Difference between revisions of "The Xirniumite-Amestrian War of 1594-1597"
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| − | Amestria’s opening plans for war hinged on a dramatic surprise attack upon Xirnium’s northernmost metropolis. The battle was a success, with the Amestrian fleet storming the bay’s formidable defences at | + | Amestria’s opening plans for war hinged on a dramatic surprise attack upon Xirnium’s northernmost metropolis. The battle was a success, with the Amestrian fleet storming the bay’s formidable defences at significant cost and bombarding the city proper. Great damage was done to shipping and supplies. The Amestrians did not, however, capture or sack the city. Its fleet slinked away that night. |
Revision as of 03:43, 27 June 2007
Amestria’s opening plans for war hinged on a dramatic surprise attack upon Xirnium’s northernmost metropolis. The battle was a success, with the Amestrian fleet storming the bay’s formidable defences at significant cost and bombarding the city proper. Great damage was done to shipping and supplies. The Amestrians did not, however, capture or sack the city. Its fleet slinked away that night.
Although buoyed by their accomplishment the Amestrian fleets did not manage to capitalise on their success. The Xirniumite coasts boasted numerous shipwrights with the necessary experience, shipyards and stocks of raw material to start work immediately on the construction of a vast fleet. A massive ship building programme began as soon as news of the defeat arrived, indeed on the very same day of the raid in Teútabêth. Xirniumite fleets successfully repelled a number of Amestrian follow up attacks that year.
The next year was one wherein the Amestrian fleets were systematically worn down by the Xirniumite navy. In a string of hard fought battles, Amestria lost two thirds of her warships and her flagship was captured. In order to avoid the possibility of having her navy dwindled down to a level where it would no longer be able to operate at sea, the Amestrians withdrew their fleet within the safety of their ports.
The final year of the war was one in which the Xirniumite navy operated with near impunity in north Amestrian waters. Havoc was wrought on sea commerce and the Xirniumites sought revenge for the outrage of Teútabêth by bombarding numerous towns up and down the coast of north Amestria. A number of probing raids against the fortified major ports wherein the Amestrian fleets had hidden were enough to convince Xirniumite naval commanders of the extreme cost to bring Amestria to her needs.
The war ended in frustrating stalemate. Since Xirnium lacked the stomach and the means to do anything more than continually harry relatively minor coastal towns and Amestria realised that she would take too long to rebuild her fleets, it was agreed to cease hostilities with a return to the status quo ante bellum.
The Xirniumites finished the war still outraged, having failed in their minds to properly avenge the violation of Teútabêth. Nonetheless, they finished the war as masters of the North Sea and one of the strongest naval and trade powers of northwest Europe. The Amestrians finished the war with a mauled and severely reduced fleet. Henri’s bid to make Amestria a naval power had failed.
