The Republic of Altis and Stratis, often known simply as Altis, is an island nation located in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Greece; the capital is Kavala, and the country had a population of 44,000 in 2035. The republic consists of the islands of Altis and Stratis, with most of the important buildings and towns being located on the former, the larger of the two islands. The country, a former colony of the United Kingdom and a current member of the Commonwealth of Nations, gained independence in 2003 and has since had an agreement with Greece to allow the Hellenic Air Force to be stationed on the island. However, the nation would later gain full independence from the UK and Greece and become self-sufficient. The country underwent a violent civil war from 2026 to 2035 that saw the Altian Armed Forces under the Kavala government fight against the Freedom and Independence Army, a group of army defectors fighting for freedom against the regime with the backing of the West. Eventually, the CSAT military alliance deployed troops to the island to help the government, leading to a bloody battle between the FIA/NATO forces and the AAF/CSAT forces that ended in a costly NATO victory.
History[]
Ancient history[]
Location of Altis and Stratis
Altis and Stratos have a rich history dating as far back as the ancient Greek civilizations. The islands were settled by Minoans from Crete and populated with Greek settlers, and Altis would constantly be influenced by mainland Greece in addition to the Phoenicians, who established the city of Kavala, which would be the capital of Altis for centuries. During the Dark Ages, the islands of Altis and Stratos were parts of the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire before Arab pirates took over the island, with Arabian warlords building a palace atop the 350-mile-high point of Thronos during their brief stay on the island. The islands would be settled by the Republic of Venice after their conquest from the Muslim Ottoman Empire, and the Venetians rebuilt the city of Kavala over the Phoenician ruins that were once the old city of Kavala. Altis was ceded to France in 1797 as a part of an agreement with Napoleon Bonaparte after his conquest of Venice on mainland Italy during the French Revolutionary Wars. In 1809, the United Kingdom conquered the islands during the Napoleonic Wars, and Altis would be a crown colony for two centuries.
Colonial rule[]
The colonial flag of Altis
Under the British, English became an official language of Altis, and the island was considered to be a part of the British Commonwealth. In 1916, the British built the Altis Aero Club's airstrip, the first on the island. During World War I, Altis was an important base for the Commonwealth forces during their campaign against the Ottomans, including the disastrous invasion of Gallipoli. The British built schools and service centers on the island, and Altis flourished under British rule. However, Altis voted for independence in a 2003 referendum, and Altis and the nearby island of Stratis became the "Republic of Altis and Stratis".
Independence[]
A map of Altis and Stratis in 2035
The Republic of Altis and Stratis developed a unique culture upon its independence from the United Kingdom, having a mixture of cultures based on its previous rulers (Phoenician, Arab, British, and especially Greek), and the government entered into an agreement with the government of Greece in which it allowed the Hellenic Air Force to be stationed on the islands. Altis International Airport, in the center of the island of Altis, was established to provide travel to mainland Europe, Asia, and Africa, and the island maintained a peaceful existence over the next two decades. The country's population was mostly concentrated on the western half of Altis, while other people lived in villages and ports. Meat, fish, and agriculture provided the main sources of food, while boiled salt water was used for hydration. Altis' agreement with Greece would later be cancelled, and Altis became a fully-independent nation.
Unrest and civil war[]
Flag of Altis from 2003 to 2035
In 2026, a coup d'etat was launched in the capital city of Kavala, with the Altian Armed Forces taking power. The armed forces, which was led by corrupt and inexperienced leaders, had no command structure and simply massacred unsupportive civilians; Altian Armed Forces commander Georgious Akhanteros was the de facto military dictator of Altis. Half of the island's population of around 90,000 people were killed in the violence of 2026-2035, and the Freedom and Independence Army was formed from AAF defectors and protesters in Altis. The government of Altis allowed NATO peacekeepers (predominantly from the United States and United Kingdom) to be stationed on the island to force the rebels to tone down their attacks, and in 2030 a ceasefire agreement was negotiated by the CSAT military alliance and Israel in Jerusalem. Despite this, Israel secretly continued to fund and arm the FIA against the AAF as the NATO peacekeeping mandate expired. The FIA made precision strikes against AAF forces as the US and British withdrawal neared in 2035, but they resumed all-out guerrilla warfare when CSAT and AAF forces attacked the withdrawing NATO forces. Israeli military advisers and NATO ground forces assisted the FIA in their guerrilla war on Altis, and they fought against AAF and CSAT forces, the latter of which was primarily made up of Iranian ground forces from the Griffin Regiment. Eventually, the AAF and CSAT forces were forced off the island after a final NATO offensive took the Altis International Airport, the capital of Kavala, and destroyed the last CSAT and AAF forces on the island.
Present-day[]
After the capture of Kavala and the defeat of the AAF and CSAT, Nikos Panagopoulos and the FIA emerged as the new leaders of a democratic Altis, forming the New Altian Army and doing away with the AAF and the old Altian flag. NATO forces left the island due to having other interests in the Pacific Ocean, and Altis returned to a state of normalcy; however, the scars of the war were still felt, as many villages were still depopulated and the cities were still in ruins.
Demographics[]
In 2026, Altis had a population of around 90,000 people. The majority of the island's inhabitants lived along the eastern and western shores of the island of Altis, with Stratis having a small population and the inland areas of Altis having small villages. The population was of mixed descent, tracing its origin to Phoenician traders and explorers, but all of the rulers left traces in the population in the past centuries. The Greek language became the main language of the populace, but English was another language spoken on the islands due to the island's colonial history. Nearly the entire population was Christian, with most being Greek Orthodox and a smaller percentage being Protestant or Catholic.