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// Prologue 
// Story: Soldier pony:Siege of Stalliongrad 
// by DominicTheWise 
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Prologue

Nightmare Moon continued flying away from Canterlot, chuckling to herself as she though on how easy it was to convince the foalish Luna to let her into the young alicorns heart. Oh yes, Luna's name would be known by everypony as soon as she was done. "Now, off to gain worthy allies," she said, thinking out loud as she banked towards the first city on her long list, Manehatten.

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Nightmare Moon, after the possession of Luna, gained many allies. Two years later, her plans were ready to put into motion.

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Nightmare sat at the head of the war table, covered in maps and reports, surrounded by the commanders of her army. Iron Flank, commander of her armored divisions, sat nearest to her left. She was an earth pony with a light grey coat, a dark grey mane, an iron pipe as her cutie mark. Her decorated black uniform was pristine and every medal polished until they shined blindingly. She sat on her cushion and was currently looking over reports of her elite 501st armor brigade and other units. Closest to her right was the leader of the infiltrators squadrons, the secretive Silent Thunder, who waited her command to send the coded message to start the sabotage campaign. He had an ordinary appearance of a brown coat, blond mane, and a cutie mark of a closed book. The Shadowbolts commander, ShadowDread, was out with his troops but would be sending a message when all squadrons were in place. Everypony else she didn't care enough to learn about their worthless lives.

Getting up from her cushion, the murmuring in the room stopped and all eyes turned to her.

"We are about to make history, my loyal followers," her smooth voice demanded all attention. "All ponykind will see we are right when we make the great country of Equestria into the greatest military force anywhere." This was greeted by applause of everypony in the room.

She walked towards the door but paused and turned around, her eyes filled with determination.

"Prepare to change Equestria for the better!"

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The Nightmare army, consisting of Iron Flank's elite 501st armor brigade, the Nightmare basic infantry 5th division, and the 16th Artillery regiment was sent to invade Stalliongrad. After a massive aerial bombardment by the Elite 1st recon Shadowbolts air brigade, sent to pave the way for the infantry.

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"The first waves wait above the clouds over all of Celestia's biggest cities for the go ahead to start the plan, Mistress" A Pegasus in a dark purple jumpsuit stood at attention before the second most powerful being in Equestria. His wings ruffled slightly, the thin metal plates under his wings jingling, before continuing.

"All reports from the commanders show no response from the local Royal guard garrisions and all squadrons are outfitted with the weapons you requested." He retrieved the reports out of his saddlebag and pushed them across the polished wood desk.

Nightmare Moon glanced at the reports, noting that all her requests had been met with all-out compliance, before looking straight at the Pegasus. The Pegasus was freaking out on the inside until a wicked smile graced her muzzle.

"Make sure they leave nothing untouched!"

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Expecting little to no resistance, the advance force of the invasion entered the city arrogantly. What they meet was the Sun Guard.

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The Advanced force had walked unopposed all the way to the outer city.

Soldier ponies now joked and played around the camp, most saying any enemy force had been killed by the bombardment. Much of the force had already started celebrating, bringing out bottles and instruments, and generally having a good time. None of them saw the shadows around them until it was too late.

When the main body of the invasion force found the camp every single pony of the advance force had been piled into a pit and set ablaze. Many in the pit looked to have been alive when the inferno had started.

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The Sun Guard, made as a last ditch effort to hold the city, consisting mainly of poorly trained but brutal civilians, a small armored brigade, and a even smaller air force. All are devoted to seeing the city freed from the siege. They are led by the few trained officers left. The Royal Guard, busy fighting on multiple fronts, has only sent a highly trained squad of four Wonderbolts, armed for dog fighting airborne foes. Their training of some of the local Pegasus have made a highly formidable air force.

There are a great many who find their special talent in war such as marksmanship, demolition, and other war related fields. A great many who had simpler talents like sculpting or farming now found themselves thrown into the war.

It has been close to a year since the invasion of the mighty city began, and the battle is still going strong with vicious street by street fighting. The Nightmare army's massive armor brigade and tactics have been rendered useless in the tight, rubble filled streets. As the fighting goes on as the Nightmare army tries to hold its position versus a seemingly endless enemy. Hundreds of small squads of Sun Guard ponies scour through the wreckage looking for vulnerable targets, deep within enemy controlled land.

And so our story begins in the remains of the outer city as one such squad fights for the freedom of their fair city and for the glorious Princess….