Essex-Kent Wars

The Essex-Kent wars were a series of conflicts running from the Modern Era to End Times. The conflicts went through numerous phases and are the most costly wars in the history of Tario. The first two phases were standing wars between the Kingdom of Essex and the Republic of Kent however when the republican government fell to Essex control and became known as the United Kingdom of Essex and Kent (UKEK), the war turned into an insurgency that was drawn out for the next decade or so before The Collapse.

Background and Causes
The East-West divide in Tario predates the conflict by decades. Prior to the formation of the republic, the Kingdom of Kent roughly controlled the same territory and that state itself was the product of the dissolution of the Union of East Tario.

In the ancient era, the Seven Tribes idea laid the groundwork for ethno-nationalism. The Seven Tribes concept states that there are seven tribes: * Sometimes dubbed the eigth tribe are the Crusaders.
 * 1) Windsorians
 * 2) Essexians
 * 3) Kentians
 * 4) Amhersts
 * 5) Kings
 * 6) Tilberians
 * 7) Leamonites

Western Tario, Southern Tario, Pelee Island, and parts of Northern Tario have historically been followers of Trinitism, the leading monotheistic religion in Tario. Due to proximity with one another, these regions developed cultural ties that brought them closer together than those in Eastern Tario who were sparse in population and followers of polytheistic Minoanism. In Essex territories, the concept of "Greater Essex" came into play and many Amherst, Windsorian, King, and Leamonite populations became increasingly close with the Essex cultures.

In Kent, most of the territory was open and the only connection they had to anyone else from the Seven Tribes was the Tilberians. Thus, Kent is largely a monoculture that can be divided into various other ones not recognized in the Seven Tribes concept.

Though for many years, the regions fought with each other, causing unlikely alliances to appear. There was distinct differences between East-West groups but none that escalated to war. The East eventually came together under the Union of East Tario which later became the Kingdom of Kent and then reformed into the Republic of Kent. The West was divided between the faulty Democratic Republic of Essex, the state of Albuna, and the city state of Windsor until the government of Essex collapsed and was annexed by the state of Windsor where the royal family was in exile. Subsequent re-control of Essex merged the two together and eventually overtook Albuna to become the Kingdom of Essex. The unions did not seem hostile to one another at first and they supported one another during The Great Crime War and the Enforcer War until the fallout of the later caused the corrupt Kentian government to take advantage of Essexian territories.

First Essex-Kent War 441-443
Main Article: First Essex-Kent War

The first war was fought following an invasion from Essex forces after outrage over leaked cables began to show the extent of abuse the Kentian government inflicted upon it's people. The war began when the Essex navy launched an assault on Fort Cloverdale which later became known as the Battle of Cloverdale.

Theaters of War
See also: Essex-Kent Theatres of Conflict

The conflict was fought all throughout Tario and is known to be the most widespread war in it's history. It was fought mainly on the frontlines of Southern Tario and Eastern Tario where most of the trench systems were dug out. This theater is generally known as the "Central Theater". Battles in the far south typically took place around the Pelee penninsula and that theater goes by the name of the "Peleeian Theater". The penninsula also encompasses all of the islands in the Minoan sea and the naval battles that accompanied it. Battles in the far west were sparse and usually fought through the proxy war known as the Bablonian Conflict. There were however some coastal invasions. Likewise, battles in the far east were not periodic until Operation Thunder came into effect and a large scale airbourne invasion effectively ended that phase of the war. Some major battles were also known to have happened in the "Northern Theater" in their struggle to control the Bay of Clair.