1440 September 21th, 2019 CE

0720 (Mid Hour), Quiet 113th, 195 AE

Pentagon, United States of America, Formidon Continent

“What?”

“You are now the commander of the US New World Command.”

“...”

“Well you see General Thompson, we don’t have military bases around the world anymore, so we can’t have region-specific combatant commands as we did in the old world. Basically, this command is for our military operations that are not in the United States or the Northern Frontier, which is U.S. territory now.”

“Um… I’m honored to be appointed to this position, Mr.President, but may I ask a question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Why me? I mean we have other great generals that have lost their positions because of the sudden transfer to this world. I believe there are four other great commanders that can fill that position.”

This time, General Marks responded.

“We believe that you are the most suitable. The Middle East has been in a state of constant war for years. You have the most experience with operations dealing with fighting the enemy. Not training and practice like the European Command or the Indo-Pacific Command and not minor operations like the Southern Command or the African Command. But actual major operations and combat.”

General Thompson thought about it for a bit.

“Then I understand General, Mr. President, and I will carry out my duties.”

“Now, the President and I have been looking at and discussing plans to carry out an attack on Bem. We want to completely knock out the Bem first.”

General Marks shuffled through documents before continuing.

“The good news is that we have a lot of intelligence on the enemy we are facing. The Magusians were happy to give us information about their enemies. Beginning with the Bem. The Bem’s technology is less advanced than the Machians and is on par with an average advanced country during the 1700s. Their population is very small at around 10 million people. On the sea, their navy consists of around 300 ships of the line... actually, that should be about 280 now. They vary from being equipped with 50 guns to 100 guns. Their calibers mainly consist of 18-pounders, 24-pounders, and 36 pounders. On land, their army is about 300,000 strong and uses muskets, horse cavalry, and a varying caliber range of cannons. We will be facing wooden forts and linear tactics. In the air, they have virtually no air force.”

To General Thompson, the prospect of fighting a war against an 18th-century country seemed unneeded.

“Do we actually need to fight a war against them? Isn’t it a bit unnecessary seeing that they aren’t a major threat to us? They are less armed than even the minor terrorist groups that I had experienced in the Middle East.”

“Actually, we are hoping to just subdue them. Missile strikes, drone strikes, and airstrikes on their military and political facilities should get the job done. If we are able to take out the king and his heirs, then their country would be completely leaderless. The only reason that we are occupying them is to reform their government and gain the ability to build military bases on their land. That will help us greatly in our offensive on the Mach.”

“Then what if we don’t take out the king with the strikes? Or all of his heirs? Attacks from the air won’t always get their target. I have experienced this many times.”

“If we don’t, let’s hope that their king or heir is wise enough to understand the position he is in. We can literally rain down fire from the skies whenever and wherever we want. If not, then we would have to conduct an actual full-scale invasion.”

“Then we will have to prepare for an occupation nonetheless. Do we have any information on the Mach?”

General Marks pulled out some photos that were copies of what the Magusians had shown to Diplomat Underwood.

“The Mach is a bit more complicated. They have technology similar to an early 20th-century European country. They have a population of about 70 million with an army of around 1.5 million strong. Their navy is made up of about 200 ships made up of dreadnoughts, cruisers, and destroyers. Their Air Force is made up of around three thousand biplanes and bombers. Their army uses rifles, artillery, and tanks. According to the Magusians, most of the Machian army are based near the border of the Magusians. About 25% of the 1.5 million-strong army is scattered in bases around the country and not near the border. Another important thing is that according to the Magusians, the Machians have a complicated hierarchy that allows them to function even if their emperor and his heirs are dead.”

“Shouldn’t we do a two-pronged attack? Strike both the Machians and Bem at the same time so they have no time to react?”

“We will be doing something like that. However, the strikes on the Machians will be limited. Our aircraft carriers don’t have enough firepower to completely destroy the Machians. We will need more airpower to conduct an intensive attack on the Mach. In the old world, we are able to launch a full-scale air campaign in two countries. But this world is different, we don’t have air bases around the world that allow us to do consistent airstrikes. We need to construct quick airfields in Bem which can provide us with extra ground support and air superiority.”

“How about our bombers? Can’t they be used to neutralize the Mach?”

“We do have a total of 152 bombers but the logistics required for us to get some of those bombers to the Mach Imperium and back is complicated if not near impossible. The Mach Imperium is more than 6,000 miles away. Even with the B-52H that has a range of 8,800 miles, the highest range out of all our bombers, returning would be impossible since our tankers only have at most a range of 1,500 miles. It could only work if we had the MQ-25 Stingray in operation since they can be launched off carriers. The Stingray’s first flight was planned to be two days ago but it got pushed to a later date because of our transfer to this world. Although even if we had the MQ-25 Stingray able to fly, it is still under development.”

“I see. Is it possible to ask the Magusians for assistance since they are the Machian’s sworn enemy?”

“They don’t seem to appreciate foreign troops in their land.”

“I see, as usual with any country.”

1250 September 22nd, 2019 CE

0625 (Mid Hour), Quiet 114th, 195 AE

Tampa, Florida, United States of America, Formidon Continent

General Abrams Thompson arrived at the MacDill Air Force Base, the old headquarters of the US Central Command, which is now the headquarters of the US New World Command. Right now, General Thompson was preparing for a naval battle. The Machians had threatened to send another invasion fleet if the United States did not surrender within 24 hours. That 24 hour was up.

Originally there were plans to launch an attack before the Machians could assemble their fleet but it was scratched. It was not that the United States was unable to do it. The United States could. There were three Marine Expeditionary Units in North Carolina that could mobilize in less than a day and the US Navy was always mobilized. It was that it didn’t make much sense to rush things. The Machian navy was at most a light threat. The only reason that it was even a light threat was that there was a tiny chance that if the entire Machian Navy of around 200 ships were sent to attack the US, some of their ships could get through and attack a city. In reality, they can’t be considered a threat at all since it was highly unlikely that the Machian will use their entire navy to attack the United States. The Machian depended on those ships for defense, So there was no need for a rapid response.

The US Marines should be ready within a few days or a week most. The US Army is also mobilizing but that would take around a month. Currently, the plan was to wait for the second Machian fleet to attack, repel that attack, and then go on the offensive. General Thompson was quite sure that the Machian fleet would try to attack near Florida again since the Machians don’t know the actual size of the United States.

Random bar in Industropolis, Mach Imperium

Two somewhat drunk and somewhat sober men were sitting at a table and talking about random subjects.

“Hey interesting thing today, I heard from one of my friends, ya know, Tiberius. You know him right?”

“Uhhh… nothing comes to mind.”

“That navy person who’s my friend.”

“Huh…yeah... you have talked about him before right? The one holds some position in the navy?”

“Yeah, that person! Okay so remember how everyone was talking about a new country in Formidon.”

“I do vaguely… what was it called again?”

“Eeeehhh, not sure. But you do know right?”

“Didn’t we send something there?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. That’s what I wanted to talk about!”

“So?”

“Have you heard of the rumors that are spreading?”

“What rumors?”

“The ones… ones… the about… the fleet getting wiped out.”

“What fleet?”

“That’s what we sent to the country in Formidon! I think we sent a couple of Desmond-class ones there too.”

“Ha that country must be doomed.”

The man started wagging his finger

“No no no. The rumors!”

“What rumors. You have been saying rumor this rumor that.”

“The fleet got wiped. I said it earlier.”

“That’s impossible. There were Desmond-class ships.”

“Yeah that’s what I thought too and I asked Tiberius about it.”

“What did he say?”

“It’s all true! We lost that entire fleet!”

“To what? The Magusians?”

“No. That new country!”

“Do I look dumb to you. There’s no way we lose to a new country!”

“You don’t believe me? Didn’t you notice about words of a naval buildup at one of the port cities? We are trying again with a bigger fleet.”

“Whatever… there’s no chance a new country will defeat us. They are just baseless rumors.”

0900 September 25th, 2019 CE

0430(Early Hour), Quiet 117th, 195 AE

Tampa, Florida, United States of America, Formidon Continent

General Abrams Thompson was looking at satellite imagery of a Machian port which showed a buildup of Machian warships. It was a great satellite image with no cloud cover.

Two dreadnoughts, two battleships, a battlecruiser, and 15 light cruisers or destroyers. Seems like the Machians didn’t lie about a bigger fleet. Probably a few more days before they are at full strength. Well, more target practice for the Navy.

General Thompson was preparing an invasion/occupation force for the Bem. The Marines had already begun organizing at various ports on the East Coast. The logistics needed to pull this off will take some time. A bit less than two weeks before the planned amphibious assault.

1000 September 25th, 2019 CE

0800(Mid Hour), Quiet 117th, 195 AE

Primopolis, Septentrio Magus Imperium, Domum (Imperatoria) Continent

Emperor Arstant was in his throne room among various advisors. Robertus was beside him.

“Your majesty, they may have powerful weapons but do they have enough of them? War isn’t just about how good your weapons are, they are also about how much of them you have.”

The Imperial Military Advisor, Caius Igennus, was arguing with the Emperor about what they should do because of the war between the Americans and Machians.

“From the observations of our diplomatic team, their weapons may be advanced enough that quantity doesn’t matter.”

“But is there any exact figures? It is possible that they only have a few of these weapons to protect themselves.”

“Sadly, it seems that the Americans are unwilling to give out any military information to us. All we know is that they easily won against a Machian fleet without taking any casualties by using weapons beyond our capabilities.”

“Then we should not take any action. We will endanger ourselves if we do.”

Caius did not trust that a new nation could have the capability to easily defeat the Mach. He also didn’t believe the new nation’s claim that it was transported here from another world. That just did not adhere to the law of physics and magic.