Battle of Monica

The Battle of Monica was an armed engagement between forces of the Royal Manticoran Navy and the Monican Navy which was fought in the Monica System on 16 February 1921 PD.
== Prelude ==
After being taken prisoner in the Montana System, Captain Duan Binyan of the Mesan slaver Marianne, informed Captain Aivars Terekhov of the secret military build-up in the Monica System. Terekhov ordered then to scout the system and proceeded to Monica with small improvised group of warships. ()
:See also: Copenhagen
== Order of Battle ==
=== RMN ===
Ad hoc squadron/light task group composed of the Southern Patrol's units, CO Captain (SG) Aivars Terekhov:
* HMS Hexapuma (CA), CO Captain (SG) Aivars Terekhov
* HMS Warlock (CA), CO Captain (JG) Ito Anders (†)
* HMS Vigilant (CA) †, acting CO Lieutenant Commander Osborne DiamondLieutenant Gainsworthy, third engineer, took over after his death.
* HMS Gallant (CL) †, CO Commander Josepha Hewlett
* HMS Audacious (CL) †, CO Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Mavundia
* HMS Aegis (CL), CO Commander Herawati Lignos
* HMS Janissary (DD) †, CO Lieutenant Commander Maitland Naysmith
* HMS Javelin (DD) †, CO Lieutenant Commander Bruce Jeffers
* HMS Rondeau (DD) †, CO Lieutenant Commander Frank Hennessy
* HMS Aria (DD), CO Lieutenant Bianca Rossi
Supported by HMS Volcano (AE), CO Commander Mira Badmachin - held position outside the hyper limit during the battle, filled combat units with missile pods after the second engagement.
===MSN===
Senior officer present - Admiral Isidor Hegedusic:
* Eroica Station, controlling 120 deployed system defence missile pods with 960 missilesBuilt and delivered by Technodyne Industries., CO Admiral Isidor Hegedusic
* First Battlecruiser Division, CO Commodore Janko Horster:
** MNS Cyclone †, CO Commodore Janko Horster
** MNS Hurricane †
** MNS Typhoon †, CO Captain Schroeder
== Course of battle ==
Hexapuma, and the hastily assembled squadron its captain had arranged, arrived in Monica after Captain Terekhov's discovery of the Jessyk Combine's involvement in distributing weapons to insurrections in the Talbott Cluster and the central role Monica was playing in the scheme. Terekhov's immediate demand that Monica stand down its Navy pending determination of what was going on was rejected, leading to hostilities.
There were two phases during the actual battle, after the ultimatum to the Monican Admiral commanding was rejected:
# The attack on Eroica Station
# The combat with the Monican battlecruiser division
== Aftermath ==
Even though HMS Hexapuma herself was badly damaged, Terekhov managed to keep the remaining Monican forceTwo light cruisers, four destroyers and six LACs from attacking by threatening to launch a nuclear bombardment on Eroica Station. Rear Admiral Augustus Khumalo's reinforcement force, led by HMS Hercules, arrived after seven days and forced Monica to surrender. (, )
=== RMN losses ===
* 77% manpower casualties - 51% dead and 26% wounded
* 6 ships destroyed:
** HMS Janissary
** HMS Javelin
** HMS Gallant
** HMS Rondeau
** HMS Audacious
** HMS Vigilant
* damaged HMS Warlock constructive total loss due to age and repair cost
=== MSN losses ===
* 3 active battlecruisers destroyed
* 9Two remaining undamaged vessels were later confiscated by the RMN inactive battlecruisers: 8 destroyed, 1 heavily damaged
* 5 heavy cruisers, 6 light cruisers, 15 destroyers, and all but six LACs - destroyed or heavily damaged
* 75% of manpower
=== Source Text of the Rear Admiral Khumalo's Statement ===
"President Tyler, I apologize for not getting back to you more promptly. As you know, the current one-way transmission lag to Eroica Station is well over forty minutes. Given that inevitable delay in our communications loop, I judged it would be wiser to speak directly to Captain Terekhov and hear his version of the unfortunate events here in Monica in person before speaking to you again. Obviously, I am deeply distressed by the loss of life, both Monican and Manticoran. The destruction of so many ships, and so much damage to the public property of the Union, are also deeply distressing to me. And I must inform you that Captain Terekhov, by his own admission to me in his formal reports, acknowledges that his actions were completely unauthorized by any higher authority. I have carefully considered your requests that I disavow his actions, remove him from his command, formally apologize to your government for his actions, and agree to submit this entire tragic affair to the investigation and arbitration of the Office of Frontier Security. And I am certain my Queen could desire very few things more than a speedy, just, and fair resolution to all of the myriad questions, accusations, and claims and counter-claims arising from events here in Monica.
Unfortunately, Mr. President, while all of that is true, I am also of the opinion that what my Queen would even more strongly desire is for you and your government to explain to her why you have been directly assisting efforts to recruit, support, encourage, and arm terrorist organizations engaged in active campaigns of assassination, murder, and destruction against the citizens of other sovereign star nations who have requested membership in the Star Kingdom of Manticore. I am further of the opinion that she would argue that my first responsibility is to protect those citizens from future attack and determine precisely who supplied those responsible for the attacks already carried out with the several tons of modern Solarian weapons Captain Terekhov confiscated in the Split System. 
Moreover, I fear Her Majesty is unlikely to repose the most lively possible confidence in the impartiality of any investigation by the Solarian League's Office of Frontier Security, and that she would be most displeased if the two surviving battlecruisers obviously provided to you by Solarian interests should mysteriously disappear before that investigation could be completed to everyone's satisfaction. Obviously, at this great distance from Manticore, I cannot know for certain what Her Majesty will ultimately decide when she considers these weighty matters, It is my judgment, however, as the senior officer present of the Queen's Navy, that until I do know what her decision is, it is my duty and responsibility to maintain the status quo in this star system pending the arrival of the substantial reinforcements I have requested from Home Fleet, which will undoubtedly arrive with dispatches directly from Manticore. At that time, should my Queen instruct me to comply with your requests, I will, of course, be only too happy to do so. Until that time, however, I must unreservedly endorse Captain Terekhov's actions and inform you that I concur entirely in his conclusions and have every intention of continuing the policy and the military stance he has adopted since the unfortunate engagement with your naval units. It is my earnest hope that this entire situation can be resolved as amicably as possible, between the diplomatic representatives of two civilized star nations, with no further loss of life or damage to property, public or private. If, however, you should choose—as is your undoubted right—to use the military force remaining under your command against any unit of the Royal Manticoran Navy, or should I have any reason to believe you are taking steps to destroy, conceal, or remove evidence from Eroica Station, I will not hesitate to act precisely as Captain Terekhov has already informed you he would act. The decision, Mr. President, is up to you. I trust you will choose wisely."
— Rear Admiral Augustus Khumalo, Statement Concerning Military Incident in the Monica SystemMonica System, 1921 PD
== References ==
Monica, Battle of
Monica, Battle of