Great War (Anteria)

The Great War (The World War)
Clockwise from the top: Gadori troops entrenched in central Qazhshava Nicersdahian troops retreating through a decimated forest Air raid over the trenches in Tiskaiya Lyonheimer troops during winter in Alemani One of the uses of tank warfare on the Qash front
Date 4 June 1905 - 11 November 1911 (6 years, 5 months and 7 days) Location Slavic Belt of Thuadia Kasian Peninsula of Thuadia Western Thrismari Southern Thrismari Hagalaz Ocean Result Alliance victory New Sebronia established Zhoushi Union formed Troubles in Zhousheng Krenya's isolationism Qazhshava united Reunification of Kentalis Dissolving of the Kingdom of Roumania into Moldanovica Multiple border agreements Haldenian Summer Road to the Era of Civil Wars
Belligerents
The Alliance: Gadorien Bogmia Zhengia Yellow Bands Kistolia (Brief) Tiskaiya Moldanovica Blechingia Tytherial Nicersdah Vultesia Latvia and Saaremaa San Calia Yodivenis Kentalis Bisveni Gavrilia Shimerland Kiyortza(From 1909) Hylia Neuewland Neuewland proper Colony of Prei Meas Colony of Storvan Greater Tralka North Memea Co-belligerent: Khirmania Torvon (From 1907) Hoterallia	Iron Pact: Sebric Empire Krenya Krenya proper Colony of Aleman Colony of Abjekia Colony of Étaín Dutchy Empire (After Kistolia) Velharia Fallooplesburg Roumania Yirġadas Haldenia Arcadia Torvon (Until 1907) Veritian Empire Ereska Arakovac Shadoveil Riamo Aleni Co-belligerent: Velnotia
Commanders and leaders
Aldreyksander IV. Filip Lysina (1905-1910) Igor Polacky (1910-1911) Metodin Sukhoj Inar Šot'am Dohar Galač Destalės XI. Lord Halix Haedric Dmytro VI. Emmanuel Cojoc James II Thorin Felwyn Drexa the Great (1905-1910) Rezsala Quertna (1910-1911) Vælens IV. Vukan Ferjancić Francis Mesoli Cedric Stevenson Antanasye Gišyže Fylip Lasyže Augusto Velázquez Lucero Miguell B. Coamiinos Mira Irkitzi Bořivoj Vieskovák Al-Xandar XI	Bjerk of Laosanės Valrin Kren Esteni Nėnesze Wiedmar IV. Timotei II Urdun Enverdhe Šolim Tomanas Markus Fanatom (1908-1918) Duke Anton Kolar Leo II. Venceslav Šoštariè Rafko Džafiæ Viskhazhi Axmadov Israpil Khadzhiyev Ilvin Alaakerz King Albert II
Strength
~25 million	~20 million
Casualties and losses
~9 million KIA/MIA ~6 million WIA	~11 million KIA/MIA ~5 million WIA

The Great War, also sometimes called the World War was a first (and as of now the biggest) global conflict, fought mostly in southern and eastern Thuadia and western Thrismari. It is the only conflict to be classified as a all-out world war. It was the most lethal conflict in human history and created the political climate that lead to the Era of Civil Wars.

Situation before the war

Multiple imperialist countries in central Thuadia created a so called "Iron Pact", which aimed as a cooperative offensive alliance, which hoped to strenghten its members by expanding into non-member's territory. With the historical colonial empires such as Krenya on board, but also centralised empires such as the Sebric Empire, the alliance aimed to capture multiple neighboring countries and scramble Thuadia and Thrismari and split it among themselves.

The countermovement to this military force, the so-called "Alliance" was a hesitant group of mostly pacifist democratic nations trying to counter the imperialist union. Its members were mostly smaller non-imperial countries with only defensive ambitions, with some exceptions of disunited countries (such as the Yellow Bands in Qazhshava). Some nations far away from the conflict supported the Alliance politically, but did little to aid in the fighting.

Although the Alliance was mostly non-imperialist, it de facto had multiple members which used to have a colonial empire at the time (Kentalis, Gadorien). Those countries, however, adopted more democratic principles and supported the self-determination of countries in their respective empires.

War begins

Sometimes in early May 1905, Yirgadas launched a series of provocative strikes on the YB (Yellow Bands), hoping to reunite Qazhshava under imperial government. On May 21st, about a brigade of Yirġadasan troops crossed the border into the YB and slaughtered three villages of people they deemed unworthy to live. This caused the YB to quickly mobilize and declare war on June 4th.

Krenya, hoping to get southern areas of the YB for itself, joined the war and crossed border into the YB. This action caused a domino effect, in which countries from both sides started declaring war on each other. By mid July 1905, the Sebric Empire, Yirgadas, Krenya and Velharia were at war with Gadorien, the Yellow Bands, Bogmia and Zhengia and more countries joined in.

War in central Thuadia

Qash front

the YB advance

Shortly after the war was declared, the YB forces quickly established a frontline and pushed against Yirġadasan provocations. By mid summer, they managed to push up to 300km into Yirġadasan territory and established a strong army in the region. the YB diplomats established a special Rishic-run local government in the areas originally captured during the advance, securing some legitimacy of the advance. Jigradan forces were eventually given orders to dig in and stop retreating, discontinuing the maneuver warfare. The later trench warfare battles in central Qazhshava were the most bloody front of the Thuadian campaigns.

In September 1905, Krenyan armies entered southern Qazhshava, forcing Gadori forces to establish a second front to defend their territory (the first one being shared with Bogmia against Velharia). Around the same time, multiple clashes happened in the Hagalaz Ocean between Gadori and Torvonese ships, pushing Torvonese Empire to join the war on Iron Pact's side.

Battles over inches

TBA

The final push

TBA

The Sȝreener Plan

Krenyan leader gave order on the strategic advance into bordering Tiskai territories, hoping to take bordering areas and establish bridgeheads in a possible future advance into the YB. This advance was not approved by the Tiskai government and local forces were swiftly given orders to act, forcing Jigradan to divert resources from the central front to establish a secondary front in Tiskaiya. At that time, the Dutchy Empire joined the conflict and send its forces to the Tiskai front, which despite the implementation of the trench warfare was slowly moving deeper into Tiskai territory.

Mountain combat

Airplane of a Tiskai fighter Yurij Viktorovych Kyrychenko, also known as the "Green Baron"

TBA

Tiskaiya on counteroffensive

TBA

Velharian front

Velharian advance

The Kingdom of Velharia hoped to take control of more territory and hopefully reclaim former eastern border lost after the Second Western Imperial War with the Empire of Three Kings in late 18th century as well to take up Gadorien into its sphere of influence as the result of the war.

The Velharian monarchy quickly joined the war and opened multiple advances into Bogmian and Gadori territories, expecting Krenya to send a stronger support later that year. This help, however, never arrived, as Krenyan colonies were attacked and the unexpected war in Tiskaiya drained the Krenyan army potential. Quickly, in the jungles of southern Gadorien as well as in multiple river mudlands of the western parts of the New Bogmian March became a deadly trap to the unprepared and underequiped Velharian forces.

Jungle wars

TBA

War in Velharia

TBA

Požanovan Fronts

Situation before the war

When the Great War began, all four of the Požanovanian nations vowed to stay neutral in the conflict as per agreement to the Tulcurea accords which ended the second Požanovac split, but this did not stop the nations from picking sides. Ereska particularly expressed support of Krenya in their invasion of Tiskaiya, much to the dismay of Bisveni. The situation on Požanovac remained tense, with it often being used by both Alliance and Iron pact nations as a supply station. All of this changed when a Bogmian ship, en-route to the Bisveni capital of Cače, was destroyed by the Ereskan Navy, which accumulated in a series of events that caused both Bisveni and Ereska to pick different sides, Ereska joined the Iron pact, while Bisveni joined the alliance. On November 10th, 1905, Ereska launched a series of attacks against the Bisveni border, quickly seizing most of the border crossings and a single town on the border. The Bisveni army declared an emergency and Premier Antanasye Gišyže was given a martial term. Slowly but surely, Bisveni defences held the line against Ereska, and two weeks into the war, progress was all but halted.

First months

In the first weeks of the Bisveni-Ereskan conflict, both Kentalis and Arakovac declared their support of different sides, but both did not get directly involved yet. However, during the 1905-06 new year’s ceremony in Polácica, Kentalis, Bisveni Premier Gišyže was shot during the celebrations, killing him. The attack caused a wave of superstition across Kentalian society, many suspected that Ereska was responsible for the attack, something which was proven to be true later into the war. The Kentalian Parliament, in January, voted in favour of joining the alliance, and a subsequent referendum proved that the majority of the Kentalian population was too. February 2 1906 marked the official date of Kentalian membership of the alliance and on February 3th it joined the war against Ereska. Ereskan defences on the Kentalian border were severely understaffed as a consequence of the war with Bisveni, resulting in the defensive line collapsing on the 7th, four days after Kentalis joined the war. Kentalian advance was quick but was eventually halted at the West bank of the Torug river, which was flooded in order to create a defensive line. Arakovac officially joined the war in March, as it was expected that Kentalis would not stop with Ereska. Arakovacan soldiers quickly filled gaps in Ereskan lines, and slowly pushed into Kentalis from the North. All of the Požanovanian nations were once again at war.

Kentalian Soldier near the Torug defensive line

Kistolian revolution

The revolt started on May 21st 1905, when Jon Ka, along with his entire unit (Small-Class National Guard Unit), were killed Janen Square, by extremists. The cause for the abrupt start to the revolution is unknown, but many historians assume that Esteni Nėnesze, an extremist, had a persuasive tone, and convinced many people to join his cause.

The war raged on throughout Kistolia, buildings burned down, towns blown up. Some Kistolians even stormed prisons, attacking guards and setting prisoners free. Most notably Eskele Netrisi, who was an arsonist, was released, and wreaked havoc on cities.

This went on until June 19th 1905, when Kistolian Generals ordered a surrender, as Kistolian troops were leaing the country to fight in The Great War. Shortly after that, the Dutchy Empire was established, and people who were let out of prison were taken back. Along woth that The Dutchy Empire had a short economical crisis due to the war, but it was handled well by officials, and the Dutchy Empire joined the Iron Pact.

War in Thrismari

The Southern Front

Kingdom of Blechingia, hoping to take advantage of Krenya being at war in Thuadia attempted to take the Krenyan colony of Aleman and crossed the Blechingian-Krenyan (Aleman) border in December 1905. The quick advance from the first week of the war eventually went to a halt when Lyonheimer, former Krenyan colony and a country with strong ties to Krenya, went to the front to defend Krenyan interest in the region.

Following an unsuccessful defense of Aleman in 1905, Lyonheimer knew that tensions were extremely high. The Krenyan Duke, Valrin Kren, wanted Aleman, a region in Blechingia, desperately as it was a strategic goldmine. Kren had a meeting with King Stephen Orban of Krenyan-Lyonheimer, in December 1905, to discuss tactics on how to take Aleman. Both decided that, for the best chance of victory, they were to join the Iron Pact powers. Krenya and Krenyan-Lyonheimer joined the Iron Pact in December and Blechingia saw this as a threat, joining the Alliance around the same time. Vilhjálmur II of Blechingia knew that, however they have new allies, they are still extremely outnumbered. Vilhjalmur sent a telegram to Tytherial from Malmo, the closest Alliance member, requesting for support in inevitable upcoming attack. Thorin Felwyn of Tytherial agreed and Tytherial were entered into the unrest.

Krenyan snipers in the Lubbenau Mountains, c.1906

January 13th 1906, both sides began to dig trenches in the Lübbenau Mountains, taking only 2 months to complete, that went from the Bay of Asta to the Medovia border in the north. Around March 1906, the fighting began. Men that hadn’t already declared for their nations started to and people flocked to join as they saw it as an adventure. When they arrived in March, it wasn’t long until they realised this was not going to be the case. Due to the location of the trenches, extreme snowy weather was around most of the year. Not only this, but the mountains also made it hard to shoot the opposition in certain areas. Soldiers often died of hypothermia if they were not given coats. The conditions in both trenches were bad, people having mere rations to feast on a day. Snipers became a problem for both sides, with notable marksman József Puskas killing as many as 430 on his own and becoming one of the most renowned soldiers of the wartime efforts.

At the beginning of the war, Krenyan-Lyonheimer and Krenya were on-top, more firepower, more men and better technology. The problem was that the morale was getting low with the Krenyan side. Orban insisted they stay patriotic, and it would be over by next year. Many realised the brutality and harshness of the war at this point too. Both sides received food and supplies by either the Alliance or Iron Pact, it sometimes was not enough to feed all of the soldiers.

The first year did not have too much advancement, mostly stalemates as neither side could advance too far either direction. However, on the 20th of April 1907, a huge advance was made, due to extreme amounts of bombing from aircraft, Blechingia and Tytherial were forced to move back past the River Andoma, where Krenyan-Lyonheimer and Krenya followed. Both met at River Andoma on the 22nd of April 1907 and the Battle of Andoma began. The battle involved large amounts of casualties on both sides, being fought without trenches and in open conflict around the river. One of the largest and most brutal battles of the entire Great War, the Battle of Andoma was won by the Alliance after 6 months of brutal skirmish, ending on the 18th of October 1907.

Two Blechingian Soilders standing in a water felled trench near the River Andoma, c.1907

Following the large and unexpected defeat at the Battle of Andoma, the best Krenyan commanders and leaders met in Judapest to discuss the best way to continue. They had come across the idea of distracting the Alliance along the north, meaning less defended in the south allowing an attack on Malmo, the Blechingian capital city.

It was also around this time that the largest naval battle of the Southern Front occurred in the Battle of Asta where both the Alliance and the Iron Pact decided to try out the new destroyer-class vessels for the first time. However, due to the cost of the boats neither wanted them to get damaged. When the two met in the Bay of Asta three ships were sunk and two others badly damaged. This put off both sides, as this was a costly and useless way of combat, and so that was the final major naval battle of the Southern Front

The plan worked, as the Alliance headed north, the Iron Pact made a huge push through the southern defence and storming into the city of Malmo. The Battle of Malmo began on the 31st December 1907, in which the Krenyan-Lyonheimerish and Krenyan soldiers roamed the streets and took the city while the Alliance had little time to respond. The invasion of Aleman seemed to be successful, as Aleman was handed to Krenya upon surrender on the 3rd of January 1908.

Krenya and Krenyan-Lyonheimer thought this the end, thinking Blechingia and Tytherial would just give up, but they did not. In January 1908, using Tytherials large arrangement of armed battlements, artillery, tanks, vehicles etc, they launched a counter offensive from the capital city of Blechiniga at the time, Goteborg. The Alliance army arrived in Malmo on the 1st February 1908 and caught the Iron Pact off-guard, and starting the Second Battle of Malmo. During the conflict, homes and businesses were levelled, with the central parts of the city being almost destroyed. After two months of bombarding artillery and bomber planes, from both sides, the Alliance cause Iron Pact to flee out the city, for the risk of too much loss of life and material. They retreated back and began trench digging once again, and so did the Alliance.

Trench warfare began again, and the soldiers began to realise how little had been accomplished during the war, the bad conditions and the loss of friends had began to ware down Krenyan forces mentalities. Not only this, but PTSD also (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) began to become a commonality among soldiers that had been exposed to long-term effects of war. However, on the other side of the battlefield, the Alliance were confident and full of energy after winning the Second Battle of Malmo.

Although it looked bad, Valrin Kren had one of the ideas that would change the tide of the war, he proposed a plan to Stephen III to begin the usage of chemical weapons, mustard gas and city bombing. The plan was to start using mustard gas to catch Blechingia and Tytherial off-guard. The second stage of the plan was common civilian bombing to slow down the morale of the nation and stop people from signing up for the army.

Blechingian soldier wearing gas mask c. 1908

They started this in June 1908, bombarding cities and killing soldiers with chemical weapons. Weekly pushes ‘over the top’ from each side also occurred and the war looked like a competition again. The Iron Pact had the advantage in the air however due to Tytherial, the Alliance had the advantage on the ground.

Krenya knew this, so together with Krenyan-Lyonheimer, began sinking Tytherial’s ships in the Ice Sea, stopping the transport of tanks and reinforcements to Blechingia. Tytherial met this with firepower at sea, in the naval battle of Litcaerwofter, in August 1908, which ended in Iron Pact victory.

However, in the trenches, on the 16th of October 1908 every Alliance Soldier started a push towards the Pact trenches, surprising them with a rapid attack that worked, pushing the Krenyan-Lyonheimer Empire back into their own lands, past the Lübbenau Mountains. Eventually, pushing them all the way back to Judapest, where the Krenyans and Krenyan-Lyonheimer Empire surrendered. 01/01/09

The war was over on the Southern Front, however no sanctions were handed out until the end of the war in 1911, where Krenya were fined heavily and Krenyan-Lyonheimer was annexed and turned into Lyonheimer upon signing of the declaration by Stephen III.

War in the east

The eastern front of the war started as Riamo invaded Gavrilia. This came as part of a wider plan which the Riamese government had started by staged several false flag border incidents as a pretext to initiate the invasion. Years later, several witnesses and supporters of the government would eventually confess having contributed to creating a sense of cross-border partnership towards the empire as to provide an effective base for several (specially maritime) border disputes to be brought up by the Riamese authorities to the international stage.

Riamo planned to seize most of Nostrian lands in both Astariax and Olivacia to create a large defensive perimeter stretching to the Unhak islands. The Riamese would then be free to exploit the resources of the region while exhausting the over-stretched Alliance by fighting a defensive war. To prevent Vultesian intervention while securing the perimeter, it was further planned to neutralise the Umidan Nostrian Fleet and the Umidan-controlled military presence in the central Nostrian Sea from the outset. On 7 December XXXX, Riamo attacked Gavrilian and Umidan holdings with near-simultaneous offensives against the Nostrian and the western Astariax regions. These included an attack on the Gavrilian fleets at the Unhak Islands at Santa Cruz and Aurora, as well as coastal presence in Puerto Princesa and the Black River delta, and Umidan Possitions in the Nostrian Island, New Olchester and the southernmost important port areas of the country.

The Vultesian Empire responded with an ultimatum to Riamo to cease military operations, and on 3 XX, after the ultimatum was ignored, Gavrilia and Vultesia declared war on Riamo. They would be followed by other countries as the war continued. While the alliance provided no direct military support to Gavrilia, the pact would be followed by a mutual cooperation alliance, which also began a naval blockade of Riamo. This blockade never materialized as both fleets had been rendered useless by the Riamese initial efforts, but it would soon lead to an open use of submarine warfare against the attackers, which aimed to damage the country's economy and the war effort. Riamo responded by ordering large scale mine-placing operations warfare against Allied merchant and warships, which would later escalate into the Battle of the Nostrian.