South Sierran Naval Skirmishes

The South Sierran Naval Skirmishes were a series of naval battles fought by Sierrane, Yekativurg, and the Blackpaw Organization off the Southeast Sierran Sea.

## Battle of the Dead Paw

The Battle of the Dead Paw was the first skirmish that occurred in this series of naval battles. It was fought directly between Sierrane, Yekativurg, and the Blackpaws.

Initially, a large Furfirestar Heavy Damage fleet was sighted off the coast of Sierrane near the Southeast Sierran Sea, near Antarctia, heading for Gensokyo's capital island. A Carrier Strike Group (CSG) from Sierrane was sent out to intercept the fleet after several ignored transmissions.

### The Fight in Dead Paw's Skies

Once both fleets had sighted each other, the Furfirestar fleet immediately had her ships turn starboard to prepare for firing, readying a small fleet of approximately 50 patrol boats for smaller battles. The Sierran CSG responded in suit, turning starboard to prepare for firing, and deploying 10 new Spitfire Mariners to the air to engage in a minor aerial battle dubbed "The Fight in Dead Paw's Skies."

This resulted in an initial pyrrhic victory for the Blackpaw with all 10 Sierran aircraft destroyed and most Blackpaw aircraft heavily damaged and destroyed. The CSG once again backed the destroyed Sierran Spitfire Mariners with 50 more, outnumbering the exhausted Blackpaw pilots and eventually shooting them all down.

Prior to the engagement, Sierrane received a transmission from the Yekativurgian Air Force to perform large-scale naval bombing on the Furfirestar fleet, which was accepted but left with a note saying "keep ample distance. Nuclear weapons at play." The Yekativurgians complied and sent an intimidating fleet of dedicated fighters, attack aircraft, and bombers which they dubbed the "Nightmare of All Fleets."

Due to the overwhelming turn in favor for Sierrane after the intervention of the YAF, the Blackpaw was authorized to use "Black-shed" or their unique nuclear shells armed on their fleet. They attempted to fire some salvos, most notably during the Fight in Dead Paw's Skies when the Beastar-class moved closer to the Sierran CSG to fire 14 shells. However, a malfunction thanks to obsolete technology resulted in a jam in the forward turret, leading to a massive explosion at the front of the ship causing it to roll to port. A second salvo was loaded, but since the guns were tilted down, they fired into the ocean. The ship dipped bow first and a massive nuclear explosion in the depths occurred, destroying the ship and irradiating the whole fleet.

Meanwhile, 5 Sierran Spitfires would fire nuclear Javelin AGMs at the Furfirestar-class, causing major damage to the ship even with a 50% hit rate. Sierran ships launch more and more ASMs to stop it in a quick stroke, as 3 A-20 Liberators liftoff from SAF Kozen. The Blackpaw, following Foxtonian tradition, refused to let the ship fall into Sierran hands.
They detonate the Roshia no Shōnen no Bakudan or the "Tsar Bomba" held deep within the haul. The ship explodes, incinerating the Blackpaw fleet and damaging the Sierran CSG heavily as well causing rogue radioactive waves on nearby coastlines.

## Operation Declaw

An operation by Sierrane with classified details was carried out against the Blackpaw. Not much has been released about Operation Declaw, however it does involve the new Sierran Aircraft and another Carrier Group.