Operation Phoenix

Operation Phoenix (ICY 959), was an emergency operation of the Abh during the Battle of Lakfakalle against the Four Nations Alliance, fought in the territories of the Humankind Empire of Abh in the Great War. The objective was to evacuate the Imperial capital Lakfakalle, hence, ensuring the continued governance of the Empire. Therefore, allowing the Empire to rise from the ashes. The Alliance's objective was to attempt to cajole Abh surrender by seizing in a surprise attack the capital.

Background
In I.C.Y 959, Federation Ambassador Tin Kuihan approached Prime Minister Burash with the offer from the Hania Federation to come under Imperial rule. To this point the Federation had not seen any part of the war expect as a neutral nation and due to their refusal to enter appeared to have seceded from the Alliance for violating the Nova-Sicily Treaty.

As it turned out the offer by the Federation of Hania to join the Empire was a trap. Though the overall timing was trouble, the plan for exploiting the chance was exquisite, the product of years of study and modeling and simulation. It can be surmised the plans was put in motion the moment the initial attack on Lakfakalle failed at the beginning of the war. This points to the Alliance's assumption, the fall of the centralized government and Abh based military of the Empire would cause an immediate collapse of governance and military organization.

Further, the capture of the eight gates would isolate the kingdoms of the Empire and trapping imperial forces, effectively slashing the might of the Imperial Fleet. Even if the plan fails, the Empire would have to divert significant forces to defend the new territories. Geopolitical minds have been considering the possibility of the United Mankind swallowing up the People's Sovereign Stellar Union and Greater Alkont Republic in the long run. A situation neither side feared or welcomed.

Following Operation Snow Crystal, while Admiral Kotoponi had succeeded in seizing their tactical objectives, she had suddenly been cut off in a surprise attack that encircled the entire operational force.

While forces of the Empire were split and circumnavigated the Central Zone in order to annex the Hania Federation and isolate Alliance members, Federation forces came around to invade the Empire through the weakened Kryb Kingdom. Immediately the Abh capital was under attack from the Kryb gate. With not enough forces available to repell the attack, the only option remained was to evacuate the capital through the remaining seven gates.

Implementation
Empress Ramaj immediately ordered the evacuation of the capital (緊急遷都準備, ) upon hearing the news of the betrayal. To minimize confusion with the sudden order, notifications were made beforehand. An abandoned property decree was issued to civilians, mostly targeting senior citizen who have land issues.

Her Majesty herself led the Imperial Guards and home reserve fleets in a last stand known as the Stand of the Imperial Guard. The defending force met the enemy head on in plane space, blocking entry to Lafakalle. Her force held the Alliance off long enough for the evacuations to be mostly complete by the time Dusanyu's partial fleets were engaged. The major elements of the Alliance fleet began to do serious damage to the defending fleet, eventually punching through the Imperial Guard after annihilating Ramaj and her command to the man. Despite this tremendous loss of a prestigious unit, the campaign continued.

Dusanyu given command of the emergency reserves, organized the evacuation and escort forces. The Phoenix fleets fled through the Barke gate with the Sotoryuru system as destination, a major military prefecture. In support, a fleet was hastily assembled and send to meet from the Sotoryuru Naval Base with Admiral Spoor in command. Spoor to this point has not been mentioned in a major engagement since Lobnas II.

Organization
Relocation efforts were under the supervision of the relocation of the capital planning officer (遷都計画官 (フリフキア・アロク Furifukia-Alloc )) who answers directly to the Emperor. He was also responsible for the development of capital relocation plan. Three officers form the core of the department. Every year, an updated plan has to be presented to the Emperor. In I.C.Y. 959, Suzuryua Boruju=Goshuru Soto (スーズリュア・ボルジュ＝ゴシュル・ソート) was in charge. On behalf of the relocation planning officer, the vice-chief/senior-vice relocation of the capital planning officer (筆頭遷都計画官補(アルム・ロイフリフキア・アロク Alm-Roifurifukia-Aroku )) took command at the destination in advance. The third officer being the assitent deputy relocation of the capital planning officer (遷都計画官補 (ロイフリフキア・アロク Roifurifukia-Alloc )).

Admiral Abriel Dusanyu, was transfered from his post in Lafakalle to organize the six Phoenix fleets. For relief a seventh fleet was hastily assembled at the temporary Imperial City, Sotoryuru system, later to be commanded by Admiral Spoor.

The Royal Guard Fleet and its eight partial fleets formed the core of the defending force as well as the first line of defense. The home reserve fleet formed additonal forces in support or conjunction with the capital fortresses.

Assessments
During negotiation Abh diplomatic intelligence failed to assess the situation within the Federation and the Intelligence Bureau failed to assess enemy force strength and movements. It was widley believed Federation forces were full of flaws, but their intelligence gathering ability was high and valued. This lack of information led to an underestimation of the threat or the possibility. The Alliance may have had precendent to exploit a known weakness in Abh intelligence given such weakness appeared earlier in the war and had not yet been addressed from engagements such as Sufagnoff and the early stages of the Aptic Campaign.

However, an Imperial Decree was sent ahead of time to Kotoponi. This would provide Kotoponi standing orders for her campaign and actions to take once her operation was complete. That being said, now surrounded, but still possessing a significant force, she still had the strategic options to wait for relief or take the initiative and attempt a breakout.

The Federation had been preserving its forces from the beginning of the war, and likely expanded tremendously during its time as a neutral nation. Although, numbers were not available, based on territory size alone, they should easily eclipse any single imperial Kingdom. This is consistent with Faramunsh's assessment Lafakalle needed a defending force equal to the whole force deployed within the Kryb Kingdom.

Aftermath
The operational success by the Alliance here and the success in surrounding and cutting off Kotoponi provided a significant morale boost to the Alliance, which had as of late suffered humiliating defeats during Operation Twin Thorns. With the capture of the Abriel system, the Alliance also held one of the major production centers of the Abh Empire, which would significantly impact the ability of the Laburec to respond and produce new ships to replace their losses for the time being. Finally, it seemed that the Alliance has successfully found ways to exploit a significant weakness in Abh Military Intelligence in order to seize a tremendous strategic initiative and seemingly begin dictating the pace of the war.

The victory of the Alliance was inconclusive; however, for either force. The Alliance now held the capital of Lakfakalle, but did not succeed in destroying the Abh line of succession or successfully surround and besiege a significant size of the Laburec in the capital with Dusanyu's escape. The Alliance controlled a system that largely by now was abandoned, and many production facilities were either incompatible with Alliance designs, or seriously damaged during the battle.

Dusanyu does not hold a significantly better strategic position. Despite having successfully broken out, he likely does not have a large enough force to turn around and besiege the Alliance within Lakfakalle. Also, with no way to contact Kotoponi, he cannot coordinate a strategic link-up of forces; Kotoponi's force is now operationally blind. He is in a position to attempt to interdict enemy supplies and other minor fleets that may try to consolidate in the Abriel system. Additionally, he can attempt a link up with Kotoponi to assist her pending breakout; however, both pose significant risks to the main force that has seen heavy action already.

Strategically no side has a significant initiative. The Alliance must decide to pursue Dusanyu's force and attempt to destroy him but leave the capital undefended, or consolidate a front with Abriel as a significant standing point and hope to hold Kotoponi in place with a significant Abh presence to threaten the rear. Dusanyu must decide if he can interdict the enemy and attempt to trap the enemy within Abriel, while leaving Kotoponi to breakout herself, or turn his force and relieve Kotoponi in order to stage a new strategic offensive.

Territories lost

 * Abriel system