Operation Dynamo
| Operation Dynamo | |||||||
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| Part of Frexit Referendum / War of Lost Brothers | |||||||
 Shirerithian Auxiliaries from Apollonian Command forming up after landing at Dragonmoor Airport |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Florian Republic Shireroth
| Florian Dissidents
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| "Mr Smith" Edwin Farrar
| Jeremy Spencer
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| Units involved | |||||||
| Florian Security Forces Florian Police Special Advisers/Auxiliaries
| unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 3,500 police 2,400 auxiliaries | 40,000+ | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 179 killed, 1,968 injured | 1,548 militants killed, 1,022 protesters Injured, 4,900 arrested | ||||||
| 400+ civilians killed in terrorist attacks, including the Northcliff Airport massacre | |||||||
In early 1653, at the invitation of the government of the Florian Republic, the Imperial Republic of Shireroth dispatched a team of advisers, supported by two regiments of auxiliaries and other support personnel to Dragonmoor in the Florian Republic in order to assist and advise local authorities with ongoing protests that began after acrimonious debates in the Florian Parliament over a mooted referendum on departing the USSO.
Although details were not clear at the outset, it appeared that the Florian Independence Party, led by Jeremy Spencer, had failed to command a majority in Parliament in favour of holding a referendum on leaving the USSO alliance. Undeterred, the FIP declared that it would proceed with the referendum in any event. In this, despite such an act being - in all probability - thoroughly unconstitutional, Spencer was able to garner the support of a motley collection of far right and extreme nationalist parties.
Faced with rising public discontent and the pressing need to reassert state authority, the Florian government under Edwin Farrar sought out the assistance of the Shirerithians, who have some experience when it comes to "kinetic crowd control". Outside Dragonmoor Town Hall, protesters gathered around carrying slogans supporting a 'Frexit' referendum. Florian Police then lined up breaking down the protest. 1,000 people ended up injured and it is uncertain about the future of the referendum as the Florian Independence Party is likely to be sanctioned by the Florian Supreme Court. The Florian Independence Party appealed but this was ultimately rejected. As more nations condemn the actions of the Florian Government, it is expected that eventually, the referendum will happen. Operation Dynamo was portrayed as a failure due to attacks in Northcliff Airport and escalating tensions with Jingdao.
As 1653 drew on and tensions between the Florian Republic and its neighbours grew, it became apparent that Operation Dynamo had, as the Jingdaoese feared, been used as a cover for introducing Shirerithian weapons systems along with two regiments of auxiliaries into the Florian Republic, with a base of operations being established in Dragonmoor. Directing the development of the Florian Security Forces, the Imperial Mission to the Florian Republic (IMFR) directed the fortification of the frontier with Jingdao and Xhusovo with entrenchments, watch towers, pillboxes, bunkered gun-emplacements and minefields.
In total, over the course of ten months, 96,307 troops, 776 artillery pieces and 100 armoured fighting vehicles were either smuggled in via Natopian Port St Andre, airlifted directly into the Florian Republic via Dragonmoor or smuggled overland from Neo Patrova and Crowsilver. Many of the more obviously warlike systems had been disassembled and packed into ISO containers for transshipment recorded as machine parts for construction hardware earmarked for the development of Dragonmoor Airport. As tensions with Jingdao rose, escalating towards a crescendo following the unexpected assassination of the King of Coria, the need for subterfuge diminished and shipments of military hardware sacrificed their clandestine mantle for the sake of efficiency.
