Battle of Aquagrove Caverns

The Battle of Aquagrove Caverns is a minor battle occuring during the Diaplanatic War. Occuring in the Caverns of Aquagrove, the battle is one of the most intense close-quarter fighting during the war.

### The Battle

#### Background

Following the collapse of the Tatonese Second Army is Christfield, the Tatonese Army has been on the run. The Second Tatonese Infantry Division, along with the Fifth Tatonese Armored Brigade, had been fighting a rearguard action against the pursuing Athonian Third Army ever since the retreat.

The Second Infantry Division, already at half strength, is constantly harassed by the Blue Aircraft flying overhead. Leaving Athonia, the Second Infantry Division along with the Fifth Armored were relieved by the new Third Tatonese Armored Division on the 24th of August 8 AOTA.

#### Prelude

On the 4th of September 8 AOTA, news arrived on the Second Infantry resting area in the Aquagrove Caverns that the Blue Faction has bypassed and encircled the Third Tatonese Armored Division near the border. The Second Infantry along with the Fifth Armored stationed nearby, quickly tried to withdraw to the Pelagios River in to the East but reacted to late.

#### The Battle

Trying to cross the bridges across the Pelagios, the Tatonese were further slowed down by the Blue Aircraft strafing the vahicle-jammed roads trying to make it across. It is also further slowed when one of the bridges collapsed under the weight of the tanks. With only half the division acrossed by 10 September, it was clear that there would be a rearguard action to hold off the pursuing Athonian Third Army.

The first Blue units engaged were the Tenth Gruvanian Lancers. The Lancers pushed forwards across the lush forests of Aquagrove, driving some Tatonese units inside the Aquagrove Caverns. The Tenth also attacked the jam-packed roads leading to the bridges, destroying several vehicles and cutting down hundreds of men. By 13 September, most of the Tatonese Second Infantry Division were already acrossed the Pelagios River, but several regiments, including most of the Fifth Armored, were trapped inside the caverns.

In the night of the 13th of September, the Fourth Athonian Infantry division arrived on the scene. With renewed tactics from its defence of Athonia, the Athonians were eager to drive off the Tatonese out of their caverns. With artillery arriving each hour, the Athonian Fourth Infantry launched their attack. Under the cover of artillery fire, the men of the Fourth assaulted the emplacements of the Tatonese. With high determination, the entrances into the caverns were captured in the 15th of September.

Gladiator Tanks soon rolled in the caverns, blasting each cave entrance with white phosphorus. Under intense pressure, the Tatonese soon employed daring ambush tactics. Dozens of Athonian soldiers were cut down inside the cavern under renewed Tatonese machine gun fire. Even under this hail of bullets, the Athonian First Battalion found themselves capturing the main hall of Aquagrove Caverns.

For the next 3 days, the Athonians captured 3/4 of the caverns, with heavy losses due to the ambushes. Under this renewed assault, the Tatonese surrendered on the 23rd of September.