Battle for El-Manae

Battle of El-Manae
Part of the Great War
File:WGN Pic2.jpg Two Asterian Marines on guard outside of El-Manae, roughly four months into the battle.
Date 21 July 1930 – 1 January 1931 (5 months and 13 days) Location Mainly around El-Manae, present-day Samastara Result Democratic Alliance Victory Federal Marines escape from encirclement at El-Manae Re-Initiation of the Madison Offensive
Belligerents
Federation	Gaullica Third Solarian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Robert Titus TBD	TBD TBD.
Strength
17,000 Marines 700 Naval Personnel 112 tanks 224 armored fighting vehicles 28 artillery pieces	48,000 personnel 459 tanks 962 armored fighting vehicles 784 artillery pieces
Casualties and losses
4,102 killed 8,467 wounded/missing 56 tanks destroyed 48 tanks damaged 106 armored fighting vehicles destroyed 82 armored fighting vehicles damaged 15 artillery pieces destroyed	7,842 killed 19,111 wounded 81 tanks destroyed 106 tanks damaged 215 armored fighting vehicles destroyed 71 armored fighting vehicles damaged 13 artillery pieces destroyed
Civilian casualties31 killed 114 wounded

The Battle of El-Manae was fought between encircled Asterian Marines and Entente forces during Operation Ruby, during the Great War. It is regarded as one of the most famous battles of the war due to the odds that Asterian Marines faced, but overcame, despite the heavy casualties inflicted.

Background

The Federation had taken the initiative after coming into the Great War, using their fresh power to open up a new front in Badawiya, which for years, had been under the occupation of Caesena and Gaullica. After successful landings in March of 1930, and the resulting Madison Offensive, the Federation had driven as far as Samastara - determined to see a total liberation of Entente-held Badawiya. However, it was during this offensive that Asterian forces were lured right into the Entente's trap - Gaullican and Caeseni forces retreating along the coastlines, while their armies further inland continued to give harsh resistance. Federal Marines, under the command of General Titus found themselves nearly a hundred miles ahead of the rest of the force by August, but before they could react, Caeseni and Gaullican forces mounted a counter-attack that severed the Marines from the rest of the Alliance armies - pushing them to the area around the coastal town of El-Manae, in present-day Samastara.