Battle of the Mansuri Sea
| Battle of the Mansuri Sea | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Western Theater of the Siduri War | |||||||
 The RS Giver of Life and Saints and Sinners | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Cacertian Empire Mansuriyyah |
 Republic of Syara | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Andrea Doria |
Dicho Wasilew | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
 Center Fleet Andria Fleet | Syaran National Fleet | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
2 carriers 3 battleships 5 battlecruisers 8 heavy cruisers 18 destroyers |
6 battleships 4 battlecruisers 2 heavy cruisers 4 cruisers 7 destroyers | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
1 carrier sunk 1 battlecruiser sunk 1 heavy cruisers sunk 3 destroyers sunk |
3 battleships sunk 1 destroyer sunk | ||||||
The Battle of the Mansuri Sea was a major naval engagement in the Western Theater of the Siduri War between the Cacertian Empire and the Republic of Syara.
Following Syara's defeat in the Battle of the Sabri Sea the Navy of the Syaran Republic had retreated to Syaran waters to avoid further losses. Between November 1935 and summer 1936 the Syaran Fleet only put out to sea for a few sorties, mostly for operations in the Sundering Sea and along the coast of Mansuriyyah to provide fire support for Inner Sphere forces fighting on the Mansuri Front. The latter operation attracted the attention of the Cacertian Admiralty, who were hoping to use Mansuri ports as a staging ground for action against Syara, with the eventual hope of blockading the Republic. Grand Admiral Andrea Doria became aware of Syaran intentions to sail a task force south and shell Mansuri positions along the Jazirah plains and mobilized elements of the Center Fleet and the Andria Fleet to meet the Syarans. With many of Cacerta's battleships still under repairs from the Sabri Sea, Doria elected to deploy two of Cacerta's carriers for the Empire's first multi-carrier operation. The Syaran task force under the command of Admiral Dicho Wasilew was originally intending to remain close to the Mansuri coastline but became aware of Cacertian intentions and altered its intended route.
In the ensuing battle on 12 August the Syaran fleet successfully outmaneuvered the Cacertian main body, despite Cacertian efforts with carrier-based aircraft and scouting. Cacertian inexperience with carrier operations hampered their progress, although they succeeded in sinking the Galania-class battleship Giver of Life. In the afternoon the Syarans managed to surprise the Cacertians and succeeding in sinking the HMS Paterniano Viani, after which both sides broke contact with the Cacertians withdrawing back to Andria. Both sides suffered heavy losses, with the Syarans losing three battleships and one destroyer while the Cacertians lost one carrier, one battlecruiser, one heavy cruiser, and three destroyers. The battle was nevertheless seen as a victory for the Inner Sphere given its strategic impact. The Cacertians abandoned their plans for a Syaran blockade, and the Republic Navy was able to continue its raids along the Mansuri Coast. It was the only major naval battle of the war to end in an Inner Sphere victory.
Background
Syara's defeat in the Sabri Sea had effectively scuttled any chance the Inner Sphere had at undermining Cacertian dominance of the seas south of Siduri. The loss of 27 ships and nearly 20,000 personnel had crippled the ability of the Syaran Navy to conduct large scale naval operations, and forced the Syarans to pull their fleet back to their own waters. The Common Axis on the other hand recognized the victory as a major point in the war, effectively neutralizing the ability of Syara to threaten Andria and curtailing Inner Sphere efforts to undermine Cacertian supply lines to the Tennaiite Front. Meanwhile the victory had impressed upon Cacertian leadership the desire to push for the ultimate goal of blockading Syara itself, which was deemed the only feasible way of undermining the Inner Sphere's manufcaturing and war making capability.
Despite the push for the blockade some of the Cacertian military leadership were less eager. Grand Admiral Andrea Doria considered the plan highly risky and dismissed plans to launch the blockade in early spring; despite losing only one battleship at the Sabri Sea, many of Cacerta's capital ships had suffered heavy damage and the fleet was still in need of repairs which were still ongoing for some ships as late as July 1936. Doria intended to wait until the end of the war to attempt a blockade, but the success of Operation Rhipsaspia on the Quenminese Front led the Cacertian Admiralty to push for action sooner rather than later. Doria insisted that a blockade was still not feasible, but agreed to conduct actions along the Mansuri coast to bleed the Syaran navy further and weaken it for the inevitable clash near Syaran shores.
With many of her capital ships still under repair, Doria elected to bring along two of Cacerta's carriers, the HMS Annagrazia Menapace and the older Martina Librizzi. Doria, a major proponent of carriers for the Navy, planned to employ both carrier's airwings as supplements for her weakened surface combatants. On 10 September 1936 the task force consisting of elements of both Center and Andria Fleet set sail upon learning of Syaran ships sailing for the Mansuri Coast. The Syaran fleet, under the command of Admiral Dicho Wasilew, was intending to provide naval gunfire support for Inner Sphere forces fighting near the Mansuri coast, but learned of Cacertian efforts through signal intercepts and altered course to take it further away from the Mansuri coastline.
Order of battle
The Cacertian fleet consisted of the Aciscolo Sgarlata-Class Aircraft Carrier Annagrazia Menapace, the Victor Sarissita-Class Aircraft Carrier Paterniano Viani, the Amika Carpio-Class Battleship Amika Carpio, battleships Gervasio Ruscitti and Vico Malipiero, the battlecruisers Esmeralda Messineo, Narciso Jacobo and Amauri Cetrone, Lucrezia Quintilian-Class Battlecruisers Morena Quintilian and Lucrezia Quintilian, the heavy cruisers Marzia Valeri, Eleonora Morasco, Lorella De Lucia, Turi Finelli, Agnese Cinelli, Gildo Laudato, Argo Barba and Maga Scignano, and 18 destroyers who aren't important enough to warrant their own names.
The Syaran fleet consisted of the Zovahr-class battleships Purveyor of Hope and Children of Gaia, Makedon-class battleship Spirit of Faith, Galania-class battleships Giver of Life and Saints and Sinners, the Moddra-class battlecruisers Absolute Savior, Incorruptible, Sacred Promise, and Pious Saint, the Kylacky-class heavy cruisers Infinite Sacrifice and Sublime Solace, the Nemtya-class cruisers Restless Sentinel, Serene Certainty, Infinite Fire, and Paragon, the Slocova-class destroyers Vitality and Pilgrim, the Lira-class destroyers Sanctity, and High Devotion, and the Vechad-class destroyers Purity, Defiant, and Heavenly Resolve.
Course of the battle
The two fleets reached within 100 miles of each other around 0630 on 12 August 1936. At around 0645 with the sun now above the horizon the two Cacertian carriers launched a squadron of fighters to scout ahead and serve as a combat air patrol for the fleet. Although the Cacertians were aware of Syaran fleet, Mansuri intelligence had lost sight of the Syaran ships before nightfall the previous day, leaving the Cacertians unsure as to the Syarans exact whereabouts. Cacertian radar picked up the Syaran ships around 0740, but were unable to get an exact distance and heading due to technical problems. Hydrophones aboard several of the Cacertian ships began detecting the Syarans, but it wasn't until 0815 that the Cacertian air recon spotted the the Syaran fleet, which at that point was just 40 miles away. The Cacertian aircraft were spotted by lookouts aboard the High Devotion, and Admiral Wasilew ordered the fleet to alter its course, 33 degrees northwest to avoid a straight up engagement against the Cacertians. Doria ordered the Cacertian fleet to adjust its heading, while the Annagrazia Menapace launched a wave of torpedo bombers to attack the Syaran fleet. The bombers initially couldn't locate the Syarans, who had not turned completely around as the Cacertians had expected. By the time the bombers had located the Syarans they were low on fuel and only a few were able to drop their payload; the Syarans returned fire with their AA guns but failed to register a kill.
Learning from the torpedo bombers the general direction of the Syarans, Doria ordered the fleet to adjust course to match while recon planes continued to shadow the Syaran fleet. Another wave of bombers was being prepared when the Syaran fleet changed course again, this time heading south-west. Doria believed it was possible to cross the T with the Syaran fleet; beat the Syarans to their intended path while bringing the full broadside of her guns to bear while the Syarans could only fire their forward guns. At around 0925 the Cacertians spotted the Syaran fleet but were surprised to see they had moved faster than anticipated; modifications to the Syaran Galania-class battleships had allowed them to increase their top speed, normally a hinderance to Syaran operations. Unwilling to risk a reversal of her planned engagement, Doria had both carriers launch waves of torpedo and dive bombers to attack the Syaran fleet. The sudden change in orders proved difficult to carry out, and the Cacertians managed to launch their planes at 1010. 36 torpedo bombers and 32 dive bombers attacked the Syaran fleet, landing three direct hits on the Giver of Life, which capsized and sank in just four minutes at the cost of four torpedo bombers and 2 dive bombers.
The rest of the Syaran fleet dashed south, using the cover of the smoke from the Giver of Life to avoid detection long enough for the Cacertians to lose track of them. At around 1040 the Syarans turned sharply and headed straight east for Mansuriyyah, which the Cacertians realized and reversed course, heading north-east then east to shadow the Syaran fleet. Doria hoped to launch another wave of bombers having sunk one of the Syaran battleships, but deteriorating weather forced her to cancel those plans. The Cacertians continued to shadow the Syaran fleet, which headed due west for nearly two hours before realizing they were being tracked by Cacertian airplanes and adjusted course again, this time heading south-west.
The move puzzled the Cacertians, who deduced that the Syarans were either unaware they were being tracked or were attempting to deceive their pursuers. The Cacertians adjusted course and began closing the gap on the Syaran fleet, but after another hour the Syarans changed course again, this time heading west and 10 degrees to the north. The Cacertians adjusted course too, but underestimated the Syaran adjustments, thinking they were still sailing in a south-west direction. The error appears to have arisen following conflicting information from the Cacertian recon aircraft and their own radar. Cacertian radar was showing the Syarans moving west and slightly north, but the Cacertian aircraft had reported the Syarans were still moving south-west. Deciding to trust her pilots Doria adjusted course based on air recon but ordered a flight of bombers into the air to try to track and harass the Syarans, but were unable to locate the fleet. At around 1415 the Cacertians made contact with the Syarans, but not in the position they had expected. The Syaran body was moving further north and was able to bring most of their firepower to bear, opening fire on the lead Cacertian ships. Doria adjusted course again to bring more of her fleet's guns to bear. Both Cacertian carriers attempted to launch their aircraft, but in the chaos of battle the squadrons were unable to conduct effective strikes against the Syaran ships. At around 1430 the Makedon-class battleship Spirit of Faith struck the Cacertian battlecruiser Amauri Cetrone and shattered her bow, causing the ship to come to a complete stop. Additional salvos from the Faith and the Moddra-class battlecruiser Absolute Savior struck the Cetrone amidships and she broke in two under withering fire, taking most of her crew with her.
Stunned by the sudden loss of the Amauri Cetrone, Doria ordered the Amika Carpio to immediately close the distance and engage the Spirit of Faith. Two 405mm shells struck the stern of the Spirit of Faith and crippled her propellers, bringing her to a crawl. Unable to keep up with the rest of the fleet, Captain Sando Dimusheva ordered the ship to turn hard to starboard and bring her full arsenal to bear on the Amika. Resounding fire from the Cacertian flagship and the rest of the fleet reduced the Spirit of Faith to a burning wreck that capsized in just five minutes. The sacrifice of the Syaran battleship however succeeded in allowing the rest of the Syaran fleet to put distance between itself and the Cacertians. The Syarans continued on their course heading north-west, while the Cacertians continued south-west for another hour before adjusting north west after regaining contact with the Syaran fleet through recon aircraft.
At 1530 the Syarans abruptly turned north, which Doria interpreted as a sign of retreat. The battle up until now had largely been in favor the Cacertians; the Syarans had lost two of their precious battleships in exchange for one Cacertian battlecruiser, who's loss still stung but Doria considered a good trade. Another wave of bombers was dispatched to harass the Syarans as they retreated, but were unable to make contact. Air recon was forced to return due to shortages of fuel, and Doria believed the battle was over. With the weather worsening the Cacertians recalled their planes and slowed their speed to make repairs to the minor damage they had suffered.
Unbeknownst to the Cacertians, the Syarans abruptly turned around after sailing north for an hour, and began steaming south-east before adjusting course again and headed south-west, right for the Cacertian fleet. The Syarans had been alerted to Cacertian maneuvers by their own recon aircraft, and Admiral Wasilew felt the Syarans had one final chance to salvage some kind of success from the battle. Wasilew split up his fleet, taking the Children of Gaia and half the fleet east while the rest of the Syaran ships followed the Purveyor of Hope west. The Cacertian fleet had adjusted its heading south just as the Syaran western flotilla appeared on the horizon. Doria thought she was facing the entirety of the Syaran fleet and steamed forward with the Amika Carpio while the carriers remained behind, their aircraft of limited use in the poor weather.
At 1630 the lookouts on the Paterniano Viani spotted Wasilew's eastern flotilla and sounded the alarm, but by then most of the Cacertian capital ships were engaging the Syaran western force. The Amika trained her guns on the Purveyor of Hope and opened fire at extreme range, supported by the Gervasio Ruscitti and Vico Malipiero. The Syarans responded back with salvos of their own, inflicting minor damage of the Rsucitti. At 1645 Cacertian shells slammed into the Purveyor of Hope, killing the bridge crew and rendering the ship temporarily leader-less. The Hope attempted to retreat, but just minutes later was struck below the waterline by shellfire from the Cacertian battleships and began to list. She capsized and went under 20 minutes later. Victory proved fleeting, as Doria was soon alerted to the frantic reports from the Paterniano Viani reported the Syaran western flotilla bearing down on them.
Attemping to launch her planes to defend herself and her sister, the Paterniano Viani turned hard south with her destroyer escorts, but was soon under heavy fire from the Children of Gaia, the Incorruptible, and the Restless Sentinel. Upon learning of the danger to her carriers, Doria ordered her capital ships to disengage and withdraw, but salvos from the Pious Saint and Saints and Sinners struck the heavy cruiser Marzia Valeri, deotnating her rear magazine and foundering the ship is just a few minutes. Unable to disengage, Doria ordered the carriers to retreat. At around 1700 the escort destroyer Benito was hit and torn apart from gunfire from the Restless Sentinel. A few minutes later the Paterniano Viani was hit by shells from the Children of Gaia which crippled her engines. The destroyer Leonardo was hit minutes later and sunk, leaving the Paterniano Viani alone with the destroyer Adrianna. Recognizing the futility of the situation, the Adrianna suicidaly charged the Syaran ships, managing to torpedo the Infite Sacrifice before it was destroyed by the Syarans. Alone and practically dead in the water, the Paterniano Viani became target practice for the Syaran gunners, who by 1715 had reduced her into a burning wreck. She capsized and went down, taking over 1,650 sailors with her.
Stunned by the loss of one of their carriers, the Cacertians attempted to regroup, but the Syarans were already breaking contact and withdrawing. Shellfire from the Eleonora Morasco managed to sink the destroyer Heavenly Resolve, but the rest of the Syaran fleet was able to escape. Both sides broke contact and withdraw, the Syarans returning to Hayreniky a few days later, while the Cacertian fleet returned to Andria.
Aftermath
Occuring less than a year after the Sabri Sea, the battle came as a shock to the Common Axis. Coupled with losses during Operation Rhipsaspia, the defeat served as a painful reminder that the Inner Sphere still maintained considerable firepower of their own right. Doctrinally, the battle served to imprint upon the Cacertians the belief that the battleship was still a major component of surface warfare. Furthermore, the conduct of carrier operations was heavily shaped by the experience at the Mansuri Sea.
Strategically, the battle had a major resonance. The demonstration of the capability of the Syaran National Fleet led the Cacertian Admiralty to abandon plans to blockade Syara, which they deemed as far too risky given the distance involved. Although there would be more clashes at sea, the Mansuri Sea would remain the Inner Sphere's only major victory against the Cacertian Imperial Navy.