NationStates Jolt Archive

Today Argyllian forces landed in Madagascar and quickly took control of the small island, the invaison was caused by the sinking of a Argyllian Freighter by 2 Madagascan Air Force planes. This has been taken very seriously and Argyllian MoD officials have said the occupation could last years.

http://www.worldpress.org/maps/maps/madagascar.gif

OOC-

1. NO WMD
2. No 1 million men invaison forces and massive forces like that
3. Please try to keep OOC to a minimum

Today Argyllian forces landed in Madagascar and quickly took control of the small island, the invaison was caused by the sinking of a Argyllian Freighter by 2 Madagascan Air Force planes. This has been taken very seriously and Argyllian MoD officials have said the occupation could last years.

http://www.worldpress.org/maps/maps/madagascar.gif

OOC-

1. NO WMD
2. No 1 million men invaison forces and massive forces like that
3. Please try to keep OOC to a minimum

{Over the territory of Madagascar}

Two -Noir- PaveHawk special ops helicopters are silently flying over the suspected battle ground between Argyllian and Madagascan forces.

{While in lead helicopter 1}

Intel Officer: HQ, the fighting has not started yet. Should we continue monitoring the area?

HQ: Affirmative. Keep reporting back all intel on available troop strength from both sides.

Intel Officer: Acknowledged HQ. Over and out.

Brigadier Joe Harper commander of the 4th Infantry Brigade battle Group surveyed the sight that lay before him, 1,000's of Madagascan soldiers where handing over their weapons and surrendering.

'I think this one was over before it began' he commented to one of his junior staff officers
'Tell O'Donnell to secure the airfield and dig in I'am not expecting a easy ride'
'Yes, sir' th staff officer turned to his radio set

This refelected the situation across the island, Argyllian forces had complete control over the country and disarmed the ex-Madagascan soldiers.

ooc:BG's region, New Tiamat, lies in the Indian Ocean, and BG on the south west coast of said continent, and thus not far east of Madagascar, so we may well be interested in this. I am wondering, is there any thread-based back-story, or is this the first mention of the attacks by Malagasy aircraft? And as for it being a small island- it is more than twice the size of the United Kingdom!

ic: Portmeirion, fearing disruption to trade routes from the west as well as for the safety of seventeen million Malagasy residents, has insisted that Argyllia cease its unilateral action against the Republic of Madagascar.

Commonwealth Chief Consul comrade Chivo demands on behalf of The People's Commonwealth of Beth Gellert that Argyllia cease military operation and take part in a multi-national investigation of the alleged attack on its shipping.

The BG embassy in Antananarivo expects no interference from invading forces and is unlikely to be co-operative without a lawfull multinational initiative.

Carrier group CS Belinus on patrol in the west of New Tiamat has been ordered to high alert as the nation awaits a response.

Seizing an oppurtunity to further their Imperialist Ambitions, The Roycelandian Government has deployed 5,000 Imperial Guard from the city of Port Enfield in Roycelandian East Africa.

The troops are landing under cover of darkness near Analalava, and 500 Imperial SAS Troops have been airdropped into the nation near Bealanana.

The Battleships IRNS Thunderstruck and IRNS[/i]Predator[/i] are offshore providing Artillery Cover.

More Importanly, the Imperial Roycelandian Airforce will be providing Air Support for this Operation.

There is no question of the fact that Madagascan planes destroyed the ship radar from suth Africa tracked the aircraft from their bases to the point of contact, if you wish to start an investigation you may we will provide everything you need.

To Roycelandia

If you join us not fight us we will gove you the island to control after we are done finding the criminals who have attacked our country.

PM Andrew Burke

The Beth Gellen ambassador to Roycelandian East Africa, comrade Consul Helen Bellemy, has noted to the Roycelandian authorities The People's Commonwealth's observation of naval deployments towards Madagascar.

Owing to the lack of clarification yet existing before the international community on the justification for armed operation against Madagascar The Commonwealth wishes to know the intention of Roycelandia in ordering this deployment.

A task force hurridly assembled of CS Bellinus's carrier group meanwhile deploys to waters off near-by Mauritius.

Trimaran carrier Bellinus heads helicopter-carrier/assault ships CS Redoubtable and Remiped, submarine squadron Hyperion, along with two Bodkin Class and six Gauntlet Class frigates lead by CS Crécy of the latter class. Two support tenders are attached, while The Commonwealth re-organises further forces at home against the spread of instability.

A battalion of RuFedEG have infiltrated the island with orders to observe, and authorized to defend themselves if threatened. Rus.Fed. planes fly over Madagascar regularly, from a friendly airbase in Lumbo.

The People's Commonwealth finds highly suspect accusations levelled against the Malagasy people by a government that would persist in calling them Madagascan as if they were perhaps a giant hissing cockroach.

None the less, civilian and GSIC investigators are flying from Porthmadog bound for Madagascar. Their Marathon transport aircraft is joined by two NT4ASF Hobgoblin fighters and will arrive on a pre-arranged flight plan.

Co-operation thus far is appreciated, though at this stage we make no pretence of our suspicion over the motives that drive such heavy-handed actions as have thus far been played-out.

-Commonwealth Consul comrade J.Barrie on behalf of The People's Commonwealth.



(Aw hell, the forums are driving me insane, and I'm going out later.. if I don't turn up for a while and the RP moves on, do accept my apologies. And if anyone get carried away and attacks BG assets while I'm away just assume that their nation has been wiped-out in a massive nuclear and biological counter-strike (by which I mean to say, "don't shoot me while I'm not looking, BG can take the lot of yers!" ;) ))

We welcome your team and we hope hey make a quick fair investigation, we shall offer them every assistance.

..........

The 4th Frigate Squadron has been deployed to the Mozambigue Channel, the 1st Group of Fighter Command has been deployed to the Madagascan capital and the rest of the 10th Infantry Division has been deployed to the area of operations

OOC- RussFed, it is impossible for you to have deployed a battalion secretly and have regular over flights without my forces challenging you, I am ignoreing that post

((last post before I dash off) If an investigation occurs while I am away, it may be assumed that BG observers tagging along would honestly seek the truth of the matter and support reasonable findings by other nations. This does not mean we will support imperialist actions based on one unfortunate act of aggression, and all involved parties should operate as if a 1.7billion peopled hard-line socialist nation with one of the fastest growing economies on earth is a couple of hundred miles away and watching closely ;)
Eh, have fun. )

The Empire is Mainly in the Greek Area but control the Islands of Reunion and Port Leuis and we have shiped the 3 battalion to this area to assist Argyllian forces however this will take at least 3 days.

We welcome your team and we hope hey make a quick fair investigation, we shall offer them every assistance.

..........

The 4th Frigate Squadron has been deployed to the Mozambigue Channel, the 1st Group of Fighter Command has been deployed to the Madagascan capital and the rest of the 10th Infantry Division has been deployed to the area of operations

OOC- RussFed, it is impossible for you to have deployed a battalion secretly and have regular over flights without my forces challenging you, I am ignoreing that post

OOC: You never said you would challenge unknown aircraft, and madagascar is bigger than you probably think. A battalion could easily infiltrate an island of that size and spread themselves out without too much, if any trouble. If you don't want me to recon with fly overs, challenge my planes. I wouldn't, if I were you, however. I don't want to make enemies without a cause, but if you force me to, those RuFedEG will cause some trouble, with their fancy, bent knee sneaky walking! I came here to see what was going on, if anyone was planning anything rash, and to investigate the events that led to this invasion. I don't want to make war. Not yet, anyway.

We welcome your team and we hope hey make a quick fair investigation, we shall offer them every assistance.

..........

The 4th Frigate Squadron has been deployed to the Mozambigue Channel, the 1st Group of Fighter Command has been deployed to the Madagascan capital and the rest of the 10th Infantry Division has been deployed to the area of operations

OOC- RussFed, it is impossible for you to have deployed a battalion secretly and have regular over flights without my forces challenging you, I am ignoreing that post


OOC do you control madagasca or something

OOC: You never said you would challenge unknown aircraft, and madagascar is bigger than you probably think. A battalion could easily infiltrate an island of that size and spread themselves out without too much, if any trouble. If you don't want me to recon with fly overs, challenge my planes. I wouldn't, if I were you, however. I don't want to make enemies without a cause, but if you force me to, those RuFedEG will cause some trouble, with their fancy, bent knee sneaky walking! I came here to see what was going on, if anyone was planning anything rash, and to investigate the events that led to this invasion. I don't want to make war. Not yet, anyway.


OOC do you control madagagasca or something

/me Feels like firing Cruise missiles everywhere for something to do.....

To RussFed

We will allow you to over fly the island freely without harrasment as long as the battalion of troops are withdrawn, they will be allowed to leave with all weapons. We do not wish war but if you don't remove them it may have to come to that it is your choice.

To Lessr Tsurani

We welcome your assistance, please would your forces deploy to the area around Bealanana in the north of the Island. We appreciate your assistance greatly.

........................

The 7th Infnatry Division disembarked at Toliara and immeaditly started to set up a base on the suburbs.

SITREP- Frigate Squadron in the Mozambique channel, 3 Battalions of Lessr Tsurani troops in the North around Bealanana, 10th Infantry Division around the capital Antananarivo with the 1st Group at the airport, the 7th Infantry Division around Toliara.

Today Argyllian forces landed in Madagascar and quickly took control of the small island, the invaison was caused by the sinking of a Argyllian Freighter by 2 Madagascan Air Force planes. This has been taken very seriously and Argyllian MoD officials have said the occupation could last years.

The President of the Empire of Benicius is disgusted by the Argyllian invasion of Madagascar due to the complete absense of evidence relating to the so-called attack against their freighter. Why would such a small nation attack a simple freighter?

This incident has sparked some cause for concern, and intel provided by the Benicius Intelligence Agency suggests the Argyllian freighter was carrying munitions and WMD for reasons unknown. Also, from what little information gathered thus far, it appears that the freighter in question was in Madagascar territorial waters and - therefore justly under the circumstances - was fired upon for good reason. The Benician government shall monitor this situation very carefully and probe further to secure some substantial information.

As of yet, no accusations are being made.

As of this moment, two Benician CVBG's (1 Augustan Class Aircraft Carrier, 1 Claudian Class Cruiser, 1 refuelling tanker, 3 Julius Class Frigates, 3 Tiberian Class destroyers, 4 Constantine Class Deisel-Electric Submarines) are heading to the area to undertake additional surveilence to what is being provided by external sources. Our naval vessels shall remain in international waters and will not engage in conflict unless fired upon.

---Presidential Statement, Benician Capital Building, Benopolis---

We are concerned about this latest deelopment we urge you stay away, where you got your intelligence from is not my business but it is wrong the ship in question was just rounding the island of Mauritius when it was so unexpectantly attacked. I urge you to more your ships away immeaditly, or face the consequences. I ask you to remove that statement about WMD, all of Argyllia's nuclear deterrent is deplloyed on SSBN's.

Additional forces dispatched to the Madagascar area of operations:

1st Recon Squadron- 12 RF-4 Phantoms
3rd Electronic Warfare Squadron- 12 EF-4 Phantoms
1st Patrol Squadron- 12 Nimrod MPA.4
2nd Submarine Squadron- 3 Trafalgar class SSN
20th Cruiser Squadron- 3 County Class cruisers

We have will stay with the invasion only if it is in our interests. the loss of our millatay on the island and will force us to withdraw from the island and draw nutralaty as we are a small nation and can not afford a war so far away from home. The forces I send now are all I send and their loss will mean my withdrawal from the war.

I urge you to more your ships away immeaditly, or face the consequences.

The president of Benicius is appalled by the threats made against the Empire and stresses again that the two CVBG's are in international waters and shall not fire in conflict unless fired upon.

If the Argyllian government continues to threaten what is an intelligence gathering operation, then the President may feel the need to deploy advisors and additional naval forces for protection.

Meanwhile, nations do not attack unarmed freighters for no reason. The President wishes to know what the vessel was really shipping. Invading a sovereign nation with such flimsy evidence as provided warrants foreign intervention.

---Presidential Statement, Benician Capital Building, Benopolis---

The forces of Tsurani where well prupered for the jump as the order was called 10000 troops tanks ect Landed in the city of Mananra as well as 5000 troops unloded in the docks. a total of 15000 troops 5000 of witch where Artillary or tanks. The city Awoke with what looked like untraied Iraqi undiciplaned mass was the most Orderd troops in Greece. They submmited to them. This was a glorius day for the empire.

It is none of your business what was in this freighter apart from that it was a vital part of national secruity, we ask you to investigate the iccident if you wish and find out what you can. Then maybe we can talk.
..................

12 Tornado F.3's took off from the capitals airport and quickly divulged into 4 threes who jeted off to their assigned patrol areas, meanwhile the Nimrod MPA.4 are monitoring the Benicius fleet and the Beth Gellert fleet.

The Russian Federation has withdrawn all but a squad of the RuFedEg, partly because once the RuFedEG are gone the aircraft flying over will make easy targets with no immediate repurcussion and partly because the RuFedEG have been under radio silence and we have not been in touch with this particular squad. They will not attack unless threatened, so don't attack them and you'll be fine.

Lt General Matthews commander of forces on Madagascar annouced that the retraining of the Madagascan Army would commence as soon as possible. The first batch of recruits will be retrained and rearmed, they will have the same organisation as the Argyllian armed forces and will use mostly the same weapons. The first 800 recruits will begin training in a week, when new equipment from Argyllia arrives. This unit will form the 1st Battalion of the Madagascan Rifles.

BUMP

OOC just a question WHAT IS BUMP????? Now I've had a spam can someone plese answer this question. I see it all over the place and have no idea what it means.

IC The Tsurani forces moved out of the city leving a garrison of 500 militia from Reunion. the forces hd a lare number of these guys sent to be garrisons at each of the citys. The men marched over the landscape with 15000 men 10000 of whitch where to fight and 5000 armoured units and arttilary. The General was A Desert combat specilest called Sun Du Quarn But liked to be called General Airmir. He was moving down the coast and intending to capture the western citys.

OOC- BUMP is to move the thread up the forum

BUMP

Madagascar

Roycelandian Troops had successfully landed in and seized Analalava and Bealanana, establishing an Air Harbour at Analalava to handle the Sunderland Flying Boats that the Imperial Armed Forces were using.

Another 25,000 troops had been deployed to the area, along with 15 Medium Tanks and two squadrons of IAe Spitfire Fighters, two AC-47 "Puff The Magic Dragon" gunships, and two CAF Lancaster Heavy Bombers.

More troops were arriving via sea, and the Carrier Airship IRAS Bird of Prey was expected within 24 hours.

In addition, AA Defences and Automated Base Defences were also being set up, calibrated, and prepared. The training of a Colonial Guard would come after the Island's formal annexation...

*******************************************

Encrypted Communique to Argyllia

The Roycelandian Government accepts your offer of total control of Madagascar after the subduing and capture of those responsible for the attack on your aircraft.

We are prepared to offer any assistance we can to ensure the elimination of security threats in the area, and are currently in the process of securing the northern end of the Island, awaiting further co-ordination from your HQ.

More troops will be deployed from both Roycelandia and Roycelandian East Africa as long as the situation warrants it, and if we can be of any assistance with equipment, supplies, or materiel, please don't hesitate to get in touch with one of our Embassies, Consulates, or Military Outposts.

[signed] Commander Jack Sword, Imperial Defence Forces, Port Royal, Roycelandia.

Our troops will secure the southern areas of the island, we leave the northern areas to yo apart from any investigations that might go on in the north. We ask for three things when we leave

1. Our army be able to raise 3 battalions of troops from Madgascar and recruit every year to form a new regiment in the Argyllian Army, The Madagascan Rifles.
2. We wold like to build a small refuelling and supply naval base on the east side of the island
3. If Madagascar is threathened we will defend it

Lt Gen Matthews, Commander Argyllian forces on Madagascar

bump

Bump

bump

If Madagascar is threathened we will defend it

Madagascar has already been threatened, by the invasion force of Argyllia!

Actually it has already been taken over by our forces and therefore we will defend it as if it is part of Argyllia.

Current Situation:

http://f5.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/UBccQF7bb7P3ofoxVpH1Jr6zQ1bhCeNJ0LbEsMk_YcCam-0tNMqc19M9pmUHXwRAsB-zZCz6UJhO3axkJUcEfg/ma-map.gif

Argyllia has invaded Madagascar, a sovereign, UN state (please refer to Madagascar's regional board in NS).

The President of the Empire feels compelled to liberate the people of Madagascar from the invading Argyllian forces. In total, an additional two CVBG's are being deployed to the region to persuade Argyllia to back down and leave peacefully.

The President urges the Argyllian invaders to leave.

(you will find the region of Madagascar in NS and therefore you are in the wrong - plus I do not see the nationstate from Madagascar responding)

Due to threats from the government of Benicius Argyllia has felt compelled to deploy another Fighter group, a destroyer squadron and 2 Battleships. If Benicius forces leave the area immeaditly war will be avoided, the choice is up to you. I await your answer
.......

To Roycelandia

Your forces take responsibility for the North I shall defend the south if they chose war instead of peace.

(OOC: You're going to have to invite Ozymandias IV, he has claims to Madasgascar...)

The Grand Duchy of Darn controls Madagascar.

Now, this invasion is unjustified and Darn has not come forward claiming the Madagascar airforce fired on any freighter.

The President of the Empire is tired of nations who invade for the sake of invading (and do not give the defender any chance of RPing). The invaders are now being asked to leave peacefully.

(time to end your invasion as you have no grounds to base it off. Darn controls Madagascar in NS so leave now)

we will withdraw all forces and send them home however we ask to be able to put a Refuling bay in the area as our allies the EverQueen live near by and don't have sufficiant fuel ships to reach greece without a refuling station.

(ooc:Since this is Argyllia's RP it isn't really up to other people to tell him who controls Madagascar. Madagascar after all is Malagasy, not anyone else's, and there are countless conflicting claims in NS. I can think of one claim by a nation older than any here bar Beth Gellert that goes back to the C17th. In this instance it would appear that the Madagascar in question is independent, although Argyllia can correct me if I am mistaken.)

Beth Gellen investigators in Madagascar report no serious Argyllian interference in their studies, but at the same time have failed to find much substantiation for claims of a Malagasy attack. The investigators wish to speak with the Malagasy government and military in an effort to discover who if anyone ordered engagement of the Argyllian vessel supposed to have been sunk. The major concern reported has been in relation to Argyllia's apparent intention to make Madagascar an effective dominion of Argyllia. This of course will have to change.

Portmeirion meanwhile insists that no other foreign powers intervene unless they should be bound by a pre-existing defence treaty with Antananarivo, in which case The People's Commonwealth urgently requests to be informed of such.

Calls for Argyllia to withdraw have not died-down, and many Commonwealth Professional Civil Servants are pressing for the establishment of a multi national force with common understanding. It is clear that Argyllia has gone too far, but Beth Gellert intends to resolve the situation without having to destroy that nation's forces of occupation.

Ambassadors to Roycelandia, Benicius, and other interested parties seek consultation over their nations' concerns and aims in regards to the crisis.

OOC- I know of no country who claims Madagascar, but it is true that there are so many people who claim the same thing it is impossible to work out who actually's it is, for this rp they are independant.

IC-

We will leave the isle of Madagascar after this investigation is cleared up once and for all. Beth Gellen investigations are being helped as much as possible in their independant investigations. As a gesture of good will I will begin to withdraw one of the two infantry divisions on Madagascar, I urge everyone in the situation to keep a cool head and wait for the investigation to finish.

This morning a submarine reached the last resting place of the freighter AMS Globe, divers went down to the hull and retrived a small box. the submarine speed up to 31 knots and headed home, it sent this radio message

To Argyllian Subcom

The Eagle has been recovered, I repeat the Eagle has been recovered.

Commander Fuchs

Communique to Argyllia

Roycelandia accepts Terms I & II of your offer, but requests clarification of Point III (If Madagascar Is Attacked, we will defend it).

Do you mean you will help defend it, or that you expect Roycelandia to sit back and let you handle it all?

If you mean help defend it, then we have no problems at all with this arrangement. Otherwise, more discussion is needed...

[signed] Commander Jack Sword, Imperial Defence Bureau

********************************
Analalava, Madagascar

Resistance to Roycelandian Deployment had been minimal, and 1,000 of the Imperial Guard had been despatched into the Mountains in an effort to search for Resistors and spread Roycelandian goodwill and propaganda.

The Imperial Roycelandian Maritime Air Sevrice were airdropping food, supplies, and essentials to isolated settlements, and the Imperial Guard were establishing a Communications HQ to co-ordinate Operation Oil Rig.

************************************
Message to All Nations in Madagascar

As the pre-eminent Colonial Power in Southern Africa, Roycelandia has an obligation to ensure Security in the area, and this includes expansion into unstable regions in the area. As such, Madagascar has been deemed a "High" security risk that warrants Military Intervention, lest it become overrun by Revolutionairies, Communists, or Terrorists.

Argyllia and Roycelandia have recently signed an agreement to the effect that Madagascar will be turned over to Roycelandian Contol after the apprehension of those responsible for the attacks on Argylllian Shipping, and Roycelandia is currently making preliminary arrangements for the conversion to Colonial Rule.

[signed] His Imperial Majesty Emperor Royce I, Port Royal, Roycelandia
************************************************

OOC: The NS Universe is so big and encompassing so many different "parallel" universes that no-one can really be said to "Own" any bit of Earth- for example, Roycelandia has a colony encompassing Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan (known as Roycelandian East Africa, and represented by the Nation of Port Imperial), but it's a fairly safe bet that someone else has claimed those areas too. However, in the NS Southern Africa Universe, Roycelandia controls those countries.

In other words, there's no reason why Argyllia can't claim he's invaded Madagascar and RP what's happened there, or turn it over to Roycelandia, or whatever... it's in a different "Universe" to other claimants to the area. (Insert complicated lecture on Space/Time Continuum, Theory of Relativity, and Alternate Universes here...)

The clarification of the final term is that we will help defend it not take over, I think that will conclude our agreement. My military police are still looking for criminals but they have serveral leads hopefully we shall be done soon.
Lt Gen Matthews Commander of Argyllian Forces Madagascar

The situation has changed. Sadly for the imperialists involved, last nights Final Senate meeting in Portmeirion degenerated into a drinking game based on how badly The People's Commonwealth could kick Roycelandia's arse. "If we're more than twice as powerful as them you have to down this litre (of Titovo Triple Distilled Vodka) in one!"

And it was so, and as such CCC comrade Chivo slurred the announcement of the fact that Madagascar would not be conquered this year by any foreign power. Argyllia's intention was clear, and Roycelandia would withdraw all assets at once or face the liberation of all of its colonial holdings.

It was worth noting that the longer this went on the harder it would be for the BG military to justify non-libeartion of Roycelandian East Africa after Madagascar's safety and independence were assured. CPCS comrade Graeme Igo was already calling for the obliteration of corrupt, regressive Roycelandian culture, as the infamous comrade Igo was prone to over-react.

He was none the less Beth Gellert's most famous and perhaps influential citizen.

Carrier Groups Muishkin and Engels joined Belinus to the east of Madagascar, and Anunkai nuclear submarine squadron Cronus moved to support Hyperion.

The Beth Gellen viewpoint, thought its supporters, would win-out. If thanks to nothing else (that is, if one negates the rightness of their cause and vast superiority of their resources) than the overwhelming coolness of their military nomenclature, and improbable balance of their blood-alcohol content. Two thirds of them were after all Celts who rejected Roman influence.

(woops, damn ale. Additions required!)

Portmeirion calls to all parties concerned for the rights and freedoms of the Malagasy people: unite! Beth Gellert, one of the strongest bastions of far left socialism to be found on earth, is willing to defend Madagascar inspite of its recent abandonment of socialist policies, will not the wider international community condescent to protect the seventeen million Malagasy otherwise helpless in the face of Roycelandian/Argyllian interference?

Beth Gellert invites concerend parties to join The Commonwealth in forcing the imperialists to leave Madagascar without further destruction. Even if Antananarivo had been behind a single strike on Argyllia, the imperialist intentions of that state remain utterly unjustified. The nation's co-operation with Roycelandian aims flies in the face of diplomatic approaches by The People's Commonwealth and leaves no resort short of the threat of force.

I urge you to wait a little longer, all Argyllia wants is the criminals and the only way we could get these criminals is by invaison as the criminals are the governement. We are not imperialistic and no ambition for a overseas empire, I request an answer to this question are you going to war or not? for all concerned I hope you are not on the back of a drunken politician.

PM Andrew Burke

"The People's Commonwealth is comprised of one and two thirds of a billion drunken politicians, friend." -CPCS comrade G.Igo.

The Commonwealth's official line, as expressed by CCC comrade Chivo, is that Argyllia should have sought international co-operation before engaging of its own accord the entire Republic of Madagascar in military action. The possibility of the nation falling under the imperialist domination of Roycelandia is unacceptable, and Beth Gellert has invited the world to join in opposing and preventing such an end.

Beth Gellert's current constitution actually lists human suffering and death as The Commonwealth's foremost enemies, and as such war is not sought. It is hoped that Argyllia is not pursuing further confrontation, but less hopes are heald for Roycelandia's civility.

The People's Commonwealth announces its intention to land forces on Madagascar's east coast with a view to liberating the Malagasy people and restoring their democratic government.

BG will support international criminal investigation into the loss of an Argyllian freighter, and seek prosecution and/or rehabilitation of guilty parties.

The pre-mentioned Commonwealth forces are bearing due west on the Malagasy coast with intent to deploy forces on defensive stance. Engagement of these forces may result in the removal from power of any guilty parties in their home nation.

OOC- Whats the difference between the commenwealth and BG, and how can landing on Madagascar be a defensive stance.

ooc: BG and The Commonwealth, as referenced thus far, are the same thing. The People's Commonwealth of Beth Gellert, not to be mistaken for the Commonwealth of Nations, formerly the British Empire.
Landing on Madagascar can be defensive in so much as BG is attempting to avoid drastic violation of international law by repeatedly pleading for multi-national support for the very real crisis evolving before their eyes. The force is meant to defend the Republic of Madagascar, and is only landing at all because BG refuses to allow the clearly offensive actions of Roycelandia to gain that nation a more favourable position on the island, when Roycelandia's actions are clearly taken without any consideration for international law of the rights of the Malagasy people.
What is hoped to be understood is that this force is arriving to insure that Roycelandia does not occupy the entire nation before the international community can react. BG intends to defend Madagascar until the world gets up and agrees on a solution, while Roycelandia means to attack Madagascar until the world gets up and tries to stop it.

I condem your actions, landing on Madagascar would make the situation worse rather than better. As far as I am concerned landing on a nation that has not given you permission to land is an act of war and if you do land that is what it will interpreted as.
..........

Lt Gen Matthews sighed, these people never got the message landing on a beach in a forgein country was an act of war. He quickly thought of the forces a his disposal and what he could do with them. His first action was to concentrate the fleet off southern Madagascar with the 2 powerful battleships in the centre. He hen radioed Lt Gen Powel commanding II corps asking him to set up a defensive line around the port of Toliara in the south west. He ordered all planes to the two airstrips outside the port city.

http://f2.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/MNwcQNJXRAlShJIHQs6j-ucnDafXeFVGYarsRrmZi2Ld7aFEWYCgrk2oGpiwtFZUqjjKN0zOz2LQ9EEOcoRRTg/Mad%20map%20change.GIF

Comrades, you have made the first landings, and they were against Madagacar. If you insist upon war then war it shall be. Is your government prepared to be removed from power? Are you people prepared to fight to their certain defeat in defence of their government's own act of war?

In light of the increasingly invasive nature of operations carried out against the Republic of Madagascar, Beth Gellert has resolved to lead the forcible liberation of said nation. Argyllian and allied forces are ordered to lay down their arms at once and to surrender to Commonwealth forces. Failure to comply will result in the total obliteration of said forces, and may lead to the invasion of the home nations involved (pending wide internatonal consultation).

-CC comrade N.Kezo.


In The People's Commonwealth there was precious little opposition to the Final Senate decision to act in Madagascar's defence. The tiny and utterly ignored Nazi Party, which refused even to except the collapse of the party-system, made one token speech in favour of isolationism.

Nobody cared and the Gellert Sentinels marched to Porthmadog and Point Igovia ahead of deployment west. Communication was sent to Sumer, capital of neighbouring Victoria and Salvador, explaining the nature of the deployment and offering assurance of said nation's safety.

A considerable portion of Beth Gellert's seventy-nine vessel nuclear-submarine fleet closed on the Malagasy coast, acquring targets provided by Marathon observation aircraft scores of miles off shore.

The previously deployed Carrier Groups, now joined by CS Ood and commanded by its own comrade Captain Binney, started out towards a stretch of coast south of Toamasina. While Gauntlet Class fleet defence frigates, Anunkai Class nuclear killer submarines, and assorted air-superiority fighters, ASW helicopters, and observation and command aircraft pressed ahead, the expeditionary force's three fleet and six helicopter carriers steamed onwards amongst a mass of support vessels, hunter and bombardment frigates, and transports. All but a few of the utility ships and helicopter carriers presented significantly reduced radar profiles, and all remained far behind the screens of fleet defence destroyers, submarines, and aircraft.

Fort Brennus witnessed the dispatch of flight after flight of supersonic radar-reduced Spearman heavy bombers.

Argyllia, it was hoped, would heed comrade Consul Kezo's last chance warning. Give in now or face all out war with a nation easily ten times more powerful, much much closer to its home base, and clearly on the side of right in the eyes of the world.

CCC comrade Chivo was authorised to accept comrade Field Marshal Brenni's order to engage.

(ooc:the likes of the Anunkai Class nuclear submarines, of which two 8-vessel squadrons are already deployed and more under orders to sail west, carry eight cruise missile silo, and the Spearman heavy bombers are also cruise-missile ready. This information, owing to BG's open political system, would be known to involved commanders. Are the newly established positions ready for a couple of hundred cruise missile strikes? (I recognise that we may not know the location of every last infantry man, but at least little has been done to keep BG intel from gleaning the basics of key positions))

Argyllia declares a 200 mile exclusion zone around the isle of Madagascar and we ask that hostilities are kept in this area. Our troops can not surrender without a fight and we refuse to be intimidated by a larger nation who wishes nothing but war.
.............

The Patriot PAC-3 missile lauchers where set up in there fortified positions ready to fire at the first missiles that would surely fall on the infantry's positions who themselves had dug into the ground as far as they could in the short time avaliable.
.............

Lt Gen Matthews saw nothing but war ahead of him, the die was set so he would fight to the best of his ability.
'Send this to all the troops'
'Today we face the toughest test we have ever encounted,
Let us not pale in the face of the enemy, let us fight like we
know how, be brave in the field of battle and may God rest your soul'
............

The 3 cruisers had been given their orders and in the period of 10 minutes
96 Tomahawk cruise missiles had left their cells and where speeding towards the enemy. At the same time the 3 SSN's surfaced and fired 36 Tomahawk's in total at the BG fleet. Half the missiles are aimed at the large radar signiture of the helicopter carriers and the others at the escorts.
............

The strike package was led by 24 Tornado F.3s of the 1st and 2nd Fighter Squadrons who where ready to engage any enemy fighters who strayed into their path. Behind them came the 36 Tornado Gr.4's of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Fighter Squadrons armed with 8 Sea Hawk cruise missiles each.
(OOC- RP this attack)
............

The 6 Nimrod MPA where armed with 8 Sea Hawks each and 8 Mk-12 torpedoes they subhunted in front of the Argyllian fleet
............

324 Tomahawks fired at your fleet

OOC- Thought a first strike was my only option, Sea Hawk stats 1,000lbs warhead a range of 70 nm.

Important OOC Message

Any attempt to invade Roycelandia, Roycelandian East Africa, or Coral Palm Island will be met with use of IGNORE class weapons and defensive systems. I'm prepared for a decent war in Madagascar, but I'm not getting involved, or letting anyone else get involved in, attacks on our Colonies or Homeland. As far as I'm concerned, this thread is Madagascar ONLY. Thank you.

********************************************************
Analalava, Madagascar

"Some nation called Beth Gellert is ordering us to Surrender, or be obliterated" the HQ radio operator called out.

Commander Holland laughed heartily at this suggestion. "Send them this reply: Not Bloody Likely."

The message was sent, and Commander Holland went back to his Command Building. The Malagasy Villagers were being trained to resist Beth Gellern invasion, and many of them had wholeheartedly welcomed the Roycelandians with open arms. After all, the alternative was much, much worse...

********************************

OOC: I'm going to be on holiday for two weeks, so my replies to this thread will probably be sporadic at best. I'll do my best to stay involved, however...

(ooc:Seems like a funny thing to do considering you could avoid a war that, no matter what early damage you might inflict, will end in defeat. That many cruise missiles means you must have a massive force on hand, rather above what I supposed for one division.. and it does cost you hundreds of millions of dollars, of course.. oh..well.)


Aimed at the main fleet and its escorts the Argyllian missile attack, comprised seemingly of subsonic cruise missiles, had to run a gauntlet of, well Gauntlets. Marathon aircraft detected the launches at once, and pinpointed their locations. Retaliation was swift, with air-launched anti-shipping missiles being launched from patroling Preston piston-engine aircraft in the screen and from approaching low-signature Spearmen bombers. Three three submarines faced a barrage of a dozen Qian Wei anti-shipping missiles. It was supposed that with such massive salvos launched, the cruisers were essentially dead weight now, and could be tracked down later. The submarines should not be allowed to slip away.

The fleet defence frigates (sorry I didn't get so far as to detail numbers attached to carrier groups in precise detail before the action started, I would have were it me firing first ;) ) far ahead of the main fleet hurried to engage their Citadel Sea-Clear fleet defence systems, the 340km range SAMs ripping into the air against cruise missiles set to fly over their platforms. Against a many year-lond research programme funded by a more than five-trillion dollar defence budget, pondering Tomahawks stood no chance. Any that did approach the screen would have to contend with a forest of 30mm rotary-cannon-fire before progressing to the main fleet, which again offered its own close-in defences. Despite the wall of varied fire and the range required of the missiles to travel under such conditions, there were flaws in the BG defence. With all assets in good communication throughout one frigate, CS Cerebus, informed the main fleet of a quartet of missiles likely to escape interception. As it happens one was taken down by the CIWS of CS Crécy before the others advanced on the helicopter carrier Borzoi and the refueler Brompton. The warships 30mm rotary cannons brought down one missile a few hundred yards out, and the mid-starboard gunnery officer was about to call for a second engagement when friendly-fire alarms sounded. Brompton had obscured Borzoi's line of sight to the targets, and its own single-barrel 30mm AA guns were proving ineffective.

The first missile was hit within touching distance of the super-structure, which as it turned out did little good. The blast threw disbelieving Beth Gellen merchant-navy ratings across the broad and cluttered deck only moments before the second missile, which Borzoi had been about to engage, hammered into the 12,000 ton tanker. Well over a hundred million dollars worth of support ship and some seventy-four persons were quickly alight. As the massive fuel reserves caught flame the Brompton began to heave over to starboard, and the intensity of the blaze aboard thwarted the attempts of two SH-60 Seahawk to assist the stunned survivors.

The light cast up by the disaster was hardly likely to be good for moral, as Binney coldly -though not so much from malice as a sense of battle-ready automation- considered. And there was more to come, his comms officer cried out.

The haste of the Argyllian assault, though it surprised all of Beth Gellert yet informed, seemed to Binney something of an advantage. The engagement had come at range, and without chance to out-manoeuvre his enacted defences. Yes, it was going well! (Assuming he was to survive, Binney would no doubt later reflect on the absurdity of that thought, given the previously calm nature of his voyage)

Most of the fleet-defence screen's primary missile systems were tied-up with the incoming cruise missiles when Marathon picked up incoming aircraft. Some few Citadel were launched against the Tornados and Nimrod, but clearly not enough to cripple the attacking force.

This was no cause for panic, of course. Binney's far-flung screen gave him sufficent time to scramble larger numbers of fighters. With three Jonathan Netnyahu-Class carriers and six Nibiru the BG fleet had more than a hundred interceptors and strike-fighters available. Being close to New Tiamatian waters it was not hard to launch more aircraft, the interceptors carrying drop-tanks, of course. These would not arrive in time for the first phase of battle, however.

With those fighters already in the air over the fleet, and the first waves scrambled before the incoming Tornadoes, 24 fighters would engage before SeaHawk missile range.
Of these six were Hobgoblin air superiority fighters launched from the fleet carriers. The Hobgoblin, as BG's primary ASF, carried four ACT AIM-113 ADRAAM with a range of just over 200km, or 110 nautical miles, and aircraft were capable of tracking and engaging multiple targets. Knowing that his wing represented only the first-launched interceptors, and a tiny fraction of the available force, the squadron leader cleared launch of all missiles so soon as hostile aircraft were within 200km of the fighters, and as such more than 200km of the frigate screen, let alone the body of the fleet.
The remainder of the first scrambled force was comprised of Puffin STOVL strike-fighters. These near-stealth (think JSF with more funding, I suppose) planes were almost pug-looking compared to the elegant Hobgoblins, but their 180km range AAELRS air-to-air missiles were ugly only to the opposition's eyes as they began to rocket forward moments after the Hobgoblins had begun to peel-off.

In the cockpits young fighter pilots, a third of them women, girls even, gritted their teeth as yet not having time to consume the gravity of their situation. All they comprehended were the three score missile trails pointing the path to a hostile target.

The eighteen Puffins pressed on behind the barrage as their young pilots switched to SRAAMs and half anticipated the call to break off in the face of returned fire. They absolutely did not want to get too close to shore, despite having been told time and time again of Patriot's obsolescence compared to The Commonwealth's own CS-400 and CS-500 SAM systems. Probably the Tornado -the weapon of choice in neighbouring capitalist state Victoria and Salvador and as such the enemy most Beth Gellen pilots and designers were expecting to face- would be fireballs in the Indian Ocean before they could threaten the fleet, but even if that were so, the prospect of approaching an enemy fleet was daunting.

All the while more aircraft were launched from the fleet as Binney attempted to balance victory in the current engagement with the integrity of his screen against further attacks.

With submarine squadron Hyperion most advanced and southerly it fell to Cronus to assist the battle at sea. The eight Anunkai nuclear killer submarines of that force made towards the hostile surface assets, anti-shipping missiles loaded into tubes and ready to launch just after 70nm. Hyperion's vertical launch tubes waited for launch depth to be called and loosed some forty-eight Mangonel cruise missiles as if there were part of yet another drill. This time however the warheads weighed over 500kg and meant to do real damage. They would fly low in an attempt to defeat the theatre-defence missiles likely to lie in wait, the operators knowing it exposed them to less hi-tech means of interception and only hoping that 975kph was enough.

(ooc: I'm not 100% sure if all the incoming missiles previously listed can have been fired before our engagement.. as you see BG forces have rather long-range weapons at their disposal.. 324 missiles is a heck of a lot, are all those from the 3 cruisers and 3 subs? If we sort out that infact you could have and ..have launched them all then my next post will include last ditch attempts to intercept more and certainly a number of hits on BG assets)

(Qian Wei- Warhead Weight: 145 kg, Maximum Speed: Mach 0.9 / 300 m/s., Maximum effective Range: 2.5-70 nm (5-130 km).

The ACT AIM-113 Advanced Dual-Range Air to Air Missile has a range of 110 nautical miles/200+km and travels at Mach 4.3, displaying fantastic manoeuvrability.

The AAELRS is a native design with a 180km range and 4,700kph velocity.

Mangonel cruise missiles have a 1,050km range and a top speed of 975kph. They accept an array of warheads from 550kg HE to submunitions and even 5 or 10kt nuclear warheads. Those launched at Argyllian positions of course are mainly HE, with several carrying anti-armour or anti-personnel submuntions

I can't quite figure out how that post got to be so long!)

(Alternative? You've just now invaded their nation and toppled their government, now you're arming them while forces of clearly stated liberation approach? *shrug* your bullets and your backs, I suppose!)

This isnt a good idea,i warn you.
i will alert the proper nations,and then lets see what will happen.

(What's Kihameria's stake in the matter? Which are the proper nations? Who the flipping heck is talking? Andrew the Kihamerian fishmonger? Who're you talking to?)

(Kihameria's stake ? probably nothing,but i know the nation that RP's that he/she owns madagascar)

ooc:We covered earlier that there are many nations with claims to Madagascar, and that the NS universe is really rather large. As such this Madagascar is just.. Madagascar, and it is owned by the Malagasy, who have been invaded and who are being aided. Not that its for me to say that no one else can become involved, of course! Just that they're unlikely to be accepted as rulers of Madagascar. BG would certainly appreciate international support on the anti-imperialist front!

OOC- 3 cruisers of my own development have a 96 cell VLS each (same as US Ticondrega Class), they fire one every 6 seconds, 10 a miunte so they empty their magazines in 10 minutes. Each sub has a 12 cell launcher. This is quite a lot of my entire arsenel :( .

IC-
The 3 Cruisers where ordered to begin reloading with the 2 Ammunition ships in the Argyllian fleet. Admiral Fisher watched in horror as half the tomahawks where anilated by the well organised BG defences.
'1 Oiler has been sunk' the staff officer said to him on the bridge
'1 oiler is that it so far' the admiral replied horror strucken
............

The 48 cruise missiles where spotted at the range of 120nm, the PAC-3's (an advanced version of the Patriot) opened up at maximum range of 100nm, as they cycled through their launch sequence the cruise missiles got even closer to their position. The number of imbounds decreased to 40 then 30 then 25 but only 3 more where hit before they rained death down onto the Argyllians positions, 2 more hit wide of target but 20 impacted along the Armies lines. The death toll was lower than predicted because of the desperate digging in of Argyllian soldiers.

Losses-
Men- 240 dead, 320 wounded
Land Rover Defenders- 23 destroyed
............

The screen infront of him clouded with bogies, then long range missiles detached themselves and headed towards him. The leading fighters managed to avoid most of the missiles as they had a long time to dodge and deploy flares and activate jammers. 4 Tornado F.3's where felled as well as 2 Tornado Gr.4's.
The Tornado F3's launched 3 BVR-11's each at the approaching fighters (90nm range Mach 4.6, radar guided)
The Tornado Gr.4's dived for the deck realising they where sitting ducks and applyed afterburner, when they reached 70nm from the enemy fleet they launched their missiles (sea skimming, Mach 2, 2.5 billion dollar development,) 1 Tornado hit a wave crest and was smashed to pieces while the others ran for home.
............

The Nimrods detected the launch of missiles from enemy subs and homed in on their position dropping sonar boys into the water hunting the subs. 2 Nimrods got a sub each on radar and launched 2 torpedoes each at the targets (80 knots)
...........

OOC- I know I won't last for long but i need a bit of Rp practice and see how new weapons work out ie the sea hawk anti-ship missiles, county class cruisers and BVR-11 air-air missiles

300 sea hawks fired targeting the carriers, 50 on each
4 torps against the subs
90 air-air missiles at the fighters

The Empire's recently deployed CVBG's have arrived just out of Madagascar's territorial waters are crews are mortified by the miniature war that erupted only just.

Enemy forces are asked to leave Madagascar immediately.

War can be avoided.

OOC:UGh... Y'all know that Nianacio owns Madagascar, right?

IC: Chellis offers Nianacio help if it needs it, in repelling these wannabe invaders.

(ooc:FOR FUCK'S SAKE! Excuse the language but really! That's the third ..fourth..fifth? time! *launches seven thousand billion nukes at Chellis*)

The few Beth Gellens in the fleet who felt they had time to consider their situation in any depth found that it did them little good. The Argyllian reaction was baffling; how could Madagascar possibly be so important to them? Clearly the given motive for their invasion was false. Had this all been the result of one merchant ship's sinking the nation would never have been so willing to suffer so many casualties.

Knowing they were right was something of a help to the frantic defenders of the fleet. None the less, missiles were still incoming. The helicopter carrier Remiped was hit by one of the cruise missiles of the wave that set the support tanker alight. The damage was not critical, but a fire in the hangar made the situation appear temporarily more serious, and regardless of the moderate nature of damage to the ship two Ka-52 helicopters, meant to deploy ashore later, were lost to the blast and following flames. With them were killed and injured almost a dozen crewmen, the infirmary would no doubt report later on the exact losses.

Thankfully, owing to the incoming aircraft threat, losses were reduced by the absence of all six Puffin strike fighters from the Remiped when she was hit.

Those Puffins were by now following up the first flights of fighters that engaged the enemy Tornados (plural of Tornado as a name, Tornado, Tornados or Tornadoes? Hm). After the first hurried 24-strong wave assembled mainly from already airborn planes had engaged with only moderate success, the bulk of the fleet's air wing moved to engage the threat.

Eighteen Puffins at the fore had just received a barrage of air to air missiles. While their wave had launched around sixty AAMs at sixty Tornado, they had in return to suffer ninety missiles for their eighteen aircraft. True they were low signature, small, agile, and carried the best ECMs money could buy, but.. well it was hopeless.

Behind them the main air wing, assembled with more care while the first 24 aircraft had moved to engage in almost a blind panic, was filled with Beth Gellens who could not help feeling that their comrades ahead were acting as little more than a human shield. Friendly signals vanished from the forward looking radar of the massive wing as in quick succession the eighteen strike fighters were knocked from the air. There were five ejections from the striken aircraft before all were lost. The worst losses ever suffered by the nation in aerial combat.

The main wing began to come within engagement range. Between six Nibiru and three Jonathan Netnyahu Class carriers and after accounting for the first wave and for fighter-bombers yet to launch from the latter type the wing counted 102 fighters. The incoming Tornado, still more than fifty strong, would be given no quarter. Damnable imperialists wouldn't strike twice at The People's Commonwealth. This time the Beth Gellens believed their foe relatively defenceless- a massive wave of BVRAAMS had been dispensed against the first flight of Puffin, and the aircraft were clearly carrying some manner of anti-shipping armament or they should have turned back by now. The fighters would close the range somewhat on this run, and the forty-two Hobgoblin dashed at above Mach 2 for much of their flight.

"Wait for it.. wait for it.." Softly said the wingleader.
"F***'s sake, Saunders, come on, before SRAAM range, please!" Came his wingman's impatient and really unneeded reply. The Tornado were descending but right under the noses of masses of BG aircraft, including incoming fighter waves, the first of which had already engaged, and unchallenged surveillance aircraft looking down, there was no place to hide.

The Hobgoblins finally loosed between them 84 AIM-113 Advanced Dual Range AAMs, half their payload, and just seconds later the lead of sixty Puffin strike fighters ordered 120 AAELRS into the air.

If this lot didn't take out the Tornado then the Hobgoblins were to dive upon them will all haste and engage ADRAAMs and SRAAMs at close range, by which time the fleet might be in range.

The screening vessels themselves seemed to hold their collective oily breath as they braced for the possibility of more to come. The crews were unable to offer SAM assistance to their pilots as the enemy planes flew lower at ranges sufficient for the shape of this suddenly all too curvy planet to project them.

(ooc:I realise I haven't RP'd the sea skimming missiles from the Tornado, but in truth the bulk of our defences, as you can see, were yet to be bypassed and have assembled with I think plenty of time to engage before the anti-ship missiles can fire. I should just clear up -the cruise missiles previously fired into the fleet were mainly at the helicopter carriers and also at ships around them.. I had been assuming those to be the main bulk of my fleet rather than the screen, but if the screen too was targeted I'll add something about the aftermath of frigates getting in the way of incoming missles. Either way I think you're putting up a good fight and I rather wish BG wasn't the only nation interested in taking kicks to uphold international law!)

Below the waves and closer to shore, Hyperion Squadron was just begining to re-position and its commander, comrade Captain Kay, was attempting to co-ordinate a launch on Patriot sites identified during the first barrage. Nimrod overhead again attracted minimal fire -a couple of high-altitude Citadel missiles- from the fleet screen some way behind before the submarine squadron recorded torpedoes in the water. The boats hadnt' exactly been moving quickly so soon after firing, and once acquired the two targeted vessels struggled to evade the fast weapons incoming. CS Haze and Broz were both struck, the former twice and she began to sink. Broz too was in trouble, and the squadron leader -with Kay onboard- began to withdraw in the hopes of holding together long enough to make for more secure waters. She may have to surface, the Captain considered as he received reports of multiple casualties aft.

There seemed little chance of saving the 127 men and women aboard Haze as she fell further and further below the other scattering subs, air rushing uncontrollably from her near eight thousand ton hulk.

Portmeirion began to announce preliminary news of the engagement to the world's media.

Even as the defence of the fleet was played out to bloody effect, comrade Binney was shakily administering the offensive.

Wiping his furrowed brow the Captain wished that the more senior military men due to be flown in would arrive by Mach 2 fighter rather than 300mph Preston.

"Get my Springers airborn!" He stammered. "AAERLS and, ah, Qian Wei!" The young expedition-preliminary-commander was relieved to remember. "Sink me a cruiser! ...and get those damn Nimrods down! Blind the imperialist pigs!"

"Aren't we making for shore, comrade Captain? ..Hadn't we better deal with the Patriots?"

"Oh damn the ruddy Patriots, man! We're killing everything they have that isn't already ashore, we're not letting anything else in, and then.. the People's Army and the United flaming Nations can deal with what's landed, thank the gods!"

Binney was begining to look rather pale, certainly in contrast to his jet black hair and dark eyes, noted the slightly shaken 1st Officer.

Shortly, and while the battle raged on to the north, NT1FB Springer fighter-bombers began to lift off from the three fleet carriers. Six carried 180km range AAELRS and 130km range AA-10 Alamo-C AAMs and were tasked with engaging any AWACS-type aircraft in the area that may be located outside reliable Patriot or such protection. Twelve more carried defensive AAMs and Qian Wei two anti-shipping missiles (range 130km, warhead
145kg, speed Mach 0.9 (perhaps we need new supersonic anti-shipping missiles)). These were ordered to, in Binney's words, sink him a cruiser or three, but were to break off should significant fighter cover materialise.

The Springer is a fairly agile fighter-bomber with heavy counter-meaure loadouts, 1,600kph speed, and a considerable payload.

The eight submarines of squadron Cronus continued on their course towards the enemy ships, though they had a fair way to go. Madagascar was a big island, after all.

Another surrender demand was sent to Argyllia, to its forces on Madagascar, and to its vessels off the coast. Surrender would be accepted in an hounourable fashion from a force unwilling to fight without cause, rather than from a defeated people, and prisoners of war would be treated as such until such time as their return home could be arranged in a multi-national setting.

(ooc:Insults dispensed by BG characters are at their invented peers, and not at players, of course!)

Diplomatic Communication to Argyllia from the President of Benicius:

I deeply regret the situation the people of Madagascar find themselves in and the Empire sends its condolences.

I further condemn the unjustified and vicious invasion undertaken by Argyllian forces and for the sake of peace call for the Argyllian leadership to withdraw within the the next week (24 hours RL).

In the unfortunate case that you reject the opportunity to withdraw unscathed, the forces of the Empire of Benicius will move into Madagascar to liberate those whom you would oppress.

4 CVBG's (carrier battle groups) are now standing by to await Presidential orders. I hope that you will be wise enough to stand down and leave. If not, war will ensue and the Empire has the advantage of naval dominance and the fact that you have wasted a vast amount of your arsenal.

The smart thing your excellency, would be to leave while peace still has a chance. I trust you will make the right decision.

---communication out---

OOC- Bencius, whats the point is fairly obvious Madagacar's gonna be liberated without your help. Ill launch the Seahawk strike this turn as they are a little closer :D

Today in a speach to the Parliament PM Burke was heckled by the back benchers and protests where staged in cities across Argyllia. In his address Prime Minister Burke states that the 1st Carrier Battle Group is to be deployed to Madagascar, it should reach there in 1-2 rl days (I need some extra back up). The carriers HMAS Trafalgar (lets hope it lives up to its name) and HMAS Waterloo have set sail with 60 F-35's aboard each, with the carriers are the normal complement of escorts
................

The AA missiles where alot closer this time and the pilots did not have the time to react. Nearly 200 missiles where zeroing in on their position, cries of 'Break right' and 'shed flares' where to no. The leading fighters suffered the most 14 where downed and a further 4 limped home, the only 2 remaining turned straight around and sprinted for home. Losses in the Tornado Gr.4's Squadrons where extremely bad, 2 planes had already been lost and another 15 where downed and 5 more limped home. That left 26 Tornadoes to loose their missiles at the fleet of ships before putting on the afterburner and running for home. 216 missiles flew out this time targeting the escorts as their deadly fire was reducing the effect of cruise missiles attacking the fleet.
.............

The 8 Tornado F.3's resumed a CAP over the fleet getting a direct transmission lead from the Battleships radar meaning they would be very hard to pick up ntill they fired their first shots.
............

'Both hits, sir' said the sonar man aboard the Nimrod
'Beautiful' exclaimed the captain
'Ones sinking but the other is badly damaged and may surface'
'ready the seahawks' he ordered
...........

OOC- just the missile strike to deal with, you blew down 70% of my planes :cry:

The Beth Gellen expeditionary force, like Portmeirion, was getting no word of possible surrender from the enemy.

Portmeirion
Consul Kezo requested Benicus act in the interests of global security, stating that the BG expedition was facing heavy and brutal resistance. One could only imagine how far Argyllia might go were its ambitions not halted now.

It was noticible to the few Beth Gellens able from their places of residence or work to observe CPN submarine pens that CS Duir and Birch had left home. That was unusual, all seven of the nation's ICBM-capable submarines away at once.
Their movements of course were closely protected, but of the five Liopleurodon ferox Class submarines previously scattered around the world, three of the 24,700 ton monsters were creeping up on Argyllia, while a fourth rounded the Horn towards Madagascar. In the event of this crisis not being otherwise resolved, The Commonwealth was to be ready for total war.

The air battle/frigate screen

The Beth Gellens couldn't believe that the enemy kept coming. Swooping in on the surviving Tornado, fighter pilots saw missiles begin to streak towards their ships. So many from each plane! 42 more agile AIM-113 made for the 26 Tornado on their attack run. There were 42 more where they came from, but the pilots wanted to keep something in light of the queues building up over their carriers. They might be in the air for a while yet.

Missiles were now flying in strength right for the screen. Binney's frigates were good; low signatures, highly accurate and powerful CIWS, two layers of missile defence. The incoming missiles though seemed fated to get through. They'd been launched despite two to one odds faced by their aircraft as they closed, and several of the missiles would get through. Citadel was no good against the low flying missiles at close range- the two-stage system couldn't manoeuvre quickly enough until the second stage. LY-60 low-level SAM systems were perhaps not so advanced as the attacking missiles, but each frigate was putting up ten missiles at once in its own defence. This after the mass of Puffin strike fighters had, in some desperation, attempted to engage missiles as they were leaving the Tornados. Agile SRAAMs rippled forth by the dozen, thinning the crowd just a little. It wasn't exactly cost-effective. After two layers of missile attack, powerful 30mm CIWS opened up, countermeasures flew activated once more. A couple of brave or wreckless SH-60 Seahawk helicopter pilots put their machines between home vessels and incoming missiles. Neither Seahawk, missile or helicopter, would play much further part after that.

One frigate was hit, then another..twice, another frigate suffered the terrible bad luck of four hits in quick succession. CS Aubergine was broken clean in half by the last of those hits.. Surviving frigates angrily hurled Citadel missiles at any non-friendly aircraft within 340km of the firey scene of the battle.

The BG expeditionary fleet

Meanwhile, comrade General Pangloss had arrived aboard CS Engels and was already looking over preliminary intelligence on hostile positions ashore. The coastline of Madagascar was extensive, and coming ashore with minimal gound-based resistance should be easy. Air superiority was the only real concern.

Pangloss had a rather far fetched plan for overwhelming the enemy.

A stretch of the east coast relatively far from significant Argyllian positions (I believe you only have one or two divisions left in country? And it is a country more than twice the size of the UK, as I say) was picked out. Behind it a stretch of road would likely be of significance, and a small paved airstrip certainly (again at this stage I'm just assuming you can't have a heavy military presence at every key location including about 30 paved airstrips on the island) would be key.

Pangloss explained the plan of attack. Behind his Preston were Marathon heavy transports laden with paratroopers, infantry, infantry-combat-vehicles, and all manner of support equipment. There were Marathon gunships -essentially a big-brother to the Hercules Spectre modification- and tankers enabling significant fighter support. Twenty-odd heavy transport aircraft, sixteen Hobgoblins, NT1HB Spearman heavy bombers. These bombers carried AGMs and laser-guided bombs.

This force would fly over the fleet shortly, and proceed on to Madagascar.
As the airborn force closed (ooc:so there's some time delay after the missile attack on our fleet-defence frigates) twelve further Mangonel cruise missiles were launched from the submarines not picked up in the ASW operation. Springer were now in the sky to engage any further ASW aircraft that attempted a similar raid a second time. These dozen missiles hurtled towards suspected anti-aircraft sites in the relatively weak stretch of coastline and areas just inshore from it. Shortly behind them came a dozen NT1FB Springer, armed with Parliament AGMs -a Beth Gellen equivalent to the likes of the Maverick, if slightly superior to such older missiles-. 24 precision AGMs, it was hoped, would disable local anti-aircraft defences, while the Springer hoped to survive by arriving shortly after the cruise missile strikes and firing from some way out offshore.

Right behind these strikes would come the airborn assault, with 600 paras landing close to the main road and the airstrip, any air defences near which were to have been engaged by AGMs. If there were Patriot enough to cover the whole coast, any attempting to engage the cruise missiles would be targeted by AGMs, and if they did not engage the cruise missiles and went instead for the aircraft it would mean a clear path for the cruise missiles, and either way, so said Pangloss, the local air defence grid would be crippled. Most likely there wouldn't be that much resistance anyway. It really was a big island.

Pangloss' plan didn't end here. The fleet at sea was to be used as a stepping stone for wave after wave of air assault. As one wave of fighter-bombers took off another would arrive from the BG mainland, refuel, and take off after the prior wave. They, and waves of interceptors, would land on the secured road and airstrip and establish air superiority across a vast region. Paratroopers and mechanised infantry would continue to be flown in by long range Marathon transports.

OOC- Can you psot exact details on the losses of the frigate screen and whether the helicopter carrier is unable to carry out flight operations, for future operations refrence. Also the whole of my force is concentrated around Toliara in the south so a evacuation can take place, the rest of the island is yours basically apart from the north where Roycel forces are situated.

The Tornadoes where running for home but the endless stream of fighters where taking ther toll on the fighters, 14 more fell victim to the missiles and gunfire of planes and ships alike. In total out of the total planes who formed the strike package only 11 where left.
............

The Nimrods at the first sign of enemy aircraft high tailed it back to base, after launching 4 torps in the general direction of the enemy subs they had located.
............

24 F-35 Nighthawks arrived above the Argyllian fleet although their carriers where 500 miles away extra fuel tanks allowed the F-35's to form a defensive shield around the fleet to stop air attacks.
...........

This deployment of F-35's allowwed 24 Tornado F.3's to stage their own patrol over Argyllain positions, these where the first to pick up the missiles coming towards the Argyllian, unfortunaltly they where not armed with the short range radar guided missiles which would be able to blow down the cruise missiles. Instead tha tired Patriot crews had to target the incoming missiles, they where slow in cycling through their missile launches and 4 missiles where let through. They impacted on the patriots of A and B batteries destroying 8 launchers and killing 45 men and injuring 30 more.
..........

The first two cruisers had stopped reloading and retook their positions in the fleet, the last one sandwiched itself inbetween the two ammunition ships. With this new protection the two battleships peeled off into firing positions (I thought I would fire their reserve of cruise missiles when reinforcements are close), They each fired 96 Tomahawks (96 other VLRS on each ship filled with ship-air missiles) in a period of fifteen minutes. They thought the gap left by fighters chasing away the tornadoes would leave a gap in the defences. Again the Tomahawks would target the frigate/destroyer screen.
..........

BUMP

(ooc: 's difficult to judge quite how quickly time is passing. If repositioning and reloading of missile ships is quite advanced then we can assume BG forces to be making away from the concentration of opposing forces, as we're looking now to begin landings. After all, the main objective is liberation of Madagascar rather than conflict with Argyllia.)

"The Gauntlet"

Binney's screen was taking a beating. The body of the fleet was withdrawing on a north westerly course and making fair time. The frigates though were delayed by missile strikes for which the vessels held formation and coruse in order to avoid blocking one another's line of fire. Following heavy contacts and multiple hits against their number the frigate screen counted significant losses, and helicopters were busied in rescuing comrades from the water as the screen made very gradual progress away from the scene. Eventually extra life-rafts were dropped from Seahawks and the ships and helicopters began to vanish.

CS Aubergine, broken in two by a series of missile strikes, accounted for the fleet's heaviest losses, going under with 157 hands, marines included. A second frigate was abandoned at the scene after only slightly lighter losses resulting from two hits to the superstructure. Its Captain killed, the decision to scuttle Onion had been made in some confusion, and the survivors on their rafts could be seen to paddle away with some haste, hoping that they'd not left anyone alive in the twisted wreckage over the hull.

Aboard CS Penrith crewmen generally tensed up, some closing their eyes as the thuds from Onion's self-inflicted secondary explosions reached their unwilling ears. The Penrith too was being evacuated though only after much time had been lost in an ultimately futile attempt to save her after a single hit around the waterline. Only four of her crew had been killed and a couple injured in the attack, but the rest were shaken enough that more explosions were the last thing they wanted to think about. Captain Orson was one of only a couple of dozen crew left on deck as the other two stricken frigates vanished from view and new missiles appeared over the water. She and two junior officers shared one reaction and everybody else another.

While twenty odd crewmen who'd missed the last few helicopter lifts flung themselves and their rafts overboard, the trio, Orson at their head, sprinted back inside the slowly listing frigate. As they went missiles began to detonate, Aubergine's stern, previously pointed to the sky, received that luckless vessel's fifth hit before vanishing under the waves, and crewless Onion was hit again. Orson et al succeeded in engaging one of their dying ship's five missile arrays and in alerting the withdrawing screen some miles to the north.

This was of course their last act before Penrith succumbed to a shower of cruise missiles.

The surviving vessels of the screen well appreciated the extra warning, and those sailors in the water between them put up a few heartened cheers as intercepts were made above them and to the north. Others though considered that there were too many incoming warheads for the surviving frigates to defeat every one without further losses. It might be a long while before they'd be picked-up.

Mainland Madagascar

The first stages of Pangloss' plan were coming up against little opposition. It appeared that most of the vast African island had been abandoned, which in truth only made the reality of Argyllian hostilities all the more difficult to grasp. Why had they fired on us if they meant to evacuate anyway? It was all highly suspect thought Binney as he quietly watched comrade General Pangloss enthusiastically bellowing at the communications officer. At least he's happy..

The main expeditionary force was by enlarge aware of the hammering being absorbed at the screen, and this made the relative calm hanging over their position all the more uneasy. It also did much to hasten the deployment to shore, as scores of aircraft thundered overhead.

From five of six Nibiru Class carrier/assault ships were launched landing craft laden with marines and equipment. Damaged CS Remiped found that all hands were needed just to keep the ship nominally operational, and marines had been pressed into service as mannual labour, lifting wreckage from hangars and trying to free up systems rendered temporarily inactive. Deploying her landing craft or helicopters right now was out of the question, and though her surviving strike fighters had landed refueling and rearming them was taking an exceptionally long time.

Still, fifteen landing craft headed to the coast, a couple of frigates moving as close as they could while most cover was provided on wings and rotors. In total more than six-hundred paratroopers exited eight Marathon heavy transports, 2,250 marines prepared to come ashore, and as the former made to secure a small airport with a paved runway, several hundred more soldiers and tons of supplies closed in.

The Beth Gellens watching from sea and sky thought it all rather impressive, and couldn't help wondering how this world was so full of multi-million man invasions and landings so much larger. This was a massive undertaking in its own right.

Offensive operations against Argyllian assets were not relaunched on a wide scale as Portmeirion tried anew for some sort of diplomatic end. After all, Commonwealth forces were coming ashore now, and a military end was surely to follow.

Call off your offensive operations or we shall start anew, came CCC Chivo's message as massive BG reinforcements became visible from Mauritius' eastern islands. Frigates. Frigates, frigates and more frigates. The Commonwealth had almost four hundred of them, and almost all were concentrated prior to this crisis not far east of Mauritius. Who could say how many submarines lay below the massive second wave of deployment? The Commonwealth had more than three hundred of those, too. There could be seen hydrofoil missile boats too, and more carrier/assault ships.

It occured to Chivo as he insisted upon resolution to the crisis that the BG liberation effort to Madagascar would end up costing a monetary sum greater than the GDP of the contested republic.

Current Situation:

http://f5.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/UBccQF7bb7P3ofoxVpH1Jr6zQ1bhCeNJ0LbEsMk_YcCam-0tNMqc19M9pmUHXwRAsB-zZCz6UJhO3axkJUcEfg/ma-map.gif

---Liberation Forces Enter Madagascar---

After Argyllia and BG have been wasting their arsenals against one another, the President of the Empire has authorised the liberation of the people on Madagascar.

50 Icarus F-25's from the RBNS (Royal Benician Navy Ship) Hadrian were launched against the western city of Morondara and 50 Icarus F-25's from the RBNS Marcellus against the capital Antananarivo.

Landing craft in the dead of night (from the CVBG's) arrived on the coast of Madagascar just out of Morondava with some 2,000 men and equipment. The 5,000 troops landing just south-east of the capital on the opposite side of Madagascar are to meet up with an additional 1,000 troops and armour coming in from the south.

The plan is to cut off the north from the south and force Argyllian forces either way.

The 4 CVBG's will lauch further attacks if Argyllia does not withdraw.

ooc:Wow wow, just a second.. the BG fleet is off the east coast somewhere in the middle of the island slightly towards the north (as explained by our previous heading) so the landing south-east of Antananarivo is right on top of our landing already underway. That doesn't mean our forces can't co-operate as Portmeirion was trying to arrange, but as we'd had no communication from you, a Benicius fleet moving silently towards our heavily engaged forces would be asked to halt or at least engage in some official communication first.
I'm not sure from your post if you realise that Argyllia has all but withdrawn to the south of the island- attacks on Antananarivo are likely to meet with overwhelming BG resistance in defence of the Malagasy people.

OOC: Sorry I haven't posted for a few days, but I'm overseas and not always near a PC. Roycelandia's forces haven't left, however- they're well established in the North of the country, with considerable AA defences and the Roycelandian Air Force and Imperial Navy supporting their efforts.

Large quantities of arms have been stashed on the Island to aid future rebels, fire-bombs have been placed to ruin crops and jungles.

Provisional Command has been established at Analalava, and there are over 30,000 Roycelandian Soldiers in Madagascar (rapid deployment facilitated by proximity to Roycelandian East Africa).

At this stage, there are no signs of the Colonial Expeditionary Forces advancing any further south, and the Roycelandian Fleet remains off the North-West Coast.

OOC: I'll apologise now for the infrequent posts- I have no idea how often I'll be near a PC, so don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for a few days...)

ooc:Wow wow, just a second.. the BG fleet is off the east coast somewhere in the middle of the island slightly towards the north (as explained by our previous heading) so the landing south-east of Antananarivo is right on top of our landing already underway. That doesn't mean our forces can't co-operate as Portmeirion was trying to arrange, but as we'd had no communication from you, a Benicius fleet moving silently towards our heavily engaged forces would be asked to halt or at least engage in some official communication first.
I'm not sure from your post if you realise that Argyllia has all but withdrawn to the south of the island- attacks on Antananarivo are likely to meet with overwhelming BG resistance in defence of the Malagasy people.

[Our fleet arrived several weeks ago (as stated) and you did not give coordinates for your position. Our CVBG's are in international waters anyway. However, Argyllia did not state it was pulling out nor have you stated that you took certain cities. The President has decided to act on this. Please declare what you do have and where exactly.]

ooc: BG as I said in one of the earliest reactions to the invasion is just east of Madagascar and having only south and west coasts almost the entire fleet was on hand to deploy quickly.. as such we've been off the east coast of Madagascar through the entire span of foreign deployments in the crisis.
Argyllia has stated that its forces were pulling out to some degree. I believe an entire division departed and, as he just said, only the south is seriously occupied by his forces (and the far north by Roycelandian), which is why many of my characters are rather baffled by Argyllia's attack on our fleet.
BG marine and airborn forces are landing on the east coast, and previously very specific locations were not given as -with enemy withdrawls and inaction by all other parties- they were not needed. That we were in the broadly-termed 'middle' of the eastern coastal waters and heading north west does mean of course that we're somewhere just south east of Antananarivo.
We haven't taken any cities, mainly because there's no need to liberate Malagasy cities under Malagasy administration.
Roycelandia's north, Argyllia's south, BG's east, and so far as we previously new, Benicus was interested, possibly deployed in the vague area to some degree, and not certainly remaining involved in light of the fact that the nation initially reacted under the assumption that Madagascar was property of some NS country, which in this time-line it turned out not to be.

(excuse the run-on sentence, if you would)

OOC- I have stated that Argyllian forces have withdrawn to the Toliara beachhead. Only 2 Divisions are left in the country with a powerful airgroup and a large fleet off shore. I was going with 3 days to a real life day, plenty of time to reload a cruiser
...............

The two cruisers launched another set of cruise missiles against the enemy fleet, 192 Tomahawks where programmed to descend to 60 feet above the water when they came within 30 miles of the frigates. (From all the missiles I've launched 3 frigates and 1 oiler have been sunk). A message came through saying the Carrier Battle Group would reach them tommorrow.
..............

Official cummunication to the government of Beth Gellert

We are willing to settle this war diplomatically, we will send a team of negoiaters to your capital. All hostilities will cease in 24 hours if you agree to settle down to the negociaiting table.

from Forgein Minister Jack Fordham

ooc:Where exactly is the Argyllian fleet now? If its anywhere near the lang forces the missiles have many hundreds of km to go and will have to go right over the island itself, won't they?
Uf. If three days have passed then BG reinforcements are well arrived and there are hundreds upon hundreds of counter missiles in each wave, and the whole fleet is probably near a thousand km from the launch point.. plus there's land based systems down by now. I'd be surprised if any cruise missiles can get within thirty miles of the fleet ('s what happens when you start on a nation (on its own doorstep) with eight or nine times the GDP of the US and proportionally higher defence spending!) I sort of feel bad for reporting fairly low losses (though they are heavy by our standards and will probably continue to play on the national psyche for years), but I think that in reality the attackers would have had even less chance than here. With our numbers and the range of our weapons I'm not convinced the enemy would have been able to loose any of the airborn missiles before everything was destroyed, but.. eh, in the end it doesn't matter as the result will be the same and the fight has been hard.


ic:The landings had gone well. Binney was feeling something beyond relief, and Pangloss beyond satisfaction. CS-500 batteries had rolled out and set up by early the second afternoon, which turned out to be a prudent decision. True, the mainland was guarded mainly by CS-400 for now, but no one was terribly worried- there were a lot of CS-400s. With more than 600km acquisition range, the CS-500 radars of the eight deployed batteries were quick to detect incoming cruise missiles in more than enough time to scramble fighters from the airstrip and from ten assorted carriers now off-shore.

Thirty-two CS-500 launch vehicles burst into life, hurling almost a hundred of The Commonwealth's most advanced -and expensive- missiles into the African sky. These having thinned out the crowd of cruise missiles more than a little left the Citadel systems of a heavily re-inforced frigate force a less daunting task as the two-stage missiles flew to the end of their booster range still way ahead of the incoming missiles' dive-point.

Comrade General Pangloss, now ashore with the BGEF near the coast south east of Antananarivo scanned the updates before him with some satisfaction. He wasn't an economist. He was though rather keen to get at his foe.

While the survivng Argyllian cruise missiles were still nearly 200km from their targets, Pangloss responded to the communiqué sent his government, suggesting that if it were at all possible the Argyllians should bring down their own missiles before his more fiscally-minded comrades became upset at the mounting cost of shooting them down. He also added -again without authorisation from Portmeirion- that belated cease-fire and negotiation were not of much interest in the war against terror and imperialism. In short, he said, this was the absolute last chance for Argyllian commanders in the field to cry, "Sauve qui peut!" and to flee, lest they be rolled-over on the field of battle and killed or captured to a man.

Evidently there was no point to Pangloss' arrogant insistance that the missiles be aborted, as a second wave of Citadel, a first flight of shore-based DRAR-1, and then more than three hundred assorted air-launched missiles made sure that every last cruise missile had been taken down more than a hundred kilometres short of their targets.

256 Mangonel cruise missiles burst from the ocean all around Madagascar as SAM sites, air strips, and marine-positions were targeted by four squadrons of Anunkai recently crossed out of New Tiamatian waters as part of the reinforcement.

Shortly following the launch of missles, the surviving six nuclear hunter submarines of the squadron hit by Argyllian ASW operations began their attacks on Argyllian shipping. A dozen Qian Wei anti-shipping missiles from three subs near seventy km out, and an attempt to close for torpedo attacks by the other three more advanced vessels. The hope was that ASW assets would have been scrambled in futile pursuit of the distant and scattered 32 subs involved in the cruise missile strikes, allowing the six survivors of Hyperion a chance to engage and escape.

Apparently The Commonwealth was not delighted to have been assaulted by a little upstart imperialist state, and clearly Pangloss and Portmeirion meant business.

OOC-South of Madagascar

The subs missiles where deteced on Radar straight away as they left the
surface and immeaditly the outpost frigates opened fire with the most advanced air defence missile in the Argyllian arsenel the Aster90 (so called because 90 nm is its range) the first wave of 20 missiles destroyed all 12 missiles targeting the fleet. Straight afterwards 5 Merlin ASW where launched and began ASW operations in the vecinity of the subs. When they got positive contacts they launched their full complement of 2 Mk-12 torpedoes each.
............

The 12 Nimrods of the 1st Patrol Squadron where scrambled and inside 10 mins where airborne, within 2 hours they had reached suspected launch sites and laid torpedoes in the water. A total of 28 Mk-12's where fired at suspect subs
............

Alot of missiles entered the kill zone of the fleet and the Aster90 went to their deadly work knocking down missile after missile. The Tornadoes over the Argyllian positions where vectored onto the missiles path, they launched their short range radar guied missiles and again the missiles began to explode in the sky. A total of 140 had been shot down before any missiles had reached 50 miles of the Argyllian positions
............

The evacuation had began in earnst, the 7th Infnatry had pulled out and began loading onto ships in the harbour of Toliara. The perimeter had been shortened even more with only the 10th Infantry still dug in.
............

The cargo ships carrying the infantry beagn to move away from the docks with full airsupport overhead, they where due to arrive back in Argyllia inside 2 days.
............

We are withdrawing and willing for hostilities to cease the choice is yours.

Analalava, Roycelandian Madgascar

Commander Holland read the intelligence report and sighed. So, the Argyllians had lost interest? Roycelandia would not be so fickle.

Whilst it would have been nice to have the whole country, they could content themselves with just the North... for now.

"Tell the troops that, until further notice, we are to proceed with Napalm Winter."

"Of course, Sir" his aide replied, and backed out of the room to ensure it was done.

Meanwhile, Roycelandian Spies were observing the Argyllian withdrawl and taking notes...

Hyperion squadron wasn't expecting much of its limited missile attack. Before its Qian Weis had been shot-down the squadron was coming about and preparing to withdraw. Confirmation of the failure was met with a hurried scattering of subs. The troubled squadron wasn't out of the woods, though, as two further of its number suffered heavy damage from torpedoes, forcing one to the surface where it raised a white flag in the hopes of being left alone in light of reported withdrawls, the advanced nature of which was yet unknown to the submariners.

A single squadron had suffered damage enough to force withdrawl from action of four nuclear submarines, losing one forever. Beth Gellert was already feeling bitter over the world's inaction, that having forced The Commonwealth in to hasty and poorly-supported action.

The other Anunkai squadrons however had yet to suffer directly. By the time enemy Nimrods reached suspected launch areas the vessels were near sixty miles away and scattered from four disparate locations.

---

Portmeirion, unaware of the exact nature of comrade General Pangloss' threats, extended to the Argyllian government offer of immediate cease-fire.

Iskra!, the BG national media organisation, began to broadcast at home, in Madagascar, and across the world news of Madagascar's liberation. Commonwealth Chief Consul comrade Chivo promised the Malagasy people a return to normalcy and the restoration of their own elected government This was a gesture likely intended to show Argyllia that it would not be allowed to detain Malagasy officials, and Roycelandia that it would not be administering any part of Madagascar.

---

With land-based anti-aircraft defences building-up elements of the reinforced frigate-screen had begun to redeploy along sealanes between Madagascar and New Tiamat. They were joined by two corvettes of the Royal Victoria Salvadorian Navy as well as Nimrod and helicopters of same. A small contribution from BG's uneasy neighbour, but one of perhaps more political significance than its modest strength otherwise provides.

Along these busy routes military and merchant shipping was ever increasing as the full military might of The People's Commonwealth came to bear.

The BGEF was flinging-out small units in UAZs, light trucks, and infantry combat vehicles, their crews tasked with reassuring the Malagasy of their safety and with coaxing the People's Armed Forces and Gendarmerie back into operation. With local assistance GSIC agents were already begining to infiltrate the Roycelandian occupied north on itelligence-gathering missions. Many of the Beth Gellen agents were first and second generation Malagasy immigrants, and blended with ease.

(And I would go on but the chippy should be opening about now and I want me some cod!)

Argyllia wishes to stop all hostilties and is willing to declare a cease fire immeaditly, the sub on the surface is to close to our fleet and we demand it be scuttled and the crew will be put on a frigate and transported to your fleet.

BUMP

BUMP

Portmeirion, having agreed to a cease-fire with Argyllia, engaged in a series of minor diplomatic protests at being asked to scuttle one of its Anunkai Class nuclear submarines.


Off Southern Madagascar-

Stricken CS Merlin had four wound amongst its more than six score hands, and frankly those three men and one woman had been lucky to escape the fire that almost consumed them. While Portmeirion attempted to delay so long as was possible, comrade Captain Woodhay addressed his crew.

"Comrades, I think we're all agreed that Merlin wasn't built to sink on request of a few million imperialistic cappies."

A ripple of agreement met the Captain's words.

"But we aren't aiming to create another international incident here.. there have been enough casualties. We all know that one of our Hyperion sisters was lost, but since we've been surfaced you also know that there's been communication from Portmeirion.. the surface fleet has taken losses too.. ships and aircraft.

"So we aren't about to re-start fighting now. You're getting picked up, possibly by the Argys, and you're getting the wounded back to Beth.

"Of course I can't 'scuttle' the boat on my own, so I'll need volunteers.. and someone in my size.."

Porthmadog, Beth Gellert

The military port was beyond busy as unit after unit of the People's Army and the Gellert Sentinels shipped out to Madagascar. Cease-fire may be enacted with Argyllia, but Portmeirion was not ignorant of recent Roycelandian history, and did heavy trade with at least one neighbour of that nation's regional colonies.

Amongst the chaos one merchant vessel stood out no more than any other, even one flying an African flag of convenience and carrying a concealed minisub.

Roycelandian Troops have consolodated their position in Northern Madagascar, and a provisional government has been established in Analalava.

So far, Colonisation has been limited owing to the security climate, but thus far Roycelandia is maintain a state of Active Defence against attacks.

The Imperial Navy still has two Cruisers and a Battleship in the area, and the Imperial Maritime Air Service is operating Anti-Sub patrols with the Sunderland Flying Boats in the area (Location, not attacking).

The Empire of Benicius has removed its troops from Madagascar and is returning home. No further action shall be taken.

Madagascar

The BGEF under comrade General Pangloss was now well established in the Republic. The Commonwealth's persistant calls for international mediation in the return of power in Madagascar to the Malagasy people, along with its re-arming of the People's Armed Forces and the Gendarmerie have done much to earn trust. By contrast the Roycelandians have arrived on agreement with Madagascar's attackers and militarily over-seen the destruction of the Republic's democratic government and the imposition of a puppet regime in the north.

The Republic's outnumbered and outgunned invaders couldn't win a propaganda war anymore than they could survive a shooting war, it seemed.

So why did they remain?

Portmeirion again sent to Roycelandia calling for their withdrawl from Madagascar.

Sanctions against both Roycelandia and its east African colonies were openly debated in the Local Senate system across The People's Commonwealth, while Consuls continued to seek UN or other civilised intervention.

Ten of The Commonwealth's Hyena Class Expeditionary Transports had made their first runs to Madagascar. At Mananjary (ooc:IRL there are few serious ports on the east coast, but of course that is because there is next to no trade from the middle of the Indian Ocean.. New Tiamat offers a trade bloc much much bigger than any in the real world and so I'm assuming cities such as Mananjary are now developed ports.. if they weren't before BG would long since have funded expansion anyway. In this universe we're probably one of the Republic's biggest trade partners.) the 47,000 ton Hyenas had disembarked massive reinforcements.

Off shore were numerous support ships. Tankers, transports, provisions ships, as well as the combat assets. An impressive 62,000 ton Ysbyty hospital ship could be seen rising from the eastern horizon.

Five hundred MT-3 Hotan main battle tanks were variously lined up around the harbour and slowly filing west, and with them trucks, UAZs, ICVs, light tanks, engineering vehicles, 152mm mechanised artillery, and mobile AAA/SAM units. Fuel was being pumped from a Brompton Class support tanker to trucks on the quayside and helicopters clattered overhead in the deployment of replenishment stocks to preliminary units further inland.

Sentinels operating alongside Republican forces were dotted across the northern end of the island, setting up observation posts as soon as they drew near to the southern most Roycelandian positions. They were tasked with providing a visible barrier to Roycelandian expansion, though most of the observation was in truth carried out from the air, from space, and by native and GSIC agents in the occupied region.

The first light tanks entered Antananarivo, Malagasy People's Defence Force personnel riding atop the Beth Gellen vehicles. Airports across the centre of the island were stretched to their limits by Commonwealth air assets as the Malagasy people began to enjoy protection close to that expected by Beth Gellen nationals.

BG forces also moved south, edging forwards as the Argyllians withdrew.

(ooc:Has anything been achieved by Argyllia? Will the Malagasy have anything to complain about? Will we find that anything has happened, generally or specifically speaking?)

Roycelandia has established a provisional Government in Analalava, and has been rapdily improving the quality of life of Malagasy people in Northern Madagascar.

There is talk of extending citizenship to them, Malagasy people make up the police service, and all civil rights are being maintained.

OOC: In short, the people of Northern Madagascar are not being mistreated, and the border with Southern Madagascar is open, although closely guarded...

As Pangloss' force on the ground in Madagascar grew ever larger Portmeirion again insisted that Roycelandia cease its illegal occupation of northern Madagascar.

The Beth Gellen capital was of course by now joined by Antananarivo and the democratic government of the Republic of Madagascar in calling for the invaders' immediate withdrawl.

Order was restored across the liberated sectors of the island and trade was again flowing through the republic between New Tiamat and mainland Africa. Comrade General Pangloss was joined there by comrade Air Marshal Chattington, while comrade Captain Binney continued to command the naval forces on hand.

Despite losses taken in the campaign to remove Argyllia, Binney's improvised first fleet-command looked likely to make him a member of the Admiralty before long.

As thousands of personnel and billions of shillings worth of equipment flowed into Madagascar, Portmeirion released a preliminary report on losses taken during the Argyllian assault on Binney's fleet.

Published by Iskra! it would prompt the begining of Senate moves for fleet expansion, especially in offensive capability. It was increasingly felt that the fleet suffered from its inability to finish-off a weaker adversory before it was able to launch a second strike.

BG losses-

Brand new 12,000 ton 74 hand support tanker CS Brompton hit by two anti-shipping missiles and sunk.
Anunkai Class nuclear hunter-killer submarine CS Haze of Hyperion Squadron hit by two air-launched torpedoes and lost with all 127 hands.
Anunkai Class nuclear hunter-killer submarine CS Broz of Hyperion Squadron hit by air-launched torpedo and forced to withdraw from action.
Anunkai Class nuclear hunter-killer submarine CS Merlin of Hyperion Squadron hit by air-launched torpedo and forced to surface, four hands wounded.
Anunkai Class nuclear hunter-killer submarine CS Venius of Hyperion Squadron hit by air-launched torpedo and forced to withdraw from action.
Nibiru Class carrier assault-ship Remiped hit by anti-shipping missile; two Ka-52 helicopter-gunships destroyed, 9 hands lost, flight deck put temporarily out of action.
Gauntlet Class fleet defence frigate CS Aubergine hit by four anti-shipping missiles and broken in two before a fifth hit to the sinking stern; 157 hands lost including marines.
Gauntlet Class fleet defence frigate CS Onion scuttled after two missile-hits to the superstructure; 124 hands lost.
Gauntlet Class fleet defence frigate CS Penrith sunk by anti-shipping missile hit on waterline; 7 hands killed including comrade Captain Orson and two of her junior officers, all three since made Heroes of The Commonwealth.
Gauntlet Class fleet defence frigate CS Centaur damaged by anti-shipping missile; 2 hands killed.
Gauntlet Class fleet defence frigate CS Daffodil crippled by two anti-shipping missiles; 9 hands killed; ship towed home with skeleton crew.
18 Puffin strike-fighters lost in air-to-air combat against some sixty Argyllian Tornadoes. 15 pilots killed.

CS Brompton, Haze, Aubergine, Onion, Penrith sunk.
CS Broz, Merlin, Venius, Remiped Centaur, Daffodil damaged; last likely to be decommissioned.

5 vessels sunk; 1 support tanker, 1 nuclear hunter-killer submarine, 3 fleet defence frigates.
32,000 tons of shipping sunk.
3 nuclear hunter-killer submarines damaged, 2 fleet defence frigates damaged, 1 carrier assault-ship damaged.
Almost 50,000 additional tons of shipping put temporarily out of action.
20 aircraft destroyed.
524 ship’s crew, pilots, and marines killed.
106 Service men and women wounded.

The Roycelandian Expeditionary Forces have considerably expanded their presence in Northern Madagascar, and the Provisional Government is considering elections to decide whether Northern Madagascar will be an Imperial Colony with internal self-rule, a la Roycelandian East Africa, or whether it will be a semi-autonomous protectorate.

The Imperial Government has issued a statement to the effect that it does not regard its occupation of Northern Madagascar as illegal in any way, referring to the agreement between Roycelandia and Argyllia- providing Roycelandia control of the island for rendering military assistance to Argyllia.

The fact that the Argyllians have left Southern Madagascar and ceded control to Beth Gellert is not in dispute, but Northern Madagascar remains Roycelandian, and shall do so for the foreseeable future.

Commonwealth Chief Consul comrade Chivo has corrected the Roycelandian government on its assertion that control of southern Madagascar has been ceded to Beth Gellert. In fact the Republic of Madagascar has been returned to self rule under its previously elected government excepting for the northern end of the mainland which remains under illegal Roycelandian occupation.

Roycelandia will not over-see elections of any sort in Madagascar, as it has absolutely no place to do so and no authority over the republic. Its (Roycelandia's) forces, said the Chief Consul, will shortly be departing the island, either as part of a full withdrawl, a disorderly retreat, a column of prisoners-of-war, or a procession of war-dead.

The BGEF in Madagascar is now a full 420,000 strong, making it already the second largest military deployment in The Commonwealth's many centuries of history. That figure excludes ship's crew on the scores of transport, fleet defence, and bombardment vessels off-shore.

Chivo warned that the BGEF, in the depressing absence of UN intervention, is prepared to forcibly remove the invaders of the Malagasy republic from same. If, he said, Roycelandia proves itself to be a true rogue state in resisting the liberation of the Malagasy people then The Commonwealth will be duty bound to continue the liberation of those suffering under said rogue's domination. By this, it was later clarified, Chivo referenced the potential removal of Roycelandian influence from mainland Africa, and potentially the eventual over-throw of its rogue government at home.

This of course may be avoided simply by the peaceful withdrawl of Roycelandia's invading armies in Madagascar, which would clearly be best for all.

Portmeirion made one further appeal to the international community for proper intervention before sending to Roycelandia that if it would not be amicable then a deadline must be set. Consul comrade N.Kezo spoke of a possible blockade of both northern Madagascar and Roycelandian East Africa.

Meanwhile, and without public reference, GSIC agents put ashore in Lusaka.

ooc:I know that you've said you don't want the RP spreading to your other colonies, so I shall respect that ooc provided that you are reasonable about it ic.. that is to say, though I myself may know that the conflict can't spread, and you the same, there is absolutely no reason ic why BG could not threaten it, and no reason that Roycelandia would not have to bear it in mind and consider it a real responsibility. That is to say, you have a lot to loose by hanging on in Madagascar, and your government would have to consider that conflict here will lead to a nation twice your size with its home base in the western Indian ocean fully intending to liberate your east African colonies. I hope that makes sense? (That's a genuine hope, not some sort of sarcasm)

Roycelandia has decided, after extensive consultation and security consideration, to withdraw from Madagascar in stages.

Stage I, commencing immediately, is withdrawl from rural areas north of Antananarivo.

Stage II is withdrawl from non-major cities in the area

Stage III is total withdrawl, and may not be complete for some time.

More information as it comes to hand...

Portmeirion has expressed cautious satisfaction at news of a Roycelandian withdrawl, but continues to urge haste so as to allow the Malagasy people to rebuild their normal lives.

Some close to comrade General Pangloss have thought they noticed some disappointment about the old soldier's countenance, but he has in any case set confidently to his new task. Beth Gellen and Malagasy troops have begun to creep forward, officially liberating further pieces of rural Madagascar and receiving much fanfare in the process.

http://www.tsara.com/tsara/images/english_pix/culture/famd/Untitled-2.gif
Malagasy people dance in the streets as personnel of the People's Armed Forces and BGEF approach

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/36227000/jpg/_36227568_madsoldiersap300.jpg
Native soldiers humiliated by Argyllian and Roycelandian assault and oppression now protect their own land once again

The Roycelandian Government, having made a show of good faith, wishes to known when the Beth Gellerten Government will be withdrawing as well?

Questions have been raised in Roycelandia's Parliament regarding what guarantees Roycelandia has that Beth Gellert will leave at all, as it would be unacceptable for Roycelandia to withdraw completely and leave Madagascar in BG hands- after all, they are just as foreign to Madagascar as Roycelandia....

The BGEF will withdraw when Portmeirion is satisfied that the immediate imperialist threat to Madagascar has faded, and certainly not before Roycelandian forces are gone from the republic.

Antananarivo's pre-existing democratic rule has been re-established across all of Madagascar outside Roycelandian domination regardless of BG presence. Evidently similar is not true in the areas still occupied by Roycelandia.

GSIC operatives have further begun to speculate over gross Roycelandian mistreatment of the Malagasy people and of the delicate and unique environment on the island. Portmeirion, being aware that the Roycelandian government is a political entity with its own agendas, is increasingly far from impressed by the nation's "gestures of good will".

Comrade General Pangloss' light mechanised infantry squads, previously tasked almost alone, but for some Malagasy light infantry, with the liberation of what land has thus far been evacuated by the imperialists, are now being joined by much larger detachments of the BGEF. This in a clear effort to convince the invaders to hasten their withdrawl lest Commonwealth patience expire.

Portmeirion also announced long-term military aid to the Republic of Madagascar so that it may in future better defend against imperialsm. Many reactivated soldiers from Republican forces are already operating with the benefit of Beth Gellen light munitions and supplies, but in joint exercises in Madagascar's vast wilderness they could be seen to train with Beth Gellen weapons.

SVD sniper rifles, countless RPG-7s with various warheads, modified AKM with burst adaptors and sometimes grenade launchers, 5.45mm Negev LMG copies, light mortars, and even SA-18 SAMs are now reaching Madagascar's under-funded military.

The mentioned exercises saw Commonwealth helicopter gunships supporting Malagasy infantry and Beth Gellen armour, tanks and artillery on gunnery practice, ground-attack runs by BG fighter bombers, and even missile-launches and air intercepts.

There are now two armoured divisions and three light mechanised infantry brigades moving through land only just vacated by the Roycelandians, while the main BGEF lingers south.

Stage II of Roycelandia's withdrawl has been delayed pending some sort of concession by BG forces.

"At this stage we have no proof whatsoever that BG will honour their agreement to leave Madagascar. Accordingly, Stage II of our Withdrawl has been temporarily postponed." a Roycelandian Spokeswoman said today.

"As soon as we get some proof BG will leave, we'll be on our merry ways" she continued, reminding those present that the Imperial Defence Forces will not be held accountable for their actions.

(Argh, I just lost my post.. damn this mouse wheel! I pasted instead of copying!)

CCC comrade Chivo has sent yet another communiqué to Roycelandia's government.

This time is expressed the lack of Roycelandian authority to demand or even to expect any concession to result from its invasion of the Republic of Madagascar. Beth Gellert is in no position requiring it to give any concession.

None the less, concession has already been granted in that Roycelandia's invasion force remains intact, Roycelandia's previous victims remain under that nation's domination, and the nation itself remains under the rule of its wreckless government.

Subtle hints, demands, and gestures all aside, comrade General Pangloss has received orders to begin an advance to the north coast, "not sooner than three hours from this moment, nor later than forty-five there after, pending final authorisation from Antananarivo, that being expected prior to expiry of the former period."

In short, the Beth Gellen Expeditionary Force and Malagasy People's Armed Forces are set to advance into Roycelandian held territory within two days, and since it is the Republic of Madagascar, forces encountered outside of Malagasy control shall be treated as hostile and engaged as such. Should war result from this then Roycelandia shall be held responsible and proven to be a destabilising imperialist threat to peace around the world, and as such shall be relieved of its imperial holdings and force projection abilities at the very least.

With 420,000 soldiers of the People's Army currently in Madagascar and just one third of the People's Navy's expeditionary strength engaged in their support, Portmeirion has had little trouble freeing-up a secondary force. The first elements* there of have rounded Cape Vohimena and progressed up the western half of the Mozambique Channel, destination Lusakan Tanga.

Roycelandia will effect a total climb-down or prepare as an enemy of peace and freedom to accept the life, however brutally short, it has chosen.

*1 Brompton Class support tanker, 1 Palemon Class heavy support ship, 1 Restoration Class submarine tender, suggesting sub-surface forces (which consist of two Anunkai Class nuclear submarines and four Hound Class D/E submarines), 1 Hyena Class expeditionary transport of the sort recently seen to unload 500 AV's each on Madagascar, 1 Nibiru Class light carrier assault ship, 2 Bodkin Class hunter frigates, 1 Trebuchet Class bombard frigate, 5 Gauntlet Class fleet defence frigates.

Roycelandian Troops are now fortifying their positions in major towns north of Antananarivo. Sympathetic Locals, trained by Roycelandian troops are backing them up.

A short and terse Communique from Roycelandian Expeditionary Force Command to Roycelandian Imperial Defence HQ in Port Royal has indicated that the Troops in Madagascar will mutiny if ordered to withdraw.

KNOWN Roycelandian Assets in Madagascar:

2 Battlecruisers

6 Corvettes

48 IAe Spitfire Fighter Aircraft

18 IAe Sunderland Flying Boats (Anti-Submarine/Shipping or Transport duties)

4 AC-47 Gunships

5 C-47 Transport Planes

12 CAF Lancaster Heavy Bombers

12 IAe-1J Iroquois Helicopter Gunship/Transports

250 Emperor Class Heavy Tanks (120mm main gun)

"..sympathetic locals, purportedly.. no..I didn't think so. We shall, thank you com..ah.. Prime Minister Sylla."

Pangloss exhaled sharply and glanced at his assembled staff on replacing the handset.

"That was Antananarivo." He started, setting less than surprised eyes rolling.

"Comrades" The General continued with a nod to General Mamizara. "We are under orders."

Pangloss and his deputies waited for a reaction from the Madagascarn commander, which quickly came in the form of a confident nod, before saluting one another and filing out of the improvised BGEF HQ.

_____

There had been some speculation provided by Malagasy and GSIC agents in the north on ill discipline in the Roycelandian ranks, and talk of mutiny. This was taken to mean that the troops or their commanders might refuse to fight for their self-serving imperialist government one the binational force arrived to confront them. After all, their were few other possibilities- the average rank and file Roycelandian had nothing invested in Madagascar, and no reason to fight for it.
Roycelandian propaganda surrounding its mens' willingness to fight to the last for whatever cause happened to be flavour of the day -Portmeirion had closely followed the Lusakan border crisis- was obviously quite without foundation, they had no more reason to fight in this situation than the Italians did in North Africa during the second world war.

The Malagasy though were fighting for their homes and for their freedom, and the Beth Gellens against imperialism on their very doorstep, facing a foe that had been seen several times in opposition to not only freedom but to the international revolution itself.

Plus the BGEF had ground-based anti-aircraft defences enough to take out every Roycelandian aircraft on the island in a single volley, several battle tanks to every one Roycelandian AV, without even considering the superiority of the MT-3's 125mm BGMkIII gun to any 120mm known.

Yes, the Roycelandians would give up the futile and pointless fight once they realised their position. It would be a bloody shame if they should fight on.

_____
General Pangloss of the BGEF and General Mamizara of the Republic of Madagascar issued one last statement to the Roycelandian forces on Madagascar. Antananarivo, as the centre of government on the island, wanted withdrawl of their unwelcome forces. A joint army was moving to liberate the north of Madagascar, and the lack of communication from Roycelandia's government meant that the forces there were being treated as hostile. This was the last chance for the Roycelandian force to issue a statement of immediate intent to withdraw before surrender became the only option. If such a communiqué was not received immediately then actions under way to cripple the Roycelandian force would not be stopped until surrender was granted or all were destroyed.

____

Under the waves of the Indian Ocean Anunkai Squadrons Coeus and Themis fanned out into attack formations, the sixteen vessels creeping almost silently onwards sixty-four Qian Wei anti-shipping missiles launch ready, prepared to deploy at anything up to 130km from the Roycelandian vessels.

On the surface the massive wall of Commonwealth frigates began to advance, some sixty fleet-defence Gauntlets heading up the visible deployment, with two dozen Bodkin hunter frigates amongst them.

On Madagascar massive forward elements of the BGEF –the Fourth East Gibborim Rifles and the First and Second Portmeirion Armoured Brigades- formed up for the advance. Glancing back from a low rise, comrade Fusilier Gothberg felt an uncomfortable chill at the sight of so much mechanised and rocket artillery. If the Malagasy and GSIC had done their jobs in designating targets, the Royce wouldn’t have a chance. Gothberg was as apprehensive of the jarring mess that might confront him and his comrades as he was of the prospect of joining battle for the first time since the Nicobarese Marines had been driven form Parmis all those years ago. His unit was still almost twenty kilometres from the south most Roycelandian positions yet reported, but Gothberg had seen Commonwealth armour move on exercise plenty of times, and as he headed for the back of his squad’s ICV twenty kilometres felt just strides away. The roar of jet aircraft overhead, whipped by the churning of Mi-28 rotors seemed to spur the soldier aboard his vehicle.

Dozens of Commonwealth fighter bombers and interceptors were already airborne, hoping to receive orders to reactivate safeties before it was too late.

Far above the earth, People’s Kosmonautical Co-operative anti-satellite weapons moved unannounced, repositioning to attack Roycelandian spy satellites over the contested region, while others targeted communications satellites. Some engaged thrusters and moved directly towards isolated Royce satellites, limpet mines at the ready. Other, larger satellites locked-on with high-powered (though of admittedly limited endurance time) lasers and light rockets and engaged.

(ooc:All BG orbital weapons are capable of limited engagement of other space-born targets only, and we haven’t any futuristic orbital artillery or anything with which to bombard your capital, don’t worry. And over-all I know this operation to be a massive expense, but it is not the sort of thing that BG engages in every year. I don’t believe we’ve fought a serious battle since the revolution, which happened..I think before Roycelandia even arrived at nation states, though as the profile should state, military spending has remained ‘amongst’ our priorities owing to the proximity of several large and intermittently hostile powers.)

Somewhere near Analalava, Roycelandian Madagascar

The assembled Native Troops were visibly nervous, not at the prospect of seeing action against a Foreign Power, but at the thought that the incompetent Former Regime might be re-established. Given a choice between Imperial Roycelandia and Malagasy Republic, they had chosen to throw their lot in with Roycelandia.

In return they had been armed, fed, and trained. For the first time, they felt like Men, as opposed to Villagers.

Commander Holland read the communique from Port Royal.

"They're saying that, effective from 1200 hours Thursday, we're on our own and HQ is denying all knowledge of our actions. The Foreign Legion will be assisting us from then on, and Das Uber-Deutschland is also going to lend material assistance from Mombasa. More importantly, it says that we are not to attempt strikes on Beth Gellerten Homelands under any circumstances- the conflict is for Madagascar."

IAe Spitfires were on 24 hour overwatch, and a request for Pegasus Anti-Satellite Missiles had been put into Port Royal.

OOC: The Satellite weapons you have described are OK by me... Roycelandia has an Orbital Weapons Project that won't be deployed in the RP either, although in the interests of being sporting I will tell you that a lot of our reconnaisance is done via aircraft.

The costs thus far seem expensive but not unreasonable- either Roycelandia or REA could support this sort of Operation out of their military budgets for the year (the war in Gabon being financed out of Parliamentary "Discretional Funds").

Incidentally, at least one of our Satellites is, in fact, an orbital EMP bomb- if you take it out, it will detonate and render all satellites in the area totally useless...

ooc:Well, most likely the attempt will be to de-orbit something suspicious like that with carefully placed charges as mentioned. Dunno if it'll work.

..And aircraft attempting to fly over BG or free Malagasy regions will be engaged by CS-500, a highly advanced SAM capable of engaging ICBMs, small agile unmanned aircraft (with 85-90% reliability), low-signature manned aircraft (with 92-95% or better reliability) at ranges of more than 400km (meaning that they can also engage aircraft well inside Roycelandian airspace in Madagascar, too). The Gauntlet frigates too have 2-stage Citadel SAMs with 115-340km range and impressive agility and resistance to countermeasures.

I do hope these natives aren't going to fight too hard for a newly arrived miltiant colonial master.. There's been some instability in Madagascar in recent years, so I can understand a minority taking a chance against the republican government, but fighting and dying for an invader's will is pushing it.

___


Portmeirion, Beth Gellert

The Final Senate was in session yet again, and half the CPCS seemed to be on hand. Comrade Kezo was again pushing for an all out invasion of Roycelandian East Africa, and suggesting that GSIC have the Royce monarch killed.

A few little known political figures suggested The Commonwealth pull out and one said that BG ought, "threaten to nuke UN HQ" if that organisation didn't get off its arse and do something. While many agreed that blowing up New York held some appeal, the meeting was moved on by CCC comrade Chivo who insisted that the delegates should, "be realistic."

In the end it was comrade Katerina Ivolgin of the People's Coast Guard Co-operative who came up with the suggestion that would eventually meet with most approval.

Comrade Ivolgin helped to draft the communiqué to an unresponsive Roycelandian government -though Kezo insisted that the inept organisation couldn't control its own forces any better than a week old child could master its motor skills.

The text suggested that in one last desperate attempt at diplomacy, the BGEF would ask the Malagasy People's Armed Forces to accept a temporary halt in the advance. During a very limited period of time both the BGEF and Roycelandian armed forces in Madagascar would begin withdrawl, and neither would halt without the other having done so first until all forces were gone. The BGEF would however offer a token force of peacekeepers to Antananarivo as a diplomatic rather than forceful blocker to further foreign interference in the republic's recovery*.

If this last offer was not accepted then The People's Commonwealth would give no quarter to Roycelandian forces wherever they be encountered, and its clearly superior might would not cease action against same until all were disabled.

"We can't say fairer than that." Supposed CC comrade Barrie with a sigh. "If you get out now you get to take your heads with you, and we'll go too."

Meanwhile the second half of Ivolgin's plan began with the stepping-up of deployment to Lusaka. The BGEF in Madagascar was 420,000 strong. The BGEF to Lusaka would be a million strong, and just a fraction of the Lusakan forces on hand. The BGEF in Madagascar came to a sudden halt, much to the dismay of its Malagasy company.

Already generous debt-repayment terms to the UARL coincidentally became even more generous over night. No doubt there'd be protests about this, later.

*That is to say that a small defensively-armed force would remain not to resist foreign invasion directly, but to make attacking Madagascar also an attack on Commonwealth forces, thus making would-be aggressors think again. This would be effectively under Antananarivo's control in its basic area of deployment, and would be a matter for negotiation between Portmeirion and Antananarivo.

The Roycelandian Government finds your proposal of Mutual Withdrawl to be acceptable, and will continue with Phase II of our withdrawl forthwith...

OOC: This is a tag it so I can read the thread later (it looks like a good RP 8)).
(Why do I always miss threads where someone invades my lands?)

Roycelandian Troops have so far remained where they are, maintaining their occupation of Northern Madagascar...

The BGEF's advance halted with Roycelandian promises to return to its policy of withdrawl, and planned increases to Lusakan deployment were put on hold.

Satellite and other observation of the north however shows little sign of activity, and under pressure from Antananarivo Beth Gellens are begining to lose patience with the Royce.

By now just about every Royce position on Madagascar has been made by GSIC, and land, air, and sea launched cruise missiles stand ready along with extended range and laser guided artillery.

Portmeirion has stated that reinforcement will not be allowed the Roycelandian forces, and that no aircraft or shipping will enter occupied Malagasy territory. Warships, surface and sub-surface, stationed on the east coast of Madagascar and the east coast of Lusaka, as well as aircraft in both countries are now authorised to use force in upholding this situation.

The Roycelandian force in Madagascar, already outclassed and outnumbered, will not grow stronger, while BG and Malagasy republican forces consolidate their favourable positions by the day.

A result of this favourable position and of Roycelandian stagnation is that comrade General Pangloss has delivered to the commander of the Roycelandian force a demand for surrender. Evidently honourable withdrawl is too grand a concept for this invader to master.

Around the occupied territory native and BG-national Malagasy volunteers and operatives post banners and leaflets speaking of Roycelandia's abandonment of its garrison. The impossiblity of reinforcement or resupply, the overwhelming size and power of allied forces, and the long-standing Beth Gellen commitment to civil rights and multi-national involvement are also highlighted.

Beth Gellert's Final Senate has overwhelmingly agreed to enact full economic sanctions against Roycelandia and its empire, and involvement in The Commonwealth's ninety trillion dollar economy is denied the Royce. Portmeirion is currently attempting to convince regional neighbours, starting with Victoria and Salvador, and other civilised parties such as the UAR Lusaka to join in this. In the case of the latter improved trade terms are likely to be offered owing to the probable importance of REA trade to the United African Republic, while Sumer (capital of V&S) is seemingly in two minds about being seen to support the mainlanders against the almost more identifiable Roycelandians.

OOC: Just a minor thing... the adjective and plural version of Roycelandia is Roycelandian. So, for example, our citizens, government, and troops are Roycelandian, and so on. Royce is the name of the current Emperor, although he is named after the country and not the other way around. I know it's complicated, and you're not the first person to get confused...

IC: Disturbing numbers of Roycelandian troops appear to have simply vanished from their posts in the night. Reports that they have resurfaced in Roycelandian East Africa or even Gabon have yet to be confirmed, especially since contact with Madagascar Command has been lost...

Command Bunker, Analalava, Roycelandian Madagascar

Commander Holland looked at the reports and frowned. The Roycelandian Government had ordered the troops to withdraw, and many had, despite Commander Holland's orders to remain at their posts.

He was ignoring messages from Port Royal... he refused to be run out of the country without a fight!

Quite where his troops had got to was another matter...

Communique to Beth Gellert

The Roycelandian Government apologises for the delay in withdrawing our troops. The majority have now left the island, but we have lost contact with Madagascar Command, and Returning Troops indicate that the Garrison Commander may have become a Rogue Agent and should be considered to be acting without authority from Port Royal or anywhere else in the Roycelanidan Empire, for that matter...

OOC: That way we can have a military engagement whilst Roycelandia officially denies all knowledge, keeping everyone happy...

ooc: oh, I know (well, I assumed), but Royce is rather easier and many Beth Gellens have taken the opinion that they don't like you, and aren't going to devote that many letters to you ;) Nothing personal! I think up a better derogatory name for you later.. Rollers.. Roys..hmm.

People's Commonwealth Final Senate, The Village, The Island, Portmeirion, Beth Gellert

"Well then surely we should invite the Roycelandians to help us round-up these rogues.. essentially they're deserters or traitors or such, aren't they?"

"HA! HA! Let the Roiks back in? We're trying to deny them reinforcement!"

"But.."

"Comrades, please!" Interrupted Chivo, waving his hands in the hopes of dispelling chaos from the senate hall.

The Commonwealth's unusually free, fair, and open political system was again running afoul of red tape and disagreement, and the men and women of the People's Armed Forces were stuck out in the African sun in the meantime.

Emergancy Soviets were established in village halls across Madagascar as servicemen tried to contribute to the decision-making process via satellite links, and everyone remembered why Beth Gellert didn't intervene in foreign conflicts very often..

(Bit of a rushed post, not much development, I admit.)

Port Royal, Roycelandia

"Commander, Madagascar Command has refused to withdraw. Commander Holland has gone rogue with at least 10,000 soldiers. The majority of Roycelandian Forces have returned to REA, but we're still missing thousands of guns, ammo, and a couple of aircraft."

Commander Sword swore loudly and tried to work out to do. This was not good... a mutiny was the last thing he needed.

Analalava, Northern Madagascar

"Commander Holland, here are the Malagasy traitors we caught trying to flee southwards with information on troop placements and so on.

Holland looked at the three men, all of whom were dirty, unwashed, and scummy looking.

"Throw them in the prison until I decide what to do with them. But break all their pinky fingers so they don't get any ideas about escaping. In fact, round up all the scummy an stupid people and deport them to the north of the island. Anyone who complains even slightly is to be bayoneted and stabbed."

"Sir, HQ might decide to send troops to force us to leave... Are we prepared for that?"

Holland smiled. "Oh yes, indeed. They'll be sorry if they force us to leave..."

"Now that was close! You just can't leave well enough alone, can you?" Said an exasperated "Old Guard" lieutenant.

Father cracked a half smile as he looked about the first class compartment of the massive FBC Nicobarese Airlines Airbus A380. Yeah, like the opportunistic Liberation Airport killing of a top FBCo executive and his gay lover in order to swipe their 1st Class tickets was anything other than, "A tactical necessity, darling!"

The Lt. laughed.

"You don't suppose they'll find them before we make Nairobi, do you?" He asked, fearing a confrontation with airline security or the Roycelandian authorities before they could get away at the other end.

"Which bit? Nah, ISIA? They couldn’t find ..a head.. with both hands."

Father's travelling companion laughed again, but wondered if the pair's sense of humour was going a little off the rails. Ah well, a joke at the expense of Andaman and Nicobar intelligence was always worth making.

“Uh oh, cool it, Sop.”

"Excuse me, gentlemen, is everything all right?" Asked a slightly edgy-looking stewardess in response to a number of dirty looks from members of Nicobarese and Roycelandian high society.

"No! We want the finest wines available to humanity, we want them here, and we want them now!" Bellowed Father, flicking his filthy long hair back and jabbing his finger on the armrest.

The stewardess did not look impressed, and demanded to see their tickets.

“Now look here!” Said the lieutenant, handing over the deceased executive’s ticket and snatching the other from Father’s petulant grasp, much to his annoyance. “Don’t you know who this is?” He went on with his best Nicobarese accent. A roll of the stewardess’ eyes was insufficient to contain the rest of the cliché. “This is Sop.. Dawg, and he’s about to earn Brown Co. millions in..capturing the entire colonial African market for.. Nicobarese post-punk..rap..rock!” Finished the lieutenant, hoping that sufficient to explain both Father’s unruly behaviour and how such a scruffy looking fellow might acquire 1st class tickets from Liberation to Nairobi. Possibly even why his gaze suggested recent and lengthy immersion in a crackhouse, as befit the pair’s arrival in ISAN via the drug baron-run lands of North Andaman, for that matter.

It seemed to have worked, though the duo earned a suggestion to, “settle down”, to which Sop Dawg replied, with a quick raise of one eyebrow, “Oh, he’s not the settling-down type, ma’am!”

The plane arrived in REA without further incident, allowing Father (Brian de la Touche as the ticket insisted) and the lieutenant, Adrian de la Touche, to depart.

Ah, Africa! Always so close and yet never before had Father been to the continent. He’d caused plenty to flee there in his time, mind. Now, to Zanzibar where the package should be waiting, if contacts back home had pulled through..

(ooc:For the record there are er.. records of the movements of several involved parties scattered about NS, but they'll just remain out there to be found or missed by various intelligence agencies :) )

What the two of them may have failed to notice was the metallic blue Jaguar that was following them at a discreet distance as they left the Airport in Nairobi. Customs & Excise (nicknamed The Knock) had picked up on the two as they left through the "nothing to declare" channel, despite the fact this was patently bollocks. Rather than intercepting them at the airport, it was decided to follow them and see where they were going (The Security Intelligence Bureau in REA having rather a lot of spare time on their hands at the moment...)

OOC: You are aware that Nairobi isn' the capital of Roycelandian East Africa, right? (That honour goes to Port Imperial, located on the shores of Lake Victoria in what is RL Uganda).

Additionally, Zanzibar is Luskan Territory, and getting from Roycelandian East Africa to Lusaka is a somewhat tricky affair- there is a twice-weekly railway service from Port Imperial and Nairobi, you could try to get a flight to the Congo River Research Facility with the Imperial Airforce (who aren't above taking passengers for cash), or drive across the border, although the border crossings are well guarded, for obvious reasons.

It is possible to fly, but I wouldn't reccomend it- the only airlines with clearance to operate to Lusaka through REA are Imperial Airways, Air Lusaka, Rhodesian International Airways, and Air African Commonwealth. Imperial Airways are unlikely to carry you, on the grounds that someone in The Knock will have had a discreet word to them...

Also, aircraft flying near Bukova province (technically claimed by Lusaka, but counter claimed by the AC, with Roycelandia considering its options on the matter) have been shot at by Rebels in the warlord-overrun province. Traveller discretion is advised...

Double post... nothing to see here...

(ooc: Yeah, I just picked a significant city in what I understand to be REA to have them fly to.. I don't know which cities would and would not have flights between REA and ISAN, but I thought a little artistic licence would be alright.. and yes, they're trying to get to Lusakan territory by a none direct route.. there aren't likely to be many commercial flights from evil nasty super capitalist ISAN to Lusaka, and security would certainly have been tighter on and ISAN flight going to socialist territory known to be BG-friendly. "Father" would have stood a good chance of being discovered by specialist ISIA agents.)


Father and "Adrian" made their way (by taxi or rental car, whichever is most readily available. They either pay in Drakonian Doubloons, a multi-national currency picked up in ISAN or exchange same at the first opportunity) south east by the Nairobi-Mombasa road. They casually discussed their cover.

"No, we're not really father and son.."

"Well done, comrade." Replied a sarcastic Father.

"No, I mean.. we are.. according to our documents.." Continued the lieutenant, ignoring more jibes from his comrade. "But that's our..cover's cover.. we're lovers pretending to be father and son."

"'s not a very good cover, you're not ten years older than me."

"Well then they'll easily discover us as bumbling fools on a dirty African getaway and maybe have a joke at our expense."

"Then, while they're not expecting it, I'll kick their arses!"

The lieutenant shook his head and sighed.

Father could have travelled alone direct from his former hideaway in east Asia when he sent the package, but going through New Tiamatian territory was a grand risk for him, and he had no African contacts. He'd needed to meet up with the lieutenant in order to enjoy the benefits of his friends in Lusaka.

A few more miles and they'd be looking for a meeting with sympathisers from across the border.

(ooc:Sorry, I'm about to miss a bus, have to dash!)

OOC: Yes, a little artistic licence is fine, and totally understanable. Nairobi is the second largest city in the country (Enfield Harbour is third), and a good place to enter Royceandian East Africa, since it's not nearly as action-filled as either Port Imperial or Mombasa (another important city).

Additionally, REA's currency is the Imperial Wibble, rendered using the $ sign for simplicity. Any Bureau de Change in REA will be only too happy to exchange your Drakonian Doubloons, for a 1% commission.

BTW, In Roycelandia and Roycelandian East Africa, drive on the LEFT hand side of the road, with the driver on the right hand side of the vehicle.

IC: The Knock were keeping a very close eye on Adrian and The Father after they rented a car in Nairobi (amazing what a cash deposit can do to cut out paperwork...).

The road to Mombasa is wide, paved, and well maintained. Large numbers of trucks, private vehicles, and occaisonally military LandRovers passed them in the opposite direction, heading towards Nairobi.

"D'ya reckon they're, y'know, queer?" asked Agent Harold Roberts. "They seem a bit friendly together, if you know what I mean, but something ain't right about them."

"I agree, Guv." replied Agent Elizabeth Stark. "Passports and tickets list them as father and son, but unless the Dad was out knocking up girls when he was 12, I don't think that's likely."

"Well, you know kids...."

"Yeah, I suppose. Alert Mombasa, and warn the DUD military base to be on the lookout for these two, in case they're trying to unload the merchandise on the soldiers at the Kriegsmarine Base there."

OOC (Again...): Das Uber Deutschland maintain a Kriegsmarine base in Mombasa. They won't be taking part in this RP, but as far as The Knock are concerned Adrian and The Father are Drug Runners, probably trying to sell drugs to bored Sailors in Mombasa. Little do they know, eh?

The Border crossing at Mombasa is heavily controlled, as Lusaka don't like DUD very much either and aren't too keen on them having a Military Base so close to their border. Of course, Adrian and The Father are unlikely to know this, since Roycelandia doesn't exactly tell everyone that DUD have a Kriegsmarine Base in their Southernmost Port...

(Ah, Beth Gellens too drive on the left. Although we'd fully departed from the British sphere of influence before cars were common the economy was for a long time imploded and domestic industry almost nil, so vehicles were imported, and up until the revolution of which Father was a part the Landrover was pretty much pervasive in BG, too. The monarchist on Victoria and Salvador still managed to salvage a good thirty-thousand before losing the mainland, which left them with almost one per soldier for a time. But..er..I'll try to make a point, now..)

"Are we being followed?"

"Are you going to keep asking that for the whole journey? How many significant side-roads have you seen in the last hour?" Questioned Father, gesturing over the vast expanses of not-very-much as they rolled along.

"We'll pull over soon, get our bearings. Anyone following will be pretty easy to spot, I should think. Hey, can you get any coverage, yet?" He went on, nodding to the shirt pocket in which his passenger's phone was kept.

"Eh, nah. I reckon we'll be able to benefit from Lusakan masts in a few more miles, though." The lieutenant began to fiddle with his phone in an effort to access the appropriate provider.

"Tell me when you get it, we'll stop then."

-----

Parmis Archipelago, New Tiamat, south-east of the BIOT

"41, that's it!"
"I'm on it! Here, Samantha, you take your break now, I'll finish up this lot."

The two Old Guard operatives at the PAAF airstrip, having dismissed their curious co-workers, double-checked the crate.

Kosong-Parmis - sensitive equipment - DRAR-1 components #41 - property CPRD govt. Yada yada yada, yeah, this was the one.

One man checked the crate for security as the second slapped a new label over the old information.

Parmis-Tanga - medical supplies - emergency aid - property of SPP

It was no good marking anything as BG government property- the government didn't own anything, and everything Beth Gellen was open to scrutiny by just about anyone Beth Gellen. Hopefully the Lusakan SPP's authority was sufficient to keep anyone from disrupting its medical aid, especially in light of the lately hyped humanitarian crisis in the republic.

The crate was carefully placed aboard a waiting Preston light transport aircraft and soon airborne, trundling west at 300mph like any other Commonwealth aid to the UARL.

-----

"Eh up, 'ere we go!" Said the lieutenant, thumbing numbers into his phone.

"Hello, Theo? Yeah. Did you get father's medicine?"

Off of Southern Madagascar

A Western Asian Corvette and missile boat long patrol, based in Sniper Country South Africa, send out a sudden call for assistance as engine problems on the corvette have left the patrol stranded and without immediate aid.*

The captain of the lead vessel radios for friendly BG forces to provide assistance and temporary harbor privelages to his ship and for his two escorts.


*- Most WA fleet vessels on normal patrol have been called to the ME for the Al Anbar tensions.

Fort Dauphin/Taolagnaro, the Republic of Madagascar
CS Ood, flagship Commonwealth People's Navy

"Comrade Captain!" Exclaimed an enthused rating, extending a print-out of the WA distress call towards Binney.

"Fancy that!" Said the Captain in that typically informal Beth Gellen fashion.

"We shall escort them ourselves, comrade.

"Signal Recompense." He said, refering to one of the CPN's six 50,000 ton Palaemon Class heavy support ships. "There may be need for on-the-spot repairs, or at least a tow!"

CS Ood, the much modified trimaran frigate built originally in Western Asia all those years ago, replied to the corvette's call in friendly terms, making known its dispatch with a support ship in tow, and promising anchorage.

Binney was tired of every foreign ship within two thousand miles being out to get him, and was likely over-stating his reaction to the stranding of a single corvette he thought unlike to after his blood.

Analalava, Northern Madagascar

Despite the withdrawl of large numbers of Roycelandian troops back to either REA, CPI, or Roycelandia, there were still about 20,000 (including local auxilliaries) of them on the Island who had mutinied and refused to go. Knowing they couldn't send troops in to get them without appearing to "Re-invade" the Island.

Sympathetic crews in the Imperial Roycelandian Maritime Air Service were supplying them with food, ammunition, parts, and medical supplies by flying in at night, only metres above the wavetops, landing the supplies by dinghy, and flying back to REA before anyone in charge noticed.

So far, the Madagascan Mutiny has been hushed up the the Roycelandian Imperial Defence Bureau- as far as the Roycelandian Populace are concerned, the entire Roycelandian Expeditionary Force withdrew and are either back in Roycelandia or deployed elsewhere.

Quite what Commander Holland is up to is anyone's guess, although friends of the Commander's have said it wouldn't surprise them if he was trying to set up his own country...

The Captain of the WAS Interloper (OOC: :wink: ) was glad to receive the call from the Ood and quickly returned their friendly greetings, communicating his thanks for their assistance.

As the Corvette's satellite communications officer (SCO) sent details of the problems to the Sniper Country base of Western Asian forces, the pair of missile boats continued to circle their lead vessel and to search for possibly hostile behavior by other forces.

Arusha, northern Lusaka

"Brother! I was begining to think you dead! The medicine? Yes, yes, they just had a shipment in to Tanga last night. Are you going to visit? Shall I have the boys pick you up? They'll be glad to see father! Oh, they must get tourists all the time, tell them you want to spend a day at Kili!

"Listen I can't stay, there's a meeting, you know how it is these days."

Theodore Tendyala pocketed his phone and hurried out to his ride, saluted three times on his way from hotel room to flag-carrying limo.

"Listen, Terrance." He said to his driver. "Father's coming for a visit, and we might have to pick him up at the border near Kili.. they've got to get across and I don't know if they'll be given trouble.. you hear me? They're getting across whether Royce likes it or not."

Terrance understood, and was one of many Lusakans to be found, especially in this circle, who felt that there were few limits in how the Republic could deal with its northern neighbour, especially in light of events in the Commonwealth, Gabon, and Madagascar of late.

Shifts on border guard all but in the shadow of Africa's tallest peak were slightly altered as select LRAC-related units were assigned in place of unsuspecting regular security, and large numbers of truck and buses -supposedly carrying tourists to see the mountain- drew up in the area.

Border Crossing, somewhere near Mombasa, Roycelandian East Africa

Colonial Customs & Immigration Officials were usually kept busy at the best of times by people crossing the border. It came as a surprise to many to find that the border, at least on the Roycelandian side, was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

A large number of Tourists were surprised that travel between the two countries was even possible- contrary to popular belief, Roycelandia didn't actually dislike Lusaka per se, but found them somewhat annoying. The Official line was that Roycelandia wanted to foster unity with all African Nations, and that included freedom of movement, but unofficially there were still people in REA who hoped that the Lusakans would get tired of "pretending" to run their country and let Roycelandia back in. Fortunately, none of these people had any position of power in REA or Roycelandia, and they were generally regarded as being unrealistic by the population at large.

The sudden arrival of Tour Buses and Trucks full of people wanting to see Africa's Tallest Peak was annoying, but not unexpected. After all, it was a nice mountain, despite the fact that the Border Guards saw it all day, every day.

Lusaka made quite a bit of money out of it, as did Roycelandia from charging non-citizens to get back into REA (A $25 Customs & Immigration Fee was levelled on all non- Roycelandian, Rhodesian, or EvaTech citizens entering the country).

The two Knock agents following The Father and his "son" had almost lost them in Mombasa, especially after it became apparent that they weren't flogging drugs to DUD sailors.

A phone call was made to the Border post.

"Mombasa Border Control" answered a voice.

"Agent Harolds from The Knock here. Listen, we need you to stop a suspicious car that we think is heading for Lusaka. Has two guys in it, a little, ah, funny if you know what I mean...." he gave a description of the car, and the number plate.

"Righto, we'll let you know when we've got them." The Border Control station rang off.

Leaving REA was not a problem- a cursory inspection of the passenger's passports (primarily to make sure they had one), and they were on their way.

Getting back in was a different matter. Native and White Customs officials conducted random inspections, always politely, usually without discrimination. They were mainly interested in hard drugs and military-grade weaponary like rocket launchers, but that didn't stop them finding other things from time to time...

The Beth Gellen due arrived at the border. They had a plethora of identification. Genuine Nicobarese passports- belonging to someone else, old Beddgelen identification from the Sopworth era- probably best not to identify themselves as ousted hard-line Stalinists, and the passports they'd be most likely to use.

There was some trouble with Victoria Salvadorian passports, mind. The nation had just ceased to exist as Beth Gellen troops landed and marched down the Sumer highstreet, chasing King Llewellyn from his Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch castle. Hopefully no one yet expected Victoria Salvadorians abroad to have received new documentation- Beth Gellen passports hadn't even been issued to people in Sumer itself, and the nation ought to be agreeable to these Roiks, flying as it had a modified union flag while behaving more or less like a good parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy.

The documents themselves were good, printed in the chaotic revolutionary era they were pretty much identical to passes carried by people who were actually allowed and even obliged by law to do so.

"Should we, ah, leave the car here and walk across? Do you think taking a rental into Lusaka will create more trouble than its worth? Yeah, best just to park up and go, eh?"

"Mh, sure."

And they did, pulling into something of a carpark before ambling towards the border crossing. Father fiddled with the glasses he'd taken from his Nicobarese victim, holding them up to the sun and peering at the distant mountain, while the lieutenant, for some reason, thumbed through his Victoria Salvadorian passport.

I sent a fleet of 5 CVBG's with 350 F-35 JSFs. I am attacking all attacker nations to protect the underprivaliged.

I sent a fleet of 5 CVBG's with 350 F-35 JSFs. I am attacking all attacker nations to protect the underprivaliged.

IGNORED... N00B ALERT... N00B ALERT... N00B ALERT... IGNORED...

***********************************

Roycelandian Border Control

The C&I officials on duty were pleasantly surprised when two people- even dirty-looking Hippies- showed up with something approximating a real passport from a Non-African country.

Victoria Salvadorian Passports were still being accepted (after all, they were LEAVING R.E.A.), and the two were waved through by the C&I officials, one of whom was deciding which attractive Lusakan Girl he could get favours from in exchange for overlooking the fact her papers weren't in order...

The phone call from The Knock came 10 minutes too late. By that time, one of the officialls who processed the BG duo had knocked off for the day, and the other had taken an extended lunch break to "personally escort" a young Lusakan woman into REA...

Lusaka

The comrades, having passed into Lusaka and met with rather more soldiers than expected.

"Man, you really do have contacts, eh?" Said Father to his lieutenant as they rode away from the border.

Soon Father had his medicine, and a trawler with a motor launch for good measure. With a crew recruited form amongst the lieutenants 'friends' they made east for occupied Madagascar.

Madagascar, south west of Antsiranana

The trawler had stoped quite some way from shore, and left the Beth Gellen duo -along with a Beth Gellen Malagasy immigrant picked up from the BG forces at Tanga- and their package to come ashore via the launch.

Madagascar was a bit place, and intel suggested little more than 20,000 Roiks left and probably concentrated opposite BG/Malagasy forces further south. Protecting the coast on the African side, it was hoped, would not be their number one priority, and a single launch headed for the middle of nowhere ought to get ashore, benefiting from intel provided by sources in the BG military and the Antananarivo government.

Occupied Madagascar

Well, that was it. They'd collected the package, evaded how many security agencies, and finally launched the attack.

Since the beginning of the genetic age Beth Gellert, then Beddgelert, and now Beth Gellert again had considered related technologies a much more modern, humane, and effective avenue to "weapons of mass destruction" than the usually more popular and indiscriminate nuclear and chemical systems. Under Sopworth Igo's brief Premiership of the then Igovian Soviet Commonwealth of Beddgelert defence spending had been poured into genetically targeted bioweapons programmes at an all time high rate.

Father knew the programmes better than anybody. He'd picked his tools specifically- they had to hit the right people, and they had to avert too serious an international backlash against the nation that'd disowned him. It may not be quite as he'd run it, but it was as close to his ideology as existed almost anywhere on earth these days.

By water and air the weapons were released. It was not the best time to be a European in northern Madagascar as a modified malaria spread, targeting whites and designed to deceive typical vaccines likely to have been administered to soldiers stationed in Africa. Of course it couldn't prevent a man receiving treatment, and wasn't certain to kill, but a soldier with malaria was hopefully a soldier less willing and able to fight against the odds for a land that was not his own. Father's Malagasy guide walked right up behind a significant rebel Roycelandian position, venturing as close as any of his countrymen could, before placing one of several devices quite casually into a bush, as he meant to do several further times before the weekend was over.

Father and the lieutenant had wasted little time in turning on their heels and making back towards their launch. They were just as vulnerable to some of the agents as were the whites amongst the Roycelandian ranks. Before they'd left they managed to pick up on rumour that the Roik rebels were behind the death of Malagasy crops and a deliberate attempt to starve the native population, taking the land as their own. Father worried his comrade by repeated references to how they should get a "better" package and come back again to finish the bastards off. The Lt. did his best to divert Father's attention.

Large numbers of the Roycelandian troops have come down with Malaria- at least, that's what they think it is. Unsurprisingly, Roycelandian Medical Technology is pretty impressive (Roycelandia maintains a Research Facility in Lusaka purely dedicated to combatting Tropical Diseases).

Nonetheless, huge numbers of the troops have fallen ill, much to the annoyance of Commander Holland. The most seriously ill cases have been evacuated to the north of the Island, where the disease has yet to penetrate.

OOC: There are AA Defences in the North, so if you try and use aircraft to spray the area, expect to lose most of them... :D

ooc:Well, it's in the north that the attacks are happening. Three men in a motorlaunch came ashore on the north west in occupied territory from a trawler acting as a mothership. Now the two Beth Gellens are attempting to escape the same way while a Malagasy Beth Gellen (we have a lot of immigrants being the next country east of Madagascar and the most developed in the area) wanders about amongst his countrymen, dropping off small devices here and there meant to effect a local area with European-targeting weapons inducing symptoms akin to chronic fatigue syndrome (similar to your own suggestion via telegram). Officially BG forces facing the rebels to the south are unaware of the operation, and in truth the men and women on the ground are oblivious.. however most BG units have pulled back a little, leaving the front lines, such as they are, manned mainly by the armed forces of the Malagasy Republic and by BG units manned mainly by none-whites.
The official Commonwealth forces are still just dug in as far north as they could get without heavily engaging the Roycelandians, and are still several hundred thousand strong, and still awaiting the surrender of the rogue force. Of course if word gets out of the rogues destroying crops wholesale and so forth then waiting for Father et al to do their small-scale genetic demoralisation stuff is not going to be good enough, and we're going to kill all the rebel forces by fair means or foul, if they don't hurry up and surrender :)

Fair enough- then just assume the worst affected troops are being evacuated to the south...

Don't expect the Mutineers to go down without a fight... and remember, they have been disowned by Roycelandia, so Roycelandia won't take too kindly to BG retaliating against Roycelandia, should it come to that...

While the mysterious Father's genetically targeted weapons began to hit Roycelandian rogues in northern Madagascar, Portmeirion was again contacting the Roycelandian authorities.

This time the focus of communications was on capabilities of the rogue forces. If Roycelandia had truly disowned the forces on Madagascar then they could disclose the combat capacities of those forces.

If not it would probably have to be assumed that the occupation force was acting under the protection of the Roycelandian state, which would be held directly responsible for any..fallout.

So said CC comrade N.Kezo to the Roycelandian ambassador.

As far as the Roycelandian Imperial Defence Bureau have established, via satellite and defector reports, are that the approximately 20,000 Rogue REF forces are armed with Mk III Lee-Enfields, Bren Guns, a few Lewis Guns, along with whatever weapons have been captured off the Malagasy and Beth Gellerten troops.

Armour consists of maybe 100 tanks, ranging from the Cheetah Light tank up to a handful of Emperor Class heavy tanks.

Aircraft beleived to be one squadron of IAe Spitfire fighters, and maybe 6 IAe-1J Iroquois. There may also be a couple of C-47 transports there- the C-130 crews returned to Roycelandian East Africa with most of the soldiers who didn't mutiny.

Beyond that, we really don't know... at least, that's the reply. 8)

(Would you believe I've been refreshing for four and a half hours and this is the first time the forum's responded? Of course I've been doing other things in the meantime- beating the shit out of video game characters, drinking, swearing at the universe, eating a Double Decker- do they have those where you are? Super they are, gosh, this better post or I'm going to stab myself in the slightly tipsy head. You'd think I'd have spent the time making an entertaining post, but no, I got much too angry for that, ahem..)

The Roycelandian rogues on Madagascar had been given multiple "last chances" to withdraw or surrender. They had tried even Beth Gellen patience to its limit, and Antananarivo was only increasing pressure for action.

Now, as Father's packages reached the apex of their effect, Comrade General Pangloss' BGEF swung into action, at last throwing its 400,000 man weight around. It was a massive force with full support, a sure sign that imperialism was dead, and that the civilised world would no longer tolerate it.

Infection rates resulting from Father's genetically targeted biological attacks would from now on begin to decline but the Roycelandian rogues already affected should continue to suffer for some days yet. There was in the short term a lingering danger to whites, which would decline by the day, and somewhat suspect was the purportedly PR motivated decision to have Malagasy Republican and Malagasy immigrant-based Beth Gellen units spearhead the ground offensive. Precious few whites advanced far.

The twenty-odd thousand Malagasy Republican troops -mainly light and mechanised infantry- had benefited much from weeks of intensive training under Beth Gellen supervision. They carried Beth Gellen weapons, too. Old AKMs improved by various additions, grenade launchers in some cases, two-shot-burst adapters in all formed the main infantry armament. PK light machineguns were made available to them in large numbers, and their RPG-7s boasted a variety of new BG warheads (some like those used to knock out a couple of Abrams in Iraq), and they had SA-14 and SA-18 SAMs aplenty. A prop-driven aircraft no matter how modern wouldn't have much chance against a forest of those. CICV-2 Type A (think slightly upgraded BMP-2 with modern anti-tank guided-missiles on the roof, a 30mm autocannon and machineguns) phased out of Beth Gellen service only over the last year now carried Madagascar's soldiers to the liberation of their homeland.

The advanced elements of the liberation armies were hardly going in cold. A sudden laser-guided barrage of 152mm artillery and 289mm rocketry pounded rogue positions, the soldiers manning them already addled with tropical illnesses and symptoms akin to chronic fatigue. Positions as far as 36km were showered with high explosives and precision anti-armour submunitions. BG satellites had been over Madagascar since the beginning of the crisis and GSIC heavily active in the north. With the co-operation of the true Malagasy authorities information gathering on rogue positions was hardly a major stumbling block to the liberation effort. Any half-serious static positions or material was now in for a good solid thrashing. Any none BG/Malagasy aircraft in the skies over northern Madagascar was hit in the same period of time as the artillery barrage broke out. CS-400 and CS-500 as well as Citadel-L and ship-borne Citadel-S could all engage from deep inside friendly territory and airspace, and anything flying would soon have multiple high-performance missiles after it, most acquiring active locks only in the final seconds of their high speed approach. Batteries and ships were protected from counter strikes not only by the jungle of other missiles beside them but also by the presence of so many Beth Gellen fighters. While nimble low-signature NT-5 Cardinal interceptors flitted about over central Madagascar and NT-2 Puffin strike fighters swarmed over the fleet, NT-4 Hobgoblin air superiority fighters shot across occupied northern Madagascar making good use of their supercruise engines.

Their purpose (the Hobgoblins) was as much to draw-out surviving rogue air defences as anything else- behind them followed the NT1 Springer C attack fighters that would blast survivng batteries with Parliament air to ground missiles. Any number of fallbacks protected the Hobgoblins. They were cruising at over Mach 1 to begin with, and had room for further acceleration. They enjoyed good support with ground, sea, and air based radar of great power ready to alert them to any hostile activity- examples of the Marathon-borne Spectre of Communism radar were looking out in some cases from hundreds of kilometres away. Finally the CS-400 and CS-500 missile systems behind them were highly adept at engaging other missiles- even the older CS-400’s B missile had displayed a 75-85% success rate against manoeuvrable missiles in a high jamming environment, and the BGEF had scores of them.

“Alright? We’ve got a launch- rogue positions in the extreme north, beyond arty. Yeah, two missiles authorised, staggered by seventy seconds. The second’s from four, anti.. yeah, anti-personnel submunitions.”

So went the chatter aboard CS Jarvis. The Indian Ocean itself was perforated by the sudden offensive. Several Anunkai submarine squadrons had remained in or near Malagasy waters, and now two waves of Mangonel cruise missiles, 48 in all, were spat ashore.

The War of Malagasy Liberation was really becoming expensive.

(NB: That I keep referring to "rogues" reflects general BG media policy of making known to begin with that the forces are of Roycelandian origin but then speaking of them in the body of an article or programme as rogues first, despite suspicions to the contrary. The mood has been fairly none confrontational until now, "maybe if we pretend not to hold Roycelandia responsible now they'll cut their losses while they can and pull the remainder out relatively blameless." Too late now, Pangloss is out to completely destroy the forces on Madagascar. They're to be killed or captured to a man.
I feel I should also add some sort of apology for the fairly dry nature of some of my posts in this thread- I’d like to be doing a bit more character development and such, really, but I seem to be in the wrong mindset. I’ve been working on three or four really long posts due to go up soon (possibly tonight) in which BG attempts to arm the international revolution- as such my mind’s rather swamped with information on our hardware. You just happen to be the unlucky one who gets to sit through the results :) )

Bombardment of Rogue positions was surprisingly ineffective- most of the Rogues had gone underground, a la the VietCong.

Some of the attacking aircraft were met by the Spitfires, armed with all manner of rockets and cannon. As old as they looked, they were a match for anything the Beth-Gellertens could throw at them.

Meanwhile, three Spitfire Pilots who had survived the illnesses etc saw which way the wind was blowing. The scrambled into their Spitfires, and promptly headed for Roycelandian East Africa, flying low to avoid the radar of the BG troops.

Many of those stricken with tropical illnesses have been evacuated to the Hospital Ship Nightingale, which is clearly marked with Red Crosses etc.

The fighting is bitter and bloody, as each individual soldier knows there is no retreat- they really have been cut off by the Roycelandian HQ.

OOC: Sorry for the brevity of this post, but the Forums are driving me mad and I have a heap of University stuff to be working on...

(ooc:Yeah, the forums are absolutely horrid tonight. However, I dispute the idea that any sort of rotor-driven aircraft has a chance in hell against a massive flight of super-cruise fighters with 180km range missiles, long-range super-agile SAMs, and advanced AWACs. They're absolutely -blanked-, really. Showered with missiles so so many times faster than them before they get any target in range- almost certainly before they even acquire a target. It'd be worse than the Iraqis up against the west in the first Gulf War. Even if they did engage, we'd probably run the incoming missiles out of fuel for the time it'd take them to catch up off such a slow platform. But I'm drunk, do excuse me :) I don't want to make an IC post as you're busy, I'm intoxicated, and someone else may have something to add, I gather.)

The WAS Interloper and its escourts found a safe and friendly harbor with the Malagasy and BG crews in the port. Repair operations went well as the crews of the missile boats demonstrated the capabilities of those vessels to Malagasy military officials.

Western Asian detachments of the 8th Grand Fleet and 5th Amphibious Assault Ready Group were reportedly on a return route to the Western Asian base in Sniper Country South Africa and had issued a note saying that they would pass through the Mozambique Channel in support of the BGEF and the People's Armed Forces of Madagascar.

On Western Asian media, government officials have begun to openly consider the possibility that the IDF might send peacekeeping forces to support Beth Gellert and the native Madagascar government.

OOC: I took the official name of the Madagascar military from here: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ma.html

(ooc: So did I ;) Then I considered that it sounded too commie (like us) and that people might get the impression that we'd set up some sort of puppet state, and stopped referencing it. Damn conspiracy theorists. But look! The Jews support us, now! That should end all conspiracy theories! Heh)

OOC: I'm really not sure what else I can post in this thread- the BG/Malagasy Armed Forces far outnumber the Rogue Roycelandians.

As such, there's not much point spending weeks and possibly months RPing a VietCong style resistance to the BGs (because I'd get bored, as would you).

Similarly, I can't just detonate one of the A-Bombs that Rogues have (did I forget to mention that? Oops, silly me. :D) as that would be A) Bad Rping, B) Not acheive much militarily, and C) Render most of Northern Madagascar Uninhabitable for pretty much ever.

More importantly, there are only 20,000 Rogue soldiers on the Island, and they don't have the technical wizardry at their disposal that the BGs do.

So, you can see my dilemma- I'd actually hoped the whole thing would either settle down to a Condominium situation whereby Roycelandia and BG would share the governing of the Island, or else that everyone would just lose interest and go home... it happens a lot more than you'd think! (Glares angrily an Argyllia for starting the whole mess). :D

Thoughts?

(that's right, typical cowardly capitalist imperialists! When you have the enemy disarmed and outnumbered you're all over the situation, when the big brother turns up it's game over :) If you did detonate a WMD I think the problem would be, far from bad RP, that it'd lead to the handing over of your African colonies to a certain native President with whom you have issues, and the forced removal of your nation's government from power and the establishment of a communist system across Roycelandia.

I'm afraid BG really is earnest in its desire to liberate Madagascar, and is not here to spread the spectre of communism across Africa. If it were, maybe that idea of sharing the island would be more agreeable- you'd be better off if "Father" were still in power (for those familiar with BG characters and wondering about the story, Father is (Stalinist) ex-premier Sopworth Igo :D ), but as it happens we have an absurdly open democratic system, and the common man would never stand for such imperialism.

Idon't know then- we could record as a matter of history that a war was fought for northern Madagascar, with BG-backed Malagasy forces fighting Roycelandian rogues until the last of the Roycelandians were routed out over..however many months, or we could say that the rogues surrendered to the BGEF, which after all outnumbers them 20-1, and then we'd be looking for some sort of international court to deal with the POWs.. I'm not sure who that'd be, exactly , but we could look into that. Prisoners these days would be treated wll in BG (though exposed to a lot of communist propaganda), not like the Sopworth days as suffered by POWs from Iansisle. It's now written into the BG constitution that human suffering and even death itself are enemies of the people.. even if the people are cappies.

Damn that Argyllia- they probably did it just to cost other nations a lot of money. Who wants to go kick their collective arse? ;) )

Surrender isn't an option- It's just not the done thing, dear boy. :D

(Roycelandian Troops are not averse to surrender a la the Japanese, but they know what will happen if they do in this particular case... and it won't be a cosy POW camp, repatriation home, and generous compensation from the Imperial Government...)

There is a third option... the "Taiwan" option.

As I understand it, Madagascar is surrounded by small islands- places like Reunion, Mayotte, Mauritius etc.

Much like the Kuomintang from China, the Rogues could always operate a fighting withdrawl to one of these places and set themselves up there, no longer a threat to BG, and certainly no longer in control of Madagascar, at which point the Imperial Government would step in, "Capture" the rogue soldiers, apologise to the Beth Gellertens and the Malagasy for the 'misunderstanding', and perhaps offer some sort of trade deal to sweeten the deal.

Everyone wins- BG kicks the ass of our Rogue Soldiers, no-one gets nuked, and we get a small island to refuel our flying boats etc on.

And this still leaves RP potential aplenty, especially since I'm sure this won't be the last time BG and Roycelandia cross paths...

And I'm also in favour of beating the stuffing out of Argyllia for starting this war and then just giving up in the middle. Methinks a smackdown is in order... :D

OOC: Damn, I was going to seize those islands...anyways, is this continuing?

I got out when I realised it was a lost cause, you should have done the same. 8)

No, it's no longer continuing, and Argyllia, you should have communicated what your plans were instead of just packing up and leaving- especially since the deal was that Roycelandia got the Island when you'd ousted the government- we weren't about to just leave.

Anyone trying to seize the islands will get the stuffing knocked out of them by BG and Roycelandia, however...