Many do not remember this conflict. And some say that is reasonable. After all, it seems paltry compared to the wars of recent time. But the sheer hatred, fanatacism, and cruelty prepetrated by nearly all those who participated is not likely to be ever challenged.
—Excerpt from the Journal of the Whills
The Cruentusian War was an epic galactic conflict that began in 24,299 BBY between a multitude of various factions, shortly after the dissolution of the Rakata Infinite Empire. The participants of the war were mostly warlords who took advantage of the post-Rakatan chaos to obtain power and influence, before eventually going into all-out war for absolute power. Participants included the Srav Federation and the Necasian Military, as well as the Zayre, Death's Tongue Militia and the Vacoren Alliance, as well as several other smaller factions. The main technology industry that arose after the Rakatan collapse was Simiyar Tech, who supplied many weapons to all factions, until the Skirmish on Simiyar, when they stopped supplying the Necasian Military. It was so named after the Rakatan word for 'Void', Cruentus, as it was the war for the void left behind by the Rakatans. This name came about at roughly the middle of the war; before that, most simply called it 'The War'.
Prelude[]
Shortly after the collapse of the Infinite Empire, the former slaves of the Rakata formed their own factions in a bid for power. They ranged from the powerful Necasian Military and Srav Federation to a variety of smaller parties, such as the Vacoren Alliance. The Necasians and Sravs had been lucky enough to have been left with significant amounts of industrial power, and hence they began vast industrial programmes to produce military hardware to fuel their expansionist plans, colonizing nearby worlds to relieve the overpopulated cities of Havez and Sviat. With most of their people having either been engaged in direct resistance against the Rakata or been involved in heavy industrial work as slaves, most of the Srav and Necasian people had experience in combat or manufacture, meaning that it did not take long for them to set up their military and political bases. A very brief period of peace followed after the factions set themselves up, more or less at the same time, but as the small ones began to squabble over space and resources, it became clear that it was not to last, with many larger factions forming and bidding for power.
Year One (24,299 BBY)[]
Beginnings[]
The catalyst for the start of the war was the Battle of Lehon, which triggered several other battles between small factions that eventually led to larger powers such as the Necasian Military and the Srav Federation. After the smaller factions were reduced to strategically insignificance, losing almost all territory, the Sravs and the Necasians scrambled to outmanouevere each other by seizing various worlds, in a Cold War that lasted for a few months. Eventually, however, the two went into all-out war following the Battle of Dagobah, which ended in a draw.
The Zayre entry[]
The Sravs fire on the Zayre
Meanwhile, the Zayre species, driven from their home in the Unknown Regions by the Eborax disease, tried to settle a new home on Ankarr, where they encountered the Death's Tongue Militia in a violent conflict. Although the Zayre won, they took heavy losses, and tried to find a place to regather. That place was Hypori, which, unfortunately for the Zayre, turned out to be a Srav base. This led to another battle for the Zayre, which they lost. Desperate, Storm Ironwings, heroine of the Zayre, decided to make an alliance with the Necasians. Deciding that an alliance with the Zayre could give them an advantage, the Necasians agreed, and the two attacked a Srav base on Alaris Prime, triumphing. The Zayre felt revenge, for the time being, and the Necasians gained insight into Zayre tactical usefulness.
Shortly after that, a Zayre/Necasian taskforce, bolstered by Haveer Jarn and the Necasian Sharpshooter Cohort, raided a Srav base on Tandankin and stole a quantity of explosives, under the command of Askar Invado. However, they simply left immediately after, angering Ironwings, who got into an argument with Askar, undermining the alliance somewhat.
Blood money[]
As the war conflagrated, with even backwater worlds such as Sinya being conquered, various mercenaries and criminal organizations sought to exploit this. One group considered notable was The Flyboys, a squadron of six pilots, some of whom were desertors from the major factions, all piloting highly personalized and upgraded fightercraft. Their first major mission was the skirmish over Yavin Prime, where they took out a pirate base in the upper atmosphere of the gas giant with some assistance.
Following this, they were hired via a third party to attack the militia of Vanqor. Arriving on the planet, the squadron took the militia by surprise, using tactical nuclear weapons supplied to them by their client to deal severe damage to the enemy. After fighting off militia fighter squadrons, the Flyboys continued to wreck havoc among the Vanqorians before being offered a surrender deal from the militia leader. Their job complete, the Flyboys received a large fee and profit as well as prestige and fame among several bodies.
The Simiyar Role[]
It was shortly after the start of the war that Macab Niathal, chairman of Simiyar Tech, noticed the possibilities that escalation of conflict could offer his company. He quickly sent out personal envoys, with prototype product models, to the Necasians and Srav seeking trading contracts with both faction. Though these would prove to be his ultimate victory individual messages were sent to the smaller warring factions trying to establish trade all across the galaxy. Simiyar's most notable role in the war was that they demanded upon remaining neutral, and refused to trade with any specific individual without offering the same designs to their allies, or enemies.
However, shortly after Tandankin, the Necasians and the Sravs fought a small battle over the company's resources and assets. Due to tactical bungling on part of Redharn, who was commanding the battle, the Sravs triumphed, and now had an advantage in being able to manufacture hardware for themselves more efficiently.
The catastrophe on Cul-Huq[]
The nuking of Cul-Huq
Shortly after the skirmish on Simiyar, Carsal Redharn decided to lead an attack on a semi-constructed Srav base on the idyllic world of Cul-Huq, to boost Necasian morale. However, thanks to the actions of his treacherous commander, Askar Invado, the Sravs gained intelligence on the battle, and thus prepared appropriately. Meanwhile, Askar also saw to it that a pre-battle Necasian SpecOps team failed in their mission to disable Srav defences.
When the Necasian fleet arrived, they were met with heavy resistance. Landing on the planet, Necasian ground forces came under heavy fire. Also, mercenaries from the Savi Alliance were also present, and got caught in the crossfire, and so opened fire on both sides.
As the battle blazed on, Askar made sure that the Necasian system of laser countermeasures which was nullifying Srav space-based nukes broke down. Ivran Gresev, the Srav commander, immediately took the opportunity to bombard the planet surface with nukes, burning it to ash. The Necasian fleet then took heavy damage, and was forced to retreat.
Immediately after the battle, Askar began calling for change in the Necasian leadership, stating that Redharn was the cause of the Necasian defeats. As political turmoil engulfed the Necasians and civil war seemed imminent, the Sravs eagerly waited to make their move, but then noticed the Death's Tongue Militia was gaining strength and power, and observed wearily. On this ended the first year of the war.
Year Two (24,298 BBY)[]
The battle of Raxus Prime[]
The battle of Raxus Prime
Year two started with Invado deciding to establish himself as a viable commander of the Necasian Military, so he decided to prove himself to the Necasian council, which was debating over a new leader, by seizing a valuable mine on Raxus Prime. The Necasians invaded Raxus, easily seizing the mine, but the Srav Federation launched a response, starting a battle. Ivran Gresev, who was expecting to face Redharn's somewhat lackluster tactics, was surprised by Invado's ferocity, and soon the Sravs were on the defensive.
However, neither sides counted on the sudden appeared of the Death's Tongue Militia, which attacked both sides with light vehicles and suicide bombers, spreading damage. As the Necasians switched to eradicating the DTM, Nataska Vergulva turned up and helped the remaining Srav forces retreat.
Soon, the Necasians had beaten off both the DTM and the Sravs, and were now undisputed owners of the mine, pleasing Askar. However, the DTM had not been completely eradicated, and was discreetly siphoning ore and stockpiling it.
The Menunadexu[]
On the lush, jungle planet of Ord S'brate, the Cruentusian War had caused the planet and its people to descend into some tough times. The people were fanatic anti-Necasians, and dreamed of becoming a galactic power. Tina Fenkre, an avid supporter of this dream, allied with Scythe Okaxer to form the Menunadexu, and became a colonel in the new army of Ord S'brate.
Spread of the DTM[]
A typical DTM mercenary soldier
As the DTM stockpiled what it was stealing from the Necasian mines, its leaders decided that they should avoid attacking the larger factions for now, so they targeted a minor warlord, Elmakan, dictator of the desert world Alasad. Infiltrating the world with a small force, the DTM took out Elmakan's superior forces using stealth, suicide bombing and diversionary tactics. Their presence also prompted the population to revolt, overwhelming Elmakan's militia and giving the outnumbered DTM force an advantage.
Eventually, the DTM destroyed Elmakan's palace with a high level of explosive suicide attacks. Immediately, they worked on making themselves seem saviours to the population, distributing food and helping rebuild, whilst painting its major enemies—i.e. the Necasians and the Sravs—as foul imperialists and oppressors.
Now that the DTM had a fresh source of plentiful, willing troops ready to die for its cause, it felt more confident, and decided to aim for a bigger and juicier target.
However, before they could do so, the Necasian Military launched an attack on a DTM stronghold on Selonia. Although the DTM lost the battle, they put up stiff resistance, and the Necasians recognised them as a threat. Not to be undone, the DTM instigated massive riots on the Necasian-occupied world of Alstuna, and raided a Necasian weapons depot there as the riots kept Necasian forces distracted, stealing valuable equipment and spreading terror amongst the Necasians.
Gulag mission[]
Askar Invado, elsewhere, was becoming worried that Haveer Jarn would usurp him in authority due to his popularity, and devised a suicide mission to kill him off. Invado ordered Jarn to rescue mildly important Necasian prisoners of war from Srav gulag camps on the icy world of Kyros, a task to which Jarn nonetheless took to.
Arriving on Kyros via drop pods, Jarn managed to infiltrate a gulag in disguise, and managed to locate and rescue some prisoners before his cover was blown. His accompanying squad was picked off, forcing him to flee the camp.
In the snowy wastes outside the gulag, Jarn was cornered by Nataska Vergulva, and after a scuffle both were immbolized due to frostbite. After a conversation, Srav guards retrieved them both. Jarn, however, managed to resist his captors and escaped along with most of his target prisoners in a transport.
New developments[]
As the second year dragged on, several events occurred that would prove to be key turning points. Firstly, the Lost Ones, a group of Rataka elites, decided to retrieve the Hand of Darkness, a shadowy artifact of the Infinite Empire, from the mining world of Kopalnia. Arriving on the world, they discovered a battle between the Sravs and the Necasians taking place. Nonetheless, they succeeded in retrieving their artifact.
Not long afterwards, an event occurred that would heavily change the war. The time for Carsal Redharn's execution had come, to take place in the Necasian capital city of Ilatas. However, Ironwings decided that she was having none of this, and organized a strike force to rescue Redharn, after evacuating the rest of the Zayre to Ankarr to avoid Necasian repercussions. In the resulting skirmish, they succeeded in saving Redharn from execution. However, in the escape, Redharn took a heavy wound to his leg.
Following the skirmish, the Zayre re-settled on Ankarr, where they engaged a group of Savi mercenaries, and emerged victorious.
War on Kothlis[]
After the Ilatas incident, the Necasians went into turmoil somewhat as their leaders had to reconfigure their military to compensate for the loss of the Zayre. The Sravs decided to exploit this and planned an attack on Kothlis. They timed their attack to make it at the same time when Invado was present on the oceanic world, supervising the setting up of defences. Led by Vlad Mutin and Boras Magdiyek, a Srav taskforce launched an assault on Kothlis, focusing on the Freta Archipelago where the Necasians were concentrated. Outnumbered and with their defences only semi-active, the Necasians were in a difficult situation.
For two days, the Sravs gradually pushed forward with island-hopping tactics along the archipelago, with fighting taking place between the two factions on land, sea and air. Despite various sorties and abortive counterattacks launched by Askar, the Sravs made good headway, and by the end of the first day they were in position to assault the main island, despite taking losses.
On the second day, the Sravs launched their attack and came very close to seizing the main island, and it momentarily seemed that Invado would be captured or killed. However, Necasian fighter ace Renard Curl and his squadron of DarkBird-class attack fighters made a timely appearance, using the Renard slipstream manouevre to damage the Srav forces and eventually force them to retreat. By the end of the battle, both factions had taken heavy damage and the battle would be remembered as one of the bloodier battles of the war.
DTM terror[]
A DTM car bomb goes off in Lesangel
Not long after Kothlis, the DTM decided to take advantage of the situation to plan terror attacks on both the Sravs and the Necasians, to spread fear amongst their populances. Selecting the cities of Gresevokrad and Lesangel, the DTM first launched a raid in Lesangel, using eborax-based bioweapons to great effective and causing much damage and death before being repelled by NPEC and Necasian troops.
Despite this, DTM leaders were unconcerned, as their objective of spreading fear amongst the Necasians was successful. Immediately after, they set up a cell in Gresevokrad and launched a raid there, targeting a nuclear power plant. They succeeded in detonating it, destroying a good part of the city, before rampaging around. The Sravs managed to force them into retreat, but not without taking more losses.
The DTM had succeeded. Panic over it was rampant amongst Necasian and Srav civilians. Outraged, leaders from both sides pledged to exact revenge on it, placing its leaders in a difficult situation. Nonetheless, the DTM proceeded to test its new strength by invading the planet of Carrivar in a vain search for Infinite Empire technology. There, DTM militants terrorised primitive local inhabitants and set up a small base on the world, using the natives from target practice to weapons testing.
Disappearance[]
The lazy Menunadexu leader, Tina Fenkre, became tired of the war, because the Menunadexu had lost over ten thousand people in a skirmish with a large group of Necasian supporters on Ord S'Brate, and Fenkre disappeared mysteriously.
Desert Storm[]
DTM KRUD missiles are launched on Tahu
However, both the Necasians and Sravs were intent on dealing blows to the DTM. To take the pressure off their back, the DTM tricked both of the two factions into believing that they were building a major base on Tahu, whereas they were really building a shoddy group of buildings. Arriving on the world, both the Sravs and the Necasians encountered each other in the planet's main city. As they began to fight, they came under heavy attack by DTM-roused civilians. After culling the civilians, and destroying much of the city in the progress, they moved out into the desert.
In the desert, both suffered losses as they came under attack from DTM missiles, hit and run attacks, and suicide runs. Nonetheless, they soon located the base and eliminated it. They believed that they had dealt a heavy blow to the faction, whereas in reality they had done little other than stoke more support for it.
Downfall of the Vacoren Alliance[]
After the battle at Carrivar, the Vacoren Alliance, which had been discreetly supplying arms to various factions, started to attract attention on the plant of Fresia. The leader of the Vacorens, Hask Dofine, was trying to find the remnants of the Rakatan Empire. They were tipped by some bounty hunters that they saw strange looking aliens on the planet while trying to track a wanted human. The Vacs searched the planet but did not find any Rakata. They did find however a large group of Savi Alliance troops. The Savis attacked them, intending to exact revenge on the VA for supplying them with overpriced, faulty arms, and to gain cash bounties by eliminating them. The Savis drove the Vac's to a large cliff face. With the surviving Vac's, the Savis drove them over the edge of the cliff, dropping them onto the sharp rocks below. With the loss of its leader, the Vacoren Alliance was made insignificant.
Ravyr's Gambit[]
Following Fresia, another important event occurred. The Lost Ones travelled to the desert world of Ahara, with the intent of activating a secret army of Ratakan battle droids located there. As they descended onto the planet, they attacked a Necasian spy outpost located there, and succeeded in eliminating it, but not before it sent off a distress call that was picked up by both the Necasians and the Sravs. An elite Necasian commando squad led by Jarn, and a group of Hammer Division troops led by Vergulva arrived on the planet, and both were forced to reluctantly co-operated as they came under attack from the activated legions of Ratakan droids.
However, Srav reinforcements managed to arrive, and relieved the besieged commando groups. Meanwhile, Storm Ironwings, assisted by Carsal Redharn (who had also picked up the SOS signal), arrived on the planet. Diving right into the Lost One's base, she began a duel with Ravyr, who was empowered by the Hand of Darkness and was thus able to hold his ground. However, both the Necasian and Srav commando groups turned up and distracted Ravyr long enough for Irownings to neutralise him and take the Hand of Darkness. As the remaining Lost Ones escaped, their base was destroyed by a Srav nuclear weapon called in by Vergulva.
Year Three (24,297 BBY)[]
Jarn's discovery[]
Jarn gains intelligence on Oboza
In the early days of the third year of the war, Necasian intelligence noted that the Sravs were shipping suspicious amounts of rad-material to the obscure farming world of Oboza. Invado was convinced that they were up to something, and having being convinced that Jarn was a useful asset rather than a threat, decided to send him to infiltrate the Srav installation on Oboza and gather intelligence. Jarn enthusiastically resonded to his task.
Arriving on the planet via a stealth pod, Jarn mingled with the population and discovered that the Sravs were conducting unusual experiments on the world. He attempted to enlist the local resistance, only to be rebuffed by them. Nonetheless, Jarn infiltrated the Srav base via a supply convoy. Within the base, he uncovered evidence of a new Srav superweapon, which they hoped would turn the tide of the war. Alarmed by the implications, Jarn began to leave the base when he was discovered. Nonetheless, he evaded the guards there and made his escape.
Upon receiving Jarn's intel, Invado immediately demanded that Necasian scientists start work on their own superweapon. The scientists began work, having just made breakthroughs in the field of ultrasonics.
Biohazard on Benmossia[]
Srav Yukel fighters on Benmossia
Meanwhile, the industrial world of Benmossia announced that it was intending to ally with the Sravs and pledge its infrastructure to them. The DTM decided to act, intending to test out its new superweapon and also deprive the Sravs of a potential new asset. Repeating tactics they had performed in Lesangel and Gresevokrad, they set up a terror cell in the Benmossian capital, and detonated an eborax bomb in the city as the talks began, and then DTM militants began rampaging around the city.
However, a division of Srav Hammer troops led by Rak Dremsk were inserted into the city and began taking out the militants with ruthless effiecieny. Locating the second bomb, they succeeded in defusing it, while Srav airpower took out most of the militants. Although the Sravs had won the battle tactically, the Benmossians announced that they were reconsidering their proposal, hence the battle was a success in the eyes of the DTM.
Scorched Earth[]
At about this time, the Zayre were now in the process of fully establishing themselves on Ankarr, with Redharn advising them to produce heavy weaponry before they re-entered the conflict. However, a Srav transport with an attack brigade aboard it was forced to land on Ankarr for repairs. Discovering the Zayre presence on the world, Srav colonel Andrei Jalenko ordered his troops to attack the Zayre in any way they saw fit. Responding to this task with enthusiasm, the Srav troops went on a rampage, destroying Zayre towns and farms.
As the Sravs trained nuclear weapons on the Zayre capital, Ironwings was forced to deploy a Zayre worship crystal based on studying the Hand of Darkness, which boosted the power of Zayre in the vicinity. With this, the Zayre managed to defeat the Srav invaders, and captured Jalenko.
Although they had won, the Zayre were shaken by the battle, and Redharn and Ironwings both felt that they had to accelerate military preparations.
Enter the DKA[]
Following their raid in Benmossia, the DTM was seeing need for a less wasteful approach, and to this end Sabsa Junn gathered together what he considered the DTM's most loyal and skilled fighters into a team of assassins known as the Death's Knock Assassins. Led by DTM fanatic Fayyad Ghazi, all ten of the DKA's members were considered experts in their fields.
To field test the DKA and deal another blow to the Necasian military, the DTM co-ordinated a strike on the Necasian-held world of Xandore. Infiltrating the planet, the DKA sneaked into and destroyed a hydroelectric dam, flooding a Necasian base and most of the planetary defences. As soon as their task was done, the DKA fled.
This was the cue for a DTM transport laden with troops to arrive and disgorge a brigade of militants, who rampaged around attacking Necasian survivors. However, the Necasians managed to call in reinforcement ships which bombed the area with napalm, destroying most of both sides. Nonetheless, the planet's strategic advantage was now considered void, and the DKA's performance had more than satisfied the DTM leadership.
Failure on Slavabrya[]
Nuclear clouds rise above Slavabrya
Meanwhile, Askar, having analysed intelligence on Srav troop movements, decided that the Sravs were preparing for a major offensive, taking advantage of the Necasian slowdown. To try and delay said offensive, or even better cut it off, Askar decided to assault a major Srav supply base on Slavabrya. Necasian spies disabled the network of Tarbarossa-class orbital platforms above the planet, and Necasian forces moved in to attack.
However, the Necasian landings were bungled, meaning that Necasian forces were unable to link up and form a strong offensive force. In a tank battle outside of the planet's main urban area, Srav tanks decimated their Necasian counterparts. Some Necasian troops managed to infiltrate the town, where they engaged in urban combat with regular and Hammer Srav troops, but were eventually driven out.
The Necasians tried to compensate for this setback by seizing a Srav missile base, equipped with Nostok-5 missiles, but again were driven back. As the Necasians began to change to guerilla, hit-and-run tactis, Srav officer Uri Rashki gave the order to topple some permanently damaged Srav satellites, both military and civilians, onto the Necasians. This tactic was largely a success, and the site of the satellites raining down on the Necasians broke morale among them and rose it among the Sravs.
Shortly afterwards, Srav commander Vlad Mutin arrived to take command, and bombed parts of the planet with his signature radiation bombs in an unsuccessful attempt to drive out the Necasians, who had seized some towns to use them to evacuate. To preserve Srav lives, Vlad gave the order to use the Nostok rockets to nuke said towns. With most of the Necasians having fled or surrendered, victory belonged to the Sravs.
Finishing the Vacorens[]
In other parts, the Savi alliance had learned that remnants of the Vacoren Alliance were attempting to regroup on Lanma. The Savis decided to finish what they had started, and headed to the planet on their flagship to destroy the Vacorens.
Meanwhile, the Vacorens themselves, led by surviving field commanders, attempted to rob a bank in the planet's main city. Nonetheless, after a brief skirmish with the Savis, the Vacorens were annihilated with Savi orbital bombing.
With the Vacoren alliance crushed and any of its surviving constituents having gone underground, the Savis again touted this victory, which again increased their formerly dismal prestige.
Darkness and light[]
Concurrently, the DTM had decided to take the DKA to the ultimate task: assassinating Jasef Yuiln himself in the Srav capital of Yuilnokrad on Sviat. The DKA managed to penetrate the defence networks around Sviat and the surrounding system using a ship disguised as a Srav transport, and then landed in Yuilnokrad and made their way through the city streets. They managed to enter the Politikdel, the centre of Srav government, but were spotted by Vergulva from the roof the building. Inside the building, the DKA were ambushed by the Crimson Elite Guard, and were forced to flee. Outside the building, they were pursued by Red Militia, but managed to evade them and escape Yuilnokrad.
Afterwards, the Sravs began their planned offensive, assaulting a Necasian base on Toydaria. However, the Savi Alliance, desiring more prestige, entered the battle as the two larger factions engaged, weakening both with high explosive weapons and KRUD missile strikes. Eventually, the Necasians were overcome, and the Sravs were impressed with the Savi performance. Yuiln came to the conclusion that they could prove useful later, and thus vetoed requests to reprimand them.
Firestorm[]
Janos Snake in the Manvan jungle
As the Necasians worked to take the Srav offensive, the inhabitants of the jungle world of Manvan, supplied and encouraged by the Death's Tongue Militia, launched a mass insurrection against the Necasian occupation. Wishing to make an example of the insurgency, Invado dispatched Emela Makakson, with Janos Snake to back her up. On the planet, the Necasians, under Emela's command, used heavy-handed tactics to crush the insurgency, bombing villages and jungle with napalm bombing, causing much loss of civilian life.
Engaging in a brutal jungle war with the insurgents and eventually triumphing, the Necasians emerged victorious. However, the battle would later be considered to have a bigger impact than was apparent; Snake, sickened by the devastation, would desert fron the Necasians soon later.
Father of all Bombs[]
The Tsarka bomb detonates
In other parts of the galaxy, the Sravs continued with their offensive, assaulting the world of Kasa under the command of Ivran Gresev. Gresev viewed this as an opportunity to test out the completed Tsarka bomb weapon. Arriving on the planet, defended by Renard Curl and Calis Blueway, the Sravs made landings and began construction on the bomb, while putting their new Zulkrum-class heavy interceptor to use.
Assaulting the Necasian base on the planet, the Sravs were rebuffed by the dug-in Necasians, and the battle quickly devolved into a stalemate of trench warfare. Both sides made abortive attempts to break the stalemate, and in space both retreated their vessels to use them as orbital support.
However, the Necasians managed to learn about the Tsarka bomb, and launched a full-on assault on what they believed was the bomb site. They succeeded in taking out what was apparently the bomb, only to learn that it was a decoy. Disobeying contrary orders from High Command, Calis began a full evacuation. However, as both sides neared the completion of their respective evacuations, Gresev detonated the bomb, desolating most of Kasa.
Flight and plight[]
As the Sravs continued on their offensive, Janos Snake, stationed on Holowan, decided that now was the time to desert. He contacted the Savi Alliance, posing as an anonymous warlord, hiring them to attack the Necasian presence on Halowan. The Savis did so, and under the command of their heroine Rafe Taker staged a raid on the base. In the process, Snake made sure it appeared that he had been killed in the attack, and took the opportunity to slip offworld in the battle, and began planning what he was to do next. Meanwhile, the superior Necasian force on the planet eventually repelled the Savis.
Meanwhile, the previously unknown Taung Confederacy, having established a presence in the Japreal Sector, came into contact with a small scout flotilla of the Srav Federation on the world of Demos. Despite their technological advantages, the Sravs were outnumbered and outmatched, and were gradually defeated, their remnants staging a guerilla war on the Taungs. Nonetheless, the Taungs eventually claimed victory, and their leader, Mandalore the Uniter, began plans to enter the war proper.
A Continuing Offensive[]
Nataska Vergulva and a Hammer soldier stand ready on Alaris Prime
The Sravs were continuing the push of their offensive, although the Necasians were ready to stand their ground. The Sravs assaulted several Necasian worlds, starting with Hurcha. However, the Necasians had foreknowledge of the attack, and viewed it as an opportunity to test out the Shatter device, a ultrasonic weapon capable of destroying all in a certain radius. Using it, the Necasians buffered Srav offensive, and under the command of Jarn and SpecOps officer Bakas Mofo, they held their ground. Eventually, the Sravs set up a blockade around the planet, making the outcome indecesive.
Meanwhile, the Sravs moved to retake Alaris Prime under the command of Nataska Vergulva. The Necasian commanders—Jorm and Makakson—were unable to get along with each other, meaning that the Necasian defences were disroganized and unable to properly stand as Srav forces landed and rapidly pushed forward. Many Necasian troops deserted, due to lack of morale and Srav propaganda. Eventually, the Sravs succeeded, although Makakson had several key locations burnt to the ground with napalm in her escape.
Continuing, the Sravs assaulted Antzerri. However, Jarn was again in command of the defence, and was ordered to hold them at all costs. Despite taking initial losses, the Necasians were able to regroup under Jarn, who dealt several key blows to the Srav force himself. As a result, the Necasians managed to push them of Antzerri, holding onto the planet.
Not long after, Equan was also attacked. The Necasians were disadvantaged by searching for a DTM militant cell when the Sravs attacked, but nonetheless managed to form a defence. DTM militants took the opportunity to attack both sides with KRUD missiles and hit-and-run attacks, engaging Necasian troops in urban combat. Nonetheless, with the help of veteran officer Snaipes Horgan, the Necasians managed to conduct a successful evacaution when they concluded the battle was unwinnable.
Bringers of light[]
A Savi mercenary in combat on Palanhi
The Zayre, meanwhile, after a period of consolidation, decided to re-enter the war proper by testing out their new crystal-based weaponry on a DTM base. To minimise casualties, they hired some Savi Alliance mercenaries for backup. Attacking Palanhi, they caused the DTM presence there heavy damage before finishing it off. At the end of the battle, the Zayre proceeded to massacre the Savis to prevent them from informing on them, but a few of the mercenaries escaped, which would later prove to have dire consequences for the Zayre.
However, as the Sravs made progress against the Necasians, the Taung Confederacy launched its attack on the Srav Federation, targeting the planet of Sevastopolitan. Lightly defended as a result of the Srav offensive, Sevastapolitan defences put up stubborn but inadequate resistance to the Taungs. On the surface, both sides slugged it out, but the Taungs eventually gained the upper hand. However, the Sravs were well aware of this new threat, as were the other factions. For the sake of convenience, the DTM decided to establish a friendly rapport with the Taungs, but still secretly spread malicious propaganda about them.
Nonetheless, the Sravs were quick to react. Under the command of Ivran Gresev and Vlad Mutin, a Srav taskforce moved to retake Sevastopolitan. The Taungs assumed that the Sravs would try and take the planet intact; instead, they were bombarded and decimated with nuclear and radiation weapon bombardment from orbit. The Sravs then landed and finished them off and announced victory, despite being left with a partly irradiated planet. At the same time, some Taung forces launched raiding campaigns into lesser systems, intruding into territory of one such system, Sinya.
In an effort to regain prestige, the Taungs assaulted the planet of Volgis, focusing their attack on the Volgland basin. Srav kommissar Anatol Kurzak held the line before Nataska Vergulva showed up with reinforcements, and repelled the Taungs.
Plight of the Zayre[]
A Zayre in battle
However, what would be considered one of the darkest moments in Zayre history was coming. Surviving Savi mercenaries from Palanhi approached Jasef Yuiln with their intelligence, and Srav recon confirmed their news. Ivran Gresev insisted that Ankarr be invaded, and Yuiln approved, on the condition that the Zayre not be exterminated, as they could be indoctrinated into the Srav cause, in his opinion.
A Srav and Savi joint taskforce was mustered, and under the command of Sravs Nataska Vergulva, Dremsk, and Savi officers Holst Kolgan and Rafe Taker, it launched an invasion of Ankarr. Ironwings and Redharn conducted a stiff defence, despite the overwhelming odds.
Ironwings key error occurred when she fell for a Srav decoy Tsarka bomb, and ended up being dosed with radiation. While she healed, Vergulva, Rafe and some troops infiltrted the Zayre city and destroyed the Worship Crystal, allowing Srav and Savi forces to storm the city. Vergulva met Ironwings in single combat, and Irownings, still weak, was quickly defeated and forced to flee.
With the bulk of opposition removed, the Sravs announced themselves as rulers of the Zayre, and began a repressive occupation of Ankarr.
Year Four (24,296 BBY)[]
Wrath of the DTM[]
DTM militants move in on Nodessa Binary
As year four began, the DTM decided that it had amassed enough strength, and began to plan a large campaign. DTM forces under the command of Req Makad attacked Iyuta, unleashing weapons such as the new Seraphim battle tank. They overcame the defences there and triumphed, buoying their spirit.
Immediately after, the DTM targeted the Necasian world of Ord Vaxal, weakening orbital defences with a suicide bombing before moving in with forces. On the ground, however, Bakas Mofo and Snaipes Horgan caused the DTM losses, while covering the local evacuation. Nonetheless, they too had to retreat as they were overwhelmed.
Not resting on their laurels, the DTM pressed on, targeting the Srav world of Nodessa Binary, again weakening the enemy force there with a preliminary suicide strike before striking. Young Srav officer Nakata Milashka tried to repel them, but her troop numbers proved insufficient, and the Sravs were forced to escape, giving the DTM more prestige and confidence.
Continuing, the DTM targeted Crombach Station 1, a Necasian platform within the Crombach Nebula, and after the Death's Knock Assassins infiltrated it and weakened the defences stormed it with a small force of militants. Nonetheless, Necasian marines managed to eventually repel them, at the cost of heavily damaging the station.
The end of Simiyar[]
Simiyar is torn apart
By this point of the war, much of Simiyar Tech's consumer base had been lost, with the Savis and DTM now taking to producing their own weapons. Simiyar Tech was forced to break the Treaty of Sviat and raise its prices drastically. This angered Jasef Yuiln, who dispatched a taskforce to seize the moon of Simiyar and its facilities. However, Macab Niathal had hired a mercenary force to defend his corporation.
Nonetheless, Simiyar's orbital defences proved inadequate, and the Sravs commenced landing on the planet, overpowering Simiyar-employed mercenaries and security staff. Entering Simiyar buildings, Srav troops found false intelligence planted by Macab that key Simiyar personnel were hiding in a hyperspace testing chamber. Instead of taking the chamber and being destroyed by the energy within as macab had hoped, the Sravs simply dropped a nuclear weapon on it.
This had catastrophic consequences for Simiyar. The energy from the blast and chamber caused a chain reaction that released the energy from Simiyar's core and tore the moon apart. Most Srav forces escaped, although most of Simiyar's facilities were gone. Nonetheless, some Simiyar techs had escaped, taking with them their designs, and they would eventually reach Corellia.
The Taung Crusade[]
Meanwhile, the Taung Confederacy was still attempting to make progress. Mandalore the Uniter believed that he could take Sviat, and ordered his agents planted there to disable the defences. However, due to heightened Srav security, the spies were captured. Thanks to Srav intelligence director Volita Taika, the Sravs prepared for the attack and gained additional intelligence.
As a result, when the Taung armada appeared above Sviat, it was annihilated by Srav orbital and ground based defences. Mandalore retreated in disgrace with what little remained of his fleet, and decided to consolidate before making another offensive move.
He decided eventually to try attacking the Necasians, and contacted the DTM to help him do this. The DTM formulated a plan to backstab the Taungs, however, and led them to the deserted desert world of Samaria. There, the DTM attacked the Taungs, causing them losses, though the Taungs regrouped and managed to push the DTM offworld. Nonetheless, the DTM began to organize resistance against the Taungs on their worlds.
To add to that, the Sravs soon after attacked the Taung agricultural world of Arca, and began poisoning the crops there. Thinking that the Sravs intended to occupy the world, the Taungs prepared a defence, and eventually managed to push the Sravs offworld. This was of little concern to Srav leaders, however; their objective had been achieved, and sickness was now spreading through Taung populaton, with discontent with it.
The Return[]
The Menunadexu returned at this point, now making their way past the 'evil' Necasians and the other factions. Tina Fenkre was back, and she pulled out her blaster. But before she could shoot, Req Makad shot her head off. They retreated from this Battle of Fornakiosa and decided to participate in the final battle, although the third-in-command, Rora Mtero, was dead. Coruscant and Manaan decided to join the Menunadexu. This was a great victory for them.
Escape from Ankarr[]
By this point, the Sravs had fully consolidated their occupation of Ankarr, and Redharn and Ironwings had decided that further resistance by themselves against the occupiers would be futile. Ironwings and Redharn both came to the conclusion that they had to escape Ankarr and seek outside aid in resisting the Srav occupiers.
To this end, Ironwings, Redharn and some elite Zayre warriorwomen snuck aboard a Srav transport that transported them to a Srav orbital platform. There, the Zayre discreetly seized the platform and Redharn used hacking to send several false communications that sowed chaos and confusion among the Srav presence in that orbital sector. Srav fleet officer Zhara Kurvasa attempted to address the situation, but inadvertedly make it worse.
In the confusion, several Srav transports were ordered to leave the area. Ironwings, Redharn and their Zayre accomplines quickly slipped away in the confusion. Once clear, they heard news of a conference of some sort between neutral worlds taking place on Corellia.
The Taung Defeat[]
Nadd is devastated by a nuclear blast
Elsewhere, Volita Taika had learned the location of the Taung homeworld of Dxun from captured Taung spies. With the Sravs now somewhat overstretched fighting the Necasians and the DTM, Jasef Yuiln decided to end the Taung threat as soon as possible. Ivran Gresev was selected to lay waste to Dxun, and headed there with a flotilla. Because of their expanionism, the Taungs had insufficient ships to defend Dxun.
Fighting past initial resistance, the Sravs took position as the Taungs dug in, with Mandalore believing that the Sravs would attempt an invasion. Instead, the Sravs launched a nuclear barrage, with most of the missiles aimed at the Taung capital of Nadd. Lacking sufficient anti-missile defences, the Taungs were helpless, and as a result most of Nadd was razed and rendered uninhabitable by the strike, with radiation and fallout contaminating the surrounding area. Although Mandalore had survived the strike, many other higher Taung figures had been killed, causing power vacuums and worsening the civil strike among the Taungs, forcing them into civil disarray and effectively removing them from the war.
Jarn's Desertion[]
Jarn loyalists battle Askar's Marines
As the fighting continued, Jarn took it upon himself to access Askar's personal intelligence to co-ordinate Necasian operations more effectively. However, he discovered among Askar's personal files evidence that betrayed his backstabbing of Redharn and his conspiring. Jarn took it upon himself to gather loyalists to him to remove Askar, and prepared to escape Havez to avoid Askar's purge squads. Indeed, Askar had sent men after him, and soon realised that Jarn and his loyalists were gathering on the Kershing defence platform above Havez.
Aboard the station, Jarn and his men were engaged by Necasian Marines, and holed up inside the station by fighter wings directed by Renard Curl. Among Jarn's loyalists, however, were Greyfox Squad, who turned the station defences against their attackers. Meanwhile, Jarn and the rest battled their way to the docking areas.
Once there, Jarn launched all ships aboard the station to confuse Askar's forces, and then escaped Havez. Askar did not release information on this, and meanwhile Jarn began plans to move against him.
United They Stand[]
The battle of Janna
Following the destruction of a DTM base on Myrkr, the Sravs continued to put pressure on the DTM, although at the expense of their offensive on the Necasians. Abandoning their base on Gus Talon, the DTM set up a large base on the world of Janna. Nevertheless, both the Sravs and Necasians learned of this and both launched a concurrent attack on the world, with the Sravs intending to crush both the Necasians and DTM simultaneously.
As the battle raged, however, a new force engaged all three factions: the United Coalition of Worlds. Having been established between neutral worlds on Corellia not long before, the UCW used technology and designs from surviving Simiyar Tech engineers. Taking the other factions by surprise, the UCW overcame the other factions with its advanced electronic warfare tactics.
Surprised by the entry of the UCW, the other factions were taken aback. It further transpired that the UCW's army was relatively small but advanced and comparatively well-trained, and Janos Snake, its leader, pressed this advantage.
Red Terror[]
As a result of these new developments, Jasef Yuiln's stress and ill health worsened. With this, Ivran Gresev came to the conclusion that Yuiln was unfit for rule, and that he could not bring the Srav Federation to victory. Gresev gathered supporters and launched a coup against Yuiln.
Nonetheless, Yuiln supportes rallied around Nataska Vergulva, who tried to hold the line, but nevertheless Gresev supporters took the Politikdel. Gresev himself proceeded to execute Yuiln, and Vergulva and her closest supporters fled, mirroring the recent events among the Necasians.
Having established himself as leader, Gresev began purges of his largest opponents, and covered himself by announcing to the Srav people that Yuiln had been killed by enemy agents. With Yuiln having being the only restraint on Gresev's destructive impulses, Gresev prepared to apply overwhelming forces against the enemies of the Sravs. With this, he assaulted a DTM stronhold on Guay, using a Tsarka bomb to devastate the entire planet, worrying many higher Sravs and other factions.
Strength in Faith[]
The DTM, meanwhile, despite its recent string of defeats, decided to enact several engagements to restore morale and prestige, despite losing another major facility to the UCW on Abonshee. It decided to target the Savi Alliance, specifically its base on Huio.
On Huio, the DTM decided to move the odds in its favour by having several Savi nuclear weapons detonated their main camp. First, it had the Savi security system disabled by the DKA, and then suicide bombers in disguise proceeded to enter the Savi camp unnoticed and detonate the nuclear weapons, wiping out most of the Savi force. DTM forces proper then moved in to finish them off.
Carrying on, the DTM formulated a plan to strike back at the UCW, targeting its shipyards over Corellia. DTM suicide bomber Kazim Shaid and some infiltrators were smuggled aboard. Despite being compromised, Kazim managed to detonate his explosives, damaging the shipyard, though not to the extent the DTM were hoping for.
United Crusade[]
Vergulva detonates explosives
Not put off, the UCW continued to press on. Nataska Vergulva had decided to join it, hoping that with its help she would be able to get rid of Gresev and restore proper leadership to the Srav Federation, and she was joined by a few other Srav and Necasian deserters. Despite somewhat icy behaviour to one another, they nonetheless grudgingly co-operated.
With that, Nataska and a commando group, including Srav and Necasian deserters Nakata Milashka and Snaipes Horgan, were dispatched to Ithor to destroy a Srav weapons dump. Making a successful planetfall, the group succeeded in carrying out their task. Ivran Gresev was forced to take more hardlining measures to cover up Vergulva's presence.
Following that, the UCW attacked the Necasian-occupied world of Malastare, gaining orbital superiority and cutting off communications. Despite this, the Necasians put up a steady fight before being overcome.
Jarn's Fight[]
Jarn on Boz Pity
Elsewhere, Askar and Emela Makakson had formulated a plan to draw Jarn in. Askar had false intelligence leaked to Jarn indicating that he was inspecting a base on Boz Pity. Taking the bait, Jarn arrived on Boz Pity with some of his followers, and began investigating the base there.
Finding no trace of Invado, Jarn was ambushed by Necasian SpecOps, and was pinned down while covering the escape of his comrades. Outnumbered and overwhelmed, Jarn surrendered to Makakson, and was taken aboard the brig of her ship, the Fire Queen, where Makakson subjected him to tortures of various kind.
Nevertheless, a UCW ship commanded by Vergulva was passing nearby also investigating the intelligence. Coming near each other, the two vessels clashed, and Vergulva managed to board the Fire Queen. There, she freed Jarn and incapitated Makakson, imprisoning her in the brig, and the two confessed their feelings for one another. They were then called by Janos Snake to Corellia, setting up the stage for the climax of the war.
The Final Battle[]
It transpired that since obtaining the Hand of Darkness, Askar Invado had been experimenting with it at a secret Necasian station over Byss, the Sky Rink, and formulated a plan to energize both himself and the station with the power of the Hand. He deliberately leaked intelligence of his presence over Byss, intending to lure in the other factions and destroy them once he had transferred the power of the Hand.
Unfortunately for him, the Sravs, UCW and DTM turned up earlier than he had anticipated, and a large battle began breaking out in orbit. The Necasians had what they considered to be a clear advantage with the presence of two installations on the ground providing their orbital forces with considerable fire backup. To eliminate these, both the Sravs and UCW began sending down waves of ground forces. DTM forces also made it planetside, and began rampaging around.
Advancing on one of the installations, Srav tank battalions met Necasian and UCW forces, and a large armor battle began raging on the grassland near the installation. Using their ECM capanbilities, the UCW tanks began to gain and advantage, confusing and scattering enemy forces. In desperation, Srav tanks began coverging on the second installation, but it turned to be a decoy when the Sky Rink fired a weapon from orbit, levelling it and all around it.
Nevertheless, the UCW managed to push Necasian and Srav armor back and began securing the installation, flying in commando squads to eliminate resistance there. In desperation, the DTM send its DKA down via drop pod, where they began picking off troops from both sides. Nevertheless, Snaipes Horgan managed to convince Necasian commander there Bakas Mofo to switch sides. With that, they proceeded to kill DKA leader Fayyad Ghazi, prompting the remaining assassins to pull out. Having done so, the UCW ground team disabled the rest of the installation, eliminating a large portion of the Necasian fire cover in orbit and allowing ships of the other side to move in on the Sky Rink, bombarding it.
This was the cue for Nataska Vergulva, Haveer Jarn and Storm Ironwings to approach the Srav flagship, the Crimson Tide, in a troop transport, to execute Ivran Gresev himself. Wirelessly disabling its defences, the team made their way aboard, with Vergulva convincing much of the opposition to surrender. Reaching the bridge, they cleared opposition there in a brief but intense firefight, and Vergulva executed Gresev personally. With that, she announced that she was alive to the Srav fleet and ordered it to focus fire on the Necasian ships.
As energy buildups were detected within the Sky Rink, the team quickly initiated the final phase of the plan, and approached the Sky Rink in the transport with the objective of taking down Askar. With much of the Rink's defences disabled, they were able to board it without too much difficulty. Once aboard, Jarn lead the way, and many Necasian troops they faced decided to join him once they saw him, feeling that Askar had deceived them.
Approaching Askar in the reactor room of the Sky Rink, where the process was almost complete, the team attempted to force him to surrender. However, having received much energy from the Hand, Askar was able to knock them down, and gloated. However, Carsal Redharn, who had been providing tactical backup, entered, surprising Askar and Scythe, and knocked them into the reactor core, taking himself with them. Overloaded with energy, the reactor began to overload. Making their escape, the Necasian team and the Menunadexu troops managed to get off the station as the chain reaction tore it apart. Elsewhere, DTM flagship made a suicide run onto the planet after sustaining heavy damage, taking leader Sabsa Junn with that. The rest of the crippled DTM fleet made a retreat after that.
With that, Jarn and Vergulva announced to their respective fleets that they were now leaders of their factions, and commanded them to stand down. The Cruentusian War was over.
Aftermath[]
Following the announcement of an end of hostilities, this was met with jubiliating by people across the galaxy, who were weary of years of war. Many hardlining Necasians and Sravs objected to this, but were soon forced into silence or into exile. A few days after Byss, the UCW organized the Conference on Corellia, where the peace terms were ratified and the treaty officially signed by Vergulva and Jarn, and various figures tried for war crimes. Following that, the Coalition Galactic Council was formed, which would eventually evolve into the Galactic Senate.
The galaxy would then begin counting the cost of the war. Virtually all the factions had made liberal use of weapons of mass destruction, from nuclear weapons to napalm to bioweapons, permanently scarring several planets and in some cases completely desolating them. Estimates of the ultimate death toll ranged in the billions, figures then unheard of, but all agreed that most of those figures were neutral civilians.
Following the war, the UCW would consolidate. The Necasian Military and Srav Federation would continue to exist for a few more decades, but with their leaders now on the UCW council they had unofficially lost their sovereignty. The DTM had taken heavy losses, and would eventually fade away. The Savi Alliance had come out relatively intact and had made a healthy amount of profit from the war, and would continue for some time to come. The Zayre, with Ironwings disraught over Redharn's death, would temporarily adopt a stance of isolationism, having lost a significant portion of their population.
The UCW would continue to remain authoritorian and anti-democracy until Samuel Jarn, son of Vergulva and Haveer Jarn, would rise to power and push for reform. He would eventually become a founding father of the Galactic Republic by helping writing the Galactic Constitution.