Anglo-Lysian War (1715-1718)
| Anglo-Lysian War | |||||||
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 Battles during the War | |||||||
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| Strength | |||||||
| 250,000 (total mobilized) | 350,000 (total mobilized) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 150,000 dead | 120,000 dead | ||||||
The Anglo-Lysian War (1715-1718) is a conflict opposing the Anglian Empire and the Kingdom of Lysia on the continents of Europa and Aurelia. This conflict, from which the Anglian Empire emerged victorious, had important consequences on the balance of Europan powers. In Aurelia, it almost entirely wipes out the Lysian colony. In Europa, the Anglian Empire now asserts itself as the new power on the continent. The beginning of the war is traditionally dated July 14, 1715, the day of the attack on Matignon by Anglian armies, but clashes had already taken place in Aurelia.
Summary
The government of Louis VIII had long been concerned about the designs of Great Anglia on the colonial domain of Lysia: Lysian Louvier in Aurelia and Lysian Columbia in Argis. The subjects of disagreement between Lysia and the Anglian Empire are numerous in Aurelia :
- Competition in the fur trade to the detriment of honoring treaties with the various native tribes
- The fishing area off Bezanciennes, full of fish, where fishing rights are disputed by everyone
- Anglian sought to expand Anglian Azuria into territory claimed by the Lysian in Aurelia
Hostilities started in Aurelia when an Anglian force ambushed a small Lysian force at the Battle of Rocheville on 14 March 1715. The conflict exploded across the colonial boundaries and extended to Anglian's seizure of hundreds of Lysian merchant ships at sea.
The war ended with the Treaty of Godstone in 1718. It ended the conflict both in Europa and in Aurelia. The war was successful for Great Anglia, which gained the half of Lysian Louvier in Aurelia, and superiority over the Lysian trading outposts in the wurld. The Native tribes were excluded from the settlement. A subsequent conflict, known as Binsion's War, which was a small scale war between the indigenous tribe known as the Binsion and the Anglian.
Major battles
| Battle | Anglian numbers | Lysian numbers | Anglian casualties | Lysian casualties | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matignon | 54,000 | 34,000 | 14,000 | 6,500 | Anglian victory |
| Villebleau | 62,000 | 59,000 | 14,300 | 13,600 | Lysian victory |
| Saint-Cloux | 24,000 | 44,000 | 12,733 | 5,100 | Anglian victory |
| Bergeron | 36,000 | 23,000 | 3,200 | 1,200 | Lysian victory |
| Lyrie | 25,000 | 55,000 | 4,520 | 5,250 | Lysian victory |
| Taren | 7,000 | 3,000 | 541 | 1,200 | Anglian victory |
| Lyrie | 28,000 | 60,000 | 7,150 | 10,857 | Lysian victory |
| Lesson | 36,000 | 65,000 | 6,259 | 12,000 | Anglian victory |
| Playmouth | 22,000 | 50,000 | 11,800 | 8,200 | Lysian victory |
| Caster | 26,000 | 34,000 | 9,390 | 11,529 | Indecisive |
| Beau Rocher | 9,000 | 3,000 | 810 | 3,000 | Anglian victory |
| Sainte Vierge | 7,400 | 3,000 | 1,000 | 1,495 | Anglian victory |
| Hampshire | 39,000 | 28,000 | 9,097 | 10,590 | Anglian victory |
| Battle | Anglian-native numbers | Lysian-native numbers | Anglian-native casualties | Lysian-native casualties | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocheville | 30 | 21 | 3 | 10 | Anglian-allied Victory |
| Fort Edward | 2,372 | 8,344 | 2,372 | 8,344 | Lysian-allied Victory |
| Fort Grelot | 14,367 | 7,200 | 3,600 | 377 | Lysian-allied Victory |
| Besanciennes | 9,500 | 5,600 | 524 | 5,600 | Anglian victory |
| Fort Heritier | 3,200 | 1,786 | 100 | 486 | Anglian-allied victory |
| Nouvelle-Lyrie | 20,400 | 15,000 | 1,200 | 7,600 | Anglian victory |
| Rougeport | 5,000 | 12,000 | 440 | 60 | Lysian victory |
| Silvat | 4,828 | 4,500 | 664 | 644 | Anglian victory |
| Sainte-Mère | 3,866 | 6,900 | 1,088 | 833 | Lysian victory |
| Rorsoix | 6,000 | 7,000 | 30 | 700 | Anglian victory |
Background
In Aurelia
The boundary between Anglian and Lysian possessions in Aurelia was largely undefined in the 1710s. In the early 1710s the Lysian began constructing a chain of forts in to assert their claim and shield the Native population from increasing Anglian influence.
The Anglian settlers along the coast were upset that Lysian troops would now be close to the western borders of their colonies. They felt the Lysian would encourage their tribal allies to attack them, like they did during the Four Year's War.
The most important Lysian fort planned was intended to occupy a position west of Silvat. Peaceful Anglian attempts to halt this fort construction were unsuccessful, and the Lysian proceeded to build the fort they named Fort Grelot. Anglian colonial militia and small number of native warriors were then sent to drive them out. They ambushed a small Lysian force at Rocheville on 14 March 171,5 killing eleven. These was the first engagement of what would become the global conflict.
The Anglian also harassed Lysian shipping beginning in August 1715, seizing hundreds of ships and capturing thousands of merchant seamen while the two nations were nominally at peace. Incensed, Lysia prepared to attack mainland Anglia.
In Europa
Events in Aurelia had strongly alerted the Lysian king, who quickly dispatched troops to the border with Great Anglia. And despite negotiation maneuvers between the two kingdoms, it was clear that each had an interest in weakening the other in a future war.
After exchanges of fire on the border, King Edward IV summoned the King of Lysia to cede Taren, a strategic city, and his possessions in Aurelia. Obviously, the refusal was not long in coming and the two kingdoms officially declared war on August 28, 1715.
Strategies
The Anglian had tended to avoid large-scale commitments of troops on the continent.In marked contrast to Lysia, Anglia strove to prosecute the war actively in the colonies, taking full advantage of its naval power. The Anglian pursued a dual strategy—naval blockade and bombardment of enemy ports, and rapid movement of troops by sea. They harassed enemy shipping and attacked enemy colonies.
Europa
Edward IV, had a grand vision for the war that made it entirely different from previous wars with Lysia. He committed Anglia to a grand strategy of seizing the entire Lysian Kingdom, especially its possessions in Aurelia. Anglia's main weapon was the Royal Navy, which could control the seas and bring as many invasion troops as were needed. He also planned to use colonial forces from Anglian Azuria, working under the command of Anglian regulars, to invade Lysian Louvier.
1715
In September 1715, Anglian troops crossed the border with the Kingdom of Lysia and came face to face with a Lysian army, sent there by General Gaston de Button. The battle took place on the outskirts of the border village of Matignon. The numerical superiority of the Anglian troops brought victory, not without heavy losses, over the Lysians. The Lysian troops retreated after losing 6,500 men.
After receiving reinforcements, the Anglian army rushed into Lysian land with the aim of taking Lyrie. But the enemy armies met again south of Villebleau. A great battle ensued, in which both armies showed courage and audacity. The death of General James Copper on the battlefield gradually led the Anglian troops to retreat, thus bringing the Lysian troops to the first victory of this conflict.
The Lysian staff took advantage of the retreat of the Anglian armies to pursue them to the border. On 2 December 1715 Gaston de Button attacked the Anglian armies near Saint-Cloux. Despite the numerical superiority of the Lysians, the Anglian armies defeated Gaston de Button's forces at the Battle of Saint-Cloux. The Lysian armies retreated as winter approached and led the Anglian forces to reinforce near Matignon.
1716
The spring of 1716, led the two armies to be able to confront each other again. The Anglian forces had been able to strengthen and had been placed under the tutelage of General George Walder. Walder knew that the Lysian forces would concentrate mainly on Taren, as King Edward IV had publicly confessed to wanting the city under the Anglian banner. So he brought his troops north, with the goal of seizing Lyrie. He was ambushed by the forces of Jean V de Beaujolais near Bergeron. The guns hit hard the Anglian army on the march and Walder had to make a detour to avoid De Beaujolais. His troops arrived in front of Lyrie in March 1716, and he undertook to lay siege to the city, which was severely well defended. The siege lasted from 5 March to 13 April 1716 and resulted in the retreat of the Anglian forces.
On 20 April 1716, the Royal Navy attacked the city of Taren with an amphibious assault. After an initial Anglian attack was repulsed, a second attempt forced a beachhead. A second landing was made, and after a six-week siege the island's main citadel at Le Palais was stormed, consolidating Anglian control of the city. A Lysian relief effort was unable to succeed. The Anglian occupied the city for two years before returning it in 1718 following the Treaty of Godtsone.
On June 17, 1716, Walder relaid siege to Lyrie, determined to remain until the fall of the city. Several attempts failed, despite many breakthroughs. The losses were very heavy for the Lysian defenders, who still held out against the Anglian assaults. Walder, humiliated, lifted the siege of the city one last time in August 1716. In the words of the Anglian officer Hugues Belly, present during the siege: "Walder had found stronger than him: the city of Lyrie taunted him again as he left the scene."
Nothing else was undertaken by both sides during this year, each remaining on his positions and strengthening them.
1717
King Louis VIII of Lysia knew that the Anglians had to be driven out of Matignon and beaten on their own turf and hope to win this conflict. The strategic city of Taren could not be liberated, the Lysian fleet being too weak and fragile to dare to face the Anglian armada. He prepared with the help of his generals a great counterattack that would dislodge the Anglians from Matignon and allow the royal troops to penetrate the soil of the enemy kingdom.
In February 1717, two Lysian armies were sent to the outskirts of Matignon to dislodge the enemy troops. But an Anglian scout spotted one of the two armies and warned the Anglian General Thomas Jeffrey. He advanced his troops near the village of Lesson and waited for the Lysian army. Following the battle of Lesson, the Lysian army, taken by surprise on the outskirts of the village, was defeated and lost many men, forcing the troops to retreat. This was the second battle of the war, in which Lysia lost the most men in battle.
The defeat of the Battle of Lesson, ironically cleared the passage of the Anglian army and allowed the Lysian General Pierre-Joseph de Soumise to penetrate Anglian land. The army attacked Anglian troops stationed at Playmouth, which had been sent by the king. The fight was tough but De Soumise's bravery allowed the Lysian troops to win their first, and only, victory on Anglian soil. This forced, the armies of General Jeffrey to retreat towards Anglian soil and leave Matignon.
After the victory, Pierre-Joseph de Soumise followed confused orders, spending the rest of the year occupying unimportant villages and surveying the east of Great Anglia. He lost valuable time and allowed the Anglian armies to strengthen themselves to counterattack.
1718
On 14 March 1718, two Anglian armies, under the command of Thomas Jeffrey and Walder, attacked De Soumise on the English border village of Caster. De Soumise expected this attack and bombarded approaching Anglian positions. A cannonball killed General Thomas Jeffrey at the time of the cannonade. His men launched a great assault to avenge their General and pierced De Soumise's left flank. Walder took the opportunity to attack the center of De Soumise, ensued a melee that ended with the capture of the Lysian flag. The Lysian troops, in panic, dispersed without knowing that the Anglian troops were retreating at the same time, having suffered many losses. After the battle, it was discovered that General De Soumise was killed during the melee. The retreat of the two armie led to an indesicive result, although Anglian historians today agree that the retreat of De Soumise's troops towards the Lysian frontier and the capture of the Lysian flag sound like an Anglian victory.
From May 1718, the Anglian fleet led a series of naval expeditions to capture several islands off the northern coast of Lysia. On 20 May, the fleet captured the island of Beau Rocher off the northern coast of Lysia. On June 12 it is the island of Sainte-Vierge which is captured, the Lysian fleet being too weak to counterattack, the islands were occupied until the end of the war.
General Lysian Gaston de Button, understanding that the end of the war was approaching, launched a counter-attack on Matignon which caused the Anglian troops to retreat to the outskirts of the town of Hampshire. On August 10, the battle began and lasted all day. The deadly confrontation finally saw the Anglians victorious and the retreat of Gaston de Button. Matignon was, however, no longer occupied until the end of the war. This battle was the last of this war on the continent.
Aurelia
During the war, the Mochacks were allied with the Anglians. The Binsions, the Vekita and the Alaminse were allied with the Lysians. In 1715, the Lysians captured Fort Edward from the Anglians. The latter victory was marred when Lysian's native allies broke the terms of capitulation and attacked the retreating Anglian column, which was under Lysian guard, slaughtering and scalping soldiers and taking captive many men, women and children while the Lysian refused to protect their captives. That years, the Lysian successfully repelled an Anglian army attack on Fort Grelot. It was a stunning victory, as the Lysian were heavily outnumbered and embarassed the Anglian military staff.
Anglian General William Aldish focus on the colonies for the 1716 campaign paid off with the taking of Besanciennes. All of Anglian's campaigns against Lysian Louvier succeeded in 1717. Fort Heritier fell to the Anglian troops on 8 July 1717, cutting off Lysian frontier forts further west.
Starting in June 1718, the Anglians under General Aaron Grant set up camp across the St.Louis River near New Lyrie, enabling them to commence 3-month siege that ensued. The Lysian under the Marquis d'Abadie anticipated an Anglian assault to the east of Nouvelle-Lyrie. On 21 July the Anglian attacked with 4,000 soldiers but the Lysian positioned high up on the cliffs forced the Anglian forces to withdraw. While Grant planned a second offensive, Anglian rangers raided Lysian settlements along the St.Louis, destroying food supplies, ammunition and other goods.
On 15 August 1718, General Grant led 5,000 troops up apath, 1 mile west of Nouvelle-Lyrie. He had positioned his army between Abadie's forces an hour's march to the east and Légny's regiments to the west. Instead of waiting for a coordinated attack with Légny, Abadie attacked immediately. When his 3,500 troops advanced, their lines became scattered in a disorderly formation. Many Lysian soldiers fired before they were within range of striking the Anglian. Grant organised his troops in two lines. They were ordered to load their muskets with two bullets to obtain maximum power and hold their fire. When Abadie's army was within range of the Anglian, their volley was powerful and nearly all bullets hit their targets, devastating the Lysian ranks. The Lysian fled in a state of utter confusion while they were pursued by Anglian forces. General Grant was mortally wounded in the chest early in the battle so the command fell to Leighton Wood. The Marquis d'Abadie was also severely wounded later in the battle and died the following day. The remaining Lysian forces retreated to Saint-Philippe. Leighwood did not march on St.Philippe, the capture of the fortified and symbolic city of New Lyria was more than enough to humiliate Lysia.
Despite the fall of the city of New Lyria, the fighting continued. General Compère launched an assault on the city of Silvat in March 1718 but had to retreat to Rougeport in the face of Anglian troops. Rougeport was besieged and Compère capitulated in early October. Leighwood attempted to capture the town of Sainte-Mère but was defeated by Lysian troops. This victory gave the Lysians hope in vain for a recapture of New Lyria, but nothing was undertaken. Worse, the coastal town of Rorsoix was taken by Leighwood shortly after the failure of Sainte-Mère. While the Lysians were preparing a counterattack in the autumn of 1718 and the Anglians were considering a possible capture of St. Philip, the Treaty of Godstone ended the conflict.
Outcome
The Anglo-Lysian hostilities were ended in 1718 by the Treaty of Godstone, which involved a complex series of land exchanges, the most important being Lysia's cession to Great Anglia of the eastern part of Lysian Louvier. Anglia returned to Lysia the islands that had been captured in Europa. Lysia's defeat caused the Lysians to embark upon major military reforms, with particular attention being paid to the artillery. The Anglian government was close to bankruptcy and now faced the delicate task of pacifying its new Lysian-Louvian subjects as well as the many Aurelian Indian tribes who had supported Lysia. In 1719, Binsion's War broke out as a group of Indian tribes rebelled against Anglian rule. The Indians had long-established congenial and friendly relations with the Lysian fur traders, and the Anglian fur traders who had replaced the Lysian had engaged in business practices that enraged the Indians, who complained about being cheated when they sold their furs. Moreover, the Indians feared that with the coming of Anglian rule it might lead to white settlers displacing them off their land.
