“…No,” he answered after a second. “I can’t imagine being anybody but myself, in a way…what about you?”

It took you a moment too. “I thought about that, sometimes,” you admitted, “When I was little. After my mom died. I was so puny. Weak.” You were still short. Strong as you could train yourself to be…but that wasn’t strong enough, plenty of times. “I wanted to be somebody stronger, somebody who didn’t have the life I had then…but I wanted t’ keep my sister. Even now…” You rested the elbow of your good arm on Richter’s back, had your hand on his head, scratching him like he was a cat. “So, would y’want me to be somebody else?”

“…I don’t understand what you mean by that.”

“No, then?”

“I don’t think so, no…”

“Mm. A’ight.” Maybe there was more to things than that, but you didn’t press. “Y’wanna go to bed?”

“Err,” Richter turned his head, “That wouldn’t look appropriate.”

“There’s no one here but us. Nobody to get it wrong, we know how this is. If y’wanna sleep on the floor I won’t stop you, but get offa me if you’re gonna do that.”

“More that…I do not want to sleep in a bed with any but my Maddalyn…”

“…Alright, if that’s what y’want.” You hadn’t been letting him lie on you for yourself, anyways. “Won’t judge, but I still think y’could do better.” A pause. “Would you want her t’be somebody else? Still her, but different, you know?”

No answer. In that small time, he’d drifted off. You sighed, and pushed him gently off. Not like you could move him with one arm, anyways. Where both of you were going, you’d have to let him off of you soon anyways...

-----

Almizea- February 26, 1933

The world was moving on without you- Almizea was at war now, but despite being a fighting man, you no longer had any place here, if you ever did in the first place. It had grown beyond you, and with that recognized by all including your handlers, it was time to pull away, and return to the Archduchy. At least, that was the plan for yourself.

You are third-born, last in life, the pitiable nothing called Theobaldt Von Walen. Your suffering was admittedly not that of the pauper, or the ailed or bewitched, but it was a torment all the same, one you could not blame others for. Even if you tried, you had to delude yourself to conclude that it was not mere jealousy that others had what you did not. It was only cold comfort to come to a conclusion on the source of your misery.

Much had been done. Once, while you’d been here, you’d been annoyed with how little it felt like you had accomplished, yet now after you most certainly had shaken things up, you still felt…unfulfilled. It was even more frustrating. You’d done what was asked, enacted your own plans to throw a good wrench into local politics just as the Intelligence Office had asked, yet, you still felt…empty. There wasn’t any anger left to feel at yourself, and when it was gone, all you could do was sit, alone, among the falling flakes of snow that melted on the ground already warming.

Your prisoner was accompanied by more members of her family come to avenge her- the Von Tirozchen house had not entertained any more of your games after they had been captured, and proclaimed ambushed and killed. War had been officially declared- unready for it as either Plisseau or Almizea were.

“So that’s that,” Bernadine Von Tirozchen had said defiantly at you, “You have your war. Thousands will die. Does it feel good, Imperial? Have you served your vile Archduchy’s whims well? Will they give you a share of these spoils, or is your only reward the blood on your hands?”

“You should be grateful.” You snapped back, “I’ve not harmed a hair on your family’s head. Almizea will have the liberation it desires. All I’ve done is what they wanted, too. You still have everything to go back to.”

Bernadine crossed her arms and scowled at you. “What an empty spew that is. You know nothing about this country, do you? Do you know anything about yours?f I imagine you won’t stay for this show of patriotism, will you? What will you take with you? Me? Ha! Try it.”

“You can take your wretched arse home,” you said back in a growl, “You and your people here. There’s no reason for you to be here anymore.” Not necessarily true. Almize would value political hostages, but there was truth in Tirozchen’s daughter’s mockery. Once it was time for you to leave…what would you have? Not even your crewmen. No friends, no wealth, no glory that could be spoken of. You weren’t one to call anybody a wretch.

So when the letter had come…you read its proposal and accepted without a second thought. Without considering trickery or purpose. It promised a good cause- no true, tangible rewards, unless a likelihood of dire peril was considered worthy payment for volunteering, but all you thought about was that you were specifically requested. Needed. Yet…you did not want to go alone.

Von Igel wasn’t a friend, per se, but you were ambivalent to one another. He had received the same notice as you- and refused it. He wanted to go home. To what he had back there, a family, a household. He’d had his fill of adventure, and advised you now to “stop being a fool with your life.” Unambitious, gentle natured, he didn’t speak about himself often, or to others. Yet, when he told you to reconsider…you didn’t want to listen. You wouldn’t force him along, either, or try to convince him. You didn’t want to spite his wishes.

That was not the same for Von Neubaum. He wouldn’t want to do this, you knew, but damn it if it wouldn’t be the first good thing he’d do, that you’d seen of him.

…It made you think, that day. Think about whether you wanted more to rip him away from his undeserved gains…or if you didn’t want to grant him your windfall, that this might be, as you hung around with one of the few people who bothered to for a length of time, one of his paramours. Felicia, considering where she had come from, was a beauty out of all proportion with what either the wastes or Von Neubaum deserved to possess. When she lamented over the past, where “her Erwin” had apparently obsessed over her, you could understand why he would. Who wouldn’t? Pregnancy hadn’t destroyed her body- she wasn’t as svelte as she once was, but she was still smooth and fair, with an effortlessness in her appearance that gave even her depressed and anxious expressions an artistry rarely found in humans, even under the thick deep green wool coat she wore. Yet, apparently, she hadn’t been enough for him, and what she’d felt confident in was crumbling. She was only now realizing it- and she’d chosen to lay her anxiety upon you.

Yes, you had coveted her once, who wouldn’t? Yet what she had divulged about herself and Von Neubaum made your desire shrink away and turn to pity. You sure as hell wouldn’t take care of his bastard. Ass Hell’s deepest abyss was dark, you did not need the addition to your inglorious titles of cuckold. Yet. You listened to her talk, as you sat on a bench by the road’s side in a wealthy district, where even the stones that carriages rolled over were of multicolored metamorphics with wavy bands of crystal. The road even had a self-aggrandizing name; the Rainbow Path, famed for hosting parades of honored guests, and before that, the victorious outriders of Von Sumpfer. The only parade for you would be pity, and you didn’t want any of that.

“I always thought I deserved better, you know,” Felicia said with a sigh like a wilting lily, stray strands of lustrous black hair only serving as exceptions to highlight how the rest fell evenly like a thick silk sheet of ink. She was no worn out whore, despite being a prostitute once. “I made myself look the best I could, even though it’d all get messed up. I tried to stand as tall as I could even though I paid for my bread on my back. Do you think you could keep your dignity while having a man stuck up inside your bum as deep as he could go? After you lost count of how many did that? I knew girls who couldn’t. They’d just accept that the best they could do was to be a piece of meat, and they were happy with that. Then that rumor went around…and then he came around.”

“Yes, yes, Erwin the Second Von Neubaum, glory be,” you said sarcastically with a foppish wave of your hand. “Sorry, but I don’t really want to hear his praises sung all the damn time.”

“Could you not do that, please?” Felicia said with a hurt tone. You sighed and rolled your head around. “As I was saying…he was so obviously a virgin. Somebody who didn’t know what his body could do. I showed him…and it was so good to feel the appreciation I worked so hard for. I let him have other women, just to show how I was better, and he didn’t look at any of them like he did for me…and I…found myself looking back in that way…”

“Now he doesn’t.” You finished for her.

“Not even when we make love.”

“What, were you looking for advice on that?”

Felicia gave you an incredulous look. “Honey, you’re one of the most obvious virgins I’ve ever met. Of course not.”

You could have not been if you wanted to. That’s what they all said though, wasn’t it? “It was a joke.”

“Oh.” The dark haired woman looked down, then across the road at a passing carriage- it had the emblem of the rulers of Almize painted upon its side, completely enclosed, some sort of private carrier for…something important or expensive, presumably, from the armed men hanging off the sides of it. “It’s so frustrating,” she said, eyes on the carriage as it slowly rolled along, the escorts on it staring daggers at any who strayed within five to ten paces, “I’ve tried so hard my whole life. Been better than anybody. Only to be…shown up by somebody who was just born better than I’ll ever be.”

“That happens plenty where I’m from,” you found yourself unconsciously sympathizing, ”People talk up noble lineages and prestigious blood, but when you’re the last in line and your siblings ate up everything your blood counts for, you’re left with jack shit. People say you’re at the top, but really you’re no better off except that you’ve got a place to sleep and food in your belly.”

“Plenty don’t have that,” Felicia said softly.

“…Yeah, I know,” you scowled, “But I’m supposed to be better, right? Yet some people who are supposed to be below me managed to get way above. I have to accept it. Some people are just better than me. That’s just the way it is. It’s not fair, but to some people what I have isn’t fair.”

Felicia watched the carriage roll down the colorful street before she replied. “I was better than the other girls until now…I think. Noble blood? Priscilla Von Stropfe. Clever, I admit, but in bed she’s a piece of jelly. She just wobbles there until he gets back to me. She’s an errand girl.” Felicia, in her lonesomeness, had told you about the other members of Von Neubaum’s harem before. She placed no import on the fact that this Priscilla’s lineage was sundered through being a bastard, that she was as much a Von Stropfe as Felicia was. “He’s put Nella at home for who knows how long. I think he’s just being nice to her. Then there was Vivi.” A deceased paramour. Apparently, Von Neubaum wanted a huntress like Von Tracht had- and he’d found one. “Some country girl. Shot to death because she thought her place was a killing field. Who did Von Neubaum bring in the sultry silk dresses and the mother of pearl? Who did he show to those nobles in Halmeggia? Me.” She smiled wide, this reminiscence bringing her a glow of joy, “It was all an adventure. I don’t want this journey to end. Yet now I…I’m afraid. I’m terrified that I’ll wake up, and I’ll be in a dusty bed in Sosaldt again. I’ll be back there again, that was home all along, and it was all for…for…” A tear rolled down Felicia’s cheek, and she touched her stomach, “I…I don’t know what I’ll do. I don’t want to lose all of this. I know you can’t help me with him but I…I like having somebody to talk about it to. Somebody who won’t use it against me to…take from me.”

Well, yes. You didn’t want to share a bed with Von Neubaum, certainly. You didn’t have that in common, but as you had spoken with her for true, rather than the shallow praise she used to tease you with, you had felt more similar, in a way. With where you were, where you’d come from. The fear that you’d come this far for nothing at all. You hadn’t been with Von Neubaum for when he wasn’t here, but you were with him at the same place he had met Felicia.

At first you hadn’t wanted to hear her open up. The spite for her consort was shared with her. Then, ideas began to form about using her knowledge against Von Neubaum…ideas that still pondered. Yet now…would you even want to involve yourself with the man anymore?

“You said you were going soon, didn’t you,” Felicia sighed, “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry that I was leading you on. It’s what I’m good at, and I just wanted to make him happy with me.”
“Isn’t he going?” you blinked at Felicia. You all would have gotten the request at the same time, thanks to Bishop, your collective IO superior.

“No? Why would he?” Felicia frowned, “He has his eyes on that Iris Von Sumpfer now. Why would he want to go so soon? I told you, he has dreams for something bigger. Something…above me, it turns out…but, he didn’t like having to fight in Halmeggia. I can’t imagine he’d volunteer to go off fighting again, for a reason not even given, like you said.”

Hm… Well, your mind had been made up to embark on this new mission, to pastures that must have been greener, but did you want to drag Von Neubaum along? You could surely figure out a way to do it, especially if you had help. Or you could leave him here. Leave him with his spoils and not be bothered by him anymore. Move on, like Felicia ought to, even if she thought she couldn’t go on without. Then he wouldn’t get what he deserved, though…and everything and everybody would be left behind with him.

>Von Neubaum was going to Netilland whether he liked it or not. You didn’t know how you’d do it quite yet, but you weren’t going to accept that you’d go into this, and he wouldn’t. You’d both prove yourselves.
>Let him stay if he wanted. It was his life, not yours. He could stay in this country you’d help push to war. You’d go and leave him, exceed him. That would never happen if you were obsessed with staring at his back.
>Other? (Including things atop the other two)

Pastebin for past threads- https://pastebin.com/UagT0hnh
Twitter for announcements and shitposts is @scheissfunker

Tis the season, work's been busier than ever but I'll try to keep things going at a decent pace. Also someday getting those halloween requests done. My personal hope is to get them finished before I have the annual Holiday Maddy. Gives me about five days, maybe.

>>5090265
>Von Neubaum was going to Netilland whether he liked it or not. You didn’t know how you’d do it quite yet, but you weren’t going to accept that you’d go into this, and he wouldn’t. You’d both prove yourselves.

>>5090265
>Let him stay if he wanted. It was his life, not yours. He could stay in this country you’d help push to war. You’d go and leave him, exceed him. That would never happen if you were obsessed with staring at his back.

>>5090265
>Let him stay if he wanted. It was his life, not yours. He could stay in this country you’d help push to war. You’d go and leave him, exceed him. That would never happen if you were obsessed with staring at his back.
"Let him fuck whomever he wants. I'm gonna fuck up more. and probably die in a ditch. At least I can raise my family name a bit by dying in a war."

>>5090265
>Let him stay if he wanted. It was his life, not yours. He could stay in this country you’d help push to war. You’d go and leave him, exceed him. That would never happen if you were obsessed with staring at his back.
He and everything regarding him can fuck off. Time to make your own bloody path in the world Von Walen. Way from the shadow of your former fellows will be your place to do wonders!

>>5090265
>>Let him stay if he wanted. It was his life, not yours. He could stay in this country you’d help push to war. You’d go and leave him, exceed him. That would never happen if you were obsessed with staring at his back.

tfw Wargame4 was announced

>>5090265
>Let him stay if he wanted. It was his life, not yours. He could stay in this country you’d help push to war. You’d go and leave him, exceed him. That would never happen if you were obsessed with staring at his back.
Go Van Walen, go! Transcend your mediocrity or die trying! Von Neubaum can go fuck himself and would probably have made your life hell if you both survived the misadventure anyway.

>>5090353
Is that a genie?

>>5090265
>>Von Neubaum was going to Netilland whether he liked it or not. You didn’t know how you’d do it quite yet, but you weren’t going to accept that you’d go into this, and he wouldn’t. You’d both prove yourselves.
Misery loves company.

>>5090265
>Let him stay if he wanted. It was his life, not yours. He could stay in this country you’d help push to war. You’d go and leave him, exceed him. That would never happen if you were obsessed with staring at his back.
We are entering the age of Von Walen

>>5090265
>Let him stay if he wanted. It was his life, not yours. He could stay in this country you’d help push to war. You’d go and leave him, exceed him. That would never happen if you were obsessed with staring at his back.

>>5090271
>>5091001
Time to go on vacation cunt, you're in my harem now.

>>5090285
>>5090294
>>5090300
>>5090343
>>5090861
>>5091123
>>5091418
Finally, a chance to escape the Neubaum Musk Cloud.

Writing. Yesterday wiped me out as expected but I'm hoping to get two out today.

>>5090353
Teapot.

>>5091625
Will von Walen ever be able to get a proper waifu like Richter and Rondo? Stay tuned!

>>5091628
If direct comparisons are going to be made, then Teobaldt Von Walen does not have the advantage of having arranged marriage prospects, let alone four.

>>5091655
Our poor Von Cucky is stuck finding a wife the old fashion way.
But don't worry boys, with a few days under our control, he'll have strange and dangerous women fighting if not outright killing each other for his affection. Just you wait.

The flickering of an idea of bringing somebody a much needed cold bath of humility never burned into something more. When you thought about it, what would teaching Von Neubaum a lesson really do for you? Maybe that was why you were so dissatisfied, why you were such a lost fool. You hated being behind, but were so obsessed with the backs of others that you couldn’t even think to step ahead yourself. Well, if that was really the case…why grant your opportunity to anybody else? What was there to lose if you had nothing?

“Yeah,” you said, more to yourself than to the woman sitting with you, “Yeah, he can fuck off. If he wants to stay here, then I can finally leave him in the dust. He can fuck whatever he wants, I’m gonna fuck up more.” That declaration hadn’t come out the way you wanted. “Maybe I’ll end up dead in a ditch, but I’d rather do that than rot here in somebody else’s shadow. I’ll make my own bloody path, or I’ll at least be able to tell the Judge I tried. ”

Yes, the Rainbow Path was right here, after all. Why couldn’t you walk the road of glory instead of just sitting beside it watching? A confident step onto it. Then another. Like a child taking their first steps. Down this road you’d go, and whatever you encountered upon it, let it come-

Felicia cleared her throat after you’d taken a few titanic strides, and you remembered that you weren’t quite alone, not yet. “Ahem,” you turned back and shoved your hands in your pockets, “Yeah, uh, I’ll take you back to your place.”

Someday, that look of secondhand embarrassment would turn to something else on the face of a woman. If not necessarily this one- though, did you really want Von Neubaum’s leftovers, anyways? What a cruel thing to think. Wasn’t it true, though? If you were to walk your own path of glory, you had to chase after what you wanted, not settle for what you felt you could scrape for.

…What did you want, even? In a woman? Besides her not being taller than you, of course. There’d be time to figure that out once you were on your way.

-----

An impromptu meeting with Bishop was made, in the old steeple of the Old Romance District that he made his base. With a new labor conscription program sweeping up the poor, it was emptier than ever, and the only people with your handler were surely other Intelligence Office agents, now.

The Bishop, a wide faced balding fellow who looked like a pest to society and was likely that but more dangerous, awaited you in the wider space of the decrepit holy place rather than the confessional chambers. He still bore a subtle smirk, pretending like he could see through you, as though simply staring into your eyes told him your future.

“So, the Major’s little lost pup is going to return to the bitch that birthed him,” he said with a toothy smile, “Alone, though. How embarrassing for her, to only be able to call you back. The others have refused offhand. You know this, surely, hee hee heh.”

“They can do what they want. I’m going,” you said, “We were supposed to be going home soon anyways, right? Let’s get a move on. Where’s my car, or plane, or whatever?”

“You will have to fly,” the Bishop said, “After being taken back to Von Forsgildr’s lands by truck. One man is easier to smuggle than five. Unless you were not planning to go back by yourself?”

“…I don’t get what you mean,” you said, “The letter said there wasn’t time for bullshit. Let’s go for…whatever this is.”

“I am going nowhere,” The Bishop waved a finger, “Gratifying as it would be for the Lieutenant Colonel’s adopted stray to owe me a favor, I would rather exempt myself, given…circumstances. Do you truly want to come away from here with nothing? I’m sure you can take back at least a few things, if you wanted. Is flight with naught in your talons the only choice you think you have?”

“I’ve made my arrangements,” you said, “The Von Tirozchens are to be let go. The militias have their own leaders and they’re under the new state. I don’t have anything to take with me. The sooner I go, the better. The only thing I don’t want with this is to be too late. Have whatever drivers you have double time getting ready, because all I’m doing is waiting for them.”

The Bishop laughed aloud, and a few of the other agents did too, which made your ears burn for this mockery you didn’t understand. “Always going off half-cocked, Teobaldt. Being fourth in line has made you so impatient. It is not as though I do not sympathize, or that I am unappreciative of the chaos you have sown. I will give you nothing, but you have more than you think. For your own sake, I advise you embark upon this foolhardy adventure with whatever you can take. The Judge Above knows your Major will have enough trouble scrounging up what she’ll manage to get together as is. Anything that fits in the back of a two ton truck will do.”

That finally gave you pause for thought. Well…you did still know the militias, and your mercenary cover still had the associated equipment, even if a tank was definitely beyond what you were allowed to abscond with, let alone somebody else’s tank. The militias wouldn’t let you fill up a truck with the gear or other wealth they’d need for the coming war, either, but maybe you could get away with merely equipping yourself? Any followers you had were not close enough to you to want to leave the country- you were an icon of sorts, but no friend to any.

Whatever the Bishop might have been thinking of, perhaps it was foolish to leave so quickly. Though you weren’t sure if what you could plausibly take along would be much use in what was to come, considering you didn’t know the details of what you were wanted for besides that it was dangerous- if you showed up with extra weight that might prove embarrassing, after all…

>Anything to take along? Anything else to resolve here in Almize before heeding the Major’s call?

>>5091739
Well, he sure isn't bringing any of the Von Tirozchens, but if he has access to weapons or any other gear he could bring to the table that would be useful.
Probably.
We don't actually know since we aren't quite sure what he has, but coming to a party with extra cups is better than just showing up.

>>5091739
>>Anything to take along? Anything else to resolve here in Almize before heeding the Major’s call?
Better get a good sidearm in case we're getting out of the tank again

>>5091739
>Anything to take along? Anything else to resolve here in Almize before heeding the Major’s call?
I want to see if we can get some radios. Surely there is someone Von Walen has nominal authority over, or at least someone who knows of Von Walen as an effective mercenary and wont question why he needs the radios past just needing them more than the rank and file for the war effort. Radios may be worth their weight in gold, but to a green fighting force like it seems we have in this case, they may not know the value of them yet. Other than that, a personal submachine gun to carry and a flask of liquid courage.

>>5091739
>Anything to take along?

If he has any Merc gear that he's supposed to carry or has used that would be good.
Cash, if his cover is a mercenary then let's cash out.
If I remember correctly Von Walen had some luck with throwing explosives, maybe a variety of grenades or heavier ordinance would be valuable.
Anything else to resolve here in Almize before heeding the Major’s call?

It's a shame to say but Big T here doesn't really have anyone to turn to for aid or advice. I'd say maybe Bernadine but she hates his guts.

>>5091739
Are we sure this guy isn't just messing with us? The Major is definitely going to equip us with better equipment than we could grab from some crappy militia...right?

>>5091739
Seconding >>5091901 and >>5091946
Try for radios, if that fails then aim for as many grenades/scuttling charges as we can carry

>>5091901
>>5091946
>>5092251
I agree with these lads. Though I feel like loading up with so many bombs spells out Von Walen's ultimate fate.

>>5091785
>>5091789
>>5091901
>>5091946
>>5092251
>>5092351
Gear. Talkies. Bombs. One would think you're trying to set up an insurgency.

>>5092002
The operation is hush-hush, but Von Walen is confident it's better at least. Better equipment? Maybe. How much of it? Who knows.

Writing.

“…I’ll be right back,” you said as you scratched your chin and pondered. A truck’s worth of…things. Surely you’d at least be minimally equipped for whatever this was? “If I were responsible for arming this expedition I’d at least be told, right?” You asked Bishop.

“Please. The Major is no fool of a woman, but there is only so much one can scrape together on the short notice she had…heh he hee. Come along back when you are ready to go. I will prepare your carriage in the meantime.”
Better safe than sorry, then, you decided as you went right back out of the steeple. What would be the most helpful? What clout you had would let you away with a few crates, but crates of what? Money? Money was always useful, it could conjure materiel where there might be none, and it was much easier to transport in bulk, but it did have the limitation of requiring a market. Explosives, perhaps? Always useful, and they had given you some luck in the past. So long as no fires started near you and them. Though, trusting your safety to bombs alone felt like putting too many volatile eggs in a very volatile basket, what else…

Communication. Radio sets were expensive equipment, and ill appreciated by forces such as Plisseau and its militias, or Almizea who sprang off of them. A few of those bulky electronics would serve you well against whatever waited for you. It was never a bad idea to have fewer radio sets, considering the ease with which they might malfunction. Theoretically. You’d somehow never had one break or malfunction on you, which you put up to luck that would have been appreciated better elsewhere.

Then, something just for you…a submachine gun. A good one. That’d work out good. You weren’t picky, just something that wasn’t a total heap of crap and spat out enough bullets where it didn’t matter that you didn’t have the best aim. This plan was coming together. You’d be ready for this…whatever it was.

Not like the locals would be able to track you down and take back their things once their superiors found out that you’d just vanish with all of it.

-----

The Von Blums were a storied family- one whose history encompassed both the Reich and Strossvald both- and whose allegiance to one had secured the existence of another. Yet, though the main house of the family was well sized, the hilltop manor that was their ancestral home was remarkably empty this day. Save for the servants, the Territorial Lord Barnabas Von Blum, and now meeting with him, returned from the Capital and a new controversy there with none other than the Archduke himself, his last child- his youngest daughter, a young lady of only eighteen years yet already controversial, Mathilda Von Blum.

She was the same picture of pale beauty as Miriam Von Blum, as Maddalyn Von Blum. Near perfectly similar, some might say, like a phantom of both. Sky blue eyes, alabaster skin, and vibrant red hair, dressed in silver and red and sheer. Diminutive and slender, yet her stance had the confidence of a woman twice her stature in height and breadth. She imposed without intention, though she did struggle not to shiver before her Lord Father Barnabas, as he regarded her as though all her confidence and sense for her own beauty and cunning had blown away and all that was before him was his skinny daughter.

The last born bit her teeth together and grasped hard at the loose strings of her normally ironclad confidence. “Father.” The Youngest spoke clear and clipped. She knew why she had been summoned- and how she planned to overturn a rebuke and make it a victory.

“Mathilda,” The patriarch of Von Blum rose from his seat and placed his hands behind his back, a relaxed frown sinking his cheeks, “You should know better. A daughter of this household with the history we have with the Capital of late should know better.”

“I have not done anything out of line,” the youngest daughter said sharply, turning her shoulder, “Not out of line of a Court’s smoking room, at least. You must admit you think better of me than to think I have no subtlety. I am no lost girl being made a doll.”

“Yet you were,” Father Von Blum retorted harshly, “Have you not learned your lesson? You are not so invincible as you believe four summers has made you. Break off your affair before you harm not only yourself, but us, as well.”

The girl’s cheek twitched, but she crossed her arms in defiance. “My head was in the clouds then. I’ve a plenty clear mind now. Do you think I have affection for that old bloated mess? You’ll allow your other spawn her dungeon yet you cannot trust me with my own body? You do not understand, Father. Grief has made him lose his senses. I can feel how badly he wants me.” She flipped her hair, “He wants the nubile young lady. He wants the pale little girl. He wants to violate something precious to the man whom he still believes took his son. An eye for an eye. That spiteful, mindless passion is easy to weave around my little finger.”

“Mind whom you speak of, and his history with the courts. He charmed cleverer minds before you were even born,” Barnabas Von Blum said dourly, unimpressed. “Your sister will accept responsibility for everything should she fail again. I will also not protect you from making the same mistake twice.”

Mathilda wordlessly tossed the dossier she held onto Von Blum’s heavy wooden desk. A few papers spilled out- photographs of blueprints, specifications, measurements. The Lord’s eye examined it for more than a moment. “He gave them up so readily,” she said with a haughty air, “I do not underestimate him. He underestimates me. All that was required of me was to let him run his hands over me. An uneven trade, surely, his War Minister’s pet project, his secret, in exchange for a few pinches and pats and empty promises of whatever tempts his imagination. Pathetic. Look at the results I have gotten for us, and I don’t ask for anything, save for that you call away the trails you put upon me. I can hardly coax this gentleman into stumbling further if he is wary of your protection.”

The Lord of the Blumlands looked at the prize gained again, then back at Mathilda. “You are still a Von Blum. Do not do aught that would not be worth the cost. You are a noblewoman, a Baronetess, not a morning trifle to take a bite of and throw away.”

Mathilda smiled slightly. “I will take that as acceptance, then.” She curtsied and twirled about on her heel. “I hope our engineers enjoy my gift. After all, haven’t our imaginings of the Capital’s weaponry turned out so much greater than theirs already?”

-----

So.

This was what she had to work with.

The Major flipped through her prepared notes, hastily copied by her own hand in messy cursive. She had never bothered to train herself in calligraphy- what would she have needed it for, considering her interests? She had to squint at her own words now. Try and pry out every bit of value for what was to come.

Rondo Von Metzeler and Frederick Krause. A pair of field operatives, and crews for them. A few that had been with them before, others from the stocks of what could be coerced or paid for. Andrej Gerovic, a Caelussian adventurer that had been made a captive, and now a tool in her arsenal. A set of tanks loaned, now returned- a few Valstener vehicles and a Twaryian tank that was captured like one of the field operatives and turned to the side of the Archduchy. Or, perhaps rather, the Major. That they had not been damaged or destroyed by those who had handed them back over was remarkable- though maybe they had been, and now fixed up. The front the King’s Revolt had to face was quiet now, and they were in a position to return favors.
>X-51, X-52, X-20, T-16 tanks

Then, another few mercenaries she had scrounged up. One looking to prove herself, that Von Tracht had left behind. It had paid off well to keep tabs on what remained, even if it wasn’t as much as would be ideal.
>AdJ Lapin tank , x1 Infantry Squad

A contribution from the Netillian Republicans- ones whom had been offered as they had been volunteered as particularly noble sorts. They were likely not Republicans, from what the Major knew of them, but they affiliated themselves with causes they saw as just. This was, she could say without hesitation, such a cause.
>x2 Infantry Squads, NKE-1/50, m/28-37, NKE-3 tanks

Some leftovers from another IO operation, as well, under the ill-fortuned Vars Von Kalderhaus, the only surviving officer of the group that had been deployed under Von Tracht- thankfully, given the wringer they were put through, they were not all that was available, though it had been anticipated that they might be…
>x3 Infantry Squads

Then, the Netillian volunteers from the prisoners down south. Disillusioned with their rulers, and wanting to fight for their people. Simple enough to convince, with the Netillians fighting against themselves already. Another trophy of Von Tracht. He left quite a bit in his wake for the Major to get together.
>x1 Infantry Squad

So. Eight armored fighting vehicles, roughly two platoons of soldiers. It might appear a capable fighting force on paper, but they were already meekly hiding deep in enemy territory, only through luck and the skill of her own personal teams’ scouting and stalking, being able to get within striking range of the target of this operation- a Netillian black site, well-guarded and with a well equipped quick reaction force ready to respond to a new threat of any kind. Under control of the Military Government, what was referred to in Netillian correspondences as Site 12 looked innocuous, but within its square buildings there was testing, storage, and capability development of numerous biological weapons projects, including one fearsome one, the true target, called Garten. Made as a weapon, rejected due to its contagiousness and durability, and thus risk of spreading beyond the target- then reopened during the Emrean occupation, because of the threat of Caelus. The Military Council was afraid of Twaryi and Caelus- and had considered unleashing this pestilence upon another continent to dissuade them from trampling upon them.

Now that same weapon was here, almost ready for deployment, and potentially, if not definitely- able to be used, in the most spiteful last gasp. All that limited it was the ability to deploy it in a controlled manner, which barred it from being used as a diplomatic threat by any but madmen.

There’d be a proper briefing on the details of the operation, what was available, what was at stake, but firstly…positions to be filled. The overall operations commander- whom would execute what plans the Major could pull together. Under him would be an assault commander and an interception commander, but he would be asked to coordinate both in the field.

>Select your perspective- at least, the starting one. Any character listed or clearly implied as present is available.
>Rondo Von Metzeler
>Teobaldt Von Walen
>Andrej Gerovic
>Magnus Edelschwert
>Other?

>>5092674
>Teobaldt Von Walen
The madlad himself.

>>5092674
>Rondo Von Metzeler

>>5092674
>>Rondo Von Metzeler

File: 150-1500934_raspberry-png(...).png (1.14 MB, 900x944)

1.14 MB PNG

>>5092674
>Other?

>>5092674
>Rondo Von Metzeler
Probably the best option imo since he knows everyone else here except Framboise and Von Kalderhaus)

>>5092674
>>Teobaldt Von Walen
Von Walen I did not respect you very much the last time we drove you around. I still kinda don't but I do feel bad for getting you blown up so maybe it can go better this time.

>>5092674
>Teobaldt Von Walen

>>5092674
>>Teobaldt Von Walen

>>5092674
>Rondo Von Metzeler
Of the listed candidates he has the experience, personal ties to multiple members of this venture to be at least trusted and as overall commander he hopefully will not need to risk his HQ in direct combat which may be impaired by his continued suffering of Trance removal.

Magnus is my second pick, I don't think any of the other candidates would trust Gerovic (crafty as he is) and get dunked on Teo.
I also think the Major would go to someone who was already her subordinate as she has some idea of how he works in person.

>>5092674
Just to clarify is this for perspective only or for the commander spot as well? Since I'd probably have different choices for both.

>>5093233
Both- though there's going to be a little bit of movement depending on how things go, at least one other perspective because there are different places and phases, but this will be the one with the most interaction, probably. At least, pre-op. The actual op will have at least two different viewpoints, depending on how things are arranged.

Got home a bit early, I'll leave the vote a bit just to make sure we're all on the same page.

>>5092674
>Rondo Von Metzeler

>>5092674
>>Teobaldt Von Walen

>>5092729
>>5092901
>>5093053
>>5093136
>>5093421
Short Stuff.

>>5092745
>>5092815
>>5093180
>>5093287
One Arm.

>>5092830
Dairy Cow.
I admire your audacity even if I have no idea what your plan was.

Alright then, the unlikely one it is.
I might have drawn Von Walen like, once, before. Maybe he needs an updated depiction, considering he sort of looks like an unfriendly prick. Anyways. Update coming.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5093826
Apparently I missed this like a complete goofball-
>>5092854
Well then. Uhhh...
I guess I'll roll it off then, since I believe that makes this even. 1 is for Walen, 2 is for Metzeler. 3 is for Framboise

The choice came down to two candidates- admittedly, one was far more suitable than the other. Rondo Von Metzeler had more experience in combat, had been a better student at the academy, more experience in leadership, and placing him away from direct combat would mean that his current Traum factor would not have to be mitigated- though that had been prepared for regardless. Comparatively, this other…volunteer. He was a Junior Lieutenant, lacking the promotion out the gate that two of his peers in the Sosaldt Expedition had. He was middling in academy performance, hot headed, and not particularly skilled in battle nor possessed of the courage that an intact Traum Factor might grant him. Yet, the Major had looked into his performance after he had been lent to the Bishop. Indeed, rashness did not avail him in Almizea, but once he was robbed of his powerful advantages in his battle there, he had proved persistent, and creative. Sneaky. Perhaps his place was not as a frontline warrior, where he would be overeager to prove himself, while lacking the stuff needed to back up that boldness. His hobbies were known to the Major as well, and backed up such a theory. Von Metzeler had his swordplay, Von Tracht had liked hunting. Teobaldt Von Walen was no such sort of active man- his passion was in speculation, collection, seeking out strange and important things. Things like that old sword…

Von Metzeler’s Traum factor was simple to mitigate using Glory Draught anyways. Von Walen’s flaws in soldiery were not such. There was no time to instill the procedure to make him more pliant even if the Major wanted to. She had to use the tools available to her. If she had the luxury of choice she would have TGS teams, but alas, this operation was more or less independent, and the only parts of the Intelligence Office assisting her were her own cabal, already dispersed in collecting everything that could be brought forth in time. There were foreign officers available, yet…the Major could not trust them to act in their own interests over those she wanted this mission to be carried out over. Even if the Caelussian was easily motivated through even the mention of a hint of fleshly delights, and thought little of how likely he was to receive such a reward.

The choice was made, then.

-----

The trip to Netilland was an indecent one, and you spent what felt like a full day, perhaps longer, crammed into dark and tight noisy places, unceremoniously dumped from one to another, trying your best to memorize the sealed document you’d been given to read along the trip without having the light to read it more than intermittently. Nobody had bothered to answer questions, either- you felt as unappreciated as you were bruised and sore. It could have been worse, that’s what you told yourself. Never think you’ve hit rock bottom, Teobaldt, or else you’ll get a rude surprise.

Finally, you were let out into the frost- there was only a thin layer of snow, and green sprang up in the shadows left by footprints. All of the winter was dropping off the trees, the evergreens now pristine, and the deciduous skeletal and naked. However, all about, the ground growth was unruly and twisted, thorny, defiant of anybody seeking to step through it. Among the thickets, you had been led to a camouflaged tent- the sole sign of civilization in what seemed to be a place so rural even the dirt paths and signs had been abandoned for years. Funny for a place like Netilland- you’d read that its capital in particular was densely overpopulated, yet there was all this space out here, perhaps even untouched since the days of the Nauk Imperial, perhaps before them, even. Whomever had been before.

Within, the person whom you were now serving under…all of a sudden. “The Major,” a name less nonsensical but just as enigmatic as Bishop. Which Major? Was she even recorded as such anywhere?

She was a tall woman- towering over you, making you feel even smaller than usual, but there was something about her eyes- something…familiar.

“Have we met?” you asked, staring into them, trying to remember where you’d seen them before.

“Yes,” the Major said curtly, “Once before. In Valsten.”

“Oh. Right.” Was that it, then. You looked down and saw…she was cheating with her height. “Is this really the time and place to wear heels?”

The Major ignored your sarcasm. “Junior Lieutenant Teobaldt Von Walen. You’ve read the information provided?”

You nodded. It was a review on the current situation in Netilland- and everything relevant to it, though it danced around the subject of what you were going there for. “So is this for the Silver Lances, or for the Ellowians, or for the Republicans, or…what? I don’t get it.” You glanced side to side. “This doesn’t seem very dangerous. It doesn’t even seem like anybody’s here, besides you and your people.”

“Correct.”

“Why?”

The Major’s tone didn’t imply any respect for you, but she wasn’t outright critical. She had asked for you, after all. “This is a region of Netilland called the Teufelsdornen. It’s been sparsely populated for centuries, but the Defense Party’s rule withdrew most of what was left. In this isolation, they’ve built several military testing and experimentation sites, such as our present target. Site 12. A test and development site for biological weapons and their deployment.”
That was a bit much to hear at once, but reflexively, you spouted technicalities. “Biological warfare is illegal between Strossvald and Netilland, hell, with anybody, what’s the concern? They’d never use it.”

The Major squinted at you like you’d said something supremely naïve. “The principle enemies of the Military Council, Netilland’s present, if contested, government, have no treaties with rebels, which is whom they consider both of the Ellowian states to be now, as well as their own Republican Revolt. The concern is not a legal one, anyways. It’s if they can use it at all. Particularly…” She held out a few pages for you, “This one. Garten.”

You snatched the pages and skimmed them. “There isn’t much on this,” you observed easily, “We don’t know much about it, but it requires…all of this secrecy, this, whatever it is, a raid?”

“Read the document,” the Major said, “We have a day to collect all our assets in one place, plan what we must, and move out the next morning. As soon as a method of safe and transportable deployment for Garten is made, it will no doubt be distributed, and made impossible to counteract. Then, it can be used as a threat…or worse, used in vengeance, as a rogue commander might make the decision to with the further collapse of the Netillian State. You must understand the gravity of the situation.”

So you did. There was little known of the disease’s symptoms themselves- besides what was hinted at in intercepted and decrypted communiques, compared to other interceptions. There was nothing good to read into this, however, and most concerning of all- a special note was made saying that the IO’s senior leadership had known about this for longer, had their predictions, and had done nothing about it.

“This ends with, eliminating this threat will decide the fate of the continent,” you couldn’t help but repeat directly after, and you looked up at the Major. “This, and you choose…me.”

“I did not choose you above the rest of the world,” The Major said flatly, “I have to use what is available. Congratulations, you are the best suited to this position from what I have. Lament about the circumstances later. You are a soldier, and you volunteered for this. Survive it. Prevail. Or die trying. I can promise no reward for the immediate moment, if the obvious isn’t enough for you, though the future might hold favors for you.”

The obvious presumably being not finding out just what the hell Garten did to a human it was unleashed upon.

“You must be completely insane,” you said, feeling weak at the knees, “You couldn’t find anybody better than…than me?” You talked yourself into a good game before, that you’d carve your own path, make your own glory, but the Judge had a twisted, sick sense of humor to indulge you like this.

The Major grabbed your face, and made you stare into her eyes again. “You have thrust yourself forward, and now, it is time for you to do the duty you had no fear of before. Lady Fortune is raising her skirts for you, and she is not wearing anything beneath them. Tuck your hand between your legs and find your cock and balls again. You. Are. Going. To. Do this. Do you understand?”

She was in no mood to be told that compelling you to do anything by force wouldn’t make you screw this up any less just like you’d mucked it up any other time, so you whimpered out a little grunt of affirmation.

“Good.” The Major said with a frown, “Our resources will be flowing in throughout the day. I leave you to examine what you have available to you- and the terrain, and the plans. A retreat path has already been made, and you will be informed of its details in your documents. Next I arrive, it will be time to execute this operation proper. Get to work. Though keep in mind,” She walked slowly out of the tent, “The only appropriate compensation for this demand of you would be near anything you wish…so distract yourself with that, if need be. Just be ready to earn it.”

Once she was gone from sight, you slumped into a folding chair, in front of a folding table, where your “work” awaited. Maps, dossiers, files, Von Igels’ work and the sort of glory Von Neubaum might bask in, but neither of them were here. Where was Von Tracht, either? This sounded like him, yet you’d been picked. Why.

Yet as you agonized in your head, your hands moved, your eyes read. The lips opened and the tongue wagged, asking for adjutants you hadn’t noticed for materials. An appraisal had to be made- and when you realized you were already doing what was needed, your panic began to subside. A thought towards the “compensation-“ what sort of reward in the world would be suitable, that you even wanted? No, you thought, as you went over your many desires both fleeting and abandoned, there was plenty. What did you want most, though…
>Rewards, hm?

So, two phases to the operation…one, the attack on the facility itself. Site 12 had a garrison of roughly two platoons of guards. Not the most heavily equipped, but why would they be? Isolation and ignorance of the facility and its import proved a very effective defense. In fact, the normal garrison was normally smaller, and only reinforced because of Netilland’s recent turning against itself. If a crisis were to befall the facility that its garrison could not deal with, there was a military base twenty five kilometers away that served as protection for several other facilities of various types, and that base had a complement of one company of motorized infantry and one platoon of tanks, one platoon of tankettes, and one platoon of armored cars ready to deploy at any time, and further forces able to be ready with more time.

Said base also had access to a trio of contraptions called Autogyros, which required little in the way of facilities that other aircraft would need, and here where there was little aerial opposition, could roam the skies unmolested. This quick reaction force was well equipped, with its vehicular materiel being mostly NfK-7ts, with older tankettes forming a support platoon. Several places for ambush of the QRF were marked upon the map of the territory, though the further away the interception point, the further from the assault the other element would get, naturally. Furthest away was a dense patch of wood, practically guaranteeing close combat and a deadly initiating ambush, as well as cover from any scouting aircraft, though it was also out of radio communication range of the Site 12 Ambush. Closer was a less forested area, and closest of all was practically open, but ensured that the interception force would be close to the assault in case they were needed.

The forces available to the raid were a surprising relief- there were more of them than you could have hoped for. A whole truckload of radios and explosives had been stolen away by you in anticipation of having no tanks, but there were eight coming, and two platoons of infantry- eight squads of ten, about, though near half your force was made up of Netillians- would it be best to concentrate them, or split them up? No anti-tank rifles for them, but they did have machine guns and grenades- enough to fight with infantry, and the friendly Netillians had Munitions Casters. That was something you had no experience with, but it sounded pretty good…variable use grenade launchers, less cumbersome than rifle grenades, and more accurate.

Then, the tanks available to your operation. Not enough for you to take the field in one, not that you had crew anyways. A sore memory, where you’d failed to take the field in Valsten because you had had your tank appropriated. Speaking of appropriated tanks and Valsten, that was where near half your tanks were from. You had no idea what an X-Whatever was, but they were apparently lightly armored, but heavily armed, relatively, one having a twin two-centimeter gun mount, that could elevate far enough to engage aircraft, and the other two having five-centimeter guns capable of defeating the armor of most opponents that could be expected for them to face. As for the others…some strange…Emrean? Piece of junk? Decent armor, a decent four centimeter gun. Then with the Netillian allies, there was an Ellowian medium tank called an NKE-1/50, with good enough armor to resist its own not-insubstantial main weapon, an m/28-37, which you were familiar with the base model of, and something called an NKE-3, which was a captured turreted Ellowian tankette, a two centimeter gun.

The infantry hadn’t had radios- something you had unwittingly cured the lack of. Yes, they were heavy sets, but they’d prove invaluable, surely. There was no such thing as too much communication. Theoretically. You certainly remembered from the academy that there was no such thing as too much equipment or too many supplies, not in the Battle Line, whose theory revolved around overwhelming the enemy however possible over a broad front, which naturally demanded much. In addition, you had enough plastic explosive to blow up a small town. There couldn’t be a wrong way to use those.
>x3 Short Range Radios, x3 Large Explosive Charges (Two can be combined to form a Giant Explosive Charge, or they can be separated out for twice as many weaker, more controlled improvised explosive devices)

Finally, there were two trucks. Not enough to effectively transport infantry- but only to ferry them about in planning. They were disguised as rusty old civilian vehicles, which there were enough of about, nonfunctioning and derelict. Not very useful in combat- but perhaps able to have more use than just setting up?
>x2 Two Ton Trucks

Then, the officers…Rondo Von Metzeler, and Frederick Krause. You knew them, even if you hadn’t spoken in a while. What in the world were they doing here? Why was Rondo Von Metzeler, a large and imposing man, listed as having a physical disability?

Oh, he lost an arm.

…You really had missed a lot.

Who in the hell was Andrej Gerovic, either? Apparently, a more experienced commander than you, yet not trustworthy enough to command this operation. Maybe you’d have to be careful with where you put him. From the photograph in his dossier, he looked like a real smug prick. Just looking at him made you mad.

Speaking of random strangers, who were these Sosaldtians, no, they were Emreans, and who was this-

…

…

…Those were a fat set of tits. “Raspberry” was a pitiable name, still. Was it because you could speak and understand Emrean that you’d been picked? Anybody else here would presumably speak New Nauk. Even Twaryians spoke New Nauk, any Caelussian coming to Vinstraga would have to be a retard to not have a grasp on the primary language of the continent.

You had to pull your eyes away from the breasts. They weren’t even out, not really, they were just so big that they- ahem.

The Netillians, then. Magnus Edelschwert, captain of armored cavalry. He looked like a complete fruit. His hair was long, and braided- was he trying to draw in men, looking like that? No woman could fancy that, you thought… The other was a Lieutenant (Formerly Captain) Kelwin. He looked young, but he was your age. Did all Netillians just look girly or pretty? If these two represented them you could argue a strong case. No match for strong-jawed Strossvalders, you thought as you ran a hand under your chin.

A day though. That meant, perhaps, you could catch up a bit? Surely it wouldn’t take too long to figure out the initial arrangements.

>Select the QRF interdiction location. Furthest, nearest, or in the middle?
And-
>Populate the two task forces. One for the assault, the other to block the QRF and give the assault more time.
Also-
>Try and speak with anybody? About what? Anything else to take care of?

>>5094568
>Furthest
Probably best to use two sets of explosive charges together as a cratering charge to prevent easy (direct) road acess for the QRF's hevier equiptment, leaving one set to clean up Site 12 itself if we get the chance to, and the radio's could be put in one (or both) trucks farmed out to provide situation relaying / range extention between the ambushing team and Site 12, though sparing one for loot / anything we decide to take with us / medical may be a good idea.
>two task forces.
I don't realy have prefrences for either but the faster, better armed cars should be used to strike and and fade where we can along with the AA car since nailing the Auto Gyro's and any transport trucks will help force them to chose to wait for engineers to fix the road or find another way through in dificult terain.

And heavier armour is going to be needed for the assault though geting them to dig in and prepare for the breakthrough attempt(s) once the perimiter is secure since risking a containment breach firing into the compound is probably a bad idea, unless we realy want to find out what the bioweapon(s) does.
>Try and speak with anybody?
The Major
Ask about ROE for the compound since she probably doesn't want it roughed up to badly, at least before we find what we came for, and any paths that reforcements / leakers / scouts from the nearby base might take should the "main one" be knocked out.

>>5094568
>Rewards, hm?
Dignity, respect and maybe a woman.
>furthest
>Heavy's for assault, light for QRF.
>The men with whom we shall fight togheter.

>>5094563
>Rewards, hm?
Money.
Respect/Some form of official acknowledgement.
An arranged marriage, since it seemed to work so well with dear Von Tract.
Pull a Von Metzeler and get a new noble name so he isn't the no name 4th son of a noble house that has given him nothing.
Something along those lines.

>>5094568
>Select the QRF interdiction location.
Furthest
>Populate the two task forces
>>5094609 seems like a fairly good idea.
>Try and speak with anybody?
Try to speak to all the men and woman, that will be commanding.
If we don't have time for them all, in order of importance.
Von Metzeler and Frederick
Raspberry
Gerovic
Kelwin
Magnus
Cut off whoever we can't get to.

>>5094568
>Rewards, hm?
Lands, enough to be worth the title of noble. I would hesitate though if they came in the form of another forced marriage to some nobles only child, or even worse, soon to only child. So actually it may be enough just for money to buy some retreat somewhere and have enough left over to pursue more rare collection pieces.
>Select the QRF interdiction location. Furthest, nearest, or in the middle?
Furthest. It is a lot of metal that could be on its way. I am willing to let the Assault team have more material to make up for lack of ability to respond to them from the Interception team.
>Populate the two task forces. One for the assault, the other to block the QRF and give the assault more time.
Assault- 4 Infantry squads, The X-20, the Emrean tank, and the T-16. 1 large explosive charge for them for any surprises, and afterwards I was thinking about leaving them 1 truck to make the assault. Two squads moving quick on the tanks and with the truck, two squads on foot to flank. The flankers should have the Net squad, the smoke cover will let them reach the flank easier. One radio for this group.
Interception-3 Infantry squads, the X-51, X-52, NKE-1/50, m28-37, and NKE-3 tanks. They take the remaining two charges and last two radios. If the range would permit it have a two man group left hiding in the middle ambush spots to relay information between the groups, if not don't bother.
If the assault goes well then we don't have to fight the QRF for as long. Taking out tracks is also going to be important and will be take the tank out of any fight after the ambush.
>Try and speak with anybody? About what? Anything else to take care of?
Von Metzeler, what has he been up to other than losing an arm? Maybe wear some goggles or something if talking to Raspberry to prevent her from catching Von Walen's wandering eye. Also is there a way to remote trigger the explosives, or does it have to be a timer?

>>5094568
>>5094609
Another question for the Major, what is the exit strategy? Is the plan to scatter out to different Republican cells, or are the opposing Net forces stretched too thin and we just hide out in the sticks because they can't organize an effective search? She seems mercenary enough to leave everyone to their fate, but everything also seems to come out of her pocket so to speak, so she must have a plan to recoup some of the losses.

>>5094568
>Select the QRF interdiction location.
Furthest
>Rewards, hm?
Land, marriage, money. Respect and trinkets can be acquired after a firm foundation with the first 3.
While we won't be able to ever brag about this adventure, the self satisfaction and actual rewards should make up for years of neglect.
>Populate the two task forces
I like >>5094669 plan of attack and we especially should have a truck in the middle to relay between the two groups if possible.
>Try and speak with anybody?
Where is Von Walen going to be in the middle of all this?
What is our actual objective besides stop Garten? Are we destroying it or stealing it?
Are there any anticipated enemy air forces besides Autogyros?
Static defenses at the facility?

>>5094568
>Rewards
As others have mentioned, get a nice plot of land somewhere in Strossvald or enough cash to buy some manor/townhouse or something, the stereotypical third son dream.

>QRF Interdiction Location
>Furthest

Task Forces OOB
>Supporting >>5094669

>Try and speak with anybody? About what? Anything else to take care of?

Definitely talk to Rondo and Frederick so Teo has an idea on the other officers as well as them trading stories about Ellowie and Almize (plus von Neubaum's shenanigans and Rondo's marriage) Any idea why Richter isn't here?

Framboise as well since she probably feels pretty lonely and Teo speaks Emrean, plus both are coming here as people who feel the need to prove themselves due to their inadequacy.

For the Major:
How exactly are we getting rid of the Garten? Won't blowing the place up simply spread the gas?

What do I want?
>>5094609
>>5094615
>>5094624
>>5094669
>>5095008
Rather universal- what everybody wants, what you feel you'd be owed. What other people have that you don't. No crown, just something normal for what you are. Is that so much to ask?

Where do we go now?
>>5094609
>>5094615
>>5094624
>>5094669
>>5095008
>>5095022
Near? No, far. Wherever you are, you're going to have to win, and the whole point of stopping a qrf is to keep it away from the main effort, no?

Picking your friends, not your nose-
>>5094615
>>5094609
>>5094624
Slow and steady to the base, faster to the intercept.

>>5094669
>>5095008
>>5095022
Four on the base, the heavies and the shoe tank, big boom. A bunch of Netillians.
On the road are the stars. The big guns, save one. Form a radio relay (Yes, you can do this), take two boxes of bombs.

What's up guys, tell me about-
>>5094609
>>5094737
Hey mommy, how are we getting out again? And how much can we break here? What happens if the road here for them gets busted?

>>5094615
>>5094624
A general chat about.

>>5094669
So how about that arm, Von Metzeler?
Cover your eyes.
To speak on something you would already know, though, yes, you have methods of detonation involving wires and triggers which allow you some measure of exploding on demand, from a (relatively) safe distance.

>>5095022
Catch up with the old folks. Look at the tits. Maybe talk to them too.

>>5095008
Where am I?
Is anything up? In the sky, I mean.
Is this a lab, or a fort?

>>5095008
>>5095022
How are we exactly getting rid of this bioweapon? Blowing it up seems a good way to scatter it about. Are we stealing it? Burying it?

Alrighty, update a comin'.

An important initial factor to settle was just how to deal with the target of the operation- both the facility, and the microbe Garten itself. After all, running in and blowing it up would be how you’d presume to do most raids, quick fast and effective, but exploding a pestilence sounded like a good way to spread it all over instead of destroying it. Thankfully, procedure was contained in the papers you were given.

The facility, of course, could not be targeted with explosives, though if the situation turned desperate then setting the place ablaze was the last ditch solution. Otherwise, the assault had the goal of clearing out the testing and research facilities, destroying all research materials, and disposing of any cultures of Garten through the use of thermite incendiaries, and Flayer chemical- being very careful with either, of course. Nothing would live through that, it was presumed. Not that you could think of anything that would defy that expectation. The only other solution you could think of that would be suitable would be to throw it into a Great Maelstrom, or to launch it upwards into the Aether, off of Velekam itself.

Then, you organized what was available to you into two groups- and made a note to ask the Major for some of the staff here. You had an idea for the radios you’d brought along- which was to form a relay, so that you could have an ambushing force to intercept the QRF as far away as possible, while still maintaining communications. That would require a relay of your three radios, and you were of the mind to make a headquarters in between, to manage both.

Both task forces would have a roughly equal forces, though you stacked the QRF interception group with what you figured would be the tanks who’d have the most powerful initiated shots, most of them with five centimeter guns. Meanwhile, the twin gun tank, the T-16, and the Emrean tank would aid in the attack on the facility.

The facility’s defenses were only sketched. No aerial photographs or the like for this, but it was also utterly unexpected to be attacked by a force like your own. Even basic structures like trenches, bunkers, or similar earthworks had only been approximated recently considering that this place was deep inside of Netilland’s borders, and not known to the public besides. It meant that the tanks would have a powerful impact, so long as they were able to engage the enemy. If they were to take shelter inside one of the objective buildings, that might suck.

On paper, this should go well, you thought, but it did make you wary of…surprises. Also, of what you were supposed to do after this was all done. Even if you beat the Netillians, accomplished what was asked of you, what then? Surely this “Major” had a plan for you to withdraw, to escape. Perhaps to Netillian Republican territory, where your current Netillian allies must have been drawn from? You couldn’t be left behind. Not when you’d come up with a good reward for all this!

One of a few things you’d have to discuss with that tree of a woman when she appeared again. Certainly it wasn’t too much. Just everything you thought you should have. That you wanted. A decent title, a little land, a woman who tolerated you- and being bedded by you. That was hardly impossible for the IO to do for you if they could drag you out to the middle of Netilland for this.

The Major was nowhere to be found, however. You’d have to wait- but you wouldn’t have to for the new arrivals trickling in, one of the first of which were thankfully familiar faces. Von Metzeler, and his…retinue? Friend? Something. He was of common blood, and certainly not of the means to afford schooling at the Academy like the other members of the Sosaldt Adventure Platoon’s officers. Von Metzeler in particular outranked you, yet the Major had decided you would have authority over him…the IO simply stated what was what, it seemed. Ah well. You could catch up with them, perhaps, even though you hadn’t been close to either of them, you’d been through a lot…at one point.

“Look, Rondo, it’s…” The fellow shorter man, with a well groomed mustache, pointed to you, and balked. “It’s…him. What was his name again?”

You felt the corners of your mouth tighten, but Von Metzeler seemed to have better memory. Or was in no mood to joke. “That is Von Walen,” he said, “I would not have expected him here either.”

That tall, broad, handsome man had ever been an easy person to envy. His family was easy to cast shadow upon, but Von Metzeler had ever been quick to dismiss his own blood, save for his mother- and not one to lie down when affronted. He had a romance to him, with his skill at saber, and the rumors that he was a champion of underground sword dueling rings, without even having a scratch upon him for it, but when you looked at him now, he had an odd, faded look in his eyes, once so certain and sharp, they were almost lost, like he wasn’t sure of where he was. A subtle sort of lost, though, not one without eyes as discerning as yours would notice.

“Yes,” you said, blinking, “I’m Junior Lieutenant Teobaldt Von Walen. Lieutenant Von Metzeler, Junior Lieutenant Krause,” you thought to salute, but you stopped your arm. What was the point here? None of you even wore the uniform of Strossvald. You looked like a bunch of rogues in your mish mash of clothing, yourself in dark hues, same as Krause, but Von Metzeler…you had looked for his shortened arm, but he wore a cloak now, something that looked out of a painting, and it was tilted over one shoulder where his dismembered arm would be. “That cape,” you said, pointing, “What’s with that?”

Von Metzeler pulled it back with his other hand. “I have lost an arm since we last met.” He let it fall back. “I have accepted it by now, but the Major granted me this, for reasons she did not divulge.”

“A silver lance, with a red pennant,” you squinted, “I would’ve thought you’d have gotten it from, well, you know. Von Tracht got into there, I heard. Did you too?”
Von Metzeler shook his head. “I would not have accepted now, regardless. I have other matters to take care of in life.”

“He’s just been married,” Krause said with a smile, “To one Klaudia Von Schneeberg. Shy girl, doesn’t talk. A recluse. I’ve never heard Von Metzeler complain about her looks though, hah, whether coming or going.”

“Frederick, please,” Von Metzeler said without looking towards him, “You are leaning into the tone of Gerovic.”

That made Krause frown deeply. “I hope not.”

Your lips had tightened with jealousy on hearing what Von Metzeler had left from. “An arranged marriage, I take it?” You had never heard of the man having a lover. Usually it wasn’t a firstborn’s privilege anyways, to take one’s choice of spouse. Though if you had a choice…
>What are you into? Don’t worry if you’re not sure or don’t know.

“It was.” Von Metzeler answered shortly.

Damn. Maybe that was the answer to your problems? To just have an arranged marriage instead of trying and failing to be charming? It’d make everything simple and easy at least. “How did you lose your arm? Who is this Gerovic person you’re talking about?” He was in the files, but that said nothing of who he was supposed to be, or how he even got here.

Krause looked at Von Metzeler, then at you. “There’s plenty to talk about. Do we have time?”

“Plenty.”

“Alright. Us first, then you.

-----

“What an absolute rat that Von Tracht is,” you seethed with your hands together, leaning against a tree, “Keeps a Sosaldtian girl for himself just like…whatever.”

“I think he belongs to her rather than the other way around,” Krause said, “I’ve certainly seen him more around her than his fiancée, that’s for certain. A retinue isn’t so controversial, though. Hardly anything like you say our old friend Von Neubaum has.”

“He’s not-“ you snapped, then bit down on the interjection. “Anyways. Why isn’t he here? He’s with the Silver Lances? South of here, I’ve heard?”

“From what the Major said,” Von Metzeler said, looking out towards the snowy flats from the edge of the thickets, “He was convinced not to by Sergeant Nowicki. That was what she implied, at least. Somehow, they found one another again.”

“Sounds like fate trying to tell them something,” Krause said with a sly wiggle of his hand.

“Fate has a shitty sense of humor,” you scowled, “Complete bitch. Don’t see what I ever did to her.”

“Fate also decided that Von Tracht should suffer his own misfortune,” Von Metzeler pointed out, “For all that has happened to you, Von Walen, you have managed to escape the injuries that have befallen Von Tracht, as well as Frederick…and I.”

The two had much more to tell you than you had to speak to them about. Things about Netillians and Ellowians, and Intelligence Office mind control…things. As well as the fact that they’d been around the Major herself for some time. Something you needed to follow up on. “That stupidly tall lady. The Major. She seems really familiar to me for some reason. Do you know anything about her, if you’ve seen her somewhere before?”

“She was in Valsten, with the IO people before we were sent off to Sosaldt,” Krause said.

“Yeah, I know,” you said irritably, “I know that, it’s something else.”

Krause shrugged. “No idea. Rondo?”

He also shook his head. What the hell was it? Maybe it wasn’t worth obsessing over now. Better to forget about it, unless you actually managed to do something besides ponder endlessly and reach no conclusion, especially considering what was ahead. There was plenty that you could be certain about.

“So, Von Tracht catches this Gerovic person, the IO messes with his head,” you listed off on your fingers, “There’s also this Edelschwert person and Kelwin person who were with you, and are now here…that can’t be a coincidence. This Von Kalderhaus and Raspberry person must have been around him, as well, or at least, shoved there by the IO…”

“You’re here,” Krause pointed out, “And you weren’t around him ever since Sosaldt. Couldn’t you have brought anybody?”

“I mean, maybe, but I…didn’t.” You grit your teeth. “Maybe I’m overthinking it. I’m just wondering why he isn’t here…Unless it really is because of his Retinue?”

“Doubt has clouded my mind since losing my arm,” Von Metzeler said with a dour air, “I have returned here, in spite of that, but perhaps Von Tracht has lost some of the reckless daring he once had, with his injuries, as well as the conditioning being removed…”

You didn’t even remember who this Anya person was supposed to be, so that sounded more plausible to you. Unless it was some sort of conspiracy…though there was nothing to that whatsoever.

“I am surprised that Von Neubaum became such a scoundrel, however,” Von Metzeler continued, “I thought that he was weary and unmotivated, but if this was what drives him to action…it is hard to imagine it, in truth.”

“Maybe he changed in Sosaldt. Maybe he changed in Halmeggia. I dunno.” Had you changed? Maybe. You were here, after all. “Maybe he was like this all along but he didn’t think he could get away with it.”

A sound that made you all turn- the march, the engines- the arrival of more people.

“Yet, if Von Tracht is not here, and the Major has chosen you to be in command,” Von Metzeler stood straight, “Then that is how it is. I am unsurprised, given my…uncertainty.” He withdrew a vial from his pocket, “I have been given this substance, this “Glory Draught,” to banish the Fear, if need be, but I am…reluctant to partake.”

Speaking of. You had to decide who would be in charge of each operation. If Von Metzeler had a problem with his head, would it be wise to put him in charge of one side, like you had thought to? Or maybe you should anyways, if he had this combat drug…
>Select a leader for both the Interception Group and the Assault Group

“Are you going to see the new people, then?” Krause said, “If you’re the boss now, you’ve got a lot on your plate. Who am I to tell the Junior Lieutenant what to do, though? Not that it hasn’t been interesting hearing about what’s going on elsewhere.”

>Chat about anything else in particular?
>Move on to other people.
>Other?

>>5095975

>What are you into? Don’t worry if you’re not sure or don’t know.
von Walen seems desperate enough for a wife that he's not the pickiest I guess, though I'd say having someone that's around his height seems important. Also probably more of a boobs person than say Richter judging from his Framboise reaction.

>Select a leader for both the Interception Group and the Assault Group
Interception Group- Magnus, with Krause and Metzeler in the 50mm X-series.
Assault Group- Gerovic, with von Walen in the X-20 busy coordinating the overall op

>Chat about anything else in particular?
So what did you guys ask for your reward from the Major?
then
>Move on to other people.
Talk to the newcomers. Raspberry for the reasons above and both the Captains about their duties.

>>5095975
>What are you into? Don’t worry if you’re not sure or don’t know.
What does Von Walen, want in a woman? Ideally, a full figure, a pretty face, and a less than imposing stature. Realistically, I think he just needs someone to like him. The guy needs someone he can show off his interests to.
>Select a leader for both the Interception Group and the Assault Group
>>5095992
This is good, but I think we should be keeping Von Walen out of any tanks. He hasn't ever had a command like this and trying to manage it in the middle of combat is probably not going to work well for him.
>Chat about anything else in particular?
Try to get some reassurance or advice on how to handle the command. Von Metzeler was in Ellowie with Ellowian troops fighting their countrymen, does he get the feeling that the Nets here are to be relied on to fight their own in a similar way? Commanding a multinational force is hard enough when some of your people arn't fighting their own as it is.

>>5096014
>This is good, but I think we should be keeping Von Walen out of any tanks. He hasn't ever had a command like this and trying to manage it in the middle of combat is probably not going to work well for him.

I mean that's valid. but there's just enough officers for the tanks availible so if von Walen sits this one out *someone* still needs to command it.

>>5095975
>What are you into?
Bernadine. Hear me out, Fate may or may not bring her back into the picture but there does happen to be some new lands in Almizea that might need consolidating... and since I feel all of the Major's rewards are going to be big Monkeys Paws it makes too much sense. Also I feel like the last time Teobaldt saw her might have been at the Academy.

>Chat about anything else in particular?
Do you trust the Major to follow through?

>Select a leader
Magnus us a good one for Intercept, his raiding background and experience I'm ambushing recently should give him the edge here. I genuinely don't trust Gerovic to not commit something nefarious involving biological warfare. But I also know he had his fair share of attacking Netillian bases.

>>5095975
Supporting >>5095992 and >>5096014

>>5095973
>What are you into? Don’t worry if you’re not sure or don’t know.
Personality wise, someone cultured that shares Von Walens interest in old fancy things and is able to use her discerning eyes to see the good in a good for nothing like him.
Physcially, tits. Ass an ass man myself I'm glad most of the guys in the cast can appreciate a fat rump, but someone needs to be a milk drinker, so why not Von Walen.

>>5095975
>Select a leader for both the Interception Group and the Assault Group
Interception Group Leader: Magnus
Assault Group Leader: Gerovic
What does it say about Von Walen that he doesn't put his own people in charge of these groups? Eh, that's something for the Major to consider.
>Chat about anything else in particular?
Ask about their rewards. Ask about Rondo's Wife. Ask if Krause is getting married soon. Ask about the Raspberry woman and her fat stacks.
>Move on to other people.
Then talk to the Raspberry woman and her fat stacks.

>>5095992
I agree with this assignment. Von Walen in a tank isn't such a bad idea. It adds a good amount of protection for our plucky new commander. The only safer thing would be to place him far from the combat zone, but that doesn't suit Von Walen's current idiom, I feel.
>>5096196
>>5096083
>>5096014
I support these questions and comments to Rondo and Krause

What am I into?
>>5095992
>>5096014
>>5096109
Not taller than me, though with a fuller blouse. And they don't hate me. I'm not asking for too much, am I?

>>5096083
I prefer somebody like me, somebody whose game is so bad that she could lie down on a bed and offer herself for nothing and still not get any. Alternatively, somebody I can keep locked up in the house and doesn't take baths unless I make her.

>>5096196
A nerd, with big milkers.
Sounds like somebody I know.

Who's going where?
>>5095992
>>5096014
>>5096109
>>5096619
>>5096196
Magnus for the tanks.
Gerovic for the Assault.

>>5096083
Keep an eye on that extracontinental.


What do I talk about?
>>5095992
So what did you ask for for Langenachtfest?

>>5096014
Ask for some advice, on something which your only experience was...well, a victory, perhaps, but not one that you can be proud of.

>>5096083
What's your feelings on this person whose name we don't even know? The last person with a fake name I knew was a guy larping as a leader in a church that doesn't even have sway in Sosalia.

>>5096196
Girl talk. Especially about this Emrean. They say Emrean girls are the most beautiful in the world- "they" being Emreans, of course.

Update coming. Enjoy Christmas Eve! And the day after, though that goes without saying. The Christmas songs on repeat on radio might end, but the Christmas lights aren't coming down until the snow melts if I have anything to say about it.

>>5096970
Merry Christmas Tanq!

>>5090250
I'm desperately trying to catch up on this quest, Love this thing keep up the good work and Merry Christmas Tanq
(Also I'm seeing if I can get a Fortune for christmas)

Christ on a Cross am I glad we get out of work early tonight. Update coming soon.

>>5097267
A Christmas Miracle!

There was some jesting in being referred to as a “boss junior lieutenant-“ something you’d heard common soldiery used as a term to refer to offices unsuited for leadership, but perhaps you shouldn’t assume that your allies were mocking you. They didn’t have any reason to hide it anyways. “We have time,” you said, “Not like we can do anything until the tanks get here.”

“How is that happening, anyways?” Krause asked. A pertinent question for those not in the know.

“The Netillian Republicans are bringing all the heavy equipment. They should be bringing us out, too. So long as you know actual Netillians, it’s not impossible to move around the country. Many still haven’t said which side they’ve picked.” A huge assumption, yet the only explanation as to how you actually got here, too. “There’s a lot of questions I have for this Major, and I don’t know if they’ll be answered at all, but she’s sure promising a lot.” Potentially. “I was offered some vague reward for doing this. Were either of you?”

Krause and Von Metzeler glanced at one another.

“I was only promised no expectation of a reward besides the good it would do the world. Are you sure you weren’t hearing what you wanted to hear?” Krause said pointedly.

“There must be something you want,” you said defensively, “Not getting anything would be just wrong.”

“I am here for Frederick,” Von Metzeler said.

“Yeah, that’s real nice. Come on. Krause. What would you ask for?” You gestured with your hands- you weren’t a miser, it was just what was deserved. Too much charity turned any king into a pauper, after all.

“Eh, I suppose I’d like to have a veteran’s pension early,” Krause said with a light tone, like you’d asked what he’d like for dinner and not as just compensation for this important mission to save the continent. Then again, he was common born, with common ambitions. The world was too large to handle, for them. Veteran’s pensions were almost exclusively the purvey for wounded lower class soldiers, and not enough to do much with besides live a modest life at best besides.

“I would ask for land, a title, a lady wife,” you pointed to Von Metzeler. “His family was elevated. Why not ask for your own ennoblement? Heroism begets a noble bloodline in hiding, after all, as they say.”
Krause raised his eyebrows, and frowned. “I’d rather not.”

“Huh?”

“I just don’t want it. It seems like too much trouble for something I’ve never needed.” Krause nodded to himself like he hadn’t said something he must not have understood. “I don’t want to be important, I want to be good to my friends.”

“All I can think of wanting to ask of the Intelligence Office,” Von Metzeler said, his mouth a tight crease, “Is to let me be.”

Not a subject that would win you points. Time to steer away. “So you don’t trust the Major to follow through on this? What about getting us out?” You had a flash of worry on that last one, even though it had just tumbled out your mouth.

“I do not doubt we will be withdrawn,” Von Metzeler said, “I only doubt we will come away from this wealthier. This operation is independent of most of the Intelligence Office, of Strossvald in general. I somehow doubt whatever faction the Major is a part of is capable of bestowing us all with the territories of lords, especially if they turn out to be working against another part of it.” Von Metzeler reached into a pocket, and you saw him withdraw a pack of cigarettes- a habit you didn’t remember him having. “It makes me concerned. Afraid, perhaps. I would rather not involve myself more than needed if it means that I am to have more enemies in the future. I have enough,” Von Metzeler scowled, “Already, I find myself working alongside one who was my foe not so long ago, whom I never would have imagined fighting alongside.”

That pessimistic statement was making your hopeful dreams of a manor, a title, and a wife start to burn up into flakes of ash and float away on the cold wind of cynical reality, but you tried your best to cling onto that hope. Hopes for a peaceful future with dignity you deserved, that you earned, with a pleasant-natured wife with a heavy chest, and maybe a decent bloodline…that reminded you.

“One of the people coming here,” you said, “Is somebody called Framboise. Some Emrean woman. Do you know who she is? Somebody you met in Ellowie somehow?”

Von Metzeler shook his head, and Krause did too. “Never heard of them. I’ve never even met an Emrean, I think. From what I’ve heard that’s a good thing. They’re a stuck up and vain people who think they’re responsible for every good thing in the world, and are proud of it. I think I’d remember this person if we met her.”

Well. They were responsible for many good and cultured things. The very language you were all speaking was a combination of a form of Emrean and Old Nauk. Emreans called New Nauk the bastard tongue for a reason. “You’d remember her,” you said, “Hold on, let me get something.” You returned with her picture from the files. “Just look at those,” you said, prodding a finger and practically feeling the give in flesh that wasn’t there.

“She’s got a dog’s face,” Krause said.

“Huh?” You looked again. Maybe Krause just didn’t appreciate aristocratic facial structure. Von Metzeler doesn’t seem impressed. Either. “What’s your new wife like?” You asked, “Anything like this?” you molested the picture’s breasts with your finger again.

“Klaudia is shy, and bookish. Well studied and quiet.” Von Metzeler answered. “Reserved, gentle.”

“But what about the body?” You asked, “I remember you hitting on that cut up girl, Hilda, back in the mountains in East Valsten.” That was a woman who could be said to have a dog’s face on top of being rather too tall, but she had a bounce in her figure, if not the personality she’d displayed of being some rural peasant woman without an ounce of the sort of refinement you’d like to see. Too bad she wore that thick jacket most of the time. You’d seen her a few times without it, and you wouldn’t have minded seeing her in less- so long as the rest of her wasn’t as mutilated as her face, especially at the end. “I thought we were fellows. Enough about the personality, is she pretty? Does she have a chest that bursts open blouses?”

Von Metzeler only frowned. “There is no need to speak of her appearance. She is my wife, and that is enough.”

“So you love her that much for…what?”

Von Metzeler frowned deeper. “I do not love her. I cannot compel myself to do that out of duty alone, but the least I can do is care for her wellbeing and honor.”

“Make her put on some glasses, that’ll help with you,” Krause tried to be encouraging.

“Really though, nothing about this Framboise?”

“She’ll be here soon, surely, if you’re so interested,” Krause said to you. “I know we have time to spare, but is this the place to be picking up girls?”

“…Well, yeah,” you said with a huff, “Hey, Teobaldt, are you busy? Sure you’re not, you never are. How would you like to do something cool? Oh, surprise, time for you to save the continent! Why you? Because you’re here! What are you going to get for it? If you mess it up, nothing!” You tried not to go red faced- you’d always had a problem with your temper, but your two comrades looked utterly befuddled- it disarmed your sudden rise in heartrate. “I’m just trying to keep my mind off of this thing that I’ve never done anything like. I’ve done this on paper, not like this, not when the stakes are…this.”
Krause paused, then stepped forward and put a hand on your shoulder. “We’re in this together, aren’t we?”

“Yeah,” you brushed his hand off. You did have an example to set. “I guess we are. Again. You know plenty about these Netillians and Ellowians, right? I’d like to know as much as I can, in the time we’ve got, about how you’ve worked with this bunch.”

“Maybe it’ll be better for us to catch up together?” Krause suggested, “What are the names of the officers?” You told him. “Ah. Richter knew them better than us, of course.”

“Yeah, yeah, what a magical reunion this is for everybody,” you shoved your hands in your pockets, and tried not to be envious of…not what’d all these people had gone through without you, but what they came out with here now. “At least give me a primer, huh?”

-----

Nice as the timing would have been, the Netillians were not the next to arrive. Rather, the gaggle of assorted Sosaldt castaways did…and the primary object of attention stood out like a sore thumb. For obvious reasons, among them being the jacket she wore off her shoulders. It must have belonged to a relative, because it was an Emrean wool uniform coat. It could have been an older one, but it was most certainly not one made for a woman, let alone one of her shape, given how she was forced to wear it as an accessory. She seemed a bit taller than you, however… In her grey eyes was a glum look, a downcast expression in her face as she stared blankly forward, seeming to ignore anything around her while a few other men kept an eye on her. They had a stiff posture to them, like house servants. A strange bunch among a strange bunch, but you didn’t care about the others. You wanted to talk to this woman- for reasons of planning, of course.

Oh, who were you kidding?

Her group was by itself soon enough- she sat upon a crate while the other people with her kept an eye all around- and glared at you often enough to let you know they knew you had an eye on them.

As you came forward, the grey eyes of what could only be the Emrean Raspberry drifted over to you. You tried to match that look to her eyes, and not to her chest, the weight of her bust even more distracting when it wasn't in a static picture, where it rose and fell with her breathing, a slight movement causing them to roll, the fabric of her top shifting but the soft shapes remaining intact. It was extremely difficult to internalize that this was meant to be one of your fighters.

”Who is this?” She said in an extremely smooth and cultured accent of Jumelles, the twin cape cities of Northern Emre, ”Can you ask him what he wants? Nobody here knows our tongue and I don’t want to look ridiculous.”

A smug feeling rose within you. There’d be no need for middlemen- you had a decent grasp of Emrean. Nobody would have to look ridiculous.

At least, that’s what you thought, but you didn’t think well enough on the first thing that dropped out of your idiot mouth.

>Say something embarrassing and inappropriate. There’s no avoiding it, you can only regret it.
Then-
>Now that you have that out of the way, what did you want to talk on?

>>5097321
Merry Christmas tanq!

>Say something embarrassing and inappropriate. There’s no avoiding it, you can only regret it.
"Judge, those are huge." (In Emrean of course so there's no doubt what our good von Walen is saying)

Then-
>Now that you have that out of the way, what did you want to talk on?

After the inevitiable flurry of apologies, besides addressing the issue on what would motivate an Emrean woman to be in this ragged band maybe get into her backstory a bit more ( I know we touched on it with Richter but von Walen has a less of a language barrier plus more knowledge about Emre in all likelihood). Better address her depressed mood as well, can't let it affect the assault. Try to comfort her though empathy; von Walen and her can definitely relate to each other over their complexes and need to prove/redeem themselves.

TLDR von Walen tries his best to give a heart to heart talk (and maybe awkwardly flirt) to a woman after putting a foot in his mouth as usual

>>5097321
>Say something embarrassing and inappropriate.
"I guess they make 'em bigger in Emre. Tanks! I mean tanks. Well endowed...tanks."
Collect spaghetti suitably and then ask about her (Yjen's Beard I can only imagine) ride and what did she do to deserve this deathwish mission.

>>5097321
>Say something embarrassing and inappropriate. There’s no avoiding it, you can only regret it.
"Bigger than your head, but not bigger than your mouth it seems. Good."

>Now that you have that out of the way, what did you want to talk on?
How did you get here? How did you come to know the Major. Do you know what we're doing? Are you really for it?
Once all that formal shit is outta the way, ask her about herself.
She seems like a cultured Emrean gal. Talk about cultured things, maybe wow her with fun facts about that jacket that doesn't fit her.

>>5097321
>>5097480
Another possible line.
"The only ridiculous thing around here is the bounce on those milkers you keep hidden away."
"If I had a penny for every fat chested babe I heard doubt me...I'd still be poor. But thank you for making me a penny richer."
And finally
"Cheese omelette" in the sexiest voice Von Walen can muster.
Any of these would also be good.

>>5097480
This one seems like the most awkward and forced, so I'm seconding it.

>>5097480
+1

>>5097321
This >>5097480

Merry Christmas, everybody. Hope you don't mind, but I'm keeping the vote open, but taking Christmas Day off for running stuff, I've got plenty of stuff I need to draw too, after all, such as the expected tradition. Which has turned into Maddalyn wearing basically nothing, and if things last longer I have no idea what I'll do considering I think I peaked last year on that concept.

In the meanwhile, though, We'll probably be at the end of the present arc by early next year, and I intend to run a short side story for a bit after that. Not Luftpanzer length, hopefully, something that should really only be a few threads, and I'm thinking something that'll be based in Vitelia, more specifically, the Revolutionary Utopian Vitelia. I was thinking either a civ-lite management sort of deal where you control aspects of the state to try and manage it to either its ultimate decline or victory, and perhaps changing aspects of it along the way depending on your methods, or something brief shining a light on Zhantao, the far western Heart of the World, Eye of the Maelstroms, or if there's something else that you all would be more curious of spending a bit of time in and around that can be resolved in about three to five threads.

Of course, this would be to facilitate a time skip, depending on how things turn out that haven't happened yet, of course, but I'd like to gauge some long term planning on things people would think are neat.

>>5097227
>I'm desperately trying to catch up on this quest
Good luck on that, and thanks. I know there's a whole lot of it, the increasing length of qst threads mean that I know recent threads are far, far longer than they used to be.

>>5097952
> if things last longer
Regarding Christmas Tradition with Maddalyn, not the quest itself. I'm sure I have at *least* another Christmas-passing in this, and maybe two.

>>5097952
Yeah I keep starting and getting bogged down after 10-15 threads in a row and stopping for multiple months, but I really dig the setting and your writing

>>5097952
Either's fine by me, Vitelia is interesting since we've already been out west with Reinhold but I wouldn't mind Zhantao either.

>>5097952
I would love to see some more aerial combat stuff. I liked the little taste we got early on in this arc. Zhantao seems like fun if you're up to it, since we know basically nothing about them besides surface level China comparisons.
Also I have to say, this is easily the best quest I have ever participated in this website, and I've participated in maybe 4? quests. Merry Christmas!

>>5097952
Happy Xmas boss man, Vitelian Civ game would be a nice break from what we've been doing so far. At the very least we get to see what threats/opportunities like right next door to the Reich.

Apologies for the unannounced delays, updates will resume tommorow.

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Late for Christmas- but I finally got it done!
Someday you will come back to her.
Update tonight sometime. For how long you've had to wait it will have a Raspberry Picture.
Unfortunately I cannot offer consolation in the form of sketch requests because I have already overloaded my proverbial plate.

>>5100804
>Visible, hairless Maddy pit
wew
Also, since I've forgotten much about our thirdborn child, was Von Walen ever made aware of the existence of those secret plastic explosive shells Richter and co. were trialing?

Alright for real this time the update is soon. My productivity got shot dead over the holiday somehow.
>>5101410
>was Von Walen ever made aware of the existence of those secret plastic explosive shells Richter and co. were trialing?
He was, he was also a tester of them as well. Instead of an X tank, however, he was using a conversion of an m/28. The shells were indeed field tested briefly- only, his tank blew up, and all the plastic shells with it.

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A dozen things that sounded suave flowed unconsciously- you picked a couple with equal lack of awareness. All in all, this woman did not need to worry about looking ridiculous (besides the concept of attempting to keep those celestial bodies chained down and covered) compared to you.

”Bigger than your head, but not bigger than your mouth, it seems. Good.” You hadn’t meant to say that. You were thinking aloud, but you hadn’t said it as lowly as you thought you had as you saw the Emrean women’s brow furrow and she squinted at you.

”What?” She sounded completely confused. ”What are you saying? What do you mean by…what?”

Shit, shit, shit. “I mean, er,” You fumbled and spoke in New Nauk for only a moment, ”Huge. They…make them bigger in Emre, don’t they. I meant, the tanks. Yes, er,” You felt your mental age and intellect regressing by the instant. In mere moments you’d be babbling even less coherent but equally insipid nonsense like Milk or Omelette au Fromage, whether it was worse to refer to her breasts in subhuman cave-person or her ovaries, you refused to find out as you clamped your jaw shut.

The Raspberry stared at you and frowned slightly. ”Are you alright? You seem feverish. Perhaps you should sit down a moment and have some water?”

”My lady,” one of her associates said in a tone of disappointment and embarrassment, ”This vagabond is trying to flirt with you, I think.”

She blinked. ”Oh. I did not even notice. Their tone was different than I expected.”

”His accent sounds like it is of Zeissenberg. The Grossreich? Speak, and we will remove this louse from your presence.”

Everything that crossed between you now, of course, was in Emrean, accented or not. “No, no, I’m not from the Reich!” You interrupted, “I’m of Strossvald. I’m, Judge Above, I’m sorry, I’m just having to deal with a lot. I’m sorry if I offended you, miss Framboise. I’m just overwhelmed.” Overwhelmed? Maybe you could have turned that into something charming, but you were too busy alternating between suffocating on your foot and your arse.

The Emrean girl, surprisingly, held a hand to her mouth and tittered a little giggle. “Oh, look at how embarrassed he is, there’s no need to overreact. I’ve not been complimented let alone apologized to by a stranger in weeks, let alone in Emrean. I don’t mind.” Oh. Good. She might have seen your complete fumbling as tolerable instead of creepy. It was time for you to actually think, so she didn’t change her mind. “Who are you? We haven’t met, but you know my name.”

“Yes. Sorry.” Knock it off! “I am Teobaldt von Walen, and I am the field commander of this operation, by authority of the Major, who I think you’ve met. It will be some time before we’re ready to commence, but in the meantime, I’m seeing if I can get to know everybody who’s come around here. Some of you all aren’t what I expected. Such as yourself.” You looked around to the suspicious eyes. “And your people, of course.” But mostly her. “You’re far from home.”

Framboise frowned. “Yes, it’s…a lot of reasons.”

“Yet you volunteer for this? The Major did tell you that this was naught but danger to be had here, didn’t she?”

The Emrean girl nodded sharply. “I know. It’s what I’ve been looking for.”

“A deathwish?”

She frowned deeper. “You are in charge. Is that what you think it will be?”

“No, but,” you sighed.

“You must have volunteered for this too, I presume?” Framboise pressed you, “You must have your reasons, despite your gloomy predictions.”

“It’s a long…” you paused, and sat down on a crate near Framboise. “You don’t mind if we talk about ourselves a bit, do you? There’s a lot to talk about. Such as,” you pointed to Framboise’s jacket, “That. I know that, it’s a late-pattern Emrean Liberation Nationale Garde uniform jacket. Not in much use today, I hear.” You weren’t Von Tracht with your knowledge of such things, after all. “From a relative?”

A flash of light in her eyes as she nodded eagerly. “Hm, hm! My father’s. A spare of his, rather. I’ve had it since I was a little girl. It was too big for me then, but then, ah…” She couldn’t help but push a finger into one of her breasts modestly, “I became too big for it.”

“When-” did you become too big for it, you almost blurted out, and hastily corrected course, “-did your father serve? I-in the war itself?”

“Yes! Though, he never speaks of it. Neither him, nor my uncle,” She slumped again, leaning heavily on her arms against the crate, “I always wanted to know. I’d heard so many stories, seen so many monuments, yet I speak to either of them and they only say, we fought so you may only know peace, do not ask us of war. They have the same attitude that many people have, that we will never fight another war again,” She sighed, and her face fell further into dissatisfied upset, “I would speak with my mother but I feel like my father will not let me know him, let me know of our legacy. He rode alongside Debon, yet I only hear him speak of it amongst others who fought.”

“You know Debon?” you asked, though you only heard of him being famed rather than knowing terribly much about the man.

Framboise took a breath, opened her mouth, and paused. “…No, he was a Revolutionary, in the end. My father and his brother fought alongside one another, but at the end,” Her eyes wandered to another set of people nearby whom you weren’t sure of the identity of, “The Revolutionaries found themselves unwelcome.”

You knew something of the end of the Emrean Liberation. The two main factions who worked together through the war, despite starting against one another, the Revolutionaries and the Garde Nationale, or as they were sometimes called, the Blood Flower and the White Flower after their shared use of a poppy emblem that still showed on the Emrean flag, had one final falling out at the end of the Liberation. When the Reich’s efforts against Emre finally collapsed, and the Emreans counterattacked and pressed them back, the Revolutionaries had a plan to push all the way and crush the Reich once and for all, to extend the flag of Liberation to them, then perhaps, the whole world. As they saw Liberation, at least, being Utopians. Yet they underestimated how the Reich would fight if backed into a corner, and were blinded by zeal. The closing of the Emrean war was a slaughter unlike any seen before in the war, and the Emreans finally had enough of their Revolutionary brethren, and arranged a treaty with the defeated, but not crushed Grossreich. Thus was the Utopian cause in Emre ever sundered by the spite the nation’s people had for laying such a sacrifice on top of the sacrifices already made, out of what was seen as idealistic arrogance, souring the grand victory of Liberation.

Good riddance, frankly. Utopians would have no good opinion of one like yourself. They had the mindset of Vyemani about such things.

“I have papers on you, like everybody coming here,” you said, “They say you were in Sosaldt?”

“Sosaldt, yes,” Framboise said, “The Dastard’s Destination, the Rogues’ Retreat, where all go to find their way, and to become everything they can be, a place of adventure! Or, so it’s written.” Suffice it to say, the Emrean view of Sosaldt was far rosier than those who had to stay next to the wastes. She dug something out of a satchel- a rather beaten and worn book. “I was inspired to after reading this. Have you read this?”

You took it from her…and started to give it back. You could tell from the cover it wasn’t in your interests, though suddenly, something was familiar.

“Who the hell are these supposed to be?” you asked.

“Ah. The Kommandant and Cyclops, of course!”

Oh, yes, of course. The resemblance was uncanny. Not. Well, besides the rack and the eyebrows. There was already a book about it? Surely you were nowhere to be found in those pages, with your luck.

“Of course, I know it is a fantasy, just look at the title,” she said, taking the book back from you a bit possessively, “But it was a place left in the world with adventure, of the sort I needed. So I talked to a friend in the Atelier de Jumelles Mecanique, and got a tank, and transportation. I may lack the physique of a warrior, but no man is stronger than a tank, no?”

She must have been somebody important to merely ask for a tank, and the means to move it from Emre to Sosaldt, and not be laughed out of the place. “So these are,” you pointed around to her crew, “Your…friends?”

One of them made a harsh whisper to Framboise, but she waved them off. “Ha ha, no. My servants.”

Servants? “Are you a…noble?”

Framboise touched her hand to her mouth and chortled quietly. “I’ve said so much about myself, and you’ve said nothing. That’s not fair, is it, commander?”

Her mood had turned upbeat, as though you weren’t about to all potentially commit suicide by fire attempting to foil the doom of a continent. Did she not know, or was she dealing with this in the only way one could, by thinking about absolutely anything else

>Surely you have plenty to share about yourself?
Your choice on whether to save hitting on her for when you're not both dead...or maybe, that's a reason not to save it for later. Unless she's not your type.

>>5101827
>Surely you have plenty to share about yourself?
Let Teo nerd out a bit over his history hobbies, mention a bit about his family and why he volunteered (she should understand the usual inheritance problems/complexes younger scions have) I'd say save the most of hitting on her if they both survive this, though including mentioning his dream of getting a nice wife and lands as testing the waters.

>>5101827
>Surely you have plenty to share about yourself?
Tell the story about how Teobaldt was with the Kommandant when he got his ass thrown through a piano, not a lot of people probably know about the time the Kommandant actually lost a fight. Sure, maybe its not about Teo really, but that's kind of his lot isn't it? He is just the guy that was there, important in the way that you need people like that to fill the ranks, but not critical. However, can a warrior really ask for more than to come back, alive and whole?

>>5100804
What a nice green bow, how did she know that was Richter's second favorite color?

>>5101827
>Surely you have plenty to share about yourself
Why Teo even knows more than one language could be intersting.

>>5101827
Keep hitting it and talk about the troubles of nobility and the adventures you had. (Where you were and not how you got your ass handed to you many times)

>>5101827
Dont hit, just get to know her first.
Talk about your own time in "the Rogues’ Retreat", as well as the other places you been and wish to go potentially. And talk more about the cool things you found in these places as opposed to what you did there.
Also tell about your ambition, your hope to at the very least get some manner of respect and recognition for this mission...but make it clear that no satisfaction would come if anyone on this assignment got back too injured, to assure her she's not taking orders from an incompetent or a glory hound.

>>5101858
History of self and of hobbies- hey, I'm single, you know.

>>5101951
So does that book mention the time the Kommandant nonconsensually became one with a piano?

>>5102133
As for why we're even sharing a conversation in this language...

>>5102170
Where I've been. Just the good stuff.
Hit.

>>5102246
Sosaldt times, and other things. Like getting lose in the mountains, perhaps not like drinking dead girl infused whiskey.
Do not hit.

Writing.

>>5101951
>What a nice green bow, how did she know that was Richter's second favorite color?
Presumably with help, as she has no concept of "color," at least what we view it as.

“Alright,” you scratched your chin with your little finger, “Some things about me, huh…” Would it be too boring to start from the beginning? You could be quick about it at least. “My family is Von Walen, a client of one of the Capital high nobility. I’m the fourth son, and since we don’t have much land or wealth…I mean, we have it, but there’s not enough to split it four ways, you know? So while my eldest brothers have the assurance of inheritance,” Still split up, though. Nobody was getting the whole lot, and neither you nor your brothers liked that decision by your father very much. “I didn’t have any place to go but the military. Just for long enough to have the epaulettes.” A military man was much more attractive in the courts, and the right to wear a uniform made you stand out easily. “Thankfully, the Academy of Armored Warfare of Strosstadt waives fees for nobility to enroll there. Something about the army seniority wanting the armor branches full of nobility.” Not that they weren’t already, but evidently the ranks needed to be filled out further. “Not even a week out of the Academy and I’m already going to Sosaldt with Von Tracht. I don’t think I’ve had a single day of normal service.” There was plenty more besides that, but you felt no need to share the less dignified experience you had, such as being captured by…pro-Reich insurgents? Were they still around? You hadn’t heard anything of them. Perhaps that incident had driven everybody to properly clean up the problem.

“Oh? You were with the Kommandant in his journey?” Framboise’s eyes widened and she leaned forward- your eyes wandered south and drank in the consequences, for only a blessed instance. Thank goodness her blouse rode low. “I never read anything about that.”

“Wouldn’t expect to,” you said with an annoyed grumble, “I was only there, not anybody particularly special.”

“Surely you were special in some way just going along?” Framboise prompted you, “What made you go along?”

“I owed Von Tracht. In a few ways. There was the adventure of it, too, I guess. The prestige of it/” A promise of something greater than you could find on a normal battlefield, even if it wasn’t one anybody spoke to you. It was a gleaming bar of gold- the weight of wealth felt in the hand. The one thing you’d managed to come away from that quest with. “We went because our countrymen had been abducted and were in danger, including Von Tracht’s fiancée. It was more than what I’d have gotten into if I’d stayed back.” Would keeping back have resulted in anything better for you? Much as you complained about your circumstances, you doubted anything would have turned out better. It’d probably have been less stressful. Nothing would be what you expected rather than the frustrating compensation. “I didn’t get much from it, here I am.”

“What did you want, then?” Framboise asked.

“Respect. Recognition.”

“Do you not have that?” She asked, “Look where you are. A mission to save the continent from doom. Is that not something trusted to somebody with recognition and respect?”

“Nngh, that’s not,” you shook your head, “Anyways. I’d also have liked more tokens of what we saw, what we did. Things to add to my collection of curiosities. Truly significant things, you see.” An idea. “Do you want to know about a few of the things I’ve managed to collect? They’re not just baubles, you see. Wine vintages from the Zeelands to the south, now blocked away by the Maelstroms for who can say how long. A Zhantaoan tea set, used by the Dhegyar. These things from the far corners of the world, but also, the pride of my collection, the family blade of Von Tracht. It isn’t very impressive to look at, which is why nobody found it before me. Everybody expects an auspicious family sword to be gilded, decorated, but it’s just a plain light cavalry sabre. The Von Trachts used to be the leaders of a band of horse riding mercenary raiders, after all, before they were ennobled.”

Framboise cocked her head. “You aren’t going to give it back to the Kommandant?”

“What? No.” It was yours now, wasn’t it? One of the few things you could claim. “His grandfather sold it in the first place, I wouldn’t think it mattered much to them.” The Von Trachts’ zenith was at the moment they were given their title as nobles. Since then, they were mostly known for two things. Spoiling their legacy, or dying trying to reclaim it. The Von Tracht you knew was the only one to enter the Silver Lances that were once their clan’s claim in generations.

“To sell a family heirloom…it must have been a great expense?”

A harsh laugh from yourself. “No, the seller I got it from didn’t even know what it was. The Von Trachts aren’t known for their thrift. The man sold off his sword to pay for debts, not even to somebody who’d find it valuable.” If he had been particularly callous, from what you’d found out, he could have made much more money from the “scare” that the Von Trachts had gone extinct, twenty one years ago or so. A less exciting antique you’d passed up once was a framed newspaper proclaiming the event- Jana Von Tracht, savaged and murdered by bandits, her father fallen as well. A particularly salacious headline, since the daughter was in her teens. Given how the other branch of the Von Trachts lacked the dignity to be known about in the courts, a savvy businessman could have made a fortune off of selling heirlooms then…but thank goodness he hadn’t.

Framboise adjusted her seating, and slid her jacket up over her shoulders. Emre was a northern, windy country- she was probably used to chillier climes than this, but still. “You have no Emrean things in your collection? Emre is the soul of the arts, the land of muses. How can you have nothing from there, when you even know the language?”

That also garnered a hollow laugh. “The expense is too much. Emrean artifacts don’t hold their fame in secret. I did learn Emrean because of the culture of the place, though. Where Alexander burned away the culture and history of Sosalia, Emre has an existence unbroken, back to even before the Old Nauk.” Emreans were a blend of Nauk, Vitelians, and another, ancient people- they had a large portion of their blood that was native to the continent. A people whom, before the Judge, had paid their reverence to the moon goddess. The capital, Lunaire, still held such in its very name.

“Hum,” Framboise crossed her legs, then crossed them the other way, “Tell me about what you’ve gone out and done. You didn’t end up saying much.”

“Tell me if you’re a noble, first.”

“Yes.”

Score. “What family?”

Framboise held up a hand. “No no, you tell your stories first.”

About Sosaldt, presumably. “I saw Von Tracht get thrown through a piano by a guy almost two meters tall. Like, nearly through it, literally. It’s pretty funny to think back on now. How often do you hear about him losing a fight, after all?”

She shook her head. “I’ve been with the Kommandant, but I don’t know you. This isn’t your first time in an adventure, is it? This tall woman would not have chosen an incompetent fool to lead something so important. Tell me about something.”

There probably wasn’t time to go over it all, frankly, as you heard the sound of others coming around. Not that you’d mind staying near this lovely pair until it was time to go, but that’d be irresponsible. You’d just have to pick your best and make a solid impression with that- something to build confidence in you, perhaps. Or maybe, it was better to go with something more adventurous? Something that would inspire wonder…

>Tell about the journey. The mountains of East Valsten- a place of spirits and mystery.
>Recount the battle of Todesfelsen- the battle in the dust storm, outside and in the city itself. The most harrowing time of your life- until now.
>Talk about Almizea. Your part in spurring a war of independence, an unquestionably individual exploit.
>Other?

>>5102856
>Recount the battle of Todesfelsen- the battle in the dust storm, outside and in the city itself. The most harrowing time of your life- until now.

>>5102856
>Tell about the journey. The mountains of East Valsten- a place of spirits and mystery.

>>5102856
>Tell about the journey. The mountains of East Valsten- a place of spirits and mystery.

>>5102856
>Tell about the journey. The mountains of East Valsten- a place of spirits and mystery.

Probably the most adventure out of the three.
Unless she wants to hear a ghost story...

>>5102856
>Talk about Almizea. Your part in spurring a war of independence, an unquestionably individual exploit.
Don't really want to talk about a straight battle.

>>5102856
>>Talk about Almizea. Your part in spurring a war of independence, an unquestionably individual exploit.
Sugar coat it a bit as a story of perseverance.

>>5102856
>>Recount the battle of Todesfelsen- the battle in the dust storm, outside and in the city itself. The most harrowing time of your life- until now.

>>5102856
>>Talk about Almizea. Your part in spurring a war of independence, an unquestionably individual exploit.
I think we shouldn't talk too much more about our time with Von Tracht. We've pretty much already said everything noteworthy that happened to us. Absolutely we should make the story sound a little less miserable than it was, though.

>>5102856
>Talk about Almizea. Your part in spurring a war of independence, an unquestionably individual exploit.

>>5102856
>Recount the battle of Todesfelsen- the battle in the dust storm, outside and in the city itself. The most harrowing time of your life- until now.
This should be a more well known battle.

>>5102856
Unrelated to the vote, but do you have any artwork of the republic's standard infantry uniform (or rather, what the uniform should look like, minus the varied "accents" and holdover warband indentifiers added on to it) you could post?
I've had a look through the archives for a picture but I've probably missed something.

>>5102856
>Recount the battle of Todesfelsen- the battle in the dust storm, outside and in the city itself. The most harrowing time of your life- until now.
Just binged the entire story and what a ride it's been, looking forward to new updates

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>>5103528
This one? This is the only one I can think of off the top of my head

>>5103568
I knew there was one somewhere

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5102933
>>5103158
>>5103430
>>5103557
The only time you've ever been near something called a gash.


>>5102986
>>5102999
>>5103101
That was a lot of crabs.


>>5103109
>>5103154
>>5103221
>>5103229
Perhaps you can dress this particular series of events up and exempt a particular person.

Well, flipping it between Todesfelsen and Almizea, 1 for the former, 2 for the latter.

>>5103528
>do you have any artwork of the republic's standard infantry uniform
There's an update picture with it, two pictures of Anya wearing it improperly (one on a motorcycle), and this >>5103568 prehistoric picture. I'll see if I can't make up something new with it though, especially since the new standard cap is only present in one. I've worked on and off on a generic model to stick uniforms and equipment and armaments on, and I can probably throw a quick Mittelsosalia uniform on there.

>>5103557
>Just binged the entire stor
I welcome you to this story, though I don't envy you having to binge it, I wasn't even frankly sure if that was possible.
Though I suppose it's a way around my glacial update rate.

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I ended up probably not having time to finish an update tonight- instead of trying to rush it out I'll post one next year. Hurr hurr.

Anyways, a rendition of the Mittelsosalian Army uniform that isn't ancient. Helmets aren't common, but the newer broad-brimmed caps are. The leathers/webbing isn't present, but rest assured they have more proper examples of that too as well as guns. They're much neater looking than they used to be.

The guy isn't anybody in particular. Just some generic person I've been using and posing to dress in various uniforms. Eventually I'll have it done and able to just post all at once.

>>5103802
Do you have one for a standard Strossvalder infantryman, by chance?

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Happy New Years everybody. Hung out with some friends of the family after work, lots of yard fireworks. They aren't proper fireworks after all if they don't fly in random directions and explode quite close to you, after all, with a bonfire visible from space.

>>5104297
I do have one. Ideally I'd have a full set with a rifleman, a squad leader and a machine gunner and the like, but for now I just have the rifleman. The emblem on his coat is vacant, of course- though the helmet emblem is always of the Capital's. Armed with Hagen straight pull 7.5mm rifle, he'd normally have a couple of grenades as well. Rifle stocks often have some decoration depending on the territory- many territories put some character into the furniture of guns to give them their own flair, if they consider the expense worth the whim.

This is, of course, not the winter/cold weather uniform, which would have a long coat down to the knees.

>>5104658
>They aren't proper fireworks after all if they don't fly in random directions and explode quite close to you, after all
Call it practical experience for describing the massed rocket artillery we're surely heading towards.

>>5103588
Glad to be here
>I wasn't even frankly sure if that was possible.
It took me about a week of basically doing nothing but reading previous threads but I feel that it is worth it. I appreciate the setting and what I can pick out from it and I also appreciate your understanding of differing governing systems and their specific boons or lack thereof.

It's a shame that Richter and best boi von Metzeler got maimed but I suppose it would be less dramatic if they got out without injury.

If Sosaldt was the thing to draw her into straying from home in the first place, you may as well tell of that particular misadventure. The climax of one of many of your bad ideas.

So you started with telling about what was then called the Army of the Republic of Vang. A slapdash force of various militia and mercenary brigands that had the fight of soldiers but none of the discipline or grace. After the Kommandant had organized them as best as any of you could muster into something resembling what would be suitable for the attack to come, on the day of the battle…your tank had broken down. The m/32B, a solid, good tank, had decided not to serve you on this important day, and your command was moved to a conversion of an m/28 mounted with a larger cannon, but little in the way of protection for yourself. It had almost been your end, even- a lightly armed enemy had noticed you as a weak target, but Von Trach had moved his own remount in between it and you. Should you appreciate that more? Maybe.

At that time, the red dust was in the air, the wind howled, and none could see hardly a thing, yet you remembered being strangely energetic, at least, at first. Even though you were in the midst of scrap iron being flung against more junk, you had a confusing mash of excitement and fear pounding in your head. The exact feelings of the moment to moment had the interference of victory, the happiness after- then further tainted by the fact that nothing would come after. Nothing but that little bar of gold, which wasn’t quite enough to be everything you wanted. Not that you spoke of that. It had joined your collections, hidden amongst your most precious belongings in case you had to leave with all of them.

The battle in the dust storm had apparently broken Todesfelsen’s unity, from what you’d found out afterwards, but as you experienced it, as you told it, even after defeating the enemy outside, you had to dive into the city itself. Once again, you were made to change tanks, to a cramped and cruddy Netillian design that, while better for the environment than the open topped tank destroyer conversions, felt no stronger. Especially when Von Tracht got to have his m/32 back, and the blonde girl, who you remembered now, after being reminded of her existence before, and retelling this story.

“I’ve never heard of this blonde girl. Is she somebody close?” Framboise cut in.

“I don’t know. I didn’t pay her much attention.” Hence why you had forgotten. She was pretty ugly with that gouge across her face, and had a small chest. About the only good thing about her you could remember was how short she was, but apparently, Von Tracht was fond enough of her to make her his retinue.

So you went on with the story. The fighting in the city was chaotic, confusing, but you pushed forward and through despite the lack of knowledge of whether or not the foe was really so close to collapse as thought. In hindsight, it was all very, very dangerous, especially considering the final nasty surprise. A trap, in the form of an armory that had been filled to the brim with explosives, then touched off when you were close…but not close enough. Then, a final attack from the enemy- that might have succeeded had they been more patient, but you and your allies hadn’t been caught by the worst of the explosion, and you managed to fend them off. It had been frightening, fierce, the hardest battle you’d fought in still- but you had won.

There wasn’t any need to go beyond that. To the discovery that your victory hadn’t been perfect.

“So I suppose the book doesn’t go into that much detail,” you presumed. Retelling it all in Emrean had turned your tongue clumsy, and you were in particular want to return to your own language. “It doesn’t sound so much heroic or anything as much as us running around like rats.”

“I appreciate it anyways,” Framboise said in smooth Emrean, “It isn’t that sort of book, but this is the first time anybody has told me of their battles at all. I wish more people would. These stories are lovely, but, they are based off of a truth…that I’d like to know just as much.”

“Maybe if I were more handsome, I’d feature more,” you said cynically.

Framboise shrugged her shoulders. “The Kommandant turned out to only have half a face.”

“So I look better than him?”

“…You should not worry so much about looking better than anybody,” Framboise said in a tone that spoke for itself as far as answering your question went. Damn.

“Hey. Von Walen.” A New Nauk phrase- from Krause. “You two’ve been chattering at each other in coldwater long enough? The Netillians are here.”

“Buh. Shit. I’ll be right there.” To Framboise, “I’ve got to go now. To do what I’ve come here to do in the first place.”

“Mmm. Thank you again, it is nice to be able to speak Emrean instead of Imperial.”

Back you’d go to speaking that again- hopefully not with an Emrean trill, considering that you were like as not one of the few who understood the northwest tongue.

-----

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The man you met with next caught you halfway, himself led along by Von Metzeler. Apparently he was not the waiting sort. It was the man called Magnus Edelschwert- a noble enough sounding name, but evidently, he lacked a title, even though he stood as straight and with shoulders square as any highborn you’d ever seen. Some people could play pretend well enough, you supposed.

When you saluted him, he only blinked at you with a somewhat surprised expression. “You are not who I expected,” he said.

“Yes,” you let your hand down, “Well. I’m sure of that. I am Teobaldt Von Walen, field commander of the forces for this operation.”

“I see.” There came the salute. “I am Captain Magnus Edelschwert, and I have brought with me a complement of what of my command I could bring here. Is there an Anya Nowicki here? Or a Richter Von Tracht?”

“No,” you said dully, “Neither.”

Edelschwert frowned deeply. “No? I was certain that…” He sighed, “I suppose they had their reasons, though I was rather looking forward to seeing them again, considering our last encounter wasn’t an ideal one. Have you heard about how they are doing?”

“I haven’t,” you repeated again. A look at your watch. “You’re here, did anybody else arrive with you as well?”

Von Metzeler answered that. “The only parties we are waiting for are the Major and the rest of her cohorts.”

“Is my other commander here?” You asked, realizing you might not have mentioned your plans. “Edelschwert and Gerovic will be under me commanding two separate operations.”

Von Metzeler made a dark frown. “Yes. Gerovic is here, he has been…lingering.”

If that was the case, you never noticed him. He did seem like a sneaky person, but if the attendance was true, you’d probably only have time to better know one party…

>Edelschwert was right here, and one of the most significant pieces of the operation. You should speak with him. (About what?)
>Gerovic was a shifty fellow, and yet, one of the most skilled operatives. It’d be a good idea to build some rapport with him, at least so you could turn your eyes away from him if the moment was needed… (Talk about what?)
>You’re curious of somebody else- or something else. (And what would you like to do/speak with them about?)
>Other?

Sorry about the long delay, I think I'm back in the groove of things now. Adjusting out of holiday stuff.

>>5107892
>>Gerovic was a shifty fellow, and yet, one of the most skilled operatives. It’d be a good idea to build some rapport with him, at least so you could turn your eyes away from him if the moment was needed… (Talk about what?)
I would love to you talk Mags, but if the situation has been explained to you then you will do the best you can no matter what. Gerovic on the other hand, is about the last man I would trust to destroy every sample of a deadly chemical weapon.
Go talk to the foreign man, ask him if he has been leering at the local cattle, and about his people's conflict with Nettiland and if he sees that spilling over onto the rest of the civilized world very soon. Other than the absolute worst case scenario that Gerovic is a complete madman and lets Garten loose out of spite, I think this operation came together too quickly to give Gerovic a good chance at secreting away some sample or piece of research in any meaningful capacity.

>>5107892
>>Edelschwert was right here, and one of the most significant pieces of the operation. You should speak with him.
If the mysterious man wants to stay mysterious then let him; trying to learn more about him will probably be like pulling teeth anyway. Let's ask Magnus about his background and experience, and also if he knows anything about the sort of troops we're going up against. Any insider information about their tactics or organization will be helpful.

>>5107892
Seconding >>5108088

>>5108088
Thirding

>>5108088
This, particularly if the opposition is going to be true believer fight to the last kind of folks

>>5107892
>>5108088
This sounds good.

>>5108046
Twaryian Talk. Leer at cows. Probe at plots of plague.

>>5108088
>>5108093
>>5108193
>>5108327
>>5108334
So I hear you're into ugly smallchests. I need to debate your tastes, and know about you Netillians, nevermind that your family are Ellowian expatriates. How die hard are these guys?

Aight, writing.

It was true that, from what you knew of him, Andrej Gerovic couldn’t be trusted. An enemy operative, turned to your side through…something. Yet, still capable and clever enough to fight as well as he did to be made to do this. Somehow trusted to not attempt to take something as deadly as Garden and try to provide it to his former masters…or not. Perhaps the Major counted on you having the sense to not allow him anywhere near it. How little you knew of him personally would demand you find out more, assuredly.

Except. Gerovic might be a threat if the mission was completed successfully, but he was of Caelus, an ally of Twaryi, whose soldiers were nowhere near here nor were they even considering coming close. They quite possibly didn’t even know this complex or contagion existed. Meanwhile, the actual main factor were the Netillians. The rebellious Republic-aligned ones at your side, but also the Military Council’s loyalists that they had once fought alongside, and were now battling against. Without personal experience of being alongside them, ignoring this factor that was both on your side and against it might shoot you in the foot and sunder the whole operation itself.

So, the intercontinental mystery man could wait. This girly man with braided hair would have much more helpful to you- including, potentially, the tactics of the enemy. You had no battle line here- once more, you had to fight like a mouse, and no long lived mouse ever ignored the cat’s habits.

“Let Gerovic linger then,” you scoffed at the man, let him hear it, if he wanted to lurk and not make himself known, “Captain Edelschwert. Let’s talk.”

“A moment,” Edelschwert held up a hand, “You say Gerovic. Andrej Gerovic? Of Twaryi? What is he doing here?”

“You’re asking me questions I don’t know the answer to,” you beckoned to the taller man, “When the Major gets back, maybe you can ask her, but right now, I need to discuss other things.”

Edelschwert shook his head. “I cannot imagine what your Major is thinking, having him involved in something as this. She is an imposing figure, but she underestimates the likes of men such as him.”

The temptation was there to admit that you didn’t know what she was thinking either putting you in charge, but you didn’t need this man doubly doubtful of this mission. “Everybody has their eye on the man. Tell me about yourself, though. You and Von Metzeler and Krause,” you pointed to the present former, “Are you friends? Where is Krause, anyways?”

Von Metzeler shrugged. “I do not know where Frederick is. Magnus Edelschwert,” he glanced over, “I am not terribly well acquainted with, but I know that he is brave of spirit, and formidable in battle.”

“Thank you, Herr Von Metzeler,” the braided hair man bowed in response to the compliment. “I extend the same to you.” Whatever. “Have you heard anything of Anya? Or Von Tracht?”

“I have not.”

“Ahem,” you cleared your throat, “Captain Edelschwert.”

“Yes,” he turned back to you and looked down to your eyes.

“Tell me about yourself. You’re a tank commander, right? I want to know what you’re good at, in your own words.” You’d read his file, but you wanted to hear him tell it. “Would you say that you’re an orthodox sort of officer?”

That prompted a smile. “Nobody would say that, Herr Von Walen. Least of all any Netillians. Netilland has always had difficulties with its southern border. A mess of agreements with some groups and rivalries with others. Sundersschirm would say one thing, and Windrede another. The one thing that was certain was force and initiative. The best carrier of which, is a tank. You know of the theories of Debon?”

“I do.” Even if they were at odds with Strossvald’s doctrine.

“Overwhelming force along the paths of least resistance. I focused on finding these paths. To be like water, and flow quickly through the cracks of even the hardest stone.”

“Some tanks are more suited to that than others,” you observed, thinking of the NKE-1/50’s bulk in armored protection, which assuredly did not translate to an equivalently impressive speed of travel.

“You would think,” Magnus paced to the side, “But initiative is not only physical swiftness. It matters little how long your stride is if you arrive before the enemy even knows there is a race.”

Hence why his choice in armor was not as suited to fast flight as his initial statement of tactics might have seemed. A different interpretation of how the physics of the world worked- but one that must have worked for him. “Some would say you fight like a bandit, then? No offense.”

“Many say that,” Magnus was not affronted, despite his blood, “Yet Netilland’s tactics are much like the Archduchy’s. Their belief is that overwhelming force is the solution to all problems. Yet, they so often wielded a sledgehammer too heavy for them to lift, against a stone too unyielding. It did not work against Sosaldt for so many times. So I used our enemy’s strategy against them.” He looked side to side, “Overwhelming force has its uses, but I presume we are taking the bandit’s path here, yes?”

“Correct,” you answered, “From what you’re saying, your own way of fighting should work well against your former comrades?”

Magnus frowned at that. “Perhaps. The Netillian army of today is certainly not what it once was. I’m unsure if I would call them comrades, even former, however.”

“More of a Republican, then?”

“No.” Magnus said firmly, “Netilland is not my family’s home. We came from a land of kings, to a place that had no kings since the Nauk. The firm and just hand of a king, guided by the duty of moral rulership, is better than the fancy of freedom under a Republic guided by the whims of the masses, but as it turned out, the Military Council was no moral authority.”

A man with his head firm on his shoulders, then, though this wasn’t the place to inquire into the intricacies of political philosophy. “Yet you’re here representing them? Fighting for them?”

“Netilland may not be my homeland, but it is the homeland of friends old and new. Of my true comrades.” He nodded back towards the other soldiers who had arrived with him, “Recently, as well, I saw, spoke with somebody from my childhood. She made her intentions for the future clear, so I am…obligated. Because they would not come to pass if I fought for the Defense Party. I do not fight for Netilland. I fight for justice and to protect the dreams of my friends.”

A resolute speech, but despite claiming he wasn’t a Netillian, you had to wonder if anybody he knew felt the same way about Netilland when it was their homeland. “Do you think any of the Netillians here fight for all that? Justice, the dreams of their friends and all, but their friends are the Military Council?”

Magnus slipped his other hand into his pocket, and considered his answer. “Netilland’s government has been…divisive. The Republic’s last years were filled with the sort of indecision, incompetence, and corruption that led to the Military Council’s coup being a widely supported act. Yet now, even those who do not miss the Republic would rather have that than the present tyranny. Most still supported it under the auspices that the power we had gained under it would at least protect them from the threats the Republic did not shield them against, yet when King Wladysaw managed to capture members of the Council, and the piecemeal force sent southward failed to vanquish enemies old and new, the faith in strength went away. Anybody who still fights for the Military Council now, I’d say…would certainly either be well motivated or fearful of what they might lose. This biological weapon is something powerful enough for people motivated by the Military Council to consider a last hope, so that our opponents would fight as hard as they could, once they figure out what our purpose here is…that’s inevitable. A certainty.”

What was expected, yes, but now what you wanted to hear. You didn’t want to fight an enemy that had more belief in their cause than you did, by a huge amount. “So they’ll fight as hard as they can. What else should we expect? From their equipment to how they’ll respond to our surprise party.” You’d reviewed Netillian weapons systems- but their military restructuring was even now still in progress. Not all formations had access to the same standard of equipment, but it was hard to imagine a facility this important, even if it was mostly defended through isolation and ignorance, didn’t have at least the average on hand for the troops that did defend it.

“They will have machine guns and munitions casters, assuredly,” Magnus said, “Anti-tank equipment is unlikely. They’d never expect hostile armor here.” A bit of a self-satisfied air to that last comment. “Standard procedure against raids is to respond with overwhelming force and firepower, with the assumption that it is a small scale ambush. As soon as it’s apparent we have armor, however, they’ll draw back however they can and attempt to impede our attack as best as they can. Munitions Casters only have an effective range within one hundred meters, so if our attacks come from further than that, they won’t be able to make good use of those.”

“What about mortars, or infantry field guns?” Von Metzeler asked for you.

“If they have them, they would use them, but those are ineffective against the sort of armor we have,” Magnus said, “I don’t know if they have them, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they did.”

Infantry field guns and mortars would certainly hurt your infantry component- and you didn’t have many of them to begin with. You’d have to do your best to exploit the advantage that tanks gave you, but even then, what if the fighting moved into the facilities?

Perhaps the tanks would have to fit themselves into the buildings. They weren’t particularly large, save for the “Culture Dome”, where it would apparently absolutely not do to have any explosives go off, or tanks go a wandering.

A last, foreboding thought. “If they think they’re going to lose,” you said carefully, “Do you think they’d…release it?”

Edelschwert was silent, before shaking his head. “I hope not.”

“Von Walen,” Von Metzeler cut in, “Another group, and the Major,” he pointed with his remaining hand, “It is time.”

-----

The arrayed group before you was imposing to stand in front of- most of them looked a good deal tougher than you, save for the pretty boys (and Framboise), which included a newcomer with a scar on his face. One Vars Von Kalderhaus, whose family you’d heard of, but not this member.

The Major herself sat at the head of the large tent and looked at you with an glance that seemed to expect little of you, but urged you to begin to tell your plans with the pinned maps and boards you had been provided. Most of the rest of the group looked just as unenthusiastic to see somebody as unimpressive looking as you apparently at their head, but it was far too late for them to complain, and they were in no place to be choosy.
A few more people had come with the Major, though, ones who kept close to her. A bunch of goons in thick protective suits- perhaps they would handle disposal for you, if you didn’t cock this all up and force your own people to deal with the objective, for want of time and proper setting.

In your head, on the board, and in front of you, you reviewed your assets again.

Seven infantry squads of roughly ten or so. Three of them were Netillian- equipped to Netillian standard, with a squad machine gun and a squad munitions caster operator. A few of them even had self-loading rifles, and with not one of them being a green recruit, they may have been the best footmen available to you.
>x3 Netillian Infantry

Then, an odd group of outcasts. Sosaldtian auxiliaries that had arrived with Framboise. They were rugged looking, but not armed with much that was impressive. They’d brought their beaten clothes, and their weapons as beaten as those. They didn’t inspire confidence, but they were what you had.
>x1 Republic Auxiliary

Other ragged looking folks, but they looked far meaner, and equipped from what you recognized as Archduchy stock. With Hagen straight pull rifles and a Von Muse machine gun per squad, their armament rounded out with squad leader Messer submachine guns and rifle grenades, they were equivalent to standard Strossvalder army infantry. At least, such was what their section of your dossier assured.
>x3 IO Operative Infantry

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The tanks as well. The X-51 and X-52, commanded by Von Metzeler and Krause. A pair of lightly armored but swift tanks with 5 centimeter guns. They could dish out punishment, but surely could not take it in return. They were to accompany Magnus Edelschwert in the interception force, meant to ambush an expected mechanized quick reaction force whilst the assault on Site 12 proper took place. The Netillian officer had an NKE-1 tank, an m/28-31, and an NKE-3 at his disposal as well as your two fellow adventurous Archduchy officers. A motley array of equipment, with a vital task.

Accompanying the assault force were Framboise with her contribution from across the continent, a decently-armored, rounded vehicle with a 4 centimeter cannon. A decent all-rounder, from what you could tell. The commander of the assault force, Gerovic, who smugly smirked from the front row, would ride in Twaryian armor he was familiar with. Rather, Caelussian armor, designed far away but used now closer to home. That left the X-20; which you considered commanding yourself. Not for preference, but because there seemed to be little in the way of other commanders volunteering themselves.

Maybe it was better for you not to be in it, and to instead focus on overall command. There was still time for adjustment.

You went over the plans one last time in your head, before you opened your mouth…

>Firstly- Will Von Walen command the X-20 in the Assault?
Then-
>Decide what infantry squads go where. This wasn’t necessarily decided before- so we’ll do that here.
After that-
>Position troops for the Site 12 Assault- after this, the Ambush positioning will be planned. As an important note- armor can only be pre-positioned as far as the southern woods, only infantry squads can venture any further north than that.
Finally-
>Anything else to handle?
This includes, if I recall correctly, some other things that the Major left before letting you address- I’ll check again, and apologize if I missed anything.

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Sorry this took like two days. Anyways, even though positioning isn't being decided yet, to help aid in decisions for the other map, this is the ambush site.

>>5110704
>Firstly- Will Von Walen command the X-20 in the Assault?
Yes.
>Decide what infantry squads go where. This wasn’t necessarily decided before- so we’ll do that here.
2 Netillian infantry and 2 IO for the assault.
The rest for ambush. Republics take the lead, because of bandit experience.
>Position troops for the Site 12 Assault- after this, the Ambush positioning will be planned. As an important note- armor can only be pre-positioned as far as the southern woods, only infantry squads can venture any further north than that.
The assault will have 1 squad per tank which helps with the assault from 3 sides.
One tank for the West, South and East. The biggest gun on the south to blow open the gate.
Truck behind the southern one ready to rush to the gate and assault the compound. (truck will have an IO squad since they are more trustworthy with the securing the fuckery.)

For the Ambush tanks ready to form an U shape and envellop the enemy. The lightest ones on the flank for their speed.
Infantry spread out along the road ready to pounce when the tanks hit.

Didn't do it on map since I think anons may have better options.

>>5110704
>Firstly- Will Von Walen command the X-20 in the Assault?
Yes, we need everyone on deck for this one I think, though the X-20 here should be more focused on overwatch/suppressing fire while the more armoured tanks make the assault.

>Decide what infantry squads go where. This wasn’t necessarily decided before- so we’ll do that here.
Assault- 3x IO Infantry
Ambush- 3x Netillian Infantry, 1x Republic Auxillary

Couple of questions for the assault first:
How high are the compound walls, are they scaleable? Does Gerovic and Framboise's tanks have enough firepower to make a breach for the infantry to follow through or will we need to plant charges?

For the ambush map what's the direction that the QRF will be coming from plus the direction towards the Garten site?

>>5110725
>Anything else to handle?
Independent command is adviced. React to changes in the battlefield and adapt accordingly.
Ambush is meant to stop the reaction force and not obliterated it. Full encirclement is not adviced.
Liberal usage of explosives is allowed, just not inside the compound itself.

>>5110726
>For the ambush map what's the direction that the QRF will be coming from plus the direction towards the Garten site?
The north, most likely along the road, barring advance notice to them of something present. The road to Site 12 is the one going further south, as it continues on and swoops from south-going to east.

>>5110704
Supporting >>5110725

Forgot to get these two other ones.
>>5110726
>How high are the compound walls, are they scaleable?
They aren't very high or wide, about three meters tall, but they do have razor wire over top so scaling them isn't the best idea without some sort of, say, limited demolition.

>Does Gerovic and Framboise's tanks have enough firepower to make a breach for the infantry to follow through or will we need to plant charges?
It'd take a bit of effort, since their guns are 4.5 and 4 centimeter respectively, but it can be done, though not quickly, I'd say. Using explosive charges (presumably divided from the big one instead of using that whole thing- unless you want to) would probably work faster.

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>>5110704
I assume we can split an explosive charge into breaching charges to breach the walls? If so, I'd say:
>Firstly- Will Von Walen command the X-20 in the Assault?
Yes
>Decide what infantry squads go where. This wasn’t necessarily decided before- so we’ll do that here.
2 Netillian and 2 IO for the assault.
Rest go to the ambush.
>Positioning
Let the tanks roll up to the gate supported by 1 Netillian element in the truck. 1 IO element breaches near the gate and culture dome to sow confusion and to quickly remove any defenses behind the gate. Other Netillian and IO elements breach at the equipment yards to further disrupt an effective defense of the compound.
>Anything else?

Strategy for the breach as follows:
Tanks knock up to the gate and try to breach. If successful and quick, the IO element will secure the culture lab. After securing, the Culture Lab group will support the armored group. The IO element pushes for the Vessel Lab while the Netillian group pushes for the Archive under cover of the tanks and infantry suppressing or occupying the Armory.
Everything kicks off when the tanks make contact/shoot.
Once the tanks and infantry have the main courtyard secure I'd say that we most of the infantry loaded in the truck in case a QRF is needed for the ambush.

I doubt they'd expect a shock and awe with this much power so it truly does comes down to how fast we can go.

>Questions:
I assume the infantry have smokes for the push? That's really my only concern with the plan. That and the concentration of tanks but we'll see

>>5111163
>I assume the infantry have smokes for the push?
Not many, but yes. Enough for one cloud per squad, unless you're funky enough to use the Munitions Caster armed squads' Tear Gas charge as concealment, though that really wouldn't work nearly as well as dedicated smoke.

>>5111199
I think the 1 cloud per squad should be good enough, thanks for clearing it up. Also nice digits

>>5110704
Are we able to fire into the compound from any of the hills in the are? If so we should try to get something up there to bring the armory under direct fire and just make a mess out of any targets of opportunity.

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>>5110726
Also the assault plan:

>>5110704
>>5111163
I support this plan. One change I propose for it though is for Framboise's Lapin to go with the northern group breaching by the Equipment yards. I expect the X-20 to dominate on that relatively open ground past the gate but with a lot of points of interest on the north side of the facility I think more firepower up there initially is a good idea.

>>5111249
>Are we able to fire into the compound from any of the hills in the are?
You can, from the point where the elevation change is marked. They're higher up than the outer walls, at least.

>>5111497
Well if other anons are up for it, I would suggest putting something up there. Dosn't necessarily have to be a tank, if we have any machine guns we could dedicated a weapons team up there. To bad we dont seem to have mortars.

>>5111163
>>5111416
I support both of these

>>5111163
In general I support this plan but I think Fram's tank should be added to rush to the IO side infantry hiding in those Southeast wood to suppress the towers once she arrives. The thunder starts with Gerovic and his *thicc* tank crash attacking the gate with support from the X-20 on the hill in the trees for suppression and lobbing into the compound and gate. This will also give Von Walen sight inside to relay commands/contact sightings as necessary.

We can't guarantee that the smoke will give enough coverage on those open plains, I'd bet 1 solid bar of gold and some idiot's ancestral sword that each tower has at least a machine gun and any infantry moving across without armor support might get shredded.

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>>5111816
the idea in my dumb mind

>>5110705
Don't worry about it tanq, these look great! Besides it takes time to properly commit a war crime.

>Anything else to handle?
Major, what is our actual exfiltration?
Then outline general plan to Overseas Grease and Yumil-Fondler for their input. Endure scathing criticism as well as Von Walen's ego can poorlyendure.

>Ideas for Ambush
Is that village inhabited? Good spot for infantry otherwise.
Remember they will have autogyro support so when the firing starts nothing will remain hidden for long.

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Alrighty, so,
Von Walen gets to ride a tank again. Best hope the same thing doesn't happen again.
The Assault gets 2 Netillian Infantry and 2 Intel Office goon squads.
As for the plan itself, though it can use some blending for specificity and contigencies-

>>5110725
>>5110960
Attack from all sides save the north. Each squad has a tank for support.

>>5111250
Focus on the southeast corner- break through and secure the armory and gate, go from there.

>>5111163
>>5111416
>>5111775
>>5111816
Two tanks hit the gate. One supports the flank attacks. Initiate battle with the tank cannons opening up. If everything gets done early, prepare to help the ambush if need be.

>>5111837
As above, I believe- except Von Walen stays on the hill. Perhaps he does anyways, I dunno. We'll see. That feels like something that can be adjusted on the fly anyways.

As for other things not yet addressed-

>>5110728
Don't wait for the decision of authority. Though to be fair the commanders you've picked are both quite independently minded- best to release any assumption of obligation, though.
Don't go too hard on the ambush.
Go all the hard on the compound until you're inside it.

>>5111837
Ask about getting the fuck out of here.
Ask about feedback for the plan to the people actually in charge of carrying them out- the ladies' man and the lady man.
Ogres are probably much less daunting when you have tanks. Demon Ogres, not Shrek Ogres.
>Is that village inhabited? Good spot for infantry otherwise.
The villages are (Or at least, should be, barring extremely strange activity) completely uninhabited, being cleared out in order to foster proper isolation.
Also note the funny looking planes.

Shouldn't be long to hit up the next plan phase. Writing.
As a side note I do appreciate the thought put into these, even if your plan isn't the one followed I try and consider the logic of it in cases of adjustments and such.

Also, in case anybody wanted a reminder of what your equipment looks like. All painted Netillian Green- don't get lost amongst the enemy, it's already bad enough that half your guys have the same uniforms.
Though measures have been taken to differentiate them, of course. Plus the guys in this place have slightly different uniforms anyways.

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On further, sudden analysis of the time I have before I have to putz around at work again, I'll just open planning here- non-plan related queries such as how you're going to get out of this once you're done, I'll do in the consolidated planning update.

Reposting the map, with a few more details.

>Position assets for the Woods Ambush location, as well as planning any contingencies.

As a side note, the autogyro patrols are a constant- there is a risk of detection as you deploy and as you wait, but you did pick a Raider Leader for this particular section of the operation. The best sort of countermeasure you could ask for, really.

>>5112532
>Woods Ambush
Set up in the northwestern corner of the map on both sides of the woods; the trees should cover us from the autogyros plus provide cover and concealment for the actual ambush. Combine the charges into one huge IED, detonate it when the tank platoon passes over it on the road.

>>5112532
Two ideas
>Plan Staggered Cock Slap
The point of this plan is delay as opposed to damage. The X tanks and 1 m/28 with 1 mine would open up the show with the aim of stopping the convoy and luring them into a series of ambushes. After the first shot the speedy tanks would rush back and through the town, hopefully convincing the enemy that there is no friendly support in the town.
Once the enemy is close enough the defenders would open up and then fade to the next fall back spot. The most defensible town position would also be mined for detonation when enemy infantry fans out to take over abandoned positions. Trade ground for time. I hope the fact that most enemy tanks have to stand still to aim effectively will partially account for their mobility advantage.

This would continue until losses force an end to engagement or the base assault succeeds.
Far less damage to the enemy which will eventually reach the base but maximize time for the base team to win.

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>>5112667
Of course I'd forget image.

The other idea
>Plan Explosive Circlejerk
An overwhelming opening salvo to inflict as much damage as possible and in the event there are too many, flee towards the base for a stand with the other team. This would focus the ambush with all tanks spread in a circle around the fork in the road for maximum flank shots and disorientation of the enemy convoy. It would also heavily depend on the autogyros not finding us until the mines go off.
Highest initial reward to damage at a risk to really bad positioning if we get spotted too soon.

>>5112532
>>5112667
I support this plan. The overall objective asks us to walk in, destroy everything, and leave. I'd rather we have as long as possible and then everyone books it after everything is destroyed, consequences be damned
Assuming the Major gives us a good exfil and that the gyros don't continuously relay our position anyway

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>>5112532
A plan based on staying away from closer engagements to not give the Nets a good chance to close the distance and overwhelm the ambushers with numbers.
>Operation Hard Wood
I am assuming if Edelshwert can hide his tanks as rocks in Sosaldt, he can hide them even easier in snow and trees. The idea is to let the convoy pass in between the ambushers then hit the front and back with Group 1 and Group 2 respectively, all at the same time. The initial explosive charge then will be set off and at least another salvo should be fired before the second set of explosives is set off to signal the first fallback. Group 1 and 2 will fall back to points A and B, and depending on how the ambush went, Group 1 can either continue to fall back to Point C, or try to regroup with Group 2 at Point D.
The 2 ton was not listed as an asset, I assume it could be with the radio relay team and therefore unavailable. If it is available though I would like it to be pre-positioned to help Group 1 while they fall back. Without it I think there is little good chance Group 1 could reliably link up with Group 2, unless the Nets were really fucked up by the ambush. The Groups should also be expected to fight at least some if and when pursued to their initial fallback points. They do not have to get full kill, but even taking out a track on a tank at this point takes it out of the fight.
This plan relies on the element of surprise being maintained, so if the tanks in Group 1 need to be moved around to avoid being World of Tanks proximity that is completely fine.

>>5113439
>the ambushers then hit the front and back with Group 1 and Group 2 respectively
Sorry, that is to say Group 1 will hit the back and Group 2 will hit the front. Gotta slip in a mistake here or there so we know Teo was still the one who made the plan.

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Alright, gonna call the plan when I get back from work tonight. I'm getting out a good three hours early- there haven't been enough late shift workers to stay open. Though I think the plans as now may require some consolidation.

In the meantime, I've been grinding through my late obligations. Halloween Hilda is looking more and more like February considering how long I've blown that off save for the ginger.
So this is her bathing in a cold misty lake. A while before getting barbecued with cursed flame. It was asked for- though not specified which version of her, so this is me retconning Hilda's bustline back in time.

>>5114932
>Now never get a chance to mud wrestle and skinny dip after losing to those muscles
We've made a mistake.

Also just to make the vote more confusing I'm voting for >>5113439
instead of either of mine. It has the best mixture of surprise and buying time. I'm only worried that some Nets might slip through in the chaos, or cut us off from a southern retreat.

Also looks like that bear has pawed nicer tiddies than Richter ever will.

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>>5114932
As long as the ambush doesn't get found out and the bad men get a face full of plastic explosive, that is good enough for me.
I have been waiting for a some female suitor to petition Richter to post pic related, but its probably been a few years since I first found it so I am just going to post it now.

Alright it's been enough days hasn't it.
Planning over, update coming. From what I can see Hard Wood is the go one.
Whether Magnus approves of that operation name is another story.

So. The first thing to go over, after you stumbled over your canned introduction that the IO provided you about how important this was- without mentioning the uncertainty of this being remotely worth it.

“There’s going to be three groups for this,” you started, pointing on the greater area map with a stick, feeling much more important than usual with the pointer. “One is the Assault Group commanded by Gerovic, the second is the Ambush Group under Captain Edelschwert, and the third is the Relay Team. Without the relay, we’ll be too far apart to communicate when we need to, so they’ll be deploying with the Ambush Group, about two hours before the Assault Group moves out, so they have time to set up their position, and so they don’t kick up too much while moving.” After all, too much mechanized movement too quickly would be noticed even without the autogyros being in the sky. You shifted maps. “There’s an abandoned village here that’s an ideal ambush point. The execution will be up to the group leader, but there’s several fallback positions apparent. Your objective is to unleash a hell of a beating with the opening shots- which is why you’re getting a pair of explosives boxes assigned to you. Don’t bother with trying to make it a pitched fight. Delay them, do as much damage as you can in quick fashion, then avoid getting dragged into a fight you can’t win or that you’ll take too much damage in.”

Edelschwert tapped his fingers in his crossed arms, but had no criticisms. Maybe he was working out how he’d want to do this in detail.

“The forward deployment of the Ambush Team is the riskiest part,” you said, “Because if the autogyro patrols are off, then you might be spotted. Also to avoid detection, we’ll be radio silent until you initiate your ambush, though I’m sure we’ll make enough noise that it’ll be obvious when you’re out of time. Remember, two hours, that’s what you’ve got. Now, the assault,” another imperfect map- but it was what you had. “There’s approaches through the woods to the south here. We’ll assemble here, and…here,” you pointed out the locations, “I’ll be accompanying the Assault Group. We’ll hit the wall from three places and eliminate the guard towers right away using the tanks. The Emrean tank will accompany the flanking forces, while Gerovic and I will seize the gates. Once we’re inside, we’ll secure each objective. The flanking forces will have explosive charges to breach the walls with, and they’ll be seizing the equipment yards beyond the walls where the garrison’s heavy equipment is stored. That’ll impede their defense a lot. Lob around whatever you want in the breach, but no explosives against any of the objective buildings or inside them, obviously. You know what we’re here to prevent, I hope, not cause.”

With that, you looked to the Major, sitting silently, seeming preoccupied with something else. “As for our escape from here..?” You led on, and the Major stood up.

“This road here,” she said as she strode over, snatching the stick from you, “Follow it all the way, and there is a small supply base. By the time this operation concludes, a Republican resistance group will have seized it. From there, our Republican Netillian allies can return to their own, and all others will be guided south, deeper into friendly territory. This is also the contingency if we fail, though I expect that, if you have any conscience, you will not flee while any small victory is possible.”

Gerovic cleared his throat. “So, what if this group hasn’t taken this supply base?”

“Then you take it,” the Major said, as though explaining to a child, “What I described is the only simple route of retreat available. If it does not work, expect to fight your way out of the country.”

“Or scatter to the winds,” Krause offered,” Run and hide until this all blows over?”

“That is not an option for the Caelussian,” the Major said with a stiff lip.

“I presume,” Magnus spoke up, “That we have full operational freedom once we are in position?”

“Well, yeah,” you shrugged, “I can’t tell you what to do with where you’ll be.”

“Me neither,” Gerovic said with a coy lilt to his interjection, “Though you can talk at me if it makes you feel better.”

“Are there any actual problems you want to point out, or are we alright?” You tried to attempt the thing the Major did where she just ignored things. “If not, then we need to get ready to go.”

None raised a hand or voice- though from the atmosphere, you could tell what the shared thought was. Nobody wanted to discuss this to death- they only wanted to do this. To settle the uncertainty, and resolve whatever fate awaited all of you.

“You all have your orders, then,” The Major said loud and clear, “When Garden and its documentation are obliterated, the call will go out to retreat to the appointed location. If you are delayed or lost, you’re on your own. I expect your best, because it will be what we need. Move!”

-----

The mists of morning were being seared away by the sun- only a few clouds hung in the sky, but they were great, white masses. Winter would be coming to a close soon, and soon, perhaps, this war in Netilland. Another might begin soon with Twaryi and whatever it had laid its eyes upon next, likely Vynmark, perhaps the other half of Ellowie. It was hard to say for certain- the affairs of those below the peaks often had little to do with what concerned the mountain lords.

Yet though the close of winter might signal the end of one war, there was one that would endure. The Autumn of the World, if the most dire predictions came true.

“Nightleer,” an acolyte called the attention of a robed, and also masked man. The acolyte himself was dressed heavily in wools, a hood, all plain and nondescript, though around his neck was a chain of talismans, and in a gloved hand an old gun scribed with whorls through its steel and wood and horn. “They are ready.”

“Oh, good,” the man looked past the acolyte, to the hulking masked things behind him. He wasn’t here for what they were supposed to do- he was insurance. There were not enough of his ilk for the Elders to wage the conflict they wished- and word had crossed to his lunar aspect, of what might hide in a place like he had now sought out both through rumor, and vision. Though he hoped to come away with more than he had in a trek he’d gone on before, with timing as fortuitous. “You know, I’ve sensed a mark, these past hours” he pointed, “A remnant of one, at least. I wonder if it was meant to draw attention, or…”

“I do not believe this place is of interest to them. A coincidence. Respectfully.”

“Maybe,” the man called Nightleer allowed the mountain ranger, “Maybe not. Either way, watch and wait for the opening. There is no need to be brutes about this.”

“These weapons were made for brute work,” the acolyte said humorlessly, “You said this place may have important knowledge. The Elders need all of the advantages they can get.”

“Yes, yes,” Nightleer said impatiently, “Do as you wish. I’d rather not expend needless effort, is all…”

-----

So the operation began, the Major sat back in her chair and sighed, already thinking of all that could go wrong. It wasn’t as though the prognosis was poor, only that…perhaps things looked too good. Optimism misplaced could spell disaster- which was why she struggled to figure out just where this bad feeling was coming from…

Well. She turned her attention to the radio set she had some of her people managing. They trawled the airwaves, seeking to glean whatever they could from the chatter that would surely flow soon…

>Begin as Von Walen
>Begin as Edelschwert
>Begin as Gerovic

>>5117310
>Begin as Von Walen
Let's hope he does better this time around

>>5117310
>Begin as Von Walen
it would really be Von Walen's luck if he got caught in the middle of some wizard bullshit during his first actual operation

>>5117310
>Begin as Von Walen
Von Walen is small.
Von Walen has good tactics.
Von Walen is bad with Women.
Von Walen likes collecting things.
Is Von Walen Walmart Napoleon?

>>5117310
>Begin as Edelschwert

>>5117310
>Begin as Von Walen
Beside the potential wizard third party involvement, can't wait for the discovery the Major missed out intel on last minute reinforcements or something :p

>>5117310
>Begin as Gerovic

>>5117310
>Begin as Gerovic
More fun to start the assault without knowing if the ambush was successful or not

>>5117310
>Begin as Gerovic

>>5117310
>Begin as Von Walen
We came up with the plan, now let's see how badly it goes.

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>5117313
>>5117324
>>5117375
>>5117711
>>5118418
Follow through with what you've made- from inside a tank that looks like a shoe. It'd only be appropriate for you to be a heel.


>>5117507
Take on the ambush first. Grow out that hair.

>>5117784
>>5117799
>>5118329
An extracontinental perspective, who could say what naughtiness you'd get up to?

Alrighty then. Let's get started. First of all- to see if the autogyro patrols are off schedule, by chance. a 1 or a 10 indicates a problematic and unexpected change in patrol schedule.

It was only natural to be a little nervous. For what felt like the first time, you had given a plan rather then being told what to do, and then rather than seeing over it yourself, and knowing right at the moment it succeeded or failed, you were watching Magnus, your old comrades, and the members of the Ambush Group roll away. Not for hours would you know if everything had gone right.

Hours to ponder upon whether you’d made mistakes that would destroy your chance to scramble up whatever line fate was casting down for you.
A few distractions had the courtesy to pop up, though, such as the matter of the crew of the tank you’d be commanding, as well as the vehicle itself. The X-20, as it was called, was a tank made by Valsten, one of several testbeds for new vehicles, that had been captured in the war you’d only been part of for mere hours. It was an ugly thing to be frank and honest. It had the shape of a shoe rather than an advanced machine, with the potential to be had from casting its shape and armor giving no blessing to its aesthetics from some cruel joke by its designers. In its turret it carried a pair of 2 centimeter cannons, light anti-aircraft guns in the same vein as the twin-13mm armed variant of the m/28, and like that, surely a weapon to darken the pants of any infantryman. Lightly armored, you held no reservations that it would resist an attack upon itself, much like how the last tank you’d commanded had turned out to be all too fragile in the end.

A trait unmentioned in the report that you noticed right away- the tank, as well as the X-51 and X-52, were strangely quiet. While idling the X-20 might not have been more noisy than a large car, and when the other two X vehicles were moving out they were difficult to hear under the sound of the Ellowian tanks. Valsten must have taken great pains to reduce their noise profile. Would that help you here? Probably not, when the tanks accompanied far noisier vehicles. Such as the T-16, which churned loudly like an obnoxious child seeking attention.

The crew were another odd story, since obviously, your own were not there…or anywhere. Yet neither were either Krause or Von Metzeler’s crews. Instead, there were Intelligence office operatives like the so-called Codenamed Arson soldiers, though of a different stroke.

“So long as that big gun guy isn’t somehow here, picking us off, like with Sleepwalker,” your gunner muttered, “We ought to be just fine, I’m sure. Nobody that scary here.”

“I’ll just get lucky,” the driver said, “Get picked out of the wrecks by the Caelussian again.”

“That’s not happening here, moron,”

Part of you wanted to tell them to stop being pessimistic, but you knew you weren’t an inspiring sight. You’d probably just get pissed off at what they said in response. Instead, you asked, “Is everything ready to go? We’re heading out soon.”

“Just need a grave site and two meter holes,” the gunner said sarcastically.

“Already have that,” you shot back, “All crew, get in, and let’s get going. We’re on the clock.”

-----

The autogyros were not out- and no patrols met you on your way out. Apparently, there were normally patrols, but anxiety over Republican uprisings had caused the local garrisons to prefer remaining in fortifications and sending out aerial patrols unless they could win a fight for sure. An anxiety you shared in- though there were no walls for you to hide in now. You had to rely on your tanks…and the grit of the infantry near you.

Gerovic’s tank steamed loudly in front of you, though your limited speed at least meant little detritus was being kicked up on the plain dirt road. A blessing for the infantryman cram-packed on the tanks and in the truck, hanging precariously off. If you were ambushed, you’d all quickly become like the contents f a can of beef stew broken open with a sledgehammer. Several times, you passed by abandoned cottages, some of them grown over and others looking as though they’d practically been freshly lived in. You imagined eyes peering back from them- expected them, with the things you’d seen in the past. The things you’d managed to be free of for long enough you hoped they were gone forever. You didn’t need more ghost stories- you’d rather forget them. Forget them, then eventually forget this, and be done, with all that was due in your grasp.

The pessimism of your crew was present in your head still, though, and when the trees began to look back too, you sank low in the cupola and focused on your small map, trying to match the angle of the road and landmarks to where you were.

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You were close. Finally.

Down the road about half a kilometer, out of the woods, there’d be the front gates of Site 12. Other elements of the assault group had broken off- they wouldn’t be waited for. In twenty minutes, you’d be starting- and if they were in position, they wouldn’t be waiting for your initiation if it did not come within mere minutes of the time it was meant to.

Scout parties had confirmed the presence of expected assets visible from the outside- guards in towers, mere elevations of sheet metal and wood, not fortifications. A squad at the front gates. Who knew what waited inside, but intelligence told that Site 12’s normal garrison was no greater than a platoon. Upon initiation of the attack by the sound of tank guns, all infantry elements would charge the walls, breach with small explosive charges, and get in the flanks at the same time the gate was being taken by two tanks and another squad.

Ahead of you, Gerovic leaned back against the hatch of one of the T-16’s upper entrances. He gave you a lazy glance- he hadn’t been paying attention to you at all, until now. Perhaps he was seeing if you’d take the lead…though he was the leader of the tactical element of this.

Back when making the plan, you’d considered positioning yourself on the hill to the south, to potentially provide fire from an elevated position. You had time to try and slip over- though maybe it was for the better to stick with the gate breaching group, as planned..?

>Shift your X-20 south, to the hill- where you’d have a superior fire position.
>Keep your tank with the gate attack group. They’d need all the help they could get, close at hand.
Also-
>Initiate the attack with tank fire on the flank supporting the wall breach
>Initiate the attack with the gate rush
>Or something else?

>>5119411
>.Keep your tank with the gate attack group. They’d need all the help they could get, close at hand.

>Initiate the attack with tank fire on the flank supporting the wall breach

>>5119411
>Keep your tank with the gate attack group. They’d need all the help they could get, close at hand.
>Initiate the attack with tank fire on the flank supporting the wall breach

>>5119411
>.Keep your tank with the gate attack group. They’d need all the help they could get, close at hand.
>Initiate the attack with tank fire on the flank supporting the wall breach

>“Just need a grave site and two meter holes,” the gunner said sarcastically.
Van Walen now has a crew that fits his pessimism.

>>5119411
>>Shift your X-20 south, to the hill- where you’d have a superior fire position.
>Initiate the attack with tank fire on the flank supporting the wall breach

>>5119419
>>5119423
>>5119452
Rolling in all for one- Initiating from the side.

>>5119481
Move up the hill first.

Alright, updating.

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No, it was best to stick with the group. Last time you tried to go it alone, it had been a bad idea. A tank alone hadn’t made you invincible- when you’d found success without sacrifice, it had been with a clump of others. The ambushes that captured more of the clan of Von Tirolisch, with the only shots fired being over the head rather than into it. Wouldn’t this all work out so well, if the Netillians here just gave up as soon as you crashed towards them with tanks? Yes, but also, you were here for a weapon far more potent than any amount of tanks you could have.
The cracking bang of a cannon to the north- Framboise’s tank, opening up, followed by gunfire further north. So it began- with whatever poor saps that were keeping watch in the guard towers having their days utterly ruined. They weren’t substantial constructions at all, and were never made to defend against this scale of attack, judging from a glance, but if they weren’t gone right away they could wreak havoc on the advance of the flank attack, rushing to breach through the wall.

A necessary distraction for the rush you were about to make, too, as the tower the Emrean had hopefully rendered into a much shorter form would have been the sole view of your approach besides the people you’d be targeting.

“Hear that, greasy?” Gerovic called back in a loud voice too jovial for you to not grind your teeth at. Your hair wasn’t that bad, and that thought distracted you from what had to be done. “I won’t wait for you, we fly!”

“Driver, follow the lead tank by twenty five meters,” you said into the intercom, eyeing Gerovic’s back, “Keep offset as we are now. Gunner, expect targets on the one o’clock. Wait for my order to fire.” Considering that there were Republican Netillian troops behind you, in the sole truck you had access to, and not nearly enough of them to mindlessly shred with friendly fire errors, you could sacrifice some crew initiative. Especially if the documents about these personnel were accurate in that they weren’t part of the Intelligence Office for being shining saints whose souls weighed as heavy as sunlight. “There won’t be significant anti-tank weaponry here,” especially not if the movement towards the equipment yards was as decisive as you hoped it would be, “So wait for my order.”

“I didn’t miss having to listen to blue bloods,” your gunner grumbled.

“I didn’t miss having to-“ you started to shoot back, but bit your tongue, “Just do as I say.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

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The opening shots went away- though a few pops still went off. A lack of targets, but you were maintaining radio silence for as long as you possibly could. Whatever short term confusion you might have was nothing compared to what the enemy was feeling now. Though when contact finally was made, your contribution of radio equipment would mean that, considering the addition of the tank sets, you could communicate with everybody on the field. A rare boon even in the actual army.

You finally beheld Site 12 with your own eyes for the first time- it wasn’t impressive looking, for the import it had. A plain concrete wall with razor wire atop, not very substantial looking- the demolition charges you had prepared would do, though it would be risky to slam a tank into it, still. The southeast tower had been knocked down by a strike or two from the tank cannon supporting the eastward attack, and ahead…

The gate troops had seen you and were immediately retreating into the compound. You’d have done the same thing- though since they were going to get through and have that gate shut before you closed the distance, maybe it was time to reconsider your approach…or commit to it. Though you’d have to either hope Gerovic agreed with you or account for the fact that he might not listen to you. He hanged out of his turret still, almost gaily, seeming to practically think he was invincible. He was apparently an experienced tank commander. Or was he just that lucky?

>Keep going as fast as possible. The gate needed to be taken, the momentum maintained.
>Maneuver to try and get an angle to support the approach. They were already out from in front, and you’d need to secure an entry for the bolder sorts.
>If the gate would close, you’d make a new one. Try and knock down the wall and force an entry through there, though it might put your tank at risk. (Chance of disabling your vehicle)
>Other?

>>5119844
>Keep going as fast as possible. The gate needed to be taken, the momentum maintained.

>>5119844
>Maneuver to try and get an angle to support the approach. They were already out from in front, and you’d need to secure an entry for the bolder sorts.
Covering fire.

>>5119844
>Maneuver to try and get an angle to support the approach. They were already out from in front, and you’d need to secure an entry for the bolder sorts.

GerBear has the thicc tank he can crunch through while we shred anything trying to block him.

>>5119844
>>Keep going as fast as possible. The gate needed to be taken, the momentum maintained.

>>5119844
>>Keep going as fast as possible. The gate needed to be taken, the momentum maintained.
We need to fire on the gate troops while they're retreating. Things are going to get bloody if we let them hole up in any of the buildings. Commit to the shock and awe, and give our infantry the best possible chance.

>>5119844
>>Keep going as fast as possible. The gate needed to be taken, the momentum maintained.

>>5119844
>Keep going as fast as possible. The gate needed to be taken, the momentum maintained.

Sorry that I wasn't around all day, I should have started early and kept going but I was so tired that I ended up sleeping until it was time to go in the wage cage.

>>5119858
>>5120024
>>5120031
>>5120109
>>5120120
Hit it fast, hit it hard.

>>5119956
>>5119983
Do a loopdy looper alley ooper.

Update coming.

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You weren’t being shot at yet- in fact, the only enemies you’d seen had been in a hurry to not be in your sight. A fortuitous beginning- why surrender the advantage of a surprised enemy that considered you strong enough to only be able to flee? There was no hesitation to be had. You followed Gerovic- and the infantry mounted in the truck followed you.

Only, as you approached the gate, you noticed it swinging shut, and the last men flowing towards the fortified gatehouse. Fortified as it was, that is, being made of brickwork and outfitted with firing ports. Not an intimidating building to a tank, but one that might keep those it sheltered safe from your wrath.

“No point in staying quiet now!” Gerovic’s voice came on the radio, “Just have the sense to say what’s needed.” Yes- the Netillians might not actually know what you were after, yet. They knew nothing about what you were here for, only that you were attacking. “I’m going through!”

It was a dangerous move, but a fair one. Unlike the walls, the gate, hastily shut as it had been, had a critical point of weakness in that it was meant to open, and there hadn’t been time to secure every measure against doing so. When the T-16 swerved and ran into the gate, it heaved and shook, but knocked it open just the same.

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At that moment, the booms of several demolition charges went off. The flank attack, going through- though you heard a belching of fire answer it. The reason why was reported quickly- there was a squad holed up in a building near the Equipment Yard, and though the breach so close to it prevented them from getting their most dangerous gear, the limitation of the holes in the wall meant that, for the breaching squads, it would be very dangerous to advance so long as that squad was covering it.

Gerovic also reported, however, that one squad had breached with no opposition to it. The southwest squad, whose opposition seemed to only be those who were already occupied. The squad in the gatehouse, the one up by the equipment yard, and finally- one that was preparing a position at the Armory, the most fortified structure in the base.

“There’s no time to waste with rabbits stuck in their holes,” Gerovic proclaimed boldly, “Play watchhound if you wish, but I’m off north.”

Great. He wouldn’t listen to you even if he wasn’t in operational command, you were sure, but what did you want to do with your tank? It was still one of the strongest pieces on the board here- especially when the initiative had been sacrificed to you in a panic.

>Keep a watch on the gatehouse with your tank and keep your southern infantry moving. A squad trapped in there was one your people didn’t have to deal with.
>Direct the infantry with you at the gate to clear out the gatehouse, with your help. You couldn’t leave a foe behind you if you were to go further.
>Tell the south squad to deal with the gatehouse by keeping it covered. You controlled a powerful asset and it wouldn’t do to use it to sit around. (Move where?)
>Other directives?

>>5120624
>>Tell the south squad to deal with the gatehouse by keeping it covered. You controlled a powerful asset and it wouldn’t do to use it to sit around. (Move where?)
Nets can lob tear gas into the guardhouse to suppress that squad, start opening up on the armoury and whoever's inside, prevent them from getting out their heavier gear

>>5120624
>Direct the infantry with you at the gate to clear out the gatehouse, with your help. You couldn’t leave a foe behind you if you were to go further.
We are the ones that keep the most southern enemy down.
Gerovic takes down the central one and the Lapin is going to be busy with the most northern squad.

>>5120624
>Direct the infantry with you at the gate to clear out the gatehouse, with your help. You couldn’t leave a foe behind you if you were to go further.

>>5120651
I agree with this. If there is anything threatening to our armor here, it's at the armory.

>>5120624
>Direct the infantry with you at the gate to clear out the gatehouse, with your help. You couldn’t leave a foe behind you if you were to go further.

I don't think we need to rush forward any faster, if this squad proves more resilient then expected its gonna be able to keep two of our own infantry squads help up; and as long as they're close to us there is a chance we get tear gassed or just get our head blown off by a lucky potshot. Might aswell assault it since we have the momentum on our side and an excellent infantry support tank.

>>5120624
>Direct the infantry with you at the gate to clear out the gatehouse, with your help. You couldn’t leave a foe behind you if you were to go further.
As long as Gerovic suppresses the Armory, the southwestern squad can clear it out while we deal with the gatehouse. 2 tanks heading straight north is way overkill. Von Walen should at least try to clamp down on Gerovic and tell him to head to the armory, at the very least suggest him to do such.

>>5120624
>Direct the infantry with you at the gate to clear out the gatehouse, with your help. You couldn’t leave a foe behind you if you were to go further.
Need to clear a safe route for the IO disposal team

>>5120651
>>5120682
Keep them down, move along.

>>5120659
>>5120675
>>5120706
>>5120750
>>5120954
Clear it out, take the ground.

Writing.