NationStates Jolt Archive


Iberian War - Strategic Snapshots (MT, OOC. ATTN: Fall Schwarz Participants)

Third Spanish States
30-07-2008, 06:45
http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/visfront/imagemed/contram.jpg

VS.

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/visfront/imagemed/espanolesm.jpg

Because I am a big fan of Hearts of Iron 2, and because I wish for people to have an understanding of the big picture of the War of Spain (http://forums3.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=558258) without having to read the entirety of its IC thread, I've decided to create a big huge strategic map of Spain with the overview of the operations being carried out by different sides during a specific time line, starting from 16th of August of 2039. Yup, 2039, but I don't believe that any truly groundbreaking military tech will come by then, specially as most would be more worried about developing alternate fuel sources for their military and for their entire nations in the first place. It's a largely Modern Tech conflict thus despite the year it happens. But as I'm not satisfied with a mere huge picture, I will post a text description of the situation.

Allies, neutrals and enemies

As the war officially started, only two nations were involved: the Confederacy of Third Spanish States and the People's Republic of Spain. As of the moment of this snapshot, the nations of Beth Gellert and Allanea have offered support, the first due to the proximity of their libertarian socialist ideologies and due to their diplomatic ties, and the latter,officially attributed to the Allanean universal hatred of all forms of authoritarian socialism and of overall totalitarianism, although some in the Confederacy suspect of second intentions. Currently Gelletian forces are on their way, having to take a long crossing from India, Middle East, through the Suez and finally through the Mediterranean, while an Allanean fleet has arrived to provide support to the naval blockade conducted by Third Spanish States.

Recap

The war effort has been so far favorable for the Confederacy of Third Spanish States. First, one of the greatest defections of history happened in what could be considered a perfect take on the principle of "Attack by Stratagem", thanks to a combination of extremely low morale with physical evidence that the illegitimate government of Spain was prepared to sell Spain as a territory to Stoklomolvi in exchange of the protection of their privileges. That outraged most of those who were inbound for an amphibious assault against the Confederacy, while the leader of the flagship have mutinied against the Spanish government, giving a sort of avail for others to defect. They have gained permanent citizenship in the Confederacy, although some, incapable of adapting to the civilian life, were absorbed by their ranks to fight against those who they previously fought for.


The Republic of Spain prepared an ambitious plan to use overwhelming forces to obliterate the air defense grid of Third Spanish States home islands to secure air superiority for another amphibious assault attempt. But their plans which required months of logistical preparation would be later foiled.

After almost two months of shady events and cloak and dagger, the war finally was officially declared by Third Spanish States in 1st of August of 2039, using an authentic Soviet Spain document with the plans for the invasion of the Confederacy as a casus belli, acquired through extensive intelligence operations, in what would later severely damage the intelligence network of the Confederacy in their enemy territory due to drastic increases of counter-intelligence operations, forcing most of Third Spanish States operatives to "sleep".

Conveniently, the declaration of war was issued at the same time a task force of multiple fighters and strategic bombers headed through the primary runways that would be used by the amassed enemy bombers and fighters to take-off and head to the Confederacy. Such were their only manner of reaching it, as they had no aircraft carriers, and after a daring mission which strategic goal was the cratering of runways and destruction of still landed enemy aircrafts, the Confederacy has proved that sheer number of aircrafts is not better than superior pilots and technology in outnumbered fighters and bombers. Soviet Spain lost all its capability of offensive aerial operations, but still maintained a formidable air force in numbers to defend its own airspace. The occupied Portugal however, had most of its static air defenses(radars, SAMs) destroyed by the operation as well, while the lack of technology, coupled with the naval blockade, would make finding and setting up proper replacements impossible.

Not being self-sufficient in oil, they launched a naval bombing mission against the apparently weakest of all the fleets, at the edges of the Bay of Biscay. Putting much of what they got, including their only ten F-35s, the most advanced fighters in their ranks, the final result was disastrous as they were exploited by the superior agility and targeting systems of the CL-32 fighter squadrons, which resorted in "hit and run" strikes to slowly weaken the incoming invading forces. They were very close this time however, thanks to their F-35s, until a brave squadron of CB-1 Miaja fighter-bombers, the only of their type driven by propfan headed to intercept latest generation stealth jet fighters. Exploiting the lack of experience of the F-35 pilots, they managed to put the battle in their point of advantage: low altitude combat, by forcing their enemies to dive in a desperate attempt to dodge incoming missiles, pilots who clearly knew nothing about something called no escape zone, and had their lives as a price to pay for their total lack of real experience or proper training.

16th of August of 2039

http://img375.imageshack.us/my.php?image=spanishwar2ex8.png

After the successful defeat of the attack, despite the fact that one of the Confederacy destroyers was operationally killed by it coupled with a couple of aircraft losses due to the intensity of the same, they prepared to launch a mission to counter-attack. The goal would be to fly over the Pyrenees with the escort of fighters coupled with sweeps of fighter squadrons performing air superiority missions, to locate and destroy several depots of petroleum reserves, as it is believed the majority of them are in that region due to its less than friendly nature to bombing missions.

To the south coast, near Almeria, an Allanean fleet approached the coast and interdicted a few patrol boats with no chance to defend themselves. They are presumed to have successfully landed Spec Ops into Spanish territory, although that is only an hypothesis as officially they would simply reinforce the blockade. Also, they have set a vessel to transmit subversive messages, unaware of the fact that every radio receiver in PRS is owned and controlled by the government and always tuned at the government frequency, which is very close to the Orwellian Oceania in their control of communications. But they might try again through the right way. The Confederacy has not supplied them information about the local TV government company central, but might soon provide such vital piece of information, and as Third Spanish States operatives are being pinned down by counter-intel, Allanea might offer a significant support if they manage to establish a network as well. Local spies might still aid foreign operatives supporting the Confederacy to hide, while the seeds of a revolution were already sown regardless of any broadcast. All they need is the "rainfall" to sprout and bring the flowers.

The government of Spain still disliked the subversive broadcast dearly, even though less than a dozen of ELINT employees listened to it. They prepared another Su-25 for yet another naval bombing mission, this time more symbolic than strategic. Their goal: the ship broadcasting the "seditious messages".

They have learned with their previous mistakes as well, and thus defeating them shall require new tactics. Of course, nearby Confederacy carrier air groups will not hesitate to bring reinforcements to the fighters of the Allanean fleet.

A group of amphibious assault ships has headed through the north Mediterranean and is currently close to the Balearic islands, carrying the first ground forces of the Confederacy in the war, in the form of six light divisions of Marinos(Marines), they prepare for the first amphibious assault of the war, against the larger island of Mallorca, which shall serve as a trampoline for supplies to the invasion of Iberia. On ground combat, The People's Republic of Spain is quite a match and the equipment given to its active military infantry is far from obsolete, and although they are lacking in mechanization, they are not in motorization. Mallorca has been stockpiled by them, as they expected an attack and the loss of naval superiority sooner or later. Waiting for the supplies to simply run out could be easier, but time is not a luxury the Confederacy can waste, as even with two allies, they still can be target by many major Stalinist superpowers from afar.

Finally, the allies of Algerian Communes, although allowing for military forces of the Confederacy to move through their territory, have otherwise remained neutral through the conflict so far, and thus Ceuta and other Spanish enclaves in Morocco remain untouched. The situation might change though. Other neighbors(NPC Nations) have remained neutral as well, and are unlike to support the war, although France has accepted the embargo request and closed its borders to anything coming to or from Spain. With the pressure to acquire oil, the situation in the Pyrenees borders becomes complicated, and despite slightly underequipped, The Republican Spain Army outnumbers the Armée de Terre, and although they are pinned by the likely invasion of Third Spanish States, whenever despair comes, a few pushes into French territory might not be a completely off possibility to the future of the war.

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Note to Allanea: As you did not specify the specific landing zone, I hope it's no problem that I took the liberty of defining it as the least patrolled shore line of the south coast. Like I hinted, the best bet to drastically increase dissent against the government is to take over a TV broadcasting station "a la V for Vendetta".

Note to others: The hiatus of the IC thread is going to end. This OOC thread will actually be helpful for the understanding of how the war is going and what each side is doing. I hope that the information has been sufficient and not too extensively written.
Beddgelert
09-08-2008, 12:05
(OOC: Just a tag for now, got a bit of ale in me already and should be careful about what I'm doing! If I get ridiculously behind, just give me a prod. I'm liable to get distracted by AMW's gradual rebirth, but I'm still around, more or less. Nice map, by the by! I should actually put together an expeditionary liberation Soviet or something, eh?)
Stoklomolvi
18-08-2008, 10:42
Ah, excellent, an OOC thread. I have since deleted my OOC post in the other thread. However, it does indeed seem like I cannot do anything, primarily since the Allies have the Communists surrounded. In addition, two of the larger nations in the world have joined in on the Allied side, rendering any support of the Communists by me absolutely useless.

Would it be possible in anyway to attack from the east, seeing as to how my nation is in the eastern part of the world and is typically based off of a huge cooperation of Asians?
Third Spanish States
18-08-2008, 20:26
Ah, excellent, an OOC thread. I have since deleted my OOC post in the other thread. However, it does indeed seem like I cannot do anything, primarily since the Allies have the Communists surrounded. In addition, two of the larger nations in the world have joined in on the Allied side, rendering any support of the Communists by me absolutely useless.

Would it be possible in anyway to attack from the east, seeing as to how my nation is in the eastern part of the world and is typically based off of a huge cooperation of Asians?

Do not consider population numbers as the only manner to define chances, and I'm trying to OOCly arrange another ally for Soviet Spain.

An attack would make the naval part of this war less one-sided and add a new layer of difficulty. You would want to secure enough naval superiority to establish an LZ, or could simply fly through the inner Europe using civilian passenger and cargo airliners to ferry troops and smuggle oil. Sea is not the only way, it's just the most cost-efficient one.

Or you could [cliché mode on]try an invasion on Third Spanish States as a diversionary attack (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1kq2QkiU7Y)[cliché mode off]

Although that would be much more difficult to achieve than securing a LZ over Spain, because they were not stupid to occupy their entire naval forces into the blockade, basically it would be as or tougher than trying to invade Britain through the English Channel (See also: Operation Sea Lion).
Beth Gellert
11-11-2008, 19:22
Hm, and we could always decide to go crazy and widen the war.

Igovian convention holds that a Final Conflict is just over the horizon, and will pit Igovians -and perhaps other Left Communists and Anarcho-Communists et cetera- against authoritarian Communists, and Capitalists, culimating in ultimate triumph for the world revolution, and the end of nations.

Given the irritability of Geletian Celts -perhaps 40% of the Soviet Indian population- any excuse to begin a conflict with a 'Bolshevist' state such as Stoklomolvi might be lept upon by Celtic hawks, if not exactly roundly supported by the Indo-Aryan and Dravidian populations. The Geletians want a fight, and are frustrated by the remoteness of the Spanish theatre from the Indian subcontinent. If Stoklomolvi is in Asia or there abouts, and threatening support for Bolshy Spain...

Well, it's a thought. Granted the Beddgelens have Stoklomolvi outnumbered almost 4-1, but their economies are on fairly similar footing, and I think that Stoklomolvi's military spending would potentially by higher than the Commonwealth's 5%, much of which goes into maintaining the epic Militia Auxiliary, a non-deployable territorial defence paramilitary. Plus we've not fought a proper war since 1984, and that was a civil war in which Iansisle intervened with seventy-year-old warship types with no anti-air capability :)
Third Spanish States
11-11-2008, 19:30
That would be a quite interesting consequence of the current conflict, and a potential leading to a sort of unplanned "World War" that would certainly make sense for a civilization like Third Spanish States, considering what their primary goal is on foreign relations.

Also, an important notice, I don't take steps back or retcons once a war starts just for the sake of someone's convenience, regardless of what may happen.