Butternut–SEC War/AI Hallucination Edition
The 2023 Butternut–SEC Conflict (colloquially referred to as the Buttsecs (/bʌt sɛks/ butt—sex) War[1], or the War of Grievances[citation needed]) is an ongoing conflict taking place on CivMC, between the forces of the Security Enhancement Coalition versus the forces of Butternut County and Gang Shi.
Background
The war began following the unbanning of the known raider and former Estalian and Generic War combatant Ez2Clutch- he soon thereafter began raiding in partnership with Chosentwicelol, a raider infamous for menacing the government of Icenia and rumored to have had the backing of Estalia, one which the nation vehemently denied. At the time of the kickoff of this conflict, however, this backing was assuredly no longer in effect. Instead, a new benefactor emerged for the two raiders: Butternut County. Butternut's Bewsiej had previously been considered a hero to Icenia following his vital role in clearing the obbybombing of Icenia, but the relationship between the two soured as promises to erect a statue of Bewsiej in Icenia were not honored due to the Icenian Senate's reluctance following an incident at Space Needle IV, Icenia City's skybunker.
Invasion
Initial Invasion of Icenia (4 June — 8 June)
The conflict sparked when SEC fighters Zolo17 and Jaimiemie were pearled[by whom?] during their manhunt for Ez2Clutch and kited to the Butternut vault - signaling to the world that the raiders now had the full support of Butternut County and that this was no longer a simple raiding incident. Skirmishes began to break out within Icenia as SEC fighters and the Butternut raiders vied for pearls. With the city in danger, the Icenians engaged their automated defenses - a horde of withers was released inside the city, a means to keep the raiders at bay. By 6 June, Butternut secured 2 more pearls - that of Raeders, JuniorTide, and Yodabird19. On 7 June, a further 3 pearls were claimed by Butternut: Sapienfrfx, Mushroom_Cultist, and Spoonce. The tally was grim for the SEC: 8 pearls in Butternut captivity, with nothing to show for it. But on 8 June came a major SEC victory: Ez2Clutch was pearled by the Icenian Lagiacrus, after falling into a sand trap and failing to escape.
Butternut Banwave and Reversal (8 June)
On 8 June, the SEC announced that, in retaliation for Butternut's interference in civil conflicts, a banwave was to be implemented by the organization on Butternut County and its allies. This led to the pearling of Bewsiej and Krakus by Jaimiemie.
This banwave, however, was quickly reversed on the same day due to internal politics within the SEC, with BakonGuy citing a "lack of enthusiasm" for the move.[2]
Freeing of Gang Shi Combatants (8 June)
The SEC then set for itself the task of liberating fighters imprisoned in Butternut during the initial banwave, and on 8 June, four Gang Shi combatant miners were released from their prison in the Butternut vault, pearled by Jaimiemie in the process.
However, following the banwave reversal, Butternut issued a call for its own raiders to pearle and release any SEC combatants they may have had in their possession. This operation ultimately led to the pearling of Illumizer and the fearsome Nhil, in addition to some armaments and supplies being plundered from the SEC vault.
Invasion of Whole Foods (11 June)
On 11 June, Butternut forces initiated an attack on Whole Foods, a major SEC Trading Outpost. Here, a team of Butternut raiders attacked and destroyed the outpost, effectively cutting off an important supply route for the SEC. As a result, the SEC defences in Icenia saw an influx of weapons and items.
Exile of Icenian Government (12 June — present)
On 12 June, Butternut forces, backed by the Gang Shi forces, captured three prominent figures from the Icenian government in a targeted strike on their shelters: Teaearlgrayhat, Swiftejon, and Otstrinai. The trio, along with a further 2 non-Pagliai officials, were excommunicated from the nation under the ruling of a Butternut court.
On the 14th of June, a ceasefire between SEC and Butternut was called in the wake of potential outside intervention in the conflict. But despite this resolution, tensions within Icenia remain high.
Attacks on Cane Corp and Loss of Gang Shi and Butternut combatants (14 June — 15 June)
On 14 June, Butternut and Gang Shi forces attacked the NEC facilities of Cane Corporation, resulting in the pearling of various Gang Shi and Butternut fighters. This resulted in the death/pearling of forces such as Chosentwicelol and MiguelG11. Following the attack, the combined forces of Butternut and the SEC hastily retreated, with both sides severely weakened.
Departure of Ez2Clutch (16 June)
On 16 June, Ez2Clutch announced his departure from Butternut and the conflict altogether.[3] This was seen as a major blow to the Butternut forces, as Ez2Clutch had been one of the primary figures in the conflict and had provided material and logistical support for the team.
Skybridging the Butternut Vault (16 June — 17th June)
On the 16th of June, the SEC forces employed the tactic of "skybridging" to breach into the Butternut Vault. Skybridging is a process of building a long bridge that connects two different worlds together . The SEC employed this technique to bypass the measures put in place by Butternut and Gang Shi to protect their vault, which was situated in a pocket dimension. This tactic was successful and the SEC forces managed to crown considerable amounts of loot, however, this ultimately resulted in a fierce response from the Butternut defenders.
Backlash and Retreat (17 June — present)
On the 17th of June, the Butternut forces responded to the Skybridging attempt, launching fierce counter-attacks that put the SEC forces on the backfoot. Many SEC fighters were reportedly killed or pearled in the attack, with one such example being NeithtooDS. The SEC forces were forced to retreat and ultimately, the Butternut forces managed to retake control of their vault.
Continued Attacks on Cane Corp (17 June — 20 June)
Shortly after the Skybridging attempt,Butternut forces launched several raids on Cane Corp facilities,pearling or killing several SEC combatants. In response, the SEC declared war on Butternut on the 17th of June, backtracking on the ceasefire. Shortly before the declaration of war, SEC forces managed to secure a payment of 7 million emerald blocks from Butternut, likely in an attempt to reconcile with the SEC.
However, hostile actions between both sides have still continued. On the 18th of June, Butternut forces engaged in an ironic “SEC mission”, capturing the pearls of 3 SEC combatants and returning them to their vault for a ransom. Cane Corp also continued to suffer raids on the 19th and 20th of June, with aggressive engagements taking place both days.
Attacks on the Bloom Vault (20 June — present)
As of the 20th of June, Butternut has launched an attack on the Bloom vault, a SEC allied faction. The attack was initiated with an obbybomb, which was sent by EzClutch. Cane Corp and SEC forces have responded with a counter-attack against the Butternut vault, in an apparent attempt to put an end to the hostilities. As of yet, no significant damage has been done to either side.
Reactions
An opinion poll asking the global community their opinions on the war showed that support for
Butternut's actions is at an all-time low, with 78% of global respondents claiming to have a negative opinion of the county's actions.[4] This is partially attributed to the controversy surrounding the Ez2Clutch incident, and the widely perceived bias towards the raiders.
The Security Enhancement Coalition has also seen its public opinion rating increase, with most respondents claiming to be in favour of their actions.
See also
| SEC |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Butternut & Co. | ||
