Ablaze Ch.1: The Lightning Battle Plan
Moving on to Part 2: Ablaze!
I uploaded this late at night and in a hurry. I edited this, but didn't proofread, so there may be some errors here and there.
And, some changes! Since events from here will be happening in quicker succession chronologically, the days have been added for precision. Oh, and I forgot to say that the year starts with "Y" which stands for, you know, year. Therefore, the events are currently taking place in the Year 874, and that is not 874 A.D.! I thought I'd put that out there just in case.
*10/30/2012: made a lot of edits here and there
*10/31/2012: updated the division count because I can't ignore faulty numbers
And as before, comments/critique/ratings/anything else are all appreciated!
The AON grand battle plan builds upon two ideas. First, countries residing in Contrael are to hold their lines until help from Trunicia arrives. And the second, which partially merges with the first, is that the Alliance of Nations can only go on the offensive strategically once Trunicia has transported sufficient troops to the continent.
AON commanders recognize that their countries have been severely weakened since the end of the Last War. Despite the minor arms race and optimistic Postwar Period doctrines, the effects of war exhaustion from the Last War and the Economic Crisis of the Y860s were disastrous individually and collectively as a whole to the different members of the alliance. The armed forces were neglected in many countries, and military spending was cut dramatically. The only exception to the general rule of AON militaries is Trunicia. It has, since the Last War, been successful at keeping its military as the most advanced in the entire world. This is thought to either support its perceived global superpower status, counter the Utonintern, or both. Either way, Trunicia's superior military strength shaped the AON's military strategy. In the event of war with either the Utonintern or the National Socialist United, The Contrael Nations would hold their lines while Trunicia organizes reinforcements to land in Coralus and Agrium. The AON, now with equal or superior strength on land, air, and sea, can go on the offensive.
The NSU, acronym for National Socialist United, does not plan on winning against the combined forces of the AON once Trunicians have set foot in Contrael. Instead, the NSU aims to defeat all AON members in Contrael before the Trunicians have time to send sufficient reinforcements. Although seemingly implausible, the alliance of two has a good chance of succeeding.
The AON's grand battle plan is built with the Last War in mind. The alliances were slightly different, but the events were largely the same. Kargona and the now seceded Espius Republic invaded Arcania, then its enemy, and then focused on the AON, known at that time as the Alliance. The AON believes Kargona and Arcania, now allied, will act similarly, capturing Central Contrael before turning its attention to East Contrael, where Coralus and Agrium are. However, NSU planners are thinking otherwise, including a brilliant Kargan tank leader named Gardurze Falksen. The battle plan they propose is to directly turn their attention to East Contrael instead. A small force of mechanized troops can take care of Central Contrael, while at the same time the bulk of their armed forces can concentrate on Coralus and Agrium. But that isn't all. Gardurze and other like-minded tank proponents have convinced the military to emphasize highly mobile tanks for use in an idea called the Lightning Battle Plan. Simply put, the LBP utilizes aggressive maneuvers with armored and mechanized elements, emphasizing breakthroughs and encirclement.
However, the challenging art of war demands action and practical experience, not just the planning and theoretical part. Now that will be fulfilled as the continent has just been lit alight by war.
May 19, Y874 - Kargona - Eastern Front - Daybreak
The morning sun rises gradually, higher and higher into the clear sky. Below are the soft, gradually rolling hills of eastern Contrael. The peace, the nice calm tranquility, is temporary. Hiding in the trees is a battalion of Jagger main battle tanks. On a nearby hilltop is an improvised forward operating base, trenches dug and radio antennas protruding out of the hilltop. Inside the command bunker is a team of technicians operating radios, and officers finalizing plans for their area of operations. Gardurze Falksen gulps the rest of the coffee in his paper cup, or at least what resembles coffee from a sealed plastic package of instant field coffee. The wolf glances at his watch. Current time is 0442, eight minutes until zero-time.
Waiting on the Kargona - Coralus border is a grand total of seventy-two divisions. The majority are motorized infantry divisions, totaling thirty-two. Another twenty-eight are mechanized infantry division, ten of which are classified as "heavy" mechanized divisions. Despite Gardurze and his associates' attempts to convince Kargona's High Command to emphasize tanks, there are only twelve armored divisions.
Barely a day ago, a regiment consisting of combined mechanized elements was sent to "intimidate" Central Contrael, seizing land in Corenova along the border between it and Kargona. Just four hours ago, the AON announced a declaration of war against the NSU, Kargona and Arcania. Land that is rightfully theirs had been taken away quite a few years back following the end of the Last War. Now they have reclaimed what is rightfully theirs, land formerly owned by the greater Federation of Kargona, and the AON dare to intervene! Considering Corenova is an AON member, that starts to make sense, but Major General Gardurze Falksen leads Fourteen Corps, not a country. His is not a politician. Political and international affairs are not his business.
"One minute until bombardment," he says, eyeing the time on his watch, which says 0444. Finally the clock ticks down to 0445. "Give the order."
"Commence firing!" one of the radio operators says. The message is broadcasted through the air, and in the distance, the artillery batteries from two entire divisions open fire. Several aircraft, previously circling a few miles deep in Kargona, alter their course towards the border, roaring past the hill at low altitude towards their targets.
Volt's muzzle rests on the G68 8.2mm GPMG mounted in front of him. The wolf stands in the open commander's hatch, occupied with his thoughts. Sunlight warming his fur and skin, a nice breeze through his fur, and the incredible calmness of the situation made it rather easy for the tank commander to relax and just think before the big operation.
"Volt, wake up; Coralian recon's going to spot you," Sten, the tank gunner, sighs into his helmet's radio.
Volt, his head vulnerably sticking out the Jagger MBT's turret, is still busy conversing with his thoughts. He doesn't budge, and is mostly unaware of Sten's warning or the bombardment that has just been commenced.
"Volt, seriously, bombardment's underway! Get inside the tank!" Sten shouts, tugging at Volt's hindpaw from inside the tank.
The wolf lifts his head slightly, barely being brought back to reality. Just a moment later, an echelon of five Kargan F55 Hawk strike fighters screams over the tank, less than a hundred meters above the ground. They disappear in seconds, leaving only a sonic boom behind. The sound wave crashes down on the tank battalion hidden in the trees. Volt is jolted fully-awake, and in his sudden awakening, falls clumsily into the turret with a yelp.
"Damn it," Volt mutters, noticing that he landed painfully on his tail.
The wolf stands slightly to close the still-open hatch as a wedge of F57 Eagle swing wing fighters roar past. He settles down on the commander's seat, taking care not to sit on his tail.
"Thirty seconds until zero-time," one of the radio operators says. 0459, the time is upon them. Everything, everything Gardurze has strived for in the past decade was for this operation.
"Twenty seconds until zero-time."
The uncountable letters and speeches attempting to persuade High Command are going to amount to something. His and advocacy and effort towards armored fighting vehicles will finally show, and above all is the strategy he devised on maneuver warfare: the Lightning Battle Plan.
"Ten seconds."
Thoughts race through Gardurze's mind. What if the enemy were to counterattack at their flanks? What if his forces are cut off? What would happen if resistance is stronger than expected? What if they ran into logistics problems? Gardurze forces the thoughts out of his mind. The wolf's orders cannot be changed now. There is nothing else he can do except lead the tanks of Fourteen Corps to victory. He needs to accomplish the ultimate objective - take the Coralian capital of Bloven.
"Initiate Operation Candid Thunder!" he says to the radio operators.
"All units, Operation Candid Thunder is green!" Volt hears over the radio. The tank's driver didn't need a command, everyone knew what to do. In fact, this still felt like one of the many drills conducted before. The Jagger suddenly accelerates, along with hundreds of others hidden in the forest. "Armored Regiment 14, proceed to Phase Line Alpha, get moving!" the radio operator finishes.
"Alpha Company, stay in formation to Phase Line Alpha, over," the company leader says.
Unlike most other tanks in foreign inventories, the Jagger was built to balance firepower, armor, and mobility. The purpose of tanks is usually for infantry support, and thus, are not designed to move very fast. Kargona is going against that. Although all tanks are quick to exploit situations properly, the Jagger is made specifically for speed and creating breakthroughs, not just break-ins. Infantry supports their tanks, instead of the other way around.
The Jaggers accelerate to just over fifty miles per hour on the relatively smooth dirt ground. Volt peeks through the tank's optics, observing his surroundings. Ahead, the effects of friendly artillery batteries become apparent. Smoke clouds rise on the horizon from the results of the bombardment. Unseen are the numerous squadrons of F55s and F57s, taking out priority targets beyond the horizon.
Barely a minute later Alpha Company reaches and ascends a short hill. The tanks push forward, easily crossing the terrain. Upon arriving at the top, Phase Line Alpha comes into sight. Artillery and air assets have demolished Coralian border outposts. Craters are scattered around the whole area. Dust and dirt thrown from the explosions clog the air, mixed with smoke from burning vehicles.
"Switch to thermal sights," the platoon leader says.
"3rd Platoon, provide overwatch at the top the hill," the company CO says on the radio. "Alpha Company, decrease speed. All units, weapons free, repeat, all units are cleared to engage hostile targets at will."
As Alpha 3 halts at hill's apex, the rest of A Company's tanks continue down the hill slowing down to about forty miles per hour. Volt can hear the dull thuds of 3rd Platoon's tanks firing at targets along the border. Within seconds, the tanks come under fire.
"Small arms fire," Volt comments, hearing small-caliber bullets impact the Jagger's armor.
"Infantry at outpost, dead ahead!" the platoon leader informs.
"Sten, suppress that position," Volt says. The Jagger's turret rotates slightly to face the small cluster of buildings up ahead. The gunner fires quick bursts from the coaxial 8.2mm machine gun.
"Alpha 1-1, sending round!"
The neighboring Jagger, Alpha Company, 1st Platoon, 1st MBT, fires a HEAT from its main gun at the damaged outpost, demolishing it in a cloud of dust.
Strange that there is no enemy armor. But Volt expected tanks, and that's what he will get soon. A Jagger in neighboring 2nd Platoon explodes from the impact of a 105mm HEAT round.
"Tank, take it out!" someone shouts into the radio.
"Alpha 2-2 is hit, we're bailing!"
Volt uses the thermal sights to see through the thick smoke. He soon finds the nice bright glow of an M51 Gladiator-2.
"Enemy armor, stationary Gladiator at one o'clock! Load a sabot!" Volt shouts. As Kern, the loader, rams an APFSDS round into the 120mm gun, Sten uses the tank's targeting systems to calculate the round's trajectory.
"1-3 is sending!" Sten announces over the radio.
Sten presses the trigger, and the tank jolts backwards from the massive blast, despite weighing roughly 65 metric tons. Too late, the Gladiator already fired a round. The incoming HEAT round hits another Jagger about thirty meters away, severely damaging it. The Gladiator isn't as fortunate. The giant metal dart pierces the tank's turret, and detonates the ammunition inside, causing a massive explosion and killing the crew.
In a short period of time, the Coralian tanks reveal themselves. The Jaggers of Alpha Company quickly find themselves exchanging fire with a determined enemy, albeit using rather old weapons.
Meanwhile, Coralian firebases miles inside the border open fire. Within a few minutes, the shells start landing. The 155mm shells throw up large clouds of dirt into the air, peppering the tanks with shrapnel.
"Artillery!" someone reports over the radio.
"Hold tight!" the company leader responds.
Then a Jagger, just beside Volt's own, explodes. It burns in a dazzling display of death, before it eventually stops and is engulfed in flames.
"Guided missile, they've killed 1-2!"
"Scrap that, get to Phase Line Alpha now!" Alpha Company's CO orders.
The tanks accelerate back to fifty miles per hour, trying to escape the barrage.
One of 3rd Platoon's tanks traces the smoke trail from the missile, identifying the location of the Coralian ATGM team. The gunner fires a few long bursts, killing two of the operators and scaring away the rest.
"Tanks!" the radio bursts out, a neighboring Jagger fires a sabot, narrowly missing a Gladiator-2. It fires back, the round ricocheting off Volt's tank.
"Where is it? Where is it?!"
"There, eleven o'clock!" Sten responds.
"2-3, round out!"
Volt can see the bright glows of two Gladiators, through his thermal sights, one of them exploding from the APFSDS round 2-3 had fired.
"Sabot! Shoot, dammit, shoot!" Volt shouts. By the time Kern loads a sabot, Sten had already aimed the gun at the other M51, not too far away.
"Sabot in!"
"Sending!"
Sten squeezes the trigger, sending the round at the tank. The impact destroys the target, leaving behind a burning shell of what used to be a fully functional MBT.
Finally, the first few tanks reach Phase Line Alpha and break through, followed by another platoon, and finally the rest of the company. Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, and finally the rest of Tank Regiment 14 of Armored Brigade 6, 5th Armored Division, reaches Phase Line Alpha. The border has been breached.