Rodenius War

Commanders|  **Japan*** Akiyama Hayate

 **Qua-Toyne*** Ine
* Moizi

Strength|  **Japan*** **JGSDF**
+ 1st Airborne Brigade
+ 2nd Division
- 3rd Infantry Rgt
- 2nd Artillery Rgt
- 2nd AAA Rgt
- 2nd Logistic Support Rgt

* **JASDF**
+ 8th Tactical Fighter Sqn

 **Qua-Toyne*** **Gim's Garrison**
+ 400 Troops
+ **Eastern Subjugation Army**
- Advance Echelon
* 15,000 Troops
* 20 Wyverns

* **Lourain Navy**
- 33 galleys
- 20 galliots
- 20 galleassses
- 50 converted merchant ships

Casualties| * 1× F-2A Damaged due to malfunction
* 20 Wyverns

400 Lourian civilians (estimated)

## Battles and Events

**Operation Zanzibar**+ Battle of Gim
+ Decapitation Strike on Jin-Hark Castle

The **Rodenius War** was a conflict between the Qua-Toyne Principality and the Louria Kingdom, the strongest country in the Rodenius continent. Japan also joined the war to fight alongside Qua-Toyne after their request for military assistance and Japanese products in exchange for food to provide for Japan. The war lasts for four hours.

## Background

During Llanfair's diplomatic visit in Japan, she announces in the Diet that she is willing to trade with the country by exporting them foodstuff in exchange for Japanese products. In addition, she also requested for military assistance as Qua-Toyne is facing imminent danger against a neighboring country called Louria which has taken up arms against all non-humans. In fear of losing their only trading partner, the Diet starts to discuss on the best method to proceed and has concluded to go for the diplomatic solution as some of the officials are feeling suspicious whether Llanfair's statement about Louria's xenophobic nature is true or not.

After Louria's acceptance to arrange a diplomatic talk with Japan, Japanese diplomats accompanied by a Fennese translator arrive at Louria welcomed by Lord Maus who guided them to the meeting room. The diplomats requested to trade with Louria but due to their relationship with Qua-Toyne, they are met with hostility shown by the Lourians including Lieutenant General Adem who has shown an open display of xenophobic hatred against non-humans stating that, "Those non-humans or rather, sub-humans, don't deserve to live." Disgusted by Adem's words, the Japanese diplomats and the rest of the delegation left the room without a word. Japan has allied with Qua-Toyne and declared war on Louria.

## Military Preparations

### Louria Kingdom

Louria has amassed up to an estimate of 15,000 troops and more than 20 wyverns on the borders with Qua-Toyne. Among the 15,000 are the Advanced Echelon which comprises of mostly professional soldiers. As seen from the pictures taken by the JASDF reconnaissance flight, multiple camps are erected consisting of Lourian banners, horses and soldiers of any kind. There is even a small airfield built dedicated to their wyverns. The Lourians also receive mortars given out by their Parpaldian benefactors to conduct an artillery barrage on the small town of Gim.

At the harbor of Jin-Hark, a fleet of 123 warships are mobilized consisting of 33 galleys, 20 galliots, 20 galleasses and 50 converted merchant ships. After receiving intelligence about Japan's completion on the construction of an airfield in Myhark, many of the larger ships are refitted to accommodate 1 or 2 wyverns at a cost of drastically reducing their combat capabilities in order to conduct an aerial attack on the airfield.

### Japan

Japan has mobilized their troops on the shores west of Myhark in Qua-Toyne to begin the construction of the airfield and a temporary pier, marking the beginning of their first overseas deployment in Asherah. 2 weeks later, the airfield has been completed and is receiving JASDF C-130H transport planes from which more JGSDF elements disembarked.

Three multirole fighters from the Japan Air Self Defense Force’s 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron are deployed to Naha Air Base in preparation for a decapitation strike on the Lourian capital, Jin-Hark. The three fighters consist of two F-2As that were each loaded with six 500lb laser-guided bombs and one F-2B equipped with a Sniper TPOD for laser guidance.

The JSDF and Qua-Toyne has deployed a total of 6,090 troops with 1,000 dedicated to the construction and engineering aspects to defend the already evacuated town of Gim which is situated by the Qua-Toynian border facing the Lourian camps on the other side. Type 99 self-propelled howitzers are also sent to the town of Gim and has more than enough range to eliminate the camps, further reinforced by anti-air elements from 2nd Anti-Air Regiment. However, no shells have been fired yet as it will be a violation of Article 9 of the Constitution, making them the aggressor of the conflict.

## Operation Zanzibar

**“Taking into account Japan’s limited resources available for diversion to military operations, we have decided on the implementation of this plan of action which we have dubbed: Operation *Zanzibar*.”**

**- Chapter 7: Plan Zanzibar**

Due to Japan's limited resources, the Self Defense Force decided to plan on a swift and conclusive end on the conflict in order to spend at least the bare minimum in diverting resources to defend Qua-Toyne and the deployment of their troops.

### Defensive counterattack on Gim

    After receiving information about the mortars in the Lourian camps having enough range to bombard the town of Gim, the plans to defend the town have changed. In fear of being caught in a massive bombardment, the army occupying the town have to evacuate and retreat to the top of a hill overlooking Gim in the cover of darkness. While the rest evacuated, a small number of Qua-Toynian and Japanese troops stayed behind to prop up torches, electrical lighting, scarecrows, and tents on the earthen walls to deceive Lourian spotters and dragon riders. The 2nd Artillery Regiment that is in charge of manning the Type 99 self-propelled howitzers have relocated them into their respective battle positions within the green covers of the Divine Forest with their guns pointing towards Gim. The next day, the town of Gim came under intense mortar bombardments. Fortunately, there are no casualties as the town has already been evacuated.

As the bombardment stopped, the soldiers of the Advanced Echelon led by Lieutenant General Adem together with the 2nd Wyvern Squadron led by Captain Aldebaraan are moving towards the ruined town of Gim unaware of the surprise that lies ahead of them. When they're nearing the eastern walls of Gim and much to Adem's astonishment, there is neither a presence of Japanese nor Qua-Toynian troops in the town. Suddenly, the Advanced Echelon is bombarded with 155mm high-explosive rounds fired from the Type 99 self-propelled howitzers. Adem is killed in action as he took a direct hit from one of the artillery shells. What was left of the Advanced Echelon are now reduced to disorganized groups that are either trying to push with the invasion or retreating back to the Lourian border.

Meanwhile, Captain Aldebaraan has managed to locate the artillery pieces in the Divine Forest. In a fit of rage and vengeance, he and the rest of the 2nd Wyvern Squadron formed up and swoop down towards the artillery pieces. Unfortunately, his suicidal yet courageous charge is short-lived as he and his dragon riders were immediately pummeled by Type 87 self-propelled anti-aircraft guns and Type 93 surface-to-air missile launchers from the 2nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. None survived.

At the Lourian side of border, Lourian mortar positions are bombarded by the same howitzers used to eliminate the Advanced Echelon. Just like what happened to the 2nd Wyvern Squadron, none survived. After the bombardment stopped, one of 2nd Division's ScanEagle drone was sent to conduct battle damage assessment and discovered, much to the horror of the Japanese, that the people operating the mortars are camp followers which also includes women.

Among the 15,000 troops involved in the battle of Gim, only 57 survived.

### Decapitation strike on Jin-Hark

According to the information shared by the Qua-Toynians, the Louria Kingdom was a feudal system of lords loosely kept together by the king, Hark Louria XXXIV. Hence, the JSDF concluded that with the king eliminated, the Lourians will effectively cease to be a coherent force and would start to fight each other for the throne, ending the war once and for all. The 8th Tactical Fighter Squadron, consisting of a lone F-2B, piloted by Kyobo Usagi and co-piloted by Kaizo Ikari accompanied by two F-2As, piloted by Sakaki Izumi and Sato Tojiro were deployed by the JASDF to participate in the operation by conducting a decapitation strike on the Lourian capital, Jin-Hark which is where they believe to be Hark Louria's current location.

An hour after the takeoff, one of the F-2As' canopy is suddenly blown off and Sato Tojiro is then beset by ultra-fast winds. Due to not having enough fuel to return back to Naha Air Base and unsure if there are any JCG or MSDF ships nearby to pick him up, the pilot has no choice but to continue on with the mission. A few minutes later, a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron of the USAF and its F-15 escorts were sent to facilitate a refueling of the F-2 fighters as part of the new tactical command agreements between Japan and the new government of the United States. Once the refueling is over, finally having enough fuel, the canopy-less F-2A separates from the group to return back to base while the rest continue on to their mission. As they arrived at Jin-Hark, they sighted their target: the royal castle. Reaching their drop point, six 500lb laser-guided bombs are dropped into their target. Hit by all six bombs, the royal castle easily collapsed killing Hark alongside with much of the castle staff, administrators, lords and their families.

## Aftermath

### Louria

The main Lourian invasion force, dubbed the Eastern Subjugation Army are stationed somewhere in Louria with a force of 25,000 troops awaiting orders from the Advanced Echelon to head towards Ejei and besieging it. No orders have been received. Concerned about their well-being, General Pandour ordered the 1st Wyvern Squadron, composed of 25 wyvern lords and their dragon knights whose command was lent to the Lourians by the Parpaldian Empire to fly to the Advanced Echelon’s camp and report back, only for them to report the utter carnage and destruction of the Advanced Echelon, Later on, the news about the king's death has been received. With the destruction of the Advanced Echelon and the death of Hark Louria, the lords argued on who gets the possession of the throne. Eventually, in order to maintain the balance of power among the lords, they agreed to a truce and sent their retinues as representatives to request a peaceful conclusion to the war from the Qua-Toynians and the Japanese.

Meanwhile, at the harbor of Jin-Hark, Vice Admiral Sharkun has also received news about the king and the Advanced Echelon. Under the command of Commander Patagene, Sharkun has been ordered to withdraw all ships and return to Jin-Hark.

### Japan

After the details of Operation Zanzibar are made public, the Japanese people surprisingly focused less on denouncing the collateral damage caused by the decapitation strike but more on the act of bombing another country's capital. This has caused a massive hit into Prime Minister Takamori's reputation and is pushed for resignation in which he refuses to do so. The aftermath also prompted the National Security Advisor Asada Taiji, who had been recovering in hospital as a result of a motor accident, to return back to Takamori's cabinet in anticipation for the battle damage assessment.

As a result of Diet's pressure and political fallout in the wake of Operation Zanzibar, Prime Minister Takamori reluctantly ordered the Chief of Staff Admiral Koji Yuuchi to immediately pull out the forward elements of General Hayate's 2nd Division and 1st Airborne Brigade out of Qua-Toyne, save for some logistical and security elements. As part of the new agreement between the United States and Japan, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Okinawa was deployed by the newly sworn in President Woods to relieve the wary 2nd Division from Qua Toyne, with the MEU's BLT 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment and 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion relieving 1st Airborne Brigade at the airfield and Myhark Port respectively.