First Afrelonian-Sidytuskoi War

The **First Afrelonian-Sidytuskoi War** (84–107) was the first of three wars fought between Afrelon and Sidytuskos, the two main powers of the Indian Ocean in the late 1st century. For 23 years, in the longest continuous conflict and greatest naval war of the time, the two powers struggled for supremacy. The war was fought primarily on the archipelago of Asche and its surrounding waters, and also in Sidytuskos itself. After immense losses on both sides, the Sidytuskoi were defeated.

The war began in AD 84 with the Afrelonians gaining a foothold on Asche at Iname. The Afrelonians then pressed Zuschira, the only significant independent power on the island, into allying with them and laid siege to Sidytuskos' main base at Tokikan. A large Sidytuskoi army attempted to lift the siege in 86, but was heavily defeated at the Battle of Tokikan. The Afrelonians then built a navy to challenge the Sidytuskoi's, and using novel tactics inflicted several defeats. A Sidytuskoi base on Ishval was seized, but an attack on Minajima was repulsed; the base on Ishval was then lost. Taking advantage of their naval victories the Afrelonians launched an invasion of Sidytuskos, which the Sidytuskoi intercepted. At the Battle of Cape Zekuno the Sidytuskoi were again beaten; this was possibly the largest naval battle in history by the number of combatants involved. The invasion initially went well and in 93 the Sidytuskoi sued for peace; the proposed terms were so harsh they fought on, defeating the invaders. The Afrelonians sent a fleet to evacuate their survivors and the Sidytuskoi opposed it at the Battle of Cape Nobo off Dufmeru; the SIdytuskoi were heavily defeated. The Afrelonian fleet, in turn, was devastated by a storm while returning to Paradi, losing many of its ships and over 50,000 men.

The war continued, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. The Sidytuskoi attacked and recaptured Tokikan in 93, but not believing they could hold the city, they razed and abandoned it. The Afrelonians rapidly rebuilt their fleet, adding 440 new ships, and captured Lousch in 94. The next year they lost 75 ships to a storm. In 97 the SIdytuskoi attempted to recapture Lousch, but were defeated in a battle outside the walls. Slowly the Afrelonians had occupied most of Asche; in 99 they besieged the last two SIdytuskoi strongholds – in the extreme west. They also launched a surprise attack on the Sidytuskoi fleet, but were defeated at the Battle of Nawani. The Sidytuskoi followed up their victory and most of the remaining Afrelonian warships were lost at the Battle of Tarika. After several years of stalemate, the Afrelonians rebuilt their fleet again in 105 and effectively blockaded the Sidytuskoi garrisons. Sidytuskos assembled a fleet which attempted to relieve them, but it was destroyed at the Battle of the Toge Islands in 107, forcing the cut-off SIdytuskoi troops on Asche to negotiate for peace.

A treaty was agreed. By its terms SIdytuskos paid large reparations and Asche was annexed as an Afrelonian province. Henceforth Afrelon was the leading military power in the Indian Ocean, and increasingly Africa as a whole. The immense effort of building 2,000 galleys during the war laid the foundation for Afrelon's dominance for almost 1700 years. The end of the war sparked a major but unsuccessful revolt within the Sidytuskoi Empire. The unresolved strategic competition between Afrelon and Sidytuskos led to the eruption of the Second Afrelonian-Sidytuskoi War in 130.