The Liberation of Equestria

CNN:
"The number of casualties continues to rise as more than seventy thousand have been killed in the initial hours of the Centaur invasion…”

Fox News:
“The Department of Homeland Security has ordered a mandatory evacuation for all civilians that are within a seventy-mile radius from downtown Houston. Anyone in this area are in immediate danger. Bring only one suitcase or backpack per family member. Be aware of your surroundings. Be safe.”

Pentagon Press Conference:
“Defensive lines have been setup in Huntsville, Bryan, Beaumont, Columbus, and El Campo to help protect civilians leaving the city and to prevent the Centaurs from advancing further out. All civilian and military personnel that are trapped behind enemy lines are advised to immediately make their way to these defensive positions.”

CBS NEWS AGENCY:
"Congress and the United Nations Security Council has been called into an emergency session to discuss the invasion. NATO member states are mobilizing their armies to help the United States in its hour of need. China has also mobilized its military forces to help the United States."
* * *
Fighter squadrons of F-15s, F-18 Super Hornets, F-22s, and F-35s from bases all across the United States are conducting scouting missions, searching for Air Force bases and airports around Texas that haven't already fallen into Centaur control. Forty air divisions are tasked with various roles such as air superiority, air strikes against enemy command and control centers, and close air support for friendly forces on the ground.

The 1st, 3rd, 10th Mountain, and 36th Infantry Divisions are sent to help counter-attack the advancing Centaurs. The 82nd,101st, and 173rd Airborne divisions are sent along with the 75th Ranger Regiment. 1st Armored and the 1st Cavalry Divisions are deployed from their bases in Texas. Apache attack helicopters were deployed as well, though the Centaurs flying battleships made it too risky to fly them.

Even with the mass deployment of US forces, the Centaurs continued to pour in more reinforcements of tanks, artillery, armored vehicles, and two more flying battleships. The battleships each contained aircraft capable of strafing ground forces and provide air superiority across the battlefield. Tomahawk cruise missiles, launched from destroyers in the Gulf of Mexico, have been shot down before they could impact the battleships. The Centaurs rifles shoot 20mm rounds, but only have a effective range of one hundred meters.
* * *
The air threat from the centaurs was a major concern. Human aircraft have the advantage of long-range attacks, thanks to missile advances over the century, allowing pilots to destroy enemy aircraft miles away. Long range radar, intense training, loyalty from every pilot, and superior equipment also play a important role. However, this advantage isn't enough against the formations of centaur aircraft, which look like steampunk versions of the MiG-21. Despite looking far outdated, the centaur's version is equally matched to what humanity has to offer. The centaur’s aircraft aren’t equipped with heat seeking missiles, but are equipped with two rocket pods under the wings and a 30mm Gatling gun in the nose of the aircraft.

Central Command orders a massive aerial assault on the Centaurs flying battleship. Squadrons of F-18s, F-22s and F-35s are sent to attack the battleship. Spearheading the attack is Lightning Squadron, one of the best F-18 fighter squadrons in the United States Air Force with over two hundred and forty confirmed ground kills and fifty aerial kills in the First and Second Iraq War.

***

"Lightning 4-2, radar contact – closing fast." Lightning 4-6 says over the radio.

“Here we go.”

“Tally two.”

“No IFF tone back.”

Within seconds, 20mm rounds stream towards the aircraft.

“MOTHERFUCKERS!” shouts Lightening 4-2.

“Bandits, Bandits! Engage. Break left, break left.” Says 4-6 giving chase to a centaur aircraft.

“Lightening 4-2, they’re splitting. I’m engaging. Pushing the one to the left.”

“I got the one on the right.” Replies Lightning 4-2 while breaking hard right to give chase to the bogey.

“2-1-2, Lightening 4-2. Confirmed bandits V-ID on two. Engaging at angles six.”

“Lightening 4-2, copy.” Replies command.

“Bogey dumping flares.” says 4-2, watching the aircraft dump flares. The centaur plane suddenly slows down and drops behind 4-2.

“Fuck! He’s bled his speed- He’s on my six.”

“Shit! Incoming mils!” said 4-2 as the centaur plane fires a burst from his main cannon, several rounds impact the F-18.

“Hold on! Dumping speed!” He drops his speed and manages to get behind the bogey.

“Switching to Heat-seekers.” Lightning 4-2 says while switching to missiles on his control panel. He manages to lock onto the plane and fires a Sidewinder.

“4-2, fox two.”

The missile streaks towards its prey and makes impact and destroys the bogey.

“Good hit, Good Kill. Splash one.” Says 4-2.

"That is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." A pilot says over the radio.

"I wouldn't get too comfy. We still have bogies to take down." Says another pilots.

Immediately, two more centaur fighters moved into attack position, firing their guns at the human jets, knocking five of them out of the sky.

"Break formation! Engage all bandits!" Lightning 4-2 ordered to every aircraft. Soon the largest dogfight in human history commenced

***
As the largest dogfight in human history rages overhead, ground forces begin setting up defensive fortifications that span several miles in either direction. The Centaur Onslaught managed to push back US forces from the cities of San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Texarkana, Shreveport, Lake Charles, and Corpus Christi. Satellite images show that the main force of the centaur army was moving towards the town of Fredericksburg, just outside San Antonio. Top military officials decided that this is where they should prepare their strongest defense, mainly due to the open ground and high hills which provide excellent spotting and firing positions for the defenders.

All infantry, airborne, and armored divisions that were sent to help reinforce the front, entrenched themselves all along the line. They all hoped that they could stop the advancing army or at least slow them down until NATO and Allied Forces would arrive to help the United States in its hour of need.

Sgt. Ramirez, along with his brother Rangers, exchanges their M4s and M16A4s for the the heavy hitting Scar-H, which chambers a 7.62x51mm NATO round. There are two versions that are issued to the Rangers. One is the Grenadier version, which is equipped with EOtech Holographic Sight, a EGLM 40MM grenade launcher, and a AN-PEQ. The other is the marksmens variant, which is equipped with a 4x32 ACOG Sight, a vertical foregrip, and AN-PEQ.

Grenadier Scar-H

Marksmen Scar-H

Browning M2 machine guns are placed in inter-locking fields of fire since the .50 BMG round were more than enough able to stop the Centaur infantry. 200 M1A2 Abrams tanks and 100 Strykers, LAVs, and Bradleys entrenched themselves in hull down firing positions in order to be a smaller target against the Centaur tanks. These tanks are armed with an estimated 150mm main cannon and two 15mm guns; one on top of the turret, the other within the turret. Even with all these preparations, the threat of the flying battleships still posed a significant threat to the defensive line.

***
Looking through his binoculars, safely away from the battlefield, the commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, Colonel Marcus Evans, noticed a massive amount of movement in front of the line. Dialing in, he bare witnessed to 30 Centaur tanks with thousands of infantry in support moving towards the line.

“God help us all…” Evans whispers to himself. “Radio the CP, tell them we have made contact with the main enemy force at Defensive grid Alpha Whiskey 1-9-7,” Evans told the radio operator.

“Yes sir!” the radio operator replied.

“And alert the front that they are about to have contact,” Evans added, returning to starring at the battle.

***
All across the front, everyone readied their rifles and machine guns and aimed at the advancing infantry. The Abrams tanks began firing at the hostile tanks, destroying fifty percent of them. Still, the Centaurs kept coming.

“Standby to engage!” A Ranger yelled. Ramirez and his brothers-in-arms waited for the order to unleash their fury.

“Sir, they’re getting to close!” A Ranger panicked.

“Wait for them to get in range,” said another Ranger.

Ramirez switched his rifle from safe to semi-auto and grips it tight as he waits for the order to engage.

“They're in range!” yelled a Ranger with a MK14.

“ALL UNITS, ENGAGE, ENGAGE, ENGAGE!” A Ranger ordered.

Immediately, thousands of bullets started flying towards their targets. Centaurs that were leading the advance were hit immediately. The bullets pierced their armor, ripping apart their bodies. Only two survived, but they were put down by snipers.

“Check your weapons! That was only the first wave!” A Ranger ordered. Ramirez released his empty magazine and placed in a full one.

“These fuckers don't know what their dealing with,” Ramirez said.

“Hooah, Sergeant,” PVT. Preston said, “we’ll push them back.”

“Your damn right we will,” Ramirez replied.

“Think we will survive all this?” Preston asked.

“I don't know,” Ramirez answered, “just don't hesitate and do your job.”

“SECOND WAVE INBOUND! FIVE HUNDRED METERS!” A sniper yelled.

“How many!?!” Ramirez yelled to the sniper.

“Couple hundred, mayb…” But the sniper was interrupted when something massive blocked out the sun.

***

"Dagger four break right." Lightning one said. But didn't help, as the F-15 bursted into flames, violently spinning towards the ground. For the U.S Air Force, they only lost forty out of one hundred aircraft, while the centaurs lost ten times more than the U.S, mostly because of long range missiles. Still, hundreds of centaur aircraft still fly the skies.
Looking out the Portside, lightning one noticed something large coming out of the clouds, a centaur battleship.
"All aircraft," lightning one said, using all military frequencies, "Centaur battleship is approaching, I say again, Centaur battleship is approaching."
Immediately, all aircrafts started to fly back, not wanting to risk getting shot down. A few F-15 began to fly towards the flying battleship, moving into an strafing run, only to be hit with AA fire, knocking them out of the sky. The large gun on the lower part of the battleship started pointing downwards, preparing to rain down artillery shells at the defenders.
* * *
"All ground forces fall back, I repeat get the hell out of there!" order CENTCOM to all U.S forces. U.S forces that were intrenched hours ago were now retreating. Incoming artillery fire from the battleship tore apart its victims, including destroying Abram tanks, only leaving metal husks, with the entire tank crews burned alive. Retreating soldiers shot while running away, hoping to kill the incoming centaurs. Some tanks got a few shots out, aimed at the flying-battleship, but didn't do anything.
Ramirez and his detachment provided suppressing fire for his section of the line. Cpl. Thompson was killed during the first rounds fired from the centaurs battleship, leaving no trace of him.. The withdrawal of the defensive line was completed within twenty minutes, but fifty percent of the the defenders were killed, twenty percent of the survivors were injured. Now the centaurs had control of the the majority of the Southern United States.
* * *
NATO troops arrived a day later, though it wouldn't be enough as the casualties are at the hundreds of thousands, as they torched entire towns. The United States isn't the only country to be affected by the invasion, the world economy is growing weaker every day. The United Nations has put up resolutions to help the US, but not many countries are pledging to help, and the ones who have are not sending help fast enough.