The Stag and the Eagle

[Tyvia]

THE STAG AND THE EAGLE

Control of the source of the Daria had been a point of pride for the Zarmaj Gold Banner Army since the very beginning of hostilities with Lesser Sarmatia in 2001. Named for an ancient Cispji warlord, the river was the longest in the State, running through the midlands and passing Arcodowzs before spilling out into the Lomsza Bay. Its source was just eight kilometers beyond the northern frontier, at the point of confluence between several smaller brooks. These hills had been captured in the first series of Zarmaj counteroffensives during the autumn of 2001, troops from the 77a Orzja Dwejgj “Krjstoff Rozsj Sjarsz” having overrun and secured the hills.

The area remained an active combat zone for the remainder of the war, the front fluctuating, but control of the Daria's source firmly remaining in Zarmaj hands. Though close to the fighting, this zone, dubbed “Lager Wranj,” had become an important mustering point and supply center for the local forces. The headquarters of the 77th regiment itself was also located here, its commander, Kolszjalk Jasz Uratow, making his home here.

A young man by military standards, Uratow had served as regimental commander for but a few months, promoted up from his company command following the death of Kolszjalk Timoszow earlier in the year. He was an urbane and serious fellow, his greatcoat always buttoned and the gold stag upon his cap invariably polished. The command post, situated upon a small rise beside the camp proper, afforded him an excellent view of the forward positions. Though it was some distance away, the “ozsjr stalizs” was visible, with the Sarmatian fortress-capital just beyond.

The State Defense Committee had proclaimed that it was here that the Zarmaj Gold Banner Army would begin their first forward offensive, aiming to drive a wedge towards Wislica. There had been other such attacks throughout the war, but these were all reactionary in nature, counterattacks designed to minimize or eliminate enemy gains. However, this particular operation was conceived with the intent to shock the Lesser Sarmatian leadership and population, and thereby to continue the process of sapping their will to fight. The SDC and the Mjarszat had long lost any hope of forcibly ending the war, yet both maintained that it might be possible to induce Lesser Sarmatia to come to the table should Zarmaj inflict enough damage upon it.

Troops and machines had been gathered here for weeks in preparation for the ordained offensive, dispersed over a forty kilometer line so as to avoid an unnecessary and obvious concentration. This period of organization finally ended on the 4th of December, each of the units assigned for the offensive being sent the same set of instructions.

The 77a Orzja, located right in the center of it all, was destined for a place of honour in the oncoming offensive.

-

ROZS WADAN

Sometime during the night, the enemy artillery had decided to test its guns, firing down upon one of the central positions in the heights. No casualties were sustained, but the SDC was aware of the incident almost as soon as it happened. Perhaps thinking it amusing to start the offensive off on such a note, the order was almost immediately given to the Zarmaj artillery contingent to respond in kind. Primarily a mobile force, the 99a Orzja Artjellerj and other units like it had been concentrated in great numbers throughout the night, preparing for the coming offensive.

With an advantage in numbers and firepower, the 99a Orzja was able to quickly silence the enemy guns. The barrage went on unabated for some time afterward, raining down steel upon the Sarmatians for perhaps another hour. As the sun began to shine in the east, the guns fell silent – the roaring of engines and the whirr of rotors instead audible. It was an offensive, an offensive of the sort which the Zarmaj had not yet attempted during this war. They poured down from the heights, showering any remaining Sarmatian positions in a volley of rockets, shells, and gunfire.

“Rozs Wadan,” an upgraded variant of the popular J-76 main battle tank, led the way. She had been fitted with reactive plating and an elongated barrel, increasing both her survivability and firepower. Her sides had been painted a vibrant gold and red, the black stag of the State etched over those colors. She was right in the thick of it, accompanied by two platoons from the 77a Orzja and a detachment from the 99th. With Manszjalk Timszow in control, she began the assault sometime after dawn, a similar scene occurring on both her left and right.

Though it had conceded control of the air to Lesser Sarmatia earlier in the war, the State's air force was out in number today. It was rare that the State's precious few birds were allowed to fly, but this offensive was deemed important enough so as to justify their presence. The SDC had never seen the need to throw away their outnumbered air force, and so instead had managed to keep their skies mostly clear through the heavy use of SAM and other land-based AA implements. The planes were out now, flying primarily in support of the ground forces, but also to maintain local air superiority in the offensive zone.

A great amount of troops, machines, and firepower had been assembled for this offensive – the first to be launched by the Gold Banner Army in this war. It remained to be seen how effective it would be, and what effect it would practically have on the Sarmatian side.

 

[Josepania]

Central Front: 7th Korpus, 32nd & 33rd Dywizje
Southern Lesser Sarmatia
12/7/2011, 5:58 AM

Ever since the disastrous opening offensive of the Grand Republic a decade ago, the fighting between Lesser Sarmatia and the Zarmaj State had usually died down this time of the year due to the hellish weather, like armies had done centuries earlier. Where normally a minimum of two korpus guarded the front lines, when the winds and snow came that number was halved to a single korpus, as it had almost become official tradition for both sides to wait until the late spring to undertake any serious offensives. Not that Lesser Sarmatia had ever experienced an offensive from the Zarmaj State in good or bad weather. The Sarmatians were always the ones on the offense without question, but that strategy had not yet yielded sufficient bounties to justify its continued usage. Questions that were raised in the last years of the Grand Republic were being raised again in the fourth year of Sanation, questions that did not yet have a satisfactory answer.

In short, Lesser Sarmatia was growing tired of the war.

But tradition, and a healthy dose of Sarmatian stubbornness, demanded that the guns keep firing, the soldiers keep advancing, or retreating, some always dying, in pursuit of that goal nearing thirty years of age: the subjugation of the rebellious Zarmaj State. To admit defeat would be a blow to Sarmatian pride, a pride they were just beginning to regain in the wake of the Grand Republic's fall. Instead, Sanation had committed itself to a war of attrition with their southern foes, reasoning that whatever pains Lesser Sarmatia was feeling, surely they must be amplified in the Zarmaj State. They would not talk peace until the Zarmaj were ready to talk.

They did not, however, expect that talk to be in the form of a surprise offensive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'This isn't happening...'

The cold weather somehow felt warm against the icy fear Szeregowy Jan Korpinski was feeling as he hurriedly climbed into the back of the waiting transport truck, already packed tight with soldiers and officers alike. Yesterday, when he had gone to sleep he expected to wake up to a boring patrol that, if he was lucky, included the chance of taking some potshots at the Zarmaj soldiers on the opposite side of the field he had been posted in. What he got instead was a Sierzant screaming in his groggy face to get up, that they were under attack. At first, Jan thought it had to be a dream. The Zarmaj never attacked, unless it was in response to a Sarmatian offensive, but that couldn't be. It was almost winter. Nobody attacked around this time.

But when he had gotten out of his barracks, rifle in hand, seeing the complete pandemonium around him, Jan quickly realized this was reality. Artillery strikes had carved impossibly huge holes into the ground, some filled with the remains of what were once soldiers or equipment of the 32nd Dywizja, and the strikes continued to rain down. Jan followed his orders and dug in, hoping against hope that an artillery round wouldn't come looking for him. Although he had gotten his wish after more minutes of terror, he and his fellow soldiers had also gotten one of the points of the Zarmaj advance, spearheaded by tanks and other armored vehicles that seemed to come from the gates of hell themselves.

'This isn't happening...'

A major artillery bombardment was bad enough, but an actual advance of armor and infantry? That realization had drastically lowered the already wavering morale of the Lesser Sarmatian troops, and before long a general retreat had been ordered, the soldiers only too happy to obey. Now, only an hour into the fighting, Jan found himself bouncing in the back of the truck, packed to the brim, observing hundreds of other trucks and armored vehicles giving ground, Lesser Sarmatian ground, to the Zarmaj.

Already the rumors were going around: the entire Central Front was under attack. No, not just the center, but the east as well. It was a push to take back Zarmaj land. But one guy said the west was under attack too. It couldn't be. No way this could happen. Nobody attacks during the winter. The Zarmaj never attack! Well how do you explain this numbnuts?

"This isn't happening..." Jan muttered, heard by no one. Or perhaps he was heard, and no one bothered to respond. Like it or not, the Zarmaj were on the move, into Lesser Sarmatia. And his proud military was reacting like him: scrambling to get a spot in the trucks leading away from the fighting...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INITIAL REPORT TO THE OVERSEER FROM CENTRAL HQ​

Hail Lesser Sarmatia.

Sir, at approximately 0456 hours, officers of both the 32nd and 33rd Dywizje of the 7th Korpus, stationed in the Central Front, reported a heavy barrage of Zarmaj artillery upon their positions. Approximately fifteen minutes later, there were further reports of Zarmaj armor and infantry advancing and engaging our soldiers. Overwhelming force and the element of our surprise have forced these divisions to begin a fighting retreat northward, in order to regroup and dig in against enemy attacks.

Requesting as much intel as possible on composition of enemy forces, as well as intel on the status of other fronts. Will make additional requests when information comes in. Be advised, reinforcements may be requested as soon as they are available.

Lieutenant General Antoni Czuma of 7th Korpus

 

[Tyvia]

FROM: Kolszjalk Jasz Uratow, w 77a Orzja Dwejgj "Krjstoff Rozsj Sjarsz"
TO: Marszjalk Miihajl Lew Rozs Mjarszat, w Komsje Ordnaj Zaszj

Zdrastj Marszjalk,

The 77th host (mobile) began operations at 0450 on the 7th of December, 2011. Assisted by various forces from the 99th, 87th, and 101st hosts, the 77th managed to penetrate the established Zsjatj positions north of the concentration area known as “Lager Wranj.” A breakthrough was achieved first by Manszjalk Tomazs Timoszow at 0456 in sector 2 of the 77th regiment's authorized operational zone. Timoszow reported only mild resistance in the sector, and it is believed that the 99th host's preliminary bombardment did indeed have some significant impact upon the enemy. I would like to therefore express my profound hope and extend my recommendation that the 99th host remains with us for the duration of the offensive – despite the objections of the written plans.

The air contingent that was made available to us also proved to be of enormous help in the earliest stages of the attack, and I would therefore also like to politely suggest that it may be advantageous to use our air force perhaps in a less cautious manner.

I've not yet received reports from all forward elements, but the offensive appears to have been a resounding success so far. We certainly have the advantage of surprise, and we appear to have forced the enemy forward divisions into a full retreat along the predicted lines. If our luck holds, the 101st will assist me in turning their retreat into a full rout.

Paszjenja,
Kolszjalk Jasz Uratow

-

ROZS WADAN

She let loose a monstrous roar, her great bulk shuddering as the shell was fired. The explosion followed a mere moment later, the building's side erupting in a shower of flame and concrete. Triumphant, the machine continued ever onward, her commander laconically observing all the carnage from the tank's cupola. He was not an impressive looking man, all told, short and already balding. A career officer, Timoszow was of Uratow birth, though that particular tribe did not force him to carry its name. He had come to command the tank during the offensive's earliest stages, but he trusted his driver and gunner – now only occasionally pointing out or assigning a specific target.

Infantry ran ahead of the war-machine, rushing forward to secure the positions recently abandoned by the enemy. There was always the occasional burst of gunfire as they advanced, the boom of the heavy guns echoing all around them.

Timoszow glanced back over his shoulder, watching the road down which the Rozs Wadan had just come. He hadn't followed it, but had managed to cut through the nearby hillsides onto it, firing away undisturbed at a convoy of trucks that had been passing through. The two IFVs which had followed him were there, already making their way forward with the infantry, but the rest of the company was yet to be seen.

“Pjtor, what time is it?” Timoszow asked, speaking into his headset.

There was a soft grunt on the other line, a short delay before any response. “Forty-five after, Manszjalk.”

The tank moved forward ever so slightly, the gun traversing twenty degrees to the right. Timoszow looked away from the barrel as yet another shot was fired. The gunner was certainly no lazy man, as Timoszow observed, the shell resoundingly impacting yet another construction off to the north-east.

“Anything on radio from company, Pjotr?”

“Raszjalk Arpat Khaletsj reported encountering hostiles two kilometers from the rendezvous point, expects slight delay in arriving.”

“Slight?” The commander repeated, idly watching the infantry move off further down the road.

“No idea what that means either, Manszjalk.”

Timoszow grunted, his brows knitting together with worry. “We didn't have too much trouble getting here – with his numbers, he ought to be here within ten minutes or so.” A moment of internal deliberation ensued, the commander briefly weighing his options. Delays couldn't be afforded, not here and not so early in the offensive. “We can't give up the initiative, not the forward elements. All forward, soldatj.”

The tank grumbled on ahead, following the road and eventually finding the advancing infantry. There were a few corpses beside the road, but the majority of those Timoszow observed were Sarmatian, not Zarmaj. It was starting to get quite hot, and some of the infantrymen found cover behind the Rozs Wadan and her two other armoured companions. Just as before, she drove onwards with her escort, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. Many of the enemy tanks they'd come across so far had already been destroyed, eliminated by the Zarmaj air force – which was for once proving itself useful. This was unlikely to last, a realization which led Timoszow to stop his advance fifteen kilometers from the rendezvous point and await the arrival of the rest of the company.

Further east, the 101st was enjoying even more spectacular progress – managing to successfully exploit and wedge itself into the gap between the two Sarmatian formations in its own operational zone.

 

[Josepania]

Central Front HQ of the 7th Korpus
Southern Lesser Sarmatia
12/7/2011, 7:11 AM

"I need everybody to calm down!" Lieutenant General Antoni Czuma shouted, bringing the chaos engulfing the room to a grinding halt, at least temporarily. As the clock ticked and the sun slowly ascended over the suddenly active and hostile battlefield, control kept slipping from HQ's fingers as elements of the 32nd and 33nd Dywizje, and eventually the divisions as a whole, kept taking matters into their own hands on how to respond to the Zarmaj. It wasn't entirely their fault, as HQ was swamped by reports and was sluggishly responding to each and every one, still struggling to adjust to reality as it unfolded alongside the dawn. With no orders, dywizje commanders decided things had hit the fan and they needed to keep retreating. Of course, their initiative made the communication situation worse, and the vicious cycle continued.

It had to end if Lesser Sarmatian forces wanted to prevent a full rout, Antoni was convinced. "I want a single order given to the 32nd and 33rd: stand your ground and fight. Promise them reinforcements, air strikes, anything to get those men to stop running, start digging in, and start shooting. Do it now."

The sound of bustling returned to the HQ, now somewhat subdued with the return of some resemblance of order, but that panicked chaos lingered below the surface, and further setbacks were going to release it into the world once more. Antoni turned back to the map of Lesser Sarmatia and Zarmaj, grimacing as he observed the wedge slowly being driven between the 32nd and 33rd, which was only further complicating coordination and, thus, continuing the cycle of chaos plaguing the 7th Korpus.

From the reply Antoni had gotten from Wislica, only the central front was being assaulted. The west was silent as ever, and the east only had the usual skirmishing. Composition of enemy forces was still unknown, though from what could be discerned, the size of the assault as it was was approximately of equal or greater strength than the central front's forces. Not nearly as bad as it could have been, but with the element of surprise, it was enough of a nightmare to make numbers matter less. That was why Antoni had issued the order to stand and fight, in the hopes of bringing the offensive to a stop before it could exploit his Korpus' weaknesses further. That, unfortunately, depended on how the Dywizje responded...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Stand and fight! Stand and fight you goddamn cowards! You want to get shot in the back?! You want to get shot in your capital? Stop running and start shooting you worthless-"

Whatever the Sierzant was going to call his men next would never be known, as his head suddenly exploded in a cloud of red from a sniper's shot. This made his orders meaningless for many of the soldiers, in fact they thought this only proved he was crazy, and it was better to keep running.

Some listened, though, and dug in to make a stand, to varying degrees of desperation. This schizophrenic response to Lieutenant General Czuma's orders was seen throughout the 32nd and 33rd Dywzije. Not the response hoped for by any means, but certainly better than a complete disregard for his orders. Here and there, Lesser Sarmatian soldiers turned and began fighting, slowing down portions of the Zarmaj advance. The wedge between the two divisions could not be completely stopped, though, and the danger of encirclement became more and more real with each passing minute.

Those minutes were spent by Central Front HQ sending increasingly frantic messages to Wislica to mobilize any reinforcements it could and send them south. The air force was also requested... moreso demanded, to stop the sudden control of the skies the Zarmaj were enjoying. Responses to these requests/demands were, like HQ's responses to the divisions, sluggish, as the higher-ups in Wislica struggled to accept what was happening: a complete and total surprise attack that was sending them running with their tails between their legs.

8th Korpus, though, was beginning to mobilize, and be where those at the front now wished it had been earlier this morning, side by side with 7th Korpus. But 8th Korpus had just been getting used to the traditional demobilization, and it would take time. Time was something 7th Korpus was rapidly losing with each moment. And the longer 8th Korpus took, the likelier it was 32nd and 33rd Dywzije would be overrun.

Such a disaster could not happen. That was why the 4th and 5th fighter wings, meant for the defense of Wislica, were scrambled and sent south to try and scare the Zarmaj air force into retreating back into its SAM infested homeland, thus erasing some of the air superiority Lesser Sarmatia did not enjoy, and bringing some hope to the increasingly desperate men and women of the 32nd and 33rd...

 

[Tyvia]

FROM: Kolszjalk Jasz Uratow, w 77a Orzja Dwejgj "Krjstoff Rozsj Sjarsz" e Kolszjalk Niklas Zsjmon Osz Khaletsj, w 101a Orzja Dwejgj “Gennadj Ilarj Mjarszat”
TO: Marszjalk Miihajl Lew Rozs Mjarszat, w Komsje Ordnaj Zaszj

Zdrastj Marszjalk,

The 77th (mobile) host's planned maneuvers for the last few hours have been successful overall, with only minute delays experienced by isolated contingents. Two enemy formations have been identified since the beginning of operations, likely acting in concert under the auspices of a single army or corps. The 77th has been acting primarily against the formation closer to the enemy capital, on the operational “left”. Standing orders specify that any such units ought to simply be pushed aside in the drive for Wislica, regardless of their strength or positioning. Were one to however consider the position of the 101st and 77th relative to one another, an interesting possibility will quickly become apparent.

The 101st (mobile) host has been able to cover significant ground during the last few hours, managing to wedge itself into the gap between the two enemy divisions, widening it. Reserve and/or planned complementary forces are already moving ahead to the front so as to cover its flanks, and another concentration is being massed at the forward point of the spearhead for the second stage of operations.

The 77th is fated to continue north, but should it swing east but ten kilometers from the current frontline, it will effectively cut off the left-most enemy formation from Wislica. Likewise, the 101st can therefore also execute a similar move, continuing along its current route and then driving to the west. This entire enemy formation will be pinned against the waters of the ”ozsjr stalizs” and at our mercy. The destruction of a whole corps will likely buy us time and operational freedom in the area, hopefully enough to allow us to finish our offensive relatively undisturbed.

Having deliberated the various implications of such a maneuver, Kolszjalk Khaletsj and I have agreed to execute this plan and begun the envelopment and destruction of this Sarmatian division.

Paszjenja,
Kolszjalk Jasz Uratow
Kolszjalk Niklas Z.O. Khaletsj

-

”GENNADJ ILARJ MJARSZAT”

He had died in the first week of the war, falling in the defense of Jortj, the Kharjatj capital, in the State's eastern plains. A prominent commander during the Liberation War, his death was a heavy blow to the pride of the Mjarszat and to the morale of the Gold Banner Army. The 101st Host, formed shortly before the city's fall, proved itself quite useful in delaying its capture by the Sarmatian Army. It managed to resist superior forces for a week after Gennadj Mjarszat's death and only withdrew when encirclement became a threat. Having proven itself there in Jortj, the host was given the honor of carrying its dead commander's name upon its standard, the host's name thereafter changed in the traditional style.

That proud scarlet banner now fluttered in the wind, the host's coat of arms – an upright lilac ram surrounded by a black wreath – out on display. It hung from the barrel of the company's lead tank, the machine at the head of their combat formation. The whole company had paused briefly in its advance, taking a moment to get their bearings and to make a head-count. Just behind them was the next company, perhaps four or five minutes distant. Raszjalk Arpaw was commander of this particular unit, a patriotic career officer who fancied himself an excellent candidate for the Mjarszat. He had not technically ordered the stop himself, having really been told to halt by his immediate superior in headquarters.

“... can't say for certain, Kolszjalk. Two hours could mean anywhere from fifty to eighty, according to the timetables. I wouldn't suggest sticking around for much longer where we are though.” Arpaw answered the call, his tone simply exuding confidence and self-assurance.

“I understand, Taras,” was the reply, the Kolszjalk's own tone being comparatively soft and restrained. “Alter your course, full seventy-five. Operational freedom up to fifteen permitted. Forward 'till the sea, Raszjalk.”

The call abruptly ended, and it took Arpaw several seconds to gather his thoughts and realize what his orders suddenly entailed. It was an encirclement, pure and simple, an encirclement of the Sarmatian unit to the 101st host's immediate left. “Genius!” Arpaw exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear – his outburst earning him gazes from several nearby troopers. Turning towards the left would pin the Sarmatians against the “ozsjr stalizs”, crushing the formation against the very same lake upon which their capital city was placed. It would be a glorious event, he thought, and certainly one in which he should have a stake.

Hopping down from the tank, Arpaw swiftly returned to his own vehicle – an up-armored APC specifically designed to serve as a mobile command post. Wasting little time, he gave the necessary orders, his company being the first to begin the 101st 's turn towards the west.

“Wragj!” came the call, but ten minutes later. A trooper had shouted the warning, an explosion striking the lead tank's side in the same instant. The great machine shuddered and shook, forced back by the sheer force of the blow. Its reactive plating ensured its survival however, and it was now very much vengeful. Gunfire erupted all around as the company's vehicles moved forward for better positioning, either driving on ahead or disembarking their cargo of infantrymen. The lead tank, the host's banner now singed, fired off two shells in rapid succession towards the enemy positions, a satisfying spray of gore following their subsequent detonations.

The company cleared that layer of defense relatively quickly, forcing the few Sarmatian defenders from their foxholes and dirt redoubts. It was a desperate sort of defense, Arpaw thought, and he wondered how long it'd be before there was no resistance at all.

 

[Josepania]

Central Front HQ of the 8th Korpus
Southern Lesser Sarmatia
1/9/2012, 5:15 PM

Just over a month had passed since the 'Winter Offensive' of the Zarmaj, and the situation was firmly in the realm of disaster.

It had taken long for the powers-that-be in Wislica to recognize the true danger that the Zarmaj offensive had presented to not only the central front, but also the capital city. It had taken far longer still to complete the remobilization of the 8th Korpus, which had been a month earlier to the offensive demobilized as per tradition. And it had taken far too long for that remobilized Korpus to be sent south and provide reinforcements to their beleaguered brothers in arms of the 7th Korpus, which had expected yet another quiet winter in the long Sarmatian-Zarmaj war.

They expected to find the 7th Korpus, battered and bloodied but bravely holding their own.

They instead found the 7th Korpus shattered and overrun by the victorious Zarmaj army.

The 32nd Dywizje had, only two days ago, been declared officially neutralized after a sudden encirclement of the bulk of that division shortly after the beginning of the offensive. They nevertheless held for more than three weeks, well into the New Year, and had tied up a significant portion of the Zarmaj army in doing so. But the hope of reinforcements breaking through lasted for only so long, and exactly one month into the offensive, those Sarmatian soldiers that hadn't died in their last stand surrendered. The news was a shock to both 8th Korpus, which had just days prior to the surrender begun its counter-offensive, and the government in Wislica, which had been telling the populace that although beaten back, 7th Korpus would hold the line and keep the Zarmaj from the capital. Now, it was only 8th Korpus.

The fate of the 33rd Dywizje was little better. Although they still existed on paper, on the ground they were on the verge of annihilation themselves. Their backs were to the lake, and even now they were being evacuated to the other side while 8th Korpus held the Zarmaj at bay. Even with the 32nd Dywizje merged into the 33rd Dywizje, the 7th Korpus was now a sad shadow of its former self, and the Zarmaj could arguably claim that they had knocked out an entire Korpus in a single month, with limited casualties themselves. True, their offensive had more or less halted on the southern shores of the lake that separated them from the capital, as well as the appearance of a tired and slightly disorganized 8th Korpus, but the damage to Sarmatian morale had been done.

Not since the beginning of the entire war had Lesser Sarmatia faced such a military disaster, and the effects were immediate. A general mobilization was called as the powers in Wislica panicked, and made their own private plans to relocate to Oswiecim should the situation continue to deteriorate. Lieutenant General Antoni Czuma had been sacked and scapegoated for "allowing the enemy to overrun your Korpus." And now there was vocal talk about how badly the war was going, talk that had only been previously heard in the last days of the Grand Republic. Such talk was heard from the most insignificant citizen, all the way up to the Vice Governor Jozef Grudzinski himself. The latter's criticism was especially damning to the government he served, as he was one of the few who openly stood in defense of General Czuma.

"Blame yourselves for complacency!" He shouted against a din of protests from his older colleagues and technical subordinates. "Blame yourselves for a failure to resolve a war which should have been solved four years ago!"

Predictably, his words did not ring well in the halls of Wislica, and the Vice Governor soon found himself on the quiet Western Front, officially reviewing the soldiers there and giving them the vocal support of the government. Unofficially, it was to get him out of the capital before he caused anymore trouble. Some speculated that the government was even hoping the Vice Governor encountered an 'accident' while on his trip, though these words weren't spoken often, in fear that a line would be crossed there.

As the general mobilization continued, plans were being drawn up to send reinforcements both to the Central Front to ensure the safety of the capital, which was already experiencing minor and unsanctioned evacuation of the citizens, and the Eastern Front, which like the West had remained silent. The latter was not publicized, and only the highest of the high in the government knew it was not only to reinforce the soldiers there in case the Zarmaj tried to encircle them too, but it was also there that Lesser Sarmatia planned to make a counter-attack, in an effort to cut off the offensive and, perhaps, encircle them as well, thereby getting revenge for the humiliation the Sarmatian nation had experienced.

That depended, though, on 8th Korpus holding the line. They were being battered, certainly, by the Zarmaj armies, much like the once existent 7th Korpus. But they had two things their fallen brothers didn't: no element of surprise on the part of the Zarmaj, and the very clear knowledge that, should they fall, the capital would be in serious danger of dreaded occupation.

That could not happen. That would not happen. 8th Korpus would hold at all costs while Sarmatia woke from its slumber to do battle with its Zarmaj foes.

 

[Tyvia]

FROM: Marszjalk Miihajl Lew Rozs Mjarszat, w Komzsj Żaszjenj Ordj (Marshall Miikhail Lev Ross Mjarszat, State Defense Committee)
TO: The Office of the Governor, the Office of the Vice Governor, the Central Front HQ of the 8th Korpus.

Zdrastj,

Last month, Zarmaj land forces, acting with the utmost coordination and resolve, undertook an exceedingly successful offensive. Studies have found that near an entire corps was eliminated during the course of a single month, and Zarmaj troops are now but thirty kilometers from the suburbs of Wislica.

On behalf of the Orda Marszjalk (State Marshall), Agustin Brosz Khaletsj, I have been tasked with setting down the following:

1. The Zarmaj State undertakes all military operations solely for the purposes of self-defense and national preservation.
2. The Zarmaj State currently holds the view that though it is capable of doing so, it does not necessarily need to prolong the war any further; nor necessarily engage in any significant greater bloodshed.
3. The Zarmaj State considers the occupation of its sovereign soil to be a gross violation of its pride and international rights, and will continue to consider their liberation and subsequent resumant Zarmaj rule to be a necessary precondition for a final and lasting peace.

Bearing this in mind, the Orda Marszjalk would therefore like to propose the following measures:

1. The declaration of Wislica as an open city for the purpose of further military maneuvers; such that all engaged parties will make the sincerest effort to undertake military actions only outside a certain proximity of the city proper. As a veritable fortress, the State Defense Committee concedes that taking Wislica would be a difficult feat indeed to achieve, but the attempt alone would cause irreparable damage to the historic city. As proven in other conflicts, civilian casualties are invariably higher in such urban engagements than those of actual military participants.
2. The declaration of Wislica and its immediate surroundings as a no-fly zone for both civilian and military aircraft, such as to coincide with the previous aforementioned declaration of the area as a neutral and non-combatant territory.

In considering the prepositions listed herein, remember that the Zarmaj State does not suggest these measures from the position of a beleaguered defender, nor necessarily from the podium of a triumphant and ready conqueror. The Zarmaj State seeks to appeal to the common sense and latent altruism of the Lesser Sarmatian leadership, such as to minimize any further unnecessary bloodshed in an already long and bloody war.

By the time this message is received in Wislica and the various other offices, the final stage in the Zarmaj planned military actions will have already begun -- a further factor that I would like to politely ask the leadership to consider.

Paszjenja,
Marszjalk Miihajl Lew Rozs Mjarszat


-

“TARAS REUBEN ARPAD”

The ridge lit up beneath an explosive fusillade of rifle fire and artillery shells; many among the Zarmaj already springing up from their trenches and making towards the embankment. They crested it en mass, supported in part by the continued fire of their compatriots down below. Each side's heavy guns had opened great rifts in the terrain, tearing apart hillsides and leaving impossibly large craters in their wake. These same cavernous holes were now used by the advancing Zarmaj infantry, squads moving from cover to cover as they attempted to capture this particular hill. Shots rang out from every direction, the boom of the distant heavy guns recurring consistently every minute or so.

Most of the tanks and other heavy vehicles had been pulled from the immediate front-line as the Lesser Sarmatian counter-offensive began, the commanders of the various hosts reasoning that there was little reason to waste them for the purposes of static defense. The infantry had acquitted themselves rather well, the experienced and reasonably equipped Zarmaj troops succeeding in holding off and, in places, even repelling Lesser Sarmatian forces. This particular company, just one out of the many in the 77th Orzja, had taken one such ridge just the previous day, and was now in the process of taking another. Most combat had ground down to such engagements during the last two weeks, when Zarmaj mobile troops had finished their operational maneuvers and therefore ceded to their enemy the strategic initiative.

The troops were tired, but the plans mandated one final drive, one final attempt at the capital. There was little they could lose by doing so, the State Defense Committee reckoned. They might fail to capture the city, but the damage to Lesser Sarmatia would be done all the same – the only danger was being bogged down in the city itself, something which the Committee was quite intent on avoiding. That was perhaps the reason that a halt had been called about two weeks into the offensive, the Gold Banner Army taking this time to consolidate its newest acquisitions and to focus on the destruction of the isolated and encircled Sarmatian divisions. The annihilation of the 7ya Korpus was a great boost to Zarmaj morale, and the tale had already been widely circulated in both domestic and international media outlets.

Creativity was required to break the deadlock, and creativity was something the Zarmaj had in great supply. The two week “rest period” had given them just the time needed so as to amass the men and materials necessary for this final phase, to prepare themselves for what they hoped would be the last push.

“We're getting creative,” the Mansjalk explained to his men, grinning from ear to ear. A broad and burly man, he used a crate as his podium, speaking down to the troopers. He held a cigar between his teeth, yet unlit, occasionally moving it from one side of his mouth to the other. “See that ridge over there?” He asked, pointing towards the north. “Since we broke one of their corps, they've been manning the front with reserves-- ain't nothing but them between us and Wislica.

“Seeing as that's the case, and because those Zjatj boys are doing a fair job of throwing themselves at us, we've decided to get creative,” he said, repeating that key phrase.

“We're gonna jump,” he stated, seemingly quite happy to deliver that piece of news. “And we're going to jump right behind 'em.”

True to his word, the men of the 1a Orzja Desantj "Taras Reuben Arpad", the State's sole airborne formation, did indeed jump. For the second time since the beginning of the offensive, the State's air contingents took to the skies once again – this time for the purpose of both air superiority and escort. The idea for this final phase of the offensive was quite simple. To the west of the lake, where it was believed that it would be difficult for Sarmatian forces to outflank or even reinforce their positions, parachute or helicopter troops would aid armoured spearheads in breaking the Sarmatian line, assisting them by attacking the enemy in their rear.

In the east, frightened of a potential encirclement themselves, there had been concentrated a greater amount of infantry and artillery, tasked with the same advance towards Wislica – one which would be slowly supported by reserves and other forces. It was a pincer of sorts, and the goal of it was to envelop Wislica and attack it from two sides.

 

[Josepania]

Palace of the Governor, Wislica
Lesser Sarmatia
1/15/2012, 13:31 PM

The transmission that had recently come from the Zarmaj government came as an irritation to the Governor and his Council of Overseers. Irritating in that it clearly showed the Zarmaj believed, at least, they were now winning the war, a belief that wasn't entirely unrealistic, but they outright refused to acknowledge such a thing. The possibility of their opponents ever having the upper hand, much less the ability to win the war, was unthinkable from the very first minute the Zarmaj had declared independence three decades ago, and it was this dogmatic, stubborn, and uncompromising belief that compelled all in the Palace of the Governor to agree on their response: decline all the Zarmaj demands and proposals.

Such intent was to be wired to the headquarters of 8th Korpus as well, before they got any ideas about possible alternative responses. As for the... irritating pest the Vice Governor was quickly becoming, there was no argument against blocking the communication of the transmission from his office to his person, out on the Western Front supervising the troops. He already had damaged the credibility of the government enough. Adding his voice to the inevitable storm that would come from the unpopular, but more militarily practical, decision to deny Wislica's status as an open city would be overwhelmingly dangerous.

Yet somehow, despite the efforts of those assembled in the Palace of the Governor, the transmission would indeed make its way to the Vice Governor's hands, thanks primarily due to the man's own agents in the Palace. Indeed, the growing unpopularity of the current government was providing an ever growing flood of new recruits to the Vice Governor's cause, to the point where those in charge of keeping such recruitment under wraps were having a near-impossible time doing so. It was inevitable some leaks would make their way to the Vice Governor's opponents in Wislica, but the growing revolution was lucky that said opponents were more focused on the Zarmaj than the growing dissent at home... how long such a scenario would continue, though, was uncertain.

There were also reports coming in of a renewed offensive of the Zarmaj, with two spearheads making their way north around the western and eastern shores of the lake that separated them from the capital. There were even reports of paratroopers being used on the western flank of the attack. The 8th Korpus, as reinforced as it was, was already being pushed back. Momentum was on the side of the Zarmaj, at least for now, and the primary recipient of the reinforcements was not the Central Front... but the east.

With all this in mind, Wislica crafted its response, both in words and in orders.

*******

FROM: The Office of the Governor of Lesser Sarmatia
TO: The Office of the State Marshall, Agustin Brosz Khaletsj

State Marhsall,

There will be no negotiations with the rebels fighting against their true fatherland, Lesser Sarmatia. Your armies have not yet won you the war, and against our superior military might, will never be able to win the war. Your surprise, underhanded and treacherous offensive may have humiliated us so far, but we shall be humiliated no longer.

Our demands, laid down at the beginning of this war and modified upon our rightful ascent to power, remain the same.

1. The unconditional surrender of all military forces of the Zarmaj rebels.
2. The agreement for the Zarmaj rebels to be justly reabsorbed into their fatherland, Lesser Sarmatia, as autonomous states.
3. The surrender of all ringleaders of this unlawful rebellion to our custody, where they shall be given a fair trial and sentenced for their crimes against their fatherland.

Not a single rebel bullet or shell shall touch our beloved capital, your rightful beloved capital. Not a single rebel soldier shall set foot on its hallowed ground. Indeed, in under a week we shall see all rebels expelled from the soil that surrounds it and driven back to their dens, where they shall fight, and they shall lose, either their lives or the battles they fight, and their lands rejoined to ours.

May the heavens have mercy on you for your sins against your brothers in blood, for in response to this treachery, we shall not. Taste our righteous wrath.

Hail Lesser Sarmatia.

Regards,
Dyrektor Dawid Grudzinski

*******

Eastern Front HQ of 5th and 6th Korpus
Occupied Zarmaj
1/15/2012, 14:00 PM

"Advance!"

The order given by Generał Broni (Lieutenant General) Tadeusz Haller was met with a roar of vengeful gusto by the assembled lesser officers in the Eastern Front HQ, and quickly after the order relayed to the assembled dywizja of the 5th and 6th Korpus, the former having been sent as reinforcements to the latter, and the former having the honor of spearheading the counteroffensive against the Zarmaj, reinforced partially by dywizja from 6th Korpus, but alas not all. The Sarmatian foothold in occupied Zarmaj was tenuous at best, and although here it was hoped they would have the element of surprise and momentum, the Zarmaj had proven throughout the offensive to be especially clever, tenacious, and deadly. That foothold could not be lost, or it, along with the fall of Wislica, would mean the war would be lost.

The guns of artillery screamed through the afternoon dusk (for after all, it was still winter) as the soldiers and armored vehicles of 5th Korpus advanced northwest, crying for revenge of the lost 7th Korpus. Their objective was cutting off the Zarmaj armies to the north, at minimum stalling their advance, preferably reversing them completely, and if they were truly lucky, encircling them. While the third scenario was by far the least likely, such was not relayed to the soldiers, in the hopes of boosting their already sagging morale and motivating them to fight harder, no matter the resistance they faced.

What resistance that would be was unknown, but at this point, Wislica would settle for anything that meant the Zarmaj armies heading south, rather than north.

******

Central Front HQ of 8th and 4th Korpus
Southern Lesser Sarmatia
1/15/2012, 14:00 PM

Despite being reinforced by parts of 4th Korpus, which was all that Wislica could spare now for the Central Front, 8th Korpus was being pushed back by the renewed Zarmaj offensive around the shores of the lake. Unlike their brothers of 7th Korpus, however, the soldiers proved to be far more stubborn and willing to stand and fight, and gave ground reluctantly in an orderly retreat, rather than freely while they ran with their tails between their legs.

The reappearance of the Zarmaj air force escorting their airborne division also gave the Sarmatian air force another chance at redemption for their late appearance in the early hours of the surprise offensive. With a burning desire for revenge, they tore into the Zarmaj paratroopers and planes while they could. There was no way they could stop the attack, but they could at least gut its ability to cause trouble for 8th Korpus, the dywizja of 4th Korpus given the task to make sure the airborne division was contained, if possible eliminated. It would certainly be a suitable trade for the loss of the 32nd and 33rd Dywizja as fighting.

 

[Tyvia]

”MARSZJALK SIDOROW”

The forces which were tasked with guarding the 101st Orzja's south-eastern flank were only too willing to pull back once pressured, holding briefly but ultimately retreating back in the direction of the State's northern headlands. A message had been swiftly dispatched by Kolszjalk Borj Dorden of the 88th Orzja Reservj, information regarding the Lesser Sarmatian attack forwarded to the headquarters of both the 101a Orzja and, more importantly, the 181a Orzja Hrodj “Marszjalk Sidorow” in Gwjna.

“Zjatj?” the incredulous Arkady Tarnòw asked when the message was delivered, speaking into a radio. “How many? A full corps?”

There had been predictions that Lesser Sarmatia would launch a counterattack somewhere across the front, but no detailed military analysis could ever truly pinpoint any precise spot where this attack would occur. It had been assumed that any such attack would come directly in the center, in an abrasive attempt to immediately dislodge the advancing Zarmaj formations.

Yet, the attack had instead come further to the south and to the east, destined to sweep underneath the Daria river and to come across the Mara. If current observations were accurate, claimed Kolszjalk Dorden, Gwjna, but fifty kilometers from the front, would be in the center of the enemy arc of advance.

Judging the threat to Gwjna to be quite dire, a direct order was sent from the State Defense Committee to the 101a Orzja, commanding the entire host to cease its advance and to instead pull back and consolidate. The attack struck a bit too close to home for many among the Committee, most of them holding lands in the threatened territories, the majority of them belonging to the Mjarszat tribe. Gwjna had been threatened similarly ten years past, in the initial Lesser Sarmatian invasion of the Zarmaj State. They'd been repelled in good order by the 181a Orzja Hrodj, and the city's strategic location had lead to it receiving that very same host as a permanent garrison. It was home to more forces than just that one host, however, as the Mjarszat had allowed the Kharjatj to establish a temporary capital in Gwjna until the liberation of their fallen one, Jortj. Troops of the Kharjatj tribe, acting under the green militia banner, operated alongside those of the State Armed Forces.

A ring of entrenchments and other defenses had been constructed around Gwjna in the last two years, stretching a hundred and thirty degrees from the bank of the Mara in the west all the way south-east to cover the hills flanking the 3rd State Highway. According to the best estimates available, the enemy advance would run straight into this particular line.

“With any luck,” Marszjalk Miihajl Lew Rozs Mjarszat commented, waggling a cigarette between two wrinkled fingers, “they'll break themselves against the Gwjna Bulwark, shattering their spearhead.”

-
”KRJSTOFF ROZSJ SJARSZ”

The entire front row of houses erupted in an effulgent display of flame, the wood and timbers instantly vaporized by the blastwave. There was a brief pause and then a second such explosion, the second row torn away by another shelling. The third followed, and only then did the artillery cease and the whirring of the tanks resume. They plowed on ahead through the small town, infantry following in their wake. The host had taken fire from within the village itself, and so the commanders had reasoned that going straight through it was justified -- the standard procedure employed.

The men of the 77a Orzja Dwejgj ”Krjstoff Rozsj Sjarsz” had received no new orders since the beginning of operations, continuing unperturbed right into the heart of Lesser Sarmatia. The defenders were resolute, and the failure of the paratroopers to induce any significant changes in the front resulted in greater casualties than anticipated.

Concerns were already being raised regarding just that particular issue, with the 77a Orzja having already sustained 15% casualties in men and 20% in machinery since the beginning of operations. Reinforcements and reserves were constantly being shuffled up to the front, but these replacements were not the same shock troops that had broken through in the first few days of the offensive. They'd managed to push as far as the outermost suburbs of Wislica, breaking through yet another Sarmatian defensive line on the west coast of the lake, but they were already slowing down. Exhausted by the effort required to smash through the surprisingly solid line created by their enemies, the 77a Orzja was now having a hard time of moving any closer to Wislica. For all intents and purposes, the offensive had ground down to a halt right on the edge of the city's suburbs, sporadic attacks orchestrated by both sides so as to test the integrity of their respective lines. The paratroopers, their operation foiled by a surprisingly high concentration of Sarmatian aerial vehicles, had sustained up to 50% casualties, half the host wiped out. Even so, the survivors fought on, serving as a motivated and well-trained shock force for the offensive as a whole.

Most of the artillery requisitioned for the operation had been concentrated on the lake's eastern banks, but some was still available here. Though they'd received orders to the contrary, many battery commanders couldn't resist the temptation to lob a few shells in the direction of the capital proper. It was unlikely they'd do any significant damage, but the knowledge that Zarmaj shells were falling on Wislica -- whereas Sarmatian shells had never fallen on Arcodowzs -- was comforting to many men. The letter sent by Marszjalk Miihajl Lew Rozs Mjarszat, as well as the Sarmatian reply to it had been publicized by the State media; the artillerymen of the 77a Orzja deciding to give the government of Sanation a small taste of reality.

They would be driven back, that was an inevitability. They could not storm Wislica, that much had become quickly apparent. Even so, the 77a Orzja was determined to get as far as it could and to do as much damage as possible.

 

[Josepania]

Central Front
Outskirts of Southwestern Wislica
1/24/2012, 17:05 PM

Southwestern Wislica had been devastated by the fighting, condemned to suffer for the long-term advantage Sanation felt it would bring to the war-effort as a whole. Entire neighborhoods had been wiped off the map, most by Zarmaj ordinance, but some Lesser Sarmatian ammunition could be found as well. Downtown Wislica was mostly untouched, save for the occasional artillery shell that would interrupt what little normalcy remained in the capital city of Lesser Sarmatia. It was mostly deserted now, even the government had relocated quickly after the first elements of the Zarmaj offensive reached the outskirts of the city. Those few citizens who remained found themselves in a near ghost town, a sharp contrast to the earlier sea of refugees that dealt a decisive blow to the economic power of the city. The effects would be long-term and felt for many months, if not years, to come. Aside from the citizens, only the soldiers of 4th and 8th Korpus remained, forcing the Zarmaj into house-to-house fighting, only giving up every block, every house, after many casualties inflicted.

It was brutal to all involved, especially so to the civilians, but it was part of a plan, albeit a cruel and bloody one, crafted by Sanation. By refusing to declare Wislica an open city, they condemned it to at least partial destruction and its citizens to suffering, but it also forced both armies into a war of attrition. The Zarmaj could not afford, they reasoned, to take too many casualties. Too many had been taken in the deployment and eventual rescue of the paratrooper division sent to disrupt Sarmatian defenses, more would be taken in urban fighting rather than fighting outside the city. For the Sarmatian armies, it gave them the strongest reason to stop running, stop giving ground, and instead stand and fight. Their capital city, their home, was around them, and they could not let the Zarmaj take it.

Reinforced by military forces east of the lake, sent west after that part of the Zarmaj offensive withdrew to deal with the Lesser Sarmatian counteroffensive further to the south, the 4th and 8th Korpus planned to wait until the Zarmaj inevitably ground to a halt in their offensive, as no offensive could keep the momentum in fierce urban fighting (and in Wislica, the defense was most fierce indeed), before they would take part in a counterattack intended to drive the Zarmaj back across the pre-offensive lines. It would've been fitting if the offensive kept going, but that would only take place if the counterattack turned into a rout, something not even deluded Sanation expected of the Zarmaj. Their foes had proven too disciplined, vicious, and determined in this offensive, and their own forces too demoralized for such a thing to occur.

Combined with the effect 5th and 6th Korpus had to the southeast, Sanation planned to have the frontlines returned to "normal" by the end of January, where they could claim a "victory". That so-called "victory", however, would never be accepted as truth by the Sarmatian people. Their complacency and apathy to the war, stretched to four years, had been shattered by this Zarmaj offensive, and no amount of belated Sanation propaganda could change that. They could see, before their eyes, southern Lesser Sarmatia devastated, Wislica, the capital city, ravaged by the fires of war when Sanation proclaimed not a single piece of Zarmaj ammunition would touch the city, and the bodies of the 32nd Dywizje lying on the ground between the city and the Zarmaj frontier, or in Zarmaj hands, the 33rd Dywizje a shell of its former self.

Eastern Front HQ of 5th and 6th Korpus
Occupied Zarmaj
1/24/2012, 17:38 PM

Inevitably, the Sarmatian counteroffensive slowed to a halt just past the main lines of the Gwjna Bulwark, with the target city just in sight, yet so far away. 5th and 6th Korpus could not touch it, could not deal the same amount of damage being dealt Wislica, because the resistance was much stronger and more determined than anticipated, especially compared to the Sarmatians up in Wislica. It didn't help that both the soldiers and officers were made well aware of the reinforcements racing south to the defense of the Zarmaj city, apparently a city so vital to the Zarmaj military, yet that vitality was not predicted by Wislica, showing just how out-of-touch they were to the politics of the Zarmaj. Or, perhaps, how disdainful they were.

Regardless, the offensive was swiftly halted, and even began a slow, gradual pulling back to the original lines, reinforcing their defenses in the meantime and bracing themselves for that inevitable, vengeful strike they expected from the withdrawn Zarmaj forces to the north. It didn't matter to Wislica and the highest of the higher-ups of 5th and 6th Korpus. That was the goal all along: to take pressure off Wislica and send the Zarmaj back to their lands. That goal, however, had not been transmitted to the Sarmatian soldiers, so the orders to pull back and brace for a counterattack were quite disheartening to them.

This was supposed to be revenge. Revenge for the humiliating gutting of 7th Korpus, the ravaging of Wislica, but they wouldn't even attempt to do the same to one of the Zarmaj cities? It was unfair and, to some, unacceptable. There was now open grumbling among the ranks that Wislica didn't know what the hell it was doing, that they were incompetent, that they were deliberately getting the Sarmatian soldiers killed to chip away at the Zarmaj armies. They were larger, they were more powerful, they were some of the best the Slavic world had, so they had been continuously told throughout the four years they had been at 'war'.

So why weren't they winning?

Such talk was quickly silenced by the officers, more so that their own heads wouldn't roll rather than actual disagreement with the rumblings of the Sarmatian military. By this point, Lesser Sarmatia, civilian and military, believed they were losing the war, despite all Sanation did to convince them otherwise. Sanation failed, however, to truly explain why they weren't losing, and thus, partially explained why they lent truth to such thoughts, and eventually words.

The question now was when Sanation would wake up to the sentiments of its people, and start seriously considering peace. Considering how stubbornly they kept telling everyone, domestically and internationally, otherwise, it wouldn't happen anytime soon...