Entente Alliance, Port Arnelus
Please understand, Mary.
It's only a matter of time until the war reaches the cities.
It's safer for you to leave the country while you can.
What about you, Dad?
I'm sorry.
I wasn't a good father, was I?
No, you're a good dad.
Oh, but you should shave your beard.
Yeah, I should.
Mary, take care of your mother.
And stay healthy.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
Good luck, sir.
Daddy!
It's a little early,
but take good care of your Christmas present!
Colonel Sioux...
Major Gunner.
This is from your daughter.
What is this?
The latest model of submachine gun.
Why would my daughter give me something like this?
Perhaps she wants to help her father fight for his country?
"Anson Sioux."
Your initials, aren't they?
Thus, we'll deliberately pull back the battle lines
Imperial Army Northern Theater, Command Strategy Conference
and reduce the distance supplies must travel to the northern army.
I believe this will make it easier for us to mount a spring offensive.
As always, the ideas front-line officers come up with are quite unique.
Well? What's the opinion of the northern theater's army?
Major Degurechaff, was it?
Yes, sir.
You seem to plan on dragging this out beyond winter,
but we don't want the war to last any longer.
Our priority is to put an end to it as quickly as possible.
But if we do attack, we'll run out of supplies almost immediately
and quickly reach the limits of what we can do.
We're under no obligation to please the enemy by wasting supplies and troops.
At minimum, we have enough for a three-week offensive!
We just need to take out their front-line forces.
The interventions by the Republic and the Allied Kingdom
have greatly strengthened enemy resistance.
I see no way we can take them out in such a short time.
Enough!
I am obligated to register my objections to this.
At this rate, I believe we'll just put severe stress on our front lines.
That's enough out of you!
Are you saying we aren't concerned with the lives of our troops on the ground?!
Watch your mouth!
I'm sorry, sir.
Compared to when I was out west and saw our soldiers starving,
Northern Command here seems to want for nothing,
so I forgot myself.
Y-You bitch!
Return to the western theater, then!
We don't need cowards here!
Is that the consensus of the northern theater?
Shut up!
All right.
Excuse me.
Why won't you stop them?
With our present supply situation, a full offensive is reckless.
Its failure is obvious.
Major, I want you to tell me what you really think.
Without the formalities of a proper proposal.
Sir, I humbly remind you that I am a strategy officer.
I appreciate the request,
but I believe that, out of courtesy for my hosts, I must remain silent.
That's a rather acrimonious way to express one's opinion.
Very well. I'll get to the point.
If, hypothetically, the theater forces were to proceed with their attack plan,
what benefits would it bring?
It would bring some benefits to the western Rhine theater.
It could blind the Republic to our coming offensive against them.
If it went well, isn't it possible it could reduce strain on the western front?
I'm sorry, sir, but I believe that would be difficult.
I can't see the Republic sending the north enough reinforcements
to affect the Rhine front.
If you wish to look at things that way,
we should consider this full-out offensive
nothing more than a decoy to distract the Entente Alliance.
If we consider the front-line offensive a decoy,
its true benefit would be in opening the rear to attack...
The rear?
The rear...
Behind.
Back?
What's wrong, Major?
So the goal of this offensive is to
create a diversion for our troops to land from sea?
Where did you hear that?
Hear what?
About the landing!
Did General Zettour tell you?
I can't believe it.
Well, that's a surprise.
You guessed a plan that only a few officers know about.
I simply realized that it would be an effective plan under these circumstances.
Then we'll use you, after all.
The 203rd Mage Battalion will go in advance of the rest of the landing force.
Yes, sir. We'll do everything we can.
It goes without saying that, strategically, this is close to a surprise attack.
Thus, our landing point needs to be where the enemy would never expect it.
Which means?
The Orse Fjord.
Episode 7 The Battle of the Fjord
Entente Alliance, Orse Fjord
Quite a view, huh?
A narrow, labyrinthine fjord, covered with capes and islands.
The cliffs are steep,
and twenty cannons in the area let us attack from any direction.
No navy in the world could pass through this sea.
Truly a natural fortress, isn't it?
Is there any real need for us to be here?
It does need defenders, though.
I don't like the fact that only our battalion was sent here as reinforcements.
But it's understandable, really.
The Empire has launched a winter offensive on the front lines.
So the brass has their hands full?
Men, you have my gratitude for rising up to defend our homeland.
With the help of youth like you,
our victory is assured!
You have already been promised honor.
So I expect you to fight hard, not fearing death!
Yes, sir!
At this point, all our country can do is ask its youngsters to die.
That's exactly why we adults have to keep fighting, too.
December, Unified Year 1924
I guess it's possible, huh?
Target point approaching.
Cutting engine and preparing to glide.
Everyone, get ready to drop.
Yes, ma'am!
Again, this plan relies on surprise.
We have thirty minutes to capture the fjords.
Second Lieutenant Serebryakov, you're a back-up officer.
If you lose contact with me and the first lieutenants,
command the retreat.
The retreat?
If the first lieutenants and I go down, the mission's a failure.
The rest of you can't beat enemies with the kind of equipment that can take us out.
Man, I feel like a canary in a coal mine.
Let's sing them a pretty song, then.
How does a canary sing, anyway?
"Chirp, chirp," right?
I don't want to hear you guys sing.
Get ready for work.
All right, troops,
it's time for us aerial mages to do what we do best.
You're ready, right?
Yes, ma'am!
Excellent.
Jump!
What's going on?
I don't know.
For some reason, we've lost contact with a patrol ship.
Equipment trouble?
What about the other ships on the patrol line?
The same.
None of the three are responding.
What?
What was that?
Next! Hurry!
Prepare artillery spell!
Fire!
Enemy attack...
Enemy attack!
Wh-Where did they come from?
They paradropped.
Damn it.
Let's get out there!
Coastal gun platforms are engaged.
They're requesting reinforcements.
Get them out there via rail!
Why are they only attacking the cannon emplacements?
Battalion Commander, enemy reinforcements!
Battalion-sized unit of mages is approaching fast!
They responded fast.
Company 1, prepare to engage!
Major, engaging with a single company is too dangerous.
We can handle it!
You silence those damn guns!
Roger!
Company 1, follow me.
I don't like it,
but it's better than having them take out my troops and trap me.
Incoming counterattack.
The enemy is company-sized.
Company-sized?
They don't see us as a threat, huh?
We're heading in. Prepare for close-range combat!
By now, the North Sea Fleet should have crossed the enemy patrol line.
If those gun emplacements can't be taken out in thirty minutes,
the fleet will have to turn back.
If that happens, we'll have performed the largest, most spectacular
"landing training exercise" in the history of man.
And our reputation will be ruined.
Trap them!
Don't let them trap you!
Maintain altitude! Take them out!
Do they have those guns down yet?
Are we done?
Not yet.
They're here!
Fire!
Enemy mages sighted.
We're running out of time.
Just keep firing.
Don't stop for a second!
Multiple casualties! We're being pushed back!
Hang in there till reinforcements arrive!
But at this rate—
Major Gunner!
I'm dying from overwork here.
But I can't bail just because this wasn't in the contract.
God...
Why?
Why... Why is she here?
Out of my way!
If I run, there goes my career...
What?
Wonderful.
No overtime today.
I repeat.
All companies have succeeded in silencing the guns!
Reporting!
Our defensive forces are losing the battle!
We will head to the coast and aid the defense.
Thus—
Mission complete.
Everyone, withdraw!
Not yet.
It isn't over yet!
Enemy pursuit.
One mage incoming.
Damned fanatical patriots!
With that speed, he has a lot of kinetic energy built up.
Oh, Lord,
in the Father and Son's name,
bring down the lightning of judgment.
God, I pray you give me strength to destroy that devil!
I will never let my homeland fall!
I've seen you somewhere before.
Not that it matters.
M-Mary...
It's a little early,
but this will make a perfect Christmas present to myself.
Capture the railroads!
And the supplies!
Cheers!
Quite a sight, huh?
It's not over yet.
Our defeat isn't set in stone yet.
The North Sea Fleet's landing mission has succeeded.
Orse City railroads are under our control.
Now, we can use the enemy's railways to resupply ourselves.
Bold as ever...
So you kicked the enemy's ass from behind, huh?
We can attack from both front and rear now.
We can end a battle that's lasted too long.
It feels a bit early to say for certain,
but we have landed a truly decisive blow.
Unified Year 1925 Unified States, State of Arkansas
And now, in world news,
an update on the Norden situation from DC Broadcasting.
Last December,
the Empire ran a successful landing operation at Orse Fjord,
in the Entente Alliance's northern region.
The coastal defense forces were wiped out,
and many casualties were incurred.
After occupying Orse City,
the Empire launched a large-scale assault from the north and south,
which resulted in the de facto occupation of the nation's capital.
It's believed to be only a matter of time before the Entente Alliance surrenders.
The situation will continue to be monitored.
Next Time Trial by Fire
This program is fiction. All persons, groups, places, laws, and names appearing in it have no relation to the real world.