Newlands War I

War Details#

Background and Political Context#

In the months after the STOMP/Claimers War (Jun – Jul 2015), Broken Lands alliances remained tense and fractured. With SIN seemingly winning the legitimacy of land claims against STOMPS for a time, SIN-associated Trivium [TVM] had extended its land claim into the Newlands region — a fertile, central BL peninsula — while SHARK and its affiliate SHRKr established cities within that zone.

On 14 September 2015, Halcyon of SHARK confirmed publicly that the dispute was “land claim related,” stating that “the only reason for the current conflict in Newlands is that TVM has attacked SHRKr,” and warning that Roman Empire [RE] had already scouted a SHARK city. Halcyon framed the skirmishes as a defense of SHARK’s sovereignty and demanded that TVM and RE halt aggression immediately.

Despite his appeal for other alliances to stay out, the situation escalated rapidly: Trivium secured support from RE and The Southern Cross (T-SC) and on 24 September issued formal war declarations against SHARK, DSD and T-O/TCol leader Pellinell making the statement publicly in the forums:

I have been asked by the DSD council to make a statement on the declarations of this evening by DSD alliances in BL.

Today TVM, RE, and T-SC have declared war on SHARK to protect their land claims.

Attempts at resolving the matter diplomatically have failed. TVM has stated their land claim, SHARK refuses to recognize it. And so we will solve it on the battle field as warriors.

— Pellinell, Illyriad Forums, 24 Sep 2015

Chronological Campaign Table#

Interlude: The ABSA/T-O War and the Newlands Pause#

In early October 2015, while the Newlands conflict continued in the Broken Lands, a separate war ignited in Elgea between Absaroke [ABSA] and The Order [T-O], both long-standing DSD-affiliated alliances. The Illyriad Times announced the new hostilities on 8 October 2015, reporting that the clash stemmed from personal differences between ABSA’s Biff and T-O’s Pellinell, reportedly over a “server war map” quarrel on the official forums.

Although several alliances—including The Liberation [HEAT] and The Unfettered [TUF]—were listed in the Herald as offering diplomatic gestures toward ABSA, the Times noted that the fighting appeared largely symbolic. Both ABSA and T-O were said to have agreed to a “limited engagement,” and the Times declined to open a formal War Score Card until sieges occurred.

The report also described a lull in the Newlands War, observing that siege activity had stalled for nearly a week. Anonymous rumors suggested that T-O’s Pellinell might be in negotiations with SHARK over a DSD South surrender that would grant SHARK limited exodus rights within Trivium’s land claim. The Times cautioned that the claim remained unverified but noted that, if confirmed, such a deal would underscore SHARK’s emerging dominance across both Elgea and the Broken Lands.

Key Military Actions#

SHARK Sieges and Razes (Confirmed by Illyriad Times Logs Sep–Oct 2015):

• Mak’s (TVM) city “1” razed by RuneMage (1 Oct)
• Fediglio’s (TVM) “Quartermaster’s Ground” razed by Ron Fay (13 Oct)
• Lorcan’s (TVM) Ennis razed by Haroldus (13 Oct)
• Rojak’s (TVM) R-06 captured by .Mordred. (19 Oct)
• el guapo’s (TVM) Cudillero razed by Allyssar (22 Oct)
• mccannj’s (TVM) The Golan Heights razed by Spekkio (22 Oct)
• GrrlyOrc’s (TVM) Bondage Barracks razed by Halcyon (24 Oct)
• Lord Moonpie’s (TVM) Borax razed by Hevneren (25 Oct)

Coalition Sieges and Breaks: Trivium and RE recorded a few minor siege breaks but no lasting captures — their offensive operations failed to produce strategic gains.

Analysis and Aftermath#

The First Newlands War marked a decisive victory for SHARK, cementing its position as Elgea’s premier military power and the first to project force deep into Broken Lands territory. Halcyon’s defensive campaign was both strategic and diplomatic — isolating Trivium politically while delivering coordinated sieges that broke TVM and RE’s forward positions within a month.

The final peace accords (30 Oct 2015) imposed significant penalties on the coalition: gold reparations, forced city exoduses, and a temporary settlement ban in Newlands. Within a day, The Southern Cross (T-SC) formally dissolved.

This war reshaped Broken Lands politics — it humbled the smaller land-claim alliances and paved the way for the subsequent Newlands II War (2015–2016), in which SIN and other BL powers entered the vacuum left by Trivium and RE’s defeat, seeking to assert BL dominance and demonstrate the ability to topple alliances much larger than their own.

Sources#

• Halcyon Indicates Roman Empire Preparing to Support TVM as Conflict Further Escalates (14 Sep 2015)
• RUMOR: SHARK, TVM Edging Closer to War in Newlands (13 Sep 2015)
• REPORT: 100+ Hostile Armies Estimated on the Move in Escalating SHARK/TVM Conflict (14 Sep 2015)
• Newlands War Erupts As DSD BL Alliances TVM, RE, T-SC Declare on SHARK (24 Sep 2015)
• Ron Fay Sets First SHARK Newlands Siege on TVM City (11 Oct 2015)
• T-SC Attacks, Claims Two Silversteel Mines in Calumnex From SHARK (21 Oct 2015)
• PRESS RELEASE: Dissolution of T-SC (29 Oct 2015)
• SHARK Wins Resoundingly in Newlands as Final Peace Accords Settled (30 Oct 2015)
• Forum: War Declarations (Pellinell, 24 Sep 2015)