Cibolan Reconquista

Cibolan Reconquista
Date 1685 - Location Western Cibola
Belligerents
Barbarian Republic Jingdaoese Empire  Imperial Trade Union  Ralgon	Vanic resistance Batavian resistance Koning Joost-Willem de Eerste

The Cibolan Reconquista is an attempt by the Barbarian Republic and the Jingdaoese Empire to regain control over Western Cibola. The idea gained foothold in Barbarian politics after the acceptance of the Chidao Emperor as ceremonial monarch. It was realised that the ancient capital of Jingdao, Zijincheng, including the ruins of the ancient imperial palace were not that far from the territory of the republic. After careful negotiations, the Jingdaoese emperor offered to establish a volunteer army that would assist the republic, the Cibolan Volunteer Corps.

The ultimate goal of the endeavour was the conquest of all lands formerly occupied by the First Empire under the banner of the Empire of Barbary and Nanjing, which would remain independent of the modern Jingdaoese Empire. A point which should be stressed because of claims to the contrary by foreign instigators.

Following similar goals focused on the island of Drag'os (to the north of the western portion of the Cibolan mainland), the Holy Ralgon Empire's military forces joined to support these conquests in exchange for securing victories of paramount importance to the restoration of domestic morale in the wake of the 1685 Crisis and its attendant losses.

1686

Situation at the beginning of 1686

IX.1686 (Yuandi)

• 14: Jingdaoese ships carrying the first 5,000 recruits belonging to the Cibolan Volunteer Corps moor in the harbour of Naval. They are welcomed by President Ase Wittenstein of the Barbarian Republic.
• 15: After having a night spent with sight-seeing in the historic city centre, the Cibolan Volunteer Corps pledge allegiance to the Barbarian Republic in a ceremony on the northern outskirts of Naval.
• 16: News from the arrival of Jingdaoese troops leads to an uprising in the unincorporated Vanic village of Capua.
• 20: Five more Jingdaoese ships, this time carrying 2,500 recruits of the volunteer corps arrive in Naval.
• 21: A group of 200 descendants from First Empire Jingdaoese citizens reports to join the corps.
• 22: The New Zimian War League activates 10,796 troops based in the Bassarid Penal Colony of Drag'os in preparation for supporting Jingdaoese efforts.

X.1686 (Goburin)

• 01: A legion from the Barbarian Republican Guard marches towards Capua, contact is made with Vanic troops entrenched west of the village.
• 02: After nightly skirmishes, both the Republican Guard and Vanic resistance in Capua mourn several casualties.
• 03: 10 Dolstier I main battle tanks from Jingdao arrive in the harbour of Naval, they are added to the Republican Guard.
• 04: With armoured support, the Republican Guard pushes into Capua, Vanic forces flee towards the east.
• 06: Troops from Ralgon's homeland arrive in Nova Victoria, remaining Batavians in the city do not resist the Ralgonese forces taking control of the city harbour.
• 07: The Ralgonese Emperor orders the formation of an occupation force to secure the Nova Victoria's still-intact naval infrastructure, and its residential quarters to house refugees threatening to overcrowd the homeland. When threatened with eviction from their homes, in order to house Ralgonese refugees, Batavian inhabitants of the city block streets to stop the Ralgonese forces from entering their quarters.
• 10: Ralgonese explorers arrive at the former Storish enclave of Frigga Island. They encounter minor Vanic remnants and report their findings to their allies as they have insufficient forces available to conquer the island alone.
• 11: 2,700 troops, along with material assets, belonging to the New Zimian War League land on the beaches north of Kaapstad.
• 12: The New Zimian War League enters Kaapstad, where they establish a forward operations headquarters in the city's former industrial zone. Minimal opposition is encountered in the industrial zone, but Batavian resistance fighters block the road to the city centre.
• 13: Just over a week after the skirmishes in Capua end, Barbary withdraws the Republican Guard from the village and sends it to a position south of Basella.
• 14: The Cibolan Volunteer Corps sends 5,000 soldiers to join the Republican Guard south of Basella.
• 15: Three members of the Batavian resistance are caught as they make photographs of the Barbarian positions near Basella. They are tortured but do not give credible information on the defense of Basella.
• 16: A Jingdaoese reconnaissance team maps Batavian resistance positions, they are not careful enough and one soldier's life is claimed by machine gun fire from a lookout tower.
• 17: A Barbarian team recovers the body of the Jingdaoese soldier who was slaughtered the day before. They retalliate by blowing up the Batavian lookout tower with a Panzerfaust, two Batavian lives are lost.
• 18: Combined Jingdaoese and Barbarian forces start the assault of Basella. After heavy fighting are they able to capture the former residence of the South Batavian Catological Church. Barbary loses 12 soldiers, Jingdao 6 and the Batavian resistance more than 100, most of them to Dolstier fire.
• 19: Batavian resistance fighters from Laguarres arrive in Basella. They have brought anti-tank weapons with them to counter the Dolstier attacks. The Barbarians lose one tank after it is lured into an ambush.
• 20: In the early hours of the 20th day, Batavian resistance fighters set up an ambush on Jingdao-Barbarian supply lines, setting fire to a parked truck carrying diesel, the driver cannot escape in time and dies in the flames.
• 21: The Republican Guard launches an attack on Basella's city center, fighting Batavian resistance for every meter. After seven hours of fighting the Batavians try to retreat to Laguarres but in their flight they are ambushed by the Cibolan Volunteer Corps. 43 Barbarians lose their life, 5 Jingdaoese, 589 Batavians and another 895 Batavians are taken prisoner.
• 22: The Republican Guard and the Cibolan Volunteer Corps hold a victory march through Basella, after which the city's mayor is forced to swear allegiance to the republic.
• 22: Relying heavily upon aerial support, the New Zimian War League breaks Batavian defenses and makes headway in their efforts to establish control of the city center of Kappstad. Nevertheless, insurgent forces continue to present a considerable obstacle which serves to slow War League operations. As fighting drags on, resistance fighters employ increasingly desperate tactics including the use of IED's and rudimentary booby traps.

XI.1686 (Haigu)

• 01: A delegation from the Barbarian Republic arrives in Nova Victoria to establish a provisional city council. They are surprised to learn that many Ralgonese refugees have descended upon the city. In a discussion in the city hall with representatives of the Ralgonese and Batavian communities they try to find a solution for the impasse, but this is not found. Negotiations continue for several days.
• 02: Representatives of the Barbarian Republic meet with representatives of Laguarres. They come to the agreement that Laguarres will join the Barbarian Republic, Barbary will in return release the prisoners that were taken on the 21st day of Goburin.
• 03: In Willemstad a pretender to the Batavian throne declares that Cato himself has given him the task to lead a crusade against the Barbarians that have attacked the other Batavian cities. Koning Joost-Willem de Eerste receives monetary support from former colonists who have fled to Benacia following the collapse of Batavian rule in Cibola, and is also joined by several hundred adventurers and mercenaries.
• 04: Five Dolstier I tanks arrive in Naval from Jingdao. They are added to the Cibolan Volunteer Corps.
• 05: After stripping it of valuable and useable materials, the village of Capua is burnt down to the ground by the Cibolan Volunteer Corps. A volunteer who walks into the forest to collect wood for the fire pit is ambushed by Vanic resistance fighters and abducted.
• 06: After noticing one volunteer missing, the Cibolan Volunteer Corps launches a search action in the Capua area. Traces of the Vanic resistance such as cooking utensils are found, but no traces of the abducted soldier.
• 07: During the search action in the woods near Capua, two Vanic fighters are caught. They are both tortured to extract information on the fate of the lost volunteer. They both admit that the volunteer has been abducted but tell different stories on where he has been brought. Scouts are sent in to explore the locations and find that at one of them an ambush has been prepared. The soldier is found dead at the other location, his body gruesomely beaten. It is recovered and the Vanic prisoners are crucified on the location of Capua to serve as a warning.
• 08: A first group of Barbarian scouts is sent out to rediscover the location of the ancient capital Zijincheng, they depart from Basella and carry a parcel which carries the personal seal of the Chidao Emperor.
• 09: The second legion from the Republican Guard leaves Naval to march towards Baicha. A group of scouts is sent out to gather intelligence on the city.
• 10: Citing resistance from a far larger-than-expected city population, the Ralgon occupation force agrees to scrap any permanent occupation plans, instead ceding political control of the city to the Barbarians. Nonetheless, they retain military infrastructure sorely needed to continue operations safely outside of their homeland. The Barbarian Republic files a claim with the MCS to recognise the occupation of Baicha, Basella, Laguarres, Kaapstad, Nova Victoria and Zijincheng even though Zijincheng has not been found.
• 11: The scouts from the 2nd legion of the Republican Guard reach Baicha. The former city is reduced to a village but they are pleasantly surprised when they hear the villagers speak Jingdaoese. They make themselves known and are invited to meet with the village elders who are sympathetic to the Barbarian plans. No formal agreement is made, but one village elder is sent to Arvidsudde for negotiations.
• 12: Around 3,000 Palesmenian Volunteers, enrolled into the 83rd Volunteer Brigade, as well as several explorers from the 65th Exploration Company, arrive in Laguarres to provide assistance to the Cibolan Volunteer Corps.
• 13: Resistance in Kaapstad crumbles after high ranking leaders abruptly evacuate from the city, allowing War League forces to assume control of all but only a few of the city's districts where only halfhearted opposition persists. After establishing overall control of the city, the War League launches an extensive manhunt in pursuit of the resistance leaders believed to have escaped from the city.
• 16: The Ralgons send the largest possible force they can spare for a forward-deployed expedition, consisting of 26,500 troops. These are led the capable commander and senior leader of the Ralgon Imperial Family: Crown Prince Draeg'ar Ral, having been freshly recalled from Daocheng as the Imperial ambassador to Jingdao. These forces land at Nova Victoria, joining the 3,500 troops already there under the command of the area's temporary military governor.
• 17: In liberated Baicha, the Baicha Heavy Vehicle Industries plant is set up to repair the Dolstier I tanks that have been provided by the Jingdaoese Empire.
• 19: The village elder from Baicha has a meeting with Ase Wittenstein in Arvidsudde. They agree that Baicha will join Barbary. 5,000 new recruits of the Cibolan Volunteer Corps arrive in Naval.
• 21: The first legion of the Cibolan Volunteer Corps is released from duty, they are given land near the cities of Basella and Baicha.
• 22: The MCS accepts the claim filed by the Barbarian Republic on XI.1686.10.

XII.1686 (Dashi)

• 01: 5,000 new recruits arrive in Naval to join the Cibolan Volunteer Corps.
• 02: Two Dolstier I MBT's are removed from service with the Republican Guard to be serviced by Baicha Heavy Vehicle Industries in Baicha. The Dolstier I that was destroyed in Basella on X.1686.19 is loaded on a flatbed and also brought to BHVI to be used as a donor vehicle for repair parts.
• 03: Five 'new' Dolstier I MBT's arrive from Jingdao in the harbour of Naval, they are added to the Republican Guard.
• 05: Scouts from the Republican Guard find the ancient forbidden city of Zijincheng in the forest, the city is completely overgrown and deserted. Despite some cracked walls here and there, and many collapsed roofs, most buildings are still standing. Two men are sent back to report on the find, while the others start exploring the site.
• 06: Artefacts belonging to the first Heavenly Lights are found in the palace of Zijincheng, suggesting that the site has not been searched by raiders.
• 07: A team from the Tegong is flown in with helicopters to Zijincheng. They take over the investigation of the site from the Barbarian scouts, who are placed on guard duty.
• 08: The Jingdaose steward Fu Chidao arrives at Zijincheng to oversee the reconstruction of the imperial palace.
• 10: Unknown to the Barbarians and their allies, Koning Joost-Willem de Eerste forms an army of 15,000 soldiers, consisting of three legions, in Willemstad. He is able to acquire old Batavian military equipment such as anti-tank weapons and land mines through illicit channels.
• 11: Koning Joost-Willem's First Legion is sent to Heemecht, the second is sent to Yixing, while the third remains in Willemstad.
• 15: The Batavian pretender's First Legion reaches the gates of Heemecht which has a predominant Batavian population, which capitulates without a fight.
• 17: As the Batavians near the city of Yixing, its population which is mostly ethnically Jingdaoese sends messengers to Nova Victoria, asking for help.
• 18: Koning Joost-Willem's Second Legion reaches the outskirts of Yixing, it loses forty-two soldiers to IED's that are scattered along the roadside. The legion decides not to assault the city directly, but lay siege to it and request artillery support.
• 19: Skirmishes in the night cost the lives of twenty-three soldiers belonging to Koning Joost-Willem's Second Legion, and seventeen belonging to the city guard of Yixing.
• 20: The messengers from Yixing reach Nova Victoria, where they meet with Crown Prince Draeg'ar Ral and the Barbarian representatives who promise to help the city.

XIII.1686 (Sheng)

• 11: Baicha Heavy Vehicle Industries receives an order to produce 10 Dolstier I MBT's from new oldstock parts delivered by Sokoku Industries, which also loans out several experienced tank builders.