Chen-Thornia War (March-May 2023)

The Chen-Thornia War was a war fought between the Thornian Empire and the Chen dynasty (largely the Dark Realm of Han) from 26 March 2023 to 2 May 2023. The war was launched by the Chen dynasty in an attempt to restore influence over the Thornian regions of Travonia and Trabonnia, which had recently rebelled and fought the Three Regions War with Chen aid. Both territories were historically a part of Xandu under the Huang dynasty, a constituent state of the Chen dynasty.

The war ended in a phyrric victory for the Thornian Empire. The militaries of both belligerents suffered heavy losses and the over-extension of their supply chains led to significant food and material shortages. Mass civilian casualties had also led to demographic collapse in both powers, and had even led to Xandu's near-total depopulation.

The already greatly weakened Thornian Army had come to rely increasingly on religious militias, specifically the Aiwanists and the Raloffians, to hold occupied territory. The length and economic devastation of the war also saw the Thornian Army regress to relying on cavalry. The Chen dynasty had not previously fought an inter-state war. At its height, the Chen had three separate armies at its disposal: the Shanjing Army, the Southern Rangers, and the Army of the Dark Realm. By the end of the war, most of the Shanjing Army was decimated by the grinding battles over the Shanjing ranges, the Southern Rangers were nearly completely thinned-out, and the Army of the Dark Realm had fumbled in its defense of the realm's core territories.

## Chronology

### Initial Chen offensive (26 March - 4 April)

At the end of March, the Chen dynasty took advantage of the chaos to re-establish their puppet government in Travonnia and launched an invasion using a combination of the Shanjing Army of Xandu, the Chen Empire's Southern Rangers, the various escaped mercenaries that participated in the recent Trabovonian War, and various escaped Trabovonian rebels under Chen protection. The supposed rationale of launching an invasion at this point in time was to use the internal instability of Thornia to buy time for rebel groups that recently surrendered to the Thornian Empire to be re-established using Chen military assistance.

On 2 April, the Shanjing Army, mercenaries, and Trabovonian forces launched a joint assault of Travonnia. They easily captured the Travonnian capital within hours and pushed the now-greatly-exhausted Thornian Army into neighbouring Trabonia and Dobresia. The Elysian brigades in Palus were forced to abandon their brief occupation to help reinforce the defence of Trabonia and Dobresia. The Elysian brigades in Boravia immediately began mass executions of suspected ring-leaders for a potential rebellion. The Emperor attempted to hault the mass executions, but failed as the Elysian brigades of Boravia cautioned that there would be no forces in Goruid left soon once they depart to re-inforce the north.

The Southern Rangers launched a simultaneous attack in the south into Ume City. The Umic brigades managed to keep the Southern Rangers on the western half of Ume City and prevented them from reaching the coast.

### Thornian counter-offensive (4 April - 7 April)

On 4 April, the Elysians of Boravia made a surprise landing in Ume and helped the Umic brigades to push the Southern Rangers back into Chen territory. By 5 April, the combined Elysian-Umic brigades managed to scatter the Southern Rangers out of their namesake territory into the Dark Realm of Han and Xandu. The Shanjing Army withdrew from Travonnia and made a push southwards into Trabonia in an attempt to simultaneously break the northern defence line and to progress to the rear of the Elysian-Umic brigades. The mercenaries and Trabovonians failed to follow the push of the Shanjing Army and instead faultered. They were quickly pushed out of the Travonnian capital and to the Xandunese border.

On 6 April, the Elysian-Umic brigades captured Agenetmae. They raised the Elysian banner for the the first time, and raised the Umic banner there for the first time in 5 years. They then launched long-range hit-and-run attacks on the Shanjing Army as it made its way southward through Trabonia. The Elysians of Palus and other Thornian Army brigades pursued the Trabovonians and mercenaries deep into Xandunese territory. Most mercenaries fled into the territory of the Dark Realm further west, whilst the Trabovonians made their way into Shanjing. The city effectively became a massive battleground as the Thornian Army fought its way through the streets and wheatfields in pursuit of the Trabovonians. It is believed that most of the Trabovonian forces perished during the battle in Shanjing. Many civilians were also believed to have been killed in the chaos.

The Thornian and Xandunese forces finally made contact on 7 April, where they fought a pitched battle directly east of Shanjing. The Thornians managed to decimate most of the Shanjing Army, but the lack of resources meant that they were forced to sack and pillage Shanjing for resources.

Xandu once again fell under Thornian occupation, but the Crown decided not to formally annex the territory. Despite this, the greatly militarily and economically exhausted Thornian Empire was now determined to prevent further foreign meddling in the westernmost regions of its empire. The army formally established the Regional Administration in Shanjing to oversee governance within Xandu-proper. The Crown informally permitted Aiwan and Raloffian preachers to prolystise the remaining Xandunese population en-masse. Both the Aiwanist and Raloffian camps launched their own propaganda campaign to raise their own dedicated brigades in the Thornian Army.

The Crown also commissioned the creation of two new cavalry regiments, the Dobresian Highlanders Cavalry Regiment and the Aphthonic Cavalry Regiment. The former would specialise in mountain warfare both on foot and horseback, while the latter would specialise in lightning advances and breaking through enemy lines.

### Stalemate and Thornian annexation of Xandu (9-16 April)

Between 9-10 April the prison holding the imprisoned remnants of the Shanjing Army errupted into violence as prisoners rioted and attempted a breakout. The Army of the Dark Realm formally entered the conflict after integrating the escaped surviving mercenaries as draftees. The Dark Realm managed to recapture most of the forests south of Shanjing and west of Ume between 10-11 April. Their forces managed to reach Agenetmae, and briefly besieged the fortress before melting back into the forests.

On 12 April, the Crown announced the formal annexation of Xandu. The southern mountainous region of Greater Shanjing would form the new Province of Sauria, with Shanjing receiving the Thornian Umic name of Agos. The northern forested region was combined with the Province of Travonnia to form the new Province of Iegranera. Dobresia was split from the Province of Petrodis to form the Province of Dobresia.

### Dark Realm offensive in Xandu and first ceasefire (17-25 April)

Between 17-19 April the Army of the Dark Realm and other affiliate armies of the Chen Empire launched a renewed offensive that managed to recapture 80% of Xandu's territory including all of Greater Shanjing, Fort Agenetmae, portions of Travonia, the entire southern coastal region of Trabonnia, and the Umic swamps. The Crown of Thornia and the Dark Realm reached a ceasefire agreement in the afternoon of 19 April. The Thornian Navy intensified patrols between the now-exclave of Ume and Trabonnia, blocking Chen access to the Umic Sea.

### Second Thornian counter-offensive (25-29 April)

On 25 April, the new Aiwanist Umic and Boravian brigades of the Thornian Army broke the ceasefire and launched a surprise attack to block the Chen forces from the Umic Sea. The Raloffian brigades in Travonnia launched an offensive through the Shanjing swamp, directly into the heart of Shanjing City. The Aiwanist forces managed to capture the entire east coast, linking up with other Thornian Army brigades in Trabonia. Most of the Chen forces were ordered to retreat towards Shantouxian and Shanjing, fearing that they would end up getting encircled in the forests between Shanjing and the Umic Sea. On 26 April, the Aiwanist forces fought their way towards Shantouxian but were forced to besiege the Chen forces from the base of the mountain ranges.

On 27 April, the Aiwanist brigades retreated to the formal borders of Ume and southern Trabonia to hold a defensive position. This baited the Chen forces in the south to advance eastwards and for the mobilisation of the remaining forces from the west to the Umic border. The Raloffian and Thornian Army brigades also retreated from the positions from the fringes of Shanjing to the swamp to its north. On 28 April, the rest of the Thornian Army made a surprise offensive to capture the rest of northern Xandu-proper and even some villages in the north of the Dark Realm of Han, near the entrance of the river valley that leads to Fort Han. The Chen and Thornian militaries agreed to another ceasefire.

### Attempted negotiations (29 April - 1 May)

On 29 April, negotiations opened between delegations of the Dark Realm and Thornian governments in Ty Town. Thornia proposed that both sides should restore their pre-war borders, the rescinding of Thornia's annexation of Xandu, the prevention of Xandu's total annexation by the Dark Realm, and that neither side should interfere with internal politics again. The Dark Realm also proposed the rescinding of Thornia's annexation decree, but it proposed that Xandu's eastern border and Greater Palusia's western border should become a demilitarised zone. Simultaneously, hostilities broke out again on the frontlines. Chen forces attempted to break the defensive lines at the Shanjing swamp, but this only led to the Thornian Army rushing into Shanjing itself. Chen forces in the west managed to push the Thornians out of the Dark Realm's integrated territories. When news reached Ty Town of the results of these battles, the Thornians stepped up their demands and proposed that:

* The Dark Realm should withdraw from whatever little territory it held in Xandu and withdraw completely from the Southern Ranges.
* Thornia would then temporarily occupy Xandu until a new neutral government for Xandu could be re-established. Xandu would be represented internationally by Thornia in the meantime.
* The Dark Realm and Xandu would remain under personal union under the Chen dynasty, but that both countries could not unify nor could either annex the other.
* Xandu's greatly depleted population would be replenished with transient settlers from the Dark Realm and Thornia. Transient settlers from Tyavyli would also be allowed.
* The Thornian Army hastily established a provisional government consisting of the few community leaders left in Shanjing. Negotiations dragged on for another day, with Dark Realm delegates ending the morning session by threatening to stab the Thornian delegates. This led to their Tyavylian hosts calling for a recess.

### Thornian offensive into the Dark Realm (1-2 May)

On 1 May, the Aphthonic Cavalry Regiment launched a lightning offensive into the north of the Dark Realm. This blind-sided the Chen forces who had only just regained the territory and were expecting more grinding, drawnout fighting. The Raloffian brigades formed the rear guard for the cavalry and helped to prevent them from pursued as they made their way south-westward through the Dark Realm's central river valley toward Fort Han. The news of this rapid advance triggered a chaotic withdrawal of Chen troops from Xandu to Fort Han. The Dobresian Highlanders launched a surprise attack through the forests flanking the Shanjing ranges, causing most of the Chen army to scatter in all directions.

On 2 May, the Aiwanist brigades stationed along the Ume-Trabonnia front launched an offensive into the Southern Ranges and managed to pin the Southern Rangers to the border with Tyavyli. The Aphthonic Cavalry Regiment reached the edge of the Fort Han area, with some soldiers reporting the fort to be within visible range. The Chen forces that managed to make it to the capital resisted multiple charges by the cavalry to advance towards the fort. By the late afternoon, Fort Han surrendered. The Thornian Emperor guaranteed Lord Han that the Dark Realm would not face total Thornian occupation, but that Xandu's future within the Chen Empire was now in question. The Xandunese state banners were lowered across Shanjing, signalling the end of the State of Xandu, and the beginning of a new occupation administration in Xandu. Throughout the night, there were reports that civil resistance had already begun against Thornian occupation authorities in the central river valley of the Dark Realm.

## Aftermath

### The Little Civil War (3 May - 11 May)

From 3 May onwards, the number of guerilla attacks and acts of civil resistance steadily grew against the Thornian occupiers and forces loyal to the Dark Lord. The northmost villages declared the formation of the Hegu Republic or the River Valley Republic, whilst the central villages of Sen and Lin formed a pact (known as Zhongyang Lianmeng or the Central Alliance) against the Thornians, Fort Han and allied villages, and the Hegu Republic. Hegu launched numerous raids into Sen, Lin, the Thornian camps, and Fort Han.

On 8 May the remainder of the Dark Realm's forces in Xandu were ordered to withdraw from Xandu and launch an offensive against Hegu and the Central Alliance. The Thornian Army commanders in the valley were not informed of the decision ahead of time and interpreted the arrival of Dark Realm troops in the central valley as the end of the latest ceasefire. Several clashes were reported all along the valley whilst Hegu and the Central Alliance withheld all offensive actions. Messengers from the Dark Lord were dispatched to halt the hostilities. There was an attempt by the Dark Lord to form an alliance with the Thornians to help put down the rebellions, but all offers were rejected by the Thornian Army. The army hastily withdrew from the Dark Realm, leaving a power vacuum across the centre of the country.

By daybreak on 9 May, the Central Alliance had captured all villages west of Fort Han. The Army of the Dark Realm won a phyrric victory in the north against the Hegu Republic. The village of Sen was captured by the Dark Realm by nightfall. On 10 May an attempt by the forces of Lin village to capture Fort Han failed. The forces of Sen village who were fighting in the south marched north and recaptured Sen, but at the cost of losing the village of Lin. On 11 May the Central Alliance surrendered to the Dark Lord.