Rabalo-Sakulic War

For the past two centuries or so, the Sakulic nomads have extended their territory to the farthest reaches of the Central Plains, with one major exception: the Rabal. This region is located to the southwest of the continent and is home to an eponymous nation.
Unlike the Nilians and Doldo-Khaderians to the north, these people do not possess a significant geographic nor numerical advantage over the Sakulics. This makes their continous efforts to fend off the latter significantly more impressive.
An undeniable factor contributing to their survival is both cultural and structural. All high ranking posts, from commanders to the ruler themself is decided on skill alone. For this purpose, young prodigies from across the nation are admited into Academies, which help further develop their skills.
Once graduated, these youths will look into and be sought by important organisatioins within Rabal, where they will either join and rise through the ranks or apprentice under higher ranking people.
This system could easily be disrupted by favoritism and nepotism, however, the constant pressure brought by Sakulic raids has made the system uncorrupt and efficient for the most part. (Although it must be admited that access to Academies in the first place is much easier for those living in major cities or with ties to Academy Officers, and the wartorn countryside is often neglected. Another particularity worth mentioning is that only princes and other high ranking nobles can be selected to train under Rabal's ruler to eventually inherit the title).
This process makes Rabal a well-oiled machine, which can respond on several different levels to the varying incoming threats.
Another discrete advantage for the smaller nation is their neighbors: Pashanzi tribes. These retain a neutral relationship with the Rabals, and are often occupied in skryimishes against the Sakulics themselves. This gives the Rabals a front they don't usually need to worry about, and even some extra land to utilize for resources, since the Pashanzi won't typically initiate any violence unless one of their tribes is attacked first.
It is worth noting that unlike their neighbors, the Pashanzi have been losing ground to the nomadic tribes. This is of no immediate danger to the Rabals, but if the Sakulics manage to fully take control of Pashanzi lands, the Rabals will be fully surrounded. In order to prevent this, they have sent out aid to both their own and their neighbor's borders, despite the nation's limited resources.
With the conflict dragging out, tensions continue to rise, and for the Rabals, who manage to hold on but remain on the defensive, the only hope left is for the Sakulics to fall into chaos or for their leader to command a stop to the raids.

Conflict Type

War