OOC: Please keep OOC comments out of this thread, and please use decent IC posts as well. I probably won't respond to one or two line diplomatic messages and the like.
City of Meer, Northwestern Unkerlantum
1000 hours local time
The steady beat of drums and combat boots against the asphalt along with the blaring sound of hundreds of pipes playing the national anthem and the Forth armies marching song echoed down the city streets of Meer as the forth shock army steadily made their way down the main causeway. The men dressed in their standard forest combat uniforms with rifles shouldered made their way down the causeway, oblivious to the showers of confetti and flowers the flag waving citizens threw at them as the passed by. The army continued on down the road to the dockyards where even more crowds awaited them shouting words of encouragement instilling a sense of pride in the men of the forth as they broke off into single file lines and began boarding the massive troop ships.
Newer troops anxiously looked through the sea of crowds hoping to catch a glimpse of a friend or family member giving them a brief moment of relaxation from the anxiety of their first deployment. Older veterans pushed the recruits forward, offering reassurances that they would be home to see their family and friends soon enough. They knew for some it was a lie, but death was just one of the grim realities of war that awaited the Forth as they departed the safety of the Republic. For the veterans it was better to have the greenhorns with high morale and calm than anxious and scared with live ammunition at their disposal.
In the distance the third high seas fleet, with her massive carrier formations and escorts seemed super imposed over the rising sun, providing a truly inspiring backdrop for the numerous newspaper reporters who had flooded into Meer from all over the Republic to catch a glimpse of the departing army for the papers back in their own respective hometowns. Slowly but surely the entire army was loaded up onto the troop ships and to the roaring cheers of crowds the men of the Forth set off to carry out their grim assignment.
Elsewhere at Border Air Force Base
1800 Hours Local time
The roaring of jet engines blanketed the valley floor as flight after flight of heavy bombers took off to the sky, their crews themselves not even aware of their destination, instead they were given way points hourly and were told they would be alerted when to release their ordnance. Absent for the aircrews was the fanfare that their marine and army counterparts enjoyed hours earlier. Their mission however was to be of no less importance than that of the ground forces, in fact much of the opening stages of the campaign would be dependent upon the air crews success. In all the flights assembled into waves, each fifteen to twenty minutes apart each numbering sixty aircraft. In due time their mission would become clear, their training had prepared them and they would execute their mission flawlessly and without question.
Chancellery Building Heraldstein
1300 Hours Local time
A flickering projector provided the only light in the conference room, occasionally the light would reveal the hardened face of one of the men that sat surrounding the crescent shaped conference table. The majority of the men older in their mid to late forties or early fifties by their appearance, their military uniforms adorned with various medals for valor, courage, campaign and service medals. Clearly they were men of high stature and rank in their respective branches of the Republic's military service. Another group of men, younger and wearing civilian attire sat at the far end of the table analyzing the slides as they appeared across the projector screen.
"I present to you The Juche Republic of Kim Jong-Ilia. The latest target for the display of our military might. Already our Forth Shock army has mobilized and departed with the third high seas fleet which is scheduled to rendezvous with elements of the first fleet in three days. From there the combined forces is set to reach Ilian territorial waters in twelve days and begin assaults here, here and here. Our enemy has no idea of our current plans and thus for the moment the element of surprise is ours as well. With this in mind Air Marshall Vellu has dedicated the fifth heavy bomber squadron to carry out a first strike stealth craft night time air raid against enemy ports and air defense positions with B-5 Supersonic Strategic Bombers followed with larger strikes from the eighth heavy bomber squadron of B-300C's which will hit enemy power production facilities and major rail/roadway junctions and troop concentrations. The aim being to cripple the enemy before our men even arrive to land. "
The officer pointed at various locations on the projected map image with a laser pointer, clicking the next slide button and providing more detailed battle plans as drawn up by the war council after several days of intelligence analysis and planning.
"As currently planned we estimate maybe three weeks of fighting before the Ilian forces are brushed aside. Their equipment and training are considered inferior to our conventional forces, let alone a shock army. As is standard our reserve militias will also be deployed, more so for the task of anti partisan duties within the newly conquered territory, as well as the acquistion of certain items of value."
The men chuckled at the reference to the taking of slaves, a practice still practiced by the Republic dating back to ancient times where enemy combatants were regularly enslaved after a battle and later paraded through the capital city streets nude and bound in chains all the way to the great auction houses.
"I am most pleased with these developments Marshal Palpatine, I await the day where I may attend state dinners in the province of Kim Jon Ilia. If there is nothing further I will retire for the time being and leave you to your bloody business. I will expect updates as the campaign progresses."
With that the chancellor rose, nodding his approval towards the group of men still seated before him and steadily McKinley made his way towards the chamber doors.
The group of officers snapped to attention as Chancellor McKinley exited the room, his aides closely behind.
The people of Kim Jon Ilia would soon know the true meaning of war, not the kind they read about in books or watched on the nightly news. This would be their war, on their soil spilling their blood. For the soldiers of the Fourth, it would be for most another exercise in glory and honor, as they fought to claim more lands for their glorious nation and leader.
