NationStates Jolt Archive

Drewshire Imperial Air Force Base, Eastern Cravan

It had been a long time since Aequatians had been present in Cravan in such numbers as they were to see in the coming weeks. Each commercial airliner chartered by the Aequatian government would bring several scores of personnel from all of the armed force's branches alongside those transports of the Aequatian Republic Air Force's Military Airlift Command. Major-General Heinrich Sanger, the officer-in-command of the 14th Panzer Division, arrived with his staff aboard one of the more private executive liners before he met with a few Cravanian logistics officers concerning the match up between hi arriving personnel and their POMCUS* warehouses located within the area. As with most allied nations, the Aequatian Republic maintains a number of warehouse areas for POMCUS stocks manned by both Aequatian and allied logisticians, so that if it is deemed necessary, personnel can be quickly airlifted to the nation and be equipped from the stockpiles instead of waiting for the long sealift journey of their equipment and vehicles from the continental Republic or the complicated matter of airlifting elements to the deployed forces. By the time the deployment of the forces had bee completed, the Aequatian Republic Army would have almost six divisions on the ground in Cravan, prepared for immediate mobilization.

Sanger stepped out of the Cravanian Imperial Army staff car and met with Brigadier Charles Dokker, commander of the 1st Combat Equipment Group, Cravan (1 CEG-C), the former was met with a sharp salute, "Evening, Herr General, it is good to see you again, how is the Republic?"

"The Motherland is secure and well, as always, Herr Brigadier," Replied Sanger as his staff briefed their counterparts in Dokker's own staff, "I trust you have taken good care of my peoples' equipment while here in Cravan?"

"Of course, we aren't named the first see-gee-see in Cravan for no good reason, we hold a ninety eight per cent operational rating with all of our vehicles and a hundred per cent for other battlefield equipment," Explained Dokker as the two officers walked to an open warehouse door, revealing the battle-ready M20A4 Mackall main battle tanks as the mechanics filled the fuel tanks and ran diagnostics on the systems, "We should have everything prepared for the arrival of the division very quickly, you can be in the field within a few days, Herr General."

"Excellent, excellent," Replied the major-general, "I shall leave you to your duties, Brigadier, I hope to speak with you tomorrow," Dokker saluted again as he and his staff continued their work as Sanger retired to hi billeted quarters as he waited for the several thousand personnel of his force to arrive. By the end of the week, they would be on the move to the border and their pre-operational positions.

Throughout eastern Cravan, Aequatian units continued to arrive via aircraft, another such army unit was the 145th Flieger Infantrie Division configured in its traditional air assault role and the elite 135th Fallschirmjäger Division for its airborne training. The latter was mobilized as it provided the interim XCIX Corps Headquarters with a flexible force for deployment in its mission outlined by CENTCOM. Among the Fallschirmjäger soldiers was Staff Sergeant Harold Zimms, a platoon assistant, as he hurried his unit's men and women into their assembly area with the parent company. Behind them were the C-130Q Hercules II theatre-airlift planes of the Air Force's Military Airlift Command which would soon be deploying them for their missions, on the taxiway and runways were the larger C-181A Starlifter II and C-225B Cossack transports which were busy unloading heavier equipment, such as the airborne unit's M59 Russ light tanks and M343 155mm howitzers, given that airborne units are deployed from CONAR* and do not maintain POMCUS stockpiles around the world. Nervously he counted helmeted heads and walked among the ranks as more and more arrived, he had no idea what to expect in the coming week.

The majority of units arriving seen were those of the Army, those that were not openly seen were those of the Air Force as Tactical Air Command moved entire expeditionary forces and stored them on Cravanian bases for the coming weeks. Each Air Expeditionary Force was capable of four independent strike packages and around-the-clock combat air patrols with its numerous planes. Their reconnaissance assets would also be utilized for pre-operational scouting of enemy positions, despite Space Command's immense wealth of intelligence-gathering satellites, it was the reconnaissance aircraft or spy drone that had the most detailed picture of what was on the ground. Captain Jon Herbert, the commanding officer of a squadron of F-124AJ Wild Weasel aircraft, which were modified Bullwhip air superiority fighters for their spectacular role in the suppression of enemy air defences, stood with his plane's crew chief as they inspected it in the loaned hanger after its long-haul ferry flight from Aequatio. They looked out onto the tarmac as transports, having unloaded their cargo, lifted off alongside the E-14C Capricorn AEW&C aircraft flew to the border region with Michaelosia while additional C-181A and C-225B airlifters landed with fresh troops and supplies.

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1,500 kilometres East from the coast of Jeuna, East Continentia Ocean

The massive task force assembled by the Aequatian Republic Navy and Marine Corps had been organized and set sail weeks before the Army began its own deployment to Cravan, leaving at least four weeks for its own soldiers to train after being mobilized. The core of the task force was formed around one of the largest amphibious groups ever established for a single operation as three Marine Divisions made up the 120,000-strong XXIV Marine Expeditionary Force and were garrisoned aboard almost forty amphibious assault vessels and in tow were another twenty hauling simply supplies for prolonged operations. Among the camouflage-clad Marines was Colonel Cal Mobius, who commanded the 12th Regimental Combat Team, as he watched out over the ocean from the flight deck of an Adams class assault ship. Running in square formations along the length of the deck behind him were platoons of his regiment's first battalion as they performed their physical training while aboard the ship, another platoon sat at the stern in full combat gear as they fired relentlessly at floating target drones towed from the ship's well-deck. He was content as his marines kept busy, an idle marine is one who has time to think, which was known to be the last thing one wants before a coming battle.

Around the XXIV MEF amphibious group were a dozen Carrier Battlegroups and a single Batteship Group, the former deployed with twenty four Enterprise fleet carriers and twice as many Inflexible excort carriers while the latter was formed around six Cravanian-designed Laurana class command battleships, armed with 18-inch guns. Escorts formed a large number of the surface combatants with almost fifty light cruisers, eighty destroyers of all types and ninety frigates, the last type guarding not only the ships of the task force, but also the long chain of supply ships running between the operational zone and the Republic. As the ships sailed along the surface, they were protected in the air by a scores of F-124A Bullwhip fighters performing their combat air patrols in cooperation with E-2F Hawkeye II AEW planes. Lieutenant-Commander Frank Argus kept his aircraft in tight formation with another from his squadron as they flew their CAP perimeter around the 185 kilometres from their parent carriers, they were the first line of defence against not only enemy aircraft, but cruise missiles as well, since anything within 400 kilometres of the Hawkeye II's radar could be tracked almost instantly upon detection. Armed with the advanced, Illiorian AIM-133A Star Seeker AMRAAM, they would have no difficulties in defeating any targets they engaged.

Lurking below the waves, however, were the Republic's most sinister weapons at sea, the Avenger class attack submarine, Commander Peter Dennis stood at the helm of the class's lead ship, RNS Avenger itself, as it prowled the waters far ahead of the massive fleet as it steamed Northwards. His boat itself was to clear the sea lanes of any enemy vessels should they pose a threat to the task force, although his primary mission was to remain undetected and provide intelligence that the Navy satellites could not from orbit. Every few hours, the submarine was close to the surface and penetrate the air with its radar suite, searching for surface vessels before sinking below again into stealth and darkness of the ocean. In addition to the Avenger attack boats, the fleet was also supported by a number of Ocean II guided-missile submarines for strike missions inland and the smaller, almost silent Phantom class patrol boats.

Offices of the Directorate
1 Imperial Square

"And who the hell gave the Aequatians permission to launch an invasion from our soil?", Primary Director Anagrams asked as she entered Deputy Primary Director Koslin's office. She sent a folder of files about Aequatian forces deploying to several airbases along the eastern border crashing down upon his desk with force.
"Apparently the Emperor had given the offer in a conversation with Reid... I'm not sure what to think of this right now, really. They contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs on it and they assumed it was alright to give the okay since the Emperor had done so."
"Robert has no such authority to make decisions like that. I don't even have that authority. The Senate is the only body that could approve something like this. And now through transgression we could very well be pulled into a conflict we had no part in planning."
"As long as we announce neutrality in it..."
"Oh, do you honestly think the Zanziims will care about who's neutral when troops are pouring across their border with us? I mean hell, we were actually making progress with them."

Koslin shrugged, and stood up from his chair as he paced about the room.

"Perhaps you should call up President Reid and figure something out?", he suggested. "Remember, they are one of our closest allies."
"Closest allies or not an invasion launched from our soil would be illegal.", Anagrams said, sounding weary. "I just hope the Zanziims don't get the wrong impression before it's too late."

Director Anagrams sighed, turning towards the door. "I'll call up Reid and tell you how it turns out.", she said while leaving the office and walking down the hallway. She entered the antechamber and waiting area to her office, nodding to her secretary as she walked past the reception desk and through the massive oak doors which separated her office from the rest of the building, closing them behind her.

Strolling up to her desk, she rested her hand down on the phone which sat there diligently, ever waiting to perform its duty. She lifted the receiver to her ear, the low dial tone buzzing while she dialed the front desk. After a moment of ringing, a female voice answered.

"Good morning, ma'am, what can I do for you?"
"Get me a direct encrypted line to Magna Casa. I need to speak to President Reid."


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Drewshire Imperial Air Force Base
Eastern Cravan

"Next load of troops is inbound, the plane should be on the runway within twenty minutes."
"Good.", Captain Fred Gretton said with enthusiasm. "Everything's on schedule."

Gretton was the manager for all of Drewshire's incoming shipments, and it was his responsibility to keep every aircraft coming in to one of the three incoming runways on schedule and ready to be taxied to the tarmac and offloaded almost immediately. He stood on the tarmac wearing his Air Force officer's blue pea coat, his hands covered by leather work gloves as he managed the clipboard of date which he cradled in his left arm. Luckily the winter storm which had originally been predicted as occurring today was postponed until the day after Christmas, as the weather station at the airfield had made a slight error in calculating its speed. Thus, time was of the essence, and it was Gretton's job to get as many Aequatians offloaded and sent to their respective rally points as fast as he could.

Little did he know his efforts could have possibly been for nothing.

(OOC: Tag, post coming later I'm off to work too soon to post now, but just FYI I RP as Zanziik, not Michaelosia, XD)

Aequatio Mobilizing, Zanziik Wary

Cravenia, Zanziik
Michael Trufont (AP)

Zanziim officials are in uproar today as Sector 7's Cravan branch reports increased Aequatian troop activity on the eastern border of Cravan.

While the purpose remains unclear, Zanziim agents are "absolutely positive" of Aequatian forces entering Cravan en masse via air transport, according to Sector 7 director James George. In an ominous set of circumstances, Sector 7 has also noted the presence of Aequatian ships of war afloat off the Jeunan coast.

Aequatio's presence near Zanziik is creating tension due to the "obvious threat to Zanziim security" which it presents, said Mr. George. Due to strong alliances with every other nation which could feasibly be hit from their position in Cravan, it stands to reason that Zanziik is the only logical target for these Aequatian forces. President Beverly addressed the issue earlier today.

"This movement of Aequatian forces to a position where they so blatantly represent a threat to Zanziim security is not only a foolish move by the nation of Aequatio, but also by those of Cravan and Jeuna. Zanziik has brought no ill will to our neighbors to the east and to the west, and yet now they harbor a force which so obviously means us harm. This is a transgression which will not go unpunished, if not now then in the future.

Despite the audacity of our neighbors in harboring a threat, it is not them that threaten us directly. The Aequatians have mobilized unnecessarily and unprovoked. I do not hesitate when I say that these men would quickly devastate our way of life, given the chance. It is therefore my belief that preemptive action is necessary in defending our nation from the imminent threat these forces present. I have requested and passed the activation of all reserve units within Zanziik, and even as I speak tens of millions of Zanziim citizen-soldiers begin mobilizing for a war of defense they did not provoke.

SAM sites across the nation will become active, air units have taken to the skies for CAP, troops are already beginning to entrench in preparation for defense of the major cities, and Port Royal's Missile Command has been alerted of the position of the Aequatian navy. Should the Aequatian threat become a real war, Zanziik will be fully prepared to fight off all aggressors."

(OOC: Apologies if this is subpar RP, my sister is blaring 'The Hills' and I can't concentrate very well D:)

The Ebon Tor, Magna Casa, Aequatius Prime

President Reid paced about his office as hourly reports were brought to him from the office of the Joint Chiefs concerning the ongoing operation, especially since the Zanziims had finally caught on to the coming onslaught. Secretary of Defence Heidi Ghoddard sat on one of the leather couches as she read the press article, "Mister President, we cannot resume this action without world opinion turning sour, we must release our casus belli to the public, lest they think we're imperialists."

"Agreed, make sure our contacts at ANN receive the information they need from the Administratum's archives," He said to an aide as she nodded and exited, "Heidi, I'm sure the Cravanians are starting to get antsy about the numbers growing inside their borders."

At that moment, the intercom console buzzed on his desk, "President Reid, there is a Miss Anagrams of the Cravanian Directorate to speak with you on a secure line."

Reid slid a small wireless device onto his ear and pressed the button, it flashed a blue LED before switch on as he spoke, "Connect her to me now."

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http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z317/Aequatio/ANN-logo.png
Aequatian Republic Military Deploys to Cravan, Zanziik
President's Office Calls "Operation: Long Javelin" a "Just Cause"

Magna Casa, Aequatius Prime - The office of President Holden Reid provided ANN with the exclusive information regarding the recent mobilization and later deployment of the Republic's armed forces to Continentia, namely Cravan and the East Continentian Ocean, for operations that are to be conducted against the nation of Zanziik.

The President's Office has presented the agency with the justification for the deployment, codenamed "Operation: Long Javelin" after numerous intelligence agencies were able to cross reference and verify the existence of prisoner and concentration camps for the nation's Asiatic population. The Aequatian Republic Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defence are to present their respective reports to the National Senate tomorrow in a transparent display of the government's actions to liberate people that are being brutally oppressed within the nation of Zanziik. President Reid himself, in a telephone interview, explained that "It is important for nations with the most power in the world to take responsibility to make life better for all people in the world, our mission to Zanziik is a just cause for our military and the Aequatian citizenry."

Details concerning the operations were unavailable due to OPSEC procedures, but it was known that all branches of the armed forces have been deployed, including a large number of reserve units to partake in their wartime duties in the Continental Aequatian Republic.

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1,350 kilometres East from the coast of Jeuna, East Continentia Ocean

Colonel Mobius sat in the officer's briefing room on the assault ship as the Navy and Marine officers discussed the threat posed to the fleet as it traversed the ocean on its course to Zanziik. The ship's executive officer spoke, "We knew it was impossible to conceal this force from detection, but now the gloves are off now that they have spoke of a pre-emptive action against the fleet. These are the new precautions, all personnel on the flight and hanger decks are now required to operation at MOPP level one for the time being considering we could be hit by chemical agents before we reach the operational zone. As well, once a missile alarm is sounded, all personnel are to return to the below decks for safety."

"My marines will make sure to stick to those precautions to the letter," Said Mobius, "We'll be prepared for D-Day."

In orbit the F-124A aircraft, like the one piloted by Commander Argus, were informed of the impending threat of missile attacks from Zanziik aircraft or shore batteries. Their weapon systems were already configured to defend against such an attack, but the flight crews were nervous nonetheless considering their responsibility. The aviator dropped his visor down as he peered to the port-side of his cockpit towards where the mainland was located, the sun shined against the darkened plastic as he listened to the radio chatter between the carrier's air wing command and the Hawkeye II aircraft, given his position as squadron commanding officer. Since the press release from Zanziik, the number of aircraft in the combat air patrols around the fleet had doubled in order to prepare for an attack from the Zanziim navy or air force.

Closer to Zanziik than the rest of the fleet, the RNS Avenger cruised underneath the waves. The changing climate of the operation pushed the CNOCENTCOM to initiate a more aggressive mandate for the submarine fleet in the East Continentian Ocean. Any and all Zanziik military vessels were to be engaged immediately before they could potentially pose a threat to the fleet, this new mandate also provided the submarine skippers a great amount of command liberty in their actions, hoping to count on the initiative of Aequatian officers to conduct their duties in the most effective methods possible.

Coastal Defense Station 106
Port Royal, Zanziik
0430 hours, Engagement Day

The targetting and control center of CDS 106 was of the utmost importance to Zanziik now. It's appearance could not have been any more ill suited to it's function. Damp, dark, and permeated with the scent of aging pizza, it was here in this concrete shell that the first engagements of the Aequatian War were taking place, and the enemy was still a thousand kilometers away.

That was the beauty of the ZmI-109 surface launched anti-ship cruise missile. With a range of over two thousand kilometers, the myriad coastal defense stations scattered all across the Zanziim coast could engage the Aequatian navy before they ever even thought of striking at Zanziim assets. There were flaws, yes, but would the Aequatians even see it coming, or would they be caught with their pants down?

The system was almost flawless in it's conception. Using satellite imagery to track targets, MISSILECOM had been able to designate a list of targets for each of Zanziik's thousand CDS', which would allow the highest amount of damage to be dealt with the least amount of multi-targeting. If a hit was confirmed by satellite, the target next in the CDS' list would be fired upon. Of the highest priority were what analysts had decided must be troop transports, and the highest missile

In all, MISSILECOM expected each of it's CDS' to fire around four missiles per hour. Constantly rotating crews, and almost endless shipments of missiles from depots in Port Royal, Helm, and Oxford, meant that this cruise missile barrage would most likely be an extreme test of the logistical organization skills of MISSILECOM, but it was absolutely necessary that as much damage as possible be inflicted upon the Aequatians before they set foot on Zanziim soil.

With a deafening hiss and a violent excretion of smoke and flame, the first strike of the Aequatian War began. Engagement Day had come to Coastal Defense Station 106

3412 Black Street
Apartment 762
Oxford, Zanziik
0600 hours, Engagement Day

Zachary Harrington was having one of the worst days of his life. Last night he had collapsed into bed in a drunken stupor, listening halfheartedly to the depressingly inevitable conflict that was to come on Zanziim National News while drinking down more and more of his beloved whiskey, dreading the just as inevitable hangover he would have tomorrow.

This morning he had woken up, and the both inevitabilities had become reality, tied together mercilessly. The phone had rung only fifteen minutes ago, sending jolts of pain through Zach's nervous system. With the TV still on in the background, he had received news that his reserve unit had been activated, effective immediately, and he was to report to Andromeda Square at 0800 hours for deployment.

Hanging up the receiver with a resentful sigh at his luck, Zach turned to the television across the room from his unkempt bed. Bombarding his senses from the small screen came the voice and image of Zanziim President Charles Beverly, speaking surprisingly early to the Zanziim nation. Zach wasn't especially surprised, war waited for no man, not even those extremely powerful.

Turning up the television, and instantly regretting it as his head shrieked in agony, Zach allowed himself to reorient and listened to the leader of a nation now at war.

"The Aequatians would have the world believe that their war is a just cause. They would have the world believe that Zanziik as a nation condones the oppression of the Asian races. The Aequatians must pay for their slanderous tongues. By positioning themselves around Zanziik, Aequatio leaves us no choice but to defend ourselves from their imperialism. It is with deepest regret that I must inform the Zanziim populous that at 0430 hours today, the Aequatian War has begun."

As an analyst came on screen, Zach turned the television down, his attention caught by a noise he had not noticed before. Almost continuous in it's dull monotony, the noise was unique enough that it forced Zach to his window, curious. Looking about from his high apartment complex, the source soon became clear.

Cruise missiles.

A lot of cruise missiles.

Zach sighed again, and turned off the TV completely, turning away from the window. With a disdainful look at his inviting bed, Zach began to pack his things. Sleep and hangovers would have to wait.

There was a war on, after all.

1,000 kilometres East from the coast of Jeuna, East Continentia Ocean

The early morning of D-4 had brought with it the opening shots of Operation Long Javelin as Admiral Andre Hook, the officer in command of the entire fleet, was wide-awake and ready for duty in the Combat Information Centre aboard the flagship RNS Eagle, having replaced the watch officer two hours short of his normal shift. The intelligence gathering personnel under the CNOCENTCOM had alerted the fleet commander of the launch of the Zanziim missiles from their hardened launch facilities, the Aequatian Republic Navy surveillance satellites having been positioned to have one of the advanced IMINT devices pass over the Zanziim coastline every hour to watch for the infrared signatures of missile launches against the fleet. Sipping from a cup of coffee provided by the CIC's machine, he watched as the crew of the command centre work to coordinate the defence efforts for the fleet, the datalinks for the escorts were chirping back and forth as ships shared their information with not only each other, but with the Hawkeye II Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft and even the independent F-124A fighters on their CAP runs.

Thanks to the forward positioned Avenger class boats and their air-search radar suites and datalinks, they were able to maintain an effective tracking of the Tomahawk missiles from a distance of six hundred kilometres away from the fleet, more than two hundred more than the tracking distance of the Hawkeye II aircraft. The fleet's first layer of defence would be the pilots like Lieutenant-Commander Argus and the F-124A Bullwhip fighter aircraft armed with the Illiorian-designed AIM-133A Star Seeker Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, which thanks to their systems, would be more than suited for how they were about to be used, as the aircraft's digital datalink was fed the information through the fleet's intranet, the squadron commander switched to speak with his aircraft as he summarized the information being fed to his monitor, "Fleet eyes are tracking incoming threat, bandits are bravo-golf-mike one-oh-nines and the bravo-romeo-alfa-alfa is bearing five-two degrees at five-zero metres on our forward aspect, bandits closing fast at four-seven-five knots. Breaker squadrons, you are cleared hot to release, tally ho."

"Wilco, Breaker Lead, changing course to engage," Replied one of the commander's wingmen as the rest of the aircraft, like the other 432 F-124A fighters moved to engage the incoming Zanziim cruise missiles of the four waves of a thousand Tomahawks each with their own AIM-133As while the other 432 fighters on their CAP orbits would sit back and wait to engage those that were not eliminated in the first barrage of equally-numbered weapons. Once the fighters had closed to the AIM-133A's effective range with the cruise missiles, the radio nets chattered with repeated calls of the pilot's callsign and the code, "Fox three," as the active-radar AIM-133A missiles were loosed against the larger BGM-109 Tomahawks. In the course of mere minutes, just over four thousand Star Seekers were launched and accelerated to Mach 4.2 to interdict the cumbersome and slower cruise missiles.

The lack of real-time updates on the enemy missile positions from either the launching aircraft or Hawkeye II planes, leaving the active-radar guidance on the AIM-133A missile to track it in the terminal phase of the fight, combined with the low altitude of the Tomahawk missiles themselves, lent to a disappointing failure of twenty five per cent of the Star Seekers to successfully engage their targets. While the missile's own radar and infrared seeker were proven to be very effective in engaging targets, only seventy five per cent of the missiles were splashed by the first wave of the Bullwhip fighters. The remaining missiles would be tracked by the Hawkeye II aircraft as they entered the four hundred kilometre range of their powerful radar systems, which could track in real-time, as the operators aboard the AEW aircraft called out to the F-124A squadrons now on station to replace the expended aircraft returning to the carriers, "We count three thouand splashed with one thousand leakers coming in on the same bravo-romeo-alfa-alfa as before, all aircraft on-station you are cleared hot to engage. Tally ho." Linked to the Hawkeye II aircraft, the AIM-133A weapons fired from the remaining fighters had no difficulty in defeating the remaining Tomahawk missiles as the last thousand were splashed without effort.

Lieutenant-Commander Argus would come in for his landing on one of the Enterprise fleet carriers along with his squadron as the ship's partner squadron was prepared for take off on the bow catapults to take up their sister unit's position in the CAP orbits. It was the fact that each fleet carrier air wing ad two air combat fighter squadrons that helped Argus to relax as he stepped down the small ladder and walked with his squadron mates to the debriefing as the blueshirts of the aircraft handling crews moved the F-124A planes to the elevators to the hanger deck below, where they would be refueled, re-armed and inspected before their next flight while the pilots rested for the hour or so before they were to be in the air again, should the attacks be sustained in the current numbers.

It was almost clockwork as the second wave of missiles arrived an hour after the first, defeated in practically the same manner as the first, although things were changed as the first counterattack using the Star Seeker AMRAAMs was halted until the Tomahawks had reached the more complete net of the Hawkeye II radars, allowing for a much more effective rate of ninety per cent of the enemy weapons being defeated in the first defending launch and very few of the secondary launches being required to eliminate the remaining "leakers." After the end of the second Zanziim missile attack, Admiral Hook brought his staff together in one of the Eagle's briefing rooms as he spoke with them, "Ladies and gentlemen, it appears that the Zanziims believe that they can win this war by simply smothering us with cruise missiles launched from shore batteries, however, as the last two hours have proven, our aircraft and radar systems are more than capable of dealing with this issue, albeit only temporarily."

Vice-Admiral Charles Redford, the officer in command of the fleet's aviation assets continued, "The pilots and aircrews of the Bullwhips and Hawkeye Twos can only sustain these operations for a short period before fatigue begins to set in. Even with four hundred thirty two fighters, a quarter of our strength, in the air and each aircraft armed with ten missiles each, we are likely to expend our immediate stockpiles of Star Seeker missiles within three days. Fatigue will set in, even with a quarter of our planes in the air every hour to engage the enemy Tomahawks, that provides each pilot with a good period of four hours or so of sleep for every four hours of operations, but our flight crews cannot maintain this pace of operations," He said sternly before the other officers, "We need to find another method of defeating the enemy missiles before we are tapped out by D minus two."

One of the surface fleet commanders spoke, "Our air defence network is more than capable of defending against these attacks, why should we rely so hard on the air wings to keep the cruise missiles away?"

Admiral Hook set his coffee down on the table and replied, "The surface fleet's air defence weapons will have more than enough time to work once the fighters are off busy maintaining air superiority against the Zanziik Air Force strike aircraft," He turned to the fleet's Air Boss, "What do you want to do?"

"I would like the opportunity to strike at these missile launch facilities with Alpha Strikes from the E-class carrier wings," Suggested the Vice-Admiral, "Given the coordinates through the satellite imagery, we can input that data into the Rook cruise missiles and disrupt or eliminate the enemy launch facilities, of course, if IMINT can determine the location of all of these facilities for our aircraft, thus ending the attacks. For the two hours required to launch the sixteen Alpha Strikes and conduct the strike missions, the surface fleet's air defence systems should be more than sufficient to defeat any attack."

"I don't like leaving ourselves temporarily weakened by this idea, but we don't have a choice," Said Hook as he nodded to the Air Boss and the Surface Commander, "Make sure there is no gap in the defensive layers, we don't need to be aught with our pants down around our ankles, people, dismissed."

Sixteen of the fleet's Enterprise class carriers were pulled from the defence duties as the air wings embarked began the task of preparing the aircraft necessary for an "Alpha Strike" against the missile batteries ashore in Zanziik. The fighter squadrons aboard the supporting Inflexible class attack carriers would take over the role of maintaining the outer ring of air defence fighters along with the other eight Enterprise ships. Aboard the vessels, however, the air wing personnel worked hard as aircraft were fueled and armed on the hanger deck before being lifted to the fight deck on the elevators and prepared in "Launch Only" positions on the flattop. As the ships prepared the Alpha Strikes, a third wave of Tomahawk missiles were detected inbound on the fleet, the fighters already aloft would be able to deal with them before being forced to land on the waiting "I-ships" to await the opportunity to return t their squadrons' respective ships. As the third wave of the missile attacks were defeated effortlessly, the first aircraft of the Alpha Strikes, EA-16C Sparrow tactical electronic warfare planes, were sent into the air ahead with cover from F-124A fighters in order to disrupt enemy radars from tracking the Naval planes as the attack bombers climbed to their release points. Given the range at which they would be launching their AGM-349A "Rook" stand-off munitions, there was little need for protection as any enemy interceptors would be detected long before they could engage the A-16C Invader bombers.

The Sparrow planes broadcast a barrage jamming on a number of likely radar frequencies of enemy long-range, air-search radars to block their positions, as the Alpha Strikes closed to a distance of seven hundred kilometres from the positions provided by the CNOCENTCOM intelligence personnel as each of the two hundred fifty six A-16C Invader bombers released their four cruise missiles, each of the thousand-plus guided weapons were independently-guided to a separate target suspected of being a Tomahawk launch site.

Using the programmed location data from the Navy surveillance satellites and cross-referenced with the weapon's inertial navigation system, the AGM-349A Rook cruise missiles would not have to "bump up" to examine their targets during flight as the Zanziim Tomahawks do against the fleet, their low radar cross-section and LIDAR-referencing altimeters would also increase the weapon's penetration of the Zanziim air defences and increase the odds in their favour of striking their intended targets, which would be matched with an imaging infrared seeker for the terminal phase of the flight, the infrared signature matched from those recorded in the satellite images, would also guarantee a successful rate of targets being struck by the weapons using deep penetrating 450kg high-capacity, high-explosive warheads in order to defeat the reinforced concrete of the launching bunkers. For the time being, these would be the only targets approved for immediate strikes by the carrier air wings.

OOC: More coming from the other fronts (Cravan, Aequatio, et cetera) later on during the day, this post alone took me a good couple of hours to complete.

Coastal Defense Station 106
Port Royal, Zanziik
0800 hours, Engagement Day

The scene at CDS-106 had changed drastically in three and a half hours. Shortly after launching their third wave of Tomahawks, the crew had been informed of incoming munitions. Confident in the elaborate SAM network designed to protect them, the crew had gone about reloading their launcher for the fourth wave to come at 0830.

They would never make it to the deadline.

The incoming missiles had proven too much for CDS-106's particular SAM defense site to defeat, and a cruise missile had struck the site, sending an explosion of flames and debris high into the winter morning. In an instant the launcher and all 10 crew members were incinerated, the first Zanziim casualties of the war. Unfortunately they were not the only casualties of that alpha strike. Across the coast, similar scenes occurred at several more stations, ending eight hundred Zanziim lives before they even realized what had hit them. There were successes, and catastrophes. Downed missiles fell from the sky, victorious SAM defense crews cheering in exhalation, but one of these missiles fell, still active, upon a crowded church, filled with those celebrating Christmas Mass. Several hundred civilians were wounded in the hellish fire and destruction that ensued.

The remaining cruise missile sites, while flustered, continued preparations for the fourth launch. High priority targets from the lost stations were added to the remaining stations, and very little had changed. The object was still clear.

Kill all Aequatian aggressors.

900 kilometres East from the coast of Jeuna, East Continentia Ocean

The aircraft of the sixteen launched Alpha Strikes made their return vectors to the Enterprise fleet carriers after successfully launching their weapons against the Zanziim missile launch facilities. Admiral Hook had remained in the Eagle's CIC as he monitored the progress of the attack, the most important factor being the satellite imagery of the sites post-strike, and the results did not please the senior officer as he noted so few of the sites eliminated. He would later meet with his staff once again after the last of the aircraft landed on the decks, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have a problem. While a number of the Tomahawk sites were destroyed in the attack, we have estimates that only seven to eight per cent were actually taken out of commission thanks to the Zanziim air defence network. It is obvious that any continued attacks of this nation will not be effective, we must change our course of action immediately."

The Fleet Air Boss spoke, "Sir, from the latest satellite imagery, we have determined that they have at least two surface to air missile launchers protecting each of the launching facilities," He said as he looked through an open browser on the laptop terminal in front of him, "The weapons being used are land-based variants of the Questarian-designed Sea Sabre SA.38E, linked to separate radar systems. They have an effective range of up to four hundred kilometres, which means our aircraft will have to fly inside their radius in order for us to take them out."

"How much of a risk are they to our aircraft?" Asked Hook as he sipped at a cup of coffee, "Given that there are two thousand or so launchers situated along that coast."

"The risk can be minimized if we take a few precautions in our Alpha Strikes," Explained the Air Boss as he fixed his uniform shirt as he sat forward, "The SA.38E is a rather large weapon, larger than the Tomahawks that the Vee-Eff squadrons have been swatting. We can jam at the normal frequencies the radars search on using Sparrows as best we can, but they'll burn through the jamming and be able to detect the aircraft on their approach, especially within the last hundred kilometres, which is why half of the Invaders will haul in the Samson decoys once they reach that point while the bombers duck low as they run on their attack runs. Once the radars illuminate the targets, the Daggers will home in on them on their own and the bombers can turn back on their own."

"All right, prepare the wings again to attack those targets and make sure it can be done as effectively as possible," Ordered Hook as he dismissed the Air Boss and turned to the Surface and Submarine commanding officers, "I want the surface and submarine fleets to bring their own firepower into the next strike against the enemy missile launch facilities, since we are not facing a combative fleet, I want those Sea Pikes ready to fire on the enemy sites, provided with the coordinates from the satellites, it will be more than easy to target them."

The massive strike would be readied in order to take away the Zanziim capability to wage war against the ships as they neared the coast. The same Alpha Wings would be launched again as before, the only modification being how long the aircraft would be in the air, distance they were flying and the weapons loadouts. In place of the air-launched cruise missiles, the 256 A-16C Invader bombers were each carrying four pairs of AGM-348A Dagger anti-radiation missiles, allowing for two missiles per launcher, although these would be targeting the radar stations used for launching the surface to air missiles, rendering the independent launchers nearly useless, save for the weapon's onboard active radar guidance. F-124A Bullwhip fighters, although originally tasked with running their combat air patrols to protect against the incoming Tomahawk launches, were redeployed to provide protection for the Alpha Strikes as they were tasked with their missions to suppress the enemy air defences along the coastline. In addition to their mission of intercepting enemy fighters sent to interdict the bombers, the aircraft would also be tasked with the elimination of the land-based SA.38E missiles as they were launched against the carrier aircraft, for their duties they would be directed by the accompanying Hawkeye II aircraft as they scanned more than 400 kilometres out from their positions, more than enough time to detect and track a missile launched, and when necessary, help to guide the AIM-133A Star Seeker AMRAAMs.

In addition to the Alpha Strikes being deployed against the enemy air defences, the surface fleet ships now tasked with providing security against the continued Tomahawk missile attacks were tasked with preparing their launch systems as the RGM-172D Sea Pike quasi-ballistic missiles were programmed with the coordinates to the Zanziim launch facilities and launched in massive salvos, the rocket boosters hurling the missiles and propelling them to the required speed to which they could engage their flight motors, supersonic combustion ramjets which would accelerate the missiles to Mach 13 and later to Mach 16 when the still-guided warheads would detach and fall upon their targets. Thanks to their incredible speed, they would travel the 900 kilometre distance from the fleet to their targets in Zanziim in a mere three minutes, allowing time for them to be detected and tracked, but nearly impossible for most weapons to intercept thanks to both their speed and the deployed decoys from the missiles, almost guaranteeing that the 750 kilogram penetrating high-explosive warheads would defeat their targets. Given their effectiveness, the missiles were launched for a ratio of two missiles per target from almost all of the surface combatants, half of which from the fleet's cruisers alone. Although they could strike at any moment, the order was given to hold fire until the carrier strikes had destroyed a good number of the enemy air defences, allowing for the most effective use of the Sea Pikes.

The aircraft of the Alpha Strikes had a leisurely flight the first half hour of the flight until they were brought in to 500 kilometres of the coastline, when the accompanying Sparrow electronic attack aircraft switched on their jamming pods as they blasted the frequencies of the air search radars with excessive "noise" and flooded the monitors of the radar operators with so many broad returns that they or their computers would be unable to determine separate targets within the noise until they had closed to a distance where the even more powerful radars would be able to "burn" through the jamming's disruptions.

OOC: I'm going to leave this off at this point until I can speak with Zanz himself concerning the next course of action.

Zanziim Coastline
Near Port Royal, Zanziik
0930 hours, Engagement Day

The chaos at Port Royal Air Force Base Six (PRAFB-6) had been tremendous. 'Stonewall' had been pleased to escape, his twin D/TF-490A low-bypass turbofan jet engines propelling him and his Aquila air superiority fighter away from the turmoil and into the skies. Along his port side, 'Stonewall' could see the silhouette of his wingman, 'Major Tom', blocking the still rising sun. As 'Major Tom's' voice rang clear through his earpieces, 'Stonewall' still found it disconcerting to think that between them ripped torrents of air, through which they were accelerating at supersonic speeds.

"Ground Control, requesting situation assessment," 'Major Tom's' voice came, tinny but impressively clear. 'Stonewall' found it slightly ironic that his wingman was already asking for an updated situation report, but things could indeed change quickly at Mach 2.

"Ground Control to 'Major Tom', hostile bandits are inbound, bearing two-eight-five, about three hundred suspected Foxtrot-One-Two-Four-Alpha and one hundred twenty eight Echo-Alpha-One-Six-Charlies, escorting two hundred fifty six suspected Alpha-One-Six-Charlie bombers and thirty two Echo-Two-Six AWACS. Contact 'Watcher' frequency four-two-eight-dot-one-three for further reconnaissance."

As 'Major Tom' switched frequencies, 'Stonewall' recognized 'Watcher' as the call sign for the nearest Supermarine Sportsman AEW.2 AWACS, an eye in the sky, piloted by Doomani crew, that would help track and designate targets for the four hundred Aquila fighters like 'Stonewall's' that had been scrambled from air force bases all along the coastline.

'Major Tom's' electronic voice broke into 'Stonewall's' thoughts. Obviously he had reached the desired frequency and was now communicating with 'Watcher.' "'Watcher', this is 'Major Tom. Request target designation for BVR engagement."

The reply, a guttural growl emitted from a frustrated sounding Doomani, was almost instantaneous. "'Major Tom', 'Watcher'. Suspected enemy Sparrows using ECM to jam RADAR frequencies. Initiate home-on-jam protocol for ATAIM-9 missiles and release at will."

"Roger, 'Watcher.' Engaging at will. 'Major Tom' out."

The communications link grew eerily silent, and 'Stonewall' looked over to his wingman, whose helmeted head nodded to confirm the recently received order. 'Stonewall' replied in kind and adjusted two settings on his OLED touch screens, setting his missiles to home on the source of the jamming frequencies being emitted by the Sparrows after it was guided to the formation by 'Watcher'. In the final stage of the home-on-jam sequence, EO/IR would help to ensure the highest kill ratio possible. Once the jammers were blown out of the sky, the SAMs would go to work, clearing the skies of all threats. All 400 Aquila pilots, receiving this order, executed it, knowing that the bombers could wait.

'Stonewall' pulled the trigger, watching triumphantly as the ATAIM-9 soared for a target that was still out of sight.

Right now, they had some annoying little Sparrows to kill.

Internment Camp 347
Near Underhill, Zanziik
0930 hours, Engagement Day

The sound of a thousand pick axes could be heard throughout the interior of Internment Camp 347, a highly secret underground facility designed by the Zanziim government to hold the more undesirable elements of Zanziim society. All around, the stench of dying men permeated the cavernous halls, hardly noticed now by the thousand remaining Asian interns, gathered from across the nation to be punished for their crimes against the state. Forced to work impossible hours on meager scraps of food, these men were doomed to an inevitable death.

Internment Camp 347 was located along the Mars mountain range. The interns were used to mine tons of uranium weekly, exported quietly by the Zanziim government on the black market. Little could be done by the interns to escape their plight, except work on and hope for rescue.

There were rumors, of course, that a foreign nation had discovered the plight of those interned in Zanziik, and these rumors spread like wildfire through the camps. But there were always rumors, none of them confirmable, the overseers made sure that as little hope as possible was left for the interns.

Xun, an eleven year old intern, had been seperated from his family, sent to separate camps. It was all he could do to continue to believe in the rumors, for they promised a faint chance of seeing his mother and father again. As he considered this, Xun had accidentally neglected to continue swinging his pickaxe by muscle memory. It would prove to be a fatal mistake.

An overseer, tall and muscular, was on Xun in an instant, jamming the stock of his rifle hard into Xun's head, the momentum smashing Xun's face into the stone wall that he was mining. A torrent of blood flowed down Xun's terrified face as he turned over to view his attacker, already drawing his combat knife from it's long sheath, the blade glinting ominously in the artificial light of the mining cavern.

With a swift strike, the overseer's blade found Xun's throat, sending a spout of amber blood high into the cavern, Xun's own heart forcing more and more of his precious life essence onto the cavern floor with each beat. All around the grisly scene, no one took notice. It appeared the interns were starting to get the message.

The overseer turned from his adolescent victim and walked out of the cavern. A thousands sets of eyes followed his exit.

(OOC: Information on ATAIM-9 (http://z4.invisionfree.com/NSDraftroom/index.php?showtopic=1762))

The encryption lines met, the two telephones worlds apart 'shaking hands' as it were and commencing the conversation. Immediately thereafter, a tone sounded off in the receiver, and Elizabeth knew the secretary in Magna Casa had cut her through. Immediately Reid greeted her. "Good afternoon, Madame Director, what has you calling today?"

"Hello, Mr. President, a pleasure to speak with you as always. I'm calling in regards to the recent military buildup in my country surrounding the Zanziim situation."

Holden smiled as the Cravanian's voice replied directly in his ear, thanks to the wireless earset hanging on the side of his head, "The initiation of the Able Vigil Protocols were signed by my hand at the advice of the Joint Chiefs, given that it was the quickest manner in which to have Aequatian forces in a position to operate in Zanziim."

"Yes, well... Able Vigil was primarily designed as a defensive protocol to prevent foreign incursion into Cravanian territory and likewise to Aequatio. Confirmation papers of the activation of Able Vigil did not pass my desk, however I have been informed that His Majesty the Emperor approved of the action in personal communique with you. Might I point out that, under the Imperial Constitution, neither I nor the Emperor has the authority to validate such a measure, and only the legislature can come to such a decision.", Elizabeth said, remaining cool and collected, and trying to seem as cordial as she could in her demeanor. "Thusly, until the Imperial Senate comes to a decision on the matter Aequatian forces cannot engage in hostile action from my country's soil."

The smile on Reid's face widened, knowing this issue to arise from the more-restrained Cravanians, and had already prepared for the eventuality before speaking, "That is only because you have yet to see the conclusions made in the reports from the Republic's Intelligence Agency, we had initiated the AV protocols on our end to mobilize and deploy as quickly as possible in support of Operation Long Javelin."

"That still doesn't completely change that, until those conclusions are released to the Senate as evidence on whether or not to approve of Aequatian offensive action from our borders, nothing can be done on either end. Until conclusive proof of whatever it is you've found is brought forward the Aequatians deployed in Cravan will be sitting on their hands. I am also curious as to what exactly this evidence is which would cause Aequatian involvement in our neighbor."

"It would take merely a matter of a few hours to deliver enough copies for your Senate to review the report and see for themselves of the abuses occurring in your own neighbour," Holden replied, keeping his tone calm and away from anything accusing towards the Cravanian, "ARIA had deployed agents to Zanziim amost eight month prior to the start of the operation upon discovering rumours of the Asian Zanziim population being detained and interned in camps or mines as slave labour."

"Well, Mr. President, you are more than welcome to present your findings to the Senate in a report. I've called an emergency session to be held in three hours' time, I'm sure the report can be faxed over and copied enough to supply the Senate with your findings.", Anagrams said, somewhat relieved the conversation had come to a solution so quickly. "Thank you, Mr. President. I trust the report will be here with enough time to spare?"

"Absolutely," He replied, "I will speak with the people at the Agency and have the necessary preparations made to transmit the report's text to your department and the Senate. You may release it to whomever else you wish afterwards," He nodded to an aide as she entered the office, pointing to a bound copy of the ARIA report and handing her a note with the necessary communication numbers and addresses.

"Many thanks, Mr. President.", Elizabeth said with a sigh of relief. "Thank you for your time. I'm sure we can get this whole mess sorted out somehow."

"You are welcome, it should only be a matter of time before we come to a resolution," said Holden as he picked up a cup of coffee off his desk, "I shall speak with you soon, good-bye," He finished as he pressed the button on the earset as it disconnected.

****************************

House of Commons, Sovereign Hall
Laurana, Cravan

Sovereign Hall, located in downtown Laurana, was the home of the two houses of the Imperial Senate. It was here that, in the House of Commons, an emergency meeting of the Senate called by Primary Director Anagrams was coming to order. Madame Director Anagrams stood at the central oak podium box which lay below the seat of the Chairman and where Anagrams would sit if she were sitting in on a normal meeting of the legislature.

“I do hereby bring this emergency session of the House of Commons to order.” Harold Canterbury, the Chairman of the Commons said over the loudspeaker. “Madame Director has the floor.”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman.” Anagrams said into the microphone mounted on the podium, her soft voice echoing through the halls with a tone to it that demanded respect and attention. “Members of the Commons, I have called you here today to this emergency meeting to, in effect, address the issue that is the deployment of Aequatian troops to our home soil to engage in combat in the Zanziim homeland. This act by the Aequatians is an unauthorized activation of Able Vigil protocol, which first must be approved by the Imperial Senate. It is my duty as reigning Primary Director of the thirty-fourth Cabinet of the Greater Continentian Empire to call the House of Commons to a vote. Forwarded to you all earlier was the Aequatian Republic Intelligence Agency report, as disclosed by and sent to the Offices of the Directorate three hours ago. In it is the reasoning behind the deployment of Aequatian troops to the Cravanian home countries, citing the presence of labor and internment camps in Zanziik as a cassus belli on the basis of human rights. Does the House feel that the evidence for this cassus belli is suitable to the purposes of the Aequatian Republic to allow the deployment of Aequatian troops from Cravanian lands to Zanziim lands with the intent of hostile action?”

Anagrams stepped away from the microphone, and immediately the Senators of the House of Commons set to work using the electronic voting system to cast their ballot. Within a few minutes, the results were cast, and delivered to the Chairman’s bench via messenger from the vote counting bench. Senator Canterbury inched himself up to the microphone, holding the results on a slip of paper in one hand.

“By a vote of two hundred and ninety-eight to one hundred and two, the House of Commons finds the evidence provided insubstantial to warrant military action.”

The verdict had been delivered, and Anagrams once again took to the microphone.

“I do hereby open to the floor to motions.”

Immediately a Senator in the third tier shot up from his seat, his fist raised above his head with his index finger pointing upwards.

“The floor has been ceded to Senator Brian Douglas of Aurelias, Conservative Party of Cravan.”

Senator Douglas returned to his seat, the red ring around his microphone having since lit up to denote it was active.

“I would like to make a motion citing article six of the Constitution of the Greater Empire that, should proper evidence be displayed and approved by the House of Commons, offensive action would be warranted and therefore the Aequatian Republic would be able to deploy its combat troops from Imperial lands without legal ramification.”
“Define evidence, Senator Douglas.” Anagrams demanded of him coolly.
“Substantial physical proof of the existence of these so-called ‘camps’ through either graphical documentation or personal account of inspectors deployed to validate the existence of internment camps, Madame Director.”
“Does this motion have a second?”
“Aye.”, announced a Senator from the first row.
“Motion sustained for voting.”

The voting process began again, and again the messenger made his way to the Chairman’s position on the bench where he again read the verdict.

“By the order of three hundred eighty-four to sixteen, the House of Commons has declared that, should substantial evidence in the form of graphical representation and confirmation from a neutral third party source prove the existence of Zanziim internment camps, military deployment with the intent of hostile action of Aequatian forces from Cravanian land would be allowed and authorized under article six of the Constitution of the Greater Empire.”
“The motion has been passed as Article 2A of the Operation Long Javelin Accords.” Anagrams declared. “The Directorate rests.”

The Chairman again brought his mouth to the microphone, sitting up straight in his seat at the bench.

“The floor is now closed, further comment on the issue may be brought up in two days at a regularly scheduled session of the House of Commons. This emergency session of the House of Commons is now adjourned.

****************************

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Emergency session of Senate declares proof must be found
26 December 2007


In an emergency session of the House of Commons today, Primary Director Anagrams addressed the issue of Aequatian forces deploying to the Cravanian homeland to the House. A report released by the Aequatian Republic Intelligence Agency declared that evidence of internment and labor camps in Zanziik with entry based on ethnic background were present in the Zanziim homeland, and cited these camps as their cause for war. However, in a vote of 298-102, the House of Commons found that there was not enough evidence to support military action. In a motion made by Aurelian Senator Brian Douglas and passed by the House in a vote of 384-16, if more conclusive evidence were found and confirmed then military action and deployment from Cravan would be approved by the Senate, allowing for the Aequatian Army units stationed in Cravan to deploy across the border. Until further evidence is provided, however, such action must be kept on hold by the Aequatian military.

14th Panzer Division Forward Staging Area, Nottingshire, Cravan

The Aequatians had taken to their new field conditions quite well despite the cold and shallow layering of snow. The mild climate of Cravan afforded the armoured soldiers the ability to dig into the earth and conceal the positions of not only their living quarters, which consisted of the standard hexagon general purpose tents surrounded by sandbags and covered with white camouflage netting, but also their vehicles, using the earthmovers of the combat engineers to dig vehicle trenches and covered them with the same infrared-absorbing camouflage netting as were over the GP tents. Major-General Sanger sat in his larger, rectangle tent which provided shelter for his divisional command and control centre as the rest of the panzertruppen were positioned along their temporary defensive fortifications as they waited for the politicians to get things settled. The general sipped from a cup of coffee as he spoke with the attached Air Force meteorological liaison, "How are things looking for the weather, am I going to get to wear my shorts?"

"We're not so sure on that, General," Said the officer as he looked up the latest weather report from his parent unit, "Our reports along the Cravanians point towards a potential storm brewing, although this isn't certain. Until we can tell for sure otherwise, things look pretty clear from here out."

"All right, thank you, lieutenant," Replied Sanger as he set the ceramic mug down on his makeshift desk and rose to his feet as they left his cordoned-off area that determined his office, "Keep me updated on the hour as to conditions," He ordered as they both left the tent and the Air Force officer left, Sanger himself lighting a cigarette and enjoying the cooler air outside. The weather didn't call for the heaviest of cold weather equipment, given the mild climate, but that did not stop most from equipping themselves with the usual "mid-level" equipment load, the general being one of them. Underneath the Army's usual four-colour woodand splinter pattern (http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z317/Aequatio/Camouflage/Splinter-Woodland.png) was the standard-issue two-piece long underwear set atop the usual service undergarments worn. The battle dress uniform was covered with layers of additional clothing, the most important being the "Light Cold Weather" clothing, a heavier material similar to that used in the BDUs with an additional insulated liner made with Attican Goose down, the same liner inside the heavy field jacket, both of these pieces are waterproof and are manufactured in the older woodland "Wave" pattern (http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z317/Aequatio/Camouflage/Woodland-Temperate.png). The last piece of the uniform was the solid white, two-piece windproofs or "W.P's" which protected the body from the biting cold, a solid white helmet cover was also provided and almost all of the soliers chose to take them for their kit, although many of the mechanized soldiers went without the windproofs, so they wore their body armour and assault webbing over top of their LCW uniforms and kept the white helmets, lending those in the 14th Panzer Division a unique look to their uniforms.

Sanger watched a section of infantry joined the two others of their platoon as the platoon's lead sergeant started rehearsals for different operations, the general overlooked the demonstration as the senior non-commissioned officer went through the motions for the platoon's role in a hasty attack with the rest of the battalion. The truppen, as the Germanic armoured infantry were nicknamed, were dressed in all kinds of manners as they watched, many having used white tape to break up the shape of their personal weapons, one corporal even spray-painting his entire G125 rifle in a tigerstriped white and gray pattern. As he walked about the rest of the surrounding position, he listened to the conversations as the soldiers commented on the current political situation growing in the Cravanian capital, the general consensus was that the soldiers, expecting to initiate operations almost immediately after landing in Cravan, were now disgruntled at the fact that they were now forced to sit on their hands as they waited for the politico-types to "get their asses in gear" as one lance corporal commented.

Little did the regular soldiers know, but things were already moving ahead under their noses.

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Montgomery Imperial Air Force Base, Wellingston, Cravan

The base was relatively quiet compared to most other of the bases in Southeast Cravan, considering the amount of traffic which followed with the deployment of almost half a million Aequatians to the immediate region. The tarmac was in use with the normal compliment of Cravanian aircraft and personnel with the exception of a pair of custom-painted MC-130Q Combat Talon III Special Operations transports and two AC-130Q Spectre II aerial gunships for support. On the ground was one of the several dozen Army Special Forces Operational Detachments, Alpha or "A-Teams" as they rode in the rear of a Cravanian truck to the waiting MC-130Q "Charlie-Tango-Three" transports, where the Detachment's Technician, Chief Warrant Officer Sandra "Sandy" Wilkins was to provide the team with their briefing alongside the Detachment Commander, Captain Andrew Scott, at the rear of the aircraft as they prepared their equipment and performed last minute inspections. As they team stepped down, Captain Scott addressed them, already donned his parachute harness and HALO apparatus, "Evening, ladies and gentlemen, we have a lovely flight ahead of us, no in-flight film or meals will be provided, however, as this is sctrictly a business flight. Chief, if you will," Said the officer as he set his ruck down on the tarmac in front of him.

CWO Wilkins, in a one-piece battle dress uniform coverall in the Multipat (http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z317/Aequatio/Camouflage/MultiPat.png) universal camouflage and without her additional kit on, spoke with the ten other special forces troopers among the team, "This mission is a simple recce, HALO in over the border and trek on foot to Camp 321, a forced labour camp for the Asian population of Zanziik, abut two fifty klicks east of Warwick. Once we have certifiable evidence of the camp's existence and purpose, we exfil from the area for a helo extraction close to the border. This might call for a prisoner grab as well, however, given the timeframe of the mission, the spooks here at the base will perform the interrogation."

The captain continued, "We're to keep a low profile, the drop zone is a good two dozen klicks from the camp's suspected position we move during the night and stay hidden during the day. Civilian casualties are not to be inflicted unless they compromise the team's safety, military or paramilitary casualties are to be avoided at all costs, but the latter are less damaging to the situation, although they are still to be avoided. We'll be dropped in using HALO from AFSOC MC-130s and extracted with their UH-96G Baggies and Spectres on aerial fire support if needed, F-124 fighters are on air superiority cover to keep the other tailchasers off our planes."

The team immediately prepared the rest of their equipment for the coming high-altitudem low-open parachute drop where they would jump from the aircraft inside the Cravanian border and would cross over in the process, landing within Zanziik. Master Sergeant Donald Blackwell, the team's most senior non-commissioned officer, inspected his own rig as he aboard the transport. The team members wore the same olive green flight suit that was standard for the Air Force over their usual combat equipment, although they had their own additions to the kit on the exterior including an altimeter and automatic activation device for the parachute, a knife, a pressurized helmet with oxygen feed hose plus their 45 kilogram pack and personal weapon. A majority of the team was equipped with the new XG133 Individual Combat Weapon System which included not only a 6.8mm carbine but a 20mm grenade launcher attached as well, one of the weapon sergeants carried an MG145A1 light machine gun while the communications sergeant carried an SSG127 marksman's rifle, Captain Scott himself was equipped with the standard G128 carbine with an AG122 grenade launcher. Forgoing and heavier weapons, each team member was also equipped with a single 75m LAW-75 rocket launcher, a staple in the Army Special Forces arsenal.

The proposed position of the camp prompted a change in plan once the MC-130Q was already in the air, given its position within Zanziik, it would be required to drop the special forces soldiers from within Zanziim airspace to provide them with enough time to travel to the camp and exfiltrate to the rendezvous points. It was then that the HALO jump was abandoned and the parachutists were quickly re-rigged for a low-altitude jump as the supporting EC-130Q electronic warfare aircraft began to project false signals into Zanziim airspace that simulated the signatures of a C-130 aircraft while E-14C Capricorn airborne early warning and control aircraft scanned the skies for Zanziim fighters scrambled, knowingly filtering out their own side's "noise" as they waited to call on the prowling F-124A Bullwhip fighters running along the border to pick off the nasty enemy contacts. The Combat Talon III pilot brought the plane to a low altitude of just below two hundred metres as the special forces soldiers stripped down to the bare minimum of equipment required for the jump and mission, including all of the HALO gear and even the reserve parachute, given that a jump performed at just a hundred and fifty metres meant that there would be no time for the reserve to be used in case of an emergency, and Captain Scott decided that the troopers could do without the added weight in addition to their cumbersome packs.

The AFSOC technical sergeant loadmaster nodded to Captain Scott and Chief Warrant Officer Wilkins as he was notified by the pilot that they were now on the final approach to the drop zone as he then opened the rear hatch of the cargo compartment. The red "ready" lamp flooded the compartment with a comforting warmth as each of the dozen troopers anticipated the jump ahead of them and the anxiety of any foul-ups that would ultimately lead to their untimely demise before they even touch the ground. The lamp switched to green and the tech sergeant gave the signal as the troopers, four at a time, jumped in groups from the rear of the aircraft and let the static lines open their parachutes with a violent halt as they drifted down towards the earth below into what was now hostile territory, the nighttime covering the drop well.

As soon as their boots touched the ground, the clock was ticking.

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East Continentia Ocean Maritime Operational Zone

The pilots an EW control officers in the EA-16C Sparrow tactical electronic warfare aircraft were quick to notice as the barrage jamming moved through the frequencies to discover that the ATAIM-9 missiles were inbound, as when their passive beam-riding guidance failed to track, the weapons switched to their active radars, activating the numerous warning receivers as the Sparrows broke their formations and initiated evasive maneuvers to avoid the enemy missiles. It was at this time that the advanced countermeasures systems aboard the aircraft initiated their own procedures to protect the aircraft and their crews. The first system to activate itself, thanks to the high level of automation in the aircraft systems, was the ALE-55 fibre-optic towed decoy, which provided the missiles with a much larger radar cross section than the aircraft itself, and although each aircraft only carried two, they would prove to fool a majority of missiles away from the aircraft enough that they would expend too much fuel in an attempt to turn around to track the real target. The RF frequencies are converted to light by the signal conditioning assembly and transferred through the fibre-optic line. In primary mode the onboard electronic warfare system detects and analyzes a threat, determines the appropriate response, and sends that response down the line to the decoy for transmission. A back-up mode uses an independent repeater that modulates the detected signal and sends it down the line for transmission, allowing for an increased rate of success in defeating the incoming missiles as more than a few per aircraft were felled by the system, increasing the odds in the Sparrows' fate.

The onboard computers in the aircraft had been set to fully-automatic mode, allowing for the most efficient use of computing power and time when it came to defeating the incoming weapons. As the missiles closed range, the pilots preferred to rely on their evasive maneuvering rather than the directed infrared countermeasures, allowing the Hawkeye II aircraft to unleash their own secret weapon against the enemy ATAIM-9 missiles. Mounted in the nose of the larger Hawkeye II prop-driven aircraft were massive dual-mode laser systems. They scanned the sky for enemy optical lenses, especially those in missiles a the low-energy laser scanned with a broad spectrum and once it discovered the enemy optics, such as the seekers on the ATAIM-9 weapons, they were blasted with the medium-energy laser which damaged the seekers beyond recovery as many of them failed to lock onto the Sparrows and flew off into the sky as they ran out of fuel and fell towards the ocean below.

The attack was felt, however, as not even the most advanced systems available could ever prevent all casualties as a quarter of the Sparrows' numbers were taken from the sky, leaving many of the crews to drift into the water below as they awaited the low-flying search-and-rescue helicopters and several gaps in the jamming coverage until they could be filled in with a reorganization of the formations. Despite the loss, the aircraft would continue as the three hundred F-124A fighters flying escort to the Alpha Strikes, returned fire against the Zanziim Aquila fighters, with a barrage of nearly twelve hundred AIM-133A Star Seeker AMRAAM weapons. Without the upgrades made to the Bravo model missiles in use with the ARAF, the weapons themselves would be almost indistinguishable from the ATAIM-9 weapons just fired at the Sparrows in their capabilities.

The Aequatian naval fighters closed range with the Zanziim aircraft as the Invaders and Sparrows blasted towards the target zones in order to unleash their own hell upon the surface-to-air batteries. The warheads in the Dagger ARM weapons would render even the most hardened of systems useless from the sheer overpressure of the powerful thermobaric blast. Once they had reached the launch distance of the missiles, the brevity code "Magnum" was announced repeatedly over the communication channels as the 2,048 Dagger anti-radiation missiles were drawn in on the ground-based radar systems and the SA.38E SAM launchers themselves, allowing for two of the weapons per launcher and the same number for the ground-based radars. The missiles were also designed to incorporate a number of design features to defeat common countermeasures to anti-radiation missiles, including an inertial guidance package inherited from the AGM-88 HARMs previously in service so that they would not be required to track the radar systems constantly in addition to a parachute-loiter capability, which, will allow the missile to climb to an altitude of fifteen thousand metres. If the target radar shuts down, the missile will deploy a parachute and descend slowly until the radar lights up. The missile will then fire a secondary motor to attack the target and detonate it massive thermobaric warhead which will smash any delicate electronics including missile and radar components and any exposed personnel nearby the blast zone, literally turning them to a fine paste.

Drewshire Imperial Air Force Base, Nottingshire, Cravan

The original headquarters of the interim XCIX Corps used in the deployment through CENTCOM had finally handed command of the Army's units over to the now established III Panzer Corps headquarters as the last of its personnel landed and settled in to their new environment in the Cravanian province of Nottingshire. The paratroopers of the 135th Fallschirmjäger Division, unlike those of III Corps who were forward deployed towards the Zanziim border such as the 14th Panzers, were staged from billeted quarters around Drewshire airbase as they were prepared for their coming role in the operation by rehearsing parachute drops and key position assault drills. Staff Sergeant Zimms and the rest of his company rehearsed jump and landing drills with parked Air Force C-130Q transports while their armoured comrades, the "air-tankers" equipped with the M59 light tank, rigged the parachutes to their vehicles and loaded them with the usual ammunition take.

The Fallschirmjäger soldiers were equipped differently than their mechanized counterparts, owing to their elite status, they were allowed to choose from a variety of pieces for their uniforms. the most common loadout for the cold weather equipment was exemplified by Zimms with his choice of the Airborne Pattern windproof suits in the older "Wave" woodland standard scheme, developed from the same smocks and overpants originally developed Army during the 1960s, their most identifying features being the "bellows" smock front pockets, a yoke seam where the hood is attached and the absence of eqaulettes or normal rank insignia. The usual rank slide straps seen on the uniforms were left bare due to normal operating procedures in the field. The hood was left unstiffened, though it could be tightened with a cord, and both the smock and overpants had a velcro-style fastening at the cuff and ankles. One famous trade item that was plentiful around the division, taken mostly from ARMC stocks, was the reversible rainproof smock and overpants in olive green, shade 107 with a white inner lining used for when the weather turned wet, something seen as necessary given the mild conditions. Many of the soldiers forfeited their usual webbing for combined assault/armour vests with a modular pocket design, a feature which allowed for a reduction in weight and ease of use ergonomically. Many went without the rainproof overpants, leading to many of the paratroopers dressed in half-and-half Woodland Standard Pattern pants and either OG107 or white smocks, helmet covers remaining either woodland or changed to the standard arctic white and the issue "headover" scarf worn tightly around the neck and tucked underneath the smock and field jacket.

The troopers themselves also began to study the local flora so as to add pieces to their helmet bands when the time came for the jump operations, in addition to the usual camouflage practices such as face paint in either earth tones and greens or plain black or those schemes used on personal weapons like rifles and carbines using either white paint or tape to break up the shape of the weapons leading many of the soldiers to create elaborate patterns with a half-roll of the tape and their knife. The usual procedures were also in place concerning the use of chemical agents, although the 135th Division soldiers normally went without the cumbersome protective suits like their mechanized comrades, they still retained their respirator masks and gloves should the unthinkable happen in combat. Although the wait for the operation left many of the soldiers anxious for it to begin, the extra time allotted let the logisticians better prepare the stockpiles of ammunition and usual supplies required for normal operations.

RADAR Station 46b
Northern Wellingston, near the Zanziim border

Another quiet, cold night at Station 46b, an observation post part of Cravan's Divine Shield network which scanned the homeland's skies for possible airborne threats infiltrating Imperial airspace.

All was normal, the shift of three watching their respective zones of responsibility with as much diligence as they could muster, in other words not much. The quiet of the room was only broken by the hum of the hardware, a soothing noise to some operators causing drowsiness at times. This was no exception.

However when several contacts highlighted under Aequatian IFF's began a patrol near the border, alarm bells rang in young Chief Warrant Officer James Kentfield's head. He jerked himself awake, studying the screen several times over carefully to ensure he had been able to identify what was happening completely and verify it a few times over. Immediately he jerked the officer of the watch, Junior Lieutenant Richard Pettle, to attention in order to have a second opinion on the situation. Pettle groggily studied the screen, his eyes opening wide soon after realizing what was amiss. Wordlessly he lifted a red phone from its receiver, opening a direct line with the situation room under the Department of Defense building in Laurana.

Awaiting the encryption to confirm being connected, the phone never synced with its opposite in the Department of Defense. Observation post 46b and others in the area would not be able to inform the central command of the Aequatian operation.

The various observation posts of the Cravanian defense network had their communications slaved through a local major airbase and relayed to the Department of Defense. In the case of these particular posts, Montgomery was that base. And Montgomery's communications were currently under the control of the Imperial Department of Intelligence.

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Western Zanziik
Aequatian Paradrop Landing Zone

Agent Ashley Cormac tucked his body in as he hit the ground, immediately regaining his sense of direction and gathering his gear together. He raised his CR20A3 carbine from his side, loading a magazine and pulling the charging handle back, sending a 6.5mm round into the chamber with a gentle click. He was dressed in a black and gray nighttime operation battle dress uniform, with slight hints of mixed winter camouflage on some of his gear. He switched the holographic sight by Sevile OpticTech on, a gentle and dim green hue taken on by the crosshair.

Immediately Agent Cormac, a former Imperial Guard solider and paratrooper in the Imperial Cravanian Army but now a special field agent for the Imperial Department of Intelligence, set to work finding the Aequatian unit he had been attached to. The mandate set down by the House of Commons determined that a neutral observer to the camps be present when they were investigated, and Cormac was just this man.

An Aurelian by birth, Cormac came from a long line of warriors and soldiers, the profession passed down in his family from generation to generation. His strong, massive physique offered a great balance of power and agility, and his quick thinking mind made him an effective intelligence operator and solider. He wore a large bushy moustache complimented by a goatee on his face, his red hair showing signs of graying as he progressed through the years. Despite his aging, Cormac had been sure to stay in peak physical condition, and thus he was able to carry out missions like these. It was these missions he truly lived for, the memory of his early days in paratrooper training coming back to him.

He had been told to maintain radio silence, however he did not require the aid of a radio to come upon a group of Aequatians. He gave a signal whistle, and crept out of the shadows into plain view for the group of soliders.

"How goes it, mates?" he asked in a heavily accented whisper. "I assume none of ye lost anythin' on the way down, right"

Western Zanziik, approximately 220 kilometres East of Warwick

The special forces troopers had managed to hide away their parachutes, harnesses and other jumping equipment as they set about donning their combat gear and starting off to their first rendezvous with the Cravanian spook who would be accompanying the team on their mission as their official-unofficial sanctioning by the Cravanians. The soft-soled boots of the soldiers made almost no noise as they walked over the lightly snow-dusted ground, walking in single file to hide their true numbers to anyone that would seek to track them, they marched calmly and with relative ease, given the fact that the areas around the camps were deserted for a large radius to protect their existence from discovery.

Upon reaching the rendezvous point ahead of schedule, Captain Scott ordered the team to establish a watch perimeter while he and Master Sergeant Blackwell waited for the arrival of the Cravanian agent which was announced with a sharp but curt whistle as the man approached the soldiers, "How goes it, mates?" he asked in a heavily accented whisper. "I assume none of ye lost anythin' on the way down, right"

"We're good to go," Replied Scott as he stood up from his kneel and took his carbine in his hand, "Agent Ashley Cormac, I presume?" The officer asked as identities were confirmed and the group, as a whole, collapsed back to the meeting area and oriented themselves for the march towards the camp's suspected location for the remainder of the night before they would settle down for the daytime hours. Once the coordinates had been established, the team started off in their spread single file marching order with weapons at the ready and the personnel ever-vigilant to the surrounding environment. The time the sun began to rise in the distance, the team had already dug in its hidden position where they would spend the hours of the morning into the afternoon resting, eating and plotting the remainder of their journey.

Near Drewshire Imperial Air Force Base, Nottingshire, Cravan

The MC-130Q Combat Talon III transport moved in-line with the rest of the squadron as they started their pass over the training drop zone for the 135th Division's 1st Brigade, Staff Sergeant Zimms was the first at the door for his platoon as he nodded to the Air Force loadmaster and the Company's first sergeant, acting as this aircraft's Jumpmaster, the heavily-burdened soldiers hobbled into line as they snapped onto the static lines mounted at each door. The company would jump "shotgun" from the aircraft onto the drop zone, meaning there would be paratroopers jumping from both side doors on the modified Hercules airlifter, and would deploy much faster than if jumping from the rear compartment ramp. The jump altitude was set for six hundred metres, higher than most combat jumps, as it was merely the first rehearsal jump since the deployment to Cravan, and the soldiers were equipped with both a main and reserve parachute, plus their full combat kit, weighing a hefty fifty four kilograms.

Once they had reached the area over the drop zone, the signal lamp inside the cabin changed from red to green as the paratroopers mechanically marched to the door and thrust themselves out in an adrenaline-charged leap from the door's frame into the uncomfortable, but reassuring shock as the static line deployed the main parachute, leaving the soldiers with a pleasant floating sensation as they were afforded the chance to view the Cravanian countryside around the airbase. As the receding drone of the turboprops of the M-130Q aircraft quieted in the distance, the troopers were business-as-usual as they were sure to check their canopies and around them, to avoid having another soldier's boots collapse his own chute or collide in midair by the rocking movement of the other jumpers. If equipped with a personal weapon, the soldier will release the canvas weapon container and let it dangle on its lowering line cord as he prepares for the tumbling, rolling landing as he stares at the fast-approaching ground.

Zimms recovered from his two-point landing and was on his feet as he began to orient himself while he simultaneously began to collect up his canopy and drag it out of sight from the open. Like the rest of his company, he unclipped his reserve and stashes it with the deployed main and starts to undress from his harness. The drop bag will be opened the stashed as weapons are loaded and grenades collected before heading of in search of the other members of his "stick" and then continue on to the company's assembly area. Now amongst the trees and hills of Eastern Cravan, Zimms and the few other privates and corporals he had come upon in the movement towards the assembly area, the paratroopers are all the more ready to start on their objective as the senior NCO spotted the small road bridge that his platoon was to seize and hold. A section of troopers from 3rd Brigade held the position and were fairly well situated to defend it from enemy attacks, there was still the usual civilian traffic moving on the road, although rare, the odd Cravanian automobile or van rumbled by the Aequatian soldiers with little notice, the sight of soldiers about seemed almost normalcy.

The staff sergeant gathered his collection of a dozen paratroopers as he formed a plan for their hasty attack against the enemy position. The jump had not alerted the OPFOR units but they were most certainly on the prowl for those of BLUEFOR, and Zimms took this into account as he wanted to take the bridge as quickly as possible, without bringing more of the OPFOR onto his head. The attack split his force into two six-man teams, each moving on the flanks of the bridge and taking the sentries by surprise before they could react. The laser designators mounted on the ends of the weapons loaded with blanks would allow for accurate recordings of what was to occur as the troopers moved into position for their attack, keeping low and in the underbrush as they crawled towards the "enemy" positions. Zimms double-tapped the microphone on his headset as a signal to the two gunners armed with MG132 light machine guns opened fire on the OPFOR positions as the remaining riflemen charged the positions, "killing" those that were not defeated in the onslaught of the machine gun fire.

The two sets of troopers waited for the arrival of the exercise officials and chatted as they shared stories and cigarettes. Zimms spoke with the most senior OPFOR soldier there, the section's leader, a sergeant, about details of the upcoming operation, "Any ideas as to when they're going to actually drop us into Zanziik?" The sergeant asked Zimms.

"No clue, sergeant," He replied in between drags on his cigarette, "With the way things are going, we may not jump if the politicos have their way, they're trying to ruin the Zanzzies morally, placing us on the higher ground."

"It is where to sight your big guns, staff," Replied the sergeant with a laugh, "I'd prefer it that way, I'd hate for third brigade to show up you boys in first again!"

"Hey now, sarnt," Piped in a lance corporal that had arrived with Zimms, "Remember who the dead guys are here!" Said the soldier, shaking a magazine in his hand at the sergeant.

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Cravanian/Zanziim Border Zone, Nottingshire, Cravan

The deployment of III Panzer Corps had called for the completed mobilization of the Corps-level assets, including the 3rd Spähpanzer Regiment, which in service with other nations would be the equivalent of a reinforced armoured brigade. Although a heavy "Legacy" force, the 3rd Spähpanzer Regiment was meant for a pure reconnaissance role prior to operations, while acting as an additional "armoured fist" unit for blitzkrieg-style counterattacks against enemy movements. Major Kristine Helmut sat in the commander's station of her M20A4 Mackall main battle tank as her B or Bandit Troop, prepared for their patrol along the border, in search of any Zanziim movement or reconnaissance parties brave enough to push across and scout for the Aequatian positions.

Her troop was very robust compared to other organic, company-level units throughout III Corps, under her command were nine M20A4 tanks and a dozen M50 Lucas mechanized combat vehicles, or "Super Spartans" as they were named by the troopers in homage to the previous class of Aequatian Army infantry fighting vehicles. Should they run into any minor hang-ups, the troop also had a pair of 90mm self-propelled mortars at the ready and, if needed, a battery of eight 155mm self-propelled howitzers at the regimental command post. The reconnaissance itself would prove to be as uneventful as usual, given that the troop is only responsible for a short length of the frontline, and the satellite and surveillance aircraft (manned and unmanned) imagery had shown Zanziim forces from shying away from deploying on the border and remaining posted aroud the urban centres.*

The vehicles and cavalry troopers were fully equipped for a fight, although due to the current mandate given by the Cravanian government and the rules of engagement developed from that they were prohibited from firing offensively at any Zanziim targets of opportunity unless they were directly threatened themselves, directly or indirectly. Major Helmut would spend most of the time of the patrol sitting at her commander's station within the armoured hull of her command M20A4 tank. The tracked vehicles made quick time over the snow-covered plains and rolling hills of the border zone, the tanks and armoured carriers kicking up the white powder behind them as their thermal viewers spied across the border, weapons aimed and ready for targets that they could not fire upon.

As usual, the patrol was uneventful, a situation now well-known to the Aequatians sitting in the Cravanian province of Nottingshire.

(*This was confirmed through Zanziik via IRC.)

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14th Panzer Division Forward Staging Area, Nottingshire, Cravan

The mechanized soldiers of the 14th Panzers, as the spearhead of III Corps, were the most anxious about their stationary defensive positions in Eastern Cravan. Among the troops was Brigadier Marcus Harrison, commanding officer of the division's first brigade, he would be leading the assault of the entire corps across the border when the word came dow the chain of command. The veteran officer, whose career with the 14th Division started as a lieutenant-colonel commanding a tank battalion in the Separatist Conflict, was fully prepared for the coming assault against an enemy the Aequatians knew almost nothing about, tactically or strategically. The general had prepared for his brigade's battalions to fully cross-attach units amongst themselves and they were deployed in those units in their defensive positions.

Harrison kicked at the snow with his boot, it was not unlike his division's usual garrison in the Western Desert, "This is almost real tank country" He said in his mind as he walked on to meet with his operations staff. He entered the tent lean-to at the rear of the command vehicle and felt the warmth of the gasoline-powered generator's heater as he examined the maps as they were updated by ongoing patrols and aerial and satellite imagery. He enjoyed the fact that most of the region was plains or gentile rolling hills, not unlike the Western Desert and its dunes, which his troops would become accustomed to quickly, the winter temperatures would also increase the effectiveness of the thermal viewers used by the Aequatians in their vehicles and aircraft to spot enemy positions, personnel and vehicles to form near-exact intelligence reports or allow for precision strikes.

However, until they were allowed, the panzertruppen of III Corps would remain in Cravan.

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Western Zanziik, approximately 220 kilometres East of Warwick

The special forces soldiers, having camped in their hidden position during the daylight hours, prepared to move as they changed into their uniforms for the coming mission and discarded their jump equipment at the first hidden position. A favoured item was the overtrousers and smock printed in the new "Swathe" (http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z317/Aequatio/Camouflage/TW-Swathe.png) temperate woodland pattern, devoid of any insignia or badges, these were worn over the standard battle dress uniform in the same "Swathe" pattern along with the rare matte black wool "Commando" sweater with a full-colour Aequatian national flag patch on each shoulder over top the BDU shirt. Headgear varied between the special forces operators, most opted for their issue tan berets with the metal subdued Army Special Forces badge and communications headgear, while others chose patrol caps in the "Swathe" pattern or the "SCAR" model parachutist helmets with a patterned cover and strips of scrim or hessian netting attached in addition to the standard commlink headsets.

Pieces of body armour varied among the team between two types, most taking the "Second Chance" vest that sat underneath the BDU shirt could stop most small arms fire at close range, while others took the "Cuirass" vests which although sat on top of uniforms, but not the sweaters, provided much better ballistic protection than the SC vests thanks to their advanced materials and additional protection offered by composite plates. The SC vests were manufactured in any colour desired, so long as it was black, while the "Cuirass" vests had covers for different patterns, most opting for the "Swathe" TW. The tactical or assault vests were avoided when it came to webbing equipment and the operators preferred, like most of the SF troopers, the older style Y- and H-harness systems done in olive green shade 107, as their modular nature afforded the soldiers endless opportunities for mission-oriented kit. The heavy canvas/nylon material, although manufactured in OG 107, was usually coloured and patterned by soldiers in their own way, along with the pouches, allowing for creative pattern to be produced. Footwear varied amongst a plethora of civilian hiking and walking boots while most used the standard Cold Weather Aequatius Nord Deerskin gloves.

The team had their equipment and rucksacks ready to move long before the sunset and nght fell upon Western Zanziik, allowing the Aequatian elites and their Cravanian spook to start their marching again towards their objective, Captain Scott had calculated that they would have to make camp once more before approaching the more immediate area around the objective location, to ensure that the group remained undetected by the Zanziim authorities.