1730 Port Benacia staff conference

The Port Benacia staff conference, convened in the eponymous administrative seat of Benacia Isle on 11.XV.1730 AN, gathered together representatives of the Western, Tiny, Central, and Northern Banner Groups of Benacia Command, along with representatives of the general staffs of Benacia Command and the Benacian Union Defence Force.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the reorganisation of the western theatre of operations in light of the worsening relationship between the Benacian Union and Shireroth. The Western Banner Group had been left in some disarray following the withdrawal of the Imperial Republic from the joint command structure of the Raspur Pact. Without meaningful garrisons in the Western theatre except at New Blackstone and upon Naudia'Diva, the Western Banner Group had effectively been allowed to whither on the vine since the failure of Operation Jagdbeute in 1724 AN.

Attendees

• Central Banner Group
  • Zacharias Avon-El, commandant Central Banner Group
• Northern Banner Group
  • Jahangir Khan, commandant Northern Banner Group
• Tiny Banner Group
  • Tabitha Drax, commandant Tiny Banner Group
• Western Banner Group
  • Donald William Brasenose, military governor of New Blackstone
  • Johannes Alexander Konrad von Pfeffel, regent of Naudia'Diva

Proposals

Two core proposals were made after initial discussions:

1. That the military districts corresponding to the Governorate of Absentien and the Governorate of Siyachia be transferred from the Northern and Central Banner Group's respectively, along with the lieutenancy of Bergburg.
   • The Tiny Banner Group of Northbloom and northern Kalgachia to remain a distinct banner level subcommand unless Northbloom were to express an interest in assuming command of the expanded Western Banner Group.
2. That the remnants of the Western Banner Group, along with the military district associated with the Governorate of Absentien would be integrated into the Central Banner Group, which would be retitled as the Central & Western Banner Grouping of Forces.
   • Again, under this arrangement the Tiny Banner Group would remain a distinct and independent formation.

Although Tabitha Drax intimated that her government would give the proposal all due consideration, she could make no firm commitment on its behalf, noting that the "ultimate authority" in the land had been feeling out of sorts of late and it might not be best to present sudden unusual proposals under those circumstances.

Decision

After further discussions the attendees agreed to proceed with the first proposal:

1. That the military districts corresponding to the Governorate of Absentien and the Governorate of Siyachia be transferred from the Northern and Central Banner Group's respectively, along with the lieutenancy of Bergburg.

The Tiny Banner Group of Northbloom and northern Kalgachia to remain a distinct banner level subcommand unless Northbloom were to express an interest in assuming command of the expanded Western Banner Group.

This reorganisation addressed the disarray in the western theatre of operations following Shireroth's withdrawal from the Raspur Pact joint command structure. By consolidating forces from the Northern and Central Banner Groups into an expanded Western Banner Group, Benacia Command aimed to establish a more coherent chain of command in the west.

While Tabitha Drax of the Tiny Banner Group could not commit Northbloom at the conference, she did not rule out the possibility of Northbloom assuming command over the reconstituted Western forces at a later date.

Implementation

In the months following the conference, the military districts of Absentien and Siyachia, along with the lieutenancy of Bergburg, were officially transferred from the Northern and Central Banner Groups to reform the Western Banner Group. Logistical efforts were made to reintegrate the fragmented western garrisons at New Blackstone and Naudia'Diva into this new command structure.

The conference marked an important first step in Benacia Command's attempts to project unified strength amid rising tensions with Shireroth. However, the long-term viability of the reorganised Western Banner Group remained to be seen as the situation in the western theatre continued to evolve.