter, designated by Mallaska as the CH-25 Kroak (Named after a Mallaskan lumberjack in legend of great strength), dwarfed even the CH-46 Sea Knights of the contingent, let alone the UH-1 Tiger utility helicopters in the formation.

As Sgt. James' LY219 was halfway towards the beach, all bombardment by ship stopped as the last few cruise missiles struck their targets, and as the LY219s inched further the Keymoans began to answer back with a hail of gunfire and artillery shells slapping the water, appearing like rain at times hitting the water. The LY219 of the 2nd Squad in st Platoon beside Sgt. James' Ironheart APC suddenly burst into flames as it was struck by an artillery gun from the cliffs. All men aboard were killed.

"Shit, Mike was in there." Pvt. Derek Hoosier stated, terrified. He was mentioning Michael Tanner from 2nd Squad, his best friend in the unit.

"You will end up like him if you lose your focus on the task at hand. With or without Mike, we need to secure the beach. I liked Mike, but we couldn't do jackshit." Cpl. Daniel Evans stated calmingly to Pvt. Hoosier.

The LY219 crewman on the turret of the LY219 crept into the cabin of the LY219, his face pale like a ghost. It was noticed that his helmet was missing, and before anyone could ask, he stated:

"They got my damn helmet! Shot it clean off! I can't shoot for shit, they've got hundreds of bullets raining down on us!" He chattered. He was lucky enough to has his helmet unbuckled and slanted atop his head. The bullet penetrated his helmet, but since only a fraction of it was in contact with the gunner's head, it took the helmet instead of the man.

The LY219 finally lurched onto the beach and switched power from propellors to the treads, and the scared crewman finally gathered the courage to once again man the Mk 19/M240B combo when the vehicle was more mobile. Halfway up the beach, the LY219 slowed and its rear ramp started slowly dropping, letting in beams of blinding light. The horrid sounds of war could be heard more clearly as the Marines left the safety of the LY219 Ironheart. Overhead an AH-1J Cobra zipped over the landing Marines and began a strafing run against one of the larger pillboxes in the cliffside with great effect. Meanwhile, Staff Sergeant James rounded up his squad inside a rather large crater created by a shell from the deck battery of one of the Mallaskan battleships.

"All good shitheads?" Sgt. James asjed his squad as they all entered the crater.

"Aye sir. How the hell are we supposed to get across this place? They've got MGs pinning every inch here." Pfc. Vermis asked Sergeant James.

"Listen, we'll form up behind the LY219 assigned to our squad. Remember the train formation from training? We'll do that on my go. Got it?" Sergeant James addressed.

"Aye sir!" The squad replied.

"Alright, good. Three-two-one, MARK!" Staff Sergeant James barked, wasting no time.

He bolted towards 3rd Squad's LY219 Ironheart inching up the beach. The Ironheart APC was laying down an impressive spray of fire to compete against the cliffside defenders. The 3rd Squad made a single-file dash for the Ironheart, with sand kicking up all around them from enemy fire. Most of the squad made it to the LY219, all except for Pvt. Hoosier. As the last three men in the line made their final dash towards the Ironheart, Pvt. Hoosier got struck down by a gunshot to the skull. He was killed immediately and was thrown into the sand like a ragdoll. Halfway up the beach and 3rd Squad had sustained their first casualty.

"Holy shit, Derek! Dereks's down!" Pfc. Vermis yelled in shock.

"Shut the hell up. Train up!" Staff Sergeant James ordered.

Immediately the squad formed up behind the APC, having one man on each back corner of the vehicle aiming the weapon over the corner, and another crouching and moving. The rest of the squad was behind the APC dead-center rifles up to supplement to fire both ways within the relative cover of the APC. Morale dropped when they heard over the radio that a CH-46 Sea Knight of D Company was shot down, with heavy casualties. There was, however, a task at hand to secure Slope A.

Gunfire started picking up as they inched nearer and nearer to Slope A. The squad laid down a volume of fire in response to the enemy, taking advantage of the BM59's superior accuracy and range, aiming for a pillbox that had been giving the 1st Platoon a particular headache. The LY219 sheilding the 3rd Squad caught on and began a barrage of 40mm grenades and 7.62x51mm rounds, to much success. The job was finished by an LY224 Sorcha IFV, which iced the pillbox with a punishing burst of 50mm cannon ammo.

"Alright, it's about time we ask Lt. Shideler what the fuck to do. I need a runner to get to the Lieutenant Shideler's vehicle." Staff Sergeant James stated to the squad.

"But, Collin, Shideler was attached to 2nd Squad, they got iced before they even touched the sand, sir." Cpl. Evans reminded.

"Shit, looks like 1st Platoon is a democracy now." Sgt. James stated.

The 1st Platoon inched forward towards a berm near Slope A, likely made by the Keymoans to stop armored vehicles. The berm provided good cover to the battered Marines and their vehicles. The Marines were able to rest for a breif period of time. Many brewed coffee from their rations with the hot water from some of the vehicles, which had a store of hot water for comfort of the men as standard. This lull allowed the 1st Platoon to elect a new commanding officer to continue on. The sergeants from the three remsining squads came together and, to the surprise of many, elected Staff Sergeant James, now unofficially 2nd Lieutenant James, to lead the Platoon onwards. Each squad sustained a number of casualties, and the story was the same for troops of other companies whome made it to the Berm.

[Repulaea]

Leonad Beach
1400 Hours

All morning fighting raged on Leonad Beach with little change in the condition of the situation. Now, the terror dipped well into the afternoon and many men were wondering if they would even be able to secure the beachhead on the first day. News came from S-2 that the Silvioni had secured their beachhead within a few hours. Theirs was the most lightly defended sector. However, all the Coalition outfits were still facing a punishing assault against the enemy troops.

At Delta-Orange sector on Leonad Beach, Lt. Paul Brice had just assumed command of the company; Captain Laur was relieved on the spot and taken to a makeshift triage station behind some rubble farther down the beach. That put 1st Sergeant Ron Mattius in temporary command of 1st platoon. He had a plan to change the dynamic of the fighting in Delta-Orange sector. With sand kicking up all around him, Mattius gathered the platoon together in an impact crater that provided perfect defilade form incoming fire.

"Okay, here's the plan guys," he shouted, his voice cracking with the strenuous exhaustion of yelling at the top of his lungs all day, "We're gonna take out those two large pillboxes on either side of that cliff entry. It's not a long distance but we'll have a Serpent cover us all the way in, courtesy of Lt. Brice. Once we get to the base of the cliff, I'll take first squad up to secure the bunker on the right flank. Cal, you take second squad and secure the left bunker. Heavy weapons and grenades first! Remember, I want fire superiority all the way up, with or without that tank. Clear? Good. Let's get it done!"

On Mattius' orders, 1st platoon raced up the beach with an ANT-5 Serpent moving with them to provide cover and heavy fire support. Miraculously, the platoon got to the base of the cliff with no casualties. The ANT-5 sent a couple of rounds into each of the bunkers at close range with its 102mm cannon. Just after the last shot, Mattius charged up the devastated slope with 1st squad trailing behind. Pvt. John Malasocon attempted to breach the door of the bunker with his SOG-1 Breacher combat shotgun but it was to no avail. Cpl. Tespin planted plastic explosives to the door and detonated it. Instantly, Cpl. Dave Tespin was killed by small arms fire from inside the building. The Keymoans were no doubt waiting for them. A heated firefight began at the door as 1st squad tried to squeeze itself into the bunker complex.

Simultaneously, 2nd squad breached their bunker on the left flank and took two casualties to a grenade blast. Both men were wounded but stable. The squad quickly pushed into their bunker and secured it.

Mattius' bunker on the right flank was still offering stiff resistance, however. He called up Pvt. Gerald Rankrose from S company's weapons platoon who had received specialized training with the handheld P-796 flamethrower. The P-796 was a compact flamethrower that could be easily reloaded in combat despite the fact that it could only be fired in maximum ten second increments.When fired, it would suck all oxygen out of the compact bunker and burn alive anyone within. After a ten minute firefight, during which Cpl. Harold Hespin was wounded in the leg, Pvt. Rankrose arrived with his P-796. He proceeded to purge the bunker, using up the entirety of his ten second burst, the enemy somehow throwing back sporadic fire all the way. Despite this, Rankrose stood stalwart in the doorway, torching the enemy bunker until they fought no more, an action which would later win him the Gold Star.

Upon cautiously entering the bunker, Mattius and his platoon witnessed the ghastly sight of many scorched bodies. Most figures did not even look to have ever been living humans. They fought tenaciously and hard but their death did not in any way do justice their gallant sacrifice. There was nothing to be celebrated here. And yet, men were cheering, kicking up the chattered corpses as they fell apart and gathering souvenirs. In the heat of combat, Mattius noticed he had lost a bit of his own humanity for he too partook in the same merrymaking at the expense of dozens of burnt Keymoan boys likely no older than he was. It was a sad affair that he would later reflect upon with much discomfort. It was, however, only the prelude to the gradual dehumanization that would occur during the brutal Keymoan campaign.

With the two main bunkers secured, at the cost of four S company casualties, the battalion was clear to advance in Delta-Orange sector. It was the first sector of the beach to be declared secure by the Repulaean command. By mid afternoon, Serany had also secured its beachhead. The Mallaskan, Euneian and the rest of the Repulaean beaches, however, were still awash with ongoing carnage. Before S company moved down Leonad Beach to help secure the other sectors, they received a brief breather on the cliff in between the two bunkers they destroyed. There they did little but smoke and drink from their canteens what water was left. From there, the men rearmed and followed Lt. Brice down the beach to secure Echo-Blue sector.

The beaches were now slowly being overrun by the Coalition forces but their relentless enemy was determined to make it as difficult and costly as possible.


East Gavran-Keymoan Border

The 2nd and 3rd armored divisions spearheaded XIII Corps' brutal lightening attack across the border early in the day. At 0600, the Repulaean forces charged into Keymoa in conjunction with the beach landings. Initially, the going was good. Fighting was rough but sporadic and the armored outfits managed to make headway. Around midday, however, the rapid advance slowed to a crawl as the Keymoans began to recover and regroup. Keymoan armor made it especially difficult to utilize the roads to get behind Leonad beach and link up with the 178th airborne. If it were not for the experienced tank crewmen of the 2nd armored division and their top of the line Repulaean tanks, the advance would have been halted altogether.

The NT-11 Regal had been the main battle tank of the Repulaean arsenal for nearly a decade. The latest addition to the Repulaean armored corps, it was heavily armored from bottom to top with a top speed of 47 miles per hour and armed with a high velocity 150mm main gun. It was an extremely difficult tank to match in combat performance.

Now, the 2nd division would spearhead a fast drive against the enemy line while the 3rd division would sweep from the southwest and flank enemy mobile units before they had time to react, cutting them off instantly. With enemy armor so disposed, the rest of the XIII corps, led by the 2nd division, would resume its lightening attack against the Keymoan front line in an effort to get behind the beaches.

[Keymoa]

Keymoan Northern Coast

The northern beaches of Keymoa had beared an attack much heavier than expected. The fighting was heavy on the beaches, and it was soon learned that some enemy units utilized flame throwers in the clearing of bunkers. In response to this, commanders sent an order to trap any entrance possible to a bunker, and remove as many troops as possible from confined spaces of bunkers to relocation in the many towns just a mile away, in most cases, to the edges of the cliffs. The slopes, which were the only major way of access from the beach to the land, were manned by a majority of relocated units, now acting as a dynamic force, which would respond to breaches in the lines.

The forces meant to converge on incoming paratroopers, after finding that a larger than expected force had landed, then took another approach. Utilizing superior numbers, several divisions were moved in mass several miles back to surround landing paradrop units, in an effort to force them to the cliffs. A large force had also been a thorn in the side of the Keymoan westernmost defenses. Large amounts of border forces began to converge and move to intercept the enemy crossing over, and the dynamic Keymoans again used a strategy to circle around the enemy and "Push" them off the cliff. Some reactionary forces were, however, cut off by a division of enemy "Border Crossers". This prompted the deployment of the 6th Army Division further up the border to advance on the "Roadblock" force, in order to shut down the "Lightning Strike" quickly.

In conjuction with a still very intact SAM defense system and a large contingent of advanced LY908A Warhawk escort fighters, lead a rather large air campaign with which, to cripple enemy armored movement. At a single order, large Hunter-Killer strike groups launched from protected airbases within Keymoa. Tu-160 Blackjacks, Tu-22 Backfires, and Su-24 Fencers began the brutal air to ground, targetting the large enemy armored movements and enemy forces behind the beaches with showers of heavy munitions. Gunship helicopters, meanwhile, provided close support to frontline units to counter the enemy threat, and shut down their organized movement immediately.

[Repulaea]

Northwestern Keymoa

The second day of fighting bore the Repulaeans some much needed fruit. The Keymoans made two key tactical errors in their stringent defense strategy. Firstly, in fear of the vast mobilization of flamethrower units, most Keymoan forces withdrew past the beaches to the small towns on the coast. With the second day's troop surge onto the shores, Repulaean landing forces, now about 100,000 strong, were given leave to push up the beaches. By nightfall on the second day, all COSPN beachheads were secured. The caveat was found in the fact that just a few miles away lay a reformed defense line of tattered Keymoan troops who were attempting to block the Coalition advance inland so that they could not link up with the airborne units. Still, the day saw much success on the beaches.

The second error involved Keymoa's deployment of a single infantry division, the 6th, to blunt the advance of the XIII Corps' assault across the border. The corps, headed by two armored divisions, would easily be able to crush the opposing enemy infantry unit and continue along their advance to the 178th airborne division.

The only surprise of the day came from a rapidly mobilized enemy air attack on the advancing armored columns. If it were not for the Repulaean air curtain that covered both the beaches and the advance of the XIII Corps, friendly ground forces would have been sitting ducks to Keymoan air attacks. Nonetheless, the 3rd armored division had some 30 armored vehicles and 9 tanks put out of action. The 2nd division had much lighter losses. Luckily, two responding squadrons of Pinnacle fighters were able to keep many Keymoan fighters busy while a flight of Turmoils came in hard and fast to mop up the bombers. The enemy air attack was shocking but it did not stop the armored advance that had already regained a tremendous amount of momentum. They were now just 8 miles from the beleaguered airborne forces behind Leonad Beach.

The 127th and 79th airborne divisions were able to link up with Silvioni forces with few losses after the invasion, however the 178th airborne was completely surrounded by a soundly executed enemy counter-maneuver. Most of the airborne troops in the 178th were surrounded at a bridgehead near an artificial canal just south of some of the coastal towns in which were stationed many of the Keymoan defenders. Still, as airborne forces, their doctrine dictated that they be surrounded at all times. Tired, but eager for a fight, these elite troops were in no mood to play games with their Keymoan adversaries. The bridgehead was held come hell or high water against an onslaught of enemy troop concentrations. Repulaean fighter aircraft bravely provided a large pocket of air cover above them so that no enemy bombers could get through to them. Several Repulaean fighters were lost undertaking this serious charge.

The whole of the Repulaean goal was now to move the beachhead up and push into Keymoa. XIII Corps from the border and IX Corps from Leonad Beach were to simultaneously launch a rapid assault inland to link up with the 178th airborne division. The Keymoans would not be able to hold out against both attacks coming from two different directions at the same time. The advent of the 178th's liberation was soon at hand. The Keymoan defense on the coast was sure to crumble soon. All could see it. Unfortunately, they intended to fight on grimly until overwhelming Repulaean advances would likely force them to create a new, sturdy defense line at Cassatev.

So, early on the morning of the 23rd, IX Corps pushed up from the beach and XIII Corps pushed from the west to break through to the 178th airborne and crush the last Keymoan defenders in the coastal towns establishing a firm offensive line in which all Repulaean sectors would be secured and connected.

In two days, a total of 223 Repulaeans died landing on the Keymoan beaches with nearly 800 wounded. It was the bloodiest single day of the war so far for the Repulaeans. It was a terrible toll that had to mean something in the followup. Unfortunately, the cost on the beach would soon be dwarfed by the fighting further inland. This, however, was to be expected.

The Royal Family also could no longer be criticized for being disconnected from the sacrifices of the war. The younger brother of King Marcus I, Prince Reold Hower, a colonel in command of a battalion in the 14th infantry division, was killed on Leonad Beach while trying to organize landing armored units. He would later be posthumously awarded the Catican Legion, the Repulaean military's highest honor. The King's cousin, Duke Elias Ferin, an air force lieutenant colonel who was also in theater, was asked to return home by the King in light of this tragedy. He respectfully refused His Majesty saying that the best way to honor the Prince's death was to show no fear in the face of it and keep flying. Prince Reold Hower was the highest ranking Repulaean officer killed in the war so far. He would become a national icon of heroism and sacrifice in Repulaea.

At a memorial service in Norslem, the home of Repulaea's Royal Family, the King would later say, "I find it appropriate that my brother died on a beach named for one of his great ancestors and would therefore receive a medal named for another. I will miss him a lot."


Leonad Beach

Ron Mattius and the rest of S company spent the last night on the beach, incoming fire keeping the men awake all night. In the morning, a final push began and the rest of the beach was secured with the withdrawal of most Keymoan forces to the upper cliffs. More casualties were taken on the second day to booby traps the enemy left behind than from enemy fire. The two days of fighting left a terrible sight on the beach as wreckage and corpses littered the bloodied sands. Body collection and identification was the engineers' first priorities.

Sierra company suffered 6 KIA and 10 WIA as a result of the landings. Among the dead were the old salts Lance Corporal Roger "Helix" Deeter, Corporal David Tespin and Corporal Scott "Axe" Gemerius. It was a serious blow to a company that needed all the experienced men it could get.

Still, the company gained a new, experienced and highly respected CO, Lt. Paul Brice. Captain Drake Laur was sent back to the ship and repordedly it took him hours to recover once safely aboard. Later the men would feel sorry for him, but not now. There was a war to fight and his inaction on D-Day got many men killed. Lt. Paul Brice was now officially in command of Sierra and the company was better for it. Beloved for his devotion to duty, lax (but not too lax) attitude, intelligence and sense of humor, Brice was hailed from his platoon commander days on Mira to his newest position as company CO. On the night of the 22nd, despite having serious head pains from a piece of shrapnel that struck his helmet but did not pierce, he went up and down the line checking each man's foxholes in the sand and propping up tattered soldiers who had just lost friends that day. It was truly a sight to behold and was a far cry from the distant Captain Laur. Sierra was glad to have a good CO again.

The men were woken up in the early morning hours of the 23rd to outgoing naval fire. They were soon ordered to move up with the rest of the 3rd infantry division that was spearheading the IX Corps' assault inland. Sierra company was tasked with helping the 120th regiment clear a small cliff village to allow passage for the 17th armored division that had just come ashore after combat on the beaches ceased.

Most men in 1st platoon lost their night vision gear on the beach so 2nd platoon was ordered to head the attack with 1st in reserve. When the regiment opened up on the town at around 1 AM, Mattius led 2nd platoon down a road into the tiny village. At that point, his platoon was the forward most infantry unit from Leonad Beach into enemy territory. Immediately, machine guns from the buildings opened up and Private First Class Don Ringle, a replacement from downtown Ancot, was killed. Mattius and a weapons squad managed to get under the enemy guns right next to the motel in which the Keymoan machine gun was placed. From their rifle-mounted grande launchers, the team fired several rounds into the upper floor of the building, blowing away the whole room and toppling part of the roof.

With the enemy emplacement neutralized, 2nd platoon, followed by 3rd platoon, swept into the village rapidly and began to clear each street building by building and room by room. Some structures held civilians, others bloodthirsty Keymoan soldiers. Therefore, extra caution was taken to avoid killing the former while swiftly killing the latter. It was a tediously tiring effort that would last until around 0600 in the morning and it would leave an additional two men wounded. Nonetheless, the first of many small towns was secured.

The men of Sierra company had not really slept to a healthy degree since they landed three days ago. Despite the past three days of hell, the men were content to go back to the beaches for a couple of hours to get some much needed shuteye. Most men said it was the best sleep they ever had in their lives.

[Mallaska]

Staff Sergeant/2nd Lieutenant Collin M. James
3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, G Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 1st Brigade, 3rd Marine Division
Dresden Beach

"Alright, it's time to break this stalemate. Tell Captain Owens that 1st Platoon is ready to move when ready. We've been sitting here far too fuckin' long." Unofficial 2nd Lieutenant James barked to Cpl. Sitkins.

A majority of the 2nd day of fighting on the Mallaskan beaches were devoted to clearing out remaining outer beach defenses before the big advance to finally annex the Slopes. The Air Force's 1st Paradrop Division had landed just an hour ago, late for a full day after more last-minute tactical decisions by the top brass. During this lull in time, the Marines on Dresden Beach were busy mopping up the beach and preparing to receive reinforcements. The quick enemy air mobilization had knocked out 26 Mallaskan vehicles on the beach throughtout the three landing units, many of them sitting at the various berms which served as places of safety and rest. On the first day of landing, Mallaska sustained 367 KIA, as well as 879 men wounded, with MIA figures unknown.

3rd Squad sustained a second casualty on the morning of the second day, this time Pfc. Vermis. He was wounded by gunshot to the ankle, and the squad was told by the field medic that Pfc. Vermis' fate would likely be six feet under within several days unless he could be transported to the FNV Hope, a medical ship moored with the Combined Fleet. LY7/366 Lammasu self-propelled howitzers, deployed onto the beach when it was deemed safe to reinforce, were able to shred enemy units to ribbons atop the Slopes, and would provide vital support to advancing units.

Twenty minutes from when Lt. James ordered Cpl. Sitkins to inform Captain Owens of 1st Platoon's readiness, Cpl. John Sitkins returned to the 1st Platoon to bring Captain Owens' orders.

"Collin, sir, he wants all platoon leaders. He says that he got orders from up top to prepare to advance up past the berm." Cpl. Sitkins informed.

"Alright, thanks John. I'll get over there."

After a breif jog to the unit at the berm which Captain Owens was attached to, Lt. James saw a more devastated end of the battle. Captsin Owens was with 4th Platoon, which had taken the heaviest casualties of any unit on the Mallaskan beach, losing 17 of its 49 men attached to it. A small tarp with several bed rolls laid across its surface served as a small field hospital, where several of the quickly-fading wounded soldiers were placed, mainly those with the most horrid injuries. Cries of agony and deathwishes reminded Lt. James of casualties within his own squad, and made an internal vow never to allow it again. He continued walking to a small foldout table with a map of the area of operations screwn across and all platoon commanders in G Company now around it. Captain Owens began to breif the commanders on the current state of the assault.

"Alright fuckfaces, we're way behind schedule. COSPN already has secure beachheads, as well as the 2nd Naval Expeditionary. We haven't even cleared a damn way up the slope. Major Locke wants some fucing results, and he has the whole 1st Battalion slated to advance alongside the rest of the 3rd Marines up the slope. Recent intel has that a majority of the Keymoans have retreated to the various townships inland a few miles. This'll be good for our advance, but this'll mean shit for trying to go further then the tops of the cliffs. They have regrouped into a rather massive force still easily capable of knocking our assault to the ground. To make matters worst, the 1st Paradrop has landed BEHIND these towns, meaning, to link up with them, we have to face several full divisions of Keymoans." Captain Owens addressed.

"Sir, what of D Company, they are at the top of the cliffs." Lt. Radcliff asked.

"D Company got their asses handed to them when they landed. I hear that they lost three CH-46s and two UH-1s. We've lost contact with them around time of landing. Recce units say they're still around in force, as they've been tracking D Company and the other units dropping in by helo. D Company still has a force of several tanks and other vehicles and I hear that they have secured a very small patch up top. They're waiting for us." Captain Owens replied.

"And how are we going up Slope A?" Lt. James inquired.

"Forcing our way up. If intel was right, there should be light resistance. Stick to your training and you should be fine. The whole 3rd Division on the beach will be going up the long slope, and once we're up top we'll link up with the helo companies and move inland from there, establishing effective command posts and supply debots on the way so that the reinforcements can help us out later. We move in an hour by nightfall. Get your men ready. Oh, and Staff Sergeant James, Major Locke has approved a battlefield promotion for you. You're officially now 2nd Lieutenant Collin James. We don't got no bars for you though until we can get up the slope and get a decent supply line, so you'll have to wait to look like one." Captain Owens stated, dismissing the platoon commanders.

The advance up Slope A, as expected, met little resistance. There were, however, losses. An anti-tank landmine removed an LY219 Ironheart APC early in the advance with its three crew, thankfully no infantry inside during the explosion which left little remains of the vehicle. Close support by LY908AMN Naval Warhawks kept the mass advance well secure, as well as a small squadron of AH-1J SeaCobras scrambled for the occassion from the FNV Reigert, a James-Lawrence class aircraft carrier, one of the Federal Navy's newest additions to both the Federal Navy and the Gavran War. Atop the cliffs the Mallaskans began to spread out and secure an area to create a landing site for supply helicopters as well as mobile command centers. Marines cleared out what remained of the bunkers, and Dresden Beach was deemed secure. An hour later the Federal Army had secured their beach, effectively marking the northern beaches under full Coalition control. The first steps to a long path.

The wounded were finally able to be extracted by helicopter to the FNV Hope moored off the coast alongside its fellow Mallaskan ships. Marines finally linked up with the battered D Company as well as the other helo-inserted companies suffering the same fate. D Company was somewhat starving, wounded, and battle-weary, but was still able to secure two bunkers atop the cliffs and had protected a majority of its tanks and other armored vehicles. Their efforts later prompted President Hall to grant every man of D Company atleast the Bronze Pin of Courage, and the entire unit gained several other honors as a whole for their endurance and toughness under fire. The 1st Paradrop Division, however, was still behind enemy lines.

Private Matthew G. Sandler
4th Squad, 2nd Platoon, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Paradrop Division
Somewhere several miles behind enemy lines near Dresden Beach
Unknown time, Night

"Fucking hell, they dropped us into death! No way we're getting relieved in 48 hours." Pvt. Grenier complained, taking a swig of coffee.

"Hell, I hear that we're still supposed to advance against the enemy. They're several divisions strong I hear." Pvt. Sandler said.

The 4th Squad was huddled around a small fire, all huddled and crammed into a small machinegun nest. The 1st Paradrop Division was spread like his in a defensive spread, establishing a safezone in which aircraft could deposity supplies and vehicles. The paratroopers had met very little resistance so far, as they had landed back just out of striking range of enemy units held up in the various dwellings near the beaches. Great effort was made to ensure that the 1st Pardrop Division went undetected. All vehicles not in use, as well as all emplacements, were required to have camouflage netting and other various masking items. The 1st Paradrop Division was dropped during the night, and further supply drops were slated for nights only. C-74XX Super Carly STOL transport aircraft often made the dangerous cargo runs, depositing food, munitions, and weapons to the troops on the ground, making all efforts to divert attention away from drop zones with a rather strange pattern of flying called the Mallaskan "Weave" pattern, made to make pinpointing drop zones by radar nearly impossible. C-3000 Conquest cargo aircraft would drop in vehicles using these same techniques. These vehicles ranged from light Advantage Rangers to large LY7A1 Rottweiler Medium Tanks.

"2nd Platoon, we have package inbound for a location near you. Look sharp and prepare to retrieve on mark. Solid?" The radio crackled suddenly."

Lt. Kramer of the 2nd Platoon's reply came shortly after. "Copy solid. we're sharp."

Soon orders came over on the platoon comms to the personal radios with each paratrooper. 4th Squad was assigned to one clearing of the forest where several of the supplies were to be dropped. The area was on the edge of Paratrooper borders, a very edgy strategy, but after the spike in enemy air activity, the supply aircraft were forced to make adjustments to their courses. As the squad arrived, the clearing was filled with the silence of nights. The squad's FA3A2 LMG was given to Pvt. Sandler, and the squad set up near a falled tree looking into the clearing. In the distance beyond several trees, the distant light of one of the larger towns could be seen, and it was no surprise that remnants of enemy patrols were found in the clearing. After twenty minutes, the radio crackled to life again.

"4th Squad, mark up. ETA two minutes. Solid?" Came the call of a C-74XX Super Carly pilot.

"We're solid. Green flare marks." Sergeant Rennald replied, waving to Cpl. Jenkins to move into the clearing and deploy a small green flare.

"Jesus, the enemy can see us from town doing this." Pvt. Grenier complained in a hushed tone.

Corporal Jenkins moved cautiously into the center of the clearing and finally deployed the small green flare. A minute later the C-74XX Super Carly began a low pass over the clearing, finally releasing its payload into the clearing. Pfc. Newman and Pvt. Kin were tasked to help Cpl. Jenkins unload cargo from the boxes into a waiting Advantage Ranger parked nearby the squad, which pulled up at the same time of thedrop to extract the supplies. The Ranger pulled into the clearing to the several supply crates, containing mainly ammunition and several FA03A2 assault rifles. The supplies from most of the crates were loaded into the Ranger's truckbed when things took a turn for the worst.

Several tracers zipped by the men loading the Ranger, followed by the feturning fire by the Ranger's mounted MLT-5 SAW LMG. The Ranger was finally loaded with the final ammunition boxes, and began to beat a hasty retreat to the bulk of the 1st Pararop Division. The 4th Squad, however, was left to fend for itself. The three men sent to load the Ranger made a dash for the log the squad was settled in to. Dirt was kicked up all around as tracers struck just inches away from the running paratroopers. The two privates managed to get to the log, but just a few steps behind the two privates Corporal Jenkins was tripped, and couldn't get up. He had taken a bullet to the back of his right thigh, and couldn't walk. Private Kin, just a few feet away, decided to risk his life to retreive Cpl. Jenkins, knowing that if Cpl. Jenkins was left to crawl, the Keymoans would surely finish the job.

"Fucking hell, they made us get this shit drop way too close to the enemy! We gotta get back to the lines, or we'll get torn up." Pfc. Newman stated, letting out a burst of 5.56x45mm from his FA3A2 assault rifle.

"Lets get the hell outta here. On my mark we'll dash for the lines and let either the Rottweilers or Warhawks get these bastards. I'm sure as hell not dying. I'll send out a request for air support." Sgt. Rennald said through bursts of gunfire.

"Nightfire, nightfire, requesting support on designated contact, requesting air cover, Alpha Front sector. This is Coyote 4-5, we're getting ambushed by an unknown number of hostile contacts. Copy?" Sgt. Rennald called over the radio.

"Coyote 4-5 we copy. On station and preparing for a strike. We've got your back Coyote 4-5." Came a refreshing voice through the gunfire.

"Hell yes." Pvt. Sandler stated through a burst from his LMG.

Soon after the roar of multiple jets made the gunfire seem quiet, and soon a loud explosion was heard, made by a guided bomb from one of the Warhawks. The returning gunfire lightened, and the squad began a fighting retreat back to camp. Cpl. Jenkins hobbled ahead of the squad, helped by two squadmates. Private Sandler pulled the rear, laying down final suppressive bursts from his LMG variation of the FA3A2 assault rifle. When the squad finally reached the camp for A Company, the paratroopers there looked wideeyed at the bleeding wound on Cpl. Jenkins' leg, as most of them had not yet seen combat. They deposited Cpl. Jenkins into a medical tent and he would be extracted by the next MEDEVAC helicopter to the camp.

"What the fuck happened?" Many paratroopers asked.

"We got fuckin' jumped, alright, get back to your normal shit! We had to retrieve some shit WAY to close to the enemy!" Pvt. Grenier finally burst out the seventh time the "What happened?" question popped up. His emotional instability was apparent, and he would likely be next to die if his attitude kept up.

[Repulaea]

Gavran Theater of Operations

Since the landings, the progression of the COSPN forces inland had been slow but steady, the Repulaean troops driving ever closer to the surrounded 178th airborne division which showed no signs of caving. The XIII Corps was now just five miles from the airborne and the landing forces were steadily driving the Keymoans from their cliff towns and villages and back to Cassatev. However, the Coalition suffered a serious problem.

The Mallaskan landings were delayed due to stiffer than expected resistance at their beachheads. Though Repulaea faced the bulk of the Keymoan troops, Mallaska faced their best units. It was a cleverly divided defensive line that caused the Coalition a fair number of casualties. Now, with the Mallaskans finally unstuck from their hellish position on the beaches farther to the east, Repulaean strategic bombers from the 2nd TAC's 23rd bomber command launched several rapid sorties against Keymoan positions in the Mallaskan sector to aid in their advance inland. It was the least that could be done for an ally who had already sacrificed so much on the war's bloodiest day. With Keymoan defenses plastered, the Mallaskans would have an easier time pushing forward.

In northwestern Keymoa, Repulaean forces now launched a series of heavy attacks in coordination with air support to break the coastal defenses of the Keymoans once and for all. In conjunction with these attacks, the XIII Corps again lashed out in its most aggressive armored advance since D-Day, driving straight for the heart of the 178th's perimeter to relive them. Many of the Keymoan defenders would either be forced to withdraw to Cassatev and the surrounding marshland or be crushed between the landing forces, the airborne and the armor of the XIII Corps. It was a grizzly situation they now faced and they were not likely to hold out for long.

On the far side of the theater, Repulaean heavy bombers from the 3rd TAC continued to wage their relentless war of attrition against the military, industrial and infrastructural targets of Central Gavra as they had done for the past month. With an ever persistent and experienced fighter defense force escorting the bombers to and from their targets, Central Gavra was having a much more difficult time in resisting Repulaea's efforts. By now, their country was likely in shambles. Most main bridges and roadways had been hit with extensive damage done to urban industrial districts all over Central Gavra. Military fortifications, emplacements and bases of all sorts were harassed daily. Their casualties were also likely to be very heavy at this point. So much damage had been done that Repulaean bombers were beginning to have difficulty in finding untouched targets to strike.

In light of this, with the approval of the President, General Zachary Marcer issued a second petition of concession to the Central Gavrans, this time mainly in his own words. It read:

A Petition for the Honorable Concession of Central Gavra

To Supreme Leader Jektras Helm and his Regime,

For the past month now, the Constitutional Monarchy of Repulaea has most unwillingly waged a brutal and effective air war against your country. The product of our military endeavors over this time can be seen in Central Gavra's overall ailing health in the form of her withering infrastructure, wounded military force, savaged industry and suffering people. Your Regime has, so far, persisted in its efforts of military resistance and its state of open hostility against our just Coalition. This has, as you know, been in vain. By continuing in this destructive behavior, you only bring sufferings upon yourself and your own country. Your efforts thus far have not in any way affected the outcome of the Keymoan campaign, nor will they ever. They have not seriously hindered the Coalition war effort, nor will they ever. They will not bring about any good for your people, nor will they ever. We of the Coalition consider it a useless waste of lives and resources on both sides to persist in this campaign against you. We are forced, however, to carry on with our destruction of your country by air due to the fact that you will not concede to the generous peace terms that have been offered to you before and that still stand now. The are as follows:

1) Central Gavra will not persist in any kind of military or espionage efforts against the Coalition war effort.
2) Central Gavra will send no aid of any kind to the Keymoan regime or East Gavran resistance efforts for the remainder of the conflict.
3) Central Gavra will remain a neutral state for the remainder of the conflict.
4) All prisoners of war will be returned to the Coalition and vice versa upon official cessation of hostilities.

We of the Coalition therefore beseech you to accept our terms once more and achieve for yourself a peace with honor as well as an end to the sufferings of your country that we must unwillingly bring about otherwise. A period of three days will be granted for you and your Regime to decide upon the matter. During this time, Repulaean Air Command will temporarily halt all combat operations over Central Gavra to assure you of our genuine preference for peace. We earnestly hope that you make the right decision for your people and cease in your pointlessly hurtful efforts of military aggression.


- Lieutenant General Zachary Marcer
Supreme Commander of COSPN Forces
Theater Commander for Strategic Operations

Leonad Beachhead

After a day's rest on the beach, the boys were back at it again. The men of the 120th RCR spearheaded a 3rd division push into the thickest part of the coastal towns in a final effort to root out the stubborn Keymoan defenders. It was tough work as the men cleared each building and each room thoroughly, a costly effort for the sake of Keymoan civilians. Air support was a big help, however, in clearing out large pockets of resistance in houses known to be unoccupied by all but the enemy. Precision strikes were key in eliminating Keymoan strong points along the coast.

Over the past day, the men had relaxed on the beach, many of the sleeping, others sunning themselves. To Mattius, it was an odd sight considering that just miles away a war was still going strong. It was a great irony to have Leonad beach as the men's safe haven in Keymoa. Just a few days ago, men were dying on these sands. Now, the beaches were clean and bustling with troops and CPs. It was a sight to behold.

Mattius played his six string that he bought back home. He took from the tutelage of Lt. John Pettin and started playing. He'd improved remarkably in the past few months. Even the draftee Pvt. Andrew "Cray" Crayner of 3rd platoon, an experienced guitar player of ten years, was in awe of Mattius' progress. Mattius took a particular liking to Cray as he was one of the few replacements who garnered the friendship of many of the old salts. He grew very close to Helix before he was killed on D-Day. So, Mattius and Cray sat in their foxholes playing all day (in between moments of sleep and meals). It was a welcome relief that would only last a few hours before the order to move out was given.

The men moved up the cliffs again with the rest of their regiment, the sounds of war growing louder with every step. Looking down, they realized that this was likely the last time they would see Leonad Beach until the conflict in Keymoa ended. That, however, was still a long way off.

Finally, the big assault into the townships had come. Again, the soldiers of Sierra company would charge into the violent unknown, guns blazing and nostrils flaring.

"Back into murder mode," the men would usually say.

[Keymoa]

(Sorry for my inactivity, busy with my new job, so this post will have to be breif.)

Town Line, Keymoa

The Keymoan military had made several errors in pulling out of the beaches too early into the towns, resulting in an enemy foothold in mainland Keymoa. The Keymoan command, however, would plan to bite back at the advancing enemy. The towns which the military were to take refuge were no more, as the Keymoan troops were again told to retreat and regroup. It was found that the Keymoans would have to be fast and dynamic counterattack against the enemy. No longer would Keymoa sit and retreat, rather quickly bash the enemy and run. An excess of tanks and aircraft would allow this to be possible under the watchful eyes of their experienced commanders and troops. The Keymoans had enlisted the help of two more units from Southern Keymoa to match enemy numbers.

The counterattack would be swift and brutal, at a precise time, the 3rd and 4th armored divisions began a swift push against enemy paradrop units. With them they had a wealth of tanks, infantry, and heavy aerial cover by LY908A Warhawks to prevent enemy airstrike. The Keymoans learned from East Gavra not to simply hold a town until you die, keep your troops moving and do more damage. The first Blitzkreig-styled attacks would be to render enemy paradrop units of little use, and continually kill them off to remove the threat of attack from behind the lines. At precisely 0600, the 3rd and 4th Armored Divisions began the counteroffensive, moving in force to combat enemy paratroopers. The armored divisions made a pincer movement to snuff out the enemy paratroopers, under watchful eye of advanced LY908A Warhawks to prevent enemy aircraft from converging on the armored units. The pilots would not again fall for "Fighter Bait", as it was called, with their main objective striking at enemy strike aircraft. With a large number of fighters, the Keymoan Air Force would multitask, having agile modern LY909A Sparrowhawks attack the enemy strike formations, while the brutal LY908A Warhawks contested enemy fighters. Should he fighters fail, the armored divisions had efficient mobile Anti-aircraft vehicles to easily dispatch a sneaky strike aircraft. The operation, if it worked, would prove destructive to the various enemy paratrooper units.

[Repulaea]

Sorry for another long absence. I too started a new job and it hasn't been fun. It's taken up a lot of my time. I'll try to be more punctual in my posting...assuming the you all haven't forgotten about this thread by now? lol

Keymoan Coastline

The Keymoan offensive against the embattled 178th airborne division was a vicious, well coordinated effort albeit with one crucial flaw. It was staged far too late to irradiate the division. It was the kind of attack that Repulaean military planners dreaded in the first few days after the landings. However, with the airborne troops' positions solidified and the thundering armor of the XIII corps just down the road, it was no longer possible to dislodge the 178th, despite the fact that it had been beaten and battered for the past month.

Nonetheless, the attack came. After days of fierce battling along the 178th's line, the 2nd armored division smashed into the brutal, fast moving Keymoan ground force, blunting their powerful advance. In the skies above, some of the heaviest dog fighting of the war raged for supremacy of the air. COSPN air forces from all nations contributed to the aerial duel, presenting the Keymoans with an enemy who was not only superb in skill and technology but overwhelming in numbers.

Finally, after securing a large section of townships on the coast, ground troops from the IX corps arrived online. Among them were Ron Mattius' 3rd infantry division. For the first time since the landings on June 20th, the entire Coalition beachhead was fully connected, secured and intact. The rapid counter assault of the Repulaean forces had saved the beachhead and the 178th airborne. This success was, however, purchased at an enormous cost. An additional 2,000 COSPN casualties were suffered, many of them from the 178th airborne which was soon pulled off the line and shipped back to Mira for a much deserved breather. They would likely be back when their full strength was restored.

After over a month of being bogged down on the Keymoan coast, General Zachary Marcer faced a host of criticism from the politicians and people back home that he had never seen before in the war. Determined to throw off his critics and to break the brutal stalemate on the Keymoan coastline, General Marcer prepared for the largest military action since D-Day. Code named Operation: Blacksmith, the offensive was to involve 100,000 COSPN troops and would be closely coordinated with Mallaskan efforts. On the COSPN front, the Repulaean XIII and IX corps would drive toward the key road junction of Cassatev while II and III corps made their southward drive toward the town of Elikos. The rest of the COSPN armies in the eastern beachheads would push inland fast and hard, making a sudden flank attack on the enemy's right, thereby bottling up the Keymoan troops in the Repulaean zone. All the way, the overwhelming air forces of the Coalition would be providing a great screen of aerial cover that would umbrella the whole advance. The enemy forces would have little choice but to fall back to Cassatev and the surrounding marshland where they would be bottled up entirely by Repulaean troops. If the northwestern coastal sector of Keymoa could at last be secured through this action, Coalition forces would have a straight shot all the way across the country. All they needed to do was obtain the key found in the pockets of the their defeated Keymoan enemy. It would not be an easy road, but the ends justified whatever hardships that would come.

At 0300 hours on the morning of the 28th of July, the darkened skies of northwestern Keymoa lit up in a furious display of firepower. Flights of heavy bombers flew sorties against the enemy defenses at Cassatev and Elikos nonstop while ground attack aircraft targeted Keymoan forces with terrible efficiency and accuracy. The 3rd armored division of XIII corps spearheaded Operation: Blacksmith behind a steadily progressive screen of missiles, artillery and airstrikes. Nearly everything on the roads and most things that weren't received a ferocious pounding from the deadly accurate Repulaean fire. Behind the XIII corps, the IX corps struck out for Cassatev at a fast, steady pace. The other two corps farther down the line lashed out at the Keymoan defenders around Elikos. The rest of COSPN lunged forward in a sweeping flank attack against the Keymoan right flank. It all began in perfect coordination. The Keymoan army put up a stiff, stubborn defense but there was little hope for them to hold out before having to retreat to the Cassatev and Elikos lines. The Northwestern Breakout had begun.

[Mallaska]

(OOC: Between enjoying my new airsoft gun, preparing for vacation, and my recent promotion, I've been a bit inactive.)

Headquarters, Camp Edwards, Port Utoria, East Gavra

The large tent which houses the meeting area for Mallaska's top brass in the Gavran Theatre was prepped for another of many meetings between officers. Again, something had to be decided upon in order to provide safety to paratroopers in Keymoa, which had still not yet been relieved. The Mallaskan paradrop units had been brutally battered by an enemy counterattack in the past weeks, leaving them of little use in the ongoing stalemate in Keymoa. To make matters worst, Keymoa had changed its interception strategy, wisely utilizing their various aircraft to their fullest, which had effectively halved the amount of supplies being dropped to the 1st Paradrop Division, leaving for a force short on ammo, food, fuel, and other essentials. Unlike the Repulaean 178th, the Mallaskan paradrop groups were still weakened, after gridlock for nearly a month delayed ground relief, which was expected originally to take place only a week after landing.

"We must get them out before we have to make a bad phone call to every wife and mother to the soldiers of the 1st Para. We must face that this paradrop stuff is failing, we're losing men, vehicles, and time to them, for little benefit." Colonel Mosley stated at the table which several officers stood around.

"I agree, but we will lose just as much attempting to get them the hell out. Enemy fighters, with their new strategy, can rip a full retreat to ribbons. If we're to do this, we'll have to allocate a massive escort force for cargo aircraft, likely in the hundreds of fighters needed." Lieutenant General Daniel Bolimor stated.

"I'm sure we can pull it off. We have a wealth of technologically advanced fighters. We have more K42 Natteravns in East Gavran airfields than there were ever in any Mallaskan bases back home. Mix those with veteran pilots that have been doing this stuff since Mira and you've got a good combo." General Erik Slater of the Federal Airforce stated. He was the new acting commander of the Federal Air Force in the Keymoan campaign.

"General Slater, I have no doubt that we have capable fighter units, but the logistics of running this operation would be a nightmare, and would weaken our fighter escorts for usual bombing sorties and CAS missions. This could end up leaving our main forces without air cover, and if I know Keymoa, they'll use that to slaughter us." Brigadier General Aleksander Moore of the Federal Marine Corps said.

"We have the Navy free to provide air cover. With those two new carriers, I'm sure you can contribute to protecting our boys on the ground, aye Admiral Owens?" General Slater replied.

"We do have fighters, yes. We can provide a sizeable air cover with our LY908AMNs and K-JAS-39MNs to protect ground forces. We can escort regular bombing flights and CAS missions without fail, while you get those people from the 1st Paradrop." Fleet Admiral Jason Owens answered. He was the most decorated of the officers, and the same which lead the Mallaskan Combined Fleet to victory against the Keymoan Navy.

After, an operation for the extraction of the 1st Paradrop Division, named Operation: Soaring Hawk, was formulated. It was to commence on the final day of July, and extracting Mallaskan paratroopers by August 1st. It involved the launch of a very large sum of about 144 fighter aircraft, mainly being Air Force LY908A Warhawks, escorting a mix of C-74XX Super Carly STOL cargo aircraft. The 1st Paradrop would make a series of grass strips for the STOL transports to land on. Above the LY908As would stick close to the C-74XXs, protecting them as the 1st priority. Along with these, two ER-1 Global Eye AWAC aircraft would be coordinating the operation. It used the recent ground breakout to its advantage, which would surely occupy enemy aircraft while the beaten inexperienced Mallaskan paratroopers were extracted.

2nd Lieutenant Collin M. James
3rd Squad, 1st Platoon, G Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 1st Brigade, 3rd Marine Division
Operation Blacksmith

The last month or so was filled with little action other than occasional mortar and airstrikes, and little combat involving the Marine Infantry. Although on July 28th, things started moving again with Operation Blacksmith, there was still little action the Marines had seen, and it was soon to change. In the past month, Mallaskan forces had been quickly shipped in from the homeland to the beachheads, including the return of the vaunted 1st Marine Division, now in full force and with the newest equipment. The 3rd Marines were seen as inexperienced scrubs by Mallaskan media, which had slammed Brigadier General Aleksander Moore for his supposed inactive division in Keymoa. To General Moore, he saw it as a way to motivate his troops to be better than the 1st Marines, and his speeches to his troops worked in their rallying to participate in Blacksmith. Today was the day that the 3rd Division carried the flag.

On the morning of July 30th, the Federal Marines began their advance in force. The division organized by Battalion and began moving in massive armored convoys across the fields in order to eliminate all resistance between Mallaskan forces and Cassatev and Elikos. The 3rd had something that the 1st Marines didn't: an excess of armored vehicles, which had given them an advantage in the Keymoan campaign. Commanders looked to the old German Blitzkrieg for inspiration, and the Blitzkrieg was a popular, and successful tactic in the Mallaskan playbook. The Federal Marines were perfectly suited for the Blitzkrieg, their nature in being a heavily mobile, but heavy, force. The quick and brutal strategy would likely prove devastating to defending Keymoans. Targets weren't the cities of Cassatev or Elikos, however. General Moore stated to his commanders: "Bypass and haul ass past Cassatev and Elikos, for our allies have them. We will go for the throat while COSPN punches Keymoa in the balls."

The Mallaskan Blitzkrieg, named Operation Thunderstruck, went for Keymoan supply lines and retreating forces, and would deny Keymoan forces abilities to use any location which they could manifest. This included any and all nearby airfields, roads, and even farms to refuse any leeway for Keymoa, all while preventing a counterattack against COSPN forces in Cassatev and Elikos. The 3rd Marines were joined in this operation by the 1st Marines, as well as three Federal Army divisions, and aircraft in the hundreds, while the Federal Air Force used much of its airpower to help the stranded 1st Paradrop deep in Keymoa, Marine NFX-30s and A-1 Super Raiders (OOC: Not Skyraiders, completely different plane) were used to support the five advancing Mallaskan divisions. With much of Keymoan ground forces focussed on COSPN assaults, the Mallaskans were to plow over anything in the area that was useful to the Keymoan war machine outside of the cities, with great effect.

[Repulaea]

Northwestern Keymoa

Operation: Blacksmith had started better than expected. The drive towards Cassatev and Elikos was rapid and stable, a blanket of air power covering them all the way. Just two days later, the Mallaskan element of the operation kicked in, code named Operation: Thunderstruck. Aptly named, this maneuver by the Mallaskans hit the thunderstruck Keymoans hard in the gut. With the enemy facing a full frontal assault by Repulaea, a massive flanking hook by the other COSPN nations, an enveloping maneuver by Mallska, a rapid rescue operation for the Mallaskan paratroopers and suffering growing aerial losses daily, there was no longer any hope for the Keymoan war machine to hold its line, despite the fact that it fought so hard.

Major General Alahn Keer, Supreme Commander of Repulaean Forces, ordered the 2nd armored division from XIII corps to envelop the enemy lines to the southeast in order to link up with Mallaskan troops from Thunderstruck. On the 2nd of August they did just that. Mallaskan and Repulaean troops met in person for the first time on Keymoan soil at Kirev Crossing, 10 miles south of Cassatev. They threw themselves into an orgy of celebration before officers brought the men back into line. There was still an advance to be done and a victory to be had. As the 2nd armored held the crossing, their new Mallaskan friends were free to drive south into Keymoa, leaving the whole northwestern sector of Keymoa surrounded and cut off. Inside this bubble lay many thousands of fanatical Keymoan troops who would have to be squeezed into oblivion, though it would be wisest for them to simply surrender.

On the evening of the 3rd, Repulaean troops finally reached the outskirts of Cassatev and Elikos, the two small cities that held the whole sector together. The cities began to come under direct ranged attack as the Repulaeans prepared for a simultaneous assault that would finally undo the Keymoan stronghold in the northwest and give them the opportunity to join the Mallaskans in their southbound crusade.


Over Central Gavra

Though the public largely forgot about the air campaign over Central Gavra, the Repulaean High Command did not. The 3rd TAC relentlessly ravaged the country for the past two months. Losses had dropped so dramatically that a posting in the 3rd TAC was one of the safest a Repulaean airman could receive in the Gavran Theater. By now, the Central Gavran military was ravaged and its devastated air force was likely used sparingly against the more experienced pilots of the RRAF that now roamed the Central Gavran skies in great numbers with near impunity.

Bridges were a favorite target for attack helicopter and fighter pilots since most valuable targets were destroyed. There were rumors that some Central Gavran units even secretly hid supply caches and missile sights across the boarders of North and South Gavra where the Repulaeans did not plan to expand the war. Nonetheless, the facts were undeniable; Central Gavra had lost this fight and the country was tattered and likely very tired of war. The same petition for peace that was issued before was again issued a third time to the Central Gavran Regime. The terms were fair and simple and offered an immediate cessation of hostilities. Until the Coalition received an acceptable response, however, Central Gavra would continue to face the unrelenting rage of Repulaean air power.

[Keymoa]

Northeastern Front

Commanders had finally deemed the Keymoan northwestern front a total loss after the final routes in which to fully run operations out of Cassatev and Elikos were cut off by operations Blacksmith and Thunderstruck. Orders were given to deploy the three military divisions on the south of Keymoa to the Northern Line, as it was called. Linked up with more sizeable airdefenses and fresh troops, the Keymoans would hold a line in a different way: Guerilla warfare. With the odds stacked against Keymoa, its final chips on the table would have to be bet on crippling the enemy advance. This meant devastating raids on supply lines and logistical points first, and finishing off the units in which they weaken by cutting off their supply.

The Keymoan forces had a trick up its sleeve: A steady stream of reinforcements from the south. The troops it lost in the Northwestern Front were quickly replaced, and Keymoa was not backing down.

[Mallaska]

Operation Thunderstruck: Phase 2

Over the past several weeks, great strides had been made in Operation Thunderstruck, Mallaska's part in Operation Blacksmith. Efforts placed forth by the whole of the Coalition had broken enemy forces on the Northwestern Front, solidifying the Coalition's hold in Keymoa. Operation Thunderstruck in particular proved to be the most streamlined and successful operation by Mallaska in the Keymoan theatre of war, being deemed "A great leap in the effectiveness of the Mallaskan offensive" by media journalist William Carpenter, one of the most known reporters in Mallaska covering the war. At the spearhead of the entire Mallaskan operation? The 3rd Marine Division. While sustaining limited casualties they were capable of plowing over remaining enemy footholds and supply lines within the Northwest, effectively cutting off Elikos and Cassatev, and all forces within for the COSPN siege on the cities.

But now, it was time that Phase 2 of Operation Thunderstruck to be implemented: Hold the line. The Mallaskan command was wary of overextending its forces, and rather regrouped to defend against any impending counterattack. With the 1st Paradrop Division evacuation over, the Mallaskan air element was back in full swing, launching rapid sorties against enemy forces daily, and provided an umbrella of air cover for ground forces. At the borders of the Northwestern Line the Mallaskans waited for reinforcements, in the form of a new wave of two Federal Army divisions, to arrive at the Mallaskan beachheads within a week by ship.

Meanwhile, it became noticed that the enemy had begun to attack supply lines more frequently, which in its first several raids, proved to take out a sizeable chunk of Mallaskan supplies moving to the front lines. To prevent this, the answer was to simply beef up security, as well as find alternative ways to transport supplies. Airdrops became more common, and it was very common to see atleast a single AT-1 Alsatian attack helicopters providing overwatch to convoys. The AT-1 Alsatian was a newly-introduced Attack/assault helicopter purchased from KAE Systems. Not only was it armed to the teeth with a 30mm autocannon under the nose, it also had 3 Hydra 70mm rocket pods, 2 quad-ATGM pods, and 2 SRAAMs. All of this, plus the ability to carry 12 armed troops made the AT-1 one of the most deadly tools in the Mallaskan arsenal, and made it a favorite helicopter among commanders.

In order to prevent enemy raids, it was decided that they would need to be "Stopped at the door", meaning the current front lines in which Mallaskan forces waited to advance. At all times attack aircraft were above the line, ready to respond to enemy advances. Frequently the Mallaskan aerial element went on "Hunts" that would seek out and attack enemy forces before they were even miles of the line. F-111 Aardvarks equipped with infrared cameras were key to searching out enemy formations, and when a formation would be found, more F-111s would begin bombing operations against the targets. This strategy would allow Mallaskan supply lines to go unmolested, making the enemy go through bombers, the Mallaskan Line, and heavily armed escorts before getting to the supply convoys.

[Repulaea]

Northwestern Keymoa

Over the past two weeks, COSPN forces completely surrounded the cities of Cassatev and Elikos and proceeded to exact a brutal bombardment campaign on the enemy garrisons there. Now, the Coalition had complete control of the skies over northwestern Keymoa. The two cities were hammered relentlessly. A combined COSPN effort at Elikos was steadily squeezing the smaller Keymoan force at Elikos out of existence. The larger garrison at Cassatev, however, would prove to be more stubborn.

On the morning of the 13th, Repulaean ground troops moved into the city and the surrounding marshland. All hell broke loose very quickly as thousands of Cassatev's fanatical defenders began to fulfill their oaths to fight to the end. They fought expertly in a tightly packed urban setting and in the thick marshes just outside the city. In addition, Repulaean efforts were hampered by the fear of heavy collateral damage. Thus, in an effort to reduce civilian losses, buildings were cleared room by room, causing a spike in Repulaean casualties. Though steady progress was made, it was tough, bloody work. COSPN High Command knew that the Coalition could not proceed deeper into Keymoa until all of the north was secure. These two cities had to fall. And they would. It was only a matter of time and blood.


Cassatev Marshland

1st Sergeant Mattius' Sierra company and the rest of the 3rd division were slated to join the 127th airborne in flushing out the Keymoan defenders from the marshlands a few miles east of the city of Cassatev. The enemy was determined to continue their guerrilla warfare in the stinking foggy wetlands that permitted no one to traverse it with ease. It was a deathtrap in the making and thousands of men were about to do battle within its depths.

Mattius never forgot the eerie gloom that was the Cassatev Marshland. Even in broad daylight, the sun would be clouded by the greenish fog of the wastes. Mangled foliage, impassable thickets of trees and thick mucky swamps made for good defensive positions for the fanatical Keymoan defenders who were few but determined. They knew the ground and they were set to kill. Command posts were established in the rear areas while the center of the swamp was an impregnable no-man's-land where most of the heavy fighting took place. Heavy bombers saturated the marsh for weeks yet still the enemy remained rooted to the land, determined to fight like rats. Their remainder would have to be swept out by force.

Mattius' 2nd platoon was ordered to perform a routine combat sweep in a small grove deep within the marshes on the morning of the 16th. He was particularly worried because two men from the 127th airborne were killed in an ambush near that grove just the day before. Nonetheless, his platoon, full of tired men without an officer to lead them, was sent forward into the unknown to remove from the area any Keymoan fighting positions that could threaten the battalion's advance planed for later in the week.

After an arduous twenty minute hike through the dense landscape, 2nd platoon reached the grove perched beside a tattered knoll to their left flank.

"Maxie," Whispered Mattius to Sergeant Max "Maxie" Perkson. "Get your squad up onto that knoll. You'll have good enfilade from there. Go!"

Sergeant Perkson proceeded to lead his support squad up to the knoll, using some foliage as cover. Suddenly some ruffling could be heard in the grassy patches beyond. It was a dark early morning and the gloomy fog didn't help the visibility situation. Maxie ordered his squad to hold up. Just then crackles could be heard from all across the terrain. An explosion shortly thereafter rocket Perkson's squad. The sergeant himself dropped from the grenade shrapnel. A spattering of mortars also began to fall onto their position, adding to the growing chaos. The Repulaeans began to viciously return fire.

"Medic up on line!" shouted Mattius. "Doc! Get up on line!"

Doc Adrian came rushing up from the rear of the platoon column as the rest of the squads filed into the woods to pour fire down upon the nearly invisible enemy positions. They still did not know exactly where they were taking fire from.

"Up by the knoll, Doc, go!" Sergeant Mattius turned to his men. "Covering fire for Doc!"

The whole platoon erupted into a flurry of fire as Doc Adrian made his way to the embattled support squad trapped at the knoll. When he arrived he saw Sergeant Perkson on the ground, his squadmates attempting to keep him alive. He had taken shrapnel to the side and was loosing blood fast. For ten minutes, Doc tried to keep him alive but to no avail. Maxie Perkson bled out before they could even try to move him. Just then, as he wept beside Maxie's pale body, an enemy round struck Doc Adrian's neck. He keeled over and began to bleed out while the squad again yelled for a medic.

"Doc's down! Doc's been hit!" Cries came in over the radio that resembled those of frightened children.

"Not Doc." Thought Mattius. "Not Doc. We can't loose Doc."

Mattius himself rushed over to the knoll under covering fire and attempted to slow the bleeding with his bare hands while a medivac helicopter was called in. After a long, agonizing wait, a navy Kinsbrock CT-13 Mako arrived over the swamps. The only nearby clearing was at the center of the knoll where the fighting was heaviest. Just before it could touch down, an RPG tore into the helicopter and brought it down, killing two of the five personnel aboard. Before a second medivac could be requested, Adrian had stopped breathing. Five minutes later he was dead, the blood drained from his limp body like a butcher's pig. It was a slow, painful death. The sight was awful for the Sierra men, all of whom loved Doc so much. All present that day would have gladly taken his place.

Mattius withdrew the platoon after the botched combat sweep that lasted forty minutes and cost four men's lives, two of whom were Sierra company veterans. It was the company's darkest day and their lowest drop in morale. News of Doc's death spread quickly and hit the company hard. When the platoon returned to the CP, the tragic news had preceded them. Men were already in tears upon their arrival. Doc's body, and that of Maxie Perkson, were loaded onto separate choppers bound for the fleet. One of the greatest NCOs in the company and the most beloved company veteran were both dead by the day's end. After a period of mourning, however, the company had to press forward. 1st platoon was to launch a similar patrol that night.

On that day Mattius was forever changed. He hated war. He detested it. If such a purely good human being like Adrian could be so liberally wasted, war was of no use to mankind. Mattius came a long way from his adrenaline junkie days on Mira or his glory hound days in East Gavra or his girl chasing days in Markoh's red light district. He was nearly going mad. He needed peace. He needed it now. He could only loose so much in this life and he felt that too much was already gone. Too many friends were never to be seen again. He considered asking the battalion surgeon, Colonel Perlin, for a few weeks leave back home or maybe to even be honorably discharged. He strode over to the CP in tears with this request on his mind. Just then he saw 1st platoon moving out in tactical formation into the dark abyss of the marsh for their night patrol. He stopped. Mattius turned around and went back to his foxhole, making sure to clear away the tears before his men could see. His men were all manning their positions, not a thought in the world of pulling back, not even a hint of withdrawal in their moist eyes. They were amazing people and Mattius knew that now he had to stay. He would live for these boys. He would die for these boys.

He never regretted his internal decision to stay that night, though God knows with all Mattius' accolades and battle experience the battalion surgeon would have sent him home in a heartbeat. But throughout the years, Ron Mattius would never forget Doc Ricky Adrian. Nightmares of his final moments would deprive Mattius of sleep for the rest of his life.

[Keymoa]

(OOC: Sorry for my delay. School has been a pain for me.)

FOB Karassal, South of Cassatev Marshes
Private Errid J. Kalin, 4th Armor Division, Keymoan National Army

Over the past several weeks, little ground was taken or lost as a stalemate raged across Keymoa. Guerilla tactics adopted by Keymoan forces proved to have little effect on the enemy. With resources dwindling, and Keymoa's final tricks being played, it was the chance in pushing the enemy back. Reinforcements from Southern Keymoa were deployed on the front lines. Now, the plan was to simply use brute-strength in stopping the Coalition. The final advantage of Keymoa, with much of aerial superiority lost, was to hold out in large numbers and hopefully withstand enemy assault. Focus was made on holding overlapping sectors of Anti-Aircraft systems, typically mobile SAMs, with this AA surrounded by entrenched infantry, tanks, and artillery, making airstrikes on these positions dangerous and difficult.

Private Errid Kalin, a young conscripted soldier at the age of 19, was one of the mobile infantry of the 4th Armor Division, one of the few remaining divisions Keymoa could put forth. He was on the northernmost part of the perimeter for FOB Karassal, one of the anti-aircraft operating areas, dangerously close to the front lines. The marches inland from Cassatev were horridly muddy and unpopulated. The muddy conditions in the area made life hell for the troops, making supply runs difficult, and tracked vehicles the most viable option. Private Kalin's squad was patrolling their area of the FOB, trudging through mud waist-high at times.

Private Kalin could hear the constant rattling of machineguns and boom of artillery in the distance. He gripped his rifle hard as a mortar or artillery piece from the FOB fired, unsure if the sound was that of his side or another. Thankfully, the fog that usually engulfed the area had not come today. He could atleast see the clouds, and sadly the tracers of anti-aircraft guns. Pvt. Kalin didn't understand why he was there, why he had to endure this war.

As the patrol slogged through the mud and brush, gunfire could be heard nearby, close enough for the squad commander to order the squad to halt. As the squad stopped and looked around, all at once a hail of gunfire came down upon them. Sergeant Histonev and Private Jelek fell first, as another two men were hit by enemy bullets, Private Kalin made a rush with three of his squadmates to a nearby log. Surprisingly, they hafn't been struck in the ambush. As the gunfire stopped, all was silent and the groans of their companions bleeding out in the mud could be heard clearly.

Private Kalin and his squadmates stayed silent, hoping to avoid any further confrontation. A rustling in the brush could be heard, and voices in English could be heard speaking. Private Kalin caught a glimpse of one soldier, a Mallaskan inspecting the bodies of the fallen Keymoans. It was the first enemy soldier he had ever seen alive. After some time, the enemy unit moved away, and Private Kalin made the decision to dash through the marshes to the FOB.

[Repulaea]

Northwestern Keymoa

Progress in the past few days rapidly increased thanks in no small part to the new Keymoan troop surge and "brute force" strategy. With enemy forces reverting back to conventional tactics and full combat contact, it became far easier to identify large troop masses and defeat them. Though anti aircraft emplacements hindered a total destruction of Keymoan ground forces, the sheer numbers and might of the Coalition air force was soon engulfing Keymoan reinforcement columns with heavy ordinance. Those unfortunate Keymoan troops who remained in the Cassatev pocket were now surrounded and cut off again, under unceasing harassment from long ranged missiles, artillery and air support. Within days, it was likely that the whole Keymoan AA array in the region would be put out of action as well. There was little the Keymoans could do at this juncture but delay the inevitable defeat of their forces.

About 30 miles away, Elikos had fallen at last to the combined might of the COSPN forces thanks to a well-coordinated final assault by the Repulaean 114th and 73rd infantry divisions and the Euneian 12th mechanized division. The surviving Keymoan forces were pushed into the Cassatev pocket as the city itself was steadily consumed by rough urban fighting and intense combat on the outskirts and suburbs.

In light of this, Major General Alahn Keer dispatched the following message to the Keymoan commander in the region:

From: Major General Alahn Keer, Supreme Commander of Repulaean Theater Forces
To: Overall Commander of Keymoan Forces in Northwestern Keymoa

Since mid June your troops have all fought with a determination, valor and strength that is unrivaled in this conflict. We commend you for your steadfast devotion to your nation, though we believe it to be a misguided one. However, not even you can now deny the danger of the present situation in the region. Your forces are completely surrounded in a dense pocket that is daily being bombed out of existence. Your men are no doubt tired, hungry and yearning to be free of the toils of war. Just this morning, Repulaean elements of the II Corps landed on the southwestern coast of Keymoa and have begun a rapid drive northward with our forces plunging south to drive into the heart of Keymoa. The corrupt regime for which you were forced to fight is soon to be no more.

We ask you, therefore, to surrender all Keymoan forces in the Northwest and allow us to bring a speedy end to this campaign which has dragged on for months taking the lives of so many of your men and mine. As per COSPN military statute 10.12, your forces will be treated with all due respect and humanity. Upon taking your men into custody, food and medicines will be distributed and all appropriate care will be given to the sick and wounded. We can assure you that you and your men will be treated well. We appeal to your honor and your care for the troops under you to seek a final surrender and an end to the now pointless, futile fighting that accomplishes nothing but further bloodshed. We await your reply.

Southwestern Coast of Keymoa

Operation: Little Spartan was a carefully coordinated surprise landing on the southwestern coast of Keymoa by elements of the II Corps, namely the 60th Expeditionary Division, 5th infantry division and 1st armored division. The 19th airborne also dropped behind enemy lines a few hours before the invasion at 0500. With the support of pre-landing bombardment from the 6th fleet, little resistance was met since much of Keymoa's southern forces had been recently deployed up north to face a futile defense. Operation: Little Spartan had been in the works for nearly two months but with expectations of higher resistance from the enemy. This recent redeployment of enemy troops had positive effects on both fronts.

Within hours, the beachheads were secured and few casualties sustained. After linking up with the 19th airborne, the four divisions, spearheaded by the 1st armored division, known for its famous drive across Silvion and Serany during the Continental War, drove north to link up with the XIII Corps which had just plunged south into Keymoan territory. The attack plan was relayed to Mallaskan command so as to create a cooperative drive deep into Keymoa. This rendered the Keymoan resistance in the Northwest completely ineffective and useless, posing little threat to the Coalition advance now. Though a small-scale landing, Operation: Little Spartan could very well prove to be the straw that finally breaks Menla Keev's back. The war was entering its final stages. The endgame had begun.

[East Gavra]

East Gavran-Keymoan Border

Since the fall of the East Gavran Regime and the death of its brutal dictator Lestrav Myres in May, the nation of East Gavra was in tatters. Over 150,000 troops had been killed in the fruitless war with Mallaska and her new allies against whom the East Gavrans were forced to fight. The unilateral decision by the Keymoan regime to attack a COSPN ally drew the whole region into a wider war, only to have Keymoa withdraw its forces from East Gavra in its hour of need. There was much bitters towards the Keymoan regime in East Gavra, perhaps more than what was felt towards the new foreign occupiers who, though the military conquerers of the country, had immediately began reforms projects and a massive reconstruction initiative. Though still uneasy with this new life under occupation, many East Gavrans rallied behind the cause for their own sake. There was no better option. With most of the guerrilla resistance in the country diminished, a democratic government began to take shape with a unicameral congressional system, executive and judicial branches not dissimilar from the Repulaean system. The first free elections in East Gavran history were scheduled for July.

Over the months, Repulaean forces had begun forging and training a new pro-Coalition defense force in what was now called the Republican Union of East Gavra. Called the Republican Militia, it was comprised of about 20,000 armed troops trained by COSPN affiliates. Most of them had never fought in the war itself, all of the veterans still officially being prisoners of war. However, many served in the East Gavran national defense guard and in other local defense authorities and all had an ire they hoped to direct towards the Keymoans who drew them into this war and left them for dead. Remon Crav, a moderate administrator and former lawyer for the Regime's finance offices, was one of three major candidates in the fledgling democracy's first true election by the people. Though Repulaea officially remained detached from the Gavran democratic process, the Crav Administration was supported by COSPN due to the President's secret pre-election promise to Repulaean President Tannas to deploy ground forces in the offensive against Keymoa. Trust in Crav and his new government by the Coalition was not absolute but he was the best choice at the time to kick off a pro-democracy East Gavra. He won the July elections by a landslide and began making preparations over the next month to follow the allies into Keymoa while simultaneously juggling the increasing demands of a new democracy in the making.

Finally, on the 6th of September, 10,000 East Gavran troops of the Republican Militia's 1st Division, supported by a brigade of armor and support vehicles on loan from Euneia, crossed the border into Keymoa. Simultaneously, East Gavran and Repulaean batteries began shelling Central Gavran positions across the border, coinciding with an increase in air strikes against Central Gavra in order to once again pressure the country into capitulation to peace terms. True to its word, the new East Gavran government, not yet three months old, was already at war.

The Gavran force quickly joined up with the Mallaskan and Repulaean spearheads that were already jabbing deep into the heart of Keymoa and would no doubt be reaching its capital soon. A squadron of 12 East Gavran attack helicopters on loan from Repulaea moved northward to provide additional air support to finish off what remained of he enemy at Cassatev. The East Gavrans, who felt betrayed by the Keymoans, considered this nothing less than poetic justice.

When the East Gavran commander, General Drask Aritev, asked for clearance to cross the border on the morning of the 6th, COSPN command relayed a message directly from General Zachary Marcer himself.

"Let justice be done," he said.