Chapter Twenty One - Japaneasing to Victory
The government know that when taking on a nation with such a strong army and proud military history as Japan, Sokoto need employ the very best of her troops if she is to have any chance of success. Hence why the loss of nearly all of the Sokot fleet as it limped towards Japan is well receieved by the government. Such losses clearly planned so as to weed out the weak and having nothing to do with horrific Sokot shipbuilding.
Finally reaching the western coast of Japan, Sokoto's troops hurriedly disembark. The men nearly hug their bewildered Japanese opponents, so delighted they are at having finally reached land. For some reason Japan's troops take exception to being near hugged by pink clad men and battle is met.
Unsurprisingly for a nation as experienced and successful in war as Japan, a nation with many highly capable officers available, General Kuroki has been wisely assigned to lead this battle. Kuroki entirely without defensive ability.
Whilst Sokoto's troops are fighting desperately in Nagasaki, Rumfa leads the remainder of Sokoto's invading force against Japan's reserve brigades in Fukuoka. Despite being horribly outnumbered, Sokoto's force enjoys a considerable advantage in morale over Japan's newly mobilised reserves, the men still delighted at simply having survived the voyage.
These two battles are hugely important for Sokoto. Defeat here and the invasion will likely end before it has truly begun. Japan naturally understands this and she has assigned another of her very best generals to lead her army in Fukuoka. The brown nosing Shimamaru an obviously brilliant commander when it comes to defensive warfare.
Japan's reservists in Fukuoka soon break, they are unable to match the ferocity of Sokoto's troops. Sokoto's soldiers fighting with a desperate fury, wishing to avoid having to retreat to the ships.
Mere miles away a sizeable force in Yamaguchi can only watch on impotently, Sokoto's mighty navy blocking the crossing of the Setto Inland Sea.
Whilst Sokoto's troops achieve success in Japan, the diplomats achieve success in Spain too.
In another brilliantly cunning ruse France's ambassador to Spain is promptly banned after the most recent work by a new and gifted 'French' poet, Nicolas Sokotzy, rather angers the Spanish government;
France is great,
Spain we all hate,
Sokoto is obviously the best,
Spain a pest,
France shall thus conquer Spain,
The great pain.
Somehow the enraged French government learn of the diplomats involvement in this devious ploy. Quite how they uncovered said involvement is a mystery to Sokoto's diplomats, as they acted with great care whilst carrying out this mission, making sure to carefully hide their identity. Writing the poem in Hausa rather than French may have been a slight mistake however.
A few days later and the battle of Nagasaki ends, Japan's forces seemingly having been completely put off their fighting by the earlier attempts by Sokoto's troops to hug them.
With the last of Japan's forces in Kyushu now defeated, Sokoto's troops begin the terrifying task of besieging the island, many quickly succumbing to dreadful injuries as a result of this siege duty. Dreadful injuries such as paper cuts suffered as they attempt to master oragami in an effort to pass the time during horror filled siege duty.
A few months later, and with the northern part of the island finally captured, the barely floating Sokot fleet sails into port. With the crossing opened once again Japan takes the intelligent decision to throw forward more than 60,000 reserve brigades which are entirely unsupported by artillery or cavalry.
Sokoto's fleet quickly blocks the crossing from Fukuoka to Yamaguchi once again, leaving Japan's forces in Fukuoka entirely stranded. For some reason General Kuroki has been assigned to lead the Japanese force, this despite his being very obviously a general better suited to defensive command, as the earlier battle of Nagasaki proved.
Whilst Sokoto's forces are battling in Fukuoka, the government receives some good news a week later.
Rather disappointingly the cartographers add no new font to the map, although the addition of some more pink is nonetheless welcomed. Also welcomed is the addition of many thousands more Greek citizens to the Empire. Said Greek citizens quickly proving how glad they are at having joined the Empire by bursting into tears as news of their annexation into Sokoto filters through the state. Tears of joy obviously.
A month later and Sokoto's forces are triumphant in Fukuoka once again.
Having lost 100,000 troops in the last few months in the battles of Nagasaki and Fukuoka, Sokoto's army has nothing but respect for General Kuroki, who is clearly a hugely gifted officer.
As Sokoto's troops in Kyushu rest, hugely worried all the while by the reliance they have upon the navy for their survival, the government is given some promising news a few weeks later.
Darfur was colonised in record time, many in Sokoto still surprisingly desperate to escape the poverty ridden, bureaucratically mismanaged states for colonial life. Reluctantly the government orders colonisation of Mocambique, knowing that the citizens of the state will likely be bitterly opposed to returning to colony status.
A few days later and the government is given yet more welcome news.
Sokoto's newly acquired Greek citizens are happily adjusting to life within the Empire, already writing hymns in support of Sokoto. Translation experts assuring the government that the newly created and wildly popular 'Praying for Sokoto's Destruction' hymn is nothing for the government to worry about.
In a breathtaking display of military brilliance Japan make the same attacks into Kyushu time and again. Sending predominantly newly mobilised reserve brigades into battle with little artillery support and no chance of reinforcements.
Sokoto clearly a rank amateur in comparison to so great a military power, she will struggle to ever equal such an impressive casaulty count.
Whilst Japan's forces are being led to oblivion the government receives some horrifically bad news.
In annexing Paraguay the cartographers have moved Sokot font in South America and, far worse, made it smaller. Instead of the reasonably sized 'Sokot Bolivia', Sokoto now has the smaller font 'Sokot South America'. This an entirely unacceptabe state of affairs, Bolivia need be punished not only for stealing Sokoto's political map colour but also for getting in the way of Sokoto's font.
With the war against Japan progressing unexepectedly well, the diplomats are sent forth.
They return mere hours later having swiftly delivered the decleration of war to their Spanish counterparts before fleeing for their lives. Said Spanish counterparts hugely enraged at seeing banned 'French' diplomats back in the country once again.
Displaying impressive powers of seeming teleportation once again, the great Rumfa arrives in Spain mere days after having fought in Japan, quickly leading Sokoto's forces to victory.
This despite Spain appointing General Mola to command, a most skilled defensive commander.
A few months later and the Sokot government is left disgusted upon learning that the warmongering Chile has invaded Argentina once again. Such action clearly deplorable Sokoto is left with but one option.
The diplomats, still feeling rather shaken after their near escape from Spain, are allowed to rest. The government instead sending the deceleration of war via letter form;
"To the dishonourable blaggard who leads Chile,
We will not stand by as you attack our much beloved ally Argentina.
We wish to attack said beloved ally ourselves.
Wishing you well,
The most failthful of allies, Sokoto"
Chile's army is finally met in battle a few months later, having already occupied part of Argentina.
A stunning victory is won for Sokoto, Kabe somehow overcoming the brilliantly gifted Ballivian, but there is a problem following said victory. Chile's army is retreating into the Argentinean province of San Luis, which Chile recently captured. For some reason Argentina is utterly against granting her noble and selfless ally Sokoto military access to her nation. It almost as if she has reason to not fully trust the entirely peaceful Sokoto.
Faced with the prospect of the Chilean army being able to rest and recuperate in San Luis as Sokoto's army is denied access to the province by Argentina, the government is left with but one choice.
Whilst Sokoto takes this action undoubtedly with Argentina's best interests at heart, the government do think it best to send said decleration via letter form. It is not that they fear for the safety of their diplomats were they to send them to Argentina with the decleration, but rather that they fear their diplomats would struggle to carry all of the gifts Argentina would likely lavish upon them for Sokoto having proven such a brilliant ally;
"Dear hugely respected ally, Argentina
(so respected we do not know the name of your leader),
We do this merely to aid you.
Much love,
Your great ally, Sokoto"
As Sokoto's soldiers begin invading her great ally Argentina, the government is given yet more good news a few weeks later.
Japan is now a Great Power, all due to Sokoto's aid. There can be little doubt that the Japanese government is hugely grateful to Sokoto for decimating most of her armed forces, occupying Kyushu and attempting to gain permanent control of considerable swathes of Japanese land. Sokoto is nothing if not a helpful nation.