All Quiet on the Equestrian Front

by Tempest Wind

The War Room

“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.”

Ten

The War Room

—

The Command Center map Room was thick with tobacco smoke, as cigars and pipes were lit and smoked from, a typewriter chattering away in a far corner of the room, as the officers discussed their state of affairs.

“Twenty-third Armored Division has punched through the Shire Defensive line as according to the goal of Supercharge.” One of the gathered Commanding Officers- General Blueblood, Of the Shire Front, stated. The prince-turned savior of the army during its early days frowned, then continued. “Fell short of Vanhoover by about sixty miles though. Changelings have rolled out some sort of new super-tank into combat service. Nigh impenetrable from the front. From recovered wrecks, we believe it to be called the Panzerkampfwagen six, or the ‘Tiger’ Heavy Tank.”

“It’s Performance As observed, statistically speaking, Nephew?” Luna, Warrior Princess of Equestria, and Field Marshall over all the Equestrian army, questioned, as the weary stallion nodded.

“Eight point eight centimeter main gun. Thick frontal armor- about a hundred millimeters at the front, and on the turret, with a further twenty at the gun mantlet. Unsloped, however, so shells are more likely to impact and get stuck rather than ricochet. Weight of about fifty tons at first estimate, and the engineers are guessing a top speed of about thirty kilometers an hour on a solid road, or maybe half that cross country at a good clip. Realistically with the terrain it’s working in, that’s probably more like eight to ten.”

“Well stated, Nephew. Do we have an estimate on Changeling numbers of the specific model presented before us?”

Blueblood sighed, and shook his head, puffing on his pipe before supplying an answer. “Only vague numbers at best, Aunt Luna. Perhaps a couple hundred to four hundred? At highest estimate, a probably ridiculous eight hundred.”

“It’ll do for now, thank you. General Berrytwist, an Update on the Las Pegasus Front?”

The cracked-horn unicorn nodded, and stepped forward, having taken over for General Soarin’, who’d happily returned to the airforce. “Progress is being made, ma’am, but it’s slow and ground out fighting over rough and difficult terrain. Once we hit the Vanhoover mountain range, that’s only going to get worse. Casualties are well within acceptable ranges, but enemy resistance is fierce and determined, and therefore requires a longer period to clear from our area of advance.”

Luna nodded, thanking the mare as she then turned to Field Marshall Armor- she’d already gotten Blueblood’s report- as he conversed with a pair of generals from New Mareland- Candy Garden, and Moonlight Poppy, both of which had been sent north to aid the smaller Crystal Imperial Military. “Prince Armor, how goes the war for the north?”

“Well enough all considered.” He nodded firmly, as the pair of officers fell quiet. “Slow, but steady. We’re making progress with the same issues as General Berrytwist, though we are more used to the terrain, and the Changelings are not used to such a long winter period, which has been severely hampering their efforts. I’m estimating us to be clear of the mountains in a month or so, continuing at our current pace.”

“All respect ma’am’s, sirs,it’ll be three or four before I can say we’ll be at Vanhoover at current pace.” Berrytwist estimated on the safe side of things, to which Luna nodded curtly. Fizzlepop was a tad slower than other generals in advance- but she therefore kept her casualties lower, and was unparalleled at tackling enemy bunkers and large fortifications- which was why Luna had earmarked her for the eventual siege of Vanhoover. “With Summer coming about in the next three weeks or so, it wouldn’t be unwise I feel to renew a general offensive across the line- something like Supercharge accomplished.”

“So soon after the last?” Poppy questioned, rubbing her tired eyes with a hoof. “Supercharge exceeded expectations, but it still fell sixty miles short of Phase Line Baker, and we wound up with horrendous casualties I’m not sure we can continue to maintain.”

“True, though we do have the numbers presently. We’ve always had the larger military than the Changelings, and we’ve probably replenished… about eighty-five percent of our numbers and supplies- including our armor, something we know the Changelings cannot do as readily, thanks to the Air Force and Royal Navy’s stellar efforts… I agree with Berrytwist. If we’re smart about this… we could use this offensive to break the Changeling Army’s back.” Blueblood cut in idly, gears turning in his head as he studied the map before them upon the table.

Luna hummed softly, as the officers looked to her expectantly. “It’s a valid thought. If we’re to commit to this however, timing is going to be everything. Blueblood, Nephew?”

“Yes, Aunt Luna?”

“Give me a time estimate. You’re center of the line, after all.”

Blueblood mulled it over silently for a few moments, before finally answering. “I’d do as General Berrytwist suggested, and advance during the first week of summer. Roads should be completely solid, and it gives the infantry three weeks of rest and skirmish operations before a deliberate assault. Not to mention an extra three weeks of replenishment of soldiers and their materials.”

The Field Marshall and princess nodded firmly. “Very well. It’s getting late for you, we know, so I want everypony to sleep on the matter at hoof. Get some rest . Front commanders, I expect rudimentary plans of assault by tomorrow evening. Talk them through with your officers, then report back. Dismissed.”

—

The war room emptied out relatively quickly, as the generals exited into the cool spring night to radio in to their subordinates that they weren’t going to be returning quite yet.

Luna stood quietly over the large central map, as she refilled the kerosene lamps within; electricity had been out since they moved back into the town of Shire from all the heavy fighting earlier in the week. Her aide de camp, meanwhile, cleared her typewriter and stood up from the corner, stretching out, before snatching her papers.

The admittedly short thestral mare held the papers out with a wing, trotting over to give them over to Luna. “Hours for your records, ma’arm.”

“My thanks, Captain Wind. Would you put us on a pot of coffee? I’d like to review the hours.”

“Of course your highness.”

—

A pot of hot coffee later, and the two mares were studying the map and the typist’s writing, half empty coffee cups only occasionally sipped from as they focused more upon their work.

“Talk me through this, Captain Wind. Let’s study possibilities again.”

“Aye, ma’arm.” The Shirish native nodded, rolling her neck to stretch. “From Th’ top then?”

Luna nodded, stifling a yawn. “Blueblood’s proposal- Supercharge Two.”

“Probably too costly, t’be honest. I know my tank was full’a holes by the time it was over. Lost my radiomare, too.” The former tanker hummed, scratching her chin with a leathery wing. “Works as a fine fallback, though. Say whot ya will ‘bout the Equestrian war machine, we’ve got plenty o’ ponies t’ throw at the Changelings to stop ‘em solid.”

“Horribly callous of you, Captain.”

“Aye, m’lady, it is.” The Mare agreed, with a frown. “Cain’t be nice inna war, tho’.”

“Aye, ‘tis true. Let’s put a general line offensive on backburner for now, though. General Berrytwist’s proposal?”

“Op’ration Hammer Toss. Left sweep ‘cross the West Coast t’ Vanhoover, a central thrust along the Acornage Salient, and cut off th’ Bug army group in th’ Vanhoover Mountain range.”

“A bit limited in actual scale, but meritorious on it’s destruction of Changeling fighting ability.” Luna hummed, tapping her hoof idly against the table. “I don’t like how exposed that leaves our center and left flanks during the Advance though.”

“Could cause a hell’o a lotta trouble if either flank gets bogged down, aye, an’ she’d need a lot mair armor an’ trucks- takes time t’transfer them, an’ if the Changelings are worth their intelligence ‘t all, they’ll notice it an’ react accordingly.”

“Definitely a fair point.” Luna muttered, sighing. “So probably implausible, much as I would adore bagging a Changeling Army Group before ‘Tia’s birthday. Remind me to give our own army groups a look over tomorrow, Tempest. We are considering attaching at least a moderately sized armor group to all our armies, to avoid this in the future.”

“Aye ma’rm, I’ll note it doon.”

“Which brings us to our third alternative. Prince Armor’s Operation Snap Freeze. Push through the mountains and down past Acornage.”

“Ah’d reckon it’s th’ worse o’ the three, but don’ tell ‘im I said that.”

Luna snorted in amusement, shaking her head. “How do you figure, Captain?”

“Shite tank country, an’ more or less this is a war o’ who ken bring the best an’ most to bear. North’s too static to make any lastin’ gains against th’ bugs. An’ sure, ‘e may get through th’ mountains after th’ offense eventually grinds doon the bug front line. Then he’s got swamp to contend with. An’ that’s a lot different creature to tackle than a mountain- an’ even worse tank country I’d wager.”

The Warrior princess of the night nodded and sighed, downing the rest of her coffee. “All valid points, Captain, though you do overstate the importance of the tank- as the defense of the Shire showed.”

“Fair ‘nuff.” Captain Wind nodded. “Bit for y’ thoughts?”

“None of these plans are suitable for my wishes. I wish to smash the Changeling army, and one of them is too limited in scope, whilst the other two are too ambitious. What a mess.”

“Aye, M’lady. An’ that’s not e’en counting for the Bugs’ side of things.”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, uh, well…” the Thestral took a deep breath, and steadied herself, having not been prepared for the follow up. “Well, we’re jus’ looking out our side o’ things. We ain’t payin’ any attention to how Trimmel’s gonna react.”

“Intriguing, Captain. And you think you have some idea?”

“A bit, Aye. Nae, I’m no field marshal, jus’ a Capt’n, but Ah’m a tanker at heart- same as Trimmel. Hell, ah’ve read ‘is book.”

“Infanterie greift an, yes.” Luna replied, curtly. “I didn’t take you for a fan.”

The Shirish mare simply sipped her coffee in response, emptying her own cup. “I figgur’d I should try ta figure out who we were goin’ oop against, when ya pulled me from m’ Company for your aide d’ camp.” She then hummed, for a moment. “In any case, whot dae tankers loik Trimmel an’ I look for when we’re workin? Three things. Ammo, fuel, an’ good weather.”

“Go on.”

“Well, Trimmel knows we’ve got ‘least two of ‘em- ammo an’ fuel. He also knows we’re jus’ waitin’ for the weather to clear up.”

“Meaning he’s probably expecting a summer offensive.”

“He’d be a right numpty not to, t’be honest, y’ Majesty. An’ I think we oughtta catch him a’fore summer for that regard. ‘Sides, the bugs are in jus’ as bad shape as us, really. Shite resupply means he’s gotta husband his fuel an’ ammo reserves more’n we do, and I bet they don’t have great winter gear- we sure as shoite don’t, an’ we have it as parta our standard kit.”

“They did conquer Olenia, Captain.”

“Aye, after about twenty days O’ fightin’. The winter didn’t affect ‘em. Bet queen bitch expected this war ta Go Th’ Same, really.”

“Perhaps. In any case, carry on.”

“I say we speed things oop ta the last week o’ spring. Two weeks’ rest, and mud’ll be off an’ on. First free day we get, we start pushin’. The mud’ll come and go, and we coul’ mebbe even use that to our advantage to keep th’ bugs bogged down an’ stick ‘em in place.”

“I like the idea, but that brings me to the important question: where do we Advance?” Luna pondered, gazing back over the large map. Then like a bolt of lightning , a thought struck her. “Everywhere.”

“Come agin Y’Majesty?”

“All three plans. Why stop at one army group when we can bag the entire Changeling front line?”

“You mean-?”

“I do.” Luna nodded firmly, smiling predatorily. “Blueblood’s Supercharge II to pin the line in place and throw Trimmel off focus. Berrytwist after some armored reinforcement- I’ll pull any mechanized or armored units arriving from home over the next two weeks for her front- to punch through to Vanhoover and then Northeast to Acornage, and Shining Armor with limited armor of his own to push through the mountains and southeast to Acornage. We’ll pincer off the entire damn line and let the Changeling army choke itself to death.”

“Ambitious, ma’rm. timing’ll hafta be perfect.”

“Yes. It will. But it’s something I can work with. Captain, get to writing. We’ve a lot of work to do.”

Comments

[Sassy_Changeling]

>am no inna chapter
I'd complain but it's your story and all that. It's going pretty well overall, so no actual complaints here.

[Tempest Wind]

9152237
Heh, to be fair, you didn’t exist in universe when I started writing this chapter :P

Glad you’re enjoying it though

[Sassy_Changeling]

9152533
I'm never late nor early, I arrive when I arrive. Plus Swifty is definitely a front-line leader. "Lead me or follow, just build the fucking bridge" and all that

[Tempest Wind]

9152657
Kek. Fair enough! I plan on adding as many EaW officers as possible so we’ll see who pops up where. Cheers mate.

[Sassy_Changeling]

9152751
Cheers to ya

[Mr Unidentified]

Good read so far. I will definitely keep an eye out for updates.

[Captain Emerald]

I love you story mate, you get the "war is absolute hell" perfectly (judging on the other war story's I've read and my family's military past) keep it up mate it's awesome