The Great War

The Great War for the Kingdom of Komnen was the greatest battle ever fought by the General's Army, and was a global conflict involving the majority of nations across the world. The Great War began very slowly and gained speed as countries began to choose sides and gain alliances. In the end, The Great War left the world devastated and broken, with millions dead, whole countries reduced to wastelands, and a new threat emerging for the future.

The Great War was a slow crisis that developed over several years prior to the 20^th century, and was more exclusive to the countries across the ocean than in the Kingdom. On the continent of Evropa, state rivalries and the cravings of expansion were beginning to flare, and conflict was inevitable. One of the largest countries in the north of Evropa known as Trussmark, began a campaign of expansion into the lands of its southern neighbors. This event was overshadowed when Trussmark’s rival on Evropa, the nation of Ladonnia, insisted that it withdraw its troops and cease its aggressiveness immediately. Trussmark did eventually withdraw but not before creating the Alliance of Evropa, an international organization which created a defensive pact between many of the northern Evropa nations.

In retaliation for this act, Ladonnia created a very similar organization known as the United Evropa Nations, which united the southern countries of Evropa. The entire world was slowly but surely rolling towards an apocalyptic disaster of global proportions.

During the formation of Trussmark’s Alliance of Evropa, the leaders of the nation sought to enlist the aid of the countries in the east. Trussmark sent peace envoys to both Komnen and its longtime rival Ghuong Zhu, an oriental nation that had a history of warfare with Komnen. Ghuong Zhu was quick to sign the treaty and join the Alliance, hoping to expand its base of power across the oceans. Komnen surprisingly did not sign the agreement, preferring to stay as far away from the developing crisis as possible. It was this act that put the Kingdom in a dire position, for Ghuong Zhu to the south was eager to name the Komnen as its first target for aggressive expansion.

Over the years the tensions grew across the globe. Nation after nation began signing its loyalty to one of the two factions, hoping to save itself from being crushed in the inevitable onslaught. It seemed as if anything could set off the spark that would ignite Evropa in a World War.

In May of 1922 Trussmark made a land claim to the northwest region of the country of Roskilde, a member of the United Evropa Nations. They claimed that the ethnicity of the country was predominantly Trusslandish, and the country was therefore Trussmark land. This was the first fateful straw in a monumentous conflict and the first, bold step, in the Great War. After Trussmark crushed and occupied the country of Roskilde, the United Evropa Nations were forced to defend their ally, and declare war on Trussmark.

What occurred next was a great flurry of action, as each organization built up its military forces to attack the other, but in the eastern hemisphere things were much different. Komnen made no moves to engage in the fighting on Evropa, and much of the eastern hemisphere was silent, as all anxiously awaited the first strike by either group. Little did the Kingdom know that the first strike was to come against their own soil, when a Ghuong Zhu fleet was spotted just off the coast of the Komnen Isles.  In a daring move the Ghuong Zhu attacked the Kingdom, and the Kingdom was quick to retaliate against its longtime rival.

The Kingdom of Komnen declared war against Ghuong Zhu, along with its Kingdom allies of Seljuk, Pagaly, Acuria, Ling Shuon, and Matsovinya. The war raged all across the Juring Sea, but the Kingdom was able to best the Ghuong Zhu in the water, and it was not long before the Ghuong Zhu were forced to retreat from the Komnen Isles.

 In a series of daring assaults involving millions of men and tons of equipment, the Kingdom landed on the mainland of the continent of Yandia, pushing the Ghuong Zhu back into their own territory.

It would ultimately take a total of five years for the Kingdom to eventually pacify the Ghuong Zhu, an exhausting and destructive length of time.  Eventually Ghuong Zhu was defeated by Komnen and its allies, and the Kingdom celebrated their victory over the invading enemy.

They had been slowly losing ground year after year to the more militarily inclined north. Ladonnia was desperate for aid from the east, and the Kingdom was willing to answer their call. The Kingdom rounded up what was left of its fleet, but its manpower and ability had been far depleted by the endless combat. However the Kingdom was able to request aid from new allies in the east, including their previous colony of Atzlan.

In a massive amphibious assault, the Kingdom forces pushed into Trussmark, and eventually forced it into surrender to the Kingdom of Komnen, and the United Evropa Nations. Trussmark was occupied by Kingdom forces, and Komnen oversaw the last stages of the war, in which Kingdom troops rooted out the last pockets of resistance.

The Great War spanned a total of six years, involved nearly every country on the face of the earth, and would forever change the history of the world. The only countries that were not scarred by war and death were those on the mainland of Komnen, and it was these countries that began the long process of rebuilding the world. The Great War would change the future of the Kingdom, and give it a great advantage over many other countries in the east, both militarily and in the minds of each and every citizen.