0 (Omerta/Arulco). Unverified local reports indicate that in today's early hours unidentified helicopters were seen in the recently pacified northern Arulcan town of Omerta. Eyewitnesses report a brief firefight between royal forces and the unidentified attackers. So far, the royal palace has neither confirmed nor denied these reports. Omerta, the traditional stronghold of the Cordona family, was the last rebel stronghold in Miguel Cordona's rebellion against Queen Deidranna. It was finally overrun two months ago by armoured elements of the royal guard. A resurgence of the rebellion cannot be ruled out at this point, given that the regime never openly acknowledged the deaths of Cordona and his inner circle. However, it is unlikely a renewed uprising would have any chance of success, given the significant military buildup of the Arulcan armed forces in recent years. Another possibility that cannot be dismissed is the emergence of rift between Deidranna and the notorious crime syndicate of San Mona, which is rumoured to be well equipped. Given the obvious strength difference between these two factions this seems equally unlikely, but at this time there are no other acknowledged armed groups in Arulco. 0 1 (San Mona/Arulco). Troubling reports arrive from our correspondents out of war-torn Arulco. It seemed that the recently resurgent conflict between the royal army and the strengthened rebels would remain confined to the eastern and central regions of Arulco, but recent events have proven that to be optimistic. A wave of violence engulfed the civilian town of San Mona. Since the local mine ran out a decade ago, San Mona had transformed into a trade hub for much of northern Arulco. Unusually for Arulcan cities, which are normally tightly controlled by the royal army, the locals enjoyed extensive personal freedom. Apart from a small civilian defence force formed by local business owners, there was no armed presence here. Nevertheless, the rebels attacked the city with full force. It is unclear whether the insurgents expected to surprise one of the sporadic army patrols here, or if they intended to subjugate the local population. However, we can confirm that the mayor of San Mona, the widely respected businessman Peter Klaus, was intentionally targeted and murdered along with most of his employees. Reports of widespread loss of life and destruction of private property paint a gruesome picture of the insurgent's actions. There are even rumours of locals being taken as hostages, but those accounts remain unverified. In his press statement, US Deputy Secretary of State Kenneth B. Hawkeburger again condemned the insurgent's actions and called for a cessation of hostilities. 2 (Cambria/Arulco) Once again, what little news comes out of Arulco makes for dire reading. It appears an entire extended family was slaughtered today. The precise course of events is unclear, but it seems the insurgents raided a farm east of Cambria, and wiped out every man, woman and child they found. The farm was one of the largest and most prosperous in Arulco, and was unique in that it continued to be fully productive until the recent attack. Sixth generation farmers, the Hicks family provided Cambria with badly needed food and helped partially offset the nation-wide supply shortage brought on by the ongoing conflict. All across the farm, the bodies of family members can still be seen - they were left where they were shot, with their property taken and their farm looted. What the rebels hope to gain from this vicious attack is not entirely clear. However, informed local sources point out that until recently, the rebels themselves were said to be in desperate need of food. It is also known that there was some tension between the business elite of Cambria and the local farmers, with sporadic reports that the local elites were throwing their lot in with the uprising. In the increasingly divided battlefield of Arulco this is yet another turn for the worse, as local factions use the cover of an armed uprising to settle old scores. 3 (Alma/Arulco) In another worrying development, it seems not even Arulco's fauna can escape the widening civil war. According to local members of a UN conservation project, mercenary groups are increasingly targeting the local bloodcat population. The Arulcan bloodcat (Panthera Arulcanis) is one of the biggest predatory cats of the world and can only be found in Arulco. The small population has been under increasing pressure from trophy hunters. Bloodcats' teeth are used in several traditional recipes of Southeast-Asian medicine. It is feared that, in order to sustain their increasingly aggressive campaign, the rebels have targeted the bloodcats as an alternative source of income. While their main income is said to directly come from exploiting the mines of the captured towns, these are still hotly contested, as the royal army has vowed to take back those towns and clashes occur daily. The endangered bloodcats make for a much easier, uncontested target. Whether or not the cat's population can ever recover is doubtful, according to internationally-acclaimed bloodcat expert Dr. Ernest Poppin. "These cats live exclusively in Arulco, they cannot be found anywhere else in the world, and have never been bred in captivity. This is a tragedy. As a scientist, I am appalled by this senseless slaughter. I can only urge the authorities in the strongest words possible to quickly end this conflict, before another species is lost beyond retrieval." 4 (Ministry for Arulcan Information Distribution) Once again, Arulco's valiant defenders strike back against the thrice-cursed rebel scum. In the last meeting of Arulco's Security Council, our able military leadership proudly announced that the people's army has successfully re-established law and order in a city previously taken by the traitors. The so-called 'rebels', led by the murderous fugitive Miguel Cordona, had employed outside mercenaries provided to them by ill-meaning foreigners seeking to plunder our homeland. But thanks to the visionary leadership of our beloved Queen Deidranna, the terrorist forces were smashed by our brothers and sisters of the Arulcan armed forces. While law enforcement officials are still in search for boobytraps and hiding traitors, citizens of Arulco can rest assured that the nightmare of armed struggle forced upon us by these ill-meaning foreigners will soon come to an end. "Just as well", said our magnificent leader. "For death is the only acceptable punishment for the crimes these criminals committed. I will not rest until every one of those thugs has received the punishment he deserves." So speaks Queen Deidranna, and so speaks every upstanding citizen of Arulco. Let us all work together to end this war now and send the aggressors back to where they came from. All hail Arulco! All hail Queen Deidranna! 5 (Drassen/Arulco) In a stunning development from the small country of Arulco, as-of-yet unknown armed forces have seized the city of Drassen and its airport. Against the heavy resistance by local law enforcement, the local army garrison, and quickly-mobilised reinforcements, the insurgents took the city in three stages. The royal forces, apparently unprepared for an attack of this scale, were defeated and had to retreat. The size and composition of the attacking force is unknown. Similarly, nothing is currently known about their motives or goals. Intelligence sources speculate this event might be tied to earlier reports of an ambush on an army patrol in the region of Omerta by unknown forces. Drassen, located on Arulco's north-east lake, contains one of two airports in Arulco, which obviously make it a prime target for any attempts to contest Queen Deidranna's tight grip on the country. Furthermore, a significant portion of its inhabitants work in the local silver mines or one of the few Arulcan factories producing exports, bringing in much-needed currency. This economic activity makes the inadequate performance of the royal army even more unfathomable. Whether this shocking defeat was just a singular lapse in military judgement or a sign of systematic shortcomings in the Arulcan military remains to be seen. 2 6 (Arulco Revolutionary Movement) Citizens of Arulco! The Revolution has struck again! On this very day, the men and women of our movement have struck the heart of the oppressors. We have successfully attacked and taken the military fortress of Alma. Even though the oppressor had heavily fortified the city, it was no match for our heroic storm. The city and the army training camp have been liberated. We have also liberated the citizens imprisoned there. No longer will the righteous have to fear Deidranna's torture cells. A huge stockpile of army material fell into our hands, which we will use to continue our campaign against the oppressors. Our revolutionary leader, Miguel Cordona, personally thanked the liberators on the battlefield. "This once again proves that we can best the foul queen if we just work together. Every son and daughter of Arulco should join us now, so we may finish this once and for all. Join us, and free our homeland!" 3 7 (Grumm/Arulco) After a long, bloody struggle, the industrial heart of Arulco has finally fallen to the rebels. Grumm, seat of the Arulcan gold mining industry and the sole major industrial center in the country, was long assumed to be nearly impregnable. But today, the Arulco Revolutionary Movement announced it has taken over the entire city. Whether or not this will be for long is unclear - correspondents on the ground report the rebels' grip isn't as strong as they would like it to be. Given not only the economic, but also strategic importance of Grumm, situated near one of the main roads to the capital Meduna, a heavy army response seems very likely. As the rebel force would be hard-pressed to overcome the numeric superiority of the royal army in urban combat, it is most likely any decisive battle for Grumm will take place in the eastern mining district. 4 8 (Ministry for Arulcan Information Distribution) One again, the so-called 'liberators' of Arulco have sunk to a new low. Insurgents forces overran the Tixa High Security Facility, butchered the entire guard force along with civilian contractors, and freed a number of dangerous criminals. Tixa has no strategic value, apart from the inmates themselves. Not content with pressing the entire country into open warfare, the insurgents were keen to broaden their ranks with other known terrorists, murderers and rapists. This once again proves, without a doubt, the malicious intent of those that conspire against Arulco. General Humphey, Army Chief of Staff, has vowed firm but measured responses to this unprovoked attack. "We will not rest until the perpetrators have been brought to justice. These men were sentenced to lengthy prison in due course of justice, and that's where we'll return them once we've recaptured them." 5 9 (Cambria/Arulco) In another victory for the resurgent followers of the notorious rebel leader Miguel Cordona, the central city of Cambria has fallen to the rebels. In a speed unthinkable just a few months ago, when the rebels were thought to be wiped out in Omerta, the Arulcan Revolutionary Movement drove back the army in all sectors of the city and is now firmly in control. It should be noted, however, that the army still maintains a strong presence in Arulco's heartland, including a military base in the southern desert. For their part, the rebels seemed intent on holding the city. They wasted no time and have already begun recruiting local citizens into a militia. Cambria contains Arulco's main hospital and several major crossroads, so continued clashes are all but guaranteed as the army attempts to regain this important strategic location. 6 10 not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame 7 11 not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame 8 12 not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame not used ingame 9 13 (Balime/Arulco) In a particular painful blow to the Deidranna regime, rebel forces have seized the southern coastal town of Balime. Balime, heartland of Deidranna's followers, is one of the most developed cities in Arulco and had so far been spared of most of the violence of this conflict. The city is home to the rich and influential elite of Arulco that forms the backbone of the regime's support. Consequently, loyalty to Deidranna is beleived to remain high. The strategic value, however, is smaller than that of other cities, as Balime had little economic activity beyond the import of luxury goods. Given the local's unwillingness to to join the rebellion, it is unclear for how long the rebels can hold the city, especially as the army seems eager to retake it. It is feared that elements of the rebellion will use this opportunity to retaliate against those they perceived as oppressors here. Tensions are running high, and many have fled the city seeking shelter in Meduna. Reports that the museum, which houses unique artifacts of Arulco's history, has already been looted are widespread but cannot be confirmed at this time. 10 14 (Meduna/Arulco) The civil war in Arulco seems to be coming to an end. Rebel forces have taken over most of Meduna's districts and are now engaged in heavy firefights with the royal elite bodyguard. In brutal combat throughout the city, the rebels have driven back the last remnants of the royal army again and again. Almost the entire Arulcan mechanized force was stationed around the city. While the rebels had no tanks of their own, the decision to force the armoured units into urban combat where the rebels could evade and destroy them one at a time was clearly a severe strategic error on Deidranna's part. Military advisors were said to have long urged the Queen to use the few mechanized companies in frontal assaults against rebel positions around northern cities, but the queen had always refused. In constant house-to-house combat, the rebels deployed many rocket launchers and mortars. It seems they have been preparing for this moment during the entire campaign. The current whereabouts of Queen Deidranna and her inner circle are unknown. The city can no longer be travelled safely due to ongoing clashes, and the airport has fallen after intense fighting. It is rumoured that many of the queen's closest supporters and advisors have been found among the casualties. The rebels are on the verge of success, and the end of civil war is expected to be imminent. 11 15 (Chitzena/Arulco) Even remote regions of Arulco can no longer escape the violence. Chitzena has fallen to the rebels. According to expert analysis, this indicates that the rebels are not engaged in hit-and-run harassment or trying to take the regime by surprise, but are instead trying to remove the regime's troops from every single town. The strategic value of Chitzena is low - it has no industry worth mentioning, apart from a very limited mining operation. It is, however, home to ancient ruins and thus has a cultural value to some Arulcans. How the rebels intend to hold such a remote settlement is unclear. 12