View source for War of The Thousand Flowers

{{Region icon Sparkalia}}
{{WIP}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = War of The Thousand Flowers<br><small>Meikakuna Michi Campaign</small>
| partof       = [[Shinkei#History|Project Shinkei]]
| image             = {{multiple image|border=infobox|perrow=1/2/2|total_width=400
|image1=0440_教育訓練等_47.jpg
|alt1=
|image2=24.6.18 AH-64D掩護下でヘリボン降着・離脱（教育支援飛行隊・林3曹）AvnSch-HY-2（へリボン降着） 装備 65.jpg
|alt2=
|image3=25.06.14 ４４ｉ・自衛官候補生課程・２５ｋｍ行進訓練0843 教育訓練等 5.jpg
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|image4=USMC-110216-M-TF790L-036.jpg
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|image5=23_03_083_富士総合火力演習・そうかえん_95.jpg
|alt5=}}Clockwise from top: {{flatlist|
* Nihonjin {{wp|Type 90 tank|Type 91 "Tora" Main Battle Tanks}} patrolling the southern portion of Jūmin-ryōiki Island
* 3rd Nihonjin Expedition Regiment marching on the outskirt of Mount Hardeen
* Nihonjin {{wp|M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System|Type 11 Launch Rocket System}} firing rounds during the Seige of Poppyville
* A Nihonjin soldier of the 1st Nihonjin Expedition Army standing near a {{wp|Mitsubishi Type 89 IFV|Type 12 "Raimei" IFV}} firing rounds on the enemies
* Nihonjin airborne units next to a Nihonjin Air Force's {{wp|Boeing AH-64 Apache|H-60}}, near Seamon City
}}
| date              = {{ubl|{{start and end dates|1545|1|11|1547|3|12|df=yes}}
| ({{Age in years and days|11 January 1545|12 March 1547|sep=and}})}}
| place             = [[Jūmin-ryōiki Island]]
| result            = {{ubl|Nihonjin forces and allies victory}}
* Treaty of The Ten Kingdoms
* Shinkei Declaration
| territory         = 
* All ten kingdoms on Jūmin-ryōiki Island ceded to the Nihonjin forces
* Establishment of the Federation of The Ten Kingdoms as a Nihonjin puppet/client state
| combatant1        = {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} '''Nihonjin Expedition Army'''
{{collapsible list
| bullets =on
|title = Expeditionary forces
| titlestyle = background:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-align:left;
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} Nihonjin Expeditionary Ground Force
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} Nihonjin Expeditionary Navy
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} Nihonjin Expeditionary Air Force
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} Nihonjin Expeditionary Special Force
}}
----
{{flagicon|Shinkei|Leiden}} '''Leiden'''
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Leiden}} Leiden Royal Army
{{flagicon|Shinkei|Derzekai}} '''Derzekai''' (After August 1546)
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Derzekai}} Grand Derzekai Army
| combatant2        = '''{{flagicon|Shinkei|TFC}} Thousand Flowers Coalition''':
{{collapsible list
| bullets =on
|title = Coalition's members
| titlestyle = background:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-align:left;
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Drussel}} '''Drussel'''
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Rafusie}} '''Rafusie'''
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Algunia}} '''Algunia'''
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Libe}} '''Libe'''
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Colionate}} '''Colionate'''
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nazura}} '''Nazura'''
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Dodokai}} '''Dodokai'''
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Dragonica Legium}} '''Dragonica Legium'''
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Derzekai}} '''Derzekai''' (Before August 1546)
}}
----
'''{{flagicon|Shinkei|TFC}} Thousand Flowers Armies''':
{{collapsible list
| bullets =on
|title = Ten Kingdoms' forces
| titlestyle = background:transparent;font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;text-align:left;
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Drussel}} Royal Drusselian Army
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Rafusie}} Rafusian Civil Army
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Algunia}} Royal Algunian Army
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Libe}} Royal Army of Libe Kingdom
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Colionate}} Colionate Protection Army
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nazura}} Nazura Royal Army
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Dodokai}} Great Dodokai Army
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Dragonica Legium}} Dragonica Imperial Army
| {{flagicon|Shinkei|Derzekai}} Grand Derzekai Army
}}
| commander1        = * {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} General '''Susumu Katō'''
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} Lt General '''Akira Tsuchiya'''
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} Admiral '''Kazuyoshi Tanaka'''
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} Vice Admiral '''Yūji Tamura'''
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} General '''Takashi Ri'''
----
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Leiden}} King '''Vaz Bartolomeu'''
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Leiden}} '''Alaric Bushe'''
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|Derzekai}} Prince '''Kestrel Bartone'''
| commander2        = * {{flagicon|Shinkei|TFC}} {{wp|President-in-office|PiO}} '''Cyneheard Beckette'''{{Surrendered}}
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|TFC}} Commander '''Walter Gerstg'''{{KIA}}
* {{flagicon|Shinkei|TFC}} Lord '''Gaufrid Duran'''{{Surrendered}}
----
* 8 monarchs and over 20 dukes{{Surrendered}}
| strength1         = * '''Nihonjin Expedition Army''': 53,050
* '''Leiden Royal Army''': 103,000
* '''''Late'' Grand Derzekai Army''': 71,500
| strength2         = * '''Thousand Flowers Coalition forces''': ~450,000<br><small>(Most of the force are from Drussel, Rafusie and Dragonica Legium's armies)
| casualties1       =  {{flagicon|Shinkei|Nihon}} '''Nihonjin forces'''
*365 killed, 1,213 wounded
*3 {{wp|patrol boat}}s sunk
*5 {{wp|frigate}}s damaged
*3 {{wp|destroyer}}s damaged
*2 {{wp|submarine}}s damaged
{{flagicon|Shinkei|Leiden}} '''Leidenian forces'''
*6,192 killed, 11,906 wounded
*12 combat ships sunk
*43 warships of all kind damaged
{{flagicon|Shinkei|Derzekai}} '''Derzekian forces'''
*2,431 killed, 4,017 wounded
*26 warships of all kind sunk/damaged
| casualties2       = {{flagicon|Shinkei|TFC}}
*87,000–90,000 killed and wounded
*Over 120,000 captured
*20+ forts captured
*Over thousands of muskets, melee weapons and magical pieces captured
*99–109+ warships and combat ships captured or destroyed
}}

The '''War of The Thousand Flowers''' ({{wp|Japanese language|Nihongo}}: 千の花戦争, {{wp|German language|Liedish}}: ''Krieg der Tausend Blumen''), also known as '''Meikakuna Michi Campaign''' (Nihongo: 明確な道運動, Liedish: ''Klarer-Weg-Kampagne''), was a military conflict between the Nihonjin Expedition Army and the Thousand Flowers Coalition. When the Nihonjin first occupied the village of Masaqui, the nine kingdoms on Liedtsch Island (modern-day Jūmin-ryōiki Island) formed the Thousand Flowers Coalition, temporarily ending the rivalry between the kingdoms to focus on the Nihonjin threats. The Nihonjin {{wp|combined arms}} approach and significantly more modern technologies, alongside the Kingdom of Leiden's help in intel and information, the Nihonjin began the war with the newly established coalition.

The Nihonjin began militarizing the Kingdom of Leiden when it became a puppet of the Nihonjin after a series of debt-ridden treaties. The Nihonjin sent over futuristic weapons to fortify Nihonjin territories, compared to the magical properties and medieval weapons of the natives of Liedtsch Island. Both sides took heavy measures against each other's moves to assert influence. The Nihonjin began executing the first phase of the Meikakuna Michi Campaign after news broke out of the Coalition mobilization.

The war was the result of the Nihonjin policies of expansions for Project Shinkei and Operation Zenshō to expand its influence politically and militarily to secure territories for military usage, scientific research, and a planned observation site dedicated to the social changes of Sparkalia. In November of 1544, Leiden went under military occupation by the Nihonjin forces shortly after the monarch of Leiden signed a treaty that gave the Nihonjin full control over the kingdom; many historians cite this event as the beginning of the war. Months after the occupation, the Nihonjin and Coalition started to skirmish in small, localized engagements, so-called "incidents".

Shortly after a raid launched by the Rafusian Civil Army on the Nihonjin forces on the outskirt of Leiden, the Nihonjin forces undertook {{wp|Rapid dominance|rapid dominace}} operations and {{wp|Maneuver warfare|maneuver warfare}} against the coalition forces. The Nihonjin forces scored major victories in the first few months of the war, capturing Drussel in March of 1545 and pushing back a coalition-led offensive in July of the same year. In November 1545, the Nihonjin forces launched a large-scale winter offensive, reaching deep within the island's center. During the same time, the Seige of Poppyville against the Kingdom of Algunia began, Mount Hardeen was captured by the Nihonjin forces, and the Strategic Hamlet Operation started. 

The Strategic Hamlet Operation greatly combated the loyalist insurgencies by pacifying the occupied territories and reducing the influence of the enemies among the defenseless population. The Nihonjin forces would continue a series of offensive operations throughout 1546. The year saw the side-switching of Derzekai and its Gran Derzekai Army, the fall of Poppyville, the beginning of {{wp|Air supremacy|air dominace}} and {{wp|Air assault|airborne forces deployment}} from the Nihonjin Air Force, and the start of a series of Nihonjin forces' {{wp|Long-range reconnaissance patrol|infiltrations in the East side of the island}}.

By December 1546, the Coalition was severely weakened. The only leading force still able to fight was the Dragonica Imperial Army and the low morale armies of Libe, Nazura, and Dodokai. By February 1547, Libe and Nazura surrendered to the Nihonjin forces, the commander of the Coalition, Walter Gerstg, was killed, and the Nihonjin Expeditionary Navy began a naval blockade of Dragonica Legium. Emperor Balasar Fenkenkabradon was forced to surrender when the Nihonjin navy began bombarding Dragonica Legium port cities and when the Nihonjin began using hybrid weapons.

The war ended with an overwhelming victory for the Nihonjin forces, its allies, and puppets. The victory was marked by a full-scale military occupation of Liedtsch Island and the signing of the Treaty of The Ten Kingdoms. After the treaty was signed, the Shinkei Declaration was released. The Shinkei Declaration formed the modern [[Shinkei|Organization of Shinkei]] and the Federation of Ten Kingdoms.

The war was one of the few military conflicts fought on Jūmin-ryōiki Island during the Era of Blemish, the other two being the [[1575 Rafusian coup]] and the ongoing [[Military occupation of Dragonica Legium|military occupation of Dragonica Legium]].

== Background ==

Before the arrival of the Nihonjin, the ten kingdoms on the Jūmin-ryōiki Island were in constant conflicts over lands and power, but everything came to a halt when the Kingdom of Leiden, one of the two human kingdoms on the island, came under the control of the Nihonjin forces. A coalition between the Empire of Dragonica Legium, the Kingdom of Rafusie, and the Holy Order of Drussel was formed to counterbalance the upcoming power of the Nihonjin. Despite the Coalition, the Nihonjin forces militarized the Kingdom of Leiden with advanced weaponry, as well as delivering troops of the Nihonjin Expeditionary Army onto the island.

The Coalition was then expanded to the five other kingdoms before the Grand Kingdom of Derzekai officially joined to proclaim the Thousand Flowers Coalition. The Coalition was the only time that the nine kingdoms were able to set their rivalry aside to face a much stronger force. In November 1544, the Kingdom of Leiden officially became a colony of the Nihonjin forces after the Treaty of Vonderburg. Leiden, unable to repay their debt from all of their weapons and modern equipment purchases, was forced to lease more land, expand the colony of Masaqui and give the Nihonjin forces full control of the kingdom's military. 

The sudden treaty caused a massive outcry from native Leidish and other natives in other kingdoms, prompting the Thousand Flowers Coalition to mobilize their armies near the border of Leiden to prevent the Nihonjin from advancing further into the island. The mobilization of the Coalition's armies angered the Nihonjin forces and was also opposed by the Grand Kingdom of Derzekai. In response, the Nihonjin began fortifying and militarizing Leiden with futuristic weapons at their disposal. The Kingdom of Leiden's military then went through multiple chains of command before the Leiden Royal Army's General of the Army was replaced by marshal Hayao Kinugasa of the Nihonjin Expeditionary Army.

[[File:25.05.27_１７ｉ・訓練様子_歩哨練度判定_装備_46.jpg|200px|thumb|left|The 11th Ground Control and Warning Group of the NEA with {{wp|Howa Type 64|Type 64 rifles}}]]
As soon as Hayao was put in charge of the LRA, he ordered a full mobilization on the borders of Leiden, with around 23,000 personnel from the Nihonjin Expedition Army and 59,000 troops from Leiden Royal Army spreading across the border. The Nihonjin Expeditionary Air Force and Navy were also mobilized. The Air Force was given direct orders from General Takashi Ri to oversee the operation of air dominance over the island. Meanwhile, the Navy was given directions by Admiral Kazuyoshi Tanaka, a Nihonjin veteran back in the homeworld.

The mobilization was organized into a bigger campaign, codenamed as "Clear Road Campaign" (Meikakuna Michi Campaign), and began operation when a small group of Dragonican soldiers attacked a small western command of the Leiden Royal Army, sparking the "Rosettia Incident". The Rosettia Incident was followed by other countless small skirmishes, often won by the Nihonjin-supplied Liedish forces.

The war officially started on the 11 of January 1545, when a platoon of the Rafusian Civil Army, led by officer Gorwin Nerineiros, launched an offensive in one of Nihonjin's main battle commands, resulting in the Battle of Koania. Despite having the larger manpower, the platoon was decimated by the firepower of the Nihonjin forces, in the process, killing the first major military official of the Coalition. The Coalition leaders were shocked at the death of Gorwin, resulting in the official declaration of war against the Nihonjin forces and Leiden.

== Nihonjin offensives ==

As the declaration of war was announced, General Susumu Katō granted the Ground Force, Navy, and Air Force orders to employ immediate {{wp|Shock and awe|shock and awe}} attacks on the Coalition's forces using the technologically-advanced mechanized forces. Over 400 tanks, 1,200 armored vehicles, and a handful of aircraft were deployed onto the proposed battlefield. With heavy fortification already in place, the Leiden Royal Army was able to safely counter attacks from the Coalition's forces without the support of the main Nihonjin forces.

The NEA was split into three main army groups, the Western Command, the Northwestern Command, and the Northern Command. The three groups have their separate infantry, armored and airborne divisions that worked intertwined with each other during operations. The decision to split up the commands was crucial due to the Nihonjin planned tactics of {{wp|Defeat in detail|divide and conquer}} and the effective {{wp|Maneuver warfare|maneuver warfare}} strategy that the Nihonjin forces were similar with.

=== Conquest of Drussel ===

The Holy Order of Drussel was situated between Leiden and the Grand Kingdom of Derzekai, the Holy Order was an exclave and {{wp|Military order (religious society)|military order}} formed by {{wp|Sundering_of_the_Elves#Light_and_Dark_Elves|high elves}} of the island. The Holy Order was the oldest military order to exist on the island, active to keep the belief system of {{wp|Dökkálfar_and_Ljósálfar|The Light of Order}} in place, the main religion system on the island. The Holy Order and the Light of Order had spread propaganda regarding the Nihonjin, portraying them as "banished monsters from another realm". The propaganda proved to be effective among the populace, resulting in massive outcry and heavy resistance from the allied Leiden's citizens and occupied settlers.

The Nihonjin forces believed that once the Holy Order is captured, the religion's decision makers would fall into the hands of the forces. Due to the small size of the army defending the Order, the Western Command was instructed to only decimate the army while avoiding collateral damage. To proceed with the needed operation, the Ground Force sent the 1st and the 4th Platoon of the Special Forces Group to face the Order.

Both the 1st and the 4th Platoon of the Special Forces Groups specialized in {{wp|urban warfare}}, making the two the best operators for the attack on Drussel. The two platoons were given a handful of {{wp|Komatsu LAV|LAVs}} and {{wp|Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle|Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicles}} to carry out the attacks. The Western Command also permitted the usage of {{wp|Chemical warfare|chemical weapons}}, specifically {{wp|Blood agent|blood agents}} that were developed back in the homeworld.

The {{wp|knights}} and titled {{wp|Paladin|paladins}} that protect the Light of Order were experts at close combat fighting but when compared to the Nihonjin forces, they were extremely inferior. The knights' and paladins' armors are heavy, making movement for them almost improbable. Their vision and stamina are weakened by their helmet as well. Other factors also add up to their almost inability to counter ranged weapons from the Nihonjin forces.

[[File:教育訓練等_287.jpg|250px|thumb|left|A squad of the 1st Platoon navigating the countryside of Drussel after their MFF]]
On the 26th of February, the 1st Platoon was {{wp|Military Free-Fall – MFF|parachuted}} into Drussel in the cover of darkness and thick forest. The 4th Platoon soon followed on the morning of the 27th with military vehicles. The 1st Platoon was able to establish a temporary communication line with the 4th Platoon in the captured village of Hanau. Within hours of the operation, the Nihonjin forces pushed the Leidish-Drusselian border back tens of kilometers.

Undefended villages were rushed by the platoons and then occupied by troops of the Western Commands, as planned by the Ground Force for a swift victory. Several areas were protected by knights but the knights that were outside the capital city were less experienced, resulting in overwhelming victories for the platoons. The usage of blood agents proved to be effective against the defending army Royal Drusselian Army's knights. The knights' armor made the wearers lack proper ventilation, helping the agents easily kill them.

Within weeks of fighting and constant invasions made by the Western Command, the Holy Order was reduced to a few cities and its capital city of Norsiden. The Nihonjin forces wanted to minimize damage made to infrastructure, civilians, and religious figures. The Order exploited the tactics by moving all of their yet-to-be-captured civilians and religious figures to big cities where important institutes and infrastructures to avoid confrontations with the Nihonjin forces, thus stalling time for reinforcement from the Coalition.

[[File:教育訓練等_247.jpg|270px|thumb|right|A soldier of the 4th Platoon operating a {{wp|Carl Gustaf 8.4 cm recoilless rifle|Howa 84RR}} near the border of Drussel]]
But the plan did not go well when the 4th Platoon began a series of victories through their experiences with urban fighting. Cities after cities were "liberated" by the Nihonjin forces. Civilian casualties were almost non-existent, infrastructures were all left intact, and all of the Drusselian knights and paladins were captured while the Platoon suffered no major casualties. The capital of Norsiden was captured on the 15th of March, just 17 days after the start of the invasion, after an intense battle with the main force of Drussel.  Over the course of the conquest, a total of 1,200 knights and paladins were killed and around 3,000 more were captured, unlike the Nihonjin forces, suffering only 3 death and around 50 injured troops.

The Holy Order of Drussel was then reorganized into the Free Territories of Drussel (自由領土ドルッセル, Freie Territorien von Drussel), controlled mainly by autocratic elves that accepted the terms proposed by the Nihonjin forces. Shortly after the reorganization, the Light of Order began to propagandize the religious populace into having a favorable view of the Nihonjins, which somewhat proved to be effective. Drussel would be a "Free Territories" until the signing of the Treaty of The Ten Kingdoms, which finally returned the former territories into the Order, with many modifications. Drusselian elves were also forbidden from participating in political and military service without the acceptance of the Nihonjin forces, rendering the knights and paladins useless until the end of the war.

==External links==

{{Template:Sparkalia}}
[[Category:Shinkei]]
[[Category:Sparkalia]]