NationStates Jolt Archive

...Occupies Ceuta and Melilla.

Jannat al-'Arif‎, Ta'ifa Gharnātah, Al'Tawā'if al'Andalus al'Muttahidah

Speaking from his summer palace, the Jannat al'Arif, or Architect's Garden, Sultan Abu Saifullah Abdulhadi al'Wafi ibn Sabur al'Andalusi addressed his grave concerns to the world in the wake of events in the Empire of the Scandinvans (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=577750) that left eight thousand Muslims dead and millions of non-Catholics forced into slavery.

"That a nation may act in the manner by which the Empire of the Scandinvans has lately conducted itself is on its own merits a blight upon the community of nations. But it is the inaction of that community -particularly of the Christian nations, in the name of whose faith Godfrey does his cruel works-, while a hundred million are taken in chains and our Muslim bretheren are shot in the streets by their tens of thousands, which forces my hand... Wa lā gāliba illā-llāh."

There is no conqueror but Allah. Presumably these words were in reference to the first military offensive conducted by the Jeish Al'Andalus since the final defeat of the Catholic armies in the failed Reconquista. In the preceeding night, frigates and corvettes had provided gunnery support as elite troops of the Ghāzī Brigade had assaulted Ceuta, a Catholic-lead city state on the North African coast, along with Melilla long forced to pay Al'Andalus a tribute used by the Sultan to placate the ambitious Amirs and forestall raids on the cities. The Ghāzīs had put the Santa Iglesia cathedral to the torch before sending several dozen Catholics back across the Bab el-Zakat (Strait of Gibraltar) as slaves.

Now, as a new day wore on, more Andalusian forces were flooding into Ceuta, and Melilla was under the guns of the fleet. With the fanatical Ghāzīs in control of much of Ceuta, Melilla's token defences were qualing before the Saqāliba (or Slavs), the Sultan's loyal Eastern European soldier-slaves, Al'Andalus' answer to the Mamlukes of the east.

Coming ashore at Melilla on the back of a brilliant white lusitano, the Sultan's son and heir, Al'Cid Abdulfattah Saifullah ibn Wafi ibn Sabur al'Andalusi, commander of the Saqāliba, declared for the benefit of an embedded journalism team that, "If Christendom will not listen to the cries of a hundred million tortured by its own, perhaps it shall hear the whimpers of its own!"

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/8752/doomwsdn4.png

This attack by the infidel upon the faithful has not gone unnoticed by the watchful sentinels of the Imperium, the Lord's Earthly Kingdom. The blood of the martyr cries out to be avenged, and as Christ's servants, the Doomani people shall answer this call. The blood of the unbeliever shall make fertile the soil of the United Taifas, and those taken into injust slavery at the hands of the heathen shall be made master. To the blasphemous Sultan, I say this: release the Christians whom you hold in bondage and dhimmitude, or I promise you that I shall bring down upon your nation a Crusade the likes of which you cannot possibly fathom. You shall face the full might of the Imperium's legions, blessed by Christ, who shall bring upon your people Holy Exterminatus.

I give you this one chance, Sultan, to save your kingdom from obliteration for your most greivous sins against the Lord: leave the cities of Ceuta and Melilla immediately and free those whom you have taken captive, or I garuntee you that it shall be your people who face slavery and death, not the Christians whom you oppress.

Do not trifle with me, worm.

-Imperator Maximus III Doomanus, Emperor By the Grace of God of Doomanum, Defender of the Faith

To: The Sultan of The United Taifas
From: The Liberal Democratic Republic of Wolfenhalle

We condemn the actions of Godfrey, but we also must condemn these acts also. Your nation has decided to do the same, and invoke the Doomani nation, If you chose to not listen to them, then may what you call God, have mercy on you.

Signed,
Robert Forrester
Federal Secretary of State
The Liberal Democratic Republic of Wolfenhalle

Official Grestonian Communiqué

To: All Parties Concerned
From: Executive Branch of the Imperial Republic
Subject: Taifasian Attacks

Dear Whom it May Concern,

The current situation in the United Taifas is disturbing at the least. To blame an entire religous belief for the haneous acts of one is counterproductive for your goal of your religion to stop being punished. At the moment, the most the Imperial Republic can do to stop your attacks dead in it's tracks is to condemn you. However, heed our warnings, to go on with this assualt is the same as digging your own grave.

You will sooner see you entire nation crushed and burned and your religion entirely stomped out by those who have no remorse before you will see Christendom fall. I wish that you can find the knowledge necessary and call off your attacks so that you will not be destroyed, massacred, and enslaved by the Doomanum Imperium.

May your god give you the power to halt your attacks, your disgusting assualt upon an entire religion. You will have nothing left to prove that you were once at least a reasonable nation if you do not call this off at once.

However, the Imperial Republic shall do nothing in our power to stop you or your imminent demise.

From,
http://s376.photobucket.com/albums/oo205/new-kereptica/Signatures/?action=view&current=striker-1.png
The Rt. Hon. Sir Jerry Striker
President of the Imperial Republic of Greston

"Damn it all to hell."

Centurion Markus Einarsønn spat as he reloaded the AVIR Mk.III (http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7958/avir3cotlandsmallqg2.png) rifle with a fresh fifty-round magazine. All around him, the one hundred relatively fresh volunteers from the Old Country - Cotland - were busying themselves, training their marksmanship as part of their training for the Exercitus, the original latin name for the Doomani regular army, somewhere in the vast desert that was Crematoria, on the eastern part of Doomingsland.

While Legio Vikingvs II "Custos Cotlandi"* wasn't assigned to the Exercitus, but rather under the auspicies of the Imperial Guard, the legion's commander had decided that this, the second legion raised to house Cottish volunteers to the Doomani army, should be trained and equipped to the standards of the infinitely better funded Exercitus in order for them to maintain and hopefully defend the excellent battle record the original Legio Vikingvs "Custos Cotlandi" had acheived during the five years of bitter fighting between the Doomani forces and the invading Questerians in the Paralentum island chain. Unfortunately, the original legion had been whiped out by the five years of gruelling battle, with the last three hundred survivors of the six thousand strong legion mounting a desperate final charge which saw only three survivors, all of whom had been awarded the highest Doomani award that could be acheived by non-Doomanis - the Emperor's Cross.

One of them were Centurion Einarsønn, who was currently responsible for the one hundred Cots in his Centuria. Like all Cots who volunteered for the Doomani army, these men were all devout Doomani-Catholics who had answered the call to arms that had been issued by Imperator Maximus under orders from Pope Innocent VI.

"I told you, single shots only! Was that series of gunshots I just heard single shots?" Einarsønn roared, causing all one hundred men on the firing line to cease fire and watch as the poor private was chewed out.

"No Centurion!" The poor private shouted in reply, knowing full well that the punishment for lying to a superior was far worse than failing to follow a order.

"Then why in the name of the Archangels and Seraphims did you fire bursts when you were ordered to fire single shots?" Einarsønn asked in a calmer but far more frightening voice.

"I imagined that the target was infidels instead of cardboard contures, Centurion!" The private replied bravely. "I got carried away Centurion."

Einarsønn smirked when he heard the reply. It was too good a reply to punish as he had intended to. Instead, he just nodded.

"Well private. Since you're so eager to do His Holy Majesty's dirty work for him, I'll let you do that. You're on the crucifixition squad for the next three weeks. Now, single shots only. Got it?"

The private's response matched the deflated expression on his face.

"Yes Centurion."

Turning to the rest of the troops on the firing line, Einarsønn bellowed out, "What are you lot staring at? Back to shooting! We still have two hours and one hundred thousand rounds of ammunition to expend before we're returning to barracks!"

Immediately, the cracks of gunfire from AVIR Mk.III rifles and ADEC light machine guns resumed, with the recruits firing away at the cardboard targets. Einarsønn was about to resume firing when he was interrupted once more, this time by something less serious than a violation of his orders.

"Centurion?"

Turning, Einarsønn found himself facing a messenger who saluted him in the traditional Doomani fashion. After returning the salute, the messenger continued.

"Centurion, the Legion has been called up for duty overseas. Apparently, some infidel nation has started killing True Believers and His Holy Majesty intends to make them stop. You're ordered to take your Centuria back to the barracks and prepare to ship overseas. Deus Vult!"

"Deus vult." Einarsønn replied automatically, saluted the messenger again, and then turned around to the Centuria again.

"Attention!" He bellowed out. "Cease fire, secure your weapons and assemble on me!"

The men did as instructed and gathered around the Centurion.

"The Legion has been tapped for overseas deployment. That means us. We've been ordered back to barracks where we are to prepare our gear for overseas deployment. Some crackpot infidel nation has started killing Christians, and we're being sent in to stop it. His Holy Majesty is depending on his Cottish Guards to get this done. Let's not disappoint His Holy Majesty. Get your gear and get into the trucks. Dismissed!"

With that, the men quickly assembled whatever gear they had brought with them to the firing range and got into the trucks, overseen by Einarsønn, who were wondering how many of his men would die and go straight to Paradise this time. Only time would tell.


* Custos Cotlandi Latin "Cottish Guard", name for the ancient legion of Cottish volunteers to the Doomani army and historically one of the emperor's personal bodyguard units. Highly revered and feared in battle.

Imperial Decree

Once again, due to the blasphemous actions of Moslems in their endless attempts to subvert the scared freedom of Christianity, the Scandinvan Empire has little recourse but to order the full mobilization of eight hundred legions of the Imperial Army (8,000,000 soldiers with assorted equipment) and prepare them for the invasion of the land of the vile infidels, already two hundred legions (2,000,000 soldiers) are beginning to depart to Al'Andalus for the sake of our most holy faith and shall not stop till justice is rendered upon all those who would do harm to the followers of Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Yet, we are not folk without a shred of humanity, if Al'Andalus agrees to withdraw from Ceuta and Melilla within sixty hours, free all the captured Christians, aid in the rebuilding of said cities, gives Christians full freedom of religions in Al'Andalus, make the Scandinvan or Doomani Empire the protector of all Chrisitians in Al'Andalus, and give a hundred billion dollars in compensation to Ceuta and Melilla then the war might be averted and peace will return to Al'Andalus. If they do not comply, or agree to these terms, then their nation shall be subject to subjugation by the Scandinvan Empire and the people of Al'Andalus shall suffer for the terrible crimes of their government.

Abu Saifullah gave no specific response to the Doomani Imperator in his official reply, having earlier dismissed him as a titled plebe in conversation with his chief Vizir, an assertion based largely on Maximus' use of the word worm as a term of address.

The Grestonians received an informal communication from the Sultan's foreign office explaining that a Taifa is in essence a petty kingdom in Al'Andalus, today ruled by a variety of Amirs including Princes, Presidents, and so forth, all united behind the Sultan's central government. Those hailing from The United Taifas of Al'Andalus are, then, Andalusian or less properly Taifan rather than Taifasian.

Andalusian media, meanwhile was merciless in its ridicule of the Grestonian Executive Branch's assertion that Islam would be, "entirely stomped out". After that, it was hard for anyone, even the Sultan, to take the Imperial Republic seriously.

Gharnātah

The Sultan once more addressed the world. He detailed the situation, "...as a legitimate chief of state can see it" and not, "in the hysterical perception of a rabid dog" as he clearly regarded those who had thus far contributed their thoughts.

Abu Saifullah expressed disappointment at the inability of the Christian nations to understand a point even when it was spelled out for them in blood and the theatre of war.

Al'Andalus took the actions that it did only because the Empire of The Scandinvans was allowed to slaughter thousands of Muslims and enslave millions of non-Catholics in the name of Christianity without a word of criticism from the rest of Christendom.

If any invertebrate government would seek escape from its responsibility by alleging a legal difference between Godfrey's treatment of his own citizens and Abu Saifullah's actions in Ceuta and Melilla, the Sultan would point out that most of those victimised by The Scandinvans had endured the revocation of their citizenship, ending any defence of persecution there after as an internal affair. Meanwhile, Ceuta and Melilla had been annexed to Al'Andalus on the authority of the Sultan.

The Sultan argues that the sovereignty of governments failing to recognise these facts is called into question by their own precedents, and he warns that such ill-termed leaders can not expect to be spared the assassin's blade.

In short, Sultan Abu Saifullah asks leaders to gather facts and take them into consideration before speaking, let alone acting.

Ceuta and Melilla

While Ceuta's cathedral burned, in Melilla's Capilla de Santiago and the other churches of the two cities, Catholics were massed at gunpoint by the Ghāzīs and Saqāliba. Truckloads of mines and other explosives were being unloaded and deployed in catacombs and roofspaces alike. Berber community leaders were quickly found to take charge of many minor civil posts while officers of the Jeish Al'Andalus assumed senior administrative positions. Andalusian forces in the two cities were still numbered barely in the thousands, but their command was near complete, especially as the Moroccans were -though uninvolved- far from unsympathetic to the Sultan's cause.

Al'Qaşr, Taifa Baja

The second city of a state that could claim a little over one and a half percent of the total population of Al'Andalus, Al'Qaşr was hardly Union capital Gharnātah or even Al'Gharb capital Al'Išbūnah, having less than thirty thousand residents, but it was certainly self-important, if nothing else. The castle that gave the city its name was now little more than a pleasure palace utilised by the Amir of Baja and his international friends.

Certainly, foreign governments could spit bile at the Sultan, but the better informed citizens of their nations were resident in Al'Andalus, or making holidays there. So many of the aggressors were capitalist multi-party democracies or dictatorships, but these were exactly the sort of nations whose leaderships were pampered beyond all belief in the Taifas, each of which competed with every other to be known as the most luxurious. Many of the top businessmen in would-be aggressor states holidayed in Al'Andalus.

Any why wouldn't they?

Here were centuries of history, incomparable architecture, blazing sun, multi-cultural cuisine, beer and spirits, even wine in places such as Al'Qaşr. If Al'Andalus were invaded, thousands of rich western capitalists would lose their holiday homes.

If that didn't represent pressure on governments... somebody had engaged Godmode.

OOC: Wouldn't dictating the actions of foreign nationals (namely, that large numbers of rich and powerful foreigners from the nations criticizing your own possess vacation homes in your territory, etcetera) constitute a God-mode in and of itself? Since you're deciding the actions of individuals not belonging to your nation?

For example, Salzland maintains a strict policy of economic embargoes against totalitarian states and dictatorships, especially slave-owning states.

OOC: Wouldn't dictating the actions of foreign nationals (namely, that large numbers of rich and powerful foreigners from the nations criticizing your own possess vacation homes in your territory, etcetera) constitute a God-mode in and of itself? Since you're deciding the actions of individuals not belonging to your nation?

For example, Salzland maintains a strict policy of economic embargoes against totalitarian states and dictatorships, especially slave-owning states.

Joo need to open your brain a bit.

Salisbury Daily Standard
King Tresner IV condemns United Taifas

His Imperial Majesty, King Tresner IV of United Anacreon has given a speech condemning the Taifan government's actions.
"United Anacreon will not stand for this, we will make every effort to defend every christian from unjust treatment."

United Anacreon was the only nation that condemned The Scandinavans' acts towards muslims. In the past few hours, the United Anacreon military has prepared for an attack by United Taifas and it remains to be seen if war is imminent.

Minor footnote!

United Anacreon has been annexed by The United Taifas and fed to the chickens. The chickens have been put out of their misery.

Meanwhile, the United Anacreon military has starved to death somewhere between Anacreon and Andalusia.

N00bs need to go away.

Joo need to open your brain a bit.

While your resort to an insult in response to my politely-worded and legitimate question is your choice, it has unfortunately failed to persuade me to change my nation's policy of refusing to provide economic aid (through travel, exports, imports, etcetera) to totalitarian and slave-holding states which my nation believes represent little more than the scum of the Earth. Unless you wish to engage in a God-mode and force my citizens to purchase products (most likely) manufactured by slave-laborers, with currency that will be probably used to fund the slaughter of innocent civilians, there is in all likelihood nothing further to be said.

Minor footnote!

United Anacreon has been annexed by The United Taifas and fed to the chickens. The chickens have been put out of their misery.

Meanwhile, the United Anacreon military has starved to death somewhere between Anacreon and Andalusia.

N00bs need to go away.

OOC: i just got PWN'D!

Yeah, good, but try again.

TUT, you actually did godmod. You can't rp other people's citizens.

OOC: I didn't. I pointed towards some realism. Did I tie a NS to it? Or did I just subtly point a way to less-sucky RP? Think about it for five or six seconds.

Message from His Royal Majesty Tresner IV
Monarch of United Anacreon
The Kingdom of United Anacreon dispatches its 500,000,000 strong military to crush the Taifan infidel. Your blood will wash away the sins of your countrymen. For every christian attacked, five Taifans will die.

((OOC: You'd have to have a population of 10 billion to even get close to supporting a 500 million man military. Otherwise you would have no economy whatsoever.))

((OOC: You'd have to have a population of 10 billion to even get close to supporting a 500 million man military. Otherwise you would have no economy whatsoever.))

(Ooc: Haha yeah, I changed the post, 2.91 billion pop means that I have a 100 mil military)

(Ooc: Haha yeah, I changed the post, 2.91 billion pop means that I have a 100 mil military)

((OOC: Closer to 150 million, actually. I keep mine at 75 million because I believe in quality-control, however.))

(100 mil = Finnish Army Quality for me!)

OOC: I just want to point out a few things: a defensive Finnish-army-facing-Soviet-invasion can call up a lot of willing Finns, where as a nation not facing the same threat can not do so as easily. More to the point, I'm not interested in Nation-X can slam Nation-Y partly because my 'main' has well over twelve billion people and a frightning economy. If people would keep that in mind maybe they'd realise that I'm looking for a bit more thought, or somethin'...

OOC:I have taken Italy, the Holy Land, pretty much all of North Africa, Spain, and a bunch of other shit in previous RPs...in this case though I'm assuming you own Spain and are RPing alot of North Africa as NPCs, so in this case I'll stick with Italy, Tunisia and everything east of that in North Africa and the Holy Land.

And idk about you guys but it seems pretty reasonable to me about the businessmen thing :/ Plenty of people do business with states with represive regimes...

IC:

It had been over twenty years since Imperial troops had taken any action around the Mediterranean. The previous war had occured when a coalition of nations led by Jarridia had attempted to oust the Imperium from its strongholds in Italy and North Africa, and had resulted in a humiliating coalition defeat and a rather swift and easy victory on the part of Imperial forces. It had been, more or less, a repeat of the previous war, in which the Vizionarians had attempted to wrest their old capital in Italy from the control of the Doomani, and had ended up losing even more territory (namely Tunisia) in the process. Italia remained the centerpiece and stronghold of Doomanum's Mediterranean Empire, while Jerusalem and the Holy Land continued to be the most heavily fortified province in the whole of the Imperium. The armies and fleets in the area had been quite bored up until the time they'd been placed on high alert in response to Muslim aggression on Christian territories in North Africa.

Indeed, it had been quite some time since they'd last had a chance to flex their muscles, although a fair number of Exercitus units assigned to the area had seen action against the Questarians on Paralentum throughout the past five years. The Magister Militum of the Mediterranean provinces of the Imperium was, at this point in time, Titus Liberius Otho, son of the now-retired Dux of Italia who had been responsible for the razing of the Jarridian city of Mediport and the execution of its entire populace in response to the coalition's plans to use the port as an invasion route into Italia.

Classis Capua, the Western Mediterranean Fleet at approximately two-hundred strong, built around eight aircraft carriers, had vessels on patrol throughout the Mediterranean; these were recalled to a central rally point off Sardinia, where the fleet would muster as a whole to prepare for a full scale offensive against the Muslims. Integrated with the fleet was a full legion of Marine Legionarii based out of twelve amphibious dock ships and helo carriers. This force would be the one responsible for erradicating the Muslim presence in Ceuta and Melilla, should Otho choose that immediate route. The alternative option was a direct invasion of Al'Andalus to simply cut the head off of the snake.

In the mean time, ten legions in Italy and Tunisia were being earmarked for some sort of deployment against Andalusian forces.

ACID's strategic bomber forces were also quite busy in Italy; a strike package of two squadrons of Sariel stealth bombers were being prepared for a retaliatory strike in. They'd be bringing two escort squadrons of stealthy Havenfighters with them in addition to a supporting AWACS. The Sariels would be able to make the trip non-stop without refueling, while the Havenfighters would top off over the fleet back and forth. Their payload consisted of AAT-V cruise missiles laced with one thousand pounds of FISEC-III, a binary nerve agent similar to the Novichok agents. Dispersed in an ultra-fine powder rather than a gas or vapor, FISEC-III was rated to be up to eight-times more lethal than VX nerve gas and had the tendency to linger for quite some time (especially in urban areas) due to its very nature as a powder, where it could stick on objects such as walls and doors. It had seen extensive use against Azahan Mujahideen, where it had been employed to great effect against population centers of anti-Rajjist radicals who opposed Doomani presence in what was then a predominantly Muslim nation.

Incidentally, the strike was timed to occur at Sallah Al-Asr, the Muslim evening prayer. Indeed, the Doomani had fought many crusades against Muslim nations before, and their commanders had studied their religion extensively for the purpose of exploiting it in such ways.

The escort fighters would be armed with a variety of weapons: AA-X and IX air-to-air missiles and AAN-IV anti-shipping missiles in the event they ran into any Andalusian vessels on their way to the target. However, they weren't planning on having to use their weapons; they would be relying on their ability to avoid enemy RADAR, and, when faced with it, their extreme degree of stealth to slip past it. At any rate, the bombers' target, the city of Barcelona, was a coastal city, and their armament of cruise missiles would allow them to fire their weapons from a standoff range of three-hundred miles, making it difficult for enemy naval pickets or interceptors to reach them, and nearly impossible for land-based RADAR to see them (especially when flying at low altitude).

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee194/Glyphick47/KiravisKircuvLgraph.png

The Kirk preaches peace.

We advise all Religious and Religiously-Motivated belligerents in this war to cease Hostilities immediately, and resolve their differences through mediated Diplomacy. All that War will achieve is the Death of God's children and the Destruction of his Kingdom. We find it impossible to believe that God would want two of his greatest Dominions: Christianity and Islam to destroy each other in his Name.

However neutral we might wish to remain, if the War on Christendom comes to the Christian countries of the Kiravian Empire, the Kirk, as well as the Unaffiliated Catholic Archdiocese of New Antioch, will be forced to employ its resources for the defence of its people.

Minor footnote!

United Anacreon has been annexed by The United Taifas and fed to the chickens. The chickens have been put out of their misery.

Meanwhile, the United Anacreon military has starved to death somewhere between Anacreon and Andalusia.

N00bs need to go away.

ooc: Stop being a N00b yourself first, what UA did was perfectly okay. (What he did was more newbish than N00bish, where as that childish response made by you was uncalled for.)

Try again.

ooc: Real response

IC:

† Official Communique †

Religious Affairs Department, 620 Dan Drive, Amsteldam, Zoingo

To: Parties Involved
Subject: 'Chill'

The Commonwealth's Archbishops and Rabbis hereby condemn this act of religious war for the sake of pure religious domination unto one side. We look to our brothers on both sides of the spectrum, and that this is not what the divine Lord has wanted us to do, to decide which religion or affiliation is more dominant than another. We are all God's children, we all need to understand the morals and high values of peace that God has given us the ability to use.

However, if this war is to spill over into our Christian Churches and/or Jewish
Synagogues of our people, our higher country is to act onto the matter in a radical and severe way.

May Divine Providence protect us all.

OFFICAL COMMUNICATION

To: The Sultan of The United Taifas

From: Q. Octavius Lepidus, Minister of Diplomacy; Holy Imperial Republic of Rathanan

The Holy Emperor and Imperial Senate of Rathanan have decreed that the deaths of any Rathani Orthodox Christians that are murdered in your country shall not be taken lightly. For each Rathani Orthodox death, we shall kill a Muslim... Blood cries out for blood. The Rathani Orthodox Church did nothing to merrit this act of aggression, but The Holy Imperial Republic of Rathanan is prepared to meet this aggression in kind.

OOC! Just a note to say I'll get back to this, later, but, er at the moment I can't remember what happened in the last day or two :$ I came down with some crazy 24 hour bug thing that left me pretty delirious, and at one point I thought I was in an aeroplane, so anything I may have posted on-line between falling asleep where I stood should be taken with a grain of salt. Anyway, mostly I just wanted to apologise for the delay, and say it'll be a bit longer yet as I'm actually going to have to re-read the thread.

OOC while I work on my next post. (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=579206)

OOC: Given the sheer size of the Dommingsland and the other nations arrayed against UTA, I'll be a bit more neutral.

Task Force 35
Fifty nautical miles W of the Strait of Gibraltar

The invasion of the city-states of Ceuta and Melilla by the nearby Muslim nation of the United Taifas of Al'Andalus had surprised even the usually well informed NDI African Desk. While the Commonwealth was staunchly opposed to slavery and was an overwhelming Christian nation, it had little taste for invention in this case. What little desire for action there was quickly quenched by the stated involvment of the Doomani Empire.

Nevertheless the Government felt it prudent to deploy a small naval force to safeguard Tolvanic merchantmen transiting the Strait and to monitor the unfolding conflict.

Task Force 35, twenty-two ships flagged by the carrier HMS King Thomas, had departed from Tombassa Fleet Anchorage in Tolvan's South African Colony had headed for the Strait. Once there they would patrol both sides of the Strait and institute a convoy system to protect any Tolvanic or other friendly flagged ships that desired an escort past the combat zone.

Gharnātah

Rathanan's communiqué was called hysteria by the press. Not a single Andalusian Christian of any denomination has or shall come to harm at the hands of the state unless he or she is found guilty of capital crimes against it. That was the official line, and was enshrined in law through the dhimmi: Al'Andalus was obliged by its own sacred legal codes to protect its Christian citizens.

Ceuta and Melilla

Having occupied Ceuta for less than forty-eight hours, and Melilla for less time than that, Moorish forces appeared to be pulling out. Quite systematic had been the occupation's activity. Several cathedrals and churches had been put to the torch, and soldiers still stood guard outside many to prevent fire-fighting efforts, though perhaps surprisingly the troops themselves were helping to protect adjacent structures from the spread of flames and embers. Catholics had been hurridly sorted from people of other faiths, and several hundred loaded aboard ships and helicotpers that had already left for Al'Andalus. Finally, a number of public buildings had been stormed and currency and other valuables looted, though something of an official stock-take gave a sense of order to the pillaging.

It was beginning to appear that the Sultan was conducting a punative raid rather than a lasting occupation, and various media sources were contradicting one another on whether or not an official annexation order had been given at some stage, retracted, or simply made-up by an unofficial party.

Barshiluna

Around six and three quarter million people shared the city-proper, while the metropolitan area of Barshiluna today was home to more than twelve and a half million, inumerable tourists aside. Some thousand and twenty four years after the then-Christian city's sack by Al'Mansur, the city itself was fairly standard amongst those of Al'Anadalus in terms of its cosmopolitan make-up, with close to one million of its residents being foreign-born.

At the time of the Doomani attack, Barshiluna was displaying its particular composition as many Muslims practiced the Asr, others went about the last, post-siesta part of their working day, and tourists tried to get in the rest of the sights before the sun died on their visit.

The movement of Doomingsland's fleet assets did not go unnoticed, and the transfer of Taifan Atlantic fleet strength to the Mediterranean was hastened as the Sultan worried about the possibility of a challenge to his freedom in the Bab el-Zakat (Strait of Gibraltar). Three of the nation's Al'Cid Class light aircraft-carriers and two of its Sultan Class multi-role strategic projection vessels acting as additional carriers were to be stationed east of Jabal Tāriq (the Rock of Gibraltar), and the majority of Al'Andalus' favoured Khair ad-Din Class multi-role frigates would be placed in the east, leaving Atlantic operations chiefly to Zafar and Valide Sultan Class frigates, and Habb Class submarines, while Type 214s not already there were ordered to make for the western Mediterranean.

Nervous observation from Manûrqa lead to the redirection of an observation satellite and other intelligence assets as Doomani fighters took on fuel, causing great alarm and the concentration of a search for a likely strike by what must presumably -by the fact of their thus-far only indirectly detected approach- stealth aircraft. However, it was only as the bombers were already beginning to unload their deadly stores that extra fighters were scrambled with any real purpose beyond a standard and hopeful CAP over the Balearics. Attempts by observation of fleet orientation and behaviour to estimate likely courses for assumed inbound attackers lead to the deployment of several Sarab-4000 air superiority fighters from Manúrqa in an attempt to interdict a suspected strike force.

The search of suggested areas took took long, and the fighters were too late to interdict the bombers before their attack was launched, but intelligence platforms directed to the region did alert command to the suspected initiation of an attack on the east coast, perhaps against the Taifa of Al'Dàniyya or of Barshiluna, but by the time the first missiles were rushing into the city's skies, it was still the case that hardly anyone in Barshiluna had any idea that they were in danger.

The Taifa's air defences, manned by Murabitoun fighters, reacted fairly well, and a number of missiles were downed over the waters and surrounding countryside and lower density living areas, but the Amir had considered himself essentially uninvolved in events to the south and his forces were only on a readiness footing one marginally significant notch above the norm because he'd been informed of an increase in foreign naval activity in recent hours.

Loadspeakers ordinarily used to issue the call to prayer cried out alarm calls as missile trails issuing forth from air defence batteries criss-crossed with incoming streaks, and the thundering of anti-aircraft artillery batteries mingled with the rumbles of cruise missile impacts. Already clouds of dust and mysterious powder filled certain streets, and by one cause or another a number of fires had broken out.


Khair ad-Din Class is broadly analagous to the Alvaro de Bazán Class
Zafar Class is similar to the Vasco de Gama Class (Meko 200PN)
Valide Sultan Class is akin to the Santa Maria Class (Oliver Hazard Perry)
Al'Cid Class is similar to the Principe de Asturias
Sultan Class is equivalent to the Juan Carlos I
Habb Class submarines are in lieu of Agosta 90B Class
Sarab-4000 is a domestic development from the Mirage-4000 project and in simple terms is generally half a step ahead of late-mark F-15s

The missiles themselves had been targeted more or less exclusively at mosques and the areas around them, the reasoning behind this being that, as far as the Doomani were concerned, these areas were likelier to have a higher concentration of Muslims. Secondary targets were Murabitoun barracks and installations. Though a good deal of the missiles were downed before reaching their targets (dispensing clouds of FISEC-III whereever they were hit), the attack was considered an overwhelming success by Segmentum Mediterranica, the Mediterranean high command. Reconnaissance flights would not even be needed to determine the effectiveness for the attacks; the evening news reports would more than suffice.

Classis Capua, Off Sardinia

The rallying of the fleet as a whole was nearly complete, and by now the Legionarii knew their targets: the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. The occupation of those two cities of was the current primary objective of Segmentum, and the steady withdrawal of Moorish troops from those areas was considered to be a bonus. However, operations against the Balearics were certainly not off the table. Inquisitiors of the Ordos Invesigatio, Prosecutoris and soldiers of the Ordo Purificatio had embarked on the already crowded helo carriers and amphibious dock ships, as evidenced by the Inquisitorial standards flying along side the Crux Imperatoria beneath the Aquila. It was the intent of the Imperium to establish a fully functional Inquisition upon seizing the cities in order to retaliate against the local Muslim population and whatever collaborators there were amongst the non-Muslim population

When word of the strike on Barcelona reached the fleet, cheers resounded throughout: the first blow of the Crusade and what was expected by many Doomani to be a revitalized Reconquista had been struck. Indeed, the carnage seen in Barcelona would be but a fraction of the horrific scale of death and destruction that the Imperium planned to bring upon the Taifas in retaliation for the Sultan's self-proclaimed assault on Christendom.

Submarines, primarily SSKs of the Primo Victoria class, received updated orders to begin hunting Moorish ships in the Western Mediterranean. The movement of the Andalusian Navy had not gone unnoticed by the Doomani, and the Imperial Navy was wary of the potential damage of a missile strike against the troop transports. They would not be taking any chances.

The hunt for enemy vessels would be highly systematic: AWACS aircraft operating out of Sardinia and Sicily (generally covered by a token flight of four fighters) would be directed to a hunting area via predicted courses obtained via satellite or general area RADAR signatures determined by massive land-based OTH RADAR arrays.

Upon finding a vessel in the area via their own RADAR or by picking up RADAR emissions generated by the ship, the AWACS, several hundred miles away, would vector long-range reconnaissance drones (or the nearest submarine, depending on range) onto the target to confirm that it was in fact an enemy vessel or merchantman. That identity confirmed, the target data would be forwarded to the nearest submarine (or not, if it was the submarine that was verifying the target), which would then stalk the target and initiate a submerged stand-off attack with supersonic cruise missiles, or, if close enough, torpedoes. This method of hunting had been perfected against the Questarians around Paralentum in recent years, and indeed, many if not all of the pilots involved had seen action in that theatre.

Meanwhile, four submarines set course for Ceuta and Melilla: on board were over one hundred Vesec commandos. Their mission would vary, depending on whether or not Moorish troops remained within their target cities at the time of their arrival. However, they would be responsible for initially coordinating with local Christian leaders in either case, and the raising and re-arming of local Christian militias.

Finally, even more bombers were being prepped, and the Andalusians would certainly be able to see them being fueled and armed on the runways. All intelligence would suggest the strike against Barcelona would be the first of many punitive raids on the Andalusian coast.

Tolvanic Eastern Atlantic Command
Kestrel Island, 75 nautical miles SW of the Azores

The flurry of activity at the Doomani bases dotting the Med had not gone unnoticed. Recon satellites reported large formations of surface ships steaming for the North African coast and even larger number of aircraft prepping on the tarmac of every Doomani airbase in the region. It looked as though things were escalating further, even as the UTA was beginning to withdraw from the sacked cities of Ceuta and Melilla. As a result the Commerce and Foreign Ministries issued Travel Advisories urging Tolvanic citizens and shipping to avoid the area due to deteriorating security conditions. The Commonwealth had no desire to get caught up in a Doomani Crusade of any sort.

Taifa Barshiluna

Emergency services were still struggling with limited information on the nature of the threat facing them, leading to a growing casualty rate in their own ranks, which only made the situation worse, as Fityan in various states of armament and excitement ran about the streets, acting on their own similarly flawed information to incite rage against the Scandinvans. Most ordinary citizens did not yet realise that Doomingsland had taken up against their nation, and assumed that the sudden attack was related to recent news reports of a hundred million taken into slavery by the Scandinvans and their government's angry reaction to the killing of eight thousand Muslims in that nation.

It was clear, in any case, that hundreds were dead or rapidly dying across the city, and tens of thousands were flying about in panic, causing stampedes and accidents that were fast adding to the toll and making life harder for bewildered rescuers.

In the minutes after the attack, Amir Tariq ibn Sa’îd al'Barshaluni was already speaking on radio and television -though he had retreated to the hardened basement of his palace and relayed the transmission over a closed circuit before it was broadcast from a different location- admitting that he had been surprised by what he called an unprovoked attack on the civilian population of his innocent domain. But, he said, the defence forces had performed admirably, intercepting a number of inbound missiles over the sea, and burning up the deadly payload of others before they could fall to earth.

"Without the heroic actions of our patriotic warriors, many of whom have been martyred this day, the situation would be even worse" he said.

Ibn Sa’îd identified Doomingsland as the originators of the atrocity, the terrible scope of which was not yet clear, and called upon his neighbours in Saraqusta, Turtusha, and Al'Dàniyya to hear his declaration of Gazawat against the Doomani, suggesting that it was high time that Sardinia was returned to Al'Dàniyya, and the infidel driven from North Africa if this was how he was going to conduct himself.

Gharnātah

The Saburid Sultan of Al'Andalus expressed his outrage over the Doomani attack, calling for an international response to "A reactionary tide of Crusading malice and destruction, sweeping in from the Scandinvans and Doomingsland fit to turn back the clock by centuries and drown us all in blood". Recent hysteria over a conflict between relatively minor states, touted by many naive commentators as a world war, said the Sultan, would be fast forgotten if the People of the Book were to turn once more against one another as enemies, tearing brother from brother and replaying the genocidal -and failed- Crusades in an industrial and nuclear age.

"I plead with the Doomani Empire and with the influential nations of the world to take stock and consider the consequences of a new religiously driven Reconquista attempt. The continuation of such incredible practices as have been undertaken in the enslavement of a hundred million souls in the Empire of the Scandinvans and the unilateral employment of what appears to have been a 'WMD' attack targeted at the civilian population of the city of Barshiluna can not be allowed to go unchecked... horrified at the slaughter of his people, the Amir of Barshiluna has already called for Gazawat, a holy fight, and I can do nothing to restrain the Ummah while the Christian nations allow such atrocities to be commited in the name of their Lord. The Coexistence is being torn-down, and only the devil may benefit!"

Across Al'Andalus, all of the Taifas were mobilising their military forces, even while some Amirs discussed alternatives to war with Doomingsland, and were savagely rebuked by the Amir al'Barshaluni.

Ceuta and Melilla

Al'Cid left North Africa on the last major transport headed back to Al'Andalus, but behind him he left a handful of Ghāzīs stationed at remaining Churches and some public buildings, within which leaders of the Catholic community were held. Prepared for Martydom, these small cadres would remain until recalled at the resolution of the crisis, or killed for the Andalusian or Islamic cause. They were well supplied with fresh water and long-life foodstuffs, NBC protection gear and treatment aids, small arms and ammunition, suicide vests, communication equipment, and explosives, which they had quietly positioned within the churches and other structures, and in some cases attached to captives.

The bulk of the two cities found itself no longer under occupation, though their cathedrals lay in ruins and community leaders were either abducted or held hostage as Al'Andalus tried to make sense of its position.

Classis Capua

"Hear me, brothers! The first blow against the unbeliever has been struck! It now falls squarely upon the shoulders of you, men of the Holy Fleet, to deliver the killing blow to the pagan Sultan, whose vile deeds have unjustly spilt the blood of many a Christian and leaves many more in the bondage of the infidel," the voice of the Magister Militum resounded from loudspeakers throughout the fleet.

The men of the fleet stood silent, stone-faced, taking in the every word of the commander of the Andalusian Crusade. They knew that their deeds in the coming deeds would bring them holy penance in its purest form; should they lose their lives in battle against the infidel, they would be greeted as martyrs by St. Peter at the gates of Heaven. Black and gold banners fluttered above the vast fleet, bearing the Aquila Imperialis, the Crux Imperatoria, and the Labarum Sanctus in addition to the recently added Inquisitorial banners.

"The time has come once more to take up arms in the name of Christ and the Emperor. A Great and Holy Purge has begun, and we are the instruments by which it shall be completed. The infidel shall be cleansed from Christian lands, and once more they shall be freed from his corrupt taint. It falls to you men to purify the waters of the Mediterranean, and to purge the cities of the unbeliever in Holy Fire. No longer shall Christians live in fear of the cruel Sultan's wrath, for the Emperor protects! Deus Vult!"

"DEUS VULT!" the tens of thousands of men of the fleet barked in unison; so loud were they that even those that watched the fleet from on shore, many miles away, could hear their battle cry.

"We set sail for battle! To your stations, brothers!" came the voice of Admiral Lucius Vox from his flagship, the Litany of Fury, over the com systems of all of the vessels of the fleet.

War drums thundered and trumpets blared as the engines of the fleet powered up. They steamed away from Sardinia in a great formation, slipping into the open sea. They'd formed up into eight seperate carrier battle groups, defending the Marinus component at the center of the fleet from enemy action. Spearheading the fleet were CAPs, ASW patrols as well as nearly two dozen submarines. Unfortunately for the Andalusians, the fleet's true target was well within missile range at this point: the Balearic Islands.

As they solidified their formation, the order to initiate the Purificatio Balaericus was delivered. Within minutes, missiles began to explode out of the vertical launch cells of the cruisers and destroyers, rocketing into the heavens. These stealthy AN-III.M missiles were packed with a variety of payloads, their targets predetermined by satellite and signals intelligence. From cluster munitions to massive 2,000lb high explosive warheads and binary FISEC-III agent warheads, they were targetted, primarily, at military targets: port facilities, airfields and support facilities, ammo and fuel dumps, motorpools, tank parks, barracks, and, perhaps most importantly, air defense, command and control, and communications sights.

Missiles outfitted for anti-air defense work were operating both off of previously gathered satellite intelligence as well as their own passive RADAR recievers, which would allow them to home in on active enemy RADAR sights and spill hundreds of deadly bomblets upon the target. These missiles flew just ahead of the rest, in order to facilitate the others in successfully reaching their targets, whose destruction was considered paramount to a successful, low-casualty invasion of the Balearics.

Simultaneous to the missile strike was an attack carried out by the fleet's CAP: armed with long range ATAIM-10 missiles, they would target any Andalusian AWACS or JSTARS aircraft operating over the Balearics. With a range of four-hundred kilometers, the fighters carrying these weapons would barely have to leave the safety of the fleet to disgourge their payloads. These would be timed to hit their targets before the cruise missiles arrived, hopefully severely cutting down on the enemy's early warning systems. While an airborne AWACS would stand a fairly good chance of detecting and tracking the missiles, even when the missiles were sea-skimming, a land-based RADAR's more limited horizon would mean that the low flight profile of the already stealthy cruise missiles would greatly limit the reaction times of the enemy air defenses.

Elsewhere on the fleet, aircraft were being loaded with air-to-ground weaponry, and the Legionarii were awaiting orders to embark their personnel carriers, helicopters, and assault boats.

Indeed, the carnage of Barcelona had been but a fraction of the destruction about to be brought upon the Taifas. Just how well the defenders on the ground would fight, however, was anyone's guess at this point...

---------------------------

The four-boat submarine task force assigned to penetrate the Straights of Gibraltar and insert Vesec commandos into Ceuta and Melilla were approaching their targets; it would not be long before they either reached their drop off points or, as was feared, ran into an Andalusian patrol ship. The Primo Victoria-class SSKs were running silent and deep; being SSKs, they were by their very nature even quieter than SSNs, and so it was hoped that this would allow for them to infiltrate the Straights undetected. It was well known by the captains of the vessels that the Sultan's fleet was massing east of the straights, however.

They would do their best to avoid them.

"That's a cool breeze," started Taishi Ci as he sat on the verandah out the back of the Palace with Lancaster Kidd on his left and Mavax keeping an eye on the young king when he noticed an article in the paper.

"The United Taifas has started to enforce slavery on the Christians and the Non-Cathloic's," stated Kidd as he saw the article as well.

"Are there any Lynion's there?" Mavax asked Kidd as he was given Taishi Ci's paper to have a read.

"Nope, its a new born country and most of the Lynion's wanting to go overseas want to go to Australia for the summer's warmth. The others enjoy seeing Europe or Canada," replied Kidd.

"What trade do we have with them?" asked Taishi Ci.

"Ha! We have a strict trade with our allies. The others don't have the materials we require. Besides, have the nations out there we can't trust as far as we can throw them," smiled Mavax as he gave the paper back to Taishi Ci. "Basically, we got nothing to do with them sire,"

"Excellent, it would be best we kept it like that and avoid and conflict with them. If we have to, don't send anything of ours their," stated Taishi Ci as the warm breezes flow past them. "If we have to, turn their transport, ships, and aircraft away from Lynion. If they're turning to become slavers, all routes, ships, aircraft and anything else is closed. We can't risk another 2003 incident," finished Taishi Ci.


TO: (Open Telegram)
FROM: Vamperial Kingdom of Lynion

We as a kingdom we want nothing to do with the slave traders as we know that several nations have already gone in. Therefore the Vamperial Kingdom and her colonies will have their airspace and waters closed to The United Taifas due to its actions and any purposal of trade will be denied. Have a nice day.

Scandinvan Imperial Armada, Atlantic Ocean

After just departing from the Scandinvan Imperial Naval Base, in a North Atlantic Base of the Scandinvan Empire, a force of one hundred military vessels and ten legions, one hundred thousand men, were now on their way to meet the hordes of the Infidel in Spain. Thankfully, the recent mobilization of military forces had allowed eight of the ten legions of the invansion force to be moved quickly to the Scandinvan base with a good deal of effort by the Scandinvan air force.

Lord Admiral Erick av Feino stood at the front of his super-dreadnought and, wearing the flowing robes of the ancient Valgardian crusaders, said,” We, the followers of the Jesus Christ our Lord, are called here today not for the mere glory of the Empire. Not for the dignity of our race. Nor for a chance for us to gain renown by feats of arms.

Nay, we are here to defend our fellow Christians from the infidels. We are here to defend the Lords of the Lord from the vile infidels who follow a religion based off the ravings of a false prophet who wanted nothing more then a chance to gain eternal glory through lies that he generated.

In a mere week or so, will we be in position to launch a full scale assault upon the positions of the aggressive hordes that await us. But, remember that we are God’s chosen and no foe may overcome us as long as are loyal to his laws.

The will of God be done.”

With that said the soldiers replied by shouting,” Deus vult.”

300 Miles North of the Iberian Peninsula,

The first Scandinvan heavy bombers, launched from strategic bases back in the Scandinavian colonies of the Scandinvan Empire were beginning there final approach on the communities of Leon and Saragossa on orders to literally both the cities into burning rubble with the fire bombs they had been given.

Added to the Scandinvan bomber wings were military aircraft transports that were bearing two Scandinvan special legions, 20,000 soldiers, that were to be dropped in the mountains of Northern Leon and to begin a campaign of terror against the Moslems residing there and also to raise Christian militias to rebel against the Moslem government.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/9537/mpfaxc6.th.png (http://img405.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mpfaxc6.png)To Those Who Detest The Acts Supported By The Nation Of Al'Andalus,
Brothers in the faith, the Noble Republic of Mass Prediction is is compelled aid the Catholics currently under cruel persecution by the Sultan of Al'Andalus, and any of the moslem radicals who are found to obey his commands. Our Most Catholic Prince-Elector and High Chancellor, Lionel Lecarde, is greatly appalled by the heinous acts committed by the Andalusian military regime and has appealed to the Court of Nobles on whether or not to take further action.

It has been decided, by the Grace of Our Lord, that the Armed Forces of the Mass Predict will dispatch two battle groups to allied waters, and that 2,500,000,000.00 europlains will be given as aid to the Catholics suffering under the Andalusian tyranny, and will be distributed amongst the nations who oppose Al'Andalus and all who swear fealty to its Sultan.

Regards,
The Rt. Hon. Colin Aloysius Oderie, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Convoy 305.7
Transiting the Strait of Gibraltar

The convoy, six Tolvanic merchant ships and four escorts, was the last one to transit the Strait. The bulk of TF 35 had remained out in the Atlantic in order to avoid getting caught between the UTA and the massive Doomani Crusade that was ready to engulf the Iberian Penninsula in a tidal wave of blood and fury. Most of the merchies under escort in this convoy were empty, having already unloaded there cargo, but two of them were fully laden for the return trip with goods bound from Greece. As a result the convoy was forced to limit its speed to just twelve knots, still the journey had been without incident thus far and the convoy would be clear of the Strait in just over an hour.

Al'Andalus

By now many in Al'Andalus were furious as they had never been in their generally laid-back lives. A hundred million people had been made slaves by a Catholic empire, eight thousand civilians murdered in the streets of their own city by the same, and weapons of mass destruction had been fired against an unsuspecting civilian population in Barshiluna by the Doomani, yet the world was railing against Gharnātah for burning down a building and capturing a few people with the express intention of highlighting the world's inaction on the mentioned Scandinvan atrocities.

There was outrage across the nation. People were arriving at recruitment offices and military facilities before their call-up papers had even been mailed, and as queues stretched out, countless citizens unable to join the Jeish Al'Andalus quickly enough looked instead to Al'Futuwa militias, which were only too happy to accept recruits into their swelling ranks.

Abu Saifullah, announcing the expansion of the draft, issued an appeal also to the Dimam residing under Andalusian protection. Though the people of the Dimmah were exempt from service obligations and legally free to sit at home and watch their Muslim neighbours go off to war, several hundred thousand Jews, over a hundred thousand Protestants, and almost quarter of a million Catholics had already indicated their intention to join the Jeish Al'Andalus in defence of their homeland, which for centuries had delivered peace and order under The Co-existence.

Mistakes made in nations such as Lynion could be corrected by listening to Andalusian tourists, businesspeople, and media outlets. Non-Catholics were not being enslaved. In fact, a few dozen Catholics from the city states of Ceuta and Melilla had been captured and taken to Al'Andalus, and community leaders in those cities were being held hostage in order to make a point. A hundred million non-Catholics had been enslaved in the Empire of The Scandinvans, and no Christian government had made a peep. Andalusian Catholics and others were protected by law. As to the idea that Al'Andalus was a new-born country... that was only true if the last 1,298 years meant nothing.

Llión

Having watched the approach of a massive bomber wing and taken their time to select the best intercept approach, the defence forces of the Taifa of Llión, now under the authority of the Jeish Al'Andalus, began to launch Sarab-4000 air superiority fighters with the incoming bombers still some way out, and they began to climb. Directed by over the horizon radar and airborne early-warning and control aircraft, two squadrons of sixteen aircraft rapidly climbed and headed out on two differing intercept courses, not bothering to illuminate the bombers and transports with their own radar while they could share data provided by other assets.

With the threat still several dozen miles from the coast, long-range air defence missile batteries began to loose heavy missiles against the inbound formation, using high-yield area-effect warheads aimed at destroying or damaging multiple aircraft with each shot and forcing the formation to break-up... where-upon the Moorish fighters would pounce, closing in with full complements of hyper-agile short to medium range missiles and integral cannons.

At this stage, the Andalusians were still astounded at the audacity and apparent recklessness of the Scandinvan attack, preceeded by not even a token gesture to SEAD operations and proceeding without fighter escort. The immediate worry was in the quite real possibility of running out of missiles. On the coast, AAA batteries made ready to hurl up a wall of flak, and across near-by towns and cities, air-raid sirens wailed.

Mediterranean

The launch of Doomani missiles in the Western Med was met by the Andalusian navy's launch of Evolved Aegis theatre-defence missiles from a number of Khair ad-Din Class warships, intercepting some of the missiles shortly after launch.

Despite a fairly impressive and capable response, the Moorish warships were simply overwhelmed by the size of the onslaught, the entire navy being barely comparable to the arrayed enemy fleet and spread across the whole theatre plus the Atlantic territories. As well, more than a few cruise missiles sailed through gaps that their low-signature design created for them in the defenders' ship-borne radar net.

Still, even as attacks on an as-yet limited AWACS presence made an impact, over the horizon radar ashore and ships own helicopter-borne AEW systems enabled at least the start of a response, and the presence of electronic warfare platforms -both planes and only recently-launched shipboard helicopters running decoy missions- enhanced survivability somewhat.

The Andalusians were resisting with bravery and professionalism, but as much as they may have been taking the edge off the enemy strike, their comrades were still enduring heavy losses while the enemy remained entirely unscathed except for whatever depletion of munitions he'd so far chosen to undertake.

Manûrqa

Journalists -both domestic and foreign- had quite the backdrop for their next reports. Behind a dozen correspondents in different locations a similar scene played out. Holding up crosses and clutching rosaries, Mozarabs -Andalusian Christians- gathered around examples of their island's vital infrastructure. Placards were adorned with slogans such as, "Respect the Co-existence!" and, "Catholics against Scandinvan slavery!"

Akin to scenes in the former Yugoslavia and on a far greater scale, civilians chose to stand in harms way. Not obliged to do national service, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and others instead did their patriotic duty by congregating on bridges and, in some cases, even around Murabitoun facilities.

Speaking to camera, one citizen, identified as Elena Covas López, said that she and several of her friends had decided to lay-out sheets forming the shape of the cross atop earthworks behind which was set a tracking radar manned by Al'Murabitoun because Doomingsland and the world at large needed to know that the Christians of Al'Andalus did not need -or want- to be rescued, and certainly not by force of arms. "Even though Barshiluna has been bombed and we are at war" she said, "the Sultan allows my boy to stay at home with me, and does not conscript him like the Muslim boys next-door. We pay a different land-tax to our neighbours, but only because we aren't expected to contribute to welfare payments for Muslims, and even though we're supposed to pay more, we rent our land to a Muslim and he's the one who has to pay, in the end! And we certainly aren't slaves! The real crime is in this place of the Scandinvans! That's not Christian!"

Indeed, in the wake of the strikes on Barshiluna, across the islands -and on the east coast of the mainland-, scores of Christians were gathering around potential targets, insistant that their homeland should not be bombed. They'd been Andalusian Mozarabs for over a thousand years, and to them, Crusaders were more foreign than Muslims.

Bab el-Zakat

It wasn't the boats that one had to worry about when forcing Abu Saifulla's favoured waters...

As Doomani submarines entered the strait, the presence of anchored multistatic sonar buoy arrays must have been known, for their laying had been a major operation in years previous. It was, however, only during this conflict that they became active and could be specifically located. The submerged buoys, pinging away, were quite vulnerable, but they located the hell out of incoming boats for now, and coastal helicopters were only moments away in these confined waters as signals were wired ashore.

The splash of air-dropped torpedoes hitting the water would also have been heard aboard the inbound submarines.

OOC: Correction, Lynionion's aren't interested in nations from around the world (unless they're allies). Also, our airspace and waters are closed to your nation and nations involved with slavery so I doubt your people could arrive. Besides, Lynion's don't listen/believe to the other Nations (unless an ally).

The Imperium of Talemetros has decided to Intervene in this war provoked by the followers of Christ. Does not your God say to love your neigbour as you would yourself, and to treat others as thou would wish to be treated? persecuting a people whose religion differs slightly from yours is hardly what Christ asked for was it? with that in mind, The Imperium of Talemetros had declared itself to stand with the United Taifas, with the deployment of the Braxis Expidionary Fleet to the area embroiled in war. May Adun and Khas be with you all.

[Sent on an OPEN channel, no encryption.]
To:Sultan Abu Saifullah Abdulhadi al'Wafi ibn Sabur al'Andalusi
From: Sara Garrettsdottr, Princepes of Sudova, High Cheiftain of the People of the Ships.

RE: Abrahamic Religious strife and why we won't be accepting your previous, kind offer.

Certainly a lot has happened since my last message to your nation. Obviously, I should have sent a book on negotiations, instead of a fanatic's personal Qu'ran.

Careful fact-finding has determined that no vessel of My Peoples was in Ceutas or Melilla when your armies attacked, and that shipments bound for those two ports were turned away in time to avoid becoming 'collateral damage' from your temper-tantrum, therefore, we are not at war.

We are not at peace, either. Your temper-tantrum has blocked a critical route for civilian shipping-this may have been your actual intent, or it may simply be an unfortunate consequence, regardless, the fighting between you, and your Christian playmates has turned the Pillars of Hercules into a war-zone, a war caused by religious vanity on the one hand, and fool's pride on the other.

When negotiating with party A, it is not a good strategy for Party B to attack an uninvolved bystander-unless Party A is a Muslim, because obviously, if you REALLY wanted to use your military to bring a salvation to your fellow muslims in the Scandinvan Empire, you would have attacked...the Scandinvan Empire, instead of attacking your neighbours in a fit of temper.

Your behaviour in this situation, and your current hard times are your own doing, and validate the policies of my ancestors in banning missionaries of your crazed culture in our lands.

Be assured, we likely will not exchange messages again, and be assured that Sudova's ships shall not come into your territorial waters-your land is a black hole, and you choose feuds foolishly.

The Ban remains, but amended. As there are Muslim nations capable of reason, who choose their Feud-partners with care, We will trade with those nations, but not with the United Taifas-no Sudovan may go into that forbidden hole again, neither Pagan nor Jew, neither Merchant nor Peasant nor Warrior may visit that land in peace, or he shall be as he was never born, outcast and barred, separated from his or her Clan in perpetuity.

I wish you luck, explaining your actions and choices to your lonely God. Perhaps he will judge you less harshly.

Sara

General McFroy pressed his cigarette into an overused ashtray and released smoke from his nostrils. As he looked over some maps, he picked up the phone next to him.
"Bridge? General McFroy here. Yes... you see, I've got a bit of a problem here. Could you send Svengaard down here? Captain Svengaard. Yes. Thank you."
As he clamped the phone down irritably, he returned to the maps in front of him and brought his cigarette back up to his mouth. A moment later, Captain Svengaard rounded the corridor and shot a quick salute to McFroy.
"General, sir."
"Svengaard, sit down."
Svengaard suspiciously pulled out a chair and sat. He knew that he was in for something. He didn't know of any reason that he had to be lectured, but General McFroy would always find one.
"Svengaard...who commisioned these maps?"
"Maps...sir?"
"Yes, maps, don't pretend to be deaf."
"I believe... I believe it was Kolmann, sir."
"Kolmann? Bloody hell. Is this the best he could come up with?"
"Sir?"
"These maps! How could anyone expect me to organize anything with these shit maps! They don't denote any landmarks, or towns, or cities! Not one bloody city!"
"The maps of Al'Andalus, sir?"
"Of course the maps of Al'Andalus, where did you think we were headed? The north pole?"
"What of the Operation? Operation Divine Resolve? Will it still go through?"
"Not unless I get some intelligence on the hostile terrain, it won't."
"Sir, from who, sir?"
"Oh, bloody hell! You should know that! From the Scandinvans, or the Doomani, or anyone!"
"Right away, sir!"

Al-Qal'at al-Ħamrā, Gharnātah

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v148/Chivtv/NS1/800px-Alhambranight.jpg

"'Temper tantrum'?" The Sultan raged with no sense of irony, slapping his hand on the desk upon which lay a copy of the Sudovian communiqué "Is this woman serious?" Abu Saifullah was not looking for an answer from his Vizir. "A shipping lane is temporarily disrupted, and she vomits with indignation. Genocide is being carried out by two governments... a curse on her blasted shipping lanes! If we survive this, I should cut her access to the strait forever!"

No official response was sent.

Word from Talemetros, however, immediately altered the Sultan's mood. He indicated that ports on Andalusian Atlantic island territories and the mainland would be opened to the fleet, and said that the Jeish Al'Andalus would provide what support it could. Finally, was somebody paying attention?

Classis Capua

The Andalusian fleet had indeed done more damage to the missile strike than the Doomani had anticipated; it was barely a minor setback in the grand scheme of things, of course. Plenty of damage had been done by the first wave of missiles, and there were still more to be launched. Thus far, the enemy navy was the biggest obstacle the Doomani had run into, and as a result its neutralization was bumped up to the highest priority, followed immediately by the destruction of the Andalusian air force in the Balearics and their air defense network.

Shooting off of runways on Sardinia, several squadrons of fighters, each carrying a pair of Contus anti-shipping missiles internally in addition to their normal short-range air-to-air payload for self defense, were directed to the enemy fleet around the Balearics. They were covered by CAP fighters of the fleet as well as a number of fighters armed with ATAIM-10s.

To kick off the attack, the fighters with the long range ATAIM-10s utilized their missiles against the enemy AEW helicopters to further minimize early warning. Following this, the AShM armed fighters, covered closely by their escorts who carried air-to-air payloads, flew at sea-skimming altitude towards their targets while friendly AWACS and ships fed them targetting data. Picking up the low-altitude, stealthy approach of the fighters would be difficult to say the least; however the escorts were there for a reason. It was hoped for by the Doomani commanders that the Andalusians would dispatch fighters at this point, at which point the escorts would be able to utilize their medium-range air-to-air missiles to dispatch them from within the ranks of the strike force. They would be able to engage targets up to one-hundred twenty miles out, hopefully allowing them to get the first shot off well before any Sarab-500 could spot them.

The AShM equipped fighters would have to get to within eighty kilometers of the enemy fleet to launch their missiles: supersonic Contus AShMs. Given the low altitude approach, speed, and rather small size, as well as the lack of AWACS (and potentially AEW helo) support, early warning on the missile launches would hopefully be minimized, giving the ships a very small window to engage the mach 2.2 missiles as they crossed into the RADAR horizon of the surface ships.

Upon reaching their targets, the missiles would execute pop-up maneuvers both to evade enemy CIWS and to hit the generally more poorly armored decks of the enemy ships, using kinetic energy to pierce the deck and allowing for the warheads to detonate beneath.

Once it had been confirmed that the enemy fleet had been dealt with, fighters operating from the fleet, escorted by friendly aircraft, would commence full-blown SEAD operations against whatever air defenses remained on the islands, and salvos of cruise missiles fired from subterranean launch facilities on Sardinia would strike whatever targets remained unscathed by the first cruise missile salvo.

Straights of Gilbraltar

The submarine crews had been taken by surprise when sonobuoys suddenly started pinging all around them. They were not yet at their drop-off points but that didn't matter; the Vesec men would have to make due, as they were trained to. Frantically, the special forces operators were ejected from the submarines along with their miniture submersables that would carry them to shore. They were still within visual range (though, being underwater, they couldn't quite see what was going on) of their mother submarines when the helicopters arrived.

The crews of the submarines put up valiant efforts to survive and distract the helos; they ejected noisemakers, dove for the deck, and carried out every evasive maneuver in the book. In the end, the helicopters simply had more ammunition. Not one of the submarines survived.

Meanwhile, the Vesec commandos made their way towards the nearby Morrocan shore, where they'd change out of their wetsuits into local garb and commandeer civilian vehicles to get to their targets.

The Castellum Advigilo, Campania
Segmentum Inquisitorial Headquarters

Agents of the Ordo Investigatio were working like busy little bees sifting through all of the information coming out of Al'Andalus on Catholics supporting the Muslim war effort. Those foolish enough to show themselves on television had their images permenantly recorded and filed by the Inquisition; data on territories admitted to having recruited Catholics to serve in the Jeish was being gathered as well. Images of the sights the Catholics flocked around to defend from bombing were also recorded, and requests sent to ACID's headquarters in Latium to destroy those targets and the traitors along with them.

These people had been declared by the Inquisition to be Traditores Fides, Traitors to the Faith. Inquisitorial Memorandums on such people with detailed instructions on what to do when they were encountered were already being written up and dispatched to Legionary units, and the Inquisition was doing its best with what limited information it had to compile lists of individuals who would be siezed and made to stand trial for their apostasy once Hispania had been liberated from the infidel. That was the nice thing about the internet and the Church's own extensive documents on its own clergy and laymen; as Al'Andalus was a rather open country, the Inquisitors of the Ordo Investigatio would likely find at least some of the data they were looking for before Doomani forces even made landfall on the Iberian Peninsula.

OOC: Sorry for the delay, all! I've been distracted/away. I'll try to get a post up before too long. Basically, this isn't dead!

OOC:Huzzah!

***OPEN LETTER FROM THE DESK OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY***

To His Majesty, Sultan Abu Saifullah Abdulhadi al'Wafi ibn Sabur al'Andalusi of Al-Andalus:

WHEREAS the Crown of New Chalcedon is maintained by the blessings of the Lord Almighty,

WHEREAS the Crown of New Chalcedon is therefore conferred with the title, rights, privileges and responsibilities of Protector of the Faith,

WHEREAS the imposition of the status of dhimmi, with its many and harsh restrictions upon the lives, freedom and aspirations of non-Muslims, upon countless non-Islamic people is contrary to the aims, goals, tenets and desires of the Holy Church,

WHEREAS the Sultanate of Al-Andalus has taken upon itself the role of "liberator" of non-Christian people living in a deplorable situation, rather than acting as a civilised nation does and seeking redress by diplomatic means first,

LET IT BE KNOWN that despite Our distaste for the way the Scandivan Empire has treated its non-Christian minorities, We will not tolerate the Andalusian invasion of the enclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla,

LET IT BE KNOWN that the Empire of New Chalcedon does not, under any guise, seek or endorse territory or aggrandizement at the expense of inncoent Muslims, or innocent Christians, or innocent people generally,

LET IT BE KNOWN that the wanton bomardment or harm of civilians, be they Christian, Muslim or neither by religious affiliation, is unacceptable to the Empire and represents the commission of crimes against humanity. We specifically refer to the Sultanate's actions is Ceuta, as well as to Doominglsand's bombardment of Andalusian cities,

LET IT BE KNOWN that whilst the invasion of the enclave-cities is unacceptable, the subjugation of the Sultanate's population in response to the errors of its leaders is unacceptable to the Empire; finally

LET IT BE KNOWN that at any time the Empire stands ready to host delegations from all sides to this conflict, under guarantee of Imperial Peace whilst in Imperial domains, for the purpose of ending this conflict.

Given under Our Hand and Seal, this Twenty-Fifth day of January, in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Eight

Michael Iastos Basilios Doukas-Palaiologos

Emperor and Lord of New Chalcedon
Defender of the Realm
Defender of the Faith
etc., etc.

Alexius Demetriades

Leader of the Congregation of Saint Eirene's Cathedral
Seventh of the Lord's Shepards of this Name
Patriarch of Constantinopolis Secundus
Patriarch of the Church

***COMMUNICATION ENDS***

The Bucoleon Harbour, Constantinopolis Secundus. Homebase, Home Fleet, Imperial Navy.

The Grand Admiral was busy - a single look at all the chewed-up toothpicks could tell anyone who knew Andronikous Notaras that he was having a bad day. But it was about to get worse.

"The Emperor is on Line One, Sir. Are you in?" The small man sighed, and said "Of course I'm in, Aleesha. Put him through."

The young image of his Emperor then occupied the centre of the vidscreen, although Notaras thought that he spotted the signs of tiredness in his ruler's face.

"Admiral. I hope that I'm not interrupting anything terribly important?"

"Not at all, Majesty."

"You are aware of the Andalusian situation?"

"Yes, Majesty."

"The Senate's trying to vote through a declaration of war over it. They're pretty heated up over the issue. I'm delaying it as best as I can, but if it comes to war, what can you give me?"

"Majesty, you are in luck. The Second Expeditionary Force is only three days' sail from the area."

"That will be fine. Admiral. now - I want Admiral Banton to be fully aware - just because we're unimpressed by the Sultanate doesn't mean that we like the Scandivans. We've had diplomatic dustups with them before, and they are prone to over-reaction. If possible, Banton is to pursue a course of peace."

"Aye, Majesty. I'll make sure Isabella knows that."

"I knew I could count on you, Andronikous. Good luck and Godspeed."

Imperial Battlecruiser Moesia
Flagship, Second Heavy Taskforce, Imperial Navy of New Chalcedon
Approximately 1,400 km northeast of Ceuta

Another crap assignment. Why did I join the Navy? Commodore - no, Admiral - Isabella Banton's thoughts were not happy upon receiving her new orders.

Great. I have to convince one lot of murderous fanatics that the crimes of another lot of murderous fanatics don't warrant the invasion of anyone's coreligionists. Just wonderful.

"Sam? Whistle up the bridge. Fleet orders - I want us to steer 225 true, at best fleet speed until we reach these co-ordinates." Banton handed her communications officer a slip of paper with handwritten lat/long co-ordinated scrawled onto it. The point represented was approximately one hundred km northeast of Ceuta.

"Aye, Ma'am."

All sixty-odd warships began on their altered course.

OOC: ORBAT for the Imperial Navy in the area (all ship classes' base stats can be found in Wikipedia, or I have provided links. Also, mods are described, at least in a general sense):

4 x modified Ford-class supercarriers (they carry fewer aircraft, but mount serious onboard armament, including one nasty surprise).
4 x upgraded Kirov-class battlecruisers (mostly lots of electronics upgrades - the USSR knew how to build warship hulls).
6 x modified Wasp-class amphibious assault carriers (Mostly electronics, although some troop capacity was swapped out for a seccond squadron of VSTOL aircraft).
8 x modified M-16 Fort Shaw-class heavy cruisers (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14335975&postcount=7) (torpedo tubes removed, better air search radar and fire-control systems installed).
12 x modified ANZAC-class frigate (extra Harpoon box-launchers added and WIP upgrades completed. Also, one helicopter removed for aft 5' gun).
12 x modified Province-class destroyers (Harpoon launchers removed, extra ASW equipmend added).
8 x Type 212-A submarines, unmodified.
1 x Type 212-B mother submarine (essentially a significantly larger submarine, with underwater docking capacity and many more supplies. Used to extend range and endurance of submarine groups).
4 x armed Fort Victoria-class replenishment tankers for supplies (Armed with point defense only).
4 x armed Fort Victoria-class replenishment tankers for missile resupply (Again, point-defense armament only).

Total: 55 warships, plus 8 support craft.

Western Mediterranean

Inbound ATAIM-10s faced some resistance from the Andalusians, with shipboard defences and a very small number of then airborne fighters attempting to protect remaining AEW platforms, but it was ultimately in vain as the few deployed helicopters were brought down.

The attack's beginning initiated the scrambling from Manûrqa of further Sarab-4000 fighters, following others that were already on their way up. To the west of the Andalusian frigates, coming through the islands, an Al'Cid Class light carrier and Sultan Class multi-role strategic projection vessel also launched Sarab-3-5s, somewhat odd carrier-borne fighters with Extremely Short Take-Off and Landing capability born of four small lift engines, reduced from the cumbersome and maintenance-intensive eight of the VTOL-capable Mirage IIIV from which the Andalusian design was developed.

All of the Andalusian fighters climbed rapidly, searching for unspecified threats they believed to be inbound in yet unknown strength. The two small flights of 3-5s took up a tight CAP over the forward frigates while 4000s, judged to be the Jeish's best fighter type, hastened eastwards to search out and contact the enemy.

The Sarab-4000 wasn't a thoroughbred stealth aircraft, though it was constructed of composite materials and incorporated features such as serrated patterns on the trailing edges of its wings and canards, as well as some heat shielding measures. Flying relatively high and carrying external payloads, they were never the less sure to be picked-up before their stealthy opponents. As the presumably outnumbered fighters broke up into small flights and cast out their radar net to the east, the first thing any picked up was an attack on one of their most forward elements.

The Andalusian fighters attempted to engage their practically unproven active-cancellation systems in hopes of making life harder for an enemy they were still struggling to pin down, and their sophisticated data-sharing measures soon had them co-ordinating a hopeful response as the lead flight's four aircraft each deployed scores of different countermeasures and began to twist and turn in frantic attempts to evade missiles inbound from an apparently considerable range, having climbed some distance from their low-flying launch platforms, and with any luck consequently low on fuel.

An attempt was made to return fire against source radars, but the Andalusians didn't know how many enemies they were firing at, since they may have been handing off targeting information in a similar manner to the Sarabs, for all anyone knew. As the fight went on, a few Andalusian fighters loosed medium range missiles when the were able, intermittantly, to detect radar locks against themselves or their comrades, some with infrared and others active radar seekers in their terminal stages, all the while trying to get close enough to acquire reliable radar locks of their own. This saw a mixed response, as some flights hung back at extreme range, giving little or no fire and trying to evade inbound missiles with the advantages of height and distance, making full use of directionable canards and thrust-vectoring, while others stuck to their aircrafts' intended strength, speed, in attempts to close the gap and find something to shoot at, filling the sky with countermeasures and searching missile trails as they went.

Once again, the defenders were finding the weight of numbers a telling bias against them as one precious pilot after another felt his similarly valuable aircraft roar its last, caught by enemy missile fire. Falling into the sea in the middle of such an onslaught, few held out much hope of a quick rescue by their own side.

OOC: Wasn't sure if you'd actually taken action on deliberately attacking nationalist Christians, yet, so I've not addressed that this time around. Actually this was a bit rushed, but I was aware that time was dragging on without a response, so thought it better to do something than nothing.

OOC:Nah it hasn't started yet...its more of a foreshadowing to what they're planning.

IC:

The Doomani had honed their air to air combat tactics to a fine edge through decades of near-constant modern warfare; the fighters themselves kept their RADARs switched off to prevent the enemy from getting a picture of where they were being fired at from while friendly AWACS aircraft, hundreds of miles away, fed a datalink to the missiles, guiding them towards their targets until the missiles went terminal. At that point the missiles' RADARs went active, approaching their targets at speeds up to mach four, giving the enemy fighters little chance.

The use of countermeasures was made all the more difficult by the missile seekerheads, which paired their advanced active homing RADAR with imaging infrared and electro-optical sensors to allow for them to easily distinguish between the target and their countermeasures. And as if that didn't make things bad enough, the missiles themselves had passive RADAR detection systems, which allowed them to home in directly on the enemy fighters' RADAR emmissions.

However, the Doomani AWACS crews noted the approach some of the Andalusian fighters in their attempt to close the gap with their attackers, something that posed the greatest threat to this particular missile strike. Escorts split off from the strike aircraft, accelerating upwards and quickly gaining altitude. The AWACS crews carefully directed their fighters to positions of advantage, which would allow for them to hit the Sarab-400s at close range from unexpected angles. The Doomani had a massive advantage: they knew precisely where the enemy was (and that enemy was now both wounded and divided as well as being already outnumbered) but the enemy did not know where they were.

The fighters operated in groups of four, being vectored into positions where they'd be able to appear seemingly out of nowhere on the flanks of enemy formations (in some cases, if they found the oppurtunity, AWACS crews would go so far as to direct their fighters completely around the enemy formation, doing so beyond visual range, allowing for them to close from behind. In many cases, due to the enemy's use of their RADAR, the pilots themselves knew precisely where their foe was without even requiring the AWACS to tell them). The fighters would then be directed to attack, their RADARs still powered down, releasing short-range ATAIM-9 missiles with imaging infrared/EO seekerheads towards the targets which had been lit up by their AWACS, hopefully allowing for the Andalusians to be taken completely by surprise and making escape nearly impossible, as the enemy would be well within the missile's no-escape-zone with mere seconds to respond to a missile with a reputed 95% kill rate.

As the escorts made this effort to distract the enemy fighters that had sallied forth and with the remainder of the enemy formation hanging back, the AShM carrying aircraft began to approach their launch points at low altitude, releasing their payloads...

Imperial Battlecruiser Moesia
Flagship, Second Heavy Taskforce, Imperial Navy of New Chalcedon
Approximately 1,100 km northeast of Ceuta

Admiral Isabella Banton leaned back in her command chair.

"All right, folks. It's showtime. Sam, give me a channel."

"You're live, Ma'am in 3...2...1..."

Banton's voice was carried over the airwaves, as was her image to those who cared to watch the live address.

"Attention, all belligerent forces. This is Admiral Isabella Banton of the Imperial New Chalcedonian Navy. While we agree that the Sultanate has legitimate issues with certain actions undertaken by the Scandivan Empire, we believe that attacking the entirety of Christendom over the actions of one part of it is excessive and unwarranted. However, we are also determined that no-one use this as an excuse to grab land, resources or power, and my orders are to protect the sovereignty of all parties to the conflict, including the Christian enclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla."

"His Imperial Majesty invites all belligerent parties to meet at the Mangana Palace in Constantinopolis Secundus, in order to discuss the issue, and determine an appropriate settlement. Please respond with your decisions when you have arrived at them."

"Imperial taskforce, out."

AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT ISSUED BY HER MAJESTY, THE QUEEN

It strains me terribly to see these so-called "Christian" nations engaging in such despicable acts as genocide and slavery. It is equally disturbing to see a Muslim nation retaliate in the same manner, but The United Taifas' logic is obviously not that radical, as more "Christian" nations have jumped on them. These "Christian" nations are far from inheriting the Kingdom of God. The initial slaughter and subsequent promise of retaliation are equally appalling. However, my nation must side with The United Taifas in their willingness to avenge their falling brothers. But we warn that doing so will only foster the response that they have thus far received.

To the "Christian" nations involved: where were you when Muslims were slaughtered and enslaved? Does God not say to love thy neighbor, and that thou shalt not commit murder? Should you not have stood for these? And are you so willing again to spill the blood of a people grief-stricken? You would rise in defense of your own, but not in the defense of others? Where is your pride? Where is your honor? Or perhaps you have neither.

My nation is predominantly Christian, but we know when it is time for war, and when it is time for peace. When to go to battle to defend, and when to make amends or accept what has happened and work to prevent it again. The United Taifas, you went to war not in defense, but in vengeance. Your time would be better spent pursuing useful ways to prevent another such occurrence, rather than fueling the cycle. If you see wisdom and purpose in my words, and pull back and allow this transgression of the "Christians" to pass by, to turn the other cheek and work for prevention of future occurrences, you will find that you have our support, whether it be working for peace or defending yourself against the retaliatory attacks of the "Christian"nations.


Queen Cristiel St. Richards

Queen of Pschycotic Pschycos

Western Med.

The Andalusians continued to fly well, but faced with such ridiculously expensive missiles as these must have been, with more guidance system than weapon, in such numbers as faced so few Sarabs, it was obviously a losing battle.

At a distance, the Andalusians still managed to evade many missiles, which can hardly have been as nimble as their own more conventional weapons that were a fraction the size and in some cases were used to attack in-bound ATAIMs, but there was obviously nothing to be gained by hanging back and taking even light casualties while doing absolutely nothing to threaten the enemy and costing him only millions in munitions while losing billions in fighters and pilots, so in little waves the Sarabs peeled off and joined the close-in fighting.

Here, the casualty rate climb more rapidly, even the best Moorish pilots finding it hard to shake missiles launched at closer ranges, still running with fuel to spare for manoeuvring. Certainly, with the felling of Andalusian airborne early warning and control platforms and the more stealthy design of enemy fighters, the Doomani had a significant advantage. But the defenders too were sharing target data with one another, only a minority actually using their radar sets to search and track enemies at any given time, and once those that survived long enough were within a couple of dozen kilometres, they did start to acquire rather more clear target data.

Often as not, it was data that amounted to little more than, "Too late" or indeed, "You're screwed" thanks to the positioning advantage that the enemy's AWACS provided.

The Sarab-4000 had a decent integral cannon, IRIS-T short-range missiles, thrust vectoring and adjustable canards, but being a heavy fighter with a large delta-wing configuration, its agility still could have been better. After decades of peace -with not a shot fired in anger since the domestic unrest of the mid to late 1970s-, the Taifas hadn't the chance to test differing opinions on the merits and shortcomings of their chosen front-line hardware, and it now looked as if the attempt to make the Sarab-4000 a long range heavy fighter and interceptor as well as the only thing that could take on enemy fighters in the air was very much the work of a nation not contemplative of its own potential for involvement in international warfare.

In short, the fighters out of Manûrqa were losing.

A few tried to be creative in the heat of the moment. One four aircraft flight split into pairs in which the two aircraft flew incredibly tight to one another in hope of appearing as one target, only one activating its search radar, the pair then breaking up when an attack was made against them and hoping that one might get some shots off in reply. An unfamiliar wave of desparation had washed over most of the warriors when, before scrambling, they'd been told that their nation was facing a new and genuine Crusade -a term that curdled the blood of educated Muslims- and that weapons of mass destruction had already been launched against one of their nation's proudest cities, home to more than a few of these airmen.

Meanwhile, closer to the frigates, the first few anti-ship missiles were away before the Sarab-3-5s picked up the approach of their launch aircraft. Certainly the 3-5s were too few in number to cover the whole assemblage of vessels, which was in essence a picket defending the islands themselves. A few dove in to attack inbound missiles, a few shared what data they had with the ships below, acting as improvised AEW platforms, and a few engaged reheat and rushed forth at Mach 2 in hopes of finding the attacking aircraft based on what information they had about missile flight paths.

This really was a matter of only a dozen aircraft over a few hundred square kilometres, however, and unlikely to significantly alter the outcome.

Frigates fortunate enough to receive help from near-by fighters used Evolved Sea Sparrow and SM2-MR Block IIIA missiles from their VLS cells, and CIWS to do much damage, but as ever their efforts were as Canute against the tide. Before long, a few wounded frigates were limping for home, and eight more were sinking or else dead in the water and scrambling for evacuation, leaving no similarly capable warships east of the islands as the Taifas proved reluctant to commit the remainder of their forces far from home.

London

Azim Ibn Baruch, an Andalusian Jewish telecommunications magnate worth some seventeen billion US dollars, having close ties to the Saburid dynasty, was tasked with speaking to the world from the relative safety of a foreign capital.

Surrounded by the international press, Ibn Baruch attempted to clarify the Sultan's position, and explain events thus far, from an Andalusian perspective.

"First, I would like to say..." the well dressed, middle aged man stopped to adjust his glasses, which seemed to have been knocked slightly out of alignment in the media scrum around him. "...the headlines, we feel, have been often misleading in relation to the Sultan's prior actions in Ceuta and Melilla. The term 'attack on Christendom' appears to be a mistranslation, or else it is more manipulatively misleading. The United Taifas of Al'Andalus have not and will not declare war on Christendom." He paused, wanting to be sure that this statement was absorbed.

"When it was said that Sultan Abu Saifullah Abdulhadi al'Wafi ibn Sabur al'Andalusi, the father of Saifullah the sword of God, Servant of The Guide Allah, the Trustworthy son of Sabur the Patient, had 'attacked' Christendom, what was meant was that he strongly criticised the Christian nations beyond the Empire of The Scandinvans for their total inaction following his pleas for at least a condemnation of the enslavement of one hundred million non-Catholics and the murder of eight thousand Muslim civilians.

"It is said that all which evil requires for its victory is the inaction of good men, and it was in the context of this total inaction that the Jeish Al'Andalus staged a dramatic and controversial propaganda event.

"Let me be clear, now! There were zero reported fatalities in Ceuta and Melilla, though Gharnātah admits that some citizens were wounded and others 'roughly treated' in the operation.

"All those hostages taken in these cities, and those taken from there... are in good health, and quite well. It is more than half a millenium since a civilian has been knowingly killed by the military forces of Al'Andalus."

The businessman answered a few questions about his personal position, hoping to placate the tabloids, before starting up again,

"Al'Andalus took Catholic hostages merely to force the Christian world to pay attention, very much in the hope that it would lead to Christendom getting its own house in order.

"Now, hundreds, probably thousands of Andalusian citizens have died at Doomani hands, only deepening Christendom's guilt. Still, despite having it spelled out in blood, the Christian nations do not seem to understand, or else to care about the fate of humanity. Under such incredibly circumstances it is a wonder that Andalusian Christians continue to receive the protection of the state, and even to be free of any obligation to fight for it. Would any of you accept such? If your nation was being attacked with chemical and biological weapons, would you allow the children of another religion to be exempt from the call to arms?

"If Al'Andalus is left to its fate before the tyrants of The Scandinvans and Doomingsland, a significant piece of the human soul shall die with it. But it shall not go timidly, as would the cowards that run rather than show backbone!

"The Sultan is more than willing to negotiate on neutral ground. If Christendom would intervene to stop or even to condemn and disassociate itself from Scandinvan atrocity and Doomani aggression, the hostages of Ceuta and Melilla would be released. This is the position of the United Taifas of Al'Andalus."

Without saying another word, Ibn Baruch turned and marched into his townhouse, closing the door behind him.

***OFFICIAL COMMNIQUE FROM THE DESK OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, MICHAEL VI OF NEW CHALCEDON***

To Whom it May Concern:

We have followed with interest the statement made by Sieur ibn-Baruch, on behalf of the Saburid Dyansty, currently ruling the United Taifas.

Whilst We sympatise with the plight of innocent people everywhere, and therefore condemn any "ethnic cleansing" acts undertaken by the Scandiavan Empire, the Empire of New Chalcedon does not negotiate with hostage-takers, however noble their motives or aims. This is quite simply because granting such behaviour rewards encourages more of the same.

Our official position is this: If the Sultanate of the United Taifas will release all Christian hostages, withdraw from the enclave-cities of Ceuta and Melilla and pay due reparations to the inhabitants and rulers thereof, the Empire will exert all efforts within its power, including issuing a call to her allies, to see a just resolution of the grounds of the Sultan's dispute with the Scandiavan Empire.

Failing that, the Empire will not intervene, as we will not reward hostage-takers. Given the current military situation, the ramifications of this course of action need not be spelled out.

In My own hand;

Michael Doukas-Palaiologos,

Emperor and Lord of New Chalcedon.

At their longer distance, the Andalusians hanging back would find themselves challenged to evade the missiles: their high terminal speed (exceeding mach four) combined with their small size in comparison to fighters (and the fact that their RADARs didn't activate until the missile itself went terminal, giving the enemy fighters minimal time to send out a response in ordnance (and by doing so they very well could comprimise their own defensive maneuvering, for which they had minimal time to get into) made them difficult targets. And once they went terminal, the missiles were surprisingly maneuverable: thrust vectoring (namely side-thrusting reaction jets, bleeding gasses from the powerplant) as well as aerolastic control surfaces ensured that the missile was capable of high-energy maneuvers and high angle of attack maneuvers. This, combined with their laser proximity fuse, ensured that the enemy fighters would be hard pressed to evade the incoming missiles, with a kill probability of approximately 98.2% (according to manufacturer) in the terminal phase.

The Andalusian tactic of blending two aircraft together did have some success; in those cases, when a pair of missiles was launched to hit what appeared to be one target, upon splitting only one target would be hit by the missiles, leaving the second free to act, often leaving them in visual range of their close-range attackers. In a few cases, the Doomani ACI-78 Ares (better known as the Havenfighter) found themselves on the recieving end of an IRIS-T, by all accounts an excellent dogfighting missile, and in that way several were downed over the Mediterranean, their crews quite surprised at this sudden turn of events. For some however, the pilots were able to react quickly, utilizing their fighters' extreme maneuverability (diamond wing design combined with ruddervators, thrust vectoring, and canards tied into a fly-by-light system) and sophisticated countermeasure suite (which included an infrared blinder) to evade the missile and make an effort to get a good attack position on the enemy aircraft launching the weapon.

However, in the grand scheme of things it didn't make much of a difference, as the lucky Andalusians that got those shots off more often than not found themselves on the recieving end of the wingman's 27mm cannon or short range missiles immediately thereafter. With further enemy aircraft detected approaching the fray, more fighters split off (the Doomani of course had that luxury at this point, outnumbering their foe considerably) to intercept the incoming aircraft, once again utilizing AWACS data to gain a tactical positioning advantage on the attackers. This time however, they would be approaching from multiple angles, to minimize the effectiveness of the Andalusian tactic of hiding several aircraft together.

In the case of the strike aircraft, things couldn't have gone better; immediately after loosing their payloads, they turned for home, rapidly accelerating away from the target and throttling forward, accelerating to speeds of mach 2.4. It would be as if they'd never been there- for the most part. Orders were transmitted to twelve of them to hunt down and neutralize the incoming Sarab-3-5s. The only air-to-air munitions they had were their standard self-defense load of short-range ATAIM-8s, but this was deemed to be more than enough to eliminate the enemy fighters.

Each fighter was assigned an individual target (which made things simple for these pilots, as the enemy formation was spread out in order to give themselves a better search pattern against the anti-ship missile carrying fighters), and, using AWACS data, they like their escort comrades maneuvered to positions of advantage to jump their targets, unleashing their short-ranged missiles.

With confirmation by AWACS aircraft that the enemy vessels around the Balearics had been sunk or were in full retreat, the land-based cruise missile wave went ahead as planned, targetting runways, C4I facilities, ammo dumps, troop concentrations, barracks, air defense sights (guns, missiles, and the RADARs controlling them), as well as any potential shore defenses. Warheads containing combined effects munitions were employed for much of these (with structures being targetted by standard 2,000lb high explosive warheads). SEAD aircraft (namely more Ares armed this time with anti-radiation missiles and a specialized software package) would be employed once the last of the enemy fighters had either been shot down or retreated.

Is this thread dead or something? Also, why has no-one responded to my posts?

I doubt it, UT just tends to post rather infrequently.

Not sure why UT hasn't responded to you, but I at least haven't responded because my people couldn't care less ICly...

(OOC: Sorry, planned to get this post up yesterday, but I was interrupted in the middle of writing it.)

Western Med.

Scoring a few kills was important to the Andalusians as, along with the destruction of four Doomani submarines and decimation of a bomber formation from the Empire of The Scandinvans, it would give the media some positive news to report on the first -generaly disastrous- day of the war.

Still, in practical terms, only a mere handful of kills could be achieved by those fighters that survived, however briefly, by hanging off less fortunate wingmen. Formidable with decent short-range missiles slaved to helmet-mounted sights, variable canards and thrust vectoring, and good training, there were still at a slight disadvantage even one-on-one with more experienced Doomani pilots in planes that apparently did not have the agility-compromising large delta wing of the Sarab-4000. And the fact that it was rarely if ever a one-on-one fight meant that the close-in dogfighting was tragically short-lived.

The finest showing by an Andalusian pilot came from one Naqib (or Captain) Yahyah al'Talamanki, who broke away during an attack on his wingman and managed, by use of both of his short-range missiles, to down the (successful) attacker before bringing his aircraft's integral gun to bear against a second enemy fighter, only to find himself unable to keep the agile opponent in his sights for long enough to deliver a critical hit. Afraid of being jumped again himself and finding that he was alone in hostile skies with the rest of his flight completely destroyed, al'Talamanki broke off from the engagement and attempted to escape at a sprint, diving for the wavetops as he went, perhaps to be the only Andalusian pilot to survive the battle.

For the Sarab-3-5s the outcome was even more predictable, as these aircraft proved fundamentally outmoded in spite of their reasonably modern avionics. They were still born of the notion that speed was the single most important facet of a fighter aircraft's design, and with large, sharply angled delta wings and no less than five engines (thanks to the lift jets), the agility of a 3-5 in a short-range engagement was akin to a super-tanker trying to turn inside a speedboat. Some pilots tried to improvise, using their lift engines to perform unusual moves, but scope for this was limited, and the two small aircraft carriers were soon proven incapable of maintaining a CAP of viable size against such a concerted attack against a large front. The 3-5s too had helmet-mounted sighting for their short-range missiles, and would attempt to put-up some kind of fight, but it wouldn't be a gloriously defiant action likely to inspire future war movies... not even in Doomani theatres, since it couldn't possibly have been made to look like a noble victory so much as a mercy killing.

Balearic Islands

The bombardment falling upon the islands destroyed some decoy facilities, but the complacency of Al'Andalus over recent years meant that the Taifa of Al'Dàniyya had done a lot more on paper than it had in practice when it came to things that couldn't be shown-off in public. Obviously, this put camouflage pretty far down the list, though it did mean that a large number of models, mock-ups, and fake facilities existed to make the Amir appear to be the commander of forces large enough to shame his neighbours in the Union.

Many civilians began to be caught up in the bombardment thanks to the dense population of build-up areas on the little islands, and of course to the fact that many -Christians especially- were still volunteering as human shields in the soon to be dispelled belief that Doomingsland would not slaughter their brothers in Christ.

Mobile air defence units began to receive orders to conceal themselves and not resist this bombardment, commanders judging that the scale of the combat so far suggested an invasion was likely. Better to save as much strength as possible to resist landings.

Still, most of the long and even medium range and high altitude capability of air defence on the islands was quickly reduced, perhaps intercepting a few cruise missiles here and there but to little avail, and the already half-spent fighter strength of the isles was also further degraded along with air transport options.

Gharnātah

Responding to ideas apparently held by many aboard, such as in New Chalcedon, Sultan Abu Saifullah Abdulhadi al'Wafi ibn Sabur al'Andalusi states that those from Ceuta and Melilla being held by the Jeish Al'Andalus are not bargaining chips to be traded for the reversal of Scandinvan slavery legislation but unfortunate players in a propaganda stunt

"The United Taifas of Al'Andalus have every intention of releasing all detainees in a timely fashion. Our only desire has been to bring to the attention of the world the horrific abuses conducted in the Empire of The Scandinvans and to highlight the moral idleness that has consumed Christendom such that it will not even raise a murmer in objection to the enslavement of a hundred million and the murder of eight thousand civilians.

"We no longer feel that it is safe to conduct repatriation transport of those presently hosted in Al'Andalus, nor to extract our few remaining special forces personnel from Ceuta and Melilla, in light of hostilities launched by Doomingsland against the United Taifas. However, to convince doubters of the honesty of my words, I am prepared to transfer these detainees to the care of New Chalcedon, should both Emperor Michael and the detainees themselves be willing. There after, decisions on their repatriation should be beyond my control.

"Until progress be made on resolving this conflict, remaining special forces detachments shall stay in the city states, which are otherwise unoccupied since the withdrawal of my son and his warriors."

ooc: just my analysis of the situation
Official Hwarang Survey
大韓帝國西部基回戰爭調査|대한제국서부기회전쟁조사
Imperial Survey of Western Christian-Muslim Conflict

英武帝三年|영무제삼년
3rd Year of the Emperor Yeongmu

Concerning the recent outbreak of violence among Christians and Muslims in reaction to
the decrees of the Scandinvans Emperor;

It is to our apparent knowledge that the Scandinvans Empire has potentially ignited civil
discomfort by permitting enslavement of non-Christian individuals. Hence, a Muslim state
has attacked Christian enclaves in retribution. War has boiled between the states with
little hope for diffusion in the near future except by the grace of Heaven to intervene.

Whereas it is Imperial policy to support our strategic alliances, there is no extant
state of alliance between the Empire or the Scandinvans government; although
a royal wedlock between the two families still exists, the daughter of Han has since
been killed by psychotic elements in the Scandinvans that have since been eradicated
by the new government. In standing faith, the Imperial government supports the new
government of Emperor Godfrey for the return of stable government to his realm.

Nonetheless, intelligence reports show that the intervention by other allied Christian
powers is already in effect, and that though the Empire should in gratitude offer its
services in the unjust retaliation of a hostile foreign power, the Han Empire should not
be obliged to pursue this.

(1) The Conflict does not involve necessarily the interests of the Han people, except
where Han citizens are directly involved and affected by the calamity; intelligence
shows that no Han citizens have been subject to harm.

(2) The Conflict does not conflict with Han interests, whereby intervention would neither
promote nor injure Han foreign influence more than needed.

(3) The Conflict is at great distance from the Han Empire's territorial extremities,
and thus deploying forces abroad would incur a greater cost upon the Imperial Armed
Forces, especially upon the Imperial Navy.

(4) The Intervention of Numerous Other Powers convinces the Imperial Intelligence that
Han intervention is unnecessary and perhaps unwarranted. We have no direct quarrel
with the Muslim state or the Christian states, and the manner of self-governance in
accordance with the Divine Mandate does not implore intervention. Furthermore,
direct intervention by the Scandinvans Empire has not been prove conclusively
beyond the issued ultimatum.

It is of great interest to the Empire to survey the results of this conflict, and
moreover to monitor the situation. As always, Han citizens may be caught in the
cross-fire, and His Imperial Majesty's responsibility to preserve them all shall be
considered in further monitoring of the situation. It is our hope that the situation
will defuse without worry and minimal costs, and that sensible minds will resolve
this rationally.

花郞月外洲諜報|화랑월외주첩보

[size=1]
Gharnātah

Responding to ideas apparently held by many aboard, such as in New Chalcedon, Sultan Abu Saifullah Abdulhadi al'Wafi ibn Sabur al'Andalusi states that those from Ceuta and Melilla being held by the Jeish Al'Andalus are not bargaining chips to be traded for the reversal of Scandinvan slavery legislation but unfortunate players in a propaganda stunt

"The United Taifas of Al'Andalus have every intention of releasing all detainees in a timely fashion. Our only desire has been to bring to the attention of the world the horrific abuses conducted in the Empire of The Scandinvans and to highlight the moral idleness that has consumed Christendom such that it will not even raise a murmer in objection to the enslavement of a hundred million and the murder of eight thousand civilians.

"We no longer feel that it is safe to conduct repatriation transport of those presently hosted in Al'Andalus, nor to extract our few remaining special forces personnel from Ceuta and Melilla, in light of hostilities launched by Doomingsland against the United Taifas. However, to convince doubters of the honesty of my words, I am prepared to transfer these detainees to the care of New Chalcedon, should both Emperor Michael and the detainees themselves be willing. There after, decisions on their repatriation should be beyond my control.

"Until progress be made on resolving this conflict, remaining special forces detachments shall stay in the city states, which are otherwise unoccupied since the withdrawal of my son and his warriors."

To: His Excellency, Sultan Abu Saifullah Abdulhadi al'Wafi ibn Sabur al'Andalusi of the United Taifas.
From: His Imperial and Serene Majesty, Michael VI of New Chalcedon.
Re: Offer of release of detainees.
Encryption level: Maximum.

Your Excellency,

Your offer of releasing detainees into temporary Imperial custody is one with at least some merit, as the Empire is not, at this time, a belligerent party to the dispute in question. However, before We could agree to it, We would require assurances that the two cities will not be placed under any form of permanent, semi-permanent or indefinite governance by the United Taifas, nor in any "protectorate" arrangement.

Whilst the United Taifas have legitimate issues to deal with as far as the Scandivan treatment of its Muslim population is concerned, as well as the overwhelming silence on the part of many "Christian" nations, who were either ignorant of the situation or have forgotten the teachings of Jesus Christ, We do not believe that innocent people - under any faith - should suffer for others' evil actions, and therefore privately reiterate the Empire's condemnation of the Scandivans' actions.

However, as a sovereign State, theirs is the right to deal with their citizenry largely as they see fit, especially is they are not members of the World Assembly. Whilst their behaviour may be reprehensible, it is not illegal, and one nation attempting to force its morality upon another's actions, however "right" or "wrong" that morality may be, sets an extremely bad precedent.

Having said this, We are prepared to accept the detainees into the Empire at Our own expense, as well as to provide facilities for negotiations between the United Taifas and their adversaries. We felt that this private communication would best serve the needs of all concerned, rather than announcing any intentions prematurely, and hope that You understand Our reasoning in this matter. Further, if covert action can be set up to begin extricating the non-Catholic population from under their oppressors' yoke, the Empire is interested in participating in such activity.

May peace once more be upon you and all people of good faith.

[signed]

Michael Doukas-Palaiologos,

Emperor and Lord of New Chalcedon.

***OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE FROM THE DESK OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY***

In the matter which the United Taifas of Al-Andalus have raised against the Scandinvan Empire, certain facts have come to Our attention.

Firstly; that the Scandinvan Empire has reinstituted the abhorrent tradition of slavery, and given it full legal standing.

Secondly; that the Scandinvan Empire has abrogated the benevolent separation of Church and State which Our Lord Jesus Christ commanded when He stated that all good people must "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and give unto God what is God's."

Thirdly; that the Scandinvan Empire has forgotten the most important commandment made by Jesus Christ: that you love your neighbour as He has loved all of us.

Fourthly; that the United Taifas of Al-Andalus have engaged in aggression, specifically against the Christian cities of Ceuta and Melilla, which were no part of the evils committed by the Scandinvan Empire;

Fifthly; that the international Christian community has failed in its responsibility to monitor itself against such excesses committed in the first through third points.

As no truth is entirely clear-cut, We invite both the any interested parties to send representatives to Constantinopolis Secundus under guarantee of safe passage, in order to arrive at the whole truth of this matter and determine appropriate actions. Further, We specifically name Doomingsland, al-Andalus and Scandinva as nations which are interested parties, and earnestly recommend that these three nations, at a minimum, send representatives that their points of view may be adequately represented.

Given under Our Hand and Seal this Sixth day of February, in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Nine;

Micahel Doukas-Palaiologos,

Emperor and Lord of New Chalcedon,
Grand Duke of Constantinopolis Secundus
etc., etc.

Classis Capua

The Holy Fleet had achieved what was considered to be a decisive strategic victory over the Balearic Taifa, as it was being referred to in Doomani media circles, according to Imperial intelligence. Their aerial presence west of the isles had been seemingly decimated, their fleet routed, and their land facilities were now under active bombardment. Phase two of the operation, the actual invasion, would soon be initiated. The cruise missile rotary VLS systems on Sardinia were soon empty or had ceased fire to avoid running out of ammuntion, requiring crews to come and reload them. With the enemy's air defense grid relatively badly damaged, the bombardent of the Balearic Islands could be turned over to ACID's fleet of ACI-22 Atrox (B-22 Zeus) strategic bombers, specifically Turma Strategica XVI consisting of twenty-four of the bombers.

Though a seemingly small formation, considering the amount of payload found aboard the aircraft it would be more than enough to suit the mission set for them by the Magister Militum. Each of the enourmous four-engined aircraft was capable of carrying over 60,000kg of ordnance in three weapons bays in addition to underwing hardpoints. In this case, the aircraft were laden fully with 250lb-class small diameter bombs, guided (with GPS and INS as well as infrared terminal seekerheads with target recognition software) weapons capable of gliding towards their targets. The sheer number of the weapons capable of being brought to bear upon the islands made the presence of the bombers a terrifying prospect for any defender, especially when augmented by command and control aircraft that could aid in selecting even greater amounts of targets to unleash the full potential of the bombers.

Forging ahead of the bomber formation (to be divided into three equal groups of eight, one for each of the three major islands) were two squadrons of Ares, equipped with long-range anti-radiation missiles to serve as air defense destroying craft. Their job would be to protect the bombers (who would be flying at high altitude in order to avoid any low altitude air defenses, which would likely be still intact given the more independant nature of such systems in comparison to more integrated long and medium range systems) from any surviving enemy air defenses. Two squadrons of escort fighters would also be posted with the SEAD package in order to destroy any Andalusian Air Force stragglers.

The bombers would have their targets handed off to them by friendly JSTARS and AWACS aircraft. The SDBs carried by the bombers were capable of gliding up to eighty miles to destroy a target (including moving targets, assuming it didn't move far enough to escape the general maximum range of teh weapon), and so the bombers would be able to remain safely off the coast while they delivered their payloads. Targets would be any surviving military infrastructure and any troop formations that could be located, priority targets being any remaining enemy airfields and any known sites housing artillery or rotary wing aviation elements.

The fleet's most recent maneuvers had it forming a U formation going in the direction of the Balearics as to enclose them, the carriers staying furthest back as to protect them while still providing air cover to the forward most elements, consisting of surface and submarine warfare vessels. At the inner most part of the U were the Marinus forces, embarked on twelve amphibious warfare vessels, each containing a cohort of Marine Legionarii. I Vexillatio, Legio Marinus V, a regiment-sized formation, would be the first Crusader force to make landfall on Muslim territory in the new Reconquista.

Contained within four amphibious warfare vessels (three Vindico-class amphibious dock ships (see: San Antonio-class, add Russian style armament) and a helo carrier), the Vexillatio would be assaulting the eastern coast of Menorca. The expected level of resistance was high, given the apparent willingness of even Christians to serve in the ranks of the Muslim army. However, the Doomani were fully willing to sacrifice themselves to the last man to see this Crusade victorious, and had done so in the past; they were a people world-reknowned for their martial prowess, and universally feared and respected for their sheer ferocity on the battlefield. They would soon be displaying these qualities against what they hoped would turn out to be a worthy foe.

Before landing, however, they would be screened by smaller surface warfare vessels, who would bring their deck guns to bear against potential shore targets, and send out helos to screen for any mines lurking off-shore.

Two airborne legions were also being prepared for deployment back in Italy, earmarked for a likely deployment to Mallorca, although depending on the level of resistance in Menorca troops could be pulled away and sent to bolster the effort there, once it began.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Morocco, Approaching Melilla

The eighty or so Vesec troopers whose submarines had been destroyed had managed to consolidate on shore, holding out for friendly MVG sleeper operatives to arrive with transport. They'd managed to hastily acquire four covered trucks, within which the men were all crammed into. By now they'd changed into civilian garb, though they still brandished their weapons in the event of a sudden attack. Luckily, their training had allowed them to remain hidden from the local authorities, and so what had been a major setback to their operation was being steadily reversed. The trucks would bring the men to the outskirts of the city, where they would disembark and enter the city on foot, their objective to make contact with local Christian elements as quietly as possible in order not to tip off the Andalusians, who very well could have had forces standing by to re-invade the city at the first possible indication of such a move by the Doomani.

Though they were extremely well trained, they simply wouldn't last without air support if the Andalusians assaulted the city again with overwhelming force, air cover, and naval artillery support.

http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk92/Shazbotdom/SNNSeal.gif
Turbulance and Tribulations Across Religions
February 9th, 2016
International Stability. Is it something that we should strive for peacefully, or something that should be fought for? This is a question that has been spinning around the minds of those within the Shazbotdom Empire for the past few days. With news that The Sultanate of The United Taifas has decalred open war upon the Christian Religion, and that The Doomani and the Scandinvan's are the ones who have fallen to the aide of those Christians across the globe who have been falling under the knife of the Muslim's from The United Taifas.

The Shazbotdom Empire has been silent on the events occuring but have, in this interview, decided to give the Shazbotdom Citizens and anyone who currently listens and watches Shazbotdom News Network across the globe, the first oppinions comming out of the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Parliament. We sat down today for a Question and Answer session with the Supreme Emperor, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Speaker of the House. The following interview answers in no way reflect the oppinions of the Shazbotdom News Network, nor any of it's affiliates.

Question: First off, let me thank you gentlmen for this interview. What is the official stance of the Empire in reguards to the detendion of Muslims within the Scandinvan Empire?
MFA: Well. For one, we are unsure as to the intentions of the Scandinvans, if those that they have detained are Terrorists, former convicts or anything of that type. So from what we know, we can do nothing but support them as they are considered an Ally of the Shazbotdom Empire.
SotH: Thus we are willing to help them in any conflict with The Sultanate of The United Taifas. If they send us any messege asking for help them repel any assault from The United Taifas, then we will be obligated to assist them.

Question: With all the religious intollerance that has happened throughout the world in these recent years, what sets the Shazbotdom Empire apart from most other nations?
SE: Well. We here within the Shazbotdom Empire pride ourselves with the religious tollerane within the Empire.
MFA: But that doesn't make our nation any better than those within the Doomani Empire. Each nation has it's weaknesses and strengths. Their strength is their military ability and their ability that their government would pass legislation that helped their Empire better themselves.
SE: What I was saying is. Every nation has their own strengths and that is what makes this world what it is today. But it is our differenes that make problems occure within the world today.

Question: What about the Shazbotdom Embassy within the Scandinvan Empire?
MFA: A close eye will be kept on any situation that may involve a direct conflict. If nessicary and an invasion of Scandinvan occures, the Empire will deploy a small contingent of military units to secure our Embassy. Although we do believe in the full capabilities of the Scandinvan military to defend their own nation from any invasion. We do though, wish to cover our bases.

Well. I want to publically thank you three gentlmen for answering these few quick questions for us.

Shazbotdom Embassy,
A Neutral Nation

When the mailbox was opened as was customary, there was, in addition to the normal complement of letters, one envelope addressed to the Ambassador of this diplomatic post of the Dark Empire. It was sealed with plain violet wax, and bore no device - although it was scented with sandalwood. Genuine, non-artificial sandalwood scent. Any scans performed upon the envelope would reveal only that a letter was within. No explosives, powders or other materials than a single sheet of paper, folded three times.

SECRET IC:
SCENE: Shazbotdom Embassy, The Imperial Land of Findan
The evelope was noted and brought into the lower level of the building. The makeshift basement was reinforced with steel alloy. In the middle of the basement within a secondary room there was a reinforced box of 4" thick latered steel, titanium and iron. Inisde the box were two remote controlled robotic arms. When a letter comes from a nation in which has shown hostility towards an ally of the Shazbotdom Empire.

The letter was placed within the box and it was then magnetically sealed. The robotic arms came to live and then began to move back and forth as the man in a side room watched on a monitor and used arm straps connected to his arms. The robot arms began to gentally cut along the edge of the letter. As it got the letter opened, it gentally pulled the contents of the envelope out and unfolded the letter on a secondary platform within the box. The camera then zoomed in on the letter to read it.


OOC:
What does the letter say?

OOC: I was unaware this was still going on. Can anyone of the Anti-Andalus coaltion inform me which areas of the Andalusian coast are currently guarded by the Andalusian navy?

OOC: Ah, I suppose that I should have linked the OOC thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=579206) in the first post, really.

Anyway, most of the mainland's coast is still protected to some degree by the navy, though the eastern (Med.) coast's defences have been weakened by the damaging and retreat of the fleet around the Balearics.

As an aside, I hope that continued talk of an Andalusian war against Christendom is IC black propaganda and not a failure to understand the first thing about Al'Andalus, which is only at war with nations that have thus far attacked it militarily ;)

I'm off to get something to eat, now, but will try to catch up on this before too long.

Coast of Northern Iberia,

The Scandinvan Imperial Air Group began to form into a grand V-Shape that was formed up into multiple smaller V-Wings that were designed to literally absorb heavy fire from the suspected military defense that the heretics and infidels were going to give up. Yet, with the steely resolve of fanatics, the bomber wings kept up their formations and willingly flew into the oncoming hell storm that was surely going to erupt once the enemy decided to start up their missile defenses.

1100 Miles Northwest of the Iberian Peninsula,

The Scandinvan Armada continue to steam at full speed towards their foes with a fiery hatred towards the virulent Moslems.

OOC: UT, what did you expect when 1) You titled the thread "War on Christendom", and 2) Attacked two cities for no cause other than they were populated by Christians?

Secret IC:

SCENE: Shazbotdom Embassy, The Imperial Land of Findan

The letter had one short paragraph, and a signature/name at the bottom.

"His Majesty the Emperor, in light of a certain Mediterranean situation, is desirous of discreet talks with a representative of your leader, or your leader in their own person. Contact our embassy in Northern Rangeria with your response."

"[Signed]

Yevlena Parnassia,

Director, Fifth Bureau of the Imperial Armed Forces."

The Dark Empire had heard of the Fifth Bureau. They were the intelligence arm of the Empire of New Chalcedon, and had, like their more conventional colleagues, established a reputation for tactical ruthlesness, skilled operatives and adept use of high-tech equipment to make the impossible merely very difficult.