"Land Iron-Clads"
The Anglo-Turkish War has been going on for months now. This past month of May has been marked with massive victories for both sides. Sea invasions were repelled, trade arteries were cut, holy cities were taken! All this and more from the war in the East.
The front was quiet for most of the region. All along the Levant and the Mediterranean coast, British forces dug in parallel to Ottoman Turkish forces. Neither side dared charge out into No Man's Land. Troop movements were noticed on both sides, but nothing special occurred, other than the anxious situation still developing near Jerusalem.
In the Aegean Sea however, things heated up. The large British fleet anchored off the coasts of the Dardanelles sprang into action in the first week of May. Pushing closer and closer to the coasts, Turkish naval guns pounded the fleet as they drew near. Moderate damage was sustained, yet the ships pushed on. Some hours later, the first wave of troops broke off from the war ships and began their journey onto the coastline. The troops, now confirmed by Turkish troops that participated in that engagement were revealed to be Ethiopian! Waves and Waves of Ethiopian troops crashed into the Dardanelles. The African troops, despite commanding no respect and glory in the minds of Europeans, proved their valor in that engagement. Armed with European technologies they struck hard and true against the Turkish defenders. Though small in number, the Turkish troops held their ground against the Ethiopians. Many bodies littered the coasts as the last wave was ultimately repulsed. Though they nearly broke through many times. the Ethiopians were unable to secure a beachhead. The naval invasion was a failure, ending with 41 thousand Turkish killed, wounded, missing, deserters, and captured. The Ethiopians meanwhile counted 50 thousand dead, wounded, missing, deserters, and captured.
In the Middle East, Persian troops, having met a newly raised British-Indian Army, have boldly begun the great journey northward deeper into the British Indian Territories. No clear cut engagements have been reported. The Persians, though Shia Muslims, have apparently been spending much time attempting to rally the local populations in support of their "liberation". Religious differences and the varied population of Sunni Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs however has not been boding well for their propaganda efforts. India is simply too diverse to effectively rally *everyone*, even those of a certain group.
In Arabia, the Persians also continue their unopposed advance into British Arabia. The tiny city of Dubai had been taken, as well as other emirates and provinces in the British Arabian Territories. British magistrates and other imperial buildings have been razed, with the Persians styling themselves as "liberators" to the Arabs. While still not gaining immense popularity, opinion towards the Persians is on the steady increase.
Meanwhile in Egypt, another great victory has been handed to the Ottoman Turks. After finally taking full control of the Sinai Peninsula and the strategically important Suez Canal, the Ottoman Army has pushed further into British Egypt. The battered British Colonial Army, bloodied by its previous actions in April, was overwhelmed once again. The British forces were forced to give up huge swaths of land and withdraw, taking horrendous casualties in combat and in the retreat. The Turks, pressing the advantage, rushed for the port city of Alexandria. Peacefully occupying the city, they have begun to arm local guerrillas as well as pump out Anti-British propaganda to the local peoples. The British Army in Egypt, meanwhile, has been all but routed and crippled. The British Army flees in the face of dire odds. Egypt appears ready for a new master.
The great victories of the Turks all pale in comparison to the great disaster that befell them in Mecca however. Upon hearing news of their rival armies nearing the holy city of Mecca, both the newly raised Ottoman Army of Arabia and the fresh Ethiopian Army rushed for the morally important city of Mecca. The Ottomans reached the city first, however having no time to properly entrench and defend the city they set up for battle with the oncoming Ethiopian troops. The Ethiopians attacked in good order, having quite sufficient cohesion and organization in battle, pleasantly surprising for an "uncivilized" African country. The Ethiopians also apparently boasted newfangled European technologies, using modern weapons like infantry mortars and terrifying flame throwers. The most surprising of all things however is a new weapon of war, the Ethiopians being the first to use them on the field of battle. Late in the battle, as both sides pushed hard on the city, Turkish troops were met with a bizarre site. Groups of strange, foreign looking steel "land ships" crawled down the desert sands, closing in on Turkish lines. Sustained fire from machine guns and rifles proved to be absolutely useless! Many troops, fresh and greener than grass, fled in terror as their weapons and ammunition plinked off the shells of these "Land Ships". Though the success of these new weapons was rather limited, the few times they worked they garnered great gains for the Ethiopians. Despite many troubles starting, maneuvering, and getting stuck in difficult terrain, these new vehicles proved to be useful and demoralizing weapons against entrenched enemies. Though they remain in their infancy, these new weapons have definitely done two things: They have proven to the world that Ethiopia is not a nation to be trifled with, and that the stalemate of Trench Warfare can be broken!... Although with great difficulty. The battle for Mecca ended with a Turkish retreat and the occupation of the city by Ethiopian forces. The Ethiopian forces took an estimated 34 thousand casualties while the Ottoman Turks took a chilling 79 thousand casualties.
