The Uwanda/Mugabia War: Quiet Before the Storm (Modern Third World Imagi-Nations)

Back in January, I made preparations for the next phase of the Uwanad/Mugabia War, which included planning, ordering more miniatures and making new terrain.  Unfortunately life interfered as it sometimes does, and set me back six months.  But I'm finally getting around to the next chapter in the story, so here is the current situation...


The president of Uwanda peered out the window, taking in the bright sunshine glistening off of the tree tops.  "A shame that such a magnificent day had to be scarred with preparations for war", he thought.  He turned to face his staff, "Gentlemen, this is how we're going to go about solving our Mugabian problem once and for all..."

Since the ULF had increased its attacks, Uwanda had greatly increased the frequency of troop movements, using methods that had countered the attacks, allowing the ULF little success.  Though expensive, these movements also helped to hide the build up of troops and equipment nearer to the border. 

The plan involved a two pronged attack, with one force advancing roughly at the center of the border, just north of the Mugabian occupation, and the other force attacking from a point farther north, where no action had yet been taken.  This northern attack was actually the primary force, with most of the central force being something of a feint, intending mostly to hold Mugabian forces in place. 

Eventually, it was hoped that some of the central force would mate up with the northern force in a run for the Mugabian capitol.  The belief among Uwandan leadership was that the Mugabians would not expect the scope of the attack, nor the northern attacking force at all.  And that due to the nature of the Mugabian command structure, that the Mugabian forces could not respond quickly enough, and would be outrun in a race to the capitol.

__________

The Mugabian president was as concerned with policing his own leadership, as he was the Uwandan border.  He believed that Uwanda would avoid all out war at almost any cost.  Their effort in the south had failed terribly, despite Uwandans remaining on Mugabian soil, and the President was convinced that his forces were quite capable of keeping the situation under control.

The Cubans had helped prepare the Mugabians to be a better fighting force, and the Soviets, while hesitant to put troops in Mugabia, offered equipment and intelligence, though sometimes neither was used properly.

The president stood, viewing the satellite photos of Uwandan forces with the Soviet advisers, yet he did not see the what the Soviets saw.  "Mr. President, Uwanda will invade...here, here, and especially here...everywhere!  You are making a terrible mistake; it is in both our interests that this not happen."

"My dear comrade, please forgive me, if I do not seem so convinced as you.  This is not NATO, this is Uwanda, and we have already seen what they can, and cannot do.  I have spent a lifetime learning about my neighbors, you have barely spent two years.  Despite your resources, I think that I might still know them better than you." 

__________

In the skies along the border, jets took part in a delicate dance, alternately lunging forward, and dodging the occasional shot.  After earlier exchanges and losses, each side was hesitant to be the next to roar.  But when the time came, even if only a cub, the Mugabian lion did roar, and the Uwandan fox ran, whimpering from its wounds.