Battle of the Zanarkian Sea (DW)

Battle of the Zanarkian Sea (DW)
HMZS Samegawa firing off its missile during the battle.
Date 15 March - 21 March 2043 Location Zanarkian Sea Result Allied Victory Seleucid Imperial Navy fails to land forces on Zanarkand and suffers its first defeat at sea Seleucid Empire fails to invade Zanarkand
Belligerents
Allied Security Council: Zanarkand New Akiba Quenmin Joyonghea Bethausia Archadian Federation Esthar and Balamb Dalmasca and Nabradia Holy Galbadian Empire Taoyuan	Deseleni Forces Resurrected Seleucid Empire Indiae
Commanders and leaders
William Campbell Alexander Higgins Vincent Okabe Cynthia Thompson Gorou Inoue Federico Adante Ricardo Pegorino Vincenzo Rosato Jose Modesto Fernando Ernesto Reinout Gottemaker Bart van Langevelde	Herakles Kritikou  † Apollonas Gianakos  † Stamatios Kontoglou  † Spiro Morellis Sergios Athanoulis Debendra Banarje Birendramohan Jatin Chandran Alam
Strength
15 Aircraft Carriers 25 Ballistic Missile Submarines 40 Submarines 30 Destroyers 40 Frigates 70 Minehunters	20 Aircraft Carriers 40 Ballistic Missile Submarines 60 Submarines 50 Destroyers 50 Frigates 20 Minehunters 30 Landing Ships
Casualties and losses
7 Aircraft Carriers damaged 7 Ballistic Missile Submarines sunk or damaged 12 Submarines sunk or damaged 15 Destroyers sunk or damaged 18 Frigates sunk or damaged 25 Minehunters sunk or damaged 4,509 sailors killed or wounded	3 Aircraft Carriers sunk 19 Ballistic Missile Submarines sunk (including the command ship) 20 Submarines sunk or damaged 24 Destroyers sunk or damaged 25 Frigates sunk or damaged 14 Minehunters sunk or damaged 24 Landing Ships sunk or damaged

The Battle of the Zanarkian Sea (15 March 2043 - 21 March 2043) was a naval engagement and the climax of the Seleucid's naval campaign in Oceania. The battle was fought between the combined allied naval forces, that also included preserved elements of the Imperial Quenminese Navy, the Joyonghean Sovereign Navy, the Royal Bethausian Navy, and the Taoyuanese Navy against the seemingly unstoppable Seleucid Imperial Navy.

While the Seleucids could easily invade Zanarkand while preventing the Allied navies from destroying the beachheads, Zanarkand's geographical coastline would prove to be the biggest setback for the invaders as Zanarkand's geographical location, terrain, including its vast rocky coastline gave the Seleucid invaders a hard time on finding a soft beach to land on. Hence, the Allied navies immediately engaged with the Seleucid Navy before it could land its troops. The combined ZANAK Navies successfully prevented an attempt of the Seleucids from sailing south of Zanarkand, which was seen as the easiest possible way to invade Zanarkand. On 18 March, the climax of the naval battle took place, as the Seleucid Imperial Navy managed to inflict heavy damage on the Allies. With the Allies temporarily knocked out, the Seleucids decided to give out the order of launching its ICBMs at Zanarkand City and Washington-at-Colombia.

However, at the same time, the Allies at the Saralah Naval Base, which housed the communications for the battle, as well as the coinciding Battle of the Concordian Sea was raided. Not realising that the communications were raided, Allied raiders consisting of elements of Task Force 141, Task Force 219, and Task Force 853 successfully changed the coordinates of the 2 command subs, making the 2 command subs target at each other. The result became catastrophic for the Seleucids as the 2 command subs were destroyed. With the Seleucid Naval Command blind, the Allies launched a counter engagement, that forced the Seleucids to sail and retreat from the Zanarkian Sea, saving Zanarkand and New Akiba.

The Battle of the Zanarkian Sea, as well as of the Concordian Sea would be the first Seleucid defeat at sea, with the failure of Seleucid forces to land troops at both countries. Afterwards, the Allies would launch a counteroffensive, turning the tide of the war.