Battle of Manticore (1543 PD)

:For the more famous 1921 PD battle, see Battle of Manticore.
The Battle of Manticore was fought in the Manticore System between the Royal Manticoran Navy and the invading Volsung Mercenaries in 1543 PD.
== Prelude ==
When the Axelrod Corporation of Terra realized that there was a high likelyhood for the existence of a wormhole junction with multiple termini in the outlying Manticore System, it began to look for a way to take control of the system away from the recently established Star Kingdom and take the anomaly for itself. ()
== Order of Battle ==
=== RMN ===
Commanding Officer, System Command - Admiral Locatelli
In chronological order of engagements:
*Green Two (Janus) - CO Commodore Heissman
** HMS Casey (CL-01) — flagship, CO Commodore Heissman
** HMS Gorgon (DD) - CO Captain Shapira
** HMS Hercules (CT) - CO Captain Hagros
** HMS Gemini (CT)
*Green One (Aegis) - CO Admiral Locatelli
** HMS Invincible (BC-05) — flagship, CO Captain Metzger
** HMS Swiftsure (BC)
** HMS Sphinx (CA)
** HMS Bellerophon (CC)
** HMS Phoenix (DD) - CO Captain Castillo
** HMS Damocles (DD) - CO Captain Marcello
** HMS Pegasus (CT)
** HMS Aquila (CT)
** HMS Libra (CT)
** HMS Aries (CT-05), MPARS - CO Captain Hardasty
** HMS Taurus (CT), MPARS - CO Captain Kostava
** fake battlecruiser element: HMS Vanguard and HMS Nike
=== Volsung Mercenaries ===
Senior Officer - Admiral Gensonne
* Advance Force - CO Admiral Gensonne
** Odin (BC) - CO Captain Imbar, flagship
** Tyr (BC) - CO Captain Blakely
** Copperhead (CA) - CO Captain von Belling
** Adder (CA)
** Ganymede (DD)
** Phobos (DD)
* Sidewinder Force
** Umbriel (DD) - CO Captain Patterson
** Miranda (DD) - CO Captain Hawkin
* Main Force - CO Captain De la Roza, second-in-command within the Volsung force
** Thor (BC) - CO Captain De la Roza, flagship
** cruiser element - 4 units
** destroyer element - 3 units, including:
*** Fox (DD)
*** Selene (DD)
* Invasion Force - Naglfar (FAT) with five battalions of troops onboard - CO Captain Olver
== Course of Battle ==
Series of engagements:
# Green Two (Janus) vs Advance Force - twenty-two Manticoran missiles thrown - HMS Gemini, HMS Gorgon, HMS Hercules and Tyr destroyed
# Green One (Aegis) vs Advance Force - HMS Phoenix and HMS Sphinx destroyed
# Wrecked HMS Phoenix vs Main Force - Thor destroyed with laser fire
# HMS Damocles and MPARS units vs Sidewinder Force - eight Manticoran missiles thrown - Umbriel destroyed
== Losses ==
RMN
* HMS Gemini
* HMS Gorgon
* HMS Hercules 
* HMS Phoenix
* HMS Sphinx
Volsung Mercenaries
* Thor
* Tyr
* Umbriel
== Aftermath ==
Upon the Volsungs' retreat, Admiral Locatelli sent a message back to Manticore:
:"This is Admiral Locatelli, commander of the Green One and Green Two Home Defense forces. We have met the enemy. He is vanquished. We have spilled our blood upon the field of combat. The field remains ours. We have faced doubts about our strengths and resolve. Those doubts are ended. A long life to the king, and may the Star Kingdom endure forever."
In honor of Senior Chief Osterman's heroic sacrifice aboard Phoenix, the Cross of Military Valor was renamed the Osterman Cross. Admiral Locatelli himself was awarded the Manticore Cross.
The death of Crown Prince Richard made his younger sister, Sophie, the new heir to the Manticoran throne. ()
Examination of one of the destroyed ships revealed the identity of direct invaders and their sponsors. ()
== References ==
Manticore (1543 PD), Battle of