Vertinge Strait Massacre

The Vertinge Strait Massacre was a naval engagement between the Cysien Fleet under Admiral Maxil and a combined fleet of Coalition forces consisting of Lüttenberg, Astoran, and Astrian ships. The battle was an overwhelming Coalition victory, with the Cysien fleet suffering extensive damage. After Storm Bank and Vertinge Strait, the Cysien Navy was effectively neutralized, providing Coalition forces with the sea dominance required for launching a full-scale amphibious assault on Turpol.

## Background

Despite their defeat at Storm Bank, the Cysien Navy was still potent and maintained the capability to blockade the Lüttenberg coast with the hope of ending Lüttenberg's aerial campaign. Additionally, preventing coalition sorties was considered an effective way to promote Sea Control, with Coalition trade routes and supply lines remaining vulnerable to the elements of the Cysien Active Fleet.

After studying their defeat, Cysien planners decided a more cautious approach would be necessary, and a particular emphasis was placed on defense against submarines.

The Coalition, meanwhile, had begun preparations on a major battle, drawing upon reserve ships and experimental models in the hope of dealing a decisive blow against the Cysien Navy.

## Battle

Following the defeat at Storm Bank, Cysien planners were keen to avoid devastation at the hands of enemy submarines. Hoping to rely on the *Mighty Fist* class dreadnoughts' heavy armor to punch through enemy lines, they set a sizable portion of their force to anti-submarine duties.

The Cysien fleet set out to bombard the Lüttenberg coast at 0500 when it encountered the small Lüttenberg Coastal Defense Fleet. Seeing an opportunity to destroy the smaller force, and eager for a victory in the face of the disaster at Storm Bank, Admiral Maxil sent his forces in pursuit. However, they were met by sustained

fire from both coastal batteries and air elements, and although they inflicted seemingly significant damage against the Lüttenberg coastline they made a hasty retreat through the Vertinge Strait.

A Combined Fleet consisting of Astrian, Astoran, and Lüttenberg ships lay waiting in the Vertinge Strait, and as the Cysien fleet was led into the bottleneck, they were immediately beset upon by overwhelming forces. Outnumbered and outgunned, the already exhausted Cysien fleet was quickly routed by the combined forces. Although measures had existed to mitigate the effect of submarine forces, these countermeasures soon fell apart as the fleet scattered and was destroyed ship by ship. The Dreadnoughts that had borne the brunt of the initial assault suffered disproportionally, while the lighter cruisers were able to escape to safer waters.

## Aftermath

This battle marks the effective end of Cysien Naval operations, as the loss in ships and sailors proved to be debilitating. With the destruction of Cysien naval projection, the path was cleared for a full-scale amphibious assault on Turpol.

Some of the Lüttenberg coastline was destroyed, however, as the Allied plan to ambush the Cysien fleet left the coast relatively unprotected from the sea, but the coastal batteries still proved efficient in protecting most of the major settlements on the coast. Most of the destroyed coastline did not have any military installations, rather a number of fishing villages were shelled. In addition, relative inexperience in Air to Surface warfare made the Lüttenberg air fleet relatively ineffective against the Cysien surface fleet. Conversely, Cysien ships were ineffective in attacking the Lüttenberg air forces, and the result was a farcical display of inaccurate air bombing combined with ships unable to direct fire at their attackers. This outcome was also a driving factor behind the Lüttenberg project to develop special naval bomber airships armed with torpedos.

Even as the Cysienese navy was being decimated at Vertinge, the Lüttenberg air raid campaign against them had exacted a significant economic and psychological toll. The Cysien were effectively helpless in stopping the zeppelins, and everyday life has been disrupted by constant threat of aerial bombardment. The loyalty of Perop's subjects and the legitimacy of his regime was severely challenged.

Astora lost two ships, Warrior Class Heavy Cruiser: KAS Beadle and Bird Class Light Cruiser: KAS Wren, with approximately 995 Astorans loosing their lives in the battle and many more were injured or are unaccounted for. A number of awards were given that day, with Vice Admiral Gordon T. Edwards and Admiral Lord Joseph Braodmannne being awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Koldasdarine Shield.

For the Astrians, the H.K.S. Drottningen suffered heavy damage but remained afloat. The H.K.S. Psilander was lost completly today, with an estimated 70% loss of its crew. The captain of the ship, Victor Karlson is reported to have stayed on station until the very end helping those who could not escape of the ship by themselves. He was last seen heading back into the ship to help those trapped on the lower decks. The loss of Psilander and the Modéen at Storm Bank leaves the class down to two ships.

Cysien, after the battle, began a full scale mobilization in anticipation for an invasion, and purchased a range of weapons systems from the Ishwar, including AA cannons, tanks, and small arms.