The Enlightened Path

[TheShammySocialist]

As per the orders of the Grand Master, the Guardians of Peace, the foot soldiers of the Order, were sent to all corners of the orders' claimed lands, having planned for some time for this movement with the senior members of the Order. The Guardians of Peace were not only couriers, they were representatives of the Grand Master himself, and worked outside what would eventually become the local magistrates and councilors. They spoke the wishes of the order, and had been incorporated to serve as such, including stamping out what would be the first resistance to the righteous rule of the Order.

 

That was mainly the stongmen and local overlords who had capitalized on the darkness and anarchy that had gathered in the Order's now claimed lands and holdings.

 

It was up to the Guardians, in the small groups of well-coordinated individuals that they were, to either convince these individuals to relinquish their power, or face the rising tide that Dawnbreak would unleash upon them. It was by their actions, and in some cases, their sacrifices of blood, that citizens would be freed, and rise up against those that had oppressed them for so long. Stripping them of their meager belongings or what they toiled so hard to produce, whether it be in services, food, or goods. The local strongmen would begin to fall, as the Guardians moved outwards from Dawnbreak to the farthest reaches of the land.

 

Holdfasts and strongpoints would be destroyed by force or diplomacy, but it was far from one sided; Guardians would be slain, both in battle, or murdered when they arrived as diplomats to deliver the message from Dawnbreak. Some small teams would never be heard from again, their existence erased from the face of the Earth, others would emerge after days without contact with friendly operatives or the Order, bloodied, but defiant and willing to move on. This was a time for heroes, those that proved themselves the best would ensure their place in the upper echelons of the order when peace was finally established, but at this time, war was all many of them knew.

 

[center][/center]

 

The black and white patch the Guardians wore, with an old-style broadsword and eagle's head became a symbol of fear to any oppressor who would seek to stand against the Order, the Guardians of Peace were anything but peaceful. In the case of the strongmen and their followers, they were doom incarnate, and to the people who they freed, they were givers of life, dreams that had come to reality. Dawnbreak had spoken, and no one would be left in the darkness in the claimed lands. The tide was growing, and it was continually rising against the oppressors.

[TheShammySocialist]

As the Guardians of the Order spread throughout the land to initiate the bloodletting of those that would seek to undermine the ideals of, or outwardly resist the Grand Order, the Enlightened Council of the Grand Order would be chosen by the Grand Master at Dawnbreak. From there on out, work commenced on building a new social order, whilst the Guardians tore down the vestiges of the anarchical system that had entrenched itself throughout the land. The people would be given a voice again, through the Chosen Speakers that would be chosen from communities or metropolitan boroughs, once the country was "cleansed" of the strongmen and overlords.

 

These Chosen Speakers would be intellectuals or prominent community members that were of good moral fiber and character, and understood the meaning of public service to their constituents. Candidacy for Speaker was strict, but for good reason; one could easily abuse such power for their own ends, and for the Grand Master, and the other members of the Enlightened Council, this was unacceptable. These Chosen Speakers would sit as members of the Enlightened Council, and provide the leaders at Dawnbreak with critical information that was vital to their districts' needs and desires, or so it was planned to be this way. There was much to develop in the wake of the great cleansing that was going about the countryside, and the Grand Order had only begun.

 

Guardians were not the only ones scouring the countryside for the enemies of the state, Trusted Surveyors were also scouting about the land, having spread outwards from Dawnbreak to assess infrastructure, socioeconomic conditions, census statistics, health concerns. Much of this work being done clandestinely, as the cleansing was going on, in some areas, where the strongmen held some sway, agents of the Order were not safe. But the risk was deemed worthy of ignorance, at least to the point that Surveyors operated in a clandestine manner, gathering information to filter back to the capital.

 

This information would be sifted through, pored over by both the Enlightened Council, as well as their advisors and staff, the latter of whom had developed a relatively unconventional way of going about their planning boards. Instead of poring over charts and scribbled notes within the halls of the Dawnbreak governance quarters, many staffers chose to hold their meetings informally, at one anothers' houses. Armed with statistics and write ups from the Trusted Surveyors, the men and women who would build the Grand Order, would do so whilst wearing sweatpants or pajama bottoms, sipping casually on wine, and developing functional and fluid plans and provisions for developing the state, outwards from Dawnbreak.

 

Like the Salonierres of Paris in the 18th Century, these individuals, wearing much less formal attire, would be the driving force behind what would build the Grand Order into what it was going to become.

 

 

 

One of the many informal meetings undertaken by junior Order staffers as the Grand Order began to formulate its societal structure.

Edited November 9, 2014 by TheShammySocialist

[TheShammySocialist]

Within weeks of the Order's declaration of intent, and after a long series of battles that bloodied the Order's disciplined Guardians of Peace, Dawnbreak had been able to further its control over several provinces of the newly founded nation. Local strongmen and overlords had been defeated and their strongholds burned or taken over by Guardians for their own uses. Their weaponry that was captured from these holdfasts would be dispersed to local militia that was loyal to the Guardians, many of whom now followed the latter into battle to liberate other areas of the nation. As the Guardians put it to them, there was time to rebuild homes and lives after the country had been cleansed, and that time was not now. The point stuck, and Dawnbreak's couriers of hope now could muster irregular forces that number in the tens of thousands.

 

These numbers would be needed for the final vestiges of the campaign, that would see the Guardians and their allies moving against the largest and most dangerous of overlords that held strongpoints at a number of key locations throughout the nation. This included the strategically important port of Punta Arenas, where an overlord by the name of Ricardo de Azziano held sway over a citadel that had been built astride the port and near the city center. Several other strongholds existing in the highlands, as well as the Andes, which would be difficult to approach without proper strategic maneuvering and especially equipment.

 

These last bastions of resistance were not positions to be trifled with, especially by the lightly armed Guardians and their militia, which had limited heavy weapon support, and little to no aerial support from the very limited Aerial Corps. These locales could boast some sophisticated weaponry, including small amounts of artillery, mortars, anti-aircraft weaponry, including autocannons and missile defenses. These strongmen had grown to prominence through their ruthlessness, and sometimes charisma, and their followers weren't likely to break easily, and were even bolstered in numbers by individuals that had escaped from other strongholds. Some of these overlords even had their own armored vehicles, including in a few instances, tanks that could easily match what the Guardians could deploy for heavy vehicles.

 

What the Guardians could count on was their disciplined spirit, and their loyal following that had taken up arms, many of whom were quite willing to lay down their lives in the service of their new orderly state. Many of these irregular forces had known nothing but despair, but the Guardians promised change, and it was up to them to enact that change, and when given that chance, they were quite ready to show the agents of the Order that they were willing to do anything to make that dream possible. When the Guardians and their allies marched on these last strongholds, bristling with heavy armaments and individual hell-bent on preserving the old order, their morale and motivation would be defining factors in the last struggles.

 

 

 

 

 

Heavily armed Guardians in the Southern Reach, operating close to the city Punta Arenas, also known to the government as 'Antarctic Dawn'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fledgling Enlightened Naval Forces commit one of their few assets, the missile-gunboat Lancer, to the fray close to Punta Arenas, in support of Guardians and their irregular allies.

 

[TheShammySocialist]

With reports filtering in from numerous Trusted Surveyors, who were scouring the country with their teams of aides, as well as receiving some assistance from the local populace. These surveys were but a taste of what was to come for the development of the Grand Order; it would be these reports that formed the basis of the development of infrastructure for the state, including its military. Much was taken into account; population density, existing logistical infrastructure, surrounding socioeconomic conditions, relocation suitability, et cetera.

 

It was on these auspices that the Grand Master and his Enlightened Council, along with their staffers and aides were beginning to form a plan of action to develop the nation from the capitol outwards. Local workers would be hired to begin for state-sponsored projects, whilst private corporations that had begun to form in the wake of the anarchy being cleansed, began submitting their own ideas.

 

Much of the civilian infrastructure planning that was ongoing, was planning new logistical routes, and transportation hubs, that would work in concert with what the Grand Order believed to be the development of the nation. Major logistical hubs, ports and aerial facilities, existing and planned, would be given high priorities to allow for the movement of goods and services about the nation. Railway and major roads, as well as bridges would also be given significant attention, to ensure easy flow of population and goods when the nation's economy began to take steam. The Central Bank of Sol would begin issuing its first loans to private corporations that would be soon engaged in these projects. Additional projects that the Trusted Surveyors were to be surveying for included the placement of government facilities for the outlying district, state universities and polytechnic colleges, as well as municipal fitness and gathering centers.

 

Additional surveying would also lay out plotting for several military facilities, including naval port facilities, air installations, ground forces' installations, and defensive works. Although these would be expanded upon, the plotting of initial facilities, including crucial training grounds and colleges would be a major first step in developing the fledgling Enlightened Forces into a professional first-world fighting force.

[TheShammySocialist]

With the sudden fall of Britain, Illio Rayzio was recalled from his meeting, and the Enlightened Council would immediately move to establish outposts in the South Atlantic Islands that had significance to the nations' interests. A makeshift task force of requisitioned ships and aircraft would make for the Falklands, while chartered Antarctic vessels would close on South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands to put outposts on the ground.

 

For now, these islands would earn a protectorate status under the guidance of Sol, whilst the Grand Order consolidated its home territories.

[TheShammySocialist]

In an official ceremony that was undertaken today in Dawnbreak, the Grand Master, along with several key figures of prominence in government and the military, held an invocation that officially christened the Enlightened Forces as the defenders of the Grand Order. All members of the Enlightened Forces that were present, from all branches, also recited in unison the new mission statement of the Enlightened Forces before the Grand Master.

 

The mission statement would be as follows;

 

"The Guardians of the South, the Enlightened Forces are the protectors of the Grand Order of Sol, who shall defend her from darkness, whether it be from within or without. Her citizens, the weak, the innocent, the interests of the state be protected, at home and abroad, by the proud soldiers, sailors, and airman that stand guard in the exalted light. The Enlightened Forces stand as torchbearers against any night that would extinguish our light.

 

The Enlightened Forces shall stand guard over the lands of the Grand Order, ply her seas, and patrol her skies with diligence to ensure Sol's integrity. It is they who will venture forth into the roaring hell of the Southern Seas to protect any innocent, no matter the darkness pitted against them. It is they who stand between the citizens of Sol and any darkness that would take their freedoms and prosperity from them, and stand with the friends of Sol against any evil done unto them."

 

The ceremony was marked by parades of small amounts of token soldiers, sailors, and airmen, as well as flyovers by the few combat aircraft that the Grand Order currently possessed, and a few armored vehicles. Also included in the parade were Guardians of the Peace, as well as some irregular forces at their command, some of them still sporting bandages from wounds sustained during battle. The Guardians and their allies would lead the parade, as a mark of honor to their continuing sacrifices to secure the sovereignty of the state over all of its claimed regions.

 

The Grand Master spoke at length during a general address to the assembled citizens of Dawnbreak, which was also transmitted across the airwaves of the nation. Much commentary was spent on commending efforts of those who had fought, and those that had fallen in the effort to assert peace and order throughout the land, as well as assurances that the future would be bright. A few comments were also made on the shifts in global politics, and the hope that world peace would continue to be sustained.

 

 

[TheShammySocialist]

As festivities for the invocation of the Enlightened Forces were ongoing in Dawnbreak, in the interior of the nation, another celebration would mark the fall of one of the biggest strongholds held by some of the senior overlords. Overlooking Nauel Huapi Lake, the stronghold of one Manual Nozavares, who fashioned himself with the name 'The Black Baron', would fall to the Guardians of Peace, and their irregular allies after almost a week of fighting. The battle would claim dozens of freedom fights, and a number of Guardians who led them into battle, and many more were wounded before the bloody fighting, some of which was close quarters, was over.

 

The siege of the stronghold, which occupied a well-appointed hilltop overlooking Bariloche, would involve several nighttime sorties against the defensive works, incessant raiding that eventually found a weak point in one side of the stronghold. Using hand grenades, satchel charges, shotguns, and close quarters automatic weapons, the Guardians and their allies had to clear the stronghold room by room. The Black Baron himself would fall in the last hours of the fight, after taking several allied soldiers down with him, when he led a counterattack to attempt a last desperate drive at dislodging the Guardians and the militia from his fort.

 

The counterattack would fail to meet its objectives, and Nozavares would fall whilst leading it, when he turned a corner to find himself face to face with a trio of Guardians who did not hesitate with their trigger fingers. The flag of the Grand Order would fly over the Blackfort at sunrise, signalling a new dawn for the Bariloche region, which the Grand Order could now exert sovereignty over. There were only a few remaining strongholds, one of those being in Punta Arenas, stubbornly held by the overlord who commanded his legions there. A few others existed in the mountains of the west, and would be the final targets of the bloodied Guardians and their ragtag compatriots, who had become a battle-hardened force through weeks of fighting.

 

The fighting was entering a new phase of mopping up the last remaining strongholds, the victory of the Guardians was not a matter of if, but when. And it was that logic that was prompting the Enlightened Council to begin to be able to turn to other domestic and foreign matters, beyond the civil conflagration that had drawn their attention. It was time to start building the state of their dreams, of the dreams of all who they led.

 

[center][/center]

 

[center][i]Victorious Guardians and their irregular compatriots celebrate against a red dawn sky at the Blackfort, above Bariloche.[/i][/center]

[TheShammySocialist]

[b]Public[/b]

 

With maritime conduct being one of the chief modes of logistics to move large amounts of goods and services to and from the Grand Order, the Enlightened Council, with the permission of the Grand Master, have created the Sol Maritime Protection and Safety Administration. The Administration has been slated to take authority over the inland and territorial waters of Sol, as well as the exclusive economic zone, issuing and enforcing regulation for both personal as well as all watercraft associated with economic motives. SMPSA (also known as "Sompsa"), has also the overarching authority over watercraft registration and inspection licenses to private contractors who can inspect vessels and pass or fail based on a stringent battery of tests developed for various classes of watercraft.

 

SMPSA also has overarching jurisdiction over navigational aids and beacons, including lighthouses and the newly-developed Continuous Ground-based Regional Positioning System (CGRPS), which is in development for the Grand Orders' territorial waters. The Administration also governs over the Coastal Protection Guard, which conducts fisheries protection and monitoring, interception and prosecution of illegal activities, and all maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations. SMPSA, and the Coastal Protection Guard, also have close contacts with the Enlightened Forces, which can provide them with assistance for operations that require support.

 

The Coastal Protection Guard has also been given the unenviable task, in conjunction with the Enlightened Naval Forces, of search and rescue operations in the Drake Passage. Future planning states that the Coastal Protection Guard will maintain two high-endurance cutters in the Passage as part of this commitment to maritime safety as well as countering possible illicit maritime crime in the region. It is expected that these cutters will work with the five Antarctic Patrol Vessels that are in development for the Naval Forces.

 

The Coastal Protection Guard, and SMPSA, are currently slated to receive between forty and sixty cutters of all sizes (fast response, medium-endurance, and high endurance), within the next five years. These include for provisions for at least eight of these cutters be of a high-endurance model, giving the Coastal Protection Guard the instruments needed to be able to perform its tasks at a "satisfactory" level.

[TheShammySocialist]

With the Enlightened Forces now officially established, it was the task of the Enlightened Council, through the Quartermasters' Corps to standardize equipment, including firearms, equipment, vehicles, et cetera. The difficulty of logistics without standardization was quite evident during the battles between the regional and local strongmen; the Guardians and their irregular allies had been armed with a variety of firearms, with various calibers and needs. Supply for these weapons had been haphazard at best, and several irregulars had to fight scavenging weapons at many points in a battle. This had made for undue casualties, that many Guardians complained about privately to the Enlightened Council, and would push the Council to ensure that any future conflict would not be conducted in a similar way.

 

After some deliberation amongst top brass in the Land Forces, the Quartermasters' Corps would select the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptive_Combat_Rifle]R1 Assault Rifle[/url], chambered in the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5mm_Grendel]6.5mm Special Intermediate Cartridge (SIC)[/url]. Despite the R1 Assault Rifle being the standard assault rifle for Land Forces' infantry units, National Militia units are expected to be carrying [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMI_Galil]Galil Assault Rifles[/url], chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO standard, for the foreseeable future. Heavy automatic infantry weapons include the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_48_machine_gun]MLG1 LMG[/url] and [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M60_machine_gun#M60E4.2FMk43_Mod_0.2F1]MGPG2 GPMG[/url] within normal infantry squads and platoons. A fully equipped infantry squad should be allotted three machineguns under the most ideal conditions, to ensure the best use of standard infantry tactics taught in AIT.

 

Infantry units are, under certain conditions, allotted with a variety of other weaponry including next generation MANPADS, ATGMs, revolving grenade launchers, and heavy machineguns, such as the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning#M2A1]MG3 HMG[/url]. Designated marksmen rifles are assigned at the squad level, and sniper rifle teams at the company level. Shotguns and close quarters weaponry including submachineguns are assigned under certain conditions. Almost all soldiers are allowed to carry personal defense weaponry, many choosing semi-automatic pistols, or even automatic pistols for close quarters defense.

 

At infantry company levels, the Land Forces can count on artillery support from 81mm Mortars; heavier artillery can be found at higher tables of organization, that include the towed [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G7_howitzer]G1 Howitzer[/url] and the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G5_howitzer]G2 Heavy Howitzer[/url]. Mobile artillery include the self-propelled [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzerhaubitze_2000]SPG1 Hammer of Darkness[/url] and the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M270_Multiple_Launch_Rocket_System]MLRS1 Cyclone[/url], which provide exceptional firepower to hammer adversaries at an arms' reach.

 

To provide armored support, the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stridsvagn_122]Rhino[/url] Main Battle Tank will provide the bulk of the punch in any conventional war with other armored fighting vehicles. These vehicles are modified for the variety of terrains faced by the Land Forces, and have integrated warfighting systems for superb situational awareness, as well as the ability to mount additional armor or remote weapon stations for LIC use. Additionally, mechanized and/or motorized infantry units incorporate [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_Vehicle_90]Viper IFV[/url], and [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patria_AMV]Badger APC[/url] for combat maneuvers and infantry support. These platforms can also play host to anti-aircraft artillery turrets with missile platforms, and integrated short range targeting radar, as well as anti-armor weapon turrets. For tactical air defense, primary systems include the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9K22_Tunguska]Whirlwind[/url] and [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PZA_Loara]Tornado SPAAG[/url]. Several types of SAM systems, including medium and strategic batteries are also available for defense of military formations, as well as strategically important cities and facilities.

 

For army aviation purposes, rotor-wing aircraft for the Land Forces include the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW159_Wildcat]Wildcat[/url] Light Utility Helicopter, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW101]Ironhorse[/url] Medium Utility Helicopter, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_CH-47_Chinook]Chinook[/url] Heavy Transport Helicopter. Air-to-ground close support is provided by [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_AH-64_Apache#AH-64E]Sunlancer[/url] High-Capability (HC) Attack Helicopters.

Edited November 11, 2014 by TheShammySocialist

[TheShammySocialist]

With the Grand Order having consolidated much of its territorial under the sovereign hands of Dawnbreak, the Grand Master and Enlightened Council would issue a private decree that saw consolidation of the Falklands, South Georgia, and the South Sandwich Islands into the nation. Consolidation meant ensuring Sol's sovereignty over the islands, and while many of the islands now had outposts on them, these were far from sure grips, and unacceptable.

 

It was decided that as part of training and conditioning that the Enlightened Land Forces' 1st Heavy Works Regiment, military construction engineers with the heavy equipment to back them up, would be deployed both to the Falklands, as well as South Georgia and some of the outlying islands. Much of this initial foray would be to start preparing sites on the islands, particularly on South Georgia and South Sandwich, for permanent habitation. This included clearing landing zones and setting up artificial harbors at strategic points, and developing infrastructure for eventual permanent bases, clearing old hulks from abandoned whaling stations and establishing buildings that were well suited for the harsh environment.

 

Infrastructure was much more plentiful on the Falklands, and the town of Firebreak (Stanley had been renamed after the landing of Guardians there), already had existing structures and infrastructure. This included a well-appointed airport and harbor, both of which were due to be expanded once elements of the 1st Heavy Works Regiment arrived. Additional work was expected to expand the airport and existing port facilities at Firebreak, and elsewhere in the Falklands. It was envisioned that the Falklands and South Georgia would have permanent military garrisons that could exercise sovereignty, including forays and patrols into the South Sandwich Islands, which would have semi-permanent residences and outposts that would play host to units that were engaged in sovereignty patrols.

 

Additionally, SMPSA has begun posting official fishery and natural resource management legislation on the recently-acquired islets, which officially puts this management firmly in its' jurisdiction. Exploitation of any natural resources, beyond fishing, at this moment, is prohibited, by both private Sol companies, as well as external companies. A system of permits has now been established to ensure that responsible levels of fishing and trawling can take place around the islands, permits that must be filed with SMPSA before exploitation of the existing fisheries.

 

[OOC: Falklands/South Georgia/South Sandwich Islands 1/7]

[TheShammySocialist]

With the officials in Dawnbreak preoccupied with forthcoming elections, that would see Chosen Speakers elected from each district, minus a few that had been placed under martial law due to ongoing combat operations, operations both in the Falklands and South Georgia had begun in earnest. Engineers from the 1st Heavy Works Regiment had arrived in quick fashion after receiving their billeting assignments, with heavy equipment arriving in short order, particularly quickly in the Falklands. With a garrison bivouac situated in Firebreak, which would serve as the base of operations as engineering operations were ongoing throughout the Falklands group, the 1st Heavy Works would begin the establishment of military airports on both islands, on a scope that would allow for even the heaviest of aircraft to be able to operate from such infrastructure.

 

This would coincide with the Naval Forces beginning a survey on long-range radar and radio intercept stations, whilst the Ministry of Science and Technology also evaluated the islands group for space track and control systems, to assist in the command and control of Sol-flagged satellites. Whilst this was ongoing, the Naval Forces also assigned the missile gunboat [i]Hussar[/i] to Firebreak, along with an auxiliary logistics vessel to help enforce the presence of the military in the area. These ships would also serve as training vessels for small-boat offensive and defense operations, along with search and rescue tactics, as well as navigation. The [i]Hussar[/i] would conduct almost daily patrols around the islands with a rotating training crew working with the permanent crew, taking turns with different helmsmen and lead navigators.

 

Despite its inhospitable climate, South Georgia would be taken on by members of the 1st Heavy Works with vigor, as they worked to forge a port out of the remains of Grytviken, and establish a permanent base of operations at the old whaling station. Despite being told by several surveyors, a push by one platoon of the unit would fashion a rough airstrip to the southeast of Grytviken, which had now been renamed to Desolation Harbor. Although the airstrip was far from usable by most aircraft, it would allow for basic STOL aircraft to fly in, in the event of an emergency, as well as bring in parts and supplies should they be required. Within a week of the airstrip being finished, and a harsh squall dumping several inches of snow on the area, the first aircraft would make the relatively dangerous flight to Desolation Harbor.

 

[center][/center]

 

Despite having only small allotments of the regiment for the outlying South Sandwich Group, along with one ship and limited supplies, patrols from the 1st Heavy Works began constructing warming shacks and small patrol bunkers on several islands. Utilizing helicopters from their mother ship, these patrols would determine patrol routes that would be the most easiest to take, and set up these facilities after being airlifted in, usually able to construct such small facilities within a day or two. From there, they would mark the locations with global positioning locators on the military's fledgling navigation system. These small facilities, with supplies that would be stocked on site by logistics personnel, would be important lifelines for future sovereignty foot patrols that would visit various islands in the group.

 

[OOC: Falklands/South Georgia/South Sandwich Islands 2/7]

[TheShammySocialist]

Establishment of the Grand Order in the Falklands has taken another turn, with the residents of Firebreak and across the islands electing their Chosen Speaker to the Enlightened Council. The exalted James Turney would be the victor in a close race between three prominent islanders, with Turney emerging victorious after the first vote counts put him behind. As the Chosen Speaker for the Falklands, he would represent the interests of the islanders in Dawnbreak, and as part of his platform, put transportation and links with the mainland at the top of his agenda, citing both limited nautical and aerial transportation opportunities to the mainland. It was expected that these conditions would improve substantially with Turney spearheading a public awareness effort of the transportation issues the islanders faced.

 

With the election ongoing, construction of military facilities would proceed as planned, expanding existing facilities left behind by the RAF, and the construction of a second large air base. Whilst construction on runways were ongoing, support infrastructure was quickly being brought up to snuff, with shipments of building materials arriving to allow for the construction of maintenance facilities and barracks, as well as the beginnings of aircraft shelters for both maintenance as well as counterintelligence and defensive measures. These facilities would be contemplated by the beginnings of surveys for land forces facilities that would play host to the rotating land force garrison that would protect the islands, as well as provide additional patrols for South Georgia/South Sandwich Archipelago.

 

Work at Desolation Harbor was ongoing as planned, despite several rounds of winter squalls that would dump several inches of snow at a time, and blanket the island over the course of several days. This kept crews busy clearing their work sites of the fluffy white precipitation, as well as the rough air strip, that was seeing a flight coming in at least once every forty-eight hours, carrying supplies or spare parts for equipment in need of maintenance. Over the course of a month, the 1st Heavy Works detachment at Desolation Harbor had been able to piece together a pair of sturdy barracks, two large underground fuel tanks (triple-sealed against environmental contamination), three high-pressure pumped fresh-water wells, and a large maintenance building, along with the airstrip, which utilized a modular container for a command and traffic control station.

 

In the South Sandwich Group, the amphibious vessel Endurance would arrive with elements of the fresh-from-basic-training 2nd Heavy Works Regiment to begin a second phase of work, which included establishing a permanent base on Thule. As one of the locations with suitable access to the ocean, albeit a rough coastline, it would be up to the newly-arrived vessel and her embarked engineers to establish a suitable outpost. The outpost would include barracks, a large workshop and maintenance facility, as well as a hanger for helicopters that could be based at the island. Work would officially begin the day after Endurance arrived, with the authorities in Dawnbreak toasting in absentia the establishment of what was now called Hardship Point; the name stuck for obvious reasons.

 

 

 

 

 

The amphibious vessel Endurance en route to the Southern Thule group, where it will remain on station during establishment of the Hardship Point base of operations.

 

[OOC: Falklands/South Georgia/South Sandwich 3/7]

Edited November 15, 2014 by TheShammySocialist

[TheShammySocialist]

After initial election of Chosen Speakers to the Enlightened Council, there would be an immediate meeting in Dawnbreak, what the Grand Master a "Call to Banners", an action that was to summon all Council members for a meeting. This initial meeting would not only establish introductions between the newly elected Speakers and the High Members of the Council, but also serve as a planning board for the upcoming months. After initial pleasantries and several small addresses by both the Grand Master, as well as High Members of the Council, the meeting would turn almost immediately to business.

 

All members of the Council would be in agreement that continuing consolidation of the Grand Orders' lands would be a top priority; there were still a few existing strongholds to be taken, after Punta Arenas had fallen. The Southern Reach had been secured, at the cost of hundreds of casualties, and it was decided during the council meeting that most existing paramilitary forces following the Guardians would be demobilized, unless their ranks could prove combat effective in the upcoming campaigns. Although bravery and initiative was found in most of the ranks, this did not make up for a lack of combat experience, and several hundred citizens who had taken up arms had been killed or wounded due to overall inexperience. Initially, this had been acceptable; there had been no other choice, but with the rise of the Enlightened Forces, and the winding down of the campaign, the demobilization of militia forces that hadn't been able to build experienced soldiers would be sent home as a measure of precaution to stop unneeded loss.

 

The Council would approve the continued deployment of Enlightened Land Forces for domestic security concerns, to back up Guardians that were now shifting their focus into the western mountains and highlands, where terrain accounted for as much of an obstacle as the scattered overlords did. Once these threats were dealt with, the Enlightened Forces would be stood down as part of the domestic security apparatus, and return their focus to external defense of the state and its interests. The added man- and firepower was expected to contribute heavily, and several Speakers agreed with a point by the Lord of War, Zavelte, that the combat experience would be useful to the newly-raised ranks.

 

Further discussions would include initial government focuses, including a three day session (with short breaks during the day, as well as overnight rest breaks), to discuss basic government issues, chiefly tax codes and infrastructure development. Discussions on tax codes would ensure that the state would begin to be able to fund itself from income and sales taxes, which would begin enforcement shortly after the meeting was in place. These tax levies were far from insufferable, and although there would be some domestic opponents to the raising of taxes, most of the country was content with paying taxes that were far less insufferable than the ones levied by the overlords who had overseen the lands before. Infrastructure developments included major discussions on road and rail construction and existing improvement, as well as airport and seaport expansions and construction. The discussion would also include talks on ferry service to the Falklands, spearheaded by the islands' Speaker, Turney, who pushed hard for the government to improve logistics between the island and the mainland.

 

Social infrastructure discussions included domestic security and safety funding for police and fire services, as well as improvements to existing hospitals. Education discussions would go on for a three hour session, which helped establish a basic curriculum all the way to end of secondary education institutions, setting target goals and allocating funding, as well as talks on early childhood development and education and curriculum for the countries' youngest.

 

Further discussions included closed door sessions on intelligence, both external and internal, as well as external relations. Although notes on funding for intelligence were a closely guarded secret, significant budgetary raises were to be allocated to the Ministry of External Relations, for more embassy staff and additional transportation assets and overseas embassy development.

[TheShammySocialist]

The first challenge to the Enlightened Naval Forces surfaced in the past forty-eight hours, after three cargo vessels transiting the Plate were attacked by small boats near the northern half of the estuary. Although no casualties were reported, some vessels reported into Dawnbreak with superficial damage, some of which included rocket propelled grenade blasts that dented hulls, as well as bullet damage to the superstructure. All reports state the attacks came from what were initially thought to be fishing vessels, only dropping such a disguise when the vessels closed to distance with the smaller vessels. In each case, all ships were ordered to halt and prepare for boarding action, but none heeded the call, and instead moved to slip away.

 

In light of these developments, particularly along the anarchical coast of Uruguay, the Enlightened Naval Forces have begun patrols of the northern Plate to contest the waters to what the government is calling "isolated piracy incidents". It is well known that several strongholds are held along this stretch of coastline, by overlords, as Uruguay was not brought into the fold of Sol when the government declared its sovereignty. Whether these attacks are by followers of these individuals is unclear, but the Naval Forces is not taking any chances, with the deployment of the missile gunboats Cuirassier and Dragoon. These two ships would be supported by naval surveillance aircraft flying from Dawnbreak, which would allow for more territory to be monitored for possible threats.

 

A maritime bulletin has been issued to all domestic and international watercraft traversing the Plate to avoid the northern side of the estuary if possible, and take a more southerly route if attempting to make port in Dawnbreak. When asked about the attempted piracy in a press conference today, Lord of War Zavelte stated that, "Unfortunately we have little information to go on to the intentions of these individuals, but I'm sure that within the next few days, these questions will begin to get answered. We can not, and will not allow both our own sailors, as well as the sailors of other international partners be harried by these individuals, and nor will we stay silent in the wake of these attacks."

 

 

 

Cuirassier and Dragoon leave port in Dawnbreak in the early morning hours, to begin their patrol routes in the northern region of the Plate estuary.

Edited November 15, 2014 by TheShammySocialist

[TheShammySocialist]

In conjunction with the deployment of the 1st Heavy Works Regiment to the Falklands, the Naval Forces have publicly announced the deployment of the recently-trained 3rd Naval Assault Regimental Combat Unit to the islands as the first garrisoned ground force to rotate to the Falklands. Although it is unknown where these forces will bivouac in the islands, some units will be utilizing temporary encampments whilst barrack and support structures are being constructed. Grand Admiral Thommen Thierry stated in the decision by the Enlightened Forces, "Showed our commitment to protect these islands and her citizens as our own, and will provide a training opportunities for these forces to sharpen their skills and get acclimatized to the islands."

 

It was noted that Falklands' District Chosen Speaker James Turney applauded the deployment, and hailed it as a "positive event that will bring additional economic activity to the island, through more military personnel visiting shops and local stores".

 

Work at both Desolation Harbor and Hardship Point was moving along as planned, although slower at the latter, due to continuing rough seas and high winds that were hampering helicopter assistance for construction. Work on constructing a suitable pier and docking apparatus at Desolation Harbor was continuing despite frigid waters and the slow arrival of construction materials, some of which were diverted for work in the Falklands. Whilst waiting for materials, however, the engineering detachment has completed shipbreaking of several beached vessels along the waterfront at the old whaling station, and preparing any recyclable material back to the mainland.

 

With elements of the 2nd Heavy Works Regiment having relieved them, the existing detachment of the 1st Heavy Works Regiment in the South Sandwich Islands have been redeployed to Falklands to join their parent unit. Detachment commander Field Colonel Michel Redrogen jokingly stated that the "rotation back to the Falklands was simply to allow for my boys and girls to thaw out their fingers and toes". The 1st Heavy Works Regiment's deployment to the South Sandwich Islands has been hailed as a success, with dozens of small warming huts built, and emergency supply caches laid, along with patrol location beacon stations set. The 2nd Heavy Works Regiment has reported an initial success in constructing a raised barracks on Thule, and has no plans to rotate home until the job is complete, despite dismal weather conditions.

 

[OOC: Falklands/South Georgia/South Sandwich 4/7]

[TheShammySocialist]

Classified

 

As part of an closed doors meeting of the Enlightened Council, Naval Forces planners were able to unveil a plan that was acceptable to all council members present. There would be provisions for additional auxiliary ships in the future, which would be procured along with combat vessels, but all suggestions by the naval planners, with some exceptions and revisions made, would be voted into future budgetary planning.

 

The Naval Forces' Sol Combat Fleet, that was approved by the Enlightened Council, is as follows;

 

• Five [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Nimitz_%28CVN-68%29]Illustrious-class[/url] Fleet Supercarriers
• Ten [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa-class_battleship]Vengeful-class[/url] Fleet Battleships (OOC: After 1980s Refit)
• Nine [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticonderoga-class_cruiser]City-class[/url] Guided Missile Cruisers (OOC: After late 2000s Refit)
• Sixteen [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atago-class_destroyer]Hero-class[/url] Guided Missile Destroyers
• Ten [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Zeven_Provinci%C3%ABn-class_frigate]Mountain-class[/url] AAW Frigates
• Eighteen [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax-class_frigate]Tribal-class[/url] GP/ASW Frigates
• Eight [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Astute_%28S119%29]Astute-class[/url] Nuclear Attack Submarines
• Twelve [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasp-class_amphibious_assault_ship]Resolve-class[/url] Amphibious Assault Ships
• Twenty-four [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MILGEM_project]Pursuit-class[/url] Heavy Corvettes

Auxiliary vessels will include typical logistics and sealift vessels meant to extend areas of operations well out into the farthest of oceans, whilst also including vessels such as offshore patrol vessels, missile gunboats, mine warfare ships, and other variable support craft for inshore defense and constabulary missions.

Edited November 16, 2014 by TheShammySocialist

[TheShammySocialist]

After more than a year of construction, several key installations had been completed in the Falklands, including two major air bases, as well as a fleet anchorage, and relevant ground force installations installed. All of which would be detailed in a report that was expected at the beginning of the year. The Enlightened Council had also approved of further development of economic infrastructure for the islands, ahead of what was expected to be a major push to develop the surrounding natural resources.

 

[b][OOC: Falklands 5/7][/b]

 

Work at Desolation Harbor was continually ongoing, with the aerial facilities of South Georgia being expanded upon exponentially, the airport could now function in all weather conditions, provided the runways could be cleared fast enough. Heavy snow removal equipment had been shipped to the island and was now available to the garrison when needed during storms that blew in frequently. The airport could also serve all but the largest of aircraft in the air force, having expanded from a rough dirt strip that could handle STOL aircraft only a year before. Work had also begun on developing underground infrastructure within the mountain spine that was featured throughout the island, with extracted earth and rock being utilized for construction materials elsewhere, after being crushed down by a mobile concrete plant that had been erected to serve that purpose.

 

A new jetty system had been erected at Desolation Harbor, and ships could offload vehicles as well as oil and other essential liquid products straight from the ship to storage facilities by way of a ship-to-shore connection pipeline system.

 

Work was still ongoing improving the Hardship Point Base, with helicopter pads having been completed and a large number of the buildings completed. The government was also investigating the possibility of constructing a jetty and large waterbreak to create a small artificial harbor. Such work, however, would be at heavy cost, and the Enlightened Council was still examining other options to pursue.

 

[b][OOC: South Georgia/South Sandwich 5/7][/b]