Valeric Unification War

The Valeric Unification War, which lasted 4 years, was a war during the late 19th century that would lead to the founding of the Grand Valerius States, though at first unified as the Grand Valican Union until a new constitution was created, the year following the war. Most Damali scholars saw this war as inevitable due to the collapse of the Valeric Confederation.

Background
The Valeric Unification War, as it was later called was originally the Valican-Kulintarin War was a war started over the Assassination of the Aecalinir Lacirinus ave Kulinitar assassinated by a Valican National, though no order came from Aurelius Tealesh it was largely believed at the time he or another Valican leader sparked the war with this assassination, though no evidence has been found to support this claim. However, this tension had been building since the late 1860s leading to its inevitability as a conflict between the remaining Valeric states was unlikely to be avoided. However, Aurelius Tealesh used it to his advantage to create a unified Valeric nation as he had hoped to do since he took power.

The War
The opening days of the war saw little combat, the winter in the mountains between the Valicans and the Kulintarins had stopped the advances through the mountain passes. However, in the more open areas to the east, the Vekhin forces and a small army of the Aenirkanelirins were about to engage each other outside the town of Avinirik thus the first battle began.

The First Battle of Avinirik
The first Battle of Avinirik was the opening battle that took place March 5th of 1878 outside the small town of Avinirik a town in the north of Vekhin on the border with Aenirkanel, artillery opened fire marking the beginning of the first battle of the war. The two forces comprised largely of Cavalry, as the infantry had yet to mobilize, so much of the artillery was light cavalry guns largely comprised of Muzzle Loading 18th Century artillery pieces with few modern pieces. These two forces collided at Avinirik as though not a major town, it has one of the only paved road connections to the Vekhin capital of Aevekaharin meaning that forces would be able to swiftly reach it and besiege it. The battle would last less than a day as the Vekhin, outgunned by the arms supplied by the Valican to their allies, retreated and thus the Valicans took the first victory and began to fortify the town.

Battle of Aevinir Pass
After the Battle of Avinirik the war grew quiet as each side prepared, until April 6th, when the first pass between the Valican States and Kulintar, the Aevinir Pass, opened each side prepared to go through the pass and each side having defenses at the openings. However, the Kulintarin General Kalinis Maril would begin the offensive movement marching his infantry toward the Valican side of the pass, as he marched the Aerelin Guns opened fire these devastated the infantry while heavier artillery pieces fired upon them resulting in the rout of the first offensive. Thus the heavy artillery of the Valicans opened upon the defenses on the Kulintar side as the Valican Infantry advanced. The antiquated Kulintar defenses and routing infantry were crushed, with Nearly 40% of the men captured along with General Kalinis Maril and 60% of his officers. Leading to the opening of the Aevinir Pass for the Valican Forces and showing that the more advanced Valican Force was not to be trifled with.

The March to Kalir
After this major defeat, the Kulintarin troops were in a mass route, however the Alminiran troops and the Kulintarin army under the command of Aedreni Verin were sent to stop them at the crossroad town of Laikar an important route to get to the capital of Kalir. This battle would last for months as defensive positions were built on each side and spread for miles. The trenchworks would become the home for the soldiers, and fire would be exchanged on the occasional back and forth, though the Line formations would sometimes attempt charges to a very bloody end. This was a radical change to the major fighting that had occurred prior to this war, where line battles and honorable charges were the main combat doctrine. Though through the hard bloodshed would form one of the Key Generals of the World War I}First World War, Keril Aerin who would be a key proponent of the development of Valeric Tanks, however many fell as the accurate rifles and artillery bombardments took there toll and the battle and offensives ended as the winter of 1879 approached.

The Second Battle of Avinirik
As the Battle of Laikar began another battle further north would also begin. the Second Battle of Avinirik or an attempt by the Vekhin and Kulintarin forces to retake the town. The battle, which turned into a protracted attempt at a siege would last for a month, with earthworks being constructed on both sides. However the siege would end as the forces of Vekhin and Kulintar would be surrounded, whilst surrounding the town, by the reinforcements from the Valican States who would save the day for the Aenirkanelen forces through a large portion of the opposing army would escape once word reached of the Valican army, almost a quarter of all forces of those armies were captured before they could retreat. However it was not able to acomplish it's goal and disable the army in the Northern Front and as such the offesnives of the first year came to an end.