Arabonan Campaign

Arabonan Campaign
Part of the Great Astyrian War
Imperial cavalry charge at the battle of Augustadorum
Date 7 June 1924 - 8 February, 1925 Location Arabona, Mare Ferum Result Militarily inconclusive; Exponent cedes Arabona in accordance with the end of GAW
Belligerents
Empire of Exponent Arabona (as an autonomous colony)	Aquitayne
Commanders and leaders
Manius Domitius Drusus	Ser Gaius Devinshire Ser Frae Olnrein (RM) Ser Enrich Fulsteid (Army)
Strength
Exponent: 3,000 Arabona: 12,000	10,000
Casualties and losses
134 dead 361 injured	90 dead 232 injured

The Arabonan Campaign was an Aquitaynian military sea and land operation on the island of Arabona during the Great Astyrian War. The offensive began on June 7, 1924, when the Aquitaynian Navy attacked the island's capital, Porta Aurea. Though the damage inflicted on the city was minimal, the Aquitaynians were able to establish a blockade in the city's harbor, Porta Aurea Bay. On July 18, the cruiser Imperatrix Avita and the destroyer Accensus delivered an Exponential counterattack, but were unable to break the blockade and the Accensus was damaged.

The land offensive began on August 5, when 1,300 infantry soldiers led by Senior Field Marshal Ser Enrich Fulsteid disembarked off the coast of Sabratha. After controlling the first skirmish, the Aquitaynians advanced to Utinum, where they engaged Arabonan and Exponential troops in battle. The battle concluded when the Imperial soldiers retreated after the battle left two dead on their side, and four on the Aquitaynian side. Aquitayne was able to seize control of Thysdrus on August 15, but were forced to withdraw four days later after a group of 200 Arabonan-Exponential soldiers led by Petrus de Divinitia gained control of the city, while most civilian inhabitants fled to a nearby lighthouse. The Aquitaynians encountered larger opposition as they advanced towards the main island's interior. They engaged in two crossfires in Calipus River and Utinum, both of which were inconclusive as the Imperial soldiers retreated. A battle in Sancte Germanicus concluded in a similar fashion with the Exponentials retreating to Bergula.

On August 19, Aquitaynian troops that were pursuing units retreating from Utinum encountered heavy resistance in Augustadorum and retreated after several soldiers were killed and more were injured. They returned three days later, reinforced with artillery units and attempted a surprise attack. In the subsequent crossfire, confused soldiers reported seeing Exponential reinforcements nearby and five Aquitaynian officers were gravely injured, which prompted a retreat order. All military actions in Arabona were suspended on February 8, 1925 when the armistice of ???? was signed, whereby Exponent relinquished its sovereignty over the territories of Arabona and Aquitanius.

Prelude

Imperial Preparations

With the outbreak of war, the Exponential Crown sent the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Arabonan provisional battalions abroad, depleting the Arabonan troops in the island. The 1st Arabonan Provisional Battalion, composed of the Talaverus Cavalry and heavy artillery, was sent to Aquitanius where they battled the Aquitaynian forces in the Battle of ???. After the battle, the Arabonan battalion suffered a total of 70 casualties which included their dead, wounded, MIA's and prisoners. The Empire of Exponent appointed Governor of Arabona, Manius Domitius Drusus, declared martial law, resolving to resist the Aquitaynian forces. He declared: 'Providence will not permit that in these countries which have so long been settled by the Hesperidesian Empire, the echo of our language should ever cease to be heard, nor that our flag should disappear before the eyes…. Long live Arabona, always Hesperidesian. Long live the Empire." Drusus hoped that a grant of autonomy would ensure that Arabonans would remain loyal to the Imperial crown.

Aquitaynian Preparations

See also: Order of battle for the Battle of Arabona (1925)

Much of the preparations for the battle were conducted in secret. Aquitaynian intelligence suggested the island was defended by a minimal number of local and Exponent forces. Thus, the admiralty and general staff were confident a regiment of new volunteers could adequately deal with taking the island in a short period of time and thus turn them into hardened soldiers ready for the major fronts. The general fear in the admiralty was that Arabona could easily be used as an Exponential staging ground for an invasion of Aquitayne-proper. The attempt by the Northern Powers at Cape Town made the general staff take hard considerations at whether or not they were willing to leave Arabona in Hesperedisian hands. It was ultimately decided that the risk was too severe, and thus Operation Mantis was formed.

Departing from Naval Station Bradden on the tip of northern Tasmalian, the Aquitaynian Third Fleet, 121st Rifles Regiment, and 1st Regiment Royal Marines would take part in the invasion and fighting on the island.

The command of the Third Fleet was placed with Grand Admiral Ser Gaius Divenshire, who had just returned home after a long egagement at the Battle of Cape Town, where he had taken a direct role in preventing an Exponential invasion of Insula Fera. It was during this battle that he was awarded the Urimanus Cross and inducted as a member of the Order of the Rose. Military records show it took three weeks for the appropriate supplies, ammunition, and fuel to be gathered for the campaign. It was later discovered that a journalist almost announced the real intent of the preparations after overhearing low-ranking officers discussing the invasion plans over tea. However, the Ministry of Defense gagged his paper until the invasion had already taken place the following week.

Under the guise of a strategic redeployment to Teudallum, the fleet departed Naval Station Bradden on 5 June 1924, arriving to Arabona on the 7th of June.

The Naval Campaign

Opening Moves

The first engagement between the belligerents occurred on June 7, 1924, when the HMS Varacka captured an Exponential freighter, the Agacia in Porta Aurea Bay. On June 8, the Varacka fought a brief battle with an the Imperial auxiliary cruiser Roxana, resulting in an Exponential victory. Around this time, Captain Angelus Steelsmith was assigned the command of the Imperial forces at the fortress of Sancte Crispinus in Porta Aurea. On June 10, when Varacka returned to Arabona Bay, Steelsmith ordered his men to open fire on the steamer with a 15 centimeter cannon, in the first attack against Aquitaynian forces in Arabona during the Great Astyrian War. For his actions, Steelsmith was awarded the The Cross of the Order of the Military Merit first class.

Bombardment of Porta Aurea

The Bombardment of Porta Aurea or the First Battle of Porta Aurea refers to an Aquitaynian naval attack on the fortifications of the city, during the Great Astyrian War. The Aquitaynian Naval commanders believed the bulk of the Exponential Fleet under Admiral Paulus Caecilius was steaming from the Marci Evangeliste to the Insula Fera and ultimately to Arabona. With this understanding, Rear Admiral Ser Frae Olnrein and a squadron of warships set out from Swacaea at noon on May 31 bound for the island. Olnrein intended to intercept and destroy the Imperial squadron and then move on to attack secondary shore targets- Arabona's castles, forts and batteries and was unaware that Caecilius had altered course and was steaming south, towards the Straits of ViZion.

On June 11, Olnrein's squadron arrived at Porta Aurea, finding an empty harbor instead of the anticipated Exponential fleet. Making the best of the situation and as an exercise for his untested gunners, Olnrein ordered the bombardment of the city's citadels. Captains Rufus Goodman and Julius Fletcher were among those who defended the city form Fort Sancte Fabricius de Messambria. They had three batteries under their command, which were armed with at least three 15 cm cannons. The battle lasted three hours and resulted in the death of Gaius Fabianus, the first Arabonan soldier to die in the campaign. Goodman was awarded the The Cross of the Order of Military Merit first class for his actions.

After causing much damage to the Imperial defenses and receiving minor damage, low on coal and ammunition, Aqduder ordered a cease fire and returned to pulled back for repairs and supplies.

Second Battle of Porta Aurea

On July 18, 1924, the HMS Serpent under the command of Captain Ser Desmond Grachus arrived at Porta Aurea Bay from joined the blockade. Shortly after midday the Exponential cruiser Imperatrix Avita set off from Arabona to engage the Serpent with support from shore batteries. Avita opened fire on Serpent at long range without success in an attempt to break the blockade. Accensus, an Exponential destroyer docked in Arabona for repairs, attempted to cover the cruiser's escape with a torpedo attack but was thwarted when her rudder was damaged by a direct hit from the Serpent. Losing steerage, Accensus inadvertently turned broadside, allowing Serpent to score direct hits near Accensus's waterline, disabling one of her engines and causing her to list. Accensus abandoned the attack and returned to port, followed by Imperatrix Avita. On July 22, HMS Serpent was relieved by the Nordin, which continued the blockade of Porta Aurea Bay.

The Land Campaign

Landing at Sabratha

The Imperial commanders on the island expected the Aquitaynians to attack the more urbanized southern coast of Arabona, and as such concentrated their defenses around Porta Aurea. The government was also aware of a planned landing by the Aquitaynians at Thrysis, located on the west coast and had that town fortified. However, the northern and eastern regions of Arabona were left with little or no defenses at all.

Field Marshal Fulsteid traveled aboard the HMS Varacka. While approaching the strait that separates Arabona from Lorecia to the west, Fulsteid opted to land his troops on the northern part of the island closest to Aquitayne, choosing Sabratha as his landing zone. He quickly dispatched patrol boats to notify all other convoys of his decision and to order them to proceed to Sabratha. Fulsteid's decision to change the invasion site was based on his belief that the town of Thrysis would be fortified and he feared that Exponential coastal gun boats would disrupt a landing at Thrysis.

On August 5, Field Marshal Fulsteid and 1,300 troops arrived at Sabratha Bay along with a number of vessels, including a pair of captured Exponential ships, Nero and Rufia that had been confiscated by the Aquitaynians earlier in the campaign.

In 1924, Sabratha was a small town with a mere 60 houses in all, and its only defense was eleven members of the 4th Volunteers, an Arabonan militia unit, under the command of Centurion Marcus Almarius. When the Sabratha lighthouse keeper Robertus Rivus spotted the approaching convoy, he immediately gave the alert to the residents of the town. All of the residents, with the exception Augustus Barrus, Vicentius Ferrus, Julius Bronzehammer, Simon Melius, and Cornelius Serranus, who welcomed the invaders, abandoned their homes and joined Riverus on his journey inland where he broke the news of the invading forces to the local garrison.

Twenty-eight Aquitaynian sailors and Marines, under the command of Lt. Caellus Lorein and Lt. Nicholas Roth, landed on the beach near the town and lowered the nearby Imperial flag, replacing it with their own. They then proceeded to set up a machine gun nest and placed barbed wire around their perimeter. The first land skirmish in Arabona between the Arabonan militia and the Aquitaynian forces occurred when Centurion Marcus Almarius and his men attacked and opened fire on the Aquitaynians. During the small battle which followed, the Aquitaynians returned fire with their machine gun and the ships in the bay began to bombard the Exponential position. Centurion Almarius and three of his men were wounded and the militia unit was forced to retreat.

Battle of the Calipus River

On September 3, Ser Rolf Numein sent two companies of the HM 121st Rifles Regiment on a reconnaissance mission across a stone bridge that crossed the Calipus River. The road beyond the bridge was essential for Field Marshal Fulsteid's projected advance to the town of Utinum. The recon units observed elements of Exponent's 6th Provisional Battalion under the command of Julius Greywall entrenched in the Calipus Heights, a few miles north of the bridge. The 121st felt that they were too strongly entrenched to attempt an assault at the time, and requested reinforcements. The next day, the Aquitaynians attacked the Imperial troops and a short firefight erupted. The numerical superiority of the Aquitaynians, however, forced the Exponential troops to retreat from the Calipus Heights. This battle was the costliest battle yet for the Aquitaynians since their landing at Sabratha, as it resulted in 4 dead and seven wounded. The Exponential forces suffered 9 dead and 15 wounded

Battle of Utinum

The primary objective of the Aquitaynian army after breaking off the beach was the city of Utinum. After pushing through several smaller skirmishes around the city, the 121st Rifles finally drew up against Legate Arsenius Litentius' defensive lines on September 6, starting the Battle of Utinum.

In an attempt to defend the city, Litentius ordered the construction of several blockhouses, and also brought up a number of artillery pieces from nearby towns and garrisons. Despite these amenities, however, the Imperial army was without any machine guns and was therefore at a major disadvantage. Fulsteid began hostilities against the city at approximately 9:47AM, unleashing a heavy artillery barrage against the trench lines and blockhouses that ringed the city. This was followed immediately by a rush by the ?AqUnit? that was repulsed with losses. Fulsteid next opted to strike at the left flank of the line, where the blockhouse that served as an anchor had been severely damaged in the preceding barrage.

Under the cover of a second, this time larger barrage, the ?AqUnit? forced their way into the city by exploiting the weakened flank and began to turn the Imperial lines decisively. Exponential and Arabonan troops began to pull off of the trench line at about this time to avoid being encircled, and began a fighting retreat through the streets of Utinum, with some troops taking up positions in various locations. Yellowiron's Tavern, near the center of the city, was turned into a small fortress and manned by about 12 Exponential and Arabonan soldiers, who continued to fight on until surrendering at around 6PM that evening, having drunk much of the wine in the establishment and nearly run out of ammunition.

Seeing the withdrawal, Fulsteid decided to unleash his cavalry in the hopes of cutting of the Imperial forces retreat. The last Imperial troops left the city at about 7:15PM, leaving behind 42 dead and 61 wounded. The Aquitaynians, with the benefit of machine guns and more artillery, took losses of 21 dead and 28 injured.

Battle of Augustadorum

The Battle of Augustadorum was an Exponential rearguard action against pursuing Aquitaynian cavalry in the aftermath of the battle of Utinum and the one of the few Imperial victories in the entire Great Astyrian War.

After chasing a column of Arabonan and Exponential soldiers through the night, Aquitaynian cavalry troops passed by the town of Augustadorum. The previous evening, hearing the fighting near Utinum, a number of local troops and civilians dug in and prepared trenchworks, which intercepted the Aquitaynian advance. Unaware of the trap awaiting them, the Aquitaynian cavalry charged headlong into the enemy, losing 2 and taking six injured in the ensuing fusillade. The remaining Aquiatynian troops turned and fled back to the main body of soldiers at Utinum while the tired Imperial soldiers joined with the local forces and prepared for the oncoming attack. At the same time, word was sent to bring up a small Imperial cavalry detachment from nearby Orantea to provide extra manpower for what was hoped to be a final stand which would buy time for additional units to regroup and reassemble further on.

By noon that day, the Aquitaynian cavalry returned, this time reinforced by a number of soldiers and marines, and planned their assault on the trench line. Gunfire was exchanged for several hours, inflicting heavy losses on both sides, before an Imperial cavalry unit leapt the trenches and charged the Aquitaynian troops, routing their right flank and throwing their lines into chaos. At about the same time, a pair of Aquitaynina batteries were brought up, intent on smashing the entrenched Imperial troops. At 4:30PM, AqDuder??? gave the order to fire. The sudden appearance of artillery fire, however, coinciding with the Imperial charge, caused widespread confusion amongst the troops and many began to erroneously report the arrival of Exponential reinforcements on the field. Fearing encirclement and hoping to contain the panic, Aquitaynian officers ordered a withdrawal from the area.

Battle of Sancte Germanicus

?AqGeneral? and the ?AqBrigade? had landed in Sabratha were ordered to move westward and to capture the city of Bergula. Tribunus Julius Valerius Balbonius ordered 1,500 Imperial Regulars of the 24th Rifle Battalion, six companies of the Tiberius III auxiliaries, and other scattered Imperial and Arabonan guerilla forces dispatched from the garrison at Bergula to meet and defeat ?AqGeneral?. The Imperial forces entrenched themselves at a high ridge just outside the Sancte Germanicus mission.

?AqGeneral?'s troops arrived near the mission on the morning of ??? soon encountered the awaiting Imperial forces. Troop A of ?AqGeneral?'s 5th Cavalry approached were the first to engage the enemy, and were quickly aided by two companies of the ?AqUnit?, supported by artillery and Gatling guns, as well as the ?AqUnit?. The Imperial forces retreated after the Aquitaynian reinforcements brought them under intense fire. ?AqGeneral?'s men set up camp at the mission for the night and the following day they continued their drive to Bergula. They arrived the following morning to find that the Imperial forces had abandoned the city to retreat to the southern coast. ?AqGeneral? did not follow Balbonius, but instead was ordered to take the town of Borua. The outcome of the battle at Sancte Germanicus left 3 Exponential dead, 6 wounded, and 136 prisoners. ?AqGeneral?'s brigade suffered 15 wounded and 2 killed in action

Monuments

In Arabona there are no monuments to commemorate the Great Astyrian War as such. There are various markers where some of the historical events took place and some tombstones which honor both the Aquitaynian invaders and the Exponential and Arabonan defenders of the island. In the town of Sabratha there is a rock on the coastal port with an inscription indicating that AqGeneral and his men landed on that spot. There is also a monument in the town dedicated to the veterans of the Great Astyrian War, however said monument fails to specify to which veterans it is dedicated to, the Aquitaynians or the Exponentials/Arabonans. In Gandava there is a monument/tombstone dedicated to an unknown Exponential soldier who had fallen in combat and was left there on that very spot. In Utinum there are two markers that indicate where Rufus Manius Illescae and Fruscus Largerock died. Illescae's tomb is located in the old cemetery of Utinum next to that of the tomb of the three unknown Arabonan soldiers who perished in that conflict. Largerock's body was transferred in 1916, to his hometown Cathantaea in Hesperidesia where he is buried. The town of Tomis has a monument dedicated to the members of the 4th Aq Infantry. In Armorica, there is a marker which indicates the place where the "Battle of Armorica" took place.