| This forum is used with the NationStates web-game designed and run by Max Barry. While not officially affiliated, this serves as the regional forum for the regions: Middle East, African Continent, American Continent, Asian Continent, and European Continent. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and can "read only". In order to get the most out of these forums, please become a member and read this guide - http://z3.invisionfree.com/nationstates/index.php?showtopic=3060 If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Red Upon the Sand; The Kurdish Taliban and Iraqi Occupation | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Jun 1 2013, 01:40 PM (1,166 Views) | |
| Whal | Jun 1 2013, 01:40 PM Post #1 |
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Combat Memoir PFC Mustafa Assad 2nd Ranger Brigade, Iraqi Defense Force June 1st, 2013 1.5 miles outside As Sulaymaniyah, Whaladyan Iraq Today marks the first combat entry in this journal. Father thought keeping a record of my involvement in the military would be of great importance some day; plus now with this uprising in full swing this memoir should be quite the read. Funny, I never imagined myself actually fighting during my tour of duty, but Allah's will be done I suppose. However, after what I've seen today, I pray he is merciful. Our unit moved to this desolate place from our base in Rawanduz earlier this week after the Kurd's launched their offensive. Although high brass claims to have taken control over the situation, the Taliban has still managed to occupy the majority of the region. Those generals can talk all they wish, but the fact remains, Rawanduz is the last WNA controlled city in all of Whaladyan Iraq. This explains my location not too far outside the occupied city of As Sulaymaniyah. We've all heard the stories of the Taliban's ruthless treatment of the population, and we all know better not to fall into their hands. I suppose this is why command ordered us to dig in and set up defensive positions outside the city. Had I known what was to come, I would have stacked my sand bags a lot higher. Today began much in the same way as any other: wake up, 1st meal, 4 mile PE run, patrol duty, the usual. When it was time for guard duty the guys all just hung around smoking cigarettes and playing football. Amazingly, you could hardly tell there was a war on, that was until the first mortar hit. The shell hit about 100ft from where I was sitting; it blew up an aide station we had set up earlier that morning. I recognized the caliber, 80mm, a big round. Immediately after, the Taliban opened up a salvo that lasted at least 10-15 minutes. Once they had stopped firing I looked around and noticed we were relatively untouched, thank God. However, just beyond the smoke the Kurds were fixing to assault our positions. They came into view just as the smoke dissipated; about 250 men advancing on our positions accompanied by technicals. How had patrols missed these assholes? I had barely made out their figures before our dshks opened up on them. Luckily, our position had been defended by a well spread out variety of HMG emplacements and AT weapons, and I saw their work first hand. 50. cal bullets ripped through the air and found their targets largely in the open. I saw men ripped apart by the brute force of the bullet's impact, and I watched one man literally torn in half. Their infantry, if you'd like to call them that, were slightly daunted, but they just kept coming. With their surprise all but gone, we were able to hit them with mortars of our own; men and material rocketed into the air as our rounds consistently rained down on the insurgents. I witnessed one round obliterate a technical and I observed debris from the explosion eliminate the 6 men surrounding it. It was the greatest combination of fascination and disgust I have ever felt. You had to admire the tenacity and bravery of these men; having the courage to charge into the abyss and not once falter. And they NEVER retreated, not once. They attacked us 3 times today, in similar fashion, before it just recently became quiet. I put enemy casualties at around 400 dead to our 30. We sustained some wounded, and I myself was grazed on the cheek by an insurgent's AK-74. We even managed to capture a small amount of insurgents during a mop-up patrol, but they didn't survive. A lot of guys have lost friends during the initial Taliban assault, and they took out their frustrations on the captives. Corporal Hayfa mowed down three men, himself, for there are no T.R.T/ICON Liaisons here at the front. I can't say I blame these men. This is not a normal war, and I have witnessed it first hand in the eyes of refugees. No matter how one views the Taliban, it must be said these insurgents are among the most ruthless of Allah's creatures. I pray we end this insurgency soon for I cannot imagine a country run by such demons.I We advance on As Sulaymaniyah soon. If the Taliban are as determined in defense as they are in offense, I pray we have Allah's strength. -------------------- Undisclosed Location, Southern Whaladyan Iraq Somewhere in the Taliban occupied region of Whaladyan Iraq stands an old abandoned military fort from the 19th century. Before the war, Fort Hatim was used as a detention center for dissidents until they could be extradited back to Al Whaladya Proper, but recently its inhabitants serve a different purpose. The Kurdish Taliban assaulted the fort fairly early on in the May Offensive, and once captured, they freed the captives and brutally executed the guards. Once the fort was secured, the Taliban worked at installing multiple defensive installations to protect the compound from the air and the ground. Until recently, no one knew the reason for the fort's high security and rumors circulated that the compound itself would house the organization's leader. Jakar Zahawi was a tall man, 6ft 3, and cast an impressive and intimating figure. He had studied religion and business at a prestigious university in Europe, and graduated among the best in his class. He was an avid painter, writer, and poet, and aspired to be an artist before returning to his native Iraq. In Iraq, he had served in the Whaladyan occupation forces as a clerk before growing more and more frustrated at the Emirate's exploitation of his country's resources and land. It was these feelings which pushed Zahawi to join the small and hopeless Kurdish Taliban. In a few months time, the charismatic Kurd impressed the organization's leader so much that they promoted him to chief organizer of operations; a department in the organization which organized all the bombings and assassinations. Soon the region was aflame with terror bombings of WNA convoys, and Whaladyan Government buildings, as well as murders of supposed collaborators and officials alike. Soon Zahawi would reach the highest position in the organization and organize the greatest offensive the Taliban had orchestrated thus far, and it would reach a new level of initial success. Zahawi's men had managed to occupy the majority of Whaladyan Iraq, but unfortunately his recent attack on WNA forces outside As Sulaymaniyah would be a failure. No one questioned his orders to attack, but the WNA's positions proved more powerful than he previously believed. His fellow high ranking cohorts advised him to prepare for a more defensive plan for WNA reinforcements would arrive within the week and tip the scales in the Government's favor. It was at this meeting that a soldier would run in and interrupt. "Leader, many apologies, but there are some men here to see you." the soldier said panting. "They say they posses information which could change the course of our struggle." Zahawi raised an eyebrow and studied the man before speaking. "I was not expecting visitors, Basim. How do you know these men are not planning to assassinate me? Did you check them for weapons?" The man's face turned red, and Zahawi knew he had not. "You see, this is the kind of Taliban I witnessed when I first joined not a year ago. If we are to succeed in this endeavor, then we must be vigilant, intelligent, and quick whited. Tell me, Basim, what do you know about these men?" "They are foreign, Great Leader." Basim said. "They speak with accents which tie them to Eastern Europe and they wear nontraditional garb." "Foreigners, you say?" Zahawi said looking at his advisers. "Why should I trust foreigners? My loyal advisers are right here." Basim opened his mouth to speak, but Zahawi raised his hand. "You will allow me to finish here, and then we will consult with these foreigners. Oh, and please check them for weapons." Basim nodded in embarrassment, and quickly left the room. Before discussion of tactics resumed, Fatah Al-Din, Zahawi's right hand man approached the leader and whispered in his ear. "You should execute that man, and then eliminate these foreigners. We must not appear weak and in need of outside assistance." Zahawi smiled at his friend and responded. "A good leader exercises restraint when he must, and entertains all proposals before deciding his judgement. I will listen to these foreigners, and if they offer their assistance I shall consider it. Besides, Fatah, its sharia law to offer hospitality even to your enemies, and it is forbidden to kill in one's own home." Both men smiled and rejoined the discussion. Edited by Whal, Jun 1 2013, 01:50 PM.
|
 |
 
|
| NRE | Jun 3 2013, 02:07 PM Post #2 |
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
A day earlier, Whaladyan Iraq/Alexanderhaven border.... The sun rose slowly over the horizon, morning was vast approaching and neither man really looked forward to it. It would soon be terribly hot and while both men wore garbs suitable for the hot temperatures of the region (though the style and fashion of their clothes were more akin to Western standards than regional). By the time the sun had fully risen, the two were now hiking innocently along a small stretch of road until they came to a rather quiet border town. Taking a table at the local watering hole, the two men stuck out like sore thumbs but for the most part the rest of the small crowd did not bother them and the establishment had no problem taking their coin. "It awfully warm already" Sebastian complained, the twang and draw of his voice perhaps more pronounced when complained. "It does get quite arid this time of year I am told" said Nicholas, sipping on his ordered beverage slowly so as to enjoy every sip. "Yet, we are in a quite fabled land Sebastian due try to enjoy the scenery while we are here." "All looks like desert to me" Sebastian retorted. "To the uncultured eye I suppose so" Nicholas returned, his tone a bit annoyed. "However, there is a rich amount of history all around us. Why, Alexander the great may have passed through this very town." "Hope he didn't order what we did" Nicholas eyes cut across to Sebastian and if looks could kill, he'd been dead twice over. "Well our business will not take longer, doubly so if this is the kind of company you will provide." "What are we doing here anyways, Venice was much nicer" Sebastian said. "Yes well, while I also enjoy the richness of Venice we do have work to do. Our time in Transcaucasia was well spent but it was only the beginning. In truth I've yet to actually begin and while I have a world to play in, this seems like a good spot." "This?" "Yes, of course....You haven't read a paper lately have you?" "Not one I could understand" Sebastian said, "unless in English or French, I am lost." "Well then allow me to educate you my dear southern gentlemen. We are in Whaladyan Iraq, Kurdistan to the locals more than likely. The Whaladyans invaded this little neck of the Iraqi wilds, as your kind would say, a while ago. They have since that time, attempted to suppress local nationalism and inject an adherence to Whaladyan proper's administrative authority. This has of course sparked separatist freedom fighters, terrorists in laymen's terms I suppose." "Now I am not one to intervene in local affairs" Nicholas continued, "but you see the Whaladyan government has made a terrible choice quite recently and must understand the consequences. After all it is a grand game we play and with any game, there are rules. Otherwise, we'd all run around willy-nilly doing whatever we pleased now wouldn't we." "I suppose so" Sebastian said. "So what are we going to do?" "Well first I am going to speak to that gentleman in the corner" Nicholas said, cutting his eyes swiftly to the corner before back to Sebastian. "He's watched us since we entered and I have a hunch that he's exactly who we're looking for." It wasn't long before Sebastian was sent over to greet the man and ask him to join him, and Nicholas, at their table. After some idle chit-chat Nicholas got to the point with the man. It was, as Nicholas thought, that the man was apart of the Kurdish underground and he could get the two strangers in contact with the more central command. It to the greater part of that day to bounce around from one Kurd to another until at last Nicholas got some results. The following morning they were introduced to man called Basim. Nicholas believed he was intelligent enough to get him what he wanted and conferred to Basim a bit of what he'd come to Kurdistan to speak of. A few hours later Nicholas and Sebastian found themselves sitting in a small room, having been blindfolded on the way to wherever they were now. Nicholas could tell by the sweat on Sebastian brow that he'd had some doubts on their safety. Nicholas only smirked. "Sebastian due try and relieve yourself of stress" he said calmly. "He we were wanted dead, we'd be in some desert ditch by now and now in this rather small and uninviting room." "They could refuse to see us still and choose to kill us" "That is true Sebastian but I don't believe that shall be the case. Mr. Basim may not invoke a great deal of confidence in the inner workings of this Kurdish organization but he is also not apart of the inner circle. No, I imagine these Kurds are lead by a much more organized and thoughtful individual. He'll at least listen to what we have to say before he kills us." That remark did not inspire much confidence in Sebastian and Nicholas knew as much, chuckling at his partner's expense. Just then the door opened and Basim returned looking a bit annoyed, the tone of his voice confirming such." "Get up" he said rather abruptly in his native tongue. Again, only Nicholas could understand the language but instructed Sebastian to rise. Nicholas himself rose slowly, seeing no real reason to oblige Basim by rising quickly. Still annoyed, Basim hastily went through their pockets and patted them down, looking for weapons. He found only two wallets with presumably falsified identification cards and some money, and one silver pocket watch with chain. Returning the items, Basim order the two men to follow him and they were led into a slightly larger room and were ordered to sit. Nicholas and Sebastian complied, waiting in this room presumably for their hosts to enter. |
|
|
|
| Whal | Jun 3 2013, 10:19 PM Post #3 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Fort Hatim, Southern Whaladyan Iraq Time passed unbearably slowly in the small and rather depressing little room and both men began to suffer from a creeping anxiety. The notion that they had been thrown into a desolate room, been denied human contact, and that their "captors" pulled all the strings weighed heavily enough on their mental states to cause both men to break out into a cool sweat. Why had they gone devoid of attention for so long? Truthfully, the presence of the foreigners was of strikingly little importance to the Kurdish leader; a decision which would prove foolish in the near future, but one that was unforeseeable at the present moment. What felt like several hours to the men inside the isolated room had in reality been a third of that time. Zahawi had used his time fluidly, finishing his meeting only when he and his advisors had come to an important conclusion regarding the future of the current campaign. His meeting with the outsiders an after thought on the mind of a tactical genius. However, he reasoned the foreigners could pose some information that he could use, or they could be GFID, in which case, they would be eradicated. The door to the room opened slowly and with a audibly piercing squeak. The light illuminating from the now opened door created an ominous shadow surrounding the tall figure which had now entered the room and placed itself in front of the two men. With an outstretched hand Zahawi spoke. "Salamm Aliakum" he said with his attention fixated upon Sebastian. Sebastian, not knowing a word of the local tongue, nervously shifted his gaze to Nicholas. His partner, rather calmly returned the hand shake and answered. "Aliakum Salamm". Zahawi retracted and stood in front of the two men and continued, in Arabic. "I can tell by your accents and clothing that you are a long way from home, my friends." With a comforting smile he continued. "I believe conversation will flow more freely should we use something more...international. Do you gentlemen speak English?" Zahawi said switching to that language for the question. "We do." Nicholas answered. "Excellent." Zahawi said placing a chair for himself in front of the two men. "Shall we formally introduce ourselves then? I am an aspiring artist. I am a devout Muslim. I am wanted by the Whaladyan government, the TRT, and ICON for acts of international terrorism. I am the leader of the Kurdish separatist movement. My name...is Jakar Zahawi....and I am at your service." He said with a casual bow. Nicholas and Sebastian remained silent, presumably studying the man before them. His cordial nature and soft voice put them at ease, but they could tell the man was ambitious, intelligent, and definitely admired and respected, even by his enemies. "I am intrigued by your presence here." Zahawi continued with a smile. "What business brings you to my homeland, and to me?" |
|
|
|
| NRE | Jun 5 2013, 12:40 AM Post #4 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
Nicholas smiled, he was relieved to finally be in the presence of someone he believed he was on equal ground with. Yes, Sebastian made quite the interesting travel mate and had his own uses, but in truth Nicholas felt he was the superior in their partnership. Adjusting his posture of that of a more relaxed and comfortable individual, he smiled and had a somewhat soothing tone about his voice as he spoke. "This is my associate, Sebastian D'Artelles. That name may or may not seem familiar, he is perhaps better known in the Americas, his homeland, and Europe than here. Regardless of whether or not his reputation with the Freedman's Bureau has preceded him here is of little consequence. As for myself, my name is Nicholas.....simply Nicholas. My surname is of little concern as I have none. My father was stripped of his long before my birth and as such, it was not his to give me upon my birth." Nicholas paused only momentarily, a broad and sinister grin comes across his face. "Of course, while I may have no family name to call upon I feel nonetheless, that in time my name will be quite widely recognized. The two of us represent an organization that, while in its infancy, is quite the established organization at least in terms of funds. Our pockets run deep, as the expression goes Mr. Zahawi and I feel we have as much to offer you as you have to us." Nicholas noticed a small change in Zahawi's demeanor, no doubt he wondered what it was Nicholas wanted from him. Equally, he must have also wondered what it was Nicholas believed Zahawi needed from him and, wasting little time, got more to the point. "Your military operations have thus far proven adequate for your immediated purposes or at least, I would assume so from what I've gathered through local media reports. However, and I am speaking only as an observer, I imagine your people may not possess the materials necessary for a prolonged engaged with the enemy." "And what makes you say that?" Zahawi asked Nicholas couldn't tell if the question came from intrigue or annoyance, either way he answered without a change in his demeanor. "Currently your people are fighting the Whaladyan military and will be fighting more of their forces shortly. However, as you yourself pointed out, you are an international criminal in most circles. I imagine it won't be long before neighboring countries and perhaps even countries and organizations from out of the region, take an interest in this struggle. Oh sure, your men are both equipped and trained to handle Whaladyan forces, but what of others?" "In short Mr. Zahawi" Nicholas said, "we can offer you and your forces with not only the physical materials of war, enough to prolong this conflict significantly, but also with a strategist who could help train your men for not only the tactics they expect, but also those they may not. We offer this in exchange for something that not only benefits us but you as well. The chance to strike the Whaladyan government at its heart." "Why?" Zahawi questioned. "We wish to strike the Whaladyan government because they chose to play a game they did not fully understand. Like any game, it has both rules and consequences for the moves one makes in the game. I intend to make sure the Whaladyan government understand exactly what the terms and conditions entail in the game they decided to play in." |
|
|
|
| Whal | Jun 10 2013, 02:18 PM Post #5 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Zahawi's facial expression had remained the same throughout the foreigner's speech. Truthfully, he was slightly intrigued by what Nicholas had said, but these men were not the first to claim his organization was in need of assistance and that outside help would inevitably change the course of the struggle. However, Zahawi was not a man to discount the ability of his own people, and as a matter of fact, this was precisely the attitude before he picked up the Kurdish Taliban and returned it to a position of power once again. A slow grin appeared across the Kurdish leader's face and he let out a chuckle. This was not the reaction Nicholas or Sebastian were expecting and their faces were rampant with confusion. "You are a great salesman, my friend." Zahawi said, his gaze directed at Nicholas. "But not the first I have encountered since the beginning of this struggle. You westerners are a fascinating bunch with your presumptions about the abilities of those in the third world." Nicholas opened his mouth to speak, but Zahawi raised his hand politely and he remained silent. "You seem quite confident in your belief that my men are incapable of combating the outside world. Tell me, why should I doubt the ability of soldiers who have already seized 85% of the region within a single week? Moreover, how reliant can I be in your assurances? How long before your aide brings upon more international pressure onto my struggle?" Zahawi stated, never raising his voice or breaking his friendly demeanor. He raised from his seat and headed towards the door. "I thank you for your time, Allah Yekhaleek (May god bless you)." "Are these the same men who were slaughtered so recently at As Sulaymaniyah?" Nicholas said rather fiercely. "I wonder how they will fair against the Whaladyan reinforcements when they arrive?" Zahawi froze by the door, and slowly turned around. "I beg your pardon?" he said, still smiling. Nicholas grinned. "Mr. Zahawi, I do not wish to insult you or your organization, however, I'm compelled to remind you that you cannot win this war on your own." "Oh, no?" Zahawi questioned. "How will you win the game of war for me, sir? With millions of dollars in foreign currency, or with stockpiles of imported weapons? Or perhaps you are confident in your belief that a direct strike in Dayr-az-Zawr will check the Whaladyans?" "Indeed, Mr. Zahawi, all of the above." Nicholas answered. "The solution is simple. Help me, help you." Zahawi concentrated for a minute before speaking. He was not yet convinced and he still would need to convene with his advisors before coming to a conclusion. "We shall see, very soon. For now, gentlemen, please make yourselves comfortable." he said, then he exited the room. Behind him the door was audibly locked. Both Nicholas and Sebastian were left to the mercy of time. OOC: Feel free to write a short post about Nicholas and Sebastian's reactions to the meeting, NRE. I'm going to have something go terribly wrong for the Taliban which will convince them to take Nicholas' proposal more seriously. Then we can get the ball rolling. I'll try to post again either tomorrow or the next day. |
|
|
|
| NRE | Jun 10 2013, 09:56 PM Post #6 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
OOC: Sounds good ot me :) IC: "Well he's a pleasant individual" Sebastian retorted quickly, "not how I was hoping that would end." "Nor I" Nicholas said, getting comfortable in his seat. "We could have at least been offered refreshments." Sebastian always found it surprising how, odd his travel companion and associate was, especially in situations such as this. "Still" Nicholas continued, "overall the meeting went as I figured it would. He's a promising leader, his people will do well if he survives this little war of his but that I suppose remains to be seen." Nicholas checks his pocket watch. "I imagine he has others to talk to about our offer and we're not due to check in for a while so we've got time to kill. Of course, if they haven't made a decision soon I imagine the Whaladyan reinforcements will make one for them." Sebastian gave a nod. "I must say I was offended by his comments about us westerners, as I and yourself are typical westerners....." Edited by NRE, Jun 10 2013, 09:57 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Whal | Jun 12 2013, 03:45 PM Post #7 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Combat Memoir PFC Mustafa Assad 2nd Ranger Brigade, Iraqi Defense Force June 5th, 2013 As Sulaymaniyah, Whaladyan Iraq Unfortunately, this entry will be extremely brief for I am writing this through periods of relative calm after the battle. You'll be pleased to know reader, that the 2nd Ranger brigade has successfully taken the occupied city of As Sulaymaniyah from the Taliban today. I was as surprised as you probably are reading this, but yes, we actually took the city after a prolonged 2-Day engagement with insurgent forces. If only the cost wasn't so high.. Our initial assault on the city was supported by a 5 hour artillery bombardment and aerial strike from our bases to the north. Although we shelled them incessantly, we soon found out the Taliban were firmly entrenched in every building and every street corner. From the outskirts into the outer laying suburbs, the insurgents harassed our advancing infantry the entire charge across the open desert. We took decent losses pacifying those suburbs, and Sgt. Auda was killed by an insurgent's dragunov on the battle's onset leaving our squad without a true leader. However, we powered through the defenses with the help of our last T-90 tank, which pretty much had to fire point-blank into this apartment building. I pray to Allah that those civilians living there managed to evacuate, but after what we saw at the city center I'm doubtful, but more about that later. Upon entering the main streets of the city we encountered our heaviest resistance and an insurgent's RPG managed to knock out the T-90 sending shrapnel everywhere. A piece lodged itself into Corporal Habib's shoulder and he passed out. Our squad was now understrength and more or less separated from the main force hitting the town from the east. I ,reluctantly, took charge and ordered the 5 men with me to hug the sides of the street and attempt to link up with the rest of the force. Our assault took us into a large building overlooking the city center. Initially we believed that the Taliban evacuated the area, but we soon ran into them coming up the stairs. We exchanged a close-quarters fire fight, and thankfully neutralized them all taking no losses ourselves. When we got to the roof overlooking the plaza we all froze in disgust. The Taliban had gathered the cities remaining inhabitants, lined them up against the walls, and sprayed them full of holes. Some of the men cried, others cursed the Taliban. For myself, the experience was unreal and I vowed to repay ever transgression with blood. It was from the roof that we watched the ending of the battle. Our forces from the east managed to push the remaining insurgents into a giant fountain complex behind the execution zone. We provided covering fire from our elevated positions so the men on the ground could finish the job. I watched as they shot and killed every last insurgent, even the ones who attempted to surrender. The entire scene was macabre; insurgents fell to the ground on top of the very civilians they had massacred days earlier. Serves the bastards right. We declared As Sulaymaniyah secure only an hour or two after, and immediately began organizing the city's defenses against a possible counterattack. Should such an attack come I fear we will be unable to hold the city. The battle severely depleted our brigade, and we now posses only a handful of men; maybe about 135 soldiers with no armor. Our acting commander claims we'll hold the city to the last man, but I hope it doesn't come to that. Where is Brigadier General Al-Khalid's WSF? Where are the reinforcements from the mainland? Do they really expect us to hold the region with our poultry few? I trust I'll have difficulty sleeping tonight.... Fort Hatim, Southern Whaladyan Iraq "What the hell are those idiots doing in As Sulaymaniyah!?" Fatah Al-Din complained to the advisors. "They managed to take the city in less than a day, but they're helpless to an attack by a single brigade?!" The various men in silk dashas merely looked away or awaited comments from their leader. Zahawi had plenty to say, but he let his second in command vent his frustration. After all, Al-Din was correct in his criticisms for the 2nd Ranger's assault on As Sulaymaniyah was anything but unbeatable. The Taliban even possessed the advantage of numbers and proper defenses. However, he knew exactly the reason they had lost. "You want to know why we lost As Sulaymaniyah?" Zahawi said raising from his seat. "The various local leaders of this organization, as well as the council as whole, have become over confident on our initial success. The blessings we have had early on in this campaign have made us lazy and, more importantly, created the illusion that we are invincible. Pride, gentlemen, is as dangerous as it is comforting." "What do you suggest then?" Al-Din questioned. "We have already executed deserters and panic-mongers. What more can we do to set morale to a reasonable level?" Zahawi retorted, "The morale of our troops is relatively easy to restore. I do not doubt the resolve of our men, nor do I believe anything but increased discipline and training is necessary for this problem. However, I would do well to remind this counsel that a greater problem is lurking in the dark. Sooner or later the Whaladyans are going to send reinforcements, and truthfully, we are logistically unprepared for this threat. More pressing even, is what will happen when the T.R.T or foreign powers become involved. The fact remains, we require more material." "Your suggesting we take money and assistance from those foreigners?" Al-Din mocked coldly. "Funny, you saw no issues with accepting foreign aide before your initial success." A voice said from the back of the room. The man was reasonably young, late 30's, and wore a slightly dirtied white silk suit. Zahawi recognized it to be the voice of Koenig, a Central European advisor who had been with the Kurdish Taliban since before their initial success. Little was known about the man's background, but his military advice has contributed greatly to the Taliban's success thus far and Zahawi valued him immensely. However, Fatah Al-Din despised his pompous attitude and was more or less jealous of his military prowess. "Ah, the snake speaks!" Al-Din said fiercely. "The aide you refer too was accepted only under a time of great duress. If you think you will be needed much longer you are sorely mistaken." Koenig grinned. "It seems I'll be needed quite a while longer considering you've been unable to continue the momentum I began. It seems to me, that you need all the outside help you can get. I might be able to strategize and train your people, but I don't posses nearly the resources these men claim to have. You'd be smart to entertain their offer." Fatah opened his mouth to respond, but Zahawi silenced him. "Koenig, is right." the leader said. "We must accept what these men have to offer. I do not like to appear weak, but what's the point of continuing a struggle which is unwinnable in its current state? I advise this counsel to trust my judgment once more." Zahawi's backing was usually all the counsel needed, and all voted on his behalf. All but Al-Din, who remained angry and distrusting. The consensus was more or less unanimous: The Taliban would accept Nicholas' offer. --------- The door to the room housing Nicholas and Sebastian opened slowly and both men arose from an impromptu slumber. They were relieved that Zahawi had returned so quickly, but were confused to the presence of yet another foreigner standing beside him. "Gentlemen, we have decided to entertain your proposal." Zahawi said directed at Nicholas. "Unforeseen circumstances have arisen which have persuaded me to consider your aide. However, I still know very little about the both of you or your motives for helping us. Before we conduct any serious business I must know why your so invested in punishing the Whaladyan government." Edited by Whal, Jun 12 2013, 03:46 PM.
|
|
|
|
| NRE | Jun 18 2013, 08:54 PM Post #8 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
Rising, Nicholas dusted himself off an bit and smile as Zahawi and his friend entered the room. "Ah but of course, I imagine it would be something you'd endeavor to discover." By this time Sebastian had also risen and dusted himself off a bit. "I and my associate Sebastian here represent an organization who has chosen to turn their attention on the Whaladyan government because they chose to make it their business a particular business which in truth, is and was not their business." Zahawi and Koenig both raised an eyebrow, Nicholas seemed to be talking in circles. "In essence my gracious host, the Whaladyan government used their financial clout to influence and change certain circumstances in their favor. While we were not entirely opposed to the outcome, we are opposed to the fact that they chose to involve themselves at all. The Whaladyan government and its people are new to international politics and to some degree, new to the Middle East. There are things that have happen which happen long before they took power and you began fighting for your own, things neither you nor them could ever completely understand. Choosing the get involved carries risk, the Whaladyan government choose to get involved and now they must be shown the consequences." "I understand" Nicholas continued, "that such an answer as that may not completely answer the question you have asked, but I assure you for me to explain would take time and we both know time is an enemy in this war of yours. I don't intend for you and your people to ever completely trust me or my associate as trust is a very expensive commodity. However, you could easily kill both myself and my associate yet still we came unarmed. We came here 'on a limb' as they say and I should hope courtesy is not something that is foreign to such an ancient land as this." |
|
|
|
| Whal | Jun 21 2013, 10:24 AM Post #9 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Zahawi sighed deeply at Nicholas' response before speaking himself. "Well, my friend, you are right about the prospect of trust. I do not entirely trust you or your motives, and I cannot be completely sure you are here for anything but your own gain, however, we share a common enemy. An enemy which seems to have time as an ally." "Come." Koenig gestured for Nicholas and Sebastian to follow. "Mr. Zahawi is right. The Whaladyan reinforcements will surely arrive within the next few days and we must be ready for them." Nicholas and Sebastian looked at one another and shrugged. Ironically, for all Nicholas' talk of trust he too was not completely trusting of his hosts; especially of the other European beckoning for him to follow. What was a German doing so far from home? Nicholas resolved to learn more about the man and his motives at length. The two men followed Zahawi and Koenig out of the room and into a long hallway. Both men instantly felt more like equals with their hosts for they were no longer blindfolded or bound and were now witness to the inner workings of the organization and its headquarters. Nicholas noticed how men moved about the hallways carrying weapons and documents; all stopping at one point or another to bow or shake Zahawi's hand. Irrefutably, Zahawi was both beloved and respected. Koenig turned to address Nicholas and Sebastian. "Mr. Zahawi has mentioned to me that part of your assistance will be strategic. This field is my specialty, and I am intrigued to work more closely with the both of you. Maybe we can cure this debacle we now find ourselves in." Sebastian thought about speaking, but refrained when they reached the entrance to a much larger room. Presumably, this was the council chamber and logistical command hub of Zahawi's operations. Even from outside one could here the commotion from the other side of the large wooden doors. Zahawi smiled and motioned for the guards to let them inside. Once inside, all 5 men were witness to a large heated discussion between the organization's strategists, village elders, imams, and local leaders. Such a heated group argument was common place in the culture of the area, and it appeared that no regulations were in place to determine who had the floor. That was until, Zahawi entered and raised his hands. Almost immediately the room was silent. "Esteemed Council." Zahawi began. "These men have come from abroad to offer there assistance to our cause. They represent an organization which has taken a particular interest in punishing the Whaladyan government, and they have pledged to offer financial, logistical, and strategic assistance. Their names are Nicholas and Sebastian, respectively." Zahawi said gesturing to each man. "Please show them the respect and hospitality becoming of individuals of our station." The council chuckled and immediately resumed the heated debate. Nicholas felt slightly discounted, but kept his composure. "They will warm up to you eventually." Koenig joked. "No doubt." Nicholas responded. Suddenly, the debate became centered around the topic of what to do about the coming of Whaladyan reinforcements. Some argued to strike As Sulaymaniyah as quickly as possible to retake the stronghold and show the Taliban's power. Others, including Fatah Al-Din, proposed the Taliban mobilize a force to attack General Al-Khalid's WSF moving up from the south. Additionally, a small majority argued the Taliban wait to consolidate its strength and prepare their most recent conquests for a defensive struggle. Lastly, another group proposed an increased terror campaign home and on Al Whaladya to deter any reinforcements and any domestic support. The room fell silent once again when a senior council member, a respected village elder, rose from his seat and beckoned the opinion of the European advisors. Nicholas and Sebastian remained silent in belief that the question was directed at Koenig, but Koenig passed the question to the newcomers. "Well, gentlemen." Koenig said. "What do you propose we do?" |
|
|
|
| NRE | Jun 24 2013, 08:30 PM Post #10 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
Nicholas nodded his head slightly to Koenig as he stepped forward. "The Taliban certainly find themselves in a unique situation at this present time" Nicholas stated, carrying himself well as he stood in front of the various leaders and generals. "To be honest my good friends, I myself nor my associate are much in the way of military strategists. Our knowledge of such things is limited however, we do have a man in mind that we intend to bring here to help your people and their struggle. However, bringing him here won't be possible before the Al Whaladyan reinforcements arrive. So, in the interest of time and success, I shall give you my own opinion." Nicholas got the sense that he was not inspiring confidence but did not falter as he continued. "Now the Taliban could indeed take back Sulaymaniyah and give a great show of force, but this does not address the reinforcements coming and indeed, your forces could expend valuable resources needed against said forces. Of course you could raise a force to meet these reinforcements but this is most likely what the enemy is hoping force and if you are defeated, then who is left to defend what you've taken? No, it seems clear to me and in both cases, the enemy will be expecting a move by your people and to do either would put you into a scenario they've thought over." "No, this is a delicate time and it requires both discretion as well as surprise. I have no doubt that while Sulaymaniyah has been taken your people have the ability to, if they haven't done so already, plant spies and insurgents inside. This is what must be done as I have little doubt that the city will be one of the first stops of this General Al-Khalid. For the enemy, they must be led to believe that your forces, in anticipation for their arrival, have fallen back into a defensive position. This will not entirely be untrue, as enforcing your defensive is a safe plan however, a significant force must be kept ready to strike near the front lines. These reinforcements must given the illusion that they control the tempo of the battle, this will make them complacent and they will become comfortable. That is when you must strike, first with carefully coordinated terrorist attacks within the city and among the enemy ranks and then with an assault on the city itself. Disorganized and utterly shocked, the Al Whaladyan forces will either fight valiantly to the death or they will be forced to retreat and reorganize. Either way, your people will have shown the resolve of your mission for a free Kurdistan as well as regain the city of Sulaymaniyah." |
|
|
|
| Whal | Jun 26 2013, 09:59 AM Post #11 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
OOC: Here's an updated map of the situation. It should make the debate more easily understood, NRE. Map IC: A relatively brief period of silence followed after Nicholas' speech and both foreigners attributed it to the council's studying of their words. Unfortunately, the relative silence soon gave way to heated debate once more as outburst after outburst came from the various council members. "This is cowardice!" one man blurted. "As Sulaymaniyah is defended by a few hundred men; the whole of Kurdistan only a few thousand. Why should we not press the attack north before re-reinforcements arrive?!" "And ignore Al-Khalid's WSF from the South?" another man responded. "The north can be conquered swiftly after the WSF has been neutralized in the south. The Taliban must send fighters south to ambush Al-Khalid!" With each passing outburst more men added their opinions. "We should not be marching our fighters anywhere!" a village elder argued. "We should consolidate our power and prepare for a defensive engagement with either the WSF or the Whaladyan re-reinforcements. Once these men enter our land we will have the advantage and we can cut them off, like the adviser recommended." It was now Al-Din who began speaking. "Forgive me, but I do not wish to allow the enemy to walk into my home before I attack him. Better to destroy the threat before it threatens the safety of your family, no? Furthermore, how can we trust the adviser's backing that the enemy is expecting an attack? If anything, Al-Khalid is expecting to engage Khanaqin from the south and wait for the re-reinforcements to arrive in the north. The result will be encirclement and strangulation. We must attack now!" "By all means attack, Fatah." Koenig jabbed. "The end result will be your death and the death of a substantial amount of our men. Have you forgotten that the WSF are elite infantry who have the most combat experience of all the soldiers in the Whaladyan army, or that they posses armor? Also, do you seriously believe they aren't expecting an attack? Such a mistake on our end would remove precious soldiers from the heart of our territory whilst also throwing them into an enemy ambush. I think its obvious, that we must allow Al-Khalid to enter from the south and engage him in a fighting retreat, allowing him to control the battle's tempo, like Nicholas suggested. Then we must slowly encircle him from behind; killing his rearguard and isolating his overland supply lines. When he is encircled, we can then go for the jugular; striking a fatal blow to Whaladya's first and finest, whilst also giving Nicholas and Sebastian's resources/assistance time to arrive." "Face it, gentlemen." he continued. "The Whaladyan re-reinforcements shall arrive within the next 3-4 days and will be combat ready a day after. This gives us limited time to organize the region's defenses in the north and in the south in preparation. Firstly, we must make sure our men in the south are well equipped and informed for Al-Khalid's assault. Second, we must make sure our men are implanted firmly within As Sulaymaniyah in preparation for another assault. As Sulaymaniyah must be retaken before re-reinforcements arrive due to its strategic location as a fortress city. Any more suggestions?" He directed at Nicholas or Sebastian. |
|
|
|
| NRE | Jul 1 2013, 09:42 PM Post #12 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
OOC: lol thanks for the map :) IC: Nicholas was a bit surprised at the reactions of his suggestion. After all, did they not ask him for his own opinion over the situation? Though in truth he'd warned them that he himself was no real strategist, he felt confident that it was one of the best options left to them at the present time. Low on men, poorly trained, and perhaps even lacking supplies...what did they expect? A miracle no doubt, and while Nicholas prided himself on his work, a miracle wasn't going to just happen upon them. "No" Nicholas finally replied. "I have said all I can about the matter at hand. The reinforcements coming from the south puts your forces in a dangerous two-front war and history has shown few victors, if any, in cases such as this. No, I again suggest that caution and calculated tactics will be best in this situation.." Nicholas then turned and directed his request at Zahawi. "I said before that my organization has money and weapons to aid your people and their crusade against Al Whaladya. If I may be permitted, I need to make contact with the organization. There is a man much more acquainted with military strategy that I would like to bring here. Furthermore, your people will no doubt find it beneficial to have added munitions as well for the upcoming engagement. Anti-tank rockets, for instance, will no doubt help even the odds. I can have them here by tomorrow but I will need to make the phone call sooner rather than later." |
|
|
|
| Whal | Jul 1 2013, 11:13 PM Post #13 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Zahawi allowed a few seconds to pass before answering Nicholas. "Very well." He said straight-faced. "We have the best cell reception in the forward barracks; you may make your call there as soon as you are able." As he finished he rose from his seat and stared at the map behind him. "This situation is regrettable." Zahawi said letting his head drop slightly. "There is little time to waste on arguing. Regardless of which course we choose, we will have to act now. How quickly can defensive measures be undertaken successfully in the south, Fatah?" Fatah Al-Din seemed pleased to answer. "Within 24 hours, I'd imagine." He answered placing himself next to Zahawi. "Give me a couple thousand of our best men and some heavy weapons and I can hold Al-Khalid until we counter-attack." "Good, make it happen." Zahawi said sending Al-Din out of the room. Al-Din scowled at Koenig before leaving the room. However, Koenig merely smiled back unfazed. Zahawi waited for Al-Din to leave before speaking to Koenig. "I will convince him to follow through with this fighting retreat, If you can guarantee me we can encircle the WSF." "I can guarantee you nothing." Koenig smiled. "What I can do is make General Al-Khalid wish he never entered our neck of the woods. If we allow him to control the tempo of the battle, then we easily lull him into believing he's pushing us back. Just when he believes he has won we spring the trap and crush him." Zahawi pondered the situation a while before deciding the Taliban's course of action. Finally, after a minute or two he began speaking. "Gentlemen, the task ahead will not be an easy one. Our enemy is well equipped, expertly trained, and battle hardened - they will no doubt fight savagely. However, we possess something the enemy is not expecting - the will and ability to preserver. No matter how deep they thrust into our territory, no matter how many of our men they kill they will be diving closer to their own demise. We will allow the WSF to enter our country under the pretense of successful invasion, but we will shall engage and harass them indefinitely the whole way. Then once Al-Khalid is deep into our territory we shall sever his supply lines, and encircle him; slowly his men will tire and die from prolonged combat and lack of supply. The enemy will have no choice, but to surrender or die fighting. This will demoralize the incoming reinforcements and might potentially deter them from attacking, however, should they attack we will also be ready." "Gentlemen, the sooner we crush these threats the sooner Faraz Al-Whaladya realizes he cannot have Kurdistan to exploit." Zahawi concluded. Some of the counsel clapped and bowed respectfully to Zahawi, whilst other remained politely silent at his decision. There were still many who doubted the effectiveness of Koenig/Nicholas' plan, but Zahawi's decision was final. Slowly, the various men left the room until only Zahawi, Koenig, and both Nicholas and Sebastian remained. Koenig lightly put his hands on Nicholas and Sebastian's respective backs and led them to the barracks to their phone calls. "Don't look so grim, boys." Koenig chuckled. "If you think our situation looks bleak now, you should have seen it before we took over 3/4's of the country." Nicholas and Sebastian didn't share Koenig's optimism, but they weren't about to disregard the whole operation altogether. Hopefully with supplies and the expertise of their man, the Taliban could turn the tide of the war. Nicholas made the effort to turn back and observe Zahawi before he exited the room. He was surprised to see the leader kneeling down in silent prayer. Edited by Whal, Jul 1 2013, 11:15 PM.
|
|
|
|
| NRE | Jul 3 2013, 10:08 PM Post #14 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
OOC: Using Google Translate so I apologize now for the butchering of the languages :lol: IC: Nicholas and Sebastian walked down the narrowing hallways with Koenig, passing various Taliban personnel along the way as the new orders had no doubt already begun to make their rounds. Eventually, Koenig motioned to the right, showing the two men into the forward barracks. Nicholas looked around a bit before turning to Koenig with a smile asked for a bit of privacy. "Ich stelle mir vor wir ein bisschen Privatsphäre dürfen ja?" Nicholas asked. "Natürlich werde ich direkt vor der Tür sein" Koenig said and then left the room to wait just outside the door. After Koenig left the room Nicholas turned to Sebastian who then produced the cell phone. He checked the coverage and sure enough, it seemed best here more than anywhere else they'd been in the facility so far. After dialing the number, Sebastian handed the phone to Nicholas to took a seat and got comfortable. When the voice finally came over the other line, Nicholas accent went to almost perfect Russian as he himself spoke almost fluent Russian to the man on the other end. "Ivan , yego Nikolayem ........ da, my kazhetsya imeyem delo s kurdami ....... da, yest' polkovnik Perov otpravleny srazu halabjah naryadu s nekotorymi postavok .... khorosho, khorosho ... pogovorit' s vami v blizhaysheye vremya." He then ended the call and handed the phone back to Sebastian who inquired about the call as he asked "Is everything in order then?" "Yes, Ivan will have the Colonel as well as some supplies brought in to halabjah. I noticed it on the map and its not far from where we ourselves skipped over the border." Nicholas then pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the time. "Seems my estimate was a bit off, Ivan assured me we would have the Colonel as well as the extra guns here by midnight tonight." "No doubt Zahawi and his leaders will no doubt appreciate the efficiency" Sebastian stated with a smirk. "We shall see" Nicholas said as he rose from his seat and started for the door to get back with Koenig. ___________________________________________________________________ Venice, Venetian Republic.... The airport of Venice was one of the most busy in all the world. Situated in the center of Europe, it was a hub of activity and millions passed through its corridors daily. It was artistic wonder showing both the brilliance as well as the beauty of the Venetians and their culture. In truth there were only a handful of airports, such as this, that handled so many from so many corners of the world. Asians, Africans, Americans, their faces all distinctive and yet, all so similar in appearance when put into the mob-like masses that were going this way and that way. Surely it was one of the few places on Earth where a person could fell as if they were lost among the masses. Security was naturally high given the volume of people and the ever-constant worry over mishaps and violence. Still, with all the security and all the personnel surely not everyone who should be caught is caught. His knees were bothering him again, damn old age. He was thinking of not taking the trip, after all he'd paid his dues long ago and felt retirement suited him. Still, they always seemed to make a convincing case to keep him active and they were good, he'd give them that. After waiting in line he finally got to the counter with his aid, they'd sent the man most likely due to the fact that he himself didn't speak Venetian. After a brief conversation between the younger man and the quite beautiful woman behind the desks, papers were signs tickets were issued and the two were on their way towards a private airstrip and a private airplane. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Moscow, Russia.... His heart felt like it was going to pound straight out of his chest. He'd never felt the need to run so fast in all his life until just now as he raced down the halls of the Okhranka head office. A folder in hand he finally made it to his destination, his supervisor's office. A knock at the door gain him entry and his out-of-breath tone got his supervisor's attention. "Mikhail what's the meaning of this" the surpervisor inquired. "Sit down and catch your breath." "Sir, sorry sir" said Mikhail catching himself as he took his seat. "Sir, we just received a schedule information package from the Venetians, after having sent our own. Sir, I was going through the papers and photos as I usually do when I found this." Mikhail opens the folder on the supervisors desk, revealing a photograph of a busy Venetian airport. "What exactly am I looking at or more to the point, for Mikhail?" "Sir, the man in the bottom left" said Mikhail, still panting a bit. "The face looked familiar, I blew it up as you can see in the next photograph and put in through out system. The hair is different and he's aged a bit but its him sir, the computer's 99.9% sure its him." "Who Mikhail, who?" the superviser asked as he looked at the other photograph. "Colonel Ivan Perov sir, in the flesh" The supervisors face went grim and he studied the pictures more closely before even he was also convinced it was him. "Mikhail, contact Venetian intelligence, have them send over everything they have on his flight. I need to contact Minister Meshchersky at once......" |
|
|
|
| Whal | Jul 5 2013, 10:36 PM Post #15 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
OOC: Argh, my ears! Jk using GT too :lol: IC: After a short while Nicholas and Sebastian emerged from the barracks to rejoin with Koenig. Although he had allotted them their privacy, Koenig was curious to learn the outcome of Nicholas' phone call. "Gute nachrichten ich hoffe, Nicholas?" Koneig questioned, his back leaning on the hallway's wall. "Ja, sollte unser mann und liefert an einem tag ankommen." Nicholas replied with a smile. Koenig nodded, and all three men began navigating the corridors of the fort once more. Eventually, the pair were led to another closed door located in the center of the compound. A sense of dread crept through Sebastian and he asked Koenig whether or not the room was where they were being "stored". Koenig smiled and unlocked the door, revealing a surprisingly lavish and spacious living quarters. The sheer beauty of the area pleased the men, but they were greatly taken aback when four lovely smiling women dressed in lingerie emerged from behind a tasseled doorway. "If by stored you mean properly taken care of, then yes." He joked, switching back to English. "Enjoy your night gentlemen, your presence will be needed in the morning." Koenig chuckled lightly as the pair shuffled into the room, and he slowly shut the door behind them. As he walked down the hallway, Koenig emitted a slight whistle. ______________________________________________________________ 100 miles outside Khanaqin, Whaladyan Iraq Somewhere in the Whaladyan desert, the Taliban was slowly transporting soldiers and supplies by road to various outposts overlooking the Dahkiedi-Whaladyan border. The Taliban had to be quick and virtually silent when moving such a multitude of men and material around the region, as the Whaladyan Airforce still held total air dominance and would routinely send attack helicopter groups on search and destroy missions. Luckily, for the Taliban, an approaching sandstorm provided them with the perfect opportunity to strengthen their forward positions against General Al-Khalid's encroaching forces. Truthfully, such small installations would prove futile against the WSF's armor and artillery, but their existence acted solely as bread crumbs for the over confident foe. The destruction of the outposts would gradually lead the WSF deeper into Taliban territory under the pretense that the enemy is "unwilling or unable to mount sufficient resistance to an advance." Hopefully, Zahawi would be able to fool the Whaladyans into taking the bait. True to Al-Din's assurances, the Taliban would be fully "prepared" for the onslaught in under 24 hours, and the Taliban continued to move and position themselves throughout the night. Tensions ran high on the line as the WSF moved closer and closer to the border; stopping only to receive fuel drops from the Whaladyan Airforce. By dawn's light the enemy would be within striking distance of the Taliban's outposts. From those early moments on, the Taliban fighters across the line would have to rely on their unflinching faith in God and their cause that their martyrdom would not be wasted. That their sacrifice would allot precious time to the arrival of more weapons from the Europeans as well as luring their enemy closer to his inevitable demise. Thus the stage was set. There would be no turning back. |
|
|
|
| NRE | Jul 12 2013, 04:14 PM Post #16 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
The Cargo aircraft now came over the skies of halabjah. Its markings and designation placed it as a simply commercial aircraft that was currently be utilized by some small companies operating in the Transcaucasus area. Checking his watch on his wrist the old Colonel realized it was only a few hours til dawn. It this damn plan of theirs was going to work he and the supplies would need to be dumped soon. Of course, no sooner had he thought that than the one of the men came from the cockpit and told the old Colonel to suit up. Colonel Perov hadn't jumped from a plane in years and if you looked and the poor slob, you'd think it was a horrible idea. He did not inspire confidence from his looks and to be truthful, one look would make you believe he was going to break every bone in his body by the time he hit the ground. Luckily, the Colonel was more resilient that met the eye and had a lot more days in him than many might believe. Suited up and ready to make the plunge he waited as the cargo doors of the plane slowly opened, the screaming of the wind outside deafening. First went the crates of supplies, all with little distinguishable markings on them. Then went the jeep the Colonel had requested for himself and then finally the Colonel went. Almost instantly he remembered that exhilarating feeling that you get when you fall seemingly helpless towards the ground below. For a moment he found himself lost in thought of memories past, people now dead and place he hadn't been in years. Finally catching himself he pulled the string and his parachute deployed. Floating towards the ground below, the desert sand luckily provided a better cushion for the old boy than he thought. Brushing himself off he looked around to see that the supplies had made their mark, relatively. He moved to his jeep and began unpacking and while he did this he could hear another vehicle or set of vehicles moving towards him in the distance. He did not flinch at this but simply continued unpacking. He did not even acknowledge them as headlights were dimmed as the vehicles parked and men came out. Pulling guns on the old man, they called out in Kurd for him to identify himself. "Took you boys long enough" he said with a smirk, slowly moving around and then motioning to a breast pocket. He took out a letter, written in the Kurdish tongue, and gave it to one of the men. It identified him as Colonel Perov, a guest of Nicholas. The men put down their weapons and in their best English conversed with the Colonel. After all the supplies were gathered the Colonel procured a drive for his jeep and the entire caravan drove off into the night just as dawn was getting ready to creep across the countryside. _____________________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
| Whal | Jul 15 2013, 12:30 PM Post #17 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
As the morning sun began shinning above the crests of the desert hills, the loud and distant roar of jet engines were heard from above the Taliban's forward outposts. Although no one spoke, the men representing the first line of defense inevitably realized their fates and took cover behind any obstacle providing even the faintest notion of cover. In an instant, and all across the outer ring, several groups of Whaladyan MiG-27's and MiG-29's appeared from cloud cover to release their ordinance upon the scattered strong-points. The cluster bombing was super-effective as stone and wood buildings shattered and exploded in multiple directions leaving little hard cover left for the few survivors. Almost to insult the Taliban, the Whaladyan jet pilots flew low to the ground and strafed the positions with their cannons and high-caliber machine guns. The resulting carnage was so immensely great that many outposts were completely exterminated, and many more were rendered "combat ineffective." Shortly after the air onslaught, the roar of jet engines were replaced with the sound and smell of diesel engines starting up. Within a few minutes, the tanks, IFV's, and support vehicles of the WSF were quickly approaching the ramshackle defensive line. Many of the survivors were overcome with fear and fled the field only to be mowed down by escorting attack helicopters and the weapons from the approaching vehicles. Some defenders embraced their martyrdom to the fullest and waited for the WSF to near before detonating IEDs placed inside the line. Although many fighters were unable to detonate their ordinance, the result was still effective in slowing or disabling enemy vehicles. The last outpost to fall was an abandoned watering hole in the far left of the combat zone. The small 5 building hamlet was the scene of a fierce small arms engagement between the WSF's elite infantry and the defending Taliban insurgents. The fire-fight lasted only a couple of minutes, but the WSF sustained a small amount of casualties. No Taliban were left alive, nor did they attempt to surrender. Once the last shots had been fired, a WSF sergeant draped the Whaladyan flag over the window of the largest building before the men re-entered their vehicles and exited. From the now defeated outposts, the WSF linked up with their comrades and continued their push towards the occupied city of Khanaqin. With the first line of defense breached in little more than an hour, the Taliban leadership prayed that Zahawi's gamble would inevitable pay off. Khanaqin lay not more than 100 miles away. _______________________________________________________________ Fort Hatim The convoy carrying the Colonel managed to arrive at the fort shortly after the WSF's assault on the outer outposts. The scene that greeted Colonel Perov was one of chaos and confusion as men scrambled to unload the vehicles whilst ducking their heads at the distance roar of the Whaladyan jet planes. Colonel Perov calmly exited his vehicle, dusted himself off, and strolled up to a man wearing a dirtied white suit. "You must be Koenig?" the Colonel asked in English. Koenig smiled, and beckoned for the colonel to follow. "I'am. Come, quickly, there are some very important people who wish to speak with you." The Colonel stepped back before responding, "I would very much like to speak with Nicholas first, if you don't mind?" "They are still sleeping. I can take you too them, but you must speak quickly." Koenig responded ushering the Colonel along. Colonel Perov raised an eyebrow. "Who could sleep through all this shit?" The result was a light chuckle from the German. The two walked together briskly into the compounds main building as Koenig prepared to take Perov to Nicholas. Close by, Nicholas and Sebastian were just beginning to stir from their interesting night. ________________________________________________________________
|
|
|
|
| NRE | Aug 8 2013, 11:36 PM Post #18 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
Fort Hatim.... Nicholas and Sebastian had just gotten up from their cots by the time Colonel Perov was shown into the room. Nicholas, having spent a few minutes straightening his clothes, greeted the Colonel with a smile and a warm handshake. "Ah Colonel Perov, you arrived just on time and with the supplies I hope?" "Da, Nikolay, s kakoy stati vy zatashchit' menya v etoy pesochnitse otverstiye der'mo ?" the Colonel replied in his native Russian tongue. "Now, now Colonel we are among friends" Nicholas said with the same grin, "we really must use the universal language." The Colonel turned to Koenig "No offense of course" to which the german smiled and replied "of course, none taken." "Well Colonel I am glad that you and the supplies made it here without incident" Nicholas continued, "and to answer your question....Well, think of it as humanitarian work. The Kurds are being oppressed and we're providing a means to end their oppression." "I'm getting too old for this shit" the Colonel bellowed, "but you got me out here so I might as well do something." "Thats what I like to hear" said Nicholas, patting the old Colonel on the back. "Our German friend here will, I imagine, escort you to the rest of the leaders where you can do the most good." "Well lets get going then" the Colonel said turning to Koenig. ______________________________________________________________________ Dayr-az-Zawr, Al Whaladya... Posted Image The small jet of the Russian Foreign Minister arrived at the international airport of Dayr-az-Zawr with little delay and to no great fanfare that was generally customary for the arrival of a dignitary of his stature. This was of course all done deliberately as the Russian Empire took every precaution to ensure that Count Ivan Tolstoy's arrival in Al Whaladya was a secret. They were fearful that if his arrival were made known, it would tip their hand and the element of surprise was everything. After touching down the plane was quickly swept away to a private hangar where the Foreign Minister disembarked and was greeted by his Al Whaladyan counterpart. "You must be Minister Benghazi, it is good to meet you though I would have hoped it could have been under better circumstances" said Ivan. "I am Count Ivan Tolstoy, current Foreign Minister of his majesty's court. His majesty the Emperor would like to again express his pleasure in your government allow me to make this visit. I assure you the information I bring is quite critical to the national security interests of both our nations." Edited by NRE, Aug 8 2013, 11:36 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Whal | Aug 11 2013, 04:30 PM Post #19 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Khanaqin The city of Khanaqin, if one wished to describe it as such, was many things to the peoples of the southern tip of Whaladyan Iraq. A shelter from the harsh landscape, a trading post for various nomadic merchants, and most importantly, the single greatest strategic point in the southern half of the region. Ironic due to the settlement's diminutive stature, but absolutely crucial to the success of any advancing army; Khanaqin represented complete control over movements in and out of the region. It is for this reason precisely that Brigadier General Takir Al-Khalid set the "city" as his first primary objective. His army of about 5,000 men had reached the city ahead of schedule and, despite meeting sporadic resistance along the way, it appeared he had the Taliban on the run. This was precisely the false confidence Zahawi wished his secret plan would convey upon his enemy. Every mile his men would retreat, his enemies' ego would inflate, and eventually they would be led into an ambush. Zahawi knew he would have to sacrifice Khanaqin in order to continue his ruse, but he needed to convince his enemy that the city was still important to the Taliban. Therefore, he ordered the city's 4,300 insurgents to hold their positions with suicidal tenacity. Every minute they held Khanaqin, their chances to ensnare their enemy in the future increased. The WSF took no chances when they arrived at the relatively small settlement and spread themselves around the city on three sides; only the steep cliff sides surrounding the western edge of the city remained unsecured. They knew they would have to secure the hundreds of caves and passageways the Taliban had built before assaulting Khanaqin itself, and they relished the task. The very next morning a large amount of their comrades would be sent to their graves. Fort Hatim Koenig led Colonel Perov to the doors of the large meeting room where he had taken Nicholas and Sebastian not long ago. Once again, a heated debate could be heard through the solid metal doors. Koenig sighed and pushed them open, exposing the Colonel to the mercy of the counsel. "Gentlemen" He began, "This is Colonel Perov, a military strategist from Russia, and the man Nicholas told you about. It Is my understanding that the Colonel comes bearing gifts of advice and supplies. He may be able to help you on the issue your so politely discussing" The counsel looked upon Colonel Perov with split attitudes of suspicion and intrigue. No one asked him a question outright, and the general consensus would be to wait for Zahawi to speak. They didn't have to wait long. "Colonel Perov, my name is Jakar Zahawi" Zahawi said, rising from his seat. "I'am the leader of this organization, and the one who devised the plan we are currently exercising. Currently, this counsel has mixed feelings regarding the success of a false retreat leading to a subsequent encirclement of our Whaladyan foe, and many believe our chances are lost on such a maneuver. I wish to know what you think? Additionally, many of us are curious as to what type of supplies you have brought with you and to what caliber they will be effective?" Dayr-az-Zawr, Al Whaladya Proper. The Whaladyan Government was all too eager to cooperate with the Russians on such a matter. The Taliban had been successful in the very beginning of the insurrection, and now that the Whaladyan military had finally made substantial progress, the leadership were wary of anything helping the Taliban recover their momentum. The telegram from Count Tolstoy was treated with the upmost digression, and only the high ups, Foreign Minster Benghazi and his accompanying GFID escorts were informed of the Tsar's envoy. "It is a pleasure to have you here, Count Tolstoy" Benghazi said, "My government could not have sat idly by as crucial information pertaining to our interests in Kurdistan was brought to our attention. Please know that the Emir expresses his utmost gratitude for your traveling to our country to share this information. Hopefully, we'll reach a conclusion satisfactory to both our nations." Foreign Minister Benghazi and Count Tolstoy were quickly escorted to the GFID headquarters building in the center of the capital. Once they had arrived, they were ushered into an extremely secured and enclosed room. Soon after, Marshal Usama Al-Whaladya, Head of the GFID, and Defense Minister Omar Al-Whaladya would join them. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Count Tolstoy" The Marshal said, "My associates and I are most responsible for the safety and well-being of each and every Whaladyan serviceman and citizen here and in Iraq. It is our hope, that our cooperative measures here will effectively save thousands of lives. Please, share with us anything you have uncovered and we shall reciprocate." Edited by Whal, Aug 11 2013, 04:33 PM.
|
|
|
|
| NRE | Aug 19 2013, 11:14 AM Post #20 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
Fort Hatim... Colonel Perov had gauged the room from the moment he'd entered through the doorway. This rag-tag group of so-called freedom fighters were no doubt mostly cattle farmers and opportunities as he would say, an expressed he'd used many times before in his career. Not accurate of course given the men in the room came from various backgrounds, but accurate enough for how the old Russian Colonel felt about working with organizations and men who came from less orthodox military backgrounds from his own. After entering the room the Colonel's gaze eventually made it to the map, getting himself familiar with the lay of the land was no doubt important. He'd almost completely ignored his introduction and almost missed the question from Zahawi. "Hmmm, oh yes well, bold strategy for sure. Betting on the ignorance of the enemy is always a gambit in any situation. Had this been a fight between two professional armies then I'd have called you a damn fool and would have told the boys to get the bodybags ready. Of course, as it is and with no intended disrespect intended, this is not a fight between two professional armies. Leading the enemy into a false sense of victory is only the first battle though, execution will be everything. I understand it that you have no tanks and only a handful or more artillery yes?" "Hmmm, well then it seems obvious to me that if we're going to get a good shock and awe victory, they armor has to be dealt with. Left operating they'll mow down your front lines in a matter of minutes. The problem with armor though is its mobility, specifically in more urban settings. Catch them there and your artillery plus the anti-tank 9M133s that came with me on the flight here. They're relatively simply weapons to operate effectively and I can have your men using them optimally in no time. I have no doubt gentlemen that the enemy commander is betting on his armor's superiority over your ground forces. Their destruction won't put his ranks in chaos mind you but will certainly stain their confidence and have them second guessing every decision they make forward. This off-balance nature will be the best weapon you'll have moving forward." ________________________________________________________________ Dayr-az-Zawr, Al Whaladya Proper... Count Tolstoy smiled and shook hands as he was introduced the various officials of the meeting before taking his seat and passing around copied folders to everyone, all stamped classified. "His majesty first would like to express his concerns over the internal violence that these terrorists have inflicted upon the peaceful Whaladyan people. He personally instructed me to express you and through you, your Emir, Russia's willingness to provide whatever materials your military could deem necessary to successfully contain and put down these rogue individuals. Though we'd previously believe your problems an internal matter, we're forced to believe this could very well become an international matter given the information I bring." Opening his own folder, the others followed and found various detailed reports, statistical sheets, communication logs, and photographs. Count Tolstoy brought to the other's attention a particular set of photographs. The first three or so was of Colonel Perov in the Venetian airport and the last, the last professional photograph of the Colonel during his incarceration in Russia. "Gentlemen this is Ivan Perov, once Colonel in the service of his majesty's imperial army. Highly decorated during his service career, in commanded several successful campaigns during the early years of his career including several successful engagements during the Georgian War. However, Russia's defeat and capitulation during that particular war led Perov to betray his country and aid rebel forces during the Yusupov Usurpation." "His forces during that period were eventually defeated, he was arrested, convicted of treason, and sentenced to life incarceration in one of our most remotest prisons for lifetime sentences. Were it not for unforeseen actors who have since been dealt with, Mr. Perov would still be in prison but as it is, he was unlawfully released. Since then, he's been in connected with rebel factions that once operated in Scandinavia and led to a nuclear attack on Russia. Given this information I think you can understand why we stressed the severity of this information. Russia deems Perov and whatever association he is connected with, a extremely dangerous threat to ourselves and any other nation them consider a target. Since losing him in Scandinavia, we've been on a constant search for him and in truth, some believed he was dead. Spotting him in Venice and on his way here, we knew we had to act and bring you this information." "Mr. Perov, Colonel Perov as he still addresses himself, is an extremely dangerous individual. Again, a decorated military man, he's highly trained in various forms of combat, military training, and strategy. Anyone employing his services will certainly gain from his experience and will become far more deadly as a result. I cannot express the caution my government suggests your government forces take now that we believe Perov may be here to aid your terrorist problem. If give an objective, Perov will complete it no matter how many lives have to be sacrificed on either side to achieve. Tell me Minister Al-Whaladya, does your nation poses nuclear missile or material for the construction of such. If so, is in secure?" |
|
|
|
| Whal | Aug 20 2013, 11:01 AM Post #21 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Fort Hatim Zahawi too had studied the Colonel since he'd entered through the doorway. A short, old, pudgy looking man, the Colonel's first impression was unimpressive to the Taliban's leadership and this impression slightly worsened at Perov's apparent aloofness. However, something changed when the man began talking strategy with what had to be advanced knowledge and battle-tested experience in battle. Zahawi found himself quite pleased with this Russian. "I cannot say I disagree" Zahawi said. "We do not have the capabilities we once had for conventional engagements. Our early success with such maneuvers have been overshadowed by recent defeats due to the enemies' superior combat training and use of armored units and air-power. We simply do not have the resources or the means to continue in prolonged open combat or even properly defend some cities. Thus why I have suggested unconventional and guerilla tactics to lure our enemies deep into choke-points." "One of the these preliminary choke-points is the city of Khanaqin, which is currently being surrounded by Gen. Al-Khalid's WSF. Although, I do not have plans to hold the city indefinitely, It does pose a solution to the issue of our enemies' armored units. The tight city streets and narrow corners will undoubtedly render the tanks and IFVs of the WSF vulnerable to IEDs, RPGS, and sticky-bombs. It is there that we shall destroy their armor as best we can before withdrawing into the main kill-zone I have envisioned, The Shah Ravine. The ravine is the only safe exit from the city to the rest of the region, and it's steep natural cliffsides will make perfect vantage points for our soldiers." "We will trap them there, and they shall perish." Zahawi finished, jabbing his finger on the ravine's location on the map. Dayr-az-Zawr Marshal Usama Al-Whaladya and Defense Minister Omar Al-Whaladya leaned back in their chairs in despair as the gravity of the situation sunk in. The Whaladyan Military was just beginning to see some initial success and now they might be right back at square one, or worse, they could be looking at a major catastrophe. Not only could the nation's military situation be in jeopardy, but they now garnered the attention of a major outside power. As thankful as they were for the Russian information, the Whaladyan government was less than willing to allow outside assistance into their country. Especially, when the Count inquired about the Emirate's nuclear capabilities. "The Emirate does posses large uranium deposits and the facilities to harness their power for military means, however, we do not possess any nuclear warheads at this time." The Defense Minister answered reluctantly. "Currently, these facilities reside in some of the most isolated and secure regions of our nation, by which I mean they reside partially underground. We have considered the threat of terrorist attacks on these facilities and we have precautions in place, but we do not have reason to believe the Taliban could successfully perform such a task." "However, if this Colonel Perov character is as dangerious as you say then we must recalculate." The Marshal continued. "If the Russian Empire has reason to believe this individual will attempt to harness or hijack our uranium facilities then I can assure you we will do everything within our power to protect them from infiltration or sabotage. Thankfully, members of our secret intelligence, the GFID, have successfully been surveying Taliban movements since the outbreak of conflict and have not uncovered any substantial evidence to conclude an attack on these facilities is underworks." Omar Al-Whaladya began speaking once again. "Additionally, as grateful as we are for your assistance in apprehending this criminal, we can assure you we will put immense time and effort into his capture and extradition back to Russian hands. Unfortunately, we have no reason to believe this matter has enveloped past an internal issue, and we regard outside military intervention to be a polite, but unnecessary option. We can assure you that should these matters change you shall be the first to be informed, however, as of now your intelligence on Perov is paramount to his capture." "As head of the GFID" the Marshal interjected, "any specific recent information that will assist our capture of the man should be relayed to me immediately. We have already instructed our operators in Kurdistan to be on the look out for any foreigners, and although we have files on three men specifically, we have yet to confirm Perov's connection to them. Tell me, Count Tolstoy, does the name Nicholas ring any bells?" Edited by Whal, Aug 20 2013, 11:05 AM.
|
|
|
|
| NRE | Sep 9 2013, 07:36 PM Post #22 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
Dayr-az-Zawr "To be frank Marshal" said Count Tolstoy, "Russia does not know what Perov is doing in Kurdistan at all nor what he and his association could be planning. Could he attempt to take control of some of your uranium stockpiles, yes it is quite possible. However, he could just as easily be planning some sort of armed crusade from Kurdistan here to Al Whaladya proper. He was at one time a honorable and decorated military strategist, a respected part of his majesty's military. Since his misguided faith in a usurper, Perov has become little more than a very intelligent sociopath. I can only continue to stress that you and your government take no risks here and consider Perov as dangerous as you would consider a child playing with fire in a pool of gasoline. He must be stopped and while his majesty is grateful for your government's pledge to capture and extradite Perov for re-imprisonment, we are fully prepared to receive Perov's body instead." The Count's facial expression was slightly one of disappointment as the Defense Minister's refused assistance at the time but at the same time, Russia respected it. "Russia will of course respect your nation's decision in the matter of assistance. Russia will not violate Al Whaladya's sovereignty in this matter but, if it is acceptable, we would at least request that a Russian ambassador be allowed to remain here in the capital until such time as Perov is taken. To better facilitate communication and coordination between our two governments in this matter." The Count turned back to the Marshal as he asked about a man named Nicholas. "No, that name does not sound familiar to me with the information I was briefed on before coming here. Russia still has very limited information on that association with whom Perov is working with now. Again, some within our intelligence community actually believed Perov was dead before we caught him in Venice which prompted my trip here. I will take whatever information and photos your intelligence agents may have on this man and I'll see what we can dig up on our end. Naturally, knowing as much as we can about these associates of Perov may help us to better understand the organization they're apart of and what their motives may be here in Al Whaladya." ___________________________________________________________________________ Fort Hatim.... Sebastian was taking in some of the sunlight when he noticed Nicholas walking not far and rushed over to catch up to him. "I heard Colonel Perov impressed Zahawi" Sebastian said. Nicholas smirked as he looked at his associated, "Of course he did, Colonel Perov is an impressive man. Though, I am sure the feeling between two men such at that was as they say...mutual." Walking across the Fort the men saw group after group of young men training for the campaign to come. "Colonel Perov is showing the boys how to use those 9M133s" said Nicholas. "Impressive weapons given the simplicity of their design and operation but the great destruction they can inflict when used properly. I am quite confident that when the good Colonel is done with those boys, the Al Whaladyan forces will defecate themselves from surprise." Sebastian smiled, a boyish smile...the kind you find on a child just after they've broken wind in church. "Oh come now Sebastian" Nicholas said after noticing, "you must mature yourself more than that my dear friend." Sebastian nodded, trying to wipe the smile from his face, "of course Nicholas I will try." Looking across the yard as they stopped, Sebastian looked back at Nicholas. "Think this plan will actually work?" Sebastian asked. Nicholas scratched his chin, "I imagine it might, if these men are determined enough. Of course if they don't win it will make our plans much more difficult as we need their cooperation and their cooperation depends on their success. So, if anything, less us hope it does work in their favor and we can move on to more pressing issues." Edited by NRE, Sep 9 2013, 07:44 PM.
|
|
|
|
| Whal | Sep 11 2013, 01:11 PM Post #23 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Fort Hatim With the meeting between Zahawi and Perov concluded, Koenig stepped outside to observe the training and outfitting of the men. Indeed, Nicholas' promise of useful military hardware was not fabricated nor overhyped and the men seemed to be getting acclimated with them fairly quickly. Despite his better judgment, Koenig couldn't help the feeling that the Taliban would win this fight. Seeing both Nicholas and Sebastian out of the corner of his eye, he approached them at a steady pace before putting his hand on Nicholas' shoulder. "It is time." He said rather seriously. "Zahawi wants the weapons to be transported to the Shah Ravine as soon as possible. Khanaqin will not hold forever." "Why are you telling us?" Sebastian said sheepishly. Koenig grinned and said plainly, "I thought you'd like to see the results first hand." Not soon after a 4x4 pulled in front of them and the driver beckoned for them to enter. Dayr-az-Zawr "This is most troubling indeed" Marshal Usama said shaking his head, "Our informant within their leadership has been reporting on these three individuals since their arrival. We have been told that this Nicholas was the one who contacted your Colonel Perov in the first place. Unfortunately, our data on these men is still largely unfinished and we were hoping your government would have had some intell. However, I have a dossier on these men which I would be glad to offer to you for your government review." The Marshal opened a manila folder and began explaining it to Tolstoy. "As you can see" The Marshal continued, "These three men do not appear to be linked together in the same organization, however, we have reason to believe two of these individuals are working in tandem. What we have yet to determine is which organization this is and what their goals are. Our only leads have come from GFID surveillance of peculiar events in Transcaucasia and recent surveillance in Kurdistan." The Defense Minister was quick to chime in, "It is imperative that our two governments share any information surrounding these individuals. You most certainly have our permission to leave an ambassador within our capital for it will be the quickest link between us. Additionally, if we are speaking frankly, it will be exponentially easier for our government to give you Perov's body in a body bag. We have held off on any operations to bomb the Taliban's headquarters in an attempt to apprehend Mr. Zahawi and his associates alive and we have been entertaining ideas of snatch-and-grab missions for weeks. If this Perov has designs on mass-terror then we might have to rethink our approach. A lot is going to depend on the conflicts of these upcoming days." Khanaqin The WSF had worked hard in recent days to gain control of the hillsides surrounding the city. Days of close combat and tunnel fighting were beginning to take their toll on the seasoned Whaladyan veterans, and many soldiers were beginning to resort to acts of barbarism they themselves never knew existed within them. However, after the largest hill overlooking the city fell to the WSF after a savage firefight, the Whaladyans could sleep easily knowing they had the city buttoned up tight. No matter how grave the situation was for the Taliban insurgents "trapped" within the city, it was all part of Zahawi's plan. The insurgents had been constructing roadblocks and booby traps as well as sticky bombs inside the city since they were besieged. Once the WSF attacked the city in force that morning, the insurgents reigned fire down on the advancing infantry and armor the entire stretch of land between both parties. It was inevitable that the WSF would enter the city, but it was all part of the plan to destroy some of the Whaladyan armor. The bulky T-90 tanks of the WSF were too constricted in the tight city streets and man made defilade to effectively combat the insurgents. Many were set upon with RPGs and sticky bombs as they attempted to navigate city street to city street. Even the infantry and light vehicles of the WSF were powerless to stop the destruction of some of the heavy armor, and they themselves were often the victim of Taliban booby traps. However, the tide of the battle would eventually change. The superior training of the Whaladyan elite infantry and the presence of airpower and armor would eventually beat back the Taliban. Each building would have to be cleared with ruthlessness and many times whole structures were obliterated rather than having to risk the lives of more soldiers. Eventually, the WSF pushed so far into the city that many of the Taliban began to retreat underground to their subterranean escape tunnels. It was an idea proposed by Zahawi to allow his men to retreat from the seemingly doomed city and lead the WSF to the Shah Ravine. As they re-emerged from the ground outside the city, they were spotted by WSF scouts posted on the hillsides overlooking the city. Almost immediately a substantial chunk of the WSF were ordered to pursue the enemy whilst a small garrison would remain in Khanaqin. Zahawi's gambit might just pay off, as his men in the ravine prepared to welcome their guests. |
|
|
|
| NRE | Sep 27 2013, 08:54 PM Post #24 |
|
Map Tsar and Southern Gentleman
|
On the road to the Shah Ravine The ride was particularly bumpy one as Sebastian and Nicholas road with the weapon's convoy. Sebastian, procuring a handkerchief from his pocket dotted it across his forehead. "Even Savannah summers didn't get this hot" he said with a bit of exhaustion in his voice. Nicholas only shook his head and smiled, almost chuckling. "Sebastian my friend, for a man as capable as you are I see now you are more at home with the creature comforts that most take for granted. You did not have to come along if you did not want to. I for one, however, am quite eager to see the fruits of our labor thus far." Sebastian shrugged, "well there was nothing for me back at the base camp and at least this way I see more of this fine country. Still, you think it wise to get so close to the fighting Nicholas? What if they fail, we could be captured." "You worry too much my friend" Nicholas said confidently, "they will not fail and we won't be captured. The first phase of this little expedition will go swimmingly, the Colonel has assured me of this." "Ever well then" said Sebastian, "its still hot though...." ___________________________________________________________________ Dayr-az-Zawr Count Tolstoy rubbed his chin as he looked through the dossier on the individuals of interest. "If your people believe they were spotted in Transcaucasia then I'll have our people look into that. I must say though that I am surprised, I did not know. Al Whaladya was interested in affairs in the Transcaucasus." That was a bit of a lie on the Count's part, Russian intelligence had suspected tampering from the Al Whaladyan government for some time following the elections in Transcaucasia but could not find substantial proof to confirm. Not that the Empire had any intention of calling them out on it naturally, given Russia's own tampering. Still, knowing who you're playing against is always a major part of any competition. "If either of these men were indeed in the area, we should be able to retrace their steps there and perhaps pull better information." The Count looked at the watch on his wrist before continuing. "Gentlemen I believe this meeting has been quite beneficial but the hour grows late and I must be returning to Moscow at once. Given your permission, I'll have the Foreign Minister send an Ambassador at once. They should arrive here no later than tomorrow evening. I will send with them any information we might be able to retrieve on these men by that time. So if there is nothing further you wish to discuss, I will be on my way gentlemen." |
|
|
|
| Whal | Sep 28 2013, 08:26 PM Post #25 |
|
"Life is too short to be wasted on bad scotch"
|
Dayr-az-Zawr The Whaladyan politicians remained stoic at the Count's mention of the Emirate's interests in Transcaucasia. Knowing full well that Russian hands also played their part in altering the nation's first elections, the Whaladyans were more than willing to let the Count bask in his harmless assumptions. After all, it was the Whaladyans who bet on the right horse. If only they understood what repercussions such actions had brought them. "No, I believe all matters have been concluded", the Defense Minister said gathering all the documents sprawled across the table, "We thank you for your time and appreciate all the information you have brought to us. Your ambassador is most welcome, and please know that your government shall be contacted as the situation develops. Please have a safe trip back to Moscow, Count Tolstoy." He finished, shaking the Russian's hand. "Allow me to accompany you to your private plane, Count Tolstoy", Foreign Minister Benghazi said, "It would be my pleasure." The two rose from their seats and Tolstoy shook Marshal Usama's hand before the two left the room. Once the Count was gone, the Defense Minister turned to the Marshal. "We're in some deep shit", he said with a sign. "Unfortunately", the Marshal replied, "Lets hope General Al-Khalid can contain the situation, or we might have to consider raiding the Taliban's headquarters. After all, they'd be nothing without their leadership and their foreign advisors." "Perhaps, we'll have to see how the situation progresses", the Defense Minister said reluctantly. The Shah Ravine The weapons convoy arrived just as the Taliban were preparing their defensive positions. Months of planning and training had gone into Zahawi's gamble to entrap Whaladan forces and everything had to be executed perfectly. For days the Taliban had rigged explosives into the ravine's rocky cliffside, mined the narrow passes, and blockaded the various alternative routes leading out of this natural choke-point. The Taliban had even set up various areas for manmade landslides to instill a psychological blow to the WSF's fighting spirit; a spirit which had been inflated by recent hollow victories. "Alright, lets get these weapons distributed!", Koenig yelled from his vehicle. The new imported weapons that the Russian ex-colonel had brought were now quite familiar to the Taliban insurgents and they would finish off any armor the mines and explosives might miss. With distribution of the weapons completed an all the defensive preparations in place, Koenig led both Sebastian and Nicholas to a cave overlooking the entrance to the ravine. There they were joined by Zahawi himself and Colonel Perov who eagerly anticipated the arrival of their Whaladyan foes. They would not have to wait long. In the distance, the leftover insurgents from the recent assault on Khanaqin were vastly approaching with the WSF hot on their heals. Their numbers were quickly depleting as the armor and vehicles of the WSF were taking delight in executing the fleeing insurgents. Their survival was irrelevant to Zahawi, for their roles were only to force the WSF to enter the killzone where they would be trapped and eliminated. Slowly the WSF were lured into the ravine, unaware of their impending demise and blinded by their desire to finish their enemy. "Showtime", Koenig exclaimed, raising up a detonator. With the press of a button the cliffsides were ablaze and debris rained down upon the vehicles of the WSF. The WSF were caught completely off guard and their armored vehicles that weren't crushed by falling stones were frantically waving their cannons in multiple directions in a futile effort to find a target. Soon the cliffsides were alive with heavy machine, light cannon, and RPG fire as the Taliban began to make their presence known. Multiple vehicles were destroyed by the new launchers and RPGs alike, and the WSF infantry were mowed down as they exited their armored personnel carriers. Panic soon erupted within the ranks of the WSF and many vehicles began to scramble for any way out of the ravine. However, to their horror, the entrance had been destroyed by the initial explosions and all alternative routes were blocked. Any attempt at clearing the rubble was suicidal as it put the soldiers in the open and left vehicles vulnerable. Worse still, fleeing vehicles were consistently running into expertly placed mines. With all notions of flight harshly ripped from the equation, the WSF relied on their training to allow them to take as many of the Taliban with them as they could. Indeed, the Taliban was taking some casualties, but their losses paled in comparison to the WSF. As the situation became more hopeless for the Whaladyans, desperate calls for air support were made by the soldiers on the ground. Soon enough, multiple attack helicopters arrived on the scene, but the situation called for them to fly at vulnerable altitudes and they were ultimately destroyed by smart launchers. To make matters worse, the exploding helicopters added a new threat to the WSF - "steel rain". As the conflict progressed, WSF losses were staggering and the last of Al Whaladya's elite infantry were airlifted out of the ravine never to return. Behind them they left the 2,412 dead bodies of their comrades who fell due to the hubris of their commanding officers. Zahawi could not help but smile for his gambit that had taken months to prepare had succeeded fantastically. The Taliban had delivered a debilitating blow to the Whaladyan government whilst also obtaining a much needed morale boost. Even Sebastian and Nicholas were awed at the success of the operation for neither suspected it to have succeeded as perfectly as it did. Perhaps these ragged goat farmers and peasants could defeat a modern army? Questions were now poised on what the Taliban's next course of action should be. No doubt, the Whaladyan government would respond in force and the Taliban should expect many more battles to come, but for now Zahawi could bask in his victory. Who would question his authority now? "I knew this would work!" Zahawi said enthusiastically, "We sent the Emir and his imperial policies a strong message today. Kurdistan will not accept occupation by a foreign power as long as their are valiant men willing to die for her. Allahu Akbar!" "Allahu Akbar!", the fighters nearby cheered, echoing their leader's enthusiasm. "Come, my friends", Zahawi said to the Europeans, "We should get back to the fort. We have much to discuss." Edited by Whal, Sep 28 2013, 08:27 PM.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Middle East · Next Topic » |
11:41 AM Jul 13