NationStates Jolt Archive

Lost Homelands

When news broke out that North Germania has dissolve over night, the Eurasian Government held a special joint meeting of the senate and parliament, in which it was agreed that Turkistan and Ukraine must be bought under Eurasian control at all cost. With that Premier Nasir issue the order to all front commands to make their move into Turkistan and the Ukraine

Field Marshal Harun al Roon was given complete command of Turkistani front and Ukrainian front. His first orders were to deploy to paratroop divisions and Reserve Inf. Divisions into Moldova, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan to maintain law and order and insure the transition is not chaotic. Furthermore, heavier army formations were on their way to assist in crushing any rouge element that may have pop up with the fall of the North Germanian government.

Meanwhile, 8 Paratroops divisions are on route to aid Hirgizstan efforts to stabilize North Germanian Western Europe.

Order of Battle
1st Expedition Army Group under the command of Field Marshal Harun al Roon
61st Army under the command of Major General Fawaz Akhras( To Turkistan)
62nd Army under the command of Major General Nazim al-Kudsi( To Turkistan)
63rd Army under the command of Major General Mustapha Hadji( To Turkistan)
64th Army under the command of Major General Mario Carlito(To Turkistan)
65th Army under the command of Major General Josip Metod (To Turkistan)
66th Army under the command of Major General Hakim Kenta( To Ukraine)
67th Army under the command of Major General Isa Alptekin( To Ukraine)
68th Army under the command of Major General Jameel Harish Debdan(to Ukraine)
69th Army under the command of Major General Firdos Ramesh Jaffer (To Ukraine)
70th Army under the command of Major General Ali Abdul Yuesf (To Ukraine)

Ex of the Army core
32,000 men arm with AK-108 and RPGs ( plus 40,000 support and supply units)
600 MAD.IVM Imperator Main Battle Tank
1000 BMP-4(Troop transport)
1400 M38A1 CTLAV( Troop Transport)
100 M66 Skjold( Anti Tank and Air defense)
200 G5: 155mm towed gun Howitzer
100 The PzH 2000 155mm self propelled howitzer
200-2S6M Tunguska Anti-Aircraft Artillery
200 TOS-1 Buratino 220mm Multiple Rocket Launcher
100 Ka-52 HOKUM B / Alligator Attack Helicopter
200 MI-24P (MI-25 AND MI-35) HIND ATTACK/TRANSPORT HELICOPTER)
Plus 8 fighter wings, plus 10 transport wings

On route to support Hirgizstan operations in Western Europe

1st Paratroop Corp.

2nd Paratroop Crop.

3rd Paratroop Crop.

4th Paratroop Crop.

5th Paratroop Crop.

6th Paratroop Crop.

7th Paratroop Crop.

8th Paratroop Crop.

ex of Paratroop corp.
4,000 arm with AK-105, AT-15 Khrizantema and RPGs-7
100 9P148(Anti Tank Amour)
200 BMD-3 Airborne Infantry Fighting Vehicle
100 MI-28A/N HAVOC ATTACK HELICOPTER
100 Ka-52 HOKUM B / Alligator Attack Helicopter
20 C-141 Starlifter(Air Transport)

The announcement of the relative collapse of the North Germanian state came as a heavy blow to the Commonwealth, but signs of shakiness had been apparent for months and collapse had been expected for some time. Plans had already been agreed with the Eurasians that COH forces in Eurasia would help them to secure any of North Germania's land they deemed important, and in turn Eurasian forces would help Hirgizstanian forces secure what was important to the Commonwealth.

The COH considered the vital territories of France and Germany to be paramount in their plans. Securing these two states would ensure the safety of the Eurasian Line and the safety of the Meditteranean, as well as stablising the two largest states of Western Europe. In addition, Switzerland would also be stablised due to its proximity to France and Germany. Albania, a terrirtory bordering on Hirgizstanian Greece, was also considered vital.


MIDEASTCOM

30th Army (Location: Tikirt, Iraq)
(5 Corps out of 10 Mobilised)

5 Corps
200,000 Soldiers, 175,000 Combat Ready

1400 M1A5 MBT
1500 M3 Arrow BCV
2500 Super Avenger Short Range ADS
2500 Sky Guardian Multi-Mission ADS
1250 M1114 Up-Armoured HMMWV
2500 Cougar 4x4
1250 Cougar 6x6
5000 5T Truck HEMMTT
250 ST-39K1H MBT
125 ST-29K2 MBT
125 LP M8 Lvl.3 LBT
500 MV-87KG Dragon
125 Crusader TMAS
125 M270 MLRS
125 M112 203mm SPA
1000 LAV-AG
10 Cougar Mine Clerance Vehicle
11 Cougar Engineer Vehicle
125 Cougar Ambulance
10 M-3T Titan Tank Transporter
10 Deployable Universal Combat Earthmover
10 M1 Grizzly Breacher
10 M4 C2V (Command and Control Vehicle)
10 M104 Wolverine Bridge System
100 M108 Universal Carrier
50 M93A1 Fox NBC Recon System
10 M115 MEWSS (Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System)
100 All Terrain Lifter
100 All Terrain Crance
100 All Terrain Container Handler
500 Logistics System Vehicle
500 M1078 FMTV
500 M3 Arrow MA
125 M3 Arrow PSOV
125 M3 Arrow SSC
50 BGM-233 Vesta

12th Airborne Division (Location: Zahedan, Iran)

3 Regiments
15,000 Soldiers (14,600 Combat Ready)

500 UH-60M Blackhawk
500 CH-47D Chinook
50 OH-58D Kiowa
100 AH-94A Stalker
50 RAH-95A Shadow
10 AH-53 Serpent
500 M-1114 Up-Armoured HMMWV
250 LSV
25 AH-6 Little Bird
100 C-380
500 MV-87KG Dragon
500 M3 Arrow BCV
500 M3 Arrow AM


8th Air Expeditionary Force (Location: Tikrit, Iraq and Zahedan, Iran)

50 A-10X Sonic Thunderbolt
200 F-15L Super Strike Eagle
50 F-16XCDL Super Falcon
200 F/A-22D Raptor
200 F-104X Starfighter
100 F-4SX Phantom Blackstar
30 F-39A Tengriy
25 F-111P Aardvark
100 F-81A Savage
100 F-78A Sokol
10 B-52J Stratofortress
2 EB-52 Mega Fortress
30 Tornado GR.7B
20 AN-225 Cossack
25 C-17 Globemaster III
20 C-130J Hercules
2 AC-130U Spooky
2 AC-130H Spectre
2 RC-135W Rivet Joint
2 EC-130E Rivet Rider
2 EC-130H Compass Call/Rivet Fire
2 EC-135 Looking Glass
4 E-8C JSTARS
2 E-5A Bateleur AEWCC
4 E-6B Mercury
4 KC-10A Extender
2 KC-135R Sratotanker
2 MC-130H Combat Talon II
2 MC-130P Combat Shadow
25 RQ-4B Global Hawk
25 RQ-1 Predator
35 F-117E Nighthawk
20 SR-71E Blackbird Interceptor
20 CV-22B Pave Hammer

CENTEURCOM- German Stablization Force
(The ECRF)


15th Army

10 Corps

469,750 Soldiers, 450,000 Combat Ready

2000 M1A5
3000 M3 Arrow BCV
5000 Super Avenger
5000 Sky Guardian
2500 M1114 Up-Armored HMMWV
5000 Cougar 4x4
2500 Cougar 6x6
10000 5T Truck (HEMTT)
800 ST-92K2
1000 M5 NGBT
1000 MV-87KG
250 Crusader TMAS
250 M270 MLRS
250 M112 203mm SPA
2000 LAV-AG
2 M120 800mm JGS
20 Cougar Mine Clearance
25 Cougar Engineer Vehicle
250 Cougar Ambulance
20 M-3T Titan Tank Transporter
20 DEUCE
M1 Grizzly
20 M4 C2V
20 M104 Wolverine
200 M108 Universal Carrier
100 M93A1 NBCRS
20 M115 MEWSS
200 ATL
200 ATC
200 ATCH
1000 Logistics System Vehicle
1000 M1078 FMTV
1000 M3 Arrow MA
1000 M3 Arrow MMV
250 M3 Arrow PSOV
M3 Arrow SSC


11th Airborne Division (2nd Airborne Corps)

4 Regiments

19,300 Soldiers, 17,950 Combat Ready

500 UH-60M
500 CH-47D
50 OH-58D
100 AH-94A
50 RAH-95A
25 AH-6
10 AH-53
100 C-380
500 M1114 Up-Armoured HMMWV
250 LSV
500 MV-87KG
500 M3 Arrow BCV
500 Arrow AM



5th Air Cavalry (Airmobile) Division

3 Brigades

21,500 Troopers, 19,500 Combat Ready

1500 UH-60M
500 CH-47D
500 AH-1Z
25 C-380
50 AH-94A
25 RAH-95A
500 MV-87KG
10 AH-53


5th Air Wing (Army Aviation)

5 Regiments

50 AH-6
500 AH-94A
250 RAH-95A
1000 CH-47D
50 OH-58D
1500 UH-60M
500 CV-22
200 C-380
1000 MV-87KG
100 AH-53



5th Air Expeditionary Force


50 A-10X
200 F-15L
50 F-16XCDL
200 F/A-22D
200 F-104X
100 F-4SX
30 F-39A
25 F-111P
100 F-81A
100 F-78A
10 B-52J
2 EB-52C
30 GR.7B
20 AN-225
25 C-17 III
20 C-130J
2 AC-130U
2 AC-130H
2 RC-135W
2 EC-130E
2 EC-130H
2 EC-135
4 E-8C
2 E-3C
2 EA-6B
4 KC-10
2 KC-135R
2 MC-130H II
2 MC-130P
25 RQ-4B
25 RQ-1
35 F-117E
20 SR-71E
20 CV-22B



8th Fleet

4 Nimitz Class
4 Ronald Reagan Class
15 Sprunace Class
15 Ticonderoga Class
15 Arleigh Burke AEGIS Flight IIA
12 Oliver Hazard Perry Class
15 October Class
4 Iowa Class
12 Wolf Class
8 San Antonio Class
20 Herucles Supply Class
15 Sea Shadow IV Class
10 Torrent Class
2 Tiger IC Class
6 Missouri Class
10 Verazano Class (Flight II)
4 THAADS Class
4 MEADS Class
4 Avenger Class
4 Emperor Class
4 Hampton Class
10 Wilson Class
5 Giant Class


8th Submarine Fleet (Assigned to the 8th Fleet)

5 Los-Angeles/688 Class SSN
5 Seawolf Class SSN
5 Ohio Class SSBN
5 Virginia Class SSBN
5 Vengeance Class SSBN
5 Hades Class SSN

Residency of the Prime Minister
Stockholm, Sweden

Prime Minster Gordon Wells turned on his small flat screen TV inside his private office to a horrid site. Amidst the carnage and destruction throughout the world a terrible thing had happened that threatened to shake the foundations of the October Alliance to its core. Sometime during the previous night the government of North Germania had collapsed, details where sketchy but hints of disapproval of the war with Nerotika, trouble in Portugal or the Spanish succession but one thing was disturbingly clear, the organized government of North Germania was no more. Portugal and Spain troubles had surfaced earlier in the month but Prime Minister Wells had shrugged them off. The ugly situation that presented itself now was the proverbial elephant in the room that no one could ignore. What to do, whom to call upon, where to act first? All these thoughts wrestled the conscience of PM Wells.

After a series of agonizing minutes Prime Minister Wells picked up the receiver on the yellow phone prompting an answer via the secure line in Room SL-28 a substation of the CIC Room in the Hawdawg DoD. His message was clear and concise when he uttered a single word “PHOENIX”. The operator confirmed through voice actuating software Wells had sent the message and promptly began protocol T-139. Immediately the various department heads were summoned to the situation room adjoining Sublevel-28. Within 20 minutes all branches of service were represented as Prime Minister Wells began to address the group via secure video uplink from his office.

“Gentlemen it saddens me to call this emergency meeting, but it has become obvious that the government of North Germania has faltered in the night, while we don’t know what has happened it is obvious the organized system of government has collapsed. While we haven’t seen any widespread rioting or general malaise, as people begin to loose various services the situation will deteriorate rapidly. Strategically our interests revolve around three regions: Southern England, Portugal, and Spain. Southern England will be the easiest to incorporate into our Republic. I have a plan to move our state police into this tiny strip of land to assume control and rapidly assimilate its people into our society. The state police commandant assures me that he has the manpower and organization to make a seamless transition within 30-60 days. I ask that our Military Police units incorporated within the various southern English Units report to Cardiff for deployment into Southern England should the state police need assistance. This should be all that is necessary to handle the English question.

The more pressing issue both logistically and politically is Spain and Portugal. In my daily briefing I realize the 1st MEF and the 137th MEU are in a joint exercise off the coast of Gibraltar. I want a flash message sent to the admiral with orders to break off operations and immediately proceed to two locations. The 137th MEU will take up station off of Lisbon, Portugal. In short I want the 137th to secure Lisbon within the week. I want an Airborne Division dropped on both Oporto and Guarda to the North to secure the outer regions of Portugal. As for the 1st MEF I want them to sail for Valencia, there objective is to secure the Eastern Coast of Spain and establish order in the eastern provinces. Since the bulk of the population lives in and around Barcelona and Madrid, logistically the Marines can’t get there for several days from Valencia so we are going to have to secure these areas with an airdrop from England. I want an Airborne Infantry Division dropped in each of the following cities: Madrid, Merida, Seville, Leon, and Barcelona.

We don’t know what to expect but getting boots on the ground is the quickest way to ensure problems don’t fester for days and turn into something that would require large amounts of heavy force to deal with in-country. Orders are simple establish contact with local municipality heads and police forces to assist with maintaining order. Any encounters with former NG Military Forces should be cautious in nature. We want to incorporate them into assisting with maintaining order. If they don’t comply well militarily our ground forces can deal with that scenario as they see fit. Gentlemen this is a massive undertaking that will require a lot of work both inside this building and throughout the country. It will strain our logistical apparatus and put us in a strain for some time. However it is the right thing to do to ensure that a peaceful mist falls over this region once like it had before when the Great Realm of North Germania ruled in the land.”

Wells dismissed his various generals to handle the task he had laid before them, a monumental task that was aptly named after the bird rising from its ashes; Operation Phoenix.


Forces Involved:

1st Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)(Destination Valencia)

Command Element (CE)
(3900 Marines)
HQ Battalion
Communications Battalion
Radio/SATCOM Battalion
Surveillance, RECON, Intel Group (SRIG)

Ground Combat Element (GCE)(Marine Division)
(17,900 Marines)
1xHQ Battalion
3xInfantry Regiments
1xArtillery Regiment
1xTank Battalion
1xAmphibious Assault Battalion
1xLight Armored Recon Battalion
1xCombat Engineer Battalion

Vehicles:

58x2032 Sabertooth MBT’s
140xM50A4 IFV
20xM50A2 C4I
10xM50A5 CEV
8M3-IFV w/Mk.19 Grenade Launcher
60xM3-IFV w/12.7mm CROWS machine gun
40xM3-WC w/FIM-92A Stinger (AD)
12xM3-C2V Command Vehicle
8xM3-M12 Mortar Carrier
16xM3-WC w/TOW 2 Launcher (AT)
8xM3-Recovery Vehicle (ARV)
8xM3-Engineer Vehicle (EV)
72xM777 155mm LTH
288xMortars (96 82mm)(192 60mm)
108xJavelin Medium Range AT Missiles
186xTOWII Long Range AT Missiles
58xLV-10 Wapiti

Aviation Combat Element (ACE)(Marine Aircraft Wing)
(14,800 Marines)
Fixed Wing
60xF/A-41C
24xF-25B Typhoon
60xF/A-41D VSTOL
12xMV-22C Osprey
2xMC-11A ASW/ASUW
2xMC-11B Cargo
2xME-11C AWACS
2xME-11D EW
2xMK-11F

Rotary Wing
50xEH-101 Merlin HM.2
22xCH-46F
56xCH-53X HLR
96xSAH-27A
18xUH-95A

Air Defense
90xAvengers (CAAS)
150xStinger LDU (MANPADS)

Combat Service Support Element (CSSE)
(9500 Marines)
HQ Battalion
Medical Battalion
Maintenance Battalion
Dental Battalion
Motor Transport Battalion
Supply Battalion
Landing Support Battalion
Engineer Support Battalion

Assigned Fleet 1st MEF
AMPHIBIOUS GROUP PACKAGE
Amphibious Groups are assigned to each MEF and are under the direct
command of MEF Commanding Officer.
Assets for an assault landing Includes equipment for outfitting the following:
(8) Amphibious Squadrons
(4) Assault Craft Units
Several Additional vessels
Total Personnel: 24,000+

2-Marquess Class LHCN (each carries (48) F/A-81 Savage II STOVL, (12) F-41C, (40) Merlin EH101 HM Mk.2, (36) SAH-27A,
(6) CH-53X HLR, (21) UH-95A, (28) NH-90, (6) MV-22C Osprey)
2-Vampire Class CVN (each carries (30) F/A-41C, (12) F-25B Typhoon, (4) NH-90, (2) EH101 Merlin HM Mk.2,
(2) MK-11F CSA, (2) MS-11A CSA ASW/ASUW, (2) MS-11C AWACS)
(1) Kingdom Class BBAN
(3) King Henry V Class BBGN
(5) Mexia Class Battle Cruisers Flight VI
(3) Sianach Class DDGN
(10) Bullfinch Class FFH
(8) Raptor Class LHD
(4) Anaconda Class LPD
(4) Samurai Class LHA
(4) Anaconda Class LPD
(10) LPD-17 San Antonio Class
(2) Vulkan Class Arsenal Ships
(4) LSD-49 Harper’s Ferry
(10) LSD-41 Whidbey Island
(84) LCAC
(16) HLCAC
(12) LCU-2100
(7) Kolchak Class Preposition Supply Ships
(6) Tigerhai SSN
(5) AOE-6 Fast Combat Support Ships
(5) T-AKE 1 Lewis & Clarke Ships
(5) T-AO 187 Kaiser Class Oiler Ships
(1) T-AH19 Mercy Class Hospital Ship
(2) AS-39 Emory Sub Tender



137th MEU (Destination Lisbon, Portugal)

Marine Expeditionary Unit
(2600 Marines)
Commander-Colonel

Command Element(CE)
MEU Commander and support staff (100 Marines)

Ground Combat Element (GCE)
(1300 Marines) Battalion Landing Team (BLT)(3 Rifle Companies)

8 M2032 Sabertooth MBT
14 M50A4 IFV
2 M50A2 C4I
1 M50A5 CEV
7 M3-IFV w/Mk.19 Grenade Launcher
5 M3-IFV w/12.7mm CROWS machine gun
2 M3-M12 Mortar Carrier
5 M3-WC w/FIM-92A Stinger (AD)
2 M3-C2V Command Vehicle
2 M3-WC w/TOW 2 Launcher (AT)
2 M3-Recovery Vehicle (ARV)
9 M777 LTH 155mm
10 FAV
185 LV-10 Wapiti
64 M9395 Trucks

Artillery Battery consisting of 9 M777 LTH 155mm
Light Armored Vehicle Detachment
Assault Amphibian Vehicle Platoon
Javelin Platoon, anti-armor capability with 8 Javelin Launchers
Two Tank Platoons 8-M2032 Sabertooth MBT

Aviation Combat Element (ACE)
(800 Marines)

Medium Lift Helicopter Squadron
24 EH-101 Merlin HC Mk.3

Heavy Lift Helicopter Squadron
9 CH-61 Atlas

Attack Helicopter Squadron
16 SAH-27A
6 UH-95A

Fixed Wing Attack Squadron
12 F/A 41-C
12 F/A 41-D VSTOL

Support Squadron
2 MK-11F CSA Aerial Tankers
2 MS-11A CSA ASW/ASUW
2 ME-11C AWACS

Combat Service Support Element (CSSE)
(400 Marines)
Executive Staff
(2) Support Platoons
(6) Service Support Platoons

12 LCAC
4 HLCAC
4 LCU-2100

Fleet assigned to the MEU:
Expeditionary Strike Group
1-Marquess Class LHCN (carries (48) F/A-81 Savage II STOVL, (40) Merlin EH101 HM Mk.2, (36) SAH-27A,
(6) CH-53X HLR, (21) UH-95A, (28) NH-90, (2) MK-11F CSA, (2) MS-11A CSA ASW/ASUW, (2) MS-11C AWACS)
1-San Antonio Class LPD-10
1-Regent Class CAGN
1-Mexia Class BC Flight VI
1-Sianach Class DDGN
4-Bullfinch Class FFH
2-Tigerhai Class SSN
1-Smith Class AOE
1-AS-39 Emory Sub Tender


(7) Airborne Infantry Divisions (Destinations Oporto, Guarda Portugal. Madrid, Merida, Seville, Leon, Bacelona, Spain)
Total Personnel (Division) 18,960

Equipment list per division:

8 M3 Arrow BCV
34 M3 Arrow C2V
24 M3 Arrow PSOV
18 M3 Arrow RECV
78 M3 Arrow MC (120mm)
16 M3 Arrow AM
16 M3 Arrow MMV
4 M3 Arrow MA
16 M3 Arrow MV
36 M3 Arrow ARV
36 M3 Arrow MCV
72 M3 Arrow EV
24 Puma C2V
432 Puma CFV
180 M777 LTH
90 HIMARS
30 M992A2 FAASV
128 Avenger FAADV
16 M2012A6 Marauder EW
18 M8 AVLB
72 M6R ACE
84 M88A2 MRV
96 LV-10 Avenger ADU
1223 LV-10 Wapiti
820 M977 HEMTT
1968 M9395 5-Ton Truck
144 M934 2.5-Ton Truck
16 Grendel TEL
160 Grendel MIM-162
144 Replicator MIM-213A *Top Secret*
20 M2027A3 TEL
120 BGM-233 VESTA
8 Freyer TEL
64 Freyer MIM-276
2 M2023A7 Stryker C3
19 M2039A1 Mobile Command Unit
3 M2033A12 Medium Tactical Vehicle
2 M2037A2 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (Gen)
12 M2042A1 Transporter Erector Launcher
3 M2033A11 Medium Tactical Vehicle
1 M2037A3 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
3 M2037A4 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
1 M2037A9 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
2 M2016A2 Low-Altitude Air-Defense System
2 M2046A1 Night Stalker
7 Antenna Mast Unit
12 Detection Radar Unit
8 Engagement Radar Unit
8 Infrared Search & Track Unit
26 Passive Emissions Detection Unit
12 Tracking Radar Unit
8 M2037A8 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
8 M2008A1 Dingo APV
10 M2010A1 Bushmaster IMV
16 M2037A6 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck
12 LV-10 HUMRAAM
36 SAH-33A Svyatogor
18 UH-102 Kestrel
6 EH-60 EW Helicopter
18 EH-101 Merlin HC Mk.3
18 CH-61 Atlas
16 C-17 Globalmaster III
64 C-130J-30 Hercules III

Oslo, Norway
22.01.2008 - 11:02 CET

The mood in the meeting room was tense enough to be cut with a knife. A lot of different things had happened in the past few weeks. A war in the Indian Ocean, two new island holdings for the Realm, a terrorist attack in India and the subsequent assassination of its perpetrator in Saint Lazare, and now this. The confirmation of the collapse of the once great Germanian Fourth Reich. The Reich had been a very close ally of the Realm, and it had been a prosperous empire for quite some time, but then the troubles began. It had simply overstretched, taking more and more different ethnic groups under its wings along with all the problems that those caused.

The troubles in Germania had started two years ago with the Reich going into lockdown after an assassination attempt on its leader, Reichskanzler Heydrich Kübler, and followed not long after by the Germanian civil war which had started in Portugal and quickly spread to Spain, Algeria and other parts of the Reich. And now it had spread to the capital of the Reich, Salzburg.

It was just past seven o'clock that the Cottish intelligence services received confirmation that the government had, effectively, collapsed and that the grand Germanian Reich was now in a state of disarray and anarchy. The troubles were quickly spreading, and something had to be done, and quickly.

For the past two hours, the Cottish cabinet had been assembled and discussed what to do. It was clear that if the Cottish intervened, they would have to use the military, which had been placed on heightened alert following a flash warning from the Layartebians concerning a pending terrorist attack on the Empire somewhere in the world.

It had been a long series of debate, but now they had finally agreed. An executive order was quickly signed by the King, and the orders went out to the military forces in question.

Copenhagen, Denmark
22.01.2008 - 15:07 CET

It was just past three in the afternoon when the first aircraft touched down at Kastrup international airport outside Copenhagen and taxied quickly to the tarmac. Once the aircraft had come to a complete stop, its cargo doors opened and the passengers - two companies of paratroopers - disembarked and got into the waiting trucks, heading for the Danish capital to secure the most vital areas and to show that law and order still existed in Denmark. More aircraft carrying more paratroopers and their equipment were following behind.

The Cottish forces were members of the October Alliance's rapidly formed Germanian Stabilization Force (GSF), and were going to be forming the initial stabilization forces. Over the past few hours, high-level negotiations had been carried out among the respective governments in the October Alliance, and it had been decided to divide the most vital areas of Germania into stabilization zones, with each nation being given the responsibility for a certain zone. For Cotland, that would be Denmark (which was a quick hop over the Skagerak strait) and the BENELUX countries - Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg.

The Cottish diplomatic representation in the respective capitals had already informed whatever remained of leadership in their respective areas and informed them of the decision made by the Alliance, and secured the full co-operation of the leaders. A public announcement had also been issued in the medias of the decision, and urged the public to remain calm and controlled. The Germanian population had been very friendly to the Cottish, and that was especially true for the populations of Denmark and the BENELUX area. They had been explained in the public announcement that the alliance was taking its precautions in order to prevent unrest and destruction to spread from the Iberian peninsula and up to their areas. The Cottish would help the local law enforcement to enforce the law of the land. Being a law-abiding people, the Cottish expected few problems from the Germanian population in their zones.

The Cottish Paras would soon be reinforced by several brigades of Royal Marines and regular infantry, who would be shipped in as quickly as possible. For now, the Paras deployed to secure the most vital areas - public communication, seats of leadership and military arsenals (they didn't want any radicals or rebels getting their hands on Germanian weapons), liasing with the local police and military forces ordered into the streets when the troubles began in order to maintain the relative peace that reigned. Some disturbances and riots were reported in the countries, and would have to be cracked down on relatively quickly.

In Belgium's capital of Brussels, the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, and in Luxemburg, similar scenes like the ones in Copenhagen would be unfolding as Cottish paratroopers landed at the airports. It was estimated that each capital would have received at least one full regiment of Paras - 2 130 paratroopers - by midnight CET. More troops would be arriving in the following days, many of them being greeted by cheering civilians waving Cottish flags and welcoming the Cottish.

However, the Cottish would still have to deal with the riots that were starting to evolve in the outskirts of the cities and villages. There was a lot of ground to cover, and the Cottish would have to move fast!

It was official not that it came as a surprise. The Fourth Reich was no longer. With too many unknowns and an entire globe thrown into chaos, where was the Empire to go, what was it to do? There was a growing rife within the October Alliance concerning the actions of the Empire in such places as Mato Grosso and the latest disagreement with the Realm of Cotland over Christmas Island. The Fourth Reich was a full and staunch ally of the Empire, regardless of disagreement or what not. Things were changing, the alliance was changing, and now, the Empire had military forces, essentially, in anarchy prone lands. Germanians were fiercely loyal and independent people. They respected Berlin and their German heritage above all else. To them, German was the pinnacle of humanity. There was no ill-will or disrespect towards member-states of the October Alliance amongst the Germanian people but, at the same time, there was still the sense of Germanian pride. That was how it was and that was how it would always be, regardless. The Germanian peoples would look to the October Alliance to help them, to be their brothers in this time of ultimate crisis and peril but they would no sooner submit to ultimate rule by an outsider than they would disrespect their heritage. This put the Empire in a deep pickle. Layartebian forces were located throughout the Fourth Reich with the largest concentrations in three key areas: the Azores Islands, Berlin, and Kazakhstan, where war ravaged the northern border with the Council State of Nerotika. There were much smaller concentrations in other areas such as: Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Moldovia, Romania, and a few other locales. Now they were, essentially, naked.

While forces from Cotland, Hawdawg, Hirgizstan, and Eurasia swarmed through the various open lands, aiming to gain stability in the world, the Empire was left amiss. Layartebian forces abroad were ordered to assist all October Alliance nations in securing whatever lands they were seeking. They would assist the Hirgizstanians and Eurasians mostly but they still stood on their own. The only footholds that the Empire could feasibly secure with any sort of force projection were Kazakhstan and the Azores. Given the turmoil in Kazakhstan, the Empire would be fighting there for quite some time but with a combined coalition of October Alliance nations, fighting to push the Nerotikans northward, out of one of the most vital parts to the entire alliance. While that war continued, Layartebians forces on the Azores took the lead.

The Azores were an integral part of the defense of the Empire. The Empire essentially controlled the North Altantic Ocean, almost all by itself holding territories in Iceland, Ireland, Greenland, the entire eastern seaboard of North America, the Caribbean, and most of northern South America. With Hawdawgian control over Portugal, Spain, and England, along with Hirgizstanian control over France, the North Atlantic would remain entirely connected by the alliance. The only looming land were the Azores Islands, territory that the Empire jointly controlled, militarily, with the Reich. It formed the basis of a top secret plan in the event of global war that allowed the Empire and the Reich to, effectively, close the North Atlantic to any outside traffic. The plan, a state secret, had only been divulged through the alliance and no one else. As it was, the Azores only contained military equipment from the Reich and Empire, although visits by alliance forces were frequent. Without any civilian populace on the island group, all of them having been moved off by the Reich, they were a giant fortress.

On Pico Island, where the central headquarters was located, things were seemingly normal on the morning that it all ended for the Reich. The Layartebian commander on duty at the time was a brigadier general with the Imperial Layartebian Defense Forces. A man of calm stature and a savvy intellect, he served this post now for eight months and, with distinction. He commanded one of the largest contingents of Layartebian forces abroad but he wasn't the overall commander on the Azores. That honor fell to a lieutenant general who happened to be on vacation in the Caribbean at the time. He was set to retire from the military soon and the brigaider hoped he would assume full control over the island group's Layartebian forces. He had a good rapport with his Germanian counterparts and was known to be an excellent blackjack player. However, on that fateful January morning, he entered the CIC like he had any other day. That was when the flash traffic came in, coded to the highest level possible.

Official Communique

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/General/seal.png

Priority: High
Recipient: BG. Thomas R. Matthews, ILDF
Origin: General of the ILDF
Classification Level: Experimental
Subject: Azores Security


EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!!!

THE FOURTH REICH IS NO LONGER A VIABLE ENTITY. ALL LAYARTEBIAN FORCES ARE PLACED ON IMMEDIATE ALERT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRITY OF THE FOURTH REICH.

SECURE AZORES ISLANDS IMMEDIATELY. ULTIMATE AUTHORITY TO REST SOLELY WITH THE EMPIRE. USE ANY MEANS NECESSARY. CONSIDER GERMANIAN FORCES FRIENDLY BUT BE WARY OF NATIONALISM.

DO NOT ALLOW AZORES TO BECOME COMPROMISED.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!!!

Sincerely,
The General of the ILDF


Classification Levels

Encrypted: Encrypted classification is the second highest level of classification. It is uses 2048-bit RSA encryption and multiple key ciphers within it to ensure that cracking it would take such a significant amount of time to accomplish that, should it be done, the message's usefulness would have already expired. Though anything is crackable, because of the methods employed, this level is often considered "uncrackable" by current capabilities. To ensure revolving protecting, ciphers and encryption algorithms will change unpredictably. This level is sufficient until 2030.

Maximum: Maximum classification is the highest level of classification available. It uses 3072-bit RSA encryption and multiple key ciphers that change unpredictably. It can provide protection past 2030.

Experimental: Currently not a fully recognized level, experimental denotes a category using 15360-bit RSA encryption and multiple key ciphers that change unpredictably. It is not in full operational use as of yet.

.

He looked at the communique, after it had gone through verification and decryption and he had no reaction except to act. "My god," he said to himself as he lit a cigarette and called for immediate lock down. "Lock down the CIC. NOW!"

"Sir yes sir!" One of the men yelled as a klaxon sounded in the CIC.

BG. Matthews looked around at the now stunned and silent CIC. "Gentlemen. Our allies in Berlin have fallen. I cannot give specifics but we are under orders to immediately secure the Azores Islands. I want an open but secure channel to all of our forces on these islands and all of our forces at sea and in the air. I want it immediately!" Everyone buzzed to work as frequencies were set and dialed. It took less than four minutes but the brigadier was in touch with every single man on the island group and those attached to it. As he picked up the microphone, he thought carefully about his words. "Gentlemen. This is not a drill. Effective immediately. All Layartebian forces will seize control of the Azores Islands. Our allies in Berlin have fallen. We are to regard the Germanians as our allies, as our friends but do not let that stop you from your mission. These islands are of the utmost security to our Empire. If we fall, the Empire falls. Effective immediately, all forces are on heightened alert. All passes are cancelled, all sleep is to be disregarded. This is the real deal!" He put down the microphone and immediately paged the Germanian commanders, who, undoubtedly, knew what was going on around them. Whether or not they would submit was a different story.

Central Command Headquarters, The Pentagon, Hirgizstan City

It wasn't such a regular day in the sprawling room that served as the nerve centre of the Commonwealth's military. Buried deep underground, below the Pentagon, the CCHQ was as protected as most other specially designated sites that could do the same job.

For the past few weeks the Pentagon and the entire military leadership framework in the capital had been working full-out due to the numerous operations happening simultaneously across the globe.

There was the de-facto war in the South Pacific, the intervention in the Ivory Coast and now the entire North Germanian leadership had collapsed which meant several large military operations were now going on all across eastern, western and central Europe and to add to this, the COH Military had to keep up its routine operations throughout the world that helped to safeguard the nation, trade and commerce.

Despite the extra work-loads and situations that were rapidly getting out of control in Europe, the Hirgizstanian military was built to take on huge and numerous operations that spanned the globe without even working up a proverbial sweat.

The newly labelled EURCOM stations (formerly ECRF), notably situated in the centre of the huge room, buzzed with more activity than even the SOUPACCOM stations, who were dealing with a war.

EURCOM was busier because instead of one or two operations they were conducting many more and were liasing with MIDEASTCOM to get the job done.

The cinema size screen at the front of the huge room showed all the military activity going on in the world. It was notably cluttered, with friendly forces moving throughout Europe and elsewhere.

The three most important blips at the moment represented six AN-225 Transport planes carrying elements of the 11th Airborne Division to Paris, Berlin and Zurich.

In Berlin the mission was to link up with the Layartebian QRF and restore order. The mission in France would be to secure the capital and contact the military and political leadership, or what was left of it, so that order could be restored. Much the same would be attemtped in Zurich.

Of course the forward troops were the Regiment Pathfinders and would simply 'lead the way' for the rest of the three Regiments in each city, who would follow. Each regiment would need seven AN-225 flights to get just the soldiers on the ground, but ships and other planes were already hard at work ferrying equipment and support troops to each of the territories in question.

The highest ranking German officer on the Azores was a little higher than the brigadier that stood in the main office on the Layartebian side of the base. His name was Klaus Jäger and he was a Generalmajor, a major general in the Layartebian system of things. A calculating man, he was typical of German generals and both he and BG. Matthews could not have been more opposite if they tried. They were; however, good friends. Together, they had spent many evenings in the CIC, talking about home, about life, about culture, politics, and the future. They had never talked about the day when this happened. "Klaus. Come in. Sit down." BG. Matthews said as the German stood in his doorway.

"I received your urgent message. What is this about? Are your forces seizing this island base? Have you declared..." But before he could continue, BG. Matthews stopped him and handed him the emergency communication. "What is this? Lies."

"Klaus. I know you know what happened in Berlin. You don't have to play dimwitted general here. For Christ's sake, our men were in the damn radio room when you got this an hour ago. We have to enact the contingency plan."

"I do not have the authorization."

"What authorization do you need? There is no more Reich Klaus. It's gone! I don't care what the hell happened either. This is as big a blow to me as it is to anyone. Klaus. Right now, the Azores is smack dab in the middle of October Alliance territory. It is prime real estate Klaus. If anyone gets their hands on this island group the entire North Atlantic is out of our control. Do you understand what that means?"

"I do. Do you not think I do not know this. My family is my biggest concern at the moment. The Reich has fallen. I do not disagree. This is the sad truth. My brothers will have this fixed. You see, us Germans have something you Layartebians do not have."

"Don't give me that racial pride shit. C'mon we don't have time for this. The contingency plan Klaus." He was referring to a plan that would be enacted should either the Empire or the Reich fall or both and the Azores was left alone, cut off from either or both capitals. In such an event, if both capitals fell, the island group would be on its own, so to speak, to defend itself against aggression. The island group would be under mutual and joint command of the highest ranking officers on the island group. In the event that only one nation fell, the surviving nation would assume control of the island group. In this case, it was the Empire. Still, the German contingent would not be expelled nor would they have to submit to Layartebian rule. Klaus and his staff would remain in charge of the German forces on the island except now, the highest ranking Layartebian soldier was, in effect, commander of the island group. Since the Layartebian CO was on vacation, and currently rushing to get back to the island group, BG. Matthew was left in temporary charge of the islands. "You must give the order."

"When is the lieutenant general returning from vacation?"

"He should be here in a matter of hours Klaus. At which time I will resume my command as executive officer. Your forces will, as per the protocols, remain in your control. We do not have much time Klaus." The German thought long and hard but duty to him stood above all else. The national pride and the racial pride still existed for him, those would never die but he was a soldier and an officer. His duty to his men and to the greater good of the Reich and whatever was left of it and whatever it would become, came first. In the end, he gave the order, just as Lieutenant General Jacob McQueen landed on the island's main airfield.

Off the Coast of Gibraltar

Admiral Fillings sat drinking a steaming-hot cup of coffee aboard his flagship off the coast of Gibraltar. For several days the 1st MEF had been coordinating actions with the 137th MEU Strike Group chasing after the Heavy Escort Group based in Gibraltar. Things were going well for his numerically superior force, however he had suffered several “mock” hits from a group of SSN’s that had set clever ambush for his troop transports. Stats had shown he lost upwards of three San Antonio Class ships from the well orchestrated attack. All three SSN’s were eventually chased down and sunk by his outer picket ships, but the damage had been done. A stern discussion would surely develop from the lapse of submarine coverage in the exercise. As he studied the various in’s and out’s from the previous day’s exercises, a young junior grade officer came running into the CIC.

“Admiral, we have an emergency flash message from the Fleet Command as authenticated by protocol ZULU ALPHA-SIX. It’s serious sir.”

“Son, everything is serious from Fleet Command, or at least they perceive everything as serious, what do they want now to announce we are changing from two to one-ply toilet paper? Give me that message.”

Admiral Fillings skimmed the message as he had done countless times before. He often wondered why Fleet Command used the secure network to send worthless messages to the fleet. This message wasn’t the usual administrative memo that wasted his time. He sank back into his chair as he finished reading the note. He immediately turned the Junior Officer that presented him the message.

“Has this been sent to the other Captain’s in the fleet?”

“Yes sir, we all received it at the same time sir.”

“Very well, draft this message to the Fleet from me. We move today to help secure a once proud land. The 1st Fleet will take up positions off the coast of Valencia Spain. The 137th MEU will move to a position off of Lisbon Portugal. We embark on a perilous mission to offer security to a proud people, let us be diligent in our duties and thorough in our mission, good luck in your endeavor.”

As the message was sent, the ships of both fleets immediately increased to flank speed. The 1st MEF turned south and began to steam towards the Straits, while the Escort Strike Group supporting the 137th MEU turned North and moved to take up a position off the coast of Lisbon.

Berlin International Airport

Major Mike Rhodes of the Pathfinder Company, 1st Regiment, 11th Airborne Division stood in the middle of one of the runways of what had been, up until not long ago, one of the worlds busiest airports. He watched the last AN-225 take off and lumber its huge self back up into the sky.

His men had already secured the airport itself. The Regiment commander, Colonel Walter Ogama, was planning to use the airport as a command centre until the whole Regiment was in-country.

They were lucky to even be safely on the ground in the first place. At first the AN-225 pilots had received no call-in from the tower as they neared touch-down, but then a lone Luftwaffe Liutenant had noticed the AN-225's for what they were and raced to the tower from the small military heli-field next to the airport to help guide the aircraft in.

The rest of the airport staff were nowhere to be found. The whole place was deserted. Commercial airliners stood silent and abandoned at empty terminals. Baggage carts sat everywhere with their bins raided. Clothes, belongings and baggage of all sorts lay scattered everywhere.

The Major left four platoons to help secure the airport with the help of the Luftwaffe units at the helipad. The other two platoons would ride with the Major out of the airport to meet up with the Layartebian QRF.

OOC: Lay- where is your QRF in Berlin?"

Eurasian Forces in the Ukraine move quickly to bring back law and order and quell any civil unrest. Eurasian Field Commanders were wary of the fact that Germanian arm forces may not be to cooperate for much longer. Just they request for six Marine Corps to support stabilization operations and to insure that Eurasians forces aren’t caught off guard. The Eurasian General Staff agree to their request and quickly dispatch the reinforcements to help stabilize the region. As the main army groups were busy restoring law and order, the Eurasian Army Corp of Engineers were busy trying to bring back power and water utilities back online.

Meanwhile, the Eurasian Forces that were deployed to aid Hirgizstan in European Operations were ready to go. They were under the command of General Süleyman Ibn Kutalmish, he quickly send word to his Hirgizstan counterparts asking where they want him to deploy his forces in order to aid their efforts to stabilize Germanian Europe.

Berlin International Airport

Major Mike Rhodes of the Pathfinder Company, 1st Regiment, 11th Airborne Division stood in the middle of one of the runways of what had been, up until not long ago, one of the worlds busiest airports. He watched the last AN-225 take off and lumber its huge self back up into the sky.

His men had already secured the airport itself. The Regiment commander, Colonel Walter Ogama, was planning to use the airport as a command centre until the whole Regiment was in-country.

They were lucky to even be safely on the ground in the first place. At first the AN-225 pilots had received no call-in from the tower as they neared touch-down, but then a lone Luftwaffe Liutenant had noticed the AN-225's for what they were and raced to the tower from the small military heli-field next to the airport to help guide the aircraft in.

The rest of the airport staff were nowhere to be found. The whole place was deserted. Commercial airliners stood silent and abandoned at empty terminals. Baggage carts sat everywhere with their bins raided. Clothes, belongings and baggage of all sorts lay scattered everywhere.

The Major left four platoons to help secure the airport with the help of the Luftwaffe units at the helipad. The other two platoons would ride with the Major out of the airport to meet up with the Layartebian QRF.

OOC: Lay- where is your QRF in Berlin?"

OOC: Sledge Airbase. Somewhere in the city {LOL} persumably near a decommissioned RL airfield.

Sledge Airbase, Berlin

It had taken a few wrong turns and more than a few slightly hostile dead ends before the Major Rhodes and his platoon found Sledge Airbase, home of the Layartebian QRF. It was on the site of a former small aerodrome that was now a fair sized base in the city.

On the way to it from the main International Airport, Rhodes had seem some promising signs. The city didn't seem to be hostile, the Germanian police were out in full force and the EC-103E's flying circuits from Libya over Germany were obviously getting the message out because they smiled at the Airborne's Hummvees as they roared through the streets.

Still, though, gunfire could be heard echoing from certain quarters of the city and some of the North Germanian Army units were blocking off streets and more than a few had turned their guns towards the Major's vehicles. They hadn't fired, but it wasn't a good sign. The sooner the rest of the Regiment arrived, the better.

But the priority wasn't sightseeing- it was to link-up with the Layartebian forces. The Major had radioed ahead and his column of vehicles found the gate guards waiting, alert and fully armed. They let them through quickly and the vehicles raced into the base.

The HQ was squat and ugly, like most military bases. An orange wind-sock fluttered from a pole in a traffic circle outside it.

A Layartebian officer stood at the front of the building as Major Rhodes pulled up to the kerb.

He stepped out and smartly saluted, getting a return from the Layartebian.

"Major Mike Rhodes, Pathfinders, 11th Airborne. Pleased to meet you Sir."

Dusseldorf,Germany, Germania

Waves upon waves of Eurasian Air transports, Eurasian Paratroopers were landing in Dusseldorf International Airport. They were apart of TOA taskforce to stabilize Germania after its government went default. The locals already knew ahead of the time the Eurasians were coming, not as invaders, but as friends and allies of the great nation of Germania. With that the Eurasians forces landed without a problem. The Eurasians forces quickly set up their command at the airport and send out word to Germanian forces in the area to aid in stabilize the regions and preventing chaos from breaking out in the area.

The following morning, the Cottish paras had secured their initial objectives and linked up with the local police and the few Germanian forces that still remained relatively intact. Defections were rampant in these areas, which had been garrisoned with less capable and motivated troops than the ones on the front lines in Kazakhstan or in the Germanian heartland of Germany and Austria, and to make matters worse, when the Cottish had entered the bases of the OS – the fanatically loyal and well trained Germanian elite fighting forces – the paras had found that the majority of the men had committed suicide, probably when they had realized that the Germanian state had fallen. That had been a setback for the Cottish, who had planned on the highly disciplined OS forces to help them maintain order in the territories. Still, the Paras weren’t the ones to complain. Instead, they got to work.

The town of Dronten on the island of Flevoland was a raging inferno of burning cars, broken windows, and many of its thirty-eight thousand inhabitants running amok in the streets, smashing everything they saw, stealing whatever they could get their hands on, and generally acting like there was no tomorrow. It was this sight that met the one hundred and seventy-six paratroopers that arrived in Dronten at seven in the morning on the day after the fall of the Germanian Reich. No one seemed to have noticed the Cottish Paras, dressed in combat uniforms with weapons at the ready but with the red beret of the Paratroopers on their head instead of the combat helmet, as they were seemingly too busy with looting the town. The local police force was nowhere to be seen, a reason which was revealed as soon as the reconnaissance the Captain commanding the para company had sent out reached the police station. There was nothing but smoldering ruins left of the police station. It had been burned down last night by the rampant townspeople. It was painfully clear to the Paras that they were on their own.

Fortunately, the local fire station had yet to be burned down, thanks to the vigilant firefighters who had kept a vigil at the firehouse, keeping the pillaging townspeople at bay with water cannons and words. The reconnaissance party made contact with the firefighters and briefed them on the situation before enlisting their assistance under the promise of a handsome reward from the Cottish Crown. There were fifteen firefighters still on duty manning three fire trucks and one ambulance, all of whom would be required in the Cottish plan of action.

The Captain quickly formulated a battle plan and deployed his forces, including the firefighters, before springing the plan into action.

It was just past noon when a burst of gunfire loomed through the town of Dronten, stopping the looting, burning and vandalism dead in its tracks. The gunfire had been fired from the Captain’s DR-83M assault rifle, fired into the air to get the attention from the townspeople. With their attention secured, the Captain spoke into a megaphone in understandable German.

“This is the Royal Cottish Army, operating under the banner of the Germanian Stabilization Force from the October Alliance. We have been dispatched here under orders to restore law and order. Martial law has been declared, and the use of deadly force has been authorized. Under this authority, I am ordering you to immediately cease the vandalism you have preformed and return to your homes. We do not wish to use force against you, so we urge you to comply peacefully and without hesitation or protest so this unfortunate business can be over with as quickly as possible. You have one hour to clear the streets and return to your homes. Failure to comply will result in you being detained with the necessary force.”

Many stood there, shocked at the words of these armed strangers, but in many, the words had awoken the sense of order and obedience the Germanian Reich had fostered in most of its citizens. They dropped whatever they were holding and began returning to their homes. Unfortunately, there were quite a few troublesome elements in the town though, whose reaction to the Cottish order was to hurdle bricks, bottles and anything else they had handy towards the Paras. This was where the firefighters’ role in the battleplan emerged.

The firefighters had used the time to hook their firehoses up to the water mains which were still intact. At the command of the Cottish officer, they opened up, hosing down the rioters with water gushing out from the hoses at 15 bars or 217.6 PSI, more than enough to knock the wind out of the rioters for a while, giving the infantry a chance to move in and restrain the rioters with plastic zip-ties.

Within two hours, the last of the rioters had been detained, making the total number of arrests carried out in Dronten an even 300. Now, with the riots quelled, at least for the time being, the firefighters could go to work doing their real job, putting out the fires in Dronten. While they did that, the Cottish started tracking down the Dronten police officers. Most of the town’s two hundred police officers were located and contacted. When asked why they hadn’t done their jobs, they answered that they had tried, but that they were overwhelmed and that they had been ordered to return to their homes and ride the storm out until reinforcements arrived or the riots died down by themselves. The Cottish accepted this explanation, at least for the time being, and ordered the police officers to return to duty.

By 1800 hours, the Dronten police force had returned to duty, dressed in their anti-riot gear and operating under the temporary command of the Cottish Paras. The troublemakers that had been arrested had been registered and released after having been a strict warning that the next time, the Cottish might not restrain themselves from using deadly force like they had today.

Throughout the Cottish-controlled ex-Germanian territories, similar scenes took place throughout the next couple of weeks, with Cottish soldiers, in most of the places assisted by local police and firefighters, had effectively put a stop to the riots in the places where they had reached out to and restored at least a semblance of law and order. In many areas, the riots had fortunately never gotten past the opening car burnings and rumbling in the streets, and had been quelled in the very beginning. However, the Cottish couldn’t be everywhere at once, and there would still be quite some time until there would be enough Cottish troops in the lands to effectively control the land.

Thus, a decree went out from Oslo that the remaining Germanian military units and the local police forces were to be formed into what was to be known as “der Gendarmerie des Germanischen Territorien”, or the “Gendarmerie for the Germanian territories” or GGT for short. This was to be the police force slash territorial defense force for the Germanian territories currently under Cottish control, and would have the primary responsibility for maintaining law and order in the Germanian territories. This was done for several reasons, most of them political but also some practical.

There were tens of thousands of relatively well trained and equipped soldiers in the territories in question who didn’t really have a stated purpose anymore and who didn’t really know what to do. These troops were an uncertain factor in the grand plan of things, and the Cottish needed to get it under control. There were also a lot of unrest and uncertainty in the territories following the fall of the Germanian Reich, with political groups and fractions of all kinds rising up to fill the power vacuum that had been created after the strongly centralized Reich fell. Predominant among these groupings, left-wing as well as right-wing, was the feeling of nationalism and the desire for an independent state. The presence of Cottish troops controlling the territories, regardless of how friendly they were, was something that the nationalists couldn’t accept. Therefore, it was the general belief in Oslo that if the Dutch, Belgians, Luxembourgians and Danes were given a relatively large degree of autonomy and self-control with the Cottish forces acting simply as “advisors”, many problems and difficulties could be avoided or at least delayed. And that was why the GGT was formed on January 27th, 2008 under the command of Generalleutnant der Gendarmerie Jaan van der Fischer, one of the key figures in making the plan work and formerly the commanding officer for the Germanian forces in the BENELUX countries.

At the date of establishment, the GGT consisted of some seven hundred thousand men, many of them conscripts from many other parts of the Reich, most of whom would be given the chance to return to their homelands after order was restored to the Cottish-controlled territories. Since the Reichsmark, the former Germanian currency wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on anymore; the Cottish had obligated themselves to guarantee the payment of the GGT, which would be done in gold from the vaults of the Bank of Cotland in downtown Oslo. The gold reward was a very good motivator for the men in the GGT, and they accepted that the gold wouldn’t be paid out until after order had been restored in the territories. This was done to guarantee their loyalty and assistance – if they weren’t loyal and did as ordered, they wouldn’t get their gold. It was as simple as that, and the men accepted it. It would be much easier to return to their homes in Germany or Spain or Turkmenistan with gold in the luggage.

As of January 28th, the GGT would be responsible for securing and protecting the territories, assisted where necessary by the Cottish Paras and newly arrived Royal Marines. Whether or not they would be a great success was yet to be seen though.

Off the coast of Valencia Spain

Two days had passed since the fateful order had come to secure the former territories of Spain and Portugal. Independent news crews had shown some troubling news reels from other areas. To the surprise of the Admiral Fillings Valencia was relatively calm when the bulk of the 1st MEF arrived offshore. Helicopters had ferried a Battalion of Marines into the major soccer field and a base of operations was established in a adjacent Office Complex near the heart of the city. Scattered reports of AWOL police were not true in this town. Order may have been quelled by the large military base located on the outskirts of town. After leaflets were dropped all day from various over-flights letting the populaces know the Hawdawgian Force was there to stabilize the country and maintain order. The most popular question asked of every Hawdawgian Marine on patrol in the streets was, “Donde el fuehrer?” Sadly even with the language barrier looking into the eyes of these young soldiers the story was told, the fuehrer just like the NG state was no more. Sometime early in the third day of operations Admiral Fillings met with the commander of the Eastern Region of Spain Field Marshal Geurher. The Field Marshal was a portly man, and that did amuse Admiral Fillings.

“Ah Field Marshal Geurher, I am glad to put a name with a face. Please have a seat, have you eaten?”

“Thank you Admiral Fillings. To be honest, I haven’t had much dinner in the last three day’s, I have had too many things on my mind good sir.”

“The early reports I have tell me our Airborne Forces have a firm grip on Madrid and Barcelona. The local police units have been cooperating well. Very little violence has been reported in the larger metropolitan areas; however, the countryside is a different matter.”

“Admiral I am sure you heard of the “issues” our former government was dealing with here in Spain. We had a de facto civil war brewing. Our troop strength allowed us to hold the cities fairly easily but the rebels seemed to just melt into the hills. We have mission after mission to root them out and they always seem to disappear amongst the underbrush and vines. Perhaps with your help we can reign supreme in this mission?”

“Field Marshal our government stepped in to help stabilize the situation not pour salt into a wound that simply would not heal under North Germanian rule. Right now our concerns should be to establish order and stability, then sort out the political issues. This is why I need your signature on this order. This contract stipulates your soldiers that remain on post and assist us with securing the state will be paid by our government for the length of time necessary to maintain the peace in Spain. Its really that simple.”

“Fine I will sign it Admiral, but be warned…”

Admiral Fillings cut his comment short.

“Field Marshal you really aren’t in a position to bargain. We are here to help now lets make that a reality.”

As the Field Marshal signed the contract, Fillings laid out the rest of his plan.

“I want to further explain the role of the Stabilization Force-OA. The combined influence of both our combat groups will work in unison to ensure that the basic needs of the populace are met to the best of our abilities. Engineers will be used to reestablish/maintain the services like water supply, electricity, etc. We will also support the mail system, local municipalities and any other local entity that needs direct aide or assistance in meeting these needs. We are not here to hunt down dissidents or perceived anarchists. If the situation presents itself where individuals directly defy our perceived goals of stabilization they will be executed in a swift and decisive manner. Are these rules of engagement clear Field Marshal. Don’t actively seek out trouble; we don’t have the manpower in place yet to put out too many fires.”

“I see Admiral, but be warned there are many here in Spain whom would like to see your forces gone as ours.”

“We will work on that FM, now let’s work on linking up with the Airborne Units in Barcelona, the highway needs to be reopened.”


Lisbon, Portugal

The 137th MEU had moved into an eerie shell of a town in Lisbon. Smoke boiled from many structures, if a person was seen they didn’t stay in the open long to talk. The three Rifle Companies spread out across town to survey the situation. Something had scared the people into hiding and Bravo Company found out why. One Half click North of town in a plowed field over three hundred bodies where found huddled into a pile. The bodies lay charred from an ill-fated attempt to burn the evidence. Among the dead where the heads of the city, police department and numerous men women and children. On the second day of patrol a handful of former policemen in tattered uniforms were found and they described how a group of separatists calling themselves “Dos Diablo’s”, a break away faction of the "Splitters", raided the central offices using stolen military hardware and several IFV’s and took the leaders of the city. They warned if others did not join there cause they would be executed.

Colonel Vines stood atop his M3 Arrow C2V listing to the stories almost in disbelief.

“Those suns-a-bitches. Well you can rest easy men, no one is going to kill anybody else in this town. Since no military garrison was established in Lisbon they felt free to do as they pleased.”

Colonel Vines immediately issued the order for complete martial law in Lisbon. Anyone caught outside after dark would be shot. Checkpoints were established, and shelters for citizens in hiding were established in warehouses alongside the port, so they could be protected. Charlie Company was held in the rear to assist with this duty. Along with the logistical specialists they tried to make the citizens that poured into the shelters as comfortable as possible given the situation. Soon “dos diablo’s” would meet something they weren’t planning for, an overzealous Rifle Team with a history of dealing with insurgents.

Kiev, Ukraine- COH EURCOM/ECRF/GSF Base

Two whole Corps of the 15h Army were currently occupying the COH Kiev Base, the 151 and 152. Army PsyOps personnel had been broadcasting messages on local TV and radio signals to alert the German people of the situation, and to attempt to get German military and police forces to rally around the base. The Eurasians were bringing in troops via the airport which was guarded by a pair of M1A5's and an entire Mechanized Infantry brigade.

The Kiev base had been attacked several times since the Hirgizstanians had started regular patrols in and around the sprawling city. Military commanders were growing increasingly worried about the volume and ferocity of the attacks, not just on the base but on patrolling soldiers. One of the M1A5's had been engaged by a Panzer IX on the eastern outskirts of the city as it traversed over a bridge. Luckily whoever was using the tank wasn't trained properly and the wild shot clipped the bridge instead of the tank.

The Panzer was found abandoned a couple of streets away from where the incident happend with a couple of kids playing on top of it. It was still fully armed and loaded with ammunition. It was eventually towed away.

Worrying reports had been coming in to Kiev of rogue military units, apparently mostly made up of troops from Spain and Portugal. That would help to explain the white painted lettering fround on the side of the rogue Panzer IX that read, 'For Lisbon!'

Reports from Hawdawgian forces in Portugal also pointed toward an active resistance, and to compound matters a Germanians Logistics unit had literally collapsed into the Kiev base reporting that their base had been ransacked by soldiers dressed in Germanian uniforms but speaking Portugese and Spanish. The problem was that the base had housed twenty Panzer IX's and twenty-eight infantry carriers of various sorts.

Kiev was, for the moment, relatively calm as the police were still on the streets and loyal German soldiers were arriving by the day, bringing masses of their own equipment. The lure of pay and food, and protecting their homes, was proving a significant draw.


Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

Hirgizstanian troops of the 12th Airborne Division were busy deploying a regiment each to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in support of Eurasian stablization forces. Utilising the cargo aircraft from the 8th AEF, the 12th AD was flying 5000 men to each territory, along with their vehicles and equipment. It would take quite a few flights, but it would put a potent and highly mobile force on the ground to assist the Eurasians, as well as securing larger airfields to bring in elements of the 30th Army.

Ukraine

Eurasians forces were trying their best to quell the rebel upstarts and restore order to the city. Field Commanders acted quickly to try to enlist the ex –Germanians troops to help restore law and order in the nation. Commanders offer them a reasonable pay and a free transport to their respected nations after the region was stabilize. Furthermore, Eurasian Army units were given standing orders to shoot on sign any rouge Spanish or Portuguese ex solider gangs. Yet gunfights between Eurasians forces and Spanish and Portuguese were happening all over the place, plus other groups were joining into the fight…its was going to be while before Eurasian can fully stabilize the area.

When the news came from the Reichstag that the Germanian Reich had fallen, nothing was sure anymore. Germanian forces all over the Reich were tossed into a predicament but those inside of Germany were the most loyal. As military generals assumed the roles of leaders, Germanian troops took to the streets, to secure anything of value and to ensure that looting and rioting did not take place. In addition, they prepared for the inevitable invasion of a foreign country, unaware that it would be their October Alliance brothers in the Commonwealth of Hirgizstan.

Based in Camp Sledge was the 10th Quick Reaction Force, a unit of highly trained and well equipped soldiers of former airborne units and special forces who wanted to escape the horrific front lines of war but did not want to abandon the military. Each of the 11 QRF-As in the Imperial Layartebian Army was exactly the same as the rest. Built around four companies of one hundred and twenty-eight men each, the battalion sized contingent, each QRF-A not only had its infantry forces but also 67 vehicles to aide in their mission. They had ten M2047A1 Arrow APCs, one M2047A3 Arrow command vehicle, eight M2047A4 Arrow anti-tank units, twelve M2050A1 Serpent light battle tanks, and thirty-six CMPL armored trucks, eighteen of which were, essentially pickup trucks. Usually, the QRF was a ground force although they always had, at their disposal, transport and attack helicopters. Because the 10th QRF-A was so far from any Layartebian army base, they had their own contingent of helicopters. They had six AH-99A Anasazi attack helicopters, eight AH-6M Little Bird light attack helicoptes, eight UH-60M Black Hawk transport helicopters, four UH-96A Panther transport helicopters, six UV-24D Bulldog STOVL transports, six RAH-70A Arapaho reconnaissance helicopters, and four MQ-8C Fire Scout reconnaissance UAVs also in Berlin.

When Hirgizstanian airborne forces dropped in over Berlin, the Layartebians watched, cracking jokes here and there. When the Hirgizstanian major came up to the gates of Camp Sledge, he was greeted by the guards at the gate, four Layartebian sergeants and two corporals, all of them holding M80A1 Assault Rifles as the Hirgizstanian approached. A lieutenant quickly approached before the sergeants could answer the major. ""Major Mike Rhodes, Pathfinders, 11th Airborne. Pleased to meet you sir." The Hirgizstanian spoke.

"Major Rhodes. Welcome to Berlin. I am Lieutenant Dustin Graves. If you will follow me, our CO, Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Alabaster would like to talk to you about your mission here, the role of this base, and the future of Germany." The base was rather extensive despite it being on the edge of Berlin's city-limits. It was big enough to have an airfield contingent with the forty-two aircraft sitting quietly on the tarmac and inside the shelters. The vehicle farm was also quiet as Layartebian mechanics worked on one of the Serpent LBTs. "HQ is about a quarter of a mile from here so I hope you don't mind walking." He began to lead the way towards the Layartebian HQ bunker, which was exactly a quarter of a mile from the front gates, where two guard towers stood, both of them manned by a sniper, a spotter, and a machine gunner, who held onto either an M50A1 Heavy Machine Gun or an M35A1 Light Machine Gun, depending on which tower. Both snipers had semi-automatic M89A2 Designated Marskmanship Rifles. "We've got a full battalion here Major. Since the Reichstag ceased to be, we've been in high alert here. As you can see though, we haven't ventured far from the perimeter. Germanian forces are still loyal to Germany and they don't regard us as hostile as we have little to worry about from them. We are intent on keeping our perimeter secure though. This way." He took a right down another road, leading towards the HQ in the distance.

Rhein-Main Airbase

Layartebian aircraft sat on the tarmac, ready to take off if they needed too. The three runways at Rhein-Main were entirely under Layartebian control, as well as the remainder of the airfield. Two of the runways were four kilometers long and the other was five kilometers, extended by Layartebian engineers early in the 1980s when the Empire assumed control over Rhein-Main. Perimeter guards maintained a careful watch on the perimeter of the base, which was fenced in by chainlink fence, razor wire on the top. At one time, the fence had been electrified but that had long since been removed from practice. Tall guard towers kept watch over the corners and the gates of the airbase, machine gunners and snipers posted in them.

The airbase was, at present time, light on aircraft. Only one squadron of B-10 Badger medium bombers and their escort jammer variants, two squadrons of F-26A Typhoons, and a squadron of C-130J-30 Super Hercules transport aircraft were present at the base. Protected by a Crow air defense battery just four miles away, Rhein-Main was a classic Layartebian Air Force Base, secure and a completely massive complex at over 10 mi² in total. It had the capacity for a lot more aircraft than it had on its tarmac and in its hangars.

Elsewhere in Germany, Layartebian forces had already dug-in to protect their bases. Ramstein Air Force Base, another Layartebian air base was locked down along with a naval base at Norden, a complex submarine base on Memmert Island, and the naval air station at Hage.

OOC: Warning this is bloody

Lisbon, Portugal


The Splitters or a faction of there breakaway group had been behind the attack for sure, intel gleaned from sporadic North Germanian operatives that remained in-country were slowly beginning to paint a picture for Colonel Vines and the men of the 137th MEU. Things had been eerily quite for a day after the bodies of so many citizens had been found by Bravo Company. They felt watched, the insurgents had time on there side they could rest and pick the time and place they chose to take a stand. Unbeknownst to them a lone GlobalHawk UAV patrolled high above the city, placing all routes and alleyways not specifically covered by the Marines under scrutiny. At 2100 hours Colonel Vines first got a glimpse of what he was dealing with on the BATNET system. Images via the FLIR system showed a large group of suspect characters traveling directly towards a checkpoint established by 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company. All three squads of the 3rd Platoon had worked feverishly all day to build a decent sandbag barrier at this intersection. Interlaced into the position where a pair of M3 IFV’s one armed with a remote controlled 12.7mm CROWS heavy machine gun and another armed with a remotely operated Mk.19 Grenade launcher. The M3 C2V Lt. Spivey operated acted as the CIC for the checkpoint and a connection to Colonel Vines in the rear. All the M3’s were specifically in place to offer fire support and communications for 3rd Platoon. The checkpoint was strategically placed to control the Northern entry point into Lisbon by cutting access the main highway into town. Alpha, Dog, and Lima Squads men were anxious, the nightfall brought with it cover for insurgents. Lt. Spivey heard the call from Colonel Vines on the SATCOM system inside his M3 C2V.

“Road Lizard, this is Mother Goose multiple contacts UAV confirmed are you seeing this on the BATNET, over.”

Lt. Spivey keyed his BATNET computer and typed a response.

Roger multiple bogeys inbound foot traffic. Definitely hostiles.

“Road Lizard you are green light on engagement, advise SITREP in 20, Mother Goose out.”

Spivey quietly passed the message along the positions for the men to go hot on there weapons. All three squads quietly clicked off the safeties on there Hk417’s. Slowly men flipped down the monocular nightvision device on there helmets. The orders were to hold fire until the insurgents where close. All at once the line opened up, as the three rifle squads began to lay down a horrific field of fire. Hot empty brass bounced on the concrete as round after round tore down the street and into the insurgents. Return fire was quickly taken from the flanks including five RPG hits to the M3 housing the Mk.19, luckily the crew was able to escape wounded but alive. When the shooting came to a lull, three Marines lay dead, with 4 wounded as a M3 armored Ambulance was summoned from the base of operations Charlie Company had established in the warehouse district. Dog Squad carefully slid out from behind the checkpoint fortifications to flank the remaining insurgents that had attempted to melt back into the night. With the help of the UAV high above Dog Squad caught up with them two blocks away and in a classic pincher move trapped fifty men in the middle of a side intersection. When the insurgents attempted to surrender, two Marines stepped forward with Mk 48 LMG’s and mowed them down like grass. As the sulfur cleared the air the SSGT. in charge radioed back to Lt. Spivey the all clear. What Dog Squad did next would set the tone for dealing with the Splitter’s for the rest of the campaign. All of the fifty men some wounded mortally, but not yet dead were carefully piled in the middle of the intersection. The NCO happened to have a pound of C-4 in his kit and he slid it directly into the center of the contorted bodies jabbed a firing cap into the block and said, “Take cover” to his men. In what seem like a cartoon image the pile erupted in a violent volcano of body parts and blood. As torso’s arms and legs rained down for ½ a city block on Dog Squad. The evil smirk on the NCO revealed a tempered but firm disposition as he marched his men back to the checkpoint he thought to himself “No martyrdom for these assholes.”

When Dog Squad reached Lt. Spivey the men were covered in blood. He immediately called the NCO over to his M3.

“Are you men hurt? What happened you gave me the all clear, then an explosion?”

“No sir we are fine, just had to clear the road of bodies sir, and I didn’t have a bulldozer so I improvised with C-4. It was a confirmed kill of 50 insurgents, but don’t ask me for bodies, this is all that’s left.”

The NCO produced an ear from one of the dead men he had taken as a prize.

“That’s a little harsh don’t you think?”

“Harsh sir? Those bastards killed women and small children. If you ask me that was too easy. We should be skinning them alive.”

“Well while I wouldn’t condone that, I am sure clearing the road was necessary. Perhaps you could talk Lima and Alpha in assisting you with a similar clearing of our fields of fire here at the checkpoint?”

“No problem sir. Consider it done.”

Throughout the rest of the night all three Rifle Squads gathered the 200 bodies of the dead Splitters. A massive fire pile was started and the bodies were burned, the stench of burning flesh permeated the air. When a live Splitter was found in amongst the bodies, Intel Officers from HQ used questionable techniques including slashing them with combat knives, removing fingernails, and pulling teeth with pliers to extract information about the resistance. When they had extracted all they thought was of use they threw them into the raging fire, whether they were dead or alive it didn’t matter, it was one less resistance fighter they had to deal with. The Marines were in no mood to play and with every death of a fellow Marine, the bloodthirst grew stronger within the Rifle Company. This was the first test of the Hawdawg resolve and it clearly showed the probing Splitters they had started something they would have hell finishing.


Lt. Spivey called in the SITREP to Colonel Vines sometime after the firefight.

"Mother Goose, Road Lizard. Confirmed 250 insurgents. 4 Marines KIA, 3 Marines WIA. Situation normal, Road Lizard out."

As the sun rose, the ash smoldered from the fire pile, soon Portugal would be rid of the Splitters thanks to the Hawdawg Marine Corps.

Provence-Alpes-Cote D'Azure, 26 Miles North of Marseille, France

A typical Green Beret 'A' Team was made up of ten men, with either two civilian looking truck's between them or two SF-LMTV's. The civilian truck's were standard Hirgizstanian Motors Wild Boar double-cab flat-beds with masses of power under the hood and either a 50.cal ACCSW or a 25mm ACSW mounted in the back. The truck's were good but the fact that it only had one gun and only the operator could sit in the back meant the rest of the team had to sit in the cab, their weapons virtually useless.

Thats were the SF-LMTV came in. The LMTV (Light Military Tactical Vehicle) was the light version of the Army's FMTV (Family of Military Tactical Vehicles). The special forces version had a roofless cut down front cab that sported a driver's side 5.56mm SAW that could hinge 180 degrees and was mounted below the rear view mirror at the side of the truck, while the passenger's side had a 7.62mm M240 LMG that sat over through what would have been the front window had there been a windshield.

In the rear bed there was three more guns, including a 25mm ACSW, a .50cal ACCSW and room for either a TOW launcher, a Stinger launcher or a 15.7mm sniper mount.

In essence the SF-LMTV was the ultimate in fast gun trucks, capable of bringing to bear an incredible amount of firepower on a super fast chassis.

Two of them were rolling down a small Provence country lane toward a small village above a valley through which ran a northern-bound freeway. The village would have been perfect for mortars or artillery with both a clear line-of sight and a great range-to-target ratio.

An entire A Team of the 2nd Special Forces Group (Green Berets) were heading toward it in two fully decked out LMTV's. They had landed in Marseilles the night before, ahead of the main Army landing force.

Five Corps from the Army's 27th Army was on its way to Marseilles in ships and planes. So far advance tank units and various infantry outfits had secure the city with the help of the city's police and Germanian military units. So far the people in southern France seemed genuinely happy to see the Hirgizstanian's. This was in contrast to Germany and Switzerland where the GSF had been met with indifference, at the least.

Kilo Team had been tasked with pressing ahead into the interior of Provence and checking out the main freeway north, to check and observe any obstacles or areas where resistance forces could, coceivably, halt a tank advance. There were a sizeable amount of Germanian troops in Provence, not all of them accounted for, according to the regional commander in Marseilles.

The LMTV's were in radio contact with a Navy E-8C JSTARS and its RQ-1 that were helping the Green Berets check out the layout of the village before arriving into it. So far it looked like nothing was happening, but it was mid-afternoon and the Government had fallen apart. What were people supposed to do? They could keep farming and working, but for what? Without a Government or an infastructure that would buy their goods there was really no point?

Two other villages had been very similar, the people telling Kilo Team the same story. Most of them were glad order was finally on the way and that they could start working again, assured of stability for the future.

As the LMTV's breezed past the small sign of the village's name, Tal Kamm Dorf, or 'Valley Ridge Village', they noticed it had been graffitied in a language none of the men understood. The German was still discernible but gaudy green spray paint had been crudely sprayed over the nice black and white metal sign. The words 'Vallee Arete Village' had been written instead.

One of the men pointed out that it looked like the long dead French language which Germanian had superseded in Europe thousands of years ago with the rise of the Fourth Reich.

That was strange, but it didn't seem sinister, just pranksters probably.

But the significance of the sign took on a different meaning as the two LMTV's entered the village properly. What the high-flying RQ-1 had not picked up was the fact that on the small main street every shop window had been destroyed and some of the shops had been gutted by fire. The big German cars in the streets outside had been spray painted and scratched, some burnt and some vandalised beyond repair.

The street signs had been painted over in green spray paint, again with the strange french language. The whole place was empty. The gentle breeze picked up bits of debris here and there, flinging it to and fro.

The burbling diesel engines of the FMTV's were loud enough to alert anyone in the village to their prescence but nobody was to be seen.

The team's commander, Captain Dan Inraaga, was on the radio immediately flagging up his findings. "Nest this is Kilo. We've arrived at Tal Kamm, no sign of anyone here. Repeat, village has been vandalised and is deserted, over."

"Roger that Kilo. Advise you search for residents. Use extreme caution, there might be rebels in this region. Keep sit-repping Kilo, we're watching you via the BATNET."

"Kilo copies."

Inraaga dismounted from the passenger side of the truck and asked two men in the back to fire up the cypher. It was a handy device, basically a flying desk fan with a camera on top. It let them look directly down at the village and was always necessary when checking out unkowns.

As he was watching the two men lift it down from the truck they heard a crash of glass from one of the shops. Weapons were up in seconds and in the second truck all the weapons suddenly swung and pointed at the noise.

A figure ripped to shreds and covered in thick red blood from head to toe lurched forward through the window pane. His mouth was going overtime, trying to say something. It looked like a fish mouth as it opened and closed without noise- the white teeth coated half in blood.

The figure outstrectched its arms before falling forward onto the pavement.

The medic leapt into action, running to the figure's side, checking for pulse. None.

He rolled him over and took a look at the carnage. He had burns all over his left side, including his face, while the rest of him looked like he'd been flayed. Deep gouges in his flesh leaked blood. Bits of flesh hung off him his chest like flaps of fabric. The gougues, however, made some sort of design in his chest. The soldier who recognised the old french sprayed onto the sign approached with a worried look.

Inraaga got closer too. "So, what's wrong Bobby?"

"Those gouges...they make a pattern."

"Of what?"

"The Fleur De Lie."

"The what?"

"The Fleur De Lie, the symbol of ancient France."

Inraaga breathed heavily. It wasn't rocket science to figure out what this meant. He said the one word on the minds of all of his men, "Rebels."

Lisbon, Portugal

Fully a week had past since the Marines in Lisbon had encountered the first signs of the Splitters. Through the carnage the Marines had managed to get the basic necessities of power and water functioning again after an electric drive was confiscated from an abandoned warehouse in Wharf 12. Street patrols by the 137th MEU had forced the remaining insurgents to flee East away from Lisbon. Several Paratroop Units had reported light engagement with lightly armed infantry, but nothing that would warrant air support from the Strike Group anchored in Lisbon. Citizens where processed and slowly began to return to there homes, food banks, and supply centers where established in areas where they could be restocked by the various humanitarian support organizations. The fear that once gripped the Lisbon’s had slowly become a back burner issue for the people as they had there basic needs met by the outpouring of generosity of the Hawdawgian people. Things would get better but time would tell how better.

Situation Green-Portugal

For a little more than a month the Hawdawgian Forces slowly gained control of the population centers within the state of Portugal. Fighting had its peaks and valleys between the Hawdawgian Troops and the Splitters. IED's had been a problem for sometime and it seemed to be the preferred method of attack by the rogue elements of the Splitters since the Marines had taken an "eye for an eye" approach in Lisbon. Elements of the Airborne Forces had linked up with there Marine counterparts and the vital utilities and various public services were functioning at roughly 90%. Things were beginning to calm themselves in the cities as the various Aide Organizations established centers to provide staples and food to the populace. As the slow wheels of government began to turn in Portugal, more and more paramilitary troops were recruited from the former Germanian Forces in the area along with a vital link necessary to weed out the insurgents, locals. Men of all groups were readily recruited into police and paramilitary units to assist in driving the Splitters further and further out into the countryside. The next leg of the operation would be a ruthless campaign designed to sever the head of the Insurgency for good. Pamphlets were distributed amongst the locals decreeing free elections to be held as soon as stability could be reestablished. The simple wording on the pamphlets were clear. Portugal to become Hawdawgian Protectorate, self-rule is coming, help us drive away the terrorists so Portugal can once again become a beacon for travel and trade. Soon this message spread throughout the land and it became harder and harder for the Insurgency to counter this wave of excitement in the local populace.