Operation GREAT FLOOD

Operation GREAT FLOOD
Part of Dark Age
Start Date March 3134
End Date 3136
Result Capellan Confederation regains historically Capellan worlds from the Republic
Factions
Capellan Confederation Republic of the Sphere
Commanders and leaders
Chancellor Daoshen Liao
Forces involved
Capellan Confederation Armed Forces Republic Armed Forces


Operation GREAT FLOOD was an operation against the Republic of the Sphere begun by the Capellan Confederation in March 3134. By its end two years later the CCAF had regained most of its worlds previously ceded to the Republic.

Background[edit]

Shortly after the Word of Blake's Jihad ended, the Capellan Confederation invaded the newly established Republic of the Sphere hoping to regain historically Capellan worlds now occupied by the Republic. In the ensuing conflict the Confederation was decisively beaten and forced to accede to Republic control over dozens of formerly Capellan systems. Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao and his son and heir Daoshen always vowed to reverse this outcome, but their attempt in 3111 to do so ended in defeat with the 'ascension' of Sun-Tzu and no territorial gains for the Confederation.[1] [2]

Undeterred, Daoshen Liao never wavered in his desire to reclaim his realm's ancestral holdings, but in the first two decades after the Capellan Crusades he was unable to do more than secretly stockpile matériel and await an opportunity. That would come with the HPG Blackout of August 3132. While the Republic was thrown into chaos, the Capellan military enacted the "Hidden Lion" initiative, creating many new regiments and expanding several existing ones throughout late 3132 and 3133. Along with the allied Magistracy of Canopus handling garrison duties to free up Capellan units for front line service, this ensured that a veritable horde was poised to overwhelm the Republic's stretched border defenses by early 3134.[3]

Operation GREAT FLOOD[edit]

Pro-Capellan underground activity throughout Prefectures V and VI began in March, disrupting the Republic's defenses by the time the CCAF began its invasion on May 6th. While the Capellan assault was not unexpected, between insurgent activity and the lack of HPG communications the Republic Armed Forces were unable to deploy effectively against it. The CCAF easily seized Wei, Palos, Shipka and Foot Fall by the middle of June, with fresh units mounting a second wave immediately. Foochow, Menkar, Tsitsang, Algot and Liao itself were all hit by the CCAF during this time.[4] [5] [6] [7] [1]

A popular uprising on Wei, which included a resurgent Thuggee cult, enabled the Capellans to swiftly claim the planet, which soon became a supply hub for the CCAF's advance elsewhere.[8] [4] [7]

On Menkar, site of one of the Prefecture's three functional hyperpulse generators, Capellan loyalists took the planetary governor and his family hostage. A ham-fisted rescue attempt ended in the deaths of the terrorists and the hostages, and the chaos-plagued world became a drawn-out battleground between Republic and Capellan forces for several months until the Confederation finally secured the planet.[9] [10]

The Prefecture capital and House Liao's ancestral homeworld Liao was simultaneously hit by a student-led revolt at the military academy and a deep strike by elements of the Dynasty Guard and McCarron's Armored Cavalry; by mid-August Liao was under Capellan rule once more. The conquest of Liao set off yet more uprisings on Genoa and other worlds deeper within the Republic, enabling the CCAF to secure yet more worlds.[6] [11] [1]

During the latter half of 3134 Duke Aaron Sandoval and his nephew Erik Sandoval-Groell joined the Republic's war effort with their Swordsworn. The pro-Davion nobles sought to achieve two aims: driving back the hereditary Capellan enemy, and secure Republic worlds for an eventual return to Federated Suns rule. While winning victories against the CCAF on St. Andre and elsewhere, ultimately their actions did little to stem the Capellan advance.[12] [3]

Hampering the Republic's defensive efforts was a simultaneous crisis on its opposite border with the Lyran Commonwealth, when Clan Jade Falcon began its desant upon the former Skye Province worlds of Prefecture IX.[6]

By the end of 3134 over a dozen worlds lay under Capellan control before the CCAF paused operations to digest their conquests.[1]

During the following year the Capellan advance resumed. By late 3135 they had secured Arboris and fighting raged on worlds bordering Prefecture X itself. [10] [7]

Capellan Victory[edit]

The success enjoyed by the CCAF was one of several factors influencing Exarch Jonah Levin's decision to enact the Fortress Republic protocol on October 1st, 3135. With the raising of "The Wall", every Republic system in Prefectures V and VI was effectively abandoned. As a result GREAT FLOOD for all intents and purposes had ended by 3136 in victory for House Liao, with those historically Capellan worlds not already occupied being claimed in the years after. [13] [14]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Field Manual: 3145, p. 14-15
  2. Era Report: 3145, p. 43
  3. 3.0 3.1 Field Manual: 3145, p. 27
  4. 4.0 4.1 By Temptations and By War, Chapter 12
  5. By Temptations and By War, Chapter 14
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Era Digest: Dark Age, p. 9
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Era Report: 3145, p. 15
  8. By Temptations and By War, Chapter 8
  9. By Temptations and By War, Chapters 4, 7, 8, 12, 17, 19, 26
  10. 10.0 10.1 Era Report: 3145, p. 11, "Inner Sphere - 3135" Map
  11. By Temptations and By War
  12. Fortress of Lies
  13. Field Manual: 3145, p. 16
  14. Era Report: 3145, p. 39, "Inner Sphere - 3145" Map

Bibliography[edit]