Spellcross Research

Ordinary footsoldiers composed the basic battle force and have remained the main force for the whole of the Alliance. The ordinary infantry is armed with automatic and semi-automatic weapons and is capable of withstanding the most extreme conditions. But because the footsoldiers aren't protected (at the most they only have lightly armoured vehicles), they have suffered the greatest losses, hand-to-hand combat claimed the most casualties. The soldiers in the trenches have little chance against the superior strength and speed of the armoured Orcs who wreak havoc with their bladed weapons. It is because of this harsh reality that research on new methods of protection in hand-to-hand combat has been started.

As the attacks of the Forces of Darkness and armoured beasts progressed, Headquarters was forced to officially divide its units into light and heavy infantry. Often during the fighting, troops had few weapons and so had little chance of stopping the enemy. Antitank missiles and light machine guns are their main weapons. The other equipment varies from light anti-tank rifles to heavier two-man portable rocket launchers. The main objective, considering the size of the battlefield, was to maintain good mobility. The heavy infantry has achieved many successes and an experienced unit with good field position is capable of stopping a force of superior numbers from breaking through the line.

The Rangers were established from the frontier units of the Alliance. These were mainly the Cossacks in Russia and the Texas Rangers in the USA. Their primary terrain is forest, through which they can move almost unhindered. They are excellently trained and are ready to spend prolonged periods of time in the wilderness. The information these soldiers gather, often saves the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers on the front line.

The Commandos are special attack forces comprised of the top elite units of former states from all over the world. Troops such as the British SAS, French Foreign Legion and American Green Berets.

These men were originally assigned to the termination of selected targets, and for quick strike missions deep in enemy territory. The brutal training regime these soldiers endured was not without rewards. For example, the newly established SPECNAZ troops have achieved excellent results and have terrified the most unscrupulous veteran Orc units. The Commandos often cut off the limbs or heads of their enemy as a morbid warning to others. The commandos are probably the only human troops that come close to matching the brutality of the killer Ka-Orcs. Their destructive capability during attacks is immeasurable and they excel in rapid sniper shooting. Because of their frequent assignments their survivors are experts on the enemy.

These units should use their magic skills against the black magic of the Chaos armies.

Some scientists are promoting the theory that the arrival of the enemy's army opened the floodgates of magic. Paranormal skills were always present, but the skills of telekinesis, telepathy, pyrokinesis, clairvoyance, and/or contacts with the realm of the dead were rather rare and limited.

As soon as magic appeared on Earth, it started to be used at an increasing rate. That's the reason why a special PARE corps was established, as a part of the research department of Alliance's Headquarters. The scientists carried out some tests which proved that our troops could use magic as a weapon. Groups of similar people went through military training and their results against enemy infantry have been excellent. When fighting, these units are capable of the early detection of advancing enemy units. Their only disadvantage is a total refusal by other battle forces to work along side them.

Great mobility is the advantage of the support infantry units who mainly fight from a shorter distance than the classic large-gauge artillery. The ideal short-range artillery support weapon has

become the mortar. The mortarmen are able to co-ordinate their fire using com-links under the instructions of observing units. Mortars can decimate the enemy from long distances. In hand-tohand combat the mortar men show strong resistance, but their anti-infantry weaponry is significantly weaker than that of the classic infantry. This unit combines abilities of the infantry and the artillery.

The use of heavily armoured infantry against armoured Orcs, if it works, will allow our infantry to gain the upper hand. These ultra-modern units would be a fairly good advantage for the Alliance.

These units were the first to use armour on the battlefield. Up to this point, squads only used bulletproof kevlar vests. It was a logical consequence to protect special units from the effects of magic, such as extreme changes of temperature, together with hits by handguns and shrapnel. This protection even provides some resistance against chemicals under specific conditions. The armour contains electronic elements and integrated weapons. The only drawback is that in hand-to-hand fighting men in these protective suits can be quite sluggish. Hi-Tech infantry demands sufficient equipment and training and this undoubtedly pays off, especially for experienced units. After conversion to armoured hi-tech infantry, the number of casualties will rapidly decrease.

State-of-the-art technology enabled the training of ultra-modern infantry. Multipurpose rocket motors greatly increased the mobility of units and new technological advances in armour and weapons systems have improved firepower.

A mobile infantry, capable of operating in every kind of environment, is the fulfillment of every officer's dream. We are talking about an infantry equipped with improved suits made of a special alloy which is the result of experiments conducted near the highest concentration of magic. The suits have sensors that register nerve perception and then pass the information into mechanisms around the suit. As a result this armour is stronger than usual. Weapons, rocket launchers and automatic guns, are adjusted to give as little kick-back as possible. They are fully integrated into the suit and equipped with a special fire control system. The helmet visors are equipped with infrared vision and they constantly monitor the surrounding terrain. Moreover, controllable rocket jets have been added to suits which enables them to fly over the battlefield. Installed rockets allow targeting and shooting in mid-air, as well as on the ground. Tests showed that soldiers needed several months to learn just how to move and control them.

A new kind of infantry, armed with flame-throwers, should be more effective enemies resistant to normal weapons.

The most effective infantry troops in hand-to-hand combat are undoubtedly the flame-thrower troops. The flame-thrower troops arose after the discovery that some enemies are very resistant to normal weapons. The appearance of the undead and ghosts forced Headquarters to start work on the development of more effective weapons. Instead of pipes and flameproof suits, which can still be found in the field, flame-thrower units work with weapons that were already tested during the Cold War era. They are actually grenade launchers using specially coated ammunition, which explodes upon impact with a force equal to that of a 122-mm howitzer grenade. These weapons are more fuel efficient and at the same time are effective beyond 30 meters; a distance unheard of in previous fire weapons. The flame-thrower units are extremely effective against various kinds of enemies.

The losses of armoured machines were high in the early days of the war (mainly on the Russian side). Immediately after the establishment of the Alliance and Headquarters, ways of replacing lost machines were looked for. Among the alternatives there was a model of tank from the Argentinean

army. The tank is known as a TAM and is one of the lightest tanks around. The chassis of the armoured MARDER vehicle is used as the basis for its construction. It is used successfully on most battlefields, when heavy battle tanks are not considered and is the best means for concentrated crushing attacks. Thanks to a 105mm cannon in addition to its machine gun, the TAM plays an important part in fights in South America. Several dozen of these tanks are fighting in the Asian part of Russia. Because the firing system is not as good as the latest MBT tanks, M1 Abrams or the Leopard 2, the ceasing of its production is being considered. Regardless, it is still reliable and effective.

It is the first type of the third generation of post World War II American conventional tanks, it was the first tank to be powered by a gas turbine. The more modern version, the M1A2 Abrams, is equipped with a 120mm calibre cannon. Its advantage is that it uses the official NATO ammunition which has been accepted as a standard by Alliance's Headquarters. Its weapons systems are also comprised of two 7.62mm calibre machine guns and one 12.7mm calibre machine gun. Its armour is composed of welded steel strips that are strengthened by CHOBHAM multi-layered armour, in which enriched uranium is used in exposed places - such as the front and sides of the tower. Thanks to the strengthened armour it has surpassed all expectations, they have caused terrible losses to the enemy and gained the respect of the enemy's troops in America. As long as it is not confronted with potent magic this tank is capable of beating almost any of enemy's armies, even from great distances. Like the Leopard 2 it can be enhanced in several ways.

The heavy Leopard tank was one of the best tanks in the world, even before the Earth's invasion by the Forces of Darkness. There are a relatively small number of Leopards in the army because the German production was severely affected by attacks in the first wave of the invasion. Because it was exported from Europe to Canada the old version of the Leopard 1C1 was present in the heaviest fighting in the first phase of the invasion. Later analysis has shown that it was quite successful there.

The production of the Leopard 2 became international and as a result this tank is now the backbone of the Alliance's special attack armoured forces. Variants of this tank are in high demand. They are usually used at points of offensive breakthrough. They are armed with the basic version of the 120mm cannon with an integrated system of firing and two 7.62mm calibre gun machines. It is not as quick as the STRV, but this deficiency is compensated for by its strength and armour. The Leopard 2's armour has several layers multiplying the quality of the original armour. The whole tank is operated by four men. Reports from battlefields say that it is respected by the enemy for its fighting abilities. The Leopard 2 is capable of resisting strong magic, however it could still be improved in many respects.

The latest versions, produced before the invasion, were named Leopard 2A5. Quick modernisation of the Alliance's army asked for a standardised type of heavy tank. On European battlefields the Leopard 2A5 ranked among the best machines that humans could oppose the Forces of Darkness.

Strong construction made it safer for the crew and the Leopards were even used as 'wavebreakers' against long-lasting Orc attacks. The modern version of Leopard 2A5 tank is making headway and despite quite high production costs the number being produced is gradually increasing.

The towerless construction of tanks seemed ineffective before the war, however the invasion of the Forces of Darkness' magic army radically altered this opinion. In desperation STRV tanks were brought into action in the Eastern battlefield and they were remarkably successful. Headquarters deduced from the results that this relatively cheap vehicle with a universal 105mm canon and its casemate bedding would be suitable for further production. Enhanced machine gun ordnance, in several experimental versions complemented with a small tower protecting the operator of the machine gun, enabled many STRVs to play an active role even in larger scale attacks against the

enemy. Moreover, this vehicle needs no more than three men to be operated and just one man suffices in the case of an emergency. After the development and mass production of STRV vehicle, it started to be used by offensive units which previously didn't have any armoured machines. This vehicle obviously provides its crew with less protection than classical tanks but its mobility somewhat balances this handicap.

The technology of electromagnetic weaponry systems could be used in this, so far, experimental vehicle.

This new vehicle uses revolutionary new technology in electromagnetic weaponry. Its construction is derived from the reliable chassis of the German Marder vehicle along with a special engine which not only powers it, but more importantly supplies it with the energy to shoot projectiles with incredible speed and power. This vehicle, called the Elmag 1, is the result of several years of development. Originally scientists had planned on integrating it with the army's arsenal in the form of anti-tank machine guns. However, the new generation of engines were so efficient that it managed to supply enough energy to guns of even greater calibres. The rate of charge dispersion at long distances is noticeable but the projectiles are shot at such great speed that the hits are truly deadly. Elmags have proven worthy in quick actions but their main drawback is that there is not enough energy for simultaneous shooting and propulsion. Even though these battle machines need painstaking servicing, it still pays off in successful battle actions.

Elmag 1 needs to be improved. This vehicle should help to fill the increased demands of the front line.

Elmag 2 is the improved version of Alliance's successful vehicle Elmag 1. It has better energy accumulators which have multiplied the firepower of this vehicle. Instead of one cannon, Elmag 2 has 2 cannons with three additional barrels. The damaging shots are effective against all kinds of targets. Special shells shot by this mechanism with the help of electromagnets completely annihilate the surrounding area. As with every other vehicle with electromagnetic weapons the main drawback of Elmag 2 is its engine. Thanks to newer accumulators, the Elmag 2 is more effective than the previous version but without more efficient engines and power generators the efforts in improving them further is doomed to fail.

Using revolutionary new technologies we are starting to develop a universal battle vehicle in which all the best features of the present machines are combined. The project had the working title of Hector, but after the first results of the prototype at a firing range the name of this prospective supertank was changed to one which better describes it, Destructor.

This heavily armoured vehicle is the result of vast technological development by the Alliance. It combines the firepower of several tanks and the armour of the latest bunkers. Revolutionary design of archotral in the shape of highly explosive ammunition, new technology of the cannon and the latest engines are the main features of this natural born killer. Thanks to the combined working of adurital, the hardest metal known, this vehicle has gained protection equal to a dragon's armour.

This vehicle profits from elements of the hybrid towerless UDES construction which were integrated into it. The operative radius of the Destructor is rather limited because of its enormous fuel consumption and its weight. Resembling a mobile fortress the Destructor rolls across the terrain until it finds a suitable place. Systems of added armor connected with electronics take the tracks inside the vehicle and the vehicle sits against the terrain. Built-in supplementary weapons increase fire power and the armor decreases the probability of successful enemy hits. The Destructor is the most important vehicle in Alliance's battle forces and successful application of the latest

technologies is so far unmatched. Its construction is extremely complicated and expensive but fully justified by its amazing features. Fighting against the Destructor is fatal for most of the enemy's units.

This is probably the most common armoured personnel carrier in the army of the former United States of America. It underwent a number of modernisations before the invasion. As a vehicle for transporting infantry it has several disadvantages, for example it has weaker weapons than those of similar vehicles. It is armed with a 20mm cannon and a 12.7mm calibre machine gun. Its advantages are its mobility and good armour. These vehicles can be used to carry out a wide range of tasks. Its protection from direct hits and handgun fire is priceless even though the Forces of Darkness' infantry weapons are rapidly improving.

Before the invasion, Marder was one of the oldest armoured vehicles used by NATO and has since become one of the Alliance's standard vehicles in this war. It has recently undergone several modernisations and uses a Leopard 1 chassis along with a 20-mm gun, two machine guns and four well placed slits through which the crew can engage the enemy with small calibre weapons.

Amongst the troops it has a reputation of being a reliable and proven vehicle that can withstand the rigors of the battlefield. However, because of its small production capacity, the Alliance is slowly abandoning production of the Marder and concentrating instead on the other, more modern types of armoured vehicles.

In the desperation and confusion that accompanied the invasion, the Alliance used anything they could get their hands on for transport purposes. It was under these circumstances that the Piranha first saw widespread use. Since that time it has become probably the best wheeled armoured carrier in the Alliance army. Like other armoured vehicles it is equipped with a 25-mm cannon and two machine guns. The Piranha is popular as a recon vehicle, because of its extraordinary speed and adaptability. On the other hand, its rubber tires have trouble withstanding the heat of fire spells.

Nevertheless, the LAV-25 is still mass produced, and under normal conditions presents a deadly threat to lesser armed opponents.

The development of this self-moving anti-aircraft weapon was started in France in 1969. It is equipped with two 30-mm anti-aircraft guns and has an effective striking range of 3 kilometres. It's assigned primarily to the destruction of subsonic air targets at low altitudes. Unfortunately, its targeting equipment doesn't allow for effective firing in adverse weather conditions. The turret is mounted on an AMX30 tank chassis and includes a radar system along with its targeting system. It's an older weapon, but under certain circumstances it can be extremely effective against aircraft and it is certain death for unarmoured air targets like the Magotari. However, its weaker armour makes it more vulnerable to distant magic attacks. Although it is less effective against heavily armoured targets, the probability of a successful hit is significantly higher than that of the classic weapons used by the infantry. The main advantage of this self-moving gun is its simple operation and targeting system.

Gepards are successful anti-aircraft weapons which proved themselves in the war against the Forces of Darkness. The Gepard is made of a Leopard tank chassis onto which two 35mm cannons are added. These are capable of destroying low flying objects at short and middle range. This modern weapon can be also used for defensive tasks. It is capable of destroying ground targets, especially armoured ones. It is devastatingly accurate when shooting at slower armoured objects.

The need for mobile anti-aircraft defence was the background for the development of the Rolland.

Originally a German product, incorporated into Alliance forces, it has a tower and a radar on the

chassis identical to that of the armoured Marder carrier. Instead of a classical cannon, it has a launching device for four guided ground to air rockets that can be fired simultaneously. It destroys mid to long-range air targets. As a part of anti-aircraft defence, it overcomes the limitations of Gepard and AMX30DCA. Effectiveness against ground targets is very low and in hand-to-hand combat this vehicle must be protected by other forces. This is the reason why this unit is not very popular.

The French army was equipped with a howitzer of fairly good quality. The newly established Alliance took this into account during the development of AMX30 AUF1. Its 155mm calibre cannon has a firing range of more than 20 kilometers. However, unlike the M109 it only needs a four-member crew. Artillery Headquarters needed a standardised type of weapon and they chose this one. French industry was only slightly affected thanks to the unusually successful actions and immediate applied precautions. Saboteurs were discovered in time and the factories were moved to safer areas.

Russian forces are especially appreciative of it even though they prefer a lighter cannon because of a hard-felt lack of ammunition. This howitzer is a frequent target of units that cross over the battle line despite its heavier armour.

The M109, an American made independently moving howitzer has enjoyed a long and interesting history. It was first used during the Vietnam War and was apparently well regarded. The M109 and its modernised versions (the latest one is the M109A6 - Paladin) are designed for the quick shooting of conventional, chemical, or nuclear ammunition. In addition to a 155mm cannon with range of 14 to 22 kilometres, it is also armed with either a 12.7mm or a 7.62mm machine gun. The howitzer is handled by a six-member crew and has a range of 350 kilometres. This weapon is priceless because of its low demands and excellent mobility. Companies comprising of the M109 are needed on all fronts and are used for both artillery preparation and defensive purposes. Placed on high ground they can hinder the progress of enemy squads, hence it is the most important item of the Alliance's artillery. Arming the howitzer with enhanced weapons is being considered.

It is an independently moving mine-thrower based on the successful M113 prototype, which is used to support infantry attacks. The concentrated fire of the 107mm minethrower is used mainly as preparation for an attack or to stop enemy advances. The M106 is a universal type of vehicle which is cheap to produce and it replaces mine-laying infantry in open terrain.

The development of the MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System) started in 1977 and since that time several hundred pieces have been produced. The Multipurpose rocket launcher became very popular all over the world before the invasion and could therefore be found in the arsenal of several NATO states, especially Germany which took part in the final phase of its development. The chassis of the M993 rocket launcher is derived from the chassis of the infantry battle vehicle M2 Bradley.

Armoured casing with rockets containing launching devices for two rocket sheaves, each containing six unguided rockets. Ammunition for this rocket launcher was originally unguided rocket with submunition, later rockets with anti-tank mines. Then in the first half of the nineties rockets with cluster munitions guided anti-tank missiles. Its minimal range is 5 and maximum 30 kilometres when using unguided rockets. It is an extraordinarily effective weapon with a large range and devastating effects. The armour, made of an aluminium alloy, should protect the crew from handgun and grenade hits. However, when an enemy unit gets close to the rocket launcher, it is usually most vulnerable. Three members of the crew are armed with automatic guns and a grenademortar.

The Alliance army needed light multi-purpose exploration vehicles to gain operational independence. The Alliance decided that light and comparatively cheap vehicles like roofed Jeeps and Hummers were best for this purpose. The Hummer is the name of the civil version of the vehicle

which was originally called the Humvee in the American army. It is easy to mount a light machine gun on its roof, its tyres are made of a special hardened rubber, this along with a high chassis means it can withstand very strong shocks. Its weak point is its poor armour so it is not suitable for direct attacks. The real advantage of the Hummer is its mobility and speed. These features make it a very popular vehicle.

This device was developed for the gathering of information. Its task is to monitor air-space above the enemy terrain. Because of the inefficiency of already existing systems, a completely new complex system was constructed. Designed to only track low flying objects, once it is on a sufficiently elevated place, it can monitor the area below. This system is mounted on the chassis of a multipurpose truck. Despite its versatile features it cannot attack, only defend. Its ideal position is on hills.

After the extraordinary success of the Alliance's radar systems, Universal 1R, development engineers started immediate work on an improved version. The result of these efforts was a multipurpose mobile radar station, named Universal 2R by its inventors. It sometimes replaces Rangers although it obviously lacks their fighting skills. Its armour has not changed from the older version so radio-operators, using a raised terrain to increase the range of the device, remain a frequent target of the flying squads of the Forces of Darkness.

This helicopter is available mainly in areas controlled by the former Soviet Union, and in parts of middle and eastern Europe. As a multi-purpose machine, it is used for transporting material, as well as attack and defense missions of various descriptions. The Mi-24 is armed with a standard 12.7mm machine gun and rocket launcher with guided missiles. Added weaponry and armour could mean an increase in efficiency of newer versions. Besides the Mi-24, established types such as the heavy Mi28 and the new Apache Longbow AH64 are used by Alliance, especially in areas of Northern America.

Supermodern Tiger helicopters, prepared for production just before the invasion, were withdrawn because of unrepairable failures in their electronics.

Laser technology with new generations of enhanced engines offers us the possibility of adding a new experimental unit of energy weapons to battle units.

Scientists have been ardently working on laser technology for several decades. Directed light energy became the object of intensive research which eventually resulted in the creation of this battle vehicle. Its creation is a direct consequence of the need for a new weapon that uses something other than conventional ammunition. Lasers seem to be very effective against magic. Frequent break-downs and drop-outs of this untested technology hinder the usage of this weapon.

Special mechanised flame-thrower squads could be useful for annihilating the Forces of Darkness's creatures which are resistant to orthodox weapons.

It is a vehicle based on the armoured M113 carrier. Unlike the M113, it is primarily designed for selfmoving flame-throwers. Flame-throwers of infantry units have always struck terror into the hearts of enemy troops and are apparently the only method for killing the larger magical beasts. The destructive effect works only at short range but at this distance it is more than sufficient.

This Swedish experimental model started to be considered suitable for possible projects of the Alliance's war industry development teams. This vehicle should be valued especially for its high resistance in combat.

Modern alternative tank systems have also progressed in fighting against the Forces of Darkness's units. UDES played one of the most important roles in this success. Its unusual towerless construction enables it to extend a revolving large calibre armoured cannon It has anti-infantry

equipment with two flexible mechanical machine-guns. The fact that this machine doesn't have the usual tower gives it advantages over normal tanks but it also brings some disadvantages. Amongst these are a bad reaction time to the presence of enemy when the cannon is not extended. This weak point also acts as an advantage, as when the cannon is not extended its strong armour protects it from enemy fire. To be a member of crew in experimental units like UDES is a great risk but also a great honour.

The Orcs are the largest and most extensive race fighting for the Forces of Darkness. They have become symbolic of the horrors facing the Alliance. The Orcs are rather stocky creatures. The height of the average Orc is roughly equivalent to that of humans. Orcs sometimes differ in the allocation and strength of their muscles and often their actual DNA is varied. The fighting abilities of this powerful race vary greatly. Orcs attack in great numbers and despite vast losses Orcs are always ferocious in hand-to-hand combat. Their primitive hand weapons have been improved and the fact that a great part of our military equipment was lost at the beginning of the war, there is always the danger they will arm themselves with our own weapons. It's interesting their most honoured and used weapon is an axe. The differences amongst troops and their qualities is very easy to discern during battle. Most often they include the so-called ordinary Orcs, organised in the traditional way and armed mostly with maces and axes. The Orc troops are often not commanded by their own race.

In no case are they the driving force behind the invasion, as was once thought.

Only over the course of time has it been discovered that there are various kinds of Orcs. The worst of them are Ka-Orcs. "Ka" can be roughly translated as "awful." They are special units charged with performing punitive expeditions and highly classified missions. They use captives for their religious rituals are subordinate to a higher power - to beings they called The Veiled. A unified weaponry is typical for the Ka-Orcs and they are equipped with magical abilities. The Ka-Orcs are very well trained units with high morale.

Battle Orcs are very different from the normal Orcs known to Alliance soldiers. Their bodies are remarkably enhanced in all respects. They manage to cope well in extreme temperatures, as well as survive serious injuries. Our scientists think that they are a new kind of creature, genetically designed for fighting against our army. The most fundamental difference is their ability to use modern weapons. Traitors from the Free Block States and mercenaries taught the Orcs how to handle weapons. Battle Orcs are actually better than our ordinary infantry. Battle Orcs are most probably the best unit of their race and deserve their reputation as ruthless creatures.

The Forces of Darkness are trying to use traditional anti-tank weapons that they captured in the first phase of the invasion. Besides heavy weapons they are armed with automatic submachine guns for fighting against infantry. Together with Battle Orcs, anti-tank Orcs are the new basis of the enemy's armies. This proves the flexibility of the enemy's strategy.

Orc troops are inseparable from their faithful companions, whose appearance resembles that of wolves. These can grow to be two metres tall, and their backs are covered in bony spikes. Their body's constitution guarantees stability to the rider. Despite the fact that at first they look clumsy, they are actually extremely dexterous and fast. The Darkwolves' mission is to kill primarily humans but if they are possessed by a strange madness, they will even kill their masters. The Darkwolves attack alone or in packs under the command of leaders with telepathic abilities.

The Undead move aimlessly until they come across a living being, at which point they immediately attack. Research confirms that the undead are able to detect the presence of living beings at great distances. In the areas where the undead have appeared, one can expect to find a temple, signs of

ritual ceremonies or the site of a very hard battle in which the ground was sufficiently saturated with magic. In addition to the undead it is supposed that the Forces of Darkness are capable of creating units of skeletons. Their weapons are simple, hand weapons and sometimes bows and arrows or even guns. Their resistance to fire weapons is unbelievable and they don't react to losing limbs. The psychological effect on our troops of seeing a decapitated body crawling into battle is devastating. It is necessary to use more effective weapons against the undead.

We consider them the most appalling and most dangerous creatures ever to exist. The body is covered by chitin armour with outgrowths of an unknown resistant metal. They have telepathic skills and their sense of sight is good thanks to their eight eyes. They have jaws typical for giant spiders such as the Chelicerami. According to the studies of pathozoologists, their jaws contain two kinds of pouches. The first one contains deadly poison which up to now was unknown to scientists and the second one contains a liquid that sends victims to sleep when used in a small quantity but when used in a large quantity it can decompose the internal organs of the victim. The victims cause a blow to the morale of the Alliance troops progressing inland. It is supposed that their society has something like a queen that lays their eggs. If this is proved right then a primary task will be to destroy this monster. Besides their jaws, Arachnoids also have arrow-like outgrowths. These monstrosities can shoot them with great skill even over long distances. The outgrowths are soaked in deadly poison. These beasts are great hunters and killers. Far superior to humans.

The body of these creatures is composed of stone and clay. By their appearance and clumsy movement they resemble a Golem. Massive armour is its main advantage and that's why they are frequently engaged as an effective means against tanks and artillery. Their weapons are flashes of energy that they shoot at their enemy, the flashes come from the upper limbs. These magic attacks cause our machines to malfunction. They pose a deadly threat to armoured units and the infantry has trouble fighting them.

These creatures floated through the air, untouched by the hail of bullets. Ghosts cannot be harmed by normal guns. They pass through the armour of tanks and other armoured vehicles and their icy touch sucks the very lives out of the crew. They feed on the energy of living creatures and it is possible that when they reach a sufficient level of energy they divide into two individuals. As far as we are aware only powerful flames can kill them. This knowledge must be used in the research of a new kind of weapon against them. They can detect the presence of living creatures at incredible distances.

Mri are desert creatures whose origin is unknown to us. They move in the grey and light-blue clothes which are typical for normal nomads. As battle units they are valued mainly for their ability to communicate with the desert. Unfortunate units frequently die in sand storms. The greatest losses have been suffered by our armoured units whereas skilled infantry units manage to disperse quickly and thus minimalise their losses. In deserts, the Mri represent one of the most dangerous opponents for all types of ground units.

They resemble apemen with fully developed wings. Because the Alliance units have met them more frequently at night, it is surmised that they are probably nocturnal creatures. Evidently they have excellent night vision and a pervasive olfactory sense. Their small robust bodies, muscular hands and feet make them tough rivals in hand-to-hand combat. The winged ape-reptiles are a permanent threat because of their ability to suddenly attack our troops and then quickly retreat. Thanks to their ability to fly they can fight even in the air. They are poorly armed, having only hand weapons for hand-to-hand combat and their armour is also weaker than that of our ground troops. The Magotari

are a moderate opponent for the Alliance but should not be underestimated. Their main role is in "special" missions such as raids on villages, etc.

They are probably a race of flying humanoids that command powerful magic. They directly serve one of the mighty Masters of the Gate and that's why they are rarely engaged in action. The presence of the black angels signifies the importance of the battle. They are engaged in special missions because of their tactic of flying down on a unit and attacking it under the protection of magic. Because of their quantity and briskness they are very dangerous for battle helicopters easily penetrating their armour. Black angels are organised in a similar way to Harpies. As a war unit they are merciless, they live in a high tower and the only entrance is at the top.

Instead of human hands they have pseudofingers, terminating in sharp claws. The Harpies attack mostly from the air. They aren't protected by armour but their speed helps them avoid the heavy fire of guns from the ground. Anti-aircraft guns and choppers pose a deadly threat to them. The Harpies serve as auxiliary troops in enemy military actions. The Harpies can raise thier vocal chords to dangerous levels and are also able to paralyze with their song. The Harpies were brought to the Earth by the Forces of Darkness' Masters but they are less than obedient. Their inclination to gather and their birdlike instinct to protect their nests is so prevailing that our troops have managed to use it against them by attacking their nests high up in the mountains. There are large numbers of captives in the Harpies' bases, where they work as slaves and serve as food for the Harpies' young.

The permanent need for slaves is the reason that the Harpies attack civil centers and the general population.

We have never succeeded in capturing these magical creatures to thoroughly examine their bodies.

Due to this we have to rely on video recordings. They usually occur in swarms and look like big greyish brown birds with bat wings. Their habit is to roam the countryside until they see an Alliance unit at which point they dive-bomb the unit, exploding on impact. It is certainly not accidental that they always occur in the presence of one of the Veiled magicians. We are Because of their suicidal attack, they are called "Kamikaze Birds" by attacking forces of the Alliance.

Balloons are the latest item of the Forces of Darkness' aircraft inventory. They are weaker and slower but they can see further than ground units. Balloons can use light magic and transport Orc infantry. It is quite easy to shoot them down with anti-aircraft weapons.

This mechanism is the first product of attempts to copy the armoured forces of the Alliance. These complicated constructions rely on selected Orcs bred especially to bear heavy loads. Heavily armoured, these machines with a chassis on wheels, possess certain fire power concentrated in several cannons loaded from the front side. They fire heavy pieces of metal at our troops and vehicles.

Although at first they appeared to be sufficiently quick, the reports from our frontline forces say that their movement across poor terrain is problematic. Their difficulties, however, are balanced by impressive fire power. These heavily armoured units vaguely resemble mammoths and have, therefore, been named after them. Their armour is a metallic alloy probably based on magic. This hardened armour is as good as the armour of the Alliance tanks. Their fire power is suitable for fighting against armoured units and the heavy projectiles that are used are filled with matter called Archotral. We have known about its existence since the discovery of the Magic Wells. Six barrels on each side shoot pieces of metal that spell instant death to infantry units. Their outgrowths look like mammoth tusks and serve as rams as well as being an efficient means of overcoming intricate

terrain. They can endure fire for a long period time so they are placed in the front row of attack formations.

Since the initial attempts to use catapult-like weapons against humans some changes have occurred. Structures with bowstrings were installed on a wheeled chassis. The arrow-throwers are able to fire hundreds of arrows in several rows at various heights. You can easily imagine what a cloud of arrows with luminescent poison-tipped spikes can do to an uncovered crowd of infantry.

Fortunately, these units have no armour and their vulnerability is a great advantage to the Alliance.

The ballista is a primitive mechanical weapon based on the pulling of a bowstring. This time it's a mechanism on a wheeled chassis, on which a three and a half metre arrow is placed. The hit itself wouldn't be so dangerous for the modern heavily armoured Alliance tanks, if it didn't have a spike made of an unknown metal. The ballista is the only anti-tank device, the arrow is able to rip off the turret or it can flip the entire tank upside down. Despite this fact, the ballistae have only a small chance of surviving an attack. The infantry simply roll over them and our tanks have a long enough range to swiftly do away with them. The only salvation for the Ballistae is an immediate and effective assault on attacking units.

These beings are a mystery to us. They got there name Dark Elves because of their sleek figures and long bows. Their skin is deathly pale and they have long black hair. Their arrows are able to break through several centimetres of thick armour. The Elves launch their arrows in dense clouds, but the Elves are very vulnerable in hand-to-hand fighting and, therefore, they usually retreat quickly after attack. The Elves aren't as numerous as the Orcs but their troops are highly organised and disciplined. The Dark Elves are very resistant to magic.

A Sect of Elf Masters separated itself from the original clan of Dark Elves- and started to use the Forces of Darkness' death magic in addition to their own elf magic. They are known for their use of black magic and sacrifice of living victims. Apparently thanks to their magic they have a kind of "third eye" that enables them to see incredibly far. Thanks to the magic they have, Elf Masters don't need a normal arrow, they just carry bows on their back and when they pull the bow-string, a shiny beam of magic energy materialises. The sight of clouds of arrows exploding into cascades of fire upon hitting something canno be forgotten. Arrows shot are deadly to all machines.

The fact that sound can be used to kill is well known. Bunches of massive metal pipes produce an all-destroying sound of unbelievable intensity, killing all living entities. All trees and plants wither and die, the structure of stone and even of special ferro-concrete is damaged. The effects of this weapon are catastrophic. These units are, fortunately, only weakly armoured and with distance their effects decrease rapidly. Aircraft units are safe from them and can easily destroy them.

A Slizoid covers several dozen square meters and its body consists of a jelly-like matter, ranging from a milky white to grey in colour which is transparent in some spots. Its senses are eyes on antennae which it can hide in its body and cover with a tough-skinned casing. These unshapely animals move over the landscape leaving desolation behind them. Slizoids live on minerals found in soil. It is certain death for anybody, be it Orc or human, that gets in their way. When a Slizoid gets to a victim it digests them. The enemy uses this in fighting against the Alliance, whose confused units wrapped in a layer of slime are then attacked by the Forces of Darkness. A Slizoid is a very resistant and viable creature. It endures tank and artillery shots but more over, it can withdraw injured body parts and regenerate them.

Horses evidently loathe the Orcs' smell and therefore the enemy's units have allegedly begun to use the services of pseudo-wolves. The wolves are often more than one and a half or two metres tall and

have great endurance. Their harnesses are mostly metallic and they become extremely dangerous beasts upon release. The Orc cavalry is very quick and able to take on any terrain for their advantage. They like to attack the human infantry from long distances, using shining metallic stars which causes severe losses in our infantry lines. In hand-to-hand fighting their height is a great advantage. It's the only known unit, bar the infantry, to be able to move well through forests.

Hells Cavalry is one of the elite forces which appeared during the last phase of the war. After several losses we eventually stopped of the Forces of Darkness's advance. Then from nowhere these units appeared and their strikes wreaked havoc. Soldiers said that the earth, like a gate, opened and that fire riders, spectres on lizards rode out of it. Our primary task was to obtain information about their masters. Elf and Orc captives confirmed that their real leader is the Master of the Gate. Among their magic support are destructive spells that often affect tanks like Leopards. Hits by heavy artillery cause them some trouble and battle helicopters with anti-tank missiles have also been successful.

Hells Cavalry is probably the worst and the most unpredictable enemy that our units have ever faced.

It's hard to say whether these beings are of human origin or not. No Knight of the Order of Death (a name which suits them very well) has ever been captured and their corpses look as if they have been dead for centuries. There's talk about something like deliberate surrender to the gods of death and damnation during the initiation ritual. The Research Department knows nothing about the gods but they certainly know that the Knights blitz attacks are catastrophic. The Knights have black armour, ride horse-like creatures and skulls and crossbones adorn their coat-of-arms. They are armed with magic and their heads are protected by horned helmets. They also have heavy swords and have their own commanders that are called Komturs. Most of the time the Knights of the Order of Death serve one of the mysterious Masters of the Gate. Captives often talk about someone called Medusa. They can undoubtedly use magic to increase their fighting performance. In their proximity, bullets slow down and they can only be killed by heavy weapons. Their arrival is signified by mist and their presence is always accompanied by freezing cold. They like to attack convoys and even mechanized armoured squads. Their frost spells cause metal to suddenly shatter. Because of this, some units were equipped with thermal asbestos lined gloves so that they could manage to hold their weapons in their hands. The magic is not in their weapons but in the hand that is holding it. Attacks by this phantasmal cavalry make it impossible for affected units to fire or move and they are thus trapped in cruel pack-ice within a moment. This is the reason that these knights are also called the Freezing Death.

Dragons and their abilities are interestingly almost identical to that of their description in legends.

These mighty reptiles have a very strong constitution and armour, the analysis of which hints at their age being from several hundred to several thousand years. They are resistant to almost everything, posses really destructive power, breathe fire and have paranormal skills. A dragon's body is somehow capable of producing breath that is several thousand degrees of centigrade hot. This breath is a devastating weapon which is capable of destroying any tank and burning bunkers to ashes. Dragons are intelligent and skillful killing machines that could destroy whole armies if they had stronger wings. According to the description by captives, the dragons are several dozens of meters long but their wings are only strong enough for short-distance flights. It is very hard to fight against dragons. It so happens that fire weapons explode in their proximity and they are moreover consciously spreading around so called "dragon fear" that paralyses affected squads. Based on these facts it is clear that the only way to beat them is to shoot from greater distances. Their abdomen is certainly their weakest spot, just like with other reptiles. At the time when legends took place there were ways to beat dragons on our planet and there is no reason why these ways should not work

today. One thing is sure - dragons bear death on their wings. Their presence in a battle means that it is an important one and that there is a big magician or master commanding the enemy side.

It was expected that after the success of the Mammoths the enemy would develop a new, mightier unit designed to destroy the Alliance's armoured vehicles. Despite these expectations the appearance of the so called Fortresses of Fear caused shock to the Alliance's Headquarters. These giant machines, about five to seven metres tall, are capable of surprisingly brisk movement. This mobile "fortress" is always accompanied by troops and the Forces of Darkness' base is quite often placed within it. The fortresses are made of a metal whose origin is unknown to the Alliance's Science Department. Only weapons of large calibres or hits by explosives can take this machine out.

It has over a dozen barrels that shoot out metal and it can launch grenades. The liquid discovered in several casings of grenades that didn't explode is being examined. We are sure that the Fortresses of Fear use magic which means that Veiled magicians dwell within them. This machine can also act defensively. The shield that encircles it attracts enemy fire and so protects more vulnerable units.

Rangers claim that they saw this mechanism move by the power of levitation. That would mean that no kind of terrain can hinder its movement.

This creature is known as Breorn in legends of old. It is about five to ten metres tall. It has a head with fangs and two pairs of legs and arms. It can kill whole units by its very presence. It is possible though that death is caused by its roar. Though it only very rarely appears, when it does it's always in the presence of the mightiest forces of Evil. There are rumours that it is the last weapon of the Masters of The Gate.

If our armies were reluctant to acknowledge the existence of magic, the appearance of demons left them no choice but to fully accept it. Some of the mysterious Veiled have the ability to evoke "creatures of the underworld" that have devastating effects in combat. Demons can occur as twoand-a-half meter-tall brawny giants with claws and spiral horns. Demonic creatures exist for only a short period of time, usually for the duration of one battle but are almost invincible and every attack they make is deadly. Veterans say that ammunition can harm demons only when shot from close range and the same applies to tanks.

The Wizard is an offensive magician that supports attack forces with his magic. He uses magic for his own protection, as well as for casting destructive thunderbolts at the Alliance's squads. It was the Wizards who led attacks in the first phase of the invasion. Even today Wizards are tough opponents for the most experienced squads of the Alliance.

The Necromancer can resurrect the dead and send them in as troops to fight our squads. The presence of the Undead does not necessarily mean the presence of a Necromancer though. A Necromancer is capable of evoking and controlling one unit of the Undead at a time in the battlefield. If his unit is damaged, he will usually use his power of evocation again.

Magicians don't work with the underworld like Necromancers, but they do possess the capability of evoking and controlling demons. Demons are murderous, hellish creatures that I will discuss with you later. Magicians are feared opponents and you come across them mainly in areas with a dense concentration of magic.

Conjurers are a separate group of magic creatures. Conjurers are not direct "battle" magicians like Wizards but their spell "Birds of Death" is a terrible devastating weapon to all units of the Alliance.

The Predator is a mysterious creature that ends its existence with a vast explosion that devastates the whole of its surroundings. It is not a part of the regular invasion units of the Forces of Darkness,

appearing and disappearing at unpredictable times. Despite intensive efforts we have not found out anything more precise about this unit.

With regards to the technology of Cannon 1 - the Alliance's Construction Offices are working to improve the weapon system. The technology is still in its theoretical stage.

The work on Cannon 1 systems that will improve the calibre and the striking power is complete.

The technology of Cannon 2 - The Alliance's Construction Offices are working to improve the weapon system but it is still in the theoretical stage.

The new technology of Cannon 2 has successfully increased the firing frequency of the cannon systems.

The technology of Cannon 3 - The Alliance's Construction Offices are working to improve the weapon system. The technology is still in the theoretical stage.

The technology of Cannon 3 which increases its range is complete.

We are currently working on an automatic firing system which will fit into a new heavy uniform we are preparing for the infantry. Weapon systems in connection with an electronic control unit should become part of new kind of infantry.

The current situation on the battlefield calls for the development of a new big calibre cannon, that could be mounted on the chassis of heavy tanks.

The Bear, MRh 130, 130mm cannon has been created on the basis of the latest technology developed in Germany. It is a smooth bore cannon and uses vacuum alloy technology and a centrifugal casting. The calibre and quality have been improved so the increased firing speed guarantees higher strike power. This cannon can be mounted on tanks.

With this cannon in our arsenal, the fire power of our armoured vehicles should noticeably increase.

The rapid-firing cannon, Nordia. In Sweden, during the first stages of the enemy's attack, constructors quickly started developing a new technology that would enable a high rate of fire. It was solved by the automatic loading of a higher number of shells. There are two versions, 120mm tank cannon and 155mm cannon for the howitzer.

The British have been developing a new cannon design. The success of this project is not yet guaranteed.

Fargun long-range cannon. The British 120mm tank cannon made with a grooved bore and a larger barrel is capable of a much higher effective range than other cannons.

A promising project of further enhancement of the engine has emerged which should increase the range of our vehicles.

The project of ignition engine technology should substantially increase the performance and consequently the fighting capacity of the Alliance's armoured vehicles.

Prospective technology of towerless constructions should bring to life the theory of increased safety during engagement.

The additional modifications to the current turbine engines should increase the range and manoeuvrability of our vehicles.

This technology should dramatically increase the performance of engines and thus enable higher mobility to the Alliance's heavy vehicles.

A new controllable rocket propulsion system should enable the movement of objects upto 250 kg.

The could be an ideal means of transporting infantry.

This advanced diesel engine should increase the range of our armoured carriers. It is suitable for heavy vehicles such as tanks.

AS320: This enhanced diesel engine with 1300-kW of power modeled on the Leopard 2 tank, is a monoblock with a gear system, cooler and air cleaner, and is interchangeable in case of failure, even in the field.

The BW160 ignition engine will probably be the best ignition engine available. The range and mobility of vehicles should improve as a result.

BW160: An excellent ignition engine with performance of up to 1500 kW. It is also the best ignition engine that exists, with performance of up to 2000 HP (horse power). It enables very good manoeuvrability. It is probably the last ignition engine that will be manufactured.

The turbine engines are used mainly in heavy vehicles. A new model should successfully increase there manoeuvrability.

KTU3001: A turbine engine, developed using the American IHPTET (Integrated High-Performance Turbine Engine Technology), significantly reduces the current disadvantages of this type of engine. It provides lower fuel consumption and quicker acceleration. It has 1400 kW power output. Its size was successfully reduced so that it can also be used in smaller battle vehicles.

This model of turbine engine should dramatically increase the range and manoeuvrability of the Alliance's heaviest vehicles.

LST4001: 1700 kW turbine model was developed for very heavy vehicles, specifically the UDES. It is too big for smaller battle machines. After certain modifications, it can be fitted on heavier tanks like the Leopard and Abrams.

Some of the Forces of Darkness' heavy units are using an extraordinarily powerful element against us. Its name is Archotral and we have also found it near wells in a very unstable form. If the enemy can successfully use it then we should be able to do the same. Because it's ignition releases astounding amounts of energy, we might be facing a revolutionary discovery that could profoundly influence the science of the future.

With the synthesis of Archotral, a theory that could prove revolutionary, we might be able to use the staggering power of the reaction for the vehicle propulsion. This theory could prove worthwhile very soon.

Archotral, with its explosive power, is ideal for war use. We have partially succeeded in synthesizing it, but the technology has not advanced far enough for us to be able to use it in battle. We have to find a way to detonate it, a way to handle it safely and to transport the special ammunition with archotral filling.

Near some wells, we found metal mutation, new compounds and until now previously unknown chemical reactions, probably caused by the presence of concentrated magic. We should examine all these phenomena thoroughly and try to profit from them. Our bestial opponent's strong armour

hints at a high number of further prospective technologies. The exploration of these areas will confirm our suspicions.

There is a distinct possibility of complementing our standard fuel with highly explosive Archotral. Is a new generation of engines on the horizon?

T2001: By analysing Archotral and isolating an explosive mixture from the Forces of Darkness' weapon we have manufactured a completely new type of engine. It was named the Explosive Engine. Its 2,000 kW performance has considerably increased the performance of battle vehicles. It was developed in record time. It is very expensive because the technology is not yet perfected and also because we don't have much Archotral.

Eventually, we will have a brand new complex Archotral propulsion technology. We now have an engine that we could not even dream about before the invasion. The power of this engine should be great enough for the propulsion of heavy war machines.

T3000: It is a completely new ground breaking model that uses archotral technology and is not just an enhanced mode. It can function as an electric generator and an explosive engine at the same time. It is mainly suitable for energy weapons. If we succeed in collecting enough Archotral, the scientists could perhaps increase the energetic potential of the Alliance with a few adjustments.

Is a cannon using the mysterious destructive Archotral on the horizon?

Trantor: It is a howitzer and tank cannon that uses Archotral. The discovery of highly explosive Archotral, mined near the Wells, started efforts to develop a gun that could use it. In order to stop the Archotral ammunition from exploding, it has to be stored in very heavy and, more importantly, wide cartridge cases. The tank version of the 145mm cannon has to be mounted on the chassis of a heavy tank like a Leopard or an Abrams.

Will the development of Tanarit armour be a major achievement of human technology? Only the Forces of Darkness' new materials can beat it.

Tanarit Armour: This armour is probably the best armour that humans can produce given the current known technologies. It is a very expensive alloy of both known and unknown metals that are found in the proximity of the Wells. It seems that the method of working it, decreased its resistance and it is less firm and flexible than the original. Despite this fact it undoubtedly remains the best armour of recent times. It resists anti-tank weapons shooting from a distance. Its resistance to magic is also considerable. It is suitable for any kind of armoured vehicle.

Probably the best armour ever to appear.

Andurital Armour: Produced using an improved method of tempering and working an unknown metal mutated near the Wells. The unknown metal, possibly the hardest and was named Andurital.

It took some time to find a way to separate it from the alloy used in the production of Tanarit armor.

Andurital is very light and at the same time astoundingly resistant. It absorbs magic very well.

Homogeneous Andurital only weighs two thirds of that of layered armour. Its production is very costly, though.

Composite materials exist but their application in the armour of war vehicles is not frequent.

Andurital Armour: Produced using an improved method of tempering and working an unknown metal mutated near the Wells. The unknown metal, possibly the hardest and was named Andurital.

It took some time to find a way to separate it from the alloy used in the production of Tanarit armor.

Andurital is very light and at the same time astoundingly resistant. It absorbs magic very well.

Homogeneous Andurital only weighs two thirds of that of layered armour. Its production is very costly, though.

Is the thickness of the armour layer sufficiently effective protection against the attacks of the Forces of Darkness' beasts and mechanisms?

Enhanced Armour: It's up to several centimetres thicker, depending on the type of the vehicle. This enhanced armour can be applied to any vehicle. It will increase the protection of the crew, but it will significantly reduce the mobility of the vehicle.

Could this protect us from the Elves' arrows? The combined application of active armour might save us.

Evadit is a reactive armour that together with composite modification creates a single complex material designed for fending off explosive arrows of Dark Elves. Despite complicated production and servicing it has been used on several battle vehicles and it hasn't let us down.

We have come close to the development of a new kind of armour. We have made a big step towards improving the protection of our infantry.

Dragon's Armour: The corpses of several dragons we killed in the Deciding Battle were moved to secret laboratories where they are being thoroughly examined. Dragon's armour is a very flexible material and we managed to artificially reproduce this material with crystalline layers after some time. A thin layer applied on a suit with a specially adapted foil is enough to improve the resistance of armour by one hundred percent. The armour was not only tested for resistance to projectile hits but also the resistance to high-power cutting and stabbing which gave the same excellent results.

The quantity of the material used for the armour of one light battle vehicle equals the quantity sufficient for improving a thousand infantry suits. The origin of the material gave a suitable name to newly produced infantry suits, Dragon's armour.

The enemy fights us with conventional weapons but it also seems as if natural elements like wind, earthquakes and huge waves are against us. Is it only by chance that our enemies always march under the cloak of impenetrable fog? These facts force the Alliance to make a more detailed study.

The beginning of the invasion was initiated with assaults targeted against our most vulnerable positions. Many of them, such as the destruction of our factories and strategic supplies, may have been caused by saboteurs. In the first phases of the Great War we encountered an opponent with quite primitive weapons. Despite the evident numerical superiority our units should have been able to stop the progress of this enemy. Yet somehow they weren't. The enemies also know very accurately during massive attacks, where our most vulnerable points are. In addition, unexpected technical problems have occurred. Moreover, the attacks were accompanied by atmospheric disturbances, such as lightning, hailstorms and windstorms. Even the most naive can recognize these coincidences. These and other reasons have led us to the assumptions that the enemy governs totally different kinds of powers than we do. Our scientists have been working on possible rational explanations of the events that have taken place since the beginning of the war but Headquarters is afraid these attempts will prove fruitless and that our suspicions of magic will be confirmed. Every bit of knowledge helps and if we don't learn the opponent's secrets in time, total destruction will threaten the World Alliance. If the magic exists it is of the utmost importance that it be used for our benefit!

The Forces of Darkness use terrible methods in its fight against humankind. We often find evidence of human sacrifices and buildings in which bloody rituals have taken place. What should we make of this? Is the Forces of Darkness' goal the extermination of humankind?

When fighting the enemies of the Forces of Darkness we find the horrible remnants of their presence. All of our enemies perform sacrifices. It looks like the enemy was explicitly requested to sacrifice as many captives as possible. Like the NAZI death camps, this killing is systematic. It is time to put aside all emotion and think about these problems. Did the hordes come here to murder in order to gain the favour of there Masters? Were they given supernatural help and the ability to use magic from some higher power? Headquarters have issued strict instructions to capture all Priests and Shamen. For the front line troops this has become extremely difficult since the news about the sacrifices has spread and the number of captives has dramatically decreased. A most horrible war of extermination is raging. We must now assume that this is a battle for the very existence of humankind.

What are the origins of our enemies? What are the latest theories and assumptions?

Where is the exact location from which this terrible invasion originated? How can we defeat our opponents when we know nothing about them? Currently we are searching for answers as to how they came to Earth. The captives say something about gates but reports of this kind aren't sufficient.

The Alliance armies must conquer the places that are carefully protected and held sacred by the Enemy. Only knowledge can save our Earth from total annihilation.

The Forces of Darkness must also have a new means of moving their squads to distant places. The Intelligence department is suggesting artifacts called "portals". There is a strong suspicion that portals are the key to solving the mystery concerning the quick movement of their massive armies.

Headquarters has been trying for a long time to discover the way the Forces of Darkness move their forces so quickly without the use of any kind of carriers. The Forces of Darkness' squads, especially the elite Orc forces have been seen in areas several hundred kilometres apart in the same week. The soldiers were fresh without any signs of fatigue. Our Intelligence forces are becoming more successful in penetrating the fog that accompanies the progress of the Forces of Darkness. They observed and discovered peculiar artifacts that were metres wide. The members of the observation group witnessed enemy squads coming through the artifacts. They emerged from empty space behind the portal which means that the artifacts must be some kind of teleporting device for very long distances. In the Alliance's reports these devices are listed under a code name "Portal". The Alliance's army task now is to conquer and destroy these devices and stop the local forces from getting direct help. As soon as the reinforcements have to go through countryside as they did in the first days of invasion we will have a better chance of capturing them or attacking them from the air.

The Alliance should conquer and destroy these devices. These artifacts are ofcourse protected very well.

We have conquered some kind of Well that was strongly defended by the Forces of Darkness' troops. How will this victory affect the current and future situation? More importantly, what is that Well for?

It was the conquest of the Well that partially unveiled the real strategy of our enemy for the first time. The discovery of the Well supports the hypothesis that magic does exist on Earth. The concentration of magic energy is said to be very high at the stream crossings. There you can force the energy to shoot up to the surface and create, a "Well". The name itself was coined by soldiers who were the first to see the multicoloured geyser of magic spurting out of the Earth's depths.

Before the research of magic goes any further we have to thoroughly examine this phenomena. The question of the Forces of Darkness' goal arises again. Could this be the reason that the Forces of Darkness invaded the Earth?

The magic is spreading around the Earth. If we were capable of controlling magic maybe it could support our desperate fight for survival.

We don't know if this mysterious energy called magic was here before the Forces of Darkness' invasion so its origin remains a mystery. A great number of people were frightened to discover that they are now capable of telepathy, incredibly strong empathy, pyrokinesis and of many more so far hidden supernatural phenomena. Some children were born with these skills. The Alliance's initial attitude of caution and scepticism changed and now it is building a database of people with paranormal skills. These people helped to save thousands of lives as members of war forces. The attitude towards these people started to change for the better after that. After the conquest of the first Well, we found out that magic strengthens these skills and recharges their energy. After some time people learnt to control magic sufficiently enough and that's when the decision came to engage them in fighting and PARE corps was consequently established. Its members are people with highly developed paranormal skills.

Since the moment we learnt about the existence of these massive artifacts we have to consider several possibilities. Are they Gates leading to another world? We have to make a summary of the facts we know about these curious objects and try to reconsider our global strategy of fighting the Forces of Darkness.

It is not hard to deduce that the hardest fights will take place around these places that the captives call "Gates". It seems that the gates actually consist of pillars covered by magic runes and signs.

Airborne exploration units managed, despite being attacked, to get a glimpse of the silhouette of the Gate. Is it possible that the Gates existed before the invasion? If we had this artifact in possession we would have a chance of exploring it further. The Gates are the places through which the Forces of Darkness came to invade us. Moreover, the Gates don't open very often which might have a connection with the lack of magic on the Earth. The problem is that they are well protected by the Forces of Darkness' elite forces. Verified reports say that there are only three gates in the world.

The mighty artifact, "The Gate", is in our possession. The Forces of Darkness' squads can't come through it to the Earth any more but the question of the Gate's further use remains unanswered. Is it possible that the Gates don't necessarily have to be directed by the Forces of Darkness?

After closely examining the artifact called the Gate the specialists came to the conclusion that it is a kind of multi-dimensional gate to another world. The gate works on the same principle as Portals and Pentagrams but you need much more energy to open the Gate. That's why there are so few Gates and consequently so few Masters of Gates. Near the Gates there are many wells and places where magic often comes to the surface but the high number of captives saved near the Gates testifies that the Forces of Darkness gain magic in another way, too. They sacrifice some of the captives in temples and then transport some to the Other Side. During the offensive of the Gate the Alliance got many important captives. Under interrogation by members of PARE they revealed something more about Karadan-Ka. This side fights the Forces of Darkness in their homeworld. From what the captives told us we know that Karadan-Ka was in the same situation as we are now but managed to stop the Forces of Darkness's offence. The fact that there is fighting going on between Karadan-Ka and the Forces of Darkness makes us hopeful that Karadan-Ka will become our ally. The successful attempts of extraordinarily gifted members of PARE to go through the portals encourage

them to try the same thing with the Gate. If we gather a sufficient number of people with paranormal skills, it should be possible to somehow open the gate. The mysterious frescos found on the crypts of the Masters of the Gate may give us the direction to which the Gate should be turned.

We just need more information about the Karadan-Ka's world. That has the highest priority.

We have long abandoned the idea that the whole invasion is the work of the Orc army. All findings actually lead us to the conclusion that the Orcs play only a minor role. Who is behind the invasion?

What is the structure and hierarchy of the enemy's army? Answers to these questions would help us know our opponent much better.

Headquarters doesn't actually know much about the Forces of Darkness. Captives claim that military officers obediently and fearfully execute the orders issued by the representatives of magic. These are mostly magicians who teleport through portals. We have information that magic is used for pacifying rebels. Even magicians have ranks according to the level which they have mastered.

Magicians are not interested in the landscape itself, they look for places with a high concentration of magic from which they probably draw their energy. The Forces of Darkness' highest representatives on the Earth are the Masters of the Gate. The Masters of the Gate are much stronger than the magicians. However, we don't really know anything about the real lord of the Forces of Darkness.

The Great Lord, also known as the Dark Lord, resides, together with the elite guard of the Invincible.

From what we know about the Forces of Darkness' hierarchy we know that the Masters of Gate are at the top of it. That makes them our main and worst enemy. But what can we expect from them?

What powers do the Masters of the Gate possess? This report should summarise our knowledge about them.

To become the Master of the Gate means to gain almost unlimited power. According to what we know the sovereign ruler of the Forces of Darkness doesn't directly intervene in the affairs of his representatives. He gave them rule over the Gates, but the power is divided between three of them.

Each Master of the Gate decides when to open the Gate, when to let in new forces and what kind of forces they let in. One of the Masters is MEDUSA. She commands the winged death, Harpy. MEDUSA controls the Gate of Shammara, as it is called by captives who came from the tundra in the north of Siberia. The mysterious sect of The Knights of the Order of Death serves MEDUSA. DRAGOTH, half reptile and half humanoid, is the Master of Dragons. By his will, he can summon dragons from incredible distances and he can make all dragons obey his commands. The last Master of the Gate is MURDANUR, the Veiled Magician. His passionate worship of the Dark gods is legendary, though. It is estimated that millions of victims, caught by the Ka-Orc commandos, were sacrificed. Murdanur allegedly opened the gates of limbo and then vowed complete obedience in exchange. The Masters of the Gate hate one another and fight for power between themselves. Though the Masters of the Gate are different they have something in common they are dangerous.

For a long period of time, we have been obtaining information about something called Karadan-Ka from the captives. Karadan-Ka is the mysterious main enemy of the Forces of Darkness. It is true that the Forces of Darkness' invasion on the Earth was slowed down because of Karadan-Ka. There are too many unanswered questions for us to not to take this matter seriously.

Karadan-Ka also means Terrible White. The harsh and barely articulate Orc language doesn't have many compliments. It is mainly concerned with fighting and killing. Karadan-Ka must have been the Forces of Darkness' enemy for a long time. The Forces of Darkness probably invaded our world because they decided to gain a source of cheap slaves and magic. Karadan-Ka is not ruled by dark beings, it is rather a nation that was forced into a defensive fight. After consulting with the world's

most important political representatives the Alliance Headquarters decided to try to open the Gate.

PARE was delegated to take the command over this operation.

The ultimate goal of the research of the Gate is its redirection to Karadan-Ka. Can we take this experiment to it's conclusion? And how can we be sure that it will not bring us more terror?

The attempt was successful but it took its toll. An expedition of selected representatives of the Alliance went to the other side of the Gate. They were all aware of the fact that they will be the ones to make the first step into an unknown dimension. A part of the Alliance's expedition appeared accompanied by a white stranger, the members of the expedition introduced the stranger as Sil'Vain, a white magician. The relentless war between Karadan-Ka and the Forces of Darkness has been going on for several thousand years in Karadan-Ka's homeland. Sil'Vain called this period SPELLCROSS. They had more time than us to prepare for the invasion so they stood up to the Forces of Darkness' arrival. They used the Forces of Darkness' own weapons. Whereas the Forces of Darkness' magicians were fighting more or less on their own, Karadan-Ka tried to concentrate their magic and thus had stronger spells with massive effect. Despite this fact they never managed to drive the Forces of Darkness out from their world. The Forces of Darkness' ruler himself, with his guard of the Invincible, descended on their land and swept them away with his might. It is apparent that the invasion of the Earth was stopped thanks to Karadan-Ka. Magicians saw their chance and attacked the Forces Of Darkness' strongholds. Thus, the Dark Lord was forced to send the forces from the Earth to Karadan-Ka. Sil'Vain shook his head when asked whether Karadan-Ka would help.

His world is facing the threat of defeat and total destruction. So many horrific creatures have ever stood against them. The only thing that could bring him down is one of the Dark Swords of the ancient gods. Sil'Vain has been looking for these swords but hasn't found one yet. Maybe they fell into the hands of the enemy. There's no other choice but to recover the sword.

The drawings above Dragoth's residence are of the utmost importance. The fact that they were magically concealed is of great importance.

Signs made by an unknown author were found in crypts under the necropolis of Dragoth, the Master of the Gate. The drawings depict the Gates and various creatures. The resemblance to the real Gate is unbelievable. The age of these drawings, estimated at tens of thousands of years, was even more shocking. The drawing was damaged recently which means that it would be dangerous for the Master of the Gate to leave the frescos in the original state. Even though the frescos are damaged we might be able to reconstruct them with the help of computer technology. These frescos have to give up their secrets as soon as possible. One thing is certain, they undoubtedly indicate the support points for transfer to another world. The specialists are of the opinion that this other world is Karadan-Ka. The frescos, found in the crypts, start to reveal there secrets under the surveillance of restoration specialists. One of the legends depicted tells something about the curse of the Titans.

The frescos, found in the necropolis, signify incredible facts. It is a unique historical jewel that would be virtually impossible to analyse without the help of scientific research. In our history there have been numerous legends of ancient nations that tell of various mythical creatures. According to dates suggested by the Alliance's scientists these battles caused the folding of mountains. As not all the gods were able to put up real resistance to the Titans, the real power on their side, as it usually happens in such situations, were the gods of war. The mythical blacksmith Bauran made Dark Swords, the mightiest weapons in the universe, to defeat the Titans. The world was damaged to such an extent that it took millions of years to recover to its original state. The inner fire of the Earth was

exhausted and the rule of terrible winter, known as the glacial period, began. Gods temporarily gave up rule over the Earth and abandoned it. However, some legends say that the remaining Titans found refuge right in the very core of the planet and there survived the terrible frost. They sleep until powerful spells bring them back to life. The Titan draws energy from the substance of the universe just like its opponents, the gods, and that's why he is actually invincible. A Titan's body is huge, his power immense. Opponents should beware of him. It is said that when Titans return the new Apocalypse will accompany them. No mortal can resist their power.

The frescos, found in the crypts, are starting to reveal their secrets under the surveillance of restoration specialists. One of the legends talks about the Dark Swords of the Gods.

In the dark past the Earth was the stage for a terrible battle fought between the Titans and gods.

Titans were on the verge of winning when the Dark Swords, Destroyer and Black Hammer appeared.

These legendary weapons were made by Bauran, the master of metal and the god of craftsmanship.

Into both swords he inserted four elements, and Taia the goddess of nature, gave them her own soul. As independent beings the two swords destroyed the whole army of Titans. The remaining Titans fled to an unknown place. With the arrival of the apocalyptic winter, magic left the Earth but some creatures remained. The age of rule by beasts and magic was over. The gods abandoned the Earth and nobody knows what happened to the Dark Swords. Our only chance is to find the swords before the Dark Lord and his servants do. At any rate, if we can't get our hands on the Black Hammer or the Destroyer we have to make sure that the Forces of Darkness don't either. The current balance of power is at deadlock. The Alliance must not forget this, nothing can resist the power of the Dark Sword but it has to be in the right hands.

We are near the application of electromagnetic weapons in the Earth's atmosphere. Projectiles shot at incredible speed on the basis of electromagnetics seem to be a very interesting weapon.

Intensive research in this field started before the invasion. Now the possibility of using a controlled beam of light, or laser, seems realistic. With the laser we would have an effective weapon against any beast that endures multiple hits by fire weapons based on gunpowder and metal projectiles.

Developmental engineers are trying to construct an engine that would be capable of producing a sufficient amount of energy and that would be of a size that would enable it to be fitted into a chassis. This technology could bring energy weapons into our hands.

The electronic weapons system is getting to the level at which we could use it, together with modern optical systems of targeting. This complex system will improve the accuracy and make detecting the enemy easier. Supermodern infantry is on the horizon.

The major autonomous systems direct and monitor complicated devices. That's just what the supermodern infantry needs.

A sophisticated, electronic system of communication is the only way how to control and direct huge hypermodern units. Modern infantry will be available in the near future.

The Infantry Protection project arose as a result of huge infantry losses. It looks for possible solutions and methods to increase the infantry's chances of survival.

This technology should improve the strike power of the infantry.

The Infantry Protection project has reached its final stage. A solid armour should sufficiently increase survival rates.

Is it possible to construct an electromagnetic cannon mountable on any heavy armoured vehicle?

Among the systems developed in the "Star Wars" program during the cold war between the Soviet Union and the United States were top secret designs of highly effective weapons that also function in vacuums. The theory of electromagnetic weapons became reality. During the firing of the weapons the fast moving projectiles burnt up in the atmosphere. After profound changes and many experiments, functional models of a cannon with special ammunition were created. These cannons are mountable only on the chassis of heavy tanks, the only exception being the TAM tank.

Would an offensive system using electric shocks solve some of the infantry's problems?

The offensive skills of the infantry have considerably improved. Modern electrical systems can be used effectively not only in the hand-to-hand fighting but also for targeting distant objects. This universal system is extraordinarily popular with our special forces.

The complex battle suit is a way of enhancing infantry protection. However, is it really the best solution?

Our infantry is handicapped in the hard fight against the Orcs, mainly because of a weaker somatic constitution and insufficient individual protection. While the powerful opponents were armored their human rivals only had textile uniforms and bulletproof vests, originally intended only for blocking projectiles. The complex battle suit for the Collision Units should at least partially solve this problem. A flexible plastic foil protects a large part of the body and successfully resists not only glancing blows from edged weapons but also those of moderate strength. However it doesn't represent a long-term solution. The thicker variants of the suit are heavy and require much more effort to wear, so in truth they can actually complicate fighting. Our scientific departments are working on other variants of battle suits.

Only thanks to the latest technology can we consider creating such a murderous weaponry system.

After we got control over Archotral, scientists started to experiment with a bigger calibre cannon that contains this highly explosive material. A variant of the 20mm cannon was developed which enabled the integration of a quick-fire cannon on a chassis of the infantry's battle vehicles and large cartridge cases containing Archotral mixture. It is an excellent destructive weapon but it is also expensive. The explosion destroys not only infantry but also armoured opponents.

We are close to creating the deadliest weapon system ever.

This cannon combines the latest human technologies with the destructive power of the Forces Of Darkness. Terminator is a smaller size than the huge Trantor cannon but it has higher power and incomparably smaller weight and kickback. It doesn't fire as quickly as the Whispering gun but on the other hand, it profits from a bigger calibre. Projectiles have the latest intelligent guidance chips. The projectile is guided by the chip which stores the information about the position of the target. The chip also uses the energy from shooting to direct the projectile. Moreover, the chip can block the detonation of the projectile in case it detects a signal emmitted from an Alliance vehicle. Its hybrid structure, Archotral and intelligent computer chips, are both evidence of the big jump in technology we have made since the invasion started.

If we want to penetrate the mysterious area and get the unknown artifact, we have to decipher these mysterious signs first.

The pictures are in many respects like the Frescos under Dragoth's and Medusa's residence. These signs also revealed their secret after the computer analysis. They are something like a key. But we only have a fragment which is useless without the other half.

If we want to penetrate the mysterious area and get the unknown artifact, we have to decipher these mysterious signs first.

The pictures are like the Frescos under Dragoth's and Medusa's residence in many respects. These signs also revealed their secrets after the computer analysis. They are something like a key. But we only have a fragment which is useless without the other half. In this key, the exact position of the entrance to the magic artifact called Dark Sword is depicted. The words it contains have to be uttered in exactly the same order that they are during the ritual. This ritual has to be executed by a magician. No magician of the Forces of Darkness would ever serve the Alliance. Our only hope is Karadan-Ka, the mystical world. Only a magician from Karadan-Ka could help us. The only solution was to redirect and open the magic Gate. PARE managed to open the Gate. The magician from Karadan-Ka is finally on our side. Sil'vain's knowledge is priceless to us. More detailed information about the opening of the Gate to Karadan-Ka can be found in the reports of explorers. We need just two keys and the road to the Dark Sword will be open.

The latest highly effective firing system for aircraft units will be finished soon.

After a long period of time we developed a new firing system for aircraft units. It improves offensive skills. The Alliance gave it the code name Cobra.

Are the mysterious Veiled the driving power behind the Forces of Darkness' invasion? These beings are a great mystery to us.

In addition to battle troops, such as Orcs and Dark Elves, there are lone leaders governing the energy known as magic. The Orc captives call them the Veiled because they always wear cloaks. The Veiled are also able to co-ordinate military actions with their will. There is a well-founded suspicion that they are the actual initiators of the invasion and the real driving force of the Forces of Darkness.

They can be found wherever there is a need to control something by will, undead and other magic beings are good examples. They possess powerful offensive and summoning spells that they use regularly against their enemies. To capture one of the Veiled is the goal of every recon unit. It's necessary to say that nobody has succeeded in doing so. Our soldiers have never returned from such missions. These beings must be considered extremely deadly and nobody should underestimate their abilities. From captives' testimonies we know that the wizards themselves divide into several groups according to their abilities.

A new race from the Forces of Darkness. We'll identify more precisely the fighting abilities of these enemies through examination and perhaps we will discover new information concerning their evolution and development.

Technology has successfully enabled the further development of subsequent research.