Warring Islands Conflict
| Warring Islands Conflict | ||||||
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 Unified Governorates
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 / Operation Repulse Llynges Calbain
| Unternehmen Verschlinger
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| 3 destroyers
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The Warring Islands Conflict is an escalating counter-insurgency campaign spearheaded by the Nova English Armed Forces alongside support from the South Seas Island Defence Force against miscellaneous groups of bandits, anti-government militias and Sea Reavers entrenched in the countryside.
Background
Following the events of the Decade of The Langsaex, the Warring Islands had been largely left to its own local governance under the direction of the Warring Islands Resettlement Administration. However with the influx of immigration to the region largely squashed by instability in the core regions, excessive security checks and the closure of borders during the White Plague. The WIRA had a significantly lower population than expected to levy for staffing the Warring Islands Security Force and for much needed infrastructure projects.
Instead, what population had settled on the islands largely existed in isolated farmsteads. Which became increasingly more fortified as bandits and other privateers took advantage of the lack of security. The only bastion of population was the city of Hempton Bay, where locals had redeveloped some sections of the town and utilised the demolished buildings left over from previous conflicts to create a barricade around the new perimeter of the city.
Following the ascension of King Aelfric I and his campaign of re-establishing authority within the core territories. Attention was turned to the embattled islands where the local government was requesting urgent assistance to combat a growing alliance of convenience between local gangs of bandits, anti-government groups and privateers in the region. With the core territories once again stable, King Aelfric I granted the request and mobilised an initial force of 400 from the Nova English Light Infantry to back the local security forces.
Key Events
- February 14th: following a period of relative quiet in and around Hempton Bay, reports begin to reach the garrison of sporadic gunfire to the east of the city, with an unconfirmed number of police officers killed by armed men. Suggestions that the deaths occurred during a shootout with criminals are quickly dismissed and a stream of refugees from the city's eastern suburbs begun to arrive in the city centre, reporting the approach of a significant armed force. The bells of the Church of St Gabriel the Archangel are run to warm the city's population of the danger as the garrison, initially taken by surprise by the sudden assault, move from the barracks to take up defensive positions outside of the city's perimeter.
- February 15th: with the initial attack from the east of the city repulsed, intermittent fighting occurs at various entryways into the city. Truck bombs are deployed by the militiamen in an attempt to dislodge Nova English Forces from their defensive positions. Airstrikes are called in from the mainland, the Nova English Royal Air Force make roads on the city's eastern approach impassible, cutting off a large group of militia forces in the process. Law and order is maintained in the city itself, artillery is deployed to the city's outskirts, with precise fire directed at militia positions with the aid of hand-launched unmanned aerial vehicles.
- February 16th: despite news of fighting nearby, a planned goodwill visit by the South Sea Islands Defence Force goes ahead. When following the coast towards the harbour of Hempton Bay, the R.R.S. Madison is targeted by an unguided, shoulder-launched rocket based on the headlands east of the harbour. While the rocket fell well short of the ship and was not deemed to be a threat to the vessel, the Madison returned fire with 4.5 inch deck gun after hurried consultation with Nova English Forces. This marks the first time a ship of the South Sea Islands Defence Force has ever fired in anger. The visiting forces arrive and disembark, after which the Madison put to see again to ensure the safety of the ship.
- February 18th: after high level discussions between the governments of Nova England and the South Sea Islands, the decision is reached to launch the joint Operation Repulse to secure Hempton Bay and the surrounding areas.
- February 21st: beginning with a predawn artillery barrage on rebel positions on the headlands east of Hempton Bay, the assault on February 21st was launched with the objective of clearing the rebels from the headline and cutting them off from supplies arriving by ship. The infantry assault was led by the South Sea Islands Defence Force, owing to their extensive experience fighting in rugged coastal areas. By nightfall, the government forces had advanced approximately 12km eastward along the coast,halting for the night in the village of High Oakham. During the advance, 4 South Sea Island Defence Force personnel were injured and withdrawn back to Hempton Bay, while around 45 rebels were killed or captured. Captives were handed over to the Nova English government.
- February 22st: Calbion deployed three destroyers: the IFS Reve, IFS Lampo and IFS Kafka to join the efforts of its allies. The intervention of the United Governorates on behalf of various pirate groups, and their attempts to extort and pressure local tribes in disrupting the anti-piracy effort caused great concern among the Calbain government, which perceived this as a threat to the trade routes of the Princely Exploration and Trading Company and Calbion's colonial ventures.
