Great War

The Great War is an ongoing interstellar conflict between the Peacekeeper Alliance and the  Warlord Pact, as well as various  neutral powers that are fighting for their own causes or in favor of one side. It is the largest war in the history of the known galaxy, directly or indirectly involving over thirty sovereign nations, including many great powers, and sixty sapient races. It is also the galaxy's bloodiest war, responsible for the devastation of numerous colonies, most notably Norsus, the former homeworld of the Rach, the deaths of billions of soldiers and civilians on both sides, and the total collapse of entire nations.

The Rach founded the Peacekeeper Alliance in response to the numerous expansionist military powers across the region, most notably the Margan, who sought to exterminate all life in the galaxy. After losing their initial engagements with the Alliance, the Margan came to the Zaretian Monarchy and Repzork Empire to propose an alliance against the Peacekeepers. To prevent this, the Rach infiltrated the meeting, which was held on the Zartar, and attempted to assassinate the leaders of the three powers. They failed, however, and the three nations founded what would become the Warlord Pact and declared war against the Alliance.

The Peacekeepers suffered several defeats at the onset of the war, particularly the Rach, whose military was woefully unprepared for large-scale warfare. The Alliance was soon joined by the Karahotdoum Empire and achieved its first major victory when the Aeverian navy defeated the Zaretians at the Battle of Zetta Secundus, causing the Warlords to momentarily lose their momentum. The Acropolan also declared its allegiance to the Alliance, but was locked in conflict with the Conkirite, who joined the Pact in retaliation. The Warlords regained the initiative as it was joined by the heavily mechanized Necraal, though a small few would either defect to the Peacekeepers or join the recently-founded Virisus. Following the narrowly repelled Zaretian invasion of their homeworld, Aserai, the Dragoneterran Monarchy joined the Peacekeepers. The Empire of Diablos also joined the Peacekeepers and launched several offensives against Pact members, but while they dealt a serious blow, they were unable to entirely halt their advance into Peacekeeper space. The Luminarians, after being assisted by the Aeverians, also joined and began sending aid. However, this sparked a violent schism in Luminarian society, hampering their ability to fight in the war for several years. Despite their extremely small numbers and the great risks involved, the Kastalians also intervened for the Peacekeepers. Later, during an attack on a Warbot Industries facility, the Skrey were contacted by the Repzork and subsequently inducted into the Pact. The Asanian Syndicate were encountered by the Margan during an assault on a Diabloian colony and also became members of the Pact. In an effort to produce a new slave state and claim their resources, the Zaretians invaded the Betel homeworld of Betel; however, they were repelled, and the previously neutral Betel became a member of the Peacekeepers, though some of them instead defected to the Pact, forming the Decomp rebels. The Repzork then launched their own invasion, though while they were initially repelled, they quickly gained ground, and formed an alliance with the Xeverra in the process. While the war was raging, the Peacekeepers founded the Anti-Biomatter Task Force (ABTF) to combat the Biomatter Swarms following the fall of Rotunin.

Five years into the war, with the Rach on the brink of collapse, the Warlords initiated Operation Sledgehammer, a massive coordinated offensive which had the goal of weakening the major Peacekeeper powers and prevent them from being able to adequately respond to the planned invasion of Norsus, code-named Operation Downfall. Over the next several months, while they did not achieve all of their objectives, the Warlords dealt a devastating blow to the Peacekeepers and left some of them crippled, albeit it came at a steep cost, leaving the Margan and Zaretians the only powers able to launch a large-scale invasion of the Rach homeworld. As the last stealth generator was deactivated and Norsus was revealed, the Warlords attacked, and quickly overran the defenders. In a desperate last-ditch effort to survive, the surviving Rach opened a portal into the Warp and fled into the alternate dimension, the Margan chasing after them in an attempt to finally put an end to them.

Still recuperating their losses from Sledgehammer and without the Margan to support them, the Warlords were left in a vulnerable position, allowing the Peacekeepers to strike back. This coincided with the intervention of the Empire of Galdera, who launched Operation Dark Angel a few weeks following the invasion of Norsus. For the next decade, Warlords forces would primarily be on the defensive, and would suffer a number of catastrophic defeats. Repzork forces were almost entirely repelled from Betel space, prompting the empire to initiate scorched earth tactics in the form of massed crystal bombardments. The Aeverians and Luminarians launched a combined offensive into Zaretian territory, and successfully captured Nu-Zartar. The Sauran reached a breakthrough and devised a way in which to slow down and gradually reverse the growth of Margan crystals, paving the way for the Solidarity to slowly reverse the severe environmental damage the dynasties had caused prior to their disappearance and curb the Repzork's continued use of crystal munitions.

Ten years after the invasion of Norsus, the Rach returned from the Warp and attempted to reclaim their homeworld, which was still under Zaretian control. They also warned the Peacekeepers that the Margan were still on their trail and would soon return. Several Peacekeepers and a few neutral powers sent troops to support the Rach. Peacekeepers forces were well on their way to recapturing Norsus until a few weeks later, when the Margan Empire returned from the Warp and immediately launched attacks against both the planet itself and the surrounding area. Peacekeeper and neutral forces were forced to retreat from the area, and Norsus was rendered nearly uninhabitable and was subsequently abandoned by most combatants.

With the Margan back on their side and many Warlords having long updated their technology and tactics to adapt to the changing battlefield, the Pact has experienced a resurgence in power, and has began reacquiring some of the territory it had lost in the interim period. Peacekeeper morale has hit an all-time low once more as hopes for an eventual victory have been dashed and the war continues to drag on with no clear victor.

Background
See also: History of the Milky Way Galaxy

Since the end of the Ancient Era, a myriad of new races have appeared throughout the galaxy. Some of these nations emphasize militarism, conquest, imperialism, fascism, and other violent ideologies.

Following a catastrophic mass-extinction event that wiped out most species and opened the vast underground cave networks on their homeworld, Marga, the Margan, who were now one of the only remaining prey animals, were constantly harassed by numerous predatory creatures that relied on terror, lures, and constant harassment to catch their prey. This caused the once-timid Margan to become increasingly paranoid and xenophobic. Though many Margan either tried to hide from the predators of their homeworld or simply accepted their fate in some form or another, one Margan, now known only as the 'Angel' or 'Savior', initiated a purge that eventually wiped out all life on their homeworld, driving their species to space in what would eventually become the vast nomadic fleets they live in today. They traveled from system-to-system, strip-mining the planets they came across to fuel their ever-expanding flotilla. This was until they discovered other life in the galaxy, causing the Margan to despair, fearing that the horrors of Marga would repeat themselves. It was during this time that the current High Priestess, Massachiah, came to power and mandated the 'Holy Goal': the purging of all life in the galaxy. Ever since, the Margan have blazed a trail of death and destruction across the stars, leaving a trail of dead worlds in their wake.

For much of their history, the Necraal had been ruled by the shaman caste, who revered, protected, and in many cases worshiped nature, promoted an anti-materialist lifestyle, and were staunch pacifists. They deliberately held back the Necraal's technology in some regards so as to not 'corrupt' nature or themselves. But as time progressed, this created resentment among some in the other castes, as they felt that the shamans were preventing the Necraal from being able to reach their true potential. Initially, these groups were not considered a threat by the shamans, who still reigned supreme via the support of the king, so they were largely ignored. This changed when the Necraal began encountering alien races, some of whom took advantage of the shaman's pacifism and pillaged the fledgling nation's colonies, the Necraal's small military being too weak to stop them. Frustrated, a faction of imperialist and industrialist Necraal rose up from the outer colonies and challenged the rule of the shamans. To these Necraal, nature was something to overcome, rather than to revere, and if their race was to survive and thrive, they would need to massively build up their military and begin conquering the stars. In the years that followed, the imperialist would gain more and more influence until they gained the support of the royal family, stripping the shamans of the control they once held over the nation. Since then, the Necraal have industrialized massively and have quickly developed new technology, including that which was once banned by the shamans. The shamans themselves have fallen into the background and are slowly dying out, though a small few have taken matters into their own hands and have abandoned their pacifist ideals in order to fight against what they see as a sinful and materialistic society.

During the Arkevan Wars of Unification, which would see the founding of the Empire of Galdera, the Kalrian Empire, a fierce rival of Galdera's founders, the Nolsarians, were on the brink of defeat after having fought for over twenty years. In a desperate gambit to ensure their nation and culture's survival, the Kalrians assembled a fleet of 'exodus ships' at the edge of their borders with the intent of fleeing and rebuilding elsewhere. Those who stayed behind would provide a diversion to prevent the Nolsarians from catching them. The Nolsarians received reports of the fleet's existence, but the general in charge ignored them, certain the Kalrians would make a final stand instead of running. The fleet, along with what remained of the Kalrian government and high command, escaped, the Nolsarians realizing their error only after having fallen into the Kalrian's trap. After several years of blindly flying through space, the Kalrian fleet moved into a wormhole and found themselves in an unexplored region of the galaxy. They eventually settled on their current homeworld, Alrukai, and began to rebuild their civilization. Believing that they had made themselves weak, the Kalrians gradually threw away many of their old ideals and adopted a fascist ideology that emphasized absolute loyalty, military prowess, and racial purity. These beliefs were solidified when the empire was invaded by the Delrusar Imperium, a destructive conflict that would ultimately see the complete annihilation of the Delrusar race. In the five millennia since, the Kalrians, now known as the Repzork, have established themselves as a vast interstellar power, one that has exterminated or subjugated its adversaries as it seeks to become among the most powerful empires in the galaxy.

During the final days of the Xeverran War for Dominance, scientist secretely used a combination of Xeverran and Astatanian technology to create Galden, a highly advanced, sapient A.I capable of evolving and learning. Galden was given the goal of preserving the Xeverran race, their culture, and as much life on Xer as possible. Unfortunately, the nations of Xer initiated a nuclear war far earlier than the scientist had anticipated, forcing them to launch Galden into space to ensure its survival. Xer was rendered uninhabitable in the aftermath, and the few Xeverra that had managed to survive the initial bombardment either died or committed suicide, essentially rendering the species extinct. Gathering what information it could, Galden began to create the first Xeverran world ship and began storing samples of DNA gathered from Xeverra and Xer wildlife. From here, Galden would assemble the first Xeverran fleet and would eventually cultivate a new generation of Xeverra from the DNA it had collected. Galden would continue to lead the Xeverra from the shadows as it worked to secure the continued survival of the Xeverran species.

The Zaretian Monarchy under King Moscassin had been peacefully expanding its borders for many years and maintained peaceful relations with many interstellar powers, including the Wingle Union. Though it still fought in numerous conflicts, most were in self-defense or to assist the monarchy's allies. This changed when Breys, with the support of most of the Zaretian military, overthrew Moscassin and crowned himself king. Moscassin fled, and those who supported him either died or were imprisoned in the ensuing purge or fled to join various rebel movements. Once Breys had consolidated his power, he transformed the monarchy into a totalitarian regime where he alone held complete control over the nation. The king also reestablished slavery, which had been abolished by previous monarchs, and built up the military with the intent of conquering all that he could reach. As a result, many of the monarchy's allies cut off any and all relations with the Zaretians, including the Wingle.

The Skrey of Barrakru Kaat have never properly unified. Though various powers throughout their history have attempted it, they have all failed, their nations collapsing into infighting after a short period of time. Instead, the Skrey have been divided into a large multitude of clans, with the largest and most powerful clan acting as the de facto 'ruler' of the Skrey people; as a result, any clan could become new ruler by overthrowing the reigning clan, though this generally resulted in a long series of wars that would ultimately determine the new ruling clan. While most Skrey ruled through fear and brute force, a small few, the most successful of the Skrey's rulers, understood that better and more efficient methods existed. These rulers would work to either push their own agendas or try to advance the Skrey nation as a whole, knowing that there were other, likely more dangerous nations out there in the galaxy. It was one of these rulers who united the Skrey against the neighboring Greera, a native of the Barrakru Kaat system that attempted to wipe out the Skrey before they could become an issue.

After having exterminated their progenitors, the Ge'Va, the Asanians spent many years warring among themselves. That was until the Mixed, powerful Asanians who had bonded their bodies to Ge'Va technology, rose up and brought the Asanians under their fold. An era of rapid technological progress took place, turning their homeworld of Tornash from a collection of ruined cities to a hyper-industrialized metropolis in only a few short years. However, this urbanization destroyed the ecosystem of their homeworld, forcing the Asanians to begin colonizing other worlds in order to survive. The Asanians have since established a large interstellar empire in an extremely short time period, and have adapted to and exterminated anything in their way, salvaging what is useful and discarding what it worthless in the process, the Asanians believing themselves to be perfection incarnate.

As the number and influence of military powers expanded, other nations took up arms in efforts to repel and eliminate them.

Despite their frightening appearance and honor-bound warrior culture, the Diabloians of the Empire of Diablos were one of the less imperialist powers in the known galaxy. In fact, the Diabloians pitied smaller, weaker nations, believing that fighting them was dishonorable and not worth the resources. Instead, they traded with many of these nations, seeing it as mutually beneficial to both parties. The Empire instead fought those that would take advantage of smaller powers, seeing their powerful armies as a more worthwhile challenge and condemning them for their dishonorable acts such as slavery and the slaughter of civilians.

While the Repzork sought to dominate the stars, the Galderans instead worked towards uniting them. Faithful followers of the goddess, Syleris, the Galderans spent the five millennia since their founding inducting several races as either member states or enclaves, believing that if they manage to unite the galaxy under the goddess' banner, then it will be one of the first major steps towards mending what is seen as a broken and dying galaxy and ultimately ushering in a new golden age, returning the galaxy to its state prior to sin. Having absorbed the personnel, technology, and doctrines of those it has inducted, the Galderans have grown into a powerful and technologically sophisticated force. The Galderans spent many years searching for the Kalrian exodus ships that founded the Repzork Empire, but they never located them, and the effort was abandoned, with most concluding that the fleet was destroyed or that the reconstruction effort was in some way a failure.

The Minomit, founders of Warbot Industries, also constructed vast armies of robotic units, though this was largely due to the fact that the minomits themselves are unfit for fighting on their own. Additionally, Warbot constructs, despite the name, could also be built for various utilitarian roles, such as medicine, construction and agriculture. Warbots Industries provided these constructs to several neighboring nations, especially those who were besieged by hostile powers. WBI combat constructs are usually produced without any traceable serial codes or icons, allowing the industry to continue selling and deploying its robots without the fear of having them traced back to them. WBI refused to sell its products to aggressive empires, though small breakaway factions have done so for the sake of profit, forcing WBI to hunt down and exterminate these rogue factions.

The factions of the Sauran Solidarity, most notably the Forces of Freedom and Protectors of Nature, played a very active role in the region. The Forces of Freedom fought against various tyrants and slave states in their efforts to bring about democratic reform and liberation, while the Protectors of Nature aimed at safeguarding the natural order from those who would destroy it for the sake of industry and profit. The Observers of Science and the Ascended, were also active forces, but for different reasons, the Observers focusing chiefly on relics and technology while the Ascended fought in the name of their gods.

For countless years the Rach explored the stars doing what they do best: thievery. Stealing from nations with whom they either had no relations with or considered enemies, the Rach would take these goods and sell them in the Undermarket, encouraging a large number of Rach to explore the galaxy in the hopes of making a fortune. As a result, the Rach came in direct or indirect contact with a large number of civilizations, including those that posed a very real threat both to the Rach as well as their neighbors. More and more Rach sought to assist those who were besieged by imperialist and xenocidal powers; initially, the Rach acted with subtlety, working from the shadows to provide assistance and sabotage the enemy. This quickly proved to be insufficient, leading to some wanting to take more drastic measures. However, many Rach, General Gorach, knew that the Rach military did not have the ability to fight in an interstellar conflict; they had neither the weapons nor the mindset for it. Coradine, the emperor at the time, also understood this, and believed that if the Rach were to survive, they would have to start taking bigger risks.

Destruction of the Seraphim Dynasty
The Seraphim Dynasty was one of the oldest of the Margan Dynasties alongside the Holy and Golden Blade Dynasties. They were best known for their grandiose theatrics and incredible egos; they truly saw themselves as divine beings, and believed that the Margan people had a glorious future ahead of them. This mentality carried over to the battlefield, where commanders would give their troops bombastic speeches and every conflict was viewed as a grand spectacle for all to see. Though zealously loyal to the Holy Goal for centuries, they began to stray from it when they noticed that lesser races were seeing them as literal gods and had begun to worship the Margan. Jisa, the Matriarch of the Seraphim, decided to allow these races to live so long as they served the Margan and paid them tribute. The Matriarch planned to exterminate the servants when the Margan's campaign of genocide came to an end, but for the time being, relished in the possibilities they brought.

When the other Dynasties discovered what was happening, they were outraged, denouncing the Seraphim for straying from the Margan's teachings. The Seraphim argued that the slaves were little more than temporary allies and that they posed no threat. The debate was settled when Li-Hosan, Matriarch of the Golden Blade, suggested eliminating the Seraphim before they went rogue. The Dynasties then all simultaneously attacked the Seraphim fleet, overwhelming them and leaving no survivors. When the Matriarchs confronted Jisa face to face, they offered her a chance to repent. She refused, however, and impaled herself on Li-Hosan's blade. The remains of the Seraphim fleet were left to drift through space, some of it falling unto nearby planets as artificial meteors.

The 'betrayal' and subsequent annihilation of the Seraphim Dynasty did little to stifle the Margan's intense paranoia; in fact, it worsened it, as the Margan now knew that they not only had threats on the outside, but also within. Margan now face intense scrutiny if they show any signs of straying from the path, and in modern times, such individuals will more often than not be quietly killed by groups such as Confessors and the Mask of Ferivus.

First appearance of the Biomatter
Years before the onset of the war, the Biomatter Swarms made their first recorded appearance in the region when an infected vessel believed to have originated from Hive Fafnir crash landed on a planet rich in biomass. The planet's inhabitants, unaware of the Biomatter's true nature, recovered samples from the then-dormant spore for study. Less than an hour later, the Biomatter became active, and rapidly overran the lightly defended colony. The infestation then spread to other worlds, including the colony Qualiot, which had to be evacuated and subsequently bombarded from orbit. In the years that followed, more hives, most notably Apophis, Piru, Cronen, and Asag, would also appear, with some theorizing that they originated from spores that wondered too far from Fafnir.

News of the Biomatter spread quickly through the testimony of refugees and explorers, and nations quickly began independent efforts to curtail their spread. Such operations were met with limited success at best, and generally resulted in sometimes severe environmental damage to the already fragile biosphere of infested worlds. Scientists began to study the Biomatter hoping to find a weakness, but most either ran into a dead end or accidentally triggered an infestation. In one of the most famous examples, a Salatran research team recovered samples from the hives on Qualiot for research. The Biomatter escaped containment, infesting everyone in the building, but not before they could initially a site-wide lockdown. Rather than outright destroying the installation, the Salatrans used the facility's cameras and remotely-operated drones to monitor the Biomatter from outside. The information acquired from the incident would be later be passed along to the Anti-Biomatter Task Force.

Galderan-Naelkvan War and the Valdar Crisis
Over seventy years before the present day, the Naelkva, an ancient civilization that was undergoing an effort to reestablish itself as a great power and usher in a second golden age, launched a surprise invasion of the Empire of Galdera, viewing the encroaching nation as a threat to its sovereignty. The resulting confrontation lasted for over fifty years and saw the deaths of billions and the destruction of countless worlds on both sides before the Naelkva were finally defeated. The Galderans claimed the eastern half of the Naelkva's territory, while the western half became divided between various former client states that competed with one another for resources, land, and technology.

The Galderans attempted to expand their influence into the region, but were met with resistance from the Confederation of Derahs, who opposed their imperialistic and religious ideology, leading to a cold war between the two. Bloody proxy conflicts were waged between the former vassal states, with the Galderans and Ogvyr providing them with equipment and funding. Caught in the middle was the Valdar, a powerful state that possessed a vast trove of ancient technology and which had remained largely uninvolved in the affairs of the region since before the Naelkva's arrival over two hundred years ago. The Valdar government had maintained peace with the Naelkva, going as far as to provide them with some of their technology as appeasement, but this made them deeply unpopular with both vassal states and much of the Valdar populace, which in increasing numbers sought to reform the nation's one-party government and take a more active role in galactic affairs. As tensions between the Galderans and the Ogvyr grew, the Valdar grew increasingly restless, split between those who wanted to pick one side or the other or who wanted no involvement at all. This came to a head when Kazadair III, the reigning empress of the Galderan Empire, requested an audience with the Valdar's ruling council on Yulaira. She was granted access by a narrow vote, and in the days that followed convinced many to take her side, making an alliance with the Galderans a very real possibility. However, before a decision could be made, Levani'desatha, a prominent Councillor, initiated a coup and took over the government as a last-ditch effort to maintain order. This sparked a violent civil war that caused the Valdar to splinter into several factions. The Zhagavian Republic pledged its loyalty to the Galderans, while the Porldovans joined the Confederation. Troops from both empires poured into the region to secure what they now viewed as allied territory. Levani, knowing her troops could not fight a conflict on two fronts, begrudgingly sided with the Confederation. The two forces declared war on the Galderans, hoping to curb their influence from spreading any further and to prevent them from accumulating more of ancient technology.

The two wars have had a major impact on the Galderans culturally, economically, and militarily. The Galderan Armed Forces was practically rebuilt from the ground up with new weapons, vehicles, and combat doctrines. One of the most clear examples of this reformation is the Gaulderog Armored Assault Fortress, a 984 foot (300 meters) tall, 4-legged walker armed with a powerful lance cannon, a Naelkvan-derived particle weapon that is seeing increasing usage across the military. The addition of the Valdar has also seen a host of additional equipment, though much ot it has yet to be properly meshed with the rest of the military and remains excluse to Valdar-only units. Hundreds of colonies were captured from the Naelkva, including their core-worlds, which while heavily damaged in the fighting, still retained a trove of valuable information. But while some worlds were still in good shape, others had become blasted wastelands, and would require years of terraforming to undo the damage. Nevertheless, colonist continue to flood into the region. Meanwhile, billions of Naelkva, most of whom were civilians, had been captured by the Galderans. These individuals were processed and then relocated family-by-family to communities across the empire to begin the process of assimilating them into Galderan culture. Today, a small number of loyal Naelkva soldiers now serve in the military, though the Naelkva are not yet considered a true member state, and tensions remain high. Among the general populace, perceptions of the war differ by age group. Older generations that were alive to see much of the violence of the Galderan-Naelkva war became wary of war, while the younger generations, who mainly remember the point in which the Galderans turned the tide, have become patriotic, believing that the empire can now overcome any challenge thrown at them. Thus, while many politicians and officers wanted to avoid a war with the Ogvyr, their subordinates were more than willing to fight when the time came.

Magellan First & Second Stellar Wars
Following the conclusion of the long-lasting Magellan Unification War under the leadership of the young Emperor Zinmar, the Magello Empire would encounter local rivals in their initial stellar expansion. Their society having been founded on a tradition of warfare, it was only a matter of time before this rivalry erupted into war. The Magello would eventually emerge victorious two years into the war, crushing their rivals in a vicious and bloody war, expelling them from their homelands and creating a massive refugee convoy as the Magello set up new colonies on the charred remains of theirs. These refugees would take up residence as a member race of Aeveria.

With their military position secured, but coffers drained after fighting the First Stellar War, Zinmar pursued mercantile efforts as well as attempted to rebuild civilian industry. These pursuits led to the creation of numerous trade alliances and brought the Magello into the galactic community. However, the Magello would once more find themselves going to war as part of these entangling alliances. The Second Stellar War dragged on for years and evaporated the gains made in the past few years and what loot had been claimed in the First. Victory was eventually earned, bought with Magello blood, but Zinmar’s people were resentful that this war put the interests of another first instead of their own, and further attempts to improve international trade in the Empire floundered, despite the expenditure of the Second Stellar War. Still though, the three wars would create a strong military tradition and fill the ranks of the Magellan armies with hardened veterans. It also saw the rise of numerous popular war heroes, especially Captain Omard, whose great victories would capture the minds of the people and inspire the next generation.

Repzork-Nepharian Cold War
The Holy Nepharian Empire had spent the past several years spreading its influence through a sector of space inhabited by various small alien races which they were slowly converting into dependencies. They were also providing the natives with weapons and technology in exchange for relics and had established migration routes for Nepharian citizens. This was disrupted as the Repzork began to expand into the region. Seeking to claim the relics and territories for themselves, they gave counter-offers to the aliens, some of whom were quick to side with them due to disagreements with the Nepharians. The inhabitants soon began to fight each other, the conflict quickly becoming a proxy war between the Nepharians and Repzork as they vied for control. But while tensions ran high, the two have never directly engaged one another in battle, with only small skirmishes taking place between the two. In fact, the Repzork have sold the artifacts that were of no use to them back to the Nepharians, allowing the Nepharian government to give its citizens the impression that nothing is wrong, and providing the Repzork with necessary funds and allowing them to focus their efforts elsewhere.

Xeverran-Betel War
In order to accelerate the construction of the Star Song, a dyson sphere designed to boost its own processing power and accelerate the reunification of the Xeverran nomad fleets, Galden deployed Xeverran troops into Betel space in order to claim the bountiful resources from their colonies. The Xeverra launched a number of small-scale raids on fringe Betel colonies to gauge their defenses before committing troops. These skirmishes prompted the reigning Betel High Chancellor, Nol Byervid, to create the Sky Spears, which quickly became the most advanced aspect of the Betel military. Regardless, the Xeverra continued to grow bolder as time passed, though they still remained a regional threat.

Kran Rebellion
A few months before the outbreak of the war, Nepharian general Phyla'kran, leader of the Kran, initiated a plot to take over the Nepharian government. She instigated a conflict between the Holy Nepharian Empire and the Wingle Union, eventually even dragging the IAE into the engagement. In response, the Wingle awoke Captain White, a war hero from the invasion of Athenousis, and assembled an elite team with the goal of crippling the Nepharian war effort. In the midst of fighting, the Kran faction, bolstered by an army of Ech0 walkers, rose up and launched offensives against Nepharian, Wingle, and IAE colonies. An attempt was also made to assassinate leading figures in the Nepharian government, but this failed. The Nepharians and Wingle put their differences aside to combat the Kran faction, culminating in the death of Phyla'kran and the suppression of her rebellion.

The consequences of the Kran rebellion had far-reaching affects, particularly on the Nepharians themselves. Kran remnants would continue to harass loyalist forces for months afterward as the government worked to purge any who still sympathized with Phyla. Relations with the Wingle have gradually improved, but remain somewhat tense, and the two have since ceased working together. The Repzork gained a substantial lead in the ongoing cold war as the Nepharians were forced to divert most of their resources, some of which was destroyed in the ensuing conflict, elsewhere.

Repzork begin raiding Khasii colonies
After becoming aware of the Khasii' bountiful wealth, the Repzork began to launch increasingly large raids into Khasii territory with the goal of acquiring their resources and technology. Though the Khasii boasted superior weapons and troops on many fronts, their army was far too small to take on imperial forces, forcing the Khasii to rely on large numbers of auxiliary troops to fight for them. Fighting rapidly bogged down as a result, though Repzork forces slowly regained the initiative as they intensified their efforts, leading to a number of successful attacks on Khasii settlements and the acquisition of many of the assets stored within.

Sauran liberate Zaretian slave colony
Sauran of the Forces of Freedom raided a sizeable Zaretian slave colony in an effort to free the prisoners. After a brief skirmish, they forced the defenders to retreat. But as they reached the slave holding area, they encountered the prisoners, who had managed to overthrow the guards and escape on their own, though it is unlikely that they would have been able to progress any further without the Solidarity's aid. The monarchy retaliated by declaring war on the Sauran and launching several probing attacks into Sauran space. The Repzork soon after also declared war, though they did not send troops to fight and instead provided the Zaretians with supplies and resources.

Appearance of the Margan
The first known appearance of the Margan in the local galactic sector occurred when troops of the Golden Blade Dynasty invaded a minor power that, though it put up stiff resistance, was quickly overwhelmed and wiped out by the vastly larger force. Soon after, the other dynasties began to appear elsewhere, strip-mining any planets and exterminating all life that they came across. The sheer, uncompromising brutality displayed by the Margan sent a ripple throughout the region as word began to spread through survivors and witnesses. Many nations began to form contingency plans in the event of a Margan invasion or were actively preparing to attack them, including some that would become Warlord powers in the months or years that followed. Some historians argue that it was at this point that the Great War became inevitable.

Founding of the Peacekeeper Alliance
When the Rach became aware of the Margan threat, they responded by sending aid to besieged nations and secretly hampering the Margan's efforts whenever possible, such as by sabotaging Margan supply lines and assassinating field officers. While these operations saw limited success, they were unable to seriously hamper the Margan, and were ultimately too small in scale to be considered anything more than an annoyance to the dynasties, who were at the time unable to identify the perpetrators. Their inability to slow the Margan's advance led some Rach to looking for other means with which to fight back. General Gorach, known best for his unorthodox strategies, used the opportunity to call for reform in the Rach military, though his requests went by largely ignored, as most Rach officers felt that their current doctrine was sufficient. Nevertheless, officials such as Emperor Coradine did agree with Gorach that a more direct approach would be necessary to defeat the Margan and safeguard the sovereignty of minor interstellar powers.

Emperor Coradine sent delegates to several neighboring powers: the Aeveria, Karahotdoum Magistrate, Minomit, Sauran Solidarity, and the Wingle Union, to propose the formation of a coalition with the goal of defeating the Margan and curbing the influence of imperialist powers such as the Zaretians and Repzork, who had been encroaching into the region for some time. The Aeveria, Minomit, and Sauran all soon pledged their support. The Karahotdoum also pledged their support, but this was more because of ongoing tensions with their most powerful rival, the Yami Trade Union; magistrate support was thus limited to economic and material aid. The Wingle were the only nation to turn the Rach down, instead declaring neutrality. The new alliance, formally referred to as the Peacekeeper Alliance in reference to its goals, began assembling troops in preparation for its first move.

The newly-assembled Peacekeeper fleets launched a surprise attack against Margan of the Red Rose dynasty as they were in the process of strip-mining a system. The offensive was a rousing success for the fledgling alliance; the Margan were completely repelled, suffering considerable losses in the process. Peacekeeper forces followed up with subsequent attacks to similar results. Their success prompted previously wary minor powers to pledge their support either for mutual defense or to offer what support they could.

The Matriarchs of the Margan Dynasties convened in Holy Thereia to discuss their options. Seeing the rate at which the Peacekeepers were growing, they were forced to admit that they were incapable of winning the war on their own. Matriarch Hilda of the Orion Dynasty, one of the more diplomatic Matriarchs, suggested forming a coalition of their own to fight the Peacekeepers. Initially, this was rejected, as it was viewed as a heresy tantamount to the Seraphim Dynasty. Hilda rejected this notion, stating that they could easily turn on their allies once the Peacekeepers were defeated. The debate ended when Matriarch Massachiah of the Holy Dynasty took Hilda's side, pointing out that the Margan's only other option was the complete annihilation of their species. Matriarch Hilda was subsequently placed in charge of alien relations, and the Margan began searching for potential allies.

The Margan approached both the Zaretians and the Repzork, requesting an audience with the leaders of both empires to discuss the threat posed by the Peacekeepers. Both parties initially proved reluctant, wary of the Margan as they were already aware of their xenocidal beliefs. However, the Zaretian's ongoing conflict with the Sauran, which many in Zaretian high command believed would soon intensify with Peacekeeper intervention, and the Repzork's fear of the Nepharians joining the Alliance at some point in the future, pushed both nations to agree to talks on the Zaretian capital, Zartar.

Raid on Zartar
Zaretian rebels under the command of the exiled king, Moscassin, intercepted Zaretian transmissions, uncovering the meeting and relaying it back to the Rach, who had been supporting Moscassin for some time. Though deemed too risky even for the Rach, Emperor Coradine, without notifying his generals, devised a plot to send a team of assassins in to infiltrate the meeting and eliminate King Breys, High Priestess Massachiah, and Emperor Zervath Nezekar V, though whether his intention was truly to kill the three rulers remains unknown due to a lack of information. If successful, the operation would knock the three powers into disarray and prevent them from forming an alliance. Breys was of particular interest; with the stability of the monarchy resting squarely upon his shoulders, it was widely believed that killing him would initiate a civil war that would completely cripple the Monarchy, paving way for a new, less hostile government to be established. With Moscassin's aid, Coradine's team managed to move a unit of special operatives, including a stealth tank, to Zartar in time for the meeting.

The Zaretian capitol was under especially heavy guard on the day of the meeting; all three participants brought a detachment of their most elite troops to secure the area, and a larger-than-normal garrison of Zaretian army troops were stationed in the area surrounding Breys' palace. The three leaders retreated to Breys' throne room to hold the meeting in private. While no transcription of what transpired has been made public, it has been reported that the meeting went off to a rocky start, with both Breys and Xervath expressing concerns over whether they could actually trust the Margan and believing that they could handle the Peacekeeper threat on their own.

The Rach assassins, who waited a short distance away from the palace, launched their attack a few minutes after the meeting began. The bulk of the operates moved to infiltrate the palace while the tank and a smaller detachment remained outside as a diversion. However, the diversion found itself outgunned and was overwhelmed within minutes as Zaretian army units closed in around it. The main force successfully infiltrated the palace, but were met by royal guards, who subdued them at little cost to themselves. All but a few of the Rach were killed. The rest, including the leader, who reportedly had his jaw broken by King Breys, who punched him with his "Iron Fist of Payne", were captured and never heard from again.

The failed operation not only embarrassed Rach high command, but also backfired spectacularly, serving as the spark that would set off the Great War. Outraged by the Rach's attempt on their lives, Breys and Zervath put aside their doubts towards the Margan and agreed to establish a pact between the three nations with the stated goal of safeguarding their cultures and beliefs from those who would attempt to impose their own views upon them. They then subsequently declared war against the Peacekeepers and initiated immediate military mobilization.

Having learned of Moscassin's role in the plot through the testimony of Rach prisoners, Breys stepped up his efforts to eliminate dissidents from within the Monarchy. In the months that followed, a vast number of suspected or confirmed rebel sympathizers, ranging from regular citizens to military and political figures, would be purged, with many being executed by agents from the House of Sovereign.

Peacekeeper media soon began to refer to the pact as the Warlord Pact. But rather than taking it as an insult, the three powers readily accepted it. To them, the term spoke of their ability to wage war, and the presence of strong, absolute figures at the helm that would not falter even when under intense stress, a sort of figure that weaker groups could rally around for guidance and protection. Thus, Warlord Pact became the official name of the alliance.

Pact members launched separate offensives against the Peacekeepers, each emphasizing different targets. The Zaretians committed most of their troops to the Rach, with smaller detachments being sent against the Sauran and the Aeverians. Repzork forces also engaged Rach and Aeverian positions, but focused instead on the Minomits with the goal of acquiring their advanced robotics technology for themselves. The Margan split their forces by Dynasty; the Holy, Golden Blade, and Reaper's Fist Dynasties to the Rach; Orion to the Aeverians, Hammer of the Divine to the Sauran, and Red Rose the to WBI.

Though the Rach were masters of stealth and subterfuge, their military was woefully unprepared for full-scale war, especially one of the magnitude they now found themselves in. Their troops were in most cases under equipped, wielding little more than pistols, while their armored units were largely worthless for anything more than ambushes. Rach colonies began to fall swiftly as the Warlords swept through their outer colonies. Other Peacekeepers attempted to relieve them, but were forced on the defensive as they were bogged down. Only the Aeverians were able to assist the Rach in any meaningful capacity, but even with their support, Rach defenses were receding rapidly.

Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities, the Kelmir, militant Minomit who wanted to use their machines for conquest, approached the Repzork to offer them an alliance. The Kelmir were also joined by smaller separatist factions who wanted to sell their Warbots to the highest bidder, regardless of what side they were on, and who felt that the Warlords would be more willing to pay. Regardless of the reason, the Repzork agreed to an alliance and attempted to induct them into the Warlord Pact; however, due to lingering tensions with the Zaretian Monarchy, the Minomit initially rejected the notion, only agreeing when they received a promise that the Monarchy would leave them alone. Bolstered by Pact infrastructure, the Kelmir and separatists' machines went into full production and joined Warlord forces on the field as agents initiated terrorist attacks within WBI territory so as to hamper their logistics and demoralize them.

Karahotdoum Intervention
As the Great War was starting, the Yami Trade Union suffered a number of disasters that greatly hindered its ability to compete with the Karahotdoum. These included raids on its outer colonies and an infestation of Biomatter from hive Fafnir. This forced the Yami to sign a treaty with the Karahotdoum; in exchange for peace with them and the Peacekeepers, the Yami gave the magistrate several of its westernmost colonies. The Karahotdoum agreed, easing tensions between the two and allowing the Yami to redeploy troops that had been stationed in the Yami-Karahotdoum border sectors. In secret, the Magistrate was considering whether or not it should attack the exposed Yami, but news of the Warlord's relentless offensives against the Peacekeepers had sparked outrage in the general populace, who pressured the government to provide military support to the Alliance. The magistrate voted to pledge military support, and began mobilizing its forces. Within two months, so many citizens had volunteered for service and so many weapons and vehicles had been produced that Magistrate logisticians were starting to lose track of it all.

When the Magistrate felt itself sufficiently prepared, they deployed their troops en masse against the Zaretians and Repzork, providing beleaguered Alliance troops time to organize and fortify their positions. However, this came at a heavy price, as the Karahotdoum's first wave suffered grievous losses, especially against the Repzork, who launched a counter-offensive of their own with troops initially meant for Minomit and Rach space. The Magistrate's heavy use of attrition tactics and artillery also caught the attention of Reaper's Fist, who redirected their fleets to tie down Karahotdoum forces, grinding the Magistrate's advance to a halt.

Station SRD72
Shortly after their entry into the Warlord Pact, the Saracin constructed a secret facility, designated Station SRD72, on one of their distant colonies. Disguised as a power station to avoid scrutiny, SRD72's main purpose was to study technology acquired from the Peacekeepers and to perform experiments on captured Alliance soldiers so as to discover biological weaknesses. The station was also used to coordinate Saracin efforts with the rest of the Pact, and therefore contained a trove of strategic data. Upon discovering the facility, the Rach deployed a small task force led by General Gorach and Special Ops Lead Kertak tasked with infiltrating SRD72 and stealing any information they could find. Though jammers prevented the Rach from landing near the facility, Kertak and his men were able to bypass most of the Saracin's defenses and enter the facility. Gorach and his men were caught, but nonetheless fought their way inside, using a stealth tank to force their way through a wall. With the help of several prisoners they had freed, the Rach fought their way through SRD72's garrison and reached the computer mainframe, downloading all available data before setting the facility to self-destruct and evacuating.

As they had hoped, the Rach had recovered confidential information on Warlord operations, as well as technical documents regarding Pact vehicles and weapons, all of which was passed along to the rest of the Alliance. Unfortunately, the Saracin warned the rest of the Pact of SRD72's destruction, causing Warlord commanders to modify or cancel their plans, rendering much the strategic data moot. But the most important find was one that deeply troubled the Rach: the Zaretians had, through an unknown agent, discovered how to reach Norsus, and were now coordinating with the Margan to disable the planet's stealth generators, opening it to an invasion. Believing a traitor to be in their midst, the Rach began an internal investigation to uncover the turncoat. To keep morale high, this information was hidden from the public, but was shared among the ranking officials of the Alliance, some of whom doubled their efforts to protect Rach space.

Battle of Zetta Secundus
In addition to giving them time to reinforce their positions, the Karahotdoum's offensive also gave some members of the Alliance time to plan their first major counteroffensives. The Aeverians took initiative, focusing in a region of Rach space known as Zetta Secundus, which was being besieged by Zaretian forces and was on the brink of collapse. Rather than engaging the Monarchy directly, the Aeverians planned to flank them and strike their logistics with the goal of disorienting Zaretian forces and forcing them to retreat to fall back and defend. A modest force comprised of the 371st, 482nd and 16th fleets were assembled for the task; though some officers wanted to dedicate more ships, the rest were tied up with other fronts, and the Alliance could not risk redeploying them elsewhere.

At the onset of the operation, troops within Zetta Secundus were ordered to hold their ground as the Aeverians moved in. With the Monarchy distracted, the fleet successfully flanked the Zaretians and crippled their forward-bases, throwing their logistics into disarray. When word reached Monarchy officers within Zetta Secundus, they turned their ships around and counterattacked. Though the Monarchy outnumbered the Aeverians 4 to 1, they were completely disorganized, with many ships coming piecemeal into the Aeverian firing line. Combined with the Aeveria's advanced subspace engines and long-range beam weapons, for which the Monarchy had no counter, the Zaretians were completely routed, suffering catastrophic losses while most Aeverian casualties were in damaged ships that could be repaired.

The Zaretian defeat at Zetta Secundus was the first major setback for the Warlord Pact. Due to the number of ships lost, the Zaretian front crumbled, forming a breach that forced both the Repzork and the Margan to fall back in an effort to close it, giving up captured territories in the process. The Zaretian admiralty board, having learned a hard lesson about the flaws in their doctrine, began the process of completely overhauling their navy. The Repzork aided them in their effort, providing them with resources and engineers, and when possible, spare vessels to act as a stopgap until the monarchy could replenish its numbers. For the Peacekeepers, it was a much needed boost in their morale, particularly for the Rach, and became immortalized in Peacekeeper media as the 'Miracle in Secundus'.

Magello
At the onset of the Great War, the Magello Empire found itself divided. The general populace, opposed to the Peacekeeper's stated goals and longing for a fight, pushed the government to join the Warlord Pact. Likewise, many government and military officials also wanted to join the Pact, as many of the organizations and people that had condemned the empire for the atrocities it had committed in past conflict had been absorbed into the Peacekeeper Alliance and now had the ability to take action against the Magello. But some individuals, most notably Emperor Zinmar and Captain Omard, were hesitant to take action. The two had come to regret many of the actions they had taken in the past, and feared that if they joined the Pact, such events would repeat themselves. Though they did fear Peacekeeper retribution, the Warlord's early advances in the war combined with the Karahotdoum's failed effort to stop them led the two to believe that the Peacekeepers would soon collapse, and therefore, the Magello did not need to intervene in the war.

Zinmar and Omard's views were challenged by the Battle of Zetta Secundus, which showed to them that the Peacekeepers had a real chance at winning the war, which could prove disastrous to the empire. This in turn led to the empire pushing harder on Zinmar and Omard to take action. With no other options left, Zinmar approached Warlord leaders to declare his support for their cause. The Pact readily accepted the Magello, who began immediate military mobilization and formally declared war against the Peacekeepers. Though small compared to other Pact members, the seasoned Magellan military, under the command of Omard, was deployed to territories lost following Zetta Secundus. They successfully repelled Peacekeeper forces across the region and helped the Pact regain the initiative; due to their efforts, Zetta Secundus itself soon fell under Pact control.

Though Emperor Zinmar publicly displayed support for the Warlords and their cause, his decision took a toll on him that worsened as time went on, culminating in the emperor falling into a state of depression as more Rach colonies were razed. The emperor isolated himself, keeping close to supporters such as Omard while gradually sliding from the public spotlight. This did not go unnoticed by other Pact leaders, who decided to keep close tabs on the monarch to watch for any signs of 'insubordination'.

Acropolan-Conkirite War
News of the Alliance's victory at Zetta Secundus stretched well beyond the boundaries of the war, catching the attention of many nations, most notably the Acropolan Republic and the Conkirite Empire. Once close allies, the two had been engaged in a fierce war following a coup that resulted in a tyrant taking control of Conkirite society. Both sides were evenly matched, and were seeking out ways to turn the tide. Following Zetta Secundus, the Acropolan reached out to the Peacekeepers, offering them economic and material support in exchange for help against the Conkirite. The Alliance promptly accepted their offer. When the Acropolan proclaimed their pledge to the Alliance, the Conkirites retaliated by reached out to the Warlords, offering the Pact what was at the time much needed resources in exchange for support. Like the Peacekeepers, the Pact agreed, and the Acropolan-Conkirite War became a front of the Great War. But even with the support of the two greater powers, neither the Acropolan nor the Conkirite were able to attain a clear advantage over the other, and the war remained a stalemate.

Infestation of Ozelion
Though the Biomatter were becoming a mounting threat as new hives continued to be discovered and more planets slowly succumbed to their spread, the Great War resulted in most of the great powers giving them little to no thought as they did not post any serious threat. This began to change following an infestation on the WBI-held colony of Ozelion. The spore, which originated from an infested frigate, landed in a lush tropical forest, providing more than enough biomass for an infestation to develop. WBI evacuated nearby settlements and established a quarantine zone around the hive to hold the swarm off until reinforcements could arrive. WBI machines held off the swarm for the next several hours, but were on the verge of complete collapse by the time a relief fleet arrived and bombed the hive from orbit, successfully eliminating the infestation.

Though not the first time a Biomatter infestation took place on a planet held by a great power, this particular infestation gained attention as rumors speculating that the Warlords were responsible began to spread among Peacekeeper news sources. Though the Warlords denied such rumors, an investigation was launched, but found no evidence to support the claim, instead concluding that the spore originated from a nearby infested planet. Later on, spores would begin to appear on other worlds, but most were swiftly repelled, perpetuating the belief among the great powers that the Biomatter were not a big enough threat to devote a large amount of resources to, though some officials would begin to have a change in heart as time progressed.

Invasion of Aserai
In the year following their humiliation at Zetta Secundus, the Zaretian admiralty had reconstructed much of their navy with brand new warships, tactical doctrines, and technology. Among the long list of improvements was a new FTL drive known as the Sprint Drive, a multi-core subspace engine that was capable of rapid maneuvers through subspace. The Sprint Drive was a result of the admiralty's efforts to counter the Aeveria's powerful beam weapons, which had proved to be the Monarchy's bane during and after Zetta Secundus. Combined with improved navigation, Zaretian warships were now capable of appearing out of subspace in front of an enemy vessel, unloading a volley from their guns, and then retreating before the enemy could retaliate. Some outsiders even speculated that the improvements allowed Zaretian vessels to tenuously plot multiple subsequent jumps through subspace, though whether this is true remains unclear.

Though many in the admiralty board were eager to get revenge on the Aeverians, the Monarchy decided that rather than risking a direct assault on the border blockade, they would instead attack the Dragoneteran Monarchy, a relatively small interstellar nation that was near Aeverian space that had recently pledged material and monetary aid to the Peacekeepers. The Monarchy believed that this would elicit an Aeverian response and allow the admiralty board to observe the resulting confrontation. The 3rd, 15th and 20th fleets, which had recently completed the refit, were sent to Dragoneteran space. The 15th and 20th stayed in reserve while the 3rd engaged the orbital defenses around Aserai. Part of the fleet jumped right into the Dragoneteran's rear flank, forcing ships from the front to turn around, opening the forward flank to the rest of the 3rd fleet, which swiftly swept through the defenders. Having attained orbital superiority over most of the planet and having no intention of holding it, the 3rd fleet began indiscriminately bombing cities and industrial centers on the surface.

The Dragoneterans sent out a distress signal, which as anticipated, caught the attention of the Aeverians, who sent the 27th fleet to assist. However, the 27th was intercepted by the Zaretian 15th and 20th fleets. After a brief but fierce engagement, the Aeverians were routed, and the 27th fleet retreated back to the border blockade. Shortly thereafter, a combined force of Rach and Aeverian ships were sent, and after several hours, finally repelled the monarchy from Aserai. Though arguably a Peacekeeper victory, the Monarchy saw it as a success as it showed the merit of their new doctrine. Additionally, the assault on Aserai crippled the Dragoneterans economically and militarily. Much of their army and navy now laid in ruins, and it would take years to rebuild the damage dealt to Aserai's population centers. Regardless, the Dragoneterans remained defiant, and officially began committing troops to the war effort following the attack, though due to their small numbers, they played only a minor role in the Zaretian front, with no action elsewhere.

Infestation of Dralix
The Dragioneteran colony of Dralix had ceased communication with the rest of the Monarchy during the assault on Aserai. With all available forces focused on the core worlds, there were no available ships to investigate the blackout, which was believed to have been caused by the Zaretians. Anticipating to find the colony in ruins, a small force was sent to Dralix followiong the retreat of Pact forces. Scans of Dralix's surface revealed that it had not been attacked by the Zaretians, but had instead been infested by Biomatter of Hive Apophis, which had enveloped much of the planet. Search teams were deployed across Dralix's former settlements to search for survivors, but within hours, they all disappeared. A number of ships subsequently attempted to leave, but were shot down after they did not respond to communication requests. One of the search terms eventually reestablished contact with command, explaining that they had flown too close to the ground and were pulled down by tendrils and needed immediate evacuation. A group of special operatives were sent down to retrieve them, and after fighting through several waves of Biomatter, the search team reached them and were extracted.

Initially, Dragoneteran high command wanted to bombard the planet so as to purge the infestation. But the king vetoed their decision, deciding instead to establish a permanent garrison around the planet so that the Biomatter could not escape. Samples taken from the surface were to be used for research into how the Biomatter functioned and how it could be eliminated.

Necraal Sovereignty
Though the Zaretians were primarily focused on the war, they were still expanding their reach elsewhere, albeit slowly, in an attempt to claim more resources to meet the growing demands of their military. During one of their many expeditions, the Monarchy was intercepted and promptly contacted by a Necraal fleet, who demanded to know why the Monarchy had entered their territory. Though some in the Zaretian fleet wanted to attack what they viewed as arrogant interlopers, the commanding officer ordered them to stand down and opted for diplomacy, not wanting to start what could have potentially been a new war front. The officer assured the Necraal that they were unaware that they had intruded and that they neither had the intentions nor the manpower for an invasion. The Necraal reluctantly believed the officer, and the Monarchy shortly thereafter established formal diplomatic channels with the Sovereignty.

In the ensuing weeks, the Monarchy would work to convince the Necraal to join the Warlord Pact. King Breys invited King Hor'or to Zartar to discuss the arrangement, and spoke of the threat the Peacekeepers posed to Hor'or's imperialist ambitions and those of his Modernists allies. Breys also convinced the king that, were the Peacekeepers to win, the Shamans that once controlled Necraal society could very likely come back to power and establish a pacifist government, one that would bend to the demands of those such as the Aeveria. Not wanting to see the Necraal once more at the mercy of outsiders, Hor'or offered his full support to the Pact and formally declared war against the Peacekeepers.

Most Necraal troops were deployed against the Karahotdoum and the Aeveria, as they were viewed as the greatest threats. However, there was a distinct cultural clash between the Pact and the Necraal, as some troops were troubled by some of the more disturbing aspect of their allies, such as the Monarchy's acceptance of slavery and the Repzork's practice of ritual sacrifice. Even as they were fighting for what they saw as the security of their empire, such practices sowed doubt as to whether they were truly on the right side, which would lead to some troops to defect to the Peacekeeper Alliance. A few of the defects would go on to reveal valuable technical and tactical information to the Alliance.

Elsewhere, some of the old Shamans, outraged by the Necraal's entrance into the war, tossed aside their pacifist ideals and became vigilantes, dubbing themselves the Virisus. Viewing themselves as nature's judgment for the Necraal's sins, they operate terrorist cells throughout the Sovereignty, bombing both military and civilian targets alike in their crusade to break down the Modernists and usher in a new Shaman age. Though some believe that the Virisus support the Peacekeepers, this is in fact not the case, as they have themselves declared that they support no side but their own.

The Necraal's admission into the Pact also captured the attention of the Kelmir, who became fascinated with the Sovereignty's mechanized walkers. The Kelmir promptly began to collaborate with Necraal engineers, producing new and sometimes better Warbot models than those used by their Peacekeeper-aligned counterparts. These new machines initially saw use alongside Necraal forces, but they eventually become a common auxiliary force in many Warlord fleets.

Dragoneteran-Tegotian War
Several months after the Zaretian assault on Aserai, Dragoneteran captain Delarus went missing while investigating what was reportedly an unidentified vessel adrift in space. After days of inconclusive searches, officials received a distress signal originating from the homeworld of the Bulorians, a young interstellar nation that had only recently established its first colony. A small rescue team was sent to investigate and soon located Delarus, who had been hiding in the outskirts of a largely abandoned Bulorian settlement for the past three weeks. The captain explained that the ship had actually been a trap set by an alien race known as the Tegotians, radical isolationist who attacked the captain because he had accidentally entered their territory. Deloran's vessel crash landed, leaving him the sole survivor. A few days later, a Tegotian invasion force arrived, swiftly defeating and enslaving the Bulorians, though not before the defenders were able to send a distress call. The Dragoneterans went to acquire intelligence on the occupation force but were soon discovered, forcing them to evacuate. Their findings were reported back to the Dragoneteran government, which while still in the process of rebuilding, had a strong desire to free the Bulorians and get revenge against the Tegotians for attacking Delarus. The Monarchy amassed what forces it could and launched an offensive at the Bulorian homeworld. Though the Tegotians correctly assumed that the Dragoneterans would attack, they were nevertheless defeated and driven off-world, leaving behind the now liberated Bulorians. Enraged by the Monarchy's interference in their affairs, the Tegotians left their self-imposed isolationism, declared themselves allies of the Warlord Pact, and began mobilization for war against the Dragoneterans. With major powers on both sides focused elsewhere, the Dragoneterans and Tegotians were left to fight on their own with little outside help.

Lacking the troops to protect all of their colonies, the Dragoneterans focused their defenses on Aserai and the surrounding core worlds. Outer colonies were either evacuated or defended by small units that harassed Tegotian invaders through guerilla tactics. From the perspective of the Tegotians, who were unaware of the previous attack on Aserai due to their isolation, this was confusing, as they were anticipating more resistance. Taking the initiative, the Tegotians quickened their offensive, hoping to quickly conclude the conflict before outsiders could intervene. In an attempt to stall them, the Dragoneterans devised an unorthodox plan. A sample of Biomatter was retrieved from Dralix and then synthesized into an airborne virus that was deployed at one of the Tegotian's forward operating bases. The virus proved to be far more potent that anticipated; the Tegotians were completely overwhelmed, and the resulting infestation managed to capture a small number of ships that then spread to nearby worlds, a few of which were former Dragoneteran holdings. The Monarchy attempted to cover up its involvement in the incident, but word soon reached the rest of the Peacekeepers, who harshly rebuked the Dragoneterans for what were seen as reckless and dangerous actions. The Aeveria were especially vocal, as they now had to deal with an infestation uncomfortably close to their borders. The Monarchy attempted to defend its actions, stating that it did not have the means to fight the Tegotians conventionally, but this did little to convince its angered allies. Under pressure from the Alliance, the Dragoneterans destroyed all remaining samples of the virus.

Nevertheless, the attack was successful in stalling the Tegotians for several weeks, giving the Dragoneterans time to prepare for future attacks. However, the Monarchy was forced to change its plans when the reigning monarch unexpectedly died. More troops were deployed to Aserai to bulk up security as the king's successor was crowned. Tegotian spies discovered the proceedings, and the Empire deployed what analysts have only been able to describe as its entire military to Aserai, hoping to cripple the Monarchy's military and government in one fell swoop. The Dragoneterans likewise recalled all of their troops to the homeworld, resulting in the largest confrontation between minor powers in the war. Though the Tegotians initially held the upper hand, Dragoneteran special forces dealt several decisive blows to the Tegotian chain of command. Unbeknownst to them, many of the officers killed were also political figures back in the mainland. Thus, as the military chain of command fractured, so too did the political body. Dragoneteran reinforcements were later able to encircle the Tegotian fleet, preventing them from maneuvering or escaping. Ultimately, the invading force fractured and fell apart, allowing the defenders to sweep through and capture stragglers. Now without an army and lacking many of its leaders, the Tegotian Empire collapsed into chaos as splinter factions arose to take advantage of the situation. Dragoneteran forces stepped in to help restore order, and with the help of the Aeverians, a Peacekeeper-aligned government, the Tegotian Republic, was established. With their main focus being rebuilding, the Tegotians formally withdrew from the war, though they are still required to pay reparations to the Dragoneterans for the conflict.

Though oftentimes overshadowed, the Dragoneterran-Tegotian war held political and military implications for both sides of the war. It was the first, and so far only, time that a belligerent is known to have weaponized the Biomatter, and serves as a cautionary tale as to why is far too risky to use in most circumstances. Following the victory at Aserai, the Alliance held a meeting to discuss the matter and formally agreed to ban the use of the Biomatter as a weapon, declaring it a war crime. Many wanted to charge the Dragoneterans, but since the rule did not exist at the time, and because the resulting infestation only harmed military personnel, the Monarchy narrowly avoided charges, but as well as destroying their remaining samples, they also had to destroy all research relating to the program. The attack was and still is frequently featured in Warlord propaganda to demonize and paint the Alliance as hypocrites. For the Peacekeepers, it also set a precedent for how defeated Warlords were to be treated. For the Warlords, it showed that they would need to cooperate more closely if they were to win, otherwise they would be picked off one by one.

Infestation of Rotunin and the founding of the Anti-Biomatter Task Force (ABTF)
Rotunin was an extensively urbanized corporate colony located in neutral space that had been established by a wealthy corporation almost a century prior to the start of the Great War. Making deals with both the Warlords and Peacekeepers and possessing little strategic value, the colony had been able to avoid the ravages of the war. Nevertheless, the world was well-fortified, possessing its own private military and an expansive orbital defense grid capable of holding its own against an invading force. Rotunin's defenses, along with its neutral status, made it a popular location for refugees and runaways to seek asylum. Unfortunately, Rotunin's sense of security was shattered when a derelict carrier seeded with a Biomatter spore was detected approaching the planet. The orbital defenses engaged the carrier, which charged ahead despite being severely damaged. The vessel broke apart in orbit, producing a shotgun like affect that spread wreckage -and Biomatter- across the densely-packed megalopolis. Rotunin erupted in panic, with citizens attempting to flee, but this only made them easy prey for the swarms, which developed into a vast hive that overran the defenders, forcing the survivors to completely abandon the planet.

Word of Rotunin's fall spread quickly through both Peacekeeper and Warlord media. It was and remains one of the most destructive infestations in known history, leading to the deaths of much of Rotunin's civilian population and the infection of potentially dozens of nearby systems via captured starships. Prior infestations had predominantly occurred on outer-rim worlds with small populations and minimal defenses, leading most to believe that the Biomatter were not a serious existential threat, a notion that had now been proven to be a severe miscalculation. Peacekeeper leaders called for a meeting to discuss the matter, and after a few days of deliberation, declared the destruction of the Biomatter to be a part of their mission. Pooling their resources together, the Alliance established the Anti-Biomatter Task Force, or ABTF, a specialized multi-racial task force that had the task of studying and exterminating the Biomatter wherever they appeared. While officially a Peacekeeper organization, the ABTF accepts members and donations outside of the Alliance, save for those associated with the Warlord Pact.

The Warlords did not create their own specialized task force, but many Pact members did begin developing means to combat the swarms, often creating their own specialized units in the process. A few, such as the Necraal and Repzork, went as far as to establish strict policies forbidding their troops from engaging ABTF members without a justified cause. Copy-cat task forces mimicking the ABTF sprung up in many locations across neutral space, but without the funding or manpower of the ABTF, most dissolved, and only a small few have managed to rise to prominence.

The Skrey
Having recently been unified under one of the more progressive great clans, the Skrey invaded an isolated Minomit colony, hoping to claim some of the Minomit's technology for use in their military. Though Warbot forces were technologically superior to the invaders, most of their troops were fighting elsewhere, leaving few to defend against the brutish and aggressive Skrey, who came at them in vast numbers. Having been backed into a corner, the Minomits surrendered, and the Skrey allowed them to live so long the Minomits paid taxes in the form of resources and equipment. Shortly thereafter, the Skrey invaded and conquered the Minomit colony of Cawmuth. Their steady advance into Minomit space caught the attention of the Repzork, who began to monitor them to determine whether an alliance was feasible.

Elsewhere in Skrey space, spores originating from Hive Cronen began landing on Skrey colonies, starting with an arid colony where the outpost of Heatwave was located. Like many before them, the Skrey were overrun in their initial engagements, but due to the shoddy and primitive nature of most Skrey starships, the Biomatter had a difficult time commandeering vessels without breaking them, slowing their spread. The Repzork, seeing an opportunity, stepped in, offering to help the Skrey deal with the infestation. Though initially wanting nothing to do with the intruders, Skrey officers begrudgingly agreed, opening the door to diplomacy between the two races. Repzork officials got in touch with the leading great clan and offered them a deal. The Skrey would become a member of the Warlord Pact and join in the war against the Peacekeepers, which through their attacks against the Minomit, they were at war with either way, and the Repzork would ensure that the great clan would remain in power as long as they remained loyal to the Pact. The great clan agreed to the terms, and the Repzork and Zaretians began promptly sending the Skrey weapons and equipment as well as 'peacekeeping forces' to help the clan enforce its rule. Many Skrey, particularly those of rival clans, initially opposed the decision to join the Pact, but were swayed by promises of glory, weapons, land, and an expansive propaganda campaign that painted the Peacekeepers as a bigger threat.

The Skrey were found to have great potential, as their sheer strength and durability made them excellent shock troops and heavy weapons specialists. However, with the exception of some of the great clans, the Skrey did not possess the logistics or ships necessary for deploying and supplying armies on the scale needed for the war; and due to the dim-witted nature of the average Skrey, they only understood basic tactics, and had little mind for grand strategy. Repzork and Zaretian officials stepped in to fill the void, creating doctrines for the clans and providing their troops with logistical support. As a result, Skrey seldom fought entirely on their own, instead acting as an auxiliary force to Warlord fleets. They were most often dropped right on top of Peacekeeper positions via orbital drop, allowing them to wreck havoc and soften the defenders before Pact forces moved in.

Operation Stormbreaker & the Asanian Syndicate
With more and more of their colonies falling under Warlord control, the Rach became desperate in their efforts to find a way to turn the tide. Though officials such as General Gorach continued to call for a complete overhaul of the Rach's military doctrine, the Empire instead focused on finding more nations that would rally behind the Peacekeeper cause. A number of minor powers had been found and recruited, but they lacked the manpower or resources to push back the Pact's advance. With the Zaretians having gained considerable ground following their success at Aserai, the Rach expanded their search and began considering nations that they would have otherwise ignored. It was during this time that explorers discovered the Empire of Diablos. The Diabloian's impressive military and honor-bound culture appealed to many within the Alliance, but others were skeptical, finding their thirst for battle and general demeanor off-putting. They also feared about the possibility of betrayal and the impact the Diabloians could have on the Peacekeeper's Public image. Ultimately, it was Gorach, with the full support of Aeverian High Command, who broke the tie, convincing the Alliance that the Diabloians could be instrumental in turning the war around. Those who still disagreed begrudgingly fell in line shortly thereafter.

A diplomatic envoy was sent to Diabloian space to open negotiations. The empire provided the diplomats a warm reception and, to the surprise of a few of the diplomats, were more than willing to talk. In the ensuing meeting, the diplomats explained the Great War and the precarious position the Alliance, especially the Rach, found themselves in. They also provided information on the Warlords and the various atrocities that they had committed prior to and during the war. The Diabloians, moved by the Peackeeper's plight, but more notably eager for a fight with what they now saw as both worthy and dishonorable opponents, joined the Alliance and dedicated the Outer Fleet, under the command of Admiral Korsair, to the war effort.

After three months of planning, the Peacekeepers initiated Operation Stormbreaker, an ambitious offensive with the goal of repelling Pact forces across all fronts. Acting as the vanguard, the Outer Fleet struck first, their shock tactics and unprecedented combination of armor and firepower overwhelming the Warlords and punching several holes in their front lines, allowing Peacekeeper forces to move in and attack exposed positions and logistics infrastructure. Pact forces were devastated by the combined assault, suffering more casualties in the first few weeks of the offensive than at any previous point in the war. Thousands more troops and vehicles were also captured, most having been encircled and cut off from help in the chaos of the opening battles. Now faced with the real possibility of Peacekeeper troops spilling into their territories, Pact leaders ordered their troops to withdraw to more defensible positions, with the exception of the Margan, who instead launched a suicidal counterattack to cover their allies' retreat. Using what time they were given, Warlord troops dug in, preparing to hold their positions as they awaited reinforcements and supplies.

As the Sauran wing of Stormbreaker was advancing, one of their fleets came across a world that was in the process of being strip-mined by an unknown alien race. The Sauran admiral, a devout member of the Sustainers of Nature, ordered his men to deploy to the planet, of which 20% of the surface had been rendered uninhabitable, to put a stop to the alien's operations. A small strike team was deployed to disable an anti-air battery so that reinforcements could land. The guns were destroyed, but the aliens retaliated almost immediately and in vast numbers, pushing the Sauran back to their landing zone. Unable to advance and at risk of being overwhelmed, the Sauran activated a distress signal which caught the attention of a nearby Diabloian task force, which moved to support the Sauran. The Kastalians, who had been silently monitoring the situation, also intervened. After another round of fighting, the combined Peacekeeper assault successfully repelled the aliens from the planet. The aliens, calling themselves Asanians, vowed vengeance against the intruders, warning the Peacekeepers that their mistake had cost them their future.

Less than a week later, Margan troops of the Orion Dynasty launched an attack against a distant Diabloian colony to draw Diab troops away from the front. Margan forces under the command of Archon Chora landed outside of one of the colony's settlements but ran into abnormally stiff resistance, as if the colonist had been prepared for their arrival. Undaunted, the Margan continued their advance until they reached the settlement, only to learn that it had been destroyed by the Asanians, who were also invading the planet, and unbeknownst to the Margan, had been monitoring their progress since their arrival. A brief skirmish took place as the Margan indiscriminately attacked the few Asanians in the colony. After the Margan had eliminated what remained of the Diab's defenses, the Asanians approached the Margan, inviting Archon Chora to an undisclosed location within the colony's capital discuss a potential partnership, as while the Asanians themselves were wary of the idea of an alliance, they saw many similarities between themselves and the Margan, and believed that an alliance could benefit the Syndicate. Chora, despite the suspicions of some of those under her command, agreed to speak, and took a small force with her while the rest of her troops stayed behind to engage targets elsewhere. Talks progressed rapidly, with Chora and the Asanian representative agreeing to formalize an alliance and induct the Syndicate into the Warlord Pact and join their fight against the Peacekeepers, the Asanians viewing Alliance ideologies as a threat to their own. Their discussion was interrupted when Diabloian reinforcements arrived and stormed the city. Chora and the representative escaped, though Warlord forces were soon driven off of the planet.

Margan and Asanian forces continued to engage the Diabloians both in their own territory and in contested space for weeks afterward, diverting troops and resources away from Stormbreaker. Nevertheless, Alliance troops were eventually able to repel them, and fighting resumed in earnest as the Diabloian resumed the offensive. Warlord commanders did everything they could to slow down the Allies; vehicles had been fitted with more powerful guns and extra layers of armor while soldiers were provided more heavy weapons. These efforts saw limited success, and once more, the Diabloians began to break through. However, by now the Diabloians had begun to lose their momentum. Fighting on multiple fronts, harassment from the Margan and Asanians, and the speed at which they had advanced within the first few months of fighting had put mounting strain on what was now a fragile logistics network. Likewise, though they had dealt heavy blows to Pact forces, they had taken considerable losses of their own, and most troops had been replaced by less experienced recruits, resulting in a loss of tactical capability.

Taking a page from the Margan and Asanian's efforts, Pact commanders began to significantly alter their strategy. For much of the war, the Pact, though sharing resources and technology, had been fighting independently, with little direct support from the rest of the Pact unless the need called for it. This allowed the Pact to cover more ground in the opening stages of the war, but with the Diabloians, it became clear that this strategy was holding the Warlords back. They instead combined their forces and modified their doctrines to work off of each other. This first became obvious in the naval war. Margan forces would engage the Diabloians first, acting as a shield for the Necraal and Repzork. Zaretian ships, helpless on their own in the face of Diab starships, remained in the back line, using their long-range rail cannons until a Diab ship became vulnerable, where they would then move in, deal the death blow, and fall back. On the ground, Citadel Walkers, ST-47 Oltavars, Titans, and recently introduced Zaretian Brutes worked in unison, halting the advance of the once unstoppable Diabloian army. The Pact also adopted some of the tactics of the Rach, deploying small, specialized units, such as the Repzork's newly-developed Vatanis-class frigate, to hinder and disrupt the Diab's already-strained supply lines.

With their logistics at the breaking point and casualties mounting at a quickening pace, the Peacekeepers ordered a halt to Stormbreaker, their troops retreating to more defensible positions until the strategic situation improved. The failure of the operation saw a sharp drop in Peacekeeper morale, with some Rach going as far as to say that the war was utterly hopeless. The Warlords used the opportunity to build their troops back up and prepare their next move.

While the Asanians had played what many viewed as a vital role in causing Operation Stormbreaker to fail, their inclusion into the Warlord Pact was not without controversy. To some, namely the Repzork, Necraal, and Magello, the Asanians could not be trusted due to their extreme aggression and xenophobia. Like the Margan, they were seen as temporary allies, and thus, would almost certainly become a problem after the war. Some took solace in the Asanian's hyperactivity, believing that their system was unsustainable and that it would collapse upon itself before the Syndicate could become an issue.

Year Five: Operations Sledgehammer & Downfall
The Rach had been largely uninvolved in Operation Stormbreaker. Though they provided intelligence and harassed Pact positions, their military was near the brink of collapse, and was almost completely incapable of fighting on a large scale. Most troops had stayed behind to guard what remained of the empire, hoping that Stormbreaker would bring an end to the war. But with the operation's failure and Peacekeeper forces in full retreat, the Rach were now exposed, and the only thing that stood between Norsus and the Pact was the stealth generators scattered throughout the inner-rim colonies that concealed the Norsus system. But Rach command, with the knowledge attained from Station SRD72 years prior, knew that it was only a matter of time before the generators were targeted. If they were to fall, Norsus would be revealed, and the empire would undoubtedly be wiped out.

Two weeks after the Peacekeepers had retreated, High Priestess Massachiah summoned Pact leaders to Holy Thereia to discuss the fate of the Rach. Despite the losses from Stormbreaker, the Pact was eager for vengeance, and had retained more than enough manpower to launch a counterattack of its own. The Warlords initially planned to launch an overwhelming assault targetting the Rach, aiming to bring down the stealth generators and Norsus in one swift blow that would essentially 'decapitate' Peacekeeper leadership. But this plan was soon rejected as, while most believed the operation would be successful, it would invite immediate retaliation from the rest of the Alliance, leading to potentially catastrophic losses. It was also felt by some that eliminating the Rach would not entirely cripple the Alliance, and therefore, the assault had to be larger in scope.

Weeks of planning would lead to the development of the two-phase offensive, Operation Downfall. The first phase, code named Sledgehammer, would see the largest mobilization of Pact forces since the start of the war. These troops would be deployed in one vast offensive targeting the most powerful members of the Peacekeeper Alliance and would have the goal of tying down Alliance forces and causing as much death and destruction as possible, essentially 'bleeding' the Peacekeepers dry of materiel and soldiers while forces operating in Rach space hunt down and eliminate the stealth generators in what would be code named suboperation Pierce the Veil. Once the generators were eliminated, the second phase, Downfall, or the invasion of Norsus, would be commenced.

For Operation Sledgehammer, each front was divided into "wings" that each focused on a separate target. Each wing was accompanied by a Margan Dynasty.


 * Admiral Kiryusa Luok, General Varthos, Commandant Scy'the, and Generals Alo'Kizan and Ni'Vola would be deployed against the Aeveria.


 * Lord Atlas, General Likana Raldalvi and Admiral Vilotr Akuru, Captain Omard, and General Iliva would be deployed against the Empire of Diablos.


 * General Siveris Halz and Admiral Xatka Yuvaki, Commandant Var, Grand Beyir Yalacin, War Chief Bhatuzorig, and General Apulon would be deployed against the Karahotdoum. While the bulk of Skrey forces would be deployed here, each wing of Sledgehammer retained an auxiliary Skrey force.


 * Datyl Vexen, General Ganos, and Markila Farshot would be deployed against the Sauran Solidarity.


 * General Halteus Drethor and Admiral Nerea Vukard, Crown Prince Bael'thir Anduish'ent'mar, and General Turos would be deployed against WBI.


 * General Gusavig Wazari and Admiral Triladak Falser, Generals Gancarda and Peacha, and General Azakiah would would be deployed against the Rach.

Roughly four months after the end of Stormbreaker, Sledgehammer was initiated with the Pact launching each wing simultaneously.

Assault on the Aeveria Border Blockade
The Aeveria Confederation presented a unique problem to the Warlords. Throughout the war, few large-scale attacks had been carried out against the Aeverian mainland. This left them as the most militarily powerful Peacekeeper, with more than enough experienced reserve units to defend their territory and to support Norsus in the event of an invasion. In order to sufficiently tie the Aeveria down, the wing needed to be both vast in size and quick in movement so as to breach the blockade before a proper defense could be established. Thus, the Aeverian wing became the largest naval armada in Sledgehammer, comprised of fleets from Golden Blade and Holy Dynasties, Repzork, Necraal, and the Zaretians. There was also a debate as to whether or not the Pact should attempt to hold any territory it captured or if it should instead bombard any and all colonies so as to deny the Aeverians resources. Given the Aeveria wing was seen as having the greatest chance at failure, it was decided that any and all settlements were to be bombarded, and few if any ground forces would be committed unless deemed necessary.

Pact forces first attacked Aeverian frontier worlds that were outside the protection of the blockade. With overwhelming numbers and firepower, they overpowered local militia fleets and subsequently began bombarding civilian and military facilities. Unable to stem the tide, militia forces focused on evacuating as many civilians as they could and retreating deeper into Aeveria space. The 3rd, 47th, 290th, and 195th Aeverian fleets were dispatched from the blockade, but with the Warlords advancing rapidly and numerous worlds falling under siege, they were unable to launch a counterattack, instead devoting their resources to protecting ships that were fleeing the region and helping the militias to evacuate the region. This gave the Pact time to establish a supply line in preparation for the next phase of the assault.

Invasion of the Empire of Diablos
Though the Empire of Diablos had depleted itself during Operation Stormbreaker and was in no position to deploy any major offensives anytime soon, the Pact still considered the Diabs to be a potentially significant obstacle in invading Norsus and took a proactive view towards them, aiming to cripple their efforts in the war before they could organize another attack. Additionally, many within the Pact sought revenge against the Diabs, and wanted little more than to spill Diab blood. To these ends, with the exception of Captain Omard, the officers selected to lead the Diab wing of Sledgehammer were those who were seen to be capable of fighting the Diabs on equal footing with little to no regard for collateral damage or civilian life. The officers planned to "bleed Diablos dry" by launching a multi-pronged offensive into Diab space and establishing a foothold from which future offensives could be launched deeper into Diab territory. So long as the foothold remained, the Diabs would be forced to devote troops to attacking it, diminishing the empire's offensive capabilities. After some reconnaissance, the officers decided to attack a region of Diab space that was contributing a large number of recruits and material to the Outer Fleet.

Pact forces made contact with the Diabs around the urbanized colony of Sevethos, as later at Alvainos, Neheldos, Sakanos, and other outer-rim settlements. The Warlords obtained orbital superiority over much of Sevethos and Alvainos and began landing troops before the bulk of the Diab's reinforcements arrived. Sevethos was hardest hit by the first wave, with the Repzork employing an Ikatan Platform and the recently-developed ODV-3 Vasekar. Warlord forces made rapid gains across most fronts, but suffered an embarrassing setback at Alvainos, where the Diab's subterranean settlements gave them a distinct advantage against invaders despite being significantly outnumbered. Nevertheless, most colonies hit by the first wave gradually fell, and as the offensive advanced, reserve forces moved in to establish fortified positions.

The offensive converged upon the world of Baltreos, a highly developed colony considered to be a sort of capitol for the surrounding region. Having had time to prepare, Diab forces put up fierce resistance which was met with equal aggression by the Pact, leading to one of the single most destructive confrontations in Operation Sledgehammer. Both sides poured a significant amount of troops into the engagement, which largely consisted of street-to-street and room-to-room fighting as Pact forces advanced through Baltreos' urban centers. In an attempt to divert Diab attention, the Pact launched an attack against the nearby world of Falkeos, which acted as a military training and production center. But despite Falkeos suffering a prolonged crystal bombardment by the Margan and substantial damage to its infrastructure, the Diabs were able to repel the attackers. Nevertheless, the diversion was sufficient for the Warlords to finally overwhelm and defeat Baltreos' defenders. The planet would become the Warlord's headquarters for their efforts in the sector.

The loss of Baltreos and the chaos at Falkeos temporarily knocked local Diab forces into disarray, opening more colonies to Warlord incursions. But the Warlords soon suffered a major setback at Veos, where Diab forces were able to cripple the Repzork's Ikatan Platform, forcing them to scuttle the vessel. Combined with mounting Diab reinforcements from within the mainland and news of the Rach's defenses crumbling, the Warlords decided to initiate a strategic retreat back to the foothold before they stretched themselves thin, but not before initiating a scorched earth policy that saw colonies bombarded with crystals and munitions. The Diabs chased the Warlords and attempted to repel them from the foothold, but were forced to withdraw after weeks of bloody and fruitless fighting.

Invasion of the Karahotdoum Empire
Throughout the war, though the Repzork and Reaper's Fist had been able to hold the bulk of the Karahotdoum empire at bay, they had been unable to advance very far themselves up until Necraal reinforcements arrived. With the Margan and Repzork holding the line, Necraal shock forces scored several victories against the Magistrate. But the Karahotdoum were finally able to punch through the Warlord's defenses during Stormbreaker, and even after the Peacekeeper retreat, managed to retain some of the territory they had captured during the offensive. Sledgehammer's goal for the Karahotdoum wing was to reclaim the lost territory, reestablish a defensive line, and deal a blow to the magistrate's logistics. To achieve this, the Kara wing focused heavily on shock and awe tactics and mechanized warfare.

With Titans acting as a vanguard, the Necraal and Repzork engaged the Karahotdoum directly, General Apulon establishing a back line from which the Margan would continually pelt Karahotdoum positions with biological weapons. Eventually, the Margan paused their bombardment, giving time for both Grand Beyir Yalacin and War Chief Bhatuzorig's forces to drop directly on top of the Karahotdoum. The assault shattered the Karahotdoum's front-line within a few weeks of fighting, forcing them to retreat back to their pre-Stormbreaker positions as Pact forces advanced. The Warlords pushed the initiative, with Var, Yalacin, and Bhatuzorig pushing through gaps in the Kara's defenses while the Repzork and Margan kept the bulk of their troops tied up at the front. Striking at their supply chains, the Pact cut off Karahotdoum forces from the rest of the Magistrate, leaving them stranded. Some surrendered or were captured, but many instead fought to the death or were slaughtered in the ensuing skirmishes.

With the Karahotdoum's forces scattered, the Pact turned its attention to the mainland. Numerous colonies were first bombarded with Reaper plague munitions, sometimes severely weakening the defenders before ground forces moved in to secure the planet. This method slowed the advance, much to the annoyance of Bhatuzorig, but was undeniably effective, especially in the first few months of fighting, during which a number of colonies were captured or reduced to poisoned, crystallized wastelands. Fighting continued throughout the Magistrate's outer colonies and into the middle rim until the activation of Operation Downfall, when Warlord forces retreated to defensive positions.

Invasion of WBI
By this point in the war, Warbot Industries was in rapid decline. The need to not only replace their losses, but also to expand their forces to support the Alliance, combined with colonies having been lost to Pact forces throughout the war and growing harassment from increasingly emboldened Kelmir had put tremendous strain on Warbot Industries' economy, which was unprepared for the sheer scale and length of the war. Unrest rose as a few officials began to call for the Minomits to formally withdraw from the war and sue for peace so that they could rebuild. Others shifted their allegiance to the Pact, either to ensure their own safety or because they felt as though the Peacekeepers had let them down. Desperate, Warbot Industries had deployed the vast majority of its remaining Warbots during Operation Stormbreaker, only for the bulk of them to be destroyed as the operation drew to a close, dealing a crippling blow to their economy as they were now close to depleting their available resources.

Due to a mixture of his seniority and influence from King Hor'or, Crown Prince Bael'thir Anduish'ent'mar was given overall command of the Warbot Wing. Though the prince publicly took the position with dignity, in private he was upset, as he sought to prove himself worthy of the throne by earning glory on the battlefield, particularly against the Karahotdoum. Hor'or, wanting to keep the crown prince safe, instead put Commandant Var in charge of the Karahotdoum front. Bael'thir felt that fighting the weakened Minomits would be insufficient to proving himself; nevertheless, he resolved to not only defeat the Warbots, but to utterly devastate them to the point that they would be unable to continue fighting in the war. He devised a bold plan to have Turos' forces invade the Minomit homeworld of Oruin while Necraal and Repzork forces assaulted the Minomit's inner-rim colonies.

Turos struck first. With most of Warbot Industries' forces focused in surrounding colonies, Oruin's orbital defenses were quickly overrun and the Margan made landfall, focusing their attention on the desolate planet's terraforming stations. As WBI reinforcements arrived in the system, Bael'thir and Nerea Vukard's forces moved in, and combined with the Margan, encircled and eliminated a large portion of WBI's remaining naval fleet. With orbital superiority achieved across much of the region, Halteus Drethor initiated his attack on the core worlds alongside the Necraal, and was later joined by Turos once the campaign on Oruin was complete. Mining and production centers were bombarded first, cutting off WBI's flow of machines. With most unable to fight on their own, the Minomit were helpless, and most either died or were abducted by the Repzork or Necraal to be brought back to their respective empires. The rest attempted to flee to the other Peacekeepers, though some of the ships were intercepted.

By the end of Operation Sledgehammer, WBI had been reduced to a few scattered and disorganized colonies. Oruin was once more an uninhabitable husk, the inner-rim had fallen to the Pact, the bulk of the population was now gone, and the military was reduced to a few scattered pockets of resistance. Bael'thir had been planning to hunt down and eliminate the remaining resistance when Downfall was initiated, prompting him to maintain his current position. Though lauded as a major success by the rest of the Pact, Bael'thir was criticized by the Kelmir, who had wanted to overthrow and take over WBI society. The crown prince silenced some of his critics when he promised to help the Kelmir build a new home for the Minomit once the war had ended.

Operation Pierce the Veil, the Magellan Insubordination, & Operation Downfall
Shortly before Sledgehammer commenced, General Gorach was given the task of defending Norsus' stealth generators. At the time of his appointment, the situation was dire; the generators' defenders were both undermanned and ill equipped even by Rach standards, many of their troops and resources having been spent in the war. Correctly concluding that an attack on the generators was imminent, Gorach collaborated with Commander Cloudreaver, leader of the Skyborn Legions, as well as various Alliance officials to completely overhaul the generator's defenses into what informally became known as the "Gorach-Cloudreaver Line". Gorach relocated most of the generators' original garrison, most of whom had seen little combat, deeper into Rach territory and had them replaced with veteran soldiers, particularly those who agreed with Gorach's unorthodox methods and felt that the Rach's traditional style of fighting was insufficient. The general was also granted a number of auxiliary battalions from the Peacekeepers, and despite the controversy, employed a small number of former Pact soldiers who had defected to the Alliance and who had pledged to protect the Rach from the aggression of their former masters. A number of Kastalians also stepped forward to help. Likewise, due to the dwindling number of Rach weapons and armor, Rach soldiers were predominantly equipped with Alliance weapons and armor as well as equipment stolen from the Warlords during Operation Stormbreaker including, most notably, two Zaretian citadel walkers, which were each deployed at separate generators. Pact defectors acted as consultants when able, teaching their new allies on how to best make use of their equipment. The auxiliaries were to act as the main line of defense, establishing fortifications and engaging threads directly while Rach forces stationed in strategic positions harassed, flanked, and ambushed invaders.

At the onset of Sledgehammer, Pact forces were unaware of Gorach's reforms, and believed that the generators would be protected only by what remained of the Rach's military. As a result, the Rach wing of Sledgehammer was the smallest, with only the Margan contributing a substantial number of troops, the Repzork and Zaretians having sent the bulk of their available forces to the other wings. The Rach wing was also comprised chiefly of troops trained and equipped specifically to counter traditional Rach strategies. Due to their limited numbers, the wing's commanders decided to attack the generators one at a time rather than all at once, so as to not spread their numbers thin and leave their logistics vulnerable to harassment.

Warlord Invasion of Betel
Following the ascension of High Chancellor Visas Jorental, the Betel were in a process of total mobilization driven on his jingoist Military Proliferation Act. These measures were justified as necessary to combat the aggression of Xeverran encroachments on Betel worlds. While nowhere near a significant power, they had previously established strong economic ties with a multitude of Peacekeeper nations thanks to the activities of previous High Chancellor Corim Decutuk. Warlord Leadership was of the belief that should the Betel choose to take a side in the Great War, it would be alongside the Peacekeepers they already held ties to. Even should they remain neutral, the production of war materials was on the rise and surplus would inevitably find its way into the hands of the Peacekeepers they were invested in. As a preventative measure, the Pact resolved to intervene while the Recycler government had only just begun war efforts. Zaretian operatives were dispatched to sabotage Recycler sensors along a corridor leading to the home planet of Betel. This mission was a success, but some of the operatives were captured when they began work on disabling key installations on the homeworld. With the Recyclers becoming wise to the intentions of the Zaretians, the expeditionary fleet began storming towards their target with all haste. Arriving in time, the Zaretians caught the poorly-organized Recycler military unprepared and a land assault was launched on the planet. Drawing on the traditions of the previous invasion of Betel by the Doisu decades earlier, a fierce resistance was put up, and the need for speed had left Monarchy forces less cohesive than intended. After a handful of vicious skirmishes, the Zaretians were pushed back. Sky Spear forces had arrived and succeeded in disrupting Zaretian transport operations, and the Monarchy pulled out, escaping relatively unmolested thereafter.

Fearing reprisal, the Recycler government sought to negotiate with the enemies of the Pact, the Peacekeeper Alliance. A meeting was brokered by the Luminarian Rebels, but word on the meeting was leaked to Warlord intelligence by the Wolnch Authority, who were threatened by the Recycler militarization after they had supported the Doisu against the Betel during the war. They feared that if they had the backing of the Peacekeeper juggernaut, the Recyclers would be more bold in their aggression. Syndicate assassins were contracted out to disrupt the meeting, and were able to wipe out the Luminarian delegation. The Betel delegation had not yet arrived and so escaped harm, and were able to use this attack to justify their entry into the Peacekeeper Alliance in addition to their existing economic influence. The Wolnch Authority would ultimately successfully seek membership with the Warlord Pact, disillusioned with the Peacekeepers hypocrisy and threatened by looming Betel aggression.