49 YBP - Day I:258Please respect copyright.PENANAhwwB7XbE1c
258Please respect copyright.PENANAyi9bgm03Vq
258Please respect copyright.PENANAvuN06j5LVN
As the first blush of dawn kissed the eastern sky, casting its ethereal glow upon the beleaguered city of Worcester, I, now bearing the prestigious rank of Lieutenant General and the plum and gold uniform with the insignia of two crossed sabres surmounted by a crown. There were only a few people in the army that outranked me now: the four Grand-Generals of their respective army groups - of which three were present, Constantine E. Pride of the 1st Infantry Army Group, Erwin Valour of the 2nd Infantry Army Group, and Reinhart Steelraine of the 4th Artillery Army Group - and the Marshal.258Please respect copyright.PENANA5kGk0lW9tM
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwM7HLdc2y5
258Please respect copyright.PENANAhwExzwwKGn
The Marshal of the Grand Army was Resiak Zu Scipio, a rather nervous man - likely why he got the promotion, the Marshal represents the army to the Earl and provides counsel.258Please respect copyright.PENANA4R16cZ3WcZ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAMAf5GoWjGm
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzjTMxXQR4T
In practice, the Grand-Generals are more powerful than the Marshal - who is basically a figurehead.258Please respect copyright.PENANAif6SHLDrX5
258Please respect copyright.PENANAcNrQtTQAMn
258Please respect copyright.PENANARxhw7vYb59
I was upon the towering rampart that encircled the city of Worcester, the capital of the Earldom, and my home. The sight of thick walls being patrolled by soldiers aught to have been a comfort to me. It was not - the sight made me feel me melancholy at best and quietly wrathful at worst.258Please respect copyright.PENANAbZWhMS8Mwr
258Please respect copyright.PENANAPjzewWJZj7
258Please respect copyright.PENANANu0JOzEdnI
There had not been time to evacuate the capital, a fact that was taken advantage of by the 1.5 million soldiers present in Worcester - they recruited children to transport orders, men that were either too old or ill to fight were recruited into logistics roles instead.258Please respect copyright.PENANAuzBjxdikkq
258Please respect copyright.PENANAxtoLh8dJTz
258Please respect copyright.PENANAnenkry61C4
A quick look through a spyglass and even a fool would know that we would have to fight: the Aquilorians and Vorantine had set up Artillery outside the city and had formed a ring around Worcester, it was clearly meant to be a siege but that would never work - Worcester had been preparing for something like this by stockpiling food. The capitol of the Earldom had enough provisions to last for at least six months, even with 1.5 million hungry soldiers and artillerymen present. 258Please respect copyright.PENANAI4tdH0OPW0
258Please respect copyright.PENANAaCpmE4WfF1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAPzNQzV28xi
The Meritocratic Council of Aquiloria and the Technocratic Directorate of Vorantis seemed to think that cracking Worcester open like a nut was the most effective method to take it. I had not received any orders about repelling attacks, so I took matters into my own hands.258Please respect copyright.PENANACWQgj4S8uv
258Please respect copyright.PENANAmKtfucjJHa
258Please respect copyright.PENANAjRCGOp3BK5
Beside me stood four Grand Warlords - two of them were freshly minted and the other two were faces I recognised, Caesar and Orion. Their eyes were ablaze with rage as they surveyed the sprawling battlefield that lay stretched out before us. Of the 1.5 million men, 250,000 were my own. I had 12,500 Artillery as well - an eighth of the artillery available.258Please respect copyright.PENANAkf9ldyTV50
258Please respect copyright.PENANAndD8mV1OOV
258Please respect copyright.PENANAEQvrQJPqJp
"I come from here, many of thou do not. But if we lose Worcester, we will probably lose the war. What shalt happen when the Dominion get it's hands on thy home?"258Please respect copyright.PENANA3sNjhoF2P6
258Please respect copyright.PENANAuU7u7ZoBvf
258Please respect copyright.PENANAhQEozzcDbP
A thunderous roar of approval erupted from the ranks of my men, and hundreds of place names were belted out with gusto. Yet even as their cheers echoed off the stone walls, I knew that the true test of their mettle lay just beyond the horizon, where the enemy laid in wait like a hungry beast poised to strike.258Please respect copyright.PENANAQucFauTM1V
258Please respect copyright.PENANAsKX1dogXmz
258Please respect copyright.PENANAvrCSP0tVPJ
The first sign of the impending storm came in the form of distant thunder, as the enemy's artillery voiced its disdain about our stout defences. Shells shrieked through the air, their explosive payloads landed in the city. The Coalition - likely the Aquilorians - had trainedtheirr fixed artillery guns far too high. The enemy surged forwards, they would probably attempt to blow the walls upiff they get near enough.258Please respect copyright.PENANAd270vz137x
258Please respect copyright.PENANAegCd8cTWKa
258Please respect copyright.PENANANHyfaUm9ro
"Return fire!" I bellowed, my voice a rallying cry amidst the clamour of battle. "Let them learn how to train artillery properly!"258Please respect copyright.PENANAVAKfb3B8q4
258Please respect copyright.PENANAvLKGeCsqFF
258Please respect copyright.PENANAqJMkS3eww3
Withpractisedd efficiency, my men sprang into action, manning the Howizers that lined the walls with a precision born of years of training. The air was soon thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder and the deafening roar of friendly big guns as our own artillery answered the enemy's barrage with a ferocity that matched their own.258Please respect copyright.PENANAr5d7yQiJrN
258Please respect copyright.PENANAm4cwfI5kCZ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQt2XahvqP9
Yet even as we unleashed hell upon our foes, it became painfully clear that the odds were stacked against us. Wave after wave of enemy soldiers crashed against our defences like a relentless tide, their sheer numbers threatening to overwhelm us at every turn. Soldiers were felled by rifle fire from below, men quickly stepped in to replace them. Bands played martial tunes to keep morale up.258Please respect copyright.PENANA4CI8uw2vtb
258Please respect copyright.PENANAEcucQIKH7t
258Please respect copyright.PENANAUI63LRSAXa
A cold sense of dread began to gnaw at the edges of my consciousness, for I knew that our valiant stand upon the walls of Worcester could only delay the inevitable for so long. The plan was to delay the enemy until the Grand Narcissian Fleet arrived and obliterated the attackers. Grand Wing A, Centre Force, and Grand Wing B are all days away due to being deployed to fight against the Khagan's Navy (That the Khagan's Aerial Fleet had yet to make an appearance according to the gossip and rumours)258Please respect copyright.PENANAe0kLsxzLw8
258Please respect copyright.PENANAhAYMhhz0Hm
258Please respect copyright.PENANAVKx5cnVAKf
Valour has shown me the response that he had gotten from Aeroadmiral Empyr.258Please respect copyright.PENANANjRGlMert3
258Please respect copyright.PENANAfE8oiS9byF
258Please respect copyright.PENANAGCkAmG1A3g
Dear Grand-General Valour,258Please respect copyright.PENANAvDbtZ2mcgX
258Please respect copyright.PENANAiWf3am4DfC
258Please respect copyright.PENANA83OQLgSYij
258Please respect copyright.PENANAi2n1P2zWE4
I have received thy request for aerial support and have carefully considered the deployment of our air assets to aid in the defence of Worcester. In response to your urgent plea, I have mobilised all available craft to aid the defence of Worcester.258Please respect copyright.PENANAkmufcyjiUp
258Please respect copyright.PENANAAoEQ25Fg4G
258Please respect copyright.PENANAt78FMqADPU
Battlecruisers:258Please respect copyright.PENANAr1Yt506pD5
258Please respect copyright.PENANAxkxDc2F7ab
258Please respect copyright.PENANAHS0b1UxyqR
258Please respect copyright.PENANAF1EtPVWt46
• GNA Callisto 258Please respect copyright.PENANA11Zpjd4YLs
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwBGVfrYxuX
258Please respect copyright.PENANAspBEAAT6hX
258Please respect copyright.PENANAEUpDPp7Lcw
• GNA Celeste 258Please respect copyright.PENANArldPIGJLjk
258Please respect copyright.PENANAWRI3oVjqWe
258Please respect copyright.PENANAHoYOsJJhqs
258Please respect copyright.PENANAVy5BXovK96
• GNA Tauri 258Please respect copyright.PENANAAk9y9F47NC
258Please respect copyright.PENANAG6I3QEZLyv
258Please respect copyright.PENANA0npPaNUiGn
258Please respect copyright.PENANAyETKZqYZt6
• GNA Zosma 258Please respect copyright.PENANAJBQPXCQrfc
258Please respect copyright.PENANA2kcfiYaCX2
258Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7U9JR7dDN
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzsn1LWlnVq
• GNA Rêverie258Please respect copyright.PENANAYMlfEagKp4
258Please respect copyright.PENANApdbvge1mP9
258Please respect copyright.PENANAchBNGqpDKi
258Please respect copyright.PENANAXULTeZbCV4
• GNA Invictus 258Please respect copyright.PENANAGPftUgTfLL
258Please respect copyright.PENANAGlp6AsgQYo
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKgxAkCpzG4
258Please respect copyright.PENANAbSePYe0e3A
• GNA Roma 258Please respect copyright.PENANAIZTHMdBZIk
258Please respect copyright.PENANAlQIjpxVm1U
258Please respect copyright.PENANADbT1PbPyCV
258Please respect copyright.PENANAoapV04SBxR
Heavy Frigates:258Please respect copyright.PENANAPFfs6oGGyI
258Please respect copyright.PENANAAxHKIaLqUi
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKDgBxqUmO4
258Please respect copyright.PENANAb92vOT1uT4
• GNA Rumine Dora 258Please respect copyright.PENANAEW780P96RF
258Please respect copyright.PENANAxb8ny6mTnl
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8OdtsDx0Hf
258Please respect copyright.PENANAWbxcHIhk6Q
• GNA Oblitus Icaria 258Please respect copyright.PENANAJZ6hbaxsE6
258Please respect copyright.PENANAe9yylQEaAc
258Please respect copyright.PENANAxTYAbtlXeF
258Please respect copyright.PENANA4FGomb2UlQ
• GNA Cor Ferro 258Please respect copyright.PENANAexSFMOduu6
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQ08ooA9V3a
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzSqyJQTx1X
258Please respect copyright.PENANA673wIegfha
• GNA Rix Erinè 258Please respect copyright.PENANAsPtFsJbvZm
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQpu3qfyPTO
258Please respect copyright.PENANAfV041VVGdk
258Please respect copyright.PENANAkMCi058Fs9
• GNA Sol Indiges258Please respect copyright.PENANAg4sv69ZLCK
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzKSAnbe0i8
258Please respect copyright.PENANAw7mpFD89k8
258Please respect copyright.PENANAdwpAkmO4f1
Frigates:258Please respect copyright.PENANADf0WHidM0m
258Please respect copyright.PENANAHwAm7UwIi3
258Please respect copyright.PENANAxNJsN1Az1O
258Please respect copyright.PENANAGHRMVfkkpH
• GNA Eir258Please respect copyright.PENANA3jyG6lGG4x
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzJUb7UPP68
258Please respect copyright.PENANAjZWvGjqs4e
258Please respect copyright.PENANAGZ1Ovvnn7S
• GNA Prinz Nar258Please respect copyright.PENANAZxUmkzoCwd
258Please respect copyright.PENANAInCt2MpUBF
258Please respect copyright.PENANAmmqRe4571l
258Please respect copyright.PENANARdXKuK8XYi
• GNA Großer Kurfürst258Please respect copyright.PENANAl5WAjpELeh
258Please respect copyright.PENANAMyaKiWdI2l
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYGOU30wi9e
258Please respect copyright.PENANAZprC1NjnCK
• GNA Empyr258Please respect copyright.PENANAh5NE1rcSnc
258Please respect copyright.PENANAbfRATXhcPR
258Please respect copyright.PENANAD14i1x7R7V
258Please respect copyright.PENANADt97sSuqEJ
• GNA Hildr258Please respect copyright.PENANAjkHgMOGjtx
258Please respect copyright.PENANAIJV5xpxoEs
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKEeIHS6YqN
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzk6cHFHHYo
• GNA Róta258Please respect copyright.PENANAMNXqxB3AhX
258Please respect copyright.PENANAjmW7jsNvbE
258Please respect copyright.PENANAssR9R6J1v6
258Please respect copyright.PENANAXjQetZvNxm
• GNA Göndull258Please respect copyright.PENANAvoLQC9QtFb
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYruMzWudep
258Please respect copyright.PENANAMHDOtVZn3L
258Please respect copyright.PENANA0oA9GQXy1f
• GNA Hervör Alviter 258Please respect copyright.PENANAMP8abQfvUr
258Please respect copyright.PENANASi6A3nO72V
258Please respect copyright.PENANAVqfCEp9dk6
258Please respect copyright.PENANARUkkHbwPFE
Destroyers:258Please respect copyright.PENANAIkafGynunF
258Please respect copyright.PENANA5UvECwPk7W
258Please respect copyright.PENANAhzyP7FfwIY
258Please respect copyright.PENANA1FExT9NAcq
• GNA Estoc258Please respect copyright.PENANAx7JdoR2GwE
258Please respect copyright.PENANAVDjoZivC6z
258Please respect copyright.PENANAIoUa4T76zJ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAoNzGruvLgA
• GNA Falchion258Please respect copyright.PENANA4C51FMLvqh
258Please respect copyright.PENANAhtH4mGibfH
258Please respect copyright.PENANALy61vvo5uA
258Please respect copyright.PENANAE6j5IbxLvL
• GNA Glaive258Please respect copyright.PENANAAq62o7iH1D
258Please respect copyright.PENANAmW2MdHakpo
258Please respect copyright.PENANAqp9AV1raHS
258Please respect copyright.PENANA1zgYExOZgJ
• GNA Épée258Please respect copyright.PENANAWmrI7H9pEo
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzAc60SScy1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAn3qDzaQwob
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgz86d5BbcY
• GNA Arbalest258Please respect copyright.PENANAr9MTY68DYM
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgpVMXaZXH6
258Please respect copyright.PENANAlcemaZ0Pb7
258Please respect copyright.PENANAqumzAgFX7Z
• GNA Tonfa258Please respect copyright.PENANAjSTVnIPKNw
258Please respect copyright.PENANAssbQ8EPDVX
258Please respect copyright.PENANAHyNtRZpQbS
258Please respect copyright.PENANAtTeUVx0zgD
I trust that this aerial reinforcement will provide the necessary firepower and tactical advantage needed to turn the tide of battle in our favour. The craft should arrive within two days of this letters arrival.258Please respect copyright.PENANAIiv0Sxw6u2
258Please respect copyright.PENANA2Vrs55Xt3I
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKyMJvmgd75
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgh4emJEjQU
Ad Astra Per Aspera! 258Please respect copyright.PENANAFx7reYoMD7
258Please respect copyright.PENANAeiQ2HdZ8HW
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQ9tJexu3UE
258Please respect copyright.PENANAVIN7BkwhgI
Empyr, Aeroadmiral of the Grand Fleet258Please respect copyright.PENANAS5lzDDdiYG
258Please respect copyright.PENANAAYSkP9vJ5z
258Please respect copyright.PENANAMOwHTsLBhl
Under the cover of night, the relentless bombardment of artillery continued. The thunderous rumbles echoing through the darkness like a symphony of destruction. Shells screamed overhead, their fiery trails illuminating the sky as they arced towards their targets with deadly precision.258Please respect copyright.PENANAvGt2rjjC6v
258Please respect copyright.PENANAG90J4Ws4ly
258Please respect copyright.PENANASHt58zqhud
The incessant barrage served not only to rain death and destruction upon the enemy below but also to keep them on edge, our fitful attempts at rest shattered by the constant onslaught. The booming concussions of exploding shells and the shrill whistles of incoming fire served as a grim reminder of the perilous reality that surrounded them, denying them even a moment's respite from the relentless onslaught.258Please respect copyright.PENANAmZhseDZtCw
258Please respect copyright.PENANApMvzQi39p1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAehGgtfqGxy
For us, the ceaseless din of battle had become a cacophony of chaos, an ever-present backdrop to our struggle for survival. Yet amidst the chaos, there was a grim determination, a steely resolve that refused to yield in the face of overwhelming adversity.258Please respect copyright.PENANAoOQ14CKsEn
258Please respect copyright.PENANAER9TExal8B
258Please respect copyright.PENANACewmqEpyvZ
As the night wore on and exhaustion threatened to claim us, we stood resolute, our spirits unbroken by the relentless assault. 258Please respect copyright.PENANA4DaL64GpYe
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8LDJG3A6zm
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQM7E7G9FjM
Day II:258Please respect copyright.PENANAND2EcIXJSE
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgbcleQXJJl
258Please respect copyright.PENANAIssdfryPw2
258Please respect copyright.PENANANtlKiLAv86
The second day of the Defence of Worcester was signalled by loud shouts rousing everyone who had managed to fall asleep.258Please respect copyright.PENANA547bxiWaLk
258Please respect copyright.PENANA3SgOXwAOM8
258Please respect copyright.PENANA7MbzeYuJOE
There were missing explosives and 25 men were absent. It was presumed that an unauthorised suicide attack had been carried out by the missing men.258Please respect copyright.PENANAjFT2ugUYK7
258Please respect copyright.PENANAt0tK7JxaCu
258Please respect copyright.PENANAWDdNcvXX8u
As the morning mist began to dissipate, revealing the stark silhouette of the enemy encampment beyond the walls of Worcester, a party approached under the banner of a white flag. Their footsteps echoed softly against the damp earth. Interestingly, despite bearing a flag of peace, they had brought one of those armoured flame projector units - The fact that it had been painted white did not provide much in the way of reassurance.258Please respect copyright.PENANAj5Ke98Uc5e
258Please respect copyright.PENANA0858AcQpFZ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAvNEBKZwE0L
I observed their approach from atop the walls my gaze unwavering as they drew near. Their demands were clear even before they reached our gates, they were visibly armed.258Please respect copyright.PENANA1ff4Hcmy6T
258Please respect copyright.PENANAoUhvawYkhr
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKjM1gTrsJt
With cautious steps, i moved down to join the soldiers on the wall, they saluted upon noticing my presence. With a heart pounding in my chest like a war drum heralding the onset of battle. I was given a device to amplify my voice.258Please respect copyright.PENANAUpUdkmEzG1
258Please respect copyright.PENANACBm4IfGz5u
258Please respect copyright.PENANA9B0swmRY86
"What is the meaning of this?" I demanded, my voice cutting through the tense silence like a knife. "Why have thou come here under the guise of peace, only to bring such a weapon of war with thou?"258Please respect copyright.PENANAKGFQ0kcP2g
258Please respect copyright.PENANAk5gP3JjWBC
258Please respect copyright.PENANAUJS0WOx98r
The leader of the Vorantine delegation was tiny from up on the wall, but i could practically see him scoff, his features likely twisted in a mask of contempt. "We demand thy surrender," he spat, his words dripping with venom. "Surrender the city, or face the wrath of our fury."258Please respect copyright.PENANAY3Axyj4VPi
258Please respect copyright.PENANAuNBi6q1YtD
258Please respect copyright.PENANAPZM4U9SEam
It was my own turn to scoff. "Thou overestimate thy strength, Coalition" I retorted, my voice ringing with defiance. "We would sooner jump down to meet thou with ropes around our necks."258Please respect copyright.PENANAbB54IuMaOT
258Please respect copyright.PENANAC7bkyO0YRM
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYQxz3O9Bn9
A tense silence hung in the air, broken only by the sound of our ragged breaths and the distant rumble of artillery in the distance. And then, in a sudden flash of violence, the fragile facade of peace shattered like glass.258Please respect copyright.PENANAwTrMMLUyIM
258Please respect copyright.PENANAJsn5p638MM
258Please respect copyright.PENANAuR7bUJ1iXF
Without warning, a shot rang out, the crack of gunfire echoing off the stone walls of the city. In the blink of an eye, chaos erupted as the Narcissian soldiers reacted with swift and deadly force, their weapons trained on the enemy delegation in a hail of bullets and bloodshed.258Please respect copyright.PENANAiBdDSrADED
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYhBRWR743N
258Please respect copyright.PENANA0PlS37X6VL
Amidst the cacophony of screams and gunfire, the white flag fluttered limply in the breeze, stained crimson with the blood of those who had dared bring it with anything but peaceful intentions. I went to the command tent in the city - the High-Exarch of Worcestershire had prohibited the use of civilian building for military purposes until there is absolutely no choice - in order to inform the Grand-Generals of my suspicion that there would be a massive assault soon.258Please respect copyright.PENANAGX5vGmgwNr
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgjFTrembrV
258Please respect copyright.PENANAOkeMZFmOYM
Grand-Generals Pride, Valour, and Steelraine stood clustered around a map spread out upon the table, their brows furrowed in concentration as they pored over the intricacies of our precarious situation. I recognised that it was a map of Worcester, there were multiple symbols dotted about on it - designating positioning of artillery groups - potential weak points were circled - the main gate around the walls that aught not to be here in the first place was a big one.258Please respect copyright.PENANATwgKbWlpoU
258Please respect copyright.PENANARiHxY3DV9r
258Please respect copyright.PENANAIKNXn3toAc
"Grand-Generals," I began, my voice cutting through the subdued murmurs of conversation like a blade through silk. "I have grave news to report."258Please respect copyright.PENANApG5NpFGzvk
258Please respect copyright.PENANA08kwuT9v0l
258Please respect copyright.PENANARvu4tauj26
Their heads turned in unison, their eyes meeting mine with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. I wasted no time in relaying the events that had transpired at the walls and what it could mean.258Please respect copyright.PENANAyqYre8m0GU
258Please respect copyright.PENANAEXg3c91JYw
258Please respect copyright.PENANAlMa8PhWbwz
Unfortunately I w, s interrupted by music being played at a nearly deafening volume. Grand-General Steelraine identifies it as being the Aquilorian / Vorantine anthem.258Please respect copyright.PENANA9xL96fXSRJ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgreXu78nfz
258Please respect copyright.PENANAa8ySPOsJv5
As the joint anthem reverberated across the battlefield, its haunting melody swept over us like a chilling wind, carrying with it the weight of impending doom. The music, a is iumphant yet melancholy piece with a distinctive melody that rec is gnisable across Empyrea.258Please respect copyright.PENANAWx4XACI9na
258Please respect copyright.PENANAifhndt8k61
258Please respect copyright.PENANAv5dsXJgiGF
Amidst the haunting melody, the lyrics, or rather the lack thereof was, deeply unsettling, all the other Empyrean anthems had lyrics and without them they seemed almost empty.258Please respect copyright.PENANAemFShkIBHP
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQp83HWC93e
258Please respect copyright.PENANAk5jrl9Gt4l
The enemy's psychological assault continued unabated - albeit not very effectively - but a new threat emerged from the depths of the battlefield - the sudden onslaught of Aquilorian and Vorantine forces, their ranks swarming like someone gave an anthill the size of a mountain an almighty kick.258Please respect copyright.PENANA6ePXaA9gwi
258Please respect copyright.PENANA1zSC9S2Bzf
258Please respect copyright.PENANAx2Jzu3oJTw
Caught off guard by the ferocity of the enemy's attack, our forces scrambled to respond, their movements hampered by the chaos and confusion of battle. Men shouted orders amidst the din of combat. We had 50,000 artillery - half were Mortars and the rest Howizers.258Please respect copyright.PENANAI7rfYCeGUZ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAIyie7ayCPn
258Please respect copyright.PENANA6eJiHCE1YG
With each thunderous blast, the ground beneath us trembled, sending shockwaves rippling through our ranks as bodies were torn asunder by the savage force of the explosions. Limbs were rent from torsos, flesh seared by scorching shrapnel, as the enemy's artillery exacted a heavy toll upon our forces.258Please respect copyright.PENANAxrqcEqjtXU
258Please respect copyright.PENANARjNBeJDZwC
258Please respect copyright.PENANARajSlDVb4t
Amidst the carnage, the air was thick with the acrid stench of burning flesh and gunpowder, mingling with the metallic tang of blood that hung heavy in the air. Men screamed in agony as they were torn apart by the merciless onslaught, their cries lost amidst the cacophony of battle.258Please respect copyright.PENANAd4NM8BsLVn
258Please respect copyright.PENANAoPwUooC2JL
258Please respect copyright.PENANAEG7GXYFriB
Everywhere was the same: men shooting at the enemy, mostly with the standard issue Narcan-Gloriant 63 bolt-action rife, in addition to the tripod mounted Richard Mk II machine gun - often affectionately nicknamed "Big Dick"258Please respect copyright.PENANABGtamTIsnd
258Please respect copyright.PENANA1cdNrQKgz0
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwJSRnRnDGS
Several officers were brandishing spyglasses or binoculars as well as the same sabre and pistol type as my own - although my own sabre was more decorated.258Please respect copyright.PENANA1pU9Q8Wqb1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAHdly7Lk07h
258Please respect copyright.PENANAhp8Y4tqfaI
Flare launchers were typically only used by the artillerymen, I observed one firing one into a group of enemy soldiers, the Mortar next to him fired three times in succession, I watched bombshells impact and continued on my way.258Please respect copyright.PENANAYOgLib0Lg7
258Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5ccODKiAL
258Please respect copyright.PENANAe6dViF8Xj2
I could hear the gravelly growl that was Lord Sergeant-Major Aurora's voice nearby, the man was wielding a viscous two-handed war scythe, I had forgotten that Aurora came from the subregion of Valerium - the High-Exarch of Valerium has a war scythe as his symbol of office, it represents the agricultural aspects of Valerium.258Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3p57ZAhiA
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYjtJPqU5Es
258Please respect copyright.PENANAbapcGhUGKk
The other High-Exarchs also had symbols of office. I knew that the High-Exarch of Worcestershire had a rapier - to represent the gracefulness of penmanship. When I was a mere Ego Lieutenant my men had engaged in banter about each others subregions, I had learned that the Exarchs of Xyrolith, and Chalcrystis have a staff of crystal and a spear - possibly to represent craftsmanship? 258Please respect copyright.PENANAcsnqLpgxvO
258Please respect copyright.PENANAtcFMu4nmwD
258Please respect copyright.PENANANtF0YWC6VP
The High-Exarch of Luxequinox interestingly lacks a ceremonial weapon. No one seems to know why. 258Please respect copyright.PENANAU4B3kVvROI
258Please respect copyright.PENANAGj9tTmgkqD
258Please respect copyright.PENANA9iAHJhI3f0
I approached Grand-General Pride just after noon. Everyone was tired by this point.258Please respect copyright.PENANAFbeCM3N0B0
258Please respect copyright.PENANAEV7dGvbeF1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAuKRCotE1yC
"Grand-General," I began, my voice heavy with concern. "The casualties continue to mount, and our defences are being sorely tested by the ferocity of the enemy's assault. We've lost many good men today, and the fighting shows no signs of abating."258Please respect copyright.PENANAkYVgT6PzxW
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwEASeFhINi
258Please respect copyright.PENANA9GxSDzCYaG
Pride's expression hardened at my words, his steely gaze betraying the gravity of the situation. "Indeed, Lieutenant General," he replied, his voice tinged with grim resolve. "The enemy shows no mercy, and their relentless onslaught threatens to overwhelm us at every turn. 80,000 dead is the most conservative estimate I have been given."258Please respect copyright.PENANA3wUyqWRgVs
258Please respect copyright.PENANAPMAszOQ4hJ
258Please respect copyright.PENANA22ZNLkCeg2
As we spoke, reports of incidents and skirmishes continued to filter in, each one a testament to the chaos and confusion that reigned on the battlefield. 258Please respect copyright.PENANAT6JfNX10XD
258Please respect copyright.PENANAo35Sv5qFAh
258Please respect copyright.PENANAuG717GjJ5D
Pride listened intently, his brow furrowed in deep thought as he considered the implications of each report. "We must remain vigilant," he said, his voice low and measured. "The enemy's tactics are cunning, but they art not aware of the airships coming to save us."258Please respect copyright.PENANAw7ba2Q52eD
258Please respect copyright.PENANA4CwWjsc8aE
258Please respect copyright.PENANADxU6LsWotP
"Valour told me about that, sir." I said through gritted teeth. Grand-General Pride was well connected and had got his rank from nepotism - something that was endemic in Narciss - and I hated him for it.258Please respect copyright.PENANA1qf6e5FBQN
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8ZdQRaYKqj
258Please respect copyright.PENANAyltJzj7Qs2
"7 Battlecruisers, 5 Heavy Frigates, 8 Frigates, and 6 Destroyers! Aeroadmiral Empyr is a good friend or mine, no wonder he has sent so many airships!"258Please respect copyright.PENANAtjd3zaOpej
258Please respect copyright.PENANAHPvF3fbhY9
258Please respect copyright.PENANAj6odJU4qMK
"Yes sir."258Please respect copyright.PENANA7fdhyxNGER
258Please respect copyright.PENANAY28WWInBHe
258Please respect copyright.PENANAEVzvrNPzcT
"We just need to last a few more days."258Please respect copyright.PENANAB69N9THojf
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKdDIZFkogy
258Please respect copyright.PENANAk0c8aJFhru
"And so we shalt, Grand-General."258Please respect copyright.PENANAF2ZGrJjEFB
258Please respect copyright.PENANA5Mb1ZL9EXZ
258Please respect copyright.PENANA1rJFYq9Nbd
I got away from Pride as quickly as possible, I spent the rest of the day in my quarters contemplating tactics.258Please respect copyright.PENANAnMDu8oVP45
258Please respect copyright.PENANAEq3igneq5e
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwdOa34pu0S
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYiz3QGve9p
Day III:258Please respect copyright.PENANASJJ5EryclT
258Please respect copyright.PENANA0rnAD4elDu
258Please respect copyright.PENANAU63Dt0YVQ2
258Please respect copyright.PENANArgPUUxORbp
We were awoken by bugle calls at dawn. That could never have been a good sign.258Please respect copyright.PENANAZGd5mOEA4e
258Please respect copyright.PENANAIRusDTZNnS
258Please respect copyright.PENANAXjwksi8PJ3
And indeed, it was not. I needed to know what was going on. I stopped the first person that I recognised - Lieutenant Dawnstar. "What is going on?" I asked the terrified man. A massive force is attacking us!" the Lieutenant snapped at me, running to his Platoon. 258Please respect copyright.PENANAYHnCPsgsD1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAoRztAMExFG
258Please respect copyright.PENANA4xeyapM2ac
I ran up the steps of the fortified wall surrounding the city, what I saw down below shocked me. There were at least ten much larger armoured units barrelling towards the gates. There were at least 400,000 soldiers, the bulk of them moving to launch an attack on the gate.258Please respect copyright.PENANAKxT0AR5wlZ
258Please respect copyright.PENANADCmrgbdzX7
258Please respect copyright.PENANAL9fjlgUa5u
I spirited to find my superiors. I only found Grand-General Steelraine. "Where Is Gr-" I began, but the Artillery Grand-General cut me off. "Pride, being the fool that he is, took 500,000 men and went out to lead the attack personally. Grand-General Valour went with him and took all my mortars to protect the bugger." Steelraine looked so very much like a witty artists impression of what an anthropomorphic ammo store about to detonate looks like, I knew the feeling well.258Please respect copyright.PENANAxUTySG7mtI
258Please respect copyright.PENANA5IGG8BYDPw
258Please respect copyright.PENANAglq3VANbAM
"How many Coalition men are not involved in this attack?" I asked.258Please respect copyright.PENANA8eZ7snAKaH
258Please respect copyright.PENANAT1d4Y3roDk
258Please respect copyright.PENANAabblsImvJ4
"At least another 400,000. That's only if the bloody Dominion doesn't arrive to make this mess even worse."258Please respect copyright.PENANA4meIielpaF
258Please respect copyright.PENANALXsHNASibp
258Please respect copyright.PENANAnOQBbpvWRp
"We can probably help with what men are left and the Howizers, Sir."258Please respect copyright.PENANASLJEY4Z0HZ
258Please respect copyright.PENANADJddov1H8N
258Please respect copyright.PENANAMuOspTNkCZ
"Drop the Sir, Worce. I haven't the patience for it at this moment. We don't need to move the Howizers, ordered them into new positions already."258Please respect copyright.PENANAZZ1ZMDifQX
258Please respect copyright.PENANA95nNAaBDr1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgMDTBbvDSR
258Please respect copyright.PENANA7a66zYlfpT
"I see."258Please respect copyright.PENANAK8zPBGVxSE
258Please respect copyright.PENANANus2OaprSK
258Please respect copyright.PENANAcAGa2JEYh6
258Please respect copyright.PENANA1KafqSUaOX
"Move!"258Please respect copyright.PENANASvVNJAD4he
258Please respect copyright.PENANAx4nWuaPOh2
258Please respect copyright.PENANALbQ47hHgRM
258Please respect copyright.PENANAcya0EvQAor
I did. We moved down to a long row of Howizers, the barrels aimed, the operators read. In short, they were ready.258Please respect copyright.PENANArHT9BYFiXp
258Please respect copyright.PENANAj6KPRajtmy
258Please respect copyright.PENANAmojDOIcEDJ
"What are our orders, Grand-General Stee-" Began one of the soldiers.258Please respect copyright.PENANAqOVl6HHw5H
258Please respect copyright.PENANAFfdJXclrrK
258Please respect copyright.PENANALJHZUdkCvb
"Fire!" The man thundered at the sleepy soldier, I noticed he had the insignia of a sergeant.258Please respect copyright.PENANAvKWiUNNMmt
258Please respect copyright.PENANAaxuVXeJPDI
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKyd7BnNHh0
If the Artillery fire had been nearly deafening before, then the sound of 25,000 Howizers in a large line firing in unison must have been eardrum shattering.258Please respect copyright.PENANApbyxX0Nsyf
258Please respect copyright.PENANAJGrUnumYJN
258Please respect copyright.PENANABEiNN6rrcJ
As the battle raged on, the deafening roar of Howizers echoed across the battlefield, their thunderous blasts reverberating through the air like the tolling of a funeral bell. From their positions along the city walls, the massive artillery pieces belched forth fire and smoke, sending deadly payloads hurtling towards the enemy ranks with worrying accuracy.258Please respect copyright.PENANAMoqoIjpsgK
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzmSBLgG6ai
258Please respect copyright.PENANAFnPqFfBj5A
With each thunderous report, the ground shook beneath the feet of both friend and foe alike, the concussive force of the explosions sending shockwaves rippling through the earth. The air was thick with the acrid scent of gunpowder, mingling with the coppery tang of blood and the bitter stench of smoke.258Please respect copyright.PENANA450twUUDGL
258Please respect copyright.PENANAc9BFgiA4Xb
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwUFgMtJx2F
Amidst the chaos and confusion of battle, the Howizers served as a constant reminder of the devastating power of war. Each shell that arced through the sky brought with it death and destruction, tearing through flesh and bone with merciless efficiency.258Please respect copyright.PENANA5eIaYazMRu
258Please respect copyright.PENANA6UnRYs2u4U
258Please respect copyright.PENANA6n6Ra3zj5i
But for the defenders of Worcester, the Howizers were a lifeline, a last line of defence against the relentless tide of enemy forces. With each well-aimed shot, they sought to stem the tide of the enemy advance, buying precious moments of respite for their beleaguered comrades.258Please respect copyright.PENANAXMp2wNWF0K
258Please respect copyright.PENANAD3LqLAuyMu
258Please respect copyright.PENANAK0JJMpWN9s
And so the Howizers thundered on, their fiery salvoes lighting up our walls as they unleashed hell upon the enemy below. I took unflinching at the side of Grand-General Steelraine watching the battle from the walls.258Please respect copyright.PENANAnES9ka3xEy
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzpDqedXyFC
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8smEWO7nXp
As long as the Howizers continued to fire, there was hope. And amidst the chaos and carnage of war, hope was the one thing that could a leader could never afford to lose. Hope meant morale and men do not fight without morale.258Please respect copyright.PENANAwUVzNAmYkc
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8aCDFbIfpE
258Please respect copyright.PENANAcYGWSAo88h
The enemy began to retreat, the Grand Narcissian Army forces did not pursue. They began to pour into Worcester. The distant thunder of retreating footsteps echoed ominously.258Please respect copyright.PENANAdvGdCO8Gku
258Please respect copyright.PENANAxESWCnOXON
258Please respect copyright.PENANAxw9jVoOOw0
When it was only really the rear guard left, a force broke off of the retreating main body and moved back towards us with frightening speed. They were on the rear guard within moments.258Please respect copyright.PENANA07QtuzImOT
258Please respect copyright.PENANAVX1t89HkB2
258Please respect copyright.PENANAOyCaBAINOi
I moved down to the gate to be greeted with the sight of Lord Sergeant-Major Aurora dragging the body of Grand-General Pride. His white uniform was dyed red with blood258Please respect copyright.PENANANxJoql22Lx
258Please respect copyright.PENANA3IkqlThVNo
258Please respect copyright.PENANAj4bvrvGPaf
My heart hammered against my ribs as I watched the harrowing scene unfold before me. The air crackled with the metallic tang of blood and the acrid scent of smoke, mingled with the haunting cries of the fallen. Every fibre of my being screamed for action, yet I remained rooted in place, powerless to alter the course of fate.258Please respect copyright.PENANA9lvrpxJzzP
258Please respect copyright.PENANAjM2VLww8Jc
258Please respect copyright.PENANAawsMORoL9G
Aurora's voice pierced through the din of battle, a clarion call in the midst of chaos. "Close the gates, Worce!" he bellowed, his words a command laced with desperation. With a heavy heart, I obeyed, the grinding of stone against stone a grim harbinger of our impending doom.258Please respect copyright.PENANAlBvcLZmuF8
258Please respect copyright.PENANAZYuO0MD2pE
258Please respect copyright.PENANAnJhdlAQQU2
A small force outside had refused to move inside. I realised that they must have been the Lord Sergeant-Major's.258Please respect copyright.PENANApXmRrSGCxx
258Please respect copyright.PENANA07RbJWNAGf
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQcGrujnq6B
As the gates sealed shut, I turned my gaze back to the fray, witnessing Aurora's final stand against the relentless tide of the enemy. His war scythe danced with deadly grace, cleaving through flesh and bone with merciless precision. Yet even the mightiest of warriors can only defy fate for so long, and soon Aurora found himself overwhelmed by the sheer weight of numbers arrayed against him.258Please respect copyright.PENANApwNPmxNfRu
258Please respect copyright.PENANA9qXyhZw9q9
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYdCJwFPYWG
In his final moments, amidst the chaos and carnage, Aurora's eyes met mine, a silent exchange of understanding passing between us. With a determined resolve, he pulled the pin from a grenade, a smirk appeared on the veteran soldiers face as he embraced his destiny. 258Please respect copyright.PENANA6ydDBIJtRa
258Please respect copyright.PENANAaCEFDbIyhy
258Please respect copyright.PENANADApWflLGWs
And then the grenade detonated. Lord Sergeant-Major Erik Aurora and all the enemy soldiers around him were obliterated by the bundle of grenades doing off all at once. One of the longest serving non-commissioned officers of the Grand Narcissian Army was gone in an instant.258Please respect copyright.PENANAlFcdjCDfsC
258Please respect copyright.PENANACYEPsDBAj3
258Please respect copyright.PENANAVhrbfMkvPp
Grand-General Pride's attack had cost his own life in addition to 90,000 other men's. The death toll on the Narcissian side now numbered an estimated 179,000 men that had been wounded or killed in the Defence of Worcester. The Grand Narcissian Army could call on an additional 500,000 part-time reservists and men that had military training to bolster its ranks. The Narcissian population was estimated at 16 million - the Empyrean regions were huge, hence why most are split into subregions, official or not. 258Please respect copyright.PENANAqu45CHTNCQ
258Please respect copyright.PENANADfODIRRwPZ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAuX77iIbIyO
The names of the fallen that i recognised included Grand Warlord Nimbus of the 26th Artillery Corps. War Brigadiers Caesar, Orion, Icarus of the 2nd Corps, 4th Corps, and 39th Rifle Brigade. Captain-Commanders Jarl and Oak of the 340th and 341st companies, and Ego Lieutenant Dawnstar.258Please respect copyright.PENANAJsJUgRNXqx
258Please respect copyright.PENANAeT99oqOXOM
258Please respect copyright.PENANA2fvwr8dIYk
Grand-General Valour informed me that Grand-General Maxim of the 3rd Assault Army Group had committed suicide. Maxim was renowned for being strange, frequently being reported conversing with people that aren't there, abruptly breaking out into laughter, and generally being a bit weird. The consensus among Ego Lieutenants and non-commissioned officers was that Maxim hear voices in his mind constantly, anyone above that was told that it was true and that he had a condition that wasn't serious. I was told that that he did indeed have a condition - Schizophrenia - and that it was serious, evidently the voices has driven him to kill himself, a shame, but I had never met the man.258Please respect copyright.PENANAbOML1hFLUp
258Please respect copyright.PENANAK65LSSwtNx
258Please respect copyright.PENANAl2oJZnyEXk
Valourgavee me a letter from Marshal of the Grand Army Scipio - something that could only mean one thing, I was being promoted.258Please respect copyright.PENANAHKGQkpj9nG
258Please respect copyright.PENANApTY3e3dBUz
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQUvWENbQXa
It read258Please respect copyright.PENANAhB8Yx8P6ov
258Please respect copyright.PENANAvODyWvJt1L
258Please respect copyright.PENANAWNPEF53Yoh
258Please respect copyright.PENANA81hj5LpJ1s
Dear Lieutenant General Charles A. Worce,258Please respect copyright.PENANAc7SmYjpvba
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwo0h4DFfOL
258Please respect copyright.PENANAfsifvkNvdZ
The fate of Grand-General Pride has come to my attention. Thou may be aware that Grand-General Maxim committed suicide because of his Schizophrenia. This means that 1 million men do not have an overarching superior. This is unacceptable. Thou shalt be made a Grand-General and given command of the 1st Infantry and 3rd Assault Army Groups owing to the emergency situation, thou shalt stay in command for the remainder of the war.258Please respect copyright.PENANALc9fRPhmVQ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgoqspwOu2q
258Please respect copyright.PENANA7UCnW6XVsL
If this letter had reached thou, I am already in Worcester. I await thy presence at the administration building in the office of High-Exarch Regimè of Worcestershire.258Please respect copyright.PENANATFPregAQpJ
258Please respect copyright.PENANA6RH4MJRMCr
258Please respect copyright.PENANAl5rOdM2Muj
258Please respect copyright.PENANANmw38FeDrs
Ad Astra Per Aspera!258Please respect copyright.PENANADwmoC2CJVI
258Please respect copyright.PENANAzulI8j5ucx
258Please respect copyright.PENANARIskpydOTw
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwSrDjzSWic
Resiak Zu Scipio, Marshal of His Eminence's Grand Narcissian Army258Please respect copyright.PENANAj2sAYIQqZl
258Please respect copyright.PENANAmtQf4Pm039
258Please respect copyright.PENANAH6kJ8AjuqQ
"What doth it say, Worce?" Valour asked me.258Please respect copyright.PENANA59MKUgOiP2
258Please respect copyright.PENANAhzJjABBlPd
258Please respect copyright.PENANAgJnqTPG4XA
"I am to be made Grand-General of the 1st Infantry and 3rd Assault Army Groups."258Please respect copyright.PENANAC0koXndfH7
258Please respect copyright.PENANAnT2V6IIT2Z
258Please respect copyright.PENANAdo54qTftsi
"Thou needs to go to the Administration Complex, I presume?"258Please respect copyright.PENANAoj895ul8Wj
258Please respect copyright.PENANA6TiWyIjXMK
258Please respect copyright.PENANAFSoijwRg7N
"Indeed."258Please respect copyright.PENANA2KNAY7TGCS
258Please respect copyright.PENANAnBjYWxWTpl
258Please respect copyright.PENANAOK7zoQvBKm
Valour took me there. I entered the office of High-Exarch Regimè of Worcestershire.258Please respect copyright.PENANAC5vQackGpX
258Please respect copyright.PENANAww26unDmGq
258Please respect copyright.PENANAx7LpPpZYJG
Marshal Scipio stood behind the large mahogany desk. This was one of the few rooms that was not adorned with maps and tactical diagrams, a reminder of the ongoing war effort.258Please respect copyright.PENANA4W9VhsShvy
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKJekTnbroy
258Please respect copyright.PENANAoOVI4kclCL
I saluted him. "At ease, Grand-General," Scipio said with a nod of approval. "I've heard impressive things about thou."258Please respect copyright.PENANAGGLgwAxYC0
258Please respect copyright.PENANAJxAo7ZXMBm
258Please respect copyright.PENANAnimYXjAtVa
"Thank thou, Marshal," I asked without revealing sense of pride swelling within, "I amhonouredd by thy confidence."258Please respect copyright.PENANAfFuHlO41bj
258Please respect copyright.PENANAnlnkMZhnSh
258Please respect copyright.PENANAx7Q9ovom8f
258Please respect copyright.PENANAechAR87Qf6
Scipio continued, "Congratulations on thy promotion to Grand-General." He handed me a uniform befitting my new rank, along with the baton and sabre signifying my high position. "Wear it with pride, Worce. After all, thou art in command of half the army now."258Please respect copyright.PENANAybPG2WbjJL
258Please respect copyright.PENANAco26XmFMTn
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYKfJSktGxh
I accept the baton and uniform. The former was identified to the one that I had often seen the late Grand-General Pride waving about. The uniform was white and gold - not to mention highly decorated - and it bore the insignia of a laurel wreath enveloping a pair of crossed batons surmounted by a crown. The sabre was identical to the one I had received from Grand Warlord Egoni - something that seemed ages ago - except that it was gold rather than silver.258Please respect copyright.PENANAc8dnrBY401
258Please respect copyright.PENANAHSxOGc90Kw
258Please respect copyright.PENANAJc0FRNWXji
Scipio then asked if I had any questions. I nodde. Theree were many.258Please respect copyright.PENANAHVN5rjFMvY
258Please respect copyright.PENANALe8JhbobmL
258Please respect copyright.PENANAmEUM3gvI5A
"If i am to command the Assault forces, i aught to know where they art. Art thou aware of the 3rd Assault Army Groups whereabouts?258Please respect copyright.PENANAjAP0zL13LE
258Please respect copyright.PENANAISjY5LRadU
258Please respect copyright.PENANAXDXGNCmgFf
Scipio sighed, a look of frustration crossing his features. "They art stationed at Graina Maria, but they should reach Valeshire soon."258Please respect copyright.PENANA717gKV8eeB
258Please respect copyright.PENANAkG7DINausK
258Please respect copyright.PENANApgrw90aK7B
"Valerium?" I was confused as too way the Assault forces were there and not here.258Please respect copyright.PENANA9zrJ6EinBm
258Please respect copyright.PENANA5gnX36vIF8
258Please respect copyright.PENANADofvArhPL6
"Grand-General Maxim was ordered to stay away until a proper attack could be mounted."258Please respect copyright.PENANAnYLKkrMXTR
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8pl5TTsgIG
258Please respect copyright.PENANA1NFUTijnGN
I nodded, that made sense, "And what of Grand-General Maxim's suicide? Could it have been prevented?" he asked, his tone grave.258Please respect copyright.PENANA3vIB9SalGM
258Please respect copyright.PENANAjGwLbs1Rsr
258Please respect copyright.PENANAxe7qvwajUe
Scipio's expression softened. "Maxim was battling severe schizophrenia. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't prevent the tragic outcome. It's a loss that weighs heavily on all of us."258Please respect copyright.PENANAYIi55bHYoy
258Please respect copyright.PENANA9xg8N0kqBx
258Please respect copyright.PENANAOXnIlOsuLj
I never knew Max. Thehe loss was cushioned by my newly bestowed 1 million strong command.258Please respect copyright.PENANA2PiVaO1MnC
258Please respect copyright.PENANAD8eOn7IcoR
258Please respect copyright.PENANANWKswEtrcH
"And what have thou been doing all this time, Marshal?" Worce inquired, curiosity piqued.258Please respect copyright.PENANA9LEHTo2FWw
258Please respect copyright.PENANA47GW542BYw
258Please respect copyright.PENANAwVv58kPNff
Scipio chuckled lightly. "Ah, well, you see, I have my ways," he replied cryptically, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Let's just say I've been busy orchestrating some strategimanoeuvresrs behind the scenes."258Please respect copyright.PENANATxdFbox7at
258Please respect copyright.PENANASeL03XMZUx
258Please respect copyright.PENANAPxKuG0eWS8
I raised an eyebrow at this, the Marshal had probably sat at a large mahogany desk much like the one in front of me and ordered Grand-Generals to move here and there. Thpositionon was largely ceremonial.258Please respect copyright.PENANAbWo7wdV14D
258Please respect copyright.PENANAZTvEW8p2tg
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8baHWzo2So
"What's the situation in other regions?" Worce asked, shifting the conversation to broader concerns.258Please respect copyright.PENANAEeh5SzW9ES
258Please respect copyright.PENANAU4AfBVCy6W
258Please respect copyright.PENANATCl9J9bWtr
Scipio's expression turned into a smirk, evidently pleased in that regard, "Dissent in the Estrin Dominion is being violently suppressed by Khaj Lefu, on the orders of Khagan Zultan," he explained. "As for other regions, I'm afraid I don't have much information at the moment. Our focus has been on the defence of Worcester. The developments in the East are satisfactory to me - if the Khagan is uprooted by a coup d'état or a revolt it will pull one of our most dangerous adversaries out of the war."258Please respect copyright.PENANAmZEThkQeOK
258Please respect copyright.PENANAth1S67BmLe
258Please respect copyright.PENANA7P2t1W9fVs
"What of Cerulea?"258Please respect copyright.PENANAsb2DDEBlIz
258Please respect copyright.PENANAnCMQnTma8W
258Please respect copyright.PENANAO8EzgCHifZ
"The Theocratic Confederacy of Cerulea has not done much of anything, it has the Conclave of Viziers stumped, they art probably going to attack with the rest of the Coalition in some sort of surprise attack, Valerium would make a good spot to invade to crack Worcestershire open, hence why the Assault Army Group is there.258Please respect copyright.PENANAllW68dbjTW
258Please respect copyright.PENANAexUcGcjC2i
258Please respect copyright.PENANAiEG9lPpFg0
"Art the Valkyries real?" I asked, his curiosity getting the better of me, "No one appears to have seen any.258Please respect copyright.PENANAoj21r1p6d5
258Please respect copyright.PENANALwIVUos5r1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAqyyoDH7x1F
It was the marshals turn to nod, "Yes, they art very real. The elite of the elite. There art two Corps of them, The rest of the 3rd Assault Army Group is made up of two Corps of Sappers- who can perform a variety of functions such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing field defenses, and road and airship bay construction and repair - and four Corps of Jägers, a heavier type of Infantry.258Please respect copyright.PENANAkN06qJ9fwP
258Please respect copyright.PENANAheRs6ihvOp
258Please respect copyright.PENANA1A5mwhivG1
"And what about the Grand Narcissian Fleet?" I pressed, eager for information on our aerial friends and saviours.258Please respect copyright.PENANAEyNvuO3jlv
258Please respect copyright.PENANA81FFlxkQJX
258Please respect copyright.PENANAPVfYX8fPXp
Scipio's expression hardened. "They're nearly at Worcester, and they'll break the siege tomorrow. We must be prepared for a fierce naval battle."258Please respect copyright.PENANASUOgCHFNab
258Please respect copyright.PENANAkzSJhedC45
258Please respect copyright.PENANA0OasccwGyf
"And finally, Marshal, what advantages do we have?" I asked, seeking reassurance amidst the looming conflict.258Please respect copyright.PENANAewq3XI87z1
258Please respect copyright.PENANAIQLuZSrM67
258Please respect copyright.PENANAlpqsmvuLkT
Scipio smiled confidently. "We have discipline, logistics, and the firepower," he replied. "We just need to use it properly."258Please respect copyright.PENANAO7GAZfWOkH
258Please respect copyright.PENANATOnLgdlYV9
258Please respect copyright.PENANAWoLzXWrDTm
Day IV:258Please respect copyright.PENANApSTLtZwpkB
258Please respect copyright.PENANAU5fwBFIROV
258Please respect copyright.PENANAJKwJtUy8zo
258Please respect copyright.PENANAvAaemmU5jf
Everyone got a shock at how early the Grand Narcissian Fleet arriv. Itit was 0600! 258Please respect copyright.PENANAUfj3Ketihf
258Please respect copyright.PENANAGweCFYnYLQ
258Please respect copyright.PENANAKJc914Qqyq
Better early than late however, the sky was filled airships.258Please respect copyright.PENANAuKKSu2TvlW
258Please respect copyright.PENANA35JL0UnGkt
258Please respect copyright.PENANA3xpOcecicL
His Eminence's Grand Narcissian Fleet looked spectacular, casting long shadows over the battlefield, the unmistakable roar of engines filling the sky. My heart quickened as I scanned the sky, anticipation building up to a powerful climax. Then, like avenging Valkyries descending from the heavens in myths older than Narciss, the airships appeared on the horizon.258Please respect copyright.PENANAHkoTCfuPN7
258Please respect copyright.PENANAUO8ZI4xWU8
258Please respect copyright.PENANAdRVles4k7t
Their sleek forms glinted in the light of the rising sun, each vessel a formidable presence in the sky. The GNF had arrived, and with it, a surge delight swept through the defenders of Worcester .258Please respect copyright.PENANAxt7CsHIUu2
258Please respect copyright.PENANALGpZUn3tWE
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8wGOVtkNRs
But there was little time for celebration. As the airships closed in on their targets, the sound of gunfire erupted below. The Coalition forces, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the airships, scrambled to mount defencese. But it was too late.258Please respect copyright.PENANAV6hHTFq1TF
258Please respect copyright.PENANAJHxR0vkRrp
258Please respect copyright.PENANAOjtotXduH3
The airships unleashed a barrage of firepower, raining down destruction on the enemy ranks below. Explosions lit up the wals as shells detonated on impact, sending plumes of smoke and debris into the air. The ground shook beneath my feet as the full force of the aerial assault rocked the battlefield. Say one thing about the GNF, say that they were the friend of thinfantrymanan.258Please respect copyright.PENANAm0cukPEzRu
258Please respect copyright.PENANAStPWQ3XcwY
258Please respect copyright.PENANA8m74Lp2ksw
In the chaos that followed, the Coalition forces faltered, their lines crumbling under the relentless assault. Panic spread through their ranks as soldiers scrambled to retreat, desperate to escape the wrath of the advancing airships.258Please respect copyright.PENANAmoRgdsQxuU
258Please respect copyright.PENANA0peT1e6vlp
258Please respect copyright.PENANAV9lkF8gUyS
With each passing moment, the tide of battle turned ifavouror of the defending forces. The arrival of the airships had brought renewed hope and firepower. The enemy forces were pursued until they reached the border with the Dominion, they keep running.258Please respect copyright.PENANA05m8MeVcTH
258Please respect copyright.PENANAjBXNPFyfcY
258Please respect copyright.PENANAcqIIeafKje
We had successfully defended the capital. I had risen even higher. The motto of the Earldom makes perfect sense to me now.258Please respect copyright.PENANAzQmc2SVccB
258Please respect copyright.PENANAqWutu99Xa7
258Please respect copyright.PENANArcTVrx8own
"Ad Astra Per Aspera..." I whispered to myself.258Please respect copyright.PENANAQxhEAbSEKT
258Please respect copyright.PENANA61C4IFwB9q
258Please respect copyright.PENANAakfDmeWu87
Chapter Five - Battle of the Golden Bay:258Please respect copyright.PENANAEncLarHhUn
258Please respect copyright.PENANAZeY8Hjia8u
3 YAP:258Please respect copyright.PENANAxIXrCKgpND
258Please respect copyright.PENANA3bt1Da8PIZ
The Lance Corporal appeared to be the embodiment of concentration as he pored over what he had written so far. There was the soft rustling sound of the page as he placed the notebook down on the coffee table as delicately as one might handle live ordnance. 258Please respect copyright.PENANABJsFaXm8fB
258Please respect copyright.PENANAOA9NLjG367
258Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8qIvofWtZ
“After the conclusion of the Assault on Worcester, the Valkyries, in addition to the rest of the assault forces, became involved for the remainder of the Coalition War. Everyone knows that.” 258Please respect copyright.PENANAJwsCLQ4LQu
258Please respect copyright.PENANAROVfAaa0xw
258Please respect copyright.PENANAap1NRRPoHy
Worce thought for a moment. The room itself seemed to listen intently out of respect for the famous veteran when he finally spoke. “Indeed, they did become involved. They joined up with my forces as we marched towards the Bay of Gold to defend one of the Earldom’s weakest points. If the Coalition was to reach there – and I predicted they would try correctly - they could have easily crippled our ability to fight by destroying the food supply for the entire region and effectively cutting Narciss in half.” 258Please respect copyright.PENANABqPGjCbKng
258Please respect copyright.PENANAi2CwDgGBir
258Please respect copyright.PENANADYey0ZC0m5
“Art the Jewelled Peaks not near the Bay of Gold? There is an airbase there. Why defend there instead of starting an invasion of our own?” Harvester had the look of puzzlement that could only belong to the rank and file plastered all over his features. Worce sighed at this and drank some tea – ironically, the expensive kind from villages in Valerium such as Esto – before responding. 258Please respect copyright.PENANACyAPMwLpi7
258Please respect copyright.PENANASeyvqyQBRM
258Please respect copyright.PENANA12FDmUDrPg
“Thee art like the rest of thy generation: quite impatient. The Aquilorian Fleet would have sent us scurrying away if we attacked the border with the Dominion without the support of the GNF. The airbase was relatively new and housed Grand Wing A back then , as it does today. But the airships would not be able to prevent a combined ground-air invasion alone.”258Please respect copyright.PENANA6wr4Ubftsi
258Please respect copyright.PENANARKfQT8sxLP
Harvester slumped into his chair at that, evidently not having thought about it. “So the forces went to the Bay of Gold...then what? All I know is that they were divided at some point.” 258Please respect copyright.PENANAmdCMt6W1Fs
258Please respect copyright.PENANArLEKkZGdUq
258Please respect copyright.PENANAHgWPdPDGSv
“Indeed they were. I realised that the Ceruleans would be unexpected as they had done nothing up to this point. I anticipated that the Coalition would attack here soon, as they thought it undefended according to reports from spies. The Dragoons would be a dangerous force to fight on the beaches directly, especially if a fleet was bombarding us from above. I adopted unorthodox tactics to deal with this possibility: I informed the officers the 1st Infantry and 3rd Assault Army Groups would be separated into the Sixteen Corps that made it up and divided between nearby Settlements, where they would encircle and destroy the enemy should there be an attack." 258Please respect copyright.PENANA54SP1P3a49
258Please respect copyright.PENANAF5H72ixTd0
258Please respect copyright.PENANALMe906l2to
Harvester seemed to understand the utility of this, but seemed to be struggling internally to work out where everything would be sent, “Where were they all sent?” 258Please respect copyright.PENANAVZyqpO1t8M
258Please respect copyright.PENANA7kXJQ7IGfL
258Please respect copyright.PENANABXbct5WfE5
Worce was evidently still both Grand-General and High-Exarch of Worcestershire in his heart as evidenced by the fact that his response was to pull pen and paper from seemingly nowhere before beginning to create a rough copy of the Order of Battle. He jabbed the pen at the paper as he explained what was sent to the villages with careful precision. 258Please respect copyright.PENANAAMCP5ocTIL
258Please respect copyright.PENANAGWcIkNSxut
258Please respect copyright.PENANAY56hzpQb1u
“Corru Née got the 1st and 2nd Infantry, the 17th and 18th Assault Corps, and the 58th Valkyrie Division. The 3rd and 4th Infantry, in addition to the 19th paired with the 21st Assault Corps joined by the 59th Valkyrie Division, were sent to Nordoste. Meanwhile, Glänzeno was garrisoned by the 5th and 6th Infantry plus the 22nd Assault Corps and the 60th Valkyrie Division. Lastly, the 7th and 8th Infantry combined with the entire 23rd Valkyrie Corps (Made up of the 70th, 71st, and 72nd Valkyrie Divisions) went with me to Esto, where I took direct command.” 258Please respect copyright.PENANAc7fZrl0wqg
258Please respect copyright.PENANASYuO6hujdN
258Please respect copyright.PENANAfdfcsrvuXr
Harvester noticed but tried to ignore just how much the pen shook in the elderly man’s grasp. 258Please respect copyright.PENANAX2YruAhfyW
258Please respect copyright.PENANA7wp4nWOB4I
258Please respect copyright.PENANAsIwthGzmJw
“What of the GNA Craft?” 258Please respect copyright.PENANAU1kUBLv8co
258Please respect copyright.PENANA5Z7TM95mHb
258Please respect copyright.PENANAMuKmKbYbGt
“As we were brought to the area by airship, the naval officers were still around. I managed to get a hold of High-Commander Azure of the Battlecruiser, GNA Caeli, to warn the Jewelled Peaks Base to keep their airships aloft on the other side of the mountain in case of an attack. I also asked that they keep a small craft like an Escort Destroyer nearby so that we could signal for support.” 258Please respect copyright.PENANAZDZgK7jIfE
258Please respect copyright.PENANAFsvuSvjUB7
258Please respect copyright.PENANApOnku4tn6D
“What did he say?” 258Please respect copyright.PENANAbarQWj9uGK
258Please respect copyright.PENANA9xkGMKlAOL
258Please respect copyright.PENANADsest7Yq6h
“Nothing. He saluted me and went off with the last airships soon after. One of my Spotters sighted the Escort Destroyer not long after...” 258Please respect copyright.PENANA8fB3zNITxB
258Please respect copyright.PENANAo4YLURRUG0
258Please respect copyright.PENANA2bv4txZPL8
Lance Corporal Harvester seemed to take this in. “I’ve never seen a Valkyrie. What were they like?” he asked curiously.258Please respect copyright.PENANAAS2Uq9eWen
258Please respect copyright.PENANAa7Cvl9xdsq
“They wear midnight black uniforms. The officers got gold highlights. They unnerved the Jägers and Support Jägers of the assault forces and flat-out terrified the regular infantry. The officers weren’t much better. The way they were structured was the same. All one hundred and twenty thousand of them seemed to be like the late Lord Sergeant-Major Aurora. They moved with such precision and ruthlessness that it was as if they were a single entity, a shadow that swept across the battlefield, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.” 258Please respect copyright.PENANAVP110u595H
258Please respect copyright.PENANAv6O5kbP2Ny
258Please respect copyright.PENANAYdIM8UUGVH
Harvester nodded slowly, absorbing Worce’s words. The room fell silent again.258Please respect copyright.PENANAYNF8QlXaW6
258Please respect copyright.PENANAylv3sKQMEe
“So...what happened at the Bay of Gold, sir?” asked the Lance Corporal, who was picking up his pen. 258Please respect copyright.PENANAsKnzsDf0OI
258Please respect copyright.PENANAl8HbYHeswW
258Please respect copyright.PENANApEFAUqVZFE
“Well” began Worce.