The Centauran Wars (c. 1908 - c. 1944) were a series of wars of conquest conducted by Antares and her allies against the numerous coalitions and oppositions in Centaura. The war escalated into a near global conflict, becoming the deadliest conflict in Forman history and is the main event in which Centaura takes place in. The fighting resulted in a series of conflicts which the use of trench warfare would become the widespread form of ground warfare.
The war would produce an era of Antarean hegemony on the continent. 4 years after the end of the war, the events of Dead Ahead would start. The wars can be categorised into 8 major campaigns; the Cetan Campaign, Aquilan Campaign, Vegan Campaign, Grusan Campaign, Columban Campaign, Riaan Campaign, Tucanese Campaign and Centaurian Campaign.
| Conflict | Date |
|---|---|
| Cetan Campaign | 1908-1912 |
| Aquilan Campaign | 1912-1914 |
| Vegan Campaign | 1914-1915 |
| Grusan Campaign | 1915-1919 |
| Columban Campaign | 1915-1933 |
| Riaan Campaign | 1933-1940 |
| Tucanese Campaign | 1938-1939 |
| Centaurian Campaign | 1942-1944 |
Context
Portal
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Etymology
In Forman historiography, usage of the singular “war” to describe the period between 1908-1944 is associated with the Antarean sphere of influence. Imperial historians regarded each of the conflicts Antares fought as a campaign in a broader effort to unify the continent, relying on Astranist philosophy to do so. The Single War perspective was the only one taught in territories controlled or occupied by the Imperium.
After the defeat of the Antares Imperium in 1961, post-Forman War historiography did away with treating period as a singular conflict. The restored governments of Centaura, wanting to foster a new sense of national identity and pride after decades of occupation, emphasized that they were victims of aggression by Antares, reclassifying what the Imperium called “campaigns” into “wars”. The sole exception to this was the North Centauran War, which was divided into theaters on account of its belligerents being part of an alliance.
Some modern scholars argue the debate also features religious undertones, with devout Astranists maintaining the Single War perspective, while Unists, Arborists, and Solists strongly prefer the multiple war interpretation. The Astranist perspective is primarily based on their belief of an eternal struggle between the gods, which the Centauran War was but one spectacular example of.
Conflicts:
- Cetan Campaign (part of the South Corvus War)
- Aquilan Campaign/1912 Aquilan-Antarean War
- Vegan Campaign/Vegan-Antarean War
- Grusan Campaign/Grusan-Antarean War (Guerra del Escorpión)
- Conquest of Lacerta
North Centauran War*
- Columban Campaign (Western Theater)
- Riaan Campaign (Western Theater)
- Tucanese Campaign (Eastern Theater)
- Centaurian Campaign (Eastern Theater)
- *The term "North Centauran War" is part of the multiple war interpretation and is not used by Single War theorists.
Series of Events
Background
Although the events started when Corvus marched into the formerly Corvun-controlled South Corvus, it was only a mere match that lit the powder keg. Antares’ emperor, Kalvin Tau was a staunch enthusiast of the ancient Libran Empire, an entity which used to rule the entirety of Forma before its collapse. Kalvin Tau believed that if all the people were united under one ideology, it would more or less end war. He also believed that Centaura would constantly be in conflict because there were multiple empires competing with each other; if only one empire remained, there wouldn't be war. As the revanchist Corvus requested Antares aid for annexation, Kalvin would seize the opportunity and thus, Antares began to act upon their ambitions in 1911, with the invasion of Cetus on the side of their Corvun allies.
Southern Corvus War
| Battles | Icon | Date |  Campaign
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of Blackton | 
|
1908 | |
| Battle of Coastal Battery Q | 
|
1909 | |
| Battle of Capri Valley | 
|
1910 | |
| Battle of Kelson Village | 
|
1911 | |
| Battle of Mons Planus | 
|
1912 | |
| Battle of Whitemouth Estuary | 
|
1912 |
See more in: Southern Corvus War
Initial Antarean Conquest
War with Aquila
| Battles | Icon | Date |  Campaign
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of Roland’s Prairie | 
|
1912 | |
| Battle of Ascendēns Forest | 
|
1913 | |
| Siege of Talona | 
|
1914 | |
| Downtown Talona | 
|
1914 |
War with Vega
| Battles | Icon | Date |  Campaign
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle of Murus Plateau | 
|
1914 | |
| Battle of Bastião Ventoso | 
|
1914 | |
| Battle of Abrigo Dezenove | 
|
1915 |
War with Grusa
During Antares' invasion of Vega in 1914, riots and protests broke out amongst the Grusan populace for them to support Vega. Their pleas were ignored and the protests were harshly shut down, sometimes violently. Thousands of Grusan volunteers would defy their government and join the Vegan army. After Antares successfully conquered the two nations, they saw a unique opportunity to build strong support in the region. Members of the unpopular royal families were executed, imprisoned, or banished, and both regions were united into 1 unified body as an Antarean puppet, Skorpii Grusii.
A popular unification supporting activist, Xavier Navarro, was appointed as governor, and the state was allowed to maintain most of its cultural identity. Some Grusan forces would also see action as reinforcements in the later phases of Antares' Columban campaign.
Lacertan Expedition
Following the conquest of Grusa, Antarean high command would lay its eyes on Lacerta.
The island of Lacerta would be invaded and annexed by Antares in 1920 during the Columban campaign, with its government and military falling in a few weeks due to its severely outdated technology. After capitulation, Lacerta would be repurposed as a testing ground for Antarean weaponry and prototypes.
Lacertan civilians were put under martial law and no person was allowed to leave their town, with fences and walls constructed around population centers in order to enforce it. As a result, the living conditions worsened as Antareans limited the supply food to the population.
By 1921, a new program would be created by the Antareans. Its purpose was the creation and testing of chemical and biological weapons and warfare to be used in the Columban campaign. The test subjects were Lacertan civilians.
Later Antarean Conquest
Shortly after the conquest of Aquila, Vega, and Grusa, Antarean forces shifted their focus towards the next target: Columba.
Columba’s southern region is made up entirely of mountain ranges. There are very few roads through the mountains, and the roads themselves are 1-2 lanes wide.
Early Campaign
The first Antarean invasion into Columban territory began in 1915, coming from Aquila, with the Shokk divisions attempting to capture a village around 1,500 ft in elevation. However, the journey up was extremely difficult as the terrain was steep, and no vehicles were able to support the Shokk troops. The attempt failed, with the leading Shokk platoons completely wiped out. Though it was a relatively small campaign at the time, it made a point that Antares was looking to invade and conquer Columba. Due to the battles against Vega and Grusa, the Columban campaign did not receive much attention until 1919, when Grusa was defeated.
In 1917, Corvus had attempted an attack from the west, but a panhandle territory of Riaa disallowed any further movement. Since Antares was not yet ready to fight Riaa, all efforts of invading Columba from the west were set aside.
In the years following 1919, Antares made repeated attacks from the south, attempting to fight through the harsh mountain ranges of Columba. The higher the elevation was, the harder it was to fight. This is what made the Columbans nearly impervious in their defense. Many Columban positions also held a high ground, making it even more difficult for the Antareans to advance. Not even the Shokk divisions were spared from this difficulty.
In 1924, Kolonel Cervantes, a rather young officer for his age, devised a plan that would unfortunately extend the length of the Columban campaign, but nonetheless with the reward of total victory against the Columbans. Operation Kataklysm was the name of the long-term war plan.
Superkolumba Kampaign
The Superkolumba Kampaign, formally known as Operation Slingshot, was a mass aerial-bombing campaign by Antares.
By 1924, the war against Columba had not significantly progressed in terms of territorial gains. For five years, the Antareans were constantly being defeated by hardpoints and high-ground defenses in the mountains. To solve this problem, two plans were conceived:
- Operation Kataklysm, formulated by Kolonel Cervantes. This plan called for an encirclement strategy that comprised of luring NCA troops and materiel into the mountains, then flanking from the eastern seacoast and cutting off enemy supply lines. There were several objections to this plan, however: it would require several more years of stalemates in the mountains, and there was no guarantee that the Army could flank from the east without being intercepted and demolished by the Columban navy.
- Operation Slingshot, formulated by General Archer. This plan called for a continuous bombardment campaign from the air, targeting cities and clearing a path for Antarean troops on the ground. In addition to disabling Columba's industrial infrastructure, the bombing of cities would impact the enemy's morale and divert their resources away from the frontline to protect their inland cities.
"Why not combine the elements of our plans and use our bombers to clear a path through East Columba? If we were to move much of our aircraft to Grusa, would we not be able to have a fighting chance against the Alliance's navies?" Cervantes had asked.
General Archer laughed in ridicule. "You are too naive to realize that our bombers are not agile enough to hit moving warships. We would be dropping thousands of tons of bombs into the sea! But cities don't move, now do they? Much, much easier targets," he retorted.
It is important to note that General Archer had spearheaded the Aquilan campaign; he took pride in his head-on fighting strategies, which he was now applying to the Columban campaign.
For the first few weeks of Operation Slingshot, specific routes in the mountains were constantly bombed, theoretically providing ground infantry a path with minimal resistance. In reality, the Columbans were very much safe inside the tunnel and bunker systems they had constructed along these routes. The frequency of bombing runs was decreased as time went on. Most bombing runs from 1926 onwards were targeted toward cities instead of defense positions in the mountains.
Archer's plan did not work out as he thought it would. To compensate for the time and resources lost during the Superkolumba Campaign, Cervantes—promoted to General in 1927—had improved his Kataklysm plan and convinced other high command members, and ultimately Aran Tau, that his plan would be worth the wait.
Operation Slingshot technically continued under Cervantes, with bombing runs still being conducted against cities to the north of the mountains, but it was halted with the first combat phase of Operation Kataklysm in 1931.
A surprise came in 1927 when the Northern Centauran Alliance was formed between Riaa, Columba, Tucana, and Centauri. These four countries banded together to repel the Antarean invasion, sending more men and materiel into the Columban mountains.
Phoney War
Between 1927 to 1931, a lack of major land operations between both sides would be observed after the conclusion of the Superkolumba campaign. It is where the events of the Stargazers would initiate.
Operation Kataclysm
By 1929, seeing nearly no progress made in the campaign, Emperor Aran Tau, who had succeeded the throne just a few months prior to the formation of the NCA, relieved General Archer of his position and appointed the newly-promoted General Cervantes to take his place as commander of operations. Now, Cervantes could enact Operation Kataklysm.
With the mess Archer left, the Antareans were still “fighting” in the southern mountains, but Cervantes decided to turn it into a lure for the NCA to keep moving their manpower into his trap.
After four years of what seemed like a stalemate in the Columban campaign, the Antareans decided to finally break through the eastern coast. The NCA’s supply and reinforcement lines were cut off, leaving a brunt of their soldiers and equipment stranded in the mountains. Corvus assisted in this encirclement, finally invading through the west and meeting in the middle. The NCA’s forces in the mountains were now surrounded with no hopes of resupply.
Antarean and Corvun forces continued to push north despite the major NCA presence in the mountains. By 1933, the government of Columba capitulated. However, NCA garrisons were still fighting in the Columban ranges; the new doctrine the Antareans adopted was to “contain” the NCA forces, meaning they would not be on the offense, but rather the defense to keep the NCA in the mountains. Meanwhile, Antarean supplies and equipment made their way north through the western ports.
Following Operation Kataklysm's success in 1932, the newly combined forces of generals Cervantes and Reyes began the largest military operation in Forman History. Although a portion of Northern Centuaran Alliance's manpower was successfully trapped within the Columban range, the subsequent push northwards would be extremely brutal. By 1933, Antares had captured Columba's capital, Mundare, resulting in its capitulation. Immediately afterwards began the Siege of Riaa; a lengthy period of slow, stagnant combat, characterized by large amounts of armored & air combat. During this time, construction of a new naval fleet within the Annulus had begun in Columba's and Grusa's ports.
NCA Counteroffensive
During the winter of 1934, Antarean and NCA forces both dug in, neither wanting to expend more resources in the harsher weather. Unbeknownst to the Antareans, however, was that the NCA had been preparing a counteroffensive force for over a year. In Spring of 1935, the NCA Counteroffensive was launched, spearheaded by the elite Riaan Republican Guard, and backed up by a wealth of vehicles from Tucana's industrial heart. Further bolstered by the immense numbers of Riaan, Centauri, and Tucanese infantry, the Antareans were initially overwhelmed and pushed back into the former Columban region. Even after calling for a defensive order and digging in, the NCA continued to win bloody & costly victories over the Antareans, slowly inching towards the Columban Range, where they aimed to divide Antarean forces in two and link back up with a portion of their trapped manpower.
Fighting over the next two years was slow and costly. Large amounts of NCA lives and equipment were thrown against Antarean lines to achieve mild successes. Naval landings were prevented by Antarean air dominance near the coasts. Antarean forces made numerous large encirclements attempts but were widely unsuccessful against the numbers the NCA offered.
Ursan Intervention
By 1937, the NCA had come dangerously close to opening the encirclement of the Columban Range. At this time, the Federation of Ursa contacted the Antares Imperium. Seeking Antarean favor, as well as production capabilities located in Tucana, Ursa offered a military alliance and help against the NCA. Antares, in their desperate hour, accepted, establishing the Solstice. Ursan forces swiftly captured Tucanese islands in the Libran Ocean, then made landfall on the Centauran continent in 1938. Making landings all across Tucana and northwest Riaa, Ursan forces were quickly able to make advances throughout much of the lesser defended Riaan north. The industrial and urban lands of Tucana were a tougher gambit, however, and forced a more meticulous campaign.
With NCA forces now routed northwards, the Antarean Imperial Army was able to make great advances northwards, cutting through the heart of Riaa. At this time, the Antarean Annulus Fleet had also completed its mobilization and now contested the seas, using aircraft carriers to bring air support north, and monitors to act as coastal artillery. By 1940, both Riaa and Tucana had capitulated, leaving only Centauri. Antarean Shokktroopers traveled north to conduct the siege, while Ursan and Antarean ships enacted a blockade.
In the aftermath of the war, Ursa relinquished dominion of Tucana over to Antares, under the Skorpii Riaa system. In return, many Tucanese factories and industry were repurposed to build Ursa's own fleets and military in the years leading up to the Forman War. Ursan kept the Tucanese islands they conquered as well.
Siege of Centauri
After the fall of Riaa and Tucana, the Centaurians prepared for their turn against the Antareans. In the years preceding the fall of Riaa, Centaurian civilians had boarded ships and airlines to Orion, Ursa, and Libra to escape the upcoming war. By 1940, panic ensued within the population as Riaa’s complete capitulation made its way across headlines. Many civilians began packing their belongings in hopes of catching a passenger liner to a different continent. Ships became overcrowded, and soon enough, there weren’t enough liners available to transport everybody who wanted to flee. The last airlines and passenger ships departed in 1941, never to return to Centauri.
Half of the passenger liners that departed during the later months of 1941 were sunk by the Antarean naval blockade. Most of the civilians had drowned or froze to death, as there were not enough lifeboats on the overcrowded ships. Those who did survive on lifeboats were now stranded at sea, with the choice of returning west to Centauri or starving to death, surrounded by a hostile navy.
Back in Centauri, the situation wasn’t any better. When it was officially announced that the harbors and airports were closed down, the civilians of Centauri had no choice but to await their fate. The siege of Centauri had not yet occurred, but it was bound to happen.
Beginning in late 1941, as the Antarean army surrounded and rallied around Centauri’s borders, many civilians and politicians began committing suicide. Having heard about how brutal the Riaan campaign was, they decided they would rather die than live under Antarean occupation. The suicides impacted the morale of the Centaurian military, who were certain they would be able to defend their country.
In 1942, the siege of Centauri had officially begun. The Antares Armada started a 14-day bombardment of the southern coastal defenses, which was followed by an amphibious landing. In the north, the army launched an assault with new “bunker buster” vehicles.
The battle doctrine of the Centaurians saw a great emphasis on defense, much like Aquila. The borders of the country were littered with mutually supporting bunkers which made it hard for the Antareans to capture. Guns and artillery were camouflaged in forests and foliage, concrete bunkers and anti-tank obstacles lined the countryside, and Centauri’s own armored vehicles posed a difficult challenge for the Antareans.
By 1943, most of Centauri’s defenses were demolished through a new Antarean strategy utilizing mass artillery barrages to defeat hardpoints. In the south, the coastal fortifications were destroyed and the Centaurian army found themselves encircled. Later that year, they had been pushed back to the capital, where they held out for months before finally being defeated in 1944.
The fall of Centauri marked the complete end of the Centauran War, which had lasted for 32 years, from 1912 to 1944. The entire continent was now under the control of Antares.
Legacy
Political Aftermath
Political Aftermath of the Centauran Wars
Decades of industrial attritional war left the continent in ruins.
Antares' successful conquest of the Centauran continent left the empire with the challenge of managing their newly acquired massive territory and resources. The continent was too large to control directly and contained the large threat of organized resistance and unrest. Their solution was the establishment of the puppet state Skorpii Riaa.
Antares took direct control of all land up to the northern borders of the Columban mountains and consolidated all remaining land to the north into Skorpii Riaa. The Imperium allowed Riaan/Tucanese/Centaurian governors to retain their control over regions of lands and maintain their own police/militia forces. These governors would be allowed to stay in power and govern their people as long as they provided a share of resources to the Imperium.
The puppet regimes of Skorpii Corvus and Skorpii Grusii would also be established, with the carving of borders after the war, drastically changing the landscape of the post-war Centaura.
An Antares Imperial Army officer alongside a designated Army platoon would be assigned to each governor to act as a supervisor or a sort of "honor guard." However, strategically important areas such as the coastlines were directly under Antares control, with fortified bases and ports constructed. The new puppet state also prevented large, organized resistance from taking root. Each governor was worried about losing their power and made sure to crack down on rebels in their regions, spreading rebel cells far and weak throughout the continent. Antarean Army General Cervantes was assigned to manage all of the provinces and acted as the de facto ruler of the state. Legislation was also passed directly from the Antares Supreme Council, taking effect in all territories.
The events of Centaura would pave way for DEAD AHEAD.
Military Effects
The Centauran War would see a new amalgamation of warfare which defied previous thinking in Centaura. Fighting multiple countries would have caused the Antareans to fail, but fortunately for them, no opposing countries allied with each other during the Centauran War (with the exception of the northern nations). In addition, the Antareans also had the help of the Corvun army.
Prior to the Centauran War, most countries in Forma viewed alliances with hostility as nations typically viewed each other as enemies of one another. They all sought to expand or defend their territories, which is why there are so few nations on Forma compared to the real world.
Though the nations in Centaura are developed empires with great technology and civilizations, different agendas and rivalries set them back. The nations south of the Columban mountains were easily defeated by Antares as Antares spent decades (1860-1900) upgrading their equipment, specializing in espionage, and stealing technology from their neighbors. The Antareans observed and took notes from battles which occurred in history, improving strategies and creating new technology to help them win. Once the fuse was lit, the conquest of South Centaura became a quick campaign. However, once Antares reached the Columban mountains, issues began to arrive. For all of mankind, the Columban ranges have posed as the “great divider” between North and South Centaura. Throughout history, the northern countries have rarely interacted with the southern countries because of Columba.
The longest campaign of the Centauran War was the Columban campaign. Antares had an extremely difficult time getting through the natural barriers, even with Corvus’s help from the west. Facing Antares was the Northern Centauran Alliance who similarly suffered the same difficulty fighting in Columba’s mountains. In the end, the Antareans were victorious in the Columban campaign. Technology and adopting strategies were ultimately what helped Antares win the Centauran War. The great deciding factor would be the militarily competency of Antares. For the duration of the war, Antares had great strategists in their ranks, quality soldiers like the Shokktroopers, and advanced technology, such as better vehicle and weapon designs.
Foreign Reactions
Hydran, Ursan & Libran Reactions
Reaction outside of Centaura was mixed, with pro-war and anti-war factions formed to debate intervention. In 1920, pro-intervention protests begin gaining traction in the Orion Republic, prompting the creation of anti-war groups to counter the pro-war advocates. The main argument of the pro-intervention side was that the Antareans, if not stopped, would invade Orion once their conquest of Centaura was completed. Joining the war would prevent this future war from occurring, a sort of pre-emptive strike. On the other hand, the anti-war side argued that a war against Antares would be pointless and that it would be immoral to send Orion soldiers to die in a pointless war – not to mention the economic consequences of engaging in such a conflict.
The war in Centaura would escalate into a new level after several Aurigan merchant ships were intercepted or apprehended by Antares. In Orion and Hydrus, support for the anti-war movement grows as citizens hear the news of Antares’ struggle against Columba. Many are doubtful the Antareans could get through the mountains, so joining the war would not be necessary. After his landslide victory in the 1926 elections, Orion President Thomas Wallace attempted to negotiate with Emperor Aran through telephone, but the emperor is reluctant to end his father’s war.
With the war intensifying, more refugees enter Orion via boats and airlines. The small immigration department of Orion is overloaded with refugees, as mass immigration had never happened in the country. Subsequently, President Wallace orders shelters to be given to incoming refugees. Telephone and telegraph cables connecting Orion to Antares are cut by the latter.
Following diplomatic negotiations with Libra, the first international conference was held on the island of Libratum. Ironically, Antares is the only Centauran country to attend the conference. The Hydran continent representatives press the Antareans with statements pertaining to a provocation of war or an end to commerce trading. In response, an Antares representative shares an anecdote about the relationships between humans and power. They shame the Orionites for condemning the Antarean conquest, as Orion themselves had done an imperial expansion over the past several centuries. The Antareans argued: If the Orionites could do it, why couldn’t Antares? They claimed the same concept applies to Ursa, who subjected Hydrus with similar aggression. These countries were not denounced as the Antareans were, so why was it a problem for Antares to continue their conquest? Orion then inquired about the reason for their expansion, but Antares declined to answer. The Hydran continent countries (Hydrus, Orion, and Auriga) announce a suspension of commerce trading with Antares, and the conference was adjourned thereafter.
With the fall of Columba, pro-war sentiment arose in Orion again, leading to the electoral victory of Ferdinand Powell. Orion and Hydrus would begin to modernize their military. With the war now favoring Antares; Orion, Hydrus and Auriga would cut off shipping to Centaura. Centaurian civilians fear for their life as their country is the only one left untouched by the Antares invasion. A panic ensues, and some civilians attempt to flee the continent by passenger liners. As these liners depart, they are captured or sunk by the Antares navy. The last of these attempts would be conducted by airliners. President Powell in response would pass the Littoral Defense Act, building up Orion's navy.
After the war, Antares would contact Ursa and began drafting plans to coordinate an attack against the Hydran nations in which the revanchist Ursa accepts, the Solstice alliance would be created.
A period of peaceful unease occurs during the next two years, Hydrus modernizes their military forces and improves their arsenal. Orion’s economy continues to grow with rapid urban industrialization. Antares exploits their territories’ natural resources and constructs coastal fortifications along the eastern coast, anticipating a war with Orion in the near future. They also ramp up naval development as the nations likely to go to war with Antares – Libra, Orion, and Hydrus – are across the ocean.
Vulpan Reaction
Vulpa would be spared from invasion, but their population soon experiences a famine due to no supplies being shipped from the mainland.
Uprisings
Columban Uprising
A decade after the fall of Columba, a network of armed rebels in the mountain regions began an uprising against the Antarean occupants. A series of shootings, bombings, and sabotage was planned by the Columban rebels, who called themselves the Rooks (named after a bird of the crow family). Over a year, the Rooks would target military and industrial infrastructure in Columba, such as outposts, dams, oil refineries, and farms.
The farms were the easiest to control in the northern countrysides of Columba, where there were little Antarean patrols. The Rooks were also responsible for the bombing of the Antares army HQ situated in Columba’s capital.
In 1944, the leaders of the Rooks, who stayed anonymous for the two years the rebellion occurred, were identified through Columban residents who had shifted their loyalty to Antares. They were detained without warning and executed.
Although the leaders of the Rooks were killed, the rebellion would continue for another two years, though with no centralized planning and smaller-scale attacks. These separated rebel groups were picked off by the Antarean army, and the last of the rebels were silenced in 1946.
Notes
- Lore Document Link
- Centaura Book Series
- DEAD AHEAD lore
- Centauran War; Centauran Wars is the connotation given to the series of wars.
Trivia
- Originally, the Hydran countries were a lot more ignorant of the Centauran War; at the First Decennial Summit in 1930, Hydran continent representatives are merely suspicious of the situation in Centaura, as opposed to them being fully aware of a major war going on and Antares being the one to start it. Even as Auriga figures out what is going on by the Second Decennial Summit in 1940 since unknown Centauran ships (Antares) attack their commerce, the representative admits they have no idea who it is.
- How Antares conquered Centaura is different; in the old Dead Ahead tutorial intro, it is mentioned that Antares conquered Centaura in a couple of months, as opposed to 32 years currently. This was likely changed as it would go beyond acceptable breaks in fiction.