As an ally of Asugisalas, the Principality of Blanqui had sent limited troops to join that nation's conquests on the Ashtarian continent. The majority of Blanqui's troops spent the war fighting an Ayanami Empire expeditionary force targeting the Principality's far eastern ports. By leasing these ports to the Empire for 50 years, the Principality's army was able to make a strategic redeployment back to Ashtaria just as Asugisalas collapsed. The combined forces of the Grand Entente of Anglotaine, Usonia and Scovia were exhausted after the long land campaign and constant guerrilla struggles in Asugisalas, so were easily pushed back all the way to the river Gjöll in central Ashtaria. This served as the basis for the post war peace, with all territory east of the river being added to the Blanquist sphere of influence and the port of Abaqu being absorbed permanently into the Principality's lands. It was in this climate that development began on a revolutionary new tank project, combining torsion bar suspension, a transversely mounted engine and a 100mm gun with armour equivalent to the latest heavy tanks at the speed of a medium. After several revisions, including an NBC overpressure system, the Z-56 became one of the most produced tanks of all time, seeing much service in conflicts throughout the world(Including the Third Great War).
