UPDATE 15 792 AF
The Peaceful South
With most of the continent having erupted into war there are precious few peaceful areas left. In Cironelle the armed forces are trained just in case, but the primary focus is on interaction with the neighbouring tribes and expansion. Many join outright with the Cironese whilst others leave their tribes to seek a better life in Cironelle.
In Ironal things continue much as they have this past decade. Ties with Tirpi get closer and closer as the cultural expansion continues. The government still resists, but more and more of the population is beginning to see the Ironalian point of view and has started imitating their southern neighbour. Some preachers from Cironelle has arrived and started trying to find followers. So far they have been remarkably successful though the followers of the Tribunal Temple remain sceptical. Converts have come mainly from the southern tribes where the old lore was still strong.
The River War
The balance of power shift again in the west as Th'Lex-Zamrezei signs peace with Calador in exchange for a good chunk of land. To seal the pact the Royal Princess of Calador has married the oldest son of the Khan despite some grumbles over being forced to wed an uncouth barbarian. Following close on this deal a group of ThLex troops were ready to depart for Calador to assist them in their war but as the payment for these troops failed to arrive they were held back.
This is a serious setback for the people of Imperia as Calador has suddenly managed to free up a flank. Dashtakan troops are still present in Imperia in large numbers to help their allies, but even that could prove to be too little now that Calador can again focus on a single flank.
The first move comes from Calador as their resupplied navy tightens its grip on the lake and forms a solid blockade against Dashtakan ships. Avoiding confrontation the Dashtakans keep their fleet back knowing it will be of little use against the superior Caladonians. With no more ships coming to Imperia and trade now having to come over land the situation severely weakens the Imperian economy (-Imperia Eco-centre). For Dashtaka this is also serious, although they still have trading partners elsewhere. Even so it did have some impact on the nations as the western markets closed to them (-1 economy).
Worried about this, but deciding to deal with one enemy at a time the Imperians gather what forces they have left and focus on the Mearl. Having come under attack from Siberia the Mearl have weakened their positions in Imperia. As a result the two forces are roughly even, but with the addition of Dashtakan troops the Mearl finds themselves outnumbered roughly 2-1. With a restless population resisting them they pull their forces back and focus on holding the city they have. As the allied troops close in on the city they begin a siege. Fearing the loss of troops from an outright attack the Dashtakan commander decides to starve it out rather than commit to a full scale-assault. After a few months the situation started getting desperate in the city and one night a famished citizen managed to escape and reach the camp telling of horrid conditions. Sympathic, but unable to do much about it, the commanders listened and then fed the brave soul. A fortnight later the attack finally came. Noticing buildings on fire and general chaos in the city the troops attacked. The Mearl occupiers found themselves fighting on two fronts as they had to both hold the walls and keep a rioting city under control. Eventually the battle was won for the allies, but at a heavy cost. Not so much in the number of troops lost, but in civilian lives as more than half the population of the city had died. More worrying perhaps, is the outbreak of disease in the devastated ruins
Mearlekrol: -8000 infantry (trained). Imperia: -2000 infantry (well trained). Dashtaka: -4000 infantry (trained).
Meanwhile, in Calador, the king ordered the conscription of as many males as possibly without completely crippling the nation raising a further 50,000 troops for the militia. This had quite an impact on the economy as farms started lying untended, businesses lost workers and fishermen were given a sword rather than a spear (-1 economy, -1 confidence). With the tides of war seeming to be turning and no hostile troops in Calador itself this was an unpopular decision though the people went along with it.
The troops were mainly put in place to guard against incursions and then the king gathered up all the troops he had available and prepared for a daring raid. Due to the control of the seas he knew that the Mearl forces were under siege and that most, if not all, of the Imperian forces were present there. Exploiting this he sent his troops south toward Gregengrad
As the enemy force landed in Imperia they found the city virtually empty of troops apart from a small garrison. Making the possibly most daring move in the history of war, the cavalry disembarked outside the city and started burning all they came across and killing the population. The main force of infantry sailed straight into the harbour and disembarked in the docks. Some vicious fighting erupted as the garrison tried to repel them, but they were too few and too poorly trained to offer much resistance. The Shockers at the Palace fought valiantly, but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy numbers. Before nightfall the city was in the hands of the Caladonians.
Alan Richards tried to escape the devastation but was caught and is now a prisoner of the Caladonians. Having achieved their goal the victorious troops lit the city and then pulled out as the flames hungrily devoured what used to be the Imperian capital. What the Imperians will do now with the capital ransacked and their leader captured remains to be seen.
Calador: -2000 infantry. Gregengrad virtually destroyed. Imperia: -2 confidence
The Eastern Mess
In the East the situation is more than confused. Siberia is at war with Mearlekrol. Then Syldavia declared on Siberia and in the middle of everything both the Tribunal and Higoria went to war with Syldavia.
Knowing the Syldavians were coming the Siberians redeployed a good deal of their troops and then settled in to wait for the Syldavian attack. Against the Mearl they did same though no attack ever came as the Mearl were busy elsewhere and expecting an attack themselves.
As the Syldavians then crosses into Siberia the defending troops were caught completely off guard. Not by the attack, but due to the fact that so few troops came. Initially they believed it to be a clever trick, but as nothing happened and the scouts reported all was quiet on the flanks, the Siberians launched an attack on the Syldavian forces and completely routed them in a series of battles ending with a push into Syldavia itself.
The attack was initially halted as the Syldavians had troops in reserve beyond the border, but as the Tribunal then joined the action there the defenders were overwhelmed and scattered. With the loss of almost the entire army there was nothing the Syldavians could do to halt the approaching armies, though local militia did their best.
Making matters even worse, Higoria then attacked sensing weakness to their south. Launching an attack with overwhelming force the northern guards could do nothing to halt the advance of Higorian forces.
Siberia: -8000 infantry, Tribunal: -6000 infantry, Syldavia: -13000 infantry, +20000 militia. Higoria: -3000 infantry.
War and Peace in the North
Having fought war after war the manpower in Ibe is reaching a dangerously low level. Threatened on several sides now by enemies with a higher strength the situation is indeed desperate for the Ibeians. The Capital is under siege and with a dwindling population and no time, it is getting harder and harder to replace the losses. In the west the Pithali have taken a large portion of land and in the north Tiestan troops have pushed the Ibeians back out of the Toran Federation. Angry at the thought of defeat the Ibeian king makes a decision that could make or break his nation by arming as many people as can be found. In the end the problem is more a lack of weapons than a lack of manpower, but the intense recruitment is catastrophic to the economy as fields go untended etc etc.
As Tiestan forces cross the border the Ibeians meet them in battle. The two forces are roughly evenly matched with the Tiestans having a slight numerical advantage, but the Ibeian commanders being better trained and knowing the land. As neither side wants to give any ground the result is a series of battles severely weakening both sides. The Tiestans make some progress, but at a horrible cost. Even so, they can afford it whereas the Ibeians cant readily replenish their forces.
At Isis the siege continues unbroken. In the south, however, a massive concentration of Pithali troops push forward overwhelming the Ibeians and take a key city through surprise, ruthlessness and strength in numbers. The situation is dire for Ibe, but are they ready to call for peace yet?
Pithal: -8000 infantry. Tiesto: -12000 infantry, -1000 cavalry. Ibe: -13000 infantry, -500 cavalry, -2000 Aterians, -7000 Militia.
Random Events:
Calador: Volunteers join the army as the king delivers speech after speech (+3000 infantry)
Imperia: In Imperia respect grew for their leader after he remained in Gregengrad during the siege
Though that attitude later backfired (+1 confidence)
Tribunal: Declaring a Holy War the Tribunals get flooded with recruits eager to help the causa (+3000 infantry)
Diplo:
To: Ibe
From: Pithal
Surrender now and we can have peace. As compensation for your ruthless attack you must, however, cede to us the southern province of Pania.
Right, sorry about the delay and the low quality this time. Things are really hectic. Next deadline is in a week and is a normal IT. I hope we can go to a BT after that, but well have to wait and see.
