Sovereign

“Mandate of Nations declares the start of another security conference as four more Kingdoms fell to pro-male coup d’états in the last two weeks. The Secretary-General mentioned this morning that, ‘these violent actions by men globally, must be contained before a total global collapse of peace and stability.’”

- Geopol Press

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Grand Duchy of Ludendorf

West of the City of Halia

Royalist Frontlines

July 5, 2024

03:00 Hours

The Royalist trenches seemed almost silent under the night sky. Even still, in the far distance, the sounds of artillery could be heard by the troops below. The battle never truly ended, it merely waned at times, just enough for a little bit of rest and respite for the troops.

But rest they would not, as the dismounted infantry of the 15th Mechanized Division ‘Rotfeuerfisch’ began preparing for their upcoming night assault.

Inside a military tent, a group of officers discussed the mission objectives given to them - alongside their plans and how they would execute them.

“We would have to eliminate these emplacements before 05:00 hours.”

“Would that even be possible?”

“Perhaps a good flanking maneuver?”

“I doubt it’s easy to flank those trenches, we would have to blow a direct hole in their lines. Parry with them in close quarters.”

“That would lead to heavy casualties.”

“Not if our APCs and IFVs advanced first. Though, they probably have a lot of anti-armor weaponry.”

“Do we not have proper armor support? What about our two attached tank battalions? They should lead the attack.”

“Our sector is too muddy for that.”

“So send our infantry without armored support?”

The General in charge of the division crossed his arms as the group of serious-faced officers fell silent around the table that contained the battle map.

It seemed to be an awful situation for him. His division had been chosen to lead the initial probing assaults on a sector that the Royalist spearheads would pass through.

They would have to assault, destroy, and occupy fortified trenches, anti-tank emplacements, and critical road junctions up ahead in preparation for the main advance.

But that was only their secondary objective. If they achieved it - then it would be great. And there would be a chance that the much-anticipated counter-offensive would finally begin.

But only if.

Their true mission was to test the response of the Putschists.

The Orlish Army was now numbered in the hundreds of thousands around the capital. With such a volume and concentration of forces, the enemy faced them with much the same numbers - greater even.

It was for this fact that they had been conducting endless probing attacks and assaults on their lines - not discounting the endless local offensives and counter-offensives as towns, blocks, and small stretches of brutalized land changed hands dozens of times a day.

But now, with an entire division poised to attack one point with full force, it was more of an initial vanguard attack than a pure probing attack. Still, it would be unlikely to be anything more than a massive probing attack, as one mechanized division would not be holding any territory for long, not with the current battlefield conditions.

This would lead to many casualties for my division. Regardless of what we do.

The General could place his armored battalions straight to the battle as his vanguard, but then would it truly work? Armored losses in specialized armored formations were severe - what more for his mere mechanized division, which consisted mostly of infantry in APCs and IFVs?

"We have no other options. Our armored battalions will lead the initial assault."

And with that, the deafening silence of their front's sector subtly turned louder. The rumbles of tank threads and engines growled as troops rose from their trenches to mount the parked APCs and IFVs near behind the main trench lines.

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<<8th Brigade is advancing.>>

<<34th Following closely.>>

<<199th Tank Battalion all green.>>

The dark night sky almost hid them, alongside the endless trees that survived and lined the battlefields.

Soon - the attack commenced. Lines of Löwe tanks rumbled forward and crossed the trenches near the frontline, as infantry elements from other divisions watched them move forward.

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Behind them, APCs and IFVs advanced as well, especially near the roads that ran straight to the enemy positions.

The night sky stood silent, as the main elements of the 15th crossed no man's land. The men tightened the holds on their rifles as they closed hundreds of meters until the IFVs and APCs finally halted - infantry dismounting en masse.

And then - a Löwe tank exploded from a sudden strike.

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Gunfire erupted as one after another, the Löwe tanks fired their main guns on the move. Close behind them, the IFVs advanced and fired their smaller guns in the direction of hostile gunfire - illuminating the night sky as they did.

Slowly, the 15th advanced through the brutal quagmire, as its Tank Battalions suffered horrendous casualties through the breakthrough. Platoons of dismounted mechanized infantry passed through burning Löwe wrecks, utilizing them as cover from the Putschists' gunfire.

All it took was ten minutes before the casualties reached the three-hundredth mark.

…

"It would appear that they are reacting as expected."

"They're annihilating them!"

"Of course, Your Majesty. What else would they do?"

Amelie watched the proceedings straight from her own bunker as if it were some live entertainment. Closely, William, Kleist, and even Jacqueline and Walter watched the first major operation with great attention.

Her eyes darted from one screen to another, as the numbers of each operational battalion of the 15th currently locked in heavy battle dropped one after another.

She almost wanted to puke right there and there when one of the Tank Battalions' icons turned blood red, their numbers completely dropping to a mere fifty percent of their original strength.

On the screen, it showed:

37th Tank Battalion withdrawing immediately.

"Seems like there's too much over there," William commented, arms crossed as he stood beside Amelie.

Of course, they do! They're being massacred!

And Amelie didn't like that one bit. In real-time, she was watching hundreds of young men die in a brutal struggle of life and death - completely detached kilometers away.

"Do we have to call it off?" Asked Amelie.

"Of course, we can't." Came the quick response from William. "They've already captured many key positions and are eliminating a quarter of our identified strongholds. If anything, we should send our reserves now."

Her eyes widened.

William? Are you mad?!

"We're banging our heads on a brick wall! Call it off!"

"Indeed, I am in complete agreement with Her Majesty," Jacqueline added, and she too seemed horrified at watching the damned thing in real-time. "We should re-evaluate our target and call this off."

Both of them watched the Great War thousands of kilometers away, in the comfort of their homes, and many times not even with footage such as these, but with sanitized commentaries of Royalist media.

But for the three men in the room, they seemed devoid of emotions as they watched it with an almost clinical familiarity. They knew that war was ugly and brutal - and letting such farces like "emotions" would only adversely affect decision-making.

Critical decision-making with many lives on the line.

"No, we won't call it off." Replied William as he refused to face the two. Amelie almost fumed. She just wanted a clean and clear battle - not a sudden butchery!

"What?! William, the 15th needs to withdraw, immediately."

"Absolutely not. This is a part of the plan. Casualties are and have always been noted to be expected. We cannot falter because of these hiccups."

"I…"

"Just calm down, Amelie. This is a part of it, and you have to accept that."

But she couldn't. No matter how many battles were fought, and how many bodies she had seen - she could not accept that. It was perhaps why she had always been a pacifist. War to her was illogical, nonsensical, and repulsive.

And unacceptable.

But what could she do? She was no military genius. She was just a young woman trying her best to stay in control of a nation that had collapsed under its weight. These officers, William and Kleist, were her professionals.

And that was the worst part for her. They - the professionals, were finding this without much surprise. To them, this wasn't just alright, it was natural.

"Then please…can we aid the 15th at the very least."

"That's indeed what we are about to do."

"What exactly?"

William turned away from Amelie and into Kleist.

"Open the line to Fire Support Regiments 7, 8, 14, and 18."

With a nod, the Colonel ordered one of his staff to begin the transmission. William took one of the microphones in front of him and spoke into it.

"Commence mass barrage on Sector Tango-One. Eliminate all pre-identified targets, now."

…

The artillery barrage broke the Putschists' lines with utter terror. Heavy one-fifty-five millimeter shells tore through tanks, trenches, and hastily constructed concrete fortifications with a rain of steel and fire.

Below - Royalist Orlish troops cleaned up trench after trench like a sweeper. Close-quarters gunfights/firefights developed as both Putschist and Royalist platoons struggled underneath the maddening orchestra of heavy artillery above them.

One by one, trenches were occupied and lost by the 15th, as they advanced in coordination with the artillery.

First, a barrage would tear through machine guns and other firing emplacements. Then the IFVs and Tanks would suppress further resistance with their main guns as they overran the trench lines.

Then - the brutal tide of dismounted mechanized infantry would bear down on those who survived, sweeping corner after corner as they both suffered staggering losses.

And the Putschists weren't giving up without a brutal struggle. Again and again, in mere intervals below even tens of minutes, counter-attacks would be organized by shattered and retreating Putchist battalions.

Even with heavy armor, the 15th had to change hands with every position, trench line, elevated platform, and any tactical targets that they had captured. So much so that already, a section of the Putschist trench line changed hands three times - in the span of twenty-four minutes.

And the General had enough.

"That's why, we have to retreat and withdraw now. This engagement is a damned lost cause!"

William didn't seem fazed as he listened to the complaints of the 15th's divisional commander. Already, two other divisions had been called by William to support the 15th, but with the mounting casualties each moment, it seemed that even reinforcements wouldn't convince the General to stay put and press on.

"General, heavy artillery and limited air support are already available. Elements of the 122nd and 114th Mechanized are also reinforcing you. You must press on."

"We already know how they would respond, Major! I have to retreat now!"

And Amelie agreed behind William. She wanted to order a retreat as well - it was already too bloody.

I don't understand why William and Kleist are adamant about pushing on. This is just a probing attack…not even the…

And then, it dawned on her. So that was why he smirked when the 15th captured that small hill. This wasn't a mere probing attack like the last ones. No, something changed in his mind.

He saw an opportunity - and took it.

Amelie noticed that William was already looking at her when she realized it.

"Yes, Your Majesty. It's time. Time for the counter-offensive."