NationStates Jolt Archive

(A brief bit of history, character developement and war rolled into one nice little ball.)

In the winter of 1645, The bloody Turkish war between the Imperium of Nova Byzantia and the Turkish kingdoms came to an end after ten years of un-interrupted bloodshed.

The peace treaty solidified Byzantine dominance over the north of Anatolia, bringing the lands of Trabzon and Nicaea under Imperial rule.

Any hope of a lasting peace was destroyed, however, by the assasination of the Emperor, Marcus Constantus. The emperor's younger brother, Mikhail Seleuka took over as regent until the new emperor, Alexandros was fit to rule.

Five years later, Lord Seleuka was on that same accursed border, he had not forgiven the Turks for the death of his brother and they'd certainly not forgotten him.

He stood leaning over a map of Anatolia, detailing the independent Turkish states, the empire he'd soon leave to his nephew and even the Shakal territories on the southwestern coast. He had no doubt that the Shakal would be alarmed by this sudden aggression against the Turks, but he'd made it clear to his generals multiple times that they were to leave the Shakals well enough alone.

Afterall, this campaign wasn't entirely about expansion... much of it was for revenge.

Not only for his brother, but many others in the Imperium who'd lost loved ones when Turkish rebels would raid the countryside at random and then retreat into independent territory, knowing that the Imperium was still under treaty to keep the peace.

But now, the tables had turned. The Turks had been weakened by years of in-fighting, his hold over the north of the region was strong and many Turks had joined the ranks of his own army, seeing the Imperium as a means to end the pointless fighting between their people.

"The troops are ready, Lord Seleuka." a leutenant informed him with a respectful bow.

"Excellent."

And so, in the spring of 1650, the Second Turkish War began.

Rhodes, Shakal Turkish Province

Garrison General Von Hunscher looked slightly amused. The Turks were being invaded. This didnt suit Shakal plans very well. It was always know that they intended to link there Lebanese colony with the Turkish provinces. He would need to act quickly, perhaps some sort of agreement could be reached.

Dear Lord Seluka,

We have recieved word of your invasion of the Turks. We do not support hem, butas you most likely know, the Empire's borders are always eager to expand. We ask that we join you in this fight as it will greatly serve our own purposes as well as your own in destroying the Turkish Dogs.

From, General Hunscher, Shakal Governor Of Occupied Turkey

It was two days into the campaign when the Shakal messenger arrived. Taking the envelope, which he assumed to be somesort of reprimand or declaration of embargo, Lord Seleuka opened it up and read it.

He cocked an eye brow.

He smiled.

He chuckled darkly.

He wrote and handed the messenger his response and sent him on his way.

Dear General Hunscher,

Your aid would be both welcome appreciated. Personally, I'd reccomend immediately sending ships to blockade (or take, if you can) the Turkish ports along the south coast, doing so would severely damage the income of any alliance between the Kingdoms that may form, as well as limiting the possibilities of outside interference. As well, any troops you could send into the western region would be of great help, as the allied line would force the Turks East into the central regions (regiments from the Caucasus will be pushing them westwards, towards Ankara).

We'll talk of defining borders once this campaign is over.

Sincerely, Lord Seleuka, High-Regent of the Imperium of Nova Byzantia.

Dear General Hunscher,

Your aid would be both welcome appreciated. Personally, I'd reccomend immediately sending ships to blockade (or take, if you can) the Turkish ports along the south coast, doing so would severely damage the income of any alliances between the Kingdoms that may form, as well as limiting the possibilities of outside interference.

We'll talk of defining borders once this campaign is over.

Sincerely, Lord Seleuka, High-Regent of the Imperium of Nova Byzantia.

The reply was swift. Shakal vessels were alreay loading men to take Aleppo and the coast of Syria. In total some 4,000 Shakal troops would be involved in the invasions.

Dear, Lord Seleika

We find this deal most acceptable and are fully willing to follow it.

From Governore Hunscher

When word that the Shakal armies would be in the southern ports by the morrow reached the ears of Lord Seleuka, he was, suffice to say, quite pleased.

...Of course, hearing that they'd also invaded Syria was a mild surprise.

But it left a damn good pretext to start his own invasion of the region through the north, something he had planned on doing later anyway. Henceforth, roughly 3000 men broke off from the eastern front and marched southward, their only longstanding order being three words long: 'Next stop, Damascus!'

(Ya know, maybe we should get right to carving up territory, because it doesn't look like anyone's going to intervene or anything. <<)

OOC: Do you want me to RP the Turks and the Syrians?

OOC: Do you want me to RP the Turks and the Syrians?

OOC:Sure, if Ontarium doesnt mind.

IC:

General Hunscher led his men towards Aleppo from Rhodes. Some 3500 troops marched with him. 500 were landed on the Syrian coast just north of Lebanon and were handing 5 gold pieces out to each citizen they met and they also explained who was now in control of the region. 500 men were laned in the apex where Syria and Turkish borders met, they did the same as there counterparts. So far only limited resistance was expected, by the time the enemy gathered any force victory would be achieved.

OOC: Do you want me to RP the Turks and the Syrians?

(OOC- Be my guest. =o)

News that Shakal had marched in and quite literally bought their way through the Syrian coast and parts of southern Turkey was regarded with a dry humor in the Nova Byzantine ranks, the knew that they wouldn't have it that easy.

Simply because the Turks knew them.

And the Turks hated them.

They fought tooth and nail across every hill, field and river-crossing, showing no quarter and recieving none in return. Imperial advances were quick and great, but even so, the fighting was so fierce that the eastern armies had sustained such heavy casualties in the battle of Elazig that the region had become grimly labeled: 'The Maw'.

The western forces fared better, being that the armies pitted against them were made up from a coalition of Turkish states that had been at eachother's throats for years. When their armies were combined on the field they were both disorganised and undisciplined, unwilling to respect the judgements and decisions of 'foreign' generals. They often made large tactical errors that the Nova Byzantines caught and exploited easily.

The Syrian front was, surprisingly, very quiet. Though, rumor had it that the Syrian king was building up his army in the south, and that the Jordanians had been sending caravans of vital supplies of food and ammunition into Damascus.

All in all, the war was quickly becoming a bloodier sequel to a bloody war.