The Qusec Endgame

Battle of ZaenMa Starsystem

   With the fall of Breeshong, the Kopitak leadership prepared for the initiation of its final offensive. Clan Admiral Tuggla was ordered to crush the Qusec "puppet" regime. The only obstacle to that goal was moving his forces 360 parsecs (the fleet reserve divisions in Kopitak would have to move 1,000 parsecs) west to participate in the attack on the capital Gassong. In one of the most complex logistical feats of the war, he did just that.

   In Early 3418 Admiral Tuggla arrived at Clan Admiral Mivas Ven 's headquarters in the ort cloud of Mu Poj starsystem to oversee the final battles. Ven and his staff had mainly adapted Admiral Tuggla's original plan and prepared a three-pronged attack that would be led by the 4th Fleet Corps, which would seize the vital  ZaenMa starsystem, the capital of Mong Lyan Province and "the gateway to Gassong." The capture of the starsystem would open the way to Jep Xio-6 (where 60 percent of Qusec 's remaining munitions were stockpiled) and Nedoa Province's strategic eastern approaches. To divert Qusec attention and prevent the reinforcement of ZaenMa starsystem, the recently activated 993rd Tactical Group stealthship squadrons would cut off the southern shipping lanes at To Shet starsystem, severing Nichyun starsystem from the Niluda Nebula. Simultaneously, the 3rd Fleet Corps would conduct another diversionary operation around the Vei Mon starsystems.

   To support the effort, other Kopitak elements would close on the capital starsystem from the west and south. Since no code name had been applied to the new offensive, Ven suggested that it be named the Tuggla Campaign. Admiral Tuggla then passed on a message to Admiral Ven: "Since this campaign bears my name, you must win. Otherwise, do not return."

   The defense of ZaenMa starsystem had been entrusted to the 18th Qusec Fleet, reinforced by the 88th Battleship Division, the 73rd Armored Cruiser Brigade, two infantry armies, two artillery corps, and the 31st Orbital Jump Army Group. The three-week-long fighting that erupted in August 3418 raged in and around ZaenMa starsystem and was the most extensive engagement of the offensive. The initial attack was conducted by the 541st and 23rd Kopitak Fleet Divisions, which attacked directly into the starsystem hoping to quickly rout the defenders. However, they had to call off the attack after meeting massive resistance.

   After the interdiction of a Qusec task force sent to relieve ZaenMa, the Kopitak 201st Orbital Jump Corps made a landing on ZaenMa-3, the central planet of the system. The Qusec committed twenty-five million troops to the battle, almost one-tenth of the remainder of their reserve forces. For the first time since the onset of the Kopitak offensive, Qusec fighter-bombers consistently provided effective close orbit support. Even Clan Admiral Tuggla was impressed by the enemy's defense of the planet. At that point, Ven decided to bypass the defenders at ZaenMa-3 and commenced the shelling of Jep Xio-6 starbase, effectively cutting Qusec supply lines. The Kopitak also shifted their attack, instead of charging straight into the starsystem, they instead attacked and destroyed the outposts around the outer orbits of the ZaenMa starsystem, cutting off the 18th Qusec Fleet Division. Threatened with encirclement, the 18th Fleet Division managed to conduct a retreat to the south. After more than three weeks of intense fighting, the 18th Fleet Division alone suffered 30 percent casualties while dealing over 5,000 Kopitak casualties and destroying 39 battlecruisers. However, the battle didn’t change the outcome of the war, as the 18th disintegrated shortly afterward. With all of Mong Lyan Province under Kopitak control, Clan Admiral Tuggla was free to completely encircle Nichyun starsystem and Gassong City with his forces.

Next...Abandonment and Defeat

END TRANSMISSION

Artwork by Dmitri Borodin,  and Camilo Aldana

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