Hostility Causes Hostile Takeover
Triple threat takes over Trinidad
Written by SkyGreen and Vor
On the 30th of August, a coalition of The League's Defense Forces (LDF), the North Pacific Army (NPA), and the Europeian Republican Navy (ERN) invaded Warzone Trinidad (WZT). The forces held the region for 4 days, in an operation dubbed Mergers and Acquisitions (Psycho reference).
This operation follows a strong statement by the North Pacific, which was a direct response to the delegate tipping of the North Pacific by Brotherhood of Malice (BoM) and The Communist Bloc (TCB).
Consul of the League's Defence Forces Quebecshire explained that the choice of Warzone Trinidad as a target was the result of their treaty with BoM, and the subsequent invasion of the League's treatied ally, Warzone Sandbox. Although the initial plan was to only hold the region for one update, due to raider activities in France, there was an additional motivation to keep control of the region for long enough to ensure the closure of embassies.
Following The League’s report on the operation, nearly 5 forum pages of discussion ensued. This included a Warzone Trinidad Corporation (WZTC) official claiming that they did not, in fact, care about holding Warzone Trinidad. Further critics concerned themselves with implying that The League, a Defender region, should have pursued cooperation with WZTC, an organisation involved in the raiding of The League’s ally and in griefing operations of native regions; or claimed that The League was engaging in hypocrisy by raiding a region, implying Defenderism would prevent one from conducting any offensive operation.
The most interesting content perhaps is the contrast between WZTC's commitment to BoM, and the latter’s to the former. Despite being treatied allies, BoM could not seem to care less about what is arguably the most identifying pursuit of WZTC (i.e. controlling WZT), dedicating their military to the Magna Aurea hold for several updates before willing to conduct any actions to help their treaty ally. On the other hand, WZTC’s former Delegate Ian Flemings (alias flemingisa) indicated that they were willing to give their control of that identity up forever if it meant they could stay friends with BoM.
Warzone Trinidad was returned to WZTC control following the moving of much of the occupying forces (ERN, NPA, LDF, The Grey Wardens) and even the Delegate to participate in the Magna Aurea siege efforts, marking the end of serious efforts to hold the region further. Despite the concession, a makeshift defence of 2 Border Control Officers nearly retained the region. They lost by a slim margin of one endorsement, challenged by a small force from BoM, East Pacific Sovereign Army (EPSA), and Thaempirial Army (THA). It was so significantly close due partly to an unusually wide trigger, one that would typically be used for a large number (e.g. 50+) of updaters. Alongside this, the raiding forces’ coordination and intelligence was so poor that the moment of the operation was leaked to Defender leaders by one of the organisers themselves, which is the only reason there was any contest in the first place. Overall, it further exhibits the lack of BoM’s concern for their treaty ally, despite WZTC’s strong commitment to them.
This level of sycophant behaviour we can observe to lesser extents even in more politically-minded regions such as the Lone Wolves United (LWU). They indicated their disapproval with BoM’s actions in delegate tipping The North Pacific by withdrawing embassies without even daring to make a public statement, only vaguely alluding to general issues in their newspaper, the Wolfist Tribune. Even this was overshadowed by their immediate lending of military support to BoM in a joint piling effort in the ongoing Magna Aurea occupation. LWU being unable to uphold even a façade of opposition for more than mere moments is a grand demonstration of the power BoM holds over the raider sphere.
With raiders antagonising Europeian allies, the Executive has also taken action by proscribing both regions involved in the aforementioned delegate tip that The North Pacific has since made clear it considers as an act of war. In addition to this, following a conveniently-timed announcement of a treaty between Caer Sidi and BoM, President JayDee has also requested a termination of the Treaty of Cairdeas, which passed unanimously.
A continual breakdown of relations is not unlikely should BoM continue to maintain such a strong grip over the politics and foreign affairs of their raider peers. It remains to be seen what the further developments on the opposite side of the divide will be, with a possible declaration of war from TNP in the works, and the question of how Europeia will fit in the resulting debacle if that happens.
