Let's Play Stellaris: Part 36 - Old Rivals

"We make our own destiny." - Engraved on the statue of Oligarch Proculus Manilius

Stardate: 07-03-2396

As the 24th century neared it's twilight the Cartel was preparing to go on the offensive, with the first fleet poised to strike deep into Unified Uriy Suns territory and the newly reinforced third fleet prepared to blunt any counter strikes. It was hoped a show of force along the border would convince the Uriy Suns of capitulating to the demands of the ultimatum they had prepared to give long in advance.

With the first and third fleets fully assembled, ground troops poised for the invasion the ultimatum was finally delivered to the Unified Uriy Suns empire as 2399 dawned. Despite military intelligence and underworld spy rings confirming the Uriy Suns was likely to lose a conflict they stubbornly rejected the offer of becoming a subsidiary. Only days into the new year the Fox Cartel declared war on their long-standing rivals with the goal of forcing them into a subsidiary arrangement within their corporate hierarchy.

The first fleet clashes with a Uriy Suns fleet in the opening days of the war.

In a matter of weeks, the Cartel's first fleet had torn apart the Uriy Sun's border starbases and battered aside one of their fleets with frightening ease. As ground troops and transport ships were pulled from the rear to begin their first landing, the third fleet moved to repel the first counter-attacks into Cartel space.

The fighting grew intense, encompassing almost five entire star-systems as the first fleet pushed deeper into Uriy Suns space whilst the third fleet fought tirelessly to repulse the near constant counter-attacks. The Uriy Suns threw their fleets valiantly against the first and third fleets but it quickly became apparent the Cartel's technological superiority was too much for their ships to overcome. The third fleet at several points in their defence of the Foldora and Orym systems was engaged by three enemy fleets at once pushing them to their limit before the first fleet arrived to assist.

The third fleet is pushed to their limit as Uriy Sun's fleets attempt to push through into Cartel space.

Losses began to mount as the war entered its second year as Uriy Sun's fleets seemed determined to continue the fight even as every engagement proved a crushing defeat to their dwindling navy. The fighting continued relentlessly even into the third year of the war however it seemed the Uriy Suns defeat was inevitable. Every engagement was a crushing defeat as their fleets attempted to gain inroads into the Cartel only to be crushed by the third fleet all the while the first fleet carved a swathe of destruction toward their homeworld. A selective orbital bombardment was nought but a prelude to Cartel ground forces landing in order to wrest control of their capital away by force.

Even after weeks of orbital bombardment, the defending Uriy Sun's garrisons fought on with an almost alarming zeal, as Cartel ground forces took significant losses as the fighting moved viciously from street to street but as with every battle so far in the war they eventually lost. Their homeworld was occupied and yet they still refused to surrender to the Cartel and their demands causing the first fleet to press ever onward, rampaging almost unopposed through Uriy Suns space.

The first fleet bombards the Uriy Suns homeworld to prepare it for a ground invasion.

The continuing success of the ongoing war, almost four and a half years in was marred by a tragedy on the home-front as Oligarch Proculus Manilius succumbed to old age at 110 years old. His passing was mourned and a statue erected on the road leading toward the central corporate headquarters to celebrate a Fox who had pulled the Cartel from the brink of obscurity and moulded it into an economic and military power to be reckoned with. As Oligarch Septima Egnatius took office he vowed to continue where Proculus Manilius had left off.

Any spark of home the Uriy Suns may have had that the loss of their oligarch would demoralise the Cartel was quickly quashed as the first and third fleets began pushing even more aggressively. Despite the third fleet having lost all of it's escort and picket vessels the remaining cruisers and battleships fought on throwing the increasingly rag-tag Uriy Suns fleets back again and again. The first fleet was showing signs of wear and tear from the long campaign but system after system fell to their overwhelming firepower regardless. The Uriy Suns defeat seemed to be now almost a foregone conclusion.

The first fleet engages the remnants of the Uriy Sun's fleet around an ancient derelict orbiting a blackhole.

As the first and third fleets pursued the battered remains of the Uriy Sun's fleets handfuls of vessels attempted to retake their home-system but it was too little too late. In the early months of 2407, a campaign over six years long came to an end as the Unified Uriy Suns capitulated becoming a subsidiary of the Fox Cartel. Their longest standing rival was now firmly under their control was greeted by celebrations across all of the Cartel's core worlds.

It had been a long and bloody campaign, far more so than the board of directors had hoped however they were victorious and even as celebrations continued Cartel leadership was already planning it's next move. The first and third fleets would be repaired, strengthened and lessons learned from the war with the Uriy Suns taken to heart

If you missed the last part find it here!