Operation Asseio de Sueno; August 27th

1st corps field headquarters, Morgan Hill California. Within the building was Andrew Reichenbacher, Major Ivan and a large portion of his headquarters. Massive numbers of troops had moved over 300 miles, fighting through both Americans and undead to get to where they were now. 1st motor rifle division was slated to attack San Fransisco up highway 101, elements of 4th motor rifle division were preparing to attack Fremont and Hayward via interstate 580.

Meanwhile elements of 1st VDV were preparing to attack Pacifica and San Mateo in conjunction with a breakout attempt from Fob Dneiper's garrison. By noon it was expected most of the Pacific fleet would be offshore to provide gunfire support. The Airforce had its squadrons on a rotation so that friendly air would constantly be over the city.

Estimates varied between the number of undead left within the city, likely between 3 hundred and half a million. Intelligence was fairly certain we were facing the remaining scraps of the California national guard in the Central Valley. Roughly one or two divisions spread across the city. Estimates on the citizen militia placed their numbers around to six to seven thousand.

"General, all forces are in position, they are waiting for your order." Ivan walked up to me. He glanced at me at the map spread across the table. Dozens of little miniatures were spread around and outside the city.

"Seventy thousand." I glanced over at Ivan.

"To think it's less than half our armed forces sir…" he replied dryly.

"I've kept it caged. Kept you all on as short a leash as possible." I looked up from the map, walking outside to see the columns of troops moving up the highway.

"It's… I feel like I'm about to lose control. I want to warn them, of the ugly beast I'm about to unleash." I said quietly, watching even more troops drive north up highway 101.

"Sir?"

"I gotta confess, it feels like once I give the word, everything is going to be destroyed… like if I let them loose, it'll tear us up, break us down."

"We're an army sir. We destroy our foes." Ivan replied.

"Nobody can save me from this… I feel like a monster. It's just beneath the skin, awakening… something so powerful I won't be able to control it."

"We will follow you sir, through brimstone if need be." Ivan answered.

"The beast is ugly… maybe it's just a dream… and no one can hear me scream."

"Sir, is everything alright?" Ivan asked, growing increasingly worried. A small smile came over me. Not the light playful kind. This smile was dark, sinister.

"It's hiding in the dark, teeth are razor sharp. I hate what I've become… this nightmare's just begun…" I spun on my heel.

Ivan looked at me worriedly, as did many of the Spetzanz around me. I walked back into the headquarters. "Relay my orders to all units. Forward, clear the city of the filth infesting it."

"I'll relay your order sir." Ivan briefly disappeared, walking over to the comms before repairing. But I could hear the effect of my order long before he arrived. Thunderous crack of howitzers, the whine of rockets being let loose. All around the city various batteries would be receiving their order to implement their fire plan, whole blocks of the city were to be leveled. Fortified positions shelled into non-existence before the infantry would advance under the cover of their tanks and mortars.

But for now, while the maneuver elements got to their final positions for the attack, the artillerymen applied their trade. A thunderous rolling barrage, this was not going to be some subtle, secretive advance with nuisance and sly maneuvers. No… this advance was going to be loudly announced by the guns, led by the bayonet, and enforced by the treads of tanks.

I watched as a few miniatures were moved to their final positions while the army began to wait for the main portion of the bombardment to end. Thousands of rounds were fired. Whenever return fire was directed at our guns, a massive wave of rockets blanketed the entire grid code. The early morning hours saw the city start to burn. The siege of San Francisco had begun.

VDV regiments, prepositioned to the city's west just off the coast, boarded their helicopters, taking flight. They flew low over the hills, bound for their singular objective, the San Francisco Airport. I stood near the map, listening to reports come in as the regiment started disembarking for their helicopters, sweeping through the massive airport. I glanced to the side at the massive counter of xp and credits that were coming in.

They'd been slowly climbing, but now the on in relation to this operation shot for the sky. I suppose having undead drawn by noise was useful to a degree, they'd run straight into a bombardment… with the barrage at this scale…. There really wasn't much work being put in to rack up massive numbers of undead killed. That would change when the infantry went in though. Clearing everything, house by house, block by block. It was going to be a long, bloody ordeal.

Radio chatter began increasing as I watched the map. Luka had started his advance on Freemont. The 8th tank regiment leading the way. I repressed a small chuckle as reports of national guard positions came in. almost as quickly they were removed as T-72s rolled over them. Reports quickly began flooding in from the 10th tank regiment, attacking into the Castro Valley.

I continued watching. A heavy weight seemed to settle on my shoulders. I watched as blocks were being slowly cleared, the line of advance slowly moving closer and closer to the bay. Then radio traffic spiked again. Erik's 1st division had started its offensive. The 1st started bulldozing through San Teressa on their way to San Jose.

Tanks roared up the highway, closely followed by BTRs. a rocket would fly from the rubble, slamming into a T-72, turning it into a raging inferno as often as not. The vehicles would fan out, laying down copious suppressive fire down upon everything around them as infantry dismounted and began going through everything. Bayonets, gleamed in the light, lead the way. Whole squads would storm buildings. Automatic rifle rife echoing onto the streets. Grenades were thrown around corners. Hastily emplaced claymores would claim whole squads.

While soviet losses continued to mount the commanders would switch to a more deliberate, if destructive approach. Squads would no longer storm buildings, instead copious fires would be called down on Californian positions. Mortars, howitzers, and even tanks would saturate an area in high explosive before infantry would slowly advance and clear the area.

The naval infantry, long pent up in Fob Denpier, began their breakout, all but throwing the last of their munitions at Californian positions. Their saving grace came when The Pacific fleet entered gun range, laying waste to several Califonian staging grounds. Missiles soared over the city, slamming into supply dumps and large concentrations of Californian armored columns. The naval infantry went at their enemies with the savagery of a cornered beast. Knives flashed in the darkness of basements and dimly lit halls. Men tumbling over the corpses of their friends to tear their foes apart.

"Sir, The VDV have secured the airport." Ivan interrupted the scenes flashing through Andrew's mind. He nodded. Staring at the frontlines slowly inching forward.

"So it begins… the war for California."