Destruction of Foes (DoF) - Diplo Light [Story Thread 1]

[Egypt (DoF)]

On the brigther side of the news:

Is the end nigh? Will humanity destroy herself?
We are getting reports that Carthage is exploring the power of atoms. We have no doubt that they are after military use of this technology. Egypt rejects the use of weapons of mass destruction, so we suggest a pact between those nations who thinks the same:

Anti nuclear weapon pact:
Those who sign it accept to cancel all relations with that vile nation who finishes the Manhattan project.
These relations include: any trade agreements, open border, military pacts.

We have only this planet to live on. Don't let it destroyed by evil!

Signed:
Hor'Aha, Egypt.

[Carthage (DoF)]

Operation Akira

Heavy fighting near Sabratha and Lisht. Following a hard fought defensive battle the 2^nd Carthaginian Desert Army unleashed Operation Akira. The operation was a complete success. Allied forces advanced, captured 115,000 Egyptian prisoners, and destroyed thousands of tanks, artillery pieces, and aircraft, while suffering very few casualties.

As the Egyptians advanced, the Carthaginian force withdrew to the main defensive positions east of Sabratha. The Egyptian advance was harassed by the 7th Support Group, a mobile element of the 12^th Tank Division.

Progress was slow. The Egyptians advanced approximately 95 kilometres (59 mi) in three days. On 16 September, the advance stopped at the town of Maktila, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) beyond Lisht. The Egyptians then dug in, fortified their positions, and awaited reinforcements and supplies. They created a line of fortified camps around Sidi Barrani which ran from Maktila, 24 kilometres (15 mi) east on the coast, southward through Tummar East, Tummar West, and Nibeiwa, to Sofafi on the escarpment to the south-west.

Ramen Hor Aga, Egyptian newspaper editor and mouthpiece for the Egyptian regime, wrote "Nothing can save Carthage now." However, the Carthaginian Royal Navy had transferred assets, including their aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean to reinforce the Carthaginian Mediterranean Fleet, making provisioning of North Africa problematic for the Egyptians.

The situation is best described by this news bulletin which was aired to our citizens on Sicily.

Carthaginian plans
Following the Egyptian advance, Hasdrubal Barca ordered the commander of the 2^nd Carthaginian Desert Army, Lieutenant-General Ura Niama to plan a limited operation to push the Egyptians back. Barca had noted that the Egyptian defensive positions were dispersed with the fortified camps separated by large distances which meant they could not provide mutual support. Operation Akira, for administrative reasons, was originally planned as a five-day raid but was extended after its initial success. Barca was confident of his force's capabilities and on 28 November wrote to Niama expressing a belief that an opportunity might occur for converting the enemy's defeat into an outstanding victory:

I do not entertain extravagant hopes of this operation but I do wish to make certain that if a big opportunity occurs we are prepared morally, mentally and administratively to use it to the fullest.

The opening stage of Operation Akira was known by the Egyptians as the "Battle of Sabratha". The Carthaginians knew it as the "Battle of the Camps". The "Battle of the Camps" name was derived from the individual Egyptian camps set up in a defensive line outside of Sabratha.

On the nights of 7 December and 8 December the 2^nd Carthaginian Desert Army advanced a total of 113 kilometres (70 mi) to their start positions for the attack. The air force made attacks on Egyptian airfields destroying or damaging 29 aircraft on the ground. In the meantime Maktila had been bombarded by Carthagians bombers.




A Citorno tank of the 14th Tank Division


At 05.00 on 9 December a detachment of artillery commenced a diversionary firing for an hour at the fortified camp. At 07.00 the main divisional artillery started to register targets and by 07.15 a full concentration had started.

The destruction of the Arma Roha Group is described by Bernstein in Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts:

The initial Carthaginian assault would fall on Nibeiwa Camp, and it achieved complete surprise. Arma Roha Group, under General Roha, was an ad hoc formation consisting of 2,500 soldiers and 2 Armoured Battalion, with thirty-five medium tanks and thirty-five light tanks. It was earmarked for early destruction in the assault, which commenced at 05:00hr with what appeared to be no more than another raid on the eastern side of the camp.

At 07:00, however, forty-eight Citorno tanks suddenly appeared from the opposite side of the camp. They struck twenty-three unmanned M11/39 tanks of the Roha Group, which had been deployed to guard the unmined entrance to the camp. The Egyptians were caught completely off guard and many did not even reach their tanks, including General Roha, who was killed emerging from his dugout. They were slaughtered and their vehicles destroyed by the Carthaginian in less than ten minutes. The Egyptian artillery fought on valiantly, firing on the Matildas and recording many hits, some at point-blank range - but none penetrated their 70 mm of armour. The remaining Egyptian tanks were captured intact, and the Libyan infantry, left practically defenceless, quickly surrendered. The Carthaginian had captured Nibeiwa and destroyed one of the front-line Egyptian armoured unist in less than five hours.


Exploitation

Egyptian forces crowded into the coast route while retreating from Sabratha were easy targets for the unleashed Carthaginian tank divisions. The result was a "Highway of Death":





Given other setbacks suffered during the early war years, the Allied troops of Operation Akira were highly publicized and became known as "Barca's Army," which was used as the title of a Carthaginian documentary chronicling the campaign.

[Egypt (DoF)]

((nice story, but I couldnt get what you really did.. I guess I will have to wait till next morning ))

[Carthage (DoF)]

On the research of fission:

Carthage has suffered a lot by the advanced militairy technology Egypt is constantly using against us. They have never hesitated to use the militairy posibilities of new technology. And still they own Carthaginian soil. And now they act like the big peace lovers.

Even though we recently won a sizeable victory in the desert this war is far from ended. And the balance of power still exists.

To make sure we will not be destroyed in a nuclear war, we will make sure we have nuclear capability.
Mostly for civilian use, but if need be it will be used as a deterrent.

As it is clear that Egypt has never hesitated to use weapons of mass destruction, the only option to not become the one at the receiving end of this equasion is that we will strive to achieve this technology. We will continue to do so, unless Egypt is willing to sign peace, give us back our native soil, and pay reparations for all Carthaginians goods, equipment and life they have taken.

To all other nations we say:
we have treated all peoples fairly and have always stood up for our word. We will continue to do so. If you feel you need additional guarantees of Carthage we will be happy to do so. We have no ill feelings and intentions towards any other nation of the world.

[Egypt (DoF)]

Carthage is a big liar.

First of all Carthage was the one who started the war.
Egypt not only refuses to use weapons of mass destruction, but we restrained ourselves to even research such technologies which leads to that path. Egypt may had brilliant scientist, but Carthage has huge production advantage from exploiting others.

Now CArthage will leave us no choice but to develop this technology for our own protection. This is sad and marks the end of a more civilized era.

Still we ask those who feels the same as us to sign our proposed pact against that nation who builds the Manhattan project.

[Carthage (DoF)]

Again the Egyptian propaganda is a sweet talking snake.

We might be convinced by other states to not develop the Manhattan Project, but we will finish the research of Fission.

Our national security demands it - in that manner we can make atomic weapons as soon as Egypt can.
And we'll have the benefit of nuclear reactors.

Egypt is known to go over dead bodies, even of it's own citizens, so we are convinced we need to do this research.

[DNK]

The official Persian declaration on nuclear weapons:
From his Majesty, King Xerxes of Pasargadae, representing the assembled nobles and leaders of high Persian society and industry,

We see no issue with researching the prerequisite technologies for nuclear weaponry. Indeed, they have civilian applications that we have ourselves considered - yet currently eschew in favor of more economic research. We may soon begin such research ourselves, as our coal plants are providing very harsh pollution in major cities that will be exacerbated by the introduction of oil into our economy.

That said, the development of nuclear weapons is a thorny affair. We can understand even beginning to develop these specific technologies, through a national project, as it is hard to know who else is preparing similar weapons, and one would not wish to be caught off guard by a sudden surprise that another has completed such a project. Yet, to actually complete such a project as the original developer is a heinous crime in our eyes: to introduce onto the world such destructive politics, to force others to comply with basic game theory and develop their own, and for each future war to be decided between nuclear stockpiles, none of this is acceptable to us.

Our future interactions, compromises, and alliances will be shaded by such actions. We respect conventional warfare, but should Carthage or another power insist upon fully discovering the techniques for nuclear armaments, it would force us to follow a similar course. We hope this will not be necessary, but indeed by simply discovering the civilian technologies underpinning such weapons, we too now feel a need to research down this path in due course. We now see that our concerns of Carthaginian R&D's direction were appropriate.

Signed,
DX"

[Carthage (DoF)]

We are of a similar mind as you Persians:

We can understand even beginning to develop these specific technologies, through a national project, as it is hard to know who else is preparing similar weapons, and one would not wish to be caught off guard by a sudden surprise that another has completed such a project.

[Egypt (DoF)]

If Carthage agrees that they only need this technology for civilian use and just for " not getting caugth offguard". Then they too could support our proposal about trade embargo against that nation who finishes the Manhattan project.

[Carthage (DoF)]

The Royal Lancers approach Asyut

[Carthage (DoF)]

As an answer to the Egyptian diplomatic 'initiative':

we firmly believe in free trade

AND

as it is clear that your nation strives to undo the Carthaginian Trade Empire we will not sign such agreement.


Still our position remains the same:

We can understand even beginning to develop these specific technologies, through a national project, as it is hard to know who else is preparing similar weapons, and one would not wish to be caught off guard by a sudden surprise that another has completed such a project.

To other nations we say the following:

Get a clear picture of the advanced technology the Egyptians can muster. They are 'riding the horse of science' as hard as they can. They will have mastered all sciences we can currently imagine in a mere 100 turns. Fission, composites, satelites and mass media have been mastered. All others are soon to come.

We Carthaginians fight as hard as we can to ensure the world remains as diverse as it is, as we see a big Egyptian world looming over us.

And this Egyptian world will treat the very foundation of civilisation, the life of civilians, as only a tool to forge machines of war. There will be no end of slavery after this. Even the Egyptians themselves are miserable only to ensure the dream of world domination of the ruling elite.

[Egypt (DoF)]

Carthage doesn't even try to hide her evil plans anymore. The truth must be clear to everyone:

-Egypt has never started a war, we only used our technology to save ourselves.
-We did not even support other nations war or intervened in any conflict.
-Egypt has always refused to develop nuclear weapons and still wants a treaty which forbid the use of these weapons.

Carthage on the other hand:
-Are playing roles in various conflicts all over the world. The destruction of the Russians, the Roman-Hungary conflict and who knows what else. Now they started a war against us.
-Admitedly developing nuclear weapons

Carthage has 3 times the production of Egypt, they hold one of our cities (we also hold one of theirs tough that city was a gift from us to them-they became unworthy to that gift).
Even tough Carthage has the superiority in numbers (especially since they had destroyed our main army) they are trying to bring others in the conflict so they could remove the only nation who could stand against them.

These are just facts which show how evil yet cowardish the Carthagenians are.

[Carthage (DoF)]

The previous statement contains numerous 'mistakes' and twists of the truth.

1) we are not developing nuclear arms and we are NOT developing the Manhattan Project.
But we do have, just as Egypt, nuclear capability.

2) we brokered peace between romans and hungarians

3) our slave-free-production level is met by the slavers of Egypt (i.e. they produce as much units as we do)

4) yes we fired the first shot in the war, but the war is devised and planned for by Egypt (see post # 157). Actually Egypt's war propaganda began way before that (see post #138).
We took the only option we had: wage a war on our terms.

5) and Egypt's land army is far from destroyed. Although it's destruction is the only hope Carthage has in prevailing in this conflict.

[Egypt (DoF)]

We are really tired of this arguing and your twisting of facts..

1, We have nuclear capability because our agent took it from Carthage the same turn they discovered it. Yet we say we will never develop the Manhattan project, they are not willing to say the same.

2, i've heard a different story, but we can leave as it is.

3, The heroic sacrifice of our citizens unfortunately not limitless. We are already spending on culture to keep or pop 5-7 size cities happy

4, That #157 post is just a crazy talk.. far from the turth

5, Go home and never come back!

[DNK]

Phoenexia Returns

Gavril looked out over the city walls onto the Straight of Tzarigrad. He watched the many freighters and galleons passing slowly through, some barely moving, others moving too slow to be noticed, and others speeding at a great clip. A small fleet of Russian trade galleons floated out towards the Adriatic, likely taking supplies to the forces in Greece, as was much of the trade fleet these days. Perhaps a few, he thought, were destined for properly foreign shores, as Greece could not be considered such much longer, given that it was soon to become little more than a new Bulgarian province. He smiled at the thought, mighty Bulgaria, conqueror of her weak neighbors. The Greeks never had a chance...

He also noted the large fleet stationed at the harbor displaying the military colors prominently, though their flags were presently rolled up leaving a bare skeleton of wood showing. A few frigates patrolled the straight as well, looking for Ottoman or pirate activity. Trade vessels from all the other nations of the world also passed by. Some were old-fashioned galleons and even a few galleys from the relative backwaters of the world, waters Bulgaria was finally pulling herself out of with her long string of conquests; others were modern steamships, billowing black smoke trailing them, mirroring their wakes in the air; a few others were the ultra-modern oil-based cargo ships of the Egyptians, Portuguese, and Carthaginians. Oddly missing were the Persian trade vessels, as they had been for two weeks now. He supposed their new oil-based designs were causing problems. They always were a bit slow to catch on to the technical advancement of their Egyptian neighbors...

He laughed lightly to himself. Those Persians, so cutely locked into their little corner of the globe, twisting around diplomatically between the Great Powers to their west with little else to do. Once they were a threat to us, perhaps. Once they had a great army as well, once they with their Ottoman dogs threatened our lands, but now in peace they were little more than an odd fascination of those who admired fine rugs and cottons.

Still, he marveled at their technology. For months now Persian aircraft had been seen over the skies of southern Bulgaria. Large, beautiful airships cruised lazily overhead from time to time. He always found himself lost in their tranquil grace when he saw them, entranced by their promise of release from the cares of the earth, too high to be hit by any weapon, certainly not by his clumsy, antiquated bolts.

As he watched the straights over the afternoon, he saw such airships coming out from the south. These, oddly, seemed headed directly towards the city center. “Odd,” he thought to himself, “they always purposefully avoided flying over our cities, some sort of agreement I think exists about that.” Still, he was entranced all over again, and such cares fell from his thoughts. As he watched the small fleet of airships, he noticed a large cloudof some sort behind them, as though the countryside were on fire, though the smoke was a bit light in color for fire. He was confused, but paid little attention to that calamity beyond the hills of the southern coast. The zeppelins slowly came towards him, and his eyes grew wide with astonishment. To see them so close was truly an awesome experience. One in particular flew directly over his position.

As Gavril sat in amazement at his post, along with his other comrades, he noticed something odd on the underbelly of this great beast. Some small, oblong protrusions of metal covered the bottom. He squinted with all his might, but with somewhat poor eyesight could not make out their purpose. “Ballasts,” another said, and he could only passively accept it. Then, the ballasts began to drop off of the underbelly and the ship began to rise at the same moment. The majesty of this maneuver was overpowering, yet a dark sensation ripped into Gavril’s mind, pushing aside even that majesty that transfixed him, transformed into a paralysis of fear as the ballasts began to fall around him, shaking the earth and throwing up great chunks of brick and fire into the air.

Finally, he could see that great flying beast no longer as the air above him became completely clouded by dust, smoke, and debris. Perhaps it was fortunate, as he had only a moment to recognize the final ballast falling through this thick cloud plummeting directly towards him.

The “Phoenix” group, having completed its mission, returned towards Ottoman airspace. The commander, Lt. Colonel Xerxes-Darius-III, smiled with a vengeance, as he noted the vast armies pouring over the border in a haze of dust. 25,000 artillery pieces, 400,000 infantrymen, and 225,000 support troops were pushing through towards his previous position, with a long trail of Ottomans behind them towing tall siege towers and other such anachronisms.

He knew the people back home at Phoenexia would be cheering in moments as the news came through on the wire. That pointlessly razed city had finally risen and brought the fire back to the Bulgarians, firing the first shots of the new Great War. Xerxes mused to himself, “may this one take less than another 1,000 years.”