Turn 57 - And Arrogance Their Weakness
Nowa Warszawa
Reinforcements arrive, allowing your forces to be confident in holding their beachhead against any foreseeable counter attack. There is increasing partisan activity among the majority non-Polish civilian population, primarily sabotage, roadside bombs, and the like. Polish natives are also engaging in retaliatory attacks on non-Polish civilians, and violence between the groups is growing.
In the last week there have been 158 murders attributed to the violence, almost all the victims are civilians from the two groups. Attempts to mediate between them have so far failed, with at least one such meeting being bombed by radical Polish elements, killing three of our soldiers who were present. We have taken about a dozen casualties from snipers, believed to be non-Polish insurgents, possibly ISF embeds.
Curfews have been established and infantry forces are currently enforcing separation zones between the two populations, but the situation is highly volatile. The new Mechanized Regiments are finding themselves acting as military police as we attempt to keep things from boiling over.
It is noted that several dozen non-Polish civilians who had publicly advocated for calm were subsequently found dead despite enhanced security, mostly in bombings. Unfortunately in at least one case that bombing was perpetrated by a Home Army cell, who have been taken into custody after it was found they were engaging in numerous revenge attacks.
Funerals for the dead have proven to be highly prone to violence, requiring very heavy military police presence to keep things from erupting into riots. It is sadly expected that the situation will grow worse as more of the planet is liberated. We have two populations on this planet who absolutely hate and despise each other. This is not going to end cleanly.
Interestingly, contrary to expectations there have been no propaganda transmissions from the Drac Palace, although the Otomo are confirmed to be present. No threats, no demands, no challenges, complete silence. There have been no actual attempts at a counter attack, just units digging in in defensive works, although the Dracs make a point of setting up their defensive lines in areas with large numbers of civilians, making it very… challenging… to deal with from orbit. After all, who wants to fire sub-cap weapons at a playground where there are kids playing around the dug in enemy tanks?
In orbit things are cleaner, the reinforcements from home have arrived and Thanh leads a fast task force centered around
Bainbridges off to strike at the remaining shipyards. There is minimal resistance, but both yards self-destruct in nuclear detonations as she closes on them. Surrounding habitats and stations also detonate as their own self-destructs activate, obviously the result of fanatical ISF agents.
You now have complete control of system space.
How do you handle the situation?
[] | Favor the Poles and crush the Drac civilians ruthlessly |
[] | Attempt to mediate between both sides and keep the peace |
[] | Write-In |
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Griffon
You decide to allow the K-1 to land on Griffin’s Roost, although you are most certainly not present at the drop port for fear of this being a suicide attack.
It isn’t, but perhaps far more surprising.
There are two occupants in the shuttle, the pilot and one other who remains aboard, so you don’t know who they are. But the pilot, judging by the voice in the coms, disembarks. Not dressed in a flight suit or anything practical like that, but rather in an incredibly formal kimono, with all of the traditional accoutrements of a samurai at a formal occasion, everything done perfectly, not a single hair out of place… and very obviously Siriwan Kurita herself, come to conduct the negotiations on her own in complete defiance of expected behavior.
This is a surprise.
It remains to be seen what kind of surprise.
What posture do you take in the negotiations?
[] | Aggressive - the Dracs are your enemies, first and last, and you trust her not at all |
[] | Formal - She has chosen to embrace formality, do the same, and see what comes of it |
[] | Write-In |