Chapter 144: Vulpesylvania Reconquista II
Part 1: Mud Slog
TIME: 09:17 EET
DATE: War Day 1080/18 Tertious, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Across the border into Macedonkia, 18km from Salonica
The Friendship Express, the first proper Land Cruiser ever made, even on Earth, engaged two other Land Cruisers, and won. However, it sustained damage in the process, and was knocked out of action. Its Field Testing Officer, Sigfried von Gneisenau, a Griffon from Germaneigh, was slightly injured in the fight, and he along with the remaining crew, had bailed out.
Webley: "You guys alright?" She trotted over, as the crew finished evacuating.
Sig Gneisenau: "I believe the only real injury is my pride." He scowled. "I thought I had accounted for everything."
K: "Technology evolves." I shrugged, as a few bullets zipped past us. "Webs, contact right." I pointed casually, as I stood up with my own Pallas carbine, unfolded the stock, and fired three shots back as Sig finished securing his bag.
Webley: "Yeah, they rushed the front line around the tank and got some in the rear area here." She snorted, and flopped down, taking shots with her own Athena rifle.
It should be noted that Pony volunteer rifles had special adapters more or less permanently mounted to them, that gave them large flaps over the pistol grip that pivoted inside the trigger guard, to act like Equine triggers.
Sig needed no such things, but he wielded a Paul assault rifle from Poleland, and those came with Equine triggers already. He was a bit fidgety with it, now having to shoot in combat conditions, but he brought it to shoulder, and took advantage of the chance to snap off three rounds, hit an incoming Donkey in the chest, and drop him. He snorted through his beak in satisfaction.
K: "MMmm." I nodded, with a smirk. "Alright, come on." I tapped him, and we all ran for the structure.
I'm not new to danger. Sig? This was new to him. Webley knew he was a rookie, so, she intentionally moved alongside him, to make sure he was covered. No matter how good one's training, real combat is very different.
Dex: "General-dude." He nodded, as I entered.
Sherby: "The enemy took advantage of the bulge created by the Monster Tank advance, and has infiltrated our lines." He shrugged. "We have red ants all over the picnic."
K: "Yeah.. and we're set up like they are." I shrugged. "This isn't a NIEGHTO attack, this is whatever the Vulpes had, and Volunteers." I looked at Dex. "Raise the First Volunteer Brigade. Get me Blinda, I need a detachment sent back to hammer-and-anvil them. We have two companies, they have two regiments." I nodded. "Give me a mech infantry company, and a recon company, if he can spare them."
Dex: "On it, sir." He nodded.
K: "Webs, we need to pull our forces back and form a cohesive defense. I need to know how many tanks they have left, and what kind." I shrugged, setting the rocket launcher down. "And what WE have left - those Rattes are tough, but not invincible."
Webley: "Understood." She tapped Vinyl Scratch and Octavia, and departed.
Sig: "And what am I to do?" He looked at me, shrugging his wings.
K: "You speak Germane." I nodded to him. "Steela, take him, help gather our troops."
Steela: "Of course." She prodded Sig. "Come."
Sherby: "Well, this sure went pear-shaped fast." He frowned.
K: "The good thing is, once we shatter their front line units, they'll have almost nothing left, and we can make some serious gains." I nodded. "Plus, they'll have to send forces to defend Salonica." I pointed out, as a Donkey entered the structure behind me.
I just stepped out of the way as Sherby lunged, impaling the Cutlass from the Drin's captain deeply into the Donkey's chest. I quickly drew the Sword of Rainbow's Light, and shanked the donkey as well, from the side. We pulled out at the same time.
Sherby: "And they say swords have no place now that we have guns." He snickered.
K: "Yeah, bullshit." I smirked, grabbing the Herdiet-made rifle from the ground.
It was a few more minutes, and Steela and Sig came racing in. Sig's arm was coated in fresh blood - not his - and his sabre was showing signs of use. Steela's improvised fire axe from the Java was also soaked in blood, and she was grinning.
Steela: "He fight good." She patted him on the shoulders. "You should pray to Odin, he would like you."
Sig: "I'm Celestian, thank you." He nodded. "We have gathered who we can, and await orders."
K: "Good. Dex?" I nodded to him as Webley, Vy, and Octavia came in.
Dex: "We got a Recon Company from the Polelish Battalion coming this way - Count Eryk is leading them." He nodded.
Sig: "Gott verdamnt.." He face palmed.
K: "Problem?" I nodded to him.
Sig: "He is.. impetuous." He gestured, not wanting to speak ill of his social betters.
K: "Meaning, he's going to be a loose cannon on deck." I nodded. "Right, Webley, go intercept him and bring him to heel - make sure he follows orders to the letter."
Webley: "You got it." She nodded firmly. "Steela? I'd rather have you, if I'm going to thread the needle."
Steela: "Of course!" She hefted her Browning. "Let us go."
They took off, and I saw Sig washing off his hand, blade, and tunic sleeve as best he could. I walked over to him, and put a hand on his shoulder.
K: "It's different, isn't it?" I asked, in low tones.
Sig: "..it is not Menseur." He said, trying to steady his breath. "I thought I was prepared for this."
K: "No one ever is." I nodded. "Ask Octavia."
Octavia: "I was the first wounded in the war. Officially." She nodded. "It was the last day of training for the very first soldiers.. I was hit in the stomach with the equivalent of a shotgun slug." She lifted her shirt a bit to show her gnarly scar. "My liver is still regenerating. And my diaphragm is permanently damaged." She shrugged. "I shouldn't even be here. I should have been medically retired."
Sig: "And yet.. you're here." He nodded, more asking than stating.
Octavia: "My friends are here. That keeps me going more than anything." She smiled a bit. "I bet you have something keeping you going as well."
Sig: "Yes." He nodded a tiny bit - he was thinking 'spite' but, it wasn't that.
Dex: "...K-Dude." He just handed me the mic.
I walked over and took it. I didn't see it, but Sig already knew what was coming. And he was holding his head in his hands.
K: C> "This is Victor Alpha Actual." I stated.
Ct. Eryk: C> "This is Papa Romeo One One Actual! What is the meaning of this, Victor? You send me.. FOALSITTER?"
K: C> "Yes, and you will follow her orders, Major."
Ct. Eryk: C> "NONSENSE! These are my soldiers! And she does not out rank me!"
K: C> "..is Victor Alpha Three there, Papa?"
Ct. Eryk: C> "Affirmative."
K: C> "Effective immediately, Victor Alpha Three is commissioned to the rank of Colonel of Volunteers. NOW she out-ranks you, AND NOW you will follow her orders! MAJOR!" I was very direct.
There was a pause for a few moments.
Webley: C> "This is Victor Alpha Three. I have the command, Victor Actual."
K: C> "Excellent. I will update your rank entry in Equestria to reflect this promotion."
Webley: C> *GROAN!* "Affirmative, Actual. Victor Alpha Three, out."
Sig: "..she objects to promotions?" He tilted his head.
K: "She started as a Lieutenant, and wishes she'd stayed there." I shrugged.
Sig: "I see." He nodded. "I, too, don't think senior rank fits me." He was thinking for another reason, but..
K: "War does funny things." I shrugged.
Several Germane soldiers paced in, two were injured, and a Medic was tending to them. One of them, a senior sergeant, moved up to Sig and stood at attention. I saw her rank stripes, not her face.
Oberstabsfeldwebel Stahl: "Herr Hauptmann." Her boots gently clicked.
Sig: "Feldwebel. Bericht über die aktuellen Umstände." He nodded curtly to her.
Obsfw. Stahl: "Die Verluste sind hoch. Wir haben nur noch einen Rattenpanzer. Der Feind drängt von allen Seiten und der Chefingenieur glaubt, dass die Munition für das Hauptgeschütz bald versiegt und dass die automatischen Feuerlöschsysteme außer Betrieb sind." She nodded, as she spoke.
I stood up as Mac also trotted over.
Big Mac: "Good to see you, Stahl." He patted her shoulder. "Long way from a scared private, huh?"
Obsfw. Stahl: "JA! He- Ah, Big Mac." She nodded to me as well. "Herr K."
K: "Looking good, Stahl." I smiled. "Is General Stahl a relative?"
Obsfw. Stahl: "S-She ist my aunt." She looked nervous, suddenly. "She vent to the Royal Academy.. I vas a teen." She shrugged. "She und mutter vere always strong. I vas not." She blinked, then stood proudly. "But, I am now, Herr K. Sanks to you."
K: "I just showed you the ropes, Sergeant." I nodded, and smiled at her.
Obsfw. Stahl: "Still." She nodded. "I am commanding the Kettenkrad Platoon, now. But, we have run out of Kettenkrads." She shrugged. "My last one was destroyed a few minutes ago, and mein platoon are all vounded or killed." She took off her helmet a moment. "Am I doing vell, K?"
K: "You don't have to ask me." I patted her stripes. "You earned those." I nodded. "Now, if I heard right, we have problems with enemy infantry and the Express is about to detonate." I shrugged. "Sig, Steela, with me. Sherby, Dex, fix our lines and get us solidified. Have Webley push us from the side and shove them towards the east."
Sherby: "Got it." He nodded.
Sig: "Of course." He nodded to me.
K: "Alright, let's go." I pointed.
The enemy was trying to exploit the bulge in our offensive, and we had precious few troops to hold them back with, but we would do it.
That or the Express's magazine would explode and take everyone with it.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Slow Boil
TIME: 09:47 EET
DATE: War Day 1080/18 Tertious, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Across the border into Macedonkia, 18km from Salonica
My personal HQ was stopped in place. Not that it mattered - senior officers that I trusted with my life were executing my plans. Right about now, Salonica should be getting invaded by Marines. The city would either fall immediately, or the enemy would be forced to pull back troops to defend it.
They'd lost their Naval force in the opening invasion, so, the city was unprotected from sea-side. Thanks to Sherby's plans, the rest of their Aegean fleet was either at the bottom of the sea, or captured. Either way, we managed to clear the seas of opposition. Now, it was the land invasion.
The enemy counter-attacked, damaged our Land Cruiser, and it was now in bad shape.
Sig and I, along with Steela, were racing across open ground to get to the ramp leading to the interior. We needed to render the vehicle safe. Fires on the inside, were threatening the main gun magazine.
Sig glided to a stop by the rearmost wheel, got down flat, and covered us with a few shots. From our temporary HQ building, Mac covered us with machine gunfire, and Dex took a couple shots with the Panzershrek.
I was.. not as fast as Steela. I'm human, these are four legged and flying creatures. I have the slowest land speed.
Steela saw this, stopped, RAN BACK to me, and shoved herself between my legs, coming up, with me now RIDING her.
K: "HOLY HAY BALES, STEELA, WHAT THE HELL!?" I called.
Steela: "IS MORE EFFICIENT!" She sassed.
I literally rode her to the Friendship Express, about 250 meters away. I'd never ridden a horse before, though.. I've "ridden" Steela a few times.
I didn't know it, but a combat camerapony caught a picture of this.
Steela let me off, next to the Land Cruiser.
Sig: "First time?" He asked, standing, and moving into the abandoned vehicle.
K: "Kinda?" I stated, raising my Pallas carbine, and moving in with him.
Steela: "Steela would let you ride her more if you ask." She stated.
K: "..but, I already do.." I said in low tones, making the ex-Valkyrie blush.
Sig: "HAH!" He turned back a moment. "So, ze rumors ARE true." He shook his head. "I see."
K: "Yeah, yeah, yuk it up. Which way to the magazine?" I nodded to him.
Sig: "This way. We have two chances - flood the magazine with fire suppression fluid, or try to dump the powder charges." He nodded. "The powder charges are stored in a room that has a trap floor, for a situation just like this. All the charges get dumped out all at once." He explained as we moved.
K: "Interesting idea." I nodded.
Sig: "I thought of it - just in case it does get damaged, or something is wrong with the powder, that it all needs dumped at once." He nodded.
K: "Perfect counter in case of sabotage, too." I nodded.
Sig: "Hm. I suppose you're right." He got to the emergency panel as I covered him.
The panel was pretty simple, and as was standard in NEIGHTO, used pictograms whenever possible. Not that NEIGHTO soldiers lacked the ability to read, more that we had soldiers speaking multiple languages, and fast understanding of what button or lever does what, is paramount.
He pulled the lever that was marked with a flame stamped out by a red slashed circle. We heard a rumble, a thunk, and a flushing noise. But it wasn't for more than a couple seconds.
K: "I'm guessing that wasn't enough." I nodded.
Sig: "I think the tank was hit." He frowned. "Or the lines leading to the magazine." He looked at me. "This prototype doesn't have a secondary control for the trap floor - only the main, and the manual backup."
K: "Yeah, yeah, I get it." I motioned. "Come on, Steela, we're about to do something stupid."
Steela: "Stupid, crazy, is what Valkyrie does." She smiled a bit. "I likes crazy."
Sig led the way to the front of the vehicle. Smoke was getting thick, and he was opening all the manual vents he could, as he passed by them. With electricity out, Steela and I had our flashlights.
Sig: "I must remember to add further methods to deal with internal smoke." He stated, now going low and creeping forwards like a cat, to stay under the smoke.
K: "Wise." I said, getting down and crawling myself. "Then again, this thing was brought right from testing to the front, so, don't beat yourself up, here. It survived a fight with two of its competitors."
Steela: "Is also mostly in one piece. Main hull? Still holding." She said, simply lowering her neck as she walked.
We got to the interior base of the turret, but.. we could hear something inside.
K: "Trouble." I whispered.
Sig: "Indeed." He replied in a low tone.
Steela: "Steela get hatch. You two deal with trouble makers."
Sig: "Indeed." He stood, up to his hind legs, and drew his sword.
I did likewise, slowing my breathing so I wouldn't take in too much of the smoke. Steela popped the hatch, and pulled it all the way open.
Gizmonk: "Okay, the charge is set - is that you Gorge?" He looked behind him, to see us. "Shhhi-"
Sig dove in on him, and used his superior size to shove him to the ground. He either had the same thought I did - that this was unusual and warranted capture over death - or he just wanted to get his CLAWS on this thing, rather than stab it. Either way, he shoved the Gizmonk to the ground, and bashed his head into the floor a couple of times, before gripping him around the throat, and pointing to a large lever on the wall of the interior of the turret.
I got the message, and went over and stood by it.
Steela moved in, and fished through the powder bags until she came up with a timed TNT charge. She just pulled the timer off of the TNT sticks, and crushed it under her hoof.
Once Sig, the prisoner, and Steela withdrew, I pulled the lever. The floor opened in four petals, and all the powder bags were immediately dumped down a short chute, and out of the vehicle. I could see daylight after the last powder bag was released.
We turned to exit, and the last Gizmonk was coming down the ladder from the upper deck.
Gizmonk #2: "Upstairs was a total wash, Solmon. The fire got to the command cente-"
He was stopped a few rungs from the bottom by the tip of my sword poking him in the ass.
K: "Move wrong and you're dead." I stated.
Steela: "I has HIM." She reared up on her hind legs, and plucked him off the ladder with her teeth, like a mother cat grabbing a kitten.
She gently set him down, facing the hull, and stood on her hind legs over him. He was shaking in his boots. I don't think he knew Ponies could get this large.
I reached over and grabbed him by the collar, having sheathed my sword and pulled my Poseidon.
K: "March. Fuck around and I'll just shoot you." I stated.
We got back out the way we came. I could see that Sig was both angry, and reassured that he'd fired a flare into the remaining paperwork. Indeed, he called it, someone DID sneak aboard. Thing is, we caught them in the act, and the situation was under control.
Now to get us out of our encirclement.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Encircle
TIME: 10:11 EET
DATE: War Day 1080/18 Tertious, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Across the border into Macedonkia, 18km from Salonica
I led the prisoners back into the Field HQ. Sig and I were sweating through our uniforms. Steela.. was.. not wearing much. Hoofguards, loose sash, bandanna. She was sweating, too, but, unlike us, she didn't have a whole uniform to stain. Her blue face paint was streaked, though.
Dex: "Prisoners, huh?" He nodded to them.
K: "Yep, Gizmonks." I shrugged.
Sig: "..I think next time I will wear a combat uniform." He said, taking off his Feldgrau tunic, exposing the white shirt and suspenders underneath. "They are cotton, at least." He refastened his sword-and-pistol belt over his pants, and took the time to snap the auxiliary loops into the suspender buttons.
K: "A good idea." I said, shedding my own topcoat, and tossing it over a table.
Unlike Sig, I elected to wear one of Rarity's button-down shirts under my uniform tunic. It was green, still, so, there wasn't a large and obvious white target. I also had my Stratarches rank insignia turned into a collar pin for this shirt, in case the coat proved too cumbersome. Under the shirt was one of Rarity's black tanktops with her cutie mark on it.
I took the shirt off, too, and shook it out. We smelled of fractal petroleum (Diesel), soot, and sweat.
Vy: "..good thing AJ isn't here." She smirked.
Octavia: "Indeed." She shrugged. "I do think our dear General would be in trouble."
K: "We need to get out of this encirclement." I nodded. "Status on Webley's unit?"
Dex: "They're hung up on two of those super-heavies." He shrugged. "We lost our last Ratte."
K: "What've we got left?" I nodded slowly to him.
Dex: "Our unit has 87 troops fit to fight, the recon company is down half their vehicles and have no real anti-tank weapons left. Moderate casualties." He shrugged. "We think the enemy has about the same number of troops, one T-3, and two super-heavies."
K: "Alright." I nodded a few times, re-sorting my gear into my own backpack. "We need to knock out those tanks."
Sig: "From the top, they will likely not have as much armor." He put in.
K: "Good." I nodded. "You're senior officer of the Germanes. Here's what I need you to do." I motioned him over as we went to the front door. "Gather your soldiers, pull them off the line by every third pony, back and forth until you have everyone assembled there." I pointed to one of the burnt-out Rattes. "We're going to have you hook around left, and put the enemy between two solid lines. Watch your flanks." I looked back to Dex. "Have Webs do the same on the other side - the enemy needs to be pushed back into an encirclement around those two super-heavies."
Sig: "What of the T-3?" He looked at me, as I picked up the Raketenwerfer.
K: "That's my problem. Dex, once you're done issuing orders, you, me, Vy, Octavia, Slapshot and Steela are going to give the Macedonkians some encouragement." I nodded to him.
Slapshot: "Say the word, sir." She smiled.
K: "Sherby, Teddy, Firecracker, Bro.." I looked at them. "..grab some demolition charges and help Sig get the unit organized. When we're done with the T-3, we'll be there."
Sherby: "Got it." He smiled.
K: "Alright, let's move." I said, getting the launcher up over my shoulder.
Darn thing was HEAVY.. but it had a good sighting unit on it, and was designed to be reused over and over again, whereas our Funstons had a definite shelf life. I was glad the newest weapons in that series - a send-up of the ever-reliable LAW - was due out soon.
My team moved with me once Dex relayed the instructions. We went tank hunting. It wasn't a big deal, really, since the battlefield was rather compact by human standards. The T-3/76 tank was easy to spot, and it had a lot of infantry covering it from exactly what we were about to attempt.
K: "Vy, Octavia, start picking them off." I directed. "Move around after each shot so they can't draw a bead on you." I nodded to Steela. "Set up your Browning, cover them if they need cover fire. Dex, you too, with grenades." I looked at Slapshot. "You're my loader. Once we see an opening, we need to take it."
Slapshot: "Understood." She nodded.
K: "Alright, Vy, Octavia, on you." I pointed.
With that, the two mares moved. Two of my first Rangers. And both Marksponies. They slid into the green of the treeline easily, and made themselves vanish. After a moment, they started to make themselves known as the rest of us finished fanning out.
The troops by the T-3 were organized into lines, and were lightly dug in around rocks and trees. They had some link-up with the troops by the super-heavy, so we needed to be quick, to keep them from calling in fire support.
I moved around to the roughly rear quarter of the T-3, and waited for my chance. Octavia and Vinyl made that chance happen quickly, taking down a Donk machine gun team next to the tank, and then taking down a marksdonkey that was using the turret for cover.
K: "Load me." I nodded.
Slapshot: "Going in." She pulled one of the 100mm rockets out and got it in the launcher, before tapping me, and pressing herself close to avoid backblast.
I pulled the safety lever tight at the front, then, bracing myself, pulled the fire lever in the rear grip. The rocket fired with an authoritative shout, covered the 150 meter gap to the tank in under a second, and detonated right over the engine compartment. The tank's engine blew, and sent fragments everywhere.
We both rolled back behind a large rock as incoming fire pinned us in place. As expected. The volume and precision were very low, however, since we took out their marksdonkey and one machine gun team.
Their unit fell back towards the remaining super-heavy tank as we engaged them.
I got back over to where everyone was, and we followed behind the Donkeys, nipping at their heels, until we got within range of the enemy super-heavy.
K: "Everyone down!" I motioned for everyone to get to cover.
We linked up with the Germanes, and I nodded to Sig. I saw that Colgate and Vigilance had joined us. They'd been embedded with the forces covering us.
Colgate: "We need to take out that huge tank." She shrugged, tying off Vigilance's foreleg bandage.
K: "..keeping the tradition, I see." I kneeled next to him. "How bad?"
Vigilance: "Not terrible, K." He nodded. "I can fight."
Sig: "Ve have no anti-tank weapons that can disable the vehicle." He shrugged. "I fail to see how we can destroy this thing."
Vy: "Well, we took out the very FIRST tank with an improvised explosive, you know." She shrugged. "Can't we do the same thing?"
Colgate: "We need an explosive." She nodded.
Sig: "One of the tank shells from the Ratte might work.." He pondered.
Octavia: "On it." She nodded, and tapped Slapshot.
Colgate: "I can rig something up with dental floss and paste.." She got out her dentistry kit."
Sig: "Dental tools?" He cocked a brow. "Fascinating." He nodded. "Now, how do we deliver it?"
EVERYONE looked at Sig. Vy pointed to his wings.
Sig: "I fear I am not paid well enough to take risks like this." He grunted, pulling his suspenders down, so they wouldn't interfere with his wings.
K: "You know, I should probably see to it that you're promoted again, in that case." I said, while setting the fuse of the shell.
With Colgate's help, we rigged up two warheads in a tandem configuration, sure to blow through the tank. Sig needed a running start to handle it and getting into the air, while we provided high volume cover fire.
He was over the target in no time, and he basically dropped the shell from sufficient height to set off the warheads. The shell landed right in the open hatch of the turret, and detonated inside. The resulting explosion blew the tank into pieces, and sent showers of shrapnel everywhere.
The remaining enemy troops that weren't injured, once the explosion died down, immediately threw down their weapons and surrendered.
We'd won this fight. We could restabilize the advance.
Now, on to the next step.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Advance Forward
TIME: 17:04 EET
DATE: War Day 1080/18 Tertious, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Across the border into Macedonkia, 2km from Salonica
Several hours later, we had chased the enemy force to the edge of the city of Salonica. We had them cornered. The marine landing had gone well, and the southern part of the city was ours. Now, the enemy force was trapped between our advance, and the Marines.
To their front, they were facing a full Division, that had almost entirely encircled the northern section of the city. To the south, at the port, and points south of that, they faced a Battalion of Marines, dug in, with shore bombardment support. We left them a way to escape straight east, but it was a fairly narrow and obvious path.
I wanted to assume our enemy was made of stupid, since it seemed that the highest ranks of Macedonkians were ideologues, and fanatics to their cause.
Sig and the other Germanes remained with us, now forming the Headquarters and Headquarters Company Security Detachment. They had no more of their own armor or vehicles, but were functioning as infantry. Despite Sig's objections, a call back to Athens and a conversation with Prince Hoffnungsteyer confirmed his orders - the prince re-assigned him to ME, personally, with the orders to "observe NEIGHTO command doctrine" and "from this, calculate needed changes to armored vehicle design." In other words, make the tanks fit the doctrine better.
Sig.. agreed, but I could hear in his voice that he'd probably rather go back to his drafting tables and his office. Not for lack of courage, but because he felt that this was where he could make the most difference. He wasn't a front line fighter, he was a thinker. But, this war didn't care - you ended up where you were needed by fate, not where you think you ought to go.
Octavia: "We're getting ready, K." She paced up with some fresh tea and a cup of ration oats - she added cream to hers, and a bit of sugar.
K: "Good. Once the attack begins, I want to push them towards the only escape vector, and make it obvious." I nodded, and accepted the treats.
Sig: "We could simply encircle them completely." He pointed out.
K: "Indeed we could. In a human war, I might do just that. But, your world is different. We may not be friends today, but we might have a chance to be friends tomorrow. If I heartlessly execute what amounts to half a division of fighting age young donkeys, that'll leave a mark on their memories that may not wash out. If I give an avenue of retreat and simply defeat them at every turn, they'll be less likely to fight to the death AND there'll be survivors. Survivors that are demoralized in the moment, but tomorrow will realize their lives were intentionally spared." I wagged a finger. "This is not just a war of destruction and victory, this world - your world, our world - isn't like that. We must consider what comes next."
Octavia: "Mmm.." She nodded, smiling. "..and if these blokes were Tirek's boys, K would be using Tac Air and napalm instead." She smirked.
Sig: "..fair." He blinked. "I.." He stopped himself. "..will ensure the security team is properly positioned." He then rose and exited.
Octavia: "..he does not understand friendship, K." She sighed, sitting next to me.
Ah, my little affair that never was.
K: "Oh, really? What makes you think that?" I smirked.
Octavia: "He's an overstuffed feather duster." She nodded. "Emotionally, I mean. He's not.. thinking with his heart. He thinks of strategy and numbers, not feelings." She shrugged.
K: "I can tell." I leaned over and gave her a half hug. "Maybe I should let Twilight handle him? Friendship was her mission before the war." I grinned, cheekily.
Octavia: "Oh, really!" She gently swatted my arm.
K: "Seriously, though." I shrugged, taking a slurp of oats. "He needs to lighten up, or he's going to burn out." I nodded. "Keeping your feelings to yourself is how internal trauma tears you apart. It contributes to PTSD. I should know." I gestured. "Remember Toes?"
Octavia: "......yes....." She said slowly. "You understand so much, K, I'm grateful to have you as a friend." She smiled, sliding her hoof over my hand. "Even if we did not couple, you are right. I have my regrets." A small shrug. "Perhaps a lady should've ignored the wubs and danced with you instead, no matter the caterwauling." And smirked.
K: "I'm glad I have so many friends that value me so much." I nodded.
Octavia: "So, you have plans for Mister Gneisenau?" She tilted her head.
K: "Yeah, I want him to be one of us." I nodded. "Talk about someone that's got a strategic mind set, but he needs it adjusted." I shrugged.
Octavia: "Oh, indeed, dear K." She smiled, finishing her own oats. "I'll check with Dex and see where we are."
K: "Thanks." I nodded, and finished eating, myself.
TIME: 18:27 EET
I strode out to the front of the building being used as my headquarters. It was dark, now, so, I was trying to follow formations by flares and gunfire. The battle had started, and I was trying to keep a handle on our half of things. With my senior-most commanders all split up, I didn't have anyone I could delegate command to. I had to do the Head Office stuff, myself.
I didn't like it. I was hoping the Friendship Express would give me the ability to bring a slow rolling fortress close to the front, so I could have better control over smaller units. As it was, I was now trusting the individual unit commanders to have the initiative.
On the plus side, most of the Company and Battalion commanders had been replaced by CAG officers, or Equestrian or Germane officers, as well as a couple Prench and Roamans. We didn't have any Polelish officers or personnel here, since Poleland shared borders with the Herdintern Pact, and the Non-Aligned Movement. They had to set up defensive perimeters, in case they decided to raid them. A genuine concern.
Vinyl Scratch: "HEY K!" She came charging up - despite being a volunteer for Vulpesylvania, she was still wearing Equestrian Ranger Tigerstripe. "YOU'LL NEVER BELEIVE THIS!"
I turned to her, and saw Maria Espinoza marching up with some of her officers - including Adrianna Montenegro, wearing the pips of a Colonel, now.
K: "Maria! Buenas Noches!" I gave her a short bow. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
General Maria Espinoza: "General.. I mean.. Stratarches K.." She smiled, and nodded to me. "Navarre has officially declared war on Macedonkia. As a reminder, we do not formally sign the NIEGHTO accords until next month, and are currently listed as an observer." She shrugged. "King Condor-Alfonso thinks we should pay back our debts.. with a small amount of diplomatic trickery."
K: "Well." I flapped my arms. "What've you got?"
Maria: "One Division of land troops with mechanized and motor infantry, and two Marine battalions." She smiled a bit, walked up, and patted me on the shoulder. "We also have heavy armor."
K: "How heavy?" I blinked.
Maria: "Our close partnership with Prance allowed us to study their designs." She shrugged a bit.
Interestingly, this paralleled the brief time that Spain in my world purchased tanks from France. They USUALLY had a much closer relationship with Germany (Germaneigh), but things had turned out differently, here.
Colonel Adrianna Montenegro: "We have also completed transition to NEIGHTO armament standards." She shrugged.
K: "Excellent." I nodded. "Come with me." I motioned, and we went into the HQ building.
Leading them in, I passed Sig, who was going this-way-and-that seeing to the Security arrangements. It was his current job, even if he was very eager to get back to the drafting table and "fix" what he saw as "imperfection."
K: "Hauptmann Sig von Gneisenau.." I leaned over and gently turned him towards my Ibex friends. "..General Maria Espinoza, and Colonel Adrianna Montenegro, of the Navarese Army."
He turned, heard that he was being introduced to superiors, and came to stiff attention.
Sig: "Hauptmann Sig von Gneisenau, Chief of Security, 3rd Royal R and D Establishment, Danzig. On temporary assignment at the pleasure of His Majesty, Prince Hoffnungsteyer." He gave a curt head-bow, but no salute (as this IS an active combat zone).
Maria: "A pleasure." She smiled a bit. "General K had a griffon on his team when last we met - King Gorcat." She shrugged. "Though, he was not king at the time." She swished her horns a bit. "My troops have arrived to the rear, Stratarches - deploy them as you need." She set up some markers on the display map we rigged up.
Sig: "I cannot speak for my Griffonian cousins - I am Germane, born and raised." He nodded to General Espinoza.
Maria: "Ah, I see." She nodded back to him. "You will be a good friend, I expect." She smiled a bit.
K: "Right now, I'd like that armor of yours to come up along the right flank." I pointed to the map area.
Col. Montenegro: "I warn you, our Main Battle Tank, it has a 90mm gun." She shrugged. "A side effect of our terrain and industry. We needed something a bit lighter and faster."
K: "I'll keep that in mind." I nodded back. "For now, they can support the Volunteer Brigades. They're largely Motor Infantry with a few Armored Fighting Vehicles with smaller guns."
Col. Montenegro: "I shall see to it." She nodded, and departed to get the column moving.
Maria: "K." She nodded to me. "Our fleet should have joined with the Vulpines, and we can land our Marines where ever you need us."
K: "I want them to liberate the smaller islands close to Macedonkian shores - they'll have shore batteries for sure, and I want them silenced, and the islands captured. They have a Rainbow Factory somewhere around here, and NEIGHTO troops will be taking that out tomorrow afternoon." I pointed to the larger area of operations map. "I want this city captured and forces on the move to meet up with them. They'll hold a strong point around that facility. A few CAG members will be there after they silence the facility itself, that we have to pick up."
Maria: "Understood. With our reinforcement, you have options. What is your plan, K?" She glanced between the two maps.
K: "Push the enemy towards this narrow path of escape. Once done, we allow them to withdraw disorganized, and then keep pushing on them. Our goal is to force them north, into Macedonkian territory proper, wreck their fighting ability, and demoralize them." I slid a finger along the operation map.
Maria: "A fantastic plan - bleed them white of equipment and resolve, and try to spare them casualties. I would presume, senor, you hope to foment civil discontent after the conflict is over?" She smirked.
K: "You read me well." I nodded. "Have your mechanized infantry move in here, and assist with the push. We kick off the push in 40 minutes." I tapped the smaller map.
Maria: "It shall be done." She bowed slightly to me. "Let us hope the Macedonkian resolve is close to cracking already."
I had a feeling that it was. I was NOT expecting what came next, however.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Hidden Agenda
TIME: 23:13 EET
DATE: War Day 1080/18 Tertious, 1005 C.S.
LOCATION: Salonica, Macedonkia
The city was ours. When the Navarese joined the assault, the enemy instantly folded. That was a somewhat unexpected and rapid victory for us. It also meant we had much lower casualties. The Macedonkian retreat was intentionally harassed, with orders to target vehicles at any opportunity but not to engage soldiers unless necessary.
Our Recon Troops estimated that less than 10% of the enemy's vehicle strength managed to make it through, while they took around 12% casualties, with 329 captured or surrendered. The Marine forces on the southern end of the city had met up with us, and once they were rested, they'd be pulled back. They would be needed for the invasion of Thasos and Kavalla.
As it was, my headquarters had been moved forwards. I had a small detachment of trucks assigned to me, now, instead of the Wasserschwein. My primary HQ vehicle was a donated Gepard.
Broken Dawn and Golden Wattle had been commanding some of the forward forces. They came running up to my command area, near a small Cafe.
Broken Dawn: "Genr-Ah.. K!" He skidded to a stop with Golden.
Golden Wattle: "Suh, get this - we got something' that'll help. Big time." He gestured to the 2.5t truck that was driving up behind them.
K: "What is it, you two?" I nodded to them, and gestured to Octavia, Dex, and Vy to get up to where I was.
Broken: "Well.. we recovered the former Chancellor of Shquiptaria." He gestured behind him as the truck stopped.
Golden: "Aye. And he says the King an' his family were taken to Salonica after th' revolution - tha's why Macedonkia an' Shquiptaria was cooperatin' so much." He shrugged.
K: "Where's the king?" I nodded to them, as a few Vulpines brought the Chancellor over. I looked right at him. "Stratarches K, supreme commander of the Vulpine and Volunteer forces. Where is your King?"
Chancellor: "..I fear he is still a captive." He sighed. "It was just by luck that my vehicle was disabled. Luck more still that I have survived this long. Most of the Royal Government was executed in the revolution."
K: "Then we need to rescue them." I nodded. "Chancellor, how likely is it that Shquiptaria could succumb to a counter-revolution and restoration?"
Chancellor: "Very possible. I have heard great discontent among the soldiers. They were very aware of how badly they were defeated by Roam." He sighed.
K: "It would have to be a primarily Roaman operation, anyway." I nodded. "Their ports are closer."
Broken: "Aye, who'll you have from CAG ta work the operation with the Roamans?" He gestured.
K: "Mmm." I lowered my head, and considered my options. "You and Golden." And looked at them.
Golden: "Well, I mean.. doesn't sound like an operation for two fresh officers, K." He shrugged, implying I should pick someone more experienced.
K: "You're right." I nodded. "Captains."
Broken & Golden: "WHAT!?!!?"
Golden: "What? WHAT?!" He reeled back like a scared horse. "Man.. this war's not fun anymore." But snickered.
Broken: "K.. are you serious?" He tilted his head. "I'm-" Then stopped. "No, you're absolutely right." He looked at Golden. "We earned this."
Golden: "Ya think?" He smirked.
K: "Mhm, and now, Golden, you'll have a fatter pension to help your new soon-to-be-wife with her animal sanctuary." I smirked, and leaned over a pile of intel reports, dismissively.
The Chicago Method.
Raise up friends, redirect funds, make it as legal as possible so it can't shake loose. The Commission to the rank of Captain (OF-03) in the Ambleonian Armed Forces also guarantees 10 acres of Land.
It would be a simple matter to 'trade' the 10 acre claim between Ambleon and Equestria.
Meaning that Fluttershy wouldn't just have her cottage, she and Golden would OWN the 10 acres surrounding it.
I literally set my friends up for life.
Broken: "We'll get it done, sir." He nodded, and stood to attention, grinning madly. "Come on, buddy - we have an operation to Ramrod."
K: "Oh, that's a good code name for this - Operation: Ramrod." I nodded to them. "Get it done."
After all, after I left, Ponies needed to handle Pony affairs without the Human Commander-in-Chief hoof-holding them all the time. Just like in Cahokia when Doc Allcome pointed out they needed to be able to work and solve problems without The Elements of Harmony.
And I would see to it that my friends would lead that charge. The ones I taught and trained.
They would lead the operation in its entirety, with Dex, Vy, Octavia, Vigilance and Colgate as backup. As I found out later, the two of them solved everything in one week's time from the moment I dismissed them.
The king and queen were recovered within a day - the seven CAG officers going on their own and behind enemy lines to rescue them. Roaman forces and a few Ambleonian Marines and a Platoon of Royal Rangers from the 2nd Ranger Regiment would then semi-invade the nation of Shquiptaria, landing on a friendly beach. They would push inland from there. The capital would be taken in a special operation raid as the nation descended into a brief and bloody civil war.
The taking of the capital? Entirely Golden and Broken's plan. Get the king to the palace, eliminate the Socialist leaders, and use a sound system rigged up by Vinyl Scratch to address the fighting factions inside the city and immediately outside in the palace grounds.
The King would beg his subjects, stop killing your brothers and sisters. We were all hoodwinked by promises that could not be kept. But bloodshed was not the answer. All would be forgiven, but please, stop fighting.
They did. The Socialist officers surrendered with promises of clemency. They were given that. Twilight Sparkle arrived as the operation concluded and negotiated with the King and Chancellor about how Shquiptaria would move forwards. The King explained that this all started because the world was starting to industrialize before my arrival, and his nation had fallen behind, that the youth were out of work and discontent. He confessed that he moved timidly, afraid of abandoning the old ways for the new, fearing a loss of culture and connection to their lands.
Twilight Sparkle, as Prime Minister of Equestria, negotiated a working trade deal. NEIGHTO would help Shquiptaria rebuild. In exchange, Shquiptaria would adopt Open Neutrality. The trade deals would help repay the debt of rebuilding a nation and industrializing it. Shquiptaria would manufacture the weapons of peace - train cars, locomotives, farm machinery, factory equipment, and so on.
And my name would barely be mentioned at all.
Just as I hoped.
It was then that I realized that from a strategic standpoint, I was now redundant. A figurehead. A reinforcement for sure, but I was no longer the one sentient being that this war balanced on. Tirek was in the opposite position - everything would fall apart without him. Without me? NEIGHTO would still win.
Because I empowered my friends.
And.. Friendship is Magic.
{End of Chapter 144}
