Second Battle of Marsh

Second Battle of Marsh Conflict Second Haven-Manticore War Date 17 January 1920 PD Place Marsh System Result Alliance victory Combatants Manticoran Alliance: TF 34, TF Sidemore - RMN Protector's Own - GSN 2 FLT - RHN Commanders Adm. Honor Harrington Adm. Lester Tourville Strength 18 SD(P) 25 SD 11 DN 10 CLAC with 1230 LAC 42 BC CL DD 450 system LAC 12 SD(P) 34 SD 8 CLAC with 1900 LAC 24 BC Casualties destroyed at least: 2 BC 3 CL more than a half of all units, but at least: 10 SD(P) 6 SD 3 CLAC 700 LAC

The Second Battle of Marsh or Battle of Sidemore was fought between forces of the Manticoran Alliance and the Republic of Haven Navy in the Marsh System.

Expecting to encounter only the original system defense forces supported by Task Force 34, the Havenite forces were blindsided with the unexpected presence of the Protector's Own Squadron. (HH10)

Order of battle

Manticoran Alliance

• Task Force 34, RMN, Admiral Honor Harrington commanding
  • Task Group 34.1, Rear Admiral Alistair McKeon commanding:
    • Battle Squadron 9, Rear Admiral George Astrides commanding
    • Battle Squadron 12, Rear Admiral Alenka Overgaard commanding
    • Battle Squadron 15, Rear Admiral Steven Laufer commanding
    • Battle Squadron 16, Rear Admiral Samuel Webster commanding
    • Battle Squadron 29, Rear Admiral Ernestine Fuller commanding
    • Battlecruiser Squadron 21, Rear Admiral Ilona Atwater commanding
    • Light Cruiser Squadron 42, Commodore Kimiyo Ishada commanding
    • Destroyer Flotilla 17, Commodore James Cardogan commanding
  • Task Group 34.2, Rear Admiral Alice Truman commanding
    • Carrier Squadron 4, Rear Admiral Alice Truman commanding
    • Battlecruiser Squadron 15, Rear Admiral Eloise Silvestri commanding
    • Battlecruiser Squadron 17, Rear Admiral Janice Smithwell commanding
    • Destroyer Flotilla 7, Commodore Alecto Matheson commanding
• Task Force Sidemore, RMN, Rear Admiral Anson Hewitt commanding
  • Battle Squadron 7, Rear Admiral Thomas Gates commanding
  • Battle Squadron 81, Rear Admiral Veronica Lawless commanding
  • Battlecruiser Squadron 7, Rear Admiral Sir Sogo Fletcher commanding
  • Battlecruiser Squadron 12, Rear Admiral Erica Younts commanding
• Protector's Own, GSN, Admiral Alfredo Yu commanding
  • Battle Squadron 1 (Protector's Own), Rear Admiral Warner Caslet commanding
  • Battle Squadron 2 (Protector's Own), Rear Admiral Mark Brentworth commanding
  • Carrier Squadron 1 (Protector's Own), Rear Admiral Harriet Benson-Dessouix commanding
  • Battlecruiser Squadron 1 (Protector's Own), Rear Admiral Cynthia Gonsalves commanding

RHN

Second Fleet - Admiral Lester Tourville commanding:

• wall of battle, including:
  • Battle Squadron 21 (RHN) - CO Rear Admiral Scott Zrubek †
  • pre-pod units
• a CLAC squadron
• a battlecruiser element

Course of battle

Hyper translation of the Protector's Own during the battle forced the Second Fleet to withdraw. Allied LACs were tasked with damaging impellers of the invader's vessels. Allied forces weren't able to completely destroy the Second Fleet.

Aftermath

The Second Battle of Marsh was the only unquestioned Alliance victory during the Havenite's Operation Thunderbolt. Because the Republic of Haven appeared the real threat, on the basis of realpolitik, the Andermani Empire ceased hostilities against the Star Kingdom of Manticore and joined the Manticoran Alliance. The Star Kingdom of Manticore, in return, sacrificed nominal independence and territorial integrity of the Silesian Confederacy. With the partition of that star nation, the most significant cause of potential war between the Star Kingdom of Manticore with the Andermani Empire disappeared.