Great Pencil War 5

—Itron, Mechanical dictator, 2100

The **Great Pencil War 5** or **Fifth Pencil War**, often acronymized as the **GPWV**, was the most recent pencil conflict, subsequent to the Great Pencil War 4. The GPWV was the first Epsilonian war to encompass multiple continents: Graphitus and Marconessco Island. Thus, its magnitude surpassed that of any war before it. It was both the bloodiest and longest conflict in pencil history, resulting in at least 70,000 fatalities. The fighting lasted 213 years, 6 months, and 11 days, from March 5th, 2100 to September 16th, 2313.

## Background

### Predictions

 —Anonymous, 2100

Since as far back as 1724, the implications of a fifth pencil war were thought to have been cataclysmic or potentially world-ending, considering the modern development of nuclear technologies such as Wood Nukes. The concept of a fifth war was also common in literature and film. For instance, in his 2059 dystopian fiction novel *2264*, Tommy Schendoff describes an apocalyptic bunker society following nuclear war. Luckily, none of these frightful prophecies came to fruition.

### Cause

The Great Pencil War 5 was the result of two clashing hostilities. They were the Regen War, between Ticonderoga and Bicland, and the Staedtler-Madisi War, between the Staedtler Republic and Madisi Empire. By 2099, historical allies Ticonderoga and Staedtler were losing the wars, so they chose to support each other. Soon, the conflicts had merged into a continental onslaught, further escalated by the involvement of the No. 2s. The tensions peaked on March 3rd, 2100, when the Weibos were suspected of smuggling guns into Madisan ports. Thus, on March 5th, Ticonderoga declared a state of war on Weiboa, the No. 2 Republic, and the Madisi Empire. Most other Graphitan and Marconesscan nations followed suit shortly after.

## Belligerents

The war was fought primarily between two opposing military alliances: the Western Coalition and Team Vertic. All other Graphitan and Marconesscan nations were neutral.

### Western Coalition

* Ticonderoga
* Staedtler
* Nebula Empire

### Team Vertic

* No. 2 Republic
* Bicland
* Bic Island
* Up and Up
* Xiao (disputed)

### Old States Pact

Split from Team Vertic following the Battle of Beddyston in 2210.

* Madisi Empire
* PaperMate

## Technology

A vast arsenal of military technologies was developed and employed throughout the war, including firearms, rocket launchers, tanks, Staedtler's "massive laser", and Ticonderoga's Tetrinomix Jets.

## Timeline

As with most other pencil wars, progress on either side was slow, sparse, and at times, sudden.

### 2100

* A few hours after the war's initiation, the Weibos stated that they would only participate if "necessary," and provided no further elaboration.
* PaperMate declares independence from the No. 2 Republic.

### 2104

* The Shadowland Incident coupled with an epidemic of Pencilitis devastates Ticonderoga's military, losing them a significant portion of territory north of Dixon to Bicland.

### 2111

* The Nebula Empire bombards and conquers the Madisi Empire.

### 2133

* Staedtler gains a foothold in the heart of what was once Northern Madisi.

### 2136

* The remaining Madisis crush the Nebula Empire in a three-day naval invasion.

### 2137

* Madisi president Thomas Adams asks for an alliance with Ticonderoga.
* Madisi vice president General Lieun Sharpshooter disagrees with the decision and orders his men to assassinate Adams, who is killed within 6 hours.
* A civil war ensues, between the Madisan government and expert sharpshooters.
* Sharpshooter allies with the No. 2 state of Up and Up.

### 2138

* Madisi annexes over three quarters of Ticonderoga, including Stencil, Ticonderoga City, New Ticonderoga, and Golf City. This region is dubbed "New Madisi".
* Madisi conquers Up and Up, establishing the Great Madisi Empire.

### 2169

* Madisi repels the Staedtler troops and annexes half of Staedtler, including Rally.

### 2185

* Up and Up declares independence from Madisi and allies with Ticonderoga, with which they perform the Napoleous Massacre.
* A Madisan soldier strangles Itron, the oppressive dictator of the Mechanicals. The Mechanicals gather to celebrate on May 7th.

Below is an article published in the HB Times detailing the Napoleous Massacre and death of Itron.

### 2186

* Ticonderogan general Boandme and his men fend off 400 Madisis at Ticonderoga City's eastern gate.
* "*WE SHALL NOT FALL TO THESE LOW-CLASS SCANDALS! ATTACK!!!!*" - Lieun Sharpshooter

### 2209

* Former convict Troy McWilliams rises the ranks to become a captain in the Madisan Navy.
* The army of king Noman III makes advances on No. 2 territory, potentially leading to a naval attack.

### 2210

* Noman III begins the Battle for Ticontog, and wins within 2 hours, making it the quickest victory in Epsilon history and establishing the Nomanian army as a force to be reckoned with.

### Recuperation

#### Battle of Beddyston

On July 16th, 2210, 2,000 Ticonderogan soldiers and the entire Nomanian army invaded the Madisan city of Beddyston. Within 4 days, the allies reclaimed the besieged Ticonderoga City, doubling Ticonderoga's land area. Troy McWilliams called for the retreat of the entire Madisi fleet back to Madisitown; a decisive victory for the allies. Following their defeat, Madisi turned their sights to the fragile No. 2 state AmazonBasics.

### 2211

* A religious faction of 72,000 pencils known as the Xiao split from the Basalta Triangle.
* Clyde Tigro, king of PaperMate, works with Madisi to annex a portion of AmazonBasics.

### 2213

* Ticonderoga, under the rule of Banana Banana, continues to reclaim their land from Madisis, who the Ticonderogan soldiers are rapidly eliminating.