War of Siblings
The War of siblings was a war over the title of Emperor of All Edren and Her Children and who would rule the The Edren Empire
The Conflict
Prelude
The War of Siblings began in truth during the Era of Emperor Antiochus von Xandrick, the elder grandfather of both Lysandra von Xandrick and Deacon Von Xandrick and the burning of the Xandrian Estates estates. With the number of familiar heirs diminished greatly and the noted priority of the Von Xandricks for the title of Emperor, eyes began to focus on Lysandra and Deacon, the former being a inspiring moderate Populists governor of Sudellind and the other a die hard Conservatives and governor of the more prestigious Elvlind. As such the field was a clear political choice.
As the Senate became mostly populist for the first time in several decades it became clear the the problem of Slavery was not turning in favor of the wealthy Conservatives. The elder Antiochus, who had long styled himself has a wisened conservative moderate, declared the matter would be addressed with his successor setting up the lives of thousands and the fortunes of hundreds to be decided by the next emperor. With that powder keg of expectations upon his death the Conservative Guide Saint Myra was expected to nominate Deacon as she had the last two emperors, yet she ended up shocking everyone by nominating Lysandra and pushing the Senate to confirm. As it looked certain Lysandra would be confirmed, as doing so was considered largely ceremonial, the Conservative segment of the Senate refused to confirm the nomination or even be present as Lysandra was voted in. Suggesting it was a conspiracy.
Taking advantage of that Deacon called foul and claimed the position of Emperor even while the Senate was gearing up to affirm Lysandra. Doing so the war became inevitable, and both parties began gearing up for war that Spring.
Deployment
The Populists forces were primarily native to Sudellind where Lysandra built her base of support and by volunteers coming in from partizans from all over the empire. She also payed for Hobgoblin mercenaries to supliment her minimal calvary and recieved critical aid when the Orc State of Riverway declared for her bringing experienced irregulars to her cause. She trained her forces in the landsknecht style of the empire, but trained to fight in the newly developed Edren Square, a formation with a pike square protected by highly mobile corners of musketeers enabling battle from any direction. She had minimal wyvern air forces, and some special Sudelind Wholly Rhino Calvary and a standard array of Canons.
Meanwhile the Conservative forces under Deacon pulled mostly from his base of power in Elvlind and the elite forces from the conservative stronghold of Wildeslind He brought even more landsknecht than Lysandra, about as much cannons and airpower as the populists due to Wildeslinds canons being immovable, and the Elite Calvarly of Arrows Field. He had Dinosaur Calvary as well, but as they could not be deployed outside of Wildeslind they would not see battle in the war.
All in all the numbers and quality had the conservatives at a slight to distinct advantage, however as many of these advantages were regional, and Conservative leadership was overly braisen, this lead would never find itself maximized in the war. And as the conservative Governor of Heartlind Refused to commit to either side, neither side saw the bulk of the imperial army align to them.
The Engagement
Battle of the Packs
The first battle of the war took place near the town of Ashport. The Conservatives hearing of a massive pack of Knolls drove them south into Sudelind hoping to cause damage and force direct conflict with the Knolls to drain the Populists of time and forces. Ironically this proved to be largely a talking point of the populists, proving conservatives were "cowards who did not care about the people". As the knoll pack was quickly crushed by the Hobgoblin mercenary group called the Feather Khannate earning them renoun and prestigue.
Battle of Sudelind
The most important battle of the war was fought as the two armies came in conflict outside the Populist City of Sudolis here the Conservatives game with a calvary and infantry advantage and pushed for an open field battle. Lysandra commanded as the defender ordering her Riverway Irregulars to travel around the enemy through a neighboring forest towards the enemy camp. Mean while her right flank, mostly citizen calvery commanded by Maxamillia Von Xandrick was to try and deny the right opposite calvery battle into a circular chase. Her left flank commanded by the feather Khanates Khan and primarily consisting of her Hobgoblin mercenaries. Her center would have muskets and pikemen set up into Edren Squares with her Goliath Whooly Rhinos in reserve commanded by Goliath general Karak Anok. Deacon would command in the at the time more standard Manipol formation with pikes in front and musketeers in back between the cracks. The battle would begin with Deacons initially successful advance. Outnumber his enemy Deacon thought to envolope Lysandra, but the Edren Square, new at the time, made this impossible for the manipol to manage. Meanwhile the calvsry on the right managed to avoid being completely crushed by Deacons conservative professional calvary where the left would find itself more evenly matched. Meanwhile the irregulars would reach the enemy camp and begin to raid and burn it calling attention to Deacon. Panicking he charged himself with all his airpower and reserves. Lysandra fearing for the Irregulars engaged herself and her air power. The main battle was turning to a populist victory and as the squares held up the Rhino charge broke the conservative moral already rattled by the burning camp. With the conservatives rushing to retake the camp, Lysandra's Wyvern would be injured and the Riverway commander killed however under the new command of Nyx of Riverway the Irregulars held together long enough for the Populist counter attack to reach them. Although Deacon and almost all of his light calvary and airpower escaped most of his infantry and heavy Calvary was killed or captured as was all his cannons due to the speed and persistance of Hobgoblin mounted archers. This victory changed the balance of power and made the Populist turn from underdog to most likely to win.
Siege of Arrows Field and the battle on Golden Hill
Despite advisors suggesting Deacon retreat all the way to Wildeslind where his wealth and dinosaur units could fight the would be emperor did not want to surrender Elvlind to the populists. As such he commanded the governor of Wildeslind Philip Eripitius to send another army to relieve him at Arrows Field. Lysandra on the otherhand marched with her army, unwilling to give up the advantage, to Arrows field with no rest and commited all her infantry and and cannons to hold a long starvation siege of Arrows Field. Thanks to a spy, she knew of a relief army coming in threes hoping to arrive before Lysandra could set up her siege. There she took her fastest forces, the Riverway Irregulars, and all her calvery, commited the rest to the siege and set up a series of ambushes around a large wheat field on Golden Hill where the backroad to Arrows field ran by. There she was able to crush the second division and the first surrendered trapped between the besiegers and the hidden army, pretending instead to be there for Lysandra, a fabrication she was happy to accept. And then the third heaviest force under Philip did repel her, but retreated to Wildeslind believing Deacon was lost. The Siege would last for another month as deacon lead sorties to minimal effect. Facing a mutany he went to negotiate, eventually signing the Peace of Arrows Field.
The first battle of the war took place near the town of Ashport. The Conservatives hearing of a massive pack of Knolls drove them south into Sudelind hoping to cause damage and force direct conflict with the Knolls to drain the Populists of time and forces. Ironically this proved to be largely a talking point of the populists, proving conservatives were "cowards who did not care about the people". As the knoll pack was quickly crushed by the Hobgoblin mercenary group called the Feather Khannate earning them renoun and prestigue.
Battle of Sudelind
The most important battle of the war was fought as the two armies came in conflict outside the Populist City of Sudolis here the Conservatives game with a calvary and infantry advantage and pushed for an open field battle. Lysandra commanded as the defender ordering her Riverway Irregulars to travel around the enemy through a neighboring forest towards the enemy camp. Mean while her right flank, mostly citizen calvery commanded by Maxamillia Von Xandrick was to try and deny the right opposite calvery battle into a circular chase. Her left flank commanded by the feather Khanates Khan and primarily consisting of her Hobgoblin mercenaries. Her center would have muskets and pikemen set up into Edren Squares with her Goliath Whooly Rhinos in reserve commanded by Goliath general Karak Anok. Deacon would command in the at the time more standard Manipol formation with pikes in front and musketeers in back between the cracks. The battle would begin with Deacons initially successful advance. Outnumber his enemy Deacon thought to envolope Lysandra, but the Edren Square, new at the time, made this impossible for the manipol to manage. Meanwhile the calvsry on the right managed to avoid being completely crushed by Deacons conservative professional calvary where the left would find itself more evenly matched. Meanwhile the irregulars would reach the enemy camp and begin to raid and burn it calling attention to Deacon. Panicking he charged himself with all his airpower and reserves. Lysandra fearing for the Irregulars engaged herself and her air power. The main battle was turning to a populist victory and as the squares held up the Rhino charge broke the conservative moral already rattled by the burning camp. With the conservatives rushing to retake the camp, Lysandra's Wyvern would be injured and the Riverway commander killed however under the new command of Nyx of Riverway the Irregulars held together long enough for the Populist counter attack to reach them. Although Deacon and almost all of his light calvary and airpower escaped most of his infantry and heavy Calvary was killed or captured as was all his cannons due to the speed and persistance of Hobgoblin mounted archers. This victory changed the balance of power and made the Populist turn from underdog to most likely to win.
Siege of Arrows Field and the battle on Golden Hill
Despite advisors suggesting Deacon retreat all the way to Wildeslind where his wealth and dinosaur units could fight the would be emperor did not want to surrender Elvlind to the populists. As such he commanded the governor of Wildeslind Philip Eripitius to send another army to relieve him at Arrows Field. Lysandra on the otherhand marched with her army, unwilling to give up the advantage, to Arrows field with no rest and commited all her infantry and and cannons to hold a long starvation siege of Arrows Field. Thanks to a spy, she knew of a relief army coming in threes hoping to arrive before Lysandra could set up her siege. There she took her fastest forces, the Riverway Irregulars, and all her calvery, commited the rest to the siege and set up a series of ambushes around a large wheat field on Golden Hill where the backroad to Arrows field ran by. There she was able to crush the second division and the first surrendered trapped between the besiegers and the hidden army, pretending instead to be there for Lysandra, a fabrication she was happy to accept. And then the third heaviest force under Philip did repel her, but retreated to Wildeslind believing Deacon was lost. The Siege would last for another month as deacon lead sorties to minimal effect. Facing a mutany he went to negotiate, eventually signing the Peace of Arrows Field.
Outcome
In the short term the terms of the Peace of Arrows Field has Deacon swear off public life and go under house arrest on the island of Nylos with a stipend to live well off of. His allies and all conservative forces in Arrows Field were to be spared execution, however the treaty did not protect backers outside of arrows field whom Deacon believed abandoned him. As such the peace allowed Emperor Lysandra to take the throne and purge many conservative leaders and Senators, exiling several and forcibly possessing much conservative property into the Imperial Treasury. This pushed or freed Lysandra to act more publically Populist, quickly proving herself to no longer or possibly never having been a moderate. Slavery was prompty banned and the province of Elvlind moved into a new governorship.
Aftermath
With conservative party in shambles and the senate clear the populist were able to sweep through massive legislative changes and pay for it with the repossessed conservatives goods such as slavery repeals, new public works projects, rapid industrialization and health reforms. This also allowed for unprescented centralization around the emperor alarming many.
Conflict Type
War
Start Date
1055
Ending Date
1056
Conflict Result
Populist Victory
Belligerents
The Populists or Black and Golds
Led by
The Conservatives or The Silvers
Led by
Strength
75,000~
150,000~
Only about 90,000~ would see combat.
Casualties
15,000~
35,000~ killed
44,000~ Captured
Objectives
The Capture of the pretender Deacon Von Xandrick
The Capture of Lysandra von Xandrick and the "Rebel" Province of Sudolind.
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