A.N. Hears another chapter to the first story I posted here. Now for another announcement, I will be working to finish this story because I have another brewing up in my mind and I want to get it going soon. But I'm not going to go back on what I said about not having more than two stories going at once. And for those of you thinking it, don't worry this story will not be rushed to an ending I will put the same amount of effort into the chapters as I always have. Enjoy.
Chapter 16
October 15, 2021 a.t.b-France
Rain descended on the landscape, the river churned below the bridge over the Garonne EU forces hunkered in what cover they could find. Having been pushed out of the outskirts of Bordeaux they had been forced to retreat following the river till they reached a crossing that hadn't been destroyed. Now they fortified there last position south of the river, meanwhile their superiors fought political battles to get reinforcements. According to the info that had filtered down was that they were supposed to be smashing south into Spain by this time. But for some reason the high command refused to let what soldiers were guarding the north of the river come south to renew the attack on Bordeaux.
The news from the Homefront wasn't much better, industrial centers across the continent were burning nightly. And news from Africa was none existent the thinking was that the army there was destroyed. The push into Russia was starting to stall, some said that the army was close to St. Petersburg but resistance was stiffening. The news networks also spoke of a push by elements of the army that had penetrated into the Step in an attempt to draw away elements of the enemy to allow St. Petersburg to be captured.
Now the army hear was suffering in improperly dug trenches and fox holes, their ammo and other supplies strained as much was need to be sent to Russia. And the rain had not let up for nearly a week, the mud in the fox holes and trenches was unbearable. Cases of Trench Foot, and Flu had shot through the roof, and those that weren't bed ridden had some level of fever. In all the level of living was miserable, and to add to the misery Britannian artillery bombarded their position on a regular bases, along with a number of small attacks.
Such an artillery attack was currently underway, explosion ripped new holes in the ground. Rain water and mud mixed with blood creating a putrid ooze that forced soldiers to put pieces of cloth across their noses to try and block the smell. Many other soldiers openly cried, their psyches strained by the constant noise and death. On the other side Britannian M-080 Raikos, newly arrived, bombarded the positions of the EU. Guilford stood in a G-1 Base nearby watching the tactical map.
Icons should the positions of his mobile artillery, and scurrying around behind them were more icons signifying soldiers, units, and more. Today would be different from the attacks that were launched before, and his wouldn't be the only attack. Guilford kept looking at the unit icons that signified his new troops. Upon Guilford's request for more troops the Emperor ordered two corps, one hundred thousand men, transferred from the Russian forces hidden in deep Russia. They had been moved across the Empire to mold into Guilford's army giving him the man power to counter attack in full.
Guilford turned to a man with short black hair, trimmed beard, and bushy mustache, he wore a knightmare pilot suit with two stars on his shoulders. Guilford said, "General Krachenko, ready your men."
"Yes sir," replied Krachenko in perfect English though with a heavy accent. The man left, Guilford turned back to the map and said, "begin the count down."
A clock appeared on one of the screens, and began counting down, Guilford then double checked the watch on his wrist. He then said, "by now Anya has begun her attack."
Mediterranean Sea, West Coast of Italy
A Britannian fleet floated off the coast, ships of every size and class within the fleet floated gently on the waves. Airships flew overhead and moved towards the coast, beneath them smaller landing craft moved to the beaches. Below the waves submerged knightmares shot to land faster than the landing craft. Streams of bubbles followed shots fired by the frames, explosions shattered the few underwater obstacles that covered the beaches; the element of surprise was evident. In the air smoke trails of missiles streak through the air and inland, the main batteries of the ships didn't fire as there was nothing to shoot at.
The beaches were mostly made for rich tourists, small resort villages littered the coast near the city of Anzio. The villages were purpose made for this along with the artificial beaches, meant that little military defenses were present. And why should there be? According to the EU intelligence no Britannian commander would be mad enough to bypass Sicily and go straight for Italy. But in this case the intelligence was wrong, the EU radar stood still as the computer systems were penetrated by Britannian electronic warfare soldiers.
EU civilians ran as the Britannian came ashore, Knightmares filled the beach moving inland along with armored vehicles. Overhead the airships dropped more frames onto road bridges and other strategic areas. Police stations were overrun within the first hour, barely a shot being fired. Whole regiments were ashore before the EU military command in Italy had an inkling that they were under attack. The first report they got was several emergency calls made by panicked, high ranking, civilians. Most of these were so fantastic that even the operators thought they were crazy, or the caller was drunk.
But those thoughts were pushed aside when long range missiles fired from the off shore fleet landed in Rome. Tactical air defenses and radar stations erupted in flames, and not long after the sky filled with attack aircraft. The small machines dove out of the sky or dropped ordnance from high above. Barracks and marshaling grounds were blown up and strafed, while supply depots were leveled. What EU communications weren't cut went wild with large amount of communications. But the problem Rome wasn't the only area calling communications from France filled the lines of the high command.
As the enemy scrambled to mobilize some sort of counterstrike, Logres battleships with large pieces of metal slung beneath them appeared in the sky. As the airships descended ships carry similar pieces came to the shore. Using the airships as cranes engineers quickly began assembling an artificial harbor for the fleet. Meanwhile smaller ships ferried troops, knightmares, other vehicles, and equipment to shore. The movements of the army were like a conveyer belt Britannian soldiers moved inland establishing a beach head.
Standing inside a large tent that served as a temporary position, the pink haired form of Anya Alstreim stood across from a group of officers. One of which wore a uniform different from those of the black and gray uniforms of the other officers. His uniform was the blue uniform of the EU army, it was old and bore signs of weather damage and makeshift repairs. However the insignias of the uniform had been replaced with Britannian and other unknown insignias. The stiches bore the quality of a quick sowing job, the man's face also similar to that of his uniform.
"Gentlemen," said Anya. "Guilford's attack has begun, our attack has met with success thus far. Secrecy and surprise have been achieved, know we abandon these and batter the gates of our enemy down." The pinkette turned to the blue clad man, "General Durand are you and your troops up to the task you've been assigned?"
Durand commanded a division of fifteen thousand men, these men had been cobbled together from forces that had been captured in Africa and units of up-gunned militia from the former European colonies. Durand himself had been an officer and political figure in Africa a few months prior and had barely escaped the command bunker of General Antonio. After escaping he had actually led units in a mass surrender leading the way for the rest of the army. He followed the late General's orders to the letter, if he had been ordered he would've fought on. But Antonio had ordered the surrender to save the remainder of the army. He also had the distinction of being a member of the African Colonial Council, appointed as the military representative by the EU government.
Thus Durand had been given an audience with Lelouch there he delivered the news of the decision made by the African Council. With the majority vote the council voted to secede from the European Union. When meeting with the Emperor, Durand succeeded in gaining an alliance and aid in forming a military unit to follow the Britannians into Europe. Years of mistreatment of the African colonies, now finally had the opportunity to vent the frustration.
Durand stood straighter and replied with a heavy French accent, "Lady Anya. I will say what I said to the Emperor. I am a farmer from Normandy. My family has been farmers for generation, I am the first in two generations to be in the army. But not of my choice. I was forced to join during the last war with Britannia, many of my men have similar backgrounds of being forced to fight in this war or do equally unpleasant tasks for the EU. The EU has done nothing for me, they murdered my father in front of me when he refused to join. The EU has become a perversion of what it once was, I do not wish my family nor the families of my men to live in the fear. I and my men will fight, and we will die, so long as we may go home again to our farms and live in peace."
Nodding Anya said, "very well General, move your men out, let's get this campaign under way gentlemen."
The officers saluted and left the knight, the roar of engines redoubled as knightmares began moving out towards the ancient city of Rome. At the head were the modified Hummels of Durand's division which the soldiers had started to call the "La Grande Armée de libération" in a sort of mockery to the EU armed forces. In her mind Anya thought, "nothing is more dangerous than a disgruntled soldier and angered people armed with guns. Sigh. If the Emperor's and Durand's plan works than this is going to a short campaign."
Less than a half hour later the lead elements of the invading army met the first enemy units. Small scouting units sent by the Rome garrison collided with the advancing army. The Skirmishes that followed left the small units decimated, Durand's division smashing the enemy as if they were life time enemies. Another half hour later the army was beginning to enter the suburbs or the city and the enemy made themselves known. An under strength knightmare division of dedicated troops formed the back bone of the defense while the remainder was formed of militia and National Guard.
The dedicated soldiers formed the first lines of the defense of Rome, but they continually pulled back farther and farther. Many of the times they were forced back without even firing a shot, the sheer numbers of the invading army forcing the EU's back. Durand's Hummels armed with higher powered weapons provided by Britannia blasted the EU models away. A number of Britannian Mizuchis were assigned to Durand's men with the promise that more would be assigned to them as soon as the soldiers could be trained.
As the army advanced a broadcast preceded them, broadcast on both military and civilian frequencies. On it Durand appeared and spoke saying, "to all oppressed by the EU, I am General Durand of the African Council. I command those who have been thrown aside by the EU, those who have been stepped on by those of the EU high command. I have been called by the African Council, who have seceded from the perversion that is the EU, to lead their army in liberating the oppressed on the European continent."
The EU commanders in Rome scrambled trying to find a way to jam the broadcast but found that the amount of frequencies being used limited their response. All the while Durand's speech continued, "people of Italy the great man General Antonio was not defeated by his own incompetence. The Guard commander Acel forced the general's hands, and then murdered him when he attempted to save the lives of his army. This is what we have lived in, this is what we can expect in the future, I and the African colonies have had enough, who shall join us? Who will throw of the off the chains that the EU forces upon us? The EU threatens us if we do not fight for them, they hide behind the guise that they are elected into office and fight for freedom. But they are nothing more than a reincarnation of the aristocrats that we sought to be rid of. How long shall it be before they throw of the guises they hold? When they do our freedom shall be lost forever. Will you stand for this, your families and freedom are taken from you? Rise up those of you will not stand for this, rise up those of you are oppressed. Both us on the African council and the Britannian Emperor offer you this chance."
Inside the command center technicians slowly worked captivated by the message, while similarly militia and National Guard listened to the message ignoring orders not to. The invading army continued its advance, the resistance quickly becoming less and less difficult. Militia units surrendered frequently while the National Guard units pulled back, many times without orders. Then orders came across the EU military radio ordering, "fall back to inner perimeter."
The dedicated soldiers of the knightmare division abandoned the front line and retreated into the inner city. The invading forces quickened their pace marching into the streets of Rome nearly unopposed as the other armed men began surrendering.
France
The artillery fire began to slacken then stopped, men began emerging from cover into the rain soaked air. The smell of smoke, blood and burning flesh and fuel, the smoke from fire and explosions covered the ground like fog. Artillery still echoed farther behind the EU lines across the river, another sound accompanied the booming explosions. The sound of engines not of European make came from the smoking fog. As the heads of soldiers turned to the fog, tracers and the green blue VARIS shots split the smoke. Men cried out as they were split in two or turned to pink mist by the explosions and VARIS. Screams rose up as shadows appearing the smoke the shapes of Knightmares, infantry and armored vehicles charged the lines.
Men dropped into their fox holes and trenches grasping for their weapons, popping back and spraying bullets wildly. Many of the shots missed while some bounced of the armor of the knightmares. Some popped up with anti-armor weapons firing the weapons, few frames feel to the shots. Pilots of the EU frames rushed to their own machines ducking under camouflage netting, before entering their machines and trying to engage the mech's engines. Green/blue VARIS shots collided with the frames turning them into pillars of fire, those EU Hummels that managed to activate were blown apart before they could actually dent the enemy advance.
Vincent-Mizuchis bounded over the trenches and fox holes firing their main and secondary weapons obliterating large sections of the defensive line. EU infantry ducked down trying to not be hit by the heavy war machines. As they stood again or turned to fire on the frames were met with the small arms fire of the Britannian infantry. Standing over the enemy the enemy fired down into the enemy before they could raise their sites. Blood filled the trenches and fox holes creating a puddles of stinking mud.
As the Mizuchis reached the river they finally found themselves in front of more powerful defenses. From the other side of the river bunkers that had been quickly made fired the guns within them. Britannian knightmares fell in balls of explosions smaller machine guns opened up on the smaller infantry. The foot soldiers ducked into the EU trenches and fox holes, they knelt beside the dead bodies of the EU soldiers. A whine from overhead signaled the arrival of Britannian VTOL gunships.
The small craft flew through the cloudy sky, their rocket pods flashed as the VTOLs launched their rockets. Explosions ripple the EU side of the river, infantry trenches and small buildings flew apart in explosions. Other VTOLs dived from the air dropping large bunker busting bombs. The concrete and metal bunkers went up in smoke, many of them disintegrating as their ammo magazines detonated. Many soldiers fled the bunkers their bodies many times burning, the explosions turning their clothes to piers. The auto guns of the aircraft ripped the fleeing infantry apart, the VTOLs spread out letting loose on the EU defenders.
The Mizuchis, now free of impediment, renewed their charge, they split into several groups. Two of the groups charged the river, these frames were equipped with Float Systems. The frames then planted stakes into the ground, attached to which were thick steel cables. They then used their FLOATs to jump the river trailing the cables with them, when they landed they planted the stakes in the river bank.
The third group charged over the bridge, all the groups firing their weapons at any appearance of enemy uniforms. Infantry and armored vehicles began crossing the bridge, behind them engineers swarmed the banks of the river using the cables to begin building pontoon bridges. All the while the Britannian army began spreading across the bank of the river, capturing the supply depos, and other key points in with speed that would put Blitzkrieg to shame.
Back in the G-1 Guilford watched the icons of his army, Krachenko's troops had bashed through the first defenses of the enemy. They had crossed the river and opened a hole in the enemy lines faster than anything in Britannian military history. Guilford couldn't help but smile, once again he had been surprised by his new Emperor's ability to find soldiers to fight.
One of the officers spoke up, one of his hands pressed against the headphones he wore, "sir. You might want to here this."
"What?" inquired Guilford crooking an eyebrow. The officer pressed several keys on his console and a sound none expected filled the bridge. Voices and music came from the speakers, Russian voices, the smiles in their voices could be heard as they sang, "Rastsvetali iabloni i grushi, Poplyli tumany nad rekoj. Vykhodila na bereg Katyusha Na vysokij bereg na krutoj. "
Guilford stood stunned as Krachenko's men sang as they advanced into combat, slowly a smile spread on Guilford's face. He asked, "have they been doing that this whole time?"
The officer shrugged saying, "I'm not a hundred percent sir. At first I thought it was just some EU radio station, but I double checked and found it to be line set up by the Russians when they got here. We just happened to pick it up."
Whispers spread over the bridge, things like court martial and insubordination became common. Guilford silenced these by saying, "transmit it."
"Sir?"
"Transmit it to the rest of the army send it to the enemy. Put it on loud speakers, music has been used as a weapon in the past. Why not use it as such again."
The coms officer was obviously trying to hold back a smirk as he said, "yes sir."
Rome
Barricades filled the streets of the EU's inner perimeter defense, they were well inside the city. The barricades were of concrete and steel, large construction blocks had been conscripted and placed on trailers. They then were dropped in place whenever they and wherever they were needed. EU knightmares and guns were dug in behind the barricades and in neighboring buildings.
The armored division manned the defenses, the National Guard and Militia units were not present. Several units had actually turned on them sending EU made ammunition into EU troops. These units were also more often than not bolstered by angry Italian civilians, chanting "Antonio, Antonio, Antonio!"
It was only the divisions Hummels saved them from complete annihilation. The other units had surrendered to the invaders, who with no more opposition and almost literally marched in lock step through the ancient streets. Now the enemy were only a block away from the EU defenses, the defenders were sweating profusely as they listened to the enemy. Private Soult shook slightly as he peered at the empty street. His uniform was dusty from several close explosions, shrapnel and torn small tears in the cloth but had failed to break skin.
This had been his first battle, he had been drafted then assigned to the Rome garrison. And when the explosions started he had been deployed with his rifle, he had been attacked by both VTOL aircraft and leading elements of both the rebel Durand and Britannians. He had practically wet himself when he found out that Anya Alstriem was present in Rome.
From his position from the first floor of street side building, the window was broken out so he could peer out into the street. Panning back and forth he searched for enemy troops, as he breathed he wiped the sweat from his face. The soldier beside him teased, "makes you wish you were part of the inner circle don't it Marshal Soult?"
Soult smirked at the nickname, he had little doubt he was related to the Napoleonic Marshal of France, but he had none of the power that the name once had. He nodded to the question his mouth still unable to form words. A high pitched whistling filled the air followed by booming explosion. The area filled with dust and fire, as concrete and metal flew through the air like flies. Soult ducked as dust filled the room through the broken windows, the bombardment continued, before the falling explosives moved farther back behind the lines.
Training kicking in the Frenchman shot back up looking through the shattered window. Outside medics rushed through the debris littered street dragging wounded and dead away from the lines. Replacements rushed alongside the medics taking place of the fallen, three Hummels appeared from alley ways where they had hid during the artillery strike. Thudding from above drew Soult's attention, he then heard the screams from above. He realized that the building had been hit.
He turned back to the street as the sound of engines echoed from up the street, the Hummel's main guns opened up. Soult saw an enemy Hummel explode, he and everyone else realized that the enemy were the rebels of Durand's army. Infantry advanced up the sides of the street, Soult aimed and fired his weapon in bursts, at the same time machine guns in the upper windows fired. The bullets struck around the infantry many falling to the fusillade, dust kicked up from the walls and street and mixed with the smoke. The rebels ducked into the buildings they could, windows were knocked out and fire was returned.
A concrete barricade exploded as an enemy Hummel took the place of the burning one. The same frame also managed to take down one of the defending frames before one of its gun arms exploded. The free arm turned to the offending shooter, Soult had little doubt that the pilot of the Hummel that had fired the offending shot soiled himself as the rebel frame shot back. The Hummel's hip mounted guns opened up following the main weapon's lead, the slugs racked across the barricades. Soult saw several soldier's heads disappear in pink mists of blood, their comrades ducked down farther, several more dying as their chests were hit.
Somewhere above Soult someone fired an anti-tank rocket destroying the frame with a shot to the cockpit. But with the lack of armor the enemy did not lack any less fire power, overhead engines signified the approach of gunships. Rockets streak into the battle ridden street, barricades and the last Hummel exploded. The building shook as several rockets blew the upper floors away. Debris fell in front of Soult's window as the ceiling behind him collapsed and bodies fell to the first floor. Screams echoed in the building, the bodies that Soult saw were covered in a paste made of dust, blood and sheetrock. The Auto guns of the gunships raked the street more scream sounded as men were turned to mush by the large slugs.
Soult looked up just in time to see one of the VTOLs drop a large object, as the large thing crashed into the building across the street he realized what it was, a bomb. The building lit up like a Christmas tree, fire bloomed through the windows like flowers. The building collapsed and a dust cloud washed across the street. The blast wave knocked Soult down just as the dust cloud entered the window. Standing carefully he looked around and saw bodies cut up by the flying shrapnel. Several of the bodies stood up showing no signs of injuring, but they like Soult were stunned by the scene around them.
Looking out the window he saw enemy infantry advancing once again, rushing to the window he fired his weapon on full auto. Infantry ducked down, two of whom fell with holes leaking blood. Soult recognized some of the uniforms even though they had been augmented with body armor, they were units from Africa. A shadow passed over him on instinct he raised his gun and fired point blank into the face of an enemy soldier. The man's head disappeared in an instant, the corpse fell backwards onto the street. A second later a grenade flew through the window, cries of "grenade!" filled the room. The last thing Soult saw was the flash of the grenade and then the pain of shrapnel tearing his heart, and lungs to pieces.
France
The men of the EU did not know what to make of the music being played, it had started coming over their radios and had been considered a strange joke. But the longer it played the less it seemed so, the confirmation of this came when enemy knightmares broke through the trees. The enemy let loose with cannon and machine gun, the Europeans confused and disoriented, barely knew what was hitting them. Many simply couldn't stand the onslaught and broke, they dropped their weapons and ran as fast as their legs could carry them.
Inside the command center bunker, the commanders of the defenders scurried around attempting to find an answer to the disaster unfolding. General Schmidt the overall commander of the forces in France looked over the maps. The enemy had broken his lines in several places, bridge heads had already been established and the enemy was plowing forward deeper into French territory. The largest intrusion was made the newly unveiled Russian troops, which had been a surprise to hear. In fact many of his less experienced comrades still refused to believe, either way the enemy had broken threw. And according to reports a large number of his soldiers in the area had broken and were running. Communications had become a quagmire, what lines weren't jammed by the amount of communique from the front were jammed by the enemy.
Schmidt was an old soldier, he had fought in last several wars that the EU had fought in and he could see the flows of battle. In this case the enemy had used the mess of his communications to his advantage, with no complete way to talk to his commanders he could not give proper orders. The fear caused by this outbreak would send his commanders into a panic if not the soldiers beneath them, who would no doubt hear what was happening faster than the commanders. In the end it would mean his entire line would collapse and the army would retreat.
The choice was an agonizing one, should he give orders to hold the lines, or give the order to withdraw in the hopes he could save his army. He knew that ordering the withdrawal could mean his dismissal or death. He looked at the maps that were updated as soon as information came through. Looking up to the officers gathered in the bunker, he made the choice, "order a withdrawal to the Vichy Line Defense." The officers stared at him in shock, he then continued saying, "report to high command, I am abandoning my current position in favor of a more advantages one. After you have sent that transfer all command to command center in Vichy."
Shaky replies of acknowledgement came as the officers went about their work, turning to another officer he said, "prepare my transport."
"Yes sir," replied the officer. Schmidt turned and left the center, which turned into a place of chaos as the officers rushed around. The general had been smart, as after he left a reply to his report came from the high command in Paris. The order read, "you will hold all ground and current positions at all costs."
Without an officer of proper rank the order was never given and the army began an orderly withdrawal, or at least as orderly as could be achieved.
Tokyo
Lelouch stared at the images of Rome and France, a large pillar of smoke rose from Rome. The fire was caused by Anya's "Indomitable," that had fired on the command bunker. The result had been the surrender of all resistance in the ancient city. The media had gone wild with the news that the ancient city of Rome, had fallen within a day. Not only that but with the invasion of Italy and the news delivered, by it, entire militia units were beginning to rebel. They flocked to Durand's army or ran to Guilford's advancing army. There was even news that a division of EU soldiers, had been ambushed by rebel militia and annihilated.
In France the Russians had proven their worth, punching through the enemy lines and plowing a bloody path through the enemy territory. Reports of enemy troops being forced to drop weapons and equipment in order to quicken there withdrawal were numerous. Reports from Ukraine were also good, his allies had begun beating back the EU attack. The Scandinavians had also begun making progress in gain mastery of the sea. The reports from Russia spike similar as Jeremiah continued to bleed the enemy dry. Like Schmidt Lelouch realized that the time for action had come.
Lelouch type commands into a console, within Russia a flotilla of airships sat on an airfield. In warehouses nearby Alexander knightmare frames belonging to the W-0 unit sat. Within minutes of the command being given, warehouses and other buildings became a frenzy of activity. Back in the imperial palace, Lelouch turned to C.C. and with sadness in his voice he said, "it has begun."
C.C. stood and walked to Lelouch wrapping her arms around him and pulled him into a kiss. After coming back up for breath she said, "we're in this together my warlock. There is nothing you can do that will stop me from loving you."
Lelouch wrapped his arms around his wife smiling as the burden on his shoulders was shared. He nodded and said, "I know my love."
"Then come, I know that Milly wants to have tea," said C.C.
Lelouch cringed and said, "oh alright. But if this turns into anything other than a tea party than I'm going to give you a piece of my mind tonight."
Smirking C.C. replied, "oh I'm sure."
That night Lelouch stumbled into his room struggling to remove a long blue dress, wondering how a small cup of tea had led to this. Behind him a laughing C.C. stumbled in behind him, wearing a similar dress, as well as a very strange hat on her head. She then said, "now, are you going to give me a piece of your mind? Or something else? Hahahaha"
A.N. I do not own anything related ot the song Katushya at all. And in relation to the song, think like the version sung in Girls und Panzer.