A Complicated War

Roleplay Library
1

This RP will be largely focused on the insurgency in Mocambyk as it escalates and the actions taken by the governments, the soldiers and the people of the factions involved.

[spoiler]

Pro-Communist Forces

The People’s Republic of Mocambyk
A newly independent state in northern Yasteria. The country is one of, if not the most, poorest nations on Urth. Hunger, poverty disease and illiteracy are rampant in the country. Currently run a one party state with a communist government under FRELIMO headed by Samora Machel. Government is relatively stable however it is under threat from the MNR bandits situated in the south of the country.

FRELIMO & FPLM
FRELIMO is the sole legal political entity in Mocambyk. It is often difficult to tell when FRELIMO ends and where the state begins. FRELIMO was socialist until transforming into a communist party in early 2018. The FPLM (Popular Forces for the Liberation of Mocambyk) are the official military of Mocambyk. It is rare among national militaries in that it doesn’t have a formal ranking system and is ran as a “people’s revolutionary army.” FRELIMO and the FPLM have large support among most citizens and both groups have extended their presence to almost everywhere in the country by 2018.

International allies
COMECON Forces and Members provide extensive logistical, economical and military support to Mocambyk.

Anti-Communist Forces

Republic of Anodin
Something of an international pariah, the Republic of Anodin still maintains a highly racist and speciest apartheid system of segregation between blacks and whites, vulpines and humans etc etc. In terms of the economy it is quite powerful and held significant sway over colonial Mocambyk. The government is a dominant party parliamentary republic with the parliament and government dominated by the far right Anodin National Action Front which seeks to maintain the current status quo at any cost.

Mocambykan National Resistance (MNR)
A largely incoherent group of bandits and thugs with very little in terms of political ideology besides from fervent anti-communism. The group was created and is effectively ran by the secret service of Anodin and continues to launch attacks on villages and important economic targets. Holds territory in the south of the country but has yet to penetrate further north.

International allies
West Cerdani provides limited support to the Republic of Anodin, largely in the form of trade agreements and occasional diplomatic agreements.

Neutral Forces

None yet

[/spoiler]

[spoiler]This RP will be focused almost entirely on Mocambyk, Anodin and their immediate surrounds. If you wish to take part in this RP please consult me first, I welcome people to take on roles from citizens to bandits to soldiers to even being government members supporting one side or staying neutral. Major story events will be written by myself. Joint posts are welcome for both small and major story events.[/spoiler]

This post is a WIP and is subject to change.

2

(Pt.1 of Jacknotch-Arramal Joint Post) Imperium, Xagrurg; Presidential Palace

After seeing the recent news broadcast about the kidnapping of Xagrurgian technicians in Mocambyk, he rubs his face and groans at what’s going to happen if he doesn’t take immediate action. He gets up his chair and then organizes an emergency meeting with his Foreign Minister, himself and the leader of Mocambyk to discuss the internal situation in Mocambyk, heading down to the conference room and the minister sets up a video call on an encrypted line to the Mockambyk government.

The Foreign Minister of Mocambyk and President Machel along with an interpreter sat at the other side of a wooden table in a large marble room used for broadcasts with a large emblem of Mocambyk hanging behind them. In front of them an impromptu projector and laptop had been setup for the streaming of the video and a few technical staff stood nearby to ensure it was running smoothly.

“Good evening,” President James Deref to the Mocambykian leader. “I presume you are aware of the escalating situation in your nation and the recent attacks on foreign nationals?”

The interpreter turned his head over and spoke to Machel quietly before facing back to the camera. “Sim, eu estou…” he spoke in Mocambykan for a few moments before the interpreter spoke back in Codexian “Yes, I am quite aware of the situation plaguing our country, I regret the recent attacks of the bandits on nations from your county and others.”

James then sighed and continued. “If these attacks continue, I’m afraid all Xagrurgian economic deals and assets going to and in Mocambyk will have to be frozen and postponed until order can be restored to a reasonable degree. Is there any way Xagrurg can assist your government to help with peacekeeping or policing?”

3

(Pt.2 of Jacknotch-Arramal Joint Post)
The interpreter spoke to Machel again before allowing him to speak, as he spoke he gestured around frequently, then translating. “So because we have a small situation you are going to cut us off aid? We do not require capitalist ‘peacekeeping’ in our nation to corrupt our people’s forces.”

“This is not a threat. Frankly, I actually find you and your government to be the more reasonable and appealing faction than ‘those people’ in the southern areas of your nation. I would prefer to keep these deals going for the benefits of both of people’s lives, as it can bring in future long-term growth and a stronger Mocambyk eventually. Look at this situation from a third party’s perspective, as if you were living in a nation without any ideologies or stake or interest in Mocambyk. What do you see? What do you believe is happening?”

During his response Machel waved around vigorously as the foreign minister and interpreter watched his display. “What I see is nothing that a third party government would ever see. I see my people being slaughtered, being tortured, being starved. What is happening is nothing more than economic sabotage of our nation by the bandits and Anodin.”

“And that is what my government and I are worried about. If Anodin somehow succeeds in their own attempt of a ’people’s revolution’, the people of Mocambyk’s hopes of gaining a better life will only burn dimmer and dimmer as the nation becomes an international pariah. That is why Xagrurg is offering support to your government. With your regime in power, the people actually have a chance of living ‘normal lives’ eventually.”

After receiving the translation Machel shook his finger at the camera before speaking, the translator now mostly translating after he finishes a sentence. “Ah but you see you are wrong with it being a so called ‘people’s revolution.’ Comrades they do not have support of the people, they are simply armed bandits, armed criminals. However, I am interested in what support you, a capitalist government, may offer to us.”

“Well, obviously direct military intervention is out of the question. Both you and I know that’s the worst thing Xagrurg could do in this. We can instead offer weapons and military vehicles sales, military advisors to train your security forces, and try to discredit Anodin internationally.”

After a short reply the translator replied back “We are are not a rich nation. What strings are attached to these proposals?”

The interpreter listened to the vocal response before responding back.“We have been providing adequate protection to your contractors and others in our nation. This is the first instance where FPLM was overrun by the armed bandits and it has been a deliberate attack by them. I do welcome friendlier dialogue between our nations however I will not allow you to walk all over us.”

“Still, I am not threatening to take over or run your country. Xagrurg has enough problems here on Aurora to worry about. People will, though, start worrying if these attacks grow in intensity in the near future.”

As he responded Machel gestured again frequently and the interpreter struggled to stay with him as he translated. “These attacks will continue growing until the bandits are cut off from Anodin and other states that are friendly to them. It’s up to them, those who created the bandits, their masters. Then we would get rid of them quick. Because they don’t have support of the people or a social base, they are simply armed bandits.”

“How did this situation get to this point anyway? I would assume it’s from your nation’s lack of development, no offense intended.”

4

(Pt.3 of Ja-you get the point)
Machel again gestured and responded verbally. “You say as though this is a problem we created, our lack of developments and these bandits are not our fault, we are making progress on all fronts, it is the fault of colonial-capitalism and the economic sabotage war by Anodin.”

“And that is why these economic deals between our two countries should be of a key importance to your nation. As our engineers and material support can accelerate progress in your infrastructures construction by years, possibly decades, and provides employment opportunities to both of people’s livelihoods; Mokambykian people working on Xagrurgian construction projects and Xagrurgian businessmen finding expanding sectors to invest in. Now, my nation also sees the threat of Anodin to this symbiotic relationship of our’s. My government can assist your nation further, aside from the benefits I mentioned earlier, by gathering intelligence with the NIA to be used against major bandit targets.”

“I understand they are important, however I wish to have them be mutually beneficial and for us to not incur a debt. I appreciate this gesture of friendship however we will need to discuss many details of these ideas at another time especially in regards to allowing foreign intelligence services into our nation.”

“Of course, Xagrurg already has a poor reputation for taking advantage of smaller nation, that image I wish to reverse,” James said.

Machel simply nodded in response before speaking. The interpreter translating after he finished his sentences “Yes I can understand, however we wish for a mutually beneficial relationship.”

James nods at Machel in return and then asked, “What do you suggest that can make this a more preferable relationship of our’s?”

“That any agreements involving trade and investment do not go against our economic policies and planned economic system, and that the focus is on rebuilding our economy and stopping the armed bandits.”

“That seems amiable,” James said to the man.

Machel nodded in response before the Foreign Minister started talking in broken codexian “We… uh… hope to continue better relations with… uh… your country in the future. I will personally be in touch to discuss this.”

“No problem,” James nodded and smiled towards the Foreign Minister.

With that, they both end the call. James then turned to his own Foreign Minister and asked: “Was this a good choice?” “I’m not sure sir, but I can at least say the PR impact will be positive when we can spin this to our favor, saying ‘Xagrurg supports Mokambykian government efforts to cease violent banditry’ or ‘President James Deref takes firm stance against violence in Mokambyk.” The foreign minister answered him. James Deref nods to him and thanks him for his advice, leaving the conference room to head back to his office, looking out of the window to observe the urban skyline of Imperium, decorated with skyscrapers and other city landmarks.

5

Remote Bushland along the border with Anodin
South Mocambyk
20 September 2018
3:26am

It was a dark, moonless night and a small convoy slowly weaved it’s way along the dirt track marking the border between Anodin and Mocambyk. The trucks drove slowly and carefully with their lights off, so as to avoid detection by any surveillance flights carried out by the FPLM. After a few hours of driving the convoy arrived at their “destination” which proved to be little more than a large, grassy hill jutting out from the terrain.

The largest truck of the convoy parked on top of the hill while a few others parked around it, the remaining jeeps and other vehicles then established a perimeter around the hill, the area however was quite and the group expected to encounter no problems with their operation. The large truck then whirred into life, a large antenna rising from the middle of the truck while the surrounding trucks started up the generators in the back of theirs.

The antenna then sprung into life and finished setting itself up as multiple radio operators climbed into the back of the truck, adjusting various knobs and dials on the terminals. As the site filled with noise and activity the officer in charge of the operation, Major Casey Smyth, walked off towards the edge of the perimeter.

Pulling out a modern satellite phone he dialled in a few numbers and waited as the phone dialled until it broke into an abrupt greeting.

“Hello this is Costa.” the man on the other end of the phone answered

“Costa this is Victor Oscar Romeo, you know what needs to happen.” Smyth replied before hanging up, wasting no time on a response from the man.

Walking back towards the conglomerate of trucks at the top of the hill Smyth was quickly flagged down by a military technician.

Saluting him as he approached the young technican spoke with a thick Anodian accent. “He’s switched it off sir, I hope that this works.”

Smyth nodded back in response before replying properly a few seconds. “It will, otherwise we have Plan B.”

The young technician, not wanting to ask any questions simply nodded before saluting and running back to the truck.

Finishing a brief walk around of the site, and satisfied with the operation so far, Smyth retired to the back of his Jeep and sat down, watching the site carefully as various soldiers and technicians walked around, moving from their duties and postings.

6

CAW 86
High over South Mocambyk
20 September 2018
4:03am

A CAW 86 operated by DETA, the national airline of Mocambyk, was flying in towards Maputu airport. The plane carried dozens of veterans and heroes from the Liberation Struggle who were attending the opening ceremony of a large memorial in the city later in the week. After hours of flying over the barren and dark country the plane finally established radio contact with Maputu and began it’s descent towards the airport.

As the plane descended the flight engineer noted that they had locked onto the VOR signal earlier than usual, but the captain insisted on continuing the approach despite the poor weather conditions.

“You’re now on the VOR” the flight engineer spoke as the plane adjusted it’s heading towards the signal.

“How far out are we?” the co-pilot questioned as the captain worked through a checklist for landing.

“Runway is twelve thirty.” replied the flight engineer as the captain finished his checklist and quietly resumed control.

After a few more minutes of flying through the dark night sky the crew continued in idle chit chat until they were seemingly closer to the airfield.

“Runway’s twelve o’clock.” the flight engineer called out as he monitored his instruments

“DETA 841, wind is calm you’re cleared to land.” Maputu tower called out over the radios

“Cleared to land, DETA 841.” the captain replied as the plane continued it’s descent into darkness.

“If I get a capture here I’ll be happy” the flight engineer commented

“No capture yet?” the co-pilot replied as he turned around to face the engineer

“No, I don’t trust that ILS” the engineer replied back as he monitored his instruments closely

From the cockpit of the plane there was nothing but darkness, usually there would be runway lights or at least the lights of Maputu surrounding it.

“Tell him to turn the runway lights up.” the captain said as he continued the descent

“Maputu tower, would you put the runway lights up please?” the co-pilot radioed through

The GPWS then started sounding an alarm for the “GLIDE SLOPE”

“Please put the runway lights bright.” the co-pilot radioed out again.

“Right on” Maputu tower replied back

“These conditions don’t look very good at all, do they?” the captain commented as the GPWS called out another “GLIDE SLOPE” warning

“I don’t like this.” the Flight Engineer replied as the plane continued downwards.

After a few more moments of descent and no sign of the runway lights the captain radioed to Maputu tower.

“Maputu are your lights out of service?” he asked, somewhat angrily

“841, are lights not in sight?” the tower replied back

The captain responded back hastily “We’re blind out here. We’ll have to climb out of this.”

“You’re clear to join right downwind for the runway 841.” the tower radioed back.

“We have a discrepancy in our VORs, a little but not much. Let’s go downwind on yours, not mine.” the co-pilot said to the captain as he pointed towards his instrument panel

“500 feet” the Flight Engineer called out, reading from his altimeter

Almost immediately after the flight engineer called out the altitude the GPWS sounded another loud alarm.

“Whoop, whoop. PULL UP! Whoop whoop.”

“You ought to see ground outside in just a minute!” the co-pilot said as the captain grabbed a hold of the control column

“400 feet.” the flight engineer called out again

“Whoop, whoop. PULL UP! Whoop whoop.”

“Go-around power please.” the captain said to the co-pilot as he started pulling back on the yoke.

The engines started revving loudly as the throttles advanced to the TO/GA position.

“Whoop, whoop. PULL UP! Whoop whoop.”

“Get some power on!” the captain yelled out as the plane slowly started gaining speed

"“Whoop, whoop. PULL-.” the GPWS sounded out until being cut off as the plane slammed into a hillside, exploding into flames as a giant fireball lit up the night sky.

A loud explosion rocked the surrounding countryside and a few villagers, woken up by the blast emerged from their huts to see the fireball rising into the sky in the distance.

7

Maputu
2 October 2018
1:28PM


At a large square in Maputu hundreds citizens start gathering around a large podium, flags draped over the side along with various slogans painted onto large red signs. “A LUTA CONTINUA, VIVA INDEPENDÊNCIA NACIONAL” two of the largest ones read as the crowd surrounding them continues to grow.

News had spread that the President himself would be making a speech regarding the mysterious plane crash of the 20th of September. The Mocambykan government and FRELIMO had been quick to pin the blame on Anodin through it’s newspapers and media but there had been no official statement from the President regarding the issue.

A week of national mourning was declared on morning of the 1st and the flags lowered to half mast as the bodies of the victims were delivered to Maputu where they now lay in state. Miraculously 24 people had survived the crash including a member of the flight crew, all of whom were now being treated at a hospital in Maputu kept under close guard.

After almost 30 minutes of waiting a group starts filing onto the podium, various important ministers and government officials. And at last, the president arrives. The audience start applauding and cheering as Machel walks up towards the Lectern. The president beams, gazing about with satisfaction as the applause slowly subsides.

Machel lifts his arms to the lectern and looks over the gathering as the applause dissipates into silence. After a few seconds he opens his mouth and … sings!

"Kani-mambo, kani-mambo FRELIMO. . . " Machel sings a deep, baritone voice.

The audience join in singing as the whole rally joins together in unison. Everyone in the country knows this song.

“Kani-mambo, kani-mambo FRELIMO… Kani-mambo FRELIMO.” the audience sing as Machel lifts his arms up, gesturing for them to sing louder.

The end of the verse comes round with the crowd enthusiastically singing. In the breath at its finish, Machel starts chanting

“Viva, Viva-”, and the audience carry on with “Viva Viva, Viva Viva FRELIMO . . .”

As the singing continues Machel is all delight, not an ounce of self-consciousness in him as he and the crowd sing together.

After continuing singing for a few more verses the song concludes and Machel addresses the crowd.

“A Luta Continua!” he chants out

“Continua!” the crowd replies back loudly

The chants continue back and forth before Machel finally addresses the crowd properly.

“We know the causes behind the crash of the 20th of September.” Machel spoke firmly, going straight to the point

“We know who caused this crash, who slayed our heroes of the liberation struggle, we know the people who caused the crash.”

“Who are these people?” Machel chanted at the crowd, with the audience murmuring a jumbled response

“Criminals!” Machel answered

“Just say that, criminals!” Machel spoke afterwards

“Criminosos!” the crowd replied back

Machel paused before speaking to the crowd again.

“These criminals, these outsiders, these imperialists.”

He then started gesturing, pulling his finger as if he were shooting a gun.

“They are loose cannons, trigger happy.”

The crowd remained quiet as Machel spoke.

“Bandits…”

“Armed bandits… Armed robbers…”

Machel then continued his speech after a brief pause. He continued on for over 30 minutes, giving a discourse on the “armed bandits” and allegations regarding Anodin’s responsibility for the air disaster on the 20th. He then began finishing his speech after finishing his last sentence, blaming Anodin for assassinating the veterans.

“A luta continua!” Machel chanted at the crowd

“Continua!” the crowd cheered back

“A luta continua!”

“Continua!”

“Independência ou morte!”

“Venceremos!”

“Independência ou morte!”

“Venceremos!”

Machel paused and smiled at the crowd.

“Obrigado amigos.” he said, the crowd clapping and cheering as he turned around and walked away from the Lectern.

8

30 October 2018
Petoria, Republic of Anodin
Presidential Palace

Raymond Ian Bouhired, Prime Minister of Anodin sat in a large, leather chair across from a senior  journalist who had been reporting on the situation between Anodin and Mocambyk.

The two exchanged greetings and talked a little before more of the film crew and other small and freelance journalists arrived for the interview. After a few moments of sitting in silence the camera crew gave a thumbs up for them to begin.

“Mr Bouhired, pleasure to interview you, I hope we can get right into our first question.”

“Absolutely, go right ahead.”

“Mr Bouhired, Anodin is often called “the last bastion of racism and apartheid in Northern Gondwana.” do you believe this statement is true.”

“It is false statement let me make that very clear, it is one that is always put forth by the neo-marxist mass media of the world and it is false. We offer participation for all races and species in all level of government and they have their own self managed areas of the country to reside in.”

“Now one of the biggest propagators of this statement is your neighbour, The People’s Republic of Mocambyk, do you think that they are spreading these messages on purpose?”

“Definitely, their aim is to dismantle our government and replace it with a communist dictatorship.”

“But don’t they say that they are building ‘people’s power’ and a ‘people’s democracy’?”

“It’s very much a sham to legitimise the dictatorship of Samora Machel and his cabal of commies in the government. In fact their entire government is very much full of closed doors to anyone who isn’t a commie or socialist so I’d say it’s difficult for it to be ‘people’s power’ when most people probably know the dangers of socialism and communism but are forced to live under this system that claims to free them.”

“Mr Bouhired, would you say that the Mocambykan Government are unwilling to open discussions with Anodin?”

“I have had personal discussions with their Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Chissanho, and I agree that their government is not open to discussion and, actually, are acting quite hostile against us.”

“What about the allegations that Anodin is funding the MNR?”

“Complete nonsense, we have never supported the MNR or any other group interfering in the affairs of another state, on the contrary however I might add this, the rogue communist government of Machel are the ones who harbour, arm, train and deploy terrorists into other nations. Look at the recent attacks on farms in the north of the country and it is obvious that these terrorists came from across the border.”

“And their government has openly acknowledged this?”

“Oh absolutely, their papers are full of propaganda decrying support for an “independent and free Anodin” and as I said before, they support and house these terrorists.”

“Have you tried talking to the Mocambykan Government about this issue?”

“Again, both myself and my ministers have contacted Mr Chissanho in regards to this issue and we are continually turned down, so it is them who are obstructing the peace process, not us.”

“Are you open to further discussion with the communist government of Mocambyk if the issue surrounding terrorism is solved?”

“Potentially, but there needs to be fundamental changes to the political and economical landscape in Mocambyk before we can engage with them further, foremost of those changes is a return to democracy and freedom which the communist government of Machel deprives their citizens of.”

“And finally, what do you think of the allegations by Machel in regards to the plane crash earlier this month?”

“More propaganda nonsense, what they always neglect to mention is the weather, the flight crew and, this is key, the aircraft. Because I can guarantee you that it was one or a combination of those three things or something else. But it was not us and we will never commit such barbaric acts.”

“Alright I thank you for your time Mr Bouhired.”

“It’s a pleasure thank you very much.”

The two then shook hands and posed for a few photos before going their separate ways for the evening with the group dispersing quickly as well, many of them sending off the transcripts in the hopes it would hit the papers and news tomorrow.

9

8 November 2018
SOPOMAL Fruit Juice & Jam Factory
Matolla District, Maputu

As the sun rose over Maputu the streets bustled with activity as people started making their way to work, despite the war being waged relatively nearby there was a sense of calm and tranquil in the large city.

In the industrial suburb of Matolla the SOPOMAL Fruit Juice & Jam Factory was opening up for another day of work. A few workers inside brushed and swept the floor of the factory as a television inside the lunch room blared out the morning news broadcast.

“… and they then continued onwards towards Rovumu as part of the nati-…” a news report spoke out in thick Mocambykan as the signal continued to fade in and out.

The workers inside continued sweeping and cleaning the processing line, making a few comments about the “crappy signal” and laughing at their jokes as sunlight slowly started filling the room.

More workers began arriving and shortly thereafter the factory line was started up again, freshly blown bottles of glass arriving from a large truck that pulled up out front of the building. Workers shuttled the bottles into a sorting machine as others loaded various fruits into a crushing machine.

The factory quickly became a hubbub of activity as the preparations for another day were wrapping up. Across the streets a few small stores began opening their shutters while the day care centre and a large open air restaurant still remained closed.

As the clock hands drew close to 7AM the sound of distant explosions sparked the curiosity and concern of a few workers inside who, after looking outside towards where the sounds came from, were both confused and relieved to see no signs of smoke or fire but kept watching as the explosive sounds continued every few seconds.

The sounds continued as production started up inside the factory, the machine whirring to life as more workers gathered at the patio to watch the source of the sounds, a few remaining inside setting everything up.

A few seconds later two massive explosions rocked the factory in quick succession, shrapnel and debris flying everywhere as the glass windows shattered and blew out. The factory workers only letting out a brief scream as they dropped to the floor.

Another explosion went off a few seconds later, more shrapnel flying across the street as shop owners ducked behind counters and windows shattered into hundreds of deadly projectiles.

The group of workers lay there, some breathing heavily as a few groaned out in pain. The final few pieces of shrapnel settled to the floor as a large haze of dust settled over the area. A few people stumbled to their feet, one man running off towards the nearest clinic while another rushed inside the factory, carefully stepping over the burning hot metal fragments, concrete chunks and glass shards.

The front of the factory had almost completely collapsed, the ceiling caved in on top of numerous machines and the small crèche buried under a fallen wall. Across the street numerous shops were filled with chunks of concrete or metal shrapnel with many of their windows blown out and chairs knocked over. The still closed day care centre was filled with shrapnel in it’s yard and a few chunks of concrete embedded in the small metal fence surrounding it.

It didn’t take long for most people to get up and quickly leave the area, but a few remained to help the wounded, many who had chunks of metal or glass sticking out of them as they rolled around in agonising pain. An ambulance quickly arrived on scene and as the dust cloud started to clear the few remaining survivors started to see some more bodies in the factory floor. One was evidently crushed when the ceiling collapsed while another was missing a significant portion of their right arm. The streets remained relatively clear of causalities except for the body of a young child, who had been playing in the streets at the time.

Journalists and the military arrived quickly thereafter and the photographers liberally strolled the site, taking photos of the area, the wounded, the dead and the survivors while the military made no attempt to impede or stop them. News quickly spread across the city even before it hit the papers with the large dust cloud moving out over numerous suburbs before moving out to sea.

And while the bystanders, journalists and survivors tried to figure out what had even happened, they all knew that something wasn’t right, but what went wrong was yet to be figured out.

10

Some Background Info on the Maputu Corridor

The Maputu Corridor is one of many important corridors in the nation for transporting goods and services. The Maputu Corridor is one of the largest and it provides a passage for the railway, a road, an oil pipeline, and overhead electric power lines, each within half a kilometre of the other along a winding track starting at the train station for the village of Anaruz and ending up at the Port of Maputu. The corridor has long been a target of the Anodin backed MNR rebels and earlier in the year they managed to destroy part of the Ana Ray Bridge, forcing goods to be rerouted elsewhere while the bridge was repaired. Regular bombings of the line continue however armed convoys patrolling the corridor have deterred most attacks.

The corridor is a vital link from the coal and oil fields, farms and other factories from the inland villages to the port of Maputu. Coal exports alone could earn Mocambyk 25 million dollars a year in hard currency provided the links remain uninterrupted.

The MNR try to destroy the corridor because it’s earnings help the government. But the destruction of the Maputu Corridor is a strategic goal not just for the MNR but for Anodin as well. By severing these links with the north of the country the landlocked southern areas are forced to rely upon Anodins rail links and access to the sea as the means to get their goods and services out, which further strains the already brittle Mocambykan economy.

[hr]

26 November 2018
11:27AM
Near the Cabora Hassa Hydroelectric Dam
Maputu Corridor Railway Line

An old steam locomotive chugs along through the bush along the old Maputu Corridor. A small group of young FRELIMO soldiers sit out on guard in the sweltering heat while others take refuge in the cooler armoured wagons of the train. The train is packed with food and goods from local villages and is expected to arrive in Maputu by the evening provided no more stoppages occur.

As the sun beats down on another hot day, nervous young recruits scan the bush, alert for rockets fired by the MNR or any signs of hostile movement. A few soldiers emerged from a small hatch leading to the lower part of the armoured car, bringing out some food and drinks for the soldiers on guard duty.

For most of the lunch break the soldiers ate in silence, save for the radio playing some music and the constant chugging of the steam locomotive. A few of the younger soldiers played cards at the back of the car under a small shaded area while others sat on edge as they kept a close eye on the bush and shrubland surrounding the train track.

As the train continued along a large smoke cloud loomed on the horizon further down the track, and as the minutes went by it grew larger until it was quickly upon the train. With visibility reduced to just a few metres in the thick smoke the train slowed to a crawl. Off the sides of the train once fertile farmlands were now scorched wastelands as a orange-red glow hanged on the horizon.

Suddenly the train abruptly stopped in the firestorm, a loud grinding noise coming from the engine as the front half slipped off the tracks and almost off the embankment the track was on. The soldiers in the armoured car quickly picked up their mounted rifles but it was too late for many. Within seconds a large contingent of MNR rebels had surrounded the train and began shooting at anything that moved in the smoky haze that enveloped the area.

A few soldiers fell down almost immediately, groaning in pain as they lay bleeding onto the floor of the wagon. Others got their rifles and quickly returned sporadic, random fire into the smoke, hoping to hit someone. In the bottom of the armoured car the men quickly mounted their shielded rifles and began showering lead in all directions from the wagon.

But the rebels had the upper hand and despite dozens of wounded or dead within the first few minutes they quickly scaled the train, shooting the driver and engineer before moving along the rooftops of the wagons, massacring a group of FRELIMO soldiers held out on the roof of an armoured car before tossing a grenade down inside the lower portion.

This continued for around 15 minutes until the entire train was cleared, a few FRELIMO soldiers had surrendered or been taken prisoner and were taken to the front of the train where a rebel commander shot most of them in a summary execution save for a small group of 3 men.

The rebels, brandishing large machetes and cleavers, made quick work of the mens noses and ears, slicing them off before tying them up together and leaving them there to die on the tracks.

And for all the valuable goods and materials the train carried the rebels had no interest in anything except for raiding the refrigerated food car and a car carrying some tobacco cigars. After a small celebration they promptly set the train alight and destroyed the controls before scurrying back off in the bush towards their main encampment to the south.

11

The Situation as of the 21st December 2018

Radio Broadcasts had been steadily increasing into Mocambyk in the past few weeks with little activity on the ground. A few days ago broadcasts had a significant boost in range and quality with Anodin now devoting another transmitter to the “Voice of Free Mocambyk” an anti-government station that had quickly sprung up to try and dissuade citizens from supporting the government and their initiatives. They particularly wanted to infiltrate and dismantle the “Vigilância Popular” volunteer groups which watched out in factories or in villages for espionage, sabotage or any forms of economic disruption.

“Voice of Free Mocambyk” (Voz da Moçambyk Livre) or “Radio Hyena” (Rádio Quizumba) as it had been nicknamed by the government also served to transmit coded messages to spies and infiltrators within the nation, and despite the best efforts of the Security Service and their East Cerdan advisers they could not crack their code. All the while they continued promoting the image of RENAMO as a legitimate guerrilla movement fighting ‘against the communist system of the Machel government’. The group had also begun to seek international ties and co-operation, with support quickly coming in from conservative circles within West Cerdani under the guise of NGOs and “humanitarian aid.”

And while this continued on, actual military movements seemed scarce. The FPLM made two major offensives with both producing significant results but subsequently failed to secure the areas they had gained, losing part of it days later in a counter-offensive from the MNR. While the Anodians were searching for dissatisfied Mocambykans to swell the ranks of the MNR, the Mocambykan security services were busy intercepting large swathes of would-be recruits, presenting them at mass meetings, and to the media.

12

11 January 2019 Update

Following a set of humiliating defeats by FPLM forces towards the end of December and a significant retreat on their western front, the MNR had almost been defeated. With only a few villages and dwindling base of new recruits the FPLM was readying it’s forces to make one final push to expel the “illegitimate arm of the Anodin military” from Mocambyk entirely. But following some emergency meetings between senior officials of the Anodin government and the MNR bandits they quickly formulated a plan to win back much of their lost ground and to ensure the survival of the movement.

Thanks to some well placed informers and infiltrators within the FPLM the Anodin Intelligence Service quickly learned of the plans for the final offensive to take out the MNR. Using this knowledge they setup key defences that would stop or at least stall their offensive long enough for the MNR to launch their own. While FPLM soldiers and commanders confidently prepared for their offensive, the MNR begun hasty preparations for their new offensive to counter the FPLM’s recent gains.

Two days before the planned offensive to wipe out the MNR on January 8th, the rebels launched a surprise offensive to the east, quickly expanding their territory and taking over a communal village which most believed to be safe from these kinds of attacks. Most of the village was torched and burnt to the ground during the attack and groups of villagers were intimidated into joining the MNR under the threat of death. FRELIMO members and people who refused or ran away were shot on the spot while the elderly, sick and anyone deemed ‘useless’ were taken away from the village into the bushes and shot.

Voz da Moçambyk Livre (Voice of Free Mocambyk) opened on 11 January 2019 with a triumphal report, declaring the rebels had successfully opened a new front and proclaiming the “liberation of over 3 communal villages from the Machelist dictatorship” in the past week with further gains of smaller family based villages across the district. The Mocambyk state media quickly responded, blasting the Voz da Moçambyk Livre’s “blatant propaganda and lies” and sharing interviews of refugees from the captured villages. And while the battle of the airwaves and newspapers waged on a smaller operation was taking place near the Cabora Hassa Hydroelectric Dam.

An elite group of Anodin commandos had cut segments of the powerlines to Maputu for the second time this year, leading to a widescale power shortage in the capital and numerous other towns during the hot summer days. Tonnes worth of food items expired as refrigerators failed, leading to massive queues for essential food items across the capital as distribution centres were overloaded with requests. The main hospital was forced to operate off it’s three backup generators and some patients in intensive care were transferred to hospitals up north to keep them alive.

A few senior officials from the government commented on the failure of the FPLM to wipe out the rebels and and President Machel expressed his dissatisfaction with what he saw to be “growing corruption, laziness and bigmanship” in the Military and a “lack of transparency” from the State Security Service. He himself then made a visit to one of the captured rebel bases, shaking hands with the soldiers and examining the various weapons and items found within, including some napalm bombs for use with helicopters which he said “without a doubt came from Anodin.”

13

Kwoleck, Furnifold

Flimsy fencing surrounded a junkyard, constantly under assault by the sun. Just bordering the Womp Desert, this “junkyard” was only called a junkyard in a derogatory sense, as it was a plot of land to store inactive vehicles and equipment of the Royal Defense Force. Defense Vehicle Center 1, or the affectionately (derogatory) nicknamed “The Junkyard,” was where the RDF retained old Stratarin, Kuthernburg, and Oan Isles vehicles from the past century. Through a series of armed purchases and donations, Furnifold had hundreds of these tanks, personnel carriers,  and mortars just lying there, collecting dust and getting blasted by the sun. Nobody who works at The Junkyard knows why the RDF still hold on to this equipment, especially as Furnifold has made a push to have more modern materiel. Maybe the RDF has been keeping it in the case of an invasion from Pax, or some other neighboring country. Maybe the RDF will scrap it and use the metal for other items. Maybe it was just a  logistics error, and the RDF forgot that these vehicles existed. The point was, that there were hundreds of vehicles with solely military application just lying around for the taking, and that is exactly what happened.

The Furnifold Patriotic Front, a radical ethnic organization, has been growing in popularity among the Sahibu people of Furnifold. Protesting, political violence, thuggery, and some kidnappings have been the operations the FPF has engaged in against the Furnifold government. Recently the FPF launched their most brazen attack yet. Seeing the complete lack of security around The Junkyard, the FPF sent its force to steal some of the vehicles and damage some others. And it succeeded. Many vehicles’ circuits were demolished, old tires were punctured, and more sabotage was done. The FPF also made off with some older scout cars, stronger complements to the technicals the FPF employed that were little more than pickup trucks with some sandbags inside. This was the prize to the FPF, and to the Furnifold military, such a success led to a change in paradigm. There was no way the FPF could launch an attack like this again, and see old Stratarin-era tanks converge around McLendal. Besides strengthening the protection around some of these centers, the RDF decided to sell off its older equipment to interest buyers.

Reputation of the buyers did not matter, as the sale would be secret and hopefully untraceable back to Furnifold.

So when Furnifold military read the news about the Anodin government, heard the radio broadcasts about the rebels’ effort in a poor, communist nation in Gondwana, the RDF knew it had an opportunity to land a buyer of the old materiel. The opportunity that still benefited Furnifold beyond the initial sale, as the fewer communist countries that existed on Urth, the better. Perhaps Mocambyk was a resource rich nation, that, upon being liberated by these rebels, would export its resources, spreading the international economic system in Urth.

It would not matter if the Mocambyk rebels were committing acts of atrocity, or the racist and speciest Anodin government supported the rebels; Furnifold would play no direct role in it. And, if trends continue, a more globalized Urth means an Urth where archaic and inhumane ideals are eradicated. All would be fine. The opportunity would be pursued.

Now, how to contact the rebels…

McLendal, Furnifold

General Imuka Jejawa, commander of military logistics for the RDF, tasked his junior officer to contact the Anodin military, as he, and by extension, the military of Furnifold, had a proposition to discuss…