Trojan Offensive

The Trojan Offensive was a series of major space engagements fought at end of the Interplanetary War. Frieden armies on the Jovian moons of Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede continued to resist UNSC forces and held out for a hoped-for counterattack by Frieden fleets mustering their strength throughout the Trojans; UNSC commanders concluded that the only means to end the war was to bring the battle to Frieden forces and destroy them. Thus, the UNSC conducted a series of major fleet engagements to destroy Frieden ships, shipyards, supply depots, and other facilities. UNSC forces suffered heavy losses during the offensive, comparable to the Fleet action of 2165 and the Martian Moons. Frieden losses were considerably greater, however, and the Trojan camps, long a powerful stronghold of Frieden forces, were conquered by the UNSC. Frieden leadership capitulated less than two months later. 
==Background==
The Trojans had long been a stronghold of the Frieden movement, from its earliest days. Every major offensive into the main asteroid belt had been launched, in some part, from either of the two Trojan camps. Every major raid on a colony or convoy was initiated from the Trojans, and every raid force knew it could always retreat to the safety of the Trojans to escape any UNSC pursuer. In the last six years, the UNSC had only dared to venture into Trojan space eleven times, and in each instance had suffered considerable losses for doing so. 
By January 2170, the war was clearly going against the Frieden. Mars was in the ironclad grasp of the UNSC; Luna had long been pacified, as had Io. The last Frieden holdouts on Ceres had surrendered to the UNSC. Frieden forces on Callisto, Europa, and Ganymede were effectively encircled and under siege. The UNSC had even dispatched a sizable expedition against the supposed ghost fleet near Saturn. Only the Trojans remained strong: fortified asteroid colonies brimming with troops and bristling with defenses, as shipyards built the fleets that would someday drive the UNSC from Jovian space and regain the initiative against the UEG. This would-be deliverance by Trojan-based fleets remained the last real hope for victory in the Frieden movement, and was therefore the only obstacle between the UNSC and ending the war. 
==Engagements==
Major battles of the Trojan Offensive
January 3: First 588 Achilles • First 1143 Odysseus • 2146 Stentor • 2207 Antenor • First 3451 Mentor
January 4: First 659 Nestor • First 1208 Troilus • First 1437 Diomedes
January 5: Second 1143 Odysseus • Second 3451 Mentor • 11509 Thersilochos
January 6: Second 1208 Toilus • 1870 Glaukos
January 7: Third 3451 Mentor
January 8: 1173 Anchises • Second 1437 Diomedes • 2223 Sarpedon
January 9: 2797 Teucer • 11887 Echemmon
January 10: First 884 Priamus • 3793 Leonteus
January 11: Second 588 Achilles • 3317 Paris
January 12: Second 884 Priamus • 2920 Automedon • 5254 Ulysses • 15004 Polymele
January 13: 1503 Antilochus • First 2260 Neoptolemus
January 14: 34746 Thoon
January 15: Third 1143 Odysseus • 1404 Ajax
January 16: Second 659 Nestor • 4063 Euforbo
January 17: Third 588 Achilles • 617 Patroclus
January 18: 3063 Makhaon • 9142 Rhesus • 11429 Demodokus
January 19: 624 Hektor
January 20: 911 Agamemnon • 1867 Deiphobus • 2759 Idomeneus
January 21: 2895 Memnon • 13184 Augeias
January 22: Second 2260 Neoptolemus • 4707 Khryses • 30705 Idaios
===First Battle of 588 Achilles===
<tabber>
Summary = 
The first space battle fought in the vicinity of 588 Achilles lasted forty-five minutes and resulted in a Frieden victory. UNSC Battle Group Charlie suffered greater losses of ships and sailors than their Frieden adversaries, which was ultimately put to underestimating the firepower available from the naval artillery present on the colony and a 3:1 numerical disadvantage in terms of fighting ships. 
|-|
Details = 
The First Battle of 588 Achilles was a costly defeat for the United Nations Space Command. 
|-|
Frieden order of battle = 
The 588 Achilles defense fleet comprised 66 fighting ships, including 2 battlecruisers and 8 Zerstörers. Also present at 588 Achilles were an addition 26 Frieden fighting ships independent of the defense fleet. 
|-|
UNSC order of battle = 
UNSC Battle Group Charlie comprised 25 fighting ships: 2 carriers, 5 cruisers, 8 destroyers and 10 frigates.
*1 heavy carrier
*1 light carrier
*3 heavy cruisers
*2 light cruisers
*8 light destroyers
*2 heavy frigates
*8 light frigates
</tabber>
----
; January 3, 2170 
*First Battle of 588 Achilles [Frieden victory]
*First Battle of 1143 Odysseus [Frieden victory]: UNSC forces are compelled to withdraw with heavy losses
*Battle of 2146 Stentor [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 2207 Antenor [UNSC victory]
*First Bombardment of 3451 Mentor [inconclusive]: UNSC forces harass the defenders and inhabitants of 3451 Mentor and its surrounding facilities with a missile barrage before departing without engaging its defenders directly. 
; January 4
*First Battle of 659 Nestor [Frieden tactical victory]
*First Battle of 1208 Troilus [UNSC strategic victory]: UNSC forces withdraw from 1208 Troilus after causing considerable damage to a Frieden support force, crippling transports, munitions ships, and other auxiliaries. 
*First Battle of 1437 Diomedes [inconclusive]
; January 5
*Second Battle of 1143 Odysseus [Frieden pyrrhic victory]: Frieden forces successfully beat back the UNSC assault, but suffer backbreaking casualties. The Frieden fleet at 1143 Odysseus is effectively out of action for the duration of the offensive. 
*Second Bombardment of 3451 Mentor [inconclusive]: UNSC forces, including battleships, bombard 3451 Mentor and damage its facilities. The UNSC force withdraws when it becomes clear that defenders are refusing to engage. 
*Battle of 11509 Thersilochos [UNSC victory]
; January 6
*Second Battle of 1208 Troilus [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 1870 Glaukos [UNSC victory]
; January 7-15
*Siege of 3451 Mentor [UNSC strategic victory]: Frieden forces ultimately evacuate 3451 Mentor with heavy material losses; ships lost defending Mentor are unavailable to relieve other Frieden positions that might otherwise have withstood UNSC assaults
; January 8-16
*Siege of 1173 Anchises [UNSC victory]
; January 8
*Second Battle of 1437 Diomedes [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 2223 Sarpedon [UNSC victory]
; January 9
*Battle of 2797 Teucer [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 11887 Echemmon [UNSC victory]
; January 10
*Bombardment of 884 Priamus [UNSC strategic victory]: UNSC forces assail the Frieden fleet at 884 Priamus, damaging dozens of ships and facilities alike, before withdrawing entirely undamaged. Frieden forces are unable to sufficiently repair most craft before the UNSC returns in numbers on January 12. 
*Battle of 3793 Leonteus [UNSC victory]
; January 11-13
*Battle of 3317 Paris [UNSC victory]
; January 11
*Second Battle of 588 Achilles [inconclusive]
; January 12
*Capture of 884 Priamus [UNSC victory]: Frieden resistance is nonexistent beyond a handful who fleet 884 Priamus; the asteroid, its affiliated stations, and fleet surrender to the UNSC when summoned to do so. 
*Battle of 2920 Automedon [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 5254 Ulysses [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 15094 Polymele [UNSC victory]
; January 13
*Battle of 1583 Antilochus [UNSC victory]
*First Battle of 2260 Neoptolemus [Frieden victory]
; January 14
*Battle of 34746 Thoon [UNSC victory]
; January 15
*Third Battle of 1143 Odysseus [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 1404 Ajax [UNSC victory]
; January 16
*Second Battle of 659 Nestor [UNSC strategic victory]
*Battle of 4063 Euforbo [UNSC strategic victory]
; January 17-21
*Battle of 617 Patroclus [UNSC decisive victory]
; January 17
*Third Battle of 588 Achilles [UNSC victory]
; January 18
*Battle of 3063 Makhaon [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 9142 Rhesus [UNSC strategic victory]: Frieden forces at Rhesus are routed utterly with heavy losses, forestalling any relief effort for the besieged 617 Patroclus. 
*Battle of 11429 Demodokus [UNSC victory]
; January 19-22
*Battle of 624 Hektor [UNSC decisive victory]: UNSC forces assault the headquarters of the Frieden Marine, ultimately crushing its forces
; January 20
*Battle of 911 Agamemnon [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 1867 Deiphobus [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 2759 Idomeneus [UNSC victory]
; January 21
*Battle of 2895 Memnon [UNSC victory]
*Battle of 13184 Augeias [UNSC victory]
; January 22
*Surrender of 1172 Aneas
*Second Battle of 2260 Neoptolemus [UNSC victory]: UNSC forces break the back of the last relief force, eliminating any rescue for the beleaguered 624 Hektor garrison and fleet. UNSC forces completely overrun 2260 Neoptolemus and capture most of its facilities intact; surviving space forces, demoralized and overwhelmed, capitulate. 
*Battle of 4707 Khryses [UNSC victory] 
*Battle of 30705 Idaios [UNSC victory]: UNSC forces converge on the remaining outpost of the Frieden Marine in the Trojans and compel the exhausted fleet to surrender. 
==Available forces==
===UNSC assets===
For the offensive, the UNSC mustered the bulk of its available forces, including all available battleships and the majority of its cruisers. UNSC battle groups would be deployed against Frieden fleet bases and shipyards throughout the Trojans simultaneously, keeping enemy forces separated and shattering the enemy's ability to transfer forces, recover, or coordinate between installations and naval units. From the outset, it was concluded that some enemy positions would require more than one assault, and commanders were instructed to break off the attack if losses mounted too rapidly. 
*47 x carriers
**1 x supercarrier (Leviathan)
**11 x Endurance-class heavy carriers (Against All Odds, Centaur, Cicero, Commonwealth, Courageous, Enterprise, Forward Unto Dawn, History's Ember, Illustrious, Thunder Child, and Winter Wind)
**13 x assault carriers
***2 x Typhoon-class assault carriers (Tempest and Typhoon)
***11 x Fearless-class assault carriers (Bismarck, Cerberus, Cliffs of Gallipoli, Divine Wind, Dynamic ‡, Exemplar, Full Force, Oath of Vengeance ‡, On Flaming Wings, Spirit of Normandy, and Whomsoever Dares)
**22 x Spirit-class light carriers
*41 x battleships
**1 x super-heavy battleship (Ares)
**4 x heavy battleships (Deep Tranquility, Ajax, Eclipse, and Victory)
**7 x light battleships (Armstrong, Peacemaker, Crater-Maker, Lunar Hero, Onslaught, Sound of Thunder, and Do Unto Others)
**29 x defense ships (Agincourt, Apollo, Cannae, Drake of Deimos, Fields of Verdun, Foe Hammer, Fury, Gibraltar, Gladiator, Kearsarge, Leonidas, Royal Oak, Shockwave, Stalwart Guardian, Storm Warning, Sword of Ceres, Thor, Thunderer, Trafalgar, Trident, Upgolder, Valiant, Valkyrie, Vendetta, Vengeance of Europa, and Waterloo)
***3 x Earth One-class defense ships (Aries, Fortress of Sol, and Protector)
*55 x cruisers
**2 x super-heavy cruisers (Charlemagne and Vanguard)
**19 x heavy cruisers
***5 x Indomitable-class heavy cruisers (Incomparable, Indefatigable, Indomitable, Intrepid, and Invincible)
***5 x Aurora-class heavy cruisers (Aurora, Formidable, Bagration, Pillars of Wisdom, and Unflinching)
***9 x unique heavy cruisers (Everest, Yamato, Swift, Challenger, Saladin, Praetor, Charles de Gaulle, Roosevelt, and Louis XIV)
**30 x light cruisers
***16 x Allegiance-class light cruisers
***8 x Accordance-class light cruisers (Atop The Whirlwind, Beyond Endurance †, God Give Me Wings! ‡, Industrious Resolve, Undaunted, Spirit of the Amazon, Lethal Vantage, and In Desert and Wilderness)
***6 x unique light cruisers (Lancelot, Hyperion †, Interceptor, Captain †, Tiger, and Caesar)
**4 x expeditionary cruisers (Black Prince, Consequence and Vengeance, Distant Tide, and Supermarine)
*destroyers
**12 x super-heavy destroyers
***6 x Citadel-class super-heavy destroyers (Bulwark, Citadel, Fortress ‡, Redoubt, Stronghold, and Tower)
***4 x Reprisal-class super-heavy destroyers (Reprisal †, Retaliation ‡, Retribution, and Revenge ‡)
***2 x unique super-heavy destroyers (Oriflamme and Thus Into Darkness)
**heavy destroyers
***Warrior-class heavy destroyers
***Shanghai-class heavy destroyers
***Berlin-class heavy destroyers
***New York-class heavy destroyers
***Bordeaux-class heavy destroyers
***unique heavy destroyers
**light destroyers
***Soldier-class light destroyers
***Rio de Janeiro-class light destroyers
***Alexandria-class light destroyers
***Halifax-class light destroyers
***Kyoto-class light destroyers
***unique light destroyers
*frigates
**heavy frigates
***Delightful-class heavy frigates
***Damascus-class heavy frigates
***unique heavy frigates
**light frigates
***Dragoon-class light frigates
***unique light frigates
*11 x corvettes
**1 x super-heavy corvette (Knight-errant)
**4 x heavy corvettes (Advantageous, Gateway, Prince Bagration †, and Razor †)
**6 x light corvettes (Commando †, Gunslinger, Harbinger of Fate †, Lunatic, Speed of Sound, and Velocity)
===Frieden assets===
Frieden forces had long anticipated UNSC offensives against their yards, waystations, and naval installations. In previous incursions by UNSC forces, the UNSC had suffered considerable losses and withdrawn with practically no accomplishment. Defensive munition stockpiles were immense, and Frieden fleet assets were greater than in previous engagements, including the enormous Fleet action of 2165. Numerous additional ships, however, were incomplete or undergoing refits in preparation for an anticipated Jovian offensive later in 2170, and as a result, those assets were of limited use to Frieden commanders. Nevertheless, some ships were launched incomplete during the UNSC offensive, either as a means of evacuation or as a limited weapons platforms. 
*28 x carriers
**11 x heavy carriers (+2 incomplete)
**17 x light carriers
*18 x battlecruisers (+9 incomplete)
*33 x light cruisers (+21 incomplete)
*47 x Zerstörers (+18 incomplete)
*113 x raiding cruisers (+4 incomplete)
*350 x missile ships (+100 incomplete)