The Battle of Vanhoover The world shook around Winter Haze as the armored truck he was in neared the front line. The earth pony soldier, surrounded by his comrades, was gripping his rifle tightly. The changelings had yet to make a push, instead focusing their efforts on fighting off the New Lunar Armies, but that didn't mean jaegers weren't making raids anyway. Already several ponies had been abducted from outlying collectives, with one being replaced entirely with infiltrators for a week before anypony noticed…
Haze's train of thought was interrupted as the transport screeched to a halt, mud splattering against the back flaps. Instantly, the commissar was shouting at the shouting at soldiers, spit flying muzzle as she barked orders and obscenities. Winter Haze scrambled out of the vehicle, and into hell.
Bullets, bodies, and blood flew across the beach of Acadia Bay, changeling jaegers swarming out of landing craft, their advance barely held off by Vanhoover troops. Gore splattered over Winter Haze as a pony next him was decapitated by a well-aimed burst of machine gun fire. The stallion shrieked and dove for cover, bullets continuing to rake through his position.
He ended up in a trench with his commissar and half a dozen other ponies: not even a third of what had originally been in the troop transport. The commissar assessed Haze and the other troops. They would have to do. Their mission, the commissar explained, was to take out the machine gun nest the changelings had established. It was the linchpin to the fragile beachhead the bugs had established; if the nest fell, Vanhoover wouldn't. More importantly, that weapon had killed their comrades. It, and the insects who wielded it, deserved to die.
A steely look entered the eyes of Winter Haze. He would earn glory on this day. The order was given by the commissar; she and another pegasus flew out of the trench, the sole unicorn projected a shaky forcefield, and the remaining five earth ponies got to their hooves and charged. Miraculously, this assault seemed to be working. The pegasi drew fire from the machine gun nest, using their maneuverability to avoid actually getting shot. The unicorn's shield was fragile, but it was enough to protect Haze and his comrades from small arms fire. Then, everything fell into chaos as the pegasus who flew up with the commissar shot Winter Haze in the chest with his rifle. The pony fell to the ground, barely registering his attacker being wreathed in green flame was the world faded away. Admiral Dust Hoover stalked the halls of the mayoral mansion, seething with barely contained rage. Oh, he knew this day would be coming, he had known ever since the first deer refugees had come crawling from across the bay. But that didn't mean he had to like it.
The changelings had become more and more daring wit their raids. Vanhoover- his city- was a far more tempting target compared to Equestria proper, what with the bloody thestrals and Nightmare goddess and bourgeois industry pumping out gun upon gun upon gun. However, Hoover had not worked this hard just to see his work fall to ruin! The Commune would not fall; no, it would rise, with he leading the workers into a glorious-
"Admiral Hoover, sir?"
The pony in question turned upon the young aide, not even bothering to hold back his emotions. "What," he seethed. Dust Hoover rather liked seething. It was a hobby of his, although one he rarely indulged. Ponies wouldn't follow a leader who was ticked off all the time. Celestia had proven that, in her final days.
The young aide took it in stride, only adjusting his glasses with a hoof. "Sir, the latest telegrams have come in from Acadia Beach," he reported. "The latest raid has been driven back, although not without casualties. Apparently the enemy had taken the time to seed a few of their own among our ranks before attacking. We were lucky it wasn't a full infiltrator battalion like Collective number sixty seven." The aide hesitantly cleared his throat, before continuing. "Sir, I think the changelings are preparing a full assault. This raid has been the largest one yet. You know that there's been buildup across the bay-"
"Of course I know," Dust Hoover interrupted, gesturing with a hoof. "Why do you think I've been focusing on our coastal fleet? The bugs can't invade us if we sink their army before it ever gets here. Now go bother someone else, I have a war to plan." The Admiral pointedly turned around with a flourish, flicking his tail in the aides face before trotting away. He ignored the aides cry of "Sir, wait!" What he didn't ignore was the young pony's next words: "Lunar armies are massing near our border."
Admiral Dust Hoover froze, his ears folding back. A single word slipped from his muzzle. "Shit." Two pairs of hoofsteps, muffled by mud and the background noise of an army's encampment.
"For the last time, you can not change Our mind. We will be taking Vanhoover, and that is final."
"This isn't about, that Lun- Oh, excuse me, Your Majesty. I'm talking about that idiotic War Plan! You yourself said that it would bring reconstruction to a halt, and anger a lot of ponies in the process. It would ruin what you've been working towards ever since the end of the Civil War! Why even consider it at all?"
"We don't have to explain Ourselves to you, Rarity. Just know that we are considering the War Plan, and your advice."
"Of course you have to explain yourself to me. Did not you not recruit me, make me your right hoof mare, so that I could temper your reign with my generosity? This the exact opposite-"
A third set of hoofsteps, squelching through mud. The first two cease movement. A hoof clanking against a helm in salute.
"Your Eternal Majesty, the firing solutions have been calculated, and General Silver Soldier's divisions are in position. We are ready to take Vanhoover at your command."
"Good work, Field Marshall Whirl." A breath. "The command is given. Vanhoover will be ours."
"We live by Your grace, Your Majesty." Hoofsteps restart. The squelching of mud eventually fades away.
A beat.
"She's rather dramatic, isn't she? But then, I'm one to talk. Oh, I still remember the girls making fun of it like yesterday..."
"Stars Whirl was raised within a Nightmare Cult, or so We gather. Recent events have only strengthened her faith in Us."
Another beat. Then, a steady rhythm of cannonfire. Two ponies, a white unicorn and a black alicorn, looked out over the battle that had just erupted, the stars and moon shining down on them.
"I'd rather we get back to the Castle. War was never my forte, and I'm going to need a day long bath to get all the mud out of my coat."
"Hm. It is best that an Empress does not remain so close to the battlefield, no matter how enticing. Come."
The black alicorn lit her horn, and the two ponies were gone in a flash of light. The battle raged on.
Gah, I'm really worried about the last section. Did I get Rarity and NMM right?
Edit: Oh, and let's not forget my panicking over whether the scene shifts are too jarring. AGH! It feels like the more I look at it, there more everything is wrong!
No special War Plans will be needed to defeat the Changelings, merely a storm of bullets and magic. Our ponies will drive the bugs all the way back to their hives!
The redeployment of Silver Soldier's forces has turned the tide, with the slow push of Changeling panzers finally stalling out. Now it is Our forces that are doing the pushing.
And push they have! The Changeling forces have begun to collapse, and the forces… ugh, cooperating with the Crystal Empire have begun to circle around. An encirclement like that, and the war would practically be over!
Though that would rely on the Changelings simply sitting still. Which is not the case, either through our efforts to push them back, or through their own efforts to flee from out advance.
Efforts which have a fair bit of dedication behind them. Our night scouts have reported that the Changelings have undergone a total mobilization program, bearing some resemblance to Our own hypothetical plan. Non-military production is nearly nonexistent, and propaganda demanding them to fight to the last covering every available surface. Their Queen apparently considers this to be the final war of the Changelings, and in a way, she is correct. Ideally, the Changelings will no longer have to fight once they are under Our rule.
Surprisingly, one of the areas of knowledge that Our army has become experienced with is that of engineering. With the rebuilding effort having previously led by them until the formation of the IRS, and the in retrospect obvious uses in field fortification, We have decided to formalize the role of an official Engineer Corps in the Lunar military.
Despite Our objective not being completely met, a number of Changeling forces were encircled and destroyed according to plan. Not a war-winning battle, but certainly a major victory nonetheless.
Some sort of hullabaloo in northern Griffonia, by the sound of things. It's probably nothing.
Speaking of which, it's been awhile since we last checked in on them. What's going on across the sea?
The River Coalition has split, with Lake City seemingly ready to go to blows with their former partners in an imperialistic war of 'reconquest'.
Meanwhile, Griffonia as a whole looks set for a clash between the GRS and the old Empire, with the Aquileans (who are for some reason guaranteeing the Confederates despite having gone full totalist radical) and the Wingbardians likely to interfere.
It's plain to see that there is no way that the Changelings are going to win this war of their own making. Increasingly Our focus is dedicated to afterwards, the reclaimation of our old territory. The Confederates to the south, and in the north the socialists and the Cry-
…
Well, maybe just the socialists, then.
The industrial center of Vraks has fallen to Our… well, technically Mi Amore's forces, but We did most of the work! Why should they be the ones to take credit?
Hm. Maybe We should also make sure to pay attention to Beakolini. That griffon seems like trouble.
Presented without comment, because I can't think of anything to say that wouldn't just be repeating the focus description.
Queen Chrysalis' desperate measures have not saved her! Her forces are close to collapse as we take her capital of Vesalipolis, and one more loss should force her surrender. Onward, to victory!
And soon that victory came. As our forces fought their way into Ditrysium, we received word a coup had taken place. Chrysalis had been dealt with, one of the Changeling generals had declared himself 'King of the Changelings' and offered to swear fealty to Us. After liberating the occupied Olenian lands under their religious authorities, who had been perfectly eager to serve Our Magnificence, We agreed to the proposal. There was no point to trying to govern the lawless land Ourselves. Better to have a puppet do it.
Naturally, the Crystal Empire was not happy. And even more naturally, with their forces spread out and surrounded by Our troops, they couldn't do a thing about it.
On that note, what should be done about them? With the Changelings humbled, we could easily redirect Our efforts to reclaiming the rest of Our rightful territory. However, it may be a wise idea to wait for a while and recover from the damage dealt by the Changelings. That may run the risk of Our enemies building up, but we would clearly have the advantage in those terms. Of course, We could split our attention, and take the isolated south while waiting to recover to the point that We can defeat the Socialists to the north.
[ ] Wait For Now
[ ] Attack The Confederates, Wait On The Rest [] RECLAIM THE BIRTHRI-Wait, no this isn't Kaiserreich. Let's not use that meme for now.
[ ] Attack Them Both!
That flag offends me deeply... Like someone else noted I can't help but to picture that Simpsons's gag with the soviet union returning only confederates whenever I see it.
That flag offends me deeply... Like someone else noted I can't help but to picture that Simpsons's gag with the soviet union returning only confederates whenever I see it.
Fighting a war on two fronts, even against weaker opponents, is foolishness. Crush the isolated Confederates and integrate their manpower and industry into our grand empire. Only then, when we can direct the totality of our might towards them, should we wage war against the socialists.
Oh, and just for shits and giggles, conquer the dragons too.
Basically, in PDox games guaranteeing independence means that you'll get called into any war that involves the guaranteed country being attacked. This would be a problem if it wasn't for the fact that I plan to tag-switch over to Aquilea and remove the guarantee. Lore-wise it makes no sense at this point, and I have no desire to engage in pre-1.6 naval warfare any more than necessary.
Guarantees aren't a major part of EaW's design, to be honest. They're much more closely related to the base game.
