Operation GOLDEN DAWN

Operation GOLDEN DAWN
Part of The Dark Age, Republic Era
Start Date April 3081
End Date September 3081
Result Republic of the Sphere victory
Factions
(Attacker)
Republic of the Sphere
(Defender)
Former Free Worlds League states
Conditions
Normal

Operation Golden Dawn was a military operation undertaken in mid-3081 by the newly formed Republic of the Sphere against former member states of the Free Worlds League. Following the seizure of New Hope by the Silver Hawks Coalition, the Republic mounted a widespread counterattack that secured New Hope and nineteen other ex-League worlds for the new state.[1]

Background[edit]

The Republic of the Sphere was accepted by most Inner Sphere realms as a legitimate state following its creation by the Republic Formation Treaty on 15 March 3081. However the multiple small states which had arisen from the Free Worlds League's dissolution did not, and the Silver Hawks Coalition seized the world of New Hope less than two weeks after the Republic's formation.[1]

Operation GOLDEN DAWN[edit]

Wave 1[edit]

Having drawn up several plans for countering aggression from her former nation, Paladin Alys Rousset-Marik was able to respond swiftly with a large offensive aimed at providing the Republic with a firm border and bolstering its legitimacy. On April 3rd, the Republic Armed Forces began the first wave of the campaign. Within a month, New Hope had been reclaimed along with seven other worlds.[1]

The biggest battle during the first wave occurred on Augustine, where the RAF-aligned Stirling's Fusiliers and *Third Free Worlds Legionnaires confronted the First Free Worlds Guards. The Guards successfully contested Republic control of the world until they were ordered to withdraw with the collapse of the Marik Commonwealth’s battle lines. The Guard’s commander ordered a fighting withdrawal, which heavily bloodied two Republic units before leaving the planet.[2]

Waves 2 and 3[edit]

Two more waves of attacks were launched by the RAF in May and June, respectively, netting for the Republic a dozen more worlds. Some of these were taken from minor states, with the Ohrenson-Zion Province being subsumed entirely, while others were fully independent. The most significant battle during this time was fought on Stewart, capital of the Stewart Commonality. Elements from five RAF commands landed in late June and spent the next two months hunting down the Home Guard defenders before the last holdouts surrendered.[1]

Aftermath[edit]

With the fall of Stewart both the Marik Commonwealth and Stewart Commonality accepted a peace treaty with the Republic, signed on September 7th, which acknowledged the Republic's control of their former worlds. Another treaty with the Duchy of Oriente, signed earlier in July, had already secured for the Republic Oriente's recognition of the new border in exchange for accepting Oriente's influence over ex-League worlds along the Capellan border.[1]

With official recognition from the two largest successor states of the League, the Republic was able to greatly extend Prefectures VI and VII and secure its anti-spinward border. While the Silver Hawks Coalition refused to accept a peace settlement, its military was too ruined by the fighting to offer any real resistance. In response to the Coalition's stance, however, the Republic warned that any re-formation of the Silver Hawk Irregulars would be considered an act of war.[1][3]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Field Manual: 3085, pp. 16–17: "Golden Dawn"
  2. Field Manual: 3085, p. 81: Army of Marik-Stewart Commonwealth / Granda Palatini – Actions of the First Free Worlds Guard on Augustine.
  3. Field Manual: 3145, p. 108: "Silver Hawk Irregulars/Atrean Dragoons/Protectorate Guard"

Bibliography[edit]