Drak-Modani Civil War
| Drak-Modani Civil War | |||||||
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| Part of the Natopian intervention in Drak-Modan | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Bovic Republic of Drak-Modan |  Second Bovic Kingdom of Drak-Modan
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Chancellor Kamil Gavrilov
| Chancellor Arslan Djangirov (in-exile)
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| Units involved | |||||||
Drak-Modani Army (Republican)
| Drak-Modani Army (Royalist)
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| unknown
| At least 27
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The Drak-Modani Civil War was a series of military battles between the Royalist (pro-Natopian) factions of chancellor-in-exile Arslan Djangirov and the Republican (anti-Natopian) factions of chancellor Kamil Gavrilov. At the onset of the war, Royalist forces were concentrated in the So-Saran islands. Most of the Drak-Modani Defense Force remained loyal to Chancellor Gavrilov.
Early Phases
The early phase of the war consisted of the 1st Carrier Group of the Natopian naval forces attempting to establish a blockade of Raynor Point, while conducting tactical bombardments on soft military targets in eastern Capeshire. The stated goal of Natopia's intervention was primarily to overwhelm and deter the smaller Drak-Modani forces and to the 2nd Army Division stationed at Fort Raynor Point to accept the Djangirov government.
In the early days of the conflict, the Guttuli Protectorate attempted to force the embattled republic faction into normalized relations in exchange for support against Natopia. In response to this, Natopia mobilized more units to defend royalist positions in the name of Chancellor Djangirov.
Royalist elements of the Drak-Modani Navy and Air Force were dispatched from their bases in the So-Saran islands to engage with the Republican forces at Modan Hamlet.
Confrontation at Raynor Point
With news of the Guttuli Protectorate attempting to intervene, the 1st Carrier Group of the Natopian Navy was ordered to increase its attacks on Fort Raynor Point in an attempt to expedite the 2nd Army Division's surrender under threat of hostilities from both Guttuli and Natopia. A hasty propaganda campaign was begun, with simple text flyers dropped over Raynor Point with sayings such as "The Guttulis are Frankish allies... Do you want Vanic Sympathizers next door? Join the Natopians to Drive them Back" "Restore the Bovic monarchy and enjoy the benevolence of the Butter Cow" "Waste your life for the populist republic and suffer the malevolence of Butter Bull" "Drak-Modan: The Prodigal Son of Natopia, Rejoin the global Waffelian family and assume your place of glory on Benacia!" "Do not Trust the Guttulinese, They Want Your Blood....Outside of your body!"
After the second of these leaflet drops the intruding aircraft of the 1st Carrier Group found themselves escorted out of Drak-Modani airspace by a two flights of F-9 Ashavan II air superiority fighters whose transponders and call-signs denoted them as assigned to the Southern Tactical Air Force of Benacia Command. As allied pilots and aircrew the two sides conducted themselves cordially and with all due professionalism, yet while the intervening aircraft did not aggressively intercept the Natopian shuttles their positioning was such as to have been advantageously placed if the polite instruction to retire had been disregarded.
Shortly after this "deconfliction exercise" had occurred Arslan Djangirov found himself in receipt of a succinct signal from the Frainan Hohmin Ira Rasputin, commander of the Southern Banner Group and Magister militum per Draconis, detailing a series of recommendations, the gist of which was that further "forward" moves towards Fort Raynor Point might be construed as endangering the operational safety of the main base of the XXXIV Salb of the Black Legions and thus oblige the Southern Banner Group to take a more proactive interest in the present political affairs of Drak-Modan than it had hitherto, which might prove to be to the detriment of certain parties. If Djangirov was prepared to give all due consideration to these proposals and to abide by them, the magister in turn undertook to prevail upon the commanders of the 2nd Army Division to remain above the political fray and instead to focus their attentions towards the frontier with the Guttuli Protectorate, the common enemy as it were.
Djangirov issues the "Common Border" Statement, calling for his royalist troops to prioritize defense of the Guttuli border, call for truces with republic forces when the Guttuli are threatening any Drak-Modani asset. It further condemns the Natopian attacks on Fort Raynor Point and requests for Natopian assistance to be redirected towards the Guttuli Protectorate, and to defend royalist positions when royalist units are on mission. Gavrilov indicates that his republican forces would also temporarily ceasefire on royalist units if the Guttulinese posed an immenint threat to Drak-Modani territorial integrity and sovereignty.
The Natopians, meanwhile, who were not anticipating a threat of force from the Benacia Command, maintained their commitment to the Brandt-Lohani Doctrine, while publicly condemning the aggressive overtures from Guttuli, assured the royalist Drak-Modani faction that Natopian support would only be provided to royalist forces to attempt to sway the public opinion towards the royalists/pro-Natopians as the pragmatic solution to Guttulinese aggression.
In response, the Magisters Philokrates Kakadu (1st Division, Fort Drakorda) Magister Alcazaba Castros (2nd Division, Fort Raynor Point), themselves at that time subordinated to the III (Combined Arms) Corps of the 18th Army and the Southern Banner Group, followed the line set by the Magister militum and released audio files onto the Benacian Data Network that confirmed their neutrality in the presently ongoing civil conflict and their commitment to the defence of the frontiers of Drak-Modan against Guttuli aggression, operating within the framework of the Joint Military Council of the Raspur Pact.
Period of Truce
After the Confrontation at Raynor Point, the two chancellors met in Kurpla. Both men agreed that the current geo-political position of Drak-Modan meant that any conflicts fought in Drak-Modan would be subject to either intervention resulting in destruction or callous disengagement resulting in chaos. Could the republicans count on the Benacia Command to fight the Natopian forces? The royalists had already found the limits of Natopian support, and the line in the sand was that Natopia would not attack Raspur Pact forces.
Meanwhile, in Draconia, the token kingdom set up to appease a racial minority, the King of the Draconians was agitating for a Third Way, and it was reported to the counterpart chancellors that John Hilding Waffel-Paine had invited Andrea Drakland, the human-demon daughter of Kizzy Drakland, to become a co-monarch with John of a new Bovic Kingdom of Drak-Modan, instead of Nathan II, or even the current judge, Clara. The chancellors briefly considered backing the proposal, as it seemed to provide a way out for all parties. The Natopians would be satisfied that Drak-Modan would remain a reliable ally, the republicans would get nativist rule, and Benacia Command wouldn't have to engage with Natopian forces, and the Natopians could leave after encountering unexpected resistance. The chancellors agreed to maintain the truce and to watch and see what, if anything, would happen if Andrea Drakland returned. Meanwhile the two factions agreed to work together against any aggression from the Guttuli Protectorate.
Kurpla Conference
In Grunil 1685, a formal conference was held in the city of Kurpla between Republican Chancellor Gavrilov, Royalist Chancellor Djangirov, Supreme Judge Clara Sundara, and King John Hilding Waffel-Paine. Observers from Benacia Command, the Raspur Pact, and Natopia were also in attendance.
A power sharing arrangement was established between the two chancellors, at the request of Clara Sundara. Gavrilov was an early supporter (or tolerator) of the Natopian ruling class in the early days of the Kalirion Fracture. In exchange for declaring public support for Natopia and the new government, Gavrilov and Djangirov would serve as Co-Chancellors, new positions to replace the Grand Chancellor with most of the same powers now being exercised jointly.
The Supreme Judgeship would be abolished and the monarchy restored with an invitation to co-rule extended to John Waffel-Paine and Andrea Drakland as co-monarchs. In the early days of the civil conflicts, it was reported that Clara Sundara secretly requested Natopian intervention in Drak-Modan from her brother. News media began to question her integrity, the independence of her, and the integrity of her office going forward. John Waffel-Paine, however, maintained his popularity and increased it when it was reported he defied his father, Nathan II to return to Draconia to accept the crown there. The parties to the conference agreed that John, a descendant of Kaiser Sehml, and Andrea, the daughter of Kaiseress Kizzy, would restore the Imperial Bloodline of Drak to the nation and bring stability. Special circumstances were taken into consideration in order to get Andrea Drakland to accept the offer, but not upset the fiercely anti-demonic culture entrenched in Benacia. Andrea Drakland, former heiress-presumptive of Modan & Malarboria when her mother ruled it, would be allowed to retain her position as Presidentrix of the Council of the Dark Pact in Goetia.However, other demons would not be allowed to enter Drak-Modan. Travel from Goetia would be highly restricted. Private demon worship would be decriminalized, but public demon worship would remain illegal. The conference's confidence in offering Andrea the crown was also dependent upon a DNA profile conducted when she was born that concluded she could not carry a child herself.
The conference also chose to re-commit the restored kingdom to preserving and honoring its Shirerithian history, drawing inspiration from the personal union between Shireroth and Ransenar. Conference attendees noted that, now that Nathan II was no longer king, a wider arrangement of situations was available without causing the Natopian ruler to be formally or nominally subject to the Shirerithian kaiseress. The possibility of creating the ceremonial title and position of Kaiseress in Drak-Modan and bestowing it upon Salome was discussed and what, if any, powers would be associated with it.
The conference also voted to remain a Bovic nation, with the Otchim of the Benacian Bovic Church serving roles in coronations and state ceremonies. The conference also agreed to keep the flag and seal of the Republic for the restored Bovic Kingdom.
