Lanzerwaldian-Whaler War

Lanzerwaldian-Whaler War
Date XII.1709 Location South-East Cibola
Belligerents
Lanzerwald	Whales
Commanders and leaders
	/ Frederik Anders the Younger
Units involved
1ste Krijgskorps 2de Krijgskorps Dragonderkorps	Cibola Command Southern Banner Group  ESB-Kosaken Afzælt  Whales Auxiliary Force

The Lanzerwaldian-Whaler War was a conflict that was fought out between the Republic of the United Cities in the Lanzerwald and the Western Natopian Empire and primarily the latter's demesne, the Principality of Whales. The war broke out after Lanzerwald expanded its territory to include the entire region north of Whales, essentially preventing Whales' access to the Cibolan interior.

Factors leading up to the war

Leading up to the war, the republic had met with [ric-character] to determine whether Whales would respond favourably to the expansion. [Ric-character] was not an official representative of Whales but an influential figure in the principality's society nonetheless and only encouraged the republic to claim more than it initially intended.

During the Second Ludwiggian-Monovian War the Liberation Army of Zandarijn, a precursor to the Lanzerwald Republic had attacked and conquered Nieuw Rotterdam

Initial Skirmishes

ESB Cossacks riding down upon the survey party.

The first exchange of fire between Whalers and the forces of the RSL occurred on 10.XII.1709 AN when riders of the 1st (Iedźak°'ehe Łaqehe) Cossack Cavalry Regiment, heading northwards from Chur on razzia into the Green, encountered a contingent of dragoon horsemen guarding a party of surveyors who were engaged in the installation of a border-marker. Considering the activities of these strangers to be infringing on the frontiers of Whales, the Cossack commander, Abner Goltz, ordered nine squadrons to dismount and form a skirmish line, whilst he led the remainder, one-hundred and twenty riders in total, towards the perceived intruders. Startled to discover that these men hailed not from Steerswick but rather from the Lanzerwald, Goltz remonstrated with their apparent leader, demanding to know by what right they had presumed to come so far west setting markers. Harsh words were subsequently exchanged and weapons soon drawn. It is not known who fired the first shot, but soon the firing was generalised and the two parties dissolved into a tangled mess of clashing sabres. With battle joined, the Cossack skirmish-line moved forward to engage the intruders. Soon the heathland was strewn with corpses and the Lanzers driven off, leaving the Cossacks in charge of the border-post. A couple of wounded Lanzers were consequently taken captive. Brought back to Chur they had a remarkable tale to tell, of being guided and encouraged by the agents and representatives of a coterie of lords in Whales on a course that was to take them all the way along the northern border of Whales to the furthest point westward, the narrowest point between Whales and the frontier of Steerswick. The testimony was duly recorded and sent by courier to Walstadt whilst the captives were transferred to the ESB's hospital ward where they were kept under guard. The transcripts were received within four days by the Chief Notary to the Court of Cassation & the Court of Admiralty, and in response writs of summons were urgently sent out to the native lords of Whales.