Battle of Liberalis

The Battle of Liberalis, also called the Liberalis Campaign and the Final Victory, was the last major battle of the Great War, fought from 2 February to 10 February 3275 in the orbit of and on the surface of the Shrike capital world Liberalis, which had formerly been the capital world of the United Suns. After a series of battles left the United Suns sundered as its member states seceded, the Shrike Federacy seized the capital and forcibly dissolved the union in early January 3275 in favour of a concentrated national defence. By late January, Central Galactic Confederation positioned its forces for a massive encirclement and assault on the capital.
The Shrike defences prepared for a massive battle of annihilation and recalled their fleets to the homeworld. However, Terran Imperial intelligence had provided data on these fleet movements, and several flotillas were ambushed before they could move to reinforce Liberalis. As such, Confederate forces were able to deploy throughout the Corvin system starting on 2 February, and obliterated the Shrike space defences within two days. The Terran Imperial Space Navy invested around the hub world, Liberalis, engaging in a vicious orbital battle from 4 to 6 February and beginning orbital bombardment of key military installations. Landings were done at the planet's moon, then named Lanius, which led to its capture after a tense five-day battle. Attempted landings were made onto Liberalis itself, but proved too dangerous after the Shrikes modified their ballistic missiles for anti-air purposes and shot down most landing craft. Special operations forces were able to deploy and pinpoint surface targets for orbital bombardment.
On 10 February, the decision was made to seize the planet's orbital habitats and crash them all into the surface, to be followed by massive orbital bombardment using kinetic impactors, nuclear weapons, and mass use of biological and chemical weapons. The operation was spearheaded by Lieutenant Commander Seth Kubrick, and saw the successful implementation of the bombardment. The planet's population was annihilated and its surface devastated, leading to the CGC to declare a total victory. With the Shrike leadership decapitated, its military destroyed, and its capital in human hands, most of the remnants surrendered by the end of February. The Great War was declared over on 1 March 3275 following the signing of a peace treaty that dissolved the conquered alien nations.
Liberalis was renamed Tellus and its moon was renamed Megiddo after the war, and an effort began at environmental clean-up, terraforming, and human recolonisation.