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Perhaps the most bitter threater of the Treaty War , Midgard is a slogan and watchword for the most bitter parts of the Centauri-Federation Conflict.
Midgard hosts a variety of cultures with mixed alliegences. At the conclusion of the war, it was returned to Federation control; however the Centauri Commonwealth offered to participate in reconstruction in exchange for certain concessions and autonomy being granted to the Colonists who settled more permanently on the planet during the conflict.
History[]
The first world settled by the burgeoning Federation, with the earliest stages beginning under the leadership of the TEU. The colonization of the Angelpunkt was set out as an early objective for further plans on expansion by the Federation. However, initial efforts on Himmelrim proved slow however, but during this process, the larger Midgard was discovered to be a far better candidate for colonization than previously imagined. Rich in minerals and agreeable to Terra forming, made quick work of settlement. This move proved to be a success, giving direction and support to the fledgling Federation.
The largest groups of this project quickly staked their claims over regions and continents throughout the planet. The Scandinavian claim would eventually most fortuitous, allowing them to eventually dominate the continent and even planet Culturally, securing their name "Midgard" as the official Federation Designation for the planet, a Century after settlement.
During the initial Contact war, Midgard was overlooked as both forces largely ignored outer colonies and focused on combat within the Sol and Centauri systems. As the stalemate forced a truce, they began looking towards other strategic options...
It would not be long after that the Centauri would attempt to secure the Angelpunkt system for themselves; as the system would allow them to serious hamper Federation logistics, as well as capturing vital Mythril reserves. The populous and ressource rich inner-world Midgar being the key to holding the system.
The Centauri established strongholds and fortifications on the Southern reaches of the planet, which eventually turned into more permenant settlements as professionals and soldiers alike either brought their families along once the areas became secure or married into the local population. This would eventually expand into a full settlements. The Federation would be slowly pushed North, forced to re-estabish their capital and center of Command in the previously unnotable town of New Valencia on the northern continent of Cascadia as Centauri forces pushed toward Krosholm.
In the 2999 Treaty, there was were several clauses which recognized Angelpunkt's special position as a "shared" system and included several clauses recognizing an autonomous status for several groups and cultures which would be considered under the shared purview of the Commonwealth and Federation. It is also notable during this time that Midgard was first recognized as a site of several atrocities, as several war criminals on both sides were called on to stand Trial. Certain priority cases, such as Federation Fleet Admiral Fredrick Zawinsza and Centauri Count Antonio Katsaros, were investigated and dismissed by internal investigation before the Treaty Meeting. Other causes, most infamously, Lieutenant General Shang Wei Zí (or Lt. Gen. Viscount Wei Shang) would remain untried until the second treaty, or (as in Shang's case) escape trial altogether.
During the three year war that followed, the Federation would overwhelm the greater part of Centauri Forces and make a co-ordinated push with resistance forces during "Operation Mjöllnir". Named the "Fatal Fortnight" by Anti-Federation Sympathizers. Centauri central command had focused on other Priorities, should the treaty fall through and were successfully blindsided by a large scale Federation orbital assault and blitzkrieg on the contients of Cascadia and Storscania, conquering Krosburg, Stilleheim and Hårdvind as well as most of occupied Cascadia within a fortnight. The conquest of Stilleheim and Hårdvind however drew significant attrition on the Federation forces; due to a combination of successful Fortification, use of combined arms Artillery tactics and Shang's scortched earth tactics which resulted in the destruction of much of Hårdvind.
Initial assaults on Leuphramie and other Southern Centauri strongholds held only limited success; hindering the Centauri ability to organize and mobilize North, but failing to gain a significant foothold on other continents largely due ot the Command's over confidence on the support of the population of these regions.
After this, the war became far slower paced and more protracted as the Centauri attacked any attempts to establish Logical lines in Storscania and their native allies and neutral warlords significantly hindered Federation forces to make any further advancements. Centauri forces however were besieged and forced to operate with limited ability to gather and mobilize due to the Orbital Superior of the Federation. The result was slow and vicious guerrilla warfare, with eachside dedicated to limiting their Foe's logistics.
Eventually, many Warlords and Pro-Autonomy Factions both internal and external to the Federations and Centauri's militaries would ally with a Mysterious Organization refered to as "White Cross" which hoped to forcibly demilitarize the Angelpunkt system. A successful string of terrorist actions and sympathizers at high levels in both militaries, resulted in a powerful third faction on the Planet who would successfully challenge Federation Orbital Superiority on multiple occaisions. Inspite of this, a broad ideological base, loose organization structure and a lack of detailed agenda or end goals would hinder the organization. The Centauri would initially greet the challenge to Fed Orbital Power as a relief only to find White Cross equally hostile to them.
Famously, as White Cross slowly lost ground and moral as the Centauri and Federation forces reorganized, a large Cell would perform a desperation move; capturing a Nuclear facility on Himmel Rand and use an old Station as a Launch platform from which to hold the Planet Hostage. This only served to cost them further support amongst Moderates and ultimately led to a combined Federation-Centauri assault to clear out the Station.
After this, White Cross ceased to play a major role on the Galatic Stage and merely became a loose ideological affiliation with several Cells and Warlords claiming membership despite widely varying ideals and a clear lack fo structure. It remains unclear who the Mastermind of White Cross was, though there are many theories with varying degrees of creditibility. It is entirely possible that he remains alive to this day.
However, as White Cross collapsed, the war returned to Conventional terms. Where, lacking means to regain Orbital Suppport and with the Commonwealth desperately focusing on releaving their own worlds from siege, the Cent forces found themselves gradually retreating through a vicious cycle of attrition and raids. Further, they became increasingly reliant on native allies, just as the Federation before them; with some Regiments becoming fully integrated with Autonomists and various Anti-Federation groups. Eventually, some contests and sortees into Angelpunkt space were made by the Cents, with one leading to a counter assault as far as the Hårdvind mountains. Despite this, the Centauri forces would never regain the territory lost and by the end of the war, the Federation emerged as secure victors within Angelpunkt.
The Federation's significant increase in control was a cause of much bitterness from natives and harsh compromises for Autonomists and Cent-Sympathizers for the treaty. However, in order to minimize hostilities from the still active resistance and potential terrorist acts from civilians sympathetic to their causes, the Federation made several concessions; on the most important of these was recognizing the dual citizenship rights and shared administration rights of the Colonists. Inspite of these concessions, many departed for either Centauri space, neutral planets or even just a Federation world where stigmas will be weaker.
Those Cent Colonists who did not depart are refered to still as "Accordiens". Some native groups felt the Centauri sacrificed their autonomy and goals during the cease fire in order to achieve this.