The Great Steam War: Operation Shackle
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Authored by TomeBinder
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Authored by TomeBinder
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Operation Shackle was an attempt by Ironcoast's Army Group Lightning to annex the Greymontian capital in a matter of weeks. In the oppening days of the offensive, Greymont's standing army was all but obliterated by the onslaught.
Charcter/Squad/Squadron List
Infantry Squads
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Mechanised Infantry Squads
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Armoured Squadrons
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Weaponised Mech Squadrons
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Greymont Aviation Corps Squadrons
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Greymont Air Navy Squadrons
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The Outbreak of the Great Steam War
The United Workers Republic of Greymont, and the Imperial Corporate State of Ironcoast have long been bitter neighbours, even before the steam revolution that brought about the rapidly changing face of the world.
After a series of successive industrial based revolts a century ago, Greymont has largely been led by trade unions and has spearheaded human rights reforms in favour of workers, and has cracked down on big business ventures. Over the years, Greymont's progressive attitudes have earned it many international friends, but its highly bureaucratic systems, and the introduction of its so called "Wellfare State" initiative, have stalled its economy.
The Imperial Corporate State of Ironcaost in contrast, is led by influential business leaders, who pull hidden strings behind an impotent Imperial throne. Human rights for workers are non existent, and lives are traded easily for commerce. Ironcoast's industry is huge, the largest in the world indeed, and her coffer's are swollen with an abundance of gold - bought by the misery of untold millions who worked to put it there. Worker revolts are always put down with maximum force, trade unions are illegal, and attempts to change the system are halted by the many corporations operating in Ironcoast. In essence, Ironcost is a fantastic place to live - as long as you're rich - and a terrible place to live, if you're not born to the privileged elite.
Greymont's progressive attitudes however, are damaging Ironcoast from within. Trade Union propaganda crosses the borders daily, stirring up trouble for the Ironcoast Business Alliance. Riots are becoming widespread, and each wave of police machine-gun fire brings international condemnation - to the point of trade embargoes. Greymont has been working with other nations to try and hamper Ironcoast's rising military and industrial power, but now things have reached a point of grave military inflammation.
Ironcoast worked swiftly to mobilise Army Group Lighting. 6,000,000 combat troops, 27,000 aircraft, 16,000 armoured vehicles and 6,000 steam mechs arrived on the border over four weeks. This troop build up was detected by Greymont's smaller but modern army, and the Trade Unions issued a stern proclamation to Ironcoast.
"The recent build up of Corporate Troops on the eastern borders of Greymont have been seen as an undeniable military provocation. To continue your course of action, sirs and madams of the Business Alliance, will lead to war - a war that Greymont will not shy away from." - Diplomatic Communique #335, from the Trade Unions of Greymont to the Business Alliance of Ironcoast, 32nd day of Spring II S.E 71.
On the first day of Summer I, Corporate Forces launched Operation Shackle - a three pronged attack over the Greymont border, with the aim of swiftly traversing the country's open plains and encircling the Greymontian capital of Equatas. Their attack was indeed swift, as it was devastating, and the Trade Union forces on the border were badly out numbered, and soon routed or encircled. The fifth Unionist Infantry Division struck back the following day, across a broad front, but was hopelessly out fought and crumbled in the face of the sheer Corporate numbers.
The Trade Union leaders called an emergency council that night, as they realised the size and scope of the invasion. They immediately passed the Tools for Guns Act - aimed to conscript 35% of every man and woman between the ages of 14 and 55 into the Trade Union Army. Furthermore, they redirected the country's impressive industry to the production of arms, in a bid to bridge the gap between Greymont's and Ironcoast's ownership of mechanised weapons.
Meanwhile, Operation Shackle continued at blinding speed, capturing the border cities of Newcroft and Conveyorton within the week - despite the presence of a large worker militia. Trade Union high command threw together a defensive line fifty miles west of the border, consisting of all sixteen regular Greymontian infantry divisions in a feat of miraculous logistics. However, Ironcoast's well established airforce bombed the line into oblivion, creating several breaches for their Mechanised Divisions to surge through.
By the 28th of Summer I, Ironcaost's Army Group Lightning had secured ground to the north, east and south of Equatas, and were preparing to launch their attack on the city proper. Over two million men, three thousand aircraft, two thousand armoured vehicles and a thousand mechs were gathered for the operation.
Opposing them, were several dozen Worker Divisions, courtesy of the Tools for Guns Act.
This is their story.
RP Summary
Players assume the rank of Shop Supervisor, a Trade Union military rank given to squad or squadron leaders.
Ironcoast's military is extremely advanced, containing
, aircraft, airships, steam-mechs, artillery and of course an abundance of rifle-armed infantry.
Greymont's military by contrast, is largely experimental and patchy. The Trade Unions have attempted to churn out tonnes of war machines in a very short space of time, and none of them are standardised. Their guns as well, have been thrown together in a fit of rushed madness. No one unit looks the same, or uses the same weapons. Ammunition has been standardised to some extent, but in the chaos of the impending battle, Trade Union high command's sole aim is simply produce as much as they can to ensure the Worker Divisions have something to fight with.
Players therefore, will design the units in their squad or squadron, from the weapons to the vehicles.
A squad consists of 16 soldiers, but can be customised to include an armoured vehicle or two - or mechs.
A squadron can be used to describe 12 aircraft, 3 airships or 8 armoured vehicles/tanks/mechs.
The Trade Unionist command chain is messy, and currently, most units operate with total operational freedom - devoid of any overarching orders, other than "Defend the capital!". This is a mixed blessing, but it does allow players to do as they wish in the vast urban landscape.
Equatas is a thirty-five mile wide circle of factories, cramped housing estates, government districts, train tracks and narrow roadways. It has a series of airports and airship docks. The river Equa passes through the city from north to south, and the two halves are joined by a dozen bridges of varying sizes.
Ironcoast Military Units
The players have the freedom to conjure up their own Ironcoast units, that they'd like to encounter. However, here are some jumping off points for aforementioned conjuring.
The Game Master's Role
As GM, I will fulfil the following duties to the RP:
- Police players like any GM would.
- Guide the characters to the story's conclusion.
- Create situations for the characters to deal with.
- Kill characters who make grave errors. Walking through the jungle without checking the floor, is an example of a grave error.
- Fast forward the story in the event of a lull.
- Kill characters who go AFK for 72 hours.
- Kill or maim characters who appear to be bull sh*tting their way to victory.
Player Rules
The usual do's and don'ts of any RP.
- Be nice to each other.
- Be nice to me.
- Don't be a kid. Even if you are one. I expect maturity and politeness at all times.
- GM's posts are final in most circumstances, and events that are said to have happened within them, are written in stone.
- Whiners will meet a terrible end.
- Post rate - 1 per 72 hours (3 days) minimum.
Character Rules
A list of advisories to consider when playing your character.
- Any NPCs the GM puts down, can be killed/incapacitated by a player within their post. They do not need my approval. However if I sense that a character is getting a bit too OP, I may intervene and murder it.
- Display caution at all times. The GM will punish a character's mistakes and carelessness with death or injury.
- If a character dies, the player remains in the game, and is able to make another.
- If you're seen visibly giving orders by the enemy, they might clock you as an officer and take a special interest in you. Caution!
- Characters that do not post within 72 hours, without a warning of absence from their owner, will meet an unfortunate end.
Technology In Use
The Great Steam War is called that for a reason.
Steam engines rule the day, and form the mainstay of the world's armed forces as far as power sources are concerned. Most tanks, mechs and airships rely on steam-based engines to operate, and some infantry equipment relies on similar technology.
However, the Great Steam War is also a bridge between Steampunk and Dieselpunk, with combustion engines making their appearance on the battlefield for the first time. Diesel-based engines are more powerful, refined and allow for bigger and faster war machines. Though, bear in mind that combustion engines are just coming into existence, and are not wide spread - except for the use in aeroplanes (although many remain steam-based).
So any dieselpunk equipment and war machines the players choose to use, will be considered highly experimental, and the GM may feel obliged to step in and strike characters with "engine faults" and stalls. Maybe the occaisional explosion too, if I feel they're being too OP.
As for weapons, small arms are around the same tech as the real world's 1918. By the end of World War One, submachineguns were being brought into service, but were crude. Anti-tank weapons were also clunky affairs.
I'll have leniency on what players choose to go for, because part of the RP's fun will be bringing your own creations to the battlefield, but I will deny stuff that comes across as OMFG POWERFUL LOL :D.
Shop Supervisor Sheet
Template
POST DIRECTLY INTO CHARACTER TAB AND AWAIT APPROVAL. IF YOU POST IT INTO THE OOC, I WILL WRITE YOU OFF AS AN IDIOT WHO DOESN'T READ ANYTHING.
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Physical Description:
It's probably best to actually describe the character if you are going to rely on a picture, or you can do without the picture if you like, but definitely describe.
Skillset:
Talents one has either naturally or through education or training of some sort.
History:
Explain how your character got there -- no 'the story will come out in RP' lines, please -- I want a feel for where your character is coming from. Feel free to work up names and places and so forth. Be sure to mention arrests or feuds and debts and the such.
Equipment:
Squad/Squadron Sheet
Squad/Squadron Name: (Radio callsign)
Age Group: Some squads might be made from the old and infirm, or the young and wreckless - or both.
Gender Ratio: Some squads are segregated with "no girls/boys" allowed rules, whilst others are mixed.
Squad/Squadron Motto: "War is Work!"
Squad/Squadron Crew/Soldiers Physical Description:
Average appearance of squad's/squadron's uniforms
Squad/Squadron's War Machines/Weapons Physical Description:
Average appearance of squad's/squadron's war machines/weapons i.e aircraft, airships, tanks, artillery weapons, rifles, pistols etc
Squad/Squadron Skillset:
What role does your squad/squadron perform? Dog fighting? Artillery support? Close air support? Armoured/mechanised warfare?
Squad/Squadron Components:
- Worker Henry Junior - Rifleman
- Worker Tom Jeremiah - Rifleman
- Worker Rek Horway - Machinegunner
- Welder Jan Harrison - Medic
- A-17 Rubble Breaker - APC
- etc
- etc
