ILION, Alexandria, Late Spring of Year 2 - Peace negotiations between Arcoscephale and Pangaea have collapsed, and a de facto state of war exists between the two nations.
Relations have been strained since Arcoscephale made a bold yet unsuccessful attempt to exclude Western nations from its continent: In an operation that analysts are terming "A Farmland Too Far," Arcroscephale's own pretender rushed toward strategically vital Byzantion (224), only to be stopped dead in his tracks - literally - by Byzantion's fiercely independent inhabitants (click image below).
X - Arcoscephale (126)
X - Pangaea (258)
X - Byzantion (224)
X - Agartha (243)
X - C'tis (287)
"Arcoscephale already has substantially more room to expand than any other nation. Allowing him to control all of the Lands of Jomon (whoever that is) without resistance was unthinkable," said General Sophipania of Pangaea. "The decision was made to repel this aggressor before he took an insurmountable lead."
Indeed earlier this month, Pangaean special forces launched a surprise raid on the fertile farmland of Ilion (202), conquering the province and halting construction of an elaborate Arcoscephalian Fortified City. Pangaean diplomats then approached Arcoscephale with an offer of peace and a proposal for fair & sustainable boarders.
Negotiations lasted well into the night before finally breaking down early this morning.
Both nations are expected to fall behind on research and expansion, though Arcoscephale appears to be worse-off: "Arcoscephale's 4 other neighbors - Marignon, Atlantis, Utgard, and Agartha - all must be licking their chops right now, eager to carve into the expansive frontier that Arco would have been expected to conquer. I'm sure they recognize the opportunity they have - with Arco's pretender MIA and all his forces tied down in the Northeast - to limit the damage of Arco's wildly advantageous starting position," one pundit said.
(AP - Alexandria Press)