Auroran Imperial War

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Auroran Imperial War
Clockwise from top left: Norogradian S-1 Broadweaver soaring over the Staynish west coast Salovian soldier wearing protective gas mask against Ethalrian chemical attacks Riots in Sani Bursil, January 1970, as the Prime Minister unconstitutionally goes to war Destruction of Rivendale from Ketavuul Ethalrian forces in the Salovi Desert Sinking of the RES Ohmnervel off of the coast of Yikara
Date 17 January 1970 - 23 July 1975 (5 years and 188 days) Location Aurora Result Creation of the Auroran Continental Assembly End of the Oscrelian State Split of Ethalria into the Ethalrian Matriarchy and the Ethalrian Republic Independence of Norograd, Lyrevale, and Emberwood Coast from Morstaybishlia Decline of the Morstaybishlian Empire
Belligerents
Bursil Accords: Morstaybishlia Salovia Kostoria-Obertonia Valerica Emberwood Coast (from 1970)	Rivendale Pact: Ethalria Norograd Oscrelia Emberwood Coast (1970)
Commanders and leaders
Ian Crowcasa Remis Gregorisi Victor Victrovavich Alec Crownfold Chance Syng	Deloria XV Roneria IV Keit Narvga William Thornton
Casualties and losses
Military dead: Over 4,500,000 Civilian dead: Over 11,000,000 Total dead: Over 15,500,000	Military dead: Over 8,250,000 Civilian dead: Over 5,500,000 Total dead: Over 13,750,000

The Auroran Imperial War, also known as the AIW was a continental war that lasted from 1970 to 1975. It involved the vast majority of the countries of Aurora—forming two opposing military alliances: the Bursil Accords and the Rivendale Pact. The continent was in a state of total war, directly involving more than 45 million personnel from six countries, all participants threw their entire industrial, scientific and economic capabilities behind the war effort, voiding any distinction between civilian and military resources. The Auroran Imperial War was the deadliest conflict on the Auroran continent, resulting in over 29 million fatalities, with more civilian than military personnel killed. Millions of people died as a result of premeditated starvation, disease and massacres. Aircraft played a large role, particularly the strategic bombing campaigns of major conurbations such as Sani Bursil, Rivendale and Andel. The war ended shortly after the Kevatuul nuclear bombings of Rivendale, Karinthus, Glitzernd and Rorikton.

The war involved the majority of the continent of Aurora. The primary nations involved were the Morstaybishlian Empire, Norograd, the Grand Matriarchy of Ethalria, and Salovia. The war lasted from January 17, 1970 to July 23, 1975.

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Prelude

Ethal-Salovi War of 1966-67

Main article: Ethal-Salovi War of 1966-1967

On 26 November 1966, nearly a month after Remis Gregorisi was elected Chancellor of Salovia, Gregorisi conducted a swift military campaign into the Lowurt region, the only part of Ethalria that existed east of the Lenevi River. Within less than twelve hours Salovian forces had engaged state forces and captured the towns of Adaberg and Litwenz, destroying the only bridge, the Khalfbrücke, crossing the river into Ethalria.

Ethalria responded with airstrikes on nearby Salovian military targets, the first raid killing over 290 soldiers and civilians. Ethalria later targeted supply lines to nearby Salovian towns, and sent over 7,000 soldiers by landing craft which directly engaged the Salovian army. The Salovian armed forces were dug in but were ambushed by a second Ethalrian front of 4,000 soldiers from the rear that had used a two mile detour. The Salovian occupants surrendered and became POWs whilst a second wave struggled to reach them due to the bombed supply lines.

Civilians from the Ethalrian towns were evacuated across the river as the soldiers dug in and reinforced their position. Another engagement between the armed forces lasted two months from December to January, where the fronts solidified gradually. Morstaybishlia held ceasefire talks in Sani Bursil on 6 March 1967 which established a new military controlled border which did not constitute a legally recognised international boundary, but served as the de facto border.

Norogradian Revolution

The Morstaybishlian Empire’s control over the Norogradian Principality weaned as nearly four decades of ethno-nationalist conflict primarily under Prime Minister Ian Crowcasa’s administration tarnished his opinion polls. It began in the 1940s where the Jilkania Revolutionary Front, a minor Noroist secession party led attacks against politically motivated targets and the Morstaybishlian government responded with its armed forces and increased police liberties. Through the 50s and 60s, similar armed conflicts between seperatist groups and the state occurred, and anti imperialist sentiments spread throughout everyday life.

Though secret at the time, the largest underground Noroist resistance group, the Norogradian People’s Liberation Party (NPLP) led by Winston Ulysses held several meetings with representatives from Ethalria and East Cerdani which allowed them to begin smuggling arms and manufactured weapons, as well as giving them the resources needed to semi-covertly begin manufacturing their own weapon design by the end of the decade. Out of the public’s eye the NPLP accumulated a large array of handheld weaponry, gear, munitions and vehicle parts and stored these within warehouses and tradespeople businesses who were in league.

In the early hours of 31 December 1969 the Norogradian People’s Liberation Army (NPLA) bombed and immobilised major highways leading into Staynes and southern Staynes. The party rounded up non-loyal governors from each province, imprisoning or executing them. By 09:00 they had successfully secured the Morstaybishlian colonial government buildings in a coup d’etat. The Colonial defence force then entered a stage of disarray, in which pockets of forces loyal to the Morstaybishlian Empire continued fighting across the country for many days until all had either surrendered or been destroyed. It was during this time that the leader of the NPLA, Winston Ulysses, was killed by a lone wolf assassin from within the party ranks.

Kiet Narvga, the Noroist revolutionary who became Commandant of Norograd on 1 January 1970

After a lull in the fighting was reached, vice-commandant Kiet Narvga was installed as the de facto leader, quickly establishing a provisional government and armed forces. He led a small campaign which saw the remaining Morstaybishlian national guard out of the former colony, and declared that Norograd was now an independent republic. At the time Norograd encompassed all of South West Aurora, and had began the rapid establishment of concrete land defences in the Molvian Corridor and flatlands on the Valerican and southern Staynish borders.

On 1 January 1970, Morstaybishlia held an emergency meeting with its allies Salovia, Valerica and Kostoria-Obertonia; having already signed the Bursil Accords in 1968 which stated An attack on one is an attack on all, Prime Minister Ian Crowcasa declared that Narvga’s coup d’etat violated this and the nations agreed to intervene. Two days later, Kiet Narvga had flown to the Ethalrian capital and signed the Rivendale Pact alongside the host and Thorntonist Oscrelia, with intention to remove hard control of Morstaybishlia in the south and Salovia in the north.