Siege of New Atlieum

Siege of New Atlieum
Part of Aquitaynian War of Independence
File:Battle of New Atlieum.jpg Minor skirmish just outside of New Atlieum
Date 1735 - 1736 Location New Atlieum, Aswick Result Aswickan Victory
Belligerents
Aswick	Empire of Exponent
Strength
4000 - 15000	6000 - 12000
Casualties and losses
Aprox. 350 killed or wounded Aprox. 50 captured	Aprox. 1000 killed or wounded 45 captured 5000 - 11000 evacuated

The Siege of New Atlieum was the opening phase of the Aquitaynian War of Independence in Aswick. Aswickan militiamen prevented the movement by land of the Exponential Army garrisoned in what was then the peninsular city of New Atlieum. Both sides had to deal with resource supply and personnel issues over the course of the siege. Exponental resupply and reinforcement activities were limited to sea access. After eleven months of the siege, the Exponentials abandoned New Atlieum by sailing to an island more southern than Aswick.

The siege began in April. The Aswickan government formed the Aswickan Army from the militia, as well as from reichists that deserted from the Exponential Army, with Stonebridge as its Commander in Chief. In June, the Exponentials seized Satterfield and Alden's Hills, but their casualties were heavy and their gains were insufficient to break the Aswickan Army's hold on land access to New Atlieum. Military actions during the remainder of the siege were limited to occasional raids, minor skirmishes, and sniper fire.

In November, Stonebridge sent his younger brother, Joshua Stonebridge , to bring to New Atlieum the heavy artillery that had been captured at a hastily abandoned Exponential fort. In a technically complex and demanding operation, the young Stonebridge brought many cannons to the New Atlieum area by January the following year. In March, these artillery fortified Wonder Heights (which overlooked New Atlieum and its harbor), thereby threatening the Exponential supply lifeline. The Exponential commander Lucius Vetus saw the Exponential position as indefensible and withdrew the Exponential forces in New Atlieum to the Exponential stronghold at an island in the south of Aswick, on March 17 (celebrated today as Evacuation Day).