Blinding snow and blistering winds pummeled the Initharian fleet as the first landing ships made it to the shore of Harren. A few scouts had landed earlier and stumbled across the ruins of an abandoned city half-swallowed by a massive crater. Structures covered in sheets of ice dotted the landscape, and signs of heavy fortification some years ago were readily apparent. Initial progress for setting up a base of operations was successful, with the Initharian Expedition Command Center built up in an old military facility just outside the abandoned city. This frozen slice of wasteland paradise was dubbed "The Rimefields".
Scouts and prospectors found trace amounts of elements unique to Harren during the first few days of exploration on the island, but progress came to a sudden and absolute halt when the natives finally made their presence known. A convoy was moving to an outpost being set up in the direction of The Barrens when they were attacked by a pair of Pact soldiers utilizing some sort of strength-enhancing armor with a pack on their backs granting flight. Each was armed with a devastating weapon larger than any individual would normally carry that fired bullets which would explode into a burst of liquid metal on impact.
They strafed the convoy, raining shots down on the lightly-protected Wikiwiki truck beds and the soldiers escorting them. It was a bloodbath. While they were clear targets with little cover while flying around, drawing fire from a dozen different machine guns and many more rifles, neither assailant seemed to suffer injury. They flew off before we could properly respond, and attacks like this, without any contact from these flying soldiers, began to occur on a regular basis. The only reason we were able to continue onwards, even when we had, at most,
maybe, managed to inconvenience one of their soldiers with gunfire, was due to our scouting parties.
Small units of Initharian infantry with Wikiwiki support were dropped along the shores of the Abberan island through The Frozen Ocean and into The Maelstrom. These small groups were tasked with identifying anywhere these natives might be using for operations - past the massive fortress jutting out of the river between Abbera and Salvios. We dared not extend ourselves over Pact territory as well as land that the Embralish had likely already taken, so operations were focused on Abbera, with the Fortress-City being given a wide berth. These scouting parties would designate the bunkers and camps they came across and call in naval support where possible and aerial support otherwise. The only place on Abbera out of reach of support was the Northern Stormlands, and so Pact strength there was extremely strong.
On occasion our fleets would be harassed by a flying disc-shaped vessel or bombarded by specks on the horizon, but their numbers were too small to cause significant impact on our fleet. Their ammunition was devastating, and every hit just about guaranteed the deaths of a lot of crew, but there was no capability, or perhaps desire, to close in and follow through once our ships would limp back out to sea.
The weakening of the native's seemingly tenuous grasp on the island forced The Pact to concentrate their efforts on defending only the locations most important to them, centralizing their efforts closer to the Fortress-City. Reconnaissance showed that they doubled down on holding the exact things we were there for: the locations where extraction and processing the island's unique resources were possible. Probing these positions proved very, very deadly.
We encountered ten-foot tall armored warriors capable of tossing aside a Wikiwiki, bipedal war machines, hovering gun platforms, hovering
tanks, and there were even reports of a massive ship flying through The Maelstrom north of the Fortress-City before the radio cut out. The Pact drew their lines in the snow and dug in, confident in their ability to defend that which we were here for. And, for now anyways, it seems as if they are right. Mines, machine guns, massive rifles, and monstrous artillery have stubbed any attempt at closing in on them so far.
When The Pact surrendered the majority of land it gave us the opportunity to further expand our operations. Prospectors soon realized that, not only did this island have the fabled energy-providing Gavrillium and the gravity-defying Caelium, but there were also deposits of
Refocyte that the natives never touched. It's possible they just never knew what they were looking at and thought it a useless material to widely ignore.
Scouting and combat throughout Abbera has given us information about each of it's environments:
The Rimefields are where Initharian operations are headquartered. Fighting here will largely take place in the bombed-out frozen capital of Abbera and it's surrounding abandoned defenses. Snowfall is consistent all-year long regardless of season, and being outside for more than a few minutes at a time during the Cold Season is not suggested.
A mountain range thick with trees and snow. An abandoned ore mine cutting through the mountains provides some cover from the elements. A large facility apparently meant for production and storage of a variety of chemicals also provides another snowed-in landmark. The Pact control a mine and facility for processing Caelium, but otherwise have very little presence in the area. Fighting will occur around these strategic shelters as well as any facilities we develop during the Cold Season, with more fighting out on the mountains during the "Hot" Season.
A vast collection of pine trees frequently battered by blizzards springing up throughout the year. A network of old trenches and bunkers as well as an abandoned broadcasting facility break up the woodlands. The Pact have some presence in the area due to exerting control over both a Gavrillium and a Caelium facility within the woods. The old defenses will be used throughout the year to provide cover from the elements, though the bunkers and resource facilities are the only place to reliably survive a Cold Season storm.
An eerie cold, dry landscape dotted by vast collections of dead or dying trees. An abandoned mine and an old chemical research and storage facility prove to be the only landmarks aside from the Pact-controlled Gavrillium facility. The Pact seem otherwise uninterested in the area. The Cold Season will see fighting centered around the old storage facilities and our developments as temperatures drop to rapidly lethal lows out in the open. The Hot Season is still frigid, but less murderously so.
An extremely harsh mountain range with deadly winds and frigid temperatures throughout most of the year. The only notable features are the old pastures dotting the valleys, the sheep paths the shepherds who lived there used, and the Pact-controlled Caelium mine. The Pact occasionally patrol the mountains, but largely keep to their base. For a few months during the Hot Season it can almost feel comfortable.
A wild marshland that ices over during the Cold Season and becomes a cold, mirky mire for a short period during the Hot Season. The only significant structure is a Pact-controlled Caelium mining and processing facility, making it difficult for vehicles and infantry to move through the largely undeveloped territory save for a couple main roads. The Pact are occasionally spotted outside of their Caelium plant, but for the most part contact is limited.
Old farmlands that have submitted to the environment. Long-forgotten fields separated by lines of trees and dotted with the occasional bunker and trench of an old war make up the landscape. The Cold Season can see heavy snowfall while the Hot Season will be dry and frigid. The Pact control no facilities in the area, so most of the buildings left abandoned are safe for Initharian use.
The North Peaks are massive spires thrusting into a blackened, storm-filled sky. Winds are always high and shifting, and a persistent cool rain seems to fall all year long. Two large Gavrillium mining and processing facilities are dug into the mountains, and a large number of abandoned bunkers, trenches, and tunnels are spread throughout. An old broadcasting facility can also be found among the mountains. The Pact have a notable presence in the area, but actual contact is minimal.
Territory in all reality controlled by The Pact, though setting up resource-extracting operations is still possible. Intense thunderstorms roll in from the south fairly consistently here, resulting is wet, muddy ground and strong blasts of wind with the occasional tornado. The Pact holds a single radio station here, and are projecting most of their strength from the Fortress-City Harren.
The Iceplains are a vast expanse of flat ground that used to be covered by grass and dotted with the occasional tree, bunker, trench, and abandoned outpost. During the Cold Season the vast expanse is hardened by freezing, with an occasional snowstorm coating the landscape. The Hot Season will see thawing turn the Iceplains into a sticky, deep mud. Storms of driving winds, rain, snow and sleet make most surface movement difficult throughout the year. The Pact seem to have minimal presence here.
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While we prepare to push the Pact from their holdings we still need to contend with the more immediate threat of the Embralish across the strait. While going through the Pact isn't suggested, we still have options for engaging them. While plans of action are drawn up it is time to prepare for the coming conflict!
You have one design.
IT IS NOW THE DESIGN PHASE.But wait, there's more!
There's a contest! You are tasked with creating propaganda to smear your enemies (Pact included) or promote yourself! Doing so will result in a Resource Credit, and the better of the two, chosen by me, will win their team a Research Credit as well! This propaganda can come in any format.
The Rimefields: 2 Ore, 2 Oil, 2 Wood, 2 Refocyte
Taiga: Empty, Pact Caelium, Empty (1/3 Nodes)
The Barrens: Pact Gavrillium, Empty, Pact Caelium (2/3 Nodes)
The Deadwood: Empty, Empty, Pact Gavrillium (1/3 Nodes)
The Frosted Heights: Empty, Pact Caelium, Empty (1/3 Nodes)
Frozen Marshland: Pact Caelium, Empty, Empty (1/3 Nodes)
Tundra: Empty, Empty, Empty (0/3 Nodes)
North Peaks: Pact Gavrillium, Pact Gavrillium, Empty (2/3 Nodes)
Northern Stormlands: Empty, Empty, Empty (0/3 Nodes), Heavy Pact Presence
The Iceplains: Empty, Empty, Empty (0/3 Nodes)
Ore: 2
Oil: 2
Wood: 2
Refocyte: 2
Land:
M1 Nima: The Nima fires 8mm rounds from a 10-round box magazine. It has an effective range of 425m while being almost perfectly silent save for the sound of the refocyte firing mechanism striking and triggering the rounds. The rifle is 75cm long and weighs 3.6kg. Costs 2 Wood and 2 Refocyte. (CHEAP)
M1 Kakala: An 8mm Light Machine Gun that utilizes a 30-round box magazine or 80-round pan magazine that feed into the top of the gun. Has an effective range of 500m and is practically silent save for the rapid clapping of metal-on-metal firing the rounds. Costs 3 Ore, 3 Refocyte. (EXPENSIVE)
Initharian Expeditionary Force Uniforms: Two uniforms designed for the environments offered by Harren. They don't stand out in comparison to other uniforms. The sloping helmets have a crested ridge running along the top of the helmet from front to back meant to easily identify what military fellowship one belonged to. Worn by all Initharian soldiers.
Wikiwiki Armored Carrier: A lightly armored, very fast, very durable civilian truck turned military transport. Can reach 130km/h in perfect conditions thanks to it's Supercharged Coilengine which has coil uptime dramatically improved with the use of the suspension to charge auxiliary batteries for it. Cab houses a driver and gunner for the pintle-mounted Kakala on the roof, while the bed has seating for eight. The bed can be covered by a cloth or hard cover. Capable of towing equipment if necessary. Costs 4 Ore and 3 Refocyte. (EXPENSIVE)
Sea:
Ho'oula-Class Destroyer: The Ho'oula is a 105m long ship propelled up to 50 knots by a pair of Supercharger Coilengine-powered propellers. It is armed with 4x2 120mm guns and 4x2 50mm flak guns as well as two aft torpedo tubes and a mine track. Armor is light enough that getting hit by ship-based weaponry will likely take it out of the fight. This is mitigated in part by the Ho'oula's dominant speed and agility. While lightly armed, it also has a Refocyte Bow akin to the Kona's. Has a basic electronic and radio suite. Costs 3 Ore and 3 Refocyte. (EXPENSIVE)
Kaipo'u-Class Battleship: The Kaipo'u is 250m long and can reach speeds of 28 knots thanks to it's Supercharger Coilengines powering four propellers. It is armed with 5x1 300mm cannons and 10x2 120mm Refocyte cannons along with a handful of 50mm flak and Kakalas. 200-300mm belt armor is complemented by 300mm conning tower armor and 80mm deck armor. Has a basic electronic and radio suite. Costs 6 Ore and 6 Refocyte. (NATIONAL EFFORT)
INFS Kona: A superbattleship that literally defined an era of naval combat. Has a 2x300mm conventional cannons, 16 2x180mm Refocyte Guns and some 50mm flak. Well-armored, fairly quick, and agile for it's size. Has a coverable refocyte prow. Refocyte guns use shells of varying purity based on requirements for the rounds. The first Kona-type vessel. Always (NATIONAL EFFORT)
Air:
A5 'Io: The 'Io is a single-pilot elliptical-wing monoplane. It can reach speeds of 650km/h with the Supercharger Coilengine. The aircraft suffers from vibrating issues during high-stress maneuvers. It is armed with six 8mm machine guns - three on each wing. Armor is practically nonexistent past the metal used for the frame and a 10mm plate beneath the pilot in order to maximize speed. Has a basic radio. Costs 3 Ore and 4 Refocyte. (EXPENSIVE)
Special:
Unique Resource - Refocyte: A metal that in it's base state stores energy applied through impact until a threshold is reached, where it will deliver the entirety of the stored force at the point of impact. An uncharged piece resembles silver and will become a dark green as it charges. Twisting and compressing rods into coils leaves them slowly unfurling with force relative to their gauge and the tightness of the coil. Purification to varying levels manipulates the capacity of the metal. Rubber negates the charge/discharge effects of impact. Nickel transfers charge between pieces. Refocyte expending charge will absorb energy from connected nickel/refocyte while charging said refocyte will transfer energy into the nickel/refocyte.
Supercharger Coilengines: Engines that utilize coils of refocyte to produce mechanical energy. A battery utilizing a rubber casing and nickel transfer plate can increase a coil's uptime before needing re-coiling while also increasing energy output for a limited time.
Traits:
A Sea of Colors: The Initharians have communicated through atypical means for millenia. This manifests as a keen ability to learn and utilize nonverbal communications on the battlefield as well as provide a number of difficult codes to crack when communicating verbally. This provides a small bonus to troop organization as well as a bonus to communication and communications equipment-related designs.
Author
Topic: Mechanized Warfare: Inithar Thread / Final Phase, 1941 Cold Season (Read 38389 times)