Sovereign

“Royal Guard troopers finally engaged CFN forces as attacks against Kusari began. The Orlish Air Force has conducted round-the-clock CAS operations throughout the frontlines, keeping CFN tank columns in check. The II ERG Corps lost approximately eighteen MBTs during operations on the Kusari border. However, these brave women have managed to inflict a reported forty-one vehicular kills against the CFN, with more than half being T-18 MBTs employed by the Confederation. So far, shelling has been intensifying in the region, as CFN forces regroup for their next expected assault. Regardless, it is expected that the II ERG Corps will fight in a manner that would ensure victory for MN forces.”

- Arcane Updates

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West Orland

November Palace

May 30, 2025

Before the month was over, Amelie and the Heiss War Cabinet were now once again being briefed by William and General Albrecht about the situation on the ground. Quite frankly, as each day passed, the Mandate of Nations suffered ever-increasing losses of land, manpower, and equipment to the enemy. And the Orlish government would have to react to that, as best as they could.

“Today’s main focus will be the three biggest problems we face,” William started, as a slide that depicted a destroyed Gallian tank was shown. “Those three are of course, as expected, the Gallian, Kusari, and Hebeian fronts. These fronts, for the past month of hostilities, have been the hardest hit. The fighting has been characterized so far with rapidly moving frontlines against our favor, heavy equipment losses for both sides and a bloody price to pay for our unprepared allies.”

William went to the side as the next slide was shown on the screen, with General Albrecht taking control of the presentation.

“Now, before we get into that, we’ll discuss the absolute disaster that had been a pain to all of us. The Central Vaeyoxan Campaign,” the slides moved, showing the destroyed capitals of the three Kingdoms. “So far, the subjugation and capitulation of these nations from the hands of CFN forces have…seriously damaged not just our reputation on the world stage, the confidence in the MN collective security pact, but also, our defense initiatives in the region.

“Here, we see that within a span of two and a half weeks, these nations folded even with heavy resistance to the CFN. The invasion force against the three Kingdoms had been primarily composed of Larissan and Pozneki units, supported by a few Lombardian mobile corps. Approximately four hundred thousand troops from the CFN crossed the Azlistani border on day one of the invasion, and they faced resistance from eight hundred thousand MN forces in the region…”

“Question,” Allison raised her hand. “I just wanted to ask, how the hell did we lose so badly then? If we outnumbered them two to one, then how come three nations lost that quickly? I ask this because wasn’t our goal to keep them from taking over quickly to buy time?”

“It’s kinda lamentable,” Pristina said with a frown. “These old Kingdoms were just used to buy time for our strategy. That’s nearly a hundred million souls in that region lost as well. All in one fell swoop…”

“Most likely because of their flat lands,” Walter boredly took a sip of his water bottle. “Those tanks do well in such regions. Especially when those poor countries don’t have much in the way.”

“Yes, indeed,” General Albrecht said, moving the presentation. The screen now showed a destroyed Azlistani tank. For Amelie, the tank certainly looked to be an older Order Pact tank design. Possibly half a century old. “See, these Kingdoms generally fielded older Larissan equipment, except for Perlistan. Still, the Perlistani Kingdom only had not even a hundred fifty Orlish M44 tanks in service. For perspective, approximately two thousand CFN heavy armor invaded them. They only had around five hundred at most to resist.”

“And that means these Kingdoms mostly fielded infantry,” William added. “See, while infantry is good to fill up the frontlines, they’re not inside a protected moving platform. For the most part, half of their forces were also hastily recruited conscripts that were still trying to dig their defense lines by the time of war declaration.”

William moved the presentation, showing how the CFN advanced on the three Kingdoms. Blue represented the MN’s territory—and red represented the CFN’s territory. Amelie watched as the square icons that represented military units of the MN moved slowly into the fight, all while the diamond-numbered icons of the CFN military moved in rapidly on major roads, cutting through MN units and creating deep gaps in the line that rapidly developed into salients then encirclements.

“The CFN, with their temporary air supremacy, utilized the first five days as best as they could by advancing deeply in MN territory,” William said. “Our forces, lacking proper anti-tank equipment, or proper maneuver units, failed to stop these spearhead units. One by one, the infantry divisions of these Kingdoms were encircled in their defense lines. All the while, CFN forces bypassed major cities and bombarded encircled capitals. The result was clear. Rapid surrender and capitulation.”

“Would this also happen to Kusari?” Allison worriedly asked. “Or to Hebei? Or to Gallia?”

“We hope it doesn’t,” General Albrecht said. “But it might. As of now, the frontlines can swing anyway. We have advantages in some areas and they have theirs. We can’t be sure which side will come out on top. The best we are trying is to check their advances and destroy tactical and strategic targets with long-range air-based fires. But the enemy is also using long-range ground-based fires with their superior artillery and ground-based surface-to-surface missile assets.”

“That and they’re most likely negating our air advantage slowly with their air defense,” Alfred shook his head. The Minister of Energy didn’t seem quite a bit amused by these developments. “It’s like the last war over again really. They start out quickly with their armor. We check them with the Air Force. Then, when the fancy missiles run dry, and the planes are spent, we opt into ground-based options like them while digging in fast.”

Amelie felt disturbed by that.

“Was that really how it went?” She asked. “I mean, I get the notion that running out of our more advanced weapons in our arsenal will surely freeze this conflict within months, but…I still find it hard to accept. Thinking that we’d have to fight this conflict for years is a painful thought.”

“Well, we’d have to do that eventually,” Alfred said. “Minister Wittfield here already said so. We can’t get the industry back up at full speed within the span of months. We’d eventually have to lower the intensity of the conflict and dig in once the missiles ran dry. Naturally, once the missiles are temporarily out, the ground forces will have to focus on other alternatives to provide heavy fire support. That means more artillery.”

“Yeah, we know that,” General Albrecht replied. “We know that once all the fancy ones are expended, we’d have to settle for the trench plus artillery fight. But we’re not there yet. And the last war meant that we still have considerable supply to expend—”

“Supply we expended during the first year of fighting the Federalists,” Jan interjected. “We really need a proper plan on where to focus here. We can’t focus on all fronts receiving significant Orlish support. We need to win somewhere. Decisively. Or we lose. Sacrifices have to be made.”

“Jan, what are you suggesting?” Adelaide asked. “We talked about it already. It’s not a good idea.”

“I’m suggesting the Kusaris and Hebeians would have to rely on the Asanaians for now,” Jan declared. “Gallia is where the fight is. Gallia is where we have a chance to pull off a decisive win before all the stockpiles are burned. How? We take Poznek. Then we solidify the frontlines with a decisive MN victory.”

“That borders on wishful thinking,” Walter laughed. “But he’s got a point. Amelie, Jacqueline, think about it. You two have to make a decision about this really. Where will Orland focus? Shall we do everything to win in West Vaeyox, or shall we do it in East Vaeyox? Or will we keep our current policy and end up losing territory on all fronts.”

Amelie shook her head.

“If we give up supporting the East, our allies would lose a considerable amount of land,” Amelie said. “Even if Kusari and Hebei don’t collapse, they might trust us less if we divert all focus to the West Vaeyoxan campaign. That’s not…ideal.”

“It’d be cruel,” Jacqueline answered. “The OHC must do its best to protect our interests everywhere. There are billions of women in South Hebei and Kusari. I cannot in good conscience agree to lose any more major population centers in West Vaeyox to the iron grip of the CFN.”

“But that might cost us the war,” Jan countered. “I’m just saying this because this is reality. We have to get a decisive strategic victory or we’ll be in a worse position. Besides, our hold in Gallia is one of our last actual territories in West Vaeyox. We lose Gallia, and we’d only have Constania and Latia left in the southwestern region. And I doubt they’d hold out long once the CFN bears down their forces on them. Then there’s the fact that if we lose Gallia…we can’t return unless we do a naval landing.”

“Strategically, I see the merits in his words,” Pristina said. “General Albrecht, what can you say? What’s the opinion in the OHC right now about this?”

“The OHC is not entertaining ideas about abandoning our allies in the East yet,” General Albrecht replied. “Our plans have remained the same. Bleed them out at all fronts, then, once the east is stabilized and they bleed out enough in the west, we’d do a massive counterattack in Gallia to destroy CFN forces.”

“How possible is that at the moment?” Amelie asked. “Many things have changed since you proposed that plan after all. We need a more realistic picture right now about that plan to decide whether or not we should shift more forces to support it.”

“I don’t feel comfortable about all this,” Adelaide said. “We promised Hebei and Kusari our complete support.”

“Oh come on,” Jan frowned. “We will support them. Just not now. They have millions of meat to throw at the problem. Let them hold and lose a bit. Once we win in Gallia, we’ll bring the hammer to the east and take back their lands. It might not look the best, but Adelaide, you gotta spin it as a strategic move for their benefit. Because it is. Once we lose Gallia, we’re more fucked. Which means they’re more fucked. If we win in Gallia but they lose a bit of land as a trade, well, so what? We took Poznek. We can just move to help them next.”

“Nations think about their self-interest,” Adelaide shook her head. “This would never look like something that would be in their interest.”

“General, tell us then,” Amelie turned back to General Albrecht. “What should we do, realistically? Because I agree with Minister Sobieski about all of this. That we cannot lose Gallia. But I won’t permit any shifting of deployments unless you tell me that it is absolutely necessary.”

General Albrecht sighed.

“The OHC will send an analysis to both of your offices by tomorrow,” General Albrecht said to Amelie and Jacqueline. “Then you two can decide. For now, let’s continue with the reports.”

Amelie nodded, as the General went on and on about their current strategic picture. She really hoped whatever decision she would make soon would improve it all.