LEGACY WAR
The Legacy War was a conflict between the Jade Empire of Ingen and the Dread Kingdom of Frankia in the waning months of 2485 AT. The Dread Kingdom launched simultaneous assaults on the Imperial systems of Texcoco and Legacy, briefly capturing Texcoco before an Imperial Nalydyan assault on their core systems forced the Franks to divert their efforts from the Jade front.
BACKGROUND
Four years previously, the Jade Empire had intervened at the Battle of Yamsai, siding with Imperial Nalydya instead of the Dread Kingdom. Both nations had been allies of the Jade Empire, but increasing Frankish expansionism alongside their claims to uphold 'Laptevist thought' persuaded the Kokubusho and Jade Throne to support the Nalydyan cause.
Although Imperial participation in the Battle of Yamsai had been minimal compared to the millions of ships fielded by the other combatants, their intervention had played a pivotal role in Nalydyan tactical planning and the battle resulted in a victory for the allies. As a consequence Imperial Nalydya imposed the Treaty of Olympia on the Dread Kingdom, which caused economic hardship and political discontent across the Frankish territories. Tensions simmered, the intervening years marked by occasional incidents such as the Skirmish at Long Isle, an Imperial colony world, as the Dread Kingdom rebuilt and reorganised its fleets. ORDER OF BATTLE
The initial Frankish investment constituted approximately 85,000 capital class ships, with more than 80,000 of those committed to the Legacy System and the rest detailed to taking the colony world of Texcoco. Over the course of the conflict, Frankish investment in the Legacy System would rise to nearly 500,000 capital class hulls.
In contrast, the Imperial Jade Navy had only three capital ships present at the colony of Texcoco, along with two battalions of Jade Marines and volunteer militia force of 20,000 felidaen conquistadors. At Legacy, Admiral Diego Garcia had ten full Imperial fleets, including the 24th, 93rd, 63rd, 17th, 4th, 6th, 40th, 62nd, 77th and 12th fleets, numbering close to 3,000 hulls, as well as a series of system defenses including gun platforms and drone networks. Towards the end of the battle, the defending Imperial fleets were reinforced by Jade Admiral Antonio Botas in command of 10 additional Imperial fleets and a Ryugu-Jo Dreadnought, the IJN Rapuchefu, alongside Axis reinforcements in the form of the Ystovian Expeditionary Fleet and the 10th Aldian Assault Carrier Strike Group, numbering 4,000 and 2,500 ships respectively. BATTLE AT TEXCOCO
The Frankish fleets began their assaults simultaneously, dropping from Faster-Than-Light travel at the edge of the two Imperial systems and almost immediately raising system-wide interdiction. Upon arrival, they were targeted by the KanshoCorp Defender Network which used TILT gravity wells to distort local space-time, foiling portal-based FTL methods and seriously damaging vessels mid-way through a portal-based FTL maneuver.
Passing through the minefield at Texcoco, the Frankish fleets were then largely unopposed. Captain Sun Bin of the 90th Fleet ordered the IJN Door God and IJN Black Turtle Spear to withdraw behind Metzi, the moon of Texcoco, whilst the IJN Third Eye Of Truth assisted with general evacuation efforts. The Door God and Black Turtle Spear launched a kamikaze charge against the Frankish fleets in an effort to buy the planet time and were both sunk with all hands. Landing on Texcoco, the Franks were opposed by a light and mobile militia of felidaen conquistadors backed by the 3rd and 4th battalions of the 900th Bronze Hawk regiment. |
Fighting a delaying action, the Warhawks took heavy casualties as they skirmished with the numerically superior Frankish ground forces who enjoyed a major logistical advantage. The defenders fell back to the heavily defended capital city of Veracruz and activated a stasis field. The Frankish ground forces regrouped and laid siege to the city, launching several assaults over the course of the next two weeks before finally capturing a section of the walls to the north-west of the city. Hand-to-hand fighting spread into the streets and became desperate, ending only when Frankish forces were ordered to withdraw and return to protect Neustria, which had come under attack by Imperial Nalydya.
BATTLE AT LEGACY
The Frankish fleets at Legacy faced much stiffer resistance. Whilst the Franks were forced to advance through several rings of FTL interdiction and minefields, the defending fleets were afforded plenty of time to arrange their fleets, with the 24th and 93rd on the trailward flank, the 62nd and 77th on the spinward flank, and the 12th fleet in reserve, whilst Flag Admiral Garcia led the five fleets composing the Imperial center, including his own 4th Fleet. The attacking Franks almost immediately came under long-range suppressed harassing fire from Ingeneria Felicia Super-MaC III Orbital Security Platforms and the Super-MaC III's aboard the Imperial Kaminari battlecruisers. Enduring the long-range fire and automated area defenses, the Frankish fleets advanced into effective main battery range and began an exchange of fire in earnest. The Frankish reliance on solid-state munitions, in particular unguided oversize artillery shells, enabled the Imperial gravity well defenses to misdirect their incoming fire with minute course corrections. Combined with the superior maneuverability of the more compact Imperial ships and comprehensive EW suites coordinated by Saihai command cruisers, much of the Frankish firepower was wasted. After initial skirmishing with light losses on either side, the Franks pulled back in a feigned retreat, but rather than pursue Garcia elected to open fire with Odachi Artilleryships, inflicting heavy damage on the unprepared Frankish ships as they attempted to reform. Prominent losses in this stage of the battle include the sinking of the IJN Old Sadrith Mora and the DKS Skyron.
Repeated charges by the Frankish command failed to overwhelm the defensive lines before Axis reinforcements, numbering approximately 9,500 warships, arrived at the remnants of the second interdiction shell. Assaulting the rear echelons of the Frankish formations, the combat was intense and resulted in the destruction of dozens of Axis ships and large numbers of Frankish ships and support vessels. The sudden flanking attack gave Dux Heil vra Skyr, leader of the Urlannan contingent, the opportunity to turn on the Royal forces and reignite the struggle for independence from the Dread Kingdom. Combined with the Imperial Nalydyan assault on the Frankish capitol system of Neustria, this persuaded Magister Durstann that the strategic and tactical advantages to attacking the Legacy System no longer justified the VI Armada's presence and he withdrew.
Repeated charges by the Frankish command failed to overwhelm the defensive lines before Axis reinforcements, numbering approximately 9,500 warships, arrived at the remnants of the second interdiction shell. Assaulting the rear echelons of the Frankish formations, the combat was intense and resulted in the destruction of dozens of Axis ships and large numbers of Frankish ships and support vessels. The sudden flanking attack gave Dux Heil vra Skyr, leader of the Urlannan contingent, the opportunity to turn on the Royal forces and reignite the struggle for independence from the Dread Kingdom. Combined with the Imperial Nalydyan assault on the Frankish capitol system of Neustria, this persuaded Magister Durstann that the strategic and tactical advantages to attacking the Legacy System no longer justified the VI Armada's presence and he withdrew.
NALYDIAN ASSAULT ON NEUSTRIA
Although allied with the Jade Empire, Imperial Nalydya did not see any strategic benefit to reinforcing the colony at Texcoco or the Legacy System, which was already the subject of a co-ordinated Axis relief effort. Instead, Imperial Nalydya opened up a separate front, declaring war against the Dread Kingdom for alleged violations of the Treaty of Olympia and assaulting the Frankish capital of Neustria with a vast combined arms fleet.
AFTERMATH
In the face of unexpected resistance and the arrival of Axis reinforcements at Legacy, combined with the opening of a new front against Imperial Nalydya, the Dread Kingdom sued for peace. Opting to withdraw from NS-1, they evacuated all territories in the region, abandoning them to the victorious allies. Imperial Nalydya took possession of Neustria, while Imperial fleets took control of many minor colonies and planets.
Fully a fifth of the Imperial Jade Navy had taken part in the Battle at Legacy, and one of every ten Imperial ships present had been sunk or disabled, a significant portion of the Jade Empire's fighting strength. The Aldian and Ystovan contingents suffered fewer losses, having arrived later in the fighting. At Texcoco, nearly a third of the Warhawks' 3rd and 4th Battalions became casualties, whilst several thousand conquistador militia were killed or wounded in action.
Although the Legacy War incurred significant losses for the Jade Empire, it was considered a strategic and tactical success by the Kokubusho, removing the single largest active threat to the Jade Empire from NS-1 and resulting in the Ingenious occupation of the planets of Talestria and Atkol.
Fully a fifth of the Imperial Jade Navy had taken part in the Battle at Legacy, and one of every ten Imperial ships present had been sunk or disabled, a significant portion of the Jade Empire's fighting strength. The Aldian and Ystovan contingents suffered fewer losses, having arrived later in the fighting. At Texcoco, nearly a third of the Warhawks' 3rd and 4th Battalions became casualties, whilst several thousand conquistador militia were killed or wounded in action.
Although the Legacy War incurred significant losses for the Jade Empire, it was considered a strategic and tactical success by the Kokubusho, removing the single largest active threat to the Jade Empire from NS-1 and resulting in the Ingenious occupation of the planets of Talestria and Atkol.