Kalistan

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Kalistani News in Brief:  Princess Michelle is Married
Kalistan winds down aid to Xsampa; New Series of Surveillance Satellites to Launch from Spencer
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
August 1, 5609


Princess Michelle Ananto-Sandoval marries investment banker Tom Reynolds

Princess Michelle is Married in Eveari
Her Highness Princess Michelle Ananto-Sandoval, Countess of Dulnerstaad, has been married in Eveari.  The outside ceremony was attended by a who's who in Kalistani Politics as well as friends of the Family.  The ceremony was held at Ananto Estate, and was in the traditional Brethrenist Fashion, complete with silent worship, sharing of messages for the couple, the exchange of commitments, and the signing of the Brethrenist Wedding Certificate.  The wedding was followed by an large reception featuring a dinner and dancing, and a live band, Eveari's own Bluegrass Valley 4, an alt-folk quartet who played mostly covers and party music.

The groom, Tom Reynolds from Sulari, is an investment banker who works for the Bank of Suldanor in Sulari.  At 28, he is two years Princess Michelle's senior.  The two met at Kaliburg Polytechnic while they were both in a budgeting theory course.  The Princess, who has just graduated with a degree in Finance and Accounting, will formally take over the operations of House Ananto and Miramar from Viceroy Dana Ananto-Alvarez, moving the operations of both House Ananto and Miramar back to Ananto.  Lady Dana Ananto was also at the wedding with her Husband, Sir Christopher Bjorksdattir, and they presented Princess Michelle with a single 89.67 karat Emerald, set into a silver pendant, purchased in Gaduridos seven years ago, as a wedding gift.  The gift is estimated to be worth just over ₭1.4 Million Imperial Rubles.

Reynolds will receive the title to a barony in Dulnerstaad, the Courtesy title of Count of Dulnerstaad, by virtue of his marriage to Princess Michelle and will made a Stranger Knight Companion in the Ancient Order of the Gray Smoke.

Kalistan Begins to Wind Down aid to Xsampa
Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina I Ananto's Foreign Minister George Bennots said that the Humanitarian and Reconstruction aid mission to Xsampa will begin winding down this month.  "The primary shipments of food, clothing and construction materials which were allocated following the wanton destruction of the Xsampan Capital have contributed to the well being and emergency aid to the people of Xsampa," said FM Bennots.  "And now that they are past the worst of it, and have laid a solid foundation for their restoration, it is time that Kalistan wind the mission down."  The Foreign Minister reiterated that the regime has retained both its ideological commitment to communism and its association with Kundrati.  "The people of Xsampa are out of the woods and several nations continue to provide assistance to Xsampa, but Kalistan's time there is over."

The Foreign Minister also said that they will maintain consular services in the Dovani nation while those Xsampans who sought refuge in Kalistan are given the opportunity to resettle back in Xsampa.  "Most Xsampans came in via Lourenne," said Bennots.  "Kalistan doesn't currently have direct flights with Xsampa, but we will work with our partners in Lourenne to get all Xsampans who wish to return home back safely.  Those who wish to stay in the Empire are asked to contact the local office of the Interior Ministry in the closest County Seat to their residence to begin inprocessing for naturalization.  The Foreign Minister noted that Xsampa still possesses about ₭10.5 Million in trade credits which it is still eligible to use at anytime in the future.

New Series of Satellites to launch from Spencer
A new series of Surveillance Satellites are scheduled to launch over the next 18 months from Spencer Space and Test Center.  The satellites will be established in Geosynchronous Terran Orbit to provide geosynchronous coverage over various parts of Terra.  "The satellites are funded primarily by KALMILINCO and IBSI, and are designed to watch parts of Terra that our overflights can't reach," said project manager Howard Torrance, of Spencer STC.  "Our primary focus is on notorious bad actors in Artania and Majatra:  Having eyes on these nations is imperative to give Kalistan a crucial edge in preparing for attacks before they are launched against Constituent Nations the the Anantonese Empire, or any of friendly nations in Terra.  We know there are various programs underway that some states would prefer to hide, but it is our intention to deny them that capability."

The surveillance satellites, which will circle the globe at just over 22,200 miles is designed to orbit the planet once every 23 hours 56 minutes and 4 seconds, allowing it to sit over a single point.  A total of sixteen satellites will be launched over the next year and a half and will give Kalistan coverage over most of southern and central Artania, Northern Majatra, and Southern Seleya, all areas where Kalistan is concerned about, but can't easily establish aircraft overflights.  "Knowing what is happening in these places is crucial for Kalistan.  We have a feeling that those countries we are placing satellites over would prefer us not seeing what they are up to, but the security of the Empire is far more important than those countries' desire for secrecy, and hence the satellite surveillance."  All data will be shared with Kalistan's security Partners in the Anantonese Security Community.

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Kalistani News in Brief:  Empress set to Retire
Crown Prince and Princess welcome first baby; Kalistan and Lodamun to develop new Phased Array Radar
Eveari, Grand Duchy of Ananto
July 8, 5610


Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina I Ananto at home in Eveari

Empress to Retire, begins Transition of Sovereignty
Her Imperial Majesty has informed the National Assembly of her intention to retire, and has directed Dame Diane Bolton, Chancellor of the Empire to begin preparing to transfer sovereign authority to His Highness, Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Sandoval, who, upon succession, will be known as Emperor Fredrick III Ananto.  "Her Imperial Majesty has informed me of her decision to abdicate directly after her sixty-fifth birthday in April of next year," said Dame Bolton.  "The process of transition has begun already, as Her Imperial Majesty has recently given the County of Davon to the Crown Prince.  The official Coronation and full transfer of authority will take place immediately after Her Imperial Majesty's Abdication, after which point, Her Imperial Majesty will receive the title Her Highness, Princess of the Empire Carolina Ananto, the first person to hold the emeritus title since Princess Pavlina."

The next nine months will be very busy for both the current and future monarch, and the Crown Prince and his family is expected to relocate to Wilson House to begin assuming formal Imperial Duties.    "The Crown Prince has opted to return to Kaliburg before his coronation due to he and Princess Monica recently becoming parents" said the Chancellor.  "With both Princess Monica and the new Minor Princess Mary at Wilson House, the Crown Prince will be able to take up Imperial duties and remain close to his growing family."  The Chancellor said that Her Imperial Majesty is expected to continue commuting to Kaliburg during the transition, and then following her abdication, will continue to reside at Ananto Estate in Eveari.  The Crown Prince and Princess will keep their home in Luxon as a vacation home.

Crown Prince Fredrick and Princess Monica welcome new Baby
His Highness, the Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Sandoval and Her Highness Princess Monica Ananto-DeLaurentis welcomed their first Child, Mary-Elizabeth Natalia Ananto-DeLaurentis to the world on June 20, 5610 in Luxon.  The new Princess was titled by Her Imperial Majesty as a Princess on July 1.  The Minor Princess is the first Ananto to be born in Luxon.  The pregnancy was difficult for Princess Monica, who reportedly went into labor in mid May, but the labor was stopped by doctors because the baby would have been born about 10 weeks premature had she been born then.  Princess Monica also developed gestational diabetes, which is common for expectant mothers.

As it was, Princess Mary was born only 4 weeks early, but spent a couple nights in the NICU, to keep the premature baby under very close observation.  The baby will continue to be under close observation until August, as a neo-natal nurse will visit and stay with the baby in Kaliburg.  Issues that the neo-natal nurse will keep an eye out for are breathing issues until her lungs finish developing, and also jaundice, which is not uncommon in premature babies.  The new Minor Princess will be formally welcomed by the Eveari Brethrenist Meeting in September, when she is past her health issues.  Meanwhile, the Royal Family is overjoyed at the new edition:  Princess Michelle has said she is excited to be an aunt.

Kalistan to work with Lodamun to build new Phased Array Radar in Lodamun
While Kalistan has begun to build a new OTH radar post at Newport Naval Logistics Center in Lodamun, the two Anantonese Nations have also begun constructing a new Radar System known as Solid State Phased Array Radar (RLE:  AN/FPS-132 system) and will be constructing an installation that looks out over the Mad Dog Ocean.  "The difference between OTH radar and the PAR system is that OTH is essentially a sonar system that bounces off the ionosphere to give operators a two-dimensional view of what the radar is aimed at," said Lt. Marianne Talmadge, of the Kalistani Regular Forces.  "The New system relies on radio waves and provides a three dimensional picture of incoming targets.  This will help us see not only surface and conventional air threats, but also have early warning of incoming missile threats. It gives us improved target acquisition, identification, and tracking, greatly enhancing our ability to address incoming threats much earlier.  The PAR system will give us eyes not only across most of the eastern Mad Dog Ocean, but also deep into space above Terra."

The development and construction of the radar installation will cost Kalistan and Lodamun over ₭110 Million, and the cost will be evenly split between the two Anantonese Nations.  Once constructed, the radar site will also be linked to Continental Missile Defense which is being built across Northern Seleya.  "There is no specific threat that the Anantonese Empire is responding to at this particular moment," said Lt. Talmadge.  "But missile defense has moved to a priority within the Empire following Beiteynu's attack of Xsampa with a nuclear weapon.  We have the technology, we have the strategic positioning and the intel partners, and so it is something we are putting more attention to here in the Empire."  Following the construction of the radar facility at Newport, additional installations will be constructed in Ananto, Kalistan and Gaduridos.

@TheRepublic

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"Kundrati is a Menace that needs to be dealt with"
Her Imperial Majesty orders 4th Fleet to West
Bozoville, Grand Duchy of Ananto
December 12, 5610


Kaliburg-C Class Destroyer KRS-404 joins main body of IV Fleet moving West toward Artanian Sea

In the waning months of her Reign, Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina I Ananto has instructed the Ministry of Defense to begin redeploying I and IV Fleets west.  The move comes following the unprovoked attacks by Kundrati against Xsampa earlier this year.  In addition, the Ministry of Defense has been ordered to begin working up various contingencies to counter Kundrati incursion into the Mad Dog Ocean.

"Kundrati is a menace that needs to be dealt with sooner or later," Her Imperial Majesty stated in the National Assembly earlier this week.  "They have now launched an unprovoked attack against Xsampa.  We assume it is because that nation has stated that it is re-evaluating its long standing, though largely one sided relationship with the pariah state.  But Kalistan will not be caught off guard by Kundrati as Xsampa was.  We have directed the IV Fleet to take new positions between Makon and Likatonia, and I Fleet to deploy west of the Karzon Strait.  II Fleet will redeploy into the Northern Anantonese Ocean to protect the Northern Limit.  We are asking our allies and members of the Anantonese Security community to join us in keeping the Northern Anantonese secure as our navy takes a more forward leaning posture."

The Empress' speech left no doubt that Kalistan intends to make a display of its resolve to contain the pariah nation in Artania.  The Foreign Ministry has announced that it intends to send envoys to several nations in the region, including Lodamun and Egelion, both members of the Anantonese Security Community, as well nations like Dorvik, Dundorf, Luthori and Narikaton in Artania, as well as Pontesi and Zardugal in Majatra, and Mordusia and Alduria in Seleya to ask for help.  In a surprising move, Her Imperial Majesty also included Likatonia in the list. 

"We believe that Likatonia is an ally of Kundrati and our emissary will be rejected," said Her Imperial Majesty.  "But we will not have done our full due diligence if we do not at least make an attempt to reach out and invite them to stand up against naked aggression on the part of their friends.  After all:  If it could happen to Xsampa, it could happen to anyone, including Likatonia."  Her Imperial Majesty suggested that the Imperial Government will be willing to discuss political and economic concessions if Likatonia will move at all on Kundrati, up to and including a conditional dropping of Imperial sanctions against the Nation.  The envoys from Kaliburg will leave by the end of this month.

IV Fleet, which is Kalistan's primary frontline fleet, is built around the doctrine of sub hunting, but it lacks airpower.  "The Kalistani Air Force is primarily land based, and would only play a role in regard to forward aerial reconnaissance from Lodamun.  As a result, any action in the Artanian Sea would be limited to Kalistani regular navy," said Her Imperial Majesty.  "However, we believe that both the surface to surface missiles, and the overwhelming submarine presence in the fourth fleet will at least provide parity with the Kundrati Navy, which has expanded its submarine and surface capabilities in the last few years while the world slept, and we hope that our presence is enough of a demonstration to show them that they will no longer be free to act with impunity.  Because while the world is for the most part asleep, Kalistan has never dropped its vigilance, and hopefully this unprovoked attack by Kundrati against Xsampa is enough to sound the alarm for nations with other capabilities in Kundrati's proximity."

The redeployment is expected to take about five weeks.  Kalistan will begin servicing I Fleet from Newport in Lodamun, which is also home to IV Fleet, and is expected to dramatically increase its contributions as well as overland transport of materiel to Lodamun for the rights.  KalMilInco in Sulari has announced that it will be ramping up production of naval munitions and acquisition of food and fuel supplies in anticipation of a prolonged deployment along the new front.  His Highness, the Crown Prince Fredrick Ananto-Sandoval has been in close conference with Her Imperial Majesty and Defense Ministry officials during the decision process and will retain daily operational knowledge ahead of his Coronation.

@TheRepublic

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His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Fredrick III Ananto is Crowned
Xsampa, Egelion and Alduria Attend
Eveari, Grand Duchy of Ananto
May 1, 5611


His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Fredrick III Ananto

With the formal abdication of Her Highness, Princess of the Empire Carolina I Ananto, in favor of her son, His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Fredrick III Ananto, the transition of Monarchs is now complete.  The Princess officially abdicated the day after turning 65 years old, which set in motion the machinery of what has become a fairly regular transition of power.  The Coronation took place at Eveari Monthly Meeting in Eveari, which has been the location of coronation ceremonies for most Anantan Monarchs, and occurred during a meeting for worship.  Following the silent worship, the then abdicated Empress was invited to rise and speak.  She invited the Chancellor of the Empire and the then Crown Prince to the front of the Meeting, symbolically took of her Imperial Crown of State, and handed it to the Chancellor, who then set it aside as she placed a new custom made Imperial Crown of State atop the head of the new Emperor.  She also placed the Kundrati Diamond around his neck and placed an Imperial Robe on his back, symbolically investing in him the mantle of state.  The ceremony was over in a few short minutes, and then the new Emperor thanked the Chancellor, who with the now Princess of the Empire, bowed deeply to the new Monarch as a stand in for the entire people of Ananto and Kalistan.

Following the Meeting, the Emperor was invited to give a speech to the assembled crowd who had shown up for the Coronation and Investiture.  Below is his speech, provided through an interpreter.

"Today, Friends, we stand on the precipice of conflict.  Perhaps it may be the first conflict Kalistan has participated in in a very long time.  Perhaps it will be peace.  The outcome is not known, but our reign will be begun in a time of strife.  If there is to be conflict, we will require heroic effort of our People.  This may include asking those who are not conscientiously opposed to service to enlist in the Regular Forces.  This may include accepting a decrease in our standard of living.  This may require sacrifice on an unimaginable scale.  But like all conflicts, this one will end eventually.  

The sacrifice will be shared by all of us:  More Hands make lighter work.  There will not be a portion of our society that will be asked to give more than they can offer, nor who will be required to give more than any other.  Should it be war, it will be a total war, and we will ask the entire nation to do their part.  We are not there yet, but we will need to begin preparing.  

Right now, the Fourth Fleet has taken its new position closer to Artania.  While we spin up production and work to increase recruitment, we ask each and every one of you to hold our brothers and sisters in the Light.  They may be the tip of the spear, but we should not assume that the challenge they face is theirs alone.  It is up to all of us to do our part to make sure that if it does come to war, all of Ananto and Kalistan are united in the cause, we all stand together, and we all win or lose as one.  We thank you for your faith in us, and we will not let the people of this Empire down."

His Imperial Majesty's speech was received with stunned silence, and it felt as if the entire room was holding their breath.  They did not exhale until the Emperor left the Meeting House, followed by The Princess of the Empire, the Chancellor of the Empire, and the rest of His Imperial Majesty's Government.  The Entourage travelled across town to the Ananto Estate, where the Emperor took his coronation photo, and then returned the Crown and the Kundrati Diamond to the Crown Jewels Collection, and dressed in more casual attire. 

The reception that was planned, which was attended by His and Her Royal Majesties King Amadeo and Queen Alicia of Egelion, who greeted the new Emperor warmly, Xsampan General-Secretary Bhutia and entourage who expressed gratitude for the kindness shown by Princess of the Empire Carolina Ananto during their rebuilding process, and Pierre L'Unitier, who attended on behalf of Alduria and who was at one point a candidate for spouse for Princess Michelle Ananto. Other notable guests included Alicia Martinez, a singer from Sulari who is a friend of the new Empress Consort Monica Ananto-DeLaurentis, and Alberto Thompson, Director of the Space Program at Spencer Space and Test Center.  The reception featured hors d'oeuvres, drinks for those who imbibe, and a light jazz ensemble to provide incidental music.  Both Princess Michelle and Lady Dana Ananto were in town for the event.

The Official Stile of the Emperor was announced at the Reception, according to act of the Assembly:

By the Consent of the People, His Imperial Majesty, of the Ancient House of Ananto, Emperor and Sovereign of The Anantonese Empire, Emperor of Ananto, Kalistan, and Gaduridos, King of Vintalli, King of Andalay, King of Karzon, King of Sekowo, Grand Duke of Ananto, Duke of Icehaven, Duke of Athosia, Duke of Outannais, Count of Davon, Count of Luxon, Commander in Chief of the Regular Forces of Kalistan, Sovereign and Great Master of the Ancient Order of the Grey Smoke, Sovereign and Grand Master of the Excellent Order of the Anantonese Empire, Sovereign and Grand Master of the Order of Vintalli, Sovereign and Grand Master of the Order of Andalay, Defender of the Realm, Formal Head of the Anantonese Government, Embodiment of the Anantonese Nation, Guarantor of the Anantonese Ocean and Ananto Strait, Fredrick III Ananto.

It is thought that His Imperial Majesty will ask the Government to supply a list of names for various offices, as several members have been serving a long time, and will likely also seek to retire.  The Princess of the Empire will retain her title to the County of Eveari, and the Prince Consort William Ananto-Sandoval will retain his title to the County of Dah.
Meanwhile, The new Emperor has granted Her Highness Empress Consort both the courtesy title of Empress Consort and the title to the county of Green in North Eastern Ananto.  He will devolve the Duchy of Odufaray, likely to Gendaris businessman and close Ananto House associate Martin Whitaker, who will be tasked with overseeing the expansion of KalMilInco in Gendaris and Eshar, in the coming week.  His Imperial Majesty will also ask the Institutional Party to fill a number of vacant seats in the National Assembly. 

Properly enthroned we can say Long Live His Imperial Majesty Emperor Fredrick III Ananto!

@TheRepublic

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Kalistan Formally Declares War on Kundrati
4th Fleet Dispatched to Artanian Sea with Aim to crush Kundrati Offensive Capability
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
June 1, 5611


His Imperial Majesty Fredrick III Ananto with Interpreter Anna Elise O'Connell reads War Declaration

His Imperial Majesty officially declared that the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan is at war.  This declaration of war follows months of mounting tensions in the Artanian Sea following Kundrati's unprovoked attacks against Xsampa.  The tension was escalated following the 4th Kalsitani Regular Fleet's redeployment to the eastern edges of the Artanian Sea.

"As our former Empress, Her Highness the Princess of the Empire Carolina Ananto explained earlier this year, it is our view that Kundrati is a menace that needs to be neutralized," said His Imperial Highness.  "The Chiefs of Staff and the Empress began working on contingencies for this conflict directly following the attacks against Xsampa in Dovani, and now, as they say, the chickens have come home to roost.  If we do not address this situation sooner rather than later, there is no telling what horrors Kundrati will visit on the civilized parts of this planet, to include their neighbors in Artania, as well as the people of Seleya.  It would be a failure of humanity to refuse to stand up to this threat, and Kalistan, if need be will throw the first punch to promote the security of people at home and abroad."

The Emperor declared that Kundrati would no longer be free to act on the global stage with impunity.  "We are counting on members of our coalition, to include nations of Luthori, Dundorf, Dorvik and Alduria to step up and add to the struggle.  Lodamun, for their part will work to keep Likatonia contained here in Seleya, so at least the conflict does not expand.  Be assured, Kalistan is at war for one purpose and one purpose only:  That is to prevent the pariah state of Kundrati from ever having the ability to threaten its neighbors or other parts of the world with offensive weapons again.  As such our war aims will be limited.  However, our resolve will not be.  We will fight to the end, and we will likely lose Kalistani lives, but this is a pariah state.  We will not ask for, nor will we offer quarter."

The Emperor has put Kalistani forces across the Empire on full alert, ordered the First Fleet, now in the Mad Dog to support the Fourth Fleet, and has ordered the Forth Fleet to begin offensive naval operations in the Artanian Sea.  He said that the Kalistani Navy expects support from Luthori and Lodamun in the area, and has ordered unlimited submarine and surface warfare against all Kundrati ships, whether they be military or civilian ships.  He has also issued a call for all those men and women of conscience to step up and enlist in the Regular Forces of the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan, while conscientious objector status will be observed and honored for all Brethrenists who are enlisted but choose not to engage in violence.  The Emperor said they will be offered the opportunity to serve in non-combatant service roles for the duration without any negative marks on their service record, or will be offered discharge under honorable conditions if they want no part of it.

Kalistan will coordinate all Seleyan operations with Lodamun and will stand with Lodamun if called.  But Lodamun is not expected to actively participate in the Artanian Sea Conflict.  As for Gaduridos' part, the Emperor has inited all Gaduri Nationals to serve under Kalistani Colors should they be so moved.  The Emperor finished his war declaration by ordering a price freeze on all essential goods and services to prevent war profiteering and hording, and then inviting all Kalistani Nationals to hold the Sailors of the Kalistani Regular Navy in the Light and do whatever they can on the homefront to support the war effort.  

@TheRepublic

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Kalistani War Dispatch:  Likatonia added to Kalistani War Declaration
IV Fleet bears down on Enemy
Artanian Sea, Artania
June 25, 5611

Today, His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Fredrick III Ananto signed documents officially adding Kundrati to Kalistan's War Declaration of June 1, 5611.  The order simply states:  "A state of war now exists between The Empire of Ananto and Kalistan and the outlaw state of Likatonia.  We have informed our Luthorian Counterparts of the move, which is the first formal declaration of hostilities between Kalistan and a member of the Luthorian Commonwealth.  It is clear to us that Likatonia has chosen sides with Kundrati and intends to do Kalistan harm.  Therefore, all Likatonian aliens found within Kalistan who are not seeking Kalistani Asylum will be immediately detained and deported via Valruzia.  Furthermore, all Likatonian naval and civilian shipping found on the high seas will be considered Enemy Shipping and will be subject to unrestricted Warfare."

The Emperor added a word of thanks to the Kundrati government however, in allowing the Kalistani peace envoy to be turned back at the border, rather than being arrested, and potentially detained or worse.  "This was a small act of humanity by the Likatonians which we do not believe would have been afforded to us by the Kundratis.  And it is in this that we still hold a tiny sliver of hope for the humanity and decency of our Seleyan Neighbors.  It will be remembered and if we are able to show a similar act of forbearance toward Likatonia, we will avail ourselves of the opportunity."

In other news, the IV Fleet, recently deployed to the Central Mad Dog has officially arrived within sight of the Artanian Continent, and hostilities are expected to commence within the near period.  "The month of Kune has been fairly quiet on the High Seas," said His Imperial Majesty, "and morale among the Regular Navy is high.  It is encouraging to know that our brave men and women on the high seas understand our mission, and have to the individual, endorsed it."  The Emperor noted that only 459 sailors of the IV and I Fleets have availed themselves of discharge for conscientious objection, while another 4800 have opted to serve in non-combat roles, a complement that was easily replaced from service men and women from other fleets.  "Recruitment and Training in Kaliburg are reportedly high," said the Emperor.

Lastly, the price freezes have largely held off panic purchasing and hording within the Empire, as producers and distributers continue to abide by them as part of the war effort.  Three black market dealers of imported items were detained by Duchy Police in Port Swede for attempting to skirt the minor shortages.  They were reported to law enforcement by individuals who were reportedly upset by the sellers' "unpatriotic behavior."  Shortages of some Artanian goods are being reported in major consumer outlets as the war in Artania has begun to affect the regular flow of trade between producers on the Continent and the Seleyan Markets.

@WarDispatches

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Kalistani War Dispatches: Fourth Fleet utterly destroyed in Artanian Sea
Kundrati suffers major losses and significant damage to Naval Infrastructure
Artanian Sea, Artania
July 30, 5611

Flash:

In a series of brutal naval battles at the start of the Artanian War, Kalistani IV Fleet is completely destroyed.  Early reports suggest that all offensive weapons in the Fourth Kalistani Regular Fleet, including all submarines attached to the fleet, have been sunk or scuttled with a very high casualty rate acknowledged.  Kundrati Navy also destroyed as elements of the I Fleet arrived in theater too late to reinforce IV Fleet.  First Fleet however did complete its mission and destroyed as much as 60 percent of the Kundrati Naval Capacity, crippling Kundrati's ability to project force at sea.

First Fleet has been ordered to return to Lodamun with rescued casualties.  Loss of life is estimated to be anywhere between 90 and 95 percent from Fourth Fleet, as only several hundred survivors were able to be rescued from the water north of Luthori.  

More details to follow.  Flags across the Empire have been ordered to fly at half mast to honor the dead.

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Emperor obtains Resignation of Defense Minister Miller
Also Replaces Naval Chief in response to Artanian Sea Conflict
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
October 7, 5611


Flag at Half Mast in August in honor of 4th Fleet

As the Artanian War drags on with no end in sight, His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Fredrick III Ananto has required and accepted the resignation of long serving Defense Minister Admiral Jessica Miller, as well as Navy Chief Admiral Jack Robb.  Both individuals were offered retirement out of respect for their long service with the Kalistani Regular Navy, and the sacking was reportedly "regrettable," said sources close to the Imperial Government.  More resignations are expected in the coming months.

"After such a crushing blow to Kalistani Naval Power, it became impossible for the top brass to keep their jobs," said the unnamed source who was adjacent to the discussions around the Staff.  "His Imperial Majesty said he felt it was necessary for the Regular Navy to re-evaluate its posture in light of the loss of the primary front line Fleet, and fresh eyes were needed for new perspective."

Along with the retiring Admirals, several of the top men and women at the Naval Planning station have also lost their jobs, as the tactical details are slowly being released about the battle.  While the Battle was technically a win for Kalistan, the losses in the campaign are "unacceptable" according to the source, and analysts lay that on a number of issues including the engagement before the 1st Fleet, or any other nations in the area could effectively support.  "The narrative that is starting to trickle for analysts is that the Fourth Fleet could have waited an additional month and would have likely had a far better outcome, but rushing into battle, with no air, with a smaller surface fleet, was likely a mistake."

The one silver lining in the whole scenario was that, given how naval fires reportedly occurred, the accident that the 1st Fleet was out of supporting range for most of the campaign is likely what saved it.  The 1st Fleet suffered only minimal damage from the remnants of a badly wounded but still deadly Kundrati Fleet, "but had the 1st Fleet been brought up in time for the battle against the main body, which had suffered FAR fewer casualties than was planned for, it too would likely be at the bottom of the Sea."

Admiral Miller will be replaced by Naval Lt. Commander Henry Reals, who will serve in an acting role until a new Defense Minister can be named, and the Navy Chief of Staff will be Rear Admiral Catherine Jimenez, who currently commands a battle Group with the Third Fleet in Gaduridos.  Rear Admiral Jimenez will be the permanent replacement for Admiral Robb, and will oversee the beginning of a new Naval Procurement program in both Kaliburg, and at Puerto Gaduri, in Ciudad de Gaduri Marlingantos, to start reinforcing the 1st Fleet, which is currently refitting in Lodamun.  Meanwhile, the 2nd Fleet will maintain its position east of the Karzon Strait in the Anantonese Ocean, and it is likely that the 1st Fleet will take up a defensive position in the Mad Dog, where the 4th Fleet had previously operated.

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War Dispatches-  Artanian Sea Campaign Report
Declassified details show poor planning, near disaster by Kalistani Navy
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
January 18, 5612


Artanian Sea Campaign, July 5611, Tactical Map

The Declassified Final Report of the near disaster in the Artanian Sea Campaign which led to the complete destruction of Kalistani IV Fleet and the ultimate destruction of the majority of Kundrati's Naval Capacity has been released by His Imperial Majesty's Ministry of Defense today.  The Ministry of Defense said that the report was being released as an effort toward full disclosure and an effort to learn from past mistakes so they can be avoided in the future.  The Report was originally published in Kalistani Naval Journal, an academic journal covering strategic analysis and excerpted here.

Excerpts from Davis, Julie and Nathan Balderas.  5611.  "PUBLIC REPORT ON THE ARTANIAN SEA CAMPAIGN, JUNE - AUGUST 5611." Kalistani Naval Journal. (Dec., 5611) 12:123-142.

Ministry of Defense- Empire of Ananto and Kalistan
De-Class FORPUBINF

Preface
We wish to thank first the veterans of both the Kalistani IV Fleet and the I Fleet for their candidness in the collection of our data.  Those individuals were on the front lines of the battle and their debriefing took place from August 31, 5611 to October 20, 5611.  All those who were able and willing to speak contributed stories and accounts to the report that filled in our understanding of the four major naval battles that took place during the period of July 6 5611 and July 21, 5611.  Interviews were conducted at Newport Naval Logistics Station in Lodamun, where the First Fleet was in port for repairs and hospital.  The Series of Battles is collectively known as the Artanian Sea Campaign, and the operation was code named Operation Tsunami.

Prelude to conflict- Strategic Aims
On June 8th, following the declaration of War, the Fourth Fleet received orders to seek out and destroy all Kundrati naval shipping in the Artanian Sea.  Satellite phots revealed the location of the main body of the fleet to be about 185 nm south south west of the Island of Etxea, in the Artanian Sea.  

It was believed that Kundrati submarines had been dispatched east of the main body of the fleet to intercept the Kalistani Fleet.  Kalistani planners were confident that IV Fleet possessed a tactical advantage in submarine power, and once the Kundrati submarines were gone, the main body would be exposed to the full force of the Kalistani Fourth Fleet and would be neutralized with moderate damage and casualties.  I Fleet, which was more than 650 nm east of IV Fleet was designated as reserves and would assist in the battle against Kundrati Capital Ships once the submarines were cleared.  

Following the neutralization of Kundrati Naval Forces in the Artanian Sea, the combined IV and I Fleets would proceed to the Strategic Objective, and bombard the Kundrati Coastline to wipe out whatever stragglers remained, and then cripple Kundrati Naval Infrastructure.  

Kalistan had no air cover itself:  Its only air assets were 70 NH 64 ASW Helicopters on two Thiers Class Amphibious Assault vehicles, which were tasked with locating the Kundrati Submarine Force using Magnetic Displacement sensors.  It was unclear how much air power Kundrati had on station, but Kalistanis knew that Kundrati Air would be a significant issue in the battle.  Luthori Air and Navy was reportedly operating in the Artanian Sea, but it was not expected to play a role in what was intended to be an overwhelming and swift attack against Kundrati Naval Forces.

Battle 1 of the Campaign:  Battle of La Boca de Artania
The Kalistani Submarine detachments IVa and b were deployed ahead to hunt the Kundrati submarine units.  Between July 6 and July 9, a major underwater battle occurred between Kalistani and Kundrati Submarine units that led to the sinking of 12 Kundrati submarines (or roughly half of their underwater assets) and 18 Kalistani submarines (or about 40 percent of the IV Fleet's submarine component.)  

The Magnetic Displacement Helicopters played little role in the detection of the Kundrati subs, and the Kalistani units detected the Kundrati subs when it was too late, leading to early losses of two Kalistani Subs.  Over the three days and nights of the battle, the Kundratis, who submarines were more familiar with the Artanian Theater took advantage of their tactical knowledge to score several wins, and while Kalistan subs held their own, the damage was not enough to clear the entire sea of Kundrati submarines.  The battle was still raging as Kalistani surface vessels arrived and began assisting Kalistani submarine crews.  Surface vessels counted two subs destroyed, while the remaining 13 submarines of the Kundrati Navy tactically retreated to the second line of defense.  

The battle, which left a lethal number of Kundrati submarines alive, did not achieve Kalistani tactical objectives, failing to provide any assistance for the second wave of ships as they arrived to the theater.  Notable casualties on the Kalistani side included Captains Ryan Lonnigan, Rachal Rodriguez, and Gerald Benson, and the crews of the 18 submarines which were destroyed at sea and could not be evacuated.

Battle 2 of the Campaign:  Battle of Etxea Deeps
Satellites reported that the main body of the fleet had pulled north toward Kundrati, and Kalistani IV Planners decided to attempt to intercept them before they made for port, where they would be covered by shore batteries.  When IV Fleet engaged the Screeners of the Carrier Group, on the morning of July 12, they were still more than 120 nm from shore.  Here Kundrati air was launched from the Kundrati Aircraft carrier and flew sorties.  Kalistani anti-aircraft had some success against the aircraft, but most had not been launched, as only a few of them were designated as surface attack planes.

More destruction, however was accomplished by the multitude of smaller craft (frigates, corvettes and PT Boats) many of which possessed surface launched torpedoes which had a devastating effect on Kalistani surface craft.  Combined with the remaining submarine threat, which Kalistan was not able to successfully counter following the introduction of of surface ASW, and Kalistan suffered a withering defeat at the hands of the Kundrati Navy.  During this battle, they lost another half of their remaining subs (15 in all) and suffered a one third losses in remaining surface ships.

One quarter of all Kundrati Screeners and another three submarines were also destroyed during this battle, but like the first conflict, enough of Kundrati's surface fleet survived the battle to provide excellent support for the Main Carrier group that consisted of an Aircraft Carrier and two main battle cruisers.  Several skirmishes took place between July 12 and July 22 during this phase of the battle, before the battle was joined by the strongest of Kundrati's ships which had not even been engaged yet.

Battle 3 of the Campaign:  The Doom of the Fourth Fleet
On July 22, the Battle Cruisers and the remainder of the Kundrati Fleet maneuvered to begin an encirclement of the remaining Kalistani IV Fleet.  At this point, as the situation was getting critical, I Fleet was less than 65 nm away from the battle, and were headed toward the conflict at flank speed.  

But it was too late for the Fourth Fleet.  Several major battles were fought during the day of July 22, and by the evening of July 22, the Kalistani Fleet called a full scale retreat, as they were running low on ammunition.  More than 10 days of constant battle had crippled many of the remaining ships, and they had few munitions left and we running low on fuel and other supplies as well.  During the night, the Kundrati forces decimated the withdrawing ships, as Kundrai air harassed the 4th Fleet from the sky.  Remaining Kundrati submarines also harried the retreating Fleet as it pulled back to the east toward the 1st Fleet.  

By the morning of the 23rd, the Fourth Fleet had either been sunk or was in the process of sinking.  The destruction of the fleet was complete.  IV Fleet losses were 100 percent, and crew fatalities were are about 67% with another 33 percent of the crew wounded and adrift at sea.  On the morning of the 23rd, Kundrati Naval units proceeded to attempt to capture the wounded troops, who were instructed to give no quarter, leading to them attempting to fight from life rafts with small arms and 50 caliber mounted machine guns on LAFA ships that were deployed from sinking vessels.  Many of those encountered by Kundrati forces were killed in the water, and at the end of the battle, only 6% of the total of 14,000 sailors were rescued uninjured by the I Fleet.  The carnage and destruction was absolute.

Kundrati, for its part, lost one half of its remaining fleet in the fierce battle of the 22nd, but the Aircraft Carrier successfully made it back to the Artanian Coast in Kundrati, and its remaining air was transferred to bases in Kundrati.

Battle 4 of the Campaign:  Mop Up
The arrival of the Kalistani I Fleet was the end of the remainder of the Kundrati Fleet, who, like the Kalistanis the day before were now low on fuel and ammunition, and attempted to follow the Aircraft carrier back to shore.  As the First Fleet arrived, Kundrati remnants put up a fierce defense once more before being completely destroyed themselves.  What did them in more than anything was the shortage of munitions and the inability to resupply over such a short period of time following such fierce fighting the day before.  But they still did damage to the I Feet's submarine component as well as scoring hits on a handful of surface ships.

Kalistani subs took revenge against the surface ships, targeting and destroying nearly all of the capital ships in the Kundrati surface fleet, while surface crews made short work of most of the smaller ships and the remaining Kundrati submarines.  Like the Kundratis the day before, no quarter was given to Kundratis in the water, who themselves fought to the last man, but were ultimately dispatched by deck gun fire as revenge for the loss of the IV Fleet.  The remaining battles took place between July 23 and July 26.  Kalistani crews also dispathed several corvettes for search and rescue detail, and picked up whoever remained alive of the Kalistani naval personnel who were at sea.  Very few submariners were rescued:  nearly all went down with their ships.

Following the battle, I Fleet regrouped, and using the munitions it was carrying to restock supplies in the now obliterated IV Fleet, turned its guns and missile batteries on the Kundrati Coast.  It bombarded the shore of Kundrati for two days and nights, using realtime satellite forward observation as well as LAFA FOs who were dispatched from the main fleet.  In all, the First fleet destroyed a total of 60 percent of all Kundrati Naval facilities and ship yards, including dry docks, sub pens, refueling depots, and fabrication facilities.  It did not, however, hit the Aircraft Carrier which refueled on the night of the 24th and shipped out toward Kundrati Livonian facilities the next morning, before surface spotters could get into place to call fire missions.  The cloud cover over the shore hindered satellite observation, and by the time the cloud cover decreased, the carrier was well out of range of Kalistani I Fleet.

The Artanian Sea Campaign:  Aftermath
On July 30, the First Fleet was given orders to withdraw to Lodamun.  They had to save munitions for the possibility of encountering Likatonian Naval vessels which were rumored to exist and, it was suggested, could be making their way into the theater while the bombardment was taking place.  Kalistani Submarines cast a wide screen in front of the retreating Fleet, but no Likatonian ships were encountered over the route of withdraw.  Kalistani I Fleet dropped anchor in New Port on August 6, 5611.

Total Kalistani Casualties:
11,385 Regular Naval Personnel dead, 3,165 wounded, 783 rescued unharmed at sea.
IV Fleet Utterly destroyed and unsalvageable, I Fleet damaged
IV Fleet Losses
4 Kaliburg-C Class Destroyers
2 Luxon Class (Guided Missile Cruisers
4 Daniel Guzman Class Multipurpose Frigate
2 Ontiveros Class Frigates
12 Victor Class attack submarines
31 Indica-C Class Defensive Submarines
6 Sulari Class Corvettes
1 Thiers-Class Amphibious Assault Ship with 35 NH-64 ASW Helicopters

I Fleet Losses
1 Ontiveros Class Frigate
1 Victor Class attack submarine
1 Indica-C Class Defensive Submarine
1 Sativa Class Submarine
1 Gallegos class Patrol Ship
7 NH-64 ASW Helicopters
Most ships in I Fleet sustained heavy battle damage, but are being repaired.

Kundrati Losses
Kundrati Personnel Lost- Unknown, est 12,000 total casualties both dead and wounded
2 destroyers
2 battlecruisers
6 cruisers
24 submarines
17 frigates
12 corvettes
10 missile ships
40 patrol boats

Analysis
The reason Kalistan lost were two fold.

1. IV Fleet possessed a tactical superiority only in Submarines, as it was built primarily to defend the Karzon Strait and was not configured as an attack fleet, while it suffered a major disadvantage in surface ships.  Using it for an attack therefore was a misuse of its strengths, and even in its strengths, it failed to accomplish its primary tactical objectives of wiping out Kundrati subs in the first battle, and failed to do so in subsequent battles, and those Kundrati subs then provided an additional advantage in later battles.  And
   
2. An underpowered IV Fleet engaged a waiting Kundrati adversary without any air support, or reinforcement from I Fleet or any potential help from Luthori.  As a result, Kundrati forces possessed a number of advantages, both in terms of sheer numbers of surface ships, but also command of the air, which, even with modern radar driven anti-air gunnery, still did serious damage to Kalistan's exposed surface fleet.
   

The Battle was a minor strategic victory, but a tactical catastrophe for Kalistan.  While Kalistan did accomplish its primary and secondary war aims, the price it paid, with the loss of its premier front line fleet, as well as more than 14,000 battle casualties, about 70 percent of whom died in the battle, was a very high cost for the partial destruction of Kundrati Naval production capacity. 

Could anything have been done differently?  Yes

1. Kalistan excels in defense.  On the defense, the advantages Kundrati had would all be Kalistan's.  Kaistani subs ran into an underwater wall of submarines that were watching all approaches, and employed essentally wolf pack tactics to allow them to operate independently in a relatively combined battlefield and as such they were far more agile and mobile in the Artanian sea than Kalistani subs were.
   
2. Kalistan was far from any friendly territory.  Luthori is technically a coalition partner, but they played no role in this battle.  If Kalistan were defending the Karzon Strait, more reliable units, like Kalistani Air could shift to Lodamun and participate in the battle, and instead of having I Fleet in reserve, they would have also had II Fleet in reserve as well that would have swelled the naval ranks similar to a hive of bees alerted to a threat.  As it was, it was 1 Kalistani fleet, which on paper looks to have parity in terms of overall firepower, but that firepower was simply misallocated to tools which were not appropriate for this battle, against several major capital ships which were not even engaged until the Kalistani Navy was severely damaged. and whom themselves had taken comparatively minor casualties to that point.
   
3. And short of luck being on Kalistan's side, which by definition is beyond anyone's control, the most important thing Kalistan could have done is simply not attack.  It is unclear whether Luthori or any of the other erstwhile "partners" will follow up with an invasion or air war in Kundrati, so it is not even clear if the war's overall strategic goals will be met anyway.  It is likely that Kalistan simply sacrificed its fleet so that Kundrati cannot do to Kalistan what they did to Xsampa with impunity.  While that cost is one that is worth paying, the cost of that is far too high to ever ask Kalistan to do it alone again.
   

@WarDispatches

[Doc]

Republican Sentiment Rises following Artanian Disaster
Support for Emperor erodes as opposition to war increases
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
April 5, 5612


Anti-Imperial Sentiment is on the rise across Kalistan

The first nationwide public opinion polls taken, just 10 months after the disaster in the Artanian Sea and three months after the Official Report which placed the blame for the disaster squarely on Kalistani High Command, were released this week.  There is a sharp uptick in support for republicanism as an ideal and a sharp decline in public support for His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor Fredrick III Ananto.  Erosion of support for the war is driving much of the sentiment, says Dr. Lucas King of Kalistani Imperial University of Kaliburg.

"There is a direct relationship between variance of support for the war and support for the monarchy," said Dr. King.  "We noticed on generic questions, such as 'Are you living well?', 'Do you have enough time to spend with your family?' and this sort of thing, there is a general approval of the policies of the Government.  People are fairly contented.  But when you ask them the paired questions 'Do you support the Emperor's Administration of Kalistan?' and 'Do you support the War in Kundrati?' we tend to see an interesting phenomenon.  Depending on which question you ask first, support for the Emperor drops noticeable and significantly if you ask about the war first.  This suggests that the respondent is being primed, or in other words, that they tie the Emperor to the loss of the 4th Fleet in their minds.  There is general support, but on the question of the war, support for His Imperial Majesty will drop."

Dr. King stated that the drop in support for the Emperor after asking the question about the war is as much as 20% points, and the decrease is fairly robust.  "This suggests to me, 1) that people blame the Emperor for the war, and 2) that the war, to date anyhow is deeply unpopular.  Compared to pre-war opinion polls, we can attribute much of the decline in support to the disaster in the Artanian Sea."  Dr. King also noted that there is increasing sentiment for republicanism among those who oppose the war.  "An increase in support for republicanism in Kalistan from about 16% of the population pre-war to about 28% now is a significant increase, but again, this is tied to people's dislike of the war and their association with the Emperor to that conflict."  Support for Republicanism is only slightly lower if the respondent is not primed with the question about the war before being asked about republicanism, so the war itself still carries a residual effect that suggests that it is the most robust of all opinions.

Most people cited the Artanian Sea crisis for their change in attitude toward the war.  Others questioned the reasons for going to war in the first place.  "The Government did not do a good job of making those war goals clear," said King.  Others said they didn't blame Kalistan but Kalistan's coalition partners for not assisting.  "A good number of respondents said they thought the battle would have went differently had other nations stepped up and born some of the burden of the fight," said King.  "Having read the entire debrief myself, I am not sure this is entirely accurate, but most people are not military strategists, and only understand a vanishingly small part of the short summary they read in War Dispatches.  Ignorance doesn't affect opinion though."  Most people also cited pacifism as part of their Brethrenist Faith as a reason to oppose the war.

In all, Dr. King said, "These numbers should give His Imperial Majesty's Government some pause, but I feel that it should cause them to look for opportunities, rather than raise alarms.  In all, less than 3 in 10 now support republicanism.  They are still a very small minority of the population.  Without priming, public support for His Imperial Majesty remains in the high sixties.  Most people think he is doing a pretty good job and there is a deep well of support for the Royal Family in Kalistan.  His Imperial Majesty should capitalize on the support he does have, and make some changes that will address some of the concerns of the people.  I doubt that the Emperor will introduce regime changes, but he seems to be facing a problem of low morale, rather than a concern about institutional weakness.  So the things he may need to do will involve lifting the national spirit: something more than a music festival or some superficial thing.  A response that could help might be giving the people a sense of civic pride again."  

Dr. King stressed that the numbers suggested a major role for His Imperial Majesty in this effort.  "The Artanian Sea disaster really affected only a small percentage of the population directly, but it darkened the skies for the whole nation.  The Emperor could respond with a National Service drive, to give people something to work on collectively, where those affected by the malaise can mix in with those who are enthusiastic about the nation and who will lift their spirits.  If the Emperor leads this effort, he'll be able to shower the people of the nation with the credit when it succeeds.  If he disappears behind his walls and gates, he will get all the blame when it fails."

@TheRepublic