Prologue: The Final hours in Yekaltaysk
[Kiresaria 13, 24024; 27:02 PM, Yekaltaysk, Karazechniya.]
"Load projectile."
"Loading projectile, Cluster High Explosive, Thermobaric!"
<13.27 seconds>
<10.57 seconds>
<7.45 seconds>
<5.31 seconds.>
<3.43 seconds>
<1.54 seconds>
"Come on come on...."
"Projectile loaded."
"Copy that, report to AIC."
"FCC to AIC, railguns locked and armed, ready to fire! Cluster Thermobaric Shell loaded.
"Copy that, FCC, stand by and await my orders."
The senior officer concluded his communication with the Fire Control Center and shifted his attention downward to the Gunner's extension sight positioned at his side in the Action Information Center (AIC).
"...."
Movement were detected by one of the computers.
"AIC to FCC, rotate turret 40 degrees starboard and fire when you see movement!"
"…Jawohl!"
Concealed behind the towering structures, a formidable Hildenian Landship lay in wait, its railguns discreetly positioned between the gaps, poised to unleash devastation upon any adversary that dared to cross its path.
"Come on, come on, line up in my sights…!"
With his target squarely in his sights, the gunner's pulse quickened with anticipation. This would mark his twelfth pull of the trigger, a moment of exhilaration tinged with the gravity of his duty.
"Yes...!"
"Enemy infantry in my sights, firing railgun number 1, Range 500!"
With aggressive force, the gunner slammed his foot onto the trigger, initiating the firing sequence. In response to the commands from the fire control computers, the railgun roared to life. The shockwave unleashed by the primary weapon tore through the surrounding buildings, crumbling them like fragile sandcastles. As the structures fell away, the full silhouette of the massive vehicle was unveiled, a formidable presence looming over the battlefield.
The shell detonated 70 feet above the ground, dispersing sub-projectile thermobaric munitions towards the enemy's position. Utilizing the surrounding air as fuel, these deadly projectiles surged forward, delivering a devastating blow that struck the enemy personnel directly.
The blast from the projectiles tore through the air, crumbling buildings up to 500 meters away from the looming landship, leaving destruction and chaos in its wake.
"Ceasefire!"
The cacophony of collapsing buildings, recorded by exterior sensors, reverberated through the earpieces of each crew member, echoing the sheer weight of destruction wrought by the landship's devastating firepower.
Amidst the chaos, a burst of laughter erupted from one of the crew members stationed in the Fire Control Center, their amusement palpable as they witnessed the havoc unleashed by the landship's onslaught.
"hahahahaha! That must've hurt!"
"Reload! Reload!"
"Firing mechanism resetting!"
"Load pure plasma!"
<13.27 seconds>
<10.57 seconds>
<7.45 seconds>
<5.31 seconds.>
<3.43 seconds>
<1.54 seconds>
"Identify targe-"
"Overwatch, what is it?!"
"Shit!"
"Sir?"
"Overwatch, can you identify their Armament?"
With no time to waste, the Field Marshal swiftly issued orders to the gunners stationed in the Fire Control Center, directing them to counter the approaching enemy hover tank.
"We got a hostile hover tank still operational! Gunners, fire when you have a clear shot, Over?"
"They're armed with weapons above 400mm, Do not let them land a shot on us!"
"Solid Copy!"
"Driver, reverse!"
"Yes sir!"
"I got a lock on the enemy Hover tank!"
"Firing mechanisms matched!"
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"
"All the way!"
The Landship's guns roar once more, unleashing a devastating barrage upon the hostile Hover Tank. With pinpoint accuracy, the shells find their mark, reducing the enemy vehicle to nothing more than twisted metal and burning wreckage. The force of the impact is so great that not a single member of the enemy crew survives the onslaught.
"Sigh, Threat eliminated!"
"Good Kill FCC, Good Kill!"
In the Action Information Center, the radar displays indicate that the Landship and its crew are positioned approximately 10 miles away from their allied units. This distance serves as a crucial piece of information for coordinating with other friendly forces and ensuring effective communication and support across the battlefield.
"Shit, we've strayed far away from our allied units, we must regroup with them as soon as possible. We only have 5 Fusion Cartridges left, not enough to survive another wave of enemies…"
"...If there's any..."
"...."
"Sorry sir..."
"AIC to Overwatch, keep an eye out for surviving enemy personnel and report to Fire Control Center. Gunners, do not engage them with the main Railguns, engage them with 250s."
"Solid Copy!"
"Copy!"
"Driver, maintain 30 Km/h cruising speed.
"Yes sir!"
"Move out!"
The landship completes its final mission, its fusion engines roaring as it presses forward. The cacophony of screeching treads and echoing titanium wheels reverberates through the environment, dominating the once tumultuous battlefield with its ominous presence.
"How about that, 700 Sieverts..."
"The Vanguard's ionizing discharge beam really did a lot of radiation damage..."
"Turn off that damn Geiger counter."
"Right away sir..."
"With this much radiation, I don't think the Karazechnian high command will ever try to retake the front..."
"Doubt. Considering that Karazechniya is too desperate to win a war they cannot win, they'll forcefully send every personnel they have to a suicide mission."
"We've pushed them to a corner, sir..."
"Exactly..."
"So what are you gonna do about it?"
"Nothing but put an end to their misery..."
"In what way?"
"Mercy killing."
"Is there any other way besides putting them out of their misery, Field Marshal?"
"If we have the appropriate supplies and facilities to accommodate civilians or POWs, unfortunately these rations and supplies are only limited for mission requirements."
"Are there any other ways we could spare them?"
"If we spare them, they'll die from radiation poisoning. It's better to put them out of their misery than making them suffer from the ionizing air."
"Do you want to die slowly from radiation poisoning, Obersturmbannführer?"
"No, Field Marshal..."
"I see..."
"Looking at our surrounding area, this is far from what the war simulations depicted back in Hildenbourg."
"Welcome to the reality of war."
After the landship reunited with the allied units, an eerie silence descended upon the battlefield. There were no distant missile launches, no gunfire, no explosions, and no jets soaring overhead. Only the sound of the wind sweeping through the desolate landscape could be heard.
Yekaltaysk, once a bustling city, now lay in ruins, destroyed by the relentless advance of the 213th Mechanised Colossal Sentinels Division. Despite the valiant efforts of approximately 1.3 million Karazechnian soldiers to defend the city, they were ill-prepared to face the onslaught of Hildenian super heavy landships. The Hildenians' formidable machines gave them a decisive advantage, leading to the annihilation of all defenders within the city. No one was spared from the devastation wrought by the attack.
As the vanguard unit of the Sentinels Division pressed forward, the rear unit, known as the "clean-up" unit, followed closely behind. Their mission was to eliminate any surviving enemy personnel, ensuring that no remnants of resistance remained in the wake of the Hildenian onslaught.
3 Days have passed...
The Field Marshal meticulously drafted a memo outlining the dire situation unfolding on the front lines, including all pertinent details necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances.
The memo, dated Kiresaria 16, 24024, 14:34 AM, detailed the grim reality of the situation, revealing that they were positioned 3,823 miles from the city of Miaylovka. In this desolate landscape, enemy forces found themselves overwhelmed, with radiation and heat levels reaching critical levels. The memo described how countless bodies had been mutated by the radiation, rendering them barely recognizable. The armor plates of their landship glowed red from the intense heat, a testament to the harsh conditions. The air within the city's perimeter was reported to be at least 300°C, making survival impossible for any living beings. In response to these dire circumstances, the Field Marshal made the decision to withhold their infantry personnel until the atmosphere reached safe levels.
In the intervening weeks, enemy forces made no attempts to reclaim the front. Observations conducted by one of Hildenbourg's orbital battleships near Yekaltaysk provided a detailed report on the current situation at the front lines. This report was promptly transmitted to the Hildenian Armed Forces Headquarters in Ausenstadt, providing crucial intelligence on the status of the ongoing conflict.
[The Citadel, Hildenian Armed Forces Department of Defense Headquarters]
"General, O-KMS Achenbach reports that there are no recent activities on the western front for the past weeks."
"No activities?"
"Yes Major, not even civilian, or any animal activities were observed."
"No Karazechnian forces in the vicinity?"
"None sir, the last Karazechnian forces activity were back in Kiresaria 13, over 5 weeks ago..."
"I see, forward this report to the Kaiserin in Eibenberg."
"Yes Major!"
"Tell her that there's nothing new on the western front…"
"Yes Major."
[Everhart Palace, Eibenberg.]
"Your Majesty."
"Report?"
"The Citadel received a report from one of our orbital battleships. Several weeks have passed, there's nothing new on the western front. The last enemy activity was back in Kiresaria 13."
The Empress's lips curled into a subtle smile as she listened to the report, a glint of satisfaction dancing in her eyes. Turning her gaze towards the officer, her grin widened, reflecting a mix of amusement and approval at the unfolding situation.
"What's on your mind, Your Majesty?"
"Continue the assault on Miaylovka, pressure the enemy personnel to death and push them to a corner until there's no escape for them."
"Do you want me to relay your orders to Field Marshal Schreiber?"
"Of course."
"Right away, Your Majesty."
As the Lieutenant Colonel departed from her office, the Empress's countenance shifted, reflecting a complex mix of emotions. A sense of sorrow washed over her for the plight of the Karazechnian people caught in the turmoil of war, while simmering anger brewed within her towards the political leaders of the Karazechnian Federation, whose actions had contributed to the suffering of countless innocents.
Two decades prior, a sweeping conflict engulfed both Western and Eastern powers, driven by contentious territorial claims. Amidst this chaos, Hildenbourg stood as a solitary bastion of neutrality. However, the delicate balance was shattered when a Karazechnian Vinogradov VG-70X Missile Carrier Bomber mistakenly targeted a civilian infrastructure in Hildenbourg, believing it to be a military installation.
On the 15th of Necusaria, 24023, Hildenbourg was immersed in the festivities of the Necusarian holiday, with approximately 80% of its Armed Forces personnel granted leave to partake in the celebration. However, amidst the revelry, a Karazechnian Federation Military General harbored suspicions that Hildenbourg was clandestinely providing support to Western powers with weapons and personnel. This belief, though unfounded, stemmed from a misunderstanding, as the leadership at Everhart Palace had no intentions of entangling Hildenbourg in the conflict.
The Karazechnian Generals orchestrated Operation: Parabellum, utilizing their Air Force assets, including Class 6 missile carrier bombers armed with 30 Thermobaric cluster missiles. Exploiting perceived vulnerabilities in Hildenbourg's defenses during the Necusarian holiday, they launched their assault. One of their primary targets was the Hillberg mall in Ausenstadt, chosen due to its resemblance to a military base in structure and appearance. The bombing raid resulted in the deaths of 7,432 civilians, with an additional 10,672 individuals left injured. Furthermore, Karazechnian paratroopers inflicted additional casualties during the attack.
In response to the attack, Empress Eleanor swiftly ordered the remaining personnel of the Air Force to intercept the bomber and neutralize any parachuting crew attempting to escape. However, due to insufficient manpower to counter the enemy ground forces, she was compelled to issue a devastating order. The Orbital Battleship, O-KMS Auerbach, was directed to deploy two rods over Ausenstadt. This action resulted in the deaths of half a million people, including Karazechnian infantrymen. The destructive power of the rod impacts was comparable to that of a tactical nuclear bomb, albeit without the radiation fallout.
Following the tragic incident, Empress Eleanor wasted no time in taking action. She issued a directive for all Hildenian Armed Forces personnel who were on holiday leave to report immediately to their assigned bases. The deadline for their return was set at 42 hours after the attack occurred, ensuring a swift mobilization of military resources in response to the crisis.
In the aftermath of the Karazechnian attack on Hildenbourg, retaliation from the Hildenian forces was swift and devastating. Within a span of just 24 hours, the Hildenian army executed a meticulously planned counteroffensive on Karazechnian soil, resulting in the loss of nearly a million lives. The invasion was characterized by its methodical and destructive nature, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
The Hildenian High Command orchestrated the campaign with precision, leveraging strategic planning and overwhelming force to achieve their objectives. The invasion unfolded slowly but steadily, akin to rust corroding metal, instilling fear and demoralization among the Karazechnian population.
Despite the efforts of the Federation Army, they proved unable to repel the Hildenian counteroffensive. The sheer magnitude of the assault, coupled with the strategic prowess of the Hildenian forces, overwhelmed Karazechnian defenses and inflicted heavy casualties.
The decline of the Karazechnian Federation accelerated as the devastating Hildenian counteroffensive unfolded. In the face of overwhelming military force and the fear of capture and experimentation by the advancing Hildenian troops, several Federation generals chose to take their own lives rather than risk falling into enemy hands. This desperate act underscored the sense of despair and hopelessness that gripped the Federation's leadership as their forces crumbled under the Hildenian assault.
Furthermore, political leaders within the Karazechnian Federation hastily resigned from their positions, fearing the possibility of becoming subjects of experimentation by the invading Hildenians. The specter of being used as "lab rats" by the enemy drove many officials to step down from their roles, seeking to avoid the potential horrors that awaited them if captured.
These developments, gleaned from intercepted communications by the Hildenian forces, painted a bleak picture of the Federation's collapse and the depths of fear and desperation that permeated its ranks in the face of the Hildenian onslaught.
The toll of the conflict between Hildenbourg and the Karazechnian Federation was staggering, with innocent civilians and soldiers alike bearing the brunt of its devastating consequences. What began as a result of military miscalculations and political tensions escalated into one of the bloodiest conflicts in the history of Arethina, leaving behind a trail of destruction and loss that would be felt for generations to come.
The sacrifices made by countless individuals, both on the battlefield and within civilian populations, served as a stark reminder of the human cost of war. Lives were shattered, families torn apart, and communities decimated as violence ravaged the land.