NationStates Jolt Archive

Overnight, Overlord Riok Oran, all of his advisors and ministers and the heads of the military have vanished. No explanation has been given and the government is basicly running itself.

Mass panic has gripped the major cities and the ports are flooded by citizens and slaves desiring to flee while they can. The military and police are shaping up to be innefectual, as most of them are leaving as well.

Only port cities and military airbases are being swarmed, because of the hazards of the borders. They are the most deadly aras of the nation, ten mile deep buffers, filled with traps and poison gasses. This has detered invasions and escape attempts. Now it is trapping the populace in a room with too few exits.

Calls from the media are requesting aid in evacuating the populace from Eastern Europe.

OOC: The point of this is, I'm annexing Baggera with my other main nation, Crimmond. BUT... I don't want the shouts of GODMOD! at the doubled population. I just want the extra land.

Bump

This is the part where you evacuate the people.... :?

We will immediately dispatch 3 Euroslavic Class2 Transports to evacuate as many people as humanly possible

We Wish to say Russian Forces has no invovlement in this.

oocSketch moves to premptively annex Baggera before Crimmond can act.........bwahahahahaha! :P

:TAG:

Awww...

At 0800 hours, the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Air Assault Brigades were inserted at several landing zones around the port city of _________ in the country of Baggera.

The 11th Special Operations Brigade, landed by helicopter in the 2nd wave at the northern most Landing zone have moved into the city and is attemting to subdue local military/police forces peacefully.

Elements of the 6th Royal Army Medical Division have been inserted into the city to aid the civilian population left in the city.

Wintrees has no interest in advancing into the country, our position will be strengthened by sea-borne infantry and armour, however we have no interest in a complete annex of the county of Baggera. Our purpose here is to aid in the evacuation of civilians.

OOC: If things go to plan, I want to keep the port as wintreesian soil, something like Hong Cong.

OOC: No more Baggera? Aww crap. :cry: You were always one of the more amusing villains around. *grumbles to self about the number of good nations these days and how they should all be gassed*

The people have swamped the port city taken by WinTrees, filling it well beyond capacity(even more like Hong Kong :wink: ).

Still the military collapsed, giving rise to the 'shoot everything that moves and isn't in uniform' tactic, causing mass killings across the nation and the stealing of military uniforms.

Reports are still quiet on all borders though.

OOC: All right, my forst RP with myself. :P

IC: The first dropships zoomed across the border, bypassing the deadly border. Soon the entire Crimmond/Baggera border is a staging area for invasion as fighters and gravshiops roar overhead.

UrbanMechs are litterally dropped into city squares and industrial areas. They are of a type used by Crimmond alone... The Scythe Enforcer (http://home.earthlink.net/~alpha_zero_usm/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/scythe.jpg).

Percision strikes are made on military bases throughout Baggera, both from air and orbit.

http://home.earthlink.net/~alpha_zero_usm/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/europe-map.jpg
A map showing national borders and capitals.

Russian Forces is willing to reclaim its soveriegn land...but will GDODAD come to Baggeran aid?

At 1800, the order was given from High Command in Wintrees, to "Subdue Civilian Violence with the upmost speed in the port city of Baggera, deadly force is allowed."

Only minutes after the order had been processed, the 7th Light Infantry Brigade took to the streets, supported by elements of the 5th (Royal) Armoured Brigade (landed at the port) and the 11th Special Operations Brigade. They had unit orders to fire on any looters, rioters or people that could be deemed a threat. In the 1st 4 hours 5,000 rioters and looters were dead, left on the ground where they died. Also, massed amounts of people were loaded into trucks or just walked to the outskirts of the city at gunpoint, before beening herded back into the chaos in the rest of the country.

Strongpoints in the city, already held by the 11th and 12th Air Assault Brigades were strengthened and new ones created.

The defence line created around the city completely stopped all new civilians trying to enter the area, shooting them on site, mines were layed and defence positions were strengthened from foxholes to trenchlines with zero'd artillery.

A new airfield was layed on the outskirts of the city, landing a few squadrons of fighter/bombers only minutes after it had been completed. A second has been started inside the city limits, however will take longer to complete.

Somewhere off the Western coast of Baggera, Aequatian Republic Military Forces Carrier "Hurricane"

A Marine Captain walked out in front of his platoon lined up in front of two SH-60 Seahawks and a single CH-47 Chinook transport which all sat on the flight deck surrounded by other aircraft and busy crewmembers, "All right people, there's a small shanty town on the coast, orders from CentCom are to get in there and extract those people before things start to get ugly."

A corporal with a light machinegun strapped over his shoulder spoke out, "What are the rules of engagement?"

"Most likely since Baggeran authorities such as the military and police forces are trying to flee the nation as well as the civilian population, we aren't expecting resistance... however, that doesn't mean that this isn't dangerous... keep your eyes open and your weapons ready, we don't know what kind of last ditch efforts a fanatical might try to keep us from saving a few people."

With that, the Marines finished inspection and loaded up into the Seahawks which flew alongside the Chinook towards the weak firelights of the shanty town on the Baggera shoreline.

OOC: RF, you are still ignored. Now, shoo.

IC: The Baggeran response to the invasion is slow, the firing of AA weapons and the lauch of two psuedo Sky Furnaces to repel gravfleets.

All in all, the cities fall quickly. The city leaders send surrenders at the first foriegn troops they see. The port city, Riga(RL capital of Latvia), has been surrendered to the WinTree armed forces.

Still no sign of the leaders of Baggera. One wonders if the GDODAD disliked polices. Or perhaps Roania. Or maybe... oh well, who cares? The nation is dying.

Lord Reil Tian smiles grimly at the cameras. "Imperial citizens! World leaders... and GDODAD members." His smile turned to an almost sneer at the end of that sentence. "The cold war between Crimmond and Baggera is over. Two days ago, the leaders of Baggera went missing. Now the nation is falling into chaos. We are bringing order to that chaos the bast way we know how. Invasion and annexastion of Baggeran cities and territory.

"As of this moment, one quater of our ground and air military is at the border, making final preperations for the blitz across Eastern Europe. We will expand to the distant Russian border. We will secure the Baltic as an Imperial Lake. We will bring our traitors to justice!"

(OOC: Gotta go.... just a public announcement of the war for now)

OOC: Dammit...Just lost massive post. *kicks forums*
Summary:
Three Ineffable Armies converging on Baggera
Using my new navy
Shelling coast to make landing spot
Dropships and mechs landing advance guard
Warning from General Whang to Crimmond forces to withdraw
Assurance to Baggerans (mainly the military) that we're here to help

Lord Tian sends a response to the Silver Turtle forces. "Do not make us into enemies. Baggera's government is a GDODAD member. Do you see it anywhere? I don't. We have been poliical allies for a long time. I am quite willing to order my trops to destroy any military they encounter. Don't make me do that, I really don't want to start a war with one of my nation's first allies."

The invasion continues, half the Western and Southern cities being landed in, marines moving into the remaining cities and towns.

The two gravships sent up by Baggera are fired upon by gravfleets moving out of the occupied territory. Hundreds on miniture missiles rain down on them, peppering the armor of anything they hit.

Apparently, after years of peace, Crimmond needed to blow crap up. Perhaps a move towards it's roots in the days of the first GDODAD?

The Ineffable forces are met by the military. Not the strong, unstopable one of the past. This one was broken. More than that, it was paranoid as hell. The minute they see anyone not in a uniform of a Baggeran branch of service, they open fire. The dropships are met with AA fire, the mechs met with assault marines planting explosives in the sides of buildings.

A corporal answered the message from the Ineffable forces. "What's the password?"

bump

"Very well Lord Tian, we will leave. You can probably structure the country better than we can anyway."

In response to the Corporals message, the General replied:
"...Craaaaaaiig Daaaaviid?"

Most of the forces retreated before they were harmed. Some of the faster mechs decided to take the long way, and ran all the way, slicing through anything they saw with their plasma swords.

Lord Tian smiles. "I thank you, we are sure the GDODAD can get along with one less member. For now, at least."

The troops continue to swarm over the border in gravships, mechs now landing in all major population centers, except the port city of Riga.

In the capital, thirty dropships make their approach, urban mechs dropped on the edges of it and the heavier, long range heavy artillery mechs are dropped well outside the city, prepared to assist the advance forces.

Riga is continually flooded with civilians and military trying to flee. Towns near Riga are starting to surrender to WinTrees.

The capital is undefended and mostly empty... but not defenseless. In the heart of the city, a four megaton nuclear device is set off, leveling part of the city and destroying much of the rest.

The rest of the military is shattered and the sight or news of their capital being destroyed is enough to make them give up completely. Now the cities are mostly empty of all but slaves trapped in their depths.

The 6th Armoured Brigade, the 4th and 3rd Infantry Brigades and the 1st Special Operations Regiment under General Williams, moved out from the port of Riga, slowly, claiming some of the smaller towns close to the port, expaning their perimeter.

The Crimmond Third Lancers and the Marine Task Force Epsilon are in one of those towns already, resuplying their ammo. They inform the WinTree forces that they will pull back as soon as this is completed and that the towns they are moving into will be the extent that Crimmond will allow to be claimed.

The nuclear attack destroys all the infantry and mechs in the city, causing damage to the rest outside. The city is declared a total loss and the military abandons the invasion plans for it.

The Third, Fifth and Seventh Marine Divisions secure the cities that have been taken already, spreading out their forces, but still keeping order while the main force moves on to take other cities.

Wintrees forces stopped their advances, their commanders happy with the land they had gained.

Captain Chard (Wintrees navy, H.M.S Duty) and his staff travelled to Crimmond Regional HQ to confirm the new boarders...

Wintrees forces stopped their advances, their commanders happy with the land they had gained.

Captain Chard (Wintrees navy, H.M.S Duty) and his staff travelled to Crimmond Regional HQ to confirm the new boarders...

Wintrees forces stopped their advances, their commanders happy with the land they had gained.

Captain Chard (Wintrees navy, H.M.S Duty) and his staff travelled to Crimmond Regional HQ to confirm the new boarders...

OOC: Since I've already made the first version of the new map, I just modified it to include your claims.

http://home.earthlink.net/~alpha_zero_usm/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/europe-map2.jpg

How's that?

OOC: Thats great, thanks very much

PS: Sorry about the triple post.

In response to the proposed annexation of Baggera by Crimmond, the Five Civilized Nations expresses doubt that such an union would be successful. Therefore, we strongly condemn the actions of the government of Crimmond and open our borders to any fleeing refugees from Baggera.

Meanwhile, the 9th Marine Division has been landed at the city of Gdansk and has opened an evacuation zone in the city. Preparation have been made to make the city of Gdansk, an autonomous city-nation under a new elected interim government...

When asked for comment, Major General Isiah E. Howard said that, "The Five Civilized Nations is resolved to make the city of Gdansk a free autonomous city, outside of the control of the government of Crimmond..."

As he spoke, the 9th Marine Division moved to the outskirts of the city, establishing biouvacs and defenses at the outskirts and preparing for the possible attack by Crimmond...

The military response was immediate, Gdansk was one of the oldest and largest port cities of the Empire, sporting three military bases, one Mech, one Naval/Marine and one Aero-Fighter.

The Urban Mechs move out into the city slowly, loudspeakers blasting out orders to the citizens to use their government issued weapons only if needed(OOC: I assign an assault fifle to each family and train them one use and mantainence). The marine's move overhead in dropships, the navy launching surface ships from the docks. Approximatly 30 Aerofighters launch withing ten minutes and move to attack.

No shots have been fired, but the mobilazation is immediate.

Lord Tian immediatly contacts the FCN leader and the General and stares at them across the vidlink. "Sirs, I would strongly advise you to back down. My orbiting fleet is already moving to destroy another nation's capital. Do you want yours to be next? I don't know how you got to our shores undetected, someone shall be punished for that, most likely one of our submarine commanders. Baggera has been almost completely annexed, this has taken most of our military. But be advised... each of our cities is protected by permamnent garrisons. Continue and feel the wrath of the Empire."

OOC: Gdansk is a Polish costal city. My nation is ruled by the winners of a polish civil war and has controlled Poland since the late '80s IC.

(OOC: How fast did you conquer Baggera! Its not possible that you could have taken over all of Baggera that fast, unless you had collaborators within Baggera... But anyways, I was thinking about a modern-tech RP, but if you want, we'll just kick it up a notch.)

(OOC: How fast did you conquer Baggera! Its not possible that you could have taken over all of Baggera that fast, unless you had collaborators within Baggera... But anyways, I was thinking about a modern-tech RP, but if you want, we'll just kick it up a notch.)OOC: The major cities surrendered and just about the entire population is running for WinTrees. I have not annexed all of Baggera as yet, just all of Belarus and Latvia. Forces are just in thge cities of Estonia and Lithuiania.

Gdansk was a bad choice being in my Empire since day one, perhaps a diversion for an attack on Tallinn or Kaliningrad? Because you are guarenteed to lose against my troops in their own city, backed up by an armed and pissed off populace. :wink:

(OOC: Okay, change it to Kalingrad then... I'll set up an autonomous republic there...)

OOC: I don't do Retcons... just use Gdansk as a diversion for Kaliningrad.

(OOC: Whatever...)

Major General Isiah Howard grinned at the idiocy of the Crimmondian soldiers. Quickly pulling his troops away from the city, he ordered his division to begin moving towards the city of Elbiag to regroup.

Meanwhile, the sky above Kalingrad darkened as twenty dropships descended through the atmosphere, laden with mechs, mobile suits, tanks, soldiers, and their equipment.

Five minutes after they appeared, the first of these dropships landed on the ground on the outskirts of the city. Moments later, the hold doors opened and hardened 5CN marines began to stream out, supported by armor and mechs. Two lances of medium mechs supported by five tanks and two hundred infantry moved into the city.

The commanding officer of the assault, Lieutenant General Thomas Gardi piloted his Cyclops Battlemech out of the first dropship and with his three wingmen (piloting one Highlander, one Yu Huang, and one Uziel began to move towards the city...

Lord Tian blinked. "What the hell? Well, at least they aren't that stupid as to try and take Gdansk..."

-------------

The troops in Kalinigrad were a total of 500 assault marines in battle armor, 8 Scythe Enforcer Ultra-Light Urban Mechs, a contingent of Jagermechs outside the oppostite side of the city and two Summoners in the open rural areas.

Amid the chaos of communications, this is the most intelligble excerpt.

"Holy crap! This is Jager Unit Five contacting command, we have a problem... permission to open fire?"

"Granted Jager Unit Five. Take out those dropships. Marine commander, so you have visual on the enemy?"

"Yeah! I see 'em! Marines! Move out! Urban staregy 4A. Repeat 4A."

"Scythe Unit 3, engaging enemy now. Take that you bastards!"

At the same time the Scythe came around the corner, it saw the enemy forces and opened fire with tear gas and it's heavy shard gun, then literally diving behing a building and vanishing into the depths of the city. The Scythe couldn't win a face off and wasn't meant to. It was meant to be a constant menace to the enemy, vanishing and popping up to take potshots.

The marines were more direct, firing volleys of missiles and using pulse rifles to slow the enemy down.

The Jagermechs beging a slow pummeling artillery strike on the dropships and surrounding areas, intending to wreak havoc on them, the Summoners just walking through neighborhoods slowly, not opening fire yet, just watching.

(OOC: stupid forums ate my post again... I'll post something later...)

OOC: Crim, do you really want me to get involved?

I'll do it, but only if I'm allowed to find Riak Oran in the territory I take.

And I'd be doing it as an ally of yours, not an independent power grabber.

OOC: Crim, do you really want me to get involved?

I'll do it, but only if I'm allowed to find Riak Oran in the territory I take.

And I'd be doing it as an ally of yours, not an independent power grabber.OOC: Up to you, you can find Riok in a hole with Saddam if you want. :p

Trainee Paul Maddinson couldn't believe it, Crimmond had all but taken Baggera and yet refugees continued to slip out of the nation. They braved not only the cold waters of the Baltic, but the choking smog of Wazzu.

Many landed in Newport, hoping to get free transport through Bedou towards a nation that had always accepted refugees. Others, like this group, sailed up through the Gulf of Bothnia. Most, also like this group, succumbed to the effects of the smog.

"I've got a live one!" Someone cried.

Unlucky bastard. thought Maddinson, but came to with a tank of O2 for the man's badly burned lungs.


***OOC***

As for forces getting undetected to the boarder....

Lacking land, Wazzu long ago expanded under the Baltic, on the sea floor. The "habitats" are effectively a city in themselves (comprising most of the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia). Millions of civilian submarines buzz loudly from place to place.

Wazzu had no part in helping anyone remain undetected, but any decent military commander with access to submersible landing craft could probably get through there undetected...if like WinTrees it was unexpected.

The Baltic is truely loud (and unnaturally warm from waste heat).

The transport engines slowly gunned as they landed in northern Baggera. The plane was registered as a civilian cargo-hauler to RIAS/SA Industries, operating out of the Holy Latin Empire.

The rear of the plane opened, and a small party of men leapt out. 10 Shadow Angels, 5 RIAS assassins and 2 Inquisitors, each fully armed and armored. Their mission?

To find Riok Oran and his government. And bring them back to Roania for trial.

The marines were taken by surprise by the artillery attack and several were killed or wounded by the barrage. Quickly, the marines fanned and began to work their way towards the city. Meanwhile, a group of twenty marines in Elemental Armor proceeded towards the Jagermechs.

The main assault force centered around three lances of assault mechs and two lances of medium mechs moved into the city. The supporting marine forces followed cautiously.

One by one the remaining dropships landed on the outskirts, pouring soldiers out.

The third transport to land took several direct hits from the Jagermechs, disabling its retractable landing ramp. Moments later, this ramp was destroyed as several assault mechs blasted their way through.

To battle the force of light urban mechs, two lances totalling three Gurkhas, two Hellions, one Osiris, a Peregrine, and a Packhunter, split up into two teams and cautiously headed into the city.

--Casualties--
19 Dead
96 Wounded
1 Dropship Damaged
2 Firestarters Disabled
1 Raven Disabled

One of the Scythe's cam barreling around a corner, expecting to find soldiers again, instead he found another Mech. "Aw, hell..." A panel on the mech's chest open's up and a small, short range laser fired, the most powerful of it's weapon's compliment.

The Assault Marine's plant high yeild explsives in several bussiness towers, now empty, along the path of the Assault Mechs. As one approaches... "Fire in the hole!" The main support structures of the building are blown away, bringing the building straight down and sending immense clouds of dust and debris oyut into the surrounding areas.

The command center, near the faraway Jagermechs, looks the situation over. "We can't fight them off and hope to win. We could destroy ourselves and them, but not win." The General scowled. "Issue orders to all units... Kaliningrad has fallen. Pull out to Chernyakhovsk and Sovetsk to regroup with annexation forces."

Slowly, the city was evacuated of Crimmond forces able to move, although many were left behind. As the last of them were at the outskirts, the Jagermech assaults ceased.

80 soldiers dead
19 soldiers wounded
25 soldiers missing
2 Scythe Enforcers Disabled

-----------------------------

The civilian plane was allowed to land, but when non-civilians appeared, they had approximatly 40 guns on them within the span of a few seconds. The soldiers and marines looked a little worried though. Except the fully armored Assault unit, but they were trained on taking mechs down. One of these, with a bue and gold band across his chestplate, stepped forward. "Hold fire! Now... ya don't look quite like humanitarians. State your bidness." He sounded almost Sweedish, but his voice was muffled by the comm-pickup.

The Marines quickly consolidated there hold on the city, wearily moving through, checking for explosives. The General in command, Lieutenant General Thomas Gardi, immediately ordered his command to begin setting up defenses. Meanwhile, a small scout force of marines in Elemental armor and a lance of light mechs moved into the countryside, shadowing the retreating Crimmondian forces.

Thinking cautiously, General Gardi ordered the dropships to begin unloading the air units connected with the two marine divisions. He knew that the fight to defend and hold Kalinigrad was going to be a tough one.

--Casualties--
71 dead
102 wounded
19 missing
2 dropships damaged
5 Elementals disabled
1 Packhunter damaged
1 Cyclops disabled
1 Atlas damaged
2 Firestarters Disabled
1 Raven Disabled
2 Tiger Claw Armored Assault Vehicles damaged

--Meanwhile--

The marine division under Major General Isiah Howards steadily worked its way through the countryside bound for the city of Kalinigrad. With a double line of skirmishers and some air support, General Howards hoped to get to Kalinigrad with minimal resistance and as soon as possible...

The Roanians looked at one another. Their faces were invisible. The leader stepped forward. His voice had a lilting quality to it, one that seemed oddly out of place for such a large man. "We are here to, how do you say, deliver food aid. We have been forced by circumstances to wear this armor, because of the fact that there is danger."

One of the ones wearing black stepped forward, a smile playing below his death-head mask. "I'm sorry we have troubled you, soldiers..." the plane slowly started to turn towards the Crimmond soldiers. Within the propeller caps were heavy machine guns, just waiting for the pilot to flick a switch so they'd pop out. "We have no wish for a confrontation with you or your government."

The other two Inquisitors ran inside, and pulled out a large container, bringing it forward. They paid the waving guns of the guards no heed, and opened the box. Cans of food, and packages of bread sat inside.

The Dr_Twist Government is extremely worried about what is happening in a neighboring country of the Bulgarian Empire, we are worried that it will spill over into Dr_Twist lands. The Government is in discussions to put 4 Million Troops on the Boarder to discourage anything flowing over into its boards and to keep the board closes to everyone but people wishes to escape what is happening.

The soldier, turned to the others and waved them off. "Everyone 'cept my team, as ya were." He watches the guns lower and his team spread out automaticly, all still brandishing their shardguns and one with an energy cannon over his shoulder.

The officer, so he would seem, turned back. "Now den, ya seem to have too much armor and guns fer just a delivery from one plane. Why don ya tell me what your really here fer? Ya should know that Imperial soldiers don't attack humanitarians. Only da enemy. To do otherwise is uncivilized and punishable by death."

--------------------------------

No more attacks came against Kaliningrad, the troops firing randomly behind them, with the occasional Jagermech barrage if the enemy closed too quickly.

Halfway to the cities, the Annexation forces met up with them. Nearly three dozen Heavy Assault and Assault Mechs of IS and Clan design, half a dozen more Artillery Mechs, twelve specialzed ECM Ravens, at least 900 more Assault Marines and 3 Aerofighters overhead.

A message is sent. "Welcome to what was once part of Europe. It's about been claimed by Hell."

Suddenly, every unit that could broadcast on all frequencies did so with music. There were mixes of all different kinds, from Metal to Techno to Bagpipes. The entire force was flooding the airwaves, trying to jam all communications of radio waves. Unfortunatly, this blocked out their own communications. They didn't need to use their radios though. Their orders were to shoot anything not bearing the crest of the Empire.

The Roanians looked at one another again. "We have no business with you, or with Crimmond. Even as we speak, people are dying. As soldiers of the church, it is our duty to help them." The ShadowAngels sighed, and began to fan out. "Captain, are you saying you would rather *not* have the containers of food on this plane? You would let them starve?"

A grandoise majesty came to the man's words. "For shame, commander!"

The assassins began to put hands inside their capes, reaching for their more 'special' weapons. Each shot with these would kill. The other Inquisitor shook his head. The men removed their hands, placing them by their side.

17 men facing 40. And numbers weren't anything.

The officer shifts from one foot to the other, he had caught the movements and slowly moved back a foot or so. He had a more advanced shotgun looking weapon, but the blinking energy indicator said it was not just a fancy 12-gauge. He kept it lowered, but still aimed in the direction of the Roanian leader. "Vell... it is xar. And people die. And before we have any more added to da list, state yer bidness or you will have trouble wid the..." He trails off and moves back to his team, the only ones still around the plane. They all seem to look to the right, then back, then right again.

A truck was pulling up, but was riding off kilter, heavy on one side. They found out why in a minute as another Assault Marine got out, the truck's suspension literally whining in relief. His chest plate had a more ornate stripe and an insignia on it. "Warrent Officer, what is going on here?"

The first officer, a lower rank than either of the guesses the Roanian had tried, lowered his gun. "Just asking some questions, Colonel. Dey seem to be too well armed for civilians."

The Colonel walked up to the lead Roanian and walked entirely around him, examining him. "Roanian armor and weapons. In annexed Baggeran territory. Acting as humanitarians." He was talking to himself, mostly.

"Whatever rank you are sir, no Roanian soldier would lift a finger to help a Baggeran unless it suited their plans. You and I both know that. Now..." He walks to another soldier and walks around him the same way, not caring in the least what they thought. His weapon was still secured to his armor's rechrage mount. "Why are you here, with assasians and presumably Inquisitors?" Obviously this Colonel had been in areas that Roania had invaded before. "You people aren't delivery boys..."