View source for 2007 Belkan War

{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict    = The Belkan War
| image       = [[File:2014-03-09_-_Perevalne_military_base_-_0162.JPG|280px]]
| caption     = Belkan troops securing Reittier Konigin army base
| date        = [[Invasion of Platteisen Adler and Arstotska]]<br> September 21, 2007 - November 15, 2007 <br> [[Operation Tundra Shield]] <br> December 2, 2007 - March 3, 2008<br> [[Reclamation of Arstotska]] <br> November 15, 2007 - February 7, 2009
| place= [[Plätteisen Adler]], [[Arstotska]], and [[Caledonia]]
| result      = Decisive Coalition Victory 
* Belka expelled from Platteisen Adler and Arstotska 
* Destruction of Belkan infrastructure
* Erik Winter removed from power
* Demilitarized zone established between Arstotska and Belka
| territory   = 
| combatant1  = {{flag|Belka}}
| combatant2  = {{flag|Plätteisen Adler}}<br>{{flag|Arstotska}}<br>{{flag|Caledonia}}<br>{{flag|Blackhelm Confederacy}}<br>{{flag|Berique}}<br>{{flag|Riysa}}<br>{{flag|Romberg}}
| commander1  = [[Erik Winter]] <br> TBD
| commander2  = {{flagicon|Platteissen Adler}} Bjorn Hankonssen <br> {{flagicon|Blackhelm Confederacy}} [[Lucius Blackhelm]] <br> {{flagicon|Blackhelm Confederacy}} Marcellus Greenleaf <br> {{flagicon|Blackhelm Confederacy}} Tarquinnius Silvershield <br> {{flagicon|Blackhelm Confederacy}} Marcus Redfield <br> {{flagicon|Romberg}} Aleksandra Ingersson <br> {{flagicon|Riysa}} Talal Mansour <br> {{flagicon|Berique}} Jean-Claude Benceau
| casualties1 = TBD
| casualties2 = TBD
}}

The '''2007 Belkan War''' was a conflict in Northern Lorecia waged by coaltion forces seven different nations in defense of the nations of [[Arstotska]] and [[Plätteisen Adler]]. 

==Background==
Following the end of the [[Great Astyrian War]], both [[Caledonia]] and [[Arstotska]] expanded their territories at the expense of [[Belka]]. In 1972, Caledonia released [[Platteisen Adler]] from direct control, allowing it self-rule - albeit heavily influenced by Caledonia.

In 2006, massive protests against the Adlerite government's ties to Caledonia broke out throughout Platteissen Adler, with Adlerites calling for greater independence and autonomy from Caledonian affairs. Many in the majority-Belkan southeastern part of the nation became especially engaged in protests, and a growing movement in that area began clamoring for reunification with Belka.

==Hostilities Commence==
{{main|Invasion of Platteisen Adler and Arstotska}}
===Invasion of Platteisen Adler===
On September 21, 2007, taking advantage of the growing instability in Platteissen Adler, the Belkan Armed Forces launched a massive surprise attack against the small nation, rapidly overwhelming the Adlerite army. The Belkan military was assisted heavily in this drive by Belkan nationalist 5th columnists within Platteissen Adler, who launched attacks against military checkpoints and provided information to the advancing Belkan Army.

===Invasion of Arstotska===
On the same date that Belkan forces entered into Platteissen Adler, the Belkan Army also crossed the Arstotskan border and overwhelmed the under-manned and under-equipped Arstotskan forces in the area, obliterating Arstotskan border forces at the [[Battle of Zakharivka]] before pushing steadily across the country.

Belkan troops eventually pushed beyond Arstotska's westernmost borders, eventually entering into the Terra nullius known as the Western Tundra, and established a number of bases in the area.

==Coalition Forms==
After the lightning conquests of Platteissen Adler and Arstotska, Belkan forces began threatening Caledonia. In response, the nations of Astyria came together to demand a withdrawal of Belkan forces from the occupied territories, and sent troops to preserve the integrity of the Caledonian border.
===Battle of Matvayez===
Matvayez, Caledonia, became host to the primary center of operations for coalition troops in Caledonia. As such, it became the target of a major raid by Belkan special forces. On November  13, after a heavy missile and artillery barrage meant to disrupt anti-aircraft and early warning systems, teams of Belkan special forces personnel arrived by helicopter at the base and began their attack, often tossing satchels of explosives into whatever buildings they came across.

After roughly an hour of intense combat, the Coalition forces were finally able to repulse the attackers, capturing many and sending the others into the woods around the base. This led to a multi-week search and destroy mission, as Coalition troops hunted for the saboteurs, and the Belkan special fought to make their way back to the border.

===Battle of Bastok===
In response, Coalition forces crossed the Caledonian border with Arstotska two days later, engaging and defeating Belkan troops at Bastok before pushing deeper into Belkan occupied territory.

==Platteissen Adler Front==
{{main|Operation Tundra Shield}}
Troops from the [[Blackhelm Confederacy]] and Caledonia, supported by forces from [[Romberg]], were tasked with liberating Platteissen Adler, while Riysian, Beriquois, and Rombergian forces were given the job of freeing Arstotska. On December 2, after more than two weeks of air and artillery strikes against Belkan positions, Confederate and Caledonian troops initiated [[Operation Tundra Shield]], launching a massive, coordinated all along the Caledonian-Adlerite border.

===March to the Ferdinand Rhein===
The first major obstacle for the [[Blackhelm Confederate Army]] and the Caledonian forces in Platteissen Adler was the Ferdinand Rhein - a major North-South River that effectively bi-sected the country. After pushing Belkan forces from the Caledonian border, Belkan troops sought to stabilize their lines on the eastern banks of the river.

supported heavily by Coalition air power, Confederate and Calendar soldiers forced the river under heavy fire.
===Liberation of Ironfalcon===
Having fallen back from the river, Belkan forces next sought to hold their positions in the capital of Platteissen Adler, [[Ironfalcon]]. Belkan engineers laid extensive preparations for defense within the city, as Confederate and Caledonian forces swiftly moved to cut off and besiege the Belkan defenders within.

Confederate and Caledonian forces sought to avoid full-scale urban warfare and subsequent destruction of [[Ironfalcon]], and subsequently entered onto negotiations with the Belkan government to discuss an end to the Hostilities in the area. On March 3,2008, after months of siege and combat,Confederate, Caledonian, and Belkan diplomats signed the [[Treaty of Edinburgh]], which stipulated that all Belkan forces would withdraw from [[Plätteisen Adler]], the forces within [[Ironfalcon]] would lay down their arms, and in return the Adlerite government would grant semi-autonomy to the Belkan-Alderite population living in the country's eastern areas.

==Astotska Front==
{{main|Reclamation of Arstotska}}
On the Arstotskan Front, Coalition forces needed to contend not only with the Belkan Army and their local proxies, but also with the forces of [[Holy Theocracy of Lorecia]], a radical Christian cultists organization that formed in the vacuum following the collapse of the [[Arstotskan government]], and rapidly gained territory along the Western Arstotskan border.

Beriquois, Rombergian and Riysian forces, along with remnants of the Arsotskan military, began a campaign to retake Arstotska, gradually grinding Belkan forces out of the country by early February, 2009.

During the initial invasion, Rombergian forces took what was called the "right hook" route, pushing through the Western Tundra and entering into western Arstotska, while the joint Beriquois-Riysian-Arstotskan Army pressed into Arstotska from the north.

===Hoffnung Line===
Shortly after the Belkan invasion of Arstotska, the Belkan military began constructing a series of defensive belts about 100km into Arstotska. These belts, which would become know as the [[Hoffnung Line]] after their creator, General [[Heinrich Hoffner]], consisted of layers of dense minefields, trenches, and other fortifications, and was meant to serve as the final fallback line in the event of a successful coalition counterattack.

Coalition forces, after clearing through most of Northern and Central Arstotska, were halted at the Line by determined Belkan forces. After a several month stalemate however, Coalition forces succeeded in breaking the line with a determined thrust at Vernograd.

==Belkan Coup==
With Vernograd seized by the Coalition, the Belkan High Command began searching for a way to end the war. The capture of Vernograd took a key anchor point of the Hoffnung Line out of Belkan hands, and threatened to roll up the rest of the Belkan lines.

In Belka, Eric Winter was refusing calls for peace, issuing threats of nuclear strikes and demanding that soldiers fight to the last man. Fearing the potential of a nuclear exchange and unwilling to sacrifice any more soldiers, the Belkan High Command launched a coup d'etat, removing Winter from power.

The new government subsequently reached out to the Coalition forces to make peace, signing the [[Treaty of Edinburgh]] to end the war.

==Aftermath==
The [[Treaty of Edinburgh]] led to the creation of the semi-autonomous [[Republic of Frankengeit]] in eastern [[Plätteisen Adler]]. 

In Arstotska, a demilitarized zone was set up along the Belkan border. Remnants of the [[Holy Theocracy of Lorecia]] continued to be problematic, especially in areas of [[Varddi]], where many HTL cells fled.

[[Varddi]], for its part, finally achieved international recognition as an independent state following the conflict.

Within [[Belka]], the war was seen as a national humiliation, and led to the collapse of [[Erik Winter]]'s government.
[[Category:Astyria]][[Category:Wars of Astyria]][[Category:Riysa]][[Category:Blackhelm Confederacy]][[Category:Wars involving the Blackhelm Confederacy]][[Category:Berique]][[Category:Belka]]