Operation King's Head

Operation King's Head
Part of the Galian Front of the Third Great War
Clockwise from top left: Fires from Alaoyian bombers burn in Ebyahi An Angelean assault craft deploys landing craft off the coast of Alanna An Alaoyian bomber conducts operations over Alanna in February 1981 Alannan troops inspect an Alaoyian fighter shot down outside Amahia Alannan militiamen prepare to defend Amahia. Alaoyian air assault troops deploy from helicopters Alannan civilian refugee camp outside of Dabakala Alaoyian marines advance during the Battle of Ziklahia
Date 21 January 1981 – 2 March 1981 (1 month, 1 week and 2 days) Location Alanna Result Third Coalition Victory Occupation of Alannan Cities Start of the First Alannan Civil War
Belligerents
Third Coalition Alaoyi Naossia Zarareland Los Angeles Supported by Antarctica The Furbish Islands Greater Niagara	Lauilliac Pact Alanna Supported by Gagium
Commanders and leaders
TBDCOMMANDERLIST	TBDCOMMANDERLIST
Strength
Alaoyi 26 divisons 1,255 guns 902 tanks 2,391 aircraft 6,019 helicopters 71,000 naval personnel Naossia 9 divisions 491 guns 229 tanks 819 aircraft AntarcticaTBDZararelandTBDLos Angeles 91,000 naval personnel	Alanna 60 divisons 612 guns 1,011 tanks 893 aircraft
Casualties and losses
Military Casualties: 53,000+Zaz killed 131,000 wounded 3,103 missing or captured	Military Dead: 125,000 killed 100,000 wounded 71,000 missing or captured
Civilian Casualties: 450,000 killed 600,000 wounded 21,000 missing Total Dead: 578,000 killed 831,000 wounded 36,103 missing or captured

Operation King's Head was the codename for a series of landings on the Alannan coast by Coalition forces in an ultimately successful invasion of Alanna during the Third Great War. The operation was launched on 21 January 1981 (M-Day) with landings in six Alannan cities; Ebyahi, Amahia, Ziklahia, Dabakala, Kadioni, and Emigada. Ebyahi, Amahia, Ziklahia, and Dabakala were all located over a 160 kilometer stretch of coast. Kadioni and Emigada were located further north. Several hundred helicopters and cargo aircraft launched an airborne assault preceding an amphibious assault by over 50,000 Coalition forces. Over 170,000 troops landed in Alanna on 21 January and by 1 February over 300,000 troops were present in Alanna. This effort represented one of the largest seaborne invasions in history.

The decision to invade Alanna itself was made as early as 1980 when it became clear that Inglaterra was going to capitulate. President Okafo Somayina appointed Buhair Amahika as commander of all Coalition forces involved the effort while Naossian general Ellis MacHomes was appointed commander of all land forces involved in the invasion. The cities chosen for assault were selected due to their status as key Alannan ports, representing the vast majority of Alanna's shipping and industrial capacity. Naossian troops were assigned for Kaidoni and Emigada while Alaoyian troops landed at Ebyahi, Amahia, Ziklahia, and Dabakala. In preparation for the assault, large expansions of Alaoyian ports and a signifigant shipbuilding effort commenced, including the design of the Rodriguez-class assault ship, which served as the workhorse for transporting the invasion force. In addition, the M3 landing craft was developed by Alaoyi specifically for the invasion. In the months leading up to the invasion, commando raids mapping out possible landing sites, coastal defenses, and landmarks were conducted by Alaoyian, Furbish, and Naossian special forces. Many of these commando raids utilized Ndibeanyan-speaking Alaoyians wearing Alannan uniforms, which has been called a war crime, though no Alaoyian soldier was ever prosecuted for improperly utilizing Alannan uniforms. Alannan general Vikalele Smoik was appointed commander of developing defenses in anticipation of any landings. Ebyahi, Amahia, Ziklahia, Dabakala, Kadioni, and Emigada

The landings were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault that landed over 40,000 Alaoyian paratroopers to demolish key defensive positions and prepare routes for invading naval forces. Coalition infantry and armor began landing at the designated landing sites around 05:30. The targeted landing zones were divided by city, with six code names, taken from Naossian planners: Each (Ebyahi), Aoghaire (Amahia), Iasg (Ziklahia), Deoch (Dabakala), Cè (Kadioni), and Mathaich (Emigada). The names, respectively, meant: Horse, Shepherd, Fish, Drink, Cream, and Farm. Benign agricultural products were chosen as a part of code, specifically to confuse codebreakers. Landing forces arrived under heavy fire from gun emplacements and artillery on beaches with obstacles such as mines and barbed wire. Despite the best efforts of beach-clearing teams, advancing up the beaches and into the cities was difficult and dangerous. Fighting was the heaviest at Aoghaire (Amahia), where over 15,000 Alaoyians were killed between 21 and 23 January. The lighest casualities were at Mathaich (Emigada), with a little over 1,000 Naossian marines killed. Planning for the operation began as a hypothetical plan in 1979 but serious preparations did not begin until 1980. In the months leading up the invasion itself, Coalition forces conducted a signifigant counterintelligence operation leading the Alannans to believe an invasion would either not occur or would occur but in the much less sparsely populated southwest of Alanna. The weather on 21 January was ideal, with calm seas and winds being perfect for landing the invasion force.

The Coalition forces failed to accomplish their objectives for the first week, but gained a foothold that gradually expanded as the harbors of the targeted cities were captured. Indiscriminate bombardment by the superior Coalition air forces helped stave off Alanan counterattacks. A flanking manuever on 11 February surrounded nearly 41,000 Alannan troops, who surrendered on 17 February. With the final fall of Amahia on 2 March Alannan forces retreated, marking the end of Operation King's Head. Combat operations effectively ended for most of Alanna as the country fell increasingly into anarchy and civil war. On 9 August the capital city of Obodokohia would fall to rebels, effectively marking the end of the war in Galia.