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History of the MSC World

The recent history of Europa is dominated by the Continental Wars (1890–1972) and their unresolved aftermath, which continues to shape the geopolitics of the world today. The setting opens in the present day (~2026) with two active conflicts: the Continuation War and the Volnian Civil War.

The Continental Wars (1890–1972)

Brutal succession of conflicts that engulfed Sierra for over eighty years. Historians divide the era into three periods punctuated by two armistices.

Early Period (1890–1919)

  • 1878 / 1884: The Volnian Empire loses its major colonies — Principality of Chartania (1878) and Republic of Livonia (1884). A new power, the Federated States of Arcadia (FSA), emerges in Volnia's wake.
  • 1 August 1890: The Messoman Empire launches simultaneous invasions into the Kingdom of Gorlund, the Republic of Livonia, and the Kingdom of Choktovakia.
  • The Royal Gorlish Army stalls the advance.
  • Livonia, still a young republic, collapses.
  • Choktovakia's royal army retreats to the mountainous steppes.
  • The FSA dispatches "International" brigades to aid Gorlund.
  • Volnian naval forces enter the Aegiran Sea to disrupt the Messoman southern campaign.
  • Chartania, distrustful of Volnia, denies entry to Volnian troops attempting to relieve Livonia.
  • The Messoman advance halts at the Chartanian border; defenders entrench.
  • The next 24 years are characterized by trench warfare, machine guns, breech-loading artillery, radio communications, and stalemate.
  • 1919: First Armistice.

Brassica's involvement (Early Period)

When war broke out on Sierra, Brassican powers reacted:

  • Kingdom of Kruzlów raised 12 Volunteer Brigades (~36,000 men) by 1892 to aid Volnia (seen as ancestral brothers).
  • Thumbria moved quickly to support the Messoman Empire (long-standing trade partner).
  • Leipzisch Kaiserreich sent only minor economic / humanitarian aid to Volnia initially; its position hardened against Thumbria as relations soured.
  • Empire of Velicuse declared strict isolationism.

Mid-Period (1925–1947)

  • 1926–1927: Battle of Konigsgrad — Choktovakian forces trap and grind down Messoman armies in brutal urban combat; pioneers the concept of urban "defense in depth." Messoman forces eventually withdraw from Choktovakia for good.
  • 1929: Messoman Empire redirects to Republic of Livonia. First large-scale mechanized warfare — Messoman Imperial Armored Corps deploys 500+ tanks.
  • The FSA Air Expeditionary Force deploys for the first large-scale tactical air-power support of ground operations. The P-23 "Thunderbolt" fighter-bomber proves devastating against Messoman armor.
  • 1932: Volnian Empire launches Operation Crimson Tide, an amphibious assault on the Messoman eastern coast.
  • 1934–1939: War of attrition across all fronts. Self-propelled artillery, improved radio, early radar enter service. Messomans pioneer fire brigades (rapid reinforcement units).
  • 1940: Messoman breakthrough — the ME-262 "Sturmvogel", the world's first operational jet fighter, gives temporary air superiority.
  • 1942: FSA fields the F-84 "Thunderjet", neutralizing the advantage.
  • 1943–1947: Guided missiles, submarine warfare advances, electronic countermeasures. Messoman V-1 cruise missiles ("buzzbombs") terrorize Gorlish and Livonian cities; FSA fields proximity fuses for AAA.
  • June 1947: Second Armistice signed at Chartania.

Late Period (1950–1972)

  • 1950: Armistice collapses; war resumes.
  • 1952: Messoman Empire fields the first orbital weapon platform, demonstrating a kinetic strike from space against a Rakutanian Desert installation.
  • 1954: Kingdom of Choktovakia matches with surveillance satellites and works on its own kinetic system.
  • 1955: FSA fields the first manned military space station and the most sophisticated orbital kinetic bombardment system.
  • 1955–1962: The Orbital Stalemate — direct great-power confrontation is suppressed by fear of un-interceptable orbital strikes. Conflict shifts to proxy wars (Aegiran Archipelago, Livonian borderlands).
  • 1962–1972: Messoman collapse — insurgencies erupt across the empire. The space-infrastructure burden is unsustainable.
  • 1965: Democratic People's Republic of Rakutania (DPR Rakutania) emerges in the east under revolutionary communist government.
  • 1968: Confederated States of Ardun Territories (CSAT) consolidates the western Messoman remnant under authoritarian system.
  • 1972: Treaty of Chartania ends the Continental Wars.
  • Establishes the International Court
  • Recognizes new states and DMZs
  • Establishes the Outer Space Demilitarization Protocols

Aftermath: post-1972 era

Two superpowers emerged from the wars: the Federated States of Arcadia and the Kingdom of Choktovakia. The decades since 1972 have been a continental cold war between them, marked by:

  • Proxy conflicts in border regions
  • Bloc competition: Western Defense Pact (WDP, Arcadian-led) vs. Eastern Strategic Alliance (ESA, Rakutania + CSAT) vs. Sierra Non-Aligned Movement (SNAM, Choktovakian-led)
  • Economic blocs: Arcadian Economic Community (AEC), Eastern Cooperative Union (ECU), Maritime Trade Federation (MTF)

Current conflicts (2025–present)

The Volnian Civil War (2025–)

A separatist movement in northern Volnia, the Separatist Republican Army (SRA), has declared independence. The Volnian Imperial Armed Forces (VIAF) has been drawn into a protracted counter-insurgency. CSAT is covertly supporting the SRA to keep Volnia distracted from the brewing continental conflict.

  • A CSAT Backfire bomber raid severely damaged the FSS Arcadia and sank several of her escorts in the northern theater.
  • CSAT landed naval infantry on the northern Volnian coast.
  • Arcadian Special Forces, with elements of the (now-damaged) CSG-2, remain deployed in support of the VIAF.

The Continuation War (2026–)

The principal active conflict of the setting.

  • 24 July 2026: Rakutanian forces cross the Gorlish border.
  • The Gorlish Defense Forces (GDF) immediately initiate Operation Obelisk — a coordinated delaying action between active-duty GDF and Territorial Defense Forces.
  • FSA provides air support and munitions to GDF.
  • The Republic of Aegira declares an exclusion zone around the Gorlish southern coast.
  • CSAT launches a surprise attack on the Republic of Aegira Navy.
  • FSA formally declares war on DPR Rakutania and CSAT.
  • Operation Obelisk II — GDF active-duty units counterattack the weaker Rakutanian southern front.
  • Operation Thunder — FSA Marine forces conduct an amphibious landing behind Rakutanian lines in the northern theater, disrupting supply.
  • Operation Warlord (current) — Joint FSA / GDF offensive planned to push Rakutanian forces fully out of Gorlund.

The Continuation War could draw in the Kingdom of Choktovakia and other powers if Operation Warlord fails or if escalation continues.