[CHAR] Muv-Luv Alternative: Legacy of Palaiologos

[Predawnia]

German Democratic Republic (East Germany)

German Democratic Republic

Overview

Established in the aftermath of the Second World War, the German Democratic Republic, colloquially known as East Germany was formed from territory occupied by the Soviet Union in the year 1949. Through this division, Germany, which had barely been united for three quarters of a century, was split apart yet again.

Whilst nowhere near the strength of the world superpowers, the GDR’s contributions to the conflict against the BETA have been tremendous. From the Laserjagd doctrine to the role of the National Volksarmee in Operation Palaiologos and the Central Asian frontline, East Germany acts as the Soviet Union’s most steadfast ally.

Map of East German Territory

History

When the United States dropped two atomic bombs upon the industrial cities of Rostock and Magdeburg in 1944, the Führer of the Third Reich committed suicide in his bunker in East Prussia. Under an emergency government formed by Wehrmacht Officers, an unconditional surrender was issued to the Allied Powers several weeks later, bringing the second greatest conflict in human history to an overdue end.

As a result of post-war negotiations between the Eastern and Western Allies, the nation of Germany found itself split, at first into four occupation zones administered by the French, Americans, British and Soviets. When the wartime alliance between the Allies and Soviet Union broke down after the end of the war in Asia, Germany was reorganised into two states; West Germany, an amalgamation of the Western occupation zones, and East Germany, officially known as the Deutsche Demokratische Republik headed by the Socialist Unity Party, a merger of the disparate German Left into one united front.

The new government had its work cut out for it. The war had destroyed most of the East's industrial capacity and infrastructure, with what little remaining being shipped to the Soviet Union as part of a series of reparations whilst refugees flooded past the Oder river from border strips ceded to Poland.

As another piece in the great game that was the Cold War, the GDR found itself not only facing enemies in the West, but also enemies within. As each decade turned, the grip of the Stasi, East Germany's infamous secret police grew ever tighter. When news reached the East German political elite of the conflict between American forces and the BETA on the moon, the Stasi's intelligence network began expanding further into Western Europe. When the BETA landed in Kashgar and spread west, ravaging the Central Asian socialist republics, the Stasi were authorized the ability to field their own TSF Batallions, as well as raise additional regiments to supplement the NVA, granting them power and influence second only to the civilian government.

When the time came for both NATO and the Warsaw Pact to join forces in Operation Palaiologos, the German Democratic Republic was one of its most active participants, committing over 100,000 personel and over 150 TSFs to the Operation. It was during Palaiologos that the East German forces acquitted themselves in both bravery and ingenuity. The Laserjagd tactics developed by Jürgen Bernhardt, alongside the mechanized strategems of Major General Alfred Strachwitz contributed greatly to the success of the operation, allowing East German forces to punch far above their weight in manpower and materiel.

In the aftermath of Palaiologos however, neither of those men would live to see the end of the decade. In the Moonlit Night Incident of 1979, both Strachwitz and Jürgen were rounded up in a Stasi purge alongside many other officers involved in Operation Palaiologos, robbing the NVA of much needed leadership, as well as cementing the position of the Stasi as the dominant entity within the nation.

In the decade since Operation Palaiologos, East Germany has been ruled by fear. The power of the civilian government has almost been effectively neutered, leaving the nation in a delicate balance of power between the NVA and Stasi. To make matters worse, rumours abound of a second Moonlit Night purge as word spreads of a plot by NVA officers to seize control of the state and overthrow the ruling Socialist Unity Party.

What awaits the German Democratic Republic is something for fate to decide. Will East Germany fall, marking the first step in the collapse of the Soviet sphere? Or will it weather the storm within and without, reinventing itself for a new era?

Government and Political Alignment

The state of East Germany may tout itself as an independent state aligned with the Soviet Union, but it is in reality no more than a satellite state established in the aftermath of the Second World War. Modeled after the Bolshevik principle of democratic centralism, there exists no single head of state for the German Democratic Republic, with the State Council taking upon that role collectively.

Governmental power is exercised by the Council of Ministers, consisting of 44 members which act as the intermediaries of the ruling Socialist Unity Party in government. Most notably, the Council of Ministers works to implement the policies of the Party's Politburo into practical administration, with ministers in the council subsequently subordinate to the secretary of the Central Committee responsible for their portfolio, as well as the Secretary-General of the Committee.

Alongside the presence of these three organisations is the insult to democracy known as the People's Parliament. According to the Constitution of the German Democratic Republic, the People's Parliament was vested with the authority to approve legislation and appoint members of both of the aforementioned Councils, but in practice is staffed entirely with members of the Socialist Unity Party, or yes-men from affiliated socialist organisations, serving as nothing more than a glorified rubber stamp

Military Overview

Originally established in 1949 alongside the foundation of the German Democratic Republic as the People's Police, the NVA's predecessor organization was disbanded less than a decade later in 1956. To replace the People's Police was the National Volksarmee, influenced by the Soviet Army and forming another of the Warsaw Pact militaries opposing NATO in the Cold War.

The NVA is split into three distinct main branches, the Landstreitkräfte; ground forces, the Volksmarine; naval assets; and the Luftstreitkräfte; the air wing of the NVA. Authority over the armed forces is nominally held by the Chairman of the National Defense Council, a post usually held concurrently by the Chairman of the State Council of East Germany, with the Minister of Defense who acts as the administrator of the NVA, as well as the liaison between the military's many administrative departments.

When the BETA first landed on Kashgar, the National Volksarmee was one of the first Warsaw Pact militaries to begin adoption of the Tactical Surface Fighter, ordering several F-4 Phantoms through the Soviet Union. Finding the focus on the Phantom's role as a 'mobile tank' too restricting to Pact doctrine of high mobility combat, the NVA quickly adopted the lighter and more agile Mig-21 Balalaika when it was released for foreign use.

In anti-BETA Operations, the NVA relies heavily on strategies of superior firepower to achieve victory against BETA formations. Ordinarily, artillery shells and aerial bombardment would be negated by the BETA Laser-class, but the NVA also combines bombardment with Laserjägd, entering BETA herds with the specific intent of hunting down Laser-class BETA to enable the artillery and aircraft to wipe out the remnants of the BETA herd.

As a result of this focus on 'hunting' tactics to achieve victory against BETA forces, TSFs employed by the NVA are usually much more lightweight than their western counterparts, sacrificing armor for increased mobility necessary for survival within the close quarter conditions of a Laserjägd, earning East German Surface Pilots the designation of 'Fliegendjäger' within domestic correspondence.

Tactical Surface Fighters

Tactical Surface Fighters

Mig-21 Balalaika

The first TSF developed entirely within the Warsaw Pact, the Mig-21 Balalaika was originally based off modified F-4 Phantom models provided to the Soviet Union in the leadup to Operation Palaiologos with minor modifications to increase adaptability for the different climates faced within Warsaw Pact territory.

Mig-21 PF/P

A variant of the Mig-21 constructed during the events of Operation Palaiologos as a command unit for squadron leaders engaging in Laserjägd tactics against the BETA. The PF/P is functionally similar to the Mig-21 Balalaika in specifications and performance, but differs in the head module, which is equipped with a 'mast' that functions as an extremely powerful radio receiver and transmitter, as well as a sensor for communication in the heavy-metal clouds used during Laserjägd operations.

Mig-23 Cheburashka

Regarded as the first Quasi-Second Generation TSF, the Mig-23 Cheburashka was first acquired by the German Democratic Republic's Military Police under the jurisdiction of the Stasi. The adoption of the Mig-23 Cheburashka by the Stasi prior to the NVA was two fold; first in that it provided a measure of security in the case of a potential NVA coup d'etat, and second being that the superior performance of the Mig-23 made it much easier to hunt down deserters attempting to escape with the Balalaika. As a result of its association with the Stasi, as well as the maintenance problems faced by the Cheburashka, it is often viewed unfavorably by German Surface Pilots

Mig-23 Cheburashka Ersatz

Taking advantage of the cross-compatibility between Balalaika and Cheburashka components, the Mig-23 Ersatz was a stopgap attempt by the East German NVA to upgrade their flights of Mig-21 Balalaikas with the hull and jump unit of the Mig-23. As a result, the Cheburashka Ersatz can be more aptly described as a Mig-23 frame operating with various internal components implemented by the Mig-21.

OFW-4 Jäger

The only domestic East German TSF model to date, the OFW-4 Jäger, designed by Ostlichen Flugwerk was built with the doctrine of Laserjägd and Active Defense in mind. Lightly armoured with an emphasis on mobility, range and close-quarters combat, the Jäger operates most effectively in confined urban spaces and the close-quarter conditions of anti-BETA combat, but suffers when forced to engage in open battle.

Mig-27 Alligator

An upgraded Mig-23 with new components for improved operational up-time, battlefield communication and overall combat performance. The Mig-27 acts as the 'heavier' counterpart to the Jäger, and squadrons are often mixed to allow for the Alligator and Jäger to complement the weaknesses of the other.

[Willy Vereb]

People's Federation of Pannonia (Hungary)

People's Federation of Pannonia

Overview

Pannonia is the successor state of Hungary, formed by numerous incidents through its history. Unlike its predecessor Pannonia is a federation of multiple semi-autonomous states. Following the uprising in 1943 Pannonia became a communist state, although remaining independent from the USSR. Pannonia treads a fine line both due to its mixed loyalties between the West and Soviets but also due to their extremely multi-cultural demographics.

Territory:
Pannonia is a Central and East European nation occupying the territories of the former Kingdom of Hungary alongside some other former Habsburg territories East of Austria. Pannonia is a Federation with the following eight members.
1.) Hungary: Core territory used to have dominant position within the Federation.
2.) Transylvania: Eastern portions of Hungary bordering Romania
3.) Croatia: The second largest member of Pannonia, they tend to have tensions with Hungary as a result.
4.) Halych-Volhynia: Formerly called East Galicia
5.) Bosnia-Herzegovina: Was a vassal of the Monarchy, full member of Pannonia.
6.) Romania: Fell under Pannonian control after the Hungarian War of Independence in 1921.
7.) Slovakia: Hungarian territory earned autonomy in the 19th century and retains it with Pannonia.
8.) Slovenia: Formerly called Carniola.

History

Pannonia is considered a successor of the Austro-Hungarian Empire yet its history really began with the First World War. It broke out in 1914 after the assassination attempt on Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Serbia. The royal heir survived but with Serbia refusing to hand over the preparators the war was really inevitable, regardless. During the War Austro-Hungary performed decently, partially thanks to Russia leaving the war due to internal conflicts by early 1915. In 1916 Franz Joseph died and thus Ferdinand should've been the emperor. Yet his pro-nationalities policies were unpopular in Hungary and they refused to crown him. They reached the compromise by making his brother Charles II the king, thus the Monarchy suddenly had two rulers. The two brothers had a great relationship and the subsequent years went fairly successfully. Both Ferdinand and Charles wanted to turn the empire into a federation with constituent states arranged by demographic borders and each member given fair degree of autonomy. Though in secret they began talks with the Entente for a "League of Nations". Austro-Hungary fought valiantly yet they faced increasingly hopeless odds. The war ended in early 1918 with the German Empire capitulating. American, British and French troops occupied the country. The Habsburgs were way less fortunate in this outcome. Their multi-national empire was at the brink of being torn apart and furthermore practically all their neighbors had territorial claims somewhere. The Great War officially ended yet the war for the Empire was only beginning. Austrian side had rrlatively few conflicts. They ceded lands to Italy but Ferdinand's political mastery allowed him to reform the core holdings of the Austrian Crown into the dual republic of Austro-Czechia. He stepped down as royal ruler but his popularity immediately elected him as the first president of the new republic. At the same time the Treaty of Triannon was made which heralded the end of Hungary as they knew it. Even before the treaty several nations or would be nations mobilized their military. The Hungarian Army held up but with the new treaty ratified Charles had no choice but to recall them. Just as his brother he had little interest of remaining a king with his focus instead being on the formation of the League. Yet this act was perceived as a grave betrayal by the Hungarians. With their army still combat ready, many units actively refused to give up their positions. Eventually these tiny grassroots resistances grew into a wildfire and Charles II was found assassinated through mysterious circumstances. Charles and the royal family were declared traitors and the Hungarian Parliament took control of the country. They refused the Treaty and actively fought back against the oncoming armies of neighboring nations and revolutionaries. The Ententr being gravely exhausted was unable to give meaningful support and after years of warfare Hungary emerged victorious. With the combination of loyalist movements and military reconquest they retained the Lands of St. Stephen. The neighboring nations were forced into a rout, many of them like Serbia began fortifying themselves for the oncoming decade. Romania was less fortunate as they were unable to resist the Hungarian counterattack and were conquered for the second time.

The Allies didn't acknowledge this new Hungary till 1924. Until then the Hungarian leadership had their work cut for them. While they were the unquestionable victors of the post-WW1 scuffle the old problems of the Empire remained. Inspired by Kossuth's ideology from the Hungarian Revolution they began laying down the groundwork for what is soon to become the Federal Republic of Hungary. A republic with no monarchic ruler and theoretically supported by the autonomous government of each member state. Of course the reality was a bit different. While nationalities received some degree of self-governance the Hungarians who only made up some 25% of the population, were undoubtedly receiving preferential treatment. Government and military positions were first filled with loyal Hungarians and forceful resettlement made sure the demographic lines became more muddled.

Hungary made a long term enemy in Austria-Czechia and for a decade FRH existed as a relative pariah. Only after the death of Franz Ferdinand von Habsburg and the Great Depression did change things up. Meanwhile the threat of the Soviet Union loomed over Hungary and perhaps motivated by this their originally strained relations to Germany began to strengthen. Hungary didn't participated in the early stages of World War II but this changed by the time Operation Barbarossa kicked in. The turning point happened in 1943 when consequently with the Allied beach landing to continental Europe, Italy's capitulation and the Soviet counterattack something unexpected happened to Hungary. The fascist Hungarian leadership were overthrown in late 1943 by Communist sympathizers, immediately forcing Hungary out of the war. Renaming themselves the Danuvian People's Federation they supported the Soviets in the last stages of the war and some forces even participated in the Battle of Berlin.

The nationalism of the early 1940s backfired and Hungarians just barely evaded being prosecuted by their own nation as collective war criminals. The Danuvian People's Federation worked closely with the Soviets and they became one of Stalin's favorites. Budapest hosted the headquarters of the Cominform from 1947 and from the outside they were viewed the staunchest supporters of the Soviets. Yet the DPF's integration into the Soviet power block was meeting immense difficulties and was progressing rather slowly. After Stalin's death this only got worse and in 1956 starting from Hungary the Federation revolted, even threatening to throw out its Communist leadership. Soviet interference was imminent as Hungarian and other national guard forces clashed with the local USSR garrisons. Yet with the threat of NATO action the Soviets and the still escalating attitudes the Soviets were forced to back off. Eventually the more moderate revolutionaries won over after a brief civil war, establishing a new communist rule, one independent of Moscow. Their leader was Ladislav Rajk, former internal politics minister and ambitious leader of security. In 1958 the nation's name changed again, becoming known as the People's Federation of Pannonia. Hungarian favoritism in a more subdued form returned up until the mysterious death of Rajk in 1971.

Losing their leader the Pannonian leadership risked collapse and underwent major changes. They became a true federation of semi-autonomous Communist republics. Even this change wouldn't have been sufficient if not for the BETA's landing in 1973. Uninterested first the Pannon government viewed this event as something beyond their scope, still focusing on internal issues and the looming threat of either NATO or Soviet invasion. This changed after China's series of failures to contain the BETA, becoming very apparent that the alien invaders pose a threat to the whole continent. Riding this new wave of dread Pannonia began promoting anti-BETA movements, even buying up a large stock of American TSFs. Still being fresh technology the government viewed TSF as tools exclusively against the BETA and during Operation Palaiologos they threw all of them into this single battle. By 1978 their "strategy of distraction" had proven results with the member states willingly handling over their military to centralized control among others. Of course being a paper tiger of a nation most of their Hussars (TSF pilots) were rather inexperienced and this showed during the operation. Pannonian forces suffered grievous loses, partially due to their pilot quality but also for the fact they were used as canon fodder by the NATO. Regardless the Coalition achieved the world's first and so far the last successful hive infiltration.

In spite of its complete disaster to Pannonian TSF forces the government treated Operation Palaiologos as a massive victory and in a sense they were right. Of course this helped to fuel future propaganda to support more anti-BETA operations and the nation keep focusing on the threat of alien invaders. These actions also managed to somewhat ease the international relations with both power blocs, although the threat remained. Internally the People's Federation of Pannonia is experiencing a weird flux of both stabilizing and destabilizing factors. They are non-aligned, supporting neither the NATO nor the Soviets. They are perhaps the most culturally diverse nation with over a dozen spoken languages which is naturally a source of constant friction. They are also viewed as a gateway between East and West, targeted by lot of refugees as an interim country to stay in before moving towards either direction. Pannonia has a very stormy future ahead.

Government and Political Alignment

TBA

Military Overview

Pannon Népi Őrs (Pannonian People's Guard, PPG) is the main armed forces of Pannonia with authority to act in all member states of the Federation. The PSDF has three branches: People's Army, Air Force and Coast Guard. Army commands the land forces, the largest bulk of Pannon military. Their primary role is the defense of Pannonia and suppression of counter-revolutionaries although they can be called for foreign missions when more bodies are needed. Unlike most armies they are in possession of not only helicopters but also Hussar Wings of TSFs. Air Force in the last 10 years is earning much prominence in Pannonia. They are responsible for operating most aircraft but they also manage the Anti-BETA Expeditions and hence they frequently "borrow" resources and personnel from other branches. Coast Guard is the Pannonian Navy. They are suffering funding issues and frequently feel frustrated as being just the "ferrymen" to carry Air Force assets like expeditionary groups over the Mediterranean Sea. Aside from the PPG each member state has their own national military, although these are frequently not much better than militia or an extension of the political police. This is intentional in fears of repeating 1956 or giving ideas for nations to fight for their independence.

As for hardware the Pannon Army mostly relies on Soviet equipment. They have massive stocks of T-55 tanks and after being disatisfied with the M60 and T-62 offers they began to develop their own MBT called Hk/74 Kynys. In terms of artillery they have a relatively large collection ranging from light recon vehicles outfitted with rocket pods or gun-mortars to wheeled/tracked chassis mounted 122/155mm tube artilelry (the latter being French) and of course 122mm MLRS vehicles. Strategic arsenal also includes various cruise and ballistic missile launchers. Their air wing consists of mostly Soviet craft for practical reasons.

Hk/74 Kynys

Official Name: Harckocsi 1974 Kinizsi Pál
Common Name: Hk/74 Kynys, m/74 Kynys
Other Spellings: Kinizsi, Kynys, Kenezy, Cneazul, Chinezu
In Service: 1975
Dimensions: length: 5.97m (9m w/ gun forward), width: 3.35m, height: 2.1m
Weight: 42.6 metric tons
Main Armament: 100mm smoothbore gun
Secondary Armaments:12.7mm Gebauer-M co-axial chaingun (2,400RPM), PGA-63M 20mm remote-controlled autocannon (600RPM)

Pannon main battle tank developed by the fairly specific requirements of the Pannonian People's Guard. Named after the commander of Hungary's Black Army, it's a fairly compact vehicle made with the idea to operate in nuclear wastelands. For this purpose it uses heavy radiation shielding where the whole crew is located inside turret ring. While this early idea motivated by the American and Chinese Anti-BETA tactics was found to be mistaken it also resulted in a design built from the ground-up for automatization, a feature receptive of future upgrades. Unlike most MBTs the tank still uses a variant of the 100mm gun, a consideration made purely out of a sense of logistics. In the current third generation of the Kynys this is a smoothbore long gun featuring a rapid-firing carousel autoloader, allowing three round bursts within a second. Using technology derived from TSFs the Kynys III replaced the 3-crew setup with a 2-man "cockpit" design featuring feed from sensors and external cameras. Using a similar thought Kynys III replaced its old oil guzzler with TSF-derived electric systems thus rather than gasoline or diesel the tank consumes battery power for its electric engine. Aside from economical benefits this setup also enables higher peak accelerations and visible improvements in combat mobility.

Tactical Surface Fighters

Pannonia's unique position allowed them to choose from both Western and Eastern Bloc TSFs which also had its own drawbacks. The reason why Pannonia doesn't have Mig-27s or F-15s can be traced back to this issue. Pannonian TSF requirements are also rather unique, they don't have immediate defense concerns against the BETA yet they focus a lot on fighting them. At the same time they have plenty of concerns fighting another country which focuses their TSF procurement and overall development to interceptors. Coincidentally both aims share some characteristics like range, ordinance carrying capability and competitive technology. Of course that's where the similarities ended and Pannonian TSFs have be made with considerable modularity in order to fulfill both roles. This unique situation also forced Pannonians to want to be as self-reliant as possible. They could not depend on either supply line as the winds of war could shift both ways. As a consequence their TSFs and their armament are even more logistics conservative than others, which at times comes at the cost of interoperability. Organization wise TSFs are grouped under two organizations, Pannon Nlphadsereg (Pannonian People's Army, PPA) is the army branch also tasked with defending the country and also deal with local insurrections. They are the lowest common denominator when it comes to TSFs employed, only meant for counter insurgency and to hold off invaders until a proper response is formed. The other organization is of course the Pannonian Air Force which frequently participates in anti-BETA operations far off the country but are of course also responsible for air defense. Hussar (and its myriad of local language equivalents) is a term used in Pannonia both for the machine and the pilot, depending on context. Hussar Regiments are specialized units built around the operation of TSF and their support, the latter not only including airfield crew and logistics but also dedicated mobile artillery companies, recon forces and a mechanized force for self-defense. The specifics vary depending on the role of the unit with PPA regiments often becoming skeletonized for budget reasons while an Air Force expeditionary unit is constructed deliberately to be entirely airborne and some may even have dedicated bomber wings.

Common TSF Models

CsA-77 Kékmadár (Bluebird)
Designation of the Pannonian F-5 Freedom Fighters, first imported from the West and later license produced and underwent modifications. Current models are called CsA-77C and CsA-77D, the latter being old CsA-77B models upgraded to C standards. F-5/CsA-77A models were found unfit to be improved upon and they became training machines or test targets. CsA-77C/D are referred as 1.5 generation fighters due to them featuring Operation-By-Wire capability along with a slew of engine and avionics improvements.

CsA-81 Kerecsensólyom (Sake Falcon)
License-produced variant of the Soviet Su-15, a quasi 2nd generation TSF introduced after Operation Palaiologos. They have received further improvements in aim to further enhance their long range mission capabilities. They are the most common frontline TSFs, although far from the most numerous (that'd be the CsA-77).

CsA-87 Turul
The first entirely domestically developed TSF using both Soviet and Western knowledge, also the first true 2nd generation TSF in Panonian use. They are designed entirely with the Pannonian expeditions in mind. They specialize in range, endurance and empathize firepower and amount of ordinance they can carry over melee capabilities. CsA-87 is of course fairly agile, being a late era 2nd generation TSF using disciplines of both sides. But compared to the Soviet 2nd generation TSFs their melee capabilities are lacking.

TSF Equipment

PGA-78 Assault Cannon
"Pannon Gépágyú 1978" is a locally produced assault cannon built to replace the WS-16 and A-97 models. They fire 20mm hypervelocity rounds as the Pannonians refuse to adopt a whole new cartridge and risk running out of ammunition. This makes the PGA-78 somewhat underpowered which they tried to fix by doubling its rate of fire, consequently resulting in some reliability issues. Regardless Pannonia staunchly remains with the 20mm munition and as a consequence they adopted bulky drum shaped magazines as their new standard. Another curiosity is its PÖL-82K cannon attachment which is put on the top rather than on the bottom for higher stability (leaving the optics/camera for that place). More importantly it fires 100mm shells that are the same as the ones fired by their Hk/74 Kynys MBTs (just outfitted with a rocket booster) in order to simplify their logistics. In addition the twin-stack magazines allow the capacity of 16 shots while having relatively the same weight. Nowadays this feature is exploited for unique mixed round two-shot bursts, the most frequent combination being APFSDS and HESH round, which can damage even Destroyer carapaces (although only that, usually requiring massed fire to actually kill them).

PFA-84 Assault Shotcannon
"Pannon Forgóágyú 1984" is a heavy Assault Cannon preferred by Pannonia over the modern 36mm cartridge firing variants. It fires 57mm rounds developed from AA gun cartridges thus it's already something Pannonia produces in large quantities. The larger cartridges allow stronger and more sophisticated rounds at the expense of cost and reduced ammo capacity. Its primary munition is the 57mm multi-fused warhead which is capable of greater destruction and has notably greater performance against smaller BETA strains. Unlike other assault cannons the PFA-84 also uses revolver cannon mechanism. This allows comparable rate of fire at short burst but needs a built-up disengager after every 8th shot thus reducing long burst rate of fire by half. This is actually preferred by the Pannonians and further constrained in order to reduce ammo expenditures. The PFA-84 is compatible with all attachments made for the PGA-78 and also comes with its own accessories. PÖL-88 is an improvement over the PÖL-82 only stable with the extra mass of the PFA-84 frame. Its drum magazine has a built in autoloading carousel to choose between multiple types of ammunition. It also facilitates very quick burst fire rates for an unique three-round "Anti-Destroyer Burst" composing of an APFSD, HESH and lastly an APHE round. This combination has 28% chance to kill a Destroyer-class BETA outright, even through its heavily armored carapace. The drawback is of course the heavy magazine and the overall expensive nature of the attachment. Another attachment is a barrel extension and stabilization device and an overhead mounted aiming device, turning the PFA-84 into a sniper rifle, capable of firing 57mm APFSDS and PELE munitions, at times even in bursts or alteration.

HGv-82 Kopja (Lance)
Panonian adoption of the Soviet SPG-21, a "bazooka type" TSF armament firing 300mm recoilless rifle shells. Compared to missiles the launcher is heavier but can carry considerably more munition and for cheaper than through missile containers. The shell only has a rudimentary guidance and is limited to 10km but otherwise a competitor with the AIM-54 Phoenix in capability while allowing an unit to carry several dozen loads. The system has a 6-round detachable magazine and can be carried in one hand (although having a sub-arm to change magazines is recommended). It can fire various cluster or unitary warheads. Its extra weight and weird measure of holding (the long backwards firing end is sticking behind the mech, akin to couching a lance, hence the name) means SPG-21 is limited to specialist use or unique "bombing raid" style engagements, not a mainline weapon. Aside from the new HGv-82 inventory of old SPG-17 launchers bought from Soviets are also in use.

VRV-81 Pokoltűz (Hellfire)
Based off the Soviet S-8 rocket family this Pannonian variant is used both for all their aricraft. Firing laser-guided 80mm rockets this system boasts decent firepower while possessing incredible rate of fire. In TSF use the heavier 32-tube systems are preferred, mounted on the hips in a 2x3 arrangement. VRV-81H also has built in reload system allowing the mech to restock 1-2 times its loadout of missiles for another go. Individual 80mm rockets don't have that much power but when combined by their sheer volume they could wreak considerable havoc. The system also has anti-laser and anti-air rocket variants for special uses.

PN-78 Nadziak/Csatakalapács (Warpick)
Special TSF melee weapon adopted from Poland. Shaped like a horseman's pick these instruments seemingly had no room among the various melee halberd designs which empathized cutting power. Yet the sheer force of these weapons gave them considerable advantage when striking BETA and even moreso when fighting other TSFs. The latter reason is perhaps why the Pannonian government issues them. While far from a sophisticated weapon given the reduced emphasis on melee this could be actually an advantage for Hussars.

[CaptainBritton]

Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)

Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Overview

The Federal Republic of Germany was formed in 1949 in the wake of a Second World War leaving millions of Germans dead, and the rest under the subjugation of the atom bomb and split by two sides of the same coin. Based in the city of Frankfurt, a mere 70 miles from the ruins of Würzburg, the Constitution of the Republic was ratified on 8 May, 1949, being the first of the two German states to become a sovereign nation after the War.

The state has since then largely devolved into a nation rife with bureaucracy and a political deadlock despite a relatively powerful federal government. Its contributions to the effort against BETA have been remarkable, culminating primarily in Operation Palaiologos, and they have proved an immensely useful buffer state and bargaining chip for NATO.

History

In the waning part of 1944, the two bombs, Little Boy and Fat Man, were dropped on a crippled Germany. Adolf Hitler committed suicide in the following days, as did his entire line of succession in the Party. The wake of the Second World War left five million Germans dead and scores more without homes or the means to survive. The few politicians and Wehrmacht officers who survived struggled to pull together a German wasteland long enough to even sign the surrender.

Germany was split four ways between its conquerors, and was summarily forgotten, as the enemy in the East was subjugated. This original West Germany was apologists, activists, and simply those who survived the gallows in the wake of Nuremberg. Under the watchful eyes of the Allies, these few ‘Fathers of the Republic’ tried as best they could to repair a shattered nation in the latter half of the 1940s.

At first, their future was uncertain: Were they to build a new, obedient Germany, or were they destined to be on a leash for the remainder of their days? And as quickly as that question began, the Allies had signed off on a Federal Constitution in Summer 1949, with the first Chancellor being sworn in since 1933.

West Germany became the most prominent political piece in Europe for NATO, being the closest one could get to the rapidly closing Iron Curtain. West Berlin, the crown jewel of the Federal Republic, became a symbol of hope for those living in the Eastern Bloc. Standards of living skyrocketed. West German manufacturing took off among the Western European markets, and rearmament was authorized in the form of a self defence force - the Bundeswehr.

The ‘West German dream’ was the talk of Europe until the arrival of BETA. The initial findings were met with scrutiny and a Bundestag of politicians unwilling to believe. The landings at Kashgar sent shockwaves through every echelon of West German society, leading to major upscaling of the Bundeswehr and the extension of the six-month mandatory military service to one year per male. As the Bundestag preemptively readied a War Coalition government, the nuclear option was explored by the Warsaw Pact. Then again by the USA after the landings in Canada.

West Germany was among the first NATO members to receive working models of the US’s F-4 ‘Phantom’ TSF, and immediately restructured most of the Luftwaffe to utilize these new machines. They committed all forty of these machines to Palaiologos, and nearly 60,000 personnel under the Eurocorps and US European Commands, in which they suffered nearly 70 percent casualties among the frontline units.

Many of the surviving TSF pilots from Palaiologos would go on to become senior leaders of TSF squadrons, pioneering tactics used universally by the Luftwaffe TSFs. In the decade since, however, the progress of the Bundestag has stalled significantly. Though a War Coalition was formed, it is pitted against itself by those who have wildly varying ideas of how to deal with BETA. The government stays in deadlock, civilian policy often deferred in favor of ballooning military budgets and heated debates over deployments and domestic TSF manufacturing.

Government and Alignment

The Bundesrepublik Deutschland is a familiar Parliamentary Republic-style government, crafted as a counterpoint to the weak Weimar Republic of the early 20th Century and the tyranny of Hitler. It is characteristically both American and British in organization, taking the best examples of Western democracy to the table.

Its primary governing body is the legislative branch consisting of the Bundestag (lower house) and Bundesrat (upper house). The Bundestag’s members are popularly elected, with the number of seats within being determined by exactly how many voters each party got and how many candidates it necessitates. The Bundesrat’s members are appointed by the local governments of West Germany, with its representation being entirely based on population.

At the head of this is an executive Chancellor, usually the leader of the majority party in the Bundestag, possessing some executive powers in the scope of West German policy-making, as well as responsibility to act as the face of Germany to the wider world. The sitting Chancellor is Helmut Kohl, an immensely popular politician who is primarily concerned with maintaining a balanced approach to the aggression of both BETA and the Warsaw Pact, going so far as to authorize a revitalization of the Federal Intelligence Service to counter the Stasi.

Military Overview

For much of its early history, West Germany was denied a standing army for reasons considered obvious. Its defence was handled almost entirely by its civilian-staffed border police and NATO. That was, until it was authorized a small standing army in the form of the Bundeswehr, in which it was soon required that every able-bodied male serve six months.

Its principal branch is the Heer, best translated as the Army, which consists primarily of armored and mechanized assets, relying heavily on its ability to maneuver and be an armored spearhead if necessary, as well as being a stubborn static defense line if that too is necessary. Nearly all of its assets are mounted, whether it be on track or wheel.

The second branch is Marine, or the Navy, consisting mostly of domestically produced vessels based on British, French, and Dutch designs, tasked with the patrol of the Baltic Sea and the containment of the Soviet Baltic Fleet should it ever become a problem. In the grand scale, it operates primarily alongside task forces of British and French ships.

The third and final branch is the Luftwaffe, or Air Force, which has gained extreme prominence in recent years with the introduction of TSFs. With organic air power being functionally useless against the BETA, over half of Luftwaffe manpower has been put into the TSF battalions. Despite the recent focus on TSFs, the Luftwaffe maintains a sizeable force of F-104G ‘Starfighter’ jets from the USA which it has largely kept in reserve.

The TSF doctrine of the Bundeswehr is largely based on Interdictor Strike units (IDS), which use superior maneuvering and volume of fire to ‘interdict’ enemy forces in coordinated surprise attacks, along with armored spearhead assaults.

Tactical Surface Fighters

F-4 ‘Phantom’ - A first generation TSF provided by the United States and now produced semi-domestically. Most are F4N variants, with a few sporting US-manufactured F4E upgrade packages. The Phantom constitutes a good portion of the Luftwaffe fleet, and acts primarily as a cheap escort and multirole craft.

F-5G ‘Tornado’ - Another first generation TSF produced entirely domestically, based on the US-designed F-5 ‘Freedom Fighter’. It is the penultimate craft in the Interdictor Strike form of combat, and thus constitutes another significant portion of the Luftwaffe’s fleet, and is the primary frontline craft deployed to combat BETA.

F-15 ‘Eagle’ - Though rarer among Luftwaffe stocks, the entirely US-designed and produced F-15 is considered the leading second generation TSF as of 1988. First fielded in its 'C' variant four years ago, it hit foreign markets the following year, with West Germany getting its own cut to begin to replace its severely aging F-4 ‘Phantom’ fleet.