Deltarian–Coalition War

Deltarian–Coalition War
Date June 4635–March 4636 Location Jakania, Deltaria and Istalia Result Coalition victory Liberation of Jakania Fall of the Czarist Deltaria Fall of the Deltarian Viceroyalty of Jakania Coalition occupation of Deltaria
Belligerents
Deltaria	Vanuku Istalia Dorvik Jakania Support: Kalopia Kazulia
Commanders
Czar Vêroslav I Viceroy Vojtěch Rezek	King Wrntukai VII Hynrk Zhtál-Merlkai Arldrik Könnyrahe Emed Jezklarz Emperor Nicola I Teodoro Carraro Giuseppe Toninelli Riccardo Mestre Rohr-Mauss Domenikus von Lÿndow-Sennhein

The Deltarian–Coalition War, also known as the Liberation of Jakania, was a war waged between Deltaria and a multinational coalition of Dorvik, Istalia, Jakania and Vanuku in response to the Deltarian invasion of Jakania and the wider threat to continental peace caused by Deltarian military aggression.

The war can be divided into two key phases: the liberation of Jakania and the occupation of Deltaria. The first phase began in June 4635 when coalition forces officially declared war on Deltaria in response to the invasion of Jakania and ended on 18 December 4635 when Deltarian forces were completely removed from the country. The second phase then lasted until March 4636 when the Deltarian capital Čachtice was captured by coalition forces, beginning a two year occupation of Deltaria that ended with the country becoming a democratic federal republic.

In the long-run, the Deltarian invasion and the coalition response has had a lasting impact on the balance of power in Majatra and across the world. In the aftermath of the conflict, Jakania developed a much stronger relationship with Vanuku and Istalia, who were responsible for helping to rebuild the country after the devastation caused by the Deltarian invasion. At the same time, the Deltarian economy was devastated by the efforts needed to provide for the war and the country has still not fully recovered its economic and military position since the conflict.

Background

Following the foundation of the Great Empire of Deltaria, the country had been focused on the modernisation and development of the national armed forces. The new Czarist government did not attempt to hide its imperialist and expansionist ambitions, leading to a gradual increase in tensions on the continent for several years.

Deltarian aircraft capable of carrying the hydrogen bomb

By 4630, the Deltarian nuclear program was no longer a secret, leading to complaints from throughout Majatra. The first official nuclear test was conducted by the Czarist regime in 4634 and it represented a significant disaster for the Majatran Sea. In addition, the test further increased tensions between Deltaria and its regional neighbours, chiefly Istalia and Vanuku. Both countries imposed heavy economic sanctions on the country in the wake of the test and many other countries followed suit.

Invasion of Jakania

Due to the continued high military spending of the Czarist regime and the impact of sanctions on the Deltarian economy, the country began to experience a growing popular unrest. In an attempt to garner popular support for his regime, the Czar himself ordered a surprise invasion of Jakania in January 4635.

The reasoning behind this decision continues to be the subject of varied reports and speculation, with various sources blaming it on the Czar's loss of control or the influence of hawkish advisers. In official communications, he is recorded as having said the purpose was to "expand Deltaria's borders and show the people that our beloved Empire reigns supreme".

Jakanian personnel preparing for the arrival of Deltarian forces

Despite the best efforts of Jakanian forces, the Czarist regime had military superiority and was able to utilise the lack of Jakanian preparedness to their advantage. In the immediate wake of the invasion, Jakania was not able to rely on its military allies to defend its national sovereignty. By April, the Jakanian government had fled the country for Vanuku and the Czarists established the puppet administration known as the Viceroyalty of Jakania. As the Deltarian military attempted to take control of the country, they were implicated in various atrocities against civilians.

In the aftermath of the invasion, the governments of Istalia, Vanuku and Dorvik issued a joint ultimatum to the Czarist regime demanding that the country immediately end the occupation of Jakania and end their atrocities. No response arrived from Deltaria, precipitating the beginning of the Deltarian–Coalition conflict.

Early conflict

Disaster of Alaria

Once it became clear that the three aforementioned countries, who came to be known as the Coalition, intended to mount a military response to the Czarist invasion, the regime attempted to launch a pre-emptive strike against the Istalian Navy. As such in June 4635, Deltarian forces assaulted the Istalian fleet gathered in northern Alaria and inflicted significant damage. The attack severely hampered the Istalian Navy's ability to quickly deploy their forces into Jakania, meaning the country had to turn to the Vanukuean Navy for support.

Coalition assembles forces

Between July and August 4635, Coalition forces began to assemble in Stormkaap. Istalia relied on the support of the Vanukean fleet to transport ground forces to the region, following the Disaster of Alaria. By this time, Istalia had reached agreements with both Kalopia and Kazulia to utilise their western base on the Deltarian border as the base for an Istalian air campaign against Deltarian military targets. Prior to the ground invasion, the Istalian Air Force heavily bombed Czarist troops and military installations with minimal Deltarian response.

Liberation of Jakania

Coalition counter-invasion begins

In October, the Coalition forces crossed the Jakanian border to launch a major counter-invasion against Czarist forces. By this time the momentum of the conflict had shifted since the damage to the Istalian fleet had provided a significant propaganda boost for Deltaria. In large part due to the work of the Istalian Air Force, the Coalition was able to achieve air superiority in the run-up to the ground offensive and cause significant damage to Czarist targets in both Jakania and Deltaria.

At the same time, Jakanian resistance had begun to organise and launch targeted attacks against Czarist personnel and locations with the support of international allies. In some regions, the Czarist regime was beginning to lose its grip on the control.

Liberation achieved

The Coalition drove the remaining Deltarian troops out of Jakania by 18 December 4635, a date commemorated in Jakania as Republic Day. The impact of this final push was major casualties on the Coalition side and the devastation of Jakania as Czarist troops operated a scorched-earth policy.

Interlude

In the immediate aftermath of the liberation, Coalition forces did not cross the border into Deltaria due to their weakened position. By the end of the year, the Coalition fleet was able to destroy the Czarist home fleet, stationed close to the Deltarian coast. This allowed Coalition forces to prepare for the final launch of their main naval assault on Deltarian shores.

Deltarian defences aiming to repel the Coalition naval invasion

Throughout the end of December and into January 4636, Czar Vêroslav I launched a major propaganda campaign calling on all Deltarian men and women "to fight until no enemy soldier is left". Estimates suggest that as many as 200,000 additional individuals joined the Czarist ranks in response to this call to arms.

Coalition invasion of Deltaria

Invasion begins

Coalition troops launched an invasion of Deltaria in January, aided by continued air superiority and deteriorating economic conditions in the country. Czarist morale was crumbling and the Deltarian Army was increasingly ill-equipped to deal with the advancing Coalition forces. Despite strong resistance from Deltarian citizens, the resistance was limited primarily to guerrilla tactics and attempts to disrupt the Coalition advance through ad hoc action.

Siege of Čachtice

By the end of February, the Coalition had taken control of most of Deltarian territory and the Czarist forces were in total retreat. Notably the Coalition had been able to secure the Deltarian nuclear program in a bid to avoid a last resort detonation by the Czarist regime. At the beginning of March, the only remaining territory under Czarist control was the Deltarian capital, Čachtice.

Coalition forces began a siege campaign at the same time as a brutal urban warfare campaign raged. During this period, the Deltarian Navy launched a failed bid to secure a final small victory of the Coalition at sea. The Nemec and Yegorovich carrier strike groups attempted to break the Coalition feat but the assault was defeated, sinking the Nemec in the process and ending any opportunity of Czarist naval victory.

Fall of the Czarist regime

Following the devastation of Čachtice and thousands of deaths throughout the siege, the city was eventually captured in mid March. Despite initially escaping Coalition capture, Czar Vêroslav was apprehended outside of the capital as he attempted to flee the country. With the Czarist regime in total array, the Czar and leaders of the Deltarian military signed an instrument of unconditional surrender and the Czar himself was forced to abdicate his position.

Aftermath

In the wake of the surrender, the Coalition forces began a period of extensive occupation. After the formal disbanding of the Deltarian armed forces, Coalition troops continued to subdue the remaining pockets of autonomous resistance. Eventually the country was divided into two occupation zones, one controlled by Dorvik and Vanuku, the other by Istalia and Jakania.

Throughout the two years of occupation, the Coalition embarked on a comprehensive period of deczarification. The initiative was championed most prominently by Istalia and Jakania and involved removing all components of Czarist imperialist ideology from Deltarian society.

Among the most notable components of this process was the removal from Deltarian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of all Thallerist sympathisers which the Coalition deemed to be a major factor in Deltarian imperialism. By the end of the occupation, the country had been transformed into a democratic federal republic.