Grim Winter War (Ausozera Only/IC)

by **Empire of Donner land** » Mon May 14, 2018 10:05 pm

A Grim Winter War

OOC: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=441146
OP's Note: All credit for this OP goes to Vanquaria, not I.

The outbreak of war in the North, this time in East Helsa, initiated by the Dominion Council against long-time enemies the United Socialist States once again threatens regional stability. With the collapse of IADA, the Vanquarian war machine, under the pretext of a counter-terrorist operation, alongside their formidable ally, the Liverpudlian state under their Emperor, moves to 'liberate' the lands of Modeno and Namenia from what they call, 'unchecked communist oppression'. However, the USS finds an ally in the United Remnant Empire which has begun making moves to aid their ally in this time of strife and chaos...

Known Factions

Vanquarian Imperial Forces (Dominion) - Seeks to liberate Modeno from USS rule and influence
Greater Liverpudlian Forces (Dominion) - Seeks to forcefully liberate Modeno from USS-brand communism
Anowan Forces (Unaligned) - Seeks to eliminate a large number of Anowan HVTs.
United Socialist States Forces of Modeno - Seeks to protect their homeland and territory from the Dominion
United Remnant Forces (USS-allied) - Seeks to aid their ally, the USS against the invaders
Donnish Armed Forces - Seeks to combat imperialist expansion from the Dominion Council

ORBATs

Naval Forces
Imperial CSG 4
Imperial CSG 5
Exalibasian Submarine ARG 1
Imperial Navy ARG 10
Imperial Navy ARG 11
Imperial Navy ARG 7
Imperial Navy ARG 5

Marine Air Forces
44th Antisubmarine Helicopter Wing
134th Marine Attack Helicopter WIng
140th Marine Attack Helicopter Wing
174th Marine Transport Wing
201st Marine Transport Wing
212th Marine Transport Wing
88th Marine Naval Utility Squadron
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 67

Ground Air Forces
101st Imperial Fighter Expeditionary Air Wing
155th Imperial Fighter Expeditionary Air Wing
177th Imperial Ground Attack Expeditionary Air Wing
68th Imperial Strategic Bomber Expeditionary Air Wing
110th Imperial ISTAR Squadron
23rd Imperial Electronic Warfare Squadron
5th Exalibasian Ground Attack Wing
11th Exalibasian Air Refueling Squadron
2nd Exalibasian Fighter Wing

Ground Forces
50th Imperial Mechanised Marine Regiment (1,000)
36th Imperial Mechanised Marine Regiment (1,000)
37th Imperial Mechanised Marine Regiment (1,000)
45th Imperial Mechanised Marine Regiment (1,000)
67th Imperial Mechanised Marine Regiment (1,000)
91st Imperial Mechanised Marine Regiment (1,000)
82nd Imperial Mechanised Marine Regiment (1,000)
90th Imperial Mechanised Marine Regiment (1,000)
5th Imperial Marine Tank Battalion (56 Armata MBTs)
15th Imperial Marine Tank Battalion (56 Armata MBTs)
6th Imperial Army ABCT, 1st Legion (5,000, 90 Armata MBTs)
8th Imperial Army ABCT, 2nd Legion (5,000, 90 Armata MBTs)
9th Imperial Army ABCT, 31st Legion (5,000, 90 Armata MBTs)
12nd Imperial Army IBCT, 39th Legion (5,000 Airborne Troops)
9th Exalibasian Armoured Cavalry Regiment (1,500, 58 T-90 MS MBTs)
4th Exalibasian Armoured Cavalry Regiment (1,500, 58 T-90 MS MBTs)
3rd Exalibasian Armoured Cavalry Regiment (1,500, 58 T-90 MS MBTs)
19th Exalibasian Armoured Cavalry Regiment (1,500, 58 T-90 MS MBTs)
17th Exalibasian Armoured Cavalry Regiment (1,500, 58 T-90 MS MBTs)
15th Exalibasian Mountain Infantry Regiment (1,500)
11th Exalibasian Mountain Infantry Regiment (1,500)

Special Forces
1st Exalibasian Counter-Terror Task Force (2,000)
Imperial Marine Special Purpose Units (1,000)
DSOF 1st Cohort (500)
DSOF 2nd Cohort (500)
SS Special Operations 1st Brigade (5,000)
SRS Units (250)
SAF Units (100)
POD Units (500)
666th HBOC Detachment-A
Black Operations Management and Control Group

Air Forces:
Detachment-17 (CSAR) [70 Men and Women]
5th Strike Fighter Wing [54 Aircraft, 375 Men and Women]
2nd Strategic Bomber Wing [2 Aircraft, 120 Men and Women]
Ground Forces:
MoD/MIAHS JFOR- Clandestine, "Headhunters" [2 Men]
- First Lieutenant Lars "Uno" Ghurosky, Vanguard
- Master Chief Petty Officer Tyson "Dux" Kane, Vanguard
- 19-Meletis, Immortal
- 25-Sedge, Immortal
- 38-Caulum, Immortal
- 9th Sentinel Battalion(1,000 personnel)
High Command
Chancellor:
Minister of Defense: Jola Zientek
Inspector General: General Venyamin Naoumov
Inspector of the Army: Lieutenant General Gleb Zawisza
Inspector of the Air Force: Lieutenant General Sascha Köhl
Inspector of the Navy: Vice Admiral Gabriele Hintzen
Chief of Staff: General Apollinariya Schirmer

Commands
Central Command
Army Command
Air Force Command
Navy Command Command
Joint Support Service Command

Imperial Army Corps: General Hieronymus Langenberg

1st Panzerdivision: Major General Wasylyna Swango
- HQ and Signal Company 1st Panzerdivision
- 23rd Artillery Battalion
- 1st Panzer Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 1 Recon. Bat., 2 Mech. Bat., 1 Inf. Bat., 1 Arm. Bat., 1 Arm. Eng. Bat., 1 Sup. Bat.
- 2nd Panzer Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 1 Recon. Bat., 1 Mech. Bat., 1 Inf. Bat., 1 Arm. Bat., 1 Arm. Eng. Bat., 1 Sup. Bat.
- 3rd Panzer Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 1 Recon. Bat., 2 Mech. Bat., 1 Inf. Bat., 1 Arm. Eng. Bat., 1 Sup. Bat.
- 4th Panzer Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 1 Recon. Sqdn., 1 Arm. Bat., 2 Mech. Bat., 1 Arm. Eng. Bat., 1 Med. Com., 1 Maint. Com., 1 Res. Bat.

2nd Panzerdivision: Major General Kornelia Tritten
- HQ and Signal Company 2nd Panzerdivision
- 32nd Artillery Battalion
- 11th Artillery Battalion
- 8th Armored Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 1 Recon. Bat., 1 Mnt. Arm. Bat., 1 Arm. Bat., 2 Mech. Inf. Bat., 1 Arm. Eng. Bat., 1 Sup Bat.
- 12th Mountain Infantry Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 1 Mnt. Rec. Bat., 3 Mnt. Inf. Bat., 1 Mnt. Eng. Bat., 1 Mnt. Sup. Bat.
- 9th Panzer Grenadier Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 1 Recon. Bat., 2 Mech. Inf. Bat., 1 Arm. Bat., 1 Arm. Eng. Bat., 1 Sup. Bat.

3rd Rapid Forces Division: Lieutenant General Radosław Haas
- HQ and Signal Company 3rd Rapid Forces Division
- 1st Transport Helicopter Regiment
- 4th Transport Helicopter Regiment
- 10th Attack Helicopter Regiment
- 2nd Airborne Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 2 Para. Inf. Reg., 2 Arbn. Recon. Com., 2 Arbn. Eng. Com.
- 4th Airmobile Brigade: 1 HQ/Signal Com., 1 Recon. Sqdn., 3 Air Aslt. Inf. Bat., 1 Eng. Com., 1 Maint. Com., 1 Med. Com., 1 Sup. Com., 1 Res. Bat.

Helsa Corps: Brigadier General Tillo Stolarz
- HQ and Signal Company Helsa Corps
- 2 Inf. Bat., 2 Arm. Bat., 1 Arm. Eng. Bat. 1 Signal Battalion

Special Forces Command: Brigadier General Ziemowit Meier
- HQ and Staff Company Special Forces Command
- 4 Commando Companies
- 1 Special Commando Company
- 1 Supply Company
- 1 Signal Company
- 1 Medical Company
- 1 Support Comapny

Imperial Navy: Admiral Dobrosława Stuber

1st Flotilla: Flotilla Admiral Anastasia Ślusarski
- 1st Corvette Squadron: 5 Corvettes
- 2nd Minehunting Squadron: 8 Minehunters
- 3rd Support Squadron: 5 Tenders
- 4th Submarine Squadron: 6 AIP Hunter Subs, 3 Service Ships, 1 Tender
- 1st Sea Battalion: 2 Minisubs, 2 Landing Craft

2nd Flotilla: Flotilla Admiral Gerwazy Geißler
- 5th Frigate Squadron: 7 Frigates
- 6th Frigate Squadron: 6 Frigates
- 7th Auxiliary Squadron: 3 Supply Ships, 4 Fuel Transports, 1 Salvage Tug, 2 Sea Tugs

Naval Aviation
- 1st Naval Air Wing: 24 MiG-29
- 2nd Naval Air Wing: 24 MiG-29

Naval Special Forces: Frigate Captain Wolfram Yount
- HQ Unit
- Combat Company: 4 Platoons
- Air Transport Unit

Imperial Air Force: General Lev Szczepański

1st Tactical Air Force Wing: 35 MiG-29
2nd Tactical Air Force Wing: 42 MiG-27
3rd Tactical Air Force Wing: 28 Tornado ECR
4th Tactical Air Force Wing: 24 Su-35
5th Tactical Air Force Wing: 35 Su-27
6th Tactical Air Force Wing: 35 MiG-29
1st Air Transport Wing: 16 C-130s
2nd Air Transport Wing: 16 C-160s
3rd Air Transport Wing: 16 A400Ms
1 Helicopter Wing: 60 Sea Stallions
3 Training Squadrons: 15 MiG Trainers each
1 SAM Wing: 4 Air Defense Missile Groups
1 Air Force Regiment: 3 Battalions of Ground Troops

Support Service: Vice Chief of Staff Gennadiy Utkin

Various Offices that assist in the operation of the military
Logistics
- 6 Logistics Battalions
- 1 Special Engineer Battalion
Military Police
- 1 Guard Battalion
- 3 Military Police Regiments
- 2 CBRN Defense Battalions
Various Training Facilities for support personnel
Various local command entities for coordination of forces

Readied in Nemenjeilehg and Soraught.

Naval Forces
-1st Fleet (1x Bogt Class Supercarrier, 1x Tutten Class CGN 0001A "Soraught's Pride", 4x Arleigh Burke Flight IIA Class Destroyers, 4x Ticonderoga Class Cruisers, 5 Sachsen Class Frigates.)
-2nd Fleet (1x Bogt Class Supercarrier, 1x Tutten Class CGN 0001B "Nemen's Newborn", 4x Arleight Burke Flight IIA Class Destroyers, 4x Ticonderoga Class Cruisers, 5 Sachsen Class Frigates.)
-LST, LPD and Maritime Shipping craft for transport and logistics.
-60 ASF-50 Multi-Role Fighters
-20 EA 6B Prowlers
-10 ASF-40 Multi Role Fighters
-10 E-2 Hawkeye AWACS

Ground Forces (Soraught)
---1st Marine Corps
--5th Donnish Marine Division (10,000)
-1st Mechanized Marine Brigade (5,000)
-2nd Heliborne Marine Brigade (5,000)

---II Corps (80,000)
--5th Mechanized Ranger Division (20,000)
--6th Mechanized Ranger Division (20,000)
--8th Armored Ranger Division (20,000)
--9th Armored Ranger Division (20,000)

Air Forces
-Soraught Air Force Base Aircraft

Special Forces (1,110)
-2 Platoons of LG (80)
-SCAR (1,000)
-10 DPRT Teams (30 Pararescue)

Map

by **Empire of Donner land** » Mon May 14, 2018 10:47 pm

[Redacted], Donner Land

5/15/2018

Operation: Through Other Means

"This is a crude map, General," Keenes spoke, unconfidently in jest.

"And this is a crude situation that has just arrived, sir. I'll ask you to ignore the aesthetics and focus on the plan at hand if that's alright with you," General Vareger retorted, various other officials in the room sitting around a table in the situation room. After the previous generals loyal to Voy had been purged, Keenes had to resort to promoting worthy officers to fill the spots. There were few, and he left it to the military to pick and choose. Now he had wished that he had chosen them personally. But those were busy days. Vareger, the new chief in charge of Modeno Operations, had to do despite not being Keenes choice for a replacement. "It was made in a few hours with our friends in the PACT, but we think it works. I'll be focusing on what our forces will be doing."

"Of course. Now show me what you've got."

"First of all, we've already got forces readied and mobilized for this maneuver readied in Nemejeilehg and Soraught. The 1st and 2nd Fleets, with the new Tutten Class Cruisers, and numerous transport and logistics craft. With that, we've of course got the Carrier's Air Forces.

As for ground forces, we've decided to make use of Marines to forge a beachhead and capture needed infrastructure. I do not expect enemy contact at this point, but one can never be too sure. Also in Soraught with the Marines, we have II Corps ready with 4 Divisions to make landfall. We have some Aircraft at Soraught AFB with enough range to get to Modeno as well. Bombers, that kind of force."

Special Forces will be taking part as well, we've mobilized 2 platoons of LG, the SCAR and 10 DPRT Pararescue Teams of 30 men," General Vareger reported, naming them off as he went.

"And what do you plan on using these forces for, General?" Keenes asked.

"Well, sir, the marines as I explained will be making landfall first and securing infrastructure. Then the regular ground troops will land. A naval defensive perimeter will be made around Modeno, ready to be made into a full blockade if needed. Forces will move north and secure a defensive line here," the general pointed at a defensive line on the map that split Modeno in half. "Our forces will not be initiating contact, if anyone is firing first, it's the Liverpool Forces or possibly the Vanquarians. Additionally, cruise missile strikes will be made at the border between Liverpool and Modeno targeting infrastructure, cratering roads, destroying bridges and the like. We'll have allied assistance covering the places we won't be able to and will be working closely with the Isle'ish."

"What do you think are our chances of success?" Keene's arms folded on his chest, looking at the General.

"It'll be a cakewalk, sir."

"Good, we can't risk the Dominion getting another state in their fold."

by **Imperial Valaran** » Tue May 15, 2018 6:16 am

‘An Option of One’

Foreign Ministry Building, Central Astaria
5:38 AM, 5/15/2018

Crien stumbled into her office. The Foreign Secretary was confronted by a large group of people inside, milling around her desk. They were in the full throes of huddled discussion. This died as Crien entered, breaths hushed into silence.

“Hello everyone.”

Her team looked up. People who were decidedly not her team looked up. The usual culprits were there: Sathren, Marec, Tarengard. There were also other ranked diplomats and various ministry deputies. Crien stared at them. She was acutely aware of appearance, the frazzled hair, the tired eyes, the maladjusted suit. The tap water she had used to shock herself awake had dried. In the arid officer air, it made her mouth bone-dry.

“Let’s get some thing’s strait: I have a garbled understanding of the situation. I have also had under three hours of sleep, a headache the size of Helsa, and not a lick of caffeine.” Crien moved towards her desk. The sea of diplomats scrambled to part. Many remained pressed close around Crien’s seat. Sathren sat on a desk further away. His legs dangled above the carpet.

Crien sat. People waited. She resisted the urge to tug her hair into shape.

“Can one of you — just one of you — explain the situation in the simplest terms possible.” She looked up. People looked at each other. Crien could see they were struggling through their own bleariness to form pictures of events. At the back, Sathren smiled and shook his head.

“Precisely three hours ago, the East Liverpool, supported by the Dominion invaded Modeno.” Tarengard broke the silence. “It appears to be a full annexation. One of the grievances listed was the overthrow of the government. The number of forces invading formations is not clear, but there was no extensive build up.”

“Thanks you.” Crien had used the time to make the semblance of space on her desk. “What have the reactions been?”

“Publicly muted. Privately mixed.” Sathren offered.

“There has been some variance,” Tarengard continued. “We have had diplomatic communiqués from the Donnish, the Pakiranis and the Isle’ish. All expressed a great deal of opprobrium for the invasion. The Remnants are also pissed, as can be expected. On the other hand, this is tempered by the neutral reaction of the Ygarthenes, and the lack of international censure.”

“And the Union?” Crien began scribbling down notes. One of her aides, taking the cue, began typing down the conversation onto her computer in a corner.

“The Union doesn’t care.” Sathren, again.

That was a blow. For some time now, the Union had been on the receiving end of the Dominion, with the blockade of Aratoas. But even there as the crisis had dragged on, Crien had detected indifference, a disinclination for action. The Dominion blockade remained, but the Union fleet had withdrawn; Aratoas fell. The Union waxed hot and cold on the Dominion, flipping between fiery outbursts and a general sleepy apathy; this was clearly a cool spell.

Such behaviour had left Valaran in an odd position. It was one of the few Union nations with extensive commercial links to Dominion nations (the other was the Oceanic States, which had a noted aversion to action of any kind). There was a constant swell of ships arriving from the east, laden with Helghan and Swiftean manufacture. Valaran diplomats like those Crien now had in her office carefully picked their way through a minefield of relations. The Ministry maintained a series of ties to the Dominion, so that even when the blocs raged and thundered, filling the air with sound and fury, Valarans tirelessly ensured that this signified nothing.

At the same time, Valaran had been forced into a series of, well, issues with the Dominion. As Ausozeran crises spasmed into being, the Empire had run up against Vanquaria and its legions. First over Aratoas, then Sishai, most recently the Isles. And now Modeno. All these had been indirect confrontations, usually defused by other means. In Ausozera, it was easy to ride out the storms of pride and politics. But why was the weather so bad?

Crien set the pen down. She looked up. “That’s not very encouraging.” This was not she wanted to say. It was not was she should have said. But in her bleared state, Crien was speaking her first and truest view.

“Its not,” Sathren confirmed.

“Right.” Right. Don’t get distracted, Helen. Remember the Procedure. “Let’s focus on our stance. There is no way we can condone flat out invasions. Not when they’re this blatant. State sovereignty is the basis for international law, it cannot be ignored. That’s our guiding principle for your statements tomorrow, and any questions by the press. Secondly… secondly, Dominion expansion determines our diplomatic stance. Pushback is the doctrine, so we push back. I want a working group examining our policy responses: diplomatic, economic, military. Tarengard, you head it and you pull the people you want for it. You have a deadline of 12 hours before a memo is on my desk. Something I can give to the Cabinet.”

Tarengard nodded. She had no questions. Crien could see her begin to make mental notes. She was smart, and she was practical. She was also the only other high-ranked woman in the room. But the Foreign Secretary was not quite sure about her. Tarengard’s blunt, pragmatic mien disguised a lot of ambition. If her sources could be believed, she was angling for Crien’s job. She was presenting herself as the ‘can-do’ candidate, and that meant even practicality was a suspect attribute. Make someone seem competent, and they will use that weapon.

Crien tapped on her desk. “Right, Sathren, stay here. Everyone else, out. Out.” The huddled group of policy elites shuffled away. Sathren waited while they did so, kicking his feet together. His fingers tapped a rhythm into the desk. It matched Crien’s headache. He spoke as soon as the door latch closed.

“Marec and Tarengard won’t take it well that I’m in here and they’re not.”

“Sathren, all of the minutes and hours I give caring about your office politics, this really isn’t one of them.”

“Noted. I just had to-” Crien gave him a stare for the ages. He shifted in his seat. “What are your thoughts?”

That I need some caffeine. “I’m thinking of them.”

“Shall I give you mine then?”

Crien suppressed a glare. She nodded her head. “Go ahead.”

“Right. Well, it seems to me that the Dominion is shifting pattern again. They’re frustrated by Aratoas, and by the Isle’ish incident. They want results.” He paused. “However, I think they laid more ground-work for this one. Returning land to the Donnish can only be read as a way to placate them, prior to some future action. And unlike Aratoas or TUI, there are fewer people theoretically pissed off by Modeno’s annexation.” Sathren cocked his head. “It isn’t an amazingly connected strategy. But its more concerted than the’ve been up until now.”

Crien rubbed her temple. “In your telling, it seems they want an easy win, not an alliance bust-up.”

“Something like that. It doesn’t fully work, because this notion is undermined by the fact that this is a full-scale unjustified invasion. They can’t get an easy win while being this aggressive. Their strategy is improving, but its still not fully thought through.”

Crien fixed him with another stare. “You’ve advocated full-throated containment before. Would you do so here?”

Sathren looked conflicted. “I think… yes if we can get enough allies onboard. We can never accept a flat out invasion of another country. Its too openly going against any international norms. State sovereignty is sacrosanct because it benefits every state. But I think we need to realise that this is not our sphere. There’s no easy way for us to defend Modeno by ourselves. We’ll need others. The Remnants and Donnish are the obvious ones.The Dominion has also just alienated the Isle’ish but I’m not sure they care. And the Union… I’ve been in additional contact.” He set a single sheet of paper on Crien’s desk. “I tried.”

Damn. She looked over the paper. It was a simple list with country headings, with a colour-coded response for each. Most were a glaring crimson. Esgonia was out. The Ports and the Urranese seemed preoccupied. Ratte was fixated elsewhere. Ygartha was busy in Ophir, as was Valefontaine. A queasy yellow was present for some: TUI, Pakir, URA, Naucht. There was only a burst of green for one nation: Donnerland.

Sathren had been busy. Crien both appreciated this and hated it. She was relying on him more and more. That mean rusting someone eminently untrustworthy. Sathren was no different to Marec and Tarengard; they were all scheming for her position, to wrest the Ministry away from her. So why was he here in her office, now? Why was she taking risks with him?

She set the page aside, and began tapping in numbers onto her desk. “Right, thank you. Now, if you can manage it, stay silent for one moment.”

“Why?”

“Because I am going to phone the Prime Minister.”

“Helen.” Hesseren’s voice buzzed through as soon as the phones connected. “I’m with the Strategic Command now. Have you been briefed?”

“Sufficiently.”

“Good. I have spoken with President Keenes. We have decided on a strong joint response. I want you to work through the options with him.”

Crien nodded, forgetting Hesseren couldn’t see the response. “What is Strat-Com’s recommendation?”

“Not pretty. They only gave me the Seventh and the First Fleet to play with.” The Seventh was a VRF Corps. The 1st was an expeditionary fleet, headed by a supercarrier. They were both deployed in Sishai.

“So we would need to re-route them? Won’t that undermine our position in the Federation?”

“Probably. But we’re not ready for another mass deployment. The alternative is to use the Seventh Fleet in the Sirides. They’re close to East Helsa, and they’ve only just been forward-deployed.” It would be a swift response, far swifter than what might be expected from the Valaran Empire. But this was not a large force. “Any preliminary thoughts?”

“Sir, have we considered using the SMDF?” Sathren injected. He has a habit for doing that, Crien noted.

“Is that you Sathren?”

“It is sir.” The diplomat looked at Crien, and gave a half-smile. Was that meant to be apologetic? “I only ask, because one of the Siridian Strike forces would seem perfect when paired with the Seventh Fleet. At least, to a layman it would.”

“It has been suggested,” Hesseren sounded unconvinced. “We’re not quite sure how operational they might be. The SMDF have indicated a lack of aviation fuel and active helicopters, but the exact levels are unknown.”

“In any case, this would require the Siridian Parliament to authorise a deployment,” Crien spoke. “And that’s somewhat dangerous waters.” Colonial forces were only obligated to defend their local territories. There was no telling how well the Siridians would appreciate being used as auxiliaries in some distant conflict.

“It is. We’re keeping our options open.” Hesseren paused. “We’ll have a proper cabinet meeting tomorrow, but since you’ve called, I would like you to try and expand them. If we’re going to respond fully, we will need partners. It would be better if I could present them to your fellow ministers by then.” A political directive, then.

“Understood, sir.”

“Right. I’ll see you then. I suspect this will be a long day.” The phone-line cut out.

“Me too,” Crien replied to the empty connection. She set down the device, and looked up to Sathren. He looked back at her.

“You look tired, Helen.”

“Yeah.” She looked at the digital clock, nearby the windows. 5:49 AM. Outside the glass was the slight glow of pre-dawn. For the second time in Crien’s office there was silence. This time, it was not the silence of indrawn breath, of people hushed into quiet. It was the silence of absence. A blue-grey vacancy, at the heart.

“I really need that coffee.”

by **Nauchrtenfield** » Tue May 15, 2018 7:36 am

State Councils Collective Office, Chief Administrative Palace of the State Nauchrtenkapitell
0338 hours, 5/15/2018

The State Councils Collective Office, in reality more of a command room located in the deep bunker complexes beneath the ground. The council and the militärischlandsfreuidertag worked from here in control rooms and bunkers. The councils one sharing one large desk for the three leaders of the nation to sit by, and several workstations beneath a massive screen detailing the world on the wall, smaller screens around it feeding all the necessary data in big blocks letters. Here advisory, political staff and ministers talk to the council and they could take decisions. In war it housed the military leadership and the supreme commanders of the Military. For now it had been covered to the latter use, military advisory stood ready, and on a large table-monitor a map was firmly displayed, as was one of the walls. and there was a small commotion of voices talking over the other. A large door flung open and in strode three Nauchteners, each carrying the ceremonial uniform of one of the armed branches. This was the council. The supreme leaders of the state, those that carried the ultimate power, even if they rarely went against the elected civilian government.

The leader of the Council, Chief of the Army, Wiking Der Sonderbear overpowered the muffled voices, as he spoke they died down, and the military men snapped to attention "Good morning, now, would the Foreign Office give me a SITREP" he said.

A man in a civilian suit took a few steps towards the long desk that the government had taken there seats, and spoke, as he did the map would change to reflect what he said "Councilors. two hours ago the dominion, and the nation of East Liverpool launched a invasion of Modeno. Early reports seem to indicate that this is is a full invasion. Public reactions are thus far in favor of Modeno. Most nations have yet to formulate a response. Union is mute, most nations are preoccupied and are expected to not launch resources against either side. Valaran and Donnerland have both gone in support of Modeno, as has the URA"

The councilors looked at one another, speaking with their bodies. They nodded and wiking spoke again; "What are our military options?" they could not leave this obvious breach of a fragile world wide stability, nor could they overlook this blatant violation of national sovereignty. Yet they knew, the nauchrten military had a lot of soldiers deployed overseas, and launching another might impact the popular opinion against international deployments. Furthermore it might raise some eyebrows internationally after the Nannsa-affair.

A aide took the word "Limited, we have no fleets or units in the local waters. Large scale operations are out of the picture. We could have a naval Task Force, with infantry ready to deploy from our waters in two weeks, at the earliest. Special Forces deployments are unadvised until we have a better picture of the situation" he said.

the councilors nodded, and trade embargoes where not even on the table, Most dominion members where already embargoed in one way or another. Wiking again took to the word "I want both the Foreign Office and HQ to established different responses, and the responses of other nations. you have twelve hours, get it done. We cant do anything for now, but we need to make sure Valaran knows they have ours support. Compile a condemnation of the dominion, and East Liverpool, and have it sent out as soon as it is done. Give me a line to our valaran embassy, now" he commanded, and as he spoke the affected officials went to work immortally a well oiled machine of efficiency and haste went into overdrive to get all the preparations for what was to come ready. The councilors took up headsets from there desks and top them on, connected to the internal communications system they could use them to easily talk over either the PA, intercom, or over encrypted satellite phone.

A voice in the other end picked up and greeted, voice still sleeping "This is Assistant Pedersen to Nachrten-Valaran ambassador Jönsson. Standing by" The assistant knew full well who was on the other line, afterall, the phone only connected to the highest commander of the nation of Nauchrtenfield. this time Sofia was the one to speak "Assistant Pedersen, we are transmitting new orders to ambassador Jönsson. Highest Priority, make sure he is awake to receive them." she orders. the assistant waited a few moments before replying "Premission to wait until morning". It was a question with a given answer, but Pedersen could not help but hope.

"Next question?" Sofia responded. The assistant gave one last line of words before hanging up "None, orders understood."

Nachrtenfield Embassy to Valaran

The Nachrten embassy in Valaran was a rather modest two story building, 18 staff from the nauchrten government, and 8 local security guards called the complex home. Out from the complex left a car, to the average eye it looked like a jeep, and it was, a ATV with light armor plating. This one painted black. This kind of vehicle served many uses in Nauchrtenfield, in the military they where the most common LUV, and the backbone of the rear lines. In civilian service it served as the main workhorse of most state organs, including the ambassadorial service. It was simple, utilitarian, functional, a statement of what is considered traditional.
In it sat the ambassador, Dan Jönsson, 32 years og age, with 18 years in the service of the nauchrten state. He had served as the ambassador for a few years now, and had done so competently.

The car came to a halt outside the building that ruled the nation. Dan opened the car door and exited it, walking into the building he declared his mission, like he had done over the phone a little while ago. He had been awaken to a new set of orders that where to be executed as soon as humanly possible, a private meeting with Crien, to discuss the current situation in Modeno

He was lead deeper into the building to a meeting office, walking up the door he shook his still sleeping brain awake, he was not a man of grace, rather of practicality, molded by the culture in his home, clad in the usual attire of a Nauchrten ambassador, black suit pants, a white shirt with a black tie that at the bottom had the state sigil woven into the silken pattern, even if it was currently covered by the suit jacket cut like a military uniform, with two breast pockets, and tall standing collar. On the left, just where the heart would be, again the state sigil was sewn on, and on the right, the sigil or seal of the nation he was in. Indicating that he was a servant of both nation, a throwback to messengers and attaches of centuries past. Around his waist was another typical marker of Nauchrtenfield, a white leather belt.

by **Greater Liverpool** » Tue May 15, 2018 5:23 pm

Sala Imperial de guerra, The General staff of the Imperial Armed forces of the Eastern Empire of Greater Liverpool,
8000 hours, 5/15/2018

"ROOM ATTENTION!" One of the warrant officers shouted across the planning room as he saw the Imperador walk into the room. As soon as the words left his mouth the entire room stud up and stud to attention the high ranking officials giving a salute to the Imperador as he entered the room, prime minister Juanito Zubizarreta gave a small bow due to him not being an official of the military. "Please be seated" Imperador Leonardo XVII told as he signaled for his generals to sit down. Once everyone was seated the Imperador sat down himself with a stern look to him, this was important business to him he had brought Greater Liverpool into the modern world and had brought war to his country. "Please Generalissimo Gutierrez, you have the current report on the general situation of our forces. What news can you report?"

The Generalissimo stud up, and reading from a piece of paper calmly spoke to the rest of the general staff "Our forces have appeared to at first catch the enemy off guard, our forces have struck hard into their land and we have been gaining land, however inch by inch and not like the large spans we had planned. Our air forces have been conducting air raids against Modeno forces and against important government facilities in the south. So far it does appear we are winning in these early stages of the war, however that may be quick to change... We have more forces moving south ward as well as mobilizing some Guard units in the South of the Greater Liverpool mainly the province of Telímundo. Your Imperial Grace"

"Good, Generalissimo. I hope and pray to Teló that we continue with our victories over the communists. However I do fear that we will not only be fighting communists, the URA is preparing to move forces against us and not only that other nations angry at dominion expansion believe that we are going to war to annex the nation. Prime Minister Zubizarreta would you care to offer your plan?" Leonardo spoke

"Your Imperial grace it does appear that the world does believe that our forces are an occupying force trying to annex the nation. Of course this is not our plan, our plan was clearly labelled that this was not a war for Modeno, nor her people, nor her resources. This action was taken to destroy the Communist and rouge government, which is why we state our intentions clearly to the world." Zubizarreta quickly point to a map of the country "In the North west of Modeno is the city of Lackia, a major port for the Modeno if our forces where to capture the city and set up a government made up of Modeno exiles we will be quick to speak our ambitions. The government will of course be democratic and independent. Your Imperial grace... once we have done this we will proclaim that this war is about bringing justice to the world and not about expansion."

"Excellent work Prime Minister. Gentlemen this war must be ended quickly and we must win. The plague of communism and the supporting of terrorism was be brought to an end, if the world can not do it then the Eastern Empire of Greater Liverpool will bring justice and freedom to world. Make an official statement Prime Minister that our actions are just and also please get me a direct line to the Republic of Donnerland I do believe there are many things to discuss."

Captain Alexios de Russell (Crown Prince Alexios), FOB Regretta
9000 hours, 5/15/2018

The sound of gunshots rung out deep in the FOB Regretta as Captain Alexios continued to drill his men at the combat range. Alexios who was now in command of a small company of men was relentless with the training of his men, as he soon knew that they would be in the warzone of Modeno, right now they were stationed just North of the border near some fortifications that were built when the Empire isolated it's self. "Keep up the firing... remember actuate sustained fire is the key." The Captain barked out who was soon interrupted by his second in command who handed Alexios a folder. "Lieutenant Vargas."

"Have you seen where we are going Captain?" Vargas asked

"Lackia?" Alexios said puzzled as to what the government was preparing

"We are secure the road to the city to allow for the main bulk of the forces to pass through and capture the city. I think it because with it the city captured we can deny enemy access to the San Michel Sea stopping an invasion there." Alexios looked up from the folder

"That is deep in enemy territory. These men are going to be put to the limit."

"They are Paratroopers, sir. They should be ready for it."

by **The United Remnants of America** » Fri May 18, 2018 1:10 am

Commander Susan Grey

Pacific Ocean

5/16/2018 - 11:25

The command staff had all been gathered aboard the XAAS-4 in the Secondary Naval Detachment for a quick briefing. The CPD's fleet had been floating in the Pacific for a few days, gathering up the stragglers from the other disparate task forces that had been forced into Task Force Namenia. In all, over a hundred vessels had been gathered up for the task force. Additionally, a little over 50,000 troops had been gathered, as well as their equipment, not to mention the amount of aircraft that had been brought on board the fleet. The fleet had been split into two forces, Primary and Secondary. The fleet should have been split up into even further separate commands, but the organization had been hastily built, and they didn't have time for that.

The command center had been cleared of all but the commanders themselves, and even then, the room was still packed. Commander Grey was the overall commander of the Contracted Personnel Division, and she had personally taken command of Task Force Namenia. On one side of the room were the eight members of the Scipio Unit, the highest-ranking command staff of the CPD, all of which had been in Sornia before their joining aboard this venture. There were also the five captains and one colonel who were in charge of the ground elements, as well as the captain in charge of the anti-air units. The captain in charge of the air command had arrived as well, though his command had been somewhat drawn back over the past few days due to the needs of the CPD elsewhere. Finally, the major and captain in command of the naval forces were here. In total, there were 19 commanders present, representing a sizable faction of the CPD.

For the immediate future, the Secondary Naval Detachment was following the Primary Naval Detachment. All ground units were loaded aboard all the ships, making space tight, but manageable until they reached Modeno. The submarines of either detachment covered the front and back in overlapping and layered arcs, protecting the more vulnerable transport units. Sea Stallion helicopters and eight Ospreys, the closest the CPD had to aircraft, flew in combat air patrols. Despite their not being as effective as fixed-wing aircraft, Sea Stallions were versatile helicopters, and could be fitted for almost any role at sea.

Finally, in the air, twenty-thousand feet over the fleets, 5 airships floated harmlessly. One massive Nimbus transport zeppelin carried a large portion of the task force's supplies. The Nimbus was unarmed, but its escorts weren't. Three support airships, mothballed from the Unionist military and bought by the CPD, escorted the Nimbus. Though they had limited armaments, they were prepared for a fight. The last of the airships was a further 30,000 feet in the air, and fifteen miles forward of the rest of the airships. The Cirrus airship was an unmanned ELINT unit with its control crew aboard the lead Unionist airship, and could pick up electronic emissions almost from horizon to horizon. It was the quintessential eye in the sky for the CPD task force.

Grey nodded to the assembled commanders, "We have roughly four weeks until we reach Modeno. So let's use that time to plan and be ready. Here's what we know..."

As Grey briefed her team with every piece of information she had available, somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it still wasn't enough. Supplies, time, personnel, information. There was never enough.

First Lieutenant Lars Ghurosky

South Modeno

5/16/2018 - 11:30

Training had been going wonderfully until the war started. Though that's probably what everyone in history had ever said.

The URA and Modeno had always been allies, but that relationship had definitely strengthened after the Civil War. The CPD had always found Namenia and Modeno to be good breeding grounds for personnel. Ex-military and even sometimes active military were all too happy to join up with the CPD for a chance to travel. After the Civil War in Namenia and the unification of Namenia and Modeno, though, the URA had become even closer with Modeno and Namenia. Remnant military now trained with the Namenian and Modenian military. Both sides benefited. The Remnants benefited from the new, cold training environment. The Modenians and Namenians, or just Modenians for short, benefited from the experience of the Remnant military. While the Modenians were militarized, they didn't have the global experience the Remnant military did, specifically that of the Remnant Sentinels.

The Remnants, in the most recent training revolution, had sent the 9th Sentinel Battalion. The 9th, while being one of the lesser-experienced SF units in the Remnant Military, was still a decent learning source for the Modenians. Especially since Modeno's entire Special Forces Command was only about twice as large as the 9th Sentinels. In addition, two Vanguard had been pulled to give tech demonstrations of their equipment to the Modenian Special Forces. One of these Vanguard was First Lieutenant Lars Ghurosky.

The training had been going well in the southern hills of Modeno, but then news of the invasion came, and the training had been suspended almost immediately. Now, both Remnant and Modenian special forces troops rallied and waited in the south.

Ghurosky's callsign was Uno, and rarely went by his given name. The same could be said of his partner, Master Chief Petty Officer Tyson "Dux" Kane. Both Uno and Dux now stood with the captain of the 9th Sentinels, and Brigadier General Ziemowit Meier, the Modenian Special Forces Commander.

"We need to move north," Meier said, "We need to support our comrades now!"

"Wait," responded the 9th's captain, "We need to wait this off. Your comrades don't need our help, not yet. We can make more use here. Sitting back, acting as reinforcements."

Meier looked at the Remnant special forces captain, "And while we wait, my countrymen die."

Uno raised his hand, "And while you wait, sir, you can see more of the picture from here."

Meier tilted his head towards the Vanguard operator, seemingly just noticing him, "What do you mean?"

Uno nodded, "We're special forces, right? All of us, here. That means we don't participate in the normal combat. Right now, there's just small fighting on the border. We can't throw ourselves into that, yet. We have to see how this develops before we commit ourselves. Both our forces," Uno motioned to the Remnant captain, "as well as yours, sir."

Meier nodded thoughtfully. He was a young general, only recently promoted to the newly-minted Modenian special forces program.

Uno kept going. "If I may offer, sirs. The Sentinels and Modenian SF need to remain here at least until the war has developed further."

Meier nodded again, "I'll... Confer with my commanders, but you raise a valuable point."

Uno nodded at the Modenian general and the Remnant captain. They had roughly two-thousand combat troops and a thousand support personnel here at a small proving grounds in southern Modeno. It wasn't a lot, but they were the best-trained troops in the country other than the Modenian Navy's SF company. They could make a difference, so long as they applied their pressure in the right place at the right time.

Chancellor Shawn Ball

Hochburg, Namenia

5/16/2018 - 11:40

Shawn Ball was formally known as the High Chancellor of Namenia and Modeno. But Chancellor Ball, normally not one for formalities, was especially not in the mood for formalities today.

Sitting in a strategic "war room" in Hochburg, Chancellor Ball was surrounded by his closest military advisors. His Minister of Defense, the Inspector General, as well as the Inspectors from the Army, Navy, and Air Force were all here, as well as the Chief of Staff. The heads of the Support Service and Special Forces were phoning in via conference calls.

"I want updates," Chancellor Ball stated flatly, his usual friendly demeanor gone, as it had been since the war started.

Minister of Defense Jola Zientek spoke up first, "We have several allied nations that have already pledged their support. Chief among them are the Remnants and Donnish, but reinforcements will take time."

Next up was Vice Chief of Staff Gennadiy Utkin, head of the Support Service over the phone: "Logistics has been fully activated, as well as the engineers. We're trying to grab as much equipment as possible that's been stored to get it to the front. We haven't been too impeded yet on that front. With MP, the Guards have been activated through Hochburg, and the MP regiments are fully active to keep order in the cities, and local bureaus and coordinating with us as best as they can be."

Vice Admiral Gabriele Hintzen, the Inspector of the Navy was next: "Admiral Stuber has assured me that both flotillas are on active patrols. 1st is along Modeno, while 2nd in along Namenia. There's been little to no contact, so far. Both Naval Air Wings are also flying combat air patrols, but the Liverpool forces haven't been conducting any offensive naval exercises yet. We have yet to mobilize the Naval Special Forces."

Brigadier General Ziemowit Meier of the Special Forces was next up: "I'm with the Special Forces in the southern hills. We have the Remnant 9th Battalion and their two Vanguard advisors with us. We are currently awaiting orders, but I am withholding our involvement until this conflict evolves further."

Lieutenant General Sascha Köhl was the Inspector of the Air Force: "General Szczepański assures me the line is being held. The Transport wings are working with the Logistics forces to move heavy equipment to fallback positions. Our SAM Wing has been busy at work keeping enemy aircraft away from any deeply penetrating assaults. Meanwhile, the 1st and 4th Tactical Air Force Wings have been on the front line trading potshots with enemy air and ground forces. No losses yet, but there have been close calls. Every aircraft counts."

Finally, the Inspector of the Army, Lieutenant General Gleb Zawisza spoke, "Helsa Corps is awaiting orders, but they're currently on the Modeno-Namenia border as a reinforcement unit. 2nd Panzerdivision is in the south, and we've hesitated moving them yet, as we don't think there'd be a benefit to mobilizing them. The 1st Panzerdivision has been moving forces towards the front, but has been giving ground to avoid heavy losses. They will, however, need to eventually stand and fight. Finally, the 3rd Rapid Forces Division is quickly being organized in order to support the 1st Panzerdivision, but their use would be unnecessary at least until Liverpool has penetrated deeper, something we hope doesn't happen."

Chancellor Ball nodded, taking in all the information, "Okay. Zawisza, tell Langenberg that the 1st Panzerdivision is to only fall back one-hundred kilometers and spread out its four component brigades with artillery behind them to provide cover. At that point, we can put up a hard front line. Hopefully, it takes them a few weeks to advance that far if we give them moderate resistance the entire way back. That line can be where Logistics sets up the fallback depots."

The Inspector of the Army nodded.

Ball continued, "Köhl. Make sure to have the 2nd Tactical Air Force Wing ready for when that front is set. They'll need to hit the Liverpudlian forces, and hopefully the 1st and 4th Wings will have air superiority by then. Hintzen, keep the Flotillas ready in case any enemy ships come by, but reorganize the flotillas so we can keep the support ships out of harm's way. Move the 1st Naval Air Wing onto the coast to support the 1st and 4th Air Force Wings."

The Navy and Air Force Inspectors nodded their assent.

"Any other questions?"

The room was silent.

Ball stood, "Then meeting adjourned for now. Someone update me as soon as anyone hears anything."

The military staff stood and watched their nation's leader as he left the war room.

19-Meletis

Namenia

5/16/2018 - 12:10

"Hurry up already, Sedge. I thought you were supposed to be one of the fastest men alive!"

"Fuck... You... Meletis..."

"That's not very nice, Sedge. Meletis is your commanding officer!"

"Fuck... You... Too... Caulum..."

The mountains along the eastern borders of Namenia and Modeno were stunning from a distance, especially as the sun rose in the morning, causing rainbow-like glimmers to scatter over the icy peaks. Up-close, those mountains weren't stunning, they were downright treacherous. Walking over those mountains was especially hard. An all-night march through the sub-zero mountain temperatures with no food or water made it even harder. If normal humans had attempted that trek, they'd have died hours ago. Immortals, though, were not normal humans.

The Immortals didn't exist. Not officially, not even unofficially. Nowhere in any written record did the fifty-one men and women who were collectively known as Immortals existed. They were at best hazy myths and legends, and even then only the rarest of myths. But every nation had its legends, only believed by those stupid enough or wise enough to take heed. In the URA, and through the GRCS, really, that myth was the Immortals. Myths of armored superhumans that defied the laws of physics and reality. They couldn't die, but they could fly, shoot lightning and fire from their hands, phase through walls, and move faster than the speed of sound.

While it was true the Immortals weren't normal humans, and it was true that an Immortal hadn't yet been killed, the myths were just myths. If the Immortals existed, they'd be easy to describe. Several years ago, in light of the rest of the world having nonhuman creatures, as well as increasing stories of clones, advanced robotics, psychics, and even magic, something had to be done. The Remnant Special Forces apparatus wasn't cut out for such a thing. The Sentinels were only prepared to face human threats, despite them unofficially having faced more supernatural threats before, it wasn't a goal. The Vanguard had yet to fully form, their power armor only a research program at that point. The Marshals weren't cut out for combat, only intelligence-gathering. And the Special Containment Agency didn't have the resources to do anything beyond its mandate of researching and hypothesizing such threats. That's where the Immortals came in.

The URA had orphans abound. A couple hundred were taken in off the streets into state custody. They had no families, and some of them had no names. It was the perfect cover. The children didn't know, though, that they would be tested. Genetic engineering. Cybernetic augmentation. Forced hormone therapy. Physical training and combat training that bordered on torture. By the end, only fifty-one had survived the years-long program to become the Immortals. Faster, stronger, more resilient than the average human, they became the URA's only line of defense against those threats that proved to be inhuman.

The first issue that became apparent upon the minting of the Immortals was the lack of live training. They'd had live fire training with Remnant specialists, but what about nonhumans? That's where the URA's relationship with Namenia came in. The Namenian Ork was a large, greenskinned cryptid that turned out to have a breeding problem that the Namenians had difficulty keeping in check. For a quiet deal, the URA offered to thin their herds as long as the Namenians didn't ask questions about anything. They agreed, and so the Immortals training program was set: Kill Orks in the mountains.

Immortal teams were randomly selected for each mission, forcing all Immortals to work together and be fluid in their team setups. The most recent training seminar had called for three operatives and had spit out three numbers: 19, 25, and 38. 19-Meletis, 25-Sedge, and 38-Caulum had had a successful training mission. Each of them had bagged two kills, with Meletis killing an elder, one of the bigger, nastier brutes. Now, the three had to march back over the mountains for their pickup somewhere in the woods at the foot of the mountain. Their multicolored armor shimmered in the sunshine as they neared the crest of the mountain; Immortals didn't rely on camouflage since their enemies were rarely regular soldiers. After that, they could slide down a lot of the distance, so long as they avoided crevasses.

Meletis was the first to hit the crest of the mountainside, "All downhill from here, guys."

Caulum had slowed down to keep pace with Sedge, but reported for the two of them, "Oh boy. Hear that, Sedge? Almost home!"

Sedge just offered a wheezing snort in response.

Meletis clucked his tongue loud enough to be heard over their helmeted intercom system and turned to watch his two brothers-in-arms meet him on the crest, "Shame on you, 25. You should be more in shape for mountain warfare."

Sedge waited until he and Caulum reached Meletis before answering. He spoke in huffs, "Our helmets filter the air, but they don't add oxygen. I haven't been this high before."

"What about HALO and HAHO training?" Caulum offered.

"That's different, I just hang there, and hold my breath. I didn't have to march after hand-to-hand combat with orks."

"You could've used your rifle," Meletis offered, "We wouldn't have thought less of you."

Sedge heard the grin on Meletis' face, "You're a piece of work, Mel. How about next time, I-"

"Hang on," Caulum held out his arm to get Meletis' and Sedge's attention. "You see that?"

Sedge and Meletis turned their heads, following Caulum's gaze high into the sky. In the distance was a glimmer that slowly focused into an aircraft, which became multiple aircraft.

"Modenian training flight?" Sedge asked.

Meletis shook his head, "No, they're different. Different kinds. And look at 'em, they look like they're-"

"Dog-fighting," Caulum finished.

The trio of Immortals stood in silence, watching the ballet in the far distance. One of the aircraft exploded into a speck of black smoke and orange fire.

"Does that mean there's a war on?" Caulum asked his companions.

Sedge nodded slowly, "I... Think we should get down this mountain and check in asap."

"If pickup is even coming for us anymore," Caulum snapped back.

Meletis sighed, "It's all downhill from here," he echoed from earlier, now feeling how ironic the phrase was. "C'mon, we gotta get moving."

Meletis took the first step down the mountain, and Sedge and Caulum followed after.

by **Empire of Donner land** » Fri May 18, 2018 3:06 am

DNS Soraught's Pride, 1,200 Kilometers from Modeno-Liverpool Border

5/15/2018

Operation: Through Other Means

It was the debut of the DNS Soraught's Pride, their sister ship, the 0002A "Nemen's Newborn" was in the 2nd Fleet. The newest and what could be called the first generation of the Donnish naval craft. Every part of it screamed "new". The hull and even gun turrets were made for stealth, angled in such ways to provide the best possible RCS to reduce detection.

Though the Donnish boasted its design and looks as well as capability, none of it could have been possible with the Valaran Empire, who assisted in its electronics and other systems. The machine carried 172 VLS Cells, two 150mm Cannons, and CWIS as well as a capable ECM and electronic warfare suite.

Now it'd fire its first shots in anger, some 10 Cruise Missiles from it, and another 10 from its sister ship aimed at bridges and other infrastructure on the border between Liverpool and Modeno. Main throughways were prioritized to slow down the Liverpool Forces. Highways and bridges for the most part.

"Captain, we're ready for the strike. On your orders." a petty-officer spoke up, turning his chair to speak on the bridge. Then turning back to his screen.

The new Captain for the DNS Soraught's Pride would be Captain Jist Orler, a direct opposite personality wise of the Captain of the DNS Nemen's Newborn, Captain Yure Yulehg.

"Tell the Nemen that we're letting loose the missiles, fire."

An alarm rang, and the VLS Cells opened. Letting out a thunderous sound and flash of fire as the Tomahawks from and away from the deck, arcing out and toward the east. This occurred 10 more times, 20 counting the DNS Nemen's Newborn, and the smoke cleared and VLS cells closed. The first shots of the Donnish in a hopefully short conflict once they arrived. The ground forces would be mounting up and setting sail from here on out, and the ships in both fleets scattered on their way to the Naval Line for Phase 1 of the operation.

by **Anowa** » Fri May 18, 2018 3:12 am

The Shackles of Amber

_Atlas
Motaro
_{Headhunter Team 47 assigned to "MAM-DAG"}
_{Denova Docks, South Modeno}
_Modeno
_{5/15/2018 - 2:53 AM MST}

"Sometimes the person you’d take a bullet for is behind the trigger."

The water was cold, the fog concealing, and their weapons loaded.

As Atlas lifted himself slowly out of the water, Motaro did the same, 25 meters down the rocky beach. Standard spread for an operation such as this. Their goal wasn't the bog standard, go in and grab a target. No. They had 12 heads between them and extraction, from here to the Northern border they had to find and kill those 12 individuals. For a Headhunter ^[1] it wasn't an impossible task, but it was definitely a difficult one. With a general knowledge of where they'd last been spotted, the Headhunters and their support staff could find them in due time.

Once again, the duo moved, a single green light on their helmet's HUDs ^[2] winking in unison, informing one another about readiness. The duo made their way up the beach to the grassy terrain. They'd deployed into a small fishing village, on Modeno's southern peninsula, a small homely village with not a lot of witnesses and not a whole lot of activity. At worst some early bird fisherman would spot a few shapes in the fog, and such a tale would be disregarded as a sleep deprivation induced hallucination. Regardless, they did have a schedule to keep. And their first target probably wouldn't stick around long if the invasion started steamrolling it's way through.

The duo started bringing their formation in, the duo of AMRs and Sub-guns in their possession ^[3] the loadout that would last them the entire operation. A prolonged firefight would require scavenging weapons from their OPFOR. They would also require transport, and in this case it meant jacking a Modenian civvie vehicle. As they sidled up to a residential housing area they started surveying for any form of vehicle that would be quick to lift. They found none.

So on foot would be their method until they encountered someone on the road and could jack their car instead. Atlas gave a handsign to Motaro, and the duo turned about and returned to the coastline, opting to follow it along the highway for a good stretch. Their goals were clear now, and only time would tell them the true story of Anowa's last 33 years. [4]

[1] Headhunters - Formally and Officially known as 'MoD/MIAHS JFOR- Clandestine' the Headhunters are Anowa's Black Operations unit. From assassinations to arresting corrupt officials, the Headhunters are known for hunting heads, either actively or through intelligence gathering.

[2] HUD - Part of Anowa's Kite BDU, the heads up display and helmet are a duo layer of AlON ballistic glass with a holographic display plexiglass panel. The helmet is resistant up to .50 BMG.

[3] The AU-410 AMR and PM-36S, firing .410 Barrett HEIAP and 12.7x35mm SSAP respectively. the AU-410 is a bullpup bolt action design based off the standrd issue AU-68 rifle. The PM-36S is the 'tactical' variant of the PM-36, featuring a telescopic bolt, a 26 round magazine, a wire stock, a threaded barrel and a 1913 Rail on both the foregrip and the top cover for optics.

[4] Known in some circles as 'The End Times' due to events directly coinciding with religious scripture explained in 'The Book of Maccabeus' an Anowan book of scripture. It also signaled for the beginning of Anowa's insurrection which has so far lasted nearly 32 years.

by **The Unified Isles** » Fri May 18, 2018 5:58 am

The deployment had been mysteriously. Not something suspicious per se, the Admirality was known for badly planning out these things. Major Pierce hurridely walked up the plank to the ship, a bit tired at four in the morning, but not too terrible. The Ship's Corporal briefly looked at her ID Card, while the Cooper next to him marked a box on his note board. She saluted back and subsequently disappeared into the ships belly at a quick pace. An Officer's Mess was schedueled slightly before departure, and while she sure wasn't the only one who would be late, given her past records, she'd rather avoid it.

To her genuine surprise, the conference with the fancy name hadn't even halfway started when she arrived in the "Great Cabin", as the Isle'ish dubbed the ships Combat Information Centre. The Lieutenants of the ships company, as well as the Navy Sharpshooter officers, were standing tightly packed around a small central wooden table, which was designated for her superiors. Quickly handling some curls of her black hair out of her face, she addressed one of her subordinate Sharpshooters, whispering: "Any reason why we are still waiting?". The young Lieutenant smiled mischievously and whispered back: "Word is the Captain first needs a briefing himself".

"You... are aware the implications of this?", "Exciting, isn't it, Sir?".

The room, formerly filled with whispers and laughter, very suddenly silenced. The Captain entered, alonghim Rear Admiral Acker, and a soldier in an army uniform. "My dear children", the Admiral started as soon as he entered, disregarding any opportunity to sit down, "Glory befalls us! Three hours ago, East Liverpool, supported by the Dominion, invaded Modeno." Mumbling immediatly re-entered the room. Push news hadn't arrived yet on the Isles, it seemed. "Don't worry to much", the man in the army uniform, who had already taken seat at on the Admirals chair interrupted, "The Directors has yet to issue an official statement regarding this. We're just following standard procedure for now. Meaning that the First Dragoon Commandos will be deployed onboard the Zefyrios and linking up the Colossos and the rest of 8th Squadron out on sea. No secret mission to invade anybody here, right? We mobilise and then wait for further orders."

Pierce raised an eyebrow as she realised the army officer had to be the commander of the Dragoon Commandos. They were a fairly new formation, based on being rapidly deployable aboard the Anemoi-Class LHDs, like the Zefyrios. The Navy Sharpshooters, the combat divers and beaching units of the Royal Army, hadn't had much contact with them yet, sadly. Let's just hope this won't be a trial by fire then.

Leighton loved having others wait. The invasion had occured five hours ago, and the Colonel-General was calmly drinking his morning cacao. His office wasn't too full, he didn't need a full conference with each of his advisors on this matter. His inner circle was by far enough.

"So you are sure about this, Your Grace?", Colonel Hood asked, her voice a tiny bit more tired than usual. "Onehundred percent confident!", Leighton laughed out. "I shall inform the press then, Sir".

"Well... actually, Colonel, we'll make a small change". The room looked up, the eyes of the Directors glaring at the Generallismus. "Don't give word about the deployment of the 1st Dragoon Commandos yet. Only that the Colossos and her squadron are making some maneuvres over there". "Yes, Your Grace. The planned maneuvres of 9th Squadron will be moved more towards Vanquaria, as a show of force, no military operation shall be conducted yet". "Glorious!"

As the Colonel, and the majority of the inner circle, left the room, Kent, who had been sitting in the corner of the room nonparticipatory for the entire conference, was the only one remaining alongside Leighton. "So", the retired Admiral lifted his voice, "we're responding faster than anybody on this, it seems, at least for the press".

"And they call the Provisional Government ineffective, don't they", Leighton smiled, "Remind me to send word to Maitland later that he needs to organise a mandate for this later. We don't want it to seem like a personal quarrel between the Royal Army and Vanquaria. We're merely supporting the friends of our people".

"Donnerland seems to be committing very much to this." - "Hence why I'm committing to it." - "Pardon me, my son?" - "I must apologise, father, I think I have to explain. You realise the problem Donnerland poses for our nation? For my plans?" - "Their Army is incapable of any expedition, their Navy inexperienced." - "But they got Valaran." - "If Osteric---"

Leighton stood up, not in an aggressive manner, but determined.

"The status quo sadly is that we have somebody naive in Valarans government. And if I'm being honest, having a cynic isn't quite ideal either, just a slight improvement. To our luck...", Leighton turned around and glared out the window; Kent became aware that he had been caught in one of his lectures on international relations, "To our luck Keenes isn't much aware either. His main goal is saving his nation from the Dominion, which has the decent side effect that it provides the unifying factor that he so much needs, as the population is very sceptical of him. If he beats the Dominion, he has only a few months till his terrible domestic politics become apparent, and he gets replaced. His only other option after beating them in Modeno is...?"

"Building an Empire?"

"Exactly father! But he doesn't seem to be aware of what he's doing, or what he needs to do. This war shall be our option to dispose of both the Dominion and Keenes! We will help Keenes beat the Dominion, and then subsequently destroy his prospects at building an empire."

"And how do you intend to do this?"

"Hm, I have some ideas floating around my head, but that still has time. For now, we shall focus on supporting them in this inevitable war, though in a lower role so that they do not catch suspicion."

"And Valaran shall suffer equally I guess?"

"Hesseren will have to refocus on other allies if Keenes fails."

"Not too bad."

"It's quite imperfect actually, but it's not like we're facing somebody serious hahaha"

The bridges onboard the NAMP ships were a refreshment to Rear Admiral Acker compared to the "Next Generation"-Ships build from the 80s to early 2000s, and of course a completly luxury to anything aboard an Orion-class Carrier. The command facilities aboard the Thetys, one of the new Guided-Missile Cruisers, were finally sufficient to command smaller groups of destroyers, which before had to been done in a fairly arkward manner from a small crowded room.

9th Squadron, in accordance to the Isle'ish fleets regulation, was split into three seperately sailing groups, something which the NAMP had also formalised. The main group, which also served as the Squadron's headquarters, consisted out of the Colossos and it's direct escorts, providing longer range reconaissance for the missile cruisers and destroyers, as well as providing alot of direct striking power, something that was now possible with these mighty "Supercarriers". The forward group, the "Van", had a missile cruisers and some smaller escorts, capable of striking quickly and from potentially close proximity at targets, with the direction of the Colossos.

Meanwhile, the rear formed around Zefyrios and numerous other logistical and supporting ships, escorted by Thetys and a few others. In addition, as was the usual for operations outside the normal fleet waters, the entire squadron and especially the rear was being shielded by a submarine squadron, 7th Squadron to be precise. The Isle'ish Navy had the percularity of seperating its submarine squadrons operationally from the rest, but it wasn't usually quite the issue, if one took out the Submaritime Departments lack of an R&D budget.

A cursory glance around the squadron's rear revealed the logistical extent of this operation. Seven logistical ships were needed. Five were part of the standard logistical column that followed any Squadron onto the seas: One multirole transport, one squadron oiler, one for dry goods, and one for all aviation related supply. The fifth, a fast transport, was at the moment replenishing the Van. In addition, a transport had been added for the heavier materials of the Royal Dragoon Commandos, and a submarine tender had been added from the Submaritime Department.

Acker had noted some worried faces in the eyes of the seaman in the past few hours. The news of the attack on Modeno had by now reached everyone, and the fact that the Colonel-Generals media outlets had been somewhat deceptive about this entire operation. According to them, its a planned exercise that was now being moved slightly in response, but the fact that the Royal Dragoon Commandos, an expeditionary unit, had embarked was now widely known onboard any ship of 9th Squadron. The Admirality had not given out any plan of attack yet, and to some extent, Acker hoped they wouldn't. The prospect of a war with maybe Vanquaria was worrysome to him personally. Leighton may sell it as something glorious on television, but in truth it would be brutal and grim---

by **Imperial Valaran** » Fri May 18, 2018 6:28 am

‘Process’

Foreign Ministry Building, Central Astaria
5:38 PM, 15/05/2018

“That’s the full list so far.” Tarengard closed the folder, putting her arms behind her back. “All our policy responses are predicated on three factors. First, that aside from its Dominion allies, East Liverpool is internationally isolated. Second, that the international community is willing to jointly act against this invasion.” Tarengard paused.

Crien looked up. Four stale coffee cups lay on her desk, crumpled and dented. They presided over several rising mounds of papers, overflowing intrays, and the odour of regret. “And the third?”

“The third is that we are not seriously considering diplomatic options.” Tarengard had a business-like delivery. But even she was not able to hide the querying nature of that sentence — or maybe she was doing it deliberately, Crien couldn’t tell. But Tarengard was right, they weren’t considering diplomacy. Why was that?

Crien ignored the remark. And the tone. “Thank you.” She looked at Tarengard’s working group. They were a gangly mix of heights, but they were all fresh-faced. Tarengard’s faction apparently had a youth-wing. Or maybe the old guard were clustered around her rivals, establishment types to Sathren, mavericks to Marec. “Bar a revisions, this is now the core of the Ministry’s Official response.” Crien turned to her secretary. “Karen, would you mind submitting this to Offices of the Cabinet?” Karen nodded, and went out of the room.

Tarengard remained standing. “One last thing. The came as an update after we had made the POL [policy option list] so it is not mentioned, but Liverpool has belatedly started running propaganda campaign. They’re saying its not about annexation, but fighting communism, and installing democracy.”

Anti-communist rhetoric would largely pass the Empire by. Valarans had few reasons to consider the ideology a serious threat. The Meridian civil war, the communist uprisings in the colonies, the UDA in Canaam — the fighting against the red menace was an increasingly distant past, its emotive force dulled by time. The wars against communism were not of a glorious kind, there was nothing triumphant about never ending insurgencies and steady flows of bodies, laden with an alien dust. These wars coincided with Valaran decline, the draining of lifeblood from an empire. This was not the past a resurgent Valaran wanted to reconnect with. It lay in the shadow of greater conflicts, the triumph in the world war, the great struggle with the Ports. Communism was a pale rival, a threat no one considered worthy then or now.

Yet one could find bastions of support for this world view. Some pointed to communism as the real threat to the Empire, hidden. The roots of this debate lay in the crossroad of seven decades ago, where Valaran had found itself between two wars, one against communism in Meridian, and the global war raging against the Isles and the Dominion. It had been a Social Democratic government that had turned Valaran away from the Meridian war, and many had never forgiven them for that. From that moment, the Social Democrats had never truly disentangled themselves from this view that they were too soft on communists, too forgiving to an ideology that hated Valaran and her empire.

This was all painfully reminiscent. Again there was a Social Democratic government, and again there was a crossroads, between fighting the Dominion, or aligning with it. This was not a choice to Crien, her heart and her mind. But in the eyes of her enemies and the Prime Minister’s enemies, those preparing glib speeches in Parliament and beyond this was a choice, or a test. A test that Crien would fail.

Tarengard had left this until after her presentation, since this was an internal political matter. Crien understood that. We need to keep this off the democracy angle. “I’ll send a note to marketing. And an internal memo. If anyone asks, the line is that this is not a matter of democracy or communism, but national sovereignty. We can’t trust Liverpudlian claims about annexation, and even if they aren’t lying about that, they’re still installing a puppet regime.”

Tarengard frowned. “Did you want us to say both?”

“What?”

“That its an annexation, and also that its not an annexation?”

“Well… say whichever one gives them the least legitimacy.”

“Which is?”

Fuck me. Crien felt herself getting flustered. She looked at Tarengard’s team. They were staring. “That its still a—I’m not sure, I’m not sure which one gives them the least legitimacy.”

Tarengard smiled reassuringly. “I’ll have the PR team whip something up.”

Crien leaned back in her seat. She felt exhausted. “Thanks.” The officie door opened, and Karen returned. She seemed to be frowning.

“Will that be all for now?”

“Yes. Actually wait — do one thing for me. I want you to keep the working group active for now. I suspect we will be needing one to permanently manage this crisis, and to coordinate with our allies.”

“And to handle propaganda threats.” Tarengard smiled again.

“Yes and that.”

“Good day Secretary.” Tarengard motioned to her team, and they filed out.

Crien was halfway through a sigh when she saw her secretary’s face, one of earnest concern. “Karen?”

Karen stepped forwards. “It appears Nachrten ambassador is outside.”

‘Frontier’

Lefshaven, The Sirides
9:08 AM, 16/05/2018

A pair of gulls fought on the wind. They were some of the few creatures that thrived in the Sirides. The islands were fragments of rock and dark lichen, scattered in cold seas. Every corner was swept by ocean gales, every shore felt the bite of icy foam. It was a place for storms.

This suited the Valarans. In Ausozera, land itself was a resource, a scarce solace. The Sirides themselves were too small to be truly independent. Instead the islands found themselves in the pull of greater powers. They were useful as a waypoint, a place for grey plated warships and commerce hulks. The Sirides provided passage to the rest of the Empire; they were rarely the destination.

And of all the scattered imperial territories, the Sirides were closest to the Empire in spirit. Valaran was also a place of rock and wind. A place for mariners, of practical men with storm tossed hair and souls of tempests. That being said, there were differences. The Valaran heartland was sheltered by the Grey Sea, and as such was a place less dominated by the elements. The islanders, known as Siridians were a product of this harsher environment, wilful and practical. They were more in tune with such surroundings than the Valarans, who had largely abandoned their natural heritage. The Siridians were also more aware of their smallness. Their lives were in the hands of uncaring elements, the oceans that brought life-giving trade ships, or smashed them on the rocks. The wind, from which there was precious little shelter. A man was never more aware of natural energy than in the Sirides, and never more aware that it could smash his spine on the rocks.

The gulls continued their dance, tossed backwards and forwards by squalls. The kaw-kaw of their cries blew back to the shore, shrill and blaring. Tareniar watched them tumble in the air. He shifted his rifle in his hands. A new bullpup, fresh from Donnish factories and soon to be standard issue. He was unused it; the weight distribution all felt wrong. He carried it as gingerly as could, almost afraid it would smash.

He was supposed to be thankful he even had this rifle. The Valaran Royal Marines (VRM) were normally the last branch to get new equipment, even as they were the first (often the only) to be cast into battle. Yet the local Siridian Defence Forces (SDF) he was stationed with probably would not get this rifle for years. The islands, tiny as they were, had a martial spirit. The Siridans were proud to join in their armed forces and serve the Empire; besides joining the Siridian Defence Forces was one of the few jobs that paid well here. But had almost no budget to speak of, this made the SDF a paragon of efficiency, of squeezing every last drop of use out of weaponry donated in the 1980s. It made Tareniar aware of a new perspective. The VRM may be the least funded of all proper Valaran branches, but relative to many colonial forces, they might as well be from the future.

His deployment here — part of a VRM battalion and a VIN Patrol Fleet — was a new one. The Empire, which was usually so eager to skimp on colonial defences, had recently been spooked. The Dominion had taken over the larger Rattean Island of Aratoas; this was next to the Sirides. And the roiling instability in Sishai made securing naval passage to the colonies there absolutely vital. For the first time since the 1960s, Valaran was now conducting serious forward deployments, instead of tokenism and ‘trip-wire’ units. A subsidiary of this meant that having such forces active and to hand, Tareniar and his unit could now be quickly deployed elsewhere. By bolstering colonial defences, the Valarans had accidentally facilitated offence.

The timing was so neat it almost seemed prophetic. Barely a month after Tareniar had arrived, there was now exactly that: a foreign crisis occurring nearby, that the Siridean Task Force was in a position to respond to. However, this crisis was far beyond the capability of the Task Force alone — a mere thirteen ships and a light infantry battalion. This was not an army able to halt the Dominion. So the Empire had abandoned one of its many silent conventions: it was going to be using colonial forces in an offensive war. Tareniar would be deploying to Modeno with the Siridians.

This was unusual. Valaran guaranteed the security of its colonies, and in theory this guarantee was two ways — just as Valaran fleets guarded against external threats, Rathras, Kyadir and the Sirides would come to the heartland’s aid in times of true, desperate need. However, in the 21st century, a new compact had come into force; one that recognised the inequalities of colonialism. Since Valaran still sought political control over its subject territories, and since this control was designed to be palatable, it had to ask less of them. Every time it invoked colonial privilege, the costs to legitimacy had to be assessed. It could no longer spend Rathran lives in pursuit of its foreign interventions. Imperialism could no longer be so careless. Yet Rathras was a nation, with a developed national identity and a strong claim to self-sufficiency. It demanded autonomy and mutual benefit, and it could claim it. The Sirides did not. They related themselves to this overarching imperial identity, and made it inseparable from the identity of the slants themselves. Not only was there the practical reality: the islands were simply too small to survive alone in a world of hostile oceans, but there was also the constructed sense of self: the Siridians saw themselves as loyal subjects of the Valaran Empire. Having been forced to live in the storms for so long, the nature of Empire was simply another natural element; not something to be thought about in costs or benefits, or to be attacked as uncaring. The Siridians were used to the uncaring. Instead, it was seen as something necessary for life, a recognition of power where power existed, and a source of duty. Duty was something the Sirides respected. This made their deployment politically realisable, in of itself, though the government in Rathras would hardly appreciate the precedent. Maybe Crien and Hesseren were just that desperate. Or maybe, like so many Valarans, they were inconsiderate of what they were asking. Tareniar did not know. The Prime Minister and his Foreign Secretary were aloof people. In any case, a solider was not given explanations.

Tareniar turned away from the struggles of the seagulls. He shifted the rifle in his hands, and looked behind him. Down the slope was one of the Sirides’ natural harbours. Small stone houses were clustered around a wharf and on the hillside. In between them grew long stalks of grass, now brown-yellow. There was one structure of size in the village: a warehouse, painted white. The wharf itself was the main structure. Right now it was filled with dark green — stacked bags on the sides, the forms of various soldiers moving about, and a few light vehicles. A few fishing boats were tethered to one section of the wharf, listing heavily in ocean currents. To to other side was the grey steel hull of warship. Its stacked decks looked over the wharf, the fishing boats and the village. In any valaran town it would seem out of place; in the Sirides this kind of distortion no departure from the norm.

Tareniar began descending, picking his way over stones and moss. The first few streaks of rain landed on his cheeks. The ship was only being prepared as a state of readiness, as diplomats wrangled. But for the lone Valaran soldier, the relevant orders had already come through. The VRM were being deployed, and the SDF with them. That kind of decision was not made as a precaution. It was made in preparation.

by **Nauchrtenfield** » Sun May 20, 2018 5:34 am

‘The Gears of Nations’

Foreign Ministry Building, Central Astaria
5:42 PM, 15/05/2018

OOC: This is an IC continuation of Valaran’s most recent post.

“It appears Nauchrten ambassador is outside.” Crien looked up. Karen guessed her question. “There is no official meeting scheduled.”

This has to be about Modeno. Right? “Send him in.”

The Foreign Secretary, despite appearances, possessed political instincts. The sort that told you how well a policy would play, when was the right time to announce something, or when to hide a secret. Or when a diplomatic visit was not just a courtesy call. Crien’s instincts told her that while the ambassador was coming alone and without announcement, there was governmental purpose behind this. But why the informality? This job had too many unknowns.

Crien looked at her desk. She quickly grabbed the coffee cups and dumped them in a near-overflowing trash can. She began stacking papers into some semblance of orderliness, taking care to stuff sensitive documents between reams of administrative overflow. Then she smoothed her hair.

Entering the room the Nauchrten ambassador made his entrance. Looking at the two Dan closed the door and saluted, the typical greeting of Nauchrtenfield. “I apologize for the unannounced appearance Foreign Secretary Crien. If at all possible i'd like for some of your time to unofficially discuss about the developed situation in Modeno.”[i/] he said, moving from the salute to standing at a relaxed attention pose.

Crien smiled warmly as she rose. The Nauchrten Ambassador was touchingly formal. “It is no trouble, ambassador… Jönsson.” This was slightly mispronounced, Crien knew that much, but she simply failed to recall the Nauchrten lilt. It was close enough to a Valaran accent, but that actually made pronunciation worse, like trying butcher your own way of speaking. [i]At least I remembered his name. I think? Despite being a treaty ally -- one of the few -- the Nauchrtens only had a small diplomatic presence in Astaria… and to be frank, Crien had not had a great deal of contact with ambassador Jönsson. In fact, this was their very first ‘informal meeting.’ A day of firsts, Helen. She extended her hand. “Please, take a seat.”

“So, how can I help about Modeno?”

”Please, call me Dan. We are a first name nation, so to say.” the ambassador said as he took a seat opposite to the Foreign Secretary. He did not like to deliver the news and information he had been given, but such was his duty. So he tugged at the bottom of his jacket to remove any creases and took a deep breath. Then he took to words Madame Secretary. I wish i had better news to deliver. But i have been informed by the council to share to you our stance before the news gets delivered to media at midnight. The council, and i personally wish that we could say that we would support your own actions in support of Modeno, and the nation itself of course with actions of our own. But for now that is not the case, a condemnation will be delivered to the nations of the dominion and West Liverpool. At this time there is a risk that another low-scale deployment to a hotspot overseas could turn the general population. So our official stance is that we condemn the invasion and will levy trade embargoes. he said. Giving Crien a few moments to process the information given. Before giving a faint devilish smile and continuing.

However, Madame Secretary, and you understand that nothing said in this room will leave our minds, our unofficial stance is that we are with you. The council had commanded a Naval Battlegroup be readied, and two full divisions be transferred to Garhyttan Garrison. While we can't promise that any of the units will be deployed at this point. The Nauchrten state has no intent to stand idly by and watch both the dominion grow, and more importantly, watch this gross violation of national sorginity, and the fragile world stability. he said, this time opening for the Secretary to interject into his until-now-monologue.

Crien listened without smiling. The shadows of the afternoon drew around them as the ambassador talked. The first piece of information was expected. Throughout the day she had been getting the litany of responses; polite declarations of indifference. Modeno did not command the attention of the world, and nor did the Dominion. So much of the Union was… insular. Nations managed their petty empires as a man might shuffle small rocks: with no logic and with their head bowed, never lifting to take stock of his surroundings. Leaders professed to care about the state of the world, but in other countries care was rationed. Only in Astaria was it spent freely, where tired bureaucrats poured concern into the parched earth. Nothing grew.

Her expression did not change as Jönsson’s face into broke into a smile. The reaction held, as the ambassador relayed the second part of his speech. But Crien not stop her face from displaying her confusion. Is this force a merely a precautionary one? Crien was no expert, but it seemed to large for that. Would Nygaard have known what this meant?

Jönsson paused, expectantly. Crien stirred in her seat. “The Valaran Empire understand your concerns. An intervention is never undertaken lightly, even if wholly justified. Nonetheless, I-we appreciate your solidarity in this. We will shortly be declaring our own condemnation.” Though perhaps not an embargo. Crien knew better than to make promises on that. “And your precautionary measures seem sound. The actions of the Dominion are alarming to all of us.”

Crien leaned back in her seat, hands loosely clasped in front of her. “But Ambassador, if I may, why did you want to tell me this unofficially? None of this information seems sensitive, especially since the deployment is only precautionary. This could have all been conducted via the usual channels.” Crien was not aware if the Nauchrten embassy was prone to leaking, but it could hardly be worth an unannounced visit. “Is there something about this deployment that is unusual—I’m not aware of your nation’s standard procedure. Or something else?” What am I missing?

The devilish smirk remained on the ambassadors lips as Dan listened to the question asked, and responded to it ”Madame Secretary, while we cannot take action of any kind just yet. We can offer something, while the plans are formulated, and the gears of nations turn. The council has authorized me to offer a group of Nauchrten officers to accompany the Valarans. Officially they would a group of observers, sent to our southern ally to foster understanding and cooperation. Who just happen to be deployed to a unit about to be sent into the hot-zone, should such a unit exsist. Unofficially they would work to lay the groundwork for future combined operations, and help build public opinion towards further actions against the dominion, as you are no doubt planning to take some kind of action, no? Furthermore the international implications that this would create for the dominion are not lost on you Madame Secretary, are they?” he said and asked. Leaning back ever so slightly as he awaited the reply

Oh. So Jönsson was offering support after all. Crien regarded the ambassador. “What kind of… disposition would this observers be provided with?” Crien paused. This was a private meeting. There were no reason to be subtle.“Let me rephrase: should we send forces, which is not something that has been decided, would your officers be expecting to fight? Or are they genuinely non-combat observers?”

Dan gave a slight chuckle before responding ”ah, I see we have dropped the veil, then allow me to do the same. Officially they would be non-combatants, but they would be equipped and armed for self-defence. Unofficially, we would not stand in the way of having them see combat. Nauchrtenfield would leave that up to Valaran, either way we would use it to help public opinion” he replied. Hoping that Crien would agree to the proposal, at least to some degree.

“Assistance is always be appreciated,” Crien began. “But sending observers — even armed ones — into Modeno is very risky. I am certain the Prime Minister Hesseren would not want to be responsible for Nauchrten deaths… especially if those were not part of an authorised deployment.” What did the government want exactly? An inciting incident, as an excuse for war? “Realistically, the only forces we could accept would be non-combat support personnel who would be operating well way from the front lines, or maybe volunteers, but, but-” But I have no authority to negotiate this. Do I? “But I must say there has been no official order to deploy. If we were to decide to intervene, it would be in the Cabinet meeting later this evening…” Crien looked at the time. It was already 6 pm. This meeting had been unplanned, and so unaccounted for in her schedule; it was now only an

Crien to the Nauchrten diplomat, who was still smiling apparently. She gave a thin smile of her own. “Ambassador Jönsson, I am not at full liberty to discuss with you on operational — I mean military matters. While I may pass on your comments, and propose them at the highest level, I lack the formal authority to make decisions on to your government's proposal. Even in the Valaran Empire, the Foreign Secretary does not decide military matters.” She shifted in her seat, and prepared to stand. “So why don’t I take you to someone who has that authority. Would you care to meet the Prime Minister?”

by **Vanquaria** » Wed May 23, 2018 5:41 am

Admiral Feris of the 4th Battlegroup of the Imperial Navy

Off the coast of Liverpool

Alais Feris understood where this new, recent rush of aggression was coming from. His majesty, Scott the God-Emperor of the Exalibasian peoples, was invigorated by the success of the Aratoas blockade against the Union. The lack of a coherent, sustained military response from Unionist militaries signified many things. One of them was an unwillingness to go against the Dominion on its own turf regardless if it was a valuable island holding military assets which had proven useful in the 2nd Helsan War against the Donnish aggressors.

The Admiral had met Scott personally before. The young man had a reputation. Cunning, strong and most especially, charismatic, the Autarch was a product trained to perfection from his warlord father. Scott had proven more than capable of breaking out of being constrained to the Northern hemisphere and it seemed that he was permanently free to roam beyond the cold Helsan winter after somehow securing a grand marriage with the Crown Princess of Reutoa.

In tune with the shows of strength by the Roman war machine further south, the Autarch of Vanquaria was commanding his personal legions to provide much-needed strength to fellow imperialists around the globe. In this case, the Emperor of Liverpool had a goal he desired to achieve. Scott apparently desired to help the Emperor achieve that goal. The Liverpudlians were breaking out of isolationism in much the same way the Donnish had which was by the ways of war.

Taking into account the certain restraints placed on direct conflict with potentially involved PACT factions including the most annoying of all pests, the Donnish, the Admiral's fleet was currently facilitating the shipment of mass armaments and special forces into Liverpool. Granted full access to Liverpudlian military facilities by order of their Emperor himself, the Vanquarians were flying in and massing advanced modern weaponry that would ensure their ally saw success which included drones and rockets.

The High Command was intent on ensuring this war had the potential to turn into a very vicious war. One where bombs dropped without pause and the flags of Liverpool were speared through the bodies of the enemy, whoever they may be. Already, the hunter-killer teams of Vanqaria were on standby. Liverpudlian manpower and their willingness to go on the offensive against their inferior enemies was the key to victory in the perspective of the Admiral and by the will of the Autarch, Vanquarian hellfire would follow through as their flaming arrows.

Field Marshal Slaris of the Vanquarian High Command

"Mmm, yes, that is very nice. Please, continue!" Boris Slaris, a high ranking military commander of Vanquaria, praised the seductive dance of the "elite" stripper as she gyrated on the podium inside his office.

Adorned with apparently priceless pieces of art and historical artefacts originating from many, mostly underdeveloped, countries around the world, the Field Marshal's office was the size of an expensive penthouse. The Vanquarian military's leaders were experiencing the benefits of a well-deserved success. The Vanquarian public, a demographic known for its delights in displays of strength and "macho" acts, heaped much praise and prestige upon its men in uniform after the recent, modern-day conquer of the island of Aratoas. The victory was made much more significant considering it was previously controlled by a Rattean administration, therefore, it could be considered apart of what was the Union. Keyword; was.

Morale was high. The foundation of yet another ISAT clone organisation? Laughable. Of course the Vanquarian state worked to take into account this new "PACT" organisation in the Autarch's greater plans of prosperity for Ausozera. However, barely anyone viewed the new ISAT clone with the same amount or even anything near the same amount of fear and respect that the original ISAT organisation once had been viewed with. Why? The answer was simple. Vanquaria was untouchable. Warcrimes? Crimes against humanity? Nukes? Imperialism? Pfft, those things had a slight chance of being reviewed by the international community during the time of IADA's existence but the yet another organisation experiment by the Donnish failed pathetically. At this point, much of Dominion-controlled Helsa wondered why the Donnish were still trying to establish itself on the same lines as Ausozera regards the generally accepted world powers.

Meanwhile, Scott was delighted beyond belief. Beautiful wives, beautiful children and now an empire fit for the greatest emperor of the modern age. The symbols of his father, Vlad, remain untouched and full of proud in the forms of golden statues and songs. Mecca? Pa, the Union was considered a complete laughing stock now. Not even fit for any considered rivalry between nation-states. Failing to avenge war crimes and regardless of how they try to play it off, the Vampires once again got one up on them. With the Unionists making absolutely stupid news posts mixing up Modeno and Aratoas and the Porteans struggling to get taller and build muscle, what could the Vampires of the North expect to respect? Esports Athleticism?! At this point, it became a meme around Vanquarian social circles that Vanquarian generals cried at the fact that the Porteans were training their athletes hard in preparation for the next MOBA World Championships rather than actual competitions of finesse and strength. There always was something off about Asians and their connection to video games, Urranese and Esgonians waving off obesity as a sign of good Esports athleticism as they wiggle their fingers on the keyboard. Predictions were made that within a few years time the Donnish would be getting involved in virtual sports as well given how completely pathetic they were becoming in pretty much every aspect of life. Maybe the "Light the Snow on Fire" World Championships where Donnish men fight for the right to gain access to a premium eat healthy program founded by the Portean National Health Ministry.

Boris's smartphone suddenly vibrated within his pant's pocket. Annoyed at this disturbance from his favourite hobby of critiquing the art of pole dancing, he growled, "Yes?"

"Boris, how are you?"

Eyes widening, he stammered, "M.,my lord what a pleasant surprise! How may I assist you?"

"I would like a report regarding the process of military assets to the new theatre of war."

The general knew what his leader meant. The conflict breaking out in Modeno would, of course, draw in lots of other nation-states with nothing else to do on their hands except try to siphon off the glory of the Dominion. Given political sensitivies concerning certain NAPs signed as a result of the secretive yet global Aegeaon Pact, Scott understood the possibility of World War 3 breaking out. And this was not including the pathetic Union in this case.

"Ah, yes I'll have it hand-delivered as soon as possible my lord."

"Good, I shall speak to you soon, Boris."

As soon as the line went dead, Boris was up fetching his secretaries. Looking through his private castle's windows in the direction of Auraxis, he felt fear invigorate him into action.

by **Anowa** » Wed May 23, 2018 2:52 pm

_Atlas
Motaro
_{Headhunter Team 47 assigned to "MAM-DAG"}
_{5.8 Kilometers North of Denova, South Modeno}
_Modeno
_{5/15/2018 - 3:25 AM MST}

They were keeping up a good pace, nearly six kilometers in roughly half an hour. Not the fastest they could go but one that was sustainable for a good while. Next town would be another 18 kilometers up the coast, at which point their first target was last seen loading his shipments into boast to get the hell out of dodge while the buildings weren't falling around his ears. His name was Quan Guiqing, a weapons dealer who'd been supplying the innies back home with arms for the better part of a decade. He'd been using Modeno as a hideaway, safely out of Anowa's reach due to international guidelines and general law. That was, until the Dominion invaded.

Motaro stopped and took a knee, before moving towards the ditch near the highway. Atlas following close behind. In the darkness it wasn't hard to tell why the duo moved. A single pair of headlights moving in their direction. A vehicle, and for them that meant transport.

As the headlight approached, Atlas gauged the distance, and when he deemed safe, he flashed his respective HUD light green, giving a non-verbal signal. The duo proceeded to step out on to the road, weapons raised at the vehicle. It slammed on the brakes, sliding most of the distance between the two respective parties. When it stopped, smoke obscured the distance between the two parties, but the duo of Headhunters cared little. They approached the vehicle, one on the passenger side, the other on the driver side. As the sight became clearer, Atlas took in what the vehicle was, and who was inside it. As Motaro pulled the driver out, Atlas realized it was a family sedan, emphasis on family. Probably on a road trip, or on their way to being inducted as Refugees.

Atlas spoke in rather clear Modenian, "Out of the car!"

The wife, and two children within, still panicking at being held at gun point, didn't comply immediately, until the father started yelling it too. At which point, the kids, confused as to what was happening, and scared due to their parent's panic, started outright bawling. The mother, in tears, getting out of the car, and started getting them out of the back. Neither Motaro's nor Atlas' fingers had entered their respective weapon's trigger guards. They never had the intent on killing anyone in the vehicle, never would either.

Atlas continued, "There is a village six kilometers along the highway, I want you to count to 1000, then started walking towards that town. Am I understood?"

The father, still shaken, replied, "Ye-yes."

"Good."

With that, Atlas stepped into the vehicle, closing the door behind him as Motaro shifted it into gear. Within a few moments, the vehicle was turned around, and heading back the way it came. One little piece of the puzzle had found it's place, many many more would have to follow.

_Atlas
Motaro
_{Headhunter Team 47 assigned to "MAM-DAG"}
_{Crakov, South Modeno}
_Modeno
_{5/15/2018 - 8:02 AM MST}

It had taken a few hours to set up properly. The town thankfully had quite a few hills surrounding it, and the main docks were set up inside a cove, meaning that the team was now set up in a position overlooking the docks of the port town. A duo of anti-materiel rifles aimed squarely at the docks. People walking back and forth between their boats, either going about their days or prepping to flee in case the Dominion's war machine got here before the war ended. But that wasn't what they were looking for. What they were looking for was on board a single freighter, sidled up to the long concrete harbor in a state of loading supply onboard. Except it was no standard supply, the ship was registered to a known alias of Quan Guiqing, previously mentioned Tangaliroan arms dealer.

Motaro's voice cut above the din of the woodland creatures and sounds, the woman had found their target, "Thirteen hundred meters, ship's bridge, third window from the left."

Atlas shifted, eyes now on the cargo ship's bridge. Took the sight of the man in, middle aged, tall for his ethnicity, talking to what he assumed was the ship's captain. "Target spotted."

Motaro continued, "1300 meters, humidity 18%, wind 18 klicks at 110 degrees."

Atlas frowned, "Ready a secession shot. At that range we won't get him through the glass."

"Affirm."

As his partner readied her rifle, both took aim at the man, Motaro fired, a fraction of a second later, Atlas did the same. The first bullet smashed into the window, the explosive component within shattering it, before the second bullet ripped through the fragments, tearing a grapefruit sized hole in the chest of their target. As Atlas watched him stumble and fall against a terminal in the bridge, he watched as the blood pooled around the unmoving corpse.

"We got him, let's go."

by **Empire of Donner land** » Thu May 24, 2018 12:45 pm

P.A.C.T Communication to the Modenan Government.

After considerable dialogue with the Vanquarian Government about the nature of intervention in the conflict, we have come across a good deal as to prevent global war between PACT Forces and Dominion Forces. We now ask the Modenan Government to allow military access into the nation and open up easier communications between PACT Forces and the Modenan Military and Government as to assist in the defense of the nation.

Due to the politically sensitive situation between PACT and the Dominion, a limited conflict is what is currently been planned, though if this plan is upheld is dependant on either side, including Modenan Forces. Never the less, we stand by Modeno in the defense of its people and way of life whatever may happen. We will not allow a forceful regime change by the Dominion.

We will be sure to brief troops, both enlisted and officer, of the cultural and possible religious customs of the Modenan People as to avoid conflict between the PACT and Modenan Forces and PACT troops and Modenan civilians. We will also be employing "Hearts and Minds" strategy to strengthen the relationship between civilians and deployed troops in Modeno.

From: The P.A.C.T Defense Communications Office
Signed: President Vanzen L. Keenes

by **Anowa** » Sat May 26, 2018 3:28 pm

_{Queen Oleander Pyrrhos II}
_{Anowan Head of State}
_{The Temple, Terrenus}
_Anowa
_{5/16/2018 - 3:18 AM AST}

Oleander wasn't a stranger to waking up at the ass end of the morning. Nearly a decade and a half as an airborne infantry captain had left her with memories of terrible mornings, waking to gunfire, and dealing with bored enlisted. But, regardless of how used to it or how much your expected it, being woken up for something trivial was something no one liked.

"I fully expected someone to be dead, Herrman." the officer she was addressing opened his mouth, as if to reply, but the sleep deprived Royal stopped him, "And you know damn well someone we care about dying. I couldn't care less if one of the biggest thorns in our side in the past thirty years just repainted the interior of a ships' bridge." Oleander looked at those assembled.

General Wolfram Herrman, wearing the standard dress uniform of the Anowan Army, black, with a chest full of ribbons, SPECTRA badge above them. The man's black hair was graying, his head possessed a rather grim puckering of skin, a scar from a stray bullet that nearly ended his life some twelve years ago. He'd fully recovered since then, and was now the Anowan Army's Chief of Staff. Oleander respected him not for his experience nor for his decorations, but rather because of his brevity. He never pulled his punches, and always summarized whatever she needed to know into three sentences or less. He was the only Chief present, due to preoccupation keeping the other three members of the board away from the bunker under Terrenus.

Behind her and to her left was Commander Ajax Akhanteros, current head of the Royal Guard, and some Oleander had known for her entire life. Though up until the death of her aunt, uncle, and cousins^[1], they hadn't seen each other every day. The man was very much balding no hair on his head besides two white strips above his hears and a rather old style mustache. All of it covered up by the sterile white and purple Kite BDU he wore. He was always a fatherly sort, ensuring those around him got through the emotional slog of whatever event happened to carry itself into the day.

At the far end of the table was the nation's Prime Minister, Jeremias Brunhold, he was simply staring at the map laid out on said table, wearing the grey suit he wore pretty much all the damn time. Or at least whenever he made a public appearance, or when meeting someone. Oleander, surprisingly, didn't know in what capacity he served prior to his political career. Despite how easy it would be she for her to find out, she made a point of not finding out someone's whole life when they couldn't do the same. Old Fashioned conversation would have to do. The PM started his position as a cheery eyed and well intentioned 33 year old. Now, at 46 he looked closer to his late 50s. Grey hair, a plethora of wrinkles, and a look in his eyes that screamed 'stressed out'. Regardless, he did his job, and he was doing it well. The Anowan public wasn't one that was too keen on involving itself in foreign affairs, but Jeremy managed to keep in the seat for twelve years despite globalism being one of his main policies.

Off in the corner, skulking in an uncanny and -what Oleander would declare somewhat terrifying- fashion was Grey-Box, or rather his mobile command unit. The AI was never intended to have taken the role he did, being nothing more than an experiment in the late 2000s on Artificial Intelligence and it's military applications, but things got out of hand rather quickly, and it was shut down. Officially. Now he simply takes command as Special Forces CIC, feeding them the info they needed. He was present during these meetings because he was basically the site's early warning security, and could just as easily get everyone inside to a safe path out. Oleander trusted him with those tasks, but with all the tales and risks she'd heard about I, that was pretty much all she would let him do. The synthetic set of armatures and lights strode from the corner, a wire disconnecting from the wall, as a few silicon organs within lit up.

Taking a sip of her coffee, the pajama clad monarch continued, "So, why am I actually here?"

Herrman spoke, "PACT involvement, our response if things go hot, and the plans established if we need to make a full scale marshal response."

Oleander hummed, "So what do we have so far?"

Herrman sighed, "At the moment, nothing. PACT forces have yet to make landfall, and we don't want to drop a flare on our deployment, so coordinating with the URA, USSN, and PACT isn't an option at the moment. All our plans that have been drawn up for such an occasion have been purely based on if we need to invade Modeno and the USSN alone. Not fighting with them."

Oleander nodded, "So we don't have much a choice right now then, simply wait and see."

"Yes." Wolfram stepped up to the table, , tapping the top twice, a small menu appeared on it's screen, a few more taps and another map with a much different set of drawing s was drawn up. "This is War Plan Crimson. Overarching goal of annexing Modeno and the USSN, drawn up in 1965, and updated every year since. As you can see, it won't really fit without current operation."

Oleander noticed, didn't take much to realize the incompatibilities, "So I suppose modify the existing plan from here."

Grey-Box interjected, "Yes, though, as previously stated, a lack of communication and coordination requires us to wait for our ongoing black operation within the nation to be accomplished."

Brunhold sighed as he leaned back, "So now we play the waiting game."

[1] The assassination of King Garris IV - Known as 'Red Monday', the assassination of King Garris IV, Queen Hall II, Prince Francis, Prince Cole, and Princess Sigurd via roadside bomb, resulted in the Royal line jumping several places, resulting in the placement of Queen Oleander II upon the Anowan throne. Like many assassinations, conspiracy theories and urban legends have cropped up about the actual events surrounding the deaths of the family.

by **The United Remnants of America** » Thu May 31, 2018 1:19 am

Sergeant Kazik Winkler

Crakov, Modeno

5/16/2018 - 11:00

The sleepy town of Crakov rarely had so many police in it. The seaside town was just a resupply port, after all. Crakov's local police force was a dozen officers who weren't even armed when they went out on patrol, since they knew everyone they passed on the road. The customs agency was a handful of agents that checked and inspected the ships that used the relatively small ports here to dock quickly before a much longer journey anywhere else. Nothing was really shipped here, except from the craggy old fishermen that brought in the daily specials. But now Crakov's local police was augmented with a half-dozen of federal police, led by Sergeant Kazik Winkler.

"So," Kazik started off, "Where are we at on this?"

"The weather's cold. Like always," one of the federal agents offered up.

"Warmer here than in the east in the mountains," another quipped.

Kazik sighed, "Listen, you shits, I'm not in the mood."

"Alright, alright. We got a hit on the ID. It was fake, but his real name is- er, was, Quan Guiqing. Tangaliroan by birth. Not really much of a life here, but he had warrants for arrest from quite a few other countries, including a slew from Anowa."

Kazik tilted his head, "For what?"

"Arms dealing."

"Oh good, we got a dead Sinican arms dealer on a cargo ship. Any reason why?"

One of the younger officers spoke up, "I think it has something to do with him being shot in the head by a big bullet. We don't have ballistics back yet, but it was definitely a big rifle."

Another sigh from Kazik, "And who would want him dead?"

"We interviewed the crew and searched the ship. It was empty, and it's registered to Syrnistan, so I'm guessing it was Guiqing's transport ship. The crew played dumb, they didn't know who owned the ship or whatever. All liars, but I don't think they had him killed."

"So who'd want an arms dealer dead?" Kazik asked his team.

"Other arms dealers? Someone he shorted?" came the answer.

Kazik nodded, "And what about that armed robbery that was reported in Denova?"

"Oh, by the family? Yeah, apparently two 'special forces' guys took their car and then headed north."

"So can we assume they did the killing?"

"Probably, but who were they? Contract killers? Dominion assassins? Namenian assassins?"

"C'mon, man, if they were ours, we wouldn't be on this case right now."

"You dunno that man! Our government did all kinds of stuff before the war in the north."

"What, you gonna say that war is the government trying to profit off conflict now, or what?

"Hey, crazier shit's happened!"

"Enough," Kazik commented, cutting off the argument between the two youngest federal agents. Kazik himself was a junior field agent himself, and his team was sent to this case to more or less get them some experience on what a murder looked like, but the more Kazik read over this case file, the dirtier it looked. "I want good theories and assumptions. Not this conspiracy crap."

"Alright, well. We've got two incidents. What appear to be two soldiers hijack a car between Denova and Crakov. Fact. Hours later, Quan Guiqing dies from a GSW to the head on the bridge of his ship and locals report hearing two distinct gunshots. Fact. I think it's pretty clear those two guys who stole the car drove to Crakov and then wasted Guiqing."

"Case closed," one of the team stated then, drawing a chuckle from his compatriots.

Kazik nodded, "We have the description of the car and the unsubs. I want a region-wide BOLO for both the car and any pair of suspicious looking men.

"We found the car, actually. Ditched."

Kazik clapped his hands, "That helps. One of you go wipe it down for prints or anything else they may have left. Adjust that unsub search. If they're on foot, they can't be too far from here in the past day or so, so we can keep that in mind for local police. Who checked the firing spot?"

When they first arrived, the team had picketed off likely shooting spots. They'd found one place on the bluffs overlooking Crakov where it appeared to have been laid on for several hours, as the plants were smashed down. One of the team had been left to search the area for the morning before their lunch meeting.

"That was me. Um, that's definitely where they were. I found a shell after some, but it's in a caliber I've never seen before."

"What size?"

"Like big, but smaller than a 12mm."

"Anything else?" Kazik asked.

"Well, if the fishermen heard two shots, I only found one shell, so the other's either gone and fucked off, the birds snatched it, or the soldiers bagged it."

"Probably fucked off or the birds. If they'd pick up the shells, they'd have grabbed 'em both, yeah?"

"True."

"So if it's almost a 12mm shell, these guys are packing big guns," Kazik commented, "add that to the description, since they have to lug those weapons with them. Two heavily armed soldier-type guys on foot somewhere around here. Highly dangerous, yada yada, don't approach unless you have backup, yada yada."

The team nodded.

"Anything else?" Kazik was ready to wrap up so he could tear into his schnitzel.

"Yeah, Sarge. What if they left? Like, the country?"

"Then it's not our problem and we can let the government deal with it. But for now, it's our case. Seeing nothing else, let's eat.

Corporal Terenti Forst

Erong, Namenia

5/16/2018 - 14:00

The fighting had created a dent into Namenian territory, but that had all been planned from the start. What hadn't been planned, however, was that several battalions in and around the defense of Erong from the 1st Panzer Division to get left behind. From the understanding of the various groups, they had scattered units from the 2nd and 3rd Brigades, as well as the local police forces, some Logistics troops, some military police units, and some militia that were forming up from armed veterans and willing civvies.

Losses had been light along the lines, because as the Liverpudlians moved forward, the Namenian and Modenian forces gave measured retreats to put space between the fronts while giving harrying fire to the advancing enemy. That strategy, however, was not fully in effect at the beginning of the war, and some of the first units, those of the 1st Division, were left behind in Erong, which hadn't even been evacuated when the war broke out. Now, one of Namenia's major cities was in a siege against Dominion troops as they awaited a savior.

Corporal Terent Forst was an autogunner from the 33rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Panzer Division. Like most of his battalion, he'd been left in Erong. The Dominion had yet to attack Erong directly, yet, for whatever reason. Fear or confusion, maybe? Erong was a big city, and there were a lot of troops in Erong left. Forst bet that if you put together all the units left, it could be almost an entire brigade in itself. The downside was that a quarter of the 1st Division was locked up in this city rather than holding the front. The upside was that fucking quarter of a division was holding Erong from the Dominion. Dominion air power was being held more or less at the border thanks to glorious Imperial Air Force planes. That meant the Dominion troops that were advancing were without air cover for now.

Other stories of Donnish missile barrages on border roads and checkpoints, and incoming allies in the form of PACT and the Remnants kept spirits high for those in an encircled city. Maybe the Donnish would blow the Dominion out from around Erong, or the PACT or Remnants would save them. If not them, then maybe the Air Force, Navy, or the Army's own airborne troops would come to the rescue, but they didn't see that as an immediate possibility. Forst personnaly figured it would be a month until the Dominion was pushed back over the border, but some in his squad thought it could be as fast as a week. Even others said it could be a year or more, and that was if they hadn't been flushed from Erong by that time.

Forst was positive the Dominion would not last here. PACT or the Remnants would save them, and good old Modenian firepower would keep them safe until that time came.

Namenia and Modeno Communique to P.A.C.T. Leadership

After conferring with my advisory board, the nation of Namenia and Modeno will be open to the assistance and support that P.A.C.T. is offering to give us in order to stave off the Dominion invasion forces. We will also submit communication standardization protocols between our forces for the duration of this conflict in order to further our goals and cohesion.

We appreciate the goal to keep the Dominion from eradicating the Namenian and Modenian way of life and government, however we would like to note that for what may be for your governments a "limited conflict" is for our government and our people an attack on our very existence and right to govern.

We appreciate the briefings that PACT troops will receive upon arrival in our nation, and our military looks forward to working closely with PACT forces. Our culture is important to us, almost as important as our right to exist, which is currently being challenged by the axis of evil known as Dominion. While a hearts and minds strategy may sound good coming from your PACT leadership, it is a patronizing program of which the funding would be better spent on resources to reinforce the assistance of our nation. If you truly cared about the hearts and minds of the Namenian and Modenian people, you would be sending everything you could to defend their homes.

From: The Office of the High Chancellor of Namenia and Modeno
Signed: Chancellor Shawn Ball

by **Anowa** » Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:59 pm

_Atlas
Motaro
_{Headhunter Team 47 assigned to "MAM-DAG"}
_{11km Outside Freiburg, Modeno}
_Modeno
_{5/16/2018 - 11:00 AM AST}

[BLUFOR] - [CIC] - [GREYSEC] - [MIAHS] - [Grey-Box] - /// - “Grey-Box to Atlas. Police scanners indicate that they have found your previous firing site. You are being hunted."

Atlas hummed, "That's a worryingly delayed response time."

Motaro quipped, "Not our cops, nothing we should worry about."

"They're the emergency services of a nation we're technically allied to, and it's taken nearly 24 hours for them to issue an official response. It's something we should at least note."

"Fair."

The duo had made more than enough ground. Leaving the site of their first shooting, walking for another 12 hours, sleeping for 8, eating, and continuing on. They were using their HUD's directional data to carve their way through the heavily forested Modenian countryside. It was notably similar to their Anowan home, which was to be expected due to their proximity. Pine trees in abundance, mosses, and the sounds of birds chirping.

Though in the distance sounds of commotion could be heard.

Some years ago Freiburg was a town built around the regions forest industry, however, for whatever reason that little venture was abandoned for a route of tourism based around an archaeological sense, namely the abundance of fossils and the prehistoric museum in the town. That being said, remnants out in the stick of old woodmills and the camps the loggers work and lived in remained. One of which was largely thought to be derelict. Not entirely however.

Recently a trio of the team's targets were spotted in the area, and sat images had indicated that an overgrown forestry camp was their hideaway. King of Hearts and Spades, as well as the Queen of Hearts. Ragnar Vilbergsson, Markus Bachmann, and Nike Pyrrhas respectively. Back in Anowa, Ragnar was a renowned human rights activist, up until a few years ago he was a respected member of Anowa's community, and generally someone who most people, no matter where their compass one could agree with. What changed was unknown, however he along with a number of others found it best to put an IED on the royal family's parade route, detonating it, killing them and 42 others, injuring nearly 170 more. The man turned himself in the next morning, pinned two co-conspirators, and was hauled off to the local jail.

When news broke of the activist, former head of Terrenus' now defunct metropolice and the second in line to the throne being arrested for the assassination, people didn't exactly take it standing up. Shock, outrage, and suspicion of a conspiracy rose up, but things swiftly stopped when the courthouse they were held in was attacked, and the trio were ushered away faster than the police, military, or Air Defense Command could reply. Their trial was held in absentia, and they were all found guilty. Sentenced to execution via firing squad. Two Headhunter's were valid alternatives.

The now derelict camp was staffed by a fair number of Innies, somehow hidden away from both URA and USSN eyes. small fires, the sound of a few engines running, likely generators, and a few voices echoing into the forest, to die in the trees not too long after.

"Grey-Box, see anything on thermals?"

[BLUFOR] - [CIC] - [GREYSEC] - [MIAHS] - [Grey-Box] - /// - “Approximately 30 foot mobiles. On visual spec I see a reasonably sized camo tarp covering something. I am unsure what it may be, but I advise caution."

"Affirm."

Motaro chuckled, "Piss poor odds huh?"

"Try not to sympathize with them. For my sanity more than yours."

"Gotcha, let's just get this done then."

Atlas paused, "Full frontal, or you want to sneak a brick of C4 in before then?"

"Sneak a brick in, we don't have the ammo for a frontal."

"Could use their guns." Atlas shrugged.

Motaro looked at her comrade, Atlas looking back.

_{Ragnar Vilbergsson
Mark Bachmann}
_{Insurrection Camp Iota 32}
_{11km Outside Freiburg}
_Modeno
_{5/16/2018 - 11:17 AM AST}

Ragnar was busy nursing a bottle of scotch, the past few years had been nothing short of stressful, and he'd done very little in that time besides hide out in some godforsaken camp in the Modenian wilderness, planning attacks that would never happen, against an enemy that had grown much too observant. He was promised some form of out for his crime... but this wasn't what he was expecting. Change was needed back home and he thought he would be that change, but he got shafted instead. They were still making headway, but not nearly enough.

"Our dealer is dead."

Ragnar paused, looking over at his fellow 'liberator', "How?"

Markus continued, in an eerily calm fashion, "410 round to the head. I've passed the word around, hopefully everyone will be on a higher level of security until we can flee the nest we have here."

Ragnar knew what the meant, "Fuck." he ran his hand through his hair, "We need to pack up, now."

The sound of a cracking whip, shattering glass, and the feeling of something chunky and wet splattering across his head made him flinch. The sound a corpse falling to the ground shook him from his stupor, finding the now all but headless corpse of his compatriot on the floor, draining a puddle of blood onto the floor and through the cracks into the earth below.

Ragnar gave a cry of surprise as he scrambled for the door of the room, as gunfire started erupting inside the compound. As he plowed through the door, he ended up face planting into the dirt outside, having lost his balance from the outright sprint he just endured. Bullets sailed through the air, tracers tumbling through objects as they no doubt likely bored through multiple people or items already.

As he stood, to make his way to one of the compounds few vehicles, he was unceremoniously shoved back down to earth by an ungodly explosion. His chest hurt, his ears were bleeding, and with a groan he sat up. His escape vehicle was now in flames, the doors having been blown off the locally produced truck, one of them landing near to the disoriented man. He stood once more, determined to get out of this hell before he too was killed, stumbling, nauesous and unbalanced towards the forest, beofre a sharp pain ripped through his back. He met the ground with a final dance, before another round ripped through his head, finally ending the activists' life.

_Atlas
Motaro
_{Headhunter Team 47 assigned to "MAM-DAG"}
_{11km Outside Freiburg, Modeno}
_Modeno
_{5/16/2018 - 11:18 AM AST}

Two of three wasn't bad, the sound of gunfire had since died, most hostiles being dispatched or wounded to such a degree that they were no issue. The three aging BMR-50 APCs cooking off what little ammo they had. "Target Two down, move to rendezvous Gamma. Grey-Box, let me know when the police catch wind of the camp."

Motaro cut in, "Fires from the explosions should spread to the surrounding buildings. Trees are a bit too wet to cause a forest fire."

"Good, means less of a political shitstorm after we're done here." he dropped the AK he held to the ground, before moving into the forest, next target was in Freiburg proper, after that, they'd be heading closer to the Trayvik border then north. Nike had flown the nest and was no longer in a containable location, so he was no longer a priority.

by **Greater Liverpool** » Wed Jun 06, 2018 7:32 pm

Capitão Alexios de Russell (Crown Prince Alexios) Erong, Northern Namenia
18/5/2018, 1300 hrs

Alexios and his Airborne troops had been fighting for the past five days in intense combat around the city of Erong, their goal was simple to cut of the city of Erong from the rest of Namenia. His troops had been fighting the suburbs around a bridge that was major route for Modeno supplies to reach if the city was taken back. Around three infantry Brigades including the XV Paratroopers Legion were tasked with securing the ins and outs of the city and to dig into defenses positions around the city to stop a counter attack from within the city. A plus was that the air forces was able to wrestle back control over of the city an intense bombing run was being used to destroy key facilities and infrastructure that the defends of the city needed to survive, bombing power plants, food stores, water stations and munitions and fuel storages. They knew city fighting was not a good strategy from the great Lacasian war, and military doctrine had since changed since then. Many of the Tank division with mechanized and motorized infantry had already drove past the city hoping to press on at at steady pace securing airfields and army bases but they decide not to press too far the Donnish missile strikes had caused some issues with supply but not too much as to bring the whole invasion forces to a halt. "Hey Capitão." a Terceiro-Sargento shouted getting the attention of Alexios

"Yes what is it?" the Capitão said walking over to him. As he did a bomb explosive went off in the distance but close enough to give a little shake in the room

"I believe there are still civilians in the city sir." the Sargento says as he gives Alexios the binoculars that he had been observing through. In the distance he could see a small group of civilians running through a city street looking for cover. Alexios looked to what seemed a shelter an underground metro station when he caught the glimpse of another family as they fled down into the station. "They are." he said taking the binocules away from his eyes and placing them by his chest. "Get a line to Cohort headquarters. Tell them we believe that the civilian population is still in the city." One of the soldiers quickly get up from his position and runs to the signal operator "Also get a line to the who ever is in command of the city." another bomb went of this time bombing a highway leading into the city center was blown up.

Capitão de vôo David de Russell (Former Prince of the Isle de Santiago), Air Base San Michel
18/05/2018 1400 hrs

"Tower this is Green Leader. Green Flight is ready for take off. Over." David said into the radio that was in his pilot helmet. He and 3 other Tornado planes were ready for take off all of them part of green flight which you could tell by the green marks on the tails of their aircraft.

"Green Leader this is Tower. We have typhoon jets taking off first. Over." The Tower replied,

"I can't believe this, first we are last to even get out onto the airfield and now we are being shunned by a bunch of fighter pilots." Primeiro-tenente Ernesto Igerva said into his closed radio of the plane. "What is next we a ready to bomb the enemy when they tell us to just use our guns."

"Come on Ernesto, I would rather those fighter pilots get up first and do their job of keeping the skies clear before we have to go up there and deal with enemy fighters... besides you can always not hear the order to use your guns." Both men begin to chuckle "Come on already been waiting all day for this mission targeting a bunch of retreating Modeno soldiers."

"Green Leader this is Tower. Green Flight is clear to take off. Out." The Tower ordered

"Roger that Tower. Green 4 and 9 begin dusting off and proceed to altitude 40,000 feet and then to begin bombing run as instructed. Out." As he says this the roar of two Tornado jets began to roar out they began to fly down the airfield. Once Green 4 and 9 were clear of the airfield David spoke in to the radio once more "Green 2 begin to dust off in three, two, one." David then pushed the accelerator forward as his planes engine began to roar too and head down the airfield. "Ernesto be ready with the bombs to drop when we come over the targeted troops, I want some good kills." David spoke

"Aye sir, the Modeno convoy that is head south... is well still heading south we will be able to catch up to them soon."

by **Empire of Donner land** » Mon Jun 11, 2018 12:51 pm

DNS Soraught's Pride, PACT Naval Defense Line

5/15/2018

Operation: Through Other Means

"The Carriers have begun launching Aircraft. The diversionary air attacks will be beginning shortly to draw attention from the Marine Brigade heading to the front lines. ECM, SEAD and ASFs." the First Mate said, talking above the chatter and rush of the bridge, looking out to the sea, toward Modeno.

"And the ground forces?" Captain Orler asked. Drinking out of his mug, the symbol of the Donnish Navy, much ridiculed for decades, emblazoned upon it. They had been at the Defense Line for 5 days now, and the allied naval forces, he expected, were close on their way.

"They're currently moving to the defensive line as well from the cities of Vladigrad and Festung where they disembarked. They would be there sooner if Brass had sent them to the beaches to simply be offloaded that way, but they opted for something that would be faster logistically and safer by using the dock facilities."

"Right... what's the ETA on the ground forces Arrival?"

"About 1-2 Days for them arrive, depending on where they disembarked from. They'll be organized in 2 days and battle ready from there on, that's what the reports say anyway." his First Mate responded.

"3-4 days, huh? Not bad for the dirt eaters," he spoke, putting down the mug "How long do you want to bet this war will last, I'm putting 10 Donere are on two months. How about you Yers?"

Yers nodded, "4 months, provided this doesn't become a World War. 20 Donere," and Yers pulled out his wallet and promptly handed the Captain the money. "We'll put it in some kind of box for later, see who's closest."

Away from the sea, however, the 2nd Heliborne Marine Brigade would set out to the front line hastily. Carrying PJs as well as their marines. Their objective: Open the Erong Pocket with just some 5,000 Troops, hopefully bringing the Modenans with them, leading the spearhead. The 10 PJ Teams would act as Foreign JTACs to assist Modenan Units with calling in Donnish Air Support coming in from the South West and conduct Recon as well as Pararescue. The Diversionary Air Attacks would attempt to distract the Modenan Air Forces from where the Heliborne Brigade was going.

by **Vanquaria** » Tue Jun 12, 2018 4:37 am

18/5/18

Incomprehensible quantities of bytes were pouring into the Command deck's computers. Receiving intelligence real-time, they were then processed and filtered for the Vanquarian military commanders aboard the flagships of the 2 carrier groups resting off the coast of Liverpool. Satellite fed them news about the battlefield of Modeno but more importantly, the entire theatre of war that was the region of East Helsa. The Donnish were approaching the theatre while their Liverpudlian allies were engaging in fierce fighting within Modeno.

So far, offensive operations from the Vanquarians had been limited to intelligence and provision of arm caches. However, agents of the Institute reported that the newly founded PACT organisation, well-known to the Dominion public as ISAT 4.0, had sought and had achieved official acceptance from the Modenian government for their aid in the conflict against the interests of the Dominion.

Currently, there was an illusion of enemy superiority and hope on the battlefield but that was soon to change.

Multiple Liverpudlian Air Fields

Granted complete access to Liverpudlian military assets, the Vanquarian military had taken advantage of this opportunity to position their weapons across the country. Amongst these weapons was the air power of the Imperial Air Force.

Exactly a dozen Predator drones lifted off the tarmacs of their respective air fields within Liverpool. Converging together in the skies above the cities of Liverpool, their target was the Modenian city of Erong. Each drone wielded 30 Longbow Hellfire variant bombs. The bombs were specially fitted by the Vanquarian soldiers to make sure that whatever hiding hole the Modenian rats in the city of Erong were scurrying beneath would be more than adequately blown to pieces regardless of any anti-laser guidance smoke and best of all, the external blast fragmentation sleeves of the bombs ensured anyone or anything around it would be shredded to unrecognisable pieces.

The crews operating these toys, comfortably seated in their control rooms in the Vanquarian fleet, had the assurance of vehicle security in this operation from elite units already on the battlefield.

Around the city of Erong

Accompanying the Liverpudlian offensive, the Tier-1 special forces of the Autarch had pulled with them signature Vanquarian EW weapons. The Krasukha-4 system was capable of disrupting low-orbit satellites and permanently taking down radio-electronic communication systems at ranges of 150 to 300 kilometres.

As the bomb squad were in the air, the commandos activated the systems while positioned safely behind the Liverpudlian frontlines. At the same time, in concert with the Liverpudlian and their own bombing operation, Alpha Force operators prepared for an assault against strong enemy pockets of resistance within the city. Tasked with assisting the Liverpudlian XV Paratrooper Legion in their operations, the commandos awaited the delivery of their deadliest weapons; the Uran-9 and Taifun-M UGV systems.

One of the benefits of being the most powerful nation's best warriors was that you got to utilise its best pieces of weaponry. Having been tested against terrorists and unidentified, possible hostile elements in the shit-hole that was the Middle East, the SIGMA Uran-9 possessed a machine gun and held up to 4 anti-tank capable missiles in its arsenal. Wheeling alongside it, the Taifun-M had been outfitted with a GAU-17 Minigun variant which itself was armed with a laser-targeting system and a cannon that popped incendiaries and frags. However, the commandos also carried with them a sizeable container of capsules containing the chemical weapon, Sarin. Highly experienced veterans from the battlefields of Mecca to counter-terrorism ops in Reutoa, they were more than aware of how potent Sarin gas could be in flushing out the enemy from their hiding holes into the blazing barrels of their rifles. These were intended for underground pockets of resistance or even simple enemy asylum for their communist civilians who were all perceived as terrorists by the Autarch.

These UGV systems were currently being airlifted onto the battlefield by the Vanquarian carrier group off the coast of the continent. At the moment, multiple UGVs had been gathered and the Vanquarian commandos operating them informed the Liverpudlian commanders in Erong that it would be best to conduct a joint offensive operation alongside these weapons of war once their joint bombing operation had concluded.

Amphibious Assault Group of the Imperial Navy

Securely located in Liverpudlian waters, inside the assault ships were hundreds of Spetsnatz soldiers prepping for entry into the battlefield. But their deployment was considered secondary to the deployment of the powerful Vanquarian AA systems that were planned to be airlifted onto the battlefield of Erong by a fleet's squadron of Mil-Mi HALOs. Prime amongst them was the Vanquarian Tunguska and the Torndao MLRS.

Command foresaw a heavy harassment of Liverpudlian ground forces from PACT air forces. Admiral Feris advised Liverpudian Command to strategically protect their troop movements with strong AA systems. Vanquaria had shipped many rocket propelled trucks and anti-air weapons in the leadup to this war but now, the deployment of Vanquarian special forces called for their own personal kit of protection from the enemy.

Meanwhile, during the movement in the Vanquarian fleet, a single submarine departed a carrier. A Type 25 diesal-powered submarine purchased from the Urranese, it was a very useful piece of machinery that now protected a team of SRS commandos. Carrying a special map that outlined the network of communication cables that connected directly to Modeno, the commandos were tasked with the severing cables that would result in communications disruption for the Modenian populace. Moving in the dead of night, the submarine moved quickly as the first of the PACT forces had only just arrived in the East Helsa theatre and the annihilation of communism in the city of Erong was soon to begin.

by **The United Remnants of America** » Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:44 pm

Sergeant Kazik Winkler

Freiburg, Modeno

5/16\8/2018 - 13:15

After the federal police had heard reports of from Freiburg's local police of fighting outside of the town, they'd hurriedly moved to investigate, and that was when Sergeant Winkler had realized he was in over his head. A quick call up the chain of command had brought down a full investigative team and more field agents. Winkler and his team were still the lead agents, but Winkler's authority had been replaced by higher-ups who were now on-site.

What they had was an old logging camp outside Freiburg. At least, Winkler assumed it was a logging camp. It was hard to say now, since it seemed a war had been fought here. They'd bagged eighteen bodies. Some were killed from what seemed like heavy rounds, much like the arms dealer in Crakov had been taken out with. Others were dead from burns, shrapnel, or impact injuries. The burned-out remains of vehicles were the obvious sources from those kinds of injuries.

The remains they'd been able to identify all pointed to foreigners. A couple were Modenian, but most were foreign nationals. Most were Anowans, and while that wouldn't really raise too many alarms on its own, as there was a noticeable Anowan diaspora of political reformers that disagreed with their government, one stuck out. Markus Bachmann, whose name was on international police listings, mainly because the guy had almost succeeded in wiping out the Anowan royal family.

Winkler had had to give these briefings to his superiors on-site, as well as calling back to the offices to give the information to the state police. The investigation was getting somewhere. And while they were still on the slightly-warm trail of whoever had been marking up quite a kill count in Modeno, they had a good idea of who they were.

Lieutenant Haufman looked dubiously at the sergeant, "The Anowans?"

Winkler nodded, "Aye. The Anowans."

"You know how unlikely that is?"

Winkler shrugged, "As unlikely as our nation being invaded to relieve us of our way of life for the past century or so?"

Haufman's head tilted, "Good point. But... Are you sure you want to make that call? You know what that means I'll have to do, right"

"Tell someone else?"

Haufman shook his head, "Kaz. This is some international conspiracy level shit you're claiming. I report this one in, and it goes all the way up."

Winkler nodded, "Yeah. Good. I'm not getting killed because it turns out we're looking for Anowan assassin types. Let the military hunt them or something, but this is out of our skill sets."

Haufman's eyebrow twitched, "I'm sorry, I thought you were Modeno State Police and had a job to do."

Winkler bristled at the insult "I am, Jan. I'm not some special ops guy. And I'm telling you, these people are out of our abilities."

Haufman rolled his eyes, "Fine, whatever. Your head rolls with mine, though, if this goes bad. I promise you that." When Winkler nodded in agreement, Haufman scoffed and walked off, "This is gonna be a great report..."

Namenia and Modeno Communique To Queen Oleander Pyrrhos II

Queen Pyrrhos. It has recently come to our attention that several murders and high-profile assassinations of Anowan expatriates, as well as Anowan suspects in high-level political crimes in your nation have recently been found dead within my nation. While I take all responsibility for their being able to somehow live unmolested within my borders, I would like to know if the Anowan government has any knowledge of any covert operations currently underway within my nation with the goal of liquidating these suspects and foreign nationals.

The Modenian State Police has found ample evidence pointing to this possibility, and If it is true, I can personally vouch that once this state of war my nation is currently locked into with the Dominion is over, that my government and law enforcement will assist your government in finding any further persons-in-hiding connected to Anowan crimes. However, I would like to remind you, Queen Pyrrhos, that any covert activity by a foreign government goes against international law, and the presence of a war does not allow such activities to be conducted despite what some agencies may believe.

Please confer with me and my government on this issue as quickly as possible, as my state law enforcement are currently investigating these hits, and are hot on the trail of the suspects, who we will be treating as armed and dangerous criminals until any further information can be given to us to allow us to cooperate.

From: The Office of the High Chancellor of Namenia and Modeno
Signed: Chancellor Shawn Ball

Corporal Terenti Forst

Erong, Namenia

5/18/2018 - 15:35

Forst took a pot shot at the figures down the street and watched them duck back around the corner of a house. Erong's suburbs had become a battleground of infantry and dismounts. While there were armored units in Erong, they were staying deeper in the city proper, among the higher buildings where aircraft would have a harder time getting them. They were also further away from the suburbs, since Dominion troops had begun an encircling movement of Erong, and the suburbs were a hazy line between city and not-city for the Dominion troops to be in. Furthermore, the armor helped the make the civvies feel safe, so the armored vehicles were left to protect the civilians, technically war refugees now.

While this probably wasn't necessary, seeing as Dominion airstrikes had been hitting military and civilian alike over the past two days, it was obvious if the Dominion came into the city, they'd slaughter noncombatants if they found them.

Forst snickered to himself, "Liberation, my fucking ass..."

Private Wentz looked up from his rifle, "Liberation, where? All I see are Dominion."

Forst shook his head and glanced out over the hastily-made barricade of lawn furniture, "No, they're gone for now. I just meant, the Dominion made it sound like they were liberated us from our government when they invaded. But when they're wasting our people, what are they liberating."

Wentz shrugged and looked around at their squad, of which the oldest was Forst. "But that doesn't even make any sense, either. Our government's been around since my great-grandparents. Grandpa even told me stories about how they fought against the monarchists and religious nuts to keep the country together. All these Dominion hacks wanna do is conquer us."

Forst shrugged, "Conquer what? You heard they hit Pine Street a couple blocks over last night, right?"

"Wasn't that where the 18th Armored was with the school?" Wentz asked. The 18th Armored Battalion was the 1st Brigade's armored force. Almost the entire battalion had been left in Erong. A platoon had been sent to Pine Street Junior High School to secure the school as a gathering point for civilians. Last night, it had been hit in a Dominion bombing. Two tanks had been lost, as well as the school, which had 238 civilians in it. Most were lost in the rubble.

Forst nodded, "Yeah. Before the radio went dead earlier today, I heard a few refugee sites had been hit."

"They were," the squad's autorifleman spoke up. "I know, because I got a text that my little brother and mom were killed at the civic center when it was hit yesterday." The seventeen-year-old's eyes glittered as he spoke, but his jaw was set. He gripped his rifle tighter.

"I'm sorry, Krieg. I didn't know."

"It's... No, it's not fine. These Dominion fuckers are gonna pay."

The squad roused itself, a couple of the others in the ten-man team nodded and spoke their approval.

Krieg looked around, "These motherfuckers come into our country, kill our families, and say it's to help us. Then they cut our radio so we can't even ask for help or tell them we have civilians that need to be evacuated. These fucking foreigners are gonna burn!"

Krieg's squadmates nodded harder, getting into Krieg's speech. Even Wentz pumped his fist towards Krieg.

Forst let them have their moment. Their squad had been on the front line, even though it had only one firefight before it moved back, that firefight had cost them their sergeant and put Forst in charge. His entire squad were newbies. All new recruits to the army, median-age 17.5 years of age. Two of the guys were the bare minimum-enlistment-age of sixteen. Forst was 20. Their sergeant had been 22. This was not a wartime military.

1st Brigade was almost entirely newbies, from what Forst understood. The civil war a few years ago, while minor in scope, had hardened some guys in other units, and forced Modeno to realize they needed a new generation of troops to protect themselves from outsiders and terrorists alike. That civil war was mainly when Namenia and Modeno were put together and dealt with an internal terrorist threat of ultra-nationalists.

"Alright, guys. We stay holed up here for the rest of the day, but we'll have to move back in when the sun goes down, at least to 14th Street, alright?" Forst made eye contact with each kid to make sure they understood. "Keep your guns ready, keep yourselves focused. If you see and Dominion, you call it out and do a full mag on them, right?" They nodded.

With Erong surrounded, their supplies were limited, and mag dumps were a bad idea, but these kids needed to fall back on basics, and that was as basic as you can get. Forst was going to keep them alive. He had to. He had to keep someone safe.

Forst's entire family had been at Pine Street. This squad was his family, now.

Major General Wasylyna Swango

Erong, Namenia

5/18/2018 - 15:40

Elsewhere in Erong, the command elements of the 1st Panzerdivision had been cut off as well. Major General Wasylyna Swango, commander of the 1st Division, had been commanding both her encircled units, as well as the rest of the Division, which had been able to retreat with the combat line. Being in the encircled city hadn't had much impact on command capacity, at least until the jamming started at roughly noon today.

Swango was a short woman of middle-aged, but despite her stature, she was the 2nd-most senior combat commander in the Imperial Army Corps. Swango's long blonde hair was losing its sheen, but since it was always tied back into a ponytail, it didn't much matter to her. Swango was married to the Army. Her troops were her kids, in a roundabout way.

Swango's divisional command had been set up in Erong's city hall, which had luckily so far been able to avoid the random airstrikes that had been hitting the city. They'd done that by limiting movement outside around the city hall, as well as staying away from windows, using internal room only, especially at night.

Now, Swango was with her senior staff in the building's board room. She was getting a full debriefing.

Her S1, in charge of personnel was first: "Well, ma'am. We have roughly a brigade's worth of troops stuck in Erong. Mostly the 1st Brigade minus the supply battalion, but we also have smaller units from the other brigades here as well, mainly because Erong was a RV for separated units. All the rest of the division are on the main front. From what I understand, the last two or so day have seen little change in that line, so we're not terrible behind the line, yet."

S2, or Intelligence, was next. S2 might have been the most important: "We're surrounded. Dominion forces are on all sides. And they've been slowly turning air power, somehow, in their favor. Now they're hitting gathering points for civilians and troops alike. Dominion troops were spotted in Erong's suburbs, most likely probing our perimeter for weak points. As you know, we're being jammed now, so I don't have much to give you unless someone drives up and hands me a letter.

S3, or operations, was in charge of the noncombat aspects of military planning: "With how scattered we are in the city, and even now with the jamming, I can't do any kind of organization. You heard S1: I don't even know who we have, let alone what we can do with them. The city has plenty of food and non-combat supplies. Hospitals have medical supplies. We have electricity everywhere, and water. The only thing we lack are armor and ammunition. With what we have, maybe we hold out for a month if we conserve, but I don't know what everyone has or even what 'everyone' consists of, so a month is a shot in the dark."

S4 was in charge of logistics, the second of the three staff in charge of organizing the troops. "Yeah. I agree with S3. We don't have a supply chain. What we have is what we have, and when it runs out, we're out. Unless we get relief, I'd be optimistic in a month. The big issue is we have civvies to care for, as well, and the Dominion is making that part difficult."

S5 was plans, the combat twin to S3: "I got nothing. We can't do much but hold out for now. Most of my plans right now focus on air superiority of reinforcements. For the former, we're 60/40 in favor of Dominion, and for the latter, I don't see Donnish paratroops, yet."

S6 was in charge of communications. His head was in his hands, and he looked up when S5 nudged him. "What? We're being jammed. My job doesn't matter anymore. Last comms we had were from PACT saying they were coming to relieve us. Also the Air Force and Navy said they were shifting additional aircraft to our AO to try and lessen the Dominion air presence. That's it before comms were cut. Now we're blind."

S7 was in charge of training and engineering: "Yeah, General. First Brigade has a lot of green units, but if there's really stragglers from the other brigades, they're generally veterans from the insurrection a few years back, so there's that. I know there's a lot of makeshift barriers set up, but it's nothing an armored column couldn't bust through if the Dominion really wanted to. We're not trashing infrastructure yet, because we still have the city, we I didn't think we were running yet."

S8 was finance: "Pass. I can't do much until we get back in contact with high-on."

The last one, S9, civil-military cooperation, who was visibly stressed, "We've been working on evacuating civilians to staging centers in Erong. A few of them have been bombed by the Dominion. It's like they're trying to kill noncombatants. Other than the obvious war crimes they've been committing, I've been in contact with Erong's police, fire and emergency personnel, and they're cooperating, helping as much as they can with keeping people orderly."

Swango put both hands on the table and looked at the grains in the oak, "Right," She sighed and closed her eyes at the circumstances, trying to wish them away for a fleeting moment, "I want reports of any changes immediately, or every three hours, whichever comes first. Let's get back to it."

As her staff broke up, Swango realized they wouldn't have much to report, if the status quo didn't change in the next three hours. Swango squeezed her eyes tight again. She hoped the status quo changed. Any change would have to be better, right?

by **Anowa** » Mon Jul 09, 2018 1:23 pm

Anowan Comminique to Chancellor Shawn Ball

Chancellor Ball. I can neither confirm nor deny that any operatives are currently tasked with any covert operations within your borders. I can also neither confirm nor deny that any such operatives would be instructed to use lethal means to conceal their operations if need be.

Were such an operation taking place, the operational security and sensitivity of finding and killing multiple high value targets would require a sincere lack of communique with anyone who has a risk of accidentally speaking out. Including public figures, politicians, law enforcement, and of course civilians. As there is no telling where loyalties may lie the further down you go the chain of command and societal hierarchy. I would also make sure -if such an operation were to take place- to avoid the needless involvement of local law enforcement, as such activity may spook the target(s) and cause them to flee to parts unknown, further exacerbating the issue.

Simply put, I advise you stay your current course, though I would take great care, as these individuals you speak of would very likely be highly trained assassins. Granted most assassins try not to kill those who aren't targets.

From: The High Office of the Anowan Royal House
Signed: Queen Oleander Pyrrhas II

_{General Wolfram Herrman}
_{Anowan Army Chairman}
_{The Temple, Terrenus}
_Anowa
_{5/18/2018 - 7:30 AM AST}

Wolfram had spent the last hour looking over the details for Operation Danwbreaker. He shook his head as he looked up at the man across from him, "Braun, there's no probing force, it's just a slab of metal smacking against the frontline followed by infantry." Braun, the man had obviously been stressed these past few days, trying to coordinate a war, and then rewrite a 56 year old plan that had only been updated once every decade into a plan to give an encircled city a breakout. But still, he could've done a bit better. "The airborne unit dropping in to Erong is gonna be a big fuck off red flag to the Dommies, while they're leaderships is still not gonna be able to figure out what is happening they're still gonna know something is up."

The elder of the two shook his head rubbing his face for a moment, "Herrman, I was given a timeframe of two days to get a plan ready to go. Our doctrine for 70 fucking years has not been this," he jabbed his finger at the map, "It's been digging trenches for our tanks and artillery and waiting until someone steps into killing range. Do you know how long our officer's academies spend on teaching students offensive maneuvers?"

Wolfram didn't answer, simply closing his eyes and gritting his teeth.

"Six fucking hours, out of two goddamn years. Anything beyond what I've laid out wouldn't be understood by any officer below company level because we don't fucking teach it, shit like this is extracurricular, go out and buy three tactical stratagem guides, play 80 hours of strategy games and hope to fuck you don't pick up the wrong skills, type maneuvers here. I was given two fucking days to translate a plan to spearhead into Erong to take it over from a plan that's older than both of us, into something that was trying to get to the city and get it's people out-"

"Braun."

"And then I was told it was to be a held line too, instead of a simple breakout. I had to get logistical issues involved-"

"Braun!"

The man stopped, looking at Herrman, before himself settling down into the seat around the table, obviously drained from all the shit he'd gone through in the last 3 days. "I can't take this."

"You can see why half our politicians nowadays look like they're all 80." Wolfram took a seat across the table as Braun continued.

"People are going to die from this, so many people. I'm going to be the person that results in those deaths."

Wolfram nodded, knowing that that was most likely the truth. Operation Dawnbreaker was already in action, and of course Herrman had been among the last to be informed. He'd need to see about getting reforms for this kind of shit in place, because 70 years of doctrine was no longer relevant.

by **Empire of Donner land** » Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:27 pm

North Modeno, 2nd Carrier Air Group

5/18/2018

Operation: Dawnbreaker

"This is Captain of the DNS Soraught's Pride, AWACS callsign Liberator, begin operation. The God be with you, gentlemen. Begin a victory for our boys on the ground. The 2nd Brigade is counting on you."

"Willco, Captain, this is Liberator. Begin the diversionary attack in enemy airspace. The Prowlers should have their radar jammed good, ASFs, you're free to engage. Cause as much noise as possible. We've only got 5 for this and the other 5 are near Erong to cover the Heliborne. Don't lead any enemy aircraft over Erong Airspace."

The 50 ASF-50s in their various squadrons and flights began to harass Liverpoolian Ground Targets as well as any Airforces they could locate, 10 other ASF-50s worked as bodyguards near Erong to protect the Heliborne as they made their way into the city. Hopefully concealed by the diversionary attack and electronic warfare as they flew low to the ground.

The hope is that the Liverpoolian airforces would divert forces from Erong to the other location, making it far easier for the Donnish 2nd Marine Heliborne Brigade to break through into Erong and land. Providing needed support to Modenian forces trapped in the city. The diversionary attacks would only last around 3 hours, giving the Heliborne ample time to get in.

The Heliborne will give a signal when they're safe and sound, alerting Allied Air Forces to cease diversionary operations and RTB.

by **Vanquaria** » Sat Jul 28, 2018 4:58 am

18/5/18

Battle of Erong

At exactly 1600 hrs, the bomber squadrons of the Liverpudlian and Vanquarian air forces reached the city of Erong. A lack of AA and allied air forces in the battlefield allowed unrestricted bombings of key target locations of the Erong city. This included industrial areas, rebel hideouts and bunkers. Unbeknownst to the Liverpudlians, the Vanquarian commandos on the ground had specifically called in air strikes against civilian targets such as hospitals and areas of heavy residence.

A hour after the bombing operation, the Alpha force operators began moving their UGV hunter-killer robots into the warzone. Accompanying the UGVs were thousands of Liverpudlian paratroopers and their armoured support vehicles. Amongst them was the Crown Prince Alexios de Russell. His company of paratroopers was advancing on a Modenian bunker that had been targeted during the bombings by the Liverpudlian air force.

However, despite the heavy bombings, the soldiers were almost immediately fired upon by pockets of Modenian resistance.

"Take cover, hug the walls!" the Prince screamed as bullets whizzed past and struck some of his own men. In urban warfare, there were a myriad of shooting positions the enemy could utilise against them.

Grasping his gun tightly, he suddenly heard the sound of gunfire from his own position. Dropping down onto the ground instinctively, he looked behind to see that it was the Vanquarian UGVs returning fire alongside his legion's Humvees.

The Taifun-M's minigun buzzed bullets into the gun flashes of the enemy. Forcing them to take cover themselves, the Prince roared, "Return fire, return fire!"

His paratroopers sprayed the apartments as the Prince ordered squads of his men to breach into the buildings and clear the enemy out in close quarters.

Protecting the Convoys

Captain David de Russell chose not be a boots on ground man like his brother. Instead, he chose to take to the skies for glory. And glory was to come soon.

Reports were streaming in of heavy Donnish harassment from their air forces.

"We're getting fucked down here! We need air support ASAP!" yelled the tank commander into the radio.

"This is Green Leader, we're on our way right now colonel." Turning off the channel with the commander, he glanced at his men flying beside him in the squadron.

"Boys, expect to down some Donnish today. We fly for Liverpool!" he shouted as the battlefield came into sight.

The tank convoys on the ground were returning AA fire using the Vanquarian Tunguska AA system given to them from the Autarch. Heat-seeking missiles and powerful surface-to-air guns fired upon the Donnish ASF-50s. When the Liverpudlian Sukhoi-35 jets entered the warzone, missiles were immediately fired into the formations of the Donnish air forces.

Green Squadron was not the only Liverpudlian fighter squadron deployed that day, multiple other squadrons had been scrambled and entered the fray against the Donnish. The warzone was occurring in the frosty forests of Modeno and as such, vision was affected not just by the explosions and fire but also by the snow storms and winds making combat much more hazardous for all belligerents involved.

Reinforcing the Backline

The Vanquarian special forces supporting their Liverpudlian allies were organising the rear of the offensive. A column 2S35 Koalitsiya-SVs had arrived from Liverpool alongside convoys carrying supplies for the troops.

The artillery guns were once again specialities from Scott himself and would be used as entrenched gun pieces defending the frontlines of the Liverpudlian forces in Erong if their current offensive did not achieve absolute success.

Annoyed at the fact that the Liverpudlians were only using their elite paratroopers in the offensive to fully take the city instead of throwing every infantryman they had as well, the commandos requested the deployment of Super Cobra attack choppers from the Vanquarian fleet stationed off the coast of the gulf between Modeno and Liverpool.

Some Vanquarian bomb drones also maintained their presence in the skies though the Liverpudlian bomber jets had already left the warzone to replenish their already spent munitions which had all been dropped against the Modenians in Erong.

by **The United Remnants of America** » Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:10 pm

Captain Silke Dunst

Over Erong, Namenia

5/18/2018 - 16:00

The MiG-29 pulled hard to the left, followed closely by her three sister aircraft. Captain Silke Dunst was young for a pilot, and even younger still for a flight leader. Only 29 herself, and she was already a flight leader in the Modenian Imperial Air Force, a pilot for the 1st Tactical Air Force Wing. The 1st Wing had been one of the first units activated and quickly deployed to the front line at the start of the war. While portions of the other air wings had been activated to assist, the entire 1st Wing had been deployed to help patrol the front and stave off air raids. Luckily, so far, they'd met only moderate probing forces from the Liverpudlians. Despite the ground offensive advancing, the air battles had been left more or left in a stalemate.

This was a double-edged sword, of course. While it meant that the Liverpudlians and the Dominion foreign invaders couldn't use the air as a useful means of entry, it also meant that allied aircraft couldn't push back and bomb the shit out of the Dominion forces. Also, in special cases like Erong, it meant it was even harder to relieve them. Dunst had heard rumors that the Donnish had scrabbled together a quick mission involving a major air mission, but she wasn't entirely sure it was happening, and if it would even be successful.

Battles between Modenian and Liverpudlian aircraft had brought losses on both sides, albeit light ones. Neither side seemed entirely committed to burn off entire squadrons of aircraft trying to win air superiority, leaving the situation tenuous. This was where combat air patrols like Durst's came in: patrolling along the battle lines to make sure the Liverpudlians were keeping honest. This had been a routine one, until her wingman had called out on the radio.

Durst's flight was only 4 Mig-29s. The 1st Wing was split up along the entire front, and had taken reinforcements from the 4th, 5th, and 6th Wings, especially around the Erong area to hold off of any kind of major attack. Sure, no aircraft could use Erong as an airfield due to the potential for a potshot at landing or takeoff, but the city could still be easily covered in the contested airspace. That meant that other flights were hotbunking and ready to go up at a moment's notice. Durst's wingmate had already put in the call. Durst couldn't believe her own radar scope.

A large number of bomber-style aircraft were inbound to Erong, and they weren't broadcasting, which made them dumb allies or Liverpudlians. They were all big, so they were all bombers. Durst had to triple-check that information, because it meant they were a trap and there was an escort ambush somewhere, or they were dumb bombers. But as the minutes ticked by and the bombers closed on Erong, Durst decided they'd made a mistake. In those same minutes that ticked by, two more flights had arrived, one Su-27 and an Su-35 flight. There were now a dozen aircraft in area, and they all started closing on the bombers from the south and east, closing just enough to let loose with their mixture of heat-seeking and radar-guided munitions. It was a bloodbath.

Not all the bombers had been hit. A couple had gotten through the assault to unload their bombs somewhere inside of Erong and then had turned immediately back towards Liverpudlian territory, a no-go zone for the Modenian aircraft, but the damage had been done for both sides, and in Durst's mind, it had been a victory. Almost all of attacking bombers had been felled due to hubris.

Durst assumed they would not be attacking again anytime soon.

Major General Wasylyna Swango

Erong, Namenia

5/18/2018 - 18:25

Major General Swango was back with her advisors again.

"So, what was hit all in the bombings?"

One of the Major General's staff shrugged, "Not much. It could have been a lot worse, but what was lost was still important. A refugee center, a hospital, a school, but most of the bombs hit apartment blocks and residential areas."

Swango tilted her head, "Why hit residences? I thought they'd figured out by now we've evacuated as many people as possible to refugee centers and other locations? Other than the stubborn people who stayed in their homes, most of the residential neighborhoods are abandoned except for patrols."

The advisor shrugged again, "I don't know. Maybe they tried to distract us away from the assault?"

"And how is the assault going?"

"It's mainly coming in from one direction, a single spiking invasion. We've gotten reports of anywhere from a couple battalions to a division of light infantry supported by armor and support vehicles. Not sure what the exact numbers are. They're still in the suburbs. We've moved some of our own armor to hold them back, and our artillery has moved into support positions to start hitting them. I'm not sure they realize how many soldiers we actually have in the city, which might be an advantage for us, especially if they underestimated how much heavy armor we had here."

Swango nodded. The forces in Erong were cut off, and she was the highest-ranking commander in the area. She was really the second-highest ranked soldier in the army, behind General Langenberg himself. The future of her nation rested on the defense of this city, and so far they had been holding it, thanks to some very helpful allies in high places.

Swango's current hope was her soldiers in the field could fight as valiantly as they had been for the last hour and a half.

Corporal Terenti Forst

Erong, Namenia

5/18/2018 - 18:30

They'd been forced back a couple hundred meters down the street. But when the tanks showed up, the retreat had slowed and then stopped. It turned out a platoon of Leopards and mechanized infantry carried along in Marders really slowed down the Liverpudlians down the street.

Forst, Krieg, Wentz, and the rest of the squad were now holed up along a brick wall that had been splintered by weapons fire. The enemy was supported by some sort of weaponized ground drone, but the little robots only had miniguns, which were deflecting off the Leopards as the tanks returned fire towards them. Forst was hard-pressed to figure out why he never tried to be an armor man when they were so easily holding this line.

"They're trying to flank!" Forst turned his head to one of the kids in his squad pointing at the alleyway on the other side of the building.

Forst nodded and pointed to the alleyway. "Set up position and get ready, then!" Forst took half his squad and moved to the alleyway. The Modenian corporal peaked around the corner and saw the Liverpudlian uniforms trying to sneak around the battle on the street. Forst looked back at his team and counted with a free hand down from three. When he got to one and grabbed grip of his rifle, his team took his meaning and opened fire, pushing the Liverpudlians behind cover or killing them if they weren't fast enough. Either way, they'd slowed to flank.

Forst emptied his magazine before he stopped firing, "alright, you guys keep your eyes and guns ready, fire if they try and come around again, okay?" He got nods from everyone before he turned himself back to the other side of his small patch of command zone.

Back to Wentz and Krieg. Back to the Marders and Leopards. Back to the paratroopers and drones. Back to the bigger battle in the bigger war. Down the street and within sight, the unmistakable explosion of a shell from a PzH 2000 exploded in the midst of Liverpudlian forces.

The bigger war raged on.

Grim Winter War (Ausozera Only/IC)

Grim Winter War (Ausozera Only/IC)

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