Serenus News Articles

The following are news articles from Serenus newspapers, namely "The Confederate Standard" unless noted otherwise.

=One Nations War - April 19th 2007=

The nation of Serenus has long endeavoured to improve itself. The 13 states do not even constitute the entirety of the island Serenus is on, and sufer from poor technology, yet the courage and skill of its soldiers has never been in doubt.

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/SerenusMap.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/SnBsCross-1.gif[/IMG] [i]Map of Serenus, and the Great Seal[/i]

I was through a desire to improve the countrys lot that Serenus came to join the Global Alliance and Treaty Organisatin (GATO). The 1st of March became a public holiday, Alliance Day, and increased trade and productivity grealy benefitted the country. Military Officers were seconded to the best academies the alliance could offer, and new technologies purchased, including a fledgling airforce. Serenus had never known such growth.

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/RecruitmentPoster.jpg[/IMG] [i]Recruitment campaign by the Global Alliance[/i]

All too soon however, it became apparent that there would be a price in blood for such advancements. As war clouds loomed, the Serenus military scrambled together an army, suprise having prevented full mobilisation. When the Third Great War began in earnest, and dawn blitzkrieigs on a dozen fronts hit home, the population of Serenus waited for their turn to come. They waited the entire day, but no attack came. Still looking to the skies, expecting a rain of bombs, Serenus citizens tried to sleep that night, but few could.

The next day a mixed attacking force set out to defend the Global Alliance. Amongst their number was the Chancellors son, a Major in the 157th Infantry Regiment.

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/157thBrowncoats.jpg[/IMG] [i]Banner of the 157th Infantry - The Wolverines[/i]

The army was nervous, having never fought in a war on such scale, in such numbers, or with weapons this advanced. The Wolverines were chosen to lead the attack, being most familiar with the new equipment. At the last moment, a column of troops from the Global Alliance was spotted, having been dispatched to aid the serenus military in its endeavours. Finding Serenus safe, and an enemy to hand, the allied troops fell in beside their comrades.

At the signal, a barrage of missiles fell down upon the enemy. Before the men could recover, bombers pummelled the positions to dust, fighters sweeping the air clear of opposition. Infantry and tanks rolled forward through the breach, crushing the few survivors, and driving on into the enemy Capitol. Anarchy ruled the streets, and Serenus chalked up its first military victory of the war.

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/Blaze004_0001.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/Blaze004_0001a.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/Blaze004_0001b.jpg[/IMG] [i]Major Lee leads the advance on foot[/i]

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/confederate_tjsj_battle_tank.jpg[/IMG] [i]Armoured formations prepare for the next advance[/i]

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/browncoatapc.jpg[/IMG] [i]Mechanised infantry on the attack[/i]

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/zoom.jpg[/IMG] [i]A combat air patrol stalks for targets[/i]

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/1174437911_2384.jpg[/IMG] [i]Victory at last - the hardline Major Snell has the Global Alliance banner raised over the ruins[/i]

It came as no suprise when an attack then fell upon Serenus herself. It did cause suprise how spectaularly it failed. Coming from an ally of the defeated nation, the attacking armies were driven back in disarray, and pursued to their staging point where, after a hard and bloody battle, they were destroyed. With the route to another enemy Capitol open and unopposed, a column under Major David Snell advanced, and took the city.

Without the eyes of Supreme Command on him, it was here that the hardline Snell would stain the honour of Serenus. Having left his troops free to loot the city, he then declared martial law, and sentenced death for all breaking curfew, or any other crime. Some would later say that he was taking revenge for the assault on Serenus, in which a great many civilians died, but few could excuse his actions, especially as the bodies began to pile under his rule.

Having seen off the threat, the main army now turned towards fresh targets, hoping to conquer more countries in the name of the Global Alliance. A link-up was co-ordinated with two other Alliance armies, and the invasion force moved on.

In the fighting that followed, two more nations would fall to blitzkrieg attacks, and Serenus suffer from constant air raids and missile bombardment. the war however, was definately going well for Serenus.

In the end, it could never last. With eyes fixed upon the greatest threat, the New Pacific Order, an ally of theirs dealt the fatal blow. Two armies from Gen[m]ay launched a devastating attack with a speed unseen before. The Serenus airforce was destroyed virtually overnight, and bombs would fall uninterupted on Serenus' cities until wars end.

The campaign now turned from attack to defence. Despite the odds, a gallant defence was mounted, but in vain. Soon the black and white banner of theInitiative was seen over outlying cities, and the two armies pushed closer to total victory. In the anarchy gripping the country, a guerilla campaign began, spearheaded by the surviving infantry. With the airforce destroyed and armoured formations all but annihilated, there was little choice. At their head was the charismatic Major Lee, the highest ranking surviving Oficer of the expeditionary force. Equipping volunteer civilians with the weapons of his fallen men, he fought from hills and woods, somehow always staying just slightly ahead of his foes, and destroying vast tracts of enemy infrastructure, far more than Serenus was losing. Slowly, the invasion ground to a halt, and the Capitol was spared occupation.

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/guerilla.jpg[/IMG] [i]A guerilla fighter on watch[/i]

It wasn't enough. Eventually too many were killed and captured to continue raiding, so the survivors scattered, drawing out vast quantities of manpower to hunt them down. Before the attacking armies could regroup and strike the deathblow however, the messge all ha been waiting for came through. The Global Alliance had surrendered. The war was over.

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/wrongryan-03-large.jpg[/IMG] [i]Major Lee recieves word of the surrender[/i]

Major Lee marched back into Serenus with 34 men. When he left, it was with more than 5000.

In the aftermath, a monument has been constructed to the memory of the dead on both sides, in the bloodiest conflict the world has ever seen, despite the desperate need for reconstruction. The reparations bill caused outrage when it was announced, but against the forces arrayed before Serenus, there is little choice but to pay.

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/veteranwarmemorial.jpg[/IMG] [i]Monument to the war dead[/i]

For his part in the campaign, Maojr Lee was awarded the Silver Star for leadership, and the Bronze star with Valour Device for personal courage. They sit proudly next to his campaign and wound ribbon.

Major Lee also found himself called to the Congress of the Global Alliance, a position unexpected, but honoured. When asked to comment on his new role, the Major simply stated "We must rebuild. Against the foes who defeated us there can be no military victory. We must move on."

[IMG]http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w95/MalcolmLeeGATO/hallofthegatogeneralassembly.jpg[/IMG] [i]The Hall of the General Assembly in Acornia[/i]