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Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 16:49:08 GMT
Now aware of the fact that there were Singaporeans among the Capitol's slave population, the IRS's political and military leadership was thrown into an uproar. No rationale, tactical or economic wise, could hold back the desire to invade the Capitol's space. While the want to liberate the slaves largely drove the IRS's decision to prepare an invasion force, the timing too was impeccable. The battles at Rubikon and the Crucible had bled Capitol most of its forces. It was an opportunity not to be missed.
A fleet of 20 ships warped out and appeared at the edge of one of Capitol's frontier mining systems; Yinchorr. Made up of 10 Hammer II Cruisers, 2 Sensor Frigates, 4 Viper Torpedo Frigates and 4 Cobra Railgun Frigates, the fleet immediately began charging up shields, warming up weapons and immediately scanned the system for its astrographical layout, Capitol fleets and defences.
The arrival of the IRS vessels was almost instantly detected by the Capitol defense forces located in the system. The token defense fleet of a mere 5 vessels mostly of Mk.2 ships regulated to backline guard duty suddenly found themselves facing an actual foe. They had not expected the AGA to come for them.
And yet here they were.
2 Hydra class and 3 Icarus class broke their patrol route and began making their way back towards the main slave holding planet. Weapons that had long since been decommissioned powered up, old shield generators thrummed into life and firing computers that had almost been overtaken by civilian basics now began to chatter. The world also had several orbital platforms, each much more technologically capable than the very ships that guarded them, missiles rattled into launchers and railguns energised as the IRS fleet sat scanning the system.
It was mostly empty, other than many civilian non com ships carrying slaves and supplies to and from the planet in question. It was a tropical world, quite close to the star and covered in dense foliage apart from the large spires of the camps on the surface and the open cast mining areas that were dotted like cancer around in the forests. It seemed like liberation had finally arrived.
The IRS recon fleet had scanned enough. Data on the small defence fleet, orbital platforms and the planet itself were sent to other fleets awaiting in nearby star systems. Spacial coordinates and nav markers were set and ready. It was time to begin.
The 20 ships soon pooled their computational power to initiate a system-wide ECM attack on the orbital platforms and any ships in system, aiming to disrupt sensors, dazzle targeting software and jamming communications to prevent Capitol from calling in reinforcements. Two Cobra-class and another two Viper-class frigates deviated from the fleet in order to engage the incoming Capitol ships, loading armor piercing slugs in spinal railguns and prepping up triple-alpha anti-ship torpedos.
With their coms jammed and their systems now under ECM assault that turned out to be more than effective on the old systems of the Mk.2 Fleet the Capitol force rendevouzed with the defense platforms, withstanding the ECM jamming much better due to their superior systems the missile platforms began to get target locks on the small fleet now making its way in to snipe out the small system defense fleet.
Tachyon torpdoes cycled in launchers before leaping into the void, their engines initiating hard burn the moment they exited their launchers. Each projectile formed up with 8 total 2 for each vessel, across the platforms railguns also locked on waiting for the optimum firing range. The Capitol fleet however now at close anhcor with the platforms found itself able to connect with the platform computer systems. While it was patchy at best and interrupted by static and ECM the intermittant links updated the ships on locational data of where the IRS vessels were.
Along with the singular Tachyon platform the 2 Hydras began firing the Tachyon Arrows at range. Some shots were relatively accurate guided by brief data spikes from the platforms, others however due to a break in the link went purely based on logic predicitions of outdated computers and went totally wide. The TAs of the Mk.2 fleet having much less accuracy and ROF anyway, it was all they could do for now.
The yellow flames of the tachyon shots awashed and enveloped the shield panels of the IRS fleet; badly damaging 3 cruisers as well as the two frigates that went straight for the Icarus and Hydra ships. Nevertheless, the two frigates managed to lock on and fire their torpedos and relativistic railgun shells, targeting the two Hydra class ships, before executing a hard turn and retreating back to the main fleet. The Hammer II cruisers began charging their spinal neutron particle guns and fired a volley at the orbital defence platforms. After firing the fleet collectively launched a screen of plasma flares to temporarily blind the tachyon torpedos and orbital sensors so as to give them time to reposition and put distance between them and the orbital platforms.
"Recon Group to Strike Group One. Commence attack from this nav beacon."
"Acknowledged."
Another 100 IRS ships warped into the system, this time appearing above the Capitol's defence fleet and orbital platforms. Consisting of 2 Battleships, 20 Cruisers, 10 Heavy Cruisers, 10 Torpedo Cruisers, 10 Temujin Destroyers, 20 Torpedo Frigates, 10 Railgun Frigates, 10 Calliope Destroyers, 2 Carriers, 2 Sensor Frigates and 4 logistics support ships, the Strike Group began flaring up their thrusters and rapidly closed distance with the orbital defences. Shields were charged up and weapons were primed as they prepare for close melee combat.
Alarm klaxons wailed in the central command centre of the planet.
"How the hell can this be happening!" Rees was planetary governer and military governer here and with 100 more IRS ships now warping on top of his defenses his prospects of advancement looked very much diminished.
"Unknown sir, but what are you orders?"
"Orders! Just shoot them, get them out of my system. Tell ground based positions to open fire. Mobilise all forces planetside, and arm the slaves if need be..." He wiped his brow, Rees had never been a military man, he was cruel and he enjoyed power and so he had managed to get a position out here where he could lord over a small little empire of his own and live out his fantasies. That was gone now. And he was suddenly thrust into the war first hand.
The Hydras attempted to manuver but the old ships were poorly maintained, their drive units responding sluggishly as they fired railgun rounds towards the frigates. It was short lived however as the rounds punched straight through shields, armour and hull in flashes of blue light as the Hydras were torn apart, expanding into drifting debris clouds. The orbital defenses fared little better as they took rounds from the Neutron particle guns, shields flared and one of the platforms went silent as internal damage became too great. The others unleashed a pitiful barrage into the fleet that had appeared on top of them in defiance.
On the ground however large mass drivers, TAs and missile launchers powered up and readied themselves to fire, as ground troops rapidly mobilised in the fortress prison complexes below.
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Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 16:49:19 GMT
A web of precision fire sliced through the orbital platforms as Strike Group One moved in from above with the intent to leave some of the stations intact for boarding, and destroy the rest. The small retaliatory barrage were either evaded or absorbed by the Sovereign's thick shields, though two frigates were destroyed by the tachyon arrows and three cruisers strafing the stations took heavy damage. Three or four stations showing signs of heavy damage were spared from further fire: instead ECM missiles were fired to dazzle their point defenses to provide cover for boarding pods streaking towards the exposed parts of the stations. Within them were not only Marines but also small squads of TANGO shapeshifting supersoldiers who were sent to clear the way and extract vital intel from surviving Capitol commanders; whether through interogation or forced 'assimilation' remains to be seen. Planetary infrastructure, major military bases and slave camps - these were the information that the IRS required.
The platforms could not put up any real defense against the reinforcement fleet that now jumped on top of them. Detonations brightened the sky above as they were sliced apart, some surviving while their crews were either captured or killed and their information divulged, it was not a good place for defense.
Ground based defenses now ready opened fire after Rees almost frantically commanded them to do so. Shots split the heavens as mass driver rounds and missiles reached up to touch the IRS fleet, the occasional TA firing before its underground capacitors recharged. Ground forces around the entire area took anti nuclear formations to help weather the inevitable orbital bombardments and Sabre interceptors were launched to help engage any enemy combat drop that was incoming.
"I want every god damn combat capable slave armed up and ready to go, use them as meatshields if you have to. I dont dont give a fuck about protocol they wont liberate this place if they have to kill everyone, it may leave room for negotiation" Rees commanded with a flick of his hand. His command staff, long having been replaced over the years with individuals who were totally subservient to his wishes did exactly what he said, he did not tolerate backtalk or other points of view.
With the orbital defences subdued, the rest of the IRS Liberation Incursion Force warped in. Two Strike Groups, 100 ships each with identical composition of the first Strike Group, appeared above in orbit.
Fleet Admiral Marsha Lein examined the situation reports as combat unfolded real time. The fleet executed its anti-missile drills, directing ECM against incoming missiles and using Cluster torpedos to destroy them from afar while ramping up point defence cover. The Tachyon arrows and mass driver rounds punched through the smaller ships and one by one 10 frigates and 5 cruisers found themselves exploding in bright flashes in the first volleys as the FTL bolts caught them by surprise. The battleships held on, though one was starting to have its shields depleted from the constant barrage and withdrew to recharge them once more reinforcements arrived.
Marsha still thought this was far better than anticipated; she had assumed from her limited reports that the system would be more well defended. Nevertheless, now that she had access to some of the Capitol's comm channels with the command codes obtained from the orbital stations, the newest orders to arm the slaves disturbed her greatly. She must act swiftly and with caution.
"Strike Group Two, maintain defensive posture and focus ECM on the Capitol's surface to orbit defences. Strike Group Three, commence orbital bombardment on designated infrastructure targets. My Strike Group will take out the ground defences below," Marsha ordered in a characteristic calm manner.
In a matter of moments, another massive ECM barrage was directed against the ground defences below, this time coupled with cyberattacks as ship AIs spammed malware and various computer viruses into the Capitol's digital military network aiming to disable the guns below completely or at least disrupt their targeting systems. Concurrently, Marsha's fleet fired relativistic slugs, kinetic rods and plasma missiles at the tachyon arrows, mass drivers and missile silos below, taking care to conduct precision strikes in order to limit collateral damage. The other Strike Group fired kinetic rods and guided conventional missiles at the planetary infrastructure below, targeting 60% of the planet's power supply, computer databanks, major road and magrail networks and surface military bases and supply depots.
The entire command centre rocked hard, dislodging some light debris from the ceiling as it fell onto the holoprojector. Rees was tense staring as even more ships jumped in system and the first bombardment began.
He was happy initially to see red markers flash out as the orbital gunners destroyed IRS vessels but it was a hopeless cause. His smile had vanished at the reinforcements like throwing a rock at the ocean, unless they got aid they would most likely fall, and despite their attempts all out traffic had been well and truly jammed by the IRS forces preventing any calls for help. It didnt help that the network was under cyber assault from the orbiting fleet. Systems designed to defend against such were coping for now, although targetting for some of the guns was thrown off and some of the internal survelance units were offline but the core system was intact, he thanked the fact that they were a heavy handed cyber state. Those measures had likely saved them from system collapse.
Another hit caused the room to shake, the bombardment was coming hard. Explosions blossoming across the surface as the illuminated forms of his orbital defense guns would occasionally dissapear. AA systems surrounding the facility shot flak into the sky, aiming to shoot down the incoming missiles while hardened bunkers withstood hits from the kinetics in giant pyrotechnics. Here and there a gun detonated as it was struck showering the surrounding area with debris. The defenses kept up their now reduced barrage as more were destroyed, although this time mobile launchers scattered in the mountains surrounding the facility had finished deploying. A large wave of missiles were fired skyward as the mobile launcher crews instantly set about moving again to escape retribution from the heavens.
"Ma'am, new barrage of missiles incoming!"
"Cease bombardment and switch focus to anti-missile fleet defence! I want Strike Group Three to take over and continue the attack on their orbital guns!" Marsha barked. As her own fleet stopped firing and manuvered to cover the fleet with point defences and stand-off torpedos, she studied the data in her terminal. Surface-to-orbit missiles. From a mountainous area with no indication of possible facilities underground, judging from the mesonscope's energy mappings. It was either the Capitol had pretty good methods of cloaking, or simply used mobile vehicular platforms. Marsha initially did not discount the former, but discerning from how ill-defended the system is (and thus how important it was to justify employing advanced stealth tech), it was more likely the former.
"The guns are slowly being taken out but it seems their digital network is more resilient than I calculated," Marsha muttered to herself as the hundred green and dark grey forms that was the third Strike Group manuvered and continued to fire on the Capitol's ground installations; yellow streaks of kinetic rods and red trails of missiles heading towards the planet surface. "And they likely have mobile anti-orbital units down there as well."
The Capitol's missiles were weathered out by the layered response of Cluster torpedos, ECM and point defences but some still managed to get through, pummeling through 3 cruisers and 4 frigates and an unlucky Temujin destroyer. They were not completely destroyed, but they were heavily damaged and were out of the battle. Crews evacuated in dropships and escape pods, leaving behind their wrecked hulls for support ships to tow out from the battlefield.
"Major, situation as follows. High concentration of Capitol air forces. Possible anti-orbital units in the mountains. And the entire ground army down there is rapidly mobilising as we speak with the slaves being armed and readied as meatshields. What do you think?" Marsha opened up a comms link to Major Nuhall, the overall commander of the ground forces component.
"Admiral, I would recommend destroying their airbases and aircraft carriers to further deny anymore meaningful air power projection. And is it possible to repurpose some Cluster missiles against their air groups? With the skies clear, I can bring the fullest extent of my ground forces to directly assault the slave camps while diverting some aircav brigades and gunships to hunt down their anti-orbital forces."
"Sound plan Major." Marsha nodded and cut the comms link. "Fleet, we are now resuming to surface bombardment. This time, I want concentrated barrages on the known airbases."
With the Capitol's missile barrage dealt with, Marsha's fleet reassumed an offensive posture and targeted the airbases and known positions of ocean-going aircraft carriers. For each of them, a massive volley of a hundred missiles and kinetic rods was sent their way, hoping that the sheer quantity would overwhelm their AA defences. Immediately afterwards, a new volley of guided missiles was prepared and launched, this time with cluster warheads to pepper the skies with clouds of armor piercing fragments and wipe out as much Capitol Sabres in the air as possible. In the mean time, 50,000 ground troops were geared up and loaded into the vast fleets of dropships housed in the Instrumental-class carriers along with their supplies and vehicles. Strikefighters were equipped, fuelled and prepped for pre-flight checks. All were waiting eagerly for the ground invasion.
Most of Capitols airforce was already airborne by the time the airfield sirens started to wail. AA systems shot down numerous munitions as they streaked through the sky but not enough. Airfields were torn apart and facilities blown asunder as roiling clouds of dirt now climbed high into the sky. The airforces had spread out, taking a wide area of flight to cover a variety of potential landing zones and with the information coming in that the orbiting fleet was targeting them the squadrons scattered.
Sabres broke formation and broke to ground level, much of the damage was mitigated but still aircraft were wiped out by the huge shockwaves and shrapnel of the blasts. Even as the casualty reports were streaming in the airforce regrouped. Large bomber formations that had stayed low in and around the mountain valleys now reared their heads, instantly climbing as they released their payloads of air to orbit ASAT missiles which rapidly fell before igniting their engines and streaking towards the fleet above. The bombers quickly dispersed off to find the temporary airfields that were being constructed by the engineer battalions, who had been given orders to begin building such with the possibility of orbital bombardment.
The surface fleet was not numerous on Yinchorr but they still had assets available. One carrier group was destroyed utterly, as the carrier and its small amount of attendant escorts dissapeared into a roiling barrage of nuclear fire. The other however, the main naval force fared much better. Interceptor missiles and railgun rounds roared from Destroyers, Escorts, the two remaining carriers and the singular Thorikto class battleship. Missiles also tore themselves free of the ocean itself as Capitol Submarines launched their anti orbital payloads and interceptor missiles to retaliate against the fleet while helping to defend its own. Several of the escorting vessels however were vapourised by a missile that broke through, the shockwave pummeling the fleet as the Thorikto also fired its Anti orbital guns.
"Whats the status on the mobilisation?"
"Nearly done sir, anti orbital assets are holding but I doubt they will hold for much longer. All airfields are destroyed, and airforces are dispersing to wait for temporary ones to be constructed. It also seems like our naval forces have taken losses as well."
"Understood." He was visibly sweating and shaking. Taking several moments to come up with a reply "Hide the mobile anti orbitals, tell the airforce to break off and wait. And tell the navy to hold as long as they can. Take the subs and keep them hidden."
"As you command"
The three Strike Groups sprung into fleet defence as more anti-orbital munitions from the Capitol submarines and bombers pressed the attack. At this rate; their stock of Cluster torpedos were already depleted and they had to switch to the smaller Raptor II missiles fitted with Cluster warheads - a less effective means of stand off defence.
A volley of anti-orbital missiles and mass drivers tore through 5 more frigates and 3 more cruisers, all of them meeting total destruction as they exploded from within into scrap and superheated vapours.
"Status on our barrage?" Marsha asked.
"Ma'am, all known airbases and one carrier group destroyed. Visuals confirmed the Capitol air force took a beating but they've gone into hiding at low altitudes. Capitol still has oceanic elements remaining and with munitions being launched from the water surface they probably have subs as well."
"Damn." Marsha momentarily broke her calm confidence. "As soon as this anti-orbital barrage stops I want the other two Strike Groups to continue bombarding the anti orbital guns to the very last installation, and then I want them to switch targets to the oceanic groups until confirmed total destruction."
"Roger that maam," the communications officer nodded as he sent out her orders to the other fleets.
Major Nuhall appeared on Marsha's terminal. "Admiral, are we cleared to land?"
"Major, the Capitol air forces and bombers have gone into low altitude and you will have to contend with their submarines as well. But the ground invasion must proceed as planned. I have reports they are nearly at full mobilisation."
"We'll do it the hard way maam. For our brothers and sisters."
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Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 16:49:29 GMT
With a heavy heart, Marsha sighed as she steeled herself to sacrifice those under her command as she had done in the Battle of Voi Con. "Operation Liberator is a go. I repeat, Operation Liberator is a go."
With that one sentence, the combined fury of the IRS descended onto the planet as tens of thousands of Paladin III Strike Fighters, gunships, EWACCS aircraft and Shorya interceptors conducted a massive air campaign over the planet, hunting down Capitol air groups, striking ground forces of opportunity, painting oceanic fleets for orbital bombardment, searching for Capitol submarines and most importantly, bombing the ground defences of the slave camps and their surrounding military bases. Hordes of dropships big and small followed behind, escorted by a defensive component of strike fighters and interceptors, most of them heading directly for the slave camps while a small detachment of aircav troops diverted to the mountains to hunt down the mobile anti-orbital vehicles with gunship support.
"Here they come..."
The facility was almost entirely incapable of fighting back when the drop came, anti orbital installations had been pounded into rubble and most AA emplacements had also been destroyed but the handful that remained now spat defiance to the sky as they targetted the incoming aircraft. Mobile AA elements attatched to Capitol units also helped defend the facility, Hynerion AAA and Aspida missile launchers engaged squadrons of IRS aircraft as they made low runs.
This tactic was used especially by the remaining Capitol airforce, baiting IRS superior numbers into pre determined kill zones, flying low over valleys and letting Capitol concealed AA forces do their gruesome work before the Sabres then turned to engage, despite their continuing losses they kept up the ever smaller assault. Ground forces also went to ground as best they could, avoiding gunships and bombers where able and shooting down as many as they could the spread out forces made it nearly impossible to concentrate bombing runs, allowing greater survivors who would then regroup elsewhere.
The oceanic forces also took more casualties. Ships exploded from orbital fire or ASM strikes from aircraft, despite the wall of flak and fire produced it was only a matter of time before the last carrier was dissapearing below the waves, its escorts rapidly spreading out to try survive independently. The Submarines however faired much better, diving deep into the oceans to wait while reloading their missile racks they went quiet, content to wait and strike at a later date.
But as for the facility, Reese was trembling as the news of the IRS drop came, with the first of their forces now landing around the facility and the first ground firefights erupting he finally gave the order to send in the slave forces.
It was truly a horrifying scene of carnage and destruction as scores of IRS aircraft and dropships were swatted out of the sky by heavy AA fire and attacks by Capitol Sabres. The casualty count on the terminals were racking up rapidly.
But no matter the losses, the stakes were too high to simply withdraw and give Capitol breathing space. Rather than evacuating heavily hit air groups, carriers simply poured in reinforcements, adding thousands of more strike fighters, gunships and bombers to replace the losses. The air campaign pressed on with the intense dogfighting with Capitol Sabres and they now conducted SEAD missions against Capitol AA. Wherever they were last seen or even suspected to be, strike fighters and bombers unleashed their fury onto the ground with saturation bombings. Separately, EWACCS aircraft and bombers loaded with torpedos patrolled the seas looking for Capitol submarines and laid the depths of the oceans with numerous sonar probes to root them out of hiding.
The first wave of 10 000 troops descended onto the slave camps with unparalled zeal and aggression as hordes of mechanised infantry and armor rushed head on to storm the facility. Hercules II dropships supported the rapid advance as they acted as CAS raining down grenades, missiles and minigun fire on defending Capitol positions while dedicated gunships streaked overhead, launched ATGMs at enemy armor formations and then quickly sped off before coming back for successive runs. Propaganda disseminated loudly from the speakers of dedicated psychological warfare APCs above the noise of gunfire and explosions - uplifting battle music, patriotic songs from home and calls from the Commissars announcing that the IRS had come to liberate the slaves, especially their kin among them. All the slaves were urged to stay put and stay away from the battle zone, even if it means resisting Capitol authorities when they were forced to fight against the IRS.
As the air battle raged and Capitols assets were ground down the ground war was only just beginning to heat up.
Capitol divisions that had taken shelter from the orbital attacks and airstrikes now rolled out or threw off their cover to engage the IRS attack. Hyperion MBTs fired scram rounds into incoming IRS tanks and mechanized elements while spraying heavy autocannon fire into infantry, IFVs and other vehicles that had been dug in or concealed also opened up as the defensive trenches that had been made outside the facility were used by Capitol infantry to lay down crossfires with HMG and LAW weaponry. But as the IRS pushed in it was clear that the front ranks were slaves.
They fired desperately, some clearly torn between death at the hands of the shouting Kappos in their midst or death at the hands of the IRS. Some fired irregardless, some tried to resist or were adamant they would not shoot only to die by the explosive collars on their necks. The lines were only there for a speed bump, to slow the IRS advanced while Capitol redeployed more elements around, and for them to waste the drive of the front forces, waste their ammo and demoralize them. Capitol artillery fired continuously on the advancing line, uncaring if they also hit slave forces holding the line as the IRS advanced on top of them.
Hesitation is the bane of any productive endeavour. As the IRS made their advance with tenacious grit the soldiers were starting to realise the truth that they were facing their own people. For a few seconds, those at the front stopped shooting and looked back their section commanders for answers on what to do next. Before they could give any answer, the Capitol barrage ripped them into shreds. Machine gun fire and artillery broke up the large infantry formations. Archer II tanks stopped dead in their tracks after being hit by Scram rounds and burst into flames and APCs were shot up from the LAWs killing all of its passengers from the blast pressure. Morale dropped from the dilemna and the ensuring heavy casualties and the frontal forces started to back up to regroup. Whoever survived the ordeal took cover and returned fire into the Capitol lines. Riflemen unleashed a volley of 40mm grenades from their underslung launchers and launched napalm rockets into the trenches. ATGM equipped AFVs tapped into the orbital networks to identify the Hyperion MBTs and promptly launched their missiles for top-down strikes onto the Capitol armored divisions.
Major Nuhall observed the situation carefully from orbit. He analysed the main problems presented by the Capitol forces; usage of slave troops, fortifications, armor and artillery. The slave casualties must be minimised, but how? They either had to be killed as Capitol combatants by the IRS or executed by Kappos for non-participation. They will most likely die anyway. Unless...
He looked at the inventory of the artillery companies' ammunition stocks and types. Tear gas and flashbang rounds were still readily available, though not in huge numbers since they were not expecting any counter-insurgency ops on Yinchorr. He gave the order to the mortar carriers and SPHs to fire a volley of them at the Capitol infantry positions at an exact time specified. Then he ordered a team of snipers to be loaded up into dropships and deployed to the battlefield. Timed correctly, the artillery barrage would disorientate the Capitol defenders and relieve the IRS front of the pressure allowing them to resume the advance while airborne snipers looked for anyone within the Capitol giving out orders that indicated they are possibly Kapos, and eliminate them promptly to save any slave troops willing to surrender. Airstrikes continued to conduct suppression missions on the Capitol forces as Shockwave CAS jets bombarded tanks and static fortifications while Shorya stealth fighters used their speed and ECM to go deep into the facility and bomb positions of enemy artillery units, as estimated by ship AIs in orbit who calculated and traced the trajectory of the artillery shots.
Hyperions exploded as fighters and ATGMs hit home, positions now known and their concealment gone the Hyperions now found it a hard time to stay under fire, and multiple withdrew to locations out of direct line of fire for now. The front trenches however were near totally gone, the artillery had destroyed much of the vanguard IRS and near total all of the slave picket forces put out in front. Those that survived and found their kappos dead either ran towards the IRS hoping for salvation or ran back to the Capitol lines in dazes and confusion only to be gunned down anyway.
AA kept up the pounding of the air and artillery repeatedly made fire missions against clumped forces of IRS teams moving forward. However when the gas came in the Capitol forces were not ready. Many chocked and gagged as they began putting on gas masks and other counter measures. The Capitol forces themselves were not hugely affected although the initial strike gave the IRS time to move up some, the slaves however had no such respirators and in their pain and confusion found liberation as the kappos were similarly affected in the advance. Still more slave units were brought up alongside mainline forces, the IRS was pushing Capitol back but they were not yielding yet.
As the first batches of slaves arrived within the IRS's frontlines they were quickly pulled into whatever transports that was nearest, anything from an APC to a dropship, while they gave covering fire from retaliating Capitol kappos and regular troops. The slaves were then immediately evacuated back to Baseships. With the tear gas, the retreating slaves and heavy casualties bringing the first wave to near total destruction the push was momentarily stopped as the remaining IRS forces at the front regrouped into a defensive formation, put on their first levels of MOPP protection and awaited fresh reinforcements from the second wave. With the threat of Capitol armor gone, the gunships withdrew though not without considerable casualties from Capitol AA.
MRLS platforms began launching supersonic spy missiles that streaked above the Capitol lines and pin pointed major positions, especially the artillery and the AA. SPHs began a counter barrage firing ultra precise shots with the aid of GPS and advanced ballistic computation systems. Other MRLS vehicles fired a massive barrage of smoke rounds that covered large swathes of the Capitol facility.
From the sky dots of fireballs streaked across the horizon and as they got closer into view distinct metallic box-like shapes of drop pods became apparent. In just a few seconds they would crash in various parts of the facility unloading hundreds of heavy power armor ELYAS troops, ZEAL commandos and HAMAS battlesuits in the middle of the smokescreen to break up the Capitol forces and divert them from the front.
"Sir the enemy is breaking through the first lines of defense just like we thought. They are trying to liberate as many slaves as they can"
"Excellent. It will slow them, buying time is our objective. How is the next phase going? And how is the preparations for my escape?"
"Phase 2 is about to be executed as we speak, your escape vessel is being prepped and will be ready within 20 minutes."
Rees wiped his brow and sighed with relief "Truly excellent, give phase 2 the go ahead and let me know when my ships ready"
The Capitol forces continued to fall back as the IRS artillery ,precision guided now, knocked out heavy elements as soon as they were idenfitied. The second line was sparesely defended as forces moved straight through to the last set of lines just before the actual base began and pointed up into the sky. Defensive emplacements on it still fired long range artillery shots and units here and there still engaged where found. Capitol air elements, having restocked and refueled in makeshift airfields took off to re-engage with critical drop elements of the IRS orbital entries, the engineers quickly dispersing again to rebuild elsewhere.
As the second line now in full NBC gear engaged the forward elements through the rolling tear gas the battlefield went white as the flashes of 3 nuclear devices drowned out the light from the star. The entire second line dissapeared into raging fireballs as the shockwaves pummeled the entire battlefield including the facility itself rocking Rees and the command staff even as the drop forces penetrated the facility. With phase 2 now complete the Capitol forces entrenched in the final line.
The facility itself now under assault used automated defenses and Capitol reinforcement units as well as large bands of armed slaves to fight a battle of containment. They didnt aim to destroy the intruders, they simply didnt have the gear, but to contain them with bodies and overlapping fields of massed fire. Bog the enemy down, it was a tried and true tactic.
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Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 16:49:39 GMT
Thousands simply vapourised as the nuclear charges detonated and thousands more were exposed to the radiation. It was Rubikon II all over again.
Major Nuhall seethed in desperate anger; time was of the essence and the assault cannot be slowed any longer. He gave the order to activate the Frenzy in all the troops that remained.
"But sir thats-"
"Do it! The men will understand! Every single one of us swore to sacrifice anything and everything for our people!" Nuhall rebuked sharply, his eyes glowing in focused rage. In that moment, his authorisation codes was sent and the order was relayed to the 500 or so neural chips embedded within each IRS soldier.
On the ground, the survivors were suddenly thrown into a collective craze of hyperpatriotism and rage. Propaganda images flashed rapidly before their eyes, and whispers to kill the enemy lingered in their heads. They began charging to the Capitol's defensive lines, screaming and shouting without any regard to their safety. They were about to die anyway, might as well die in glorious combat.
Nuhall had no time to think about the moral implications of what he had ordered and focused on his next moves. 10 000 troops were deployed to reinforce the current front, and 20 000 more were deployed directly opposite to form a new front of attack. The Capitol would quickly dispatch the irradiated survivors but they would soon be followed up by fresh forces. Their massive air force were sent back into the fray to hunt down the re-emerged Capitol air forces this time with recon planes to pin point their airbases and possible presence of engineering elements that built them up. If they were to be found, bombers and CAS craft would conduct search and destroy missions against them. Hundreds of HAMAS squadrons were also sent down via drop pods as outrider units to destroy isolated units, supply and reinforcement convoys, external bases and support the aircav in finding and eliminating the anti-orbital forces.
With the sudden rush the Capitol forces opened fire from the third line, aiming to mow down the crazed IRS soldiers as they came, some positions which were less manned than others were overwhelmed the Capitol soldiers fighting with bayonets and knives against the crazed indivduals who in some instances used little more than their hands and teeth.
The massed air force attack however now more or less gutted what remained on Capitols air assets. with the final push to soften the dropping forces the aircraft were simply swarmed by IRS craft, easily destroyed or crippled as they fell from the sky to explode, shattered on the ground below. The forces outside in the valleys and more also found little shelter from the constant air attacks, like flocks of vultures they bombed, rocketed, strafed and destroyed. It was a hopeless venture.
For those in the command staff watching Rees eager to escape, and watching the IRS forces slowly close it, was a moment of clarity, as silent electronic messages were sent by each without their superiors knowledge.
The crazed soldiers held on longer than expected and even reached to melee distance but ultimately every single one met their fate, their hands frozen around the necks of Capitol soldiers and mouths agape as if they had died still screaming.
The front was reinforced now with fresh troops who continued where the first wave left off and pressed the assault on the final defensive lines. Precision barrages targeted the static automated turrets and heavy weapons emplacements. Snipers on roving dropships circled the area kilometers away and shot at kappos and whoever seemed like a high ranking officer. MRLS units had received new batches of flashbang rounds and readied them, anticipating the order to fire if it was necessary to incapacitate the slave forces through non lethal means. Mechanised infantry awaited just outside the defensive lines' killzones, pumping bursts of 12.7mm and 25mm rounds into the trenches while riflemen eagerly sat in the safety of their APCs and IFVs. Tanks rolled up beside, sending railgun shots into bunkers and dug in enemy tanks from afar. It was hoped by focusing on the base defences and the kappos controlling the slave forces, the IRS would not have to fight their own people and perhaps even with their help, storm the facility and liberate the other slaves inside as well.
With the skies now clear with only pockets of Capitol air forces remaining, Major Nuhall ordered more forces to be deployed this time to the cities. Baseships ferried entire brigades into the hearts of civilian spaceports and made them bases of operations. Aircav forces and elite special forces began storming and taking over media stations and public transit hubs while mechanised infantry fortified and blocked off all routes to the spaceports. Gunships patrolled the streets, on the look out for Capitol ground forces to engage.
"Is my personal transport ready?" Rees asked aloud. There was a pause, he went to say it again before there was a loud gunshot.
One of the command staff had shot the Capitol commander in the head, instantly the two Hydra Guard who were standing by him opened up, quickly followed by more command staff pulling weapons on the Hydra Guard. It was a brief and vicious firefight that only lasted a few moments. A handful of staff survived, the entire command centre covered in blood and destroyed equipment, the two dead Hydra Guard laying bent over the tactical map display.
As the Capitol forces now began to fail across the line units began to surrender. It had been small groups at first but now more and more realized that there were no more reinforcements, no counter attacks and nobody to come save such a backwater world. They chose not to die for their country, suicide wasnt the only option, although many commissars began their gruesome work.
"This is Lieutenant Ivena of the Grand Empire of Capitol, our planetary overseer is dead, we surrender, I repeat we surrender. We will stand down all units, and release the slaves we have here if you spare our lives and take us in as prisoners of war, I repeat...." The message was clear across all frequencies. Many who saw the situation as hopeless threw down their weapons and surrendered, others did so because it was an order fabricated by the command staff who survived, and others kept fighting led by fanatical commissars who hadn't been killed by their own men.
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Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 16:49:49 GMT
Pockets of resistance would continue, but now Kappos found their collars no longer worked, many were shot by their own slave charges as they realised they were now free.
IRS riflemen marched slowly with their armored transports and tanks towards the surrendering Capitol line, their rifles pointed at them with caution and vigilance. In time, the first rifleman met face-to-face with a Capitol soldier without any shots. Capitol troops were systematically searched, disarmed and then arrested before being put into transports for processing. Slave troops cheered and long-lost brothers and sisters reunited, hugging one another and telling each other that all the suffering was now over.
"Lieutenant Ivena, this is Major Nuhall. We accept your surrender and are grateful that you have released our brothers and sisters. Relay the same message to your civilian counterparts and have all slaves in civilian ownership be freed. Bring them to the starports, and we will take it over from there."
"You have our assurance that all Capitol POWs will be safe. Capitol civilians will not be made POWs and they will be spared on the condition they do not obstruct our rescue efforts."
With the AA guns now silent, dropships converged on the facility and landed. Aircav riflemen and commandos dismounted and began combing through the labyrinth of rooms, corridors and hallways to mop up the last of Capitol resistance and extract the Capitol command who surrendered, along with securing whatever valuable military intelligence they can find from computer terminals and data rooms.
In the cities under IRS occupation, a public announcement was made to the frightened civilians, telling them to handover any slaves in their possession and that a curfew was in effect. Urban pacification troops patrolled the city in wheeled IFVs and stormed housing complexes particularly those belonging to the upper classes, searching room to room for any slaves to liberate. Any Capitol civilian attempting to stop them were brushed aside with stun batons and those that assaulted them or took up arms were simply shot.
The message was relayed. Yinchorr had surrendered. The command staff were the highest ranking officials, and there was only small civilian presence on the planet, such orders were obeyed as the IRS forces secured the entire region. Some military elements continued to fight a guerrilla style war against the IRS invaders but their resources and forces were far from what they had been. The civilians also kept to themselves letting the IRS do their work, many handed over any slaves they owned, some fought but most hunkered down and waited, knowing that either the IRS or Capitols own ISS would kill them if they tried anything.
The fighting dwindled down to a close and troops now focused on attending to the slaves and POWs, bringing them to transports that awaited either outside the facility or as for the cities, in the starports that they have secured. The mainline forces let the commandos and special forces deal with the enemy stragglers with swift and rapid surgical dropship insertions, content with the task of setting up defensive positions to cover the massive evacuation efforts.
At the end of the day, the IRS now controlled Yinchorr and millions had been liberated, the news however would swiftly reach Capitol HICOM. By the time a Capitol relief force would arrive to investigate, they would discover the system in ruins. The IRS did not stay long nor did they intend to; once all the slaves and prisoners were accounted for, they packed up, sabotaged all of Yinchorr's mines, infrastructure and other economic assets and then destroyed the rest of the system's orbital facilities before warping out.
The IRS had intact samples of the explosive collars allowing them to study it and develop solutions to disable them for future liberation missions. Worse, they had evidence of their slavery and the worst, they had successfully invaded Capitol territory and destroyed one of its industrial systems in a matter of 48 hours. The cracks was showing, Capitol was falling.
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Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 16:59:23 GMT
"Baris Sedia!"
The shrill voice of the parade commander rang in the throes of the rain's plitter platter. His expression of steel unwavering and unchanging as the water droplets trickled down his face, as the downpour dampened and darkened what was a few moments ago, a crisp and shining white parade uniform.
Upon his command, the contingent of soldiers before him stood at attention. They took positions flanking a wide concrete avenue, evenly spaced in between as they cover a kilometer stretch of road. A large convoy of flatbed trucks carrying black coffins drove by slowly in a single straight line. Once the first truck reached the end of the avenue leading to the Karvoskayan War Cemetary and Memorial Site, the convoy stopped.
The parade commander drew in a deep breath. "Pembawa-pembawa bendera negara, masuk baris!"
A loud "Sir!" echoed from the other end of the avenue. Boots clicked on the tarmat road at a slow tempo as the flag bearer, mounting with him the state flag, and two escorts marched forward. Marching past the right side of the convoy, the red fabric of the state flag hovered and fluttered just above the coffins, as if it was giving its last blessings and farewells to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
"Hormat pewira-pewira sejati, hormat senjata!"
The soldiers then sharply thrusted out their rifles, presenting them upright in front of them towards the coffins. Once the flag party reached the first truck of the convoy, they turned around and marched back to where they were at the other end of the avenue.
"Rusuk senjata!"
The soldiers then tucked in their rifles under their arms and stood at attention. The trucks moved into the War Memorial, where the coffins were then transferred out with mobile cranes on site and then placed neatly in a massive square pit, stacked on top of one another. Soldiers marched from the avenue into the site and formed a perimeter of men and women around the mass grave.
"Colonel-Major, I will now escort you to the memorial," the parade commander turned to Myrza who was observing the ceremony beside him. He did not say anything and merely nodded. They walked briskly to memorial site and Myrza stood his position at the podium in order to address his audience of grieving families, sympathetic citizens, media crews and military officials.
"Good afternoon fellow citizens, comrades, friends and families. We are gathered here today to send off 15,000 souls, who have died while fighting in enemy territory, to their final resting places."
Myrza continued. "15,000 soldiers. 15,000 sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, lovers and friends, made the ultimate sacrifice in order to save millions of slaves, some of whom belong to our allies, many others are actually our own people who have been abducted from Tau Volaris in the early stages of the war. These slaves have suffered in perilous conditions of malnutrition, torture, forced labour and inhumane conditions. They were also forced to fight for the Capitol as slave troops, cannon fodder and meatshields. It is with the deaths of these 15,000 heroes that they are now freed from such unspeakable cruelty."
"To those slaves who were forced to fight and kill our troops, we hold no grudges. We understand the manner they leashed you with explosive collars, and how they held your lives at gunpoint, many a times literally. If any of these 15,000 were ended by your hand, know that all of them were willing to die if it meant sparing as many of your lives as possible. They knew the stakes and they did what they had to do. If you perhaps still wish to provide recompense, you are more than welcome to join LINFOR in its subsequent operations to liberate more slaves in Capitol space."
"With this, let the 15,000 forever rest in peace and let us remember how they have served the Republic and its allies with courage, honour and patriotic fervour," Myrza's voice now transitioned from solemn into a firm and increasingly assertive tone. "We will continue the fight against the Capitol and liberate those who remain enslaved in their grasp. This is my absolute promise - we will free our brothers and sisters and Capitol's atrocities will not go unanswered."
He saluted. "Majulah Singapura! Kekal Setia!"
The parade commander immediately brandished his baton. "Baris Sedia!"
The soldiers stood at attention. "Hormat pewira-pewira sejati, dalam posisi melutut. Hormat senjata!"
The soldiers then kneeled on their left leg and held their rifles upright with both hands, heads bowed to the ground. All was done in one single and united motion, a sacred ritual drilled and rehearsed so many times with the many billions and perhaps, trillions of lives, that had been offered to the altar of the Republic throughout its history.
"My blood was paid for in blood, and thus my blood shall pay for new life!" the chant echoed and rang across the memorial site. The rain stopped and a single ray of light pierced through the dark ominous clouds. It was time for the fallen to leave.
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Lexicon
The parade commands here are in Malay, which is the national language mandated for the national anthem and military commands.
"Baris Sedia!" - Formation attention!
"Pembawa-pembawa bendera negara, masuk baris!" - State flag bearers, fall into formation!
"Hormat pewira-pewira sejati, hormat senjata!" - Salute to the immortal (dead) heroes, present arms!
"Rusuk senjata!" - Shoulder arms!
"Majulah Singapura! Kekal Setia!" - National slogan. Meaning; 'Onward Singapore, Forever Loyal'.
"Hormat pewira-pewira sejati, dalam posisi melutut. Hormat senjata!" - Salute to the immortal (dead) heroes, in kneeling position. Salute arms!
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