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The Altian Civil War (2026-2030) was a five year-long conflict that took place on the Republic of Altis and Stratis. It was fought between Altian government Loyalists and coup d'etat forces led by Colonel Georgious Akhanteros.[1][3]

Background[]

Spurred by the ongoing economic depression that was gripping the nation, senior military officials from the Altis Armed Forces led by Georgious Akhanteros occupy government ministries in the capital of Kavala and proceed to "arrest" the civilian officials.[3][5]

Their justification was that they sought to bring down the corrupt civilian leadership that had led the country into their economic crisis.[5] However, most of the government leaders were killed in the coup d'etat, and peaceful protests against them are violently suppressed.[1][3]

Akhanteros and his junta proceeded to declare themselves as the rightful representatives of the country. However, they are not recognised as such by the international community, nor by the majority of the nation's citizens. In response, the Loyalists - a faction composed of civilian officials who survived the coup and anti-Akhanteros AAF personnel, sought to restore the leadership of the country back into civilian hands.[3]

Amidst the backdrop of the fighting, the Loyalists were also covertly backed by NATO. Supported by CTRG Group 14, the NATO operatives provided arms and tactical leadership for the Loyalists.[6][7]

Early battles[]

Main article: Beyond Hope

During the initial stages of the conflict, territories changed hands multiple times, with the island itself being completely divided along the lines of those who supported the Loyalists, the AAF and its allies, or remained neutral.[3][8][9]

In order to address the growing humanitarian crisis, a brief six-day ceasefire is eventually declared by the international community, with both sides agreeing to stop the fighting temporarily for aid to get through. IDAP aid workers and supply convoys are rushed towards villages and towns being held by both sides, but encounter issues after the AAF begin to blockade and deliberately delay shipments from getting through to non-AAF held regions.[3][10]

Battle for Orino[]

Arma3-conflict-altiancivilwar-00

Loyalists advance upon Orino after neutralising its perimeter outposts.

Predictably, the ceasefire did not last long as both sides had been using the brief lull as an opportunity to regroup their forces for further offensives.[11][12]

The ceasefire is broken just hours after its declaration, following an ambush by the AAF against a Loyalist squad near the village of Orino on May 11th, 2026.[1][13] The Loyalists responded by initiating a counterattack of their own against Orino, striking from multiple directions with a combination of several mechanised infantry platoons and artillery support.[14]

Several outposts around the outskirts of the village were targeted before the main ground offensive commenced, spearheaded by an elite team of Loyalist scouts.[14][15][16] In response to Orino's loss[17], the AAF dispatched a Quick Reaction Force in an attempt to retake it.[18] They were quickly repelled by the defenders, and the battle ended in a decisive victory for the Loyalists.[19]

Battle of Galati[]

Arma3-conflict-altiancivilwar-01

Galati's defences are overrun by the Loyalists after its checkpoints are breached.

The Battle for Orino was followed by another Loyalist offensive, this time against the mountain village of Galati.[1] To the north of Galati lay the mountain village of Abdera which consisted predominately of pro-Loyalist citizens. AAF checkpoints blocked the only roads leading into the mountain village and deliberately prevented NGOs from delivering aid supplies.[10]

To free the routes leading to the village, the Loyalists struck the AAF checkpoint at midday; a combination of ground troops and IFVs helped to breach the defensive lines surrounding Galati.[20][21] The Loyalists followed up their assault by besieging Galati itself, successfully eliminating its defenders[22] while Loyalist snipers - supported by several members from CTRG Group 14, intercepted AAF reinforcements inbound from Syrta.[23]

As with Orino earlier in the day, the Battle of Galati similarly ended in a decisive victory for the Loyalists.[4][24][25]

Later stages[]

Arma3-faction-fia-01

Mounting losses in the latter years sapped away much of the Loyalists' warfighting capabilities.

Whilst the Loyalists were successful in the first year of the war[4], attrition began to take a heavy toll in the following years.

NATO support also gradually began to wear thin, as CTRG's need to remain undercover[14] and reluctance to supply modernised equipment to the Loyalists ensured that they would remain at a disadvantage against Akhanteros' forces.[6][26] The Loyalists slowly lost more ground over time and would eventually be unable to hold onto any of the gains that they made.[4]

Signing of the Jerusalem Cease Fire (2030)[]

By the waning stages of the conflict, the Loyalists were reduced to nothing more than a shadow of their original selves. Most of the initial members were either deceased, imprisoned, or missing in action. Meanwhile, Akhanteros' AAF were stronger than ever despite their heavy losses and were emboldened by their victories over the Loyalists.[4]

A true peace treaty, the Jerusalem Cease Fire, would eventually be proposed, with representatives from both sides meeting in the city of Jerusalem to sign a formal agreement to put an end to the fighting.[1] However, for the Loyalists that remained, they had virtually nothing left to bargain with in the first place and were forced to unconditionally give in to Akhanteros' one-sided demands.[4]

Aftermath[]

Arma3-campaign-beyondhope-02

Loyalist remnants are rounded up by the AAF.

With the signing of the Jerusalem Cease Fire, Akhanteros was officially recognised as the legitimate leader of the country. The Loyalists were completely dissolved as a military faction and ceased to exist as a political entity as well.[1][4]

At least half of the nation's civilian population were killed in the civil war[27][28] and much of the country was completely devastated, with most of the smaller settlements being reduced to rubble and turned into ghost towns littered with landmines and unexploded ordnance.[2] The conflict had also sparked a refugee crisis, with many citizens attempting to flee or find refuge in other Southern European nations throughout the Mediterranean.[29]

For what was left of the Loyalists and the citizens who supported them however, the worst was yet to come. Many were rounded up, imprisoned and tortured by the new government. Most disappeared without a trace, and their whereabouts continued to remain unclear long after the conflict finished.[4]

Arma3-faction-fia-00

The regime's heavy-handed approach to dissent gradually backfires, leading to the FIA's formation.

Nonetheless, victory had also come at a steep price for Akhanteros. As even though he gained legitimacy and was promised some sense of stability by the Chinese-led CSAT alliance[30], the brutal nature of the post-war crackdowns[31] and corruption that was becoming rife within the AAF alienated many potential supporters.[32][33]

Indeed, the circumstances that caused the civil war to start in the first place were being repeated yet again, but this time would spur the formation of the Freedom and Independence Army (FIA).[31][34] While the FIA were not comparable to their Loyalist predecessors in pure strength, the new guerilla movement had better numbers[35], and held a majority when it came to backing from the civilian population.[36][37][38]

The country's population had mostly turned against Akhanteros and were (though not overtly) providing support to the FIA, which was slowly becoming a credible threat to the new government's stability.[37] Within the span of just a year, the first outbreak of fighting between the AAF and FIA would begin, forcing the international community to intervene once more.[1][4][38][39][40]

Notes[]

  1. Although the official Armaverse Timeline and the epilogue of Beyond Hope states that the Jerusalem Cease Fire agreement was signed in the year 2030, the exact day and month it came into effect remains unknown.
  2. It is unclear as to how many members of CTRG Group 14 were deployed for the duration of the civil war. The absence of Group 14's leader, Captain Scott Miller, suggests that not all members of the Group were initially deployed in support of the Loyalists.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Mořický, K et al. 2011, Armaverse Timeline, Bohemia Interactive Community Wiki, viewed 1 January 2024, <https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Armaverse_Timeline>.
  2. 2.0 2.1 ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., The East Wind, \a3\missions_f_epa\video\a_in_intro.ogv, 00:04, "Although five years have passed since bloody civil war was brought to an end in the Republic of Altis and Stratis, the impact upon civilian infrastructure remains marked.", AAN News
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "Altis, 2026. A military coup has toppled the government in Kavala. Opposition groups are crushed and peaceful protests end in violence. Support for the army wanes. Hundreds of soldiers disobey their orders and join the people, sparking civil war. Cities, towns, and villages are ravaged by the brutal fighting. A six-day ceasefire's agreed, so humanitarian aid can reach those worst affected. But neither side intends to honor the terms..."
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, Avenging Furies, "The Battle of Galati was an early victory for the Free Republic. Mavros' actions were instrumental for those supporting groups, heroically assaulting the town. The tide however, gradually turned against loyalist forces. The military might of the rebels prevailed against the rag-tag, People's Army. Acts of repression followed. Hundreds were executed. Hundreds more disappeared, without a trace. In 2030, hostilities ended with the signing of a ceasefire in Jerusalem. But the peace did not last..."
  5. 5.0 5.1 ARMA 3: Tanks 2018 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis Requiem, Lost Horizons, "Looking back now, during the peace, I never believed my skills would be needed. But I was wrong. Corrupt politicians divided our nation, creating an enemy within. An age of austerity turned to one of anger, and protests descended into violence."
  6. 6.0 6.1 ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "Ah, CTRG have to keep their distance, Dimos - y'know they can't commit."
  7. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "For this mission, our British friends have offered clandestine fire support. (press 0-8-1 to mark target). But remember, we can't expect too much. They have a small window of opportunity and a limited number of rounds; we can only call on them once and select a maximum of three locations. So, try and mark co-ordinates accurately."
  8. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "CIVILIAN 1: No - no, don't shoot! CIVILIAN 2: Please! I'm no part of this!"
  9. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "MAVROS: You seen any rebels, old man? CIVILIAN: No. Close the door on your way out. MAVROS: Mm."
  10. 10.0 10.1 ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, Avenging Furies, "A convoy delivering life-saving aid to desperate civilians in Abdera has been stopped at a rebel checkpoint near Galati. It's essential we intervene and get those vehicles to their destination."
  11. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "A little while ago, we heard gunfire and lost contact with Spartan. It seems the rebels may have entered the town, using the fog as cover. They've broken the ceasefire. Therefore, we must retaliate, immediately."
  12. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "THANOS: No - the ceasefire's over! You heard those shots! Sounded like a fire-fight to me... MAVROS: He's got a point. Spartan should've checked in already. CARRAS: How do you know, Thanos? Georgiou's been late before and the rebels... I mean. Maybe they're just showing a militia how to shoot straight. JAMES: In this fog? Unlikely."
  13. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "MAVROS: Okay... This should help. SPARTAN: The ceasefire... They fired first! MAVROS: Forget about it, we need to get out of here. SPARTAN: There's a hunter's lodge. I - I can make it."
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "That's enough! Squad leaders - this is how it's going to go. Spartan group have failed to report and there's been some gunfire, near here... Point Lambda. Basically, this area. As you can see, it's right on their patrol route. Of course, we haven't seen shit for days. The weather has us blind and there's a good chance Akhanteros' rebels are taking advantage of that fact. I'd say they've already made a play for Orino - effectively putting our forces on the back foot. The town's half-empty and could have fallen without anybody knowing about it. Truth is, we can't risk waiting, we must take the initiative! Now... Mavros. He's volunteered to lead our reconnaissance team, Chimera. They will locate our lost squad and ID enemy positions and armor before a fullscale offensive... yes, we're staging an attack. First, however, we must soften their defences by calling in a rocket strike. Some of you may know Color Sergeant James. His group, callsign: Falcon, have a provider on stand by. Their involvement will not be the subject of any discussion. Once everything's set, Hoplite and Centaur will advance on Orino from the south and west. Chimera will then swoop in from the west. As soon as we've captured the town, we may need to defend against quick reaction forces. Here... and, maybe here, from the north. So... be prepared. Any questions...? No? Then gear up. Let's get this done."
  15. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "MAVROS: Olympos, Chimera. One rebel OP is clear. ANASTAS: Great job - but, you shouldn't take any unnecessary risks. MAVROS: Yeah, no problem. Out."
  16. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "MAVROS: Chimera to Olympos, nailed one more observation post, over. ANASTAS: Excellent. That puts us in a strong position, Chimera. Out."
  17. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "MAVROS: Olympos, Chimera, come in! ANASTAS: Send it. MAVROS: Seems like we got a foothold on the town, Olympos."
  18. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "CARRAS: Olympos, this is Hoplite - we see a pair of flare above Orino. ANASTAS: Copy, we can see them too. That'll be the signal for reinforcements... all teams, better get ready for them... out."
  19. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "MAVROS: Chimera to Olympos. Orino's ours, over. ANASTAS: Acknowledged, well done, Chimera... Rearm and regroup - we mustn't lose momentum. Out."
  20. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, Avenging Furies, "CARRAS: Olympos, it's Hoplite - do you read me? Over. ANASTAS: Five by five, Hoplite - what's your message? CARRAS: We're at the convoy. ANASTAS: Great job, Hoplite! Stand by, we'll converge on Galati shortly. Take this time to rearm and regroup. Siskos and some others are on their way to assist. Over. CARRAS: Much appreciated, Olympos - waiting on your signal. Out."
  21. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, Avenging Furies, "THANOS: Centaur to Olympos, we are at Point Delta. Over. ANASTAS: Is the checkpoint secure? THANOS: Yeah... I don't think these fuckers knew what hit them. Something tells me they'll wanna reinstate that ceasefire now, over. ANASTAS: Copy that, Centaur. Try and contain yourself. Hold your position - another APC is on its way, out."
  22. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, Avenging Furies, "MAVROS: Hoplite, all buildings secure. I'll help you cleanup any remaining resistance. CARRAS: Understood, Mavros, thanks for your support..."
  23. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, Avenging Furies, "SNOWE: Falcon - movement. Rebel forces are leaving Syrta. [...] SNOWE: Sparrowhawk to Falcon. It's all kicking off over here. Got army regulars mounting up on trucks and - ah. Yeah. An infantry fighting vehicle. Over. JAMES: Acknowledged, Sparrowhawk - keep an eye on it. Out. Olympos? You get that? ANASTAS: Affirmative, Falcon... anything you can do to stop them? Over. JAMES: ... ANASTAS: Falcon, come in? Over. JAMES: Mavros, listen. Search for mines, launchers, anything that might help slow these fuckers down. Just like before, they'll be coming from the west. If they get past us, we'll lose the convoy... out."
  24. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, Avenging Furies, "CARRAS: Olympos, this is Hoplite. The convoy's safe and the town is ours, over. ANASTAS: Impressive work, Hoplite! All callsigns, primary objectives complete! Let's get those supplies to Abdera! Out."
  25. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, Avenging Furies, "MAVROS: Falcon, I think we're in the clear, over. JAMES: Attaboy, Mavros. Olympos - enemy reinforcements have been eliminated, we're RTB. Put the kettle on. Over. ANASTAS: Excellent work, Falcon! Both Galati and the humanitarian aid are in our hands. This changes everything. Out."
  26. ARMA 3: Tac-Ops 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Beyond Hope, No Reprieve, "Yeah. But, they are bringing in the guns. These...? They're antiques! We need proper weapons! Not hand-me-downs shipped in on the sly from fuck knows where."
  27. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., The East Wind, Drawdown 2035, "Yeah? Well they can respectfully go fuck themselves, sir. We didn't butcher half our own population and I sure as hell didn't ask to be on their pissant island."
  28. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., The East Wind, Maxwell (The East Wind), "Maybe we should have seen it coming, you know? [...] Fucking... Greenbacks, man, butchering half their own population during the conflict? Civil war's one thing - that was just - I dunno."
  29. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., The East Wind, \a3\missions_f_epa\video\a_in_intro.ogv, 00:10, "Thousands of families remain displaced, refugees scattered across countries around the Mediterranean basin.", AAN News
  30. ARMA 3: Tanks 2018 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis Requiem, Salient Force, "Distrusting the Americans, we aligned ourselves with the Canton Strategic Alliance Treaty. They gave us technology, weapons. Economic and political support - and in return, we allowed them to use our island. They even had us train with their fourth generation Angara battle tanks."
  31. 31.0 31.1 ARMA 3: Tanks 2018 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis Requiem, Lost Horizons, "After the Battle of Oreokastro in October, 2034, things got worse. Repression stoked the flames of resistance and, six months later, the situation exploded."
  32. ARMA 3: Laws of War 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Remnants of War, The Major, "BISHOP: You've mentioned Alexis was with the guerrillas. How can you be certain? MACADE: Kostas recognized him. Don't forget, the guy'd been in the army. Running off - going native - joining the enemy? Big time notoriety. His face was known. A hero for some, traitor for others."
  33. ARMA 3: Laws of War 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Remnants of War, Oreokastro Memory, "BISHOP: Nathan, you said that Alexis had been a recruit in the Altis Armed Forces. MACDADE: Yeah. That's right. BISHOP: So, his decision to leave the army - to join the guerrillas - do you know how that came about? MACDADE: It's funny, I asked Markos the same thing once. He just... looked at me and shrugged. Later on, I heard their father had been killed in the civil war. But, I dunno."
  34. ARMA 3: Laws of War 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Remnants of War, The Guerrilla, "Y'see... the guerrillas there, they'd found themselves a new leader. Charismatic. Ex-military. For him, this was no 'time to surrender' - far from it. In fact, he used that time to rally his people - encouraged them to resist, build defenses. Meanwhile, the army was setting up for a major offensive. The attack on Oreokastro? It was no secret. Of course, after the leaflet drop, IDAP started to pull out of the town. So, the little I do know? Well, that brings us back to the brother. The one who disappeared..."
  35. ARMA 3: Tanks 2018 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis Requiem, Lost Horizons, "Of course, our tanks were no good against the guerrillas. So I began a conversion course and took command of one of their lighter cousins..."
  36. ARMA 3: Laws of War 2017 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Remnants of War, Oreokastro Memory, "MACDADE: I remember... there used to be a cafe here once. Local place. Actually, that's an understatement. I musta picked up more local curse words there than... the entire rest of my time out here put together. BISHOP: It sounds like quite an institution. Did it shut down when the fighting started? MACDADE: Eventually. The guy who ran it - he, um, didn't have much love for the government. I remember, he used to charge the local soldiers double. Called it a 'tourist tax'. Then, one night, he was bundled off in the back of a truck. Never saw that guy again."
  37. 37.0 37.1 ARMA 3: Tanks 2018 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Altis Requiem, Lost Horizons, "Since the destruction of Oreokastro and the limitations to NATO's mandate, the Freedom and Independence Army have grown in strength. Our morale is weak. Our own people are against us. Reports of desertion and sabotage are rife. If we are to defeat this insurgency, we cannot waste our time, severing heads from the hydra. Instead, we must cauterize its wounds - drain the swamp - isolate the enemy and tighten our grip on those areas where they are strongest."
  38. 38.0 38.1 Bohemia Interactive a.s., 2013, Factions, Arma 3, viewed 1 January 2024, <https://arma3.com/features/factions>.
  39. ARMA 3 2013 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., The East Wind, \a3\missions_f_epa\video\a_in_intro.ogv, 00:13, "The FIA are becoming increasingly desperate, as AAF forces begin to consolidate their position on Altis with the backing of Canton Protocol forces equipment and training.", AAN News
  40. ARMA 3 2014 [Video Game], Bohemia Interactive a.s., Prologue, Common Denominator, "Peacekeeping efforts continue in The Republic of Altis and Stratis following the Civil War. Although some progress has been made, the newly-established government still faces serious obstacles, namely the inexperience of the Altis Armed Forces, or AAF for short. Officially, NATO Peacekeepers, primarily stationed on Stratis, have been seconded to Altis to cooperate and consult with the AAF. Unofficially, they have been assisting with training members of the AAF in order to ensure their ability to maintain security within the Republic itself. Recently, however, member states of CSAT have expressed interest in the Republic, further increasing already-heightened global tensions with NATO."

See also[]

Armaverse conflicts
1980s Soviet occupation of Nogova (1982)Malden Islands Crisis (1985)Takistan Civil War (1988-1992)
2000s Sahrani Conflict (2006)Chernarussian Civil War (2009)
2010s Operation Arrowhead (2012)Operation Crimson Lance (2012)
2020s Altian Civil War (2026-2030)
2030s Altis Incident (2035)
NOTE: Conflicts fought in spin-off titles, non-canon expansions/DLCs, lone skirmishes between isolated groups or conflicts without significant details are deliberately excluded.
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