MostGloriousLeader

With violence being limited and civil order being maintained, it was decided by the Commonwealth Canadian Protectorate Administration to allow a referendum to take place to see if Ontario, Manitoba and Nunavut would join the Laurentienne Union. Monitors would be in place to ensure the referendum was accurate while Commonwealth troops provided security at voting sites. When all the votes were in they were tallied and the results displayed. In line with the referendum, the Canadian Protectorate Administration would begin the process of handing over local governance to the Laurentienne government and Commonwealth troops would begin to withdraw from the area.

American Commonwealth military officials would look in in amusement and disbelief as one of the largest militaries in the world had just been defeated in the span of minutes of bombardment that hadn't even targeted them. In the meantime establishment of the protectorate would continue, with Commonwealth troops continuing their assigned missions at full combat readiness. Hundred of combat and support aircraft were redeployed to the Gulf coast states and the Caribbean to assist in handling any further issues while Commonwealth naval forces would also support operations. Securing the, now defunct, Brazilian military facilities was given a top priority with airmobile troops moving rapidly to secure bases and equipment. Brazilian Naval forces in the region were also ordered to proceed back to Tampico to be interned. The protectorate would stretch from the Mexican border down to the TSI canal zone.

With the petering out of hostilities, Commonwealth troops would be dispatched to Mexico and Central America due to the fall of Tikal. As per standard procedure, vital infratructure and military facilities would be secured. Military equipment, weapons and munitions would be removed and sent back to the Commonwealth. Aid and supplies would be provided to areas in need of it while special teams would begin the process of assisting the local populations with forming their own governments.

With the collapse of the several Canadian governments it would fall on the Commonwealth to restore order, dispatching troops to the various regions and securing vital infrastructure and military installations and equipment stockpiles. While there would be some disagreement with how the war was started and their participation in it, most of the population of the former Kanadario would remember that it was them who requested that the American Commonwealth dispatch troops to protect their country. Neither would they forget that it was the Laurentines that had fired the first shots of the war and opened it with the virtual eradication of Ottawa. Hundreds of thousands of counter-protestors would organize against the idea of joining the nation that had devastated their own. Regardless of the unrest, Commonwealth troops would work with local authorities re-establish order. Gatherings and protests were permitted but violent behavior would not. In the meantime rebuilding of the areas devastated by Laurentian military actions would start with tens of billions of dollars being earmarked for reconstruction along with large amounts of manpower from the military as well as from many civilian volunteers from the Commonwealth itself. In the meantime the troop presence along the border with the Laurentienne Union remain, with constant surveillance. In response to the unrest travel across the border itself would be closed for the time being except for official government business.

Disputing that since I still have troops in the area. EDIT: also, throw mexico/central america into the protectorate thanks.

With the ceasefire coming into effect, combat operations would cease and Commonwealth troops would cautiously move to re-occupy areas vacated by the Larentine troops. With the acceptance of the ceasefire terms, a committee would be drawn up and be dispatched to work with the Laurentines to form a new government. Teams of Marshals would be dispatched to take the coup leaders into custody. A disarmament committee would be temporarily formed and dispatched to the Laurentian Union to begin the process of weapons reduction and disarmament. After these processes had begun, a formal invitation for peace talks in Washington D.C. would be sent to the Laurentian government.

I find this concept interesting and what not but I do have some questions. So how does this work for someone like me who is perfectly contented where they are in the world and how their history has developed? Does all my work just vanish into thin air? I don't mean to sound selfish and all but I happen to enjoy having a rich rl history behind the area I rp in and I've put in some two and a half years into my current nation. Will I be able to keep the holdings and history I've established over that period of time?

Eritrea may not be a large nation but it is large enough that you're not gonna take it all in just a few posts if contested. As for Cent's troops, consideration is always given to prior rp which I believe he has done so with regards to his military presence. Looking at cent's response to the event his first post was him acknowledging that he's seen your movements along with a diplomatic message. His next post was his response contesting things on the ground and the gap between Rohan's movements and Athen's movement would be small. All things considered I'd say that Rohan forces won't make it that far across the border before encountering Athenian troops, at which point you're both gonna have to decide where to go from there.

"The issue of the Cape War, while serious, is not the primary issue here. The primary issue would be the Dominion of Draka's severe, blatant, and flagrant violation of UNSC Resolution One, the first issue discussed and decided upon by this organization. The fact that the Dominion has actually developed a single nuclear weapon, let alone a stockpile of them, is an indicator of its intent at purposefully violating this resolution, which also carries the weight of the usage of military power in response to violations for each of its articles. We find the promise by the Dominion to dismantle its nuclear arsenal to be convenient, hollow and unreliable; especially in light of the fact that somehow a single "rogue" person was able to order the usage of such a terrible weapon. The Dominion must open its nuclear storage, production and research facilities to immediate and unfettered access by UNSC nuclear investigators and to have all nuclear weaponry and material confiscated and turned over to the UNSC. We also see the necessity of invoking Article II of the Resolution to ensure that the Dominion will no longer have the capability to covertly develop nuclear materials or technology, or adapt them to weapons technology, considering its willful violation of the Resolution. If unwilling to comply we urge that the Security Council authorize the usage of force to compel compliance as is within its rights according to the Resolution. If this organization is to remain respected or relevant in shaping the future of this world, swift action must be taken immediately on this issue". "On the issue of the Draka Dominion's invasion of The Cape, we support a resolution demanding that the Dominion's forces withdraw, not just cease its military operations, from The Cape and that borders return to their pre-war status while peace talks are mediated between the two nations, to be enforced by military action if required".

OOC: I added the latter portion of the naval stuff because it just came to mind. If you don't like it as it is we can discuss it on irc and see what we come up with.

The notion that Faraway could outmatch the Commonwealth with sheer numbers in artillery was a wrong one. Aside from the considerable reserves on hand, the Commonwealth also maintained an even larger reserve of equipment consisting of the combined numbers of several nations that it had come into possession of. As a result, frontline Commonwealth artillery units had numerical parity. Not only that but the majority of it was self propelled and highly mobile, both traditional tube and rocket artillery. In response to the advancing creeping barrage the combined artillery force in waiting would begin a massive counterbattery effort against their northern counterparts. Even the former Faraway artillery units were ordered to halt their original missions and support counterbattery efforts, cutting their mission short before significant amounts of their targets were destroyed. The result was a huge artillery force providing rapid, accurate and deadly fire against Faraway artillery efforts who had to take their time with a creeping barrage. Rocket artillery would be used much further in to blanket Faraway artillery positions with high explosives, bomblets and smart munitions, depending on the target. Commonwealth air defense units on the ground would also begin to eliminate the enemy UAVs with MANPADS and SPAAGS to prevent accurate reconnaissance. In the air not too much had changed. Faraway’s hasty efforts to come up with a countermeasure to advanced stealth aircraft would amount to little. While aircraft might intermittently appear on radar or IR sensors it wouldn’t be enough for a target lock or intercept solution. F-22s would continue their mission of patrolling and begin to pick off Faraway aircraft that were attempting to take off. In the north, patrols of F-22s from Greenland and F-24s from the Saratoga Carrier Battle Group would eliminate the enemy fighters on a naval attack mission as they were taking off or shortly after, well before they would get into range. Likewise the B-2 Bombers would have few issues with their missions. Designed to penetrate advanced and sophisticated integrated air defense networks, the slapped together Faraway system was easy enough to get through. In addition to that, GPS systems in use by the Commonwealth military were hardened with anti-GPS jamming technology to circumvent such attempts, including those on weapons systems. An additional effort against existing Faraway air defenses would be made though. Over 100 F-35s would initate a massive SEAD operation against Faraway air defense systems. Outfitted with stealth munitions pods to carry HARM missiles, and an internal load of AMRAAMs and GBU-53 SDBs, they would use their stealth and advanced electronic warfare suites to move into targeting range, a mission they were designed for and more than capable of accomplishing. HARM missiles would be used against active Farway air defense systems to eliminate them from ranges of 150km. The SDBs would be used against self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery and mobile SAMs, identified by onboard sensors, UAVs or when they attempted to fire. While losses were expected, they were projected to be low and acceptable. This would be followed up by 120 F/A-18 Advanced Superhornets, carrying JSOW-ERs. With a range of 560km they could be fired well out of range of enemy air defenses, and using the baseline model they would be effective against a wide range of targets. They would be used to attack enemy artillery and anti-aircraft units identified by UAVs and counter-battery radar. Over one thousand would be launched in a single attack in order to overwhelm Faraway air defenses. This would be followed by another mass cruise missile attack, with another thousand missiles being launched and timed to hit simultaneously with the air attack. These missiles would target what remained of Faraway air bases and improvised air strips, command centers, telecomunications facilities, power plants, including hydroelectric plants, war industry, oil refineries and storage facilities, supply depots and transportation infrastructure. All of this would be followed up with a slightly smaller SEAD sweep that would target enemy anti-aircraft weapons that attempted to hit the first wave of missiles. As far as UAVs went, the traditional Predator and Reaper drones had taken fairly large losses in the current threat environment, although they were deemed as expendable. But the use of UAVs wouldn’t be halted, merely a different type would pick up the effort. The MQ-47 Pegasus is a carrierborne, stealthy, combat UAV. It was this aircraft that would become the mainstay of UAV efforts over Faraway, with advanced IR and radar stealth, a large weapons load, and an decked out sensor suite, they would operate in safety and effectiveness. These would be used for an wide range of missions, from reconniassance of enemy ground forces, which would be relayed in real time to frontline commanders or the elimination of enemy artillery or anti-aircraft vehicles. Operating from land bases in addition to carriers, over one hundred of these would constantly operate on the frontlines and behind enemy lines, providing a valuable, and survivable, reconnaissance and strike asset to the Commonwealth military. On the Kanadario front the Faraway advanced was identified well before contact was initiated. Hundreds of Silent Eagles and F-35s would launch over a thousand JSOW-ERs at identified enemy formations, artillery, air defenses, command centers, logistics hubs and bridging. In the aftermath of the inital massive air attack, Commonwealth ground forces would initate counter-offensive operations. Reinforced and at more or less full strength, this would be a nice change of pace in the minds of the troops on the ground, who had been on the defensive since the war started. The doctrinal tenets of the Commonwealth military was based on a combination of Air Land Battle and Network Centric Warfare. Well trained, well equipped, and highly mobile, Commonwealth ground forces would combine these traits with superior C4ISTAR capabilities to create a lethal, mobile war machine designed to defeat forces much larger than itself. Preceding the main advance was a large armored reconnaissance screen that would move to observe enemy forces and eliminate Faraway recon screens. Combined with UAV and satellite surveillance, this would provide Commonwealth troops with information superiority and enhanced situational awareness. Moderately sized and small mobile formations would then advance and overwhelm the now dispersed Faraway formations with local fire and numerical superiority, calling in artillery and air support if needed. Attempts to reform into larger units would become subjected to heavy air and artillery attack with smart standoff munitions. The rapid thrust would be conducted along the entire front with the goal of pushing the Faraway forces back into the Ottawa River. Once encountering heavier resistance, reserve units just behind the main advance would mass, assault and break through any such resistance with heavy air and artillery support. In support of the main advance, heavy air support with standoff munitions would resume with constant attacks made in support of troops and against enemy artillery, command centers, and air defenses. Top priority would also be made with constant heavy attacks against enemy logistics networks and bridging over the Ottawa River by standoff munitions. These would be subjected to intense and massive attack with the goal of destroying every bridge over the river and then to keep destroying them as they were rebuilt and cut the flow of supplies to the front line. OOC: Sorry about the long absence. Its been a hell of a !@#$%* week :/

Evening television broadcasts around the country would be interrupted by a live televised speech from the President. "My fellow Americans. These are trying times for our nation and our allies. The horror you have seen in the news is true. The war of aggression initiated by the Faraway regime has resulted in one of the most terrible atrocities seen in recent human history. In purposefully attacking the civilian population of Ottawa, the Faraway nation has murdered over one hundred and fifty thousand innocent civilians and have injured and displaced hundreds of thousands more. These people were given no warning or chance, they were killed while they went about their daily business like any average person. The conduct of the nation of Faraway is far beyond the pale of acceptable human behavior and has violated all of the traditional articles of war that civilized nations abide by. Our government and military has worked in conjunction with allied governments to decide on an appropriate response. The realization is that while the government of Faraway is the one that initiated the conflict, it is the people of Faraway that is at ultimate fault. It is they who work and toil to produce weapons for an aggressive warmongering nation. It is they that fill zealously fill the ranks of the war machine that works hard to harm innocent people. It is they support a tyrannical regime that is the single source of conflict and instability in North America. Faraway's disregard for human life is apparent and not something that can be ignored. They have demonstrated that they do not wish to participate in peaceful co-existence. They have seen fit to throw out the rule book and as a result we shall do the same. Justice will be brought to bear and Faraway shall be punished severely for its aggressive and inhuman actions". Preparations for a resumption of hostilities were complete and initiated. A well timed simultaneous cruise missile and stealth bomber attack would be the opening act. Faraway long range SAM radars had been constantly plotted and tracked and as a result they were vulnerable to attack. Aircraft would volley off JASSM-ER missiles at all known operating sights relying on GPS and data-link navigation, as well as its low observable stealth features, to circumvent the probability of the enemy merely shutting down radars. Missiles would also be fired at known SAM sites well outside of their engagement envelopes. B-2 bombers would penetrate Faraway airspace and initiate a decapitation strike against numerous civil and military targets ranging from government buildings, palaces, police and fire stations, to the residences of important officials and known military headquarters and command posts, all would be hit by a torrent of 2000lb JDAMs. Tomahawk GLCMs would begin to strike enemy airfields, both normal and improvised, to ensure the Faraway air force would not be able to sortie and to try destroy what was left on the ground. Air attacks on military targets would also resume, with aircraft using standoff munitions to strike targets without fear of retribution. In Kanadario priority was given to the destruction of bridges, transportation infrastructure, fuel and supply depots, and enemy artillery. Faraway tanks might be able to cross on their own but their fuel and supplies couldn't, nor would they be able to withdraw from Kanadario en masse. On the St. Lawrence the primary military targets would be enemy artillery. While the usage of standoff weapons was prevalent, upgrades were made during the stand down to electronic warfare systems. The American Commonwealth had massive stocks of former Faraway equipment, including surface to air missiles and radars, stored in good conditions. Since the start of the conflict they had been broken out of storage and studied, and as a result, led to a good understanding of the Faraway systems. Enough that upgrades were deemed to be effective enough considering there were no signs that the weaponry used currently was any different. The new upgraded electronic warfare systems would now be much more effective when the time came to use them. The prime change in the prosecution of the war was prepared and ready to go. Using the vast stocks of former Faraway equipment, three whole new artillery corps were organized using the weapons equipped with over 1000 artillery pieces each, ranging from the light 76mm field guns and self propelled 155mm guns to the massive CAESAR II guns and Almace MLRS. These units were manned by reservists and ex-Faraway military volunteers who had immigrated to the American Commonwealth. Each corps was assigned a city, Montreal, Trois-Rivieres, and Quebec City. Positioned for maximum coverage, even the 76mm artillery pieces were able to reach most of their targets with a range of 11.5km. The heavier artillery would be used in conjunction with the lighter pieces and to hit areas they couldn't reach. While Commonwealth artillery reserves would have been able to do the job, and indeed many were activated and brought to the front, the use of Faraway weaponry for the job was seen as a measure of poetic justice. One of the generals appointed to command one of the three new corps was said to have stated that "we must use the most effective equipment we have available and its clear that Faraway equipment is the best when you need to shoot unarmed targets". Not long after the initial air strikes were completed the order to fire was given. The goal was to repay Faraway in kind to what they did in Ottawa and to show the Faraway government in negotiations that the American Commonwealth was serious in its actions and more than willing to escalate in response to Faraway actions and that the longer they prolonged the war, the more suffering Faraway would endure. Thousands of artillery pieces thundered and spat fire and high explosive and thermobaric shells/rockets. The massive barrages would creep over their assigned cities destroying everything along the way. Still, while the objective was to punish Faraway, it was not to wantonly wipe out the civilian population, but merely to show them the error of their support for a homicidal regime and the consequences of continuing the conflict. Rocket artillery would arrive ahead of the barrage with a specially designed warhead that emitted a very loud, but harmless, bang and distributed leaflets encouraging people to leave the city while there was still time. After that what they chose to do was their own choice, in this case it was more of a chance than those in Ottawa had. Either way the destruction would be satisfying retribution while not tying up existing combat units. On the ground the situation had improved for allied and Commonwealth forces. Reinforcements had more than doubled troop strength in Kanadario with the arrival of national guard units and the redeployment of several divisions from the St. Lawrence. Commonwealth strength was now at roughly half a million troops on the ground arrayed in depth on the defense with numerous fortified defense lines. UAVs and forward deployed reconnaissance units would watch for enemy movement, which would be subjected to intense air and artillery attack if spotted. Additional artillery units arriving reinforce the Kanadario front would provide additional parity, if not superiority to Faraway forces, considering a single Commonwealth brigade had more artillery than a Faraway division. Priority would be placed on counter-battery and artillery suppression missions, although other targets of opportunity would be hit if required. Along the St. Lawrence Commonwealth forces would remain in place and heavily fortified along the river and in depth to the rear, watching for enemy movement. Artillery assigned to combat units operated separately from the three newer massive artillery corps. They would remain on standby and immediately engage in counter-battery operations when Faraway forces responded. Allied nations would be informed of the initiation and progress of resumed combat operations and Commonwealth forces would coordinate their efforts with allied military forces. In the meantime, Ambassador Martinez would await an invitation to another round of talks while he and his staff waited in his hotel in Stormsend.

With the ceasefire coming into effect, efforts at infiltrating Faraway lines would be halted and combat operations stopped. Those that got through were ordered to hole up in concealment. Despite the losses, the Faraway advance was prevented from moving much further than it could well have and Ottawa was still under friendly control. With the situation as it was though, the order was given for the mandatory evacuation of civilians within 50km of the frontlines who would be sent to refugee centers in the Commonwealth where they would be provided with food, shelter, and safety. Units would regroup, resupply, and reform a defense line, actually pulling back several kilometers to put space between the front lines while concealed recon screens were maintained near the front to observe for enemy movement. The front would be maintained and fortified while arriving reinforcements would begin to deploy in depth to the rear and numerous combat engineers would be moved to the front to assist with fortification of the front line. Tactical and strategic UAVs would closely monitor the enemy positions at the front and at the rear, with concentrations of troops, armor and artillery highlighted and the information disseminated to local ground commanders. Operations in crossing the St. Lawrence were abandoned with crossing forces experiencing heavy casualties, over 2000. Units on the south bank were ordered to remain in place, fortify their positions and hold the line. With the cancellation of offensive operations, extra troops would be spared for other fronts. With Anticosti Island secured the staging base on the island was nearing completion. Staging points for marine units were established along with makeshift air bases centered on longer highway/roads for marine aircraft and UAVs would begin reconnaissance of Faraway coastal areas to determine defenses. Air losses were minimal at this point considering aircraft engaging the enemy front-lines using JSOWs were able to do so at ranges of 130km at high altitude launches, which was pretty much standard procedure now. As such, aircraft supporting front-line troops never had to actually enter the enemy air defense envelope. The same would be true of attacks on rear areas utilizing JASSM-ER low observable standoff missiles with a range of 1000km. The only aircraft that actually operated in Faraway airspace were B-2s, F-35s and F-22s which were able to use their stealth and electronic warfare systems to avoid detection and attack. With the ceasefire in effect combat squadrons would be stood down on a rotational basis to allow their crews time to rest and refit. At the same time, while the number of aircraft constantly in the air was reduced, they would still be present. F-22s would patrol the skies while AWACS and UAVs monitored Faraway airbases, normal and improvised, and fighter aircraft on the ground. At the same time, electronic warfare aircraft would plot the radiation coming from Faraway heavy SAM radar systems to determine their whereabouts while UAVs would attempt to confirm the locations of the launchers. A large number of tactical aircraft and bombers would remain in the air on standby to immediately resume air operations if needed. Lessons learned from the frontline would be quickly realized and acted on. While fixed wing air losses were drastically reduced with the change in tactics, helicopter losses were noteworthy with over 100 of all types having been shot down. While providing crucial support for battlefield operations, it was noted they weren't as survivable in an MANPADS heavy environment. Tactics would be changed, with attack helicopters no longer venturing further than the frontline, rather they would remain behind friendlies to engage the enemy with Hellfires at the max range of 8km which was further than most MANPADS. The second, major, change would be the rapid equipping of helicopters with Directional Infrared Counter Measures Systems and laser warning receiver systems. The DIRCM system would, after detecting an inbound missile, actively blind its IR seeker steering it away from its intended target. To provide protection against laser guided MANPADS, the laser warning receiver system notifies the pilot they are being actively targeted to allow time to maneuver and evade. Another major change would be the rapid field deployment of NLOS-LS Precision Attack Munitions to provide both front line and in depth support fire and replace units using EFOGMs. Units heading up to the front with such systems would have normal soft tops on to cover their payloads, hiding the presence of the system on the frontline from the enemy. Reinforcements would begin arriving at the front in earnest, with the entire nation's transportation infrastructure prioritized towards the ongoing conflict. 200,000 national guardsmen from the Midwest and Northeast had been mobilized and about half of them were already beginning to arrive in Kanadario with the rest due to arrive in the next week or so. While well equipped and decently trained, they wouldn't be the equivalents of their regular counterparts. As such, veterans would be reassigned from the front lines to the newly arriving units to teach and advise them about combat before they would join the fray. Accompanying them would be large amounts of artillery units to counter the current Faraway numerical superiority.

Rail, road and air traffic would be prioritized to deliver the necessary equipment and supplies requested by Legion forces in an effort only exceeded by the transport effort of delivering supplies and reinforcements to the front line.

In last minute efforts before the acceptance of the cease fire, stand off munitions and cruise missiles would be used to hit as much of the Faraway logistics network on and near the border with sub munitions and mines to disrupt efforts at resupplying or reinforcement across the border.

OOC: I was waiting for lysergide's reply as he said he'd put one up. I didn't notice he already did until after I posted. But now that he has I guess we can proceed. IC: After consultations with the Kanadario government it was decided to restart talks with Faraway and a diplomatic communique would be sent to the Faraway government informing them of that decision.

OOC: Mind as well get this in while we wait IC: On both fronts, American Commonwealth special forces units, consisting of over ten thousand army light infantrymen, special forces operators, army rangers and navy SEALs, would begin widespread infiltration of the Faraway front-lines in small groups to remain undetected with assistance from real time surveillance from recon units and UAVs along with distractions caused by the air campaign and other conventional ground forces. Once through they would regroup in the rear echelons to attack priority opportunity targets like command posts, fuel and supply depots and convoys, artillery, and generally causing havoc, after which they would disperse and melt away before a concentrated response could be mustered. If the target was too tough or they were in a bit of a tight spot they would simply call in air support to destroy their targets in a barrage of GPS and laser guided bombs and standoff missiles. At sea the situation was supremely better than that on land due to the fact that the Commonwealth Navy had no real opposition. Instead the navy's primary duty was to enforce a blockade of Faraway, which was easily done with the resources at hand, with the goal of denying Faraway access to foreign trade it would need to maintain its war industries. Ongoing operations were deemed to be going successfully in conjunction with the strategic bombing campaign against its war industry. Patrols by frigates, corvettes and coast guard patrol vessels were augmented by air surveillance by P-8 Poseidons, P-3 Orions and MQ-4 Triton UAVs. The blockade extended from the St. Lawrence to border with Labrador along with its northern coastline. The Saratoga Carrier Battle Group, earlier recalled, would re-enter the Hudson Bay to add another avenue of pressure for the air campaign and to augment the blockade. Further out, Miehau's single frigate was spotted while in transit by a Commonwealth Navy undercover surveillance trawler, which relayed the strange sight of a south east asian flagged warship in the area. With Atlantic Command on high alert due to the war, the finding was deemed odd enough to have the ship tailed and observed by an Triton UAV and to allow the trawler to continue its patrol. OOC: meant to post this before lysergide did. Just count it as part of the last war post I made.

Transit Permission would be granted and reserve war stocks would be made available to equip, supply and sustain Legion troops. In the meantime consultations would occur with Kanadario officials regarding its stance on the upcoming negotiations.

Casualties on the front were mounting with reports estimating some 10,000 casualties and two dozen aircraft lost to enemy AA fire. In response to the onslaught on the ground. Mobile battle groups would no longer attempt a holding action, rather relying on recon by scout units and UAVs to stay one step ahead of their Faraway counterparts and engaging them in a delaying action, never staying in place long and counterattacking at opportune moments presented by intelligence gathering. Smaller mobile units would move quickly to engage Faraway troops with fire and forget ATGMs and then rapidly disengaging before they could react with full force while artillery and air support covered their withdrawal, delaying and harassing the enemy advance. Attack helicopters would use the terrain to mask themselves against enemy air defense weaponry, popping up to engage with fire and forget missiles and then going back to concealment and cover. Artillery would no longer engage their counterparts on the other side of the river, instead using their own mobility to avoid enemy fire while supporting ground forces or using GPS guided munitions to hit enemy bridging. Instead, UAVs would be used to engage the enemy artillery directly. Armed with Hellfire missiles they would prowl above the battlefield awaiting instructions from artillery locating radars. Once confirmed they would proceed to the location confirmed and track and eliminate the enemy artillery. The air above the battlefield, indeed the entire Commonwealth, could only be described as a giant carousel of aircraft rotating over the battlefield. Aircraft from bases as far away as California and Cuba would participate to relieve pressure on forward deployed squadrons. Mounting casualties in the air necessitated a change in tactics. With the widespread usage of Faraway SHORAD systems, Commonwealth aircraft would simply climb above their engagement envelopes. In addition to that they would begin to make prolific usage of stand-off weaponry to simply remain out of range of enemy air defenses. Front line air support would be provided by F-15s, A-10s and B-1s loaded with JSOWs using smart anti-tank munitions to break up Faraway armored spearheads. F-35s would be used to hit enemy rear echelon forces, artillery, logistics depots and bridges to stem the flow of enemy reinforcements and supplies. With air superiority operations over Faraway winding down, some F-22s would also be re-tasked to hit enemy bridges with JDAMS. Bridging sites would be placed under constant UAV and satellite surveillance to watch for efforts to rebuild them after they were destroyed. With general air superiority established over Faraway, AWACS UAVs would move in to ensure the airspace was clear while dozens of F-22s would constantly patrol the airspace. Faraway aircraft spotted taking off would quickly find themselves being engaged. At the same time, nearly all the B-2 bombers in the Commonwealth inventory were assigned to operate against Faraway proper. Escorted by F-22s, they would conduct round the clock bombing operations against Faraway war industries, logistical hubs, command centers, airbases and infrastructure with precision guided weapons to minimize collateral damage. Using intelligence received from JSTARS, UAVs and satellites, Faraway fuel depots would be identified and priority was placed on their destruction as part of the bombing campaign as well. National guard and reserve units mobilized from New England and the Midwest would be among the first to begin arriving to reinforce Kanadario and Commonwealth forces. Three national guard mechanized infantry divisions would reinforce the Kanadario front while others mobilized and began deployment to the front lines. Operations on Anticosti Island continued with marines securing the island and establishing a forward operating base for the rest of the division.

Requesting two rolls to find faraway fuel and supply depots.

Commonwealth forces on all theaters of war were alert and ready for possible attacks. E-3 AWACS aircraft and EQ-1 UAVs watched all air movement on the border and into Far Away. With AESA radars powerful enough to detect 5th Gen fighters at a reduced distance, the Faraway fighters showed up nice and bright on the screens even with their RCS reduction measures while jamming effectiveness were reduced or negated by the radar's ECCM capabilities. When an attack was confirmed, Commonwealth fighters would be vectored in on their targets. The F-22 Block 50 Raptor was the single most technologically advanced fighter aircraft in North America. At a distance, their Faraway counterparts would have no chance of detecting them with their superior stealth capabilities. Even firing on the Faraway fighters wouldn't reveal their positions as the missiles were guided to their destinations via data-link through AWACS aircraft rather than the Raptor's own radar. The missiles would then activate their own radars in the final moments of their flight, giving Faraway pilots minimal reaction time. Four wings of Raptors patrolled over the Kanadario border, a total of nearly 200. Using their advantages in weapons range and stealth they would proceed towards the Faraway fighters at 60,000 feet on supercruise, carrying air to air loadouts of six AIM-120D AMRAAMs and two AIM-9X Sidewinders. Faraway jamming capabilities were well known but the AIM-120D possessed home on jamming capabilities more or less negating these advantages. Volleying off their missiles at the enemy fighters at ranges in excess of 160km, they would create an aerial kill zone along the Kanadario border and would begin to push further into Faraway. The Raptors would also be joined by several squadrons of B-1Rs (1) and F-35s (4) adding their own fire to the mix and assisting in the push. On the St. Lawrence front another four F-22 wings were on patrol and with the commencement of hostilities they were ordered to proceed north, joined by four F-24 squadrons from the carriers off the New England coast, a half dozen F-35 squadrons and two squadrons of B-1Rs, and initiate air dominance operations. A second wave consisting of six F/A-18 Advanced Super Hornets would follow up with a mixed air to air and air to ground load out along with two squadrons of F-35s on a SEAD mission. Doing the same as fighters along the Kanadario border, they would leverage their stealth and targeting information from off-board sensors, both air and ground, to hit the enemy without being detected. The decision was made to finish air superiority operations in one swoop, the Commonwealth Air Force would use its technological and numerical superiority to wipe out the Faraway Air Force in the first day of the conflict. The push would be accompanied by EF-21 electronic warfare aircraft to reduce the enemy's effective radar range. At the same time a massive barrage of tactical and intermediate range ballistic missiles were fired at Faraway airfields, targeting runways and facilities required for flight operations including fuel storage, munitions and command and control centers. Over a dozen would fall on every Faraway air base in operation in mere minutes. The main goal was to shut down the runways, which would take several hours to fix at best. These would in turn be followed by dozens of Tomahawk GLCMs with a mix of submunitions and unitary warheads intended as a follow on attack on additional targets and to make runway repair even more difficult. Attack waves were staggered to maximize interruption of runway repair operations. Two more wings of Raptors operating from Greenland would top off their fuel from accompanying tankers over the Hudson Straight and head south with AWACS support and a squadron of B-1Rs to eliminate enemy fighters in the North and/or to hit the southern Faraway fighters from behind. These would be joined by two squadrons of F-24 air superiority fighters and additional air tankers from the Saratoga CVBG. Following them were two dozen B-2 bombers would target major Faraway command centers confirmed by intelligence with AGM-158 JASSM-ER stealth cruise missiles. Each B-2 carried 12 missiles on a rotary launcher with a range of 1000km meaning the time spent in Faraway airspace was minimal as they turned back to Greenland after unleashing their weapons. Defense against Faraway attacks on Commonwealth airbases would also commence. Early warning satellites would detect the IRBM launches and would relay the warning to the National Air Defense Command. With the ranges involved the missiles would show up almost immediately on air defense radars and ABM missiles targeted and launched. Numerous missiles were successfully intercepted but with the time involved not all of them could be shot down in time. Bangor and Burlington ANGBs were hit hard and flight operations shut down. The damage would take several days to repair as base engineers went to work. Other bases were hit but sustained moderate to minor damage as missile defenses thinned out the attack. The East Coast was home to most of the hardened bases of the Commonwealth and losses to aircraft would be limited with a dozen F-15s and F-35s being destroyed or damaged on the ground. As per standard procedure Highway airstrips were activated to sustain front line air operations from shut down bases. In any case the damage to Commonwealth air operations was minor as the Commonwealth possessed numerous air bases and large amounts of aerial tankers. Over a dozen additional fighter wings would be operated from bases further away with aircraft being supported by tankers closer to the fight. On the ground in Kanadario the situation was serious but manageable. Most units made it through the artillery bombardment as units were dispersed and fortified with the presumption of possible massed artillery fire, although few completely unscathed. Faraway formations were already known from recon efforts before the invasion and UAVs monitored their forces on the border as they approached. Medium range UAV reconnaissance assets were even available at the battalion level for combat units and the mobile units of IV Corps would utilize their superior situational awareness to outmaneuver and hit enemy forces attempting to cross to the East of Ottawa. The Battlenet would provide even the most basic soldier with information about his current position, the position of friendlies and the position of enemies on a real time basis translating into a formidable advantage in information warfare. Individually Commonwealth vehicles were formidable, with Commonwealth vehicles equipped with add on ceramic armor, along with ERA and active and passive defense systems. Heavy and light armor would partner with mechanized infantry units to create combined arm task forces fighting a holding action, giving little ground and attempting to contain Faraway troops at their crossings, or even before they could establish one, utilizing superior local firepower and air support. Mortars available at the battalion level were capable of firing smart anti-tank munitions while anti-tank units were equipped with EFOG missiles allowing them to eliminate armor up to 20km away. Attack helicopters would add their fire to the fray with fire and forget Hellfire ATGMs from long range, guided to their targets by a data-link which would then activate the missile's radars in the final part of the flight to hit their targets. RAH-66 Comanches would utilize their stealth to penetrate enemy lines and seek out enemy radar based AA vehicles with AGM-122 Sidearm anti-radiation missiles and Hellfires. Artillery units would initiate immediate efforts at counter battery operations against Faraway forces bombarding Ottawa, using artillery tracking radars to pinpoint their locations, to try limit damage to the city. One of the prime assets available were ATACMS missiles fired by MLRS units, each more than capable of reaching enemy artillery with a range of 300km and each containing hundreds of devastating submunitions capable of covering a large area. The West of the city was held by V Corps and they too would fight a defense action to stop the Faraway advance at their crossings. Air power would come into play as over two dozen F-35, F-15SE and A-10 squadrons would perform interdiction and SEAD missions. With Faraway fighters occupied with the air battle, F-35s would initiate SEAD actions along the front, utilizing their considerable stealth and electronic warfare capabilities to eliminate enemy air defense radars and SAM units with anti-radiation missiles. Others would hit bridges crossing the river, including the faraway built ones, with laser guided bombs to stem the flow of enemies over the river and hunt down enemy artillery vehicles as they began to shell Ottawa as directed by information from fire finding radars on the ground. F-15SEs and A-10s would be limited to close air support with their lesser stealth capabilities but were capable of carrying a considerable amount of ordnance which would be put to good use against enemy formations. The enemy armored and mechanized formations would make nice targets for strategic bombers as they were crossing or waiting to cross the river which were natural funnel zones. Provided targeting information from UAVs and other reconnaissance assets, two B-1 squadrons would unleash their payloads on these forces to break up the enemy attack. Each B-1 carried 30 CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapons, each weapon carrying 10 BLU-108 submunitions, each carrying four smart anti-tank weapons known as skeets, for a total of 1440 skeets per aircraft. Once the skeets were deployed they would actively seek enemy vehicles via infrared sensors and fire shaped charges down through their soft top armor. On the St. Lawrence front, Commonwealth forces would kick their assault plans into motion to relieve pressure on the Kanadaario front. Artillery units would seek out their counterparts and attempt to devastate them with precision fire and would afterwards shift to major enemy formations closer to the river. Light mechanized and marine forces would merely cross the river in their vehicles covered by supporting direct fire from units on the south bank. Once on the other side they would attempt to set up a bridgehead and begin slowly pushing forward as engineer units would begin to rapidly erect bridges over the river for heavy units to cross. Some armored units would also join the initial assault as LCAC units would begin to ferry their tanks straight across the river. Recon units also had amphibious capabilities and would cross by themselves. These units would push out from the bridgeheads and push to contact Faraway forces, with the goal of eliminating enemy recon units and disrupting enemy formations in the area. On the strategic front additional IRBMs and cruise missiles would be launched targeting Faraway command centers, telecommunications power facilities munitions plants and railroad hubs. UAV operations would be expanded into Faraway proper in order to provide up to date information on enemy movements. In the St. Lawrence Gulf a marine expeditionary brigade would begin landing operations on Anticosti Island with heavy gunfire support from ships and air support from fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft from the amphibs. Meanwhile at home the call had been put out for the mobilization of reserve and national guard units to proceed to the front-lines with priority on reinforcing Kanadario. Two regular armored and mechanized divisions would be deployed immediately while other units would be deployed as soon as they were ready. As the battles raged on President Marston would make a televised address in a joint session of Congress. "My fellow Americans. I regret to inform you that today peace negotiations have failed, with the Faraway delegation walking out of the meeting. At 11pm tonight, Faraway has confirmed what we had suspected all along. That they are a militant nation of warmongers and war criminals. The Faraway regime has launched a massive surprise attack not only on our own border but that of our neighbors in Kanadario who requested our protection, taking advantage of peace talks to prepare their attack. The images you see behind me are a live feed from a UAV in the area. These are the live images of Faraway artillery hitting, not military targets, but attempting to level an entire city to the ground without a thought for the lives of innocent people in what can only be taken as a purposeful attempt to wipe out the city. In response to this Congress has passed an joint resolution allowing our armed forces to take whatever actions necessary to stop any current and future aggression in the Canadian region as well as declaring a state of war with Faraway. Due to the seriousness posed by the threat of Faraway's new-found campaign of conquest and extermination I have ordered the mobilization of the Army Reserves and the federalization of the national guards of northeastern and midwestern states of some 200,000 troops. The road we have set ourselves upon is difficult but it is the right path and I ask for the support of the American people in this time of conflict. Today we begin a campaign to rid North America of its last vestige of tyranny and oppression" he concluded as the entire floor rose and burst with spontaneous applause.

"North America is in a fairly unique position of never having to witness a war in a fairly long time. The only other continent that can claim something like that is Asia. But the world we live in is filled with conflict and everyone eventually goes through the cycle of peace and war. While I'm not keen on the idea of conflict perhaps it's finally just our turn in the cycle. Maybe going so long without war results in a populace that has no real knowledge of the price of conflict and so eventually a war is finally needed to remind them of the value of peace" he said responding grimly to Rafael before Valmy returned to the room. "Well, based on this offer, it seems clear to me that Faraway has never had the intention of attempting to actually negotiate for peace" Martinez stated after Valmy made her statement. "No serious attempts were made on your behalf to rectify serious security and governmental issues and so I must sadly reject your offer". ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By now American Commonwealth forces on the border numbered some seven mechanized infantry divisions, two armored divisions, six light infantry divisions, an airborne division, an ACAV division, two airmobile divisions, two marine divisions, two Marine Expeditionary Brigades, an ACAV regiment, two light armored brigades, and two light infantry brigades. On the Kanadario border were stationed another two mechanized infantry and armored divisions, two airmobile divisions, an airborne division, a light infantry division, two ACAV divisions two light armored brigades and two ACAV regiments. Total forces numbered in excess of 500,000 combat personnel. Units along the St. Lawrence were organized into three Corps, with each having operational control over the objective areas of the cities across from them. Montreal was assigned to I Corps, which had two mechanized, two light infantry, an armored division and a marine expeditionary brigade. II Corps was assigned Trois-Rivieres and was provided with two mechanized divisions, two light infantry divisions, an armored division, an marine division, and an ACAV regiment. III Corps was assigned Quebec City and consisted of two mechanized divisions, two light infantry divisions, a marine brigade, and a light armored brigade. The remaining units were part of a mobile reserve designed to rapidly move to a breach or counter enemy movement. Units on the Kanadario Border were organized into two Corps responsible for defense of the border, but could also go on the offensive if necessary. IV and V Corps each had one mechanized division, one armored division, one ACAV division, an airmobile division, a light infantry/airborne division, one light armored brigade, and one ACAV Regiment. Air forces were also active with some 20 fighter wings of all sorts assigned to the frontlines, operating from bases ranging from the Northeast to the Midwest and Greenland with heavy AWACS and tanker support. All Commonwealth forces were on full alert and poised to strike when the time came

"Let it be known that my country didn't try to talk things out first" Martinez said to the Stormlanders as he motioned an aide that had accompanied him over and instructed him to inform the State Department of the progress of discussions. "My nation truly does appreciate what the Stormland's is trying to accomplish and your nation's efforts are respected by my own. But I fear we may have reached an insurmountable impasse and the situation has reached a critical point. For many years now my country has been the sole power keeping North America stable, democratic and prosperous. The prospect of a heavily militarized dictatorship undoing this is unnerving. With the things going the way they are I fear even if we make peace here now, there will be another conflict down the road. A conflict that will result in many times more lives lost than if we were to deal with this matter now. The Commonwealth has never been an aggressive or militant nation but at this point we need to make a choice, and we are choosing the lesser of two evils".

"The reason for a cap on Faraway military forces is because the American Commonwealth has global international commitments to allies and the United Nations Security Council as well as duties to maintain stability for the entire North American continent. Equal parity is unacceptable in such a situation as my nation cannot meet its commitments and defend the border at the same time. Limitations we desire are a reduction of 50% in conventional forces compared to the Commonwealth military, limitations on fighter aircraft to one third in comparison with restrictions to 4.5 gen aircraft, no strategic bombers or AWACs aircraft, no long range UAVs, no ground attack munitions, which includes air, sea and land based weapons, with ranges in excess of 50km and limits on naval forces to a dozen combat vessels no larger than destroyer size and no submarines. Considering the fact that right now, even in the current crisis, that Faraway has deployed far more troops and units than the Commonwealth we are concerned that Faraway may take advantage of an event in the future that ties up large numbers of our military and rapidly mobilize large amounts of troops as they have now".

"I feel like the prospect of turning Acadia into a demilitarized zone to be protected by foreign troops would be a major concession if Congress could somehow agree to go along with it. As I said before, I have doubts of such a measure being viable in the long run and others in our government will also see it as such. It is Faraway that loses nothing with this arrangement, being able to maintain its current government and substantial armed forces that could be later be used to initiate a war of conquest if third party troops were to withdraw and the border becomes unguarded. If, and its still a big if, a measure such as a DMZ with third party troops were to be accepted, we would require hard caps on Faraway's potential offensive capabilities and the presence of our own, unarmed, observers in the DMZ and periodic inspections of Faraway military forces to ensure no potential offensive buildups occur".