Cametan Civil War

The Cametan Civil War, sometimes referred to as the Cametan War, was a conflict that lasted from 435 NME to 444 NME. The war involved two sides: The Royalist government and its supporters, and the Democratists and theirs. The war began without an official declaration, with the start of the Cametan city riots of 435, which rapidly escalated into urban rebellion when the Democratic movement began arming and organizing rioting citizens. The conflict was the costliest, in both manpower and funding, in Cametan history and a total resolution was never made following the armistice of 444.

Ending after years of bloody guerrilla tactics, the war was a testing grounds for many of the rivaling factions across Natar. Most notably the Falonis Defence Group and Coalition of United Democracies. It was one of the first occasions in which the Associated States of Natar intervened on a peacekeeping basis, securing Korvo City and the Isle of Damcas. The war went international in its later stages, with the inclusion of the Velani Republic, Adambish Republic, Antigan Directorate, Carak Republic and the Kingdom of Bahina as the war transpired.

## Background

### History of Cameta

Cameta had historically always, continuously, been a monarchy. Originating from the native Camite tribe from the Ogarth mountains to the East. The Kingdom remained relatively unmolested by rivaling empires in the region during the founding century of approximately 840 NEE, where it founded a web of trade understandings with the surrounding Kerel and Pot-Pot Dynasties to the North and South respectively. Under their first dynasty, the Pell Matresh, the early Cametan Empire began to flourish with their assertion of control over portions of the Suroman Coast. It was this coastal trade and control over the Beran river that led to the higher rate of urbanization away from the hinterlands of Cameta.

By the turn into the Natar Modern Era. The Cametan Empire was one of the strongest powers in the area. Despite not having no established frontiers, the usage of sedentary farming and construction of roadway infrastructure for trade, the Empire generally had effective control over most the its present day region. Despite historically having come from the Ogarth mountains, the majority of the Cametan population was focused in the North. This disparity slowly gave way to a number of rebellions in the uplands ranging from the Ogarth Rebellion of 043 NME to the Hetarna Insurrection of 101 NME. With wavering political support both among the growing merchant class along the coast, who had become increasingly influenced by Monarchist ideas from the Arklandic Continent, and the increasingly resentful hinterlands population, the Dynasty of Pell Matresh was ousted. The Cametan House Uprising of 144 NME that removed King Teg of Pell Matresh from his throne left the Crown empty and a noble council charged with reforming the Cametan code of government. The noble council offered the throne to the Pell Hetarna Dynasty, who were known enemies of the Pell Matresh family and open to cooperation with the national keys to power.

The following decades under the new Cametan dynasty saw a number of changes. Notably the removal of the power of the Crown over the coastal trade cities for Cameta. Which allowed the state coffers to flow, as well as the move of the monarchy from the North and back to the Cametan's native uplands. The centuries and wars that later transpired through the coming centuries had little relevance on the political atmosphere that would lead Cameta into civil war during the late modern era. However, it were this policies of free trade along the north, and monarchist nativism in the South that was gradually intensify the feeling of separation between the two sides of the country.

By 300 NME, the Arklandic powers were in the height of their colonial expansionism. Discovering new lands and claiming them for their own. Yet for the Suroman continent, the Arklandic nations never set to seize such lands. Blocked both by the Selanese juggernaut by land and through treacherous travel routes by sea, the countries in Suroma were instead influenced by trade, teaching and ideas from Arkland. Most notably Republicanism. As Arkland's influence flowed in, the feeling of division between the countryside and the urban coast turned to a feeling of alienation. Ultimately culminating in the Merchants Rebellion in 374 NME, which successfully subjected the monarchy to a Charter of Commercial Licenses with the support of Cameta's neighboring rival of Velani. A tactical move that would later come to bite the Velani Empire in the back with the Republican Revolution of 380 NME which took direct inspiration from the Cameta Merchant Rebellion.

As 400 NME turned. Cameta was in the processing of catching up with the developed world. Having always been a backwater, like most of Suroma, and always behind technologically with the slow trickle of limited trade. Technological progress in Arkland led to increasing globalization and free commerce that saw the acceleration of catch-up for the uncolonised world. However, As the 8th Great War broke out in Arkland and the Arklandic colonial powers' possessions, a new idea took root. The growing developed world had seen much centralization of power and the growth of bureaucracy, matched with the growth of public sentiment for self-determination. Combined with the stress and fatigue of the Eighth Great War, the Democratist Movement was born. The first ideology to seriously propose full universal suffrage to all citizens, the untested philosophy rapidly spread throughout the first decade of the century. While becoming infamous throughout Arkland as the warring powers slowly licked their wounds, the Democratist ideology also started to poison the stability of much of the developing world too. Especially Suroma and the fledgling independent colonies of Pogoland. It was this spread of Democratism that would become so prevalent in the alienated and bitter North, resentful towards the distant monarchy and aristocratic South.

### Starting Events

In 430 NME, Cameta was still in rapid growth. Much of the urban world had been modernized, but was still very much impoverished, with limited industrialization. The monarchy under the Pell Yrton Dynasty had started to turn against nation-wide economic reforms and had instead taken to prioritizing stimulus packages to the rural South in a bid to develop local infrastructure and reunite the country. King Lyeon's efforts were, however, a sparking act to the broiling tensions in the country. Revolutionary Tein Matresh's inspirational speeches entrenched the urban coastline in their growing opposition to the crown. The corrupt and ineffective local police forces were to under-supplied and unprofessional to counter growing troubles, and in 435 NME things came to a head with the start of Anti-Stimulus riots in the city of Retenva, the largest city in Cameta. Growing in the following week, and spreading to the Turvo and Mengan Iklas, the riots became increasingly organised as the Democratists took the initiative. Arming locals with weaponry stockpiled at safe houses, that had been sold by the Falder and Tylek Directorates, the police rapidly lost control.

Despite martial law being declared two weeks into the riot-turned revolution, the army was too unsure and hesitant to take action. Numbering a total of 120,000 men, the army statistically could take on the revolutionaries. However, some forces had to be held for border security, others for securing other potential revolutionary hot-points, and many regiments were rumored to hold sympathies to the Democratists. The result was the encirclement of the rebelling cities by some 94,000 troops, reinforced with armed police. However, by this point, the situation was too far gone and the revolutionaries had fully taken root under the guidance of Tein Matresh's People's Democratic Council. The nation was in a state of civil war.

## War Chronology

### Beginning of Hostilities

The war itself is considered to have started at this point. With approximately 94,000 troops now in the outskirts of the three revolutionary cities, the Democratists began a major effort to prepare for the inevitable conflict that would follow. As the Democratist safehouses continued to distribute arms to the rebel populace, party officials began to focus on basis training efforts. Giving revolutionaries assigned command structures, training rebel teams in marksmanship, small unit tactics and guerrilla-survivalist information. As the first month passed, the first Monarchist-Revolutionary combatant deaths started to roll in as skirmishes broke out in the city suburbs. Armored columns attempting to spearhead into the capital from the East failed when explosive weaponry and improvised barricades were employed, using narrow streets as ambush points until military personnel hastily evacuated once more. Air raids became a regular thing, with Royalist Forces making extensive use of helicopter support to deploy strike teams to tall buildings across the rebel cities to establish control points. Rioting across the rest of the country, however, began to draw government resources and manpower away from future offensive projects and three months into the sieges of Turbo, Retenva and Mengan Iklas had inflicted a combined casualty rate of about 3,200 people.

Artillery and aerial precision strikes continue to inflict costs on the rebel holdout across the following months. Numerous riots in other cities were struck down by combinations of Cametan Police, Royal Military Forces and Counter-Revolutionary Paramilitaries that began to form across the South-Eastern countryside. Throughout this time, the Democratist Party had officially formed a Revolutionary Paramilitary with a range of combat capabilities and equipment quality. As time went on, Royalist assaults against the cities began to sustain increasing losses, with helicopters being struck down on numerous occasions and defence-in-depth systems being built into the city network by rebel defenders. This all gave more time for the preparations of Tein Matresh and his plan to break out from Retenva and unify the North-Western rebel strongholds. By the start of 436, the Democratist Military had prepared itself for what would become known as Mission Breakout.

### Revolutionary Breakout

> *"Our first attacks were really the most crucial. We had so little yet needed so much."* - Tein Matresh
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With the turn of the year, the Democratist holdouts launched their long-planned offensive against the Royalist encampments around Retenva. Tein Matresh had, correctly, built the battleplans on two assumptions: 1) The Royalists on the West of the Beran River would be poorly supplied and isolated. 2) Defensive strongpoints would be focused along roadways and other necessary supply lifelines. Mission Breakout therefore aimed to exploit these possibilities. Firstly, the Democratists would only strike Westwards. Defences on the East of the city and Beran River were much better supplied, while those on the West were effectively cut off from the rest of the country and thus depended on risky up-river supplement and rare-sea deployments.

The attacks began at Midnight. With Democratist advances initially meeting massive failure. Royalist forces under Captain Tygera had learnt of the plan months in advance due to the weak and relatively transparent line of command and word of mouth through the Democratist forces. With initial pushes in the South of the front facing stiff resistance across the suburbs and open countryside. Strike teams farther North, did however, push through military entrenchments across the surrounding hilltops and forced monarchist troops in the region to begin a general retreat. Regrouping at Camp Buckreoh, the map Royal settlement in the area, Captain Tygera's forces attempted a number of counterattacks in a bid to route the advancing militias back towards the city. However, the militia guerrilla and decentralized command structure saw local teams dig in and effectively counter the attempted moves of the professional soldiery. With Democratist reserves sighted traveling along the main road out west from Retenva, Captain Tygera ordered an evacuation of local forces Northwards to attempt to resecure a monarchist foothold in the North of the region.

Following weeks through Mission Breakout saw further Democratist success through the utilization of demoralised Royalist infantry equipment and the arrival of numerous of small arms equipment shipments from Falder. Retreating Monarchist forces during Mission Breakout inflicted serious costs against the Democratist revolutionary army during their advance. Stopping to fight a little each day until Captain Tygera's NW Force reached the Northern coastal city of Angrana. With the loss of control for the Retenva defence, the other city sieges were forced to join the evacuation of the region out of fear of mass encirclement and lack of supply. The evacuation from Angrana and Payurm allowed much of the Royalist force in the region to escape, with the remainders capitulating to Revolutionary advances. Over the course of just a couple of months, most of the North-West of Cameta had fallen to Rebel control and was now unified in forces, ready to march to their coasts and push out from the East of Retenva.

With fresh, experienced revolutionary troops arrived back from the West with reinforcements from the other revolutionary cities and defected troops, the Democratists began the second phase of their break out. Launching a serious of daytime landings across river onto its Eastern shores upstream, the rebels began to advance beyond the Royalist defenses to the North, taking control of several roads leading to Retenva. Combined with a massive offensive from the city, the Royalists were yet again pushed back with a lack of manpower to back their defenses. Rebel troops probed Monarchist defenses to find weaknesses, where they were penetrate through the enemy lines and encircle the royalist encampments and forces. With general demoralization across the force and with a wide front-line, the Royalists once more opted to retreat. The following several months was spent in a slow and steady fallback, as reserve forces prepared a series defensive lines across Central Cameta. Stretching from Antiga to Adamba, the new defensive line exploited the prairies and flatlands that crossed the region to set up a line of mostly open ground to provide killing fields for any potential further rebel assaults. Reaching what would become known as the King Line, the Cametan Royal Army gradually began to successfully halt the advance of the increasingly well-equipped Democratist advance. With numerous aerial deployment missions by monarchists and daytime raids by democratists, combined with the rigid entrenchment line, the Cametan Civil War had ground to a halt and turned to a war attrition. Thus ending the year that became known as the Revolutionary Breakout.

### Invasion of Antiga and Carak

The stalemate in Central Cameta in 436 NME forced the Democratists to make a new decision on policy. Monarchist forces were now consolidating their position and working to reinforce their fortifications north of High Citadel. The democratists would either need to punch through the defensive lines of the Royal Army through their bottleneck. Or extend the width of their front-line by crossing the Antigan or Adamban border and outflanking the monarchist lines. The rebels ultimately chose the latter course and in the late year, their new operations began.

#### Causes

The invasions of Antiga and later Carak would seem intrinsically counter-intuitive to a civil war aiming to heighten their chances of victory. But to the Democratists, the decision to invade was made in the hope of passing around Imperial lines. There was no certainty that the move would warrant hostile reaction by the invaded powers either. Smaller in size, and boasting only a minor standing, unprofessional army, the Antigans promised to be easy prey to the revolutionaries. The Antigan border with Cameta was also conveniently large, giving easy chance for the Cametans to pass through any defenses the Antigans could attempt to mount.

Antiga and Carak were also no friends to the revolutionaries. Antiga was an absolute monarchy at the time of the invasion, having offered military aid during the early days of the Democratic riots. Having a very possible ally of the monarchists sat on the Cametan border while the Revolutionary Army was away from the region could potentially spell doom for their war effort. As such, the tactical move was made to preemptively strike Antiga, take them out, and outflank the Monarchist lines.

#### Antigan War

In late 436, Rebel Cametan forces began their invasion, with several armed battalions marching across the Cameto-Antigan border not far from the Royalist-Rebel frontlines. Initial aims were to merely impede on Antigan territory to pass Monarchist entrenchments unscathed. But skirmishes as Densega Heights and Penamek Town with the Antigan military escalated the situation into full scale war. Having prepared for such a conflict, the 4th and 6th Armies under the command of Generals Elessano Tendarak and Ondawei Potpart quickly crossed the border a week after the initial skirmishes.

The Antigan Military had previously withdrawn mostly from the border as a gesture of pacifism in regards to the war, in the hopes of averting any invasion by either potential side. This move, however, left much of the military unable to man their most naturally defensive and planned positions. The most effective repulses of the revolutionary advances were made along the Hettuba River and along the hills and ridges of Mount Laileth. The first months of the conflict were, however, mostly a walkover. With the total deaths totaling 940 in the first two months. However, the deaths quickly began to pick up as new defensive lines and a slow retreat was held by reorganized Antigan forces under Commander Analunce. The capture of the cites of Dasher and Munshei cost thousands for both sides, with Antigan defences becoming increasingly motivated towards their capital and as the nation moves closer to collapse during the following months. The fighting around the capital outskirts of Donavai was particularly gruesome. With Antigan artillery and air forces fully committing to the battle. Despite over ten thousand casualties were suffered by the rebels in their offensive, with thousands of Antigan casualties of their own. The capital however, ultimately fell with the city being left to special resistance cells as Monarchist forces established a new defensive line in Antiga to reinforce the retreating Antigans. Two volunteer battalions were also formed by fervent royalists arriving from Cameta and the Carak Kingdom.

As the year started to approach its end, it became clear that the monarchists were going to reinforce Antiga and simply extend the entrenchment line. In a risky bid, the rebels once more and spontaneously began a second incursion. This time crossing into the Kingdom of Carak.

#### Carak War

The Kingdom of Carak had, until this point, maintained formal neutrality. While their military and economy was isolated, undeveloped, they had made preparations for potential invasion. With increased troop concentrations along infrastructure routes through Antiga and Cameta into Carak. Carak was also larger than Antiga, with a larger military under the command of Field Marshall Santierol. Early expeditions into Carak were therefore met with heavy skirmishing, aerial superiority and heavy artillery fire. Through extensive use of reconnaissance operations, however, the Revolutionary Army was able to make a number of cuts into Caraki lines along their Eastern borders. Advancing into Carak countryside after a month of fighting, Democratic forces continued to meet stiff resistance and pockets of Caraki Royal Army troops.

Carak also made extensive use of armoured forces to provide flexibility to their smaller army. Utilizing APC brigades to provide support and quick troop redeployments during the Campaign. Behind the lines, Carak was suffering from their own guerrilla struggles however. With Democratist *Lifelines* providing local Democratic insurgent cells weaponry and sparking internal strife. With growing numbers of conscripts from Cameta, Democratic volunteers from Carak and Antiga, the Democratist forces slowly crossed the Carak countryside. Unable to safely utilize Caraki roadways for fear of massive casualties to airstrikes. Despite this issue, the extension of the war to Carak forced Monarchist Cametan troops to send further reinforcements and spread their army concentrations yet further. Several months were further spent in Carak as frontlines began to turn to regional skirmishing the further and further South Democratist troops reached.

### The Damagh Massacre

> "There was a look in their eyes. When they strolled into town there was no doubt about what was going to happen." - Anna Lorabohn, victim and survivor.
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During the height of the Democratist invasion of Carak, another situation occurred elsewhere in the war-zone. In the small village of Damagh, a frontier settlement hotly contested between Royalist and Democratic forces in Central Cameta, a series of shootings occurred. Following the rebel capture of the village, revolutionary forces dragged out a number of community members. Lord Halgat, the local noble for the village, his family, several families (Including children) of Royalist soldiers and a selection of young men were stripped naked and gunned down in the village square by seven rebel forces under the command of Sergeant Donina of the Revolutionary Democratist Army. The shooting was followed by widespread looting, burning and raping of the village over the course of the day. By the time the troops had left, most of the village had been destroyed, pillaged and its populace brutalized. While numerous other circumstances had occurred of a similar nature on both sides of the conflict, and continued after, the survivor's accounts of the massacre caused widespread national and international shock and concern to the situation. With the Monarchist cause being strengthened as a result.

#### Causation and Academic Judgement

The Damagh Massacre remains one of the most hotly contested topics in the Cametan Civil War. With a range of disputed subjects, scaling from the significance of harm made upon the village and its populace, to the reasonings behind the massacre.

Kalethian historian Tanel Golar writes, "The Democratist battalion that engaged in the Damagh Massacre, the 14th Revolutionary Battalion, was notoriously problematic. Both for the populations it came across, and for its leaders. There is no compelling evidence that Captain Mandesh ordered that the village be used as an example to Monarchist setttlements. Sources instead seem to suggest that Captain Mandesh's amoral stance to the fate of the Monarchist populations, and the decision by the High Revolutionary Command's request for the attachment of a Law Enforcement Section to his battalion, alludes to the incident instead being spontaneous. With neither any form of military police to prevent such a massacre, nor a principled Commanding Officer to punish the instigators for their crimes. Despite this, there is still nothing to suggest that Captain Mandesh was personally the one responsible for the massacre, but instead the Democratic Government itself for its negligence of ensuring that the principles of honour and decency were upheld during the war."

North Cametan scholar Ghanesh Teuroh meanwhile stated in his book, "Any case that the Democratist movement itself was responsible for the carrying out of the Damagh Massacre is always unsubstantiated, with tenuous justifications for such a conclusion at best. The unwillingness of Captain Mandesh to control his men and his personal logs expressing satisfaction in punishing Monarchist sympathizers is evidence enough that he, as the CO entrusted with controlling and guiding his men, neglected his duty and is therefore responsible. The central government under Tein Matresh was neither conscious of the massacre, nor supportive of it after the facts of the event came out."

#### Effects

The Damagh Incident sparked international horror at the bloody scale of the war in Cameta. While also drawing the ire of 437 NME Associated States Cametan Emergency Assembly. With both Monarchists and Republicans condemning the Democratists for their neglect of duty with the incident, the Damagh Massacre was one of the pushing effects for more significant foreign influence in the civil war.

The Kalethian Republic, which to this point, had been trading to both the Royalists and Democratists, completely severed any interactions with the Democratists as a consequence of the event. Pressing for other ASC nations to do the same. Within the Associated Executive Assembly, all factions voted in favour of a condemnation of the massacre. It is also seen as one of the early stages of the Associated States' entry into the civil war.

### Derg-Bonaleana Campaign

In late 437 and early 438 NME, the Democratists were once more finding their advance halted once more in Cameta and Antiga. As their advance slowed, newly-appointed Field Marshall Cark Mat-Paron was charged with putting the Democratists on their heels in Central Cameta. For the first major offensive operation by the Royalists in the war, Monarchist forces prepared an extensive spearhead operation utilizing roadways and aerial superiority.

Starting with the turn of the year, Monarchist forces punched through Democratist lines utilizing Road 15 and Road 19 towards Retenva. Democratist forces, however, dug in and resisted across the local countryside. Effectively rendering road control redundant with the ability of local Rebel units encircling and ambushing Royalist advancing troops. Major use of combined armoured and air strikes took a rising toll on the Revolutionary Army. With some regions to the West being lost to the Monarchist advance. This offensive however, did not amount to any breakthrough. By month three of the operation, the Royalists ceased further missions into Democratist territory as a consequence of growing losses of vehicles to the effort. One of the most important gains of the Derg-Bonaleana Campaign was the recapture of Hidara city, which was relinquished without significant resistance by Democratist forces.

### The River Offensive

With the end of the Derg-Bonaleana Campaign came another month of skirmishing and reorganisation. During this time, the Royal Cametan Army utilized a new plan of action. The River Offensive aimed to utilize the Beran River for new operations against the Democratists. While numerical advantage for ground troops was in the favor of the Democratists, the naval and aerial superiority almost remained entirely in the control of the Royalists. It was with this factor that Field Marshall Mat-Paron initiated new operations led by river patrol boats to secure settlements along the river routes. Extending the Democratist lines and helping to ease pressure on the Monarchist defensive. The River Offensive began strong, seizing over 25 settlements along the Beran river which were then fortified and used as strongholds.

Subsequent operations were met with less success, with Democratist Rebels now using the river as a turkey shooting grounds for Monarchist resupply boats attempted to reinforce such strongholds. As the years drew on during the war, Monarchist river operations began to reduce in frequency and scale, but remained as an active factor to Rebel-Loyalist military operations going ahead into the rest of the war.

### 438 Democratist Counter-Offensives

The later half of the year 438 was spent engaged in the Democratist Counter-Offensives. Tein's Revolutionary Army had been rapidly growing in strength and supplies over the course of the past years. With the main roadblock to Democratist success being equipment. However, capture of three Royalist military bases and cross-border trade with Democratist and Amridge Agreement members alike gave way to growing Democratist military quality. Matresh's government utilized their dominance over sea trade for two things: Stunting Monarchist searoutes and allowing smuggling for new military supplies from international deals. It also gave a way for fervent foreign Democratists to arrive as volunteers in the civil war.

By late 438, therefore, the Democratist Army was in a much fitter position. Even challenging Monarchist air superiority through native and foreign expeditionary air wings beginning to become much more numerous as time went on. Tein's government thus committed to a new series of Counter-Offensives amidst the growing Royalist river offensive operations, aiming to break through the weakened and overextended Monarchist lines, which were now subjected to the less developed infrastructure routes inland. New Cametan rebel attacks punched through several of the Royalist defensive outposts through the center of the line and across the Antigan battlefields. Rebel divisions were successful in forcing the Monarchists into a retreat after two months of intense regional warfare, encircling and crippling six Royalist Cametan and Antigan divisions in the process.

Once more in a state of mobile warfare, Monarchist encampments became difficult to hold and the roads became either deathtraps for Royalist supply lines or Rebel-controlled. While Royalist holdouts continued to pop up, with aerial drops being more and more commonly used, the overall balance of power was once more weighing in favour of the Rebels.

### The Adamba War

> "The Adamban Government has made future cooperation untenable." - Extract from the Cametan Declaration of War on Adamba.
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Amidst the later stages of the Democratist Counter-Offensive campaigns in 438, the rebels had also turned their attention to the Kingdom of Adamba. The nearby confederation of ex-tribes to the West of Cameta. In mid-to-late 438 NME, Democratist mechanized infantry units crossed the Adamba border and engaged with border garrisons and began to roll across the local countryside. The Adamba War saw most independent actions in 438 to 440, until the Adamban Army was mostly destroyed and forced to flee into Verani territory.

#### Causes

Adamba had previously be relatively uninvolved in the Cametan Civil War. It was notoriously a middleman for smugglers trading arms and goods with the Democratists during the early portions of the war. However, Adamba geography placed it in a powerful position. Not only was the country close to the rebel capital, but it also had control over a portion of the Beran river. Adamban control over the central portion of the Beran region gave them essential power over whether the Monarchists could launch raids the Rebel capital of Retenva. Adamba had also served as a useful smuggling point for revolutionary goods, but had since started to shift towards a Pro-Monarchist stance since the invasions of Antiga and Carak. Their close proximity to the Revolutionary Capital and control over part of the Beran river compelled military action against the country as a preemptive tactical move by the Democratists.

Tein Matresh's government had also received information that Adamba was seriously underprepared for invasion. With their military being relatively unprofessional, rather small, and accompanied with only outdated air equipment. It was a combination of these factors that drove the Cametan Rebels to bring the war to Adamba.

#### *Black Torch* Plan of Action

The plan for what became known as Mission Black Torch was simple. A total of 17 Divisions would be committed to the campaign. Spearheading along main roads from across the river by the East, and across land by the North. Seizing strategic targets, local bases and surrounding the city of Cenra (Which was only a short distance from the northern frontier). Air superiority would carry the day, with plans for a total commitment of Cametan aerial assets to massive, unrestricted air attacks across the Adamban countryside, attacking tactical locations before the enemy could reorganize for a disciplined defence.

The Adambans were also aware of their weaknesses. With an ill-equipped airforce and little naval force, the Adamban military would based their plans on redeployable motorized infantry, SAM systems and external assistance to stave off a potential Democratist attack.

#### Siege of Cenra

As soon as Mission Black Torch began, a series of SP Artillery strikes were made across the Adamban countryside. Bombarding in-range military facilities, civilian airports and border outposts. The airforce made a series of similar attacks as well as escorted spearheading convoys with air support. Democratist forces quickly crossed the Adamban border via bridges and the roadways which they had kept intact. Speeding across the frontier, much of the immediate Adamban defence forces either gave little resistance or immediately surrendered. Within 2 days, the Adamban capital of Cenra was in sight. Organised for its defence were two resistance forces. The 2nd Legion, part of the Adamban military, that had been sent to the city with orders to hold its surrounding countryside and the city itself, and the Cenra VDF. A defence force of volunteers armed with anything ranging from assault rifles to hunting shotguns.

King Kameratenrunmahal was very aware of Adamba's position, and after consulting his cabinet, he ordered for Count Chieftain Akaraletunanet to organise future Adamban operations towards a staggered retreat. Akaraletunanet had explicitly ordered for the defence of Cenra to be minimal. After seeing Monarchist encirclements in a number of cities in Cameta, he did not wish for entire divisions to be committed to the defence of a city, only for it to serve as a vacuum for other forces along the whole line. As a consequence, he gave command to 2nd Legion to only defend the city until their hold of it became unsustainable.

Despite this, Cenra and its defenders put up stiff resistance. Ranging from initial skirmish fire in the outlying farmlands and suburbs, to the eventual fanatical door-to-door (Sometimes hand-to-hand fighting) that occurred in Central Cenra. As the 2nd Legion and Cenra VDF slowly lost ground through the city. Retreat eventually ceased to be possible. While half of the 2nd Legion had completely left the city to hold the flanks, much of this force had fallen to precision air and artillery strikes and given way to Rebel attack. Four months into the siege, and the city had become completely encircled. Yet the city continued to hold out. By month six, Adamban Royalist Army and Militia forces were starving of food and resources. Dependent on smuggling, rare airdrops and preserved foodstuffs to sustain themselves. During this time, much of the populace were also subjected to hunger, often put as a lower priority than to the city defenders. By the end of the month, General Adanukamba sent an envoy to offer the surrender of the city to the Revolutionary Army, which the Rebels accepted. The Siege of Cenra was one of the bloodier urban battles of the Cametan War. Costing approximately 164,000 military fatalities on both sides to be ended, mostly Democratist lives.

#### Collapse of Adamba

Throughout and after the Siege of Cenra, the rest of the Adamban countryside was being subjected to near constant assault. Isolated from monarchist reinforcement, Adamban military forces were conscious that their fight was less of a hope to turn the tide and matter of prolonging the inevitable. This and a general lack of popular nationalist sentiment in the country to repel the invasion made defensive measures half-hearted and always limited in scale. After months of fighting, half of Adamba was already on the verge of total collapse. With the government set up in the provisional southern-based capital of Ajehari concocting plans to flee into the Velani Republic with the remnants of the army. The news of the end of the Siege of Cenra brought further bad news.

Despite this, later months showed increasing resistance. As the frontlines shrunk in size and the Democratist supply lines became increasingly extended into Adamban territory. Supply routes became sites of regular Adamban royalist banditry, ambushing convoys and setting up or removing minefields randomly to harm rebel organisation and buy more time. Meanwhile, the Adamban army was still growing in size through conscript and volunteer militias alike. The distinct shortage of logistical and administrative divisions in Matresh's revolutionary army made consolidation and continuing at the aggressor's current pace impossible. It was eventually decided that the Democratist forces would halt further operations for the winter. Opting to dig in, root out holdouts and consolidate their supply lines.

Beginning new operations in Adamba in tandem with the Rebel 440 Offensive in Cameta, the Democratist Adamban Front saw renewed success. Despite most major roads being sabotaged, and most key bridges being destroyed, the Democratists gradually began to push back the Adamban Royal Army until organisation eventually gave way to a command for total retreat by Count Chieftain Akaraletunanet into the Velani Republic after finally receiving permission. As the remaining significant defence forces melted into the countryside or across the Velani border. Adamba had been entirely occupied.

### 440 Offensive

During the Adamban Campaign. Little had occurred on the main front. The Antigans and Carak forces had completely organised themselves. With the ASC member states now actively sending military aid in the form of military supply loans and aerial expeditionary forces. The Royalist Army and Counterrevolutionary brigades meanwhile were focused on a new offensive plan for the Summer of 440, which they intended to break through Democratist lines and deploy aid to Adamba. This plan would, however, prove fruitless with the occurrence of the 440 Democratist Offensive and later the fall of the Kingdom of Adamba.

During the early weeks of 440 NME, King Lyeon received word in the wee hours of the morning that the Revolutionary Army had made a large scale all-cards-down offensive against the Monarchists. Nearly 100 divisions from the Cameto-Velani border all the way to Carak were advancing against key anti-revolutionary strongpoints. Despite Royalist air and naval superiority, the Revolutionary Army successfully launched a number of spearhead attacks against Antigan, Cametan Royalist, and Caraki military lines. Utilizing combined arms warfare with the limited number of MBT groups that the rebels possessed, the Revolutionaries began to break through the Royalist defences throughout the warzone. Mount Laileth was finally seized from the Antigans during a surprise day attack.

Not many of the Cametans roads had been destroyed, many even being repaired after such an extensive period of inaction, allowing rebel forces to roll across the countryside of Central Cameta. Pocketing significant numbers of the Cametan Royal Army. For the ground campaign, Tein's army met relative success as they broke through once more into a rather costly yet effective advance. Guerrilla warfare was brutal, with raids against Democratist camp, POW camps and supply routes causing great issue and slowly the progression of the Democratist advance. The Royal Army also at this point began a policy of total warfare, taking farming equipment and food supplies as they went to prevent rebel forces getting the benefit of close supply sources during their offensive.

The 440 Offensive also saw massive failures for the Democratists. Namely in the form of their air success. Previous rebel campaigns had seen resounding utility in the usage of air attacks. Especially against the Carakis, Antigans and Adambans. Yet the 440 Spring campaign was different. The heightened number of Royalist air equipment combined with airwings supplied by foreign supporters met the Democratist air support with fierce countermeasures. State of the art Surface-to-Air Missile and RADAR equipment made every rebel air mission during the operation risky, even not outright suicidal. Surely enough while the Democratists had acquired vast new territories in the civil war, even pushing the royalists more or less entirely out of Antiga, their airforce was forever left in a limited state. Only able to make a fraction of the sorties that could afford prior to the operation. By the time the 440 Offensive had ended, the Monarchists had been forced to relinquish control over about as much territory as they had years prior during the early stages of the war.

### Velani Intervention

With the war rapidly losing favour for the Royalists and civil war spreading south, the Velani Republic began to take an increasingly interventionist stance throughout 440 and later years. Eventually culminating in total involvement in the war, ultimately turning the tide against Tein Matresh's revolutionary army once more.

Prior to 440 NME, the Velani Republic had taken a relatively passive stance. While it did sell weaponry and allow the transportation of goods and armaments to Cameta through their territory, they also did not commit any troops. In 338 NME, the Velani Republic even dispatched Danoy Kreger, a diplomat for the country, to try and convince both powers to open up peace negotiations. The mission ultimately failed, but captures an image to Velan's third party stance in the conflict.

However, as the years drew on, the position of the Velani Republic changed. The growing frequency of massacres and other atrocities being committed. Combined by the growing number of minor countries in the region falling victim to Democratist efforts to break the stalemate turned Velani public perception of the conflict. The wealthy electorate of the country took great concern at the war as a battle between acts of a despotic and violent regime claiming to act in the name of the power without any form of election and the steady loss of ground by the Royal government. Despite being a Republican state, the Velani Republic saw the strife in Canatarmeta with sympathy. Fearful that the end of the war would see numerous of the local powers in the region come under satellite status or outright occupation under the Cametan Directorate. Combined with increasing pressure from the Imperial Treaty and Arklandic Security Coalition, the Velani Republic began to contribute to the Royalist war effort.

Starting in 339 NME with the Charter for trade of Goods to Cameta, a new state department was created and charged with the responsibility of trading with Cameta. Only allowing the shipment of military goods to Royalist territories, and only permitting the sale of non-deadly goods like foodstuffs to the Democratist territories. By 440 NME, the Velani Republic was selling their older jet fighters to the Kingdom of Cameta for generously low prices. Even sending airwings of their own to, which were ordered to only limit their missions to defensive operations against Democratist missions. With the fall of Adamba, the Velani Republic opened up their borders to the retreating Adamba military, allowing them to reorganise for two days before being ordered to leave for Cametan royalist territory through Velan.

While the Democratists had attacked three other neutral countries that were far less belligerent that the Velani Republic in the conflict. Velan was different. As one of the top GDP nations in the region, and being four times larger than the entirety of Cameta, Velan was in no endangered position. This allow them to grow increasingly confident and active in regional geopolitics as things became more and more significant. In late 440, a series of skirmishes had been reported when Velani border forces threatened Cametan rebel forces to move away back beyond the horizon from the Velani border. This gave adequate reason for the Velani Republic to begin sending troops to assist the Royalist government, subtle threat to the Democratist government. With five divisions of infantrymen, assisted with two tank groups and 30 Kalethian-built jet fighters, Velan became militarily embroiled within the civil war.

Participating in defensive missions across the Western reaches of the Royalist front lines. Velani casualties began to increase and so did sentiment for more action. In 441 NME, Velan began complete involvement in the war. Sending over 30 military divisions over the border into Royalist territory. The country made their official declaration of war in the middle of the year, following an official declaration of action by the Elected Tribunal gained approval to do so by the Senate. Throughout the rest of the war Verani troops flooded into Cameta, providing crucial manpower, vehicular support and supply routes that soon turn the war against the Democratists. Forcing their advance through Cameta to a halt in 441 and beginning a slow and extremely stubborn recession in following years. After the war, Veran was thanked for their contributions, with most of their compensation coming in the form of gradual Cametan loan repayments and treaty reparations.

### War of Bleeding

Following the inclusion of Veran into the war, the Democratists saw their advances forced to a halt. With divisions being exhausted and now equaled in opposition, the Revolutionary Army was forced onto the defensive. Without air support, significant numbers of armour support and with fresh hostile forces arriving each day, the Democratists started losing ground. Tein Matresh, who now more-or-less had control over the entirety of Upper Cameta, Antiga, Carak and Adamba, gave the order to execute the rebel plan for a major defensive. Declaring the *War of Bleeding*.

Much of the Democratist front desintegrated with an all out fallback to the Beran river as their main defensive line. Yet they never allowed any form of convenience for the Royalists. Burning farming settlements, killing their POW's and burning Loyalist Estates as they fled back North. Countless resistance divisions were assembled, spreading out into the woodlands, mountains and urban environments of the region. Bridges were obliterated once more, country roads were riddled with mines, major roads were covered with debris and barricades, local rebels were armed as militias and hidden anti-air outposts were set up. So began a period of gruesome guerrilla warfare as resistance groups evaded capture, constantly harassing and skirmishing with Royalist forces and lifelines each day. Forced to focus inwards and with the trouble of now dealing with an entrenched enemy frontline using a river that stretched nearly from border-to-border, the Royalist advance halted to. Brutal fighting began to break out across the Beran river. Especially over contested cities in the area.

Democratic doctrine aimed to bleed enemy forces dry. Reducing the popularity of the cause for war in the foreign nations and to help prevent the enemy from having the strength or confidence to extend themselves further in another major offensive. This ultimately worked. Through the usage of guerrilla training, the Royalists were forced to dedicate much of their helicopter and motorized forces to constantly fighting with local resistance members who would enforce a constant paranoia for the Monarchists. The War of Bleeding Doctrine continued to come into action for the Democratists right until the end of the war.

### Operation Sadlas

Throughout much of Cameta and the Eastern Front, the Monarchist positions were stuck in a quagmire of intense enemy resistance forces and Fabian tactics. Operation Sadlas was an idea concocted to try and help break that by weakening Democratist frontlines along the Beran river. To do this, they would begin a large scale show and awe campaign through Adamba to the West. Forcing the rebels to send reinforcements and weaken their line elsewhere. The Operation was to be carried out with extensive air, artillery and armour support, along with a total of 26 Verani, Cametan and Adamban divisions. Beginning in the later half of 441 NME, the Operation met some initial successes. Acquiring new grounds with successful strikes against enemy fortified positions. However, Royalist support was relatively ineffective once the Democratists dug into the forested, hilly and stream-ridden lands of Southern Adamba.

Operation Sadlas quickly became somewhat of a meat grinder. With fruitless efforts to achieve a breakthrough and force a return to mobile warfare with little success. The rebel usage of cheap, throwaway anti-tank missiles and hidden positions made for a deadly combination for the motorized and armoured forces that found themselves regularly at a standstill due to large ditches, forests and minor rivers. After two months of heavy combat, Operation Sadlas seized, with only some minor gains and failing to achieve the primary objective of drawing focus away from the Beran river.

### War of Terror

As 441 NME began to draw to a close and Operation Sadlas began meeting significant underachievements, the Royalists started focusing new efforts on helping to crack down on the internal rebel hostile cells. These groups continuously caused issues and were easily resupplied by secret supply runs.

The Royalist coalition therefore decided to initiate new counter-efforts to the War of Bleeding and to consolidate their front-lines. Launching the War of Terror following a Joint Military Conference on the matter, the international royalist forces committed to a series of new missions: 1) Rooting out Democratist supporters and collaborators 2) Cutting off and trapping Guerrilla cells and 3) Supporting Royalist resistance efforts within rebel territory.

Their first objective was committed easily and amorally. Cities, towns and villages were subjected to roundups by Counterrevolutionary Paramilitaries, shooting down anyone rumoured or connected to the rebels. Instilling fear and terror in anyone considering helping guerrilla groups. Neighbourhoods began to increasingly report guerrillas in the region or block.

Objective two was much more difficult to handle and never fully resolved. The Royalists began utilizing transport helicopters to quickly deploy reaction brigades to sites of ambushes and skirmishes, with attack helicopters and reconnaissance craft helping to coordinate ground troops to corner guerrillas in the countryside. UAV craft also began to locate and destroy insurgent camps, forcing them underground or into forests, which became increasingly patrolled or burned down.

To complete their final objective, the Antigan and Cametan Royal Militaries set up their own Special Guerrilla Forces Corps. Troops became trained in advanced survival, armed with funds, supplements and weapons and smuggled into Democratist territory either through daytime river-crossing or through parachute drop. Monarchist Guerrilla Operations were typically less successful than rebel operations due to their more limited scale. However, Royalist cells were able to sabotage numerous roads, and even liberate a prison filled with political prisoners on one occasions, providing helpful behind-the-lines information on Democratist army activity and infrastructure data.

### Association Involvement

Throughout the Cametan War, the Associated States played a noteworthy role. During the breakout of the war following the escalation of the Retenva riots, the Associated States Executive Assembly carried out a vote. The vote called for a referendum involving all members of Cametan society except non-adults to determine if the majority of the population was supportive of constitutional reform. The Monarchist and Rebel groups both expressed some degree of support for the referendum, but it ultimately fell through when the revolutionaries made the tactical move to breakout of the city sieges.

Later on in 438, Invigilator Togren wrote to both parties, urging for a ceasefire. Once again, the effort proved fruitless, especially with the high casualty numbers inflicted on both sides by this point, and the belief by both sides that the war could be won. Later on in 438, the Associated States Executive Assembly voted in favour of deploying the Intervention Corps to secure the Isle of Damcas from Cameta. The island, not far from the Cametan coastline, had become the safehaven for the Royal Cametan Navy, which consisted of several destroyers and a handful of frigates. Despite launching a couple of coastal raids, the Cametan navy was forced onto the sidelines during the war and was ultimately interned and safeguarded with the arrival of the Association international military force. With Association control and protection of the island, the Isle of Damcas was never harmed during the war and became one of the few safe places during the conflict, even causing an influx of refugees from mainland Cameta for a time.

In 443, the Association involved itself yet again with an armed intervention. This time focused deep into the mainland. Along the Baren River rested the city of Korvo. Mostly split in half across the river, the city became a major strategic point for fighting, bombing and regional control. Over the years of the War of Bleeding, the city became a source of great turmoil, mostly being turned into a city of constant explosions and gunfire. The Association eventually opted to end the fighting in the region with their arrival, enforcing a treaty by the Rebels and Royalists to withdraw from the city confines as it was turned into a safezone. Association operations helped to rebuild Korvo and turn it into a local safehaven from the constant fighting and slaughtering, but also allowed it to become a vital proxy and hub for smuggling of guerrilla supplies and equipment that exemplified issues elsewhere.

The Association's involvement in the war is often viewed positively, taking a somewhat firm stance in helping to secure certain locations from prolonged fighting to give the citizenry some breathing room and safety. But also negatively due to their carelessness about the bigger picture, such as with the smuggling they caused through turning Korvo into neutral ground.

### Fight for Erdolersa

As the years of ruthless guerrilla warfare dragged on all the way in 444, the Democratists found themselves increasingly starved of supplies. Very little was now arriving to Northern Cameta through trade. With much of the recognized world having embargoed the country over growing hostile sentiment to their cause. Meanwhile, Monarchist strength was growing. Tein's government was therefore desperate to seek an end to the war if possible, without showing it.

Their time came after a major clash broke out around the city of Erdolersa. Long held by the Monarchists, rebel groups had made some advances over the Baren river and were now in assaulting range of the city. Capturing the settlement would force local Royalist forces to use the smaller country roads to get their supplies, significantly harming logistical efficiency for the region. This also came with the poorly defencible location of the city. Erdolersa was relatively close to the river and the Democratists had enough AA equipment in range to deter constant air bombardment against them. It was this situation that gave Matresh was he needed. With another potentially decisive battle on the cusp, he opted to call off the Democratist limit the scale of their attacks, sending an envoy to Monarchist lines expressing Democratist interest in opening diplomat talks.

### The Olive Branch of Honour

While the Cameta, Antigan and Carak governments were hesitant to agree to a ceasefire and peace treaty, the Veranis and Adambans did not share their perspective. The olive branch that Tein offered would see the rebels withdraw back to the original Monarchist bottleneck line, halving their territory. It would give the pro-monarchist South most, if not all, of their loyalist territory and give the North likewise. The rebels would also withdraw from Carak, Adambba, and Antiga. Promising to pay a set reparations sum in exchange for allowing the establishment of the new Democratist government in the North-West under a neutral constitution enforcing a state of non-alignment in planetary geopolitics. It was, in effect, a conditional surrender.

For the Monarchists, this was agreeable. Veran wanted a restoration of peace and stability to the region, and the Royal Cametan government was fearing internal collapse to growing antipathy to the King and his commitment to the conflict. Eventually, the Royalists agreed to meet with the Democratists. In mid 444 NME, the Cametan Olive Branch of Honour became the 444 NME Peace Treaty of Korvo, finally ending a way that had costed hundreds and thousands of lives and immeasurable damages.

## Death Toll

Numbers on the war continue to be disputed. With reports contrasting between factional military reports, combined with international investigations all drawing different conclusions.

Royalist official records claim that the war saw a significant loss of Imperialist military equipment and manpower. Combined with Antigan, Adamban, Carak and Velani imperial war reports, the casualty rate is accurate to below:

 Antiga
 Adamba
 Velan
 Carak

Democratist accounts meanwhile give a less distinct difference in losses between Monarchists and Democratists in Cameta and other involved countries:

 Antiga
 Adamba
 Velan
 Carak

## Aftereffects

### Lessons of the War

The Cametan Civil War brought a brief period of regional stability and pacifism. The Royalist Government quickly came to reform their system into a much more constitutional approach to help win over more support from the urban middle class in future. Major lessons were made in the combating of Guerrilla warfare by the nations of Suroma and also led to an increase in peacetime military spending by most nations involved.

### Influence on Geopolitics

The Cametan Civil War had a drastic impact on regional geopolitics. The war put the Velani Republic back into a proactive diplomatic stance on regional affairs. It also advanced the Associated States ability to use their military interventions by using such examples as those in the Cametan civil war as evidence of a set precedent.

After the war, the Kingdom of Cameta became much more closely aligned with the monarchist powers due to their support. Working towards growing their special partnerships with such alliances, particularly the Falonis Defence Group to advance their military quality for the future.

North Cameta meanwhile became an issue for their supports. Particularly the Democratist directorates of Tylek and Falder. Their peace treaty turned North Cameta into a neutral country, even a successful one, with a growing free economy. Their democratist support had primarily come with the idea that Cameta would then joined the Coalition of United Democracies. But Tein Matresh's disinterest in taking North Cameta down such a route instead led one of the rare times the Democratists had projected their global power to turn into a wild goose chase.

The countries of Antiga and Carak were forever changed by the war. While their royal governments did return after the conflict. Their countries were in tatters, unstable and now full of armed democratist local militias. Within five years after the end of the war, both countries had succumbed to Democratist revolutions of their own. With the Antigan directorate becoming a special partner to the Coalition of United Democracies.