NationStates Jolt Archive

In the darkness of the Senate Chambers in McKagan City, McKagan - nothing was happening. Senate wasn't in session today - but most were still in town awaiting the start of a new period the next day.

The Senate building was a massive building on the south side of the city. Presenting a grand front - and a secretive rear - it was a highly efficient building. For those that knew of its true purpose the bordering building wasn't a place they'd like to be. The McKagan Imperial Defense Department had its "official" headquarters in McKagan City. The REAL headquarters happened to be in Kurora: not that it really mattered in this age of emails.

The large conference room seemed to be getting smaller as more high ranking generals sat down in the room being shown on the massive viewscreen at the front of the chamber. The Generals were in Triesa at another secretive facility - the Senators in McKagan City.

"You people have 10 minutes to explain to me while we're spending almost 25 trillion USD on our defense budget, and growing, while not fighting a single open war!," Senator Joseph Krazva said with a hint of anger in his voice.

The IMAF General was the unlucky one who decided to speak up.

"Don't blame it on us. Blame it on the rest of the world who keep advancing their defense budget. We can't fall behind."

Krazva spoke up once more. "You've been saying that for a decade now. How many times have we been engaged since we voted to start an upward spiral?"

The new General of the Imperial McKagan Army spoke up. He was much younger than the rest of the Generals in the room but still presented a more intelligent appearance.

"Three, sir. The rest were all actions you guys decided we should undertake despite our warnings that they weren't needed."

The quote was powerful.

-

Several more minutes - or hours, were full of a huge debate between the Senator and the IMA General who he was far inferior to in both smarts and political prowless. It was decided, much illogically, that the MIDD'd budget would remain intact for the next few months. However if the MIDD didn't produce some sort of victory, the request for a new addition to it wouldn't.

-

Torontia seemed promising for the IMA Operation that was being put together. There were still idiots running around that the MTRF would be perfect to deal with.

The MTRF (McKagan Tactical Response Unit) had been put together a few year prior. It was a pre-existing command structure and unit that meant to fight the type of war around a territory that had been overran and was no longer a conventional fight. It saved the main IMA force resources and funds. It was also much quicker and agile than the main IMA force.

To the east of Torontia was Idaho. The wartorn area that had never really accomplished anything since the whole Torontia issue started. The MTRF would be perfect there. All that was left was to pitch the idea to Xirnium.

-

[Encrypted Message]

To: Xirnium
From: McKagan Imperial State Department

As you may have already looked into - it is obvious that one problem we are mutually facing in Torontia could be fixed exclusively outside the country. Idaho is as wartorn an anarchic as it could possibly be. This presents a massive problem for the stability of any future Torontian nationstate.

McKagan has been considering launching medium scale military operations in the region. It would be a massive air assault backed on the ground by elements of the McKagan Tactical Reaction Force that we will paradrop in.

What is Xirniums stance on this possible operation?

Boise, Idaho, Independent Montana HQ

Colonel Samuel Black was looking at his ragtag force of 'elites' who were operating their own weapons and vehicles. It was a mess, sure they had AVT-80G tanks, with their armour and countermeasures, but they were few and far between.

The situation with Toronita had deteriorated and Idaho warlords were trying to force them out. Now intelligence was filtering in about a military buildup on the other side of the border. He ordered a whole load of G36C rifles to arm his men, but they wouldn't arrive for another week. He had a meeting with the man calling himself Colonel Aureliano Buendia who had assembled a force so powerful they were able to wrest control of Libertyville from his highly trained forces in the span of just 3 hours. He felt this man would be a good ally, they shared the same reasoning, and the same want. Just that they were on opposite sides.

He had sent a treaty to him and at his new 'capital' of Libertyville, he wondered when the acceptance would get back, if it ever came back. For all he knew the treaty would be strapped to a missile on a Huey and fired back at him.

OOC: Just give me control of Aureliano Buendia, as they are going to be allies

(OOC: Just so I know, I have President for Life Bob Tiste and General William Bethlehem, correct? BTW, if you want to TG me, do it with my main nation, Kahanistan. This one is being spammed wih recruitment ads.)

Forests of northern Idaho

Compound of President for Life Bob Tiste

A death squad of twelve men and boys, armed with M-16's and machetes coated in rust-colored blood, entered the compound. The squad leader placed a huge chest of loot at the feet of the murderous warlord.

"Sir, the day's spoils," said the unkempt young man in combat fatigues wearing a necklace of noses cut off of civilians and the rare militiaman he had killed. Some of the noses were still bloody, fresh kills from the latest raid.

"Excellent... excellent..." said the warlord as he inspected the takings. In the chest were some rifles and ammunition, enough food to feed a 12-man death squad for days, and rarest of all, a 24-karat gold chain over a meter long. He put the chain around his own uniform, the only clean one in the chamber. It joined about nine other chains and assorted decorations the leader wore.

"Now," continued Tiste, "we are going to push through the forces of Independent Montana, and from there, into Torontia." They were going to help the New Order retake power, Tanakis had helped the warlords before.

Late evening
Just prior to second intermission

The Ambalë Hlonítë Sá Andámundá (“New Hlonítë Festival Theatre”)
Etelotya, southwest Xirnium

‘Unquëa perëldar sú áeya, ailin mindá ai cël
Ar lápa nonwa híolmë iel,
Weín ep rondë tellaurë lavralda, áet pahta pelentul árë ambarënya.’

The elegantly saturnine, mournful refrain was at once both singularly beautiful and devastatingly heartbreaking, its grieving lament made all the more shattering by the sheer loveliness of the singer’s voice. The vast audience, bedecked in their most exquisite attire and expensive finery, sat absolutely enthralled – gazing upon the performer with rapt attention.

The opera house’s audience (amongst whom were numbered some of the wealthiest and most distinguished members of the Xirniumite upper class) erupted into polite applause as Annabelle Narohte flawlessly completed her single, though abiding, aria - a hauntingly poignant lament sung over the full Romantic orchestra of the Etelotya Philharmonic. Exceedingly beautiful, with a tanned complexion, raven hair and enchanting deep brown eyes that hinted at her Mediterranean origins, the Xirniumite soprano lirico-spinto played the role of Rëstháwen, the Ancient Xirnian Goddess of Catastrophe and Ruin, to perfection. Ms Narohte’s was one of the leading roles of the Íta Vanu Haenta Etéraettul,* a masterful three-Act epic whose music and libretto were both written by the world-renowned nineteenth century Xirniumite composer, Neume Crissaegrim.

‘Absolutely magnificent, isn’t she?’ noted Ameas Vernius with whispered admiration to his companion, as the stage’s sumptuous curtains were drawn together and the previous engrossed silence of the hall was replaced with the low drone of innumerable conversations. Dressed in formal evening dress that included black tailcoat with silk facings, cotton marcella waistcoat and a white bow-tie, the aged Defence Minister of the Eternal Republic silently took in the opulent crimson and gold trappings of the plush and richly luxurious theatre. Called the “New” to distinguish it from its more ancient original, the Hlonítë Festival Theatre was second in prestige within the Xirnium Republic only to the magnificently grand Naerath State Opera House. Indeed, having been built in 1743 following the tragic destruction by fire of the first Hlonítë theatre, the Ambalë Hlonítë Sá Andámundá was arguably one of the most famous opera houses in all of Europe.

Before the lady who accompanied the Defence Minister could even form a reply, however, Lord Vernius was interrupted by the abrupt and contrite intrusion of one of the theatre’s attendants.

‘My apologies, Minister, but there is a Ms... Ninyanorindo who wishes to speak with you. She explained that you would understand…’ added the Xirniumite with an unsure shrug.

Lord Vernius turned back to the woman next to him. ‘Excuse me for one moment, my dear,’ apologised the Parliamentarian, taking leave of his escort.

Picking up his cane whilst simultaneously donning an opera cape and top hat, Lord Vernius quietly exited the private box where he had been seated. The thickly-carpeted hallway that the Defence Minister entered was occupied by socialising and similarly well-dressed individuals, engaged in the rather important business of drinking expensive wines together whilst chatting lightly – frivolously whiling away the time before the next Act.

Before long, Ameas found Penelope Ninyanorindo at the base of a splendid, wide flight of marbled stairs that rose from a vestibule of the Ambalë Hlonítë Sá Andámundá. Greeting the new individual with a formal handshake and brief exchange of kisses (as is the usual custom in Xirniumite culture) Lord Vernius found Penelope’s slightly blue cheeks to be deathly cold – no doubt due to the freezing weather outside.

‘Sorry to disturb you at such a time, Minister,’ apologised the Assistant Director of Department IX of the Secret Intelligence Service’s Third Chief Directorate, her voice a charily measured drawl. Penelope’s curly hair and double-breasted overcoat glistened with countless tiny droplets of water, betraying the fact that she had only just come from under a light, thinly fine rain.

‘Not at all, Assistant Director. Fortunately you caught me during an interval in the opera,’ replied Lord Vernius, a faint smile playing upon his lips.

‘Wonderful,’ declared Penelope flatly, her expression unchanged.

Aged in her early forties (though her appearance was such that precisely determining her age was problematic), the intelligence chief was responsible for, and in command of, the overall operations of the XSIS within the Torontian sector of activity. Ms Ninyanorindo possessed extremely pale, milk-white, skin, with high, sharp cheekbones and a severe visage. Sylphlike and quite taller than average, one was at once drawn by the curious nature of Penelope’s intriguing light-grey eyes, which appeared endowed with the fierceness of a Bird of Prey - seemingly capable of peering effortlessly into one’s very soul and reading one’s inner thoughts as plainly as if from a book. In all things Ms Ninyanorindo was eminently composed and carried herself with a reserved and somewhat distant stiffness. Her hair, as dark as the midnight sky, was worn up plainly in an austere bun, and she was clothed in a formal, well-cut, skirted business suit.

‘I imagine that this somehow concerns Torontia?’ asked Ameas, unable to suppress a grim sigh. That barbarian hovel is fast depleting my increasingly dwindled reserves of patience.

‘In a way…’ began the intelligence officer.

‘Let us discuss it outside, then,’ decided Lord Vernius. Penelope merely shrugged differentially, already turning up her coat’s collar in preparation for the bitter cold.

As the two marched across the lobby towards the door (the rythmic reports of Ms Ninyanorindo’s heel’s stricking the polished floor echoing loudly), the Xirniumites passed oranate pillars and several golden framed posters advertising future theatre productions. The next Autumn festival, in particular, seemed fairly exciting to Ameas, as it was scheduled to hold operas such as Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the Italian Maria Stuarda, by Gaetano Donizetti, and Yulmë Lindalë Emaëldiáda Hopassë** by Baroque-period Xirniumite composer Iverin Erufailo.

‘Pour Reprimander un Roi seems very interesting,’ opined the Defence Minister distantly, his eyes having noticed a poster for an Amestrian opera.

‘Pour Réprimander un Roi,’ Ms Ninyanorindo said, politely correcting Ameas’ pronunciation with flawless, yet pedantic, precision. To be fair, however, the Parliamentarian had been very close. ‘“To Berate a King,” by Jean-Jacques Lesueur. It is certainly a very interesting opera, Minister, I recommend it to you most highly. It was written in the late nineteenth century as an indictment on the many failures of the Bradley junta during the Amestrian Civil War.’

‘You’ve seen it?’

‘I have. In fact I saw it whilst in Ardenne.’

‘Ah. So you have visited Amestria?’ replied Lord Vernius offhandedly.

‘For a time I actually lived there,’ explained Penelope vaguely. ‘My mother was a migrant from Amestria,’ she added.

‘I see.’

The two stepped outside, immediately shivering in the frigid cold. The rain had begun to come down more fiercely, but the two remained relatively dry under shelter.

‘The McKagan government has communicated with the Foreign Ministry a desire to intervene militarily in Independent Idaho,’ explained Ms Ninyanorindo, steam issuing from her lips as she launched straight into the matter at hand.

‘How long ago did this happen?’

‘Just recently,’ replied the intelligence chief, producing a copy of the memorandum from within her overcoat for Ameas to see before quickly returning her exceptionally fair hands to her pockets. ‘XSIS intelligence has determined that preparations are already underway to bring effect to such an objective. No doubt the McKagan government intends to extend its hegemony over Idaho by force, with or without our support.’

‘It matters not to the Eternal Republic what happens in Idaho, Assistant Director,’ said the Defence Minister dismissively, waving a gnarled old hand. ‘There is no value of any kind to be found in that uncivilised nation. It is a state ruled by petty warlords and hardened criminals, any occupation would be both costly and difficult.’

‘Evidently such is not the opinion of the State Department of McKagan,’ replied Ms Ninyanorindo sardonically.

‘Quite. Though they no doubt they have other reasons behind their motives.’

‘It has been known for months now that that the McKagan military has faced the very real prospect of significant budget cuts from their legislature,’ explained Penelope. ‘The XSIS believes that a cynical desire for the McKagan Armed Forces to somehow seek to justify their bloated expenditure figures might be, in part, behind this.’

‘That sounds like a reasonable theory,’ mused Lord Vernius. ‘Of course, the Xirniumite Defence Force must not become embroiled in such an obviously senseless war. On this matter I am sure Lady Gilda will agree.’

‘Of course, I’m sure you are right Minister. That said, we must remember that strife multiplies both threats and opportunities.’

‘Still… just to be certain I will direct Army Group East Torontia to reinforce the fortified frontier,’ remarked Lord Vernius, this time more to himself than to Penelope. ‘We don’t want McKagan’s conflict spilling into our spheres of interest.’

Certainly not. Though I wonder if that might not be inevitable? thought Ms Ninyanorindo ominously, deciding to keep her misgivings to herself.

_______________________
*Íta Vanu Haenta Etéraettul
"The Decline and Fall of the Dreaming City"

**Yulmë Lindalë Emaëldiáda Hopassë**
"The Shade of Lady Emaeldia"

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/Xirnium/arms1.jpg
Official Governmental Memorandum - Office of the Foreign Ministry
The Eternal Republic of Holy Xirnium

Tárië Aicassë Laë Nainányéna! – For All Time!
To:

The McKagan Imperial State Department

From:

Lady Eleanor Sabelina
Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Ministry
The Eternal Republic of Xirnium

Dear Sir/Madam

The Supreme Parliament of the Eternal Republic does not at present intend to intervene, either militarily or otherwise, in the domestic affairs of the war torn region of Idaho. Though the terrible events that occur there daily are a terrible tragedy and blight that should prove cause to sadden the entire international community, the capabilities of the Xirniumite Defence Force are such as to not allow it to currently undertake such an ambitious humanitarian operation given current commitments to Torontia.

It is the belief of the Xirniumite Parliament that any concerns regarding the territorial integrity of the Torontian republic may be addressed efficiently and effectively without recourse to the radical option of invading her neighbours, no matter how lawless they be.

Yours faithfully

[Signed]

Her Eminence
The Rt Hon High Lady Eleanor Sabelina, MP
Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Ministry
The Sovereign Parliament of the Eternal Republic of Holy Xirnium

[Encrypted Message]

To: Lady Eleanor Sabelina
From: McKagan Imperial State Department

It is our opinion that what goes on inside the political borders of Torontia is being overplayed and held back by international red tape. The general Torontia area, whether actually in the form of nations or city-states, has always been influenced by the lawlessness and corruption of the TORONTIAN state. Our government views the problems in the region as being Torontia's problems and the fault of the same power vacuum. We want to use the vast assets at our disposal to make right something that the international community has neglected and ignored. After our troops are in the region we will not allow any other nations to move in and divide - like in Torontia.

The McKagan Government does not wish to appear as a mad redneck cowboy type figure; which is why we asked for your opinion. If you have no objections we would like to get on to the logistical part of it.

Air assets will be a major part of this operation. As it stands, the close proximity of Xirnium and McKagan forces could cause some confusion. Would it be possible to establish a joint no-fly zone near the Torontian border?

Official Governmental Memorandum - Office of the Defence Ministry
The Eternal Republic of Holy Xirnium

Tárië Aicassë Laë Nainányéna! – For All Time!
To:

The McKagan Imperial State Department

From:

Lord Ameas Vernius
Defence Minister
The Eternal Republic of Xirnium

Dear Sir/Madam

In order to facilitate the preservation of the nascent Torontian Republic’s territorial integrity, and eliminate any threat of unlawful incursions across Torontia’s national borders, the Xirniumite Defence Force shall extend a no-fly zone up to one hundred kilometres beyond the Torontia-Idaho frontier. We welcome the opportunity to administer this zone jointly with the McKagan Armed Forces.

At present the Xirniumite Parliament harbours no plans to expand this no-fly zone beyond the buffer region already described.

Yours faithfully

[Signed]

His Eminence
The Rt Hon High Lord Ameas Vernius, MP
Minister for Defence
The Sovereign Parliament of the Eternal Republic of Holy Xirnium

Probably the only soldiers who could be called such, the only ones who knew how to fight, were the New Order soldiers of Vader Tanakis' Republican Guard. After the fall of Tanakis, many of these soldiers had joined the TPLA and been crushed by the brutal Amestrian martial law and counter-insurgency policies. Yet some survived, and had made their homes in Idaho, a wasteland of anarchy, mass murder, and gratuitious torture.

Colonel Oliver M. Scott was one such officer. Having lost contact with Tanakis, Scott had set himself up as the Commander in Chief of the Torontian Republican Army and President for Life in Exile of Torontia. He was on his way to meet President for Life Bob Tiste of Idaho. Scott had brought his deputy, Lt. Col. Martin Casey, with him to this meeting.

Together, the two warlords hatched a plan. New Order troops would handle the actual military operations against the Xirniumites, and they would deal with the warlords later. In the meantime, the warlords would be the only things keeping the Xirniumites, McKagan forces, and the other SWC imperialist scum from occupying Idaho and making it a SWC province.

The militias might not be able to fight well, but they would certainly be able to make life hell for the forces who were imposing their vile ideologies of secularism, communism, homosexuality, and other forms of left-wing degeneracy over the New Order Republic of Torontia.

A force of 1,000 New Order and 4,000 militia members began mobilizations for an offensive against the Torontian border, commanded by Colonel Scott himself. The New Order troops had a few heavy weapons, 20 M1A1 Abrams tanks and infantry armed with M-16 assault rifles, maybe a captured Merkava IV or M1A2 tank here and there, and they had the occasional M-249 machine gun. The militias working with them were saddled with the inferior AK-47's that they had managed to buy from the Russian Mafia, and the lucky ones had AK-74's or Dragunov SVD sniper rifles.

The attack was planned to occur in the next two days.

For all intents and purposes - McKagan could start the operation whenever it wanted. Xirnium had voiced no objection to McKagan moving operations to Idaho. However, everyone probably expected McKagan to wait a few more weeks. The McKagan Tactical Defense Force had moved nearly 300,000 Soldiers into the San Diego-area bases and more-than porportionant airpower was in theatre.

Suddenly - there was activity.

Lots of activity.

Roughly 200 KLA-41's - which were essentially a cross between a F-22 and a F-16, left the airspace around San Diego.

The aircraft have all the dogfighting capability of the F-16, only they are many times more stealthy and have internally mounted weapons.

A few hours later, in the early morning hours, they begin crossing into Idaho from the south. Splitting off into various units to accomplish different missions in the general call of the day.

50 of the fighters are to begin the assault on the Boise tank formations. The planes are generally armed with 6 100lb. bombs that are more manuverable than the larger bombs. Scoring direct hits becomes easy on unsuspecting (or even suspecting) tanks. The possibility of such attacks like this had prompted the MTDF to not even field a great number of heavy armored assets.

The rest of the fighters head north towards the Torontian border. Reports of armed movement were coming in from satellites and DART recon forces in the region alike. That's why the MTDF had determined that at least 200 aircraft would be over the nation at anytime - cycling in and out to refuel and allow the pilots time to rest.

Near the Torontian border the KLA-41's had a simple mission. Search and destroy any of the VERY few RADAR installations that could possibly be in the area. Strikes would be called in on any tanks or vehicles spotted, as well.

The borders of Idaho were to be the biggest concern of the day. That's why almost 1000 KLR-A9 UCAV's were being moved to secure the border around the nation.

The night before

Elements of the 11th TRA Republican Guard Infantry Battalion, 150 soldiers armed mainly with M-16's, M-24 sniper rifles, M-72 LAW's, and M-2 and M-249 machine guns, fired upon Xirniumite military patrols near the border.

These soldiers would likely be the first soldiers the Xirniumites had faced in combat in Torontia, and they were some of the best armed. Hopefully, any Xirniumite survivors would get the impression that their adversaries were more representative of the general fighting capacity of the warlords, and overstretch their military to deal with the threat.

After the McKagan airstrike

Most of the mobilizing New Order tanks were in forests, where aerial reconaissance was spotty at best. Infantry tended to be mobilized in companies of 100 to 200 troops, with a few central points of meeting right before the planned offensive.

The TRA and warlord allies sustained few casualties, two M1A1 tanks, a M-270 MRLS, and two M-61 Vulcan AA cannons. They also lost 11 TRA and 32 militia KIA and 17 TRA and 53 militia WIA. The New Order fought back as well as it could, firing the remaining fifty-eight M-61's, then moving them before the enemy could return fire, but against the superior McKagan aircraft, they still performed rather poorly.

The KLA-41 had been designed as one of the most survivable and elusive aircraft in the history of the MTDF. Simply because of their altitude, manuverbility, and amount of focused fire the enemy had - only a few hits were even recorded on the McKagan force, with no losses.

Next up on the platter of McKagan air assets were the KHaU-13 Vala Attack Helicopters. They were the assets more capable of fighting infantry and less strategic targets. The MTDF had roughly 10,000 of the Vala Attack Helicopters based in San Diego. Before the first round of KLA-41's could be rotated out of Torontia, the first of 500 KHaU-13's were moving into the nation.

They didn't have pre-set organized target lists. Put plain and simple: they're hunter/killer units. They find their own targets and engage them with 30mm cannons, light rockets, and DREAD gun technology.

The fighting was becoming a little more intense, and many of the militia members broke and ran. The New Order troops fired on the deserters until Colonel Scott stopped them, killing or injuring over 300.

"Save your ammunition, they're coming for us!" he commanded. The New Order troops might be disciplined, but they were low on ammunition, and it couldn't be used for executions. "Retreat for now, I want ambush points set up in areas where the McKagan choppers are likely to land."

With the loss of most of the militia, the TRA forces were reduced to a total strength of 2,500 New Order and 1,500 militia. If a helicopter engaged a New Order infantry platoon, they could return fire with M-16's and M-79 grenade launchers, or try to hit something vulnerable on the helicopter with a sniper rifle. However, standing orders were not to attack enemy gunships without at least a rocket launcher or autocannon. Militia were more likely than TRA to fire back with small arms such as AK-47's, but the disciplined soldiers of the Republican Guard were less willing or able to disobey orders.

Unfortunately for the rebels, helicopter gunships with two seats rarely carry and deploy infantry.

The KHaU-13 had been designed with the flaws of the Apache helicopter in mind. Whereas the Apache was designed as a tank buster and was highly vulnerable to small arms fire, the Vala was heavily armored against infantry rounds and RPG's. Roughly one-dozen had to return to San Diego before completing missions because of damage.

After a while, the fire decreased to a point. The gunships simply floated around the nation and waited for someone to fire on them - at which point they would turn and engage with deadly accuracy.

While the MTDF roamed the skies around the Idaho countryside looking for unlucky people outside who looked hostile from 10,000ft.; more attention was paid to the Independent Montana forces. Soon, bombing raids started. Thirty-six of the new KLR-36 Strategic Bombers started operations out San Diego.

The good thing of facing an organized army was that it depended on infrastructure and not just blending in. This would make the job of the bombers very easy.

Meanwhile, troops continued to move into San Diego.

Just a matter of time....

Independent Montana Response

Colonel Samuel Black had made his deal with Colonel Aureliano Buendia and the airstrike on Boise was no surprise. The only Red Tidean built SAM, which was extremely heavily protected, a gift from Leafanistan, detected only 2 planes, but the ferocity of it and the destruction of the enemy militias came as a pleasent surprise. Colonel Black decided now was the best time to use his new alliance with Colonel Buendia to take control of Boise.

The Independent Montanan Army was spotty at best and was mainly infantry battalions and only a few were left. The deteroirating situation in Montana after the removal of Leafanistani aid was devastating.

Colonel Black authorized a transmission:

Encrypted to Unknown Aircraft

This is Colonel Samuel Black of the Independent Montana Army, your airstrike has destroyed a significant number of enemy units and has given us a great advantage into retaking the city of Boise, and we wish for an alliance. We have unconfirmed reports that you may have fired on our troops though this may be part of a warlord offensive.

If anything me and Colonel Aureliano Buendia can help you take down the forces. My government has expressed no interest in Idaho beyond keeping the warlords from getting into the homeland. If you are firing on Independent Montanan troops please stop.

[END]

Of course the strategic bombers spotted a tiny anti-air company with only 3 stationary 40mm Bofors guns and an ancient RADAR set. The bombing run destroyed the entire position and killed the 3 soldiers keeping the midnight watch. But with no intelligence, no one really knew how it was destroyed.

OOC: I'm justifying no real big destruction since Independent Montana has long since fallen apart and probably only small infantry stuff remains with a few rusty tanks sitting in barns or something.

Encrypted to Unknown Aircraft

This is Colonel Samuel Black of the Independent Montana Army, your airstrike has destroyed a significant number of enemy units and has given us a great advantage into retaking the city of Boise, and we wish for an alliance. We have unconfirmed reports that you may have fired on our troops though this may be part of a warlord offensive.

If anything me and Colonel Aureliano Buendia can help you take down the forces. My government has expressed no interest in Idaho beyond keeping the warlords from getting into the homeland. If you are firing on Independent Montanan troops please stop.

[END]


[Encrypted Response]

From: McKagan Tactical Defense Force (MTDF)

We apologize for firing against forces of Independent Montana. It was our understanding that you would resist a McKagan operation in Idaho. If you really wish to work with McKagan - we will provide you with airstrikes to help retake Boise. However - we need to reach an agreement that once the warlord threat has been fairly destroyed your forces will retreat back within the borders of your own nation completely.

Outskirts of Boise

The few remaining Independent Montanan infantry began to advance slowly on the New Order troops. They were elite sniper teams and were well equipped to take down the randomly firing militiamen.

They took out their M-14s and SVD rifles and began to aim. Soon fire was pouring from 4 well hidden positions onto the groups of New Order soldiers.

There was another reason, as the Indepedent Montanan Army disintegrated, it hid its equipment in various locales and the New Order troops were about to stumble onto a group of AC-30 30mm Autocannons that were hidden in a false hill backing. The snipers had to protect the autocannons.

Outskirts of Boise

The few remaining Independent Montanan infantry began to advance slowly on the New Order troops. They were elite sniper teams and were well equipped to take down the randomly firing militiamen.

They took out their M-14s and SVD rifles and began to aim. Soon fire was pouring from 4 well hidden positions onto the groups of New Order soldiers.

There was another reason, as the Indepedent Montanan Army disintegrated, it hid its equipment in various locales and the New Order troops were about to stumble onto a group of AC-30 30mm Autocannons that were hidden in a false hill backing. The snipers had to protect the autocannons.

[OOC: Leaf, because of the order in which we posted - you may have missed my last post on the previous page.]

IC

A lone KHaU-13 Vala Attack Helicopter in the vicinity of Boise recieves a new vectoring. Apparently a UCAV moving in to help secure the border had clipped the edge of the city and noticed an engagement below between two well equipped military forces. One had been attacking the warlord troops. Regardless of who snipers were identified as - the Vala was clear to engage.

It agressively circled away from the city and then came back towards it. Using thermal imaging it quickly identified who's who on the battlefield below - and then opened up with the 30mm autocannon.

The more casulties the better. They can't bring extra ammunition or personnel in. We just have to bleed them down...

[Encrypted Response]

From: McKagan Tactical Defense Force (MTDF)

We apologize for firing against forces of Independent Montana. It was our understanding that you would resist a McKagan operation in Idaho. If you really wish to work with McKagan - we will provide you with airstrikes to help retake Boise. However - we need to reach an agreement that once the warlord threat has been fairly destroyed your forces will retreat back within the borders of your own nation completely.

Encrypted Response

We infer the purpose of this operation is to offend and threaten Amestrian operations in Torontia. If you accept our alliance we can work together to crush the warlord threat and ensure security for Independent Montana. I only ask that I have 80 square miles near the border (coordinates) for my friend Colonel Aureliano Buendia to keep as his personal property. You see his home town is there and he has been fighting for the security of it ever since. If you agree, we can have access to his significant forces.

[END]

The snipers weren't aware of the helicopter threat until the 30mm shells began flying around them. Only 2 survived and they retreated to a destroyed building's basement. One of them had severe burns from a 30mm round passing right by him. Without communications they were trapped and they took out their service pistols and aimed at the doorway to the basement and hoped New Order forces wouldn't reach them.

Encrypted Response

We infer the purpose of this operation is to offend and threaten Amestrian operations in Torontia. If you accept our alliance we can work together to crush the warlord threat and ensure security for Independent Montana. I only ask that I have 80 square miles near the border (coordinates) for my friend Colonel Aureliano Buendia to keep as his personal property. You see his home town is there and he has been fighting for the security of it ever since. If you agree, we can have access to his significant forces.

[END]


[Encrypted Response]

From: McKagan Tactical Defense Force

The purpose isn't as much to assault Amestria as it is economically. McKagan is about to push a feeling that Torontia could be fixed by now if not for political division between other nations that are in the region. We're going to show them that a single nation can rebuild a nation almost as quickly. Oh - and the fact that Idaho is a virtual powerhouse of gems and rare stones helps too. Invading a place once called "The Gem State" always makes life easier.

We have a job for your forces around Boise. Our current plan to get boots on the ground is by paradropping light infantry all over the countryside and establishing makeshit runways. If you could take Boise Airport and the surrounding area very quickly it would help our cause greatly. A platoon of DART's are on the north side of the airport and have been a recon force for the last few months. They are poised to help retake the airport.

Once this simple objective is secured we will agree to the deal of allowing your Colonel a large claim of personal property.

[END]

[Encrypted Response]

From: McKagan Tactical Defense Force

The purpose isn't as much to assault Amestria as it is economically. McKagan is about to push a feeling that Torontia could be fixed by now if not for political division between other nations that are in the region. We're going to show them that a single nation can rebuild a nation almost as quickly. Oh - and the fact that Idaho is a virtual powerhouse of gems and rare stones helps too. Invading a place once called "The Gem State" always makes life easier.

We have a job for your forces around Boise. Our current plan to get boots on the ground is by paradropping light infantry all over the countryside and establishing makeshit runways. If you could take Boise Airport and the surrounding area very quickly it would help our cause greatly. A platoon of DART's are on the north side of the airport and have been a recon force for the last few months. They are poised to help retake the airport.

Once this simple objective is secured we will agree to the deal of allowing your Colonel a large claim of personal property.

[END]

Encrypted Reply

Our IFF transmitters will be on at (-------), try to reduce friendly fire.

We are on it, after this, we'll both be heroes.

[END]

Colonel Samuel Black rallied his forces and asked Colonel Aureliano Buendia to rally his guerilla fighters.

Soon thanks to sniper fire and the light scout helicopters MD-530s began to push back guards near the edge of Boise.

The remaining tanks under Colonel Black's began to deploy and at the rally point, 84 M60A3 tanks with ERA and the 105mm gun began to rally, along with the scraps of a mechanized division.

84 M60A3 Tanks
49 M113 APCs with Cyclone Fences and AC-25s
98 M113 APCs with 2 .50 cals and 1 .30 cal MGs
65 M114 Towed 155mm Howisters
32 MD-530 Helicopters
12 B-212 Gunships
165 Sungri Scouts with .30 cal MGs
15 Humvees with .50 cal MGs and uparmoured kits
35 Humvees with .50 cal MGs with no uparmouring
1300 2-ton Trucks

15,500 semi-regular troops, a bit untrained and carrying a variety of rifles from the M-16, M-4, KF3, and C7 all using the same magazines appeared.

Colonel Aureliano Buendia had mustered a more robust force in terms of experience and was ready to seize the other side of the city and move toward the airport and call in artillery strikes to help support the operation.

217 Type 56 APCs (Open Topped BTR-152s with 2 .50 cal MGs and gunports)
65 60mm Mortar Teams
22 120mm Mortar Teams
15 towed 105mm Howisters
95 MG Technicals of various calibres
300 trucks
350 Calvary carrying Type 56 rifles

6,800 troops, 350 mounted. Armed with Type 56 rifles, or FN FALs

The now dead snipers had radioed in the positions of the New Order troops and Colonel Buendia the first to arrive began to bombard them with Mortars and Howisters and after 15 minutes of bombardment sent in 50 of his Calvary and 15 trucks to clean up the mess and the rest were ordered into the city to help seize the airport.

Colonel Black's troops would arrive 20 minutes later and begin to deploy the artillery.

[Encrypted Message]

To: Independent Montanan Forces Boise Commander
From: Major Labeal
Subject: Boise Airport Operations

My DART team is moving around from the north side of the city to aid in the capture of Boise airport. The airport is 5 klicks south of the city - this may give us a very good chance at cutting it off from reinforcements. Do any of your helicopter gunships have Command and Control/Laser Designation software installed? Our IFF transmitters are on [#######] and our laser designation software works on [#######]. It would be of great assistance if our team could stay out of direct engagement and simply call in airstrikes.

We can do it either way.

[OOC: This is my last post til Kahanistan and Xirnium get a chance to catch up.]

[Encrypted Message]

To: Independent Montanan Forces Boise Commander
From: Major Labeal
Subject: Boise Airport Operations

My DART team is moving around from the north side of the city to aid in the capture of Boise airport. The airport is 5 klicks south of the city - this may give us a very good chance at cutting it off from reinforcements. Do any of your helicopter gunships have Command and Control/Laser Designation software installed? Our IFF transmitters are on [#######] and our laser designation software works on [#######]. It would be of great assistance if our team could stay out of direct engagement and simply call in airstrikes.

We can do it either way.

[OOC: This is my last post til Kahanistan and Xirnium get a chance to catch up.]

Encrypted Reply

Yes it does, we use the Pave Pin standard, and we can configure, I'll talk to Colonel Buendia about moving his rapid forces to the south and swing around to cut the city off from the airport and tie up warlord forces. You also have the ability to call in artillery if one of our spotting helicopters detects it.

[END]

Very early morning

Supreme Headquarters Xirniumite Occupational Command
Seattle, Xirniumte Occupied East Torontia

A thick cloud of cigarette smoke hung morosely over the packed conference room, where for the past hour or so the top military commanders, intelligence officers and politicians of the Eternal Republic’s peacekeeping commitment to Torontia had fiercely debated the latest, rather worrisome, turn of events. Arranged prominently on the main dark polished mahogany table at the centre of the room was a large, high-relief map of Idaho (a strife-torn state that bordered East Torontia), showing current major troop dispositions and likely enemy locations. Though huge, the table was insufficient to allow every person present a place to sit, and a great number of individuals stood nearby, hovering uncertainly in the background.

‘Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Please forgive my tardiness, I was… somewhat delayed,’ apologised Penelope Ninyanorindo (in her familiar jaded drawl) as she quietly entered the conference room, flanked by several of her intelligence agents. Only the profound lassitude that was reflected from deep within her own, pale grey eyes, and an imperceptible slouch in her tired shoulders, marred the Assistant Director’s usually perfectly poised composure. This was, however, quite an admirable performance, considering that Penelope had only just finished crossing more than half a dozen time zones by aircraft to arrive this very morning in Seattle (and had not slept for a length of time best not dwelt on).

‘So good of you to finally join us at last, Assistant Director. I was beginning to wonder whether you would show up at all,’ remarked Mortimer Numenost with a self-amused smile. It was no great secret that the two were on less than cordial terms, though the origin of their animosity was quite the mystery to most.

‘I assure you, Air Chief Marshal, that your concerns were misplaced,’ replied Ms Ninyanorindo coolly, regarding the man with open contempt.

‘Were they indeed?’ asked Mortimer, his smile widening.

‘I am here, am I not?’ asked Penelope, allowing distinct irritation to replace her usual supercilious drawl. What an insufferable boor!

‘As everyone present is doubtless well aware,’ began the aged Fridor Moand (a full Admiral of the Xirniumite Navy and commander in chief of Army Group East Torontia) loudly, eager to move the discussion away from petty squabblings, ‘elements of the Torontia-Idaho frontier divisions were recently engaged in small-scale skirmishes with Idahoan bandit formations.’

‘As has already been explained,’ continued Vice Admiral Francesco Hagnrih, Moand’s chief of staff, standing and walking over to a projector screen, ‘these brigands faced quite a formidable task in attempting to breach our defences. The border between the Torontian republic and Idaho is heavily fortified, with nigh impenetrable ditches, barbed wire and tank obstacles, armoured machinegun bunkers, mortar pits, claymore and flamethrower positions, minefields and the like. In addition,’ continued the Vice Admiral, pressing a button to cycle through yet more slides detailing the border defences, ‘the selected locations of the frontier have been positioned on high ground, giving our forces a distinct tactical advantage. Natural features that could provide cover to an enemy, such as long grass, tree-lines, even small hills or rock formations, have been eliminated far back to well beyond rifle range, so that any would be invader must advance entirely exposed across the barren landscape. Needless to say, these cleared zones are strongly illuminated at night by innumerable searchlights, in addition to the usual motion and sound detectors.’

‘Our casualties?’ asked a bureaucrat from the Defence Ministry, looking up from a mass of detailed papers arrayed haphazardly before him on the polished surface of the table.

‘Reports are still coming in, I’m afraid, though we can surmise them to be quite light,’ explained the Vice Admiral. ‘Describing the assault as a raid is probably a little generous, it was mainly confined to sporadic sniper fire. The integrity of the frontier itself was never in doubt.’

‘And the strength of the enemy forces?’ inquired the same civil-servant, noting the answers with a pen in his folder.

‘Small squads of special forces light infantry regularly patrol in the area beyond the cleared zone,’ answered Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Cormacolindor, indicating certain areas on the map. ‘Their objective is forward reconnaissance - they are to see and yet not be seen. When the attempted foray began they fell back in good order, as they have been ordered to do so in the face of superior numbers, though their situation reports and recon observations allow us to form a fairly clear and complete assessment. We estimate the enemy to comprise some five thousand irregulars, only a fifth of whom might constitute reasonably capable soldiers.’

‘The obvious question before us now is what our response to this must be,’ explained Admiral Moand pensively, removing his officer’s cap to finger the golden braid absentmindedly. ‘The Air Force,’ at this the naval commander indicated Air Chief Marshal Numenost, who nodded in concurrence, ‘has already begun offensive aerial strikes against troop concentrations, static positions and unconcealed armour.’

‘The true mark of a powerful nation, in a situation such as this, must always be to show restraint, to stay the hand of retribution and spare the innocent, if not the guilty,’ argued one army officer.

‘This is hardly the time to allow your "cultured sensibilities" to cloud our decision making,’ disagreed a civil-servant from the Defence Ministry, pointing to the high-ranking soldier with a smouldering cigarette. ‘The Rule of Law must rein supreme.’

‘I concur with Ms Ancalima,’ declared one of Air Force chiefs, siding with the bureaucrat. ‘This raid is an outrage, an illegal and predatory act. Those responsible must be brought to account and dealt with like the criminals that they are. The Eternal Republic shall not suffer challenges to its sovereignty lightly.’

‘The damage done to our interests has not been grave, we need not risk becoming embroiled in a serious military conflict over this minor issue,’ argued another politician.

‘Still, there must be consequences. Holy Xirnium has been unjustly wronged, we must show that she can not be trifled with, lest one foolishly court both ruin and disaster.’

‘In the end, the decision is for Parliament alone to make,’ pointed out Ms Ninyanorindo simply.

The door to the conference room opened and in stepped Lady Eleanor Sabelina, pointedly wearing the dark burgundy cloak that was her symbol of office. A cacophony of dragging and scrapping chairs seemed to herald her arrival, as those present deferentially stood in a mark of respect. ‘Good morning,’ said the Parliamentarian to those gathered, smiling briefly.

‘The Ministerial Standing Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy for Toronita has recommended full retaliation for this attack,’ the Parliamentary Secretary informed the conference offhandedly, accepting someone’s hastily offered seat. ‘Do we have any idea who was behind this?’

‘The Secret Intelligence Service currently has two primary suspects, madam. One Robert Tiste, at present perhaps the most powerful of the local petty Idahoan warlords, and Oliver Scott, leader of the remnant New Order military fragments sheltering in Idaho,’ explained Ms Ninyanorindo. Opening her folder, the Assistant Director placed photographs of the two (in addition to their chief lieutenants) on the table, along with information known to the XSIS about them.

‘Are their current strongholds known?’ asked Lady Sabelina, a glass of whiskey and ice already in hand. This is going to be a long day... she thought grimly.

‘We have some idea, madam,’ replied Penelope. ‘This Scott creature appears to maintain his base of operations in the town of Moscow, near the Torontian border, whilst Tiste is located, we believe, in Boise.’

‘Superb. Well done indeed Assistant Director!’ exclaimed Eleanor, her spirits visibly improved. ‘Both individuals are, of course, to be liquidated immediately,’ explained the deputy Foreign Minister almost parenthetically, lighting a cigarette.

‘New warlords will only rise to replace the eliminated ones,’ opined the XSIS chief reasonably.

‘Nonetheless, the decision stands,’ replied Lady Sabelina firmly.

‘Of course, madam.’

‘In addition, the retreating brigands are to be wholly annihilated,’ explained the Parliamentarian. ‘Their attack was both unlawful and unjust. Consequently, they shall not be afforded protections as conventional prisoners of war, if captured, but treated as common criminals - to be charged with having committed ordinary criminal offences against the Xirniumite State. Any captured soldier should be turned over to the Gendarmerie to be held in custody before prompt trial under the Xirniumite Common Law and in Xirniumite Courts of Law.’

‘I shall update our troops as to these Rules of Engagement at once, madam,’ replied Vice Admiral Hagnrih.


A short time later

Independent Idaho
Near the East Torontian frontier

Specific areas of both Moscow and Boise, identified by the XSIS as being likely locations for the hideouts of the warlords Scott and Tiste, respectively, are suddenly the scene of tremendous bombardment. Short range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and even heavy artillery (located in strategically placed batteries along the frontier), are directed to visit appalling destruction upon both of the cities, designed to give no prior warning that might allow those present to seek safety.

The rocket and artillery bombardment is followed by concentrated aerial carpet bombing, both from large, “Poena” strategic heavy bombers that aim to devastate whole sectors of the city, to the precision surgical strikes of Project 143/X-S3 “Harpy” S/VTOL stealth fighter-bombers. As the waves of military aeroplanes attempt to level the terrorist strongholds, Ka-158/XG “Seirene” Attack Helicopters roam like hungry vultures, ordered to deliver murderous death to any remaining guerrilla survivors nestled in the shattered cities.

A genuine attempt was made to limit civilian casualties, and in this the Secret Intelligence Service played a crucial role. As much as was possible, innocents were to be spared, and only the guerrillas attacked.

In the countryside, a band whose width stretched almost one hundred kilometres beyond the Torontia-Idaho frontier was, hopefully (in the eyes of Xirnium's general staff), to become a death-trap to those unfourtunate enough to be on the ground. “Seirene” Attack Helicopters prowled restlessly in groups of four, relentlessly seeking out any irregulars or their sub-standard military equipment (tanks and other armoured vehicles, in addition to any artillery pieces, being prime targets) to engage with their lethal 30 millimetre double turret-mounted GhY-34 cannons and guided missiles.

At higher altitudes, the “Harpy” S/VTOL multi-role aircraft pursued those involved in the raid mercilessly, bombarding the troops with horrendous amounts of anti-personnel ordnance.

The wrath of the Eternal Republic was a terrible thing to behold indeed...

The brief attempt by the New Order at an alliance with Tiste's warlord faction was all but scrapped. The New Order troops had left the militias to their fate as they fled back into the lawless lands of Idaho.

The militias, cowards and incompetents that they were, fled too. Some of them hid in trees and holes, shooting their AK-47's at the Xirniumite VTOL aircraft, but suffering heavy casualties.

In Boise, tens of thousands of refugees poured out of the city. Bob Tiste had an idea. He ordered that the airports be denied to McKagan and Xirniumite forces, and forced 3,000 unlucky civilians to march on the airport, clogging the runways until he could find ordnance powerful enough to destroy the runways. Anything that landed would run over the civilians, who were secured by 500 militia members.

Throughout the city, Tiste's 4,500 militia set fire to buildings to trap civilians in the city, which would make bombing difficult. He also ordered that supplies be brought underground, into bunkers where the militias kept their supplies and weapons that they didn't want the enemy to find. Machine gun and sniper fire poured out of the taller buildings, and helicopters found themselves taking fire from RPG's.

In Moscow, Scott and Casey had managed to make it to safety, shooting at civilians to force them to flee, relieving food supplies and creating refugees to burden the Xirniumites, and also allowing infiltration. The New Order troops had lost few troops, but the attack was a failure. They would have to wait for the militia in Boise to draw much of the enemy strength before making another major attack.

Satellite intelligence revealed the presence of long columns of refugees leaving the Moscow metropolitan area, a vast human exodus from the doomed city. Xirniumite military commanders surmised that the greater majority of civilians had therefore fled the metropolis for the relative safety of the surrounding hinterland, which freed the XDF to use yet more destructive means to eradicate its prey.

Now Moscow was to be put to the torch, systematically blasted from the fair face of the Earth with innumerable incendiaries and heavy munitions. Hoping that any underground bunkers or shelters that the irregulars undoubtably hid in like frightened vermin were not too deeply dug, the Xirniumites put credence in the belief that the use of massive bombs would destabilise and collapse the network of tunnels.

A great amount of the guerrillas had been observed fleeing with their armour and artillery to dubious cover of nearby forests. However, they would find no sanctuary there. Strategic bombers would burn the forests to the ground, square kilometre by square kilometre, confident in the knowledge that civilians would not be harmed so far away in the empty wilderness.

In Boise, where helicopters had come under sometimes intense anti-aircraft fire from stubborn resistance, coordinated cruise missile strikes and targeted shelling were used in tandem, with the aim of destroying the fortified buildings inside which the irregulars had barricaded themselves.

Avoiding civilian deaths was, of course, still paramount, and this constricted the options of the Xirniumite Defence Force considerably.

East Torontia,
Seattle,
The Constitutional Convention Center,
Vice Minister Sara Liscel’s Room,
Late morning

“So Kitsune, you are saying that there have been reports of fighting along the Torontia-Idaho border?”

Vice Minister Sara Liscel lounged comfortably in her bed, munching contentedly on a box of chocolates as she talked to TPG Vice President Mitsune Konno over the phone.

“Yes, apparently there was a raid made against Xirniumite positions by warlord militia along with elements of the TRA, and the Xirniumites and Mckaganese have launched an air campaign to retaliate for the attack. You’re Embassy* is sending over satellite photos, from what they told me over the phone it looks like a particularly heavy bombardment, they sure aren’t holding back… I will likely have the photos within the hour.”

“Good.” Sara popped another chocolate into her mouth.

“I’m surprised they did not immediately inform us...” Mitsune continued.

“I’m not,” Liscel responded. “The Embassies first priority is to inform the West Torontian Government and Central. As neither of us is in a command position we are currently no more then an afterthought."

Sara nibbled on a truffle.

I probably will be getting a call within the hour…

The phone then rang, indicating she had another call waiting on the second line.

Speak of the devil.

“…And that likely is the Embassy, Kitsune, can you hold on for a moment?”

After the Vice President answered an affirmative the Vice Minister switched over to the second line. It was Ambassador Émile Gallieni. The ambassador proceeded to explain the reaction from Central to recent events in Idaho and went on to inform the Vice Minister that the relevant reports were in the process of being sent over. Sara thanked him, hung up, and switched back to line one.

“Mitsune, are you still there?”

“Yes, that was a lot longer then a moment...so, does Amestria have any intention of getting involved in Idaho?”

“No. Why would the Amestrian State wish to waste good money and manpower on that insignificant sad forsaken little country? The Amestrian military occupied the place briefly when it was searching for Tanakis, and once it was realized he was no longer in Idaho they got the hell out of there.”

Sara paused to ruffle through the chocolate box.

“The Foreign Ministry intends to give passive diplomatic support to the pacification campaign. Idaho has been a constant source of instability and a significant hideout for criminal elements, such as the surviving members of the TRA. It’s good that steps are finally being taken to bring order to that miserable place…and that our two states do not have to pay in blood or treasure for any of it.”

Liscel bit into a creamy piece of white chocolate.

“Of course we fully intend to send humanitarian relief once the fighting dies down and there is some form of order so that Amestria can garner some positive coverage in the international press.” Sara added cynically.

“The Provisional Government also has no plans beyond passive encouragement; the TPG does not have the ability to project itself in Idaho and, frankly, we want as little to do with that blasted corner of the world as possible.”

Mitsune paused.

“Although the current campaign will likely result in Mckagan moving in and taking over the anarchic renegade territory, setting up military bases…”

“Let them, it’s not like that would negatively effect or weaken the TPG’s and TNCP’s position in Torontia. Idaho shares a border with Xirniumite administered East Torontia after all; it has few natural resources and no infrastructure. The large amounts of free land in Idaho might also satisfy Mckagan’s current appetite for military bases, making them less petulant at the negotiating table in the future.”

“Hopefully…”

Sara's mind began to wander. Suddenly an idea occurred to her. The Amestrian Military had collected intelligence on Northern and Central Idaho during its brief occupation of that territory; landmarks, population centers, hideouts, compounds, caves, est. Of course, that information was well over a year old and Idaho had changed significantly since then, but some of it might prove helpful to the Xirniumites. Amestria providing Xirnium with the information under the table, unasked, might also go a long way in improving attitudes.

“Kitsune can you hold?”

“Again?!”

“Well yes, but I will only be a moment, I’m sorry but its important.”

“Sara, a moment means a brief period of time…”

“I know…”

Sara switched over to line two and called the Embassy. She explained to the Ambassador that he was to call the Ministry of Defense and inform them that the Vice Minister had judged it to be in Amestria’s best interests to voluntarily release the otherwise useless information on Idaho to the Xirniumite Occupational Command in East Torontia.

(*OOC: The Amestrian Embassy is the old AOA Central Command, it has access to satellites and garrisons 1000 Amestrian soldiers.)

* * * *

Several hours later…

The Minister of Defense agreed with Liscel’s assessment and the information was electronically dispatched to the Amestrian Embassy in Torontia, which then sent it to the TPG, which in turn handed the data over to the Xirniumite Occupational Command.

McKagan hadn't conducted an operation of putting troops into a territory while it's contested for years. Perhaps since the Saharistan engagement. McKagan troops had always gone in after the fact: or after IMAF destroyed all forms of resistance.

Idaho was to be a showcase of what years of unprecedented military research could do for a fighting force. The troops number for the assault and occupation of Idaho had been set at 1 million even. Putting that many into a nation without an airport would be difficult. To deal with the logistical aspects, it was determined that only 300,000 would be used in the actual assault and the rest were for the occupation once military resistance was defeated.

With the aspect of quickly ceasing Boise Airport already gone, the second chance for invasion was to be put into play. It wasn't a very drastic change. Most of the military planners had accepted that Boise Airport wouldn't be ceased without troops on the ground in the first place. Regional transportation was already provided.

[Encrypted Message]

To: Xirnium
From: MTDF

We are preparing an assault to put troops on the ground at [######] coordinates. You are also being sent the troops IFF transmitting frequency. Please desist in any bombardment plans for this operation. Futhermore, Independent Montanan troops who we have made deals with for their assistance are operating around Boise. Please try to avoid engaging them as well.

[END]

Almost as soon as the message informing Xirnium of the plan was sent a full scale bombardment of a massive square south of Boise started. The strategic bombers already in the region had rearmed and were back over Idaho for new missions at the time they were diverted. At the same time, roughly half of the KLA-41's in the area dropped their bombs over the square. Once the dust and fire settled, the KHaU-13 Vala Attack Helicopters moved in and formed a defensive circle around the cleared landing zone.

Timing had been perfect, and at the end of the formation of the defensive circle, the first of the AVT-12 VTOL Transport Units (which had left San Diego at the start of the bombardment) started moving in to drop off their payloads. Each carried 25 of the MTDF's infantry. A total of 300 AVT-12's were lined up to work in this operation tonight.

The plan was simple: In a few hours all 7500 troops would be on the ground. Half of those were frontline combat units which would move forward to cover the other half, engineers, while they constructed a total of 8 makeshift airstrips capable of supporting the KTL-27 Regional Transport Unit. Once those airstrips were completed it wouldn't be long until the troop number (along with the all important Fighting Vehicles) surged upward.

Then the true fun would begin.

[Encrypted Message]

To: Independent Montanan Forces around Boise Airport
From: McKagan Tactical Defense Force

Due to the tense situation around Boise Airport we would like for you to attempt to secure the general area AROUND the airport. Do not attempt to engage forces inside unless they present a major risk. Do not allow anyone in or out. Once this is accomplished, we will move our forces into coduct more extensive operations. At this moment the MTDF doesn't have enough assets on the ground to conduct the operation, but we will in the near future.

[Encrypted Message]

To: Independent Montanan Forces around Boise Airport
From: McKagan Tactical Defense Force

Due to the tense situation around Boise Airport we would like for you to attempt to secure the general area AROUND the airport. Do not attempt to engage forces inside unless they present a major risk. Do not allow anyone in or out. Once this is accomplished, we will move our forces into coduct more extensive operations. At this moment the MTDF doesn't have enough assets on the ground to conduct the operation, but we will in the near future.

Reply from Colonel Aureliano Buendia

We can take them, my troops have suffered little casualties thanks to Xirmiumite bombing, they have eliminated them. Our calvary can scatter the civilians, we can take down the militia, my snipers are extremely well trained. Place your trust in me, I can defeat them. I promise you the airport in 12 hours if you authorize me now.

[END]

Snipers trained their sights on the enemy militia, and BTR-152s gathered around with the men hidden. The Calvary stayed behind. They were waiting for authorization from McKagan forces.

Reply from Colonel Aureliano Buendia

We can take them, my troops have suffered little casualties thanks to Xirmiumite bombing, they have eliminated them. Our calvary can scatter the civilians, we can take down the militia, my snipers are extremely well trained. Place your trust in me, I can defeat them. I promise you the airport in 12 hours if you authorize me now.

[END]


[Encrypted MTDF Response]

The McKagan DART platoon that we told you about is moving around the airport at the same time. They can provide limited sniper support. You have our official clearance to go after the airport. If large numbers of civilians die, this will be on your hands and not ours. Do not fear about the possible destruction of the runway. We have an engineering division moving into the country that we can divert to the airport to establish a more stable entry point.

Good luck.

Moscow

Flaming tornadoes wiped out many of the taller buildings in the city, scorching those who had not yet fled, and many of the militia members were killed, too. Other militia and New Order soldiers threw down their weapons and mingled into the crowds of fleeing civilians. They could obtain weapons in Torontia if they had to badly enough.

Buildings melted from the intense heat, often collapsing and damaging more resistant structures. Little would be left for the citizens to return to any time soon.

---

Idaho, directly south of Boise
General William Bethlehem’s temporary HQ, a random barn

General Bethlehem sat naked on a haystack chewing on a bit of hay as he listened to one of his scouts give a report on the situation in Boise. Once the scout had finished Bethlehem got down from the haystack and began to pace back and forth, scratching his beard, thinking…

It looked like President Tiste had bitten off more then he could chew, siding with that charlatan Oliver Scott. Now Independent Montana was taking advantage of the situation and was trying to break the warlords with the aid of foreign airpower. If one power came to dominate and peacekeepers came that would mean government, law, and peace. Bethlehem knew that if that happened he would likely be executed, or worse, have to go back to selling copy machines.

No, I will not go back to selling copy machines. Here I shall make a stand!

The General called for his uniform and it was brought to him. As he dressed he called out to his personal scribe.

“Have what I am about to say be written down.”

“Yes General.”

Having dressed, Bethlehem paced back in forth reciting a verse for his personal history of Idaho on the spot.

“And those arrogant pretenders
Who had scorned Good General Bethlehem
Who had been declared the Lords of War
Found themselves besieged by black demons from the sky
Their armies of mere men prevailed not
And some did despair and doubt
But Good General Bethlehem held firm
And the faithful few did prevail
The demons were cast out
The People saved
The Good General Bethlehem becoming Master of them all!”

“That’s beautiful General,” opinioned the sycophantic scribe.

“Yes it is,” agreed the General. “Lieutenant…”

“Yes General,” answered one of Bethlehem’s officers.

The strength of Bethlehem’s army was roughly 1000 horsemen, or as he referred to them, warriors. Each warrior was a tough cold-blooded killer, superior in skill and viciousness to the average rabble that passed for militia.

“Two hundred warriors are to proceed north to Boise and engage in night time hit and run attacks against the Independent Montana forces, their allies, and their supply lines. Another 200 warriors are to proceed and attack villages around Boise, as well as slaughter those unfortunates attempting to flee the doomed city. Drive them into the Independent Montana held areas, burden them with starving refugees. I and the remaining 600 shall split up and proceed south to gather reinforcements.”


Military Movements by Bethlehem’s Survivalist Army

200 horsemen split up and headed north in small groups. Under the cover of night they tore into and launched raids upon Independent Montana’s rear.

200 horsemen split up and headed north, savagely attacking whole communities and columns of refugees, turning them back towards Independent Montana.

General Bethlehem headed south with the remaining 600, forcibly conscripting young men, boys, and a few female sexual slaves, and contacting the southern warlords in the hope of forming alliances and increasing the size of his force in preparation for a campaign of resistance. The boys, many as young as nine, and some barely able to carry an AK-47, let alone fire it, were also given boom-boom, a mixture of cocaine and gunpowder which caused violent rage and ferocity in battle.

Unfortunately for General Bethlehem his search for a cheap hooker had put him straight in the path of one of the largest assaults in the history of the McKagan Tactical Defense Force.

He soon started meeting resistance from KHaU-13 Attack Helicopters hovering in the area of the MTDF's landing point. The helicopters were now operating at an observation altitude, so it was sometimes hard to locate a specific unit by hearing because so many others were in the area.

Eventually a 1050 man force of MTDF Infantry in 175 COV-06T Infantry Fighting Vehicles (virtually all that had been transported in one the one completed airstrip) moved north to engage guerilla forces. The COV-06T was a cheap alternative to a high end light tank - made to carry troops and blow stuff up. A simple doctrine. AK47 fire would be completely defeated by it and it would take multiple RPG's to scratch it: Something that's not in supply.

As the columns of COV-O6T IFV's spread out across the countryside and started moving into the first of the villages. If IFV's are fired on they'll decimate the enemy - and if nothing happens, infantry dismount and search for anyone actively unfluenced by drugs or anyone with weapons. To make traveling difficult for any guerilla that manages to blend in, the Infantry shoot any horses mounted in or around villages.

With reports from UCAV Recon Flights of horsemen attacking refugee's just north, another offensive lashes out. A few of the KHaU-13's are diverted from recon missions and head north, vicously attacking the mounted horseback infantry who are trying to influence the flow of civilians.

In the countryside, the COV-06T IFV's had a devastating effect upon the various militias, whose arms were generally insufficient to counter them. Whole columns were wiped out by the IFV’s and helicopters, militia losses being in the hundreds. Over 1,000 fighters quickly surrendered.

Faced with such a massive and sudden incursion the various southern warlords quickly headed Bethlehem’s warning and banded together (or at least stopped shooting at each other).

Upon entering villages McKagan forces encountered far stiffer resistance, being greeted with hails of ill-aimed automatic fire and, rarely, RPG’s. Some of the more disciplined militia’s managed to hide and hold off from firing upon the McKagan search teams until they had dismounted and put some distance between themselves and the IFV's. In the burned out urban center of Mountain Home they encounter stiff resistance from the 2,000-strong militia of “President” James Kyle and a human wave attack by 300 child soldiers high on Boom-Boom.

In true warlord fashion the militias began slaughtering civilians, provoking a massive human wave of refugees, thousands of them, southwards towards the advancing McKagan forces.

Having lost nearly 200 of his "warriors" to helicopters and fighting, General Bethlehem quickly decided that discretion was the better part of valor and quickly ordered his remaining 400 fighters to break into little groups and ride east.

In the north the McKagan helicopters manage to take out several dozen of the horsemen teams attacking the civilians... unfortunately, they also take out various mounted civilians (horseback being a fairly common method of travel in the area) and, as the Boise area is crowded with refugees, there is significant collateral damage. Ultimately, the fighting drives thousands more refugees towards the I.M. forces.

In the burned out urban center of Mountain Home they encounter stiff resistance from the 2,000-strong militia of “President” James Kyle and a human wave attack by 300 child soldiers high on Boom-Boom.

The MTDF Infantry were doing great until the human waves started coming. In several instances the human wave was able to get between the various IFV's and cut soldiers off. These chances would be few and far between, however, as the 30mm High Explosive Shells from the COV-06T's would fair great against clusters of enemy forces usually associated with human waves. The fact that the soldiers were children had no impact on the McKagan Infantry, who were trained that many would seek to use children to make soldiers feel guilty. They failed.

Still, 24 soldiers were killed in Mountain Home before the troops were able to make it back to the IFV's that no one had been able to challenge.

These IFV's had the chance to pull out and call in "Broken Arrow," the code for an overran position. Instead they decided that no one had the firepower to damage their vehicles and they had plenty of ammunition in both the 30mm guns and the various Light Machine Guns on each IFV. They decided to stay and avenge the loss of their comrades, and in true MTDF fashion dating back to the Saharistan conflict, held their ground and let the enemy come to them.

The idea was simple. The MTDF could bring in as many soldiers as it needed. The warlords couldn't even bring ammunition into the country. They had a fixed number of soldiers. Eventually, the human wave tactics would run their reserves dry.

In true warlord fashion the militias began slaughtering civilians, provoking a massive human wave of refugees, thousands of them, southwards towards the advancing McKagan forces.

The McKagan troops rarely pay attention to the refugees, allowing them to roam freely and set up their own campsites with whatever they can find. Later on, once the McKagan occupation force lands, they will be sheltered in the burnt out cities. There's still work to do, though.

The heads of the dead soldiers were cut off and displayed on pikes, a ghastly testament to the barbarity of the brutish inhabitants of the uncivilized territory, a grim message to "Get off my territory, OR ELSE."

James Kyle may not have been a professional military officer, but he knew that his militia would have little chance against the McKagan IFV's in the open countryside, and that ammunition and manpower was in short supply, so he ordered his militia to hold their positions in Mountain Home and fortify.

Most of the refugees, who have learned through terrible experiences that one should flee concentrated groups of armed men, avoid the McKagan forces. However, the wave of refugees proves highly disruptive and there is not enough food to eat… Thousands of people are at risk of starving to death unless immediate aid is provided.

A few refugees, however, pay a lot of attention to the McKagan forces... Starving women and children, desperate, facing hunger and abuse in the refugee camps, approach them and hope for the best.

James Kyle may not have been a professional military officer, but he knew that his militia would have little chance against the McKagan IFV's in the open countryside, and that ammunition and manpower was in short supply, so he ordered his militia to hold their positions in Mountain Home and fortify.


Trying to fortify against the MTDF was suicide. The warlord's had fallen into a tactical nightmare. By hording civilians out of Mountain Home in an attempt to disrupt McKagan lines they had separated themselves from their human sheild. Then they put themselves in a concentrated position. With their total lack of anti-aircraft weaponry - Mountain Home would soon be a death trap.

Soon enough the strategic bombers move again. Mountain Home was to be whiped off the map. Thirty-six bombers each carried 50,000lb's of high explosive. On top of that there were various KLA-41 Fighters vectoring in to drop bombs off.

The city WOULD be eliminated, along with almost anyone inside it.

Most of the refugees, who have learned through terrible experiences that one should flee concentrated groups of armed men, avoid the McKagan forces. However, the wave of refugees proves highly disruptive and soon not enough food to eat… Thousands of people are at risk of starving to death unless immediate aid is provided.

A few refugees, however, pay a lot of attention to the McKagan forces... Starving women and children, desperate, facing hunger and abuse in the refugee camps, approach them and hope for the best.

After the refugee's stop coming in in huge numbers and the situation is stabilized, families are sent to one refugee camp and single males to another. With both camps under heavy guard, McKagan Corporations begin to aid the starving. Medical assistance is also an option, however hard to find.

In the amount of time passed, a total of 5 the airfields are completed. McKagan troop numbers begin to climb, as do flights of KHau-13 Helicopters (which can now be bassed inside Idaho) and various UAV's used to patrol the boarders and recon various other positions.

[Encrypted MTDF Response]

The McKagan DART platoon that we told you about is moving around the airport at the same time. They can provide limited sniper support. You have our official clearance to go after the airport. If large numbers of civilians die, this will be on your hands and not ours. Do not fear about the possible destruction of the runway. We have an engineering division moving into the country that we can divert to the airport to establish a more stable entry point.

Good luck.

Outside Boise Airport

Colonel Buendia's face lit up, he was given clearance, though he was told to spare civilians. He didn't care much, he only cared for his home village of Macando, and the fact that McKagan was doing a far more efficient and ruthless job of wiping civilians out was somewhat amusing to him. Though he didn't ponder it too much.

He grabbed one of Colonel Black's men and told them to get in contact with the snipers, spotters would be calling out targets soon.

He then ordered his troops to get the M79 and M203 grenade launchers and to put a dummy shell in, or if anything, a rock. The mortar teams began using a homemade pellet shot that would send little pebbles into the air over the civilians. The idea being to injure them slightly and send them running.

The first spotter called out a soldier standing close to the side, his gun just barely visible.

Then the mortars fired and soon dozens of tiny rocks began to fly into the area.

Colonel Buendia called his most heavily armoured men and the slow moving Type 56 APCs to move in slowly and fire their grenade launchers. After that mounted troops would herd the civilians.

Colonel Buendia thought about his underaged wife, died with twins in her stomach, the thought brought an angry tear to his eye. He knew what happened, it was poison, poison from an outsider who knew his liberal thoughts, poison to kill his one true love, that hardened Colonel Buendia's heart even more and he fumed with rage. He ordered his personal guard be brought up with a Stryker and escort him to interrogate any survivors. He also had a personal mission.

Refugee Wave

A few of Colonel Black's men and a detachment of Colonel Buendia's soldiers found a mass of almost 200 fleeing the city. They were in danger of compromising the fixed artillery.

Colonel Black's men searched for Montanan citizens and brought them over to their camps for treatment.

Colonel Buendia's men were a bit more sympathetic, many of them being from Idaho or the neighboring states. They offered them soldier's quarters and a share of their rations. One of Buendia's men radioed for canvas for tents and food rations.

OOC: Sorry for the long delay I only hope this still can be done.

-Southeastern Idaho-
-Zynxville (former Malad City)-

Zynxville was a burned out ugly little former city. Its most defining feature was the fact that the name Zynx was spray painted on every building and there were several larger then life murals of the strongman.

The place was gritty dirty, but more importantly, isloated. It was perfect. And their leader...

Zynx’s warlord career began roughly 21 years ago as civilization rapidly collapsed in Idaho. The then electronics salesmen quickly made a name for himself in Idaho warlord politics by seizing control of Malad City’s eastern shopping center after the constant blackouts had destroyed demands for expensive electronics. Shortly afterwards the city council fled and Zynx and his gang went on to seize control of the rest of Malady city. Zynx then declared himself Interim Mayor for Life and renamed the city Zynxville, for the next 20 years serving as the cities local dictator/petty tyrant. Though physically unappealing, being only a short fat balding man, he used his knowledge from when he was a Saleman. Give the people what they think they want, and you can get anything from them.

A person like Zynx was seen as the perfect ally for the Black Hand. Powerfully locally, but amoung the region just seen as a small dot on the land. He was a possibly insane, but there was a touch of Logic in his madness. He fit the Black Hand's needs quite nicely. They approached him, and he agreed to a Public Meeting amoung his followers.

-Public Meeting-
The Place of the meeting was crowded, though there was always a crowd around Zynx. Everywhere he went he was accompanied by a whole chorus of bodyguards and sycophants. Some held automatic weapons while others held up pictures of Zynx, waving them about. Here in the town square it was most noticable. As Zynx approached the Podium, a common location of his Propraganda speeches, a cheer went up in the crowd.

The Cheering of his followers went on for minutes after his arrival, gradually growing quieter and quieter as Zynx waited. Eventually everyone stood facing him, the look of utter loyality in their eyes.

Zynx threw up his arms and spoke in his common rasping whiny voice.

“Zynx, Zynx! Zynx forever! Zynx rules! I am Zynx!”

His chorus erupted into chants of “ZYNX, ZYNX, ZYNX!” while guns were fired in the air. "I've call all of you today to tell you that things are going to be much better for the future, for today, a powerful group has come, to spread our great Utopia throughout the land. More cheering went up as the Nod officer climbed up on the stage.

The Black Suited Nod enforcer stepped foward, "Welcome followers of Zynx, welcome those who are the rightful ones, and thank you Mayor Zynx." Another group of Cheers went out for Zynx. When eventually quieted down.

The Nod officer, taking a leaf out of Zynx's own book, stood up and began his speech. "I came in from the north, and I'm here to tell you that the former enemies of Zynx, are being reduced to nothing. An army of Imperialists have come from the Land of Torontia seeking to claim the nation as their own. (Lies of course) yet while they stomp around through the center of the nation, the large powerful force of this city has been unoticed.

The Crowd grew quiet.

"Unoticed by them, but not by us." The officer shouted. "And since we noticed the power of your leader, we have come to offer a profitable alliance to keep this city secure for future followers." "These Imperialists repect one thing, Power." "With our help, Zynx will show that power!"

Zynx scratched his head. “Zynx will agree to alliance with you. Zynx however has conditions, Zynx want more electric power and a supply of electronic merchandise! More generators and wiring will cause further need for appliances, which people could then buy from Zynx’s store. Zynx must also remain Interim Mayor for Life! I am Zynx!”

More chants of “ZYNX” and celebratory gunfire.

"Wonderful!" The Officer shouted, "We agree fully and accept the terms, now, time is short and we will hurry, you will get your Generators, you Power, and..." The Officer paused. "Your new weapons."

Zynx looked pleased.

“Zynx agree to alliance! Zynx and his 3000 man militia at your command! I am Zynx!”

“ZYNX, ZYNX, ZYNX, ZYNX…”

The Red Mafia were having a field day, weapons were being sold by the truckload and M-16s, M-4s, M-fourgeries, AKs, and AC-20s were selling like hotcakes. The trucks were being sold too, along with their surplus stock of M113s, and BTR-152s. It was amazing, they were raking in millions.

OOC: Listing what Nod and Zynx has. (Estimated on Zynx, I might add more or subtract depending)

-Zynx Forces-
2950 Untrained Troops
50 Trained Bodyguards
?? Technicals (50. MGs\ 7.62 MGs)
?? Jeeps (7.62 MGs)
1 ?? ??????
A few unarmored Cars

M-16s
AK-47s
RPG-2s
M79s
M60s


-Nod Forces-
7 Supply Trucks
Towing: 3 23mm ZU-23AA guns, 2 82mm Vasilek Mortars, 1 120mm Mortar and 2 Generators.
1 Gas\Diesel Tanker Truck (Towing 1 Ammo Trailer)
10 M-48 light tanks
5 M42s Selfpropelled AA guns
1 Radar Truck (Towing 1 Water Purifer)
1 M113 APC (M163 Vulcan)

50 Black Hand Elites
30 Black Hand Logistics (Tank Crews, Engineers.)
300 AK-47s
500 M1 Rifles
20 Stinger Missiles
7.62, 5.56 Ammo
30 M-79s
8 60mm M1 mortars
12 RPG 7s
C Rations
Claymore Mines
RPG Ammo, Grenades
Fuel
Food\Water.

-Nod Base-
Northwest Idaho Ravine
10 Soldiers
1 Tunnel Entrance
8 AK-47s
8 Stinger Missiles
1 7.62 Sniperrifle
2 RPGs
1 Entrenched 50cal MGun
Cameo Netting,
Food\Water (In tunnel)

-North Torontia Base-
1 Tunnel Entrance
5 Nod Soldiers
5 Stinger Missiles
4 Ak-47s
2 RPGs
1 Entrenched 50cal MGun
Cameo Netting,
Food\Water (In tunnel)

Southern Idaho [CSHR] - The sun sets across a now barren landscape. Was the landscape in Idaho always this rough? No. At one time it was a fair terrain zone with no major spots of harsh landscape. What happened?

Before a person looking out over the southern peremeter of Camp Camry, the hum of something behind them breaks their thought. They turn around, and see a flash pass above them.

It's a KHaU-13 Vala Attack Helicopter. One of the new, domestically designed and built, McKagan made pieces of hardware going through its first trial-by-fire in its lifetime.

McKagan has been in Idaho for a several days now. After launching in from the south in a series of incredible attacks, the MTDF has haulted its advance because of a standoff around Boise Airport. With McKagan casulties almost non-existant and 24 Hour News-junkies in McKagan getting a huge share of footage from this new war, support is running at roughly 60%.

So far the war effort has been clean cut. Counter insurgency efforts have always gone as planned, and the entier southern line of the nation is secured, minus a city called "Zynxville" which has been reported as being, basically, a citystate.

With McKagan troop numbers already at an estimated 20,000, it is hard to tell when the fighting here will end. However, with the almost non-existant scope of the resistance thus far: this report guesses that it will be a matter of weeks.

Also the massive Torontian tunnel system also makes for a bit of fun. Just let that one post slip.

OOC: Former Torontian tunnel system, the tunnels leading from Torontia to Idaho were blown up/sealed a while ago, although there are still purely Idaho tunnels, caves, bunkers, est.

General Bethlehem realized that something had to be done about the McKagan UCAV's and tanks. Most of the corrupt New Order officers who had sold him arms in the past had been killed in battle or found out by their superiors and shot.

Stealing from them wasn't an option, either; the last team he sent had their arms hacked off and they were forced to pick them up with their mouths and throw them into woodchippers, still bleeding and screaming in agony. One had had his wounds cauterized with a flaming torch and sent back to Bethlehem with a message not to steal from the New Order. The others were incinerated after they bled to death.

Bethlehem could not find followers loyal enough to risk stealing from them after that. Besides, the New Order lacked reliable air defenses, which were needed for use against McKagan UCAV's. So, he dispatched a messenger to contact the Red Mafia to buy 100 RPG-7V2's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RPG-7) with PG-7VR warheads, and 50 Stinger shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles. The number of arms was open to negotiation, but was not to exceed $250,000 USD.

---

Warlord movements

The warlords retreat to their cities, dragging what civilians they could as human shields, but few enough so as not to drain their supplies.

---

New Order movements

The New Order commanders increase security at their bases to deter warlord thefts and begin concealing their armor in forests and deep pits covered in hay or leaves. They are down to 37 M1A1 tanks and 36 M-61 Vulcan AA cannons.

[OOC: Anyone on the borders will be intercepted by air infantry or UAV's. If you want to RP bringing gas in, you have to RP it. That shouldn't be an issue though, because McKagan won't stop Independent Montana from just using fuel trucks. Also, if Independent Montana has gas stations in Idaho, expect McKagan to start shutting them down. By the way, can we delete all these OOC posts and start using the OOC thread?]

A group of 13 Nomadic Horsemen are returning from a Montanan Outlet Mall in Northern Montana on the border with about 20 gallons of water, 14 2-litre bottles of Orangeade, 45 pounds of salted meat, 20 pounds of vegatables, and 50 pounds of flour. They are also carrying 2 M-16s and 4 M1911s.

A village on the border is expanding to get closer to a stream and several of the villagers are building a new grain mill in Montana.

A group of 120 religious fundamentalists have expanded their grain fields in Montana into Idaho. They are lightly armed with hunting rifles.

3 large trucks filled with water is heading for a trading post in Idaho Falls, Idaho, it is coming from the southeast and is supported by 12 horsemen and a 40mm Bofors gun. They are stopping on the border at night to drink the water and make camp.

A little girl on a Montanan border town is exploring the stream which leads into Idaho and is using a brush cutting tool to get through the brush.

From the south a group of hispanic mercenaries are setting up camp on the border, they are heavily armed and have 2 Rheinmetall 20mm guns. They are looking for a trading post to the North called Idaho Falls. They are about 13 miles from the water truck. They plan to trade arms and to buy some armoured vehicles.

A group of nomadic horsemen are coming from Nevada with about 60 M-16s, 40 M1911s, and 12 M-4s. They are nearing the border and are going to Idaho Falls to trade arms.

A farmers wagon armed only with a M-16 is full of strawberries and is heading north toward Idaho Falls.

The remains of a highway that cuts into Idaho slightly and goes back into Nevada is being used by a convoy of trucks. They are filled with food aid from the UN and are moving toward California. They'll be in Idaho for about 120 miles.

Several barns are being raised as a group of Nomadic Horsemen have set up a village near a river, accidentaly crossing into Idaho. They have a 105mm Howister, and a few 60mm mortars, and infantry weapons.

A group of gamblers who have lost it all but robbed a general store and are returning to Idaho from Nevada unaware of the McKagan occupation are armed with M-4s and Glocks. They are carrying gas cans full of water, and a single 5 gallon tank of diesel to sell.

On the border an improvised baseball field has lost its ball and 3 kids are searching for it in the brush of Idaho, nearing the Montanan border and a M60A3 patrol.

A group of Canadian fur merchants is crossing into Idaho to trade the 140 pounds of plets they have in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They are armed with Diemaco C7 rifles.

OOC: The reality of a wasteland is that people will survive and they demand things, and with a porous border that doesn't really require enforcing, as only 2 of these groups are dangerous, there is no need to enforce the border, colonizing an area also requires finesse and offering an incentive to join McKagan forces.

-Zynxville (former Malad City)-
The town had gone through a major change the past week. The Generators were delivered and Zynx was pleased greatly. The water systems started up again. Things were going as planned. Then the word that the intruding group had set their sights here.

Upon hearing of the possible Intruding forces, to the west entrenchments were being thrown up around the center of the town. To the east the ruined Interstate was being set up as a massive Killzone for any invader foolish enough to use it. The Nod Mortars and AA guns were set up in their strategic positions and the Conscript Forces of Zynx were being put through a crash course on fighting. But it was when the Nod commander took a tour of the town that a huge suprise met him.

-Highway Underpass East of Zynxville-
The Black Hand leader, Valstok whistle loudly at what he saw. "Where in the hell did you get this Zynx?" He said. "Zynx has many skills, A bunch of of Army Soldiers turned mercenaries got stranded here, I give some food and water, and some 'Entertainment', and when they couldn't take this one with them they leave it to me as payment. "This," Valstok said. "You have any Fuel or Ammo for this thing?" "The shells Zynx has, but the Diesel fuel Zynx has not been able to find." "Put us in charge of it, we will get it running and ready for the mighty battle ahead." "Agreed." Zynx said walking off with his bodyguards. Valstok turned back and looked at the newest addition to the Defense. This was one of the last things I would expect some backwoods wacko to have.

Warlord movements

The warlords retreat to their cities, dragging what civilians they could as human shields, but few enough so as not to drain their supplies.

Moving into cities was once again, suicide. Anytime a UCAV saw armed units moving into a city, that city was targeted to be flattened. These massive air attacks would very quickly whipe out the majority of the conventional forces McKagan was facing.

At the same time the McKagan airpower begin stepping up operations, KLA-41's began a new initiative. Highly efficient napalm bombs are starting to be dropped in forests and anywhere else with trees. The napalm, a new McKagan formula, will burn for days on end. A single bomb can spread exponentially. Before long, there will be no cover left for insurgent units.

[OOC: Kahanistan - I attacked the city of 'Mountain Home' almost every bomber I had in theatre. The city should be gone, along with almost everyone inside it at the time. Could you score that attack?]

Idaho Falls, major trading post

A store posing as a general store had been selling weapons out back had gotten the message.

So, he dispatched a messenger to contact the Red Mafia to buy 100 RPG-7V2's with PG-7VR warheads, and 50 Stinger shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles. The number of arms was open to negotiation, but was not to exceed $250,000 USD.

Because of the problems with getting equipment there, the general store owner laughed at the tiny price. He leaned over and said, "I can get you only 30 Stingers, and only 15 RPG-7s at that price. I'll include a reload for each of them. Best offer, take it or leave it." The owners sons who were wearing heavy robes revealed their concealed arms. "You'll be clearing me out, but whatever, if anything, I can throw in 12 M16A2s to appease you. Do we have a deal?"

OOC: Please no more IC posts till Xirnium gets back.

[OOC: Link (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=11191895). It was decided that, due to logistical reasons, another OOC thread is needed. Please use it for all future OOC chatter. Thank you.]

-Zynxville-
Nod Scoured the nearby countryside, looking for anything of use, Ammo weapons, thick metals for armor. They reinforced the Airfield with a group of slightly trained Milita troops. They placed their tanks inside the town, and began to finish their defensive positions.

-Tunnel Network-
A small Horse cart pulled up to a small shed in Idaho. Walking up the owner of the cart knocked on the door and walked in. Minutes later he began putting crates in the back, all marked Apples as he got in he opened up one and took the roll of 7.62 ammo, pulled open the inner layer of the cart and slipped it within the space between the two boards. He also slipped in Shogun shells and even a couple of shotguns inside. finishing up, he put the apple crates in the back and sealed the boards up. This done, he departed.

[OOC: This thread is paused.]

Early Afternoon

Headquarters of the East Torontian Occupational Ruling Council
Seattle, Xirniumite-occupied eastern Torontia

‘…resulting in two thousand three hundred structures totally destroyed, three hundred structures severely damaged and two hundred structures suffering extensive damage. In bombing sector “G”, two thousand four…’

‘Thank you, Mr Milverton. That will be all, I think,’ interjected a weary Lady Sabelina quickly as she looked up at the impeccably-dressed civil servant. The deputy Foreign Minister had evidently listened to quite enough of the man’s dull, grating monotone, and was rather eager to dismiss him from her presence before she dozed off to tired slumber. ‘Leave the map, please.’

‘As you wish, madam,’ replied the Defence Ministry bureaucrat with a nonchalant shrug, quietly removing an antique, elaborately embossed, silver pocketwatch by its chain and momentarily checking the time. Mr Milverton had expected that the briefing would last for perhaps another fifteen minutes at least - though this change to his schedule was neither unwelcome no unhelpful, as he had many pressing tasks to attend to. ‘Have a pleasant evening.’

‘And you as well,’ Lady Sabelina replied courteously with a disarming smile that purposefully flaunted her perfect white teeth.

Entirely alone, Eleanor sighed and lit a new cigarette. Absentmindedly, the Xirniumite noblewoman ran a slender hand through her lovely long, auburn hair, picking up the detailed diagram that the civil servant had left behind and studying the full extent of the devastation wrought on the Idahoan city of Moscow as she exhaled smoke.

The numerous documents that Mr Milverton had provided to the Parliamentarian included comprehensive after-action reports and analyses of the operation by various Air Force commanders, glossy high-resolution satellite images of the gutted cities and extensive tables and charts describing the full end results of the offensive. Putting aside the map for a moment, Eleanor picked up an enormous, three hundred-page, general staff military report and leafed through it idly. Arriving at a random leaf, the deputy Foreign Minister noted with casual interest that “temperatures in bombardment zone G6-A (Moscow), consumed by the resultant firestorm of the combined 728th and 376th Strategic Bomber Squadron offensive, exceeded eighteen thousand degrees centigrade (18 000° C) - well above the melting point of elemental titanium” and that “winds in the regions affected by the Moscow firestorm (particularly those of bombing sectors “G”, “H” and “L”) briefly surpassed two hundred and fifty kilometres an hour (250 km/h), easily comparable with wind speeds witnessed in category five hurricanes” . As if to confirm the destructiveness of the Xirniumite aerial raids, the detailed satellite images showcased a city all but blasted from the face of the Earth, a monument to the calamitous power of the XDF in all its terrible glory.

What is that, Eleanor... sympathy? asked Lady Sabelina introspectively, frowning at her own rather disturbing feelings of uncomfortableness. Though she certainly shed no tears for any brigands killed in the bombardment, the Xirniumite aristocrat was somewhat surprised to find herself troubled by the thought of the unavoidable loss of innocent civilian life that must have resulted from the raid.

Such qualms are perfectly natural, I suppose. Though they may be mere uncouth barbarians, they are still people, after all. Even so… their blood lies on the hands of the bandits that started this whole mess, not on Xirnium’s fair hands and certainly not on mine, the Parliamentarian reassured herself unconvincingly.

Finally closing the manuscript and rising deftly from her desk, Lady Sableina walked over to a nearby polished mahogony drinks cabinet, ornate jade cigarette holder still in hand, and considered its modest collection with a critical eye. Eleanor briefly considered whether to reach inside the pocket of her charcoal suit jacket for the small laudanum vial within, but ultimately decided against it. In the deputy Foreign Minister’s own opinion, she had been partaking of the addictive opiate with alarming frequency during the past couple of weeks, and had resolved therefore to attempt to limit her use of the drug.

I need to keep my head clear for now, anyway, thought Eleanor with false determination.

Having finally decided on an excellent Cognac brandy over the other superb wines and spirits available, the Xirniumite placed a random record on a marvellously expensive old gramophone, which she had brought only as an afterthought with her to Torontia, and returned to her desk. Closing her eyes to savour the gentle, early thirties jazz music that filtered out of the device, Lady Sabelina did her best to forget that she was currently in this forsaken backwater, and fantasised that she had already returned to the Eternal Republic.

‘Sorry to disturb you, madam,’ announced the Parliamentarian’s Principle Private Secretary as he entered the room, ‘but are you finished?’

‘Finished?’ repeated Lady Sabelina.

‘You said that I should come back in an hour to arrange for the delivery of a letter you were working on?’ prompted the bureaucrat helpfully.

‘Ohh, right…’ Eleanor remarked, suddenly remembering the conversation. ‘Of course, I did. Yes, just wait a moment, Bernard, and I’ll hand it to you.’

The Parliamentary Secretary pulled a single sheet of expensive, creamy soft paper towards her and quickly skimmed over its contents, thoughtfully dipping the nib of her hand-cut, swan feather quill pen into a black inkwell as she read. The letter had been carefully written earlier by hand, in the Xirniumite’s own elegantly flowing calligraphic script. With a flick of her wrist, Lady Sabelina placed her signature at the end of the page and neatly folded the letter. Inserting the letter inside an envelope, Eleanor melted the end of a stick of sealing wax and poured it onto the envelope’s flap - firmly impressing the heraldic seal of the ancient Numesalquo family into the (still quite soft) hot, blood-red, liquid with a metal stamp.

Since the Amestrians had provided intelligence on the Idahoan situation to the Xirniumite government via non-official channels, it had been decided by the Foreign Ministry that an official response would be quite inappropriate. Even so, to not express any thanks at all would have been considered in extremely poor taste by the ever prim Xirniumites. It was for this reason that Lady Sabelina had gone to great lengths to emphasise that the letter came from Eleanor the Viscountess, not Eleanor the High Lady of Parliament.

‘There you are, Mr Greenwood. See to it that Minister de Villepin receives it,’ explained the deputy Foreign Minister with a smile.

‘Very good, madam.’

‘Speaking of Amestria...’ Eleanor began, looking through a drawer and producing with a flourish the box of sweets that Sara Liscel had gifted her, ‘these Amestrian chocolates are supposed to be very nice. Would you care for one?’ asked the Xirniumite noblewoman as she picked a Ganache at random and took a bite.

‘Ah… no thank you,’ replied the Principle Private Secretary.

‘Oh, but I do insist, Mr Greenwood,’ urged the Parliamentarian with a friendly grin, choosing another wonderful chocolate, (this time a Tarnavia) which to Eleanor’s delight also proved to be equally sublime.

‘Very well, maybe one.’

‘Capital.’

At least half a dozen chocolates later, Bernard finally exited the room with his superior’s letter carefully in hand, and Eleanor was left once again alone.

The sooner that all this Idaho business is over, the better, decided Lady Sabelina firmly, once again leafing through the reports of the strategic bombing campaign. If it had not been for those lawless savages, I would probably already be back in Holy Xirnium by now.

The Ministerial Standing Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy for Toronita, in a meeting earlier that morning to which Eleanor had attended, had already judged the Eternal Republic’s twin strategic aims of securing the East Torontian frontier and executing devestating reprisal operations as revenge for the attacks on their border outposts to have been successfully fulfilled, and planned to extricate the XDF from McKagan’s messy conflict as soon as reasonably possible. The mere fact that the decision had been made, however, was scant reassurance to Lady Sabelina, who was cursed to remain, for a short while at least, in the cultural vacuum that was the Torontian state.

On an impulse, driven partly by boredom, partly by a longing for home, and partly by loneliness, Eleanor picked up a telephone receiver and dialled the number of her younger sister.

‘Lucillia Sabelina speaking. Whom am I talking to?’ mumbled a tired voice on the other line.

‘Náhañemnam, simñpetár ártuilë uë silninqûitaë,’* replied the deputy Foreign Minister, her pretty face immediately brightening on hearing the lovely voice of her sibling. Listening to Lucillia speak warmed Eleanor’s heart more effectively than even the imbibing of an entire flask of laudanum ever could.

‘Ahh, Eleanor!… do you know it’s four in the morning?’

‘Oh, is it?’ exclaimed the eldest sibling, mortified by her careless error. ‘I’ll call back at a later time, Lucillia.’

‘No don’t, Eleanor, it’s wonderful to hear from you,’ replied Lucillia earnestly, her voice now clear and with an amused air to it. ‘We haven’t spoken in almost an entire week.’

‘How are you?’ asked the deputy Foreign Minister with sisterly concern.

‘Excellent, I've been having a grand time. Cornelius and Lionel are fine as well,’ added the younger sibling, referring to their two brothers. ‘You will be back in the Eternal Republic for the thirtieth,** won’t you?’ asked Lucillia with great interest.

‘Certainly. Nothing at all could keep me from having dinner with you all,’ replied Eleanor.

‘Splendid, Eleanor. Absolutely Splendid.’

Before the deputy Foreign Minister could continue her animated discussion, however, she was abruptly interrupted by her personal secretary.

‘Madam, the Defence Minister is on the line wishing to speak to you.’

‘Inform him that I am extremely busy, Isabella,’ lied Eleanor impatiently. ‘Tell Lord Vernius that I’ll return his call as soon as I get a spare moment.’


That same day

Idahoan countryside
Near the East Torontia-Idaho frontier

The “Poena” heavy strategic bombers of the Xirniumite Air Force bombarded the Idahoan tunnel and cave networks (now known to the general staff of Army Group East Torontia via Amestrian-provided intelligence) with ceaseless ferocity, attempting to collapse the underground passageways with massive, sophisticated bunker buster munitions. At the same time, Project 143/X-S3 “Harpy” S/VTOL stealth strike fighters deployed advanced precision guided ordnance against the entrances of the tunnel systems, their aim to seal shut the means of escape and leave any brigands hiding inside to be trapped under tons of rock and earth.

Large numbers of refugees were by now streaming in vast droves away from the major population centres, and the killing grounds of the merciless Xirniumite Defence Force, to the relative safety of the border hinterlands. The Xirniumite government, of course, was entirely unwilling to allow such massive numbers of displaced persons access to East Torontia, nor were they particularly interested in choosing the option of deploying peacekeepers to an active warzone so as establish refugee camps inside Idaho. The best that could be done, therefore, was to provide the asylum seekers with gigantic quantities of air dropped food, water and medical supplies, in addition to materials for the establishment of makeshift shelters, and to scatter warning pamphlets amongst the fleeing columns strongly cautioning the refugees that attempts to breach the frontier might be met with lethal force.

By the end of the day, the aerial reprisals of the Xirniumite Defence Force gradually drew to a close. Once gain, the XDF had ensured that the frontier always remained inviolable as the Sovereignty of Holy Xirnium herself.


_____________________________________________________________________


[Encrypted Message]

To: Xirnium
From: MTDF

We are preparing an assault to put troops on the ground at [######] coordinates. You are also being sent the troops IFF transmitting frequency. Please desist in any bombardment plans for this operation. Futhermore, Independent Montanan troops who we have made deals with for their assistance are operating around Boise. Please try to avoid engaging them as well.

[END]

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/Xirnium/arms1.jpg
Official Governmental Memorandum - Office of the Foreign Ministry
The Eternal Republic of Holy Xirnium

Tárië Aicassë Laë Nainányéna! – For All Time!
To:

The McKagan Imperial State Department

From:

Lady Eleanor Sabelina
Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Ministry
The Eternal Republic of Xirnium

Dear Sir/Madam

I have been advised that the Xirniumite Defence Force has, at this point in time, completed its punitive aerial campaigns against the Idahoan bandits and withdrawn all official units from the Idahoan theatre of operations. The Supreme Parliament of the Eternal Republic, of course, reserves the right to intervene in Idaho as and when considerations regarding Xirniumite interests dictate the need to – though we do not at present anticipate such a need.

In order to prevent an unfortunate incident of mistaken fire occurring, I have been asked by the Xirniumite General Staff to suggest that your Montanan auxiliary troops keep their distance from the East Torontia frontier, in addition to any Xirniumite forces that may be required to operate, from time to time, within Idaho. The current IFF transponder frequencies of the XDF are included in the attachment to this message. You have my assurances that Xirniumite forces will take all necessary precautions to avoid any unpleasant mishaps from eventuating.

An additional issue arises that must be discussed, that of the humanitarian crisis which is steadily worsening in Idaho. At present, many hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians have been displaced from their homes, the vast majority of them starving and without access to either shelter or medical care. The Xirniumite Parliament requests that McKagan troops establish refugee camps to care for these victims of war. Desirous of fulfilling its obligations as a proud and responsible member of the international community, the government of the Eternal Republic is only too willing to provide some form of monetary assistance in order to help finance these camps, and to perhaps provide peacekeepers to maintain order in them at a future date, once the situation in Idaho has stabilised.

Finally, I have been advised by both the Justice Ministry and Office of Public Prosecutions to secure the support of your government over the matter of any captured Idahoan prisoners of war. In particular, I refer to those members and supporters of the bandit parties of either the outlaws Robert Tiste or Oliver Scott. These individuals and their thugs stand accused of crimes against the Xirniumite State, and my government would greatly appreciate their extradition to the Eternal Republic to face charges before the Xirniumite Courts once they are captured.


Yours faithfully

[Signed]

Her Eminence
The Rt Hon Lady Eleanor Sabelina, MP
High Lady of Parliament
Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Ministry
The Sovereign Parliament of the Eternal Republic of Holy Xirnium


_______________________
*Náhañemnam, simñpetár ártuilë uë silninqûitaë
“Cordial salutations, my beloved younger sister"

**30th June
Public holiday commemorating the anniversary of the decisive seizure of Naerath on the 30th of June, 1102, by the rebellious nobles of Xirnium, which marked the bloody beginnings of the Great Baronial Revolt. The bitter civil war which followed resulted in the spectacularly crushing defeat of the Royalist forces, the execution of the then Monarch, Silpion III, and the signing of the historically significant Grand Charter of Liberties, which drastically limited the powers of the Crown, ushered in the age of Rule of Law in Xirnium and heralded the begining of the rapid rise of Parliament to constitutional supremacy. Eleanor Sabelina’s ancestors, the nobles of the patrician Numesalquo family, comprised some of the significant members of the revolutionary baronial faction. Today, the 30th of June is marked by the Xirniumite people and celebrated by all of the noble families of Xirnium.

[Encrypted Message]

To: Her Eminence
The Rt Hon Lady Eleanor Sabelina, MP
High Lady of Parliament
Parliamentary Secretary to the Foreign Ministry
The Sovereign Parliament of the Eternal Republic of Holy Xirnium

From: MTDF

We're doing everything we can to establish the proper refugee camps. However, the constant state of asymetrical warfare has made it fairly difficult to get proper resources to all areas of the nation. We assure you that we are doing everything we can, and have already established several camps in the southern part of the nation. We do not have any troops in the north, however, and cannot do anything there at the moment. We are preparing to expand operations, however.

We will turn over any of the insurgents you wish. They'll probably try to blend in if they're captured, however. We'll keep you up to date.

-Zynxville-

McKagan had captured a good portion of the southern part of the state. Zynxville was one of the only cities left untouched by McKagan. Things were about to change, however, as a McKagan spy satellite had been carefully watching the natives construct defensive positions. The major fear at the MTDF was that they'd try to reach out and grab more land if they were left alone for too long.

During one afternoon the attacks started from above. KRT-21 UCAV's, which carry 6 ATGM's, began roaming over the city and engaging armored units or any other vehicle. After about 3 hours, the attack reached a point where anything looking military was being targeted by the precision surgical strikes. Defensive positions were targeted if they were as small as a barricade. AA guns and any large concentrations of mortars were targeted along the highway.

The bombardment was scheduled to last for days - until no fighting unit was left untouched.

-Zynxville-
On the first day of attack the Zynx defenses were overwhelmed, the defenders quickly fled into their houses just before the Bombardments begun on their trenches. However some stuck to their training, as the UCAVs flew over 6 Stinger missiles were launched from inside the city. Yet in the smoke and dust from the explosions no one were sure if they hit.
Two of the M48s were caught out in the open and completely destroyed by the UAV attacks. A Third was serverely damaged as it fled for it's garage. Of the M42s the one that had been in firing position was overwhelmed by Missile fire even as it tried to attack the incoming missiles.

By the end of the day much of the carefully worked walls were destroyed and 3 of the M48s were out of action. The one ready M42 was lost as well as it's drivers, 6 out of the 7 supply trucks were completely wiped out and huge holes had been blow in the defenses. Of the remaining vehicles, they were entombed by the collapsed buildings they had hidden in. The only good point of the day was that the Secret weapon and the APC had remained hidden under the overpass. That and the UCAVs had missed the still unready AA guns. By night fall those who were still mobile came to the "All hands" briefing.

-Meeting-
The Nod officer spoke up showing the map of the Zynxville area. "We are to divide our forces for our survival, a group of us will move to the Airfield tonight and set up guards, The remaining hours of the night will be spent preparing for the next Airstrike." "The AA positions will be finished tonight. After laying out the rest of the plan the army seperated. Day 2 will be a whole different story for the UCAV controllers, a day of hell.

-Tunnel Networks-
The information of the Amestrians was at best, inaccurate. However either way the attacks were close enough for the info to count. The Bunker busters had no real effect on the 200 foot deep reinforced shafts of the Mountains, however the Harrier strike was another matter. The bombardment leveled the area around the shed causing the Idaho entrance to collapse.

Colonel Oliver Mattoon Scott, Lieutenant Colonel Martin Casey, and the other major New Order commanders realized that most of their forces had been routed, and only the coalition mass graves awaited them if they remained. They threw away their New Order uniforms, disguising as civilians and joining the looters that thrived in parts of southern Idaho, hoping to carry off as much loot as possible before fleeing towards Western Montana.

A little girl on a Montanan border town is exploring the stream which leads into Idaho and is using a brush cutting tool to get through the brush.

The girl should have listened to her parents (and her parents should have kept a better eye on her) and not gone out alone or unaccompanied by an armed escort. She had likely secretly explored the surrounding forest numerous times and had come to increasingly ignore the warnings she had been told, each time going further and further from the safety of the town.

She had the misfortune of encountering two armed horsemen, who swiftly seized, beat, and bound her, quickly departing with their “find.” She would make them both a fine profit, either from ransom, or sale as a slave.

Mountain Home

The warlords had fallen into a tactical nightmare. By herding civilians out of Mountain Home in an attempt to disrupt McKagan lines they had separated themselves from their human shield. Then, they put themselves into a concentrated position. With their total lack of anti-aircraft weaponry - Mountain Home would soon be a death trap.

Soon enough the strategic bombers moved again. Mountain Home was to be wiped off the map. Thirty-six bombers each carried 50,000 lbs of high explosive. On top of that there were various KLA-41 Fighters vectoring in to drop bombs off.

The city WOULD be eliminated, along with almost anyone inside it.

The McKagan intelligence had been somewhat wrong in their analysis of the situation. Mountain Home had not been completely emptied of civilians; around two thousand had been allowed to remain…and, along with “President” James Kyle’s militia, they were all obliterated. After the raid, a mere few hundred survivors emerged… Some remained hidden in the rubble with their weapons, some made their way towards the Mckagan forces to surrender, others took the opportunity to try to flee into the wild, and many who could not move far slowly died from their wounds. James Kyle survived the raid, but with the destruction of his militia and power center he had nothing more to fight for. The former radio shack employee turned warlord began a weary escape east by foot, hoping to quietly disappear and escape further notice.

Southwestern Idaho

The remaining population centers fell one by one, most with only token resistance. Dozens of warlords were killed or captured and their militias surrender en masse. The surviving southwestern warlords, 12 individuals, quickly gathered their forces in the city of Twin Falls for one last stand. They declared themselves the Idahoan Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Freedom (a diesel generator powered wireless ham radio is used to make the announcement). The combined militia of the IARPF numbered some 10,000 persons.

Fortifications were erected throughout the city, which maintained a sizable population (the warlords, having learned from past mistakes, actively prevented civilians from leaving). Over the ham radio absurd and (considering how few could really hear them) pointless propagandistic claims of imminent victory were made.

However, despite the surviving southern warlords' tough talk, an envoy on horseback, waving a white flag, approached the advancing McKagan forces. The IARPF promised to cease resistance and side with McKagan in exchange for being allowed to keep their respective territories.

Meanwhile…

Although McKagan had seized the population centers of the southwest and passed unmolested through the countryside there were still countless rural compounds that had yet to be taken/investigated. Many were inhabited by survivalists and various collections of religious fundamentalists, although one or two was held by a warlord or militia leader who had fled the Mckagan advance. The motley collection of compound owners bunkered down with their weapons, hoping to wait things out. They opened fire on anyone or anything that approached.

Moving into cities was once again, suicide. Anytime a UCAV saw armed units moving into a city, that city was targeted to be flattened. These massive air attacks would very quickly wipe out the majority of the conventional forces McKagan was facing.

At the same time the McKagan airpower begin stepping up operations, KLA-41's began a new initiative. Highly efficient napalm bombs are starting to be dropped in forests and anywhere else with trees. The napalm, a new McKagan formula, will burn for days on end. A single bomb can spread exponentially. Before long, there will be no cover left for insurgent units.

The fires spread quickly, burning down forests, crop fields, and villages. Tens of thousands of civilians were burned to death and even more made refugees. The grim prospect of starvation quickly spread across central Idaho.

-Generic News Report sent to most International New groups-
Camera zooms in on a reporter standing in front of what looks to be a severely damaged city. "I'm Joesph Stone, and this." He said pointing to the damaged ruins. "Is what remains of Boise." The camera zoomed in on some burnt buildings. "The cause?" he said. "A relentless invasion of McKagan Imperialism, this city, while never really safe and often chaotic, survival was at least promised for the fittest." He pause a second. "No longer, for the crime of having local political leaders in the city, McKagan invaded, no one was spared, Men, Women, and even Children were killed in their mad attempt to force a surrender, yet this is nothing compared to the devastation of Moscow." Another picture was shown showing mostly the flattened burnt remains of the city. "Nothing was spared, no quarter was given, the Mckagan slaughter continues unabated." "The death toll so far?" "Nobody knows." -Transmission end

The tape was sent to the News stations of all the factions who were ever involved in the Torontia situation, to hopefully show the next morning.

-Zynxville-
On the first day of attack the Zynx defenses were overwhelmed, the defenders quickly fled into their houses just before the Bombardments begun on their trenches. However some stuck to their training, as the UCAVs flew over 6 Stinger missiles were launched from inside the city. Yet in the smoke and dust from the explosions no one were sure if they hit.
Two of the M48s were caught out in the open and completely destroyed by the UAV attacks. A Third was serverely damaged as it fled for it's garage. Of the M42s the one that had been in firing position was overwhelmed by Missile fire even as it tried to attack the incoming missiles.

By the end of the day much of the carefully worked walls were destroyed and 3 of the M48s were out of action. The one ready M42 was lost as well as it's drivers, 6 out of the 7 supply trucks were completely wiped out and huge holes had been blow in the defenses. Of the remaining vehicles, they were entombed by the collapsed buildings they had hidden in. The only good point of the day was that the Secret weapon and the APC had remained hidden under the overpass. That and the UCAVs had missed the still unready AA guns. By night fall those who were still mobile came to the "All hands" briefing.

Stinger missiles, having a maximum altitude of only 15,000 feet, were completely useless in most cases. In the rare case that a UCAV was operating far below that level, it was able to pull high G's and escape. Thus, must to the dismay of anyone in the countryside around Zynxville, the sight was of more burnt out missiles falling to earth than of UCAV's. One UCAV did crash, however, when it was trapped between several other UCAV's who were also avoiding missiles and was unable to safely move. If anything it was a success, proving that the collision avoidance system was fully operational.

The attacks continue to pick apart anything left out in the open. With less specific targets (tanks or vehicles) left, more UCAV's are left available to conduct survailance around the city. As time passed after the attacks, fires would burn themselves out. As the ground cooled in the evening and night hours, picking out insurgents on the airfield was vastly easy.

The original battleplan had called to spare attacks on the airfield because it would be used later. It was determined, however, that the MTDF could just build another airfield in the time it would take to clear it. With this in mind, a 4 plane KLA-41 Strike was ordered on the area around the airfield. This would produce 16 500lb bombs.

Colonel Oliver Mattoon Scott, Lieutenant Colonel Martin Casey, and the other major New Order commanders realized that most of their forces had been routed, and only the coalition mass graves awaited them if they remained. They threw away their New Order uniforms, disguising as civilians and joining the looters that thrived in parts of southern Idaho, hoping to carry off as much loot as possible before fleeing towards Western Montana.


The MTDF had realized looting had started. There was no real point in stopping it, though. No one in Idaho had anything of real value to be taken in the first place. The Military Police Division that had been brought in simply roamed around and tracked the routes of the looters, and stopped any violence between them.

The McKagan intelligence had been somewhat wrong in their analysis of the situation. Mountain Home had not been completely emptied of civilians; around two thousand had been allowed to remain…and, along with “President” James Kyle’s militia, they were all obliterated. After the raid, a mere few hundred survivors emerged… Some remained hidden in the rubble with their weapons, some made their way towards the Mckagan forces to surrender, others took the opportunity to try to flee into the wild, and many who could not move far slowly died from their wounds. James Kyle survived the raid, but with the destruction of his militia and power center he had nothing more to fight for. The former radio shack employee turned warlord began a weary escape east by foot, hoping to quietly disappear and escape further notice.

Mountain Home, along with its airport, were to be a major assets in the McKagan mission. Before the fires from the bombardment had even stopped, 16 AVT-12's landed on the airport and dropped off 400 MTDF to secure the runway for future use.

At the same time a convoy of COV-06T Vehicles, which have seem so much warfare in this conflict, pushed into the town. McKagan had long planned for the taking of this city, and were prepared for what would happen in any case the intelligence about civilians was wrong. A refugee camp was set up outside the town for civilians and any surrendering militia alike - even though anyone found with weapons would be watched more closely.

The only thing left to do in Mountain Home now was clear the streets, eradicate anyone left to fight, and set up its sentry positions to stop the insurgency from trying to infiltrate it again.

However, despite the surviving southern warlords' tough talk, an envoy on horseback, waving a white flag, approached the advancing McKagan forces. The IARPF promised to cease resistance and side with McKagan in exchange for being allowed to keep their respective territories.


The MTDF was immediately suspicous. There was a chance, however, that the McKagan airstrikes had been a moral killer (and a litteral one) enough to set the inability to fight deep within the ranks of the insurgency. It was doubtly, but possible.

A response was typed on a single sheet of paper:

If you really wish to surrender, you will follow the exact specifications set forth in this official letter. Otherwise you will be destroyed.

First, you will know and accept that we are not making deals to divide the nation along tribal lines. Your only option is to accept that you will have the right to run as a political party in fair and open elections at a future time. You must give up all forms of violence, intimidation, and strategic planning to do such.

Second, you will surrender all arms and military equipment. We do not wish to see a massive swarm. Over next few days you can begin sending up to 500 persons a day carrying all the weapons and contraband possible to the camp we have established on the southeast side of Mountain Home. Walking in a tight formation and wearing lots of white would be advisable.

In conclusion, you must also turn over all information on the insurgency that you have. However, as previously stated, no 'territory' will be awarded to anyone.


Although McKagan had seized the population centers of the southwest and passed unmolested through the countryside there were still countless rural compounds that had yet to be taken/investigated. Many were inhabited by survivalists and various collections of religious fundamentalists, although one or two was held by a warlord or militia leader who had fled the Mckagan advance. The motley collection of compound owners bunkered down with their weapons, hoping to wait things out. They opened fire on anyone or anything that approached.

Intentionally, McKagan had gone for the larger concentrations of insurgents first. The insurgency had been far dumber than expected, and tried to fight inside fortresses - which would always be bombarded. After fighting for population centers ceased, more resources were freed up for other offenses. And there were other offenses. The Military Police Division started an operation to rid the nation of illegal firearms. People with illegal firearms would never be arrested if they turned them over peacefully. These survivalists didn't pose a real threat, as they hadn't formed any sort of self alliance. There was time to weed them out slowly.


The fires spread quickly, burning down forests, crop fields, and villages. Tens of thousands of civilians were burned to death and even more made refugees. The grim prospect of starvation quickly spread across central Idaho.

Anyone who had been hiding in the forests who weren't killed in the initial strikes and ensuing firestorms would be in for a rude reality no too long later. KHaU-13 Attack Helicopters began covering a much larger area and engaging any insurgent vehicles that survived.

-New Movements-

Large scale fighting was calming down in the southern part of Idaho, but the northern sphere was untouched. This would have to change, but McKagan still wasn't risking skipping over pockets of insurgents. The advance north would be a slow, extensive sweep. Troop numbers were slowly climbing upward from the new and previously built airfields. The troop allocations standard had been met for the southern zone of the nation, so any new numbers were gradually pushed north to begin clean-sweep operations though small towns and the countryside. Population centers would be ignored (while still surrounded and put under survailance) on the new advance. There was a passive hope within the McKagan ranks that a deal could be struck with the insurgency, and that anyone up north would have gotten the message that fighting wasn't very effective against a superpower.

At the same time, far reaching DART teams with heavy air support assets begin scouting around the borders of the nation to try and identify any possible foreign aid to insurgents or insurgents trying to flee outside the nation. Truthfully, the MTDF would allow insurgents to flee into surrounding states because there was a chance they were actually fleeing and wouldn't come back with a few hundred of their friends. Coming in, however, would mean a quick identification and bombardment from whatever asset was available (or the DART you were seen by unfortunately felt like using.)

-Generic News Report sent to most International New groups-
Camera zooms in on a reporter standing in front of what looks to be a severely damaged city. "I'm Joesph Stone, and this." He said pointing to the damaged ruins. "Is what remains of Boise." The camera zoomed in on some burnt buildings. "The cause?" he said. "A relentless invasion of McKagan Imperialism, this city, while never really safe and often chaotic, survival was at least promised for the fittest." He pause a second. "No longer, for the crime of having local political leaders in the city, McKagan invaded, no one was spared, Men, Women, and even Children were killed in their mad attempt to force a surrender, yet this is nothing compared to the devastation of Moscow." Another picture was shown showing mostly the flattened burnt remains of the city. "Nothing was spared, no quarter was given, the Mckagan slaughter continues unabated." "The death toll so far?" "Nobody knows." -Transmission end

The tape was sent to the News stations of all the factions who were ever involved in the Torontia situation, to hopefully show the next morning.

McKagan City [CSHR] - A new video shot by an independent team in Idaho shows what remains of Boise. The reporter describes McKagan imperialism and brutal attacks against women and children, but yet doesn't take into account several key things.

For starters, McKagan never bombarded Boise. Xirnium was the only nation to bombard that city at all - and that was still a selective operation that did a good job to avoid pointless civilian deaths. The only operations undertaken by McKagan were surgical strikes against Montanan armored units in the city before they allied with McKagan - and a single Vala helicopter bombardment of some infantry.

The simple reporting of the targeted article is extremely biased and makes an attempt to damage McKagan's reputation and the battle of hearts and minds. It's a simple, generic tactic that is brought in during every single conflict on Earth. The McKagan government has a policy of not commenting on generic media reports, and has thus ignored it.

All we here at CSHR can do is ask anyone who has subjected to propaganda to check the facts. In this case we're thankful that the report itself was easily and thoughtlessly put together, but in the future the attempts at ruining McKagans image may become more powerful.

-Boise-

Since the bombardment, McKagan had rarely gone into Boise. It wasn't such a prize like some of the other cities in the area. It was the capitol, of course, but it held little strategic importance. It had an airport, but McKagan didn't need a massive influx of troops before starting a massive push north. All bringing troops in prematurely would do would be make things more dense and create logistics problems.

Eventually, through the break in fighting (and choice by MTDF Command to use UCAVs on Zynxville) enough troops were left to occupy Boise. Eventually McKagan Infantry set up firebases around the city and the airport. More Infantry started coming into the region by the airports 2 runways.

Having an actual runway was an important thing. McKagan could now bring in artillery, tanks, and heavy construction assets straight to the area that needed them. Boise was to be the center of the McKagan occupational authority. The city itself was to be strictly military, but around the edges, a total of 8 refugee camps were scheduled to be built. 12 massive firebases were layed out to defend the city.

It wouldn't take long for things to significantly start looking up for the refugee's in Idaho.

The MTDF had realized looting had started. There was no real point in stopping it, though. No one in Idaho had anything of real value to be taken in the first place. The Military Police Division that had been brought in simply roamed around and tracked the routes of the looters, and stopped any violence between them.

A great deal of the looting was happening in areas were the McKagan military forces had yet to make any presence.

The only thing left to do in Mountain Home now was clear the streets, eradicate anyone left to fight, and set up its sentry positions to stop the insurgency from trying to infiltrate it again.

Most of the militia had fled, but there were several dozen who remained and at night sniped or threw granades at the McKagan occupiers from their various hideouts in the ruined city.

-snip-

The response from the Idahoan Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Freedom to the McKagan terms came over the radio.

We reject this imperialistic peace that the invaders have offered. They seek to make slaves of us Idahoans, they wish to take our land, and our dignity…they wish us to slave away in plantations and potato fields! We will resist them with every drop of our blood. They are all weak, God has forsaken them, their defeat at our hands will be magnificent! Victory to the Idahoan Alliance for the Restoration of Peace and Freedom! Victory to Idaho! Death to the cowardly McKagan bastards!

Other highlights from the Idahoan Alliance’s radio broadcasts.

"There are no McKagan infidels in Boise. Never! Boise is still under the control of President Tiste, whose forces have put up a heroic resistance! In Mountain Home President James Kyle’s brave fighters continue their resistance! Hundreds of McKagan dogs have perished!”

"My feelings - as usual - we will slaughter them all! I believe that they will all die!"

"God will roast their stomachs in hell at the hands of Idahoans!"

"We have them surrounded in their tanks! They're coming to surrender or be burned in their tanks."

"No I am not scared, and neither should you be! Be assured. Twin Falls is safe, protected! Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves! We are not afraid of McKagan. God has condemned them. They are stupid. They are stupid... and they are condemned."

"The McKagan, they always depend on a method which I call... stupid, silly. All I ask is check yourself. Do not in fact repeat their lies."

"I can say, and I am responsible for what I am saying, that they have started to commit suicide. We will encourage them to commit more suicides quickly."

"I can assure you that those villains will recognize, will discover in appropriate time in the future how stupid they are and how they are pretending things which have never taken place."

"We have destroyed 20 tanks, 20 fighter planes, 20 helicopters and their shovels - We have driven them back. Soon the parts of Idaho captured by the foul pagan scum shall be liberated!"

"Yes, the Mckagan troops have advanced further. This will only make it easier for us to defeat them! Their casualties and bodies are many! We are winning! We will kill them all........most of them!"

"This station is unbiased!"

Anyone who had been hiding in the forests who weren't killed in the initial strikes and ensuing firestorms would be in for a rude reality no too long later. KHaU-13 Attack Helicopters began covering a much larger area and engaging any insurgent vehicles that survived.

There were no insurgent vehicles, only columns of refugees (some on foot, others on horse, mule or wagon). Militia fighters and horsemen could be picked out among them, but due to density of the traffic and the obscured vision brought on by the burning forests, attempting to engage them could result in hundreds, if not thousands, of civilian casualties.

Large scale fighting was calming down in the southern part of Idaho, but the northern sphere was untouched. This would have to change, but McKagan still wasn't risking skipping over pockets of insurgents. The advance north would be a slow, extensive sweep. Troop numbers were slowly climbing upward from the new and previously built airfields. The troop allocations standard had been met for the southern zone of the nation, so any new numbers were gradually pushed north to begin clean-sweep operations though small towns and the countryside. Population centers would be ignored (while still surrounded and put under survailance) on the new advance. There was a passive hope within the McKagan ranks that a deal could be struck with the insurgency, and that anyone up north would have gotten the message that fighting wasn't very effective against a superpower.

The advance north quickly met weak resistance from two sources. In the northwest the resistance came from “President” Bob Tiste, who had fled Boise for one of his northwestern compounds, and attempted to ready those militia groups who had survived the Xirniumite bombardment intact. Several hundred fighters offer token resistance to the Mckaganite forces, avoiding at all costs direct encounters.

In the northeast the resistance is far more significant as dozens of warlords flock to the (metaphorical) banner of the IARPF. Population centers were quickly fortified (with the civilians still inside as human shields). In the countryside one of the most significant battles is that of a unit of MTDF Infantry and IFVs being charged by a wave of 1,000 cavalry wielding AK-47s and sabers. The majority of the fighting is more conventional, with militia forces firing a few shots at advancing Mckagan forces from cover and then haphazardly withdrawing.

-Boise-
Eventually, through the break in fighting (and choice by MTDF Command to use UCAVs on Zynxville) enough troops were left to occupy Boise. Eventually McKagan Infantry set up firebases around the city and the airport. More Infantry started coming into the region by the airports 2 runways.

Having an actual runway was an important thing. McKagan could now bring in artillery, tanks, and heavy construction assets straight to the area that needed them. Boise was to be the center of the McKagan occupational authority. The city itself was to be strictly military, but around the edges, a total of 8 refugee camps were scheduled to be built. 12 massive firebases were layed out to defend the city.

All the while the McKagan and Independent Montana occupiers had to deal with snipers and insurgents. Several hundred militia men had hidden themselves in deserted buildings or the cities (no longer functioning) sewer system before the fall. Now they ventured out at night to snipe, throw the occasional grenade, or bury a landmine in the streets.


Meanwhile, in Zynxville…

A migratory survivalist by name of Roy Eckert IV decided to take advantage of the chaos caused by the bombing campaign in order to collect additional plunder and supplies. He and his force of 200 horsemen launched a raid against Zynxville later that night, killing whoever got in their way and taking everything they found that could be easily carried.

Most of the militia had fled, but there were several dozen who remained and at night sniped or threw granades at the McKagan occupiers from their various hideouts in the ruined city.

The Infantry in Mountain Home knew that all the civlians had been evacuated to the secure refugee camp on the outskirts of the city. Also, by sniping at night, the heat signatures stood out more to the UCAV's of Attack Helicopters over the city. Rarely did a sniper manage an attack of more than a single shot without having an airstrike called in on his city block.

Occasionally McKagan troops were hit by the mostly untrained snipers. Some casulties resulted, but it was far from the scale that would upset the McKagan war effort.

-snip-

After the radio transmission was picked up and sold to media outlets in McKagan it became a comedy firestorm. Unfortunately for the souls who broadcasted the message, the MTDF had the ability (like virtually all major militaries) to track unencrypted radio messages. Soon after the message was sent, a single KLR-36 Strategic Strike Fighter fired 3 cruise missiles at the transmitter.

There were no insurgent vehicles, only columns of refugees (some on foot, others on horse, mule or wagon). Militia fighters and horsemen could be picked out among them, but due to density of the traffic and the obscured vision brought on by the burning forests, attempting to engage them could result in hundreds, if not thousands, of civilian casualties.

The MTDF did not want to have the forest torching operation go to waste, and eventually sent an armored column of 200 COV-06T's into the firestorm to engage the militia. This force wasn't going to escape. Only 50 of the IFV's would enter to actual firestorm - the rest would set up a defensive circle to keep anyone from escaping - and to manage the flow of refugee's out of the burning forest.

Of course, it would take time for the force to be in position, but if the militia left the cover of the civilians it would be targeted quickly.

In the northeast the resistance is far more significant as dozens of warlords flock to the (metaphorical) banner of the IARPF. Population centers were quickly fortified (with the civilians still inside as human shields).

The warlords probably expected the MTDF to just weed them out with airpower. This was not the case. The Infantry simply started surrounding the population centers. Anyone who fled into the cities would be unable to move from that city at a later date once infantry advance started. No plans to enter the northern population centers were made - instead the warlords would be forced to sit and ponder their fate, ration their supplies between not only the insurgents, but also the civilian population centers they were within.

In the countryside one of the most significant battles is that of a unit of MTDF Infantry and IFVs being charged by a wave of 1,000 cavalry wielding AK-47s and sabers. The majority of the fighting is more conventional, with militia forces firing a few shots at advancing Mckagan forces from cover and then haphazardly withdrawing.

It would appear that the insurgent forces hadn't learned their lesson, as concentrating their attacks in waves would just deplete their forces which probably were begining to thin out anyway. KHaU-13 Helicopters were called in to help thin out the numbers, while the infantry simply retreated to the relative safety of the area between the flanks of the IFV's.

The best aspect of fighting in the open countryside was the lack of any buildings to collapse of friendly forces, and the open airspace directly above the battlefield.

All the while the McKagan and Independent Montana occupiers had to deal with snipers and insurgents. Several hundred militia men had hidden themselves in deserted buildings or the cities (no longer functioning) sewer system before the fall. Now they ventured out at night to snipe, throw the occasional grenade, or bury a landmine in the streets.

As with the situation in Mountain Home - civilians had been evacuated to the refugee camps. Buildings could be leveled by the anti-tank missiles of the IFV's without hesitation. Casulties would happen, but they'd still be light simply because of the extensive training advantage that MTDF infantry had.

After it was determined that the insurgents assaulting McKagan forces were not infiltrating the city from the outside, the first obvious place to look was the sewer system. Tunnel insurgency operations were a common practice, and the only possible source of McKagan's problems.

Unfortunately for McKagan, the plans for a map of the sewer system were probably lost during the extensive fighting inside the city. The only choice was to launch a large scale operation to weld each and every manhole or other access point shut, to establish that the possible exit points would decrease. Plans were also put in development for how to slowly eradicate the 'Sewer Rats,' as the insurgent fighters were quickly labled by the McKagan soldiers.

Meanwhile, in Zynxville…
A migratory survivalist by name of Roy Eckert IV decided to take advantage of the chaos caused by the bombing campaign in order to collect additional plunder and supplies. He and his force of 200 horsemen launched a raid against Zynxville later that night, killing whoever got in their way and taking everything they found that could be easily carried.

-Zynxville-
Eckert did not know what he was dealing with, his wave of horses were near useless. As he began his assault, a scout on reported it to the commander. As the plan went into action, smoke rose over the city, shrouding it from view. As his force moved in to nearly the front of the ruined entrenchments, a Claymore mine detonated over the first of his horses. As the first riders fell, weapons fire opened up from inside the city, His wave of horsemen presented nothing but targets for the gunners, now using the Useless 23mmAA guns as Anti Infantry guns. At the same time the 88 mortars opened up on the rear of the horsemen cutting off Eckert's rear guard. With no where left to run and his attack force in tatters, Eckert would have no choice than to retreat or surrender. Only the inaccurate fire from the untrained Zynx natives kept him alive.

-Alaska-
A group of 6 supply trucks departed for Alberta.

-Zynxville-
In another quieter part of the town, townspeople were put to work producing specialized Mortar shells, while a member of the Black Hand Logistics crew made the connection to the Airport Radar. Quickly shutting it down.

-Airport-
Only a handful had reached the building, only 4 stinger soldiers and a dozen conscript infantry remained scattered through the hangers and Control tower area. However they were ready for the plan to be put into action, tomorrow, the UCAVs would have nothing to shoot at, and everything to shoot at them.

Zynxville

Eckert's 108 surviving horsemen threw down their AK-47's and machetes upon his command and surrendered to the Zynx defenders, Eckert himself raising a white T-shirt on a long stick as a flag. They were willing to trade their horses for their lives.

"Stop!" he commanded. The survivalists had no ideological opposition to the warlords. "We'll join you, just don't kill us."

-Zynxville-

With a bombing campaign that had gone on long enough to soften up the city and royally fuck up any plans the souls inside said city had, the MTDF definately felt as if it had the upper hand. At the time the bombing of the city was needed, however, troops were not available to properly surround the city and prevent anyone from escaping said doomed city.

In just the short time the bombing campaign had lasted, units operating in the surrounding area had discovered that the survivalists hiding in the countryside were more prone to assaulting McKagan troops if McKagan tried to take away their prized firearms than if McKagan left them alone.

With everything in mind, 5000 of the longest serving infantry in this region, or the ones who had taken the most battle damage, were slated to form a defensive circle around Zynxville. Given the completely ineffective resistance from everyone McKagan was fighting, this was basically the same as a newly deployed unit. If anything, the unit being formed around the city would be more combat effective simply for the fact it had seen more combat than a green unit.

-Borders of Idaho-

No one in the MTDF wanted to see a large scale international assistance movement to the insurgency, and as long as the borders were unprotected everyone knew it was a possibility. The answer was the Krisonas.

The McKagan Krisona Corps, an elite infantry development program, had been started to provide military commanders with a hard hitting infantry force that could still operate within a civilian sector without losing many civilians - or losing many soldiers BECAUSE of civilians. This was still in the time where the McKagan military looked to a future based solely on human wave attacks, however. No one had seen the future the MTDF had ended up with: one of high levels of training, the surgical use of infantry, and a complete lack of army-on-army warfare. The Krisonas were virtually the same as every other infantry unit, only with the ability to self deploy. They could also apply for extreme financial support simply because they're listed as special forces.

Months before the war, roughly 10,000 Krisona's had been sent to San Diego and told they would be conducting a series of aerial assaults against a few suspected New Order hideouts - that eventually changed to a full scale invasion of Idaho because a few people in the McKagan government THOUGHT the New Order might have a few commanders there. They established themselves there and eventually developed a great working relationship between the various 500 man fighting teams that made up the division.

Because the Krisona's could self deploy and also had a large amount of manpower, they had gotten priority for deployment within Idaho over a huge scale mobilization of DART's - which would require weeks of added support from multiple services within the MTDF.

So there they were - being deployed along the edges of the territory. Ten thousand troops were being spread out in 250 man teams to encompass the entire border. It would take a while for them to establish infrastructure, but after that point they'd be free to begin identifying everyone entering and leaving the nation. Their war wasn't the one going on inside the nation. Their war was discovering, engaging, and stopping anyone on the outside who wanted to keep that war going - and anyone on the inside trying to escape.

The Infantry in Mountain Home knew that all the civilians had been evacuated to the secure refugee camp on the outskirts of the city. Also, by sniping at night, the heat signatures stood out more to the UCAV's of Attack Helicopters over the city. Rarely did a sniper manage an attack of more than a single shot without having an airstrike called in on his city block.

Occasionally McKagan troops were hit by the mostly untrained snipers. Some casualties resulted, but it was far from the scale that would upset the McKagan war effort.

The ranks of the snipers were soon depleted by the superior McKagan firepower, and what remained of their resolve melted away in the face of certain defeat, ammunition shortages, and hunger. Soon, all the snipers had either been killed, fled the ruins of Mountain Home, or come forward to surrender. Mountain Home was completely under McKagan's control.

After the radio transmission was picked up and sold to media outlets in McKagan it became a comedy firestorm. Unfortunately for the souls who broadcasted the message, the MTDF had the ability (like virtually all major militaries) to track unencrypted radio messages. Soon after the message was sent, a single KLR-36 Strategic Strike Fighter fired 3 cruise missiles at the transmitter.

The last recorded broadcast from the Idahoan Alliance’s radio station in Twin Falls

"The infidels are committing suicide by the hundreds as they approach Twin Falls. Be assured, Twin Falls is safe, protected."

"The McKaganese invaders yesterday entered Meridian. They were received with bombs, bullets, and shoes. We slaughtered them and we will continue to slaughter them. Their forces committed suicide by the hundreds.... The battle is very fierce and God made us victorious. The fighting to the north continues and we are winning! Some however say otherwise, I will remind them that lying is now forbidden in Idaho. President William Jefferson Bryan of the Idahoan Alliance will tolerate nothing but truthfulness as he is a man of great honor and integrity! Everyone is encouraged to speak freely of the truths evidenced by their eyes and hearts. Anyone who says the McKaganese invaders are winning, anyone who says they are doing anything else but killing those Idahoans they capture is lying and their heads shall be chopped off as lying is now punished by beheading! All praise the Idahoan Alliance for its wisdom!"

“Some suggest the McKaganese have surrounded us… How can these McKagan heathens surround us? We are in Idaho! It is we who surround them, and make them weep for the cruel fate we are about to hand them, in their scrubby clothes and eating their food grabbed from the mouths of our children. God willing, they will suffer the doom they have wished for! When they see that we have cut off their retreat they will see who is surrounded! Believe me, I am only telling you the facts.”

“They might have a chance if their tanks worked, but their tanks keep breaking down. We have been surprised by this. No doubt by tomorrow many will be dead or prisoners, because their tanks will break down. They are also cowards. Another thing about McKagan, their missiles are not hitting their targets, they are falling out of the sky and our brave militiamen are laughing at them, that’s because the McKaganese are so stupid and their missiles are so poorly construct-” [The Twin Falls Station suddenly goes dead].


The MTDF did not want to have the forest torching operation go to waste, and eventually sent an armored column of 200 COV-06T's into the firestorm to engage the militia. This force wasn't going to escape. Only 50 of the IFV's would enter the actual firestorm - the rest would set up a defensive circle to keep anyone from escaping - and to manage the flow of refugee's out of the burning forest.

Of course, it would take time for the force to be in position, but if the militia left the cover of the civilians it would be targeted quickly.

The few militia fighters, wary of the McKagan helicopters, separated from the column of refugees. The majority went with the flow of refugees, dispersing along the way into villages/population centers, which they then took over and looted.

It would appear that the insurgent forces hadn't learned their lesson, as concentrating their attacks in waves would just deplete their forces which probably were begining to thin out anyway. KHaU-13 Helicopters were called in to help thin out the numbers, while the infantry simply retreated to the relative safety of the area between the flanks of the IFV's.

Once again whole columns of militia fighters and horsemen were wiped out by the IFV’s and helicopters, hundreds were killed or surrendered. Many survivors fled to the perceived safety of the cities while others took shelter in the remaining forests.

The Infantry simply started surrounding the population centers. Anyone who fled into the cities would be unable to move from that city at a later date once infantry advance started. No plans to enter the northern population centers were made - instead the warlords would be forced to sit and ponder their fate, ration their supplies between not only the insurgents, but also the civilian population centers they were within.

The warlords and their various militias prepared to ration supplies among themselves, but not the civilians. When food and supplies started to run low (which would be fairly soon), it would be the civilians who suffered, not the warlords or their followers. Conscious that human shields might dissuade McKagan from deploying heavy weaponry, none of the civilians were allowed to leave the warlord controlled population centers. Those who attempted to sneak out were shot or dismembered.

At night, militia fighters would quietly sneak from their fortifications towards the McKagan lines, sniping and tossing grenades or Molotov cocktails at the soldiers, then retreating back to the perceived safety of the cities.

As with the situation in Mountain Home - civilians had been evacuated to the refugee camps. Buildings could be leveled by the anti-tank missiles of the IFV's without hesitation. Casualties would happen, but they'd still be light simply because of the extensive training advantage that MTDF infantry had.

Not all the civilians had been evacuated, in a bombed out city lacking power, a communication system, and containing abundant hiding places and improvised shelters, any evacuation would be a haphazard, incomplete affair. That point was hammered home to McKagan soldiers when they found the corpses of a family that had been hiding in the remains of one of the building that had been demolished.

After it was determined that the insurgents assaulting McKagan forces were not infiltrating the city from the outside, the first obvious place to look was the sewer system. Tunnel insurgency operations were a common practice, and the only possible source of McKagan's problems.

Unfortunately for McKagan, the plans for a map of the sewer system were probably lost during the extensive fighting inside the city. The only choice was to launch a large scale operation to weld each and every manhole or other access point shut, to establish that the possible exit points would decrease. Plans were also put in development for how to slowly eradicate the 'Sewer Rats,' as the insurgent fighters were quickly labled by the McKagan soldiers.

Unfortunately for McKagan, there was not a single manhole cover in Boise, they had all long since been taken and melted down into other things. As for access points to the former sewer system, they were everywhere. Nearly every building had holes knocked in its floor leading down in the labyrinth below (the result of 20 years of war and chaos). There were numerous gaping holes in the streets that could be used to climb in or out of the sewers (or launch attacks from).

Under the cover of darkness (Boise at night being completely black) the insurgents would creep up to the various sewer entryways and snipe in the general direction of McKagan soldiers, throw bombs, or fire the occasional RPG.

Once again whole columns of militia fighters and horsemen were wiped out by the IFV’s and helicopters, hundreds were killed or surrendered. Many survivors fled to the perceived safety of the cities while others took shelter in the remaining forests.

The MTDF knew that the militia was no longer a great fighting force capable of inflicting damage in the open country. So this time they started following the militia. The new initiative wasn't an agressive one - it simply targeted operations in small towns and the countryside. It was a sweep to simply help eliminate more militia and confine the only remaining ones to surrounded cities.

At night, militia fighters would quietly sneak from their fortifications towards the McKagan lines, sniping and tossing grenades or Molotov cocktails at the soldiers, then retreating back to the perceived safety of the cities.

As the militia fighters come out of the city, they encounter precision sniper fire from highly trained McKagan marksmen which virtually surround the city. The infantry were all behind the security peremeter, and were fairly safe from enemy fire.

However, during the day the MTDF circle moved inward on the city. Not actually entering the city, just stepping up the pressure enough to send the message of the oncoming doom they were about to face.

Unfortunately for McKagan, there was not a single manhole cover in Boise, they had all long since been taken and melted down into other things. As for access points to the former sewer system, they were everywhere. Nearly every building had holes knocked in its floor leading down in the labyrinth below (the result of 20 years of war and chaos). There were numerous gaping holes in the streets that could be used to climb in or out of the sewers (or launch attacks from).

Under the cover of darkness (Boise at night being completely black) the insurgents would creep up to the various sewer entryways and snipe in the general direction of McKagan soldiers, throw bombs, or fire the occasional RPG.

After it was realized that defeating the insurgency in Boise would be hard, McKagan went back to its military roots and started deploying "Guardian Falcon" teams. Based out of single IFV's, they were bascially independent infantry team performing scout duties. They set up near positions thought to be used by infiltrating insurgents and engaged them as they came out.

Meanwhile, a plane traveling to McKagan bases in San Diego contains the solution to the Boise issue.

-Nod actions-
Roy Eckert's Horsemen were quickly led into the town and reorganized into a fighting divison. A radio transmission was sent out to Twin Falls asking for knowledge of any heavy Mckagan military targets. As well as a request to make contact with General Bethlehem, if he was still alive.

-Zynxville-
The bombing suprisingly stopped. But either way Nod used this to their advantage. Using anything they could find they kept the smoke screen over the city while they began to work on digging the tanks a way out of the ruined buildings.


-Alberta-
The Trucks had finally reached a good location. They quickly parked and prepared.

-Nod actions-
Roy Eckert's Horsemen were quickly led into the town and reorganized into a fighting divison. A radio transmission was sent out to Twin Falls asking for knowledge of any heavy Mckagan military targets. As well as a request to make contact with General Bethlehem, if he was still alive.

The MTDF had placed great emphasis on watching over all radio communications in Idaho. Given that almost no one had radios, it was very easy. They knew that the radio station in Twin Falls had been knocked out, but there was still a chance that a smaller unit existed somewhere.

To counter the threat of enemy units talking and possibly giving away vital information on McKagan positions, radio jaming units that had been deployed from the start of the war were activated around both Zynxville and Twin Falls.

-Zynxville-

UCAV's continue to roam and survey for any vehicles in the open air. Any construction that shows up on intelligence satellites becomes targeted by missiles. The smoke begins making life harder for the UCAV's, however, and lowers the combat effectiveness of the overall unit. To help deal with the fires that were blinding the UCAV's, a human piloted KLR-07 Strike Bomber is called in. Flying at an altitude of 9000 meters, the bomber banks a few times above the city before finally firing off 12 cruise missiles from its forward weapons bay. These cruise missiles, however, are all equipped with fuel-air warheads and are targeted not at enemy forces, but at areas where fires are creating smoke. The idea is that the airburst from the fuel-air weapons will be powerful enough to blow the fires out.

-Borders of Idaho-

The Krisona division continues to set up its infrastructure. Being self deployed, it can use its own AVT-12 Transports to move tools and materials in and not have to disrupt other operations. The division is still mostly combat ineffective minus its security forces, but before long it will start gaining strength and become able to enforce McKagan doctrine.

-Zynxville-
While the destruction was once again immense, The UCAVs met their match that day. On top of the smokescreen that blocked out visuals, Nod deployed their mortars for a new purpose. To counter the Thermal missiles White hot flares were fired from the 120 and the 60s to fill the sky. From the Automatic 88s Multiple small Canisters were launched hundreds of feet in the air, where they exploded in a shower of small metal pieces, the Chaff quickly shut down any low level Radar. The plane's Missiles fell for the same trick, locking on and exploding high above the town, which while the FAEs flattened the buildings directly under it from the pressure, They also destroyed anything flying below 1000 feet, inculding any Missiles or low flying UCAVs. Despite that however losses were heavy, over a 100 were dead and many more wounded. Through it all however, someone was filming.

-Alberta-
The trucks deployed their cargo of six Tomahawk missiles and began scanning for any Jamming signals via sattelite.

-Zynxville-

The highly intelligent technical skill that was beginning to be deployed against MTDF UCAV's was shocking. After it was determined what was going on, the UCAV's started coming back with a different sort of ordnance. The new missiles were camera guided from the UCAV's. It did, however, limit the rate of fire the UCAV's could produce, as it could only follow a single missile at once time. The new targets consisted of mortar positions and again, any obvious tanks or (perhaps more importantly) fuel infrastructure.

Hand Delievered Message to McKagan forces from Colonel Buendia and Colonel Black

While we have done our part and secured our border, and Colonel Buendia's camp, we want to do something else. This continued conflict brings scoundrels and major security threats to the state of Independent Montana and the Macando settlement.

Zynxville in particular is threatening us. We have impressed another 10,000 refugees as our 'main' infantry line. They are armed with some M1 Carbines we have obtained in large numbers.

Another 7,000 have joined willingly and have been guarenteed protection and citizenship. We suggest you help us by dropping flyers saying Service in the Montanan Army guarentees citizenship.

Now we must play our main hand. My ally Colonel Buendia has taken the extra 7,000 men and is moving by horseback and marching toward the south of Zynxville with about a 20 mile buffer. However, he is extremely low on weaponry. He can only arm about 75% of his men, and many of those arms were the M1 Carbines and Garands that were given to them.

By tomorrow he'll be at this coordinate about 25 miles south of Zynxville (-------), and we require the ability to arm about 6000 men to launch a successful offensive. We know the McKagan airforce controls the skies and a helicopter drop or perhaps a large airdrop of weapons and support is necessary.

I also require a personal favor. Despite the hated warlords, mercenaries, and mafiso that roam the area, the Leafanistani Mafia has been particularly kind to us. They have the ability to supply us via airlift from Montana with ASU-57s, and M113 APCs. Combined with the extra 50 M60A3 tanks I requested we'll be able to make a strong offensive.

Our plans require a McKagan paradrop into either the west, east, or into the city directly. We don't think a direct drop is safe because of crossfire.

The plan is that Colonel Buendia begins doing a few quick raids with mortar fire. We make him seem like just another warlord, then I'll march the infantry line toward the enemy with the APCs supporting and my most trusted officiers controlling the impressed men.

At this moment we'll get men with Pave Pin designators come in and you drop 500lb LASER-guided bombs onto our targets.

After the initial bombardment, Colonel Buendia will strike with all out mortar fire and McKagan paratroopers will begin dropping.

Then mine and Colonel Buendia's forces will meet at either west or east, and surround the city and move in slowly.

My infantry line will take heavy losses probably, but by this time the bombardment will devastate their ability to operate. Tanks along with light tanks and our APCs will take over and force a control of the outside of the city.

Buendia's cavalry and infantry will move from house to house, using thermobaric weapons to clear our pockets of resistance.

Our armoured vehicles can defeat whatever they put up and we'll be able to crush this center of resistance.

Colonel Black Troop Numbers
10,000 Impressed Soldiers, M1 Carbines and M1911s
50 M60A3 Tanks
35 ASU-57s
112 M113 APCs
25 BTR-152s
75 Humvees with MGs
65 Jeep Technicals
67 105mm Howisters
20 120mm Mortars
75 60mm Mortars
103 2.5 ton trucks
18,000 Regulars with M-16s, M1911s, 2 grenades each

Colonel Buendia Troop Numbers
7,000 Volunteers, armed with M1 Carbines and M1 Garands, M1911s (UNDERARMED)
3,500 Calvary with M-4s and M-4gerys, M1911s
850 M72 and PRG-7 troopers
45 Technicals
80 60mm Mortars
69 heavy 14.5mm MGs
25 BTR-152s
9,500 with M-16s

If we do this right we can pretty much overwhelm Zynxville, my troops are highly trained and we already have good experience with impressed soldier control. Colonel Buendia is even better than me in this respect and I have no doubts that his men as just as well trained and can easily replace us in combat. He'll be able to hold his own. Respond yes and we can easily crush them. Remember to airdrop Colonel Buendia his weapons.

[END]

-Typed Response Delivered Soon After-

Your in depth planning has shocked us. Perhaps the strategic awareness of your army is greater than we anticipated. We thank you for your eagerness to aid McKagan in our quest to control Idaho.

The first order of business we need to discuss adding numbers to your force of civilian infantry. While we enjoy your initiative, the flyers simply will not work for the simple fact that most people in Idaho lack the ability to read. Indeed, a worthy addition to our cause. However, our Special Forces Media Output units will begin spreading the word in the countryside amongst the survivalist hives we have yet to destroy. Since they will see most of the country under McKagan control they will probably want to gain points by helping us.

Would it be okay if the weapon we provided was the Hali-21 Rifle? A great number still serve in the MTDF and they are a highly effective rifle. It should be no issue to learn to operate them. We will also be providing ammunition vehicles soon.

The only problem with your plan is the complete lack of McKagan paratrooper units in Idaho - at least available for an immediate offensive. They aren't needed though, as we have ground assets moving to surround the city as we speak. An armored column of 150 COV-06T's is available outside Boise - but will take some time to get into position for a strike.

We also would like to deploy DART Sniper Teams with your infantry at various points to assist in specific target elimination and extraction. If our snipers can do enough to weigh down the enemy heavy defences, or whats left of them, we may be able to get a human wave inside the city.

There's also another thing we'd like to discuss. McKagan has a serious refugee problem in Idaho right now. If you require funds, McKagan would be more than willing to pay you heavily per each person you're able to transfer to Montana.

[Encrypted Message]
[CONFIDENTIAL: TOP SECRET]
From: Sucellan Ministry of Saharistan Defense
To: McKagan Armed Forces Command, Idaho Theatre

To whom it may concern,

It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Saharistan Defense, a branch of the Sucellan government, that there are currently McKagan forces deployed in the Idaho theatre, near Torontia. We have received authorisation from the Sovereign Arbiter to inform you of an experimental division of the Sucellan Army, known as the ANGEL Project. If you desire, we will deploy a platoon of legionnaires to a location of your selection in Idaho. From that point, High General Christoph Wengerd requests to be admitted to join the McKagan Armed Forces Command as the liason from Tannenmille, to consult with McKagan officers and intelligence for educated movement of the ANGELs.

If you do not require our assistance at this time, I will alert the General and Sovereign Arbiter, as well as extend my congratulations on your victories. Whatever the case may be, please direct your reply specifically to my office in Saharisitan, with CONFIDENTIAL clearly marked across the letter. The ANGEL Project is top secret, and I hope you respect our wishes for secrecy regarding the subject.

Signed,
Minister Lee Darhotzen
Ministry of Saharistan Defense
Earth Command, Sucellan Armed Forces

[Encrypted Message]

To: Sucellan Ministry of Saharistan Defense
From: McKagan Tactical Defense Force

It has been quite some time since McKagan and Tannenmille forces operated together in an active, hostile warzone. The Tannenmille military community has in the past, however, proven itself to be an excellently trained force that can be an asset to any war effort. After being discussed by a secret Senate Action Committee, it has been determined that a small number of ANGEL legionnaires can be deployed to Idaho. However, due to certain logistical issues we are facing with the amount of equipment and personnel we need to move into the nation compared to the amount of airport runway we have available, it may be difficult to transfer the necessary unit structure into Idaho. We'll probably base your unit in Mountain Home, along with your general. For a while your soldiers and equipment will be based out of tents, though.

To avoid giving away the presense of your forces, we'd suggest moving them to Walker Air Force Base in Saharistan. They can catch a ride on a McKagan transport plane there.

[Encrypted Message]
[CONFIDENTIAL: TOP SECRET]
From: Sucellan Ministry of Saharistan Defense
To: McKagan Tactical Defense Force

While we appreciate the gesture, the ANGEL legionnaires have already had transportation arranged by Sucellan Army Command. If you can provide us with coordinates for Mountain Home, we will begin moving the legionnaires immediately.

---

0200 Local Time: Sucellan Army Base, Sierra-Hotel-Uniform

Corporal Sileo Dadet sat in a small conference room. His fellow ANGEL soldiers sat around in their black dress uniforms. They had all been awoken by Army Command. None of them knew why, but they expected the worst - Baghdad invaded by an enemy nation, the rest of Tannenmillian Saharistan ravaged by nuclear war - they were the best, and they knew it. For them to be woken without warning was unnerving in the extreme. Corporal Dadet strained his eyes, trying to see other soldiers in the dim room. Army Command demanded that no lights be lit outdoors, and that indoor lights be shielded from the outdoors. They cited it was to prevent enemy nations and the rest of the armed forces from finding the base. To the ANGELs, however, it was simply a nuisance. As the soldiers spoke quietly among themselves, Lieutenant Hess walked in from a side door and strode to the podium at the front of the room. The lights brightened just enough to see his face, and the anthem of Tannenmille began playing softly in the small room. As one, the legionnaires stood at attention until the anthem had ended. When the last note finished resounding through the room, the soldiers sat and looked to Lt. Hess.

"Good morning, ANGELs. I am Lieutenant Markus Hess, and I have been placed in charge of this phase of Operation Blue Marlin. You are to be sent to Idaho upon receival of coordinates from the McKagan Tactical Defense Force. Get back to your barracks, select weapons at the armory, and then wait at the helipads for further information. Dismissed."

The soldiers stood as one, saluted the Lieutenant, and left the room.

[Encrypted]

To: Sucellan Ministry of Saharistan Defense
From: McKagan Tactical Defense Force

The coordinates for what's left of Mountain Home after our airstrike are [######-##-###]

We look forward to seeing your forces on the ground.

0340 Local Time: Sucellan Army Base, Sierra-Hotel-Uniform

Corporal Dadet fidgeted with his F2000 again. he flicked on and off the safety before checking to be sure it was off and letting it hang on the strap. He wore the black combat armor designed specifically for the ANGELs, including a futuristic (though not by Tannenmillian standards) visor with squad-based HUD. He and the 23 other soldiers had been trained in secret at Base Sierra-Hotel-Uniform, and it was time to put their skills to the test. Lt. Hess exited the command building and strode to the helipad where they all waited.

"Soldiers, McKagan forces have given us the coordinates, and your pilots have been informed." As he spoke, two pilots walked past him and the soldiers and opened the door to the helicopter, preparing it for takeoff. "Make sure you've selected the weapons you will be using, as we will not be returning to this base until Army Command gives us the go-ahead." Lieutenant Hess watched as the soldiers looked at their armament, and apparently approving of what they saw, looked up and waited for Hess to continue. "If you are ready to die, get on that helicopter. If you're not, you can stay here to see what Army Command will do about it." All 24 soldiers turned and entered the helicopter, then Lt. Hess joined them.

---

[OOC]
What all is being taken with the helicopter:
1 Eurocopter Cougar, painted matte black with Sucellan Army livery
2 pilots
Lt. Markus Hess
24 ANGEL legionnaires
18 FN F2000 carbines
6 M40A3 rifles
26 XM50 gasmasks
48 white phosphorus grenades (in a crate)
240 M84 stun grenades (flashbangs, 120 in a crate)
120 thermate grenades (in a crate)
240 fragmentation grenades (192 in a crate)
26 FN Five-seveN sidearms
11,000 rounds of 5.7 x 28 mm ammunition (for sidearms, in a crate)
34,000 rounds of 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition (for F2000s, in a crate)
3,150 rounds of 7.62 x 51 mm ammunition (for M40A3s, in a crate)

-Space-
A passing Spy Sattelite took note of what seemed to be Troop movements north of Zynxville.

-Alberta-
"Seems they're getting surrounded, And we can't even warn them because of the Jamming." "Well we found the Jammer now however, and we can end that at least for awhile." "Good, are the supplies in place?" "Yes Sir!" "Good, Lock on on the Jamming Array, and send the other two to Zynxville.
With the press of a button 3 Tomahawk Missiles were launched into Idaho.

Outside Zynxville

Colonel Black and Colonel Buendia had a good idea of insurgencies and various warlords in Idaho. They decided that since the attack wasn't going to be soon, they might as well march away from the area to prevent detection and set up camp in a safe area.

Colonel Black found what he thought was a safe area about 10 miles away in a thick forest, he told his men to establish 8 hour guard shifts and get a good night's sleep.

Colonel Buendia found his safe spot about 5 miles away in a mountainous area, he took several high ground areas that were visible to each other but invisible from the ground. He felt it'd be easy to defend.

The equipment from McKagan forces were a refreshing relief for Colonel Buendia as his men had been underarmed for a long time. They soon gave the obsolete weapons to the forces that would enter at the latest because they didn't need such advanced weaponry.

The troops settled in for the night, with 1/4 of them on high alert through the night.

Near Mountain Home, Idaho

The helicopter flew low over the ground, nearing the coordinates received for Mountain Home. Once in range, the pilot pinged known radio frequencies used by McKagan forces. "Sucellan Army transport Sierra Five Niner Two, three-seven miles south-southeast of Mountain Home, requesting IFR clearance to Mountain Home helipad, over."

[OOC: Just a note - it was requested that I stop posting until Kahanistan gets to reply, so I'll respond to everything in the morning or something.]

-Black Hand Warehouse, Alaska-
Two Black Hand officers and a handful of Lone Alliance officers began arguing.
"Listen I don't care about your stupid Vendettas, but you are not to use Lone Alliance Equipment for your personal wars, hand over the codes now!" Silently the Black Hand members passed over the control codes for the Tomahawks.

-Idaho Border-
The 3 missiles streaked over the border just as a group of the Krisona division looked up and spotted them, they barely had begun to alert Mckagan command before they were out of sight.

-Idaho Zynxville Jammer station-
The first missile locked on to the Array and detonated over it, instantly the Short term Jamming around Zynxville was cut off, at least for a few minutes.

-Colonel Black's Camp-
The second missile flew right over the forest encampment of the Montana army. Right near the middle it's engine silently cut off and the missile drifted to earth, at about 50 feet the missile exploded and flaming Napalm spread throughout the camp and forest surrounding it.

-Zynxville-
~Radar Truck~
The Nod communication officer was caught off guard when a burst transmission was quickly recieved, rapidly he activated the decoder and sent back a Confirmation message.

~Town Square~
The final missile streaked over the center of the city before cutting out, as it fell to the ground it split open also, in this case it revealed a container that deployed a parachute and floated to the ground. A sentry quickly spotted it and took it to the commander.

~Command Center, Minutes later~
Zynx was furious. "How have you failed to stop these McKagan Airstrikes." "They fly at high altitudes, we weren't prepared for it." "No excuse, I should have you all..." "Sir message!" The comm officer said walking in. "What is it?" "More bad news, Montana has mobilized, and they decided to grab us for their glory."

*BOOM*

A huge explosion echoed throughout the town. "What was that!?" Zynx exclaimed" "The Montana force getting hit by a Napalm Bomb." The comm officer answered. "We're also supposed to get resupplied by something also."

A group of soldiers came in carrying the large Container. "Package for you!" They said dropping it on the floor. The Nod officer walked over and opened it. Inside were 8 Mortar shells and and some sort of machine. "What is it?" Zynx asked. "This my dear friend," The Nod leader smiled, "Is what's going to win us the war."

-Alaska TLA Base-
"Steal our missiles will they?" And officer said walking up to a computer in the command center. "Not anymore." The officer said entering a code.

-Alberta-
The remaining 3 Missiles detonated at the command of the Lone Alliance firing codes, eliminating the Trucks and destroying any chance of a second strike.

(Update, Tag, and Bump)

Northern Idaho, Bob Tiste’s Northern Compound

It was the end of the road for Tiste; he was trapped, cut off from any avenue of escape by McKagan's rapid advance. Xirnium's bombardment had obliterated his militia and destroyed the tunnel network he had put his hopes in. Tiste’s “Presidential Guard” and “AK Kids” (500 fighters in all) had fortified the compound and awaited the approach of Imperium forces with heavy machine guns and RPGs, but he knew any such resistance would ultimately, and fatally, be futile.

The “President” sat in his bunker’s private quarters, contemplating his lack of options. Finally, having made a decision, he turned to his ham radio. Tiste had avoided using radio, well aware that McKagan or Xirnium could detect him and send several missiles flying his way, but now he turned it on, picked up the receiver, and sent out a message.

I am Robert Tiste, the President of Idaho, and I want to negotiate.


Northwestern Idaho

Colonel Oliver Scott and his 15 companions, all former TRA members, approached the border of Independent Montana, their train of mules and horses loaded down with weapons, ammunition, and bags of jewels that they had managed to pinch before fleeing. Although they were well ahead of the McKagan advance, they nonetheless avoided going beyond the sparse cover provided by the trees, lest a McKagan or Xirniumite helicopter catch sight of them. They were all tired; the journey had been a sleepless one, constant vigilance and hair-raising negotiations had been necessary to prevent their belongings from being looted by warlords, survivalists, and bandits. More gems, ammunition, and top quality guns had been given away to the various warlords as payment for crossing their territory then the Torontians cared to count.

Independent Montana was in a state of civil war, there was a demand for people like Colonel Scott and his men there, and hopefully the border would be unstable and porous enough for him and his associates to quietly slip past...

-Nod actions-
A radio transmission was sent out to Twin Falls asking for knowledge of any heavy McKagan military targets, as well as a request to make contact with General Bethlehem, if he was still alive.

Twin Fall’s ham radio station had been wiped out by the McKagan missile strike, so the broadcast from Zynxville went unanswered, not that it really mattered, as the warlords at Twin Falls had no idea where General Bethlehem was or if he was even on their side, nor did they have any actionable information on McKagan’s deployments.

General Bethlehem, meanwhile, was busy assembling his own coalition of warlords and survivalist leaders in the southeast. It had quickly become apparent to the various Idahoan “leaders,” what with the refugees, radio broadcasts, air campaign, and Bethlehem’s warnings, that Idaho was indeed facing invasion. Those interested in making peace and forming a united front met at Blackfoot, “General” Bethlehem’s current HQ and agreed to the creation of Idahoan Patriotic Army (IPA). The groups composing the IPA controlled roughly 25,000 militia/survivalist fighters with Bethlehem as the nominal commander, although it had yet to be seen if the IPA could actually command them, given the speed of communication being only as fast as a horse. Either way, the IPA militias controlled most of the territory in the Idahoan southeast and most of the areas surrounding Zynxville. It would however take a few days for everyone in the southeast to realize its existence, and it would take longer for McKagan to become aware.

The MTDF knew that the militia was no longer a great fighting force capable of inflicting damage in the open country. So this time they started following the militia. The new initiative wasn't an aggressive one - it simply targeted operations in small towns and the countryside. It was a sweep to simply help eliminate more militia and confine the only remaining ones to surrounded cities.

Unfortunately the 2,000 or so McKagan troops would either be spread too thinly over the countryside to prove effective, or be too condensed to cover a wide area. More troops would be needed for the sweeps to prove effective, the odd militia group was eliminated or captured, but the vast majority were able to slip away and avoid the search teams.

As the militia fighters come out of the city, they encounter precision sniper fire from highly trained McKagan marksmen which virtually surround the city. The infantry were all behind the security peremeter, and were fairly safe from enemy fire.

The expertly lethal shots soon drove home to the militiamen that leaving their fortifications, even at night, and approaching the McKagan lines means death. Pessimism among the various fighters increases.

However, during the day the MTDF circle moved inward on the city. Not actually entering the city, just stepping up the pressure enough to send the message of the oncoming doom they were about to face.

Some militiamen rationalized the threatening posture of the MTDF away as a sign the McKagan soldiers were afraid to attempt the storming of the city while most simply watched with increasing dread…

Until one of the Mckagan IFV’s hit a land mine and about a dozen improvised rockets were launched directly at the approaching MTDF forces, that is, at which point they began cheering wildly. The rockets and land mines may have been crude primitive weapons, but they were still deadly to infantry.

After it was realized that defeating the insurgency in Boise would be hard, McKagan went back to its military roots and started deploying "Guardian Falcon" teams. Based out of single IFV's, they were bascially independent infantry team performing scout duties. They set up near positions thought to be used by infiltrating insurgents and engaged them as they came out.

Unfortunately for the insurgents, what ammunition and food they had quickly began to run low. Many were forced to surface at night and forage, and thus the McKagan hunter-killers were able to swiftly eliminate several insurgent teams. The remaining insurgents however quickly became wise to the hunter-killers and started being far more careful. Although the McKagan “Guardian Falcon’s” were still effective, the number of engagements decreased and the fire-fights became much more protracted.

The number of insurgent attacks also fell as the militiamen began to hoard supplies and explore what avenues there were for escape. It had dawned on many that prolonged resistance was unsustainable.

I am Robert Tiste, the President of Idaho, and I want to negotiate.

Sending out a radio message would ultimately prove to have been of greater assistance to McKagan than Tiste had planned. Before the radio transmission, the MTDF wasn't exactly hot on the "Presidents" trail. Now they were, as their radio coverage of the nation was layered enough to provide tracking information.

Within a few minutes of the radio transmission, a squadron of 6 KLA-41 Multi-Role Fighters passed over the fortress at treetop level - causing what would be a maddening roar on the ground.

After almost an hour, 3 fully-loaded AVT-12 Transports moved to an area just south of the compound, sat down, and offloaded 75 BluEx Survailance/Recon Special Forces troopers. They moved north, using distance, natural features of the terrain, and the all important battlesuits to stay concealed. This wave was designed to surround the compound for the sake of having forces on the ground to stop Tiste from fleeing once talks started. They'd only be useful for a few hours until a large infantry force could be deployed.

The only message sent over short-range radio to Tiste was a simple one. "Talk."

Unfortunately the 2,000 or so McKagan troops would either be spread too thinly over the countryside to prove effective, or be too condensed to cover a wide area. More troops would be needed for the sweeps to prove effective, the odd militia group was eliminated or captured, but the vast majority were able to slip away and avoid the search teams.

The small MTDF force showed no interest in getting any larger. It simply moved around to keep the enemy force busy. Calling in airstrikes, cruise missile strikes, and delayed artillery would provide the Brigade with vital experience. It wasn't as if the militia had anywhere to run or anyone to turn to, so the chance for experience would never be overlooked.


Some militiamen rationalized the threatening posture of the MTDF away as a sign the McKagan soldiers were afraid to attempt the storming of the city while most simply watched with increasing dread…

Until one of the Mckagan IFV’s hit a land mine and about a dozen improvised rockets were launched directly at the approaching MTDF forces, that is, at which point they began cheering wildly. The rockets and land mines may have been crude primitive weapons, but they were still deadly to infantry.

It was at this point the advance on the northern population centers was stopped. There was no need to risk lives against an enemy that was all but defeated in the first place. The MTDF forces backed off to allow the militias to starve a bit more before another offensive.

At the same time, excess KLA-41 Multi-Role Fighters were vectored into the north to begin selective bombing of intra-city militia infrastructure. Any suspected ammunition dumps would be bombed along with troop clusteres or radio towers. It was simply a matter of time until these cities would begin to feel a pinch.

Unfortunately for the insurgents, what ammunition and food they had quickly began to run low. Many were forced to surface at night and forage, and thus the McKagan hunter-killers were able to swiftly eliminate several insurgent teams. The remaining insurgents however quickly became wise to the hunter-killers and started being far more careful. Although the McKagan “Guardian Falcon’s” were still effective, the number of engagements decreased and the fire-fights became much more protracted.

The number of insurgent attacks also fell as the militiamen began to hoard supplies and explore what avenues there were for escape. It had dawned on many that prolonged resistance was unsustainable.

The MTDF took no new actions to encourage these insurgents to fight. They simply waited for the shipment from San Diego to arrive.

It wasn't a very long flight between San Diego and Mountain Home, or a very long truck ride into boise for the 6 5-ton trucks that had departed from the cargo plane. The trucks were taken, with heavy security, to 6 different parts of the city - to six different openings into the sewer system.

Then they started their task. Hoses were run from the trucks into the sewews, just a few meters back and as quietly as possible. Then massive pumps on the trucks emptied the huge tanks filled with the Grvt-112 Chemical Substance into the sewers.

This chemical was a tasteless, almost odorless weapon that wasn't all that bad at all. It was like an industrial sleeping gas - that reacted with oxygen to expand. With any luck, the gas could spread to most areas of the sewers before it was noticed, or at least before word could spread.

After a person had inhaled a very small amount of the chemical, they would pass out for a 24 hour period. This was the MTDF's window to move into the sewers and restrain/remove as many insurgents as possible, as well as establish a fighting zone in the subtarainian zone.

-snip-

The MTDF units surrounding Zynxville had a feeling that something was going on. A cruise missile attack from Canada? The only people in Canada is The Lone Alliance and their terrorist lapdogs. Indeed there was alot of thought as to just what the hypothetical revelations were uncovering.

Before long a short-range radio transmission was sent into Zynxville.

"We'd like to talk with whatever foreign force is present in Zynxville that has been receiving aid from the outside. Please don't make this harder than it has to be."

Near Mountain Home, Idaho

The helicopter flew low over the ground, nearing the coordinates received for Mountain Home. Once in range, the pilot pinged known radio frequencies used by McKagan forces. "Sucellan Army transport Sierra Five Niner Two, three-seven miles south-southeast of Mountain Home, requesting IFR clearance to Mountain Home helipad, over."

The air traffic control position that had been set up in a tent in the center of town was excited to finally be vectoring a non-McKagan flight into Mountain Home. No one here knew just why Tannenmille was flying into Mountain Home, but the rumor mill would be working by the time the current shift ended.

"Sucellan Army transport Sierra Firce Niner Two, you are clear for landing directly north of your current position. The helipad is perfectly clear. Welcome to Idaho - where everything is fucking insane."

-Zynxville-
~Radar Van~

"We'd like to talk with whatever foreign force is present in Zynxville that has been receiving aid from the outside. Please don't make this harder than it has to be."
So McKagan has finally woken up. Commande Valstokr thought, Now the real fun begins... "Hello..."


"It's about time, what clued you in? Was it the fact that someone in this forsaken remains of a state knew how to fight? Was it the fact that we had finally beat your UACVs, or did we have to smash you with Stolen Tomahawk missiles to make you wake up?" He paused for a second...

"If so then is a pity, listen here and listen closely," Valstok said, "Zynxville belongs to the Black Hand, you ignored the Rules of Engagement here we can prove it, and hold you accountable."

"Just stay as far away as you can from here, secondly, hold off any aid to the Montanians trying to wipe out our little stronghold, make up some excuse if you have too, if you do the following things, we'll talk more seriously."

"It's about time, what clued you in? Was it the fact that someone in this forsaken remains of a state knew how to fight? Was it the fact that we had finally beat your UACVs, or did we have to smash you with Stolen Tomahawk missiles to make you wake up?" He paused for a second...

"If so then is a pity, listen here and listen closely," Valstok said, "Zynxville belongs to the Black Hand, you ignored the Rules of Engagement here we can prove it, and hold you accountable."

"Just stay as far away as you can from here, secondly, hold off any aid to the Montanians trying to wipe out our little stronghold, make up some excuse if you have too, if you do the following things, we'll talk more seriously."

"Oh, so it IS Nod? That'll be a nice one for the press. Look, we don't answer to anyone. There are no international rules of engagement. We can prove that we spared civilians - we didn't bombard your city. Montanian forces are already on hold. You have 24 hours to surrender."

"Oh, so it IS Nod? That'll be a nice one for the press. "Nod, Global Jihad, TPLA, Kraven, it matters not we're everyone, But it's not as nice as what we have on you, with your plans for Super Bases in West Torontia and all."

"Look, we don't answer to anyone. "Everyone has to answer for their actions some time."

"We can prove that we spared civilians - we didn't bombard your city. "Don't insult me, you suggest that this town just bomb itself?

"You have 24 hours to surrender."
"You have 18 hours to agree to withdraw from southeastern Idaho for at least 3 days or we will release incriminating evidence on McKagan activities, for now however my Employer wants to speak with you."
----
"This is Zynx mayor of Zynxville why are you *Swearing* blasting my people for no reason!" "Zynx had finally started making Zynxville great, we mind our business to make better town, but then you... *Muffled Swearing* come and destroy everything!" "The blood of the dead lay on your feet Mr. Imperialist scum!" *Cut off*

"As you can see, there was no reason to hit this town except out of spite or bloodlust, I'll make sure everyone knows the latter."

"Nod, Global Jihad, TPLA, Kraven, it matters not we're everyone, But it's not as nice as what we have on you, with your plans for Super Bases in West Torontia and all."


"Plans for Super Bases in Torontia? That's a nice conspiracy theory. I actually read up a bit on it before being deployed to the San Diego base. Just a suggestion, but for your own sake, you really shouldn't base the defense of Zynxville on that. It isn't as big of a killer as you think. As far as I can tell, it was a plan that a few members of the Christian Coalition tried to push through a few Senate Groups a few weeks ago. It failed in the groups it was pushed at, so it came far from getting anywhere near enough steam to even be up for a vote in the Senate, and it would still have to be signed by the President and a few members of Parliament to become an actual agenda. I believe that the Christian Coalition has more support for the complete nuclear destruction of Halberdgardia and a withdrawl from all of McKagans foreign territories. How likely do you think that is?"

"Everyone has to answer for their actions some time."

"*laughing* McKagan hasn't answered for its actions in 30 years. Don't kid yourself. But really, it's sort of is sad. Just don't sound like a Christian Coalition member again, ok? It makes you easier to talk to without cracking me up."

"Don't insult me, you suggest that this town just bomb itself?

"No, I suggest you hide yourself between civilians like cowards because you know McKagan will not intentionally target non-combatants. If we specificially targeted civilians your city would look alot like Mountain Home or Boise right now."

"You have 18 hours to agree to withdraw from southeastern Idaho for at least 3 days or we will release incriminating evidence on McKagan activities, for now however my Employer wants to speak with you."

"Ok comrade, you're in no position to make demands on that scale. I'll give you a counter offer just to save you a bit of pride. McKagan will agree to stop pwning your air defenses for 24 hours, and agree to not storm your city on the ground. In return you will agree to discuss a peace treaty with McKagan. Does that sound ok, comrade?"

"This is Zynx mayor of Zynxville why are you *Swearing* blasting my people for no reason!" "Zynx had finally started making Zynxville great, we mind our business to make better town, but then you... *Muffled Swearing* come and destroy everything!" "The blood of the dead lay on your feet Mr. Imperialist scum!" *Cut off*

"We targeted the large scale military hardware of your city, nothing else. If the terrorists within your midst had not built their emplacements on top of civilian infrastructure, your work would have been largely undamaged. I suggest that you put pressure on the terrorists to agree with the McKagan proposal. Your city is surrounded, the terrorists know that they cannot escape, so they need your support. You have power here too. Bring them to the negotiating table and the airstrikes will stop, you will remain in power and your city will remain intact."


-Mountain Home-

A massive undertaking to bring the 9th Tank Division into the country is started. A McKagan tank division, consisting of 300 RDTA-78 Main Battle Tanks, is very difficult to move. However, the MTDF has nearly limitless amounts of transport aircraft, so the only real issue is runway space.

"Plans for Super Bases in Torontia? That's a nice conspiracy theory. I actually read up a bit on it before being deployed to the San Diego base. Just a suggestion, but for your own sake, you really shouldn't base the defense of Zynxville on that. It isn't as big of a killer as you think. As far as I can tell, it was a plan that a few members of the Christian Coalition tried to push through a few Senate Groups a few weeks ago. It failed in the groups it was pushed at, so it came far from getting anywhere near enough steam to even be up for a vote in the Senate, and it would still have to be signed by the President and a few members of Parliament to become an actual agenda."
"Oh we have plenty, the other plans, and not to mention your little alliance with the TPLA. (Guessing\Bluffing)"

"I believe that the Christian Coalition has more support for the complete nuclear destruction of Halberdgardia and a withdrawl from all of McKagans foreign territories. How likely do you think that is?"
"Anything's possible?" Valstokr said shrugging even though he knew the McKagan couldn't see him. "But I don't see the Christian Coalition around... yet, so lets not bring them into this."

"*laughing* McKagan hasn't answered for its actions in 30 years. Don't kid yourself. But really, it's sort of is sad. Just don't sound like a Christian Coalition member again, ok? It makes you easier to talk to without cracking me up." I could almost like this guy, if he wasn't my enemy that is. "So you mean like, 'God will judge you and find you guility,' or some hogwash like that?" "No real reason to go off ranting like that anyway."

"No, I suggest you hide yourself between civilians like cowards because you know McKagan will not intentionally target non-combatants. If we specificially targeted civilians your city would look alot like Mountain Home or Boise right now. "Actually we had no real plan on a confrontation, besides I was under the illusion that Boise and Mountain Home DID have Civilians within, besides even without us here, Zynx was a stable military power, you wouldn't allow him to survive anyway." "At least we care enough about the civilians of this town to try and keep them from getting blasted, it's not easy either, forcing them to hide in drainage ditches and holes dug in the side of hills."


.""Ok comrade, you're in no position to make demands on that scale. I'll give you a counter offer just to save you a bit of pride. McKagan will agree to stop pwning your air defenses for 24 hours, and agree to not storm your city on the ground. In return you will agree to discuss a peace treaty with McKagan. Does that sound ok, comrade?"
"What do you think I meant when I said that we'll talk more seriously,"
Valstok said. "We have plenty of bargining tools, but we had plans to end this quietly.

"We targeted the large scale military hardware of your city, nothing else. If the terrorists within your midst had not built their emplacements on top of civilian infrastructure, your work would have been largely undamaged. I suggest that you put pressure on the terrorists to agree with the McKagan proposal. Your city is surrounded, the terrorists know that they cannot escape, so they need your support. You have power here too. Bring them to the negotiating table and the airstrikes will stop, you will remain in power and your city will remain intact."
"Zynx isn't here, he's out giving another speech," Valstok said, "Morale and all you know." "But knowing his reply it will be something along the lines of, 'this city isn't intact."

"Large scale hardware, from what you could see it's a handful of damaged obsolete armored vehicles, you had no clue that we were here, you were targeting what you thought were Local assets." "And may I remind you that the only 'military action' that we've done here has been defensive, I fail to see the agressive tactics of putting a defensive wall around the town, that is unless someone plans to later invade said town."

"Oh we have plenty, the other plans, and not to mention your little alliance with the TPLA. (Guessing\Bluffing)"

"That one would have been a bit more dangerous for McKagan, if everyone hadn't already accused us of it already. The simple fact is that if the TPLA was McKagan backed, it would still be fighting in Torontia. Do you really think the Amestrian military has the power to stop something funded by McKagan?"

Lieutenant Beem, the BluEx Commander that Nod was talking to, leaned back in his lounge chair inside his Special Edition COV-06T vehicle. In addition to recon and survailance, BluEx teams were also tasked with secure communications with local factions.

Nod doesn't know half of it. Now, if they could get some proof of the McKagan bioweapons plant in Saharistan, THEN they might have something. Torontian conspiracy theories have already been beaten to shit.

I could almost like this guy, if he wasn't my enemy that is. "So you mean like, 'God will judge you and find you guility,' or some hogwash like that?" "No real reason to go off ranting like that anyway."

"Yeah, the CC hates us military people because we're usually fighting extreme religious leaders. They see us as the anti-Christ. So yeah, I see alot of protests when I get shoreleave in Kurora."

"Actually we had no real plan on a confrontation, besides I was under the illusion that Boise and Mountain Home DID have Civilians within, besides even without us here, Zynx was a stable military power, you wouldn't allow him to survive anyway." "At least we care enough about the civilians of this town to try and keep them from getting blasted, it's not easy either, forcing them to hide in drainage ditches and holes dug in the side of hills."

"McKagan had people on the ground before the war started. I should know, I was one of them. It's hard to identify the different factions in a territory as fast and anarchic as Idaho was. We could tell no difference between Zynx and the warlords in the surrounding area. We engaged forces in the area on the ground, and just suspected that Zynxville was their safe haven. If we'd known that Zynx was effectively a city-state, we'd have spared it from our UCAV strikes. Trust me, we have plenty of other targets for UCAV's. We actually thought that Zynxville was a warlord stronghold."

"What do you think I meant when I said that we'll talk more seriously,"
Valstok said. "We have plenty of bargining tools, but we had plans to end this quietly."

"Well we had plans to end everything quietly as well. So far it has been a pretty quiet war. Just a brushfire of the Torontian conflict. McKagan severely overestimated the resistance that we would meet in the southern half of the nation. There were virtually no heavy units that posed a large scale threat to our armored transport systems."

"Zynx isn't here, he's out giving another speech," Valstok said, "Morale and all you know." "But knowing his reply it will be something along the lines of, 'this city isn't intact."

"Ok then, I'll rephrase. By intact I meant you can still tell a city was here."

"Large scale hardware, from what you could see it's a handful of damaged obsolete armored vehicles, you had no clue that we were here, you were targeting what you thought were Local assets." "And may I remind you that the only 'military action' that we've done here has been defensive, I fail to see the agressive tactics of putting a defensive wall around the town, that is unless someone plans to later invade said town."

"Again, we thought that Zynxville was the linchpin of the local insurgency. Those armored vehicles are some of the only ones in the country, too, making them oddly high valued targets. Futhermore, you had anti-aircraft defenses. Those were a major threat to McKagan, as we didn't want them to be sold on the black market and pop up outside our major runways. Your defensive wall was targeted because yes, we did plan on invading - but only because we thought you were using Zynxville to support local warlords."

The steadily worsening humanitarian crisis along the East Torontian-Idahoan border had by this stage become one entirely intolerable to the government (and, more importantly, the people) of the Eternal Republic, and the Ministerial Select Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy for Torontia had therefore duly decided that the time had come to act.

Thousands of Idahoan persons displaced by the conflict had, by this phase in the McKagan invasion, founded a long chain of overcrowded refugee camps along the outer edge of the Torontian frontier – utilising the vast amounts of construction materials paradropped by the Xirniumite military into the area for the purpose of erecting makeshift shelters. Though they continued to live out a miserable existence, most were genuinely glad merely to no longer be in the middle of a raging warzone. Even so, a general feeling of despair and helplessness permeated throughout the refugee camps - though it was not sufficient for them to disregard the dire warnings on the Xirniumite leaflets they had found and to compel them to attempt the crossing of the fortified frontier.

Despite the constant aerial provision of gigantic quantities of food, clean water and medical supplies by the XDF, the fact remained that the refugee camps had quickly become squalid and unhygienic. A lack of trained medical personnel or sanitation workers meant that incidences, amongst the refugees, of preventable diseases were rampant and mortality rates extremely high. The sites themselves were, of course, protected from the skies by the roving helicopters of the Xirniumite Air Force, who rapidly dealt out death to any organised force of brigands that might be foolish enough to approach the refugees. This did not, of course, prevent unchecked violence occurring within the camps, and the Xirniumite Secret Intelligence Service suspected that cases of murder, rape and assault were occurring amongst the refugee population at appallingly high levels.

Action came in the early morning of the twentieth of July, as paratrooper divisions of the Xirniumite Air Force were rapidly deployed to the refugee camps by both helicopter and light armoured vehicles and trucks crossing the fortified border. The objective of these peacekeeping troops was to immediately take control of the refugee sites and their surrounding areas. Well armed, highly trained and superbly equipped, the infantry soon secured their zones. Fortified checkpoints and roadblocks were established along the routes leading to the refugee sites, sentry towers and machinegun posts erected around the camps themselves and any vegetation that might provide cover to a hostile force stripped well back and out of the way. Armoured fighting vehicles and elite reconnaissance infantry patrolled the perimeters of the refugee camps ceaselessly.

Idahoan refugees carrying infectious or transmittable diseases were immediately separated from the main groups and interned in different quarantine camps, based on the health threat they posed to those around them, where they were carefully tended to by Xirniumite medical personnel wearing protective biological hazard clothing. Blood tests were conducted to discover the presence of any illnesses not immediately apparent (including sexually transmitted diseases) and policies established to respond accordingly. In addition, programmes were instituted to deal with the problem of lice and other unhygenic concerns.

The Xirniumite Gendarmerie (which had arrived in the Idahoan peacekeeping zones as soon as feasibly possible) immediately began an extensive sweep of the camps - disarming any individuals that happened to have weapons, rooting out any suspected brigands or criminals for trial before the Xirniumite courts, and firmly establishing the supremacy of the Rule of Law. Violence and lawlessness was to be determinedly stamped out in all its forms and any criminal offences dealt with ruthlessly. The military police also began a monumental undertaking to document whom was in the camp and to begin efficiently processing the identities of each and every Idahoan refugee.

The provision of humanitarian supplies to the refugee camps was increased, and policies were rapidly implemented to create a safe and sanitary environment. Special care was taken to combat malnourisment. For many, the sudden presence of the world renowned surgeons, physicians and health practitioners of the Eternal Republic was a welcome sight indeed. The existence of advanced pharmaceuticals and medical therapies would result in drastic reductions to mortality and morbidity rates. At the same time, Xirniumite engineers began a programme to improve housing and living conditions for the refugees. Structured education programmes were also established for the young.

For thousands of Idahoan refugees who had flocked to the border of Xirniumite-occupied Torontia, the nightmare (which had first begun many decades ago with the breakdown of law and order in Idaho) was now finally over.

[Encrypted Message]

To: Ministerial Select Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy for Torontia
From: McKagan Department of Foreign Affairs

We'd like to thank you for beginning to help the humanitarian crisis in Idaho. The MTDF had every intention of moving into the northern villages to help establish a safer community, but a rash of fighting broke out in the south that strained our airfield resources to a point where humanitarian equipment and supplies could not be brought into the region.

If you have no objections, we will deploy a Light Infantry Unit of 1000 soldiers to the area to keep McKagans presense there. We must, however, ask you if you have intentions of one day leaving these camps once McKagan can properly control them?

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e221/Xirnium/arms1.jpg
Confidential Governmental Memorandum - Office of the Leader of the Upper House
The Eternal Republic of Holy Xirnium

Tárië Aicassë Laë Nainányéna! – For All Time! - Ad Vitam Aeternam!
To:

The McKagan Department of Foreign Affairs

From:

Lady Lauréline Sếronleỉthiẩn
Leader of the House of Councillors
The Eternal Republic of Xirnium

Dear Sir/Madam

Although the government of the Xirniumite State does appreciate the gesture and harbours no real objections towards your proposal, we do advise that there is at present no need for additional peacekeeping troops in order to ensure the security of the refugee camps along the East Torontian-Idahoan frontier. We shall, of course, not oppose any move by your nation’s government to assist in peacekeeping operations in the area, rather we merely suggest that you may have more pressing needs elsewhere for such large a number of soldiers. Should you feel the need to deploy forces to the refugee zones we expect that the McKagan Tactical Defence Force units in question will cooperate in full with all relevant wishes and commands of the Xirniumite Defence Force.

I can inform you the Eternal Republic holds absolutely no desire to have peacekeeping troops of any number stationed in Idaho indefinitely. Our actions were one of necessity in order to mitigate a humanitarian crisis that we were, partially at least, responsible for. As soon as the McKagan government is able to guarantee to us the security of the Idahoan refugees along the East Torontia-Idaho border, the Xiniumite government has every intention of duly withdrawing.

On an entirely unrelated note, it has come to our attention that your government may be involved in negotiations to secure the surrender of the outlaw Robert Tiste and his criminal lieutenants. May I remind you that these individuals are wanted by the government of the Eternal Republic to face charges for crimes against the Xirniumite State, and that the McKagan Armed Forces has pledged to extradite such alleged offenders to Xirnium upon capture.

Yours faithfully

[Signed]

Her Eminence
The Rt Hon Lady Lauréline Sếronleỉthiẩn MP
High Lady of Parliament and Leader of the House of Councillors
Chair of the Ministerial Select Standing Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy for Torontia
The Sovereign Parliament of the Eternal Republic of Xirnium

[Encrypted]

To: Lady Lauréline Sếronleỉthiẩn
Leader of the House of Councillors
The Eternal Republic of Xirnium

From: McKagan Department of Foreign Affairs

We do indeed have other uses for our troops at the moment, and offered them as an envoy only as a gesture of good will. Thank you for not being demanding.

Futhermore, President Cavalt has asked this department to personally thank you and your nation for handling the humanitarian crisis until McKagan has the resources in place to do so. As it stands, Mountain Home is busy bringing in a tank division right now. After that is complete we will be free to bring in more humanitarian supplies and personnel. We also have a series of airstrips - but a certain MTDF General feels the need to get the troop numbers in Idaho to at least 500,000.

And yes, we are currently hot on the trail of Robert Tiste. Rest assured McKagan will have absolutely no objections to turning him and any of his Lieutenants who survive over to Xirnium. The Democratic Imperium wants nothing to do with Tiste legally, and will turn him over with no questions or demands whatsoever.

Northwestern Idaho

Colonel Oliver Scott and his 15 companions, all former TRA members, approached the border of Independent Montana, their train of mules and horses loaded down with weapons, ammunition, and bags of jewels that they had managed to pinch before fleeing. Although they were well ahead of the McKagan advance, they nonetheless avoided going beyond the sparse cover provided by the trees, lest a McKagan or Xirniumite helicopter catch sight of them. They were all tired; the journey had been a sleepless one, constant vigilance and hair-raising negotiations had been necessary to prevent their belongings from being looted by warlords, survivalists, and bandits. More gems, ammunition, and top quality guns had been given away to the various warlords as payment for crossing their territory then the Torontians cared to count.

Independent Montana was in a state of civil war, there was a demand for people like Colonel Scott and his men there, and hopefully the border would be unstable and porous enough for him and his associates to quietly slip past...


Unfortunately, the destruction of Colonel Black's and Colonel Buendia's forces had forced them in a retreat to Eastern Command, which meant the remaining Eastern Command Loyalist forces were waiting on the border. However, the ragtag appearance of Colonel Oliver Scott's forces lead the commander there, Major Handverker to believe they were some of the retreating forces.

Soon the highly visible clouds of dust raised by tracked vehicles appeared on the horizon, 2 M60A3s, and 4 M113s along with Jeeps equipped as ambulances appeared on the horizon.

Horsemen flanked the sides and rode ahead waving a Montanan flag while holding their M4s and M4geries to the side.

The lead horseman said, "I heard the Zynx men got you good, is this just the first few of the retreat of Buendia's forces or the only survivors? Though I heard it was Black that was hit. Maybe you are the lead riders?"

The M113s got closer and they began to form a protective semicircle with their guns ready, a mobile HAWK launcher was getting closer and stayed back with a Vulcan M113.

Salvation Army of Allanea Headquarters, Heston-City

Abraham Manx nodded sadly as he looked out to the city square, where the Boy Scout monument stood – a single Boy Scout, treading on the dead bodies of several communist invaders, lifting his weapon in final defiance. It was raining, and it looked like the Scout was crying tears of rage, angry perhaps that he did not have enough ammunition to exterminate every communist oppressor on the planet.

Manx himself was almost as angry as he read about the atrocities of the Xirniumites in Idaho. They were preparing, it seemed, for a new Sabra and Shatila. All in the name of another perverted, sick ideology. Intolerance under the name of 'secularism'. Oppression under the name of 'liberalism'. Murder under the name of 'peace'.

But it was not his job to stop them. He did not intend to do that, and he knew, that eventually, the Good Lord would wreak His punishment on Xirnium. Abraham Manx had a different job to do.

He printed out some Salvation Army letterhead, and began writing orders for sending hundreds – perhaps thousand – of Salvation Army nurses, doctors, volunteers to Idaho. With them would follow truck drivers – and road trains full of food and medicine.

He wrote letters to the warlords as well, to ask for their permission to distribute the aid – it always help to make good with the local leadership on such things.

Liberty Networks Headquarters, Liberty-City

“I want you to get me some prominent Idaho person. I don't care who it is, really.”

“But why, Sir? It's a warzone.”

“People still need Internet. Even in warzones. And WiMax right now is the only thing they can afford, now isn't it?”

“Point, but.. security..”

“Ask the warlords or whatever passes there for a government to protect them. If they don't have men, well, meh, the LNSF isn't formed yet, we'll have to wait. “

“I hate waiting.”

“Happily, I'm the boss.”

Ashtonbury Brigade Appartment, Allanean Florida Keys

“Okay, here's what I want you to do. Send fifty men to Idaho. Instructors. Teach the warlords' armies. Teach whoever is ready to learn. And, also, buy weapons. Give them to anybody in Idaho. These Xirniumites are confiscating guns? Fine then. Buy Sten guns. They are cheap. Give them to anybody who'll wield one.

And find out who is still ready to fight Xirnium. We will help. We're the Ashtonbury Brigade. We always help.”

The Xirniumite Gendarmerie (which had arrived in the Idahoan peacekeeping zones as soon as feasibly possible) immediately began an extensive sweep of the camps - disarming any individuals that happened to have weapons,

The Xirniumite Gendarmerie's confiscation of weapons did not go over very well with the Idahoan camp dwellers who happened to be armed, long having been (rightfully) distrustful of would-be authority figures and offers of protection from far away self-declared governments. It did not help that in Idaho, firearms were a valuable status symbol (and a very portable one). Many simply buried or hid their weapons and that was that.

A few kept their weapons and refused to part with “their property” unless they were given immediate compensation.

A good example of such was Thomas Elkins and his family (his wife, his wife’s sister, his brother, and six kids of various ages) who had between them two AK-47s and a pile of ammunition. Elkins pointedly (and with a good deal of hostility) told the Gendarmeries that he would not part with his “rightful property” unless they gave him a horse, or four cows, or eight goats for each gun (the going price for an AK in the area where the Elkins family had lived before being uprooted) and several chickens for the ammo. His demands were typical of the camp dwellers (no one demanded or accepted money, money having been worthless in Idaho for the last 20 years).

Some fanatical survivalists and militiamen actually attempted overt resistance, resulting in several low level firefights until it was realized that the Xirniumites had superior numbers and firepower. Still, individual violence continued, and more then one Gendarmerie officer met a blast of shot gun pellets upon entering a temporary shelter to inspect it for arms or was attacked at close quarters by a machete wielding lunatic. There were also occasional sniping attempts by the more competent foes of order.

Generally, the only guns handed in voluntarily, and without some form of compensation payment, were broken and thus worthless. Everyone refused to hand in their machetes and large knives.

rooting out any suspected brigands or criminals for trial before the Xirniumite courts, and firmly establishing the supremacy of the Rule of Law.

“Justice” in Idaho had for the last 20 years mostly consisted of summary execution, torture, deliberate maiming, and/or slavery (furthermore, the same could be said of Tanakis-era New Order Torontia). Therefore, the vast majority of the “suspected brigands and criminals” resisted arrest fiercely, many putting up determined struggles, hiding, or attempting outright to flee the refugee camps back into the lawless Idahoan wilderness.

The military police also began a monumental undertaking to document whom was in the camp and to begin efficiently processing the identities of each and every Idahoan refugee.

Identity...what is identity? Idaho had no government, no data-base of names, and given the camps were collections of thousands of strangers, it was not as if the Xirniumite Gendarmerie could effectively ask around (although fearful camp residents did report some of the more obvious militiamen). All the Xirniumite officials could do in the vast majority of cases was ask the Idahoans their names and write down the answers given. Needless to say plenty of former militiamen gave false names with a straight face, perfectly aware nothing could really be done to find out who they were. Plenty of non-militiamen also gave false names, taking this opportunity as a chance for a fresh start, a chance to escape whatever obligations, enemies, or dependencies they had.

One to two hundred Torontian citizens (some former TLA members, some not) step forward with fake identification, presenting passports and IDs from the Tanakis era, claiming to be Torontian citizens and demanding to treated according to their legal rights, that is, let back into Torontia.

When interrogated, many of those questioned refuse to talk about their activities, asking that Xirnium charge them with something and get them a lawyer or release them and let them back into Torontia. Others reveal their activities (or invent creative stories), admitting to being merchants, traders, arms/drug smugglers (pointing out their activities were technically not illegal as they were at the time outside the jurisdiction of any established sovereign entity), political exiles, humanitarian workers, employees of the New Order State (before its collapse), and private security contractors (mercenaries), then demand to be let back into “their country.”

The TLA members used fake passports and IDs, taking on the identities of fictional people created by the New Order Government for its secret police. Many of the TLA members were former Republican Guard, meaning their original records had either been destroyed when the regime collapsed to help them avoid capture or had been wiped out by the Red Tide bombardment of Seattle. There was very little documentation in existence that would contradict the fake identities being employed by the TLA members.

Many simply buried or hid their weapons and that was that.
The Xirniumite military police had been well aware of the possible likelihood that many of the Idahoans situated in the refugee camps (whether they were brigands or merely civilian refugees) might be unenthusiastic about parting with their weapons, and that they might foolishly seek to conceal them. Well-trained gendarmes were to conduct systematic, methodical and meticulous sweeps (in addition to constant, random searches) of every square foot of the camps, employing highly sophisticated search techniques and utilising advanced detection equipment (including superior metal detectors), in order to uncover the location of any hidden items of contraband.

The Xirniumite gendarmerie also went to great lengths to clearly warn of the significant penal sanctions which would result from refusing to comply with their lawful order to immediately surrender all weapons.

A good example of such was Thomas Elkins and his family (his wife, his wife’s sister, his brother, and six kids of various ages) who had between them two AK-47s and a pile of ammunition. Elkins pointedly (and with a good deal of hostility) told the Gendarmeries that he would not part with his “rightful property” unless they gave him a horse, or four cows, or eight goats for each gun (the going price for an AK in the area where the Elkins family had lived before being uprooted) and several chickens for the ammo. His demands were typical of the camp dwellers (no one demanded or accepted money, money having been worthless in Idaho for the last 20 years).
All Idahoans in the Xirniumite-administered refugee camps were calmly explained in clear and succinct language that any property temporarily confiscated from them would be carefully catalogued and safely stored, to either be promptly returned into their original possession at a later date (for instance, upon leaving the sites) or else to be duly compensated for (in a manner that was both fair and wholly acceptable to the owner) if not reclaimed. It was made explicitly clear that the Idahoans were, in no way, surrendering their legal proprietary rights to their weapons by handing them over to the Xirniumite Gendarmerie, as this programme was not to constitute permanent appropriation of private property.

Further, the Idahoan refugees were given the rather generous option of complying with the Gendarmerie’s legitimate command to immediately relinquish their contraband into the custody of Xirniumite authorities or else to depart from the Xirniumite-jurisdiction of the refugee camps (following the relevant identity processing, of course) with whatever property they owned, including their weapons.

Demands for immediate compensation of confiscated items in tangible agrarian goods were ignored due to the impracticality of the suggestion, and any Idahoans refusing either to vacate the refugee camps or to surrender weaponry were explained that the Gendarmerie was authorised to forcibly disarm the camp residents, if they proved uncooperative, and charge them with violation of the Xirniumite Common Law.

Some fanatical survivalists and militiamen actually attempted overt resistance, resulting in several low level firefights until it was realized that the Xirniumites had superior numbers and firepower. Still, individual violence continued, and more then one Gendarmerie officer met a blast of shot gun pellets upon entering a temporary shelter to inspect it for arms or was attacked at close quarters by a machete wielding lunatic. There were also occasional sniping attempts by the more competent foes of order.
The Xirniumite Self-Defence Force had anticipated the possibility of extremely violent resistance from bandits hidden amongst the refugee population, and fully adopted the necessary precautions and safety measures whilst conducting their peacekeeping missions. All individuals were to be assumed armed and dangerous at all times, and Xirniumite soldiers and paramilitary officers conducted their duties in large groups and with constant vigilance. Ceaseless observation of all areas of the camps was conducted so as to immediately identify the risk of disturbances. Any violent hostility was dealt with ruthlessly, and totally. Any resistance was rendered futile by the overwhelming support that could be commanded by the Xirniumite gendarmes, which included but was not limited to patrolling military police helicopters. Opportunities for violence were to be drastically decreased by the strict ordering of the refugee camps and the enactment of temporary movement regulations and prohibitions.

The supremacy of the Rule of Law was to be stamped indelibly on the Xirniumite-administered refugee camps of the Idahoan-East Torontian frontier.

Generally, the only guns handed in voluntarily, and without some form of compensation payment, were broken and thus worthless. Everyone refused to hand in their machetes and large knives.
Xirniumite military police officers went to great effort to point out that refusal to comply with the Gendarmerie’s lawful order to either completely surrender all weapons (including edged implements) or to immediately depart the refugee camps could result in compulsory disarmament and immediate detention in separate high-security camps before the Xirniumite Courts could apply punitive legal consequences.

Therefore, the vast majority of the “suspected brigands and criminals” resisted arrest fiercely, many putting up determined struggles, hiding, or attempting outright to flee the refugee camps back into the lawless Idahoan wilderness.
Any individual to be detained by the Xirniumite authorities on evidence of some manner of offence was first clearly explained his or her extensive legal rights and protections under the Xirniumite Common Law, including the freedom from cruel and unusual punishment and the right to due process of law. The application of lethal force in apprehending suspected offenders was avoided in all circumstances where such was possible (and resorted to only in self-defence).

Attempts to hide were to be unsuccessful due to the pervasive surveillance undertaken in the refugee camps, and the constant patrols and searches of the Xirniumite gendarmes. All violent struggles were rendered pointless due to the superior weaponry and firepower available to the military police officers. Attempting outright to flee would become near impossible and also quite dangerous considering the extensive fortified defences erected around the camps or the constant aerial observations.

Identity...what is identity? Idaho had no government, no data-base of names, and given the camps were collections of thousands of strangers, it was not as if the Xirniumite Gendarmerie could effectively ask around (although fearful camp residents did report some of the more obvious militiamen). All the Xirniumite officials could do in the vast majority of cases was ask the Idahoans their names and write down the answers given. Needless to say plenty of former militiamen gave false names with a straight face, perfectly aware nothing could really be done to find out who they were. Plenty of non-militiamen also gave false names, taking this opportunity as a chance for a fresh start, a chance to escape whatever obligations, enemies, or dependencies they had.
Xirniumite authorities immediately constructed refugee computer databases to catalogue and organise the identities of every Idahoan who freely chose to reside within in the camps. All relevent documentation was to be included in such files. Where identification papers of any nature were lacking to confirm identity, such was noted. All names provided where cross-checked with the testimony of other Idahoan refugees for their veracity wherever such was possible. High resolution photographs were taken of the individuals, as were fingerprint markings and hair samples for DNA identification.

The Gendarmerie would keep meticulous, up to date, and detailed records of all of its charges from the initial point of processing onwards.

One to two hundred Torontian citizens (some former TLA members, some not) step forward with fake identification, presenting passports and IDs from the Tanakis era, claiming to be Torontian citizens and demanding to treated according to their legal rights, that is, let back into Torontia.

When interrogated, many of those questioned refuse to talk about their activities, asking that Xirnium charge them with something and get them a lawyer or release them and let them back into Torontia. Others reveal their activities (or invent creative stories), admitting to being merchants, traders, arms/drug smugglers (pointing out their activities were technically not illegal as they were at the time outside the jurisdiction of any established sovereign entity), political exiles, humanitarian workers, employees of the New Order State (before its collapse), and private security contractors (mercenaries), then demand to be let back into “their country.”

The TLA members used fake passports and IDs, taking on the identities of fictional people created by the New Order Government for its secret police. Many of the TLA members were former Republican Guard, meaning their original records had either been destroyed when the regime collapsed to help them avoid capture or had been wiped out by the Red Tide bombardment of Seattle. There was very little documentation in existence that would contradict the fake identities being employed by the TLA members.
Individuals claiming Torontian citizenship were immediately separated from the main body of refugees and taken to alternative facilities for their applications to be processed. Archivists and document specialists were brought in to carefully examine all identification papers for signs of forgery and to cross-reference the claims of those desiring asylum with the vast central government records in Seattle.

When asked that the Eternal Republic either charge them or release them, the Torontians were calmly informed that they were not being held in custody and were free to leave at any time. However, they were also explained that they could not be allowed entry into the Torontian republic unless and until their citizenship status was confirmed, for which they were required to answer the questions submitted to them. All explanations provided were meticulously checked for factual veracity back in Torontia.

The XSIS also conducted careful examinations of all individuals purporting to be Torontian nationals. Those for whom evidence existed supporting a suspicion of their being criminally affiliated with either the New Order or TLA were detained and charged.

Those for whom no evidence existed of illegal activities, and for whom nationality could be confirmed as being Torontian, were repatriated immediately.

-Zynxville-
The communication between Valstokr and Beem was delayed for a short time for everyone to get some rest, later on in the early morning they opened up communication again. "Okay to continue where we left off."

"That one would have been a bit more dangerous for McKagan, if everyone hadn't already accused us of it already. The simple fact is that if the TPLA was McKagan backed, it would still be fighting in Torontia. Do you really think the Amestrian military has the power to stop something funded by McKagan?"
"No you set Amestria into entrapment, I'm guessing the virus was planted by either you or your allies, even we figured that Amestria would end up having to kill the TPLA prisoners out of risk of infection, making them commit war crimes, you then used the situation to get Torontia anyway." "You did it and won, quite commendable actually better than even we could pull off."


Nod doesn't know half of it. Now, if they could get some proof of the McKagan bioweapons plant in Saharistan, THEN they might have something. Torontian conspiracy theories have already been beaten to shit.
OOC: Nod wouldn't care.


"Yeah, the CC hates us military people because we're usually fighting extreme religious leaders. They see us as the anti-Christ. So yeah, I see alot of protests when I get shoreleave in Kurora."
"Ha, quite pathetic." "at least the fanatics in our group at respects military power."

"McKagan had people on the ground before the war started. I should know, I was one of them. "We had people here months, I was one here also."

It's hard to identify the different factions in a territory as fast and anarchic as Idaho was. We could tell no difference between Zynx and the warlords in the surrounding area. We engaged forces in the area on the ground, and just suspected that Zynxville was their safe haven. If we'd known that Zynx was effectively a city-state, we'd have spared it from our UCAV strikes.
"We knew what Zynxville was a few days after we entered Idaho, either you didn't investigate right or someone was feeding you false info."

"Trust me, we have plenty of other targets for UCAV's. We actually thought that Zynxville was a warlord stronghold."
"Trust us if Zynxville was a warlord stronghold we wouldn't had have to stop a Raider Warlord two nights ago."

"Well we had plans to end everything quietly as well. So far it has been a pretty quiet war. Just a brushfire of the Torontian conflict. McKagan severely overestimated the resistance that we would meet in the southern half of the nation. There were virtually no heavy units that posed a large scale threat to our armored transport systems."

Don't assume so much yet. We aren't the only one here that has armored vehicles, from what we hear from Zynx, there's a rogue group of former soldiers turned Merc armed with M1 Abrams and SAMs somewhere in south Idaho, we're guessing rogue army or something else, armed to the teeth, of course they might have left Idaho a long time ago." "And actually these tanks here are former Independent Montanian owned."

"Again, we thought that Zynxville was the linchpin of the local insurgency. Those armored vehicles are some of the only ones in the country, too, making them oddly high valued targets. Futhermore, you had anti-aircraft defenses. Those were a major threat to McKagan, as we didn't want them to be sold on the black market and pop up outside our major runways."
"I think the actual Black Market is closer to you're airfields, Zynx doesn't know and the minor warlord we caught won't tell us."

Your defensive wall was targeted because yes, we did plan on invading - but only because we thought you were using Zynxville to support local warlords." "The Anti air defenses are for low level targets like missiles, they were useless for fighting the UCAVs."

"No you set Amestria into entrapment, I'm guessing the virus was planted by either you or your allies, even we figured that Amestria would end up having to kill the TPLA prisoners out of risk of infection, making them commit war crimes, you then used the situation to get Torontia anyway." "You did it and won, quite commendable actually better than even we could pull off."

"We won? We have a city in Torontia that we had to build, and we have to fly attack helicopters daily to make people remember we're there. We far from hold Torontia."

"We knew what Zynxville was a few days after we entered Idaho, either you didn't investigate right or someone was feeding you false info."

"Zynxville isn't exactly a large city when compared to the former population centers. With only a small, set number of DART's, we weren't able to get to every location."


Don't assume so much yet. We aren't the only one here that has armored vehicles, from what we hear from Zynx, there's a rogue group of former soldiers turned Merc armed with M1 Abrams and SAMs somewhere in south Idaho, we're guessing rogue army or something else, armed to the teeth, of course they might have left Idaho a long time ago." "And actually these tanks here are former Independent Montanian owned."


"I'm going to guess they left. In this modern day massive armies don't go unnoticed. We wouldn't have built our airfields in the south had we known an army was down there."

"The Anti air defenses are for low level targets like missiles, they were useless for fighting the UCAVs."

"I noticed."

In the meanwhile, Ashtonbury Brigade members were already on their way to Idaho. Some hid in the bellies of small smuggler boats, the kind that allaneans operated in every climate and in every region of the world, that were designed to sneak through blockades and national coastal borders with casual ease. As they intended to only smuggle in a handful of people, they did not expect that there would be problems.

In the meanwhile, Ashtonbury's seconds were receiving a new order. They heard that somewhere in Idaho there was a research center owned by the rebel warlords, still connected to the outside world. It was to this center that they sent their offer of help – coupled with CNC files that would allow one to manufacture a proper assault rifle with any basic machine shop. As long as a single of these shops opened in Idaho, the men would fight, and McKagan and Xirnium would bleed.

OOC: No one has really paid much attention to Idaho falls. Big mistake.

-Outside Idaho Falls-
Idaho Labs, Abandoned Nuclear Research Facility
The message arrived from the outside world from the old underground lines from the now forgotten cold war. The very army that Nod and McKagan joked about were quite real. For the men and women of 'Charlie Company' they now not only had what they considered a client, but a reason to act.

(OOC: Guess where I got the name of the group from, *hint* it's from an old N64 game.)

The Ashtobury Brigade had a plan. A very cunning plan, they had thought.

Is it possible for you to act to weaken the McKaganian air defenses, to ease the arrival of materiel and personnel into the area?

Sending out a radio message would ultimately prove to have been of greater assistance to McKagan than Tiste had planned. Before the radio transmission, the MTDF wasn't exactly hot on the "President's" trail. Now they were, as their radio coverage of the nation was layered enough to provide tracking information.

Within a few minutes of the radio transmission, a squadron of 6 KLA-41 Multi-Role Fighters passed over the fortress at treetop level - causing what would be a maddening roar on the ground.

After almost an hour, 3 fully-loaded AVT-12 Transports moved to an area just south of the compound, sat down, and offloaded 75 BluEx Survailance/Recon Special Forces troopers. They moved north, using distance, natural features of the terrain, and the all important battlesuits to stay concealed. This wave was designed to surround the compound for the sake of having forces on the ground to stop Tiste from fleeing once talks started. They'd only be useful for a few hours until a large infantry force could be deployed.

The only message sent over short-range radio to Tiste was a simple one. "Talk."

"I'm willing to lay down my arms in exchange for being allowed to stay on as President of Idaho and not being handed over to the Xirniumites or Amestrians."

The MTDF took no new actions to encourage these insurgents to fight. They simply waited for the shipment from San Diego to arrive.

It wasn't a very long flight between San Diego and Mountain Home, or a very long truck ride into boise for the 6 5-ton trucks that had departed from the cargo plane. The trucks were taken, with heavy security, to 6 different parts of the city - to six different openings into the sewer system.

Then they started their task. Hoses were run from the trucks into the sewews, just a few meters back and as quietly as possible. Then massive pumps on the trucks emptied the huge tanks filled with the Grvt-112 Chemical Substance into the sewers.

This chemical was a tasteless, almost odorless weapon that wasn't all that bad at all. It was like an industrial sleeping gas - that reacted with oxygen to expand. With any luck, the gas could spread to most areas of the sewers before it was noticed, or at least before word could spread.

After a person had inhaled a very small amount of the chemical, they would pass out for a 24 hour period. This was the MTDF's window to move into the sewers and restrain/remove as many insurgents as possible, as well as establish a fighting zone in the subterranean zone.

The insurgents who were not concealed in out-of-the-way positions were quickly neutralized; the ones who were waited with their sniper rifles to ambush the expected McKagan soldiers.

The Xirniumite gendarmerie also went to great lengths to clearly warn of the significant penal sanctions which would result from refusing to comply with their lawful order to immediately surrender all weapons.

All Idahoans in the Xirniumite-administered refugee camps were calmly explained in clear and succinct language that any property temporarily confiscated from them would be carefully catalogued and safely stored, to either be promptly returned into their original possession at a later date (for instance, upon leaving the sites) or else to be duly compensated for (in a manner that was both fair and wholly acceptable to the owner) if not reclaimed. It was made explicitly clear that the Idahoans were, in no way, surrendering their legal proprietary rights to their weapons by handing them over to the Xirniumite Gendarmerie, as this programme was not to constitute permanent appropriation of private property.

Further, the Idahoan refugees were given the rather generous option of complying with the Gendarmerie’s legitimate command to immediately relinquish their contraband into the custody of Xirniumite authorities or else to depart from the Xirniumite-jurisdiction of the refugee camps (following the relevant identity processing, of course) with whatever property they owned, including their weapons.

Demands for immediate compensation of confiscated items in tangible agrarian goods were ignored due to the impracticality of the suggestion, and any Idahoans refusing either to vacate the refugee camps or to surrender weaponry were explained that the Gendarmerie was authorised to forcibly disarm the camp residents, if they proved uncooperative, and charge them with violation of the Xirniumite Common Law.

The Xirniumite Self-Defence Force had anticipated the possibility of extremely violent resistance from bandits hidden amongst the refugee population, and fully adopted the necessary precautions and safety measures whilst conducting their peacekeeping missions. All individuals were to be assumed armed and dangerous at all times, and Xirniumite soldiers and paramilitary officers conducted their duties in large groups and with constant vigilance. Ceaseless observation of all areas of the camps was conducted so as to immediately identify the risk of disturbances. Any violent hostility was dealt with ruthlessly, and totally. Any resistance was rendered futile by the overwhelming support that could be commanded by the Xirniumite gendarmes, which included but was not limited to patrolling military police helicopters. Opportunities for violence were to be drastically decreased by the strict ordering of the refugee camps and the enactment of temporary movement regulations and prohibitions.

The supremacy of the Rule of Law was to be stamped indelibly on the Xirniumite-administered refugee camps of the Idahoan-East Torontian frontier.

Xirniumite military police officers went to great effort to point out that refusal to comply with the Gendarmerie’s lawful order to either completely surrender all weapons (including edged implements) or to immediately depart the refugee camps could result in compulsory disarmament and immediate detention in separate high-security camps before the Xirniumite Courts could apply punitive legal consequences.

Any individual to be detained by the Xirniumite authorities on evidence of some manner of offence was first clearly explained his or her extensive legal rights and protections under the Xirniumite Common Law, including the freedom from cruel and unusual punishment and the right to due process of law. The application of lethal force in apprehending suspected offenders was avoided in all circumstances where such was possible (and resorted to only in self-defence).

Attempts to hide were to be unsuccessful due to the pervasive surveillance undertaken in the refugee camps, and the constant patrols and searches of the Xirniumite gendarmes. All violent struggles were rendered pointless due to the superior weaponry and firepower available to the military police officers. Attempting outright to flee would become near impossible and also quite dangerous considering the extensive fortified defences erected around the camps or the constant aerial observations.

Xirniumite authorities immediately constructed refugee computer databases to catalogue and organise the identities of every Idahoan who freely chose to reside within in the camps. All relevent documentation was to be included in such files. Where identification papers of any nature were lacking to confirm identity, such was noted. All names provided where cross-checked with the testimony of other Idahoan refugees for their veracity wherever such was possible. High resolution photographs were taken of the individuals, as were fingerprint markings and hair samples for DNA identification.

The Gendarmerie would keep meticulous, up to date, and detailed records of all of its charges from the initial point of processing onwards.

Individuals claiming Torontian citizenship were immediately separated from the main body of refugees and taken to alternative facilities for their applications to be processed. Archivists and document specialists were brought in to carefully examine all identification papers for signs of forgery and to cross-reference the claims of those desiring asylum with the vast central government records in Seattle.

When asked that the Eternal Republic either charge them or release them, the Torontians were calmly informed that they were not being held in custody and were free to leave at any time. However, they were also explained that they could not be allowed entry into the Torontian republic unless and until their citizenship status was confirmed, for which they were required to answer the questions submitted to them. All explanations provided were meticulously checked for factual veracity back in Torontia.

The XSIS also conducted careful examinations of all individuals purporting to be Torontian nationals. Those for whom evidence existed supporting a suspicion of their being criminally affiliated with either the New Order or TLA were detained and charged.

Those for whom no evidence existed of illegal activities, and for whom nationality could be confirmed as being Torontian, were repatriated immediately.

Many thousands of gun-toting rednecks, for lack of a better term, were indeed arrested and taken into Xirniumite custody. Others left the camps and resumed their lawless lives of outlawry and brigandry, preying on passers-by trying to go to the camps. Some became gangs of outlaws that would attack small groups of gendarmes to gain arms and ammunition.