The Solar War

**The Solar War** is the struggle that tears Sol System apart during the First Trilogy Era from **SY 129** to **SY 138**. It is the main setting of *Invictus*. This page is the main repository for all facts concerning the war.

## Factions and Belligerents

* Technocracy
	+ Triumvirate of Arthur Feingold, Nikolaisha Varkosky, and Wilhelm F. Keigel
	+ Resistors
* Protectorate
	+ Confederacy
	+ Army of Eastern Kamijing
		- Warlord Wu Kenshu
		- Daimyo Moriyoshi Mirimoto
	+ Free Mars
	+ Alliance
		- Haydn von Dehlin, no official title
		- Jaymeson and Cera Nicks, agents
	+ Freitaika Free Forces and Freebooter militia
		- Commander Alexandré Skjörn
		- Johann Yun Baker, Lieutenant Commander of Nereid
		- Fury of Nerio
* Consortium
	+ Septimus Severus Gaiaus Quintus, ***Legatus Augusti pro praetore** of* CONPOL
	+ Marcus Cato Scaevola, Senator and head of the War Commission
	+ United States Space Marines
	+ 117th CONPOL aka the French Foreign Legion
	+ Kosmodats, the Soviet contribution to the war effort
	+ Taikozans, the PRC's contribution to the war effort
	+ Freebooters, issued a Letter of Marque as part of the Earth Prosperity Initiative

## Causes

The primary cause of the Solar War was a series of competing interests over the resources of the Main Asteroid Belt and intense devotion to ideology.

It is well agreed by most post war scholars that while the Technocracy movement was the initial instigator of the conflict, the Consortium was responsible for its snowballing into total war with the Protectorate forces generally seen as fighting a just war on the defensive. Additionally, the Alliance was found responsible for manipulating solar trade to the benefit of the Main Belt, giving some credence to the other two side's arguments, while the Alliance would argue it was doing so out of a just motivation.

It should also be well understood that neither side is entirely innocent of war crimes.

## Timeline

### Battle of Kamijing and Dosijing

Uprisings on these two major Confederate platforms are the first hostilities of the War. Minor struggles on Cosmograd and Freitaika also occur. Immediately after the initial bombings on these two platforms, the United Technicians declared the formation of the Technocracy.

On Dosijing, technicians seize control of local production with a force of about five thousand composed of rogue Confederate militia and armed technicians. A force of about three thousand Confederate regular militia respond. The technicians blockade the spaceports and shut down oxygen and electricity. Most of the populace blockades themselves in their homes. The Alliance responds and conducts guerrilla strikes on Technical positions while the Confederates fight to regain control of the utilities. Fighting lasts for two days and the Technicals hold their positions. The techs collapse the Confederate center and rear lines in a two pronged attack, separating their flanks. Simultaneously, the Technocracy fleet destroys the Confederate fleets and Confederate ground forces surrender. In the ensuing chaos, the Alliance forces evacuate the platform and destroy their stronghold.

On Kamijing, an overwhelming Technical force blows up the Confederate militia headquarters. The attack is a false flag operation blamed on the Alliance, exposing their existence and collaboration with the Confederate government. The battle is over in a matter of hours as it becomes a popular uprising and remaining Confederate forces flee or are executed. Kamiing becomes the administrative capitol of the newly declared Technocracy.

The Battles are decided Technical victories. The Army of Eastern Kamijing watches from afar on Freitaika, They do not yet intervene as they are unwilling to compromise their position, having swiftly crushed the few uprisings on the platform. Freitaika was attacked purposely to keep the AEK occupied while Kamijing and Dosijing were attacked.

The Alliance relocates itself to Mars and insist to the Confederate government that the Confederacy will fall. Utilities are restored on Dosijing and the Technocracy negotiates trade with the Rim. The Technocracy begins a smear campaign against the Confederacy and promises to redistribute resources to any system that defects and end all class distinctions. Many of the minor platforms declare Technical allegiance and unorganized militias fight Confederate regulars. Stretched thin, Technocracy forces reorganize to put these irregular volunteers under the command of loyal Technocratic officers, nearly doubling the size of the Technocratic force to ten thousand. The Confederate government reorganizes it's administrative center in it's orbital fleet.

### Battle of Apollo Minor

The Confederate fleet responds to a distress call from the Confederate loyal platform of Apollo Minor. The Technical forces are overwhelmingly defeated in a Mainer day as the fleet bombards Technical positions and ground forces drop behind Technical lines, surrounding them.

Public executions of captured and outed Alliance members become a daily occurrence on the former Confederate capitol of Kamijing. The first of the anti-war demonstrations begin on Earth. As most of the minor Confederate systems join the Technocracy, the Confederacy splits into two independent factions of itself. The remaining Confederate systems near the Rim fall under the command of Ganymede, while the main Confederate government and most of it's standing militias respond to the call to Mars in solidarity with the Free Peoples.

Alliance intelligence reveal that those minor Confederate systems that had apparently defected were being held hostage in an effort to force a Confederate retreat, which clearly worked. When the Confederates indeed retreated, many of the platforms felt abandoned and stabbed in the back, resulting in a sort of Stockholm Syndrome.

About two standard months pass after the Battle of Apollo Minor as both sides consolidate their resources.

### First Battle of Mars

The First Battle of Mars begins with the entry of Technical spacecraft into Martian space and is entirely an orbital engagement. The Confederate and Technical fleets were evenly matched. The Technicals deployed controversial heavy kinetic weapons in orbit. Key Confederate craft, led by the admiral-class strike cruiser *Paragon* prevented the Technicals from deorbiting and defended the major population centers of Mars. When fleets from Deimos and Phobos arrived, they attacked the Technicals with a kinetic blitzkrieg. There were no Technical survivors.

### Siege of Ganymede

At Ganymede, Technicals from the Main Belt blocked key exit vectors and seized control of Jupiter's shipping under the guise of protecting the Technical-Rim trade agreement. Rather than wage a costly ground campaign on Ganymede, the Technicals starved the resistant Confederates into surrender. Jupiter fell to the control of the Technocracy.

### Heavy Skirmish Period

The Confederate government meets with the Alliance. Together, they form a pact with the Free Martian Council and petition the Army of Eastern Kamijing for aid. They begrudgingly accept. Heavy skirmishes ensue from Freitaika and Confederate allies on Cosmograd against occupied Kamijing and Dosijing.

The Confederacy officially establishes itself on Deimos and agrees to defend Mars against any hostility. The AEK sends a contingent to join the Martian defense. The Free Martian Council issues an edict that foreign (i.e.- Consortium) involvement in the struggle is unwelcome.

### Second Battle of Mars

A highly mobilized Technical force arrives in the orbit of Mars once more. A heavy strategic bombing knocks out some of Taikograd's defenses. Technate forces land at Taikograd, the economic capitol of Mars. Power and oxygen to the city are cut, locking civilians (including Jaymeson and Cera Nicks) in their homes. The battle endured for three Martian days and finally broke when AEK forces halo jumped from orbiting Confederate capitol ships. *The Defiant**,* a secret Alliance weapon, decimates the Technical navy. The AEK forces land and surround the Technical siege lines around the city. Free Martian Militia concentrate on the urban fight and the battle is won.

### Consortium Enters War

Marcus Cato Scaevola gives an impassioned speech to World Congress and was largely seen by the greater populace as well in realtime. He argues that Sol System is a family, irreplaceable and unshakeable, and as in family sometimes a wise head of family must discipline the others and bring them in order. He openly declared the failure of the Confederate experiment, but remained silent on Mars.

A severely moved World Congress passes a resolution authorizing itself in a "peacekeeping" role. CONPOL is militarised and Earth sees the formation of an army on her surface, the first time in a century.

### Skirmish period

Formation of Protectorate and Founding of Freeport

Defection of Luna

Battle of Earth and Japanese Uprising

Consortium and Technate Ceasefire

Heavy Skirmishes

Unity Government Forms

Occupation of Luna and Blockade of Mars

Progress Fleet Launched

### Civil War on Earth

They become the principal fighting force during the late-war revolts on Earth and subsequent global civil war. As the Consortium collapses, many of the CPO defect to the direct command of Marcus Cato Scaevola and Septimus Severus Gaius Quintus and help to secure the safety of major metropolitan areas on into the Twilight Era.

Battle of Deimos

Belt War Erupts

### Siege of Mars

Twelve standard days. Mars is blockaded by Consortium and Technical forces. The new unity government wants all the resources of Mars for itself now that Solar trade has collapsed. Unity forces seize shipments of goods in and out of Mars.

On the second day of the siege, irregulars from the Protectorate's Alliance faction attempt a subterfuge campaign against Consortium forces landing at the poles. Before the Alliancers can arrive, Consortium forces cut the water supply to the main cities of Mars.

Until now, the Protectorate had no knowledge of the unity government. These Alliance irregulars observed Technical forces peacefully landing at the poles and setting up camp with the Consortium. They relay that information back to the Protectorate.

At the poles, the irregulars sneak into the encampment and liberate several Consortium uniforms. At the dawn of day three, they attack the Technocracy's encampment garbed as Consortium soldiers. They were successfully able to pose as Consortium regulars and fed the misinformation to local command that the Technicals were the first to attack. The Alliance irregulars combine with the Consortium regulars and press the attack against the technicals. During the firefight, the Alliance irregulars were able to sneak away and were extracted to orbit.

Amidst the chaos, Protectorate forces landed several clicks east of the polar encampment and encircled the embattled Consortium and Technical forces. They were successfully able to restore water to the cities.

Fall of Mars

Rise of Warlords

Consolidation of Consortium by Quintus and Scaevola