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Brief History
After intelligence acquired by The Taggartarian Agency of Military Intelligence (TAMI) that the provincial governments of Shanxi and Shaanxi, or Provinces of Greater Shanxi (PGS), was both housing and supporting the terrorist group Blackacre and their leader, the TAF authorized the movement of 165,000 troops to the shared border between Taggart and Shanxi. These soldiers were supported by several tank and armor battalions and TASF teams. The soldiers never crossed the border until the formal declaration of war was called.

Unmanned, unarmed reconnaissance drones were flown into Shanxi airspace to map the area and get a better understanding of military movements across the border. Tensions increased when one drone was shot down, and small skirmishes broke out across the border, with groups of snipers and marksmen firing warning shots towards TAF military bases.

The TAF demanded the unconditional surrender and for the public execution of Blackacre leader "Jeff". The PGS were given one week to respond and meet the terms of the deal, or military intervention was necessary. After the one week deadline had expired, Jeff was no closer to death and the Shanxi Peoples Army (SPA) and the Shaanxi Security Force (SSF) began mobilizing heavy artillery within striking zone of several Taggartarian cities and towns.

Eruption of War
After steadily escalation over the week, this move by the SPA and SSF was the final straw for the TAF. On June 25, 2020, the TAF launched a preemptive invasion of Greater Shanxi to finally neutralize the current threat, gain restitution for previous actions, and prevent any future attacks.

The SPA and SSF attempted a counter-attack that was thwarted by superior artillery and air support. Details of the fighting will be discussed in sections below.

Detail of Forces

Opening Phases of Battle
The strategy the the TAF would employ was a mixture of a Blitzkrieg and Pincer movements. The attack would start with critical air strikes on AA batteries using low flying Stealth Shikras. Based on intel, a large majority of AA batteries were in the mountains in the southern regions of PGS. There were other large military bases in the northern plains of the regions that were struck by CAS and Gryphons. Following this, the TAF would use Armed Orcas, Zions, and Dayras to transport Longsteads, Mantis', and Gorgons to the northwest and southwest parts of Shaanxi. They would be accompanied by KAT-33 and Gryphons for anti-air support, and Hornets and Neophrons for Close Air Support (CAS).

During this blitz, the SPA focused its efforts on a counterattack. They were met with the tank battalions stationed at the border, with support from jets. The counter attack was stopped in its tracks and retreated towards the city of Yungchen on the southern most border. With this, SPA left the rest of the region defenseless as the other military bases in the northern regions were destroyed by the initial air strikes. The tank battalions split, half securing the rest of the province and the other half moving to secure Yungchen. The city fell hours later, with the unconditional surrender of SPA forces and the province as a whole.

The attack of Shaanxi was much harder when compared to its smaller neighbor Shanxi. After the blitz, the Shaanxi retreated to the regions between the capital, Xian, and the Yellow River. The siege came next.

Siege of Xian
After the fall of Shanxi and Yungchen, the remaining SPA forces fled west across the Yellow River, where SSF forces were waiting. The light strike forces from the blitz were able to quickly take control of the sparsely populated, mountainous regions of northern and southern Shaanxi. However, due to the lack of heavy artillery support, the more populated and defended regions of central Shaanxi were too difficult to capture.

With the retreat of SPA across the river, this meant control of the six bridges across the Yellow River. The SSF were waiting and put up a vicious fight for the bridges. They attempted an all out attack on TAF artillery using their few jets and helicopter left from the critical air strike. After this attack failed, the SSF decided to blow explosives planted on all of the bridges. This cut off all access across the river. The TAF would set up for the besieging of Xian.

The remaining SSF and SPA forces controlled the areas between the Yellow River and the city of Xian. The TAF controlled the mountains on the northern and southern edge of the valley, and the other side of the river. With no remaining air force, the PGS dug in and used remaining tanks, which they had 70, and other vehicles, totaling 120 to defend the valley. In order to minimize civilian loss of life, the TAF refused to shell the area and city with artillery, or to use air strikes in the city. PGS leadership was still taking shelter inside the inner city of Xian and would need to be eliminated to secure a surrender.

Any movement across the the river would be stopped by tanks stationed in towns across the river, and bridge building by TAF Corps of Engineers would be halted by the very same banks. Any retreating forces or reinforcements from the West would be apprehended and stopped by Blitz forces stationed to the North, South, and West of the valley.

After a week of this siege, the TAF knew it had to act before PGS or neighboring provinces were emboldened by the inactivity of the TAF. The Viper Legionaries were ordered for an infiltration and ex-filtration of PGS leaders.

A strike team of 52 Viper Legionaries were used to kidnap these leaders. Zions and longsteads were used to transport the Vipers outside the city late at night, and Dayras were used for the tactical ex-filtration, while tanks were used as a distraction near the river, to commit a false forced invasion. The plan was a success and the Vipers kidnapped both Prime Ministers of PGS and three generals of the SSF and the acting commander of the SPA. With this, the PGS gave the FRGT its unconditional surrender.

Aftermath of the Greater Tag-Shanxi War
With the surrender of PGS, the FRGT increases its GDP by 550 Billion BSC. The population increased by about 60 Million, and 350,000 square kilometres are seized for the FRGT. The general populace embrace Taggartarian rule because of its greater freedoms and welfare programs. Destruction of the bridges and damage to cities and town will cost the FRGT a total of 600 Million, with brand new bridges and bullet train tracks being laid for 2 Billion BSC. All soldiers of the SPA and SSF were given the option of retirement, service in the TAF, or imprisonment. All SPA and SSF survivors chose to retire. All PGS vehicles were demolished, taken apart for scraps and spare parts, and all assets seized.

During the Blitz, Jeff and other top members of Blackacre escaped to West and are believed to be somewhere in Tibet.