Siege of Kent

## The End of the Beginning

The Siege of Kent was one of the largest battles in the colonial series of fights in the War of Vile Men, where the Union of Birminhgam attempted to retake their colony of Kent from the invading Kodian Empire. Union forces, led by General Winston Philpot, had been given time to organize and concentrate following the Seizing of Kent, while the occupying Kodian division, led by Field Marshal Carsten Schröpfer, had been too busy consolidating their own reinforcements and hoping that their momentum could be maintained to orchestrate a coherent defense.

## Forces:

### Kodian Empire:

1. 1st Kodian Expeditionary Division- 10,000 volunteer troops, assorted equipment, transportation vehicles, ~200 light antitank cannons, ~60 halftrack vehicles.
2. 25th Armored Division- 400 assorted tanks (light to medium), ~100 mechanized/motorized transportation vehicles, accompanying crew and support infantry.

### Union of Birmingham:

1. 2nd Colonial Defense Division- ~10,000 locally-sourced troops, assorted equipment, transportation vehicles, ~50 light antitank cannons.
2. 157th Armored Battalion- 100 assorted tanks (light to medium), ~50 motorized transportation vehicles, accompanying crew and support infantry.
3. 379th Artillery Battalion- ~75 assorted artillery cannons, transportation vehicles, accompanying crew and support infantry.

### Kodian Empire:

1. 1st Kodian Expeditionary Division- ~8,000 volunteer troops, ~160 light antitank cannons, 60 halftrack vehicles.
2. 25th Armored Division- 280 assorted tanks (light to medium), ~80 mechanized/motorized transportation vehicles.

### Union of Birmingham:

1. 2nd Colonial Defense Division- ~9!800 locally-sourced troops, ~50 light antitank cannons.
2. 157th Armored Battalion- 100 assorted twnks (light to medium), 50 motorized transportation vehicles.
3. 379th Artillery Battalion- ~30 assorted artillery cannons.

## Timeline:

1. Following the Seizing of Kent, Kodian forces in Westerland hunkered down in the city to prepare for the inevitable counterattack, but when no such assault came within a few days, Field Marshal Carsten Schröpfer called for the troops to march on neighboring areas, in hopes of drawing out a Union response.
2. The Union of Birmingham took the separated Kodian forces as their opportunity to strike, and managed to cut off Kodian raiding groups from the main city of Kent. Once this had been established, the Union forces placed the city under siege.
3. In the weeks following the initial invasion, the Union of Birmingham had wasted no time in raising additional divisions and establishing a consilidated fighting force. This included sending plenty of troops across the ocean, including an Armored Divsion and an Artillery force. Field Marshal Schröpfer had hoped that the Union would not dedicate such a large contingent to retaking Kent, but his miscalculation had cost him dearly.
4. The city now under constant bombardment from an entire division of enemy troops, the city of Kent quickly fell into absolute ruin.
5. Reduced to fighting amidst piles of rubble, Union forces would attempt to assault and take the city 13 times over the course of the following two weeks, similtaneously attempting to starve the Kodian forces within of both provisions and ammunition. This attrition strategy would prove ineffective, as Kodian forces had been ferrying millions of rounds of ammo through Kent since their initial invasion, meaning that the city could survive for years without ever having to worry about supplies. Union forces would continue smashing their heads against the walls.
6. After over a month of continued bombardment and siege, the Union will throw its last 500 soldiers, accompanied by 50 light and medium tanks, at the city's walls. The Kodian forces within the city, now led personally by the Field Marshal, had been forced to barricade themselves into a small town center outside of Kent's main cityscape. Making use of their remaining antitank cannons and machine gun emplacements, the remaining 200 Kodian soldiers would fight tooth and nail for the city in a final last stand. The battle surely would have been a Union victory, if it had not been for the valiant acts of the last remaining Kodian medium tank, which destroyed 37 of the enemy tanks over the course of the final battle. By the battle's end, only 15 infantrymen, the Field Marshal, and the last medium tank will be left standing in the city.
7. Following such an embarrassing defeat, the Union forces will be ordered to retreat and fall back to their original borders, now unable to maintain the encirclement of Kent. Kodian reinforcements will storm back into the city and a new offensive will be planned immediately.