Red War (Doubeia)

The Red War was an armed conflict in Doubeia between several anti-unionist factions in Dobraya that started on 6 October, 1853, in the wake of the Red Revolution in Doubeia that had taken place months prior. It was the result of the power vacuum caused by the forced dissolution of the Union.

Background

The most powerful and influential faction in the north was the Dobrayan Tukarist Union (DTU). The DTU not only had a large following in northern Dobraya, but it also received funding and support from Tukarist governments and factions in other countries. At the start of the war, they boasted the largest armed forces in Dobraya in terms of soldier count. However, their leadership was plagued with corruption and threats of splintering.

The DTU's main rivals were the Dobraya Liberation Alliance (DLA), a loosely organised union between several factions who sought to introduce economic and social reforms to modernise and industrialise Dobraya. The DLA were capitalists and believed that the free market was key to unlocking Dobraya's economy. The DLA was backed by multiple Esportivan countries, and despite its shallower manpower, the DLA was given access to weapons more advanced than what the DTU had. There were other factions such as the monarchist Royal Dobraya and the anarchist Society Union, but they held little power and were barely instrumental in the outcome of the war.

While the DTU and DLA both had ambitions to take control of the entirety of Dobraya, during the Red Revolution they worked together to oust the Union. After the Union's dissolution, however, neither party was willing to concede to the other, and thus started to fight for the control of Dobraya. Each saw themselves as the sole legitimate government in Dobraya. During talks to determine the governance of Dobraya, the DLA proposed a democratic, decentralised system where each oblast had considerable autonomy, However, the DTU rejected the proposal. Months of an impasse between the two sides eventually led to talks breaking down between the two.

Beginning of war (1853-1854)

Early battles and sieges

The Red War officially began on 6 October, 1853, when the DTU launched a siege on Rudagorod City, a DLA stronghold. More than 10,000 DTU forces had sailed from the north and blockaded Rudagorod. The city was relentlessly bombarded, and due to the lack of fortifications, it was swiftly captured in three days. After the Siege of Rudagorod, it was followed by the DTU launching landing operations along the southern Dobrayan coast as an additional 30,000 troops landed in Viksetsk and Arbatovo. The DTU had a significantly stronger navy than the DLA, and it gave the DTU an early advantage in the war. Meanwhile, the DLA had been consolidating their forces in Arbatovo oblast as they prepared for a northwards push. The DLA took control of Arbatovo, Dryevyesinsk, and Viksetsk, but they were met with DTU forces invading from the coast. The Battles of Arbatovo and Parakiev were decisive DLA victories as they were able to prevent the DTU from advancing further inland.

Despite early victories, the DLA were fearful of even larger land invasions from the DTU, and their numerical disadvantage and lack of control over most of southern Dobraya had handicapped them in the war. Therefore, leaders of the DLA requested for international support. Many capitalist governments in Esportiva would politically and financially support the DLA, and Tumbra agreed to fight in the Red War to aid the DLA. Tumbra had a far more powerful and technologically advanced military, and the DLA had hoped to leverage their foreign support to push the DTU back. Kanzlia also offered volunteer pilots as well as military supplies to aid the DLA.

On 14 December, 1853, the DTU started an offensive to capture the oblast of Rudagorod. They were unimpeded as most DLA forces were committed to defending their frontlines in Viksetsk and Arbatovo.

By the end of 1853, the DTU was in control of a vast majority of Dobraya, with the DLA occupying the majority of Arbatovo, Viksetsk and Dryevyesinsk.

Tumbran intervention in southern Dobraya

Tumbran forces first arrived in DLA-controlled lands in Arbatovo from the south. The first major Tumbran engagement was at the Battle of Arbatovo on January 16, 1854. The battle was a decisive Tumbran victory as the DTU forced in the area were repelled and forced to retreat from Arbatovo. Tumbran and DLA forces launched joint incursions against DTU forces in Viksetsk, and the DLA managed to recapture all of Viksetsk by the end of February. DLA forces had also started to push further inland, gaining control of territory that was only lightly guarded or unoccupied by the DTU.

After a brief lull in fighting, the DLA and Tumbran armies started to prepare for an offensive to recapture Rudagorod Oblast from DTU control. At the same time, the DTU began to commit more troops to the south, believing they could resist any joint invasion. On April 24, the DLA launched Operation Rudagorod, aiming to regain Rudagorod and cementing their presence in the rest of southern Dobraya with the help of their allies. The DLA quickly occupied the rest of Dryevyesinsk, leaving Rudagorod as the only DTU-occupied oblast in southern Dobraya. Meanwhile, DLA planes targeted and bombarded DTU barracks and facilities in Rudagorod Oblast. The air bombardments caused significant casualties amongst DTU forces, but also caused major infrastructural damages across Rudagorod, especially in Rudagorod City.

Operation Rudagorod

Aided by previous victories, DLA forces were high in morale and confident of a successful Operation Rudagorod. The operation started off in the DLA's favour as they managed to capture the southern half of the oblast. However, advances towards Rudagorod City began to be heavily defended as DTU forces relentlessly attempted to push back DLA forces from the city. Furthermore, the DLA's coastal defense was compromised as many of the DLA's troops had been committed to Operation Rudagorod, leading to several land invasions by the DTU in Arbatovo. The DLA and their allies soon found themselves swarmed by DTU forces from the north and west. The bloodiest battles of the war such far occurred then, when the DLA fought to regain control of the entirety of Arbatovo. As most of the DTU's land forces had been deployed to defend Rudagorod, the DLA was able to outwrestle them and force them out of Arbatovo entirely. However, the DTU's air force managed to deal significant damage to the DLA's forces, and many civilians were implicated in the fighting as well.

The Tumbran army continued to push towards Rudagorod City, and the DTU found themselves on the backfoot as their frontline was being pushed back. Meanwhile, DLA planes bombarded Rudagorod City, targetting civilian infrastructure where DTU forces were supposedly hiding in. The city itself was being rapidly depopulated as refugees fled to avoid the war. The DTU had already evicted many residents suspected of being DLA spies or sympathisers while much of the city's infrastructures had been destroyed by the DTU, leaving Rudagorod City with as little as 64% of its pre-war population. Aerial warfare was rife as both sides aimed to dominate the airspace around Rudagorod City. However, the DLA and Tumbran forces held out, and the DTU was forced to retreat even further as much of their installations and aircraft had been damaged.

Soon, the DLA controlled most of Rudagorod Oblast except the oblast city and its surroundings. DLA and Tumbran forces laid siege on Rudagorod City. The DTU's northern front fell early after being overpowered by Tumbran troops, causing them to lose control of the city's northern districts. Fighting was fierce, especially in the city, as the DLA and their allies struggled to retake Rudagorod. However, after two weeks, the DTU were exhausted and formally retreated from Rudagorod City, meaning the DLA had taken control over all of southern Dobraya.

The final leg of the operation entailed the DLA achieving naval superiority in southern Dobrayan waters to prevent DTU naval or land forces from landing in Dobraya or bombarding shore positions. While the DLA managed to hold control of the waterspace in southern Dobraya, it was not decisive as it suffered many losses of its battleships. This left them precarious to any potential naval incursions by the DTU, but none occurred for the rest of 1854.

By July 1854, Dobraya was split into two via the Lyev mountain range: the DTU controlled the north, and the DLA controlled the south.

Vixette and The Newlands' involvement in the war

Vixette remained neutral throughout the course of the war. With the fall of Twicetagria, it was no longer a Twicetagrien protectorate, but it remained under the sphere of influence of the Union. Despite their neutrality, Vixette offered clandestine aid to the DLA by allowing them to dock and repair their ships on Vixettienne soil. Nevertheless, Vixette would not recognise neither the DTU nor the DLA as the legitimate rulers of Dobraya for the entirety of the war.

In The Newlands, the NFO sided with the DLA as the two were on friendly terms before the war, but the NFO kept in contact with the DTU. The Newlands was largely unaffected by the war and focused on its own development. The NFO established a democratic, capitalist system and focused on opening the country and its economy to the rest of Esportiva. The NFO aided the DLA financially which soured their ties with the DTU. However, the NFO refused to join the war, citing financial and military burdens.

DLA advances into northern Dobraya (1854-1855)

Lull in fighting (July 1854-September 1854)

After Operation Rudagorod, fighting came to a standstill as both the DTU and DLA regrouped to discuss future plans. The DTU decided to shift to a more defensive approach to the war. Aware of Tumbran and Kanzlian support of the DLA, the DTU aimed to defend major population centres, especially those along the Queensland Belt. Although newer recruits would help replenish the DTU's forces, they feared a joint invasion by the DLA and their allies would be difficult to withstand. Following the loss of Rudagorod, morale in the DTU had dipped, but most believed that they could defend northern Dobraya from the DLA.

The DLA and Tumbra was discussing plans to invade northern Dobraya from Krasnyezhsk Oblast, specifically regarding the invasion route. Ultimately, the DLA decided to invade Krasnyezhsk from the sea. Invading through the Lyevs was considered especially considering the DTU's light defense of the areas bordering them, but it was later deemed too risky due to the rough terrain and harsh weather. The DLA decided to delay their invasion, instead choosing to improve their coastal defenses and repair their damaged battleships as they considered a strong navy to be imperative to winning the war.

As for the DTU, a rapid recruitment and conscription campaign took place across DTU-controlled oblasts. As many as 200,000 recruits joined their ranks. Although many were willing volunteers, a substantial number were forced into serving by DTU forces. Many claimed that the DTU threatened to jail their families if they did not conscript, while others had been forcifully taken to army barracks. Giorgi Papodov, the leader of the DTU, was reportedly paranoid about Tumbran involvement in the war and personally called for the conscription campaign. Furthermore, the DTU started several news and advertisement campaigns to reinvigorate the morale of civilians.

Operation Candle

By September 1854, most of the DLA's damaged battleships had been repaired and reentered service. At the same time, the DLA and Tumbra finalised plans for Operation Candle, an operation to invade and capture Krasnyezhsk from the DTU. Control of Krasnyezhsk was seen as vital for the DLA's war efforts as well as its development potential post-war.

The first stage of Operation Candle took place when DLA planes bombed DTU positions and infrastructure along the coast in Krasnyezhsk. At the same time, the DTU had anticipated a coastal invasion, and was in the process of preparing coastal defenses and troops when the first planes bombed the coast.

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