Introduction

The history of Skinny87 should be like the history of all other nation states on Terra. It should be full of dashing heroes, and skulking villains; of brave politicians, evil politicians as well, and their actions. It should be full of the military history of Skinny87, telling tales of the wars that Skinny87 was involved in during the past; of the riots and rebellions it faced and survived, of the Civil Wars it may have had; of the international conflicts the country was embroiled in during its rich and vibrant history. There should be volumes of books that tell of the nations cultural history, of its people and culture and traditions that stretch back as far as anyone can remember. In short, all that every other nation on the face of Terra has in their own books and memories. Historians throughout Skinny87 are sure that the nation has such a long and interesting history; unfortunately, nobody knows what it is, due to the catastrophic incident that afflicted the country some time ago

Early History

Working with historians around the globe, the SIH (Skinnian Institute for History) has discovered that Skinny87 was in fact a colony of Questers for a long period of its early history. Named Jesselton and established in the late 1400's by a small band of Questerian explorers, the colony thrived for several centuries and exported small quantities of coal and iron back to Questers itself. Records both in Skinnian and Questerian archives are fragmentary at best, but it appears that the distance between the colony and mainland Questers caused communication to be difficult, as was transportation. Communications between the two nations tailed off somewhere in the late 1700's, and for reasons unknown were never restored; historians have numerous theories behind this, ranging from simple bureauocratic errors that forgot the colony, to more radical theories of an independence movement that killed or silenced many Questarian officials in Jesseltown and caused the colony to be forgotten. Whatever the cause, neither country remembered the other or their common links until very recently and files were exchanged.

The early modern history of the country is still unknown, although this is still a historical agenda, as the earliest records are from 1962. In the late nineteen sixties, something dreadful occurred. The few people that remember the incident have vague memories of lights in the skies above every major city, every town, village and hamlet throughout the nation. The lights grew brighter and brighter until no-one could look at them without hurting their eyes. Within seconds these lights seemed to encompass the entire sky; it was at this point that the power went out all over the nation, sending the entire nation into darkness. Less than a minute later came a high-pitched whining noise, and then all the surviving witnesses fainted from an unknown cause.

When the people of Skinny87 awoke, they found themselves unharmed physically. Apart from those killed whilst travelling or working in dangerous areas, who numbered into the hundreds of thousands, the rest of the nations population had survived. Their surroundings, too,had survived intact. Initially all appeared the same; it was only when people tried to remember where they were that the real impact of the apparent attack. Every single persons long-term memory had been erased completely. Whilst their short and medium-term memories remained intact, allowing them to remember personal details and what their jobs were, where they were, or even what planet they were on had been wiped clean from their memories. The reaction to this mass erasure was, in hindsight, inevitable. Frightened and angered by their inability to remember, despite their best efforts, much of the population began rioting and looting, starting a period of destruction known by modern historians in Skinny87 as 'The Age of Darkness'.

Although exact dates are unknown, this 'Age of Darkness' appears to have lasted several months; conservative historians place it at three months, whilst more liberal academics state the period continued for as long as eight. Whatever the exact timescale, the destruction caused and the damage dealt to the nation was immense. Entire cities were destroyed, towns and villages reduced to rubble. Precious historical and cultural icons, which may well have shed some light on the history of the nation, were ironically destroyed by the population. The death toll moved into the millions, perhaps even tens of millions, and crime was widespread as the few remaining authority figures either joined the rioting or were overrun by the majority. Just when all seemed lost, and it seemed that the nation would self-destruct in an orgy of violence and destruction, an almost biblical figure came into being to save the nation and its population.

This figure, known only by their internet handle of Skinny87, first began appearing on the few internet chatrooms that existed during the Darkness. The user, who never once revealed their true identity, began spreading a message of peace and security and promised a return to the pre-erasure period of the nation, back to a time of security and knowledge. Although many had come before to preach the same message, this person seemed different. The users approach was far more knowledgable and charismatic than any other who had begun preaching, and the messages it spread seemed rational. The issue that gained Skinny87 such a widespread following was the knowledge they seemed to possess about the pre-erasure period; small fragments of information had apparently survived the erause somehow, and Skinny87 had acted as a guardian and collector, placing them onto a secure internet server and then allowing the world to access the records. Although many were at first sceptical, the knowledge contained within the servers seemed to match what little people knew - geography textbooks matched areas of the nation, and guidebooks were correlated with the ruins of several historical and cultural buildings.

Within a fairly short amount of time, this anonymous messiah had gained hundreds of thousands of followers and had begun spreading the message of peace and rebuilding throughout the entire nation. Slowly but surely, the pieces and shattered remnants of the nation were gathered together and put back together; cities were gradually rebuilt, the law enforcement and emergency services reformed, and the military built upo from scratch from more than willing volunteers. Within several years most of the damage had been repaired by the users followers, and following the rebuilding and emigration into the newly named capital city Dowland City, a formal government was created from those government officials that had survived the erasure and riots, and from democratically elected members. The last message from Skinny87, who throughout the rebuilding process had remained anonymous and frustrated any attempts to be found by grateful followers, was broadcast throughout the nation. In the message, Skinny87 stated that the work it had started was over, and gave one last request; that the people of the nation follow the orders of their democratically-elected leaders. Then, no more was ever heard from the mysterious stranger who had essentially rebuilt an entire nation. In honour of the person who had done so much for the nation, the nation voted unanimously to name their country after the user, becoming the newborn Republic of Skinny87.

Modern History

Beginnings

After the loss of Skinny87 as a leader, the nation soon began growing, both in population and curiosity. After nearly four decades of isolationism and further rebuilding, he military, an essential part of the rebuilding of the nation was expanded into five different sections and ordered to secure the borders of the nation. Within a week this had been concluded, and with it came the discovery that Skinny87 was not alone. Instead of the isolated nation that most had believed them to be, they were in fact the southern-most country on a gigantic continent, one of four in their region. Delighted at not being alone in the world, but still wary of outside influence, the government under President Woodrow Martin began to make peaceful diplomatic overtures to the nations around Skinny87 in Haven. Slowly the government grew in confidence and power, hosting several minor conferences before deciding to open the country up to foreign visitors. The death of President Martin prematurely in a car accident enroute to Embassy Row in Dowland City placed a temporary halt to these plans until a new President could be elected.

Happy with the work done so far by Woodrow Martin, the nation elected his son, Xavier Martin, as the new President of Skinny87 by an overhwleming 79% majority vote, in what was called the 'New Era Election' by many observers. Elected and installed in the Grey House, President Martin opened the doors of the Dowland City embassy to Haven and the world itself. The series of diplomatic functions was a triumph of Martins new Presidency, bringing some of Skinny87's closest allies into first contact with the fledgling nation, including Sarzonia.

First Contact, First Conflict - Hitlerreich

With new allies and new ideals came new responsibilities. Following the example of Sarzonia, President Martin decided that Skinny87 should enter the field of international incidents and events, and help the lesser countries of the world whilst expanding Skinny87's own influence and powers. It was only weeks before the fledgling Republic and its President faced up to its first major conflict. A small nation, Ostland, was being forced into unfair and heavily biased elections by the larger neighbouring country, Hitlerreich, who was in turn supported by Thomish and Kaiser Martens. As larger and far more powerful nations, such as fellow Havenite Hogsweat and Cotland began to enter the fary on the side of Ostland, President Martin issued a declaration demanding that free elections be held, and neutral observers, including some from the Republic, be allowed to witness the elections. After several diplomatic negotiations failed to create anything but more tension with Hitlerreich, President Martin authorised the deployment of the Third Carrier Fleet and the attached Marine Expeditionary Unit into Ostland and Hitlerreich to stop the elections.

As other nations declared war at the same time as the Republic, a combined allied force numbering in the hundreds of thousands swept into the poorly-defended Hitlerreich border and attacked its defenders. Despite attempts by Thomish forces to shell innocent civilians , the allies continued their advance. Republican ground forces engaged Hitlerreich divisions in several grueling battles, in which the Republican forces suffered heavy losses but eventually emerged triumphant. In the air, Republican Air Force units skirmished for several days before launching an all-out air assault from the Carrier Triumphant against combined Hitlerreich and Thomish forces. Again, despite heavy losses the Republican forces won through and the Hitlerreich forces began a long retreat, pursued by allied ground forces, Republican units included. After several more fights in urban conditions, the Hitlerreichian government surrendered, its dictator fleeing into the territory of Kaiser Martens. Not strong enough yet to face this larger foe, President Martin was happy enough to see the Ostlanders freed, and Hitlerreich divided up between Hogsweat, Cotland and the Republic. South and West Hitlerreich remain colonies of Skinny87 to this day.

The Hitlerreichian conflict had been a triumph for the Republic and Martin. The fledgling nation had shown itself to be able to stand up for its convictions, as well as stand for democracy and freedom. The Republic had passed its first international test, and had been bought into contact with two of its closest and most valued allies - Hogsweat and later Praetonia.

The Calypso Incident

The Next Step - Nerotika

It was not soon after the Hitlerreichian conflict that the Republics next major conflict came forward. A new ally of the Republic, the nationstate of Camewot, became embroiled in what intially seemed a relatively insignificant diplomatic incident. In the nation of Nerotika, the government had taken a Boeing 747 and its crew and passengers hostage. Part of the passenger list were several Camewottian citizens, and negotiations began between the two countries to release the unfortunate passengers from the nations grip. However, negotiations swiftly broke down when it became clear that the Nerotikan government had no intention of releasing the passengers, and in fact arrested them on charges of international espionage.

Deeply angered by this, the Camewottian government bombed Nerotika several times in retaliation. This failed to elicit any desirable reaction, and Nerotikan aircraft destroyed the aircraft holding the Camewottian citizens whilst in Camewottian territory. After further negotiations failed, the Nerotikan government launched an invasion of Camewot. The invasion was repelled with heavy losses on both sides, and Camewot declared war upon Nerotika. Appalled by the actions of the Nerotikan government, President Martin had no compunctions in putting a declaration of war to Parliament, which passed it by a majority vote. Alongside fellow allied nation Credonia, the Republic sent more than a dozen infantry and armoured divisions into Nerotika, followed by two Carrier Groups and an Air Brigade.

Unexpectedly, the Nerotikan government surrendered to the allied forces completely and allowed military bases to be installed in the country by all three nations. Peacekeeping troops were deployed by the Republic into Nerotika, and controlled a large portion of the country. However, tensions soon rose between the citizens of Nerotika and the occupiers; rebel Nerotikan soldiers began a small but effective guerilla movement against the occupying forces, forcing the allied nations to fight unarmed citizens and their rebel supporters, The riots soon escalated into a full-blown conflict, which lasted for a long period. All four sectors of Nerotika under allied control came under attack, and troops were deployed into all of them. Some of the heaviest fighting took place in the Republican-controlled sector, referred to as Republican Colony of Nerotika. A peaceful protest at the City Hall in the region turned for the worst when nervous Republican MPs opened fire on the protestors with water cannon and teargas. Shots were fired by rebels and armed protestors, and more than twenty MPs were killed and dozens wounded. Civilian and rebel casualties are harder to gauge, given that many fled the scene of the attack; however the numbers were in the hundreds to be certain.

The conflict rapidly escalated; Credonian and Republican troops were diverted to Nerotika to reinforce their respective colonies, and the Praetonian government made overtures to President Martin about aiding the occupation and ending the resistance. At the same time, the Falcanian government showed its support for the Nerotikan cause by moving in SAM units and troops from the Nerotikan border, attempting to bring about a ceasefire. After a tense moment between the Falcanian ground units and Republican and Credonian aircraft, the Falcanians were allowed to assist in ending the rebellion. After more prolonged fighting and heavy casualties, the Nerotikan leader, President Naki Lok called for a ceasefire between all concerned nations. Credonia refused to accept this, and fighting continued, aided by Republican Special Forces operatives.; meanwhile Praetonian troops were readied to drop into the Nerotikan capital to sieze it and attempt to end the rebellion, aided by Republican troops.

The next move by Credonia was a surprise to Republican troops. VX-tipped missiles were launched by Credonian forces into the city of Lufensten in a zero-tolerance reaction to continued fighting in Credonian-controlled territory. Official Nerotikan casualties place the numbers at more than 15,000 dead, the majority of which were civilians. A second volley of missiles, some 45 in total, hit the city and caused further casualties. Credonian forces, including armoured units, then moved into the city to quell any further uprisings by the population. In a prepared statement, the Credonian President then issued a call for a ceasefire free of terms. Events began moving rapidly after the issuing of this statement; the Republic shipped in more than 200,000 troops into Nerotika, and Praetonian forces landed by paradrop in the Nerotikan capital, being reinforced by air from captured airstrips and two Republican Fast-Reaction Battalions. Facing rebel Nerotikan troops and Falcanian military units, the Praetonian forces began to dig in, expecting heavy resistance.

Shortly after the Praetonian forces landed, a flurry of diplomatic messages between Credonia and Falcanian ended with the removal of all Falcanian forces from Nerotika with the exception of a small Royal Compound, with the Falcanian territory being handed over to the Nerotikan authorities. Camewottian forces, aided by Republican Special Forces 'advisors', then captured the territory in Operation: Thunder, doubling the size of the Camewottian territory. Casualties were small and the operation resulted mainly in a large number of arrests by Republican and Camewottian officials as suspected Nerotikan rebels were taken captive. To try and end an increasingly expensive and costly occupation, Major-General Winchester, commander of the Republican forces in Nerotika, created the Treaty of New Nerotika, signed by all sides; the treaty allowed for the withdrawal of Praetonian and Falcanian troops, and the emigration of any Nerotikan citizens wishing to leave the occupied territories. Despite skirmishing between Nerotikan rebels and Praetonian airbourne troops, and an incident where Falcanian SAMs nearly fired on Camewottian helicopters, the evactuation of Nerotikan citizens was a success for all involved.

The final chapter of the Nerotikan conflict came with the introduction of Psychotika as an ally of the remaining Nerotikan troops. Accusing the allied troops of commiting genocide and war crimes, the Psychotikan government demanded that some 15,000 Peacekeeping troops be deployed into Nerotikan to oversee the evacuation of Nerotikan refugees. A united response was the result from the allied nations in the negative, and tensions continued to rise. Republican troops began to dig in throughout the Republican Colony; tanks patrolled the streets and trenches honeycombed the entire sector. For several months peace seemed to prevail; most of the fighting ceased, and the nation began rebuilding. Even the rebel leader, Michael Trotsky was arrested and placed opn trial for crimes against the allied nation and eventually imprisoned. However, one last card was to be played, one that would cause thousands of casualties. Psychotikan troops advanced on Nerotika, supported by several Carrier groups, and launched an attack upon Republican forces. A large-scale airstrike launched from the Republican Carrier Indefatigable was launched in retaliation, and dozens of vessels were sunk or crippled despite heavy losses.

The Psychotikan forces eventually retreated after the brief engagement, and it was decided by President Martin himself to end the condlict before it escalated into something more than the fight for a single nation. He authorised the release of the Republican Colony into Nerotikan hands in exchange for a small military base on Juno Island and reparations of $100 Billion USD. The Camewottian and Praetonian governments followed this example and gave up their colonies as well. The Credonian colony is a matter still undecided, but is a private matter between the two powers. The Nerotikan conflict had been a costly and difficult lesson to the Republic. It had lost more than 15,000 troops in the months spent occupying Nerotika, and the conflict had cost hundreds of Billions of Dowlands; the veil of innocence and zeal that had covered the Republics foreign policy had been destroyed, and never again would the nation enter a conflict so readily.

Standing up for Civil Rights - Moronyicka

The conflict, if it can be called that, with the nation of Moronyicka came at a time in which Nerotika was still fresh in the memories of many citizens of the country, and even more so to government officials. Public support for the government was at a surprising low despite eventual victory in Nerotika, and there had been threats of resignation from several Cabinet Ministers over the actions in Nerotika itself. However, the entire country was shocked when it was publicly revealed that the nationstate of Moronyicka was having citizens of its own country rounded up and executed for the crime of being homosexual in their sexual views and ways. Sarzonia was the first nation to react to this, holding several press conferences to reveal the outrage to the whole planet; following rapidly on the heels of these broadcasts was a speech by President Martin in which he demanded an immediate end to the executions. Two Carrier Fleets and an attached Marine Division were detached to Moronyickan waters.

Officially the Moronyickan government ended the executions, but only in their territory. Within a shirt time period, however, a deal was struck by the Moronyickan government with the government of Parthia. The homosexual citizens would be flown to Parthian territory and executed there, the government having a similar attitude to these citizens. When word was leaked to the assembled nations protesting against the executions and deportations, action swiftly followed. President Martin demanded that the citizens not be flown to Partia, and instead to be taken onboard Republican and allied vessels and be freed. Initially there was some resistance from the Moronyickan and Parthian governments; it is rumoured that a Parthian aircraft was tracked by allied aircraft and forced to return, and several Moronyickan vessels were fired upon.

However, peace prevailed and the oppressed citizens were rescued and given citizenship to allied nations, including Skinny87. The Moronyickan government ceased its actions against its own citizens. The Parthian government appeared to withdraw its offer, although the current status of this is still unknown. Although a short incident in the international scene, the Moronyickan Affair gave the nation a morale boost after the long period of Nerotika and guerilla warfare, as well as boosting the approval ratings of President Martin.

A Bitter Foe - Guffingford

All prior conflicts and incidents, however, paled when compared to the blow that the still small nation would have inflicted upon it by the nation of Guffingford. The conflict, one that was to change the face of the entire nation, began innocently enough. Under the personal orders of President Martin, the Carrier Invincible supported several allied nations in a peace-keeping conflict in a small nation, the name of which was lost, as were many of the records of the conflict, as a result of Operation: End Game during the later stages of the Civil War. However, this much is know; the nation being attacked and in which peace was attempting to be kept called for help from its allies, including an alliance of nations which contained Guffingford as a prominent member state. Reacting to this cry for help, the Guffingford government authorised its military forces to launch a barrage of coventional-explosive tipped ICBM's into Skinny87, specifically targetting Dowland City for maximum effect.

The combined air defences of the country were placed on full alert, but a lack of real training and more importantly experience proved to be fatal. Flights of F/A 18s despatched from several airbases to the north knocked down several missiles, and when the remaining missiles entered range, hastily-deployed SAM batteries engaged them with a flurry of missiles, destroying two and crippling a third, which landed several miles away from the city limits on farmland. Unfortunately, more than a dozen of the missiles made it through the defences and hit Dowland City; approximately eight hit the city centre at 1:48 PM, and three more hit the city outer limits, seemingly at random two minutes later. The last missile impacted just short of the Grey House lawns, destroying them and the East Wing of the building. Targeted to create maximum destruction and civilian casualties, the missiles killed some 200,000 people, and wounded more than half a million; the damage from the destruction was estimated to have been in the range of several Trillion dollars USD. However the damage done to the nations psyche was far, far worse. For the first time in the history of Skinny87, foreign forces had attacked the nations mainland, and had caused severe casualties due to an inferior military response.

The immediate results of the bombings were two-fold. Emergency services flooded into the remnants of Dowland City and began the long process of rebuilding and recovery, aiding the scarred survivors and trying to stop the fires that were burning throughout the city from spreading throughout the surrounding countryside; thousands more emergency workers would perish in the resultant work. At the same time President Martin, ushered from the Grey House within seconds of the missiles being detected, had been ferried via a heavily-escorted helicopter to Camp Peregrine and had assumed national control in the Emergency Command Centre deep under the base. Devestated at the damage caused by the attack and reports that his daughter, Natalie Martin was still unaccounted for in the city, the President ordered the armed forces to go to DEFCON TWO immediately and authorised a full strategic strike against Guffingford, targeting the missile facilities and other military bases.

More than five hundred long-range bombers were scrambled; escorting them were the cream of the Republican airforce, some two thousand fighters and fighter-bombers. What had begun as a retaliation ended rapidly in a slaughter. Guffingford's missile defence system engaged the armada several hundred miles away from Guffingford airspace, causing massive losses in the attacking force. The remnants of the attack struggled on bravely, but a further barrage of anti-aircraft missiles and fighters destroyed all but a few lucky aircraft that either returned to Skinny87 airspace or ditched in the oceans below. Official records state a further 5,000 military personnel were killed or unaccounted for in the retaliation strike.

The Guffingford attack was a devestating blow to the nation. Hundreds of thousands were killed in the attacks, and the damage done to Dowland City can still be seen today in the rebuilt parts of the city. The public and governmental reaction was instantaneous and similar; demands for retaliation against Guffingford reigned supreme, and riots were seen throughout the nation as angered citizens took to the streets. As foreign aid was flown in from allied countries, President Martin returned to the shattered Grey House to calls for resignation and even impeachment. Shocked by the confirmed death of his daughter in the initial bombings, the President stood before Parliament and gave an emotional speech; he told of his own personal loss, of his anger against Guffingford and "...Its vile, corrupt and hate-filled leaders...", and gave the news of the massacre of the retaliatory strike by the airforce.

Perhaps shocked by the openness of the speech and the President's personal loss, something that rang true with so many people who had lost loved ones in the attacks, the public turned their attention to the military and those in command of it. Public polls showed an immediate demand for the resignation of Air Marshal Hank Freyland, Commander of the National Air Defense Command, and Air Marshal Felix Stewart, who commanded the retaliatory strike against Guffingford. Disgraced, Freyland resigned and moved to a small ranch in New Kaylee, whilst Stewart shot himself with his pistol, killing himself; the only piece of paper remaining on his desk was a transcript of the radio messages with the strike force as they were fired on.

The bombings changed the face of Skinny87. Military reforms were demanded and rapidly passed through Parliament, and the military budget was tripled within three years of the attacks. The air defense system was upgraded significantly, and fighter numbers doubled throughout the nation. A more aggressive defense policy was signed in by the President, and economic sanctions were placed upon Guffingford. The nation was blacklisted by the President himself and banned from trading via any company or individual in the nation or its colonies; all Guffingford imports were impounded and destroyed without compensation, and all exports to the country ceased. It would be a long time before the nation would heal from the attack, and its scars are still visible today; it has been debated by many historians, especially recently, as to whether his daughters loss in the attack caused President Martin to become mentally unstable - some believe that this would explain his future actions in beginning the Civil War.

The Inky Gloom - Chronosia

Time Has Come Today - Civil War

Main Article: Skinny87 Civil War

The Civil War was the most devestating conflict ever to involve the Grand Republic; lasting more than three years and causing more than a million casualties on both sides, the majority of which were innocent civilians, the Civil War would fundamentally change the political and social landscape of the entire country. The Republic would fall, and in its place a Constitutional Monarchy would rise, elected in a strange twist by the people themselves.

The conflict began not with an internal event, but with an external one. A political schism occured in Praetonia, with the Liberal Imperialist Party splitting into two distinct parties. One, headed by long-time ally of the Republic, the Rt. Hon. Sir Tiberius Polax, MP, became of interest to President Martin. Wishing to see his erstwhile ally win the forthcoming Praetonia election, the President authorised the release of public funds to the Tory Party. When the misuse of public funds came to the attention of the Republican Parliament, Martin argued fiercely in Parliament for several hours before shocking the entire assembly by dissolving them and having all 500 MPs arrested and detained indefinately. As word of the dissolution filtered out of offical channels into public domain, Martin declared Martial Law throughout the Grand Republic, renaming it the 'Authoritarian Republic' and making himself President for Life.

It took less than a day before the first signs of resistance to Martin's autocratic rule began to apppear. Riots broke out in more than a dozen cities as people took to the streets to protest the siezure of power, and several military units refused to obey the orders of their new President. Although most of the riots were ended by use of military force, it was too late. News of the protests spread throughout the nation and this, combined with a plea for help from a group of MPs held in Fort Sparrin that was made public caused the Civil War to officially begin. In Port Stanley, the largest naval port in the country, the infantry battalion stationed there refused to obey orders to fire on rioters and arrested several pro-Martin officers. Rallying forces together from the naval and air force units stationed at the Port, the newly-christened Parliamentarian forces declared the Port a free city under the control of Parliament. Several more units loyal to the imprisoned MPs joined the small group, and together with citizens from nearby Portsmouth City, sealed off the area around Portsmouth City and Port Stanley.

As military units belonging to President Martin were ordered to move into Portsmouth City and the Port itself and destroy all resistance, a daring raid by a small group of Special Forces operatives loyal to Parliament was made on Fort Sparrin itself. With the aid of a sympathetic National Guard unit in the area, these members of the 95th SFO Regiment freed all but eight of the captured MPs and escorted them to Port Stanley itself. Now given a real leadership, the Parliamentarian forces repulsed the attack made on the Port and counter-attacked, driving the self-named Loyalist forces back from the area. With the MPs now in control of the Parliamentarian forces, the battle-lines were drawn. Military units all over the country either stayed loyal to the President or sided with Parliament, causing a number of bitter battles as entire units literally tore themselves apart with infighting. After a week of infighting and purging, the Loyalist forces found themselves controlling the Western and Northern half of the country, whilst the Parliamentarians controlled the rest. Two weeks after his ascension to power, President Martin declared war upon the Parliamentarian forces and launched an attack on Port Stanley itself.

What followed was more than eight months of bitter, savage fighting between the two sides. Port Stanley was besieged for four and a half months by Loyalist forces, whilst Portsmouth City was razed to the ground by largescale bombing raids and urban warfare. As Parliamentarian reinforcements gathered to the south, being rushed in from colonies abroad by naval units, Martin personally authorised the use of chemical weapons against the defenders of Port Stanley. Although the Sarin gas released by Loyalist forces took their toll on the defenders, and an armoured division loyal to Martin breached several sectors of the besieged Ports defensive line, it was too late. More than a dozen Parliamentarian divisions launched an offensive against Loyalist foces, moving towards Dowland City itself, and two Mechanised Battalions landed at Port Stanley and repelled the armoured attack with heavy losses on both sides. Five months into the conflict, the Loyalist forces were retreating, and rapidly. The air force, the one arm that had remained almost entirely faithful to Martin, was swept from the sky as Parliamentarian Carriers launched an all-out air offensive at the same time as the land war raged, and less than a week later, the Parliamentarian forces were just eighteen miles from Dowland City.

Despite heavy losses from battles, attrition and large-scale desertion, the Loyalist forces were still powerful enough to dig in around the battered capital. More than eighty thousand troops were inside what became known as the Capital Pocket, and had heavy concentrations of armour with them. To launch an all out assault on the capital would be almost suicidal, and would certainly take several months to complete. Instead, a desperate plan was unfolded by the Parliamentarian leadership. As President Martin prepared to make his final speech to the nation and launch a slavo of nuclear weapons against key Parliamentarian military forces, Operation Husky was enacted. A small force of Special Forces operatives, disguised as Loyalist soldiers, landed in Dowland City via a captured Loyalist transport. They then assaulted the Grey House and captured President Martin and many of his Ministers alive; under heavy fire, they then took them back to Parliamentarian controlled territory. With news of the Presidents capture broadcast over every available media outlet, the majority of the remaining Loyalist forces surrendered. Remaining diehards were eliminated in mop-up operations in the next few weeks.

With the arrest of Martin and the remnants of his Cabinet, the conflict ended. As the shattered nation began to rebuild itself and bury the more than two million dead, further changes would come about. Fearing the abuse of another Presidential system, key officials and public figures began demanding the election of a Constitutional Monarch to lead the nation through its difficult times and into a new period. Private Antony Franklin, a former Loyalist conscript turned Parliamentarian volunteer, was found to have royal blood linked to the Praetonian Royal Family. Two months after the end of the conflict, Alexander I was elected Constitutional Monarch of Skinny87. He led the country into a period of loose international isolationism as the country rebuilt itself from the wreckage of the Civil War.