Reich Marshal of the Belkan Reich-Chapter 370: RM Vol 4: War – - 58: Case Yellow (Day 16 - Deploying)

Author Notes:

Well, the newest RM Chapter is truly something... But given what is happening in the world right now, I won't say much of anything here. A moment of silence, please.

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Before the scheduled morning news broadcast and around thirty minutes past midnight. One of the many large military bases of the Belkan Reich remains vibrant with activities.

This military base, big enough to host a full airfield, multiple armories, and various dormitories, alongside amenities buildings like a cinema and a supermarket, is the home of the 501st Airborne Division. After their stint in Sardegna, the 501st has gone mostly under the grid and hasn't been participating in the actions against Ustian Loyalists and Eruseans. However, it doesn't mean that the 501st is idle. In their downtime, the Division has taken to recuperate and expand upon their ranks and arsenals. The experience from dropping and fighting in Sardegna has proven invaluable in eliminating any shortcomings the world's first successful Airborne Division may have. Things like streamlining the supply line, simplifying communication protocols, and developing new tactics for unfavorable scenarios... These are the results of lessons learned through blood, sweat, tears, and most certainly Reichsmarks.

While the 404th Division is the original and official personal unit of the Reich Marshal, it's an open secret that the 501st Airborne is the second Division to come under the Marshal's direct command. The chief reason for this is because the 501st, even though they're an Airborne Division, is formed by a large number of veterans from the 404th. Having served directly under and with the Reich Marshal, these veterans won't forget their roots because of a minor change in their Division designation. As such, they take the word 'self-improvement' very seriously, not willing to bring shame to their supreme commander. All this time, they have been constantly honing their craft. Even when things get bombastic over in Dunkirk, the 501st Airborne silently and patiently sharpen their blades. It's only when an order comes, with the Marshal's signature, that the whole Division rises into a flurry of actions, taking to the command as if they're divine words. Once more, the time has come for the Reich Marshal's elite Division to soar over its enemy and deliver judgment.

Of course, while the order to sortie only came immediately after Polania fired its first shots, the overall plans for this moment were known long ago by the 501st. As such, other than building themselves up even stronger than before, the 501st has also been readying themselves for this very day.

Thanks to prior preparation, most of the necessary war materials are already loaded on the A-400s. The lively atmosphere at the 501st's home base is due to the boarding procedure of most of their airborne infantries and their accompanying vehicles. For the most part, the sound of vehicle engines and beating propeller blades have drowned out the human voice. Yet, the undertone of coordinated shoutings is hard to miss, especially when those come from the commanding officers of the 501st. Some bark instructions, some call out names while others jest before deployment. Like a group of organized ants, rows upon rows of paratroopers and vehicles step into the bellies of their transport. With aid from the base's lighting system, the boarding process proceeded smoothly. Aircraft that are full are to taxi to the runway area, making room for another to take in more soldiers. Like a well-oiled machine, every part is conducted and repeated without a hitch.

While the bulk of the 501st are awaiting lift-off, the base's attached Air Force elements are already rolling down the runways. Multiple F-1 Phantoms are hitting 100 percent throttle, climbing up into the starry sky rapidly. Heading due East, the Phantoms from the 501st base will be part of the initial SEAD attack to blast an open corridor for the airbornes to land. To the trails of smoke and light left behind by the fighter jets, many cheers and salutes arise from the 501st paratroopers. After all, a great many of them survived Sardegna by the very same aircraft flying constant CAS and CAP. For the boys and girls who are to drop head first behind enemy line, nothing reassures them more than total air superiority.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" A 501st Captain, sporting a blue paint strip running down the middle of his helmet, steps between seated rows of paratroopers. "F-1 Phantoms, finest in the combat air fleet of us, the Belkan Reich!"

Swaggering up and down the aisle in the cargo hold of their taxiing A-400, the Captain says animatedly.

"Back in the day, we had no fancy smansy fighter jet that keeps us all warm and fuzzy at night! We had no Yggdra blessed guided munition that rained down from Heaven to smite our foes!"

Raising his rifle upward with one hand while turning his body to face his subordinates, the Captain speaks in fake distaste.

"Back then, whole Platoons only had two sticks and a rock to beat the enemy with! Two sticks, and a rock and we had to share the rock! But now..."

Shaking his rifle, which is not yet chambered and is on safe by the way, the Captain adds while hitting his helmet with a couple of clanks.

"Now, look at us! The Mother Goddess sure loves us grunts to grant us the ability to hose down hordes of those freaky Demons, eh!?"

As veterans from Sardegna, many of the paratroopers raise their fists and shout acknowledgment.

"Uhm! But unlike those mindless beasts, we'll be fighting living soldiers now." The Captain slowly loses his grin, putting on a more somber voice. "Like us, they have their share of dreams, hope, and aspirations. They basically have working brains, for Heaven's sake. So the last thing I want to see from my grunts is that some of you chuckle nuts go out and die because you underestimated your foe."

Two seconds after that reminder, the Captain continues.

"The battlefield is a chaotic place, accidents can and will happen, and a corner rat can bite back harder than before. A bad drop may put you away from your team. A bad fall may break your gun... I can list on and on about the things that can claim any of our lives. The point is...!" The Captain fixes them all with a calm gaze. "Stay level head. Fight with all you have. It may feel stupid when I repeat something we already know by heart but there are tales as own as Time where hubris is one's downfall."

The Captain then finishes up his little speech as the plane is about to take off.

"The Reich Marshal has entrusted us to be the spearhead of this operation. For her, and the memories of Gordy and Randall, we will not tarnish this opportunity. Am I right, paras!?"

"OORAH!" Shout the airbornes, stamping their feet onto the metallic floor twice.

"Uhm, damn right I am. Now make sure you're all buckled up properly. It will be a long few hours ahead before we can breathe fresh air." The Captain reminds while strapping himself to one of the seats.

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While the main body of the 501st is bustling with vitality, the forward elements of the Division are in a much more serious mood. Flown in by multiple Ospreys, the Pathfinders and Witches of the 501st Airborne have infiltrated the Polanian airspace. The Pathfinders and Witches will be the first boots on the ground, acting as the hands that scout, seize, and assess the designated landing zones of the 501st. When the main force lands, the Pathfinders and Witches will act as the 501st' Force Recon unit.

On a side note, the 501st won't be the only Airborne Division to be dropped in Polania. There are actually two additional Airborne Divisions, the 261st and 263rd. Unlike the 501st which consists of hardened veterans from the 404th, the 261st and 263rd pull their recruits from other experienced units of the Belkan Army. They may not be as elite as the 501st, but the 261st and 263rd paratroopers aren't no slouch either. Much like the 501st, the 261st and 263rd also employ their respective Pathfinders and Witches.

Currently, all the Pathfinders and Witches are sitting in the back of the Osprey, breathing in pure oxygen through their oxygen mask to flush out the usual nitrogen in their bloodstream. This is needed as they will be deploying shortly at a very high altitude where decompression sickness is a real threat for the jumpers. By employing the HALO jumping technique, the Pathfinders and Witches can be deployed rapidly and stealthily in the heart of Polania.

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Having checked the digital map, the co-pilot of Osprey speaks on the aircraft's intercom.

"1 minute!"

Hearing the announcement, the Pathfinders and Witches disconnect the cords that supply oxygen to their helmets. At once, they stand to check their parachutes and gears, ensuring that no one is wearing their equipment improperly. There's a sense of familiarity in their actions, it's not the first time they have made jumps like this. Yet, none of them dare to skim over it, knowing just how dire of a consequence it will be if any of them have faulty equipment. While the Witches can fly at a lower altitude, the landbound Pathfinders can't, and no one wants to see a red splatter on the floor upon touchdown.

Once they're all set, the leader of this group of jumpers speaks through the intercom.

"We're good here."

"Copy that. Opening the ramp!" The co-pilot replies, pressing a button to lower the rear ramp of the Osprey. A sea of clouds, illuminated by the starry sky above, unfolds for the jumpers to see. "Ten seconds! Mother Goddess bless you, ladies and gents!"

Raising a thumbs up back at the co-pilot, the leader, a proud Witch of the 501st, steps forth closer to the ramp. Feeling the presence of her battle brothers and sisters standing near her, the Witch says.

"In the memories of Gordy and Randall."

"Oorah."

Unlike the 501st back at the base, the sentence and reply were made to be concise, reflecting nothing but the respect they have for the soldiers who have valiantly showcased what it meant to be true Belkan Airbornes. There's no additional flourish, no more hype speech. When the internal light of the Osprey turns from red to green, the Witch leads her unit by plunging headfirst into the sea of clouds. It's hard to see but spread across the large airspace, numerous shadows can be seen jumping out of more Osprey VTOL aircraft. Unknown to the Polanians, hundreds of Belka's elite soldiers are now gliding over their heads.

Although the Pathfinders and Witches have deployed before the morning declaration of war the Reich Marshal will make for the Belkan people, the moment they jump is the moment when the Belkan ambassador in Warsaw delivers a declaration of war alongside a long, long list of the Polanian's wrongdoing. This may or may not have included whatever orders the Polanian Revolutionary Command Council had given to the Polanian Army that decided to attack the Belkan border. Because of this, when historians of the future pour over this event, there's a debate on which country has been the first to encroach on the sovereign of the other.

After all, the reaction speed of the Belkan Reich has been far too swift, even if they had learned of the Polanians' movements in advance. Some even argue that the Belkans were already inside Polanian soil before the Polanian Army fired the first salvo. Nonetheless, this is a story for the future. Today, clearing out the drop zones and setting up secured footholds in Polania takes precedence.

Speeding past layers of cloud and the chilled air, the Witches are the first to slow their descent. Unfurling their wings, these deadly ladies zip across the air to provide overwatch for the Pathfinders who have just unfurled their parachutes. Although they opened their chutes at low altitude, it will still take some time for the Pathfinders to recover from their landing. In this period, the Pathfinders are at their weakest, hence the necessity of the Witches' action. Fortunately, the depth of the night masks the paratroopers' presence well, and the Pathfinders and Witches don't leave themselves vulnerable for long.

Now that they have boots on the ground, it's time to proceed with the next phase. Land grabbing.