The Glorious Sixth [Germano-Gallic Theatre]

[Great Engellex]

OPERATION MOMPESSON
THE IMPERIAL STRIKE DAY THREE​

Over the skies of Montelimar, 8 August 2011

The Queen could think of nothing but this war. What should be passed to further the greater advantage of the military, what provisions could be afforded to support the bravery of her soldiers? Charlotte longed for the victorious conclusion because she thought the death and destruction, to only her people but others, was a particularly high price indeed to force the retreat of the Federation; but the Queen was rapidly becoming the most eager for the glory of her realm, and was now absolutely convinced that war was the only action possible in the circumstances. The European Defence Federation was a public villain; an extensive propaganda operation that had commenced before the war had achieved this. Many members of Parliament stood in the background murmuring that the right action, to afford great estimates upon technological breakthroughs and military expansion, a decade before could have prevented this war. It was because the Federation had thought of Great Engellex as ineffectually governed with little military strength, which it certainly wasn’t, so could take advantage of the situation to police the continent, which they have now tried. The people were enthusiastic for this war. It was being conducted on foreign soil; it was providing employment for all with great industrial expansion in armament sectors expected; it was a time of admiration for the Great Queen; and they had not yet realised the misery that was to be expected with war. At least, they all said, the country was now taking action; it was late but at last the Federation had been shown that Great Engellex was not with a policy to stand aloof.

Charlotte worked for long hours; she was indefatigable, remarked the Dowager Duchess to her circle. Her sense of duty was strong. She had been reviled by the Federation and saw her duty clearly in bringing them to whim of Dulwich, and she would achieve this no matter what the cost may be. News was coming in since the opening assault of victories and triumphs. The greatest victory was over the skies of Montelimar. The power of the Royal Engellexic Air Force stretched over the enemy and brought ruin down upon them with such swiftness and precision that the Federation had been given concussion. There was, however, a sense of opportunity pervading the politically criminal underclasses of Zadar-Istria. The Lord Commissioner was in constant communication with the Northern Secretary, and more importantly, the War Secretary. Charlotte did not share in the anxiety of the Lord Commissioner, or in some of her ministers, the treatment of the socialist outcasts on those islands was deplorable and she often advised them to show restraint and compassion to these revolutionaries, as they liked to call themselves. She was unable to do anything else, the domestic matters of these overseas territories rested within the hands of the Lord Commissioner, his administration, and the provincial assembly. Quietly, the Queen did make known to the War Secretary that contingencies are in need to be formed to put down anything that may look to disrupt and distract the nation’s march to victory. The war was going to be glorious and the longing end to the dominance of the Federation was to be realised. Montelimar’s government was most certainly weak. That much was certain in Dulwich. Their king and people had no stomach for war; it was believed that should the Queen offer that they would jump to put in practice a policy of peace.

As the air force continued to pound the Montelimarians from the air, the grounds forces began inching south and west toward more aggressive positions along the border. The Tenth Army positioned light armoured infantry battalions within seven miles of the border between Westmooreland and Montelimar as a focus for the shifting ground forces further west. As part of a new focus for the air campaign beginning on the 8th, two Air Wings were formed. The First Air Wing comprised of the No. 213 and 214 Squadrons, No. 23 and 27 Squadrons, and other units, which was just over one hundred aircraft consisting largely of Phantom IIs, F-16s but also Tornados and AWACs. The Second Air Wing was formed similarly, but smaller, No. 216 Squadron and No. 29 Squadron, with Tornados and AWACs. The operations to be conducted by these two wings were jointly called Operation Montrose. The First Air Wing would be flying as many as three strike successions a day into Eastern and Southern Montelimar. Some of these strike would be huge, containing as many as seventy aircraft, in formations that would stretch for miles. The Second Air Wing, was on a smaller scale, operating up to two strike successions per day into Northern and Western Montelimar, on a smaller scale, of no more than forty aircraft, to supress further remaining air defences. The Royal Engellexic Air Force could now strike anywhere in Montelimar. Air operations in the south continued unabated. On the 8th four large waves of F-16s were scheduled to hit Valmy. The early morning attack, and the late evening attack were to be the only two to materialise. The second wave of forty planes was diverted in the early afternoon to support five Avro Vulcan bombers to attack an airfield in the Bleuridge Mountains in Eastern Montelimar. The third failed due to scheduling and late re-fuelling circumstances.

In the Eastern Theatre of Air Operations (ETAO) heavy attacks began at 12:00. The day before the Royal Montelimarian Air Force struck a surprise blow; forty attack aircraft raided the support race tracks above Northern Montelimar, and while repelled, a Vickers VC10 was lost signalling the first dramatic loss for the air force; what was coming now was a revenge attack of considerable proportions. Five Avro Vulcans swept in through the valleys and bombed the Bleuridge Mountain airfields, facilities, and radar. Wave after wave of Avros and thirty F-16s repeatedly attacked the Bleuridge positions until well into the early evening. At 21:00, a massive wave of aircraft headed south from Wantage, toward Valmy. More than eighty aircraft were involved in the first major raid on the capital city and the surrounding area in what would become one the lagest coordinated air assaults in the Montelimarian War. The aircraft of the First Air Wing rendezvoused in Southern Wantage before heading towad Valmy before 22:00. Seven Phantom IIs spearheaded the attack, followed by fourteen more and five Tornados. The Phantom IIs would protect against Montelimarian aircraft while the Tornados would conduct the suppression of air defences. Fifty-four F-16s followed closely behind, each carry two 2,000 lb bombs. The pilots of the Phantom IIs positioned their aircraft above and behind the strike force. From thirty thousand feet they had a clear radar view well ahead of the attacking aircraft. The Phantoms would monitor any approaching enemy onto the strike force below before descending on the enemy aircraft at Mach 2 and unleashing Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles.

A strike by the Second Air Wing had also taken off at 17:35, it consisted of thirty Phantom IIs, thirty-five F-16s and ten Tornados; they took off from their rendezvous in Southern Hessex and headed toward an array of resisting airfields and facilities in Western and Northern Montelimar, including the Naval Air Station attempting to re-establish control over the skies of Fecamp located inland from the naval base. This is the facility that caused minor headache to air operations yesterday, now it was time remove the threat permanently. A flight of F-16s dodged a small flurry of SAM missiles and AAA from the station; all five aircraft lobbed their 2,000 lb bombs on the naval air station from maximum range. Flight after flight of fighters swept down on their assigned targets throughout Montelimar. A four-aircraft group attacked the Combined Air Defence Command; an eight-aircraft group attacked the defence ministry in central Valmy, they were among the more high profile targets, but everything related to the air defence of Montelimar was attacked. Following this air assault the electronic warfare aircraft, the Tornados, arrived in the targeted areas to start electronic countermeasures.

Before the conclusion of yesterday, the 7th, submarines Cossack, Cuxton and Cunning had already been on patrol for two days and on Wednesday, an R.E.A.F. Victor from Hessex made the first radar reconnaissance flight off the southern most coast of Engellex. These reconnaissance operations will be continuous, as an extension of those that had been conduct months before the start of war over the waters of Great Engellex. Three of these 7,000 mile, fourteen hour missions, would take place each week, on the Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. Victor, in concert with the three submarines of the First Submarine Squadron located a Montelimarian submarine due north-west of Fecamp. H.E.M.S Ardent had rendezvoused with the advance positions of Cossack, Cuxton, and Cunning. The air attachments of Ardent, Warspite and Havock, armed with a variety of weapons prepared for the hunting of the enemy’s retreating submarines at 05:25. At 07:11 the Westland Wessex of Warspite launched two Mk. 11 depth charges, this attacked was followed shortly with the air attachments from Ardent and Havock launching two Mk. 46 torpedoes, the three helicopters then strafed with machine gunfire. Wednesday also saw the departure of H.E.M.S. Restless and Rigorous from the southern waters of Great Engellex, their destination was to reinforce the presence of Warpsite and Havock in the south of the Hessex Bite, in Montelimar. H.E.M.S. Charger and Redgauntlet would later that day return to the waters south of Engellex (the island).

IMPERIAL STRIKE DAY FOUR : 9TH AUGUST

On the 9th, the total number of sorties flown was estimated to be nearer eight thousand. However, more and more aircraft would be returning not from missions still carrying their ordinance. Strict rules of engagement had been established in co-operation by the Finance Ministry and the War Ministry, they required pilots to have positive identification of targets before launching weapons. These restrictions were imposed to insure minimum civilian casualty, and more importantly, to conserve weapons.
Engellexic intelligence agencies, the Army Intelligence Bureau (AIB) and the Bletchley Intelligence Bureau (BIB), were suspect of military communication cables running under a motorway about twenty miles south of a Montelimarian Army barracks and command in the north west. At some point it had been decided to ascertain the legitimacy of such a claim, and a Special Air Brigade (SAB) team had been set-up and briefed on what was needed. In the early hours of the 10th, the team would infiltrate Montelimar on a Chinook helicopter to try and tap into these suspected cables.

As the war looked to find itself a settled routine, the number of sorties increased slightly and held at twenty-one hundred. The Royal Engellexic Air Force was to maintain a tempo that the Federation had never experienced before. Round the clock air operations insured that targets were being hit somewhere in the theatre, almost continuously. By this point, the Montelimarian air defence was considered completely ineffective and lost. Of the targets for the 9th, one for an industrial estate in Southern Montelimar, a munitions factory complex. The facility was thoroughly bombed during one of the strike successions of the First Air Wing. The First and Second Air Wings mounted five strike successions between them, as part of the continuous air assault against Montelimar.

During this time, H.E.M.S. Restless and Rigorous, the Type 26 Frigates, with their air attachments of the Westland Lynx and one Westland Wessex from Warspite, searched all day for the suspected Montelimarian submarines that retreated from Fecamp, but failed to find anymore from yesterday. The Lynx from Rigorous took off during the afternoon to provide naval gunfire spotting, and stumbled upon La Combattante Fast Attack Craft looking to harass the surface ships in the area, due north west of Fecamp. Going into attack with GPMG, but was hit with return fire. The Westland Wessex helicopter of Warspite and the Lynx from Restless advanced on the positions and assisted in the strike against the advancing FAC’s, striking the enemy with four Sea Skua missiles and two torpedoes. Later in the evening, at 23:17, the submarine Cuxton made first contact at long range with another Montelimarian submarine, and closed in its track through to the early hours of the 10th before launching two conventional Mk. 8 torpedoes.

The Whigs were making themselves a nuisance to the Queen’s ministers; but then didn’t the opposition always criticise those who were in power? The Queen believed that they would have had more principle in these troubling times. The War Secretary, the Field Marshall Duke of Rothermere, on whom Charlotte had come to be more reliant upon, and who never failed in his duty to inform the Crown on all matters of the nation’s defence, cared passionately for the young Charlotte and even more so the prestige of Engellex; he was determined not only to maintain it but expand it. How proud he was to lead the Parliamentary Proclamation from the House of Lords that proclaimed Charlotte Empress of Great Engellex. Your Imperial and Royal Majesty, he announced with a sweeping bow to the Queen-Empress; Charlotte could not have been more delighted. She had stood firmly beside the Duke of Rothermere in all his endeavours. The War Secretary wanted to expand the effort of replenishment and armament greatly more beyond the limits allowed by the motion quickly going through Parliament to raise taxes, and bring in an additional £120 billion, as well as war bonds. The Whigs were fervently against raising taxes, stating that the low tax rates would be needed to kick start consumer spending when the transition from war to civil economy takes place.

 

[Rheinbund]

Ministry for Defence
Trier, Eiffelland

“The Winnemarkers are going to patrol the border more intensely. They will also send additional infantry to the regions bordering us. I suggest that we do the same,” Minister for Defence Daniel Wolzow said.
“Good idea. But we must realise that everybody is under tension now. I don’t want a war to start because somebody looses his nerves,” Chancellor Von Seydewitz said.
“Of course not. Our soldiers will patrol along the border, but outside shooting distance from the border. If an individual Winnemarker soldier accidentally or pseudo-accidentally puts his foot on our soil, we let that happen. What they need to detect is a massive movement across the border. And now that we are talking about the border, I suggest that we place mine fields along the border, all with tank mines,” Wolzow said.
“What if our own people step on them?” Von Seydewitz asked.
“Of course we are going to fence them off with barbed wire and some means to prevent rabbits and hares from going there. And we will put warning shields on the fences. I know that a sign showing ‘Achtung! Minen!’ and a skull and bones is also understood by Winnemarkers, but indeed we need to warn our own citizens,” Wolzow said.
“By the way, this will be the maiden war for NOSTRADAMUS,” Von Seydewitz said.
“Indeed. Now that you say it,” Wolzow said. “And something else. What about placing an artillery line along the border? I want to place them such that their shooting distance is 5 km from the border on our side, so that they cannot hit anything on Winnemarker soil. Of course they will be covered with mobile air defence systems,” Wolzow said.
“Isn’t that a bit strong?” Von Seydewitz asked. “Then we really show that we don’t trust them. Furthermore, they will only be targeted during the aerial attack. But indeed, I want some material up north. Both artillery and tanks. Luckily they are already spread over the country, so we don’t need to move a lot. For the artillery, place them with shooting distance 15 to 20 km from the border on our side, but not operable yet. Place them into barns, sheds, parking garages and so on. They will be made operable after the aerial attacks and before the ground attacks. The tanks will stay in the barracks until the aerial attacks begin. Then they will drive out of the barracks and spread over the border region. The barracks will certainly be targets, and then the Winnemarkers won’t be able to hit 100 tanks with one missile.”
“The mine fields will have one disadvantage. They will keep the Winnemarkers out, but we won’t be able to massively cross the border, either,” Wolzow said.
“Well, that should reassure them,” Von Seydewitz grinned.

 

[Großlausitz]

Aboard KMS Ludwig Erhard
As it had been the initial job of Franken’s contingent to act as the EDF force’s rear guard anyway, Kommodore Peter Glück had informed the mission command his carrier taskforce would help fending off the vicious attack by the Platte Confederation on Lorraine. Of the 30 originally available multirole fighters two were damaged but repairable aboard, whilst another one was to be permanently replaced by a spare one that was to be delivered from Franken. For the time being Lorraine’s Royal Navy had agreed to borrow one of their own to ensure the task force’s full operational capabilities.
Glück’s taskforce would be moved closer to the Lorrainer exclave of Auvergne, from where the fighters would undertake defending the Auvergne with support from the taskforce’s own ships. That way Lorraine’s military would be able to engage Platte’s forces more offensively than just having to defend its territories.

In Oceania
The naval taskforce that had been dispatched to Anglyn’s Oceanic territories had received a call to return home to help dealing with the Engellexic assault. On its long way home they would stop in Anglyn to re-stock their supplies and allow the servicemen to take a few days off before they’d turn their eyes to penetrate Engellex’ naval forces.

 

[Great Engellex]

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IMPERIAL CIRCUMSTANCE
LORD BYRON AND THE ZADARSKA TROUBLES

Zadarska, Zadar-Istrian Islands, Empire of Great Engellex, 9 August 2011

Revolutionary politics was soon claiming the new Queen-Empress’ attention. Some politicians seemed determined to plague her and the country, she remarked to the Dowager Duchess. There was for one, that dreadful man with the imposing waistline, the Lord Commissioner of Zadar-Istria, Lord Byron, who had made everything so difficult for her and Great Engellex. He had recently forced the Minister of Education in Zadar-Istria to resign because he objected to the minister’s proposal to allocate financial support for an education grant specifically for the children of imprisoned persons, who have no opportunity of education; they would have been enlightened to a life away from crime, and most importantly, away from political extremism. What an odious and dreadful man to make such a terrible fuss over such a matter as that, declared an astonished Queen-Empress. Charlotte had received him five times since she was crowned and had taken an immediate dislike to his character. He was to be the chief nuisance for the Queen-Empress, more so than the Federation. In the days of her seat within the House of Lords she had enjoyed his company. Charlotte knew of his most shocking life, everyone did, he was Lord Byron. In those days long passed she found him interesting and an amusement, and supported his appointment to Lord Commissioner, completely unaware of the frustration he would heap upon her reign, and the great difficulties he would endorse upon a group of people.

And now that Charlotte was Queen-Empress, presently, in circumstances that are grave and unfortunate, she would have to lend greater attention to this man than she would ever have liked to. The Lord Commissioner, Lord Byron, seemed to respect no one, not even his sovereign. He managed whenever possible to devise a course of action for himself and then explain it after he had carried it out. It was wrong, and terribly improper, but he could always shrug himself out of any difficult situation, pretending that it was of no great importance.

The Queen-Empress suspected him of withholding important state papers relating to the government of the Zadar-Istrian Islands. She resented his attitude toward herself which was that the Queen-Empress was merely a pleasant young lady who must not be allowed to think her opinions carried any weight in the realm he was Lord Commissioner of. A matter which had for some time been considered one of security importance had become a potential crisis. The situation was the treatment of ethnic Zadarskians, particularly of those following socialist political movements, by the Imperial Officers of the territory. The Engellexic Establishment had long hated everything red, in the political context. Before Lord Byron became Lord Commissioner there had been socialist developments gaining greater momentum amongst the working classes of the islands. The answer, back then before Charlotte was Queen, was to appoint Lord Byron the chief and have him to deal them the imperial hand of intolerance to such radicalism. This of course has brought up unparalleled circumstances for the island as part of Great Engellex. This was something that should never have been permitted and Lord Byron knew it. It would never be accepted by any other within Europe that Dulwich should sanction actions to put down such a political movement. But he had a plan. It involved pulling some strings amongst his business and industry friends, specifically those who own the suppliers of electricity and water within Zadarska. Only the Bletchley Intelligence Bureau (BIB) were originally aware of his dastardly schemes to bring dissidents to heel, that was, until the Queen-Empress had been informed along with her ministers.

Before any course of action could be taken by Dulwich in objection to his brutal scheming, the lower town of Zadarska had been completely engulfed in flames that evening. Entire districts of the renting working classes was totally devastated by this effort of suppression. Unable to support themselves in a struggle to rescue their world of poverty and graft from the aggressively advancing fires, scores of men, women and children would perish that night. Their water and electricity had been curiously suspended hours before the outbreak. When the Queen-Empress discovered, with full realisation, of what had happened she raged against her ministers and the Bletchley Intelligence Bureau. What a brutal old tyrant! And when you think those poor souls depended on my Crown to defend them! Charlotte did not receive the Northern Secretary, the War Secretary, or the Chief Commissioner of the BIB until many hours, well into August the 11th. The only action Charlotte saw appropriate was the censoring of journalism in Zadarska for that moment, it would serve no purpose to those poor people, she remarked. It was not long before there was a cataclysmic conflict of imperial interest between the Lord Commissioner, Lord Byron, and the Queen-Empress and her ministers. Lord Byron was fully realised for the ruthless man he indeed was. The possibility of civil war on those islands had now occupied the entire resources of the Northern Department, and the Southern Department, the Queen-Empress commanded that the disaster was to be averted at all costs, even if it meant blasting our way through the Long Sea to arrest Lord Byron for a hanging.

I consider Lord Byron to be the most dangerous man in Europe, the Queen informed the Council of State.

 

[Great Engellex]

IMPERIAL CIRCUMSTANCE
KAROSKLAND AND THE WESTERN FRONT

Dulwich, Empire of Great Engellex, 28 August 2011

The arrival of the Bantyric General Ritchie on the 20 August gave the Queen the opportunity for which she had long needed, to further her nation’s ability to repel rebellious frontiers forming in notable regions, or so she thought. The Bantyric Republic had endeavoured to free itself from the Suionian dominance within Saamiskavia, and while originally hopeful, the continued support of the Engellexic war machine was perceived to have potentially disastrous consequences on their national ambition. While there had been established previous agreements, by the Queen’s visit to Bangleann and then the President’s to Dulwich, it would be negotiated that the republic would settle their commitments prematurely in favour of an advantageous early exit. The Queen-Empress’ warm welcome to was to be followed by cold deliberations over duty to friendship, thought privately, within her mind, she understood their position and eagerness to abandon a sinking ship. The President had decided that Bantyr would like to see very little of the Engellexic Front, but remained courteous of the generosity and inclination of Dulwich toward the once plummeting prosperity of the Old Republic. Charlotte was uneasy. She admitted that Bantyr was free and, probably, wise; but they ultimately were disengaging against agreed upon commitments, a revolt against the hospitality of the Queen-Empress almost. How could she smile on that course of action before her people? It would be an encouragement to the dastardly troublemakers in places like Zadar-Istria and Wantage to rise up against their Queen-Empress.

Another opportunity had escaped the war effort almost immediately following General Ritchie’s deliverance to Dulwich. George P. Lassel, the Lord Commissioner of Karoskland, arrested several members of his administration, and ordered the dissolution of the Provincial Assembly, for the declaration of the Republic of Karoskland with himself as president. Charlotte was horrified. Strategic plans to harass enemy shipping in the south, and hoping to escalate the scale of war to a new Implaric-Oceanic Theatre with key regional powers looks to have collapsed, literally. She was delighted when the Duke of Rotheremere, the Secretary of War, called on her that the Imperial General Staff had decided that a meeting would be urgently needed with regional allies in the south to ward off any attempt at recognition of this pretender republic. The Queen-Empress summoned the ambassador of Cantigny in Dulwich, she informed him that she did not see how George P. Lassel could be considered in any way legitimate and that it would be irresponsible of Vesper to grant recognition to this usurper. This was too much for Charlotte, she considered this action, and those of Zadar-Istria and Wantage, a personal judgement on her ability to govern effectively her realms. It was decided the Lord Commissioner of Karoskland had violated the integrity of his sovereign, and no longer maintained the confidence of the Crown, therefore was unsuitable for the office. To the Queen-Empress’s delight, she could find no alternative than an armed intervention to bring seditious elements to heel.

There existed, however, opposition to such an operation by the Commons Assembly; The Queen-Empress could not understand the Common’s objection to the reinforcement of the Empire that they swore to maintain. Was it, Charlotte queried with the Duke of Rothermere, that the political opinion of Crown and Country was now against it? The Crown had been sustained with reform and strength, maintained in a balance of the Council of State and Parliament, but did people far beyond the borders of Engellex hope of a bold and graceless change from what gave them birth? The nation’s enemies were mounting, advancing, progressing against the momentous strike of the imperial realm, so there was nothing for the Queen-Empress to do but abandon strategies of neutrality, if you will, and adopt an all-out war of desperation and struggle to once again seize that lost moment and regain the support of an impatient people. Before long the Queen-Empress consented to the General’s awaited want for a ground assault that, by desire, sweep away the Montelimarian State in an epic storm of iron and blood.

Field Marshal Arthur Batten-Lyon, 12th Duke of Rothermere, the War Secretary, his plan for the ground offensive involved holding the Montelimarian Army in place in the East, and making a bold end run through Montelimar by the West. In order for this strategy to succeed, the Montelimarians needed to believed that the Great Engellexic Army’s ground assault would come across the Westmooreland/Montelimar border accompanied by a support assault from the across the Wantage border. So, a game of deception would be conducted. While the Second and Third Great Engellexic Armies were stealing away to positions along the south-western border, regiments of the Seventh and Tenth Great Engellexic Armies were moving ever closer to the border with Montelimar in the east. The eastern units intentionally made their presence known by conducting bold night reconnaissance patrols, artillery assaults, and transmitting many radio messages. That evening the Imperial General Staff, the Board of Admiralty, and the Imperial Air Staff, held a meeting at Battent Palace with the Queen-Empress. The presentations were not upbeat. They cautioned against an ambitious attempt to seize the territorial positions against the European Defence Federation, as the campaign had not achieved the advancement that was planned, or at the very least it was seriously and dangerously delayed. The conflict was to be far from over. What was explained next was what would cause greater concern for Charlotte, in short :- the foundations of the Empire were softening quickly.

 

[Lorraine]

Templier Harbor

Though the sonic shockwave did bring the divers to the surface, and the voice coming from the loudspeaker on the lead was urging the divers to surrender, the men on the patrol boats soon found that the fight was still in the divers as the boats began receiving fire from the water. Small arms fire erupted along with the thud of a grenade being launched which hit the gunshield of a 20mm autocannon the lead boat, exploding on deck, wounding two sailors.

Though the divers got off the first shot, they quickly were answered with machinegun and rifle fire from the boats, and almost as suddenly it gunfight started, it ended with the sailosr of the boat were dragging two wounded frogmen out of the water along with four of their dead.

The gunfight in the harbour did not go unnoticed by the men stationed at the entrance. Using night surveillence equipment, they located and tracked the two diver trying to swim out of the harbor. Reporting it to command, it was determined that, if they were following mission paramenters that most of their types would likely follow, they were trying to rendezvous with a boat or helicopter, they were not allowed to succeed. Two zodiacs were sent after the escaping divers, with orders to capture or kill. With each boat with a MANPAD, just in case.

On The Ground In Auvergne

It was the mere fact of Auvergne's location that was the reason it received the best air defence Lorraine could provide. Chosing from a host of EDF suppliers, the radars, SAMs, CIWS, and communications were the best that can be provided with tactics and facilities to match.

The jamming by the Platte aircraft was soon found to be on all frequencies, which did cause the switching of such to not make much difference, but it also meant that jamming was not as successful as the jamming planes had to spread the power over so many frequencies that the jamming on each of those frequencies were weak and though there was degredation it still allowed even the non AESA radar to pick up the incoming aircraft.

The jamming across all frequencies actually helped in one way, it helped the HOJ (Home on Jamming) capable missiles to find their targets as once, the missile just homes in on the plane emitting the jamming signal. These missiles, following the jamming signal had one other great advange, being that they were not emitting a signal, the planes they were targeting would not detect them until it was too late.
It was defending communications, command & control, radar and Sams from HARM and cruise missile that was a focus in the defences of Auvergne measures were taken to increase the survival of these too. While most were mobile, the static sites were well camoflaged and had warning and decoy systems along with CIWS such as Crotale, Mistral and radar controled gatling guns. This was even true with the mobile units, both capable of engaging incoming missiles at close range. Though this did not prevent all the radars and SAMs from being hit, it did allow most to survive, at least for the time being.

The Skies Above Auvergne

Though Castellane and St. Charles have already been alerted and other than SAMs, the planes of Vichy Squadron were the first to engage the enemy. While some of the Rafales launched MICA missiles at the retreating planes the rest locked onto those planes sent in to cover the first. Here too the MICA fire and forget missile streaked towards their target as the pilots prepared to evade incoming missiles.

(To be continued?)

The Next Day
Northern Lorraine

Air defences have already been full alert throughout Lorraine with the attack by Solaren, and though the attack on Montelimar had the high command of Lorraine taking notice, it took the attack on Auvergne for them to order the Northern Air Command to actively aid the Montelimarians in their war effort. Airforce bases and even civilian airfields are ordered to allow the landing and taking off of Montlimarian aircraft and provide any and all needs that can be supplied.

AWACs are also ordered on around the clock duty, providing info to both Lorrainian and Montelimarian air commands.

Central Command

Wennemark has also shown their colors, though not yet participating in the war, with the Platte sneak attack, the y to are put on surveillance as AWAC and patrol aircraft and boat keep a close watch on Lorraine's neighbor across the bay.

Southern Command

(This is still involved in Peace Through Infamy until I can unravel it.)

 

[Winnemark]

Throne Room
Royal Palace of Rubenow
Rubenow Duchy

The Grand Duke of Gronenberg, Bernahrd Zimmerman, had just finished an eloquent, passionate speech on the hazards of entering into the Engellex conflict. He was especially concerned about an attack on Eiffelland, warning that any conflict with Winnemark's neighbor might bring untold devastation to the countryside. He, after all, represented a rural duchy along the border of Winnemark and Eiffelland. A war with or attacks by Eiffelland could destroy their livelihood. This was something he feared. Something else that he feared, but left unsaid, was the growing power of the King. He had never liked King William, and was concerned that a successful war could only further embolden the crown.

As he returned to his seat following the conclusion of his address, he looked around the room at his colleagues. None of them portrayed much emotional response to the speech; certainly no one showed even a glimmer of an offer of support. They were stone cold, clearly not appreciating the sentiment of the Grand Duke from one of Winnemark's least powerful provinces. An awkward silence filled the room as everyone waited for the King to respond.

This was a meeting of the Court of Bredenbeck, the supreme decision making body of the Kingdom of Winnemark. The Court consisted of the Grand Dukes, who represented the hereditary royal families from each of Winnemark's nine duchies. The King could also appoint others to the Court, should he chose to. Currently, he had only appointed his son to sit on the Court, in addition to the Grand Dukes and the head of the Royal Armed Forces. His private secretary participated unofficially, but essentially as an equal. They had been summoned to the palace today by the King to discuss the possibility of war with the European Defence Federation. On the forefront of everyone's mind was the potential for an armed conflict with Eiffelland, Winnemark's neighbors.

"Well...that is certainly an interesting point of view," the King finally responded flatly, breaking the silence but not the tension in the room. The rest of the group, not including the Grand Duke of Gronenberg, nodded and murmured words of agreement.

"Your Majesty, here is the latest we have on Eiffelland positions," Count Theobald Muller, the King's private secretary, said quickly. He slid on intelligence report across the table to the King. "We have observed Eiffelland military units conducting a significant mining operation. It appears they are determined to plant anti-personell and anti-tank mines along the entire border - quite the operation, if you ask me. But it would also significantly hamper any attempts by us to cross the border with military units. We have also received reports that they are moving additional units into the border regions, but we can't confirm these. This would also make an invasion more costly. Clearly we aren't going to be able to attack with the surprise that our Engellex brothers did...should we chose to launch an attack, that is."

The King nodded his head as he intently studied the report in front of him.

"I should also note two other things, Your Majesty," Theobald continued. "First, it also appears Eiffelland are preparing an amphibious invasion of Solaren. This would certainly take a number of resources and would see that tens of thousands of Eiffelland troops are very far away from their homeland, if an attack occurred. Second, they have offered to enter discussions to draw down the tensions currently simmering between our two countries. Specifically, they want to work to draw down the mobilized troops..."

"Your Majesty, I must implore you to seek a peaceful option with Eiffelland," Bernhard Zimmermann began again, his voice straining with emotion. "It is looking more and more like a war with Eiffelland is going to turn into a long, bloody struggle. I mean just look what we would have to deal with to cross the border! The devastation to my duchy, to our country, it could..."

The King waived his hand, cutting the emotional duke off. As he spoke, the King stared intensely at the Grand Duke of Gronenberg. "The fact of the matter is, Bernhard, this is looking more and more like an opportunity for us to begin the long struggle to reign over the Holy Germanic Empire. The fact that you cannot recognise this, and in fact continue to argue against it, is quite concerning. I expect loyalty to my crown."

"Now," King William continued, turning his attention back to the table. Bernhard slumped in his seat and stared down at the table. "Our participation in this conflict is growing rather inevitable. Our brothers and sisters in Engellex are facing ever increasing opposition from the powers at be in Europe, and they need our help. Not only that, but I couldn't agree more with their intentions. If we can finanly break the European Defence Federation, a whole new era will be opened in European politics. Winnemark will finally be able to grow into the power it deserves to be. And we can finally accomplish the task that He has anointed us to do: rule over the Germanic kingdom. This could be our first step.

"But, we have to tread carefully. I have concerns about our military preparations. This war came up so suddenly; it was thrust upon us. If we are going to take full advantage of the conflict, we will have to act fast to put our Holy Kingdom into a position were we can prosper in the conflict. Because this is what God has asked us to do. For now, we will negotiate with our neighbors while we continue to explore our options. If anything, it will lull them into a false sense of security. But one thing is for certain, we will prepare to strike against Montelimar in support of Engellex. Preparations for war begin today, gentlemen."

With his final statement hanging over the room, King William rose and departed the chambers. Theobald Muller followed quickly behind him with Field Marshall Otto von Hahnke, and they disappeared into the depths of the Palace to put into motion the plans for war.

 

[Großlausitz]

VFS Shipbuilders – Eiffelland outfit

As speedy as possible VFS Shipbuilders had heeded to the call of the European Defence Federation to make extra room and space for maintenance operations in the weeks and months to come. Of course that meant postponing valuable private and foreign contracts, but the governments of Lorraine, Franken and Eiffelland had promised to duly compensate the semi-national shipbuilder for any expense. In the east of Eiffelland VFS workers were busy operating a repair facility for Eiffelland’s navy. The eastern dockyard was meant to supply Eiffelland’s and other friendly navies as well as seeing to civilian ships commissioned by eastern states in times of peace. Therefore, they were re-used to run maintenance for Eiffellander and Franconian naval vessels these days. Naturally the hastily hatched plan had its flaws and the repair operations weren’t going as smoothly and efficiently as in times of peace.

Lagezentrum der Geheim- und Sicherheitsdienste – LZGS

The centre of the secret and security services of Franken was abuzz with activity, as intelligence from all corners of Europe was incoming and being evaluated by the analysts on duty. The currently highest level of concern was caused by Winnemark, whose powerhungry regime bent for getting its fair share of influence in Meridian Europe could worsen the situation in the war even more. Whilst intelligence analysts weren’t trained to question this and that political form of government, it was obvious Engellex’ growing coalition of the hungry had the potential of descending into internal fights over what was the right thing to do. However, Franken’s spooks hadn’t figured out how to gain some leverage to disrupt the enemy coalition yet. They were working on it, though.

Drawing from the various publicly and – through government sources – available statements and documented actions by the government of Winnemark, LND agents had put together a dossier explaining Winnemark’s potential next steps. The dossier was also forwarded to the Eiffellander liaison officer.

[…] The statements by the government of Winnemark cannot be considered reliable nor particularly truthful: Winnemark is led by a quasi neo-absolutist monarchy, whose constitutional organization doesn’t provide for the king or his government being held accountable towards any other body. Therefore it is wise to take any of their statements with a big grain of salt. […]

Würzburg Bay Region

The Würzburg Bay Region was seeing the largest amassing of Franconian navy for decades or even a century, some people claimed. That wasn’t quite true, as today’s fleets were smaller and more agile as their forebears of the 19th, 18th or earlier centuries. But to bystanders the fancy ships of the Königliche Marine seemed to be impressive and appeared like colossuses. At last the Reichssicherheitsrat had got its act together and also mobilized an amphibious assault taskforce alongside a conventional fleet. With the task force returning from Oceania having called at Anglyn, it was safe to dispatch the next task force to give Engellex a run for their collective money.

Altogether the Reichssicherheitsrat was glad the Engellexic regime had eagerly volunteered to become a villain by assaulting Montelimar. Naturally there were doubts over Franken’s participation among the more peacefully minded portion of the populace. According to rough estimates public morale could be sustained until about November, December before there’d be really huge mood swings that would hurt the CVP’s electoral prospects. If, yes, if it came push to shove, there was still the potential of suspending polls for a while. But that was something nobody eagerly addressed within the Reichssicherheitsrat or His Majesty’s Government.

 

[Aquitania]

Task Force Épée Sainte

Though originally, the task force was to have troop transports and assault ships and had originally been destined for the war with Solaren, but with Montelimar under heavy attack, and now Lorraine, there was no longer any time for delay as the Grand Duke orders the task force centered around the aircraft carrier Épée Sainte to set sail from Bayonne to the Great Sea without the ground forces. The Épée Sainte, a former Montelimarian fleet carrier, leaves Bayonne under the cover of darkness and under the command of Vice Admiral Denis Fortescue, accompanied by the cruisers Vigilant and Glorieux and escorts including Aegis destroyers, ASW frigates and nuclear attack submarines and support ships forming the task force and are ordered to rendezvous with battle group led by the helicoter cruiser Sainte Lance that will join the task force somewhere south of Anglyn.

The orders given to V. Adm. Fortescue are, once the rendezvous was completed with the Sainte Lance, he is to continue on to the Northern Great Sea, but he is also to be prepared for changes in those orders if and when the situation warrents it, as well as the possibility of joining with Anglysh and Guianan ships bound for the Great Sea.

Home Front

The Grand Duke and his government had assumed they would be supplying the war effort against Solaren and had taken the necessary measures to provide for that war, increases in oil production and refining being one of the primary focuses, but now it looks like that will not be enough as the Grand Duke orders that along with the military being brought to a wartime status, the economy be switched from peacetime to a wartime one with quotas and rationing to be instituted immediately on all strategic industries and materials, and though it is hoped that such will not be the case, prepare the nation for a prolonged war.

 

[Montelimar]

The Bunker
Valmy

In a bunker near the Palais Royal, King Armand I is being briefed on the war. Armand would have prefered anything than this, but unlike Queen Charlotte, the King looked at war as something to be avoided instead of something to strive for and embrace. Maybe if he was the man Charlotte thought he was the war would be over and Dulwich a radioactive crater, still, if things did not change such an ending that might just might be the outcome, as a few of his advisors have advocated, but Armand's respect for life, even Engellex life, prevents him from even contemplating on giving that order.

But that respect for Engellex lives is waning as the reports come in of Montelimarian lives lost. The worst part of war is the death and destruct that it brings in which King Armand now must endure the pain as he is given casualty estimates and other loses with little good news to compensate. Though there has been some good news, due to Montelimar having a slight advantage in missile technology over Engellex, as some of their pilots are now experiencing, the Montelimarian MICA missiles have a longer range than the Engellex AIM-7and the Aster-30 SAM are launching before the the HARM carrying planes can even get into range has made it much more difficult for the Engellex to get to their targets, and with important military sites and mobile radar and SAMs using more CIWS, then even when they are able to avoid the Montelimarian fighters and SAMs, they are finding it is not a guaranteed knock out of that target. Even Engellex's attept at jamming of the radars has not been all that successful, as the Montelimarian radar use random frequency changes to counter it as well as using that same jamming signal to fire missile with the HOJ ability, as aircraft using jammers to interfere with radar, are finding they are being hit by missiles and they didn't even know they had been fired upon.. Though this has made the air war more costly for the Engellex such as places like over Valmy, from behind the Bleuridge in Eastern Montelimar where an attempt to take out the air defences had been intercepted, and to some extent in the south, there has still been with substantial losses, and though the rate of loss has dropped, if loses continue at even the lesser pace, without reinforcement from Montelimar's allies, it will soon become crippling. It is estimated that for every one enemy combat aircraft shot down, Montelimar has already lost five to six, and though most of those were caught on the ground in the early hours of the attack, they aren't easily replaced nor are the bases from which they flew from.

The King's heart sinks along with those in Fecamp as the briefing continues. Though the Gepard Naval Air Station continues to be a thorn in the side of Engellex, the navy too has experienced as great a hit as the air force, Fecamp has been all but destroyed. Though most of the fleet was in the Long Sea or on its usual patrol, and it was navy planes that has exacted the greatest blow on Engellex, with the exception of a couple of diesel submarines able to escape, those ships left behind, those ships in port, is a prime example of the devestation the Engellex are capable of. The LHD Majestic, sits on her keel in forty feet of water still tied to the dock and not far away, the burned out hulk of the LCD Triumpant. The air defence frigate Forbin, her weapon systems being utilized during the attack to defend the harbor, sits in the middile of that harbor with only the top her mast visible to show her location. In total, including those mentioned, 12 ships, 8 combat vessels and 4 replenishment ships, 4 submarines and an assortment of smaller vessels, were either severely damaged or sunk in the harbor during the air battle for Fecamp. Though devestating, what might be considered by the Engellex pilots as their greatest achievemnt, and maybe the most ironic, the bombing and the severely damaging of a ship that was still under construction, and destined to be named, when commission, after a family in which their own Queen desires to marry into, the supercarrier Nareath, a sitting duck in the construction drydock at the naval shipyards.

The ships lost, but what may hurt the most is the damaging of those naval shipyards. The Vendome Naval Shipyard, one of the largest in the world, even if the Engellex are driven off today, may not be capable of resuming production, or even repairs, of warships for the forseeable future. Though there are the civilian shipyards in Mormant that could take up some of the slack, they too may not last long in this war. It will be in this area that Montelimar will have to rely on her allies in both repairs and just supply for those ships that are already at sea.

Though it has been air defence that has been the focus of the air war, the Army hasn't yet felt the full fury of the Engellex attack. Though that does not mean they have been left alone, the regiments dug in along the border and the main bases in the west have been hit, especially supply and communications. Armand knows that, if the air force fails. the Army will feel the full weight of the Engellex assault.

Armand also knows that what makes the military loses even more poignant is the loss of control of air above the Northern Region, around the city of Lille, and along the great lakes and the coast. The Lille region, the heart of Montelimar's grain belt is where nearly half of the food grown in Montelimar comes from, and though there isn't the population density that the rest of country has, and what there is are fleeing to the mountains, the loss of farmland as well as Lille and its food production facilities will be a blow to the rest of the population, especially if there is no harvest and winter is not far away.

Though the cities in the east are just as industrialized, the industrial cities along the Great Lakes have been targetted by Engellex. Nimes, Bordeaux, Claimont and Limoges all are major industrial centers, and though they are holding out, the Engellex air campaingn have brought all production nearly to a halt, and like in the north, people have began moving away from those target areas. Hundreds of thousands are now becoming refugees as they try to make it to the east.

There was more, but King Armand could not stand hearing more. Unless the aides tell him that Montelimar's allies are mounting a massive assault on Engellex, he did not want to hear anymore. The only thing can be happy about right now is that his family is safe and sound in Arendaal. Maybe, if God smiles on him, he will be able to see them again.

 

[Großlausitz]

Würzburg Bay Region

At last the ships for the first maritime assaults were assembled and would leave the Würzburg Bay Region within the next two hours. The taskforce dubbed Heiliger Zorn (1) was led by Konteradmiral Peter Storch had the objective of hassling and eventually assaulting Dulwich Island to force Engellex diverting its forces at last. They were to be joined by a united Aquitanian-Guianan flotilla.

To lift the spirits of embattled Valmy, Generalmajor Dorothea Seiler delivered the piece of news on the departure of the taskforce personally to the King and his general staff. Wearing her battle uniform she respectfully bowed before King Armand: “Majesté, fear not, for further help is en route. Please accept your cousin’s sincerest apologies for initiating the naval operations so belatedly.(2) I’d like to inform you about our current plans to interfere with Engellex’ coalition of the greedy. Firstly, the carrier taskforce currently re-stocking its supplies in Anglyn will be dispatched to hassle and strangle Brimbeck Island. There we seek to establish a temporary base to intercept merchant vessels flying Engellex’ or its coalition’s flags. Of course truly neutral vessels will be left alone. Secondly, the very same will be done from the Würzburg Bay Region.” Seiler was using an animated map of the region to show her expert audience where exactly the strikes were planned. “As to my country’s ground support it’s safe to say that we cannot give you the leverage alone. The pace of the war wouldn’t allow us to relocate that many forces. Furthermore, there’s still pesky Winnemark to reckon with, too.”

---
(1) Roughly: holy rage
(2) Armand and Prince Regent Jakob are cousins by marriage

 

[Anglyn]

The attack on Montelimar did upset things quite a bit, while the Anglysh navy had been protecting shipping from Solaren attack, they had neglected keeping a close eye on what Engellex was up to at home. Though the navy kept tabs on the Engellex navy overseas, its was only making note of what was leaving and returning to Engellex home waters. Now with Montelimar under attack, supply ships have been ordered now to divert to the southern route and make the more hazardous voyage through the Long Sea to Eiffelland and then onto Lorraine.

Hazardous not only due to the Solaren navy, but now because the Platte's attack on Lorraine. With Platte entering the war against the EDF means that Royal navy will be stepping up its operations in the both the Great Sea and the Long Sea and especially in the waters west of Coronado and south of Breotonia and the northern outlet of the Fisherman's Strait, as it is these places where the Platte Navy must travel to reach the open seas. Breotonia, by its own policies cannot allow itself to show bias toward either side of a war and so could allow either warring side to use its waters to avoid confrontation with enemy vessels, and being that Coronado would also not allow the same, it leaves only a narrow span of water to maneuver in the south and almost none in the north, the royal navy is taking advantage of the battle group of the HMAS Cedrick VIII


Great Sea, West of Hammersmith

The Intrepid had been silently monitoring the situation at sea and was witness to Engellex's attack on Montelimar, and though the captain and crew wanted to send a few Engellex warships to Davy Jones Locker, the Admiralty had ordered them to monitor and track and not attack unless attacked. The Admiralty knew that the intel gathered by the Intrepid, such as numbers of surface vessels and submarines, at this time was far more valuable than what damage the lone attack sub could inflict, besides help was on the way, especially with the attack on Lorraine by the Platte Confederation. The HMAS Icaris and Imperial from the the Lyric Sea are soon to take up positions near Bimbeck north in support while subs stationed further south, the Ithuriel and Implarian were also order to positions south so to cover the northern narrows of the Fisherman's Straits.

Prince Hendrick Naval Base

Southeast of Port Royal is the Prince Hendrick Naval Base, named by King Cedrick VIII after his first son, who died in infancy. Here is the homebase of much of the Royal Navy's nuclear sub force including its guided missile subs the HMAS Paladin and the new sister boat, HMAS Providence. Both SSGNs have been ordered to Great Sea locations, each accompanied by four attack submarines with Paladin being escorted by the four of the newer Calypso Class Attack subs.

Portchester Naval Base

As the Franken Oceanic Task Force resupplied, a carrier group, led by the carrier HMAS Beowulf, prepares to set sail and will accompany the Franconians to the Gallian wars. Though it is hoped that they will sail in time to rendezvous with the Aquitanian Task Force, the orders read to set course for the Northern Great Sea to participate in operations there.

 

[Great Engellex]

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IMPERIAL CIRCUMSTANCE
THE DUKE & THE ENGELLEUX OF ARMS

Dulwich, Empire of Great Engellex, 30 August 2011

Hmph, take it away! Take them all! Charlotte frustrated herself at a poor flunky, dismissing her red dispatch box in anger. Her husband-to-be, the Crown Prince was still in Dulwich, walking into her rather large study, Soren curtsied to the Dowager Duchess before approaching the unravelling fury of the Queen-Empress. What is wrong my love? He asked. What? My ministers seem quite unable to decide on whether to support parliament or support me, she exclaimed desperately. Is it not parliament’s responsibility to advise them – and they advise you? He queried, advancing on her desk. We will not win this war by negotiating with petty politicians, she replied. What do they say? Soren asked further. The Imperial General Staff want to form a task force to seize the control of Karoskland, before that dastardly Federation assumes a position of advance in the south, but parliament refuses to vote the money – insisting on priority of this realm, and not the Empire. My ministers are divided on going against parliament, Charlotte replied sounding tired and desperate. It is not a particularly big matter, perhaps parliament’s advice should be duly taken, spoke a dismissive Soren. It is a big matter! I can compromise this Empire I made an oath to protect and serve! I have given my life to the furthering of Great Engellex and will not concede now! I may have to suffer this parliament, she fumed, standing up and leading herself out of the study, but I will not sacrifice this Empire! Soren, naturally, suggested that perhaps it had served its purpose, the Empire; Charlotte cut him off. Don’t preach at me! I know what is right for Great Engellex – you couldn’t possibly understand. I-I don’t know what to do. Charlotte sounded almost defeated, it was quite clear the frustrations of war tired her character more than any other present monarch should ever experience. If only I had one strong minister – I, have thought long about it. But it would change the form of Crown and Cabinet relationship considerably. The Crown Prince looked intrigued, oh? Charlotte nodded, indeed so, I have been considering the re-introduction of the Engelleux of Arms.

The Crown Prince and the Dowager Duchess watched as the Queen-Empress marched out. Charlotte’s mother exchanged an infuriated glance at the young arrogance. It would appear that you loath and detest the sight of me? He remarked to her. I am far too tired, and dutiful, for an argument, she replied dismissively. Oh yes, indeed, I hear that too often with Charlotte, he replied. There was an extended moment of silence, as the Dowager Duchess continued to read her own dispatches before looking up, no, I don’t hate you. In fact I did like you. Soren turned around furious, but somehow I displeased you?! She smiled patronisingly, not entirely, you have a certain strength, form, the trouble is you have too little understanding of Europe outside of Saamiskavia. He found that unlikely and questioned her on it, where she referred to him as unsafe. The Dowager Duchess is from an era much more historical than Charlotte, so a child of an advanced welfare state couldn’t possibly understand. The matter is, we are like a castle under siege, it will take my daughter’s iron determination to survive. I have it, as does Charlotte, and her people; but not you. The Crown Prince retorted rather immaturely back, how would you know? She turned back to her papers, of course I know, just look at your passion for peace and the Federation.
I am interested in the people, that is all. The country. Europe, he replied. The Dowager Duchess looked up infuriated, you should be interested in Great Engellex, the Empire, the advancement of the Crown’s influence around Europe. That should be your passion. Your sole purpose for living. He felt small, insignificant, as it was intended. The Court at Dulwich had not been admirable hosts to this young and arrogant liberal prince from the far north. He spoke too much, on matters he had no knowledge of, history and politics. You are engaged with my daughter, you will be the King Consort. You have no choice. The hopes of revolutionary libertines seek to undermine us and Europe, if you are content for them to bring you down that is your concern; but they shall not undermine Great Engellex. The Empire must be preserved at all cost.

On the twenty-ninth of August, ten tomahawk missiles struck military targets within Valmy; they targeted military installations belonging to the Montelimarian Army and Air Force. In addition to the missile attacks, twenty-six hundred more sorties were flown over the Eastern and Southern regions of Montelimar. A large number of these sorties were in support of reinforcing the deception of an eastward ground invasion. The air campaign would now shift to the destruction of the enemy’s army in around the west and north. Nearly three hundred F-16s, Phantom IIs, Avro Vulcans, Tornados, and helicopters were pounding Montelimarian positions day and night. Five Avro Vulcans swept over the northern regions in the first hours of the 30 August. They bombed the dug-in positions of the Montelimarian Army; as they headed back for national airspace, thirty F-16s darted over the area. They found many enemy servicemen, artillery, and vehicles.

As air supremacy was slowly being won in Montelimar, the vessels near Fecamp ceased to provide bombardment support to air operations around Montelimar; with Ardent and Rigorous lost, the ships Restless, Warspite and Havock departed the southern waters of the Hessex Bite for the sovereign waters of Engellex. They escorted the remaining supply vessels to the large naval port of Hammersmith. At the northern breach of the Cambrian Strait, Trenchant and Tireless patrolled to the north-west and east of the northern entry in the strait, while Triumph followed up with a patrol of the southern breach into the strait, but only as far into the strait as to provide rapid advancement of position to support the other two submarines. To the west of Engellex Centurion and Challenger maintained aggressive patrols to the west and south of Bimbeck, with Champion and Chaser on the east destined to spend a frustrating war mainly defending the area. North of Breotonia and west of Great Engellex, Conflagration, Conflict, Constitution, and Conquerant were the first to likely engage enemy vessels belonging to Anglyn, Guiana and Aquitania. They maintained patrols in position to intercept enemy naval advancement swiftly, while also staying clear of the several mine-lines placed in international waters before the war.

I will be as a channel between your Majesty and your Majesty’s ministers, proclaimed the Duke of Rothermere. The War Secretary, the Grand Old Duke of Rothermere had been propositioned by the Queen-Empress that evening to accept the position of Engelleux of Arms – a somewhat Prime Minister, to provide a strong focus within the cabinet during this time of war while the Queen-Empress takes a focus on other political matters. And the parliamentary political distractions, your Grace? Queried Charlotte. It is perfectly simple, we must ignore these petty party politics; invite the parliamentarians – from both sides, that wish to sensibly and responsibly engage our concerns, and ignore the others, he replied somewhat easily. Harr! They would cut off your head! Possibly mine, and have a way with this Crown, humoured the Queen-Empress. I would have died serving my Queen-Empress, and yourself, m’am, defending your right to govern the nation through times of need; through times of war. They humoured each other, they were pleasant friends and family. I doubt your colleagues would agree, Charlotte reminded him. As Engelleux of Arms I shall have no colleagues! Only subordinates, m’am, he responded which followed with a great roar of laughter. The Council of State will be maintained, and the daily meetings with the cabinet, of course, affirmed Charlotte. I will always submit to your Imperial and Royal Majesty’s orders, even should I disagree with them. One day, he began, you shall be Queen-Empress of Preuti-Borussia. Charlotte was quite dismissive, tired as though she had said so many times before, I do not want to be Queen-Empress of Preuti-Borussia.

 

[The Federation]

CAMBRIAN STRAIT
SECOND FLEET
UNDER COMMAND OF FLEET ADMIRAL CARSON CARBRY


In the right mind of the civilian government in Bangleann, it seemed like a great idea to dispatch Second Fleet to the Cambrian Strait, but in Fleet Admiral Carbry's mind it was a mistake to do so when the momentous day of Bantyr's retribution against the viking pig was nearing. The fools in Bangleann had gotten themselves involved with Engellexic and their imperial vision, convincing themselves they had something in common with them when in truth it was the money, the war economy that had enticed them to even attach Bantyr with such a nation. However, every scenario that could have possibly happened had not, cargo ships bound for Engellex lazily passed by along with civilian ships of other An Lyr nations, for it was their mission to maintain the viability of An Lyr as a trade water and stop the Gallian belligerents from using it to further their goals, at least that's what the official story was. The reality of it all was that Bangleann had gotten itself in too deep by banking on the Engellexic war money and was now obligated to see that the war was either won by Engellex's imperial ambition or at least extended until Bantyric viability could be rebuilt. They were kidding themselves if they thought that a war economy could do that quickly enough to let them climb out of the multitudes of holes Bangleann had dug for itself.


The Warreic spy satellites that their alliance with Warre had afforded use of had shown nothing coming from Franken, the EDF member that Dulwich had feared would meddle in their plans. For weeks they had been deployed there with no developments, Carbry had even started putting in requests to the Grand Admiral to convince the Senate that this deployment was nothing but a waste of resources since Franken would most likely use their allies to reinforce Montelimar's rear flank and so far he was right. Request after request to the Grand Admiral would be turned down every time and everyday Carbry would sit in the briefing room of his flagship, the aircraft carrier Sutherland, receiving reports of no activity. Today was the same to him or so he thought until the Captain had informed him the satellites had shown increased activity in the bays of Franken. Carbry's heart skipped a beat for just a moment as he asked the Captain to reconfirm the report, his heart skipped another when the Captain, sure in his assessment reconfirmed the movement. “No matter,” Carbry thought to himself, Second Fleet was officially not there to start a war, only to protect trade and civilian shipping leaving An Lyr for the great sea and due to Bantyr's great civilian presence within such trade routes, Second Fleet had every right to be there to stop disruption of Bantyr's and all other An Lyric economies. In a sense the official lie given to the world was the same truth Breotonia had committed itself to, or so Carbry thought due to his lack of real knowledge of The Mantle.


Carbry stood up from his chair upon the bridge of the Sutherland and issued a call to Action Stations. Though he did not intend to immediately engage any Franken Naval ship inbound for the Great Sea, he did intend to warn them off or find another way to engage in their silly wars and such intentions could prove dangerous depending upon Frankish reaction. With that in mind he hoped they would sea the reason in Bangleann's bluff as any calling of the bluff would see the blood of Frankish and Bantyric men spilled into the Cambrian Strait.

 

[Großlausitz]

South eastern entry of the Strait of Cambria
“This is taskforce Heiliger Zorn passing the Strait of Cambria. We will respect vessels flying neutral flags, but any assault against our convoy will lead to swift and suitable retaliation.” The radio message was clear and easy to understand. Konteradmiral Storch had been given orders to drive away the Bantyric taskforce, if necessary. Nürnberg still hoped they wouldn’t be that stupid. If they were to act in an ill-advised manner, Heiliger Zorn had instructions to lure them back into the Würzburg Bay Region where they would be welcome by the rest of the home fleet and long-range Royal Air Force bombardment. Storch was pretty sure the Bantrians saw the trap via their satellites and hoped they’d just not bother.
For the time being Heiliger Zorn was heading into the Strait of Cambria by their order of battle.

Portchester Naval Base, Anglyn
“Departure – 6:00 hours, Kommodore,” the young ensign reported to her commanding officer, who held the command over the taskforce KMS Graf Schwenningen, “Thank you, Frau Leutnant,” Kommodore Erika Dreyer politely instructed her aide-de-camp on duty, “Please ensure the CO of the Anglynian taskforce and the Aquitanian detachment are kept posted on the preparations for our departure.” The young officer quickly scurried off to do as she was told. Lost in thoughts Kommodore Erika Dreyer left herself to discuss the status quo of the aircraft aboard with the head of the maintenance squad aboard the carrier Graf Schwenningen. If it had been just a peace time deployment, Dreyer would have taken her time to enjoy the beautiful landscape on the horizon visible through her cabin’s windows.

Reichsamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung
If you wanted to join public service, serve King and Country in the military, held a MBA or a Master of Arts in Business or you were a too cowardly engineer, the office for defence technology and procurement was your first choice as employer. Of course you had to deal with less payment than in the private sector, too. Currently the dashing MBAs and young engineers whose day jobs were pretty routine and almost dull were busy restocking the supplies of the many war theatres Franken was involved in. Luckily for Franken Wiese’s KIW had finally stepped up production speed for ammunition and larger supply parts. That way the Franconian war industry, which had been approaching capacity limits lately, could be unburdened.

 

[Rheinbund]

Staatsschutz headquarters
Trier, Eiffelland

The Staatsschutz was Eiffelland’s secret service, responsible for intelligence tasks both inside and outside Eiffelland. It cooperated with its EDF-counterparts in all matters. The note from the Franconian intelligence service was read with much interest. The Staatsschutz also had its sources of information in the Winnemarker government. It was already clear that statements from the Winnemarker government should be interpreted with caution. The note from the Franconian intelligence service was a welcome confirmation of that. A note was sent back to the LZGS, thanking for the information about Winnemark and stating that the danger was not limited to Winnemark’s constitution because of the King’s imperial aspirations.

Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the only unofficial smoking room in the Staatsschutz headquarters got a new task. The master hackers Ralf Strauss and Horst Krämer had to try to hack Engellex’s governmental sites to find anything important regarding the war effort, but in such a way that it would seem an attack from a random hacker somewhere in the world.
“It didn’t work out with the porn collection of Urban III, although we did find some porn collections of the lesser gods of the Solaris regime,” Strauss said while wheeling to the coffee machine. “Now let’s see what we find on the servers in Engellex. Nude pics of Prince Søren, taken by Queen Charlotte?”
“And nude pics of Queen Charlotte, taken by Prince Søren?” Krämer asked. “But let’s check our supplies first. Coffee?”
“Check. Four 1 kg packages,” Strauss said.
“Coffeefilters?” Krämer asked.
“Check. Two cartons,” Strauss said.
“Cigarettes?” Krämer asked.
“Check. Ten cartons, each with 10 packages,” Strauss said.
“Good. Let’s get cracking,” Krämer said.


Eiffellandian Government

It was clear in Eiffelland that this could be a long and bloody war; some compared it even with the Great War. In any case, several persons were glad that the mine fields between Eiffelland and Winnemark were laid down. The work on that continued as scheduled.
Meanwhile, the Government considered it needed to take an impopular measure in Eiffelland: A speed limit of 130 km/h (≈ 81 mph) was introduced on the motorways. This was done to save fuel for the war effort.

 

[Winnemark]

King's Private Study
Royal Palace of Rubenow
Rubenow Duchy

King William often used the study in his apartment of the Royal Palace as a place to work on things by himself or conduct meetings he wanted to be especially private. The latter was the reason he found himself there today. With him was Count Theobald Muller, his private secretary; his son, Prince Frederick; and Grand Duke Daniel Scholz, the Lord High Commissioner for External Affairs. The head of the armed forces, Field Marshall Otto von Hahnke, also joined the conversation over the speakerphone. They were gathered once again to discuss the growing conflict in Gallia and Germania and the role Winnemark would play. It was a debate they'd be having for weeks now, and the King hoped to have a resolution soon.

"Your Highness, the situation is deteriorating nearly by the minute," Field Marshall von Burchard garbled over the phone. "Things seem to have stabilised with Eiffelland, but I am incredibly concerned by the recent actions of the Weisen government. They have passed a resolution calling for a national mobilisation and use of a pre-emptive strike; in addition, they have made several threatening statements toward you and the Court. I believe the intentions of their moves are incredibly clear: Winnemark is their target. We must prepare for a pre-emptive strike from the north."

"Yes, yes..." the King began to respond. "I have been increasingly alarmed by Weise as well. Field Marshall, what do you suggest we do to protect ourself from an attack?"

"Well, Your Highness, I believe we should begin constant air patrols across our skies, especially in the north. The most likely strike from Weise would be via air. This will allow us to intercept them should they attempt to attack us," the Field Marshall replied.

"Your Highness, I think you should authorise this deployment immediately," Theobald quickly interjected. "For the safety of the Kingdom."

"Yes, yes, of course," King William responded. "Put it into effect as soon as possible, Field Marshall."

"As you wish, Your Highness," Otto responded.

 

[Great Engellex]

THE WESTERN MARCHES
QUEENIE, BALDRICK, DARLING, WITCHSMELLER AND NURSIE

Southern Walssex-Battent, Empire of Great Engellex, 7 August 2011

At mid-night, Imperial Force Queenie drove across the border of Walssex-Battent and Montelimar; by 01:19 Queenie had advanced about ten miles into northern Montelimar where it rendezvoused with Imperial Force Baldrick, this was in anticipation of the ground assault into Montelimar that was about to begin. The order for the deception operation to continue was given at 00:10, with artillery bombardment and infantry raids intensifying across the eastern border from Westmooreland and Wantage. Engineering teams lead the assault across the border with Queenie and Baldrick, for the intention of clearing minefields and what-not. They cleared twenty-five lanes, first with mine-clearing charges, then ploughs bulldozed through the minefields to push out any remaining mines from those lanes. The clearing operation was support by artillery pounding of Montelimarian army positions. The fifteen tanks of Queenie charged forward in a V formation, they shifted into a single file when cautiously driving through a suspected minefield. The last of Queenie’s tanks were through by 03:45. The land behind the first of the enemy’s defensive lines began to fill with armoured vehicles of the VIII Corps. Little to no resistance was expected of the initial defensive lines, just mines and wiring, this was due to the excessive air attack on army positions across the border; resistance was anticipated elsewhere, however.

While Queenie, Baldrick, and the other Imperial Force’s Darling, Witchsmeller, and Nursie made ways for an advance on the city of Mormant, the V and XIII Corps were beginning the west-central run through Montelimar. In the preparatory move for the planned divide-and-conquer assault, all elements of the XIII Corps pushed southward to the city of Nimes, as far as they dared. General Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, Count Auchinleck wanted to move the entire Corps as far forward as possible without alerting the enemy fully to their presence, the strategy was to make full use of the chaos and confusion of the hundreds of thousands fleeing the northern cities and towns. The 13th Middlesex Division (Mech), the easternmost division of the XIII Corps, moved forward against Nimes with a twenty-kilometre front. The 40th Middlesex Division (Mech) occupied a narrower twelve-kilometre front west of the 13th. Stretching to seventy kilometres, the front of the 24th Armoured Division occupied the forward central position. Strike packages from the Second Air Wing lead the charge south against the enemy, it consisted of thirty Phantom IIs, thirty-five F-16s and ten Tornados; they took off from their rendezvous in Southern Hessex. Their objectives were simply to support the ground advancement. Enemy infantry and armour positions were aggressively hit, as they had been since the 8th of August; continuous waves of attack helicopters followed the aircraft, they advanced the ground offensive by firing on the run at enemy tanks, dug-ins, and vehicles.

At 05:30, three Westland Lynx helicopters inserted a rifle platoon from an infantry company at a Forward Landing Zone east of Mormant. Moments later fifteen Westland WAH-64 helicopters took to the sky and headed for the FLZ, these helicopters would provide air cover for the upcoming attack. Then at 06:45, the Royal Engellexic Army would launch its largest helicopter assault in its history so far. Thirty-five Chinook HC2s and fifty-five Westland Lynx, carrying six hundred soliders and their equipment, leapfrogged seventy miles into Montelimar to secure a fifty square mile forward supply area east of Mormant. By that days end, the Army had flown more than five hundred attack and transport helicopter sorties, transporting five thousand five hundred men. In just over an hour, the first wave of six hundred soldiers were on the ground and fanning out to secure the forward landing zone for subsequent troop and supply landings. At 08:05 two companies would make the first contact with the enemy, encountering an enemy dug-in and patrol. Westland WAH-64 attack helicopters and F-16s from the REAF attacked the enemy from above while artillery from the 6th and 5th Royal Artillery Regiments pounded Montelimarian positions south of Walssex-Battent. After the intense preparations, the 7th Armoured Division and Horse Grenadier Guards maneuvered from the defensive lines north of Mormant and toward the Forward Landing Zone to the city’s east, they would rendezvous with the six hundred men of the first wave to support expanding the FLZ by another fifty square miles; securing the area between Mormant and Nimes, and the border.

Within twenty minutes of the two companies being engaged with the enemy, four Engellexic soldiers were dead, but they continued to press their attack; reinforcements arrived swiftly, fortunately, so did the REAF F-16s. The aircraft roared overhead and dropped several cluster bombs on the enemy positions. The Chinooks and Lynx’ second lift of troops and equipment arrived at 10:34. Meanwhile the first of several armoured columns had pushed south along the M55 motorway from Walssex-Battent to Mormant at 10:57; three thousand soldiers and four hundred vehicles, including over one hundred main battle tanks from the 7th Armoured Division advanced swiftly against Mormant from the motorway. The remainder of the VIII Corps would be moving speedily through the northern Montelimarian breach to the FLZ, and advancing against Mormant by that days conclusion; that is, seventy-five thousand soldiers and six hundred eighty main battle tanks. By the evening the sky above Nimes was flashed with constant fireballs as objectives of the strike packages from the Second Air Wing continued to bombard enemy positions in Nimes ahead of the forward column of the XIII Corps into the city. By 19:03 the divisions of the XIII Corps crossed the boundaries of Nimes, behind the air assault of the F-16s and Phantom IIs; that is forty five thousand soldiers and three hundred forty main battle tanks, and other vehicles.

Nimes was under siege by the XIII Corps, with the V Corps advancing south-west of the city to guard its rear. The 7th Armoured Division was engaged inside Mormant with the remainder of the VIII Corps reinforcing their efforts throughout the 7 August. The Second Air Wing maintained air strikes against enemy positions in and around Mormant and Nimes, with Army attack helicopters supporting the defence of the ground force advancement. Queenie, Baldrick, Darling, Witchsmeller and Nursie continued to break minefields as to allow the Second and Third Engellexic Armies to fully advance south into northern Montelimar, their objective set for the 8 August.

The European Defence Federation were being foolish or naïve in their focus on naval operations against the Engellexic mainland. The Chief of the Imperial General Staff could find no reason or logic in their direction, the island was the most heavily defended territory in the entire Empire. The natural coastal borders of Engellex Proper were reinforced by one hundred seventy seven thousand soldiers and one thousand twenty main battle tanks, the First Great Engellexic Army, not to mention No. 23, 28 and 30 Squadrons of the Royal Engellexic Air Force, that is sixty four F-16s. These efforts of defence can be, and will be, quickly strengthened with the readied and unspent air power of hundred four attack aircraft in northern continental Engellex, that have the primary purpose of defence. Even the waiting Avro Vulcans in Engellex will be used if it meant succeeding in the destruction of the approaching Armada of the Franks.

The beachheads of Engellex Proper were being reinforced due to the naval developments; barricades, mines and wiring were what greeted visitors to the island’s beaches now. The locals had been advised not to venture near them. The coastal promenades, once bustling with life from tourists and locals enjoying the cast iron finery of Engellexic Culture, were now marching parades for the hundreds of thousands of troops and thousands of armoured vehicles. The twenty nine vessels of Franken’s Naval Task Force entered the Strait of Cambria in broad daylight. Trenchant and Tireless, from their patrols of the northern entrance of the strait, advanced on the rear of the task force. Triumph in the south was joined by Champion and Chaser from the east of Bimbeck. Trenchant, the lead ship, was in full conversation with the Naval Stations on Engellex Proper, and due to the steady advancement of the Frankish Task Force, there was very little time for preparations.

As the first naval air raid took place in the Great Continental War on the 7 August, the airfields of Engellex with sixty four F-16s, and hundred four F-16s and Phantom IIs in Went and Middlesex, prepared to go into action. Keeping to the north east of the island to reduce flight time and fuel, the No. 23, 28 and 30 Squadrons flew off their F-16s for combat air patrols, in support of the submarine offensive about to commence. Meanwhile the second wave of attack aircraft, from the No. 74, 75, 77, 80, 83 and 90 Squadrons also took off from airfields around Went and the Middlesex for the Frankish Task Force. The air attack was part of Great Engellex’ response to what is believed to be an attempt at a full scale landing on her northern coast by Franken, to decapitate our war effort. Sorties had now been launched from the mainland, which included eighty F-16s, twenty four Phantom IIs and ten Avro Vulcans, the Air Command was throwing everything it had except the kitchen sink. In waves of ten, the first strike to reach the enemy were those from Engellex proper. At speeds of Mach 2 the F-16s penetrated the horizon of the glistening steel of Franken, and in a ripple launch twenty AGM-84 Harpoons were released against the forerunning targets of the task force; the frigates. The aircraft, having fired, switched to their afterburners to soar out of enemy fire as swiftly as the technology allowed them. The first wave of ten was immediately followed by another five waves; in all, sixty AGM-84 Harpoons and one hundred twenty AGM-119 Penguins were fired at Franken’s eight destroyers and ten frigates. The submarine Triumph would make the first contact of the submerged vessels. Around the time of third wave of the first air attack, Triumph and her nearest subordinate vessels were tasked with removing the immediate threat of the enemies capital ships. The carrier’s destruction was ordered. Attacked at 16:21 on 7 August by eighteen Mark 48 torpedoes in three rounds the heavyweight torpedoes, designed to detonate under the keel of a surface ship, sought to break the carrier's back and destroy its structural integrity. The lead ship was joined by Champion and Chaser from the west, both attacked at long range at 17:12 with four conventional Mark 8 torpedoes, two from each, targeting the carrier and destroyers.

At 18:03 the assault on the task force escalated to a new height. Trenchant and Tireless were in area range and stalking enemy submarines; Mark 48 torpedoes were launched against them. In the skies above it soon became clear that the Air Battle Masters of the Royal Engellexic Air Force would have great difficulty in their task to ensure there were no collusions and incorrect targeting. The Phantom IIs ploughed through the horizon to engage with enemy aircraft of the carrier, as well as bringing down enemy naval helicopter attachments. The pilots of the Engellexic Phantom II’s maneuvered into attack positions before proceeding to illuminate their opponents with the aircraft’s radar at 50km and launching their AIM-7 Sparrows at the enemy. The F-16s were forced to jink and dive to avoid the flurry of enemy aircraft and AA defences of the task force. For the pilots of the falcons they had a responsibility to bring down the destroyers and frigates, while the later waves of the eighty F-16s were tasked with making sure the carrier was sinking.

In total one hundred forty four F-16s were flown against the task force, unleashing one hundred forty four AGM-84 Harpoons and two hundred eighty eight AGM-119 Penguins. The twenty four Phantom IIs spent nearly ninety AIM-7 Sparrows.

 

[The Federation]

CAMBRIAN STRAIT
DUE NORTH OF THE TIP OF CAMBRIA




Carson Carbry was not moved by the Frankish threat of attack upon his fleet, there task force's numbers were outweighed by the entirety of Bantyr's second fleet, a combination of almost fifty ships. However, as the fleet sat just north of the tip of the Cambrian mainland, the radar scopes of almost every ship lit up as over a hundred aircraft came over the horizon of the west and south. After several moments of breathlessness the aircraft were identified as to be Engellexic in origin flying directly toward the Frankish task force which identified itself as Heiliger Zorn. More RADAR contacts could be seen as the aircraft began firing missiles. Admiral Carbry had spoken with fleet command within Engellex and had suspected such an attack was going to happen despite the vague information given to him. As such he kept his ships where they were, still at action stations, watching the task force inch ever closer the strait's entrance. With approval from the Grand Admiral and the Senate he ordered his ships to begin firing missiles upon the Frankish ships now under heavy attack from Engellexic aircraft.


The men of the Sutherland looked at their Admiral, awaiting his orders while others looked on in amazement at the all out attack upon the Frankish task force. It was at this moment that they realized how serious or crazy Engellex was about keeping on the war effort against the European Defense Force. Carbry issued his orders to his ships, the Broadsword and Argyll and their four other companion cruisers to launch their compliments of RGM-84 Harpoon missiles along with the sixty F-14 Tomcats of the Sutherland to launch and support the Engellexic air attack from Frankish fighter retaliation. The guided missile destroyers Burke, Glacier and Clyde and seven others of the fifteen strong destroyers launched their RGM/UGM-109B Tomahawk Anti Ship Missiles, a total of 148 missiles upon the Frankish task force, missile propellant covered several miles of sea as the ships began launching missiles one by one carefully avoiding the flight path of the Sutherland's aircraft.The Frigates Interceptor and Suppressor along with it's company of eight other frigates under their command were screening the Bantyric fleet for aircraft and submarines.


The view of the pilots of the F-14 Tomcats in flight behind the Engellexic aircraft, above their fleet's own missiles and toward the task force was one of horror as jets buzzed around the task force like angry bees as missiles exploded in mid air from the task force's defenses and slammed through the defenses into the ships. Lead aircraft of the various wings of Bantyric fighter's radioed to their Engellexic allies of their impending arrival so as to avoid being confused as a enemy surprise attack. The pilot's steeled themselves for battle as their training kicked in as they neared the battle, they never thought they would have to use their skills in real application but the sights before them betrayed their plans of an easy ride within the Bantyric navy. Collectively the men in the fighters and within the fleet prayed to their gods hoping that this attack would not end up screwing them in the long run. As Fleet Admiral Carbry watched his orders carried out, he prayed as well for all souls involved, even those of his enemies.

 

[Anglyn]

Waters Between Cambria and Breotonia

In the thousands of square miles of water between Cambria and Breotonia, the Intrepid has been playing cat and mouse with the Engellexic, now with the Icaris, Imperial, Ithuriel and Implarian joining the game and more soon to arrive, thing may be becoming interesting.

Northern Great Sea

As the attack subs fan out in search of enemy subs, the HMAS Paladin and HMAS Providence have reached the coordinates they had been ordered to. Contacting command, the crew of the Paladin receives orders to launch its full compliment of missiles at coordinates provided then immediately return to base. It did not take long for the coordinates to be programed into the missiles, and when they were, Capt. Arnson gives the order to fire and within minutes 154 Griffon cruise missiles streak their way to targets in Engellex.

The Royal Navy, having detailed satellite images of Engellex, and has pinpointed targets all across the mainland and the capital island, and these missiles have been programed to strike many of those targets. Tagets such as refineries, oil and fuel storage, power plants and ship repair facilities in southern and western Engellex including the the island in which Dulwich is located.

The Paladin then sets course for home leaving the Providence to await her orders.

Task Force Beowulf

The task force, having left Portchester with the Franken battle group, makes it way toward the Nortern Great Sea, with the hope that they will still rendezvous with the Aquitanians. It is at this time they learn of the latest in a long use of neutrality to launch attacks, this time Bantyr. A pattern has been made, if a nation declares neutrality, it is almost certain that they are getting ready to attack someone. It is surprising that the Breotish allow such flaunting of The Mantle, for no matter how the war turns out, it will be the Breotish that will loose respect for it is they that did nothing while they are used.