Battle of Cursa (3037)
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| Battle of Cursa (3037) | |
|---|---|
| Conflict details | |
| Part of | The Andurien Secession Crisis |
| Start Date | 4 December 3036[1] |
| End Date | 3 May 3037 |
| Planet(s) | Cursa |
| Location(s) | The Plains of Despair |
| Result | Free Worlds League victory |
| Territorial Changes | Cursa returned to Free Worlds League control |
| Attacking Forces | |
| Affiliation | Free Worlds League |
| Commanding Officer(s) | Colonel Bartholomew Alcàla |
| Command(s) | Twenty-fifth Marik Militia[1] |
| Defending Forces | |
| Affiliation | Duchy of Andurien |
| Command(s) | Fourth Defenders of Andurien[1] Planetary Militia forces[1] |
| Other Forces | |
Contents
Overview[edit]
In the waning years of the Andurien Secession Crisis, Cursa served as a battleground between the Free Worlds League and scattered, mixed elements of Andurien sympathizers and Duchy troops. The battle was characterized by terrorist attacks, chaos, and heavy casualties for the FWLM forces.[2]
Battle[edit]
At the end of Phase Two, the Twenty-fifth Marik Militia and the First Free Worlds Guards were tasked with the final invasion of 3036: Cursa. The two regiments were paired together with the hope that some of the First Free Worlds Guards' experience and reliability would have a positive effect on the relatively-untested Twenty-fifth Marik Militia. Despite the gap in their experience level, both commands expected the invasion to be relatively simple, as both Ingonish and Leyda had put up little to no resistance to their sister units in the FWLM. Initially, this expectation proved correct, as the Militia and the Guards swept the planetary militia's garrison forces with ease and established nominal control of the planet's population centers in short order. On 3 January 3037, a bomb planted by saboteurs detonated in the First Free Worlds Guards' command center, killing or wounding that majority of the FWLM senior officers on world, including the Guards' commander, Colonel Bartholomew Alcàla.[1][2]
Leaderless and shocked, the Guards were caught by surprise as the Fourth Defenders of Andurien appeared as if from nowhere in a brutal assault on the still-smoldering headquarters. Unbeknownst to the FWLM forces, the Fourth Defenders had hidden themselves on the planet when they had received intelligence of the impending invasion, and had planned this ambush in advance. The Twenty-fifth Marik Militia, now without the support and leadership of the more-experienced Guards, folded before the Defenders' assault and was rapidly reduced to a mere battalion in strength. Eventually, the First Free Worlds Guards was rallied under the command of Colonel Alfred Gradjeda and was able to halt the Defenders' advance before they completely overran the FWLM position. Regaining the momentum, Gradjeda launched a three-month campaign of reprisal against the Defenders using only what he had available to him on world. This lack of support was later found to be caused by mass confusion in the FWLM's command structure off world. Finally, in May of 3037 the First Free Worlds Guards were able to drive the Fourth Defenders off-world and claim Cursa as secure.[1][2]
Aftermath[edit]
While Cursa was finally secured for the Free Worlds League, the units that participated in the battle were not without their scars. The Twenty-fifth Marik Militia was so damaged by the brutal assault of the Fourth Defenders of Andurien that they were listed as combat ineffective by the FWLM high command, immediately withdrawn to Oriente for refit and recovery, and relegated to rear-echelon tasks such as convoy escort missions for the duration of the war. The First Free Worlds Guards, humiliated by their inability to see the ambush coming and the amount of losses they had sustained to the secessionist unit, developed a burning hatred for the Fourth Defenders and for Anduriens in general. When the First Guards and Fourth Defenders met again on Andurien in August of 3039, they showed no mercy towards their erstwhile foes and eliminated the unit to the last soldier despite suffering heavy losses themselves.[3]