| The Great War | |||||||||||||||||
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| Date | August 1, 1689 - July 1, 1704 | ||||||||||||||||
| Locations: | Northern Europe, Pacific Islands, South-East Asia, North-West Asia, Middle East, South America, North America, Caribbean, North Africa | ||||||||||||||||
| Result | CCA victory; Rome becomes dominant naval power; reorganization of global borders; independance of several nations | ||||||||||||||||
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The Great War (First World War) was a world spanning conflict between all of the world's great powers at the time, all of which were part of the CCA and the AA. This war was the greatest conflict in history up to that point, and was also the war with one of the greatest losses of life in all of history. In total, 41 million soldiers were mobilized by all sides, of which 22 million never returned home. All sides devoted their entire productive and researching capabilities into fighting this war, putting the world's nations into a state of total war.
The immediate cause of war was the sacrifice on 1 August 1689 of Emperor Alexander IX of Rome, by the Mayan people. This of course prompted the Romans to declare war, and so alliances on both sides were activated. The Mongols, Ottomans and Danes of the AA declared war on the Roman Empire, and so the Muscovites, the UCC, the Incans and the Khmerians of the CCA declared war on the nations of the AA.
Sides[]
Carthage-Cuzco Alliance[]
Roman Empire
Inca Empire
Khmer Empire
Muscovy
United Chiefdoms of Columbia
Asian Alliance[]
Mayan Conglomerate
Mongol World Empire
Ottoman Caliphate
Imperium of Danemarc
Sunda Kingdom (1693)
Neutral[]
Japanese Shogunate
+Various African States
Background[]
The history of the XVIIth Century is widely considered to be the history of World War. Though including the First World War as well, this is actually referring to the nearly constant state of warfare between various factions around the world. Essentially, what set the Great War apart from the continuous warfare of the preceding century was that the waring countries had actually formed into two competing factions, or alliances. Once the alliances had been officially set, an uneasy calm fell upon the Earth. Though minor border and internal skirmishes continued around the world, all of these outbreaks were contained by one of the dominate world governments, mostly the Mayans or the Romans really.
However, each nation had their own reasons for wanting to enter into the war. The treaty the Danes formed with the Great Chiefdom in 1656 was technically invalid and they still had desire to continue their conquest of Vinland for the creation of Danish "living space". Resentment also ran deep between them and the Romans for their retaking of the land of Cimbria, which the Danes believed to be theirs after being given it in 824 CE.
The Mongols had the economic incentive of increasing not only their living space, but most importantly, they wanted to take more land for agricultural exploitation to feed their massive population, the largest in the world in fact. The Mayans still held the belief that they were the rightful owners of the Columbias (OTL Americas) and as they were now blocked by one empire or another on all sides, the only way to further this imperative was conquest. Furthermore, they still held contempt towards the Romans for the great losses incurred during the Two Hundred Years War. The Great War can even be seen as a continuation of this conflict, for the treaty that ended the fighting in 1437 did not in any way resolve the original conflict, it only paused the war as either side was simply too spent to continue fighting.
Following their incentive to expand Roman influence, the creation of the Carthage-Cuzco Alliance was the only realistic solution to the problem of the Asian Alliance. As all of Rome's historic enemies were gathering around the AA, tensions between both sides was enormous, war was inevitable. Rome's main ally, the Inca, had their own incentives as well. Since bearing witness to the capabilities of the Mayans, the Inca have had a primary goal of completely dominating the South of Columbia. Since the Mayans could be potentially constrained at the Strait of Pakal, and the Romans were uncontainable, the only option available to the Inca was an alliance with the Romans, and subsequently, victory in war against the Mayans.
Most interestingly here was Muscovy. As an historically ally-less nation, Muscovy seemed doomed when the Ottomans and the Mongols formed their own formal alliance. With survival the only thing on their minds, the Muscovites allied themselves with the CCA hoping that peace would be the only possibility between the two growing factions. Though war would come, their extremely conservative style would benefit them in the fighting, making them one of the factions to most benefit from the treaty of 1704.
Their are two immediate causes to the Great War. The first, which set off the chain of events leading to the second, was the induction of the Khmer Empire into the Carthage-Cuzco Alliance. Although fighting between this empire and the Asian Alliance had been ended due to the immense cost of the wars, now that the Khmer were part of an even bigger faction, they posed a greater threat to the Mongols and Ottomans then ever before. Hoping to negotiate a dissolution of the alliances, and a prevention of war, Emperor Alexander IX visited the Mayan Emperor-King for discussions. This ended terribly and the Roman leader was brought out in chains and publicly sacrificed before a crowd of cheering Mayans.
Considering the inhuman murder of their leader and their religion's representative on Earth, the Romans declared war on the Mayans in a fury. This set into effect the various alliances holding the world together, and by the 12th of August 1689, all participating nations are at war.
Chronology[]
Pacific Front[]
War in Africa[]
War in America[]
Mayan ambush of a Roman transport escort in 1698; note the Red Roman flag of the Legion on several ships (1394-1885)
The continent of Columbia (OTL America) was put into complete chaos by the Great War. Member nations of each faction were completely spread out on the continent and fighting was occurring in all directions. Of all these nations, none were in a worse position than the Maya. Forced to fight on opposite ends of the continent, and on three different fronts, their position would most certainly not be considered favorable. Despite this, the Mayans managed to fend off its attackers for over half the war due to its advanced weapons technology.
In the Caribbean, there were some of the largest sea battles of the war, including the Second Battle of Xamayca (1697) during which over 9,000 Roman crewmen died. Though not in vain as the battle also saw the capture of a large cache of Mayan revolving rifles, a technology which had been winning them countless battles on land and during boarding maneuvers. Ironclad technology would see very little use in the Caribbean during the early parts of the war. This was because they had rather small movement range as their batteries ran dry quickly, and most of their factories were located along the Germanian and Caledonian coasts in Europe.
Up until 1698, Columbia was the largest area where the Asian Alliance was winning across all fronts, and it would also become the last location of an AA victory by the Danes against the Columbians in North Columbia in June of 1703. It was also in Columbia that the Great War would finally end with the Siege of Teotihuacan on the 7th May 1704.
Eastern Front[]
Battles in the Baltic[]
Timeline[]
1689:
- August 1 - Emperor Alexander IX is killed. Romans declare war on the Mayans
- August 6 - The AA declares war against the Romans
- August 9 - The CCA in turn declares war on the AA
- August 31 - First battle of the war, Battle of the North Sea between the Roman fleet and the Danes
- October 24 - Mayans dig defenses up along their border with the Romans
- November 15 - Roman Legions overrun the Mayan defenses, another is quickly set up behind the first
- November 18 - After an attack on the trench is unsuccessful, the Romans set up their own to prepare for a counter attack, beginning of Trench warfare in South Columbia
- December 26 - Mongols begin attacks on the Khmer border
1690:
- February 3 - Ottomans begin to send soldiers into Roman lands in India
- June 9 - Muscovites incur on the Mongol Empire
1691:
- July 18 - First sea battle in the Pacific. Khmer and Roman fleets against Danish and Mayan ones. It's a CCA victory
- August 13 - Romans and the Chiefdoms attack the Mayans in North Columbia
- September 15 - Mayan scientist are finally successful in building a gun similar to a revolver, they quickly begin to implement it in larger rifle designs
- November 1 - Emperor Alexander X, as head of the Christian Church, asks all Christians in the enemies' empires to rise up. However out of fear, very few do
1692:
- January 1 - Alexander X implements "conscription", he tells the Roman people that all able-bodied Christians are to try and join the army. He says that to not comply is a betrayal against God
- March 10 - Over 30 million men have signed up to be trained for the Roman military. Over the six year training period, only the top 10% will be finally chosen to fight on the front lines
- March 15 - Romans adopt a strategy of pure defense, knowing that in six years the tide will turn.
- July 7 - The Mayan Holy Army is supplemented by two million new soldiers who have completed training.
1693:
- April 23 - An Ottoman army of half a million men sets up a beachhead on the Horn of Africa, another one million men are being prepared for departure.
- May 19 - Ottomans start the push to the North and South from their beachhead in Africa.
- June 12 - The Sunda Kingdom joins the AA in order to help fight the Khmer.
- December 14 - Construction of an "invincible" fortress by the Ottomans in Africa begins.
1694:
- January 1 - General Gaius Marius Pompeius is officially given command over the movement of all Roman forces on the Prima Continents (Europe, Asia and Africa), all orders are being given by telegraph.
- October 22 - Mayans in Africa attack a Roman city in their push towards the Mediterranean.
1695:
- February 25 - General Marius implements several tactical reforms in order to better fight the Mayans. Soldiers are not to fight in formation and are told to spread out so as to minimize explosive mortalities
- September 3 - "The Mongol Horde" attacks Khmer. This primary arm of the Mongol army consists of 5 million archers on horseback, followed by several thousand trebuchets. For once, the Khmer armies are helpless in face of their enemy
1696:
- March 29 - New Rome and Colona are the last remaining Roman outposts on the island of Hispaniola
- May 11 - Rome sends two legions to assist in Khmer. All legions are in battle now and Roman forces are stretched thinly across the entire planet.
- October 4 - Ottoman forces reach Nubia, but are held at bay by the two legions stationed there.
1697:
- January 21 - Roman forces are able to steal a large cash of Mayan revolvers in the Caribbean.
- March 18 - An improved version of the revolver is built by Roman scientists using their more advanced mechanical technology.
- May 4 - Mass production of the new revolver design begins.
- July 17 - Only coastal cities remain under Roman control in India.
- August 12 - Mongols develop their first rifles based on Mayan designs.
- December 13 - New Rome and Colona are the last Roman outposts in all the Caribbean.
1698:
- February 28 - Mayans have taken almost half of South Columbia and their defenses are nearly completed.
- March 12 - Training for the New Legion is finished and three million highly trained soldiers and 100 new Ironclads join the other Romans fighting around the world.
- December 31 - The tide of battle has turned all across Columbia.
1699:
- April 30 - Heavy defenses are completed by the Mayans far behind their current ones, which are being overrun by the day.
- September 9 - Something similar to a Maxim gun (but far less efficient) is developed by the Mayans
- December 25 - Roman and Incan forces reach the Mayan's Defense Zone but are unable to get through
1700:
- April 9 - Roman forces begin the push to the African Horn, whilst their boats attack the Ottomans from the coasts, preventing reinforcements.
- June 17 - The Legions send 100,000 men to start taking lands in Arabia.
1701:
- July 29 - Only the Great Fortress is left of the Ottoman forces in Africa.
- November 14 - Khmerians and Romans begin the conquest of the main island of the Sunda Kingdom.
1702:
- February 1 - Battle of the Horn. Two million Legionaries battle the Ottomans at their fortress, finally ejecting them from the continent.
- March 8 - The Khmerians send out a large force straight to the Mongolian capital, expecting to take it by the end of the year.
- May 2 - Battle of Chichen Itza. Roman forces land near the Mayan city of Chichen Itza and after a prolonged battle, establish a firm beachhead in the Yucatan Peninsula. All across the globe AA forces are being bested by the CCA, except in North Columbia where the Danes are defeating the Columbians.
1703:
- March 20 - Unconditional surrender of the Ottomans to the Romans after they take their capital and hold the Sultan captive.
- June 28 - The Danes decide to cut their losses and surrender to the Romans.
1704:
- February 25 - Khmerian forces take the Mongol capital, prompting their immediate surrender.
- May 7 - Teotihuacan is surrounded by the Legions, Emperor Ganchu'a III surrenders unconditionally to the CCA.
- May 21 - All sides agree to meet for an official signing of the AA surrender. Japan, emerging from isolation, agrees to serve as a neutral location.
- July 1 - Signing of the Treaty of Osaka.
- July 10 - September 21 - Congress of Rome, decides the conditions of the end of the Great War.
Congress of Rome[]
These are the major conditions of the Treaty of Osaka, as they would appear in English. If any part of the treaty is broken, whoever did so would face anything thing from further economic reparations, to an invasion
Military Conditions[]
- The Asian Alliance and the Carthage-Cuzco Alliance are to be disbanded
- The Mayan, Ottoman and Mongol Armies are to be limited to 200,000 soldiers each
- The Danish Army, in turn, is limited to 600,000 soldiers
- The Mayans and Ottomans are not permitted to possess any mobile siege weapons (Trebuchets, catapults, siege rams, cannons, etc.)
- The Mayans are not permitted to sacrifice any foreigners
- The Baltic Sea is to be made a Demilitarized Zone
Land Conditions[]
- The Yucatan Peninsula is to be made an Occupied Zone until the termination of ten years
- The Norse lands in North Columbia are to be restricted to Vinland
- The Mongol lands in North Columbia are to be restricted to Alyeska
- A new nation is formed by the Inuit people of the UCC, it is called Nunavut
- The rest of North Columbia is to be divided between the Maya, the Romans and the UCC
- The Mayan island of Cubagua is given independence as the nation of Cubagua
- The island of Hispaniola is to be divided into two halves, the east half is Roman and the west half is the Republic of Hispaniola
- All of the Lesser and Upper Antilles are to be given to the Roman Empire
- South Columbia is divided into three parts, the largest for the Inca, the second largest for Rome and the smallest for the Maya
- The north half of Mayan lands in Africa are handed over to the Roman Empire
- The other half will remain Mayan, but will be an Occupied Zone until the termination of 25 years
- The Danes will have the island of Zealand and most of the Scandinavian Peninsula returned to them
- India will be divided into two parts. The north is given independence as the Islamic Republic of India, and the south will remain Roman
- The Khmer Empire will have all of the lands that were taken from them, returned.
- The rest of Asia will be divided between the Ottomans, the Mongols and the Muscovites.
- All western islands of the Sunda Kingdom are to be handed over to the Khmer Empire.
- The sovereignty of the Sunda Kingdom is to be handed over to the people of the island of Papua, who have formed their own nation, Papua
- The Korean Peninsula shall be given to the Japanese Empire
Economic Conditions[]
- The Mongols must pay reparations to the Khmer Empire and the UCC, in addition to a large supply of wood and horses
- The Mayan Empire must pay a large sum of gold, silver and iron to the Roman, and Incan Empire and the UCC as reparations
- All research pertaining to firearms, performed by the Maya, is to be handed over to the Roman and Incan Empires
- The Ottomans must pay reparations to the Roman and Khmer Empire and Muscovy
- The Danish Empire must pay reparations to Muscovy
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