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[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: The Reckoning Virus

( Please come see me on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord Every bit helps)

War with the Interaxie was an inevitable outcome for humanity and the entire galaxy knew it.

Border disputes, clashing rights over trade, subtle threats between delegates and near constant animosity between the two powers all but assured that they would come to blows. Along the entire shared border between the two powers a sense of dread and waiting could be felt on every world as if they could sense the brewing storm just over the horizon.

Yet humanity could not afford to be the aggressors for a change.

Unlike their previous conflicts the Interaxie had a well-organized military and an industrial power base to support them for decades of sustained combat. They had dozens of worlds to draw upon near limitless manpower reserves meaning any conflict could be drawn out into a bloody stalemate. While the humans were not unfamiliar with this style of warfare it was an outcome they did not wish to see realized.

To prevent this outcome humanity put a plan into motion called “The Reckoning”, which when completed would hand them victory in the war within a few months at best.

While the Interaxie were gathering their strength and hiding their growing fleet strength behind ‘military exercises” a series of shipments were being delivered to the core worlds of the Interaxie. They arrived at trade ports and were moved to waiting warehouses as their paperwork was checked only for the shipments to mysteriously vanish. It wasn’t unheard of for a shipment or two to go missing at such facilities, and though on some of the world’s their disappearance was noticed and investigated for the majority of others they were written off as clerical mistakes. The trade network between worlds was after all vast and overwhelmed by bureaucratic red tape so it was not unheard of for a shipment to be mishandled.

Such trivialities were soon overshadowed as the eventual war broke out and trade quickly shut down between the two powers. What had been mild border conflicts broke out into ruthless fleet sized engagements that turned entire systems into orbital graveyards of ships overnight. Human Hammerhead dreadnoughts were taking on entire swarms of Interaxie drone swarms in space while the Terran Marine Corps were barely holding their own against Interaxie armored divisions on the planets of Theta, Primus, and Dollore.

The fighting was intense and just as predicted the Interaxie began to call upon their vast manpower reserves early in an attempt to simply overrun human opposition and claim a swift victory. Legions began mustering on their core worlds waiting for transport to the front when the war took a turn for the worse for the would-be alien conquerors.

Without warning several viral outbreaks began to be reported from the Interaxie core worlds. Infected individuals began showing heightened states of aggression and delirium with the worst cases quickly devolving to bouts of madness and rage. What made it worse was when local officials quarantined an area in hopes of isolating the infected a new series of outbreaks would happen somewhere else entirely leaving containment out of the question.

It did not take long for civil unrest to break out as the virus spread into major populated areas and shortly after states of emergency to be declared. Factories ground to a halt as the workers fled the infection to protect themselves and their loved ones, farms and fields left unattended as their caretakers no lay lost to the grips of the disease leaving shelves unfilled and empty. Fights broke out for what supplies remained and though provisions could have been supplied from off world spaceports were soon overrun by those wishing to flee. When the infected reached a critical state of the virus’s development they began lashing out at anyone and everyone within arms reach resulting in the near total collapse of order on worlds as waves of infected ran through the streets

The legions that had been mustering to be sent the front soon found themselves being redeployed for containment or worse, becoming largely infected themselves and losing all combat effectiveness. Interaxie warriors were forced to put down many of their comrades who had succumbed to the virus leaving them horrified by their actions. It was worse for those deployed as part of containment teams who gunned down thousands of infected civilians on the quarantined worlds, many of which were related to the warriors by blood.

Within a month a dozen worlds had been locked under quarantine with another handful now desperately holding on as infection rates continued to rise, all the while the war with the humans continued. The sudden loss of manpower and war material was certainly noticed on the front and the humans shifted tactics. Every engagement they forced the Interaxie into using whatever reserves they had left as much as possible. Soon it was not uncommon for three Interaxie soldiers to be rationing one power cell for their rifles while their fleets lay in high anchor above their worlds due to lack of fuel to move them out of system.

Unable to meet the current demands of the war and handle the outbreaks spreading through their core worlds, the Interaxie soon sued for peace. The humans were not sympathetic with the Interaxie plight and their demands were steep.

1.       Three border systems would be transferred over to human control.

2.       A DMZ would be established from the newly taken territory and the remaining Interaxie domain which no ship from either side would cross.

3.       The Interaxie would be forced to repay a war debt to humanity in the sum of three trillion credits over the course of the next twenty solar years.

4.       Human monitoring stations would be placed inside Interaxie space to prevent future acts of aggression.

Had it been at any other time the Interaxie would have rather fought on until the bitter end than accept such harsh terms, but with the virus continuing to cripple their military and economy they were left with no choice but to relent and agree to the terms.

With that the Interaxie/Human war came to an abrupt end and the Interaxie redeployed their entire military forces to combat the growing viral outbreaks, all the while Terran Special Services watched from afar and grinned.

Several months prior to the war they had been responsible for shipping a number of unremarkable containers through a series of dummy corporations and unaffiliated alien trade networks until they arrived on the Interaxie core worlds. They bore no human markings and their paperwork was all in order leaving nothing for suspicion. Once they had been moved to the warehouses for processing TSS operatives quietly removed the containers and began distributing the contents across the worlds.

Industrial factories, mining complexes, agricultural farms, super markets, water treatment facilities, power plants; any and all critical infrastructure locations were located and seeded with the contents of the containers before the operatives quickly fled off world.

When war finally broke out a signal was remotely sent and each of the packages cracked open releasing their deadly contents. Swarms of tiny mosquitos genetically bred to carry what was known as the Reckoning Virus were soon released and began spreading the virus with every victim they came into contact with.

It was an ecological disaster of unimaginable proportion. Not only did the insects infect the personnel of the facilities they were placed in, but they also began to spread outwards and begin breeding in new areas. Any source of water soon became a deadly petri dish for them as they reproduced at an alarming rate releasing further swarms of insects. On these alien worlds they had no natural predators and what wildlife did attempt to eat them soon became deadly sick with the virus as well leading to rampant overpopulation of the bugs.

The Interaxie were well aware of the seemingly good timing the outbreaks had been for the humans and long suspected their involvement but could not prove anything as the TSS had planned for such eventualities. None of the devices used were of human origin and even if they could track down how they had arrived on world the series of dummy companies and alien trade networks used to ship them there resulted in a labyrinth of legal networks and commissions needed for even the slightest scrap of information that would lead nowhere.

For almost ten years the virus remained effective before the Interaxie were finally able to find a way to not only cure the virus but also eliminate the invasive species of mosquitoes, but by then the damage was already done. Both their military and trade had been crippled by the viral outbreaks and with several of their primary manufacturing worlds now defunct the flow of goods to the remaining worlds was almost a trickle. Extreme measures of rationing were implemented which only led to further discontent and civil unrest which in turn was brutally put down by military forces. What had once been a galactic power now had been reduced to a third rate kingdom barely able to hold a trade agreement out of their domain let alone ever again extend their power through military force.

[tomorrowusa]

Putin is trying to pass off North Korean troops fighting in the Russian army as members of the Buryat ethnic group in Siberia.

It's already suspected that Putin is giving North Korea missile technology in return for ammunition and other military supplies. Apparently troops from North Korea are also part of the deal. Unfortunately for Putin, they seem to be as useless as his own troops.

The Suspiline report citing Ukrainian intelligence sources says that 18 North Korean soldiers fled their positions somewhere on the border between the Bryansk and Kursk regions of Russia, just 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) from the state border with Ukraine. The source said the reason for them absenting themselves is not known but it said Russian forces were currently hunting them while the commanders in the area were trying to cover up the incident and to hide it from higher command. The incident comes just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin put forward a request to ratify the treaty for a “comprehensive strategic partnership” between the Russian Federation and North Korea, which had been signed on June 19 during Putin’s visit to the DPRK.

Claiming that North Koreans are actually Buryats is quite a stretch. Buryats have a generally East Asian appearance which might fool people in Europe. But once they speak or write, the similarity disappears.

Buryat is related to Mongolian and uses the Cyrillic alphabet. Korean is rather unique and uses its own homegrown phonetic script. They don't sound or look anything alike.

The report of these soldiers being absent without leave (AWOL) also coincided with other intelligence reports that up to 3,000 North Korean combat troops were being trained to form a “special Buryat battalion” at the base of the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade of the Russian army at Sosnovy Bor near Ulan Ude in Buryatia. The reports say the unit is currently being provided with weapons and equipment. A Ukrainian milblogger, Igor Sushko, said on X / Twitter on Tuesday that the North Korean troops were being issued with Russian military identity cards identifying them as Buryats. The Buryatia Republic is situated in eastern Siberia, where its indigenous people have an Asian appearance. Andrei Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering  Disinformation, commented that integrating North Korean military personnel into Russian forces was likely to be complicated by the language barrier: “Less than 1% of the cadre officers in the North Korean army are proficient in Russian. Understanding this is crucial for examining the potential future involvement of these troops with the Russian armed forces. “Although Russia might utilize North Korean soldiers initially in the Kursk region, there’s a possibility that several tens of thousands could eventually be deployed to Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories alongside Buryat counterparts,” Kovalenko added.

It would be interesting to hear how the Buryats and North Koreans are getting along in Russia. The Buryats have every right to resent that Putin is trying to pass off North Koreans as Buryats.

The attempt to include North Korean troops with the Russian forces in the Ukraine invasion is another indication that Russia is getting short of troops.

New York Magazine recently featured a lengthy interview with Michael Kofman of the Carnegie Institute called Ukraine War: Why Russia is in More Trouble Than It Looks.

A relevant excerpt...

Russia’s advantage has been the ability to withstand very high levels of attrition because of the materiel and manpower resources they have, and also their significant capacity for mobilization of resources on a national scale — that is, defense industrial production, manpower recruitment, and the like. But Russia’s actually operating under very significant constraints. And if anything, its advantage on the battlefield is likely to decline as we get into this winter and look further ahead into 2025. First, in terms of equipment, the Russian military has been sustaining very high levels of loss that are principally being replaced by Soviet-era stocks — not entirely, but at this stage, Russia is eating through its Soviet legacy, and its rate of equipment production is quite low relative to the numbers being lost on the battlefield. This doesn’t mean that Russia is going to run out of armored fighting vehicles. What it does mean is that the Russian military has increasingly been forced to adjust tactics to minimize their losses, and that also reduces their ability to achieve any operationally meaningful breakthroughs. When you look at manpower, the Russian government has significantly increased the payouts and benefits to recruit personnel. The reason for that is straightforward. It’s clear that at this rate of loss, the Russian contract recruitment campaign is unable to keep up. This too does not mean that Russia is going to run out of manpower, but it’s clear that they’re struggling, and they are not likely to be able to sustain this pace of operations, staying on the offensive with this rate of loss.

Russia has apparently already been trying to recruit mercenaries in Syria and possibly even Africa. The quality of foreign troops in Russia has been rather uneven. That 18 North Korean troops have gone AWOL and may be trying to escape to Ukraine is an indication that importing fighters from abroad is not going well for Putin.

[spann-stann]

Setting Blurb: The Solar System (Reworked)

• Sol Invictus: The physical “center” of human civilization in the 3600′s. Most settlement of the Unconquerable Sun (renamed after the Human-Crystalline War) centered around the development of solar energy platforms by all members of the Big Three. Specially made habitats built to withstand the Sun’s heat also orbit it, housed by those that wish to hide from the rest of the Universe in the light of the Sun (Ex-Serviles, disgraced WCOF Party members, and market failures).

• Mercury: Mercury was not subject to colonization like the rest of the bodies in the Solar System. Rather, it was made into a giant strip mine to feed the Corporate Empire’s growing infrastructure. To supply the needed manpower, large numbers of Serviles (violent criminals sent to be worked to death) and industrial Serfbots were shipped to serve in removing any/all valuable materials the tiny planet could offer. Some enterprising Imperials have pitched the idea to convert the mined-out portions of Mercury into layered habitats. A moderately sized population of monks has been growing as well.

• Venus: The terraforming of Venus was a massive project initiated around the end of the Second Dynasty. The Human-Crystalline war put a temporary pause on that project. The once-Amber Planet is now entering the end of its second Ice Age, the descendants of those that staked claims centuries ago were more than eager to live their ancestors’ dreams. To celebrate the triumph of Venus’ terraforming, the settlers of Venus have all employed passive cooling into their housing, no more living in air-conditioned cylinders for them! The majority of the planet (and orbit) is CorpEmp, with the palatial estates of the Kechua-go, Silavfirika, and the Eurekan Ulus dot their three Terrae (major continents). The Neuhansa of the United Markets also enjoy perusing their open-aired markets, located on prime beachfront and alpine real estate dotting the planet. Even the World Congress of Freedom’s prestiged Party members have a few dachas in secluded locales.

• Earth: The former crown jewel of Human civilization, slowly healing from the near-endless use of nuclear weapons used during the Human-Crystalline War 800 years ago. With the Earth’s decreasing radiation, more and more call for the re-colonization of the homeworld. A few important sites remained inhabited, mostly areas that attract tourists and pilgrims. The many battlefields that dot the surface are treasure troves of old technology and resources (human and alien). While a majority of Earth’s human inhabitants evacuated, some decided to wait out the apocalypse. Many survivalist and bunker-building cultures thought that the rest of humanity would be “purged” by the invading aliens and retreated into their underground shelters. Slowly but surely these cultures have emerged and regained contact with the outside world. The Big Three’s plans to individually retake Terran territory may result in inevitable conflict with these “successors” to the Earth. The environmental fanatics of the Green Consensus have maintained holdings on the Earth as well, and they have made it known that those responsible for the nuclear bombardment will not have an inch of the Earth without paying some sort of price...

Earth Orbit: The myriad peoples who live in Earth's orbit pride themselves on being the "guardians of the motherworld". Being directly above the birthplace of humanity, Earth Orbit is the most culturally diverse and has the largest population in the Solar System. While many Terrans bemoan not living on Earth proper, many more recognize the profit in living right above the universe’s largest wilderness preserve and pilgrimage site. Each of the Big Three have claimed a chunk of Earth orbit for themselves: The Terran Viceroyalties, CorpEmp’s mighty satrapies in their cylindrical habitats control all Geocentric Orbit above 35,000km (everything below geosynchronous has been a no-go zone post Crystalline War). The Viceregal habitats are built as counter-rotational pairs, one habitat houses the population in a patchwork of rural communities (its interior recreating the landmass of an empire in the corresponding Viceroyalty), and the second a nature preserve (both based on the environment of the habitat’s founders). Their ultimate goal is constructing a series of linked habitats known as “rungworlds” surrounding the Earth. Earth-Moon Lagrange point 5 is under United Markets control. The leadership of the many Megacorps that survived WW3 and the rise of CorpEmp laid claim to this Lagrange point during the divvying up of the Solar System after what was called “Worlds War One”. Their slowly losing ground to the Covenanters of the Belt is of no concern to those that dwell in Terran orbit. UM habitats are a mishmash of architectural styles, designed to attract different kinds of immigrants and tourists. Some habitats don’t house any permanent population at all and are meant to offer some sort of service (casinos, colossal hunting preserves, etc). Their latest operation is offering discount prices for prospecting equipment for those eager to do some “private Terran reclamation” on the Earth’s surface. Lagrange point 4 is fully controlled by the World Congress of Freedom. Although the Party headquarters has been relocated to Titan, E-M L4 is still a large population center for the WCOF. Habitats constructed for habitation in this polity tend towards the minimalist. Inside the habitats, most if not all space provides some function to serve the revolution. Needs are met but wants may cost the average Party member that doesn’t have the right connections. WCOF space in Terran orbit is heavily fortified, with Clonscript garrisons on every habitat providing security for the resident Party Members.

• Luna: The first celestial body to be colonized by Humanity, the many domed habitats on the Moon’s surface now served as humanity’s oldest settlements still surviving the destruction of the Human-Crystalline War. The Big Three’s settlements on the near side of Luna are a patchwork, as colonial claims were established on a “first come, first serve” basis. This resulted in frequent border skirmishes between the colonies. This bad blood has yet to really subside even in the 3600s. As a result, the Moon was never fully terraformed. Large, pressurized domes serve as the barriers to the many colonies, and lava tubes beneath the lunar surface were made habitable as well. The Big Three colonies are concentrated in the Lunar Maria, with Reserves preferring their own little domes on the far side. Lots of millenarians flock to the dark side, in a manner of speaking.

•  Mars: As greenhouse emissions are used to help terraform the Red Planet, Mars is only second to the Asteroid Belt in terms of industrial output. Mars was divided evenly into thirds, following a series of border conflicts erupting into Humanity’s first interplanetary war. Each of the Big Three received three Terrae each on the Red Planet. CorpEmp received Tempe, Xanthe, and Sirenum Terrae. The United Markets received Arabia, Sabaea, and Noachis Terrae. Finally, the WCOF took Cimmeria, Promethei, and Tyrrhena Terrae. Aonia Terra, was set aside to serve as a wilderness preserve for retro-engineered megafauna. Argyre Planitia was designated for extensive Reserve settlement. Mars was the site of the second worst terrestrial battles in the Human-Crystalline War, leading to lots of expended munitions that can be dug out of the ground. This resulted in munition excavation and recycling being the largest industry on the Red Planet and plenty of minor conflicts have broken out over rights to spent shells along the Big Three’s colonial borders.  Phobos became exclusive CorpEmp territory. The entire moon serves the Imperial Space Force; and is dotted with training, construction, and housing facilities. Deimos was divided by the UM and WCOF, with plenty of Reserve settlements acting as a buffer between the two.

• Asteroid Belt: While CorpEmp and the WCOF control “gateways” through the Outer Solar System, the major centers of the Asteroid Belt, Ceres, Pallas, and Vesta, are exclusively under United Markets control. Unlike the Inner Solar System, which is mostly the domain of the UMs founding megacorporations, the Asteroid Belt is home of the UM’s Covenanter culture. Small, insular, and very militant mining communities, Covenanters have slowly grown to become the dominant culture within the UM. So much so, that many Megacorp personnel defected to the Covenanter memetic when they evacuated to the Belt during the Human-Crystalline War. The Covenanters have not rested on their laurels and launched multiple colonial expeditions within and beyond Sol in recent centuries. The pirate mothership Libertatia, flying under the banner of the UM, also prowls the Belt to prey upon statist spacecraft.

• Jupiter: Following the conclusion of the Worlds War One, and the consolidation of colonial territories in the Inner Solar System, the Big Three came together to divide the Outer Solar System. Rather than sharing the outer planets, the Big Three split the gas giants between them. CorpEmp received Jupiter the King of the Planets. Slowly but surely, concentric band of settlements formed orbiting closer and closer to Jupiter itself as CorpEmp tech could counter the planet’s strong magnetic field. To prevent Jupiter’s growing colonial project being a projection of the Terran Viceroyalties’ influence, the earliest colonies were constructed with a quota system, with a certain amount of kingroups from each Viceroyalty to move into the colonies. This policy was subsequently dropped as the Human-Crystaline War entered its terrestrial warfare phase, and refugees fleeing the Inner Solar System needed housing. Similar to the Terran Viceroyalties, each of the Galilean moons’ orbits serves as an autonomous entity, their precedence ranked in order of settlement. Except for Io (which is mined for its resources), the moons themselves are mined for ice and water, and are home to aquatic life (mostly Terran stock, with a few indigenous lifeforms). Seafood is a staple of Jovian diet. Minor moons and the Trojans are dotted with small CorpEmp settlements and independent squatters. The Hildan asteroids were (begrudgingly) ceded to the United Markets. Jova Prota (Callisto’s orbit) is home to CorpEmp’s fifth ruling dynasty. Jova Terta (Europa) is the sulking ground of House Rotthey of Europa (a cadet branch of the first dynasty).

• Saturn: Saturn, after Worlds War One, was awarded to the World Congress of Freedom. Immediately, the Party Leadership drew up plans to develop the ringed planet as the “revolutionary core” of human space. Titan, due to its cold temperatures, was slated for a special sort of settlement. The Party Leadership sought to recreate the old cybersyn system of economic management, and the vast computer complexes required for such an undertaking would use Titan as a planetary cooling system. The others 145 moons of Saturn would be mined until they were hollowed out and made to spin so they provided Earth-like gravity. Initially, there wasn’t a large rush to populate the new territories. Non-Party citizens moved to Saturnian orbit, as Party membership was offered to those that would help bring the Party’s vision of Saturn to life. The population of Party members would dramatically increase in the 2800’s during the Human-Crystalline War, as the fighting on Mars, Earth, and Venus forced many civilians to flee into the Outer Solar System. The decisive space battle in Saturn’s orbit, that ended major combat operations of the war. Most of Saturn’s minor moons have been made habitable in the 3600’s, with Titan’s governing cybersyndicate having loftier ambitions as the major moons are continued to be hollowed out themselves. The ring of Saturn would be harvested, and replaced with an orbital ring, allowing for even more housing for a larger population.

• Uranus: The third of the Outer Solar Systemto be granted after Worlds War One, Uranus was given to the United Markets. Although the Asteroid Belt already served as their industrial core, the United Markets primarily mined the planetary system for volatiles and ice. Increase in Uranian gases has increased, as it is the easiest of the giants to extract Helium-3. For a time, Uranus was sparsely populated. The Megacorps preferred the thriving markets of the Inner Solar System, and the growing Hoppean Covenant was content to mine the Asteroid Belt to their heart’s content. Uranian colonization was undertaken by only small expeditions, UM and Reserve in affiliation, and primarily staffed by robotic mining equipment. It was only after the Human-Crystalline War, and the devastation of the Inner Solar System did the movers and shakers turn their eyes to the ice giant. Primarily, this was due to the Megacorps’ leadership thinking they could seek shelter in the Belt. The already established Hoppeans, not that receptive to the Megacorps they moved to the Belt to get away from arriving on their turf. So they made it simple: comply with how the Hoppeans run the Belt, or skedaddle. The Megacorps took the latter and began to build their headquarters in Uranian orbit. The planetary system was made a freeport for scientists looking for ways to bring Humanity’s collective population back to pre-war levels (that could afford the rent to orbit Uranus anyway). The “From Scratch Society”, advocates for artificial human genetics, have made Uranus their homeworld (or at least the moon Oberon).

• Neptune: While Jupiter was the primary location for CorpEmp refugees during the Human-Crystalline War, some groups thought it necessary to go further and established themselves on Triton. Gears started turning in the minds of CorpEmp leadership and allowed the settlement of Neptune to continue during the War. Once the War came to an end, the other polities of the Big Three couldn’t really contest the annexation, and as a concession Neptune’s Trojans were ceded to the UM, and Pluto to the WCOF. As Jupiter was CorpEmp’s mining powerhouse, Neptune served as a home for Crystalline War veterans (primarily the Knights of the Starry Temple) and some eccentrics. A few families of engineers, utilizing mass-streaming technology, sought to construct a planetary shell around Jupiter. As Neptune was smaller (and had a weaker magnetosphere) than Jupiter, these engineers then moved into Neptune’s orbit and use that planet as a proof-of-concept to show their plans for Jupiter are feasible.

• Pluto and The Kuiper Belt: Pluto and its four moons were given over to the WCOF after a diplomatic snafu over CorpEmp refugees squatting in Neptunian orbit. Like the Saturnian moons, the end state of each body in Pluto’s orbit is going to be hollowed out and spun up to better allow human habitation. Whatever minerals found inside will be repurposed to further along the construction. While the Inner System houses most of the Party’s membership, and Saturn the Party’s leadership, Pluto would house the more eccentric and problematic members of the Party. Inspired by the Covenanters in the rival UM, the self-styled “Plutonian Congress” seeks to further advance the revolution. The Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud are considered “free space”. Too damn big to effectively govern, and no real way of fighting over it all. So, it’s free space. The largest of the Trans-Plutonian objects serves as stations for motherships making their way to and from the Extrasolar Territories. The Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud are mostly home to lonely mining habitats, Reserves that really want to be left alone, the occasional Space Force patrol, and the mythical location of the “Catgirl prison complex” (believed to have been built during the Transhuman Wars). Many have tried to find this El Dorado of the stars, but none have succeeded.

[thaamini]

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[mariacallous]

President Volodymyr Zelensky has spent recent weeks endeavoring to sell his “victory plan,” the core elements of which he unveiled to the Ukrainian parliament on October 16, to Ukraine’s partners. The plan includes expanded military assistance to stabilize the front, security guarantees through membership of NATO, and defense-industrial cooperation. The details of the plan have been met with significant skepticism among Ukraine’s partners, who fear that without reforms to Ukraine’s recruitment and training of military forces, equipment alone will be insufficient to stabilize the front. Nor are they sold on the willingness of the alliance to guarantee Ukraine’s security.

Though the details remain in question, the underlying analysis that shapes Zelensky’s pitch is sound. Russian President Vladimir Putin will negotiate seriously only if he believes he is losing militarily. To conclude the war on favorable terms, Ukraine must first stabilize the front, gain maximum leverage over Russia, and obtain security guarantees to ensure that it can prosper and remain secure after the conflict. To achieve those aims, Kyiv must be clearly aligned with its international partners.

The problem is that Ukraine now faces both a deteriorating battlefield situation and the stagnation of diplomatic efforts among its partners ahead of a U.S. election where the candidates have radically different approaches to the conflict. Over the summer, Russia managed to establish some significant advantages over Ukrainian forces, enabling it to make slow but steady progress through Ukrainian defenses. These Russian advantages can be blunted.But as Ukrainian casualties mount, Kyiv and its partners cannot waste any time. If Ukraine’s international partners wait for changes beyond their direct control to happen before they take action, as they appear to be doing now, they will increase the chance of failure.

RUSSIA’S GRINDING ADVANCE

As things stand now, the Kremlin believes it can achieve its objectives in Ukraine militarily and is therefore not interested in immediate negotiations or withdrawal. Ukrainian forces have become dangerously stretched. They are now spread along a 600-mile frontline, and recruitment and training has failed to make up for the number of casualties in frontline units. Furthermore, Ukraine’s supplies of artillery, ammunition, tanks, and infantry fighting vehicles have been dwindling. The more it lacks these key types of equipment and weaponry, the more it must depend on infantry to hold the front, causing an associated rise in casualties.

Exploiting Ukraine’s manpower challenges along its eastern front, Russia has made gradual gains over the past few months. In the first half of October, Russian forces captured Vuhledar and broke into Toretsk—after two years of largely unsuccessful assaults on Ukraine’s Donbas defenses. Along with the seizure of key towns around the Ukrainian stronghold of Pokrovsk, these gains showed Russia establishing an effective formula for undermining Ukraine’s ability to hold positions. For Ukraine to be able to negotiate from a position of strength, it must end Russia’s advance and stabilize the front. But to do so, Ukraine’s military leadership will have to address several tactical challenges.

Russia’s current battlefield advantages rest on several capabilities. First, the thinning out of Ukraine’s tactical air defenses from late 2023—stocks of interceptors are perilously low, with only periodic resupplies—has allowed Russia to establish continuous and dense drone surveillance over the front. Russia now flies between 1,000 and 1,300 long-range reconnaissance drones over Ukrainian territory every day, providing Russia with valuable targeting data. Russian units use ballistic missiles to strike Ukraine’s air defenses if Ukraine tries to move them forward, as loitering munitions, uncrewed missiles designed to search and strike targets, scour the rear parts of Ukraine’s frontlines to destroy its artillery.

The threat from Russian loitering munitions and glide bombs forces Ukraine to keep its artillery away from the frontline, which in turn allows Russian forces to move their own artillery closer to the front, bringing them into range of Ukrainian logistics units, medics, and troops rotating behind the frontline. This pressure compels Ukrainian troops to remain in prepared fighting positions where they are safe from shrapnel. Meanwhile, Russia sends small groups forward to force the Ukrainians in fighting positions to expend ammunition and prevent them from resting. Once the fighting positions have been identified, the Russian forces call in airstrikes with 500- to 1,500-kilogram glide bombs, which can hit the positions with considerable accuracy. When the Ukrainians try to rotate their units, they are harassed by artillery. Then, when the defensive positions have been thinned out, the Russians attempt rapid assaults on motorbikes, often supported by armored vehicles, to get into the Ukrainian trenches.

This approach comes at a high cost in Russian troops, but for now, Russia has been able to absorb the casualties. Moscow seems to be wagering that it can achieve its objectives in the Donbas next year and impose a rate of casualties and material degradation on the Ukrainian military high enough that it will no longer be capable of preventing further advances, giving Russia considerable leverage in negotiations.

SHELLS, SOLDIERS, AND SUPPLY CHAINS

To reverse this dynamic, Ukraine will need to do several things at once. First, it needs to limit Russia’s battlefield surveillance capabilities. Ukraine has developed effective interceptor drones that can knock down Russian Orlan and Zala surveillance drones. But it needs assistance scaling up the production of these interceptors and fielding a sufficient density of radar and other sensor systems to make them effective. Ukraine’s Western partners should augment this effort by expanding support in electronic warfare to interfere with the passage of Russian reconnaissance data. Kyiv’s Western partners can help protect the Ukrainian artillery by working with them to modify heavy machine gun remote weapon stations mounted on vehicles so that they can accurately engage loitering munitions. This would allow Ukraine to bring its artillery farther forward and put Russian guns at risk.

At the same time, Ukraine needs to make that artillery far more effective, and for that, it needs more howitzers and ammunition. Ukrainian forces still need approximately 2.4 million rounds a year to hold the front. With sufficient artillery pieces and the means to protect them, Ukraine would be able to cover gaps in the front with fire, rather than by having to continuously man fighting positions all along the front, with the added cost in Ukrainian losses that entails.

Kyiv also needs to dig new defense lines behind its current positions, with experienced soldiers supervising to make sure that civilian construction workers build the positions properly. Although Kyiv has commissioned the construction of defense lines before, its assembly and siting of fighting positions have often been poor, and the designs have presumed a greater number of troops than are available to man them.

Building more defense lines is of limited value if there are not enough personnel to occupy them. Over the past year, attrition has led to a decline in experienced Ukrainian soldiers in many units, and the training pipeline has failed to provide enough personnel or give those available soldiers sufficient training. In response, the Ukrainian military has cannibalized units, taking groups of more capable soldiers away for particular tasks and rapidly rotating command groups, which has undermined unit cohesion.

Kyiv needs to fix its dysfunctional recruitment and training system. Training for new troops has been inadequate throughout the war. This is something the Ukrainian military has been slow to acknowledge and slower still in addressing. It is also an area where Ukraine’s partners can do little. Although over 15 of Ukraine’s partnershave provided training to Ukrainian units, the logistical burden of transporting troops out of Ukraine with their equipment makes it impossible to scale up these operations. Kyiv’s willingness to make the hard political decisions to mobilize personnel and extend training times will determine whether Ukraine’s partners see their contribution to Zelensky’s victory plan as part of a viable strategy.

Conversely, Ukraine’s international partners can do much to reduce Russia’s advantage in firepower. To mount a capable defense against Russian artillery and glide bomb attacks, Ukraine needs to be able to strike stockpiles and airfields. Funding for and support of Ukraine’s own long-range strike programs and aggressive targeting of Russia’s supply chains of raw materials, machine tooling, and critical components of weapons production can have a significant effect. Europe and the United States should be able to help Ukraine force Russia to burn through more of its munitions and to degrade the Russian defense industry’s capacity to replenish its supplies.

In combination, these steps could make further advances prohibitively costly for Russia, but they would need to be applied systematically and at scale. The Kremlin would also need to believe that they can be sustained. If such measures are delayed, the situation at the front risks deteriorating to a point where the Russians can begin to advance with impunity, and where the Ukrainians simply lack the personnel and equipment to block all the axes along which the Russians might push. Preventing that outcome is a prerequisite for Ukraine to be able to embark on successful negotiations.

THE GHOST OF BREST-LITOVSK

Kyiv knows it must have a strong and stabilized front to be able to have any kind of leverage with Moscow. It also knows that Western support for its war is not unlimited and that it will face growing pressure to consider some kind of negotiated solution as the war passes into its fourth year. It would be particularly dangerous, however, if Ukraine were forced into negotiations as the situation at the front continues to unravel in Russia’s favor. This would create a Brest-Litovsk dynamic: in 1918, German forces achieved conditions in which they could advance with impunity against the Red Army, and therefore, when the Soviets entered talks, any attempt to push back on a German demand would cause the German army to renew offensive operations until the Soviets conceded. In such a scenario, Moscow would effectively force Kyiv to all but concede its sovereignty at gunpoint.

If stabilizing the front is the indispensable precondition for talks, Kyiv also needs points of real leverage. In a surprise move on August 6, Ukrainian forces broke across the border into the Kursk region of Russia, rapidly overpowering lightly held Russian defenses to seize a chunk of Russian territory and trap some Russian forces on the south of the Seym River. The operation had three objectives. Kyiv hoped to show its partners that the trajectory of the war was not predetermined and that it could conduct successful offensive operations; it aimed to draw Russian resources away from the Donbas; and it saw holding the territory as a useful bargaining chip if negotiations started. The first objective was largely successful. The second was not. The third will depend on whether Ukraine can hold the territory. Given that it required Ukraine to strip its own forces in the Donbas of reserves, the operation involved a high degree of risk, and it is not clear that Kyiv will be able to hold what it has taken. Nevertheless, the need for leverage remains.

A number of issues will prove extremely difficult to settle in talks. Since March 2022, for example, Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Ukraine’s largest piece of energy-generating infrastructure. Russia has been unable to maintain it safely: it wants to exploit the power station for energy but cannot safely bring the reactors back from cold shutdown. In any settlement, Ukraine will want Russia to end its occupation of the plant and allow its energy workers, who are being held hostage there, to return to operate it. To account for these contentious matters, Ukraine must have in the bank things that Russia wants.

Sanctions are one possible form of leverage. In many cases, Ukraine and its partners will want sanctions to remain in place after the conflict, in order to slow down Russian rearmament and punish Russia for its long list of crimes. But in areas where Kyiv and its partners can agree to put things on the table, they will need to coordinate to give Kyiv collateral with which to trade.

Given the mutually incompatible demands on both sides, the most likely outcome of talks is a cease-fire without a wider peace agreement. Russia, for example, may demand that Ukraine abandon any military agreements with the West; Ukraine is unlikely to recognize Russia’s annexation of its territories. The risk is that Ukraine’s international partners see a cease-fire itself as justification for reducing support to Ukraine. If Ukraine is left with an unaffordable level of mobilization and no prospect of significant foreign direct investment—owing to fears that Russia could restart offensive operations at any point—then Moscow will have a wide array of opportunities to destabilize Kyiv. In any case, the Ukrainian government will find it difficult to persuade its own people that any concessions to Russia are justified unless they come with very substantial security guarantees.

DIPLOMATS IN BOOTS

When Zelensky traveled to Washington in September, he continued to make the case for NATO membership, potentially along the lines of what was agreed with West Germany in 1954, whereby security guarantees applied only to the unoccupied parts of the country. Such a deal, however, is highly implausible. Accession to NATO requires a consensus of its members, and Hungary, for example, will not likely commit to going to war with Russia to defend Ukraine. Although NATO membership may be unrealistic in the medium term, Zelensky remains absolutely correct that a lasting peace can be secured only with ironclad security guarantees to Kyiv.

Satisfying this need will prove a delicate task. For the United States, the prospect of extending new long-term security guarantees to a large territory in Europe is hardly enticing. Amid Washington’s years-long effort to pivot its resources to the Indo-Pacific to deter China, such a step would undoubtedly require it to divert some of those resources to Ukraine to make the guarantee tangible. Understandably, many in Washington also argue that this is the greatest security crisis facing Europe in decades and that Europe should shoulder the burden of addressing it. Nonetheless, for the time being at least, Russia does not consider NATO’s European members to be credible without the United States.

The solution to Ukraine’s security needs will therefore have to involve a coalition of the willing who deploy to Ukraine after a cease-fire is reached, with the United States voicing its support. After the failure of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom pledged to uphold Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty, Kyiv will require a military presence in Ukraine to convince it that its partners will honor their security guarantees. To make such a proposition credible to Russia, however, Europe’s defense industry must be able to show it can equip and sustain deployable formations. With European NATO members’ firepower concentrated in air forces, the credibility of their security guarantees depends on the munitions available to suppress and destroy enemy air defenses. Although European armies will be critical, European nations’ purchase of air-launched standoff weapons, which can strike targets from beyond the range of defensive systems, along with the ability to produce them in significant numbers, will determine any agreement’s plausibility.

European powers, therefore, will need to ramp up their investments in European defense industries to credibly backstop any security guarantees offered to Ukraine. European countries must step forward to lead this effort. Several members of the Joint Expeditionary Force, composed of northern and Baltic members of NATO, sharea similar view of the threat posed by Russia and how to confront it, but central and western European states must also commit to guarantees.

After nearly three full years of war, Ukraine finds itself in a better position than many expected. But a favorable outcome is far from guaranteed, and no time for complacency remains. Despite their potential reluctance to sign on to Zelensky’s victory plan, Western powers must act quickly to secure—and avoid losing—the vital leverage that Ukraine will need to achieve an end to the war that does not empower Russia. Positive signs abound: the Australian government’s announcement that it will provide M1A1 tanks to Ukraine, Sweden’s provision of a large tranche of infantry fighting vehicles, and the United States’ commitment to supply additional equipment before the end of the year.

The security of Europe now depends on significant multilateral cooperation to ensure that any path toward ending the war achieves the best possible result for Ukraine. But as attention shifts to negotiations, U.S. and European military support must not wane, for although a successful outcome can be achieved only through diplomacy, what is diplomatically possible will always depend on the military realities on the ground.

[mokhosz-nafo]

I'll say what many might think but hesitate to voice: Ukraine is currently losing the war, and the trend is negative unless drastic measures are taken.

Debates over what constitutes loss or victory can be had, and yes, Ukraine’s survival so far is a big win. But even if Russia halts advances and goes on the defensive, we lack the resources to reclaim territories to the 2022 borders, let alone the 1991 borders. This is due to many factors: delayed mobilization, insufficient aid, weak sanctions enforcement, a lack of political will in the West, poor military decisions, delayed aid due to de-escalation concerns, and the sheer reality of fighting a country with four times our population, with superior numbers in almost all domains and one of the largest military industries, supported by regimes like North Korea, which contribute more than some European countries with far larger GDPs.

Manpower shortages are another issue, but that's a separate discussion. Ukrainian leadership bears a good part of the responsibility for these problems. Still, if the West can’t supply the 14 brigades Zelensky requested, why discuss drafting hundreds of thousands more? We need to completely re-arm way more existing brigades. Who’s going to pay for them? Let’s be honest - there’s little enthusiasm in the U.S. or Europe to fund this.

If Russia retains its occupied territories, it will undermine one of Europe’s core security principles: that borders cannot be redrawn by invading force. In 2014, Russia violated this order, leading to the 2022 invasion. This time, it’s not just Ukraine that will have failed - it’s Ukraine, the U.S., and Western Europe’s failure to defeat Russia.

Some might cite Finland's Winter War, as an example of what Ukraine should have done, but that war lasted three months and ended with Finland ceding territory, paying reparations in the form of machinery, and renting a port to the Soviets. Ukraine's demographics today are also very different: the 18-25 age group is among the smallest, a reality across modern Europe.

Unless Ukraine and the West create a serious plan to radically increase aid to support mobilization - where Ukraine commits to mobilizing more people on the condition that they are properly armed and trained, and the West provides robust air defense to intercept missiles as decisively as the U.S. does for Israel - Ukraine will lose the war of attrition. This will force unfavorable peace, and mass migration from Ukraine to other countries, setting a dangerous precedent, and making it look like the West lost to Russia in the eyes of the world, especially among the enemies of the West

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[pb-dot]

WIP Wednesday: The Coal Wars pt. 2

Welcome back to my recap of the history of the disastrous Coal Wars that led to the status quo of The Clockwork Boy. Pt 1 is here, and the TL:DR is that the empire of Imelia got greedy with its colony subjects and got a chain of declarations of independence thrown in their faces for their trouble. When we left off, the Imperial Council ruling in the stead of the recently deceased empress, had just ordered a full-scale invasion of the empire's largest former colony, Pelia.

Before we resume with the grim business of war, it is expedient to speak briefly of private concerns in the Imelian conflicts. While the chief benefactor of the colonial riches was the imperial government, a cluster of canny merchants had also gotten their fingers in the colonial pie. Trade in luxury goods and parts for steam contraptions to the colonies and whatever resources could be picked up for cheap back to Imelia brought in a tidy profit for the enterprising merchant.

One would expect the war would bring a swift stop to these trade routes, but if anything it accelerated them. Granted, the blockade and subsequent invasion of Pelia put a stop to much of the trade that way, but the trading companies compensated by investing in consolidating their real estate and industry holdings in Imelia proper, as well as the minor colonies growing more hungry for the goods they could provide as the shipments of goods from the companies associated with the Imelian government ceased. There were murmurs that the trade company fleets also carried intelligence on Imelian troop movement, but although treason was suspected, nobody was ever able to prove it.

Now back to the war at hand. The invasion of Pelia did not run into the quagmires that the earlier invasions in the minor colonies suffered. Pelia's government met them head-on as the Imelian strategists had expected, but unfortunately for the Imelians, they brought new weapons to bear that were more than a match for the Imelian steam-powered armies. Pelia had developed gunpowder and gunpowder-powered firearms that Imelias steam-powered tanks and comparatively primitive infantry did not hold any intrinsic advantage over. Granted, the heavy armor of the steam-tanks deflected all but the luckiest of musket shots, but just about anyone with two hands and two eyes could be trained to use a musket, and the flexibility afforded to musketeers on foot meant that the Imelian forces frequently found themselves outflanked and caught in crossfire.

While the losses of steam-tanks, walkers, and artillery like the crank-catapult and rail ballistae remained low, the Imelian infantry losses were immense. Field medics discovered to their horror that even a stray musket shot to a limb could be debilitating, or even deadly. Even so, the Imelian military was backed by an economy that had reached its absolute zenith only a short while ago, and thus, with immense losses buoyed by steady shipments of new soldiers from Imelia proper, Imelia pushed in from the initial landing at the rocky shores of Pelia towards the industrial capital Meor, intending to secure Meor's bountiful coal mines for the war effort.

The Imelian army progressed slowly in their campaign, struggling to protect their supply lines from Pelian harassment tactics. As such, the compounding manpower and morale losses quickly became all but unmanageable, and a new problem arose in the shadow of the mounting losses. Put simply, the professional soldier was becoming a rare commodity in Imelia as the nation poured every drop of their accumulated military might into a war they still believed wholeheartedly they could win. This led to a blossoming market for mercenaries, as well as the Imelian government instituting a draft for the first time in the nation's history.

The drafts were far from popular among the populace. In general, support for the war was low and still sinking with every shipment of rationed supplies and fathers, brothers, and sons with little to no hope of returning. "The ships to Pelia are heavy when they leave, and very light when they return" as a popular folk song from the period put it. There was, however little respect for this sentiment in the halls of government, where the Imperial Council was starting to realize the grim nature of their situation.

Put plainly, the Imperial coffers were empty, and had been empty for some time as the expensive wars with the minor colonies had all but bankrupted them in the first place. The foray into Pelia was funded by a conglomerate of private lenders and creditors, backed by the promises of lucrative land grants and trade routes once Pelia was brought to heel. The sheer sluggishness of the war had taken both lenders and councilors by surprise, and the question of how the repayment of the empire's debts was to be made in the case of a white peace, or even worse a full Imelian defeat, was becoming a hot-button topic.

The negotiations and maneuvers between the imperial council and their debtors grew into a theatre of its own. Sales of war bonds and collections of war taxes were put into effect but failed to extract much value from the impoverished, and greatly diminished, working class and ultimately only expanded and solidified the capital class' grip on Imelia. Wide programs of austerity were pushed through every political and legislative barrier at the behest of the debtors, but these did little more than delay the inevitable. With wide opposition to the government making tax collection all but infeasible, and the coffers of the colonial nations being solidly out of reach, there was seemingly no hope of Imelia avoiding bankruptcy at best.

Even in this atmosphere of utter despair, it wasn't until news of the siege of Meor breaking due to massive desertion from the Imelian troops that the debtors took matters into their own hands. It is unknown to all but those that were there that day whether the private security force representing a group of Imelia's aimed to overthrow the government for their masters, or whether the plan was merely to repossess the contents of the Imperial Palace as a down-payment on the nation's considerable debt, but the outcome was at any rate the same. Fighting broke out as loyalist Imelian forces clashed with the mercenaries, and by the time the dust had settled, every member of the Imelian Imperial Council was dead, as well as the vast majority of their direct supporters.

With the death of the council, the last vestige of government in Imil was now eradicated. The throne, such as it were, was free for the taking, but given the nation's unenviable position with scores of routed and wounded soldiers overseas as well as a thoroughly gutted public sector lacking public support, it was more of a white elephant gift than such power usually was. The de facto leader of the debtors, Mitchell C. Orthon made a public statement that "As far as We are concerned, the nation of Imelia is as of today defunct. As the representatives of your landlords, bosses, and betters, we encourage you to peacefully resume working, anon."

After the fall of Imil, it didn't take long for the nation of Imelia to disintegrate completely. Some cities and regions declared independence and have been warring and bickering over claims on Imelian land with their neighbors ever since, other cities merely collapsed, causing an exodus into neighboring countries, nations, grand manufactories and others. Imil, however, stayed a city without a nation. The considerable presence of private armies and mercenaries on the payroll of the late government's debtors kept a sort of peace in the city, and, as things settled down, the fertile lands outside of the city.

Little changed for the population of the city formerly known as Imil between the late days of The Coal Wars and the early days of the enforced peace of the debtors. Granted, there were no policemen or taxmen to be found, but that had been the case for several years at that point as the austerity measures had all but annihilated the police force, causing mass resignations and brain drain to various private security contractors. There were no taxes, which was a nice reprieve from the punishing war taxes that had been levied, but the average citizen found that their earnings didn't reach much farther given this lien, given that their employers, inevitably citing "recent times of crisis," cut wages across the board. Landlords were also considerably emboldened by these developments, and would often charge their tenants an additional "safety fee," in essence extortion.

And this is the sorry state of the once-great city that we meet at the start of The Clockwork Boy. Some minor trends changed between the equilibrium post-collapse and the current day such as the construction of the debtor's seat of power, The Spire, and how further consolidations left the owners of industry and other means of production also owning considerable amounts of real estate, leading to the rise of "company blocks," essentially flophouses for factory and workshop workers in the crummier parts of the city, one of which houses our hero, Jake, before his life gets turned upside down a couple of times.

Now, you may ask me "Hey, Peebs, isn't this just an overengineered explanation for why the setting operates under an anarcho-capitalistic system?" to which I would reply "Anarcho-capitalism is a contradiction in terms, but yes, that is essentially what this is."

[shantitechnology]

Maximizing Efficiency – Integrating ERP Software in Manufacturing Facilities

In the dynamic landscape of modern manufacturing, where precision, speed, and efficiency reign supreme, integrating cutting-edge technology becomes imperative for staying ahead of the competition.  One such technology revolutionizing the manufacturing sector is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.  From streamlining operations to enhancing decision-making processes, ERP solutions have become the cornerstone of success for engineering companies across Madhya Pradesh, particularly in the bustling city of Indore.  In this article, we delve into the transformative power of ERP software for engineering companies in Indore, exploring how it boosts efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

Understanding the Need for ERP Software in Engineering Companies

Engineering companies in Madhya Pradesh, including those in the vibrant city of Indore, operate in a highly competitive environment characterized by rapidly changing market demands, stringent quality standards, and evolving regulatory requirements.  In such a scenario, traditional methods of managing operations and data, such as spreadsheets and disparate software systems, often fall short in meeting the complex needs of modern manufacturing.

This is where ERP software steps in as a comprehensive solution designed to integrate and streamline various facets of a manufacturing enterprise.  Whether it is inventory management, production planning, supply chain coordination, or financial analysis, ERP software provides a unified platform that facilitates seamless communication and collaboration across different departments and processes.

The Role of ERP Software in Enhancing Efficiency

Streamlined Operations:  One of the primary benefits of ERP software is its ability to streamline operations by automating repetitive tasks, eliminating data silos, and providing real-time visibility into critical processes.  For engineering companies in Indore, where precision and timeliness are paramount, ERP software ensures that operations run smoothly from raw material procurement to product delivery.

Optimized Resource Utilization:  By efficiently allocating resources such as manpower, machinery, and materials, ERP software helps engineering companies optimize their production processes.  With features like capacity planning and scheduling, manufacturers can minimize downtime, reduce idle inventory, and maximize the utilization of available resources, leading to significant cost savings and improved profitability.

Improved Decision-Making:  In today's fast-paced business environment, informed decision-making is essential for staying competitive.  ERP software equips engineering companies with actionable insights derived from real-time data analytics and reporting functionalities.  Whether it is identifying production bottlenecks, forecasting demand trends, or evaluating supplier performance, ERP systems provide decision-makers in Indore with the information they need to make strategic decisions quickly and confidently.

The Advantages of Choosing the Right ERP Solution Provider in Indore

Selecting the right ERP solution provider is crucial for engineering companies in Indore looking to harness the full potential of ERP software.  Here are some key advantages of partnering with an experienced ERP solution provider in Indore:

Industry-Specific Expertise:  A reputable ERP solution provider with experience serving engineering companies in Indore will have a deep understanding of the unique challenges and requirements of the industry.  They can tailor the ERP system to align with the specific workflows and processes prevalent in the engineering sector, ensuring maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

Local Support and Training:  By choosing a local ERP solution provider in Indore, engineering companies can benefit from easy access to technical support, training, and consultation services.  This ensures smooth implementation and ongoing maintenance of the ERP system, minimizing disruptions to business operations and maximizing ROI.

Scalability and Flexibility:  As engineering companies in Indore grow and evolve, their ERP needs may change accordingly.  A reputable ERP solution provider offers scalable and flexible solutions that can adapt to the changing needs of the business, whether it is expanding operations, adding new product lines, or entering new markets.

Shantitechnology – Your Trusted Partner for Engineering ERP Solutions in Indore

When it comes to choosing an ERP solution provider for engineering companies in Indore, Shantitechnology stands out as a trusted partner with a proven track record of delivering tailored ERP solutions that drive operational excellence and business growth.  As a leading engineering ERP software company in Indore, we understand the unique challenges faced by manufacturers in the region and offer customized solutions that address their specific needs.

Our team of experienced consultants works closely with engineering companies in Indore to assess their requirements, design scalable ERP solutions, and ensure seamless implementation and integration with existing systems.  With a focus on user-friendly interfaces, robust functionality, and unparalleled support, Shantitechnology empowers engineering companies in Indore to maximize efficiency, optimize resources, and achieve sustainable growth in today's competitive marketplace.

Conclusion

In conclusion, integrating ERP software into manufacturing facilities is no longer a luxury but a necessity for engineering companies in Indore seeking to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.  By providing a unified platform for streamlining operations, optimizing resource utilization, and enabling data-driven decision-making, ERP software holds the key to unlocking efficiency, productivity, and profitability for manufacturers in Madhya Pradesh.  With the right ERP solution provider by their side, engineering companies in Indore can embark on a transformative journey towards operational excellence and sustainable growth.

[amy-hitechpcb]

BGA PCB Assembly

What’s BGA PCB?

BGA PCB is Printed Circuit Boards with Ball Grid Array. We use various sophisticated techniques for making BGA PCBs. Such PCBs have a small size, low cost, and high packaging density. Hence, they are reliable for high-performance applications.

What’s BGA PCB Assembly?

Ball Grid Array (BGA) assembly technology is a surface mount packaging technology applied to integrated circuits, which is often used to permanently fix devices such as microprocessors. BGA assembly can accommodate more pins than other packages such as Dual in-line packages or Quad Flat Packages, and the entire bottom surface of the device can be used as pins , instead of only peripherals available, and also have a shorter average wire length than peripheral-limited package types for better high-speed performance.

Our BGA assembly services cover a wide range, including BGA prototype development, BGA PCB assembly, BGA component removal, BGA replacement, BGA rework and reballing, BGA PCB assembly inspection, and so on. Leveraging our full-coverage services, we can help customers streamline the supply network and accelerate product development time.

Benefits of BGA PCB Assembly

Efficient Use of Space – BGA PCB layout allows us to efficiently use the available space, so we can mount more components and manufacture lighter devices.

Better Thermal Performance – For BGA, the heat generated by the components is transferred directly through the ball. In addition, the large contact area improves heat dissipation, which prevents overheating of components and ensures long life.

Higher Electrical Conductivity – The path between the die and the circuit board is short, which results in better electrical conductivity. Moreover, there is no through-hole on the board, the whole circuit board is covered with solder balls and other components, so vacant spaces are reduced.

Easy to Assemble And Manage – Compared to other PCB assembly techniques, BGA is easier to assemble and manage as the solder balls are used directly to solder the package to the board.

Less Damage to Leads – We use solid solder balls for manufacturing BGA leads. Hence, there is a lesser risk that they will get damaged during the operation.

In a word, BGA PCB assembly, have these advantages, high density, better electrical conductivity, lower thermal resistance, easy to assembly & manage are some of the advantages of BGA PCB.

Stringent BGA PCB Assembly Testing Process

To achieve the highest quality standards for BGA assembly, we use a variety of inspection methods throughout the process including optical inspection, mechanical inspection, and X-ray inspection. Among them, the inspection of BGA solder joints must use X-rays. X-rays can pass through the components to inspect the solder joints below them, so as to check the solder joint position, solder joint radius, and solder joint thickness.

Inspection of BGA PCB

We mostly use X-ray inspection for analyzing the features of BGA PCBs. This technique is known as XRD in the industry and relies on X-rays for unveiling the hidden features of this PCB. This kind of inspection reveals.

* Solder Joint Position

* Solder Joint Radius

* Change in Circular shape

* Solder Joint Thickness

The Hitechpcba advantage lies in a whole range of aspects, beginning from the fact that we have the proven technology available at our disposal. With over 15 years of experience in a wide range of PCB Fabrication and Assembly techniques, what we also have is trained manpower and importantly, robust industry experience and best practices that you can benefit from.

Our unstinting devotion to quality and customer satisfaction means that once you partner with us, you can rest assured that you will get nothing but the best. The customer-oriented approach also shows up in your commitment to delivery times. With quick turnaround times, you can reap the benefit of quick time-to-market, which, in turn, can be a major source of competitive advantage.

Whether your requirement is BGA PCB design, BGA PCB, BGA PCB layout, BGA PCB Assembly or BGA rework, you can rest assured that you will get superior quality and performance, that will in turn, positively impact the performance of your final product.

With our efficient network of component suppliers and the many economies of scale that we enjoy, that you will get optimal costs, is a given.

Please feel free to contact us (sales20@hitechpcb.com) if you have any other special request on the BGA pcb assembly.

[libertarian-druid-ny-separatist]

History reminder:

Switzerland stayed out of WW2 due to a lack of manpower and weapons, and regularly feared invasion from both the allies and axis powers.

Them discussing the possibility of sending excess weapons from their surplus supply that they now have is not some sign that they hate Russia more than the Nazis. It's all a simple matter of logistics.

To break it down a little more memey but a little easier to read

If you don't even have the rifles to equip your own troops, how are you going to fight a war against one of the strongest industrial powers in the world?

Vs.

We now have an excess of some of the best rifles to be made. Should we send some to Ukraine that is just barely getting out of a point of struggle just to retake their homeland?

I've heard, in admittedly very small circles, people calling Switzerland nazi sympathizers because of these rumors spreading. I'm going ahead and assuming they're true, which could very well not be the case, but if they (rumors) are, then I hope people can realize that the Swiss weren't sitting back with a bucket of popcorn and watching millions die. They were very much scared for their lives and territorial integrity, same as anyone else that wasn't invaded and remained neutral.

If Switzerland actually gets involved, I'm going to be shocked. However, I'm still inclined to believe that they're not nazi sympathizers and never were as a nation. I'm sure some individuals were, hell, there were Soviets that went to fight for the Nazis, there were Finns, there were Swedes, hell even some Dutch and Poles fought for the nazis.

Point being, the Swiss are not nazi sympathizers. And I have to imagine the people spreading that rumor were originally Russian propagandists, specifically hired to, or otherwise already in the service of , propagandizing anything they possibly could. In other words, the Russians are pulling even more moves from the nazi playbook.

[hiranandaniindustrialparks]

Elevate Your Business with Custom Warehouse Solutions by Hiranandani Industrial Parks

The largest warehouse in India, Hiranandani Industrial Parks is ready to take your business to new heights. Unlock the full potential of your business with their custom warehouse solutions for rent in Chennai. For all your storage space needs, Hiranandani Industrial Parks has got you covered. Get ready to revolutionise the way you do business with their state-of-the-art facilities and unmatched expertise. Read on to discover why Hiranandani Industrial Parks is the perfect partner for all your warehousing requirements!

What are Custom Warehouse Solutions?

Each business has its own specific needs, and as e-commerce giants expand their operations throughout the country, the only way to meet these needs is through Custom warehouse solutions. Unlike traditional warehousing options that offer a one-size-fits-all approach, custom solutions take into account all the requirements that are unique to the company in question and the challenges it faces.

These customised solutions can include various elements such as storage space optimization, specialised equipment and machinery, advanced technology integration, inventory management systems, and efficient supply chain processes. By setting up the warehouse to match the client's business operations, you can generate optimal productivity and streamline workflows efficiently.

The key advantage of opting for custom warehouse solutions is the flexibility that comes with it. At Hiranandani Industrial Parks, you get the freedom to choose exactly what you need, regardless of whether it is the need for additional square footage for product storage or its requirement for dedicated areas for your packaging and fulfilment services.

A proposition that should entice every business looking to rent a warehouse should be scalability. As your business grows and evolves over time, you’ll need flexible spaces that can adapt to your growth trajectory and accommodate changes in demands without disrupting your operation flow. Once considered and taken into account, this aspect can serve as a major deal breaker or business maker for you.

Give your business a competitive edge by opting for custom warehousing solutions from Hiranandani Industrial Parks, and stand to benefit from optimised operations and reduced costs that are usually linked to inefficient layouts or unnecessary resources.

Why Hiranandani Industrial Parks?

Hiranandani Industrial Parks offer agile, flexible, and secure spaces to equip businesses in their fight to tackle new-age challenges effortlessly. A clear commitment to sustainability, paired with best-in-class infrastructure, allows them to serve diverse sectors, including warehousing, e-commerce, and FMCG, These warehouses prioritise sustainability; by incorporating green spaces and eco-friendly designs, they create value for businesses while promoting environmental well-being.

Hiranandani Industrial Parks benefit from its strategic location, exemplified by its presence at Red Hills Chennai, which is seamlessly connected to logistics hotspots and manufacturing hubs. Whereas its proximity to manpower centres ensures access to a skilled workforce and essential services, providing a safe and thriving environment for businesses. It also features Grade A+ infrastructure, offering smart warehouse designs with the flexibility to customise floor plates according to requirements, thus optimising logistic costs and supporting business growth.

Furthermore, Hiranandani Industrial Parks provide variable solutions, from ready spaces for swift setup to built-to-suit options for long-term occupancy and cost optimization. The plug-and-play model suits e-commerce and inventory-heavy industries, while the built-to-suit approach accommodates individual business needs. 

Conclusion

In today's fast-paced business environment, having efficient and tailored warehouse solutions is crucial to stay ahead of the curve. This is exactly what Hiranandani Industrial Parks offers you, in the form of custom warehouse solutions that are designed to elevate your business operations to new heights.

With their vast experience and expertise in the industry, Hiranandani Industrial Parks understands the unique needs of businesses when it comes to warehousing services. Whether you need a custom warehouse for rent in Chennai or a custom storage warehouse for sale, they have got you covered.

By partnering with Hiranandani Industrial Parks for your warehousing needs, you can benefit from streamlined processes, increased efficiency, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction. Their team of experts will work closely with you to understand your business goals so that they can create a custom solution for you that is perfectly in line with your objectives.

So why settle for standard warehouses? 

Contact them today and embark on a journey toward superior warehousing capabilities that will drive your business to success!

[tomorrowusa]

Russia is a closed totalitarian society. Greater effort is required to determine what is going on beneath the surface. Despite Tucker Carlson's glowing propaganda postcards from Moscow, Russia is experiencing what might charitably be called supply chain issues in its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Russia is struggling to provide ammunition and weapons for its war in Ukraine, according to Western officials. It is facing "extreme challenges" in obtaining sufficient equipment and materiel, an official said. It comes as concerns over the provision of Western weapons to Ukraine are mounting. As the war enters its third year, the supply of ammunition, arms and manpower looks set to be a critical factor. "Russia's domestic ammunition production capabilities are currently insufficient for meeting the needs of the Ukraine conflict," a Western official claimed, saying Moscow has been able to increase its supply only by seeking out alternative sources of ammunition and weapons, which does not offer a long-term solution. They pointed to the impact of sanctions as one cause. "Sanctions are hitting the Russian military industrial complex hard, causing severe delays and increasing costs. An inability to access Western components is severely undermining Russia's production of new systems and repairs of old systems, with long-term consequences for the quality of weapons produced," they said.

This is the time to supply Ukraine with more aid. But assistance is being held up by MAGA American weakness Republicans led by Putin ally Donald Trump.

The claims about Russian weapons supply come ahead of the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. The assessment from Western officials is that Russia has not given up on its original goals of "subjugating" Ukraine. But they said Russia does not have a clear plan to bring that about other than hoping that in the long term its superior manpower and resources will make the difference by grinding its neighbour down. Russia is currently producing more ammunition than Ukraine is receiving. However, Russia may be close to its limits of supply while there remains the possibility that Ukraine could still get more from its allies.

Putin really doesn't want the world, and especially Russia, to know about the catastrophic extent of Russian losses. One pro-war Russian blogger killed himself after he was forced to remove posts about massive Russian fatalities in their Pyrrhic advance through Avdiivka.

Russian war blogger reportedly dies by suicide after saying 16,000 Russian troops lost in battle for Avdiivka

Multiple Russian pro-war Telegram channels have reported that Andrey Morozov, a Russian soldier who runs a popular Telegram channel and goes by the pseudonym Murz, has died by suicide. Lawyer Maxim Pashkov, who said he spoke to Morozov the previous night, reported that the military blogger shot himself. According to Pashkov, there was “no sign” during their conversation that Morozov was considering taking his life. On Wednesday morning, Morozov published a series of posts on his channel in which he said that he was going to shoot himself and asked his readers “not to be sad” about his death. He asked to be buried in the self-proclaimed “Luhansk People’s Republic.” Morozov wrote that on February 20, his superiors forced him to delete a post from his channel. According to BBC Russian, this likely refers to a post in which Morozov said that the Russian army lost 16,000 soldiers and 300 armored vehicles during the battle for control of the village of Avdiivka. The BBC noted that the post drew fierce criticism from Russian propagandists, who accused the blogger of “slandering the Russian Defense Ministry.” According to Morozov’s final messages, the order from his superiors was issued under pressure from the “political prostitutes led by [propagandist] Vladimir Solovyov.”

Interestingly, the late Andrey Morozov's estimate of 16,000 Russian deaths was not far from the Ukrainian estimate of 17,000 dead Russians in the same operation. Overall, Ukrainian figures of Russian losses are reasonably accurate.