Shattering The Hammer [Han-Frankish War - EE]

[Xin Ming]

Italics = Flashback

Zheng Cheng - Beijing
The Great Ming Empire

"I have had enough of this! We shall posture no longer! We shall not bow to these barbarian animals! We spoke and they still do not acknowledge who it is who is superior! So we will show them! We will exterminate their entire people; we will become the incarnation of their fear!" The small woman raged with all the strength of the world behind her, lights flickered where she walked and servants shrank away in fear. The three men who walked in her shadow all had varying opinions, well one did anyway.

"You gave your word that you would recognize!" The Dalai Lama cried, desperate to preserve the peace.

"I gave no such word!" The small woman decried. "I will never accept the will of barbarians! I will never bow to them or their subhuman ways!"

"We should flatten them! Let us pour forward like a raging gale!" A younger man stepped forward and said as the three traversed into a garden where there was a shattered silence.

"We can do that, yes." The fourth person spoke now, a man in armor with a sword. "We could flatten them like a gale. They have many powerful allies however; all of whom are paranoid of us. Our numbers are great; yes. Our troops are loyal to you, and we would all die, to the last man woman and child should you so wish it. If you tell us to leap we shall merely ask how high."

The fourth man had their rapt attention now. "However. It would be long, and much blood will be spilt upon the Earth. They will come, and their allies will come; and like cowards they shall use Heaven itself against us. We have no power there; in the realm of the Gods themselves where these barbarians dare to dwell."

"What are you saying, that we bow to these...These animals!?" The small woman's entire body shook with rage, it was evident even in her bright green eyes; but the man shook his head.

"No, we bow to no one. Others bow to us. We are the Dragon. The Dragon does not bow; nor can it be destroyed. You are the Daughter of Heaven; the incarnation of the Blood of Gods on Earth. Our Divine Might cannot be questioned; but it can be blunted, and the tides can turn. I am but one genius in a world of fools. The Barbarians have many like me, and many who are different from me but just as brilliant. Their barbarism will know no bounds and they will not have restraint. They dare to believe us to be subhuman and incapable. I agree; Majesty. It is time that the Great Ming Dragon show these barbarous fools otherwise." He paused then for effect.

"However we must be tactical. We must outwit our enemy. Thought; Majesty. The Power of the Mind is greater than Strength of the Body."

The small woman who had calmed now nodded; the lighting flickering on here and there, actual fire, not cheap tricks. Not all she seemed, was she? All the same; what she was in a nutshell, a zealous fanatic with a drive larger than the Sun; and that, was matched only by the zealotry of the Islamics to the West, more barbarians, but at least those barbarians could be admired for their prowess.

"Prepare our legions; quietly. We will strike as swift as lightning, and as hard as a mountain."

"As you command." ...

---

Frankish - Chinese Border
3360 - Several Months Later

In the millions they numbered; infinite and strong; powerful beyond imagining. The Barbarians who thought themselves so superior would be proven wrong. Along with the teeming millions were thousands of pieces of artillery, large and small, portable and self-propelled; the ideas that the world had lost were not lost on the Han; the ideology of the use of such idiotic tactics as the European Barbarians did were not repeated here.
Like wise in the air; where others had abandoned the idea long ago with the advent of spacial travel ; were vehicles built for war, designed to shred the beloved line-infantry of the barbarians, which in and of itself was useless against the loose and fluidic formations of the Imperial Chinese Army.

Of course the Barbarians had learned this and adapted; but with the stagnation it was well known that complacency does come...Incompetence. These machines, and men and machinations of war would be the final proof to the world that China was a power not to be underestimated; and that Europe was not the invincible superpower that they all thought it to be.
Let the French Barbarians bring their Hammer; let it fall hard, because when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object; The Hammer Shatters.

[Xin Ming]

[OOC: Post is Secret-In-Character when regarding battleplans]
Frankish - Chinese Border

Waiting had come to be enough; Sun Tzu thought this attentively as he scanned over maps that were centuries old and still accurate to a key. A copy of his grandfathers 'The Art of War' sat on a table and his own tactical additions on another spot of the table. The command centre was not bad as it would be expected; it was not at the rear echelons like the cowards of Europe would have it.

Their officers were brave; it was said, and intelligent. So far Sun Tzu had only seen reports of more numbers, but little strategy; he however knew better than to assume that they would go the way of strength in numbers. "The hammer blow shall fall here hardest." He pointed a rod that dually served as his instructional baton at Fuzhou along the coast. Even as he plotted; that first blow came in the form of booming artillery that could be heard for miles in all directions. The War had come; and there were the first words of it.

---

All the same this theatre was large beyond imagining to and to think that Sun Tzu even with his genius was the only commander along the length of the Chinese Empire was folly. As the artillery boomed into Fuzhou General Tao overlooked the armed defensive capability of Frankish held Guangzhou and he was impressed admittedly.

"We will move a column of support down this avenue; and bring elements to bare on this position here." He pointed to an area just within the border, a distraction. "Any who volunteer for this maneuver should know that they will not be coming back..." He continued before he pointed deeper in and off to the left.

"Here, we shall strike in true strength, supported by elements of other divisions we shall move against the Frenks before they can bring their full strength to bare; it is my hope to immobilize and destabilize their offensive capability as soon as can be done. It is not that we cannot win; it is that I would prefer to avoid ten million man deaths like happened before."

---

As General Tao made his own plans another man, General Tong made even more to work in tandem with the other two generals and their works of mind to be transferred into body. "We will strike here." He pointed toward Nanning as the three dimensional map shown itself up. "We will drag elements to here." He pointed directly at the Frenkish front-line.

"To distract them while our true strength comes around to their flank and dismantle them from within their own ranks." He looked out of his command bunker at the side of an armored vehicle; the kinetic shield inactive it looked little different from the main battle tanks of the twenty first century before this idiocy was embraced again. "The armored units shall move in tandem with frontline infantry, skirmishers to the flanks and I want cavalry to slam into their rear echelon."

"Prepare to pay the cost of victory; gentlemen." ...

[Venusian France]

Shanzi Reservoir
18km North of Fuzhou city limits
Fujian Duchy, Chinese March
Frankish Indo-China March 04, 3360

Colonel Lucilla Duclaire moved quickly at a double march in close behind the rank of soldiers assembling outside their camp near the banks of the reservoir. She could hear the Demi-Brigade assembling. Soldiers moved quickly into their component company and battalion formations in a prearranged and well practiced order.

She could hear the rounds of Han artillery traveling overhead and past them. The distant explosions seemed to be coming from the direction of Fuzhou city. Whether they were aimed at the troop encampments, industrial areas, or simply the inhabited area’s of the city were not known, but the city unlike many of the more minor areas in its suburbs did have powerful shields in places that would protect it from most indirect fire. But she also would not have put it past the barbarian Han to bombard the unprotected civilians of the city.

“Regiment!” Colonel Alu, the regimental commander ordered,

“Battalion!,” Echoed his two subordinate commanders.

“Attention!” At that thousand soldiers of the regiment came to attention with a snap, “Dress right, Dress!” As one the soldiers right hand lifted their finger tips extended to touch the soldiers shoulder to their side, they adjusted their intervals to match this proper distance before putting their arms down, “Cover!” again their right arms reach forward to set the distance to the man in their front, small steps were taken to correct if need and to align their eyes with the back of the soldiers head in their front.

The regimental commander did an about face now standing just in front of his regimental colors he raised a salute to Colonel Duclaire his Brigade commander.

“The regiment is assembled Ma’am”

She returned his salute.

“The Han appear to be moving at last, the Fort on top of Xiuyuancun mountain has reported enemy troops on the move their destination and route is unknown at the time but we have orders to intercept them.”

The ninth Demi-Brigade was a unit designed to support operations in the hilly and forested area north of Fuzhou. It consisted not only of an entire regiment of Line Infantry but also had attached units of light cavalry, light infantry, skirmishers and artillery support. It was a combined arms unit whose mission it was to engage and fight the enemy while giving the larger army time prepare a pitched field of battle.

“What about Baron Shin’s forces?” Alu asked about the colonial army under the command of the local duke.

“It is my understanding that the Dukes forces are aiming to secure the local cities and townships from Han forces should they advance across the border. They are not up to par enough to face the enemy on the field yet, but supported inside a fortified city they ought to hold.”

The Southern March contained six duchy’s each had commander of their own armies and security forces. They were a full time guard force, not up to the standards of training and equipment as the Imperial army but a force capable of a war of defense. However the Duke himself, Liu Yongfu, had forces nearly equal to Imperial Army quality but they were mostly forming up near the capital of the March at Guangzhou.

“Our scouts are pushing out they will soon discover if the enemy is coming, if we determine they are then we will march out to meet them. Until then stand by for orders.”


Cours-ala-Ville
Aphrodite Terra, Venus
12km outside Imperial Centre
March 04, 3360, Sol System

A mother and her young child a small blond boy sat watching the flat screen television. It was the evening news and an anchor women was reporting from the Chinese March back on old Earth.

It has been confirmed by our own video that the Imperial Army of the Ming Empire is continuing to increase their presence all along the border with the Chinese March. Their troop movements are in great number and there appears to be little to no attempt to obscure or cover up there presence. Armored vehicles, aircraft and infantry are all moving about in vast numbers within plain sight. Major General Lampchamps, responsible for the border Corps of the 19th army has released a statement saying that the border forts at Bing Yang and Shanglin have been fortified and reinforced greatly. That the common avenues of approach are under the guns of Frankish Artillery, while the provincial soldiers of the colonial garrison remain alert and ready to repel any incursion by the armed forces of the Ming Empire…

“I wish you wouldn’t watch that moi cheri” said a low voice from behind the watching pair, the woman turned around and stood. She moved quickly to the man and embraced him. She looked petite standing next to her husband, the man was in the uniform of the Imperial Army, he wore a large rucksack on his back and had his shako upon his head.

“Don’t leave us.” She said knowing that it was a forgone conclusion that her husband would do his duty.

“I must my love. The Emperor has mobilized the Venusian corps, we have our orders to deploy to report to base and prepare for deployment to the Chinese March within 36 hours.”

“Why do you need to go to Earth papa?” Asked the young boy.

“Because the Empire needs me to my son.”

“But my first Lacrosse game is next week! Its not fair you will miss it! I want you to be there Papa!”

“I want to be there to son, more then you know. I want you to play hard and support your teammates, and win for me please. I know you don’t understand why I must leave, but it is my duty, you will understand one day when you learn the obligations that are required of man. You need to know buddy that I am doing this so that you and your friends can go to school, play games and be safe.”

Mother and child were now hugging each other tears coming down their faces she watched her husband leave wondering if he would return the boy watched his father leave and he only understood one thing,

His father was a superhero.

Imperial Centre, Nouveux Paris
Aphrodite Terra, Venus
Capital of the Frankish Empire,
March 04, 3360, Sol System

“That skin-suit looked better on you twenty years ago husband.”

Charles heard the voice of his wife, Sandra Armitger for the first time in about a month. She was commenting on the formfitting vacsuit that he wore under his attire when he took to space or donned armor. It would prevent most kinetic strikes and in the even of decompression it would form a stable environment to survive in even hard vacuum. It was standard issue tot anyone who boarded an Imperial warship.

“You said the same thing twenty years ago Sandra.”

He told her, she said strikingly similar words to him when he donned his armor to join the Italian Campaign when that kingdom invaded the African March and the Duchy of the Horn.

She moved to his side and wrapped her arms around her husband and held him tightly. She didn’t say anything more. Charles lifted her chin with his hand and just looked to his wife.

“Come back to me Charles.” She told him as she did then, only this time the Emperor’s answer was different.

“I can’t promise you that, I feel my time is nearing an end.” He saw an expression of pain flicker in Sandra’s eyes. For all their hardship, for all the trouble times and Charles affairs, they also had the good, a bond tempered was hard to shatter. “You have always been by my side, done your duty, my wife. I …appreciate that.”

“If it is God’s will that I join his Kingdom in heaven then I trust you will preserve the dynasty, Mathilda will need your help solidifying her reign.

“I will husband.”

“You must also trust Jon, he is my son, and he loves all his sisters more than his own life. He will serve.”

Charles watched his wife he knew that deep down she would always resent Jon, a son born the bastard of a servant women, of mixed blood and race. He was the only thing she could not give her husband…and she hated Jon for that.

“I will.” She lied to Charles.

[Xin Ming]

"If you seek Victory. Prepare to Pay it's Price..." - Sun Tzu

The roar of merciless bombardment continued into the hours, the mobilizations of the Franks had not gone unnoticed, careful eye kept on each as the stark contrast showed itself. Teeming Millions of Nameless, Faceless...Statistics? For such a religious and philosophical people they were not afraid of the prospect of death; indeed almost...Lovingly they threw themselves wholly into their task without regard of themselves it appeared. Divisions moved in perfect symphony with one another and regiments moved forward on orders, each of the preordained plans not expected to work to the fullest but that was where the art of adaptation came in.

"Come Thunder, Come Lightning." The quotation was punctuated as the air itself paid homage in fear; catapults? What madness was this such archaic weaponry? Loaded with what? Splintering Ammunition; so slow as it traversed through the air, it's long fuses set to detonate after passing through a certain...Annoyance. Grenades; in short. The old styled ones of the 21st Century, the ones that were 'obsolete' because of the idiocy of the West. One by one, 'unstoppable', propelled the great distances to drop through the shields like slaughtering sheep.

That was the Lightning. Now came the Thunder; the roar of engines punctuated the air, deep and growling as the plowing form of a wall of steel went forward as one united front; one of the many distracting measures this column of battle tanks; yes, tanks, no; not idiocy; was due to slam into a Frenkish outpost with the intent to slaughter everything that moved, man, woman, child, military or civilian. Losses were expected to be heavy, this was after all not the great blow against their resolve; but a single measure across a great singular front.

[Venusian France]

34th Field Artillery, 2nd BatMLRS
2km outside Xialiao
Fujian Duchy, Chinese March
March 04, 3360

The 2nd Battery of the 34th Field Artillery Battalion had been moving north with the XX Corps of the 3rd army responsible for the protection of this Duchy of the Chinese March. Indirect fire had been incoming for several hours since the Han began a general bombardment of what they considered to be Frankish occupied China.

Captain St.Clair was extremely grateful that the bombardment did not seem to be concentrated on destroying Frankish military units nor important industrial sectors or transportation hubs, but rather it seemed to be quite random. Yet, such volume and density of fire had a telling effect on where it did hit. The Town of Xialiao was burning in places, there were dead and dying civilians as emergency services attempted to deal with the destruction.

“Longbow 1 to all Long Bow units establish SBF position in the vacant lot to our 2’oclock” he ordered to his battery’s vehicle commanders. The four long trucks pulled into the nearly vacant parking lot near a supermarket that had been reduced to smoldering ruins. Each of these units began to deploy, box launchers pivoted on the flat beds raising upwards as the MLRS weapon systems began to deploy. The process was quick requiring little more then a minute.

Capt. St. Clair looked into his laptop screen that displayed the battle zone, he had orders from Division to begin counter-battery operations. The Chinese field pieces have been raining in destruction for hours, Frankish radar operators have plotted the trajectories of the Chinese rounds and have determined the firing location of dozens of suspected batteries dozens of kilometers behind the Han side of the border.

The Divisional artillery had orders to suppress the Han artillery that was currently firing. Specifically his battery had a grid square about a quarter of a klick in volume to suppress, wherein it was known that Han artillery fire was originating from. He gave the coordinates to his gun commanders and in short order they replied that they had programmed the coordinates into their systems and their guns were ready to fire.

“Essayons” he muttered, it meant ‘We Shall Try’ “Fire!” he ordered. There was defending thunderclap and billowing smoke as a rocket launched from the box container of each MLRS truck, in two seconds another rocket followed and another, and another. Sixteen rockets sped toward the coordinates they were to impact on each one would reach the area at the same time and burst 20 meters above the ground showering the area with hundreds of anti-personnel and anti-vehicle cluster munitions.

After three minutes their ammunition was expended. It would take fifteen minutes to reload the rocket boxes, but he did not want to risk the exposure at this location.

“Long Bow One, to Black Six, Fire mission complete, we are Oscar-Mike.” The Captain informed his battalion commander.

“Roger that Long Bow One, Carry on.” His Battalion commander responded already the MLRS trucks were moving back to the main road falling in line with the Regimental transports moving north into the hills and valleys of northern Fujian Duchy.

It was the Frankish military’s first direct response to the Han bombardment and it was targeted in a general location, or civilian populations to instill fear and terror, instead it was targeted specifically to eliminate the Han Artillery in a quick and unexpected blow.




Imperial Center
Nouveux Paris, Aphrodite Terra
Venus, Sol System
Capital of the Frankish Empire
March-04-3360

“What am I Hienlien?”

Charles asked the man fitting his ceramic armor and carbon nano-mail over his skin suit. It was styled to look like the armor worn by the ancient soldiers of the Carolingian period but it was made out of modern composites that could withstand some forms of modern weaponry.

Rikard Hienlien was an officer in the Emperor’s Own, the personal guard of Charles Martel, some of his most dedicated and loyal soldier. Rikard like all his comrades were missing their left pinky fingers, it was symbolic of a member of the Own, to cut of the digit as a sign of their willingness to sacrifice their bodies in protection of the Emperor.

The man seemed confused at Charles question at first then replied,

“You are our Emperor, my lord.”
“Do you trust your Emperor will the people as well?”

“My Lord your men will follow you to whatever end.” He told his Emperor “Your people look to you for protection and leadership, they believe in you, sire.”

“To whatever end.”

Charles whispered as he lifted his arms so that Rikard could affix his breastplate. On its front was a war hammer before a sunburst. It was the personal sign of Charles Martel, he would wear it to war so that his men knew he was with them and his enemies knew who they faced. Then he began to recite a poem he had learned at an early age.

“Where is the Horse and Rider?
Where now the Horn that was blow?
Have they passed like rain down from the mountains?
Have they blown away like wind in the meadow.
They have gone down in the West behind the Hills into shadow.”

“What was that from, sire?” asked his armsman.


“It was a poem constructed by a long forgotten poet, a lament as a nation braced itself to face an invading threat from the East, some thought their nation in decline, that the enemy would be to powerful.”

“Were they sire?”

“No enemy is unbeatable, strength, training, courage, strategy mean more in war than numbers. That forgotten nation proved it, and so shall we. Now I must address the people.”

Minutes later Charles stood in a room not bigger then many homes’ kitchens. Photo and sound receptors inside its walls recorded his appearance and his voice and would transmit the message to the nations of Sol, and the people of the Frankish Empire.

“People of the March and fellow citizens of Sol. It is my duty to inform you that at 0400 hours today the military of Ming Empire commenced a heavy bombardment of the Chinese March of the Frankish Empire. Military forces under Han command have begun to march south and as we speak they are assaulting border forts and the frontier troops of the Chinese March.

This aggressive action to reclaim the territory of the Chinese March has been authorized by the Taichang Empress after she had sworn to recognize the Chinese March as the rightful possession of the Frankish Empire and pledged eternal peace between our nations. This is recorded in the History of the Ming, as my Foreign Minister informs me, he had tried to have the Empress sign a joint proclamation of intent but the Taichang Empress assured all present that in her nation her word was infallible by right of her sacred honor. Honor means much to myself and our people, we trusted her word, her honor, only to discover it was all a lie.

As a result on this day March 04, 3360 the Frankish Empire has resumed its war upon the Empire of Ming China. It was a conflict we sought to avoid, but at every turn we have been thwarted by an enemy that has actively sought conflict.

A blockade has been authorized, as of this moment no shipping traffic shall be allowed to enter into China by air or space any attempts to do so will be subject to boarding and or lethal action. I ask that the nations of the world with shipping interests suspend their activities to China. If the loss of business most especially those of food haulers, I let it be known that Frankish merchants will be offering to purchase any lost business.

War is something I never commit to lightly nor is it something I ever wished to visit upon others, but this war has been forced upon my people and nation. We shall face it and by its end we shall remove the insane and warmongering Taichang Empress from her throne for the collective good of all of Sol.

[Xin Ming]

For the collective good of all of Sol...The Butcher, decrying the righteous; the irony could not be thicker, more pronounced than that.

The general bombardment of the Frankish-occupied territory had finally come to a halt when counter-battery fire lit up from the French side of things. Han artillery was heavy, cumbersome and 'old' in it's design; a mixture of rocket-artillery and shell artillery the batteries, not so dissimilar from the 21st Century M109 Howitzers deployed by America once upon a time ago. This particular formation was in a word; decimated. The collection of former vehicles reduced to little more than smoking husks. A mild set back however; compared to the grand scheme of things being undertaken.

Along the border silence was met by Han Artillery which after this initial bombardment had retreated and withdrawn to avoid further destruction in their ranks. This however did not mark the end of the Han push.

Following the bombardment came the surge; the first of waves upon waves of men and material to beat the Frenks back into the waters they came out of so to speak. The AV-2345 was in a world; a battle tank. There was no other way to describe the single barreled 203mm cannon toting heavily armored carriage that could bounce linear shots off of it like a goddamn waterfall.

At nearly 37 tonnes it was pretty damn heavy as well; that 203mm beast came with the cost of weight; but it balanced it out pretty simply, no damn power armor unit could carry something so destructive. The Iron Dragon, they dubbed it; was the pinnacle of armored construction. Ablative armor, ceramic plates and really big fucking gun you would've easily thought the yellow beast; that was the literal color of the thing, camouflage was obviously not thought of; was Russian and of course, the purplish hue of the energy shield that covered every square inch of the iron contraption.

Along with this contraption came the infantry; millions of men armed with everything from the occasional 'outdated' linear musket, the new linear repeaters and gunpowder assault and battle rifles along with light machine guns, because quite frankly the thought of spitting out 4,000 rounds a minute never really got old with them, but then again most things didn't so that was probably irrelevant to mention...

[Venusian France]

Fort Roux, Xiuyuancun Mountain
3 Km south of Shanzi Reservoir
Fujian Duchy, Chinese March
Frankish Indo-China March 04, 3360

Major Callens looked at the mass of the Han Army beginning to move across the border. The expanse of the Reservoir spread out below the mountain covering three sides of it. It made the approaches easily fortified while also forcing the enemy to concentrate their movements to a few specific areas, choke points such as the two main bridges over the river that fed the reservoir. While the fort had twenty artillery pieces of its own and two batteries of mortars they did not start to fire directly at the Han across the Reservoir and the river, yet. Instead the Major was on his radio coordinating with the scouts of the 44th Demi-brigade spread out to the east and west. The Scouts had eyes on the enemy from concealed locations, thier requests for fire missions begain to come over the lines,

"Enemy Tanks in the open, Grid XE 35632135 request anti-armor munitions..."

Others came still,

"Enemy troops in the open, estimate ten thousand, Grid XE 35612143, request High Explosive."

He was watching the situation develop on his situation map as the reports translated directly to enemy contacts.

Soon he knew that the mobile MLRS batteries and the heavy fixed artillery outside Fuzhou would begin to speak in anger. The large rocket systems were capable of showering an entire grid, one square kilometer with hundreds of thousand anti-personnel munitions, and he also knew that they were capable of firing ATGMs that the scout would guide directly to their designated target tanks. The heavy fixed guns near Fuzhou would also speak in anger, when firing for effect their shells would burst 30 meters above the surface of the ground the shock wave and shrapnel would decimate packed unshielded formations of infantry.

The captain also knew that there would be no spotting shots, no adjusting fires, it would come all at once in one spectacular wave of anger as if thrown down from Zeus himself, he saw the explosions before he heard them as the concentrated and well targeted Frankish artillery barrage landed on top of the advancing Han troops.

He cheered as he sought the destruction of his enemy, where as the Ming targeted randomly over vast areas, the Frankish artillery had one purpose on this battlefield today, the utter decimation of the advancing enemy force.

[Xin Ming]

Fujian Duchy, Frankish-Occupied China
Frankish Indo-China March 04, 3360

Panic in the ranks? If that's what the Frankish were expecting than they were very much incorrect. Granted, the HE and AT rounds that landed upon the advancing Han Armies were unfortunately; devastatingly effective in some areas and not so much in others where thick kinetic shielding took the brunt of the damage, fizzling out with the end of the bombardments.

It served it's purpose as secondary line-shields came online in that single instance to make up for the lack of defense. Forced into thin choke points the Han Army did something intelligent in that moment; they stopped. The spotty bombardment of earlier was replaced with a more concentrated force.

However; artillery did not rain down from the Heavens like expected; the roar of engines and the familiar whistle of dropping bombs came as the Chinese Imperial Air Force sped into the airspace above the Frankish fortifications, heavy guided bombs and rockets streaked into the thick walls, emplacements and other decisive targets like a horde of buzzing animals. Along with this came a concentrated heavy rocket bombardment from Chinese MLRS units; HE-warheads to pound the fortifications to death.

Simultaneously shrapnel burst forward from shells over top of open areas, peppering vast swaths; in theory; in red hot bits of metal.

In combination with all of that in that disorganized symphony came the legions, crossing narrow bridges and fording the reservoir itself where able came the massive banner armies of China. Battered, certainly; but far from routed or defeated.

---

Casualty Report:

x3,000 KIA
x7,000 Wounded
x9 Armored Vehicles Destroyed
x17 Shields Disabled

[Venusian France]

Chinese March, South East Asia
Earth, EE Sol System

The massed armies of the Han Chinese were marching across the two main bridges that led across the river to the north and south of the Shanzi Reservoir. Already many of the Han elements have crossed the bridges but others were still packed on it and on the Chinese side of the river. They had hunkered down under the protection of their shields as the Frankish field artillery pummelled the area with heavy solid shot. With Kinetic barriers it was heavy overwhelming mass that penetrated shields not fragmentation Frankish artillery was designed to overload the devices as they attempted to counter the kinetic force of their impact. When shields fell then anti-personal warheads would be used to deadly effect.

Fort Roux stood still atop the high flat mountain that jutted out into the reservoir, its own shields flared brilliantly with the impact of Han munitions. The hate of the shrapnel fired by Han artillery proved to not have the penetration force or volume necessary to overload the shields that protected the border fort.

The Chinese air force entry was not unexpected in the opening assault either. As they launched missiles against their fortified targets, counter missile systems activated and launched their own devices against the approaching missiles. Counter missiles sped towards their targets and attempted to intercept them with a payload designed to destroy the warheads of an enemy missile detonating it prematurely. Also from a half dozen emplacements CIWS similar to what were equipped on Frankish warships activated firing 100 rounds a second in the direction of the approaching missiles and bombs by telemetry reports sent to the weapon from sophisticated radar capable of intercepting munitions moving at c-fractional velocity, sub sonic missiles were easy prey.

Still though some number got through the defenses and their munitions like wise detonated against the Forts shields, it was a considerably light payload due to the initial and effective defenses of the Frankish defenders employed. It would take a much heavier and sustained bombardment to penetrate a Forts shields. Which is why so often in the past such places were either laid siege to and starved out or the much more bloody alternative of assaulting the structure was taken.

Radar and Lidar emplacements inside the fort began to track the units of the Han Air force that now ranged across the border and missile from two SAM emplacements fired the spring launched missile passed through the shields then activated their chemical drives and moved against various Chinese targets with a singular purpose of bringing them down.

Whist all of this was happening if one looked up into the sky past the white contrails of Chinese aircraft and Frankish pursuit missiles they would have noticed the burning approach of a dozen objects, some may have thought them at first to be meteors or some other natural object, but the number and proximity of their approach would have revealed them to be artificial. So would have the fact that they were decelerating and beginning to take up a stable position above the battlefield spread out across the Han border.

CSN-Montcalm
Flagship, Cruiser Squadron Sixteen
Entering Atmosphere of Earth above Chinese March

“Commodore we have entered into stable position above Fujian Duchy.”
Lt. Fuchs told Commodore Nielson the commanding officer of the Cruiser squadron that had entered the atomoshpere above the Chinese March. He was given his squadron’s orders from Admiral Tourville the commanding officers of the First Squadron of Home Fleet himself. They were to provide direct fire support against the Chinese forces that had violated the sovereignty of the Third Empire.

“Point defenses are engaging targets of opportunity sir,” The assistant tactical officer informed him. On each of the cruisers CIWS were engaged shooting thousands of rounds a minute at enemy air force planes. The rail guns systems were capable of engaging targets accurately at tens of thousands of kilometers in space were more then capable of doing it horizon to horizon in atmosphere. To use aerofighters when a nation had not established areo-space superiority was near akin to committing one’s pilots and machines to the executioner.

“Sir, message from the Flag,” Referring to Admiral Tourville’s flagship in the upper atmosphere. “The First Battle Squadron is in an over watch position ready to support our action.”

Six Frankish Dreadnought were in geosynchronous orbit above the squadron ready to provide counter battery fire if they were engaged.

“Enemy troops are transiting across the bridges in Shanzi sector. We are receiving telemetry from Fort Roux with a request for a fire mission against the bridges.” Lt. Salvatore the tactical officer informed Nielson.

“Fire mission authorized, bring those bridges down, Guns.”

The cruiser rolled slightly in order to bring its nine inch guns to bear against the bridges over which the Han Armies were marching across. The cruiser rocked slightly in atmosphere as the guns discharged against their targets. Each shell from the cruisers three turrets moved at hypersonic velocity and impacted with the bridges with a force unequaled by any ground based weaponry. The rail gun shells were capable of piercing the shields and armor of the largest warships in space. They would utterly devastate the bridges that offered the only crossing of the river and undoubtedly the troops on them. Their impacts would have been evidenced before their sound even heard. It was like using a hammer to crack an egg, overwhelming force brought to deal with the situation at hand.

It was a sign of the determination of the Frankish Empire against those that would violate its borders without warning, or provocation and after betraying their word as offered by treaty.

[Xin Ming]

The Great Ming
Southern China
Imperial Army Command - Front

Sun Tzu did not scream, nor bellow, nor even shed a tear as he watched in real-time, the three dimensional holographic projection depicting the annihilation of scores of his ground troops. A silent rage boiled in the Dragon of the East; his chest breathing lightly causing his bronze plate armor to push forward slightly as he did so. His dark eyes glinted harshly as the bridges depicted; collapsed entirely into the resvoir. Yet, he was not upset. The Frenk barbarians had pushed his final straw; already, the Imperial Army was moving to countermand the disadvantages on the ground. Some units were pulling back to assess damage to their structure and others simply folded into one another silently. The Artillery divisions concentrated fire now; rockets and shells bombarding away at the so calleded unbreakable Frenkish border; HE-shells destined to annihilate the shielded constructs. From the aerial perspective, the Imperial Airforce assisted in the accomplishment of this goal; dropping bombs, firing missiles and rockets and strafing with cannons.

Sun Tzu, in the mean while watched all of this; like a Lord of Creation he decided who lived and who died from where he was standing, a mere ten miles from the lines; he physically vibrated when the great artillery cannons went off. Yet through off this he was silent; until at last, he spoke.

"They make a mockery of Heaven with their barbarism. They seek to destroy us from On High. We shall show them, then; that we may be just as cowardly as they are." He spoke clearly; China was not Europe, Europe was so lost on this fact still; China used weapons deemed 'obsolete' when these were the fools who abandoned what was better. Morons; who chose to die now as the Grand General of China made a simplistic communication...

---

The Great Ming
Gobei Desert - China

Beneath the shifting dunes and sands of the Chinese Empire's most barren reaches, the Military had use for such secluded, barely traveled areas that were so miserable that even the Mongol Nomads avoided them. Glittering silver doors; many feet thick glided open on automated hinges as orders were relayed by men deep within the Earth. Calculations were made, perfected, remade and perfected again by computers so advanced that it made 'Artificial Intelligence' look like a Macbook from the 1990s. Finally, when the calculations were made, the order was given.

From the glittering doors rose an object, while from another set rose another, and another, and another. More coming with each passing second until some twenty filled the air. The enlongated spears of doom were an 'ancient' weapon by standards of the Barbarians; 'obsolete'...The Frenks would see how obsolete they were; each one aimed at the Frenkish battleship Montcalm. What were they? Oh...The Power of Heaven itself. The Power of the Sun. And they traveled so fast; the agents of Death...

[Solar Castile]

The Third Spanish Empire of Castile
Madrid - Espana

Queen Isabella of Spain had no dealings with the Chinese Empire; she had no problems with their deillusions of granduer and could care less if they killed every European in Asia; so long as they were not Spanish. But her friend, cousin and ally in the Frankish Empire had finally crossed a line that she could not sit quietly on; so she sat at her desk, an ornate thing made of Brasilian Hardwood that was centuries old; quill in hand writing an actual physical letter to Martel of Francia; which would probably answered by some subminister or lesser beuracrat that didn't actually matter; such was the way of the Franks.

To: Charles Martel

Cousin Charles; what are you thinking praytell? Certainly the Chinese are not precisely a huggable person, but to release your navy on them is pure insanity of the highest caliber. To use such weaponry on Terran soil? Shame on you cousin, I am depressed to hear of such things done by an honorable man such as yourself. Simply because they are cowards who attack without warning does not mean you should lower yourself to their fiber of being; are you not better than that cousin? I just wanted to let you know I am certainly not pleased with such action from your empire, and am quite cross with the fact you would even consider such an action on the soil of Earth itself and not some distant meaningless world.

Sincerely,
Isabella
(signed)

[The CRE (Ancient)]

The Chinese and French war had not gone unnoticed in Russia, indeed many space vessel sat in outer orbit and beyond watching with keen interest as each side exchanged blows. It seemed all too perfect, two nations that the Empire wished to see bloodied hammering at each other like giddy fools. But as perfection is a pipe dream. All too soon the Chinese made a move that would shatter Russia’s beloved neutrality. As the Chinese missile silos spilled forth their terrible contents the vessels relayed back the information to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg. Soon the claxons would be blaring and Russia’s intervention assured.

Within the Winter Palace Czarina Tatiana III Romanov was unaware of the catastrophic events happening within the homeland of the Han. Instead she was eagerly plotting within the hardened war room of the palace things far more to her liking and interest, a great map of Earth spread across a large wooden table and several smaller maps detailing Scandinavia and the Baltic regions splayed about as the glow of an overarching holodisplay of the solar system shone overhead. It displayed, within easy view, the Kalmar and Russian holdings in the solar system along with known naval positions and defences. Projected movement were shown, areas of expected resistance highlighted, and the locations of foreseen likely Kalmar intrusions were likewise displayed.

All around the table admirals and generals pointed to the maps and display, noting and debating the Kalmar presence in harsh tones, one of the higher ranking generals pointing to a map upon the table and speaking in low tones as he pushed a regiment of cavalry around upon it, “And so you see, if we move the troops here we could flank the Kalmar positions and-”

“Only to leave our own flanks open and expose the field artillery to a cavalry strike!” The loud voice of a General Major broke over the other officer’s voice, “If you can’t see it you need to lay off the vodka for a while and get some damned sense.” The other officer shouted back, and soon others were joining in one side, the other, or making their own.

Tatiana was not going to have this, it was a mockery of the Empire, yet as she was about to demand silence the claxons rung. The near deafening ringing silenced them nearly as effectively as she would have, the display above the desk changing from that of the solar system to display China and the weapons it was launching in real time. The officers and the Czarina all watched in muted silence for a brief moment, then fell into a flurry of action. The generals and admirals began picking up the phones upon the table, direct links to their respective commands, and began acting upon age old protocols.

“What is the meaning of this?” Tatiana’s voice was sharp, confusion quickly making way for anger, “They are launching nuclear weapons at the French? They would dare sully the Earth, break practically every pact meant to secure the wellbeing of every person on this world, in a war they started? Those yellow bastards!” The officers turned their attention to their Czarina, their orders had been brief and now they waited on the command of the leader of the Empire, her gaze turning upon the display of China, “We cannot let such action stand, we would not only appear weak but immoral and bereft of concern for the Motherland and the world itself if we do not act. Prepare the fleet and armies, I want a full invasion force prepared to secure the Chinese mainland from these madmen as soon as possible,” The officers near instantly began relaying commands only for Tatiana to tsk and demand their attention once more, “Call the Cossack Atamans for an urgent meeting, I want their hand in this matter.”

Almost near instantly the Russian army and navy began to reshaped and form, thousands of orders being spread as quick mobilizations began across the nation. It would be clear that Russia was acting as fortifications across the border preparing and arming regiments while the Russian fleet over Earth turned its weapons to stare down upon the Chinese. While the military mobilized so too did the diplomatic corps. Secure messages were being sped on their ways to the Ataman of each Cossack host requesting their immediate presence in a meeting with the Czarina. At the same time a highly secure and encrypted letter was sent to the French, one clearly worded by a minister and not the Russian empress, explaining the Russian reaction and the inevitability of Russian intervention against China.

[Venusian France]

So, the contents of this thread no longer exist, it has been retconned by OMG and Myself.