Chapter 7: The Changing Tide
Present Time, Ironwood's Office, Atlas
James stared at the news, military, and huntsmen reports that were flooding in from Vacuo. To say it was a disaster was an unmitigated understatement. First and most obvious thing out of the way; Vacuo was gripped in total civil war! Never since the Great War has Remnant seen anything quite like the fighting Vacuo was facing, with both sides fighting like devils for victory.
The VNA was making lighting fast strikes all around the country, severing Vacuo's ability to effectively respond with their own army and huntsmen. They bombarded bases, ambushed convoys, and taken control of many of the frontier towns, not only gaining their support and resources but bolstering their army. They also were using weapons that Ironwood either didn't recognize or wouldn't if not for Jaune Arc. However, even with Arc's knowledge, James didn't know enough on how to handle the situation, which made his current predicament all the more troubling.
"I demand an immediate response to this attack!" shouted the replacement Councilman for Vacou, Councilor Charles. "We can't let this VNA get too dug in!"
"We don't know what the full scope of the situation is though," calmly replied Atlas's Councilwoman, Vera von Gaius. "However, rest assured, once we have more intel on the VNA's capabilities, Atlas will send in its fleet to crush them."
"Bah, how long will it be until your fleets arrive to support Vacuo?!" mocked Vale's councilman Woodrow Scott. "I assure you Councilor Charles, Vale will support Vacuo to the best of its ability."
"What support would that be?" asked the most enigmatic of the councilors, the councilwoman of Mistral, one Semiramis Topaz.
"Why, the Huntsmen of Vale of course!" Woodrow stated. James sighed as he saw Ozpin shake his head.
"You keep forgetting Councilor, the Huntsmen are separate from the Council, and thus not yours to command," Ozpin coolly stated. "That being said, I can see many of Vale going to volunteer to fight against the VNA."
"Tch, you keep assuming too much Ozpin," Woodrow snarled out. Ironwood saw Charles nod his agreement; this could be the start of some internal power grab.
"Regardless, what good would any amount of support be if we don't know where to attack?" inquired Vera. Charles waved her concerns off.
"We'll focus on retaking the capital and other big cities, then deal with the issue of the VNA remnants," Charles stated. Ironwood was about to interject when he saw his scroll indicating he had someone at the door. Choosing to ignore the councilors' debate, Ironwood tapped his scroll to allow whoever was at the door to enter. In came Jaune Arc and Winter Schnee, with Jaune looking like he was about to explode with apocalyptic fury.
"What is it Colonel?" Ironwood said, mostly to keep the Councilors from interrupting him and Jaune.
"The man leading the VNA, I know him," Jaune said, getting straight to the point. "You remember the dossiers I gave you?"
James nodded, those dossiers, which covered the major players back on Earth, focusing on the GLA due to Jaune's hatred for the terror cell, were highly enlightening. He had been looking to review the GLA's arsenal more in depth than his light skim he had done before the first reports of the VNA uprising occurred.
"He is Qahira Zaima," Jaune said, causing James to take a deep breath to steady himself. From what he read, Qahira was a mad dog killer that thrived for a war without end. Yet, he should've been on Earth, so why was Jaune certain he was here on Remnant?
"Wait, you mean-"
"Somehow, he's here, wreaking havoc in Vacuo, most likely to build up his own empire," Jaune said as calmly as he could. "I should be able to recognize that smug bastard anywhere, considering he made me his unofficial 'rival', and made my life a living fucking hell."
James saw the raw anger in Jaune's eyes and nodded.
"Very well, so I take it you would know how best to deal with-" James was interrupted by Vera and Charles yelling at one another.
"I will not send brave Atlesian soldiers to their death trying to cross the treacherous desert on the ground!" Vera shouted. Jaune raised an eyebrow at the statement; what the hell were the councilors talking about? James tried to catch him up, key word tried, as Charles's shouting deafen any attempt.
"You won't send in your fleets, you won't send in your soldiers, what's next, you won't send in your drones?!" Charles yelled back. "Vacuo's rail lines are secured against the Grimm, and therefore secure against the VNA! They would be foolish to try and damage them, as it would hurt them as much as it would hurt us, maybe even more so!"
"You idiot, we don't know their full capability!" Vera argued. "We need intel-"
"Damn it Vera, admit you are just waiting for the VNA to crush any hope of Vacuo's military before taking Vacuo under 'Atlas's Protection'!" intervened Woodrow. "I am sick of Atlas trying to gain control over Remnant; we've should've dismantled Mantel and its descendants brick by bloody brick!"
"As though you could!" Vera shouted. "Without the dust that comes from Atlas, you and the other kingdoms would've long fallen to the Grimm!"
The councilors began bickering amongst themselves, leaving James, Winter, Jaune, and Ozpin to sit on the side, shaking their heads at the Council's petty antics. Of course, Councilor Semiramis was quiet, but then again, it seemed she was waiting to see who would win the argument.
Jaune turned to James before speaking.
"Regardless of whatever the council decides, you must take Qahira Zaima seriously," Jaune began. "He will take one look at your military before finding ways to shatter your army's will to fight."
"But our air fleets are nothing to scoff at though," Winter spoke up. "If we committed them and a decently sized land contingent, we could liberate the capital in a couple of days."
"I brought up my issues with your military capabilities before, but with the VNA, you are facing a whole new issue. The VNA will use guerilla warfare to hit your army seemingly everywhere. They won't face you in open battle, and if they do, then it's because they've assured victory beforehand," Jaune stated.
"Yes, but what could the VNA have to challenge the air fleets?" James inquired.
"Did you read the GLA dossiers that I gave you?"
"More in depth with their commanders," James admitted. "I lightly skimmed their arsenal, but nothing jumped at me except the bomb trucks."
"Alright, fair enough," Jaune said. "The GLA may not have the longest range anti-aircraft weapons, nor the most powerful, but they make up for this with camouflaging them to blend into the environment. One moment you could have a air wing moving onto their objectives, and the next they are under fire with no idea where the attack is coming from, taking heavy losses. And considering how slow your aircraft are in comparison to Earth's, you will take horrific losses."
"Also, on the ground, they will have their highly modifiable tanks, the Scorpion and Maruder tanks, in addition to various mobile units that fulfill a wide range of roles. They will remain hidden for as long as they can, before coming in and trying to punch your ticket."
"I see," Ironwood said. "So how did the various governments deal with the GLA?"
"Well, the ECA used heavily fortified outposts to screen the main bases, and used a combination of heavy armor and detectors to negate the GLA's ability to run and hide. The US made extensive use of drones and satellites, sending in their air force to shatter the GLA outposts with the ground forces moving to cut off their retreat. The Chinese used numbers to drown the GLA, using their heavy tanks to weather the GLA's attack while have their APCs equipped with IR and motion sensors to detect hidden GLA forces. Russia simply equipped their conscripts with IR goggles and made towers capable of detecting the GLA before they could attack."
"Well, which one would benefit us the most?" James asked.
"You have the drones, but do you have infra-red technology?" Jaune asked, getting a nod. "Then I suppose the US strategy would be best, but instead have the ground elements move in, find the VNA, then call in air strikes on the VNA's position."
"That would work, but as you see-"
"The councilors are waging war amongst themselves," Winter finished for Ironwood. "How are we going to convince them to listen to Jaune's advice?"
"It's more like a warning," Jaune grumbled as he looked at the Councilors with disdain. He hated politicians, especially after they forced his father into retirement and tried to defame him further for the Scrambler Incident.
"I think I can convince them to listen, as I am the general for the Atlesian army, and if not, Jaune, we need you to get your forces well underway."
"I understand sir," Jaune replied. "But we are still waiting on-"
"I'll handle them," Winter quickly interjected. "Just give me the people you need convincing, and I'll get you their support. Just get started on rolling out men that you are certain are better than any we currently have."
"Alright, thank your Winter. And General, tell the council not to treat the VNA as another army, as it will only lead to the forces sent in into a massacre."
"I will," James said. As Jaune and Winter left, James turned his attention to the squabbling councilors, the enigmatic Councilor Semiramis, and the quiet observing Ozpin, leaving the General to wonder; how much would the council listen to him?
Outside Shade Academy, Vacuo
"Our forces have captured Shade Academy, the air docks, and at least fifty percent of the residential district," Sarah stated calmly as she cleaned her PTRS-41 sniper rifle. She was selected to lead a platoon of snipers in the capital. Their mission was simple; assist the GLA-ahem-VNA forces by removing heavy weapon teams, officers, and any huntsmen and huntresses. While the platoon suffered early losses, losing a squad due to a combination of not following their training, taking shots at officers that had hundreds of men around them with nothing else to shoot at, and a determined huntress, they begun to make up quickly with taking out multiple targets out simultaneously before skirting back into the shadow.
If they weren't popping officers, they were acting as spotters for the Rocket Buggies and the BM-21 Grad. If not that, then relay to the other commanders of the enemy's movement. If not even doing that, then they were setting up scramblers to interfere with radio communication and lead the enemy into ambushes. It was slow, methodical, and deadly.
"Very good Commander Sarah," Qahira Zaima praised the young woman. Unlike the others, he saw her potential; she had the will to execute her orders, and a hatred that prevent any remorse from interfering. "Outside the capital, our forces are making rapid gains; around forty percent of the frontier towns have pledge their allegiance to us, and we have new recruits flooding in. However, it won't be long before the Council comes in with their military."
"What will we do if they arrive?" Sarah inquired.
"Simple, we lure them in, cut them off from retreating, then kill them in the desert," Qahira said confidently. "We rinse, repeat the process, and adapt should they do something unexpected."
"And what if they send in large formations of Huntsmen?" Sarah asked.
It wasn't an unfounded fear; Huntsmen on their own were worth a hundred soldiers fresh from basic, a team of four worth five hundred, and a platoon of 16 could decide the entire fate of battles in hours. At least with Remnant's history of warfare. However, to Qahira, the Huntsmen were over-hyped soldiers that had inflated egos and squandered their skills.
"We have weapons that no Huntsmen can adequately prepare themselves for," Qahira reassured his commander. "If they insist on fighting our troops, our tanks will crush them. If they try and run away, our air force shall send them to the stone age. If they try to cower in cover, well, the first of the toxin tractors are coming out, and so they will witness the brutality of chemical warfare."
Sarah may not have understood what made chemical warfare brutal, but she saw a demonstration of a concoction being used on pigs that were in a building that was deemed 'sealed'. The walls offered no protection against the sludge that got through any holes and cracks in the walls, before killing the pigs swiftly. She was therefore certain that the Toxin Tractors would do their job, especially if their glorious leader believed in them.
"Very well, then what do you need of me and my men?"
"When the Council sends their dogs to conquer Vacuo, I want your men to target any and all of their commanders; the armies of Remnant are too reliant on the chain of command, and therefore taking out key aspects of the chain will lead to entire formations to be hanging in the wind," Qahira stated. "In addition, if you can, I want you to keep their forces stuck in their landing zone; we have artillery ready to destroy them, we just need them in one place."
"Understood sir," Sarah said. "Oh, any idea when those AP rounds are due to come my units way?"
"Very soon," Qahira assured Sarah. The line went dead, leaving Sarah to smirk as she loaded a clip into the PTRS-41, quickly sighting a radioman. She leveled the anti-tank gun at the man, be firing, smiling as the round blew the man's head clean off.
1 Week Later, Ironwood's Office, Atlas
Jaune, James, and Winter were seated at a table, looking over the planned liberation of Vacuo, codenamed Operation Sandstorm. Jaune was shaking his head in disgust.
"Who the hell came up with these plans?!" Jaune bit out. "They are setting themselves to fail before they even begin the fight!"
"General Dwight of Vale, and I use the term General with a bucket of salt. But what's the biggest issue you see?" James asked. Jaune sighed.
"General Dwight's master plan involves no coordination between any of the forces involved. I mean, look, he expects the small airfleet that Atlas agreed to send to take the Northern regions by themselves, the Huntsmen are expected to rush into the capital without any support besides what they can carry, while the Vale army gets to march en masse from their landing zones through the fucking desert to the capital! I mean, how the hell will Dwight's army not get massacred as they cross that desert is beyond me!" Jaune stated.
"Unfortunately, no one is listening to reason," James said. "I tried to convince the Council to take your advice, under the guise of our intelligence officers' recommendation, but Vale's and Vacuo's councilman are all onboard General Dwight's plan as it offers on paper a quick liberation of Vacuo's capital. Worse yet, they dismissed the capability of the VNA's weapons, stating that 'since Atlas has the best weapons, victory shall be assured'."
"The stupid wunderwaffe argument," Jaune commented, before seeing the confusion in James and Winter's eyes. "Wunderwaffe is the German word for Wonder Weapon, and it describes any weapon that is expected to turn the tide of battles or wars by their mere presence. As the Third Reich found out in the Second World War, that wasn't the case at all."
"I see," Winter said. "But what about the weapons you are bringing? I mean, they look impressive, but…"
"I understand your hesitancy, as you've never seen the kind of weapons that I'm hoping Atlas will adopt, along with the tactics and strategies need to employ them," Jaune said. "The difference is that the weapons I'm bringing from Earth to here have been undergoing an evolution for well beyond a century. Speaking of, how were the companies' reaction to my design demands?"
"Most have agreed to work on the production of the various vehicles you designed. Three of the companies will focus on the chassis and interior, two will be responsible for manufacturing the hydrogen fuel cell engines, and Rheine works has agreed to make the large caliber cannons," Winter informed Jaune. "In addition, your bases is nearing completion.
"Good, that means that the heavy vehicles will be ready for my men to train in," Jaune said. "Any idea when the first group of recruits will be available to be training?"
"Within the week," Ironwood said. "Winter and I have coordinated the first batch of recruits, both civilian and military volunteers, with an expected 'class' of around three hundred."
"Three hundred, not bad, but also not great," Jaune muttered. "Though I suppose I can expect another similar size group at the end of the first?" James nodded.
"Yes, that way with your 8 weeks of basic, over the course of a year a total of 1200 men will be trained to your ECA's standards. It's not much, but-"
"But if those in control of Atlas's military start to pay attention, then the changes can be adapated to the rest of the military," Jaune finished for Ironwood. "But still, I can't help but worry for the men being sent forth into the meat grinder that the fighting in Vacuo will be." Ironwood nodded.
"I know; knowing you have experience dealing with a threat, only to be ignored, is the worst thing to feel, as you feel every death that happens could've been if those above had listened," James said. Jaune nodded.
"Yes, the regrets us commanders must endure for reasons that could've been avoided if the politicans weren't so prideful," Jaune said, glancing out a window towards the shattered moon. Hopefully, Remnant wouldn't be shattered like the moon by the VNA's war.
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Searching for 'GLA Infantry Dossiers'
Found 9 related dossiers, please select a Dossier
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First Dossier entry- GLA Worker
Description: Global Liberation Army has since their creation taken military prisoners and slaves to do their hard work. Often cited as being the lowest link in the GLA chain of command, slaves and prisoners were usually the Workers of frontline GLA camps. They were tasked with erecting tents, workshops and depots where GLA soldiers and vehicles could come in, re-arm and repair. During the Global War on Terror the GLA didn't even spare the Workers any shirts or shoes, but Anwar Sulaymaan, successor of Mohmar 'Deathstrike', is very well aware that there would be no war without them, and has provided them shirts and shoes.
Second Dossier Entry- GLA Rebel
Description: When warlord Mohmar 'Deathstrike' first created the Global Liberation Army, all he had at his disposal was a relatively small group of armed fundamentalists. While they had been in many battles before and were somewhat professional, Mohmar knew he couldn't achieve his goals with only a small group of 100-ish soldiers. So, during the two-years time between 2017 and 2019, he set out through Kazakhstan, Aldastan and pretty much all of Central Asia to spread the word, that a new liberator has arrived and they needed their help. The impoverished farmers, workers, tribesmen, homeless and workless believed his speeches of purity, and so they joined his ranks. When the GLA made their first move by nuking downtown Beijing in 2019, Mohmar had a whole army of followers with hundreds of thousands armed rebels. Cheap, easy to train and expandable, the Rebel stands at the frontline of the Global Liberation Army, armed to the teeth with AK-47s and molotov cocktails.
Third Dossier Entry- Tunnel Defender
Description: The GLA is known for their use of recycling a lot of leftover military valuables, but most of their battle-worthy equipment comes from the various black market chains they operate with. One old but very reliable weapon utilized by the forces of the GLA is the effective RPG-7 launcher. When the GLA first attacked China, they did so with brutal efficiency, setting off a nuclear weapon in downtown Beijing, and subsequently ambushing the survivors with hundreds of crude fundamentalists. Most were armed with the RPG-7s, but when the GLA pulled back from the onslaught of Chinese forces, they hid inside their vast tunnel networks. When the enemy tanks rolled by, they would pop out and attack the enemy from all sides. Realizing the efficiency of this shoot-and-scoop tactic, the GLA posted many RPG-wielding rebels on every network entrance. The rest of the GLA gave them the comical nickname 'Tunnel Defenders'.
Fourth Dossier Entry- Terrorist
Description: The fanatical and suicidal Terrorists have been an integral part of the GLA's operations since their dawn in the early 2020s. The Terrorists are always eager to make the ultimate sacrifice for the GLA's cause, while their organization is more than willing to give them a chance as long as it enables them to deliver critical blows to the enemy's troops and supplies.
With the development and improvement in GLA's stealth technologies (which have rendered most defensive structure's detection capabilities useless) and new emphasis on subterranean tactics, the Terrorist is now more feared than ever before and remains a popular method among GLA commanders for "fast and tactical" strikes. However the Terrorist still remains almost entirely defenseless to keep them cost efficient and can be killed easily by even firearms before they reach their target.
Fifth Dossier Entry- Stinger Soldier
Description: GLA fighters revel in the irony of American warplanes being shot down by their own anti-air missile systems. The FIM-92 Stinger, acquired by the GLA through their extensive black market connections, remains one of the most effective anti-air weapons even though it is almost a century old. Stinger soldiers are usually grouped in three at specific locations, nicknamed 'stinger sites', where hostile aircraft traverse often. Lately however these sites have become easier for bombers to target and destroy, resulting in the mobile Ural trucks transporting stinger soldiers between locations, and even the soldiers themselves hiding among the foliage and striking when the aircraft pilot least expects it. Because of their large Stinger launcher they can't carry any secondary weapon heavier than a personal defense weapon, most commonly a pistol.
Sixth Dossier Entry- Partisan
Description: Whether they lived in the deserts of North Africa, the war-torn cities of the Middle East or the mountains of Afghanistan - These veteran insurgents have fought against the global superpowers and their allies in the defense of their ancestral homelands for decades even prior to the appearance of the GLA in 2019. Throughout the entire war and its aftermath, the Global Liberation Army consisted of a solid nucleus of highly organized cells that shifted their operations around the world, supported by an innumerable mass of local volunteers, tribal groups and strongman militia that rotated in and out of the GLA's ranks as required.
Partisans are indomitable fighters who are familiar with the terrain and thus capable to move swiftly and covertly. Their weaponry usually consists of obsolete bolt-action rifles that have been passed down their families for generations, including the venerable British Lee-Enfield, the Russian Mosin-Nagant or the German-made Karabiner 98k. Having honed their marksmanship from the first day they could hold a firearm, the Partisans can still score impressive long-range shots with these dated weapons despite their lack of modern optics. Their sole piece of halfway modern technology is a modified military-grade radio receiver which, upon deployment, allows the Partisans to tap into hostile communications to detect enemies at long range.
Seventh Dossier Entry- Hijacker
Description: The ever efficient if not slightly peculiar Hijackers remain one of GLA's strongest answers towards superior enemy armor. These highly skilled and ruthless GLA agents are trained to enter and take control of enemy vehicles in a matter of minutes. It has been reported that even highly armored tanks are not safe from their reach and they remain a symbol of sheer terror for vehicle crews of all those who oppose the GLA's cause.
Eighth Dossier Entry- Mercenary
Description: Honed by a lifetime full of war and bloodshed, these Mercenaries form the elite cadre of Sulaymaan's army. Due to their fierce reputation, they tend to enjoy an air of awe and privilege among the GLA, as they are only ones who can ask their leaders for noticeably higher rewards and walk away with their heads still on their shoulders. Unlike the common rabble, Mercenaries have exclusive access to the GLA's special arsenal of looted local weapons from South Africa, including the Vektor R4 assault rifle, the SS-77 machine gun and the Milkor 40mm grenade launcher. In addition, every Mercenary is armed with the single most common weapon on the African continent: A lethal machete that can kill a person with only a single, well executed swipe.
In combat, the Mercenaries are not only feared for their superior weapons and raw brutality, but also for their resilience and fearlessness: It has been reported that these men fire themselves up macabre ceremonies before the battle, putting them in a permanent state of blood-crazed frenzy in which their perception of pain - and morality - is numbed.
Ninth Dossier Entry- Angry Mob
Description: Pulled from the masses of thousands of troubled cities, the Angry Mob remains one of the most troublesome unit types on the battlefield. Their destructive capabilities were first witnessed by the GLA in Astana during the Global War on Terror, and since then, the GLA have hired many of these angry citizens to wreak havoc on the enemy. Many of the partisans have lost all their hope for better life and are just in it to see the ones that created their suffering die in a pitch-black fire. Even to this day, the Angry Mobs can be spawned from any city by the GLA propaganda, and all are still willing to fight for the GLA's cause.
Dossiers closed.
Logging you out Commander
Author's Note: Woah, sorry for the delay, I've been out of it for the last month or so, mostly due to family drama but also having to watch my friend's dog while he was out of town for about a week in total. But I'm back, and we're getting to the fighting, so let's get to some key points!
-Unit dossiers: Like last week, these were all done by the good folks on the SWR production team. A few of you that play ROTR will know that some units that are going to show up in the next patch aren't here; that's because while the Wiki may have some names, they don't have any details, so I'm not including them until they are in the game. So these units are already in the game, and they will be the premise of the VNA's forces.
-The Councillors: These people are going to be the biggest idiots in the world, as they will want to interfere with military affairs despite having no understanding of how wars are fought. This mirrors my resentment with the US Congress and Senate interfering and deciding how wars should be fought, instead of leaving it to the generals that trained for war. However, their support will be needed if Vacuo is to be liberated from the VNA.
-Sarah's snipers: This unit will be recurring, and a source of pain for the incoming armies. Sarah is given command of the unit and wields the gigantic PTRS-41, a nod to the GLA's 'hero', Jamen Kell. That guy in the original Zero Hour was evil, able to snipe the pilots out of tanks and helicopters with disgusting ease. In ROTR, they removed his pilot snipe due to a bug that happened, and stated he got injured and went from the KSVK to the smaller and more manageable SVD. But Sarah won't have buggy issues to contend with, so just wait to see what she can pull off with her anti-tank rifle. And remember, bitches love cannons!
-Jaune's 'PMC': It's getting there, but it won't be for another 9 weeks before Jaune's forces can get out there to assist with the fighting in Vacuo. But with the companies making his custom weapons and vehicles, he and his first batch will be a pivotal. But while we are waiting for the first 'class' to finish basic, we'll have a few flashbacks to Jaune's earlier years, the fighting that the forces under General Dwight are facing against the VNA, and more character development!
Now onto reviews!
-Warmach1ne32: Depends on the tank traps used; dragon's teeth wouldn't be knocked over so easily, but Czech Hedgehog, yeah, those would be. Also, thanks for pointing out how Stahl couldn't do everything with regards to what Jaune needs, so I addressed it lightly in this chapter.
But about what you think is a Cosmodrome, it isn't that; it's a structure the GLA has, and- ah screw trying to hide what it is, it's a freaking Scud Storm! Qahira Zaima had a few Scud missiles under his control, so when he arrived on Remnant, he managed to find and 'recruit' them to build more Scuds so he can use them. This will be a major plot event later, but for now because no one outside of the GLA knows of it, there won't be any attempts to knock it out.
-Luhar1997: I will do a faction's back ground shortly, as well as history sections when needed. But rest assured, the other factions will get involved.
-Pinkpower3612: Thanks for that I didn't realize I SNAFU on the name. As for adding a MAWLR, hehe, I'm hesitant to do this, as that thing is positively huge. I could see it maybe being built as a capital weapon, but not before Jaune's PMC becomes the basis for Atlas's military. As for Ironwood and Jaune, they are allies, not like General Shepard and that Blackwater PMC.
-Luhar1997 (Again): Sorry mate, like I said, family drama and watching my friends dog. But here is this chapter!
And that is it for now guys, thank you for reading this chapter, and as always, please read, review, follow and favorite, and I'll catch you guys next time!