Xisheng Front

The Xisheng Front is a theater of operations during the Final War of the Deluge being fought in Xisheng and northern Varshan by the forces of the Democratic Republic of Corumm and the Worshipful Realm of Varshan. The front was initially opened to relieve pressure from Urcean Cetsencalia and saw a build-up of hundreds of thousands of troops and the taking and retaking of ground on both sides of the border. This front saw the first use of chemical weapons in the wider conflict.

Background
The start of hostilities between Corumm and Varshan can be pointed to a border delimitation dispute between both nations following the fall of Nanseetucket. Both nations began a policy of aggressive military build-up and posturing on the disputed border, including several clashes that resulted in deaths from the two sides. As Urcea and its dependencies were dragged into a shooting war with Varshan, forcing the latter to withdraw numerous units from the Xisheng frontier region, the Corummese commited to an opportunistic attack to settle the border issue by force.

Initial moves
Even with the shift in resources to Cetsencalia, Corummese forces were still numerically inferior to their Varshani counterparts. A large portion of Corummese strength in Crona represented in the main body of the Army of Conquest was still engaged north in a simmering conflict with the Alpachnee Confederation. Corummese command believed its air assets on hand, partial element of surprise and the qualitative edge of its forces would be enough to nullify the Varshani advantage in numbers.

On May 25, 2021, Corummese artillery alongside drones began an intensive bombardment of Varshan positions south of the Amox river. By May 26, Corummese forces had constructed several pontoon bridges and were crossing over the Amox into Varshan proper. Pushing back light counter-attacks, the 3rd and 18th Mechanized divisions aided by Green Army jungle detachments and drone sorties, secured several bridgeheads allowing Corummese forces to continue pouring across. Initially unable to hold back the Corummese advance, Varshan's Northern commander Shai Malan-Zar adopted a strategy of defense in depth, quickly ordering his forces to fall back to four prepared defensive lines north of Shimrra while calling reserves from the interior.

Varshan counteroffensive
As Varshan's invasion of Cetsencalia found increased battlefield gains, Varshan command saw fit to transfer back 50 divisions to the Xisheng front, where the Corummese offensive was bogged down 45 km north of Shimrra. The sudden influx of battle hardened reinforcements saw the reversal of the limited Corummese gains within weeks, forcing them back to the Amox river, and then back across it. These setbacks forced field marshal Bort Borg to finally recall the bulk of the Army of Conquest from the north in order to salvage the worsening situation. Now Varshan forces crossed the Amox and began capturing several towns while Corummese forces only put up desultory resistance before retreating to avoid being destroyed in pitched battle by overwhelming Varshani numbers. In a matter of weeks the Corummese army lost the towns of Khaw, Hong Guo, Mian, Baiga, Shul, Cheshen, Waguo, Chongzi and Anqi alongside most of the border fortifications. Corummese forces repositioned alongside the Wajj-Gouda-Sard axis to try and prevent a Varshani breakthrough. This marked the high point of Varshan's offensive inside Xisheng. The Varshani attempt to capture the centrally located town of Gouda saw the first combat use of chemical weapons in the war. Deployed by the Army of Conquest through rockets, sarin and chlorine gas attacks led to thousands of Varshani soldiers suffocating in the southernmost districts of Gouda. Continued chemical attacks forced the Varshani to evacuate their forces south towards Waguo. The heavy losses incurred in Gouda brough the Varshani counteroffensive to a halt, as depleted units were forced to abandon their positions.