December 22, 1640

Calmicus (Mirishial) Sea

1200 miles from Cartalpas Strait

Grade Atlastar-Class Battleship, GVS Valhalla, Fifth Conquest Fleet

Fleet Admiral Alaric Dietrich, a stern, battle-hardened veteran, presided over the large strategic map table in the command center aboard his flagship, the GVS Valhalla. His piercing grey eyes scrutinized the placement of the figurines on the table, representing the forces of the Fifth Conquest Fleet and the EDI Cartalpas Fleet. To his side stood Vice Admirals Karl Feldt, Otto Steinberg, and Erik Halvard, each in command of a battlegroup within the fleet.

“Let us review our plan once more,” Dietrich began, his voice as firm as iron, “Cartalpas is not some backwater base like Kylona or Osperis. It is a vital, fortified city – the financial heart of the Holy Mirishial Empire. If we storm in guns blazing, we’ll suffer losses on par with the disastrous battles of Otaheit and Hytal. So, we shall execute our plan in distinct phases.”

Vice Admiral Steinberg, a stout man with a face hardened by numerous skirmishes against Kain, recalled the details of the operation. “An assault that makes the most of our submarines and carrier tactics.”

“Indeed, Otto,” Dietrich began, his tone reflecting the gravity of what lay ahead. “Our objective is to ruin as much Cartalpas infrastructure as possible, to prevent usage by the Americans. Phase One begins with the deployment of scouts around the Cartalpas Sea. Forces from Mirkenses’ Fourth Conquest Fleet will engage EDI defenses along Calmicus Island and attempt to establish a beachhead near the western port city of Junnaral. Intelligence suggests the EDI has two more Pal Chimerae – one in Runepolis and one in Cartalpas. Spies in Cartalpas also confirm the presence of at least one plasma dragon. Ideally, Mirkenses’ assault will draw some Cartalpas superweapons away while we enter the Cartalpas Strait between Calmicus Island and Follicus Island.”

Vice Admiral Feldt, always one to consider contingencies, posed, “And what of the Americans? They’ve already entered the war; it’s only a matter of time before they arrive to help the Mirishials.”

Dietrich explained, “Indeed, we must assume that the Americans already know where we are, and what we are doing at all times. As such, Marcus and Reinhard have taken two battlegroups to Galavete, where there is an American base. Their objective will be to delay the Americans by putting pressure on their holdings – a quick hit and run to distract the Americans while we lay siege to Cartalpas.”

Vice Admiral Halvard crossed his arms, uncertainty plastered on his face. “We still do not know much about these Americans, aside from the fact that they have missiles more advanced than the Mirishial Comet. Most of our knowledge of these Americans comes from small arms sold to the Muans and unverified hearsay from our spies around the world. They may have weapons we are unfamiliar with. Will two battlegroups be enough?”

Feldt seconded Halvard’s concerns, “Pre-war intelligence states that the Americans have aerial, naval, and army assets there. There’s no telling how much has changed since then. As of last month, we’ve obtained visual confirmation of four destroyers, one cruiser, and some supply ships. Based on the overall development of the base so far, we can estimate that they have 3 squadrons of aircraft at most, alongside a group of larger aircraft that we can only assume to be bombers or passenger planes – much like those seen in American airports. Some appear to have strange contraptions, like a disc or dome attached to the top.”

Dietrich responded to their worries with confidence, “On top of this great vessel, our Fifth Conquest Fleet and its five battlegroups has 10 Pegasus-class fleet carriers, 25 Cygnus-class escort carriers, 20 Hercules-class battleships, 5 Mjolnir-class battleships,30 Taurus-class heavy cruisers, 90 Aries-class light cruisers, 250 Perseus-class destroyers, and 60 Seehund-class submarines. The two battlegroups dispatched to Galavete contain two-fifths of our entire fleet. Certainly, they may have weapons we are unfamiliar with, but we can estimate the capabilities of these weapons based on what we’ve seen so far.”

Dietrich continued, “We’ve learned how to better resist the onslaught of Mirishial missiles; American missiles are likely not that different. As long as we keep our distance, we should be fine. The Americans are advanced, but we are not that far behind. This discrepancy can be made up with numbers. Hundreds of aircraft and more than a hundred ships should be sufficient to tackle this small base, which has five warships and a handful of fighters and bombers. If we can handle five Orichalcum-class battleships easily, then five destroyers and cruisers should not be a major issue. As for their fighters: they may be advanced, but we have many more fighters than they have missiles. And their bombers will not be able to pass through our screens of aircraft.”

Halvard accepted Dietrich’s reasoning, adding his own thoughts. “I… I think it may be best if we first probe the American defenses with a light wave of aircraft. Their capabilities may prove greater than we’ve anticipated.”

“Indeed,” Feldt concurred, “if the situation turns out differently, Marcus and Reinhard can pull away and harass other ports or cities throughout Galavete.”

“Yes,” Dietrich nodded, seeing their reasoning. “If they attack the American base head-on, they may suffer incredible losses and will not be able to distract the American reinforcements properly.”

“Moving on,” Dietrich’s finger tapped the figurine representing the GVS Niflheim and its accompanying submarine squadrons. “The next move falls to our Seehund-class submarines.”

Shifting the Niflheim figurine slightly on the map, he explained, “The Niflheim and her squadrons will serve as our hidden trackers. Their first mission: to shadow the enemy. Their role is to identify fleet formations, discern patrol patterns, and possibly lay in wait for ambush opportunities. They can also keep an ear out for sonar nets—though this will be a passive role. In-depth reconnaissance should be left to our screening forces, equipped with recon planes. We can't expect our submarines to communicate or relay real-time information while submerged, but they can offer a clandestine layer of observation. They’ll be fighting the Mirishials as if they are fighting Kain.”

Placing the icon closer to Cartalpas, he elaborated, “Direct confrontations will be avoided unless essential to preserve their concealed advantage.”

Vice Admiral Feldt, wary of the strategy, asked, “If they run into trouble? If they’re spotted?”

Unwavering, Dietrich responded, “They’ve been trained for such scenarios against Kain. Dive deep, make use of thermal layers, go silent. They’ll defend if necessary but will maintain an open extraction path. We don’t want to trade punches just yet; we must first gather intelligence and create uncertainty.”

Pressing on, Dietrich expanded, “Upon obtaining a clear understanding of the enemy’s naval layout, the subs will pivot to subtle disruption and containment – simulating deceptive radio or manacomm traffic, sabotaging power nodes and sonar networks, blockading the enemy within Cartalpas Bay, and gathering data on prototype mana jammers.”

Feldt squinted his eyes slightly, catching a possible point of concern. “Manacomm traffic and mana jammers? I assume these use magic equipment?”

Dietrich responded, “Indeed, but such devices exhibit minuscule signals and only when in operation. Under the EDI’s magical armada, it would be a drop in the ocean; impossible to detect, let alone use to hunt our submarines.”

Feldt gave a nod, his concern satisfied.

Dietrich continued, “Their actions will be discreet, aiming to instill a sense of unease and doubt. But we must also consider our priority threats.”

He moved his hand over the depiction of the Mirishial Orichalcum-class battleships. “These are not to be underestimated. With their Comet-1 Anti-ship missiles, they are capable of striking our most vital vessels from a significant distance. These battleships will be the primary targets for our submarine squadrons.”

Admiral Steingberg’s eyes narrowed, understanding the stakes. “Those missiles could wreak havoc on our fleet carriers.”

“Exactly, Otto,” Dietrich affirmed, which is why some of our subs will be tasked with a critical mission. Once they have identified the battleships’ locations, they will position themselves to strike. Utilizing torpedoes and undersea cunning, they’ll aim to neutralize these threats before our surface fleet comes within missile range. If they are still capable, our subs will then go after Mirishial carriers.”

Vice Admiral Feldt chimed in, “And our air wings? Will they be part of this phase?”

Dietrich nodded his head. “The air assets will work in tandem with the chaos sown by our submarines. The Orichalcum-class battleships must be dealt with swiftly. Though our submarines are best suited for this task, combining this with an aerial assault should increase our chances of achieving this objective. Successfully eliminating or crippling their Orichalcums will greatly diminish the Mirishials’ capabilities, giving us a significant advantage as we proceed to subsequent phases.”

He continued, his voice measured, “Once we’ve stirred up the hornet’s nest with Phase One, we move into Phase Two, which will be split into two groups.” He picked up the finely detailed miniatures of the Pegasus and Cygnus-class carriers, positioning them strategically on the outer sectors of the map.

Steinberg leaned forward, curiosity piqued. “What’s the approach here, Admiral?”

“Patience and precision, Otto. Our focus will be on attrition, forcing the Mirishials to spread their defenses thin by attacking from various vectors. Call it a Multi-Vector Assault, if you will.

Halvard pressed, “Could you elaborate, Admiral? How exactly are we to execute this?”

Alaric gestured to the map, crisscrossed with intricate lines dividing it into alphanumeric grid squares, similar to the modern American military grid reference system (MGRS). “Of course, Erik. Let’s consider our options and intelligence.”

Pointing to a grid near the fjord-like formation that made up Cartalpas Bay, he continued, “Due to historical American electronic warfare, our SIGINT and ELINT units are now equipped with mana communications and detection madar. Our forward units have reported an increased concentration of mana signals from grid B3. A concentration of EDI forces, most likely their primary defenses.”

Feldt leaned closer to the map, eyes narrowing at the coordinates. “So, our first wave attacks B3 and, say, E6?”

“Correct, Karl,” Dietrich affirmed, moving to the grid southeast of Cartalpas Bay, near the entrance of the fjord’s inlet. “But we won’t stop there. Our aircraft will also strike at these locations,” he said, pointing to other grids surrounding Cartalpas Bay, “forcing the Mirishials to adjust their defenses. We’ll monitor their reactions through SIGINT.”

Halvard, remembering his battlegroup’s role in this operation, added, “Then we hit them elsewhere, as they shift.”

“Indeed, Erik,” Dietrich replied, pointing at the other grids like a pianist chaining keys together. “Your second wave will attack from completely different vectors. We’ll continue this pattern, constantly shifting based on intelligence and feedback. The Mirishial air defenses are consolidated, supported by superweapons and illusion magic. If we immediately attack the port infrastructure, our aircraft will be swarmed by illusions. We must drain their magic supplies first in order to achieve air superiority.”

He took a step back, letting the plan sink in. “We need to complete our objective as fast as possible. These attacks are pressure tactics, designed to pummel and weaken the enemy until we have an opening to target the port’s infrastructure.”

Halvard frowned, concern in his eyes. “What of the Americans? It is only a matter of time before Marcus and Reinhard are forced away by an American fleet. If the Mirishials bog us down long enough, the delay earned by the Galavete diversion will not be enough.”

“Indeed, no battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy,” Dietrich conceded, his voice tinged with the gravity of the situation. “While we engage the EDI forces, a battleship division combined with two submarine flotillas will block the eastern entrance to the strait. We also have numerous recon fleets keeping an eye on the region. Once the Americans show their faces, we will retreat. In order to complete our objective of destroying important infrastructure, we must walk a fine line. It’s a delicate balance. We must be aggressive enough to pressure them, yet measured in our expenditures. Every move, every decision must be calculated.”

The room went quiet as the men absorbed the depth of the strategy. The plan to hammer the enemy from afar while completing their objectives before the Americans arrived was indeed an intricate dance, requiring careful coordination, intelligence, and restraint. It was a challenging game, but one they had to play.

The silence lingered like a dense fog, only to be sliced through by Feldt. “Admiral, what about their superweapons – the plasma dragons and that… monstrosity they call the Pal Chimera? What if the Fourth Conquest Fleet fails to draw it away?”

Dietrich nodded, his face hardening. “A valid concern, Heinrich, and one that we have not taken lightly.” He moved to the small fleet of miniature Rigel bombers and Antares Kaisers, each one meticulously detailed. “Our Antares Kaiser squadrons are our trump cards in the air, but they aren’t miracle workers. Against the Wind Dragons and the Alpha-4 fighters, they’ll have their hands full. The Rigels will be crucial here.”

He motioned towards the cluster of models, almost as if he were a conductor leading an orchestra of war. “Though slower than the Kaisers, the Rigels’ hardpoints are able to accommodate MR-3 rockets. We don’t have the Americans’ guided munitions, but these rockets should be sufficient against a target the size of a plasma dragon or Pal Chimera. Prior battles indicate around 40 of these rockets for a plasma dragon, 60 for the Chimera – 40 for its shields, and 20 for the hull.”

He paused, looking each man in the eye. “I won’t sugarcoat it, gentlemen. The EDI aren’t amateurs; they have Americans whispering in their ears. They’ll defend their prize assets fiercely. Our pilots should expect AA defenses like we’ve never seen, and we must also be prepared for magical countermeasures.”

“But our mission isn’t solely the destruction of these assets. If we force them to exhaust their energy and retreat, that’s a significant win that will allow us to clean up the EDI surface fleet and commence our attack on the port infrastructure. It aligns with our strategy of attrition.” Dietrich’s voice was firm, unyielding.

“The intensive training regimen for our Rigel crews is close to completion. It will be grueling, with only several weeks of training, but with targets as large as the plasma dragon and Pal Chimera, I believe they’ll be up to the task. And remember, gentlemen, we have numbers and technology on our side. Ten fleet carriers, twenty-five escort carriers. That’s an armada they can’t hope to counter.”

His eyes returned to the map, studying the pieces like a general studying the battlefield. “This will be a brutal fight, but far less brutal than what Caesar experienced during the Battle of Otaheit. We’ve improvised. We’ve adapted. And now, with the precision, audacity, and courage of our men, we shall overcome.”

The rear admirals nodded, each man absorbing the enormity of what was being proposed.

Dietrich cleared his throat, drawing their attention to a new aspect of the plan. “Gentlemen, once we’ve put the enemy on the back foot, we commence Phase Three.” His hand moved to a ring of battleships, cruisers, and destroyers encircling a cluster representing the EDI fleet.

“This phase is all about containment. Our big guns will establish a naval blockade around the Cartalpas Fjord. We’ll use our new magical ELINT – or MAGINT – capabilities to track their communications and positions.”

Halvard nodded, grasping the intent. “The enemy will want to attack our carriers, but we’ll be too far from their striking range. Our surface fleet will keep them contained, preventing them from chasing us. Though, wouldn’t this risk some of our fleet? Why not simply conduct a hit and run strategy where we continuously kite the enemy?”

Feldt resonated with Halvard’s concern. Despite his cautious nature, he sided with Dietrich’s aggressive strategy. “There is a greater risk at hand,” he explained, “the risk of American reinforcements. Normally, we would want to enact the strategy you mentioned in order to minimize losses, but we are in a race against time. Such caution would, unfortunately, take too much time and prevent us from ruining the Cartalpas infrastructure before the Americans arrive.”

Dietrich nodded, “Indeed. We’ll pull back our carriers if the EDI launches a suicide run with their superweapons, but I doubt this will happen. Assuming all Orichalcums and superweapons are dealt with, our carriers must remain within striking range of Cartalpas itself.”

The room fell silent, save for the rhythmic tap of a pencil against the wooden table. The gathered officers stared at the map, their eyes tracing the elaborate movements. The music died down, like a dramatic pause building up to a crescendo. The end was near; they could all feel it.

Dietrich’s voice, calm and resolute, cut through the silence. “Phase Four, gentlemen, is where we bring it all home. Our ultimate objective is to cripple the infrastructure of Cartalpas. We must leave the city in disarray, disrupting the EDI war effort before the Americans come to their aid. We will have the enemy encircled, their reserves drained, their superweapons neutralized. But we cannot afford complacency. The final phase is where we bring the hammer down.”

He moved the pieces on the map, aircraft and submarines converging on the trapped EDI fleet. “By this point, all priority targets would have been neutralized, leaving second-priority targets like Mithril-class battleships. Our submarines will continue their silent hunt, focusing on these targets so our battleships can move in, mop up their fleet, and pound the infrastructure along the port.”

“At the same time, our aircraft will maintain their relentless assault, likely achieving air superiority. Once the EDI fleet is neutralized, our bombers will direct their sights on the city itself, destroying any maritime infrastructure they see, alongside targets determined by our spies.”

Feldt saw another area of concern and interjected, “Admiral, what of their remaining defenses? Given our limitations and the magical nature of enemy defenses, how do we intend to suppress their air cover and deal with shore-based artillery?”

Dietrich nodded, acknowledging the concern. “Indeed, Vice Admiral. Traditional SEAD methods won’t apply here, and electronic warfare is ineffective against their magical technology. There is also a possibility that the Americans interfere with our systems again and disrupt our electronics. However, we do have a number of aircraft and vessels equipped with madar. Thanks to previous battles, we’ve developed magical profiles for the signatures exhibited by various Mirishial units. Our SIGINT personnel will help coordinate targets for bombing runs and naval bombardment.”

He continued, “We will win this battle not through brute force alone but through strategy, precision, and persistence. Every destroyed facility, every sunken ship, every crumbled defense will be a blow to their ability to wage war.”

He looked around the room, meeting the eyes of each officer. “This is our moment, gentlemen. The culmination of everything we’ve worked for. Our strategy is the composition, our fleet the orchestra. Tomorrow, the curtain will fall on Cartalpas, and we will let the enemy hear our symphony of war.”