NationStates Jolt Archive

http://img110.exs.cx/img110/1461/gibralter5fd.gif
[La Linea]
The morning hours witnessed the still black skies which engulfed the space above the moving Macabee soldiers. It was still incredibly early, around 0100 hours Zulu time, however, all Macabee soldiers sent for the invasion of the Gibraltar were wide awake and ready for the subsequent operation. The city which occupied the border of the Gibraltar was chaotic with the movement of some twenty thousand infantry to the front, along with five hundred Panzerkampfwaggen X Muwatallis' tanks, and KriGud self propelled artillery guns and Panzerwerfers. It seemed small in relation to the more recent Macabee mobilizations, however, for an attack on the Gibraltar Rock it was overkill - but that's what the Macabees wanted, a fast destruction of the British contingent occupying the Gibraltar.

At about 0130 hours the Panzerwerfers had positioned themselves around twenty kilometers from the Gibraltar, well behind La Linea, and turned their missile racks towards the once British naval base, depreciating the racks at the same time to the angle required to strike their given targets. The Panzerwerfers were some of the most advanced MSLR vehicles in any military around the world, and this would be crucial for the flattening of whatever the British had on the surface, including the docks - hopefully, what had once housed parts of the Royal Navy would be rendered useless for subsequent landings of British, or other, troops, giving the Macabees free reign inside the city until it officially fell. In any case, with the Panzerwerfers ready at that time they released their full load out of 300mm rockets. The rockets swathed through the air while behind them the racks spit fire. The Germans had once called the Soviet Katushka rocket vehicles Stalin's Organ for the noise it made which frightened even the SS, but Stalin's Organ was a saint compared to the noise made by the Panzerwerfer. What would be even more frightening is that every Panzerwerfer boasted a load out of thirty 300mm rockets on their racks, and the Independent Brigade had a hundred and twenty-five Panzerwerfers, meaning there would be three thousand seven hundred and fifty rockets soon pelting the British base. Bulbs of fire, orange, red and some blue, slashed through the surface of the Gibraltar, utterly devastating the military installation - the city would be left without major bombardment until the 155mm Self Propelled KriGud guns opened up. With the first volley fired the Panzerwerfers silenced themselves and opened the way for the KriGuds while the Panzerwerfers themselves reloaded.

The KriGuds stopped at about the same range and began an hour long artillery bombardment of the city and harbor installation with their massive 155mm rounds travelling at ungodly velocities. The ground below them shaked but the KriGuds failed to move as they continued to pound the enemy into submission. Any man would have hated to be on the receiving side of the bombardment, but today, those men would die.

After the hour long bombardment the infantry division, twenty thousand men in all, began to pour over the border into the Gibraltar and down the rock, as they used the Panzerwerfers and KriGuds to bombard individual defensive systems which the British might have had. Indeed they did, mine fields caught the Macabee divisions unprepared, however, a squad of Panzer Xs with attached scorpions were able to clear the minefield for the infantry to pass over, but individual bunkers began to hold down the Macabee offensive for about fifteen minutes, however, KriGuds and Panzer Xs were able to level these bunkers and push the offensive south into the Gibraltar.

There was very little chance that the Gibraltar would hold...

[OOC: Wow, I wrote this and it's so ugly...I don't know..these past days I haven't been able to RP to my full ability.]

OOC: Don't you think that the Royal Navy elements stationed in Gibraltar would try to resist, rather than just sit there and let you land more troops than people that live on the island?

Anyway, IC post coming.

[OOC: I'm not landing troops - it's a land based invasion. And the massive rocket attack was designed to destroy the harbor, so the ship would either have to leave it or risk destruction. And yea you're partly right, I guess in my next post I'll role play some of the destroyers there opening fire.]

Gregory Prill, Chairman of the North American Federation, read the reports of invasion and war, suddenly sweeping the globe. His eyes trailed down the list but stopped at the invasion of La Linea. The huge size of the invading force made sure that the conflict would be short, bloody, and very one-sided. He called for his aide, Jade-lynn, and dictated a communication to her.


FibreOptic Communication
Subject: Alliance

The North American Federation recognizes the Invasion of La Linea, and Andalucia as a whole, and acknowledges your right to do so. After seeing your military prowess in action, the Government of the NAF wishes to discuss terms of an alliance, both militarily and economically. We are hardworking Nation, and we have a large amount of land.We look forward eagerly to you reply.

NAF Communications Division
NAF HQ

OOC: I'll make an IC post tomorrow. 'Twould be appreicated if you didnt take over until then.

[OOC: Sure thing Praetonia]

DATABURST Transmission to the North American Federation
Hm, yes, an alliance would be most welcomed with who we see as the most powerful of the remnants of the American states. Perhaps one day we can lead a re-union of the Americas under your banner - but for now, one step at a time.

Ceuta, Morroco

At the first dawn of light SPYSAT revealed the first Macabee units advancing on the Gibraltar rock and the Colonial Defence Force in Morocco had no intention to sit idly by. The city of Ceuta was the target and within an hour the city had been wresteld from former Spanish controll by lead elements of the 6th CDF division.

Meanwhile in the Straits four Doorman class frigates crossed the line into Macabee territorial waters, releasing a volley of Lance anti-shipping missiles at the British destroyers docked at the Gibraltar rock. Two LCAC's rushed over the Straits and towards Gibraltar, filled to the brim with Royal Marines. Overhead two squadrons of the Royal Airforce gave cover for the ships.

Straight of Gibraltar

The PWS United Kingdom cut swiftly through the waves as it converged with every passing minute upon the Rock of Gibraltar. On her helipad, both of her helicopters were being prepared to land her full complement of 64 Imperial Marines upon the rock.

"We could be too late," the Captain muttered to himself as he paced up and down the bridge.

"Sir, Praeton has released a statement claiming Gibraltar sovereign territory of the Imperium. They say that all other former constituent parts of Britain are also hearby claimed."

"Regardless of military presence?" His head stapped up to look at the Lieutenant who had just spoken.

"It appear so, sir."

"Hmmm... this won't deter The Macabees..." he returned to muttering, "proceed with the landings," he barked as an order.

The helicopters were soon up in the air and speeding towards the Rock at several hundred miles per hour. The Macabees army was at this time preparing to launch their attack onto the Rock, and undoubtably the British naval base beyond. They hailed the British naval base on the radio and asked permission to land just as the Macabeean MLRS rockets began to pound the base.

"Hello? Can you hear us?" The helicopter radio operator shouted into the radio. It crackled for a little, and then a faint reply came back.

"Yes, we read you."

"You can surrender to us, and remain a part of the UK, or you can sit here and be pounded to dust by Macabees Spain. Which do you choose?"

There was more crackle, and then the answer came through.

OOC: I'd assume he'd agree, since he has little choice, but if you have any objections to that then go ahead...

[Gibraltar]
While the infantry and small parts of the tanks began their movement foward into the rock, taking out the preliminary British defenses they halted as the hiss of missiles reached over the far end of the mountains and hills. Some of the soldiers crouched, wary of being hit, the sound all too familiar, but then they gasped as anti-shipping missiles struck hard and fast through the lower atmosphere pounding into the surviving Royal Navy destroyers, which had been turning their turrets to start firing on the Macabee troops. One of the missiles crashed into the bridge of the larger destroyer, knocking the tower down which consequently hit a defensive emplacement. The other missiles rocked the destroyers up and down and in the end little was left for them to do but sink. Royal Navy personnel were already jumping off the sides of the ships into the cold bay below, crashing into the water. The Macabee men gave a huge hoorah not aware that it had been an act of Dumpsterdam benevolence. So, the setting pocketed with flames, reenacting what looked like Dante's Inferno, the troops continued their advance.

However, back at La Linea the RADAR operators had caught something coming in and the supervisor radioed in the missile supervisor,"We got unidentified bogies coming in and a ship. Praetonian."

That was all he had to say. The Gibraltar was considered Macabee airspace and the act was illegal and Praetonia had taken no steps to clear it up with Macabee officials. A infantry man with a MANPAD started to climb up some of the nearby rocks and pointed his MANPAD towards the incoming helicopter firing a single surface to air missile, much like the Sa-7, right into that helicopter guided through RADAR and LIDAR arrays on the warhead. Then, something quite strange happened. The British garrison simply stopped fighting and when one of them came out he told the Macabee officer,"What you aren't bloody Praetonian? We surrendered to them not you!"

It was finally over...

A red warning light flashed aboard one of the helicopters, and the Co-pilot shouted, "Incoming SAM! Launching countermeasures." He fired off flares and other such things designed to confuse guidance systems, but it was no use against the missile which was radar guided. The pilot had no choice but to go in for a crash landing. He dipped his machine downwards, saw the missile fly over the top of his helicopter but it was too late. He looked downwards and, with a horrible crash, smashed into the concrete. Eight of the marines were killed on impact, twelve had jumped out and all were injured, some critically. The other men were sitting towards the rear of the helicopter and were struggling to get out, saved only by the fact that it wasn't traveling very fast when it hit the ground. The other helicopter landing beside it, although this one hadn't been shot at, and the marines jumped out.

TACCOM MESSAGE TO MOROCCO CDF

All units are to retreat at once, abandon all efforts at aiding both Macabee and Praetonian forces. Cease offensive operations and return to base or previous assignment.

In the straits the first of the frigates began to make its turn, there orders where to return to ASW and escort duty as above the wings of the Royal Airforce banked sharp to both left and right; their wings still full of missiles.
The CDF was retreating, however the two LCAC's where suffering from Macabee jamming and continued upon their course to the Gibraltar rock with their company of Royal Marines.

The two LCAC's aproached the narrow sandy beach and the marines rushed out, towards the first buildings. A rifleman kicked down the door as another rolled a flashbang inside and the entire squad stormed inside after the detonation following the breach-bang and secure protocole. Inside four confused British soldiers where caught off-guard and pushed to the ground, handcuffed and taken away to the beach.

As the captain of the company rushed his squad over the street a whizzing noise caught their attention, dozens of eyes follwed the SAM and saw it connect with the chopper, the captain directed his squad over to the wreck to search for survivors.

[sorry for the wait, I'll try to get something up by tomorrow.]

With the old British garrison now virtually surrendered due to an order which had spread utmost confusion into the British soldiers present the Macabees pushed in, however, the action was little more than a show to prove that the Macabees now owned the rock. About twenty Muwatallis tanks chugged along, their hydrogen fuel cell stacks making almost not a sound, and with them about a hundred infantry in their armored personnel carriers bearing the Macabee flag. They decided to take the civilian route down, the streets which had been used before for mere mercantile and tourist traffic, and as the entourage made its way down they passed through a string of dozens of British soldiers marching north to meet their ultimate destination of temporary prisoner of war camps, until a deal could be struck, or until the Macabee government decided to call out a general amnesty and allow the British soldiers to return to the Gibraltar and to their families.

Whatever was the case, the Macabees had also seen the helicopter crash and the orders of the small task force moving in changed from a mere military parade to the capture of that force which had dares interrupt the most glorious Macabee take over of the Gibraltar. The miniature force moved as fast as it could, the tanks ploughing ahead, and as they approached the crash site one of the tank commanders pushed open the hatch and stuck his head out with a megaphone in his right hand and began to blast,"Surrender to the Macabee forces. The battle has been lost. Surreder and escape this fight with your lives."

The more important part was that the Praetonian destroyer had finally been caught and consequently stirred up much commotion between Macabee commanders and after putting two and two together it became rather obvious that the men who had landed from the helicopters were Praetonian. A sattelite databurst was rapidly sent asking the Praetonian ship to issue orders for the surrender of their men immediately and the would be returned, as well as the wrecake, to the destroyer after the chaotic scene ended.

As for the landing made by Dumpsterdam's men they would have to be dealt with later, but for the time being air command launched two MMA-A2 Tiberius Gunships towards the beach area where they would attempt to communiate with the soldiers...

Telegram to Macabeean Forces, Gibraltar

We request cease fire STOP Cease fire does not mean surrender STOP We wish
to negotiate before this becomes a diplomatic incident STOP

EDIT: That was from the cruiser btw. The government doesnt know yet.

[OOC: Sorry about my wording...I didn't mean it as a surrender...more like a cease-fire.]

Databurst to Praetonian Cruiser
Said cease-fire can be arranged. Perhaps we can send a mediator to the cruiser to discuss terms and such.

OOC: Ah ok, dont worry.

Telegram to Macabeean Forces, Gibraltar

We accept your proposition STOP We have facilities for the landing of
helicopters STOP You are to bring no armed escort STOP

OOC: Skip the arrival right on to the discussion. "I arrive" posts jsut waste time IMO,

The man sent for the job was a young Lt. Commander called Heinrich von Frest, of just twenty-three years of age, and on his way to become an admiral, and then perhaps a grand admiral, if he didn't screw up - most of them did. In any case after he had arrived by helicopter to the cruiser he made his way under Praetonian escort to the confines where the discussion was to take place. After giving a modified Macabee salute, that is, a quick thrust with his right arm and then placing a clenched fist on his left breast - like the Romans of old - he took a seat and made his first question clear,"What was the purpose of sending men to the Gibraltar in the first place? The intentions of the Macabee deployment were obvious, or should have been. Either it was an error in your intelligence service, or you are trying to start a war."

He took a breath, and noticed that his last words could have been taken as belligerent, so before his counterpart could reply he quickly added,"Of course, not implying that this was your intent. I was just a bit hasty in my wording."

The Praetonian Captain returned the Macabeean's salute in the British style, took off his brass helmet and placed it on the table next to him, "Take a seat," he said politely. The Captain's face turned dour as he heard the Macabeean - a man he would have had as a Lieutenant - effectively said that he had personally tried to start a war, but he decided it was best not to be rude. Not yet, anyway.

"Of course," he sniffed, narrowing his eyes, "The real issue, however, is how do we go back from here. Now, it is the view of my government that the British garrison of Gibraltar and therefore the people of Gibraltar surrendered to Praetonian forces. It is therefore the view of my Government that they should be transferred to a neutral location, outside of Praetonian or Macabeean territory, and allowed to make a free choice as to which nation to return to. Can we agree on this?"

von Frest took in the Captain's request and nodded prefusely and quickly replied,"Yes, that is acceptable. Indeed, we have little use for a couple hundred or so prisoner of war, especially since an amnesty was to be issued declaring their freedom. Can we agree sending them to Melilla, and old Spanish outpost in Morocco, now neutral - although eyed by Dumpsterdam -, and from there give them the choice to either return to the Gibraltar, or return to Britain, or wherever they may want to go. The Macabee government can also arrange the moving of entire families from the Gibraltar, which would be in our best interests, as we have plans for the Gibraltar which do not consider civilians and their well being.

"Yes that is acceptable. British polls suggest that most Gibraltans want to remain British, so that should help everyone get what they want. Now, the more contencious issue, my Government does not see Gibraltar as anything special as far as military bases go, however my Government does want to maintain a military base alongside the straight of Gibraltar. If you are willing to facilitate this for an otherwise friendly nation, my Government would gladly forego the cost of you replacing the helicopter and compensating the families of the marines you killed flying over territory that was legally Praetonian."

"Any terms for a base would have to be decided between the Praetonian government and the Macabee government, as such a matter is beyond a simple lt. commander and a captain. However, I can relay such a request back to the government and they will most likely accept and we can go into other specifics, such the size of the base, and what exactly will be placed in the base.

As for the downed helicopter there is no chance that the Macabee administration will pay for a matter that was not it's fault. It was your command which ordered a helicopter to intervene in a conflict which had nothing to do with Praetonian sovereignty. No, in fact, the helicopter violated national air space rights - British. The fact that you failed to make clear your intentions is your own fault, and not those of our men. Our men were merely following their training and orders, to destroy anything hostile. In short, it was a common mistake and any reperations should come out of Praetonia's pocket, not ours."

These actions are deplorable and we will only cease our condemnations once the Macabean Government gives us money to shut up... well perhaps just to me... anyway... so there.

-The Daughter of a Random Guilder Bureaucrat

"The British government, and the British garrison surrender to us. We violated no airspace other than our own," the Captain leaned across the table, "My Government has no interest in conflict with The Macabees. There are many other nations with whom we would take a very different approach. If you give us a military base, both sides save face, and there is no damage to relations. I ask you to contact your government, the Lieutenant will supply you with a satellite link," he motioned towards a man of around the same age as the Lt Commander.

"Meh...."*Gives TMG a dollar... or no, instead a pound*"What, the dollar worth less and so I'm screwing you with the pound...mwaaawaaa, yea that's right, go cry to your mommy."

OOC: I use the Guilder, Mac lad. :P

IC:

We demand far more than that I have my seven course lunch to think of.

-Daughter of a Random Guild Bureaucrat

The Dumpsterdanian Goverment has paid the Guilders a considerable amount of money and "goods", we suggest they go away now.

Dumpsterdanian Diplomat while taking a piss.

Wired: 20.000.000.000 Imperials + 1500 "legaly" obtained slaves(you didn't get them from us).

The Dumpsterdanian Goverment has paid the Guilders a considerable amount of money and "goods", we suggest they go away now.

Dumpsterdanian Diplomat while taking a piss.

Wired: 20.000.000.000 Imperials + 1500 "legaly" obtained slaves(you didn't get them from us).

OOC: Rofl multiply that by 1400 and you get Dollars value. Oh dear... lot of money...

Didn't know you were E0 Dump.

Anyway:

IC:

Meh... time to play with the toys...

-Daughter of Random Guild Bureaucrat whilst readying the Families 'Entertainment' Chamber

Databurst to Fedala, Macabee Empire
The Praetonians are interested in a military base in the Gibraltar. I understand that under current foreign policy this would normally be responded to by a quick no. However, we are in a bit of a... quagmire. We downed one of their helicopters over the Gibraltar, although it wasn't truly our fault. But, I leave the decision to you.

----

The lt. commander turned towards the captain and replied,"Surrendered to you? We reached no word of this. Again, it was your fault that there was an obvious lack of communications. No, rather, you deliberately decided not to communicate with the Macabees. Moreover, your actions were obviously designed to undermine the Macabee aquisition of the Gibraltar. In addition to that, the Gibraltar was not formally signed over to the Praetonian government, marking the Gibraltar as British territory. Since the British administration of old, which was technically usurped by the Praetonians, are not on good terms with the Praetonian Government any such 'sign over' would never exist, and consequently push the old British administration to our side, marking them as allies - or so the argument could be made. In a twist of the table, you were illegally trespassing sovereign territory, which means that the downing of said helicopter was legal in all forms and ways."


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

Encrypted Databurst Transmission to [insert name] Cruiser
Very well, a Praetonian base, albeit minor has passed through the Emperor, who does not need another war on his hands, and he agreed to the base. Again, the only terms we will agree to are to the construction of a minor base, although not in the area of the Gibraltar, which will be used as a new Macabee naval base, but instead in another harbor, which the Praetonian captain and yourself can agree to. We have proper confidence in you to make the correct decision.

OOC: I use the Guilder, Mac lad. :P

IC:

We demand far more than that I have my seven course lunch to think of.

-Daughter of a Random Guild Bureaucrat

[OOC: I use the 'flame' RAWR]

*Transferred: Two guilders.