NationStates Jolt Archive

Throughout the Danteri countryside, but especialy in the capital, Danteri City, violent anti-government rebels clashed with loyalist security forces. Dozens were killed by Loyalist troops in the capital, as they fired indescriminantly into an angry crowd that had gathered to protest the recent executions of several Danteri political dissidents. Dozens more were killed by rebel bombs and guns as all order broke down, reducing Danteri City to a state of anarchy.
Both the Danteri Government and the rebels have issued press releases, and here they are:

This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader:

My fellow citizens of this world, the Confederacy of Danteri has reached a crisis point. Terrorist rebels have slaughtered their countrymen, striking out blindly, filled with hate towards anyone they see as serving the true Danteri Government. However horrifying these events may be, they are, and remain, a Danteri internal matter. Any foreign intervention will be considered a violation of our territorial integrity and right to soverignty. We can deal with this problem ourselves.

This Message Approved by The People's Revolutionary Council:

To all the liberal, sane and rational nations of this world, we need your help. Already, we have struck a blow to the corrupt, bloated and vile Confederate "Danteri" government. We now need foreign intervention, help and aid from any governments that wish to see an Evil tyrany overthrown to make way for Democracy. Thank you. Goodbye.

Please note that while the rebels have damaged much of the Danteri infastructure, the Confederacy of Danteri remains under the control of the Danteri Government. As such, their policy decisions will be the ones to go into effect... although that could change, should the rebels gain control of a sufficient number of regions.
Any nations that wish to intervene should post here, any that wish to communicate to either faction should send a telegram to the Confederacy of Danteri, located in the South Pacific.

St Happenin will be pleased to aid the rebels. This shouldn't be too very difficult since proximity is minimal distance, seeing that St Happenin is in the same region.

Unofficial Statement from the Covert-Operations Department of St. Happenin Military Services to the Nation of Danteri: The nation of St Happenin is prepared to aid the rebels in Danteri, hoping to bring down such a corrupt system in operation. You have our decision.

Unofficial Statement from the Covert-Operations Department of St. Happenin Military Services to the Rebel forces in Danteri: We, the nation of St Happenin, are prepared to aid you in your cause. We will aid you, to an extent, in hope of future agreements that shall be determined at another time. Already, arms, being weapons such as minor hand pistols, assault rifles, RPG's, grenades, and excess rounds have been deployed and are on the way. When negotiated, we will send a specified amount of funding. We await a report. Good luck.

OOC: Before I post, how well would mercenaries be accepted?

OOC: If they are smuggled through, I assume so.

"Rebels? Why do I care about rebels? Half the countries in the world have rebels, and the rest have terrorists," the Harakian Prime Minister, Jaime Wolfe, muttered as he skimmed through the paperwork. "So another country is having a bloody civil war. Who cares?"

"I'm sure you remember the other times we've intervened?" came the voice of Victor Neavins, the head of the Haraki Intelligence Agency. "We've turned what could have been a ten-year conflict into a ten-week one, prevented thousands, if not millions, of civilian casualties, and usually become the heroes of the region. In a place like the south pacific, where a dozen new nations proclaim their independence from oppressors every day, remembering that today's new nation is tomorrow's great power, that influence and reputation could come in quite handy."

"Yes, I know all that, Victor. I've been around the block. But I also know that when we do this, it makes us look like a group of meddling interventionists who can't tell what is and isn't our business. I have no live for the Danterians, and especially not their governing system, but I have to say, this is an internal problem. We shouldn't get involved. I'd like to see the rebels succeed, but we're breaking protocol if we do. So, remembering that, what does the HIA recommend we do?"

"Supply the rebels with arms and training officers. Deploy a task force of ships with marine support to the area on a routine patrol operation. If atrocities get too bad in the nation, such as the Danterian loyalists start killing civilians and burning cities to stop the rebel advance, we move in to secure high-density populated areas and prevent the slaughter of any more civilians. No actual interfering in the war, just setting up perimeters around the cities and high-civilian count areas. Keep the civil war to the countryside and it should all stay good and in control. We look like international heroes and we all go home safe."

Jaime nodded. "Good. Victor, you surprise me sometimes. Let's see ... With elements of the First Marine deployed in New Haraki, and the Third off on training in the colonies, I think we could afford to deploy the entire Second Marine Division-"

"That's the military's job, not mine, Jaime. You know that. Should I call Roger Blaine in?"

"Yes, please do, Victor."

As Victor Neavins left, Jaime pulled files from his desk and started going over them. A few minutes later, when Chief of the Navy Admiral Roger Blaine walked in, he had already prepared what he was going to say.

"Roger! Have a seat. I assume Victor filled you in on the situation?"

"Yes, he did," Blaine responded, taking the proferred seat in front of Jaime's desk. "He also advised me on your chosen course of action."

"Any suggestions for it?"

"None whatsoever. I'm away from my desk, so I don't have my files with me. What bases do we have in the South Pacific?"

Jaime pulled a file from a desk drawer and tossed it across the desk. "You tell me."

Roger Blaine flipped through it. "Looks like we've got only one. A fairly small island, about two by three kilometres. Got an airfield and a small port facility. Enough to keep a task force resupplied and a few wings of planes ready for action. Within striking distance of Danteri, and enough to keep a small force occupied. With an airfield to support the troops, I don't think we need deploy an aircraft carrier, and without any real threat in the area we don't need any heavy capital ships. Maybe a few heavy cruisers and some smaller ships, just escorts for the transports. What ground forces were you thinking of sending?"

"I was thinking the Second Marine-"

"No good. Half of them are on leave for the Spring Festival."

"Damn, I forgot about that. I'm on leave from the festivities right now as well, in fact. What about ... the Seventy-Second Infantry? They're on twenty-four hour standdown after that scare in the borderlands."

"Sounds good to me, but you know it'll be putting the mission in danger if you're forced to take a joint army-navy command chain."

Jaime shook his head. "Major-General Neil's a good man. Obeys orders well. We just need to tell him the navy's in charge and he'll do fine."

"Who do you have in mind?"

"How about Locke? It's not a big mission and he could use the experience."

"Sounds good to me. I'll inform him of the mission and scramble the necessary forces."


*


Communique:
[From: Lieutenant-General Dominic Freebird, Harakian Chief of Logistics]
[To: Danterian Rebels]

We are sending supplies to you in your time of need. Our plans call for a moderate number of assault rifles, kevlar armour, fuel, supplies, and a small number of tanks and aircraft, as well as a small number of soldiers to train your troops for fighting against the corrupt government. In addition to these supplies, the Harakian military is sending a small force to guard the area to maintain stability and prevent loss of civilian life. It will be composed of little more than a handful of cruisers and a similar number of destroyers, but will include an entire infantry division and multiple wings of airplanes. We hope these forces will not be needed, but in the event that they are, they will be present only to prevent loss of civilian life and destruction of civilian property. We're not interested in fighting your war for you.

Sincerely,
Dominic Freebird

The Danteri Government regrets being unable to issue new press releases, however, they would like to point out that having their capital city bombarded by artillery fire can do that.

From the Loyalists:
From: General Krieger, Danteri Army
To: All concerned
Re: Recent Events

Greetings. While I must appolagise for our recent absence from the international scene, I feel the need to point out that it would be fairly explainable if you'd just had you Supreme Leader killed by rebels and spent the last few days desperatly trying to keep the Capital city from falling, you'd have likely failed to post as well. To the honorable embassador from Imitoria, I would like to say that the Danteri government, now under my rule, would be glad to hire any mercenaries, provided of course, that they meet our standards of equipment and training (i.e., they have their own guns and know which way to point them.). To the foul, trecherous invaders: you speak of peace and preservation of life, and yet you callously send your soldiers into our lands to fight our brave warriors. If your forces are not removed within three days, the Danteri naval squadrons still at large will recieve orders to begin raiding your shipping. That is all.
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

From the Rebels:
From: The People's Commitee on Revolution
To: All concerned
Re: The Truth

To our gallant allies abroad, we thank you for your much needed support. To all our allied governments - thank you, without your help we would not have been able to inflict as much damage as we have on the foul, cowardly servants of the Old Regime. On that note, it might interest you to know that that most foul rodent, that obscene abomination, the Supreme Leader, has been killed by our brave fighters. In the name of freedom and liberty, we thank all of you who have assissted us in our glorious crusade against tyranny. While we have been forced out of the capital, we hold much of the back-country, and will continue fighting as long as we are able to. Finally, on a dark note - the cowards within the old government so fear you, our noble allies, that they have sworn to order the Danteri naval squadrons still at sea to begin raiding your shipping should you not withdraw. While such tactics are hardly unexpected of the foul enemy, they are still horrifying. Currently, the total Danteri naval force consists of four squadrons, although they will likely split up when they begin to strike. In terms of ships, captured records and the interrogations of captured officers indicate that these four squadrons consist of a total of eight Destroyers, four Cruisers and a single aircraft carrier, in addition to miscelaneous support ships. Should these ships carry out their orders to attack civilian shipping, they will have proven the point that the old government was and is no better than pirates, but... they likely will account for some civilian shipping, however many precautions you take. We will do what we can to aid you, but, as the hated enemy controls most of the ships at sea, we cannot do much. Lastly, we would be glad for well trained cadre troops to train our raw recruits - most of our military forces consist of peasants armed with looted or improvised weapons, though that is changing what with the new shippments of weapons from out allies. Thusly, I am authorised by the people to accept mercenaries of an appropriate skill level.
This Message Approved by The People's Commitee on Revolution

Other Notes:
- Mercenaries can now apply to work for either the government, the rebels or, if you're feeling sneaky, both.
- If you're intervening with troops on the side of the rebels, then:
Your landings are unopposed, although scouting forces report some small scale skirmishes with retreating Danteri Government troops - they appear to be on the run, although they have burned houses and fields, and slaughtered several hundred civilians in the areas in which you have landed. Several groups of Danteri Army soldiers, many of them identified as being guilty of attrocities against the populace, have surrendered to your scouts. They respond to these accusations by saying that they were under orders to commit these acts. What are you going to do with them? Please also note that the rebels have been loud in praising your intervention.
- International human-rights watch groups report mass executions of suspected rebel intelectuals in the cities still held by the government, as well as executions of former government workers, often without trial in eith case.
- Those intervening with troops for "peace keeping": Your troops encounter no organized opposition, but are forced to kill several Danteri Army soldiers taking parts in unwise attacks against your forces. Your men report signs of mass graves, as well as burned farming communities. It is estimated that, just in recent days, several hundred civilians have been murdered by Danteri Army soldiers. The rebels greet you with loud cheers and happy smiles.
-Lastly: major combat operations have occured near the Danteri capital - elements of the better-organized rebel units have engaged and destroyed the vast majority of the Danteri 1st Mechanized. Reports indicate that those Loyalist soldiers who attempted to surrender were cut down where they stood.

Due to the pressing need to take action against our rebels, the Confederacy of Danteri has resigned from the U.N., in order to be able to act against the foul rebels without regard for such concepts as "human rights" - those concepts hold no value when compared to our national survival in the face of foul threats, both internal and imported from abroad.
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Note: Human Rights watch groups have had their members expeled, and rumors of atrocities commited by the Danteri security organization "Danteri Government Security" have become widespread. The DGS has apparently ordered Army units to conduct attrocities against suspected rebels, and it is widely believed that as many as five thousand non-combatants have already perished from government action. Meanwhile, the rebels have continued a campaign of assassinations, violent attacks and indescriminant killing - however, it is estimated they have only killed about 15 hundred non-combatants, of which most were workers in the government.

The Harakian ships arrived at the small island just before dusk on a day not long after receiving the new set of messages. Having gotten also the Danterian government's message about preying on civilian or military shipping indiscriminately, the planes had arrived first and provided long-range land-based air cover to prevent attacks, especially by the Danterian aircraft carrier. Thus far the operation had been a complete success, but still the supplies had to be delivered to the Danterian rebels. As the 72nd Infantry set up their camps, which may well not be occupied for very long, the tankers and transports refueled and set out again, escorted at all times by twenty-four long-range air superiority fighters and the Harakian naval task force.

They were moving at a fairly fast speed towards rebel-controlled ports in south (?) of the nation, where already a flight of two Harakian transport planes escorted by twelve modern attack planes. They were scheduled to land in an airfield controlled by the Danteri rebels and unload a platoon of Harakian soldiers there for training purposes. The twelve attack planes would land and be turned over to the Danteri rebels for use in operations, with the expectation that they would be turned back over to Haraki once the civil war ended. The pilots would return to Haraki's small island base in the transport planes, escorted by a flight of six fighters dispatched from the island base.

The transport ships would arrive and unload a rather large shipment. Large numbers of supplies, ammunition and quantities of fuel carried in large tankers, along with a large shipment of high-quality assault rifles, grenades, grenade and rocket launchers and kevlar armour for arming the new recruits. Another transport ship would unload eighty jeeps and forty tanks and APCs, for use in combatting the Danterian armoured and mechanized forces.

Also accompanying the Harakian transports was an independent ship carrying a group of Harakian-born and based human rights investigators, to land and move with the rebels, investigating the atrocities committed by either side. They would be the judge of whether or not Haraki needed to send in the 72nd Infantry. As the situation stood at the moment they landed, Commodore Locke was very close to ordering the 72nd to land and secure major urban areas, to prevent the mass slaughter of supposed rebels or rebel supporters. However, he had been ordered to hold off until at least the investigators landed or were denied entry.

And so the Harakian convoy steamed towards the rebel-held port cities, while overhead the transport planes pulled away towards a designated airfield for their landing.

Danteri Government:
(From the Office of General Krieger)
Today we have decided that we have waited long enough - the Harakian government has refused to pull out, and so we feel we have no choice but to order the Confederate Danteri Navy to begin raids against Harakian shipping. Yes, the rebels hold the province of Southhaven, yes the rebels and their Haraki masters hold the southern ports, but we will continue this fight until not one Danteri citizen still lives! Our national sovereignty will be preserved! As such, it has now been declared that all ships under St. Happenin and Haraki flags will be fair game for our heroic navy. We will prevail!!!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels:
(From The Danteri People's Council on Revolution)
Today, our vile, corrupt government has made obvious it's hateful nature - with such horrific actions as they have already commited, it comes as no surprise that they would act as they have, ignoring human rights and rational sanity... yet, todays announcement has been a particularly horrific one. Now they order our countrymen in the navy to ignore international law, and strike at civilian shipping. This is a sad day for the Danteri people, but even on the saddest days, there can be good news - the Danteri province of Southhaven has fallen to our armies and our allies! With this news, it becomes obvious that, indeed, we are winning! Yet, we cannot rest - Westfall, Easthaven, the Capital and Nordlund are all still oppressed by the tyranical boot-heel of the vile oppressor! You have heard the words of General Krieger, that monster, and you know that he intends to do what he can to hurt you... and yet, you are still our allies. For that, we thank you.

Notes:
- Southhaven falls! One of the five Danteri territories has fallen to the rebels, brining the overthrow of the government that much closer. However, while they were retreating, the government forces burned everything in their path, killing an estimated thirty thousand non-comatants and destroying the entire food crop of that province. A humanitarian crisis is set to ensue - there are already over one million displaced persons in Southhaven, mostly clustered around rebel held cites. The rebels are doing what they can to help, as the human rights watch officials who have been allowed to observe their actions agree, but they simply lack adequet food and medical supplies. The situation is bad, and likely to get worse before it gets better.
- Danteri Government troops commit atrocities: All throughout The Confederacy of Danteri, Loyalist troops commited atrocities against the civilian populace. Thousands are dead, and many others displaced. The situation is worst, however, in Southhaven.
- War Criminals Caught: A Colonel Jagger of the Danteri Army Special Operations branch surrendered to a rebel unit this weekend when his command post was overrun. The rebels have requested that he be tried by Haraki on charges of war crimes, as they fear that whatever sentance they gave him would be contested as unfair.
- Danteri Cruiser defects: A Danteri Cruiser has declared that it has gone over to the rebels. The rebels thusly request help with the formation of a Free Danteri Navy.
- Lastly, one civilian fishing vessel out of Haraki was destroyed by a single shell this morning.

In spite of the wonderful job being done by the Haraki navy in guarding their shipping and supply routes, they cannot be everywhere, as they were painfully reminded this morning when the Danteri destroyer Eisenheart fired a single shell at a Haraki registered fishing vessel, sinking it and killing it's eight crew members.
The Danteri rebels have issued statements of support, comapring the fishing boat's destruction to several major historical naval atrocities.
The Danteri government, on the other hand, has not issued a formal statement, but their leader, General Krieger, was reported to have commented to a foreign official that "The destruction of that fishing vessel was an acceptable act of war. Things like this happen."
What will your reactions be, as the Danteri fleet appears to have acted as their government ordered them to, at least to a degree?
The Danteri Free Navy currently has only one Cruiser in their navy, but are eager to help their allies. The rebels also use this tradgedy as another chance to request more aid - they want help expanding and modernizing their one-ship navy.

OOC: Typically, telling another nation any losses they have suffered whatsoever is considered godmoding. Since it was just a fishing vessel it doesn't matter, but it's better to say something like 'The Danterian naval ship Eisenheart has fired on a Harakian fishing vessel, but damage is currently unknown' and allow the other nation to fill in their own losses. Just a heads up for the future.







Prime Minister Jaime Wolfe took the podium somewhat nervously. Eight Harakian lives had been lost, civilians, because of his decision to support the Danteri rebels, and now he had to answer that. He didn't have answers for the people of Haraki, he merely hoped his promise of more aid would make up for it.

He explained to them that eight lives had been lost when the Harakian fishing ship SS Philos was sunk by a Danterian cruiser designated the Eisenheart, and from that moment on the destruction of the Danterian navy's operational capabilities was to be considered a major Harakian objective. From that end, he reported recommending all Harakian civilian ships to evacuate the area and that he had ordered multiple further flights of planes into Haraki's small base in the area for the sole purpose of protecting Harakian shipping. A further small naval task force, including the top of the line missile cruiser HNS Aurora into the area for the purpose of protecting Harakian shipping from Danterian attacks.

Human rights groups that had been ejected from Danteri, including the well-known Haraki-based Susa Humanitarian Aid Foundation, SHAH, expressed concern that Haraki's forces in the area were not entering Danteri to protect civilian life. With over ten thousand soldiers and large amounts ot materiel in the area, they claimed Haraki could enter the area and dispatch brigades to secure major urban areas and population centres, and urge civilians to enter these designated 'safe zones'. The head of SHAH, one Jesabel Ryan, urged Haraki to consider the tens of thousands of dead non-combatants and millions of displaced persons due to the conflict. Prime Minister Wolfe responded to her allegations of genocide and oppression by promising a second convoy of food and medical supplies, as well as more humanitarian aid and transport for relief groups, to be sent by the end of the week to rebel-controlled Danterian ports for use in resettling the populace of the area.

Haraki's transports made port safely in the Danterian ports, dropping off the large quantities of weapons, armour and materiel for the Danterian rebels, including the Harakian human rights inspectors, who instantly boarded vehicles for the front and the human rights violations by the Danterian government. The use of the Harakian weaponry was authorized for the Danterian rebels, and it was turned over. The two transport planes landed and unloaded the platoon of troops for training the rebel recruits, and the twelve attack planes landed, the pilots turning the planes, fully armed, and quantities of fuel and ammunition from the transport planes, over to the Danterian rebels, before the transports took off again to link up with a flight of Harakian fighters and return to the island base.

Haraki's supplies had arrived for the rebels, and as the transports made their way back to the Harakian base and the human rights inspectors began their trip to the front, multiple flights of Harakian planes took to the sky, making wide, sweeping patrols over international waters off the coast of Danteri, protecting Harakian civilian vessels as they made their way away from Danteri. Back on the island base, Commodore Locke had begun to make his decision on whether or not to send in the 72nd Infantry. For him, it was not really a choice. He simply had to wait for confirmation from the Harakian inspectors.

Danteri Government:
(General Krieger)
Yesterday, the Haraki paid for their support of our rebels. While I regret that such actions were forced upon us, the Danteri government stands by it's decision to order it's fleet elements to conduct unlimited operations against enemy shippng. Should Haraki and the other Imperialist aggressors remove their forces, all will be forgiven, and their civilian shipping will be safe. Lastly, while the rebels have Southhaven, while the rebels have succeded in several battles, they will not and cannot win this war. So what if they have a few foreign countries giving them supplies? So what if they have guns? We have men who will do what needs to be done, and we will do whatever it takes to preserve the territorial integrety of the Confederacy of Danteri!

Danteri Rebels:
Yesterdays distressing occurence aside, things are going well. While the vile, hateful government holds much of the country, our brave soldiers have advanced against them on all fronts. All throughout the nation, the foul oppressor fears to show his face - many Loyalist soldiers have been killed, and I can safely say, we are winning this war, thanks to our gallant allies overseas. We thank you for standing by us in our hour of need.

Other News:
- Danteri rebels advance in Easthaven: All throughout eastern Danteri, the rebels advanced today, meeting little opposition, as the Danteri government troops retreated, leaving in their wake burned farms and murdered citizens. Today, an estimated five thousand civilians were killed by Loyalists in Easthaven, while another thousand or so were killed during an abortive Loyalist counter-attack in Southhaven.
- Refugee Situation: The million or so displaced people in Southhaven are starting to starve, despite the bast attempts of the Danteri rebels and their foreign allies. Disease is becoming widespread, as what sanitary measures could be taken are proven to be insufficient. Approximately two dozen civilian refugees, mostly children, die of disease today.
- Danteri Government Attrocities: Units of the Danteri Government Security agency (DGS) have conducted raids against suspected rebels in the capital. Approximately one hundred people were arrested and shot. Meanwhile, the Danteri Loyalist air force has conducted bombing missions against refugee collumns in Southhaven, although two Loyalist planes were shot down by the rebels, thanks to the planes the Haraki turned over to them.
- Danteri rebels repeat requests: The Danteri rebels have repeated their requests for aid in expanding and modernizing their navy (which currently consists of only one cruiser). Also, they have repeated a request for the Haraki, or some other allied nation, to take Colonel Jagger of the Danteri Army Special Operations branch for trial on war-crimes.
- Lastly, the Danteri fleet has attempted raids on relatively unguarded civilian shipping.

[To: The International Community]
[From: Minister of External Affairs, Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard]
[Re: The internal problems of the Confederacy of Danteri]

As instructed by His Royal Highness, King Harald II of Bertling, I will hereby issue a warning to all who infringe on the rights of the Legal Government of Danteri to deal with its domestic problems. Terrorists and criminals of one nation is not another nation’s problem so long as they do not operate in the latter nation’s territory.

Effective immediately, the Kingdom of Bertling will cease all trade with any nation who insist on aiding dissidents in Danteri, economically and through use of their military forces, be it covert or overt.

The Kingdom of Bertling also appeals to all other nations to follow our example by discontinuing trade with those who insist on further destabilizing the Confederacy of Danteri.

Each nation is sovereign under God.

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs

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Port Skogheim, Bertling
09:40 a.m.

“The minister will see you now, sir.”

The secretary gestured towards the heavy oaken doors. The tall, black haired officer stood up, adjusted his uniform and walked brusquely across the large front-office. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like the thick carpets, the beautiful secretary, the crystal chandelier, the baroque chairs, and he definitely didn’t like what all this spelt. The Minister of External Affairs never called a Major to his office unless politics were involved. The kind of politics that involved medals and dead soldiers.

As the two Guard Corporals opened the doors, he tucked his hat under his left arm and marched in.

The minister’s office was dominated by a huge mahogany desk. Behind it, beneath a painting of King Harald II in uniform, sat the minister himself, General Jonas Stoeregaard. At sixty, the minister still looked like he could keep up with men one third of his age on maneuvers. He was looking through some papers and seemed unaware of his visitor. The officer stopped two meters away from the altar-like furniture and snapped a salute.

“Major Sorenson, reporting as ordered, sir.”

“Ahh. Major. Please sit”

The heavy set man waved his hand nonchalantly in the direction of yet another baroque chair, then he closed the folder he had been reading. Storegaard took off his glasses and leaned back in his chair.

“Do you know why you’ve been called, Major?”

“No, sir.”

“There is a situation in the South Pacific…”

“The South Pacific, sir? Do we have people there?”

“Not at the moment, no. But the Confederacy of Danteri are having domestic problems, and other nations have started to meddle. His Highness, King Harald II has instructed me to initiate a dialogue with the lawful government of Danteri. Should they agree, we will open an embassy down there.”

“Sir, may I point out that I am no diplomat.”

“I will be frank with you, Major. We suspect that the Danterians will need more than just diplomats. And this is where you come in. You will pick out a company of volunteers from the Royal Guards and start training them for a counter-insurgency operation. Needless to say, this is highly hush-hush… Should you receive marching-orders, you will act as mercenaries, not as Royal Bertlingian soldiers. This will ensure a promotion for you, and maybe even a knighthood.”

Danteri Government:
(General Krieger)
The nation of Bertling has bravely come to our aid. As such, we feel it only fitting to rescind our prior statement against foreign intervention. As of now, any law-abiding nation that wishes to aid us in stamping out this vile, foul and evil revolution may do so now. In other news, our commerce raiders are now fully active. That fishing boat is only the beginning...

Danteri Rebels:
(The Danteri People's Commitee on Revolution)
The evil Imperialist nation of Bertling has dared to side with the government! Our loyal allies must now stand beside us as we fight the war for freedom and liberty in Danteri, the South Pacific and, yes, even the world! Our government has done the unthinkable too many times, has commited too many attrocities... and, as such, must not, cannot, be allowed to hold onto power any longer! Thanks to our gallant allies, hate to our vile enemies! The People of Danteri salute all those who fight for our freedom and spit upon all those who would deny us our rights!

Other News:
- The Danterian Government has now established an exchange of embassadors with the Kingdom of Bertling.
- Clarification of Earlier Matter: during Loyalist bombing missions against refugees in Southhaven, as stated earlier, two Loyalist bombers were shot down, however, approximately three hundred refugees were killed by their bombs during the raid.
- Danteri Navy Splits Into Raiding Groups:The Danteri Navy has split into Raiding Groups, apparently willing to surrender survivability in a sustained engagement against actual enemy naval units for more ability to attack enemy shipping. The eight destroyers of the Danteri Navy have each split into a group of two, one of which appears to be acting as escorts for the aircraft carrier, and the three Loyalist cruisers are now acting on their own initiative.
- Danteri Raids: A Danteri Navy cruiser attacked a Haraki registered yatch that had gone too far from the usual routes. Results of this attack are unclear at this time.

Danteri Rebels:
(Danteri People's Commitee on Revolution)

Following the capture and interigation of several Loyalist officers, as well as the debriefings of defecting officers, there can be no conclusion except that the massive attrocities commited against the civilian populace were ordered by the Danetri Government. As such, the Danteri rebels would request that all currently neutral nations agree to, at least, an arms-embargo against the Danteri Government. After all, at least fifty thousand civilians have been killed and at least a million displaced. This needs to stop! Thanks to any national governments that give this request any consideration. We shall punish these criminals!

[To: The International Community]
[From: Minister of External Affairs, Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard]
[Re: The Bertlingian embassy to the Confederacy of Danteri]

As instructed by His Royal Highness, King Harald II of Bertling, I hereby make it known that the sovereign Kingdom of Bertling will establish an embassy in the Confederacy of Danteri. Given the current unrest, and the unfortunate involvement of the So-called Democracy of Haraki in the situation, we will attach a security detail somewhat larger than the norm.

The mandate of this force will be to ensure the safety of Bertlingian personnel in Danteri, not to partake in the conflict. The force will consist of two companies of Royal Guards, and we ask that all parties involved observe their diplomatic status.

As a gesture of friendship between our two sovereign nations, the cruiser RBN Heimdall will accompany our diplomatic envoi. This ship will act as our embassy until the permanent office is ready.

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs

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Port Skogheim, Bertling
16:35 p.m.

The man shielded his cigarette with his hand while he lit it.

“Damn rain” the older man said. They peered towards the men loading the last container aboard the ship. It had taken most of the afternoon, and they had both been there since noon.

“This is the last one, that’s something, at least.”

“Where did you say they were going?”

“Danteri. Somewhere in the South Pacific, I believe”


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

The phone rang at Minister Stoeregaard’s office. He picked it up, listened for a while, then he hung up. He stood up and walked towards the window where he looked thoughtfully out on the wet city.

“The weapons are all aboard the ship. Inform the National Chancellor, and tell him that unless we’re extremely careful, we’ll be at war within a week.”

“Yes, sir.”

The secretary stood up and left the room.

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

Port Skogheim, Bertling
19:20 p.m.

The Grierfjord steams out of the harbor, flying the colors of the Rogue Nation of Bjoernar. It carries 100 surface-to-air-, and 100 surface-to-surface missiles, as well as 2000 landmines, several assault-rifles and ammunition.

The Worker's Report

For the past few weeks rebels in Danteri have been fighting for survival against the corrupt government. Terrible stories have come out of the fractured nation and order must be restored. Prime Minister Dantes addressed a join session of the Senate and House of Deputies in the General Assembly to address the problem. He laid out the plans for military and economic aide to the besieged rebels. The Coalition Party, the majority party has been pushing through proposals on the issue.

*news Update*

Both houses have given permission for the use of troops to enetr into Danteri to restore order, and oversee fair and balanced elections. And to bring war criminals to justice. Field Marshall Menshikov will be leading the military in this latest campaign. We hope that this crisis can be put under control soon and with as little blood spilt as possible.

It has been a major stance of the Coalition Party to support wars of Liberation against oppressive regimes and has seen much success across the globe.

General Assembly, Jonensberg, Kulikovo

Prime Minister Dantes, hero of the revolution stood at the potium.

"The events unfolding in Danteri mirror those that befell our nation some years ago. The facist regime that once held an iron clasp on our lives. We rose uo in defiance, we stormed the barricades, we threw off our chains! This is what they are doing now! Who are we do stand back and watch fellow proletariats be slaughtered? With determination and will power we pulled the wall of tyranny down, brick by brick. Our fingers were bloodied and raw, but we fought on. This all is happening again. We cannot let these revolutionaries fall into the abyss. We must grab their hands and pull them to safety. Comrades, thank you for allowing us to help our brothers-in-arms. For those who shed blood for freedom from oppression are our brothers!"

The Deputies and Senators rose and cheered prime Minister Dantes.

"Mr Prime Minister, the nation of Bertling has decided to assist the Danterian government. Officially with words, unofficially probably with arms, armour, maybe even troops." Jaime Wolfe was handed a short briefing on the situation as dictated by Bertling, and another on the Harakian human rights inspectors' findings. After reading through them, he grumbled a bit.

"I wish I could send an official message to Bertling to shove it up their ass," he muttered quietly, earning him a quizzical look from the aide that had brought him the papers. "From what I've seen, they've sent two companies fo troops and a cruiser to help the Danterian government, despite what they say about 'protecting Bertlingian citizens'."

"Also, Mr Prime Minister, there's another report here."

He read through it. "So the Danterian cruiser Eisenheart has struck again," He said quietly. The report detailed an attack on a civilian yacht which had entered the danger zone of international waters, thinking the Danterians would not attack a civilian vessel. Although urged to leave, they disregarded the recommendations, and even though two fighter planes were dispatched to protect it, the Eisenheart had discovered it and sunk it. Because the fighters knew the location, search and rescue teams were able to arrive, but only saved one of the yacht's three passengers.

The two fighter planes engaged with missiles, but were forced to break off after heavy anti-aircraft fire damaged on of their engines. They limped back to base, and a further raid by six fighter-bombers was ordered to sink the Eisenheart, now designated a veteran commerce raider. Damage from the original attack was as-yet unknown.

Going back to the inspectors' report, he noted that Locke had made the decision to send in the 72nd Infantry Division. Splitting it into five brigades (1500 soldiers each), and keeping one in reserve on the island, they had been sent out in the transports to secure major populated areas, especially urban areas on the coast. Their orders were not to engage any targets unless attacked first. As they told the rebels, they weren't interested in fighting their war for them, only protecting civilian lives. With air cover every hour of every day, the Harakian troops were well-covered from the air and protected from Danterian air strikes.

A convoy left Haraki bound for the island base and then the rebel ports, filled with food, medical and hygienic supplies, and generic humanitarian aid and aid workers for use in helping the displaced civilians. All was left under the watch of Harakian medical and humanitarian aid personnel, to ensure the supplies would be used primarily on civilians and not on rebel soldiers.

A message was also sent to the Danterian rebels that war criminals could be tried in harakian courts for crimes, but would be kept in Danterian prisons if found guilty. Haraki does not have the death penalty, meaning the most any one of them could receive is life imprisonment.





-The 72nd Infantry will go for the most populated civilian areas, setting up perimeters and not letting either side near them. They have constant air cover over both their landing zones/supply routes and the actual zones themselves. They will engage if they are attacked or if anyone tries to harm the civilians in their protected area, and they'll be good and efficient at it. Messages are sent out to the rebels and to the Danterian populace that they can come to the Harakian safe zones and be protected from both sides, and will not be persecuted by anyone for their beliefs or political views.
-Not many civilian Harakian vessels will be travelling anywhere near Danteri, but those that do will have constant air cover. Six fighter-bombers designed for anti-capital ship warfare were dispatched to destroy the Eisenheart, and will do their best at it.
-The convoy that left Haraki will arrive in not too long a time, and is well-protected by a fair quantity of cruisers, including a large, state-of-the-art missile cruiser. Once they are within air cover range of the island base, they will have permanent air cover over them until they reach the rebel-held ports.

Danteri Government:
(General Krieger)
My fellow citizens of this proud nation of Danteri! We have suffered, we have bled and we have fought. Earlier today, the heroic crew of the Danteri Navy vessel Eisenheart gave their lives in defense of this nation, destroyed by the foul Haraki. The entire crew perished in that black hour, yet Captain Frederik's last radio transmission is a heroic testemant to the courage and dedication of true, loyal, Danteri soldiers and sailors. Even as his vessel was smashed by Haraki missiles launched by an enemy force with air supperiority, even as his vessel fired at their bombers, inflicting unknown losses, he used his last moments to send to us a message of loyalty and support for the Danteri Government. We should all be honored that men such as Captain Frederik exist to fight and die for our safety.
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader.

Danteri Rebels:
Today, a murderous man died screaming. Captain Frederik, the "so noble" pirate who murdered ten civilians and sank two civilian vessels, died with the rest of his crew of murderors and pirates when the might of the Haraki air force, acting in defense of the freedoms and lives of all the free citizens of the world, struck his ship, the Eisenheart, with all the might of the mailed fist of some archaic warrior god. We all salute the pilots of the Haraki bombers, especially any injured or killed in the execution of their duties. Casualties and damage inflicted by the rouge vessel as it died are unknown. And, on the subject of Captain Frederik's oh-so-noble last message - his last radio transmission consisted of screams of agony and pleas for his mother to come and make the noises and pain go away. He died a coward, and lives on as a lie to give the hated Loyalists strength.

Other News:
- Haraki 72nd Infantry meets light resistance: Only about eighty men, local malitia mostly, opposed the initial landing of one Haraki brigade. The other landings occured unopposed, although all came under attack by snipers when they began to leave the beaches. Casualties are unknown, but what is known is that the Loyalist government appears to be conducting a systamatic series of attrocities against the civilian populace - reports indicate that members of the Danteri Army Special Operations unit are putting on Haraki army uniforms, then going into villages just ahead of the advance to kill and maim civilians, apparently in order to encourage civilian distrust of the Haraki.
- Civilian Casualties: Following the Haraki landings, approximately two thousand non-combatants were killed by retreating Danteri Army soldiers - many of the soldiers were wearing Haraki uniforms.
- Loyalist offensive: The Loyalists launched yet another offensive against the rebels in Southhaven earlier today - this offensive was apparently targeted to cause the maximum possible damage to refugee concentrations - Loyalist POWs confirm that they were ordered to do so by a direct order from General Krieger, the Supreme Leader of the Loyalists.
- War Criminal Hand-over: The Danteri rebels have handed over Colonel Jagger and ninety-three of his men to the Haraki government. All ninety-four prisoners were found to have been severely beaten and likely tortured during their time in rebel hands. All are accused of crimes against the civilian populace.
- Aid Hand-Outs: The supplies from Haraki have arrived, and been distributed amoungst the refugees. The Danteri rebels have not openly tried to appropriate any of the supplies, but several cargo containers of medical supplies have gone missing.
- Danteri Navy aircraft carrier: The Danteri Navy carrier, one Danteri's Pride, launched air raids against rebel and Haraki troop concentrations - over eighty craft of the Talon class, a fighter-bomber hybrid, took part in these raids. Damages to either side are unknown at this time.
- Rebels lose ground: Due to surprise attacks by highly trained elite infantry, the Danteri rebels have lost some ground in Easthaven. Apparently, the mercenaries struck at a rebel stronghold and destroyed it utterly, killing over six hundred rebel soldiers - mostly as they slept. Casualties to the mercenaries are unknown, as they withdrew without a trace before help could arrive, taking their bodies, if there were any, with them.

The man the rebel soldiers sneered at with contempt did not resemble the proud blonde Nord-Lunder who had gazed with disdain from the photograph they had seen. Rather, he resembled some sort of beaten dog, cowering from the guards every glance, wincing as they grinned. He wore a tattered uniform - the tan of the Danteri Army still visible, though barely, under layer after layer of dried blood, soot and caked on filth. His hair was almost black, so matted was it with the same. His proud, noble face had been bruised and battered past the point of recogniton - his nose had been broken, and part of his left ear was gone. The dirty wound there looked recent.
With a smile, the lieutenant of the guard detail gestured towards the Haraki detatchment.
"They'll take him from here, boys," he ordered the guards. With a blow by way of parting gesture, the rebels sent one of their most hated adversaries forward.
Yet, he did not look the part - who was this man, who had ordered the deaths of thousands of innocents, who had personally killed dozens? Where in his mouth full of broken and missing teeth was that sadistic grin, so well recorded as he himself delt out similar blows to the ones his guards now inflicted upon him? Where was that cruel smile, that terrifying visage that gave nightmares to children? Perhaps, like his power over his fellow men, it had vanished with his capture.
Stumbling forward, this one-time monster, this scare-crow of a man, entered Haraki custody, along with ninety-three of his former underlings, all in similar condition.

The Worker's Report

Land based and carrier based bombers and other aircraft began targeting Loyalist installations in Danteri several hours ago. Destoying many bases, SAM sites, fuel dumps, etc. Only two bombers were lost in the asault.
The 3rd People's Army began its offensive soon afterwards, meeting light resistance. The enemy has fallen back. Over 50,000 Kulikovian troops with 700 tanks may be too a formidable force to contend with. The army will be trying to connect with rebel held sector and cities.

OCC: Do we even share a border?!? Also, please try to remember that the nation recieving the casualties chooses how severe they were - the Danteri army isn't that much of a push-over...

Danteri Government:
(General Krieger)
This marks a new low in Danteri history! Vile foreign invaders from Haraki attack from the south and the east, while even fouler enemies, insane in their dedication to the mad ideal that is communism, attack from the north. They might send their fifty thousand, but we shall send our millions! We shall prevail, no matter the cost!

Danteri Rebels:
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
This hour, this day, marks a turning-point in Danteri history! Our gallant allies, the Haraki, have landed and massacred the Loyalist enemy, destroying them where ever they dared come out of their holes to fight! And now, our allies to the north invade, striking into the heartland of the oppressor, Nord-Lund province. We shall be victorious, in the name of freedom, liberty and justice! We shall prevail, the people will it to be so!

Notes:
- Further air raids: The land based Danteri Loyalist air force has counter attacked Kulikovo - one hundred Talon fighter-bombers and eighty Raptor heavy-bombers took part in these raids. Damage to Kolikovo's military is unknown.
- Nord-Lund Defense Mobilizes: Nord-Lund, most loyal of all of the five Danteri provinces, has mobilized it's local malitias. Approximatly seventy five thousand low-quality malitia soldiers with no tanks and only five light artillery pieces have now taken to the field in opposition to the northern invaders. More is soon to come, although, this is enough to slow the Kulikovo advance - they now have to crush light opposition, rather than just pass through the countryside.
- Danteri Navy cruiser Lord of Battle has attacked a freighter under the flag of Kulikovo. Damage is unknown.
- Danteri Government Security up to no good: Once again, hundreds of civilians with ties or suspected ties to rebel groups have been arrested and shot by the DGS.
- Lastly: General Krieger has publicly sworn to stop the advance of the Kuliovo military machine short of Freiburg, the first major city south of the contested region. Already, preperations are being made to halt the enemy advance.

Port Skogheim, Bertling
08:00 a.m.

The five members of the King’s Counsel sat in the State Chamber, waiting for King Harald to arrive. There was nervousness in the room. The emergency meeting had been called by Minister Stoeregaard. Chancellor von Birchenhoff looked stone-faced and glum.

The twin doors to the Royal Chambers opened, and a Seneschal announced the monarch.

After the formal opening, the King turned to Stoeregaard and demanded a report on the situation. After a thorough explanation of the “Danterian Situation”, the other Ministers came with their reports. The most unsuspected about the meeting was that Maximillian Manus, the Minister of Internal Affairs were the strongest advocate for siding openly with Danteri in the conflict. One could not simply, as he put it “sit idly by while communist regimes and bandit nations pulled real governments into bedlam!” He further argued that “unless we make a bloody stand against these criminals now, we might find them in our own streets soon.”

Stoeregaard looked like he was going to fall asleep, before he stood up and cleared his throat.

“Your Majesty, Chancellor, ministers. It is clear that after the involvement of the Kulikovians this situation has gotten out of hands. Should we let these godless bastards drag us into an open war, we will be bogged down in a war we cannot hope to win. If the Lawful Government of Danteri does not manage to rally more support among the global community, they are --let’s face it-- doomed. Let us remember that the Pacific is a long way from here, and that it is simply not practical, let alone necessary, for us to get dragged into some far away war.”

“Let caution be the path of valor we choose. We can still call out to the Nations and try to rouse them from their torpor. Surely, now that the Harakians have shown their true face as yet another Socialist behemoth, covering the charge of the Kolikovan Hordes, now the world must see!”

He slammed his fist in the oaken table.

“And if they don’t, well… I recommend canceling all shore-leave for our Navy, and increasing the National Security Level to 3…”

After this, a short discussion ensued, before the King called for a vote. The motion was carried, and endorsed by the King.

------------------------
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[To: The International Community]
[From: The Kingdom of Bertling]
[Re: The Communist Imperialistic Threat]

We, the Kingdom of Bertling, call upon all free nations to make a stand against the onslaught of the Socialist imperialism. We witness this now in Danteri, but next time it may be on your doorstep. Do not let yourself believe that the blood-thirst of the Communists will be quenched by this. Each time a free nation falls, it grows stronger.

Danteri is without hope unless more rally to its defense. We have done what we can, can you say the same? To quote Edmund Burke: All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.

As mandated by His Royal Highness, King Harald II,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs

"... so as I see it, the war already looks to be in its closing stages. The Loyalists don't have a chance, unless they get an ally of equal power with the Haraki, and our dear Admiral thinks that Bertling isn't that. Their recent press release on the subject looks like hot air," the Prime Minister said while he poured another drink.

"You're seriously suggesting sending military aid to them?" said the Duke as he stared incredulously across the table at his Prime Minister. "Ignoring the expenditures, it'd be redundant and nominal. If these rebels are as well-assisted as you're saying..."

"I don't mean to rig up every long range helicopter we have and run over to pick off the stragglers, and pin medals on some pilots for it. Their country is relatively close by, and we have more to gain economically from this than we have to lose."

"I'm not seeing how-"

"Since the... change in administration, the markets for our goods have vanished. This could allow us to get on their good side, maybe build an embassy, and have a fresh and needy market," the Prime Minister swirled his drink in its cup, tapping the table rapidly with his other hand. "We don't need to send the military, either. Like you said, it's redundant and meaningless. What we send is medical aid. It's one of the few industries that's still standing strong here. We just make sure our docs stay away from the hot areas, concentrate on helping civilians, and things should be fine."

The Duke stared at his advisor silently for a few ticks of the clock, then nodded. "Just hope they accept it. They're revolutionaries, and look to be pretty keen on political liberties. Make sure you have Gattrich spin this so none of their ideology causes problems here."

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{Cauthaqua, Grand Duchy of Gwazzaria}

The Office of the Minister of Foreign Expedition has wired a request to the Danteri Rebels, asking permission to fly over three cargo helicopters containing medical supplies and the newly formed 1st Expeditionary Medical Company. They should arrive within seven hours of an affirmative reply.

Major-General Gregory Neil turned over the body of the man in front of him with his foot. The area had been secured by the 1st Brigade which he had landed with, estimating about two platoons of local militias resisting: Under a hundred men, badly armed and poorly trained. There had been eight Harakian wounded, only two badly enough to be withdrawn from combat. The local militias seemed to be little challenge for the well-armed and protected Harakian military.

The thing that bothered him was not the stiffer resistance posed by a single squad of better-trained and outfitted soldiers they had encountered in the small village they were passing through to reach their coastal city destination, but rather the fact that the men had been dressed in Harakian army uniforms. Although they did not specify a unit or division, had no citation, and no sewn-on Harakian flag, they were unmistakeably the same. Many people in the village were dead, apparently from the weaponry of the fake Harakian soldiers, and the rest were in hiding.

It was only after the Harakian soldiers had found the rest of the villagers and explained to them the situation that they managed to talk them down. They explained to them that they wee headed for the city, that they would be securing it and marking it as one of five Harakian-protected safe zones, and that all civilians were urged to come inside the safe zones to be protected from both sides in the civil war. Neil couldn't tell whether they paid attention to him or not, and he moved on. The city was a few scant kilometres up the road, and was traversed without incident.

The city secured by the 4th Brigade was the most fated of them. They were not only the ones who accepted the rebels' prisoners, but also the ones bombed by the Danteri's Pride's plane contingent. Luckily, two flights of Harakian fighters were providing air support overhead at the time, and they managed to call for support from the other air cover over the other brigaes, bringing in sixty fighter planes in all to combat the Danteri's Pride bombardment.

The SHAF aid workers were too busy trying to help the displaced civilians to worry about several crates about medical equipment being misplaced, although they warned the rebel leaders that should they 'appropriate' any more supplies, they would be forced to take some sort of action.

And on the naval front, Haraki's commander in the area, one Commodore Felias Locke, announced on live television broadcast and a message sent to all Danterian forces, the following: "As yet Haraki is not directly involved in this war. We have dispatched troops to secure civilian areas and establish Haraki-controlled safe zones for the civilians to reside in during this conflict, but we are not interested in fighting a war. However, with the air and naval forces in the area, we will attack and destroy any forces that attack either Harakian or civilian shipping or ground presences. If either side attacks Harakian ground forces, for whatever reason, they will be attacked in return. The same goes for civilian targets within haraki's safe zones, and any and all Haraki and civilian aircraft and ships. In keeping with this promise, I have authorized attacks which are already under way on various shipping raiders and aircraft emplacements which have been doing such things."

The strikes he spoke of were already under way. Haraki's two missile cruisers in the area, the HNS Aurora and Great White, had been dispatched with a significant mission: To sink the Danteri's Pride. Using state-of-the-art Harakian missiles fired from Vertical Launch systems, each launched four Trebuchet missiles. These missiles used their powerful engines to rocket their way high into the atmosphere, far above anti-missile defence systems, then adjusted their course to traverse to the target that high up before shifting into a dive, reaching speeds in excess of Mach Two on their way down to strike the Danteri's Pride. The two missile cruisers fired them from six hundred kilometres away, and they traversed their entire course in slightly under forty minutes.

At the same time, as the flight of fighters sent to destroy the Eisenheart returned, only five of the six made it back. Although their missile attack had been successful, one of them had been raked across the cockpit by successful CIWS fire, and another had suffered serious damage to the undercarriage. Their mission was a success, though. As they prepared for landing, a further fligth of six identical planes, the rest of their flight, took to the skies on a long mission to destroy the Lord of Battle, another Danterian commerce raider.

Somewhere in Danteri
1900 Zulu

Three men in paramilitary outfits were crouched over a map in a copse of trees about seven kilometers outside a Haraki-controlled city. Two of them wore arm-bands with the symbol of the Rebels.

Major Sorenson had just received a transmission from one of the Loyalist agents in the area. He had a concerned look on his face. The other two soldiers waited for his orders.

“Ok. You will take your men to this point…” He pointed to a location on the map. “…here you will link up with Our Man. From there, he will take you inside the city.”

Both men focused on the briefing, knowing that should they miss any details they would be on their own.

“The SHAF office is situated here, and intelligence indicates a low level of security. There should be at least two doctors in the building. Your objectives are as follows: Priority one, kidnap the doctors, should this fail, take them out. Priority two, secure as much of their medical supplies as possible. Priority three, get your butts out of the city. Do you understand?”

“Understood” Both men nodded.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Gentlemen. We have fought, we have suffered, and we have bled. We are Danteri, loyal to the government of Danteri, standing ready to deny any enemy, foreign or domestic, who dares to threaten our safety and soveregnty. We shall prevail, no matter the cost! Now is no time for morals - as such, I have no choice but to announce that any and all foreigners, even aid workers and civilians, will be fair game for our military. If you will not leave peacefully, you will leave when your broken bodies are carried out!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
We have fought the imperialists with strength of arm and will, we have fought the enemy as their guns cut down ourcomrades, we have fought the enemy as they murdered our families and children. We have fought the enemy with rocks and fists when ammuniton ran out... but, no more. Now, we have guns, now we have tanks and planes and bombs. Now, it is the time of the oppressor to know fear. We shall prevail, in the name of freedom! Many thanks, of course, to our gallant allies.

Other News:
- Rebel Mistreatment of POWs: Considering the treatment of POWs by rebels that has been observed so far, one has to wonder - if they let their foreign allies see prisoners being treated so poorly, how are they treating the ones they're keeping hiden from view?
- Danteri Loyalists Retreat: The Danteri Loyalist units that opposed the Haraki advances towards the population centers have fallen back in disarray - they lack the heavy weaponry to oppose the Haraki advance.
- Nord-Lund: In Nord-Lund, the surviving Loyalist soldiers have dug in along the southern bank of the Naem River - they are now holding the enemy advance only a few dozen miles north of Freiburg. The Loyalists have not sent any real reinforcements to them, but they are reinforcing Freiburg with everything they can find. Out of the seventy five thousand men who mobilized to oppose the advance of the Kulikovo militaries advance, onlyabout eight thousand are still living.
- Danteri Casualties from air offensive: Out of the eighty Talon class fighter-bombers deployed against the Haraki, only five survived to return to the Danteri's Pride, prompting jokes about shoddy Danteri workmanship - these craft, like almost every other machine in service to the Danteri military, are visibly second rate, especialy compared to the modern Haraki fighters they engaged. In the north, they did better - out of one hundred Talons and eighty Raptors deployed, sixty Talons and twelve Raptors returned to base after inflicting sufficient damage on the enemy to allow Army Group Naem to hold - for now.
- The carrier Danteri's Pride survived the Haraki counter attack, despite suffering several hits - it has been severly damaged, and will require at least one day to make repairs before it can engage again. One of its destroyer escorts was destroyed, though - that brings the Loyalist Navy down to only six destroyers, two cruisers and the carrier.
- A Danteri Navy Destroyer, identified as the Lord of Battle, has attacked a freighter under the Gwazzarian flag - this attack is worthy of serious note as the Lord of Battle has now twice struck at civilian vessels, and also in that this attack occured far from Danteri's shores - so far, in fact that it is certain that the Lord of Battle was recieving fuel from some third-party nation.
- Danteri Loyalist Attrocities: The Danteri Loyalists have continued a policy of massacring the civilian populace in territories they have been forced to surrender. However, this time there is a new wrinkle to it - they allowed themselves to be recorded commiting the attrocities by a third-party-nation's news correspondants... while wearing Haraki uniforms. This appears to have been intended as a rather clumsy ploy to turn international opinion against Haraki.
- Further Loyalist Actions: Loyalist troops, aparently acting under orders, attacked refugee camps in Southhaven, in what appears to be an organized pattern meant to drive the refugees further south - hampering the movement of rebel troops from the rebel-held south to the fighting in the north.
- Danteri Government Security: The Danteri Government Security agency has apparently seized all the citizens of Haraki, St. Happenin, Gwazzaria and Kulikovo who were in the Loyalist-held portions of Danteri at this time. While it is unclear how many were taken, they have all been moved to the capital, where they are being held on a Danteri Army base, guarded by two full companies of Danteri Army soldiers.
- Refugee Capmps: The situation in the refugee camps is deteriorating, in spite of the efforts of Haraki and other nations. Disease is becoming common, although the threat of starvation appears to have decreased - while a few children might starve, and the rest become malnurished, they will likely mostly recieve enough food to survive on. Around one hundred people, mostly children and old people, have died today from various diseases.
- Total Civilian Death Toll: To date, the Loyalists have killed almost eight thousand civilians and displaced around 1.2 million. The rebels have killed around ten thousand non-combatants, and while they have not actively tried to displace civilians, they have engaged Loyalist forces, causing civilians in the area to flee.
- Lastly: In Nord-Lund, full mobilization has occured, so opposition to the invaders is likely to get heavier. Every male citizen over the age of twelve has been issued at least a rifle of some sort and thirty rounds of ammunition. Just how effective this effort will be at resisting the advance of the Kulikovo military remains to be seen.

Other News:
- The Danteri Navy vessel Lord of Battle has so far elluded the Haraki bombers sent to find it - however, as it has struck again, they are likely to have an easier time finding it later on.
- The Danteri Rebels have officialy denied that any medical supplies have been appropriated - however, several more crates of medical supplies have disappeared - at this point, about one tenth of one percent of all the medical supplies intended for the refugees have disappeared.
- Danteri Air Force: The land based Loyalist Danteri air force has been destroyed as a coherently effective tool of war. Following massive loses against Kulikovo and Haraki military units, the Haraki strikes against the squadrons that had been bombing the refugee camps in Southhaven have finished them. The only major threat from the air is, at this point, the aircraft carrier, and it has suffered so much damage as to be all but useless - at least, for twenty four hours. Further attacks against it would likely be able to destroy it, but it appears to have fled into Danteri's island chain, where it can hide as well as an aircraft carrier can ever hide.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
In order to more accurately reflect the current situation, our new motto is:"War Crimes? What War Crimes?" This change takes please immediatly, although everyone should remember: The Supreme Leader is still watching.
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
Uh-huh... you mean what by that, exactly?

The Worker's Report

Greetings comrades, Today the military passed on information about a new offensive against loyalist Danteris in the Pacific. Several days ago the 4th fleet under Admiral Tybalt entered the Pacific and headed towards Danteri. Though, bertling also has naval forces in the area and tensions are high. Hopefully there will be no confronation. Kulikovian casualties so far are said to be around 1,500 and several dozen aircraft and several ships destroyed.

"We never expected them to so flamboyantly ignore the rules of war quite like this. Atrocities towards the rebels, yes, but we didn't think they were quite desperate enough to incite other nations."

"They're a mad badger backed into a corner. We should have expected it. Foreign nationals, including our citizens, are now wholly at their mercy?"

"Former citizens, Duke. Many of the Old Guard went to Danteri for refuge. A mistake now, obviously. They don't seem to have gained a good reputation while they were over there. Their cause isn't that sympathetic to Danteri ideology. But, as you know..."

"Some of our intelligence agents were among them."

"Precisely. Now, both they and our Expeditionary Company are in danger. The Admiral is advising against any kind of outright military action. However, we don't doubt that there won't be many P.O.W.s left to bargain for if they're captured."

"No one in this conflict seems to be keen on using prisoners as bargaining chips. Right, we'll deal with problems as they come. I'll tell the Admiral to have Black Ops on call."

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

{Cauthaqua - 12:12 P.M.}

The Duke has issued a broad condemnation of war crimes, while touting Gwazzaria's dedication to humanitarianism in the form of its Expeditionary Medical Company. Plans for providing aid in reconstruction after the rebellion's imminent victory have been stated.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
We have done what needed to be done. If the various invaders do not pull out of the sacred Danteri homeland, we will begin executing the civilians we have taken prisoner at a rate of one per hour. This will begin in two days... until then, they are safe. Our raiding fleets have suffered, yes, but I would also like to point out that we have attacked two freighters in the last two days - one under the flag of the hated communist Imperialists of Kulikovo, the other under the flag of the trecherous nation of Gwazzaria. While loses to their crews are still unknown, this represents our definite decision to do what needs to be done. More attacks will follow if withdrawl does not begin within two days.

Danteri Rebels:
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
The Loyalist government has done the unthinkable - they have seized and plan to execute civilians from the countries that have sided with us, the freedom loving people of Danteri! This is a terrible day, a day that needs to be avenged! As such, a new offensive has been ordered, pushing up from the south towards the capital, where the hostages are being kept. We will prevail over these monsters, no matter the cost!!!

Other News:
- Rebel Offensive: The rebels have launched a major offensive out of Southhaven. They are making slow progress, as the roads are choked with refugees fleeing the Loyalist government. The Loyalists decision to attack refugee camps appears to be paying off.
- Loyalists Trash Cities: Apparently fleeing just before the Haraki advance, the Loyalist military has "trashed" the five cities the Haraki have secured. Power plants were bombed, sewer systems collapsed and vandalised, water treatment plants rendered inoperable, and several hundred civilians killed. Most of the civilians killed were either suspected of ties to the rebels or worked in jobs essential to the smooth running of the city. The most targeted job group were doctors, as the Loyalists appear intent on causing a humanitarian crisis to tie down Haraki resources.
- Rebels Advance: The balance in Easthaven is tilting further to the side of the rebels, as the Loyalists fleeing the Haraki apparently keep on fleeing, rather than risk coming into contact with the Haraki.
- Lastly: Danteri Government Security has taken time out of its busy schedual of taking aid workers and foreign visitors hostage to arrest and shoot dozens of suspected rebel sympathizers in the capital.

General Neil read the reports of Harakian and other foreign nations' civilians being rounded up and sent into guarded camps near the Danterian capital, reports of war crimes, mass executions, torture, displacement, impersonation .. The list simply went on and on. But his actions were restricted in a number of ways. He was allowed to engage enemy forces only if they either a) Attacked his forces in any way, shape or form, b) Attacked civilians within his designated safe zones, or c) Attacked Harakian or civilian ships. He had managed to pull off strikes against the ships that had been attacking civilian shipping, sinking one cruiser and hunting down another detsroyer. He had destroyed the Danterian air force, giving the rebels air superiority with their limited resources and the flight of Harakian fighters they had been sent. The Danteri's Pride had been removed from the situation for the time being, and he had perimeters set up around all the safe zones. Civilians inside seemed happy to see them, and those from the surrounding countryside flocked to the areas inside. It even seemed as if soldiers from both sides were throwing down their weapons and entering the safe zones, in an effort to get away from the fighting.

Of course, they were not without their share of problems. As part of the Harakian rules, neither side in the conflict was allowed to enter the safe zones, to prevent any loss of civilian life or persecution in any form. Mostly Loyalist forces had attempted to break into the camps, and there had been a number of IED detonations inside the areas, mostly with very limited casualties. And, of course, possibly the most severe problem of all: The Danterian Loyalists had destroyed the infrastructure of the Harakian safe zones before they arrived, and then retreated rather than risk combat. He made a mental memo to request reconstruction crews and supplies for the civilians in his next report.

In his mind, the Danterian Navy had been utterly destroyed as an efficient method to wage war with. The very small Harakian task force in the area, composed of little over a dozen ships, none bigger than a heavy cruiser, was larger than it, and the few flights of planes deployed to the area - Approximately equal to those flying off one Harakian carrier - outnumbered those remaining on the damaged Danteri's Pride. He did not need reinforcements, but he still had a problem: Harakian expatriates were being rounded up and placed in internment camps in Danteri's capitol city, most likely, given past responses, for a massed execution.

He still had a brigade in reserve, which he could bring in to attack the capital city directly. With air and helicopter support, APCs and military jeeps, they would most likely have been capable of reaching the city in time and rescuing at least a significant portion of the civilians, especially as they were only defended by two companies of Loyalist troops. However, there was one barrier standing in his way: Bureaucracy. In order to undertake such a mission as part of this operation, he would have to report back to high command in Haraki and request permission to undertake the operation. To simply go through with it would be a breach in the designated rules of engagement for the operation, and jeopardize his entire career.

With the Danterian government's declaration that they would begin executing one per hour starting in two days, they began to sound more like terrosists with hostages than a legal government with detained civilians. That gave him about six hours to get permission, six more hours to prepare for the operation, and then one day to get to the capitol with his forces. Nowhere near enough time. He would have to use a combination of airborne units to initially secure the camps followed by airmobile units following them up to reinforce the paratroopers. Coming in last would be the gorund forces, who would take with them large quantities of ground vehicles to transport the civilians back to Haraki-controlled areas.

Sighing, he sat down and began to write the report. It was going to be a long night.







OOC: Bertling, it's fine to try something like that, but be warned that there are a lot of Harakian soldiers in each of the cities. They check every vehicle and group of people entering or exiting the safe zones, and regular patrols sweep not only the areas themselves but also the perimeter, making it very hard to sneak in or out. Especially for high-profile foreign humanitarian workers, it's going to be hard to kidnap them and get them out of the city, especially with only two people. Just a heads up.

The convened Ministerial Council sat in silence around the table of the former lounge suite in the Cloudspine. The Duke set down the papers carefully, and looked over to the Prime Minister, who had been staring at the table surface.

"The civillians... we don't need to act on, beyond the normal outrage. Haraki and the like will carry a lot more weight in the international community. The attacks on foreign aid workers definitely threatens the Expeditionary Company, and..." The Prime Minister's voice had been calm until now.
"They attacked the damn Ettenbach! Half the crew is dead, and a fourth are wounded!" He slammed his fist into the table. "This is a direct act of war, and..." he heaved a sigh, clenching and unclenching his fist. "While I wish we could retaliate, the simple fact of the matter is that our military isn't made for this sort of operation. Stepping up defense of our shipping lines is the best option. Gattrich will whip up some nationalism, and we'll just hope that "

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

{Cauthaqua - 11:50 A.M.}

"The Danteri war criminals have made an unprovoked attack on one of our freighters, costing many Gwazzarian lives. The attacks against purely humanitarian operations by these fascist militants, and their repeated atrocities, have shown the world that they must be opposed and punished, regardless of ideology, as the murderers they are."

The Gwazzarian 1st Expeditionary Medical Company has been moving its base of operations backwards, further into areas secured totally by the rebels, for the stated purpose of assissting the civillian population.

Danteri Government:
(General Krieger)
It has long been said that desperate times call for desperate measures. These times are desperate. We have done all that we can - we have fought the invaders, we have fought the rebels, and we have fought well. We have allies abroad - Bertling chief amoungst them, and we eagerly seek any other nations that wish to preserve order against the tide of chaos. These rebels, they speak of liberty and justice, but what do they know of blood and toil? What they want is power - pure and simple!!! They refuse to see reason - they rebeled when we executed convicted criminals and terrorists! We cannot allow this mockery to continue... and yet, we are pressed to the wall. Thusly, we must beg all who would side with order over chaos, all who value the rule of law over the luxury that is freedom, to side with us. We shall prevail... but, if we are to do so, we need your help.
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
We are winning this war. There is no way to put it differently. We are winning this war. The corrupt government has proven its weakness - they cannot keep their planes from falling out of the sky, they cannot keep those planes that they chose a firm owned by the nephew of the former supreme leader to design from falling out of the sky. They are weak, and hide behind hostages, threatening executions and atrocities. They are weak, but cruel and evil... we shall win, we shall trample these tyrants down into the mud, and we shall teach them the meaning of fear! This we promise - we shall not rest until all tyranny is overcome!!! LIBERTY!!! (This is followed by approximately twelve minutes of incoherent ranting.)

Other News:
- Loyalist Offensive: The Loyalists have launched a seemingly suicidal attack against one of the Haraki "safe zones" - this attack consists mostly of poorly trained and poorly equiped malitia units sent in to die. Approximately seven thousand poorly trained and equiped soldiers have attacked, supported by approximately one hundred well-trained Danteri Army Special Operations soldiers, along with twelve tanks and eighteen pieces of field artillery. This attack appears to be motivated by a desire to increase pressure on Haraki assets, to prevent them from considering further military operations.
- Rebel Offensive Continues: The rebels have continued their slow proggress out of Southhaven, slowed by the constant flow of refugees from the north. The rebel forces making the attack consist of around four thousand men, most of whom have recieved at least rudimentary training. These men are riding in a combination of APCs and converted trucks. This rag-tag army is opposed, however, by only one thousand conscripts in the area of its immediate objectives, and so will likely triumph - if they can reach the target town before Loyalist reinforcements do.
- Nord-Lund: In the north, the renewed offensive by Kulikovo has forced the Danteri Loyalists back towards Freiburg... although, thanks to the Loyalists throwing forty five thousand new conscripts and the entire remainder of its land based air force into a counter-attack, the enemy was stoped short of Freiburg, with unknown casualties, although out of the eight thousand veterans of Army Group Naem, only two hundred survived the fighting in the farm land, and out of the forty five thousand fresh recruits, only about two thousand survived, although some three thousand surrendered. (OOC: To Kulikovo: how are you treating your POWs?) It has been confirmed at this point, that the land based Danteri air force consists of, after that engagement, three Talon fighter-bombers and one Raptor class heavy-bomber.
- Further Loyalist attrocities: The Loyalists have indescriminatly mined routes from Southhaven to the capital - what makes these actions even more appaling is that these routes are being primarily used by refugees - dozens have already been killed or maimed by these land mines. Also, it has been confirmed that the Danteri Loyalist government is rounding up and shooting every single individual they can find who has ever been a member of a socialist or communist group. Around nine thousand people have been killed in these latest Loyalist purges.
- Total Death Toll: At this point, an estimated one hundred thousand civilians have been killed by the Loyalists, twelve thousand non-combatants have been killed by the rebels, and the fighting has, at this point, displaced almost one and one-half million people.
- Rebels Take Action: Five rebel soldiers were summararily executed for stealing medical supplies meant for the refugees. Following these executions, the rebel leadership stressed that they had not ordered the thefts, and that it was the work of an isolated group. That seems laughable when one considers how many crates of medical supplies have "gone missing" - likely, the men who were shot were low level members of what seems likely to be a major opperation.
- Major Battle: Loyalist forces numbering about one thousand who were holding a town in Easthaven were attack by around fifteen hundred rebels. Following a ferocious battle during which the town was leveled and almost it's entire populace of two thousand killed, the Loyalist survivors surrendered, only to be executed almost as soon as they had thrown down their weapons.
- Lastly: The Danteri Government Security HQ buildng in the capital was bombed. The building itself suffered minor damage, but about thirty security men perished.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Gentlemen. My fellow world leaders, we have reached a crisis point. The Loyalist Danteri have done all they can, but in the face of so very much fire power, all the courage and honor and desperate cruelties in the world stand only a very little chance. As such, I would like to take this oppertunity to plea for furth aid to this, the lawful government of the Confederacy of Danteri. We shall fight until the end, but we need your help if we are to win.
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
To our fellow citizens of the free world - rejoice! The tyrant is dieing, the land it is all but free! We are winning this war, thanks to our gallant allies against the monstrous regime that is the Loyalist Danteri government. We shall prevail!!! We shall be victorious!!!

Other News:
- The Loyalist Danteri Navy: At this point, there are only five destroyers, one cruiser and the severly damaged aircraft carrier Danteri's Pride still at large. The destroyer Lord of Battle has struck again, this time targeting a fishing boat under the flag of Kulikovo. Damage is unknown at this time, but this matter is becoming increasingly serious - this is the third civilian vessel targeted by the Lord of Battle, and the fifth overall. The other Loyalist ships appear to be lying low and waiting either waiting for a good oppertunity to strike or simply trying to survive.
- Danteri Rebel Offensive: The Danteri rebels have finally reached the targets for their latest offensives - largely because their officers finally ordered them to machine-gun any refugees who did not "quickly" give way to the advancing rebel army. Around eight hundred civilian refugees were killed, but the rebels took their target.
- Loyalist Offensive: The idioticaly planned and executed offensive against the Haraki safe zones has failed - largely due to the fact that most of the conscripts surrendered to the first Haraki soldier who gave them the chance. The only Loyalists who gave a good account of themselves were the hundred men from the Danteri Army Special Operations branch... but, they withdrew when it became obvious that victory was impossible. All Loyalist tanks and artillery were captured or destroyed, along with most of the rebels other equipment. Whatever paltry casualties they managed to inflict on the Haraki remain unknown at this time.
- Lastly: the bombing of the Danteri Government Security building apparently toutched off riots in the capital - they were barely put down, with heavy loses to the civilian population. Interestingly enough, one of the two companies of soldiers guarding the civilian prisoners has been called away to help put down the riots - they will, however, likely be returned within twenty-four hours.

OOC: Shit, forgot all about this.

Melanie Change looked over the number figures of the latest budget. Blackfire Personal Security Operations, the current leading PMF in Imitora, had the luck of funding. While most were struggling to keep buisness afloat, Blackfire could afford the times of peace and quiet. However, in some small nation known as Danteri, it was not all peace and quiet. It was war and noise. And Change, the Head of Operations Outside Imitora, was looking over the new budget to see exactly what she could send.

It wasn't Danteri that had contracted her, but the Imitoran government. President Gibbson had requested ICIA status updates, but as usuall, the beurocratic morras that was the rebuilding ICIA took days on end just to say "it could be bad." The INSA was to busy conducting its own private wars to care, so, Gibbson, in stylish flair as always, cut ICIA funding and handed it over to Blackfire. Change had already assembled a team. That was not the problem. The problem came from deciding if they should send the team in one of the new C-130I Block Three Transports, or use one of the older Block Twos. That, and if transportational security should be handled by the IAF, or the INAF.

While she was busy deciding, her husband Bruce Change, Head of Communications and Customer Relations, International Office, was busy trying to figure out how exactly to word the letter to the Danteri government. It came out something along the lines of this:

General Krieger,

Recently, a contract has been delivered to Blackfire Personel Security Operations, a private and government funded Private Military Force, by the Imitoran Government, to aide you in your current struggle, and asses the situation in your nation before securing the launch of troops and other military forces in your defense. While the planned government force is, at this time, uncertain, we can assure you that Blackfire forces can arrive both promptly and with force. We would like to send a small force of around 15,000 to 20,000 (that is, fifteen thousand to twenty thousand) operatives to secure any positions needed, as well as offer support until our final assesment can secure Imitoran Military Command Assistance.

General, I can assure you that our forces are not simply weekend warriors, but trained and deadly men and women of a true nature. Most, if not all, have served with us for at least ten years, many of them having operated in one of the world's many special forces units, including the US's Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta and Marine Force Recon, Germany's GSG-9, Larkinia's Army Special Forces, and Imitora's own 22nd Special Operations Task Force, Naval Special Weapons and Combat Operations, and Marine Tactical Recon, Action, and Counter Terrorism. These operatives have all seen combat, and are all well trained and armed.

Further, we have found in our budget the room to locate to this specific area of operations one armor devision. This includes thrity five M2AI Vipers. While this is all we can assure you at the current time, we are sure that with a positve assesment report, the full force of the Imitoran Military can be brought upon these rebels and upstarts. We look forward to hearing from you, and hope that you find Blackfire suitable for assistance in your time of need. Thank you for choosing Blackfire Personal Security Operations, Imitora's leader in privately funded military operations.

With respect,
Bruce Change
Head of Communications and Customer Relations, International Office

lOf22-D


With that, all that could be done was wait.

General Ivan Yakhovsky whistled as he walked down the plain white narrow corridors of the goverment building, he approached a man sitting at a small table on which was an old type writer and a phone from the forties. The man sitting at the desk could have been from the forties by the look of him, Ivan thought to himself.
" Ah General, the president is waiting for you." The man stood and walked over to a giant door opened it and motioned the general to enter.
The room was dimly light and smoky, the president sat at his large and elaborate oak desk puffing on a large cigar. The president was a large man, and the cigars were not helping his health.
" Ivan, it's been a while." Said the president rising to embrace the general.
" Yes it has Mr. president" replied Ivan.
" Don't call me that Ivan, only the inferiors have to call me that."
" Okay then Boris, what is it you wanted me for?"
" Straight to business as usual, anyway have you heard about the Danteri situation?" The president passed the general a portfolio. Ivan skimmed through the portfolio.
" Yes, but all respect sir, what does this have to do with us?"
" I want you to send some men over there, flex a bit of military muscle."
" I understand sir, does the Danteri government know of our plans"
" Send them a message, but judging their current situation they will need the help, just mobilize the 12th infantry for transportation and have admiral Vlasov organise a carrier group."
" Understood sir, I will be on my way"

[To: Danteri Government]
[From: General Yakhovsky Commander of Oompli Republican Armed Forces]
[Subject: Military Aid]
Upon orders from the President of the Armed Republic of Oompli I have been requested to inquire whether or not you require military aid. If you accept our offer of aid we have mobilized our 12th Infantry Division and organized a carrier group. Our forces are ready to move out, all we need is your approval.

Carrier Group 'Assault'
1 Orel Ul'yanovsk class carrier
1 Ontario class battleship
5 Overlord class air defence frigates
6 Sovremenny class destroyers
4 Amur 1850 class submarines
4 Kirov class cruisers
25 Mi-28 Havoc helicopters
17 Ka-27 helicopters
40 Mig-31 Foxhounds
5 EA-6B Prowlers
35 Yak-38 Forgers

We look forward to a speedy response.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
To the Imitorians, we welcome your mercenaries. To the Armed Republic of Oompli, we welcome any military assisstance you might send. We are pressed to the wall, gentlemen, and are glad for any assisstance you might wish to offer. We need your help, gentlemen... we need any help we can get.
This Message Approved By The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
We are prepared to do what needs to be done to achieve a speedy victory - we will fight with whatever tactics are necessary to assure our victory! So what if the fascist foreigners have decided to move to our tyrants aid? We are free men, and as such cannot be defeated! Victory shall be ours in the end, no matter the cost! We shall prevail!

Other News:
- Loyalist Commerce Raiders: The Freiburg, a Loyalist destroyer, has been spotted far from Danteri shores - it attacked a fishing fleet under the Gwazzarian flag, but was forced to break off when the Haraki bombers hunting commerce raiders began to approach. Damage and casualties to the fishing vessels are unknown, but the Freiburg was trapped by the Haraki and sunk - whether or not it managed to shoot down or damage any Haraki bombers remains to be seen. The Lord of Battle has laid low, as has the Danteri's Pride. the other Loyalist vessels have also continued to lay low.
- Loyalist Raids: Approximately one company of Danteri Army Special Operations soldiers took part in a series of raids against Haraki and civilian targets in the Haraki safe zones. Whatever damage they inflicted is unknown at this time.
- Rebels Pushed Back: The Danteri Rebels met unexpectedly heavy resistance today in Easthaven, and were forced to retreat with heavy cassualties. The source of their opposition seems to have come from the same elite forces that struck rebel assets in Easthaven earlier in the war.
- Refugee Camps: The situation in the camps is improving as relief supplies begin to arrive in sufficient quantities to make a difference. The rebels have been able to secure the camps against Loyalist attacks... so far.
- Nord-Lund: The Loyalist Army Group Naem recieved its first armor today - around eighteen light and medium tanks. In addition, the Freiburg Defensive Line has been reinforced by every available Loyalist asset - the war in Nord-Lund looks like it will be getting bloody soon, as the Kulikovo military machine continues to press hard against the Loyalist defenders.
- Danteri's Pride Repaired: The Danteri's Pride has been fully repaired, and is ready to launch the few craft it still carries - should its commander, one Commodore Harold, decide that these craft could be useful.
- Danteri Government Security: Inteligence reports indicate that the civilian detainees are being moved to the Danteri Government Security HQ building in the capital. They are being moved 10 at a time, each 10 guarded by two squads of Danteri Army soldiers.
- Lastly: Further rioring has occured in the capital, but was easily put down.

Neil looked astonished at the message in front of him. It was giving him a plain and clear answer of 'no'. The message, from the foreign minister back in Atherlon, was long-winded and basically said that Harakians were not allowed to attack in any way forces of either side outside the safe zones, and that the reserve brigade was for reinforcing their positions rather than attacking and rescuing civilians of any kind, even Harakian expatriates, of which there were not very many in Danteri's population. They said they would attempt diplomatic procedures to ensure the rescuing of the Harakian civilians, but all those who chose not to enter the safe zones were none of Haraki's concern.

He put his head in his hands. Diplomacy would never work unless it carried a threat. These were the bastards that blatantly attacked civilian vessels, despite knowing that it constituted, in short, a declaration of war. The blood of hundreds of innocents would now be on his hands, and the history books would remember that 'General Neil did nothing to stop the slaughter of Harakian citizens.' There went his hopes of promotion. On the other hand, he could be court-martialled for disobeying the hold order.

By the end of it, he had decided simply to hold positions. His job was to protect the civilians in Haraki's five safe zones, and that was it. The report had also detailed apparent troop deployment on the side of the Danteri loyalists, and he simply hoped they wouldn't lump the Harakians in with the rebels when the time came to fight. Admittedly, they were fighting loyalist soldiers, but because the loyalists attacked them and the rebels did not. And while they could defeat poorly trained and equipped loyalist militias, thousands of foreign troops would be too much for them.


Transmission
[From: Jaime Wolfe, Prime Minister of Haraki]
[To: General Krieger of Danteri]

It has come to our attention that you are holding a number of Harakian citizens hostage in your capitol city and are threatening to kill them, as if a terrorist, one per hour, starting in two days. We advise you to release them into Harakian custody immediately. They will be taken back to the Haraki-controlled safe zones and kept safe until such time as the conflict ends.

We also urge you to cease your attacks on civilian vessels and Harakian troops guarding civilians. Our forces are in the area to protect civilian life, not to fight either side. If your attacks persist against Harakian-controlled areas, we will be forced to fight back, but we are only there to protect civilians and will not take any offensive stance at any time.

Jaime Wolfe


*


In other news, Commodore Locke ordered another missile strike by the HNS Great White and HNS Aurora against the skilled commerce raider Lord of Battle. A patrol flight of four Harakian fighter-bombers was able to sink the destroyer Freiburg from a great enough distance so as to avoid anti-aircraft fire. Using missiles, the Harakian planes managed to hole the Freiburg irreperably and cause it to sink.

A number of raids against the Harakian safe zones were repulsed by the Harakian forces there, who outnumbered the attackers. Approximately one dozen of the well-entrenched Harakian soldiers were killed or wounded during the fighting, with several civilian casualties as well. The 72nd Infantry's brigades have completely secured all their targets and established the safe zones, and civilians continue to make their way into them, looking for refuge from the war.

Black clouds gathered over head and a torrential rain pounded down, rear admiral Josef Molotov stood on the command deck of the carrier Venator and stared into the rain. He didn't like the whole situation he had been thrown into, but he had his orders. The carrier forged along, the weather was making things worse. Josef peered into the rain, he could hardly see the other vessels swarming around the carrier.
" Sir, we have received a message destroyer Intrigue. They have lost a man overboard and they are going to have to hold back to find him." Said Captain Dmitriy.
" That's all we need, a vessel lagging behind. We won't be able provide them air support, actually we can't provide any air support with this squall right now." Said Josef angrily.
" At least the enemy can't attack us right now" Said Dmitriy.
" I suppose you're right there, how long till we arrive at port?" Asked Josef.
" Three hours Sir." Replied Dmitriy.
" Let us pray we make it in one piece." Said Josef as he yet again stared into the sky.

[To: Danteri Government]
[From: General Yakhovsky Commander of ORAF]
[Subject: Fleet Status]
My friends we are now allies in your struggle against those fools that infringe on your governments right to power. We thank you for accepting our aid, and inform you that of naval task force is on its way to your country and should arrive in a few hours. The 12th Infantry Division is being transported along with the carrier group, except for a battalion (OOC:625 men) that is being air transported to your capitals airport. Our transport planes are to be escorted by Su-30MK multi-role aircraft that will have to be refuelled inflight by tanker aircraft. They sould land in a few hours in your capitals airport and have orders too set up a base of command north of your capital.
I am among many that wish to see this partnership prosper.

[To: All nations opposing the Danteri Government]
[From: General Yakhovsky Commander of ORAF]
The ORAF forces deploying in the Danteri nation will be there to assist the Danteri Government in restoring the original balance of their country. Our forces will fire upon any force which shows intentions of endangering their safety. We do not wish to have to spill the blood of your soldiers, but will if required.
(OOC: Do you have a map of Danteri?)

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
All who would oppose our national right to self determination - be warned, we shall not tolerate your continued presence within our blessed nation! Our borders are sacred, and we shall preserve them - no matter the cost! Order must be preserved! That is all that needs to be said, and thusly, all that will be said. We shall prevail! God wills it!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
Comrades! Brave warriors for freedom! New enemies have come to this nation - the Oompli! They shall perish just like all the others... see how Bretling does nothing? Our own government, the Loyalists, have fallen in battle against both our own soldiers and the heroic warriors of our gallant foreign allies, the Haraki, who have destroyed or captured so many enemy soldiers, and the brave men of Kolikovo, who fight for us in Nord-Lund. We are truly blessed to have such allies fighting for us. We shall triumph, in the name of the people, and in the name of human sanity and rationality! Victory is ours by right!

Other News:
- Commerce Raiders: With the sinking of the Freiburg and the events involving the Lord of Battle, the number of Loyalist vessels remaining is reduced to three destroyers, one cruiser and the aircraft carrier Danteri's Pride. The Lord of Battle was damaged by the missiles launched at it, at which point, its commander, one Captain Johansson, was forced to radio a surrender, as its engine was irreparably damaged. All that remains is to pick up the crew... though what will be done with them remains to be seen.
- Safe Zones: Huge numbers of terrified civilians have begun fleeing into the safe zones, many with little more than the clothes on their backs. It appears as though the Danteri government is trying to worsen the humanitarian crisis in these cities by driving as many civilians as they can into these areas. All in all, over two hundred and fifty thousand civilians entered the five safe zones today.
- Nord-Lund: In Nord-Lund, the situation remains effectively unchanged - should Kolikovo launch another major offensive, it will likely penetrate as far south as Freiburg - although, Freiburg proper is so well defended that it will likely hold for at least a little while.
- Loyalist Attrocities: The Loyalist Danteri government has conducted systimatic terror campaigns against the civilian populace of Easthaven, killing about fifty thousand and forcing five times that number into the Haraki safe zones.
- Death Tolls: The total death tolls are, as of now, as follows:
Civilians killed by Loyalists: 200,000.
Civilians killed by Rebels: 25,000
Civilians killed by disease or starvation: 35,000
Loyalist soldiers killed: Approximately 150,000
Rebel soldiers killed: Approximately 100,000
- Civilian Detainees: At this point, the civilian detainees have been transfered to the Danteri Government Security HQ building, where they are being kept in its basement cells, in what are known to be poor conditions. One civilian, from Haraki, was reported "killed while trying to escape".
- Lastly: The DGS HQ building: The DGS HQ building is a twenty story concrete, steel and glass structure located in downtown Danteri City. It is guarded by seven hundred and fifty soldiers of the Danteri Army, and has a staff of eight hundred during the day, fifty at night. All DGS agents are currently under orders to carry their sidearms at all times, and have all recieved basic fire-arms training (a one-month course, with one day-long "refresher" session each year after). The structure itself appears to have been built more to look imposing than for practicle defense. No floor plans of the entire structure exist, as the government used eight different architects, and had all eight killed when the structure was completed. However, from what you have been able to determin, the interior seems to have been designed by a paranoid - every single door is four inch thick steel, and even the interior walls are steel-reinforced concrete. No interior windows exist, and the electronic security system is state-of-the-art - apparently, this buildings security was more worthy of concern than design flaws in the Talon class fighter-bomber...

OOC: Yes, I have a map - how can I post it?

OOC: Email me the map and i shall put it online and make a link
Email: jamesbdefend-ns@yahoo.co.uk

OOC: I'm in the middle of a very heated MP game of Halo 2 right now, but I'll post a bit later. Oompli and Danteri, would it be too much to assume your respective air forces provide cover for my transports?

Rear Admiral Josef Molotov stood on the deck of the carrier Venator and surveyed the crater ridden port that was before him. Piles of rubble occupied spaces where buildings presumably once stood. The weather had cleared and most of the fleet had docked except for a few vessels lagging behind and most worringly he had lost contact with the destroyer intrigue. The 12th Infantry division had already began to unload and forward elements have set out to link up with the forwad headquarters being set up north of the capital. Reconnaissance aircraft had already set out but had not yet returned. Captain Dmitriy approached Josef.
" They sure have been taking a pounding by the looks of this place, I am amzed they have been able to hold this port" Said Dmitriy.
" It is a good thing they have, other wise we would be in a bit of a muddle." Replied Josef
" Thats true sir, thats true"

Status Report;
-The main naval task force has lost contact with the destroyer intrigue, it is feared that it may have been inercepted by enemy forces.
-The battalion of the 12th Infantry air transported into the capital with no problems except losing a fighter due to engine trouble.
-Pilot of crashed fighter has not yet been located, unknown whether he has been captured by enemy forces.
-Forward elements of the 12th Infantry division has made contact with the forward headquarters.
-2 casualties and 6 men were wounded when soldiers defending the forward headquarters opened fire upon the approaching forward elements of the 12th Infantry division. Two soldiers have been executed and three others and being court martialed for military incompetence.

OOC: Imitora I can throw a few your way, but i think Danteri air force has had it. What kind of transports anyway, naval or aerial?

Lexington United Press Reportes that today, President Drew Harris has ordered the deployment of apporx. 1750 special-forces soldiers to Danteri, to assist the combatment of the rebel forces. "I think its just a kind thing to do in this situation" said Harris, "I mean, New-Lexington has dealt with rebels before, so we have good excperience in this matter." The troops deployed belong to Special Forces Group A Squadron 23. They are excpected to arrive before 0200 hours, Friday.

Status Report of New-Lexitonian Forces
1. The forces landed on a remote beach, and encountered no fire
2. Soon after contact was lost with a the missle-cruiser Strato, beleived to have struck a mine around 0230 hours
3. The force then split into 17 groups of 100 men each, and headed into a woodland area.
4. One group spotted a rebel posse, and destroyed it taking 37 prisoners, while losing 12 dead, and 13 injured.
5. The soldiers then proceeded to castrate and behead each rebel, while the women soldiers were simply beheaded.
6. The bodies of the dead and executed rebels were burned.

The president stood at the podium in front of the mass of reporters.
" Mr. president what are we going to do about the Danteri war situation?" Cried a reporter.
" Me and my collegues have been discussing the matter for some time now and have decided to send aid in the form of aid supplies to both sides." Replied President Packard.
" But what about the atrocities the Danteri loyalists have inflicted on the civilian population?"Cried another reporter.
" No more questions, thank you." Replied the president as he left the podium.
The president walked into his office and sat at his desk, his officials filed into the room.
" All due respect sir, but i dont think we should be faffing around with this supplies s**t and just send the military in." Remarked General Adams.
" We can't just go and invade the place general, we need more info on the situation."
" I got all the information I need sir, just let me send a force in and this whole thing will be over in a week!" Exclaimed the general.
" It may have to come to that, but right now were doing it this way." Replied the president.
"That will be all."

[To: The Danteri Government and The People's Commitee on Revolution]
[From: The Presidential office of the United States of Americos]

The Government of the US of Americos has been reviewing the current situation in Danteri and we wish to remain neutral in this matter, but we cannot turn a blind eye on the suffering and loss of human life. It has therfore been decided that we we send aid in the form of food, medical and clothing supplies in equal qualitys too both sides. Military Engineers are also to be sent in to construct and rebuild civilian facilities only, a surgical hospital will also be set up in a neutral zone providing medical care for all wounded combatants and civilians. Small units of military personnel will be situated in this facility to ensure its and its occupants safety and for that purpose only.

Port Skogheim, Bertling
10:00 a.m.

”Your Majesty, the Danteri Situation is quickly becoming a… forpult mess. The Danteri government has obviously lost complete control over the situation. According to our intelligence, the Reds are gaining more ground every hour… Tin-pot nations are throwing in their forces at a whim. And without a Joint Operations Command, they’re more likely to cause far more harm than good. The Communists may be a lot of things, but incompetent is not usually one of them.”

Chancellor von Birkenhoff looked worried.

“Do we have any Bertlingian forces involved in the fighting?”

“No, Your Majesty”

The Chancellor lied without blinking. Need-to-know was second nature to him, and regardless of the outcome, he had been insured that the Jaeger Command-unit in Danteri could not be identified as Bertlingian, even if captured.

“Make sure we get our people out before the card-house crumbles, Otto, and make sure we do not get suckered into some diplomatic cul-de-sac by any of the mangy dogs fighting for the scraps of Danteri.”

“Your will, Your Majesty”

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

[To: The parties of the Danteri Civil War]
[From: Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard, Minister of Foreign Affairs]
[Re: Bertlingian Status in the Theatre]

As mandated by His Most Just and Righteous Majesty, King Harald II, I hereby remind you of the non-combatant status of Bertlingian personnel in the nation of Danteri.

Our mission is strictly diplomatic, and we ask that this be respected by all warring factions in the theatre. Bertlingian forces will only open fire in self-defence.

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External affairs


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

The submarine-flotilla "Jaktgruppe II" moves out of Bertlingian waters. Their course is South-bound, towards Danteri.

The attack on the Ettenbach had been painful enough on its own, but the raid against fishing vessels - attacking a fishing operation of all the petty terrorism! - had finally tipped the scale. Everyone in command had agreed that Gwazzaria needed to maintain a non-confrontational status. Provoking Bertling wasn't something they wanted to do. However, who could be blamed for defending theirselves?

The freighter Krasztburg, filled with medical supplies and food for the 1st Expeditionary to help the civilian population with, had been dispatched southward to Danteri. Its only obvious defense was five small gunboats. Half a nautical mile behind it, however, three destroyers - the H.G.S.s Ivanova, Farragut, and Mjolnir - were following. If there was any attack by the Freiburg, or other loyalist-aligned privateers, they would respond in kind.

Transmission
[From: Prime Minister Jaime Wolfe of Haraki]
[To: All parties involved in the Danterian civil war]

We would simply like to remind all those of you fighting for either side that the Harakian soldiers present are there for the protection and preservation of civilian lives only. Our designated safe zones are to be kept free of soldiers fighting for either side so that the fleeing civilians have somewhere they can go to escape the brutality and death that accompanies this war on every front. Our soldiers will not engage outside these safe zones, and will not take any offensive actions other than strikes against ships targetting civilian vessels.

We request that all parties in this conflict respect these rules of engagement, as they are in place for the safety and protection of the civilians of Danteri. Our forces are not here to fight a war against anyone.

Jaime Wolfe

OOC: I am getting a bit confused here, could involved nations please state whether they are neutral, pro rebels or pro government.

Oompli is Pro Government

OOC: US of Americos in Neutral

OOC: Gwazzaria is mildly pro-rebel, providing them with medical aid.

OOC: US of Americos is Neutral but providing aid to both sides, which I think is still neutral.

Blackfire is pro-gov. Imitora is currently nuetral

The eighteen C-130Is lumbered through the air, carrying troops, supplies, and weapons. The fligh had been long, and thankfully uneventfull due to the escort of fifteen INAF F/A-96 Archangelsk fighters, sleek and powerful combat aircraft. The fighters, supplied by the Imitoran Naval Air Force, were armed to the teeth, prepared to engage any air or surface based target, their active stealth systems allowing them to sweep for bogeys with little fear of retribution. The tanks were not comming, the usual supply and demand problem had sprung its ugly head, and Blackfire had not been able to secure transports for the heavy vehicles.

The transport planes were broadcasting on all chanels, alerting any would be attackers that an assault on them would be akin to an assault on any Imitoran military or civilian aircraft, and considerd an act of war. As they neared the Danteri coast, the fighters grouped in closer, and began actively running radar and lirdar sweeps, looking for interceptors. The transports began broadcasting a request to land.

OOC: Bertling is pro-Loyalist politically, but has no intention of beeing an open combattant in the conflict. Covertly, Bertling still has combat troops (advisors) in Danteri.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
At this point, Danteri has become a patch-work of territories claimed by oh-so-many nations... we shall prevail, none the less! The Imitorian forced coming to our aid will be met by two of our Talon class fighter-bombers - fully one half our remaining land-based air force. We are eager to greet all those who come to our aid, and eager to smash any who oppose us! We Shall Prevail!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
The Loyalists are collapsing like so much wet paper - they are weak, and shall soon be utterly destroyed! We have guns, and tanks and fighters and bombers and oh-so-many allies to the north, fighting for our people! We will crush the Loyalists, and then we shall hang their bloody bodies from every spire of the capital! Victory is certain... now is no time for mercy, only a time for revenge! Victory will be ours!
OOC: remember - no godmodding!

Other News:
- Token Force: Two Talon class fighter-bombers were sent to meet and escort the Imitorian force entering the nation. These craft are all but worthless in a fight, but represent the Loyalist intention to secure the Imitorian forces safe arrival.
- Loyalist Attrocities: The Loyalist Army has massacred another few thousand civilians, and driven another hundred thousand refugees into the Harakian safe-zones.
- Commerce Raiders: The entire Loyalist Navy consists of, after this bit, two destroyers, one cruiser and the carrier Danteri's Pride. Today, the destroyer Westgate surrendered to the Haraki. This raises the number of ships that have surrendered from one, the Lord of Battle, to two.
OOC: All nations: how are you treating the prisoners you take?
- Rebels Advance: The rebel attack from Southhaven has advanced, and taken the city of Brell. Reports indicate that the retreating Loyalists killed the entire population of this city, laying out their bodies along the route of the Loyalist retrea, with the apparent intent of demoralizing the rebel advanced units.
- Nord-Lund: The situation in Nord-Lund is becoming increasingly difficult - should Kolikovo launch another offensive, the Loyalists will be forced to retreat all the way to Freiburg, as was said before. Also: today, several dozen conscripts surrendered to a numericaly inferior People's Army patrol. The question remains - how is Kolikovo treating its prisoners?
- Westfall Revolt: The province of Westfall has begun to revolt - the provincial capital of Westgate has been overwhelmed by rioting, and the Loyalist units in Westfall are in full retreat, ocvering their retreat with massive attrocities against the civilian populace.
- Total Death Toll: Today brought the civilian death toll up significantly - at this point, over a half a million civilians in all have been killed. Another two million have been displaced, and many of those in the Southhaven refugee camps are now sick with various diseases. Dozens are dieing each day.
- Haraki Safe-Zones: Hundreds of Loyalist conscripts have surrendered today, beging for whatever mercy they might recieve. Also, the more educated members of the local populace have begun asking to emigrate to Haraki - will you accept them?
- Lastly: As the deadline has passed, the Loyalists have begun executing their civilian prisoners. They are broadcasting the executions on the TV stations they still control, interspersing each bloody and... inventive execution with calls for the enlisted men in the various pro-rebel forces to shoot their officers and withdraw.

Captain Johansson, commander of the Danteri Navy destroyer Freiburg, stared into the mirror before him, pondering the why and wherefores of his life. He had followed orders - he had served his government, attacking foreign civilian trafic to encourage their withdrawal from his beloved homeland... and now what? The war was lost - that much was clear if one could read between the lines of the reports coming out of Nord-Lund... or perhaps, it was worse than lost - perhaps his homelands civil war might be expanded, into some sort of gross proxy-war between the liberal and repressive regimes of the world?
Shuddering at the thought, he considered his reflection in the mirror - he had been wounded when the Haraki missiles had crippled his ship, and he had to admit, when he was about to be arrested and tried on charges of war-crimes and piracy, the eye-patch hardly made the impression he wished he could make.
Still, he was lucky to be alive, lucky that the Haraki missile hadn't hit six feet further to the left... then, he wouldn't be alive to worry. As it was, though... he would likely face life imprisonment if he was lucky, hanging if he was not. Sure, the Haraki did not have the death penalty, but... the rebel Danteri did, and were terribly creative in the ways in which it could be carried out. Shuddering, he turned to face one of the enlisted sailors, what was his name... it didn't matter, he decided, nothing mattered anymore. With a grim sigh, he nodded to the man, ordered him to get the crew on deck... and, as the sailor left, he gave his nations flag one last look... before he went above-deck, to surrender his command.

The Loyalists have launched their remaining carrier based aerial assets into a suicidal attack against the Haraki fleet elements off their coast. This attack is also supported by some missile fire from their last remaining cruiser - a missile carrier, the Iron Emperor. One of the Danteri Navy's biggest weaknesses is an over-reliance on traditional artillery - out of all their ships, only the Iron Emperor carried any missiles at all. It can fire four per minute, and carries forty total. It fires for ten minutes, launching all of its missiles - leaving it helpless unless it can resupply. Damage to the Haraki is unknown at this time.

Situation:
The two Guards Companies in Danteri’s capital hold a small area in the port-area of the city. This area acts as the temporary Bertlingian Embassy. The force consists of mechanized infantry with a small anti-air attachment. Major Grimsbraaten is the force’s commanding officer, and is also the acting ambassador to Danteri.

The RBN Heimdall lies one nautical mile from off the coast of the capital. Due to security-situation, the embassy’s diplomatic staff is onboard. The cruiser is shadowed by two Bertlingian Draug-class submarines.

Elements of Major Sorensons one hundred man strong Jaeger Command have been extracted by submarines from remote coastal areas. The rest are making their way towards the capital overland. So far, their casualties have been 4 KIA’s and 3 MIA’s.

The craft employed consist of sixteen Talon class fighter-bombers (flying junk-heaps, as the other nation's pilots have taken to calling them), and ten Raptor class heavy-bombers. The missiles employed in this latest attack are high-quality Bertling missiles, much more advanced than anything else the Danteri have in their arsenal. This attack is supported by land-based artillery fire from the 2nd Field Artillery - they begin to fire around fifteen seconds after the missiles have been launched, firing no more than sixty shells in all, each of their light field-guns changing position after each shot fired.

OOC: All rebel prisoners taken have been executed

The guns boomed as the sergeant screamed for them to move and redeploy for another shot - the poor gunners, sweating, swearing and struggling with their bulky, poorly designed weapon, shifted the field-gun. They needed to change position after every shot - the Haraki counter-battery fire was entierly too acurate, and there were whispers in the enlisted men's barracks that the Haraki guns were demonically possesed, able to spit fire with such range and accuracy... how can an illiterate peasant conscript understand Satelite up-links, seeker missiles and all the other advantages the Haraki possesed?
The attack had been a foolish one - a stronger Loyalist air-force had tried the same tactic at the start of the war, and it had failed, losing most of its numbers along the way... but, the Haraki were the most obvious enemy, and the mad leader, General Krieger, had ordered that the Loyalist Army Do Something... and so, it fell to the poor men of the 2nd Field Artillery to act.
As they finished off the last of their increasingly scarcer shells, the Lieutenant gave the order to withdraw. They had done all they could do - all there was now was to - and then, the Haraki counter-battery fire started to fall amoungst them.

The 1st Expeditionary's cargo helicopters were waiting at the port to load on a portion of the Krasztburg's freight. The majority of it would be given to the rebel government and supplied to other humanitarian agencies in Danteri, while the 1st Expeditionary would be flying to Southhaven to work in the refugee camps.

The Krasztburg and the destroyers turned about to go back to Gwazzaria. They had been relayed Bertling's assurance that loyalist forces would no longer attack, and thus the heavy defense measures seemed even more excessive.

OOC: Here is map of Danteri, i will try too make a clearer map soon.

http://h1.ripway.com/xexe/map.jpg

OOC: New-Lexington has commited 1750 troops to aid government forces, along with several air divisions

Early this afternoon, New-Lexitonian forces moved to within 50 miles of the Westfall province border. They set up camp in the lovalist town of Bersah, making final preparations for an invasion of Westfall, while awaiting reinforcments of around 5000. 15 Howitzers arrived, along with several armored troop carriers, and 10 FALCON-Class Tanks. Lexitonian forces await orders from the Danteri government to invade Westfall from the south.

Heres a map of the New-Lexitonian forces, and situation in Westfall
Light Blue= rebel positions
Green= Lexitonian Safe Zone
Red= proposed Lexitonian troop movements

http://s75.photobucket.com/albums/i307/New-Lexington/?action=view&current=untitled.jpg
copy and paste

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Today, New-Lexington has joined in our great struggle against rebels and communists. We are proud to have such skilled warriors aiding us, although what with the Oopli naval assets moving in, the Kolikovo People's Navy must be getting tense - the only thing I have to say is, DRIVE THE COMMUNISTS OFF THE SACRED SOIL OF NORD-LUND!!! They have profaned it with their presence, and as such, will no longer be tolerated. We shall prevail! We shall kill the rebels, kill them and their families, and throw their corpses to the dogs - as we have, I would like to point out, done with a number of Harakian, St. Happenian and Kolikovoian citizens. They have perished because the military and economic goals of their nation's ruling elite have demanded their sacrifice, not because of any of their crimes. We have killed fully half of the civilian detainees, and as such, have declared a cesation of executions - for now. The Gwazzarian civilians we have in our custody have not been executed, but we will not release them until the corrupt government of their homeland has declared that it no longer intends to aid the rebels. Those are our terms... and, I would like to remind you that we still have a number of civilian prisoners. If you do not withdraw within twenty-four hours of this announcement, we will begin killing the civilian deatinees once again. That is all.

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
Today marks a sad day in the history of Danteri. General Krieger, that mad man of Nord-Lund, has executed by means too horrible to describe several civilian detainees. This cannot be tolerated! How can we allow such things as this to go on in our nation? We are fighting hard, even if our soldiers are dieing at the hands of foreign Imperialists. The Oompli fleet has threatened us, the Bertlingians have gifted our government with missiles and mines that they use against civilian and Haraki targets, and the soldiers of New-Lexington have proven themselves to be little better than animals, torturing, maiming and... and behaving like swine. We will kill them all! Here we swear it - while we yet draw breath, no soldier of New-Lexington will be allowed to live within the borders of our Free Danteri. This we swear!

Other News:
- Loyalist Aerial Operations: The Loyalist operations against the Haraki fleet have come to an end - out of the 26 Loyalist air craft, not one made it back, and the 2nd Field-Artillery actually ran and abandoned their guns when the first Haraki counter-battery fire began to hit them. Damage to the Haraki fleet is unknown.
- Nord-Lund: The Loyalists have reinforced their lines in Nord-Lund with some of the soldiers who were forced out of Westfall. The other soldiers from Westfall have formed into two new units - the 1st Loyalist Army and the 2nd Loyalist Army. These "Army"s are made up of scattered and regrouped assets of over forty units, including Mechanized Infantry, Infantry, Combat Engineers, Armor and Field-Artillery. In all, they number about 60,000 men total. They have orders to assist the New-Lexington force in its attack - a role they are forced to play for the simple reason that the Danteri Army's primary tank is so ineptly designed as to be matched to the average New-Lexington tank at a ratio of 7 to 1.
- New-Lexington: The Loyalist government has issued a statement telling the government of New-Lexington that its army can do "whatever it feels is necessary". As such, they have green-lighted the proposed invasion of Westfall.
- Rebel Defenses: The rebel forces opposing the New-Lexington military consist of around twenty five thousand low quality infantry and 40 tanks of the typical Danteri Army class. These tanks are crewed by inexpert crews, so should be easy pickings for the New-Lexington armor. However, the rebels are dug into the ruins of a small town, and are supported by around fifty pieces of Field-Artillery.
- Loyalist Atrocities: The Loyalists have continued falling back from the rebel advance out of Southhaven. So far, they have left behind their army nothing but ashes and rubble. An estimated sixty thousand civilians have been killed in this area so far today, as tanks bulldoze houses, and flame throwers are used against fields of food crops. The Loyalist army has proven remarkably adept at executing its scorched-earth policy, at least considering that, at this point, they are retreating in disarray from their rebel opponents.
- Rebel Shock-Troops: The rebels have unveiled a terrifying new unit on the Southhaven front - apparently, these commandoes are veteran fighters from the earliest stages of the civil war. They have cut a bloody swath through a numerically superior Loyalist force, but are also famous for something else - they have conducted systematic atrocities against the civilian populace, killing, maiming and torturing as only Loyalist units have until this point.
- Lastly: Loyalist Horrors: The Loyalist government has commited a new horror - they have emptied their prisons of all the civilian and military prisoners who were serving time for... for rather serious crimes, given the prisoners weapons, transported them to a lightly guarded section of the frontier with the rebel-held sections of Easthaven, and then released them, telling them to enjoy themselves preying on the rebels and the civilian populace.

OOC: Here is a cleaned up map, sorry if I have mispelled any place names. I added provincial borders as well.:)

http://h1.ripway.com/xexe/map2.JPG

OOC: MY BROTHER LIVES IN AUSTRIALIA


Sarman, Sarmia, 0900


A 500 page file arrives on the desk of Samio Sumo, leader of Sarmia. He quickly scans through it and gets the gist of whats happening. Although "officially" out of international affairs, Sarmia has secretly been supplying the rebels in many countries for years. 5 minutes after reading the file, he calls his brother, High Chanceler of Western Sarmatia to brief him. A meeting is held 2 hours later at 1102 local time. Both men agree to help the rebels.

2 days later, 0930 local, just off the cost of Buil Bay, the Western Sarmatian Imperial Navy Fleey 7 is poised ready to land. On board are the Sarmian 1st, 2nd and the Western Sarmatian Imperial Armies....

The Lexitonian invasion force of around 20000 troops, 1500 special forces men, 150 superior class FALCON battle tanks, 15 F-54 assualt fighters, 10 class St. Claire battleships, 50 Comanche helicopters, 10 artillery batallions, and C-150 Gunships began a massive assault on the rebel controlled Westgate region. Opposing forces were estimated at 35000 rebels, 120 infereior armor, no air force, 5 artillery batallions, and multiple minefields. The assault begin when special ops troops detonated a remote bomb, dropped behind rebel lines. Under aircraft, and battleship cover, 15000 troops swarmed over rebel lies, moving the battle front to only 5 miles outside of Westgate. There, rebel forces finally stopped the advance, and a relative calm has settled over, while Lexitonian forces regroup for another invasion.
Casualty report:
Lexitonian Forces
324 dead
1843 wounded
322 missing
1 Fighter shot down
5 Tanks destroyed
1 gunship shot down
2 artillery battalions destroyed
6 Helicopters shot down
Rebel Forces (estimates)
6012 dead
6573 wounded
754 missing (all executed by Lexitonian forces, they are accounted for in Dead count)
37 armour
map:
http://s75.photobucket.com/albums/i307/New-Lexington/?action=view&current=westgate.jpg
copy and paste

Things in Danteri were looking universally grim. The rebels were becoming as fanatical as the loyalists, and New Lexington had the potential to tip the scales of the war towards a bloody stand off. Gwazzarian civillians were safer, but still in the hands of a madman. As such, the Duke decided that he would take a page from the United States of Americos' book.

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

{Cauthaqua, 3:55 P.M.}

"The Krasztburg has returned safely, bearing with it a grave picture of the situation in Danteri. Yet more nations throw their soldiers into the mix, promising to prolong this war for months to come. As long as this war lasts, there will be suffering for the civillian population of Danteri.

As such, we have decided to realign ourselves in favor of neither side of the conflict, but assisting the civillians in the territories of both. Other Expeditionary Medical Companies are being prepared for departure, and with the permission of the Loyalist faction they shall begin to administer aid to civillians on both sides of the conflict.

Atrocities are being comitted by both groups, and we cannot condone either faction at this point. Neither can we let the people of Danteri suffer, like gods who war without care to whom they trample, the militaries of Loyalist and Rebel wreak havoc across the country. We urge both Danteri leadership and other nations involved to remember who both factions claim to be fighting for in this conflict."

A Mig-29 screamed overhead before landing with its tires screeching on the newly constructed runway, it was one of many aircraft that had arrived from Oompli since morning first broke. Corporal Menoveich watched the plane taxi of the runway, his men of the 21/25 Engineers battalion had slaved for 48 hours in order for the airfield to be constructed.
" It is amazing how effective our military is." He thought to himself as he sat and ate his rations.
General Yakhovsky stood over maps sprawled over a large table, me was muttering to himself and did not notice the figure enter the room.
" General, all work and no play makes Ivan a dull boy." Said the figure. Ivan looked up to see Air Marshal Nikolai Zhitomir standing across the tent, Nikolai was a beautiful woman in her late 20's.
" Nikolai, I am suprised to see you here!" Exclaimed Ivan.
" I am suprised that your father sent you here."
" Well I just wouldn't take no for an answer, I wanted to see you again." She replied. Just then a soldier entered the tent.
" Sir, the reconaissence planes have returned." said the soldier as he tried to stand to attention. He was shaking nervously, Ivan did not notice.
" Very well, Nikolai, we we have to continue our conversation later, perhaps in my personal quarters." Nikolai smiled at him and left.

Status Report;
-The Destroyer in Intrigue has been located east off the coast of the Southhaven province, but communications can not be exchanged as the destroyers electronics systems were damaged in the squall. It is unable to defend itself but pairs of Mig-29's have been dipacthed to provide it with air cover.
-Unidentified soldiers have been spotted around the port facilities at Westgate in three seperate occasions, believing the were enemy commandos trying to sabotage the Oompli fleet they were attacked by our forces. Casualties if any are unkown.
-A small naval detachement consisting of the cruiser Fearless and two frigates Force and Overcharge, set sail north along the coast and engage a Kulikovo destroyer after it had bee spotted by a recon aircaft. After firing a few salvos our ships disengaged and returned south with 13 casualtys, 24 wounded and the frigate Overcharge trailing behind after it had been hit by a torpedoe. Kulikovo casualties unknown.
-Military base set up south of Westgate, Westgate city has been garrisoned by Oompli Republic Armed Forces 3rd Infantry Regiment.
-ORAF 7th Infantry Regiment and 12th Infantry Regiment have moved inland to assist in securing the Nord-Lund front around Freiburg. Sporadic groups of rebel militia in villages attacked the group and were dealt with. 3 men injured, 1 APC disabled. 23 militia killed, 46 taken prisoner.(OOC: these militia are just villagers armed with stones and clubs, just saying as they do not really belong to a group.)
-4 Su-25 Frogfoot Close support planes attacked a rebel land convoy outside Dreil, 1 plane was lost after taking a direct hit from an SAM. The pilot ejected and has not yet been located, it is believed he landed in an enemy camp.
-The 21st Armoured brigade has advanced southwards toward the main battle lines. No enemy forces we encountered, but retreating loyalist forces were rallied and have formed a company to assist the 21st. The Loyalist soldiers attempted to surrender when they saw T-90's approaching but were estatic when informed that these tanks were here to help.
-The 6th Air Assault Regiment have secured the area around as well as the Capital city. They are operating Aerial sorties from the base west of the capital.
(OOC:ORAFforcemovements; http://h1.ripway.com/xexe/orafmovements.JPG)

Lexington

New-Lexitonian officials announced today that a single nuclear warhead has been created. "We are very excited, this development in technology puts us among teh world powers" declared Supreme President Drew Harris. No word on if the warhead will be used in the Danteri civil war, but that is highly unlikely, but not improbable. New-Lexingtonian troops stormed Westgate in coalition with Oomplian forces, and are conductiong joni occupation. Most inhabitants in Westgate considered to support the rebel cause have been arrested by special forces (3764 people arrested) and transported to a POW camp. Their future is uncertain.

OOC: Here is a cleaned up map, sorry if I have mispelled any place names. I added provincial borders as well.:)

http://h1.ripway.com/xexe/map2.JPG
OOC:eeh New-Lexington also has a base around the Westgate area (its a safezone)

OOC: Glad to be working with you New-Lexington, as the old Omplian quote says;
"you scratch my back and I will scratch you back, but if you betray me I will introduce you to some of my high-explosive friends":)

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Today is a glorious day in the history of Danteri! Westfall is once more under the control of units allied with the Loyalists, and, as such, we must all rejoice - and then strike at the hated enemy! Victory is within our grasp!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
To all the free peoples of this world - we require your aid! Our allies in Kolikovo are not enough, on their own, to turn the tide of this war! Our enemies, Oompli and New-Lexington, have forced their way into Westfall, killing prisoners, torturing and maiming... no more, I say! At this point, we must either strike, or resign ourselves to lifetimes of slavery - we say no to slavery, and so we strike - LIBERTY!!!

Other News:
- Loyalist Navy: The carrier Danteri's Pride has linked up with the Oompli fleet, where it has requested the transfer of new craft and pilots - it currently has not even one fighter on board, and so is quite vulnerable. Also, even if Danteri military technology is generaly inferior to that of the other nations involved, a carrier is a carrier is a carrier - it is still a potentialy valuable base for air craft. A Loyalist destroyer was sunk by the Free Danteri Navy in their first kill - the newly renamed cruiser Liberty makes up the total of their forces. Also, the missile cruise Iron Emperor was sunk by Harakian bombers while attempting to similarly link-up with Oompli fleet. As of now, the sum total of all Loyalist Navy assets is: two destroyers and the Danteri's Pride.
- Rebel Navy: The Liberty engaged and sank a Loyalist destroyer, the first kill ever made by the Free Danteri Navy.
- Southhaven: In Southhaven, the much-feared rebel commandoes have, at this point, struck again, attacking a Loyalist-held village, destroying the entire company defending it, and killing the entire population before melting away.
- Nord-Lund: With the arrival of fresh allied armor, the Nord-Lund defensive line is as strong as it ever was - Nord-Lund will likely hold, for now.
- Lastly: Civilian Detainees: The Danteri Government has responded to the Gwazzarian government's decleration that they will send the Loyalists some supplies by releasing all of the Gwazzarian detainees. A further message said that, should Haraki and the others not withdraw, the civilian detainees from their nations would be killed.
OOC: Please, I would like to remind all of you to "play nice" - no godmodding!

OOC: Ugh, moving fast, lol. I don't have a ton of time to post at hte moment, I'm on Spring break, getting ready to head back home, when I'll be able to post more. Danteri, the twenty thousnad Blackfire troops are yours to control till further notice, and you can pretty much assume that the Imitoran Military will be getting involved shortly.

From a Field Somewhere Outsied of Westgate
In an effort to end the bloodshed in Danteri with bloodshed, New-Lexitonian prisoners executed 3246 men and women suspected in aiding the rebel cause. Around a hundred children also arrested but not executed have been released back into Westgate, but remain under supervision.

The Harakian safe zones were swamped with civilian refugees, fleeing the trouble in the rest of the nation to the Harakian safe zones along the coast in the east and near South Bay. In fact, as nearly all the land around them is also clear, much of the land between the actual safe zones is being used by the refugees, who are still under Harakian protection slightly outside the safe zone cities.

The Harakian naval forces in the area, with multiple flights of air cover, were making their way down near the coast towards the Harakian-controlled ports where first the Lord of Battle, then the Westgate and then the severely damaged Freiburg surrendered to Harakian forces, when they were ambushed by the remains of the Loyalist navy coming out of Buil Bay. Aided by land-based artillery from the coast, they tried their hardest to hurt the Harakians as much as possible, but were outnumbered. The twenty-six planes approaching from the Danteri's Pride were met by the twenty-four Harakian fighters escorting the convoy and twenty-four more diverted from air cover for the Harakian safe zones.

Also attacking the Harakian forces was the missile cruiser Iron Emperor, using Bertlingian missiles. However, even these were not much of a match for Haraki's forces. With Excalibur-class anti-aircraft light cruisers lining the outside of the heavier cruisers and the transports, their powerful CIWS guns and missiles could rip apart not only the planes but also the missiles (OOC: My ships and light cruisers especially use obscene amounts of anti-aircraft and -missile armaments, even for NS ships). Griffon missiles were launched to counter the aircraft threat, with range up to 150 kilometres away, and once they got in close the Hawker-2 CIWS missiles and 30mm CIWS guns could tear apart the fighters. Added to the Harakian air cover, much of the abush was defeated before it could even come within range.

One entire flight of the Harakian air cover coming from over the land were dispatched to attack the Iron Emperor and Danteri's Pride. However, as they were attacking from different locations, they could only locate the Iron Emperor. Having finished firing its deadly missiles, it was leaving to link up with the Oompli fleet and was caught in the open and destroyed by missile bombers.

The Harakians lost three fighters in the engagement over the naval forces, but with superior defences, especially on the ships, they were able to completely defeat the forces sent after them. All of the Danterian planes were sunk. However, the Bertlingian missiles took a much deadlier toll. Two of them slammed into the destroyer HNS Fitzser, critically damaging it. The entire naval task force was forced to hang back and force rapid repairs to allow it to limp back to the Harakian naval base for proper repairs, with an undisclosed amount of wounded and dead onboard. Its onboard helicopter was also destroyed by one of the missiles, which impacted almost directly onto it on deck.

A transport was also hit, but not badly. It was a hit to the cargo deck, and as such little damage was done to the ship, but great amounts of damage were done to the medical supplies it was carrying. SHAF officials used this opportunity to condemn the Danterian government.

However, the rest of the fleet managed to avoid serious damage, mostly due to the anti-aircraft cruisers forming a picket line on the outside to use their CIWS systems to greatest advantage. After conducting repairs on the HNS Fitzser to allow i to run its engines slowly and return to the island base, they carried on their way to link up with the Haraki-controlled ports where the three surrendered destroyers were, and offload medical supplies. The three destroyers were to be searched for possible traps, taken back to the island base along with all so-far surrendered Danterian prisoners (Not including those conscripts who put down their weapons and entered the Harakian safe zones), where they would be kept for the time being.

Although Commodore Locke considered ordering air and missile strikes against the Danteri's Pride, he decided against it, for numerous reasons: One, the entire Danterian naval air forces were destroyed along with their land-based counterparts. Second, the carrier had already linked up with the Oompli forces and as such an attack on it could constitute an attack on them. Locke decided to wait until further opportunity was given for an attack, but assured himself that it would come. He also submitted a formal request for reinforcements, specifically a naval task force based around the light carrier HNS Kite, and at least one brigade of the 2nd Armoured "Vanguard" Division. He expected at least two, plus support elements. Although the 72nd Infantry was outfitted with APCs, light wheeled vehicles and self-propelled artillery, they still lacked anything capable of taking head-on armoured forces such as those the Danteri Loyalists still had the capability of deploying against his men.



-The transports will arrive and offload medical aid to the Haraki safe zones, as well as picking up all Danterian prisoners of the Haraki, who will be treated well. No torture, no interrogation. Three meals a day, a bed and a cell, basically.
-The HNS Fitzser will return to the island base accompanied by the anti-aircraft cruiser HNS Joker and six fighter-bombers.
-The three surrendered destroyers will be taken back to the island base and fully investigated, reverse-engineering anything important for use to Haraki's advantage in any further engagements. They will be held for an indeterminate amount of time, probably until the end of the conflict, and then released, most likely back into the hands of the Danteri rebels.

OOC:US of Americos M*A*S*H
http://h1.ripway.com/americos/USMASH.JPG

Liuetenant colonel Rogers stood and observed the flurry of wounded being rushed into the M*A*S*H, the hospital camp had not even finished setting up facilities when wounded civilians began appearing in droves. He had been place in charge of the USoA battalion that had to defend the camp, his soldiers were having difficulty holding back the masses of wounded. The supplies were already running low so only priority cases were being admited, and the supplies that were supposedly coming an hour ago had not arrived. He was getting annoyed.

Private Johnson was driving one of the supply trucks for the medical camp, the convoy was progressing well. The roar of jet engines screamed down from the skies, Johnson saw three, no four aircraft swoop down towards the convoy. The lead truck burst into flames as one of the planes let rip with its cannon shredding the truck to pieces, an explosion behind Johnson's tuck indicated that the trail vehicle had been destroyed and that meant the convoy was trapped on the narrow road. Johnson leapt from his truck and delved into a ditch beside the road, his truck exploded.
"That was lucky." Johnson thought to himself as he hugged the ground. The aircraft began to disengage.
"You're not getting away that easily you Russki sons of b*****s!" Cried a soldier as he fired a Stinger from his shoulder, the missle flared up and struck one of the jets in the rear. The jet exploded into a fire ball scattering parts of it across the morning sky.
"Got it!" Exclaimed the soldier.
"But at what price?" Replied Johnson as he surveyed the burning convoy.

LC Rogers what stunned as a pilot drifted down from the sky and landed right in the middle of the camp. Three soldiers retrieved the pilot who was unconcious. The pilot was badly wounded.
"I guess he's lucky landing in this medical camp." Rogers laughed out.

Status:
-03:00hrs: Location of MASH secured
-04:57hrs: Wounded begin arriving, camp not yet fully operational
-06:37hrs: Received garbled transmition from supply convoy, lost contact
-06:58hrs: First wounded combatant arrived, ejected pilot (unidentified nationality)

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
We have fought long and hard, but now... now, victory is iminent. We now have the powerful allies from overseas, we now have the superior weapons and the superior troops... victory is all but assured! Think back to only a few days ago - then, we were on the brink of defeat and death! Now, the lovers of order have triumphed, and chaos is defeated, cast out and destroyed. We shall be victorious!!!
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
The enemy is winning. Mere days ago, victory was within our grasp, and yet today, it seems further away than ever before. We have formed our own navy, and we fight for freedom. We have not the assets to use against the vile invaders, or the evil oppressor, who dares attack refugee camps with missiles and bombs, who dares to attack Haraki... we are trying to win, are trying with all our souls, but... things aren't going well for us. As such, we must renew our pleas for the intervention of any freedom loving liberal nations. The fascists have us pressed to the wall, but we have won battles before, have taken cities and smashed armies. To our brave soldiers, I must only say... regardless of the outcome of this war, you are all heroes. You have all done your duty. Nothing can make us prouder than the thought that we led you against tyranny. Liberty might not triumph here in Danteri, but... at least, when all is said and done, we will have tried to bring into this world a new nation based on freedom and justice, rather than oppression and fear. We tried. Whatever happens now, remember that - we tried.

Other News:
- Southhaven: The rebels have continued their advance, pushing back the Loyalists almost to the border of Southhaven and Easthaven. When the Loyalists tried to make a stand, they were slaughtered - almost ten thousand Loyalist soldiers were killed, and easily two thousand were captured. Dozens of pieces of Loyalist armor were also captured or destroyed, as was much of the Loyalist artillery, and a large portion of their supplies. This battle has turned the orderly Loyalist withdrawl, during which they carried out an almost totaly succesful "scorched earth" policy, into a complete and total rout. This is a disaster for the Loyalists, but, considering the number of foreign troops now fighting under the Loyalist banner, will it be enough?
- Loyalist Navy: The Loyalist destroyer Nordburg made it safely to the Oopli fleet. The last other Loyalist vessel, the destroyer Southhaven, was captured by the rebel cruiser Liberty. The crew of the Southhaven apparently came over to the rebel side rather than be sunk.
- Rebel Navy: The rebel navy, the so-called "Free Danteri Navy" doubled its number of hulls with the capture of the Loyalist destroyer Southhaven - this might mark the begining of the rebel navy as a real power... except of course, for the simple fact that all the other players save the Danteri Loyalists have several hundred times the total rebel tonnage.
- Easthaven: in Easthaven, the arrival of the Sarmian naval forces is greeted as a potential upset - have they come to join with the People's Navy of Kulikovo against Oompli, New-Lexington and Imitora?
- Rebel Commandoes: The rebel commandoes have become a major problem for the Loyalists and their allies - they recently ambushed and annihilated an entire company of Loyalist troops moving from the capital to the Southhaven lines. The terrifying thing is, this attack occured five miles behind Loyalist lines!
- Nord-Lund: In Nord-Lund, the Loyalists have launched a probing attack against the People's Army of Kulikovo. Casualties to both sides are unknown at this time.
- Civilian Detainees: The Loyalist government has announced that they will begin shooting prisoners again in twenty four hours - until then, the remaining half of the civilian detainees are safe.
- Danteri City: Further riots occured in Danteri City - around five hundred rioters were killed and thousands were wounded. Six bombs were also set off - one killed eight Danteri Government Security agents when it went off near their HQ building. Two others killed an unknown number of Loyalist police officers, and another three killed no one, but disrupted the power grid in Danteri City.
- Haraki Safe Zones: Following the latest Loyalist defeats, thousands of Loyalist soldiers retreated into the safe zones and surrendered to the first Haraki soldiers they saw. All in all, in spite of remaining neutral, Haraki now has around eighty thousand Loyalist POWs. Also, the number of civilians arriving daily has increased - the lines of battle are practicaly on the door-step of the Haraki safe-zones.
- Rebels Capture Industrial Center: The rebels have captured a key industrial sector of Danteri today, as areas of Easthaven fall under their control - this includes the single largest production facility for the Talon class fighter-bomber.
- Loyalist Atrocities: The Loyalist government has announced a series of represive measures - around fifty thousand political disadents were rounded up and sent to "labor camps" in southern Nord-Lund. The official government statement is that "there they can be of use to the Loyalist government - making ammunition and guns." Another six thousand were rounded up and shot by Danteri Government Security.
- Lastly: Southhaven Refugee Camps: The rebel government has asked if it can send some of the refugees in its Southhaven camps to the Haraki safe-zones, as it is afraid that it cannot insure their safety against possible attacks by either Loyalists or foreigners allied with the Loyalists.

The Talon class fighter-bomber is widely considered to be the single worst design for a long-range combat air craft to ever leave the drawing board and enter production. Originaly, the plan issued by the Supreme Leader, years before the war, called for a mid-range fighter-bomber capable of carrying two heavy bombs or anti-shipping torpedoes. However, after this contract was awarded to a firm owned by a nephew of the Supreme Leader, things began to go down hill.
The first thing that was changed in the plan was to make the Talon into a long-range fighter-bomber - without, of course, decreasing its ability to carry its two bombs or torpedoes. As a trade-off, though, its air-to-air missile capability was gutted - each Talon carries only four low-quality, low-payload, air-to-air missiles, and as such, is no match for pure fighter craft.
The other problem was that, in order to make the Talon class fighter-bomber into a long-range craft, a much larger fuel tank was needed, to help carry the weight of the two large bombs.
However, as the bombs needed to be kept, and there is a point at which a craft will be too heavy to fly, another cut was made - for its size and combat speed, the Talon has very little armor. In fact, at its thickest point, the Talon's armor is only a few milimeters thicker than the thinest spots on a comprable fighter in service to either Haraki or Kolikovo. That would seem to indicate that the Talon would need to rely on speed for protection, as its armor is so thin that it cannot even stop low-caliber rifle fire with any regularity. (There has been a documented case of a lucky shot from a low-caliber hand-gun bringing down a Talon.) However, that is not the case - due to the massive weight of its huge fuel tank and its two heavy bombs, the Talon is actually slower than many other more heavily armored craft in use by other nations.
That means, in other words, that a Talon class fighter-bomber is a huge, slow-moving, lightly armored, target packed to the brim with jet fuel and carrying two large high-explosive bombs - in other words, the dream target of any opposition fighter pilot.
However, even due to its uselessness, the Talon class fighter-bomber doesn't come cheap - inflated costs by profiteering firms within Danteri mean that the Danteri Air Force actually was able to afoard fewer craft than it would have been if it had bought much more effective craft from overseas. As a result, not only was the Danteri Air Force flying miserably useless junk heaps - they were flying fewer over-priced miserably useless junk heaps than they could have been flying good craft.
As such, the Talon class fighter-bomber stands out as a special symbol of the idiotic corruption that has plagued the Danteri military throughout the war.
If you need any further proof of the uselessness of the Talon class craft, consider this - at the start of the war, the Danteri Loyalists were flying, counting carrier based assets, 205 Talon class fighter-bombers. Within weeks, that number was reduced to three. In exchange, the Loyalists downed thirty four planes from Haraki and Kolikovo combined. That means that they lost slightly more than six Talons for every enemy plane they managed to down. That's pitiful.
However, due to the simple fact that the Talon class fighter-bomber is the only plane that Danteri can produce, save for the slightly better designed Raptor class heavy-bomber, both the Loyalists and the rebels are still using them - in fact, with the recent capture of that key industrial site, the rebels are actually still producing them!
However, considering the huge foreign armies involved in the present conflict, it's only a matter of time until both the rebels and the Loyalists start using superior foreign designs, and the Talon is relagated to the scrap heap of stupid ideas - where it belonged in the first place!

Other News:
- Captured Destroyers: The three destroyers captured by Haraki do not have any booby traps. However, rather than illuminate potential areas of advancement, areas in which the Danteri government had inovated or improved, these vessels act as proof of the sheer stupidity and incompetence that is the norm in Danteri military planning - each of these three destroyers would be a top-of-the-line, even advanced and innovative combat vessel... if they had entered service ten to fifteen years ago. One of the most striking things is the total reliance on traditional naval guns - out of all the Danteri Navy vessels, only the Iron Emperor carried any missiles at all.
- Free Danteri Navy: The Free Danteri Navy has linked up with the People's Navy of Kolikovo. Their addition to the sizeable People's Navy task force is minor, but it now appears that, at long last, the era of the commerce raider has come to an end.
- Civilian Detainees: General Krieger has ordered all the Haraki origin hostages under the age of twelve released, calling it a "gesture of good faith", and callng for the Haraki government to reciprocate by promising to remain neutral and stay out of the war. He also hinted that if such a reaffirment could be issued, he might post-pone the renewed deadline for the renewal of the hourly executions of the civilian detainees. As is, he has pushed back the deadline for withdrawal by eight hours.
- Free Danteri Air Force: The Danteri rebels launced the first planes that they built in their captured factories today, sending their Talons through a series of aerial maneuvers.
- Loyalist Danteri Air Force: The Loyalist air force lost one of its three remaining Talons today when it crashed while on a routine recon flight. The pilot was killed, as his ejection seat failed.
- Lastly: The Danteri rebel commandoes have struck again, blowing up a bridge in Westfall, and assassinating a local politician known to be a Loyalist. Also targeted was a fuel depot for the New Lexington Armored units - it is unknown whether they succeded or failed, or if they killed or wounded any New-Lexington soldiers, but they withdrew in good order with none of their number killed and only two or three wounded.

Other News:
- Slave Labor: The Danteri Loyalist Government has apparently begun looking into selling rebel POWs and the already-imprisoned political dissenters into slavery in another country - apparently with the intent of using the funds gained from this sale to fund the Loyalist military machine.
- New Loyalist Planes: The Loyalists have recieved some new fighters from their Oompli allies. This raises, once again, the threat posed by the aircraft carrier Danteri's Pride.
- Lastly: A major opperation is now underway to eliminate the rebel commandos - the Imitoran elite mercenary units are being used on this task, as are a number of Danteri Army Special Operations soldiers, and, aparently also, some elements of Oompli's Special Forces.

Port Skogheim
05:30 p.m.

“Herregud, Jonas, this is a total mess! What is it you military guys say… Foorbar, is it?”

“FUBAR, Otto, and yes, you’re absolutely right, even the Rebels have started to kill civilians. I’m starting to wonder whether there’s something in their drinking water.”

Jonas Stoeregaard peered through the cigar-smoke at the National Chancellor. Neither of them looked pleased. They sat silent for a while before the Chancellor spoke.

“And what of the Gwazzarians? Is there any news?”

“No, as far as we know, they are distributing aid to both parties…

“Aid? As in…?”

“No, no, humanitarian aid, it seems. They have pulled their military forces out completely. Our diplomacy worked…” Stoeregaard’s eyes darkened. “…but to thank us for having talked one potential enemy out of the war, the idiots round up any Gwazzarian they can find and lock them up!”

He violently crushed the cigar in the ash-tray.

“It’s like they’re trying to keep the war going. I’m starting to regret recommending our involvement, Otto.”

“Perhaps it would have been better if we had supplied both parties with weapons. Then they could at least have killed each other quicker.”

None of them found this funny, but it still made them laugh. The laughter soon died, and the Chancellor cleared his throat.

“Talk to this crack-pot Krieger. Tell him that the Gwazzarians are our friends, and that we would appreciate their immediate release.”

“And if he refuses?”

“Remind him of the range of a Langsverd-missile.”

The Chancellor stood up, and the Minister was quick to get on his feet.

“God help you, Jonas, if this blows up in your face, you better hope that your friends are willing to cover an urban renewal. If not, I fear that you might find your self without a job…”

After Otto von Birkenhoff had left, Stoeregaard sat down again. After a few minutes, he downed his whisky and called for his secretary.

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

Technical:
Langsverd-missile: Surface-to-Surface, range: 500 km, my six subs in the area have four missiles each, the Heimdall carries two, all with conventional pay-load.


OOC: Given new information, e.g. the map (exellent work) the following clarifications is due:
-my diplomatic base is in Danteri City
-the Heimdall is in Buil Bay

Transmission
[From: Prime Minister Jaime Wolfe of Haraki]
[To: General Krieger of Danteri]

We commend your decision to release all hostages under the age of 12, but must ask how they are to be released. Simply letting them go without also freeing their family would seem simply like a way to execute them without actually doing the dirty work yourself, especially as their homes have most likely been looted in the recent rioting. Thus, we suggest either you bring them to the Haraki safe zones or humanitarian aid workers who have volunteered for the mission will enter Danteri City and bring them out.

Once again, we must remind you of Haraki's neutrality in this conflict. Our soldiers are in the nation only to protect civilian lives and prevent atrocities by either side against them, and yet still your soldiers attack ours and your ships attack our civilian vessels. We have taken no offensive stance and never will in this conflict. As such, we urge you to release all Harakian prisoners you are currently detaining into the care of our forces, who will look after them well. I believe this gesture would benefit both of us immensely.

Jaime Wolfe

- The Danteri Loyalist government has already released all of the Gwazzarian civilian detainees, handing them over to the Bretling embassy, to be returned to Gwazzaria.
- The Haraki civilian detainees who were released were also handed over to the Bretling embassy, with instructions for the Bretling government to hand them over to the Haraki.

General Ivan Yakhovsky observed the photos taken by the recon planes, on photo caught his attention.
" What is that?" Asked Ivan, as he pointed to what appeared to be a small camp in a forest clearing.
" It looks like a camp to me sir and i am sure it is not ours, but what it is it doing behind our lines?" Queried a private. Ivan slammed his fist down on the table.
" What a stroke of luck, it must be a rebel commandoe base. Get Vladimir to get his company down there now!" Ordered Ivan, the private saluted and rapidly left the tent. Ivan smiled.

Captain Vladimir popped out from the turret of his BMP-3, a soldier appeared from the trees ahead of him and ran towards him.
" Sir, there are thirty to forty men up ahead, no uniforms though." Said the private in a hushed voice. Vladimir nodded and returned inside his vehicle. He took the radio.
" This is Alpha company, do you read,copy." Vladimir said into the mike.
" Roger Alpha comp, we hear you." Crackled a voice from the radio.
" Send in the Hinds to the co-ords, and fire at will." Replied Vladimir.
" Roger Alpha company, Helos inbound, over and out." It was silent for a few minutes the the soft sound of rotor blades breezed across then it was quiet again. Explosions ripped through the air and the hinds cannons chittered away.
"Alpha company move out!" Called Vladimir as his vehicle lurched forwards.

T-90's rolled across the open fields as they headed southwards, Tunguskas scanned the skies as they trundled along side the tanks. Rallied Loyalist soldiers clung to the sides of the tanks as they advanced, Mig-29's covered the 21st armoured brigades advance in pairs. Not much resistance had been encountered along their advance, but forward elements were reporting a well dug in rebel battalion in the approaching village.

Status report;
-An Mechanized Infantry company assaulted a rebel camp, 12 casualties and 13 wounded, enemy casualties unknown.
-Forward elements of the 21st armoured brigaded engaged a dug in rebel battalion in a village north of Dreil, 2 tanks, 6 casualties and 12 wounded. 17 Loyalist soldiers are MIA.
-The 6th Air Assault division has sent troops into Danteri city to quell rioting. 3 engineers were injured whilst disarming a road side bomb, they were attacked by a angry mob. The mob was rounded up by our forces and has been placed in one of our new reeducation facilities.
-The 12th and 7th Infantry Regiments have arrived and dug in along the southern bank of the Naem River and secured defences in Freiburg.
-2 Su-37 Flanker fighter bomber aircraft engaged the rebel cruiser Liberty but were forced away by anti-air fire, sufficient damage is believed to have been inflicted.

OOC: As requested, here is updated map;
http://h1.ripway.com/xexe/danterimapI.jpg

Oompli satellite technology is amazing don't you think:)

Danteri City
06:30 a.m.

Two RBAF Hercules’ take of with the released Gwazzarian prisoners. They will be flown to Gwazzaria.

Four hours later, one of the companies in Danteri City escort a column of released Harakians South, towards the Haraki-controlled zones. The column moves slowly, given the lack of transport vehicles. The APC’s are reserved for those who can not walk.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
We have done the right thing, the humanitarian thing. Many of the hostages that we have been holding have been released, handed over to the Bretling embassy along with requests that the Bretling government hand them over to their home governments. Also, the Haraki government has issued the statement of its intentions that we sought - that is good. As such, we are willing to make a deal - should the Haraki agree to not deploy any heavy armor or other heavy offensive land based weapons, we will agree to release the rest of the Haraki detainees. We have made our demand - let the Haraki now either meet it or damn themselves by forcing us to kill innocent civilians! Furthermore, all of the other detainees under the age of 12 will be released to the Bretling embassy as a genuine gesture of good faith. In addition to those, we are also releasing three detainees who require medical attention - all of these individuals will be turned over to the Bretling embassy, with instructions to return them to their home governments. I just hope that this shows we can be reasonable. Also, as for the other detainees - we will not start shooting them again until there is another major offensive launched by a foreign power. This, we swear.
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
Sometimes, even a bloody handed tyrant can surprise you. This act, the release of some of the civilian detainees is, however, merely a hollow act, intended primarily to create foreign support for the fascist regime. Consider this petty act of kindness, and compare it to the brutal murders of the other half of the detainees. Consider the obscene horrors wrought upon innocents, and understand why this man, this monster, cannot be trusted. He is evil. That is all that can be said.

Other News:
- Rebel Commandos Evade Search: The rebel commandos have so far evaded the efforts made to track them down - they seem almost super-natural in their abilities to hide, to melt into the forest then strike again. And strike again they have - they recently struck a Loyalist patrol, annihilating once more a Loyalist force the size of a company.
- Free Danteri Air Force: The Free Danteri Air Force conducted an air-raid against Danteri City today - one rebel Talon class fighter-bomber was shot down, but the rebels succeded in dropping around twenty thousand pounds of bombs on the city. Loyalist aerial assets were unable to intercept the raiders.
- Rebel Forces Hold: In Southhaven and Easthaven, the rebel forces held against a determined Loyalist counter-attack. Thousands on both sides have perished with no changes.
- Loyalist "Labor Camps": International Human Rights Watch groups have been kept out of the Nord-Lund labor camps, where by now arround seventy five thousand Danteri political dissidents and rebel POWs are being held.
- Loyalist Air Force: Using MiGs given to them by the Oomplians, the Loyalists launched aerial attacks in support of their land based offensive. In spite of this, the Loyalists were unable to make a break-through. Rebel casualties were heavy, though.
- Lastly: Danteri Government Security: The DGS agency has apparently been given two batalions of Danteri Army soldiers with which they are to round up suspected rebel sympathizers for transport to the "Labor Camps" in Nord-Lund.

" They did what now!" Yelled LC Rogers.
" The Oompli air forces attacked a medical convoy sir." Replied a cowering private.
" We're neutral though, don't they understand what that means?" Yelled Rogers, he was really wound up about the whole wounded masses thing and this just made him snap.
" Get me a direct link to the president!" Yelled Rogers as he hurled a chair across the tent.
" Yes sir" Replied the private as he quickly vacated the tent.

The prime minister barely even considered the offer that was made to him by General Krieger. In his left hand was the message saying provided Haraki did not deploy any heavy armour or offensive ground weapons to the Danterian mainland, they would release all the Harakian hostages into Bertlingian care to be taken to the 72nd Infantry's safe zones. In his right hand was Commodore Locke's request for reinforcements, mostly on behalf of Major-General Neil. He sighed. While he would have liked to deploy heavy armour directly to the Harakian mainland, it looked as though the brigade of the 2nd Armoured he was deploying would have to wait on the island base as a second reinforcement brigade. He wasn't willing to risk Krieger mistaking light tanks for heavy tanks and executing Harakian citizens.

He hurriedly wrote up two messages and sent them. The first was to General Krieger, agreeing to his deal. The second was to Commodore Locke, promising him the HNS Kite light carrier along with a smaller quantity of screening ships, to be deployed to the region, although not necessarily directly to Danteri. It also said one brigade from the 2nd Armoured would be deployed to the Harakian island base for use as a mobile reserve, but outlining how it could not be deployed to the safe zones due to the agreement with General Krieger.

The Kite's task force was to be three destroyers (The Alpaca, Murphy and Maxwell), two light cruisers (The Vitality and Morose) and one heavy cruiser (The Albany) along with the Kite itself, loaded with its full compliment of sixty planes. Accompanying them to the island base was a group of transports carrying the 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Armoured "Vanguard" Division.

At the same time, the infantry already deployed on the ground in Danteri prepared to receive actual Harakian refugees, who would be prioritized for transport back to Haraki should they so desire it. It was predicted that most of them would.

Results of Oompli Actions:
- 18 rebels were killed, one was wounded and captured, and at least one is believed to have escaped.
- The Liberty survived, but was forced to retreat deeper into the Kolikovo People's Navy task-force it was operating with - it is believed to be recieving repairs, and will likely be fully operational again in around twenty four hours.
- During the village raid, 17 Loyalist Danteri soldiers from the Loyalist force supporting the Oompli vanished. They were marked as MIA, until their bodies were found, looted, with their throats cut. The Loyalist allies took the village, though, but this looks like the work of a small group of commandos.
- Also: Danteri Government Security has politely requested that their foreign allies unify their re-education camps with the Loyalist labor camps, for several reasons, amoungst which is mentioned "To keep the number of sites we have to keep the Human Rights inspectors away from to a minimum."

Six figures jumped from the low flying craft, parachutes deployed and the men gently drifted down in the dark of night. They landed as quietly as they fell, they found one another in the darkness. They buried their parachutes and assemble their disguises. They were dressed as rebel militia and armed with rebel weapons, but this was in fact a Oompli Special Forces seek and kill team. They had been dropped deep into the rebel held southern province. Their mission, to assasinate the rebel forces leader and thus demoralize rebel forces. They were to split up into three groups and head of towards suspected locations of the rebel leader and that is what they did.

[To: Nations Involved in the Danteri Civil War]
[From: The Royal Bertlingian Army]
[Re: RBA Humanitarian Mission]

The 3rd Mechanized Army Regiment has been ordered by our Most Just and Righteous Monarch, King Harald II, to set up a transit camp for released prisoners. Our current forces in Danteri City is neither equipped, staffed or trained in such a mission.

The 3rd will start landing its advance elements within a week. We will set up aerial transport routes out of Danteri. All released prisoners will be flown to a neutral nation.

Brigadier Carl Willoch
RBA High Command

A small crowd had gathered in front of the Danteri Government Security HQ building, to watch as a number of ragged figures were led out the huge, intentionaly imposing, front doors of the DGSHQ building.
They made a sad sight, ragged, starved, filthy and terrified. They resembled beaten dogs, more than anything else, and they all flinched whenever one of their guards spoke or moved suddenly. These people had been imprisoned for days in a prison that was delibrately designed to be the least pleasant in all of Danteri, and before that, had been dragged from their homes, and held at gun-point.
Many of the people here had seen loved ones brutally murdered by these same grim DGS men who now led them through the streets in a sollemn procession towards the Bertling embassy. It was a sad sight - no wonder they had had the children sent secretly - imagine the horror that the sight of children reduced to such flinching wretches might have generated! Yet... now, the DGS men led the Haraki detainees through the streets... and, there was an intentional symbolism in that choice, as... as, no one who had ever entered the DGSHQ building as a prisoner had ever left by the front door before.
As they neared the Bertling embassy, a few news crews appeared, eager to grab this latest horror for the ratings boost it was sure to generate. The cameras focused on the ragged, huddled Haraki citizens, on their bruises and cuts, and those images were what the world saw of the Loyalist Danteri.
The cameras focused on a woman, weeping, cowering, on a man bent, staring at the ground... it focused on these Haraki citizens... on these broken, brutalized people.

- The Haraki detainees have been released to the Bertling embassy.

Outside the Danteri Government Security HQ building..
One of the Dutchess Renee's top security officials announces a sale on nitro glycerine.
He then threatens to sell the glass "pills" to the civillians... if the Danteri govt does not open up lines of trade with his country. "We all can benifit from this, my Queen wants your prisoners, and you want weapons. You can make a parking lot of your neighbor with just 100,000 nitro pills. My queen is willing to trade.. nitro for non pow's." He then presents a "Thanks for Trading with the Queendom of Dutchess Renee :gundge: we are awaiting your response" -D.R

At the daily briefing of 23Eris's (23rd Eris) Prime Minister...

"...and that is the current situation in Danteri." finished Minister of Defense Helen Markham.

"Horrible, absolutely horrible. It's a murderous quagmire and these other nations interfereing are only making it worse. If the loyalist faction wins, there will be hundreds of thousands of reprisal killings in the south, and vice-versa if the Rebels win," added the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"What about this slave trade deal?" asked Prime Minster Althea Hekatos. "They can't be serious about that."

"All signs indicate they are Ma'am." Replied the Forign Minister.

"Goddess help us all, this is crazy. We can't simply sit by and watch this happen, we have to do something..." stated the Interior Minister.

"We aren't going to. Here is exactly what we are going to do..." answered the Prime Minster.

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

To: All Nations
From: Ministry of Forign Affairs, Kallisti City, 23Eris
RE: Danteri Conflict

Prime Minister Althea Hekatos calls on all nations to withdraw their troops from Danteri and for Loyalist and Rebel troops to agree to a cease-fire effective as soon as possible in order to facilitate mediation of the conflict on the basis of restoring peace and the establishment of a Northern and Southern Danteri seperate and independent of one another. We offer the good services of the offices of 23Eris to act as mediator and offer our nation as a neutral location for the beginning of peace talks.
23Eris also calls for an end to attacks on cililians and for Danteri to rescind their offer of civilian slaves for aid.
23Eris hereby opens its borders to any and all refugees from the nation of Danteri and will provide transportation and relocation for said refugees. In accordance with this policy, 23Eris is dispatching several transport ships to the southern zone, accompanied by a handful of destroyers, frigates, and corvettes, this group will be followed by additional vessels as necessary.
In addition, 23Eris is dispatching a small contingent of submarines to the coast of Danteri with orders to board and search any transport vessels leaving Danteri which may contain civilians being shipped against their will. Any vessels containing such civilians will be boarded, their 'cargo' liberated and impounded until the end of the conflict.
We hereby declare our neutrality in this conflict and will attack no nation nor faction except in direct defense of our people or those in our care. While we are a small nation, we are a proud people and will defend ourselves if tested.

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

The Lowdown:

- 4 Troop Transport vessels (basically modified cruise ships with food & medical supplies and crew) are dispatched to Southern Danteri. The are accompanied by 3 Destroyers for anti-air protection, 5 frigates and 6 corvettes for anti submarine and mine-clearing duties.
- 7 Submairines of the diesel-electric variety are on their way towards the northern coastline of Danteri. They have orders to inspect any suspect vessels leaving from Danteri. These submarines will be in place in a day or two.

The Duke stood at the window of the Cloudspine's conference room. From this height he could see the massive piston-plant on the hillside - a powerplant which was, effectively, an internal combustion engine on a grand scale. The airport was just now dealing with the influx of Gwazzarian expatriates from Danteri. It was a mixed blessing: while no one wanted to see civillians executed needlessly, these were by and large political dissidents who had left when the former ducal family went into exile.

A polite rapping on the large table behind him got his attention, and his secretary bowed (despite having been told it was no longer compulsory, repeatedly) while offering out the newest information on Danteri.

"Thank you, Leroy. I heard a new player has entered the bloodied arena?"

"Yes, Your Grace. The... it can barely be called a nation, but 23rd Eris' "leadership" has seen fit to step in."

"I'm surprised they still have enough organization to maintain a military. Ironic, sort of, them intervening like this when they seem so avoidant of such in their own nation." The Duke smiled as he looked over the summary on 23Eris. An organized anarchy, apparently. "Good to see someone do this, though. Well, I think we can certainly be considered firmly on their side."

The secretary stood silently, while the Duke continued his soliloquy. "We entered this conflict hoping to secure a place in rebuilding the country afterwards. Our economic situation has changed enough since then, especially with the recent free trade agreement, and since the rebels have become just as bad the loyalists... and the deadlock... ah, well, I hope a ceasefire works out."

The Duke looked over 23Eris' message once more, thinking quietly for a moment. "See if the Admiral isn't busy, will you? And tell Yominov that the expatriates are getting free one-way tickets to 23rd Eris. I rather think they'll enjoy it more there than here."

Buil Bay, Danteri, 1000

"attack"

A single command issued by Field Marshal Santarin of the Western Sarmatian Imperial Army, starts off the largest assualt by 2 nations in the last 30 years. 50 million soliders, 1000 tanks and 500 aircraft come from over 10000 ships to assualt the usually calm Buil Bay.

By the time the day is over, the Western Sarmatian and Sarmian Allied Armies have gained 100 miles, and only lost 30 men.

Sarman, Sarmia, 1400 local

"Sir, all reports are good. The landing was a success and the army is on the move!"

"Good. Thank you, Robert, that will be all."

"Yes Sir"

The man left the room, leaving the war cabinet behind him.

"Sir, we just recieved this message from 23eris. It seems there sending 11 ships. 4 are suply ships and 11 are subs." The head of communactions said.

"Will we come into contact with them?"

"Yes Sir. Early reports indicate that they will dock within 50 miles of our fleet."

"Watch them. If they do nything to disrupt our efforts, i want them blown out of the water!"

"Yes Sir"

OOC: April Fool's, I hope?

Official Statement from the office of Samio Sumo, leader of Sarmia:
"The goverment of Sarmia condems the inhumane "reeducation camps" set up by nations helping the illegaly setup "goverment" of Danteri. We also condem the labour camps set up by the Danterian Goverment and warn that if these are not shut down within 3 weeks and the prisnors released into the security of myself or other nations suppoting the rebels, then the assualt started by the Sarmian 1st and 2nd Army, the Western Sarmatian Imperial Army, the Western Sarmatian Imperial Tank Corps and the Sarmian National Air Force shall march on the Danterian Capital and we shall level the city to the ground, but only after we have destroyed the armies of the enemies of the true Danterian people, led by the rebels. You have been warned!"

Ooc: Nope!

OOC: In that case, I'd suggest you read over the helpful stickies on roleplaying and rp etiquette. This is god-moding to an extreme.

OOC: Typically, telling another nation any losses they have suffered whatsoever is considered godmoding. Since it was just a fishing vessel it doesn't matter, but it's better to say something like 'The Danterian naval ship Eisenheart has fired on a Harakian fishing vessel, but damage is currently unknown' and allow the other nation to fill in their own losses. Just a heads up for the future.

OOC: I concure

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Today, Sarmia invaded our beloved homeland. We have powerful allies, though, and I must say that we shall resist until the last drop of our blood has been shed!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
Today, we gained a bold new ally, that has begun landing troops as we speak. While their propaganda has gotten out of hand, they are welcome, so long as they can rationally deal with us. That is all.

OOC: Sarmia, I have to agree with Bertling and Gwazzaria - godmaodding isn't allowed. Just try to do better next time, OK?
Other News:
- Sarmian Landings: The Sarmian military landed amidst heavy opposition. Inspite of a well organized defensive operation, the Loyalists were forced to retreat. Around two thousand Loyalist soldiers perished in the fighting, and another thouand surrendered. Sarmian casualties are unknown at this time.
- Loyalist Atrocities: Further slaughter of civilians has occured - around three thousand today, and it has been definitely confirmed that they are trying to sell their POWs and detainees as slaves to another nation.
- Loyalist Attack: The Loyalists have commited their carrier cased forces against the 23Eris aid collumn, saying that they will, from now on, consider any nation that calls for a two-Danteri solution to be hostile. (The attack involved a number of MiGs given to the Danteri Loyalists by Oompli).
- Lastly: Rebel Commandos strike again: This time in Danteri City - around six hundred civilians and fifty Loyalist security men died as the rebels conducted a systematic series of bombings in the capital.
OOC: If any of you are going to make April Fools jokes, please indicate that they are such in, at the least, a later post. Thank you.

The government of Haraki has announced that they throw their full support behind both sides in the conflict. One billion of our civilians will be sent to the loyalists, while the other billion will be sent to the rebels, leaving us with over half a billion left in our homeland, plenty enough to rebuild a nation. Since all our citizens are implanted with cyborg implants and armour-piercing minigun arms from birth, they should be shock troops in the conflict. One billion shock troops on either side. Also, every one of them is outfitted with a nuclear bomb backpack, so if they die they explode with a 5 kiloton nuclear blast.

April Fools.









OOC: What I'm about to say, I realized as I finsihed writing it, may sound harsh or judgmental. Please don't take it as such. I'm trying to help everybody here out, as a more experienced player.

Sarmia, that definitely falls into the category of godmoding. For one, you claim to have landed 50 million troops, something that is not only logistically impossible but also especially impossible for a nation with only a little under 400 million population total.

Since your first posts seem to be in this thread, I will admit you probably don't know any better. Before you jump in, take a look at how the other nations entered this conflict. For one thing, we/they all entered diplomatically first before simply landing troops, which would probably count as a declaration of war against both sides. Not only that, but it's impossible to get 10,000 ships and 50 million people close enough to amphibiously invade someplace without people noticing. Your troops apparently teleported in on their ships and assaulted.

Also, aside from the obscene numbers of troops, teleportation, and lack of diplomacy, you started godmoding right from the start, where you claimed to have advanced 100 miles and only lost 30 troops, especially not knowing what opposition you were facing. Godmoding is classified not only as telling someone what losses they suffer, but also as refusing to suffer losses yourself. It's comparable to saying "All my people have personal forcefields, so you can't hurt them." It just doesn't work, and it kills any form of roleplaying we may have going.

Admittedly, I haven't been taking many losses in this conflict, so that may seem a bit hypocritical of me. However, you have to realize that I'm an old, established nation (Since April 2003) with a massive defence budget. My ships have great defensive systems, my troops are well-trained and well-equipped, and I have a lot of money to sink into operations like this, and I'm up against a much worse-equipped and -trained force, according to Danteri. He freely admits and makes up that his nation's forces are terrible, and I actually can pull off overwhelming victories with less forces.

So, my advice to you is thus: Read the stickies. They're hard to miss. Just read them, come back, and re-enter the conflict bearing in mind all the advice you've gotten and everything you will have read. There's no need to delete your posts or anything, just come back in with a new entry.

Lexitonian and Oomplian forces entered Westgate today, and encountered no resistance. All rebel fortifications had been abandodned during the night, due to the presence of the coalition. Rebel forces presumably fled south towards rebel-held Southhaven by way of coast and sea, under the cover of night. Lexitonian forces request the aid of their oomplian allies in a possible attempt to invade Southhaven, via beach landing.

Harakian commander of the Danteri operation Commodore Felias Locke today issued a message to both general Krieger and the staff in the Bertlingian embassy, asking them if a company of Harakian motorized infantry could take trucks to Danteri City to retrieve the Harakian civilians and bring them back to the safe zones, thus taking them off both nations' hands and making them a Harakian responsibility. He also said in the message that the company of troops would be accompanied by large numbers of medical personnel and doctors, as well as medical aid supplies to care for the Harakian citizens.

Major-General Gregoery Neil of the 72nd Infantry grabbed the phone as soon as he heard the news, putting himself through to Locke immediately.

"Yes?"

"Felias? What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get our citizens out without them having to go through Bertlingian territory. You have to admit, bertling sided with the Loyalists, and I don't trust them with our citizens."

"Yeah, but sending a company of my men into Loyalist-held territory? That's suicide!"

"We signed a truce with them, Greg, in case you forgot. Besides, most Loyalist troops in the area are fighting the rebels, who are rapidly advancing from the south, bring the frotn lines closer every day."

"There's still enough men and tanks to annihilate an entire company of troops and all the doctors you can send, not to mention how much shit we'd be in for losing that many vehicles and civilians."

Locke sighed. "Listen, Greg. If they break the ceasefire, they're international pariahs and we get to deploy heavy armour. The Kite arrived here today and its group unloaded the Second Armoured's Second Brigade. If they break the ceasefire, we use our naval forces to bomb the troops attacking our men, and we get the Kite's planes to give them hell, plus we deploy a shitload of modern tanks. The Danterians couldn't contest our posession of the safe zones then, not on their lives."

Then it was Neil's turn to sigh. "Fine, you're in charge. But if this turns into a shitstorm, I get to say 'I told you so'."

With that, he hung up and reviewed which company he would send if they agreed to the transfer. At least he'd have support from the seven new combat ships arriving in the area - Three destroyers, three cruisers and the Kite, a Retribution-class light carrier with sixty planes in five flights onboard. These new forces had linked up with the Harakian forces already in the area, clearing up multiple flights of planes to return to Haraki and multiple others to provide more extensive close air support to the ground forces rather than protecting the naval ships, which now had the Kite to protect them.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
The Haraki have requested to be allowed to send their medical personel through our lines to retrieve the newly-released civilian detainees?I can say to that - OK. We will play ball, we will allow them to make that move. I hereby order all Loyalist forces to allow them to pass unhindered. However, should they even hint at going over to the rebels, we will kill them all. That is all.
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
We have fought hard, and are still advancing. Should not sizeable Loyalist forces appear out of nowhere, our forward units will reach the edge of the Haraki safe-zone in a matter of hours. We shall prevail!

Other News:
- Entire Rebel Leadership Killed: The entire rebel command organization was slaughtered today when a group of Bertling assassins disguised as pizza-delivery men managed to poison the entire People's Commitee on Revolution with a load of poisoned anchovies.
- April Fools!
- Rebel Air-force: Using their Haraki-made fighters, the rebels shot down all three of the remaining Loyalist land-based craft in less than six minutes.
- Rebel Counter-Attack: A rebel force of seventy-five thousand men and 700 tanks has counter-attacked the New-Lexington militaries positions near Westgate - apparently, they had not been retreating, merely preparing a trap.
- Sarmia: The Sarmian forces have ONLY taken a beach-head at this point - their actual casualties are unknown. Currently, close to ten thousand Loyalist troops are in the area, and another five thousand are inbound from Westfall, having been released due to the Loyalists foreign allies increased presence.
- Loyalist Atrocities: The Loyalist government has used their military to carry out a series of attacks - at this point, civilian casualties are believed to be at around one million killed or displaced.
- Lastly: Rebel commandos strike: The elite rebel commando unit has struck once again, this time killing the head of the much-feared Danteri Government Security agency.

Neil went out himself to watch as the company of troops and extra doctors and medical personnel left the city, heading for Danteri City. The hundred and fifty soldiers were accompanied by over twenty medical staff, an entire truck full of medical supplies and food, and ten further, empty trucks, plus three Harakian military jeeps (OOC: Think humvees with neat add-ons and a wider range of weaponry), two at the front of the convoy and one at the rear.

They set off on the long road to Danteri City. Ruling out the likely possibility of attack by air or ground forces from either side and taking into account the terrible infrastructure and road network in Danteri after a drawn out war, it was estimated it would take them close to a day to cover the distance to Danteri City at maximum speed. In reality, it would likely be a much longer trip.

Neil took aside the captain of the military company immediately prior to their departure, and shook his head slowly before saying anything. Only at a quizzical look from the junior officer did he break from his revery and carry on with his message. "Oh, yes. Sorry. Captain, listen to me. This is a very tense situation. We're hostile with the loyalists and friendly with the rebels, but all that could change very quickly. You're travelling through Loyalist territory in military vehicles and they don't like us much. For all we know, this could all be a setup."

The captain nodded, and Neil continued. "I want you get to Danteri City, get the Harakian citizens, and get out of there again. Don't stop to give them medical relief there, don't stop to give them food there. Load them up and get out. Even if we took the Loyalist soldiers out of the mix, we'd still have mobs of angry rioters wanting to kill everything with a helmet and a gun. Feed them in the trucks, bandage them in the trucks, but spend as little time in hostile areas as possible."

The captain nodded once more. "Yes, sir."

"Oh, and captain - Don't fire unless you're absolutely sure you're being attacked, as in there are swarms of soldiers descending from the hills wildly shooting assault rifles at you. If you can sustain it without firing back, do so. I do not want a shitstorm over this. We could probably get you a lot of air and naval bombardment as cover, and maybe even get you back, but the risks are too high, especially with doctors and civilians in the trucks. Do not engage unless you know you'll all die if you don't."

The captain nodded and saluted. "Yes sir. We'll be back before you know it."

With that he jogged off and got into the first truck's cab, honked the horn twice, and the convoy slowly set off, picking up speed as it got going out on the roads out of the city. They were taking a terrible risk, and their lives were in the hands of the Loyalists and their beloved General Krieger. That was what worried Neil.

On Board the 23Eris Destroyer Apple Core; Bridge

"Captain! Aircraft approaching! Best guess based on their current bearing is they came from northern Danteri." A radarman called out through the bridge. As he yelled his report, the bridge fell silent and everyone began to pay closer attention to the monitors in front of them.

"Sound general quarters, alert the fleet. No one is to engage or deviate from course unless we are fired upon." the Captain replied.

A few tense moments follwed as the crew monitored the approach of the planes, the captain wishing his nation had a carrier, even one that could have provided aerial cover. Of course, he knew that the government was insistent on slashing expenditures, especially of the military and a carrier was certainly out of the question. Even most of the fleet they had acquired in their own war for independence was now layed up in mothballs. After this mission was over he would have a few choice words for-

"Captain! Missile launch! Tracking one, two, holy #$%^, over a dozen missiles inbound!"

"Switch to automatic tracking, let the computer engage the missiles, signal the Ajax to engage the enemy planes with its long range SAMs. Standard evasive maneuvers, gentlemen you all know the drill."

The missiles screamed in on the convoy at supersonic speeds, more than half were destroyed by the destroyer's anti-missile defenses, and others decoyed by the brilliant bursts of radar confusin chaff that fluttered up around the fleet. Still, one missile struck the Corvette Reliable midships, plowing through to her magazine where it detonated, billowing up the ship in a thunderous explosion that lifted the vessel out of the water before slamming it back down, broken in two. Another missile headed straight for the destoroyer Hermes but was decoyed away at the last minute by chaff, unfortunately the missile then acquired one of the Cruise ships and hit in the rear superstructure. Thankfully the sheer size of the ship kept her afloat though ablaze and heavily damaged.

Results: 23Eris loses one corvette with loss of all crew. One transport heavily damaged with minimal loss of life. She can only make half speed and has turned away from Danteri under escort from a single Frigate. Danteri losses are unknown. The rest of th convoy presses onwards.

23Eris, Kallisti City
Cabinet Situation Room

"... lost one ship with another damaged. Over two hundred men and women dead, wounded, or missing. We cannot just sit back and not respond!" the Defense minister insisted.

"And what would you have us do? Invade in support of the rebels? Our army and navy are totally ill-equipped for a venture like that. You know our only active units are the 1st Mechanized and the 3rd Infantry Divisons. Besides, we pledged to reduce the military after our war for independence, and we did. We can't simply start rebuilding some crazy military machine. Too many of own peole fought and died to be free from the ideas of military opression and colonial adventurism to head down that road again. No. We will continue what we are doing now. We will send a strongly worded condemnation, a demand for reparations to the families of those killed, and a demand for a pledge to respect our neutrality. If that fails we may consider other options."

"But Prime Minister-"

"No buts! We are going to stay on course here, we will not get caught up in this. Our only concern is the preservation of civilian lives in this conflict, regardless of who wins. I agree, I would rather the rebels win, they would certainly seem a more friendly nation than that of the loyalists, but we are not powerful enough to tip the balance of power in either direction."

"And if diplomay fails? What then, are we going to sulk at them?"

"No. We will continue our humanitarian efforts, and we will begin a blockade of Danteri ports with our submarines. At the same time we can offer monetary aid and supplies to the rebels. Remember though, this is only if the Loyalists continue to refuse to respect our neutrality."

-------------------------------------------------------------------
23Eris, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Official Press Release

Our nation condemns the recent attack on our Neutral vessels sending humanitarian relief to the beleagured nation of Danteri. We will continue to offer aid to the civilian populace despite these attacks. While we will not be goaded into this civil war, we will continue to excercize our ability to defend ourselves and those under our care to the best of our ability.
At the same time, we once again call on all foreign nations to withdraw their troops from Danteri to avoid prolonging a conflict that is bringing misery to millions of innocent people and we call on all nations to respect the rights of POWs and the Civilian populace.

Actions:
-The submarine patrols off the coast of Danteri continue.
-The convoy steams on for Southern Danteri, minus the lost and damaged ships as reported earlier.
-23Eris sends and 'unofficial' representative to make contact with Rebel leaders in an attempt to secure a pledge to respect civilian lives and property and POW rights in exchange for monetary aid, all through third party channels of course, so the money would be very difficult to trace back to 23Eris (should the rebels agree to the terms).

OOC: What I'm about to say, I realized as I finsihed writing it, may sound harsh or judgmental. Please don't take it as such. I'm trying to help everybody here out, as a more experienced player.
Sarmia, that definitely falls into the category of godmoding. For one, you claim to have landed 50 million troops, something that is not only logistically impossible but also especially impossible for a nation with only a little under 400 million population total.

OOC: thanks for the heads up, sorry everybody i was being stupid. but as i said, it was an allied invasion with sarmia (my nation) and western sarmatia (my brothers nation)

Sarmian and Western Sarmatian Headquarters Offivicial Statement:

"We are Bringing home 45 million troops. more details will follow."

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
The Haraki should be pleased - I have given my regional commanders orders to tell their men that anyone who fires even a single shot at the Haraki convoy will be beheaded, and their severed head presented to the Haraki by way of compensation! You don't even want to know what I told them would be done if they actually killed a Haraki! On other matters - 23Eris, we have told you before, through your calls for a two-Danteri solution, you have marked your nation as one hostile to ours. However, should you remove all surface military assets from the area, we will be willing to guarentee your safety... anyway, I'm sure that the Haraki fleet would be willing to protect you. We just don't want any more armed anarchists in this area than have to be here!
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
Today, the Loyalists once again attacked a civilian vessel. Such actions have long ago ceased to shock us - after all, three and a half million people have been killed or displaced within our own nation! However, that this vessel was part of a humanitarian aid mission makes this attack too much to be endured. As such, the rebel armies will be launching another offensive with the intent that we finaly and completely crush the Loyalists. In the name of freedom, justice and honor - we shall crush the foul Loyalists!

Other News:
- Haraki Convoy: The Haraki convoy is fired on by one sniper - the regional commander meets them two hours later, and presents them with what he claims is that snipers head on a pike. It seems that General Krieger was serious when he said that he intended to order any individual who fired upon the Haraki convoy beheaded!
- Haraki Safe-Zones: Around two hundred thousand people have entered the Safe-Zones since the Loyalists began their "purging" campaign yesterday. As such, there are now something like two million people in all in these cities - before the fighting, there were only slightly more than one-half of one million people present in the cities that now make up the Safe-Zones.
- Sarmian Landing Zones: The Loyalists have launched a counter-offensive against the Sarmian troops who have already landed - this effort consists of fifty thousand men, 45 tanks, 100 pieces of field artillery, and the entire Loyalist air force - minus the one MiG shot down by the convoy defenders from 23Eris.
- Convoy Raid: One MiG definitely shot down, and it is believed that four others suffered light (recoverable) damage.
- Rebel Offensive: The rebels have launched an all-out drive towards the Haraki Safe-Zones. Over eighty thousand rebel troops are taking part in this effort, and are supported by 800 AFVs (armored fighting vehicles - anything from a sufficiently heavily armor plated truck to a full-scale battle tank). Additionaly, they are also supported by fifty planes - forty Talon class fighter-bombers and ten higher-quality foreign planes. The initial results of this attack have the Loyalist lines crumbling, and in many sectors, the Loyalists are reported as being in full retreat. General Krieger has requested the intervention of his foreign allies on this front, saying, "If we don't get some armor in there, they'll be sipping wine from my skull in Danteri City within two days."
- Civilian Detainees: The Haraki citizens are waiting in the Bertlingian embassy, and the others (St. Hapenin, Kulikovo and now, Sarmia) are still being stored in the Danteri Government Security HQ building.
- As Mentioned Above: Any and all Sarmian civilians who are currently in Danteri (aid workers, tourists trapped when the fighting started, etc.) are being rounded up by Danteri Government Security, and imprisoned with the other civilian detainees.
- Loyalist Atrocities: The number of prisoners in the Loyalist "Labor Camps" hit a new high - two hundred thousand. The Loyalists are definitely planning something about selling these prisoners, but nothing has occured... yet.
- Lastly: Haraki Convoy Again: The route ahead is fairly well maintained, considering that this is Danteri that is being discussed. However, there are so many refugees fleeing along this route towards the Haraki Safe-Zones that progress is considerably slowed.

OOC: Imitoria temporarily handed over control of their mercenaries to me while they were in-transit. Reference their last post.

The rebel convoy was advancing under the baking sun of Danteri, a single line of armored trucks, real do-it-yourself tanks, each with at least one machine-gun mounted somewhere.
The Loyalists were fleeing, stopping only occassionaly to fire off an AT rocket or two, but mostly, just running as though there was no way to stop. The Haraki safe zone was only two miles further on, and these terrified retreating Loyalists were desperate to reach it - the Haraki were much kinder to their prisoners than the rebels were.
Then, out of nowhere, an entire line of infantry appeared, a single organized force of highly trained soldiers, wearing uniforms, yes, but not Loyalist uniforms... their uniforms didn't mark them as being from the military of any specific nation.
As the rebel armor rolled on past them, they began to fire - they were using high-quality foreign stuff, seeker rockets that could take out a rebel tank with one hit to its frontal armor. Their first volley destroyed eight enemy tanks, their second took out ten more.
By the time that the rebel armor had organized to face this new threat, another dozen rebel tanks were no more than flaming wreaks. At that point, the rebels opened fire with their machine-guns, hiting a few enemy infantry, but the return fire that they took knocked out fully thirteen of their number.
By then, only four rebel vehicles were left, and so they began to try to withdraw, still firing their machine-guns, even hitting one or two of their ambushers... but then, a Loyalist rocket hit the rear armor of the furthest forward tank, sending it up in flames. In their rush to confront this new threat, the rebels had ignored the retreating Loyalists... a mistake they were to pay for, as more Loyalist rockets and RPGs started slamming into the last three.
One of the three was knocked out almost immediatly - the other two survived the few Loyalist AT units meagre weapons firepower. But then, precisely two more rockets were fired off by the Imitorians... and both of the remaining rebel tanks died.
In a little over seventy seconds, the mercenaries had knocked out 37 rebel tanks, and turned a Loyalist rout into a Loyalist advance. Such were the uses of high-quality infantry.
- Loyalists Regain the Initiative: Thanks to the timely insertion of elite Imitorian mercenaries, the Loyalists have managed to slow - but not halt - the rebel advance towards Danteri City and the Haraki Safe-Zones.

Clarification:
- Imitorian casualties are light, but unknown at this time.

Disputed Territories of Danteri
Danteri City - Danteri Security Headquarters
19:52

Amidst the carnage and brutality of the war so far, it came as somewhat of a surprise to Josef Malenkov that the man standing outside the Security Headquarters hadn't been killed yet. On his way to work yesterday, Josef had stopped opposite the man and his case full of little glass pellets, just listening to what he was saying.

That night, Josef had sent everything he'd heard back to the Chapel. As a McPsychovillian agent, Josef had been stationed in Danteri for the best part of a year as their response to the growing tensions between those who called themselves Loyalists, and the rebels. It was standard procedure on the part of the Ministry for there to be agents in nations nearby in which there was a dinstinct chance of war breaking out, but the Danteri tale had taken another twist recently.

With their human rights record and proximity to the colony of Peterisle, the McPsychovillian Armed Forces were already considering an attack on Danteri; it was inescapable, as the attack would come at some point. However, thanks to another of the Chapel's agents, this time one in Dutchess Renee, a similarly unstable nation, the Chapel had found about the deal between the two nations - Dutchess Renee paying Danteri for Danteri's prisoners. It went against almost everything in the Register of Rights, and it was the final spur they needed to convince the Ministry that an attack would be a good idea.

But first, Josef had business of his own to attend to. The man purporting to be from Dutchess Renee was selling pellets of nitroglycerine - effectively tiny grenades with surprising power, like a Molotov cocktail for the modern age - and he had been threatening to sell the pellets to civilians if the Danteri government did not open trading negotiations with Dutchess Renee. Josef's orders were clear.

Night was falling swiftly now, and the man was walking away from the front entrance, his case across his back.

'Excuse me!' shouted Josef, towards the retreating figure. Under his sizable coat, Josef's hand slipped to his inside pocket. The man stopped, and turned around - Josef could just make out his inquisitive expression in the gloom.

'Yes?'

'You dropped some of these glass things,' Josef lied, bending down. The man leant down with him, and Josef struck. His knife - a Sabatier, military-issue - had never failed him yet, and as the blade tore through the soft skin of the poor man's neck, it looked like it never would. He collapsed to the ground, his case of glass shells landing in his back.

Josef relieved him of the case - No use wasting these things - and replaced his knife. At the mouth of the alley, a laughing couple staggered towards him - they looked to be drunk, but one could hardly be sure. Josef slinked away, his mission complete.

Telegram:
To: Dutchess Renee
Subject: Agent Murdered
From: Secretary of Secret Services

**Agent Jack** has been murdered.


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

The message had arrived some 8 hours or so after the transfer of prisoners has been made. The Danteri govt' had recieved its Nitro pellets long before Agent Jack had been murdered. Both had been exchanged v.i.a air transport to avoid "piracy on the high seas."

The idea that one would actually think that one lone rouge agent would carry nitro pellets in a pack on his side was almost hilarious! Yet alone sell them on the streets, handing them out like popsicles. This man was there to anounce my intrest in trade of sutiable prisoners for nitro pellets. Not to make the trade at the scene. Yet, I wonder what kind of pellets did he have in his sack? Most certainly it was not nitro, only our defense dept. had access to those. I will email his commander and see what he was carrying that day.

----------
To: Commander Johns

What was Agent Jack carrying the night he was murdered?
-Q.D
__________

Re:Q.D
From: Commander Johns

Agent Jack had a supply of smoke pellets the day in question. He had about 100 of them, for a magical show he was to partake in for his 6 year old niece's Birthday Party that evening. His death is a great loss to our team.
Memorial will be held tomorrow.
-Johns

---------------
As I relax on my mink chaise in the corner of my office..
I gaze out the window..
and laugh heartily.. "Ahhhh ha ha ha ahaaaaa"
Perhaps the Ministry was planning a dissapearing act?
Certainly they doubted me!
But the fact remains that they killed a man.. in cold blood.
He was only the messenger.. news boy even .. bringing the news from my country to the next.
The world shall hear of this!
Perhaps the ministry should be more careful next time they think they have obtained what they were looking for.
As the hammering and horns of the construction of my castle dissapear into the background of my thoughts.. I hear a knock at my chamber door.
One of my new transfers has news that he says will please me greatly..
he is one of the Danteri transfers, but apparently was before a prisoner.. an agent for the Ministry.
"This.. i am going to enjoy....."

"So, Hogan, what's the situation in that nasty, brutish, and prolonged Danteri Conflict?" The Duke reclined in his armchair and kicked his feet up onto the marble table.

"It's good we went non-partisan when we did. The Loyalists are making new offensives, thanks to new allies and some surprisingly proficient mercenaries. The Rebels have some sudden and unexpected new allies as well." Hogan said, looking over the scattered papers on the table.

"The Admiral was right, then, it all spells out Forever-War." The Duke folded his hands across his stomach and stared up at the ceiling for a bit. "Have we had any losses ourselves?"

"Aside from several workers lost to crime, and three MIA, there's been none. We've been surprisingly lucky about it, compared to the other relief missions. The 23rd Eris convoy was fired upon by the Loyalists because of their open support for a Two Danteri solution."

"I'll provide the usual rebuke for that. Otherwise, anything new?"

"Not that we've heard."

"Goodness. My first year as absolute ruler, and I'm already involved in a foreign quagmire. Thank god our domestic policy isn't so bad, aside from the whole 'totalitarianism' bit."

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
We are fighting bravely, fighting bravely and heroically against communist rebels who would see us all dead. Foreign enemies have encroached upon our sovereignty, while gallant foreign allies have come to our aid. We have seen heroes, horrors and monstrous deeds, but we have endured... and, we shall continue to endure! Victory will be ours, no matter the cost! We shall prevail!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
We have suffered set-backs, true... but, we are still advancing! The enemy has proven resourceful and dedicated to their false gods of tyranny and hate... as we have seen so recently! Yet, in the end, there was never a chance that any other outcome might occur... our victory! Sure, the foreigners have taken Westfall, sure, the hated Oompli and New-Lexington militaries have seized our land... but, having seen such hate as they have shown, we have endured, and will prevail! We have just today seen our own brothers murdered by Berling hands... but, we shall prevail! Already, the enemy is pressed to the wall - already, he calls upon his allies for deliverance! Already, General Krieger, that monster amoungst men, must cry out like a lost child seeking salvation... but, he will find no salvation... only death. Only death for the enemy! Only death for their families and dogs! We shall slaughter them all!

Other News:
- Rebels Advance: The rebels have continued to advance, cutting into the Loyalist forces they face in spite of the deployment of the Imtorian mercenaries. Tens of thousand on both sides have perished.
- Loyalist Atrocities: The Loyalists have gone ahead with the sale of their prisoners to Dutchess Renee. it appears that the Loyalists are getting desperate for supplies and equipment... desperate enough, perhaps, to do the unthinkable...
- "Labor Camps": It has been positively determined that more than one million Danteri citizens are currently being held in the Loyalist "Labor Camps". Conditions within the camps are unknown, but it is believed that more than 100 thousand people have died within them from various causes.
- Loyalist Counter-Offensive: Following a forced retreat from their counter-offensive against Sarmia, the Loyalists have launched a desperate last gamble to stop the rebel advance short of the Haraki Safe-Zones. Using the survivors of this ill-fated attack, and a number of veterans shuffled down from Army Group Naem in Nord-Lund (as Kulikovo doesn't seem likely to attack any time soon), in addition to the Loyalist soldiers already present in that area, and the Imtorian mercenaries, the Loyalists have assembled a force of just over eighty thousand cannon-fodder conscripts, around twenty five thousand elite infantry (counting the 10,000 Imtorian mercenaries), 500 tanks and 750 pieces of field artillery. This appears to be the last gasp of the Loyalist regime - should this effort fail, they will not be able to mount a similar one again.
- Lastly: Haraki Convoy: The Haraki convoy has acquired a group of Loyalist "escorts" - two companies of Danteri Army Special Operations soldiers are shadowing the convoy.

OOC: Remember way-back-when, the three Bertlingian assassins para-dropped into Southhaven?

The rifle cracked, and another man fell, his blood staining the white carpet of the People's Coucil Chamber. The 1st People's Guard Company were all, so it seemed, hammering on the door with their rifles, but reguardless of whether they ever managed to get the huge oak doors open, they would be too late.
The People's Commitee on Revolution had gathered todat in less than full numbers - only six of its thirteen members had assembled to plan the rebel war effort. But, six had been enough.
The Berlingian assassins had been ready, had been prepared, had waited for just the ideal moment... and then, they had struck. Now, all six of the Commitee members were dead, as were four guard from the 1st company, and two random innocents who had been serving the drinks.
It had been almost too easy, really... it had just been the matter of convincing a few bored guards that they were maintanence workers, and then the matter of the wood pannels having a three-foot gap between the walls... and then, last of all, the matter of the nerve-gas grenade in the guard room next to the council chamber.
They had come through the walls, killed the four guards in the next-door room, hiden their bodies, and then... waited for the council to assemble, then gone through the well placed maintenence hatches, and come out into the council chamber with the heavy rifles they had taken from the guards, and then... using them to kill the delegates. Sure, they couldn't use the same tactic to escape, but... they had done their duty.

- Council Assassinated: Six of the council members have been assassinated. Morale throughout the rebel military will likely suffer as a result.
- Bertlingian Assassins: Casualties to the Bertlingian team that did the deed are unknown.

Port Skogheim
11:10

The enormous black Maybach of the Minister of External Affairs raced down Prosperity Boulevard led by four Army motorcycles with screaming sirens.

Stoeregaard was pleased. Things were going, if not exactly as planned, then at least better than feared. Krieger’s Loyalists had released both the Gwazzarian and the Harakian prisoners. The Committee for Trade and Security, his own brainchild, were functioning perfectly, and yesterday, his daughter had actually given him a hug.

What made him frown when he remembered it was the Haraki demand. What’s their agenda? he thought. Surely they know that the prisoners would be better off being evacuated by our forces. Now, instead of being flown out, they’ll probably get crammed into APC’s and driven all the way down to the Safe Zones without medical help.

Stoeregaard had never met General Krieger, but he pictured him as an old wolf, mad by rabies. Once, when he was a young Captain, he had killed a wolf just like that, he remembered. It had looked weak and sick, and one could see the madness gleaming in its fogged eyes. Still, it had killed four men from his company before he tracked it down and killed it.

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

[To: Haraki]
[From: Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard, Minister of External Affairs]
[Re: Extraction of Released Haraki Citizens]

The 3rd Mechanized has been instructed to release the Haraki citizens to your forces. Until such a time when this is accomplishable, they will receive medical treatment from the unit’s medical staff.

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs

*

[To: General Krieger]
[From: Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard, Minister of External Affairs]
[Re: Bertlingian Involvement]

General,
The atrocities of your forces are becoming a strain on our relationship. Although we respect your right to deal with your domestic problems without foreign intervention, we cannot condone the massive breaches on Human Rights occurring in Loyalist Camps.

We propose the following:
One – You release all foreign nationals, either to Bertlingian custody, or to their own forces.
Two – You permit foreign aid workers and inspectors to enter your “Labour Camps”.

Should you follow our advice, we are prepared to offer a Lend-Lease agreement between our two nations. We are also prepared to order the Bertlingian Armed Forces to actively assist you in your fight against the Rebels.

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Yes. Yes to all your points. The civilian detainees will be released, foreign inspectors will be allowed into our "Labor Camps". We need all the help we can get, and are prepared to do quite a bit to aquire the aid of a great nation such as yours. That is what I have to say.
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

- Civilian Detainees: All the foreign civilian detainees have been released to the Bertlingian embassy. General Krieger must be getting desperate.
- Foreign Inspectors: Foreign inspectors will be allowed into the Nord-Lund "Labor Camps" - starting in thirty hours, more than enough time to allow any embarassing secrets to be hidden.

OOC:
Six figures jumped from the low flying craft, parachutes deployed and the men gently drifted down in the dark of night. [...] this was in fact a Oompli Special Forces seek and kill team. [...] Their mission, to assasinate the rebel forces leader and thus demoralize rebel forces.

OOC:
I'm almost sure that I have't got any paratroopers in Danteri. But i do have counter-insurgence teams scatterd around...

IC:
Major Sorenson had just been congratulated by his Danteri liaison-officer on a beutifully executed hit on the Rbel leaders. The Revolutionary Committee had apparently been nearly wiped out by a foreign team.

He had given no such order. Of that he was certain. But at least three teams had yet to make it to Danteri City, and he hadn't heard from one of them in two days. Could it be that they had lost their radio, and gotten an opportunity that was to good to let pass? Still, it worried him...

The Harakian convoy had made slow progress down the roads thanks to the swarms of refugees making their way down the roads away from Danteri City, but they had managed to clear themselves a path by shouting loud enough through a megaphone, and were making good time. Already Danteri City had come into sight on the horizon, and they were rapidly approaching the city itself. The Bertlingian message had been received regarding the transferal of the prisoners, and all seemed to be going well ... or not.

The main thing troubling Captain Lexington, in charge of the convoy, was the fact that they were being shadowed by at least one company of Loyalist troops. They seemed to have fallen behind somewhat once the convoy had picked up speed, but Lexington had no doubt they would catch up again while the Harakian soldiers loaded the trucks with the civilians.

The convoy pulled into the city slowly, using the shortest and fastest route to the Bertlingian embassy as possible. Crowds of people shouted at them and some threw stones, apparently either unable to tell that the Harakians were not Danterians, or just not caring.

As the long convoy pulled up outside the Bertlingian embassy, most of those inside the trucks got out. From the ten nearly-empty trucks came two doctors each, multiple soldiers left each truck cab, and the doctors began transferring the medical equipment from the one supply truck into all the others fairly evenly. With under a hundred prisoners to pick up, the doctors could devote time on the long trip back to the Harakian safe zones to helping them recover from the ordeal they had been through. As all the others went through the lengthy process of preparing for the trip back and making sure they weren't about to be attacked, Captain Lexington and several others went up to the Bertlingian embassy guards and calmly requested that the Harakian citizens be released, in accordance with promises made by the Bertlingian government.

[Message to General Kreiger from Emperor Zuka VII]
Hello, General Kreiger. It seems you are in need of help against these rebels. Well, I can think of nothing worse then being defeated by your own people. I would like to help you, if you have no objections. We are a brutal people. We like to get up close. Cut a few legs off, perhaps. Who needs guns when you can lunge an axe through a mans head? *loud laughing* Well, we would be willing to deploy three regiments of 500,000, should you need it. We can give you any information you want.

OOC-XD nub

The cruiser Heimdall withdraws from the war zone.

General Sir Josef Meyer is appointed Commander of the Bertlingian 1st Expeditionary Force.

A naval task force is assigned to the 1st Expeditionary. (ooc: I was in the Army, so my knowledge of the Navy is severely limited… I hope you’ll bear over with me.)

The 1st Armoured Hussar regiment, the 9th Mechanized is shipped to Danteri. They will make their landing on Loyalist controlled beaches and link up with Loyalist Forces. The Hussars are equipped with Leopard II tanks, while the Mechanised Regiments are fully equipped with vehicles from Isselmere Motor Works. All infantry weapons are BDT produced.

The 4th and13th Squadron of RBAF F-16 fighters are ordered to Danteri City. The 24 planes leave as soon as the 3rd Mechanized has secured the Airport.

An anti-air battalion is flown to Danteri City.

The six submarines of Jagdgruppe I heads for Danteri waters.

The Special Forces Company in Danteri are assigned recon missions.

The Lend-Lease agreement is signed. 5.000 BDT-Sg 2 assault rifles, 50.000 rounds of 7.62 NATO ammunition, 100 Stinger anti-air weapon systems, with 300 missiles, 450 ARMBRUST anti-tank weapon systems with 1.350 missiles, 100 HF-radios and 20 PACE encryption-devices will be shipped by air and sea during the following months.

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

[To: The Parties of the Danteri Civil War]
[From: Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard, Minister of External Affairs]
[Re: Inspectors in Labour Camps]

As mandated by our Most Just and Righteous Monarch, HRH King Harald II of Bertling, I hereby inform all parties of the Danteri Civil War that as of midnight, local time, the Kingdom of Bertling will consider itself at war with all nations currently at war with the Lawful Government of Danteri.

Further, Bertlingian Armed Forces will also consider all organized, armed opposition against the Lawful Government of Danteri grounds for retaliation.

As neutral parties in the ongoing conflict, I implore the nations Gwazzari and Haraki to send Inspector to the Danteri Labour Camps as soon as you are able to.

I also ask all parties to respect the status of medical facilities and Humanitarian Organizations. Any wilful act of aggression against said parties will be merit sanctions from our Government.

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs

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

Danteri
0000 Local Time

The six Draug-class submarines of Jaktgruppe II go to launch-depth and fire Langsverd-missiles at Rebel targets up to 400 kilometers inland. Each submarine launces two missiles. Targets have been determined by Bertlingian Special Forces teams.

Fighters from the “Lucky Thirteen” start patrolling the airspace over Danteri City.

Fighters from the 4th Squadron start flying air superiority missions over Southaven. If they meet no resistance, they will switch to ground strike missions. As soon as The 1st Expeditionary arrives, they will be diverted to cover their landing.

So far, reports from Danteri has not been able to tell us of the success of the 1st Expeditionary.

OOC: Here is updated map, damn those rebels are effective:eek: ;
http://h1.ripway.com/xexe/danterimapII.JPG

OOC:

[NS]Zukariaa, before you join, you should concider the size of your army. Three companies with 500.000 each is a bit to much. Especially since your nation currently has a total of 5 million inhabitants all in all. Also, I reccomend reading the stickies.

Apart from that, it's probably ok for you to join. But see what Danteri says, it's his game.

OOC:
Oompli, the link doesn't work...

Again, nice work!

OOC:

[NS]Zukariaa, before you join, you should concider the size of your army. Three companies with 500.000 each is a bit to much. Especially since your nation currently has a total of 5 million inhabitants all in all. Also, I reccomend reading the stickies.

Apart from that, it's probably ok for you to join. But see what Danteri says, it's his game.
OOC-Well, I saw someone saying they were going to send 45 million, so I figured it was small. :/
Also, I didn't think that what it says as the population mattered for this. I would rather say my population is in the upper millions. :s I don't have control of that, however.

"Bertling is now at war with everyone against the Loyalists? Well, thank goodness we did go neutral," The Duke stared, eyebrows arched and a cigar in his hand, at the map of Danteri on the table. The idea of a military conflict with Bertling was the most frightening thing for him. They were right next door, and could tromp all over them at a moment's notice if they so wished.

"The Loyalists have also opened up their labour camps to foreign inspectors. Bertling has suggested that we and other neutral parties send some," The Prime Minister slid the release accross the table to the Duke, who continued staring at the map.

"Not like we needed the prompting. Tell whoever is in charge of the Loyalist-territory medical teams -"

"Major Samuelson, your Grace."

"Ah, Jack Leeroy, nice man. Right, tell him to authorize whoever he wants to go inspect them. Make sure he isn't afraid to be pushy about it; thirty hours is, after all, plenty of time to clean up a messy operation."

Status;
Advance!
-All Oomplian regiments (Except the 3rd Infantry)have been ordered to push southwards in an effort to cut of the rebel forces in Easthaven and disrupt their supplies.
-The assault is being lead by the 21st armoured brigade closely supported by the 12th Infantry, thier orders are to press into enemy held territory and bypass enemy strongpoints and not to take any prisoners.
-The 7th Infantry regiment has been tasked with surrounding enemy strongpoints and with massed artillery gradually wear them down.
-The 6th Air assault regiment has been deployed ahead of the 21st's advance to secure crossroad, bridges, villages and towns.
-The carrier Venator has launched aircraft to support the advance, it is supported by three frigates, three cruisers and three destroyers.
-Ground based aircraft have also been operating in close support with ground forces to clear their advance.
-Initial reports indicate good progress and light casualtys (on a divisonal scale), enemy forces are retreating instead of engaging the armoured spearhead except for a few strongpoints that have been surrounded by the 7th Infantry regiment and are now being saturated with heavy artillery and aerial assault.
-Two destoyers surprised a rebel vessel and are believed to have cased great damage, no casualties taken.
-Aircraft were sent to find and destroy the vessel but were unable to find it, it is believed to have been sunk or escaped.

Map;
http://h1.ripway.com/xexe/OOMPLIADVANCE.bmp

Zukariaa']OOC-Well, I saw someone saying they were going to send 45 million, so I figured it was small. :/
Also, I didn't think that what it says as the population mattered for this. I would rather say my population is in the upper millions. :s I don't have control of that, however.

OOC - That was them sending -out- 45 million of, their original (ludicrous) 50 million invasion force (the resulting 5 mil is still unrealistically high). Actual NS statistics are still used for this kind of thing, and you can use certain calculators ( such as this one (http://www.sunsetrpg.com/economystatistics.php)) to determine military budget. Most countries will have between a fraction of 1% to 5% (for really militarized countries) of their population in the military, and only mobilize a fraction of that for something like this. Remember to check out the forum's stickies - they're really quite informative.

The ragged crowd of foreigners marched out of the two Red Cross marked Hercules’. After many hours of noisy, cold flight from the hot, war-torn hell-hole they came from, the chill of Bertlingian autumn must have been a shock to them. Immediately, they were grouped after nationality and Army doctors examined them before they were transported to an Interim Camp.

A communiqué is sent to all nations informing them of the number of their nationals receiving Bertlingian aid. After they have received treatment, they will be sent home.

OOC-Well, then, hows 20,000?

[To: Oompli Government]
[From: Minister of External Affairs, Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard]
[Re: Joint Operations in Danteri]
--Encrypted--
--Classified--

Sir,
I ask that you consider entering a state of cooporation with the Command of the Bertlingian 1st Expeditionary Force. Through this, we can act in synergy and thus accieve a significantly larger degree of success.

The forces supporting the Lawful Government of Danteri seem to act fully independently. This is their main weakness, and not exploiting your enemy's weakness is the true war-crime.

By coordinating our advances, I belive that we can end this war before chrismas.

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs

[To: The Danteri Government]
[From: The Chancellor of Freies Reich]
I ze chancellor uff Freies Reich hafe receifed you message for allies in you time uff need undt hafe requested dat mein best general leads a force uff de Freies Reich military into kombat mitt your enemies.

[To: The Danteri Government]
[From: General Konigsberg]
I hafe been ordered by mein fuhrer to deploy military forces to you nation undt I hafe khosen to send ze 36th Infantry regiment mitt de 501/6th Armoured kompany as support. Dey schall be deployed to secure ze Archipelago islands in order to use dem as a stagingkt point for mainland assaults.
A nafal force uff two karriers (each karryingkt 90 aircraft), 13 frigates, 20 destroyers, 11 kruisers undt 6 submarines schall escort ze transport fessels to deir designated landingkt points undt will stay furder to support ground operations.
Dat ist all.
Heil mein Fuhrer.
(OOC: Read message aloud to get full effect of german accent:) )

OOC: [NS]Zukariaa 20,000 is about division size which is what I have deployed so should be fine.

OOC:[NS]Zukariaa what is your nations name, i can't find it when i search for it.

OOC: They're located here: http://www.nationstates.net/Zukariaa

[To commander of Bertling expeditionary force]
[From: General Yakhovsky]
I agree with you decision to form a coalition and ask you to assist in our operation. I belive our actions will cause a major impact on the rebel forces ability to fight this war and if you support us we will succed in this venture.

OOC: Thanks Gwazzaria:)

"I don't like it, but it is turning to hell out there." Said President Packard
"So we are going to move on this thing?" Asked General Adams.
"Yes we are, I want you to show those sons of b*****s what pain really is." Replied Packard.
"Yes Sir." Replied Adams unable to hide his joy.

---***Official Message***---
The President of the United States of Americos has ordered the 25th Armoured divison and the 17th Mechanized Infantry division to be deployed to the Danteri province of South Haven to support the rebel forces. A large shipment of arms, munitions, armour and aircraft are to be equipped to elite rebel units. The USoA MASH is to remain operational but only to rebel forces and their allies, extreme cases are to be admitted rgardless of nationality. A large naval force is to accompany the troop transports, this will consist of 4 carriers (90 aircraft each), 2 battleships, 22 frigates, 13 cruisers, 18 destroyers and 6 submarines. The fleet will be covered by aircraft at all times and so will the MASH.
The company holding the MASH has been ordered to hold at all cost until support arrives.

"Americos did what?!" Daurandel yelled into he phone.

"Threw in fully in favor of the rebellion, Prime Minister. Their military forces are on their way now."

The Prime Minister switched the television off, his movie night thoroughly ruined. He'd been planning on watching M*A*S*H next, ironically. "Aren't these the people who decided to provide relief aid to both sides of the conflict? Don't they still have people in Loyalist territory?"

"We believe so."

"Have they gone completely berserk? Good lord... Allright, I'll deal with this. If their leadership is insane there's not much we can do about it."

---------------------
To: Americos Leadership
From: Prime Minister Daurandel <pmdaurandel@gwazzaria.co.gw>

Sirs,

With all due respect, and with interests lying in the safety of all, we ask that you recall your military forces before they reach Danteri. This was already has enough force on both sides without your aid, and we fear that the Loyalist allies may be more than you are prepared to deal with at this time.

Already this war is a bloody quagmire, and the situation does not need to be worsened by your intervention.

I'm assuming the landing of the 1st Exp. went rather well since the Oompli control the areas surrounding Westgate. Please inform me if anyone contested the landing.

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

Danteri City
0920 Local Time

General Meyer had just been informed by the Ministry of External Affairs that the United States of Americos had rebuked their neutrality in favour for open war. And they had chosen the rebels to share their tomb with.

He stood in his headquarters, located in the Hotel Danteria in Danteri City. His stab waited for him to respond to this new enemy.

“Very well” he said. “Order submarine Jaktgruppe II to circle around and pick of their supply-lines. They have sent what must be their entire fleet to support them, and though I have yet to see any of their ships, I seriously doubt that they are last-generation.”

“You, Jenkins, give Admiral Sortland a heads up. With all this junk on the water, I’m sure he can figure out something.”

The captain turned and walked into the room across the hall that now served as Comm-Room.

“Crayne! Tell your General that he better rally his troops and drive the Rebels away from the cost. We need to deny these S.O.B’s an uncontested landing. The 1st Armoured and the 9th Mechanized will support him.”

The Danteri liaison-officer nodded and ran down to a waiting car.

“Submarine Jaktgruppe I will launch their Langsverd missiles at the Rebel strong holds in Southaven, make sure Major Sorenson’s boys give them accurate coordinates”

“It looks as if the Oomplians can cater all strike missions, so 4th Squadron will provide air-superiority.”

“Hansen! Tell the Oomplians that we need to address this ASAP!”

“Yes, Sir!”

General Mayer lit a cigar while he studied the map. ”Well…” he thought ”…the pieces are in play. Now it becomes interesting.”

Royston Valley - Spade Hall
Department of Defense
Room 142 - War Room
21:48

On any normal day, the War Room of the Spade Hall could usually be found full of people shouting instructions at one another, or with the infamous Consort gathered around one of the many Archer touch-tables. But today, it was silent; everyone who would usually have been there were out celebrating Saint Francis’ Day. Except for one person - Field Lieutenant Thomas Castroneve. A strict Christian man, Castroneve refused to celebrate Saint Francis’ Day down to his personal belief that Saint Francis was an infidel, an unholy man.

He was leant heavily on the central touch-table, which currently bore a real-time satellite map of Danteri. Shades of red and blue denoted areas controlled by Danteri loyalists and the ever-growing revolution, while bright yellow circles depicted the areas best suited for landing strikes. Ringed in black were the cities, Danteri City prime among these, and one touch brought up the names of the agents stationed within. At any other time, Castroneve would have marvelled at the technology, regardless of how many times he’d seen and used it before. But tonight, all he could do was plan. With his superiors shirking their duties, he was in control.

Unbidden, an image floated in front of his closed eyes - the faces of his brother and sister, both still in their military fatigues. They were nodding and smiling, and Thomas knew they agreed with what he was about to do. Touching the table gently, he called up the sidebar that carried the details of the units available.

The soldiers will stay. They are good people, not swayed from duty by promises that cannot be kept.

He took the Second Unit across to the western shores of Danteri, and instantly sending their orders to the Second Unit’s headquarters. Half a million strong, the air and sea transport would already be mobilised for the attacks. Upon landing, the soldiers were to move across the nation towards the capital city, and to kill any Loyalist troops they encountered on the way. Once there, they were to assault the government buildings, and destroy them entirely.

Danteri will be liberated from their “government”, and it will lead into a new era of prosperity. Rivers of blood can bring peace, and they will.

Castroneve genuflected. May the Lord bring you peace, soldiers, and in peace know ye strength.

OOC: Wow, that's a lot of stuff...
Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Today is a glorious and great day for Danteri! Bertling has come in on our side, as has Freies Reich and Zukariaa. The rebels are in retreat from the juggernaut that is our loyal and mighty army... and, while foreign invaders might have now sided with the rebels, they shall soon find that for them, Danteri will be a tomb! The red dirt of Southhaven drinks the blood of foreign invader as easily as that of traitorous rebel. The mud of Easthaven shall soon choke upon the bones of our enemies!
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
The vile enemy advances, with new allies, yes, but... we have oh-so-many allies ourselves! Sure, Kulikovo has not pressed it's advantage against the depleted Army Group Naem, but just by being there, it keeps much needed troops from the front. Sarmia has invaded, and the bloody bodies of their vanquished foes bear witness to the potency of their weapons. Now, Americos and McPsychoville have come in on our side! With these new allies, it can truthfully be said that... we are invincible! General Krieger's broken body will soon hang from the upper-most spire of Danteri City! We are invincible!!! We shall prevail!!!

Other News:
- Loyalist "Labor Camps": The inspectors have arrived to find only 100,000 prisoners, rather than the one million they were reliably informed were there. Knowing General Krieger, it seems as though anything might have happened to the other 900,000...
- Loyalist Counter-Offensive: The Loyalist counter-offensive has forced back the rebel forward units, and is advancing as fast as its forward armored units can drive. Only 450 Loyalist soldiers have perished so far, while the rebels have lost around 600 men.
- McPsychoville: The foreign force from McPsychoville has landed under fire from Loyalist aerial assets (Carrier based MiGs) and artillery. Over 800 shells were fired at the enemy invaders before the 3rd Field-Artillery was forced to withdraw.
- Sarmia: The Sarmian force appears to be "just sitting there" at this point, and so the Loyalist forces opposing it have been reduced, the extra men freed up sent to face the landing by McPsychoville.
- Oompli Offensive: The Oompli offensive has forced back the rebels, likely contributing to the Loyalist advances. However, rebel resistance has been extraordinarily heavy, with rebel units fighting to the last to hold every bit of ground. Around ten thousand rebel soldiers have perished, and 76 rebel tanks have been destroyed, as have 89 pieces of rebel artillery. The entire rebel air force was commited to opposing the Oompli advance, and as such, no air support opposed the rebels. Oompli fighter pilots have confirmed as downed seventeen Talon class fighter-bombers and one Haraki-built fighter. Total casualties to the Oompli force attacking is currently unknown, but are believed to be heavier than those they have endured in any of their actions in this war before this point. Oompli advances have been rather small, considering the number of men lost to both sides.
- OOC: Oompli, I can't see either of the maps you have recently posted.
- Americos: The Americos military made land-fall under heavy machine-gun, artillery and rifle fire. Eight hundred well dug-in Loyalists in bunkers held the beach, supported by the remnants of the 2nd Field-Artillery and the remnants of the 1st Field-Artillery. The Loyalist force was defeated and driven back, but not before the Americos force suffered heavy (but unknown) casualties. However, considering the support offered to the Loyalists by Bertling, they got off lightly.
- Bertling Operations: The missiles they have launched have paralyised the rebel defense of Southhaven and Easthaven. Thousands of rebels are dead, tens of thousands are wounded. Bertling's deployment of troops has proceded almost exactly as schedualed.
- Lastly: Rebel Commandos Strike Again: The rebel commandos have struck again, disrupting Loyalist communications, and on three seperate occasions, ambushing and destroying company sized forces being shifted from one sector to another.

OOC: Try these maps;

Updated map: http://h1.ripway.com/Jmjb/danterimapII.JPG

Oomplian advance: http://h1.ripway.com/Jmjb/OOMPLIADVANCE.bmp

OOC-I need to know where to start. If my forces are in Danteri, where am I to go?

OOC: All of you just-joining people - check the maps, then announce where you're landing. Anything that isn't marked off as being with one particular side is considered to be Loyalist. Sarmia, McPsychoville and Americos have all already fought their way onto the "beaches", as it were. As a Loyalist ally, you can deploy without enemy opposition on any site in Loyalist territory, or make a forced landing (likely under rebel fire) on any spot the rebels control.

Minor News:
- Loyalist Offensive: The Loyalist offensive has continued to push on. The Loyalist armor has now advanced much further than their infantry and artillery support, but are encountering so little organized opposition that it would seem almost criminal to hang back and allow such opertunities for advancing to be lost.

OOC-Alright, tell me if this is alright.

[To General Krieger from Captain Corral]
Good evening, General Krieger. Hopefully. My forces have just arrived from the east under orders from Emperor Zuka to reinforce your soldiers. We are moving towards the line of assault, where your Loyalists are fighting those blasted rebels. My men hunger for battle. Zukaria hasn't been at war in years. I have sent only my best men, as I hear you have been having quiet the time with these rebels. You will find that Zukarian soldiers will fight harder then any you would hope to find.
End Transmission

The Zukarian 1st Assault Force is being sent to the battle line to reinforce Loyalist soldiers. They are mostly soldiers, a few tanks and planes. Zukarians love Artillery Guns. (is that right? The huge guns that shoot from long distances with huge shells?)

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Today, Zukariaa entered the fight on our side, landing troops to attack the enemy. Sure, McPsychoville and Sarmia have landed, but... they're just sitting there, not daring to move against our heroic legions! As our ancestors did in ancient times, we are fighting like warriors! All of our allies are heroes now! We are all heroes! Order shall be preserved... have we not advanced against the foul communist rebels? Have we not ground down their will to resist with our honorable strength of will? Have we not killed them, and driven them back? Victory will be ours through the strength of our mighty armies! We shall prevail!

Danteri Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
Today, McPsychoville entered the fighting on our side. Sure, 20,000 men have come to our enemy's aid, but we have gained more men! The enemy presses us most vilely, attacking and attacking with the desperation of a cornered rat, mad with disease, one that knows that it lives only until you can bring to bear a shovel, to strike it dead. Such is our enemy - a mad, sornered rat that knows its time is nearly done.

Other News:
- Loyalists Advance: The Loyalist advance has continued. At this point, the Loyalist armor is dangerously far ahead of the rest of the Loyalist force, but is still advancing.
- Rebel Air-Raids: The rebel air force launched a number of air-raids against Oompli units. Three Talon class fighter-bombers were lost, Oompli casualties are unknown.
- Riots: Rioting occured in Westgate and Danteri City today - hundreds were killed, and much damage was done to the cities themselves. Whether any foreign troops were killed in unknown, but thirty Loyalist soldiers and four Danteri Government Security men were killed.
- Lastly: Loyalist Atrocities: Loyalist soldiers from the Danteri Army Special Operations units have conducted atrocities against the civilian populace of Southhaven in the reconquered areas. Around two hundred civilians were killed.

[Captain Corrol]
I have gotten word that my men have reached the front, and are readying for battle. General Krieger has rights to use them as he needs. The 2nd Assault Force is reinforcing points along the line of attack, where the battle, should the rebels push inward, will eventually reach. A small force of armour and planes are going to be stationed throughout these points, as well as supplies for any Loyalist reinforcements. We hope to see these rebels die.


-The 2nd Assault Force has moved in, reinforcing points all along where the front line will be, should the rebels advance inward far enough.
-500 men have been sent to Danteri City to help Loyalist forces quell the uprising taking place there.
-A third Assault Force is ready, should it be needed. (although they are in Zukariaa at the moment)

Status Report:
3rd Mechanized (app. 1000 men w/ Isselmere vehicles) will guard the Danteri City airport and general Meyer's HQ. They are reinforced with an AA-battallion.

1st Aromoured Hussars (48 Leopard II's pluss support-troops) and 9th Mechanized (same as 3rd) will support Loyalist forces.

13th “The Lucky Thirteen” RBAF Squadron (12 F-16 fighters) will fly air-superiority missions over Central Danteri.

4th RBAF Squadron (same as 13th) will fly ground-strike missions for the joint operations of Loyalist and Bertlingian forces.

Jaktgruppe I (six submarines) will cater any strike mission on land issued by Coalition Forces. The missiles are GPS guided and have a range of 500 kilometers and uses standard 1000 lbs warheads or bomblets.

Jaktgruppe II (six submarines) prowls the seas around Danteri. They have started convoi-raiding and will target all enemy ships without Red Cross markings.

1st Expeditionary will be reinforced with two artillery regiments (One equipped with M-109 howizers and the other with MLRS weapon systems) and one Mechanized regiment.

Another Lend-Lease shipment is underway.

So far our losses have been minimal, and we are confident that we will defeat our badly organized enemies.

--Official Press Release—
The rebel counter attack inflicted moderate losses on Lexitonian forces outside of Westgate, about 473 Lexitonian soldiers were killed, and 43 armor destroyed. In addition 132 rebel armor were destroyed, but the rest escaped to Southhaven. Lexitonian Press United reports today that twenty-seven soldiers were killed, and thirty-two wounded today in a triple suicide attack on a compound near the heart of the city. Two car bombers struck the north side of the compound, laying waste to defensive barriers, and killing fifteen troops, while wounding twenty. Rebel insurgents then stormed into the compound, attacking soldiers. Twelve soldiers were killed, and twelve wounded in the gunfight that followed. In addition, several Danteri emergency workers may have been killed while attempting to attend to soldiers wounded by the initial bombing. However, this has not been confirmed by the Danteri government. These attacks brought the Lexitonian death toll in Danteri to 4633 killed, 5793 wounded, and 15 still missing.

----Telegram to Oomplian Head of State----
Lexitonain forces are prepared to create a beachhead on South Haven. Are Oomlian forces ready to support our movements?

Gwazzaria, in response to the building forces on either side of the conflict, is sending in the H.G.S. Ettenbach with another three (in total about 450 personnel) of the Expeditionary Medical Companies. The Ettenbach has been repaired and refitted into a medical ship (repainted and marked as per recent U.N. regulations), as well as with a helipad.

The Ettenbach will be staying in Danteri waters for the duration of the conflict, to provide aid to any parties in need (with civillians taking priority).

Lexitonian forces went ahead without Oomplian support, and have created a beachhead on the south cape of South Have. Harakian air divisoins aided rebel fortifications, but 125,000 Lexitonian forces easily overwhelmed with sheer manpower. Harakian casualties, rebel casualties, and Lexitonain casualties are all unknown.

OOC: Harakian air divisions would not support either side. The only 'Harakian' air divisions you could be referring to are the fighter-bombers lent to the rebels, of which there were only twelve and one was destroyed. Also, telling your opponent any losses they suffered, at all, is godmoding and should be avoided. Saying you overwhelmed them and they were forced back or saying that 1234 tanks were destroyed both fall under this category.







Lexington's convoy had loaded up the Harakian hostages just in time. They were badly beaten and cringing at the sight of armed guards, visibly abused physically. The Harakians were appalled at how badly they appeared to have been treated, and many of the soldiers seemed to be getting agitated, wanting to seek their revenge on the 'murderous monsters who fucking did this,' as one of them put it. Captain Lexington had barely managed to keep his forces all under control, get the convoy loaded, and get out of the city.

They were riding a wave of rioting. The riots had begun to form as they were making their way out of the city, and some overzealous guards had stopped them on the way out, declaring the city closed. Lexington pointed out the diplomatic mission they were on and showed it to the guard in his own books. Suspiciously, the guard let them pass, but Lexington was pretty sure he had them followed.

The refugees on the road were once more making going slow, and in order to keep the ride smooth for the civilians in the back, they were forced to slow down and take a slower pace, estimating a time of arrival overnight. Given more than one soldier per truck, they could keep driving all night, and arrive in the afternoon of the next day. However, with the rapidly advancing rebel lines, the battle lines got closer and closer to their route, prompting the Harakian area naval forces to move as close as possible to the coast without offending either Danterian faction, so as to provide support for the Harakian convoy if needed. Two full wings of attack planes were assigned constant standby status in the air over the safe zones, ready to fly to the convoy if needed and defend them. Still, Lexington's troops were alone in the middle of a warzone, and that made everyone involved nervous.


A SHAF report was issued regarding the conflict condemned both Danterian factions for their mistreatment and abuse of prisoners, recommending all aid be withdrawn to both parties by all those involved, the freeing of all prisoners of war and interned civilians, and the trials of the leaders of both factions in foreign courts for crimes against humanity. It also recommended obscenely large amounts of humanitarian aid for displaced civilians and refugees.

A Harakian military report issued near the same time was brief and to the point. It detailed the current situation and stressed that with the current status of Danteri, it was quite possible that the nation itself would splinter even further not just into Communist rebels and Loyalist governmental forces, but into a series of warlords who controlled smaller and smaller areas of land. Official Harakian military reports stated that this was not only likely but also entirely possible, what with the assassination of high-ranking officials on both sides, prompting delusions of grandeur from others, such as rebel military leaders in the wake of the murdering of the People's Commitee, or Loyalist generals or colonels were General Kreiger to be assassinated. Were international support to also splinter, either providing each warlord with aid, or each nation picking a different one to support for whatever reasons, a war between warlords striving for control of Danteri would be even more prolonged than the current civil war, and although, in an anonymous private's words, 'it could be cool,' it would be the worst possible path for the people of Danteri.

OOC: oops my bad Harakai, im still new at this... yes i ment the leant divisions, and since the rebels arent controlled by any player, i didnt think that to be godmoding.

OOC: Actually, the rebels and the loyalists both are being played out by the Danteri player.

Status report:
No Harakian casualties inflicted on beach landings
978 dead Lexitonians
Severl thousand rebels believed dead, but not confirmed
Harakian government reports Lexitonian forces have taken Harakian hostages, Lexitonian government does not confirm this, but says if this is true, a deal may be worked out

OOC-Several thousand? From one landing?

OOC: No problem. It seems nearly everyone in this thread is new to NS roleplaying, with a few obvious exceptions, and it seems to be working out as a good way to learn/teach about it. Also, with regards to the actual RP:

Remember that the only Harakian forces in the area are in the safe zones or, at the moment, in the Harakian convoy from Danteri City to the safe zones. There's a naval task force off the coast and an island base a ways away, and at that base are two brigades of troops and a bunch of long range airplanes. All the aid I gave to the Danterian rebels a long time ago was purely material. One platoon of troops landed to train new recruits, but the rest of the stuff I gave was all equipment. Tanks, guns, armour, ammunition, fuel, jeeps, and one flight (12) attack planes. All this stuff is used and manned by Danterian rebels, so unless anyone is actively attacking the Harakian safe zones or civilian escort troops and ships, there should be no Harakian casualties of any kind. For future reference.

And, because I don't like purely OOC posts, I'm just going to take this opportunity to review the forces dispatched to Danteri from the Harakian armed forces:

Ground Forces
The entire 72nd Infantry "Chippers" Division, under Major-General Neil, the army commander for the mission. Five of its six brigades are deployed to the safe zones, with the last in reserve. Most of its motorized and mechanized vehicles are deployed on the mainland, along with nearly all its support elements, such as its self-propelled artillery detachment.

The 2nd Brigade of the 2nd Armoured "Vanguard" Division under Brigadier-General Nick Osborne. On standby at the Harakian island base.

Air Forces
Six wings of Harakian long-range fighter bombers, twelve planes to each wing. High-quality attack planes. Five are assigned to permanent air cover and close air support over the Harakian safe zones, the last is back at the island base, on naval patrols and protecting it. There were more, but they were withdrawn upon the arrival of the HNS Kite.

Naval Forces
The Harakian naval task force, under Commodore Locke, the overall commander of the mission, is composed of:

Seven Royal-class anti-submarine and scout destroyers - The HNS Fitzser, HNS Minnis, HNS Kitsalbassa, HNS Friday, HNS Alpaca, HNS Murphy and HNS Maxwell. All these ships are also outfitted with one Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and one helicopter.

Five Excalibur-class light cruisers - The HNS Joker, HNS Excalibur, HNS Jubilee, HNS Vitality and HNS Morose. These ships are well-armed anti-aircraft and missile ships, designed to form defensive picket lines around larger ships to defend against air and missile strikes. Also designed for anti-submarine and anti-surface ship missions.

Three Wolfe-class heavy cruisers - The HNS Albany, HNS LeMay and HNS Ryan. These are heavy cruisers designed for close-range surface combat. Effective in many capabilities, most primarily as a surface raider against enemy supply lines. Large and powerful primary armament.

One Shark-class missile cruiser - The HNS Great White. Designed as a modification of the Wolfe's hull with a nearly all-missile armament, a very deadly ship from long range.

One Sirius-class missile cruiser - The HNS Aurora. A slightly larger, more heavily armed missile cruiser than the Shark, it carries more missiles and can fire more at once, as well as having more launching tubes including two 60-cell VLS.

One Retribution-class light carrier - The HNS Kite. It carries sixty planes in five flights and allowed for the withdrawal of multiple flights of land-based naval superiority aircraft.



And that is it. Sorry for the OOC post.

While in port in Southern Danteri, the ships of the 23Eris convoy add to the red cross markings on the cruise ships. Medical supplies and foodstuffs are unloaded and refugees who wish to leave for the nation of 23Eris are allowed on board. Despite the best efforts of the crews to keep some semblance of order on the ships, chaos reigns supreme, delaying the time the ships put out to sea from early morning to just after dark.

Using the delay, the admiralty of 23Eris fires off a request to the commander of the Haraki forces in Danteri.

To: Commander Haraki forces
From: Admiral Weber, Commander Naval forces 23Eris
RE: Air Support

Commander, the ships of our nation are on a humanitarian mission, transporting thousands of refugees fleeing the war in Danteri to peaceful shores. Our peaceful intentions have been made known previously, yet our vessels still came under aerial assault despite sailing with Red Cross markings. Now, filled with innocent people the effects of an aerial attack could be devastating. We ask you to provide aerial protection for the ships until safely away from Danteri. If you wish to inspect the vessels to be sure of their intent or post an observer on any of the ships as a condition of aid, we will comply. Please respond as soon as possible.

Events:
-The ships will sail out after dark, in the company of their escorts, cover or no. 3 Transports, 3 destroyers, about a dozen other smaller vessels. The transport ships carry several thousand civilians each, in relatively cramped, but livable conditions.
-23Eris is dispatching a second convoy of marked vessels with a similar escort to the first convoy. The second convoy heading from Eris to Danteri is slightly larger, 7 Transports, 1 Cruiser, 5 Destroyers, 5 Frigates, and 8 Corvettes. It carries, medical supplies and food.

To: Admiral Weber, Commander Naval forces 23Eris
From: General Sir Josef Meyer
Re: Status of Your Ships

Admiral,
As stated earlier, Bertlingian Forces will respect all hospital ships marked according to UN regulations. However, your nation currently has a fleet of combat-vessels in Danterian Waters. This can only be interpreted as an act of blatant agression. Marking these up as aid ships looks to me as an ill-concieved ruse, and to what ends, I will not speculate.

Let me stress that I will take no responsibility for any of your vessels as long as you continue to voilate Danteri sovereignty and UN regulations. Should you insist upon this course of action, I will order my forces to expell you from the area, with the level of force neccesary.


Respectfully,

Gen. Sir Josef Meyer

Commander, Bertlingian
1st Expeditionary Force

Hovering quietly in the vastness of space over Danteri, four Imitoran KMAV recon satalites snapped image after image, creating files with hundreds of thousands of snap shots from the combat. Each image was then sent to one of the five IMC(FO) super computers to be analyzed for clarity, quality, and informational richness. Of the over fifteen million pictures, eighty two were selected by the computers, and then digitally enhanced for quality and clarity. The entire process took minutes.

The images were then filed in order of assumed importance into an image holder. This file was assigned a code name from one of the many lesser computers dedicated only to such matters, and then an operational breifing was prepared by a number of staff analyzers with the INSA and IMC(FO) Intelligence officers. This briefing was cross refrenced to the Blackfire report, filed after the mercenary unit had suffered some one hundred and fifteen losses in a combat ambush. This report was then sent on to the Chief of Military Operations, Cheif of Naval Operations, and President Gibbson.

The meeting that was carried out amongst the President and his advisors was quick and to the point. Options were discussed, plans formulated, and within five hours, a mission statement and operational plan of action had been formed, and ordered to be carried out. The Imitoran Military would intervene on behalf of the Danteri government, siding with the Loyalists, feeling that the rebels had no right or reason to seperate. It had been exactly five days, fifteen hours, twenty two minutes, and seven seconds since the first picture had been taken by the KMAV satalites till the order had been given to mobilize the 7th and 12th Naval Combat Fleet, as well as the 16th Mobile Infantry, 69th Marine Special Operations Unit, and the 17th Armor devision of the Imitora Marine Corp. Further, the 22nd Special Operations Task Force (SOTF, oftend refered to as Sotaf), would be ordered operational as well, and told to prepare for a combat drop into possibly hostile territory with little cover.

Further, President Gibbson had a speech prepared to deliver to both the Imitoran people and the world as involved in the conflict once the operations began. Secretly, comuniques were made towards General Krieger to inform him that the Imitoran Military Authority had made its decision and they soon would have not only much needed back up, but full and complete support of the Imitoran People.

OOC: Sorry for a crap post, but I'm tired as hell, and will post exact numbers tommorow (well, in theory later today).

Zukariaa']OOC-Several thousand? From one landing?
OOC: Casualties=wounded,dead, captured missing, and its an estimate

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Today, new advances were made, and the factories the rebels have been using to produce Talon class fighter-bombers were captured. Also, the rebels have abandoned any claim at fighting for democracy - with the assassination of their leaders, their top general, one Ostermann, has seized power! As such, we feel we have no option but to continue with a full scale assault. Victory will be ours - there is no other option!
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Rebels
(General Ostermann)
Today, the Loyalists and their foreign allies have advanced, yes... but, at what cost? We have made the New-Lexington slime pay ofr their beach head, and have made the Loyalists pay for the factory - sure, it now builds for them, but what use are Talons when both sides now have better planes? Victory might still be ours!

Other News:
- Loyalist Offensive: The Loyalist Offensive has continued to advance - the Loyalist armor is now very far ahead of any support. Around eight hundred Loyalists died today, plus around six hundred rebels.
- New-Lexington Landing: The New-Lexington landing resulted in two thousand killed, three thousand wounded and one thouand surrendering after being promised fair treatment. Whether or not they get it though, remains to be seen...
- Army Group Naem: Army Group Naem has been re-routed to aid the New-Lexington landing force. While not as well equipped as their foreign allies, Army Group Naem (which requires transport) consists of two thousand well trained, highly experienced combat veterans.
- Loyalist Atrocities: The Loyalists are suspected of killing around eight hundred people today in a series of attacks.

Diplomatic Dispatches!

To: General Meyer, Commander Bertlingian Forces Danteri
From: Admiral Weber, 23Eris
Re: Naval Activity around Danteri

The vessels to which you refer are acting as escort vessels for the unarmed transport ships. If these escorts had not been present, all the transports would have been destroyed by a missile attack made by Danteri loyalists. Our ships will take no offensive action against any nation but will act to defend themselves if they come under attack. We would however welcome an escort of Bertlingian ships to further ensure the safety of the aid convoys.
----------------------------------

To: Bertlingian Leadership
From: Prime Minister Hekatos, 23Eris
Re: Threats against 23Eris naval assets

Recent threats made by Bertlingian commanders against 23Eris naval vessels in the Danteri area threaten to escalate an already terrible war into a larger conflict. We ask that you inform your commanders in the area to respect the neutrality of our ships which will not interfere in the conflict and are simply escorting humanitarian aid vessels.
Unprovoked attacks against our ships can only be interpreted as an act of war. Neither of our great nations, I am sure, wishes to enter into open conflict with one another. Instead we ask thet your forces work with us to ensure the success of our humitarian efforts in Danteri. We would be grateful for any assistance your nation could provide in ensuring medical supplies reach civilians in need and for ensuring the protection of refugees displaced by the war. If you wish to send inspectors or monitors to our fleet to ensure that we are in fact acting in a totally neutral fashion, we would welcome them.
We urge the government of Bertling to act in a responsible fashion and to aid us in our relief efforts, not to hinder them.

The Haraki convoy was surprised to find the severed heads of two companies of Danteri Army Special Operations soldiers waiting for them when they had left the capital and made some progress at returning to the Haraki Safe-Zone (they'd travelled about eighteen miles). The heads had been piled up on both sides of the road, which was in between two hills. The middle of the road was left clear, save for a hastily lettered sign which reads (in very small print): "Haraki Soldiers - look up". At which point, they discover that about four companies of rebel commandos are located on those hills, surrounding them. The rebels DO NOT FIRE, but an individual who appears to be their leader calls out a greeting:
"Hello Haraki soldiers! How are you today? We have no problems with your traveling through here, but would request that one of the human-rights observers you have with you comes with us. You do have at least one human rights observer, don't you? If not, anyone with the rank of sergeant or above will do. We have something to show you, something very important. Don't worry. We don't take hostages! Your man will be returned!"

- Two companies of Loyalist Special Forces (Danteri Army Special Operations) have been wiped out by rebel commandos.
- The Haraki convoy has been surprised by rebel commandos (so close to the capital too...). Whether or not they accept the rebel offer is up to them.
OOC: Haraki, I know your military has good training, but these rebel commandos are the best in all of Danteri at sneaking about, and so are considered to have managed to surprise your convoy.

The Loyalist armor advanced through the pass, persuing fleeing rebel defenders with great joy - finally, they were the ones chasing down the enemy, finally, they were the ones who could advance!
Captain Harold Von Nordton felt miserable - his unit, Armored Battle Group One, had been advancing non-stop for over seventy two hours. In all that time, the most sleep any of them had gotten was maybe five, six hours. As such, they were exhausted.
Worse, they had out-paced the advance of the Loyalist supply lines, and as such, while essentials such as fuel and ammunition were air-dropped in, other things, such as food were not. He hadn't eaten in two days, and had drunk his last water more than ten hours ago. Many times so far he had felt like this while he and his comrades fled a rebel advance, running for dear life, but... never before had he felt like this while he had advanced. The Loyalist armored units were running themselves ragged persuing the rebels, but, orders were orders... Harold only hoped that they would be allowed to stop for food soon.
Then, as he drowsily scanned the horizon, he spotted something. It was a little flash of metal on a hill, over there... he looked again, this time with his binoculars. He saw it again - on the hill to his left, there was a definite sign of metal... and then, Captain Harold Von Nordton saw death.
They were surrounded, the entire valley had been turned into an ambush zone. As he turned to shout a warning, the lead tank, its driver too exhausted to take even normal precautions, hit a land mine.
The lead tank was destroyed instantly... and, another four or five joined it almost as suddenly. The Loyalists had been strung out, the quicker light units leading the chase, the slower heavy units lagging behind. The enemy took advantage of that now...
No sooner had the first wave halted at the edge of the mine field than a veritable hail of mortar, AT rocket and artillery fire begin falling on the suddenly startled Loyalists. Dozens of vehicles died in the first few seconds - here a tank, blasted into the air by a 100 pound shell from a siege gun on the hill, camoflauged and waiting, there an APC sent rolling over by an AT rocket to the weak side armor, and... all around him, the Loyalist Armored Battle Group One was reduced to so much scrap metal.
The rebels had been clever - they had waited for the perfect ambush site, waited for the Loyalists to tire themselves out persuing the fleeing forward rebel units, and then... this.
A prepared mine field across the valley, dug-in and camoflauged siege guns on the hill in front of them, defended by infantry with AT rockets, mortars and field-artillery pieces... the same to the trapped Loyalist's right and left as well... and now, the final humiliation - the much-mocked rebel armor that had fled before them on all prior occassions, rolling in behind them, cutting off their retreat, firing their cannons point-blank into the rear armor of the Loyalist heavy tanks.
It was no battle - it was a massacre. Captain Harold Von Nordton turned again, trying to give his driver an order - what order could he have given? When, a rebel shell struck his tank. He died instantly, small comfort that... but, as he died, the last thought in his mind was simply a hopeless how - he could not comprehend how such a trap could have caught the Loyalists so unready...

- All Loyalist armored units in the forward wedge were trapped and annihilated by a rebel trap at Kleigh's Valley. No survivors escaped, and the rebels report no prisoners taken.
- Rebel Counter-Offensive: With the annihilation of the Loyalist armor, General Ostermann (who has proven himself an able general) has ordered a full-scale counter attack.

OOC: Danteri, no problem with the little ambush, although with the gunners in the jeeps' turrets they would've noticed and informed the captain. However, since they were ordered not to fire at all and since they weren't already dead and their leaders had agreed on a ceasefire, they probably would have simply continued, albeit very carefully.



Captain Lexington was somewhat peeved that the rebels would think that the Haraki soldiers were simply theirs to call on at any time for any purpose, but he beckoned the convoy to stop. Although he had no human rights inspectors, he had doctors, and he had soldiers. A quick radio call to General Neil confirmed his plan, and so he ran back to the first two trucks, pulling out a doctor from each and replacing them with a military medic. Although children cried at the removal of the doctors they had become familiar with, it had to be dfone. He also removed six soldiers from various places throughout the convoy, under one Sergeant Dwayne Evans, and sent the group of seven men and one woman (A corporal) up the cliffs. Lexington himself accompanied them, as he wanted to speak to the rebel leader.

Once they had reached the top of the hills, Lexington seething at the possibility that a Loyalist attack on the rebels at this time could point to Harakian-rebel co-operation through the convoy and break the delicate ceasefire. Reminding himself to keep the conversation quick, he told the man: "What do you want? These eight will accompany you - Two doctors and six soldiers to guard them - but I need to know how long they'll be gone, if you'll get them back to the safe zones, and where they'll be going. They can't engage in combat or it could break the ceasefire, and technically I shouldn't send anyone with you, this should all be done through the leaders of this mission. Give me more details and I can approve this."

Disputed Territories of Danteri
Nord-Lund - Advancing towards Nordton
Approxmiately 250 kilometres outside Nordton
23:27

From the moment they had landed in Danteri Loyalist territory, a little over two days ago, every man in the Second Unit knew perfectly well they were going to be hardarsing the journey. The lucky ones were able to grab a few hours of sleep at a time in the back of a flatbed truck, but those unlucky enough to be tank or copter men were slowly approaching states of sleep deprivation. And yet, no-one complained. Every man among the unit recognised that until they had taken Nordton, there was no room for luxuries like sleep or a square meal.

Corporal Bryan Clarke was one of these. His role in his squad was that of a shock trooper - he was the first to spearhead the attack, and armed with the Browning M4 shotgun, his job was do some damage and help soften up the enemy for the second wave of attacks. Clarke, in effect, was designed to be cannon fodder, although nobody would ever say so; the senior officials had the lower ranks almost brainwashed, such was their devotion to their craft. The position of being a shock trooper was almost an exalted one - being the first man over the walls was viewed as being the ultimate honour.

What the men didn't know was that Nordton was home to a new factor; namely, a sleeper cell. When the Danterian Civil War first broke out, the Chapel buried their agents in deep cover, as to eliminate the possibility of discovery. From there on in, the Chapel continued to sneak armaments, munitions and other such equipment across the borders to prepare this sleeper cell, code-named 'Guillotine'. While, at times, it seemed that the existence and continued expense of this cell was just another cost the Ministry was paying out, now, they would reap the benefits.

~~~

Disputed Territories of Danteri
Nord-Lund - Nordton
17:58

The twelve men and women gathered around the table all knew they had but one objective in mind. It was not assassination, for there were no figures the rebels would gain from the deaths of, nor was it random destruction. No, today, their orders ran along the lines of 'Implosion', or, more specifically, destruction from within.

In order to facilitate the oncoming 'invasion' from the Second Unit, 'Guillotine' were to attack the main military sectors - the barracks, the airfields, anything that could be used by the Danteri loyalists to launch a counter-attack against the Second Unit.

One woman was obviously the leader; she was happy giving orders to the others and doling out explosives, and other weapons. Six of them were to locate the biggest barracks within the city, infiltrate it, and use their explosives to incapacitate the soldiers. They didn't necessarily have to be killed, or wounded - just unable to fight back.

A further three were to cause a distraction for the mass public; once the first six had located the military base, these three had been instructed to go to the opposite side of the city and cause a distraction. A number of targets had already been mapped out - a large statue in a square in the far east, an area full of skyscrapers near the south and so on, so forth.

The final three? Their job was possibly the worst of all - once the first two groups had chosen their targets, they were to enter a public place and take hostages. The intent of this was to divert the public's attention away from the impending attack, as well that of the local law enforcement officials. With luck, and if all three schemes could work properly, the city would be weak, and the Second Unit would be able to minimise casualties upon their attack.

'Move out.'

OOC: Me give fair treatment to prisoners... i dont know about that:p
Field General John Rodgers sat in his armored troop carrier on the beeches of South Haven shouting orders to his men. “Major Roberson move your men towards that stream over by the forest” he yelled over the gunfire. “Yes sir” came the reply. Rodgers ordered the other divisions forward, and the advance off the beach had begun. Rodgers and 125,000 other men had been stuck on this beach for 26 hours now, and Rodgers cursed that fact. It was difficult for Rodgers to continue to lead his force, after hearing the news only hours before; his home town of Irmo had been totally annihilated by a tsunami wave. Rodgers’ family had been living on a beach front home when the wave struck. The bodies of his wife Ali, his grandmother Hildegarde, his nephew Will, and his two children Brittany, and Stephen had been found three miles inland, cold and stiff. Rodgers wondered if he could ever return to his home: that is if he survived this war. An artillery shell shook him back into reality, as it exploded only a few yards away. Rodgers ducked to avoid the flying shrapnel, as it ripped through the air. Some shrapnel struck the troop carrier, but it didn’t penetrate its steel armor. Rodgers called in air support, to take out rebel positions on the hills above the beaches. Five F-54 Thunderbirds were soon blasting rebel fortifications on the hill. As Lexitonian forces moved into the forest beyond the beaches, Rodgers’ personal carrier came to a stop. He got out to observe the damage his forces had taken on the beach. There were many soldiers down, but the wounded were being attended too. “Yep” Rodgers sighed, “Maybe this war will be over sooner than I thought”…

The rebel smilled - "If you listen to your radio, you'll see that things are going allright for us... the Loyalists aren't exactly going to be a major problem, when their biggest issue will be keeping the rest of their forward units from being overrun when they have no armored support. We chose this time to contact you for that reason. If all goes well, we'll drop your men off at the Safe-Zone as the first of the regular rebel army rolls into position to begin shelling Danteri City."
The rebel officer adjusted his assault rifle on its shoulder strap, then smilled - "We'll be back soon enough."

Landing:
The Loyalists died at their guns, screaming in agony, clutching their wounds, yes, but they died at their guns none the less. They were fighting hard, but, with only eighty guns and six thousand men, there was no way they could have stopped the landing. They fought like cornered rats, like men who knew they had only two choices - conquer or die. Mostly, they died.

Covert Ops:
The secondary attack against the civilian target went off beautifully. Thousands of civilians died as bombs brought down skyscrapers... and then, luck intervened - the collapsing buildings crushed through into the poorly designed sewer system, destroying the sewer system throughout the entire city... and, cutting off power for an entire district. The "hostage taking" didn't go so well - while the agents were preparing to act, a group of Danteri Government Security men showed up, intent on arresting one of the people in the building the covert-ops team was about to hit. In the confusion, they managed to escape, but their mission couldn't be carried out. In the military base, they discovered that the unit stationed there had already been moved out to the front. They had to content themselves with setting off the warehouse full of fuel that had been left behind. (Big explosion!)

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
The rebels claw at their own wounds, bleeding themselves dry so that they shall be an easier kill! We are almost triumphant, our allies having secured landing zones, they now wait to be reinforced by our most elite units, the core of the veteran Army Group Naem! We shall prevail!
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Fascist Rebels
(General Ostermann)
We have forced the communists to the wall - already, their leadership is arrested or killed. I am the future of Danteri, and so, as the Chosen Leader, I must call upon all true Danteri to come to my aid, to fight the foul usurper and the communist invaders... and, and also, to ensure that the Danteri that comes into existance after the war has some rational menaing. My victory is certain... I simply call upon any who would join with me in my fight, and ask them to march beside me. Victory will be mine - God wills it!

Danteri Communist Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
General Ostermann is a traitor. He is a monster who has ordered tortured and killed many of our brothers, our comrades in this, our glorious revolution. We have foreign allies - the revolution has foreign allies - and, in the name of the justice and freedom for which we fight, I must ask them to consider General Ostermann an enemy of the revolution. He has become merely a warlord, eager for power, not for justice or freedom.

Other News:
- Rebel Counter-Offensive: The rebel counter-offensive has proceded well, in spite of reports of fighting in the rebel rear-areas. Most of the front-line troops seem more interested in ensuring that the Loyalists are toppled than in seeing General Ostermann in power or hung.
- Rebels Re-take Factories: The rebels have retaken the factories, driving out the Loyalists with little damage to the factories themselves.
- Loyalist and Rebel Losses: The Loyalists have lost eight thousand men and hundreds of tanks and pieces of field-artillery so far during this last rebel counter-offensive - the rebels have lost only two thousand men and a few dozen tanks.
- Nordton: Thousands of civilians have been killed by bombs. More in earlier message.
- Nord-Lund: The entierty of Army Group Naem that was still "watching the Naem" has been shifted to fight the McPsychoville landing force. That comes up to about one thousand combat veterans and around two hundred elite Danteri Army Special Operations soldiers.
- Haraki Convoy: After the team was sent with the rebels, the convoy was allowed to pass. Nothing further is done by the rebels against them, and the Loyalists seem to be unable to act with their Danteri Army Special Operations teams no longer active.
- Lastly: Loyalist "Labor Camps": These camps have been shut down. The inmates have been taken away by officers of Danteri Government Security - to be shot, acoarding to rumor.

The rebel commandos were so skilled at infiltration and stealth that they seemed almost magical. In fact, if it had been a few years earlier, and some of the technology they were using hadn't been so widely known about, they would have been considered magical.
Each wore a high-quality camo-cloak, one capable of masking their heat signitures. Their camo-cloaks bore signs of having been manufactured in Bertling - when asked about it, they replied that most of their gear had formerly belonged to Danteri Army Special Operations units.
They moved silently, and kept to the mud as though it were their native habitat - the commandos moved through it with great skill, and seemed to be covered in the stuff, yet... yet, their guns were in fine condition, as were their knives.
The mud masked their faces, and made them seem hardly to be individuals... almost, having seen them, one could believe the whispers going around the Loyalist camps, that they were wizards who had sold their souls to the devil for the powers he gave them. They were that good.
After what seemed an age, the commandos stopped. Their leader made a motion, and the others started digging. In seconds, they had uncovered a case, dark and metalic, bearing the symbol of Danteri Government Security, and the DGS motto - "Let them hate us so long as they fear us"
The leader opened the case, and removed a water-proof case. With great care, as though handling something precious, he pocketed the case. Turning to the Harakis, he gave that same grin he had given before, and told them,
"All right. We have the first item. I'll let you have a look at it when we camp. Until then, we have a long way to go until we get the second and last item." "Any questions?", he added on, looking at the Harakis with anticipation, and, yes, some amusement. It was as if he knew something they didn't, and was enjoying the sensation.

Gun fire roared. Loyalist and Zukarian soldiers were running down rebels as they came, but there were too many of them. They didn't seem to stop coming.
"Grenade!!" yelled one soldier, a grenade flew over cover and landed at the feet of a rebel. He was killed, and two other soldier were sent through the air. THe soldier laughed.
"Dammit, just shoot them! Its easier!" yelled Sgt. Kyler. He fired, killing a rebel.
"I don't give a damn about easy, I wanna see the f***ers lose their legs, Sgt!" the soldier yelled back.
Kyler laughed. An RPG exploded nearby, a Zukarian soldier was sent flying backwards, dead. The battle didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Kill a rebel, lose a man. The Emperor had given them orders to help, though, and the men wanted nothing more then to kill something.

-The Zukarians have set up their artillery guns.

OOC-Not sure how battle works, really, and I don't want to make any big moves until I know I can for sure.

Sergeant Evans shrugged. "As long as that's not a nuclear bomb, I'll ask any questions back at your camp." The others in the small Harakian group nodded or murmured their assent.

Meanwhile, Commodore Locke leafed through the Harakian military report on the splintering of Danteri, and through reports on General Ostermann's defection and founding of his own faction, bringing the total up to three. He almost wanted to put his head in his hands, but for the sake of those watching on the CCTV cameras, he refrained, instead just sighing. It seemed to be happening exactly as predicted. The only thing that remained was the potential assassination of General Krieger.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Today, we have held the line. With our allies from Zukariaa, our noble warriors, brave and filled with only hate and contempt for their foul enemies, have held the line. The rebels reel from the New-Lexington landing, they reel from blow after blow after blow... and, as they weaken and splinter, we close in for the kill. They shall perish! We shall prevail!
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Communist Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
The enemy claims that because we have halted to assess the situation and supress a traitor in our rear area, because of that, he claims that we are "reeling"? How can he claim that,when close to 400 Loyalist tanks lay ruined upon the muddy ground of Southhaven? How can he claim that when thousands of Loyalist soldiers will never march again? He claims that things are as they are so that he can assure his foreign allies (or, should they be called "investors"?) that he is winning so that they do not flee! He is an idiot! He says that he will prevail, but we say that he will not. Rather, we shall crush his skull beneath our boot heels, as we prepare to do to the traitor Ostermann. First the traitor, then the tyrant!

Danteri Fascist Rebels:
(General Ostermann)
The communists come for me? They come to their graves! Their bodies will rot beneath the high sun of Southhaven, as my armor rolls over their still screeming bodies! We are blessed by God to victory, and so, I call upon all who would join in our inevitable victory - we, not communist or un-godly tyrant, shall prevail... and, when we do, there shall be a great reckoning! I shall prevail, as God wills it... and, when the enemy has been defeated and punished, my loyal followers shall find that I am generous in victory.

Other News:
- Southhaven Front: The New-Lexington landing force has made good headway into Southhaven, as most of the rebels are too busy fighting eachother to bother about foreigners. However, the rebels have fired off several hundred artillery shells, the only opposition that has been encountered by the advancing New-Lexingtonian forces today. Farther north, at the main front, Zukariaan and Loyalist forces have held their positions, in spite of some shelling. The Zukariaan guns are more than a match for the rebel artillery, so things are going well. No offensives launched by either side so far today.
- General Krieger: General Krieger has ordered his men to "act to support our gallant foreign allies" - as such, Zukariaan, Oompli and New-Lexingtonian officers are to be "respected as one would a superior within their own army" - this means that the Loyalist allies can exercise some manner of control over the Loyalist forces supporting them.
- Nordton: McPsychoville is advancing on Nordton, and the Loyalists are almost all in full retreat. It looks as though they mean to abandon Nordton, rather than make a stand there. Around two thousand Loyalists died today in a desperate rear-guard action - losses to McPsychoville are unknown.
- Haraki Convoy: The Harkai convoy hasn't encountered any more real threats so far. Scenes of devastation and destruction are everwhere though, as are refugee collumns, most of which are heading for the Haraki Safe-Zones. A safe estimate of how many people now displaced by this conflict would be around five million.
- Lastly: Loyalist Atrocities: Danteri Government Security has ordered arrested the families of suspected rebels. Around ten thousand adults and five thousand children are arrested.

The "camp" was rather crude - merely a few half-ruined bunkers that appeared to have been built during the last civil war, almost thirty years ago. That one hadn't gotten quite as out of hand as this one had - sure, almost a million people died, but... the government had done almost all of the killing, and no cities had fallen to the rebels.
Now, these bunkers sheltered the rebel commandos. As water was boiled with a smokeless chemical heater, the rebel leader sat on what looked like the rusted wreakage of an ancient artillery piece, and began to speak:
"Well, first things first. My name... my full name, is Alexander Johannson. That's all you need to know about me. This bag..."
He opened the bag, and removed about forty tinny objects,
"... this bag contains USB drives, on which are recorded the names, birthdates, personal information and also some pictures, of the two million plus innocent civilians the government is currently using for forced labor. You see, those "Labor Camps"... those, you were meant to find, to draw attention away from these. They're located in a series of factories near Freiburg and Nordton... so, that's where we're going. We are going to let you see these camps with your own eyes... hopefully, before Danteri Government Security decides to butcher all the people in them to avoid an "incident" when McPsychoville overruns their positions there." "
Any quetions, comments, concerns?" The rebel, Alexander Johannson, continued, looking the Harakis in the eyes, almost begging them to have something to say.

--Status Report--
Lexitonian forces have grounedd to ahault 30 miles inland. We have dug in and the rebels have also done so. We face each other across a five mile wide valley. we are to wait for re-inforcements from home. until then we will hold our postiion to the best of our abilit. Also all rebel prisoners taken on the landing were executed. That is all.

General Ostermann has launched an offensive against the Communist Rebels, advancing with his troops against the disorganized and poorly led communist rebels.
Around seven thousand Communist rebels were holding the city he initialy attacked with his force of two thousand - he has taken the city, killed three thousand communist rebels and recieved another thousand as converts. Total casualties to his force were light, as he appears to be a skilled general. His casualties were around six hundred.
This offensive should be good news for the Loyalists - as long as the two rebel groups are too busy fighting each other to fight the Loyalists, the Loyalists can reinforce... and, redirect forces against McPsychoville, Sarmia and Kulikovo.

- Danteri Army Special Operations: two thousand elite Loyalist soldiers are waiting for New-Lexingtonian transport to the Southhaven landing zone. While not as well equipped as their New-Lexingtonian counter-parts, they are well trained, dedicated and combat veterans from Army Group Naem to a man.
- McPsychoville: The Loyalists have continued a "scorched-earth and withdraw" policy, leaving behind their fleeing units only burnt villages and ruined roads. Also, they have been firing off salvos of artillery fire to cover their retreat - McPsychoville casualties are unknown.

Danteri Government Security, DGS for short, is a rather infamous organization tasked with ensuring the loyalty of the populace to the Supreme Leader. The head of DGS is appointed by the Supreme Leader, and can be replaced at any time for any reason.
Danteri Government Security has been around as long as there has been a Confederacy of Danteri - as soon as the Monarchists were kicked out and the king deposed, the former Royal Danteri Security agency became Danteri Government Security.
Since then, they have ruthlessly persecuted any who they consider to be enemies of the Supreme Leader. During the first Danteri civil war, they helped put down the uprising in record time, then conducted massive reprisal killings against rebels, suspected rebels, the families of rebels and the families of suspected rebels.
The criteria they use to recruit their Cadet-Agents are rather simple - literacy and cruelty. To rise higher than Cadet-Agent, you need to demonstrate an appropriate level of intelect - and, a total lack of human emotion found only in the criminaly insane. In fact, it is often rumored that a large number of those diagnosed as being sociopathic or otherwise disordered are recruited as Cadet-Agents.
To get an idea of the methods used by Danteri Government Security, simply imagine a mix of the KGB and the Gestapo, with a bit of the IRS thrown in for added fun. These people are not nice. They are so very not nice that prisoners of the ordinary State Police will often confess as soon as their interagator even implies that Danteri Government Security will be becoming involved.
Rumors about Cadet-Agents in Danteri Government Security having a quota of dogs to kick has not been confirmed or denied.
The mere fact that such an agency as Danteri Government Security exists, its motto a fine example of its philosophy (Let them hate us so long as they fear us), is a fine example of how Danteri is so messed up.

OOC: From the responses, I understand that the Second Unit has taken Nordton, and I'll be RPing as such.

~~~

Disputed Territories of Danteri
Nord-Lund - Nordton
05/04/06 - 16:16

The mood within the units was one of relief. Despite the continued assertions by the senior officers that the soldiers within Nordton would fight to their deaths, and that a long and gruelling struggle awaited the attackers, in the end all these words rang hollow.

Everything had first started at around midnight the previous day. Field Lieutenant Young had received the updated Archer satellite maps, showing a force of unknown magnitude moving towards their convoy from the north, where they had been stationed at the Naem river. The orders from the headquarters were to carry on to Nordton, and deal with the new threat when it came; a unanimous vote from ten of the most senior officers, however, was to ignore the orders and instead take on this new force with the majority of the Unit.

The only problem was the Archer system was only good up to a certain point, and they had little or no way of differentiating between different heights. Worse yet, the maps could only be updated every ten minutes at best, and so when the Naem force sprung their attack, most of the Unit was caught unawares.

Numbering around a thousand men, all well-armed, the Naem force were ruthless in their strike; the three tanks leading the convoy were woken up by a rocket-propelled grenade that completely destroyed the first tank on the left, leaving it a smouldering wreck, and more shots followed. Before the rest of the Unit could bring their weapons to bear, a total of nineteen tanks had been destroyed, along with four of the flatbeds carrying men.
With their significant height advantage, the massed assault rifle fire from the Unit could only do a little damage, and the orders went out to escape from the gully they were in first.
The Naem force naturally pursued them, firing again and again, bringing their telescopic rifles to bear and killing more men. Despite the huge numerical advantage, there was little the Second Unit could do.

But the Naem force had made a critical error - that of underestimating the McPsychovillian tactics. While the senior officers had ordered the Second Unit to bring their guns to bear, they had also taken the step of sending out a number of lighter vehicles, in an attempt at a flanking manoeveure. The initial convoy had acted to distract the Naem force, and it had worked perfectly - the thirty light vehicles were able to get close enough to catch the Naem force in a lethal crossfire.
Ironically, the sound of their engines, quiet as it was, was masked further by the sounds of the destruction the Danteri Loyalists were raining down on the convoy. With very little loss of life, the light tanks were able to gun down the remaining Loyalists.

The Quartermaster Sergeant's figures reported a loss of twenty-six tanks, including the one light tank destroyed by the Naem force, and the deaths of just over eight thousand, five hundred men from this one assault. While the losses were not great as compared to the sheer number of the force as a whole, the fact that the Naem force had managed to complete such a sneak attack meant morale took a serious blow.

However, the loss of morale was assuaged barely half an hour later, when the Archer satellite maps reported a massive enemy force leaving Nordton. It seemed that the Loyalist troops were abandoning Nordton to them, rather than deal with the oncoming attack. And upon their entry into Nordton, this was proved true - while there was some resistance from the small force left behind, this was quashed without casualties. Moreover, the citizens of Nordton were grateful to the troops - unlike most situations such as this, they were being oppressed by their government, and a huge majority actively supported the revolution.

While the problem of the Loyalist retreat was yet to be discovered, McPsychoville (and, by default, the revolution) effectively occupied Nordton. While there was still a lot of Nord-Lund left under Loyalist control, things were looking good.

CASUALTIES - Eight thousand, six hundred and ninety-one soldiers. In death, know ye peace.

The Nord-Lund city of Freiburg has declared its independance. With the almost complete destruction of Army Group Naem, there isn't much General Krieger can do except for ask Oompli to act (as Oompli still has a few units in northern Nord-Lund). The cities garrison has joined the new "Free Republic", and as such, this city has about two thousand poorly trained and under-equipped men. Other than that, its entire defensive force consists of angry mobs of civilians armed (badly) and told which way to march. Freiburg has a population of eight hundred thousand - the garrison had six thousand assault rifles, one thousand RPG launchers, five hundred AT rocket launchers and ten thousand side arms, in addition to plenty of ammunition. As such, Freiburg could theoretically arm up to 17,500 men in addition to the garrison. Factor in personal weapons, and that number could rise. As such, Freiburg looks able to guard its independance... until a serious effort is made to bring it in-line with any of the real factions.

The Loyalists have made full-scale use of a nerve agent against the McPsychoville force, firing eight thousand shells loaded with the chemical warfare agent. Of course, considering that the McPsychoville force was in Nordton at the time, civilian casualties are high. It appears from the speed and accuracy that the Loyalists were firing at pre-set positions - it looks like they had a plan for this operation for quite some time...

- McPsychoville: Their force suffers an unknown number of casualties.
- Civilians: Around five hundred thousand civilians have perished in this nerve gas attack.

OOC: I'd just like to get a second opinion on this; how's my roleplaying?

~~~

Disputed Territories of Danteri
Nord-Lund - Nordton
05/04/06 - 22:20

The Danteri night was peaceful, even if it was still oppressively warm, and with very little evidence of any Loyalist retaliation, the Second Unit were able to relax for the first time since their arrival. A perimeter had been set all around the city, with a number of large buildings being commandeered for the purpose of housing the nearly half million men and women currently occupying Nordton.

With the night bringing near-pitch blackness, the soldiers set up as advance warning scouts had been ordered to don their helmets. The 'helmets' referred to were the helmets designed for Archer satellite communications, and they bore a number of other extras, such as infra-red and night-vision settings in the visors. Obviously, with all this hardware, the helmets were a lot bulkier than the standard-issue ones, and as such made for an uncomfortable fit.

Still, orders were orders. And as a soldier hungry for promotion, Sergeant Lisa Moretti was not one to disobey said orders. Teamed up with her long-time partner and friend, fellow Sergeant Gareth Steele, and his Browning M85 sniper rifle (which, in Gareth's own idiosyncratic way, he had named 'Molly', after his fiancee at home).

'You ever wonder whose side God's on?' asked Gareth, still peering through his night-vision scope. A Christian in name only, Gareth was wont to asking those kind of odd questions when you least expected him to.

'You what?' was Lisa's reply.

'I was just thinking aloud, is all. I mean, God was on the side of the Israelites in the Bible, wasn't he? So that would assume that he would be on someone's side in this war, right?'

'Gareth?'

'Yes?'

'Shut up and keep watch.'

Silence fell back over the two as Lisa kept looking through her visor. On an impulse, she looked to the sky; even with the night-vision settings on, she could still see the many, many stars. We never get that many stars back home...

One star was particularly odd, as it was moving very fast. 'Gareth, look up.'

'What?'

'There's something up there, maybe a plane, I can't tell.'

Gareth swung his rifle up to follow the object. 'It's definitely a plane. Call it in, would you?'

Lisa was already doing so. 'Captain, we've got an unidentified plane out here...we're on the north side. By the building that looks like it has an onion on the top.'

'It's dropped something. It's dropped something. I think...I think it's a bomb!' MOVE!' Gareth was right on the money, and already, he had his rifle over his shoulder and his pack in his free hand. The bomb, within seconds, had hit the ground hard - but there was no explosion. Lisa slowed down, and turned back to look again.

'It wasn't a bomb after all.'

Another pair came rushing up, unidentifiable in the darkness. 'What was that thing?'

'We don't know,' Gareth replied. 'We thought it was a bomb.'

Three of them began the long walk back into the city proper. The fourth, however, was already in trouble.

'Zeke?' called the new man. Zeke couldn't reply, the gas from the bomb already exerting it's evil influence over his nerves.

'Zeke?!' shouted the man as he saw his friend in convulsions.

'God, no,' said Lisa, backing away. 'It was a bomb, it was a gas bomb! RUN!' She sprinted away, the weight of the pack all but ignored with the shot of adrenaline pumped through her system. Gareth, however, was too slow; the gas took him, just like it took the other two men. Lisa's initial sprint, however, had saved her.

She burst through the double doors of the nearest building, screaming into her radio that the bomb contained a nerve gas. Captain Mike Pearce, on the other end of the line, reacted admirably, contacting every senior officer on the northern side of the city and forcing them to shut their men off from the outside world.

Sadly, even these actions still couldn't keep the gas entirely. Well over half a million civilians died from the gas, and it claimed the lives of more than seventy thousand soldiers.

~~~

Capitalist Republic of McPsychoville
Royston Valley - Spade Hall - Department of Defense
Room 206 - Conference and Briefing Room
05/04/06 - 22:39

'You ordered the ENTIRE Second Unit to go to Danteri?!' bellowed 12-Star General Massenburgh. His target, Field Lieutenant Castroneve, stood defiantly in the centre of the room, the accusing stares of the five highest-ranked officers in the land boring into him.

'Yes, General, I certainly did,' spat out Castroneve through gritted teeth.

'And why, if we may be so bold as to ask, did you believe you had the authority to make such an order?!' shouted the General, as his peers nodded.

'Because, GENERAL, every last officer was out celebrating Saint Francis' Day!' said Castroneve.

'But what even made you think such a move would be a good idea, Field Lieutenant?' cut in 9-Star General Sterling

'Because, like it or not, the civil war in Danteri is going to spread, and the last thing we need is one of our cities deciding to down tools, up arms and start rebelling against us!'

Sterling's reply was cut off by the appearance of a young private bursting into the Conference Room.

'Sirs, we've just received a communique from our men in Danteri. They...they've been attacked by a chemical weapon. Thousands of them are dead, they said at least sixty thousand.'

Castroneve turned back the council. 'So you see, Generals, had I taken the step of sending the ten percent of the Second Unit you had earmarked for Danteri, they would all be dead by now.'

Turning smartly on his heel, Castroneve marched out of the Conference Room. Back inside, the five men were faced with a difficult decision.

'What can we do?' asked Sterling of the room at large.

'Nothing. We have no more soldiers available, what with our commitment to the RRF and all. I think the only way to ensure this can't ever happen again is to continue the attack,' put in 6-Star General Matzat. 'Order the troops to continue on to Freiburg. We know Freiburg's definitely no longer Loyalist, so if we can eliminate any Loyalist units, or Loyalist-allied units, we should be safe from any more attacks, and Nord-Lund will be liberated. We'd kill two birds with one stone.'

'Are there any objections?' asked Massenburgh of the group. The negative murmurings were good enough for him. 'Good. Private Parsley, those were our orders for the Second Unit,' he continued, directed towards the young private taking minutes of the meeting. He took his notes and hurried away, down to the War Room on the second floor.

~~~

CASUALTIES: Eighty-two thousand, one hundred and twenty-five soldiers. In death, know ye peace.

Sergeant Evans raised his eyebrows at the information given to him, and thought for some time before responding. "An interesting claim, Johannson. Of course, I will have to see the camps for myself before I can actually believe you. A formality, because I wouldn't put anything past your government.

"But I have to ask you, what do you plan on doing once you get there? I count about four companies of troops here. Maybe five or six hundred troops at the most. If they're guarding in excess of two million slave labourers making guns, bombs and ammunition, they're going to have a lot of guards there. And even if you do manage to take out the guards, how do you plan on freeing two million labourers? That's more people than your meagre force can escort anywhere, and just letting them go free would just get you half again as many displaced people here, with even less than the other refugees. And the safest places in the region - Haraki's safe zones - are on the exact opposite side of Loyalist territory from Freiburg and Nordton. You'd have to escort them to Kulikovo and hope they had enough spare food to feed two million people. Given the state of their military, I somehow doubt that."


Lexington's convoy kept on going. It was getting dark, and they still had nearly eighteen hours of driving left to get to the safe zones. Plenty of time for an ambush. And, listening to the radio in his jeep, Lexington could hear Locke announcing to all Harakian units that Freiburg had revolted and taken up arms against the Loyalists - whether they were simply joining the rebels or breaking away on their own was still unclear - and that the Loyalists had made a new first in this bloody war: The use of a gas attack on Nordton, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians and McPsychoville troops. This was sure to turn international support further against them.

Lexington was worried about the conflict. He had a wife and two children - Both daughters, one three years old, the other four months - back in Uses, and he was worried the war would go on long enough that he would be stuck defending these civilians for months, even years on end. He didn't want to miss his little girl growing up, didn't want her to miss her daddy. He missed his wife. In all, Lexington was hoping for something to get him back home.

With eighteen hours left to go in his mission, he hoped it would be an uneventful trip back. Every metre they travelled towards the safe zones brought them closer to their support and closer to safety, but also closer to the front lines and closer to danger. He just wanted to get back to the safe zones and then find a way home. He didn't want home badly enough to get there in a body bag.


Commodore Locke was talking desperately in a video conference with Major-General Neil and General Randolph Kidd, the Harakian Chief of the Army and Chief of Staff. They were desperately discussing the situation in Danteri. With the incresingly splintering nation, the only catalyst left that was needed to set off a rapid decline into warring factions seizing the entire nation was the breakup of the Loyalist military, which would most likely happen very quickly if General Krieger was killed. Under a military dictator, lower-ranking officers always got power-hungry, knowing they could never achieve the positions that the leader's friends had at the top. Disgruntled colonels and lower-ranked generals would seize the first opportunity to break away with their area forces and form their own nation, where they could be the one on top rather than the one on the bottom. The most recent in this series of rapid decay was the defection of Freiburg to form their own independent city-state.

They were debating many things. Primarily, along with the topic of the splintering of Danteri, was the recent nerve gas attack on Nordton, killing over half a million civilians. Obviously it would turn support that did not already exist against the Loyalists, but the topic of Harakian involvement was too great. If the Loyalists were willing to do that to their own people, they would be willing to do it to Harakians, especially soldiers. A nerve gas attack on any one of the five safe zones could kill millions of people plus an entire brigade of Harakian troops. An attack on Haraki's island base would be enough to cripple Harakian supply lines.

In an effort to combat this, air patrols were increased. The radar station already on the island was expanded, and all nations involved were informed that if any of their planes went within five kilometres of the island, they would be shot down. Harakian ground forces were ordered not only to practice gas attack drills, but also to set up radar stations on the ground, to detect incoming planes towards the safe zones, which could be intercepted by Haraki's twenty-four hour air cover. Since it was unlikely any Danterian factions would have stealth technology or that any of the other involved nations would be willing to invest stealth planes into such a paltry conflict as this, they figured that would be enough. For now.



OOC: Seems fine to me, McPsychoville. Better than many, if not most.

Danteri, who's second in line for the command of the Loyalists? If Krieger was killed, who would take over? And what are they like? i.e. brutal, nice, brilliant, what?

OOC: Lol, i have HiTech-camo cloaks? I've thought about it... And, man, you guys keep a high pace! I've been busy as hell in RL, but I hope I'll have some time to morrow to get back in for real.

IC:

To: Prime Minister Hekatos, 23Eris
From: Gen. Jonas Steregaard, Minister of External Affairs
Re: Threats against 23Eris naval assets

Sir,
Our Most Just and Righteous Monarch, HRH King Harald II has the utmost level of confidence in the Commander of the 1st Bertlingian Expeditionary Force, General Sir Josef Meyer.

The General has informed me that he cannot spare any elements of his force to escort your ships. I therefore ask you to seek an agreement with either Haraki, Gwazzaria, or both.

Regarding the status of aid ships, we, as a nation, though not a member of the United Nations, respect the United Nations Resolution #152 "Maritime Safety Standards Act". We especially refer to articles #11 and #13 of said act.

Therefore, I must implore you to reconsider. By insisting on entering the war zone with armed vessels, you are not only endangering your vessels, but also the wounded you are transporting. Further, you are undermining the very status of the white livery and red markings worn by all nations' hospital ships.

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs


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


The 1st Armoured Hussars and the 9th Mechanized commanded by Colonel Heydrich will advance north to link up with Army Group Naem. They will make full use of their fully mechanized status to cover the most ground. The main priority is to reach Naem. They will try to avoid any major engagements using speed rather than obfuscate to penetrate enemy lines. They will be prioritized for air cover by the 4th RBAF Squadron.

The two artillery regiments are landing in Oompli-controlled ports and will support defences (or advances) made by Allied forces until they can link up with Colonel Heydrich's forces.

All unit commanders has been instructed to report on their units ABC-defence status.

A squadron of six Hercules transport planes has been ordered to prepare for deployment in Danteri.

"A new faction, nerve gas killing half a million, more dying every day, and no end in sight. Why, again, did we get involved in this?" The Duke stared at the paper on the table, holding his head in his hands.

"Something about reconstruction contracts, if I remember correctly."

"Not like we were spending our military budget on much, other than maintenance and new guns from Bertling. The Admiral likes those, I assume?"

"Very much so."

"What's been the Harakian response to all of this?"

"From what little we can gather, it seems like they're making an effort to further protect the civillians in their safe-zones."

"And as for our people there, things are going fine?"

"As far as we've heard. Since we went wholly neutral, there's been no real hostility. It's a relatively small force, after all. Six battalions, a total of about 1,100 personnel and a lot of medical supplies. Still, though, this new faction is worrisome."

OOC: What's the fascist position on the Gwazzarian medics?

Lexitonain forces, inspired by their Danteri counterparts, launhced VX Nerve agent rockets across the "Valley of Death" a three mile wide, fertile valley between Lexitonai and rebel forces. No rebel casualties have been comfirmed.

"Hahaha! Look at him squirm!" one of the men pointed his gun at the captured rebel,"Come on, Sarge, let me shoot him a few times!"
An explosion rocked the already cratered building. There was a loud exploding sound as an field gun fired. Sgt. Kyler snapped back,"I said no prisoners, dammit!" The Zukarian soldier lowered his weapon. Kyler shot the rebel in the back of the head and he stopped squirming,"Idiots."

Craller licked his lips, focused, and fired. A rebels head exploded, sending blood upward.
"Beautiful." whispered a fellow sniper. The Zukarian snipers had been set-up in abandoned buildings for awhile. They were killing off rebel soldiers one by one. An artillery shell exploded near a rebel that Craller was about to shoot, ripping him in half and burning him in mid-air.
"Dammit."
"Thats happened to me a few times. They always aim for the groups, the easy ones."
"I'm not aiming for the easy ones."
Craller found a rebel shooting out across the field of battle from behind a boulder. Fire. Dead.

-Zukarian snipers are set up in abandoned buildings and other places.
-A large barrage of artillery shells exploded across a rebel held area. Rebel deaths are unknown.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
We shall prevail! We shall triumph! We are the mighty ones - we have the power, and so, we shall triumph!
This Message Aproved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Fascist Rebels
(General Ostermann)
God has seen fit to grant me victory today. The communists flee before me, as I am the chosen one of God, blessed by He who rules to eternal victory! Follow me - for glory, for honor, for victory!

Danteri Communist Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
The traitor has triumphed where he has fought, yes... he has crushed those who have opposed him, yes... but, he is as much of a monster as General Krieger is. He is nothing but a would-be tyrant, masquerading as a savior from god. What merciful god would choose a fascist as his messanger? This Ostermann is hardly a messiah! We shall crush him, regardless of what he says. Victory will be ours - the people demand it!

The Free Republic of Freiburg
(Freiburg Militia)
Please don't attack us! Please? We aren't fighting anyone! Please! Don't attack us!

Other News:
- New-Lexington Nerve-Gas Attack: Only about eight thousand rebel soldiers were killed in this nerve gas attack, however, that has allowed the New-Lexingtonian army to advance.
- Fascist Rebel Atrocities: The fascist rebels have gathered up any of the Gwazzarian medics they could find. The medics were robbed, beaten and imprisoned. General Ostermann has declared his intention to "purge the unclean foreigner from the sacred shores of Danteri" - likely, they will be either killed or traded for weapons.
- Loyalist Slave Trade: Around thirty thousand Loyalist prisoners have been sold to an overseas power.
- General Krieger's Successor: General Krieger's most likely successor would be the present head of Danteri Government Security (the one who conducted the atrocities against the imprisoned foreigners). His name is Paul Von Easthaven, and he is considered to be a sadistic monster - more so than Krieger, which is saying something. He isn't, however, a military man, and his experience with heading Danteri Government Security is limited (his predecessor was recently assassinated - see the earlier post.)
- Free Republic of Freiburg: The Free Republic of Freiburg has called on "anyone who feels like it" to come to their aid. In addition to the contents of their cities treasury and banks (which have been "nationalized to help with the defensive effort") they are also offering the contents of their museums.
- Loyalist Atrocities: Units from Danteri Army Special Operations have killed around three thousand civilians in Westfall, as part of a supression effort against possible rebel activities.
OOC: Bertling, sorry if I overstepped there. Your tech is yours to determine, of course.

Alexander Johannson gave that smile again - it had some sort of tired acceptance in it this time, and said,
"Oh, no, you see, we don't have close to enough manpower in this region to do that. No, we're going to have to let the Loyalist monsters get away with killing them. We're going to have to let two million people die... including, my wife and son. We are going to have to let that happen, you see... but, we need someone to know." He shuddered at that point, and adjusted his rifle on its strap before continuing,
"As long as no one knows about these camps, they might as well not have existed. These USB drives, these files, they're all that's left of the two million people in those camps. The reason that we're taking you there is that... someone needs to know, when all is said and done. Someone who matters. Someone who the international community can't just ignore and say "he fought for the rebels - of course he would say that", or make some other excuse over this horror." Johannson stared at the cracked concrete floor of the bunker, eyes almost tearing. Finally, he cleared his throat and continued:
"Some one needs to be able to tell them that this horror realy happened, someone they can't lie about, can't say were just rebels. That's why we want you." Finally, he held out the water-proof case full of the records.
"Take these," he said, "These are just the begining... if, you want to go on?"

The Duke had left the room screaming, and from his last frothing declaration of intent it seemed he was going to be at the shooting range with a portrait of General Ostermann.

The rest of the ministers sat in silence, either pale or red-faced. The Prime Minister was standing at the window scowling, clenching and unclenching his fists behind his back. After several seconds, he turned about. "See if we can begin negoatating for their release. I doubt that pressure from other nations will help, but try and get it anyways. Bertling especially. But if they execute a single prisoner, tell the Admiral..."

There were a few moments of silence before the Minister of War coughed. "Tell the Admiral what, sir?"

"Tell the Admiral to drop the pants, because the old man's belt is coming off." He coughed into his fist. "That is, start Operation Belt Whuppin'."

The room lapsed back into an even more uncomfortable silence, while the Prime Minister cursed their unorthodox naming schemes. Why couldn't they have 'Operation Griffon', or 'Jungle Typhoon', or 'Defenestration', like other countries?

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

{Cauthaqua - 7:23 P.M.}

"The new fascist rebels in Danteri, headed by General Ostermann, have begun atrocities of their own in keeping with the tradition of this conflict. In blatant disregard for our neutrality and purely humanitarian efforts, they have brutalized our doctors, looted our hospitals, and imprisoned all Expeditionary Medical Companies in their territory. We hope that all parties involved in this conflict will condemn this hostility towards entirely selfless aid missions."

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

To: General Ostermann, Danteri Fascists
From: Prime Minister Daurandel <pmdaurandel@gwazzaria.co.gw>

General,

We would like to begin negotiations for the release of our citizens as soon as possible. We are willing to acceed to most any conditions you set forth, and would like nothing more than to see them delivered home safely.

Situation Room, Kallisti City, 23Eris

"So what the hell is going on in Danteri now?" Prime Minister Hekatos asked her other gathered ministers and military commanders.

"Ma'am, it appears as if the city of Freiburg and the area surrounding has declared its independence. They are requesting aid." The Foreign Minister replied.

"Any information on their government? Do they seem stable, viable?" Asked the Prime minister.

"You're not going to offer them diplomatic recgonition are you?" Asked Admiral Weber. "We have ships in the area, that will only serve to drag us into this mess."

"What about the polls, what do they say?" Asked the Interior Minister.

"Hang the polls! We have two convoys of ships near Danteri. If we drop our neutrality someone is going to attack them! We do not have the personnel nor the equipment to intervene directly in this conflict!" Admiral Weber stated.

Prime Minister Hekatos stared at the men around the table and rubber her chin with a hand scarred during her own nation's war for independence. "We can not simply ignore the right of these people to self-determination. For now, we will not recognize the Freiburg nation, not until our ships are in the clear. In the meantime, I want the reserve fleet mobilized. Parliament has authorized additional funds for defense, let's put them to good use. Also, call all members of the armed services back from leave and bump our alert level up."

"Anything else?" Asked Admiral Weber.

"Yes, get some accurate maps of Danteri, beg, borrow, steal them if you have to. I want you and General Thomson to put together a plan for transporting the first Mechanized to Danteri, if we decide to go that route."

"We're going to get involved?" asked the Interior Minister, incredulous. "But, but, you promised not to involve-"

"I know what I promised. Situations change and we can't always have things how we want. For now, all we do is wait."

"What about the Bertling message?" asked the Foreign Minister.

"I interpret it as nothing but hot air. Bertling doesn't want a war with us any more than we do with them. If they think we'll send aid ships into a combat zone unescorted though, they're insane. We will stand by our message, any attack against our ships will be considered an act of war and we will respond as such. I want you to halt the relief convoy heading for Danteri in international waters for the moment. We need to figure out where she will be putting in now that the Rebels are fracturing as well. And Admiral, I want all of our submarines redeployed into international waters, I don't want any incidents." The Prime Minister replied.

"And the Gwazzarian hostage situation?" asked the Foreign Minister

"We will condemn the hostage takers and offer our condolances to Gwazzaria, that is all we can do for the moment." replied the Prime Minister. "Now if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have another urgent meeting to attend to."

As the Prime Minister left, Admiral Weber sat back in his chair and glanced over at General Thomson. "What do you think General?"

"It is a damn mess if you ask me. We should pull out completely before we get sucked into this." Thomson answered, shuffling a stack of papers. "Admiral, what say we meet in three hours, your office? I have to meet with the Defense Minister, we're working on the preliminaries in case we need to mobilize the second and fourth divisions in a hurry."

"Sounds good to me General, till then."
---------------------------------------------------------
The Goings on:
-23Eris convoy 1 (loaded with civvies, heading for 23Eris): In international water, well away from Danteri.
-23Eris convoy 2 (loaded with medical supplies, heading for Danteri): Stops two miles from Danteri waters.
-23Eris Submarines: Patrolling for human cargo on ships leaving from Danteri, moving into international waters.
-23Eris offers a diplomatic condemnation of the taking of hostages and the mistreatment of civilians and POWs in general.
-23Eris offers its general sympathy towards the nation of Gwazzaria and will do all it can to help secure the release of Gwazzarian aid workers.

Minor News:
- Loyalists Attempt Arms Deal: The Loyalist government has attempted an arms deal with the well known arms dealer United Earthlings. What was requested and for how much remain unknown, but... it is believed that chemical weapons were discussed.
- 23Eris Convoy: Fascist Rebel air units (fifteen Talon class fighter-bombers, three-forths of the fascist rebel air force at this time) have attacked the
23Eris convoy transporting refugees, on the grounds that they were "unlawfully removing Danteri citizens from the sacred soil of their homeland". Thirty anti-shipping missiles were launched by the aerial combat group, before it withdrew.
- Gwazzarian Prisoners: General Ostermann has offered to release the prisoners in exchange for one hundred million Confederate Marks.
OOC: Could anyone post an accurate map of Danteri if I were to e-mail it to them? Oompli did an OK job with the first few, but does anyone else want to post them?

"A hundred million is all? What's the catch?"

"None. It seems a reasonable enough demand, and I'm guessing they're hurting for money."

"That's the yearly operating cost for five of our submarines. We could easily just take it out of the procurement budget, we're not using it much anyways."

"Let's arrange it, then. Just keep on stand-by if anything goes wrong."

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

To: General Ostermann, Danteri Fascists
From: Prime Minister Daurandel <pmdaurandel@gwazzaria.co.gw>

General,

Your offer is acceptable. We will deliver the hundred million in gold bullion, unless you would prefer another form. We are willing to make the exchange at the place of your choosing, and can have transport ready at any time.

Capitalist Republic of McPsychoville
Royston Valley
Spade Hall - Department of Defense
Room 142 - War Room

'The nerve gas attack is the final straw.'

'You mean, we're pulling out of the war, Minister?'

'No,' replied Minister for Defence, Nelson Erazo. 'We are not leaving Danteri, but neither will we be supporting the rebels from here on in. The point is we cannot tell who launched that gas attack, and since there are two groups of conflicting rebels, siding with one over the other leaves us with two groups of people willing to kill us.'

'So what do you suggest, sir?'

Erazo turned to the young officer walking beside him. 'I suggest we do the only sensible thing we can. We align ourselves with Freiburg, and we make a statement that says anyone who chooses to infringe of Freiburg territory will be met with full force.' The Minister kept walking, prompting the lieutenant to hurry back to his side.

'You see, if we carry on with the war against the Loyalists, we run the risk that they will use another chemical weapon against us, and we simply cannot let that happen. However, if Freiburg survives this war and is able to form it's own nation, we can be certain that at least some Danterians will be free from the current government.'

Erazo stepped out of the way of a corporal rushing past, although the lieutenant wasn't quick enough, and found himself knocked to the floor. 'Those are the orders for the Second Unit. Proceed on to Freiburg, but station troops all along the borders between Nord-Lund and Westfall, and Nord-Lund and Kulikovo Territory.'

'But what about artillery and such?'

'Good point. Get Browning on the phone - we're going to need better armaments, write this down...anti-air weapons, flak guns, SAMs, that sort of thing. We'll need more arms and ammunition, rocket launchers, RPGs, assault rifles and the like. Basically, tell them to give us enough weapons for half a million soldiers-'

'Half a million, sir?'

'Half a million. We need weapons for the Freiburg garrison, won't we? Anyway, get these orders to Browning now, and tell them to deliver to the nearest airbase. We'll have to airlift all of this in.'

'Yes, sir.' The lieutenant saluted, before turning on his heel and hurrying away.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
So, McPsychoville has dared to side with Freiburg? They shall be crushed! Long may they writhe in torment! Now, on the subject of Gwazzariaa, how dare they consider paying that fascist General Ostermann? He is a monster! How dare they consider granting him a hundred million Confederate Marks with which buy weapons? How dare they even suggest such a thing! I am shocked beyond comprehension that they could be so blind! Yet... even if they are going to pay the monster for his prisoners, I shall still triumph... for, you see, I have powerful allies who do not hesitate to come to my aid! We shall be victorious!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Fascist Rebels
(General Ostermann)
So, Gwazzaria will pay for my prisoners? That is good! After all, I need some money to buy foreign weapons for my soldiers! God wills my victory, but He often cannot be bothered to come and fight beside those He wills to victory! I shall triumph, or all shall perish!

Danteri Communist Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
General Ostermann is insane. That much said, there really remains only one thing for us to do... and, that is - beg for foreign aid against him! Please? Well, we're doing all that we can, but lets face it - a lunatic mad man with delusions of god-hood General Ostermann might be, but an incompetant he is not. His army presses at our lines, threatening to cut us in half as he seeks the New-Lexingtonian force... how can the world be allowing this to happen, be allowing a fascist mad-man to seize power in any nation, even one so out-of-the-way as Danteri? He is insane! Please, to all the sane, rational nations of the world, we need your help!

The Free Republic of Freiburg
(Frieburg Militia)
Please don't attack us! Please don't! All we want is peace! Please don't attack us! Please don't! All we want is to be safe and free! We can defend ourselves, you know! We have guns! Not good ones, but we do have guns! You are warned, we will fight if attacked!

Other News:
- Loyalist Offensive: The Loyalists have tried to break the dead-lock at the northern Southhaven front by attacking. They have requested Oompli aid, but whether they get it or not remains to be seen.
- Loyalist Arms Purchase: The Loyalists have been trying recently to buy some high-quality small-arms, some artillery and some anti-shipping missiles from a foreign power. Additionaly, they are trying to purchase some nerve gas. However, whether or not the foreign power accepts their money remains to be seen.
- Communist Rebel Counter-Offensive: The Communist rebels have attacked General Ostermann's fascist rebels with a force of eighteen thousand men. His total military consists of around ten thousand men of around equal training and equipment to the communist rebels, so if the communist rebels could find a competant general, General Ostermann would be in serious trouble.
- Fascist Aerial Offensive: The fascist rebels have used what appears to be their stockpile of chemical weapons in a sudden terror attack against a Southhaven refugee camp. Around six hundred thousand civilians and around seventy five thousand communist rebels were killed in this attack. It has been confirmed that one fascist plane was shot down during the attack against the convoy from 23Eris (the results of which are unknown at this time), and another two were shot down during this operation, after deploying their bombs. However, that's 58 heavy gas bombs deployed into a populated area. While Loyalist attack on Nordton used eight thousand nerve gas shells, this attack used more gas in all. Just where the fascists got their gas from remains to be seen, however, it is assumed that they looted it from captured armories.
- Bandits: A group of rouge marauders, formerly in service to almost every faction, has set up an opetation in the hills north of the Haraki Safe-Zone. They are primarily preying on civilian refugees, and have killed dozens of civilians so far, in addition to robbing hundreds. They are believed to number around two hundred and fifty men.
- Lastly: Loyalist Atrocities: Loyalist soldiers from the Danteri Army Special Operations unit conducted indescriminant killings in Southhaven, executing rebel POWs and civilian detainees (Danteri civilians). Around two thousand people were killed in all.

Lexitonain forces swarmed across the valley of death, just hours after the nerve gas attack. The rebel camp had been abandoned. Rebel leaders had decided the camp was contaminated had they had withdrawn. However many soldiers, wounded and dying had been left behind. The Lexitonain forces felt pity for the wounded, who where screaming out of inense pain. Many were transfered to a field hospital where nurses worked on them the best as they could.

Minor News:
- The Fascist Rebels, under General Ostermann, have set a date for the prisoner exchange with Gwazzariaa - 24 hours from now, off the east coast of Southhaven, the rebels will load the prisoners several (unspecified number) motor boats and take them out one third of a mile from the coast to exchange for one hundred million Confederate Marks worth of gold bullion.

The Danteri Loyalists have purchased a massive amount of foreign weaponry - accoarding to one source, they spent over two billion Confederate Marks on the purchase. The weapons are shipping in soon, and will likely lead to the Loyalists being better equipped than they are at present. The arms dealer that was used was United Earthlings.
OOC: To access, search United Earthlings under International Incidents.

OOC: This report has been delivered by your various national inteligence agencies. After all, two billion Confederate Marks worth of weaponry is hard to hide...
The total weaponry purchased by the Loyalists from Danteri ammounts to:
- Total Cost: 2,549,713,410 USD (Aprox. equal number of Confederate Marks).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weaponry Acquired:

- 10 M119 105mm Howitzers
- 40 AGM-119 Penguin Anti-Ship Missiles
- 100 Eryx Anti-Tank Missiles
- 10,000 Kilo-Grams of Sarin gas
- 20,000 pistols,
- 10,000 shotguns,
- 20,000 assault rifles
- 10,000 sniper rifles
- 10,000 machine guns
- 5,000 mortars

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analysis:
-Relatively high number of anti-shipping missiles - could indicate a planned renewal of anti-shipping operations.
-Some artillery, no surprise there - the Loyalist artillery is mostly made up of obsolete junk piles at this point. High number of anti-tank missiles likely due to Loyalist lack of armored support following massacre of their forward units (only 38 tanks and mobile guns in the entire Loyalist army at this point).
- Small Arms: No surprise - localy produced Danteri small-arms are crap weapons, mostly useless compared to more modern weapons.
- Nerve Gas: Loyalists probably intend to attempt a repeat of their last action (Nordton) by making use of this nerve gas. It would appear, however, that they have exhausted their stockpiled chemical weapons, and so are looking abroad for a new supply.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This entire shippment is coming to Danteri soon - less than four weeks. If it could be intercepted, then it could be put to "good use" by the intercepting faction.

Capitalist Republic of McPsychoville
Carson City - Browning Munition Corporation
Warehouse #8
18:11

The orders from the Armed Forces were quite clear - guns. Lots of guns. The warehouseman started reading the list of munitions to himself again, almost in disbelief at the quantities.

'Three hundred thousand MP7s. A hundred thousand MP5s. Fifty thousand G36Ks. A hundred thousand MG4s. Half a million MK23s.'

Looking up from the list, he turned to the man lounging against the warehouse door. 'This is insanity.'

'True, true,' said the other man, chewing a stick of gum. 'But it's insanity paid for in hard, hard cash. Think of the commission. Hell, think of the summer bonus!'

'We're going to need some help loading all this, you know. A million gas masks?'

'You know why that is, that's because of the gas attack.'

The first man shook his head. 'Alright, call in the guys. This stuff'll take about four days just to load and get going, let alone the transport and the military escorts.'

'Calm down, calm down,' replied the second man, spitting out his gum. 'We don't have to worry about how it's getting there, all we have to do is get it ready.'

Cracking his knuckles slowly, the second man tossed the first his radio.

'Make the call, man.'

Stoeregaard was in his third duel. Things were going well, his opponent, a young Captain of Industry had started well. The Minister had been under with three points before he had turned the tables. A riposte his old master had thought him years ago, had scored him a perfect point. After that, the upstart was on his heels.

He scored yet another point, bringing the score up to three-even, when he noticed the white-clad lieutenant nervously trying to get his attention. Pox and damnation! he swore under his breath. If the lad had managed to get into the fencing club, it meant one of two things, the custodians had all died, or the King had called an emergency meeting. He was rather sure that he would have been told if the first was the case.

---

Forty five minutes later, he walked into the King’s office. The other minister was there already, as were the Chancellor. He found his seat, and immediately the door opened and the nation’s ruler entered the room. The Council-members rose, greeted their monarch and found their seats again. Without further ado, the King signalled for the Chancellor to begin.

“Your Majesty, Ministers. I have just been informed by one of our sources that the Gwazzarians are prepared to pay this Danterian general Ostermann for the release of their captured citizens. So far we have not been able to confirm whether they are still alive or not. But, apart from the obvious arguments against negotiating with hostage takers, we have good indications pointing to the same Rebel-faction as the party responsible for the nerve gas attack.”

The Chancellor sat down, letting the information sink in.

Stoeregard was dumbfounded. All this in two hours? When he left for the Club, he had asked his secretary if there were any news from the Danteri War. All this information should go through his office… Someone was deliberately trying to make him look bad. He decided to deal with that later.

Dr. Johanna Göbler, the Minister of Information took the word first, “Your Majesty, Ministers, it is becoming clear that we can only loose by staying involved in this madness of a war. Given the escalation to chemical weapons, and the schism within the Rebels, the whole scenario will soon, if it hasn’t already, become impossible to relate to. I say it is time to consider our options for getting out while we still can.”

Well, at least I know who my enemy is Stoeregaard thought while he stood up to respond.

“Your Majesty, Ministers, discussing our exit-strategies is still premature. We still have options. The elements from our force that was pulled out from the Southaven-front to support Army group Naem still hasn’t passed Danteri City. If we move them there, and direct the artillery regiments to join them there, we should be able to make general Krieger listen…”

He took a sip from his Perriér while he gathered his thoughts.

“And we have a company of Blackcuffs in the country. They are led by Major Sorenson and all have been there since the early stages of the war. Besides, unconfirmed reports accredit these men the deaths of most of the Rebel leaders some weeks ago. They should be able to get into Osterman’s camp. After the 1st Expeditionary is up to full strength, we could order a massed attack on the fascists. Together with Sorenson’s men, I’m confident that Meyer can liberate the Gwazzarians.

After a short debate, Stoeregaard’s plan was chosen, but he knew that it’s success would be vital for his political survival.

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

All of 1st Expeditionary to gather in Danteri City.

Major Sorenson’s company to be air-dropped near the Fascist Rebels.

The Gwazzari government to be informed.


Could I get information on the enemy forces between Danteri City and Osterman’s forces? Could I also get information on the strength of the Fascist Rebels?

23Eris Convoy I, bound for 23Eris

"Planes inbound!" Screamed the radarman on the bridge of the Apple Core.
"Here we go again," muttered the Captain, "Sound general quarters, prepare for air action. Illuminate the planes with our radar but do not fire unless fired upon."
"Rodger sir." replied the weapons officer as claxons sounded on the ships throughout the small fleet.
As the planes approached, the trio of transports turned away from the aircraft, trying to minimize their radar signatures, and maximize the distance between the jets and themselves.
"We have launch! Missile launch from the lead aircraft!" Yelled the radarman.
"Engage those planes, and fire off STEM anti-missiles." The captain responded coolly. "Evasive action Beta."

About five miles west of the convoy a trio of helicopters from the ships hovered just above sea-level and only a few dozen yards from one another. At the command from the captain of the Apple Core all three activated their radar signal enhancers causing each helicopter to show up brightly on the radar screens, both friendly and enemy. About half a dozen missiles changed direction for the new and huge blip suddenly appearing. As they neared, the helicoptors turned off their signal enhancers and pulled up, scattering in different directions. Confused and unable to find new targets, the six decoyed missiles lost targets and detonated harmessly over open water.

In the convoy itself, things were becoming hectic, two dozen missiles were still heading for the ships. Anti-missile defenses began to spring to life and the STEM anti-missiles leapt from the destroyers to engage the incoming anti-ship missiles, detonaning many a few miles from the ships. A trio of missiles locked onto the rear transport vessel, and subtly changed direction towards it, closing the distance rapidly. Nearby, the Captain of the frigate Valiant pushed his ship to flank speed and positioned his small vessel perpendicular to the rear of the transport vessel. With the new target between the transport and themselves, two of the missiles headed for the Valiant instead. The first missile was detonated by the Valiant's CIWS as it tried to shoot past for the transport, resulting in a large explosion that rocked the ship. The second missile was exploded merely 50 meters from the vessel, sending shrapnel and concussive waves across the ship. The last missile was being tracked by the bow CIWS gun which began to fire its high velocity shells in an attempt to explode the missile harmlessly. Unfortunately, the concussion waves from the two prior missiles, jostled the ship enough that even the computer correction systems were unable to correctly compensate and the shells from the gun missed the inbound missile. The Danteri weapon struck the port side of the Valiant just below the bridge and exploded, blowing through the armor plating and killing dozens of crewmembers instantly. In a matter of seconds most of teh superstructure of the vessel was bathed in flames and the remaining crew began to abandon ship. Helicopters from nearby ships began to circle and rescue survivors while two other ASW ships closed in to aid in rescue operations.
Fortunately, none of the transports had been hit, and they would soon be out of range of air attacks.

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

Casualties: 48 people killed or wounded, Frigate Valiant abandoned and then sunk by Erisian forces as fires began to burn out of control.

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

"Any idea who launched that attack?" the Captain on the Apple Core asked as he watched the burning wreckage of the Valiant slowly bein to slip beneath the waves. Stricken though she was, it appeared as if the ship still refused to surrender to her watery grave.
"They were Talon class sir. Our best intel is that the Loyalist faction has too few remaining to have launched that attack, and the Communist Rebels have maintained good relations with our efforts till this point. My best guess, is the Fascists." The ships Intel officer replied.
"Fire off a letter to Naval command, let them know what happened and include your analysis. My guess is they will come to the same conclusion."

Some stuff:
-Zukarian planes have flown in and destroyed various rebel camps before returning. 8 planes were destroyed. Rebel deaths are unknown.
-Zukarian soldiers have been pushing in with the Danteri Loyalists.

OOC: I've got a new map - who wants to post it? (as I can't).
Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Victory will be ours. There is no other option. I say to those Loyalist and allied forces advancing against the communist rebels, driving them back, crushing them against the fascists who they cannot fight, or so it would seem. We shall thusly prevail in Southhaven - that much is sure! Victory will be ours!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Communist Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
To our honorable foreign allies - we need your help! We are hard pressed, and unless one of you does something drastic to come to our aid, we will perish! The cause, dear friends, remember the cause! Would you see Danteri paritioned between two fascist generals, Krieger and Ostermann? No? Good! Then come to our aid! Now, more than ever, we need your help!

Danteri Fascist Rebels
(General Ostermann)
I am invincible! God has fovored me as His messanger to smite the ungodly and the unclean! I shall purge this entire nation of all heretics, deviants and impure souls! Blood shall flow like milk as the sacred weapons of nerve gas and napalm are used to clense this nation of the taint of tyranny, foreign oppression and communism. So do I say, so shall it be done! God wills it!

The Free Republic of Freiburg
(Freiburg Militia)
Help us! Please, help us! Madmen come at us from every direction, threatening our city with the same fate suffered by Nordton! They say that we shall drown in an ocean of blood, but... we want to live! Please, come and save us!

Other News:
- Loyalists Recieve Weapons: The arms purchased by the Loyalists have arrived. As such, the balance is tilted even further in favor of the Loyalists.
- Fascist Rebels: The fascist rebels have started killing massive numbers of civilians for reasons ranging from race to religion to eye color to... well, lets just say that they're killing everyone they can get their hands on, or so it would seem. So far, they've killed about two hundred thousand civilian non-combatants.
- Fascist Rebel Numbers: The fascist rebels number about fifty thousand men in all, plus tanks, artillery and an air force of twenty seven Talon class fighter-bombers.
- Zukariaan Air-Raids: Zukariaan air-raids have resulted in hundreds of casualties to the communist rebels, who now appear to be falling apart, lacking a clear command structure.
- Bertling Elite Team: The Bertling elite company has been successfully air-dropped - the fascists are too busy killing civilians and communist rebel POWs to notice their arrival.
- In Response: Between General Ostermann and Danteri City, there are the following:
- The Zukariaan Expeditionary Force
- Two hundred thousand Loyalist soldiers
- Around two hundred and sixty thousand rebel soldiers
- Several thousand Oompli and New-Lexingtonian soldiers
- Lots and lots of mud.

[To: Danteri Goverment and all Oomplian allied nations]
[From: General Boris Yeltzin, newly appointed commander of Oomplian Forces]
I have to apoligize to my comrades in arms for the lack of Oomplian support in your struggles, Oompli was recently subject of a military coup formulated by that facist swine General Yakhovsky (spits in disgust). I am now here to control what is to be now known as the Oompli Restoration Force. I am under orders from President Helkinzi to aid the Danteri Government in exterminating the pests known as the rebels, and I mean exterminate. Currently our forces are to be restructured after our purge and will not be operating but will still be on the defensive. We are also to be sending tanks, planes and weapons to the Loyalist forces.
We must unite comrades if we are to destroy these rebels, of which I am sure we will.
Long live the Motherland!

OOC: I will post new map
I have missed quite a bit here

Considering how much stuff is going on with Freiburg, here's some stuff on it:
Freiburg:
Nord-Lund Provincial Capital, population of two million.
Since the ancient era of King Danteri the 1st, Nord-Lund has been fiercly independant - King Danteri the 1st was from Southhaven, and when all four of the old kingdoms that make up present-day Danteri were independant, Nord-Lund was one of the strongest, raiding the others.
When King Danteri the 1st unified Southhaven, Easthaven and Westfall, Nord-Lund lost some power. Under the incompetant King Frederik the 1st, Nord-Lund briefly became independant again. Finally, King Von Nord-Lund seized the throne, making Nord-Lund the most important... until the later Nord-Lund kings began living in Westfall and considering Nord-Lund to be the backwater that it has been since then.
When king Danteri the Last fled, Nord-Lund tried for independance once again, thirty years ago, in the first civil war. They were defeated, and about one million of them were killed during government reprisals. Since then, Nord-Lund, and Freiburg in particular, has longed for independance - they especially hate General Krieger as he conducted most of the really horrible reprisals following the first civil war.

The mood in the Cloudspine's conference room had been much lighter since Bertling's message. They had a good deal of faith in Bertling's military prowess, and knew their soldiers were the best on the subcontinent.

"Still, we must keep in mind this changes nothing," The Prime Minister said, looking at the faces around the table. "We'll still continue with preparations - for both plans. Now, onto other news in the Danteri conflict?"

Brigade-Captain Hogan stood up, pulling another sheaf of papers from his case. "The Loyalists have purchased a massive amount of arms from various dealers. Among them, a great deal of anti-shipping missiles, more artillery and anti-artillery weapons, and most disturbingly more nerve gas."

"Dear me. When will this arrive?"

"Four days, Prime Minister."

"Plenty of time for someone to do something about it. If they don't already know, make sure that any nations unfriendly to the Loyalists get this leaked to them. Anything else?"

"Reports of another attack on the 23rd Eris convoy. This time, judging by the planes used, a Fascist effort."

"No one seems to like them, do they? Well, in twelve hours' time we'll be dealing with the Fascists, however things go. Further, this fourth faction, the Freiburg city-state, they seem to be better than anyone else in that damned country..."

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

To: 23rd Erisian Government, Freiburg Government
From: Major Graham Murphy, Minister of War <madmajmurph@miniwar.co.gw>

We extend our sympathies for the repeated attacks you have suffered. As of recently we have suffered similar hostility, despite our neutral status. Should you ever require military aid for defense purposes, please ask. Our military is doing very little at the moment, but is prepared for mobilization.

OOC:Who is on whos side now cause i am confused

Inside the presidential offices;
"Ok now, so it has turned into more of a s**t storm than when we last checked it, but our forces are still on the ground sir" Said General Adams.
"We just need orders sir"
"Just how many sides are there?" Asked president Packard.
"Theres four independent groups fighting for control sir"
"List them"
"Theres the Loyalists, they're the bad guys, the facist rebels, facists are never a good thing, the communist rebels, they're allright looking best so far and then there is The Free Republic of Freiburg, which is basically a militia group which has holed themselves up in one of the northern cities"
"Ok, we are not going with the first two for obvious reasons, the last one the freyburgs?"
"The Free Republic of Freiburg sir"
"Do you think they stand a chance against the onslaght thats probably gonna go their way"
"Not without aid sir"
"Ok lets see if we can make an arrangement with the commies and the freyburgs or whatevers, to help each other and then we move with them"
"Ok then sir"

[To: The People's Commitee on Revolution and The Free Republic of Freiburg]
[From: The USoA Presidential offices]
We are at a crossroads gentlemen, we are sure your country needs our assistance if you are to succed in this war. We need to know if The People's Commitee on Revolution recognizes The Free Republic of Freiburg's independence as a nation, if not we will be unable to assist in the situation. The Free Republic of Freiburg do not fear we will send assistance when possible.

OOC: Oomplian spy sattelites do it again, new map;
http://h1.ripway.com/xexe/danterimapIII.bmp

OOC: For future maps, Oompli, you might want to avoid .bmp. It's a very poor format, with low quality and high filesize. Great maps, though.

OOC: .bmp files are small and easy to upload, the reason the colour is poor is beacause the have been converted from .bmp to .jpeg and back again.
I will make a cleaner map soon, I just reinstalled windows and need to find my software again.:)

OOC: I took the liberty of cleaning up the map for you. I also put in the locations of the current Gwazzarian medical companies (which I'd be happy to change on request, I was just tossing them down willy-nilly).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v137/Gwazz/redonemap.gif

OOC: Very nice map:) Gwazzaria, what software are you using. I notice you have no camps near Oompli held territory.

OOC-I feel left out of the maps. :( (kidding)

[Captain Corrol]
Haha! The rebel communist scum scatter like bugs as my men, along side the Loyalists, gun them down. They become weaker by the day.

"Haha! Whoo! That was a big one!"
"Move! Move! Move!"
Gun fire, a man down. Sergeant Kyler's mind was processing everything. He lifted his rifle and fired across the field. A rebels chest ripped apart with bullet holes and blood spray against the wall behind him. And RPG flew past Kyler's head and exploded on the wall, knocking a large whole in it. Rebels swarmed from behind and shot out. A Zukarian soldier fell.
"Get down! Get down!"
An explosion rocked the ground twenty feet ahead, a Loyalist soldier was sent flying backwards. A Zukarian soldier screamed at his leg, which was gone. A plane flew overhead and one of the buildings within the rebel held town exploded and collapsed.
"Move! Get in there!!"
Zukarian and Loyalist soldiers moved inward, towards the scattering communist rebels. Sgt. Kyler jumped through the whole in the wall and shot at a rebel. The back of his head turned red and he fell. They were currently in an attack on a small rebel held town.
"You, go that way! You, come with me!" Kyler yelled orders. The rebels were pulling back towards the other end of town. Kyler and his men ran down a large group and killed them. Whether they captured the town didn't matter, it was extremely small. It was fun.

-A certain group of Zukarian and Loyalist soldiers are attacking a small Danteri town held by communist rebels. Loyalist and Rebel deaths are unknown, and whether the town has been captured is unknown. Zukarian deaths number around 450.

OOC: See if you like this one;
http://h1.ripway.com/americos/danterimapIII.gif :)

Sergeant Evans talked to his squad and the two doctors for a short time before returning to the rebel commandoes and telling them his response.

"All right," he said, sighing slightly. "We'll take the drives, and we'll go with you to these camps. You'll need to tell us their positions and we should be able to get satellite fixes on them. With pictures of two million forced labourers, the Harakian government can officially condemn these unofficial camps, and hopefully turn support against Krieger and his troops. So ... without further ado, lead on."


The Harakian convoy pulled into the safe zone, it sdrivers nearly falling asleep at the wheel. But they had made it back safely, despite threats of bandits from the North descending on them. The convoy was dismantled and all the Harakian citizens were taken for proper medical treatment. The Harakian naval forces left their safe haven of the island base to come back to the Harakian-controlled small port on the north-eastern coast of Easthaven, where Harakian ships docked and set out from. However, to get there would mean passing right by the two companies of marauding bandit troops that were apparently deployed to that area, north of the safe zones.

As such, they would rest up and be tended to as much as possible in the safe zones for some time before two companies of troops would escort them up to the port, where they would be met by the naval force. Lexington's company, many of whom had gotten to know the civilians quite well on their two-day straight truck ride, was one of the companies assigned, and Lexington was to be in charge of the mission. His 'second convoy' was scheduled for departure in four days, enough time to bring in fully fueled and equipped transports and escorts. The transports would also be bringing in a new shipment of supplies and medical equipment for the Harakian forces.

The radar stations outside the safe zones and on the island had been set up and upgraded to high-quality, allowing the constant Harakian air patrols to detect incoming planes and intercept them. The fear of nerve gas attacks ran high, but with the new precautions in place, Locke and Neil could both rest a little easier.

Situation Room, Kallisti City, 23Eris
"We just recieved a diplomatic note from Gwazzaria Ma'am, offering military aid should it become necessary." noted the Foreign Minister.

"Express our thanks and inform them that we are currently mobilizing our fleet and armed services as well." replied the Prime Minister. "I'm not ready to revoke our neutrality yet, but I suggest we send some advisors to the rebel forces in Southhaven as well as this new nation of Freiburg. Can we get some people in there?"

"The rebels control a lot of territory, plus we intercepted some interesting satellite imagery of Danteri, should give us a better idea of where we can insert some people." Replied Air-General Kaufmann.

"Ma'am, you know if we do this, we are violating our neutrality." piped in the Foreign Minister.

"No, no we won't be. We are going to allow volunteers to fly on civilian planes to the Rebel areas. General, look for volunteers. I also want another planeload of people for Freiburg, these will simply be observers. I want them to assess the situation there and see if Freiburg can survive with aid, and report back to us within a week. Now, on to this issue of Uranium mines in the Spine Mountains..."
--------------------------------------
From: Foreign Minister, 23Eris
To: Major Graham Murphy, Minister of War, Gwazzaria
Re: Military assistance

We appreciate your offer of military aid should we come under continued attack. Currently we are in the process of mobilizing our fleet to better protect aid convoys to the Danteri homeland. Any assistance your forces can render would be appreciated. Weo would like to take this time to reciprocate this offer. If our forces can be of any aid to your nation, we would be happy to render any aid possible.

------------------------------------------------
The Haps from 23Eris
- A small transport plane will land in Communist Rebel Danteri filled with 23Eris military advisors. All are volunteer and veterans of the Erisian war for liberation.
- Another small plane will head for the Freiburg zone to assess the military and political situation in that free republic.
-23Eris Convoy II, stationed in international waters off Danteri makes for the SW coast of Southhaven, looking to dock near the Gwazzarian MASH unit.
-Mobilization of the remainder of the 23Eris fleet continues, expected to be completed within 1-2 weeks

To: General Ostermann
From: Ivan Rothschild, Minister of the Treasury

General,

I am sorry to inform you that we must delay our transaction an additional 48 hours. Due to inefficiencies in our own treasury system, it will take us that long to put together the neccesary amount of gold. I have been instructed to remind you that any additional harm on our people will forfeit this deal.

OOC: Hey everyone. Sorry I haven't posted as of yet, but real world keeps getting in my way, and I've been having severe casses of writters block when I do get a chance. I don't believe that my military, IC, will be able to be involved. However, IC, everyone will be able note that the Imitoran government has pledged its backing and support to the loyalist forces, and that will get involved if things start to look bad. Else wise, Imitora, IC, is only supplying small amounts of non government monies (i.e. public/private donations) to the Loyalists, and will offer weapons if needed. Danteri, if you would like to talk about weapons purchases, just Tgram me, and hopefully we will get a chance to RP together after my real world issues clear up. Your doing damned good for a n00b :-D!

The president of the United States of Americos has released this statement to the Oomplian force commander;
"The recent movement of nuclear weapons is one that we shall not tolerate nor stand idlely by and watch. We do not wish to turn the Danterian countryside into a nuclear wasteground, but we are prepared to match any show of force."
Status:
-Americosian special forces raided an Oompli vessel travelling to Danteri and uncovered a cache of Fuel-air-explosives. Shipping logs indicate that a large quantity of faes have already been shipped to the port of Westgate.
-Initial reports from intercepted radio transmissions also indicate several small nuclear devices have been shipped and are being held somewhere near Westgate.
-Americosian forces have gained ground on the Archipelago Islands, whilst taking light casualties. 40 KIA, 74 WIA and 13 MIA, Loyalist casualties unknown at this time.
OOC: If your not sure what faes are;
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/fae.htm

[To: Americos President]
[From: General Yeltzin]
I know of no nucelar devices being held by our forces and we are insulted at your attempts to darken the world view of Oompli. We are a nation that wishes to preserve life rather than destroy it, to which I have learned your government is so adept. As for your threats, we will not be ground down by you. That is all.

Fascist-controlled Easthaven
0734 Local

The six men had used the last forty hours to move six kilometres from the LZ. Now they pulled their cloaks around them and prepared for a long wait. They were the back-up team for group Three, who were tasked with the strike on the Fascist communications station in the small village two clicks to the north.

There are twelve such teams scattered over the eastern Southaven, each with clear missions. One was to locate the Gwazzarian prisoners, five others were to help secure them until the 1st Expeditionary could arrive. Some had received lists of key personnel and AA-sites to take out, while one team were to try to locate Osterman himself. They all knew that their chances of making it out alive were slim, but this was a worthy cause. Sure, Gwazzarians were soft and weak, but they were neighbours.

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

General Meyer thought of it as a carefully composed symphony of war. If all the elements managed to fit to beat, and in tune, the whole would be perfect. The general knew, of course, that any battle plan was perfect until the first shot, and then it was pretty much up to who had the highest morale. And his troops wanted to prove themselves.

He was confident in his men and their equipment. The new Isselmere vehicles had already proven themselves in the rugged terrain of Danteri, and the trusted M-109 and Leopard II’s would not fail. It would take some rough driving, but with the Hercules transports dropping in supplies, he felt they had a chance. The Gwazzarians had done their part, and if it worked, they would have an extra forty eight hours to reach the Fascists. It would be close, but they just might make it. They had to, dammit.

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

All Loyalist Coalition Forces are asked for assistance in Operation Broadsword.

The 1st Expeditionary moves south at full speed. One battalion of the 3rd Mechanized and the 2nd Artillery, plus the AA-battalion is left in Danteri City to secure the airport.

Ground Forces:
1st Armoured Hussar Regiment (48 Leopard II)
9th Mechanized Regiment (Isselmere Motor Works –Includes 36 L21 Kodiak MBT)
1st Battalion, 3rd Mechanized (Isselmere Motor Works –Includes 18 L21 Kodiak MBT)
2nd Battalion, 2nd Artillery (12 MLRS)
12th Artillery (24 M-109 howitzers)
Eitght Rook DRA.1 UAV’s with recognisance configuration
The land forces count approximately four thousand men.

The main force will engage the Fascist Rebels in the north. The 1st Battalion will advance directly to the location of the Gwazzarians. The special ops teams will try to cripple as much of the command structure as possible.

Air Forces:
Rook DRA.1 UAV’s (drones) armed with Hellfire missiles (eight)
The “Lucky Thirteen” and the 4th Squadron (24 F-i6’s)

The fighters will engage the Fascist fighters. And try to decimate them, thus gaining air superiority. Then they will prioritize the 1st Battalion for close air support. The drones will target vital locations, and try to cripple the enemies command structure.

Sea Forces:
Both submarine flotillas have been ordered to set course for the east coast of Southaven with all twelve vessels. They will launch their missiles to support the land operations.

Danteri Government
(General Krieger)
Victory will be mine!
This Message Approved by The Office of The Supreme Leader

Danteri Communist Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
No it won't!

Danteri Fascist Rebels
(General Ostermann)
You're right - God wills it to be mine!

The Free Republic of Freiburg
(Freiburg Militia)
Please don't hurt us!

Other News:
- General Ostermann: General Ostermann has been seriously wounded by a Bertling assassin team. While he still lives, he has only been able to rant and rave a very small amount so far today - his forces suffer for lack of his leadership. The team that carried out this strike mission is presumed lost.
- Bertling Pre-Attack: All attacks going accourding to schedual. A few casualties, sure, but the rebels are too bust fighting each other and slaughtering civilians to really notice you. The Gwazzariaan detainees have not been located, however.
- Loyalist Atrocities: The Loyalists have killed a few thousand more political dissidents. With so many dead, it's a wonder there are any left to fine.
- Loyalist Air-Strike: The Loyalists launched their entire carrier-based force into an air-strike in support of Oompli. Rebel cassualties are around six hundred.
- Loyalists Push On: The Loyalists have thrown themselves into a massive artillery attack against the rebels opposing them at the bottle-neck that they are caught at. All ten of their new artillery pieces were deployed, as were all 100 of their new foreign-made AT missiles.
- Lastly: Loyalist Nerve-Gas Attack: the Loyalists have used all 10,000 Kilo-Grams of Sarin gas against the Free Republic of Freiburg - around one million (one-half of Freiburg's populace) are believed to have perished.

It had been a long trip to Nord-Lund. Twice, Loyalist patrols had almost come into contact with them, and twice the rebel commandos had had the opertunity to demonstrate their stealth ability. Loyalist soldiers had come to literaly within inches of hiding rebels, and hadn't spotted them. The Haraki had had the most trouble hiding, but they had been able to avoid detection.
Now, they were in Nord-Lund, on a hill, looking down at a massive factory complex with several hundred thousand people visible in it. There were also guards - around four thousand Loyalist soldiers in Danteri Army Special Operations uniforms or Danteri Government Security uniforms, clustered around fires, trying to keep the bitter cold of a Nord-Lund night away. There were also machine-gun positions, pointing not outwards towards the McPsychoville positions only a few miles to the south, but inwards, towards the huddled workers.
As they watched, a few dozen half-starved prisoners were led out of the camp, out just far enough away from the other workers that they could not be seen... and then, the soldiers guarding them lined them up against a ruined wall, and shot them down, just like that. Once the prisoners were dead, the Loyalist soldiers went through their pockets, tore fillings out of their teeth and, in one case, pulled the boots off a scare-crow-like figure who appeared to have been a rebel POW. Then, they played rock-paper-scissors to see who had to bury the bodies.
It was chilling, like something out of a movie on some horrid concentration camp... and it was happening right in front of their eyes. Already, as they watched, another group of a few dozen prisoners was led out.
The rebel leader turned to Sergeant Evans, and spoke,
"Now, do you see why we are fighting? They had camps like this back before the war started. The government was killing millions of us even before the war bagan. We need to stop this, do you understand? This has to end, this has to not continue for another sixty years! The first camps held monarchists who couldn't get out of the country fast enough, then they held democrats, then socialists, and now... and now, they now hold anyone who tries to see a different way for Danteri. The Supreme Leader has killed his millions, Krieger has killed his millions, Ostermann has killed his millions, and now... and now, the people of Danteri demand something new. We want peace. We want a homeland where you don't have to be as afraid of your government and its security forces as you would be of a foreign occupier... we want a country that is really and totally at peace. That's why we fight. That's why we need you to see this. If Haraki can get the world to do something, to make the killing and the hating and the fighting stop, then... then, we can have peace. That's why we wanted you to see this place. Danteri needs change, and the only place that change is going to come from is abroad. Do you thing Krieger is going to bring peace? No! Of course not! Do you think Ostermann is going to bring peace? No! Of course not! The communists, with their "Peoples Commitee"... they want to, but, let's be honest, they're losing this war. The Free Republic of Freiburg might try, but... they don't have the power to do so. Already, the Loyalists have used nerve gas against them, and killed another million people. We need you to help us, because the foreign democracies are the only ones who can help us. We just want peace, we just want a government that won't kill us, and... we need your help to get that government." Sighing, Alexander Johansson readjusted his rifle on its strap. With an almost longing look at the newly murdered prisoners, he turned to go.

Danteri Communist Rebels
(The People's Commitee on Revolution)
Gentlemen, Mr. President, it is our duty to inform you that we have just signed a mutual defense pact with The Free Republic of Freiburg. As they have recently lost about half of their population to a Loyalist nerve gas attack, we both find it in our best interests to ally against the Loyalist mad-dog. They need to be stopped, and we will do it as best we can. However, any assisstance you could lend us would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks for whatever aid you send, goodbye.

Major Event:
- General Osterman Dies: Following severe injuries in an assassination attempt made by Bertling, General Ostermann died three hours later in hospital from what the medical staff are calling "delibrate murder". Accoarding to the report, an unidentified group of individuals now presumed to be from Oompli, conducted the hit on the wounded General Ostermann as he lay under anethisia, preparing for surgery. They apparently cut his IV drips, then stabbed him fourteen times. Following his death, his units (The Fascist Rebels) declared that they were siding with the Loyalists at this point, in exchange for a full pardon extended to all the former rebels under his command. As such, the Loyalists have acquired a new section of Southhaven, and the rebels are significantly weakened.

[Captain Corrol]
This is the perfect chance to retake SouthHaven! General Ostermann is dead! General Krieger, I recommend a full scale attack on the rebels! We can now attack from two fronts, giving us a huge advantage! Unless you have different plans, of course.

Minor News:
- Gwazzarian POWs Released: The Loyalists have released the Gwazzariaan POWs they inherited from the fascists.
- Loyalist Offensive Intensifies: Massive, all-out offensive launched by the Loyalists. Support requested from Zukariaa, Oompli, Bertling and New-Lexington.
- New Arms purchase: The Loyalists are apparently furhter stretching their resources by buying more nerve gas from United Earthlings.

[Captain Corrol]
By all means, we'll send all of the First Assault Force in with the Loyalist invasion. Of course, the Second Assault Force is still guarding the battle line.

-Zukarian soldiers are pushing in with Loyalist soldiers against the rebels.
-Zukarian death count lays at 1653 as of this morning.

The Harakian doctors turned away, unable to watch the senseless killings, and even one of Evans' soldiers was unable to continue watching, moving quickly away from the edge of the hill to be violently sick. Evans, however, managed to keep himself solid, as did his second-in-command, a female corporal, and Evans pulled from his backpack a GPS system with which he noted the exact location of the camp. Bringing out also a digital camera he owned of himself, turning it on to a tiny peep, he say an image of his eight-year old son, missing a front tooth, standing proudly in a football (soccer) uniform after a victorious Midget Championship game. Evans quickly switched to take pictures, zooming as far in on the brutal killings as he could and taking pictures thoroughly documenting the systematic murder of the next dozen labourers, killed in cold blood by the men in Loyalist army uniforms. He took pictures as they stole glasses off a dead man, who looked as if he might have been a high-class intellectual, perhaps even a teacher or professor, before the war. His watch, glasses and wedding band were all systematically stolen, and the youngest of the soldiers, a blonde man with a crew cut and a tattoo on his left bicep, lost the contest and had to throw the bodies into a mass grave already dug by the dozen labourers, who did not know at the time that they were digging their own grave, quite literally.

When the soldiers left to bring out the next group of labourers, Evans took the opportunity. Pulling a transmitter from the radio operator of his squad's bag, he shoved its antenna as high as it could go while keeping it hidden, thanking the lack of cloud cover. Although the billiant sun kept them all sweating, it meant the spy satellite would get a clear signal. Hooking it up first to the GPS, he sent the co-ordinates of the labour camp, then hooked it up to his camera to send the pictures, and sent a small voice recording of him whispering the situation. One of the doctors added his notes on how the labourers inside the camp were being treated while watching through a set of binoculars. When his message was finished, Evans hit the button to transmit, and dozens of kilometres above him, a Harakian spy satellite caught the transmission and bounced it back down to Locke's command post.

Just as Evans was finishing putting away his radio, the man who had left to throw up returned, clutching his rifle to his chest, and began to aim down at the soldiers who were making the next group of labourers dig another large hole to be their grave. Evans quickly reached out and slowly shoved the barrel of his rifle down into the dirt. "Private," he hissed, "if you do that we all get fucked. They outnumber us too much. A direct assault will break the ceasefire and get a lot of people killed. You remember hearing about the nerve gas attacks. Imagine that on our safe zone. All the civilians we saved and all our friends, dead. If we attack, they all still die, but we die too and a lot of toher people die."

The private nodded numbly and put his rifle back away. Evans turned to Johansonn. "Listen, I want to help you. Really, I do. But we can't do anything right now. It's up to my commanders to authorize any missions, and it's up to the leaders to condemn anything. I want to help you and I'll do everything I can to do so. But in order to properly show the world what's happening here, I need you to give me the locations of all the camps, something I can send back to the satellites."


*


Commodore Felias Locke sat in his chair at the command centre, idly twirling a pencil in his hands. He'd just seen off the convoy heading to pick up the Harakian citizens, and had nothing much more to do at the moment. Radar was picking up nothing, he had no requests to make for requisitions, and he had nothing new to condemn or order, for the time being. His whole day changed when an aide rushed into the room clutching a laptop, which he all-but threw down on the desk in front of Locke, who raised an eyebrow to give him a quizzical look and ask all the questions he didn't need to say.

"Sir," the aide explained, "we got a transmission from those troops the Danteri City convoy sent off with the rebels. You need to see it."

Locke shrugged and sat up in his chair, opening the laptop. The transmission was already open to the first pictures, that of Evans' son. Locke gave the aide a condescending look, and the man quickly switched the pictures to the first of the camp, showing it. As Evans' voice came on the computer's small speakers, describing what Johansonn had told them and what they had seen, Locke continued flipping through the pictures. As Evans explained the situation, Locke watched the jagged animation of the Loyalist soldiers systematically executing civilians, forced labourers, and stole their posessions and anything of value they may have had. The pencil he was holding dropped to the ground. At the end, the doctor gave his assessment of the horrible conditions inside the camp, and the coordinates of the camp were given.

"Major, get a satellite over that camp immediately. I want detailed pictures as soon as possible. And get me a direct line to the Prime Minister, I want to make a special request for some more troops."

The aide nodded and rushed off.

--Open Transmission--
[To: Gwazzarian Government]
[From: Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard]
[Re: Release of Gwazzarian Captives]

Sir,
It is with great joy that I congratulate you on the recent release of your countrymen. The fascist leader, general Ostermann has died from injuries suffered during a recent attack by infiltrated Special Forces.

We ask you to respect the national holyday commemorating our fallen heroes. Our fallen soldiers are:

Ladegaard, Johannes, Lt.
Johanssen, Karl, Sgt.
Fredrikson, William, Cpl.
Schwartz, Ivan, Pt. 1
Strahl, Heiz, Pt. 1
Black, Henrik, Pt. 1

Respectfully,
Gen. Jonas Stoeregaard
Minister of External Affairs

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

General Meyer felt almost disappointed. The Gwazzarians were free, and the rebel leader was dead. The operation had been a complete success. His men had been force-marched for the better part of two days, and now they were victorious…

It had been too easy. The only looses to enemy encounters had been a handful of Blackcuffs. Hell, the 1st Expeditionary had lost more to the terrain and the tempo than to actual enemies.

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

The 1st Expeditionary is to remain in Southaven until fully manned. Engineers are to be deployed to get the runway up to standards. The remaining Bertlingian elements are to link up with the force in the former fascist stronghold.

Until further notice, Bertlingian Air-, and Sea Forces are to assist Coalition Forces in all actions supporting the lawful government of Danteri.

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

Losses:
8 Special Forces men KIA
19 men MIA

12 MBT’s broken down in the mud, these will be operational within sixty hours.

The Danteri rebels have countered the recent Loyalist offensive with a full-scale attack against the area held by the former communist rebels, now allies of the Loyalists. Around one hundred five thousand men were commited to this attack, and their victory is expected to be swift, as their enemies are demoralized from their so-called "divine" leaders death. Also, the attacking force vastly outnumbers the defenders, so, as they are of similar quality, the communists are expected to triumph shortly, unless a foreign power intervenes.