Battle of the Dead Sea

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The Dead Sea at the start of Operation Aeneas, with Paradeus watchtowers and Avernus in the background.

In October 2064, Griffin & Kryuger and Statesec carried out multiple operations against the HQ of Paradeus in Germany, the Avernus towers in the Dead Sea Black Zone near Berlin. Led by the Commander, the G&K forces aimed to rescue Angelia from Avernus with support from IOP and the Stasi, while Statesec pursued their own objectives. Angelia's rescue was the goal of Operation Aeneas, conducted by Griffin & Kryuger, the destruction of Avernus was the goal of Operation Muromets, conducted by Griffin & Kryuger on Angelia's request, and the capture of Paradeus' apparent leader William was the goal of Operation Kriemhild, conducted by Statesec.

The battle concluded on or shortly before 23 October 2064. After causing significant casualties among G&K's recon forces at the start of Operation Aeneas, Paradeus forces evacuated Avernus during the Operation Muromets offensive. Though Angelia disappeared and couldn't be recovered, William was captured during Operation Kriemhild, shortly before Avernus was destroyed in a bombing run.

These operations are told in the chapters Fixed Point, Longitudinal Strain, Eclipses & Saros and Slow Shock of Girls' Frontline.

Preparatory operations

Task Force Aeneas members.

Instructor Я and bomber aircraft Ruslan II.

Statesec assets deployment

To support the operation against Paradeus, Statesec organized Operation Eclipse, led by the command Doll Instructor Я (^AR AR-18AR-18AR-18). Я was tasked with traveling from the Neo-Soviet Union to Germany and deliver to the Commander a special military command authorization and exclusive comms channel system codenamed “Grand Duke”, which is likely what the Aeneas and Muromets Conference Rooms were based on. Я traveled by civilian train under the name Lyudmila Pavlichenko while two decoy convoys were set up to throw Paradeus off her trail, but Paradeus were informed of all three routes and confirmed that the data was in the train after intercepting the other two convoys. With help from the KCCO, Paradeus derailed the train and Я was attacked by the Nyto Tareus. Я was destroyed during the fight to protect the train, but the mission was completed in her stead by ^SMG ErmaErmaErma, who had received a copy of the data. Securing the Grand Duke activated the last phase of Operation Igor, though the scope and goals of this specific operation aren't detailed.

Over roughly the same time frame as Operation Aeneas, the Commander received another asset from StateSec, a legendary Tactical Doll from Daybreak Squad called Aliana (^AR SCAR-LSCAR-LSCAR-L). The Commander entrusted Aliana with a G&K squad to transfer assets from an inbound train to the temporary HQ, but lost asset “Poludnitsa” as the train was attacked and only recovered asset “Meteorite”. Aliana delayed her participation in the Dead Sea operations by a day to settle her standing elimination order of her former team member Amaris (^RF SCAR-HSCAR-HSCAR-H).

At some point, Statesec T-Doll Zoya (^AR A-545A-545A-545) also joined the G&K forces.

Griffin & Kryuger reinforcements

Following the destruction of the Area S09 G&K base during the Fireworks Incident, G&K command (Berezovich Kryuger and Helian) and their surviving T-Dolls force made their way to Germany by land in the Elmo mobile base provided by IOP. They were stopped at the German border on orders from Griffin Lyons, who tried to force the Commander to stop the battle. The Elmo was eventually allowed to go through after the Stasi intervened.

Paradeus forces

At the time of the battle, two high-ranking infiltrator Nytos had returned to Avernus after their covers had been blown by Angelia's investigations, bolstering their defense forces: Gray and Morridow. They could also count on a new ally as RPK-16 had recently joined their ranks after betraying Task Force DEFY in Berlin. RPK helped Martha Meitner to perform brain surgery on Angelia as part of her Hela Project experiments, tweaking Angelia's memories and sending her mind into the Lake of Consciousness of Avernus' Evangel Axis.

Avernus had also been infiltrated before the battle by ^AR AK-12AK-12AK-12. Under the identity of Koleda, she ensured that Angelia survived, but couldn't arrange her escape by herself.

Operation Aeneas

M16A1 fights with RPK-16.

Gray is killed by Task Force DEFY.

The goal of operation Aeneas was to reconnoiter the Dead Sea and Avernus, and infiltrate the towers to locate and extract Angelia. To maintain transmissions in the difficult environment of the Black Zone, a special channel called the Aeneas Conference Room was established and maintained by ^SMG UMP45UMP45UMP45.

Task Force Aeneas was comprised of four regular squads, one supplementary member as well as a fifth secret squad. Squad Umbrella was made of ^SMG RO635RO635RO635 and ^AR M4 SOPMOD IIM4 SOPMOD IIM4 SOPMOD II from AR Team (^AR ST AR-15ST AR-15ST AR-15 remained at the rear to serve as the Commander's bodyguard). Squad Unicorn comprised ^SMG UMP45UMP45UMP45 and ^SMG UMP9UMP9UMP9 from Squad 404, who served as a signals support team, leaving the main combatants of 404 at the rear. Squad Nitrogen was made of the Stasi Dolls Mona (^SMG SP9SP9SP9) and ^HG RhinoRhinoRhino, as well as the mercenary Doll called “No. 9” ^AR QBZ-191QBZ-191QBZ-191. Squad Ferrum was made of the assimilated Sangvis Ferri Dolls Architect and Gager and were planned to act as fire support. The fifth squad was Squad Wolf Pack, comprising ^AR AN-94AN-94AN-94 and ^AR AK-15AK-15AK-15 from Task Force DEFY, who remained secret and maintained radio silence as an ace in the hole in case the Aeneas Conference Room was breached. The extra member was ^AR XM8XM8XM8, codename Chessmaster, who was sent ahead of the main G&K forces to deliver offline mapping devices and the Strongarm prepared by Persica, and help coordinate the Task Force's movements.

After seizing Paradeus aircrafts in one of the watchtowers of the Dead Sea, Umbrella, Nitrogen and Ferrum infiltrated Avernus by air. Meanwhile, Chessmaster infiltrated Avernus' power plant while Unicorn remained concealed to ensure access to the Conference Room. Wolf Pack infiltrated Avernus separately by climbing its power cables. During Aeneas, Statesec's “Black Box” team comprised of M16A1, callsign “Nike”, and Beak also infiltrated Avernus and assisted Task Force Aeneas in Angelia's search. M16 fought against RPK-16, who confirmed that Angelia was in the Eastern tower infiltrated by Umbrella.

The operation went awry as most of the squads were drawn into battles they didn't have the firepower to win. Squad Ferrum was destroyed by Narciss and Squad Nitrogen by Nemhran, while Chessmaster and Squad Unicorn were overwhelmed by regular troops. UMP9 sacrificed herself in a suicide bombing to save UMP45 and keep the Aeneas Conference Room online. Squad Umbrella had to separate, with SOP-II fighting Bramedb while RO accessed the upper levels to search for Angelia. Only Squad Wolf Pack could adequately fight against high-level Nytos and successfully dispatched Gray, but they fled from a confrontation with the rebuilt Morridow to conserve their strength.

In the laboratory levels, RO met with Koleda, who helped her disconnect Angelia from the Evangel Axis. Angelia herself received help from past memories of Gray to free her mind from the Evangel Axis' Lake of Consciousness. RO delivered the Strongarm to Angelia, enabling G&K to monitor her vitals remotely, but Angelia refused to be extracted, deciding to remain as a bait for William and to eliminate Meitner. She instead had RO record a message for the Commander where she detailed the plans for an operation of her own making: Operation Muromets.

Operations Muromets and Kriemhild

Squad Umbrella makes a close escape from the destruction of Avernus.

After receiving Angelia's plans for Operation Muromets, the Commander established a new task force with the reinforcements received from G&K and Statesec. Another secure channel called the Muromets Conference Room was set up, this time maintained by ^SMG ErmaErmaErma, codename Mercury, with help from ^SG TPSTPSTPS, ^SMG JatimaticJatimaticJatimatic and Maggie (^HG Colt WalkerColt WalkerColt Walker).

Five teams were deployed to the Dead Sea for the all-out assault of Operation Muromets. Assault Team Daybreak was lead by Aliana and comprised ^AR SCRSCRSCR, ^RF M82A1M82A1M82A1, ^HG ContenderContenderContender, ^SG M26-MASSM26-MASSM26-MASS, ^MG M60M60M60 and ^MG M249 SAWM249 SAWM249 SAW (Aliana selected some of the members based on their physical resemblance with former Daybreak Squad members). Members of AR Team and Squad 404 who had remained on the back line during Aeneas were deployed as Quick Response Team Taraxacum, comprising ^AR ST AR-15ST AR-15ST AR-15, ^AR HK416HK416HK416, ^RF G11G11G11 and Dandelion. ^SMG UMP45UMP45UMP45 was added to Taraxacum after she was recovered. Special Assault Team Fe56 was made of the assimilated Sangvis Ferri T-Dolls and split into two subteams: Team Fe56-C comprised Judge, Alchemist, Destroyer and Dreamer, a team specially assembled to eliminate Narciss, while Team Fe56-D with Intruder and Executioner took down Avernus' air defenses.

Squad Palette and Squad Puzzle from G&K served as Field Support Teams, and ^RF QBU-191QBU-191QBU-191 acted as a liaison with the ATF supervising the deployment of bomber Ruslan II. Instructor Я also assisted the Commander in directing the operation, having apparently received a replacement body after her destruction during Operation Eclipse. Other G&K troops were deployed for encirclement, like ^AR SIG MCXSIG MCXSIG MCX, ^RF VSK-94VSK-94VSK-94, ^SMG P90P90P90, ^HG Desert EagleDesert EagleDesert Eagle and ^MG MG4MG4MG4.

As the G&K forces launched their assault on Avernus, the defending forces started a process of asset extraction and denial to abandon their HQ. Daybreak and Taraxacum stormed the Eastern Tower, fighting against the retreating Nytos and eventually destroying the Evangel Axis and the newly awakened Sana. Meanwhile, Fe56-C successfully eliminated Narciss without casualties and proceeded with sensitive site exploitation of the Eastern Tower, recovering some useful intel.

Angelia's plans were compromised by her severely weakened body and mind, most likely from the combination of Meitner's surgery and exposure to the bioenergy-draining Evangel Axis. Meeting with Angelia alone, RPK-16 offered to take control of Angelia's body and replace her weakened mind to help her achieve her goals. RPK took over Angelia's body, discarded the Strongarm and disappeared.

As the skies over Avernus cleared up, opening a bombing vector, Operation Muromets came to a close and the task force had to evacuate without their target, Angelia. All surviving high-ranking Nytos, including Morridow, Grig, Bramedb and Nemhran successfully evacuated. Aside from Narciss who had already been destroyed, only Sana remained to fulfill her role as the guardian of Avernus. With the Evangel Axis destroyed, lower Nytos abandoned on site regained their individuality and some fled Avernus. Before the arrival of the bomber, Squad Wolf Pack moved in and proceeded with the capture of William under Operation Kriemhild. William had in fact remained in a secret room after convening with Morridow and allowed himself to be captured and brought to the Commander. The bomber plane Ruslan II then conducted a strike on Avernus. RO635 managed to leave with SOP-II shortly before the bombing.

Aftermath

Avernus' Western Tower was completely destroyed in the air strike, while the Easter Tower was damaged over 65%. With its propulsion system destroyed, Avernus fell to the ground and was completely destroyed. The Prometheans retroactively approved the operation and demanded that William be transferred to them, but the Commander refused. After retrieving the survivors and conducting self-diagnostic on the Elmo, the expedition departed for the edge of the Dead Sea, but an electronic attack disabled all Dolls and the Commander, William and Dandelion vanished. Following intel provided by ^SG Stevens M520Stevens M520Stevens M520, Doll-in-command AR-18 directed the Elmo towards Frankfurt to recover the abducted.

Trivia

• All three operations of the battle are named after legendary characters: Aeneas is considered a progenitor of Rome, Muromets refers to the Bogatyr of Rus' Ilya Muromets, and Kriemhild is the wife of the hero Siegfried and a protagonist of the Nibelungenlied.
• Squad Umbrella is styled after the full name of AR Team, which is Antirain. Squad Unicorn also echoes the name of Squad 404 as is it named after an animal that does not exist. Squad Ferrum is named after the Latin word for “iron” (which is also found in the name Sangvis Ferri) and Team Fe56 is named after the most common isotope of iron. Team Taraxacum is named after the scientific name of the dandelion flower since it is built around Dandelion, and Squad Wolf Pack is named after the original name of Task Force DEFY.

References

General List of Characters (Minor Characters) · List of Locations · Timeline · Rossartrism · Eurosky Low-Emission Infectious Disease · Epiphyllum · GAVIRUL Technology Assault Artillery · Automaton · Collapse Technology · Magrasea · OGAS · Parapluie virus · Pike · Relic Technology · Shrike · Tactical Doll · Weight Bearing Events Beilan Island Incident · World War Three · Operation Couatl · Incident Zero · Butterfly Incident · Safe House 3 Raid · Plan Parapluie · Great Retreat · Paldiski Incident · Fireworks Incident · Battle of the Dead Sea · First Antarctic War Factions 90wish · Antarctic Union · Fox Sisterhood · Germany · Global Rescue Foundation · Griffin & Kryuger · KCCO · Neo-Soviet Union · Pan-European Union · Paradeus · Sangvis Ferri · Union of Rossartrist Nations Coalition · United Nations · United States Corporations 16LAB · 42LAB · Cyber Media · Galatea Corporation · I.O.P. · Svarog Heavy Industries · Ultilife · Universal Anything Services · WAVE