Chernogovian-Demuon War:
The Frontier War as it became to be known in the Tsardom was a series of bloody clashes between Tsarist troops and soldiers from the Dominion of Demuon. Relations between the two states had always been fragile, as both harbored ambitions to expand their territory along the coastline and within the interior of the continent. However, tensions boiled over when according to the Governor of Astrakhan, Imperial soldiers from Demuon crossed the border in force supposedly in pursuit of 'bandits' that had attacked a Demuonese border outposts. General Sudoslav of the Chernogovian Army launched a punitive expedition across the Ughra River that separated the two nations and set the stage for a bloody two year conflict.
Battle of the Ughra River:
General Sudoslav successfully crossed the Ugra river with over fifteen thousand cavalry and proceeded to pillage the surrounding countryside, sacking several large towns and attacking a Demuonese garrison force of several thousand and scattering them. Sudoslav caused havoc, however his assault had not gone unnoticed by the provincial forces whom were mustering to deal with this new threat. They caught up with him as he attempting to ford his cavalry across the Ughra river. With his back to the river, Sudoslav turned his cavalry around. One of the largest cavalry battles in the last twenty years developed as Sudoslav assaulted a force nearly twice his number.
Sudoslav was initially successful in pushing the enemy back, the psychological terror the Chernogivian's inflicted causing several enemy regiments to turn and route. It wasn't long before the enemy had rallied and counter attacked however, pushing Sudoslav back and back. In order to break the stalemate, the Chernogovian Air Force had to be called in. The Royal Air Force quickly went to work, the Dominion having no air force of its own was forced to allow the Tsar's troops to withdraw, although the raid had been costly for Chernogov. Over 1,500 troops had been killed, and hundreds more wounded.
Escalation:
The Battle at Ughra quickly caused both sides to rush troops to their respective borders. For Chernogov, that meant taking much needed manpower from the URRS front and the newly occupied territory of the Republic of Markatz. Artillery and air raids became frequent occurrences between the two, as did the skirmishes of patrolling units. However, the next battle would come not on land but at sea where the Tsar's 'Black Fleet' was readying itself to attack the Demuonese Navy and seal them up on their island.
Chernogovian propaganda posters
Battle of Sichuan:
Taking place near the small isle of Sichuan, the Tsar's Black Fleet met the Demuonese Navy in a pitched naval battle that would eventually flounder the Tsar's ambitions of scoring a quick and decisive victory. It also saw the first use of the submarine and the sinking of the Chernogovian flagship Prince Peter IV with the loss of over 800 sailors. The battle itself lasted nearly 14 hours and by the end of it, the Chernogovian navy limped back to port but not before managing to fight off a Demuonese pursuit force that was attempting to finish off the battered fleet.
Invasion of Astrakhan:
The Invasion of Astrakhan occurred nearly a year after the start of the war and involved over a 250,000 troops. However, the Chernogovian Army wasn't prepared to defend against such a large invasion force. Despite having dragged up troops from the Survaekom Front, only 60,000 men were on hand to actively combat the enemy and several important large towns rapidly fell to Demuonese forces and the Chernogovian's were on the losing end in a number of early battles in the campaign.
Siege of Sevastopol:
The first target of Demuonese troops was the important Port City of Sevastopol, home to the Black Fleet of the Tsar and a major port used to export vast quantities of goods. The siege would go on for eight months, the garrison repeatedly throwing back fanatical Demuonese 'banzai' charges in mass human wave attacks.
The Demuonese Navy also blockaded the port, preventing the fleet from escaping. A number of vessels were damaged in harbor by Demuonese artillery, its sailors forced to fight as infantry in the brutal trenches outside the city proper. By the end of the siege, the denizens were down to eating rats and sometimes their own boots and the city was nearly ruined. Sevastopol fell at the cost of thousands of lives and would be recaptured several months later during the Tsar's Spring Offensive.
The Spring Campaign:
However, it was the harsh Chernogovian winter that won the battle for the Tsar. The Chernogovian's continued to trade space for time and retreated further into the interior, stretching Demuonese supply lines to the breaking point. Gureilla units and cavalry continued to harass and eventually the Demuonese were forced to dig in to await until the following spring. The Tsar used this time to conscript thousands of new 'volunteers' and strip other parts of the Empire clean of soldiers. A new spring offensive would be launched several months later, gradually pushing the Demuonese further back until they were nearly at the starting point of their invasion. But the campaign was taking its toll, losses were growing heavy for both sides and the Tsar was growing concerned that the breakaway region of Markatz with URRS backing would attempt to retake lost territory. Thus the Conference of Novgorod was arranged.
Conference of Novogorod:
Taking place in the capital of the Tsardom, the Conference of Novgorod was a long and drawn out affair as both sides haggled over the bargaining table. Meanwhile, numerous outbreaks of violence routinely violated the armistice on both sides as each sought to gain an advantage. Finally after nearly a month of negotiations, both sides agreed that the Demuonese forces would withdraw completely from the territory that it occupied. In addition, Demuon would agree to send several notables to reside within Chernogov including Princess Hotaru to remain as the Tsar's guests. Princess Hotaru was betrothed to Prince Nicholas I, the Tsar's son. Chernogov also agreed secretly that it would pursue a policy of non interference in Demuon's attempts to bring its neighbors under its sway. The effects of the conference have been mixed, border clashes continue to happen occasionally but for the most part the two enjoy an uneasy alliance that will continue at least for the near future.
Tsardom of Chernogov
Casualties:
50,000 killed
62,000 wounded
Dominion of Demouon:
75,000 killed
120,000 wounded
Territorial Changes: None
Outcome: Treaty of Novgorod
The Frontier War as it became to be known in the Tsardom was a series of bloody clashes between Tsarist troops and soldiers from the Dominion of Demuon. Relations between the two states had always been fragile, as both harbored ambitions to expand their territory along the coastline and within the interior of the continent. However, tensions boiled over when according to the Governor of Astrakhan, Imperial soldiers from Demuon crossed the border in force supposedly in pursuit of 'bandits' that had attacked a Demuonese border outposts. General Sudoslav of the Chernogovian Army launched a punitive expedition across the Ughra River that separated the two nations and set the stage for a bloody two year conflict.
Battle of the Ughra River:
General Sudoslav successfully crossed the Ugra river with over fifteen thousand cavalry and proceeded to pillage the surrounding countryside, sacking several large towns and attacking a Demuonese garrison force of several thousand and scattering them. Sudoslav caused havoc, however his assault had not gone unnoticed by the provincial forces whom were mustering to deal with this new threat. They caught up with him as he attempting to ford his cavalry across the Ughra river. With his back to the river, Sudoslav turned his cavalry around. One of the largest cavalry battles in the last twenty years developed as Sudoslav assaulted a force nearly twice his number.
Sudoslav was initially successful in pushing the enemy back, the psychological terror the Chernogivian's inflicted causing several enemy regiments to turn and route. It wasn't long before the enemy had rallied and counter attacked however, pushing Sudoslav back and back. In order to break the stalemate, the Chernogovian Air Force had to be called in. The Royal Air Force quickly went to work, the Dominion having no air force of its own was forced to allow the Tsar's troops to withdraw, although the raid had been costly for Chernogov. Over 1,500 troops had been killed, and hundreds more wounded.
Escalation:
The Battle at Ughra quickly caused both sides to rush troops to their respective borders. For Chernogov, that meant taking much needed manpower from the URRS front and the newly occupied territory of the Republic of Markatz. Artillery and air raids became frequent occurrences between the two, as did the skirmishes of patrolling units. However, the next battle would come not on land but at sea where the Tsar's 'Black Fleet' was readying itself to attack the Demuonese Navy and seal them up on their island.
Chernogovian propaganda posters
Battle of Sichuan:
Taking place near the small isle of Sichuan, the Tsar's Black Fleet met the Demuonese Navy in a pitched naval battle that would eventually flounder the Tsar's ambitions of scoring a quick and decisive victory. It also saw the first use of the submarine and the sinking of the Chernogovian flagship Prince Peter IV with the loss of over 800 sailors. The battle itself lasted nearly 14 hours and by the end of it, the Chernogovian navy limped back to port but not before managing to fight off a Demuonese pursuit force that was attempting to finish off the battered fleet.
Invasion of Astrakhan:
The Invasion of Astrakhan occurred nearly a year after the start of the war and involved over a 250,000 troops. However, the Chernogovian Army wasn't prepared to defend against such a large invasion force. Despite having dragged up troops from the Survaekom Front, only 60,000 men were on hand to actively combat the enemy and several important large towns rapidly fell to Demuonese forces and the Chernogovian's were on the losing end in a number of early battles in the campaign.
Chernogovian troops prepare to fight off a Demuonese bayonet charge.
Siege of Sevastopol:
The first target of Demuonese troops was the important Port City of Sevastopol, home to the Black Fleet of the Tsar and a major port used to export vast quantities of goods. The siege would go on for eight months, the garrison repeatedly throwing back fanatical Demuonese 'banzai' charges in mass human wave attacks.
The Demuonese Navy also blockaded the port, preventing the fleet from escaping. A number of vessels were damaged in harbor by Demuonese artillery, its sailors forced to fight as infantry in the brutal trenches outside the city proper. By the end of the siege, the denizens were down to eating rats and sometimes their own boots and the city was nearly ruined. Sevastopol fell at the cost of thousands of lives and would be recaptured several months later during the Tsar's Spring Offensive.
The Spring Campaign:
However, it was the harsh Chernogovian winter that won the battle for the Tsar. The Chernogovian's continued to trade space for time and retreated further into the interior, stretching Demuonese supply lines to the breaking point. Gureilla units and cavalry continued to harass and eventually the Demuonese were forced to dig in to await until the following spring. The Tsar used this time to conscript thousands of new 'volunteers' and strip other parts of the Empire clean of soldiers. A new spring offensive would be launched several months later, gradually pushing the Demuonese further back until they were nearly at the starting point of their invasion. But the campaign was taking its toll, losses were growing heavy for both sides and the Tsar was growing concerned that the breakaway region of Markatz with URRS backing would attempt to retake lost territory. Thus the Conference of Novgorod was arranged.
Conference of Novogorod:
Taking place in the capital of the Tsardom, the Conference of Novgorod was a long and drawn out affair as both sides haggled over the bargaining table. Meanwhile, numerous outbreaks of violence routinely violated the armistice on both sides as each sought to gain an advantage. Finally after nearly a month of negotiations, both sides agreed that the Demuonese forces would withdraw completely from the territory that it occupied. In addition, Demuon would agree to send several notables to reside within Chernogov including Princess Hotaru to remain as the Tsar's guests. Princess Hotaru was betrothed to Prince Nicholas I, the Tsar's son. Chernogov also agreed secretly that it would pursue a policy of non interference in Demuon's attempts to bring its neighbors under its sway. The effects of the conference have been mixed, border clashes continue to happen occasionally but for the most part the two enjoy an uneasy alliance that will continue at least for the near future.
Tsardom of Chernogov
Casualties:
50,000 killed
62,000 wounded
Dominion of Demouon:
75,000 killed
120,000 wounded
Territorial Changes: None
Outcome: Treaty of Novgorod
