Battle of Villagetown

National Loaetian Army
Lost Legion
Banditos
Loae Liberation Movement

The **Battle of Villagetown**, also known as the **Siege of Villagetown**, **Runt's Miracle**, and the **Destruction of Villagetown**, was the most decisive battle in the Great Herobranian War. The battle lasted from August 12, 2057 to August 12, 2058. The battle was considered a massive turning point in the war, as a part of the Villagetown-Mahomes Offensive. The battle took place in the Villagetown Metropolitan Area, where intense fighting occurred. Villagetown was razed to the ground as it was besieged and assaulted by Herobranian, Marxian, and TOMOW forces.

The first signs of fighting and preparations for battle began in 2055, as the Battle of Aetheria City ended as a decisive victory for Herobrine. Throughout 2056, total military control of Villagetown as well as stalling led to heavy losses by the Minecraftian government. By April 2057, the Villagetown-Mahomes Offensive was launched by Herobrania. Marxian and TOMOW forces also began to close in on Villagetown, and by August, the city found itself surrounded as the Marxians closed off the Northern areas of it. Herobrania, Marxia, and TOMOW all engaged in heavy combat in the perimeter of the city, while Minecraftian and Watternese forces fought harshly to defend the city. The allied forces held off several attempts by the Marxians and Herobranians to break the frontlines, however, both managed to break the stall and began the battle for the inner city by early November. Herobranian upswing in December and further Marxian offensives led to heavier fighting, and by January, the city was very close to falling. Infighting between all three invading factions caused war crimes and catastrophic damage. Herobrine launched Operation Takeover in February, which led to the harshest fighting in the war and the closest Villagetown ever was to capitulation. Further fighting in March and April led to allied forces to repel several attacks, and, while harsh fighting in the south continued, both Herobrine and Marxia began to be defeated by allied forces. Herobrine was killed on May 1 after leading an assault, which led to the defeat of Herobranian forces in Baymax. By July, TOMOW had been completely defeated while Herobrania and Marxia retreated with heavy fighting occurring within western and southern Villagetown. The battle ended on August 12 after the last of Herobranian forces were defeated. The battle was the deadliest one of the war, with an estimated 9-16 million people dying as a result of fighting.

The battle was also a massive turning point of the war. The victory boosted morale within Minecraftia and preceded the following blitz.

## Prelude

Herobrania had made alarming advances throughout Minecraftia throughout 2055, securing strategic cities and killing millions. Essex fell by March 2055, as did former capital Aetheria City by late July. Kipling and Tarmac both fell by November. Alongside several incidents including the Homelands Massacre, the Minecraftian Genocide, and the 2056 Essex uprising, the war stalled throughout 2056, with Herobrania having to abort an offensive in order to focus on violence within its occupied territories. An intense bombing campaign of Villagetown began in March 2056, which continued on.

After the bombing campaign began, Minecraftian president Ibrahim Shahub Johnson ordered the preparation for battle within the metro area, scrambling high-efficiency weaponry from other areas as well as leading Team Runt to conduct covert operations to steal other weaponry from Marxia, which itself had positioned itself closer to Villagetown, which increased the risk of encirclement. Many preparations were made, among them, the digging of trenches, arming of citizens, the building of a massive wall, and mass mobilization.

Going into 2057, Herobrania began to advance again, as did Marxia. Marxia had reached within 20 miles of the city by March 11, however, they then halted the offensive in order to prepare for attrition warfare. Herobrania, meanwhile, began the massive Villagetown-Mahomes Offensive, the largest campaign of the war. Heading into April, heavy fighting was seen in the city's southern flank near Baymax and Pombo (now Victory City), as well as in its eastern flank near its Carolina Rayon. The Ravensong Forest was used as a hiding place and base by Herobranian troops to launch attacks in Baymax. Battle was also beginning to be seen in the western areas of Villagetown, as Marxian forces approached rapidly as they also launched a campaign to seize the city, which stalled. On May 1, the National Loaetian Army deployed its forces in Villagetown to help with its defense.

Throughout May, fighting intensified, as did terrorism and crime within. Heavy fighting occurred within Baymax, where over 10,000 troops from both Herobrania and Minecraftia died. Pombo also saw heavy fighting, with artillery shells often littering the area. The southernmost third of Ironfurnace Rayon also saw some limited fighting, with the shuttle terminal there being destroyed. General Runt Ironfurnace managed to still scramble as many weaponry as possible into central Villagetown, which was difficult to reach due to its tight streets and several barriers that had been built. On May 21, fighting was reported at Ilham Aliyev International Airport, located in the western outskirts of Villagetown. Fierce defense by allied forces managed to hold off the airport.

By June, TOMOW began to use its clandestine cells and other fugitives to launch several attacks within the metropolitan area, as well as using other nearby associates in Mahomes to launch rockets and missiles towards Villagetown. TOMOW also began to take control of pockets within Villagetown, as well as aiding Herobrine in the offensive eastward. Herobranian forces advanced outside the city limits near Carolina Rayon and attempted to penetrate defenses several times to no avail. On June 15, fighting broke out in Pasadena, a northern suburb of Villagetown, as Marxian forces continued their advance. Fighting eventually reached the Tri Cities by July, with Ontario City seeing the heaviest. Ontario City was attacked on the East and West by both Herobrania and Marxia, respectively, as they continued their renewed offensives. The battle also saw some of the heaviest casualties of the war. Combined with the ongoing battles in the Ravensong and Pombo, casualties were in the hundred thousands as Minecraftian and Watternese defenses held off the invaders. The invaders, as well as TOMOW, began in kill civilians, which led to many joining the military. As Herobrine approached from the south and east, the scrambling of military equipment into Villagetown was hastily carried out, as well as the mass deployment of troops and militants from other parts of the frontline to VIllagetown.

Marxian troops managed to reach to Erdogan Trail on June 30th, signifying the increased chance of encirclement. Throughout most of July, Marxian forces gradually forced their way south and west from Shadowbrook into Pasadena, attempting to assist a Communist militia that had taken over parts of the city. Simultaneously, TOMOW and Herobranian forces rapidly advanced around Ontario City and Fujimori City, leading to heavy casualties.