Surprise
"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on."
— Ulysses S. Grant
"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, you should first dig two graves."
— Confucius
Twilight knew what teleportation felt like, how if she wasn’t careful she could get singed. This was utterly different though, as she moved she didn’t just appear on the military base, Twilight found herself moving down a warm tube that radiated light. Upon exiting she felt better than she ever had, like magic was flowing through her. But there are no leylines on Earth! What else could cause this sensation though?
The unicorn looked at the surrounding woods, happy it was nothing like Everfree, buildings could be seen through the foliage. She looked right and left, disoriented after somepony else teleported her.
“Right would be the base. Left would be the urban housing space for officers.” Quick Shot, her second in command, said under his breath.
Twilight gave a thankful nod. “Ok. Quick Shot, you take Squad B and go for the munitions and weapons. I can take Squad A and head for their barracks.” She moved off, making sure some of the guards were following her.
“Are you sure it is wise to split our forces? There are over 25,000 people on this base and only 50 of us.” There was no reproach in his voice; Twilight could hear he was to clarify.
“The explosions will cause the base to wake up, if we don’t get to the barracks to restrain the soldiers they would have a chance to grab weapons.” But he would know better. Aquatica didn’t have time for this kind of tactics and it was only vaguely covered in the Griffon Wars history.
“Understood.” Twilight was taken aback by the quick reply and sly smile. “B Squad! Make sure to leave some of those explosives for A Squad and move out! We have a ways to hoof it before all Tartarus breaks out.”
With a chorus of agreements, half of the guards left at a brisk trot.
Twilight stared at the 24 remaining guards, staring at her for orders. H-h-how many did he say? What happens if I mess this up? What if-
“What are your orders?”
Twilight looked up at the guards, shocked out of her thoughts. Focus. These ponies are relying on you, just as your friends are.
“Split into five groups. One will be just pegasi.” Twilight turned to one of them. “Your job is to watch out for trouble and give warnings, you get to coordinate yes.”
“Ma’am.” The pegasus saluted.
“The rest of the groups will work in tandem to quietly tie up or knock out soldiers. They should be in the barracks to the left.” Twilight saw the long building with its canted roof, four of them.
The groups stayed vigilant as they crept up to the first building. Twilight and another squad stopped at the first building while the other moved to the next one. Outside the building was a large red machine with the words ‘Coke’ next to a cheap looking wooden door. The first guard turned the handle and gently pulled it out as the rest of the ponies entered. The place was concrete floors with bare wood, metal beds and lots of green. The ponies moved in groups of two to each bed with gags and bound their limbs.
“DA-DUNK”
Twilight shot her head toward the sound; one of the soldiers being bound got a hand free and was banging it on the wall. Oh no!
Faster than Twilight would have expected, the place became a hive of activity as soldiers jumped out of their beds. A guard next to the unicorn kicked a bed over; it landed on two soldiers as another spilled onto the floor who was still asleep. One soldier near the back made a run for the door at the other end of the barracks, the pony knew it would lead to another building full of soldiers. At the same time a rather large human made a run at her through the aisle.
As the human ran up the aisle, Twilight targeted the one running away and sent a beam of purple energy hurtling, slamming into his back then into a bunk with a solid clang. The other human was only a few feet away now, towering over the mare. Trust them like your friends.
White hooves intersected with the man’s stomach and sent him back five feet to collapse on the floor. It looked like most of the humans in this building had been subdued so the group of ponies moved to the next building in line.
Quick Shot came running up, huffing. “The pegasi sent word you were having trouble. Their munitions are rigged to blow in five minutes.”
“Thank yo-“
A crack rang out and something red sprung from Quick’s neck as he crumpled to the ground. Twilight ducked back into the building as another shot rang out. Not before she saw another pony in armor fall.
“Move up!” A human called from outside.
Twilight stared at the unmoving guard missing half his neck, the pool of crimson spreading out. I couldn’t save her. I wasn’t good enough. Thoughts and emotions ran through her head, images of Rarity flashed through her head, holding the crumpled body. The lavender mare, up until now had just been moving as expected, she hadn’t really come to terms with it, only moving because other ponies needed her. Now though, her blood boiled as her mind solidified.
Pool the magic in your eyes, keep them closed while focusing the magic there. Open them, see the lines of magic, the force of life. Twilight opened her eyes and condensed magic flowed out and up into the air. She could feel the ponies around her, white blobs with specks of black fear buried deep. Through the wall were small white specks, somehow she knew they were just on the other side of the wall.
Twilight released the first spell and charged up a second, letting something else in her take over. I will not lose. You won’t take any more of my friends! I don’t have to be nice while capturing you!
A blast of purple energy tore through the wall; pieces of wood flew through the air, more than one connecting with a human. Third spell. She disappeared from the battle while the humans moved back to find cover, moving to the roof. Fourth and fifth spells.
A roar tore through the air, loud enough to rock the building she stood on, drowning out explosions at the other side of the base. A massive figure appeared in the clouds, a giant purple serpent with wings a mile wide, green belly visible from its massive height, writhing down to meet the humans. The humans opened fire on the massive creature. The mouth opened as a stream of blue flames licked forth. Humans ducking and trying to move out of the way and guards ran into the flame.
Twilight panted from the exertion. Spike would have loved that spell. She grinned and wavered. Falling sideways into the waiting body of a pegasus. “Illusions really are hard.”
“Just let me catch my breath.” Twilight rasped, the combat moving farther away.
Rainbow looked at the marvelous machines below her. Works of art. She thought, letting another gem fall. They even have the J-35? She gushed as the high tech fighter went up in flames. Aw man, these things are so awesome.
Rainbow had had her group of pegasi plant gems in the engines of various aircraft, synched to go up when the first engine started. The pegasus couldn’t care less about prisoners, this was them getting payback.
“Sir!” One of the Lunar Guards flapped next to her. “The humans have left their domiciles and are advancing in this direction.”
“Good, attack the barracks as they leave. Then have your guards attacks them from the dark. If you show them your teeth and eyes you may be able to spook them into running.”
“Yessir!” And he flew off.
RD sighed; destroying another aircraft, not even caring what this one was.
***
Applejack ducked back behind the overturned bunk. “Where the hey did those dern guns come from? Road Runner, you were supposed to take care of tha armory.”
“I did.” Beige earth pony squeaked. “These ones were on patrol.”
Somepony must have a wicked sense of humor. Putting an earth pony against mahrines. ‘A good comparison’ mah flank.
Applejack raised her head up to get a view of the human’s locations only to see a muzzle staring at her and flash. The farmpony lurched backwards as something impacted her muzzle with a significant amount of force.
Picking herself up off the floor she put a hoof against the sore spot of her jaw. “What in tarnation?” Another pony lay behind the bed with her and Runner, having massive damage to his leg from the same weapon. She felt heat against her chest from the apple pin. “Well all be a donkey’s daughter.”
Guess I should thank that Aiko for teaching me how ta fight a human.
“When ah say, grab dazzle and move to the next bed.” Before getting confirmation she turned around and gave a massive buck to the bed “Now!”
Runner moved as his name implied while AJ followed the bed, jumping over and lowering her head into the chest of the first human, following him to the floor, hooves in his stomach. Rolling off to buck another human into a bed.
Standing in front of her, point blank was a rifle. Applejack charged, ducked and went between his legs, lifting a leg up as she passed and the human crumpled.
***
Celestia sat next to the Captain, feeling his eyes on her, on the upturned corners of her eyes. She kept her eyes closed, senses focused on her ‘expeditionary’ forces. Along with her ponies she could feel the humans. She had sent them out too early, not enough groups were asleep, surprise their only ally.
Two have finished. Celestia felt the call as a special gem was destroyed and signaled their job was accomplished. She charged up her spell, still feeding off the leyline and teleported her ponies and what humans were near them to a small section of desert under the shield, someplace which had more guards ready to deal with the captives. But three have gone missing. Those magic bubbles have formed over two. The princess tried not to think of the third, that battle had turned faster than she could have responded while tracking so many, the only clue was a spike of terror. A few deaths were to be expected, maybe more than a few. But two of the largest ones have been taken out with minimal losses. That will prove a point. More deaths they have caused.
***
Trixie stood just inside the doors of a small squat building, the place her ‘squad’ had been teleported. The hallway was completely black without light, lit by her horn. She sat in a long beige corridor, flanked by three ponies. Where did The Great and Powerful Trixie land? “This does not look like the floor Trixie was told about. Where is the outside door?”
“Um, this is the second floor. It was on the orders.” A pure white stallion said from behind her, hair a dusting of light grey.
“Of course.” She looked from side to side. “The Great and Powerful Trixie knows such things. But was the plan not to start further up?”
“Maybe Princess Celestia changed the plan.”
“Thank you Cloud Mover.” She said without looking at the pegasus. Next to him were the light grey Night Sight and the evergreen Tulip Bloomer.
The maregician was still unsure what to think of her ‘colleagues’ who had been training together for more than a month. Luna had sent out asking for pony reserves, a small section of the guard. Trixie had signed up for the free meals, but the training had been worse than fighting an Ursa. Twelve hours a day they had Trixie practice with these foals. Who admittedly did help Trixie a few times. This was also why her group was the smallest, and why they got the smaller target, a single building.
“What is so dangerous about an aap anyway?” She ignored the stallions sigh that followed.
“UAV. An unmanned plane.” Kicker said flatly, again. “They also have research here.”
Trixie smiled as she led the group further, this was the longest she had known any single group of ponies, and they were not so bad.
“You are trespassing on government property.” A tinny voice said from nowhere. “You have three seconds to surrender.”
“Ummm, Trixie?” The green mare asked. “Was there a plan for this?”
It must be a trick! Trixie thought rapidly. The power was taken out.
The lights turned themselves on, then off, the cycle sped up as a screeching came from the walls. In moments the hallway was nothing but bright lights flashing fast enough to make vision nearly impossible as the din became deafening. Trixie staggered, seeing the other three faring no better. She took a step forward as the room felt like it shifted under her hooves, left with no sense of balance. Her stomach revolted, half-digested chrysanthemum formed a puddle at her hooves. The azure unicorn could no longer see or hear, she could not even focus enough to cast a spell.
“A good magician doesn’t need spells if they plan ahead.” She gagged, it barely leaving as a whisper. Trixie closed her eyes to focus, reaching into a small pouch inside her mauve cape, pulling out three small black pellets and tossed them into what she hoped was the air. Strobe lights still disoriented through her closed eyes. The small capsule ruptured on hitting the ground and an inky black smoke spread through the corridor, blocking out the lights.
Trixie stayed where she lay, fur wet, until she could manage to move, noise still blocking out any hope of speaking, even if she had the energy. Her stomach purged more of its contents.
The unicorn felt a tapping on her flank, a guiding arm helping her up. The pony didn’t speak but it was obvious who it was as he guided her left foreleg, pointing it in a direction she didn’t know where, but knew enough to trust. A mechanical attachment was hidden along the inside of her forelegs. Trixie triggered the small gears that shot a firework down the hall. He maneuvered her leg and she let off three more explosives before the smoke began to clear. How does Night Sight see? She groggily questioned.
And now for people to get mad, more. Pretty much this is when I expect everyone to start getting pissed at me. 
One of the ideas I quickly nixed was fluttersnipe. That was a thing at one point, whispering hush now quiet now as she took out the enemy. But it didn't fit with her personality. Still a fun idea though.
I should mention that the author in this story in neutral, he is not rooting for either side, more like a ref wanting a nice clean fight. And it doesn't matter who my favorite characters are because those tend to be the ones to get the most fucked over.
and a movie for those who are interested called black rain which i would encourage you to watch, at least the first five minutes should be ample. It is a damned impressive movie though and relates to wars
Now as for why a nuke would not work, and it has NOTHING to do with an EMP. The initial blast from an EMP at night would kill, in the first few minutes, about half a million people in the US alone. One of those defensive nukes, going with a Titan II for this example and aimed at Groom Lake, would kill 600,000 and injury just as many more. That ignores the fallout that would go through Utah with its population of 2.9 million based off winds, and if it catches the jet stream you could irradiate a large portion of the country that produces food. This is ignoring the Geneva Convention against attacking a civilian population, and on this scale just to kill maybe 300 enemy combatants, or even 1000 would not be a good trade. Many forests would go up in fire too, without even having to be that close to the blast. 20 km radius, that far out people would get instant third degree burns, ignoring radiation. Here are some fun sites for this, but the first ignores tonnage.
http://www.nationalterroralert.com/nuclear/
http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/
Read much more than just this.
As for EMP, the typical defense is that the surge protector detects the increase in flow and cuts the connection, an EMP doesn't have a buildup so it blasts right past, this is even if things are working perfectly. A better way is if you know the bast is coming to shut off and disconnect things, that way you stop the flow of power, but you need to know beforehand that it is coming. Another problem is that with a big enough surge, it will arc and still make a connection and there goes the electronic device. Also, protection for this kind of threat is very lacking.
I will admit I do not know much about Russia and its politics, but I do know China (somewhat, only read about 3000 pages on them so still iffy on some areas). Imho, they just want stability to focus on their economy, which is why the best thing stopping N Korea from doing something stupid is that China would curb-stomp them. A war can negatively impact an economy, just ask Japan who had problems before massive losses, now THAT is my area of expertise.
For those of you who play board/strategy games. How important is the first move? go, chess, hearthstone (where they have to majorly buff player 2), mtg, and I could go on and on. However, that is not a guarantee of who will win, not by a long shot.
There is another huge aspect to war people forget about, buildup of arms, how technology changes throughout a war, strategy and in not overextending your forces. And propaganda.
And TECHNICALLY an EMP is NOT a WMD. Went looking through treaties and political documents and even some stuff from the FBI. Does not damage structures or the environment, is not poisonous, does not use radiation to outright kill. The sticking part is the with the intention of bringing down aircraft, theis is from the FBI and counter-terrorism. Most of the others just use NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) definitions. And that seems geared more towards using a plane as a missile a la 9/11. It is actually very interesting reading.
And for the people now bitching. Have fun. 
But tactics can be hardwired, and strategies against humans may not transfer.
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5927411 Will check them out then. Add it to the incredibly long list of shit to do.
Oh you magnificent bastard, two in the same day. I already resigned to waiting another week so points for blowing that out of the water.
Okay, I'm not gonna bitch, at you, I'm gonna lay down my thoughts.
Now putting A.J., Dash and Twilight in command. First, Twilight was a terrible idea. I don't care how much faith you have, Celestia. She is emotionally compromised and terrified of failing. That's a horrible combination, it will lead to her making rash decisions, and taking it out on the Americans. Exhibit A: that illusion she pulled. Good fear tactic, but it's an illusion, as in, not bulletproof. All it would take is one panicked soldier operating on 'spray and pray' to get lucky. In addition, she was exhausted.
Rainbow kinda pisses me off. She may be the Bearer of Loyalty, but she's taking it way to personally. Keep that attitude up and she will do something that she'll regret later. Actually that may come soon if she doesn't care much about taking prisoners.
A.J. I'm admittedly on the fence there so I'll sit on it a while longer.
Furthermore, I realize Equestria is fatally short of command capable officers and candidates, and that should be rectified ASAP, but not from bucking CIVILIANS! I don't care about the morale value Celestia, put them in a noncombatant position, somewhere noticable. DON'T BUCKING GIVE THEM COMMAND STRAIGHT FROM BOOT CAMP! You will piss off your own military at that rate!
Okay that part is done so I'll move on. Celestia thinks causing less casualties will give them the moral high ground? With whom? Communication is down so nobody will know the damage until I don't know how long and once they do, everyone will be focused on the prisoners. There's also the small matter of the EMP and the eventual civilians and foreign nationals she killed with it. Dai I haven't done the level of research on WMDs you have, but I'll back your position against the nay-sayers. EMPs are not a WMD, but everybody is terrified of the idea. Now that's the public side.
There's the small matter of America's allies and associates. Celestia can finger Tow all she wants and claim the moral high ground. However, I'm confident Tow and the CIA Director could straight up tell America's allies neither of them authorized the bombs, and they'd believe it. Everyone else not allied or part of NATO will stay out of it or risk loosing political capital. Dunno about the UN though. Celestia is trying to convince an empty room. The only possible nation I can think of that would back her own position would be Russia, out of pure convenience. And if she for a moment looks to be associating with them, all her credibility will fly out the window.
Okay last point to make. Trixies bit underscores a point someone made in The Plan. About the U.S. spending billions hardening (EMP proofing) their hardware. I will say now I have no clue if it's true but it's clear not everything has been knocked out and it makes me wonder if their advanced weapons are down for the count or it just seems that way and they're playing possum. Either way I still think the Royal Guard is screwed beyond belief. News flash Celestia, quality doesn't count for shit against enough numbers. Nazi Germany learned that lesson HARD, courtesy of Marshal Georgy Zhukov and the Red Army.
5927508 Yes, quite the bastard.
Yeah, the commanders thing was done for fun. I haven't changed the basic outline. However, for publicity and moral if the are surrounded by guards can help with their safety. (that and I wanted some time with fanfic tropes, or could have overstepped, or see the world slightly differently, have to give options). However, how many evils have they stopped, how many have we seen guards stop? Pretty good application imo.
Edit: or the fact that the person I had looking over my story in the planning stages didn't tell me shit with some of the larger plot holes. So now I have to play catch-up and Macguyver shit. Kinda wove things together, or at least tried to.
Attrition also played a huge part for the US against Germany. Again, Tiger tanks. Number can always beat skill, but there are always workarounds too. But what about hostages?
And tech can be replaced, never said anything about advanced weaponry staying out. And playing possum? What impact does poor communication have on military units? See the impact of radios (walkie talkies) on tank battalions?
Celestia allying with Russians could be fun. Two front war or a world war. But who has a military in comparison to the US? Now China could do legitimate attrition.
you make the ponies way too strong kinda ruins the story