The Assassination of Rhianne Sidamo by the Coward Andrea Gloval

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

Whatever ships from the 2nd and 3rd fleets that were seaworthy, this included the 5 destroyers, 7 battleships, 5 submarines, 3 aircraft carriers, and 2 seaplane carriers, were told to disembark Hawaii on orders from Beijing. They were to sail to Hong Kong where they would refuel the first time, and then to Colombo where they would refuel a second time before meeting with the Tianxian navy in the Indian Ocean, should they still be there. In Colombo harbor, the notice of hostilities against the AUP would be announced. In all, the trip would take over a month to complete.

[iKrolm]

[b]Navy:[/b]

The Selenarctos naval vessels would rally with the Tianxian naval units in the Indian Ocean, contributing a barrage of heavy, supersonic P700 supersonic cruise missiles (Selenarctos upgrade variant) against the AU fleet. Pilots of F35s launched from the SS Manila would not join in the initial assault against the AU fleet, instead holding back to provide air cover for the allied fleet against incoming planes and missiles. Predator C UAVs and helicopters from the SS Manila would launch carrying a full armament of anti-submarine weaponry to protect allied ships against enemy submarines.


[b]Army:[/b]

For the time being, the bulk of the 1st Mechanized Division remaind on high alert readiness under the hot desert sun of the Arabian Peninsula. Equipped with Desert Camo SCUs brought out of storage for the mission and the best equipment Selenarctos could build, they were prepped for rapid insertion into continental Africa once the path was ready.

In Manila, the Electronic Warfare Brigade geared up for a war the public would never see. Far north in the Cordillera Central, the Air Force's receiving arrays' access codes were scrambled with access codes granted only to Freeside military coms and primary and stealth satellites. The GASP supercomputer array was isolated from military networks and internal intranet, severing the only connection between those networks and the public civilian grid. Once complete, the EW Brigade would fully activate GASP and begin a series of intrusion attempts against AU military and government networks hoping to intercept and decrypt network and wireless communication.


[b]Air Force:[/b]

Two Strategic Squadrons escorted by F22s out of the Arabian Peninsula began a series of missiles raids. The shortest simply took off, reached altitude and launched missiles without even leaving the Tianxian territory while the longest flew down south over the Indian Ocean before releasing supersonic cruise missiles at maximum range and returning to rearm. Though the planes launched fewer missiles per barrage, the missions ran continuously: night and day, with missiles falling on air bases, missile launch facilities, and military government buildings.

[Justinian the Mighty]

[b]Pokrovsk Air Force Base, Saratov Oblast, Vostokslavia[/b]

Pokrovsk was home to the 21st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, five squadrons of the country’s elite Tu-160 bomber wing. Nicknamed the Morningstars the 21st guards were specially trained to cause maximum damage to the enemy and leave the theatre in a relatively short amount of time. For this reason the members of the Morningstar division were often the first pilots into battle. Today would be no different.

Bomber crews waited in their aircraft for the order to launch from one of Pokrovsk’s two runways. The sky was still dark when the air traffic controller’s voice entered the cockpits. “Morningstars this is the tower speaking. You are free for takeoff.”

“Tower this is Morningstar 1, we’ll be back before breakfast.”

Within minutes the Morningstars were in flight heading southwest toward the Arabian Peninsula. It would be an uneventful flight until they entered Tianxian airspace and crossed the Red Sea toward northern Sudan. As they approached land they fired their fist salvo of cruise missiles. Their campaign focused on the destruction of anti-aircraft and air force facilities in Sudan in a concentrated effort to clear the path for Vostokslavia’s allies to claim air superiority.

Secondary targets included command and communication centers in order to weaken the enemy’s ability to communicate to forces within the theatre. Other secondary targets included fuel depots and transport lines.

Once their mission was done the bombers fired their afterburners and headed toward Egypt to refuel and repeat.

[VigilantWatcher]

The Imperial Persian Navy fleet would contribute to this barrage with the two Xia Class Battleships each firing three waves of twenty five Brahmos Anti Ship Missiles aimed at the Aeon Battleships and Cruisers. The five Assassin Class Attack Submarines which had forayed into range, would each launch all their twelve Tomahawk Cruise Missiles at the same targets, before returning to home base and rearm.

At the same time, twenty J-20 Multi Role Stealth Combat Aircraft would launch their first mission. Half of these would strike at Radar Sites along the Red Sea coast around Port Sudan with AGM-88E Advanced Anti Radiation Guided Missiles, while the other half would launch AGM-158 JASSM-ER Missiles at supply dumps and power supply grids in an attempt to cause disruption to the AUP rear.

A further mission by five B-1B Lancer Strategic Bombers which had flown a long track close to Tianxia India before skirting west, would each launch twenty four AGM-158 JASSM-ER Missiles at the Arctican Seychelles Islands to target airfields and military bases, before dropping to low level and making for the Maldives.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Curristan

[Malatose]

As a result of the first offensive, dozens of aircraft were lost, but their deaths weren't in vain. As soon as OKL had drafted the second attack plan, it was put into action. This attack would be a air blitz on the enemies RADAR networks. It was designed to be a decisive attack, that would hamper the enemies abilitity to control the skies. From mobile launchers in the southern Greater Germanic Reich, over two hundred sub-sonic missiles were launched into the Afrika. These missiles, although large in appearance, were nothing more but drones, designed to transmit DFRM and other jamming frequences to confuse enemy RADAR networks. One cruise missile would emulate ten additional missiles and so forth. After the launch of the first batch of the missiles, the main attack began to move forth.

Every single bomber, equipped with a combination of Valhalla Air Defense Suppression Missiles and basic anti-Radiation Missies, in Germany's inventory was launched towards Afrika. However, they wouldn't fly directly into enemy airspace. The bombers would fly over the security net of the Mediterranean and within just enough range to give the launched missiles the distance they need to accomplish their goals. When the bombers reached their "launch" point, hundreds of missiles were launched into the wild blue. The Valhalla Air Defense Suppression Missiles would glide towards the enemies RADAR sites, with a killer intent. If the enemies felt the need to shut off their RADR, the missiles would simply follow residual radiation or target the enemies SAMs directly.

The pure anti-radiation missiles launched would glide towards RADAR networks, giving the Luftwaffe a second chance of a direct kill. In the end, eighty percent of the eight hundred missiles launched were of the Valhalla Air Defense Suppression Missile; while, the last twenty percent belonged to the basic anti-radiational missile.

[JEDCJT]

[quote name='Executive Minister' timestamp='1355468250' post='3063685']
While the base would be damaged heavily from this secondary attack, many missiles would again be taken down before reaching their targets by the IADS created by the Aeon missile and gun emplacements. In addition, several AEWC&R crafts would divert their attention to this Spanish attack.

From the quartet of F-12 Tarantulas, came a ripple firing of several SARAH-37 long range air to air missiles headed towards the Hispanic airforce. Quickly burning to mach 2 to fall back and continue to peg the enemy with massed air to air volleys, and radar emissions for friendly shooters to engage, the first elements of the F-23 and F-32 Air Superiority Fighters began to come into play. Communicating with point-to-point laser, these aircraft would rely on no emissions so as to maintain their stealth as they dropped missiles of their own, which utilized the emissions the F-12s continued to scan over Terre Regius. Each weapon would consist of a SARAH-37 Active Radar Homing missile and a SIR-74AC-ER missile flying with inertial navigation towards the Spanish aircraft.

With the administrative building and primary surface barracks destroyed on Falcon, along with several surface emplacements, things would begin to look ugly for the fortified island. The Principality would begin allowing air superiority sorties from an additional 12 squadrons of F-23 and F-32 fighter aircraft from the Algerian/Libyan protectorate to commence. F-12 Tarantulas would continue to provide AEWC&R services for African forces, the armed AWACs aircraft lending long range air to air fire support at squadron level, and would direct additional anti-air support towards the front.

With the skies above Terre Regius still not won for the enemy coalition, the AUSF expeditionary forces would be shocked to see such big juicy targets enter the battlefield. AN-1 Krieg Fast Close Air Support Crafts would descend at mach 3 speeds towards the targets, firing weapons made for taking out hardened targets at the lumbering aircraft. The Punisher TAM was such a weapon, flying at speeds of mach 6 with a powerful kinetic warhead, it would prove decisive when slamming into the transports as they landed.

All Aeon air assets in the theatre would immediately scramble for such attacks in Northern Tunisia. Precision guided strikes against enemy troops concentrations belonging to the Hispanic Armies would commence from the Rocket Forces and Artillery Divisions stationed in the Libyan/Algerian Protectorate. A concerted effort would be made to either destroy or cripple the Hispanic air deployment. Additional forces would be activated and sent to Terre Regius.

In the skies several dozen kilometers south of Tataouine, a flight of cargo aircraft accompanying a flight of AEWC&R craft would undertake bizarre action. Opening their rear doors, several cages would be dumped in flight. Parachutes would quickly stabilize the cages, only for rocket ignition after rocket ignition to commence. Several dozen SEAD-MA-EM drones would be deployed from these cargo aircraft as they headed back to friendly territory to rearm. The drones themselves would saturate the battlefield with realistic targets, while also providing electronic intelligence in the form of a networked radar system.

Making the same mistakes as their Athenian counterparts, the 22nd and 18th Rocket Forces and Artillery Divisions would have a field day with the Hispanic aircraft as they approached the 33rd Armored Infantry Division. Coordinating with the already firing SAMs, the short ranged air defenses accompanying the IFVs and Infantry would also open up on the Hispanic invaders.[/quote]

By launching their missiles, the Aeonic aircrafts made a fatal mistake of giving away their supposedly-stealthy positions in the air. B-11 pilots would activate their bomber's active defense systems (ADS), utilizing high-powered microwave-directed energy weapons (DEW) to destroy the oncoming SARAH-37, SIR-74AC-ER, and Punisher TAM projectiles. The F-5s would do the same, activating their DEWs. If the enemy missiles got too close to successfully intercept with DEW, some aircrafts of both types would activate flare countermeasures as a last resort to deflect the missiles and employ evasive manuevers as well their afterburners to hightail it back to protected Athenian airspace for refueling in Sicily or Hispania, wherever was closer. However, two B-11s and one F-5 would be destroyed by the Aeonic attacks in the process.

With ten squadrons of F-5s and five squadrons of B-11s well on the way, the Hispanians would go on the offensive. To begin off with, from a safe distance, the first five squadrons of F-5s would launch a total of 840 NGTAMs, in the air-to-air configuration and optimized for long-range engagement, at the Aeonic F-23s and F-32s. Immediately, the next five squadrons of F-5s would do the same, this time launching 840 NGTAMs against the Aeonic F-12 Tarantulas as well other aircrafts (such as AEWC&Rs). Overall, over 1,680 missiles would be launched in total. As the F-5s focused on the Aeonic aircrafts in the air, the B-11s would focus on Aeonic (and African) assets on the ground in North Africa (specifically, the Aeonic-occupied regions of Terrus Regus, and the Libyan/Algerian African protectorate). For this purpose, the Hispanian B-11s, in coordination with their Athenian counterparts, would open their internal weapons bay to unleash a total of 960 ER-M-51 missiles armed with HDRM anti-structure warheads, kinetic anti-personnel warheads, and anti-vehicle cluster munition warheads to target and destroy enemy RADAR installations, fixed and mobile TEL systems, SAM sites, fuel depots, hangars, and air bases.

[quote name='Mara Lithaen' timestamp='1355506965' post='3063756']
The three boomer subs of the Confederate Fleet lifted to their deepest missile launching depth, staying well hidden under dozens, hundreds of feet of water. Tomahawk-II-ER-Ns buoyed themselves to the surface on a cascade of compressed air, lighting off their rocket boosters the moment they reached the surface, streaking just above the wavetops at just under the speed of sound, their stealthy profile coupling with their coatings serving to turn them into extremely difficult detection targets as they zipped off towards military bases in and the regional capital of the Spanish region of the Athenian empire, armed with SHS and TBII clusters.

The subs, once the missiles had reached the surface, quickly retreated back to their normal running depth, more than one and a half thousand feet below the surface.
[/quote]

If the Confederates thought their missiles would reach their targets undetected, they were mistaken. Due to its strategic position, the Imperial Administration of Hispania was one of the most fortified parts of the Athenian Federation, and the Confederates were to find out the hard way.

As the missiles neared the Iberian peninsula, Hispania's six-layered defense systems kicked in. Firstly, loitering squadrons of B-11s and F-5s and other relevant aircrafts above western and central Hispania activated their DEW suites, unleashing high-powered microwave DEWs to target and destroy the oncoming Tomahawk-II-ER-N missiles. At around the same time, land-based missile launcher modules alongside the Hispanic coast launched long-range Aster 30 missiles to interdict and destroy the enemy missiles within 120 km from the coast. To deal with any Tomahawks that made through the first layers, HG naval vessels patrolling the Hispanic coast launched their DEWs and CIWS. Concurrently, short-range Aster 15 missiles were launched to intercept missiles within 30 km from the coast. To deal with missiles that still managed to get through these defenses, another layer of defense would activate: ground-based DEWs located inland would target the missiles with high accuracy, whittling down the already-diminished number of missiles that were cruising toward Madrid; the aircrafts patrolling central Hispania would perform their jobs as well. To add to the redundancy, land-based AAA systems and CIWS stationed in central Hispania would kick in, launching their munitions at the missiles. As if that wasn't enough, military bases scattered across Hispania would activate their DEWs against missiles that had somehow managed to make it past the first five layers of defense. All this would ensure that very few, if none, enemy missiles ever reached their targets.

While DEWs and missiles were flying through the air, another series of missiles would fly in a different direction: the sky. In the airspace above Hispania, F-99s would, in conjunction with their Athenian counterparts, launch ASAT (anti-satellite) to target and destroy African satellites over Athenian territory.

In the Atlantic Ocean, elements of the Second Fleet of the Hispanic Guard Navy would rendezvous with the Atlantic Fleet south of Bermuda, where they would maintain secure communications with their Athenian counterparts.

Edited December 22, 2012 by JEDCJT

[Voodoo Nova]

President Enrique Peña Nieto was not pleased war had broken out so soon after the Colombia conflict, but knew the rising threat in Africa had to be contained. The attack on Terre Regis screamed opportunist against a nation who did not conform to their liking. In order to ensure an allied victory, and a stronger reputation for the strength of the Mexican Navy at home, President Peña has placed Vice Admiral Anselmo Diaz Cid in charge of the Atlantic Fleet.

Just off the coast of Tobago, three carrier strike groups and four submarine groups would meet their allied counterparts in the Atlantic. Each strike group includes a Tlaloc-class aircraft carrier (with each carrying 70 aircraft), three Xiuhtecuhtli-class destroyers, three Naguales-class anti-sub frigates, and three Oxomo-class guided missile corvettes. Each submarine group has seven Xolotl-class nuclear submarines.

The Xolotl will take on anti-sub and anti-ship roles in an effort to protect the carrier groups. The formations would be positioned around the Mexican surface fleet, as well as taking on search-and-destroy missions at the discretion of Vice Admiral Diaz.

Three squadrons of F-7 Toci hit the skies over Spain, with each squadron being supported by an electronic warfare aircraft. Each Toci was armed with 8 long-range HDRM anti-radiation, surface-to-ground missiles, which would be used to destroy radar sites established by AUP forces around Terre Regis and the protectorate territories. Coordinates for the missiles would be received from shared intelligence from allied forces in and around Africa.

Based in Natal Naval Base, in South America, another carrier and submarine group would be waiting to meet allied forces off the coast of Brazil. Their command would be temporarily handed over to Vice Admiral Diaz for the duration of the mission. Off the coast of the uninhabited South Sandwich Islands, a submarine captain was on a month training mission with his crew when he was given new orders. Two nuclear missile silos had been found in the Confederacy of West Africa. The captain would get in to range of the sites, while remaining in pelagic zone, before firing two missiles to take out the silos. After reloading the two missile tubes, the captain would order a full assault of 24 long-range cruise missiles against Confederacy radar sites across the country. Immediately upon completion of the attack, the submarine would return to its previous location before returning back to base in Rio de Janeiro.

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b]***Response to satellite attack***[/b]

The three Vaulian satellites that were tasked with initial intelligence gathering managed to transmit several high resolution images of the North African coast prior to the AUP attack. The first of the satellites would be destroyed by a direct impact; the second would be slightly damaged yet still functional. The remaining satellite was moved just enough to avoid the incoming missile. The most of the debris from the destroyed satellite remained in orbit while the remainder burned up on re-entry.

Within an hour of the incident, Vaulian Space Forces readied a new satellite to be launched into orbit. The Space Forces would also place a rocket on standby to launch the new satellite immediately after it was prepared.


[b]***Ground Movements***[/b]

With permission granted to move Vaulian troops through allied nations, additional troop deployments would be made. The 100,000 Vaulian troops and their equipment, which were deployed to Vostokslavia, moved into neighboring German territory as they headed towards the Athenian border. The troops would coordinate their deployment with other allied nations for maximum effectiveness.

At the same time additional a total of 340,000 soldiers and 6,000 tanks would be ordered to deploy to the Athenian border via Tianxia, Vostokslavia and Georgia. The troops and their support equipment would begin deploying in Battalion sized formations and would deploy at key locations within a reasonable distance of the Athenian border. Troops proceeding through Georgia via the Roki Tunnel would have an air defense unit stationed in the area to protect the convoys of tanks using the tunnel.

Once the second phase of troop deployments began, the Vaulian Air and Naval forces would begin their major deployments of the conflict.

[b]***Air Deployments***[/b]

The Vaulian Air Force would begin moving additional aircraft into neighboring allied countries in order to support the air campaign against the AUP. Forty squadrons of aircraft would be fueled and placed on standby for urgent deployment. Fifteen squadrons of F-22s would be ordered to deploy to German territory with a complement of anti-ground and anti-radar munitions. A second contingent of nine squadrons of Tu-160 bombers, one squadron of MiG 31s and ten squadrons of F-22s would be deployed to Georgia and Tianxian controlled Kazakhstan. An additional five squadrons of F-22s would be deployed to Tianxian controlled Saudi Arabia.


[b]***Naval Movements***[/b]

The Vaulian South Siberian Fleet would be ordered to break into two task forces and given their deployment orders. In order to ensure maximum security, the orders would be handed to the Commander of each task force with the requirement that the orders not be opened until the task forces were well underway. The task forces were also instructed not to contact the Naval Command unless it was an absolute emergency.

Task Force Kali would leave port and sail towards Mexico and the Panama Canal. The task force would be ordered to rendezvous with the allied naval fleets after a quick stopover in the Athenian controlled Caribbean islands. Simultaneously the second task force, Task Force Shiva, would sail to the south west along the coast of Tianxia with the intention of meeting with allied fleets off the coast of the Maldives.

The three submarines that left the Vaulian Antarctican Territory (VNS Erinyes, VNS Gigantes, VNS Meliae) would rendezvous at Tianxian controlled Possession island. They would rapidly head towards the Arctican coast. Once within the 2500 km range of the sub launched Tomahawks, each of the subs would launch 10 missiles towards the Confederacy of West Africa. Two of the missiles would be aimed at the Confederacy’s nuclear weapons, while the remainder would target the enemy coastal defenses (OOC: [s]Result will depend upon spyrolls.[/s] Updated: Two successful spyrolls). As soon as the missiles were successfully launched, the subs would withdraw to Possession island.

[b]Task Force Shiva[/b]

BNS Ourumov (AC)

BNS Regulus (Sub)
BNS Zenn
BNS Caledonia
BNS Revolution

BNS Volga (Dest)
BNS Vojvodina
BNS Petrograd
BNS Siberia
VNS Novosibirsk
VNS Varthys
VNS Omsk
VNS Krasnoyarsk

BNS Yekaterina (Btl)
BNS Sofia

BNS Imperator (Frg)
BNS Stalingrad
BNS Faronne
BNS Montenegro
VNS Olympia
VNS Constitution II

VNS Conqueror (Crv)
VNS Law giver
VNS Pious
VNS Exile
VNS Humble
VNS Renown

[b]Task Force Kali[/b]

BNS Natalya (AC)

VNS Nyx (Sub)
VNS Moros
VNS Oneiroi
VNS Nemesis

VNS Kemerevo (Dest)
VNS Belovo
VNS Biysk
VNS Abakan
VNS Achinsk
VNS Lazarovo

BNS Liberty (Btl)
BNS Mikhailov

VNS Excelsior II (Frg)
VNS Oberth
VNS Intrepid
VNS Steamrunner
VNS Yeager
VNS Constellation II

VNS Compassionate (Crv)
VNS Ambition
VNS Wise
VNS Courageous
VNS Indefatigable II
VNS Tyranis

Edited December 28, 2012 by Imperator Azenquor

[jeff744]

In support of The Western Union's ally Tianxia, the Western Union recognizes a state of war with the AUP.

All forces have begun movement to India.

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

Although the Marscurian Siberian ships were still two days from their arrival within gun range of the African shore, the MSS Haipish, a Valpish-Class submarine, surfaced and launched a cruise missile at the capital of the Confederacy of West Africa. This was complimented by a second cruise missile from the MSS Lox, another submarine. These were no ordinary missiles, however, as they didn't carry an explosive warhead. In the place of the normal 2,200 pounds of high explosive were several bundles of pamphlets with messages written on them. Should the missiles make it over the capital, they would explode and scatter the leaflets to the people below to see and hopefully be delivered to government officials. If the missiles were destroyed by counter-measures, the pamphlet compartments were shielded enough that some of the pamphlets will scatter over the place where the missile was destroyed. The pamphlets contained the following message.

[quote]
Government of the Confederacy of West Africa,
The war has turned against you. Your allies continue to fall. Victory is impossible for you now, and all that remains is your surrender and the aftermath. We give you the option to surrender to the forces of Marscurian Siberia. We hold no ill will towards you and only wish to see this conflict ended. We will be far kinder than Tianxia or Athens or any of the other members of the coalition. Your politicians will be protected. You cities will be safe. Your people will not starve, nor will they be abused. Messages can be projected to 107.5 MHz.[/quote]

Edited January 20, 2013 by KaiserMelech Mikhail

[Mara Lithaen]

(Partially nicked from the Suleiman thread)


NORTH:

Extremely unfortunately for the invading Coalition, the Confederacy and her African allies were well prepared for the attack that attempted to sweep in across the border in the PRA. The present majority of the 1^st Marine Combat Group, eight divisions of the Confederacy's finest, leapt into action the second that Hispanic and Athenian forces attempted to gain access to the People’s Republic via the northern protectorate, who were mustering their own troops. In addition, three divisions of mobile missile forces rained hell on targets in the air and on the ground.

Cluster munitions rained down on the advancing attack forces, launched from MLRS units that promptly relocated the second their missile batteries were dry, reloading at their new, equally well-hidden locations among the dunes. Block Bs, Tomahawks, and HLAMs fitted with thermobaric, TBII and cluster-type vehicle-seeking bomblet warheads streaked off, a total of seventeen hundred missiles total launched against the attacking forces, guided by longstanding African air patrols and surveillance drones. As they attempted to cross the nation’s borders – and, indeed, approach the PRA’s Mediterranean seaboard – they would meet a wall of lead and flying missiles, while the ADA units of the First MCG cleared for action and pointed their electronic whiskers skyward.

Fed by Aeon’s tracking stations and their own mobile scan arrays, high-performance ASATs on TELs leapt upward, slashing into space to blot out the invaders eyes all across Africa, with several dozen missiles fired into space per salvo. Where no launcher had the range, an Air Force F/B-22 Block 10 launched an air-launched ASAT towards a target painted for it by AUP sensors.

The wave of German missiles smashed into a wall of anti-air fire, with the Confederacy’s ADA units taking down at least 50% of the attacking missiles (Justification: 5 Missile Defenses), which, while a huge number, was not quite sufficient for “hundreds” of attacking missiles, and a number of missiles got through, smashing into stationary ground stations, causing a short degradation of capabilities in the region before new platforms could be brought online. The SAM sites were among the best protected, due to their deployment near ADA units, and as such suffered a far smaller percentage of losses.

Twelve Prompt Global Strike missiles streaked skywards from their silos deep within the Confederacy's heart, eight of them bearing heavy EMP warheads, four bearing "runway buster" explosives, bound for Arabia. The eight bearing EMP warheads would detonate over major civilian centers to cause mass chaos and force the diversion of some military forces to deal with the aftermath; the four bearing the heavy explosives would target the largest airports in Arabia, the only ones capable of truly handling the masses of troops that the Tianxians' allies would surely be funneling into the area.

SOUTH:

Down south, in Arctica, the situation was even worse for the attackers, as Confederate missile installations began putting up a hail of missiles the second the Persians attempted to enter AUP air-and-seaspace, with S-3, -4 and -500 SAMs joining MGM-140s carrying naval mines, cluster munitions and other sundry nasties that had been upgraded by the AUP to be able to compete with the highly-advanced weapons systems they were built to destroy. .. and they were far from the only thing that lay within that area.

Lieutenant Lyndsea Halkum, Thirty-First Squadron, Confederate Air Force, rushed into the flight prep room, hurrying her suit onto her gangly form as alarms wailed throughout the COMFOR base in Arctica. A similar, ear-splitting, soul-raising klaxon rang out in similar bases across the electronically silent, bustling country, rousing the Second Marine Combat Group to life. She tied back her purple-red hair, stuffing it into a neat ponytail as she snatched up her tracker flight helmet. Across from her, a far shorter woman wearing the collar pips of a brand-spanking new third lieutenant, still on her proving run, did the same.

“Ice, what the hell is this about? I heard we’ve got a few Persians that lost their way, and some Amazons that need a good licking.” Diana Somket asked, her Egyptian-dark hair pulled into a far neater bun than Lyndsea could ever manage on her own.

“Well, Di, you heard right – though I don’t think I want to know how you came about that before I told you.” Lyndsea said pointedly, raising her eyebrow. “Regardless of how you came about that little morsel of info, we need to hit the Ready and figure out what the hell we’re doing.” The short, tanned Egyptian nodded to her, yanking her helmet out of its cubbyhole, and the pair hustled out of the prep room, past a hurried bunch of other pilots doing the same thing they had been.

Lyndsea heard the massed muttering of the air wing long before she ever stepped inside the base ready room, and her eyes still popped out of her head a bit as she looked at the sheer number of people here, not all of them pilots. She led Di to an empty seat in their flight’s row, settling the pair of them in to wait for Colonel Nwembo to give the wing their brief. It didn’t take long.

“I could have given you a long, involved speech, my fellow Confederates – but you and I both know it’s unnecessary. Others will make those speeches, but we? We will do our jobs, and we will do those jobs better than anyone else can. Could ever do. Will ever do, until our children take up the defense of our nation from us. And we will give them one hell of a lot to live up to, today and forever down the road. Without further ado – you all know your ops plans, now let’s go kick these fascists, imperialists and outright Nazis out of our Africa!”

As Ice and Di raced towards the flight line, the shorter of the pair drug a steel tube from the green pocket of her flightsuit, and tossed it up into Ice’s hands. “You almost forgot your victory dance, didn’t you?” Lyndsea ribbed, a cocky smirk on her face.

“Hell no! I had it riiiight here all along!” Di said with an audible sniff, and Lyndsea chuckled as the short Egyptian raced past her to board her Grey Widow. Within five minutes, they were rocketing off the runway to join their brothers and sisters in the skies over Arctica.

The Second Marine Combat Group, comprised of 105,000 troops, over a thousand M1A4 TUSK-MWS main battle tanks, and hundreds of affiliated vehicles such as Apache Longbow-E helicopters and others, was spread out in a few COMFOR bases across the breadth of Arctica and well out of any sea-based missile range the enemy could possibly gain before being met and destroyed by the Aeonic fleet elemets or the Confederacy’s own air forces.

Twenty squadrons were present, sent from the mainland, and all were Grey Widows armed with anti-air and TAMs, with three squadrons of B-1Rs thrown in for good measure, armed with SCALS canisters and ultra-long-ranged air-to-air missiles. AEWC&R units watched the skies, lighting up the transports that attempted to cross into Arctica, and a blaze of missile fire struck out to blot the Globemaster IIIs from the skies.

HAVEN/NAVAL:

Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, the CNS Confederacy and her battlegroup were deployed near Haven, and the approaching Mexican transports and their escorts would be brought under fire by eight squadrons of Naval Aviation’s Grey Widows – there was only one possible outcome to the engagement, and that was death.

The CNS Tarantula, a nuclear attack submarine, was on patrol off the coast of the Confederacy, with a pair of destroyers nearby . The launch of the Mexican missiles alerted the ship and its’ crew, who quickly passed the message to the destroyers, who were already launching C-RAM and other low-altitude interception missiles at the passing missiles – destroying thirteen of the missiles, including the two launched towards the missile silos. Fanning out in a search configuration, the destroyers and submarine proceeded to use pings of active sonar at a rapid repetition to attempt to find the elusive enemy sub.

The BBGN CNS Katze, carrying a full load of a thousand missiles in vertical launch cells, salvoed five hundred StSHAM-3 surface-attack missiles into Hispania from a thousand kilometers out, targeting military bases and radar sites. One hundred of these were pure jammers, causing noise and false targets to pop up on radar screens across their flight path. Three hundred were normal missiles, armed with TBII and thermobaric warheads, as well as target-seeking bomblet warheads programmed for vehicles of all sorts. The remaining hundred were of a special variety, armed with a warhead like the above as well as a special transmitter and sensor package, monitored constantly by a controller in the Confederacy. Their jobs were to analyze enemy ADS deployments as they sped past on their deadly mission. The Surface-to-Surface Hypersonic Attack Missile-3s would use their air-breathing boosters to get within 150 kilometers of their targets, at which point they would ditch the boosters and go into hypersonic attack mode, streaking in at a terminal velocity of between Mach 7 and 8. Once the missiles were launched, the Katze and her battlegroup withdrew back under the defensive umbrella of the Confederacy’s land-based missile defenses in the AUP protectorate.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Mara Lithaen

[Executive Minister]

Tunisian Air and Missile Campaign

The Mediterranean was devoid of African vessels for the same reason that Georgian ships would be in perilous danger. Using data gleaned from the Relocatable OTH Radar (ROTHR) position present at Tamanrasset, as well as UAV intelligence and frontal aviation assets present from the 3rd, 18th and 22nd Rocket Forces and Artillery, several weapons systems would be cued to engage the enemy shipping. From positions further back on the African mainland, 20 TEL mounted anti-ship ballistic missiles would be launched. The bronzed Augoror missiles would be raised by the TELs and flew to engage the enemy shipping, targeting the largest vessels in the Georgian invasion flotilla -incidentally being the most least capable ships in the formation - the armored civilian cruise liners.

Of course, these missiles - having the highest flight profile of all the weapons that would be fired at the Georgians - were projected to have the least amount of success, judging by intelligence estimates of both Athenian and Spanish ground forces in the area, Georgia's own ship-based defenses, as well as European aviation in the vicinity. It was ordered that the missiles would act as the bait in a hastily prepared series of Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD/DEAD).

As the missiles flew, five of the Aeon strategic bomber formations flying over Central Africa would provide fire support in the form of the Providence GAM (3,000 km), and Damnation IAM (1,400 km). These missiles would be chosen not only for their long stand-off ranges and flexibility in the form of sensors, but also for their added utility in having native support for multiple terminal warhead packages. The GAM would be able to split into two separate payloads at terminal distance, while the IAM struck like a Trident with two kinetic submunitions along with the main warhead. Twelve of the two missiles would be fired from each aircraft from underslung pylons and internal rotary launchers for a total of 720 weapons. The 360 GAMs would introduce 720 independently guided warheads to enemy landbased and sea based targets, while the IAM would strike at enemy shipping and concentrated air defenses with 360 main warheads and 720 additional penetrators.

While the GAM and IAM would provide attack vectors against both the Georgian shipping and anti-radiation attacks against enemy platforms that engaged the Augorors fired at the Med, additional combat sorties aimed at firing tree top level, low speed, lower profile cruise missiles would also be added in the mix in order to saturate enemy air defenses and engage enemy formations in and around Firebase Falcon. Firing advanced capability Strategic Long-Range Munition Model 8 (SL-R mod 08) and SL-R mod 09 cruise missiles, another 2 squadrons of fire support bombers would fire a total of 480 of these weapons equipped with anti-radiation and anti-armor homing skeet submunitions. Returning to airbases in Central African locations, the seven bomber squadrons would provide round the clock sorties of the type to loosen the pressure being placed on Falcon from the south.

In order to add additional obvious targets for enemy defenses to engage, several aircraft from the A-1 squadrons assigned to cover Aeon ground forces in Tunisia would fire the Eviscerator air launched anti-ship ballistic missile at ranges of 400 km. Designed to kill carriers, the weapons would drop heavy penetrator warheads on the decks of enemy ships, should they survive, at almost 90 degrees, almost negating the chance for ballistic-based ship defenses to
engage them.

In the case of enemy aviation engaging the bait weapons or any of the other ordinance launched against the North, armed AEWC&R craft providing coverage over the region would wait for enemy launch indicators, working with the 3rd, 18th and 22nd RF&As to engage enemy aircraft from stand-off ranges with the SARAH-37 and SIR-74AC-ER. The rocket forces and artillery would be on stand-by with the Heroic IRAD, Warrior IPAD and Valiant SHORAD missiles, HSAM-II surface to air complex, HSAM-III surface to air complex and the Cronus (S-117, T-280 and NT-280 missiles) surface to air complex. The five squadrons of F-32 Grey Widow and F-23 Black Widow air superiority fighters would provide assistance to allied AEWC&R and would go toe-to-toe with enemy aircraft heading south towards the bombers, A-1's or Aeon ground forces pushing north towards Regean, Hispanic and Athenian troop concentrations.

Flying over the tree tops, the four Strategic Assault Transports would bear down north west of Jarjis, following paths their UAV reconnaissance complements had been deemed free of enemy forces. The SAAT's arrival would coincide with the first elements of the 33rd Armored Infantry Division's contact with Regean and Athenian ground forces near Falcon, which themselves moved under the cover of anti-mine artillery provided by militant engineering platoons as well as the increasing number of anti-air elements provided by the 18th and 22nd RF&A. Volley firing six dorsal mounted Cantor Heavy Anti-ship Missiles each from 120 km at tree-top level, each 300 kg warhead would contain 10 intelligent sensor fuzed submunitions. The submunitions themselves would rain down four infrared homing anti-armor skeets themselves, detonating explosively formed penetrators on enemy tanks, infantry formations and artillery units covering the ruins of the C-117 bridge.

Once the transports beached themselves on the cleared landing area (perhaps violently after being counter attacked by enemy SHORAD units), the battalion-sized group of Elite Cadre shock troops would exit, storming the urban center of Sidi Ash Shammakh. The transports themselves would remain on station, providing fire support in the form of the 140 mm 'Concealable Rocket Launcher System' which would provide both self guided anti-armor, fragmentation and incendiary warheads to rain down upon the enemy, and short ranged anti-PGM and air defense in the form of 30 mm cannon and Spangle SAMs. Far in the vanguard of the Aeon advance, the Elite Cadre forces would be placed in the most perilous danger. With the 33rd Armored Infantry and 2nd Heavy Tank Division still coming from the South, the Elite Cadre would be the first Aeon ground forces to engage the enemy. Elements would begin to enter the built up areas surrounding Falcon and would engage in deadly urban warfare. This campaign would be the first to see the Principality's weaponized Crocuta crocuta utilized in action. The extensively trained and augmented beasts would resemble demons from hell as they and their handlers would engage Athenian and Regean troops in buildings and other close quarters scenarios. Prime targets would be artillery pieces and other logistic targets south and south east of the Regean/Athenian blockade of Falcon.

 

_{OOC: Not
sure where Cent's forces are. He mentioned something about them being
deployed to help Gloval blockade me, so I'm assuming they are near
Gabes, Hassi Jerbi, Northwest of Boughrara, Jebel ech Chambi and Urbem
Rex. If you want to say there else where, we can work out a compromise
in the OOC thread thanks to my liberal use of conditionals in the SAAT's
deployment.}

The 21st and 37th air assault divisions would begin to engage enemy forces in and around Medinine as the spear head of the 33rd Armored Infantry Divisions push north. Engaging enemy troop
and armor fortifications from below the tree line, Ravager and Black Mamba helicopters heavily use their networked warfare capabilities to the utmost to ensure the highest amount of enemy casualties while minimizing the window of opportunity to counter strike. Black Mamba's would elevate themselves from behind cover just enough for their mast mounter millimeter radar and EO/IR Target Acquisition Software Systems (TASS) to quickly scan a hit box over enemy troop formations before scooting back down. Nearby allied gunships would fire their anti-tank missiles from behind cover, using the data provided by the Mambas to allow their fire and forget weapons to rain down on the enemy. Flying at such low altitudes allowed them to use Regean infrastructure as impromptu cover, meaning the only vector that they could be reasonably attack with was the air.

The infantry complements of the 21st and 37th would see themselves deployed to hotzones via Liberator Tilt Rotor assault crafts and Harbinger Assault Transports. These armed and armored air vehicles would provide an initial fire support upon landing, with helicopter assault infantry providing both boots on the ground and field artillery pieces to fire northwards. If no targets were sighted by the division's force reconnaissance elements, they would push northwards in support of the blockade breaking attempt on the East of Falcon.

The 2nd Heavy Tank division would trundle onwards, meeting and surpassing the beleagured 33rd Armored Infantry's advance to provide much needed meat to the otherwise infantry heavy Aeon assault
force heading North.

Of course, this assault force would see a delay of the 33rd Armored Infantry's arrival. The Athenian and Hispanic attack on Tataouine was relatively light, perhaps done to scope out the extent the Aeon controlled the battle space to the south with. Nevertheless, a number of platoons would not make it home following the attack. The low altitude, stand-off missile attack was heavily negated, but not thwarted entirely. Numerous HSAM-II and Throne TELs and TELARs had been engaged by the enemy missile attack - although the active and passive last ditch defenses each vehicle enjoyed worked wonders at increasing their survivability when the anti-PGM and anti-air umbrella failed, there was little a vehicle-mounted hardkill system could do against cruise missile sized warheads. Defenses filtering in, being dropped by LAPES, or covering from the AU protectorate would continue to scan the skies for the imminent Athenian, German and Hispanic regroup.

 

Counter SEAD/DEAD Operations

 

The German drone missiles would prove an exotic foe for the Rocket Forces and Artillery to engage. Aeon commanders didn't know what to make of the slow moving objects once they crossed into the point where their DRFM signals could be sent back to Aeon receivers as false returns. The volume of the attack was alarming.

 

Cross referencing with both the long ranged ROTHR at Tamenrasset, along with the Gelert radars present with the 3rd, 18th and 22nd RF&A, the 200 subsonic missiles were detected as they crossed the Mediterranean. It would be technically impossible for the DRFM onboard a missile to emulate returns of such high power radars. Amongst other things, the effectiveness of the German simulation attack would end up depending on the power output of the jammer missiles themselves and the chosen radar bandwidth a given German missile wanted to defend against. In order to be effective, German missiles needed to emit enough power in the frequency of the Aeon radar to mask its actual return signal or simulate a fake signal realistically.

 

Indeed, the volume of the German missile attack allowed the missiles to choose between jamming a single Aeon frequency and fooling a number of closely related Aeon systems very realistically, while also ordering other missiles to cover a number of frequencies less effectively. However, by cross referencing returns, Aeon operators began to notice once air defenses began launching SAMs at the targets that some missiles showed up in some bands, while others didn't.

 

Aeon commanders began to fire inertially navigated and semi-active radar homing missiles present as part of the HSAM-II, III and Cronus complexes. These missiles, mixed in with a number of what would ultimately be wasted defensive shots, would switch to anti-radiation seeking warheads as a terminal seeking mode. These missiles would be the ones to strike their targets.

 

Once the drone missiles had closed in to ultimately shorter range tactical and strategic SAMs would be ordered to fire on other emerging threats. It would be the Valiant SHORAD system, in conjunction with the Spangle-I and II systems and their EO/IR seekers to kill remaining drones at 10, 12 and 80 km. Unless the drones had flares or flickering skins, they would be hit. In particular, the Valiants, low cost missiles designed to be used to win attrition attacks would prove essential in combating the threat.

 

The real threat, the massed enemy anti-radiation attack in the from of Valhalas would prove more serious. With systems taxed with engaging drone targets, and even with the eventual automatic target switching of the Aeon queue system, a number of attacks would be successful.

 

The Laelaps IARMDS system would prove essential in helping the Aeon weather the brunt of the anti-radiation attacks. With the heavily armored Maxis 10x10 TEL units responding with their Garmr Countermeasures Rapid Response Systems and Pulse Doppler radar masts, these units would work as intended to defeat many of the Valhalas and other anti-radiation attacks in conjunction with vehicle and stationary mounted chaff, smoke and laser dazzling units.

 

Once the dedicated missile tracking radars determined a incoming attack vectors of ARM strikes, the many Maxis and other Garmr equipped TEL vehicles would begin firing their point defense attacks. The Sirius hovering rocket - built to similar dimensions as the Valiant to ensure cost effectiveness - would be launched by Garmr units to place the radiation sources in an intercept between the actual radar and incoming missile. Based on technology designed to project false returns of ships to active radar seeking anti-ship missiles, Sirius would simulate a persistent, moving radiation source matching the classification of the actual radar a Valhala or other ARM was tracking.

 

Nevertheless, a large portion of the Short and Tactical ranged search and track radars were hit in the attacks with a high success rate due to the false returns of enemy drone missiles, and tendencies for the Laelaps to defend more important radars further back. These systems would be rendered blind until secondary and tertiary systems were brought online. For now, SHORAD units present with Aeon forces at the front line would need to rely on networked systems still online to deliver radar guided missiles to the air, or depend on short ranged EO/IR missiles on their own.

 

East African Campaigns: Homeland


Fortunately for the Aeon, the cowardly attack on the East African homeland by the Tianxian rocket forces prior to a declaration of war was entirely expected. In addition, the rather cliche tactic of high intensity
saturation attack was one the Principality had stressed its Rocket Forces and Artillery to be prepared for for almost a decade. Indeed, all manners of defenses erected in East Africa would be used to stave off
the attack.

The Nodic Distant Early Network located near the brunt of the enemy attacks would be amongst the first defenses to receive word of the attacks. COMFOR- based defenses would co-ordinate with mobile and stationary elements in a multi-layered defense of the homeland as well in an ironic turn of events for the turbulent East African homeland. Nodes in both the Stategic Command Agency and the expeditionary forces of the Rocket Forces and Artillery present in the strike would quickly assign targets based on shared intelligence from a variety of sensors to an innumerable amount of shooters. Simultaneous launches would be engaged upon differing targets with priority given towards maximum probability of intercept, not location.

Guardian Distant Early Warning radars present at Nyala, El Obeid, Al Dabbah, Jimma and Dadaab would provide overlapping coverage with maximum ranges of 4,200 km (VHF model) and 6,200 km (UHF model) each. These multi-story tall radars would remain on station despite the inevitable enemy attack against them. With the COMFOR- standard the bases used stressing survivability even in the face of overwhelming enemy fire integrated at every possible instance, these radars would be supplemented by a secondary, tertiary and quaternary units - each housed in a metal enclosure that would be capable of being released in record time with the assistance of explosive bolts, shielded against both non and nuclear induced EMP attacks.

Designed for the long distance monitoring of African airspace, the Guardian DEW radars present at each base were designed for the detection and tracking of enemy ballistic missiles, high flying cruise missiles and satellites. They were geared for detecting and tracking a great number of targets consistent with a massive attack. Their roles as decimetric and centimetric high power radars would also provide initial points of interest for networked air search, detect and track radars to find stealthed aircraft and ordinance. Processing to rapidly discriminate between vehicle types, calculate launch and impact points and schedule the necessary data analysis and communications between other sensor systems, the Guardian radars would be instrumental in mounting a focused defense and counter attack. Produing numerous sub-beams to paint an extreme amount of targets, the Guardians would begin co-ordinating with the stationary and TEL/TELAR mounted radars of the Throne, Laelaps, HSAM-II, HSAM-III and Cronus systems present in the homeland, as well as the AN/FPS-124 and AN/FPS-117 radars part of the Nodic Distant Early Warning network and IR/EO secondary seeking modes of the Spangle SHORAD missile family.

 

The Nemesis Over the Horizon-Backscatter (OTH-B) system, with two transmitter and receiver arms 3.4 km long and 100 km apart located at each COMFOR- base, would provide additional cross referencing data for the numerous DEW systems present in the theatre. With both the ability to scan low RCS targets from extensive ranges in a top-down profile as well as detect low flying targets like SEAD/DEAD aircraft and cruise missiles with doppler shift analysis, the Nemesis would prove its worth by supplementing existing systems used in the Aeon defense.

 

A number of flights of the Rampart Low Altitude Attack Sensor System (LAASS) would be present at several strategic locations throughout Aeon held Sudan and Ethiopia. A system originally devised to aid the Nemesis and Centurion systems on COMFOR- bases against low altitude attacks, the LAASS was essentially a long endurance AWACs unit consisting of two aerostats suspending both and x-band fire control radar, 360 degree VHF surveillance radar and tube fired SIR-74AC-ERs. Moored to a mobile communication and processing unit per pair of aerostats, the Rampart would be essential in detecting low altitude attacks as they flew in from Arabia, easing the burden of the heavily taxed AWACs and AEWC&R fleets of the AMC.

With the homefield advantage, and close proximity of the enemy launch sites, each Tianxian weapon would be tracked continuously by a queued sensor and shooter. Once in range, weapons systems belonging to the aforementioned radars, as well as airborne missiles provided by the F-12 Tarantula armed AEWC&R crafts would begin to engage both propulsion vehicles, or objects that separate from them, in the air. The aim of the initial Aeon defense would be to acquire as enemy weapon in the boosting or ascent-stage as possible. With such huge infrared signatures of the boosting ballistic missiles and extensive radar coverage present in East Africa from both ground based and air-based sources, defenses would be fired in order to hit the targets before warheads separated from boosters and counter measures were deployed.

The Tianxian saturation attacks would be managed as networked shooters would simply dump their weapons into the air to be directed by either Data-link, semi-active radar modes or simply flown to target locations via Inertial Navigation Systems before switching to EO/IR terminal seeking modes. As the attacks flew over Aeon airspace, and initial picket defenses were fired and relocated, the Tianxian missile attacks would see more and more attrition the farther they flew into Aeon territory.

The S-117s belonging to the Cronus missile complex would be the longest reaching and first to fire weapons in the defense in depth of East Africa. With maximum target speeds of mach 20, these larger missiles would be fired from purpose built positions belonging to the SCA (Strategic Command Agency) or heavy tracked and wheeled TELs and TELARs belonging to the Nascent Military Command's (Army) Rocket Forces and Artillery. Leaping out at speeds in excess of mach 11, with a maximum target altitude of 185 km, the missiles would use INS and semi-active radar in the midcourse stage before using active radar homing in the terminal stage.

The HSAM-III missile family would be the next responders. While not as flexible in terms of missile speed and range in depth as the HSAM-II complex, the HSAM-III family provided the highest performance estimates against enemy air breathing assets available in the Aeon inventory with a better mix of sensor types, missile maneuverability and kinetic energy afforded by reducing the speed of the missile while keeping similar fuel to the HSAM-II.

Stationary and forward operating HSAM-II complexes would provide the bulk of the Aeon missile response in the form of the entire HSAM-II family of weapons. From ranges of 2.5 km to 200 km these weapons would be located near the bulk of probable Tianxian targets. Thankfully, Tianxian intelligence of the Aeon homeland was quite low, and the HSAM-IIs provided effective defense with their higher speeds and highly effective top-down attack profile when used in conjunction with AWACs and the Rampart LAASS. Everything from INS, SARH, ARH, Track-via-missile (TVM), anti-radiation and home-on jam would be used against the variety of targets present.

 

Once the first ballistic launches were detected, additional Rocket Forces and Artillery Divisions on standby would be activated. Aircraft in the air would be warned of attacks on obvious, stationary targets such as
runways or exposed hangar complexes.

 

The Aeon defenders would simply allow the attacks on the shore facilities located on the Red Sea to go unhindered, as the actually vital facilities further south and south west in allied territory would be far out of range from any attack from Arabia. It was considered a foolish notion even in the days of Nod to base naval assets of any kind on the Red Sea, as it would be a death trap for anyone involved should war break out. These attacks would be completely effective in wiping out any chance of an enemy amphibious attack from across the Red Sea, and would even be aided by shelling from nearby Aeon artillery pieces themselves.

The lack of Tianxian intelligence gathering coupled with the wide-spread proliferation of scoot n' shoot tactics and platforms would render their counter-counter PGM attacks essentially fruitless. Only attacks against widely known and stationary sites would show some semblance of effect. Runways, surface barracks' and stationary radars would be hit in some places. Incidentally, any attempt to engage Aeon command and control would be met with the stiff resistance of decentralization. Indeed, the only centralized positions the Tianxians could hope to know about were in the form of Administrative buildings long since evacuated following the Aeon declaration of war. These buildings, located in densely populated cities throughout Aeon would be hit the hardest, with many civilian casualties and first responder deaths.

With the aircraft already up in the air, suppression attacks against the AMC were quite futile. All aircraft not devoted to sorties in North Africa or aboard Militant Naval Command carrier groups would be scrambled for an imminent counter attack.

 

The air-based attacks from the North would not go unnoticed. Squadrons of F-23 and F-32 air superiority aircraft would work together with AWACs and AEWC&R to maintain a vigilance against air launched SEAD and DEAD attacks against the taxed RF&A forces. With the 3rd through 5th, 11th and 19th RF&A in place to support the attack on Egypt and 16th to 18th on the Sudanese/Ethiopian border, there would be plenty in place to make sure such attacks were not devastating. In particular, the Laelaps IARMDS would prove essential in preserving both the radars and launchers of the RF&A themselves along with the Spangle-I and Spangle-II systems and short ranged component of the HSAM-II complex. Laelaps would detect incoming enemy missiles, firing preliminary strikes against the incoming ordinance with the Warrior and Heroic missiles while also directing friendly HSAM-II and HSAM-III components as well as the Throne AMRADs to engage enemy ordinance in a staggered formation. SCALS equipped 'drone carriers', as AMC personnel would later call the unarmed cargo aircraft would provide an added airborne distributed sensor net in the form of swarms of SEAD-MA-EM ELINT/SIGINT drones. SEAD-MA and SEAD-MA-EM drones would be deployed to saturate the Aeon airspace should Tianxia become emboldened. Electronic warfare drones deployed by the Tianxian airforce would be met with home-on jam and anti-radiation equipped strategic surface to air missiles provided by HSAM-III units. Radars effected by the initial jamming would either hop to other frequencies, chirp their radar pulses to momentarily boost their power or simply utilize side lobe blanking. While the blanking would effectively blind the radar for a moment, it would be able to discern a rough source location of the jamming and either direct one of the aforementioned H-OJ or ARM equipped fire and forget missiles or ask for the aid of an unaffected radar.

 

For those aircraft that were foolish enough to launch attacks by crossing over the border, they would be met with no mercy. With the Russian Tu-160 bomber being nothing close to a stealth aircraft, Aeon Combat Air Patrols of Air Superiority craft would have a field day. Waiting for the bombers to pass the Red Sea, as indicated by allied radars on the ground, the Aeon aircraft would launch long ranged air to air missiles utilizing a mix of semi-active radar homing and inertial navigation to close in on the aircraft before switching to a last ditch terminal EO/IR seeking mode. Crashing in a top down configuration, the stealthy attack would be impossible for the Russians to detect, and the angle of attack of the missiles fired would minimize the chance of being dazzled by chaff or flares.

Space Campaign of Terror

 

Space was the final frontier. It would also be host to one of the most sophisticated forms of warfare the planet had ever seen. Fortunately for the Aeon, it had a taken a number of measures to not be caught flat
footed in the wake of the Lunar Republic's build up of space.

 

The Aeon declaration that no unallied satellite would be allowed to traverse over East Africa without being unhindered still stood. The advent of war did not change that. Unfriendly satellites would continue to be tracked by the Guardian and naval based radar systems as they passed over choice territory, and blindings and jammings still commenced. With the TSI arrayed against it, the Aeon would engage any satellites that repeatedly crossed over friendly territory, using doppler shift and probability analysis to enhance predictions on where enemy satellites were. TEL, silo and air launched ASAT attacks would continue in earnest until the war's conclusion. It would be assumed that the threat of crossing into debris and nature of the war would keep away those that were truly innocent owners of unaffiliated satellites after the first number of sorties had finished. Any nation worth the Aeon's concern would have the capability to track the increase in debris and act accordingly to avoid the threat. Those that did not would be treated as looking for trouble.

 

As for the Aeon's own satellites, the cornerstone of the Aeon's operations to frustrate the TSI's vaunted space superiority would be the Ash Satellite family. These satellites were amongst the first of their kind - designed to be purposefully stealthy in the face of traditional radar-based detection techniques. The entire family of Ash satellites were equipped with a radar/laser deflector. The conical balloon shaped deflector was capable of being made rigid at the satellite's pleasure or on exposure to ultraviolet radiation from typical ground based radars. Once deployed, the cone shaped balloon would steer laser and radar energy off into space, essentially hiding it from view.

 

Ash satellites would thus operate for as long as possible over enemy airspace, activating their deflectors once radar emissions were detected being thrown in their areas. These stealth satellites would prove essential in prolonging the Aeon space presence until replacements and further weaponized satellites were launched into space.

 

The Ash family was capable of explosively ejecting debris to both shield the radar from view or simulate a successful attack on the source satellite to fool enemy ASAT operations into thinking a near miss was a direct hit. Incidentally, in the face of the Tianxian co-orbital threat, Ash satellites would begin operations of offensively utilizing their normally defensive measure to destroy threats in space.

 

Ash-II and Ash-III models were designed around what incidentally was the Tianxian mindset with regards to satellite survivability. The Ash-II was an armored, highly mobile multi-purpose satellite that could change its orbit numerous times, surpassing the capability of its contemporaries. The Ash-III was of a different spin altogether. Comprised of a number of small, co-orbital fragments, the Ash-III was designed to survive with several of its component fragments damaged or destroyed, communicating via laser or fiber optic tether between working components.

 

Older Witness class satellites, which presented themselves in a similar I, II and III pattern, although unequipped with the reflector or debris ejection system would perform similar maneuvers such as frequently altering orbits to frustrate coalition ASAT tactics. If such maneuvers would work for them, it could work for the Aeon.

The Strategic Command Agency, along with numerous defense contractors would quickly work to develop low-cost replacements or inexpensive add-ons to existing terrestrial based stores of satellite replacement units. They would look at energy or laser based solutions to the Star Wars as they unfolded - but were not above strapping a 30mm aircraft cannon and compensation system to a satellite and clearing it for duty. Such wartime R&D was risky, but could ultimately pay off if given time.

Precious orbital infrastructure belonging to Athens and Tianxia would be deliberately targeted by the Aeon SCA. As far as it was concerned, the TSI had waived its rights to utilizing space for any means if it used
those facilities for offensive purposes. Barring the glaringly public space habitats, a number of weaponized Sternbild rockets of Papuan origin would be fired over the course of the war for as long as possible. Targeting MEO satellites previously deemed invulnerable to traditional ASAT techniques as well as the satellite maintenance, refueling and construction facilities belonging to the TSI lingering in high orbit, this attack was aimed at throwing as much debris and submunitions in the wake of the massive kinetic attack the hardened and thoroughly heat resistant Sternbild warhead would deliver upon a strike. The submunitions themselves would be of a form similar to traditional anti-armor, IR seeking cluster bomb skeets the size of claymore mines. The Sternbilds, even as they flew towards their targets, would begin dumping hundreds upon hundreds of these skeets for the duration of the campaign in the vicinity of TSI space infrastructure to prevent the widely proliferated 'space tugs' from doing their duty and repairing the damage.

 

Egypt Campaign

 

With both sides possessing a formidable surface to air capability, it was in the Aeon Crusader's mind that it would be the ground forces that would deliver the day to their respective side. It was the aim of the Aeon to make the TSI fight like men, placing them in a position where they simply could not cope with copping out and lobbing cruise missiles in the direction of the enemy.

 

With a logistic train runningsecurely south, and LAPES flights flying round the clock to deliver ordinance, the Principality could afford to spend more missiles than usual against enemy air breathing assets.

 

F-5s would be magnificent trophies for the Rocket Forces and Artillery operating in the area to claim as kills. As each expendable drone was shot with an expensive air-to-air missile, the missile in question would be bombarded by as many countermeasures the drone had as possible in order to maximize the chance of the F-5 to be detected by waiting missile forces. SEAD-MAs, SEAD-MA-ER and SEAD-MA-EMs would work together with their controllers to achieve better results at detecting the stealthy aircraft - an airborne wild weasel attempt to successfully attack as many F-5s as possible as they engaged Aeon drone craft.

 

The ER-M-51 strikes would be the first hurtle the Divisions crossing into Egypt would face after they overwhelmed the border guards found with Aeon firepower. With systems like the HSAM-II, HSAM-II, Throne, Laelaps, Spangle as well as mobile Thrasher Gun/Missile systems, at least half of the ordinance launched would be intercepted enroute. With the Valiant SHORAD present in the Throne system, missiles were intercepted at jaw droppingly close distances of 10 km. Weapons that survived would crash into their targets with precision. Aeon vehicles equipped to STARS standards would utilize passive systems to jam or divert the ER-M-51's with smoke and flares in the case of IR and EO detection, laser dazzling in the form of laser guided attacks and finally last ditch hard kill systems aimed at stopping ordinance at distances of 50 m.

 

The heaviest of the attack force, the Colossi Super-Heavy tanks and Titan MBTs would use their comprehensive armor and passive deformation designs, as well as the East African inclination to armor the tops of their vehicles more than contemporaries and utilize unmanned turrets where possible to survive a number of the explosively formed penetrators launched from the cluster munitions. Those hit with HDRM warheads would be destroyed however.

 

Lighter vehicles fared much worse. Aeon IFVs, APCs and fast reconnaissance vehicles littered the landscape as charred rubble.

Nevertheless, with curses filling their helmets, the Aeon trundled on. Both the self-propelled artillery provided by the Rocket Forces, along with the air dropped field artillery being placed by the Air Assault Divisions, would begin shelling as they advanced passed the border. Assisted by more launches from the rear guard RF&A, Athenians in the vicinity of the attacks would question themselves to see the shells and submunitions unfurl white parachutes as they descended. With these weapons deploying localized area radar jammers, with each 120mm, 155mm and cruise missile submunition capable of jamming a specific frequency for around 10 km across, these jammers would be used against any Athenian build up encountered. These attacks would serve to isolate pockets of defenders from reporting the attacks themselves, prevent calls for reinforcements and intelligence from being easily sent and act as a deterrent against attempts to frustrate the Aeon advance from behind its lines.

 

 

 

 

-Cent's Indian stuff along with the rest being argued in the OOC thread

-Shammy's attack on Ascension

-Responses done against the TSI in Sulieman, although its already been responded in that thread. Just a copy pasta for the most part however, but there will need to be mesh of the sulieman thread and the Assassination thread in order to make sure i don't canonically have more troops/aircraft etc deployed than i should.

 

These missing parts should be delivered promptly in a part two response together with IC government reactions to the war as it is, following Tanis' approval of my drafts of course.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Executive Minister

[Executive Minister]

Tianxian Invasion of Somalia and Seychelles

 

Using a mix of the OTH-B radars stationed at COMbined FORces Command (COMFOR) bases at Jimma and Dadaab, as well as the repurposed Nodic DEW site stationed at Dire Dawa to establish an initial air coverage over Outer Haven, and relying on the 4th, 14th and 20th Rocket Forces and Artillery Divisions already stationed at the border with the threatened nation, as well as numerous Airborne Early Warning, Control & Response (AEWC&R) crafts patrolling Eastern Aeon, the 26th through 31st Mechanized Infantry, supported by the 8th through 15th Armored Infantry Divisions would began a quick push east to Somalia. While the fast landing craft were not detected just yet, the Aeon infantry would begin the long march to both Mogadishu and Bosaso.

It was imperative that Somalia did not fall into enemy hands - while the Aeon did not know it yet, forces at play had already, or were immediately infilitrating Somalia as the forces rolled in, under the cover of a squadron of AEWC&R scrambled from Adahunat Airbase, as well as three A-1 Krieg Fast Close Air Support craft squadrons following and eventually overtaking them at speeds of Mach 3. Several airborne refueling aircraft would also be deployed from the hardened location. Fighter squadrons patrolling the East would be placed on standby, ready to move east if the enemy presented an airborne threat.

 

With the fall of Arctica, a quick response force would be deployed in the form of several flights of the Ultra-heavy Bestower strategic transport and Indefatiguable-class Strategic Air Assault Transport. The 9th through 11th HALO/HAHO Paratroop divisions would be deployed to Madagascar while the 12th and 13th would fly towards Victoria and Praslin islands of Seychelles. With the Madagascar deployments would be initial elements of the 23rd RF&A division. Combat engineering teams would be dispatched from the paratroops to begin construction of a ROTHR position at Madagascar to make up for the loss of the Arctican command.

Athenian/Hispanic Counter-Attack in North Eastern Africa



Protectorate forces found in the Eastern portions of the Libyan/Algerian zone would be tapped as a stopgap measure aimed at halting the Athenian and Hispanic counter invasion from Western Egypt. Resources from the push from the south of Egypt would be rerouted to the new hotzone, while additional forces from the homeland would be called in as replacements.

To this end, the 13th and 14th Heavy Tank Divisions stationed at the Murzuq, Awbari and Sabha triangle along with units of the 15th Rocket Forces and Artillery Division would move to meet the invaders head on. Fate would have them eventually pushing East to Hun and Waddan. The 26th through 28th Mechanized Infantry and the 10th and 12th Air Assault Divisions making up the protectorate forces of Libya would rally from the Northern proctorate cities of Garyan, Bani Waleed and Mizdah, moving south east with elements of the 10th Rocket Forces and Artillery Division to create a Forward Operating Base at Al Qaddahiya, west of Sirte.

Forward drone and airborne reconaissance would be sent at Corps level, with Black Mambas and drones concentrating their efforts on Sirte for the time being. Five squadrons of a mix of Cormorant and Recluse bombers would be flown in from Tamenrasset to assist at a stand off level once a threat assessment was made. Rapid response and force reconaissance provided by the Mechanized divisions would move to create a sensor picket facing eastwards, prefacing the movement of heavier forces to the region.

From COMFOR- bases El Obeid and Nyala, several divisions belonging to the Armored Infantry would be prepared for an airborne and LAPES parachute deployment over Fada, Faya-Largeau Airbase. Aiming to place themselves in the valley south east of Emi Koussi, they would be backed by the deployment of several Bestower Ultra Heavy Transports bearing the brunt of a Rocket Forces and Artillery detachment. Aimed to hold the narrow pass between mountains that the Athenian push towards central Africa would need to cross, these divisions would hopefully hold the line long enough for the 34th and 35th Heavy Tank Divisions making their way slowly from Sudan. The hasty deployment would be prefaced by an airborne drop of the 14th HALO/HAHO Paradrop Divisions, which would perform the initial preparation duties and force reconnaissance with the 17th Air Assault Division.
 

 

Invasion of Mauritania

If the Athenians and Hispanics flew from the Athenian conclave in North Africa, they would be met with the stationary and mobile surface to air defenses of the multinational protectorate forces in the region. If they sailed, however, an entirely different story would emerge all together.

With the 1st and 2nd Fleets of the Aviatrice within striking distance of Dakar off the coast of Guinea Bisseau, landing crafts would be attacked by both carrier battlegroup's complements of Cormorant and AN-1 Krieg strike crafts. The air superiority complements onboard along with the AEWC&R craft on stage performing patrols would move to establish air dominance over the contested ports.

Four squadrons of AN-1 would fly in at speeds approaching Mach 3, launching the Eviscerator Air Launched Anti-ship Ballistic Missile (AL-AshBM) from 400 km out. A total of 144 of these potent missiles would fly in at both top down and depressed ballistic trajectories in a bid to maximize the number of attack vectors defenders would need to cover. Flying inwards like supersonic dive bombers, the crafts would launch a total of 144 Punisher TAMs.

Cormorant maritime strike bombers would linger back amongst allied shipping and behind airborne patrols to launch standoff attacks coinciding with the daring strikes made by the Kriegs. The squadron of Cormorants would be in the air, each armed with four Trident Air-launched multi-purpose ballistic missiles (ALM-BM) and other stand-off munitions. Starting the staggered and co-ordinated attacks, each Cormorant would release a total of five Providence StrateGic Assault Missiles (GAM) from internal rotary bays. These missiles would fly in from distances of 3,000 km using inertial navigation, only making their stealthy frames known once they switched to active radar homing and focal plane electro-optical detection. Each missile would separate into two independent payloads, doubling the kill potential of the first stealthy strike.

From each aircraft, a total of four Tridents would be fired from roughly 2,000 km out. Fired from underslung, purposefully sheathed disposable pylons, each of the 48 missiles would contain five 200 kg multiple
independently-targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV) targeted for either the enemy shipping in the vicinity of Dakar and Noukachott, or the transport crafts already at port. Each warhead would use a mix of fuzed sensors, to reduce the chances of enemy counter measures being employed successfully. With the MIRVs being designed with the evasion of enemy anti-ballistic missile defense capability in mind, each warhead would sail down towards its target, their single piece, multi-layered heat ablative construction would serve to disperse the energies of enemy laser-based defenses like no missile ever was ever thought possible. A total of 240 of these submunitions would eventually rain down on their collective targets.

Of course, these attacks were hypothetical. Any attempt at sailing to Dakar and Nouchott would need to survive the Aeon submarine forces covering the approach from the opening of the Straight of Gibraltar to the mid atlantic.

These submarines, organized in hunter killer packs in the form of SSN and SSGN units patrolling closest to the Western Saharan protectorate waters would listen to the acoustic signatures of enemy shipping as they made their way down towards Noukachott. In the case of the forces arriving from Cape Verde, a similar presence would be felt. Subs from H&K groups Alpha, Beta and Gamma would provide attacks with the Heavy-sub launched AshM from a range of 290 km using fire and forget modes (active radar and EO/IR). Such attacks would occur with the vessels completely submerged, and each vessel would have its anti-torpedo/de-mining ROV units out in an attempt to preserve their hosts from retaliatory strikes.

Farther back, SSBN and SSBGN units would provide a stand-off anti-ship ballistic missile attack once air elements and AEWC&R craft had positively identified the targets. Launching in
coordination with the air attacks, the Hades SLBM launched for anti-ship duties would be fired. With targeting data provided by allied uplink, these strikes would further hamper and destroy enemy vessels as they contended with the ordinance already being fired, as well a number being directed to any ground forces that would make it to the shores.

The 12th through 16th Mechanized Infantry Divisions stationed in Mauritania would deploy to meet Athenian and Hispanic Invasion forces with their numbers and light armor, deploying drone reconnaissance to aid counter offensive operations against the invasions as a whole. Under the cover of mobile elements of the 7th to 10th RF&A, they would move west to meet the invasion should they survive the numerous forces stationed at sea. In particular, the 16th Mechanized would swing south towards Nzerekore and Faranah with the 10th RF&A on station with SHORAD, tactical and strategic air defenses on the look out for enemy aircraft. The 15th to 17th would begin initial deployments farther East inside former PRA territories to reinforce existing allied bases and begin a push west to aid the 16th Mechanized.

 

Strikes on Ascension

 

The attack on the heavily fortified island of Ascension by Colombia was not unexpected. As a pivotal African position in the Mid-Atlantic, its importance was never expected to be lost on the enemy. Crusader Rhiza, ranking officer of the African Union Security Forces had overseen the construction of Ascension since its acquirement. Plans for the island were as grandiose as they were complicated.

 

From a mix of Guardian, Nemesis and Rampart radar sites located near Green Mountain, Weather post, Red Hill and Devil's Ashpit mountains - with analysis and processing centers buried deep underneath the cuarto of mountains, the incoming missiles would be detected as they streaked towards the island. Using doppler shift analysis upon the chaff dispensing cruise missiles, the weapons would begin to be engaged by a staggered file of surface to air weapons.

 

TEL and TELAR vehicles of armored and unarmored varieties would still be engaged by Columbian attacks, however, despite the cover of stationary defense units. Vehicles targeted by anti-vehicle cluster bomblets would fare better than those that lay in the vicinity of Columbian high explosives however. With standard countermeasures such as flares, smoke, chaff and laser dazzlers, guided weapons launched against these targets would simply be less effective.

 

Stationary targets such as hangars and runways were quite a different stories. Several runways located at the aforementioned mountain facilities were struck and cratered, hampering any friendly air operations from landing at the Island for a time. Port facilities on the west side of Ascension would be devastated despite the deployment of several Throne, Laelaps, HSAM-II, HSAM-III and Spangle-I and -II units throughout the island. Crusader Rhiza herself would allow the attacks to succeed entirely, with batteries only directed to protect themselves from attack. With the ports gone, only those facing Africa would be able to support any enemy amphibious push on Ascension herself.

 

Defensive operations were aimed solely at the bombers' ordinance, as the land based defenses present on the island did not have the range to engage them.

 

Green Mountain (860 m), Weather Post (610 m), Red Hill, Devil's Ashpit and Red Hill (500 m+).



 

[Executive Minister]

What this attack revealed was the need for a proper strike against African radar systems. To this purpo0se an enormous bomber force was assigned 8 B-11 squadrons would be filled with reserves of the Storm Shadow in an extended range setup. Roughly 90% of these missiles were armed with ECM pods and HDRM anti-structure warheads while the final 10% were armed with strictly anti-radiation warheads. As soon as the operation was green lit the bombers moved into safe positions within Athenian space but well within range to strike most of Northern Africa. Once within positions they would await their German counterparts to start abusing one of the likely downsides of the African radar systems, a system so strong becomes an easier target for enemy air forces to strike. In the end a total of 2304 missiles were fired into the AUP protectorates and People’s Republic of Africa at believed radar sites. Even if the ECM pods didn’t fool the defenders they were still going to deal with a serious warhead and if it did the anti-radiation missiles would have a higher chance of success. All in all the defenders would need to make a careful choice on what to do next.

 

Three squadrons of F-7 Toci hit the skies over Spain, with each squadron
being supported by an electronic warfare aircraft. Each Toci was armed
with 8 long-range HDRM anti-radiation, surface-to-ground missiles, which
would be used to destroy radar sites established by AUP forces around
Terre Regis and the protectorate territories. Coordinates for the
missiles would be received from shared intelligence from allied forces
in and around Africa.

OOC: Whoops.

 

Counter SEAD/DEAD Operations Redux

 

 

With the German attack focusing on the 3rd, 18th and 22nd RF&A, the attacks from the west by Spain and Athens threatened to slip in like daggers thrust at the Aeon's vulnerable ribs. The Aeon Integrated Air Defense System (IADS) would also need to engage this attack with its automated queuing system. With help from stationary units present in the Algerian/Libyan protectorates - which were also incidentally targets of this supplementary attack - the cold, uncaring machine mind of the Aeon's networked air defense system would make decisions even the most callous of Aeon Crusader's would be at a loss to make.

 

The Aeon IADS responded to threats, queuing networked shooters to respond to threats sensors detected based on type of incoming ordinance and the best probability of intercept. Aeon AWACs, AEWC&R, Gelert, Maera, Pugio, Rampart, as well as the radar systems of the HSAM-II and HSAM-III complexes would be subject to the full brunt of the attack, as it side stepped the (soon to be crippled thanks to the Germans) short ranged and tactical ground based radar picket present in Tunisia. Numerous stationary and semi-mobile radars would also be threatened in the Algerian/Libyan protectorate. The 2000+ Stormshadows were not undetected by a long shot - but the sheer size of the attack was troubling.

 

The IADS would enact Aeon commanders of TEL and TELAR units on the frontline to expend munitions in defense of primary radar systems - often with little to no regards to their own self preservation. Once all missiles on a launcher and reloads were expended, the unit would be stricken from the list of defensive systems to be protected, essentially destroying the unit in the face of the overwhelming attack. With the Aeon focus on fire and forget networked weapons, these units would simply fire their missiles enmass, allowing semi-active and inertial navigation to take over. The result was an extreme loss of projection ability in the North Western sector and relatively light losses closer to the center of Aeon formations. Furthermore, attacks that overflew the Aeon RF&A expeditionary forces would damage several Algerian and coastal Libyan positions.

 

This attack came from two vectors - a long ranged, low altitude stand-off attack from the Athenians and a long ranged, air launched stand-off attack from the Spanish. Air superiority crafts not in the midst of engaging enemy forces would respond to the Spanish attack by directing energy at nearby warheads to fry guidance systems before being redirected elsewhere to engage the enemy. F-12 AEWC&R crafts would form the brunt of the Aeon response against the Spanish by ripple firing active and semi-active radar guided SARAH-37 and SIR-74AC-ER EO/IR terminally guided missiles enmass.

 

In the end, Aeon air defense would operate at an extremely sub-optimal intermediate range capability. Short ranged defenses would be relegated to strictly EO/IR guidance and networked radars from farther back, while strategic defenses would have less parallel systems to rely on and cross reference with. Quick and tactical response systems would be the hardest hit, with surviving HSAM-II and to a lesser extent HSAM-III systems relying almost solely on networked AWACs and strategic radar systems for guidance, as well as less than optimal passive radar systems.

 

 

 

 

[Executive Minister]

Counter-Offensive Operations

 

 

The 3rd, 18th and 22nd Rocket Forces and Artillery Divisions' drone reconnaissance units would be tasked with finding targets in and around Regea belonging to Athenian imported ground forces. The Georgians had a glimpse of the Divisions' surface-to-surface capability when their fleet was engaged in transit - it was time that Athens experienced the same. With attacks being concentrated on the protectorates south of Regea, the Nascent Military Command found it prudent to begin shooting at Malta and Italy before it was too late.

 

Similar actions would begin on the border with Egypt, with the 3rd through 5th and 11th and 19th RF&A Divisions searching for more sensitive targets in Egypt. A choice bit of info - if the Aeon were fortunate enough to detect it - would be the vast logistical chain needed for the Athenian/Hispanic drive towards central Africa.

 

From formations safe behind remaining air defenses belonging to each Division, components of the Ground Launched Hypersonic Cruise Missile (GLHCM) system would begin to launch weapons over the advancing Aeon forces. Ground launched versions of the Damnation IAM and Providence GAM together with legacy Strategic Long-Range Munition Model 7 (SL-R mod 07), stealthed SL-R mod 08 and high performance SL-R mod 09 would fly from launchers safe in Sudan towards better targets provided by intelligence efforts. Additional salvos of the plentiful short-ranged, tactical ballistic missile belonging to the Augoror artillery complex would also add to the attack.

 

Indeed, if the quickly unfolding precision attacks aimed at Egypt and Athens proper would be a scalpel, the response to the Horde's aggression on the Arabian peninsula would be a blindly swinging sledge hammer. The volleys of hundreds of ballistic and cruise missile based attacks would be responded to in kind. While the Principality had no immediate intelligence assets in position to guide precision targets, measures were being prepared to quickly do so.

 

In the meantime, a high density attack aimed at known and stationary targets on the Arabian peninsula would commence. Counter battery tactics would be used to determine the launch sites of the purely ballistic attacks launched at Aeon ports in the Red Sea, with 30 conventional warheads being delivered via the MRBM component of the Augoror system. Other attacks would be directed at known airfields, both civilian and military, with cratering and mine laying submunitions deployed against runways. Bridges would also be targeted, and known military bases would be attacked. Both the GLHCM and SL-R missile families would take part in this high-lo attack. The 1st, 4th, 12th through 14th and 16th through 18th RF&A would immediately provide the first wave of shoot and scoot attacks. While even more RF&A Divisions were activated to engage in a second strike along with stationary systems based in the Aeon Homeland.

 

 

Public To the World

 

 

 

An emergency broadcast of Aeon Certified News was broadcast to all feeds in African Union held territory, playing on cable, satellite and even emergency broadcast channels. The ACN logo panned out in silence, with none of the fanfare or normal accompanying music.

 

Suddenly, the black and gold emblem vanished, and the image of the Avatar-of-War, Lord Jaran Marxon's face came in full view. Glaring into the camera with his characteristic stern look and grizzled hair, he played ever the part of the figurehead of the Aeon Military - the Ethiopian Lion. The camera would pause with this image before slowly panning backwards. Soon, Marxon's chisled face began to move, and would utter words that many had been waiting to hear.

 

"These are dark times, there is no denying them. Our world has perhaps faced no greater threat then it does today.

 

But I say THIS to our citizenry! WE, ever your servants, will continue to defend your liberty and repel the forces that seek to take it from you!

 

YOUR ministry, remains strong."

 

Soon, a softer, female voice spoke behind him. Bowling slightly, Marxon would be seen closing his eyes, deferring the camera's focus to Minister Corrine Teguse of the African Union Security Council. Standing at attention beside her, Marxon would keep his face in a permanent frown, his massive frame poised in a proud, dignified stance.

 

"This is the meaning, in the phrase of a man East Africa once hailed as our hero, 'Peace through Strength'. Our beloved Princess said that the destiny of man is not measured by material computations. When great forces around us move in the world we learn that we're spirits, not animals.

 

There is something going on that, whether we like it or not, spells duty. You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. You and I have the courage to say to our enemies there IS a price we will NOT pay, there is a point past which they will not advance!"

 

Clasping her hands lightly, she took a step backwards, standing beside the comparatively massive form of Marxon. With Teguse in her characteristic White, Black and Gold AUSF tunic and Marxon in his ornate robes the pair looked formidable.

 

"We have received reports from our allies that several attempts have been made by the TSI to neutralize African nuclear capabilities," Teguse stated a matter-of-factly.

 

"SHOULD these attacks continue," Marxon interjected hotly, "The Prinicipality and her allies will have no choice but to assume that even with their numbers, the Horde and TSI intend to neutralize our second strike capability. We will undoubtedly respond in kind."

 

Teguse pursed her lips, nodding to herself slightly as she placed her clasped hands behind her. "The African community is committed to keeping this conflict conventional. We have had several chances to deploy such weapons and have neglected to do so. To attack our nuclear weapons is a foolish, if unintended sign that enemy forces intend to escalate the conflict to the next level. We have no desire to do so. Our goals at neutralizing the threat to Firebase Falcon with as minimal civilian casualties as possible are still ongoing, especially in the light of the death of Andrea Gloval, the instigator of our response."

 

"Should Athens and her allies continue to act in direct opposition to the containment of the Regean aggression against the African Union and her citizens, this war will continue indefinitely," Marxon said bluntly, "We are not MogCorp, or Arctica. The injustices the Horde and by extension, the TSI with their inability to halt Eastern aggression,  have inflicted on Africa are too numerous to state here. We care not for Tianxia's desire to make up for the 'Century of Humiliation' its nation has suffered in antiquity. We will never forget the outrageous Declaration of Territoriality made out of Samarkand by the Horde - the arrogant presumptions that Africa is to join the other whores that populate that Eastern Empire's ranks is laughable - an unforgivable insult."

 

As if sensing that every word the Avatar spoke would push the world that much farther from peace, Teguse stepped up, once against speaking in her calm, professional manner - as if to soothe Marxon himself.

 

"Indeed, while there have always been... passionate feelings present on both sides of this conflict, we cannot forget the African Union's purpose here. Indeed, the AU was created in light of the Declaration of Territoriality, and has served its purpose in halting that policy. With the fall of several members of the AU, we are humbly reminded that our attentions must turn to the people of Africa itself - the protectorates the AUSF has sworn to shelter and serve. The AU is not a body with which Africa will exert her dominance over anyone. Our immediate priorities following the destruction of forces attacking Firebase Falcon will be securing our citizens and ensuring the sovereignty of everyone involved."

 

"Be warned," Marxon seemed not to care for the careful politics involved, or the work Teguse did to cater to those that followed in the ways of the Princess' message of peace. He was, unbeknownst to all but the Princess' closest, acting much like the old Nodic soldier he was before the Princess enlightened him personally.

 

"Just as you lay waste to our country, we shall lay waste to yours. This is what your greed has brought you."

Edited February 8, 2013 by Executive Minister

[Centurius]

While the African attack against Athens was strong it would need a lot more of these before ir could truly hope to break through the defenses, while some damage was done to military infrastructure on the mainland the multi-tier defense system managed to eliminate most of the threat. Athenian forces in Terre Regius and Aegyptus were ordered to hold their positions but not advance for now, They would only be allowed to engage forces trying to cross beyond the current frontline.
 
Later that day a message was to be sent to Aeon.
 

To whomever it may concern,
 
On behalf of the coalition set up against you and following the tragic death of King Gloval and the collapse of numerous African states I come to you to propose peace talks.  While this war will end eventually otherwise it will be at great cost to both sides, a cost no sane leader should be willing to pay. For this purpose I propose peace talks in Cape Town as it is perhaps the most neutral location in the world right now.

Sincerely,
Her Imperial Highness Ariadne Notaras of Heraclius the Megale Autokrateira of the Athenian Federation and her overseas territories, Queen of Terre Regius, Protector of the Old World, Supreme Commander of the Hellenic Forces, Priestess of the Cult of Athena, Speaker of Zeus, Incarnate of Athena, Heroine of the revolution

[Executive Minister]

OOC: You mentioned that depending on how our interaction following this meeting ends up, your response to my attack would be changed to be more detailed as fitting in a war post. I recommend we create a new thread - i'll do it. However, this does not mean I condone the magicking away of my attacks in a single sentence in any circumstances. Here's hoping our peace talks have fruit or else we're back to square one.