NationStates Jolt Archive

Undershi Invasion Fleet Flagship Hobbes, Just Outside of Kampfers Territorial Water

Admiral Abdul Kaufmann had been placed in command of the Undershi Combined Fleet. He had wanted something like this for as long as he could remember being conscious of goals and ambitions - he wanted to lead troops into battle on this scale. And it was an impressive scale - the Undershi fleet was here in strength, all four Pacific Fleets, plus many of the smaller Patrol Groups, and all reinforced by the Home Fleet. Well over half of the Undershi Navy was under his command - twenty four carriers, fifty cruisers of various classes and designs, eighty anti-aircraft frigates, three hundred and ten escort ships and destroyers, and beneath the waves... six submarine squadrons, forming an ASW cordon. All of which was very well, but it was the troop ships that were important. One hundred Undershi divisions would be landing soon enough, which meant that soon there would be a million Undershi soldiers on the shore. Which was excelent - there was no way that the enemy could stand against that much force, that much fire-power all concentrated against one point. Especially when another two million troops were already prepared to attack, and the skies would soon be darkened not just by the missiles and aircraft launched by his fleet but also by missiles and bombers from land bases in the Empire...

It was going to be a brutal fight, that much was certain. That much was clear. The Undershi Army, which hated cassualties with a passion, was preparing to sacrifice hundreds of thousands. All to clear the debt that the Undershi government felt it owed the Corporate Alliance for its help during the No_State_At_All War. Back then the Empire might almost have been beaten, but then along had come allies to help them against the GASN... and it had been a victory.

He smilled faintly as he thought about that war. Thousands of NSAA POWs had been left behind by their government, abandoned to their fate as the GASN had fallen apart. Now they worked the fields near Undershi City, worked like any other norm, and they were having children, and those children would serve the Undershi state...

For a moment, Admiral Kaufmann continued to allow his mind to wander, wondering whether these people here would make decent workers once they had been beaten and pacified. Almost certainly they would - once their army had been beaten and the worst of the troublemakers crucified, then the rest would go along easily enough. It wasn't like it hadn't happened before, in Paxton for example, where they'd had to drive their tanks over idiots who had laid down in the streets and refused to move... or in Saint Rynald, where they'd destroyed Saint Rynald City to break the spirit of the rebels... they'd won before, and they would again.

But first, before he could truly turn his mind to the problems of an occupation, he would need to win. And he would, he was sure. This enemy they were facing, Kampfers... it had a population of under a billion - there was no way that it could match the Undershi military. No way at all, just no way at all...

The admiral smilled to himself, and went back to examining the tactical display. It was inspiring to watch that many ships move, that was for sure.

Undershi Troop Ship Tannenburg, Undershi Invasion Fleet

Sergeant Joseph Lee of the 2nd IIS Storm Trooper division knelt in the deployment bay, checking over his armour and weapons and idly conversing with the men in his squad. They were all good men and veterans - the IIS Storm Trooper units were the elite of the Undershi military, and their members were chosen entierly from decorated combat veterans.

A few of his men seemed suprisingly young to be decorated or even to have seen action... but the Undershi military took True Undershis young, from six years age on they were either in training to be soldiers at some boarding bootcamp or in service, until they'd finished their minimum service at twenty, and for longer if they were selected for or vollenteered for extended service. They weren't technically soldiers until they were eighteen, but at fourteen or so they generally were deployed for anti-partisan work in Southlands Province, somewhere where the fighting would be less fierce than a truly serious battlefield.

The system seemed to produce good soldiers, so it was considered a success. And he had to admit that it did seem to work, even if it sometimes produced odd behavious or strangeness.

He was listening to Johan Strelli, one of the IIS Privates, talking about how he wondered what the girls would be like when they had the place safely occupied. It was just innocent chatter, nothing unusual. The others were swapping stories, and they all laughed when one of them mentioned something about the girls in Saint Rynald Province, something humorous about how they bit. Of course, by regulations any True Undershi who had sex with a norm, a normal or someone who wasn't a True Undershi, would be quite severly punished - flogging, then imprisonment with counciling to help deal with their obvious perversion. But it still happened - you took enough teenaged boys who had just gotten out of training where they often didn't see a single girl for months, and stuff inevitably happened, True Undershi conviction or not.

The troops kept chatting as they checked their weapons. Soon they would be landing on a hostile shore, to fight an enemy who would be fighting for their homes and families and whatever sort of freedoms they had under their present government. Soon they would be destroying lives, taking away their homes and their freedoms and setting up a new Undershi Province, or so they had been told, although the idea of something less than the annihilation of the enemy nation as a goal was still being entertained.

OOC: Your numbers are rather low for a nation your size with your defensive budget. I suppose ya didn't buy anything for a while? Also, I TGed you about the possibility of closing this thread. If you want to add 1 more person to your side, that's ok, just clear them by me first. I want the sides to be relatively even in size.

SIC:

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers
In the office of the Fuhrer

Fuhrer Richtoff was kicked back in his new leather backed office chair, his feet propped up and the Kampferian Nationla Football Team on the television. He wore the jersey of the team captain, and held a hot dog in his hand. Today was a work day at its best. The Kampferian National team was playing for dignity, respect, and the right to win the World Cup. For a good reason, Kampferian sports teams had developed a reputation for choking. The baseball team would go undefeated in the first round and bomb out the next. The football team would do great in friendlies and bomb out of the cup. In all, it was one major headache for Fuhrer Richtoff. As he sat and waatched his team get pummeled, Fuhrer Richtoff bowed his head, and lifted a few words up. God, let me never stumble if you place the nation in such a position...

No sooner had he said those words, than in his door burst his secretary. "Awww, damn it Bernice, I told you to never come in here while I'm watching the game!" He sighed, and swiveled his chair around to face her. He then noted General Klischten staning outside. The grin on his face disappeared, and he became serious instantly. "What is it?"

Bernice frowned. "Sir, I think you had better come with me."

Fuhrer Richtoff set down the TV remote. "Alright, just let me slip into something more professional," obvious displeasure sweeping across his face.

"Umm, sir? I think you should come with me now."

Fuhrer Richtoff jumped out of his chair. If there was one thing he knew, it was that Bernice didn't play games. "Alright, I'm coming." He shoved the remaining bits of hot dog into his mouth, forcing it down, and left the room, a small mustard stain on his shiny white jersey. He followed Bernice to the designated elevator, where he placed his thumb on the small fingerprint scanner. After reading his thumbprint, the elevator doors opened, and he and Klischten entered. Bernice waited behind, waving slowly as the doors closed. Klischten stood at utmost attention, not speaking a word. Richtoff knew something bad must be happening to have this happen to his friend, normally lax and talkative. The elevator stopped 3 floors beneath the basement, and the men exited, one in full dress, the other in a stained football jersey. They walked throught the passage a bit, descending lower and lower. Eventually, they reached the Kampferian War Room. This was where they convened in times of crisis. Fuhrer Richtoff didn't know it yet, but this was one of those times.

In the room were the heads of staff. Admiral Christian, Klint von Steinmetz, and General Klischten all seate themselves around the table. Richtoff sat down at the head. Numerous guards stood around the room, at full attention. The heads of staff gazed in wonder at what the Fuhrer was wearing, but then again, this wasn't supposed to be happening now. Admiral Christian stood tall in the room. "Sir, since the issue at hand is mainly naval, I will lead the breifing process." He looked down at the table, arranged some of his notes, and looked back up at the Fuhrer.

Slowly, he began. "Sir, the situation is immenent. A large, hostile fleet amasses off of our territorial waters. Well over 400 ships stand ready to attack. This does not include submarines. OBSAT has them on continual survellience. Among the other ships stand troop carriers. These men will surely give us a great fight, but they are doomed. They underestimate our strength, our resolve, and our allies. At the moment, we can summon a combined fleet strenth of around 900 ships, minus the Europas and a few Kingdom classes, which are still under construction along with the rest of the navy. We will be able to take full advantage of our coastal missile batteries as well as our gun nests. I doubt they live to see the landing. Klint will fill the skies with planes of the Air Force, and I will do the same with planes from our navy. They will be hard pressed to combat our ships alone. Not only this, but they have commited a tactival blunder. At this minute, a Wagdogian fleet sails back towards Kampfers from Calizornistan, where it has been patrolling since the fight at Gallia. With any luck, we will contact them before they come in range, and they will easily swing in behind the Undershi fleet, trapping them in the field of death. Vetaka will arrive in force as well, along with more Wagdogian fleets, but by that time, the threat may be eliminated."

Fuhrer Richtoff smiled. "So the situation is not grave yet. Good. Move the army within distance of the shores, but keep them off of them for now, in case they begin to bombard them. The ships are stock full with Rufous missiles and the Questarian SS-X-38 missiles. The planes are armed with regular air to air missiles and Fenix missiles, and the coastal launchers are armed with SS-X-38's I suppose?"

"Right you are, Fuhrer. We simply await your word."

"Let us send word to our allies first. Then let us begin the bombardment." He swiveled around and pushed his way over to a small computer screen, directly linked to Kampferian OBSAT, and began to type out a message on the keyboard.

OBSAT SECURE BATTLEFIELD COMMUNICATION
FROM: KAMPFERIAN HIGH COMMAND
TO: USSW WAR OFFICE/VETAKAN HIGH COMMAND

UNDERSHI FLEETS AMASS OUTSIDE WATERS. CONFLICT IMMINENT. STOP.
REQUEST HELP. STOP.
ADVISE WAGDOGIAN FLEET IN AREA TO SWING IN BEHIND UNDERSHI FLEET AND TRAP THEM. STOP.
WE SHALL PUMMEL THE ARROGANT FOOLS. FULL STOP.

With that, Fuhrer Richtoff turned back around. "Let the games begin." After Rictoff said those four words, a flurry of activity shot around the room. Every Commander began to make calls, sending out the orders in a predetermined tree branch method. Te word spread like wildfire through the ranks. Every man ran to hsi post, and prepared for what was to come. Slowly, the Kampferian fleets lumbered around the first island, swinging in between it and the Undershi fleet. They would defend their homeland to the last man. Men on the coasts had their missile launchers ready, with more missiles ready to be loaded. Aboard the lead Kingdom class BBAN, the KS Freiheit, Admiral Jonathon Gearing knew it was time to inspire the troops. Morale was where wars were won and lost, and by god, his troops would have the best damn morale out of them all. He came over the PA system, simultaneously adressing every ship in the fleet. After a slight ringing sound dissapated, Gearing began.

"Sons and Fathers, Wives and Mothers. You come here today not on the whim of a madman looking to expand his tyrannical empire. Rather, you come to defend your peaceful homeland from those that wish us harm. When the world around us seems dark, remember that you are the light! Let not these warmongering fools deter you! Press on! I assure you, you will see your families again. Their thoughts and prayers go out to each of you this day. Let not the armies of evil swarm our lands! Fight! Fight for your family! Fight for all that is good and just in this world, that another bastion of hope may not be extinguished! There may be a day when Kampfers is no more, and enemies spit on our hallowed ground. But it is not this day. This day we fight!"

A great cheer arose from the ships the men and women of the Kampferian Navy invigorated. Slowly, a low alarm began to wail on each ship. "Battle Stations!" was the call that rang out among the ships. The war had come to Kampfers, but Kampfers had come in force. This would be one hell of a fight.

Rapidly, Su-47 Berkuts began to lift off from the runways of Kampfers. F-35 Lightning II's readied themselves on the catapults of the carriers and began to join the droves of the Berkuts in the air. It would be a massive battle, and the Kampferians would be striking the first blow.

"Kampferians, FIRE!" Was a cry heard up and down the shores of the many islands of Kampfers. Streaming from the missile batteries was a massive flow of the Questarian designed SS-X-38 missiles. Kampfers had the production rights, and ever since a war had been threatened with the Corporate Alliance, the Kampferian factories had been producing the missiles in droves to add to their already large stockpile. From the VLS tubes of the ships and submarines, a deadly combination of Rufous missiles and SS-X-38's streamed forth. And The planes that carried Fenix missiles closed in towards the correct range. The large guns on the Battleships opened up, throwing massive shells at the Undershi fleet. The first punch would strike, and it would strike hard. Meanwhile, the Mogami class cruisers placed themselves into positions better suited for their purpose, and began to prepare their defenses. Satellites positioned themselves overhead, ready to deploy brilliant pebbles at a moments notice. A retaliatory punch was sure to come, Kampfers would be ready. If the first punch did its job, it would turn into a Heavyweight versus a Lightweight match. If not, it would be two heavyweights, duking it out, even if Kampfers did hold a tactical and numerical advantage for the moment.

It would be a battle for the ages, and would go down in Kampferian lore. The time had come.

OOC:

Wrap-up:

I asked a Wagdog Fleet already in the area to swing around behind you and block you from retreating. I then launched a massive attack, since you didn't take the initiative. :p

My ORBAT:
88 × Nowotny-class SSN
36 × Chamberlain-class SSGN
14 × Union-class CVBN
8 × Hornby-class CVLN
4 × Kingdom-class BBAN
12 × King Henry V-class BBGN
12 × Consort-class CBGN
32 × Regent-class CAGN
44 × Alderdom-class CLGN
176 × Síanach-class DDGN
236 × Bullfinch-class FFH
16 × Crocodile-class LCS
2 × Lord-class LHD
2 × Ungforth-class LPD
2 × Valley-class LSD
2 × Cernunnos-class BCN
10 × Siren-class AGI
4 × Sea Lion-class PGC
4 × Freki-class PG
4 × Geri-class PG
21 × Lem-class AFSN
45 × Smith-class AOE
24 × Guinness-class AOEN
10 × Aylesburgh-class AS
10 × Virago-class ASN
2 × Hobbes-class AH
10 × Gabin-class AKR
14 × General Marsden-class AP
75 x Mogami Class Cruiser

And there are somewheres around 75,000 missiles flying your way.

And about 4000 Berkuts taking off from my airfields, and 3000 Lightning from the Carriers.

OOC: Bump for those watching this thread. It is now closed. The teams are:

Undershi and Gens Romae

vs

Kampfers, Wagdog, and Vetaka

Since Gens has decided to attack Lord Sumuy instead (foolish), you may replace them with someone else about his population. Just clear them by me first, I don't want to rp with certain people.

OOC: I hadn't moved my fleet into range of your shore based guns yet. Also, each of my aircraft carriers is on the large end of the carrier scale.

Command Bridge of the Undershi Carrier Hobbes

Admiral Kaufmann whistled as he saw the Kampferian fleet approach. 900 ships, all moving towards the Undershi advanced force... but that wasn't a problem, not really. The main fleet was just behind, with another fifty carriers, one hundred assorted cruiser, one hundred and sixty anti-aircraft frigates and four hundred sixty escorts and destroyers... not to mention a few dozen submarine squadrons, and the two million extra troops in their transports. With all of that on his side, he was not truly worried about the enemy fleet.

But... it had his little advanced force out on a limb, in front of the main force and isolated. Not a good position, really. But he'd use what he could use, and would try what he could.

From his present position, it looked as though he would need to retreat towards the main fleet. Range was always on the side of the Undershi - their navy had almost no iron guns left, relying instead almost entierly on aircraft and missiles. It was a fairly standard practice for an Undershi naval commander to lurk at the very edge of the effective engagement range of his missiles, and keep throwing them at the enemy as he came in to fight, all the while retreating to maintain the range. Perhaps he would do that now... although the huge number of missiles and aircraft coming in towards his position were worrying. So many targets... but he had a solution for that, too. He turned towards the communications officer on his right, and spoke:

"Tell the frigates to deploy SAMs against the enemy formations. Maximum saturation of the air - I want them firing as many times as they can within the fire-control network. Then, after that's taken care of, have all of the carriers launch their Thunderers, carrying full anti-aircraft loads. Have the Thunderers form CAPs, and send some squadrons out to deploy their missiles against enemy targets. Also, I want all ships linked into a fire-control net for their CIWS units - have first priority set as protecting the transports, second as defending the carriers and everything else as third priority." when he'd finished speaking, he sat back in his chair once more and returned to staring at the incoming missiles and aircraft. This would soon be getting ugly...

After another pause, he spoke again:

"And... have the fleet begin orderly movement towards the main force. We need to maintain a long-range engagement." as he spoke, he felt thankful that the Undershi Navy had abandoned the idea of battleships and dreadnoughts for carriers and cruisers. They were faster, for one thing, and for another... well, one modern missile in the right place could sink any ship out there, that was one of the elements of modern naval warfare that had influenced Undershi designs. Undershi ships had little armour... but they had a lot of CIWS units, computer controlled auto-cannons that could shoot down incoming missiles, and were heavy on ECM to make the missiles miss. It all worked out in the end...

Launch Deck of the Undershi Carrier Hobbes

Flight Leader Mikial Diez checked the neck seal of his flight suit while sweating Janissary flight crews ran this way and that, arming the deadly little Thunderer fighter-bombers on the deck.

His squad mates waited next to him, nervous even if they were True Undershis. They had seen the tactical display, and knew they would be going into a... well, the phrase was "target rich enviornment." At this moment, Mikial sympathized with them. They were going to face overwhelming odds... and many of them were going to die.

For a second, his mind wandered back into history, to his father and the war that he had fought. He had been in the tank corp back during the Northlands War, when Undershi had almost failed... and he'd fought so hard. He remembered the stories his father had told him, about how he'd had his tank-destroyer waiting in cover, imobilized, waiting for the Northland panzers to come... and, how they'd come. And come, and come and come, until it had seemed that every Northlander in the world was lined up in front of his position, rushing onwards and screaming, their tanks coming on behind... and, his father had been the gunner, and he'd kept on firing the 88mm gun, kept firing it as the Northland tanks kept coming, until he'd had only four shells left, and there had been six Northlander tanks coming, and their infantry was swarming and throwing grenades and the Undershi machineguns were chattering and cutting them down... and he'd fired, once, twice, three times and then four. And each shot had been a kill, and then he'd thought that they were doomed, but they'd kept firing the machineguns, and he'd opened up with the coaxial gun... and then the artillery had come, and the counter-attack, and they'd been saved.

His father had told him that story as one of how the Undershi would always prevail. Always. He'd had a little saying to go with his stories, one he said he'd heard from some tank commander:
When you're out of fuel or immobilized, become a bunker. When you're out of ammunition, become cover. When you're out of hope, become a hero.

A hero. There were going to be a lot of heroes amoung the Undershi fighter pilots, soon enough. A whole lot of heroes. He could tell, from the way things looked. The metal was about to hit the meat, and he had a sinking feeling in his stomach, a nervous terror that this time it was the Undershis who would be the meat, who would be cut and who would bleed.

Sighing, Mikial called for his men to get into their Thunderers and prepare for launch. The SAMs were already launching in huge numbers, filling the air with fire and smoke and the shrieking of high speed metal. Soon he would be up amoungst the noise and the fire, adding to it all with his missiles and guns... and perhaps soon he would die. But he was a True Undershi - he would do his duty or die trying. That was what True Undershis did.

OOC: Undershi - I didn't fire shore based guns. I fired shore based missiles. My guns were from my battleships. Will edit in response.

EDIT: Also, how do you get - "another fifty carriers" - when "Well over half of the Undershi Navy was under his command - twenty four carriers"???

OOC: Not to mention fluid time guys.

OOC: Undershi - I didn't fire shore based guns. I fired shore based missiles. My guns were from my battleships. Will edit in response.

EDIT: Also, how do you get - "another fifty carriers" - when "Well over half of the Undershi Navy was under his command - twenty four carriers"???

OOC: The total force under his command is referenced under "well over half of the Undershi Navy," while the twenty four carriers are in his advanced force. I mentioned the other two million grounds troops etc. in the first post. And, I acknowledged the shore based missiles in my last post.

"Chorus:

"O'er the hills and o'er the main
At Zanski, Generia and Theeb
The President commands and we obey
Over the hills and far away.

Start:

There's forty credits on the drum
For those who volunteer to come,
To 'list and fight the foe today
Over the Hills and far away

[Chorus]

O'er the hills and o'er the main
Through Wagdog, Honako and Kampfers
The President commands and we obey
O'er the hills and far away
When duty calls me I must go
To stand and face another foe
But part of me will always stray
Over the hills and far away

[Chorus]

If I should fall to rise no more
As many comrades did before
Then ask the fifes and drums to play
Over the hills and far away

[Chorus]

Then fall in lads behind the drum
With colours blazing like the sun
Along the road to come what may
Over the hills and far away
For Freedom will always prevail."

OBSAT SECURE BATTLEFIELD COMMUNICATION
TO: KAMPFERIAN HIGH COMMAND
FROM: USSW/VDF JOINT ALLIED COMMAND

MESSAGE RECEIVED AND UNDERSTOOD STOP USSW GROUND FORCES ALREADY IN DEFENSIVE POSITIONS WITHIN KAMPFERS AND UNDER KAMPFIAN OPERATIONAL COMMAND STOP VDF 3RD ARMY INBOUND VIA AIR INSERTION STOP USSW 5TH NAVAL FLEET MOVING AS REQUESTED STOP VDF 3RD NAVAL BATTLEGROUP MOVING TO ENGAGE ENEMY FLEET FROM THE RIGHT FLANK STOP VDF LONG RANGE BOMBER STRIKE INBOUND ON ENEMY MAIN FLEET TARGETTING ENEMY CARRIER ASSETS STOP

VETAKA IS WITH YOU KAMPFERS WILL BE DEFENDED TILL THE LAST FULL STOP

VDF 3rd Battlegroup, Left Flank of the Undershi Fleet, VDFNS Courage, International Waters, Just Outside of Kampfers:

The VDF 3rd Naval Battlegroup had finally arrived just outside of Kampfers here to protect an Ally whom had stood by Vetaka through thick and thin this Ally would be defended to the last Ship, Plane and Man. Standing on the bridge of the Flagship the Royal Sovereign Class SDN Vetakan Defence Force Naval Ship Courage. Admiral Katie Contona smiled as she gazed across the Fleet before her. Whilst the Enemy outnumbered her fleet the enemy would have to sink every Ship and Down every plane before Kampfers would fall. Katie had understood her mission, it was simple "Kampfers would be defended at all costs". As they neared the Fleet Contona's XO piped up his voice eager to defend an Ally:

"Ma'am we are at Battlestations and ready to go. The Air Arm is ready and we are ready and primed to go. OBSAT is tracking the fleet. The Shadowcaster Strike Group is inbound ETA on the Target 2 Minutes. Any Words for them?"

"Put me on?" replied the Admiral

A few seconds past and the XO stuck up his Thumb a distant voice came through the Bridge Speakers:

"Group Commander Bill Landers here Ma'am, Its honour"

"The Pleasure is all mine Group Commander. Target the Enemy Carriers Only if we can take a few of them out we should be able to level the playing field. Split your Strike Group into its two seperate Attack Groups. Attack Group Alpha to engage the Enemy Advance Guard Fleet. Attack Group Bravo to engage the Enemy Main Invasion Fleet. As I say target those Carriers specifically. We will follow your attack with a Full Khan Strike. Understood?" replied Katie her voice oozing in her natural Command skills.

"Yes Ma'am" came the reply from the group commander.

At the moment high up in the Sky at Orbital Altitude 200 B-74 Shadowcasters split into 2 seperate formations of 100 each. Splitting off into two different directions 1 of the Attack Groups moved on to drop their deadly load on the Advance Guard Fleet whilst the other moved to target the Main Invasion Fleet. As they approached the Target Co-Ordinates which had been calculated via Vetakan OBSAT Systems to ensure the maximum accuracy could be achieved. The Bomb Bay doors opened and the deadly load was readied, As the Shadowcasters hit their Pre-Designated Carriers the Deadly Load was fired. Each Shadowcaster was carrying 12 Harpoon Anti Shipping Missiles and 12 Rufous Anti Shipping Missiles hitting the Target Co-Ordinates the Missiles fired and desended to hit the Targets hopefully sinking if not disabling the Advancing Enemy Carriers. The Vetakan Defence Doctrine dictated that the key to Naval Victory and even to stopping an Invasion was to remove the Enemies Carriers and securing Air Superiority over any battlefield was critical to winning any war. Back down on earth the Vetakan Fleet prepared its Khan Stocks ready to fire as soon as the B-74Shadowcaster attack was launched the Vetakan Fleet fired its Khan Missiles in total 150 Khan Anti Shipping Missiles fired. Yet again their targets were the Carriers that had already been hit by the Shadowcaster Strike. The Vetakan Part in this War had begun.

First Wave:

200 B-74 Shadowcasters (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12197703&postcount=99)

Each Carrying

- 12 Harpoon Anti Shipping Missiles= Total 2400
- 12 Rufous Anti Shipping Missiles= Total 2400

Second Wave:

150 Khan Anti Shipping Missiles

Targetting Carriers Only

VDF 3rd Battlegroup


1 Royal Sovereign Class SDN (VDFNS Courage)
10 Champion Class Supercarriers
30 Agamemnon Class Battleships
30 Chieftain Class Pocket Battleships
30 Dauntless Class Heavy Battleships
30 White Phoenix Class Battleships
20 Ticonderoga Class Missile Cruisers
20 Arsenal Class Stealth Missile Cruiser
30 Zumwalt Class Stealth Missile Destroyers
30 Daring Class Air Defense Destroyers
30 Brandenburg Class Stealth ASW Frigates
30 Sachsen Class Stealth Air Defense Frigates
10 Ohio Class Ballistic Missile Submarines
40 Allegro Class Attack Submarines
40 Virginia Class Attack Submarines

10 Type 42 Destroyers
5 Mercy Class Hospital Ships
10 Safeguard Class Damage Control Ships
10 Supply Class Fast Combat Support Ships
10 Osprey Class Mine Hunters
200 SH-60 Seahawk Helicopters (Blackhawk naval variant)
150 AH-64D Apache Longbow Helicopters
100 CH-46 Sea Knight Helicopters
50 CH-53 Super Stallion Helicopters
800 FA-16D Preists
800 FA-15D Cardinals
20 E-2C Hawkeyes

OOC: Glad you found this thread Vetaka.

S/IC:

Kampfers Stadt, Kampers
Inside Kampferian High Command

There was still a flurry of activity inside the bunker. Fuhrer Richtoff sat back, once again amazed by how his cheifs of staff handled the pressure of the situation. Orders were being sent, completed, and resent in simple seconds. The fight was going well, but more Undershi fleets were coming. As such, the news that Vetaka and Wagdog were coming in force was sweet to the ears of the Kampferian generals.

Fuhrer Richtoff was the first to see the incoming OBSAT communication. He read the urgent message, then quickly wrote out a response.

OBSAT SECURE BATTLEFIELD COMMUNICATION
TO: USSW/VDF JOINT ALLIED COMMAND
FROM: KAMPFERIAN HIGH COMMAND

SOUNDS GREAT. STOP.
WE ARE LAUNCHING MASSIVE NUMBERS OF MISSILES AND WILL BE CONDUCTING BOMBING RUNS SHORTLY. STOP.
IF LAND IS REACHED, EXPECT THE FIGHTING TO BE EVEN MORE INTENSE THAN ON SEA. STOP.
THANK YOU, MY BROTHERS. FULL STOP.

Richtoff sent off the message, then informed the men of the news. There was a breif sense of excitement, but it quickly dissapated as the men got onto their duties. A massive Kampferian strike was in order, and it would be as hard if not harder than the first one.

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers
Kampferian Joint Military Base

On the runways, part one of the attack sat. 150 B-74 Shadowcasters sat, completing their preflight preparations. Each was carrying 24 Rufous Missiles, the full compliment. As they sat, the call came in for them to take off. Slowly, the planes shot off into the distance, holding up in a circling pattern above the airport until they were all in the air. They then began to move towards the Undershi fleet in a grouped mass. Kampferian Fighters lay between them and anything Undershi might throw at them, and they would fight to the last.

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers
On the beach

Major General Flinchester stood overlooking the coastal battery team. "Reload that missile!" The original SS-X-38 Barrage had drained the first batteries, and it was taking time to get them operational again. Some had overheated, and exploded, causing the first Kampferian deaths in this theatre. But many were left. But it was not they who would be involved in this attack. They were to continue to cool and regroup until the third barrage. For this attack, the previously unused batteries would open up on the Undershi ships.

These were the batteries that were located on the rear of the Kampferian Islands. It had taken some work to turn them 180 degrees, and it was thus that they had not been included in the first barrage. But they were ready to fire this time, and that they would do. Gearing was in control of them too, and climbed the steps to where the microphone was. "Gentlemen, fire on my command. 10... 9... 8..."

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers
Kampferian Joint Military Base

Now that the B-74 Stratocasters had cleared the runways, the G4M6 Hayabusa 4LB(N) began to take to the skies. Their loud engines could be heard miles off, but there was no mistaking their firepower. Each was equipped with two AS8A Anti Shipping Missiles. It was said that three AS8A can sink a 100,000 ton battleship, but a more realistic number is four. Even still, these were very powerful. They comprised the fourth and final part of the strike. They slowly motored off towards the Undershi fleet, anxiously awaiting the orders to fire.

Kampferian Territorial Waters
Aboard the KS Einigkeit

Cold. Calculating. Vengeful. These were qualities oft used to describe the commander of the Kampferian submarine the Einigkeit. It was these qualities that made him hate Undershi with everything in him. It was these qualities that made him feel elation when he was told that his submarine would be a part of the second attack. Slowly, silently, his sub moved foward along with the other 88 Nowotny class submarines. As they neared the Undershi fleet, all subs went completely "quiet". They were now in position.

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers
In the Air

The interceptors patrolled everything, making sure that no one went for the bombers. The Shadowcasters were already out of reach, but it was important to put on the show nonetheless. As the Shadowcasters neared the ships, they unleased their full armament of missiles. Seconds thereafter, it was time for the second prong to strike.

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers
On the beach

"3... 2... 1... FIRE!" Flichester screamed at the top of his lungs. The missile batteries fired in unison, sending a combination of SS-X-38 missiles and Vetakn Fenix Missiles screaming towards the enemy ships. Part two was underway. It was time for part three.

Kampferian Territorial Waters
Aboard the KS Einigkeit

As soon as the order was recieved, all the submarines opened up with all their instant fire power. 8 torpedoes streamed out of each submarine, 4 660mm torpedos and 4 585mm torpedoes. After firing the first torpedoes, the submarines did not worry about reloading. Their position was comprimised, and all submarines entered a full dive, attempting to get away from the site as fast as possible. And now it was time for the close.

Kampfers Stadt, Kampfers
In the Air

The Hayabusa bombers motored in range of the ships, and unleashed their full compliment of AS8A anti-shipping missiles. With 500 planes having been scrambled at the last second, this comprised 1000 missiles. They then swung around and began to head home, the intercepors covering their retreat.

Kampfers Stadt, Kampers
Inside Kampferian High Command

Fuhrer Richtoff watched the attack take form. He watched his screen as it slowly became one giant mass of missiles, lagging a slight bit, but he knew that once those missiles detonated, it would go back to almost instantaneous.

OOC:

2nd attack recap:

Carriers, Battleships, and SDs are first priority. Troop carriers are 2nd, then other ships are 3rd.

3,600 Rufous missiles fired from B-74 Stratocasters
25,000 SS-X-38 Missiles fired from coastal batteries
25,000 Fenix Missiles fired from coastal batteries
704 Torpedoes launched, 1/2 660mm, 1/2 585mm
1000 AS8A missiles launched

All bombers returning to land, retreat covered by the aforementioned 7000 planes.

The subs are diving and attempting to flee, for now.

V, get on #d.

Oh, Undershi, if you want the specs to anything I use in this combat, I will link you to it.

3,600 Rufous missiles fired from B-74 Stratocasters
25,000 SS-X-38 Missiles fired from coastal batteries
25,000 Fenix Missiles fired from coastal batteries
704 Torpedoes launched, 1/2 660mm, 1/2 585mm
1000 AS8A missiles launched




I am calling that out. What is your defense budget? This is a massive amount of missiles, and is going to be really, really expensive for such a new nation.

I am calling that out. What is your defense budget? This is a massive amount of missiles, and is going to be really, really expensive for such a new nation.

OOC: $10,523,362,443,970.995 freshly calculated. Also, I have been stockpiling these ever since the Mer des Ennuis thing started with Vetaka a month or so ago. I got the DPRs to the SS-X-38 for free as well as the DPRs to the Fenix for free. Becuase these have been mass produced, I am fine with you guys rping a few defects in the missiles, but I don't expect the whole lot of them to fall into the ocean. Also, I am throwing practically everything I have at him in hopes of crushing him quickly, and taking limited damage. Simply because I am new does not mean my defensive budget has to suck.

OOC: $10,523,362,443,970.995 freshly calculated. Also, I have been stockpiling these ever since the Mer des Ennuis thing started with Vetaka a month or so ago. I got the DPRs to the SS-X-38 for free as well as the DPRs to the Fenix for free. Becuase these have been mass produced, I am fine with you guys rping a few defects in the missiles, but I don't expect the whole lot of them to fall into the ocean. Also, I am throwing practically everything I have at him in hopes of crushing him quickly, and taking limited damage. Simply because I am new does not mean my defensive budget has to suck.

OOC: Usually it does. You are new and a nation your size's defense budget is usually too small to buy those things... And many times, a nation your size's defense budget is tiny compared to other nations defense budgets...

OOC: Usually it does. You are new and a nation your size's defense budget is usually too small to buy those things... And many times, a nation your size's defense budget is tiny compared to other nations defense budgets...

OOC: Mal, get out of this thread. It is closed and you were not invited. I could care less what you say. BC is the head of your alliance and can comment if he wants. But you should leave. Please.

Over the Undershi Fleet

Flight Leader Mikial Diez shouted in exhilaration as his Thunderer fighter-bomber wove through the air, lining up long-range shots against Kampferian bombers, then releasing. Undershi fighters were heavy on missiles, and the Thunderer was no exception. Although it possessed a 20mm auto-cannon, its main armament was its missiles, as was the case with most modern aircraft.

He'd just sent off a pair of AMRAAMs at a Kampferian bomber, and was feeling the fierce joy of the knowledge that he'd just struck at the enemy. He could understand the stories that his father had told him now - now they really seemed real and present, as he fought with all the skill he had been trained for in order to kill and protect. He was a soldier now, a true soldier and a True Undershi, and he felt more alive than he ever had before, as his fighter-bomber turned and wove to come to bear on the enemy once more. It was better than what his father had mentioned, and he had a feeling of near god-hood that he had been unprepared for. His father's stories had been full of mud and blood and tears as well as honor and glory, but there was no mud in the sky, just as there would be no blood, only flame as missile or shell cut into a plane and sent it crashing to the earth.

He felt a pang of sympathy for the enemy that was fighting and dieing up in the skies alongside the Undershi. Their fighters were slower, and were constrained by the need to protect the bombers... but they were brave. As he brought his craft to bear and fired off another pair of AMRAAMs, he tried to remember that old term for fighter pilots, from some long ago war when they had fought with canvas wings and wooden frames instead of the supersonic machined metal of the modern age. Knights of the Air, that was it. That was what they were, and that was the kinship they shared. They were all heroes now, as they fought. All heroes and gods as they flew... he felt, in a moment of clarity, more kinship with the pilots he was fighting than he did for the burly bullies of the Order Police or of the IIS, those earthbound bullies... and he thought suddenly of the industry that made the fighter-bomber he was flying possible. Metals mined by illiterate slave labor in the mines of Undershi, pulled from the earth by machines that worked without tiring, or by rebelious workers sentenced to die, who toiled like machines instead of men in the darkness of the deepest mines, and they died, and the metal came out, and was transported to factories where semi-skilled norm workers watched over by True Undershi or Janissary guards with loaded automatic shotguns worked to turn the metal and plastics and wiring and all the other parts into machines which then rose from the earth to bring fiery death to the heavens... all of that, made possible by norm workers toiling in the earth or in the rubber plantations or in the oil fields. All the wealth of a nation of two billion, worked into the form of weaponry so that it could go out into the world and protect that state from those who would threaten it with their very existence... all worked into weapons so that conquest could continue, so that new workers and new resources could be found.

Undershi had made its biggest gamble yet, he realized as he wove amoung the fighters and the missiles that rose from the Undershi fleet below, a rain heavier than any he had seen before but occuring in reverse...

They had to win. To lose would be to break the system, and to do that would break the Undershi state. The norms would rise up, and everything would come apart...

And he admitted, at this time and to himself, that he had no great love for the Undershi system, for the all-powerful state that sent the norm slaves into the depths of the mines so that the fighters and missiles could rise up from the earth as the armies marched in every direction... he had no great love for it, but he would still die for it. Because he was a True Undershi, and True Undershis could only survive in a system very much like the one that now gripped the Undershi state. The weapons had to be made. The factories had to function. The norm workers had to continue toiling in the lightless depths beneath the earth. Because Undershi, or at least the idea of Undershi, which was in its most simplified form the idea that a new species was being formed out of the old race that was humanity, one that would eventually unify the entire world into a state where the weapons would not need to be made and the armies would not need to march, and eventually where the norm slave would not need to labor within the darkest depths. That was what he was fighting for. For the end of the need to fight.

He smilled then, as he launched a third pair of AMRAAMs at his enemy. It was all so beautiful, it all made so much sense...

But then a pair of enemy missiles found him, and his Thunderer was in flames, falling, falling... falling from the sky like a rebel angel cast down from heaven, towards the endless blackness below the sea.

He was still smillng then, still smilling as he grasped the controls tightly, and went down firing off a stream of 20mm auto-cannon shots into the enemy. He was a True Undershi, and he was not afraid to die.

The flaming Thunderer struck the black water. There was only darkness.

Command Bridge of the Undershi Carrier Hobbes

Admiral Abdul Kaufmann sat perfectly straight in his seat, staring straight ahead into the tactical display as the massive swarms of low-quality missiles fell from the sky. Counter-missiles and SAMs had claimed scores of them, hundreds of them. It was almost too easy, counter missiles would fly into the air and burst, sub-warheads striking half a dozen enemy missiles from the sky. As the threats neared, CIWS units opened fire, sending up a hail of lead, carefully smashing missiles from the sky.

The fighters overhead were performing admirably, swarming to launch their AMRAAMs, then turning on new targets and repeating. They were fighting well, and carefully, and casualties had so far been suprisingly light.

In terms of the fighting beneath the waves, that front was going well. The Undershi picket destroyers, and even more importantly their own submarine assets, had formed an excelent Anti-Submarine Warfare net, one so thick that enemy infiltration of the fleet was all but impossible. Enemy subs had tried to engage, but had been forced to launch their torpedoes from extreme range, while Undershi subs on ASW duty had returned their torpedoes with volleys of their own, hopefully smashing and wreaking enemy assets. Even now, they hunted the enemy subs in the depths, waiting to engage them and destroy them.

In terms of his return fire at the enemy land-based launchers and fleet, well, he was not doing so well. But that was to be expected - it was more meant to keep the enemy busy with their counter-missiles than to hurt them - it was meant to make them show where their AA batteries were located, so that they could be hit when the real invasion came. Anyways, all launchers were needed for counter-missile and anti-air fire. He would need everything he had...

But he wasn't alone even now. Already, Thunderers from the main fleet had come overhead, and were engaged with the enemy. Soon the rest of the fleet would be present, and then it would be time to hit back...

Suddenly, the Communications Officer screamed a curse, something which brought him back to the present. Nervously, although he made sure that no sign of nerves entered his calm and level True Undershi voice, he asked:

"What was that?" to which the Communications Officer replied in horror:

"That was the Berlin, sir, one of the big heavy transports. It was carrying a full division of True Undershi troops, the 231st Mechanized... it just took a hit from a ship-killer, sir. Intel reports that cassualties will be well over 98% for crew and troops, and may indeed be total." that made the Admiral wince - the opperation had just gotten expensive. He'd just lost at least 9,800 True Undershi soldiers, proper career soldiers at that, and that was not counting the crew of the Berlin. The entire conquest of Jenshalem Province had not been that expensive... this was starting to hurt.

Sighing quietly, he examined the computer readout on his left. It showed the list of ships lost, a list that was starting to grow... it still looked like victory was likely, but it was going to cost. It was going to cost a lot to win, and the price would be payed in True Undershi lives. He only hoped that the fee would be worth it, and that victory could be achieved. He just had to pray.

OOC: Mal, get out of this thread. It is closed and you were not invited. I could care less what you say. BC is the head of your alliance and can comment if he wants. But you should leave. Please.

OOC: You know, Closed doesn't mean that no one else can comment, just that no one else can join the RP. He probably should have commented on the OOC thread, but Maldorians definitely has a good point. That is a shit load of missiles...

To give some perspective of the scale of things, the United States in RL has only about 12 aircraft carriers, and that's the highest number in the world. Things cost a lot, and while your nation has a little over twice as large a population as the RL U.S., that would mean that your entire navy would have about 24-ish aircraft carriers, maybe 30 on the outside.

Just a thought. heck, to be honest if I was using RL-ish economics, my fleet would be about 50 carriers total, even though I'm a rich nation that's totally militarized and has a population of about two and two thirds billion.

NS scale is different, though.

Undershi: Epic Fail

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w107/imdmill/undershiphail.png
An Undershi carrier sinks after a Kampferian missile attack

Kampfers's ready to "give it all for the alliance"

As part of our report on the NPE-CA War, today we'll be talking about the attempted Undershi invasion of Kampfers, which so far has been, for lack of a better word, disastrous.

Upon nearing the Kampferian mainland, the advance of the Undershi Navy met heavy resistance from shore-based missile batteries, outgunned this caused them to ask for reinforcements from the main group, which arrived shortly after, only to be met with more missiles.

In fact, it's estimated the Kampferians have nearly depleted their stored ordnance with the last, almost 20,000, missile barrage, which has in turn, caused massive casualties to the OPFOR.

In turn, the True Undershi have retaliated by sending their Thunderers [readers would like to remind we Soviets currently hold massive information about their previous airship, the Thunderbolt, after one crashed in Soviet Waters], which made short work of the NPE bombers sent to finish off the carriers, still, they suffered casualties and their numbers have diminished greatly since the start of the hostilities (which many people are beggining to call "The Battle for Kampfers", unoriginal, but to the point).

So far, the NPE forces seem very close to obtaining the first and indeed, one of the most decisive victories of the war. Certainly, kicking the collective Undershi asses will cause them many problems back at home, as well as weaking the CA coalition.

However, we would like to remind our readers that the combat has yet to finish, so the Undershi still have many chances to turn the tables, we'll keep you updated via your trusted Soviet News Network website.


Story from SNN:
http://www.ssn.com.twsp/go/ln/ww/f_news/1011337.html

© SSN 1976

OOC: Ive fired 5,000 missiles or so 150 of which where Khans and Ive only Sunk 1 Carrier? I accept you have CIWS but come on dude be abit more realistic? I hate JOLT I had a massive post but jolt ate it

VDF 3rd Battlegroup, Left Flank of the Undershi Fleet, VDFNS Courage, International Waters, Just Outside of Kampfers:

"Lets Do this, Hold Battle Formations, Ready the SS-X-38 Missiles for firing." barked Admiral Contona

"Aye Ma'am" replied the XO

They felt so alive, so full of energy to be here defending their Allies in their time of need. If their was one thing the Vetakans did best it was Defending. They had years to perfect the Tactic required.

"SS-X-38 Missiles ready to Fire Ma'am? OBSAT Targets Locked as ordered Targetting Enemy Air Defence Assets." replied the XO

"Fire" roared the Admiral

As soon as she had said it the Vetakan Fleet fired for the second time this time the Questarian built SS-X-38 Anti Shipping Missiles roared from their Launchers and on to the Enemy Undershi Fleet. Whilst the Khans had targeted the Carriers only. The SS-X-38 where targetting the Enemies Air Defence Ships. The idea being that it would pave the way for Allied Aircraft to engage the Enemy without having to worry about Enemy Air Defence Systems.

USSW 13th Fleet Group, Coming up on the rear Undershi Fleet, Just Outside of Kampfers:

"Sir the Vetakan Fleet has made its first Strike via the Shadowcasters and Khan Strike. Its Second Strike has just launched, They are requesting we target enemy ASW Escorts" repiled the female XO

"Target Enemy ASW Escorts and Fire" replied the Admiral

Minutes later the Wagdogian Fleet fired its first wave of Khan Anti Shipping Missiles they would stream high into the sky and roar back down with the intent to destroy the enemy Undershi ASW Escorts. In co-ordination with the other Allied Forces the Undershi Fleet was taking a pounding, if it was possible no Undershi Troops would reach Line.

Vetakan Strike:

325 SS-X-38 ASM Missiles targetting Enemy Air Defence Ships

Wagdog Strike

150 Khan ASM Missiles Targetting Enemy ASW Ships

OOC: Ive fired 5,000 missiles or so 150 of which where Khans and Ive only Sunk 1 Carrier? I accept you have CIWS but come on dude be abit more realistic? I hate JOLT I had a massive post but jolt ate it



OOC: If you look, I mentioned one heavy troop transport getting sunk (with 10,000 troops on board...) but I also mentioned other ships, and the whole "rising cost" bit. Perhaps you should have read the last paragraph of my last IC post?

OOC: If you look, I mentioned one heavy troop transport getting sunk (with 10,000 troops on board...) but I also mentioned other ships, and the whole "rising cost" bit. Perhaps you should have read the last paragraph of my last IC post?

OOC: I think he's talking about a update on how many ships you have actually lost. And you would take massive losses from the Kahns, as they can't be hit by CWIS, and you didnt use any of their destroyable methods. And with my missiles, your system would be very overloaded, laggy, and ineffective. Plus, CWIS is going to thin out my missile barrages but you would still take heavy losses.

Undershi Carrier Hobbes

Admiral Abdul Kaufmann was smilling, smilling in spite of the ever-increasing losses. The main fleet was now in position, the link-up was complete... it was now time to go on the offensive, and make the enemy pay for their temiety in hoping to stop an Undershi fleet.

He turned to the Communications Officer, smilling as he relished the knowledge that things were about to get ugly for the enemy, and spoke:

"Tell all carriers that I want their Thunderers in the air now, with one third loaded with CAP load-outs of AMRAAMs and ASRAAMs, another third loaded out with anti-shipping missiles, and the last third preped with Attack Craft Escort loads of AMRAAMs. Have the anti-shipping craft escorted by the Thunderers with escort loads. Tell the cruisers and the rest of the fleet... that it's time to begin smashing the enemy fleet." the comms officer nodded, and made the transmission.

Admiral Kaufmann sat back as the missiles began to rise, as the Thunderers took to the air. The enemy had had luck on their side, and perhaps he had been foolish, to risk troop transports in the front of the fleet... but he had hoped that the Kampferians would behave like typical idiot norms and allow him to force a beach head while they were caught unprepared. No such luck - they had been clever, and prepared. He could almost have been fighting True Undershis...

But he wasn't, and that made all the difference. He would strike at their fleet, smash it apart and then drive in towards the coast. Then the troops would land, and it would all be over baring the slaughter... and he would enjoy that part, enjoy knowing that the Kampferian cities were being pounded to rubble, that their armies would rot in mass graves... he would enjoy it. Because they were hurting his fleet, and so they had made him so very, very angry...

Undershi Destroyer King Richard the Lionheart

Captain Herbert McKilnroy nervously watched the enemy missiles as they fell towards the fleet. Undershi ECM was superb, and their CIWS units seemed more than able to shoot down the incoming missiles... and their counter-missiles had thinned the incoming waves of attack, that was for sure... but there were still so many of them. So very, very, many of them...

They seemed totally devoid of ECM of their own, to confuse the Undershi counter-missiles, and their ECCM seemed pretty pitiful... but there were so many of them. So many of them coming in that it seemed like a flood, so many that it gave the impression that one could almost have walked all the way to the enemy fleet on the missiles that lined the path.

Now some of those missiles were starting to be Undershi missiles going the other way, to hit back at the damned norms... but there were still so many enemy missiles. So many that it seemed positively frightening...

An alarm bleeped, the ensign at the CIWS station screamed, a single word:

"INCOMING!"

And then, there was an impact, something hit the Undershi destroyer. An anti-shipping missile, a direct and devestating hit. Metal bent and buckled, plastic melted and ran, flames lept and spread, catching men in their grasp, making their uniforms burn, making their flesh melt and run in the sudden horrific heat.

Little more than two seconds later, the fires spread to the ammunition bunker of the destroyer's 45mm gun, burning fuel flowing through cracks in the armoured compartment to ignite the stored shells.

The resulting explosion was largely contained, but cracked the hull even further. The flames kept spreading, and deafened, shell-shocked, Undershi crew men began to leap into the sea, while the captain stood perfectly straight in front of the command bridge window, watching in horror as the flames spread, as the water rushed into the ruined hull... as his ship died. He was still watching when, a little over six seconds later, the fires found the missile magazines, and the Undershi destroyer, along with its captain, were reduced to nothingness, as the explosion blasted the ship and its crew to nothingness.

The Undershi fleet spat missiles at the Kampferian fleet and its allies, while their Thunderers dueled with enemy aircraft for air supperiority overhead. Battle had well and truly been joined and begun. The fate of Kampfers was in the balance.

OOC: I think he's talking about a update on how many ships you have actually lost. And you would take massive losses from the Kahns, as they can't be hit by CWIS, and you didnt use any of their destroyable methods. And with my missiles, your system would be very overloaded, laggy, and ineffective. Plus, CWIS is going to thin out my missile barrages but you would still take heavy losses.

OOC: Well, Undershi ships have counter-missiles (which I deployed against the incoming targets) of two varieties - first, one that bursts into eight smaller missiles that target nearby enemy missiles and also a normal one that targets large missiles. Then we have the CIWS units, which Undershi ships are heavy on, and then we have ECM, or Electronic Counter Measures, which confuse enemy missile guidance systems and prevent them from getting a target lock, plus convincing them that ECM drones are enemy ships so they hit the water, etc.

Also, other ECM leads enemy missiles to think that low value targets, like destroyers, escort ships, cruisers and frigates are really high value targets like aircraft carriers or troop ships.

Pretty much, we're using every known anti-missile technique.

On the subject of the Kahns, even hyper-velocity missiles are not immune to ECM - in fact, they would arguably be even more vulnerable than standard missiles, as they have less of a chance to correct their course.

Also, what makes you think Undershi computers are inferior? All of these ships are fairly recent models, and all have been modernized. A truly modern computer network hooked up to the CIWS would be able to keep track of thousands of missiles with ease - and would also not take up much space, either.

Additionally, the Undershi fleet has a linked AA defense system, one where all of the Undershi ships are networking their CIWS and counter-missile fire, as well as their ECM. That means that duplication of effort (more counter-missiles targeting one enemy missile than are necessary, for example) will be kept to a minimum. Time lag would also seem to be less of an issue than you seem to think - modern computers being what they are, and miniturization being what it is, a whole lot of computing power can fit into a small area. Yes, Undershi ships have high power requirements, but they have good power systems as well.

This does mean that they need to refuel more often than is usually the case, but that is dealt with in a number of ways. First, almost all Undershi submarines and carriers, in addition to some cruisers, are nuclear powered, so they don't need to refuel at all (well, they do need new air etc., but they don't need to load on new diesel fuel or anything), while the supply space that that frees up is used to provide fuel for the rest of the fleet. Maintainence is also a problem, especially since a large percentage of naval crews are norms trained in only certain specialized areas, but that is to a degree made up for by highly trained specialist True Undershi crews.

In the end, the final result is that Undershi fleets need large supply fleets to support their activity, carrying fuel or spare parts. However, the logistics section tends to hang back when battle is joined, and so is fairly safe.

While all of that would result in a large percentage of incoming missiles being destroyed, I do agree with you that the Undershi navy would have taken heavy losses. I will post them in the OOC thread.

Speaking of which, we should probably begin using the OOC thread for our OOC chatter.

OOC: Problem with attacking Khan with ECM is that it doesn't use RADAR for locking onto the target, it uses IR or Electro-optical guidance for the final attack.

Also, the only effective tactic against a Khan is attacking it from long range, as it will simply outrun cross fire from nearby ships and VLS launched missiles will be too slow to turn and engage the incoming Khan [which closes at 4km/sec]. It's huge closing velocity will render it just about unengagable by anything other then the target it is attacking.

Also, it sea skims, even if your AWACs will probably lose it against the surface clutter and ship based Radar will be limited to a horizion of less then 30km [for a radar mounted 50m above the sea], giving you an, oh 7.5 second engagement time?

Intercepting khans while it's in the third stage means your missiles have to deal with countermeasures and hypervelocity interceptors from the Khan itself.

OOC: Problem with attacking Khan with ECM is that it doesn't use RADAR for locking onto the target, it uses IR or Electro-optical guidance for the final attack.

Also, the only effective tactic against a Khan is attacking it from long range, as it will simply outrun cross fire from nearby ships and VLS launched missiles will be too slow to turn and engage the incoming Khan [which closes at 4km/sec]. It's huge closing velocity will render it just about unengagable by anything other then the target it is attacking.

Also, it sea skims, even if your AWACs will probably lose it against the surface clutter and ship based Radar will be limited to a horizion of less then 30km [for a radar mounted 50m above the sea], giving you an, oh 7.5 second engagement time?

Intercepting khans while it's in the third stage means your missiles have to deal with countermeasures and hypervelocity interceptors from the Khan itself.

OOC: Okay, so you've got a very effective missile, that I agree on. However, I have a few points of my own to make. First of all, ECM would continue to work even if your missile wasn't radar guided. For example, certain treatments on the hull would result in interference with electro-optical guidance, while decoy techniques to deal with IR guidance could in many ways be as simple as heating the air and water and cooling the actual ships to prevent a proper infa-red picture from being formed. In short, ECM would continue to work against your missile. (Although actually it would be very hard to work out a system to deal with electro-optical guidance - if I've understood my research correctly, the production of the most effective counter-measure requires gallinium, which is very hard to produce in labs.)

OOC: Just to comment, if the Khans use IR, there's tons of ways to draw them off their course pre-maturely using fuel-air explosives, etc., and by the time the explosion flamed out the hypervelocity missile'd be too far off course to correct and would fly past the ship. Just 'cause it's really fast and has some cool gizmos doesn't mean that there's only a few ways to take 'em out-rather, there's just alternative methods.

OOC: Just to comment, if the Khans use IR, there's tons of ways to draw them off their course pre-maturely using fuel-air explosives, etc., and by the time the explosion flamed out the hypervelocity missile'd be too far off course to correct and would fly past the ship. Just 'cause it's really fast and has some cool gizmos doesn't mean that there's only a few ways to take 'em out-rather, there's just alternative methods.

OOC: Good point there. Decoy drones for heat seeking missiles would probably work for that... thanks for bringing that possibility up.

Undershi Carrier Hobbes

Admiral Kaufmann almost wept when he recieved the news. The troops were turning around. There would be no landing. Instead, the Undershi navy was supposed to destroy the enemy fleet... and then turn around and return to Undershi itself to protect against invasion. It was a blow, he admitted. He had been winning, victory had seemed a certainty... and now this. He had hoped to see the Kampferian cities burning... and now this. It just didn't seem fair... but it was what was. He remembered something he had heard a norm say once, a while ago: 'life isn't fair.' At the time it had struck him as a typical statement for a norm, a little parcel of invented wisdom to allow the weak to persist in their work and in their lives - a relic of the slave mentality Nietzsche had mentioned. But now he thought that perhaps there was more to it, a deeper understanding of reality than was offered by the True Undershi philosophy that owed so much to that thinker and his dreams of supermen.

But no matter. The Undershi fleet still had work to do, still had a chance to wrest a minor victory from the jaws of overwhelming defeat. Undershi would do what it could do for the alliance... and now it seemed that that would not be enough. But it didn't matter. He thought of Undershi Province, its cities laid out like fortresses, its underground factories and bunkers and communications lines, subways made to easily convert into parts of an underground citadel... cities with streets that zigged and zagged, and were perfect for ambush and for defense and yet were wide enough to facilitate the passage of Undershi armour... parks with bunker complexes beneath the sculpture or fountain, and positions prepared for howitzers... Undershi would last forever. It was too tough a nut to crack for its survival to not be a given.

With that thought in mind, he smilled even as he ordered the transports to leave, even as he threw his fleet into one last death-or-glory attack. He still thought he could overwhelm the enemy fleet... but what would be the point, really? Better terms at some treaty? He hoped so. Then at least the slaughter that was to come would have some significance... sighing, smiles gone, he ordered the attack.

VDF 3rd Battlegroup, Left Flank of the Undershi Fleet, VDFNS Courage, International Waters, Just Outside of Kampfers:

"Admiral Ma'am. Enemy Fleet is withdrawing. They are moving to strike the Wagdog Fleet." shouted the XO across the Bridge.

"Increase Speed to Maximum. Thrid Wave of Missiles. SS-25-Sovereign. Target the Enemy Picket Lines and Air Defence Ships" spoke Contona whilst viewing the main Ops Screen showing the Undershi withdrawing.

"Yes Ma'am" replied the XO

After a few minutes the various Operators in the Command Room nodded and the XO ensured everything happened smoothly:

"OBSAT Confirms Target Lock. Ready To Fire on your Command Ma'am?" replied the XO

"Fire" spoke the Admiral

With that the Fleet launched another barrage against the Undershi Fleet launching the SS-25-Sovereigns targetting the enemies Escorts to ready and pave the way for the Fleet to launch Gunnery Duels with the Enemy.

Attack Details:

250 SS-25 Sovereign Missiles

Thousands of Undershi missiles were flying off, towards the Kampferian fleet, the Wagdog fleet and the Vetaka fleet as well. Thunderer squardrons manuvered through the air, those loaded with anti-shipping or escort packages making their way towards all three of the enemy fleets, those with CAP packages circling the Undershi fleet and engaging the enemy.

It was... a fierce battle. Tens of thousands of missiles were being deployed every minute, counter-missiles were swarming, CIWS units blasted away at anything that got too close, while ECM confused the situation, and specialized drones took off from the Undershi ships, setting off heat flares to draw away incoming missiles.

Thousands of Undershi soldiers and sailors died. Dozens of ships, scores of ships, hundreds of ships, were destroyed, had already been destroyed... but they were hitting back. The Undershi fleet was prepared to fight and win, and it knew that it could. Enemy losses were going to be staggering, if the sheer amount of metal the Undershi fleet put into the air was anything to go by.

Meanwhile, overhead new reinforcements arrived, Golden Eagle heavy bombers from the Undershi mainland, loaded with anti-shipping kits which they deployed as soon as they were in range, decreasing the effectiveness of their missiles by failing to close before deployment, but making it almost impossible to hit them. Every single one of these bombers, of which there were nearly five hundred, targeted the Wagdog fleet.

Their escorts were numberous too, about two hundred Lightningbolt interceptors, the new Undershi fighter design. They came in with the Golden Eagles, but they held their fire - when the Golden Eagles had all launched their simultaneous missile swarm, one hundred Lightnings followed suit, targeting Wagdog aircraft with a swarm of AMRAAMs, while the other hundred closed with the Wagdog fighters, to test their new fighters against actual opposition for the first time...

Undershi Lightningbolt Fighter, over the Wagdog Fleet

Simon Ulriksen was a pilot, proud to fly the newest fighter in the Undershi army, proud to oppose the enemies of the Undershi Empire. He had finished flight training only recently, but it had been an extensive course. Now he was going to fight a real enemy for the first time...

He was more proud than afraid - the True Undershi mentality saw to that, the obsession with Glory that it inculcated saw to that... he was not afraid to die, and in fact he would almost welcome the chance to die gloriously for his country. Undershi training was successful.

But he was not obsessed, and he wanted even more to make the enemy pilots die for their country, because he had heard the training officer repeat the old quotation, about how the goal in war is not to die for your country, but to make the other... fellow... die for his.

He smilled at his mental self-censorship. It seemed so ridiculous, but it was part of his training, that aversion to swearing. The True Undershi had to be a true superman, it seemed...

His internal monologue broke off for a minute, as he circled and launched off two pairs of ASRAAMs at an enemy fighter.

His co-pilot behind him was screaming something about an incoming enemy, and he heard and swerved, and fired off another pair of ASRAAMs, then circled back again. The enemy was hurting, that was for sure...

He felt the fighter shake, and heard a curse from his co-pilot. He glanced back - a near miss from a bursting shell of some sort, little bits of metal from the blast whirrling into the right wing of his fighter. That sight was enough to make him curse - it could easily have been a fatal hit, if he'd been an inch less lucky...

But no matter. He swerved again, loosed his last four ASRAAMs, then turned his Lightningbolt back towards Undershi. He was done here - his first combat mission had been a success.

Now all he had to worry about was making it home with a perforated wing...

IC
USSW 13th Fleet, Within Missile Range of and Moving to Entrap Undershi Fleet...
Admiral James Rickston was having a most exhilarating time of this; especially considering that, as was always the case in war, this could be a one-time and fatal source of such feeling. One had to admit, there was scarce else to match the feeling of desperately holding off the enemy's barrages and hitting back with everything one had.

"The Khans did their deed." He pointed out the obvious to the whole CIC of the UWS Erich Honecker, a Tri Svyatitelya-class supercarrier packing some 600 fighters of two types and 90 helicopters all by itself, as the response was readied; indeed, as it began automatically when the aloft patrols engaged their Undershi foes. "All units, fire at will on OBSAT-indicated targets; lock-on-after-launch so we don't have to worry about who dies after shooting. Let fly and get all applicable DPs, CIWS and countermeasures up; brace for impact!" He figured his odds of survival were no more than fair; the enemy was going all out with 6,000 launches detected from the Golden Eagles alone, and more from the ships and fighters coming in already.

For the fleet, travelling in a shuriken-like conjoined-twin-lambda formation, Wagdian naval tactics were about to be tested here. The destroyers were forming the long 'blades' of the knifelike formation, with the vertices where the two lambda's met all being anchored by Cruisers. Individual destroyers were also guarding the carriers and combat support ships protected within the formation's rear, cordoned off by the battleships at the rearmost and their assigned destroyers just in case any subs tried to take the fleet from behind. Learned from Catalasia, a friendly Haven nation to Wagdog ever since it's slight help during the Nicksyllvanian War of years back, this scheme in theory allowed better concentration of both defensive and (once shifted to such a footing) offensive naval power in a formation on the decisive axes of ether threat or opportunity.

The moment of truth came. As Rosdivanian-made Rufous and Vetakan-designed Fenix missiles leapt towards the Undershi escort line in varying degree from all combatants carriers-on-down, S-400F long-range fleet SAMs also rose from the cruisers to intercept the slow-flying bomber missiles; and smacked down 2,300 of them at an astounding 96%-ish accuracy rate for those S-400s fired, achieved due to these particular SAMs being optimized for effectively killing ballistic missiles while still being able to handle slower/stealthier targets when and as required. However, this presented the fleet a problem, since this two-thousand or so missiles down was still but a fraction of the total inbound. Had the 5 Peter the Great heavy battleships present not been stripped of their S-400F area-defense SAMs to make room for the Vetakan-donated Khans that had been fired earlier, interception of the incoming UA-AALASMs might be slightly higher; but then again not by too much considering the numbers involved.

As it stood, it now came to each ship's various point defenses; the cruisers and carriers (when missiles broke through the screen) in position putting up rippled waves of Kinzhal medium range SAMs, while the destroyers used their shorter-ranged Kortiks and all vessels used their Kashtan combined gun/missile CIWS systems like no tomorrow. Without such an overwhelming response, supplemented by 135mm DP gun fire into the missiles' path despite the potential for fratricide against friendly defensive missiles, there might not be one indeed after all. Flares and chaff and smokescreens also bloomed from the escorts while ECM screamed at the incoming barrage full-throttle; literally all stops were being pulled out, bar none.

Watching nervously as more perimeter ships began winking out on the display from sinking each minute, Admiral Rickston watched the other key phase of the battle unfold far above him. Although they'd had to launch surprised and under attack, the fleet had managed to get its 2500 FA-15E Cardinal and 500 FA-16 Priest fighters aloft even though some were lost only just after finding an enemy formation to multi-target and fire away upon. Now, the skies above choked with missile trails from more than nine-thousand each of R-27AE Alamo-E active-homing BVRs as the melee was first joined by the Cardinals, then R-27ET Alamo-D heat-seeking BVRs once those Cardinals could switch to passive Multiband Optical Targeting System seekers and retarget on closer Undershi fighters; and often-enough the Cardinals' two wingtip R-73EM Archer-E dogfight missiles too once the melee degenerated into a disorganized mass-furball.

The various CICs' radio feeds made for bleak and desperate listening, were one so hacked-in to them. "Honecker Control, this is Honecker-Gold-Alpha-Lead; have been hit, squadron down with three 'chutes and six KIA! Am hit but can still get a... HOW ABOUT SOME OF THIS EH, BUDDY!?" The New-Yorker sounding female squadron-commander, Major Melinda Vale, screamed at what would later turn out to have been Simon Ulriksen's Lightningbolt; successfully angling for a short 30mm cannon burst before the missile damage she took from his flightmates, as well as the 135mm DP shell that exploded between them, sent her Cardinal crashing to the sea in flames. Neither she nor her copilot, young 1st Lt. Mahmoud Al-Sakal, ejected or survived; much less ever learned of Ulriksen's lucky fate so far compared to them.

"Honecker Control this is Black-Bravo-Lead; we have lock on incoming enemy ASM's at sea level; firing... NOW!" In their most vital function now, the majority survivors of the 2500 Cardinals swarming to smash down the enemy Thunderers and Lightningbolts before pushing for revenge against the Golden Eagle bombers, the 500 FA-16A Priests of the fleet coordinated with the picketing Sea Lord AWACS choppers providing radar-datalink services to expand the fleet's horizon. That was the only way much of the strike had managed to be caught as early as it was, and even now it was a race between attacking and defending fire to make the best of that information. Looping in behind what of the missiles they could, pulling sharp Split-S maneuvers to level out bare meters above the choppy seas, the Priests locked on and sent twelve R-27EM semiactive-homing missiles each at the incoming wave; taking out what remainder of the bomber missiles hadn't already struck, but only beginning to hurt the ship-launched portion.

Overall, so far it was looking mediocre at very best for the Wagdian fleet. The bomber missiles had been intercepted, but with moderate losses counting some thirty Danechka-II destroyers and 5 Yekaterina cruisers, with winging hits on three more cruisers besides. Each of the 2400 surviving Cardinals as yet made sure to send two Fenix missiles of their own the Undershi escorts' way at extreme range once emptied of BVR missile equipment, not sure if they'd ever get the chance that a full hundred of their comrades had already been denied forever. And still, more missiles were inbound and being engaged by the fleet defenses. "Move us in; IN, damn it! Let's settle this like men did, back in the old days. Battleships, rotate forward to provide close-in cover while all carriers and support ships turn hard away from the enemy with their escorts' cover. All ships but carriers and support, prepare for gunnery combat just as soon as in range and all missiles have hit; fire at will upon contact and solution attainment. Our mission hasn't changed here yet; pursue and destroy, close the noose tight!" As if to emphasize this, once orders were cabled the 25 Vladimir class SSNs of 13th Fleet each rippled off six Vodopad ASW missiles; to drop torpedoes in on what both Sky Lord dipping or dropped sonar feeds, plus their own listening, had indicated were the Undershi sub squadrons. Best to pounce after all, before they could make mischief for the battleships...

Speaking of such behemoths, the time for yet another stately 'Death Ride' of old had come. The yet-unscathed heavy battleships of the fleet, having been on the opposite side of the formation while lofting their retrofitted Khans, swerved to charge head-on into the Undershi missile storm along with the escorts. And, once the missiles were spent and losses taken, to press in for the bloody gun duel to come. This didn't even include the two independent submarine wolfpacks just outside New Prussian Empire waters and closing on the Undershi escape route; having been hurriedly dispatched from Lazarus shortly before the shooting started, yet still not quite in useful range. 300 Zeus bombers under 6th Army Air Force and 13th Marine Air Wing from neighboring Calizorinstan also took off with six Rufous missiles each, though attaining firing position would also take some time; hence the 250 FA-15D land-based Cardinals from 6th AAF providing escort in the meantime.

All-in-all, once the sub/bomber combined ambush and current missile strikes were done, the Undershi would receive the chance to die like the sailors of old as was only fitting for such foes; a propaganda-fed antipathy towards the Corporate Alliance in general among Wagdians notwithstanding. Hence, the following signal was sent to Wagdian allies in-theater.

SIC

OBSAT SECURE BATTLEFIELD COMMUNICATION
FROM: USSW 13TH FLEET, CO ADM. RICKSTON
TO: KAMPFERIAN, VDF FORCES

ARE UNDER HEAVY UNDERSHI ATTACK; HOLDING OUT, BUT LOSSES ARE CLIMBING. STOP
ARE STILL MISSION-CAPABLE, AND CLOSING TO GUN RANGE SO WE CAN SETTLE THIS ONCE-AND-FOR-ALL; IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING AIR AND SUB AMBUSH AGAINST UNDERSHI REMNANTS. STOP
ANY AND ALL AIR DEFENSE AID AVAILABLE IS REQUESTED AGAINST CONTINUED INCOMING FIRE TO SUPPORT OUR BATTLESHIPS' ADVANCE. STOP
HOIST THE BLOODY RED, MATIES; LEAVE NONE ALIVE WHAT YE HAVE AMMUNITION WORTH TO SEND DOWN TO THE LOCKER! FULL STOP

"Vetaka will always defend itself where ever it maybe, Vetaka will always defend is people, Vetaka will always defend the Free, Right, True, Honourable and above all Peaceful. Vetaka stands for Freedom, Loyalty, Honour and Peace. We shall never surrender to those whom seek to take our lands, our nation or our Friends and Allies. We shall never surrender what ever the cost maybe. These lands are defended, These lands are defended by the forces of the Vetaka, by the Forces as Loyalty I am a Protector of Vetaka, I am a Defender of Freedom, I am Loyal to the People of this Nation. I shall Defend this country with my life. I am loyal to Vetaka and to Freedom. I shall never betray my people and my country. My Rifle and Sword are my weapons, weapons of Peace, weapons of loyalty, weapons of loyalty. These Weapons will never be used to harm those we strive to protect should they ever I will do all I can to right those wrongs. I am Loyal to the President of this nation, The Free Leader. For Vetaka, For the Dominion For Freedom!!!"

The Vetakan Oath of Loyalty

VDF 3rd Battlegroup, Left Flank of the Undershi Fleet, VDFNS Courage, International Waters, Just Outside of Kampfers:

"Incoming message from the Wagdog Flagship, They are taking heavy Damage" roared the XO from across the Bridge which was rocking as the Ship was taking hits.

Snatching the comminucation Katie roared in annoyance. These Undershi where going to learn the meaning of Vetakan Loyalty:

"Can you put is in between the Wagdogian and Undershi Fleets?" spoke the Admiral

"Yes Ma'am at Full Speed we could be in between them within a few Minutes" replied the XO

"Helm lay in the course. The Wagdogians have safed us more times than anybody, its time we repaid the favour" ordered the Admiral

"Agreed" replied the XO

The Bridge staff new it was true the Wagdogians had safed Vetaka on many occasions now it was time that debt was started to be repaid. Friendship of these two nations and the honour of Vetaka demanded it:

"Tell the Fighters to RTB to Kampfian Bases, Prepare to launch everything we have at these Undershi Fuckers none of them are going home they will all die here, For Wagdog."

"For Wagdog" was the reply from across the Fleet

"All Ships to Fire within Point Blank range of the Undershi. Ram them as required". roared the Admiral taking her seat.

Across the Fleet the ships that where still sailing loaded everything they had into the tubes. Sailing at Full Speed and with all haste and power they would ram the Undershi Fleet before it left Kampfers the Undershi where about to learn a very harsh lesson in Vetakan Loyalty and Vetakan Honour.

"Ma'am we are ready, 45 Seconds until we are between The Fleets, We are coming in on an Angle so I suggest we smash our way through and allow the Allies to pick up the peices?"

Explosions where getting bigger and bigger the Courage was taking damage but the Vetakans would have to be physically stopped before the Undershi escaped and returned home.

"Do it" replied the Admiral

30 Seconds Later they where within 1 kilometre of the Undershi Fleet they explosions where destructive 60 ships lost already but the Vetakans where still sailing they would not be stopped the 60 ships that where now sinking rather than abandoning ship had launched their missiles. They where now just 750 Meters Admiral Katie Contona stood and roared:

"FIRE ON"

With that every ship that could fire launched its missiles and its Guns. The Fighters that had stayed out of the Fight swopped down and fired their missiles in all a Swarm of Missiles that would surely overun Undershi Defences sped towards them at Point Blank Range. Not turning off the Vetakan Ships now sped towards the Undershi at Ramming Speed the outcome would be simple pure and total loss. The Cannons of the great Vetakan Navy would keep reloading and Firing at the Undershi. The Undershi would think twice about Battles with Vetaka and her Allies in the Future. Roaring on through the Undershi Fleet Ships of the Vetakan Navy smashed into Undershi Ships. The Arsenal Class Missile Destroyer had activated a Fenix Class Missile within its Armoury striking an Undershi Carrier the Explosion was huge the great Undershi Carrier would surely sink. Another Vetakan Ship this time a Champion Class Carrier the VDFNS Jon George had Jettisoned everything that could be lost and was moving at a massive amount of Speed smashing into a Undershi Escort Ship the small Escort was totally destroyed yet the VDFNS Jon George continued to sail on smashing into a further 3 Undershi Ships the thrid one being a Undershi Capital Ship. The Vetakan Fleet had spoken and the Undershi had seen Vetakan Loyalty in action.


OOC Message from Kampfers: "Swamped with RL, Sorry Guys"

Undershi Carrier Hobbes

Admiral Abdul Kaufmann screamed a curse as the enemy began to close. The air support from Undershi had been too little, it seemed... they were still coming. The Undershi fleet had taken a mauling by this point, scores of ships were sinking... but they were still hitting as hard as they could, and were still contesting air supperiority. Things could still turn around - he could still survive the day...

Admiral Kaufmann smilled for a moment at that thought. He still had hope, and that was a precious thing. Where was it that they said that when you had nothing left, hope was the last thing to die? He couldn't remember, and it didn't seem terribly significant. What did matter was that his fleet was rapidly vanishing under the enemies missiles and guns. It was... a terrible thing to behold. Truly terrible, to think of all the True Undershis being sent to their deaths onboard the ships of his fleet...

But it wasn't over yet, and things could still change... he could still smash the enemy fleet so thoroughly that they would never threaten Undershi, and that... that was something easily worth dieing for.

Calm now, he began to issue new orders...

Over the Undershi Fleet

The enemy aircraft kept coming, fighters sent to clear the way for the bombers, and the bombers themselves...

The Thunderers, and the few Lightningbolts to not yet have turned around and begun their return flights fought bravely. They were outnumbered, slightly, but they had a few advantages - they were closer to their fleet, and so had shorter refueling times, and... well, the Lightningbolts were really top-notch fighters, superior to anything else flying that day, even the Thunderers. If only there were more of them...

It was at about this time that the Undershi fleet, out of desperation, began to employ an old strategy again - three squadrons of Thunderers, loaded with anti-shipping missiles, flew in towards the Wagdog fleet, part of a larger effort, part of what was the third massed attack on that fleet from the Thunderers of the Undershi fleet.

This time, though, those three squadrons flew in much closer than the others, kept flying when all the others had fired off their missiles and turned around. They had a target, a mission...

They came in towards the Wagdog battleships, suffering horrible losses as they came. When they were close, they launched their missiles. But they didn't pull up when they'd made their launch. They kept right on flying, a suicide attack. They made no effort to eject, made no effort to save themselves... they were True Undershis, and they could only hope that by their sacrifice they would hurt their enemy.

It was not a strategy that could work more than once against a foe. Kamikazi attacks were easy to protect against. It was just... no one would expect a modern nation, one with carriers and ICBMs and modern jet fighters to try a tactic like that. It just wasn't done...

But the pilots were True Undershis. They had been taught from birth that there was no greater glory than to willingly sacrifice yourself for the Undershi state. So they did what they were ordered to. They sacrificed their lives for a chance that their trick might work, that they might hurt the enemy.

OOC: to clear it up, I have to fill out tons of job applications this week and only have time for short OOC posts, and to work on a long IC post. It will hopefully be up tommorow. God i hate all those BS questions that they ask you...

OOC: to clear it up, I have to fill out tons of job applications this week and only have time for short OOC posts, and to work on a long IC post. It will hopefully be up tommorow. God i hate all those BS questions that they ask you...

OOC: I know what you mean. Those applications are crap.

SIC:

The pilots above the Kampferians were the first to recieve the order. With the Undershi fleet fleeing, they began to close in. All ships powered up to full speed, trying to draw in range of their main guns. They held a powerful battleship advantage, if it came to that. The ships began launching Rufous missiles with ferocity, and began to come upon the swarms of Missiles that the Undershi themselves had fired. CWIS units activated all across the fleet, every air defense ship with a designated sector of fire. They raked trough the fields of missiles, and other countermeasures thinned the field as well. Luckily enough, the Undershi had not focused their fire on a particular ship type. One King Henry V battleship took a hit, but managed to stay afloat. 7 air defense frigates were lost, as well as 5 destroyers. 1 cruiser was lost to the bottom of the sea, and 1 more was disabled.

On one of the nearby islands, some 2,000 more planes were readying for take off. These had just arrived from the nation of Yallak, and though not in perfect condition, were combat ready. They prepared to reinforce the already strong numbers (7000) of planes in the air. These would not be piloted by the best Kampferian pilots, like the other planes, however would be piloted by many of the bet in the Kampferian Air Academies.

The Kampferian Pilots pressed onwards. Some 7,000 strong, they would fight iuntil the end. These were the best pilots Kampfers had to offer, they would kill with the best of them. The Berkuts shot in on the Undershi fighters, while the Lightning would swarm down on the ships of the fleet, smashing some of the anti-air fire. For Kampfers.


OOC: FUCK JOLT FOR EATING MY ORIGINAL POST. I had it saved in word too, but on my flash drive, which I can't seem to locate... So, screw fancy writing...

Undershi Lightningbolt Approaching from the Undershi Mainland

Things were getting ugly with the fleet. That was clear to anyone with brains. At least, it was clear if they knew what was incoming.

The Lightningbolt was a new design, an advanced design, a modern design that made it one of the best fighters out there. It was also a fairly recent design - it had only entered mass production four years ago, and almost twenty percent of the Undershi Air Force still used the older Lightning design. Which meant that Lightningbolts were in short supply, an annoyance when a major war was being fought.

But someone had decided to deploy the Lightningbolts they had for a real effort, a show of force. Chatter amoung the pilots seemed to lean towards the effort being a demonstration to boost international interest in the Lightningbolt, to encourage a willingness to pay higher prices when it came on the market, as it was apparently going to. But that wasn't certain, and wasn't a very True Undershi possibility, so Flight Officer Renee Zellers didn't give it much credence. Undershi was not a likely nation to begin selling its secrets...

But concerns with foreign policy were for another time. At this time, all that mattered were the three thousand Lightningbolt interceptors inbound for the battle, and the one thousand Golden Eagle heavy bombers they were escorting. Things were about to get ugly - the Undershi Thunderers from the fleet had had numerical superiority until recently, and Undershi would return to having the edge in fighters as soon as they joined the fight... but, there were nearly 7,000 Kampferian planes in the air. It was, to quote a foreign movie he increasingly wished he hadn't seen, something of a target rich enviornment.

The Golden Eagles had reached their way point - they fired off their AALASMs as soon as they crested the horizon, sending 12,000 missiles at the enemy fleet. The Lightningbolts came in closer, and waited for their computers to give the tell-tale bings that would indicate target locks.

They said waiting was the hardest part. Well, whoever said that had obviously never been in a battle, where your friends were falling from the sky continually, and it seemed like every enemy fighter out there was coming in to get you... it could get bad, during the fighting. Real bad. Worse than waiting.

The computer beeped. Renee fired the first pair of AMRAAMs. Things were going to get interesting...

Undershi Airbase Pheonix, Northlands Province, The Undershi Empire

Simon Ulriksen grinned widely at the Janissary ground crew as they refueled and reloaded his Lightningbolt. Repairs had been made, hurried repairs, but the technicians said that his fighter was ready to fly again, and for that he found himself actually glad.

It had been a good day going up against the Kampfersians... or whatever it was they called themselves. He glanced at the three little black diamonds that had been painted onto the fuselage of his Lightningbolt. A good day. Reason enough to be glad. He had been too young to fly against the Northlanders or even during the Saint Rynald or Paxtonite Wars, and, well... he'd never expected to score three kills in one day, let alone in one day during his first combat mission. Luck, he knew, had played entierly too large a role in the whole affair... but his skill had been another factor, and the exquisite engineering of his Lightningbolt.

The Lightningbolt was modern, was deadly... was easily a match for anything the enemy had. He felt good flying, now. His nerves were gone. He looked forward to his next mission, was eager to fight, now that he was not half-convinced that he would die.

A norm in the mustard yellow jump-suit of a Janissary member of a flight crew offered him a sandwich, and he accepted with a smile. He'd killed three enemies of the Empire today - the least he deserved before going off to kill some more was a snack...

He ate - the BLT tasted good. He was happy, and prepared, and was a real True Undershi now... but, he admitted quietly to himself, he still wished he didn't have to go on his second combat mission just yet...

As with the Undershi situation, things weren't exactly peachy for the Wagdian 14th Fleet either. Better than the enemy's, considering the close range tactical advantage Wagdog's five Peter the Great heavy battleships in-thater represented over an Undershi fleet devoid of comparable vessels and now just barely in extended range of the Vetakan-designed 25" guns these particular versions of the Czechalrussian battleship mounted; but still not great. Fully 25 more destroyers been sunk, with most of the remaining 45 being damaged in some way. Four cruisers also downed, the remainder all having some degree of damage due to being on the very front lines of the fleet's defense, didn't help matters either. And wait, it got better... still more Undershi missiles were inbound on all three allied fleets in the area, and still more Undershi fighters were coming in ahead of the bombers that those missiles were coming from. However, the battle wasn't done yet.

"FIRE! Don't just sail there waiting to get hit, FIRE already!" Admiral Rickston egged his force onwards from the CIC of the carrier Erich Honecker. Fighters were being sent back up as soon as they could be recovered, some two-thousand total of the fleet's original twenty-five hundred still being operational by now. As each squadron of ten Cardinals went up, most followed a similar routine: close with Undershi fighters from ahead, fire the usual R-27AE active-radar BVR missiles, then break and loop tens of miles around to hit the enemy formation from the far rear with only passive sensors active and using R-27ET heat-seeking BVRs. Archer dogfight missiles and guns were cleared for use, but only in self-defense or on targets-of-opportunity. Considering six of each BVR type plus two archers per fighter, for fourteen missiles per Cardinal, the sheer volume of the missile fire filling the skies of Kampfers could be appreciated; volume made greater yet by the Priests carring out their point-defense runs against the missiles and some enemy Thunderers or Lightningbolts as well.

But this fight was beyond mere missiles now. With a great, thundering 'BOOM!' from each of their barrels, the five heavy battleships let fly with their 25" shells at the surviving enemy cruiser line; aiming to clear a path for the real killers to come. Of course, the three squadrons of kamikaze Thunderers were intimidating at first; especially since all battleships took some degree of damage from the missiles those Thunderers had loosed. But only one, the UWS Haldir, was damaged enough that combined with those suiciding fighters which broke through its AA and missile fire it was reduced to an impotent wreck; its superstructure ablaze and three of four twin 25" turrets out of commission. Frankly, were it not for judicious magazine floodings on those three the ship would've blown sky high; though the damage sustained this day might as well have been fatal anyway what with the crippled vessel heeling out of line away from the enemy, its two remaining guns sniping wildly into the Undershi formation at random.

The guns roared as they would, and what few missiles remained were sent out; but hopefully the battle would soon end. Above, the bomber force sent in from Calizorinstan took matters into their own hands. While the twenty-five submarines of the fleet repositioned from their ASW strike and lobbed six 650mm torpedoes each at the surviving Undershi destroyer screen, the three-hundred Zeus bombers each in turn cut loose with their six underwing Rufous-ER heavy antiship missiles and aimed to eradicate the Undershi carriers while their consorts were too busy dodging their own problems to assist. As the submarine wolfpack from Lazarus also joined in, the ten modified Oscar IIs sending 240 more Rufous aloft at the enemy carriers while their fifty Akula II brethren also sent long-range torps out at the enemy escorts, the seriousness of Wagdog's encrypted remarks about the 'bloody red' should've become clear by now. One way or another, yet more enemy ships than before were going down this time; as would some of those Golden Eagles now that the 250 D-model Cardinals, freed from their escort burdens, streaked off after the Undershi bombers and lobbed six active-homing missiles each.

Their pilots knew that enemy fighter presence was heavy, so as soon as the missiles went terminal their respective firing aircraft would per doctrine place the radar on standby and go for passive BVR fighting. Taking advantage of their altitude, increased during the bomber intercept, they prepared to get the drop on the Undershi fighters. Truly a massive furball was only just starting. A furball which, despite the losses sustained so far, could be kept in allied favor. And, Wagdian determination being equal to the respect the True Undershi had earned via their opposition so far, would be kept so.

And through it all, Admiral Rickston had to watch as his fleet took still worse wounds. It was giving out as badly, true; and the enemy was retreating to boot. Yes, Kampfers had been saved. "Now..." he whispered. "Can we and them sink or capture this fleet fast enough to save the Vetakans in return for helping us out? That is the question." And what a question indeed it would be...

OOC: OK, since this could work either with or without an edit on V's part, I figure this is decent enough. The play is the thing, after all.;)

OOC: Okay, works out. We'll see how things go...

Undershi Carrier Hobbes

Admiral Kaufmann watched the Undershi fleet begin to die. It was... a horror. The Undershi fleet relied on speed and manuverability, superior range and superior fire-power... not on the slugging-match that was an iron-guns engagement. Not on meters of armour... which meant that their present situation was not one to be admired. The enemy was within iron-gun range of the fleet, was right there, its battleships able to bring their titanic guns to bear... oh god, it was going to get bloody.

The Undershi fleet was in a bad position - enemy fleets were coming in from every direction, cutting the Undershi fleet to bits... oh god, it was so horrible to see his fleet die like this...

But he could take some comfort in the passage of events so far. The Undershi fleet had already mauled the enemy fleet, had already cut it up and made it bleed... had already sent many of its ships to the bottom. Cold comfort for his own bleeding fleet. Little comfort at all.

He was confident that victory was still possible. More enemy ships than Undershi ships had perished, more enemy blood than Undershi blood had been spilled... but each drop of Undershi blood was precious to him. Each drop of Undershi blood was so much more valuable than that of the enemy, so valuable that an ocean of enemy blood could not come to weigh equally with a single Undershi life...

He saw the path left to him clearly now. Retreat. Save his fleet. The transports were already safely away, five million True Undershi soldiers were safe from the enemy hordes... safe, sweet Jesus, safe... but not his fleet.

He glanced at the tactical display - as he watched, a trio of Undershi destroyers on the edge of the Undershi formation vanished - each one had been hit by a Wagdog shell. Three destroyers, ninety True Undershi lives and sixty norm Janissaries gone just like that...

He gave the order:

"Withdraw from the immediate area. Keep hitting the enemy, but don't let them close with us again. Use our supperior speed - take us away, back towards Undershi."

The order was given. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, quiet and contained as any True Undershi was supposed to be in the face of disaster. Because it was a disaster. Undershi had been forced to turn away, to cower and flee like only norms were supposed to. Like the enemy was supposed to. Oh god... he thought of the statistics of the battle, of enemy ships smashed and sunk, or reduced to flaming wreaks... it had been a good day for Undershi if one only counted the enemy dead... but then most days were, when one had such strict criteria for consideration...

He opened his eyes in time to see the carrier Locke vanish from the screen - another victim to Wagdog guns. Things were not going so well... retreat was their only option.

Undershi Lightningbolt, Amidst Incoming Undershi Reinforcements

Simon Ulriksen swallowed nervously as he waited for the fighting to begin. His Lightningbolt was one amoung many, and the other Lightningbolt and Thunderers already fighting were numerous... he only hoped that victory was still possible. Because if it wasn't... well, then he had to consider how many True Undershis had already died. Amoung his squadron alone... four fighters down, eight men dead since the day had begun. Such losses were hard to take. It was hard to lose friends, then go into battle again...

But he would. No True Undershi turned away from duty and honor and Glory and all the things they were told about in the training camps when they were young. He smilled, a memory surfacing. A survival excercise in the western steppes, he'd killed a wild goat with an improvised sling, and had been eating the meat raw with thirst-cracked lips, greedily sucking down the blood for the moisture it contained... then one of the other students, Hermann Walsch, had showed up and smilled, and said something about how he wondered if he could have some of the meat, and Simon had said no, but then the other guy had said that that was too bad since he had found a spring, so they both smilled and then they both drank and ate together, and stayed up at night to watch for wolves... things had been so much simpler when he had been twelve. He had remained friends with Hermann, they'd both been assigned to the Air Force and then to the same squadron... now Hermann was dead, shot down... but he would keep fighting. There was nothing else a True Undershi could do.