Seige of Slovale

Seige of Slovale Sahren civil war
Location		North Sahrland
Result		NSP victory
Territorial Changes		NSP gained control of Slovale
Belligerents
National Salvation Party Strecha Movement			Labour-Party
National Salvation army NSP Militia Strecha Militia			People's army People's militia
Strength
Strecha Briogáid (6000) 2nd Divizi ot Militziya National (15,000) 7th Divizi ot Militziya National (14,500) 2nd Divizi National Salvacion (15,000)			1st Divizi Narodni (10,000) 8th Divizi Narodni Militziya (14,000) Internationale Briogáid (4000) 6th Divizi Narodni Militziya (5600)
Casualties and Losses
23,000 dead 7,000 captured 16,500 wounded			37,000 dead 10,000 captured 19,000 wounded

The second and third Seige of Slovale (often just referred to as "siege of Slovale) was fought in or around the city of Slovale between 2144 and 2146, consisting of the entire war. The battle was the longest and costliest in the entire war, initially being in Junta hands, Falling to the Labour party, before being surround and captured by the National Salvation party, and then being captured within only 13 hours by the Republicans. In the fighting the inhabitants were subject to artillery and aerial bombardment.

Background

Leading up to the Civil war there were scattered groups of Guerillas and raiding in or around Slovale in preparation for the beginning of the war proper. the NSP and Labour party quickly became the two dominant factions in these skirmishes along with looters and gangs. By the outbreak of the Civil war the Junta retained loose control of the city and surrounding suburbs. Slovale was a salient between the Labour party and NSP who both advanced toward the city, however cheif of army Alekzander Kholsar ordered any remaining city to be held and used as a fortress. The Labour party and NSP fronts met and completely enclosed Slovale.

Second seige of Slovale

The pocket closed as both sides rushed to seize as much as possible, with even more forces commited than previously planned because it was revealed Junta Siege artillery was stockpiled. The Labour party quickly overran the NSP except for 3 buildings where Reydi-ako Kyrt (the NSP commander) and the remaining Strecha militia and a smaller group of NSP militia set up a last stand. The Labour party declared the city fallen despite the holdouts. A majority of the junta siege artillery was seized by the NSP and either evacuated or affixed in or near the buildings, however shell and part shortages meant they could not be used often. Labour party could not effectively organize an offensive as the buildings acted as massive pillboxes and the threat of NSP artillery seeing Labour party artillery prevented bombardment. The labour party put a skeleton force around Reydi-ako Kyrt's holdouts correctly guessing the desperate food situation.

Third siege of Slovale

Forces for the Third siege were being prepared from evacuated Nuvastian NSP militia which escaped via sea. NSP sent messages to Reydi-ako Kyrt to hold out at any cost while the relief attempt was prepared. The Republican Glazh offensive shelved these plans as the southern forces were pocketed in the western steppe, which was quickly closed due to the lack of water in the dryer weather. An operation to surround slovale was sounded as new equipment from Crytil arrived en masse. By now the supply situation of the NSP holdouts was dire, and the Labour party had nearly taken the radio station building, often shooting through holes in the floor as the defenders sought higher ground. The NSP organized the National Salvation army along with NSP militias for a breakthrough with artillery support from the Slovale pocket. The city was cut off and surrounded as the Labour party air power was beaten. The NSP holdouts (which now entirely consisted of one half strengh Strecha brigade and a single battalion of NSP militia) advanced upon hearing of this despite their malnourishment and exhaustion. By Meálhtyk 8th Reydi-ako Kyrt reunited and by the 10th the Labour party lost control of most of the city.

Operation Heteroatom

Months after the third siege ended, the Republican Guard, Lavro Loyalists, and Worker's party militia were advancing into the suburbs of Slovale. By this point the resources of the NSP and Labour party had been mostly exhausted in the fighting over the city. Air-land coordination of the Republicans left NSP defenders at severe disadvantage and a majority of the force attempted to retreat within only 5 hours of fighting. By the 13th hour the Strecha brigade officially surrendered, the last to do so.

Aftermath

The second and third Sieges of Slovale exhausted the supplies and manpower of the Labour party and NSP to a point where neither could resist the Republican Party. Production capability of both sides was limited as Slovale could not be effectively mobilized for war due to the damages and Klensagrad was cut off from the Labour party soon after the first siege ended. To make things worse, the garrisons of Klensagrad split off to become the Klensagrad Commune shortly after the third siege. In a semi-joking manner, general Karlo Frakchiya (would later become president) responded to hearing of Reydi-ako Kyrt's murder by the SRGIA as "It is a shame, we would have never beaten the Labour party if he didn't keep fighting them for us."

Casualties

Causalties are hard to estimate as the siege dragged on for many years with brief periods of inactivity. It is generally believed that 23,000 NSP were dead, 16,500 wounded, and 7000 captured. It is estimated Labour party casualties were 40% higher, at 37,000 dead and 19,000 wounded, and 10,000 captured. Republican losses are believed to be 18,000 dead, and 9000 wounded.