Rio Negro War

The Rio Negro War (Guerra del Río Negro) is a conflict involving the Neuquén Confederation and the Mapuche Confederation against the Federal Republic of Patagonia, the Democratic Republic of Tarakia, The Nalydyan Empire and the Empire of Paradox. It takes place mainly in the northern regions of Patagonia, near the borders with Neuquén and Araucanía (The Mapuche Confederation). The Conflict was over after both parties agreed to peace in Buenos Aires. There were no large territorial changes and rather a claim drop from Neuquén. Contendors affected include Patagonia (which underwent elections during the war, largely shadowed by the rebuilding process and the peace agreements), Neuquén (temporarily occupied by Córdoba, later changed into a Republic) and the Mapuche Confederation, which dissapeared after Patagonian offensive on Llanquihue, falling into a civil war.

Leading up to the Conflict
Tensions betwee both countries date back to the Patagonian Unification War, when Patagonia acquired "deserted" territory south of the Negro. Eventually, the river itself became a natural border and the patagonian leaders agreed to this. The river itself marks the clear transition from the cold-dry plains of the south to the semi-fertile valleys in the north. Economically speaking, the river was important for both countries, being a line of food that constantly produced both vegetables and meat. Patagonia and Neuquén alternate a territorial domination across the basin, with some regions being patagonian and others being neuquenian. Non-official conflicts have spread due to this, as the main course of the river is not clear at all and several islands occupy the space between the waters.

Territorial claims came after the Unification Wars. Neuquén claimed the area surrounding San Carlos de Bariloche (captured by Patagonia as it was dominated by aberolian terrorists). On the other hand, Patagonia held a claim of the territory south of the Machete Fjord, a portion of the Nahuel Huapi Lake. On the western side, Patagonia annexed Puerto Montt and occupied for a year the region of Araucanía. The occupation was all but peacefull and eventually the Patagonians released the area from an occupation (not in good terms, contrary to what happened in Antofagasta). The hatred between both nations grew up as accusations against Patagonia for interfeering int he formation of a unified country appeared. Through all that time, Araucanía was never fully unified and while several attempts took place, they all failed. Eventually, the Mapuche claimed the territory north of the Maullín River (claiming the current delimitation is not entirely clear and openly aimed for further expansion) and the city of Puerto Montt down to the Reloncaví Stuary (claiming it is an ancestral inheritance of their culture).

The Northern Alliance War
During the [[Northern Alliance War, Neuquén was left unchecked as the region became highly volatile. The invasion of Salta against Nueva Jujuy in the other side of the Rio de la Plata Basin allowed Neuquén to go for the goal of annexing the territories east of their occupied borders. At the same time, a natural rival, Mar del Plata, started a campign westwards. Obviously, both countries had conflicts in time, and a claim over Carmen de Patagones (an independant city-state) by Mar del Plata (through the allied Bahía Blanca City)collided against the claim Neuquén issued over Bahía Blanca and all the surrounding region.

Buenos Aires was a natural enemy of Mar del Plata, and considered this expansion as a threat. Supporting Neuquén, a massive selling of weaponry took place, allowing Neuquén with a fleet of its own to make clear the claim to the atlantic.

Meanwhile, Patagonia reacted on the other side, and considered Neuquén as a thread to its border. Considering more profitable having several states across the border rather than one large form mountains to sea. Patagonia did not openly supported Bahía Blanca, however threatened Neuquén.

The Attack on the Consul

On June 21th, the Consul of Patagonia was attacked by unknown groups. Supposedly to be aberolians. The attack took place in La Junta, near Cochamó. Cochamó itself had been taken over by aberolian rebels during the events of the Jeweled Wave. The rebels later fled north to Neuqupen, westwards of the Nahuel Huapi. After this attack, they were tracked down to their hideout and a Patagonian Air Wing atacked this location, followed by an attack on Villa La Angostura.

Neuquén protested and the Paradox and Tarakian Navies moved closer to Patagonia to keep a close eye on the situation. While standing north of Chiloé, a Tarakian vessel (DRS Ashton) was attacked by a missile fired from wither Araucanía or Neuquén, this raised tensions between both countries (Patagonia and Neuquén) for the next days.

Final Talks and Start of Hostilities
The Tarakians sent an ambassador (Rear Admiral Addison Scott) to Neuquen to discuss the raising tensions, however the negotiations were fruitless. Hours later, a missile, fired by Paradox submarines int he Drake Passage blasted the city of Neuquén, killing most of the members of the Confederation Board that ruled the nation. Of the survivors, Antonio Cotchmann is elected "Dictador" and given full powers to wage war. Right after the negotiations had ceased, Neuquén declared war on Bahía Blanca and launched a full scale invasion of the area, thus crossing the line drawn by Patagonia. Meanwhile, agressive movements by the neuquenian population were detected, and even some rocket fire was made against Dina Huapi, however no official war declaration took place yet.

On June 22th, at early dawn, a froce of 7.000 troops, supported by T-72 and TAM Tanks invade Patagonia near General Roca, in the northernmost area of the country. What the Confederation called "Operación Tormenta de Hierro" (Operation Iron Storm) turned out to be known as the Invasion of the North by Patagonia. The region is severely uninhabitated (similar to a desert) and the border patrols were pulled back to the ridges and towns nearby to hold the advance of the enemy.

At the same time the Ezequiel Ramos Mejia Lake is crossed and the hydroelectric station there is seized by the Neuquenian Forces under Captain Gregorio de las Heras. In a couple fo hours, over 4.000 troops take the southern edge of the lake.

Not too long after this maneuver, that took place at night, the Mapuche Confederation occupied Llanquihue, near the border, and prepared a full attack on Puerto Varas. Only a few hours after the attack the Nation is reorganized and a Government is finally elected (something they were unable to do for months).

Official declarations of war were issued and both Tarakia and Paradox offered assistance. Tarakian forces were landed in Puerto Rembrandt and redirected to the north.

Mobilization of forces and the weather
By June 23rd, the winter had struck the region, forming a thick snow layer on the roads, this made the Tarakian advance quite slow and overall affected the Patagonian Deployment.

However, the governemnt already showed signs of actions and ordered the retaliation. Attempting to weaken the eastern flank of Neuquén, in an area infraestructure os concentrated in the southern side of the border, the Vice Consul ordered Operation Tomahawk: The defense of Viedma and the occupation of Carmen de Patagones, de facto an independant city wth some ties to Mar del Plata. The city is defended by the Rio Colorado Task Force and occupied in the morning, under the command of Lieutenant Hereida.

Meanwhile, minor engagements take place near Llanquihue. It is reported an air strike by Patagonia caused a couple of tanks, while the artillery in Puerto Varas start pounding Llanquihue and the occupiers. The situation in the town is dreadful for the inhabitants, as many are detained at taken to Temuco to stand trial for being patagonian simpathizers (truth being said, the city is manly inhabitated by Patagonians) the rest are being held in the local school.

Sea assets are also mobilized and a fleet remains in the Chacao Canal, awaiting for the eventual arrivak of the Mapuche Fleet from Concepción. In the Atlantic, a small task force occupied the sea south of Viedma.

In the pacific shore of the border, the Mapuche initiate a second invation against the Llico Valley and the Los Muermos region, which is claimed by the Confederation. 2.000 troops cross the border and advance through difficult terrain.

Bariloche Campaign
The city of Bariloche is the seat of power in the claimed area by Neuquén. Since the attacks against Villa La Angostura were origined in that place, an attack on the city would also provide a good image to the outside of the war. As tarakian forces move north from Puerto Rembrandt, hard conditions and weather is making the movilization of troops to the north really difficult. The small garrisons around Bariloche are unable to stop the impending invasion. Dina Huapi is attacked and Sgt. Daniel Ortega manages to hold off the attack for a couple of hours. A temporary cease on the attack comes as the Northern 32nd Wing fends off the 4th Neuquenian Wing and wins the skies. Ortega inventarized the supplies and explosives to keep the crossing troops in the bridge. A couple of air strikes on teh bridge end the movement and the defenders are able to keep the town.

At the other side, only a couple of hours later, the neuquenians launch a new offensive, this time, through the very lake. Over 7.000 troops supported by rana-90 amphibious tanks land in Llao-Llao, destroying the simbolic hotel there and starting the Battle of Llao-Llao. Answering to this, General Aurelio Rodrigez of the Bariloche Defending Task Force (commanding the whole theater of operations) detaches 2.000 Ice Guard troops to Dina Huapi to secure the eastern flank and the 34th North Wing is sent to bombard the landing troops at Llao-Llao.

Northern Invasion
A mayor part of the nequenian plan seems to be the taking of a large portion of territory from Patagonia. the north of the country, just south of the border, is ratehr deserted and dotted by some small villages. The Neuquenians iniciated an attack on the large front in the north.

The Invasion of the North seems to be made by two minor fronts, one being the General Roca Front, greater in magnitude and far from any mayor resistance point the Patagonians might offer. The other seems to be the invasion around the Ezequiel Ramos Mexia Lake, between Neuquén and Bariloche. The Ramos Mexia seems to be of importance as it groups several hydroelectric centers that empower the whole region.

Invasion of the North
An inmense force of 12.400 troops, 150 tanks, 290 Armoured Infantry Vehicles and 220 Light tanks crossed the border an hour after the start of the operation. he manage to advance about 20 kms without resistance until stopped by small guerrilla fighters of the 5th Pampa Batallion near El Salitral. In an attempt to stop the advance, a Patagonian Defensive Line is created in El Cuy.

Exequiel Ramos Mexia
The dam was occupied under the command of Captain Gustavo Morales. After his small group takes the station and cuts power to the patagonian settlements, redirecting it north, he orders the widespread invasion using the waters themselves to cross the border. The landing takes place and 4.000 troops push into northern Patagonia, being stopped near El Cuy, where over 13.000 pampa division soldiers, aided with artillery, took a position that would stop the advance of the force.

Llanquihue Campaign
The town of Llanquihue is occupied right before the declaration of war, with minor air raids taking place hours later from the Patagonians. Operation Collateral took place hours after the occupation, with a small group of Patagonian Commandos landing in the town and opening a distraction front, while TAP-15 tanks roll into the town, engaging Mapuche Vehicles in the southern edge. A new air raid by MH-90 Patagonian helicopters fail after one is destroyed, however, the land push continues. As artillery begins to hit the town, 1.200 troops of the North Stream Division´s 3rd Brigade march from Puerto Varas towards the town of Llanquihue.

Meanwhile, air raids by the Northwestern 3rd Wing take place against the Sea Army of the Mapuche Confederation. Some vehicles are destroyed as they advance on the difficult terrain. The defending mapuche are forced to hide in the creeksa dn answer with rockets, destroying one jet. Eventually, the Sea Army moves out as the Patagonians switch to dive bombings, they march on Los Muermos, in order to control the whole area claimed by the Confederation (a similar geopolitical tactic used in Bariloche). The force is met by the small unit commanded by Colonel Salvador Gajardo, the Valdiviana 43th North Stream Brigade, numbering 1240 troops and only a pair of TAP-15s. Gajardo displays the first mayor battlefield as a wide front by using the tree lines and small forests as defensive possitions, and trying to lure the enemy into traps. General Corehue, of the Mapuche Sea Army (A name that does not reflect the whole number of ther force, barely numbering 2.700 troops and 73 VAL Light vehicles) advances, unaware of the enemy movements, and eventually falls into a crossfire. Still, the battle is undescided and remanants of the Sea Army fight some miles west of Los Muermos.

Some hours after Operation Collatera, a new group of Patagonian forces moves through the eastern border of the Llanquihue. After small skirimishes, the 5th North Artillery Brigade of the North Stream Division takes possition some miles from Puerto Octay, but remains silent and does not atatck the city, keeping a low profile. Air strikes take place on the Mapuche assets that had been formed to make an amphibious attack on Puerto Varas, and some ships are destroyed.

Llanquihue is liberated with the arrival of the main force. Immediately, the Puerto Octay Task Force is formed and an attack on the Mapuche Stronghold of the Lake is prepared.

As the first strikes on Puerto Octay take place, the Tarakian Security Force-Patagonia (more accuratly elements of the 26th Mechanized Infantry Division) arrives to Puerto Montt and into the Theater of Operations. A terrorist strike takes place against this unit in the very city, as a reaction, Patagonia raises a curefew on the population and  moves forward the schedule for Operation Cazabobos (Fool Catcher).

Operation Cazabobos
The first attack on Puerto Octay is repelled by the Mapuche forces, and the Government is forced to start a full-scale assault.

The 5th Artillery Brigade in Puerto Fonck, west of Puerto Octay, opens fire against Puerto Octay, hitting some houses. At the same time, 450 troops of the EPO take the La Puntilla Ranch in Puerto Octay, in the western side of the town. The crossed fire between an infantry assault and artillery causes a mass confussion that is empowered with artillery fire from Frutillar. Over 70 shells hit Puerto Octay with MRSI fire. The nearly-7.300 mapuche fighter fleet north, leaving the city for the taking.

An air-lake battle ensues as the 6th Northwestern Wing attacks the Mapuche Lake Force in Puerto Octay. After a few attacks and fire form Puerto Octay itself, the unit is destroyed, while one patagonian pilot is killed and about 15 are killed in the shore.

Eastern Campaign
With a retiring Platense Army form Bahía Blanca, Neuquén was able to mobilize and army on Viedma. The attack took place at mid day 25th and a force of 13.000 troops, gear and 20th century air force charg



ed on Carmen de Patagones, Viedma´s non-Patagonian northern portion. The Patagonian Rio Colorado Task Force, of only a couple of hundred of men, placed a minor defensive post there after Bahía Blanca was taken, and now engaged the Neuquenians. Luckily for them, Nalydya had deployed in the area, and the 32nd Reserve Panzer Division moved through Viedma, flanking the Neuquenian attack and forcing them back, not without a close-range fight.

The 3rd Neuquenian Army pulled back to Bahía Blanca, while a new army was being assambled in Trelew. Elements of the 32nd Division and the whole of the Rio Colorado Task Force moved north, following the fleeing Neuquenians.

Siege of Bariloche


Defesive meassures in Bariloche gave the city enough time to evacuate the major urban area. However, lines eventually broke. First in Dina Huapi, as the neuquenians outflanked the patagonian defenses there by moving down the river Limay, then in Llao-Llao with the arrival of armoured vehicles that divided the defending forces. AA Rocket fire forces the 34th Wing to pull back and air support ceases. The slow advance in Llao-Llao and the victory in Dina Huapi, with patagonian forces moving into the eastern side of Bariloche to prepare a second defensive line, moves the Confederation to invest more assets in that front, as air wings and 7.000 troops are commisioned to the area. Eventually, Neuquenians manage to approach the city. General. Antonio Parejas reorganizes the AA Artillery, managing to topple down three SJA-88 jets. The command is moved to Downtown Bariloche before the neuquenians take the Airport. A small skirimish leaves 5 patagonians killed and 16 neuquenians dead. Artillery fire commences on the city.

During the following 24 hours, the Patgaonians fight off the Neuquenians and slowly pull back. Before leaving the Nuclear research Center, Patagonians blow up the facility, to make sure the Neuquenians are unable to retreive the Plutonium there. They regroup in the Playa Bonita area, utilizing the buildings as a natural defensive area.

On the east, Parejas reorganize his units around the Ñilco Creek, forcing the Neuquenians to attempt a difficult crossing of the lower terrain. The strategy holds the neuquenians for a couple of hours.

Córdoba and Tiberio
(See Operation Neptune Dawn)

With the increasing tensions in the east, Neuquén now falls into a conflictive problem: wether to choose Buenos Aires´s help in the conflict and take naval assets (being Buenos Aires more friendly with Patagonia) or to accept Córdoba as an ally, opting for air assets. As the first shots near Viedma for the control of the seas are made, the Government realizes they are not beating the joint Paradoxian-Tarakian-Nalydyan-Patagonian Navies and they will require Air Power to defend in a war that may soon turn against them in the coast and rather difficult to maintain in the continent. After minor talks, Córdoba declares war on Patagonia. This agreement is made only after Neuquén allowed Córdoba to further annex all territories north of the Colorado River, a large concession, considering the prior claim. Córdoba also aims to cut any potential expansion by Mendoza on the Pampa and triples its territory should they carry on the campaign. An army is assambled and air wings of SJA-88 are detached. The Army will never manage to march, as a missile strike by Paradox will neutralize it. The air wings arrive the next day, at the same time Tiberio is being carried out. Later on, small units of the assambled army are mobilized south, and slowly move into the Theater of Combat.

Patagonia´s greatest threat was Bariloche, but also the Northern Invasion. With the strong Neuquenian Front taking place in that area, Patagonia risked a heavy moral blow on the government. While not a very valuable territory as Bariloche, it is a huge area that could cause some feelings that the Government is not acting in defense of the territory, worse, the people living there, already rather apparted from the benefits in Patagonia. A joint operation is made to outflank the enemy.

Tiberio was designed to destabilize the enemy´s movement in the north, by endangering the eastern flank, cut off Neuquén from Bahía Blanca, leading to Mar del Plata resuming the war with some hope of success, and take some preassure from Bariloche. A joint strike in two waves was planned involving mainly Tarakia and Patagonia, and to a minor extent Paradox and Nalydya.

On June 26th (Patagonian Calendar) the operation was carried on with two drops in the town of Lamarque and the town of Fray Luis Beltrán, just by the border with Neuquén´s easternmost member: Choele-Choel. Reports suggested not only that Lamarque and Fray Luis Beltrán were holding trapped population, but also that Choele-Choel was rather undefended, has a usable airfield and no technological advanatage was held there. At the same time, Tarakians were after one of the commanders in Choele-Choel.

The ensued battle was focused at the southern bridge of the city, where Tarakian Forces held the main assault, flanked by Patagonian units that added some fire power. However outnumbered, the objective of the assault, along with an aditional one taking place in Isla 92, just southeast of there, was to keep the neuquenians focused on the south, while elements of the Ice Guard Division landed on the airfield east-northeast of the city. The drop was delayed a couple of hours as air assets of the enemy were in the area, once the situation for the people south of town became critical, the drop was carried out, even under the threat of a dogfight against the dropcrafts. In an hour, the airfield is taken and the city is slowly being surrounded. By that time, the objectives are achieved and the neuquenian front is collpasing.

Immediate Effects
Lines of communication between Bahía Blanca and the rest of Neuquén are cut off by Tiberio, leading to an emergency withdrawal of the attack on Viedma. Córdoban assistance is rushed, and therefore, a lot less organized. While some air units arrive to the conflict areas, land elements have trouble moving through Neuquenian Territory.

Politically Speaking, it gave Ismael Kuvic´s provisional consularship a boost of trust, regarding the following elections. The feeling the war will soon turn into an offensive is now high among the Patagonian Population.

Nalydian air elements are able to move through the North towards Bariloche.

In El Cuy, the Neuquenian attack was disrupted and the Patagonian Army was able to control the highlands north of the village.

Break of the Siege of Bariloche
During the first stages of the Siege, Airbourne Commandos were deployed and managed to land on several of the islands in the Nahuel Huapi. Neuquenian forces had been installing and preparing aritllery pieces to hit Bariloche, and these units not only discovered the strategy, but also captured the artillery pieces.

Meanwhile, the Special Consular Army, lead by Ismael Kuvic, left Puerto Carrera moving north. After a day Ismael left the country and subrogated command on his son Diego. A day later the army arrived to Bariloche form the south.

For two days had the units stationed in Bariloche defended a two-sided battle. By the point Kuvic arrived, Parejas had settled a line int eh eastern side of downtown. In the western side, the battle was still around the suburban area, however the neuquenians advanced as far as Playa Bonita, a final position that could be held before Downtown Bariloche, some miles after.

Nalydian assets in the zone of Viedma had been rerouted to Bariloche and landed on the Airport. The Battle of the Bariloche Airport ended with a Pord victory and a crippled Neuquén, unable to provide heavy support and keep the air bridge with the campaign on Bariloche.

All these events happened nearly at the same time. The arrival of the Consular Army by the time the Bariloche Line was breaking on its southern flank allowed Kuvic to place his troops nearly behind the enemy, breaking its back. The crossfire lasted half a day and by the nightfall the Neuquenian Army had backed off to Dina Huapi.

Ending of Hostilities
The Patagonian Army started to push through Dina Huapi, effectively liberating the whole of the Patagonian Territory that had been invaded by Neuquén. In the Nahuel Huapi itself, a landing took place on Villa La Angostura, and the Patagonian Army invaded the eastern Andes Territory.

Meanwhile, units across the Neuquenian Territory were pulling out of engagements and getting ready for the defense. However, the military chain of command was breaking, and splinter groups walked away from the Neuquenian ranks.

On September 1st, Córdoba ordered a full takeover of the Neuquenian Governemnt. Neuquén itself was occupied by Córdoban Forces. Only 12 hours earlier, the Massacre of Choele-Choel was discovered and it is likely the decition to take over Neuquén was influenced by it, as the Neuquenian Cause was loosing moral holding.

In Araucanía, the Mapuche Confederation is dissolved in the start of a bloody civil war. Operation Cazabobos demoralized middle-rank officers and thus started a wave of dynastic claims over the Throne of Araucanía. (or Auca)

By September 2nd a peace summit was called on Buenos Aires. It involved most of the large powers in both Chile and Argentina. The invitation was extended until September 8th, and it took place on the Buenos Aires Congress.

The Buenos Aires Peace Accords  settled the conflict on a series of agreements over several disputes. While few were publicly discussed, the most important of them, several were made by two or three nations on private, effectivly forming a semi-secret peace-guaranteeing system. The main general Agreement was probably the one with the largest scale. The so-called South American Human Rights Defense Pact (officially Treaty for the Protection of Human Rights for the Southern Cone ) formed a legal humanitarian order in South America, specially the nations involved in the conflict, also Buenos Aires and Mendoza (who joined the treaty two days later) and Santiago (who ratified joined three days later). With Patagonia, The Three Great States of Argentina, and Santiago as signatories, the 75% of the military power in the Southern Cone is backing the Treaty. Due to its nature, it is likely it will be enforced against non-signatory countries (for example, Salta, who is enforcing slavery on a signatory state, Antofagasta).

The First Buenos Aires Peace Accord was a minor agreement that covered basic issues, such as the end of hostilities. It was a safe agreement between the involved parties that was agreed in case negotiations failed in any further points (such as indemnizations), so that hostilities would not resume. It also stablished the partial occupation of Neuquén. It was, however, later covered by the Agreement Between the Federal Republic of Patagonia and the Neuquén Confederation, Their Allies and Third Parties, regarding the Hostilities Taking Place in the Llanquihue Region and the Río Negro Basin, Also known as "Rio Negro War" (also "Buenos Aires Peace Treaty "), which created the final arrangement for the cease of hostilities between Neuquén and Patagonia, fixed the borders and also recognized the territorial claims, which both sides agreed to discuss in the future and not to close these talks. However the tensions between Patagonia and the Mapuche continued. The Treaty of Buenos Aires Regarding the Patagonian and Mapuche Cease of Hostilities was added to the Buenos Aires Peace Treaty, and it adressed the borders between the Mapuche and Patagonia, creating a de facto administration-shared region which is to be occupied by a neutral nation as long the dispute is not resolved. The region is known as the Llico-Llanquihue Basin System, and the turns of the Llico River, the low depth of the valleys and the flat areas have been appointed as the origin of the issue.

A day after the Buenos Aires Summit, the regions of southern Neuquén and Llanquihue were demilitarized and later occupied by Buenos Aires. Córdoba has evacuated Neuquén, however the political situation in both Neuquén and Araucanía is still uncertain.