Timeline of the Great Kesh War



The following is a timeline of major events during the Great Kesh War.

July

 * July 26: Kodeshi leadership responded to growing tension with Guurdalai by nationalising its oil fields and transferring it to the Kodeshi National Authority. On the same day that the oil fields were nationalised Kodeshia also closed its border with Guurdalai and forcefully attempted to expel the remaining Guurdalai garrison. Kodeshi military were forced to engage them militarily, and allowing the Ündserkheg to declare the resultant fighting a threat to region stability as well as their economic interests.
 * July 27: Ündserkheg government of Guurdalai declares war on Kodeshia and closes it border as small border skirmishes break out all the way along the border.

October

 * October 30-31: Guurdalai forces invades Kodeshia for control of oil fields with, a three-pronged operation aimed at the Zhuji, Malipo, and central oil fields of the plains. Invading forces encountered hastily setup trenches, barbed wire, and minefields along the border. However, these positions were poorly defended, and in some areas incomplete and were overrun in the first few hours.

November

 * November 3-8: Kodeshi air defences shoot down nine Guurdalai aircraft. Several tank battles took place, and Guurdalai troops encountered fierce resistance, and it took them several days to gain control of the border regions. As Kodeshi conduct an orderly retreat.
 * November 9: Facing a dire situation as the front begins to collapse along the southeastern sectors, Kodeshia begins scorched earth policies against the invading Guurdalai forces. Kodeshi military forces set fire to hundreds of oil wells along oil-filled low-lying areas, such as oil lakes and fire trenches, as part of a scorched earth policy while retreating from invading Guurdalai forces.
 * November 12: Heavy smoke and fumes delay invading forces, as a Guurdalai air transport crashed due to heavy smoke plumes from the oil fires.
 * November 17: The Altis Skirmish occurs between Alvak and Kodeshi forces as Kodeshi reinforcements accidentally cross the Alvak-Kodeshi border. Alvak forces win.
 * November 20: Chancellor Armaan Stahlberg of Alvakalia declares war on Kodeshia :Beifang declared war on Alvakalia in support of Kodeshia but for the time being remains neutral with Guurdalai.
 * November 22: Kodeshia starts a counter-attack against the Guurdalai near Zhuji in Beishan province.
 * November 28: The smoke screens created by the oil fires allowed Kodeshi armour forces to achieve the element of surprise and successful stall advances in the first battle of Zhuji along with increasing the general fog of war.

December

 * December 31: Bakanese navy forces meet the naval forces of Alvakalia at the Battle of Kap Adler. The battle is a pyrrhic victory for the Bakanese. The Alvak Kriegsmarine is forced to go on the defence for the rest of the war.

January

 * January 8: By the end of the initial Guurdalai opening offensive major oil fields, cities and provinces on the border were capture along with heavy losses on Kodeshi military equipment and lives.
 * January 9: First major Kodeshi counter offensive begins as the Kodeshi forces engage along the whole front.
 * January 10:Beifang declares war on Guurdalai.
 * January 14: The oil fires burned out of control because of the dangers of sending in firefighting crews during the war. Kodeshi forces had been placed land mines in areas around the oil wells and military demining was necessary before the fires could be put out.

March

 * March 21: Siege of Songhari begins with Guurdalai forces attempting to capture the captial as the people of Kodeshia rallied around their country and boosted troop numbers.

May

 * May 4: Alvak Kriegsplan Gelb (War Plan Yellow) is activated. Troops on the flanking sides of the mountain front advance, leaving the safety of the Kebi Line and into enemy territory. The northern troop regiments attempted to link up with Guurdalai forces and relieve the stress put onto them by the large Kodeshi invasion force, but was prevented due to the distance of which Guurdalai forces were pushed back, and the late attack caused by poor weather. However, they did accomplish one objective; disrupt enemy forces. The Kebi Line would continue to upgrade itself, even after the mostly failed attack.
 * May 5: Due to poor weather the northern Alvak regiments begin the attack today. They achieve some significant gains along the front, albeit mostly uninhabited mountainous areas. They do not reach and link up with Guurdalai forces.
 * May 8: Kodeshi mountain forces finally engage Alvak troops along the Kebi Line at the Battle of the Kujing Pass. The battle ends in a Kodeshi victory. Alvak forces are forced to dig in.

June

 * June 3: End of the Siege of Songhari, this saw the prevention of Guurdalai from taking its capital.
 * June 4: Although plans were made by Guurdalai to renew the attack on Songhari poor weather conditions from the oil fires bogged down units at the border and renewed attacks by Bakanese forces in the north took the initiative.

July

 * July 13:

September

 * September 9: The last of the oil fires had been extinguished after causing massive loss of income to the Kodeshi economy and widespread pollution to the area but crucially delaying Guurdalai forces by some ten months and denying them the oil.

December

 * December 21: Combined operations operations between Beifang and Kodeshia were threatened as new offensive by Guurdalai pushed forwards as weather conditions with the oil fires extinguished.

February

 * 17 February: The Battle of Kareta Bay occurs between Bakanese and Alvak ships. It ended as a victory for the Kriegsmarine, as a Bakanese heavy cruiser was boarded and captured, another destroyed, trading the two for an Alvak destroyer and several patrol boats being sunk.

March

 * March 2: Battle of Dünenbruch occurs. LNEF forces numbering in the hundreds are encircled in the town of Dünenbruch by Bakanese forces and are forced to make a last stand. Camel cavalry from the 3. Division outside the encirclement manage a break through and rescue what is left of the LNEF men. Kholak commander Levkin Alexei Stepanovich, who led the encircled detachment, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, one of only 137 to be awarded during the Kesh War.

April

 * April 2: Kodeshi forces prevent Guurdalai offensive from linking up with Alvakalian forces to cut the vital supply lines from Beifang into Kodeshia.
 * April 3: The Siege of Bohai begins as Kodeshi forces engage the attack Guurdalai units
 * April 4: Kodeshia launches air campaigns against Alvakalia in the hopes of reaching a settlement.

June

 * June 2: All probing counteroffensives fail in the south as Anbei and Beishan remain under control of Guurdalai.
 * June 15-16: Alvak forces on the Kebi Line attempt to break out in the battle of Zhongshan. A stalemate occurs due to a strong Kodeshi defence.

September

 * 16-20 September: Alvak forces on the far-western frontlines attempt a widespread counterattack. It fails, but it does disrupt Kodeshi supply lines for the rest of the month.

November

 * November 24: The Xinyang Raid occurs. A joint Bakanese-Kodeshi bomber squadron bombs Alvastadt. The Bundestag is burnt down in the ensuing fire.
 * November 28: The Kleinteufel Raid occurs in retaliation of the Xinyang Raid. Songhari is bombed.

January

 * January 30: Battle of Xijin in the north halted the Guurdalai forces from reaching the Great Kesh dividing range and attempting its link up with Alvakalian forces.
 * January 31: The fighting had battered the Kodeshi military with its armies, air forces suffering heavy losses.

February

 * February 10: Kodeshia's government secretly enters into peace talks with Alvakalia and announces efforts of a proposed an immediate ceasefire, facing oil shortages due to destruction of many of its oil fields suffering from blockades and production shortages as factories are rebuilt or moved from captured territory.

April

 * April 2: The first round of peace talks between Kodeshia and Alvakalia break down. An attempt to recover the situation fails, and talks are not restarted until May 1954.

May

 * May 16: the Battle of Neu-Radzig occurs, pitting a joint Kholak-Alvak force against Bakanese troops. The speed of the Kholak cavalry combined with well-timed Alvak attacks against Bakanese weak points leads to a significant amount of the Bakanese 117th Infantry Regiment routing. A significant amount of Bakanese troops are captured, their equipment repurposed. Crown casualties are surprisingly minimal.

June

 * June 30: Minor border skirmishes maintained on the Eastern front.
 * June 31: After steady air campaigns between Alvakalia and Kodeshia, both sides agree to hold discussions regarding a truce, armistice, non-aggression pact or peace terms.

July

 * July 4: The Battle of Longshan occurs between Alvak Bergtruppe, Guurkhun mountaineers, Kodeshian reserve forces, and Bakanese troops. The battle was the site of the only successful meet-up of Alvak and Guurkhun troops. However, both were split apart using repeated Haigao 6 rocket bomb barrages (in Alvak war inventories, captured Haigao 6s were designated as the Raketenbombe Kodeschien 1 or RbK-1) ending in a joint Kodeshi-Bakanese victory. The Alvak slang term for the Haigao 6 rocket bombs was coined here and was named Stottern (Stutter).

December

 * December 25-January 19: The Alvak Weihnachten Offensive occurs. Alvak regiments along the Bakanese frontline attempt a massive encirclement through the desert. The offensive initially goes well, but low morale and a lack of well-trained reinforcements meant that a general retreat to pre-war borders had to be ordered.

January

 * January 1: The Battle of Alva Bay occurs between Bakanese and Alvak ships. The battle is indecisive, with yet another heavy cruiser captured in rough condition by Alvak troops, one destroyer lost, and a battleship, heavy cruiser, and destroyer in varying states of condition. In return, an Alvak heavy cruiser was sunk, along with a cruiser and one Tipslan destroyer.

June

 * June 9: By this time both sides were exhausted.
 * June 10: For the next eight months, Both sides adopted a defensive footing as the reorganise their forces, rearming and resupplying depleted reserves. Fighting was reduced to mainly artillery duels and raids. Positions bogged down into in Grand Campaigns style trenched warfare with modern weapons.

August

 * August n: In a speech, Chairman Abakai Wehiyehe announced a Campaign of "Protracted War" against the "Evil Western Imperialists". He also called for the invasion and "Liberation" of the Manju people of Selengeria. The following day, a full-scale invasion of Selengeria was launched, with the support of Bakanese divisions.

September

 * September 3: The United Provinces of Rovsnoska and Zaporizhia declares the Sosnivika Accord's support of the People's Democratic Republic of Taungkyina. Aukalnia and Sartland and the UPRZ send material aid and volunteer divisions.

February

 * February 22: After a delay fighting begins with a renewed offensive plans by Guurdalai and its allies.
 * February 23: The new offensive begins on the Eastern Front with attack on the coast.

June

 * June 11: Guurdalai forces are repulsed and the offensive halted after heavy losses on both sides.
 * June 12: Kodeshia's next major offensive involved a combined air and land attack with the first major use of helicopters and aircraft to surprise Guurdalai forces and destroy their artillery. Special forces were able to take units from the rear and then the main ground forces were able to break their frontlines though they took heavy losses.

August

 * August 15: As Guurdalai forces counter-attacked with armoured forces Kodeshi aircraft destroyed most of the incoming columns and repulsed the counter-attack. This operation was a victory with Kodeshi forces allowing them to retake most of Dazhong province.
 * August 16: In preparation for their next offensive Kodeshia had begun a massive campaign of air raids against Guurdalai air bases giving them air superiority over the battlefield and allowing them to closely monitor troop movements.

September

 * September: In response to the failing ground campaign by Guurdalai its ally Tiperyn deploy massive naval operations within the Tethys ocean and along the Kodeshi coast.

November

 * November 24: A peace settlement between Kodeshia and Alvakalia is reached that dictated the handover of three provinces Xibei, Yueshan and Shahai along with $30 million in reparations on the understanding Alvakalia would cease involvement in the war and not allow Coalition forces to operate from its territories or offer any military assistance. With the peace settled ending Alvakalia's involvement in the war. This allowed the transfer of large numbers of Kodeshian troops from the Northern to the Eastern Front.

December

 * December 1: Masses of northern units begin arriving on the Eastern Front reinforcing Kodeshia position.
 * December 2: A failed pro-war coup occurs in Alvakalia due to lack of support.
 * December 6: Thanks to the transfer of troops this allows Kodeshia to begin a massive new offensive with Beifang, also free of the threat of a two-front war. This offensive was initially successful, but failed to score a decisive victory and exhausted the last of the Kodeshi reserves.

May

 * May 26: Tiperyn navy forces begin operations along the Kodeshi coast.
 * May 27: First small engagement between the navies of Kodeshia and Tiperyn

July

 * July 2: Large sea battles between the Kodeshia and Tiperyn led coalition navies, heavy losses on the Kodeshia side puts them into the defensive naval operations and shift away from conventional engagement into asymmetrically naval warfare with newly developed missile boats and submarine warfare.
 * July 3: Tiperyn navy begins attacks along the coast but strong coastal and air defences push them back.

August

 * August 14: Kodeshian forces put onto the defensive as Tiperyn launches naval and air attacks on the Kodeshia coast, leading to redeployment of forces from the frontline with Guurdalai. This allows Guurdalai forces to relaunch a new offensive retaking parts of Dazhong province. Beifang launches a diversionary attacks in the north hoping to relief southern Kodeshi forces.
 * August 15: Kodeshi generals wanted to launch an all-out attack on along the whole border. But that was rejected as being unfeasible. Instead a plan is for Beifang forces would capture the northern provinces of Dabei and Kodeshi forces would focus on the region of Changbei.

September

 * September 8: The operation begins with success for initial assaults by Beifang forces in Dabei province with bombing raids.

October

 * October 2: The Guurdalai forces retreat from Dabei province as Beifang recapture it. The mountainous terrain guerrilla war tactics along with heavy air support aid them.
 * October 15: Deliveries of the new FMB 46/55M Tjván tanks and their powerful 105mm shown to be very effective against Guurdalai's PsF King Cobras.

November

 * November 27: But the end of the operation Kodeshia and Beifang the recapture of most of these regions.
 * November 28: Modrovian Nuclear tests conducted as Kodeshi and Beifang researchers keen to exploit its war potential after secret talks about participation had been ongoing since the start of the war.
 * November 29: Further offensives planned based on the successes of the previous month began in an attempt to reach important supply roads connecting north and south Guurdalai controlled territory stalled by the mountainous terrain and dense forests.

April

 * April 2: Guurdalai forces fail to push back Kodeshi forces in the northern provinces of Dabei and Changbei. But they began heavy shelling of the area. forcing a retreat by Kodeshi forces ending the offensive in failure.
 * April 3: Newly build missile ships exploit the earlier research into missile technology and aided Kodeshi efforts to protect its coast from Tiperyn and Guurdalai naval units.

July

 * July 19: Large air patrols that allowed Yuhai (Jade Sea) Islands to stay in Kodeshi hands. But captured reports show it is under threat of invasion. Plans are made to heavily fortify the islands from attack.
 * July 20: Guurdalai force begin new offensive attacking along a wider front with air and naval support by Tiperyn forces.

November

 * November 26: The prolonged battle of Fuyang and battle of Boshan resulted in hundreds dead and heavy house to house fighting. Although ultimately the offensive stalled and was unable to breakthrough despite advances in Xiabei along the coast.
 * November 26: After a relentless naval shelling and aerial bombardment preceded the amphibious landing and capture of the Yuhai islands which had been heavily fortified and resulted in some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting between Tiperyn and Kodeshi forces of the war.

January

 * January 3: The last resistance on the Yuhai islands has been eliminated by Tiperyn occupying forces.
 * January 4: Kodeshi forces conduct retaliatory air and sea missile strikes on Tiperyn naval forces around the Yuhai Islands and attempt paratroop landings which fails.

February

 * February 5: Beifang achieves limited gains in the north of Guurdalai. Massive Kodeshi combined armour and air operations prove successful in recapturing large parts of Dazhong and nearly linking up with forces in Changbei province.

March

 * March 28: The appearance of the new PsF Mamba tanks shocked Kodeshi forces at the Battle of Taishan
 * March 29: Renewed attacks on the Tiperyn forces see the first confirmed use of chemical weapons as Kodeshi forces saturate the Yuhai islands with gas attacks along with massive naval operation by air and sea to clear the area of Tiperyn ships. Submarines and aircraft then inserted specialist paratroops in full chemical-resistant suits conducted a clean up of the Island recapture.

July

 * July 13: Tiperyn condemned the use of chemical weapons in the war and this operation is seen by many as to why they later decided to use nuclear weapons to end the war.
 * July 14: Following an extensive clean up the Yuhai islands were further fortified and new air bases constructed to protect against any further attempts to recapture it.

September

 * September 8: Tiperyn and Guurdalai forces conducted a series of retaliatory air strikes on Kodeshia for the capture of the Yuhai islands. Some probing ground attacks were carried out but there was little movement on the fronts.
 * September 9: Boosted by the capture of the Yuhai islands Kodeshi forces with Beifang carried out combined offensives retaking all of Zhongbin province and Dazhong as Guurdalai was forced into tactical retreat. Although the new PsF Mamba tanks now appearing in larger numbers forces Kodeshi forces to utilise more air support to protect its ground units.

October

 * October 17: Kodeshi the ground forces continued with sporadic attacks between Xiabei and Beishan and in the north into Guurdalai.

November

 * November 25: Following the humiliating and brutal inhuman use of chemical weapons to retake the Yuhai islands shocked and disgusted the Tiperyn command and convinced its leadership that war would be a very long a brutal one if fought using conventional method. Approval was giving to use nuclear weapons in the hopes of bringing a swift closure to the conflict.
 * November 26: Tiperyn tested its first nuclear weapon as plans were carried for how and where to launch it.

February

 * February 19: Tiperyn bombers carry out a series of bombing raids in preparation for the nuclear strike.
 * February 20: With most of its territory recapture Kodeshi shifted towards a new air campaign operating from Dabei and within Beifang launching bombing and missile attacking at Guurdalai industrial sectors hoping to destroy its means of fighting.

July

 * July 4: Shift in bombing campaigns over Guurdalai to full scale attacks on all targets by Kodeshia.
 * July 5: Guurdalai forces begin a renewed attacks towards Zhongbin as Tiperyn conducts aerial bombardment via Asharistan over neutral Alvakalian controlled Yueshan province. These attacks are minimal but cause great concern for Kodeshia forcing it to divert more forces to patrolling its previously considered impenetrable northeastern corners. This greatly reduces its air campaigns over Guurdalai.

October

 * October 26: Guurdalai forces begin a renewed attacks towards Zhongbin as Tiperyn conducts aerial bombardment via Asharistan over neutral Alvakalian controlled Yueshan province. These attacks are minimal but cause great concern for Kodeshia forcing it to divert more forces to patrolling its previously considered impenetrable northeastern corners. This greatly reduces its air campaigns over Guurdalai.
 * October 27: Ground counter-offensive by Kodeshi forces push back the Guurdalai advances into Zhongbin allowing a push into Xiabei province and the begining of the Battle of Yuhang.

January

 * January 22: End of the Battle of Yuhang.
 * January 23: Success in the previous battles encourages Kodeshi which push deep into Xiabei and liberate the province with a massive air and ground operation. Tiperyn naval forces quickly launch retaliatory strikes on the captured territory nearly wiping out the ground units. Allowing a counter-offensive by Guurdalai forces to advanced but follow up helicopter attack inserted reserve Kodeshi troops to reinforce the beleaguered units.

May

 * May 5: Kodeshia restarted its strategic bombing raids against Guurdalai cities. While Kodeshia had launched numerous attacks with aircraft and missiles against border cities from the beginning of the war and sporadic raids on Guurdalai's main cities and industrial areas, this was the first systematic strategic bombing that Kodeshia carried out during the war. This coincided with massive ground attacks pushing into Beishan and Anbei province.
 * May 6: Guurdalai responded with its own retaliatory strikes but its air force was weakened and it relied heavily on Tiperyn support.

August

 * August 2: The attacks failed to weaken the support for the Guurdalai regime and instead they railed around it. Still the Kodeshi offensive had nearly secured all of its former lost territory while parts of Changbei, Beishan, Anbei and Dabei remained in enemy control the majority of it was recaptured and now Kodeshi forces attempted to consolidate and reinforces its gains before push forward again.

November

 * November 27: Coalition forces issues a warning and terms of a surrender which is ignored. After a massive air battle Tiperyn bombers launch an air blast nuclear attack on a Kodeshian city. Kodeshi forces respond with massive chemical and biological missiles into Guurdalai but then agreed to a ceasefire and the armistice was signed ending the war.