#the four insurgent generals
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alanshemper · 1 year ago
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“Paul Robeson Singing in Defense of Spain against the Fascist Murderers”
—Prof. Norman Finkelstein
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soundprooft-visualz · 2 years ago
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Humans are Space Orcs: Local Wildlife
We thought we had won Earth from it’s residents. Truly, we had thoroughly beaten their military. I had swung the plasma blade on many of the necks of their generals myself, having conquered most of what the humans called a “Texas”. When our patrols started to go missing after the occupation, we had expected insurgency forces. Bullet holes on the bodies, blast burns, the whole six units. Instead, we turned up corpses that looked... chewed. Gored, slashed, and then eaten. The next patrol we sent out, we sent with body cameras. What we saw horrified us. A four hundred pound tank of a beast with tusks like knives made what we only could describe as a screech as it charged impossibly quickly, ripping the first of our kind to shreds with the swords attached to it’s jaw. I... can’t say what happened to the rest. I ran away. Upon my arrival back to headquarters, I went to our only human captive, one we’d been asking questions to about the local flora. He only chuckled and tucked what he called a “cigar” in his mouth, clenching it between his oral bones and taking a deep inhalation of the smoke. 
“Yep. Back home, that there’s what we like to call a problem.”
“Yes, This One can see that clearly, but what is it called?” The human arched his eyebrows and leaned forward on the table, taking the cigar from his mouth and rolling it between his fingers. 
“‘Round this area they’re called hogs, but most’ll call ‘em wild boars. But lemme tell you something.” The alien couldn’t help but match his gesture, intrigued by the words the human was telling it. 
“What?” 
“You let me outta this here pen? You can call that thing supper ‘long as you got enough butter.”
“What is... butter?”
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narfin-frood · 10 days ago
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how are the Insurgent Generals in the swap au?? I need to know
gonna be honest, haven't thought about it too hard, but i guess in the au they'd probably be independently evil nuisances? since they're the a-team if they were in fact just messing around, i think they'd be kinda like the threat level of something the so-and-so, or the amazing rope guy from wordgirl, where they almost look like they pose a threat but never fail to chicken out at the last minute, or their great and dastardly plan ends up being a very minor disturbance of the peace, like vandalism with sharpie or stickerbombing
maybe "the big job" would be about sir peeps and meteor going undercover in what they think is like. an organized crime ring. because they keep acting like it's organized crime. maybe speeps and meteor dont even wanna be undercover, and it was just unlucky happenstance they ended up in the throes of four overly serious weirdos claiming to be plotting & scheming truly terrible and twisted things, and at the end it's something very mild and inconsequential. something to make meteor & peepers look very silly for fearing for their lives at the hands of a buncha dweebs
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thebrickinbrick · 6 months ago
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Minus Five, Plus One, Part Two
No one stirred.
“Married men and the supporters of families, step out of the ranks!” repeated Marius.
His authority was great. Enjolras was certainly the head of the barricade, but Marius was its savior.
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“I order it,” cried Enjolras.
“I entreat you,” said Marius.
Then, touched by Combeferre’s words, shaken by Enjolras’ order, touched by Marius’ entreaty, these heroic men began to denounce each other.—“It is true,” said one young man to a full grown man, “you are the father of a family. Go.”—“It is your duty rather,” retorted the man, “you have two sisters whom you maintain.”—And an unprecedented controversy broke forth. Each struggled to determine which should not allow himself to be placed at the door of the tomb.
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“Make haste,” said Courfeyrac, “in another quarter of an hour it will be too late.”
“Citizens,” pursued Enjolras, “this is the Republic, and universal suffrage reigns. Do you yourselves designate those who are to go.”
They obeyed. After the expiration of a few minutes, five were unanimously selected and stepped out of the ranks.
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“There are five of them!” exclaimed Marius.
There were only four uniforms.
“Well,” began the five, “one must stay behind.”
And then a struggle arose as to who should remain, and who should find reasons for the others not remaining. The generous quarrel began afresh.
“You have a wife who loves you.”—“You have your aged mother.”—” You have neither father nor mother, and what is to become of your three little brothers?”—“You are the father of five children.”—“You have a right to live, you are only seventeen, it is too early for you to die.”
These great revolutionary barricades were assembling points for heroism. The improbable was simple there. These men did not astonish each other.
“Be quick,” repeated Courfeyrac.
Men shouted to Marius from the groups:
“Do you designate who is to remain.”
“Yes,” said the five, “choose. We will obey you.”
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Marius did not believe that he was capable of another emotion. Still, at this idea, that of choosing a man for death, his blood rushed back to his heart. He would have turned pale, had it been possible for him to become any paler.
He advanced towards the five, who smiled upon him, and each, with his eyes full of that grand flame which one beholds in the depths of history hovering over Thermopylæ, cried to him:
“Me! me! me!”
And Marius stupidly counted them; there were still five of them! Then his glance dropped to the four uniforms.
At that moment, a fifth uniform fell, as if from heaven, upon the other four.
The fifth man was saved.
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Marius raised his eyes and recognized M. Fauchelevent.
Jean Valjean had just entered the barricade.
He had arrived by way of Mondétour lane, whither by dint of inquiries made, or by instinct, or chance. Thanks to his dress of a National Guardsman, he had made his way without difficulty.
The sentinel stationed by the insurgents in the Rue Mondétour had no occasion to give the alarm for a single National Guardsman, and he had allowed the latter to entangle himself in the street, saying to himself: “Probably it is a reinforcement, in any case it is a prisoner.” The moment was too grave to admit of the sentinel abandoning his duty and his post of observation.
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At the moment when Jean Valjean entered the redoubt, no one had noticed him, all eyes being fixed on the five chosen men and the four uniforms. Jean Valjean also had seen and heard, and he had silently removed his coat and flung it on the pile with the rest.
The emotion aroused was indescribable.
“Who is this man?” demanded Bossuet.
“He is a man who saves others,” replied Combeferre.
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Marius added in a grave voice:
“I know him.”
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This guarantee satisfied every one.
Enjolras turned to Jean Valjean.
“Welcome, citizen.”
And he added:
“You know that we are about to die.”
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Jean Valjean, without replying, helped the insurgent whom he was saving to don his uniform.
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nesiacha · 4 months ago
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166 Years Ago, Empress Marie Claire Bonheur of Haiti Passed Away
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Marie Claire Bonheur (1758-1858)
166 years ago, on August 8th (or August 9th, according to other sources) in 1858, Marie Claire Bonheur, the first Empress of Haiti at the time of its independence, took her last breath.
In anticipation of this post for the anniversary of her death, I had already created three portraits of revolutionary women from Haiti or overseas here: link.
Marie Claire Bonheur was born in Léogâne in 1758 into a poor but free family. Her education was provided by her aunt Elise Lobelot, who was a governess within a religious order. As can easily be imagined, at the time of her birth, Haiti, then called Saint-Domingue, was marked by cruel inequalities, the cruelty of the colonists, and the horrors of slavery.
She married Pierre-Lunic, a master wheelwright, but he died in 1795. It was especially during the Haitian Revolution that Marie Claire Bonheur would distinguish herself.
During the siege of Jacmel in 1800, during the conflict known as the War of Knives between Toussaint Louverture and André Rigaud, which led them to clash in Jacmel, Marie Claire Bonheur tirelessly helped the wounded and the starving. One of her notable actions was convincing Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who was then a lieutenant under Toussaint Louverture, to open the roads so that people in the city could receive more aid, such as food, clothing, and medicine while he was besieging the city. She was in the streets, tirelessly organizing meals, among other activities. She was considered a fighter and, above all, an effective nurse for the wounded soldiers.
In 1800, she married Dessalines, and they had seven children in total. However, she insisted on legitimizing her husband's children from previous relationships, including Catherine Flon, who is considered one of Haiti's four national heroines alongside Sanité Bélair, Dédée Bazile, and Cécile Fatiman.
After Napoleon sent an expedition to Saint-Domingue with the aim of reinstating slavery, Jean-Jacques Dessalines joined the insurgents fighting against the French soldiers. He surrendered to them as a strategy, only to fight them again, especially when the reestablishment of slavery was ordered. After the victory at the Battle of Vertières, following Haiti's restoration of independence, he proclaimed himself emperor, and Marie Claire Bonheur became empress.
When Jean-Jacques Dessalines ordered that the white inhabitants of Haiti, including children, be killed in 1804 (an episode I will detail very briefly in the next post, but let’s not forget that while this massacre was horrible and absolutely condemnable, we must also remember the atrocities committed on the other side against black Haitians before the Haitian Revolution and by Bonaparte's troops with shocking orders, whose executions remind us of the atrocities of Carrier’s drownings), Marie Claire Bonheur opposed it. Some say she fell to her knees before her husband to plead for the lives of the French in Haiti. She, along with other Haitians, saved white and French people.
She is known for saving those who would become known as the "orphans of Cap," Hortense and Augustine Javier, two little girls aged 8 and 5. They first lost their father in the massacre. A former black servant tried to hide and protect their mother and the two girls, but they were discovered on the fourth day, and the soldiers killed the mother. However, General Diakoué, a friend of their father, managed to save them and sent them to safety among former black slaves, who showed them great affection. Marie Claire Bonheur took them in in 1806 and moved heaven and earth to send them to France to be with their family. She succeeded, and the two girls were in France by 1810. They devoted their entire lives to expressing immense gratitude to the Haitians who saved them, and apparently, they and their family managed to have King Charles X in 1830 reward General Diakoué with the Cross of Honor.
When her husband Jean-Jacques Dessalines was assassinated in 1806, she refused the hospitality of Henri Christophe. The former empress lived in poverty until 1843 when she was granted a pension. In 1849, the emperor of Haiti, Faustin, wanted to increase her pension due to his admiration for her husband, but she refused. She died in poverty in August 1858 at the age of 100.
This woman, who had an extraordinary destiny, lived for at least a century. Her memory is very present in Haiti, and she left a great legacy alongside other Haitian women.
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somerabbitholes · 8 months ago
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Books you would recommend on this topic? Colonial, post colonial, and Cold War Asia are topics that really interest me. (Essentially all of the 1900s)
Hello! An entire century is huge and I don't quite know what exactly you're looking for, but here we are, with a few books I like. I've tried organising them, but so many of these things bleed into each other so it's a bit of a jumble
Cold War
1971 by Srinath Raghavan: about the Bangladesh Liberation War within the context of the Cold War, US-Soviet rivalry, and the US-China axis in South Asia
Cold War in South Asia by Paul McGarr: largely focuses on India and Pakistan, and how the Cold War aggravated this rivalry; also how the existing tension added to the Cold War; also the transition from British dominance to US-Soviet contest
Kennedy, Johnson, and the Nonaligned World by Robert B. Rakove: on the US' ties with the Nonaligned countries during decolonisation and in the early years of the Cold War; how US policy dealt with containment, other strategic choices etc
South Asia's Cold War by Rajesh Basrur: specifically about nuclear buildup, armament and the Indo-Pak rivalry within the larger context of the Cold War, arms race, and disarmament movements
Colonialism
India's War by Srinath Raghavan: about India's involvement in World War II and generally what the war meant for South Asia politically, economically and in terms of defense strategies
The Coolie's Great War by Radhika Singha: about coolie labour (non-combatant forces) in the first World War that was transported from India to battlefronts in Europe, Asia and Africa
Unruly Waters by Sunil Amrith: an environmental history of South Asia through British colonial attempts of organising the flow of rivers and the region's coastlines
Underground Revolutionaries by Tim Harper: about revolutionary freedom fighters in Asia and how they met, encountered and borrowed from each other
Imperial Connections by Thomas R. Metcalf: about how the British Empire in the Indian Ocean was mapped out and governed from the Indian peninsula
Decolonisation/Postcolonial Asia
Army and Nation by Steven Wilkinson: a comparative look at civilian-army relations in post-Independence India and Pakistan; it tries to excavate why Pakistan went the way it did with an overwhelmingly powerful Army and a coup-prone democracy while India didn't, even though they inherited basically the same military structure
Muslim Zion by Faisal Devji: a history of the idea of Pakistan and its bearing on the nation-building project in the country
The South Asian Century by Joya Chatterji: it's a huge book on 20th century South Asia; looks at how the subcontinental landmass became three/four separate countries, and what means for history and culture and the people on the landmass
India Against Itself by Sanjib Baruah: about insurgency and statebuilding in Assam and the erstwhile NEFA in India's Northeast. Also see his In the Name of the Nation.
I hope this helps!
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deadpresidents · 6 months ago
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Would you agree that the gettysburg address is the best speech that has been given by any president?
No, I disagree. The Gettysburg Address wasn't even the best speech ever delivered by President Lincoln. Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address is the best speech in Presidential history. It's one of the greatest speeches in American history. I think it's one of the greatest pieces of writing in American history -- and not just writing from Presidents, but from any American writer.
Fellow Countrymen: At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself, and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to it is ventured. On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it, all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place, devoted altogether to saving the Union without war, insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war -- seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came. One-eighth of the whole population were colored slaves, not distributed generally over the Union, but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war, while the Government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him? Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether." With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and for his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
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thesilliestrovingalive · 3 months ago
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Updated: November 21, 2024
Reworked Group #1: Rebel Army
POTENTIAL TRIGGER WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised due to references to death, fanaticism, drug usage, and SA.
Overview
Multiple terrorist organisations began to form near the start of the 21st century, fueled by rapid technological advancements and escalating violence. For most of the past 20 years, these groups lacked cohesion and were merely a nuisance to the Regular Army, who didn't consider them a significant threat. However, everything changed in 2023 when the Central Park bombing claimed the lives of Field Marshal Donald Morden's wife, daughter, and son, forever altering the course of events.
He was deeply disturbed by this news and learned that the Regular Army had opportunities to prevent the tragedy, but failed to do so. He attributed this failure to systemic issues within the government and military. Following a period of personal struggle and disillusionment, he resigned and eventually disappeared from public view, accompanied by a group of loyal troops who admired him as a leader.
Behind closed doors, Morden began to slowly build up his army, establishing a unique structure for his military organisation and specialised divisions such as the Japanese Infantry and Arabian Infantry. He even acquired ancient technology that had once belonged to his ancestors, the Tuatha Dé Danann. Most of his troops were genetically enhanced using Tuatha Dé Danann technology from the Hadean Eon, which explains why many of them shared a pale complexion and identical physical characteristics—the varying shades of black and blonde hair, and eyes that ranged from deep blue to vibrant cyan. Additionally, Morden consolidated various extremist groups and insurgent forces into his organisation and procured some military technology from the Regular Army through clandestine means.
They prove to be more than a match for the Regular Army, boasting horrifyingly vast and varied resources as well as legions of fanatically loyal infantry equipped with an array of weapons beyond imagination. Their troops are known for their devotion to duty, but have been observed to flee when faced with a particularly dire situation. Although their ranks appear endless and their weapons are brutally effective, some of their arsenal seems somewhat outdated. Furthermore, their combat skills and strategies are arguably less sophisticated than those employed by the Regular Army.
In 2026, the Rebel Army emerged, revealing itself as a military organisation. Led by General Donald Morden, the Rebel Army launched a series of coups aimed at purging the government and military of corruption. However, Morden's ambition was tainted by a megalomaniacal desire for global domination. As a result of this tainted ambition, the main goal of the Rebel Army shifted to overthrowing the Earth Federation and establishing a worldwide authoritarian state under the iron-fisted rule of General Morden. Despite suffering numerous defeats at the hands of elite forces, including the Peregrine Falcons Squad, S.P.A.R.R.O.W.S., Ikari Warriors, and Division 6, the Rebel Army remained resolute in their goal to expose the corruption within all governments and military forces. They have gone to extreme lengths to achieve their objective, forging alliances with the Amadeus Syndicate, Pipovulaj Army, and Ptolemaic Army.
Insignia
It features a white circle, outlined in scarlet, with a black dragon at its centre. The dragon's wings are outstretched, and it grasps a human skull with its sharp claws.
Uniforms
Cadet Uniform
They wear a champagne-hued sleeveless shirt, paired with a light grey armband featuring the Rebel Army insignia. Over the shirt, they wear a short-sleeved jacket with an olive green, terracotta, and sandy beige camouflage pattern. This jacket has four pockets for storage and two hidden strapped compartments. Their headgear consists of a black beret with a scarlet stripe and a white stripe, and a rolled light grey neckerchief secured with a terracotta woggle. They also wear a dark brown utility belt for carrying essential gear, sandy beige army cargo pants tucked into black combat boots, and olive green knee and elbow pads.
Commanding Officer Uniform
They wear a feldgrau military coat with the Rebel Army insignia emblazoned on the left side, adorned with silvery epaulets and gilded aiguillettes featuring rhomboid-cut reddish amethyst pieces. The coat has dark green cuffs and a rise-and-fall collar, a silver-white eight-button front, and a scalloped rear vent. Their attire is completed with a red-violet necktie, crimson gloves, navy blue trousers, and charcoal grey jackboots. On their head, they wear an Imperial Italic-style helmet, embellished with alternating black and yellow plumes.
Special Forces
They wear dark green gas masks with orange-tinted lenses and an industrial tube connected to a bulky metallic grey air tank with three light blue stripes centred on it, which is strapped to their shoulders. They wear olive green gloves, a coffee brown Kevlar vest, beige combat boots with crimson spiked soles, and a gilded armband bearing the insignia of the Rebel Army. Their uniform consists of saffron-yellow, navy blue, and black camo army cargo pants and field tunic, featuring a luxor gold collar and four front patch pockets with scalloped flaps and pleats.
Their coffee brown belt, adorned with a gilt-brass buckle, features seven black pouches for ammunition and a scarlet waist pack containing basic medical supplies, such as bandages. They carry olive green rucksacks bearing the Rebel Army insignia, containing a wide range of supplies, including tactical explosives, portable ammo boxes, canteens filled with water, weapons, additional medical supplies, gas masks, and walkie-talkies.
Bodyguards
They wear bulky, neurally-controlled exosuits with a dark, iridescent nanoceramic coating, providing adaptive protection and augmented mobility. The suit features AI-driven strength amplification, thermal regulation, and self-healing joints for unparalleled flexibility. Their armour is complemented by a holographic visor helmet emblazoned with the Rebel Army's insignia, equipped with a neural interface offering real-time tactical projections and voice command. They don a chromatic gas mask with retinal implants, granting enhanced low-light vision, dual nano-filter mounts, and a voice modulator encircled by fractal-patterned, silver-nanowire spikes.
Their integrated load-bearing backpack stores additional supplies, including ammunition, medical kits, tactical gear (e.g. smoke grenades), rations, and hydration pack. Underneath their exoskeletons, the bodyguards wear a tactical, high-coverage ballistic bodysuit made from a dense, flexible kevlar-latex hybrid material. Their bodysuits are a deep, rich scarlet colour and feature strategically integrated, articulated padding at the shoulders, elbows, and knees.
They’re primarily armed with a Mauser C96 pistol for close-quarters engagement, FG 42 rifle for versatile, high-accuracy firepower, and an MG 42 machine gun with bipod foregrip for sustained, heavy suppressive fire. The Mauser C96 can be equipped with an extended magazine and silencer attachment, the FG 42 features a telescopic sight and folding stock, and the MG 42 boasts a high-capacity drum magazine and quick-change barrel system.
Land Troops
Troops in woodland areas wear a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) featuring a brown, beige, and olive green camouflage pattern, which holds ammunition and their walkie-talkie. They wear earthy green army cargo pants with two additional pockets on the back and field tunics with a six-button bronze front closure. They also wear an earthy green ballistic helmet, a ruddy brown belt with a bronze buckle, dark green paratrooper boots, and a fern-hued armband bearing the Rebel Army insignia. They wear dark green bandoliers that form an X-shape, holding additional ammunition. They carry moss-green load-bearing backpacks with reinforced webbing and waterproof linings, containing supplies provided by special forces such as emergency shelters and high-calorie rations.
Troops in snowy areas wear a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) featuring a white, frosty grey, and pale blue camouflage pattern, which holds ammunition and their walkie-talkie. They wear snow-drab army cargo pants with two additional pockets on the back and insulated field tunics with a six-button silver front closure. They also wear a snow-drab ballistic helmet, steel grey belt with a silver buckle, and an azure armband bearing the Rebel Army insignia. They wear black paratrooper boots lined with warm polar bear fur and equipped with crampons, which provide traction on icy ground.
They carry arctic white tactical backpacks with black accents and reinforced insulation, containing supplies provided by special forces such as thermal blankets, emergency bivvy sacks, and high-energy rations. They carry spiky riot shields made of blue-grey metal, rimmed with a scarlet stripe and a black stripe. Additionally, they carry a bluish-white canister on their back containing ice mist, which enables them to launch shards and spikes of ice at enemies.
Troops in desert areas wear a Soldier Plate Carrier System (SPCS) featuring a sandy beige, terracotta, and light grey camouflage pattern. They wear khaki army cargo pants with two additional pockets on the back and field tunics with a six-button brass front closure. They wear a khaki ballistic helmet, light brown bandanas that cover their necks, crimson-plated tactical goggles, and ivory-hued ponchos adorned with the Rebel Army insignia on the back. They also wear a reddish-grey belt with a brass buckle, tan leather paratrooper boots, and a dusty brown armband bearing the Rebel Army insignia.
They wear three reddish-grey bandoliers with two forming an X-shape across their chest, holding ammunition, and a third one positioned above their belt, holding sticks of dynamite. They carry dune-beige tactical backpacks with built-in hydration bladders and MOLLE attachments, containing supplies provided by special forces such as water purification tablets, desert survival kits, and emergency rations.
Troops who operate as fanatics are required to wear a black sheath or drop leg holster for their combat knife or electrical baton and carry their improvised weapons, including fireworks, rolling bombs, and hammers, in their backpacks. Fanatics are trained to sabotage enemy vehicles and are infamous for their lethal leaping knife attacks.
Troops who operate as grenadiers are required to wear a crimson waist pack and seven black belt pouches, each filled with grenades.
Troops who operate as bazooka wielders are required to carry an anti-tank weapon that closely resembles the American M1 Bazooka, but is emblazoned with the Rebel Army insignia. Some bazooka wielders carry around an energy-blasting bazooka similar to the one used by the Future Bazooka Soldiers from Metal Slug 7/XX. They serve as the backbone of General Morden's ground forces regiment. Bazooka wielders are specialised in tank destruction and sometimes arrive on the battlefield by parachute, typically laying down fire on any enemy soldiers on the ground.
Troops who operate as shielded soldiers are required to carry simple riot shields made of grey metal and wield a machete alongside a Desert Eagle-designed pistol. They slash at enemies with their machete when they get too close or shoot them with their pistol when they're out of machete range. They serve as a line of defence to help protect the main body of the army from enemy fire.
Troops who operate as vehicle drivers are required to carry a rocket launcher capable of firing homing missiles. Once the vehicle they were operating has been taken down, they fire one or two shots before fleeing.
Troops who operate as minelayers are required to wear a gilded or silvery drop leg holster for their combat knife and carry mines in their backpacks. Once a mine has been laid, they often flee or launch a frenzied attack against their enemies. They specialise in laying mines to eliminate careless enemies, employing stealthy tactics to sneak onto the battlefield and deploy their explosives. Alternatively, they may rush in and drop mines in strategic locations, catching their foes off guard.
Troops who operate as bikers for the Rebel Army Bike Squad are required to wear grip-enhancing greyish-brown gloves, glossy black combat boots, and bronze-plated goggles. They utilise two different types of motorbikes, the Micka Horn and Thunder Moto, for quickly reaching their destination or attacking alongside moving vehicles. Sidecar bikers have an attached sidecar with a trooper carrying either a bazooka that fires homing missiles or a highly reliable automatic rifle. Fanatic bikers perform wheelies with their motorbike and will jump off when close to an enemy, allowing the motorbike to crash into the enemy. Missile bikers have a large missile secured to their back with three ropes; when ready, they’ll detonate it, sacrificing themselves in the process and launching a massive fireball.
Troops who operate as snipers are required to carry rifles that closely resemble the Mauser Karabiner 98k, along with a crimson waist pack for their special ammunition. These rifles have a slow rate of fire and are surprisingly unreliable, often jamming after only a few shots.
Troops who operate mortars are the light artillery of the army, being required to bombard oncoming enemies with high-explosive mortar rounds.
Troops who operate as Gatling soldiers are required to carry a heavy minigun with a back-mounted ammo supply. Due to the intense recoil, rapid overheating, and high ammo expenditure, they only fire in short bursts. Their large ammo containers, made of dark grey metal, are designed to withstand several shots.
Troops who operate as flamethrower soldiers are required to carry flamethrowers connected to canisters containing flammable induction particles, which enable them to control the shape and direction of their attacks.
Marine Troops
Troops wear a specially designed mottled grey and blue camouflage wetsuit, featuring a horizontal front zip and a hood with an integrated communication earpiece pocket. They wear durable flippers with rugged spikes in a rusty orange finish, which provide stability and traction on underwater terrain. Their underwater goggles are plated with durable copper and brass for corrosion resistance and clear visibility. Finally, they wear bronze-hued, waterproof gloves, ensuring dexterity and protection while handling equipment in wet conditions.
Troops who operate as rocket divers are required to hold a giant missile on their back. They're often positioned in medium-depth waters, sneaking up on enemies before jumping out of the water and tossing their rockets at them. The camouflage wetsuits of rocket divers have a bright yellow sheen, and they use a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus connected to two bulky air tanks.
Troops who operate as marine divers are required to carry an oil drum on their back, strapped to their shoulders by sturdy rope, which is fitted with explosive charges. The camouflage wetsuits of marine divers have a reddish-black sheen, and they wear rebreathers that allow them to reach a depth of 2,000 feet (609.6 metres).
Troops who operate as cannon divers are required to carry bazooka-styled cannons, utilise flotation devices or life preservers, and hide under bridges and cliffs to wait in ambush for their enemies. The camouflage wetsuits of cannon divers have a greyish-green sheen, but some of them wear only white boxers with crimson spots beneath their flotation gear.
Aerial Troops
Troops who operate as pilots wear fire-resistant Oxford blue flight suits, adorned with multiple pockets for storing essential gear. A transparent plastic pocket on the thigh holds aeronautical charts, while a built-in utility belt features a drop leg holster for their combat knives. They wear oxygen masks and helmets with communication speakers and bronze-plated goggles to ensure clear visibility and are equipped with night vision mode. They don steel-toed muddy brown safety boots with ankle support and flotation collars that automatically inflate in water.
Their uniforms are completed with woollen champagne-hued scarves, each featuring two scarlet stripes at both ends, and lapis lazuli blue armbands bearing the Rebel Army insignia. They carry desert tan load-bearing backpacks containing supplies provided by special forces, including survival radios, high-intensity flashlights, signal flares, aeronautical compasses, and whistles.
Troops who operate as special airborne soldiers comprise the female units of the aerial division. They don a cutting-edge, neuro-linked exosuit in a sleek, obsidian blue finish, reinforced with adaptive, impact-absorbing smart materials. The suit is integrated with a motorised helicopter backpack, enabling seamless transitions between ground and air operations. Advanced, high-resolution optics are embedded in the sleek, silver mirrored piloting goggles, providing real-time data overlays, low-light enhancement, and AI-assisted navigation. A compact, high-pressure air supply system is mounted on the chest plate, incorporating advanced oxygen recycling and CO2 scrubbing technology for extended high-altitude missions.
Beneath their exoskeleton, they don a sleek black tactical jumpsuit crafted from high-strength, bullet-resistant latex, reinforced with strategic padding at vital joints. Over this, they wear a ruggedized, tan-coloured MOLLE vest, equipped with four utility pouches. These soldiers are armed with either a portable Gatling gun or an AR-10, which fire homing missiles. Additionally, they wear a sturdy waist belt holding six canisters of flammable acid and eight smoke bombs, which can be thrown at their enemies.
Vehicles
Combat Vehicles
Type-2 Di-Cokka
Type-3 Bull Chan
Type-4 Girida-O
Type-5 Iron Iso
T-2B Melty Honey
Shoe & Karn
M-15A Bradley
Denturion
Big Shiee
LV Armor
Iron Nokana
Formor
Rebel Gigant
Emain Macha
Tani Oh
Iron Sentinel
Aircraft
R-Shobu
MH-6J Masknell
Tetsuyuki
Flying Tara
Eaca-B
Hi-Do
The Keesi II
The Keesi Mk. III
Hairbuster Riberts
Naval Vessels
Jet Hammer-Yang
Hammer-Yang
U25U
Mini-Sub 88
Hozmi
Morden's Battleship
Support Vehicles
MV-280B
Nop-03 Sarubia
MG-36
3-ton Utility Truck
Landseek
Rebel Van
M-3 Rocket Launch Support Van
Dararin Dara Dara
Mini-Bata
Mini-Blimps
Kaladgolg
Walking Locomotive
Vigilance
Balor
Pipe Spider
Jupiter King
Dragon Nosuke
Working Machines
Bull Drill
Aeshi Nero
Miscellaneous
Cabracan
Fall Climber
Special Weaponry
Support
TM-1 Missiles
Turrets (Anti Aircraft, Spike Bunker, Double Bunker, and Hill Turret)
Vigilance
Laser Drone
Patrol Robot
Metal Mole
Supervisory Cameras
Sensor Mine
Pods
Rebel Walker
Mosque Artillery
Spider Droid
Biological Weapons
Mutated Soldiers
Flying Killers
Enormous Moray
Chowmein-Congas
Ohumein-Congas
Huge Hermit
Rebel Army Base
The Fortress of Königsdrache serves as the strategic headquarters for Rebel Army operations and the residence of General Morden. Notably, its design bears a striking resemblance to Morden's Castle from Metal Slug 3D. Four large dark red banners, emblazoned with the Rebel Army insignia, flank the castle on all four sides, while advanced surveillance and monitoring networks secure the interior.
Beneath its foundation, the castle features a robust hexapedal locomotion system, comprising six arachnid-inspired, cybernetic legs. These legs are reinforced with insulated dark mahogany and myrtle green wiring. The wiring interfaces with an intricate network of brass fittings and copper pipes. Notably, the design of its mechanical legs is virtually identical to those found on Morden's Castle from Metal Slug 3D.
The castle's core houses a centralised arsenal, featuring four Denturion-like cannons that launch AI-guided, quantum-entangled TM-1 Missiles. These missiles employ real-time adaptive guidance, countering evasive maneuvers with precision. Flanking the primary arsenal are dual high-energy laser cannons, their prismatic lenses pulsating with intense, supercharged plasma. Supplementing the primary arsenal, sixteen omnidirectional, auto-targeting turrets are strategically positioned along the castle's periphery. These turrets unleash hypervelocity, explosive cannonballs at detected threats, guided by sophisticated real-time predictive analytics.
The grand hall boasts a large fireplace, a circular rosewood table, a gilded throne with a turquoise-dotted crimson seat cushion, and fifty mahogany business chairs, where General Morden's strategic command team convenes, supported by communication arrays and a holographic map of the world. The central courtyard boasts a fountain showcasing a unique four-winged angel with the head of a crocodile, carrying a water jug, while a crowned swan follows closely behind. The courtyard is surrounded by lush greenery and vibrant flower beds, adorned with a variety of blooms, including foxgloves, delphiniums, peonies, clematis, honeysuckles, lavender, sunflowers, dahlias, and castor oil plants.
The castle features a stunning chapel adorned with vibrant stained-glass windows, depicting angels with magnificent wings, shown assisting humans and battling demons. It also boasts a sunny retreat for General Morden, a vast library housing a diverse collection of manuscripts and books across various genres, and a kitchen accompanied by a well-stocked pantry. Additional facilities include a dungeon designated for holding special prisoners, an infirmary for medical care, a bathhouse for relaxation, and a gatehouse for secure entry and exit. 
The personal quarters of General Morden, Sagan, and Logan include three bedrooms, three private offices, a situation room, a secure storage facility for their personal arsenal and tactical gear, and direct access to the grand hall and other critical areas of the fortress via secret passageways and elevators. General Morden's Space Tank and the original Shoe & Karn, which belong to Sagan and Logan respectively, are housed in a garage that doubles as an entrance to a subterranean chamber. The basement houses 30 cyborg replicas, consisting of three sets of 10 identical units, modelled after Morden, Sagan, and Logan. Additionally, the room features a vast wardrobe, storing a customised outfit for each cyborg duplicate. The replicas stand upright in cryogenic tubes, lining both walls, receiving a vital, tar-like liquid that prevents mechanical corrosion and digital decay.
The fortress also comprises an armoury and munitions room, a heavily fortified storage facility for advanced weaponry, ammunition, and equipment; the barracks, special accommodations for elite Rebel Army personnel featuring personal quarters, training facilities, and armouries; and an intelligence hub, a cutting-edge facility for gathering, analysing, and disseminating critical information to support Rebel Army operations. Within the castle, other rooms include:
A crystal-clear sky dome with an automatic emergency closure system featuring a dark grey adamant barrier.
Comfy beds and toys for the elite’s German Shepherds and Doberman Pinschers, complete with a doggy playground and a pet grooming station.
An environmental aquarium suitable for four Enormous Morays (Helen, Linda, Jenny, and Barbie) and a few Flying Killers with a simulated ocean current and a treasure chest feeder.
A central tubular fish tank full of tiny jellyfish, surrounded by a circular seating area with velvet cushions.
A hidden passageway behind the aquarium leading to a secret room with a doggy cinema playing canine favourites.
A dog treat bar offering healthy snacks and refreshing drinks for the furry friends.
A veterinary care station with state-of-the-art equipment for any medical needs.
Extra Information
Most pilots and special airborne soldiers are Rebel Army cadets with either sufficient or barely passable piloting skills. However, some are kidnapped Regular Army cadets who have been brainwashed and enticed with promises such as financial aid—and, if female, subjected to emotional manipulation—to serve General Morden's cause. To maintain their obedience, they are forcibly administered amphetamine pills and methamphetamine injections on a weekly basis. This potentially explains why some pilots exhibit self-destructive behaviour, such as kamikaze attacks.
Fanatic land troops are known to ingest hallucinogens, believing it will render them numb to the emotional pain associated with taking lives. They also believe it will intensify their conviction to eradicate all governmental and militant corruption. They claim to receive visions revealing strategies to annihilate their enemies and words of encouragement from General Morden, who’s revered as a deity-like figure.
Many soldiers fear the fanatic land troops due to their unpredictable, drug-crazed, violent behaviour, which targets not only enemies but also perceived threats to their well-being and anyone who insults them. However, other soldiers resent these troops for receiving disproportionate attention and praise from General Morden, who favours them for their veteran status, bravery, and unwavering loyalty. Furthermore, they’re troubled by their unsettling dynamic with Sagan. They lavish her with gifts of devotion and gratitude, including the severed heads of their enemies and traitors. In return, Sagan reciprocates with a mixture of hallucinogens, other drugs, alcohol, and sexual favours.
Similar to the fanatic land troops, marine divers known to be suicidally fanatical and extremely loyal to the Rebel Army's cause, willing to sacrifice themselves to secure a better future for their faction.
Some male fanatic land troops, bikers, and marine divers have been known to engage in coercive recruitment tactics, including love bombing to manipulate women into joining the Rebel Army's land, marine, and aerial divisions. Additionally, there have been instances of sexual assault perpetrated by these individuals against women in opposing factions.
The bodyguard armour stands at an impressive 8 ft (243.84 cm) in height. However, many individuals inside these suits exist in a severely degraded yet remarkably functional state, despite suffering from adverse reactions caused by their genetic enhancement. This enhancement involves the forced integration of Tuatha Dé Danann DNA into their genome through chemical means.
Certain cadets turn to stimulants to stay alert and focused, while others use them as an escape, attempting to dull the psychological impact of warfare and the moral weight of harming others.
Some soldiers have a habit of slacking off, engaging in activities such as calling loved ones, taking smoke breaks, gossiping, cooking food, dancing to music played on the boombox, drinking, flirting with those who catch their attention or playing games on their handheld consoles.
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boinkingbattlemechs · 3 months ago
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Blackjack
The Blackjack was designed by General Motors in the decades before the fall of the Star League, as seditious revolutionaries began popping up while the League's authority was eroding, mainly in the Periphery. In 2757, to combat the increasing threats of the separatists, the League contracted for a medium BattleMech to be built with anti-insurgency and fire-support capabilities. General Motors' original prototype was equipped with a large fusion engine supplying increased speed and endurance and flamer weapons, but these were eventually replaced with more reliable autocannons and a smaller engine supported by jump jets. The final production model met all of the production requirements and by all accounts was destined to be regarded as a good, reliable 'Mech.
General Motors was blindsided by the bad press the Blackjack received upon its introduction. Chief among its critics was the charge that the StarGuard II armor was brittle and tended to fall off, and that its footpads were too narrow and made it susceptible to falling. None of these claims were ever substantiated, but the damage was already done, and as a result the Blackjack quickly fell out of favor and only spent a few years in service to the Star League. It wasn't long before production was halted altogether and those still in service were either given to Terran Hegemony militia units or sold off to the Member States. When the Star League was eventually dissolved and the Succession Wars began, few shed a tear as the Blackjack production line on Kathil was destroyed in 2796.
While all the Successor States had Blackjacks the majority ended up with the Capellan Confederation and Federated Suns, and all but the Suns largely abandoned the design based on its reputation. Tinkering with the 'Mech, Davion techs soon discovered that the reputed claims about the Blackjack's flaws were without foundation, although it was still largely relegated to the March Militias. It wouldn't be until 3022 that the myth received its first mortal wound on Xhosa VII; in battle for control of the planet the infamous Tai-i Mercer Ravannion attempted to test his "Horde" tactic against the local Davion garrison. Led by New Avalon Institute of Science cadet Michael Ubodo, the garrison's Blackjacks took the brunt of the Kuritan attack, destroying wave after wave of light 'Mechs attempting to overwhelm their position, and earned great honor for their successful defense.
The Blackjack carries a 40mm Whirlwind-L AC/2 in either arm for long range, direct fire support. While these autocannons provide excellent reach and were sufficient for combating mostly non-'Mech insurgents, they lacked the firepower to deal with well-armored targets. Both weapons are fed from a single ton of ammo located within the center torso. For close combat, the Blackjack has four Intek medium lasers, one in each arm and both the left and right sides of the torso. These lasers, when combined with its maneuverability, make the 'Mech very dangerous and an entire lance or company of Blackjacks can lay down impressive firepower.
Four Whitworth Jetlift jump jets in either leg give the Blackjack a jumping distance of 120 meters. These were added late in the design's development, compensation for using the GM 180 fusion engine which was smaller than in the original. Finally, eight and a half tons of armor protect the Blackjack while eleven single heat sinks keep it cool during combat.
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josefavomjaaga · 7 months ago
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Petiet about the death of Alfred de Lameth
I still owe @cadmusfly a translation of this passage in Petiet’s memoirs. And I had totally forgotten about it. Mea culpa! Also, please bear with me, it’s rather long. But also quite gripping.
The Duke of Dalmatia had made General Quesnel governor of Oporto.
Sidenote: That’s one of the guys whom Gotteri suspects to have been in on the Argenton conspiracy.
The auditor Taboureau was intendant and Captain de la Colombière, in the service of Spain and the marshal's interpreter, had just been appointed by him as Spanish consul in this city.
And if this post wasn’t too long already, I would love to comment on the ways Soult apparently set up his makeshift administration:
Colombière, aren’t you basically a Spaniard? Excellent, consider yourself transfered to diplomatic service as the new Spanish consul.
La Colombière: Uhm… and what are my duties as consul of Spain?
Chorus of ADCs chanting in the background: Par-ty, par-ty, par...
On 11 April, the day of his inauguration, Monsieur de la Colombière gave a dinner for the army's general staff. General Ricard, chief of staff, attended, as did the aides-de-camp and officers of the Duke of Dalmatia.
Notably missing: The Duke of Dalmatia. Which makes me wonder if this wasn’t another Go get drunk elsewhere! incident...
Captain Choiseul-Beaupré, Franceschi's aide-de-camp, and Alfred Lameth, who were due to leave the next day to see this general, were present at the party, which was very merry and lasted until four in the morning. Eugène Choiseul, […]
That’s a different member of this illustrious family, and another of Soult’s aides.
[…] addressing his cousin and Lameth, told them that the route they were about to take was safe and that he had just taken it alone and without a guide. Lameth observed that in Portugal a road was only safe up to the moment at which no one had yet been murdered on it. The disastrous event which took place on the 13th proved only too well the truth of his answer.
And of course, knowing this, the most professionel approach is to start the trip worn out, without sleep and drunk as a skunk. But at least they're finally on their way and I can refrain from any further comments.
Choiseul-Beaupré and Lameth, tired from the night they had spent with the new Spanish consul, instead of going to Franceschi's headquarters the same day, stopped at Villa de Feira, four leagues from Oporto. A convoy of clothing, escorted by dragoons, had just arrived there. The next day, the 13th, the two officers preceded the convoy, which was moving slowly, and they asked to be followed by two dragoons. They had just passed the village of Arrifana when they entered a sunken road, the narrowness of which meant that they had to march one at a time, in this order: one dragoon, Lameth, Choiseul and the second dragoon.
In the middle of the sunken road was a path that turned right and led to a village in the fields. The continuation of the road, making a slight bend to the left, led to Oliveira, one of the cantonments of General Franceschi's troops. The hills bordering the sunken road were covered in woods where fifty or so armed peasants had taken cover, no doubt waiting for the convoy. The leading dragon followed the road directly, but as Lameth took the path to the right, Choiseul shouted at him: "Lameth, you're going the wrong way!" Immediately, a shower of musketry killed Alfred de Lameth and Choiseul's horse. The second dragoon fled towards Arrifana, while the first abandoned his horse and ran towards Oliveira amid renewed shooting and a hail of stones thrown at him by the insurgents from the top of the hill.
Choiseul had his foot caught under his horse. As he tried to remove it, he was hit by a bullet that slightly injured his ear. Choiseul redoubled his efforts, managed to free his leg, got to his feet, ran across the land to the left of the road in the direction of Oliveira and crossed a river at the foot of a hamlet. The armed peasants then ran down the hill like a torrent and followed in his footsteps. Choiseul only had time to reach the first house in the hamlet and ask an old man to save him.
The insurgents entered the cottage, seized Choiseul and took his watch and money. Soon there was a quarrel between the brigands over the division of the spoils and Choiseul, who noticed the compassionate eyes of the old man, hoped that the discussion between his attackers might save his life. But he was taken to a plain near the cottage to be shot. He saw a large number of inhabitants of both sexes gathered there. Choiseul shouted to them in their language that he did not recognise Portuguese honesty in the conduct of those who wanted to immolate a defenceless man. He added that, according to the laws of war, he should regard himself as their prisoner and not their victim. He ended by telling the inhabitants that if his blood were spilt, they would have to fear the most terrible vengeance.
The Portuguese, astonished to hear a Frenchman explain himself in their idiom with as much ease as energy, stopped, grouped together, talked amongst themselves and soon beckoned Choiseul to follow them. They returned to the house where he had been arrested. The old man wants to give him back his purse and his watch. The money is found but the watch has disappeared. The old man says to Choiseul: "You have not been arrested by soldiers of our nation, but by highway robbers. We are going to give you six of us to take you to your people. You should not even consider yourself a prisoner." However, the first dragoon arrived breathless at Oliveira and told General Debelle, who was in command there, that chef d'escadron Lameth had just been murdered and that Captain Choiseul was in the greatest danger. Tholozé, aide-de-camp to the marshal, […]
Yes. Another one. Brun’s Cahiers have a report by him about what happened during the evacuation of Oporto, when Wellesley attacked.
[…] was returning to Oporto and was close to the general. He assembled a detachment of dragoons and galloped towards the scene of this deplorable event. The six peasants escorting Choiseul saw the French arrive at full speed. They paled and thought they had arrived at their final hour. Choiseul reassured them, ran to meet Tholozé and shouted at him to spare his liberators. Lameth's body is found and he is taken away to perform the last services.
As soon as the Marshal, who was very fond of Alfred, learned of his assassination, he ordered the Thomières infantry brigade to go to Arrifana, to gather the old men, women and children in the church and to burn the village. General Thomières went to Arrifana to carry out this fatal mission. The village leaders came to meet the General and told him that the fifty culprits, strangers to Arrifana, had been arrested and would be handed over to him. General Thomières then took it upon himself to change the order he had received. The village was respected and the fifty brigands were hanged in front of the church.
So, according to Petiet, the village was not burned in the end. That’s somewhat in accordance with Soult’s memoirs, who claims to only have ordered to find and execute the murderers und to have their houses burned. Petiet, however, was sent on another mission the day after Lameth had left Oporto and can only have learned of all these events later, most likely from the ADC Choiseul, with whom he was close friends, as he states in his memoirs.
There you have my very belated translation. Sorry for the delay 😥.
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enby-rodimus · 1 year ago
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What will always kill me whenever I think about the IDW1 continuity is the potential of Autocracy!Hot Rod and how better writing for him (honestly, just better writing in general) could have made Autocracy and Primacy infinitely better. Because the idea of Rodimus being much older than he previously was portrayed as, a destitute insurgent, and someone who has so much blood on his hands not by choice but to spare his home and people of the pain that Zeta promised to inflict is so fascinating. He's neutral but more sympathetic to the Decepticons because of their aligned cause and beliefs. He and others are making deals with Swindle for access to resources to fight back and it seems like Nyon had a pretty good relationship with the movement itself prior to the events of Autocracy.
It's interesting because despite all this, Hot Rod hasnt' joined the war on the side of the Decepticons because he's focused on helping his home and community first. And in a story that's tackling the early days of the war, that is an amazing concept to introduce and explore further.
And yet it's squandered in favor of trying to adhere immediately to a four million year old status quo in the early days of the war. The early days when the Decepticons were still fighting back against a violent functionist government, which the Autobots worked for as a police/security force.
This is frustrating because they showcase Autobot crimes with Autocracy, revealing how they've been draining citizens of Nyon dry of their precious energon and in fact is not only limited to this city. It's happening all over Cybertron. Hot Rod is taking a gamble by exposing himself to Orion and his team to show the truth, something incredibly risky because Orion is still siding fiercely with the Autobots despite being confronted by Megatron with the truth and Hot Rod is a wanted domestic terrorist. Zeta wanted to make an example of him and it wouldn't have been pretty, likely in the lines of what was done to Shockwave or worse. He knew this and still risked it because he hoped that Orion had a shred of, for lack of a better word, humanity in him. But it was too late for Nyon. And they speedrun the social progression of the war to have Hot Rod immediately wary of the Decepticons, like the insurgents hadn't been making deals with them earlier.
Further into the trilogy, Primacy shows Hot Rod having graduated from the Autobot Academy after the events of Autocracy. Allow me to reiterate. Autocracy where the Autobots had been slowly killing the people of Nyon and is stated to have NUMEROUS facilities across Cybertron harvesting energon from people directly hooked up to the tanks. And they never do anything about it. Hot Rod apparently having gotten over that the faction he just joined has so much blood on their hands and was complicit in numerous crimes. Crimes he's a witness to.
To add to it, Slinger, an old friend of Hot Rod and member of the insurgency returns as a Decepticon and this is the first sign we see of the conflict of Hot Rod being a survivor of Nyon's destruction and yet a member of the faction that made it happen. Not much is done by it either because the writers were so focused on making the Autobots look like the actual good guys and the Decepticons the bad guys they killed Slinger off with his quick change of heart and forgot the explicit information they gave to us, the readers.
Hot Rod is destitute. He's an insurgent. The Autobots were committing horrific crimes in the name of their cause, draining innocents of their energon during an active energon crisis. All this to crush the Decepticons who were fighting back against their corrupt government. Hot Rod was actively fighting back with the resources given to them by the Decepticons. He's a victim of the Autobots. Enforcers helped round all these people up into the tanks to die. Optimus assumed his new position as Prime and never really did anything to fully dismantle the system because its sentiment is still alive 4 million years later.
Yet Hot Rod is there, as if nothing had ever happened.
The only reasoning we get is somehow the Decepticons are worse. As if the Autobots hadn't committed bigger crimes he was witness to or understood what made them. It's so frustrating because with his origins, it should've taken longer for him to fall in with the Autobots or an outside force forcing him in with them.
Because you don't forget or forgive an institution that ruined yours and others lives, that murdered them for daring to take a stand against them.
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enkisstories · 6 months ago
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After the guests had left, Hux claimed the stereo for himself and entertained himself with teaching the hostage dance steps.
Hux: "...three, four! End position and hooold! - That was good!"
Rose took fiendish delight in the lessons, not because she'd been particularly interested in picking up that skill, but because of the confidence they instilled in her teacher. Despite being arrogant to a fault, genuine confidence was something the General seemed to lack. Maybe acquiring some would enable Hux to defy the rest of High Command and jump ship for real.
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When they both needed a break, Rose decided on constellation gazing as a means to let the man that was both her captor and the one she was protecting show off his memory.
Rose: "This star?"
Hux: "One of ours."
Rose: "This one?"
Hux: "Yours. For now."
Rose: "And this?"
Hux: "Uh... I can't tell on top of my head."
Hux (internally): Starkiller test target no longer in existence.
Rose: "Oh. Starkiller fuel?"
Hux: "...Starkiller fuel."
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Back inside it fully sank in what had just happened. Starkiller base, his pride, that he’d happily talk about. And to a rebel, no less? Any day, with a sneer! Except for tonight. Tonight Armitage had lied, had feigned incompetence at basic astronomy even, to protect the feelings of a filthy insurgent.
---
The lower left moodlet says “New friendship” (Hux and Rose), and the gesture accompanying it is just so perfect: Friends? Me? With Tico?
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callsigns-haze · 1 year ago
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Loves Revolution
Prologue
Pairing: Bradley Bradshaw (as Micheal Collins) x Jake Seresin (as Harry Boland) x OC! Madison Cassidy
Word count: 500words
A/n: This is the first post to my new series so please be nice! I'm going to try to make this into a series so please show this story a bit of love and reblog!
Summary: Bradley, Jake and Maddie have been friends for many years ongoing. Bradley from Cork and Jake and Madison from the troubled Dublin, have been close for life. Now fighting in the 1916 Easter rising and the ongoing history to the Treaty and the independence of Ireland their story lives on.
History: Bradley (represents) :Michael Collins (October 16, 1890 – August 22, 1922) was an Irish revolutionary, soldier, and politician who was a key role in the early twentieth-century campaign for Irish independence. During the Irish Civil War, he served as Director of Intelligence for the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and as a government minister in the self-proclaimed Irish Republic. From January 1922, he was Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State, and from July till his death in an ambush in August 1922, he was Commander-in-Chief of the National Army.
Jake (represents) :Harry Boland (April 27, 1887 – August 1, 1922) was an Irish republican politician who led the Irish Republican Brotherhood from 1919 to 1920. From 1918 until 1922, he was a Teachta Dála (TD).He was elected as the MP for Roscommon South in the 1918 general election, but, like other Sinn Féin candidates, he did not serve in the British House of Commons, instead sitting as a TD in the First Dáil. Boland was elected to the second Dáil as a TD for Mayo South-Roscommon South in the 1921 general election. He was re-elected as an anti-Treaty candidate in 1922, but he perished two months later during the Irish Civil War.
History :The Easter Rising (Irish: Éir Amach na Cásca), often known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurgency in Ireland in April 1916 during Easter Week. While the United Kingdom was waging the First World War, Irish republicans started the Rising against British control in Ireland with the goal of establishing an independent Irish Republic. It was Ireland's greatest important insurrection since the 1798 rebellion and the first armed battle of the Irish revolutionary period. Beginning in May 1916, sixteen of the Rising's leaders were executed. The executions' nature, as well as following political developments, eventually contributed to an upsurge in popular support for Irish independence.
Warning: Mentions of gun use, ptsd, mentions of death, mentions of shooting, flirting, mentions of abuse, description of dead body, death, blood
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"Sir, we got the General Post Office surrounded, Sir! We believe that inside are De Valera, Macdonagh, Clark, Connolly and a lot of other rebellions, sir!" One of the funny dressed British soldiers replies to their head commander, with hand at forehead, ready for a salute. This is how the English planned it all along, for the most important rebellions to be stuck at one place, surrounded with no escape.
"So we have the G.P.O, good, very good, but what about O'Connells street, Stevens green, The Liffey and the four courts?" The head commander asked the young man who still held his hand above his head, not moving an inch. "The areas are empty, sir! Either captured or escaped but the rest are at the G.P.O, sir!"
They're all where they were supposed to be, all in one place, no room to escape and they'll give in to this nonsense, they had no way to continue fighting against the British or loyal Irish. The undertakers or loyal Irish were against the rebellions, fighting against them at this very moment, all they had to do now is give themselves up to the English.
"Are there any women inside, lieutenant?" Any innocent woman that had been stuck inside the G.P.O that had been inside the building for the past five days, did not deserve the faith they may face in several minutes from now. The soldiers aligned outside of the building will not hesitate to kill anyone on the inside but the women didn't deserve it.
"There's women of aid and very little volunteers, sir! We believe that one of the fellow female friends of De Valera's help is inside the building. Her parents put her off name Madison Cassidy, but to the public she's known as 'Maddie', sir!" A woman so apparently known to the public but how? No woman that the commander has heard of went by that name or was 'known to the public', no woman has ever had the might or power to be so known in the streets of Dublin or the county of Leinster. "What do you mean 'known to the public', lieutenant?" "She's a public speaker, sir!"
A female public speaker? And that was apparently known to people. Absurd. An absolute absurdity. Some young girl, that he has never heard of decided to become a public speaker. What a joke! She should be scrubbing the dishes, washing the linen, taking care of the kids or cooking and not wasting her time over public speeches. And who would even listen to her? Some sort of female, trying to put her thought into a speech that is apparently supposed to motivate people to do something.
And she believes that's gonna work, but like the lieutenant mentioned, she did work with De Valera. "Bring her to me, nobody lay a finger upon her, understood?" "Yes sir!"
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just-horrible-things · 1 year ago
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Guards
The drones are unsettling. 
There are four of them, although the general public and even most of the garrison think there are only two. They only ever see two at a time. The armour covers skin tone, grimly masked helmets hide any distinguishing feature. And they all move the same, behave the same, share the same eerie silent coordination. 
Maybe they communicate electronically.
Popular opinion has it that they never sleep, but the governor has learned that it isn't true. They just don't sleep much. 
At any given time, one rests, one trains, and two accompany the governor as silent, ever-present guards. He has no illusions that they are solely for his protection – although he is certainly thankful for that function. 
Drones are made in batches of twelve, and the smallest unit size still considered battle-ready is six. That means that these four once had eight additional companions, since destroyed. 
The governor wonders if they mourn, in whatever capacity they have. They aren't supposed to feel emotions, not in any human sense. But are they aware of the missing drones' absence? Do they think about them, now they aren't here? Do they make plans that would take more than four, and then remember, and have to correct themselves? 
Probably not. 
Even when all four are together, in the secure suite where the governor sleeps and handles his most sensitive paperwork, they are silent sentinels, never moving from their positions except to meet their basic needs or to practice at the simulated range.
The human shape is a lie. Just a convenient shell to hold the artificial intelligence that pilots them. 
Once you see them really move, you understand that. 
99% of the time they're passive. They follow orders. In the first week he had them do all kinds of pointless things for him – fetching his coffee from across the room, holding his coat. He supposes it was an attempt to make them less intimidating. 
They never hesitated. They never showed any hint of resentment. There’s no reason to think they’re even capable of feeling resentment. 
Still, he stopped doing it. It felt… disrespectful. They’re killing machines, not service staff.
99% of the time they’re – not dormant, but something else. Idle. Watchful. Ready.
The other 1% proves their worth.
The first time one laid a heavy hand on his shoulder, the governor was so surprised that he completely failed to recognise the urgency of the signal. The insurgents watching didn’t make the same mistake.
His recollections are blurry, flawed. The precise, dry report from the drones in the aftermath described only three gunshots. But he remembers it as a barrage, a veritable hail of noise and mortal peril. There must have been screaming from the crowd, but he has no memory of that.
Mostly he remembers the bruising impact as one of the drones scooped him up, easy as if he were a child. The hard edges of armour plates left dark lines of bruise across his skin that took a week to fade. 
Perhaps his memory exaggerates the speed, but the drone sprinted with him, totally unburdened by his weight. The garrison soldiers were left behind, still only beginning to react to the gunshots.
Straight to the armoured car and into the back seat without the drone ever releasing its grip on him. He had never felt so acutely without control.
“Return to Command Central.” The first time he’d heard any of them give an order. Nothing in the command structure gives the biodrones authority over any of the governor’s staff, but the driver doesn’t hesitate.
There are more potent and fundamental authorities than written hierarchies.
And for all the weight of his writ, the governor is a doll in the drone’s steel grip.
The other one, he learned later, went hunting. Seven dead, though there’s no way to identify whether any of them were truly involved in the attack. 
By the time the drone returned to give its report, the governor had pulled himself together enough – changed his clothes and hastily restyled his hair – to cope gracefully with the news and start formulating a plan for the requisite speech to the unhappy public.
There have only been a handful of incidents severe enough to spur the drones to action. But every time they fulfil their function, he finds himself lying awake that night. There’s no use at all in dwelling on unpleasant possibilities. But in the small, dark hours, the images are hard to banish.
If the capital call him back, he has no doubt that his bodyguards will see that he goes, whether that’s walking tamely between them or slung casually into the back of a truck. There’s no resisting their superhuman strength and terrible efficiency.
Without that efficiency, he could easily be dead already. And it only takes one bullet – one carefully lined up shot. 
And still he must stand in front of his enemies, speak unwelcome ultimata with no shield but the flimsy illusion of fearlessness.
Because if he fails to walk this tightrope between control and appeasement, if the populace rise up en masse – four guards will not be enough to hold back the tide, however potent.
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thebrickinbrick · 6 months ago
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Passing Gleams
In the chaos of sentiments and passions which defend a barricade, there is a little of everything; there is bravery, there is youth, honor, enthusiasm, the ideal, conviction, the rage of the gambler, and, above all, intermittences of hope.
One of these intermittences, one of these vague quivers of hope suddenly traversed the barricade of the Rue de la Chanvrerie at the moment when it was least expected.
“Listen,” suddenly cried Enjolras, who was still on the watch, “it seems to me that Paris is waking up.”
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It is certain that, on the morning of the 6th of June, the insurrection broke out afresh for an hour or two, to a certain extent. The obstinacy of the alarm peal of Saint-Merry reanimated some fancies. Barricades were begun in the Rue du Poirier and the Rue des Gravilliers. In front of the Porte Saint-Martin, a young man, armed with a rifle, attacked alone a squadron of cavalry. In plain sight, on the open boulevard, he placed one knee on the ground, shouldered his weapon, fired, killed the commander of the squadron, and turned away, saying: “There’s another who will do us no more harm.”
He was put to the sword. In the Rue Saint-Denis, a woman fired on the National Guard from behind a lowered blind. The slats of the blind could be seen to tremble at every shot. A child fourteen years of age was arrested in the Rue de la Cossonerie, with his pockets full of cartridges. Many posts were attacked. At the entrance to the Rue Bertin-Poirée, a very lively and utterly unexpected fusillade welcomed a regiment of cuirrassiers, at whose head marched Marshal General Cavaignac de Barague. In the Rue Planche-Mibray, they threw old pieces of pottery and household utensils down on the soldiers from the roofs; a bad sign; and when this matter was reported to Marshal Soult, Napoleon’s old lieutenant grew thoughtful, as he recalled Suchet’s saying at Saragossa: “We are lost when the old women empty their pots de chambre on our heads.”
These general symptoms which presented themselves at the moment when it was thought that the uprising had been rendered local, this fever of wrath, these sparks which flew hither and thither above those deep masses of combustibles which are called the faubourgs of Paris,—all this, taken together, disturbed the military chiefs. They made haste to stamp out these beginnings of conflagration.
They delayed the attack on the barricades Maubuée, de la Chanvrerie and Saint-Merry until these sparks had been extinguished, in order that they might have to deal with the barricades only and be able to finish them at one blow. Columns were thrown into the streets where there was fermentation, sweeping the large, sounding the small, right and left, now slowly and cautiously, now at full charge. The troops broke in the doors of houses whence shots had been fired; at the same time, manœuvres by the cavalry dispersed the groups on the boulevards. This repression was not effected without some commotion, and without that tumultuous uproar peculiar to collisions between the army and the people. This was what Enjolras had caught in the intervals of the cannonade and the musketry.
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Moreover, he had seen wounded men passing the end of the street in litters, and he said to Courfeyrac:—“Those wounded do not come from us.”
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Their hope did not last long; the gleam was quickly eclipsed. In less than half an hour, what was in the air vanished, it was a flash of lightning unaccompanied by thunder, and the insurgents felt that sort of leaden cope, which the indifference of the people casts over obstinate and deserted men, fall over them once more.
The general movement, which seemed to have assumed a vague outline, had miscarried; and the attention of the minister of war and the strategy of the generals could now be concentrated on the three or four barricades which still remained standing.
The sun was mounting above the horizon.
An insurgent hailed Enjolras.
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“We are hungry here. Are we really going to die like this, without anything to eat?”
Enjolras, who was still leaning on his elbows at his embrasure, made an affirmative sign with his head, but without taking his eyes from the end of the street.
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nesiacha · 1 month ago
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In this month of October 1802, a slave revolt was led, among others, by three white men against the reinstatement of slavery by Bonaparte in Guadeloupe
Sensitive souls should abstain when I speak about the fate of Millet ( one of the white men leader of the slave revolt). I have already talked about the revolt against the reinstatement of slavery led by Delgrès, Ignace, and Alexandre Kirwan in several posts here: Link 1, Link 2, and a mini-post on the forgotten French revolutionary Alexandre Kirwan, who played a key role in this revolt: Link 3.
Now, I am looking for more information on the October 1802 revolts. In fact, in Sainte-Anne, there was a rebellion of Black people led, among others, by three white men: Barse, Millet de la Guardière, and Jean Barbet.
Here is an excerpt from Frédéric Régent regarding these three men: “Ménard, who replaced Richepance after his death as Commander-in-Chief of the army, mentions here his expulsion from Guadeloupe by Lacrosse on April 18, 1803. October 6, 1802, refers to the revolt of Sainte-Anne, triggered by three white leaders: Barsse, Millet de la Girardière, and Jean Barbet. During the general freedom period, Barsse was a government commissioner and tenant of the Gassien estate, which belonged to the heirs of Vipart; Millet de la Girardière was a former French officer, a colonist from Martinique, who had been expelled from there due to his political ideas, which were likely republican; Jean Barbet, a native of Antenac in Gascony, was a farmer. Mulattoes Yves (without a last name), Louis Bureau, Jean Gautier, René Gayan, and Louison Bourk, as well as Black men Hippolyte, Édouard, and Jean (Barsse's servant), were part of the conspiracy. They traveled to twenty plantations, recruiting insurgents on each: their numbers swelled to eighty, with twenty on horseback. Twenty-three white people were killed by the insurgents. It is not specified whether they were returning emigrants. The revolt was suppressed by the National Guard. According to Ménard, there was a strong opposition between tenants and returning emigrants. In this regard, he said: ‘I considered Grande-Terre as the battleground of tenants and landlords.’”
According to a site, 23 settlers were killed by the rebels, and in four months, there were more than a hundred executions in retaliation.
Millet allegedly met a horrific fate (sensitive souls should abstain, I say again): he was sentenced to the iron cage punishment by a Guadeloupe tribunal. Here’s an excerpt: “A tribunal in Guadeloupe, by judgment of 11 Brumaire, Year XI (November 2, 1802), condemned Millet de la Girardière to be exposed in the square of Pointe-à-Pitre, in an iron cage, until death ensued. The cage used for this punishment is eight feet high. The victim is placed astride a sharp blade; his feet rest on stirrup-like supports, and he is forced to keep his legs tense to avoid being wounded by the blade. In front of him, on a table within his reach, food and drink are placed, but a guard watches day and night to prevent him from touching them. When the victim’s strength begins to wane, he collapses onto the sharp blade, which inflicts deep and cruel wounds. The unfortunate man, driven by pain, rises again, only to fall once more onto the sharp blade, which wounds him horribly. This torture lasts three or four days.” (Joseph Elzéar Morenas, Précis historique de la traite des Noirs et de l’esclavage colonial, 1828)
So, I would like more information about this rebellion and especially about another one. A very knowledgeable site, although it doesn’t cite its sources (unfortunately, since upon in-depth verification, the information is usually accurate), mentions Fourme, who had already participated in the resistance alongside Delgrès, Ignace, etc. Palème, who followed a similar path, managed to escape. From there, Fourme established a stronghold in which the fight against the reinstatement of slavery continued on Morne Moudongue, then in the heights of Capesterre, before being betrayed and handed over by settlers in November 1805 . So we have proof that the revolt against the reestablishment of slavery lasted even after May 1802. The Guadeloupeans may not have succeeded in winning militarily against Napoleon unlike Haiti (and even then it was difficult to beat them, Richepance half-admitted that he had totally underestimated them to the point of asking England for material aid) but they succeeded for many years at the cost of sacrifice and ordeals to finally succeed in having slavery definitively abolished (which is still less great than that of 1794, the former owners had the right in 1848 to have financial compensation for the loss of their slaves but the former slaves did not have the right to the slightest financial compensation upon their return). May they never be forgotten.
If you have more information on him, I would be very grateful :)
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