Western Expedition
| Western Expedition | |||||||
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| Part of Fall of Calbion | |||||||
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| Parties | |||||||
 Benacian Union
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| Units involved | |||||||
 Brettish Squadron, Iron Fleet
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The Western Expedition (1730 AN–1731 AN) was an initiative of the Commission for Foreign Affairs of the Benacian Union, the Maritime Forces of the Benacian Union, and the Central and Western Banner Groups of Benacia Command, to restore the influence of the Benacian Union in the Great Western Sea following years of relative neglect.
The expedition would ultimately be called off as appearance of refurbished Jing submarines in the service of the Imperial Navy of Shireroth made the diversion of a significant number of corvettes away from the Shire Sea ultimately an unjustifiable and untenable action to sustain.
Background
A series of events had been required to bring about the circumstances under which a Benacian attempt to revise the Final Settlement with Calbion could be countenanced.
Political Upheaval in Calbion
The Calbain nation experienced significant political turmoil in the years leading up to 1730, creating conditions that enabled the planning and preparation of the "Western Expedition". A series of events and power struggles undermined the central Calbain authority, allowing external forces to exploit the situation. In the late 1720s, reigning Prince Arthur III began showing signs of dementia, rendering him increasingly incapable of effective rule. As the prince's mental faculties declined, political infighting among Calbain factions intensified over the question of succession.
This internal strife reached a climax in 1730 AN when Arthur III took his own life rather than enduring the final stages of his illness. The succession would see Daniel Verion de Montfort, a distant cousin of the deceased residing in Hurmu, ascend to the throne as Prince Deiniol. However, Deiniol's investiture was controversial and divisive. When it was leaked that the new prince was homosexual, there were widespread protests against his reign, particularly in parts of the Calbain heartland like the Aeronesian Archipelago. This backlash reflected deeply conservative societal views in Calbion regarding sexuality. The princely court's refusal to repudiate Deiniol's homosexuality further inflamed tensions across Calbain society. Demonstrations both for and against the prince exposed fractures between nationalists, regionalists, and minority factions in the Cynulliad Cenedlaethol (parliament). Beyond Calbion's borders, the political crisis motivated opportunistic moves by foreign powers. In the autonomous chieftaincy of Cybwlach, plantation companies began usurping more authority amidst the central government's preoccupation with repressing pro-LGBT sentiment.
Blackstone and the Brettish Isles
As the collapse of the central government in Calbion unfolded, the Brettish Isles found itself facing immense uncertainty and potential external threats. The looming spectre of a general war between the Benacian Union and Shireroth served to heightened tensions within the Brettish government. The Lieutenant Governor Owain Rivers emerged as a central figure, recognising the imperative of unity and collective action to safeguard the Isles' sovereignty and protect its citizens.
Despite internal dissent following the lead of opposition figures like Richard ab Ioan, who staunchly opposed Prince Deiniol's ascension, the Brettish government ultimately decided to align with Deiniol and seek refuge within the framework of association with Hurmu. This decision was driven by pragmatism and a recognition of the realities of the post-fall era, aimed at securing stability and security amidst the tumultuous circumstances.
The lordship of Blackstone meanwhile found itself in a precarious position during the unraveling of political authority in Calbion, its leadership grappling with the dual imperatives of preserving autonomy and securing a prosperous future. Key figures, including Lady Regina Verion of the Verionist faction, Chief Executor Theodore Lucius, and Captain General Regan Dubois, recognised the potential benefits of forging closer ties with Prince Deiniol and integrating with Hurmu.
For Lady Verion, the Verionist ideology, which emphasised the sovereignty of individual nations and cultural preservation, aligned with Deiniol's push for the preservation of Calbion within Hurmu. Additionally, the longstanding ties between the House of Verion and the Order of the Holy Lakes provided a solid foundation for new partnerships.
Chief Executor Lucius saw an opportunity to safeguard Blackstone's economic interests and ensure continued prosperity through closer integration with the burgeoning economic powerhouse of Hurmu. Meanwhile, Captain General Dubois recognised the potential for strengthening Blackstone's military capabilities and enhancing its security through cooperation with Hurmu's formidable military forces.
Capitalising on Chaos
It was against this backdrop of instability and social unrest that Ayesha al-Osman of the Commission for Foreign Affairs in Benacia, along with the Maritime Forces and Benacia Command, began preparing the Western Expedition. Their intent was to restore Benacian influence in the Great Western Sea after years of Calbain dominance there.
The disarray gripping Calbion presented an opportune moment to initiate this project. Al-Osman recognised that with the Calbain leadership divided and distracted by internal dissent, they would struggle to quickly marshal an effective opposition to Benacian encroachment in their sphere of influence.
Exploiting the political chaos, Ayesha leveraged her resources to assemble a naval contingent and open channels with disaffected Calbain regional commanders, smoothing the way for Benacian maritime forces to insert themselves into the power vacuum.
Thus, what might have been a difficult or provocative undertaking during a time of strong central control was made feasible by the nation's deepening political crisis in 1730. This upheaval provided vital cover for the initial preparations that culminated in the Western Expedition's deployment across the Great Western Sea the following year.
To attain the support of the Maritime Forces was to be essential for the realisation of her project. Unfortunately for her, the Ransenari grand admiral of the fleet, Harry Rex, was more concerned about the situation in the Shire Sea, the challenges of the Shiro-Benacian naval arms race, and the difficulties that would be occasioned by the need eventually to keep the shipping lanes between Chryse and Neridia open whilst interdicting the sailings of convoys between the ports of Greater Kildare and Musica. As such, his attention was firmly focused upon the Sathrati Emergency rather than on adventures in the far west.
To win the grand admiral to her cause, Ayesha dangled before the aging and rotund man the lure of Shahrnāz al-Osman, the eighteen year old daughter of the late Jamshid-e Osman and a concubine, who had recently been placed into her household on the island of Botha by the N&H Future Leadership Programme. Immediately smitten, and flattered by the unexpected attention, a wedding was hastily arranged in Chryse during the fifteenth month of 1730 AN, with the honeymoon period to subsequently be spent at a villa generously loaned by the Commission for Foreign Affairs on the island of Florencia. It was only on the flight to the west that Harry discovered that he had volunteered for a working holiday.
If a naval contingent was thereby arranged, it would next be necessary for the assembly of the forces to be conveyed thence to Ayesha's intended destinations. Fortunately, there would be no shortage of potential partners out west. The commandant of the Central Banner Group of Benacia Command, was a long known quantity, and an established presence in the region since the Peace of Lapano. His price was simple – he would require the support of Chryse when the time came to replace the ailing Szodan of Benacia, Daniyal ibn Daniyal, and as High Commissioner for the city, this was a promise that Ayesha could readily make, irrespective of whether she had any intention of honouring the bargain thus struck.
It was prudent to make contact with the Central Banner Group, as the Western Banner Group of Benacia Command, the one with operational responsibility for the region that would be the focus of the endeavour, had been eviscerated in the aftermath of Operation Jagdbeute's failure. The main garrison of BUDF troops was to be found on the island of New Blackstone, which had become an unfortunate and overlooked place, little more than a seldom visited anchorage and an emergency landing runway for the Boreal Air Bridge.
Indeed some work would be required to establish exactly who was in charge of the western theatre.
Preparations
Reorganisation of the west
The Port Benacia staff conference, convened in the eponymous administrative seat of Benacia Isle on 11.XV.1730 AN, gathered together representatives of the Western, Tiny, Central, and Northern Banner Groups of Benacia Command, along with representatives of the general staffs of Benacia Command and the Benacian Union Defence Force.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the reorganisation of the western theatre of operations in light of the worsening relationship between the Benacian Union and Shireroth.
It was determined that the military districts corresponding to the Governorate of Absentien and the Governorate of Siyachia would be transferred under the jurisdiction of the Western Banner Group from the Northern and Central Banner Group's respectively, along with the lieutenancy of Bergburg.
The decision would greatly enhance the availability of forces with which to conduct the Western Expedition.
Fleet preparations
Harry Rex, between stints at his reserved Florencian villa for which his age and corpulent physique left him almost comically unsuited to survive let alone perform as required, was able to seclude himself in operations room of the fleet in Capitolia with his staff and there commence work upon planning for the force that would be dispatched into the Great Western Sea.
It was decided early on, that the main task force would consist of eighteen Seafox-class corvettes and sixteen Logistic Support Vessels. These would be joined by such maritime auxiliaries as could be engaged from the Warring Islands, such as the Maritime Support Group and the Nova English Salvage Company. Negotiations with the sea reavers proceeded briskly. Their price was both predictable and affordable, in return for letters of authority permitting the conduct of a maritime razzia against the domains and vessels of Calbion, the Red and Blue Divisions of the MSG, alongside the notorious Fire Squadron, would be available to support the expedition. The Benacian Union would also be obliged to cover the wages of the reavers for the duration of the expedition, as well as to provide a generous stipend for the captains who had signed on for the venture. The Nova English Salvage Company, prevailed upon by their ultimate benefactors, proved to be less demanding, and agreed to make their vessels available to support the expedition in return for the grant of salvage rights in regards to the vessels of all nations as might come to grief during the impending hostilities.
To support this task force, the main strength of the Maritime Forces would be assembled in the west under the guise of a fleet exercise, ready to sortie in the event of a strong enemy response. However the majority surface combatants would be held back between Naudia'Diva and the Iridian Isles so as to afford them the protection of shore based aviation and coastal defences for as long as possible.
With four of the LSVs earmarked for vehicles and stores, the task force would be able to deliver 4,272 combatants to their intended destinations.
The plans for a full fleet concentration were however subsequently disrupted by the onset of the most unexpected crisis in the first weeks of 1731 AN, which had instead necessitated the dispersal of the fleet to its wartime stations in the event of the worst possible outcome occuring.
It would not be fitting, nor indeed tolerable, to elaborate upon the means by which Harry Rex was prevailed upon to continue with the organising of the expedition under these conditions. Rumours after the fact were rife that, were the grand admiral to ever lose the good will of his patroness on Botha, the charge sheet that could be brought against him by the Magisters-Carnifex would be a long and revolting one, and his subsequent place upon the Register of Woe thoroughly well deserved. Be that as it may, and even with every horrid want satisfied, he could still not be prevailed upon to deprive the fleet divisions concentrated at Sabatini Isle, Chryse, and Zolt, of their vital capital ships and U-boat screens.
The expedition would have to chance its fortunes with only the support of whatever remained in theatre, in the event of a strong enemy counterstroke.
Assembled at Capitolia, II.1731 AN
Eighteen Seafox-class corvettes and sixteen Brigand-class auxiliary supply ships were gathered in the main anchorages of Capitolia, the Florencian home of the High Seas Fleet, during the second month of 1731 AN. Crews were recruited from the vessel crewing regiments attached to the 1st Surface Combatant Division of the High Seas Fleet, as the Benacian practice is to put a crew aboard ship only when it is in commission. With a requirement to fill 3,072 billets aboard, the 1st Division's attached inspectorate was able gather up 5,893 suitable volunteers, leaving the residue of 2,821 to be formed into two ad-hoc regiments of naval infantry. The assembled armada would be designated at "Task Force 1731-1 West" and assigned to the Western Banner Group with effect from 20.II.1731 AN.
| Ship Name | Captain | Executive Officer |
|---|---|---|
| Seafox-class corvette (x18) | ||
| BNS Seraphim | Hans Veldtmüller | Arvid Johansson |
| BNS Siegfried | Reza Afshari | Erik Lindgren |
| BNS Sigmund | Gudrun Holzmann | Nadia Rahmani |
| BNS Sieglinde | Helmut Schneider | Björn Svensson |
| BNS Saltzspire | Ali Karimi | Dieter Baumgartner |
| BNS Schwarzwald | Lars Eriksson | Farhad Moussavi |
| BNS Schalcht | Inge Hartmann | Leif Gunnarsson |
| BNS Sturmwind | Roxana Pejvak | Heinz Bruckner |
| BNS Sturmvogel | Gerhard Haas | Tord Nilsson |
| BNS Stromgard | Hossein Ebrahimi | Ulf Bergström |
| BNS Steinadler | Mathias Ziegler | Parisa Najafi |
| BNS Stahlkrieger | Olaf Jørgensen | Zahra Asadpour |
| BNS Stahlfaust | Magnus Andersen | Soheila Heidari |
| BNS Sturmgreif | Nazanin Delnavazi | Bjørn Kristiansen |
| BNS Seewolf | Jürgen Mayer | Elsa Gunnarsdóttir |
| BNS Seeräuber | Omid Ramezani | Torsten Schneider |
| BNS Seelenklinge | Annika Johansson | Sayeh Ahmadi |
| BNS Sturmhauch | Wolfgang Bauer | Vidar Olafsson |
| Brigand-class logistic support vessel (x16) | ||
| BNAS Beutejäger | Björn Eriksson | Parviz Amiri |
| BNAS Blutrausch | Tahmineh Razavi | Sven Pedersen |
| BNAS Blutsturm | Helmut Kraus | Farideh Shariati |
| BNAS Brandschatzer | Mattias Lindholm | Reza Haghighi |
| BNAS Brandfackel | Nika Delnavazi | Morten Olsen |
| BNAS Bandenführer | Klaus Hartmann | Naser Vaziri |
| BNAS Banditenkönig | Leyla Ebrahimi | Mikkel Christensen |
| BNAS Banditenhort | Anton Bauer | Narges Najafi |
| BNAS Bandendolch | Eva Johansson | Toke Larsen |
| BNAS Bandenklinge | Arash Salehi | Joachim Schneider |
| BNAS Bandenkrieger | Fredrick Andersson | Bahareh Amiri |
| BNAS Bandithaupt | Neda Vaziri | Lars Nilsson |
| BNAS Banditenkönig | Werner Huber | Baran Ebrahimi |
| BNAS Banditenführer | Kerstin Bergstrom | Sohrab Razavi |
| BNAS Banditenherr | Amir Delnavazi | Johan Gunnarsson |
| BNAS Banditenhaupt | Lena Müller | Farhad Najafi |
Assembled at New Blackstone, II.1731 AN
| Name | Type | Characteristics | Armaments | Sensors | Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MV Avon | Transport |
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Chartered by the Benacian Union, 1731 AN. | |
| MV Goldshore | Tanker |
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| MV Guardian of the Lance | Floating Base |
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Chartered by the Benacian Union, 1731 AN. | |
| MV Merrick | Tanker |
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| MV Saint Geldhere | Transport |
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| MV Taylor Bay | Transport |
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Chartered by the Benacian Union, 1731 AN. |
| Division | Composition | Commander | Home Port | Area of Operations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red |
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Anselm Bouchard | New Blackstone |
Madison Isles |
| Blue |
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Severin Kúnßhain | New Blackstone |
Madison Isles |
| Fire Squadron |
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Wolstan Darley | New Blackstone |
Madison Isles |
Preparing the landing forces
As noted, with the onset of the emergency with Shireroth, the Land Forces of the Benacian Union were neither able nor inclined to furnish Ayesha al-Osman and Harry Rex with the forces necessary to conduct what was expected to be an opposed landing at their end destination. As such they would be obliged to collect together their own contingents willing to undertake what might well be a desperate and improvised venture. It was to this end, that the 2,821 volunteers over and above those required to man the ships of the expedition were to be formed into two ad-hoc regiments of naval infantry to be embarked once the expedition set forth. These volunteers, whilst undoubtedly welcome, left 1,451 places in the expedition to fill. To bulk out the force, the services of the 3rd Cossack Brigade of the Honourable Company were engaged, this brought the cavalry, artillery, and sustainment personnel that the force would required to be at least somewhat balanced and capable of combined arms operations once ashore. Fortuitously, the 3rd Brigade of the Honourable Company was billeted ashore on the island kingdom of Naudia'Diva, albeit this would mean that embarking them would necessarily take place under the cognisance of the Imperials resident at Station Sagittarius. Remaining billets would be filled out by command staff and a smattering of commissariat and inspectorate personnel.
Command appointments
The need to utilise Naudia'Diva as a base of operations for Task Force 1731-1 West went some way towards explaining the otherwise baffling decision to appoint Frainan Uihmanzis-bi-Mari Johannes Alexander Konrad von Pfeffel, the regent of the island, as officer commanding of the Western Banner Fleet, of which the Task Force and the supporting auxiliary flotillas were the main active components. With all due deference to his illustrious character, the regent was neither martially nor nautically minded, although he had hitherto enjoyed a purchased commission in the Maritime Forces with the 9th In-Shore Division - something he had been said to treat as an honorary appointment whose main benefit had been to grant him access to a better grade of clubs in Merensk and Chryse. He had however been able to draw the wages of a legate, and had been partial to wearing the uniform whilst performing his duties as Regent. With his sudden relevancy had come his promotion to the magister's grade and an appointment with onerous and weighty obligations. He was not best pleased by this development, but his predisposition towards bluffing his way through difficult situations saw him accept his new circumstances with every semblance of enthusiasm.
Regent Johannes would require competent subordinates if the whole enterprise was not now to miscarry. Command of the task force would be vested in a Salbnan-bi-Mari Karl Kaïsar Büsser, hitherto a senior tribune on half-pay attached to the Northern Fleet. Büsser was considered a suitable choice considering his experience of the boreal season, which would serve him in good stead when serving in the northern reaches of the Great Western Sea. He would also benefit from the insights of the exotically named "Captain-General" Malvolio Hundeprest, veteran commander of the Sea-Reavers, whose knowledge of the goings-on of the Batavian shipping lanes would be invaluable for the expedition. Another stalwart reaver would be Wolstan Darley, commander of the Fire Squadron, a man with unmatched experience of leading armed men into hostile ports.
The Seafox-class corvette BNS Sturmvogel, under the command of Tribune-at-Sea Gerhard Haas, would be designated as flagship for the task force, with the ship's captain accordingly serving as second in command.
Elements attached to the task force from the 3rd Cossack Brigade of the Honourable Company had been placed under the command of the mercenary colonel Karl Knacker, and he would accordingly take responsibility for the conduct of operations by forces up ashore at their ultimate destination.
The fleet departs
On 17.III.1731 AN the expedition departed its anchorage outside Capitolia and made good progress towards Naudia'Diva, arriving in view of The Lodge on 5.IV.1731. Upon arrival the task force entered the roadstead of Station Sagittarius, with the transports at anchor inside the main bay whilst the escorting corvettes formed a defensive crescent at its entrance, controlling the approaches from the sea.
Embarkation
Whilst at anchor in Naudia'Diva, the task force took in further provisions, including fresh fruit and vegetables provided by the plantations of the island by commissary agents of Benacia Command. Troop embarkations began on 10.IV.1731, with the arrival of the contingents of soldiers from the Honourable Company along with their vehicles. Transports were brought individually into Station Sagittarius for the loading of vehicles, artillery pieces and munitions directly from the adjacent quayside controlled by the Benacian Union Defence Force. Protests at the infraction, received from the Shirerithian civil authorities in charge of the station itself, were peremptorily dismissed. Within six days the loading process had been completed, and on 17.IV.1731 the task force departed westwards, far out into the Great Western Sea.
The departing fleet was accompanied by a flotilla of bunting laden motor launches, headed by the gilded state barge of Naudia'Diva, from which Johannes Alexander Konrad von Pfeffel reviewed the fleet that was ostensibly his to command. Having dutifully led huzzahs for the departing ships, the Regent prudently turned his own collection of boats about and returned back to Station Sagittarius, as the swell of the ocean had started to prove disagreeable with his otherwise admirable and robust constitution. Although the Regent had been offered the opportunity to accompany his formal command to its destination, he ultimately demurred, averring that an operations room established at the Lodge would better serve for the stupendous task of coordinating a complex maritime action. The Regent's signal to the departing task force was typically bumptious in its effusive praise, concluding with an expression of sanguine confidence in the outcome, and the expectation that everyone aboard would do their duty.
Sea Reavers appear
Donald William Brasenose had been a reluctant host to the veritable armada of Sea-Reavers who had gathered in the waters around New Blackstone during the early months of 1731 AN. Whilst he had received his due, in the form of a share of the proceeds from captured merchantmen and containerships brought to the island for auction, it had been not been enough to offset the constant aggravation of having the semblance of order whilst such barbarous and inharmonious wretches were continually coming ashore to throng about the taverns and brothels within his jurisdiction. The Sea-Reavers always managed to get into brawls with the BUDF contingent on the island, whenever they were not delighting in victimising the residents of the main settlements in the island. The greatest fear that Donald entertained was being invited by the Magisters-Carnifex to explain how he had allowed his guests to overwhelm him and usurp the island that had been placed in his charge. It was accordingly, with some measure of relief that he could at last signal Merensk on 20.IV.1731 AN with the confirmation of their departure.
As in excess of seven hundred armed trawlers of all types fanned out into the northern reaches of the Great Western Sea their impact began to be immediately felt. Merchantmen and containerships flying the flag of Calbion or hailing from Batavian ports began to report instances of being pursued and coming under fire from small craft. The first instance, of the Calbion flagged MV Trade's Increase, being boarded and ransacked by marauders was recorded as early as 23.IV.1731 AN. The cargo hauler, out of Avalon bound for Montfort, had been the first vessel chanced upon by the Fire Division on its departure from New Blackstone. Specialists in boarding actions, the twenty-three trawlers soon fanned out in a line abreast to halt the eastward course of the Trade's Increase. After the cargo hauler ignored multiple radio instructions to come to a dead stop, the trawlers began to commence a steady fire with their deck guns whilst beginning to converge. As shots fell about the cargo hauler, the captain prudently decided that discretion was the better part of valour and finally obliged to the extent of cutting his engines and dropping anchors. Once the attackers of the Fire Division finally registered this fact they ceased firing and set down their motor skiffs to carry boarding parties across to the Trade's Increase. After firing up grappling hooks and latching onto the side of the cargo hauler, the reavers swiftly swarmed aboard. Whilst the crew had locked themselves into a panic room towards the aft of the ship, the reavers had breached this by setting a satchel charge against the bulkhead. After the smoke had cleared and the screaming from inside had subsided, the reavers had forced their way into the ruined room, dispatching any survivors they found in their with their hatchets and machetes, save for four kept as hostages. After the boarders had finished ransacking the ship for anything that could be taken away that was of reasonable value, a prize crew of fifty reavers were left aboard to steer the ship westwards to the Warring Islands.
This would be merely the first instance of an emerging campaign. Over the next two months it would swiftly become apparent that the reavers were intent upon waging a campaign of interdiction and commerce raiding, focused upon destroying merchant shipping wherever they might be found, ultimately strangling the Brettish Isles and other offshore northern holdings by cutting off the commerce they were ultimately dependent upon.
