War of Reunification

The War of Reunification (or simply "The War") is an ongoing military conflict between the major Human factions present within the Medial Tesseract.

The Conflict

Prelude

During the age of exploration, the exploratory colonies which would eventually become Craterhold, the Free Faces League, and the Commonwealth of C were established as distant staging settlements for further Voxelian exploration of the Medial Tesseract. At this point in history, technology did not allow for rapid transit between the core of the then Voxelian Empire and her distant colonies. Any colony which decided to cut ties with the motherland could do so with little in the way of immediate repercussions; military supply lines would be too long to maintain with the technology available. One by one, the colonies stopped paying taxes and began to enter into peaceful negotiations with the Elovisians, a loose ethnic group comprised of tribes which had previously been forced out of Medial A by the tribes which eventually became the Voxelian Empire. Eventually, all such colonies more than one cube away from Medial A had severed ties with the motherland, an action which Voxelia was in no position to dispute.
In the 9800s, advancements in engine technologies allowed for the creation of airships, airplanes, and skystations, providing the infrastructure for what was to become a period of rapid expansion, travel, and trade for the Human peoples. These advancements also had the effect of shortening the effective length of supply lines that military units would have to protect and allowing renewed contact between Voxelia (now a republic) and her old colonies. While the ideological differences between these factions were not so great that they would prevent diplomacy, Voxelia's need for resources to feed its ever-growing population - coupled with the understanding that future rebellious behavior would doom any colonization efforts into the newly-discovered tesseracts beyond the Medial Tesseract - compelled Voxelia to take action against her old colonies. The colonies responded in kind.

Battlefield

Because Voxelia's holdings are concentrated in and around Medial A, while colonial holdings are concentrated in and around Medial C, most other cube layers falling within the Medial Tesseract exist as a four-dimensional patch of contested territory. In addition to these adjoining territories, Voxelian and colonial forces often clash violently when they encounter one another in external tesseracts, though non-Human polities enforce a tense peace between the factions within their own territories. Outside of the Medial Tesseract, the most intense fighting occurs over regions rich with raw materials (as in the Eiquereus Craglands), ideally suited for agricultural endeavors, or where safe trade routes to external factions lie.

Historical Significance

Legacy

A long-running, low-intensity conflict, the War of Reunification has had a significant formative effect on Human cultures and technological development within the Manifold Sky setting. The logistical aspects of the war have cemented a strong culture of recycling and conservation in all belligerents, as the contained nature of the Manifold means that any given resource is finite in quantity. While Voxelia and the colonies are willing to kill one another over resources, honor, or simple mutual hatred, much effort is bent towards the minimization of collateral damage, as this would serve only to reduce the spoils the eventual victor could inherit. As the war drags on, mercenaries, hazardous condition salvage crews, commerce raiders, and war profiteers of all stripes have become almost as numerous on the battles as the professional, uniformed armies of the belligerents involved.

In Literature

The War of Reunification has been the most important period in Manifold history for journalists. No war before has been so thoroughly documented in terms of radio, film, television, and literature.

Technological Advancement

The ongoing war efforts of each faction have become a grisly boon for the development of various dieseltech devices, vehicles, and weaponry. Airships, autogyros, skystations, dieseltech power armor, MROBs, and a variety of unusual infantry and vehicle-mounted weaponry have been employed in the war. Dieseltech computing and automation have become crucial to the war effort,especially in terms of logistics.

Included Conflicts

• Battle of White Skull Lake
• Craterhold Uprising

Conflict Type

War

Start Date

9899

Location

Medial Tesseract

Belligerents

Coalition of Breakaway Colonies

• Commonwealth of C
• Craterhold
• Free Faces League

Led by

• League Senate

Strength

Casualties

Objectives

• Establish collective independence from Voxelian territorial ambitions
• Contain Voxelia

Grand Army of Voxelia

• Voxelia

Led by

• Council of Liars

Strength

Casualties

Objectives

• Destroy or conquer all rebellious colonies
• Reestablish Voxelian hegemony in the Medial Tesseract

Manifold Conservation Society

• Manifold Conservation Society
• Sorority of Solace

Led by

• Administrative Council

Strength

Casualties

Objectives

• Achieve an end to hostilities at all costs
• If weapons of mass destruction are used, preserve specimens of all extant species and cultures until the Manifold can sustain Human life once more