Invasion of Xirnium

NOTE: This article is incomplete, pending further input from other participants.

The Invasion of Xirnium is one of the most complex campaigns in NS history. Its origins ultimately stretch back to efforts by Xirnium, then a relatively new and unstable theocratic dictatorship under the power of the God-Emperor Quikzos IV, to trade its own citizenry as slaves in exchange for nuclear weapons, apparently for use against Xirnium's own citizens. Several outraged nations, including Suur-Uusimaa, Kahanistan, and others, in addition to opportunist imperialist regimes like Kraven, Concremo and Mini Miehm, declared states of war with Xirnium. Some were motivated by genuine compassion for the Xirnium people, while others for land, slaves, and even less noble causes.

The conflict was a major watershed in NS history. First and foremost, it precipitated huge changes to the nation of Xirnium itself. Xirnium began a rapid process of liberalisation and democratisation following the commencement of hostilities, quickly becoming a respected member of the international community. Within Xirnium, the war was responsible for the end of all but the symbolic nature of the God-Emperor and the final ascendancy of the supreme legislature, the High Ecclesiarchy, to the apex of the Xirnium government.

Outside of events directly related to Xirnium, the Xirnium-Kraven War can be considered a precursor to the wider Kraven War, where an alliance of nations (the Anti-Kraven Alliance) sought to invade and dismantle the Corporation. Other effects include the forging of the Adamantine Alliance.

Initial Phase: The Kahanistanian and Nistolonian Invasions

It is not entirely clear which was the first shot in anger fired in the Xirnium War, but it was either from a naval battery at Hythnor which engaged a large invasion fleet at extreme range or the killing of a Xirniumite border guard by Kahanistanian Colonel Levitt. The first major military engagement of Xirnium forces was the Battle of Xigrat. A convoy of Kahanistan Imperial Marines, lightly armed, and with sparce air support (though Xirnium did not contest air supremacy in this battle), fought off several waves of Xirniumite soldiers, using unorthodox tactics, before being forced to surrender. The survivors, including the commanders, were held in a POW camp for several days while negotiations ensued, resulting in Kahanistan making a separate peace with Xirnium in exchange for the cessation of the nukes-for-slaves program and the release of the 103 Xigrat survivors.

During the Kahanistan - Xirnium fighting, Yallak offered Xirnium protection, which involved Xirnium becoming an autonomous province of the Yallak Imperium. While Yallak apparently at first did not trust Kahanistan initally, after it later became an ally of Xirnium, the Adamantine Alliance signed several weeks later seemed to spell the end for any mistrust.

The Primary Phase: Kraven Aggression

Towards the end of the initial phase of the Xirnium War, Kraven extorted control of Xirnium territory in return for a guarantee that the Corporation would not invade the Holy Empire and appropriate Xirnium slaves. Such an agreement, regardless of the threat that existed behind it, could not last long and the primary stage of the Xirnium conflict occurred with the destruction of the Kraven facility by a Xirnium nuclear device. The resulting war would prove the most destructive in Xirnium's history.

Meanwhile, relations between Kahanistan and The Kraven Corporation rapidly deteriorated into cold war on unrelated grounds. The main cause of the conflict was ideological: Kahanistan was, and is, a liberal, secular, socialist democracy, where the citizens are free to choose their own religions and express their political views freely. Kraven, on the other hand, had degenerated into a repressive, totalitarian, militarized state, imposing its Civil Law Doctrines on nations it conquered, which the leadership of Kahanistan found repugnant.

Xirnium took advantage of the cooling of Kahanistan - Kraven relations and formally requested Kahanistan military support in their defense against the Kraven - Mini Miehm - Gyrobot coalition. While Kahanistan was currently fighting the Ottoman Alliance, the actual combat was sparse enough that Kahanistan could spare two-thirds of a million soldiers to aid in the defense, reinforced by a further million when the Ottoman conflict ended.

At approximately the same time, Kahanistan and Xirnium signed the Adamantine Alliance in Yallak. While this affected the war little as both signers were already engaged in military hostilities against the invaders of Xirnium, Saint Fedski later joined the alliance, though the troops contributed to Xirnium were minimal.

Facing savage resistance from the fanatical Xirniumite troops in their counteroffensive, Operation Divine Retribution, the largest (to date) military operation by Xirnium, and pinned in on both sides by Kahanistan Republic Guard troops on land, and their fleet nearly destroyed by Yallak at sea, and aerial bombardment by almost all of its allies, Kraven's dreaded Sardaukar, the few who survived, self-destructed, and the majority of Capitol Police were massacred.

The bulk of the Kraven navy was later destroyed during its illfated retreat back to the Corporation's territorial waters by Novacom and Yallakian navies.

See also:

Nukes for slaves program

Talks early in the war, end of nukes-for-slaves program

Xirnium Invasion itself