Battle of Rantemario
From Gineipaedia, the Legend of Galactic Heroes wiki
(→History) |
m (→History) |
||
| Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
The initial Imperial formation was a line astern formation crossing the orbit of the second planet in the Rantemario system. The "double headed snake" formation consisted of 5 fleets in the following order: Duke Lohengramm, Steinmetz, Mittermeyer, Müller, Wahlen. The Fahrenheit Fleet and Black Lancers formed the Imperial reserves and were assembled in a shorter parallel line behind the main formation. The Imperial plan was in anticipation of an Alliance attack on the Mittermeyer Fleet, in the middle of the line, in an attempt to split the Imperial formation. While the middle 3 Imperial formations engaged and pinned the enemy, the plan was for the two "head" formations at the front and rear of the line to swing round and complete an envelopment of the enemy. | The initial Imperial formation was a line astern formation crossing the orbit of the second planet in the Rantemario system. The "double headed snake" formation consisted of 5 fleets in the following order: Duke Lohengramm, Steinmetz, Mittermeyer, Müller, Wahlen. The Fahrenheit Fleet and Black Lancers formed the Imperial reserves and were assembled in a shorter parallel line behind the main formation. The Imperial plan was in anticipation of an Alliance attack on the Mittermeyer Fleet, in the middle of the line, in an attempt to split the Imperial formation. While the middle 3 Imperial formations engaged and pinned the enemy, the plan was for the two "head" formations at the front and rear of the line to swing round and complete an envelopment of the enemy. | ||
| - | The initial Alliance formation was a mass of wedge formations, with 4 screening forces also in wedge formations, aimed at the centre of the Imperial line. Bewcock was aware of the Imperial formation and had correctly deduced the Imperial plan, but felt that the limitations of the Alliance forces precluded any other option other than attacking the centre of the Imperial line, in the hopes of being able to quickly destroy individual Imperial fleets in detail. As the range closed, Bewcock considered changing the Alliance plan by letting the Imperial forces move first and then attempting to target the Imperial right or left flanks in the hopes of being able to envelop and destroy one of the Imperial fleets. However Alliance forces opened fire prematurely at 13:45 on 8 February, and Bewcock was forced to resume the original plan of a central breakthrough. | + | The initial Alliance formation was a mass of 3 wedge formations, with 4 screening forces also in wedge formations, aimed at the centre of the Imperial line. Bewcock was aware of the Imperial formation and had correctly deduced the Imperial plan, but felt that the limitations of the Alliance forces precluded any other option other than attacking the centre of the Imperial line, in the hopes of being able to quickly destroy individual Imperial fleets in detail. As the range closed, Bewcock considered changing the Alliance plan by letting the Imperial forces move first and then attempting to target the Imperial right or left flanks in the hopes of being able to envelop and destroy one of the Imperial fleets. However Alliance forces opened fire prematurely at 13:45 on 8 February, and Bewcock was forced to resume the original plan of a central breakthrough. |
At 14:15, the Mittermeyer Fleet advanced on the Alliance forces to attempt to provoke a reaction. Positive identification of the ''Beowulf'' provoked a fierce desperate counterattack by the Alliance, particularly the forces commanded by Commodore [[Marinetti]] and Commodore [[Zarnial]] which advanced into the Imperial formation. The ensuing close range combat was chaotic and there were instances of ships colliding with friendly and enemy ships. The Mittermeyer Fleet retreated in good order while waiting for enemy's attack to be spent. At this point the remainder of the Imperial forces began to move assist the Mittermeyer Fleet and Bewcock was aware of the dangerous situation the overextended Alliance forces were in. He ordered Marinetti and Zarnial to withdraw and rejoin the rest of the Alliance formation, and they obeyed. This is in notable contrast to the situation in the [[Third Battle of Tiamat]] where the Alliance [[11th Fleet]] did not obey such orders. | At 14:15, the Mittermeyer Fleet advanced on the Alliance forces to attempt to provoke a reaction. Positive identification of the ''Beowulf'' provoked a fierce desperate counterattack by the Alliance, particularly the forces commanded by Commodore [[Marinetti]] and Commodore [[Zarnial]] which advanced into the Imperial formation. The ensuing close range combat was chaotic and there were instances of ships colliding with friendly and enemy ships. The Mittermeyer Fleet retreated in good order while waiting for enemy's attack to be spent. At this point the remainder of the Imperial forces began to move assist the Mittermeyer Fleet and Bewcock was aware of the dangerous situation the overextended Alliance forces were in. He ordered Marinetti and Zarnial to withdraw and rejoin the rest of the Alliance formation, and they obeyed. This is in notable contrast to the situation in the [[Third Battle of Tiamat]] where the Alliance [[11th Fleet]] did not obey such orders. | ||
| - | Imperial forces counterattacked the retreating Alliance, which engaged in a fighting withdrawal to the orbital path of the 1st planet of Rantemario. | + | Imperial forces counterattacked the retreating Alliance, which engaged in a fighting withdrawal to the orbital path of the 1st planet of Rantemario. The Wahlen Fleet began a concentrated attack on the Alliance right flank at 16:00 and after 3 hours, managed to open a gap in the Alliance formation. Bewcock dispatched Lionel Morton and the 14th Fleet to seal this gap before Imperial forces could exploit the opening. This was done successfully, forcing the Wahlen Fleet to fall back on a strategy of attrition against the 14th Fleet. |
| + | |||
| + | At 20:00, the Fahrenheit Fleet took the initiative of attempting to navigate around the main battlefield in an attempt to attack the Alliance rear. The Fahrenheit Fleet encountered a newly formed "current" of space debris and energy released from the weapons fire of the main fighting forces which spiraled inwards towards the Rantemario star. The current was a navigational hazard and the Fahrenheit Fleet abandoned an attempt at crossing after several Imperial ships were lost to the current. Instead, the Fahrenheit Fleet stood off at long range and attacked the Alliance right flank. | ||
({{logh|048}}) | ({{logh|048}}) | ||
[[Category:Battles|Rantemario battle of]] | [[Category:Battles|Rantemario battle of]] | ||
Revision as of 13:56, 29 March 2012
This article is about the FPA–Imperial War battle. For other uses, see Battle of Rantemario (disambiguation).
The Battle of Rantemario was one of the last major battles of the first FPA–Imperial War. It was the largest battle of the war and was a decisive defeat for the Free Planets Alliance, and helped to cement the Empire's eventual victory in the war.
Alliance Order of Battle
- The HQ Fleet, commanded by the Space Fleet Commander, Fleet Admiral Alexandre Bewcock, flagship Rio Grande
- The 1st Fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Paetta, flagship Patoroklos
- The 14th Fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Lionel Morton, flagship Achilleus
- The 15th Fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Ralph Carlsen, flagship Diomedes
...
In its entirety, the Alliance mustered 32,900 combat ships and 5,206,000 soldiers for the battle.
Imperial Order of Battle
- The HQ Fleet, commanded by the Space Fleet Commander, Fleet Admiral Reinhard von Lohengramm, flagship Brünhild
- The Mittermeyer Fleet, commanded by High Admiral Wolfgang Mittermeyer, flagship Beowulf
- The Black Lancers, commanded by Admiral Fritz Josef Bittenfeld, flagship Königs Tiger
- The Wahlen Fleet, commanded by Admiral August Samuel Wahlen, flagship Salamander
- The Fahrenheit Fleet, commanded by Admiral Adalbert von Fahrenheit, flagship Asgrimm
- The Steinmetz Fleet, commanded by Admiral Karl Robert Steinmetz, flagship Vonkel
- The Müller Fleet, commanded by Admiral Neidhart Müller, flagship Lübeck
In its entirety, the Empire mustered 112,700 combat ships, 41,900 support ships, and 16,600,000 soldiers for the battle.
History
Early in the year 799 UC (1 NIC / 490 IC / 3599 CE), Reinhard von Lohengramm launched Operation Ragnarok: the invasion of the territory of the Free Planets Alliance. Multiple Imperial fleets penetrated Alliance territory through the Fezzan Corridor, quickly conquering a vast swath of Alliance territory as they sailed toward Heinessen.
Veteran Alliance admiral Alexandre Bewcock commanded a hastily mustered force. Of the 32,900 ships assembled, the 20,000 ships of the 14th Fleet and 15th Fleet came from system security squadrons, old ships about to be decommissioned, and newly constructed ships on space trials. Only the 12,900 ships of the 1st Fleet were regular front line units.
The decision was made to intercept in the Rantemario system in order to prevent civilian casualties due to Rantemario being the last uninhabited system along the Imperial invasion route. All other systems further along the route to the Alliance capital Heinessen were inhabited systems.
The initial Imperial formation was a line astern formation crossing the orbit of the second planet in the Rantemario system. The "double headed snake" formation consisted of 5 fleets in the following order: Duke Lohengramm, Steinmetz, Mittermeyer, Müller, Wahlen. The Fahrenheit Fleet and Black Lancers formed the Imperial reserves and were assembled in a shorter parallel line behind the main formation. The Imperial plan was in anticipation of an Alliance attack on the Mittermeyer Fleet, in the middle of the line, in an attempt to split the Imperial formation. While the middle 3 Imperial formations engaged and pinned the enemy, the plan was for the two "head" formations at the front and rear of the line to swing round and complete an envelopment of the enemy.
The initial Alliance formation was a mass of 3 wedge formations, with 4 screening forces also in wedge formations, aimed at the centre of the Imperial line. Bewcock was aware of the Imperial formation and had correctly deduced the Imperial plan, but felt that the limitations of the Alliance forces precluded any other option other than attacking the centre of the Imperial line, in the hopes of being able to quickly destroy individual Imperial fleets in detail. As the range closed, Bewcock considered changing the Alliance plan by letting the Imperial forces move first and then attempting to target the Imperial right or left flanks in the hopes of being able to envelop and destroy one of the Imperial fleets. However Alliance forces opened fire prematurely at 13:45 on 8 February, and Bewcock was forced to resume the original plan of a central breakthrough.
At 14:15, the Mittermeyer Fleet advanced on the Alliance forces to attempt to provoke a reaction. Positive identification of the Beowulf provoked a fierce desperate counterattack by the Alliance, particularly the forces commanded by Commodore Marinetti and Commodore Zarnial which advanced into the Imperial formation. The ensuing close range combat was chaotic and there were instances of ships colliding with friendly and enemy ships. The Mittermeyer Fleet retreated in good order while waiting for enemy's attack to be spent. At this point the remainder of the Imperial forces began to move assist the Mittermeyer Fleet and Bewcock was aware of the dangerous situation the overextended Alliance forces were in. He ordered Marinetti and Zarnial to withdraw and rejoin the rest of the Alliance formation, and they obeyed. This is in notable contrast to the situation in the Third Battle of Tiamat where the Alliance 11th Fleet did not obey such orders.
Imperial forces counterattacked the retreating Alliance, which engaged in a fighting withdrawal to the orbital path of the 1st planet of Rantemario. The Wahlen Fleet began a concentrated attack on the Alliance right flank at 16:00 and after 3 hours, managed to open a gap in the Alliance formation. Bewcock dispatched Lionel Morton and the 14th Fleet to seal this gap before Imperial forces could exploit the opening. This was done successfully, forcing the Wahlen Fleet to fall back on a strategy of attrition against the 14th Fleet.
At 20:00, the Fahrenheit Fleet took the initiative of attempting to navigate around the main battlefield in an attempt to attack the Alliance rear. The Fahrenheit Fleet encountered a newly formed "current" of space debris and energy released from the weapons fire of the main fighting forces which spiraled inwards towards the Rantemario star. The current was a navigational hazard and the Fahrenheit Fleet abandoned an attempt at crossing after several Imperial ships were lost to the current. Instead, the Fahrenheit Fleet stood off at long range and attacked the Alliance right flank.
