Battle of the Martian Moons

The Battle of the Martian Moons was the first major space battle of the United Nations Space Command. UNSC forces simultaneously moved against two sizable Frieden fleets, which were gathered near the Deimos and Phobos respectively. Losses were considerable on both sides; while surviving Frieden forces were able to withdraw in some order, the UNSC attack was judged a success as all organized enemy space forces withdrew from the inner system by May 2163. UNSC dominance in Martian Space would go uncontested by an enemy until the Battle of Mars in late 2552.
==Background==
Following the assassination of Nadja Mielke in early November 2163, Frieden space forces had collected in the vicinity of Deimos and Phobos, the moons of Mars, in anticipation of a large space attack on Koslovic-affiliated assets. However, the United Nations Space Authority launched an assault on Mars in December 2163, and its successor, the United Nations Space Command, had maintained its enormous fleet near Mars. Unable to launch a direct offensive against Koslovic or UNSC forces, the Frieden forces around Deimos and Phobos instead became fleets in being and effectively compelled the UNSC fleet to remain at Mars, less the Frieden commands linked their divided fleets and moved against Earth, the belt, or Jovian Space.
UNSC Commanders concluded that the only realistic approach to the problem these fleets presented was to engage and destroy them outright, or at least inflict sufficient casualties on the Frieden to drastically reduce their offensive capabilities. Offensive operations were initiated on March 17, with UNSC battle groups departing the fleet and moving towards Frieden positions in the near-orbits of Deimos and Phobos. 
====UNSC losses====
The UNSC Navy lost 31 ships in the Battle of the Martian Moons: a trio of carriers, five cruisers, and twenty-three destroyers were irreparably damaged or outright destroyed. The largest ships lost were the crippled heavy carrier Solar Soldier and the assault carrier Tornado. 
*UNSC Solar Soldier, Solar Princess-class heavy carrier (irreparably damaged)
*UNSC Tornado, Whirlwind-class assault carrier (destroyed)
*UNSC Celestial Glory, Celestial Radiance-class light carrier (irreparably damaged)
*UNSC Commonwealth, heavy cruiser (destroyed)
*UNSC Accordance, Accordance-class light cruiser (irreparably damaged)
*UNSC Balance, Accordance-class light cruiser (destroyed)
*UNSC Justice, Accordance-class light cruiser (irreparably damaged)
*UNSC Columbia, light cruiser (irreparably damaged)
*UNSC Allegiance, super-heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Chemnitz, Berlin-class heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Euboea Montes, Berlin-class heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Una-Sana, New York-class heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Amsterdam, Bordeaux-class heavy destroyer (irreparably damaged)
*UNSC Bratislava, Bordeaux-class heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Cape Town, Bordeaux-class heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Incheon, Bordeaux-class heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Roman Republic, Bordeaux-class heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Semarang, Bordeaux-class heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Dreadnought, heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Onslaught, heavy destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Dharan, Alexandria-class light destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Inverness, Alexandria-class light destroyer (irreparably damaged)
*UNSC Pyongyang, Alexandria-class light destroyer (destroyed) 
*UNSC Chattanooga, Halifax-class light destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Dallas, Halifax-class light destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC San Francisco, Halifax-class light destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Tbilisi, Halifax-class light destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Algiers, Kyoto-class light destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Fleur-de-lis, Kyoto-class light destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Tel Aviv, Kyoto-class light destroyer (destroyed)
*UNSC Vitebsk, Kyoto-class light destroyer (irreparably damaged)
Category:Battles