While it has been called the "war that isn't," the Rising Sun and California Republic v. Malaysia War is a very real conflict to the inhabitants of a chain of islands in the TL 5 South Pacific A Thread PSW-09 near the former location of the Dutch East Indies.
At the onset of the War, Malaysia attacked the thread with a low-tech fleet which passed through Srivijaya. Most of the warships and transports were in the category of 5000 tons, mostly TL4 sail/steamships, and sail adapted WWII style LSTs and while the fleet was large, it was prepared to meet only the scattered and moderate resistance of post WWII naval forces scattered among the Imperial Japanese and Independent Allied groups there.
The Malaysian force aimed to pass through PSW-09 into PSW-06 and capture the Pacific Island of Ponape, an island which appears to be of strategic metaphysical significance to the Djinn who are commonly understood to control Malaysia.
"The want to establish something very much like the City of Glass there. But bigger. They want to bring the City of Brass, their dwelling place, onto this plane."
The attack was repulsed in the largest investment yet of MTAG forces, when the 30,000 ton Aircraft Carrier Phillipine Sea and attached Task Force of the Santa Catalina Republic were moved overnight to the thread, derailing the Malaysian attack at a cost of three hundred million ENY.
"The Malaysians didn't retreat out of the Thread," explains Military Analyst Col. John Baldwin PSMPF (Ret.), "Rising Sun and the California Republic blocked their route to Ponape, and bombed their fleet. They retreated to thinly inhabited Islands and dug in. Malaysia has been periodically reinforcing those islands and building up air defenses. The distances are long, and the Allied and Imperial forces have been able to contain them, but not to eradicate them."
In Rising Sun there is outrage at an attempted nuclear attack which could have killed hundreds of thousands or millions, however there is no clear path to "victory."
"Rising Sun is in a difficult position," says Baldwin "They cannot really agree to a peace treaty with a power that attempted a nuclear attack on thier nation. They have to demand the destruction or removal of the Regieme that mounted that attack. But they don't have a clear path forward either. Malaysia is being isolated, economically strangled. That's hurting their industry but they have plenty of food, oil and gas. They aren't going to run out of supplies from lack of international trade, they were isolated for some time."
The resources necessary for either nation to attack the other directly would be enormous. Malaysia, with a lower standard of living, is more prepared for an "all out war" without economic ruin. Rising Sun could easily launch a nuclear attack, but would make itself a rogue state after its strong campaign in the ITF to isolate Malaysia.
So far Rising Sun has worked on mobilizing an army and developing troop transport systems that can be deployed by MTAG. Lacking resources to feed, house, and train an army large enough to attack Malaysia, the Japanese Empire has moved to a "home draft" system designed five years ago, deploying light plastic weapons that serve as motion sensors/controllers linked to household entertainment systems, and requiring 10 hours a week of rigorous military training. Early simulation environments have been replaced with very specifically Malaysian terrain and objectives. Recruits report in small groups to experience outdoor training.
"By the time we are ready to deploy, the Japanese Army will be well trained and ready," said General Torahiro Soruko.
But deployment seems months or even years away. In the meantime, Malaysia fights a campaign for Ponape that makes sense only in light of the likely Djinn domination of the Malaysian Government.
Malaysia needs significant resources to complete it's campaign. Hardwoods, troops metals and ships. Recently Malaysian TV3 and TV9 Media Prima Berhard have been carrying programming agitating against British and Hindu domination of India, which has led to concerns they may attack the Indian Empire. "Malaysia is an international paraiah, and doesn't need to care about currying favor," said Baldwin. "In any case they have a quasi-legitimate cause to attack the Indian Empire, and could doubtless provoke a small Islamic revolution there, then intervene. The Indian Empire would be a rich source of raw materials for Malaysia, and would also bring a focus to the war, which is not terribly popular with the Malaysian people, most of whom don't understand it. Malaysian state propaganda has fabricated atrocities by Japanese "unbelievers" and a plot to destroy Malaysia, as reasons for the attacks. Malaysian citizens also widely and erroneously believe that Rising Sun attacked Malaysia with nuclear weapons, and destroyed the Dutch East Indies.
"The Malaysian Government was repressive, but on the whole a decent government. Most people do not fully realize what has changed, or if they do, they believe that things have gotten better, with the common people having more control. Nothing could be further from the case."
While the general reaction has been one of horror, there has been one divergent note. Hive Scientist Caste analysts have issued findings that "the City of Glass, which was poorly understood and insufficiently explained at the time of the attempted Reunification, serves as an anchor point, helping hold the shape of our brane by anchoring it to a neighboring brane. There could be potential positive outcomes to the action the Djinn want to undertake, particularly in view of the Grimes effect.
