Victory is not determined by the weapons one possesses, but by the manner in which they are used.
(Field Marshall Rommel. Supreme Commander of Reichsgruppe Africa)
Despite the fact that the all 3 of the world's superpowers employed the same trick, I strongly believed that the Reich stood head and shoulders above the Britannian Empire and the Chinese Federation when it came to public displays of national pride.
Of course the Chinese couldn't pull it off as well since they had precious little to be proud about, except perhaps the ability to show the world that there are worse things than living as barely tolerated residents in ones own country, and Emperor Charlie tended to prove his growing senility by repeating the same thing over and over, but they nevertheless recognized that nothing inflames the hearts and minds of the populace like a military procession.
Especially when they got to witness the latest examples of the tools that would be used to secure the values on which their newly reforged nation was built upon.
Safety and Security.
But before the citizens of the Reich could get a glimpse of the Kriegsmarine's revolutionary new battle fleet, they had to endure the traditional steps of a practice that went back to the times of ancient Rome.
However, instead of watching the procession of hundreds of shield carrying cavalrymen, the inhabitants of the Reich's capital got to experience the thundering display of hundreds of assembled knightmares.
There had initially been some discussion as to which armored unit would have the honor of being first unit to travel along the Road of Heroes, but in the end I had given the honor to the Wehrmacht's 7th Armored Division, which was quickly followed by the hardened veterans of the 1st Waffen ISD Division, otherwise known as the GrossEuropa Division.
Following the procession of knightmares, the Panzer Hummels far outnumbering the Vikings, came the dozens of the latest version of the weapon that had first seen active deployment during the Great War, and whose earlier versions continued to see service in the various resistance movements that followed the lead of the Reich.
And following right behind the thundering treads of the Katusha Mk IV's came the synchronized marching of thousands of heavily equipped soldiers.
Whether they were adorned in the traditional feldgrau of the Wehrmacht, or the camouflaged gear of the Waffen ISD, these men and women represented the true nature of the nation that I had struggled to build following the end of the war.
Orderly.
Efficient.
And above all, loyal.
And considering the thunderous cheers and frantic flag wearing that greeted the marching soldiers of the Reich, I believe I can safely say that the citizens of my nation, or at the very least the citizens of Berlin, agree with my vision.
But on this day, I would be able to show the world that the Reich's ability to match the power of the Empire existed not only in the valiant heroics of its soldiers, but also in the realm of technological advancement.
While most nations currently fielded fleets of machines that had previously only existed in the realm of science fiction, it was the scientists and engineers of the Holy Britannian Empire that had managed to turn fiction into reality. And with these new weapons, the empire was able to quickly spread a message that had existed ever since life first evolved on this planet.
Adapt or die.
Fortunately, Europe possessed by the resources and willpower to field mechanical monsters of its own, but those early models were of insufficient quality and quantity compared to the size of Britannia's knightmare fleet, which did much to solidify the perception that the nation who first developed the knightmare would always retain its qualitive lead.
A notion that would unfortunately persist until I gave the order to reclaim the Siberian provinces. For while I had countless reports on how well the Reich's current knightmares performed against Britannian forces, the image of Britannian technological superiority would continue until the world had undeniable proof that the Reich's fleet of Panzers and Vikings were a match for the empire's Sutherlands and Gloucesters.
But while it would still be some time before that happy occasion, perhaps 3 months if the preparations continued at their current pace, that didn't mean I couldn't tarnish the image of Britannian technological ingenuity with the public unveiling of the newest weapon of the modern age.
And as I approached the podium, the columns of marching soldiers came to a halt, and the cheering adoration turned silent as they focused their attention on the man responsible for creating this new atmosphere of enthusiastic patriotism.
"Citizens of the Gross Europa Reich, I stand before you this day to pay respect not only to your efforts in keeping this nation strong, but to also honor the man whose words still hold meaning to this day.
Navigare necesse et vivere non est necesse.
The ancient Romans rightfully understood the importance of naval power, and to this day, the fleets of Europe are working tirelessly to keep the enemies of the Reich from robbing you of the freedoms you have rightfully earned.
However, as our enemies have constantly proven, their efforts in trying to subdue us are ever constant, and ever changing.
But unlike the traitors that attempted to stab us in back during the Great War, the Reich is unwilling to sit idly by and wait for our enemies to develop the weapons that could lead to our ruin.
But on this day, we are the ones to first develop the tools of the future. And though the nations of the world will inevitably try to overcome our lead, they will never forget that it was the Reich that first achieved this miracle of science. And that it was they who trembled at the thought of our proud vessels raining death from the skies.
For as I have vowed to you my friends, the Reich will never forget the crimes of those who sought our destruction. And it will never rest until those tried to rob you of all that you hold remain crushed beneath it's heal.
Heil Europa".
And as I raised my arm into a more casual form of the roman salute, I watched with a great degree of satisfaction as the crowd and assembled soldiers, who had previously been watching the sky in wonder as the Rodina and her 4 sisters cruised overhead in formation, raised their arms to shout their approval of the future that I had painted for them.
"Heil Europa"
"Heil Europa"
"Heil Europa"
…..
Though her unique relationship with her fellow German had ensured that he wouldn't be offended by copying the lazier version of the Reich salute that he himself used, Karina nevertheless kept her arm straight as she echoed the words shouted by the citizens of the Reich's capital.
An action that was copied by not only the squad of black uniformed soldiers that had been selected to protect the Chancellor of the Reich from those who may wish him harm, but also by the high ranking members of the Reich's societal elite.
And while they were a far better breed of people than those who had nearly led to Europe's ruin during the Great War, the fact remained that they were still people. Which ensured that they were not spared from the judging looks of the woman who had personally helped a young brigadier general turn the corrupt democratic nation into an efficient, slightly benign dictatorship.
Of course, the men and solitary woman surrounding her had been wise enough to accept the changes that had been instated by the Chancellor, but that didn't mean that she couldn't let her guard down.
From the corner of her eyes, she made mental notes of how her some of her called colleagues reacted to the militartic speech.
"Hmmm lets see. Raeder's noticeable little smirk is understandable thanks to Friedrich's decision to the aerial fleet under the Kriegsmarine's control rather than the Luftwaffe's. Though I suspect he'll soon feel cheated once Fatso Herman reveals that he was placed in charge of not only developing the carrier component of our new battle fleet, but also finishing the construction of our ultimate weapon. And judging by the fact that the Inflated Blimp is currently holding back a desire to laugh at his fellow leader's face, I suspect that he's eagerly looking forward to it. Both Zhukov and Guderian seem impressed with the display, but I can tell that they prefer to have resources devoted to the ground forces instead of improving the Reich's aerial capability. Though once Goering and Speer manage to star making the tech cheap enough for mass production, they'll probably change their mind. Must remember to get Friedrich to agree to my little proposal of giving the ISD an air component even if it pissess of the 'traditional military'".
Snorting in amusement at the ongoing, but thankfully limited rivalry between the armed forces under her command and the rest of the Wehrmacht, Karina couldn't help but wonder how the so called Holy Empire would react to the Reich's lovely new toys.
Probably the way they acted after she and Friedrich managed to complete the final phase of Old Man Manstein's last gamble.
Anger mixed with the panicked desire to quickly recapture their lost sense of superiority.
And since the new Europe was an excellent example of what could happen when the Empire was forced to quickly adapt to an unfavorable situation, the blond haired leader of the ISD could only guess that a similar occurrence would happen again.
But since the Empire had a fetish for making their military toys as ascetically pleasing as they were destructive, it would be some time before they could be produced in sufficient quantities to achieve parity, let alone overwhelming superiority.
Of course they could speed up the development of their aerial resources if they devoted their efforts into producing flight capable warships instead of giant robots, but such a thing was unlikely to happen due to the less than stellar relations Britannia enjoyed with not only its rivals, but also its colonial territories.
And since her dear sweet Friedrich was busy laying the foundations for an operation that would in its opening blow result in the mass destruction of hundreds, if not thousands of knightmares, the Empire wouldn't be able to divert massive amounts of resource to a untested weapon system when it could be used to rebuild their shattered corps of battle robots.
A state of affairs that she, and just about every loyal solider of the Reich, would enjoy immensely.
For as she and Friedrich had learned first hand at the Battle of Prokhorovka, the soldiers of Britannia, whether they be lowly conscripts or even Knights of Round, were easy to beat once they took away their mechanical toys.
And since she had a score to settle with that lime haired bitch, Karina was more than eager to get Operation Reclamation started.
…..
Though he regarded such actions as necessary due to the already tense atmosphere of the soon to be besieged fortress, the blue haired sturmbannführer nevertheless felt a tad sickened at the murderous act he had just performed.
It had nothing to do with the horrified glances his less than stellar appearance inspired.
Nor was it because he couldn't understand why the Japanese officer would commit such a treasonous action.
No, the true cause for his slight distress was because he should have noticed that Hamara was a spy from the get go.
Luckily he had managed to deal with the traitor before he had a chance to report on the current status of the JLF's defensive preparations, as well as the fact that he actually wasn't some new recruit with a tragic backstory, but that did little to console him since the now deceased solider had informed him that he had told the Britannians about their current location.
However, even if he informed Katase and his subordinates that they had been betrayed, it wouldn't really make a difference.
With only 90 knightmares at their command, most of which were merely refurbished Glasgows that had been renamed with a more patriotic label, combined with the static defenses of the mountain base, the JLF was hardly in a position to successfully challenge the armed might Cornelia was no doubt assembling.
However, that did not mean that they lacked the strength to survive the upcoming battle.
Of course the Reich provided knightmares were in insufficient number to prevent the Britannian forces from achieving victory, but they were more than capable of holding them off long enough to ensure the survival of the JLF leadership.
It had taken some effort since most of the JLF relished the concept of dying in an unwinnable battle instead of retreating to fight another day, but thanks to the backing of the organization's most decorated officer, the blue haired agent of the Reich had managed to get his hosts to agree to his plan.
One that would not only serve to increase the damage dealt to imperial forces, but would also HOPEFULLY cause his previous blunder with Kusakabe to be forgiven.
Of course Leila would probably chide him for his recklessness, but since she sadly lacked the authority, not to mention the influence, to keep him from being sent to the Gulag for his inability to suspect the previously fractured nature of the JLF's leadership, Akito would have to risk endangering his life if he was to impress the most ruthless woman in the Reich.
Fortunately, thanks to the blunt nature of his former teammate, who had been personally selected by Director Richter herself to work on her staff, the blue haired Japanese national had been told the best way to get into the good graces of the ISD's deadly leader.
Ensure that the enemy suffers a defeat that is as costly as it is embarrassing.
And while Cornelia would technically win the upcoming battle, the losses she would suffer, as well as the manner in which she lost them, would nevertheless be enough to satisfy Chancellor Krueger's right hand.
And if it didn't, at least the Gulag gave one the opportunity, however small, to absolve oneself of the crimes they had been accused of.
…
Though her tone was devoid of any semblance of the emotion that one could call caring, the green haired immortal nevertheless managed to convey that she was less than pleased with her contractor's latest scheme.
"Are you sure that this is a good idea? I mean it's only been little over a week since you announced the formation of your personal army, and now you wish to pit them against an enemy that is not only superior in numbers, but quality as well. And while choosing your red headed tsundere to pilot your most powerful knightmare is a smart move, I sincerely doubt that will be sufficient enough to hold off an entire army. Especially since you only have 2 squads of refurnished Glasgows to back her up".
Her observation earning a glare from the exiled royal, though in truth the effect was somewhat lessoned due to the fact that he had yet to put on the cape that would cover that ridiculous body suit, C.C. was largely unsurprised by the slightly snarky response of the purple eyed teenager.
"Considering my plan to rob Cornelia of her numerical superiority, I believe that my forces are more than adequate for the task I have envisioned them. Especially since I have the JLF at hand to help divide their attention".
Sensing the former prince's smirk as he fastened on the mask that had quickly been adopted as a symbol of hope for the oppressed masses of Japan, the golden eyed immortal took great pleasure in seeing Lelouch flinch at her barbed reminder that he was not infallible.
"Considering what happened in Saitama, I trust you'll forgive me if I don't feel overly satisfied with your boasting".
And though she suspected that the prince turned freedom fighter/terrorist would ignore her reasoning, C.C. proceeded to count on her fingers all the similarities she saw between her contractor's latest plan and the one he had first used against his militant half sibling.
"Lets see. Like in the ghetto, your forces consist of ill-trained, out numbered freedom fighters who equipment that had previously been in the hands of your enemy. The loyalty of your troops is still questionable despite your reputation, though I do concede that unlike Saitama the Black Knights have at least acknowledged you as their leader before you lead them into battle. And perhaps the most obvious similarity to your previous attempt to achieve your goal, you believe that victory is already in your grasp and thus have prepared no contingency plans should the unexpected happen".
Though her less words earned a dismissive snort from the exiled royal, the green haired girl could nevertheless detect that her words had managed to give him pause since they did carry a valid, if cynically delivered, concern.
Of course he would dismiss her warning until she had to come to his rescue yet again, but until then there was little more she could say in order to dissuade his plan. And if she was being honest with herself, his current plan did show more foresight than his second combat experience, though she would never tell him that.
While they lacked the professional training of their imperial opponents, the Black Knights nevertheless had some experience when it came to combat situations, with the most important one being that their leader had already led them to one unlooked for victory against incredible odds. Which meant that the likelihood of being abandoned at a critical juncture, which had been the case in Saitama, was much lower.
And perhaps the most important of all, Cornelia's attention would be focused primarily on the destruction of the JLF rather than trying to actively entrap her exiled brother.
However, there was one thing that she had noticed during her time with Lelouch, and it perhaps one of the few opinions that she would never share with the former royal due to the suspected way he would react if she ever made the comparison.
A disregard for those lost on the way to achieve his goals.
The casual way in which he willingly sacrificed either those who could not benefit him, or whose independent nature caused him to feel threatened.
Believing himself to be superior to those around him.
And a slightly obsessive relationship with his full blooded sibling.
It was rather fascinating to be contracted with someone who loudly denounced everything their adversary stood for, and yet still possessed the same mindset and arrogance that they themselves had identified as being the chief flaws of their opponent.
C.C. could only imagine how Lelouch would react if she ever pointed out the similarities that both she, and her immature former contractor, had noticed during the course of their time together.
But since she had no desire to put up with either a more sullen exiled prince, or one whose mental state could best be described as shell shocked, the green haired immortal would keep this fact to herself.
Even if Marianne continued to annoy her by pointing out the intellectual similarities between her son and husband. But she supposed that it made sense for the immature woman to focus on the more positive attributes of her rebellious son.
For despite being the offspring of a man who could literally choke the life out of someone with one hand, Lelouch's physical qualities were, if she being generous, rather lacking.
And since her outlook on life was both selfish and devoid of sympathy, she was rarely generous.
….
Though he should have felt a great degree of satisfaction at his upcoming appointment, in truth the young scientist was, to borrow a more vulgar expression, scared shitless as he waited for his turn to present his ground breaking research.
In retrospect, considering the identity of the man he was about to meet, who was known to possess a far more congenial personality than some of the more…blunt personalities of his nation's leadership, he shouldn't be feeling like he stood a strong chance of being turned over to a firing squad.
But if he failed to convince the man of the importance of his findings, then it was more than likely that in the near future, both him and the rest of the nation would sooner or later be reduced to ash by those who looked upon his country with both fear and hatred.
For while the new Europe was far greater in power, than what it was before the Great War, it's potential for global dominance was still dwarfed by the Holy Britannian Empire, and to a lesser extent the Chinese Federation as well.
Of course the Federation's ability to wage war was greatly hampered by a military that was largely devoid of competent leadership, and an industrial base that was less than efficient given the fact that most of its more modern factories were situated in its most rebellious province. But considering its ability to absorb losses that would make even the Empire flinch, they were a potential threat that could not be ignored.
And as for the military might of the Britannian Empire, it possessed both the numbers and industrial capabilities to, eventually, defeat European forces through the costly strategy of attritional warfare.
Of course such an occurrence wasn't a guarantee since the history of warfare had more than a few examples where a numerically smaller force could emerge triumphant despite its adversary being in a superior economic position, but as a scientist, he was more concerned with universal truths.
And the most important truth that he could see was that the side with the largest army, and the resources to easily supply it, would always win.
Which is why he had gone to such lengths to request a meeting to hopefully begin the process of giving his nation the tool that would negate the need for the traditional tools of warfare.
Of course he held no doubt that the Armaments Minister was regularly bombarded by mobs hopeful scientists who wished to receive state funding, but he knew that only the most promising, or those whose work attracted the interest of highly connected officials, ever got a chance to talk directly with the man himself.
Fortunately, not only was his work respected in certain academic circles, but his wife's sister was married to a middle ranking ISD officer, which gave him the necessary leverage in ensuring that the screening process wasn't as arduous as it could be.
"Professor Heisenberg. Minister Speer is ready to see you know.
…
Annnnnd I'll stop here XD
Believe there is sufficient material here to keep you all satisfied until I manage to complete my version of the Battle of Narita XP
And now, to explain each segment XD.
First one of course is a military parade in Berlin with a dictatorial speech and unveiling of the latest super weapon. The procession actually was inspired by a total war mod that had units of the Confederate States form a military parade while having Dixie play. Gotta say, made an impression on me XD. And don't worry, also watched the Union military parade XD.
Of course still trying to figure out what MY Reich's anthem is going to be. Europa Uber Alles (i.e. Deutchland Deutchland Uber Alles) is a candidate for the running, but personally, I like the Soviet Anthem better (watched too much Red October growing up as a kid). The Hymn for the Red October will probably be making an appearance in this series, but wont say when XD.
Second segment of course is a continuation of the 1st, but with some more hints of what happened during the Great War. Hopefully you all noticed the hints, PLUS, some more build up to Nonette's eventual appearance. Will build on the back story later.
Third segement, dealt with Akito's role in the JLF (i.e. advisor, assassin) and how he believes his actions will be viewed by his superiors. Also took a moment to mention his viewpoint on the JLF's readiness.
4th, I confess that I did not intend to have some Lelouch bashing, but somehow that's what I ended up with. But lets face it, I don't think anything I said was untrue. The guy has one goal in mind, and doesn't really care about collateral damage unless he is personally affected by it (i.e. Nunally, Shirley, Euphie). Hell, during the Battle of Narita, he goes on this whole monologue about how the Black Knights can now call themselves soldiers. He does get better as time goes on, but I think we can all admit that he is more like his father than he is willing to admit.
Of course the only way to point this out would be through the view point of everyones favorite pizza eating immortal, and I think I did a good job.
And finally, the 5th segment. Thought it was time to show a character that while proud to be a citizen of the Reich, nevertheless believes that the Reich might not be as powerful as it is. And after watching the awesome opening segment of the 1st American version of everyone's favorite giant lizard (loved the film as a kid, and the animated series that followed it) as well as double checking that the Code Geass universe lacks this type of weapon til the 2nd season, I figured…'Why the hell not" XD.
Anyway, now to respond to the questions/opinions that have been posed to me :D
Chancellor ZVE
Questions: (This is more of a joke question but I can't help but ask) You actually decided to borrow the concept of remotely controlled bipedal war-machines from Pacific Rim?! They aren't going to spontaneously grow Kaiju body parts and open a portal to another dimension are they?! On a more serious note, how fast and how accurate is the feedback loop between the remote pilot and the Knightmare being controlled? In detail, how much time passes between the pilot's movements and the Knightmare's, and is the Knightmare capable of replicating the full range of body movements that the human pilot can utilize? The applications of such technology could not only bring out the most combat potential from trained soldiers who become pilots, but it can even guarantee the safety of veteran pilots better than an ejection pod can if they were not actually on the actual battlefield to begin with.
Answer: For the response time…I confess I was originally thinking of having the same speed as the robotic arms as the new PS4 Doc Oct, but then thought that would make the Reich knightmares too overpowered. So decided to give them the reaction time that is the same, or somewhat better that the Mobile Suits used in Avatar. As to range of body movement, that is the direction that I'm going, but the technology has yet to get there XP.
Q: The average Britannian may be arrogant to the point of STUPID more often than not, but don't you think that the Empire will be a LITTLE bit suspicious of the fact that the JLF possesses Reich Knightmares during the Battle for Narita? Won't this just give an excuse for the Empire to accuse the Reich of supplying rebels, which is technically true, and possibly ignite a Second Great War? I know that there is supposed to be those secret negotiations between Chancellor Krueger and Emperor Charles, but such obvious evidence would have the Empire, as a whole, screaming for payback against the Reich. Also, even if the Reich was able to deny claims during the MEF War, blatant evidence at Narita can't be ignored unless you can somehow eliminate all witnesses or destroy the evidence which is essentially impossible unless you have a miracle or REALLY planned it out.
Answer: Already have a plan to explain this. And believe I have touched upon ONE of the explanations in the Katase portion of the last chapter XP.
Q: How would YOU compare the EFFICIENCY and COMPETENCY of the Imperial and Reich officers? I had to ask because the majority of officers I have seen in Britannia tend to be those who used their influence or money to practically buy their way into the rank without actually being fit for the rank, like Clovis and his old officers, with notable exceptions being Cornelia, Schneizel, etc., while the Reich would undoubtedly step up their performance to optimal levels, if only to avoid having the ISD pay them a visit.
Answer: Reich is better. Basing the tactical command structure of both the Wehrmacht and the Waffen ISD on their real world German counter parts. Which as you may now took the combined nations of the worlds great industrial powers to defeat them, and then only at heavy cost. Believe I mentioned in an earlier chapter how Europe got rid of the 'buy your way in' command structure that was present during the Great War.
Anyways, thank you for your continued support.
REVIEWS ARE WELCOME…no flames.
Heil Europa.