Hey, everybody back with another chapter. Sorry it took a while, but life is crazy these days, and I'm not able to write as often.
Let's get to it.
The pig: America not allowing its allies to get land in Middle Earth would not drive them into alliance with Russia, China, and Iran. That's not how foreign policy works. Also, while your idea about portals opening in Russia and China may be valid, it's not going to happen in my story. Also, stop complaining about me updating other stories. I have other stories and series I've been working on long before I started this story. If you can't handle that, then you're going to be highly disappointed, because I'm not going to stop. So just deal with it.
Chapter 14- Advance
At the main control room in his HQ in Valmar, General Abrams watches the reports coming in from his subordinate generals about the progress of their forces. Beside him stands Manwe. It still somewhat unnerves Abrams that he is sharing command with essentially a god. However, Manwe has not been at all haughty about it. He has been very humble and shown that, given the size and powers of the forces Abrams is commanding, he is more than willing to treat him as an equal commander.
Abrams and Manwe have gotten to know each other very well over the last few months as they prepared for the war. Manwe had developed a very good opinion of Abrams, believing him to be a very honorable man.
"How fare your forces?" Manwe asks.
"They're ready to march, Lord Manwe. All preparations are finished, and we are ready to start our advances," Abrams says.
Abrams and Manwe had extensively coordinated how the war would be carried out. Manwe had greatly come to appreciate the gift of strategy possessed by Abrams and many other officers, and recognized he had a much more well thought out campaign plan than if he did not have them on his side.
A number of NATO countries, as well as South Korea, had finally been allowed to contribute troops to the war against Morgoth. This force, categorized under the name of the 2nd NATO Army and under command of General Patrick Sanders of the UK, comprised 7 divisions and 4 brigades drawn from the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and South Korea, with Denmark and Spain also contributing some special forces troops. The 2nd NATO Army, numbering almost 180,000 would remain behind in Nevrast to guard the Allied bases there from any counterattacks from Morgoth, and would be on standby to serve as reinforcements. Meanwhile, the US forces and the Host of Valinor would conduct the offensive campaign.
The advance on Morgoth's forces would be a multi-pronged attack. The first move would be carried out by the US 4th Army under General Christopher Cavoli. The 4th was comprised of the III, VI, and XIV Corps, numbering 8 infantry divisions, 1 motorized infantry division, and 1 mountain division. The 4th would head north and then east along the coastline and pass through Cirith Ninniach into the land of Hithlum, where they would destroy Morgoth's forces in the area and capture any Easterlings who would surrender. They would establish new bases, especially air bases, in the region. They would then advance east through Hithlum and take the pass of Eithel Sirion into Anfauglith to attack Morgoth's main army from the west when the time came.
At the same time, the Marines of the I and V Amphibious Corps would make their second amphibious landing of the campaign. The landing would take place on the coast of Arvernien, near a place of power for Morgoth. They would then march north-east to Doriath, march north along the western border of Doriath, capture Dorthonion, and move north from there into Anfauglith.
The rest of the Allied forces would pass the southern mountains of Nevrast along the coast and come into West Beleriand. There, the remaining prongs of the attack would be carried. The Host of Valinor and the US 6th Army, under General Stephen Twitty, would march east along the southern end of Ered Wethrin. The 6th is made up of the IV and XII Corps and the XVIII Airborne Corps, which includes 6 infantry divisions, 2 armored divisions, and 3 airborne divisions. The 6th and Host of Valinor will march east along the Ered Wethrin, then come up through the pass of Tol Sirion and into Anfauglith.
As the 6th accompanied the Host of Valinor, the US 1st and 10th Armies will head further south, and separate just north of the ruins of Nargothrond. The 1st Army, commanded by General Stephen Twitty, comprises the I Armored Corps and the VIII and XI Corps, which comprise 4 armored divisions, 1 cavalry division, and 5 infantry divisions. The 10th, commanded by General Jeffrey Buchanan, comprises the V, VII, and XV Corps, which comprise 2 armored divisions and 8 infantry divisions. The 1st Army would advance along the Andram to the north of the hills, skirting the southern borders of Doriath before heading north along its eastern border and into Himland, then hold position at the southern end of the Pass of Aglon leading into Lothlann and establish at least one airbase in Himlad. As the 1st was making their move, the 10th would advance eastwards south of the Andram, then turn north after passing Amon Ereb and advance north along the Gelion, capturing the eastern part of East Beleriand and the region of Thargelion. Once they reached Maglor's Gap, the 10th would advance through the pass, and at the same time, the 1st would advance through the Pass of Aglon, and the two armies would advance together into Lothlann. At the same time, along their advance, the 1st and 10th would be trying to recruit any of the Free Peoples they could pick up.
Once all of the armies had established their positions along the borders of Anfauglith, all four US field armies and the separate amphibious corps, along with the Host of Valinor, will advance into Anfauglith simultaneously and attack Morgoth's forces from four different directions, supported by hundreds of fighters and bombers flying out of airbases in Nevrast, Hithlum, and Himlad. Considering casualties they are likely to take before reaching Anfauglith, Abrams estimates that the Allies will be able to attack Anfauglith with an army of over 2 million, with at least 6,000 tanks, an equal number of Bradley fighting vehicles, over a thousand other artillery pieces, thousands of other armored vehicles, and tens of thousands of other combat vehicles. Also, by that point, Abrams estimates that between the Air Force, Nayv, and Marine Corps, as well as the other Allied air forces, there will probably be at least 2,000 fighters stationed in Arda and dozens of strategic bombers. Abrams also personally believes that the 2nd NATO Army will also fight in the final battle, but has received no orders to include the army in his plans.
Today is the day all ground forces will begin the advance out of Nevrast, and they have already massed at the chosen exit points from the region. The advance will be conducted in concert with multiple airstrikes across Beleriand to distract Morgoth from the fact that Allied forces have begun moving.
Abrams looks over at the clock on the wall, watching the seconds tick down. As it turns to 2 PM, Abrams calls out, "Send the signal."
Officers in the command center send out an "EXECUTE" command to all Allied commands in the Nevrast region. As commanders receive this order, the operation begins.
At all six air bases across Nevrast, over 300 fighters from the US, Dutch, Polish, French, and Royal Air Forces begin to take off, armed with 500 pound general purpose bombs and cluster bombs, ready to launch airstrikes against Morgoth's forces in 14 different locations across Beleriand.
At the same time, in the north of Nevrast, the 10 divisions of the 4th Army are massed along the coast just north of Linaewen. The 4th Army's commander, General Cavoli, receives the message from Abrams' HQ, and issues the order.
As Cavoli's order is transmitted through the army, in the front of the army, the over 40,000 men and the 200 tanks of the 8th Motorized Infantry Division are waiting to lead the advance. As the men of the division hear a loud bugle call, broadcasted over loudspeaker, which had been agreed upon as the signal to start the advance, a cheer begins to erupt among the men of the division. In the front of the division, the division tank commander orders, "Advance!" The lead tank begins to roll forward, and within a minute, all 200 tanks of the 8th begin their advance along the coast towards Cirith Ninniach.
Far to the south, the horns of the Maiar begin to sound. The units assigned to lead the advance south, the 10 divisions of the 1st Army begin their advance through the pass near Vinyamar leading into the south. The 1st Armored Division is leading the charge, with all 600 of the division's M1 tanks rolling across the landscape, with hundreds of Bradley fighting vehicles following behind.
Standing in the opening of the turret opening in the lead tank of the 1st is the deputy division commander, Brigadier General Matthew Eichburg is standing up, watching the landscape as the tank rolls across the landscape at about 35 miles per hour. At last, the might of the US Army is being unleashed on Morgoth and his forces. Eichburg smiles a bit as he watches the terrain pass by, looking for the day his forces will engage the forces of Morgoth in battle.
The campaign has begun.
And, I'll end there. Hope you liked this chapter.
So, next chapter is going to feature the first major land battle of the war. It's going to be quite a chapter. It will hopefully be up before the end of the next week. Depend on how busy school, work and my social life keep me.
Until the next chapter is up, please leave a review and stay tuned!