NationStates Jolt Archive

Within a week or so, just about the entire Hindustani military expedition to Al-Ahzad is packed up and flown home. SAt. 32 transports land at Raysuz and take on the advisors and support personnel as SAf. 6s and SAa. Jaguars (not including those donated to the AAF) head for their home bases in Gujarat and Matharastra, using up a mere fraction of the runway.

The Hindustani naval contingent also departs, although slightly later, and heads towards home port for refit and eventual deployment off of Colombia.

Shipments of military equipment decrease in their frequency, but economic aid and industrial advisors soon arrive to do their part in the modernization of Al-Ahzad.

(OCC: I don't know how you'd categorize the Navy Sappers who are being sent in to help clear out harbors or the specialized waterborne construction equipment ready to be comitted to the same effort.)

OOC: Ummm...Sorry to be redundant, but will Al-Ahzad take me up on the offer of election officials? I really do wish to help, being a force for democracy and all. And I do believe you mentioned Al-Ahzad was going to be a republic...

OOC: Ummm...Sorry to be redundant, but will Al-Ahzad take me up on the offer of election officials? I really do wish to help, being a force for democracy and all. And I do believe you mentioned Al-Ahzad was going to be a republic...

Some logistical assistance at the highest levels would be welcome, but for political reasons this will be a purely Ahzadi effort "on the ground". Any and all nations are invited and encouraged to send observers, however. We want this to be transparent and legitimate.

Russia would offer election data analysts(the guys who actually compile the election data that comes in), observers, and $20 million USD to this burgeoning democracy, for the express purposes of running a free, fair election.

It goes without saying that Roycelandia will have some observers there, from an NGO to ensure fairness. Probably the Roycelandian Red Cross, or someone similar.

In Al-Ahzad the training effort for the new national army has really begun showing results- quite ironically, after the war has ended- and there are now over 100,000 trained soldiers in uniform. As troop numbers increase, the on-paper occupation and control of the former ASDPR and other rogue territories is becoming more and more a reality.

The defense plans- still being tweaked- call for the end result of this build-up to be a standing army of 200,000 with a 200,000 man reserve. When fully mobilized, it will field "at least" 17 divisions. Current units forming are three Armored Combat Regiments (to be equipped with the modern French Leclerc MBT), five elite 600-man commando battalions (think something like US army rangers- elite airborne/airmobile light infantry) and two heavy infantry divisions to compliment the 3rd mechanzied division. More units are sure to follow.

The government has also announced plans to re-build the magrib dam in Yemen, to provide cheap electrical power and water for agriculture and use in Raysuz. Several industiral facilities have resumed production, and the Muscat shipyards have begun to be reonvated.

Ismet Massat announces his resignation as interim president in order to run as a canidate for the newly-formed Yeni Ahzad party

Over 300 canidates are running for president, although Ismet Massad is the clear front-runner. The Yeni Ahzad movement is just about the only coherent political movement in Al-Azhad, and has a huge deal of popular support. The main rivals (main is a bit too strong a word- these are both new, small, and disorganized parties) are the left-wing populist "Dawn" party, which demands more social spending, a smaller military, and a loosening of police and military powers. The Dawn party has a small base among Raysuz intellectuals and former ASDPR loyalists who want to vote for a party that isn't banned.

The other opposition group is the "Ahzadi National Party" a rurally based traditionalist party concerned with the Yeni Ahzad stated goal of liberalizing and modernizing Ahzadi society, and in disagreement with the strict secularizing of Yeni Ahzad. They favor fewer state-owned industries, less government intrusion into rural areas, and a more accomodating stance with the religious establishment.

The election had been set for a month from now, and any outside observer can already call it. There really isn't a need for dirty tricks. Ismet Massad is a genuine folk hero, and has the backing of the only established political movement in Al-Ahzad. Polling by outside agencies has found that a majority of Ahzadis approve of the Yeni Ahzad revolution, and the remainder are split between wildy divergent types of opposition.

Outisde of Raysuz, the first upgraded Phantom "F-4I" (interceptor) takes flight. Re-engined with french Senemca jet engines- slightly more powerful and much more fuel efficient than it's 60's predecessor- the F-4I is more importantly fitted with top of the line French Cyrano radar. The presence of a RIO in the F-4 has allowed the Ahzadi government to requeset a modified radar, one that sacrifices some automatic data-filtration capacities (the job of the backseater) for a slight edge in raw power and range.

Fitted with 20mm cannon, and the ability to fire Magic, Mica, Sidewinder, and Sparrow missiles (both ancient 60's types in the Ahzadi arsenal, and newer models imported from quinntonia), the F-4I retains the Phantom's horrible manuverablity.

The F-4I is not a total revamp, and the Phantom is still very much a 1960's fighter, but the F-4I program has given the Phantom a new lease on life, with a decent, modern BVR engagement ability and new avionics, it will form the bulk of the Ahzadi Air Force's interceptor squadrons. The F-4I is not an air superiority fighter- it is only charged with defending Ahzadi airspace, and it is judged up to the task.


A sister variant of the F-4I is the F-4S (strike). Retaining the crude 60's radar, the F-4S is fitted with new engines as well, along with modern terrain-following radar, infared imaging pods, and laser designators. Equipped to carry and designate targets for a wide variety of PGM's, the F-4S should prove to be a valuble strike workhorse for the Ahzadi Air Forces.


(OOC: don't let anybody be fooled, these planes are obsolete, and the upgrades have given them new abilities and the ability to contribute to the modern battlefield in some capacity. I'd perfer more Mirages, don't get me wrong, but Ahzadi pocketbooks are far from deep, and even Elkazoriean credit has a limit. The upgraded F-4's are cheap, plentiful (sort of) and capable of doing the specialized roles they are designed for. Although top-of-the-line fighters they are not, they are good long-range missile (F-4I) and bomb/PGM/standoff weapon (F-4S) carriers.


Further projects include an upgrade/modification of the A-4 skyhawk to "wild weasel" role, which will include the fitting of conformal jamming pods, added expendbile countermeasures, and the ability to fire a variety of radar-homing missiles.


Ground has also been broken on several new megaprojects:

1) the exploitation of several new oilfields in the dofhar. these are tiny, but should continue the steady trickle of cheap ahzadi oil to elkazor, quninntonia, and LRR for a while longer.

2) the re-building of the magrib dam. this structure (mentioned in the koran) has long fallen to disrepair, but once Hindustani and Ahzadi engineers fit it with french turbines, and Ahzadi army engineer units and construction firms re-build the dam itself, it should flood with yemeni monsoon rain, generating not only electrial power, but a large water supply both for Yemeni farmers, and residents of Raysuz, who have lived with a water shortage for some time.

3) NIADS- the National Integrated Air Defense System. Details about it are top secret, but french companies are building a lot of bunkers and hardened aircraft shelters and Aster-30 batteries all over the place.

The President has announced that a special delegation of Ministers will be traveling to Raysuz for talks on how to improve the Ahzadi economy. The group comprised of Finance Minister Menachem Levitz, Minister of Infrastructure Hamad Al Sayari and Minister of Trade and Industry Omar Farouk, will extend the possibility of low interest loans for major development projects, and will also negotiate currency exchanges, designed to improve trading conditions between the two countries. It is understood advice will specifically be aimed at reducing inflation, which is conisderably higher than in UE and elsewhere, making Ahzad less competitive.

Nevertheless and quite seperately, the powerhouses of Elias Corporations are taking a keen interest in a neighbouring, emerging market. For example, the Al Arabia Cola Company has expressed a wish to open a bottling plant to ease distribitution around Al-Ahzad as well as generating jobs; E-Tech, the electronics subsidiary of consumer goods giant the Mesoptamia Corporation has offered to buy outright the Aden people's electronics Combine, and turn it into a factory for low technology electronics such as cathode ray PC monitors and televisions. Meanwhile Elias Precision Engineering is understood to be preparing an offer to take up to 25% of the National Automotive Factory, in return for technology transfers and investment. The Corporate Finance departments of Elias's largest bank, Zilkha and Zilkha has stated its intention to give startup loans to Ahzadi entrepeneurs at a generous interest rate, especially those buying to state companies that are being privatised. On a smaller scale, many other Elias business are welcoming the lifting of sanctions on Al-Ahzad for the first time in living memory, and are doing what they can to foster mutually beneficial trading relationships.

Perhaps most significantly though, one of the world's largest companies, the Elias Petroleum Corporation is understood to be trying to involve itself in the Ahzadi market. By buying into the (state run?) national oil company, EPC can offer unrivalled assistance in exploiting and prospecting and improve the national revenue, but it would be at the expense of Ahzad not having total control over their own resources.

The Roycelandian telecommunications giant Telecom Roycelandia has also offered to assist in the rebuilding of Al-Ahzad, pointing out that if they can keep the far-flung reaches of the Roycelandian Empire in instant communication with each other, then they can do wonders for Al-Ahzad, too...

United Elias investors will find that a maze of Ahzadi trade barriers will obstruct any large-scale commercial venture. Indeed, while things like low-end electronics factories (the peoples electronic combine is actually sold off to United Elias investors- a break with standard policy but the Ahzadi government is glad they got something for that facility) and individual loans to Ahzadi companies seem to go through rather well, investments in things like heavy industry or oil always seem to be blocked. Roycelandian efforts, likewise, are not so much rebuffed as left to flounder in the maze of Ahzadi trade law.

Indeed, Al-Ahzad is seeming to take a rather protectionist stance in terms of electronics (which is as it stands a field field with literally hundreds of startup companies) as well as oil and natural gas, which, excepting the 20% market share held by France (according to treaty) is totally state-run.

Hindustani merchants- by dint of LRR"s friendly policies to Al-Ahzad as well as historic and ethnic links to the large immigrant communities from the subcontinent are finding the going somewhat easier in light industrial sectors like textiles, moped factories, or basic electronics.

It seems as if Al-Ahzad is poising itself to have it's cake and eat it too- structure it's tariffs and trade policy to allow foriegn investment in industries where developing countries do rather well- anywhere where low wages make a venture attractive to foriegn investors- while keeping sectors like information technology, oil, heavy industry, and defense as Ahzadi as possible (although the defense sector is undertaking enough "joint efforts" with French companies to count as heavy investment anyways).


Ah, man this economics stuff is actually a nice break from all the fighting. Don't worry, though- Al-Ahzad is still nice and paranoid.

Hindustani engineers bring along their own equipment to work on the Magrib dam project, such as large cranes and several heavy lift helicopters. These pieces of gear will likely be left to the Ahzadis once the project is finished.

Merchants are quite glad at their reception, and go about setting up numerous new factories, all based on the Hindustani model, which will be turned over to local owners in the near future. They hope to measurably improve the standard of living by generating a good source of income and a steady job to the average person, with good living conditions and extensive benefits. Mopeds and small automobiles produced in Al-Ahzad are already being seen on Hindustani streets, and it is not inconcievable that a truck plant might also be built.

Engineers also install greenhouse gas filter equipment on Ahzadi factories and power plants, and educate Ahzadi workers on how to maintain and go about replacing them. On the coast, salvage vessels from the Hindustani navy go about clearing harbors of sunken wrecks and decrepit ships. In Muscat, the grounded Gearing class destroyer is refloated, and it is proposed that it be brought to the shipyard facilities at Gwadar for repair and refit. The destroyer could easily be given Exocet launchers in much the same way that the Hindustani navy overhauled its Tribals after the second world war.

The Ahzadi army is a large, semi-mechanized force, heavily reliant upon reserves. It is deployed to defend Al-Azhad from an overland attack coming out of northern Arabia. The core institution of the Republican government, it plays a social role far beyond that of simply a military. Due to the nation-building social status of the military, readiness does suffer a great deal. At any given time, roughly a third of active-duty units will be engaged in infrastructure construction projects or going through an educational program that covers basic secondary education as well as technical skills. This does not mean, however, that the Ahzadi army is incapable of performing it’s primary function: to repel a conventional assault upon Al-Ahzad.

Active-Duty Units

Active-duty units are standing formations that include conscripts. Active-duty units include:

3 Armored Cavalry Regiments (4,500 men)

The ACR’s are the hard-hitting mechanized units of the Ahzadi army. Moreso than the heavy divisions of the Raysuz area reserve, the ACR’s are the most firepower-intensive units Al-Ahzad can field. Tiny in terms of manpower- a mere 4,500 men- the ACR’s are equipped with 115 French LeClerc Main Battle Tanks each. Containing all the modern battle tanks in the Ahzadi army, the Armored Cavalry Regiments are almost totally French-equipped in terms of vehicles. They have a tiny (two battalions) mechanized infantry component to screen the armor from infantry anti-tank weapons and neutralize key positions. The Armored Cavalry Regiments are not intended to take and hold territory, however. Instead, they are meant to engage and destroy enemy heavy armor formations in the field, or to give a heavy armored punch to a larger attack. Based around the edges of the empty quarter, the Armored Cavalry Regiments are tasked with protecting the flanks of both Western and Eastern military command, and preventing a desert-storm style “swing through the desert” by enemy armor that could out-flank the natural defenses of the Yemeni and Omani mountains. Small, with modern command and control systems, they pack a division’s tank compliment into small, responsive, and very well-trained units.

3 Infantry Divisions (mechanized) (15,000 men)

Riding in French VAB wheeled APC’s and backed by upgraded M60A3’s, the active-duty infantry divisions are heavier, and better-equipped than their reserve counterparts. The infantry divisions of the Ahzadi army form a solid base around which corps-level formations are formed. Not as large as American divisions, nor as small as Soviet-style ones, the mechanized infantry units, while not as top of the line or powerfull as the ACR’s or Armored divisions, are well-equipped to engage in combined-arms warfare.

2 Infantry Divisions (heavy) (21,000 men)

The heavy divisions of the Raysuz Military Command form the strategic reserve of Al-Azhad. They are the units that will come to the aid of forces already engaged and (presumably) drive the enemy from Ahzadi territory. As such they are large, and powerful. Modern artillery units, tank units equipped with up-gunned and heavily modernized M60-120A’s, and fully mechanized infantry, as well as the size of these units, make them sledgehammers in the hands of General Headquarters. These units are designed to take part in a full-tilt firepower-saturated combined arms battlefield.

2 Armored Divisions (14,000 men)

Guarding the coastal plains, the burden of stopping enemy armor lies with the two tank divisions of the Ahzadi army. Although upgraded, the M60A3 is still not a modern MBT, so the role faced by these divisions is challenging. They are well-led, however, and the mechanized infantry and artillery brigades that compliment the tank units are well-trained. These units would not be out of place in the NATO order of battle (even if their equipment is a bit old)

1 Heavy Mechanized Division (18,000 men)
The legendary 3rd division of General Massad. In addition to being a prestige unit, it forms the third division in the Raysuz Military Command strategic reserve. Basically an armored division with an attached mechanized infantry brigade, 3rd division is run like an armored unit. Faster and more nimble than the huge heavy infantry divisions, it is also equipped with the M60-120A, as well as French AMX-10P AFV’s and the whole gamut of modern weaponry. Probably the most powerful division in Al-Ahzad in terms of tactical flexibility and amount of firepower organic to the unit.

1 Airborne Division (10,000 men)

An ambitious project. 10,000 paratroopers to be carried on the A-400’s recently bought from Elkazor. Although still undergoing training in airborne warfare, the 10,000 paratroopers are organized in three 3,000 man brigades, two of which will be parachute infantry with a third being an air-landing brigade to be transported in once the initial entry force has secured a suitable position. The largest single unit to be armed with FAMAS rifles, as well as personal body armor, the paratroopers are not a mechanized or even motorized unit, but are still among the best infantry in Al-Ahzad (although marines would dispute this)

2 Marine Brigades (6,000 men)

All-volunteer elite light infantry. The two active duty Marine Corps brigades are guarding the Bab Al-Mandeeb (units from the raysuz stationed brigades on small islands) and the hormuz penninsula (separated by the UAE from Al-Ahzad). The Marine Corps are trained in amphibious landings, and have the sort of over-the-top esprit de corps that would be expected.

1 Mountain Brigade (5,000 men)

Men from the Yemeni mountains. Trained to fight on the jagged peaks of the Yemeni mountains, the 6th Mountain brigade has a vital role to play in any defense of the Sanaa-Mocha-Aden area. Lightly equipped with much specialist equipment and pack howitzers, etc.

7 Commando Battalions (600 men)

Not special forces per se- that role is handled by General Headquarters Special Detachment troops- the commando battalions are more like the US army rangers. Elite, all helicopter-mobile, and three of the seven battalions are airborne-qualified to be used as paratroopers if needed. Not meant to fight heavy units on their own, they are trained to conduct vertical envelopment deep raids or fight in less-conventional types of warfare. All-around badasses. Two of the battalions are permanently assigned to Interior Military Command as desert-patrol and Bedouin-fighting units. Like the paratroopers, they are outfitted with the latest French and American personal equipment.

Ahzadi Bedouin Legion (4,000 men)-

the Al-Suluf Bedouin tribe aligned themselves quickly with the new Republican government in their long war with the Al-Waloud tribe. The Al-Waloud now live in the deep desert on the vague borders between United Elias, the UAE, and Al-Ahzad, and they are kept in check by the ABL. As part of the deal that granted the Al-Suluf autonomy as a self-governing region, the Al-Suluf are required to give over their best fighting men to the Ahzadi military. The Ahzadi Bedouin Legion are those men. Natural experts in desert survival, they are given additional training in modern infantry tactics, use of anti-tank and man-portable anti-aircraft missiles, and desert driving. A combination of motorized infantry and camel-back cavalry, the brigade-sized Bedouin Legion patrols the wastes of the empty quarter, where no other units can function. Their ATGM-armed jeeps and desert supply caches allow them to act as a harassing force against any military unit trying to cross the empty quarter (as if the weather and sand wasn’t enough) and they also have enough firepower to pretty much take the Al-Waloud in any battle. They are, however, still an Ahzadi regular army unit, and operate closely with the commando battalions to keep the deep desert secure.

8 Corps command units (2-3,000 men each)

All corps units are active duty, even for reserve units. In addition to HQ formations and corps artillery and MRL units, aviation brigades and attack helicopter battalions (of which there are many) also come under the command of corps HQ units.

Reserve Component

5 Light Infantry Divisions- (15,000 men)

These infantry divisions are just that- infantry, and only infantry. No motorization except for headquarters, supply, and artillery units. When they move someplace, they march. By far the most common type of division in the Ahzadi reserves. Thankfully, the are tasked primarily with holding fortifications in the Yemeni and Omani mountains- frankly, the only duties they are capable of filling.

4 Infantry divisions (15,000 men)

Much the same as active divisions, except equipment will be older, reactive armor for the tanks will not be as common, artillery will be towed and not self-propelled, etc.

1 Armor division (14,000 men)

Much the same as active-duty units, except for standard reserve issues with older equipment, etc.

3 armored brigades (3,000 men)

NOT independent units, these brigades are equipped with the most ancient tanks in the Ahzadi arsenal and kept in reserve to either bolster other reserve units with additional armor if needed. Tanks are either up-gunned and upgraded ex-ASDPR T-62’s or old British Centurions with reactive armor.

7 infantry brigades (5,000 men)

Basically rear-area and coastal defense troops. The oldest reservists, made mobile only through the use of civilian automobiles confiscated in wartime. Used primarily to hold fixed positions and fortifications, and for rear-area security.

Coming soon: how it’s deployed, and where!

Bear in mind that the Al-Waloud tribe (being the rightful heirs of the Sultan, in the Roycelandian Government's view) are supported and trained by the Roycelandians, and can accordingly call on Roycelandian equipment and expertise should they need it...

that's exactly why we gave the Al-Suluf so many guns.

Hey...what happened to all those BMP-2s and whatnot that I gave you? Too good for them, eh? Well, let me tell you!

But on a side note...do you think you want Hindustani ATGWs or do you want to go with French ones? I tend to think that Hindustani ATGWs are better (more or less copies of Israeli systems such as Spike), but this is coming from an army that plans to deploy a total of 660 tanks anywhere, the majority of which are outdated T-55s and underarmored Scorpions given a new lease on life with a 75mm high velocity gun.

Actually, I forgot to mention this, but several reserve divisions are totally equipped with soviet equipment, including your BMP's. Going with Hindustani ATGM's will probably be the case, if you'll sell. We're also very interested in buying ten more jaguars.

Just a warning, though, things between me and Beth Gellen could get ugly with Elkazor and Beth Gellert going to war. Just a warning, take that as you will. We have nothing at all against LRR however.

Well, I'm going to be neutral so perhaps thats the best idea. BG can do what he wants but I would oppose fighting in Al-Ahzad very strongly...although I have to admit that I often imagine French battleships half-sunken off of Algiers...

Then more Jaguars are quite possible. Trainer versions or what? And as for ATGWs, you won't be able to get your hands on the AT. 43 but earlier models, which are just as good as anything else like the TOW and Milan are dirt cheap. In fact, I could give you surplus Milans and AT. 40s (very similar to TOW). Perhaps some AT. 43As as well.

Well I plan to be neutral as well, it's just that I think it will be obvious where my sympathies are. As for the Jaguars, I have fifty as is, and if I get ten more I can split them into three nice 20-plane squadrons ;)

As for the ATGM's, dirt-cheap is what I like to hear. You can also safely assume that we're buying up lots of 152mm guns for our SPG designs.


The eight gearing class destroyers are going to be re-fit in raysuz with basic modern radar, and the whole rear half of them is going to be flattened into a large, open deck that can land helicopters or carry, umm, lots and lots of mines. Rear guns, superstructure, all gone. They'll serve as Offshore Patrol Vessles, but during wartime they'll be minelayers.

Hmm...an interesting role for your old Gearings. Hindustan, long a center of maritime commerce, abhors sea mines because, well, they've sunken freigthers before. I can see why you would want to use them, though. Effective force multipliers. Mabye you'd want to put some Exocets on them?

Raysuz

Ismet turned to his wife and smiled. She smiled back.

"honey?" She looked just a bit too agreeable.

"Yes, dear?" Ismet replied with the same apprehension he had had back in the 70's, leading his unit into a box canyon in rebel territory.

"I want a ministry."

Ismet rolled his eyes "Allah, woman! We've had this conversation ten thousand times! The Womens Rights and Educational department will be just that- a department, and I'm sorry, dear, but I can't have you running it. Look, you're probably the most qualified woman in Al-Ahzad, but I promised myself that I would never appoint ministers with the same last name as me."

"That's not enough and you know it!" she'd been adamant about this for a long time.

Ismet sighed. "Okay, tell you what? It'll be a department under the development ministry but I'll give you the pre-natal nutrition program and girl's higher education scholarships from health and human services and education, respectively? Somebody else will be the titular head, but you'll be front-woman for PR stuff."

She pondered this for a moment.

"I want troops, Ismet. Give me three brigades from Raysuz Military Command."

There was a moment of silence and they both started laughing. They were interrupted by a functionary.

"Sir, the polls just closed in Sut and Muscat, and we've got concession calls from the Peoples United Freedom Party"

"Who the hell are they?" Ismet was puzzled.

"Who knows, but point is, you should make a speech soon"

Ismet Massad walked out into the football stadium that was serving as election headquarters. Aaah, democracy. As the baloons began to fall over the crowd he wondered which enlightenment-era philosophers mandated baloons in the colors of your national flag as part of free elections.

Was it Jefferson? Seems like a Jefferson thing.

Election Results

The elections in Al-Ahzad were monitored by outside observers and generally judged to be open and fair. Several political partiers were banned during the election, but this was usually due to the discovery that post-election celebrations by these parties would involve trucks full of fertilizer and lots of small arms.

The Revolutionary National Party of the Yeni Ahzad intellecutal movement wins a crushing, almost stalinesque landslide with Ismet Massad as it's frontman. This is not due to election rigging at all, and the best way to illustrate this is probably with a chart:

Al-Ahzad Election Results

Revolutionary National Party: 65%
Progress and Democracy Party: 15%
National Salvation Front: 9%
Ahzadi Freedom Party: 2%
Islam and Justice Party: 1%
Ahzadi Peoples Party: 0.5%
Ahzadi Popular Peoples Party: 0.5%
Ahzadi Democractic Popular People's Party: 0.2%
Ahzadi Democratic Peoples Popular Front: 0.2%
Ahzadi Revolutionary Popular Peoples Front: 0.1%
National Socialist Party of Al-Ahzad: 0.1%
Ahzadi Socialist Green Party: 0.1%
Grey Wolf Party: 0.1%

As you can see, the opposition to the Revolutionary National Party was scattered and basically nonexistant on any significant level. The Yeni Ahzad movement basically co-opted all other political movements under the Sultan, so really nobody else had time to get around to organizing a political movement. The party that came out second best was the more left-wing Progress and Democracy party, who basically got what votes they did by complaining about the alliance with france and high military spending of the Yeni Ahzad interim government. Aside from them, most opposition parties are small and crazy. Ismet Massad is firmly and fairly made the first President of the Republic of Al-Ahzad.

The citizens of Al-Ahzad also vote on a new consitution, which passes. It calls for a unicameral parliment, a supreme court, and a strong executive, all of which have a system of checks and balances upon each other. Although the President is powerful, measures are taken to ensure that what powers are given to Parliment and the Supreme Court are kept by those bodies.

For example, to avoid a vietnam-like growing involvement in an overseas war, one of the Amendments (number 9) states that no Ahzadi conscript may be deployed overseas unless a majority of the Ahzadi public votes in a plebiscite to approve the deployment.

Sufferage is universal after 18 years of age. Discrimination based on race, gender, or marital status (worded to protect homosexuals, but not explicitly stating that- the Yeni Ahzad movement is rather more libertine than most Ahzadis) is illegal. Ahzadis have the right to Unionize, argue against the government (although a distinction is made between disagreeing with government policies and arguing against the republic itself, which is probably not a good thing to do). Ahzadis have the right to public trial by juries of their peers, and a speedy trial. (although it's basically understood that any sort of armed or serious rebellion will probably result in Bureau Six whisking you into a deep, dark hole). There are special provisions for reconciling the very harsh treason and anti-terroism laws of the Ahzadi consitution with the "rights and duties of the political opposition".

Basically, the Ahzadi consitution lays out the framework for a paranoid, authoritarian democracy, but a real democracy. The rule of law is valued very, very highly. Even the harsh authoritarian powers of the government are deliniated in law. If Bureau Six has somebody killed, there is a process they go through, subject to legal review to do so. It is a harsh democracy, but the Ahzadis are glad to have it. The President can be impeached, laws are always debated even if one party has a clear majority, and everybody has a right to competent legal defense no matter what the crime. Seperation of Mosque and State is very strict, and Islam is totally divorced from government.

Leftist, Rightist, and Islamist parties all have their problems with the consitution, but in their concession speeches (which all amount to "what were are going to do with our 2 parliment seats") they all vow to uphold it until changes can be made in a proper and legal manner.

Russia applauds the spread of democracy, and President Putin has already called Massad to congratulate him on his landslide victory.

"See? Conservativism, capitalism, and democracy go hand in hand. Al-Ahzad is yet another shining example of a growing community of free peoples."
-------Statement To The Media By President Putin

Massad thanks the Russian president and states that he is honored to be the "first of many presidents, left, right, and everywhere in between, that will continue to lead Al-Ahzad in the future."

The Popular Congress is happy to finally see an Ahzadi constitution, even if it is a little bit authoritarian for Hindustani tastes. And while it is considered a major slip-up on the part of the Popular Congress in not actually nudging Al-Ahzad towards the progressive bloc (in spite of the free everythings that were given to the Ahzadi republicans in their early days), but rather letting the French get in first and sign treaties while Hindustan was content to let Al-Ahzad go its own way, economic aid continues to flow quite liberally...or at least as liberally as it can from a nation such as Hindustan. After all, about half the population still makes a living off agriculture.

Shipbuilding is by far the most important Hindustani industry, and numerous firms (although in the end they're all run by the government) have looked into contracting some work to Raysuz and Muscat. The Magrib dam is also the recipient of hefty Hindustani subsidization. In fact, the navy is considering building one or two more Battle class destroyers (in spite of the fact that the design dates back to the 1940s) to supplement the two already in service, and these ships could quite possibly be contracted to Al-Ahzad. While the Battle is an ancient design, it is cheap and faster than many missile boats, and just about all other skeg destroyers and frigates. (And every nation has a right to make mistakes :). ) With a few ASW mortars, AS. 117 launchers, a helipad, and CIWS guns, what can possibly go wrong?

Foreign Minister Zaki Mohammed congraulates Massad on his less than suprising victory. Although anything Ahzadi is still treated with contempt by most of the citizenry, Massad is now seen favourably in government circles. After all he is sufficiently a democrat that launching futile wars against a superior power would be political suicide, and sufficiently a strongman to prevent Islamists of hardline communists taking power. The fact that Ahzad is allied with France, whilst originally seen as a step towards Bourbon Imperialism in Arabia, is now seen positively as it precludes Beth Gellert from securing any allies neighbouring UE. Furthermore, United Elias has few issues with Hindustan with the exception of their allegiances to their more radical neighbour. Perhaps the biggest concerns of the new Republic is from industrialists who are rather disappointed with Massad's strategy of economic protectionism.

Mmm...A few of you might want to check this out...
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=8736111#post8736111

OOC: In contrast to the somewhat patronizing yet semi-benign attitude in United Elias, in Ahzadi government the United Elias is spoken of with gut-wrenching terror and paranoia. The interventions during the revolution (the UE intelligence involvement in muscat is known, but kept hushed up) as well as the past between the two nations- the border wars of the 50's and 70's- have left the Ahzadis deathly afraid of their neighbor, if for no other reason than it's sheer size and power. The offhand comments made by some in the Elias government that Al-Ahzad could be "wiped off the map" in a few days were taken (correctly) to be right. Indeed, the single overriding strategic concern of the Ahzadi government is that United Elias could end up dominating Al-Ahzad. Ahzadi policies like the arms build-up, further oil exploration, and protectionist trade policies are all with an eye to protect Al-Ahzad from United Elias domination.

Although outwardly cordial and a bit too correct in it's relations to its richer (UAE) or vastly more powerful (United Elias) neighbors, the Ahzadi people live with not only a deep fear of their neighbors, but a powerful resentment over foreign domination and rule, and a condescending, chauvinistic cultural attitude towards it's neighbors and arabs in general.

Fear and Loathing in Southern Arabia!

OOC: some more military goodness

Reserve Units are in Italics, named units have their titles in parenthesis.

Western Military Command

The largest Military Command. Charged with guarding from the Red Sea to the edges of the Empty Quarter. It faces the Elias-owned Hejaz, and therefore has the most troops assigned to it. It is commanded by General Özkan Uzuner.

III Corps
1 Infantry Division (mechanized) -4th Infantry Division “The Line”
1 Armored Division
1 Mountain Brigade

IV Corps
1 Armored Cavalry Regiment (10th ACR)
1 Infantry Division (Mechanized)
Reserve Component, Western Military Command

V Corps
2 Infantry Divisions (light)

VI Corps
2 Infantry Divisions (light)

1 Infantry Division (motorized)- to IV Corps when mobilized
2 Armored Brigades- Not assigned to any larger formation. Possible assignments include stiffening V or VI Corps, or being used as individual replacements for other formations.

Interior Military Command

In terms of percentage of the Ahzadi border it covers, IMC is the largest. However, given that the terrain it guards is so barren and empty the borders aren’t even defined, it is also the smallest military command. With the fewest soldiers, as well as the presence of elite troops and the constant skirmishing of the Bedouin war, IMC has a certain reputation as an assignment for the toughest men in the Ahzadi army.

Azhadi Bedouin Legion

1 Mixed motorized light infantry/cavalry/long-range desert patrol brigade
2 Commando Battalions (air-mobile)- on semi-permanent loan from General Headquarters

Reserve Component, Interior Military Command

2 Infantry Brigades- for defense of road junctions and remote towns

Eastern Military Command

Facing the UAE and the empty desert, EMC is smaller than WMC, but due to less-defensible terrain found in Oman, they have the challenge of protecting the major cities of Ahzadi Oman without the assistance of large mountain-based defensive lines (not to say that the Omani mountains are not an obstacle, but Muscat and Sut lie beyond them, on the easily-taken plain). EMC is commanded by General Arjun Zail

II Corps
1 Armored Cavalry Regiment- 11th ACR
1 Armored Division
1 Infantry Division (motorized)- “The Omani Rifles”

1 Marine Brigade (under Marine Hormuz area command, only nominally under II Corps)

Reserve Component to Eastern Military Command

VIII Corps
1 Infantry Division (mechanized)
- no other assigned units, wartime assignment of other reserve units or transfer of units from II Corps a certainty-

1 Marine Brigade (in Muscat, will reinforce Hormuz penninsula in wartime)
1 Infantry Division (light)- will hold “green mountain” fortified area in Omani mountains.
1 Armored Brigade- for stiffening line units, individual replacements, etc.

Raysuz Military Command
Home of the most powerful units in Al-Ahzad, Rasuz Military Command is not a combat district. Rather, it acts as a strategic reserve for the other fronts. Protected by a heavier than usual SAM umbrella, it holds units that are either strategically significant, or will be invaluable to any counter-attack to repulse invaders. Raysuz Military Command is, despite being co-located with General Staff Headquarters, not under GHQ command, but rather it’s own separate organization under General Sevket Yalaz.

I Corps
2 Infantry Divisions (heavy)
1 Mechanized Division (heavy) - 3rd Infantry Division “Herikulade Temmuz” (“glorious june“, named after the Republican revolution)

1 Airborne Division
1 Armored Cavalry Regiment- 9th ACR
1 Marine Brigade (raysuz headquartered, but mostly deployed on islands in southern red sea)

Reserve Component, Raysuz Military Command

IX Corps
2 Mechanized divisions
1 Armored divisions

5 Infantry brigades (leg infantry)

General Headquarters Troops

These troops are not under the direct control of any military district, but rather of General Headquarters itself.

7 Commando Battalions (2 on permanent detachment to IMC)
1 GHQ Recon Detachment (~ 1 company, exact size secret)

Reserve Component, General Headquarters troops

10 Air Defense Artillery battalions

National Command Center, Undisclosed Location

"So really we've completed most of the labor-intensive parts of the overall national development plan. There is still much to be done, but that all requires specialist labor, and you'd be best talking to the ministry of development about that, Mr.President."

The last slide of the breifing clicked away, and the GHQ Major who had been running the slides sat down.

"So we've finished basic education, literacy, and infastructure construction programs for all army and army reserve units?" Massad looked inquisitive and hopeful at the same time- a well-honed look for any politician to have.

"That's about the size of it, sir. Until the monsoon season- when we'll probably need to call up some reserve units for flood control or disaster assistance if nothing else- we've basically completed all non-military tasks that were put in front of us. NIADS is operational on the air force side of things, the shore defense exocet batteries are all in place, and we've completed the fortifications in Yemen and the Green Mountain areas. Testing also shows almost full literacy among army units, so the intensive education programs for our more, uuh, provincial recruits have obviously done the job. Any more involved road construction would require expertise beyond what we can provide, same for any other civilian project. Basically, sir, we've run out of things to do."

President Massad nodded, and turned to his aide for a moment. A folder was soon produced.

"Alright, boys, what I've got here is permission for you to undertake Destined Glory II. It's about time we flexed our muscles and got some practice."

There were smiles all around the table.

"Okay, I've got the Blue and Green force envelopes for Destined Glory North, the Red and Black force plans for Destined Glory South, and lets see here...sub-exercises Rapid Glory- that'll be the mobilization plans, as well as the Sky Glory NIADS testing and Storm Glory naval exercises. The military attache from Ft.St.Louis should be here soon to draw up plans for Royal Glory, which will be some sort of amphibious exercise."

_________________________________________________________________

Destined Glory II (the first Destined Glory was only for the 3rd division) is a massive, nation-wide series of military exercises. The revolutionary nature of the Ahzadi government, and the role the Military took in that revolution had resulted in an army that was primarily occupied with getting unemployed young men off the streets, teaching rural villagers to read, and assisting the development ministry as well as foriegn (french, quinntonian, and hindustani) NGO's with infastructure related projects. Needless to say, combat readiness was hurt somewhat by all this.

Destined Glory II is designed to change all that. It is divided into several sub-exercises, the first of which will be Rapid Glory- a full-scale test of the Ahzadi army and Marine Corps ability to mobilize.

Parliament indicates that it is interested in sending perhaps a battalion or two to participate in the Ahzadi field excersizes, if it is acceptable. The HDF is always on the lookout for a good training oppourtunity.

Given the sorts of missions the Hindustani military often finds itself undertaking- unconventional warfare, peacekeeping, and operations other than war- a few battalions of the Hindustani army fit easily into Destined Glory South, which will be an exercise primarily focused on asymmetric warfare, pitting air-mobile commando units against Ahzadi mountain and light infantry. Hindustan will probably be assigned to force Black- the "conventional" forces which are learning to operate in rugged territory contested by lightly-armed infantry (force Red).


In Al-Ahzad, state media has announced the start of the exercise with "Rapid Glory" which is the first full-scale mobilization of the Ahzadi army. Urban life grinds to a halt as a good percentage of the workforce puts on the uniform. Goals are for all reserve units to be at full authorized stregnth within 24 hours and to move out of depot and into the field within 72 hours.

The deadline has passed, and the General Headquarters staff is very embarassed. 72 hours after mobilization orders were issued, most reserve units have failed to muster in depot, much less move into the field. Rapid Glory is extended by three more days to account for this.

En route from New Caledonia back to Mother France, the Armada stops off at Ft. St. Louis for a week of re-victualing, R&R, and some speculate war games with the Ahzadis.

Le Merechal de la Tour du Pin, Commander of the force, was seen to take a convoy to Raysuz and to General Massads Headquarters.

The French land forces (sigifigantly diminished due to the reinforcements needed to be left behind on Caledonia), still numbered severals divisions of Gardes Francais, as well as M-1 Abrams of the Royal Dauphin Corps.

Despite the fact that the President had mentally, and publicly made peace with Ahzad, and was in favour of trying to overcome historical antipathy, this attitude did not stretch very far down the chain of command.

At 2nd Army Headquarters in Ar Riyadh, which controlled all Elias Army units in the Arabian peninsular, old attitudes prevailed from the ageing Generals, many of whom had fought Ahzadis at various points in distinguished careers. According to their views, to allow such a mass mobilisation to take place south of the border would be at best a sign of indifference to Ahzad's military buildup, or at worst outright appeasement. In their eyes this 'exercise' could easily be the prelude to an invasion, they seemed to be forgetting that in this day and age, Elias's military was superiority was assured, and that Massad would not possibly be so misguided as to attack his Northern, increasingly tolerant neighbour. Of course, that would imply that Massad was logical, and everyone knew that Ahzadis could not be trusted to act logically, and that force was the only language they understood...and that strange cobbled together Turkoman language of theirs.

Although, by design, the President had to personally sign a document known as the 'War Powers Decree' for the military to mobilise reservists on mass, all reserve units undertook two separate two week training exercises a year. Most unusually, personnel in several reserve divisions would find a letter from 2nd Army HQ, saying that one of their annual training weeks would have to be brought forward for 'administrative reasons' and were told to promptly report for duty. The nature of this weekly exercise would differ from the usual mix of academic study, extensive equipment drills and war gaming, to instead focus completely on 'acclimatisation’ to southern Arabian weather conditions, in terms of a long term deployment.' Of course, to give the reservists close training with regular units, several of the2nd Army divisions based around Jizan and Najran have also been deployed into the desert.

The result of this is over 100,000 bemused soldiers camping in the middle of the desert, keeping their equipment maintained, and in a pure co-incidence, being very close to the Ahzadi frontier. In order to monitor the Elias reservist exercise, teams of personnel, often with trucks bearing huge telescoping antennae and satellite dishes have been attached to various units, and rumours persist as to why these observers seem to come from military intelligence, and pay quite so much attention to what's going to the south.

The Army is not the only service to suffer from sudden changes of mind, with South West District Air Command deciding to bring forward urgent geographic and environmental missions, requiring multiple electronic and photographic weather reconnaissance sorties across the Rub Al Khali, of course staying within Elias airspace at all times. Furthermore, on account of the emerging situation in the Horn of Africa, it would seem only a prudent measure to increase the readiness of certain squadrons of combat aircraft.

Yemeni mountains, near UE border

"Move your asses! get going!" the NCO's all over were shouting similar angry commands to the reservists of 8th Infantry Division (light). The men had been marching up the main roads from their assembly point near Sanaa for the past two days. Now the columns wound their way up narrow dirt roads to the small company and battalion sized outposts that made up the defensive positions of V and VI corps.

They were three days behind schedule. Many of the men were out of shape, and many more of them had reported to their units late.

"Do you see that?" shouted the indignant Captain that led up this small mountainside firebase, pointing to a far-off dust cloud down on the plains below them "that is an Arab border patrol! If we acted like this in a real war, Abdul Camel-Jockey and his six wives would be sitting in this firebase!"

The reservists had fancied themselves weekend warriors. Over the next two weeks, they would find their conceptions would differ in several critical areas from what the Ahzadi Army would expect of them.

OOC: gotta run to night class, but more detail later!

P.S. if you haven't noticed, most Ahzadis have a very condescending attitude towards Arabs.

Pleased with the Ahzadi reaction, the HDF gets a battalion of Light Infantrymen ready for participation in the excersizes.

Approximately 700 Hindustani soldiers are loaded aboard An. 26 or Il. 76 transports, straining the HDF's air transport capabilities quite severely, along with a number of light guns, jeeps, and air-transportable tanks. The Hindustani Army isn't an incompetent force at all when it comes to fighting in mountains and uneven terrain. The entire border with Afghanistan, China, and Iran is covered by the Hindu-Kush range and the Himilayas, and the HDF has had plenty of experience operating in these environs...although most of the military has historically been occupied with keeping the Bedgellen Principality at bay in relatively more inviting terrain.

A major war in Nepal as well as operations in Afghanistan during the soviet occupation have given birth to a number of mountain-trained border units as well as a regular army aquainted with and comfortable in mountainous terrain.

The troops board their transports carrying standard-fare HDF equipment. Denison smocks, the greenish-grey uniform trousers, 1958-pattern webbing, FN-FAL rifles...they generally have a British look about them.

I just want to make note that several thousand CHinese troops are serving in Central Asian Bases in Russian territory under the Treaty Agreement.

Rapid Glory

Several days late, mobilization is complete. This sort of poor performace was somewhat expected of a military that, by and large, has been a social tool up until now. Nevertheless, GHQ is still embarassed by this public failure to mobilize.

Already the large "lessons learned" detachment is working out reforms to the mobilization process. Concepts likely to be implemented are an emphasis on units taking up combat positions quickly instead of first reaching listed personell totals, and improvements to the depot system.

________________________________________________________________

Across Al-Ahzad, units re-deploy from their field positions (which are carefully selected to be nothing like their deployments under any existing defensive plan) and divide themselves into the color-coded forces.

This will be the first time any Ahzadi commander has moved such large masses of troops. Even at the height of the border wars with United Elias in the 1950's and 60's, the largest units involved were brigade-sized.

Destined Glory South

"What the hell are those guys doing?" the Ahzadi officer in charge of the convoy was puzzled as well as bemused as he looked though his field glasses upwards at the steep hills rising to either side of the narrow road.

Force Black was starting it's push towards the general Aden area from Sanaa, and Force Red was trying to stop them. Presently, the convoy they were travelling in- carrying supplies supporting an armored division- was under "attack" from units of the 6th mountain brigade.

"Furthermore, who here speaks hindi?" the Ahzadi commander was now searching for the radio that was somewhere in his jeep.

The source of his concern was the Hindustani company tasked with protecting the convoy. When they first took the mortar rounds (smoke, actually, but hey it was an exercise) the men of the convoy had scattered to either side of the road and begun to search for the source of the convoy. Not so the Hindustanis, who quickly sighted the 6th Mountain infantry (who had somehow taken up position atop an impossibly steep, rocky embankment) and had rushed forwards, scrambling like mountain goats up the hillsides.

The popping of FAL's firing blank cartridges rose in intensity as the Hindustanis reached the base of the Ahzadi mountain infantry position.

Scrambling to find the right frequency to speak to the Hindustani commander, the Ahzadi sighed. It was gonna be a long day.

_______________________________________________________________

Destined Glory South is an exercise in mountain and unconventional warfare. Force Black, the agressor force for this exercise, has two major tasks: 1) move a corps-sized formation (two mech infantry divisions and an armored division) from Sanaa to Aden, through the Yemeni mountains in the face of enemies intent on delaying them, and 2) to hunt down a wiliy, semi-irregular enemy light infantry force with elite, mobile units (in this case 4, 3, and 6 commando battalions- all air-mobile, along with Hindustani units and III and IV Corps aviation brigades)

Force Red (V and VI light corps, and 6th mountain brigade) have the objective of delaying and stopping a large, conventional force by using terrain advantages and ambush tactics- pretty much practice for their assumed role in any invasion. Additionally, they will act as OPFOR for Ahzadi commando units gaining further practice in rebel-hunting.

Destined Glory North

The LeClerc platoon moved through the early morning desert in loose formation, charging forwards at full speed. Low chatter passed back and forth over their combat datalinks as they made their ordered flanking manuver against the 3rd divisions 1st brigade.

Apparently 1/3 Armor wasn't going to be very helpful today, as over a distant dune the angled shapes of upgraded M60A3-120A's appeared, and began to fire. The LeClerc's from 9th ACR began to return fire, and were rewarded with a kill as the training system of one of the 3rd division tanks set off the smoke generators onboard. Radios on both sides sent reports up the chain of command: contact has been made.
________________________________________________________________

In short, Destined Glory South is a huge conventional engagement in the Dofhar, pitting Eastern Military Command and the french troops at Ft.St.Louis against Raysuz Military command. The heavy divisions of Raysuz military command, all three Armored Cavalry Regiments, and the French division at Ft.St.Louis, as well as troops from the offshore flotilla are engaged, meaning that the vast majority of Ahzadi tank stregnth is busy running around the sandy wastes of central Al-Ahzad playing hi-tech laser tag. Eastern Military Command is tasked with driving southwards, and Raysuz Military Command is tasked with stopping them.

In the first day of the exercises, the northern "Force Green" establishes contact with the southern "Force Blue" and a few tank skirmishes take place.

Although a long planned deployment, the timing of the 6th Carrier Group's transit through the Beb El-Mendeb was most fortunate, or deeply misguided depending on which view you took. Large aircraft carriers deployed to the Indian Ocean from bases on the Red Sea with some frequency, but the fact that this task force was moving through at the precise time of Ahzad's largest ever mobilisation could be misinterpreted by Raysuz. As the ships undertook their southerly passage, the upper echelons in the Ministry of Defence had largely been persuaded that if it was seen as a reaction to Destined Glory II, then that would possibly be advantageous.

In addition, to this, the number of submarine patrols in the Arabian Sea had been stepped up, with several diesel/electric boats moving in close to the Ahzadi coast to monitor radio and electronic signals.

Attacking up the mountainside with reckless abandon, or at least as recklessly abandoing as one can be when negotiationg a near-vertical slope, 3/7 Light Infantry attempts to take 6 mountain's position.

It is not inconcievable that the company's commander, Captain Buvaan Singh, doesn't realize that his hundred-strong company is taking on brigade elements, but 3/7 attacks nonetheless. Soldiers charge up, firing dummy rifle grenades and 51mm mortar rounds into the 6th's positions.

On the ground below, an FV101 begins to join in with its own 82mm automatic mortar, a copy of the Russian Vaselik.

One section of 3/7 light remains with their Ahzadi comrades, aiming their empty AT. 40 posts (two examples) at 6 mountain as well. The missile section is unable to use its range advantage (their AT. 40 LRs can hit targets from 8km range), but their missiles would likely do a fair bit of damage in a real conflict.

Some troops already begin to climb down, their rather primitive laser gear registering a hit.

Two shilouettes appear in the sky not at all far away, however, which seem to intensify 3/7 light's attack. 'Armed' with AT. 40 LRs, the HDF Gazelles 'engage' 6 mountain and attempt to, at the very least, keep Red Force's head down as the significantly (although not impossibly-the HDF expects to be outnumbered in most of its war scenarios) outnumbered light infantrymen seem poised to reach their destination.

Captain Singh is upset about the lack of air cover as well as the convoy's relatively puny firepower. HDF logistical units are quite fearsome, armed with SAMs and ATGWs, as well as light MRLs and mortars, and operating their own armored vehicles. An HDF convoy would certainly give a good account of itself...

The Gazelles finally move off and the AT. 40 section re-directs its fire as the first light infantrymen are seen to reach the top of the hill. Captain Singh makes use of his blank-loaded Sterling L2A4, following the Hindustani tradition of commanders leading from the front and being quite sufficiently armed.

Destined Glory South

The Hindustani operational methods come as a great suprise to the attacking Force Red units, and opting to err on the side of caution, the 6th Mountain brigade units break off their ambush, heading further down the road to set up another.

That is, if they can evade the hindustani helicopters.

Sky Glory

The "you are dead" tone buzzed in the cockpit of the Ahzadi Mirage 2000 as it's french counterpart behind it finally got missile lock. The "dead" Ahzadi Mirage turned and flew away from the massive, twisting dogfight developing over the Dofhar.

Hundreds of kilometers away, combat controllers in the Ahzadi airborne early warning and control aircraft purcased from france vectored the upgraded F-4I interceptors into Mica range of the french OPFOR units tangling with the Ahzadis. The RIO's powered up their recently installed radars and let fly with the advanced air to air missiles.

Destined Glory North

Combined arms warfare practiced on a grand scale is the rule of the day in Destined Glory North. Over 100,000 Ahzadi and French troops and hundreds of tanks sweep over the rocky deserts. The inexperience of the Ahzadi army in large-scale manuver warfare is starting to show, as several french units easily exploit gaps that develop between Ahzadi formations.

To the credit of the Ahzadi army, however, the use of attack helicopters as an integrated part of tank warfare is proving very sucessful. Apparently one of the attack helicopter battalion commanders in Eastern Military District has some pet theories that have proven very useful, as Tiger and Super Cobra helicopters savage the tanks of the Raysuz Military Command.

3/7 Light infantry continues to pursue the 6th mountain brigade for a while longer, until Captain Singh finally realizes that the Ahzadi unit is many times his own squadron's size.

The FV101s and BTR copies get ready to move the convoy out. With luck, they will get out of the mountains soon enough.

Meanwhile, it is requested that perhaps an HDF armored unit be sent to the excersizes. The HDF's tank crews get very little practice against other vehicles and the northern desert excersizes could be just what they need. A few Centurion and T-55 squadrons could be shipped over fairly quickly...

Well, those tanks would probably arrive just in time for the Destined Glory North LIVEX (a live fire exercise to cap off the training in the north). If you can ship 'em over, you're welcome to show.

OOC: Hey Elkazor- is it cool to assume that your marines are up for conducting an amphib landing exercise? Mine need practice.

One Hundred Miles South of Ft. St. Louis, Al-Ahzad

The Grand Armada (at least about 70% of it after the reinforcements on New Caledonia) formed a Battle Line off the Ahzadi Coast, singals flashing rampant between the different ships, all focusing aroung HMCMS Louis-Auguste The Cherbourg Mark II Super-Battleship.

The Royal Dauphin Corps, after re-inforcements from France, stood at full capacity with five divisions of Gardes Francais standing by as well as two corps, 800 total, M-1 Abrams tanks. Half of the French forces were stationed at Ft. St. Louis, the other half would conduct the first amphibious operation since the Restoration's occurance. In the course of these war games, however, French ODSL Agents lost no oppurtunity in espionage against the HDF, gaining all and any information they could, the more vital the better. Operations were low intensity and scattered, but they occured nevertheless.

While Versailles danced the Demectiary, The Royal Dauphin Corps and Armada (before heading home to Marseilles) would conduct war games with General Massad and his troops, relishing the oppurtunity. After all, Ft. St. Louis occupied one of the most strategic portions of the globe, it would be best to practice defending it.

The landing operation began with a wing of Mirage-2000 fighter/bombers conducting a scatter-bomb/napalm raid on shore targets. Then, no doubt to the surprise of thousands of onlookers, a wave of one wing of Dassault Rafales, heretofore the elite of the ODSE but being moved to popular roles in light of the Mirages' age, swept the beach, astounding the viewers with their speed and accuracy.

Following the air strikes, the Armada began a punishing bombardment of the shores, with the Louis-Auguste unleashing 16" shells on the targets. Three hours later, with the beach smoking, flaming and cratered, French landing craft were seen to be dropped from the troop ships...

Hindustani T-55s and Centurions arrive fairly quickly, support units traveling via jet transport and the vehicles themselves aboard some of the faster cargo ships available.

The old British and Soviet tanks (the latter aquired from Israel) motor out into the desert in short order, sporting their 75mm high-velocity guns, weaponry capable of doing a number on the Abrams. Built for hot climates, they handle well in the desert. The crews, comfortably inside with air conditioning, are used to the arid training ranges in Gujarat and take the Ahzadi climate well.

The tanks are followed by their support train (what limited amounts of it that were sealifted across, anyhow), consisting of both the TC. 3 engineer's variants and BT. 2 heavy recovery vehicles and also a number of trucks and jeeps. The engineers' TC. 3s are quite well armed, carrying a number of grenade dischargers in addition to a 7.62mm MG. The French will be disappointed if they expect to catch a HDF mechanized force in full battle formation, since the tanks are clearly the stars of the show and therefore APCs and other mechanized infantry and logistical elements have been omitted.

Jeeps and light trucks fitted with ATGWs are assigned to 'protect the flanks,' and are complimented by a few FV101s.

The T-55 and Centurion don't exactly mesh perfectly. The heavily armored Centurions and the light, low-profile T-55s move across the excersize ranges somewhat awkwardly.

The 75mm guns on the tanks (and the same towed by several vehicles) will probably be of interest to the French spies, although there is little to be learned that isn't already available in the public domain. HDF vehicle crews watch apprehensively as the Frenchmen approach, Sterling SMGs never far out of hand.

In Hindustan proper, coastal radar operators keep the French fleet under observation. Louis's vessels are occasionally approached by patrol planes, but the fleet isn't considered terribly threatening. After all, the HDF wouldn't give the French the chance to get into gun range. Between the 290km BrahMos, 210km AS. 117, and 110km Sea Eagle, it is considered unlikely that any such battlegroup would have a chance to get into SAM range, much less be able to use its heavy rifles.

((I just want to re-state this is a war game. Although admittedly it is strange to see two, well, basically hostile powers go up in training against each other. But, then, it is AMW eh?))

The French Armada, well the Royal Navy as a whole, had little to fear against incoming missle and aircraft fire. Although it had not had a chance to acquit itself properly against the Igovians before they turned tail on their illegal venture, French Naval technology was easily the most intense and advanced in the world. The Cherbourgs were a synergy of aircraft carrier AA power and a battleships durability and arsena. Weighed down with dozens of CIWIS batteries, SAM stations, a wide array of offensive misslery, and some of the best radar/sonor in the world, these icebergs would take more than an assault from one theatre to bring down. Likewise, the rest of the Royal Navy benefitted from top notch AA and AM technology, and was nearly the fastest growing arm of Restoration France's military, as well as the most prestigious branch.

And so, after the brutal artillery pounding on pre-marked beach posistions by some 15 French Men-of-War, and with a air umbrella of both Mirages and Dassault Rafales operation, the landing began.

Preceded by a last wave of artilley and rocket fire which shook the beach, hundreds of French LST, looking like fat beetles moving across the water, made their slow journey to the landing zones, covered by a rolling assault of beach targets by the ODSE. This, the first batch ever made, had just arrived from Brest in time for the war games.

Meanwhile, Ft. St. Louis was under martial law and ongoing drills. Alarms whistled as troops marched throughout the fortress, the high-rise headquarters of Royal Ahzad Company was temporarily blacked out, its fine 16th story balconies lined with sandbags. The Forts freshly installed AA Defense Grid came to life, and targetting grids flared up on thousands of computer terminals. Under General du Gouines, a French armored column of some 350 M-1 Abrams tanks, supported by motorized elements of the Royal Dauphin Corps containing some 20,000 Gardes Francais, raced to join the landing force, leauges to the south. The bojective would be a link up, and a united drive back to Ft. St. Louis to re-supply and form up again. For the war game objective of taking Raysuz,

OCC: While France might be Al-Ahzad's number one benefactor nowadays, Hindustan was supporting the Ahzadi republicans long before France. So even though Al-Ahzad is definately a French ally and not a Hindustani ally, Parliament won a moral victory at least. I mean, hey, its not like Parliament tried to nudge Al-Ahzad into this or that power bloc. Mabye they didn't choose like Parliament wanted, but that's life.

But Elkazor...I seriously doubt that your battleships, any battleships for that matter, are about to stand up to a prolonged combined-arms bombardment from the HDF, just like how the Blake won't stand up to much bombing if you keep at it. Sure, you'd loose people and equipment in the process, but, like in anything, its not as though Hindustan is Lybia, throwing a couple Komars and Osas and their SS-N-2s at a flotilla that outnumbers it exponentially in both numbers and tonnage. This is modern (well, more or less) weaponry and well-trained crews, fighting for, well, survival, on their logistical base.

So yeah, don't get too complacent with your world-feeding defense budget. Us second-worlders might just knock you down to size one day. (Well, probably not, but I'll not go down without a fight!)

IC:

With Hindustani involvment in the Ahzadi excersizes (and indeed the whole country) looking more and more redundant, Parliament makes the decision to pull out.

After all, it was a struggle getting tens of tanks into Al-Ahzad in a timely manner in the first place, never mind any semblance of a potential battle formation, so the HDF will have to be content, considering its severely limited logistical resources (which makes a 1,500-strong, minimally mechanized deployment to Eritrea difficult enough), to continue training in its Indian ranges.

Aid to Al-Ahzad remains more or less constant, although it does begin to slightly decrease in volume with the nation becoming more and more self-sufficient.

But if Louis thinks that he has won a diplomatic victory, he is right. Hindustan obviously lacks legitimacy, and Parliament knows it. Unless someone invades the Indian subcontinent, Hindustan can't do anything besides complain and egg on Beth Gellert. But if legitimacy means spending even more money on the military (the navy specifically), Parliament doesn't want any part in it.

OOC: don't worry, hindustan- there are large factions of parliment and even of the Yeni Ahzad party that are just as displeased with Gen. Massad's alliance with france as you are. Haven't been able to RP that side of it yet, much. Well, they aren't going to do much about it for a while, either, with Massad being the untouchable savior of the nation he is. Unless he screws up in a big way, they'll just have to sit and take it.

___________________________________________________________________

Royal Glory

The Ahzadi marine, after a few helpful tips from his french counterpart, called the coordinates out to the offshore battleship. After a wait of a few long minutes, the roaring sound of the huge shells passing overhead seemed to fill the whole world, and the ground shook with their impact on the live-fire range. With the end of the bombardment, the French and Ahzadi marines left their positions on the beach and began to advance against the Ahzadi army OPFOR.

Storm Glory

The missile boat attack against the french fleet had failed, but taught the Ahzadi navy a few very valuble lessons, especially in reguards to keeping radar and radio silence.

Sky Glory

Tangling in simulated combat with the French fleet's air cover, the Ahzadi Mirage 2000's were holding their own (the pilots were, after all, given the same training as their french counterparts) although against the Rafale nothing in the Ahzadi inventory had a chance.

The results from the NIADS exercises were being kept from the public, but the Ahzadi air defense commanders were walking around the National Command Facility with smug looks on their faces.


OOC: more later! real life beckons, as always. oh, and elkazor- what's the URL for that palace intrigue thread?

((LRR, I meant to say the Cherbourgs are revolutionarily tough. Needless to say, when anything is subjected to massive and constant bombardment, it will crack. However, the Cherbourgs must be regarded as the finest Battleship afloat in AMW, and not one has yet had a chance to acquit itself properly. Oh, BTW, Ive decided on the Cherbourg Mark III, the keel of which has just been laid in Cherbourg, will be the new Royal Navy Flagship. Im thinking a vastly improved and more heavy edition of the Mark II: 145,000 tons at full displacement---20" guns---30" reinforced blue steel armor---and the ability to carry one squadren (7) modified Dassault Rafales, made more to be like Harriers, for air ability. And all painted a glorious coat of white! Of course, such a massive ship will take at least two years to build, one maybe at a crash program. But with this Queen at the head of five other Cherbourgs, the Royal Navy has a Battle-line not seen since, well, ever, and with AA and AM capabilites par excellence. I must admit, I have always been a Navy man myself. I will have specs and a post up on the construction soon.))

Off the coast of Al-Ahzad, four Brest Class Frigates led by the Marseilles Class Light Cruiser Indominable broke off from the Armada, and in delta formation swept at 35 knots upon the enemy missle boats. When in range, the Indominable led the group by turning into the wind, raising her signal flags, and opening up the general attack with her 10" guns (blanks, of course).

The rest of the Armada (the Louis-Auguste, four Brest Class Frigates and three Marseilles Class Light Cruisers) remained in a battle line off the landing beach, bombarding co-ordinates as they were called in.

At Ft. St. Louis, the aerodome was frantic. Jets would land and refuel, before a new group of pilots rushed in to fly. All in all though, French strategists were extremely pleased with the performance of the Dassualt Rafale...in the early stages of the fighting it was this superb aircraft alone that gained His Majesty air superiority. Although the Mirage held up as well as ever, M. de Saint-Germain, Minister of War to Louis XX, was praised for his controversial decision to uprgrade the ODSE.

Alpha Corps, 15,000 Gardes Francais Light Infantrymen, was well into their landing operation on the beach. With close and pressing air cover, naval support directly behind, the French troops moved swifty across the charred beach and towards the dunes behind them, setting up battlefield Headquarters tents, as well as medical and supply drops. They were expected to have landed and have the beach-head secured within several hours.

Beta Corps, consisting of 35,000 Gardes Francais Heavy Infantrymen travelling in a mix of APCs and armored transports, supported now by the awe inspiring sight of a column of 800 M-1 Abrams Tanks, plunged south across the desert: this was the heart of the Royal Dauphin Corps. Dressed in stylish desert fatigues, still bedecked with the Cordon Blue of the Ordu du Saint-Louis and golden epaulettes, le Merechal de la Tour du Pin gazed out from his speeding command tank. The column and forces were moving at breakneck speed, making a bee-line straight towards the landing beach, and then a united French/Ahzadi drive to Raysuz. For the French to mount this training exercise, in terms of supplies and material, was extremely expensive. Gas carriers followed in convoys behind the main column, the dust churned up by a thousand treads visivle for miles around. But it was vital and nessicary: The Royal Dauphin Corps, the most battle hardened French army, was soon to return to France and begin massive exercises with the Royal Army and Gardes Francais en masse.

Attack helicopters flew in close over the French/Ahzadi drive south, guiding them to the landing beach.

((incidentially, the garrison at Ft. St. Louis is one thousand Royal Marines and 4000 Gardes Francais...oh, and here is the link:http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=8993554 ))

OOC:
20" guns and 30" armour would be about plausible for a 145k ton vessel, but i woudl say forget the the rafales, you would need to restrict yourself to pure VTOL aircraft as even on a battleship that big you won't have a room for a ski jump without major sacrafices, and there is now way you could viably remodel the Rafale to make it S/VTOL, of course if you ask Putin nicely he might let you have access to the YaK-141 since the russians aren't using it.
Of course you could go down the battle carrier route but that woudl involve dedicating msaot of your aft section to aviation and restrictign yourself to maybe 6 20"ers (personally i would go for longer barreled 18"ers myself but thats just me and my prefference for volume and range over per shell weight).

OCC: By the way Al-Ahzad, what about that Eritrea thing? Call it resolved? Forget it?

OOC- Strath thats about right, I think. Hrrrmmm, well that does it I think. France has no choice but to produce an assault carrier to join the battle group of Cherbourgs. Well, looks like this naval Buildup is going to be mind numbingly expensive, but what isnt. Oh, Hey! Ill just refit the Charles de Gaulle...whoop! Stand by for a post on this soon, Ciao.

As the Hindustani defense forces, particularly those concerned with maritime operations, eye the French battlegroup, a force probably sufficient to sink the entire navy (not a great boast relatively speaking...a lot of places could do that), land and air forces also begin to take notice.

While it is believed that the SAf. 8 is at least equal to the new Mirage 2000 variants and, on its own terms, a match for the Rafale, the SAf. 4 (essentially an early-model Mirage 2000) forms the bulk of the HDF's fighter force. At least, thinks the HDF, they can boast a sizable dedicated attack force.

The ground forces are quite disturbed at the fact that France can deliver -in relatively short order- 800 M1s fully supported. The HDF hardly operates 800 tanks at all, much less the highly advanced Quinntonian Abramses. But the HDF is still confident, if somewhat less so, that the reactionary armies are only so capable.

After all, what are Hindustan's rather advanced ATGWs for?

And Hindustan can still boast a thriving civilian manufacturing sector at that. Along the west coast of the subcontinent, arguably the world's largest and busiest shipbuilding (and shipbreaking) yards churn out freighters, tankers, fishing boats, and container ships at a steady rate, with only small annexes used for military constructions. That, in and of itself, makes Parliament happy. At least they don't have a war mindset, and that gives them the moral upper hand, they figure.

((Just for the record, LRR, the Abrams tanks were travelling with the Armada to begin with, subsequently they arrived simultaneously with the fleet. There was no moding on this hand, they were originally intended to fight the Igovians on New Caledonia.))

Message from the office of the Presidency of the Holy Republic of Algeristan

To: Al Azhad

The Holy Republic of Algeristan will REFUSE to consider the 'government' of General Massad as the legitimate government of Al Azhad.

Algeristan stills considers the Al-Waloud dynasty to be the sole TRUE representative government of ALL of Al Ahzad.

Algeristani foriegn policy will be based on the securing the eventual restoration of the Al-Waloud dynasty to power in Al Azhad and Algeristan will hope that upon the removal of the infidel Massad from power, Islamic shaira law will become the legal code for the Al Azhadi nation.

Algeristan CONDEMS Al Azhad for abolishing the Ministry of Piety, the removal of Islamic law from the Al Azhadi legal code and the toleration of homosexuality by the un-Islamic regime of Massad.

Algeristan urges ALL firm followers of Islam in Al Azhad to rise up in Jihad against the infidel regime of Massad. This is an Islamic struggle worthy of comparision with the Holy Jihad of Afghanistan in the 1980s against the evil USSR. Much like the evil Afghan Marxist tyrants such as Karmal and Najibuallah, Massad shall face the wrath of the Jihadists and shall discover the true price of his evil betrayel to his faith and the faith and culture of the Islamic people's of Al Azhad.

From the Presidency of the Holy Republic of Algeristan

Sayeed al Bakr

OOC:
I know the (modern world RP) tag isn't too clear but this is a more or elss closed RP for members of the A Modern World (AMW) group.

You are welcoem to look into the group (there is a main thread around somehwere) but playing as Algeria might be difficult as it is essentially a French puppet...

OOC: We ought to make the (AMW Only) tag standard in future, or something, because it's clear to everyone inside the group, but those outside don't get confused into thinking it just means a general modern-tech RP.

((Just for the record, LRR, the Abrams tanks were travelling with the Armada to begin with, subsequently they arrived simultaneously with the fleet. There was no moding on this hand, they were originally intended to fight the Igovians on New Caledonia.))

OCC: Its really nothing to be proud of with 800 tanks getting here and there relatively quickly. I mean, the US does it well enough!

I was trying to put the HDF's shortcomings in a sharp relief; France can cart 800 tanks plus support a long distance while Hindustan (although the bullyingly strong shipbuilding sector might indicate otherwise) can barely get ten FV101s to Eritrea.

OOC- Oh I totally understand, no problem. I just wanted to make the point that the Royal Dauphin Corps is Frances premier, non Royal Army, fighting corps, designed for rapid and overwhelming deployment. This branch is about the only group that the Kingdom of France can deploy on short notice however, being designed for that. Rest assured tht France does not have the deployment capability of Quinntonia. However, with recent Naval additions, Im sure we have just as good, if not better, a battle line as them. At least when the Mark III and Insurmountable are ready.

(OOC) Algeristan is NOT Algeria, we were NEVER a French colony.

You say this is a modern world scenario, well Im no a FT player, I ONLY use existing real weapons, like AKs, MIGs etc....

Algeristan, AMW is a closed roleplaying group. It's not another term for "Modern Tech". There's a thread somewhere- do a search under Roycelandia or Quinntonia for "A Modern World Opening to New Members") and have a read there...

OOC: hm, yes, I think I should have used "AMW only" in the tag here...


IC:

Destined Glory North

The Raysuz Military Area troops know what is heading for them- the dauphin corps bolstered by an Ahzadi mechanized infantry division, an Ahzadi armored division, and an ACR. The two 21,000 man strong heavy infantry divisions deploy to meet the armored tide racing towards them. Dispersed mechanized infantry form dozens of small strongpoints based around antitank weapons as artillery units mark secondary and tertiary fallback positions for the artillery duel that is sure to come. A force from the two division's armored brigades is formed and held in reserve to counter any breakthrough. The legendary 3rd division sweeps out to the west, seeking the flank of the advancing Ahzadi/French forces.

The three divisions that make up the bulk of the Raysuz Military Area troops are the largest and best-equipped in the Ahzadi army. In news coverage of the manuvers, the outside world gets it's first glimpse of the new Ahzadi weaponry that is lavished upon the elite divisions.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v251/linkwerk/m60ah.jpg

The M60-120A is a heavily upgraded M60 Patton tank. Similar to the Israeli Sabra tank, it is fitted with applique composite armor, a 120mm gun (sacrificing a deal of ammunition storage to accept the larger weapon) as well as all new night vision and fire control systems. The M60-120A, known as the Tosan- a word that means both wild horse and fury- has been produced in small numbers to outfit the 3rd division and the heavy infantry units in the Raysuz military area.

Sky Glory

In the air, Ahzadi industry gets to show off once again as the first all-Ahzadi aircraft ever produced is shown engaging in mock dogfights on state TV. The Azarakhsh (lightning) trainer/light attack aircraft is described by some as "the bastard child of an alpha-jet and a jaguar" and is, by all accounts, a forgiving and easy-to-fly aircraft. A simple trainer aircraft, it is powered by two Ahzadi-built copies of the J-52-P-408A engine used in the A-4 skyhawk. Lacking radar or advanced avionics, it is fitted with an internal 20mm cannon and is shown on state TV attacking with bombs and unguided rockets, as well as carrying two matra magic heat-seeking missiles.

Storm Glory

The Ahzadi missile boats split off to sweep in on the detached French surface group, powering up their exocet targeting radars as they do so. The guns of the French cruiser begin to take their toll, but Ahzadi naval commanders have theorized that saturation attacks will result in enough missile boats getting through and doing damage to vital naval assets.

Storm Glory

From the bridge of the Marseilles Class Cruiser Indominable Line Captain Jacques de Pepin stared out his binoculars as the detachment began to open fire, sporadically, on the Ahzadi Missle Boats. He realized, as the Ahzadi boats pulled back and their targetting systems went hot, he was going to be in a bad place.

::Queue theme music from Hunt for the Red October::

Pepin grabbed hold of the rail, white knuckled, and used every ouce of his skill.

"Hard a starboard, full ahead! Signal immediate battle line! Sound emergency stations!"

The cruisers drive shaft warped and groaned as the Indominable lurched hard to starboard, a huge rooster tail rising in the aft as she slipped into gear. On deck, signals flashed like electric lights. Alarms began booming, sailors well drilled ran expertly to their stations as the battle formation erratically melded into the shape of a crescent, and at full speed stretched into a battle line.

Captain Pepins eyes were bright, he felt the sea call in his blood as he held tight, the ship still lurching sharply.

"Prepare a full batch of counter-measures! Deploy the Kingfishers, order them on immediate torpedo runs against enemy targets!" The bridge moved like a living creature, slanted to one side, as officers ran about: calling orders, turning off the alarms in the bridge as well as the flashing lights. From the Indominable two Kingfisher helicopters rose, from the Darter, Couger, Blade and Corsair a total of four (one for each Brest Class Frigate) took to the skies.

When the helicopters were up, Pepin strapped himself to his chair, and quickly scanned the navigation chart. His men were proud, for their captain displayed the skills of his aristocratic ancestors off of Ushant. Line Captain Jacques de Pepin took one more breath, and rolled the dice.

"Helm, come about to 54 degrees! Flank ahead! Com, signal battle line formation at 6 mark 3! Ops, get me some fire solutions on those missle boats, now!"

HMCMS Indominable moved into high gear, the rooster tale now fairly foaming. It was an ingenious plan for the detachment, apparently now in erratic evasive manuevers, was actually preparing to form a solid line of fire, and let loose within minutes.

At point 6 mark 3 the detachment, apparently out of pure chaos, fell into a solid battle line, HMCMS Indominable in the lead. As soon as the Marseilles Class Cruiser, which was followed precisely by those four Brest Class Frigates, passed mark 6 point 3, she released a full broadside.

Meanwhile, the helicopters were now in attack formation, and the sound of targetting systems going hot was heard.

Glory North

The French Armored Column and Motorized Infantry, aided by Ahzadi reinforcements, under le Merechal de la Tour du Pin reached the Beachhead of Alpha Corps. There it would rest, conduct repair on the dusty tanks, and let the men snooze before an early morning offensive to the South.

As the French set up camp with the Ahzadis, and formed a perimeter, de la Tour du Pin studied maps of the approach to Raysuz, and decided upon his manner of attack.

The French would divide their forces in half. Half of the Armored Column, with full air support, would head south and engage the Raysuz defences head on. The Ahzadis would fight with this force, to give it even more backbone. Meanwhile, the other half would be subdivided again, and led on each wing by 200 M-1 Abrams Tank they would engage in a pincer movement to cut off and surround Raysuz. The pincer movements would have little to no air support, but would be aided by several squadrens of attack helicopters.

The airstrikes would begin on forward Ahzadi targets at 4:00 a.m.. At 5:00 a.m., the ground assault would heave forward.

The situation in France dicatated that the French fleet and ground forces return to home ports.

With many apologies, and having enjoyed good training thus far, the Armada and Royal Dauphin Corps get packed up to go. The French Ground forces make breakneck speed to Raysuz, where the Armada would pick them up.

The fleet would depart in 32 hours at the very most, cutting though the Suez to arrive quickly back in France.

My god! I would hope that they would get to france quickly...things are looking rather, uum, eventful over in that direction.

In any case, destined glory was about to wrap up anyways. Only some paratrooper drops were left on the "to-do" list, and the Ahzadi army can do that on it's own.

(Does UE allow French warships to go scooting back and forth through there? I suppose there may be a whole arrangement I missed, if so, never mind [continues to burn self with tea] argh)

(Does UE allow French warships to go scooting back and forth through there? I suppose there may be a whole arrangement I missed, if so, never mind [continues to burn self with tea] argh)

Well, come to think of it technically no...if anyone remembers we specifically banned French naval vessels from using the Canal...however, since tensions between France and UE defused somewhat (although may heat up again over Tunisia), I would imagine that we'd let start letting them back through, after all since the canal tariffs are done on tonnage, imagine how lucrative a fleet of huge battleships is? As with most things in UE, money before morals...

OCC: Hey Al-Ahzad, what kind of production capacity would you say Muscat and Raysuz are at when it comes to shipbuilding? I might have to send some Type 21s over for major hull modifications...

OOC: We have good naval yards, but I'm guessing that Elias Marine Corporation isn't likely to get the contract?

OOC: We have good naval yards, but I'm guessing that Elias Marine Corporation isn't likely to get the contract?

OCC: Eh...not to clog the thread Al-Ahzad, but...

I would expect you to be the last one to take the job (at least amongst democratic nations). And I'm suspicious that you might plant a few listening devices and other unsavory things in the hull so they don't work so well.

I mean, Mumbai doesn't have anything against UE, except that it has a habit of doing some not so nice things that don't really conform to the beliefs and values of Hindustan. Supporting Sabir, the Ahzadi Sultan, dipping your toes in Somalia, all those things plus stuff that the not-so-capable Parliamentary intelligence service doesn't know about.

But you don't like France, and thats a plus.

So I don't think that Hindustan's four new (or rather, quite old) Type 21s will end up in an Elian yard, although the simply massive shipyards that dot the east coast would likely love to cooperate on civillian vessels. Ahzadi shipyards need the contracts for one, and they aren't likely to do anything crafty to them.

I would expect you to be the last one to take the job (at least amongst democratic nations). And I'm suspicious that you might plant a few listening devices and other unsavory things in the hull so they don't work so well.


*splutters indigantly* Listening devides? Unsavory things? Surely you don't think we'd....I mean thats ridiculous... ;) after all Type 21s are bad enough as they are, barely seaworthy, melt when there's a fire not to mention they'll capsize if you put anything else on the superstructure.

But yes, commerical vessels may be an interesting possibility, after all, Elias Marine might be keen to outsource some of its less technically demanding jobs to cheaper countries, especially when it comes to simple, single-hulled, medium size oil tankers that Elias Petroleum always needs to transport crude around the Eastern Med. Another problem is that we don't have enough really massive yards for building VLCCs at the moment, especially as we've been refitting the Navy's Kiev class carriers for CTOL...

"I would expect you to be the last one to take the job (at least amongst democratic nations)."

UE is a democracy? *Falls off chair*

*splutters indigantly* Listening devides? Unsavory things? Surely you don't think we'd....I mean thats ridiculous... ;) after all Type 21s are bad enough as they are, barely seaworthy, melt when there's a fire not to mention they'll capsize if you put anything else on the superstructure.

But yes, commerical vessels may be an interesting possibility, after all, Elias Marine might be keen to outsource some of its less technically demanding jobs to cheaper countries, especially when it comes to simple, single-hulled, medium size oil tankers that Elias Petroleum always needs to transport crude around the Eastern Med. Another problem is that we don't have enough really massive yards for building VLCCs at the moment, especially as we've been refitting the Navy's Kiev class carriers for CTOL...

Hey, they're better than nothing! To be totally honest, well, I am not totally unaware of the Type 21's rather crippling shortcomings, but they're going cheap! I mean, if a good deal of the superstructure is stripped away and some major weapons systems removed, they're bound to work at least a little bit. Perhaps I will resell them...

But about commercial ships, yeah that's what Hindustani shipyards really excell at. Imagine the Hyundai yards, but at Gwadar, Daman, and Mumbai, and smaller yards dotting the coast. Shipbuilding is the only industry in which Hindustan can claim any sort of special status.

But we should probably take this to invision, eh?

So, Ahzad, how about those yards 'yourn?

Yeah, the yards are capable of doing hull work, and really working on some older warships is well within the capacity of the shipyards. Plus god knows they need the work, as shipbuilding isn't exactly the easiest market to break into.

Aah, and economic ties to hindustan grow ever-closer. What's that I hear? Tension between the Yeni Ahzadi civilian and army factions? Oh, never! Perish the thought!

In the interest of strengthening Ahzadi industry, especially in the shipbuilding sector, Parliament has announced that it would be very interested in sending its four new Type 21 frigates to Raysuz or Muscat for modification and refit once the final kinks in the deal are worked out.

The HDF is also considering the construction of four more Sikkim class patrol/support ships (roughly based on the Island class), and the ever-busy Hindustani shipyards would be quite happy to outsource their construction to Al-Ahzad.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=428145

Hey remember what happened to Wazzef Al-Waloud?


Well so does the Ahzadi army! It looks like some remote parts of the UAE are getting a very unwelcome visit.

A good name for it, Ahzad.