The Legacy of Earth #053639 – Chronicle of the Nuclear War
This one was a long time coming. We should have all seen this coming as one of the other commanders was far to willing to throw around ballistic missiles. And this is how it unfolded.
I remind you that this report is classified AMC (All Minor Cities), OFE (One Faction Eliminated) and, at least from the middle of it also TMOR (Three Missiles One Roll). I will say again, this is meant for high ranking commanders or those who will never seek adventure on a parallel Earth. For those just tuning in, the previous conflicts are available here.
Satellite photography had some glitches that were fixed later on and we ended up with a lot of footage for this conflict so the thumbnail images have been shrunk. You may click on them to embiggen.
I arrived first, always betting on quicker gates for the advantage. Unfortunately, the bio-hazard contamination in Indonesia has yet to be cleaned up. I really have to do something about that. Roman’s bear forces gated into his favourite town and Amir’s Mechaniker did the same. Oz’s Imperial soldiers took over Mongolia while Itamar’s Saharans, in an ironic twist of fate, chose Scandinavia as their home. Unfortunately, a satellite malfunction lost us that last photograph.
The Bears were the first to move, marshaling their forces on one side of the south Atlantic link, already expecting trouble from the Mechaniker. The Saharans expended over much of Europe, choosing to capture Greenland instead of Western Europe for what could have been their first mistake. Western Europe could have gotten them the continental control and an early lead. The Mechaniker did the obvious and took hold of south America while I also did the obvious and fortified Oceania. The Imperials, starting down and low, only captured the nearby cities, avoiding Hong Kong Elite which I specifically requested for myself. I gave them Afghanistan and promised to pursue only the Africa and the Middle East.
The second week of fighting saw the Bears spread over Africa and enlist a local group of mercenaries for reinforcements. The Saharans finally took their hold on Europe and fortified their line against the Imperials. The Mechaniker rushed across North America and took Greenland in a blitz. Their plan to deny the Saharans the blue continent, however, met some very fierce resistance and Iceland held firm. I took the time to expand to south Asia and take the Middle East and New Jerusalem II as well as the middle of Europe, respecting my border with Oz’s Imperials and not making a move on HK Elite just yet.
The third week of fighting marked the Bears’ attack to conquer the Middle East. My meager force wasn’t powerful enough to stop them and thus my supply line into Europe was cut. The Saharans retook the part of Europe I annexed and the Mechs finally managed to establish foothold in Iceland and keep it. My troops were down and demoralised and so I stayed any further attacks and regrouped for the next week of strife. The Imperials, on the other hand, took their stab at slight expansion and wedge into Europe, aiming for the Saharan HQ.
On the fourth week, the Bears initiated a stealth attack at the back of the Imperials lines. Honestly, I saw that one coming a mile away. The Sharans, facing terrible forces on both sides and chained by a non-aggression pact with the Bears, could only fortify their HQ and hope neither the Imperials nor the Mechs could take it. I figured the Mechs would weaken it and the Imperials will take it. But the Mechaniker only strengthened their Iceland base and expanded across the American continent, securing much stronger reinforcements for later and guarding against the Bear troops in Kamchatka.
When I could move, I sought to reclaim the Middle Eastern territory I had lost. I sent in my massive forces against the Bear entrenchment but could barely punch through. When I was about to take the assault, the Bears launched a ballistic missile at me and mine. I responded with one of my own but it was Amir who sealed the deal with a nuclear blast of his own. The massive blast flattened the ground as far as the eye who wasn’t burned by the flash could see, reaching as far as Russia and West Africa. The fire scorched the entrenched Bear troops and almost completely decimated my own. Residual shrapnel and fall out wiped out the guards at Afghanistan and West Africa, leaving scarred men in Egypt and India alone. When the blast subsided, there was nothing left of the most fertile ground in the region but arid soil and radioactive contamination. And although remote testing declared the zone extremely hazardous to human life, some movement was seen in the ashes. I don’t know what could or how could they survive this hell but I wouldn’t sacrifice valuable soldiers to find out.
And after that, the Imperial forces were so crippled, they couldn’t even muster enough to take back their own headquarters.
The fifth week of fighting started with the Bears fortifying their position in Mongolia and Japan as well as retaking Africa, now relaxed by the barren waste separating them from Asia and a solid agreement with the Saharans in Europe. However, some time that week, an accident near where Johannesburg should be spilled bio-hazardous materials and contaminated south Africa. The Saharans easily retook Russia and fortified their Scandinavian position even more. But it would be nothing compared to what a third of the world can bring…
A mass of Mechaniker troops gathered in Iceland and swept through Europe like a hurricane, stopping only at the north African city’s bunker having lost too much manpower.
Gathering as much free troops as possible, I regrouped in India and sent my guys into unprotected Russia, taking the top of the blue continent by storm, hijacking the Saharan HQ from the Mechaniker and pushing into Greenland, thus breaking the North American hold. I think Oz understood that our agreement was revised when the Middle East was irradiated. Unpictured is the Imperial stab in the back that my troops in Russia suffered and their retaking of the HQ.
The sixth week started with a massive Bears troop build up in north Africa and an even bolder push into Brazil. But that was quickly stopped as the Brazillian forces put up a firm resistance. The Saharans, in almost complete shambles, could barely hold on to the European soil they still had. The Mechs took a hesitant step in the Asian theater and established a forward post in Kamchatka while I had to do something that everyone knew was coming. It was probably more polite to announce it in advance but I’m sure Oz already saw it coming and knew there was nothing to be done. My forces rushed across east Asia, trampling all Imperial resistance and taking everything that wasn’t firmly nailed down. And thus, with no more available entry points, the Imperials could no longer gate into this Earth and their fight was over. On second thought, I should have taken Kamchatka and stop at Russia, thus blocking off Asia completely but you know what they say about hind sight.
The next couple of weeks so some more bickering quarrels over America and Africa as well as the Asian HQ with territories coming and going and exchanging hands every day. The Bears suffered a crushing humiliation as the citizens of their major city rose and razed their HQ. The European and South American continents ended up split with still enough support for the Mechs in North America. I lost territory in Asia and left divided but with just enough for the next assault.
Week nine got the Bears some hefty reinforcements from the cities’ militia, enough to allow a brazen jab at my south eastern forces, crippling my defensive line and taking Korea. Meanwhile, at the other end of the world, the Mechs took back their HQ and fortified their Brazillian line. The Saharans took their HQ back and tried to hold it this time.
On the tenth week, the Bears reinforced their northern Asia position and moved into Kamchatka while the Mechs built up their Brazillian defense, ready for trench warfare. They also invaded the Soviet block, taking the available cities that were freed following a previous mass scale riot. But that left them both open for attack as I had just enough viable troops to take back the green continent and establish a contingency in Mongolia as well as secure Fukushima Nova and cash in on some territorial control.
Week eleven marked the continuation of the trench war along the southern Atlantic pass. The Saharans took the chance and plowed through my poor defenses on the Russian line for a backside manouver against the occupied Imperial HQ. And we all know the Saharans are very good at that sort of thing. Amir wanted to get at me but he was bound by an agreement with Itamar and couldn’t just run down since the border was filled with Saharans. Itamar gave him permission to go through China and, focused on a barely smartass move, the Mechs used their minuscule presence in the area to drop in a massive force behind enemy lines and pushed down towards my Indonesian safe haven. They had to stop short at my fortification. Nothing was gonna come through that. And even with the other two major forces knocking at my door, they still couldn’t take down the well oiled machine that is my Khan Industries army.
When I excised the Bear forces from Asia, I took care to eliminate all vestiges of resistance. When the Bears and Mechs tried to do the same to me, they left some guards in the Soviet block and in Japan, all capable of hitting the Mongolian HQ directly. I cached in some more of my territorial control so I only had to take Mongolia. My HQ survived, the only one that hasn’t been taken even once and victory was mine. As my prize, I founded another major city, securing my hold on Australia. It was now completely mine and no one could interfere with it — no more need for quick gates. All I need is to be able to rally enough troops, next time, to take it by storm.
But I can think about that a bit later. (When we see the consequences of a second victory)
Posted in Gaming, Stories by Eran with comments disabled.