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Operation Defending the Suburbs

Vrijpoort

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Drei
West Zara, near the border with East Zara - 02.17h

The last few kilometers had been on foot. The small squad had crossed the border from Vrijpoort a few days earlier in separate vehicles. Their paperwork showed them as Vrijpoorters with Pannonian permanent residence - homeowners who lived in the cheaper suburbs of West Zara. Deeper into West Zara they had made contact with a tour guide, locals loyal to Vrijpoort either due to padded bank accounts or ideological attachment to the city-state. Usually they were helpful for obtaining cash, a vehicle, perhaps a hand gun. This squad, elite commandos of Section 31, were not the average visitors to a Divisie Twee (Division Two) safe house.

Explosives and machine guns had been handed over and hidden in a modest looking car. The guide had shown them on a regional map which roads to take. Avoid here and there, for there were road blocks. Don't drive through this village because they sympathise with the ZLA, but driving through that one should be fine - no one would report a strange car with a few men inside.

This unit's mission was clear, relatively simple and not for the faint of heart - standard Vrijpoort soldiers would balk at the task, possibly even report it. These men were different. They were recruited to not ask questions and keep morals out of the office.

It was the middle of the night. The area was rural but their night march had brought them to the outskirts of a small town straddling a river. Across the river just a few kilometers further east was the border with East Zara. Largely invisible but these days not as much due to the appearance of the Zaran Liberation Army. Divisie Twee intelligence, gathered from their extensive network in Pannonia, currently placed little threat of significant ZLA action in West Zara. But the prognosis was that this could easily change in short order.

'I'll take the bridge with Peters. You two head to the hospital. It's two blocks from where we'll be. Set timers now. We meet back here to detonate. Company wants visual confirmation, not just satellite. Fucking latins are keeping our birds out of the sky.'

The four men split into pairs and slipped into the sleepy town. Their packs were heavy with the gear and explosives, but they were soon to lighten their load.

The first pair of men planted the explosives on the underside of the bridge. A two-lane structure probably built a good 60 plus years ago. There was a Pannonian Army checkpoint on their side of the bridge, but it was just a couple of young soldiers who were smoking and chatting. They didn't seem to hear the two commandos below them.

Two blocks away at the hospital the second pair of Section 31 commandos easily got inside. The original brief had called for total destruction of the hospital, but it had been downgraded as the amount of explosives required for that wasn't feasible with such a small unit. They opted for the ground floor and the backup generators nearby. The security guard was busy watching porn; cutting the wires to the CCTV was child's play.

'What about the body?' one of the commando's asked the other when they were back outside the hospital.

'Get the guard to come out. I'll take care of it.'

The first commando threw pebbles at the window of the guard's office. The guard looked up from his phone screen and then heard a car alarm. He begrudgingly got up and grabbed his flashlight.

He stepped outside and started to make his way through the parked cars, but the alarm he had heard was no longer sounding.

Before he could react to the pistol pressing against his backside, the guard was slammed into the pavement, his head slamming violently down face-first. If the force of that impact hadn't killed him, it surely kept him quiet. The other commando came out of the shadows and helped carry the body back into the hospital. They worked quickly and silently. They stripped the guard of his clothes and dressed him in a ZLA uniform. The first commando took out a Pannonian Army standard issue pistol with a silencer affixed. He shot the guard twice in the chest and checked his pulse to be sure he was dead. They didn't need to worry about his face being recognised as the impending detonation would leave little resemblance of the guard.

The guard's old clothes were packed away in their field bags. The body was positioned in the hall and the two commandos left.

Back at the meeting point, a kilometer out of town, the four men met up. The leader didn't need to ask. He knew his men had accomplished their mission - at least the first half.

'Hospital first. We want the soldiers to start crossing the bridge to get there. Then we take the bridge out.' The leader took out the detonator and activated it.

They waited for the explosion. Enough to completely gut the ground floor of the hospital and start a raging fire. While unlikely to collapse the building, few inside would likely be able to escape...

OOC: @Bajorország as discussed, let's use the dice roll to keep it interesting. Since there are two targets, I guess that means two rolls? Not sure how it works but I'll leave that to you.
 
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Jydsken-Østveg

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The hospital exploded, and sirens soon thereafter filled the air. Police and Fire Department rushed across the bridge towards the hospital to provide help. However the Pannonian Army did not stir officially. A siren on the barracks went off and people began to get into cars and trucks and began to rush over to the hospital. It wasn't really clear who they were or what they were dressed in.

OOC: Go ahead and continue the story for your next action, I think the explosives will go off without much of a problem in doing the damage expected to the targets. I'll roll to see how many soldiers react and get killed themselves. That'll be a simple 1-20 where the higher, the more dead. I'll also do an additional roll for innocents.

Afterwards I'll end up rolling the dice on the investigation phase and for the losses done to the soldiers. I'm thinking it'll be that a roll lower than 10 will make investigators suspicious, leading to a third or fourth roll to determine if the suspicion leads to anything.

On the 3/4 rolls, a roll that is 5 or lower will lead them to determine it was a set up. Rolling an absolute "1" the lowest possible will mean that the investigators know it came from Vrijpoort. The closer to 5, the most likely they think something is up, but don't have anything to act on it.

Lastly, should a roll of occur that is poor for your operation, I'll roll two more times to determine if anyone in the Government or a West Zaran faction even does anything anyway. Lots of rolling! Do you accept these terms?
 

Vrijpoort

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Berlin, Germany
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Drei
West Zara, near the border with East Zara - 02.58

The explosion at the hospital was vast, sending a shockwave through town that destroyed many windows. The fire that engulfed the ground floor of the facility lit up the night sky and sent smoke billowing up to the starry heavens. The commando leader peered through his binoculars and watched as the first responders began scrambling over the bridge. The soldiers nearby also appeared to be gathering. He waited one more minute before detonating the second set of explosives under the bridge, wanting it to be as full of people as possible.

The bridge lurched upwards with the force of the explosion, sending bodies and vehicles flying into the air, before immediately buckling and collapsing into the river. After the sounds of metal scraping metal subsided, the screams of men could be heard even from the distance of the commandos perched on the ridge overlooking the town.

'Send company the all clear. That hospital will be an inferno within the hour and with the bridge taken out their recovery effort will be hampered. Perfect ZLA attack. Twatter will lap it up.'

The men turned away from the mayhem and disappeared into the night.

--- SEVERAL DAYS LATER ---
Royal Vrijpoort Sky Force - Forward Command Operating Base No. 2


For weeks since the Remion-imposed no fly zone had been implemented, the RVSF had been on high alert monitoring the region's radar to keep track and record all sorties by Remion and Federation aircraft. So far, so good. They had kept clear of Vrijpoort's airspace and none of their sorties had approached with concerning vectors.

Today was busy in the radar monitoring room. The Pannonian Air Force was scrambling jets and transport aircraft left and right to reposition them out of reach of ground forces. Some were going to Bourdignie, others to East Zara. The main monitor in the control room was a complex mess of aircraft from various forces.

Sky Admiral Jean Delano was standing in the back keeping an eye on things. So far it didn't seem like the Remion or Federation jets were enforcing the NFZ against the Pannonian aircraft, but things could change quickly. A yellow icon representing a pannonian jet suddenly turned orange in colour and began flashing on the main screen. A soft chime began to sound.

'Control, Pannonian Air Force fighter is maintaining a vector south-west and is due to breach air space in 5 minutes.' The analyst called out to give details to the room commander.

The Sky Admiral perked up and adjusted his attention to see how his people handled this.

'Inform Sortie 18-Bravo and reroute them to intercept if the jet breaches. Have SAMs in the area prepare to target.'

A group of four Griffin multi-role fighters were not far from the area and were seen on the monitor making a u-turn towards the incoming jet.

Control spoke again, 'Comms, try to raise them.'

Pannonian Air Force fighter, this is the Royal Vrijpoort Sky Force Forward Command. You are on course to breach Vrijpoort airspace imminently. Change course immediately or you will be shot down. Repeat. Change course immediately or you will be shot down. This is the Royal Vrijpoort Sky Force Forward Command. Do you copy?

There was no response. The communications analyst tried several more times on different emergency frequencies. The Pannonian fighter was a minute from entering Vrijpoort airspace.

'Control, might be a bad radio but he's not squawking an emergency.'

'Thank you Comms. Sortie Command, inform 18-Bravo they have permission to lock target. They are not to fire.' The controller reached down for a red telephone and lifted the receiver.

'Good day, RVSF Forward Command Two here. I need the Senior Minister immediately.' The controller waited a few seconds before being patched through.

'Yes, madam, that's correct...indeed, we did try that...they are well within range...yes...that's right, Pannonian...a likely mishap with their recent scramble to reposition aircraft...no, we can't rule that out, madam...yes, it's possible...thank you madam Senior Minister.' He hung up and turned to the Sky Admiral Delano.

'Sky Admiral, I have authorisation from the Senior Minister to engage. The Pannonian fighter isn't responding to hails and will cross the border in less than a minute. Do I have your second?' the controller knew he didn't need to ask for secondary verbal approval under these circumstances, especially with the Senior Minister's direct approval, but his training compelled him to with the Sky Admiral standing in the room.

Delano merely nodded and grunted a 'yes', slightly annoyed with the theatrics.

The controller gave the command and Sortie-Bravo was given the green light.

'Bravo this is command, you are weapons free.'

Just a few kilometres away in the skies above, the four-fighter squad locked onto their target. The squad leader fired two missiles at the Pannonian fighter while the other three prepared for a response from the Pannonian jet just in case.

In the monitoring room they expected this to be quick as they watched the now red icon of the Pannonian fighter cross the line on the screen into Vrijpoort airspace.

Delano had whispered something into his assistant's ear, who ran off to deliver whatever message he had just received.


OOC: @Bajorország for ZLA scenario go ahead with the dice rolls, please. If you want to do a dice roll for the fighter incident, please go ahead!
 

Jydsken-Østveg

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There was eerie calm the next morning. The fires had been put out and the dead were quietly being collected. Exhausted firefighters looked at the heavens. Police were busy counting the dead... ~Bzzzz...~ a radio dial was being turned as a firefighter put on the news. He wanted to know what happened here.

~There are hundreds dead and injured with the vast majority being civilian in nature. An explosion at the bridge that connected the military base over a ravine contributed to many military deaths as they tried help at the hospital. The rather deliberate nature of the events and timing lead many to speculate that this was a terrorist attack likely carried out by the ZLA. Additionally a mutilated body was found with ZLA markings, but wild dogs tore it to pieces. It is unknown if this discovery is connected and police cannot jump to any conclusions.~
 

Jydsken-Østveg

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--- SEVERAL DAYS LATER ---
Royal Vrijpoort Sky Force - Forward Command Operating Base No. 2


For weeks since the Remion-imposed no fly zone had been implemented, the RVSF had been on high alert monitoring the region's radar to keep track and record all sorties by Remion and Federation aircraft. So far, so good. They had kept clear of Vrijpoort's airspace and none of their sorties had approached with concerning vectors.

Today was busy in the radar monitoring room. The Pannonian Air Force was scrambling jets and transport aircraft left and right to reposition them out of reach of ground forces. Some were going to Bourdignie, others to East Zara. The main monitor in the control room was a complex mess of aircraft from various forces.

Sky Admiral Jean Delano was standing in the back keeping an eye on things. So far it didn't seem like the Remion or Federation jets were enforcing the NFZ against the Pannonian aircraft, but things could change quickly. A yellow icon representing a pannonian jet suddenly turned orange in colour and began flashing on the main screen. A soft chime began to sound.

'Control, Pannonian Air Force fighter is maintaining a vector south-west and is due to breach air space in 5 minutes.' The analyst called out to give details to the room commander.

The Sky Admiral perked up and adjusted his attention to see how his people handled this.

'Inform Sortie 18-Bravo and reroute them to intercept if the jet breaches. Have SAMs in the area prepare to target.'

A group of four Griffin multi-role fighters were not far from the area and were seen on the monitor making a u-turn towards the incoming jet.

Control spoke again, 'Comms, try to raise them.'

Pannonian Air Force fighter, this is the Royal Vrijpoort Sky Force Forward Command. You are on course to breach Vrijpoort airspace imminently. Change course immediately or you will be shot down. Repeat. Change course immediately or you will be shot down. This is the Royal Vrijpoort Sky Force Forward Command. Do you copy?

There was no response. The communications analyst tried several more times on different emergency frequencies. The Pannonian fighter was a minute from entering Vrijpoort airspace.

'Control, might be a bad radio but he's not squawking an emergency.'

'Thank you Comms. Sortie Command, inform 18-Bravo they have permission to lock target. They are not to fire.' The controller reached down for a red telephone and lifted the receiver.

'Good day, RVSF Forward Command Two here. I need the Senior Minister immediately.' The controller waited a few seconds before being patched through.

'Yes, madam, that's correct...indeed, we did try that...they are well within range...yes...that's right, Pannonian...a likely mishap with their recent scramble to reposition aircraft...no, we can't rule that out, madam...yes, it's possible...thank you madam Senior Minister.' He hung up and turned to the Sky Admiral Delano.

'Sky Admiral, I have authorisation from the Senior Minister to engage. The Pannonian fighter isn't responding to hails and will cross the border in less than a minute. Do I have your second?' the controller knew he didn't need to ask for secondary verbal approval under these circumstances, especially with the Senior Minister's direct approval, but his training compelled him to with the Sky Admiral standing in the room.

Delano merely nodded and grunted a 'yes', slightly annoyed with the theatrics.

The controller gave the command and Sortie-Bravo was given the green light.

'Bravo this is command, you are weapons free.'

Just a few kilometres away in the skies above, the four-fighter squad locked onto their target. The squad leader fired two missiles at the Pannonian fighter while the other three prepared for a response from the Pannonian jet just in case.

In the monitoring room they expected this to be quick as they watched the now red icon of the Pannonian fighter cross the line on the screen into Vrijpoort airspace.

Delano had whispered something into his assistant's ear, who ran off to deliver whatever message he had just received.

The man in the aging had somehow managed to elude the NFZ authorities, probably because of the sheer volume of flights that were lawfully following orders from the Federation and Remion to go to the nearest airport in Remion under their escort. The goal was to turn in the planes to Remion in order to have them grounded there. The Army had wanted to tow the plane on the motorways back to Csengia-proper. This would prevent them from bombing Kispest.

This man, Jan, wasn't a great pilot. He volunteered because he flew jets back in the 1960s and they needed every pilot they could get to move these planes as soon as possible. Jan couldn't get his radio working. Honestly it had slipped his mind as well. With some foreign language on the radio he couldn't quite understand the commotion. He couldn't quite figure out how to work the radio either. This stuff was more complicated than back in the day. He was flying to Vrijpoort. It was closer from San Lucia than Remion. It made sense to him. He'd never be able to work this silly radio it seemed...
 

Vrijpoort

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Royal Vrijpoort Sky Force - Forward Command Operating Base No. 2

The squad leader pilot watched as both missiles he had launched from his struck the . It was strange that the Pannonian fighter made such minimal evasive manoeuvres and quite late at that. Must be a really shitty pilot, some kid, he thought to himself.

'Control, this is 18-Bravo squad leader. Target destroyed. Repeat, target destroyed. No sign of pilot ejection. Remnants of aircraft are falling in the flatlands. Low risk to urbanised areas.'

The control room acknowledged the report and coordinated with the Civil Defence Force to despatch fire brigade and Ground Force to the site of the crash. Sky Admiral Delano departed on his way to headquarters. There was much to be done.


Eastern Flatlands on border with Thalgau*, Pannonia - 2 hours to daybreak

For weeks the Royal Vrijpoort Expeditionary Force had been on high alert and mobilised. Leave had been cancelled and many reservists had been called up. Artillery, main battle tanks and infantry had been positioned at various points. The generals on the border had just received fresh orders from home front command to begin the next phase of the operation.

Coordinates for the one airbase on the border with Thalgau and the rest of West Zara, near the port city of San Lucia, were given to cruise missile launchers. Radar installations in Thalgau beyond the range of artillery were also targeted. Known locations of surface to air missile sites were targeted by artillery and the Sky Force, with orders for the Sky Force jets to remain within Vrijpoort airspace. Three electronic warfare aircraft were flying along the border in an attempt to jam any radar and communications of foreign aircraft nearby.

Tankers and AWACS were flying over the waters south of Vrijpoort to service the Griffins. The Sky Force had sent up 50 Griffins to ensure good coverage of the city-state, but most of these planes would not partake in the launching of missiles. Only a few would be needed for air to surface strikes with the bulk of the firing to be done by the Ground Force.

Many of the senior commanders had recently returned from tours in the Dune Sea, but this type of operation was far different. Although a blitz of Thalgau was a standard textbook RVEF scenario, many had trouble believing that this was actually happening. Pannonia wasn't supposed to combust like this. It saddened many and frightened more.

The coordinated strikes began with careful timing. The cruise missiles targeting the airbase and other SAM and radar installations were launched while SAM sites closer to the border with Vrijpoort were targeted first by artillery as well as known radar stations. It was, at this point, unlikely for many of these Pannonian sites to be in great working order let alone manned by capable and experienced men given the sad state of the Pannonian military.

As the first shells and missiles began hitting and the explosions lit up the night sky, Vrijpoort radio stations, which were all easily picked up in Thalgau, began broadcasting emergency alerts in German, Italian and Vrijpoorts, informing the Thalgäuer that exclusively military targets were being struck by the RVEF to prevent the ZLA and other nefarious groups from obtaining access to military equipment and facilities. The Vrijpoorters were stepping in to do the duty of protecting Thalgau where the Pannonian government had failed.

Vos MBT units were poised to cross the border ahead of the infantry units. Different units had different destinations. Some had orders to go straight to the border of Thalgau and West Zara and secure the main thoroughfares to prevent ZLA and potentially Eugenian forces from entering Thalgau. Others were to enter the major suburban towns and establish a presence and secure roads, military bases, hilltops and critical infrastructure.

Radio announcements and megaphones from the tanks and armoured personnel carriers informed Pannonian soldiers that they would be treated well and given amnesty with Vrijpoort or overseas crown colony residency and cash payments if they surrendered peacefully. Communication with the Thalgau police had also begun. Close cross-border cooperation between the Vrijpoort and Thalgau police made establishing communication quick and easy. The Thalgau Police commanders were being told what was going on and were requested to cooperate to maintain public order and get the civilian population on board. The alternative was ZLA or Eugenian Zaran rule, they were told.

The artillery and missile barrage was fierce and did not let up. Many targets were fired upon multiple times to help ensure target destruction. As the barrage continued, the tank and infantry units began to move over the border. While mobile anti-air units were embedded with the Ground Force units, there was hope that the Federation Air Force above would not target them. Diplomatic communiqués had been sent out minutes before the Vrijpoort invasion, but if those did not allay any concerns of the NFZ powers, the Sky Force and other RVEF divisions were prepared to defend the troops who had just begun their dash into Thalgau.

The sun's glow could be seen slowly rising above the hills to the east while across Thalgau blasts and rising smoke greeted the day.


OOC: *Coro and I came up with a name for the majority German-speaking area that borders Vrijpoort. It translates roughly to 'valley province' as it has undulating hills beyond the areas immediately on the border, which are an extension of the Eastern Flatlands, which as the name suggests are quite flat. Flatlands are where most of the Thalgau suburbs of VP are situated. To the west of the Flatlands as one approaches VP city area, there are some low mountains. I don't have a topographical map but since VP is so small, this should suffice for now.

@Bajorország if you feel any dice rolls are needed to determine success of the missile and artillery strikes or resistance to ground invasion by Pannonian regulars, please go ahead and roll.
 
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