First Battle of Oriente (2804)
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| First Battle of Oriente (2804) | |||||||||
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| Part of First Succession War | |||||||||
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| Factions | |||||||||
| (Attacker) Capellan Confederation[1] |
(Defender) Free Worlds League[1] |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Colonel Ernst Maretta[1] | |||||||||
| Forces involved | |||||||||
| Tenth Liao Lancers[1] Eleventh Sian Dragoons[1] Twenty-Fourth Sian Dragoons[1] CCS Duncan Liao[1] |
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Prelude[edit]
When Thaddeus Marik assumed the Captain-Generalacy, Duke of Oriente Carter Allison refused to vote to reaffirm Resolution 288. In response to this slight, all federal troops were pulled from Oriente. When word of this reached the Capellan Confederation the Strategios rushed forces to staging areas on Anegasaki, Ipswich, and Pella II while recapturing Lukla, Sappho, and Shuen Wan. Seeing the writing on the wall, Oriente provincial forces hurried to reinforce the capital.[2]
Overview[edit]
The Confederation launched its assault on Oriente in December 2804. As the Tenth Liao Lancers and the Eleventh and Twenty-Fourth Sian Dragoons escorted by a small fleet of four WarShips including the Du Shi Wang-class Battleship Duncan Liao burned into the system the defending provincial forces resorted to nuclear-armed fighters, a wall of conscripted DropShips, and surface-to-orbit missile batteries concentrated around the capital city of Cadiz. Despite inflicting several casualties on the invaders, two regiments of ’Mechs dropped on the planet.[1]
After a bloody battle in the industrial sprawl of the Navarre continent lasting several weeks, Colonel Ernst Maretta, the overall CCAF commander, set forth a time table outlining mission objectives and maximum allowable losses. Convinced that the League would set aside their internal differences and launce a counterattack the commanders were determined to stick to the schedule. As casualties mounted and objectives went uncaptured, a fighting retreat was ordered.[1]
Aftermath[edit]
In early February 2805 when the last CCAF forces left the world the cities of Lugo, Mercia, and Soria were radioactive ruins. Three Confederation WarShips were destroyed or rendered operationally ineffective, with only the Duncan Liao still operational. All three ground force regiments suffered extensive casualties.[1]
Despite these losses, the Second Battle of Oriente would launch four months later.[3]