East Wind

Qusec Endivas Class Destroyer

East Wind 

   Clan Admiral Tuggla had already worked out a plan for taking Maun Thok. Called the "Billowing Cloud," the objective was to avoid outlying Qusec positions and strike at the primary target first, like a "cloud slowly spreading outward." The plan for the 1,750 Kopitak warships and 80 million troops participating in the campaign was first to isolate Maun Thok starsystem by striking Maun Thok-2, 4, and 9, simultaneously, precluding any Qusec units from supporting each other within the starsystem. The 320th Army Group was then to neutralize deep space outposts in the ort cloud and seize the Phun Chal deep space naval shipyard in orbit around the 7th moon of Maun Thock-11. The Mission of the Efften Orbital Jump Division was to then conduct the main attack from high orbit on the provincial capital city Detu Huc on Maun Thok-4.

   Commanding his forces from Sleikan Starsystem, General Mahv Phet, the Provisional Army Group commander, was given adequate warnings of the impending attacks, but they were not given serious consideration. Phet was deceived by an elaborate Kopitak communications charade and his belief that Kopitak movements toward Maun Thok were diversionary operations designed to distract him from the real objective, Sleikan Starsystem. The defense of Maun Thok, therefore, was entrusted to a single Army group and provincial Popular and Regional Forces units (approximately 4 million troops). They were augmented at the beginning of March by the Qusec 53rd Infantry Corps and the 23rd Regional Force Corps.

The fall of Maun Thok starsystem and the surrounding regions

   The battle for Maun Thok starsystem began in May of 3416 and ended only eight weeks later. Preceded by an intense artillery bombardment by orbiting bombard starships, the Efften Orbital Jump Division quickly landed near the capital and seized the ammunition depot. The next week the Qusec 344th Army of the 23rd Army Group and the 3676th corps of the 21st Army Group made the hyperspace jump to Pika Tren starsystem, 20 parsecs east of Maun Thok, to form a relief force for the beleaguered starsystem. The column advanced into the path of Kopitak screening fleets and soon bumped into the 243rd Kopitak Battlegroup of 12 destroyer squadrons, 6 cruiser squadrons, and 4 battleship squadrons, totaling 258 warships. The Qusec attack faltered, then disintegrated and turned into a rout.

   By the beginning of June 3416, the Kopitak had taken Pika Tren, eliminating any further hope of reaching Maun Thok. Dracal Province in its entirety then fell under Kopitak control in August of 3416. Qusec forces began to rapidly shift positions in an attempt to keep the Kopitak from quickly pushing westward to the more densely populated starclusters. In the final analysis, the blame for the fall of the northern provinces lies with General Mahv Phet, who refused to act on sound intelligence and by the time he discerned his error, it was too late to get reinforcements to the scene.

   Realizing the weakened state of his forces, President Liseut had sent a delegation to the Samites in early March to request an increase in economic and military aid. Samite Ambassador to Qusec, Garver Maskey, who believed that additional support would help the defense of the Qusec, also made a trip to present the case to President Reginald Haskins. The Samite Congress, increasingly reluctant to divert money from economic recovery into what was already seen as a lost cause, slashed a military aid package for 3417 by fifty percent. The Haskins administration, from the president on down, however, continued to encourage Liseut to hold out.

Reassessment

   President Liseut was feeling the increased pressure. He had become, in the words of one of his closest advisors, "suspicious and ever watchful for a coup d'état against him." His increasing isolation had begun to deny him "the services of competent people, adequate staff work, consultation, and coordination." Liseut's military decisions were followed faithfully by his officer corps, who generally expected that Liseut should make all the decisions as to how the war should be conducted.

   The day after Maun Thok was attacked, Liseut came to the conclusion that there was no longer any hope of receiving the supplemental aid package that he had requested from the Samite government. On that basis, he called a meeting attended by the Presidential Cabinet and Military Chiefs. After reviewing the military situation, Liseut pulled out a small-scale map of Qusec and discussed the possible redeployment of the armed forces to "hold and defend only those populous and flourishing areas which were really most important."

President Liseut's Briefing

   Liseut then sketched in on the map those areas which he considered most important. He also pointed out those areas that were currently under Kopitak control which would have to be retaken. The key to the location of these operations were concentrations of natural resources, industry, etc. Those areas that were to be held also included starsystems with serjaum deposits. These areas were to become, in Liseut's words: "Our untouchable heartland, the irreducible stronghold." As to the future of the other districts, he drew a series of phase lines on the map indicating that Qusec forces should hold what they could, but that they could redeploy westward as circumstances dictated. 

   The critical decision for the Qusec government was made two months later at Dige Vai Starcluster during a meeting between Liseut and his admirals. Liseut had decided that Sleikan Starsystem and Mutume Constellation were to be abandoned and that the forces defending them were to be redeployed to retake demographically more critical Than Beu starsystem.

   Meanwhile, Clan Admiral Tuggla advised Tupara Chass that he was turning his forces to capture Mutume Constellation and Sleikan Starsystem. In Kopitak, Jozha-6, Kopit Starsystem, Chief Tribal General Naudlei Ghanwas pressured the General Staff to take advantage of the foothold they had gained in the Mutume. Further strategic gains appeared possible in light of Qusec's apparent weakness and the low level of the allied response.

Battle of Than Beu

   The Qusec moved a fleet of troops, equipment, and vehicles to the Gnia Nebula for an attempted counterattack to drive the Kopitak out of the Than Beu starsystem. The force would consist of one army group of the 464th Infantry Command, five orbital jump brigades, the 21st Tank Corps, three artillery divisions, and Popular and Regional Forces units. Also in convoy would be the troops and equipment of the 320th Combat Engineer Group and the 821st Direct Support Group. The task force commander’s preoccupation with secrecy doomed the effort from the start. Operational planning was limited only to a few trusted subordinates who had either contributed to or knew about the attack. Staff work was non-existent. The chief of staff of 464th Infantry Command, for example, admitted that he was entirely in the dark about the planned abandonment of Sleikan Starsystem. Command of the convoy itself was handed over to the commander of the lead screening squadron.

Collapse in the Central Sectors

   During the first two months of the move, the effort went well. However, at the Dai Drift, Kopitak forces began to intercept and stall the massive task force. Kopitak torpedo raiders started to pick off stragglers in the Qusec column. The commander of the task force achieved his objective and occupied Than Beu. The enormous Qusec task force then divided into smaller operational commands and made preparations to spread out to defend critical starsystems surrounding Than Beu. However, as the operational fleets began to transit to their assigned locations, the commander lost his nerve and ordered a withdrawal. 

   The retreat was even more disorganized than the advance, and the task force soon became known as the "column of tears." Initially caught by surprise at the Qusec withdrawal, Clan Admiral Tuggla ordered his 320th Fleet Squadrons to strike the flanks of the column while other forces raced to halt its forward progress. The 667th Fleet was ordered to force its way through Sleikan Starsystem and hit the tail of the retreat. The retreat continued to become more hazardous, with numerous Kopitak units moving into blocking positions. In December, 3416, the final Kopitak blocking force was overcome, and the first starships of the column entered Yuet Oha starsystem. No one knew exactly how many souls in the original column survived the tragic journey. It was estimated by the Qusec that only 20 million of the 60 million troops that had started out from Sleikan Starsystem finally reached the core regions. Of the estimated 180 million civilians that fled the Than Beu region with the column, only about 50 million got through.

Next...Hard Choices

END TRANSMISSION

Artwork by Dmitri Borodin, Julian Schlottman, Camilo Aldana, Max Bagdasarov

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