Portan War

The **Portan War** was a low-level conflict which saw the Montiac Empire engage the various Scrofan kingdoms of the Porta Peninsula over a 26 year period, lasting from ME 139 to ME 165 when the Treaty of Urdu was signed. Although the treaty officially ended the conflict, the Empire continued to launch small attacks on the Scrofans for some 15 years.

The Portan War was launched during the Empire's second major stage of expansion. It sought to bring the entirety of the peninsula under its control, but stiff resistance from the Scrofans saw them only take the eastern half. The war also acted as a sort of testing ground for new tactics and weapons. Present-day, the war is often used by Montiac historians as an example of the incompetence of the early Montiac Army.

## Background

Following the end of the Montiac Civil War, the Empire had been ruled by Appius Salvian (ME 81-99) and his protegee Tullus Ursus (ME 99-111). Both were strictly anti-expansion and feared that an overextended Empire would lead to its collapse. Simo Verres was the first Emperor to shift his focus outwards with the first city outside the Domunian Peninsula, Ilderda, founded in ME 123. Following this the Empire began a rapid expansion into Central Calast, absorbing dozens of Petran (and later Nibayr) tribes.

Scrofans were first encountered on the 2nd of Zavagius, ME 139, when The *II Teminur* were ambushed while journeying into the peninsulas north. Much of the legion was killed, with its survivors fleeing to the frontier town of Histac. Word of the "frontier tusk-folk" soon reached the capital, with Emperor Opiter Silo ordering four legions into the peninsula on the 4th. These legions were to commence integration into the Empire, but upon making contact with the Scrofans were immediately attacked. A further 8 legions were sent into the peninsula to besiege the city of Ebralk, thus beginning the Portan War

## Course of the war

### Initial invasion and opening operations (139-145)

The first months of the war saw widespread success for the Empire. The Corton Mountains were under Montiac control which allowed for easy passing for legions, and stopped Scrofans from attacking settlements in Calagarrus. The city of Ebralk came under siege for the first month of the war, with the Empire taking it with little casualties. Recovered items from Ebralk gave the first proper glimpse of Scrofan military technology, which was primitive compared to that of the Empire. This led to Commander Cario Lupercus severely underestimating the Scrofans for the remainder of his tenure. Further sieges and battles saw continued Montiac victory, only suffering small losses to the inferior Scrofan forces and by ME 140, the majority of the Kingdom of Olkuz had been occupied by the Empire.

Beyond Olkuz the majority of the peninsula is home to the Portan mountain range, which the Empire assumed would be difficult to navigate for the top heavy Scrofans. Thus, Emperor Silo ordered the withdraw of 4 of the 12 legions on the peninsula on the 7th of Thallanium, leaving Lupercus with just 40k infantry to complete his conquest. Although being vocally opposed to the withdrawal to his generals, Lupercus sought to run for Emperor following his conquest and feared that directly questioning the High Council and Emperor Silo would lead to his dismissal as commander, and ultimately pressed on with his invasion. This would prove to be disastrous, with much of the *I Cosium* and *IV Capitus* being wiped out during the initial push. These legions were reformed into the *I Portac*, which was subsequently destroyed during the second push. Lupercus halted any further advances, and spent the remainder of the year searching for an alternate route.

Montiac legions began marching into what are now called the "Portan corridors", level regions along the northern and eastern coast, in early 141. Although this allowed for the Empire to regain its battlefield advantage, the great distances involved lead to overstretched supply lines, limited reinforcements, and a general lack of advancement. Lupercus ultimately withdrew his legions, resulting in what Montiac historians now call the "the final march". The final march saw Scrofans launch quick attacks from surrounding mountains on the retreating legions, killing an estimated 15,000 Montiac soldiers. The final march also marked the furthest Montiac advance into the peninsula.

Lupercus pulled all available legions back into Olkuz, reinforcing them and stabilizing supply lines. This allowed the legions to at least hold their own against continued Scrofan attacks, but the Empire's occasional push up the mountains failed. These attacks continued until 145 when Lupercus was relived of duty.

### Continued stalemate (145-150)

Fearing the embarrassment of defeat, Emperor Silo chose to continue the Portan Campaign under new Montiac Commander Coqus Lunaris. Lunaris, utilizing newly made artillery cannons, was finally able to acquire a foothold up the mountain in mid 147. However Scrofan resistance remained stiff, and coupled with the difficulty of moving siege weapons into the mountains, overall progress was slow and costly. Despite this, Emperor SIlo refused to settle for just the north of Porta.

Dezgrud was put under siege on the 21st of Arrunus, 148. The city was quickly surrounded, but Lunaris elected to wait the Scrofans out rather then rush into the labyrinthine and narrow streets of the city. The following month Gronum was put under siege, resulting in the majority of forces around Dezgrud being redirected to Gronum. Gronum would fall in 12 days, with both sides suffering heavy losses. Occupying Montiac troops heavily looted the city, and there were many reports of executions committed against the town's population. The low amount of troops sieging Dezgrud were unable to contain a major Scrofan counter-attack in the city just days later, however, and the *II and III Isara* were surrounded and subsequently destroyed. The Scrofans then launched an attack on Gronum, trapping the *I Dis* and Commander Lunaris. Scrofan Primarch Oguk then personally delivered an offer of peace to the Empire, in exchange for the release of Lunaris, which was rejected. The Scrofans refused to lay a heavy siege on the city, and instead waited for the occupiers to starve. Suffering from starvation, cannibalism, and arrow barrages, 300 of the *I Dis* miraculously survived until the city was again captured by the Empire on the 17th of Appius, 150. Lunaris along with 4,700 men were killed during the siege.

### Downscaling of conflict and end (150-165)

With the massacre of the *I Dis*, the majority of the Montiac populace turned against the war. This led to Emperor Silo losing the 151 election to Lucius Sevso, who had campaigned heavily on vastly reducing the number of troops on the peninsula. Just weeks after his appointment as Emperor, Sevso delivered on his promise. By the end of the first year of his rule just 5 legions remained on the peninsula as an occupation force, thwarting raids from local Scrofans. This began the lengthy "occupation period" of the war, with the Empire completely ceasing its pushes into the rest of the peninsula.

Sevso had begun drafting plans for a complete withdrawal from the peninsula. Should this plan have been approved, it would've seen the Empire pursue influence on Porta through diplomacy rather than conflict, though a major military presence would still be kept in Calagarrus. However, Sevso died in 156, before his vision could be achieved. He was succeeded by Lars Bellicus, a progressive Emperor who desired a complete cultural and societal overhaul of the Empire. One of these desired changes was the end of the Portan War. Although he would only partly see this through, dying in 164, Bellicus did successfully draft the first approved plans for a withdraw from Porta, and convinced the Primarchs Zlog and Rebud to sign the Treaty of Urdu, which officially incorporated the kingdoms of Olkuz and Gronum into the Empire. The next Emperor, Tertius Adventus, would finally approve a modified plan in 165 and, with assistance from Zlog and Rebud, persuaded the other Scrofan primarchs to sign the Treaty of Urdu, finally ending the conflict after 26 years.

## Aftermath

Although the Treaty of Urdu officially ended the conflict, the Empire continued to launch small attacks on the Kingdom of Nodkaz for some 15 years. These attacks saw little success, and only worked to increase the dissent of the Empire's Scrofan population.

After over a century of occupation and numerous attempts to gain independence, the Empire released Gronum as a client state. Though technically independent, Gronum is heavily dependent on the Empire and its leaders require approval from the Emperor.

Krozezar began conquering its smaller neighbors soon after the conflict's end, and by 181 had come to control most of the western portions of the peninsula.

Present-day, relations between the Empire and the remaining kingdoms of Nodkaz and Krozezar remain unfriendly. Pugiones are commonly sent into these kingdoms, attempting to boost support for the Empire from regular citizens. Krozezar actively opposes the Empire's continued expansion, and has recently begun working with Abdiel and the Shanorin Dynasty.