Operation Witchfall

Operation Witchfall is the codename for the New Novayan invasion of Gaia in 1943, as part of the Eastward Offensive Campaign.
==Prelude==
The New Novayan Stellar Commonwealth's Eastward Offensive saw combat several worlds in the initial phase of the war, overwhelming their defenders. It was in one of those worlds that New Novayan troops had trouble defeating an elven magi by the name of "Alice", forcing the deployment of the most powerful thaumaturges to defeat her. Alice, who was a thorn in the NNSC's side, proved to be a great boon as they discover the existence of several Earths, one of which is in the Atomic Age yet undergoing an unusual variation of World War II. Now eyeing a target, Gaia proved to be a boon to conquer as it now seeks to use these witches from their original intended roles to soldiers of war.
==Invasion==
===Operation Thunder Run===
In the year 1943, the Novayan Expeditionary Forces arrived in orbit before launching a selective orbital bombardment and the deployment of combat squadrons to dominate the skies. The goals were to deter Neuroi forces from responding to the New Novayan advance, with the squadrons being reinforced by additional aerospace combat squadrons deployed from several arriving carrier fleets.
Meanwhile, New Novayan ground forces landed in the Sahara, Australisian, Arabian, American and Gobi deserts and Siberia to coordinate large scale military operations. North Africa was taken first after purging the Neuroi there, followed by the Arabian Peninsula and Mesopotamia, and Orussia was divided and rapidly losing ground. Because they landed in the Australisian desert, New Novayan forces were able to establish several military bases and launch a series of small-scale yet highly-effective assaults that ended in Australis' cities being captured; this allowed the Wehrmacht to deploy maritime naval units to launch naval sorties as well as clear enemy naval forces. Additional forces were deployed to North Africa and Orussia to reinforce the ground forces.
Because the Neuroi had no idea their new enemy utilize shields that negate energy attacks, the New Novayans proved themselves to be a greater threat to them than the Atomic Age humans were. Repeated skirmishes and battles between New Novayan squadrons and Neuroi units allowed research and development groups to develop countermeasures and means by which the Neuroi could be detected and defeated, allowing the Wehrmacht and Black Guard to destroy them faster. With Orussia completely under the New Novayan jackboots, the expeditionary forces began preparing for a westward offensive that would see Europa fall under the New Novayan dominion, an offensive that would see both the Neuroi and humanity fall before them. After several science ships confirmed the existence of underground hives, a series of offensive campaigns was inaugurated which use combined ground and air forces in overrunning continental Europe.
Due to the need to effectively combat Neuroi units, New Novayan troops were sent to conscript girls who may have potential magic and, training and equipping them with advanced striker unitsreverse-engineered by New Novayan research and development groups and pre-NNSC military equipment, use them for winning battles against humans and Neuroi.
====Sub-Operation Castle Vanguard====
Three army groups (Army Group Castle Vanguard A, Army Group Castle Vanguard B, and Army Group Reserve Castle Vanguard) and two tactical air forces (Tactical Air Force Castle Vanguard A and Tactical Air Force Castle Vanguard B) was given the task of invading central Eastern Europa before entering the heart of Karsland, where New Novayan armored and artillery forces assailed the Neuroi Wall in Berlin and struck the Neuroi hive underneath the city with thaumaturgically/paratechnologically-enhanced ground penetrator bombs; several New Novayan warshipsespecially destroyers, light cruisers and heavy cruisers positioned themselves, with corvettes and combat squadrons screening them as they await the Neuroi hive "Germania".
Upon its ascent from below, the assembled New Novayan fleets commenced Operation Hivefall, which sees Hive "Germania" being overwhelmed by projectile, missile, biological, thaumaturgical, paratechnological and energy fire. The resulting attacks from the ships and squadrons coming from all sides and aboveincluding from orbit, and from missile and artillery forces from the ground overwhelmed Hive "Germania" to the point its lasers can't handle the volume of firepower being poured against it, resulting in its core being exposed and destroyed.
====Sub-Operation Northern Storm====
One army group (Army Group Northern Storm) and two independent field armies (Army Northern Storm A and Army Northern Storm B) was tasked with the invasion of Northern Europa, working alongside elements of the Black Guard in shunting Neuroi activities there. Due to the fact Northern Europe consisted of rugged terrain and snowy areas, Northern Storm Command requisitioned five tactical air forces in destroying any Neuroi present.
====Sub-Operation Southern Strike====
Alongside elements of Theater Command Castle Vanguard, Army Group Southern Strike A and Army Group Southern Strike B were tasked with invading Southern and Southeastern Europe. Army Groups Reserve Southern Strike A and B were on stand-by in case either army group requested reinforcements.
===Operation Westmarch===
After the goals of Operation Thunder Run was completed, New Novayan forces consolidated in the Balkans and Karlsland for one last continental offensive, codenamed Westmarch for the fact it is essentially the storming of Western Europa, divided into Sub-Operations Roman Downfall and Hubris' End. Extensive preparations, reconnaissance and infiltration missions, constant raids and skirmishes, weakspot and weakness identification, deployment and redeployment of combat and auxiliary units, marking of targets of opportunity, and concealment operations lasted for a few months, afterwhich the offensive campaign commenced.
====Sub-Operation Hubris' End====
Combined artillery and aerial bombardment coupled with air supremacy missions distracted the Allied forces while New Novayan ground forces stormed Western and Southern Europa, their impending assaults masked by special operations units raiding and eliminating Allied reconnaissance and observer units watching for hostile movement. Communications with observer and reconnaissance units were cut to ensure maximum dominance over the Allied forces, while any ambush spots were taken out.
The rapid onslaught of the New Novayan war machine took the Allies by surprise, and even with their own witches fighting back against them however distasteful it was to kill another human being, the fact they were at war with a more technologically-advanced human foe also meant many soldiers fighting against the invaders were sure to be demoralized. After only five days of combat, the first New Novayan forces breached the Maginot Line and made their incursions into Gallia and the Benelux, which were already recovered from the Neuroi earlier to allow the citizens of those nations to return. Their very presence had proven to be an unprecedented benefit, as not long did they arrived back in Gallia and the Benelux, New Novayan ground forces began rapidly enveloping scattered Allied forces and began systematically destroying them in the fields, in the forests and even in repopulated areas.
To ensure that the Allies were to be cut off from every avenue of escape, several ground units were diverted along the coastline to secure strategically- and tactically-important ports, beaches and coastal population centers which would otherwise allow Allied troops to land or escape to; New Novayan combat squadrons were redeployed to deny Allied ships the chance to land or evacuate surviving forces. New Novayan mobile units were also sent deep into Gallia to cut off every population centers and deny any avenues of escape. The resulting cascade of defeats eventually forced the Allies in Gallia and the Benelux to surrender.
====Sub-Operation Roman Downfall====
At the same time, New Novayan forces in the Balkans and Central Europa launched an offensive campaign into what was called the Romagnan peninsula, with the targets being the Duchy of Venezia and the Duchy of Romagna. Due to the issues of multiple landing zones being potentially headaches for the Allied forces to inflict with, New Novayan air units were deployed to scour the skies and patrol the seas to ensure total air dominance.
The first major obstacle was the Alps, whose rugged terrain gave few avenues of assault for the New Novayan forces but multiple avenues of attack for the Allied forces. To ensure that Sub-Operation Roman Downfall proceeded smoothly, specialized mountain infantry units were deployed to clear and secure the Alps of Allied military presence and bombs; at the same time, special forces were either sent to raid towns and cities there into submission or, failing to receive their submission, destroy and depopulate them.
The second major obstacle was the Neuroi super-hive in Venezia, whose very existence proved to a majestic eyesore and, basically, led to the naval fleet's deployment against it. It wasn't difficult nor easy, as the super-hive's destruction require heavy orbital bombardment.
With the Alps fully taken and controlled, New Novayan forces launched the invasion of Venezia, which was eventually taken after a few battles took place there. The Duchy of Romagna was next, and already New Novayan forces began moving into the duchy, using Venezia as a springing board for their invasion. Divided into two large armies, Army Romagna West and Army Romagna South, the New Novayans began gaining ground and had taken control of a few populated centers. It was only after that that they began facing stiff resistance both from the Allies and the mafias defending their homes. This stall disrupted the timetable set up to conquer Romagna; despite this, northern Romagna and Venezia became the site of several portal gateways built there to allow New Novayan reinforcements to pour through.
Army Romagna West, having achieved its objectives, was reinforced and sent south heading west to assist in Sub-Operation Hubris' End and the other - the original force split off from Army Romagna - heading southeast to aid in the conquest of Romagna as part of Army Romagna. A directive from Grand Marshal Karl Friedrich was sent to Army Romagna South Headquarters in Venezia: they are to cut off and take the city of Roma and capture the nation's youngest ruler, Duchess Maria Pier di Romagna. Her capture is paramount to the success of Sub-Operation Roman Downfall, and that three entire tactical air forces, two thaumaturgic corps and two large submarine fleets were transferred to Army Romagna to prevent her escape by air, land or sea. Spy networks in Roma reported that the duchess herself refused to escape out of a sense of duty towards her own people, ensuring they will stay safe no matter what happens.
With these assets in mind, the submarine fleets were sent to patrol the Mediterranean Sea while the tactical air forces also helped in patrolling the sea, in addition to deploying sonar buoys to detect and intercepting transport aircraft that may contain Duchess Maria. The two corps of thaumaturges were beneficial to discovering the whereabouts and possible locations of Duchess Maria; she was discovered dressed in civilian clothes and being escorted safely out of the palace and into the sewers to escape in a vehicle hidden in an otherwise-abandoned building. With the coordinates of her escape vehicle and the getaway building on hand, a flight of five Skelters were sent to destroy the building with a few missiles and guided bombs. At the suggestions of the thaumaturges, additional flights and then squadrons were sent to destroy aircraft hangars, coastal ports, trains, railways, power plants and lines, and even vehicles to cause mass confusion. To further delay her escape, squadrons were tasked with strafing runs and bombing runs to prevent her, her friends, and her guards from attempting an escape, by targeting markets, schools, and other buildings sans hospitals to terrify the populace into submission.
While this was going on, Army Romagna - now redesignated as Army Group Romagna - launched rapid assaults and airstrikes to distract the Allies and mafias from its goal of capturing her. Special forces and airborne troops were sent to surround Rome while regular mobile troops arrive from the north, northwest, northeast, and east. Then, without warning, elements of the Equestrian Wehrmacht arrived on the orders of Admiral Borealis Marcelo Norsoutha III to assist in the capture of Duchess Maria; it was later revealed that Grand Marshal Karl Friedrich agreed to the admiral's request to allow the Equestrian Wehrmacht to capture the duchess and her friends and guards and ensure they (especially Duchess Maria) were to be placed under close guard and the custody of the Equestrian Wehrmacht.
It became clear to the Allies of what is going on, and launched a swift rescue operation, which was derailed when the Equestrian Wehrmacht troops blunted their attempts before the assault on Roma began. At the helm of the assault was Admiral Borealis III himself, who not only oversaw the battle but also led elements of the 1st Guards Panzergrenadier Division and Kampfgruppe Lehr Division to find and capture Duchess Maria. The thaumaturges were able to pinpoint her location, which is in the Mausoleum of Hadrianus. With elements of Army Group Romagna lending aid to the admiral and his forces, the siege of the Mausoleum of Hadrianus saw New Novayan StuGs being brought in to breach the gates and dropships to deliver Equestrian Wehrmacht soldiers to clear the walls. By the end of it all, Admiral Borealis III, who led the operation, eventually came out of the fortress with Duchess Maria in chains yet in her royal attire as he and a squad of soldiers escort her to his awaiting dropship farther away from the Mausoleum.The sight of their duchess shocked the Romagnans, who had hoped she was able to escape, only to find their hopes shattered in the worst possible way. Seeing her led away in chains had demoralized the Romagnan nation as radio stations broadcast the news of her capture by the admiral and the Equestrian Wehrmacht, worsening the demoralization.
It is unknown what became of the duchess's friends and guards.It was revealed that Duchess Maria, fearing for her friends', family's and guards' lives, came out of her hidden room within the fortress and presented herself to the admiral, asking him to take her away and do whatever he wants to her, even if she has to endure a humiliation and a fate worse than death. Instead, Admiral Borealis III calmly told her that while he seeks only her capture to force Romagna's surrender, he had no interest in making her face a fate worse than death.
He then simply requested her friends and guards to lay low for a while and, before leaving with her and the squadron of soldiers, handed the witches and guards a map of the Mausoleum that guides them to a secret escape route that would allow them to escape and a letter, which says "13D115H935M", translated as "13 days, 115 hours, and 935 minutes", and the location of Noviodunum (Soissons), Gaul (Gallia). He also asked them to bring her family to the appointed time and appointed location.
After heading to Soissons and waited for exactly thirteen days, 115 hours and 935 minutes, a few Equestrian Wehrmacht soldiers arrived to bring them secretly to a few cargo containers that would take them to an awaiting cargo ship destined for Faust. There, they discovered that Duchess Maria was alive and well, not tortured or even defiled. They were then granted Equestrian citizenship, with their houses being in Henoville and Canterlot.
===Operation Southward Arrows===
====Sub-Operation Atom's Watch====
====Sub-Operation Boxer's Vengeance====
===Operation Macedonian Return===
====Sub-Operation March to Babylon====
====Sub-Operation Persian Fall====
====Sub-Operation Indohellenic Vengeance====
===Operation Red Glow===
====Sub-Operation Faraway Castaway====
====Sub-Operation Eastward March====
====Sub-Operation Cartel No More====
====Sub-Operation Aztec Vengeance====
====Sub-Operation Caribbean Collapse====
===Operation Tropical Storm===
====Sub-Operation Imperial Reversal====
===Operation Eagle's Failure===
====Sub-Operation Reichsadler's Fall====
====Sub-Operation Amazonian Vengeance====
==References==