Offensive of 2018
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The Offensive of 2018 (20 June 2018 - 15 October 2018) was an Imperial offensive that took place during the Imperial Crisis. Its intended objective was the capture of the Port of Anthold, which would serve as the Imperial starting point for invading the Lucis Isles. Other objectives included the splitting of Allied forces into two, the eradication of Lucian influence in Gallia, the Imperial occupation of Gallia, and force the Allies into a favourable peace terms.
The Imperials achieved a total surprise attack on the morning of 20 June 2018, due to a combination of Allied overconfidence, preoccupation with Allied situation in Ghirlandaio and with the Atlantic Federation in the south. The Imperials attacked a weakly defended section of the Allied line, allowing the Imperials to bypass the Naggiar plains and cut off the Allied forces in the Fouzen Peninsula with the fall of Menscher. The offensive was so overwhelming that Allied forces in the Naggiar plains were forced to evacuate to Fouzen and establish defensive lines in an effort to keep Allied shipping open on Fouzen. The Gallian Royal Family was evacuated to Tristain as Regent Lord Leon Thomas Theron declared Randgriz as an open city to spare the capital's destruction. The Atlantic Federation under the new leadership of Premier Louis Robespierre intervened and threw a massive offensive in Southern Gallia, causing Lanseal to fall by July.
With the fall of Randgriz and Lanseal; Fouzen, Anthold, and Vasel remained as the only major cities left under Allied control. The Lucian-Gallian forces went on defensive in the Anthold Perimeter. The ERUAC forces retained their hold on the Fouzen Peninsula while the ZANAC forces were surrounded in Vasel following the Fall of Randgriz. From 28 June, Vasel was besieged but fierce resistance by the Zanarkian and New Akibander forces in the city threw the Imperial offensive behind schedule and allowed the Allied forces in the Anthold Perimeter to retaliate and launch a short counteroffensive to extend the defence lines. The farthest point that the Imperials managed to get to was the small port city of Milhausen, just 30kms from Vasel. While the Imperials managed to reach the Lucis Channel, it failed in its primary objective of controlling the Port of Anthold. Later, the ERUAC forces launched Operation Knapper, which was a counteroffensive intended to open a corridor in order to relieve the ZANAC forces at Vasel. At the same time, the Royal Navy's 2nd Fleet destroyed the Atlantian 17th Fleet preventing Allied shipments to dock at Anthold with the Battle of Anthold Bay. In 25 September, Lucian-Gallian forces at Anthold retaliated by launching a counterattack on Lanseal, retaking the city before advancing on to Randgriz in 7 October. The operation sealed the Imperials attempt of its conquest of Gallia. Randgriz fell just 7 days later after the conclusion of Operation Knapper. In the wake of the defeat, many experienced Imperial units were left severely depleted of men and equipment as Imperial forces attempted to establish defences at the Naggiar Plains and on the Barious Desert.