Editing Scybrian Invasion

5342AD–5349AD. Part of the Mid War period of the [[Scybrian Wars]]. The [[Scybrian Polyarchy]] used the [[False Peace]] to assemble a huge military force and to move elements of its fleet deep into [[Corolian Jurisdicture]] territory. In 5342AD it launched a pre-emptive invasion of Tsorva and Veloran subsectors. Pre-positioned Polyarchy naval forces launched coordinated strikes on the major fleet facilities at Cudun (1108 Halcyon) and on a large naval exercise being conducted in the Jaradin system (1010 Halcyon), and damaged or destroyed a significant part of the Jurisdicture navy.

In the opening year of the conflict Polyarchy forces took a great deal of territory, capturing whole systems and the troops garrisoned on them. By early 5344AD the Jurisdicture member worlds of Galiar (1010 Halcyon), Orash (1111 Halcyon), and Eslar (1209 Halcyon) had been occupied. The Polyarchy, however, became bogged down attempting to subjugate its conquests. Large numbers of troops were held back to garrison worlds, protect supply lines, reduce enemy holdouts, put down insurgencies, and deal with commerce raiders.

The conflict rapidly descended into barbarity and inhumanity – the Polyarchy troops, far from home and increasingly isolated – used ever harsher measures to maintain control, and those who resisted them adopted the same tactics. Prisoners were maltreated and frequently executed, intelligence was gained from torture, and civilians suffered atrocities and destruction at the hands of all the protagonists. The brutality bred hatred and deep distrust on both sides.

In 5345AD the Polyarchy attempted to invade Jaradin (1010 Halcyon), a major Corolian port and shipyard. After large-scale troop landings the Jurisdicture navy jumped in-system and engaged the Polyarchy fleet, fighting to a bloody stalemate that forced both sides to withdraw. The Polyarchy was largely unable to supply or extract its troops, leaving them to fight on unsupported. For its part the Jurisdicture lacked the strength to defeat the heavily defended beach-head. The zone held by the Polyarchy included areas with large civilian populations, preventing the Jurisdicture from simply bombing the invaders into submission.

The Jurisdicture was able to recapture both Galiar and Orash during 5345AD, though at a terrible cost in lives, leaving the Polyarchy forces on Jaradin in a desperate position. The Jurisdicture began to increase its ground forces on the world and launched a series of offensives in mid-5346AD. Despite overwhelming odds and desperately short of supplies, the defenders were able to hold off the Jurisdicture attacks. By the end of the same year the Polyarchy forces were in a parlous state and in the face of renewed attacks were forced to surrender. The last die-hard pockets of resistance were finally overcome in 5347AD. In 5348AD the slow and bloody reconquest of Eslar began.

In a dangerous move the Polyarchy covertly stripped its trailing defences and redeployed the troops to spinward, assembling a huge force at Bezik (1411 Halcyon). Strict secrecy was maintained along the border with the Firstworlds, including “phantom” formations, commo traffic, aggressive patrols, and even fake training maneuvers.

The Firstworlds, at the time deeply embroiled in the [[Salatho Uprising]], was taken in by the elaborate preparations and was unable to take advantage of the situation.

The Polyarchy made no secret of its build-up at Bezik. Polyarchy diplomats approached representatives of the Jurisdicture and began negotiations towards a new armistice. In the face of such overwhelming might the Jurisdicture felt compelled to accede, though it demanded the return of all of its member systems and agreed to an exchange of prisoners. The Polyarchy retained control, in name at least, of all of the formerly neutral systems in Tsorva and Veloran subsectors. The armistice was signed on Rissa (3211 Halcyon) in 5349AD.

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