Holy Monarcho-Polmarian - Fulcrum War

The **Holy Monarcho-Polmarian - Fulcrum War**, also called the **Steam War of 1906**, **Armature War of 1906**, **Second Helinskan Great War**, among other names, was an armed conflict between the Holy Monarcho-Polmarian Union and the Fulcrum from 1905 to 1906. It encompassed all 5 'megastates' inhabiting the continent at the time, which made up the entirety of its land, thus making it the only war to involve every nation on a continent to date.

In the latter half of the war, late 1906, just as Fulcrumite forces had failed to assault Karfalo and Polmaria had occupied the Airolian-governed Volecian Desert, the Cataclysm struck, bringing an abrupt end to the conflict. The extremely hazardous and life-threatening conditions as well as the plethora of natural disasters that followed prevented any continuation of the war on a large scale; small pockets of loyalists across the continent would continue to skirmish with one another if possible for several years afterwards, though the vast majority of them would end up defecting to insurrectionists, dying out, or fleeing back to 'friendly' lines.

Despite its relatively short length and small number of major engagements, the Holy Monarcho-Polmarian - Fulcrum War remains one of the most pivotal and influential conflicts in Helinskan history; perhaps even Yulean history. The war is often used to justify revanchism and 'reclaiming rightful territory' in modern times and was likely a major contributing factor in the following collapse of the 5 'megastates' involved in the conflict.

## Background

Prior to the conflict, two primary competing military alliances had been made in Helinska-- the Holy Monarcho-Polmarian Union between the Kingdom of Polmaria and the Holy Monarchy of the First Son, and the Fulcrum, consisting of the Socialist Republic of John and the Lemetiate of Airolia. Two unaligned powers remained in the region, the Union of the Midnight Flower Trading & Co. and the Ionian Rebel Alliance. Immediately prior to the war, the Union would undertake a brutal lightning war against Ionia, lasting less than a year. Before the end of 1904, Ionia had surrendered and been partitioned between the HMOFS and Polmaria, driving a physical wedge between the Fulcrum member-states.

Following this was the beginning of escalation on both sides but a refrain from actual combat; Airolia wanted to have Polmaria side with the Fulcrum and betray the HMOFS, whereas the rest of the factions were either recovering from war or preparing for one. The SRJ briefly entered into a non-aggression pact with Polmaria in a short-lived attempt for dentente, to little success. To further consolidate Fulcrumite interests, the Union of the Midnight Flower Trading & Co. was invited into the alliance as a bulwark against Union encroachment. Polmarian maritime operations just outside of Airolian borders were common, and animosity between Airolia and the HMOFS was extreme.

However, during this 'cold war', internal elements within the Polmarian military assassinated widely acclaimed general Hubert Amstern and framed Airolia for the murder; King Lucas refused to act upon calls for war and was subsequently overthrown. Self-proclaimed Marshal Carlov West alongside two other major participants in the coup were placed in charge of the country, which was reorganized into the Polmarian Triumvirate. Almost immediately after, the government of the Triumvirate unanimously agreed to declare war on Airolia, thus sparking the conflict.