Damanian War

The Damanian War
Part of the Damanian Cold War
Bananish troops guard a hastily erected checkpoint in Porta.
Date 21 June 2025 - 11 August 2025 Location Santaria and the Uzmorr Sea Result MATO victory Occupation of Youthsville by MATO forces. Payment of reparations by Daminy to Banana Federation. Fall of the Kelovik government. Establishment of the Republic of Daminy.
Combatants
Daminy	MATO  Banana Federation  Scuro  Ironcastle
Commanders and leaders
Moodie Kelovik	Saggio Uomo Raul Trentino Bradley Lister
Strength
41,638 in the Battle of Porta. 21,674 in the Battle of Youthsville.	64,320 in the Battle of Porta. 33,547 in the Battle of Youthsville.
Casualties and losses
5,349 dead (1,249 at sea), 9,882 wounded, 33,456 captured. Unknown civilian casualties. Unknown economic damage. 1 battlecruiser sunk. 2 destroyers sunk.	1,703 dead, 4,096 wounded. 519 civilian deaths, ~80,000 displaced. ฿2.49 billion in damage.

The Damanian War was a war fought between 21 June and 11 August 2025 by the Moneylania Alliance Treaty Organisation (MATO) against Daminy. The majority of the fighting took place in the Bananish island of Santaria, the Uzmorr Sea, and the Damanian capital of Youthsville. The war ended when a combined MATO force successfully captured the city of Youthsville and Damanian President Moodie Kelovic. The subsequent peace treaty saw the end of socialist rule in Daminy and significant reparations being paid to Banana Federation. The war is seen as the end of the Damanian Cold War and significantly influenced the greater geopolitical climate of Moneylania.

Background

Tensions had been high between Banana Federation and Daminy ever since Banana Federation's support for the Republic of North Daminy in the 2004 Damanian Civil War. The short-lived republic had caused significant damage and societal divides during the year-long conflict. Despite Daminy's large military and threats towards Banana Federation, the Bananish military was extremely limited, with only 150,000 troops total. By comparison, Daminy possessed over one million frontline personnel.

On the 12th of May, 2025, Moodie Kelovik was attacked by a sniper whilst giving a speech in Youthsville. Simultaneously, a bomb detonated at a major soccer game in Youthsville, killed over two dozen Damanians. The attackers were later identified as Bananish nationals by Damanian police. Kelovik denounced the Bananish government, claiming they had sent an assassin after him and attacked his country. Banana Federation denied the accusations. On the 14th, Daminy cut off diplomatic relations with Banana Federation and Scuro. Later, it was discovered that the terrorists were part of a pro-North Damanian independence group, rather than Bananish operatives.

Some time before June, Damanian planners had begun organising retaliatory strike as a reprisal for the assassination attempt. The plan called for a surprise attack on Santaria, the closest portion of Banana Federation to Daminy, and an island long disputed between the two nations. At the time, Banana Federation had an extremely limited military, numbering less than 100,000. Damanian troops would strike swiftly, and attempt to take the island's capital within a week, before Bananish reinforcements could arrive. The Damanian invasion fleet would split itself between guarding the island and escorting additional convoys from the mainland once ground forces had secured Porta. It was expected by Damanian planners that Banana Federation would surrender and cede the island after a month of fighting, regardless of MATO intervention.

Invasion of Santaria

A convoy of Damanian troops in vehicles acquired from Sibaria.

Initial landings

On 21 June, 2025, Damanian forces launched a surprise naval assault in Santaria, several dozen kilometers away from Porta. The only Bananish ship in the area, the BFS Spada, retreated from the area after detecting the Damanian fleet. Damanian transport ships moved into Bananish waters during the night of the 21st of June, landing approximately 12,000 troops in the first six hours. By morning, Bananish patrols had come under fire from Damanian forces as far as two kilometers inland. Although efforts were made to sabotage undersea cables and jam transmissions to prevent mainland Banana Federation from realising the nation was under attack, the BFS Spada managed to send a transmission, informing the Ministry of Defence that the island was under attack.

The government of Banana Federation formally declared war on Daminy at 5:45 a.m. on the 22nd, and immediately invoked MATO's collective defence clause. An hour later, the governments of both Scuro and Ironcastle had joined Banana Federation in declaring war on Daminy. Attempts were made by the respective governments to contact the Damanian government, but they received no response. Bananish troops began to dig in three kilometres from the Damanian landing site, attempting to encircle the attackers and prevent a breakout. However, by midday, Damanian forces had begun making headway against the limited Bananish troops in Santaria.

Operation Eagle Strike

Several hours after the declaration of war, Ironian ships in the Uzmorr Sea had been instructed to launch an attack against the Damanian capital, Youthsville. The aircraft carrier ICS Crusader launched six F-35C Lightning II multirole fighters to perform the mission. Upon approach to Daminy, Damanian radar was unable to detect the Lightnings, which passed through the Damanian air defence system undetected. At 1:13 a.m. DST on the 23rd, the Ironian jets released their bombs over Youthsville. Targets included the Presidential Palace, power plant, command and control facilities and air defence installations.

While heavy damage was caused to the targets, the initial strikes did little to impact the Damanian war effort. Several hours after the raid, Damanian leader Moodie Kelovik gave a televised speech, announcing that Daminy would "not give in to the capitalists" and "will destroy the bourgeoisie Bananish government".

Additional Ironian ships arrived in the Uzmorr Sea later on the 23rd and began to launch cruise missile strikes against Daminy. These missile strikes, along with regular airstrikes, would continue until the end of the war.

An Ironian MQ-12 Falcon attacks a Damanian forward base.

Failure of the invasion

Ironian special forces were key in coordinating airstrikes against Damanian positions.

Within two days of the invasion, Damanian troops reached the outskirts of the Santarian capital Porta. Heavy fighting began as Damanian forces attempted to dislodge dug-in Bananish and Scuroian troops. However, as most civilians had been evacuated from the region, BFSCM forces utilised heavy artillery and air power to hold their position. The Damanian forces relied on aircraft launched from their invasion force at sea, which limited their air support options. Damanian troops primarily attempted to deny the Santarian airspace to MATO forces, employing man-portable and self-propelled anti-aircraft systems.

After several days of intense fighting, it became clear that the Damanian hope for a quick victory was fading. The Ironian 1st Marine Division arrived on the island on the 28th and relieved the forces defending Porta. In addition, the Damanian 2nd Fleet had been forced to turn back by a combined BFSCM and Ironian force, preventing the expected reinforcements. On the 30th, two Scuroian mechanised brigades managed to break through the Damanian interior flank and attack the initial landing site, which had become the headquarters for the entire invasion force. It was lightly defended and the Scuroian forces quickly overran it. With their command structure in complete disarray, the Damanian forces in Banana Federation began surrendering to BFSCM forces.

Bananish Army troops from the 2nd Light Infantry Division patrol a road in Camidglo.

The war at sea

Three BFSCM missile boats seen from the window of a Bananish WY-55 Hellcat.

Battle of the Guardian Archipelago

Shortly after Damanian troops reached Porta, Bananish and Scuroian naval forces organised to repel the Damanian fleet. The BFSCM fleet was greatly outnumbered by their Damanian counterparts and as such held their attack. After the arrival of the Ironian Carrier Battle Group Infinity, the combined MATO fleet attacked the Damanian ships. The Guardian Archipelago is comprised of tall islands, capabale of hiding ships from radar. As such, both fleets resorted to using short-range weapons in the battle. At 9:53 a.m. on the 25th, the Damanian battlecruiser DNS Sandrovka was hit by an antiship missile from the Bananish destroyer BFS Geld. Within four hours, the ship had capsized and sank.

Following the sinking of the Sandrovka and the arrival of additional Ironian ships, the Damanian fleet retreated to Damanian waters, abandoning the invasion force.

Blockade of Daminy

After the Battle of the Guardian Archipelago the Damanian fleet hid in port for the remainder of the war, under constant air attack from MATO forces. This allowed MATO naval forces to commence a blockade of the Damanian mainland on the 7th of July.

Battle of Youthsville

Almost immediately after the war began, the Ironian Joint Chiefs of Staff began preparations for a daring assault on the Damanian capital, Youthsville, in an attempt to capture the city and bring a permanent end to the Kelovic regime. On the 15th of July, after the Damanian invasion force in Santaria had surrendered, the 2nd and 3rd Marine Divisions deployed to sea, alongside the Carrier Strike Groups Crusader, Infinity, and Freedom.

Conclusion

After the surrender of Daminy, a small MATO occupation force stayed in Youthsville, and Moodie Kelovik was arrested and made to stand trial for Crimes Against Peace. The remaining Damanian government was presented with peace terms, dictated primarily by Banana Federation, who had suffered the most in the war. The Socialist dictatorship was replaced with a republic, Daminy was made to pay five billion Bananas in war reparations to Banana Federation, and certain ties to Sibaria were officially severed. Moodie Kelovik was found guilty and made to serve a short sentence in the Ironian Spendaw Prison and renounce all positions of authority.