Great War of Bovarne

Clockwise from top left: Beuranese troops during the Battle of Marean Island, Berlexian troops about to execute captured Bulayran troops, Clevorian soldiers prepare for a charge, Sarveikoans advance alongside a tank

### Beligerents

**Southern Bovarne Defensive Alliance:**
Beurane
Clevorian Empire
Republic of Bulayra

**MABESAR Defence Pact:**
Kingdom of Sarveikos
Matrevian Kingdom
Duchy of Berlexia

The Great War of Bovarne was a major war on the continent of Bovarne between the two major alliances involving four of the five Great Powers of Sotela.

The Great War of Bovarne started following Berlexia's invasion of Bulayra following the assassination of Duke Duala I.

## Background

Prior to the war, tensions on the continent of Bovarne were already high. Two alliances had formed, both consisting of two major powers with one smaller nation. The MABESAR Defence Pact, (Matrevia-Berlexia-Sarveikos Defence Pact), consisting of the nations on northern Bovarne had been formed in response to the SBDA (Southern Bovarne Defensive Alliance) in the south. Both alliances, directly bordering eachother held a fierce rivalry. All Bovarnean nations had commited large amounts of resources to militarisation. Tensions were brewed over colonies in a few cases as well. The Clevorian Empire wanted control of Cuales which was owned by the Matrevian Kingdom, to construct naval bases for further control of the Baroyan Sea. While Sarveikos simply wanted more colonies in general.

Nationalist sentiments among the populace of various countries further fueled the rivalry, especially in Berlexia and Bulayra, who were historic rivals. War hadn't been seen in Bovarne for over a century, so many were itching for a chance to prove the superiority of their nation in battle.

## Prelude

### Assassination of Duke Duala I

*Main article: Assassination of Duke Duala I*

Fueled by an already preexisting rivalry, tensions between Bulayra and Berlexia were the highest amongst the Bovarnean nations. Among civilian populations, discrimination in both nations against those from rival nations was common. In Berlexia, this proved to be too much for a young Bulayran man with the name of Garc Zulderbrug, who blamed Berlexia's Duke for a lack of action in attempting to prevent the discrimination.

On the day of March 14th, Duke Duala I held a nationalist speech encouraging the Berlexian population to join the army to further Berlexia's military expansion in the capital of Buckesdon. Zulderbrug, went to the city in the car, taking with him a hunting rifle he legally owned.

In the middle of his speech, Duke Duala I was shot by Garc Zulderbrug in the middle of his speech, the bullet from the rifle hit Duala's chest, puncturing his lungs. Duke Duala I was immediately taken to the hospital but was unable to be saved. Ironically, the Duke was only a couple hundred metres away from the nearest hospital when he was shot.

As for Zulderbrug he quickly fled through the alleyways and to his car, he was later stopped when an ambush by police shot out the tires of his vehicle where he was then killed in an ensuing shootout.

### Berlexian Accusation Against Bulayra

With Duke Duala I's eldest son, Duke Duala II now being the ruler of Berlexia. He quickly made a speech regarding the assassination following the death of Zulderbrug. Duke Duala II brought up the assassin's Bulayran nationality, and used it to accuse Bulayra of sending a spy to assassinate Duke Duala I, rallying the Berlexian population against their historic rivals. The allegations were denied by Bulayra.

### Berlexian Declaration of War

Using the allegations against Bulayra, Duke Duala II declared war 3 days after the assassination. Bulayra's allies, Beurane and Clevoria quickly joined in to defend them, which prompted Berlexia's allies, Matrevia and Sarveikos to join in on their side, starting the Great War of Bovarne.

## War

### 1918

The first year of the war had the most vicious fighting in Bulayra, where Berlexian troops with the assistance of Sarveikoan and Matrevian troops, went up against Bulayran, Clevorian and Beuranese troops. Confusion on both sides hampered combined operations, due to each nation having their own languages.

On the Bulayran front, progress was favouring the MABESAR Defence Pact, with the city of Arenvich and various riverside villages falling to Berlexian hands. The Berlexian advance was able to close in on the Bulayran capital of Witfordsburg, but extensive fortifications and a large garrison of elite troops halted the advance.

In both Matrevia and Sarveikos however, the SBDA made minor progress, with Clevorian troops pushing back defenders in hastily prepared defences.

Beurane, aiming to start an offensive of their own which could divert enemy troops but not having any land borders, would be forced to start a naval invasion. First, landing at Marean Island and taking it in 12 days. Following the capture of the island, the Battle of Paneira Strait occurs, Sarveikoan and Beuranese cruiser fleets clash. Beurane manages to sink more ships and gain control of the area, making it a Beuranese victory.

Following the successful naval battle, Beuranese marines and soldiers land near Mazagliano in Sarveikos. Although not given the most time to fortify, as Sarveikos had only predicted the Beuranese landing after the capture of Marean Island, the favourable uphill positioning along the beaches and lack of cover on the open beach led to heavy casualties on the Beuranese side. Despite the losses, a beachhead had been established, and the Beuranese spent the rest of the year fighting for control of the area surrounding Mazagliano, while reaching the outskirts of the city itself.

Clevorian troops continue making advances in Matrevia and Sarveikos. In Sarveikos, not much but empty country side is taken while in Matrevia, the cities of Grambeho and Witham fall into Clevorian hands.

With foreign troops on the side of Berlexia being diverted to fight the Clevorians, Bulayra is able to make a counterattack at the capital of Witfordsburg, with assistance from Clevoria, they are also able to make a counterattack in the east.

### 1919

Clevoria made advances in the east of Matrevia, reaching the Hangaya river before coming to a stop in order to amass more troops in preparation for attacking Fort Hangaya , which stood in the way of the advance and was named due to its location close to the river. The story was similar in the centre, although a bit less successful and with heavier losses, while in the west, Matrevian forces held off further Clevorian advances and launched their own counterattack, retaking Grambeho and the surrounding territory.

The Clevorian advance in Matrevia also ended up putting them in a perfect position to encircle Berlexian forces that were currently in Bulayra, however all three of the nations from the MABESAR Defence Pact saw this and quickly moved to reinforce, managing to only lose small amounts of land in exchange for preventing a catastrophic encirclement that could've single handedly ended Berlexia's advance into Bulayra.

While the Matrevian front went favourably for the Clevorians, the same could not be said for the Sarveikoan front, most of Clevoria's forces were focused on Matrevia, leaving less troops to hold the line in Sarveikos, which was taken full advantage of by the Sarveikoan army which was able to push the Clevorians to the border, and in some parts, into Clevorian land. However, at the same time the Beuranese continued their own advance, taking Mazagliano and some surrounding territory.

Meanwhile, the Berlexians manage to break through the fortifications near the Bulayran capital of Witfordsburg, but take heavy casualties to the point where they are unable to push into the city, instead stopping at the far outskirts, giving the Bulayrans time to shore up defences within the capital, in east Bulayra, Berlexia gains a small patch of empty countryside in exchange for the Bulayrans retaking the city of Arenwich in a counterattack.