Legion Wars of Expansion

The Legion's wars of expansion were a series of conflicts perpetrated by Caesar's Legion.

Background
Since the beginning of its existence, the Legion has constantly expanded, coming to dominate the region formerly known as the Four States Commonwealth by absorbing 86 tribes and numerous settlements.

Conquest of the 86 tribes
Caesar's Legion expanded through the former states of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. By 2255, Caesar had conquered Flagstaff and made it his capital. The Twisted Hairs tribe in Arizona were allied with the Legion and often served as scouts on their behalf. Eventually, the Legion would repay their alliance by turning on the tribe, conquering, and enslaving them. Those that that resisted were crucified along I-40. Caesar then expended to New Mexico and Utah.

During the wars of expansion, the Desert Rangers, a group of survivalists that sought to keep order in the wastes were pushed out of the states of Arizona and Utah by the Legion. Despite superior equipment and training, the Rangers were forced to retreat into the former state of Nevada, where they would petition for annexation by the NCR in exchange for protection of the Mojave against the Legion in 2271, bringing the Legion and NCR into conflict.

Meanwhile, Caesar would conquer the Painted Rock tribe and the Hidebarks, the 67th tribe of the Legion, home to the future Legate Lanius. The settlements of Two Sun and Phoenix were also absorbed by the Legion.

In the former state of Colorado, the Twin Mothers tribe was exterminated. Legate Lanius would lead the Denver campaign to conquer the Hangdogs. Though ultimately successful when the Legion burned the Hangdogs' spirit animals, forcing their surrender, the campaign was very costly, due to attrition and long supply lines, and so the campaign served to slow the Legion's expansion, at least for a time. As Joshua Graham was unaware of Legate Lanius, this suggests the Denver campaign took place between the first and second battles of Hoover Dam (2277 and 2281, respectively).

New Canaan was independent up until 2281 when they were sacked by the White Legs, a tribe seeking to join the Legion, trained by the Frumentarii Ulysses. Dead Horse Point and Zion Canyon, home to the Dead Horses and Sorrows tribes, allies to the Mormons, were also independent in 2281. Control of Utah would ultimately be decided by the War for Zion. The Legion may also have territories in Oklahoma and Texas. At some point, the Legion came into conflict with members of the Brotherhood of Steel. T-45d pauldrons were taken as trophies by centurions. According to Caesar, the Brotherhood soldiers he fought were unaware of their own history.

Aftermath
The Legion's wars of expansion resulted in the conquest of 86 tribes, and firmly established the Legion as the major power in the former Four States and Southwest Commonwealth region. The wars would spiral into yet more conflicts, namely the NCR-Legion War across the Colorado River and into the former state of Nevada, and the New Canaan-Legion War in pursuit of the former Malpais Legate.