| Barmenistan-Vanuku War | |||||||
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| Part of Jelbic-Augustan Wars | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Barmenistan
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 Vanuku
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| Commanders | |||||||
Barmenistan:
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Vanuku:
Augustan Empire:
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| Strength | |||||||
Total: 590,000
|
Total: 1,600,000
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Killed/Wounded: 244,900 | Killed/Wounded: 251,800 | ||||||
The Barmenistan-Vanuku War was military conflict between the Felinist Republic of Barmenia and the Banded States of Vanuku, allied with the Augustan Empire, that ended with the conquest of Barmenistan by Nikandro Heraklito and the creation of the Black Horde.
Background[]
Barmenistan had a long claim to the territory of Vanuku, which in Barmenian nationalist circles is called the "Greater Barmenian South". Between 3509 and 3540, Vanuku was under direct Barmenian rule as the March of Vanuku, and after the collapse of the March, Barmenistan continued to express its expansionist ambitions towards Vanuku. The power void created on the continent with the fall of the Deltarian Empire and the end of the subsequent Pax Zard allowed Barmenistan to more openly manifest its interest towards southern expansion. While Barmenian-Vanukean tensions were for a while quelled by their mutual participation in the Jelbic Union of the North, the start of the Augustan-Jelbanian War in 3625 ensured that Jelbania would be unable to assist Vanuku against Barmenian aggression. Thus in September 3627 Barmenistan declared war on Vanuku.
Barmenian Bombardment[]
The war started with a massive Barmenian bombardment campaign against Vanukuian cities. Missiles and bombs were regularly dropped on military and civilian targets, as both sides were fighting for air superiority. Barmenian bombardment had limited effect, as Barmenian missile strikes were mostly fended off with the outdated and crude missile shields of Vanuku.
Operation New Dawn[]
After a few days of inconsequential bombardment, the Vanukuian armed forces were ordered to begin an invasion of Barmenistan. Dubbed Operation New Dawn, the Vanukuian invasion proved to be a disaster, as the assault ran into heavy resistance near the north-western mountain pass in the northern mountain ridge that separate Barmenistan and Vanuku. With the Vanukuian invasion of Barmenistan easily defeated, Barmenistan could begin its own counter-invasion.
Assassination of Arthur van Zanten[]
In the midst of border fighting between the two nations, Vanukuian Prefect of the Council Arthur van Zanten was assassinated when his convoy was ambushed by guerrilla fighters who managed to bomb his vehicle.
Barmenian counter-attack[]
Taking advantage of the shock produced by the death of Prefect van Zanten, Barmenian forces tarted a massive offensive. After breaching the first Vanukuian defensive line, the Barmenians began pushing deep into Vanukuian territory. Within weeks, the Vanukuian province of Schoorvesten was brought under Barmenian control.
Augustan intervention[]
As the situation of Vanuku worsened, the Vanukuian government called for an alliance with the Augustan Empire (3607) against Barmenistan. The two governments had been in talks for several weeks for establishing an alliance, and the Augustan Empire, recently victorious in the Augustan-Jelbanian War, finally agreed to come to the assistance of Vanuku. After leaving a garrison to maintain order in Jelbania, Augustan general Nikandro Heraklito moved his Army of the North to Vanuku. Within a few weeks, Schoorvesten was liberated by Augustan and Vanukuian troops, and Heraklito could begin his invasion of Barmenistan.
Invasion of Barmenistan[]
The Army of the North's invasion of Barmenistan advanced quickly, encountering inefficient opposition. Within a month, Sisula was taken by Nikandro Heraklito, with high civilian and military casualties on the Barmenian side.
Heraklito's rebellion[]
Seeing that Barmenistan could not resist the Augustan invasion and wishing to avoid the fate of Jelbania, Barmenian Princess Dina, the heir to the throne, negotiated a ceasefire agreement with Emperor Theodosio IV. The Emperor, concerned with Nikandro Heraklito's growing power, agreed to end the war and recalled the Army of the North from Barmenistan. Nikandro Heraklito however refused, and continued his invasion of Barmenistan. Tried in absentia by a military tribunal and sentenced to death, Heraklito formally renounced his allegiance to the Augustan Empire and reformed the Army of the North as the Black Horde. After conquering the capital of Barmenistan, Varishehr, Heraklito converted to Ahmadism, adopting the Jelbic name Temrkai, and demanded the submission of all of Barmenistan. Queen Nour and Princess Dina were also captured by the Black Horde as they were fleeing Varishehr, becoming the personal prisoners and concubines of Heraklito. Days later, Queen Nour ordered the Barmenian army to put down their weapons; Barmenian forces ruled by Ahmadi officers were quick to submit, and swore loyalty to Temrkai, while forces ruled by Sisulan and Felinist officers decided to continue the partisan war. With the exception of a few pockets of resistance, the war was over, and in January 3638 the Treaty of Barmenian Submission was signed, formalizing Temrkai's position as the overlord of Barmenistan.