A "Birthright" Returned

[KyferLegs (Diria)]

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The Dirian East remained essentially chaotic as it had been since the start of the war, and the tactics currently employed were altered minimally by the conditions of the situations inferred by independent acting soldiers, NCOs, junior officers, etc. Regardless, everyone remained under near-constant gas or aerial bombardment. However, CN-licensed gas masks were now being produced in respectable numbers. Yet, with factories being hit hard as they were and manufacturing capabilities as delicate as they were, especially with recent evacuations west, the Dirians began to motivate soldiers to use makeshift gas masks. These masks were usually simple cloth sheets with a quarter-inch layer of baking soda between them. They offered minimal protection but helped give soldiers the time to evacuate an area that was hit by gas without permanent injuries.

In contrast, the Dirians were still reeling from the aerial bombardment. The immediate and most effective counter the Dirians could muster was utilizing their arsenal of Pom-Pom 1924s, heavy machine guns, and, if applicable, stripped or scavenged heavy weaponry off marooned or destroyed navy vessels. Still, the meager defenses and the patience needed for allies abroad to develop effective countermeasures had forced Dirians into avoidance rather than engagement, with primitive or makeshift means of acoustic locators being pressed into the field. Nonetheless, the destruction of buildings and the subsequent rubble within cities didn't stop the Army from booby-trapping and using every avenue of attack they knew, with some humanoid units or squads even wearing captured Veraki equipment or regalia to blend in to flank or sabotage Veraki lines. Similarly, the sewers and metro tunnels in the more significant developed regions of cities still granted ease of movement and provided essential lifelines for evacuations and action.

Regardless, the Dirian Army Lower Commanding Staff and Senior Officers in the East finally had their pleas for extra manpower heard. Through trepidation, especially with supplies, the Dirian Army knew that equipment and ammo would be minimal even before the conflict, significantly if any invader were to cut foreign aid. This belief quickly became a reality, and at the Generals' request, the Dirian Army would fight the current war with current active numbers and part of the reserves. Yet, that still didn't stop the frontlines from being riddled with scavenging, recycling, or rationing. Regardless, the lack of manpower, especially with current losses, and the noticeable gaps in fronts away from the East forced the Army into a delicate situation the Generals finally conceded to. Thus, a new mobilization, the largest of the war, was ordered in current Dirian lands and ceremoniously in occupied or besieged lands. Furthermore, equipment, vehicles, and means of defense previously kept away from the frontlines in fear of their destruction or capture would be haphazardly brought up to broaden defensive capabilities.

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Eastern Front Reinforcements:

70,000 Light Infantry Regiment
24,000 Standard Infantry Regiment
20,000 Heavy Infantry Regiment
125 Elite Guard Platoon
250 Dragoon Infantry Squadron
250 Carabineer Infantry Squadron
1,750 Bicycle Infantry Squadron
50 Howitzer Artillery Battery
300 Mortar Artillery Battery
2,000 Light Motorized Regiment
10,000 Standard Motorized Regiment
4,000 Heavy Motorized Regiment
20 Armored Car Section
15 Tankette Section
5 Landship Section

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A war photographer's photo shows a Dirian squad with captured Veraki helmets defending the outskirts of the borough of Alla, Etaroh.

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[Faust]

The Nevarrans would meet the Veraki in nearby settlements like Manucci had intended. Orders given previously for people to evacuate meant a minimized civilian presence in the theater with those staying behind choosing to pick up their gun for the Kingdom. Urban structures impeded the full movement and mobility of the Nevarran Army but while Manucci had successfully pushed some regiments into a labyrinth, it was still one of Nevarra's creation. Maps were confiscated and held with a tight grip as conflict broke out among these desert villages and towns, Nevarra held the knowledge her home well and in an attempt to deprive Nevarrans of their advantage in mobility, simply traded it for their familiarity in defensive warfare and fortifications.

Of course, for this to be of full effect Nevarra had to implement scorched earth leading to cutting off Verak as much as possible. Garcia continued, unintentionally, to stoke Manucci's ire by continuing to cut off and strangle the Veraki General's movement while across the other side the Army continued to quickly adjust and adapt, shifting much like the windswept dunes of their homeland. Still though, Garcia doubted if she could forever forestall the Veraki advance. Given time and a comparison of resources, Verak had significantly more and unless the tides of war shifted she realized that they were still in no favorable position no matter the amount of small victories. She heard of the campaigns in the sea and prayed silently to the Nine in the night that victory would come there to help provide relief.