Battle of Flatrood 1934

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The battle lines were pressing into central Marrlan, and fast, Grinvel machines of war bellowed out towers of black diesel exhaust as forward companies erased any Marrish soldiers attempting to hold off the horde. Field Marshall Mueller was very pleased with the amount of progress made in the last few weeks, his forces had successfully breached the Freedom wall, entered deep into Bordhan and were now on the outskirts of Flatrood, a major city in the Plainery of Marrlan. 

His plan was to seize the city and use this momentum to swing forces Southwest to encircle Marrish defenders in Bordhan. Taking Flatrood would be a major victory for Grinvel in the war and a step closer to sending Grinvish forces South of the border into Koi to end the overall war. His forces pressed toward the outskirts, prepping artillery and several air assets for the assault. 12 companies of standard infantry would test the initial defenses before sending in heavy armor and heavy infantry to break in. 


The battle of Flatrood had begun. 

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Dale Welles
Journal Entry Vaylien 23rd(?) 1934
As the forces from the border wall fell back, we realized just how truly widespread the rout was. We'd linked up with Garrisons from all over Northern Plainery, some even from Bordhan. Animosity between our fellow 'countrymen' was present, but most of us were more worried with the Grinnish to really worry about who was Bordhanian or not. With the hun on our heels we worked quickly to organize a defense, the battleline staggered many times as we continued losing ground pushing us even deeper into Plainery. While we regrouped, an old face took charge while everyone was scrambling to get ahold of the big heads in Harbaville. Kernel Jebediah Creek. The old man got swept up and back into it when his local militia was picked up fighting Grinnish scouting parties on the way to Flatrood, and he quickly wrestled everyone into shape. For a man in his early 70's, and retired no less, he was surprisingly energetic. Having a real veteran CO like that on our side eased some of the tension in the ranks, but everyone was still on edge. No one could really believe the wall had broken like that, even the volunteers who served in the UST war. Even still, the retreat continued.

To Flatrood.

A hub connected to many mining towns and sites all over Plainery with almost every Rail line and Road having some connection to it. It was a crucial junction that couldn't be lost, or atleast left without torching crucial transportation infrastructure. Our Regiment(5,000 total: 1,500 Heavy Infantry, 3,000 Standard Infantry, 500 Special Infantry, 25 Land Ships, 90 Armored Cars, 40 Tankettes, 250 Field Artillery, 100 Howitzer Artillery, 300 Mortar Artillery.) was assigned to defend the city as long as we could, and destroy anything we couldn't take with us before we got rolled over. We had inklings of word from MHC (Marrish High Command) but nothing concrete enough to use. Support and reinforcement was practically out of the question beyond what we carried with us until a hardline could be gotten. We'd hoped to find a telegram line in the city to send word of what had happened.

We took up positions within the city and about 10 miles North of it with trench lines. What tracked machines remained were divided into 2 groups. Maneuver elements and gun emplacements. Trenches and holes were dug so that only turrets or gun manlets were visible, while most of the Tankettes and Armored Cars were sectioned off to try and flank any enemy armor that approached. The vanguard held the remainder of the armored forces hidden behind or in buildings and garages. Setting ambushes where ever they could once the initial line broke. Evacuation efforts began, and only 2/3rds of the cities Militia remained, the rest left to protect the civilians should the city fall. 

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The initial assault came from encroaching Grinvelian infantry groups testing the outer defenses, followed by horrendous artillery strikes that indiscriminately struck the city.

40,000 standard infantry, 40,000 heavy infantry, 2,000 special infantry, 50 armored cars, 50 tankettes, 200 light tanks, 50 medium tanks and 20,000 mechanized light infantry began a frontal push against the city following large artillery strikes. The plan was simple, press the Marrish line and test their resolve to hold it. A flurry of gun fire would be directed at the Marrish defenders near the front as infantry platoons and vehicles began their push.

50 medium bombers would fly over targeting the center of the city, dropping bombs in major roadways and factories. Light bombers over 20 over them would bomb the rear defense lines with CAS fighters 30 such providing close air support.


Along with the push, the general frontline also began advancing along toward Bordhan albeit slowly.

Grinvel forces on the outskirts of Flatrood near destroyed Marrish buildings.

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The external trench line gave them hell. They fought tooth and nail for every inch of dirt, the outer defenders did not budge. The maneuver elements hid where they could behind whatever terrain or brush until the right moment to strike at enemy armor. Support elements in and behind the city spread out to reduce the effectiveness of the bombardment, or outright dug in further. What batteries weren't entirely disrupted attempted a counter barrage and mortars began firing at the approaching infantry. Efforts to find a telegram line were slow, but with the bombing it was even harder. Reinforcement was still out of the question. Machine gunners tried to engage the aircraft as best they could from roof tops.

Marrish defenders pictured.

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Casualties

Grinvel: 900 standard infantry, 10 light tanks
Marrlan: 400 standard infantry, 200 heavy infantry, 30 armored cars

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The Marrish defenders gave the Grinvel a real black eye in the first days of the battle, frustrated Grinvelian officers ordered a horrific shelling of Flatrood that saw several hours of howitzer and mortar fire strike the city seemingly at will.

This was followed by another wing of Grinvish bombers striking the city this time targeting civilian structures to disrupt the city further. After the shelling came a combined assault of Grinvish infantry and armored units, the goal was to slowly push the Marrish into the center of the city and then use overwhelming artillery to force them into surrender. 

Grinvel heavy troopers began using grenades extensively to force Marrish defenders out of their trenches, holes and even buildings. If the need arose, bayonets were fixed, Grinvel officers shouted their men to kill all Marrish defenders in retaliation for their earlier losses, any Marrish soldiers surrendering were killed without question. 

The outer edge of the city being breached by Grinvel

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The defenders would continue to try and give Grinvel a run for their money. Held on to the trenches as long as they could before starting to pull back, leaving traps as they went. Marrish artillery would begin counter-battery fire if any bearing on the Grinnish artillery could be found. Otherwise, they would lay down a smoke barrage before switching to HE as the trench's former inhabitants made their move back to the city. A long 10 miles awaited them if they didn't want to be encircled.

The search for a telegraph line finally bore fruit, and a message was sent to MHC. 

*URGENT UNIFORMED SERVICES MESSAGE*

FLATROOD UNDER SIEGE 

4/12 REQUESTS REINFORCEMENTS

HOLDING LONG AS POSSIBLE

PLEASE RESPOND

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Casualties

Grinvel: 300 standard infantry, 100 heavy infantry, 20 howitzers, 20 motars, 10 light tanks.
Marrlan: 2,000 standard infantry, 800 heavy infantry, 10 land ships, 30 armored cars, 90 field artillery, 30 howitzers, 90 mortars. 

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While underfire through the sea of explosions a message was finally received.

*URGENT UNIFORMED SERVICES MESSAGE*

REINFORCEMENT ENROUTE

FRONT FORCES DIVERTED

AIR ELEMENTS INBOUND

HOLD UNTIL RELIEVED

And hold we did. The shreds of our front trench line finally got back and told us exactly what we were facing, and our faces darkened. We sat in our battlements as more artillery bombs and cannon fire rained around us, every building felled another squad lost. I wondered when our relief would arrive, in time to save us like heroes in shining armor or if they would discover corpses and a dead city with our reapers standing around us. Most of the others though, mostly the militamen among us, on the other hand were furious. With the indiscriminate shelling, many people attempting to evacuate were killed. Family members littered the streets, children included. Our blood ran hot, and if it weren't for the onset of Autumn, I'd be hard pressed to believe it wasn't summer still. The Kernel himself mad an announcement. We would hold. In his words, "This is our home. Our port. The only one that can host us in freedoms light. We will not fail, we will not falter." I hoped he was right. Just alittle longer.

We continued to fallback into the city and man what remained of the outskirts and city center. Some men said they could see dust clouds to the West and South but I thought it was just mirages their minds had made with the recent news. Though our numbers dwindled we fought on, Artillery continued to bark in defiance of the horde. Any attempting to cross the zone between our former trenchline and the city were mulched in the steel rain. What made it through hit the wall of lead again struck infantry armed to the teeth with determination and lead spitters. Field guns and machine gun nests in buildings sheds and entrenched yards.

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"This city is mine" Mueller stated, ordering the final push into Flatrood. 

companies of infantry would rush in supported by armored cars and light tanks right into fiercely defended Marrish positions, their response to the hard fought points was to order mortar strikes. The Marrish artillery was now a target for Jaegars to sabotage an snipe off their operating crews. Grinvish tanks pushed the front fighting hard absorbing alot of Marrish gun fire from the infantrymen advancing behind them.

A large bombing run was ordered to hit the Marrish and collapse their vanguard, as the bombers dropped their payloads below radio chatter began to report enemy movements from the south. Marrish reinforcements. 

"Dammit" Muller cursed, "Order them to advance and have our howitzers fire on the approaching Marrish. I want air on them" 

But Marrish Star Wolves entered the fight now forcing Muller to pull Grinvish fighter craft from other fronts to counter. This also meant he couldn't use bombers freely anymore, a huge advantage lost. 

But if Marrish forces were being pulled to reinforce Flatrood, it meant they were coming from somewhere. "Order the frontline to press, I want to know where they were pulled from." Grinvish forces elsewhere tested the Marrish frontline for weaknesses. 

As the battle for Flatrood continued, the city would be in ruins, the ruthless Grinvel strikes on the city destroyed most buildings and Muller was ordered for more troops from the homeland to replenish what he lost. He also ordered more tanks, seeing the clear gap between Marrlan and Grinvel tank development was an advantage he would not waste. 

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We continued to fight against the onslaught when word of those mirages turned out to be real. A roar could be heard from the sky and we recoiled ready for another bombing raid, but when I looked up I saw a strange plane with our roundel on it followed by others. It merged with the enemy aircraft and began a dogfight that spanned the sky. It was the strangest sight seeing a man fly, no less in the strange ballet of death that usually ended up with the loser a crater in the ground.

General Richard Grendel himself had brought 20,000 Standard Infantry, 5,000 Motorized Infantry, 40 Armored Cars, and 10,000 Special Infantry (Marines) from the heartland. An additional 2 Regiments (10,000 total: 1,500 Heavy Infantry, 4,500 Standard Infantry) were diverted 25 miles from the west along the border to assist. Their standing orders would be to draw fire from the main assault as much as possible while easing into the city to reinforce the defenders. The lines cheered as they drew closer. When Gunther and I were finally relieved of our guard post, alot of other guys posted in our trench sector got rotated to the rear of the city. I think we slept almost 13 hours straight the instant we were told we could turn in. We needed it. 




We got woken up to the sound of gun fire alot closer than it should have been, and we found ourselves engaged by snipers who had picked off some gun crew men before we could react. Our guns were silent for almost an hour as we popped smoke and repositioned. A few mortars were able to crack some rounds off toward where we heard fire but I'm not sure if they got them. Some squads who were initially resting got broken off to go hunt for the bastards, some of the fresh Marines tagged along for that one. I hope they found em.

Evacuation efforts had finally gotten the civilians out of what remained of the city, though I'm not sure how many were misted before they actually left.

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Casualties

Grinvel: 90 standard infantry, 2 CAS fighters, 5 medium bombers, 5 light bombers, 40 heavy infantry, 5 armored cars, 2 tankettes, 5 howitzers, 10 mortars.
Marrlan: 300 standard infantry, 10 landships, 5 armored cars, 10 howitzers, 20 special infantry.

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The arrival of Marrish air support startled the Grinvel bombers forcing them to withdraw, Grinvish fighter planes were ordered to establish aerial supremacy immediately. Heavy bi plane squadrons numbering 25 total would be dispatched to deal with the Marrish fighters. 

Grinvel ground forces also began reporting enemy reinforcements stalling their advancements in the city momentarily, front line officers reported it was mostly infantry easing tension in Grinvel command. Grinvish armored cars and tankettes would be sent to meet the Marrish forces using their armored plating and mechanized mobility to force the infantry into falling back. With Marrish defenders at the edge of the city pressed Mueller ordered all Howitzer and field guns to shell that single area, regardless of civilian targets he wanted the entire section controlled by Marrlan wiped from the map. 

Grinvish tankette used to country Marrish reinforcements. 

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The Marrish Airforce held the area over Flatrood fiercely. Rosark Starwolves and Albatrosses (25 Light and 25 Heavy Biplanes) blazed trails across the sky as dogfights commenced across Flatrood's airspace. Some recon Tri-planes would attempt to find the enemy batteries for counter-battery coordination. A handful of Tern bombers (15) attempted to support the infantry in a light bombing campaign against the advancing armor. Artillery thundered out in counter-barrage attempts and a lead wall to halt or kill any invaders.

The Marrish Army would feign weakness and slowly retreat into the city waiting for the tankettes and infantry to pass garages and buildings before springing their trap. A single green signal flare would arc out into the sky and all hell would break loose. Over the artillery and hellfire across the city outskirts, one word would be heard. "POTEMI!" Garage and shed doors would open and a hail of lead and steel would follow. Tankettes and Armored cars would flank and encircle Grinnish forces, Infantry would pop out of buildings and hidden machine gun and fieldgun positions would reveal themselves in the flurry of fire. Pinning Grinnish forces where they were.

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Casualties

Grinvel: 13 fighters, 8 light biplane bombers. 80 light infantry, 700 standard infantry, 20 heavy infantry, 30 tankettes. 10 Howitzers
Marrlan: 20 armored cars, 900 standard infantry, 500 special infantry.