June 23rd, 2015: It has been just over one month since combined forces from China, North Korea, Mexico and Cuba made their initial pushes into United States sovereign territory and caught the US military completely off guard.
Taiwan and South Korea along the 38th parallel are battle zones. Taiwanese and the few remaining American forces are under siege and only highly dangerous air drops the kind that haven't been seen since the days of the Cold War over Berlin are the only things keeping them alive and in the fight. At the current rate of heavy lifter attrition, analysts give the efforts to hold off the Chinese another 45 days at most.
South Korean and American forces are holding firm along the 38th parallel, thanks in large part to the largest minefield in existence between the two warring nations. South Korean and American forces have hardened their defensive line and are concentrating on holding off raiding style maneuvers by the North Korean commanders designed to force a safe path through. If they succeed, North Korean land forces are poised for a lightning thrust into South Korea.
In continental America, Communist Chinese forces, along with North Korean special forces have taken everything of significance West of the Rocky Mountains and have defined their lines through the middle of Nevada. Mexican and Cuban forces still surround Albuquerque and the population inside is beginning to run out of food and needed supplies. Ft Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona still stands but has been rendered combat ineffective. Texas continues to hold its lines but troops out of Ft. Hood and Ft. Bliss are stretched thin. Accompanying cavalry and tank brigades are similarly hard pressed.
The current US held lines are just to the Eastern side of the Rockies themselves. The only available regular US forces available to hold and secure that line are the 4th Infantry division's 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Brigade Combat Teams out of Ft. Carson, Colorado. Assisting them are the 10th Special Forces group, also from Ft. Carson.
US Special forces and reconnaissance teams continue to harass the enemy forces far behind their main lines but so far have been ineffective at causing long term damage to their continued forward advance.
With the Rocky Mountains in the way on both sides and the president of the United States vowing to not use nuclear devices on US homeland, one side needs to make a push to control the opposite side of the Rockies they currently hold with a conventional force.
And so, the target becomes Salt lake City, Utah. A major crossroads through the Rockies, holding the city will prove vital for either side. Just to the WEST of Salt Lake City are the Dugway Proving Grounds. 800,000 acres of NOTHING where the United States tests chemical and biological weapons, along with a small stockpile of proven reagents. To the NORTH of Salt Lake lies Hill Air Force Base. Hill AFB is the command and control structure for virtually every single land based nuclear missile the United States possesses. The Chinese see these two installations as "must own" pieces of its strategy. North Korea sees them as perfect locations from which to steal American technology and help to break the stalemate along the 38th parallel.
Mexican and Cuban forces are sending forces up from the South to help stall American forces coming from Texas along the Southern end of the Rockies. Limited numbers from Ft. Carson are moving to intercept the Chinese forces as they push Eastward. The militia forces in Salt Lake City have been ordered to hunker down and prepare for the brunt of the enemy assault. For now, all eyes turn to the coming battle for the Rockies and two of America's most important remaining Western military installations.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Gameday will be fought in two stages: the first stage will be for control of Salt Lake City, Utah and will run from 8:30AM until 4PM. The second stage will be for control of the two military complexes and will run from 4PM until game end at 7PM. In keeping with the chaos of trying to either invade or hold the country, the control for Salt Lake beginning at 8:30AM will be begun by whatever forces each side happens to have on hand and ready to go. It is ENTIRELY POSSIBLE for one side to be significantly outnumbered in the early going hours (depending on how many actually manged to get to the field and into battle) and if that happens, the underpowered side will have to make up lost ground.
At 4PM the battle will shift to control of the military installations and depending on how well a side performed at Salt Lake, will determine how easy or hard of a time they have during the final three hours. The battle for military installations will have the field divided into two different battle zones. Sides will be able to swap forces between them as they see fit, but end game results will come from BOTH sides, not just one :army10
Past years have seen the games end with an extraction for at least one side. THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE NO SUCH EXTRACTION! It's a fight to the death and to the final second for control of the two installations! You better not give up until the cannon blows this year.
As usual, for those who have played before, gameday missions will given out "real world" style as the day progresses. Objects of opportunity as well as "must do" missions will come and go. Also, missions range in time length from 30 minutes to "until otherwise" :army16 For new players getting in for the first time, don't freak out. Just go with it and once you have secured your slot on a side, you will be given access to the hidden forums where example missions and more details "in game" information related to your side will be given out.
Because of the nature of this game, as usual, players will NOT be given access to the hidden forums UNTIL YOU HAVE SECURED YOUR SLOT WITH A PAYMENT. :army17 The nature of the information given out in each side's hidden forums is such that you CAN NOT SWAP SIDES FOR ANY REASON once you have procured a slot. It will not be allowed so do not ask.
The game is limited to the first 185 players that SECURE A SLOT. And yeah, I know most people will want to play for the American side, but get over it, it's two equal forces, so you do the math. If you end up playing for the invaders, I expect you to play them with a zeal and ferocity that you'd expect a normal person fighting for that side to have. Listed below are the two sides' actual makeups...
Invaders: 100 players
70 Chinese Military
30 North Korean Special Forces
Defenders: 85 players
50 militia forces
35 American military regulars
The defenders are slightly outnumbered as could reasonably be expected and because of the current state of invasion, the local militia population of Salt Lake is being called upon to fend largely for itself, hence their outnumbering of the US regular forces.
The Chinese and North Korean forces will be working together throughout the day, but as the day goes on, the North Koreans will be given missions that would be in their self interests that will naturally take away from the Invaders overall strength but MUST be completed in order to score points that count toward an overall win for their side. Chinese Forces will find themselves pressed for men in the latter stages of the game...
The same goes for the defense forces. The US military forces must help to hold Salt Lake, but the two military installations are their main concern, for obvious reasons. There will be missions during the day that the military MUST complete in order to win an overall victory for the defenders, but will take away defense forces needed to hold onto Salt Lake.
Around 4PM, a decision will be made based upon current points and the makeup of the two military installations defense force numbers will be determined before the game switches over to "military base" mode. More details on that will come in each side's hidden forums. And for those who played last year, I'm only gonna say this once and then nothing more will be said about it in public forums, so you better pay attention now.... IF YOU DID NOT LEARN YOUR LESSON LAST YEAR CONCERNING THE USE OF SPIES, YOU BETTER BONE UP ON YOUR STRATEGY NOW
The forum is currently unlocked and if you have any questions, please ask away and I will answer them if I can. See you on the 5th boys and girls.....
