The Gorn Strait Conflict

The Conflict

Prelude

The Minotaurs had been eyeing Goran territory for quite some time leading up to the initial incident. Even if the Minotaurs had attempted to bargain for more territory or systems, even uncolonized, the Gorans would almost certainly have refused as they are generally exceedingly isolationist. But negotiation has never been, and likely never will be, the Minotaurs' style. Instead, when the Minotaur government heard about a massive Goran yacht, The Garnailia, departing from Gorn to start a record breaking political/pleasure cruise around the entire circumference of Avendora, they sprung into action, sending warships to immediately intercept and capture the vessel filled with vitally important Goran officials and politicians. The cruise was on its way to meet up with its full escort, and foolishly was grossly under protected by only a few cruisers and their escorts, making the Minotaur interception laughably easily and resulting in the destruction of every warship guarding the non-military vessel. A sort of ransom was then issued from the Minotaur government; the ship and its inhabitants returned safely home in exchange for a few hundred border systems, 6 of which were colonized. Goran civilians would be allowed to migrate further into Goran territory of course. Naturally, the Gorans were beyond outraged by this act of open aggression and arguably terrorism. Further complicating matters, several very important Vuxati government officials had been on the ship and were now held captive by the Minotaurs with a ransom contingent upon the cooperation of the Gorans. The Vuxati vigoursly demanded the Gorans submit to the Minotaur demands and hand over their systems, even offering to negotiate descaltion talks as well as attempting to demand their people back from the Minotaurs, requests that were unilaterally denied by both sides. Tensions continued to rise on all sides until finally war was declared, starting with the three nations on seperate sides of the conflict before the Gorans and Vuxati finally realized they could not stand against the Minotaurs alone, let alone while fighting each other, and thus not allying themselves but instead focusing their war efforts on the Minotaur front.

Outcome

As the war dragged on, all sides of the engagement began to realize that losses at their current rate were not sustainable for any of them, not to mention both the Gorans and the Minotaurs beginning to specifically target civilians and general industry, and peace talks finally began to take place. Of course the Minotaurs wanted all of the systems they had targeted originally, and the Gorans did not want to give up any, but eventually they begrudgingly came to a deal where the Minotaurs would keep all of the systems they had taken and were currently occupying, which was just under half. In addition, all sides would release and return any prisoners of war they had taken during the fighting, as well as civilians on any captured worlds. Last, the Vuxati were granted some monetary reparations from both other sides to repair destroyed buildings and ships (this came out to be around $1.5 trillion each in the end) as well as having any captives returned.

Aftermath

The three involved nations' relations were irreparably harmed by the war, lingering effects and resentment still lingering to this day in the form of harsher trade deals, tariffs, sanctions, and the general increase in speciesism amoung the general population. When the Saurian Empire entered Minotaur territory and reigned in their general barbarism during the Minotaur Subjugation War this helped relations between the three countries some, but full trust is likely far too much to hope for within the next several hundred years at least.

Historical Significance

Technological Advancement

As war often does, general military and other technological advancements were made on all sides to some degree, with the Minotaurs gaining the most as they started with the lowest tech level. This was partially due to the initial capturing and study of The Garnailia and subsequent pirating of the Atalanti and Foxan tech within as well as later capturing and directions of other Goran and Vuxati vessels.

 

 

Conflict Type

War

Battlefield Type

Extraplanar

Start Date

30/8/839 ASD

Ending Date

19/12/850 ASD

Conflict Result

Partial Minotaur victory

Location

Gorn

Belligerents

Invading Minotaur Force

• Minotaur Dictatorship

Led by

Strength

~2,810,764,830 men
~1,784,290 ships

Casualties

~198,334,730 men
~532,221,000 civilians
800,321 ships

Objectives

To capture and annex as much Goran territory as possible and expand Minotaur borders, thus increasing their galactic influence.

Goran Defense Effort

• Goran Clans

Led by

Strength

~867,394,100 men
524,391 ships

Casualties

276,398,624 men
~469,325,000 civilians
328,729 ships

Objectives

To defend their territory from the encroaching Minotaurs as well as from and threat of attack from the Vuxati and to reaquire The Garnailia and the people who were onboard.

Vuxati Reactionary Taskforce

Led by

Strength

687,200,377 men
688,206 ships

Casualties

199,781,581 men
~11,240 civilians
102,613 ships

Objectives

To reacquire any Vuxati officials or other civilians that were onboard The Garnailia when it was captured from the Minotaurs or alternatively to force the Gorans into agreeing to Minotaur terms and giving over systems in exchange for both nations' people back.