MNS - The Last Ditch Effort - Printable Version

Republica de Malta

Maltese News Service

'An informed society is a strong society'

THE LAST DITCH EFFORT
Royalist forces march on New London!
Leeds in state of panic.
By: Abigail Thompson

Tensions continue to build as the war against Gallia crawls to a final climactic showdown above the skies of New London. The Royal Navy has been invading the Sirius Sector for almost a decade now, and while their progress has been sizeable, lately their grip appears to be waning. Counter-attacks by the Bretonian Armed Forces, Crayter Military and the Liberty Navy have resulted in the destruction of two Royal battlegroups, as well as a handful of opposition forces in an effort to see the Royal advance halted. However, none could match the lightshow that began late last night.

Months ago, the Royal Navy pushed into New London in what was coined as a stroke of absolute luck. Hacking the Ageira firewall and storming into the system proper, the Royal Navy flooded the Bretonian capital with numerous warships, backed by Corsair support from the south and destroying Southampton in the process. Months passed as the Royalists gained marginal ground, but with the reinforcements from the rear guard and a stroke of absolute genius by tacticians, the Liberty Navy and Crayter Military armed the guns of retort and secured the front line for the allied forces. However, this was brought into question last night as the Royal Navy began their last major offensive to seize the territory around New London and strike an end to this war.

We asked Crayter Military Commander Jack Nolan to provide us with a brief explanation of the probability of the outcome of this battle.

"There are very real consequences for this assault. The Royal Navy has no supply income, they're outgunned, out manned.. flanked, low on morale and most importantly trapped. They have that large supply ship stationed to the north, but that's about it. That's their supply line finally grinding to a halt behind them, and thus the momentum of this entire war.
I don't pity those poor people who have to fight that battle. It's a thankless task, but I hope they kick those frogs' asses into next week. They'll feel it once the battle's over, but I highly doubt the Royalists will lash back from this."

Orchestrated by no less than seven warfleets, the Royalist offensive poured itself against the New London defensive line, sparking the final operation against the Bretonian capital. Supported by the Kensington defensive grid, however, the allied fleets stand a considerable fighting chance, defending Bretonian sovereignty with more tangible firepower than any other front line in human history. With the undeniable upper hand, it is only a matter of time before the offensive is beaten back, and the counter-offensive begins. However, many recognize that the future relies on the outcome of this climactic battle, and every man, woman, and child will be praying for the allied victory.

However, behind the scenes and only a system away, the Royal Navy prepares a large grid of warships for what appears to be the unthinkable.

In February of this year, Maltese analysts recovered the wreckage of a fallen Royal destroyer, and noted many advancements such as armor and engine improvements. Among these improvements, however, were the integration of long-range heavy bombardment beams that could very easily 'glass' a planet from above, rendering the location uninhabitable and the population below helpless in the face of certain death. Many Maltese military tacticians believe this to be these very case with Leeds.

"It's unbelievable, but this is perhaps the one final effort that Gallia has up their sleeves," said Randall Santiago, Secretary of Defense for the Republic. "To remove a planet from the equation is a double-edged sword. It removes the populace from being a burden, yes, and ensures that the Leeds resistance will not provide support to the Armed Forces should they make their way back north. However, it also creates a morale buff for the allied powers. Avenging a planet's loss is a very powerful thing to fight for, much like removing an existential threat or liberating a oppressed force. It creates a very real, very substantial goal to fight for, and the populace of an entire planet is perhaps the greatest fighting slogan one can think of in these times. It works for us for Malta, and it will very easily work for the allied powers should Gallia attempt this."

Most strike this as the unthinkable, but the 19 'Triumph'-class destroyers surrounding the Bretonian ecumenopolis reinforce the idea that Gallia has, among other things, very unspeakable plans in mind for the planet. Statistically, the plan, should it be enacted, would very likely succeed, and would immediately become the highest grossing genocidal attack in recorded human history, far surpassing the holocaust, Black Death, and even the Exodus War from ancient Earth's timeline. Seven billion lives ride on the intent of Battlegroup Montmorency and her command staff, but should the worst become reality, then Gallia's true intentions will become unmasked, and their support very likely destroyed.

However, time will only tell where these events end. The Maltese News Service prays for the survival of the allied forces defending the Bretonian capital, as well as the billions of civilians and resistance fighters on Leeds.

This has been the Maltese News Service.