Hivemind Day

Liukupukki

Today, everyone in Trong is on the edge of their seats. Everyone has gathered to watch the Hivemind Day military demonstration, which begins with a grand parade through Fort Trong, and ends with a battle simulation between the Red Team and the Blue Team. This year, the participation is really high. Close to 45 000 active personnel and machines are joining the parade and the demonstration hostilities. This year, the simulation battle will have the Blue Team performing an attempt on landing to Trongian soil from the North Kaido Sea. The Red Team's goal is to prevent them from capturing any important infrastructure, and attempt to stop the Blue Team in it's aggression against against Trong, fending them off of the islands. All branches of the TDH will partake in the event, and in addition to some naval and aerial units, a significant portion of the Human Corps is assigned to the Blue team, to simulate a real world invasion, where the invader might not have the same technological advancements, and machine based military as we do.

Supreme Leader Liu Puong opened the festivities by giving a speech about the military capabilities and national spirit of Trong, before sending the parade on its way:

We live in a society. A society capable of putting our foot down, and making sure no invaders ever come and take our paradise away. This is what the Hivemind Day has always been about: About our spirit, our unity, and our capabilities. This parade, and this mock battle is a way of showing the world, that should you ever attempt something of the sorts, we will stand strong, and stand together against any and all aggressors. I will now conclude this speech, and start our activities. Trongian Defence Hivemind, Attention! ... ... ... Forward, March!

As the parade slowly marches through the Fort Trong center, onlookers on the streets, and watchers of the TV broadcasts and online streams from their homes, watch in awe at the incredible coordination and discipline of the troops. They are marching in perfect synch, and twirling their weapons around in a perfect circle, all while chanting military hymns that all Trongians could join, but most are just too amazed to be interrupting the beautiful parade marching into the sunset.

Liukupukki

The Battle Begins
The parade's final hymn had barely faded away, when the cameras switched to the northern coast, near the town of Small (小的), where the Hivemind Day demonstration battle was about to begin. Practically every home was glued to their screens, watching in anticipation, placing bets or just enjoying the show.

After an hour's wait, the blue team's force, composed mostly of the Human Corps, backed up by some aerial drones and amphibious vehicles were already pushing towards their objective: Small. Their equipment is vastly outdated compared to the red team's state of the art weapons and robots. This exercise has them at a disadvantage on purpose.

The camera drones captured as the first blue boots hit the ground. Gunfire blared at them from hidden positions, while simulated artillery rained on the blue team with inhuman precision. However the blue team prevailed. They still had great discipline and accuracy, just like the people in the other team.

Red team’s mechanized infantry swept down from the ridge towards the blue team's position. At their head were two of the Hivemind’s most advanced quadruped tanks, walking with an eerie, precise rhythm across uneven terrain. The battle was unfolding in real-time, broadcast in cinematic clarity. Drones buzzed above, catching every moment from angles fit for a propaganda reel.

And yet, the Blue Team pressed forward.

Suddenly, to everyone's surprise, a squad from the blue team managed to scale the hill where the town's lighthouse resided and raise the blue flag for a few moments. The crowd roared out of pride, the attacking team has never succeeded so well.
Soon after, red team’s air support was deployed. Precision strikes from unmanned aerial craft forced the blue team back away from the ridgeline, while sonic disruption pulses were launched to disable enemy comms. The blue team's push was stopped.

At sunset, a final Red Team charge reclaimed the central control depot, securing a textbook "victory", but not without heavy losses.