Prelude Part 5: Man Moment Machine
The Third Continental War was a war that had to be won swiftly or simply not fought by most accounts. With Italy effectively a Greek Puppet the Recovery of Bohemia and the Tenous Hellenic-Persian Alliance time was of the essence. Either the Khitan Empire could be beaten now, while the time was perfect or they needed to be negotiated with. In an effort to Keep the Persians and Scandinavians loyal Petrovik had to re-enact his successes in Egypt, Iraq, Avaria and Bohemia.
The Crossing through the alps was bold and unexpected as Cathay expected any major attack to come from the Rhineland its most vulnerable border. Using the most advanced artillery the poorly manned garrisons on the alpine border fell one by one and soon the entirety of Helvetica was seized while orders were sent back to Italy for the Persians to attack over the Rhine and distract the Khitan army.
The Khitan Empire however was not at peace nor did it expect peace in this time. Feeling the Front in Europe would simmer and stagnate Emperor Arthur had ordered the Army of Singapore and Army of Hong Kong to be redeployed to West Africa. They had finally arrived and through local alliances with the oppressed lesser African states, advanced North into the Mali Heartland. The Mali with much of its military still stuck in North Africa was caught completly off guard by the sudden attack. Similar efforts across Africa resulted in Scandinavia and Italy losing much of their colonies as well.
Such Success in Africa was of course little comfort once the invasion of Southern France was realized but it did give the Khitan Empire something it desperately needed in a world quickly turning against it, Leverage. There was one last major factor in Europe still up for Grabs and that Power had an abundant Colonial Empire that now was effectively going to be held Hostage by the Khitan.
Consul Petrovik while affield could not truly react to such a situation and instead his allies took it upon themselves to try and correct this. The Persians and Scandinavians went for what was perceived to be the Artery of the Remaining Khitan Empire overseas, Ceylon. A Combined force would sail for Ceylon and put it to seige. Poor Weather however would delay the fleet, eventually word of its departure would prompt a response from the East Empire Company to mobilize its assets and the Imperial fleets in Southeast Asia to sail for Ceylon in a hasty defense. The Resulting Race ended when the Combined Persian and Scandinavian Fleet arrived first but found Ceylon fortified and prepared to resist Invasion.
Though some ground battles on the Island itself did occur and much to the Persian's favor the arrival of the East Asian Fleets and the Persian Defeats at Madurai and the Maldives had effectively left the Persian 4th Army stranded on Ceylon without supply while the Khitan were free to reinforce and attack at will.
(Victory at Burgundy, 1830)
In Europe Consul Petrovik however was still finding victory after victory. Allied forces had successfully invaded and defeated the Iberians and Occitan near Toulouse and had thus taken the entire principality by storm while the majority of the Khitan army fought the Persians on the Rhine.
Petrovik himself won yet another key victory north of Burgoyne named 'The Battle at Burgundy' in which the Hellenic Troops defeated two Khitan armies through superior cavalry tactics and artillery positioning. The Battle however would be a warning of what was the come, as the Khitan armies on home soil refused to quit the field, and inflicted heavy losses on Petrovics own forces.
(General Kenzai Zheng, 1830)
Following the Battle Emperor Arthur perhaps overreacting Fired the majority of the Generalship and handed off control of the Remaining Two Full strength Armies, the Army of Flanders and the Army of Paris to General Kenzai Zheng, whos career as a lesser officer and status as a Chinese citizen of the Empire had allowed him to evade much of the humiliation of his superiors while still earning success and renown in the American and Lithuanian campaigns.
Zheng's Stratagem however was not one that many would expect and would be deeply unpopular in the immediate. Zheng suggested to the Emperor to institute a law of conscription to refill the tanks of the Army of the Rhine and Army of Hanover. Further Zheng ordered the Dismantlement of the aging Channel Navy and the repurposing of its naval artillery to be used in fortifications in France and the Lowland fortresses.
The Emperor, reluctantly agreed and put forward the necessary orders despite the immediate uproar at both conscription and the destruction of one of the Empire's greatest defense assets. Zheng meanwhile took his two remaining armies and marched south to block Petrovic at Troyes.
At Troyes General Zheng met consul Petrovik himself on the field for the first time, but rather than engage in a field battle instead had his troops dig into fortifications. Petrovik expecting a siege prepared for once accordingly and was utterly disappointed when Zheng instead quit the field and refused to do battle. Petrovik then expected a trap and instead of giving chase, took the city.
Zheng would continue to arrive in front of Petrovic's army for several times for well over a month preparing for battle and then dispersing into the northern Countryside unwilling to engage the Greek General on his terms and instead attacking his supply lines and outriders whenever possible. Soon Petrovik found himself slowly being blinded and forced to forage in Cathay for supplies. All the While of course Paris was being fortified.
The Great Chosen Savior of Cathay riding to meet him on the field, was what Petrovik expected and instead and instead he met Zheng, who continually stalled for time and superior knowledge of the field to inflict small cuts to the Greek army despite numerical superiority.
Battle however did come, As Petrovik's outriders thinned much of Zheng's actual army had marched from Paris south and west to Troyes and after nearly two months of stalling, Petrovik awoke to Find a Khitan army surrounding him on three sides.
There was little civility given, once battle had started, Petrovik trapped in a concave found his army being besieged by artillery on three sides and forced to either retreat or advance at what was likely to be an undermanned frontline in hopes of breaking it and scattering the entire Khitan army.
Petrovik chose the later, attacking down a lowland area towards Zheng's frontline, taking heavy losses from pre aimed artillery and entrenched troops. By the time the center line combat had begun Zheng had his cavalry break the remaining logistical core of the Greek army and retreat. What Petrovick ultimately assaulted was the Veteran core of Zheng's army who held while Zheng slowly peeled off layers of his army to safer ground behind the river at Troyes. By the time the battle had been over Petrovik had won a victory but had failed to engage enough of the Khitan army for it to matter at all. However his supplies were spent, losses were once again high and now he was trapped in foreign territory with little supply.
Meanwhile in the Rhine, the Persians continued to disappoint and in Hanover the Replenished army had managed to hold the Scandinavians at Strade, losing the Canal but managing to stop any advance south. What remained was the Iberian campaign which was bogged down in Navarra and Gascony against the Militaries of Ireland, Portugal and Granada.
With little options left Petrovik retreated back south and then east to reinforce with the Persians and Italians at Lorraine, When he arrived however he received terrible news, first of sweeping defeats in West Africa, and in the Indian Ocean but of the entry of the final great Power.
Rather than Threaten Britain over his Colonies Emperor Arthur had approached the new Government of Britain with an offer, First and foremost would be the recognition of Legitimacy for the Commonwealth Government, A Colonial alliance in Southeast Asia and Africa and promises of support in the invasion of a foreign invasion of the British Isles. The British, enticed by the offer agreed and in the following weeks landed in Jutland and Holstein and with co-operation from the Khitan army of Hanover managed to encircle the Scandinavians outside Hamburg. With the Defeat of Scandinavia Bohemia revoked its promises of military access from the Treaty of Pest, effectively kicking Scandinavia out of the war as a fighting member.
Meanwhile in the East, the Georgians once again revolted and declared independence and the Indian Confederacy had invaded the Persians, drawing the attention of Greece's foremost ally swiftly away from Europe. In little over half a year the board had been shaken and now was tilting backwards. But the situation was still recoverable, A good Campaign in Cathay could still result in the capture of Antwerp and a Khitan surrender.
Consul Petrovik falling ill and falling from his horse however was something that couldn't be planned around. The Illness of the Consul soon left authority in the hands of Co Consul Hector Illemas, a puppet in place until the War could be completed. Petrovik's worse fear his age catching up to him had become a reality, and the Country quickly began to struggle to find a replacement. In that Struggle General Zheng ruthless as ever put his new assets to the field running down the Greco-Persian Armies back across the Rhine while the Italians feeling the tide turning evacuated Iberia.
Bohemia's Entry Back into the War in the spring of 1831 would be the Final straw. As Consul Petrovic's health worsened, Hector Illemas had tried and failed to stop an imminent collapse of the Republican coalition. The Mali were sueing for Peace, the Persians had effectively put all attention on their Indian border and the Bohemians were back, and Angry. There was little choice for Illemas but to sue for peace and hope for the best before a Stalemate quickly became a losing war.
What would come would be an event that would Define a Century of Politics, The Council of London.
I think the only AAR people like to reference by name is Cook's Crown Atomic, for obvious reasons. everyone else gets a scavenger hunt 
