The Kinrai island offensive

Written by Somerled

It had been four years since all land south of the songjin river seceded from the repuplic of Tsaran to form the Union of celestial kingdoms, and they were winning. At this stage in the war they had expelled every republic offensive sent against them and following their policy of agressive military expansion had annexed several republic states as well as the territories of other nations and somtimes nations in their entirety, effectivly doubling in size. Almost every overseas, astrel and inter relm colony and dominion had sided with the union before the republic could grant their independence and they held the league of nations hostage with the largest trade blockade in history. In an effort to turn the tide in the republics favour an audatious strategic plan was drawn up to strike at the underbelly of the union and cut it off from it's territorial expanstions in the great southern sea called the ivory circle. The island of Kinrai was the main base of opperations for their expansions. If the republic could seize it and turn it into a staging ground against the union it could result in a major power shift. Despite it being approved by president Taina very few in Republic high command believed it could actually be pulled off. The operation had such a low chance of success and such a high casualty anticipation that in the upper echelons of republic command it was jokingly called operation certain death.

The Conflict

Prelude

Republican preperations

As the republic was squeezed for fighting men. they could spare very few forces for the operation but one republic force was more than willing to take on the mission. The kinrai republic volunteers was made up of republican Kinrai Islanders who were exiled when the Celestial royal guard purged the island of political and ethnic undesirables. They had undergone the changes made to form the republics new model army and had proven themselves in battle time and time again. They were more than happy to take their island back. They were also joined by a force from the Commonwealth of free Auroran territories, specifically from the tropical island territory of Bacara. They are also joined by a unit of Kishinai imperial marines and elite light infantry from Chiora who are greatly experienced in fighting unconventionaly against the colonial forces of the union. However they receive very few naval, armoured and air support. Knowing that they will ne heavily outnumbered and out gunned republic strategists work round the clock to form a plan to secure the island. The combined force train hard for two months in unconventional warfare, amphibious landing, fighting in monsoon conditions and swift out maneuvering tactics.

Union preperations

The union force on the island had heard of the insane plan through their spy network but did not expect them to actually invade so the mood was fairly relaxed. The island was also already heavily fortified and always had a large garrison of good soldiers However some commanders insisted on drwaing up contingency plans for an invasion. As the unionist troops were drilled in their contingency plan if the coalition actually invaded they were being fed virulent anti coalition propaganda, designed to make them think the coalition forces were militarily and racially inferior and would pose no real threat. They told the troops that the republicans were a useless force of poorly equipped battle virgins, the Aurorans were just inexperienced farmers, the Kishinai were short little bookworms and that the Cruthi were primitive, shortsited, illiterate hill people.

Conditions

On the advice of Col, Jinn Ambra of the Kinrai republic volunteers the coalition decided to launch their invasion in the rainy season. They identified that the union forces depended on contemporary and traditional warfare consisting of open, regimented battle. The harsh monsoon conditions would hinder the traditionalist union tactics and aid the unconventional tactics of the coalition. While this was indeed the case the harsh rain, wind and mud bogged down all forces. They hindered supply lines for both sides, caused severe problems to equipment and weapons, made providing air support increasingly difficult and prevented the wounded from getting extracted. Battlefield conditions were noted as being particularly harsh in the thick jungles of the island. However the coalition had sent in a force they new could operate in such conditions. They had trained their soldiers and pilots for a month straight to operate in the monsoon while the main union army did not expect to have to fight for the island at all. The terrain was also unsuitable for their armored vehicles and mechs, which they found could not adequately traverse the terrain making them easy targets for flight craft and coalition anti armor units. The Union's only saving grace were the local Kinrai royal soldiers and unionist militia who while not battle hardened had a great knowledge of the island as well as the presence of admiral Ma' Kin Taigas's ivory circle expeditionary force who had been fighting to expand their empire in lands with similar climates and could put up more of a fight.

The Engagement

Native partisan assaults

On the 4th of Weisen 1476, all indigenous rebel cells on the island received the word from the invasion force to launch a coordinated strike against various Celestian positions on the island. From their remote bases deep in the Kinrai mountain forests the partisans launched simultaneous attacks around the island to sow confusion and disrupt troop movements before the invasion.

The storming of Lyn bay

The invasion force gathered at Vana buri began to cross the strait of anii to Kinrai. Under the assumption that the coalition will assault the capital of Bensing in the southwest directly and to deal with the insurgents most union forces are pulled away from Lyn bay. What forces remained garrisoned there had shut the giant sea gate that sealed off the entirety of the mouth of Lyn bay. The coalition launched surprise air raids on positions around the bay but could not make an opening on the gate. However the sea gate did not stop the coalition for long as they sends forth a single ironclad vessel laden with explosives at full speed to the gate. the vessel punches a hole in the gate then the crew then light the fuses and abandoned the vessel. The explosion sends a whole section of the brick gate crumbling to the seabed and he fleet sails through bombarding rebel positions across the mainland side of the bay. Landing parties are sent either side of the bay mouth. The Kinrai volunteers and frostlanders to secure the port town of Konwei and the Kishinai marines and Bacara rangers to the other to secure the large airbase and gun positions on the cliff face of Veskin island. In three days they successfully storm the bay, capture the airfield, destroy the coastal guns, secure the town and make the area safe for the main force to land. The coalition only looses one ironclad, 5 flight craft and 40 men.

Rebel response

Upon hearing that the attack had landed on the opposite side of the island, prince Velamen orders his forces to put his "Two walls" defense strategy into effect. The plan is to dig in all across the island and use the first wall in the north to stall the invasion for as long as possible in the north and south causing as much damage to the invasion force as possible. Once the coalition has been weakened enough the the second wall will attack will launch a counter offensive to smash the invasion into submission, or depending on where the invasion gets to possibly out maneuver surround them. He orders the native conscripts, colonial Auxiliary forces and the infamous expeditionary force to form the first wall in the mountainous jungles and Riverlands the second by the army of Shantiana, imperial guard and unionist militia. But one of his officers isn't following orders.

The assault of Jiida ridge

Throughout the course of the defense planning Prince Velamen must to put up with traditionalist officers who disapprove of his tactics. One of these officers, major general Atana Siskin, is moving a force of eight thousand army of Shantiana to assault the invasion force before they can disembark with their supplies, despite the land not being scouted. They slam into a republic volunteer picket guard force dug in at Jiida ridge. They advance in line at the ridge expecting to face a poorly trained, poorly equipped shambles, but this is the republics new model army. The republicans fire volley after volley from their new Abbotaine bolt rifles and the unionists lose twenty men for every yard they advanced. The union force must frequently pause to fire there Cambeth mark IV breach loading rifles which has little impact. Siskin orders three waves of men to couch bayonets and charge up the ridge at the republicans, but they unable to breach the republican breastworks. The charge soon breaks rank under heavy fire but they keep going and at one point a unionist unit manages to break the line at the top of the ridge and engage in close combat, but they are soon put to the bayonet. Thinking the line is broken, Siskin orders the rest of his force to charge but under continuous fire, taking heavy losses and tripping over the bodies of their comrades killed in front of them they return to the base of the ridge. Siskin is severely reprimanded for disobedience and Prince Velamen warns all traditionalist officers that.... "I care not the house from which you come or which rank you bare. Nor you're devotion to tradition or the friends you have amongst the crowns. If such disobedience that threatens our position and strategic advantage be carried out again it shall be punished with the firing squad."

The two fronts

The invasion splits into two main forces. One force of mainly Kinrai volunteers and the Imperial marines faints an advance to the south of the Kin li mountain range that runs through almost the entirety of the island with only one path around it in the south. Once their they will form a defensive line and prevent the main unionist force from reenforcing the first wall. The second force reinforced by the Bacara rangers, frostlanders and native partisans will advance north into the mountain jungles and Riverlands in order to liberate the native settlements and secure the east of the island.

defection

The northern force advances under heavy fire from the heavily wooded hills between them and the first wall defensive line stalls them to a near crawl for two weeks. The unionists destroy bridges and republicans are forced to ford almost every river they traverse. They are forced to take one gun position and trench line at a time, while avoiding and harassing the much larger force sent against them. As they ready themselves to push against the first wall a large column of almost nine thousand native conscripts and colonial auxiliaries march out of the jungle to surrender and offer their services to the republic.

The battle of mudskipper creek

Though their numbers had increased to thirteen thousand, the northern force are still heavily outnumbered. They now face the famed expeditionary force numbering twenty thousand who manage to head them off at the jainin river. After continually harassing them up and down the line the coalition launch their attack at a shallow and heavily wooded crossing. From sharp inclines at either side of the creek they fire at each other in lines as the monsoon rain lashes down and it becomes clear to both sides how good the others are. With armored support the expeditionary force attempts to advance across but the unsuitable armored vehicles get stuck in the mud and start sinking in waist high waters, Republic anti armor units make short work of them before the republicans fire two more volleys and charge them. After savage close quarters fighting with bayonets, rifle butts, short swords and bare hands the beaten expeditionary force retreats north to their secondary defensive positions.

Air and sea attacks

The battle for the skies of Kinrai are constant and fierce. Republic and Kishinai flight craft launched bombing raids on military positions across the island, particularly factories, air fields and army bases. They hunt down war mechs and shoot down the slow moving combat airships strafing coalition ground forces. They even managed to disable the carrier URS Sing da beyond repair. The highly trained Kishinai pilots were noted as being particularly effective at shooting down the enemy squadrons. The Kishinai imperial navy along with a squadron of republic 'sea eagle' ship hunter flight craft level all navel bases and safe harbors both on the coast and on the rivers before they can mobilize.

The battle of Men Yei

After hearing about the defection and defeat in the east and still convinced the main attack will come from the south, prince Velamen sends a division of celestial guard to break the force blocking the southern pass around the kin li mountains in the town of men Yei. The guard are the fanatical elite force in service to the celestial crowns of the union. They launch continuous attacks over the next four days with everything from cavalry to iron rhinos while constantly bombarding the coalition line with cannon. Lt Col Abbi Sonben orders gradual withdrawal with small forces led by the Imperial marines holding specific lines of defense until they pass through a large gorge where they make their set defensive line. Thinking victory is within grasp the guard chased them relentlessly only to be bottlenecked in the gorge. The guard is hit with heavy cannon and rifle fire but continue streaming into the gorge until the division is all but destroyed.

Taking the east

The northern force advances wreaking havoc as the go. Destroying factories, burning military bases, sabotaging union military hardware, burning warehouses of wealthy and planters, confiscating the riches and produce sent from the ivory circle, destroying tramlines, destroying crop and magic refineries and freeing slaves. As they enter towns they are either greeted as liberators of reviled as traitors. The increasingly desperate expeditionary force digs in and fights fiercely but can not hold the coalition back for long. The Bacara rangers who have been fighting dislodge the unions colonial empire for years in the ivory circle particularly relish the fight as well as the colonial defectors seeking revenge on those who ravaged their homelands. As the coalition slowly begins to squeeze the unionists towards the Kin li mountains fighting breaks out amongst them on wither to surrender, die fighting or fall back over the mountains. Some ran to the mountains to attempt a traversal, others formed suicide units to make assaults on the coalition but the majority of the expeditionary force surrendered and the first wall had fallen.

The battle of Blacksand reef

Upon being informed of the severity of the situation admiral Ma' Kin Taigas himself sends a fleet to sail from the mainland with three divisions of expeditionary force in tow to reinforce the island. Two days from the island they are struck by the Kishinai imperial navy at blacksand reef. It was the bane of the union fleets, Admiral Watanabe Hanzo who had supplied the naval support to the invasion. He had kept the bulk of his fleet in the hope Admiral Taigas would send a relief effort and he now seazes the chance to ambush the fleet. for five long hours the air hums with propellor and thunders with cannonfire, dogfights cloud the sky and ships clash together in splinters. Crews board eachother and clash with knife and bayonete but the Kishinai prevail once more. Two union carriers had been sunk and the large fleet decimated. The devisions of reinforcements are sunk and the few hauld from the wrecks are taken prisoner. What little remained of the fleet turns back to the mainland.

Battle of the cold peaks

Upon securing the east the republic force now endeavor to traverse the heavily guarded paths through the kin li mountains. The task is given to the frostlanders. These are the ferocious kilted soldiers from the snowy forests and hills of northern Chiora, just the right kind of soldiers for the job. They know that the unionists have the advantage of strong vantage points and artillery and that the force in the mountains were the elite 7th Shantiana marines who outnumbered them three to one. They decide that all there attacks on the unionist positions will be at night, an unconventional tactic of the time but not a problem for the frostlanders as human Cruthi can see in the dark as well as non-human Cruthi. They are the only ethnic group considered to be human that has this ability. The frostlanders hunt game in the jungle to make makeshift warm garb for themselves, they then make a sacrifice and pray to their goddess of war, scale the mountain and dig into the narrow crags and gullies near the enemy positions. As night falls in the cold peaks the miserable unionist defenders in there breastworks are awoken by a chorus of blood chilling war cries. The frostlanders advance up the slopes in small squadrons, creeping up as close as they can before the loud wailing of bagpipes sounds their charges. Unionists fire blindly into the night but are soon cut down and forced higher and higher up the slope to the main union position at the top ridge. It is here they meet stiff resistance that keeps them at bay for four days. The frostlanders fight off a counter offensive but cannot advance themselves. A group of them manage to quietly scale the crags to the union exposed flank and begin to fire effectively. The rest of the frostlanders storm the union position and shatter it forcing the unionists to retreat.

The march to Bensing

Word reaches the southern force that the northern force has traversed the mountains and are in the west and move into the west themselves. The two forces move to meet each other and once again wreak havoc in the farmlands, further destroying military and industrial property, burning manor houses, liberating towns and freeing even more slaves. Fighting vicious defense all the way. The forces eventually meet and the combined force marches to meet the second wall at their last line of defense before the capital.

Battle of Shan ridge

The advance at Shan ridge is slow and bloody. heavy rain prevents the use of cannons so it is the infantry that makes the advance. Coalition forces claw their way up the dense scrubland of the hills, fighting a well dug in and desperate enemy in the fort at the top of the ridge. They are held back by union forces on high ground with belt fed lever gun positions forcing them to attack slowly again clearing out one position at a time. The Kinrai republic volunteers lead the advance, utilizing hand dragons to clear brush and enemy positions. In between fights the soldiers are so close they can hear each other and knowing the troops from both sides are islanders begin to taunt each other, calling each other traitors and shouting of how they turned against their own people. Close quarter fighting is frequent and lines fire point blank at each other. Armored units also engage each other frequently pushing each other up and down the slopes. Coalition forces suffer heavy losses as they advance and their first two charges fail. On the third day the rain subsides and a hobbled together force of Kinrai volunteers, imperial marines, frostlanders and Bacara rangers form a unit to take the ridge. Coalition artillery pounds the ridge for two hours and once more the coalition storms up the hill. The Rebels hit back with all their might until a Kinrai volunteer unit manages to encircle the union position and storm the fort. When the fort is lost the union defense collapses and retreats. As dawn brakes the coalition force can see that the rest of the second line are fleeing back to Bensing.

In a letter from high king Kosobar to Prince Velamen

"I wish to express with all clarity that there is to be no consideration of surrender to the republic." All royal forces and subjects must observe honorable military tradition and fight to the death in defense of his country. Let the republic bleed for their victory and conquer naught but ruin and bone."

The surrender

Republic artillery bombarded the fortified island city for days and days as they prepare to land. They expect to have to make multiple landings on the many islands the city encompasses as the defenders fight to the death. Many of the republic volunteers have been dreading this moment. Invading their own homeland and doing battle against their old friends and neighbours has been difficult enough but laying waist to the island capital adds yet more weight to already heavy shoulders. Yet staunch in the belief they are liberating their home they will do it still. However two days before the attack is launched they are met with good news. A single row boat sails across the narrow straight from the city with Prince Velamen at it's head. He meets with Col Ambra and in defiance of his high king hands him his sword, surrendering without condition. cheers resound from the republic camp but they keep a level calm as the remaining union force lay down their arms and are taken into custody. Friends and family who had been fighting each other the day before now found and embraced eachother and the surrendered unionists are treated by most republicans with kindness. Citizens were told that if the republic force made it to the city they would take revenge on them but as the coalition marches into the city no revenge is taken but for incidents against the Celestialroyal guard. Some civilians shower them with praise and greet them kindly while others curse them and hurl things at them. None the less the atmosphere is sombre, one could say even respectfull as they reach city hall and remove the union flag. A lone frostlander piper plays the anthem of the republic as its colours are hoisted aloft and by days end the city and the island are firmly under the control of the coalition.

Outcome

After the surrender of all remaining rebel forces on the island the republic troops moved quickly to occupy the island settlements, including the capital of Bensing. The kinrai republic volunteers in the uphorea of victory set about exacting revenge on those who perpetrated the atrocities against them after secession. They treated local troops, unionist civillians and regular union troops with kindness but hunted down members of the Celestian guard and party members. they held most of them in custody but some were beaten, shot or bayoneted in the street. There were also some instances of hangings and republic troops and native partasans beheading clestian prisoners with their short swords. Indavidual troops oftn broke rank to settle vendettas with their neighbors who turned on them.
The coalition swiftly moved to establish their base of operations on the island and heavily reinforced it for future operations in the ivory circle.
The union defeat was headline news across the world and stunned the union public. The narrative of the union invincibility and the heroic union army holding the impregnable fortress of Kinrnai against the coalition rabble was shattered. The defeat and the pontential consequences of it struck a huge blow to union morale as they did not have a contingency plan for the island actually falling.
The victory brought a much needed feeling of hope to the republic. It showed that the mighty union army could be beaten and that the new model army was an effective fighting force.

Aftermath

The occupation of the island proved pivotal in turning the tide in the republic's favour. The coalition increased their operations in the ivory circle sucessfully dismantling their presence over the next 3 years. This contributed to the destruction of the great trade blockade they held over the known world and searved as one of the main points for the southern invasion of the union mainland.

Historical Significance

The Kinrai heritage building in the capital of Bensing has a large exhibition dedecated to the battle and the history of that period. It has a wide arrey of artifacts from weapons and artilliary peices to the writings and personall effects of those who experienced it first hand. It tries to give an unbiesed account of the events.
In the Bensing memorial garden stands the monument to the offensive. It is a statue of two battle wiery soldiers from either side with both a republic and union flag posted at it. The inscription on it reads 'Divided once to often'. While the display of union symbolism is considered a controvertial action in modern Tsaran, the community on the islands is in almost unanimous agreement that the flag on the memorial for the fallen Kinrai unionists should remain.

Legacy

While seen as simply another footnote of the war in the rest of Tsaran, it remains an upsetting subject on the islands. The scars it left on both the landscape and the people still remain. The fact that the islanders who had always felt a strong sense of neighbourliness and community had turned on each other and brutaly killed each other in battle has never left the memories of modern islanders. Today the islanders live under an unspoken vow amongst themselves that this would never happen again.

In Literature

The book 'Fire in the rain' was published jointly by veterans Lara and Kai Hinmun, two young sweethearts who fought on opposit sides of the offensive. They reunited at the end of the offensive and married after the end of the war. It detailes the politiocal turmoil and conflict from both perspectives through what they experienced.

Included under Conflict

Celestial Independence war

Conflict Type

Military Campaign

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

4th of Weisen 1476

Ending Date

18th of Nurunvend 1476

Conflict Result

Coalition victory

Location

Kinrai Island

Belligerents

Coalition force

Union of celestial kingdoms

Strength

Kinrai Republic volunteers- 15,500
Indigionous partasans- 8000
8th Bacara commonwelth rangers- 5000
Kishinai imperial marines- 5000
Kilrhonan Frostlanders -7000
5th Republic armoured devision- 30 Iron rhinos
3rd artilliary- roughly 40- field artilliary, 30 AF, 30 mortars
Tsaranese republic aviation corps (Limited support) roughly 30 flightcraft
Kishinai Imperial navy (limited support) 1 carrier, 1 Man o war 4 ironclads, 4 frigates, 40 flightcraft

Celestial army of Shantiana and Celestial royal guard- 40,000 to 50,000 infantry and cavalry
Ivory circle expeditionary force- 20,000
Kinrai Unionist millitia- 6000
Indigionous conscripts- 3000
Colonial Auxilliary forces- 5000
9th royal armoured devision- 50 iron rhinos, 200 armoured coaches, 15 combat mechs of varying size
Royal aviation corps- roughly 380 flightcraft, 20 combat airships
Royal navy- 3 carriers, 7 ironclads, 2 man o wars 18 frigates
Royal artillary- 50+ field artillary, anti Flightcraft and costal artillary peices

Casualties

4945 dead
6670 wounded
24 flightcraft shot down
1 frigate sunk and 2 damaged
One ironclad used as explosive ram

12,840 killed
17,570 wounded
13,767 captured
5823 defected
26 armoured rhinos destroyed and 24 captured
105 armoured coaches destroyed and 95 captured
All combat mechs destroyed
All Combat airships shot down
2 carriers critically damaged and one sunk, 13 ships sunk with 2 damaged beyond repair
130 Flightcraft shot down
Multipule artillary peices captured by Coalition forces
30,321 slaves liberated
1.6 billion worth in modern currency of damage done to Union millitary assets, private property and commerce

Objectives

Take control of the island from unionist forces with the goal of full military occcupation, causing as much damage to unionist military infrastructure and utilities as possible.
Establish a coalition staging ground for further operations in the ivory circle and for the invasion of the Union mainland.

Prevent Coalition forces from gaining control of the Island by any means neccisary.
Wipe out the Aborigional insurgants