Naval Battle of Norvind

Naval Battle of Norvind
	Part of Fourth Euran War, Natopian-New Alexandrian invasion of Oportia
	; Map of the location of the Naval Battle of Norvind, in international waters between Eura and Pacary.
Date	26–29.V.1745 AN
Location	655km southwest of Port de Huile, 495.2km west of Norvind
Result	Decisive Constancia-Nouvelle Alexandrie-Natopia victory Complete destruction of Naval Carrier Group Fouche;; 4,627 Oportian casualties;; Oportian naval supremacy eliminated;; Path cleared for Operation Golden Tide amphibious invasion.;
Parties
Commanders and leaders
Units involved
Strength
Casualties and losses
	Largest naval defeat in Oportian history.

The Naval Battle of Norvind was a major naval engagement fought from 26–29.V.1745 AN in international waters 655 kilometers southwest of Port de Huile and 495.2 kilometers west of the New Alexandrian city of Norvind. What began as a planned naval confrontation between Oportia and Constancia became a devastating defeat for Oportian forces when a massive joint Nouvelle Alexandrie-Natopia fleet emerged from concealment, overwhelming the elite Naval Carrier Group Fouche in one of the largest naval battles in modern history.

The battle marked the end of Oportian naval dominance and opened the path for the subsequent Operation Golden Tide amphibious invasion of Oportia. The complete destruction of Naval Carrier Group Fouche represented the single largest military disaster in Oportian history and permanently altered the balance of power in the region.

Prelude

Naval Deployments

The Constancian 3rd Naval Squadron, under Admiral Peter Joseph Maniakes, departed Aqaba on 22.V.1745 AN with a deliberately modest force of two frigates, four patrol vessels, and one supply ship. The public nature of this deployment, extensively covered by Constancian media, reinforced Oportian assumptions about the operation's limited scope.

Meanwhile, concealed from Oportian surveillance, the massive joint task force had been assembling at Norvind since early month V.1745 AN. The New Alexandrian contingent included the 1st and 3rd Carrier Groups, centered around the fleet carriers HMS Imperio del Sol and HMS Alkhiva, while the Natopian force brought the NDS Lindstrom and NDS Nathan III carrier groups. The combined amphibious fleet included 24 landing ships and over 18,500 marines, making it one of the largest naval formations assembled since the War of Lost Brothers.

Fleet Admiral Diego Salazar of Nouvelle Alexandrie held overall command of the allied force, with Admiral Marcus Thornfield of Natopia commanding the northern element. The fleet maintained strict radio silence and used false transponder signals to masquerade as merchant shipping until the trap was sprung.

Oportian Advance

Naval Carrier Group Fouche departed Naval Base Montségur on 24.V.1745 AN, with Fouche aboard his flagship OFS Intrepid Dawn. The formation included some of the most advanced vessels in the Oportian fleet, representing nearly 30% of the nation's blue-water naval capability. Intelligence updates continued to confirm only the presence of Constancian forces in the target area.

The Battle

Initial Contact (26.V.1745, 0630 Hours)

The battle began when Oportian reconnaissance aircraft detected the Constancian squadron at dawn on 26.V.1745 AN. Admiral Maniakes had positioned his vessels in an apparently vulnerable formation, trailing a fishing fleet that included several disguised New Alexandrian intelligence vessels monitoring Oportian communications.

At 0745 hours, Fouche ordered his destroyers to close with the Constancian force while keeping his carrier group at maximum aircraft range. The Constancians, following their scripted role, made a show of defensive preparations while transmitting calls for assistance that would later provide justification for allied intervention.

The Trap Springs (26.V.1745, 1200 Hours)

As the first Oportian vessels opened fire on Constancian patrol boats, Admiral Salazar activated "Operation Siren's Call." The massive allied fleet, concealed beyond the horizon, began its approach at flank speed. Advanced Shadowstrike-class stealth destroyers had been maintaining electronic surveillance of Oportian movements, providing real-time targeting data to the incoming force.

At 1215 hours, the first New Alexandrian aircraft, F-20 Bluestrike fighters launched from HMS Imperio del Sol, appeared on Oportian radar screens. Fouche, realizing the magnitude of the trap, immediately ordered his forces to withdraw while launching his own air strikes. However, the allied force had achieved complete tactical surprise, with over 300 aircraft converging on the Oportian formation from multiple directions.

Destruction of the Oportian Fleet (26-28.V.1745)

The battle evolved into a three-day running fight as Fouche attempted to extract his forces from the killing zone. The overwhelming numerical superiority of the allied fleet, 151 vessels against 21, combined with advanced weapons systems made the outcome inevitable.

Key phases of the destruction included:

Day One (26.V.1745): The frigate OFS Halberd Light became the first major casualty when it was overwhelmed by missiles from three New Alexandrian Augustine-class cruisers. Fouche's attempts to provide air cover were thwarted by the allies' numerical superiority, with Oportian aircraft facing odds of nearly four-to-one.
Day Two (27.V.1745): The destroyer OFS Thunder Gale was sunk by torpedoes from the Natopian submarine NDS Silent Hunter, while the crucial attack submarine OFS Veiled Storm was detected and destroyed by coordinated anti-submarine operations. With his undersea assets eliminated, Fouche lost his ability to threaten the approaching allied fleet.
Day Three (28.V.1745):The final phase began when New Alexandrian marines aboard Behaurnais-class amphibious assault ships launched helicopter assaults on damaged Oportian vessels, preventing their crews from scuttling them. Fouche, wounded when OFS Intrepid Dawn took a direct hit from a Tudela-class ballistic missile submarine, was forced to abandon his flagship.
The carrier was captured largely intact at 1630 hours on 28.V.1745 AN, along with 573 survivors. The remaining Oportian vessels were either sunk or captured over the following hours, with the last resistance ending when Captain Antoine Rousseau of OFS Phantom Edge was killed attempting to ram the New Alexandrian cruiser HMS Augustine.

Fouche's Escape

Main article: Joseph Fouche's escape from Norvind

In one of the most dramatic episodes of the battle, Commodore Joseph Fouche managed a remarkable escape despite being wounded and his flagship captured. As OFS Intrepid Dawn came under sustained attack on the afternoon of 28.V.1745 AN, Fouche initially refused orders from his staff to evacuate, declaring that he would "go down with the ship like a true Oportian commander."

However, as the carrier's situation became hopeless, Captain Marie-Claire Belmont of the destroyer OFS Vigilant Cross, one of the few Oportian vessels still capable of maneuvering, made an unauthorized approach to the burning carrier. Under intense fire from New Alexandrian aircraft, Belmont's crew managed to rescue Fouche and 47 other personnel from the carrier's bridge using the destroyer's helicopter. With allied forces converging on their position, Belmont executed a series of radical maneuvers, using smoke screens and electronic countermeasures to evade pursuit. The OFS Vigilant Cross, though heavily damaged, managed to break contact with the allied fleet under cover of darkness on 28.V.1745 AN.

Fouche's destroyer limped toward the Oportian coast, pursued intermittently by New Alexandrian patrol aircraft. On the morning of 29.V.1745 AN, with his vessel taking on water and engines failing, Fouche made the desperate decision to beach OFS Vigilant Cross near Port de Huile. Local fishing boats, alerted by the destroyer's distress calls, rescued the 38 surviving crew members, including the wounded Commodore.

Fouche's dramatic arrival at Port de Huile, carried ashore by fishermen while still wearing his blood-stained uniform, was captured by photographers and became one of the most iconic images of the war. After receiving emergency medical treatment, Fouche commandeered a military vehicle and raced to Vanie, arriving at the capital just hours before news of the naval disaster broke publicly.

Constancian Participation

The Constancian squadron, having served its purpose as bait, withdrew to a safe distance once the allied fleet engaged. Admiral Maniakes' forces suffered only minor damage. One frigate damaged by debris and 23 casualties, while providing crucial intelligence support throughout the battle.

Aftermath

Casualties and Losses

The Naval Battle of Norvind resulted in the complete destruction of Naval Carrier Group Fouche. Oportian losses included all 21 vessels of the formation, 4,627 personnel killed or missing, 82 aircraft destroyed, and 573 captured. This represented the loss of nearly 30% of Oportia's modern naval combat capability in a single engagement.

Raspur Pact losses were remarkably light: two destroyers and one frigate damaged, 127 casualties, and 8 aircraft lost. The disparity reflected both the surprise achieved and the technological superiority of the allied forces.

Political Consequences

News of the disaster reached Vanie on 29.V.1745 AN through Fouche's dramatic personal account, triggering immediate political upheaval. Despite his escape, Fouche was stripped of his naval command by the National Salvation Council, though he retained his position as head of the military government. Mass demonstrations demanding an end to military rule broke out across Oportia.

References

Naval Battle of Norvind

Contents

Prelude

Naval Deployments

Oportian Advance

The Battle

Initial Contact (26.V.1745, 0630 Hours)

The Trap Springs (26.V.1745, 1200 Hours)

Destruction of the Oportian Fleet (26-28.V.1745)

Fouche's Escape

Constancian Participation

Aftermath

Casualties and Losses

Political Consequences

See also

References

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