Attack on Iles du Surèté

Attack on Iles du Surèté
Part of World War II
Photograph of the Taoist aircraft carrier Sōkita about a day before the attack.
Date November 9, 1941 (1941-11-09) Location Tostall Base, Iles du Surèté, Rhodevus. Result Major Taoist tactical & strategic victory
Belligerents
Rhodeve Protectorate Program	Empire of the Tao
Commanders and leaders
Linton Ruben Wilt Lindon Alan Dakota	Rokurō Yuudai Hikari Gorō Atsushi Shou Shingo Tomomi
Strength
≈5,000 infantry 3 battleships 14 cruisers 29 destroyers 5 submarines 18 patrol boats 25 other ships ≈260 aircraft	≈3,000 marines 7 aircraft carriers 2 battleships 2 battlecruisers 10 destroyers ≈35 submarines ≈440 aircraft
Casualties and losses
2 battleships sunk 1 battleship captured 4 cruisers sunk 3 cruisers captured 5 cruisers damaged 1 destroyers sunk 5 destroyers damaged 12 patrol boats sunk ≈200 aircraft destroyed remaining aircraft captured 2,687 killed 1,873 wounded ≈ 5,100 infantry and seamen captured	3 submarines sunk 42 aircraft destroyed 109 aircraft damaged 908 killed 2,981 wounded

Background

Tensions between the Kingdoms of Rhodevus and the Empire of Tao since the late 1930s had resulted in trade and oil embargoes by the Rhodeve onto the Empire as well as all Taoist controlled regions. Nine months prior to the attack, Taoist intelligence had been utilizing all of it's best intelligence tools to analyze and understand the defenses at Tostall Base in the Iles du Surèté. Due to the remote nature of the base, and Rhodeve resources being put to other areas, a proper ground-based radar system had not been established at Tostall. This lack of a proper radar configuration meant that the entire base utilized older and smaller ship-based systems, along with frequent patrol boat screenings. Taoist Admiral Yuudai, armed with this information planned to take full advantage of it.

At the same time, the Myann Airforce Base, located on Myann island was undergoing renovations to improve upon the islands' communication and information systems, including the installation of RADAR and SONAR systems. There had been initial push back to the idea by Airforce Commander Alan Dakota, who believed in prioritizing a single unified base and command structure in the territory over multiple bases scattered around the islands; a plan favoured by Strategy General John Binkman.

Initial Incursion

By 9:48am on the day of the attack, Taoist submarines sank multiple patrol boats in the area to reduce likelihood of being spotted and having their locations given to the islands' bases. Protectorate call stations reported in, stating that delays or lack of communications were most likely due to the aging patrol boat fleet, rather than any foreign intervention.

The Battle

The battle started with the bombing of Protectorate aircraft hangars, harboured destroyers and cruisers at 10:10. Shelling of anti-aircraft positions began shortly after. Within minutes of arrival to the island, the elite Taoist Red Squadron under the command of ace pilot Sōta Takumi bombed the battleships HMV Sul and HMV Arei, causing damage to them both and their surrounding flotilla of cruisers and destroyers. The HMV Tuldu was struck with three torpedos, the third of which hit and ignited the boiler room, igniting the ship. Within five minutes, it had begun to sink. The HMV Sul would come under fire once more, leading to its Turret 1 exploding and Turret 2 being blown from its casing directly into a nearby destroyer, the HMV Hornet.

Forces Involved

Taoist Forces

aircraft carriers

Yamanai, Okoyama, Soukita, Kikonai, Yahasato, Sukura, Shōgan

Battleships

Sōsato, Tōnobe

Battlecruisers

Momiji, Nara