Kerlian Missile Crisis

Kerlian Missile Crisis
Shore of Lake Wallace, where initial missile landed
Date 6 April - 19 May 2023 Location Lake Wallace Result Commitment from Kerlile to refrain from hostile actions towards neighbours Renewal of embassies between Kerlile and Greater Acadia Establishment of a Xiomeran military base in Kerlile
Belligerents
Kerlile Xiomera	Greater Acadia
Commanders and leaders
Rebecca Arnott Tiena Aranwe Nirmala Patel Calhualyana	Timothy Gargant Aaron Davis Christine Belle
Strength
20,000 soldiers 80 personnel	Unknown
Casualties and losses
None	None

The Kerlian Missile Crisis, also known as the Lake Wallace Crisis, was a six-week confrontation between the Matriarchy of Kerlile and Greater Acadia in April-May 2023, which was resolved without any casualties. The confrontation began when a stray missile from an unannounced Kerlian missile test landed on the Acadian side of Lake Wallace early on the morning of the 6th April. The crisis threatened to escalate after both sides moved troops towards their shared land border, and when Xiomera began shipping missiles to Kerlile.

Background

The Matriarchy of Kerlile had been attempting to construction a functional intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) since the late 1990s, however had repeatedly failed. While the nation managed to develop nuclear warheads, they lacked delivery methods and therefore continued missile research. Due to poor relations with their neighbours, the Matriarchy had a long-standing policy of refusing to notify anyone of planned missile tests.

Diplomatic relations between Kerlile and Greater Acadia had also fallen apart in (year), leaving the nations with no mutual embassies, and few lines of communication. This served to delay the initial response somewhat, leading to a heightening of tensions at the very beginning.

Missile test

Shortly before 1400, the Kerlian Missile Development Force carried out a planned test of a new missile design without notifying the international community. At some point during the test, an unknown fault caused the unarmed missile to drift off its planned trajectory, entering the territory of Greater Acadia.

At 1400, Greater Acadian ground-based radar stations picked up the launch of a ballistic missile over Lake Wallace coming from the direction of Kerlile. The missile landed six kilometres south of the Greater Acadian coastline in the lake, prompting the Acadians to attempt recovery and analysis of the missile.

Troop movements

Two days later, on Saturday 8th April, Prime Minister Timothy Gargant of Greater Acadia and President Rebecca Arnott of Kerlile spoke on the telephone in an attempt to resolve the incident. However, during the time of the phone call, the Acadian military became aware of Kerlian troop movements towards their short shared land border, as well as the construction of what appeared to be field hospitals. The call ended without resolution, and by the next day, the Fourth Corps of the Greater Acadian army was taking up position near the border also.

Xiomeran involvement

On the Sunday, Empress Calhualyana of Xiomera called Rebecca Arnott, offering to gift the Matriarchy a number of Xiomeran missiles, alongside personnel to train the Kerlians in the use of the Xiomeran technology. Arnott accepted the offer, and on Tuesday 11th April, four Xiomeran cargo planes landed in Kerlile to offload 80 personnel, alongside two armoured vehicles, two battle tanks, and equipment to build a fixed missile site. Over the coming weeks, these deliveries would continue every two days. It is unknown how much Xiomeran military equipment ended up being delivered to Kerlile.

Resolution

After the delivery of Xiomeran missiles, Gargant reached out to Arnott to ask for a mutual drawdown of troops. Arnott accepted, and both sides moved their troops away from the border. However, Xiomeran missile deliveries continued, and tensions remained. On the 6th May, Xiomera announced they would be building a permanent military base in Kerlile, leading Eiria to withdraw their diplomatic staff from Kerlile and close their embassy in Grapevale.

On the 17th May, Christine Belle of Greater Acadia, who was left in charge following the hospitalisation of Timothy Gargant, proposed a deal to drop sanctions on Kerlile in exchange for a guarantee that the Matriarchy would take a non-aggressive stance towards their neighbours, including Greater Acadia and Lauchenoiria; alongside the mutual re-opening of embassies between the two nations. Two days later, Kerlile accepted the deal, ending the crisis.