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Before the Fall


Starting in 733 AGS, the Kingdom of Gallia began its invasion of Sirius. They interrupted the ongoing Tau War between Bretonia and Kusari. This conflict, later known as the Gallic War, lasted for over a decade, spanning throughout the Tau sector, deep into Bretonia and the Independent Worlds, and even reaching the eastern borders of Liberty, its echo still recognizable as far as the Omega systems.

The conflict culminated with the Kingdom's failure to overcome the Allies over New London during the Blitz of 742 AGS, when the Sirius nations repelled the invasion, though at a great cost. This marked the beginning of the Kingdom's downfall.

After being pushed out of New London, the Gallic Royal Navy followed the King's last orders before his sudden disappearance, now tasked to deal as much damage to Sirius as possible to deter any immediate retaliation. Part of the Gallic forces blocked the jump gate leading to New London and repelled Allied raiding parties while the majority of the invasion fleet commenced the greatest atrocity in mankind's history.

They methodically wiped clean the planet-wide city of Leeds, causing countless casualties within a mere week. The Gauls utilized one of the most horrifying developments of the decade-long war - the Triumph-class destroyer that boasts a monstrous hull-mounted bombardment cannon.

During this time, the Council for Liberation of Gallia capitalized on an opportunity to march toward the throneworld with the majority of the Gallic Royal Navy being occupied elsewhere. Local military officials were shocked by multiple factors: the atrocities of the Royal forces, the disappearance of the tyrant Charles, and the threat of retaliation from Sirius.

In late summer 742 AGS, these officials agreed to a ceasefire with the Council forces, effectively ending the Second Gallic War within the state. However, the conflict continued outside Gallia's borders, as the Royal forces still in Sirius refused to lay down their weapons, denying to recognize the authority of the new regime — soon to be known as the Confederal government.

The Confederacy and the Protectorate


The Gallic Royal forces remaining in Sirius formed their own splinter faction, a rogue state that became known as the Gallic Royal Enclave to Sirius. They called themselves the Hebrides Protectorate and operated as a military junta, consisting of high-ranking officers of the Gallic Royal Navy, Intelligence, and nobility that run the organization now. They refused to surrender to the Allies or make peace with the Council despite facing numerous challenges, which were substantial. The colony on planet Gaia, rechristened as Bordeaux during the Protectorate's governorship, was still developing, and their fleets were battle-hardened yet crippled after suffering heavy losses. A new command hierarchy needed to be established, and, most importantly, not everyone was willing to follow the King's last orders.

Contre-Admiral Daniel d'Argenlieu convinced some high-ranking officers to abandon the failed conquest, urging them to return to their homeland. The so-called loyalists viewed this as treachery, scheming to ambush d'Argenlieu's forces as they returned to Gallia, branding them as traitors. D'Argenlieu dubbed this event "the Fratricide". The incident drove a wedge between different factions of the Royal Navy, paving the way for a xenophobic junta to rise to power.

The Protectorate sought to forge connections with other dissatisfied factions and organizations, aiming to overthrow the new authorities and retake the Gallic throne. One such ally was Montluc Advanced Engineering, a corporation originating from Languedoc that was eventually banished from Gallia by the Confederal government under the pretense of separatism. MAE became a staunch supporter of the Protectorate, helping the faction dig in, fortify their positions, and accelerate development of the Hebrides.

The Path to Reunification


The chance arose when Kusari launched a war against Gallia in 743 AGS. They mounted a devastating assault on the Lorraine and Languedoc systems. This conflict, combined with a recent internal coup, opened an opportunity for the Protectorate, granting them the ability to step in and demonstrate the weaknesses of the Confederal regime to the Gallic people. This eventually led to Reunification under the banner of the Gallic Union, since house-wide military junta seemed a better option than either royal tyranny or Kusarian conquest. As the Protectorate moved more forces into Languedoc, Bretonia launched their own advance on Edinburgh, forcing Gallic forces to abandon planet Gaia and the entire system.

Meanwhile, the Duchy forces suffered a defeat over Metz, which led to the destruction of orbital mirrors - an EFL structure that kept the planet heated. The planet's temperature rapidly dropped, plunging it back into an ice age and effectively forcing Confederacy to evacuate the world as soon as the opportunity arose. The Protectorate's interference on Languedoc's front allowed the Confederacy to move more ships to Burgundy for Gallic forces to finally drive away the KNF fleet located over Nevers and stopping the Kusarian advance deeper into Gallia.

The Kusarian advance stalled as Bretonia pushed the Protectorate out of Edinburgh and The Maquis launched a devastating attack on Royal Navy installations in the Roussillon system. This forced the Royal forces to withdraw to Orkney as the Kusarians and the Confederacy were forced to sign the Treaty of Rishiri, finally ending the war. Soon after, the Confederacy collapsed and a new government rose - the Gallic Union.

A New Divide


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