The scenario was created by the Red Team, a team of science fiction writers brought together by the Defense Innovation Agency. Introduction: To publish two scenarios a year for the army to face the extreme situation. The Red team has already published six such papers, which will cover the challenges throughout the summer in a concise and re-edited format as part of the summer series of Breakup Scenarios. Good reading!
A trauma. In 2038, a series of megafires, ranging from oil wells, plunged the entire planet into darkness for three months. This “organic night” evokes an unprecedented awareness: the decarbonization of the atmosphere, the question of survival, will suffer no more exceptions. At the end of 2038, an energy sobriety and decarbonization agreement was signed by the major powers. Each nation establishes a power division that sets the tone for public policy. Promises are strict: Every organ of the nation, administration, company or individual, is responsible for sustainable energy restraint. Every query in a search engine, for example, has a power cost that is charged to the user.
The army is not exempt from this rationing. Ancon device, a device with a “threshold of joules” approved under threat, must justify their every energy expenditure. Encon 1, the lowest level, dedicated to intelligence work. A prudent protection operation, such as sheltering a person, allows you to benefit from more energy (Ancon 2 or 3). Conventional activities are performed under Ancon 4. The Econ 5 (unlimited power budget) is triggered only in open and high-intensity collisions.
Faced with this new energy deal, strategies are changing, as are tools. A new kind of suit equips the soldier: Enskin. This tool optimizes the speed, muscle, and calorific energy produced by each movement of the soldier, who can test his energy level on a flexible screen in his right arm. The suite is equipped with a communication system certified by Blockchain, an automatic translator that allows you to speak the language of the country, and a night vision helmet that enables you to see the drone. The soldier is equipped with a waterproof dome tent, which collects solar energy and water (rain, condensation).
Complex exfoliation
In this context, Kundani, a country allied with France, located on the peninsula, is threatened by Tedaxer, an empire with explicitly expansionist goals that is reminiscent of China or Russia. In 2050, the conflict began. To support its allies against Tidaksa-backed rebels, France is deploying a French expedition of 1,500 men, backed by 10 low-carbon Basilic armored vehicles, 30 light armored vehicles, two-wheeled vehicles and a flotilla of scout drones. This government mission hides another, The most secret: To expel French scientists located at a research center in the Horn Valley, a high-tech research area that has been provided for the settlement of the rebels.
The mission promises to be dangerous. The country is plagued by pro-Tidaxa rebels (40,000 in the region) and aides of the Tidaxian army (5,000 mercenaries). To make matters worse, Tedaxa has set up a small SMR-type nuclear power plant in a tropical forest shelter, powered by a powerful electromagnetic cannon installed on Mount Analog (1,700 m). Clearly, it must fight with a limited force, (Ancon 4), an enemy that benefits from an almost unlimited force. On the French side, the energy will be supplied by the nuclear reactor of the amphibious attack ship Energy, which will recharge a fleet of supply drones. If they are able to reach the area …
The operation is started without an observation round. Just four hours after the French expedition left, the rebels attacked the convoy near the town of Panlax. Equipped with quads and electromagnetic pulse rifles, a good portion of the battery of about fifty rebel units is fried. Balance sheet? Not glorious. 40% of vehicles and 60% of battery drones are destroyed. Three basilisks and 12 light armor must be discarded, as is required for most two-wheelers. Four of the remaining 18 tanks must bring back fifteen wounded.
Mosquito nanodrons
The situation is fragile. Still a 144km walk, or a seven-day walk, with less equipment and intensely rationed energy. Advance, painful, made under the constant harassment of the enemy. Wengees, mosquito-shaped nanodrons, have been specially deployed to open the skins of soldiers. Fake news is spreading on social networks alleging that French troops set fire to a fossil fuel warehouse. If Tidaxa does not want open conflict, the expeditionary forces face war: sabotage of portable wind turbines and battery drones by the rebels, communication cut off …
But French forces still have the resources. On the 13th day, a special forces operation rocket was able to destroy the command post of the Mount Analog hypervelocity cannon. It is now out of discipline, making the fight more symmetrical. On the 15th day, the corpse reached the valley of the Horn, as the invasion of the country of Tidax had barely begun. The whole area has been taken under bombs and flooding. At night, the corps took the scientists to the roof of Building 14. At night their amphibious assault ships were airlifted out of power by helicopter, backed by a covering air force.
Force the passage
One question remains: will France continue its support for Kundani, or will it stop as soon as possible? There is a strong temptation to definitely deactivate the small SMR nuclear reactor installed on the Tedax Mount analog, which will destroy the attacker’s hopes of blitzkrieg. But staff found the operation too risky. The French mission has already been long overdue: troops have been ordered to join the nearest coast, where French buildings must carry them. Problem: The Tidaxa fleet is also approaching the meeting point. The situation smells like gunpowder. The crew orders the passage to the Ancon 5, meaning unlimited power. If you don’t open the passage, you have to force …