Operation Kraken

Operation Kraken
Part of the Final War of the Deluge
Aquila N-17 provides cover fire for Tierradorian ground forces in the Battle of Lu!ket
Date January 29 – December 19, 2021 Location Southern Varshan Result Coalition victory Varshani Navy and Air Force decimated Complete naval blockade of the Varshani southern coast Varshani mining and energy industries crippled
Belligerents
Alstin Tierrador Porlos Supported by: Urcea	Varshan
Commanders and leaders
Ipana II Maté Utuqaat Juso Tulotas Daniel Lopes
Units involved
URAF Tierrador Army/Tierrador Air Force PGDF	Varshani Armed Forces
Strength
210,000 troops, 165 ships, and 680 aircraft 161,000 troops, 21 ships, and 350 aircraft 30,000 troops, 10 ships, and 39 aircraft	129,000 troops, 153 ships, and 400 aircraft
Casualties and losses
__ ships, ___ killed, ____ wounded 4,512 killed, 7,140 wounded, 21 aircraft lost 565 killed, 844 wounded, 5 aircraft lost	34,552 killed, 81,905 wounded, 149 ships lost, 330 aircraft lost

Operation Kraken was a naval and air operation which was part of the Final War of the Deluge. The operation occurred following a failed Varshani invasion of the U.R. Province of Veraise in late 2020. Notable targets for this operation included several Varshani ports along its southern coast, along with key energy and mineral-producing cities in the southeastern mountains. The operation alone resulted in the total decimation of the Varshani Navy, the Varshani Air Force, along with the complete cutoff of the southeastern portion from the rest of the country and a total naval blockade which was achieved following Operation Jonah. Operation Kraken is said to have crippled a good portion of Varshan's economy. The advantages provided by South Cronan forces allowed for the LoN coalition forces to make a deep push towards the Varshani capital city of Anzo.

Background

The decision for a Tierradorian ground-based mobilization had been suggested numerous times by Premier Spiro Sauga in 2020, following the initial outbreak of the war. While the Qangreč had staunchly denied, the subsequent 2020 Varshani invasion of Veraise would force them to change their minds. High-ranking military officers from Tierrador, Porlos, and Alstin met numerous times throughout December and planned for an Alstinian naval campaign with 165 ships creating a massive blockade spanning the Varshani southern coast, accompanied by Tierradorian land invasion in the southeast corridor from the featured a total of approximately 161,000 Tierradorian ground and marine troops, supported by 30,000 Porlosi Ground Forces, along with 350 total aircraft deployed from the Tierrador Air Force and 21 ships from the Tierrador Navy's Orixtal Fleet.

Both Woqali Ipana II and the Tierradorian public approved of military action against Varshan, given historical tensions between Zurgite Varshan and the Qabóri Woqalate.

Summary of operations

Naval campaign

UR Naval Blockade of Southern Coast

Decimation of Eastern Varshani Naval Forces

Invasion of Southern Varshan

Formation of AEF-V, commanded by General Nolan Reeves

LoN push into Stia-Dica

Initial Tierro-Porlosi mobilizations into southeast Varshan

The TDF allocated for 161,000 total troops to be deployed, with Ulunkheria and Telohakee combining for 60% of troops' origin. About 12,000 troops were deployed from Porlosi-hosted TDF bases in Waatijia, Anteerii, and Pacuí, which were established during the initial stages of the Deluge. Tierrador did not immediately mobilize outside of Porlos until February 6, almost a week following the first naval campaign and Alstinian counteroffensive. In that weeklong period, the Tierrador Air Force mobilized a total of 15 surveillance drones to find potential weaknesses in major Varshani cities, including Lu!ket, Pekkutl, and Tultultek. PGDF General Daniel Lopes would begin the operation by mobilizing 8,000 marine troops to conduct amphibious landings into the Asakolu Bay on February 6. The next day, the troops would land in Okuhetl, joined by 14,000 Tierradorian marine troops. This would begin the Battle of Asakolu Bay, with the Tierro-Porlosi marines making considerable progress against Okuhetl. On February 10, 18,000 TDF and 4,000 PGDF ground troops were moved into Veraise to assist in the counter-invasion efforts. Deployments into Varshan and Veraise would increase slowly for the next couple of weeks, with the main focus being acquiring a foothold into Varshani territory through the Asakolu Bay.

Along with the counter-invasion on the ground, the Tierrador Air Force launched a series of airstrikes across multiple Varshani military, mining, and energy sites, including Okuhetl, Lu!ket, Pekkutl, Ketulbe, Tasult, and Me!kep. This dealt a massive blow to the Varshani Air Force, as it was mainly concentrated across the country's southeastern highlands. Most Varshani ground and air defenses were crippled, and the destruction of many roads and bridges had all but cut off southeast Varshan from the rest of the country. The airstrikes would last for eight days, and had intentionally targeted military installations and resource reserves scattered across those six cities and in surrounding areas. This had also affected the dwindling invading forces in Veraise, with most of its supply lines going from southeast Varshan into Veraise that funneled reinforcements and equipments had been cut off, which had practically given Alstin the high ground in counter-invasion efforts.

By February 19, Varshani forces had been completely pushed out of Veraise. On February 20, the United Republic allowed for a further 88,000 TDF and 16,000 PGDF ground troops to mobilize into the Varshani highlands from four different points across Veraise. Having not experienced many casualties in the counter-invasion of Veraise, Tierro-Porlosi forces were relatively confident in their abilities against the largely inexperienced and forcibly-conscripted Varshani defenses. Following a day-long campaign through Jaguar Pass, the Tierro-Porlosi divisions were ambushed by Varshani forces just outside of Pekkutl, beginning the Battle of Jaguar Pass. On February 23, after Okuhetl had been placed under Tierradorian control with few casualties, General Juso Tolutas diverted the last few waves of 13,000 TDF troops to the nearby coastal city of Ketulbe, reinforced by 8,000 troops from the Okuhetl front. Ketulbe was much more prepared, however, as they had kept troop carriers from landing for nearly two weeks, with many Varshani gunboats being stationed across the city's port launching heavy artillery fire towards Tierradorian ships.

Further pushes into Varshani territory

Standstill at Jaguar Pass

Media

The Tierradorian video game Recon 7: Deluge, released in 2032 features a story-mode centered around Operation Kraken. The game also features many multiplayer maps based on real battle sites, such as Jaguar Pass, Asakolu Bay, and Lu!ket.

See also

Operation Jonah