- "One of the most bloody and devastating war that took place in the history of the nationsverse. Ironically had it never occurred the UPEO or at least the idea that created the UPEO would've never been fully realized. Perhaps, while wars bring death and destruction, they are sometimes necessary."
- ―Associate Professor Lucy Prawonto, introductory speech during a lecture about the history of the Great War at the UPEO National University.
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The Great War was a global conflict that took place on Oberon between 2240 BNE and 2142 BNE. With most of Oberon's governments involved, this was the single most largest armed conflict that took place in the history of Oberon. More than 50 million soldiers were mobilized during the duration of the conflict. The war also brought about a state of 'total war' to the parties involved. Using not only conventional weapons but also 'Weapons of Mass Destruction' namely nuclear weapons by both warring factions, the war nearly caused the near-extinction of the human race on Oberon. The official death toll of the war was more than 2 billion people dead.
The exact date of the beginning of the war has been largely accepted as the time when the Kosovik Union under the lead of the Far-Eastern Empire launched an invasion against the Rand Protectorate. Caught off-guard by the Kosovik forces, within three weeks, nearly all of the Rand Protectorate had fallen. The Kosoviks then proceeded to invade deeper into the continent of Calderis. Many countries fell and were absorbed into the Kosovik Union. It was not until the Pan Anea Coalition, utilizing its vast resources were the Allied Forces able to launch successful counter-attacks against the Kosoviks.
The climax of this conflict took place in 2169 BNE. The Allied Forces eventually succeded in liberating Calderis and the Kosoviks had been driven back to their home continent; Tangera. Despite of this though the Kosovik's remained determined to fight and were digging in for the inevitable invasion of Tangera.
In 0713 hours of January 4th 2169 BNE, a mutiny within the Kosovik armed forces took place, the very same day when the ISAF launched their invasion of Tangera. Opting for mutual destruction, the rebel Kosovik's seized control of V1 silo's and launched their entire ordnance of V1 nuclear warheads towards the ISAF. The ISAF responded as well by launching their Mk.1 nuclear warheads towards the Kosovik's. The V1's launched by the Kosovik's struck first but the Mk.1s used by the Allies had much more sophisticated targeting computers allowing the Allies to inflict more damage than the Kosovik's. In any case more than 2 billion lives were lost during the whole nuclear exchange which lasted for only less than 10 minutes.
After this deadly exchange fighting ceased although no official cease fire had been issued. Both sides had to tend to their own. It was not later when the Flood took place did both factions pledged to throw down their weapons and agree to an armistice.
Background[]
In 2814 BNE the Grea
The exponential increase in the demand of energy, primarily coal, was a by-product of the GLF.
t Leap Forward radically altered the course of human history on Oberon. The technoligical advancements that were obtained brought about many economic, technological and consequently military changes. A part of the technological advancement brought by the Great Leap Forward, new weapons, machines etc were introduced into most nations militaries. The development of coal-powered vehicles and factories began to cause harm to the environment. The case at Tangera were particularly severe as they had to sustain a large population which placed more pressure on Tanger's ecosystem.
By 2466 BNE the environmental degradation on Tangera was so severe to the extent that less than 3% of its land remained fertile and capable of supporting large plant life. This brought about a large famine as most of the land was infertile causing civil unrest due to the lack of basic consumer goods such as food and water. The countries of North and South Anea sent in humanitarian to the governments of Tangera aid but their aid were seized by extremist groups who took advantage of the oppportunity and used the unrest to gain support. The first government to be toppled was the Caledonian Republic, the extremist right wing group reformed the country into the Caledonian Federation.
One by one the governments of the eastern-super continent were toppled by these extremist movements. The domino-like effect of these take overs is a clear sign that these extremist groups are well organized. The groups were supported by a majority of an already desperate population making the takeovers much more easier. There was little resistance to these takeovers. By 2451 BNE, the whole of Tangera had been taken over by the extremist groups. During the next several years these groups will consolidate their power. Meanwhile the Allied countries of the west do not recognize the legitimacy of the the new governments, however they continue to supply humanitarian aid through various underground networks.
In 2373 BNE one country emerged as the most influential country on the eastern-super continent. The Far-Eastern Empire was this country. Using its vast influence it unified most of the other governments under the flag of the Kosovik Union. Those that refused to join the faction were either forced to join or they were annexed. The Kosovik Union then underwent a process of a major industrial revolution, arming its militaries and preparing them for a seemingly long-term war. The Allied countries intelligence network uncovered this arms build up and in response they began to re-arm as well.
However by this time the environmental degredation of Oberon had started to take its toll on the planet as well. Most alarmingly were the indications that the polar ice caps had begun melting. Unfortunately due to the current political climate at the time these concerns were secondary. Both the Allied Forces and Kosovik Union will pay for their ignorance when the Great Flood occurs.
Factions[]
Throughout the Great War there were two major factions. The first faction was known as the Kosovik Union based on Tangera. The second faction was the Independent States Allied Forces (ISAF), based on the Anean continents and Calderis. A third power was the Pangaran Republics that was able to remain neutral throughout the entire conflict. The Republics were located on the now sunken continent of Pangara.
Independent States Allied Forces[]
The Independent States Alied Forces (ISAF) was a multinational coalition of nations formed in 2239BNE to combat the Kosovik Union during the war. The leading member of the ISAF was the Pan Anea Coalition (PAC) who spearheaded most of the campaigns throughout the war. Other notable ISAF members include the Muhr Union, Anean Union and the Tau'Ri Federation. Several hundred thousand soldiers from the Rand Protectorate who fled to South Anea also joined the ISAF. Prior to 2239BNE the nations of Anea did not have any form of regional military alliance or organizations that integrated the militaries between one country and another. When the ISAF was formed there was a brief period of turmoil as no member knew the capabilities of one and another's armies. The ISAF would not become a coherent fighting force until 2237BNE. Nevertheless once that was achieved the ISAF was able to regroup, consolidate and eventually push back the Kosovik Union out from the Anean continents and Calderis.
The Kosovik Union[]
The Kosovik Union was a supranational union of all nations on the continent of Tangera. Before the Union was formed the nations of Tangera were on the verge of economic, environmental and political collapse. Taking advantage of the situation radical and even hardline groups gained popular support across the population. The first government toppled by the radicals was the Caledonian Republic, renamed and reformed as the Caldeonian Federation. The Federation continued to support other revolutions across the continent. The Kosovik Union was eventually founded by the Federation in 2373BNE after the wave of revolutions concluded. Unlike the ISAF the Kosovik Union had successfully integrated all of its member states aspects such as but is not limited to: their militaries, economies, politics and foreign relations. This high level of integration meant that all members of the Union were fine tuned into one and another allowing the militaries of the Union to become an effective fighting force.
Pangaran Republics[]
The Pangaran Republics was a federation of six nations on the now sunken continent of Pangara formed in 2412BNE. Possessing few natural resources the Republics were of little interest to the Kosovik's whose objective throughout the war was to secure what few natural resources remained on Oberon. In spite of this though the Republics were much more technologically advanced than the ISAF and the Kosovik's which played a vital role in the Republic's deterrence strategy and allowed them to remain neutral throughout the war. Unknown to most there was a brief skirmish between the Kosovik's and the Republic's in 2355BNE where a Kosovik naval battlegroup was obliterated by a Pangaran satellite orbital weapon. The result of the skirmish effectively deterred the Kosovik's from attacking the Republics.
Pre-war events[]
Black August[]
In 2465 BNE, an event known as 'Black August' took place which marked the beginning of the wave of revolutions that would sweep across Tangera. This particular revolution took place at the former Caledonian Republic. Civil unrest in the country sparked by the environmental degredation and civil unrest gave the revolution forces the support it needed to topple the incumbent government. After seizing control of the government the revolutionary government would reform the Caledonian Republic into the Caledonian Federation. During the course of the next several months they would consolidate their power and encourage other revolutions across Tangera.
Tangeran Civil War[]
In 2373 BNE most of the revolutionary governments of Tangera would form an alliance known as the Kosovik Union. Their aim was to unite the whole of Tangera under one flag. There were of course nations on Tangera who opposed this concept due to the radical ideology of the Kosoviks. The Kosoviks then took steps to ensure that they will be the only major power on Tangera. In 2370 BNE the Kosovik Union launched an invasion of the countries who opposed the Union, starting the Tangeran Civil War. The Civil war would last until 2369 BNE the Kosoviks emerged victorious from the civil war and they have achieved their objective; the Kosovik Union is now the only major power on Tangera.
Treaty of Tegalus[]
Despite of the fact that the Kosoviks has emerged victorious from the civil war they still had not addressed one very important problem; the environmental degredation of Tangera which was ironcally the same problem that led to the fall of the previous governments of Tangera. To address this issue the Kosoviks turned their attention towards the neighboring continent of Calderis. Calderis is mostly a dessert continent but it does posses more fertile grounds than Tangera has at the time. At first the Kosoviks considered taking Calderis by force but thought the better of it. The major power of Calderis; known as the Rand Protectorate also sensed the growing tension and in 2365 BNE the Kosoviks announced their intention to initiate economic talks with the Rand Protectorate. Both the Rand Protectorate and the Kosoviks brokered and agreement that the Protectorate will supply the Kosoviks with a certain amount of basic consumer goods such as food, water and medical supplies. In return, the Kosoviks signed a NAP with the Protectorate and the other nations of Calderis that were represented by the Protectorate. However this only satisfied the Kosoviks in the short-run. This treaty was known as the treaty of Tegalus.
Kosovik Incursion into the Rand Proectorate[]
By 2353 BNE the Kosoviks demanded more and more supplies which the Protectorate could not support. The Kosoviks issued an ultimatum stating that if the Protectorate does not supply the Kosoviks with their demanded amount of supplies by 2352 BNE, the Kosoviks will take action to "ensure that the treaty of Tegalus is carried out to the letter". The Rand Protectorate though did not heed to this warning as the Kosovik's demands were ridiculous. On February 2352 BNE, the Kosoviks launched a first-strike against the Rand Protectorate. Kosovik forces were able to capture and secure twelve major ports in the Rand Protectorate where most of the Kosovik's supplies were stored until they could be shipped. The Kosoviks issued a new treaty to the Protectorate. The main clauses of the treaty were as follows;
- The Rand Protectorate, and the countries represented by it will supply the Kosovik Union and its allies with their desired amount of supplies inclulding but not limited to; food, water, consumer goods, steel, wood, crops and coal.
- The eastern coastline of the Rand Protectorate is to be demilitarized.
- The Rand Protectorate will pay a reparation fee of K5,000,000,000 (Klubles) for failing to comply to the earlier treaty of Tegalus.
- The Rand Protectorate accepts full responsibility for provoking the Kosovik Union to initiate a police action against the Rand Protectorate.
The Protectorate responded by sending in their own forces to retake the ports but were repelled by the Kosoviks. This dealt a severe economic blow to the Protectorate as the ports were their major hub to the other nations at the time. A naval blockade imposed by the Kosovik navy prevented ships from entering these ports. Rand appealed to the international community to condemn the Kosoviks and asked for assistance, however the response was far from positive. Other countries such as Greeton, Sanmite and the Aschen Confederation stated that it would be much better if the Protectorate accepted the new agreement offered by the Kosoviks. International shipping was greatly disturbed by the Kosoviks' actions and the international community only wanted for a quick end to this incursion so that normal trade routes could be resumed. Under the pressure of the international community and from the Kosoviks continued occupation of the ports, on June 2352 BNE the Protectorate finally agreed to the terms and the Kosovik forces left the ports. However, the ports occupied by the Kosoviks were demilitarized as stated in the new agreement.
Preparing for total war[]
The Kosovik Union, knowing all too well that the Rand Protectorate would not be able to abide to the new agreement for long, began preparing for total war. In the event that the Protectorate will no longer be able to supply the Kosoviks with what they demand, the Kosoviks will take it by force, even if it means invading the entire continent of Calderis itself. In 2348 BNE the Kosovik Union began a major program of re-armament. Utilizing the industrial might of both the Caledonian Federation and the Far-Eastern Empire, member countries of the Kosovik Union began to modernize their military forces. This modernizaiton program was known as "Project Pentagon". In 2331 BNE, the first fruits of this ambitious militarization program came to fruition when the first battlecruiser then known as the Furious Vengeance-class was laid down.
Opening shots[]
War breaks out in Calderis[]
The Kosovik Air Force bombs the Protectorate capital city of Tegalus.
On March 3, 2240 BNE, the Kosovik Union launched an invasion against the entire continent of Calderis. The major power of Calderis; the Rand Protectorate, already weakened after the Kosovik incursion and subsequent economic problems caused by Protectorate's obligation to continue supplying the Kosoviks with its demanded supply, quickly fell before the military forces of the Kosoviks. The Kosoviks were lead by the Far-Eastern Empire, the most influential nation in the Union. Other countries on Calderis such as the Republic of Delarus, Kingdom of Calderis, Federal States of Verusea subsequently fell over the course of the next six months. Caught off-guard by the invasion, by September 2240 BNE, the military forces of the Rand Protectorate were in full retreat, fleeing towards the continent of Anea. Unbeknownst to the retreating Protectorate forces, the continent of Anea was also under siege by the Kosoviks as well.
Opening of the second and third fronts[]
Long before the war started, the Kosoviks have realized that invading Calderis will most likely trigger a military response from the nations of Anea. Military leaders debated whether or not to conduct a first strike against Anea or to wait and see what course of action the governments of Anea will take after the Kosoviks invade Calderis. After a thorough debate it was decided that the most logical course of action to take was to initiate a first strike.
Kosovik military leaders unanimously agreed that the nations of the continents of North and South Anea would make extremely difficult opponents in a pro-longed war. The vision of a long war of attrition on Anea was undesirable. It was imperative that the nations of these two continents be neutralized as quickly as possible. It was then decided that an EMP strike against the countries of N. and South Anea would be the most appropriate course of action to take. The Kosovik's employed this strategy in three stages. Stage one involves the neutralization of the Anean military by a mass EMP strike. Stage 2 would be the invasion of t
Kosovik amphibious forces heading towards the west coast of South Anea.
he Anean continents. One strategic geographic location in particular; the strait of Anea must be captured in this stage in order to divide the Aneans in two. Stage three will be the gradual occupation of the North and Southern Anean continents. It was an ambitious plan. On 0500 hours of March 4, 2240 BNE, EMP missiles were detonated above the skies of N. and South Anea, crippling the Aneans. An already waiting Kosovik invasion force moved in an hour later to occupy their designated landing areas. The invasion of North and South Anea had begun.
Capture of the straits of Anea[]
The first priority of the Kosovik forces in Anea was to seize control of the straits of Anea. The reason being was because the straits of Anea was a geographical strategic location. It provided quick access between the Pacific ocean and the Ceres ocean. Most importantly was the fact that it linked both North and South Anea. By seizing control of the straits, the Kosoviks effectively cut off the two Anean continents from each other as the only means to send supplies between the two continents would be by air which is more risky as the Kosoviks had air superiority of the local air space of the straits. The strait of Anea was captured by the Kosoviks on 0550 hours of March 4, 2240 BNE. The use of the large amphibious assault command ship, known as the 'Dragoon' played a large role in the quick capture of the straits.
Invasion of North & South Anea[]
The Kosovik forces then proceeded to launch an invasion of North Anea by deploying amphibious forces on selected beachheads of the N. Anean western coast line. To further confuse the Anean nations, taking advantage of the situation, the Sanmite Republic, who was also an ally of the Kosovik Union at the time, launched an invasion of the eastern coast of North Anea. Initial resistence by the Aneans was minimal as most of their military assets were neutralized due to the EMP strike. By April 2240 BNE both the Kosovik and Sanmite forces had occupied 30% of N. Anea. Around the same time as well the Kosoviks launched an invasion on South Anea, starting with the Aschen Confederation. Facing little resistence due to the pre-emptive EMP strike, the Kosovik forces were able to easily occupy large portions of South Anea in little time. By June 2240 BNE the Kosoviks have occupied 25% of S. Anea. Occupation of the Anean continents began.
Occupation[]
The Liberated States of Anea[]
By 2231 BNE, a third of the Pan Anea Coalition had been occupied by Kosovik forces. The Kosovik's installed a puppet government, called the; 'Liberated States of Anea' and placed Kosovik officials and Aneans who supported the new government, in high positions within the newly formed government. The Liberated States of Anea's territories encompass the Aschen Confederation, the Anean Union, a third of th
Kosovik MPs detaining suspicious citizens.
e Pan Anea Coalition and a fifth of the Tau'Ri Federation. Needless to say, the Kosovik's are near in their aim to occupy both Anean continents. Daily life in the LIberated States of Anea was, according to those who lived at the time there, bleak. Every citizen was issued with a 'passport' which they must carry at all times which contains their personal information such as their full name, gender, nationality, age, racial group etc. There were many Kosovik MP patrols at every major city and towns. Citizens were expected to give the MPs their full co-operation when asked to do so. Failure to comply, resulted in detainment.
Officially the Liberated States of Anea, was a republic with the citizens allowed to vote for their 'President'. However, the Kosovik Union only allowed pro-Kosovik citizens to run as President and every Anean who wished to work in the new government had to undergo an extensive background check. Any signs of dissent shown by the population were quickly suppressed by the use of force. Terror tactics were a common method to deter any uprising that the population may have planned. The puppet government was also ordered by the Kosovik Union to harvest the country's natural resources and send large amounts of their harvest back to the Kosovik's in order to utilize the resources. The Kosovik Union's official policy throughout the entire war was to; "revatilize the devastated Anean economy and industry and to ensure that the resources of the Anean continents are used efficiently and sustainably for the future of the entire planet." Official government statistics at the time, released by the puppet government was that the GDP of the Liberated States of Anea, surpassed the GDP of both the Pan Anea Coalition and the Tau'ri Federation.
Forming the Independent States Allied Forces[]
With their infrastructure damaged due to the EMP strike, the countries of the Anean continents fell one by one under the might of the Kosovik forces. The first country to fall was the Aschen Confederation. It was then followed by the Anean Union. This left only three countries left that are 'free'. In North Anea: the Pan Anea Coalition and the Muhr Union. In South Anea: the Tau'ri Federation. Over the course of the next fifty years, the Anean and exiled Calderis armies would fight a retreating war. Without the aid of their more sophisticated hardware, the Aneans were only able to slow down the Kosovik advances. Facing the very likely prospect of defeat, the leaders of the three Anean countries, along with whatever is left of the governments of Calderis, formed an alliance known as; the Independent States Allied Forces (ISAF). Their aim: the liberation of all occupied Anean and Calderis territories and the eventual defeat of the Kosovik Union. Their objective was ambitious to say the least but they knew that it will be a long war. What the leaders at the time didn't know, was that the war will drag on for 81 years.
Kosovik advance stalls[]
Between 2240 BNE until 2205 BNE, the Kosovik's advances into the Anean continents were virtually unopposed. It was not until Kosovik forces reached the northern areas of N. Anea and the far-eastern provinces of S. Anea, were their advances were finally stalled. The reason being was because these two areas were rural mountains. Most of the ISAF elements had already been re-deployed either within or beyond the mountains which gives the ISAF critical time to regroup. Furthermore, beyond these mountains were the last industrial facilities that the ISAF have at their disposal to countinue supporting their war effort. For the next 30 years, the ISAF continued to hold their ground against the Kosoviks until a time when the ISAF's military are ready to launch an all-out counter-attack to liberate the Anean and Calderis continents.
Turning point[]
Operation Free Anea[]
In 2199 BNE, the ISAF launched a major counter-attack against key Kosovik positions. Having more than four years of uninterrupted production of war materials, the ISAF were ready to level the playing field with the Kosoviks. Utilizing the industrial might of the Pan Anea Coalition and the vast natural resources the Tau'ri Federation had, the ISAF mounted two full-scale attacks against the Kosoviks. Kosovik forces, whose morale had been dropping after fighting for nearly half a century on foreign soil, had taken its toll on its personnel. This counter-offensive was known as 'Operation Free Anea', the first of the five counter-offensives the ISAF intended to initiate in order to drive the Kosoviks away from, North and South Anea and finally Calderis. Cought off guard by the surprise attack, the ISAF were able to reclaim a fair amount of territory back from the Kosoviks. News of ISAF victory however was suppressed by the media at all Kosovik occupied territories in order to maintain morale. However, news of the ISAF victory would be leaked through various underground networks. The success of offensive campaign #001 would be marked as the turning point of the war, where the ISAF would inevitably gain the upper hand from the Kosovik Union.
Kosovik retaliation[]
See main article: Operation: To kill a mocking bird
In response to the ISAF
The Hindenberg-class Air Assault Carrier.
's sudden counter-offensive the Kosoviks mobilized a large number of their air force. One of the fruits of project Pentagon was the creation of the Hindenberg-class Air Assault Carrier. The Hindenberg was a large air ship, capable of dropping large numbers of ordnance such as bombs to a ground target, launch multiple missiles or act as a mobile command center for the entire occupation force of the Kosoviks. The Hindenberg, along with large numbers of fighter escort and bombers were deployed to attack the heart of the ISAF operations; the city of Terra. Terra was one of the ISAFs' last seven industrial cities where war-related materials are created. To be able to destroy Terra the Kosovik's would be able to cripple the ISAF's war effort severely. Lacking any assets that was on par with the Hindenberg, the ISAFs only effective response was to launch cruise missiles towards the Scrin, in an effort to destroy if not, cripple the ship, forcing it to retreat. Initial response such as sending squadron of fighters and interceptors proved ineffective as the Hindenberg's AA systems made short work of incoming aircraft. The Tomahawk's also did little to no damage at all to the Hindenberg.
The Hindenberg was able to inflict massive damage to the city, large numbers of factories were destroyed, killing hundreds of workers. ISAF elements in the city could do little but to issue an evacuation order of the entire city. In a desperate act to stop the Hindenberg, the ISAF mobilized a force of 30 AC-130 gunships, 7 B-52 Stratofortress bombers equipped with prototype Harpoon-class cruise missiles and 40 fighter-escorts to attack the Hindenberg. The effort was succesful, the Hindenberg was destroyed as it tried to retreat from the air space but it came at a great cost. ISAF casualty figures were 34 fighters destroyed, 12 AC-130 gunships destroyed and 6 B-52 bombers destroyed. Despite of the destruction of the Hindenberg, the city of Terra also suffered greatly, 65% of its infrastructure were destroyed, 30% of the surviving infrastructure's integrity were compromised which left only 5% of the cities infrastructure operational. The Kosovik also suffered greatly from this set-back. Even though their objective was achieved, their only operational Hindenberg-class Air Assault Carrier was lost in the progress. Now having experienced first-hand the power of the Kosovik's superweapons, the ISAF would begin to invest in creating their own superweapons to counter the Kosovik's. The ISAF's project would be known as the 'Anean Project'.
ISAF advances[]
Over the course of the years between 2199 BNE until 2185 BNE, the ISAF would proceed to liberate 60% of N. Anea and 55% of S. Anea from Kosovik occupation. Having lost one of their five superweapons, the Kosoviks had begun a fighting retreat in an attempt to regroup at the western coast of North and South Anea and maintaining control of the straits of Anea. In 2180 BNE, Kosovik forces remaining at the central parts of North and South Anea would be in full retreat from the advancing ISAF elements, leaving their puppet government; the Liberated States of Anea, to fend for itself.
Fall of the Liberated States of Anea[]
Without the support of the armed forces of the Kosoviks, the LSA's armed forces were overwhelmed by the ISAF. By 2183 BNE, the ISAF begun the siege to liberate the capital of the LSA. The siege would only last for two days which by then the LSA surrendered unconditionally to the ISAF. News of the fall of the LSA would spread across the world, increasing morale of resistance fighters in Calderis.
Kosoviks routed from North and South Anea[]
With the fall of the LSA, Kosovik occupation forces would've lost a large portion of their terrritory on both North and South Anea. In a desperate attempt to re-assert control over North Anea, Kosovik forces, with the Sanmite Republic who reluctantly supported its move, launched another invasion of N. Anea from the eastern coast, this time deploying its third superweapon, the Vengeance-class Battlecruiser. The initial attack on the east-coast was successful, but after two days the ISAF were able to regroup and pushed back the invasion forces.
The Vengeance-class Battlecr
Civilians celebrating the ISAF victory in N. Anea.
uiser was also lost in this campaign as well when the ISAF navy, with its newest addition to its fleet: the Competitor-class Cruiser overwhelmed the Kosovik fleet. After this incident the ISAF would turn their attention towards the Sanmite Republic. The Republic, knowing full well that the Kosovik's would not be able to defend them and that their military would not be able to withstand a full-fledged ISAF invasion, surrendered three days later to the ISAF. The straits of Anea was re-captured one week later after occupying Kosovik forces surrendered to the advancing ISAF elements. The fall of the Sanmite Republic on 2180 BNE marked the end of the war on the Anean continents and served as the beginning of both the Pacific War and the liberation of Calderis.
The Pacific War[]
With all Kosovik elements routed from both Anean continents the ISAF then divided its forces into two. The Pan Anean Coalition would lead a naval war against the Far Eastern Empire that led the Kosovik Union who also controls much of the eastern coastline of Tangera. Meanwhile the Aschen Confederation and Anean Union would lead a campaign to liberate Calderis. By doing so the ISAF would be able to surround Tangera from both the east and west coastlines. The war in the Pacific however would be a brutal one as the PAC would be fighting on the hometurf of the Far Eastern Empire. The Pacific War would last from 2179 BNE until 2170 BNE. The war in the Pacific forced the PAC to literally "island hop" across the Pacific Ocean in order to reach Tangera. As they island hop the PAC had to root out any Imperial forces that the Empire had garissoned on the islands.
Liberation of Calderis[]
By 2173 BNE, Kosovik occupation forces on Calderis began to retreat as the Kosoviks regroupped to reinforce Tangera; their homeland. Knowing that Kosovik presence on Calderis had been reduced significantly, the ISAF launched operation 'Broom' to liberate Calderis. Due to the small number of Kosovik occupation forces on Calderis, and with the help from local resistance groups, the ISAF would be able to quickly liberate Calderis. By 2171 BNE the ISAF had liberated the entire continent of Calderis. With most if not all Kosovik forces now driven off from the Anean continents and Calderis, ISAF commanders turned their attention towards Tangera.
The stage of apocalypse[]
See main article: The stage of apocalypse
Stalemate[]
In 2171 BNE, the ISAF turns its attention towards the Kosovik homeland; Tangera. Facing the very real possibility of an ISAF invasion of Tangera, the Kosovik's considered employing desparate measures to stave off the ISAF advance. The ISAF were also aware of the reality that faces them; a conventional invasion of Tangera would prove to be too costly. Estimates of the casualty figures were as high as a million soldiers dead with many more wounded. While it was obvious that a quick and swift method to end the war was preferable, it was also clear that employing any further 'superweapons' would only escalate the conflict. It was around this time that one of the Kosovik's last superweapon was revealed; the V1 nuclear weapons system. The ISAF also developed similar warheads called the 'Mk.1' nuclear warhead. After days of careful deliberation, ISAF commanders finally decided to go for a conventional invasion of Tangera over the use of their Mk.1's. The reason being was that the use of the Mk.1's would provoke the Kosovik's into using their V1 warheads.
Endgame[]
In January 4th, 2169
Three V1 warheads detonate on September City.
BNE, the ISAF launched their invasion of Tangera. The entire ISAF was mobilized for this operation. The operation was called; 'Operation Downfall'. Even though the Kosovik's were well prepared for an ISAF invasion, there were those in the Kosovik military who do not agree with the Kosovik commanders. In 0500 Hours of January 4th, the very same day of the ISAF invasion, a mutiny erupted amongst the Kosovik military. The rebels seized control of most if not all of the Kosovik's V1 silo's. Loyalist forces attempted to re-take the silo's before the rebels could do anything with it but it was too late. In 0713 hours, of January 4th, 2169 BNE, rebel Kosovik's launched the countries entire stockpile of V1's towards the ISAF on both Calderis and the Anean continents. The ISAF detected this launch and responded by launching their entire ordnance of Mk.1 warheads as well towards Tangera.
Over the course of the
An ISAF submarine witness the destruction of Cinegrad.
next 10 minutes both countries would've alerted its civilian population of the imminent apocalypse that was about to take place. Millions tried to flee to the country side or fled to underground bunkers in a futile attempt to avoid the blast and radiation. Due to the sudden nuclear exchange, both governments were unable to evacuate their leaders or high government officials in time. In 0718 hours, the first V1 warhead struck the city of Tegalus in Calderis. The second V1 warhead struck September City, the capital city of the Pan Anea Coalition in North Anea. More ISAF cities would then fall like dominoes as the V1 warheads struck their targets. In 0720 hours the first Mk.1 warhead struck Cinegrad, the capital city of the Far-Eastern Empire, which was the leading member of the Kosovik Union. Over the course of the next 10 minutes, if one were to look from space, all major continents of Oberon would've shone bright as nuclear explosions engulfed the entire planet.
Post-nuclear exchange[]
The chaos c
A map showing the extent of the nuclear explosions.
aused by the nuclear exchange was immediete. There was little to no emergency response as there were no emergency teams able to respond as most of them had been wiped out by the nuclear exchange. Those that survived the exchange were left to fend for themselves. Communications was down planet-wide due to the large amount of EMP generated by the nuclear explosions. Anarchy began to emerge the day after the nuclear exchange as there was little to no law enforcement at all to maintain the chaos at the cities that were devastated. Both governments had contingency plans however for these type of incidents and within the next several days they were in effect. The ISAF re-called its surviving forces that were about to launch the invasion of Tangera to restore law and order at the devastated areas. Survivors groupped together in an attempt to stay alive long enough until help would arrive, whenever it will arrive. The Kosovik Union had a similar contingency plan as well although the speed of their recovery along with the ISAF would be a long shot.
Aftermath[]
The environmental effects of the nuclear exchange was devastating. The worldwide detonations threw millions if not billions tonnes of dust, soot etc into Oberon's atmosphere, polluting it. The thicker atmosphere blocked incoming sunlight causing worldwide temparatures to drop by 5 degrees celcius. The entire ecosystem had been compromised. Coral reefs, rainforests, grasslands and many other biomes were lost after the nuclear exchange. The global death toll would reach 2 billion people dead within the first two weeks. Millions more would later die as food supplies drop due to the disruption of the global food distribution system and the collapse of Oberon's ecosystems. Crops would wither, cattles would die and plants would not be able to grow due to the little to no sunlight. At this time, Oberon's surface was a post-apocalyptic world. The sky was dark, temperatures were cold, ruined cities and either snow or a desolate landscape would dominate the view as far as the eye can see. By July 2169 BNE, five months after 'Endgame', the global human population would've dropped from five billion, to three billion.
Armistice[]
In 2142 BNE, an
Signing of the armistice at the ruins of Cinegrad.
other major global catastrophe took place known as; 'the Flood'. The Flood was an event that caused worldwide sea levels to rise by as high as 10 meters. Pangara, a continent located in the northern seas of Oberon was completely submerged by the ocean. Fortunately the governments of Pangara was able to remain neutral throughout the duration of the Great War and developed the necessary technology to protect their population, hence the creation of the 'Stilt Cities'. Nevertheless, due to the rise of sea levels caused by the melting of the polar ice caps during the Great Leap Forward, more than 30 million people were displaced as their homes were lost to the ocean. It would become clear to both the ISAF and the Kosovik Union that if humans on Oberon were to continue to survive, they must put aside their differences and unite to work for a common goal; the survival of their very race. Thus in December 31st, 2142 BNE, an armistice was signed between the ISAF and the Kosovik Union, officially ending the Great War.
Impacts of the Great War[]
Environmental impact[]
The environmental imp
Photo of the central plains in Calderis, taken in 10 NE.
act of the nuclear exchange was clear. Nearly 30% of all ecosystems on Oberon was destroyed, a further 60% were endangered to becoming extinct, 9.3% were severely endangered and less than 0.7% of the ecosystem remained in prestine condition. It will take more than 500 years to return Oberon's ecosystem to its pre-war condition. To date though, even after more than a thousand years since the Great War ended, the landscape of Oberon still bear the marks left by the nuclear exchange. The prime example would be at what was the location of Tegalus, the capital city of the former Rand Protectorate. The city was hit by six V1 warheads destroying everything within a 20km radius. Radiation levels at the are has dropped since 2169 BNE but prolonged exposure to the radiation in the area without protective gear can cause harmful damage. Some of the locations of the hundreds of ground zeros has been left untouched to serve as a reminder of how close the humans of Oberon had come close to extinction and destroying all life on Oberon.
Technology[]
Despite of the devestation and suffering caused by the Great War, this conflict would be seen as the catalyst of the formation of a unified world government on Oberon. The armistice would then lead to the rise of the ten multinational states which would then later on proceed to merge their governments into a single entity; the Universal Peace Enforcement Organization. The Great War was also seen as one of the primary source of the UNSC's modern-day arsenal. The modern' Vulture-class Air Assault Carrier and its sister ships are the direct descendents of the Kosovik's Hindenberg-class Air Assault Carrier. The development of both the V1 and Mk.1 nuclear warheads would lead to the development of the Shiva Nuclear Warheads and the V2 MIRV missile. 'Project Anea' which was abandoned after the nuclear exchange, would be revived by the UPEO. Project Anea would eventually introduce the first ever space-borne military vessel that the UPEO would use to mark its place in the Milkyway Galaxy.
Political and social[]
The political impact that the Great War had on Oberon was profound. The climax of the war brought down both warring factions, the two superpowers of Oberon down to its knees. Many high ranking government officials, including the head of states of both the ISAF and Kosovik Union were killed during the events that took place during Endgame. The balance of power dramaticaly shifted to the neutral power of the Pangaran Union who was able to remain neutral throughout the entire conflict and was able to emerge unscathed by the nuclear exchange. For the next three centuries, the Pangaran Union would play a vital role in the restoration of the countries of Oberon that was devastated during the events of Endgame. Nevertheless though, remnants of the ISAF and Kosovik Union would soon re-emerge within two weeks after the events of Endgame as per the contingency plan that both factions had in place in case the events of Endgame ever occurred, which inevitably did occur. This reemergence though would be short lived. In 2142 BNE, the ISAF and Kosovik Union were dissolved as per the armistice agreement that was signed by both factions. The dissolution would lead to the formation of the ten multinational unions of Oberon, beginning the Oberon unification process.
Social impacts of the Great War were deep to say the least. During the war there was a deep sense of resentment between the citizens of ISAF and Kosovik Union countries. This was mostly stirred through the effective use of propaganda that was employed by both factions. However after the events of Endgame, the whole of humanity on Oberon realized the severity of what they had just did to themselves. Faced with the very real possibility of extinction, the people of Oberon were more than willing to forgive and forget in order to move forward and secure the fate of their very own race. Since the signing of the armistice in 2142 BNE until now in 13 NE, there had been several minor incidents when nationalist morale from the remnants of the old ISAF and Kosovik Union would rise, but these incidents were resolved peacefully. The humans of Oberon have much more pressing social matters to concern, namely the rising nationalist spirit that is rising at the colonies.