Rise of the Ursans: A Stellaris AAR

[CireUl]

Greetings fellow Stellaris fans! I was playing around with a new save when I got the idea to write an AAR (Since I have nothing else to do at the moment).
Now, for the game, there are around 15 empires, including my own Union of Merak, kicking around mostly exploring and stuff.
Let's begin with a preface to the main faction, the Ursans.

Also, please be patient! I will take my time writing entries, but they will come regardless.

 

[CireUl]

Fate had blessed the Ursans, as immediately in the Mizar system there was a habitable exoplanet, aptly named Mizar after its host star. The necessary life was there to support colonization, and so a colony ship was hurriedly sent out even as construction drones laboured to finish the orbiting starbase. The two other surrounding systems- Waltom and Stormagg- were immediately claimed.

At this time, first contact was made with an unknown alien race. Relations immediately soured when the crew of a construction ship was captured and vivisected by the aliens. A xenophobic outcry rose from Merak, and starting from 2205 the shipyards of Merak and Mizar went into overdrive, producing the largest spacefleet ever assembled by the Ursans. Two fleets of destroyers and corvettes, as well as a large army and landing force, rushed to the border with the aliens.

But hatred didn't fuel the war effort, it only contributed to it. Previously the Imperial government had discovered dark matter in the Devil's Maw, a system owned by said aliens, and possibly the only source of the resource in the galaxy. The kidnapping of the construction crew served as a key catalyst for the inevitable war.

Meanwhile, at home, Emperor Theodosius was the subject of a radical cult, fanatically devoted to the statesman and viewing the monarch as a god.

And, in 2209, first contact was established with the Hegemony of Uraya. The fungoid race immediately launched a tirade of threats and insults, some directed at Emperor Theodosius himself, and staged repeated incursions into Ursan territory.

"You- you [Expletive Censored]! Your race is WORTHLESS, and scum like you will be forever consigned to the DUSTBIN of HISTORY! Now, get out of my sight before we grind away your PATHETIC species in our mines!"
-Recorded insult from the Urayan Hegemony, 2210.

For the next six years, the Prime Minister and his cabinet laboured to meticulously plan their invasion of Urayan space, as the Hegemons spat vitriol at them, going so far as to declare a rivalry.
"Let us end this charade."
-Declaration of rivalry, 2212.

The declaration of rivalry proved the final straw. In 2213, the Ursan economy entered a wartime state.

In 2214, the Merak-Urayan Territorial Invasion began.

 

[CireUl]

(I played it out some days ago and unfortunately neglected to take screenshots of battles. I'm sorry.)

"FOUR years. Four [Expletive Censored] years of grinding away at those damned Urayan fleets, of running from their navy, of bombing Planet Uraya to ashes, and what do I get save for a missing leg and a [Expletive Censored] Medal of Gallantry?"
-Admiral Jan Falmos, 2222.
The invasion started off with Ursa's 1st and 2nd Fleets making an incursion into the Devil's Maw system, where they clashed against the Urayan "High Fleet". Though the total firepower of the Ursans outmatched that of the High Fleet, their armada was one large force compared to Ursa's three smaller strike groups. This was not a tactic the Ursan high command was accustomed to, and it played a key part in the losses incurred.

The battle was a pyrrhic Ursan victory, with them losing two destroyers and three corvettes, whilst the Urayans lost a third of the High Fleet and were forced to retreat to their capital system of Uri'Dath. But, as luck would have it, the High Fleet was still a potent force, and continued to terrorize the smallest battle group, the Third Fleet. Hopelessly outmatched and outnumbered by three to one, the Third Fleet could only launch hit-and-run attacks.

A crippling defeat came when the Third Fleet launched an assault on the Litugena system, but were met with the entirety of the High Fleet and several smaller patrol fleets. In the ensuing rout over half of the Fleet's ships were destroyed and the foothold in Uraya almost became untenable.

Luckily, the trap at Litugena had left Uri'Dath weakened and nearly defenceless. In one last bid to end the war, the First, Second and remnants of the Third Fleet, as well as over eleven million soldiers, poured into Uri'Dath, overwhelming its defence stations and laying siege to Uraya, the home planet of the Urayans.

Not long after a volley of nuclear and non-nuclear missiles levelled the capital city of Uraye, the Hegemony surrendered, but not before the High Fleet rushed back into the system in a failed attempt to break the siege.

As per Ursan demands, the systems of Devil's Maw, Litugena and Uchbiea were transferred to their control, and now Ursan fleets lay just one system away from Uri'Dath. The Urayans, thoroughly beaten, were no longer the dominant power in the region, and were humiliated.

Fate had blessed the Ursans, as immediately in the Mizar system there was a habitable exoplanet, aptly named Mizar after its host star. The necessary life was there to support colonization, and so a colony ship was hurriedly sent out even as construction drones laboured to finish the orbiting starbase. The two other surrounding systems- Waltom and Stormagg- were immediately claimed.

At this time, first contact was made with an unknown alien race. Relations immediately soured when the crew of a construction ship was captured and vivisected by the aliens. A xenophobic outcry rose from Merak, and starting from 2205 the shipyards of Merak and Mizar went into overdrive, producing the largest spacefleet ever assembled by the Ursans. Two fleets of destroyers and corvettes, as well as a large army and landing force, rushed to the border with the aliens.

But hatred didn't fuel the war effort, it only contributed to it. Previously the Imperial government had discovered dark matter in the Devil's Maw, a system owned by said aliens, and possibly the only source of the resource in the galaxy. The kidnapping of the construction crew served as a key catalyst for the inevitable war.

Meanwhile, at home, Emperor Theodosius was the subject of a radical cult, fanatically devoted to the statesman and viewing the monarch as a god.

And, in 2209, first contact was established with the Hegemony of Uraya. The fungoid race immediately launched a tirade of threats and insults, some directed at Emperor Theodosius himself, and staged repeated incursions into Ursan territory.

"You- you [Expletive Censored]! Your race is WORTHLESS, and scum like you will be forever consigned to the DUSTBIN of HISTORY! Now, get out of my sight before we grind away your PATHETIC species in our mines!"
-Recorded insult from the Urayan Hegemony, 2210.

For the next six years, the Prime Minister and his cabinet laboured to meticulously plan their invasion of Urayan space, as the Hegemons spat vitriol at them, going so far as to declare a rivalry.
"Let us end this charade."
-Declaration of rivalry, 2212.

The declaration of rivalry proved the final straw. In 2213, the Ursan economy entered a wartime state.

In 2214, the Merak-Urayan Territorial Invasion began.

 

[CireUl]

(I played it out some days ago and unfortunately neglected to take screenshots of battles. I'm sorry.)

"FOUR years. Four [Expletive Censored] years of grinding away at those damned Urayan fleets, of running from their navy, of bombing Planet Uraya to ashes, and what do I get save for a missing leg and a [Expletive Censored] Medal of Gallantry?"
-Admiral Jan Falmos, 2222.
The invasion started off with Ursa's 1st and 2nd Fleets making an incursion into the Devil's Maw system, where they clashed against the Urayan "High Fleet". Though the total firepower of the Ursans outmatched that of the High Fleet, their armada was one large force compared to Ursa's three smaller strike groups. This was not a tactic the Ursan high command was accustomed to, and it played a key part in the losses incurred.

The battle was a pyrrhic Ursan victory, with them losing two destroyers and three corvettes, whilst the Urayans lost a third of the High Fleet and were forced to retreat to their capital system of Uri'Dath. But, as luck would have it, the High Fleet was still a potent force, and continued to terrorize the smallest battle group, the Third Fleet. Hopelessly outmatched and outnumbered by three to one, the Third Fleet could only launch hit-and-run attacks.

A crippling defeat came when the Third Fleet launched an assault on the Litugena system, but were met with the entirety of the High Fleet and several smaller patrol fleets. In the ensuing rout over half of the Fleet's ships were destroyed and the foothold in Uraya almost became untenable.

Luckily, the trap at Litugena had left Uri'Dath weakened and nearly defenceless. In one last bid to end the war, the First, Second and remnants of the Third Fleet, as well as over eleven million soldiers, poured into Uri'Dath, overwhelming its defence stations and laying siege to Uraya, the home planet of the Urayans.

Not long after a volley of nuclear and non-nuclear missiles levelled the capital city of Uraye, the Hegemony surrendered, but not before the High Fleet rushed back into the system in a failed attempt to break the siege.

As per Ursan demands, the systems of Devil's Maw, Litugena and Uchbiea were transferred to their control, and now Ursan fleets lay just one system away from Uri'Dath. The Urayans, thoroughly beaten, were no longer the dominant power in the region, and were humiliated.

In 2223 first contact was established with the Zaxxoan Foundation, a race of arthropods. Much to the delight of diplomats and the crippled Naval Command, they were immediately receptive to establishing relations and the xenophobic attitude of the populace immediately dissolved upon seeing the lengthy conversations between Ursan and Zaxxoan diplomats, the two sides usually making fast friends.

"They [The Zaxxoans] are our true brothers among the stars. One would be deluding themselves if they thought otherwise."
-Unknown Student (?) At Mizar Physics University, 2223.

War was originally considered, but outrage from the civilian populace forced the government to stay their hand, and in the 2225 General Election, Prime Minister Andreas Devlin was elected on promises of cooperation with the Zaxxoans.

Surprisingly, Zaxxoan borders remained open, and trade spiked exponentially. Eventually, relations improved, and an embassy was constructed on Merak for the Zaxxoan delegations.

The cult surrounding Emperor Theodosius gained yet more influence when his birthday was celebrated across the Empire with unprecedented religious fervour.

As part of the fanatical celebrations, over a thousand marriage proposals, from both the aristocracy and lower classes, and received sacrifices and offerings across the empire, including an offering of a solid-gold model of the Grand Palace. The second emperor of the Union of Merak was already in the process of replacing their most revered and loved gods, and uprooting millennia of tradition.

(Note: I used a console command, "Kill_Leader", later on to spice things up a bit and make the story interesting. Rest in Peace, Theodosius!)

A trade deal was struck up with the Zaxxoan Foundation, exchanging the Ursans' communication channels and supplies of food for communications with Zaxxoan allies.
The government expected to meet one or two alien nations, but the results of the deal were shocking. Within one week the deal was accepted by the Zaxxoans and no less than four alien empires were introduced; the Scyldari Confederacy, the Bruggan Polity, the Buhavilaan Republic and the Najklax State. All four were similarly-receptive and cordial, and it appeared that the warmongering Urayans were the black sheep of the sector.

Relations seemed to be going well until the Zaxxoan Foundation turned the Bruggan Polity into a vassal state. Panic spread on Merak, as the Bruggan industrial capacity combined with the Zaxxoans' resources upset the balance of power in the sector, and suddenly the Union was no longer the dominant group of interest.

The hardships of ruling, combined with an increasingly-extravagant lifestyle and the sudden 'betrayal' of the Zaxxoans took a severe toll on the Emperor's mental and physical health, and in 2228 Emperor Theodosius passed away from natural causes, at a shocking age of just 57.

A champion of the people, shrewd economist, and explorer died with him. An outpouring of grief happened across the empire, and tragically, five hundred more died when the crowd surged forward as his coffin made its way through the streets of Merak, trampling several.

In the aftermath of his state funeral, his son Theobald was inaugurated as the third Emperor of the Ursans.

Above: The state of the Galaxy in 2229.

 

[CireUl]

View attachment 931987

In 2223 first contact was established with the Zaxxoan Foundation, a race of arthropods. Much to the delight of diplomats and the crippled Naval Command, they were immediately receptive to establishing relations and the xenophobic attitude of the populace immediately dissolved upon seeing the lengthy conversations between Ursan and Zaxxoan diplomats, the two sides usually making fast friends.

"They [The Zaxxoans] are our true brothers among the stars. One would be deluding themselves if they thought otherwise."
-Unknown Student (?) At Mizar Physics University, 2223.
View attachment 931988

War was originally considered, but outrage from the civilian populace forced the government to stay their hand, and in the 2225 General Election, Prime Minister Andreas Devlin was elected on promises of cooperation with the Zaxxoans.

Surprisingly, Zaxxoan borders remained open, and trade spiked exponentially. Eventually, relations improved, and an embassy was constructed on Merak for the Zaxxoan delegations.

The cult surrounding Emperor Theodosius gained yet more influence when his birthday was celebrated across the Empire with unprecedented religious fervour.View attachment 931990
As part of the fanatical celebrations, over a thousand marriage proposals, from both the aristocracy and lower classes, and received sacrifices and offerings across the empire, including an offering of a solid-gold model of the Grand Palace. The second emperor of the Union of Merak was already in the process of replacing their most revered and loved gods, and uprooting millennia of tradition.

(Note: I used a console command, "Kill_Leader", later on to spice things up a bit and make the story interesting. Rest in Peace, Theodosius!)

A trade deal was struck up with the Zaxxoan Foundation, exchanging the Ursans' communication channels and supplies of food for communications with Zaxxoan allies.
The government expected to meet one or two alien nations, but the results of the deal were shocking. Within one week the deal was accepted by the Zaxxoans and no less than four alien empires were introduced; the Scyldari Confederacy, the Bruggan Polity, the Buhavilaan Republic and the Najklax State. All four were similarly-receptive and cordial, and it appeared that the warmongering Urayans were the black sheep of the sector.

Relations seemed to be going well until the Zaxxoan Foundation turned the Bruggan Polity into a vassal state. Panic spread on Merak, as the Bruggan industrial capacity combined with the Zaxxoans' resources upset the balance of power in the sector, and suddenly the Union was no longer the dominant group of interest.

The hardships of ruling, combined with an increasingly-extravagant lifestyle and the sudden 'betrayal' of the Zaxxoans took a severe toll on the Emperor's mental and physical health, and in 2228 Emperor Theodosius passed away from natural causes, at a shocking age of just 57.

A champion of the people, shrewd economist, and explorer died with him. An outpouring of grief happened across the empire, and tragically, five hundred more died when the crowd surged forward as his coffin made its way through the streets of Merak, trampling several.

In the aftermath of his state funeral, his son Theobald was inaugurated as the third Emperor of the Ursans.

View attachment 931998

Above: The state of the Galaxy in 2229.

The Union of Merak stood as a regional power, but was overshadowed as hegemon by the Zaxxoan Foundation, on a rampage of subjugating alien empire. However, no one was prepared for this:

The demand to become a Zaxxoan vassal sent shockwaves through the Union. To the everyday civilian, the perceived betrayal of the Zaxxoans was nothing short of a tragedy.

"Have we done something to deserve this? Have we lost the right to share interstellar cooperation? I fear that we have committed some sort of grave sin, if we have truly lost the Zaxxoans! They were like brothers to us!"
-Unknown, 2230.

With the government divided and incapable of making a decision, the decision fell to Emperor Theobald, still freshly-inaugurated.
Finally, on the eve of the deadline, the Imperial government released the verdict.

In response to Zaxxoan demands of subjugation; in response to the demand that Ursan independence and culture be wiped away and assimilated?

“I want nothing but death.”​

Immediately, Ursan fleets jumped to full readiness, and prepared for war. To some, the upcoming war was unwinnable, but a last-minute miracle lifted the spirits of many.

(The spiritualist option allows you to research cruiser tech!)

But war never came. The Urayan Hegemony, while weakened, formed a buffer state between the Zaxxoan and Ursan empires. They had started to re-arm, and as a result the pragmatic Zaxxoan admirals called off the invasion.

It was a much-needed break for the Merak. And when war did eventually come some years later, the Ursans would be ready.

But Emperor Theobald was not a man of reason, and chose to attack the Urayan state for a second time.
Fleets began massing on the Urayan borders. And the invasion began.