Fourth Battle of York (1IPR)

The 1st Imperial Privateers Regiment's Account of the Fourth Battle of York

The following represents one perspective of the events, and is definitely not held in universal regard.

At the invitation of their allies the Mercenaries Guild, the Imperials broke off their siege of Wiksik and attacked York, approximately one week after the Guild's hostilities in York commenced. The attack by the Imperials was publicly condemned by both the 1st Colonial Militia, who were under the misapprehension they had brokered a truce with the Imperials, and by the Colonial Police, who had established communications through their diplomat-at-large, Nighter.

The Imperials offensive met with fierce resistence from York's defenders, notably the Order of Patriots and their littoral patrols along the northern York coastline. Other York tactics included use of messenger to coordinate attacks on enemy positions, and the assassination by Mr Bungle of the nearest roaming shaman which caused Imperial soldiers to be revived in the locality of Dalpok well out of the York theatre. This very capable defence effectively neutralised the Imperials in the first stage of the war.

The Imperials however never lost resolve in what they consider to be a current invasion, which they call The Keiichi Incident. Following the Mercenary Guild withdrawal from York, on 27 February '07 Nighter attempted to broker a peace, assisted by Imperial recruit Master Lucky, effectively an advocate for Colonial Police views within the Imperials. This peace offering was rejected by the Imperials, and Master Lucky resigned his commission from the Imperials when 4 Colonial Policemen coerced him to kill a fellow Imperial soldier, Rotten Balls.

Learning of the Mercenary Guild withdrawal from York from Nighter, the Imperials on 27 February '07 commissioned the assassination of the local York shaman by Mercenary Guildsmen for the sum of 250 gold coins. This assassination attempt was unsuccessful. The assassination was to serve as the trigger for an invasion of York on 1 March by the bulk of the regiment. Imperials fighters dispersed once it became apparent the assassination had been repelled by York fighters.

From 1 March '07, the Imperials then moved their theatre of operations from within York proper to a land blockade of the York peninsula, killing Yorkmen who travelled beyond York's borders without the benefit of the local shaman to revive them immediately back into action. Imperial-related deaths of York fighters and non-combatants dramatically surged during this new strategic phase of the war, despite highly co-ordinated patrols by York's defenders. Ella Chen, a colonel of the Imperials, was the leading campaigner during this period, successfully inhibiting York movements in the north-west through concerted guerilla attacks. The Colonial Police headquarters was the target of repeated Imperial sorties during this period as Kjendlie became the main target of attacks, with politically-motivated propaganda raining thick from both sides.

On 21 March '07 the Imperials received Kjendlie's appeal to offer terms leading to withdrawal, which was rejected out of hand.

The Imperials consider the following outcomes have emerged to date from the Keiichi Incident: first, a depleted, weak and discredited Colonial Police whose headquarters have been converted to a tavern: second, a disbanded CCTU, whose leadership by the effective general but inexperienced politician Bauer had only temporary results due to his inability to keep his subordinate confederates in line, and the dissolution of York's alliance with Derby: and, following from that, emerging and deep factional divisions within York's defenders particularly with the 1st Colonial Militia.

On 10 April '07 the Imperials declared a signal victory, sighting the pirate Raffles safely sleeping within York's confines. The Imperials' political objectives in this offensive were to open trade by pirates into York, and avenge Imperial deaths at the hands of York's anti-pirate forces. Those goals were declared by the Imperials to be almost both achieved.

Hostilities continue into the lead-up to the Wicksick Dork Cup, although on 11 April the Imperials offered the Colonial Police a cessation of hostilites in exchange for uninhibited trading rights for pirates in York, and the trial of Kjendlie in the Derby Courts.