Laronian Civil War

* Creation of the ICO Transitional Authority for Laronia and establishment of the LUNG

Belligerents|  **Presidential Council (PC)*** Laronian Army

Pro-PC factions (armed):* Reformed Citizens' Army (RCA)
* Black-Blue Movement (BBM)
* Leaf Eaters

Pro-PC factions (political):* Grand Front of Patriotic Reformists (GFPR)
* Reform Party

Pro-HoR factions (armed):* People's Alliance for Development Army (PADA)
* Laronian Left Brigades (LLB)
* Quesi Defense League (QDL)

Pro-HoR factions (political):* People's Alliance For Development (PAD)
* Reform Party - Opposition (RP-O)
* Concerned Democratic Party (CDP)
* Laronian Left Party (LLP)

 Interstellar Cooperation Organization (ICO)**Supported by:** Republic of Polmaria FR Valeron FR Ionia Grand Regency of Lear

The **Laronian Civil War** was a civil war in the Republic of Laronia, with spillover into several other countries.

After the collapse of the junta of 1991-92 and Laronian-Kanorian War, the Republic of Laronia was subjected to the joint military occupation of the Kanorian Empire and Republic of Polmaria, the latter of which withdrew from the project in 2002. Kanoria retained a presence in the country until 2042, hamstringing the process of reconstruction in favor of building its influence in the country. By the 2050s, prominent reform and reconstruction movements had swept intellectual and government circles. The narrow majority opinion pushed for isolationism and energy independence. This opinion was backed by wealthy corporatists and business giants, but it also had strong support among the general populace due to their experience relying on Kanoria for five decades. Factions supportive of this belief were moderate in their push for reformism. There was significant pushback, however. Some factions advocated for a military or political union with Polmaria to protect against Kanorian influence.

Others (supported and installed by the occupiers) continued to fruitlessly extol the virtues of Imperial Kanoria. Still more were dissatisfied that the government was in the hands of the business elite who had ushered in the junta of 1991-92. Populist factions sprang up, as did communal organizations. The industrialized capital and other areas sympathetic to the government began to receive the lion's share of reconstruction and reform money. This ensured that the government could stay in power, but stunted reconstruction from the Junta, and alienated the opposition and regional factions. Groups began to arm themselves.

Pro-Kanorian groups accused the isolationist government of firing on Imperial Kanorian Army elements, and began a series of attacks against the government to "protect the security and foreiegn interests of the nation." This caused pro-government groups to retaliate not just against the Kanorian aligned factions, but all opposition factions in the country. A complex, multi-faceted war ensued.

The Kanorian Empire threatened to intervene on several occasions, but was kept out of the war by the Republic of Polmaria, which desired Laronia as a buffer state and pledged to join the war if Kanoria interfered.

## Course of the war

### First attacks

The war broke out when the Brotherhood and Prosperity Alliance (BPA) launched an offensive against government positions along the border with the Kanorian Empire. Most notably, they quickly established control over the city of Hotan. This prompted a crackdown on opposition movements in the capital of Seden. In response, every anti-government party in the House of Representatives relocated to Thoud and set up operations there. When the Laronian Army attempted to enter the city, they were fired upon. The HoR set up their own military, the Laronian Security Forces (LSF) to compete. Seized by intense opposition to the Presidential Council, the coastal city of Atronia was taken over by a communal government. This left the Presidential government in control of most, but not all of the country's coast, along with the most industrialized 25% of the country. Organizations loyal to the HoR quickly asserted control over roughly 50% of Laronia, while the pro-Kanorian BPA held the remaining quarter.

### Battle of Delphicalum; First Siege of Laronsberg; Spillover into other countries

The HoR marched north to begin the First Siege of Laronsberg in late 2104. Simultaneously, Southern BPA forces in the south attacked Nazarius, while three separate Presidential, HoR, and Northern BPA forces converged around Delphicalum, fighting a three-way battle that ended in a victory for the Presidential army. The Northern BPA army was driven against the border with Quesi and destroyed by the pursuing Laronian Army, which also seized control over a large swathe of northern territory that had declared itself for the HoR. The Presidential victory was weakened by an offensive toward Seden launched by the Southern BPA, which was repulsed only through brutal losses. During this time, the Leaf Eaters established themselves as a major player in the pro-government forces, and came to be found culpable for some of the war's worst atrocities later on. Presidential forces also repulsed the Siege of Laronsberg in early 2105 with massive casualties on both sides, causing HoR troops to withdraw and recover. HoR troops began shipping logistics through the Quesi region in late 2105, as they controlled no coastline. In response, the Kanorian Empire allowed Southern BPA troops to move through its territory with impunity, leading to several skirmishes on Kanorian territory.

### Opposition counterattacks

After the decisive government victory in the Battle of Delphicalum and resultant expansion in PC-controlled territory, the Commune of Atronia agreed to join forces with the House of Representatives in 2105. This granted the opposition forces access to the sea. They repulsed a major attack on the city but took heavy casualties. Inconclusive fighting between the various parties continued on a large and bloody scale throughout the year. The next major battle came in mid-2106, when the pro-HoR Laronian Security Forces used Atronia's sea-based line of logistics to capture half of the Southern BPA's remaining territory. In response, the Kanorian Empire threatened to join the war, but were warded off by Polmarian diplomacy. With this threat neutralized, the HoR quickly seized more coastal territory from the Laronian Army.

### Internal conflict within the HoR

The united front in the HoR broke down in 2107, when fighting emerged between the QDL and PADA. Ethnic Quesi fighters retreated north of the border, but were followed by HoR troops, leading to several battles in Polmarian territory. A renewed offensive by the Laronian Army resulted in the capture of Rylin and the city of Atronia being placed under siege once again. These losses compelled the QDL and PADA to reconcile their differences, once again lifting the siege of Atronia. This siege saw widespread reports of war crimes as the vengeful PC troops, angry about being repelled from the city the year before, used vaporization weapons and chemical warfare.

The Southern BPA attempted a limited offensive north of Nazarius, but were easily defeated by the HoR. They were subsequently confined to the city of Hotan and its surrounding environs. No faction attempted to attack Hotan out of fear that it would bring Kanoria into the war.

### ICO humanitarian involvement

As a result of war crimes reports during the Second Siege of Atronia, the ICO got involved in the war at the request of the HoR. They served a purely humanitarian capacity at first and had bases in Atronia, Thoud, and Seden. Peacekeeper deployment was extremely minor and limited to escort details for Green Cross personnel, who operated various aid stations.

### Twin offensives

The HoR attempted an ambitious offensive that would divide the PC's territory in half and then bring a decisive end to the war. They recaptured Rylin in the west before being stopped, and met utter failure in the east. The Laronian Army counterattackeed and ended up being the one to divide the HoR in half, instead. The Leaf Eaters also attacked and razed Hotan, dismantling the Southern BPA. The Imperial Kanorian Army launched cross-border operations attempting to reinstall local BPA governments, despite the protests of Polmaria. The ICO was forced to get involved in order to prevent a full-blown war. Peacekeepers were deployed *en masse* to the Kanorian-Laronian border.

### Defense of Thoud; Involvement of foreign volunteers

Thoud, the headquarters of the HoR, was attacked by the Laronian Army and allied paramilitaries including the Leaf Eaters in 2108. The defenders included the Laronian Security Forces, PADA, LLB, QDL, and foreign volunteer militias that contained Valeronian and Ionian troops. After atrocious fighting, the Presidential forces were repelled from Thoud. This enabled the HoR to capitalize on their victory by retaking all of northwestern Laronia. Meanwhile, the HoR loyalists in the west, based out of Atronia, drove through the south and linked up with their counterparts based in Thoud. This put the HoR in control of over 2/3 of the country, but their decision to retake cities rather than pursue and destroy the Laronian Army meant that the Presidential Council could reorganize and strike back, which is exactly what they did.

### Hotan offensive; Declaration of ICO military intervention

The forces loyal to the Presidential Council saw the Hotan area as a vulnerability for the HoR. It was a small area that connected their formerly divided eastern and western halves. Thus, it was viewed as a natural target for attack. The attack ultimately came in 2109, after a successful military deception fooled the HoR into thinking Thoud would be struck once again. A huge chunk of PC-held territory now cut the HoR in half once again. The eastern HoR troops from Atronia made a failed attempt to retake the area, but were defeated with outrageous casualties.

By now, the inconclusive fighting had destabilized the region, endangered civilians and caused numerous war crimes. The ICO decided to call together a multinational force that would bring a rapid end to the fighting and establish a new government.

### ICOSFL and end of the war

The ICO intervention force was officially dubbed the ICO Stabilization Force Laronia (ICOSFL) and operated under Operation SHRIEK. It worked in collaboration with the HoR to invade northern Laronia via landings north of Atronia. The multinational force swept through the country, capturing several key cities. This compelled the Presidential Council in Seden to open negotiations with the ICO. All parties involved in the war welcomed the creation of an ICO Transitional Authority for Laronia (ICOTAL), though the PC did so more begrudgingly. This worked in tandem with the Laronian United National Government (LUNG) as a dual system of governance until Laronia was stabilized.

## Chronological list of major battles

* **First Battle of Hotan** - Southern BPA vs. Laronian Army
* **Thoud incident** - Laronian Army vs. HoR
* **Atronian communal uprising** - Atronian communards vs. Laronian Army
* **Siege of Laronsberg** - HoR vs. Laronian Army
* **Battle of Nazarius** - Southern BPA vs. HoR
* **Battle of Delphicalum** - Laronian Army vs. HoR vs. Northern BPA
* **Seden offensive (2105)** - HoR vs. Laronian Army
* **First Siege of Atronia** - Laronian Army vs. HoR
* **Battle of Corvus Iyuba** - HoR vs. Southern BPA
* **First Battle of Rylin** - Laronian Army vs. HoR
* **Second Siege of Atronia** - Laronian Army vs. HoR
* **Seden offensive (2107)** - Southern BPA vs. Laronian Army
* **Second Battle of Rylin** - HoR vs. Laronian Army
* **Second Battle of Hotan** - Laronian Army/Leaf Eaters vs. Southern BPA
* **Battle of Thoud** - Laronian Army vs. HoR
* **Northwestern Laronia campaign** - HoR vs. Laronian Army
* **Third Battle of Hotan** - Laronian Army/Leaf Eaters vs. Southern BPA
* **Fourth Battle of Hotan** - Laronian Army vs. HoR
* **Fifth Battle of Hotan** - HoR vs. Laronian Army
* **Operation SHRIEK**- ICO/HoR vs. Laronian Army
	+ Numerous battles