STATE COLLEGE
COLLEGIAN STAFF
On April 3, a major explosive mining operation was launched by returning Crusader forces through the Penn State/Manhattan subway gate using a pre-prepared subway car loaded with explosives. Crusader forces were equipped with rifles, ammunition and explosives. A massive explosion occurred on the Manhattan side that completely disrupted the defensive forces arrayed around the gate primarily to defend against possible Royalist incursions. Crusader forces with scaling ladders and fire support teams quickly exited the resulting crater and overwhelmed the local Republican forces. An ENY governmental source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Crusader equipment was provided from ENY stockpiles prepared for supporting NATO operations to retake New Orleans.
Shortly after this, Royalist forces elsewhere in Manhattan attacked Republican forces.
The attacks were clearly coordinated and led ultimately to the complete capture of the Republican government in fairly short order. However, a counter attack by the Republican army quickly engaged Royalist forces which were never able to successfully defeat the Republican army and, in fact, broke and ran during a major engagement allowing the Republicans to stage an orderly retreat towards Oyster Bay with their generals in full command and most of their military equipment. Col.William Hart, a Senior PSU Military Analyst, commented: “This proves that Luciano’s forces are unable to face a field battle against a professional army. They were able to take Manhattan proper with a surprise attack heavily supported and planned by the Empire of New York but his troops broke in the face of a professional army. Their other problem is that they need a strong TL4 ship to face the cruisers on the blockade. That will be very difficult. Until they break the blockade, all of their supplies have to come through Penn State and Jeffersonia cannot ship anything to or from there. This is already a serious issue affecting trade as far as Los Angeles.” Attempts to engage the blockading naval ships either militarily or with offers failed and the Republican naval blockade is still in force.
Royalist forces hold Manhattan, the Republican government and the gate to Penn State. Republican forces hold Oyster Bay and the generals are forming a “rump” government. Prince Luciano is pushing the Republicans to surrender without success at this time. Manhattan correspondent and analyst William Kennedy commented: “Oscar Sutro’s last minute support of the Republicans emboldened them tremendously and has left a difficult situation in its wake. The generals feel they have sufficient power to start their own government and the blockade makes Manhattan useless for operations like NATO’s plans to retake New Orleans or even trade with other states. Even if Luciano gets the government to capitulate, the generals might very well ignore their decision and press on. ENY will need to put a lot more effort into this and in the meantime they are using reserves they intended to use for New Orleans.”
Republican forces included various mercenaries and foreigners whose service was not always voluntary. When captured, Royalist forces have been interrogating them and sending them out via the Penn State gate, unarmed. Penn State hospitals are on full alert for wounded and ENY representatives are working to return expelled foreigners to their threads. Sergeant Major Masters of the 4th Texas Artillery was serving with Republican forces and was captured along with his unit by Royalist Forces. “Well, I was shot twice and my leg was in bad shape. I thought they were just going to kill me but some officer showed up and had me hauled to their version of a field hospital where they did what they could. I was given some kind of bathtub gin for the pain and then questioned for awhile. There was this rather scary woman who came through from time to time. Her eyes were too old for her face. Hell, if she were a tiger I would have thought I was lunch. Anyway, she got a little nicer and they let me know but I am not going back there.”
