Fall of a "Republic" [MT, open, no signup]

[Liberated Free Nations]

On December 4, a violent and unexpected coup in the expansionist, multinational state known as the Democratic Republic of Liberated Free Nations overthrew the former leader of a particularly hard-line Communist Party. The new leader, declaring himself as God, has refused in spite of international pressure to abandon the rabid foreign policy of the former communist government, inherited a million-man army equipped with chemical and biological weapons, and has began issuing numerous ultimatums against neighboring states.

Yet all is not perfect in the Kingdom of God. Two thousand soldiers routed from the Dominion of Dacruz earlier have declared their allegiance to the deposed Party Leader and recently started a violent and growing rebellion in the new Theocracy's western hinterlands. Calling themselves the Democratic-Republicans, the uprising has recruited thousands of defectors from government forces opposed to the coup and spread deep inland.

A third faction has recently formed, meanwhile, that has grown tired of seeing their comrades and possibly themselves slaughtered by dictatorships. Small in number compared to the other two, they have cautiously agreed to appeal for international support.

The sides:

Government of the Theocracy of Liberated Free Nations, or the Union: Hostile to foreign intervention unless the country wishing to aid it publicly declares President Mike as God on Earth and addresses him as such.

Rebels - Democratic-Republicans: Extremely hostile to foreign intervention, including from other communist states. A faction wishing to return the remnant communist leadership to power under the uncompromising rule of Friend Number One.

Rebels - Anarchists: Their brainwashing was somewhat broken by contact with anarchist rebels in the Dacruzian Civil War. Some of them are tentatively requesting international aid.

The rules:

This incident uses NS stats to determine your maximum strength. If you are involved in another incident, troops deployed there will be counted against your effectiveness here. You COULD technically recruit your entire population into the army and send them into this incident, but be aware that it will leave your homeland seriously vulnerable to invasion by other players.

Always declare your troop movements at least one post before you engage in battles that claim enemy casualties. If you jack up your numbers in any location unreasonably, it will just be assumed to be inflated propaganda or a logistical miscalculation.

This incident is open; uses modern technology. No signup is required.

[Sinoasia]

With the rising situation in the Liberated Free Nations seemingly getting out of hand, the populace of the Democratic Republic of Sinoasia to do something to protect Sinoasian citizens there, already reeling from the horrible attacks on Beijing by tibetian nationalists and murder of 45 Sinoasian citizens by the new Jingoistic State of Tibet. After a vote from parliament, which has totaled 145 to 125, it has been decided that a small group of Sinoasian peacekeepers will be deployed to the Liberated Free Nations untill the end of the conflict, with orders not to become involved unless actively targeted by either belligerent force.

Parliament has however released a statement that a full deployment of Sinoasian forces will not occur, as the Democratic Republic of Sinoasia is concentrated on the crisis with its beligerent neighbor, the Jingoistic State of Tibet, with which it has issued an ultimatum, and is expecting a war on its own border soon.

[Agathourn]

The Minister of Defense, Jiao Lin, in Agathourn has secretly answered the call for international aid from the anarchists. A telegram was sent from the Chejournian Capital requesting an unofficial meeting with the leader of the Anarchists. In the telegram, it is made clear that it is unlikely that anything beyond airstrikes and logistical support would be provided. Meanwhile reconnaissance drones were sent over the population centers and military bases of the former Democratic Republic.

[Zandill]

The President of Zandill addresses the people of Zandill in a press conference regarding the LFN Conflict. He says that Zandill will be remaining neutral for the time being and is awaiting to see if this conflict will create a major refugee crisis with people wanting to escape the conflict to a more peaceful, compassionate nation, willing to give hospitality and temporary work for anyone who wishes to escape the future conflict in the LFN. He says that the ZAS Zaris has been dispatched to international waters close to the LFN to standby and prepare to evacuate any refugees, if necessary.

ZAS Zaris
A Goteborg-Class Corvette
Carrying 6 AW-109 Helicopters.

OOC: Will a map be provided in the future?

[Liberated Free Nations]

"Almighty Lord Mike, some unconverted pagans from Sino-Asia have landed on our shores. What shall we do with them?"

The President thought long and hard. "Tell them that if they acknowledge Me in writing as Savior, we will allow them to be here. Otherwise My armies shall blast them with holy fire and they shall know what it is to stand against Christ!"

"What about the communist rebels? We have captured a disturbing intercept from the town of Rothaus."

It is only a matter of time before the forces of our Democratic Republic liberate Engelstopia from the reactionary putschists. 100,000 enemy soldiers sent to our base in Rothaus have defected in solidarity with the world revolution and have commenced long-range artillery bombardment upon the city."

The metallic, futurist architecture in the city, officially called Miketopia, suffers as the rebel artillery blasts craters into a number of utopian facades and throughfares. As a propaganda sign with a black crucifix recently painted over the communist emblem explodes across Paradise Square, terror sets in among the leadership, then rage.

"I WANT THIRTY DIVISIONS MOVED TO ROTHAUS TO CRUSH THE REBEL ARMY! And move another 10,000 over to the Sinoasian landing zone on the eastern beaches in case they do not accept My Lordship."

. . . . .

Rebel-held area, Trebau Commune

"Liberator Abram, you have a telegram coming from Agathourn."

"Let me see... yes. Our fears of being colonized and subjected to laws again at least won't materialize, for now, if they are just sticking to airstrikes and material aid. This is great news. Shall we meet with them?"

"I think so... but we do not have many aircraft. We should see if they are willing to supply weapons, and under what terms."

PARTY MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS

To: Defense Minister Jiao Lin

From: Liberator Abram

I am on my way to meet you regarding assistance to the liberation. At the moment, we have fifty columns under arms, but little in the way of cutting-edge weapons or fuel to spare. Never mind the Party Ministry label; it is hard-coded into the machine I am sending this message from."

OOC: I will probably release a map later on, assuming you don't get to it before I can. Thought you did well with the Dacruz map, even before Atarashi's version. The reason for the delay is that I find it a more interesting and varied story when players are first free to make up the setting their armies are in and the city locations before an official map release. So far: Rothaus, somewhere in the west. Miketopia (Engelstopia), somewhere in the center. Trebau, northwest near the border. My country is on the other side of the Brasilistani colony in your previous map. There's at least one coastline.

Other: An LFN division is 10,000 infantry, rather than the standard 20,000.

[Agathourn]

Central Defense Area
"Minister Lin, the rebels in the Republic have responded. They've accepted our assistance and seem to have a particular need of fuel and weapons. They say they have around fifty armed columns."

"Good, tell them I am currently making my way towards the meeting area. Continue the reconnaissance missions over areas held by the current government." Minister Lin quickly left the room and set off towards the meeting spot.

OOC: So is the meeting area in Chejournia or inside of the Liberated Free Nations?

[Sinoasia]

"Almighty Lord Mike, some unconverted pagans from Sino-Asia have landed on our shores. What shall we do with them?"

The President thought long and hard. "Tell them that if they acknowledge Me in writing as Savior, we will allow them to be here. Otherwise My armies shall blast them with holy fire and they shall know what it is to stand against Christ!"

"What about the communist rebels? We have captured a disturbing intercept from the town of Rothaus."

It is only a matter of time before the forces of our Democratic Republic liberate Engelstopia from the reactionary putschists. 100,000 enemy soldiers sent to our base in Rothaus have defected in solidarity with the world revolution and have commenced long-range artillery bombardment upon the city."

The metallic, futurist architecture in the city, officially called Miketopia, suffers as the rebel artillery blasts craters into a number of utopian facades and throughfares. As a propaganda sign with a black crucifix recently painted over the communist emblem explodes across Paradise Square, terror sets in among the leadership, then rage.

"I WANT THIRTY DIVISIONS MOVED TO ROTHAUS TO CRUSH THE REBEL ARMY! And move another 10,000 over to the Sinoasian landing zone on the eastern beaches in case they do not accept My Lordship."

. . . . .

Rebel-held area, Trebau Commune

"Liberator Abram, you have a telegram coming from Agathourn."

"Let me see... yes. Our fears of being colonized and subjected to laws again at least won't materialize, for now, if they are just sticking to airstrikes and material aid. This is great news. Shall we meet with them?"

"I think so... but we do not have many aircraft. We should see if they are willing to supply weapons, and under what terms."

PARTY MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS

To: Defense Minister Jiao Lin

From: Liberator Abram

I am on my way to meet you regarding assistance to the liberation. At the moment, we have fifty columns under arms, but little in the way of cutting-edge weapons or fuel to spare. Never mind the Party Ministry label; it is hard-coded into the machine I am sending this message from."

OOC: I will probably release a map later on, assuming you don't get to it before I can. Thought you did well with the Dacruz map, even before Atarashi's version. The reason for the delay is that I find it a more interesting and varied story when players are first free to make up the setting their armies are in and the city locations before an official map release. So far: Rothaus, somewhere in the west. Miketopia (Engelstopia), somewhere in the center. Trebau, northwest near the border. My country is on the other side of the Brasilistani colony in your previous map. There's at least one coastline.

Other: An LFN division is 10,000 infantry, rather than the standard 20,000.

Prime Minister looked at the ridiculous request, first the Tibetians, now this!? He had already been dealing with one group wanting to subjegate his people, now some theocrat wanted to subject him to a personality cult, he was not happy about this, and decided to do as he had promised

Dear leader of the 'Liberated' Free Nations, we hae gone over your demand, and have come to a clear conclusion as to our decision. Simply we shall not allow the imposing of a ridiculous and idiotic personal religion upon our people by some tyrant across the sea. We will however, either be allowed to protect Sinoasian citizens within the LFN, or be allowed to remove them from harms way. If you refuse and fire upon our nonbeligerant peacekeepers, we will be obligated to freeze any and all Liberated Free Nations assets within the Democratic-Republic of Sinoasia, and a complete embargo of your goods.

[Avrellon]

(Tagging for interest)

[Liberated Free Nations]

Apocalyptic Times

DEC. 11 ISSUE

Lo and behold, the army of the LORD moveth upon the heathen infidels of Sinoasia that dareth insult MIKE, our LORD and Savior.

Air bombardment has commenced on the enemy-occupied port of Trabant in light of a laughable "embargo" and "sanctions", turning the city into a craterscape burning brightly with the Fire of God in preparation for the storming of the city. The heathens have taken cover in the extensive subterranean bunker network built in the wicked Communist era. Estimated property damages to God from bombing pagans so far have totaled near 70 talents' worth of gold and an additional 1,037 slaves.

. . . . .

Chamber of the Council of Repentants, Earthly Palace of Christ

"This newspaper article is outrageous. Do you really think we chose the right... candidate for the job?"
"Dimitrov. It is too soon to tell. Let him think he is the one in charge... for now."

Liberator Abram is flying to Chejournia right now, and should be expected to land there by your next post. What he'll be saying at the meeting is up to you.

[Sinoasia]

In response to the firing upon Sinoasian peacekeepers, the Democratic Republic of Sinoasia has enacted a full seizure of buisnesses and property owned and operated by LFN citizens, placing them in temporary housing, as well as compensating them for the seizures. Sinoasian ports have been closed to LFN shipping, and airliners from the LFN have been redirected away from Sinoasian airports.

Parliament has stated that these measures will remain in place and gradually increased as time goes on unless the families of the peacekeepers are fully compensated, and an official apology given by the LFN government.

Secretly in Sinoasia a shipment of locally made Galils and ammunition is being prepared for delivery to the rebels, and a message has been sent to the rebels

My dear comrades, we sympathize with your movement and would like to assist you in your fight against theocratic opression, we will be sending deliveries of weaponry and ammunition and officers to train your men in the art of war
Signed, Anonymous

.....

Peacekeeper LZ
0 Hour

Jiao watched as a shell landed in a building near the camp, the sound of gunfire was loud, as his fellow Sinoasians found themselves In a fight to survive, the Galils they carried popping rounds off. He watched a medic carrying off a wounded man, he rushed to the line a fired a burst, the rifle clattering away.

He heard the TM-1 Beetle 3rd generation tank stationed to the unit roll into the combat zone the tanks 14mm AA gun firing away at the LFN soldiers, and the gun fired like thunder as it discharged a 135mm Canister shot, sending the shot towards the LFN soldiers. However they could only hold untill evac arrived.

[Liberated Free Nations]

Liberator Teilhof, another organizer of the Anarcho-Commune of Trebau, gazed at the message from the Sinoasians.

PARTY MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS

To: Parliament, Democratic Republic of Sinoasia

From: Comrade Teilhof, Liberation Forces of Trebau

We appreciate your offer to send material aid for the Liberation, but... have no need for advisors. Many of us are already veterans of a disastrous war in Dacruz. I was in the Party's most feared elite unit there, Column 1, before almost being caught in the purge of anti-Party elements who were too sympathetic to the Dacruzian rebel leader Bures.

When the Liberation's best strategist returns from Chejournia, we are planning to launch the main offensive whether they deliver aid to us or not.

. . . . .

Faint shadows materialized through the snows of mid-December as an army 300,000 strong inched toward the Democratic-Republican stronghold of Rothaus. Friend No. 1 had roughly half that number to defend with.

Suddenly, the serene, snowy dusk was rudely interrupted by the deafening roar of jets, artillery, and surface-to-air missiles. The white ground heaved and turned inside-out as fuel-air bombs and napalm blasted apart the defensive strongpoints of the hard-line Communist rebels.

"Comrades! Hold this position as long as humanly possible, withdraw into the tunnels if necessary, and buy time for the revolution to spread! A lot of people are angry at the Union for cancelling rations and do not trust foreign imperialism!"

[Sinoasia]

Jiao watched a mortar round hit a group of men, blasting them apart. He thought 'dammit where's our evac?!'
Sinoasian peacekeepers around him were fighting bravely, and were fighting to keep the LZ secure. The sound of jets roared overhead as a pair of F-5E Tiger IIs from the Wasp class which had brought them here were trying to chase off LFN aircraft, but they could only do so much to slow the onslaught.

He said "Get command on the radio, we need our evac now, get a call for help out"
"affirmative"

The radio operator got on an open channel and started yelling "To any friendly forces nearby this is the 349th Infantry battalion 1st brigade, we are under heavy fire from LFN forces and in need of assistance, located kilo niner four two, over"

Another mortar shell landed nearby, the boom was soon drowned out by the thunderclap of another 135mm shell being fired.

[Zandill]

The ZAS Zaris lands in a small port on the coast of a small LFN town, a small team of Zandians scan the area for hostile rebels and begin to unload some small jeeps. They take two small teams and survey the town and some surrounding towns to see if there are any groups of distressed citizens wishing to leave the war torn country.

Any citizens wishing to leave the country, if any at all, are taken back to the ZAS Zaris and after a week are taken to a Zandian refugee camp temporarily, then given work and hospitality in an approved apartment building where they can live out the war in peace and return to their country save and sound.

The people in the jeeps are armed with only Glock 19s. They are easy to pick out from anyone else because of their uniforms and are known across the world for their excellent care of refugees.

[The Green Union]

Col. Fred, William Henry Airbase, Dacruz:

An out of breath Loyalist soldier burst through the door, saluting the Colonel before speaking. "Sir, the situation in Liberated Free Nations has escalated. After we drove them out of Dacruz there have been differing opinions. They are poised for a war of ideology." He then doubled over, out of breath from his run up the stairs.

The Colonel took his boots off the desk. "How is this a problem? It's making sure they don't try to take over Dacruz again. I don't suppose one of these ideologies we agree with?"

"Well, no, sir. But a sensible nation's peacekeeping force is being attacked by LFN troops in a port settlement right now. They are calling for assistance with an evacuation."

The Loyalist officer pondered this. "They should have known better than to try to impose their control on the LFN. Well, we have little choice. Most of our helicopters are free for operation," he said while writing on a piece of paper, "so give this to the tower."

The soldier looked at the paper. "All helicopter, sir? Won't they be shot down?"

"No. I'm scrambling Gold Squadron now."

The soldier nodded and saluted before turned to go, but Col. Fred called after him. "One more thing."

"Yes, sir?"

"Cpl. Balladur is in Dacruz city right now flushing out the last of the rebels. I want him on this mission."

Col. Fred, LAF foreign aid mission to Dacruz
To: RLAF air traffic control, William Henry Airbase

Request to immediately deploy seven of the Dacruzian aid mission's UH-147F Chinooks and twelve UH-146 Griffons to evacuate Sinoasian soldiers from a port town. Coordinates will be wired to the helicoopters in flight, and Gold Squadron's five UF-105 Arrows will clear the air of enemy aircraft before the helicopters arrive.

A UH-146 Griffon escort over Dacruzian airspace en-route for the Liberated Free Nations


A UH-147F Chinook en-route to LFN to evacuate Sinoasian peacekeepers


Gold Squadron's UF-105 Arrow Interceptors departing Dacruz for the Loberated Free Nations

[North Arkana]

Everything I'm sending can be found in my factbooks, and anything which seems questionable in regards to being MT is in fact viable in MT

600nmi from LFN, en route to closer position
Arkanan Expeditionary Force: Joint Mobile Fleet, en route with 1st, 2nd Rapid Response Brigade; 36th, 37th Combined Arms Corp; detachment 181
Present

The directive from the National Council, and from ADF HICOM was clear, "pacify the LFN with all necessary force". For that purpose, the AEF had been assembled and deployed with all due haste. Their first mission was to deliver a simple message, "cease all hostilities, or all necessary force will applied to end them". Hopefully, there would be enough people with the sense to end the fighting, but of course, if the situation was as it was reported, that was unlikely. Trying to reason with religious fanatics and communist hardliners usually never ended well, and the anarchists were a problem faction of their own.

So, as it was, rather than simply send the message and have the AEF on standby, it was seen as wiser to send the AEFvitself to deliver the message. To that end, the Joint Mobile Fleet was on the move. AEW/AWACS aircraft were in the air, ASW helicopters were making their patrol rounds, and reconnaissance drones were launched from the decks of the carriers and sent forwards to get full motion video of the areas ahead. Aboard the transport vessels accompanying the fleet, were the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd RRB, and the 36th and 37th CAC, while aboard ANS Horizon, the flagship of the JMF, were the operators of detachment 181. If this operation was going to end up a shooting war, the ADF planned to be the one bringing mlthe most guns to party. Of course, besides the ones heading directly to war, the organizations based on the homefront were providing their invaluable support. SATCOM performed their space borne mission, while INCOM gathered every last bit of intelligence they could extract regarding the potential factors of this operation. The ADF was going to war, and they weren't planning to leave anything to chance.

[Agathourn]

Central Defense Area
Liberator Abram and the MinisterLin met in room Y, a small and secluded room that was used for unofficial meetings. In the eyes of the public, the room did not exist. In the eyes of the government however, some of the most important deals were brokered here. The two discussed, for hours, what the rebellion needed urgently and how compensation would be made, if there would be any at all. While Lin was initially hesitant to provide more than fuel and monetary funds, the Liberator was able to convince him that arming the rebellion would prove crucial to their effort. By the end of the meeting, the Minister agreed to supply arms for 25 columns of men with enough munitions for a half a year. The minister also agreed to supply the rebels with 50,000 gallons of gas each month. As a parting gift the minister gave the Liberator a new telegram.

[Liberated Free Nations]

...cease all hostilities, or all necessary force will applied to end them".

"I thought I'd bring this transmission to your attention, my Lord."
"WHAT?!? Absolutely not! They'll burn in Hell by My will before I accept the demands of infidels!"
"North Arkana is a superpower! What are we going to do?!"

A voice emerged from the shadowed end of the chamber.

"Mike. Do you know about Project Omega?"

Deathly silence filled the room. Under the Party, nobody who ever said those words came back alive.

"Uh... OF COURSE I DO! I am all-knowing!", Mike exclaimed. "I demand you talk about this project with me... privately."

. . . . .

Party Headquarters, Rothaus Front

"Intercept from North Arkana, Comrade Leader."
"Then be on the lookout for their spies. We have already caught agents of imperialist Zandill trying to get defectors to their country. We'll infiltrate terrorists among the "refugees" to spread the fires of revolution to their country.

As for Arkana, I am not worried. The traitor putschists doubtless know about the Final Measure."

. . . . .

"Liberator Abram returned with good news. Let's bring FREEDOM to the oppressed people of the union! Down with the dictators!"
"I have bad news too. North Arkana has demanded that we lay down our arms. That is not possible. Either they'll invade, or we'll get massacred by tyrants. And I don't know how the Loyalists will react... they were the enemy in the last war."

With the Union and Democratic-Republican forces overwhelmingly concentrated around Rothaus in the inland regions, the anarchists quickly overwhelm the dense city of Volkow with little resistance from Democratic-Republican forces along its dirt-paved roads, fighting past rows and rows of aged, decaying concrete tenements, eventually raising the black flag above the anomalously manicured government district.

. . . . .

The shelling and bombing of Sinoasian troops in Trabant suddenly stopped as flares lit up on the horizon. Through binoculars, a red flag could faintly be traced out.

[Boyznichov]

GMT 08.00 + United Kingdom Socialist Boyznichov, El Kertak Hanyare
Hall of People, Prime Minister Office

Central Boyznichov News Channel

"Now, we going to Prime Minister Office to watch Laporan Mingguan Perdana Menteri"

Prime Minister walks to prime minister podium ...

"People of Boyznichov, after we hear and discuss what going on in Republic of Liberated Free Nations, we make sure it will help the refugees who have become victims of this incident, we expect the victims, especially women and children would be immediately evacuated to a safer place because it looked and would predict there will be events that more radical happening in the country, in addition to we also will provide peacekeeping forces along with the medical team, and all the needs that will be needed by refugees such as food, clothing, and medicine.

for that also I will try to communicate with the two sides to listen to what they expect and hopefully there will be no more unexpected events.

.........
.........
.........

and that's all I can report to this week and keep events in the Republic of Liberated Free Nations has always been our focus and will be discussed further.

[Zandill]

The ZAS Zilon joins the ZAS Zaris at the LFN port and the first group of political refugees are transported onto the ZAS Zaris. The Corvette ZAS Zaris left the port to Zandill at 1800 hours. The ZAS Zilon brought with them the 1st Zandian Infantry Squad armed with Ak5s and Glock 19s. The Squad, of 13 soldiers led by Sergeant Nathan Zupplan, are tasked with defending the port from hostile parties.

The ZAS Zilon and Zaris will be constantly switching places allowing for quick efficient refugee transportation. The Zandians try to keep thier activities relatively under the radar to avoid confrontation with the oppressive government.

[The German Democratic Reich]

THE GERMAN PEOPLE SPEAK!

The German Democratic Reich expresses its dissapointment with the current situation in the Liberated Free Nations. The original communist party was one of fair rule, peace, and unity..Now the nation is torn apart by theocracy and anarchism. The head of state is a madman, a physcotic fool who believes he is the descendant of a nonexistant God. A nation like this is too dangerous to exist, and the Reich condemns the Liberated Free Nations and calls upon all socialist allies to embargo and sanction them until their original leadership is restored.

If this fails, further action will be taken.



Reichspräsident
Eber Raus

[The Green Union]

Sgt. Alexandra Mctavish, high above the port of Trabant:

"Gold Squadron, fall in behind me. There are government aircraft ahead."

Gold Squadron's five UF-105 Arrows moved into attack formation, making a beeline for the Mike-Worshiper aircraft circling over the Sinoasian forces. Even from afar Alex could see the bloodshed. Artillery and jets bombarded the small centre of the town, having caught the Sinoasians helpless in the middle. It was impossible to see the peacekeepers on the ground, but judging by the state of the city blocks they were in they couldn't be faring well.

"Gold Squadron," Alex relayed, "sign off for attack run. Gold Leader, standing by."

"Gold Two, standing by."

"Gold Three, standing by."

"Gold Four, standing by."

"Gold Five, standing by."

"Good. Initiate attack run right through the enemy air squadron. Regroup at five clicks due north."

But even as the Loyalist planes came down on the religious pilots the enemy spun around and abandoned their attack runs. In the distance flares like tiny suns arced into the sky, and all firing stopped as if in awe of the coming of a saint. But it was not a saint. In the distance was seen a familiar flag, one Alex had hoped she would never see again.

It was the banner of Communist Liberated Free Nations. The same flag Gold Squadron had fought against over North Vasille in Dacruz.

"It's the reds!" Gold Three yelled out of regulation.

"Yes, yes it is." Alex said, "Gold Squadron, maintain a defensive position over the Sinoasian peacekeepers. Ready air to air and air to ground munitions to halt enemy advances on the Sinoasians.

Cpl. Jacques Balladur, en-route to Trabant:

"Alright," The commander addressed the squad, "Our primary mission here is to set down in the middle of the Sinoasian peacekeepers and get them on the choppers and back in the air in less than a minute. Our priority is keeping our own safe, so don't do anything stupid. Cpl. Balladur, you're in charge of making sure we get everyone onboard in time. Any questions?"

"Yeah," someone said, "are we evacuating all their stuff or just the men?"

"We want to only have to take the personnel with us, but in case they want us to take some armour or something we'll do a quick undersling with one Chinook. We'll draw the line at too much, though. It's all our lives they're risking if we stay too long."

"ETA 2 minutes!" the pilot interrupted from the cockpit.

"Okay," the commander said, "remember your training. We may not even get into a firefight down there, but if we do I don't want any of you taking risks. We haven't lost a Loyalist in Dacruz this entire damned war and I don't want that to change now that we're jumping a border . . . and I definitely don't want it to happen on my watch.

[North Arkana]

20,000 meters above LFN
Shadow Reaper Hunter-Killer stealth drone strike and reconnaissance aircraft
Present

In the modern era, electronic warfare is a truly devastating aspect of war when applied properly. Blind the enemy, cut off their sensors, remove their ability to detect threats, and you can strike at your leisure. That is what the SR-HKs are here for. Sent ahead of the AEF after being launched from the carriers, the strike group has a simple goal, destroy the enemy's ability to communicate effectively using existing civilian infrastructure. This meant targets like broadcasting stations, radio towers, cell phone towers, and Internet server farms. The best part of such a target list, was that the location of all such things could be found over mostly open source mediums, with no need for serious investigating, barring the occasional hacking of a civilian database to find the more sensitive targets like the server farms. For this mission, they are bearing weapons of a special type. Rather than the usual guided missiles with conventional warheads commonly used, the SR-HKs are carrying missiles with an added feature, EPFCGs. In addition to usual explosive and fragmentation effects, these gave the missiles a localized high output EMP effect as well.

"All units, you are cleared to engage previously listed targets. Weapons free."

That was the signal the drone operators had been waiting for. Aboard each of the 8 SR-HKs which had been sent, their loads of 4 missiles each were readied and locked on to their targets. Due to the limited amount of munitions available for this first strike, high priority targets had been chosen, those among the largest cities and most densely populated areas, as the goal was to cause maximum disruption to the electronic infrastructure. The doors of the internal weapons bays are opened aboard each drone, and the missiles are dropped before each turns away and heads for home. As the targets are large, fixed buildings or structures, fire-and-forget GPS guidance could be used, reducing exposure to potential threats to the aircraft, even if they are stealthy. The first stage of the missiles' flight is an unpowered glide, allowing them to avoid giving off a detectable heat signature for the majority on their flight, so long as they were dropped within the standoff range, while at the same time, careful shapong of the missiles heavily reduces their detectability by radar. Once they arrive at the target, the guidance system orients the nose of the missile towards the target, and the final approach is made at supersonic speed with the ignition of the missiles' rocket engine. The final dash is a short ranged affair, with a good amount of fuel still unburned within the missiles', an intentional feature to make the weapons have an explosive, fragmentation, EMP, and incendiary effect.

[Demidia]

International Waters off the Coast of LFN

Royal Demidian Navy - Task Force Juno
Aboard the HMDS Commonwealth, Admiral Glenn Kilbeck's Quarters

Kilbeck sat as his desk, reviewing the dossier on the LFN situation. As the closest military asset the Commonwealth had to the situation, he knew undoubtably they would be first to the fray. Though that was still an uncertainty.

From 2004 to 2014 it was almost a given that Demidia would be involved, as that was the foreign policy of Jack O'Reilly's Progressive government. 10 years were the maximum term for a Prime Minister, and his successor to that office had pulled back from international events following his inauguration. Still, that was Demidia's reputation in the international community, and the Commonwealth had obligations.

*Beep* A voice came over the speaker on his desk. "Admiral Kilbeck?" The voice of his XO was unmistakable, gravely, like every syllable carried the weight of Commander Bruce Ash's 25 year career with it.

"Yes Commander?"

"You've been summoned to the War Room sir."

"Have we received new orders?"

"Aye, Fleet wants us to move drones into LFN"

"I'll be right there Bruce. Thank you."

"Aye Admiral"

He got out of his aged oak chair, turned to the map behind his desk and thought... Demidia's days as international referee may be returning after all.

He checked his watch, and left his office.

[Sinoasia]

...cease all hostilities, or all necessary force will applied to end them".

"I thought I'd bring this transmission to your attention, my Lord."
"WHAT?!? Absolutely not! They'll burn in Hell by My will before I accept the demands of infidels!"
"North Arkana is a superpower! What are we going to do?!"

A voice emerged from the shadowed end of the chamber.

"Mike. Do you know about Project Omega?"

Deathly silence filled the room. Under the Party, nobody who ever said those words came back alive.

"Uh... OF COURSE I DO! I am all-knowing!", Mike exclaimed. "I demand you talk about this project with me... privately."

. . . . .

Party Headquarters, Rothaus Front

"Intercept from North Arkana, Comrade Leader."
"Then be on the lookout for their spies. We have already caught agents of imperialist Zandill trying to get defectors to their country. We'll infiltrate terrorists among the "refugees" to spread the fires of revolution to their country.

As for Arkana, I am not worried. The traitor putschists doubtless know about the Final Measure."

. . . . .

"Liberator Abram returned with good news. Let's bring FREEDOM to the oppressed people of the union! Down with the dictators!"
"I have bad news too. North Arkana has demanded that we lay down our arms. That is not possible. Either they'll invade, or we'll get massacred by tyrants. And I don't know how the Loyalists will react... they were the enemy in the last war."

With the Union and Democratic-Republican forces overwhelmingly concentrated around Rothaus in the inland regions, the anarchists quickly overwhelm the dense city of Volkow with little resistance from Democratic-Republican forces along its dirt-paved roads, fighting past rows and rows of aged, decaying concrete tenements, eventually raising the black flag above the anomalously manicured government district.

. . . . .

The shelling and bombing of Sinoasian troops in Trabant suddenly stopped as flares lit up on the horizon. Through binoculars, a red flag could faintly be traced out.

Jiaong watched as the firing stopped, and remebered the war with India, and decided to act quickly.

''Get defenses ready, theyre getting ready for a charge, set up those SAWs and get rearmed.''
He reloaded his Galil and got into position, squinting in the bright light of the flares, and he aimed down his weapons sights

[Liberated Free Nations]

Trabant Front

Still engaged against the "Lord's Army", the forces of the rebel Democratic Republic captured and held the western section of the city, but could go no further. On the cold, clear January day, the port looked half like blasted rubble and half like rows and rows of identical snow-covered housing blocks. A close look revealed that windows were never installed in any of them. Bullet marks in the roads revealed the lack of paving.

The Sinoasian side was still holding, however.

Rothaus Front

"Comrade leader, we have some... interesting news coming from Germany. Their factionalist-revisionist party has either indicated a willingness to reject national borders, return to the high principle that the workingmen have no country, and join our one united party of the international proletariat, or they are scheming secretly to invade the liberated zones and overthrow communism. We also caught a Boyznichovian spy that landed in our lines. Was scheduled to air the execution, but television's down tonight for some reason..."

Hordes of soldiers shouting "Mike is Christ" swarmed past the bombed-out concrete shells littering Rothaus as the rebels beat a hasty retreat from the city.

. . . . .

Camp 232, undisclosed location

"Now that we're at the slave camp, what's this you were saying about Project Omega?"
"Be patient, Mike. Anyway, I would like to introduce you to our secret weapon."

PROJECT OMEGA

CLEARANCE PRIORITY ONE
CAMP ADMINISTRATORS ONLY

Central Party Directive

Friend No. 1 has issued this directive ONLY for use against imminent government overthrow or in the event of the crucial military communications infrastructure being severed after 21 days.

All gulag laborers are to be immediately reassigned to the construction of 100,000 ballistic missiles armed with Novichok-class nerve agents to be deployed into the earth's stratosphere in the event that either condition is met.

I expect this system to be fully operational by the 4th of September. The opposition of the imperialists and factionalist-revisionists toward the spread of the world revolution is growing, and fast.

"I have been managing this project since before I... you took power and banned the communist party."
"Then it is as My revelation said. Deliverance is upon us."

. . . . .

Volkow

"There's a gulag near here with 200,000 prisoners in it. Camp 174, it's called. I'm sure they're as tired of dictators as we are."

Knowing what was in store for them if they were captured, and by any army, the camp guards fought suicidally. Overrun before any major trouble could be started by the prison camp authorities, the anarchist rebels stumbled across something interesting.

TO: [MARKED FOR PUBLIC NOTICE]
FROM: Liberator Abram

The army of liberation has torn down the apparatus of the theocrat state and liberated many people from the gulag called Camp 174. But among the expected evidence that friends of the people were in fact being wronged, we also found evidence of a secret government project called 'Omega'.