The First Imperial Crusade

### Result

Crusader VictoryThe Independence of Athonia reestablished The Establishment of Crusader States

## Belligerents

### Faction 1

The Grevian EmpireThe Athonian Resistance Movement

## Strength

### Land Army

200.000 vs 430.000 (Gruvanian Theatre)500.000 vs 2.000.000 (Athonian Theatre)

## Casualties and Losses

### Wounded

192.000 vs 280.000

The First Imperial Crusade, or the Vedrician War, is the first of a series of crusades conducted by the Grevian Empire. The objective for this crusade was the recovery of the Gruvanian Islands that were now under the overrall control of the Seth Imperial Union, the establishment of crusader states to ensure the passage of pilgrims travelling from Grevia into Myrefall, a holy city for the Grevian Empire.

The first call to arms was made by Vedrix I after he had successfully defeated a small Grimen Horde north of the Empire. The call was welcomed by the Senate, and soon approved that the experienced Northern Frontier Legions be readied up for the upcoming crusade.

## Background

### The Situation in the Nebulon System

Following the banishment of the Gruvanian Empire, the city of Myrefall was soon occupied by Magdorlandian troops. Even after the empire was banished, local resistance to STO troops was rather difficult to stamp out. The occasional guerilla warfare was conducted by several resistance groups, including some former military units that have experience in the field.

The remaining remnants of the Gruvanian Empire that was banished outside the Nebulon System turned against each other and after the Imperial Faction won, it marked Myrefall as a holy city due to its long history and connection with the late Empire.

Meanwhile following the decades after the Second Grand War, the people in the Gruvanian sector of the Seth Imperial Union was struggling due to the economic crisis that was made by the war. The crisis was so bad that people went to fight for food and the order in the streets was little to none, there were daily clashes with police and gunfights erupted every night during the curfew that the SIU enacted to stave off the hungry hordes of starving people.

It took 20 years for the populace to submit to the Union’s demand to lay down arms and obey their orders, and soon enough they began taking food shipments from the mainland as part of a gift to the people. The Gruvanian Islands was in charge under Magdorland, one of the kingdoms in the Union, and they treated the populace with good respect following the submission. Even as the populace in the Gruvanian Islands began to become loyal to the Union’s cause, internal turmoil started to boil as corruption soon plagued the mainland.

In the mainland, there was a political struggle between both Magdorland and Forarendt after both sides accused each other of trying to gain one’s advantage, possibly due to the fact that both governments were entirely different, with Magdorland being a kingdom and Forarendt as a socialist republic. The entire crisis was defused after other countries in the mainland mediate their differences in a attempt to not instigate a war in the continent

### The Situation in the Amogus System

Immediately after the end to the civil war that engulfed the planet of Grevia, Grevian monarchs boosted the military capability even further as the Barbarian Age went to its peak. Following the end to the Barbarian Age, there were 100 Legions that were either in the Northern Frontier guarding against any barbarian threat that may rise or pacifying any sort of uprisings. Even though corruption was taking place in the Grevian government, the power that it had was weaker than it was during the Gruvanian Empire. Grevian Emperors and Empresses are known to be incorruptible and would take immediate action if there’s any sort of corruption.

The number of legions was further increased to 150 Legions following a law that the senate approved which states that the number of legions in the empire should be at the core minimum of 100 Legions. Even as Grevia had a great military and government, its religion was weak as the Grevians held no holy cities besides its capital, Rechester. This problem greatly infuriated the clergy as it saw no power whatsoever given to them unlike the other ones. After taking notice to this, Emperor Virsinius started to draw out plans with his advisors to take not only Myrefall, but to consolidate its power in the Nebulon System, something that no emperor had never done before. Although this plan came to fruit, Virsinius died before he was able to give the request to the senate.

His son, Vedrix, took upon his father’s wishes to reclaim back Myrefall and set upon asking a request to the people and the senate to see if they would accept this offer. Soon enough, with enough political support, he was given the go ahead by the senate and was soon mustering his forces.

## Prelude

### Military and Weaponry

#### The Grevian Empire

Following its arrival to the planet of Revia, the Grevian Empire took significant reforms to shape what was to become one of the best militaries in the galaxy. Carrying a Gladios energy blade, a Scutus energy shield, and a standard issued AP4100 pistol, the common soldier would pose a very serious threat if it were to engage in melee combat with its enemy. The Grevian Legions would be able to conduct lightning strikes along with defence capabilities due to its resillience in combat.

## The War

### The First Wave

It took 3 months for all the designated Legions and supplies to meet at the designated centers all over Grevia. For the first force, a total of 10 Legions would be sent towards Athonia to support partisans fighting in the countryside against the Seth Imperial Union. The second force would depart as the second wave, targeting the Gruvanian Islands with around 50 Legions. The third force, made as a reserve would be sent to the heart of the Imperial Union itself, Forarendt.

On the 23rd of March, the first wave departed in their respective transport fleets, bound for the Nebulon System. Along its 2 month journey, the fleet faced several problems and had to abandon and scuttle 6 transport ships, with several more warships so badly damaged that they could not continue the journey. The Primum Legate that was commanding the first wave, Primum Legate Quasarius, was seriously injured when the command bridge of his flagship the *Victrix* collapsed due to low maintenance.

Finding a suitable landing zone, Quasarius took the 8th Legion Armillae and landed near Christfield on the 6th of May. As soon as they landed, they began to advance to Christfield, destroying several Seth regiments in the process. The Athonian Provisional Force was dispatched to counter the threat alongside 2nd Seth Panzer Division and 7th Seth Rifle Division. In the Battle of Christfeld, the 8th Legion maneuvered with such discipline that the 80.000 Seth-Athonian Force was crushed, with no mercy taken towards the prisoners.

The Athonian Provisional Government tried raising a new army by raising taxes and conscripting males into the army but this was met with negative reaction from its people, now taking up arms against their own government. The government collapsed after the battle and the countryside turned deadly after several resistance groups vied for power.

As the victorious 8th Armillae entered the city streets of Christfield, more and more Legions started landing. While most of the legions were tasked with defending the key roads that lead to Christfield, Quasarius took with him the 8th Armillae, the 10th Illustris, and the 6th Pallium. He then went into Seth controlled territory and proceeded to loot and rampage the villages and towns there, leaving no one in their sights alive.

With no way of defeating the rampaging legions without reinforcements, The Seth relied on scorched earth to prevent the legions from ever advancing. By the time of winter, legions were forced into their winter quarters and they began to withdraw back into Athonia to settle there until spring arrived. The Seth then exploited this by sending ambushing parties ahead of their main force in order to slow Quasarius’ army down. The Seth then succeeded in catching Quasarius in the Battle of Bogdan Field. Quasarius’ army was defeated, but managed to save his army through the works of his 8th Legion. Following the battle, the First Wave would no longer advance into Seth Territory during the war.

### The Second Wave

Immediately after the Grevian Army’s defeat in Bogdan Field, Vedrix ordered the Second Wave to depart according to their orders. The Fleet departed, its journey was turbulent but they managed to not lose any ships compared to the First Wave. The fleet landed in Graycott, and after little resistance, captured the city. The Wave’s commander, Primum Legatum Aaradius ordered that city’s inhabitants be spared, but that any men that he deemed a “combatant” be summarily executed without warning. After landing all his 50 legions at his disposal, Aaradius took with him 15 Legions and marched towards Myrefall.

Myrefall was lightly defended after the bulk of the garrison force fled after hearing news that any combatant would be executed with no mercy. Alongside the city’s 3.000 militia, only 12.000 Seth regulars were defending the walls. Aaradius knowing that the harbour would bring the besieged enemy some supplies, ordered a 10 day bombardment of the harbor. The bombardment not only severely damaged the harbor, but inadvertently set fire to the city. It took a week to put out the fires raging throughout the city, and by the time it was put out roughly 30% of the city was destroyed. After enduring the bombardment, the entire city surrendered itself, with the garrison massacred.

The main Seth Forces that were supposed to be defending Myrefall but fled from the battlefield were caught up and annihilated near Astlan. With that, all resistance in the Home Islands were crippled and all forts willingly surrendered to Grevian Forces, to which they were shown mercy.

### Aftermath

Following the capture of the entirety of the Home Islands and the no need for a Third Wave, Vedrix proclaimed to the senate a great victory upon the Seth Imperial Union.