Background: The Federated States of Icrin is composed of several independent nations that unified to form the Federated States. The five largest nations, Icrin, South Icrin, Bellevalle, Linview, and Thavis hold the most power within the Federated States and are the largest.
For centuries, the nations that make up Icrin competed for resources and squabbled over territorial boundaries with each other. When the Principality of Wisconia began to emerge as a regional power, the countries of Icrin, South Icrin, Bellevalle, and Linview formed an alliance against Wisconia.
As time went on, these nations grew closer and closer, adopting trade and immigration policies that made them seem as one nation. Eventually, to cut down on the time it took to ratify treaties and legislation between the countries, a joint parliament was formed and the Federated States of Icrin were formed.
Each of the four major nations sent five delegates to the parliament and the minor nations were allowed two. Icrin, being the largest by size and population, was allowed to have eight delegates on the joint parliament. The Federated States of Icrin elected their first Prime Minister in 1896 under Prime Minister Viktor Gorbabrickslov.
Traditionally the Federated States of Icrin had close trade relations with their much larger and stronger neighbor The Byzantine Empire. Due to this, Icrin’s foreign policy decisions were strongly influenced by The Byzantine Empire. In 1920, when the Byzantine Empire invaded the neighboring country of Ingary it was no surprise when the Federated States of Icrin provided military support.
The year 1902 saw a large population boom throughout the Federated States as a whole but primarily in Bellevalle. Bellevalle is the largest grain producer in the Federated States and accounts for nearly 75% of production. A fantastic grain harvest, political stability, and a relatively mild winter all ensured this. Icrin also passed Wisconia in lumber production for the first time in decades.
1904 brought war to the Federated States as Wisconia laid claim to some of Icrin’s western territory. The war was brief and largely bloodless border skirmishes occurred. In June of that year though, Wisconia mobilized an entire army group and launched an assault into the heart of Icrin’s western lumber regions. Icrin’s military suffered a massive defeat at the Battle of Krakow Forest and soon the war had ended with Wisconia maintaining possession of these seized territories.
In 1916 the Republic of Thavis, which lies across the Agar Sea, began negotiations to enter the Federated States. Thavis did this due to continued fear of being invaded and influenced by The Common Wealth territories. By 1918 Thavis was a full-fledged member of the Federated States of Icrin, causing the size of her navy to nearly double.
The year 1919 brought a crisis to the Federated States as overpopulation, an economic recession, and a famine caused much hardship for the general populous. The Byzantine Empire, seeing an opportunity, provided much needed aid to the Federated States in food supplies and loans. A grateful populous decried, “Long live Byzantine!” The relief was not without strings as Byzantine expected to be paid back by the Federated States in blood and the newly elected Prime Minister Vladimir Briksputin obliged.
When Byzantine invaded Ingary in 1920, the Federated States were expected to do their part and hold down the Ingarian’s northern flank. While Byzantine’s modern army steam rolled through the quiet and quaint villages of eastern Ingary, the Federated State’s slogged it out in the mud. Neither Ingary nor the Federated States has a large supply of motorized vehicles such as trucks or tanks and thus the advances were slow. Artillery bombardments shredded the closely packed Federal States formations and casualties were high. It wasn’t until Byzantine provided an armored corps. that the Federated States were able to break through their sector of the Ingarian lines.
While the campaign was largely successful for Byzantine, the Federated States did not fair so well. Massive casualty rates, incompetence at all levels of the military leadership, and low morale amongst the troops were all at critical levels. However, fearing full out panic on the home front, the Icrin Ministry of War censored all information of the campaign and portrayed it as widely successful. This caused the ranks of the military to swell as war fever spread across the Federated States’ lands.
Feeling emboldened by the backing of Byzantine and the public support, Prime Minister Vladimir Briksputin pressed the Federated States Parliament for a war declaration against Wisconia to take back lands lost in the 1904 war. With such beaming reports of success from the front, a war declaration was unanimously approved and on June 1st, 1920 The Federated States of Icrin declared war on Wisconia.
The axe-guns are also pretty cool. Who needs bayonets anyway?
