Combat ReportNogrania has elected to push the
Badlands and
Eastern Seas.
Toskesh has elected to push the
Mountains and
Eastern Seas.
Reminder: Advancements this turn are between 1 and 5 sections, depending on how the combat goes.
Combat in the MountainsThe summer starts off with explosions rocking the stoney peaks of the western mountains.
Nogrania is dug in hard. Artillery and NMG nests are dug into the cliffs and peaks, warding off brazen assaults. In response Toskesh relies heavily on their 150 mm Shǎndiànzhàn Naval Cannon, adapted for land use. Getting them into place can be difficult since they don't have anything like the Megamule walker to move equipment around, nor is the cannon fitted for for their mobile artillery platforms. Still, Toskesh can use the superior range to shell mountainsides and slowly leapfrog their way into the mountains proper. When they can manage it, Toskesh's new Type-54 'Hēilóng' Attack Helicopter is put into use to hit trails and encampments, but the coaxial design isn't really ideal for the fine-maneuvering needed to navigate valley's and hit pocket locations. For the mountains they rely more on the Xi-52-02 Xīwàng Kèzhì Xuá-Zhí attack chopper with the new Project Huǒjiàn rocketpods to strafe the cluttered mountainsides, as well as the Xi-54 'Hēilóng' Attack Helicopter for troop movements. Getting large groups of soldiers into ideal positions is a huge boon when they can manage it, but Toskesh's helicopters are hampered by Nogrania's new NAF-NAC-54 "1x5.4 Eagle", a deadly 1" not-autocannon that can lay down withering AA and shut down entire valley's to air support. Eagles mounted into lighter Hippo tank-walkers can provide mobile AA, though the angle is a bit limited and they rely on nearby Hippo's to hit targets directly overhead. Even worse, NAC-equipped Hippo's are deadly against infantry unless the soldiers can get a Jin Na SMRL on the target. Armed with the new HEAT warhead, the Jin Na can and will over-kill the lightly armored tank walkers. With the terrain so heavily slanted towards infantry tactics, most of Nogrania's tank-walkers are kept further back than what they normally would be in order to act as AA stations and sort of mobile bunkers. Nogrania's offensive measures are mostly limited to their helicopters - as difficult as they might be to use effectively in the mountains - and their embedded artillery. Still, even Nogrania's airforces aren't safe this summer, as Toskesh's Project Huǒjiàn lends enough speed and accuracy to their SMRL's that any helicopter that strays within strafing range might find itself ambushed by rocket teams with deadly-accurate rockets.
Although Toskesh had up until now been relying on stolen hexapod walkers like the Piāoqiè guānsī and its more-armored variant the Xi-53 Li-Jiǎo Guàiwù Tank-Walker TB-53-01, the Xi-54 Shǎndiàn Dào-Shǔ Hovertank rolls onto the scene as an enticing alternative. The fantastic gun depression would really be more suited to defensive operations, but it finds plenty of use in the uneven mountainous terrain. The already-small profile becomes even smaller when the majority of the hovertank is hidden behind a slope of ground, and the slimmer auto-loading turret cuts that profile in half. A common Toskesh tactic is to creep up to a Nogranian position, go hull-down, and slam every emplacement in sight while returning fire blows chunks out of the ground and glances off the angled turret. Once resistance has been suitably cut down, infantry moves forward under Xi-54 Shǎndiàn Dào-Shǔ support to secure a new position for the hovertank. Even when hit, the hovertank can be hard to kill (as incredible as that statement may sound). The skirt is reinforced, sectioned, and requires considerable fire before the powerful Xi-53b Xìnlài de-series Turbine Engines can't reinflate it any more. The profile is slim, and about half of it is this skirt. In fact, most of the hovertank kills aren't done by Hippo or Rhino fire, but by ambushes using NAF-RL-54 "Martini" rocket launchers and NAF-AMR-53 "Kiwi" anti-material rifles. The Martini is often fired from ambush locations and even a single blast will kill and maim crewmembers, even at extreme angles - the squashhead doesn't bounce so much and can punch through thicker armor than a HE round would. The Kiwi is used mainly by sharpshooters firing down iron sights and with a single target in mind: the turret gap when the gun is depressed. Putting a .50 round in here can jam, damage, or even break the more delicate cannon breech and elevation gearing, requiring a frustrating repair process to get the hovertank back into combat. Still, this requires Nogrania to ambush the hovertank, a difficult task when Toskesh is virtually covering the machine in infantry support.
By the time summer draws to a close, Toskesh has pushed their way into the mountains overtop mounds of bodies. Progress has been slower than what would have been ideal, but through copious amounts of troop expenditure and careful leapfrog tactics, they've managed to push Nogrania out of the mountains. Down below the jungle awaits, packed to the brim with patriotic Nogranian soldiers. Toskesh continues their push into the jungle, but they've already expended a great deal of their push just taking the mountains.
Toskesh has pushed far enough south to take the Mountains!
Combat in the BadlandsNogrania pushes north, attempting to take the last section of the Badlands and gain access to the Frost Swamps above.
Both Toskesh's Xi-54 Shǎndiàn Dào-Shǔ Hovertank and Xi-54 'Hēilóng' Attack Helicopter are terribly useful here, and they use both to great effect. The hovertank in particular can out-pace everything Nogrania can field
except the NAF-HC-54 "Key-Chew" hovercraft they've put together this turn. The ability for Blitzkrieg tactics go well with Toskesh's normal Qi-Chu harassments, and they perform a "fighting retreat" involving rapid assaults followed by rapid retreats. The Xi-54 'Hēilóng' Attack Helicopter shines here as well, as the flat, open ground means there's no cover for troops and navigating tight corridors isn't a requirement. The ability to speed overhead and drop a hundred or so rockets while spraying NMG fire the whole time is useful in delaying Nogranian movements, although a considerable number of the assault helicopters are lost due to Hippo-mounted Eagle NAC's. Nogrania's interceptor helicopters can't chase the faster craft and instead move to interception points in order to head of the avenues of escape for
after the Xi-54 'Hēilóng' has done its bloody work. After the harassment, bombardments, and staffing are done, Nogrania then must creep forward into range of Toskesh's 150 mm Shǎndiànzhàn Naval Cannon defensive emplacements. It's...not an ideal task.
Nogrania is not helpless, though. Their own helicopters are as heavily armed and armored, if not as fast, as the Xi-54 'Hēilóng'. And with their own Key-Chew hovercraft, they can perform the same harassment barrages Toskesh has been performing for the past three years. The 4" Duke isn't as long-range as the 150 mm Shǎndiànzhàn or as fast-firing as the Yīfānfēngshùn artillery rockets Toskesh regularly employs, but they are the fastest land-craft in deployment. 1" Eagle NAC's are mounted on the hovercraft, giving them an element of AA that Toskesh's own Qi-Chu's have always lacked. Additionally, the Megamule allows for a rapid troop and equipment movement Toskesh still hasn't replicated. This level of logistics has won them the Badlands before, and it certainly helps troops cross no-man's land here again. In terms of armored combat, it's actually fairly even. The hovercraft is ideal for blitzkrieg tactics and harassments, but Nogrania is doing infantry-supported pushes. Megamule's accompany Rhino's and NAC-equipped Hippo's and disembark troops as soon as contact is made, allowing for a rapid assault force that hasn't been really possible since trucks were made illegal for combat purposes. NAC Hippo's are surprisingly useful here, as the heavy cannon can rip through concrete barricades and sandbags, as well as prevent enemy helicopters from growing too bold. The Rhino is just as cheap as the Xi-54 Shǎndiàn Dào-Shǔ, just as armored, and just as armed. Without elevation differences in the flat plateaus to take advantage of, the hovertank's only real advantage is its high mobility - not particularly useful for defensive operations. With both sides having shells that can instantly KO one another, hovertank-to-walker battles are often decided by who can get off the first accurate shot. The armor advantage is about the same - walker crews frequently angle their vehicle to take advantage of their legs as extra armor, allowing them to absorb a non-turret shot at the cost of some mobility. Hovercraft can perform evasive strafing more easily with thrust-vectoring and their slim profile is a help, allowing them to avoid some shots that would have been otherwise lethal.
In terms of air combat, Toskesh tends to win with the nose-mounted twin NMG's their Xi-54 'Hēilóng' brings to the fray when engaged in a straight fight. That being said, Nogrania's helicopters are all actually Cheap, where as Toskesh's are Expensive due to aluminum resources. Plus, when it comes to AA, the Eagle NAC is a bit more apt at bringing down helicopters through sheer volume than SMRL's are. This means Nogrania gains a lead in air combat, as Toskesh's more lethal helicopter is forced to fight greater numbers with better AA.
Much like Toskesh's push through the mountains, taking the last section of Badlands is a bloody effort that involves crossing mounds of bodies. Nogrania has pushed forward and claimed the territory, putting them poised to launch into the Frozen Swamps where Toskesh's capitol lies. Their forces are bloodied and ragged, and the swamps hide multitudes of Toskesh soldiers willing to repel the capitalist pigs at the cost of their very own lives.
Nogrania has pushed north and gained control of the Badlands!
Combat in the FjordsFarmers plant crops amidst tensions. The lines in the Fjords don't move this summer, but off the coast warships are visible traveling up and down the shoreline - and even more disturbingly, farmers witness Toskesh ships exploding into geysers of water for no apparent reason. The citizens who live here can't help but wonder - will their farms soon belong to the state, or the freemarket?
Neither side pushes the Fjords this turn.
Combat in the Eastern SeasThe waters are shallow in the Eastern Seas, but that's fine for Nogrania's new NAF-SUB-54 "Sneaker" submarine. Able to withstand only a modest depth of 200 feet, the silent ships are nonetheless horrifically lethal. Typically a Sneaker will stay on the surface as they travel in order to run the diesel engines and maintain a higher top speed, but upon spotting ships on the horizon the boat will slip beneath the waves and move in for the kill. Most navigation at this point is through dead reckoning, seafloor maps, and passive sonar, but that's enough to get within firing range. So long as they have a rough bearing and and an approximate distance (often requiring some mathwork and chart-referencing) they'll send away a Blindman torpedo against their latest target...or four. Vigilance becomes paramount among Toskesh sailors, and even the hint of a Sneaker periscope is enough to encourage even the bravest of captains to turn their boats around. Such cowardice is ill-met by the Admirals, but there's nothing they can do. The only weapon they realistically have against these new subs is their helicopter tenders sending out scouts to keep watch along horizon, and even then it's possible the helicopter will get spotted before the sub does. On the off-chance an attack chopper can catch a sub before it dips back below, the pilot has a narrow window to hit the boat before its location is lost. Helicopters are frequently loaded out with standard bomb loads with timed fuses - a cumbersome and not-terribly effective weapon compared to standard depth charges, but it's the only thing they have.
Warrant Officer Lin ZengKang has been deployed into the Eastern Seas in an attempt to forestall Nogrania's advance north. His new Xi-54 'Hēilóng' is a lovely, wonderful bird, but his target isn't Nogranian pilots or helpless troops on the ground. He's hunting Sneaker subs, hidden like cowards beneath the placid ocean surface. His Piāofú de niǎo qīxī Helicopter Tender has been deployed forward in an attempt to buy time while the fleet regroups for a counter attack, and it doesn't feel great being this far out over water. Still, he does his duty.
There! A tiny wake in the water - barely noticeable. His heart skips a beat when he sees how close the periscope is to the tender. Immediately he swoops in while radioing in the contact, hoping desperately he's not too late. The bombs drop off his 'Hēilóng' and splash into the water even as the periscope disappears, but it's too late for the Sneaker. ZengKang watches with satisfaction as two blasts of water break the surface, as well as a third geyser of air. The sub is no more. He turns his attention back to the tender, which was already turning around, but it's too late. The sub was spotted far too late, and the torpedoes were already underway. A pair of explosions ripple through the boat, and it slowly tips onto its side. ZengKang checks his fuel gauge and immediately turns towards the coast. There's no time to waste - the fleet is too far away, and he's not particularly interested in a water landing...but that's looking more and more likely as the coastline creeps slowly into the horizon.
Radio contact with ZengKang cuts off shortly after, with the latest report being an attempt to put her down and swim the last few miles to shore. He and his copilot are not heard from again and go MIA.
The new Sneaker does an excellent job of pushing Toskesh's navy back almost by itself. The calm seas in the summer means its passive sonar is able to get clearer pictures and perform even more devastating attacks. The rest of Nogrania's navy moves up behind and mops up what's left, and they easily take four sections of the Eastern Seas with minimal losses. Their fleet is now parked outside Toskesh's capitol.
Nogrania has pushed north and gained control of the Eastern Seas!
Combat in the Southern JungleThe jungle is perhaps the one of the most miserable place on Serouda in the summer.
For the first time since the war started, Toskesh troops creep through the dense, humid landscape. Firefights are short, viscous, and launched without warning. This is Nogrania's homeland, and the soldiers here fight with a ferocity that reflects their desperation. Toskesh forces are already tired from the long fight in the mountains, and most of their equipment is damaged or low on ammo. The Qi-Chu and hovertank aren't as effective in the narrow, rough terrain, and although walkers aren't particularly ideal they're certainly the better choice. Toskesh relies on their Xi-53 Li-Jiǎo Guàiwù Tank-Walker TB-53-01 for armor combat, as it's similar in cost to the Piāoqiè guānsī but comes with better armor and cannon. Additionally, the Xi-53 Li-Jiǎo Guàiwù benefits from a turboshaft engine, which allows the legs to power through the dense foliage more easily than what Nogrania's Hippo and Rhino can. Nogrania relies on both the Rhino and the NAC Hippo here; the Rhino's cannon can go toe-to-toe with Toskesh's armor, and the Eagle NAC can shred leafy cover safe within its armored turret. Rocket assaults and grenades are used commonly here, as well as assault rifles on semi-auto. In terms of infantry combat, Toskesh has the advantage. Their Type-51b Páoxiāo de léi shēng RGL can lob 45 mm grenades into the jungle ahead, which is something Nogrania can't really do in return. Diseases account for a large number of casualties as mosquitoes and other insects prey on troop from both sides.
Helicopters are primarily used for infantry transport, as the dense jungle makes finding targets for straffing runs difficult. The Luànbīng assault helicopter is better suited in this regard, as Toskesh can get larger numbers of troops in and out. The Draft can do the same, but with a smaller load capacity they rely on more of the cheaper craft to get more troops. In regards to troop movement, both sides are about even - Nogrania's Megamule is restricted to major roads and can't rapidly move troops into position like it could in the Badlands. Artillery isn't a huge factor, as both sides are forced to rely on their smaller cannons in order to move them between trees by horse sled. The ability of the Duke to break down and move in smaller chunks is helpful, but with artillery spotting difficult through the foliage the effect isn't all that pronounced.
Ultimately, Toskesh is better-equipped to fight in the jungle, but the combat in the mountains had left them ragged and tired. They won't be marching on Nogrania's capitol this turn, but their troops build a forward camp in the jungle - only two short sections away from the city. As far as advancements go, Toskesh has pushed four sections this turn - certainly nothing to sneeze at.
Toskesh has pushed south and gained a section of the Southern Jungle!
Combat in the Frozen SwampsThe swamps aren't much nicer than the jungles in the summer. The ground is soft and reeks of methane, and only the main roads are stable enough for walkers.
Well, for Toskesh's walkers, anyways. Nogrania's Winterization equipment includes snowshoes for their mechs - which, as it turns out, can be used for the soft ground. It wont let them walk across the chest-deep ponds that swamp the forests, but it lets them get troops and armor from place to place without using the main roads. The stolen Key-Chew is especially useful here - apparently hovercraft are useful in swamps. Who would have guessed? Nogrania uses them to get their 4" Duke cannons into position, but they run into a problem. Snow-shoed tank walkers can't keep pace with the hovercraft, and Toskesh's Xi-54 Shǎndiàn Dào-Shǔ hovertank can pop out of the flooded forests to surprise the vulnerable hovercraft artillery. In fact, Toskesh's ability to use their hovertank is especially useful in the swamps, as they can support their Qi-Chu rocket barrages and attack across bodies of water that Nogrania can't really traverse. Still, the snowshoes let Nogrania get their Megamules into some areas that Toskesh struggles to get their infantry into. The hovertank is a great weapon here, but it's being forced to handle nearly everything by itself. Toskesh's walkers are restricted to roads and drier areas, which are unfortunately small and predictable areas when artillery crews are dialing in their barrages.
Overhead, attack helicopters enjoy much clearer groundview than what they had in the jungle. As before, in straight 1v1's the Hēilóng is a superior helicopter, but Nogrania simply has more choppers and better AA. Rockets are particularly lethal against infantry, who are often up to their shins in mud with cover consisting of rotten trees and logs. Infantrymen slogging through the mud quickly grow to hate Toskesh's heavy 45 mm RGL, Jin Na SMRL, and Nogrania's equally heavy Martini. Rifle fire rules in infantry combat, and firefights tend to drag on as neither side can quickly retreat or advance. Medical tents quickly fill up with troops suffering from leeches and trenchfoot.
Nogranian land forces don't enjoy the huge gain in territory that Toskesh did through the mountains, but they've managed to gain a foothold and plant a forward base two mere sections away from Toskesh's capitol. What's more, news that their fleet has leaped across the shoreline and dropped anchor outside Toskesh's harbor is meet with cheers and tea for everyone. Sure, Toskesh might have gained a foothold in the jungle, but with their port blockaded their resources will be strangled. Nogranian troops are feeling confident the war will soon be over...
!!!End Game!!!Somewhere in the Nogranian capitol, a telegram comes in. A clerk reads the words as the tickertape prints them out and the blood drains from his face. Within an hour, the enemy troops two sections away are all but forgotten.
War has broken not - not the petty squabbling between two tiny nations on an island in the middle of nowhere, but the sheer awesome might of the worlds super powers. The rising tensions between the US and USSR have given away to action. Reports are unconfirmed, but they continue to roll in one after another. Paris, Tokyo, Sapporo, Ankara, London, St. Petersburg, Chita, Shanghai, San Francisco, Seattle...bombs fall.
Even more alarming is the news that Russian bombers have been spotted in the nearby seas. While it's unthinkable that the USSR would waste a weapon of such potent destruction on the tiny one-city nation of Nogrania, the fact that they're in this particular stretch of nowhere does not bode well for us. The war had been reaching its final conclusion and now the threat of nuclear annihilation looms over us all. Panic rips through the streets as word gets out, and boats capsize in the harbor as they're crammed past capacity full of civilians desperately trying to escape the capitol. The High Council has gone missing - whether they've disappeared into private bunkers or fled the continent is unclear, but the sudden power vacuum is certainly not good for the rising panic.
Your engineering team - having worked closely with the council - is the closest thing to leadership left. This has certain benefits, like allowing whatever pet projects you've been working on to receive all the last-minute funding and approval you've been denied, as well as letting you dictate troop and state matters. If the reports are to be believed, our little country is rapidly running out of time. As the only remaining "leadership", it's up to you to decide what to do with the twilight hours of your glorious nation. What you decide here will dictate what happens to you, your country, the island of Serouda, and even the rest of the world.
Each player may PM me a
Design and a
Plan for what to do during the next 48 hours. Both will receive a random 1d6 roll and their effectiveness will determine how they affect the future of your possibly-doomed island-continent. Feel free to discuss strategy with the rest of your team, but PM me your individual design and plan - this will be what gets rolled, not what you announce in the thread. Anyone may participate in this portion of the game, so long as they declare for one side or another. Finish the war, save your nation, establish yourself as the Supreme Leader, or just save your own skin. Build that giant mech you've always wanted, launch your secret spaceship, show off your new super-sub, or unveil your secret ICBM you've been working on. What you decide here will decide the conclusion of the game.
Other News:Nuclear war! Radio signals go staticky as reports roll in one after another. It's unclear who launched the first strike, but what is clear is that no one is safe. The Vault Tech company in the US sees their customers disappearing into their vaults in droves - those without the foresight to sign up are forced to watch from outside the blastdoors as mushrooms light up the western seaboard and creep further inland. Europe sees deathtolls rivaling WW2 and the black plague - all in a matter of a couple days. Anarchy grips the streets, and roads are jammed full as people flee population centers in mass exoduses. Governments collapse overnight as capitols are annihilated and lines of communication break down.
This is the
End Game.
Theatre Progress:Mountains:
Nogrania - 0/Toskesh 3
Badlands:
Nogrania - 3/Toskesh 0
Fjords:
Nogrania - 2/Toskesh 1
Eastern Sea:
Nogrania - 5/Toskesh 0
Jungle:
Nogrania - 2/Toskesh 1
Frozen Swamps:
Nogrania - 1/Toskesh 2
Nogrania: Level 4, 2/6 -> Ore
Toskesh: Level 2, 1/3 -> Oil
Author
Topic: Arms Race: Iron Behemoths - Nogrania - GAME OVER (Read 52873 times)