The Macabees
25-03-2005, 03:47
Map (http://www.cultureconnect.com/maps/balkans.jpg)
Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Neum was in quite a predicament, saved only by the fact that during the old Baltic order it had been sorrounded by a relatively peaceful state - Croatia. However, now both Croatia and Serbia lay in the hands of Risban, a quasi-powerful state that threatened to crush Bosnia and Herzegovina in a quick blitzkrieg. No doubt that the Macabees could successfully defend from any attack, however, put simply it would be much more wise, and much more advantagous, to strike first. But in order to strike you had to have a military, and that's one thing there was very little of in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Indeed, ever since the Macabee take over the Empire had done little to bolster the defenses, or even the internal security, of the small territory, leaving it to rule itself. But imperial tastes, especially Jonach Is overwhelming need for military victory, dictated that Bosnia and Herzegovina bristle with weaponry prepared for an immediate strike into Risban's Balkan estate. So, it was only sanity that taught that Neum would be a center piece of the war, and it was only obvious that the Empire would place utmost precaution into the defense of said city.
Neum was, in fact, the only port city which linked the Adriatic Sea with Bosnia and Herzegovina. So, should Neum fall into enemy hands it would mean the closing of Bosnia and Herzegovina forcing any defender to put up whatever resistance possible for whatever was inside the cauldron and wage a fiery war from the sea. The Macabee general staff was determined to make sure that this never happened and so mobilization had begun long ago. The defense of Neum would be difficult. The entire width between the border of Croatia was about six kilometers long, however, there was at least some respite within the fact that the southern border hit a part of Croatia which only housed one major city, Dubrovnik, and so was unlikely to contain a major military presence. The northern border was a different scenario altogether and it was extremely plausable that Riban would launch an attack using Ploce as a logistical nervous center. Even the most optimist generals could claim that Neum was in dear trouble if war began between Risban and the Macabees.
Already the traces of a defense could be seen and the harbor itself was in the hectic process of unloading men and equipment by the thousands. The merchan ships flew the white and black flag of the Macabee Empire, black double-headed eagle flailing heavily in the spring draft which burst from the southern Mediterranean into the Adriatic Sea. Massive cranes of many colors all flying similar flags were rotating, each picking or dropping off a massive wooden crate and some even picking up the huge seventy ton BredtSverdt beasts. It seemed as if the area would soon become a warzone, indeed, it was going to.
The defense of Neum was going to be reserved for I Panzerkorp, under the leadership of General der Panzertruppen Albrecht von Triest, a formidable general who knew how to persuade men and where to move his troops. Under his direct command von Triest could rely on three Panzer Divisionen, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd, under the commands of Generalmajors Xavier von Revt, Luca von Jurcht, and Maximilian von Iniertim respectively. All three generals were reknown for the genius which for some reason seemed to spark in Macabee generalship. Altogether the three divisions fielded a total of one thousand five hundred Panzerkampfwaggen XI BredtSverdt MBTs (Main Battle Tanks), a force to be reckoned with. Alternatively, the I Panzerkorp also made use of three Praetorian V SAM (Surface to Air Missile) Brigades, which were equipped with their own field RADAR (RAdio Detection and Ranging) services, forming a ring of defense some one hundred and fifty Praetorian battering strong. In order to throw in another punch the I Panzerkorp also had an array of two artillery brigades under the command of Generaloberst Udo von Koch and Generaloberst Guntram von Fres, giving the I Panzerkorp two hundred and twenty-five KriGud 155mm Self Propelled Artillery Guns. In the way of infantry the I Panzerkorp could throw in three armored infantry batallions, for a total of three thousand infantry and three hundred and seventy-five SOV-06 IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles). It quickly became obvious that the I Panzerkorp could hold its own against a much larger enemy.
The 1st Panzer Divisionen, under the sparkling command of Generalmajor Xavier von Revt, was positioned on the northern border with Croatia, directly north of Neum, and behind it was deployed the 1st SAM Brigade along with the 1st artillery Brigade. The 2nd Panzer Divisionen was deployed on the southern frontier, directly supported by the 2nd SAM Brigade and the 2nd Artillery Brigade. As a strategic reserve the 3rd Panzer Divisionen, three infantry batallions and the 3rd SAM Brigades would be deployed in rapid response fortifications outside Neum proper ready to move to meet any threat along the front. Moreover, if needed, the remaining armored division could be thrown as an offensive unit, along with the infantry.
Said deployments would take the next three days to complete, however, up to now Risban had made no deployments of their own in Souther Croatia so the I Panzerkorp would have ample time to set up. Their mission was as simple as it was vital. They were to keep the small stretch of coastal territory Bosnia and Herzegovina commanded open and make sure reinforcements could filter in. If war came then the mission would most likely be changed so that said stretch of coastal territory could be expanded to alievate any strategical misgivings. The problems were quite obvious as well as the force which the Macabees had arrayed inside the area. The stretch of land was no larger than six kilometers wide, putting into range of artillery barrage. The same problems had arisen during the Israeli Six Day War, and what had the Israeli's done? They launched a pre-emptive offensive into the West Bank and Golan Heights to make sure said bombardments never took place again. It was expected, and feared, that the Macabee I Panzerkorp command would do the same, although when was a different matter altogether.
As the first tanks began to take form inside the city of Neum, making their way to their emplacements along the border, the populace of the city moved to the windows and balconies of their houses and flat buildings and to the sidewalks which lined the paved main streets of the city. Bosnian flags as well as Macabee Imperial flags hung from the window panes and from the hands of small boys and girls and elderly people alike. Cries of,"Pro Macabeum," rang through the corridors which were forged from the facades of buildings running parallel to streets. A general outcry formed a capsule over the city and the entire area was celebrating the recent arrival of Macabee troops. They had been promised that their tenous situation, including economic and nationalistic concerns, would be met by their new Macabee overlords and today marked the day that said unfolding of promises was to take place.
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostar was located around sixty kilometers northeast of Neum and so proved to be the second most accessible city to Macabee forces and thus would also be a major center of primary defensive deployments and would actually become the feeder city of more defensive formations moving into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nevertheless, Mostar was to be defended by the II and III Panzerkorp, running from the sector border of the I Panzerkorp in Neum to the sector border of the IV Panzerkorp which was to be deployed around Glamoc soon enough. The 'Mostar Contingent' contained a total of six Panzer Divisionen, six Infantry Brigades with seven hundred and fifty SOV-06 IFVs, six SAM Brigades and four Artillery Brigades. This array gave the defense a total strength of about three thousand BredtSverd MBTs, seven hundred and fifty SOV-06 IFVs, six thousand infantry, three hundred Praetorian V batteries and three hundred KriGud self propelled artillery guns, giving it more fire power than the German 6th Army and 4th Panzer Army had combined in the assault on the city of Stalingrad in the fall and winter of 1942.
Moreover, Mostar was also defended by the I Infanteriekorp, giving the overall commander of the Mostar Front, General-feldmarchall Helmfrid von Gorbtals, one hundred thousand infantry at his disposal. However, the 4th and 5th Infanterie Divisionen were expected to flow into the defense of the Glamoc Front which would begin to set up the next day. Nevertheless, the Mostar Front was attributed quite a bit of fire power which would come in handy in the event of any war with Risban.
The front forces were pressed up against the border, with a small reserve to the rear composed of a single armored division and an infantry division. The rest of it was ready for any active and elastic defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or even an offensive if called for. Any fight with the Mostar Front would not be a fun adventure, that could be guaranteed.
The armor to the division was already rolling through southwest Bosnia and Herzegovina bringing the attention of several people as they passed entire villages shaking the earth under them. The news of the Macabee deployment to Croatia had spread quickly and people were already talking about the 'titans from the edge of the world'. It wouldn't be too far away when the day that the Macabee Empire became a household name, indeed, it was on its way already. Children lined the highway pointing at the Macabee behemoths moving foward lathargically towards the prescribed positions along the border with Croatia. Some of the tank commanders peeked from out of the hatchets of their tanks to wave at the children who grinned back showing a full set of teeth, and sometimes known at all.
The mobilization to Bosnia and Herzegovina would bring much grief as well. The Macabee Empire became fully aware of the massive problem the old nation had had considering mal nutrition and a general lack of food. It was considered a third rate country, even amongst other third world nations, and it quickly showed itself as Macabee units rolled through the poorer villages. Harvests had been weak do to a lack of running water which meant even great agricultural problems and with the deteriorationg the sovereignty of the world problems were only destined to grow. So the massive Macabee mobilization would also bring huge food reserves to feed the population and Macabee logistical personnel would also work at renewing electricity and water flow to all of the Bosnian villages. The men would work until war began - there was much work to do.
Some of the infantry riding on top of the tanks threw candy bars at the children and the groups of little boys and girls commonly fought over the candy bars. Their hunger was overwhelming, it was quite obvious. The humanitarian aspect of the campaign would be incredibly large, and once units began to move into Croatia and Serbia it would multiply manifold. Would it even be possible to completely turn around the fate of the Balkans and to throw them back into the world of a first world nation? Perhaps not, but Emperor Jonach I would try his darnest to do so!
Straits of Gibraltar
Carrier Task Force 71 was already trickiling through the Sevaris' controlled Straits of Gibraltar. The process would take a while but the Manstein class Destroyers and the Raus class Escort Carriers were going first, throwing their AWACs through the straits to put up some kind of protectionary ring on the other side of the straits in order to make sure the fleet knew exactly what was coming towards it. CTF-71 was huge, composed of six Model class Aircraft Carriers, three Raus class Escort Carriers, two Rommel class Battleships, fifteen Seydlitz class Cruisers, fifteen Clauswitz class Frigates, thirty-five Manstein class Destroyers, at least fifty fast attack craft, and over another one hundred assorted shipping, including logistical shipping, forming a naval flotilla of around two hundred and twenty-six ships. Although there were others who fielded task forces five times the size of CTF-71 the General Staff was sure that said task force would make a favourable impression in the area. Their hopes were magnified by the decision to place the task force under Grand Admiral Below von Raeder, a genius within his own right.
von Raeder placed his weight on the railing of the bridge looking towards the horizon. Before him lay the jagged edges of the Gibraltar, although the nakesake fortress under Sevaris' protection still lay behind the layer after layer of Earth which made up the southern extremes of old Spain. He sighed. The Gibraltar was such a beauty. He had visited 'the rock' as a young lieutenant in the Macabee Navy during the civil war when his task force had been sent to train with British officials who were once the commanders of said area. However, now all those were memories and he was sure that Sevaris had erased the old British fortress and placed its own megalith in its stead. He tapped his finger nails on the railings of the bridge, dead skin hitting aluminum, and the sound vibrated through the bridge although none could hear it. A submarine made a similar impression on a task force. von Raeder knew that his SONAR men would have to keep their eyes peeled if they hoped to get through the Straits of Gibraltar safe and sound.
The destination of CTF-71 was the Adriatic Sea. von Reader would sit off of Albania, also owned by Risban, and commit itself to naval operations against Risban's military presence in Albania keeping Risban busy in that sector while a ground war ensued in Croatia and Serbia. The days to come would run red with the blood of the dead, von Raeder was sure of that.
Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The maintenance officer looked at the sky and sighed. He looked at the dots which formed on the horizon and murmured to his tall, blonde, companion by him,"Here comes our work."
The dots soon turned to shapes and the shapes quickly became the vaunted MMA-A3 Falcon Air Superiority Fighters, the newest in the Macabee air armada. There seemed to be three seperate squadrons, however, two more formations appeared. It became quickly evident that the airfield in Pale would be crowded with aircraft. This was the third shipment of aircraft yet, and it would number five air squadrons, which meant a total fighter force of sixty MMA-A3 Falcon Air Superiority Fighters. However, on top of that the Pale airbase was being used by three MMA-A1 Kondor squadrons, thirty-six joint attack aircraft. There was also a fairly numerous contingent of helicopters.
The Pale Air Base was being expanded and the signs of that could be seen through the massive terrain which had been dug up and flatten. Tractors were moving back and forth, indeed, construction was being committed to day and night by three seperate shifts of workers. In fact, Pale would soon house another five Falcon squadrons, two Hawk squadrons for AWACs duties and three more Kondor squadrons, which meant that the aircraft force would at least double. The logistical implications of such an escalation of firepower were obvious but the Macabees were the overlords of logistics and thus preperations were already underway to guarantee the necessities to the entire force, which would soon grow to a total of two hundred and sixteen aircraft.
Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Neum was in quite a predicament, saved only by the fact that during the old Baltic order it had been sorrounded by a relatively peaceful state - Croatia. However, now both Croatia and Serbia lay in the hands of Risban, a quasi-powerful state that threatened to crush Bosnia and Herzegovina in a quick blitzkrieg. No doubt that the Macabees could successfully defend from any attack, however, put simply it would be much more wise, and much more advantagous, to strike first. But in order to strike you had to have a military, and that's one thing there was very little of in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Indeed, ever since the Macabee take over the Empire had done little to bolster the defenses, or even the internal security, of the small territory, leaving it to rule itself. But imperial tastes, especially Jonach Is overwhelming need for military victory, dictated that Bosnia and Herzegovina bristle with weaponry prepared for an immediate strike into Risban's Balkan estate. So, it was only sanity that taught that Neum would be a center piece of the war, and it was only obvious that the Empire would place utmost precaution into the defense of said city.
Neum was, in fact, the only port city which linked the Adriatic Sea with Bosnia and Herzegovina. So, should Neum fall into enemy hands it would mean the closing of Bosnia and Herzegovina forcing any defender to put up whatever resistance possible for whatever was inside the cauldron and wage a fiery war from the sea. The Macabee general staff was determined to make sure that this never happened and so mobilization had begun long ago. The defense of Neum would be difficult. The entire width between the border of Croatia was about six kilometers long, however, there was at least some respite within the fact that the southern border hit a part of Croatia which only housed one major city, Dubrovnik, and so was unlikely to contain a major military presence. The northern border was a different scenario altogether and it was extremely plausable that Riban would launch an attack using Ploce as a logistical nervous center. Even the most optimist generals could claim that Neum was in dear trouble if war began between Risban and the Macabees.
Already the traces of a defense could be seen and the harbor itself was in the hectic process of unloading men and equipment by the thousands. The merchan ships flew the white and black flag of the Macabee Empire, black double-headed eagle flailing heavily in the spring draft which burst from the southern Mediterranean into the Adriatic Sea. Massive cranes of many colors all flying similar flags were rotating, each picking or dropping off a massive wooden crate and some even picking up the huge seventy ton BredtSverdt beasts. It seemed as if the area would soon become a warzone, indeed, it was going to.
The defense of Neum was going to be reserved for I Panzerkorp, under the leadership of General der Panzertruppen Albrecht von Triest, a formidable general who knew how to persuade men and where to move his troops. Under his direct command von Triest could rely on three Panzer Divisionen, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd, under the commands of Generalmajors Xavier von Revt, Luca von Jurcht, and Maximilian von Iniertim respectively. All three generals were reknown for the genius which for some reason seemed to spark in Macabee generalship. Altogether the three divisions fielded a total of one thousand five hundred Panzerkampfwaggen XI BredtSverdt MBTs (Main Battle Tanks), a force to be reckoned with. Alternatively, the I Panzerkorp also made use of three Praetorian V SAM (Surface to Air Missile) Brigades, which were equipped with their own field RADAR (RAdio Detection and Ranging) services, forming a ring of defense some one hundred and fifty Praetorian battering strong. In order to throw in another punch the I Panzerkorp also had an array of two artillery brigades under the command of Generaloberst Udo von Koch and Generaloberst Guntram von Fres, giving the I Panzerkorp two hundred and twenty-five KriGud 155mm Self Propelled Artillery Guns. In the way of infantry the I Panzerkorp could throw in three armored infantry batallions, for a total of three thousand infantry and three hundred and seventy-five SOV-06 IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles). It quickly became obvious that the I Panzerkorp could hold its own against a much larger enemy.
The 1st Panzer Divisionen, under the sparkling command of Generalmajor Xavier von Revt, was positioned on the northern border with Croatia, directly north of Neum, and behind it was deployed the 1st SAM Brigade along with the 1st artillery Brigade. The 2nd Panzer Divisionen was deployed on the southern frontier, directly supported by the 2nd SAM Brigade and the 2nd Artillery Brigade. As a strategic reserve the 3rd Panzer Divisionen, three infantry batallions and the 3rd SAM Brigades would be deployed in rapid response fortifications outside Neum proper ready to move to meet any threat along the front. Moreover, if needed, the remaining armored division could be thrown as an offensive unit, along with the infantry.
Said deployments would take the next three days to complete, however, up to now Risban had made no deployments of their own in Souther Croatia so the I Panzerkorp would have ample time to set up. Their mission was as simple as it was vital. They were to keep the small stretch of coastal territory Bosnia and Herzegovina commanded open and make sure reinforcements could filter in. If war came then the mission would most likely be changed so that said stretch of coastal territory could be expanded to alievate any strategical misgivings. The problems were quite obvious as well as the force which the Macabees had arrayed inside the area. The stretch of land was no larger than six kilometers wide, putting into range of artillery barrage. The same problems had arisen during the Israeli Six Day War, and what had the Israeli's done? They launched a pre-emptive offensive into the West Bank and Golan Heights to make sure said bombardments never took place again. It was expected, and feared, that the Macabee I Panzerkorp command would do the same, although when was a different matter altogether.
As the first tanks began to take form inside the city of Neum, making their way to their emplacements along the border, the populace of the city moved to the windows and balconies of their houses and flat buildings and to the sidewalks which lined the paved main streets of the city. Bosnian flags as well as Macabee Imperial flags hung from the window panes and from the hands of small boys and girls and elderly people alike. Cries of,"Pro Macabeum," rang through the corridors which were forged from the facades of buildings running parallel to streets. A general outcry formed a capsule over the city and the entire area was celebrating the recent arrival of Macabee troops. They had been promised that their tenous situation, including economic and nationalistic concerns, would be met by their new Macabee overlords and today marked the day that said unfolding of promises was to take place.
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostar was located around sixty kilometers northeast of Neum and so proved to be the second most accessible city to Macabee forces and thus would also be a major center of primary defensive deployments and would actually become the feeder city of more defensive formations moving into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nevertheless, Mostar was to be defended by the II and III Panzerkorp, running from the sector border of the I Panzerkorp in Neum to the sector border of the IV Panzerkorp which was to be deployed around Glamoc soon enough. The 'Mostar Contingent' contained a total of six Panzer Divisionen, six Infantry Brigades with seven hundred and fifty SOV-06 IFVs, six SAM Brigades and four Artillery Brigades. This array gave the defense a total strength of about three thousand BredtSverd MBTs, seven hundred and fifty SOV-06 IFVs, six thousand infantry, three hundred Praetorian V batteries and three hundred KriGud self propelled artillery guns, giving it more fire power than the German 6th Army and 4th Panzer Army had combined in the assault on the city of Stalingrad in the fall and winter of 1942.
Moreover, Mostar was also defended by the I Infanteriekorp, giving the overall commander of the Mostar Front, General-feldmarchall Helmfrid von Gorbtals, one hundred thousand infantry at his disposal. However, the 4th and 5th Infanterie Divisionen were expected to flow into the defense of the Glamoc Front which would begin to set up the next day. Nevertheless, the Mostar Front was attributed quite a bit of fire power which would come in handy in the event of any war with Risban.
The front forces were pressed up against the border, with a small reserve to the rear composed of a single armored division and an infantry division. The rest of it was ready for any active and elastic defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, or even an offensive if called for. Any fight with the Mostar Front would not be a fun adventure, that could be guaranteed.
The armor to the division was already rolling through southwest Bosnia and Herzegovina bringing the attention of several people as they passed entire villages shaking the earth under them. The news of the Macabee deployment to Croatia had spread quickly and people were already talking about the 'titans from the edge of the world'. It wouldn't be too far away when the day that the Macabee Empire became a household name, indeed, it was on its way already. Children lined the highway pointing at the Macabee behemoths moving foward lathargically towards the prescribed positions along the border with Croatia. Some of the tank commanders peeked from out of the hatchets of their tanks to wave at the children who grinned back showing a full set of teeth, and sometimes known at all.
The mobilization to Bosnia and Herzegovina would bring much grief as well. The Macabee Empire became fully aware of the massive problem the old nation had had considering mal nutrition and a general lack of food. It was considered a third rate country, even amongst other third world nations, and it quickly showed itself as Macabee units rolled through the poorer villages. Harvests had been weak do to a lack of running water which meant even great agricultural problems and with the deteriorationg the sovereignty of the world problems were only destined to grow. So the massive Macabee mobilization would also bring huge food reserves to feed the population and Macabee logistical personnel would also work at renewing electricity and water flow to all of the Bosnian villages. The men would work until war began - there was much work to do.
Some of the infantry riding on top of the tanks threw candy bars at the children and the groups of little boys and girls commonly fought over the candy bars. Their hunger was overwhelming, it was quite obvious. The humanitarian aspect of the campaign would be incredibly large, and once units began to move into Croatia and Serbia it would multiply manifold. Would it even be possible to completely turn around the fate of the Balkans and to throw them back into the world of a first world nation? Perhaps not, but Emperor Jonach I would try his darnest to do so!
Straits of Gibraltar
Carrier Task Force 71 was already trickiling through the Sevaris' controlled Straits of Gibraltar. The process would take a while but the Manstein class Destroyers and the Raus class Escort Carriers were going first, throwing their AWACs through the straits to put up some kind of protectionary ring on the other side of the straits in order to make sure the fleet knew exactly what was coming towards it. CTF-71 was huge, composed of six Model class Aircraft Carriers, three Raus class Escort Carriers, two Rommel class Battleships, fifteen Seydlitz class Cruisers, fifteen Clauswitz class Frigates, thirty-five Manstein class Destroyers, at least fifty fast attack craft, and over another one hundred assorted shipping, including logistical shipping, forming a naval flotilla of around two hundred and twenty-six ships. Although there were others who fielded task forces five times the size of CTF-71 the General Staff was sure that said task force would make a favourable impression in the area. Their hopes were magnified by the decision to place the task force under Grand Admiral Below von Raeder, a genius within his own right.
von Raeder placed his weight on the railing of the bridge looking towards the horizon. Before him lay the jagged edges of the Gibraltar, although the nakesake fortress under Sevaris' protection still lay behind the layer after layer of Earth which made up the southern extremes of old Spain. He sighed. The Gibraltar was such a beauty. He had visited 'the rock' as a young lieutenant in the Macabee Navy during the civil war when his task force had been sent to train with British officials who were once the commanders of said area. However, now all those were memories and he was sure that Sevaris had erased the old British fortress and placed its own megalith in its stead. He tapped his finger nails on the railings of the bridge, dead skin hitting aluminum, and the sound vibrated through the bridge although none could hear it. A submarine made a similar impression on a task force. von Raeder knew that his SONAR men would have to keep their eyes peeled if they hoped to get through the Straits of Gibraltar safe and sound.
The destination of CTF-71 was the Adriatic Sea. von Reader would sit off of Albania, also owned by Risban, and commit itself to naval operations against Risban's military presence in Albania keeping Risban busy in that sector while a ground war ensued in Croatia and Serbia. The days to come would run red with the blood of the dead, von Raeder was sure of that.
Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The maintenance officer looked at the sky and sighed. He looked at the dots which formed on the horizon and murmured to his tall, blonde, companion by him,"Here comes our work."
The dots soon turned to shapes and the shapes quickly became the vaunted MMA-A3 Falcon Air Superiority Fighters, the newest in the Macabee air armada. There seemed to be three seperate squadrons, however, two more formations appeared. It became quickly evident that the airfield in Pale would be crowded with aircraft. This was the third shipment of aircraft yet, and it would number five air squadrons, which meant a total fighter force of sixty MMA-A3 Falcon Air Superiority Fighters. However, on top of that the Pale airbase was being used by three MMA-A1 Kondor squadrons, thirty-six joint attack aircraft. There was also a fairly numerous contingent of helicopters.
The Pale Air Base was being expanded and the signs of that could be seen through the massive terrain which had been dug up and flatten. Tractors were moving back and forth, indeed, construction was being committed to day and night by three seperate shifts of workers. In fact, Pale would soon house another five Falcon squadrons, two Hawk squadrons for AWACs duties and three more Kondor squadrons, which meant that the aircraft force would at least double. The logistical implications of such an escalation of firepower were obvious but the Macabees were the overlords of logistics and thus preperations were already underway to guarantee the necessities to the entire force, which would soon grow to a total of two hundred and sixteen aircraft.