DEAD AHEAD : Lore Timeline

ClassicMasterNoob · November 19, 2021, 1:21am

WORLD MAP

1880’s

Orion purchases land from Auriga, expanding their territories southward.
Oil and coal production begins in Ursan-occupied Canis.
South Corvus is annexed by Cetus. North Corvus is renamed to just Corvus.
A civil war begins in Yishen; Imperialists vs. Nationalists. Nationalist forces are backed by the Tucanese.

1890’s

Oil and coal workers in Canis, Hydrus, and Hydra begin rebelling against Ursan soldiers. Civil war begins.
Yishen Civil War ends; Nationalists win. Yishenian government is reformed to reflect the people’s needs.
Tensions rise between Corvus and Cetus due to territory disputes from the annexation a decade before.
Libran Island is declared an international neutral state. No country owns this island; it is used for international disputes and councils.
Hydra gains independence from Ursa.

1900’s

Hydrus gains independence from Ursa.
Orion, Hydrus, and Hydra create an alliance (“Dragon Compact”) to liberate Canis. Orion lends aid as they want the resources that Ursa previously refused to trade with. Ursa responds with a declaration of war.
GREASE WARS (1901-1905); War begins in Canis between Ursan forces and Dragon Compact forces. Canisian rebels participate.
Orion ground forces advance through the Bowstring isthmus. Hydrus and Hydran navies attack from the Dragon Channel.
Oil fields are lit on fire as Ursan forces retreat.
Orion Fleet creates a naval blockade between mainland Ursa and Canis.
Ursan long-distance bombers attack the blockade. Several Orion battleships are sunk.
The last few evacuating Ursan forces depart from Canis. However, the Orion blockade does not let them return to their mainland. Evacuating Ursan troopships are sunk.
Canis gains independence from Ursa. Grease Wars end.
CORVUS-CETUS CRISIS (1908-1911); Fighting breaks out at the Corvus-Cetus border. Corvus gains control of borderlands. Trenches are set up.
Hydrus creates the first “steelpot” warships (equivalent to dreadnoughts of real life).

1910’s

Stalemates occur between Corvusian and Cetan positions.
- Trench warfare makes little progress in gaining territory for either side.
- Possession of Corvusian coastal guns results in a deadlock.
ANTARES CONQUEST OF CENTAURAN BEGINS - 1911
Cetan operators intercept a Corvus message. The Antares Imperium rallies its troops at the northern border.
- The Corvusian president has made a telegram to Antares army generals requesting for help, also stating that Corvus is willing to be annexed by Antares.
Antares forces attack Cetus from the south, while Corvusian forces attack from the north.
Cetus is under Antarean control in a matter of a few weeks - 1912.
Corvus is annexed by Antares.
Aquila is uncertain about Antares’ next action. Aquilan forces prepare to defend their borders.
Antarean and Corvusian forces overrun Aquila - 1914.
Vega and Grusa ally to defend against Antares. It is believed that the Vegan plateau will be a difficult barrier to break through.
Vega and Grusa are conquered by Antares - 1914.
Antares attempts to attack Columba. Many soldiers and supplies are lost due to well-placed ambushes in the mountains.
Columba receives word of the Antares conquest.
- The mountains pose as a communications barrier between the north and south Centauran countries, which is why they did not know of Antares’ aggression during the first three years. Rumors had been spread but were ignored by the high command.
- Columban outposts in the mountains send a message to inland Columba about the impending Antares siege.
Corvus attempts to attack Columba from the west. Yishen forces cut off their forces and defend Columba.
Antares naval vessels stationed in Grusa attempt to attack Centauri through the Sagittarius Strait. Multiple landing ships are beached on rocks, and the attack is called off.
The Grusan coastlines are in range of the Centaurian coastal guns. Antares beach outposts, ports, and docks are bombarded with heavy losses.

1920’s

The northern Centauran countries are at a stalemate with the southern countries.
Hydra and Canis willingly unify with Hydrus, establishing the Hydrus Commonwealth.
A miracle occurs in Auriga during the spring of 1922. Crop production is boosted, creating very excessive food supplies. Orion purchases 70% of these supplies, Hydrus 20%, and the remaining 10% is shipped across the Western Ocean to the Centauran continent.
- Some Aurigan merchant ships never return after arriving at Antares territory. They are falsely declared missing at sea by Aurigan officials.
ANTARES BOMBING CAMPAIGN - 1924
- Antares mass produces bombers to end the stalemate at the Columban mountains. Important roadways are bombed, destroying Columban outposts situated on the paths.
- Forces advance through the cleared-out roadways. Fighting ensues at the northern side of the Columban mountains.
Yishen decides to officially support Columba with manpower - 1925.
The Northern Centauran Alliance is established in 1927 between Yishen, Columba, Tucana, and Centauri to repel the Antares invasion.
Trade between the Hydran and Centauran continents is minimal due to rumors of a “sea creature” making merchant ships disappear. Of course, only the Hydran countries would believe this rumor. Merchant ships end up being captured by Antares naval forces and never return.
MERCHANT’S MASSACRE - 1929; 60 Orion merchant ships sail across the Western Ocean into the Sagittarius Strait to conduct trade with Yishen and Columba, unaware of the Antares invasion. 52 of the ships are sunk by crossfire between Centauri and Grusa coastal guns. Grusan forces mistook the ships to be Centaurian ships; Centauri forces mistook the ships to be Antarean ships. Three of the merchant ships are beached on rocks as they attempted to turn around. The five surviving ships attempt to run back to the Orion mainland, chased by several Antares patrol boats. One merchant ship is sunk by torpedoes, and two are captured and boarded. The remaining two ships make it back to the Orion mainland.
The media is astonished by the return of 2 merchant ships out of 60. The Orion government inquires the surviving traders about what happened. Unknowledgable of the situation on the Centauran continent, the traders believed that Grusa (thought to be not occupied by Antares) was having a war with Centauri.

1930’s

FIRST DECENNIAL SUMMIT - 1930
- Government representatives from all countries appear at Libran Island. The only countries not present are the countries of the Northern Centauran Alliance, Cetus, Aquila, Grusa, and Vega.
- Hydran continent representatives are skeptical about the situation in the Centauran continent, as only Antares and Corvus officials are present.
- Antares representatives assure that nothing is wrong and lie, saying that the absent countries are currently at war with each other, which is why they are not present at the summit.
- Hydran continent representatives inquire if support is required from across the ocean. Antares falsely assures them that the fighting should end soon.
- Hydran continent representatives ask about the missing merchant ships. Antares replies with no knowledge of such missing cases. Ursan representatives also do not know. All countries agree to conduct a search of the Western Ocean for any unusual activities.
War continues in the Centauran continent - 1931.
The Western Ocean search begins.
- Ursa searches the depths of the ocean with new submersible ships.
- An unknown tension is in the air between Hydrus and Antares search vessels.

“Dear ma,

We’re searching for some missing merchant ships in the Western Ocean. Rumors have spread that some giant sea monster engulfed them, but I’m certain it’s fake. You told me when I was a kid that monsters aren’t real, and I sure hope you were right. These other countries we’re searching with - Antares and Corvus - their naval personnel seem sketchy, almost as if they’re hiding something. It’s probably nothing though, they always look like that. Especially the Corvusians. I heard they’re very scummy people. Can’t wait to come home and eat pasta again. The food onboard tastes stale.

Love you.” - Hydrus sailor’s letter to his mother.

The search ends with no success.
Columba is overrun - 1933.
Centauri is overrun - 1934.
Tucana is overrun - 1934.
Yishen makes a last stand with their immense manpower.
Yishen is overrun - 1939.
The entire Centauran continent is under Antares’ control.
Hydran continent merchant ships still go missing.

1940’s

SECOND DECENNIAL SUMMIT - 1940
- Most Hydran continent countries and Ursa are present. None of the Centauran countries or Orion appear.
- The meeting continues. Hydrus suggests that they alone should sail to the Centauran continent to investigate what happened.
- Auriga reports that no Centauran ships have arrived in Aurigan ports for the past six years. The other Hydran countries are stunned to hear it.
  - HYDRUS: “Why had Auriga not told us this sooner?”
  - AURIGA: “We did not think it was of importance, especially after the last summit. Our trade is mostly conducted with Orion and the rest of the Hydran states.”
  - HYDRUS: “Did you not think it was strange? Unusual?”
  - AURIGA: “We know that the Centauran continent is at war. Perhaps that’s the reason why they haven’t traded with us. Perhaps that’s the reason why none of our ships are returning to us.”
  - HYDRUS: “Are you certain that Centauran countries are attacking your commerce?”
  - AURIGA: “Yes, but of which nationality is unknown to us. Has Hydrus not traded with the Centauran continent either?”
  - HYDRUS: “The commonwealth has stopped relying on trade and are sustaining ourselves with the abundance of materials our lands have to offer, not to mention Auriga’s extensive supply of crops.”
  - AURIGA: “What about Ursa? Has Ursa conducted trade with the Centauran countries?”
  - URSA: “No. Yishen was the last Centauran country to trade with us. The last Yishen ship came to Ursa two years ago.”
  - HYDRUS: “So none of us have had contact with any Centauran countries for over a year?”
  - AURIGA: “Yes.”
  - URSA: “Yes. What is Orion’s stance on this matter?”
  - HYDRUS: “Orion stubbornly will not invest their time in international matters unless it immediately affects their economy. They’re currently in a state of isolationism.”
- The summit ends. Hydrus is to investigate and sail with a fleet of warships to the Grusan coast.
HYDRUS BEGINS INVESTIGATIONS OF THE CENTAURAN CONTINENT - 1941.
A group of Hydrusite warships composed of a cruiser, four destroyers, and several gunboat escorts make their way to the Grusan coast.
- Antares naval forces are actively patrolling the eastern coast of the Centauran continent. The arriving Hydrusite ships halt and flash morse code messages with searchlights. The Antares warships do not respond. Hydrus crew members continue to keep flashing their lights until dusk.
- The night comes, and the Hydrus ships can only see the navigation lights of the Antarean ships - red and green dots. At last, the Antares warships respond with searchlight morse code.
- “RETURN TO YOUR COUNTRY AT ONCE.”
- The Hydrusite communicators are confused. The message repeats two more times with 30-second intervals.
- Three torpedoes hit the starboard side of the Hydrus cruiser. Guns start firing from both sides while the cruiser rapidly lists. All searchlights are turned on, and fighting continues.
- Dawn arrives, and all Hydrusite warships appear to be sunk. They had been flanked on all sides during the night.
Two months have passed since the voyage to Grusa. Hydrus officials decide to send a larger battleship fleet to Grusa.
- Somewhere in the middle of the Western Ocean, the battleship group comes across one of their gunboats dead in the water, appearing very damaged.
- Crewmen from one of the destroyer escorts of the battleship group board the gunboat. The metal has started to rust heavily. Upon further inspection, all but one of the crewmembers of the gunboat were dead from starvation. One man had resorted to cannibalism to survive. It is unclear whether he murdered his crewmates or if he consumed their flesh after they had died. The survivor was taken on board and given medical treatment and proper food. The gunboat was scuttled after.
- It was theorized that the gunboat’s power plant had been disabled in the middle of the ocean. Without a radio or nearby islands, the crew rationed their food supplies and waited for help. Unfortunately, it did not come in time and most of the crew perished.
Without warning, Antarean warships engaged the incoming Hydrus group. Several escort ships were sunk, and the Hydrusites retreated to their mainland.
Following the retreat, the Hydrus government urges Orion to help. Their request is denied.
Antares makes the first contact with Ursa since the fall of Yishen. They offer an alliance with Ursa, stating that Antares will help Ursa regain their lands in Canis (taken by Hydrus in 1905). Ursa accepts the offer - 1942.
A period of peaceful unease occurs during the next five years.
- Hydrus modernizes their naval forces and improves their arsenal.
- Orion’s economy continues to grow with rapid urban industrialization.
- Antares exploits their territories’ natural resources and constructs coastal guns along the coast.
- Ursa constructs new warships.
- Rebellions and uprisings occur throughout the occupied Antares territories but to no avail.
Antares sends a light carrier group across the Western Ocean - December 1947.
DEAD AHEAD BEGINS.

Written by @Absolute_Duck and @ClassicMasterNoob.