Report from the Royal Guard B.O.T.

August 12, 1995. It was a cold day as usual at the Gurunsheh Air Base in the Frozen North. The Tu-16 and Il-28 bombers were all neatly aligned on the tarmac, their crews resting inside on this cold day. Though the bombers were outdated compared to Equestrian hardware, they could still pack a punch by carrying nuclear bombs.

Inside the hangars were the fighters. For primary bomber escort, they often used MiG-21s and MiG-17s. They had modified them to have refuelling booms to extend their ranges.

Meanwhile, 25 B.O.T. members were outside the base loading their weapons. Using a spell, they disguised themselves as guards. They quickly discussed an action plan and moved in.

The real guards let them in, thinking they were here to guard a shipment of air-to-air missiles just flown in from Khrystehl, the capital of The Crystal Empire. The B.O.T. members spoke little as they went in, but they did ask if any of the planes were armed with Nuclear Weapons. The guards replied that they were not armed at the time.

They quickly and quietly split up and managed to rig 7 bombers with explosives. But then, a guard noticed them and shouted for others to shoot the B.O.T. operatives.

What happened next is still debated. The B.O.T. squad leader said later in an interview with Equestria News Network in 2013 that the Air Base's guards shot first and that no guards surrendered. However, The Crystal Empire said that the team shot first and that they executed a prisoner they took.

Whatever happened, 5 B.O.T. members died and they almost had to abort the mission. Luckily, they were able to secure an RPG-7 and were able to push away the guards. They then shot some guards that had turned on a transport plane and quickly climbed on board.

Luckily, one of them knew how to fly the plane. After taxiing to the runway and beginning to take off, they set off the explosives and destroyed 9 planes. Though the air base guards did manage to fire some missiles at the stolen plane, they evaded them and flew away.

The mission achieved its objective on wreaking havoc at the base, but at a high cost. It had been the first time they lost a soldier in combat since 1979, and it was tough on them. But The Crystal Empire decided to increase their suffering.

Within 3 days of the mission, the Generals in charge of The Crystal Empire ordered that pictures of the mutilated and burned bodies of the 5 fallen B.O.T. members be put on propaganda leaflets and dropped onto Equestria. Though 2 planes were shot down before they could deliver their payload, 5 payloads were delivered and caused outrage across the country.

"When Celestia was presented with one of the leaflets," said a guard, who will remain anonymous due to legal concerns. "She used a spell to rip it up and then punched a window, breaking it. She then said to us, 'This has gone far enough!'"