A Battle Unseen

[Dredd]

[Legionaria, Army Headquarters Presidential Palace, May 5637]

Dragovich and his fellow generals were pacing the room wondering how they would spin the southern defeats and northern landings, their manpower was being stretched to the limit. They were just barely replacing the casualties of the standing army with mandatory reservist service, and just keeping their head above the water with the peoples guard. The militia was really only holding in the south where they had real reasons to fear reprisal, but the north..

They were not going to hold very long at all.

Lazar suddenly came into the room with two of his hulking bodyguards as he prompted a situational report, Dragovich clearing his throat began.

"Comrade, holy fury though fought valiantly could not push the enemy back, air power negated much of our armored advantage early on and our infantry were unable to dislodge enemy positions. We're regrouping all elements of the stragglers and we send in the 2nd shock army to the cities of Urdatz and Erggelekua. We are recommending a withdrawal from Papoc and Halensk as the positions there are vulnerable to a northern encirclement, we suggest prioritizing the defense of Benora which is the main route through the countryside, and the terrain is more hilly and forested which provides an easier time digging in, forming kill zones, and evading enemy air. Urdaitz and Erggelekua are the final two in Jildrath before the capital province becomes the frontline. Urdaitz is the primary goal to defend, Erggelekua is far from the front and will likely be encircled, so we're advocating a fighting retreat where the men there burn everything they can on the way out, and along with Paopoc and Halensk will blow every bridge and main road possible to buy time. This leaves us with our two main defensive targets, Urdaitz and Benora."

Lazar was silent, grimly observing as Dragovich continued the defense plans.

"Urdaitz and Benora, pop with approximate populations of 2 to 3 million, we can dedicate 200,000 standard army troops and 2 tank divisions per city, along with the projected 300,000 peoples guard in each city, we've been broadcasting alleged and some true atrocities committed by enemy forces in Keita, we believe it will prove useful in making stubborn the defenses. We've been preparing lines ahead of time since the landings, the enemy will have to bypass multi layered trench networks on the city outskirts with dozens of minefields and pre-planned chemical deployments dug underground. Our sappers have also placed hundreds of IEDS and boobytraps along the way, and are currently destroying any and all possible housing or equipment used by the enemy. Enemy air power will have a difficult time targeting the cities effectively as there's thousands of tenement buildings and some factories for cover, our soldiers are tunneling and making house to house front fortress blocks ahead of time as well, mass conscripting civilian labor has proven a big boon by digging tank ditches and aiding the efforts."

Dragovich changed the slides, "Now the most pressing matter is our northern front. We have conscripted many peoples guard but they cannot be expected to resist against a non-historical foe, but we've begun propaganda campaigns for them too, the new slogan being "Your southern brothers are fighting to the death, are you?".

Lazar chuckled, "Sensible, what reserves and options for the north then?"

Dragovich folding his hands behind his back spoke, "We have only 250,000 reservists and standing forces for the entire region, the rest in the south. We can only hope to delay and provide stiffer defense to the most vital of junctions. We've ordered destructions of every bridge, road, railway and dam to flood the regions once the enemy nears, all supply dumps unable to be evacuated are rigged to blow. We've also begun building as many fake depots and deployments as possible to give the illusion of superior forces in the area, appear strong when you are weak. Fake radio chatter and night fires of empty camps should aid this trick, we're planting as many mines as humanly possible in every predicted approach pattern, and in the routes that are unmined setting up anti tank ambushes with partisan patrols. Takozvani is the first target, and we predict a blitz attempt to the following cities of Leuansk and Luzec, we've diverted the majority of our commissars and political units to the front to ensure discipline and put into place a strict no retreat order enforceable by firing squad, we'll make examples of anyone who refuses to fight and insert any fanatics we can who do surrender with bomb vests to make the enemy hesitate to take prisoners, hopefully that will dissuade anyone who might be tempted to, to fear being shot outright more. Given Luzecs promixity to the capital we recommend diverting some of our elite reservists, namely the 1st Lirnak division, comprised of mostly former Commissariat soldiers who are ideologically trained, the Presidental Guard division will remain in Legionaria along with the NKM Brigade and other units. If the enemy breaks through anywhere too quickly, we'll deploy chemicals and bioweapons as a last ditch effort. With the majority of coalition air dedicated north we've also authorized the mass production of UAV & Drone units for recon, many of them can be equipped with explosives to harass convoys and enemy groups without adequate anti drone technology. We will update you on whatever happens comrade."

Lazar nodded lighting a 3rd cigarette, looking quite pale. "One thing, we've a significant number of former air men and naval troops without ships to fight on, I want them made into auxiliary units for ground fighting to pad out our numbers, put the fear of god into our people. I want every street lamp with hanging deserters to reinforce the fate of cowardice."

Dragovich nodded grimly, saluting as Lazar exited the room for the Politburo meeting and propaganda speech to deliver for the war effort in 2 hours.