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RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 12-01-2025
![[Image: a4YqNok.png]](https://i.imgur.com/a4YqNok.png)
As if the unprecedented times with which we face today were not enough, the detonation of a nuclear weapon in Xsampa has plunged the world and by extension Lodamun into broad uncertainty. Although details remain extremely scarce owing to the extraordinary nature of the event, what is known is that on the 10th of October 5599, a thermonuclear detonation was detected in Xsampa’s capital of Metz-Leonid. The city, renowned as the eastern flank of global metzism and home to some 5 million Xsampans had been virtually wiped off the map in a matter of seconds. The detonation had been detected by nuclear seismometers in surrounding territories. Initial intelligence both disseminated throughout the globe and via the international media pointed primarily to Beiteynu, the northern majatran state, which with Xsampa had been engaged in a brutal conflict for a better half of a decade.
Although there remains significant “radio silence” from Yishelem, many have noted that the nation’s employment of intermediate and intercontinental ballistic missiles prior to the nuclear weapon’s detonation ultimately stands as irrefutable evidence of the hand’s direct hand in what is being considered a “nuclear holocaust”. Notwithstanding the nature of the weapon being largely set against the pretext of a conflict, its detonation marks the second time a nuclear weapon has been used in modern history. Seemingly setting the trend for other Majatran states in the future, Vanuku became the first nation in September 4418 to detonate a nuclear bomb in multiple millennia, employing the weapon’s cataphoric potential for destruction in Jelbania against Deltarian troops. The weapon’s use in Xsampa and its subsequent devastation has already been condemned by numerous governments including Vanuku, Gaduridos and Kalistan, all of whom have reaffirmed their objection to the proliferation of nuclear weapons by any and all nations throughout Terra. The ensuing nuclear fallout remains of extreme concern to the Lodamese Government.
At an emergency press conference held at Whitehall in Kensington, President William Tabner condemned both Beiteynu and its use of a nuclear weapon in Xsampa. He noted that although the nation’s broad and open use of intercontinental and intermediate-range ballistic missiles remained of great concern to the Lodamese Government, particularly the Strategic Defence Agency, the fact that said weapons lacked nuclear warfare nonetheless tempered its nerves related to their use in Sekowo, Kundrati and Xsampa. However, he also noted that the nuclear detonation in Xsampa had certainly changed the global geopolitical dynamic for the foreseeable future. “The proliferation of nuclear weapons by states within Terra has always been condemned by successive governments here in Kensington, as it has traditionally been (and continues to be) our belief that these weapons have no place in the modern world. Their potential for global destruction places every nation at a unique disadvantage,” President Tabner said.
Director of National Assessments Douglas Morrison noted that amidst the detonation, he intended to host a series of meetings/discussions with members of the Lodamese, Kalistani and Gaduri intelligence communities to discuss how the situation ultimately changes the way in which security within the Anantonese Empire (AE) is approached. With numerous members of his cabinet present including Vice-President Josiah Collins, Secretary of State Debrah Lahey, Secretary of Defence Walter Kent, Secretary of Domestic Security Eli Wilson, Chairman of the Combined Chiefs, Admiral Nathan Spencer and Director of the Strategic Defence Agency Vice Admiral Aaron Parker, President Tabner announced the following measures:
Quote:
- That the Harrington Company suspend all formal and informal trading with Beiteynu
- That the Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank suspend all financial transactions between Lodamun and Beiteynu.
- That the Department of State provide for Beiteynuese citizens to depart Lodamun unharassed (should they choose). Lodamese citizens seeking to leave Beiteynu may do so via the Embassy in Narikaton & Darnussia.
- That Lodamese citizens fortunate enough to have survived the detonation in Xsampa seek out the nearest Lodamese embassy and/or consulate for assistance.
- That the Department of State initiate proceedings for Lodamun to formally ratify the Treaty to Ban Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Weapons.
- That the Department of Defence, through the Chairman of the Combined Chiefs, order the Lodamese Armed Forces to: (i) reconstitute Expeditionary Action Group Malivia (EAG-Malivia) to Naval/Air Station Crockett in Malivia; (ii) construct an Expeditionary Action Group Temania/Vascania (EAG-Temania/Vascania) to escort Lodamese, Gaduri and Kalistani (Anantonese Empire) shipping through the conflict zone in Dovani and the Migrant’s Pass; (iii) approach the Xsampan interim government in providing CBRN (Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) defence and assistance in venturing into the affected zone; (iv) shoot down any and all ballistic missile threats posed to their operations and/or the safety of others within their range.
- That the Nutritional Resources Administration (NRA) and the Lodamese Agency for International Development (LAID) provide emergency food supplies for the Xsampan government based on the assumption that the ensuring nuclear fallout may destroy the nation’s agriculture system for decades, if not centuries to come.
- That the Department of State bars persons connected to the incumbent regime (including political parties, research & youth groups) from entering Lodamun and/or seeking asylum.
- That the Harrington Company impound any and all vessels docked in Lodamun or within the Lodamese Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) flying Beiteynuese colours and have their crews and logs searched via the use of its Maritime Security Unit (MSU).
President Tabner noted that Beiteynu remained a clear and present danger to global security and that he intended to advance a “change in tempo” to the Anantonese Empire’s Imperial Council towards a greater focus on ensuring security within the Empire (from Lodamun to Gaduridos) is enhanced, alongside invoking the articles of Defence Against External Threats in the Anantonese Security Community Treaty. He noted that although Lodamun has maintained a hands-off and more collaborative approach towards regional and perhaps continental security, the situation in Xsampa would nonetheless mandate a more direct approach by the Department of Defence. “It is my intent to place the Strategic Defence Agency at the forefront of our efforts towards ensuring Seleya remains a zone of peace. I hope to take this matter to the Imperial Council, where I will argue that the SDA must transcend national borders and take on a greater role in regional/continental security,” President Tabner ended.
RE: Lodamun - Auditorii - 13-01-2025
Minan State Broadcasting Service: SULTAN AND ROYAL GOVERNMENT OFFER KALISTAN AND LODAMUN TEMPORARY BASING FOR HUMANITARIAN AID (June, 5598)
RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 16-01-2025
![[Image: 7hjgHpZ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/7hjgHpZ.png)
With concerns related to mounting internal strife within Likatonia, the Department of Defence has approved the deployment of some 10,000 Commonwealth Guardsmen to the Likatonian-Lodamese border, to augment the efforts of Border Protection agents and immigration officials in managing what many believe could be a mad dash for “greener pastures.” At a briefing held by the Department of Defence earlier this morning, DoD Press Secretary Lester Perry confirmed that both Secretary of Defence Walter Kent and President William Tabner had approved the deployment of some 10,000 members of the Lodamese Commonwealth Guard to safeguard the nation’s territorial integrity alongside augmenting the efforts of border protection agents and immigration officials in processing asylum claims at the numerous civilian crossing along the border. The deployment comes amidst mounting internal strife in Likatonia, after it had been reported that numerous members of the nation’s government had been arrested or killed. Although the details of the circumstance remain unclear, the Lodamese Government has already sprung into action, with the State Department recalling all diplomatic personnel from the nation and ordering the return of Lodamese citizens from Likatonia.
At the DoD briefing, PS Perry noted that having held numerous meetings with the Director of National Assessments, it had been concluded that the necessary precautions towards protecting Lodamun’s territorial integrity and preparing for a major influx of refugees/asylum seekers at the Lodamese-Likatonian border ought to be made. “In his meeting with national security officials alongside his briefings with the President, Secretary Kent has underscored the importance of protecting Lodamese territorial integrity at this time. It is our belief that the necessary precautions must be made to guard against would-be opportunists,” Perry explained. Commonwealth Guard units from the Berkwaki and Newchester Commonwealth Guard are expected to comprise the vast majority of the forces currently being prepared to be dispatched to the border. Beyond these deployments, PS Perry noted that the DoD had approved enhanced air patrols throughout Northern Seleya, particularly in the airspace surrounding Likatonia by Lodamese Air Force AWACS and State Air Guard combat units. Transnational travel between Likatonia and Lodamun via the Trans Seleyan Railway (TSR) remains however, the Department of Domestic Security has noted that prior to making their crossings into Lodamun, trains (both passenger and freight) will be searched for “potential national security threats”.
Some have noted that these searches may ultimately reduce the frequency of rail traffic between Likatonia and Lodamun, as the soft border between the two states becomes increasingly impermeable. Governor of Berkwaki Nicholas Webb noted that having been briefed by officials from the Department of Domestic Security and the Department of Defence on the situation, it may be time to reconsider a hard border between Likatonia and Lodamun. “Notwithstanding the choppy relationship we’ve had with Likatonia given our association with Kalistan and the Anantonese Empire, I think it is time for us to revisit the idea of a hard border between Likatonia and Lodamun. While we should remain accommodating to the needs of asylum seekers/refugees, we must also consider the real threat instability in that nation poses to Berkwaki and Lodamun at large.” Webb concluded.
RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 29-01-2025
![[Image: VlmaGlo.png]](https://i.imgur.com/VlmaGlo.png)
Following a tumultuous series of congressional hearings, committee meetings and numerous budget sessions, the plan once proposed to construct a border wall/fence along the Likatonian-Lodamese border has been approved with the passing of the Territorial and Border Security Act, with construction already having begun on a stretch of the border from northern Berkwaki to the border town of Caroline. During the opening days and weeks of the Likatonian civil war, it had been proposed by then Governor of Berkwaki Nicholas Webb that the federal government work with the state in constructing a barrier to “manage the flow of refugees and asylum seekers”, as it had been anticipated that in the midst of the chaos, war-warry Likatonians may flee to neighbouring states as asylum seekers or as refugees. Although the Commonwealth Guard had been deployed to the border to augment the efforts of federal, state and local authorities, it had been believed that their deployment would be a stop-gap measure towards a more definite/permanent solution. Some security analysts have noted that although their deployment to the border for the duration of the civil war would have ultimately reduced the urgency for some structure such as a border wall/fence, with the conflict having been concluded and the nation seemingly on a path towards reconstruction, their continued presence has become increasingly unwelcome.
Some citizens have stated that a persistent military presence in the area although reassuring, nonetheless comes with a degree of inherent suspicion. “I think the Commonwealth Guard has certainly overstayed their welcome. The citizenry has certainly thanked them for their yeoman service in protecting our western approaches from the violence in Likatonia and helping authorities process migrant/refugee claims, but now they (the citizenry) believe it is time for a new approach,” Gilbert Long, a security analyst with the Institute for Public Safety, explained. He noted that the consensus within Lodamun of the Likatonian civil war and its aftermath points primarily to an of inherent discomfort at such senseless violence at the nation’s doorstep. “It was unusual for you to hear gunshots and artillery fire in the distance. We’d go out to the mountain range where you’d be able to see some parts of Norwalk. You’d see the tracer fire in the air, explosions. It’s somewhat discomforting you know, such senseless violence literally next door.” Lee Morse, a Berkwaki native recalled.
The border wall/fence’s construction represents a major about-face by the federal government, as it represents the end of the semi-free movement between Likatonia and Lodamun. The construction of the Trans Seleyan Railroad represents a major step forward for regional integration on the Seleyan continent, as it allowed for near free movement of people, goods and services between the nations where the tracks ran. A large part of its success primarily hinged on a softening of customs and immigration checks, or in the case of Lodamun, a removal of transborder checks for rail-bound freight and passenger traffic entering Lodamun. Although previously during the initial period wherein Likatonia had been sanctioned by the Anantonese Empire for its support of the fascist putsch regime in Kundrati, the movement of rail traffic had been suspended between Likatonia and Lodamun, the construction of the border wall/fence would ultimately mean significant reductions in railway traffic between the two nations. The act notes that although cross-border movement (from Lodamun to Likatonia and vice-versa) will not be suspended, all traffic between the two states will be subject to immigration and customs searches.
“The act sets out clearly the conditions which will be present at the border. If you’re moving by car, you’re ultimately going to be funnelled into a series of border checkpoints wherein you may be asked to prove your identity by producing a passport or government-issued ID (from either Likatonia or Lodamun). If you’re moving by foot, you may be asked by Border Patrol agents (who will be patrolling the hinterland) to prove your identity. If you’re travelling by train, railway checkpoints will be constructed and similar to if you were travelling by car or by foot, you will be asked to prove your identity. Train cars will be stopped, and Border Patrol agents will board said trains to conduct immigration checks throughout the entire train (the experience may vary as it may entail a simple sweep of the train to searches of luggage and other carry-on). Freight trains will be sent through non-invasive x-ray scanners which will be constructed alongside the tracks themselves,” Whitehall Press Secretary Meryl Vinson explained during a press conference. Here she noted that much of the checks and procedures which come with air travel were essentially being translated to cross-border travel as a result of the wall/fence’s construction.
The Department of Domestic Security, which has been designated as the line ministry responsible for the border wall/fence’s construction, has noted that owing to the relative size of the Likatonian-Lodamese border, the construction of the wall/fence, is unlikely to take decades but could be expensive. At the Whitehall Press briefing, the Secretary of Domestic Security Eli Wilson noted that preliminary designs for the border wall/fence would likely place the project’s price tag at some 20.5 billion LOD over a decade-long period. Both the Civil Projects Administration (CPA) and the Lodamese Army’s Corps of Engineers are expected to be attached to the project as the federal government has sought to both fund and construct the wall/fence via public means. Geophones are currently being sourced as Secretary Wilson noted that they may be necessary for persons seeking to dig shallow tunnels underneath the wall/fence’s semi-deep foundations. Some have noted that the economic impact of the border wall/fence and the end of semi-free movement between Likatonia and Lodamun could have varying effects. Here they noted that the flow of remittances between the two states would likely be affected as border patrol agents could impose a limit on the amount of money an individual may have on their person. Others have noted that the flow of goods, services and people would ultimately be affected as trains being searched could cause delays. The Department of Civic Services has noted that it intends to work with the Lodamese Revenue Authority to digitise and simplify the customs/immigration process to allow for greater processing speeds at checkpoints.
RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 02-02-2025
![[Image: HSUW61X.png]](https://i.imgur.com/HSUW61X.png)
Although it had long maintained an internal policy against the proliferation of nuclear weapons and other associated weapons of mass destruction, Lodamun’s ratification of the Treaty to Ban Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Weapons represents a major change in step for Kensington. Whereas previously, it had maintained much of its policy decisions against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in step with the treaty, its ratification has undoubtedly changed the nation’s relationship with the concept of WMD proliferation. This, coupled with the recent detonation of a nuclear weapon in Xsampa by the putsch regime in Yishelem, Beiteynu has prompted Air Force officials to reconsider its hesitance towards actively enforcing the treaty’s articles throughout the world. Even as it had contemplated a broader, more public policy statement against the proliferation of WMDs, the Lodamese Government has reserved a degree of hesitancy as it believed that it might become a slippery slope for the active enforcement of other treaties currently in effect.
Concurrently, Lodamun maintains numerous Open Skies treaties with various nations, which allow for certain military aircraft to pass through various nations’ airspace without harassment. At a press conference held at the Department of Defence building in Kensington, Chief of the Air Force General Walter Lindsey confirmed that the Lodamese Air Force had long contemplated procuring a small fleet of aircraft which were capable of conducting atmospheric testing in search of nuclear explosions. He explained that the immediate aftermath is no longer a consideration as it is “too late” for the Lodamese Air Force to have any meaningful impact. “What we need to do is to determine those nations who are currently conducting nuclear testing as jumping into action after the fact is simply too late. We need to be proactive in identifying those states which place the safety and security of other nations, including ourselves and our Anantonese brothers and sister, at risk,” General Lindsey explained.
Requests for proposals were issued by the DPA in the months immediately following the devastating detonation in Xsampa, with Burrell System and Hemlock-Rogway being major contenders alongside smaller outfits. A major specification for the aircraft, as envisioned by the Air Force, was related to range. It noted that whereas it may be feasible to develop such an aircraft from a business jet, considerations had to be made for the fact that the aircraft may have to loiter in place for extended periods of time alongside having to travel vast distances, especially in those instances where a Lodamese-operated/owned airbase may not be wherein the immediate vicinity. “Notwithstanding those proposals which advanced small to medium-sized business jets as the primary platform of this mission, considerations ought to be made for the fact that these aircraft may have to conduct mid-air refuelling and/or travel vast distances to reach either their area of operation or the nearest Lodamese airbase,” the DPA’s revised specification read.
Additionally, it noted that given the unique role the aircraft is supposed to embark upon, it is likely that it will have to carry numerous sensors in excess of those standards to Lodamese airforce “auxiliary” aircraft. The DPA specification noted that the aircraft must possess air sampling pods which would allow for crews to collect and analyse air samples for radioactive emissions from a fallout. Additionally, it must possess gamma-ray and mass spectrometers to detect and analyse radioactive isotopes. “For all intents and purposes, these aircraft must, by their very nature, become flying analysis labs. It is our view that even though nations may not be a party to the treaty, compliance is still important as most nations agree that these weapons have no place in the modern environment.” General Lindsey concluded.
The DPA ultimately selected the Burrell Systems design, which uses the fuselage of the P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, with four (4) aircraft to be manufactured. Some have noted that given the nature of the mission (i.e. searching for evidence of nuclear explosions), such a task ought to be granted to a high-altitude long-endurance drone similar to the Azuron maritime patrol drone. Proponents have noted that the employment of a drone would ultimately eliminate the need for manned missions which would open up opportunities for other operations. However, officials at Burrell Systems have noted that although such a concept could be designed, the question remains whether it can match the “Able Sniffer” in terms of sensor capacity.
RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 04-02-2025
![[Image: MGZHf3O.png]](https://i.imgur.com/MGZHf3O.png)
In keeping with the transparency established by his predecessors as it pertained to the development and operationalisation of the numerous strategic assets which are becoming increasingly essential to Lodamun’s defence, the Director of the Strategic Defence Agency confirmed that the work to improve GUARDIAN (Global Unified Anti-missile Response and Defence with Integrated Advanced Networking) had been bearing fruit with significant room for improvement. At a press conference held at the agency’s headquarters in Kensington, Admiral Sean Howell noted that building off of the system’s lacklustre performance in previous tests, significant work had been done in improving its subsystems alongside expanding its situational awareness. He noted that the radar networks employed by the batteries ultimately make the missile, pointing to the fact that without knowing both the trajectory and the precise location of the target relative to the battery itself, effective interception becomes impossible. He noted that it was important to separate the Guardian missile defence system from its ability to be employed against aircraft (i.e. combat aircraft, drones etc) and its ability to be employed against ballistic missiles (i.e. SRBM, MRBM).
Guardian’s performance in intercepting aircraft is without question as aircraft fly slower and in more predictable trajectories, which ultimately provide the system’s radar system (although outdated) without enough time to detect, track and finally lock onto targets. Against ballistic missiles, which are primarily known for their steep, high-speed ascent followed by a similar steep, high-speed and evasive descent. He added that when the existence of threat clouds is factored in, which is but one of the means by which missile defence against ballistic missiles is complicated, the Guardian’s performance is thus put into perspective. Threat clouds are the clusters which form when a ballistic missile is in its midcourse phase (i.e. when it reaches the edge of terra’s atmosphere) and are primarily comprised of the debris from the separation of the warhead from the booster, the warheads themselves and decoys employed to confuse ground-based systems. In the absence of an improved radar system to aid the batteries in discriminating/discerning debris and decoys from the actual warheads, effective interception becomes impossible.
Via a joint collaboration between the SDA, the Armed Forces Projects Agency (AFPA) and Carthorn, the Guardian missile defence system had been provided with an enhanced radar suite. Called SA/TPX-78, the system represents the culmination of decades of research by the AFPA into low-tier air and missile defence. In providing a 360° field of view, the system is a set-up from the previous sector-scanning AN/TPX-66, which provided a 120° field of view, thus making it particularly vulnerable from angles in excess of 120°. It was noted that although this new radar struggles to address critical gaps in Guardian’s radar detection landscape, particularly as it pertains to hypersonic weaponry, it ultimately provides the system with an enhanced ability to discriminate/discern targets from “junk”. “AN/TPX-66 was a largely outdated platform. Although it had proved its worth in the past, when put up against a lot of the modern targets on the battlefield be it stealth aircraft, hypersonic weaponry and various ballistic missile threats, the system cannot cope and places the batteries and thus our defence at a unique disadvantage. In collaborating with our partners in the AFPA and Carthorn we were able to detail the specification we want and work in some technical research we had worked on with the AFPA previously into this new radar platform,” Admiral Howell explained.
Pointing to Guardian’s recent performance, he confirmed that the system, as a result of its enhanced radar and situational awareness had successfully intercepted an SRBM, but had ultimately failed to intercept an MRBM. Here it was noted that although the radar had provided the system with an enhanced picture of the “threat environment”, the missile employed by the battery was not fast enough and ultimately failed to intercept. MRBMs are known to fly at speeds in excess of Mach 7, making interception extremely difficult, especially for those systems which operate at a lower Mach. Admiral Howell noted that the agency would ultimately settle on the reality that Guardian ought to primarily be deployed against SRBMs and that the system should not be pushed to be a “jack of all trades”.
RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 14-02-2025
![[Image: NjdW7Cu.png]](https://i.imgur.com/NjdW7Cu.png)
With significant attention swirling about as Likatonian forces continue to mass at the border and as trains and transportation aircraft move thousands of Kalistani troops and supplies to their central staging point in Newport, there have been numerous questions surrounding the details of Lodamese operations as the Department of Defence continues to prepare for a war which looks less like a possibility and more like a reality. At a headlining press conference held at the Department of Defence building in Kensington, Secretary of Defence Andrew Jordan, Chairman of the Combined Chiefs General Steve Bradford and the Commander of Seleyan Command (SELCOM), Lt. Gen. Dave Sullivan spoke to the details of Lodamese preparations, albeit to an extent which might not expose key elements of potential operations. Secretary Jordan recalled that following the chemical weapons strike on Kalistan, President William Tabner ordered the mobilisation of the Commonwealth Guard after it was initially believed that such a broad attack would have been followed up by a major offensive into Lodamun. He noted that the assessment of the DNA (Director of National Assessments) and the ODI (Office of Defence Intelligence), pointed to an enhanced probability that an attack on Kalistan and by extension Lodamun was imminent.
“The assessment we received at the time pointed to the fact that, given the scale and boldness of the attack, it would have been reasonable to assume that a broader invasion of the Anantonese Empire, through Lodamun, was imminent. The presence of Kundrati troops in Likatonia had been raised as further evidence to this assumption,” Secretary Jordan noted. However, even as the mobilisation orders were sent out and some 60,000 troops of the Berkwaki, St. Christopher and Millford Commonwealth Guard had been placed on high alert at the Likatonian-Lodamese border, the “imminent” invasion of the AE, through Lodamun never materialised. In a subsequent address to a joint session of the National Congress, President Tabner proclaimed that notwithstanding the then weakened position of its closest partner, Kalistan, there was a need to eliminate the threat posed by Likatonia and Kundrati on the seleyan continent. “We must turn the threats posed and issued by Likatonia and Kundrati on their head. We must stand strong against those who threaten peace and security in this region. We must be prepared to dislodge and eliminate this threat if need be,” President Tabner proclaimed.
General Bradford recalled that President Tabner’s proclamation had been followed up by orders for the complete mobilisation of the Lodamese Armed Forces alongside directives for the planning of operations against Likatonia. He detailed the broad logistics surrounding the deployment of some 200,000 troops to a central forward operation base in Cranston, Berkwaki. The movement of such an unprecedented number of troops and their supporting equipment including armoured and utility vehicles had been seen as an extremely daunting task, especially in view of the fact that the Lodamese Armed Forces had never seen such a massive deployment of forces in its recent history. Although the Lodamese Air Force had conducted air mobility exercises which involved moving small amounts of troops and equipment between Lodamun and Luthori, this paled in comparison to the effort ordered by President Tabner and Secretary Jordan. Out of a broader necessity to coordinate the efforts of the various branches in moving troops and equipment from their barracks and depots and to the central staging area, the DoD approved the creation of the Lodamese Logistics and Transportation Command (LTC), a structure similar to SELCOM, MAJCOM etc, solely tasked with coordinating the efforts of moving troops from point A to point B, on a theatre and/or potentially planet-wide scope.
This new command, headed by Admiral James Warren sought to establish a clear timeline by which the Lodamese Armed Forces could be realistically moved to the staging area. This entailed a staggered movement of troops. Whereas it had been previously envisioned that all forces of the Army of the Halewood move at once, Admiral Warren argued that such a massive movement of troops would be extremely chaotic and thus, the mobilisation of troops by corps and divisions was favoured. “We immediately set out memos and directives on the divisional level for logisticians to begin readying equipment and troops for forward deployment. It entailed numerous airlift operations; what couldn’t be moved by air was moved by rail; what couldn’t be moved by rail was moved by sea; what couldn’t be moved by sea was moved by trucks in convoys. So we deployed division after division and eventually 1st Corps, Army of the Halewood, was mobilised and that continued as we mobilised 2nd and 3rd Corps,” Admiral Warren explained.
With Kalistani forces being placed under Lodamese Command, Gen. Bradford noted that it was important for a new command structure to be erected which would grant Kalistani forces the necessary tactical and operational independence/flexibility whilst also ensuring they remain in step with the broader objectives. “I am aware that Brigadier General [Martin] Guerra has laid down the gauntlet for Likatonia and has issued a harsh ultimatum to Likatonia to end this conflict before it begins. In the coming days, you will begin to see a new structure emerging which will speak to how we might persecute a conflict with Likatonia,” Gen. Bradford explained. He revealed that the structure in question would likely have Lt. Gen. Sullivan at its helm with a Kalistani Commander (presumably Brig. Gen. Guerra), recognising that SELCOM (Seleyan Command) will maintain operational oversight in the eventuality of open hostilities. He noted that with the deployment of some 250,000 Kalistani troops in Newport, the LTC had contemplated recalling strategic airlift wings from Malivia, Aldegar and Kafuristan with the intention of augmenting the operations of both the Lodamese Air Force and the Kalistani Air Force.
RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 15-02-2025
![[Image: F7BUBvj.png]](https://i.imgur.com/F7BUBvj.png)
As a gradual build-up of forces on the Likatonian-Lodamese border continues, the Lodamese Navy has dispatched its largest amphibious task force to the Artanian Sea in the aftermath of the Idisian (Herculean) battle between the Kalistani and Kundrati Navies around the island of Etxea. In a press statement issued earlier this morning, the Department of Defence confirmed that both President William Tabner and Secretary of Defence Andrew Jordan approved the launching of the largest deployment of Lodamese maritime assets in centuries, with the sole purpose of re-establishing a clear Lodamese presence in the Artanian Sea. “Notwithstanding the brutal exchanges waged in that area, the Lodamese Navy reaffirms its commitment to security in all spaces, especially those who are of significant importance to our national defence and prosperity,” the statement read.
It had been speculated among some OSINT (open-source intelligence) analysts that, given the scale of the attack launched by the Kalistani Navy in the Artanian Sea against the Kundrati Navy and recognising that the latter’s capacity to operate in the area and thus pose a threat to maritime operations had been completely destroyed, it would have been reasonable for the Lodamese Navy to take advantage of both Luthori’s passiveness as well as the lack of meaningful “competition” in the area to cement Lodamun’s presence perhaps permanently. These suspicions were largely aided by reports of Lodamese nuclear attack submarines being temporarily recalled from their posting in the Migrant’s Pass and Dovani, with some OSINT analysts even providing satellite imagery of the LCS-Pickerel, a nuclear attack submarine which had been previously stated to have been operating in the vicinity of the Migrant’s Pass, conducting R&R (rearming and refitting) at Naval Station Amsted in Aldegar.
The Lodamese Navy and by extension the Lodamese Government has been tight-lipped on the circumstances of its own passiveness, as numerous defence officials have avoided answering questions related to why Lodamun, a key ally of Kalistan and a nation which prior to the Battle of the Artanian Sea had a clear presence via Coast Guard and maritime patrol sweeps, had been noticeably absent from much of the fighting. Some defence analysts have poked at the fact that Lodamun had long envisioned a sweeping offensive against a combatant force which would have lent itself to establishing the Lodamese Navy as a clear force in the area. “We’ve been supposedly building up our presence in that area for decades and yet when the opportunity came to utilise that presence and deliver a crippling blow to Kundrati in tandem with our partners in Kaliburg, the Lodamese Navy and all its might was nowhere to be seen,” chided Zac Howard, a defence analyst for the Centre for Geostrategic Policy and Research.
Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Stephen Rush explained that Lodamun’s absence from the naval action in the Artanian was less about operational capacity and more about a lack of coordination among forces. He noted that although the Lodamese Armed Forces remained committed and uniquely tied to Kalistan’s operations in the Artanian Sea, the offensive was ultimately a Kalistani action, undertaken by the nation under the weight of its own capabilities. “We have always maintained that Lodamun will support Kalistani operations to the extent that they allow us to do so. The extremely successful yet devastating naval action in the Artanian Sea represents a purely Kalistani decision; one in which they conducted under the weight of their own capabilities and witt,” Admiral Rush explained. He noted that the action nonetheless demonstrated that the Kalistani Navy, despite previously held notions towards its incapacity, possessed the ability to conduct broadly successful operations without assistance from other nations.
The task force dispatched to the region comprises three St. Christopher-class Amphibious Assault Ships (AAS), three Portswood-class Landing Platform Docks (LPD), three Galley-class Landing Ship Docks (LSD), four Julliet Andrews-class Guided Missile Frigates (CG), three Andrew Neilson-class Guided Missile Destroyers (DDG), two replenishment tankers and an undisclosed number of submarines. The DoD statement noted that the AAS’ complements varied from pure aviation (Harriers, Ospreys) and pure transportation (AAVPs, LAVs, LCACs). Some have noted that although the statement points to the deployment as a means of establishing a clear presence in the region, the complement nonetheless favours amphibious landing operations. “I can understand the Lodamese Navy wanting to finally get off its ass and demonstrate that it is indeed a force to be reckoned with in the Artanian Sea, but why would a Landing Ship Dock be needed?” Zac Howard questioned. “If I wanted to remind nations that I had a role to play in that area, the composition of that task force would have leaned heavily into our guided missile destroyers and frigates, and I would have let it be known that our nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines were in the area.”
When pressed for clarity on the possibility that the task force had been dispatched to support a potential amphibious assault, Artanian Command (ARTCOM) Commander General Ronald Serrano stated that the task force’s principal purpose was to re-establish Lodamun’s presence in the area via active patrols of the Artanian Sea and to continued monitoring of Kundrati maritime movements, even as Kalistani disclosures point to the complete destruction of the Kundrati Navy. “The Task Force was dispatched to the region to re-establish our presence in the area and to monitor Kundrati and by extension Likatonia. We want to ensure that Kasaema can never pose a realistic threat to our interests and those of our partners in this region for the foreseeable future,” General Serrano explained. According to Serrano, inclusive of the Task Force, Azuron maritime patrol drones from Berkwaki and P-8 maritime patrol aircraft from Malivia will enhance their surveillance of the area.
RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 16-02-2025
![[Image: 0iFcFx7.png]](https://i.imgur.com/0iFcFx7.png)
The Lodamese Armed Forces opened an assault on Likatonia earlier this morning with a series of coordinated attacks against military targets and associated infrastructure in what the Department of Defence (DoD) has called a “disruption strike”. As the war against Kundrati continues and amidst Likatonia’s broadening role in the conflict, the DoD had long concluded that the nation constituted a grave threat to regional security owing to both continued presence of Kundrati troops in Likatonia and the nation’s fervent support of the putsch regime in Kasaema. Consent for broad and open hostilities between Likatonia and Lodamun had been gradually built and had been largely precipitated by the latter’s inherent suspicion of the former’s change in step away from the Luthorian Commonwealth and into the arms of the otherwise uncertain Kundrati Legionary State. Via a specially convened jointed session of the National Congress, President William Tabner stated that it was imperative that Lodamun “severe fascism’s foothold on the Seleyan continent,” adding that the nation could no longer sit idly and support its allies against Kundrati from the sidelines.
“Fascism and its supporters must be stomped out of the Seleyan continent as it has no place nor role in our modern space. Thus, we can no longer sit idly and support our allies from the sidelines, but we must meet these clear threats to regional and global security with our strength,” President Tabner proclaimed. Intelligence reports suggested that although Likatonia’s role in the conflict thus far had been largely limited to augmenting the efforts of the Kundrati Navy in its engagements against the Kalistani Regular Navy in the Artanian Sea, their presence nonetheless poses a serious challenge to Kalistani defence planners as they adjust to the reality of waging a conflict against two nations, given the otherwise professional acumen of Kalistani sailors. President Tabner pointed to this as further causation for Lodamese offensive action against Likatonia. “It is clear that Likatonia’s support for Kundrati, although minimal and largely contained to naval engagements with the Kalistani Regular Navy, has undoubtedly tipped the scales in favour of Kasaema. The enabling hand Likatonia has had in advancing Kundrati’s efforts against our allies must be checked,” Tabner concluded.
At a press conference held at the Department of Defence building in Kensington, Secretary of Defence Andrew Jordan alongside Chairman of the Combined Chiefs General Steve Bradford and the Commander of SELCOM (Seleyan Command) Lt. General Dave Sullivan, Secretary Jordan established that the aforementioned air attack had been aimed at crippling Likatonia’s ability to pose a serious threat to Lodamese operations going forward. Here he noted that the recently assembled Defence Council had been deliberating what an opening strike against Likatonia would look like, with some of the proposals ranging from an amassed artillery barrage across the country to an indiscriminate aerial bombing campaign. It was ultimately decided that a disruption strike against the Likatonian Air Force and key strategic military targets would be the backbone of Lodamun’s “opening volley” in the war. Electronic warfare aircraft from the Lodamese Air Force took off from numerous airfields throughout Lodamun with the intent of establishing a screen for F-16s and F-15s from the Commonwealth Air Guard and the Lodamese Air Force to begin their sorties.
Lt. General Sullivan, as the designated Commander of the Lodamese Armed Forces’ operations against Likatonia, noted that the involvement of electronic warfare aircraft as the spearhead of the attack was essential as the close proximity of Lodamun to Likatonia made it such that Likatonian radar could, in some instances look directly into Lodamun. With this reach into Lodamun proper, radar crews could ultimately see the Lodamese air offensive being formed. “We wanted to ensure that we could blind and confuse the Likatonian Command and Control (C2) centres. Not wanting to give away the fact that we were about to launch such an ambitious opening strike against the nation, it was imperative that electronic warfare aircraft went to work in disrupting the ability of those radar stations to provide real-time information on our airborne movements,” Lt. Gen. Sullivan explained. The strikes had been organised in layers with numerous targets rationalised on a hierarchy of “importance to kill”. Likatonian airports (civilian and military), anti-air batteries, radar stations, aircraft bunkers and the aircraft themselves, command and control centres were all recognised as priority targets, with minor civilian infrastructure such as government buildings being designated as secondary or third-echelon targets.
Some of the pilots involved in the strikes recalled their experiences. “I mean, it was really different from the exercises. You’d think to yourself: “I wonder when this exercise is going to end”, but then you’d come to the realisation that this is the real thing. That we are in open hostilities with our neighbour and the threat of being shot down and killed is now real,” Cpt. Thomas Owen, an F-16 pilot attached to the St. Christopher State Air Guard explained. “We’ve been trained to fly night-time missions, to fly in otherwise horrendous conditions, but something happens in that cockpit that I can’t really explain beyond you take time to process what’s happening.” Although the strikes came as a surprise to the Likatonian Air Force, some Lodamese crews did report extended engagements with Likatonian Air Force which were already airborne whilst others contended with Likatonian air defences. “It was a humbling experience to get notched on the radar by the Likatonian jet. He was attempting to paint me on radar but my ECM pod wouldn’t allow for him to lock onto me so that this air-to-air missiles could get a proper solution on me,” Cpt. Patrick Robinson explained. “By the time I had gotten myself into that engagement, I had long expended most of my munitions on other targets [we were tasked with dropping GBU-8s on cargo planes parked on an air base apron]. With him being unable to get a proper lock and me not being able to fire any BVR air-to-air missiles, I knew that we’d have to settle it in a dogfight. I had information coming in from AWACS that the aircraft I was unfortunately matched with was an LF-15 Red Deer. I know you might want me to tell you that I got him but actually, he bested me. I had too much speed and failed to get him in the closure. He rolled, took out my engines and I had to punch out over Eastern Bolton.” Cpt. Robinson was subsequently rescued by a combat search and rescue team. Lt. Gen. Sullivan confirmed that of the 200 Lodamese Air Force involved in the strikes, 30 had been shot down either by Likatonia air defences or in aerial engagements and some 67 airmen had been killed or missing as a result of the action which is now being coined Operation Brandy. He proclaimed broad success, noting that the strikes had resulted in the decimation of the bulk of the Likatonian Air Force.
Beyond strikes against key military installations and Likatonian aircraft, Operation Brandy also attempted to achieve a decapitation strike against the Likatonian Government. Lt.Gen. Sullivan confirmed that the Lodamese Navy had launched a series of TLAM attacks against the Likatonian capital in Clovisport with the intention of decapacitating Likatonian political leadership. He noted that the Lodamese Navy had launched a series of TLAMs at Clovisport, however, the attack was ultimately unsuccessful as a series of mechanical failures, largely as a result of the telemetry, resulting in the TLAMs falling short of their intended targets. “Admiral [Russell] Hutchinson, the Commander of the Lodamese Navy forces under Operation Brandy, explained that the TLAMs had either crashed in the hinterland en route to Clovisport or became confused as a result of telemetry issues. This is par for the course and does not represent a critical failure of the overall weapons’ ability,” Lt. Gen. Sullivan explained. Whitehall Press Secretary Chris Baldwin justified the failed decapitation strike. “Notwithstanding the fact this morning failed attack, we remain resolute in our determination to eliminate those who endanger peace and security on this continent. Our forces attacked with precision and in accordance with international law. This “decapitation strike”, is but the first of many as we continue to dislodge the threat that is Likatonia and its association with Kundrati,” PS Baldwin said.
RE: Lodamun - imperialpearl - 16-02-2025
![[Image: h9Du339.png]](https://i.imgur.com/h9Du339.png)
As if the recent bombing campaign against the Likatonia had not been a sign of future actions against the nation, the Lodamese Army pierced the Likatonian-Lodamese border earlier this morning via a combined arms assault against pre-positioned, entrenched Likatonian Army formations. Artillery formations comprising MLRS (multiple launch rocket systems), towed field artillery and self-propelled howitzers hammered entrenched and fortified Likatonian positions along the border in an attempt to both weaken the morale of the supposedly battle-hardened soldiers and “soften” said formations for the ensuing invasion force. It had been previously reported within the Likatonian media that the nation’s armed forces had mobilised some 70,000 troops to the border in anticipation of an invasion from Lodamun, with commentators noting: “If our adversaries think that we will roll over, they are wrong”. The artillery barrage against these entrenched troops had been accompanied by an additional round of airstrikes and TLAM (Tomahawk Land Attack Missile) strikes, with the latter being primarily aimed at hardened bunkers and other installations along the border.
Speaking at the DoD’s press briefing earlier, Secretary of Defence Andrew Jordan stated that the decision to invade Likatonia did not come without significant discussion as he noted that both President William Tabner and Vice-President Isaac Turner weighed the options of Lodamun formally entering the conflict against Kundrati and Likatonia. “Notwithstanding our obligations to our partners in Kalistan, we [the administration] have weighted our options and it is our belief that we must intervene to bring the fascist link between Likatonia and Kundrati to an end. The enabling role Likatonia plays in advancing Kundrati’s machinations represents one of the foremost dangers to security on the Seleyan continent,” Secretary Jordan explained. Secretary Jordan noted that since the mobilisation of troops to the Likatonian-Lodamese border, the Lodamese intelligence community, more specifically the Office of Defence Intelligence (ODI) had been conducting reconnaissance on troop formations and movements along the border. Aided by Kalistani reconnaissance satellites, Secretary Jordan noted that the ODI had been documenting the various pieces of equipment being deployed to the border alongside troops including tanks, armoured personnel carriers and short-range air defence systems.
The Lodamese Army and Marine Corps had been amassing forces in Cranston where for much of the period prior to the commencing of broad hostilities with Likatonia, the strategic planning for the ground invasion had been headquartered. Trains hauled self-propelled artillery batteries, and armoured vehicles (including tanks, armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles) from their storage depots in eastern Berkwaki and other parts of the country whilst strategic airlifts aided in bringing supplies and troops to the central staging point at Sunderwell Air Force Base near Loxhampton. Some 100,000 troops had been called into active service, the largest mobilisation of Lodamese forces in centuries. Initial plans for the ground invasion were revealed to have contained significant involvement from the Commonwealth Guard, whose superior numbers (when compared to the Lodamese Army) would have provided sufficient numbers for a “mass assault” across the entire Likatonian-Lodamese border. However, as was revealed by recently promoted General Dave Sullivan, the Commonwealth Guard lacked the training needed to act as a spearhead force.
“The Commonwealth Guard has traditionally been positioned as our rear-guard units. The entire structure had been crafted with the sole intent of defending Lodamese territory in a purely defensive capacity. Although they received training to work under combined arms, full-spectrum warfare land doctrine, their baseline is in irregular warfare, which isn’t suited for offensive, conventional engagements,” General Sullivan explained. Having been positioned as the nation’s foremost “shock troops”, the Lodamese Marine Corps had been tasked with leading the offensive. With armoured vehicles and main battle tanks loaned from the Commonwealth Guard, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Combat Force (MECF) kicked off the ground invasion, coined Operation Jackal, with a speedy thunder-dash through the unfinished segments of the Likatonian-Lodamese border fence. Behind them, 1st Corps (Army of the Halewood) formed the bulk of the follow-up units, with their combined armoured, mechanised and motorised infantry assault. As the Marine Corps had not been expected to enter Likatonia without significant air cover, AH-64 attack helicopters accompanied the initial armoured offensive into Norwalk and were reportedly instrumental in engaging Likatonian armoured vehicles and other pieces of equipment in the armoured spearhead’s away.
Some AH-64 pilots recalled a daring raid deep into the western portions of Norwalk. “I’ll be honest with you, I was scared beyond comprehension. We were ordered to fly at tree top level some minutes off midnight. The formation had to be tight,” Cpt. Leonard Parrish, an AH-64 pilot with the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, recalled. “Intel placed significant movement around a train yard near Saultello. Some sort of transhipment point for supplies and equipment heading to the Likatonian border. Now, we knew that we were being hunted. These are loud helicopters and it’s gonna be obvious to the average Likatonian grunt that the sounds of helicopters going to the west weren’t friendly movements. We were a flight of eight birds; Condors 1 through 8. We popped over the forest line a few clicks from the train yard. I saw one of the freight trains, lazed it and called “Rifle” over the radio as the first ATGM left the rails.”