Operation Hunter

Operation Hunter  (ICY 956) was the second offensive operation of the Humankind Empire of Abh against the Four Nations Alliance, fought in the territories of the United Mankind in the Great War. The objective was to clear enemy forces remaining and to solidify the hold in the territories gained from Operation Phantom Flame. Further, the Star Forces pushed the enemy back to where the war started.

Implementation
Operation Hunter followed on Operation Phantom Flame which split the United Mankind by connecting the Siullzede Kingdom with the Lasieth/Larych Kingdom.

The operation commenced upon advancing against the Atoria star system. Part of the objective of the new operation once it began was to subdue the enemy fleets still under supply and operating against the Humankind Abh Empire or to prevent them from reaching the Milky Way Gates and reinforcing other United Mankind Forces attempting to reopen the newly formed pocket. Among the numerous worlds seized during this operation included Lobnas II, where temporarily Deca-Commander Abriel Lafiel would serve as territorial ambassador to sort out occupation of the planet.

The United Mankind still had a sizable force, which intended to evacuate and break for Salks and Milk Way Gates. Hoping to avoid detection, they feinted away form the main thrusts formed by Admiral Bebaus leading the 4th Fleet Hunter. Hoping to exploit Abh aggressiveness, they sought an opening on the over extended front to push to the Abh rear and escape.

Begining of the Operation
The following can be infered; however further detail remains spectulative:

It is assumed the majority of Operation Hunter took place in the territory of the United Mankind where the initial invasion of Operation Amphitryon started and work the way to where Operation Herkules started. The objective was to cut off the Four Nation Alliance forces in the Ilysr Kingdom from military reinforcement and supplies. This would pave the way to retake the Ilysr Kingdom for Operation Light Snow.

Admiral Bebaus Advances
With Admiral Trife leading 21st Fleet Hunter to his rear, and Admiral Spoor leading her smaller scout 1st Fleet Hunter intermixed between the two, he sought to crush enemy resistance with speed and efficiency. Rapidly, he lead the 4th Fleet Hunter on a large spearhead, seizing as much territory as he could as quickly as possible regardless of any ability to occupy the systems or their worlds.

This caused concern as noted by his chief of staff Nefee Bebaus, who pointed out that command would likely notice the over extended flank and request he reduce. Neres decided that the risk of any enemy attack to his rear would be mitigated by Trife and Spoor, and that this gamble would be worth it if they could capture or destroy the fleet, since there were only a handful of approaches behind him that would be reasonable, all being actively scouted by Spoor.

Salai Sector Fleet is Discovered at System Lobnas
Neres Bebaus received information that an enemy incursion was underwear near system Lobnas, where unknowingly he had put the third member of the Imperial line of succession, Abriel Lafiel, in mortal danger. Spoor moved urgently to evacuate units stationed there, having detected a handful of friendly vessels still there. Unexpectedly, despite the system and inhabitants being strategically irrelevant, she chose to stand and fight at the gate against her orders. Only later reports note she took her stand perhaps weighing the risks of allowing an Imperial Princess to be captured or killed in action by the enemy.

Further details revealed as well that the second planet of system Lobnas was undergoing a rebellion which the Deputy Ambassador, Lafiel's right hand, went missing, perhaps dead or captured. This rebellion had slowed their anticipated evacuation, which forced Spoor's hand and compelled her decision to disobey orders and fight the enemy in force.

Battle of Lobnas II
Before long, the enemy fleet deployed before the 1st Fleet Hunter, more so closer to the size of a scout squadron at this point; most of her former command folded into Bebaus's and Trife's fleets for this operation. Out numbered 20 to 1, she chose to engage the enemy and stall them for as long as possible to permit Ambassador Lafiel's escape. Her stand succeeded, albeit, at great cost. The 1st Fleet Hunter had been rendered completely combat ineffective, only 7 ships surviving of her original 33, 3 of which even operable enough to return to the nearest base unaided.

Despite the losses, the fact any survivors remained; however, meant that the Salai Sector Fleet had been compromised. Within hours, intelligence gathered form the logs of combat by the Lashkau and surviving units detailed the enemy's exact course and roughly the enemy's remaining unit composition; almost half of the ships being supply or logistics vessels. Trife's 21st Fleet moved to interdict the United Mankind's avenue or retreat.

Surrender at Salks Gate
The Commander of the Salai Fleet needed to punch through with his remaining forces in an effort to escape to the Milky Way Gates. Sadly the time dedicated both to negotiating with Spoor to try to talk her out of defending Lobnas and focusing on trying to kill her fleet lost him precious hours he had to make way. Confronted with a far larger and dedicated combat fleet in Trife's 21st Fleet Hunter, he chose to surrender his entire force without a fight.

Much to Trife's disappointment, having expected a battle, he prepared an commemorative celebration on a minor level to celebrate their victory without battle over the United Mankind. His chief of staff Kilo-Commander Kahyul would see to the arrangements and manage expenses of the event. Such a surrender to this point in the war had been unprecedented and set the tone in the Laburec's mind of how likely the enemy may continue to pursue the war at this rate.

Aftermath
Privately raised military elements would return to Lobnas II and uncover additional details. First, it was revealed that the Deputy Ambassador that had not been named to spoor at the time was Count Hyde Earl Linn, who managed to survive without reliable access to food or water for three weeks. This prompted in part the decision by he and Abriel Lafiel to resign their military commissions temporarily in order to tend to civilian and diplomatic duties.

Admiral Beneej Spoor seemed deeply affected by the losses of her fleet, and was compelled to take a minor role temporarily to recover. For the time being she'd be secretly moved to a position as Raruburyuvu Office Deputy Commander-in-Chief so to not disrupt the public attitude among those in the Empire who had been informed of her brave victory, nor shed intelligence to the enemy about her well-being.

The surrender of the Alliance fleet at Salks led to a general collapse of resistance within the "Eastern" most galactic pocket of the United Mankind. This permitted Dusanyu, Bebaus, and Trife to quickly reclaim territories lost during the outset of the war as well, which would allow Jinto Linn to return to Martine and negotiate the system's return to the Empire.

Commanders of The Humankind Empire of Abh

 * Commander-in-Chief, Imperial Admiral Prince Abriel Dusanyu
 * Commander of the 1st Hunter Fleet, Admiral Spoor
 * Commander of the 2nd Hunter Fleet, Imperial Admiral Prince Abriel Dubeusec
 * Commander of the 4th Hunter Fleet, Admiral Neres Bebaus
 * Commander of the 21st Hunter Fleet, Admiral Trife

Major Battles and Campaigns

 * Battle of Lobnas II
 * Rebellion of Lobnas II

Territories recovered

 * Boraash County
 * Hyde County
 * Febdash Barony
 * Gamtesh

Territories conquered

 * Lobnas system
 * エグムント - Egumundo
 * Atoria system