Operation Twin Thorns

Operation Twin Thorns  (ICY 959) was an 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 split the United Mankind in half and to isolate it from the Four Nations Alliance.

Background
As the war rages on, the Empire found it necessary to break the supply lines of the Four Nations Alliance, respectively Three Nations Alliance, in order to shorten the war.

Part 1
The Empire first intended to split the United Mankind once and for all from the Siullzede/Rasuisu and Barke Kingdom by moving to the galactic Sord center. This would also serve to cut off contact and supply between the United Mankind and their allies.

Part 2
The Laburec intended to circumnavigate the galactic Sord center and cut the connection between the United Mankind, the Republic of Greater Alkont, the People's Sovereign Union of Planets, and the Hania Federation, which would diplomatically isolate the Federation and provide further incentive for them to stay out of the war, cease their supply of allies, or potentially broker a separate alliance with the Empire.

Two groups of forces were created to implement the plans simultaneously.


 * One was sent to take the Kemal system.


 * Two was sent to take the Mairal system, using Elkon to access the position.

Begining of the Operation
Sometime after the Martine Gate War Games in the Hyde System, the Star Forces launched Operation Twin Thorns in ICY 959. There appeared to have been a brief reprieve for all forces following Operation Hunter and Operation Light Snow, since the Laburec had been on the offensive for almost a year straight.

Battle of Kemal
The operation met moderate resistance from the People's Sovereign Union of Planets on the Barke Kingdom side of the operation.

Soon the Star Forces reached one of its primary target, the Kemal Sord. As the main military production base of the PSUP the Kemal system was heavily defended. The Battle of the Kemal Gateway claimed the most casualties on of the Laburec since the 2nd Battle of Aptic, yet would not be the sole bloodiest battle during the operation. The PSUP's use of long-range separation mines effectively slowed Star Force advance, but ultimately the Star Forces broke through by force of numbers, an event Admiral Kotoponi hoped to avoid. The Empire typically had been outnumbered prior to this, so needing to use superior numbers to achieve success somewhat alarmed Laburec command.

The new attack ships of the Devastation squadrons from the 24th Twin Thorns fleet proved their value in the main assault on the main installations around the gas planet Akaddo. Coupled with their success, the 24th Fleet could now be moved to the developing bloody situation in the Alcont-Mankind Warzone and the lengthening battles for two gates.

Battles of Mairal and Elkon Gates
The Star Forces met more fierce battles with the United Mankind. It took the operation longer to reach the supply junction of the three nations triangle in the Mairal system. However, already weeks before, the Star Forces had successfully cut off the supply route to the United Mankind forces. The Republic of Greater Alcont had already reversed the flow of supply for their own while the Federation of Hania kept back.

To prevent the base from falling into the Empire's grasp, the United Mankind prepared to scuttle their base. To avoid this resource loss, Kotoponi's headquarters fleet, the 13th Fleet Twin Thorns, moved with the 11th Fleet to pierce the Alliance defenses at Elkon and Mairal. The Laburec had succeeded in seizing one of the two gates in the region, but still needed to seize Mairal proper. The 11th fleet would begin a series of assaults over one week to attempt to destroy the enemy fleet. They achieved success once reinforcements arrived form the the remaining Twin Thorns fleets, however, by this time the United Mankind had already retreated and destroyed the base. In its place the Star Force set up their own new supply base as usual.

Aftermath
Near the end of the operation the Star Forces accomplished the destruction of one of the (Four)Three Nations Alliance most important supply bases, conquered the most important military production base of the People's Sovereign Union of Planets, and fulfilled its primary objectives of isolating the United Mankind. Following the end of the operation the Star Force initiated Operation Snow Crystal. The War was about to end a lot sooner than expected in favor of the Empire, when the Imperial capital Lakfakalle was attacked.

Territories conquered

 * Elkon system
 * Kemal system
 * Socratic system
 * Mairal system