Sundermann Liao (Individual Du Shi Wang-class WarShip)

This article is about the WarShip. For the eponymous character, see Sundermann Liao.


Sundermann Liao
Vessel Profile
TypeWarShip
ClassDu Shi Wang
In service until2789 (destroyed)

The Sundermann Liao was a Du Shi Wang-class destroyer in service with the Capellan Confederation Navy.

History[edit]

The Sundermann Liao was active since at least 2765, but was likely constructed closer to 2380 when the Du Shi Wang-class was launched.[1][2]

First Succession War[edit]

Following on the heels of the massacre conducted on New Delos in 2788, a strike at Calloway VI was intended to break the Free Worlds League's morale and willingness to fight. The task force assembled to assault Calloway IV, dubbed Task Force Devlin, consisted of thirty WarShips, fifty attack DropShips, fifty-six transport DropShips, numerous transport JumpShips and seven regiments of 'Mech forces. The overall command of the Task Force fell to Colonel Jacen Devlin aboard his flagship, the Du Shi Wang-class CCS Sundermann Liao.[3]

When the Task Force jumped into the Calloway system, it found the First Oriente Provincial Squadron waiting for it at the zenith jump point, while waiting on Calloway VI were four provincial regiments—the First Fusiliers of Oriente, the Third and Eighth Oriente Hussars, and the Helm Cuirassiers—complete with an attached group of attack DropShips and a number of wings of aerospace fighters. The First Oriente Provincial Squadron didn't waste any time attacking, but despite being outnumbered, deliberately did everything they could to target transport ships, rather than escorts. By the time the four Atreus-class battleships and the four League II-class destroyers had been destroyed, Task Force Devlin had lost a quarter of its transport JumpShips and more than a regiment each of aerospace fighters and 'Mechs. Wounded in the engagement was Barnabus Liao, whose Overlord-class DropShip had been crippled in the battle.[3]

Barbara Liao insisted on the attack going ahead, with Task Force Devlin burning towards Calloway VI—a two-week journey—unaware that the Free Worlds League Navy Third Fleet was waiting in two large groups at Holt and Oriente, and had been made aware of the attack. Twelve hours out from the surface of Calloway VI League assault craft and fighter carrier DropShips were waiting, and swarms of League aerospace fighters threw themselves at the lighter Capellan fighters. The resulting battle lasted two days, and by the time Task Force Devlin had managed to secure orbital supremacy above the planet the Task Force had lost seven more transport DropShips and two regiments of aerospace fighters.[3]

The Capellan landings went ahead, with the Task Force mustering roughly five regiments of 'Mechs—a number almost equaled by the defenders, who had spent two weeks fortifying positions, creating redoubts and evacuating civilians from the major cities on the planet. For ten days the Capellan ground forces fought a war of attrition against the defenders, hampered by the need to protect the Chancellor; when Barbara Liao finally announced a withdrawal from the planet only a third of the Red Lancers remained to evacuate her, and Barnabus Liao was killed along with the other members of the Ares Titans while attempting to fall back. Even as the Capellan forces evacuated from Calloway VI, they learned that their transport JumpShips had been destroyed. The FWLN Third Fleet had jumped to Calloway a week into Task Force Devlin's two-week approach to the planet; arriving close enough to the transport JumpShips to engage immediately, the Third Fleet had destroyed all bar two of the JumpShips, along with their small WarShip escort, and were burning towards Calloway VI, determined to avenge New Delos.[3]

Colonel Devlin assigned six WarShips to evacuate Barbara Liao, while his remaining forces acted as a rearguard against the vengeful League forces. By the time the Chancellor's ships were away, Devlin was dead, and the Sundermann Liao had been destroyed, along with the bulk of Task Force Devlin. Of the original Task Force Devlin ships and forces, the survivors who managed to escape mustered just twelve WarShips, six attack DropShips, five 'Mech transports and three fighter carriers, transporting away the remnants of the ground forces—of which only the Red Lancers, Third Confederation Reserve Cavalry and Fifth Liao Lancers had managed to survive in any numbers. Lost during the naval battle was Baltazar Liao, aboard the Essex-class destroyer CCS Calseraigne, destroyed by the Aegis-class heavy cruiser FWLS Pleiades.[3]

References[edit]

  1. Field Report 2765: CCAF, p. 5
  2. MUL Profile for the Du Shi Wang - Includes Introduction Year.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 First Succession War, pp. 58–60: "Debacle at Calloway"

Bibliography[edit]