Operation WHIRLWIND

Operation Whirlwind
Part of Operation CERBERUS
Start Date From 3 to 30 August 3148 Planet New Syrtis Result Capellan defeat, costly Suns' victory
Factions
(Attacker) Capellan Confederation	(Defender) Federated Suns
Commanders and leaders
Danai Liao-Centrella	Julian Davion
Conditions
Normal

The Operation Whirlwind was a late Dark Age Era military operation undertaken by the Capellan Confederation forces against the defending Federated Suns' New Syrtis defenders.

Operation Brief

The military operation took place in New Syrtis.

Operation History

Factions & Known Units Involved in the Conflict

Federated Suns

• First Davion Guards
• 5th Crucis Lancers
• Dawn Guards
• New Syrtis Militia

Capellan Confederation

• 2nd McCarron's Armored Cavalry
• Death Commandos (three companies)
• Dynasty Guard
• Tau Ceti Lancers

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Origins of the Conflict

The Battle of New Syrtis (3147) saw New Syrtis and nearby worlds freed from the Capellans... but at a high cost: key infrastructure of New Syrtis was on ruins, the AFFS had suffered serious losses, and the perceived use of contracted mercenary units as cannon fodder made for the Suns hard to hire more.

Terror on New Syrtis

Besides, situation on New Syrtis was far from ideal, and the Capellan's intentions to retake the planet were evident: on late February 3148, formal CCAF forces' resistance on New Syrtis ended. However, that didn't pacify the world, but the opposite: cells of Capellan agitators-implied to be following orders of Chancellor Daoshen Liao-Centrella-began launching terror bombings, mostly to the AFFS checkpoints, bases and public functions occurred in a semi-regular basis. Though usually they only claimed several dozens of lifes, one costed five hundred of souls after a maglev carrying AFFS soldiers derailed. And on 1800 hours of 18 July, the guerrillas raised the stakes, when a massive blast rocked the planetary government offices on Saso. The explosive itself caused few casualties, but the nerve agent dispersed claimed about fifty thousands people. On a week, the death toll was estimated about 200,000.

The next attacks were more direct: two weeks later, the town of Ross found hundreds of thousands of people murdered and dragged to the streets, and few days later, another town saw almost all his residents killed similary. Unlike the first wave of attacks, which had targeted military targets, the second one focused on civilians, and it was believed they weren't work of the Chancellor, but of the Thuggee Cult. The fact than the nerve agent was the same used on Black May attacks supported that theory. Other attacks on small villages were followed by attacks of a group of 'mechs painted with the colors of the Death Commandos, but also with Thuggee insignias, which were barely repulsed thanks to the 1st Guards intervention. The terror attacks caused so much fear than Leftenant Governor Ralston had to declare martial law just to keep the peace.

Capellan Counterattack

On 3 August, a sizable fleet of Capellan JumpShips arrived at a pirate point: the Capellan counterattack had arrived. Three Capellan regiments made combat drops over New Syrtis. Julian Davion organized defensive maneuvers, but in the initial engagements, the Federated defenders were almost crushed. And, with the majority of the Fortune mercenary units garrisoning the nearby planets, the Suns found themselves overwhelmed, so Julian Davion send couriers to AFFS units on nearby worlds to call them to New Syrtis. A charge of the 2nd MAC made falter the 5th Crucis Lancers, while a bombing run destroyed the Lancers' barracks.

By mid-August, the AFFS had lost significant ground, as important support facilities and supply depots, but the planet's citizenry took the arms against the Capellans, launching guerrilla attacks against them on cities, killing key personnel of the Dinasty Guard and the Tau Ceti Lancers. That forced the capellans to be more cautious.

A stalemate with some feint and counter-feint ensued, until the 17 August, when the newly arrived Dawn Guards made a combat drop on the battlefield, plowing into the 2nd MAC, but a counterattack of the Death Commandos stopped their advance through an irradiated wasteland. Then, Julian Davion, which leadership skills had been key to keep his forces holding, led the First Davion to provide relief for the Dawn Guards, but then, the capellan commande Danai Liao-Centrella ordered an artillery barrage and air attack against the 1st, downing Julian's Templar III. She followed leading a headhunting attack to kill the Prince. However, both the Dawn Guards and 1st charged to rescue Julian. Thanks to the sacrifice of Mariele Faulkner, they managed to drive off the capellans and rescue Julian, though severely wounded and having lost a leg.

After awakening, Julian made a holovid broadcast, announcing his survival, to reassure the realm. The news suppred both the AFFS and civilian militias to hit the Capellan forces as had as they could. Forced on the defensive, the invaders were unable to recover the initiative, and knowing than her forces, if conquer the planet, will be unable to hold it. Danai negotiated the cessation of hostilities with Julian Davion on 30 August. Soon after, the Cpaellans retreated, signaling the end of the conflict.

Bibliography

• Shattered Fortress (sourcebook)
• A Splinter of Hope (novela)