SDNWorld Redux: Story Thread the First.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Moderatorial Post:

The tiny Shepistani surface navy, consisting of four Kidd-class destroyers and a bunch of small gunboats, was also the incompetent backwater of the navy, whose prestigious submarine fleet was by far more important and better staffed; the officers were losers pushed out of the way to the surface ships because they couldn't cut it in the sub navy, and the crews were indolent conscripts.

Accordingly, an ammunition handling accident on one of the Kidds as they were slowly preparing for a sortie from their usual barely functional status has resulted in a magazine explosion, blowing the bow off and sinking the vessel in harbour. A second of the four ships has a major undetected engineering casualty which has left it dead in the water alongside dock and unable to be used. About only half of his lesser surface craft are operational.

The magazines on the Kidd included VX shells for the 5in guns, the detonations of which drift over the city and kill much of the crew, in all causing 849 fatalities.


OOC Note: Yes, Shep gets a Mutsu-type explosion on one of his destroyers to reflect how utterly neglected and craptacular his surface navy is so they can afford the huge amounts of money he's spending on his submarines.

[MKSheppard]

200 nautical miles from Wilkonian CVBG Group Containing HIS WHORE Sara Bareilles and Katie Voegele

The RSS Jack slowly and stealthily rose to radar mast depth. They hadn't been able to intercept the Wilkonian CVBGs before they reached the Northern Shores of Shepistan; but they had tracked them all the way in on passive sonar; even the SSNs of the Wilkonian CVBGs, due to the enormous machinery and wave noise that a 30 knot run-in required. The SSNs had been ridiculously easy to identify on the run-in, because they had to sprint ahead for several miles at 34 knots, and then drift, because at high speeds, passive sonar turned to hash due to flow noise over the sonar domes.

Once the CVBG had reached their assigned war stations off of Shepistan, it had become much harder to track the SSNs, even with the huge passive sonar array in the Jack's bow. Finally, after several days of staring at sonar waterfalls, they'd isolated the machinery noises of the Wilkonian SSNs escorting the CVBGs. Now the Jack could carry out her designed mission.

When the Shepistani SSANs had first appeared; there had been much conversation within the trade and public journals over their mission. Some thought they were giant cruise missile carriers, others thought they were submarine landing ships, even more entertained the thought they were giant seagoing nuclear plants to generate plutonium for hypothesized atom-bombs, and finally, the most current theory, anti-commerce submarines.

All of them were wrong. The SSANs had been designed and built with one mission in mind -- to kill Carriers and escape unharmed with a high probability of success.

Raising for a brief moment the ESM mast, the EW shack in the Jack confirmed what the sonar people had had for the last week -- the exact location of the CVBG via all the radiated emissions that a carrier group operating continuous combat flight operations emitted.

Captain Kuzmina stared at the weapons display on his seat's console. They'd planned for this mission and executed it hundreds of times in drills. Now it was time for the real deal.

"Sir, Sea Stallion missiles loaded and locked in on their targets!" announced the weapons officer.

"Sonar, confirm final bearings!" barked Kuzmina.

On the bow of the Jack, the little used active sonar system came to life, the water on the exterior of the sonar windows boiling away as the huge sonar lit off; sending active pulses into the water. Moments later, the returns of the two Wilkonian SSNs that were sanitizing the northern edge of the carrier group's area of control came back; and the corrections were dialed into the Sea Stallions' computers.

"Bearings confirmed and updated!"

"Fire!"

In a staggered sequence, the six forty-inch torpedo tubes in the right-hand torpedo room fired, launching their Sea Stallions. When the SSAN's design specifications had been laid down, one of the requirements had been for it to engage and destroy two subsurface targets simultaneously in a single salvo with a very high probability of success. This had necissiated their huge size due to the weapons required.

As the launch containers for the Sea Stallions broached the surface, the missiles' rocket boosters fired; lofting the missiles and their payloads to their targets. Theoretically, they could be engaged by the battle group's AAW defenses, but they flew a very low target profile and had been fired far enough away from the AAW shooters that they'd accomplish their mission before the interceptor missiles arrived.

A minute later, both the sonar shacks on the Wilkonian SSNs and the Jack heard the distinctive noises of the Sea Stallion's payload containers hitting the water. The Sea Stallions were a combined development of the old UUM-44 SUBROC and RUM-139 ASROC, only instead of carrying a nuclear warhead or a Mark 46 lightweight torpedo; the Sea Stallions carried a full size 21 inch heavyweight torpedo weighing 3,400 pounds to long ranges.

Thus it was that both of the Wilkonian SSNs heard the distinctive high pitched whine of heavyweight torpedoes' propulsor units coming to life. Six of them in fact, each SSN having been bracketed in a triangular salvo by three Sea Stallions.

"FULL RIGHT RUDDER, AHEAD FLANK FULL! DISREGARD ALL SAFETY LIMITS!" shouted the captain of one of the Wilkonian SSNs, as he studied the sonar display with mounting dread. His boat had been bracketed cleanly by the Shepistani weapons; no matter which way he turned, at least one heavyweight torpedo was on a closing course with his boat.

"MATCH BEARINGS ON THAT TRANSISTENT AND SHOOT EVERYTHING!" he yelled. His boat was doomed most certainly, but he could get off one last salvo at the Shepistani submarine, even though they were nearly 70 nautical miles away; the computers of their torpedoes could be programmed to run slower for longer range. Even a 0.00001% chance of scoring a hit was better than none at all.

Back on the Jack, they heard the sounds of first one, than another torpedo strike, until the sounds of four torpedo warheads detonating had carried across the ocean; accompanied by ballast blowing noises and breaking up noises as the shattered hulks of the SSNs sank to the ocean floor far below.

"Both targets destroyed!" announced the Sonar officer, to widespread cheering within the control room.

"Silence!" barked Captain Kuzmina. "We only killed two! There are two other subs in that battlegroup!"

"Igo-26 missiles loaded, sir!" cried out the weapons officer. Up front, the massive mechanized reloading system had moved the heavy missiles in the port torpedo room into the tubes quickly and efficiently.

"Load bearings to carriers and shoot!"

With a woosh of compressed air, the six heavy Igo-26 missiles left the 40 inch torpedo tubes and floated to the surface; where their booster rockets ignited and lifted them into the air; their targets, the center of the Wilkonian Carrier Battlegroup nearly a hundred and ten nautical miles distant. One of the missiles failed to launch and slowly sank back into the ocean depths, causing Kuzmina to stare at Reserve Colonel Tenchiro with a baleful glare.

"Cannot be helped, Captain. Missiles are very new; there will be bugs," offered Tenchiro lamely.

On Earth, far far away, the Igo-26's rough design analogue had been another missile known respectively by the names SS-26 STONE and 9M723K1 Iskander.

On board the Carrier battlegroup, the launch transistents, as well as the brief flight of the Sea Stallions, followed by the breaking up noises of half of their SSN escort had caused everyone to go to high alert. Thus, they easily spotted the five Igo-26 missiles climbing into the sky on their rocket engines.

In a short time, the five Igo-26 missiles reached their apogee and tipped over, activicating the active radar homing heads in their noses; and dove in a steep terminal dive towards their targets far below.

On board the ships of the battlegroup, SM-3 Standard ABM missiles began firing, as well as the slower, less energetic SM-2s because even a SM-2 had a chance of scoring a hit. As they fell towards their targets far below, the Igo-26s began their preprogrammed random evasive manouvers based on random seed generators, which also allowed their radar heads to sweep the ocean below, making some of the early SM-3s lack enough energy to generate hits on the new trajectories.

Thus it was that out of five missiles, two were shot down by the AAW defenses of the battlegroup before the missiles hit their targets. During their short flight, the active radar heads had scanned across the oceans far below, quickly coming to the carrier battlegroup's distinctive returns. The onboard processors had quickly sorted through the various returns and quickly rejected all but two returns -- those known as HIS WHORE Sara Bareilles and Katie Voegele. The large flat deck of a carrier stood out distinctively at those altitudes and aspects.

Thus it was that one Igo-26s hit Sara Bareille's flight deck, while the other two hit the Katie Voegele. Travelling at a bit over two kilometers per second, the hardened semi-armor piercing warheads on the Igo-26s penetrated through the flight deck easily, and continued deep into the bowels of each ship, before the triggering signal was sent to their one thousand pound warheads; which detonated.

Back on the Jack, Kuzmina ordered the boat secured for deep submergence and silent running. They'd made a lot of noise from these launches, and right now no doubt SH-60s and S-3 Vikings were on the way here.

"Launch Anti-Air Mines," he added.

Two of the 87 inch multi-purpose launch containers that flanked the control room's pressure hull opened and released their deadly cargoes; a pair of anti-aircraft mines, which contained IIR sensors and a active radar head, along with three UIM-9 Sidewinder class air to air missiles modified for vertical launch against ASW aircraft.

As the Jack dove for 3,000 feet on silent speed, it's twin natural circulation reactors and turbo-electric drives rafted with extensive soundproofing ensued that it was doing a very good approximation of a black hole in the ocean.

Minutes later, as the first S-3 Viking of the Wilkonian CVBG arrived over the launch location and began to drop sonobuouys, it found itself suddenly painted by active radar, and was blown out of the sky by a UIM-9 Sidewinder. The other ASW aircraft on the way then widened their search circle out of respect (and their lives).

The surviving two SSNs of the Wilkonian CVBG broke off their sanitization of the Southernmost area and quickly proceeded towards the location of the launch transistients on maximum silent sensor speed some 23~ knots.

Results
Two Wilkonian SSNs sunk
One Wilkonian CVNs heavily damaged from multiple Igo-26 hits and in danger of sinking and burning fiercely; with all power lost; ala USS Bunker Hill/USS Franklin in WWII.
One Wilkonian CVN damaged from Igo-26 hit, and burning like the USS Enterprise during it's 1960s fire, flight operations resumable within one day or so. About a dozen planes on the flight deck and in hangar, etc are writeoffs and will have to be pushed overboard.
One S-3 Viking shot down

Embarkation Ports in Canissia/Wilkonia

"Shit! Get your gear on!" shouted Sergeant Killian as he scrambled to get his MOPP gear on. The air attack siren, and the chemical attack siren had sounded minutes ago, after radars in the Old Dominion had picked up multiple launches of ballistic missiles conforming to the flight profiles of the missiles that the IRT had sold them last year, with impact points predicted for the major embarkation ports in Canissia and Wilkonia.

Since launching a ballistic missile against a port was generally useless, unless special weapons were used, the Chemical Alarm had gone out. Minutes later, the first of the missiles was intercepted by Wilkonian and Canissian defenses; and out of about thirty launched, only two got through.

Half an hour later, the "all-clear" was given in the ports, allowing for embarkation and loading for Return of Forces to Old Dominion (REFORD) to resume, albeit in MOPP gear after Chemical Corps specialists had inspected the wreckage of the missiles and declared them free of all known special weapons.

Results
Intermittent bombardment of REFORD ports by ballistic missiles, causing Chemical Attack Alarms each time, slowing down loading greatly due to need to fully suit up in MOPP, and then sound all-clear after each attack.

'Demilitarized Zone' between Shepistan and Old Dominion

Canissian Lieutenant O'Donell (on detached duty to Old Dominion Military) stared down from his heavy bunker on the top of a hill in the mountain regions at the Shepistani armored column advancing below them. Pulling out the sound powered telephone from it's mount, he connected with another bunker further down the hill.

"Ferguson, hit the lead tank. Hughpatrick, the last." he ordered.

Putting down the phone, he picked up another one which connected him to an OD MRLS site.

"O'Donnell here, I have a target for you. Wait a few minutes."

Putting down the phone, he watched through night vision binoculars as the first and last tanks in the Shepistani Column were struck by Javelins launched from the bunkers further down the hill, blocking the armored columns' path on the narrow mountain road.

Moments later, the OD MRLS salvos began arriving, spilling tons of Brilliant Anti Armor Submunitions all over the road; the munitions firing their heavy copper penetrators into the thin top armor of the Shepistani T-55s, causing them to brew up instantly.

In moments, 40 tanks were burning fiercely.

Results
Shepistani Armored Columns (and OD Columns too) encountering severe resistance in their attacks across the DMZ, due to both sides having practiced North/South Korean fortification practices, including 100 foot wide concrete anti-tank ditches that have had the bridges over them blown on H+1, narrow mountain roads blocked with concrete tetrahedrons blown down from prepared stacks on M+30. In some places, there are 40 foot wide anti-tank trenches dug five layers deep. Casualty counts are estimated on both sides as 6,000 and rising by the minute.

Shepistani Command Bunker 412

*wark, wark wark*

"Now, now Blondi, you can't go outside," replied Sheppard. "There's lots of bombs and stuff from the MESS."

On the advice of Marina, Shep had adopted a few German Shepards a bit back; and petting them brought him away from the fact that he was in a bunker, one of hundreds that had been built over the last 40 years in both the Old Dominion and Shepistan via cut and cover methods -- on the Shepistani side, upgrading them to be resistant against anything less than MOPs via the addition of additional concrete and armor plating had proceeded slowly, while in the OD, many had fallen into disrepair under the Liberals, and were slowly being renovated.

Results
DOGGIE!

[PeZook]

A PeZookian Air Force An-124, two hours from Astaria

The huge jet transport was in the air for the last six hours, cruising steadily at 10 kilometers above the glistening ocean. It was surprisingly quiet inside the spacious cargo hold, which was partially converted to make the flight somewhat comfortable for the passengers.

Sixteen people were lounging in the passenger chairs, some sleeping, others solving crossword puzzles or talking. Their equipment - not a lot of it - took a grand total of two standard OC pallets, containing mostly electronics, a semi-mobile forensics lab and plenty of comms gear. Papers and evidence for review by Astarian police took another three pallets.

Amanda Kulinska was reading up on the local culture and customs from a hastily prepared brochure
. Copies of the twenty-page binded document were handed to every liaison officer when they reported to Orena for their briefings, but they had precious little time to read up on them.

"So it's completely normal?"

"Pretty much", Rebecca Robson answered, "Details are hard to get for obvious reasons, but I can tell you that nearly every Astarian household holds a slave or two. They're in hotels, restaurants, workshops and dockyards, pretty much everywhere you need some menial job done."

Rebecca was a Shroomanian-turned-PeZookian, holding an MA in psychology and well-versed in Astarian culture. She was assigned to the team to help everyone handle themselves in this foreign land and make sure they wouldn't cause a diplomatic incident during their stay. She also smoked heavily and wore a perpetually tired expression, but was very good at what she did.

Captain Nalecki overheard that and quipped, "It sounds a lot like Mars"

"In many ways, yes. We will see very little cars or foreign brands. The cops wear uniforms that seem designed to intimidate people, and the architecture looks like something from a comic book.", Rebecca answered dryly, reading some random casefile

"Well...at least they're trying to help."

"That's a bonus, but don't expect a lot of friendliness."

Fletcherfield, Astaria

The huge airplane hit the tarmac a little more heavily than it should've, but the eight-hour flight took its toll on the pilots, too. As it taxied towards the lonesome terminal servicing the only international airport in Astaria, its passengers started getting up, stretching and preparing to leave the steel coffin that brought them here.

Ground crews scurried around the plane and soon fitted mobile stairs to the passenger exit. The PeZookians began to de-board while forklifts handled their equipment.

"Wow...that's the biggest international airport they have?", Inspector Damian Gralewski said as he looked around, noting the lonesome landing strip and a terminal building which seemed to have seen better times. A small town could be seen rather far away, nested in a green valley, looking almost...forgotten.

"Ever since the embargos began, yes. It's practically empty for most of the year, too.", Rebecca answered the rhetorical question, while lighting a cigarette - her hands were already shaking after eight hours in the plane.

As the group stood around, watching the plane being refuelled and unloaded, a tall man wearing a well-tailored gray uniform approached them, with a sizeable entourage in tow.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Sebastian Thor. I represent the Interior Ministry and would like to welcome you on Astarian soil. Please, allow me to take your luggage."

The warm welcome was a bit surprising, especially when contrasted with the overall bleakness of the airport. Thor's "assistants" immediately grabbed the duffel bags and suitcases from their PeZookian guests. They didn't speak a single word as they hauled the luggage towards the side gate, giving out a distinctly creepy vibe to the foreigners.

Dixie Hotel, Montalba, two hours later

It does look like Mars, thought comissar Watroba, looking at the buildings passing outside the windows of the huge, boxy limousine. The buildings were overly decorated, with plenty of art-deco facades standing out on obviously new construction. There was little glass or characteristic modern styles so prevalent in most PeZookian cities.

They've passed several closed compounds along the way which brought up unpleasant associations. They looked quite well-maintained from the outside, but armed guards could be seen here or there, making the purpose of these places quite obvious.

"We have made arrangements to house you in the best hotel we can offer. I'm sure you'll be quite satisfied", their guide announced once their limos pulled up to the hotel. It was a huge building, decorated lavishly.

"Don't expect a lot of friendliness?", Nalecki whispered to Rebecca

"I have to admit I expected worse. We're not exactly friends.", she answered.

And she was right - relations between PeZookia and Astaria were chilly at best. Still, it was a one-of-a-kind opportunity to improve this negative image somewhat - Astaria would do its best to appear friendly.

They checked in, helped by a libery-wearing receptionist, and Thor's "assistants" hauled the luggage of to the proper rooms.

"If it's not too much trouble, Mr. Thor", Sebastian turned to their guide, speaking with a slightly ironic tone, "We would like to start working right away."

"Certainly. Your counterparts are already waiting."

An hour later

They couldn't help but notice the driver cross himself as he drove past the gate, manned by Bureau of State Security guards wearing intimidating black uniforms and heavy body armor.

Bleak Castle. A creepy black outline standing out against the sky, surrounded by nothing but empty space. It lacked ominously circling crows and random lighting bolts, but the imagination practically added those by itself. As the motorcade closed on the castle, the PeZookians were starting to feel more and more unnerved.

They disembarked at an underground parking garage, one of the several modern amenities built into the gothic structure. Sebastian Thor seemed unfazed by the - obviously intentional - display of intimidation that the entire structure projected - and cheerfully rambled on about history of the castle.

Despite all the facade, the conference room was quite comfortable, if a bit lavishly decorated for most tastes. The PeZookians took out their notes and prepared for the meeting, trying to fight off jet lag. Several Astarian officers were here as well, obviously waiting for someone.

After a brief moment of silence, a commotion outside the door foreshadowed the entry of a tall, confident woman - wearing a black uniform, obviously. Everyone assembled stood up, recognizing the BOSS Supreme Commander - Lady Margaret Gray.

"Please, sit down. Ladies, gentlemen", she said, nodding towards her foreign guests, "I am pleased you are so eager to get to work. I assume you are prepared to brief us on the evidence your side has gathered in the case?"

Comissar Watroba cleared his throat and stood up, "Of course, milady", it sounded a bit artificial coming from him, but we wasn't sure how to adress her. Lady Margaret found this mildly amusing, "First, let me introduce my team, then we'll go over the initial investigation on the student kidnapping, which led to uncovering of the Astarian lead..."

All gathered began jotting down notes as the PeZookian comissar began his briefing.

Six hours later

It took a long time, going over all the evidence, comparing notes and deciding on a course of action. Lady Margaret was quite helpful, apparently caring a great deal about solving the case - to the point where she stayed in the conference room throughout the meeting. Eventually, once the Astarians knew all there was to know about the PeZookian part of the case, the meeting was adjourned: specialists would spend the next night going through three pallets of documents, witness statements and other evidence before issuing first orders to local investigators.

Thus, the PeZookian delegation was shipped back to the Dixie Hotel. They all knew the following days would be far, far longer than this one, and decided to make use of the free time they received today.

"I have instructed the hotel's manager to make sure you feel as comfortable as possible.", Sebastian Thor announced once his guests emerged from the elevator.

"Thank you, Mr. Thor", Sebastian nodded, "Right now, I think what my people need is a good bath and some sleep."

"Of course. This way, please.", he led them through the lobby to the reception desk, where they received their room keys.

Pocketing his key, captain Nalecki turned to the rest of the delegation, "Actually, I'd like to have a talk with Mr. Thor about security arrangements."

"Naturally, captain.", Thor motioned to his silent "assistants", who proceeded to guide the PeZookians to their rooms.

Dixie Hotel, an hour later

"What the HELL is that?!", Amanda screamed at the confused hotel manager, pointing to a young woman in an elegant, simple uniform standing next to the door of her room

"I, uh...", the manager didn't speak PeZookian, and Amanda didn't quite understand Astarian Englih. Thus, he had real trouble understanding what Amanda's problem even was. He received strict instructions to make the foreigners as comfortable as possible, so he arranged that every one of them get their own maidservant slave.

He was now wondering what could possibly have offended this weird woman. She was screaming something - possibly even obscenities - at him and gesticulating at her assigned maidservant - who seemed as confused as the manager himself. What was worse, soon the other foreigners started filing out of their rooms and shouting at him in their weird language, though their leader - Sebastian, the manager remembered - at least attempted to calm down Amanda.

Finally, Rebecca arrived and started injecting some sanity into the situation.

"What's the problem?", she asked Amanda, glaring at the manager

"The fuckers thought it would be amusing to have a slave delivered to my room!"

"Okay...Amanda, calm down...please.", Rebecca said dryly, "I said calm down! I don't think they were trying to insult you!"

"Well, they sure as hell managed to!", the comissar said, and other members of the delegation seemed to agree with her.

"Please, let he handle this", Rebecca said and turned to look at the cause of all the problems, "Sir, I really don't think you've made the right decision.", she spoke in Astarian English.

"Oh? What's the matter? I'm sorry, but I didn't understand a word of what they were saying..."

"Well, my colleagues are a bit...upset about your decision to give them maidservants, you see."

"OH!", the manager seemed to have realized something, "So she would like to have a boy instead?"

Rebecca sighed and rolled her eyes.

"No, she - and all of us - feel...uncomfortable using slaves."

There was a brief period of uncomfortable silence.

"I'll have them removed.", the manager finally said quietly.

"I'll be in your debt. Thank you."

Rebecca then turned back to Amanda.

"Comissar, please control yourself better. I understand this situation is difficult, but remember that making scenes like that will only make it harder to locate our people here."

A couple meters away, captain Nalecki whispered to Sebastian, "Why did she flip out like that?"

Sebastian looked at the captain, then at Amanda.

"Her grandfather was worked to death in a Shadow concentration camp during the War."

"Oh, damn. That will make things a lot harder..."

Intelligence briefing, Annex A: PeZookian liaison team

SEBASTIAN WATROBA

PeZookian police comissar. In charge of the liaison team

REBECCA RODGERRE ROBSON

Shroomanian-turned-PeZookian, MA in psychology. Speaks Astarian English, is an expert in local culture and customs. Resident psychologist, will be tasked with coaching any rescued citizens

AMANDA KULINSKA

Police comissar, Watroba's partner. Daughter of RIS commander, Brig. Gen. John Kulinsky

CHIEF TECHNICAL INSPECTOR DAMIAN GRALEWSKI

Premiere PeZookian forensics expert. Wrote the book on the matter, assigned to the team to assist them by analyzing forensic evidence.

CAPTAIN STEFAN NALECKI

PeZookian paratrooper, in charge of security. Participated in the Sjenska rescue mission

There are a dozen soldiers and criminal technicians in the team as well.

[MKSheppard]

Airfields across Shepistan

Following the outbreak of war, losses in the SAF had been heavy, but due the large surplus of aircraft and pilots due to the air force deciding to upgrade it's existing types or further develop them, instead of buying into expensive new aircraft programs over the last two decades; there was more than enough to execute POINT BLANK.

All across dispersal airfields and hardened airfields, the Shepistani Airforce came to life. First off the ground were the F-105Ks, and F-101Gs, due to their extensive fuel reserves and long legs.

Then came the remaining F-100G Super Sabres and F-84L Thunderjets which hadn't been replaced with the Japanistani JA-66 Fire Dragon (Su-17M4 FITTER).

Finally came the new A-45 Fire Dragons which had completed their workups. All in all, the huge Shepistani Aerial armada took to the skies.

Four Strike Fighter Groups with 288 F-105K Thunderchiefs
One Strike Fighter Group with 72 F-100G Super Sabres
Two Reserve Fighter Groups with 144 F-84L Thunderjets
Two Strike Fighter Groups with 144 A-45 Fire Dagons (Su-17M4 FITTER)
Three Strategic Fighter Groups with 216 F-101G Voodoos
Two Reserve Fighter Groups with 144 MiG-15/17s

Overwatch:
Two Interceptor Groups with 144 F-106H Delta Darts

Total: 1,224 aircraft

An air attack this huge hadn't been seen since the Great War some sixty years ago, when Aluminum overcast filled the skies of the world; and it was set to go off in multiple phases, with special attention being paid to airfields known to house advanced aircraft like F-22s.

First, the F-106Hs swept forward on afterburners; their primary targets the enemy's F-22 fleet and any other heavy interceptors that were still around.

Then the F-101Gs began circular CAP orbits over specific points of the battlefield, using their tremendous endurance as overwatch against MESS aircraft climbing to attack.

Half the F-105Ks, some 140~ aircraft, rolled in as SEAD suppression aircraft. They were equipped with a mixture of HARMs and cluster bombs on the wing pylons, and along the centerline pylons hung several inertially guided bombs in case of hardened SAM sites.

Their mission wasn't to knock out the SAM sites permanently; that was really an impossible task, given the forty years of preparation that the Old Dominion had spent getting ready for this, and had stockpiled spare equipment wherever possible, allowing even sites that had been knocked out decisively to be put back on the air within a day; but rather to suppress them long enough for the strike packages to get through to their targets with acceptable losses.

When the SAM sites had been suppressed; the multi-phase attacks on the various airfields around the Old Dominion began.

First rolled in the remaining 140~ F-105s, which sped across the deck at Mach 1.2; their huge Japanistani afterburning turbofans pushing them to that speed; and from the Multiple Ejector Racks on their wing and centerline pylons came a hail of 1,000 pound bombs fitted with delayed fuzing and a combination parachute/rocket motor assembly on the back turning them into impromptu Durandal runway cratering munitions.

Next came the A-45 Fire Dragons, carrying laser guided bombs and inertially guided bombs to destroy the various structures on the airfields including hangars, tank farms, etc; and when possible, groups of parked aircraft. At the same time, the F-100Gs and F-84Ls swept in carrying rocket pods and/or cannon pods and strafed the airfields, taking attention to kill triple A sites and in general gun down people fleeing in cars or on foot.

While this chaos was occuring, the aging MiG-15s and MiG-17s of the Shepistani Reserve Air Corps roamed the landscape, shooting and dropping their iron bombs on targets of opportunity.

From the ground, it looked like chaos as smoke from burning airfields and aircraft stained the horizon in every distance, and contrails from aircraft and missiles criss-crossed the sky.

Results (because I'm not going to count every single combat loss and recreate it in Tom Clancy Detail)

Shepistani Losses
57 x F-105s Lost (20% Loss rate)
25 x F-100s Lost (35% loss rate)
50 x F-84s Lost (35% Loss rate)
28 x A-45s lost (20% loss rate)
21 x F-101s lost (10% loss rate)
50 x MiG-15/17s Lost (35% Loss rate)
10 x F-106s Lost (10% loss rate)

241 x Aircraft Lost (21.63% loss rate)

NOTES: Large proportion of losses have been assigned to the ground attack units; the MiG-15/17, F-84 and F-100 units bear the brunt, because they can't fly that fast or high, or don't have advanced weapons allowing high and fast attacks like JDAMs, etc. The F-105 and A-45s have lower loss rates due to faster speeds; and advanced targeting like LGBs, JDAMs, etc.

MESS Losses
130 x Aircraft of varying types damaged/lost/etc on ground due to strafing, bombing etc; including not an insiginificant number of F-22s (the F-22 fields were a primary objective)

29 x Lost to F-105s (0.5 kills per loss)
6 lost to F-100s (0.25 kills per loss)
5 x Lost to F-84s (0.1 kills per loss)
14 x Lost to A-45s (0.5 kills per loss)
23 lost to F-101s (1.1 kills per loss)
5 lost to MiG-15/17s (0.1 kills per loss)
13 lost to F-106Hs (1.25 kills per loss)
94 aircraft lost in aerial combat

Total losses: 224~ aircraft

NOTES: I sure wouldn't want to be a F-100, F-84, or MiG-15/17 pilot; because at current loss rates; everyone in the squadron will be dead in three combat missions roughly; even if they're assigned to lower priority sectors, because I'm sure the MESS has one metric fuckton of MANPADS and Self Propelled AA Guns with it's units.

[Steve]

Boeing Airfield Proving Range

The BFN-11B craft came to the ground almost perfectly, the presentation having been a complete success. Applause came from the gathered VIPs. "As you can see, the BFN-11B is a superior craft to the original version now serving as the NSF-11 in the Cascadian navy, with an improved electronics suite and air-to-air mission capability as well as a more powerful engine with improved payload capacity," the presenter said to the assembled, including representatives from the Republic of Tonkin's Defense Department. "The Super Shrike is capable of operating off of smaller carriers as well as full-size ones and provides a cheap, capable alternative to more expensive models of dedicated naval aircraft, a cost of $57 million per unit with reductions for block purchases."

"To accomodate anticipated orders, Boeing Corporation has added new assembly lines to our San Magdalena factory to quickly and efficiently meet customer orders."

"We thank you for your attendance today and look forward to your business."



Action

The BFN-11B "Super Shrike" has been placed as a contract bid with the Republic of Tonkin for their Fleet Air Arm and with the RCN to replace the older ASF-10Ns.

[MKSheppard]

Japanistani Diplomatic Liason Office, Shepistan

"We would like to place large contracts with Mitsubombi, and Nakattackajima for various types of munitions, both iron and smart to replace warstocks expended; as well as for losses in aircraft to the extent you can send to us," said the Shepistani four star general as he pushed over a sheet of paper containing shepistan's requirements to his Japanistani counterpart.

"We shall consider it," grunted the Japanistani general.

IRT Diplomatic Liason Office, Shepistan

At the IRT office, much the same scene was being repeated; except the Tonkinites were much more amenable to the concept.

"We shall do it, for a price." replied the Junior Executive.

"How much?"

"Five times the cost of any weapon systems listed price; plus our air freight operations to your country shall be indemnified against any losses incurred by MESS forces for three times the cost of that transportation method and it's crew."

"Steep, but acceptable."

"In OUR money, not yours."

"Bastards," muttered the Shepistani general. "But we'll pay."

"Of course you will," replied the Junior Executive, smiling as he imagined the bonuses he would get as a result of commissions on these sales. Why, he could retire early and buy a megayacht on this...

But first...

As the Shepistani General left his office, he punched in the number on his speed dial telephone to connect him with his counterpart in the Old Dominion.

"Yes; they've agreed. How far have you gotten with the Old Dominion?"

"Not as far," came the reply. "They have much reserves in MESS pre-positioned equipment stocks, but they will run out eventually."

"Yes they will. And we'll be ready..."

Results
Shepistan making overtutures to Japanistan for replacement of destroyed equipment and expended munitions; deal reached with IRT for same, to be flown in on IRT Cargo aircraft, for specified amounts above.

Old Dominion making tentative poking noises to IRT for reserves; but not needed right now; due to huge amounts of MESS warstocks in country they can plunder...

[PeZook]

FASTA bulletin

Mercury 1b test flight delayed

Due to weather concerns, the Mercury 1b test flight planned for February 1st has been delayed two weeks. Unofficial information points to Atlas-Sputnik technical problems as another possible reason for the delay.

Satellite extravaganza

With increase in funds for 2009, the FASTA has opened two new spaceflight projects:

The EXPLORER project will concern itself with mapping our planet from space, using satellites lifted to low orbit by the Atlas-Sputnik rocket. First launches in the project are scheduled to begin in April, and will use a brand-new Atlas-Sputnik launch pad at the Jerusalem Space Center. The technology developed for use on those mapping satellites will greatly enhance commercially available space technologies.

The DEEP SPACE project will develop unmanned probes for exploration of our solar system, including Near Earth Objects. It will use the Proton rocket booster family, currently in development.

F-1 engine unveiled

What is needed if man wants to go to the Moon?

A good engine.



The F-1 engine mockup has been unveiled at a CSR technology fair today. The engine itself is currently in the initial design phases, with the mockup being used in various fitting and aerodynamic tests of the Saturn rocket models.

Mercury production generates new jobs

Recent industrial reports indicate that with investment into production of the Mercury capsules, countries participating in the FASTA space program have seen a surge of almost 15 thousand new jobs, including manufacturing and various service sectors, from food to finance.

[MKSheppard]

Tonkin International Armaments (TIA) Underway Replenishment Ship M/V Bill Shroomgate

The huge 45,000 ton underway replenishment ship flying the Tonkin International Armaments flag raised anchor, and slowly set sail for where the MESS Carrier groups were likely to be.

The Bill Shroomgate was unique amongst the world's UNREP ships that only she alone had the huge and very expensive stabilized cranes necessary to reload 2,000 pound and above missiles into VLS cells at sea.

She also packed a not quite insignificant self defense capability with a Frigate-class SPY-1F array tied into ESSM quad packs and RAM launchers for she was meant to sail into war zones.

In her cargo holds, she carried pre-packaged Quad Packed ESSM Cells and also SM-2 missiles. There was a war on, and that meant that SM-2s and ESSMs would be shot off like crazy to defend against Shepistani aircraft; and that meant business opportunities to be made to reload those expended cells at sea...


Results
Amoral IRT Merchants of Death now aiming to sell underway missile replenishment to MESS...for a price of course.

(talked this over with phong, he loved the idea; so I wrote it up)

[phongn]

Old Dominion

" Eventually your immediate warstocks, especially those in-theatre, will be used up. We're offering to airlift in plenty of munitions into the warzone - at a price, of course. And in addition, we will send out our mobile underway replenishment vessels, with stabilized cranes, to reload all of your ships at sea, and provide munitions for your carrier groups. "

" The cost, of course, accounts for the fact that we are sending in supplies on our own aircraft and ships into a war zone, where identification can be difficult ... "

The man opposite the IRT delegation sputtered at the ridiculous cost. Multiple times the cost of the munitions, requirements for indemnification against Shepistani attacks and battle damage ...

[MKSheppard]

Shepistan

The brightly painted Shroom Cross plane landed at one of the airports in Shepistan still untouched by the war; and as it taxiied to a stop, the front hatch opened and from within stepped...



Milo Shroombender; head of Shroombender Corporation, who had just hours ago, filed incorporation rights in just about every country in the world for the Shroom Cross corporation.

Now here he was to talk with General Sheppard about exclusive rights for the Shroom Cross in running Shepistan's military hospitals -- there was money to be made -- a dollar for each sucking chest wound sewn back up, two dollars for each unit of blood poured into wounded; and a whopping $500 dollars of profit to be made off horrible burn cases from Old Dominion Napalm bombs.

Then it was across the boarder to the Old Dominion to try the same. Soon the name Milo Shroombender would have the entire medical and hospital industry on all sides in this war tied up...

NOTES Basing this guy on John Voight's Milo Minderbender from Catch-22 movie; I'm not good enough at Alliteration like Shroom; but shroom can take this guy and run with him...

[PeZook]

The Aware Human

Electronic ID: Big Brother incarnate?

The government has recently announced it intends to create a gigantic database, containing all data about PeZookian citizens: from tax records to medical information, this gigantic supecomputer will be able to provide anything there is to know about YOU to any government flunky who presses the right button.

Then they will make it mandatory for every PeZookian to carry a specially designed electronic ID card, which amongst other things, will be able to track your location as you go about your business!

There will be no hiding from the government ; They will know your EVERY MOVE!

It's all part of the MASTER PLAN to introduce the NEW WORLD ORDER. First, they irradiate our food. Next, they introduce antibiotics into drinking water. As any aware human should know, the VON SCHROM COMITTEE has formulated the plan to introduce the NEW WORLD ORDER back in 1964, as the ELDER PROTOCOLS OF THE GAY COUNCIL indicate. This is another part of the six-step plan to dominate the world, reduce the population to 300 million and turn every one of us into obedient sheep! The recent Old Dominion-Shepistan conflict is just another part of this plan, designed to turn out attentions away from domestic matters.

We must UNITE to fight this ASSAULT ON LIBERTY. Do not allow yourself to be chipped! The government already thinks it is priviledged to take our money and regulate our lives: DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR LIBERTY!

Tracking stations or weather control?

Giant radar antennas may be used for more than tracking spacecraft in orbit, says Dr. Sorbonne Brellon, a specialist in the paranormal.

"The powerful electromagmetic emission may affect the troposphere, shaping the magnetic field of the Earth in ways that will allow whoever is in control to cause earthquakes, control the weather and affect the minds of people wordwide. We should not mess with the natural magnetic field of Mother Earth."

Recent reports by hot-shot underground reporters indicate that all tracking sites are heavily protected by armed guards, and the radar antennas themselves are surreounded by electrified fences. Supplanted by chemtrails, a magnetosphere-control device can, potentially, be used for mind control at extreme ranges!

We at the Aware Human will continue to work this case - remember, we are the only media you can trust!

Sumbliminal messaging: Cause of Shroomanian gayness?

We all know Shroomanians are strange: But could it be because of some nefarious force at work?

With the amount of dangerous chemistry in our air, our soil, our food and our water, it may seem completely normal that Shroomanians are all insane. But is this enough? After all, mind control usually makes people docile and obedient, not extravagant and outspoken!

Our teams of experts and analysts have come to the conclusion, after careful analysis, that NWO-obedient megacorporations are using subliminal messaging to incite Shroomanians into a state of mind where they will buy any ridiculous piece of equipment they shove at them!

Subliminal messages are probably introduced into most Shroomanian media: while drugs make them docile and easy to manipulate, reducing amounts of brain chemistry, bright cheery ads work much like ecstasy: they increase hippocampus activity and make their victims uneasy and active, seeking to engage in self-destructive activity. This is a deadly combination, and another sign of how NWO loyal forces are manipulating us.

USSR invasion of Sjenska: NWO incarnate!

Communism is the way the New World Order intends to bring the world to heel: we saw the latest part of this drama in the USSR's subjugation of the independent people of Sjenska!

Hammering their cities with artillery, the USSR does what communists do best: they enslave free people of the world. Soon they will come here: we already see this, with megacorpotations pressuring politicians into fluorizing our children's teeth and putting antibiotics in the water!

[Steve]

San Magdalena, Rosario Province

Further north the Capital District was preparing for the Frequesue Neutrality Conference to open in two weeks, while another matter relating to the war-torn continent was being discussed hundreds of miles away in the southern metropolis of San Magdalena. The Rosarian ethnic group were primarily Spanish speakers instead of English like the rest of Cascadia, with bilingual signs across the countryside.

The provincial government of Rosario had agreed to permit the State Department to borrow a conference room in the elegant Jorge Velasquez Legislative Building, built in classic Rosarian baroque style. Here Undersecretary of State for Frequesuan Affairs Peter Wells was meeting with emissaries from Coilerburg, Omago, Sabika, and Indhopal (representing the FTO) to provide arbitration to the bitter feud that had recently sparked into war with Omago and Sabika's invasion of Coilerburg following the military coup d'etat there. It was a delicate situation, with Cascadia's diplomatic prestige and the potential fate for the larger conference at risk in the event the arbitration seemed unfair or fell apart.

"Gentlemen," Wells began, "The formal position of Cascadia, as arbitrator, is to provide the basis for a lasting peace in northeastern Frequesue. We will strive to be fair in considering your desires, your needs, and your fears. I am now prepared to review your formal positions and to provide arbitration on where they conflict."


Actions

North-Lockheed's XF-16 project has been formally designated the NAF-16 Sea Kite. The NAF-16 is intended to be a long-term replacement for the navalized ASF-10s, a "4.75 Gen" aircraft that incorporates 5th Gen elements into a cheaper 4th Gen-styled air superiority aircraft. The Cascadian Navy is interested in purchasing a number of the craft when they become available, particularly if the CVA-04 project is given the go-ahead to add a fourth carrier to the Navy in the 2010s.

The CRS Constellation has been officially laid at Bremerton Naval Yard. The fourth Cascadia-class LHD is the first of a planned additional series of ships authorized and funded under the Hogan Administration. According to Naval Planners it will be the center-piece of a stand-alone Amphibious Contingency Force the Hogan Administration approved that the Navy will use to provide amphibious operations capability in the event that a carrier group is not available and as such will be attached to the Home Fleet. As it will operate by itself it is not expected to carry only helicopters like the other three LHDs in service with the RCN, but will carry fixed wing VTOL aircraft along with helicopters. Bidding is still open for the acquisition of fixed wing VTOLs, with the current native Cascadian design being considered being North-Lockheed's VTF-13 Thunderbolt.

Preparations are being finalized for the Frequesue Neutrality Conference to be hosted in Adams Capital District. It will start on 5 March 2009.

In 2009 20 ASF-10 Condors from the RCAF will be put on sale, the 6th Squadron being upgraded to ASF-10Cs over the course of the year. If no sales are made plans are to activate a 5th Air Reserve Squadron to operate them from.

(OOC: After some consideration, I've decided that the NSF-11 Sea Shrike is basically like the F/A-18 Hornet, save that the Sea Shrike is a dedicated strike fighter and not a multi-role fighter. The -11B that Boeing is trying to sell, and which it's bidding to Tonkin as replacement for older aircraft on its carriers, is basically an up-engined Super Hornet that, combined with the Tonkinese electronics to be placed in it, will raise the per unit cost to roughly $60M. Also, I'm going to tweak the carrier air-wings to make some of the ASF-10C/Ns into normal ASF-10Ns.

I'd also forgotten that even before I ordered more aircraft, I'd stated 20 ASF-10Cs were under development. I decided that was the initial delivery that created the 10th Squadron, but to make up for it - especially given costs - I'm not activating a new frontline squadron for the last batch but replacing the older ASF-10As in 6th Fighter Squadron with ASF-10Cs, the ASF-10As going on the block and, if not bought, to be transferred to the Air Reserve.)

[K. A. Pital]

Vladimir, CSR

Since the declaration of neutrality, Major Svetlana Savitskaya and other aces of the Agressor Squadron were elated and had fun roaming around the city.

Relieved from Jerusalem AFB Field Zero, they returned to the Rodina, making a visit to the FASTA Space Center on the way back.

There were talks about calling the pilots who tested MiG-25s and MiG-31 to become the cosmonauts once the space program gets manned flight up and running, but so far the pilots enjoyed a moment of rest.

Walking along Vladimir boulevards, which were still wet after the rain, Svetlana separated from her friends to see the shops. Suddenly, a man in a suit approached her.

- Hello, Svetlana, - he smiled. - You might not know me. IRT Ambassador Aide Ben Finanke. You look great today.

He then put out his business card and handed it over to the woman.

- You know, I would like to know more about such a famous pilot as you. Perhaps we could meet? - Ben smiled again. - Oh, of course if you're interested in my company. Feel free to call me, or I'll call you when I have the time.

---------------------------------

PCIA Lieutenant Sapozhnikov was alarmed. An IRT diplomat approaching one of the CSR's most famous pilots? What for? His mind was plotting scenarios along the way.

- Dima, could you just say, should I meet him or not? - Svetlana, sitting in front of him was tired. - I just reported this encounter, but it seems you security guys can't make up your mind.

- The report will go higher and higher, - Dmitry said. - Meanwhile, of course you can meet him, and thanks for reporting this to us. Find out what he wants, then contact me. I'll be at the Training Center, as usual.

- Thanks Dima, - she smiled.

- This might be a serious matter, - the man sighed. - I'd be elated if I were sure Andropovsky won't get this report and it gets stuck somewhere. I just wanted some rest from all these spy games... but if he reacts, we're sure by ears in shit. He's been looking for any spy hooks lately with the Shepistan-OD war and all that stuff.

[phongn]

Cascadia

" We're offering our Sea Harrier II STOVL aircraft for your Marine requirements. It is combat-proven, carries sophisticated sensors and can operate in all weather conditions. Our own Marines use it aboard their 'phibs, and now yours can too. The package deal will include maintenance and spare parts contracts ... "

[RogueIce]

Undisclosed location, Shinra Republic

President Shinra faced a tough situation.

Initially, he had delayed his declaration of war to allow time for his troops to leave Velaria, out of respect for Cascadia. But then he'd hit upon a new idea.

Rufus knew that Sheppard, when confronted with a war, wasn't exactly one to hold back. With the massive bomber strike against the Old Dominion and Tian Xia carrier groups, he had gotten his confirmation. The recent all-out sortie against Dominion airfields and the attack on the Wilkonian CVBGs reinforced this notion.

And so, he had waited.

True, the Shinra Republic had not declared neutrality. But neither had they declared war. As a result, Shepistan had not attacked them. They couldn't; not if they wanted to maintain the pretense of being the innocent party the recent diplomatic message tried to potray them as.

He knew, of course, he would take a beating on this, and he was. The Shinra Republic had, after all, sat out the OD/Shepistan conflict from the 70s. That incident had propelled the Shinra family back into power. And while the memory of such an event - as well as his youthful age - gave credence to the Shinra Republic sitting this one out as well, it wasn't doing him any favors amongst the populace.

But he knew that waiting held its own advantages. For one thing, Sheppard was blowing his forces in large strikes that, while damaging, managed to incur considerable losses amongst his own forces as well. Further, his "super sub" had been revealed for what it was. One less secret weapon to worry about.

But it was a razor's edge he stood upon. Domestic issues aside, he had seen the reports that the IRT was offering to replenish MESS warstocks, and Rufus had no doubts those bastards would offer to sell to Shepistan as well. And Japanistan would no doubt also offer to resupply him; the fact was they'd already been subsidizing Shep, as there was no way his nation could have gotten all of that techno-shit on their own. And both of them would be perfectly happy to see the MESS blunt themselves against Shepistan.

And so a dilemma faced the President: wait long enough for Shepistan to spend itself, and then bring the full weight of the Shinra Republic as a final hammer blow; but he had to act soon before Japanistan and/or the IRT could start to rearm him enough for his strategy to backfire. Plus, getting dragged out of office wasn't exactly a pleasent prospect.

He had, at least, told his counterparts in the MESS his plan. They, at least, wouldn't hate him. Now, he and his top military planners just had to make sure the Shinra Republic's declaration of war came at the right time.

**********
Results:
Basically I'm justifying the fact that I had intended to declare war sooner, but because of RL time constraints didn't. And of course, such an act has consequences for me.

[Grand Moff Yenchin]

The Serenity and Mangka Carrier Taskforces finally arrived at the southern waters of Shepistan, with all personnel itching for combat. Being the last to arrive meant they have acquired numerous intel from their MESS brothers, many sacrificing their lives for it. Fighting to the utmost was the only way to pay back.

All 80 Super Hornets launched their attacks, with the initial 40 focusing on radar and air defense centers while the other 40 were engaging with Shepistani fighters. Meanwhile Tomahawks tipped with BROACH also began to seek for BOMARC sites.

Meanwhile ASW operations were at high, the crewmembers on the Astutes were especially eager to see combat after hearing news of the attack on the Wilkonian CVBG.

The SSNs got their wish granted, with the most advanced sensor system of MESS subs, a Jack class Shepistani sub was detected. The SSNs Light, Kage and Yingzi launched their Spearfish torpedoes and the CGN Riki-O unleashed a couple of ASROCs. The Jack class was rumored to have 5 titanium hulls. Truth or not, it was now undersea rubble.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Constantinople Times

Massive cut in Science Budgets

It seems that it is the season for the slashing of budgets. All Scientific budgets for all institutes have been slashed to 70million each. The government continues to maintain its agreement made with the Kingdom of Serenity. This massive slash of budgets, which once stood as high as 500 million for some institutes, was greeted with dismay by the Scientific community. It was clear that many big projects, notably Linear Collider would be delayed by 2-3 years. The fusion project however still retains much of the billions or so of funds that it was granted last year, and will be delayed by 1 year at most. "We will fight hard for the funds, but the drop in funds means that we cannot test some models as quickly as we would like to," said one scientist involved in the fusion program.

The government however, affirmed its commitment to the FASTA program, though there are rumours that it may be related to the development of MRBMs.

[MKSheppard]

SSAN Gato, 60 nautical miles away from the SSAN Jack

The Gato was an older ship than the Jack; but it still packed a formidable punch. While it didn't have the 87" multipurpose trunks of the newer Jack; it still had the basic hull and machinery plant of the Jack; as well as the same torpedo armament of the Jack; six 40 inch torpedo tubes; and twelve 26 inch torpedo tubes.

Unlike the Jack, they hadn't been picked to be the deployment boat for the Igo-26 missile system; they carried the older 40 inch torpedoes instead.

"You got bearings on those SSNs which were pinging away with active sonar and then fired everything they had at whatever that was?" asked Captain Ramius of the Gato.

"Yessir."

"Dial them into the Sea Stallion computers and launch."

Everyone's ears popped slightly as the air pressure in the boat lowered slightly as the huge missiles were launched.

While the power loaded magazines were loading the Mark 90 torpedoes and the last three Sea Stallions into their tubes; the sonar shack listened to the sounds of missile splashes, high speed torpedo engines, and the breaking up noises which marked the death of the Kage.

"Sir, detecting blowing noises, high speed screws; lots of machinery noises following the second trio of explosions. I think we didn't kill the other SSN completely; they must have managed to manouver or run fast enough to cause a near miss."

"Those guys must have prayed loud enough for God to hear them. Doesn't matter anyway," replied Ramius. "They're dead in the water essentially, with popped shaft seals, and a scrammed reactor. They'll be headed towards the surface to get the crew off before flooding is enough to overwhelm whatever little reserve buoyancy they have left."

Surface of the Southern Shepistani Ocean

The Light broached the surface in a boil of water, and from the top of the sail, people began spilling out; along with others from the bow and aft escape trunks. Out of the Light's crew of 98 men and officers, only 35 made it out before the submarine began it's final plunge below.

RSS Gato

"Torpedoes and Sea Stallions loaded, sir."

"Match bearings to the carrier group and that last SSN and shoot."

Up forward, the huge Mark 90 torpedoes; weighing some 22,400 pounds, shuddered as they were ejected from their tubes. Their onboard computers came to life; and fed Otto II propellant into the turbine engines far aft, propelling them up to cruise speed; which gave them a range of some 83 nautical miles at 40 knots, with an acceleration to 70 knot attack speeds for the final run in to their targets. In between the propellant tanks and the electronics in the nose of the torpedo was 6,500 pounds of very energetic high explosive.

Likewise, the Sea Stallions rocketed out of their buoyant launch containers towards the third and last SSN to bracket it with another deadly triangle of heavyweight torpedoes. Unlike the last target, this one didn't get lucky; and soon the sounds of breaking up noises reverberated through the ocean depths.

Shortly, the second salvo of Mark 90s was launched, and then the third and final salvo. In less than five minutes, eleven Mark 90s were thrusting their way through the water towards the CVBG.

"Estimated time to impact?" asked Ramius.

"About a hundred minutes," replied the weapons officer.

"Take us deep and rig the boat for silent running." ordered Ramius.

Serenity/Mangka Task Forces

The SH-60s flew through the sky at the redline limit; the pilots on board deliberately burning up the engines to gain a few more knots of speed. Their on board Mark 46 ASW lightweight torpedoes had been hastily switched into anti-torpedo mode, along with the Mk 46 Triples on the ships of each battlegroup.

Goddamn those Shepistanis thought the pilot of the SH-60. Instead of attacking them the way right proper attacks should come, like with massed aircraft or cruise missile raids; the goddamn Shepistanis had chosen to attack through the one method that a carrier battlegroup was absurdly vunerable to; subsurface attack. With most of their submarines sunk, or caught out of position by the snapshots; it came down to pure luck against the torpedoes.

Reaching the point of ocean where the torpedoes were due to pass through; the SH-60 pilot toggled away his torpedoes; hoping that they would be enough. They weren't, because the Mark 90s were running too deep and too fast to catch; although another SH-60 pilot got lucky and hit a torpedo with his load.

The Mark 90s continued their inexorable march towards the carrier group, kicking their speeds up a notch to fifty knots, minus one of their number

As they approached the outer screen of the battlegroup; the onboard sensors on the torpedoes took in the machinery signatures of the ships, and sorted them through their on board database of signatures, and rejected them.

No, this was small fry. The big fry was further away, deeper into the screen. The torpedoes then accelerated to sixty knots, to make it harder for anti-torpedo torpedoes to hit them.

Onboard various Serenity Ships

The SVTTs were hastily trained out port and starboard on the ships of the task force, and everything was launched, resulting in 72 Mark 46s and some Mark 50s in the water, with instructions to look for anything that resembled a torpedo. Unfortunately, some took that to mean each other; and thus their number was reduced to fifty.

The Mark 90's sensors finally picked up what they were looking for. Carrier machinery noises; and they accelerated to final attack speed; some seventy plus knots.

Six were intercepted during their final runs by Serenity anti-torpedo torpedoes; but the remaining four torpedoes bored in, their electronic brains picking out the ideal spots for detonation; and began their climb from the deep depths where they had made their long lonely runs in to attack depth, where the gas bubbles from their warheads' detonations would break the backs of ships...

KSS Serenity

The Mark 90 detonated directly under the keel of the Serenity. Conventional heavyweight torpedoes like the Mark 48 carried 650 pounds of explosives, and that was enough to break 3,000 ton ships in half and sink them in minutes. The Mark 90 carried 6,500 pounds.

On board the Serenity, people were thrown about violently, and the scream of tortured metal tore through the ship as her keel was broken. Then moments later, the second Mark 90 hit. Within seconds, what had been a Nuclear big deck carrier was transformed into a broken scrap heap of steel, that was slowly settling down in the water, being held together by the immense compartmentalization and multiple strength decks of a supercarrier.

Then the third torpedo hit. Before everyone's astonished eyes; the Serenity broke in half and the two halves began to sink independently.

But things weren't over for the hapless MESS carrier force.

The Kenshiro, a 9,000 ton cruiser disappeared in a gigantic ball of fire as the last Mark 90 detonated directly under her forward magazine; sending pieces of the Kenshiro's superstructure caulterwailing for hundreds of feet through the air.

Slowly, a mushroom cloud rose into the air where the Kenshiro and her 300 men once had been.

Results
Three SSNs sunk (36 survivors from one however)
One CVN Sunk
One CG Sunk

[K. A. Pital]

T-4, recon configuration cruising at Mach 2.8 over 60,000 feet

Natalia, the prime bomber ace of the CSR, directed her T-4 in a circle around the warzone. The ocean seemed to be hell.



It wasn't safe to fly here, but the T-4's speed and the unlikelihood of any side expending munitions on a warzone-skimming recon craft were at least some guarantee that it won't be downed by some rogue shot of AIM-54 or similar munitions.

- Look at that, Natasha! Their ships are on fire!
- Vlad, shut up and take shots. Andropovsky will be amused.

[DarthShady]

Shady News

Victory for the USSR

After several days of urban warfare in Sjenska it appears we now have information that the war is over. Apparently thirty minutes ago the last remnants of Karic's Personal Guard surrendered. We have no information on Karic, it is possible that he has been captured or killed.


USSR forces take control of Sjenska cities


USSR forces secure cities

Dictator overthrown, Celebrations in progress

With the USSR Victory and the evil dictator Karic missing and presumed dead the people of Sjenska take to the streets to celebrate their new-found freedom. By proclamation of President Shady the people of Sjenska are now considered citizens of the USSR with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities that entails, and Sjenska it self is now a part of the USSR.


Celebrations are ongoing

[Coiler]

Coilerburg and Indhopali warships were conducting defensive patrols in the seas around eastern Frequesue and were placed in a heightened state of alert. While they were a considerable distance away from the Shepistan/MESS conflict, it never hurt to be prepared for any spillover....

[DarthShady]

Shady News

Meeting of Regional Leaders

President Shady has announced that he is holding a meeting of regional leaders in order to discuss the future of the region. Present at the meeting will be Mr.Ermin Valjevcic(President of Sargonia), Mr.Elmir Rosic(Newly elected president of the Socialist Republic of Zagor) and of course President Shady himself. We've also been informed that an invitation has been sent to Zoran Stojkovic (President of the Republic of Rohan), but it is unknown if he will attend.

Our sources inform us that this meeting is of the highest importance and may change the political situation in the region completely, but in what way we do not know. But what we do know for sure is that Temple Prime is at maximum security and rumours have been heard that the Infamous Black Hand is within Temple Prime. More on this story as it develops...

[Coyote]

MESS Task Force Alpha




Gathered together in secret, with nearly every submarine and surface ship the MESS had available that was not already, immediately, engaged, the mighty Task Force Alpha set out to sea. It was a vast island of steel, the tip of the spear being the powerful warships, with the Carriers just inside the protective belt, and followed up by the massive fleets of amphibious landers, dock ships, RO/ROs and command & control vessels.

MESS submarines cleared the way ahead of the task force, annihilating anything Shepistani that got in their way.

In a perfectly-timed and coordinated plan, the massed air forces of the MESS met over the skies just as the naval flotilla arrived-- a destructive orgy of ships and planes slammed along the northern coastline of Shepistan. It was a bloody affair, and not easy-- many planners had said that the era of Marine landings was over, that amphibious assault was a dinosaur in modern war, and there were very good reasons for that assumption. MESS Marines took 50% casualties in the the first 40 minutes as they relentlessly ground their way onto the shore and established a beachhead. Only the close air and naval support provided, through brute firepower, the staying power the Marines needed until reinforcements arrived.

Reinforcements, however, did arrive, and as the Shepistani defenders desperately worked to bring everything they had to bear against the invaders, they were met with a solid wall of Canissian drone fighters-- fighters that, while only rudimentally maneuverable --about as much as the vaunted Shepistani BOMARK-- they did, at least, serve to absorb hundreds of thousands of missiles fired at them that did not hit more capable human-piloted aircraft.

On the ground, the Marines were backed up by Canissian robots-- not autonomous fighters, but primarily remotely-controlled heavy combat machines on wheels and tracks that, like their airial cousins, could at least absorb bullets and missiles so that Marines didn't have to.

As the beachhead expanded, slowly and laboriously, the Army airborne moved in, as swarms of transport aircraft joined the fray. The sun itself seemed eclipsed by the acres and acres of parachutes that filled the sky as men and equipment dropped to join the fight. They were followed by the massive Canissian zeppelins, landing and disgorging even more heavy units, and the RO/RO ships moving in to roll their powerful divisions off and onto the beaches.

The heavy tanks of the various MESS armies took the point, and the bloody war of attrition ground onward, deeper into Shepistan. The air forces were exhausted, and withdrew, with the Naval Air Forces of the MESS fleets being able to land on their carriers and rearm and refuel. The last of the heavy transports dropped off construction equipment and Combat Engineers, and a hard-packed dirt airfield was hastily constructed.

The Shepistani army, police, and volunteer militias fought hard, and the MESS front line paid a steep price for every step of the way.


The Shepistani government was offered a peace treaty, limited to the following:
An army of 100,000 soldiers with no more than:
-- one tank division
-- one airmobile division, and no airborne divisions.

They were no longer allowed to have more than one dozen diesel-electric submarines, incapable of carrying missiles, and no surface combatants greater than five Cruisers approximately Ticonderoga-class tonnage or lesser. The only naval aircraft allowed were ASW helos.

The Air Force would be limited to 4 Wings of Interceptors; Wings based 8 squadrons of 12 planes per squadron. Strategic bombers were not allowed.
Up to 2 Wings of Strategic TRansports, and 2 Wings of Tactical Transports, were allowed.

As a further stipulation, the total combined Police Forces of Shepistan could not equal more than 50% the manpower listed above; and no Police forces could have any armor, artillery, missile, anti-tank, anti-aircraft, mortar, or fixed-wing aircraft assets; all Police helicopters must be unarmed; and Police patrol boats were to have no submersible ships, and no surface ships larger than Corvette in tonnage or size, and no anti-ship missiles of any sort. Police also were forbidden to have any sort of mine warfare assets as well.

The treaty was more than fair, it did not demand reparations payments or impose harsh sanctions, if anything, the victors were kind in bringing in food, medecine and reconstruction aid-- as much as the Shepistanis needed.

[K. A. Pital]

PCIA Office, Lubyanka square



- Get me Shady on the line, - Stanislav finished smoking the pipe. - Yeah? Ah, hello. How's your day? Anyway, congrats on the mop up in Sjenska. If you need any help, our security advisors are always ready to come and see what's on the ground. You know, there's all sorts of troublemakers in the borders. Good day to you. If this raises political questions in other nations, as most of our peacekeeping does anyway, we should deflect that and carry on. The Borders are a hindrance to the Continental Defense Plan, our achiless heel.

[Steve]

Adams Capital District

President Garrett was taking a working lunch, having finished a morning of consulting Senators about the new defense budget that the House was trying to push through and now discussing defense issues with SecDef Dale and CNO Adm. Fielder. The Senate was more composed than the House on the matters and were showing an unwillingness to hike defense spending that high. As it was, the yearly defense budget - not counting the Air Force expansion expenditures that surpassed $10 billion the prior year - was going to reach past $60B with the new Navy acquisitions for the Amphibious Contingency Group.

"The offer from Tonkin for the Sea Harrier II is probably the best we can do," Admiral Fielder remarked from his seat, a half-eaten sandwich in front of him. "North-Lockheed's been pushing hard for the F-13 but, frankly, we've never built our own STVOL fighters before and the per-unit cost they're projecting can't compete with the Tonkinese."

Thankfully the Congress here can't force the Defense Department to buy things. Well, not without simply refusing to approve a defense budget, but they'd never do that. Stephen finished his turkey sandwich, pleased that Miracle Whip seemed to exist in this universe as well, and further pleased that the company of origin was Canissian and not Shroomanian. God knows what would be in it if Shroomania made it. "I've heard that Boeing's bid to sell them the Super Shrike is going well. I suppose it's fair that we buy something from them as well. So I'm on board with purchasing the Harrier for Constellation's air wing." Of course, the order would be small - likely just twenty units to field on Constellation and to make up a training squadron - and there'd be plenty of time to deliver it, as Constellation would not be formally delivered to the RCN until May or June of 2012. Over the course of the next year and a half, the intended escort forces for Constellation would also be laid at a faster pace than had been initially anticipated - the world situation simply demanded Cascadia pay the extra funds to improve overseas power projection.

That said, Stephen was not intending to approve CVA-04 yet, not simply on the strength of the new war. In fact, recent developments indicated that as potent as aircraft carriers were, there were still gaps in their armor. "How well would our carriers handle torpedo attacks? I'd hate to think we're spending billions on ships that could be easily destroyed without adequate defense."

"No defense is perfect, Mister President, but we do have the Mark V and Mark VI ATORP systems on our surface vessels as well as towed arrays for decoy work."

"Ah, well, that's good. God knows I alone can't know everything about military technology," he added, snickering.