Harrisopian-Traldonian Oil Conflict
| Harrisopian-Traldonian Oil Conflict | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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The Kingdom of Harrisopia Supported by: |
The Empire of Traldonia Supported by: | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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King Theon Jadeous of Harrisopia General James Davenport President Harper Montferrat of Alexiandra General Leon Baden | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
On 22 November 2022, a diplomatic crisis erupted between Harrisopia and Traldonia over access rights to a disputed set of oil fields. Despite a Harrisopian offer to grant Traldonia a portion of the proceeds to be obtained from harvesting the oil, the Traldonian Empire insisted that the area concerned was within its territorial waters and, as such, reserved for Traldonian exploitation. Soon, Harrisopian and Alexiandran forces began mobilising in an apparent attempt to seize the oil fields and deny them to Traldonia. The first shots of the ensuing war were fired on the morning of 24 November, with a Traldonian fleet engaging the Allied navies in and around the disputed archipelago. Both sides suffered casualties, but by the afternoon of November 25 the Traldonian fleet had been effectively neutralised.
On land, fighting did not break out until the early hours of November 26. Traldonia, having failed to win a decisive victory at sea, dispatched forces across its border with Harrisopia in a marked escalation of the conflict. Supported by Alexiandran rapid response units, Harrisopian troops managed to check the Traldonian advance on a front several hundred miles in length, with the two sides exchanging heavy air, artillery and small-arms fire.
By December 1, Allied forces had begun to push Imperial troops back from the border. The Traldonian Emperor, Louis Rien II, retaliated by ordering the execution of Harrisopian ambassador Delia Campbell, prompting international outrage and condemnations from both of the Allied nations. A marked escalation of the war ensued, with Alexiandran and Harrisopian forces pushing deep into enemy territory and seizing key strategic locations in rural Traldonia. Allied naval and air assets also commenced a wide-ranging and immensely destructive campaign of aerial strikes against military targets and critical infrastructure on the Traldonian mainland.
By early December, two more nations had entered the war: the Empire of Upper Magica, on the Allied side; and the Empire of Riomler, on the Traldonian side. On December 4, Alexiandran weapons satellites launched a kinetic bombardment against Riomler. In an apparent act of desperation aimed at destroying the orbital projectiles as they descended, Imperial authorities airbursted five nuclear warheads over Riomler, resulting in a series of electromagnetic pulses that disabled most of the nation's electronics. The radiation from these blasts is expected to kill many millions over subsequent days and weeks. In light of this catastrophe, Alexiandra demanded Riomler's unconditional surrender, which was delivered to Upper Magican authorities later that same day. As the nuclear disaster was unfolding, a Riomlerian fleet was decisively defeated off Traldonia, with thousands killed by Upper Magican and Alexiandran naval forces.
By mid-December, Allied troops had pushed hundreds of miles into Traldonia, subduing the vast majority of Imperial forces and occupying the capital city of Onasa. Targeted assassinations against key members of the Traldonian government, including Emperor Rien II and Prime Minister Julian Lester, resulted in a Traldonian surrender on December 15, 2022.
After the war, Alexiandra and Harrisopia annexed much of southern Traldonia, installing James II as the country's new Emperor. Together with Upper Magica, they also occupied Riomler, promising to assist with rebuilding operations.