Operation THUNDERCLAP

[JEDCJT]

[b]CLASSIFIED[/b]

In the privacy of this office in the Adrik Annan Governmental Center in Endor Cuidad, Foreign Minister Mickey Bethesda composed a telegram to the government of Louisiana, asking for assistance and support. As had come to his knowledge and awareness, through the grapevine, some changes had been done to the planned operation to take over Madeira (Operation FUNCHAL) by Fort Farnum. And so he decided to do his part and help out as well.

[quote][font="Courier New"]TO: Michael Croix, Chancellor of Louisiana
FROM: Mickey Bethesda, Foreign Minister

Greetings,

To begin off with, it has come to our attention that Scotland has collapsed, and the Government of J Andres would like to do something about that. Now, until then, we had sent our forces (totalling 80,000 troops, fifteen squadrons of aircrafts, and several ships) to take over the islands of Madeira (in what was codenamed Operation FUNCHAL), but there were changes in plans. We are planning to divert our forces from Madeira to Scotland, particularly in the mainland and Portugal, and would like to request assistance and support from your esteemed Government amd country.

On that note, we are planning to send more troops, aircrafts, and ships over to Scotland. We can work together and coordinate our forces for this particular operation.

With regards,
Mickey Bethesda[/font][/quote]

With finished, Bethesda sent the telegram to Louisiana through a extremely secure channel. He smiled.

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[b]ALSO CLASSIFIED/PUBLIC THROUGH SATELLITES[/b]

The task force nearing the islands of Madeira - only a few hundreds of miles away - suddenly began to divert course. The ships - ranging from aircraft carriers to submarines to destroyers to ATD ships crammed full of troops and equipment - began to change courses as their captains received classified orders from Fort Farnum through secure channels. The pilots of the aircrafts - from fighters to EWAC and AWAC aircrafts - also received new orders from Fort Farnum, setting a new course.

Their new destination? Scotland. Both the mainland and Portugal, to be exact.

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All across mainland J Andres, the Ministry of War and Defense instituted orders for 50,000 troops (the other half that were originally deployed in Catalina) to be deployed to Bermuda, immediately. Moreover, orders were issued to Army commanders and generals in the occupied regions of the Eggman Empire for approximately 50,000 troops to be redeployed from the Eggman Empire to Bermuda. Moreover, another 50,000 troops were called up from the Army Reserve and given deployment orders. A total of 150,000 troops were earmarked to be allayed against Scotland. The troops duly began loading into ATD ships. If this all went according to plans, then a total of 230,000 troops (80,000 already sent + 150,000 planned) would be sent. And this was from J Andres alone.

Not only were a considerate number of soldiers to be sent to Europe, but so was a large part of the Air Force and the Navy, of which would have to be recalled from the Eggman Empire. For this effect, approximately five ships were recalled from the waters of the Eggman Empire and sent to Bermuda. Moreover, about two dozen of ships - from battleships to cruisers - were organized into two CVBGs, consisting of 11 to 12 ships each. Besides, approximately 20 squadrons of aircrafts (fighters, interceptors, and bombers) were to be diverted from the Eggman Empire for deployment to Bermuda against Scotland, totalling 240 aircrafts total). In addition to that, another fifteen squadrons of aircrafts (180 aircrafts) were to be sent from the mainland to Bermuda.

This didnt include the C-17 and C-130 transport aircrafts that were to carry the troops, supplies, and heavy equipment that would be needed to support the operation. In ports all over J Andres, there were a flurry of activity as officials readied scores of ADT ships and EFVs for deployment, loading self-propelled howitzers, Abrams and Panther tanks (of which another 2,000 were to be sent), and equipment of the Control F Joint Expeditionary Force Combat System, into them.

To summerize, a large force of 150,000 soldiers, 2,000 tanks, 24 ships organized in two CVBGs, 35 squadrons of aircrafts (420 aircrafts total), along with ATD ships, EFVs, C-17 and C-130 transport aircrafts, and EWAC and AWAC aircrafts were to be deployed to Europe, namely Scotland, for this operation.

Which was to be known as Operation THUNDERCLAP.

Edited August 9, 2010 by JEDCJT

[Yawoo]

[quote]Classified Response to Micket Bethesda:

The Louisianan Department of War has also noticed the recent collapse of Scotland - as you are no doubt aware, Louisiana has kept a close eye on Scotland for many years now due to the mutual hatred between our two nations. Louisiana will support the invasion of Scotland's territories, but it will take some time for Louisianan forces to gather and deploy to overseas locations in sufficient force for an invasion.

Preliminary estimates puts Louisianan assistance in Operation Thunderclap at 180,000 soldiers with support of artillery, 1000 pieces of armor, twenty-five squadrons of aircraft and four carrier battlegroups.

Best of Regards,

Michael Croix
Chancellor of Louisiana [/quote]

Classified:

Louisiana entered into a state of Defcon 3

Louisianan military personnel in Manitoba (Already geared for the upcoming war against the Blue Heaven rebels) would board transport vessels and make for Port International. Putting Port International's soldiers at 25,000 with a carrier battlegroup. Manitoba would keep 10,000 military personnel to assist Blue Heaven.

Louisiana would take a week to gather an additional 125,000 soldiers and armor for deployment to Greenland where J Andrean bases awaited.

Cuba would deploy a carrier battle group and the Louisianan mainland would deploy an additional two carrier battlegroups to Greenland.

Edited August 10, 2010 by Yawoo

[JEDCJT]

[b]CLASSIFIED[/b]

[quote][font="Courier New"]TO: Michael Croix, Chancellor of Louisiana
FROM: Mickey Bethesda, Foreign Minister

That's fine. We will provide our bases to you, and work together with you. We will mobilize our remaining forces in the Eggman Empire to provide protection for your forces - and to make sure the Eggman Empire doesnt pull anything.

From what the Ministry of War and Defense - Fort Farnum, so to say - I estimate that approximately 150,000 troops, 2,000 tanks, 24 ships [two CVBGs], and 35 squadrons of aircrafts [fighters, interceptors, and bombers], along with transport aircraft and specialized aircrafts, are currently being mobilized and will be sent once readied.

With regards,
Mickey Bethesda[/font][/quote]

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[b]STILL CLASSIFIED[/b]

Soon, Army commanders and generals in the occupied regions of the Eggman Empire received orders from Fort Farnum: prepare their bases for the Louisianans for their arrival. They duly did so, placing their bases in the occupied regions in a state of high alert. The troops, which despite the recent reductions were still sizeable to deal with the Eggmen, further dug in and consolidated their already powerful grip on the portions of the Eggman Empire they controlled.

As the cities and towns under J Andrean control were already under martial law, it didnt take much for the J Andreans to increase troop patrols around strategic locations such as airports, air bases, barracks, etc; checkpoints and security cordons were established all over Nuuk, Avigaat, Isortoq, Kulusuk, and the other two cities. Besides, the soldiers were in their positions at all times, fully alert at all times of the day.

Edited August 10, 2010 by JEDCJT

[JEDCJT]

[b]CLASSIFIED/VISIBLE THROUGH SATELLITES[/b]

In several days and weeks, the Department of War and Defense and its subagencies were busy organizing everything needed to prepare and transport a huge invasion force across the vast Atlantic Ocean. In ports all over J Andres, workers and military personnel worked around the clock, with virtually no respite.

50,000 troops from mainland J Andres had already been transported to Bermuda, to the Darach Military Base, where they had already been loaded into ATD ships and ETVs. Another 50,000 troops were now on their way from the Eggman Empire under protection of the Navy to Bermuda, and were currently arriving in droves. The 50,000 troops raised from the Army Reserve had already been deployed to Bermuda, where they were currently waiting in ATD ships and ETVs, or in C-17 and C-130 transport aircrafts. In short, 100,000 troops were ready for deployment, while another 50,000 were landing and were being loaded into waiting ATD ships and ETVs.

Moreover, the five ships that were recalled from the Eggman Empire had now arrived at the docks of Bermuda. The another 24 ships organized in two CVBGs were ready. At the same time, the first 'wave' of 20 squadrons of fighters, interceptors, and bombers, began arriving at Bermuda, while another 15 squadrons of aircrafts were being prepared (the military planners at Fort Farnum apparently decided to prepare the 'second wave' in mainland J Andres itself, due to the potential overcrowding of Bermuda) in airbases across J Andres. A total of 35 squadrons of aircrafts, totalling 420 aircrafts, would be ready for service soon.

In airbases across J Andres and Bermuda, C-17s and C-130s were already crammed full of troops, supplies, and equipment, and were now currently being refueled for the long trip across the Atlantic. The equipment included but were not limited to self-propelled howitzers, some tanks, and equipment of the Control F Joint Expeditionary Force Combat System (of which the ATD ships would carry too). EWAC and AWAC aircrafts were now ready and would be deployed at a moment's notice; they were to accompany the 'expeditionary force'.

All over J Andres, the missile silos were fully operational and on a state of high alert. Upon receiving orders from Fort Farnum, they were to launch up to a hundred of Starstreak and THAAD missiles, of which each would carry a devastating payload. This would be supplemented by an additional hundred or more missiles from the guided submarines that would accompany the naval armada. Intelligence agencies of the National Cyberwarfare Division, now a part of the MSS, readied to launch a massive cyberwarfare attack against their targets: Norway-Sweden and Tauenas. The personnel of the Division went into configuring and placing their grids and satellites into position.

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Meanwhile, the first task force, that were originally to be deployed against Madeira and of which were diverted at the last minute, continued to cruise through the ocean, heading in the general direction of Portugal. They were getting closer and closer as the hours became days, and days became weeks. The soldiers inside the ATD ships, the crews inside the various Navy ships, and the pilots inside the aircrafts were ready for combat at a moment's notice.

Edited August 10, 2010 by JEDCJT

[Yawoo]

Classified:

Louisianan troops, having been prepared in the mainland have been deployed to J Andrean bases in Greenland. It would take a week for the flotilla of Navy ships, troop transports as well as supply and cargo ships to reach Greenland. Luckily, 1,000 tanks were able to be allocated to the mission and proceeded along with the soldiers to Greenland.

[JEDCJT]

[b]CLASSIFIED/VISIBLE THROUGH SATELLITES[/b]

Everything was now ready. The troops were prepared, clothed, equipped, supplied, and fed. The ships were fully fueled, stocked, and populated with troops/personnel. The aircrafts were also fueled and manned by pilots waiting to take off. All that was needed at this moment was the green light from Fort Farnum. And it was given: Fort Farnum declared that Operation THUNDERCLAP was now underway.

Immediately after receiving affirmative orders from Fort Farnum, the ATD ships and EFV carrying approximately 150,000 troops began to sail from their ports, their moorings disconnecting as the ships began moving. This was followed by the two CVBGs as 24 Navy ships began moving out toward the open Atlantic Ocean. Altogether, the ships passed through several openings in the seawall surrounding Bermuda and headed in the direction of Europe.

At roughly the same time, C-17s and C-130s carrying troops and heavy equipment began lifting off their bases, in both Bermuda and mainland J Andres, followed by EWAC and AWAC aircrafts. 20 squadrons of F-40s, F/A-47s, and F-50s stationed in Bermuda began to lift off into the air. In mainland J Andres itself, 15 squadrons of aircrafts launched off into the air from their bases and flew toward Europe, to join their counterparts from Bermuda. Altogether, 420 aircrafts of the Air Force were now up in the air.

The ships and aircrafts steamed toward Europe at full speed.

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[b]CLASSIFIED[/b]

As soon as the invasion fleet began moving from Bermuda, Foreign Minister Mickey Bethesda sent a telegram to Louisiana:

[quote][font="Courier New"]TO: Michael Croix, Chancellor of Louisiana
FROM: Mickey Bethesda, Foreign Minister

Greetings,

I would like to inform you that our forces, totalling approximately 150,000 troops, 35 squadrons of aircrafts, and 24 ships, have left Bermuda and mainland J Andres, and are now heading toward Europe right now. Our forces will coordinate with your forces, and will work together with you regarding tactics and strategy. On a related note, we are planning to launch, in due time, a cyberwarfare attack against both Tauenas and Norway-Sweden to disrupt their communications and impede their ability to proper mount a counterattack.

Furthermore, I have received confirmation the first task force has reached the waters off Portugal, and that the invasion of Portugal will begin soon.

With regards,
Mickey Bethesda[/font][/quote]
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[b]ALSO CLASSIFIED/VISIBLE THROUGH SATELLITES[/b]

As the troops, ships, and aircrafts left Bermuda onto the Atlantic Ocean, the first 'expeditionary force' (the 80,000 troops originally to be deployed against Madeira) had reached their destination: they were now off the coast of Portugal. It was now time to liberate Portugal.

With that, the invasion of Portugal began. Firstly, the submarines unleashed a swarm of guided, highly explosive conventional missiles toward Portugal; over a hundred of such missiles hurtled toward northern and southern Portugal as well the known locations of Tauenas troops. They were to target enemy troop formations, bases, and installations inside and around the cities of Lisbon and Porto, along with several cities in northern, central and southern Portugal.

At roughly the same time, the F-40s, F/A-47s, and F-50s flew into the skies above Portugal, followed by U-8 bombers. They swarmed over northern, central, and southern Portugal; the fighters and interceptors were to engage and destroy any Tauenas aircrafts they found. The U-8s, under the protection of the fighters and interceptors, began to drop their payloads upon enemy troop formations, bases, and installations across Portugal - especially Lisbon - with the intent of disrupting the Tauenas troops inside the region. They also saturated the Portuguese coast with powerful conventional and incendiary bombs to 'soften' them up for the incoming land invasion. EWAC and AWAC aircrafts alongside the fighters and bombers also went to work; activating their functions, the EWACs and AWACs would ensure that RADAR stations (that is, if they were used by the Tauenas military) and missile sites (that is, assuming they were still functioning) in Portugal were neutralized. They would also ensure that the J Andrean pilots would be always alert to any incoming enemy aircrafts long before they were seen.

The fighters, interceptors, and bombers werent the only aircrafts flying over Portugal; C-17s and C-130s, flying alongside the fighters and interceptors, flew in the direction of Lisbon and Porto, along with several cities. The plan was for the troops inside the transport aircrafts to parachute out and land in Lisbon and Porto; they were to capture and secure any strategic locations within and around these two cities (such as airports, post offices, railway stations, bridges, etc) as to enable the C-17s and C-130s to land and to help the troops to solidify their hold, that is, if they arrived successfully. This would serve the purpose of capturing Lisbon and Porto, or failing that, provide a distraction to the Tauenas troops from the main invading force.

While the missiles were flying and the aircrafts were whizzing about above Portugal, tens of thousands of troops in ATD ships began boarding hovercrafts, bringing in equipment with them; the hovercrafts then would sail toward the Portuguese coast in waves, specifically Lisbon and Porto. The EFVs, already carrying troops, would sail ahead as well. To provide covering fire as to enable the troops to reach the Portuguese coast, several ships of the CVBG - battleship, destroyers, and cruisers - unleashed a vast bombardment, lobbing swarms of shells upon the coast. The battleship, the BB-04 [i]Pious[/i], with her powerful rail guns, easily provided the most powerful and devastating barrage of all, not that the destroyers and cruisers weren't powerful. The troops were to land on the coast of Lisbon and Porto, and move inland to capture both cities. Other port cities such as Figueira da Foz, Portimao, Sintra, and Faro were to be captured as well.

Once these cities were secured, the troops were to move into the interior of Portugal as rapidly as possible, with the assistance of the aircrafts and missiles, and take over the region.

Edited August 13, 2010 by JEDCJT

[Yawoo]

Classified response to J Andres:

Louisianan forces in Port International, Carthage are standing by to assist in the invasion of Portugal. Simply direct our forces to where they are best needed. Our current strength is 25,000 soldiers and a carrier battle group.

Our forces in Greenland will depart and meet with your forces once you give us the word.

- Louisianan Department of War

[JEDCJT]

[quote name='Yawoo' timestamp='1281757349' post='2415325']
Classified response to J Andres:

Louisianan forces in Port International, Carthage are standing by to assist in the invasion of Portugal. Simply direct our forces to where they are best needed. Our current strength is 25,000 soldiers and a carrier battle group.

Our forces in Greenland will depart and meet with your forces once you give us the word.

- Louisianan Department of War
[/quote]

[b]CLASSIFIED RESPONSE TO LOUISIANA:[/b]

You can send your forces at Port International to southern Portugal, mainly in taking over the port cities of Portimao, Faro, and Loule. Our forces will be focused mainly in taking central and northern Portugal, specifically Lisbon and Porto - but some of our troops will land in southern Portugal also.

On a related note, our forces has already left Bermuda and mainland J Andres, and is currently onroute to Europe. They will arrive there soon, and your forces in Greenland may meet us on the way.

Our plan is divided into two parts: the campaign against the Isles of Scilly, off the coast of southwestern England, and the campaign against Southern England itself (of which will be codenamed SEALION). Approximately 40,000 troops will be sent to the Isles of Scilly, while 110,000 troops will be sent to southern England. We would like for you to send your forces to southern England to take part in Operation SEALION. We would also like you to send part of your ships to the entrance of the River Thames in southeastern England; part of our ships will be sent there to make sure no ship enter or leave the Thames river and we would like your assistance and support there.

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[b]CLASSIFIED/VISIBLE THROUGH SATELLITES[/b]

The ATD ships carrying the 150,000 troops, escorted by two CVBGs consisting of 24 ships and protected by 50 squadrons of F-40s, F/A-47s, and F-50s overhead, steamed across the Atlantic Ocean at full speed. Hours and even days passed before their monitors and communications with Fort Farnum notified the ship's captains and the pilots that they were now nearing the British Isles.

As the ships sailed toward the Isles - which could now be seen off in the distance - the military planner in Fort Farnum ordered Operation SEALION - an invasion of the British Isles - to commerce, to be part of the larger Operation THUNDERCLAP. It would be the first time in nearly a millenium that the Isles would be invaded by a foreign power. What the year 1066 had brought for William the Conqueror, the year 2030 will bring the same for Richard Mercton and Michael Croix - that is, if it was successful.

With that in mind, the CVBGs split from each other upon reaching the mouth of the English Channel. The first CVBG, along with several ATD ships and ETVs, sailed toward the Isles of Scilly, located off the coast of southwestern England. Scilly's position overlooked the entrances of the Irish Sea and the English Channel, meaning that if it was captured and secured, it would enable the J Andreans to watch both waterways and to undertake appropriate actions if necessary. Once Scilly was captured, then the troops were to continue on the invasion by landing on the Cornish peninsula and capturing the city of Plymouth. To achieve this, ten squadrons of aircrafts were 'split off' from the main force, flying toward the Isles of Scilly. Approximately 40,000 troops were to partake into the campaign to capture the Isles of Scilly.

The troops in this operation would be classified as Group A.


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The second CVBG steamed headlong into the English Channel, all its ships keeping a wary eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Its objective was to provide naval support for the troops, who were tasked with the capture of the Isle of Wight, located off the coast of southern England (the county of Hampshire, to be exact). The capture of the Isle of Wight would not only give the J Andreans a valuable base in England, but also pave the way to the establishment of a beachhead on the British Isles. This was to be accomplished by crossing the Solent and capturing the nearby cities of Portsmouth and Southampton, with the ultimate objective being London.

Not only were Portsmouth and Southampton to be captured, but so were the coastal cities of Brighton, Dover, and Bexhill, all of them located on the southern coast of England. Once a beachhead was secured, through overwhelming naval and aerial support, the troops were to push northwards from Brighton, Dover, and Bexhill toward London, linking up with their counterparts from Portsmouth and Southampton in the process. They were also to link up with troops advancing up the Cornish peninsula (from Plymouth) and continue on toward the city of Bristol, at the same time as London. At the same time, the C-17s and C-130s, under fighter cover, were to parachute in troops into London and other nearby cities (such as Bristol, Oxford, Rochester, and Cambridge). The paratroopers were to try to capture strategic locations (like airports, bridges, etc). If they failed to achieve their goals of capturing London and other cities, they could at least distract the enemy forces by providing a diversion that would enable the advancing troops to make important gains.

The role of the air force and the navy was fairly simple: provide support to the ground forces. While the troops were to be brought onto the English coast, the ships of the CVBG was to provide a "vast naval bombardment to saturate the coast to eliminate any enemy positions as to enable the troops to advance as smoothly as possible." The F-40s, F/A-47s, and F-50s were to establish air superiority over southern England by engaging and eliminating any Tauenas and/or Norwegian aircrafts they encountered. In turn, the U-8 bombers were to target enemy air bases, hangars, installations, and other locations of strategic value as to cripple the enemy's ability to fight back. Finally, the EWAC and AWAC aircrafts would neutralize any RADAR stations and missile sites (if they functioned) throughout southern England, and alert the pilots to any incoming enemy aircrafts long before they would be seen. The same would go for the operation against the Isles of Scilly. Before we forget, the ships of the CVBG were also to shadow the entrance of the River Thames, in southeastern England, to ensure that no ships were allowed to enter or leave.

As a note, the troops in this operation would be classified as Group B.

This was the general plan, at least to summarize, and over 110,000 troops of Group B would take part in the invasion of southern England, along with 25 squadrons (420 aircrafts) and a CVBG. Next, 40,000 troops of Group A, 10 squadrons (120 aircrafts), and a CVBG would be invading the Isles of Scilly and the Cornish peninsula of southwestern England in turn.

It would begin immediately.

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[b]ALSO CLASSIFIED/VISIBLE THROUGH SATELLITES[/b]

[b]The Isles of Scilly...[/b]

A large fleet of battleship, aircraft carrier, destroyers, submarines, cruisers, frigates as well as ATD ships and EFVs steadily approached toward the Isles of Scilly. As the ships moved to their positions, ten squadrons of fighters and interceptors (F-40s, F/A-47s, and F-50s), and bombers (U-8s) swarmed the skies above the archipalego, most especially the island of St. Marys.

It didnt take long for the CVBG to reach its positions, and soon the submarines unleashed a barrage of conventional missiles at the Isles of Scilly; approximately 50 to 70 missiles were launched that way. While the missiles were heading toward their targets, and while the aircrafts were flying overhead, C-17 and C-130 transport aircrafts flew toward St. Mary's Island, where 5,000 troops were to be deployed to capture the Isles of Scilly Airport located on that island. The other 35,000 troops were to be brought the rest of the islands via hovercrafts launched from the ATD ships, and EFVs. Alongside the other aircrafts, the EWACs and AWACs activated their functions to neutralize any RADAR stations or missile sites that might be on the isles.

Hundreds of troops would be parachuted from the C-17s and C-130s toward the Isles of Scilly Airport, supported in part by the U-8 bombers which saturated the areas surrounding the airport with highly explosive bombs. At the same time, swarms of hovercrafts and EFVs crammed full of troops and equipment sailed rapidly toward not only St. Mary's Island, but also St. Agnes Island, St. Martin's Island, and Tresco. The troops and personnel expected to sustain some casualties from the defenders that were probably stationed on the isles.

[b]Southern England...[/b]

It took a bit longer for the main force to reach their position. While the troops were being parachuted into St. Mary's Island, the CVBG and transport ships continue to sail through the English Channel, some of them passing through the Strait of Dover (taking care not to violate French waters) to reach a position near the mouth of the River Thames. They were given orders to sink any ships attempting to enter or leave the river.

As the CVBG readied itself, the ATD ships unloaded troops and equipment into hovercrafts that would take them through the waters of the Channel; the EFVs, meanwhile, waited in their positions.

Finally, it could begin. To start off with, the submarines fired off over a hundred missiles, some of them aimed at Isle of Wight, some of them at the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton and surrounding areas. Next, the ships of the CVBG unleashed a massive naval bombardment at the shores of the Isle of Wight as well as some nearby shores to soften up potential resistance. In turn, the F-40s, F/A-47s, and F-50s flew above southern England as the U-8s began dropping their payloads upon the Isle of Wight as well as nearby areas. They in particular targeted the city of Newport, located in around the middle of the Isle of Wight, and the port of Ryde, located in the northeastern corner of the isle.

Around the same time, hovercrafts and ETVs carrying hundreds and thousands of soldiers sailed toward the English coast, particularly at the Isle of Wight, even some troops were dispatched to capture and secure the city of Portsmouth. While they were doing so, C-17s and C-130s transport aircrafts flew overhead, heading toward
Newport and Ryde with the intent of unleashing paratroopers to try to capture them, particularly strategic locations like airports, railroad stations, etc. The same went for Portsmouth.

Meanwhile, on the other parts of southern England, the thousands of troops were being launched in hovercrafts and ETVs toward their targets: Brighton, Dover, and Bexhill. The plan of operations regarding these cities were generally the same as the Isle of Wight: the bombers and missiles were to flatten any resistance, the CVBG were to provide covering fire, and the C-17s and C-130s were to deploy paratroopers to try to capture their targets or at least to help pave the way for the advancing troops. In these operations, the EWACs and AWACs would tag along with the fighters and interceptors, where they would proceed to use their capabilities to shut down any RADAR stations or missiles sites, and to keep pilots updated on everything they would need to know.

Fort Farnum would be constantly kept informed of the progress in Operations THUNDERCLAP and SEALION through secure channels. The government of Louisiana would also be informed of this as well.

(OOC: This focuses on England/British Isles. The Portugal part has been done, :3)

[Centurius]

OOC: All within this post and future posts is placed under the rule of common sense, what you wouldn’t know in real life you wont know ic, what you can detect in rl you can detect ic.

IC:

Joint Hellenic Armed Forces Command
France

With news from Imperial Command we would be redeployed to Portugal we knew this was going to be a big war. The entire First Army including my division, the rest of the Second Army that was stationed home. A total of 250,000 soldiers, 2,500 tanks and 2,500 artillery pieces was to be transported through France and Galicia to Portugal for the defense of this sovereign part of Europe.

As the forces were mobilized I looked up to the sky, I had my combat uniform on already. It was expected we would have it relatively easy; the advantage of being the defender and the simple fact the enemy had to travel thousands of miles. The First Air Army of Commander de Vries was ordered to participate in offensive operations too. The same counted for the Second and Fifth Air Armies. Admiral Mitro was ordered to secure both sides of the Straights of Gibraltar and prepare a defensive blockade of Portugal with the Second Fleet. Specific orders had been given for the prevention of engaging the enemy just yet. For now we would await the Americans to make the first mistake. We had read the reports of their attacks on Europe and it hit most of my men where it hurt most. I could see a lust for revenge and payback in their eyes. They wouldn’t get away with this that easy. Messages had been send to our allies that we were preparing to defend Europe and might need to call upon their aid should things go south, but for now we would redeploy and prepare to finally shoot some bullets.

OOC:
[quote]Total deployments:
250,000 Soldiers(including one elite division)
2,500 Tanks of various models and specifications
2,500 artillery pieces “
[url="https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=0AksKCQgbGnnndFREZFlLajVrbjc4UGlYX1YwbmxUZ2c&hl=en&output=html"]The Second Fleet(Excluding Landing Ships but including SUB-3 and SUB-4)[/url][/quote]

Edited August 15, 2010 by Centurius

[Yawoo]

[quote]A Classified Message was sent to the Athenian Federation:

Regards,

Louisiana has noticed a recent large deployment of Federation troops nearing Portugal. As you are no doubt aware, Portugal is the site of an ongoing conflict between Louisiana, J Andres, Taeunas and Norway-Sweden. Should your troops enter Portugal, Louisiana will recognize it as a declaration of war against Louisiana and her ally, J Anders. Naturally, Louisiana would like to avoid conflict with your nation seeing as we share the same peaceful Mediterranean waters and any conflict will no doubt bring great destruction on both of our Mediterranean properties. To that end, Louisiana requests Federation troops keep their distance from Portugal.

Best of Regards,

Gabriel Valcoste,

Vice-Chancellor of Louisiana [/quote]

Classified:

Louisianan troops were prepped for their deployment in Port International. The Louisianan Navy in Port International deployed into the Mediterranean to escort the troop transports. Louisianan vessels would coordinate with their ally, J Andres, as they began their deployment into Portugal. Louisianan troops would arrive in waves, always escorted by the Louisianan Navy, starting with a first shipment of 5,000 troops to southern Portugal.

Classified response to J Andres:

Our forces in Greenland will meet yours when you provide coordinates.

Edited August 15, 2010 by Yawoo

[Subtleknifewielder]

The invasion would, of course, be condemned, if and when Australia learned about it...

OOC: Also Jed, please note some of that land belongs to Zoot now. Inform him, I would, if you, I were.

Edited August 15, 2010 by Subtleknifewielder

[Zoot Zoot]

OOC unfortunatly it doesnt, myself and ITDA have yet to... agree on it.

[JEDCJT]

The invasion of Portugal was going well so far.

As the missiles launched from the submarines wreaked their targets alongside the Portuguese coast, and the CVBG saturated the coast with their overwhelmingly firepower, the troops landed in waves where they proceeded to fight their way inland. They made excellent progress in regards to Lisbon and other nearby cities; the C-17s and C-130s, under fighter protection, airdropped hundreds of paratroopers into strategic locations (such as airports and others). Sustaining some casaulties, the paratroopers nevertheless managed to take over and secure Lisbon's main airport, the Aeroporto de Lisboa (located on the northeastern fringes of the city), as well as post offices, railway stations, and bridges. In several occasions, however, the paratroopers struggled against the defenders, taking heavy casualties (approximately 30 troops were killed and about 180 wounded). But for the most part, the paratroopers succeeded in securing a foothold on Lisbon in preparations for the troops advancing from the coast.

Soon, Lisbon - along with the cities of Sintra, Cascais, and Almada - came under J Andrean military control as thousands of troops entered the city from the west. Huge quantities of supplies and equipment came into the city through its airport. Dozens of Abrams and Panther tanks rumbled through Lisbon's streets, followed by self-propelled howitzers and IFVs. The troops pushed on beyond Lisbon, capturing the nearby city of Torres Vedras in the north, Sebutal in the south, and Benaventa in the east. The J Andreans had established a sizeable beachhead in western Portugal, and they were marching on.

In central and northern Portugal, the troops had a somewhat harder time . To begin off with, the city of Figueira da Foz was captured after hours of fierce fighting, of which dozens of troops were killed, wounded, and captured. They had managed to secure the city's airport, but it was fairly damaged and had to be repaired as fast as possible. Even so, the troops, supported by few Abrams and Panther tanks, set out toward the city of Coimbra, a short distance away. More tanks and self-propelled howitzers would file into Portugal through Figueira da Foz. They were used to help clear the way for the troops to occupy much of central Portugal, which they eventually did.

Porto, on the other hand, was a difficult nut to crack. The troops being parachuted into Porto, as well as they being brought to shore, faced heavy resistance, which might be more heavier were it not for the EWAC and AWAC aircrafts, which neutralized any missile sites and RADAR stations that the enemy might use, and the U-8 bombers, which pounded anything that moved on the ground. Out of the hundreds of troops that were dropped over the skies above Porto, dozens were killed or wounded, but most of them managed to land on the ground and to fight. With assistance from the bombers and the CVBG floating off the coast, the troops fought their way off the beaches, entering Porto itself. At the same time, several C-17s and C-130s dropped troops to capture the Aeroporto Franscisco Sa Cameiro airport, located to the north of Porto. Once the airport was secured, it would be used as a base for the J Andreans to land more troops, supplies, and equipment.

Finally, Porto was captured after a terrible battle lasting several hours. The troops had sustained some heavy casualties (approximately 900 troops were killed, wounded, or captured), but they had succeeded in lengthening the beachhead, which would include not only Porto, but also the neighboring cities of Matosinhos, Maia, Vila Nova de Gaia, and most of Gondomar. Once they consolidated their position in Porto, the troops - supported by tanks, self-propelled howitzers, and IFVs - would continue on eastwards, cruising full-speed toward the Galician border, occupying cities, towns, and villages in fierce fighting that ensued. Once the J Andrean troops and tanks reached the Galician border, they were to stop and consolidate their positions. But until then, Fort Farnum had a plan to deal with an incoming threat (to be explained below).

In the south, Portimao was captured after several hours of fighting, in which the bombers played a large role in wreaking havoc upon the city's defenders. The same went for Faro, which was occupied fairly quickly (especially the Aeroporto de Faro airport, located to the south of the city). Bringing in their Abrams and Panther tanks and self-propelled howitzers, the J Andrean troops continued their advance forward, heading toward the city of Loule. From Portimao, the troops would head in the direction of Lagoa, Silves, and Lagos (the latter as a rearguard action). Soon, much of southern Portugal would be in J Andrean hands. (OOC: I can't speak for Yawoo )

[center]---[/center]
However, as astounding a success the operation in Portugal was, the generals of Fort Farnum soon received troubling reports of a large force heading in the direction of Portugal...through France and Galicia? According to feeds from their military satellites, it appeared that tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of troops was on the way; the same went for what appeared to be hundreds of tanks and artillery pieces. Considering their options, the military planners thus decided to deal with the new threat with overwhelming airpower. A large part of the fighters, interceptors, and bombers were diverted to the northern and northeastern border of Portugal.

The U-8s was to launch a pre-emptive assault upon the large force once it crossed into Portugal through Galicia; they were to hit fast and hard, with overwhelming power. They were to target any large troop formations, tanks, and artillery guns moving across the border between Galicia and Portugal. Precision, highly-explosive bombs - as well as napalm bombs - were to be utilized. At the same time, the fighters and interceptors were to strafe the force, using their powerful, heat-seeking missiles to destroy and scatter them as much as possible. If any aircrafts came, the J Andrean pilots would be ready for them too. Understand, though, the pre-emptive attacks was not to target Galician territory, not at all. They were targeted at the enemy troops, tanks, and vehicles that crossed into Portuguese territory.

The pre-emptive attacks was to come in waves, and part of the CVBG was sent to the waters north of Galicia, in international waters, where they were to open fire upon any aircrafts/ships that brought troops, tanks, and artillery guns. Not only that, but the submarines would be prepared to launch missiles at a moment's notice. Once again, pre-emptive, overwhelming firepower was a must to destroy and/or cripple the oncoming invasion force as much as possible.

[Centurius]

The enemy was expecting the Athenians to move in large groups, the enemy would be mistaken. The initial wave of 50,000 troops would be divided to the fireteam level with each having their own path to enter Portugal, in addition the Hellenic Army Air Mobile Brigades would drop their forces from a different angle, the Athenian homeland. While the message from Louisiana was received no reply would follow, Foreign Affairs had received strict orders not to act in any way or form on dispatches from J. Andres or Louisiana until the Assembly of the People had voted.

[b]Assembly of the People
Athenian Federation[/b]

A lot of force was needed for this meeting to take place, the Assembly was on a recess and while only 70% attendance was needed the importance of the matter motivated Military Police to take in the Assemblymen with some ‘convincing’.

Once the Assembly was filled the Master-At-Arms would lock the door, it would not be opened again until the vote was held and either passed or turned down.

“Assembylmen, Her Imperial Highness the Empress of the Athenian Federation”

It had been a common line from the Speaker of the Assembly lately, with a nod Nikita addressed the Assemblymen.

“Assemblymen, you have been called here today to talk about a matter of great importance to the Federation and the sanctity of this European realm we call home. An enemy force of strangers have taken it to themselves to meddle in the affairs of our Europe. This enemy force of cowards, for they are cowards. Not brave enough to strike Scotland when it was strong, no they waited for it to fall expecting an easy fight. It is therefore that I request you all to vote in favor of this motion. The Hellenic Armed Forces are in Portugal helping the citizens as we speak. I ask you not to vote based on political viewpoints but vote for the children, the women, the innocent of Portugal who can only find pain under control of these corrupt and opportunistic invaders. Europe has not asked for their help and Europe does not need their help”

As usual the entire meeting was aired on all Athenian channels so it was sure to reach the world. In addition all Athenian Embassies would receive a copy of the motion to show at governments as requested. This all to make sure there would be no confusion.

[quote] Motion 98650A – Declaration of Protection over Portugal

By the powers vested into this Assembly at the request of the Magistrate of Defense and with permission from the Empress of the Athenian Federation we, the Assembly of the People, announce the unilateral protection of Portugal while the following circumstances are in effect.

-Portugal is being attacked by a non-European invasion force.
-The people of Portugal are refused control over their own land

It is the will of the people that this motion will act retroactively and grants the decisions made by the Hellenic Armed Forces before this motion sanction and permission from the Assembly of the People.[/quote]
[b]
Skies of Portugal & Galicia [/b]

An assault by air had been expected therefore the Air Force would be the first to enter the battlefield. The Vanguard of the assault would be the First Air Army with support from Fighters from the Second Air Army. A total of 20 Squadrons of F-1s 15 Squadrons of F-65s and 10 Squadrons of F-47s were in the air as the preparations from the Ground deployments were made. Air Commander de Vries, a veteran of every war so far would lead the move herself. Upon entering Portuguese airspace the fighters could see the bombers quite clearly on their radar systems.

“Prepare to take them down, be aware of potentially Stealthed fighter supports, keep distance and shoot to kill. Bombers are priority but stay alive yourself”

Anna looked at the systems in her fighter, she knew if it would get to the worst case scenario she could use the Optical Locator System but that system itself wasn’t a guaranteed hit against a stealthy enemy. In her mind she could a famous piece of music play as she came into reach of a Bomber, die Walküre, the Valkyrie .

“Weapons free”

Anna immediately used her missiles to hit the U-8 at its engines hopefully taking it down. After she had emptied her missile bay she immediately pulled back, the same would happen with every Squadron. All would target the bombers while having back-up to intercept enemy fighters. While the Air Force knew a complete hit and run tactic would not work it was hoped this tactic would keep casualties at a minimum. The aircraft would initially return to allied territory for refueling however should the ground force reach their destinations it would be stationed inside Portugal itself.

[b]Bragança
Free Portugal[/b]

I looked up at the sky, my Division had made the passage into Portugal by now, we had heard the Bombers above and the somewhat relaxing sound of missiles hitting them, however this did not present our force to get hit. The Bombers that got through the Hellenic Hell unleashed upon them would be successful in hitting some troop formations, due to the deployments being different at even the fireteam level however the casualties would be relatively minor. The attacks themselves angered a lot of soldiers though. This destruction of beautiful land, our land. I hated he Germans for how they defended their land but I hated the Americans more for what they did to land that wasn’t even theirs to begin with. By the end of the day around 1,500 Athenians had been killed in the preemptive strike. However we had to go on, due to the highly mobile state of the force and the support from locals as the defensive force the deployments inside Portugal went steady. I ordered the men to divide themselves over what we called Free Portugal, their orders were to dig in and put in any defensive measure against a potential ground offensive. To reaffirm the peaceful intentions of the Athenian pamphlets and radio messages would reach the people, in English and Portuguese. The messages basically said we are here to defend you against American aggression, do not be afraid. The men and women outside are your brothers and sisters here to defend your homes.

I ordered a relatively smaller force of 20,000 Soldiers to support local governments and fight crime should they not have the force to do it. Otherwise the Athenian would avoid meddling in the affairs of locals, the local economy however would see an improvement with soldiers being allowed to visit the cities while off duty. While I allowed my soldiers to have some free time I did tell them the enemy was close and ruthless and we always needed to stay alert. The force of now around 248,000 was spread throughout the frontline. My own division was a bit behind however relatively close to the front. Our first goal was to establish our positions before launching an offensive to liberate the rest of Portugal. I looked up at the map in the center of the command base we had set up in Hotel Lusitania Parque in Guarda. Of course the owner was compensated for the room the base took. It being one of the highest points in Portugal and well within the liberated area gave us quite some safety. Not to forget the presence of several divisions and Air Support that had by now arrived. We had taken quite some land however the enemy had by far the most important areas owning most of the coastline and the important civilian centers. This would make it hard for the bombers to strike the enemy as that would defeat the goal of helping the people. For now however we would await their next move patiently and boy would the Americans have a fierce enemy now.

OOC: Agreed on the folllowing division with Jed;

Red is his side
Blue is mine
Numbers reflect those here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portugal#Administrative_divisions

[img]http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8697/portugaldivision1.png[/img]

Edited August 20, 2010 by Centurius

[The FSM]

Private- at no one in particular

Damn it, why has my lovely neighborhood gone to the dogs so damn fast, Jean said as he listened to reports of the Athenian engagements with J Andres and Louisiana

Edited August 20, 2010 by The Flying Scotsman

[Jordosaur94]

*Private*

The Kaiser was reading through the reports concerning the recent J Andrean invasion of the former Scottish territories "Good God" he muttered. "I can't believe those SOBs are even DOING this, course, if the Reich was their size, I guess we wouldn't mind sticking our noses into Europe's business, either."

"What should we do, Mein Kaiser?" asked Daniel Wilson, one of the Monarch's top advisers

"We do nothing, Daniel, like with Fall Tannebaum and the Franco-German War, and every single damn war before, excluding the Altarian Civil War, of course."

"But Herr Kaiser-" Otto Von Bismark started saying before being interrupted by the Kaiser "No buts, Herr Kanzler! You DO remember that Neutrality Policy we have installed, do you?"

Relenting, the older Chancellor replied "Yes, Mein Kaiser"

"Good!" the Kaiser replied

[JEDCJT]

So the pre-emptive attack failed. Not only had the enemy actually reached and occupied a large portion of Portugal itself, but were actually attacking J Andrean aircrafts, particularly the bombers. Due to the missile attacks, dozens of U-8 bombers were shot down and a few were severely damaged, forcing its crew to parachute out into safety. Unfortunately for them, they would land in the enemy-controlled portion of Portugal.

Nevertheless, the rest of the squadrons of F-40s, F/A-47s, and F-50s (all 35 squadrons) were soon sent against the enemy. Over 400 aircrafts, particularly the fighters and interceptors, swarmed toward their enemy, intent of dealing a powerful blow that would cripple, or at least inflict a huge blow to the enemy. The pilots would be on a sharp lookout for any 'ambushes' as they performed manuevers to get the upperhand over the enemy, launching heat-seeking missiles along the way. The bombers, under fighter protection, proceeded to fly over eastern Portugal, dropping their payloads upon enemy troop concentrations - and trying their best to evade any missile attacks or aircraft attacks.

With only 80,000 soldiers, the J Andrean soldiers were outnumbered, but they hoped that their advanced weaponry and equipment, and experience, would help tilt the balance in their favor. So, in a classified communique, Fort Farnum ordered the transfer of 100,000 soldiers from the occupied regions of the Eggman Empire to western Portugal. This was done as quickly as possible, even though it would take weeks for reinforcements to come. Meanwhile, the J Andreans would have to rely on their skills, determination, and weapons to maintain their position for now.

With much of their troops concentrated around Lisbon, Porto, and central and southern Portugal, the J Andreans moved to deal the enemy the first punch to 'disorient' them. For instance, they sent tens of thousands of troops and hundreds of tanks into Evora District to capture the major city of Evora. To achieve this, approximately 20,000 troops and 300 tanks would move forward from the Santarem and Setubal Districts, while another 15,000 troops and 200 tanks would move northwards from the Beja District. Self-propelled howitzers opened fire as the IFVs carrying troops moved into action. Abrams and Panther tanks rumbled forward in masses, firing off highly-explosive shells as they did so.

At around the same time, in northern Portugal, the J Andreans launched an offensive into the Viseu District, launching a three-pronged attack (northwards from Coimbra District, eastwards from Aveiro District, and southwards from the Porto District) to capture the city of Viseu. While thousands of troops and hundreds of tanks charged into Viseu District, the troops to the north of Porto consolidated their positions, massing up self-propelled howitzers and equipment for an offensive into the north (the Braga and Viana do Castelo Districts). Off the coast of northern Portugal, several ships of the CVBG unleashed a large bombardment of enemy forces in the vicnity of the cities of Braga and Viana do Castelo.

While the guns of the CVBG were lobbing off shells at the enemy, the submarines launched between 70 to 100 conventional missiles at eastern Portugal, to target any enemy troop formations, tanks, military bases, etc. This was to help 'soften up' the opposition and to help the troops to advance.

[center]---[/center]
Behind the frontlines, in cities such as Lisbon and Porto, the J Andreans treated the Portuguese population with respect, generosity, and decency. Asides from imposing a form of martial law ("[i]to protect citizens from the dangers of war[/i]") and evacuating some citizens to more safer areas away from the front, the J Andreans nevertheless left the local administration of government to the Portuguese, albeit with J Andrean supervision. To this effect, a [b]Provisional Government of Portugal (PGP)[/b] was established in Lisbon, where it was given the responsiblity of law enforcement, suppressing anarchy and disorder, and dealing with insurgents.

Despite this, however, the J Andreans found the population to be a bit festive, mainly due to enemy propaganda. To deal with this, they circulated their own pamphlets and issued radio messages around the cities under their control. They disputed the Athenian claim of defending them against 'American aggression', criticizing them for their hypocrisy. "[i]If the Athenians claim they are defending your houses, then why are they sending troops to prolong the war and thus make the destruction of your homes and lives a possiblity?[/i]", one such pamphlet said. "[i]We are here not to destroy your lives or undermine your identity, but to help you rebuild and to become prosperous once again.[/i]" A radio message announced in Lisbon. "[i]In fact, we are doing that right now, and will do much more were it not for the Athenian intervention.[/i]" If the Athenians, supposely your brothers and sisters, are defending your homes, one pamphlet circulated in Porto said, then why are they attacking your homes? In addition, the J Andreans promised to hold elections once the war was over, something "[i]that will not happen under Athenian occupation[/i]". Aware that the Portuguese had not had independence for some time, the PGP was careful not to breach the potentially-sensitive topic of independence, saying that the "[i]Portuguese people will have full rights, liberties, and happiness under the current arrangements of government[/i]".

J Andreans would increasingly come to refer to the parts of Portugal under their control as 'Southwestern Portugal', 'West Portugal', or 'J Andrean Portugal' - even though they rarely used the latter term. Soldiers on the ground would often refer to Portugal as 'Liberated Portugal'.

[center]---[/center]
Through secure channels, the Ministry of War and Defense transmitted a message to Louisiana's government:

[quote][b]CLASSIFIED TO LOUISIANA[/b]

We have come under attack in Portugal from military forces of the Athenian Federation. It seems that by this course of action, they have decided to place the Mediterranean, and in turn Europe, in unnecessary danger. They had interfered in what was otherwise limited conflict, and for that, they will pay for prolonging the war. We are holding our grounds as of now, and we are sending reinforcements from the Eggman Empire to Portugal, for we will not let the Athenian intervention to mess up our plans for Britain.[/quote]

Edited August 20, 2010 by JEDCJT

[Yawoo]

A Second Classified Message was sent to the Athenian Federation:

Regards,

It seems you have not received our first message, I have attached a copy of it to this letter in the hopes that Louisiana and J Andres can reach some sort of agreement with the Athenian Federation to avoid what will be destruction of the peace that the Mediterranean currently has. As it is now, with the Athenian Federation's attacks on Louisiana's ally, J Anders, Louisiana finds itself in a state of war with the Athenian Federation. Out of respect for peace in the Mediterranean Louisiana has yet to attack the Athenian Federation in the hopes that a peace agreement can be met, with this in mind, Louisiana requests the Athenian Federation submit to a cease fire with J Andres before war engulfs the Mediterranean.

[quote]A Classified Message was sent to the Athenian Federation:

Regards,

Louisiana has noticed a recent large deployment of Federation troops nearing Portugal. As you are no doubt aware, Portugal is the site of an ongoing conflict between Louisiana, J Andres, Taeunas and Norway-Sweden. Should your troops enter Portugal, Louisiana will recognize it as a declaration of war against Louisiana and her ally, J Anders. Naturally, Louisiana would like to avoid conflict with your nation seeing as we share the same peaceful Mediterranean waters and any conflict will no doubt bring great destruction on both of our Mediterranean properties. To that end, Louisiana requests Federation troops keep their distance from Portugal.

Best of Regards,

Gabriel Valcoste,

Vice-Chancellor of Louisiana

[/quote]

Your response may be sent to me directly in Port International, Sarnungian Republic.

Best of Regards,

Gabriel Valcoste

Classified:

Louisianan troops were continued to be ferried to behind friendly lines in Southern Portugal. Louisianan troop presence in Southern Portugal grew to 15,000 with another 15,000 in Port International. Always, troops were escorted by the Louisianan Navy which was on high alert.

Classified Message to J Andres:

Louisianan forces in Greenland still await coordinates for the attack on the British Isles. Please, send at once.


OOC: Sorry for the late reply folks, my router decided to crap out on me so I had to purchase a new one after failing to fix the old one.

Edited August 22, 2010 by Yawoo

[Centurius]

OOC: Will reply more in depth later but yeah.

IC

Imperial War Cabinet
The Athenian Federation

As the second message arrived it was now forwarded to the Empress and would now be answered too as there was no need to maintain secrecy anymore. As such Nikita decided to reply and send the message to Port International.

[quote]Your Excellency,

My apologies for not responding sooner however your previous message disappeared in the chain before it arrived at my office. We do not seek war within the Mediterranean either however we can not live with the risk a J. Andres pressence on the mainland amounts to. The Athenian Federation would be willing to withdraw from the existing conflict if J. Andres is willing to withdraw from Portugal.

At the same time I am open to a temporary cease fire in which we could work out an exact agreement in regards to how to end the war. However we would need confirmation from J. Andres they would suspend operations within Portugal too.

Yours sincerely,
Nikita Akhatova[/quote]

[Sargun II]

[quote]From: Port International
To: J Andres, Louisiana, Athens

Body:
[b]The King of the Sarnungian Republic[/b] invites both parties to [i]Port International[/i] to discuss the conflict in conflict in Portugal, more specifically the growing tensions between the North American and European nations that may result in a clash in the Mediterranean or surrounding areas. Security would be provided by the Republic which is neutral in the matter.[/quote]

[Centurius]

The Athenian Federation will send the Magistrate of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Luc Picard, for negotiations.

[Yawoo]

[quote]Your Excellency,

My apologies for not responding sooner however your previous message disappeared in the chain before it arrived at my office. We do not seek war within the Mediterranean either however we can not live with the risk a J. Andres pressence on the mainland amounts to. The Athenian Federation would be willing to withdraw from the existing conflict if J. Andres is willing to withdraw from Portugal.

At the same time I am open to a temporary cease fire in which we could work out an exact agreement in regards to how to end the war. However we would need confirmation from J. Andres they would suspend operations within Portugal too.

Yours sincerely,
Nikita Akhatova[/quote]

Classified Response:

It seems the Sarnungian Republic has offered to be a neutral party to negotiations, I will attend personally and look forward to seeing your delegation there.

Regards,

Gabriel Valcoste

Vice-Chancellor of Louisiana

[quote]From: Port International
To: J Andres, Louisiana, Athens

Body:
The King of the Sarnungian Republic invites both parties to Port International to discuss the conflict in conflict in Portugal, more specifically the growing tensions between the North American and European nations that may result in a clash in the Mediterranean or surrounding areas. Security would be provided by the Republic which is neutral in the matter.[/quote]

Classified Response:

I would like to thank you for taking time to be the neutral party in this discussion, Louisiana was in the middle of coordinating the initial stages for this very conference between J Andres, Louisianan and the Athenian Federation, so it is quite nice to see there are other nations in the Mediterranean striving for peace and prosperity.

I will attend the conference personally.

Best of Regards,

Gabriel Valcoste,

Vice-Chancellor of Louisiana

[JEDCJT]

[quote name='Yawoo' timestamp='1282496494' post='2426687']
Classified Message to J Andres:

Louisianan forces in Greenland still await coordinates for the attack on the British Isles. Please, send at once.
[/quote]

(OOC: Tis ok. Sorry about your old router, tho.)

[b]CLASSIFIED REPLY TO LOUISIANA[/b]

Sorry about this. This got caught in all the other war telegrams. Anyways, we would like you to send your forces to this coordinates: 51° 37′ 0″ N, 3° 57′ 0″ W. It is the city of Swansea, in southern Wales. This will allow you to establish a new beachhead on Wales, and will help to further divide the enemy by forcing him to fight on two fronts. We will provide you aerial support should you need it.

Not too long after the message was sent, the Foreign Ministry received another classified message, this time from the King of the Sarnungian Republic. It composed and sent off a response through secure channels:

[b]CLASSIFIED[/b]

[quote][font="Courier New"]TO: The King of the Sarnungian Republic
FROM: Foreign Minister Mickey Bethesda

I will personally attend the conference. We would like to thank your nation for taking the initiative to help maintain the peace in the Mediterranean, and we hope this current conflict will be resolved to all the satisfaction of these included.

With regards,
Mickey Bethesda[/font][/quote]

Shortly after the Foreign Ministry sent the message to the Sarnungian Republic, the military planners in Fort Farnum ordered all operations in Portugal to be suspended. Alongside the frontlines across Portugal, troops, tanks, and other military vehicles ceased their operations and called for local ceasefires with the Athenians.

If and when such ceasefires was arranged, the J Andreans would not loiter around. In their current positions, stretching from the north of Porto all the way to southern Portugal, the troops dug into their positions and readied themselves. They used the temporary lull to repair any damaged tanks, vehicles, or other equipment; to treat their wounded comrades; and to ready their weapons, equipment, and other stuff for a resumption of the war if needed.

Any aircrafts flew back to their bases all over western Portugal. Any damaged aircrafts were repaired, and all aircrafts were refueled and refitted, and the like.

At the same time, Fort Farnum sent a classified message to the Athenian Federation:

[b]CLASSIFIED[/b]

[quote][font="Courier New"]TO: The Athenian Federation
FROM: Fort Farnum

We have suspended all military operations throughout Portugal, for the time being, and hereby offer you a ceasefire so that our governments can participate in talks in the Sarnungian Republic to resolve this conflict.

Regards,
Dwight D. Eisenhower,
Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces[/font][/quote]

[center]---[/center]

As the war in Portugal simmered down to a ceasefire, the war in Britain continued and intensified.

[b]The Isles of Scilly...[/b]

The F-40s, F/A-47s, and F-50s quickly achieved complete air superiority over the Isles of Scilly (to be called Scilly from now on). Hundreds of troops were parachuted out of the C-17s and C-130s flying above the airport, all at the same time the U-8s were bombing military targets all over the isles. Sustaining some casualties mid-air, the vast majority of the troops managed to land near the airport and took it over after several hours of fighting. Soon, the C-17s and C-130s would arrive at the airport and begun unloading more troops, supplies, and equipment.

With the EWACs and AWACs neutralizing any missile sites and RADAR stations, that is, if they were on the islands, and the missiles having hit their targets, thousands of troops of Group A stormed the shores of St. Mary's Island, St. Agnes Island, St. Martin's Island, along with others. Under air cover, and supported by the CVBG, the troops raced inland, encountering opposition along the way. They made some good progress despite taking casualties, quickly taking over all of the smaller islands (like St. Agnes, St. Martin, and Bryher). At the same time, the troops in Isles of Scilly Airport launched an offensive from their new base, quickly linking up with their troops landing on the shores and seizing St. Mary's Island.

With Scilly garrisoned by thousands of troops, and surrounded by the powerful CVBG, the J Andreans quickly prepared the isles as a base of which to resume their offensive into the Cornish peninsula of southwestern England. In the meanwhile, squadrons of fighters, interceptors, and bombers would land at the airport, in turns, to be refueled. The same went for C-17s and C-130s in addition to being restocked.

Over time, everything would be all in place for the invasion of the Cornish peninsula. Escorted by several ships of the CVBG, ATD ships carrying troops steamed from port in Scilly in the direction of England, particularly the port city of Plymouth. Several squadrons of U-8s flew over the skies above Plymouth, dropping their payloads upon their targets inside and around the city, to be followed by F-40s and F/A-47s. The EWACs and AWACs then did the task of disabling any RADAR stations and missile sites in the vicnity.

The assault on Plymouth was about to begin.

[b]In southern England...[/b]

As the fighters, interceptors, and bombers flew overhead, suppressing any enemy defenses in southern England, tens of thousands of troops waded onshore in waves, pushing on toward the cities of Portsmouth, Brighton, Dover, and Bexhill. Charging forward, supported by several tanks that were brought onboard by the hovercrafts, the J Andreans sustained casualties (either from the defenders or from friendly fire) - but they eventually captured their targets. But despite so, the troops would continue to advance forward, with hundreds of Abrams and Panther tanks being brought in via C-17s and C-130s. The tanks and self-propelled howitzers would target everything in their way. From Brighton, Dover, and Bexhill, the troops and tanks would head in one direction only: London.

Above the Isle of Wight, with fighter protection and bomber support, hundreds of paratroopers would be airlifted into the isle, particularly the cities of Newton and Ryde. They would succeed in taking the entire isle after hours of fierce fighting. The Isle of Wight would serve as a base as C-17s, C-130s, fighters and interceptors, EWACs and AWACs would periodically land there for refueling and/or restocking.

Through the occupied city of Portmouth, near the Isle of Wight, the J Andreans would bring in hundreds of troops, dozens of tanks and self-propelled howitzers as well as equipment and supplies that would be needed to sustain the advance. As stated before, the troops from Portmouth advanced toward Southampton, utilizing aerial and howitzer support to help clear the way. Shortly after, Southampton was captured after a terrible battle (approximately 700 troops were killed and much more wounded, captured, or missing in action). From Southampton, the troops would head in two directions: toward London to link up with the troops from Brighton, Dover, and Bexhill; and toward the city of Bristol.

It is estimated that approximately 70,000 troops had been brought into southern England so far, and that hundreds and then thousands of troops were landing by the hour. The J Andreans had by then established a beachhead on England, that would steadily expand as they advanced over southern England.

While the troops were advancing toward London, dozens of C-17 and C-130 aircrafts carrying paratroopers flew toward the former British capital. The plan was this: to try to capture London (or as much of it as possible), or failing that, occupy airports, post offices, government buildings, bridges, transportation centers, etc. A squadron of U-8 bombers, along with several squadrons of F/A-47s and F-50s, went along for the ride. The bombers were to target any troop formation, artillery sites, and any locations that would likely help the enemy (like unimportant bridges and tunnels on the Thames).

As London was a fairly short distance from the English channel, it wasn't long before the J Andrean aircrafts swarmed over the huge metropolis that was London and the troops were dropped into various locations in the city. Hundreds of troops, supported by the bombers as they dropped bombs to saturate the target locations, floated down into London, landing near their targets (for instance, City Airport, the Heathrow Airport, the Gatwick Airport, and the Oxford Airport were targeted for capture) and swarming them with gun blazing. The paratroopers would use fragmentation and smoke grenades to help clear the way. They would have some degree of success; dozens of bridges (notably the London Bridge), few railroad stations, a dozen of post offices, as well as few police headquarters would be captured and secured in the first few hours of the operation.

Fort Farnum hoped that this operation would make important gains, or at least serve as a diversion.

[Zoot Zoot]

OOC edited out

Edited August 24, 2010 by Zoot Zoot

[Centurius]

[b]
Bragança
Free Portugal[/b]

The latest combat operations had hit the Hellenic Forces relatively hard as they were still struggling to fortify their bases, when I received the orders from Athens to stand down as there was a cease fire I could barely hold my joy. This was just the extension we needed.

“Commander, we have reports of the remains of the Second Army moving towards the Portuguese positions with the French war over. Due to unification with the NPR our strategic bomber squadrons have moved closer to Iberia but well within Athenian territory for their security. There are also new recruits scheduled to arrive within 2 weeks to replace those that were killed in action”

I looked at the Lieutenant, these updates certainly helped our positions. A total of 440,000 combat ready forces and the locals had only shown their support for the Hellenic Army.

‘How are the PoW’s?”

“We have taken them to empty prisons and camps in the East, several divisions are stationed around them to protect them from civilians and guarantee the transport of supplies.”

Our orders were clear, all prisoners were to be taken great care of and should this war go on preparations were to be made for their transport to Athenian facilities on the homeland. Due to the air attacks we had lost around 20 F-1s, it would have been more if our forces hadn’t withdrawn immediately after the hit.

To counter the propaganda coming from J. Andres we made sure to show the images of the wars on all channels, some a bit improved to fit the goals of the Hellenic Army. The ‘reports’ would show a ruthless enemy, murderers, barbarians. All to increase the already strong fire within the people for their freedom. It worked. Soldiers were welcomed by families, they were invited for dinner, drinks would be bought for them in bars. Finally I had made a promise on the same channels, a promise stating that should Portugal become free it could work towards its own future and not necessarily those of other countries.

Finally the forces already there were ordered to prepare for a continuation of the war. My staff had issued orders for blockades to be established throughout the frontline, mobile missile sites were prepared and existing military infrastructure was taken over. Within days Eastern Portugal would become one of the most defended territories in Iberia if not all of Europe. It would be never given up without a good fight.