Final War of the Deluge

The Final War of the Deluge, also known as the Varshan-Algoquona War, was a major military conflict fought in Crona between a coalition of Occidental, Audonian, and Cronan nations on one side and a coalition of primarily indigenous Cronan states on other, primarily Varshan. It has been described as "the largest conflict since the Great War" and involves most major and regional powers in Crona.

Nomenclature
The most commonly accepted name of the conflict, "Final War of the Deluge" was adopted by the Levantine Times Union once Varshan entered the war against Urcea and Alstin in early 2021. The war had several names in Levantia including "Second Algoquonan War", "Varshan War", "Great Cronan War", before media and academic institutions adopted the "Final War" name towards the end of 2021.

In Veltorine histories and media, the conflict is called the "Second Great War".

Invasion of Cetsencalia and war with Varshan
The Invasion of Cetsencalia was the Varshani invasion of Cetsencalia during the Final War of the Deluge. Launched after the Algoquonan failure in the Tepetlcali Campaign, Varshan sought to relieve pressure on Algoquona and eject the Royal and Imperial Army from the Varshani border. The invasion happened concurrently with the Invasion of Quetzenkel. The Varshani forces invaded with more than a million and a half men, overwhelming the initial defenses of Cetsencalia; Urcean and Veltorine defenders reached only about a half a million at the peak of defensive operations. During the fighting, about 44,000 allied soldiers were killed with a larger number captured. Varshani nuclear strike capabilities were neutralized at this initial stage of the war by Operation Overthrow, a joint Kiro-Yonderre operation. The Varshani offensive focused on a thrust up the central plains of Cetsencalia and intended on cutting the Urcean sphere on the south side of the Nysdra Sea in two, with small portions of the country and adjoining Quetzenkel to the east and the peninsula of the Northern Approaches to the west.

Following nearly a half a year of fighting, Varshani forces captured the capital city of Cetsencalia, New Constanz, and induced the Principality's nominal capitulation in September of 2021. After the end of the campaign, Varshan pulled nearly half of its forces back to focus on the ongoing Corummese invasion. The resulting Cetsencalia front was fought to a stalemate for the remainder of 2021. As a result of the capitulation of the Principality's government, the Veltorine Popular Defense Committee took up the cause of Veltorine resistance and pledged to continue fighting alongside NSTA forces. The remaining territories of former Cetsencalia under Urcean control were reorganized as the Veltorine Territories. The defeat was the Royal and Imperial Army's highest profile defeat since the Second Great War.

Following the beginning of the invasion, a "Phony War" broke out in Algoquona as Urcea began a rapid withdrawal of its forces to face Varshan, while Algoquona could not mobilize sufficient forces to push the Urcean advances back.

Operation Broken Chains
Operation Broken Chains was a series of operations launched by Urcea's Royal Marine Corps in Varshan in 2022-23. The operation itself consisted of a number of raids against Varshan which began on March 12 2022. The Operation is intended to liberate those held captive in in Varshan's western region, to disrupt Varshan's labor supply, and to make contact with local underground resistance elements.

The initial and most prominent action of Broken Chains occurred in the early morning hours of March 12 2022. Infiltration units, general marine cohorts, and local specialists of the Royal Marine Corps departed West Seneca aboard the HMCMS Southern Kingdom for the western coast of Varshan adjacent to West Seneca. Infiltration teams landed ahead of the main forces throughout the region in order to secure a beachhead, after which time they advanced far inland to make contact with the local underground slave movement. Following the establishment of contact, intelligence and supplies were exchanged by the Royal Marine Corps. Infiltration units regrouped five miles inland and were joined by two cohorts of marines outside the city of Dasta-Garaz, in the outskirts of which was a major slave trade camp. At 3 AM on March 12, Royal Marine Corps forces assaulted the camp and defeated the guards there, freeing nearly 500 slaves. The Marines successfully extricated themselves and the slaves to the coast over the next three hours, where landing craft awaited them. Six marines were killed and twelve wounded during the raid, and 432 slaves were freed and removed to West Seneca. Many of the slaves were of Occidental origin and were captured during the Invasion of Cetsencalia.

Among those rescued in this raid was Marcel Dalca, Cartadanian Ambassador to Varshan. Varshan had claimed Dalca was killed in an embassy riot in June of 2021.

Four Neighbors
While primary Urcean forces in Crona had to be committed to fighting Varshan, a new fighting force - the Royal and Confederate Army was established in the fall of 2021 out of local volunteers, local tribal forces in New Yustona and prisoners of war who defected. Following months of preparation, the Royal and Confederate Army crossed into Algoquona on January 2nd and spent the next four months in a slow advance northward. After several engagements and skirmishes, the Royal and Confederate Army won a victory on January 11th, forcing Algoquonan forces back. On April 13th, the Royal and Confederate Army won a decisive victory against the Algoquonans at Harlaouga. On May 12th, the four neighbors tribes declared independence as the Nysdra Provisional Republic. The Royal and Confederate Army spent the next two years involved in the organization of the state and did not begin campaigning again until early 2024.

Chenango Campaign
Concurrently with the beginning of the Anzo Campaign, policymakers in Urcea sought the end of all hostilities in Crona. Accordingly, at the end of April 2024, the Royal and Confederate Army and Royal Air Force began a major joint offensive northeast out of the Nysdra Provisional Republic with the intention of securing the eastern peninsula of Algoquona, its major remaining link to the sea. By May 10th, advance units were skirmishing with Algoquonan militia, which gave way to a major aerial bombardment campaign of the few entrenched Algosh positions within the territory of the Great Chenango people. The Royal and Confederate Army followed with an advance of what limited armored forces it had, occupying most of the Great Chenango territory by May 20th, or roughly concurrent to the Fall of Anzo. Operations were temporarily halted in order to allow forces from the Royal and Imperial Army to redeploy to Algoquona to bolster local efforts, the first deployment of the regular Urcean army to Algoquona in three years.

With the territory of the Great Chenango secure, allied forces next focused on entirely cutting off the eastern peninsula. On May 28th, a combined force of Nysdra-New Yustonese/Urcean forces pushed north out of the territory of the Great Chenango into territory of the Algosh people themselves in a "race to the sea". Concurrently, Royal and Imperial Army forces - specifically, Veltorine Volunteer divisions - were redeployed from Varshan to Pachaug at the tip of the peninsula and were joined by elements of the Royal Marines who had previously pacified the island of Schenectady. On June 1st, this combined force began to push southwest out of Pachaug in order to secure the peninsula as a whole, which had largely been cut off from the Algosh heartlands. During this campaign the combined force faced little resistance as most Algosh militias had already fled west.

On June 30th, with the entire eastern peninsula captured and Algosh access to the sea cut off, the three peoples of the peninsula - the Great and Little Chenango as well as the Island Honeoye formally declared their independence from Algoquona, establishing the Chenango Confederacy on a provisional basis. The Confederacy later adopted a constitution and became a full member of the Nysdra Sea Treaty Association.

Insurgent efforts
During the entire liberation of Cetsencalia, multiple insurgent groups waged a campaign against occupying Varshani forces, disrupting their supply lines and tying down large numbers of forces. The insurgent groups were of varied loyalty, with a majority belonging to the Veltorine Popular Defense Committee and a minority belonging to the Veltorine government-in-exile among other groups. These efforts successfully slowed the pace on which Varshani troops could move and retreat from the country, contributing to their encirclement during Operation Gideon.

Western coast campaign and highlands
The Royal and Imperial Army, now fighting on Varshani territory for one of the first times during the conflict, viewed an offensive on Anzo as inevitable in order to win the war. In order to prepare for this eventuality, Martin St. Clair devised a multiple-pronged offensive across the country that would secure all the flanks for a final approach to the Varshani capital city and eliminate any possible logistical or manpower support for the regime from the rest of the country. Following the destruction of the Xiquipilli of Continental Liberation in Cetsencalia in late 2022, these offensives were to take place in 2023 over the course of three major offensives which would secure the western coast of the country, the middle highland "ridge", and the southwestern coast, which would be part of a separate offensive called Operation Alterator.