Sinking of the Siorat Cartanais

The Siorat Cartanais, or Charitable Spirit, was a vessel of the Fhainnin merchant marine in service from 2003-2023. It served primarily on the interstate trade route between Faneria and the Cape throughout its service life. On June 4, 2023, it was hit without provocation by a Varshani medium range submarine-launched anti-shipping missile.

Sinking of the Siorat Cartanais

Location	Off coast of Aeonara
Type	Military Attack
Cause	War between Varshan and Occidental powers
Motive	Sinking of foreign shipping
Target	Fhainnin shipping in the Polynesian Sea
First reporter	Teindún Gach-latha
Organised by	Varshani State
Casualties
Faneria 3 dead 2 wounded

Background

Faneria initially opted to not involve itself with the colonial rush which lead up to the Final War of the Deluge, instead supporting the war indirectly through its ties to other Occidental powers. This was largely due to a breakdown in communications with Varshan, which had over a decade prior abducted prominent actor James Mullin, who had since been used unwillingly as a filmographer and actor by the Varshani state. Faneria had already closed its embassy in Varshan in 2004 in retaliation for the kidnapping, and Mullin had disappeared entirely after 2013 after a failed attempt at rescue by anonymous third-party diplomats, leading to a general support in the government and public alike for the Occidental side of the war. Faneria, as a result, began selling weapons and military materials to the Cape at below production price, using the opportunity to field test existing and novel tactics and weapons through use by the Cape and embedded Fhainnin advisory units. In spite of this, Faneria had not declared war on Varshan.

At the time of the attack, the Siorat was convoying with the Sioratnamar and Seabnamar (Spirit of the Sea and Seahawk respectively) towards Cape Town, with the intention of linking up with a Capetian military escort for the last fourty miles of the voyage. Varshani raids in the area had been extremely rare since the beginning of the war's escalation in northern Crona, and the Fhainnin escort from Eileada had departed the day prior due to an urgent antipiracy response to a shipjacking of a civilian trawler in the central Polynesian Sea, as it had been the most convenient response vessel in the area at the time due to a number of factors including range, speed, and location.

Missile Strike

At 9:48 AM on June 4th, near the end of the convoy's approach to Capetian waters, a Varshani submarine of unknown identity an estimated twenty miles off the Capetian coast launched at least two low-flying anti-shipping missiles at the convoy. Both were detected by the (namehere), the Capetian escort ship enroute, which warned the convoy and launched its onboard helicopter. At 9:53, the (namehere) launched two DFAD-32 supersonic missiles, which are older models and rely primarily on IRST tracking for their targeting computers. The (namehere) was not equipped with more advanced counterfire munitions due to its role as a second-line vessel away from the main area of combat.

One intercept was successful, detonating one missile at roughly 2,000 meters from the convoy, while the other was hit by a wave during the final approach at low altitude and failed, with the anti-shipping missile striking the Siorat on its starboard side (sheck terms - astern right/left).

Aftereffects

Varshan issued no statement related to the attack, with captured records indicating that the Siorat was listed as a collateral neutral casualty. It is believed by Fhainnin strategists and military commenters that the attack was aimed at the Fhainnin convoy deliberately,

Following the sinking, the Occidental nations approached Faneria with an offer for it to join the war in exchange for colonial possessions and protectorates in northern Cusinaut, which it accepted, declaring war on Algoquona in early 2023 and landing troops in the western portion of the country while most of its armed forces were fighting Urcean armed forces in the east. Varshan declared war on Faneria as a result.