Monday 28 September 2015

The 5th Outrim War: 297th Imperial Fleet - Gamelea

Working out the details of Imperial Task Force hault-Criolarsos, a division of 297th Imperial Fleet, required me to also work out 297th Imperial Fleet in detail.

Each Imperial Subsector has an Imperial Fleet assigned to it. All Subsector Imperial Fleets fall under Imperial Navy Sector Command based at the Sector capital, Thiroor/Gazolan. Each Subsector contributes to the maintenance and upkeep of the Imperial Fleet units stationed within its volume.

The Imperial Duchy of Gamelea covers most of Gamelea Subsector and consists of 17 systems, plus the Protectorate of Por'via (consisting of Por'via, Finduil and Ouron), administered from Julnar/Gamelea; and the Barony of Anar (currently consisting of the Anar System, but with claims to Auru and Nearo). Por'via, Finduil, Ouron and Anar all lie within Lymethius Subsector but are considered administratively to be part of the Duchy of Gamelea. The Kalar-Wi system is the capital and homeworld of the Kalar-Wi Minor Race, and is not part of the Imperium.

The Duchy of Gamelea has a population of 142.687 billion sophonts. Out of a Navy Budget of approximately TCr28.85, Gamelea Subsector contributes TCr10.119 to support and sustain 297th Imperial Fleet.

Lymethius (L) and Gamelea (R) Subsectors
There are five Naval Bases in Gamelea Subsector: - Gamelea (0508), Feor (0407), Varch (0108), Canblyne (0705), and Ventura (0607). There is also a Naval Base at Anar (Lymethius 0805) and a patrol station at Findual (Lymethius 0802).

The senior Navy Command Officers are as follows:
Gamelea/Gamelea
Fleet Admiral Dame Silvera Gaarthorn hault-Opernarcy, Baron Ythelorn
Vice-Admiral Sir Ankorl hault-Criolarsos
Rear-Admiral Dame Anastasia Eppo, Count Cappatachi
Rear-Admiral Sir Jerhon hault-Anseen
Varch/Gamelea
Rear-Admiral Sir Adryos Juharl
Feor/Gamelea
Vice-Admiral Sir Lexon Zarquestuiir
Rear-Admiral Sir Clyn hault-Asheranon of Exxilon
Ventura/Gamelea
Vice-Admiral Sir Constantine Fairweather von Lukaskow of Kartivia/Gazul
Canblyne/Gamelea
Commodore Dame Gessemina Mahoult
Anar/Lymethius
Commodore Dame Erika Santo Killmany-Ustmar
Finduil/Lymethius
Commodore Sherri Li Kem

Squadron Deployment
GameleaVarchFeorCanblyneVentura
BatRon 215BatRon 220BatRon 219BatRon 224
BatRon 216BatRon 221
CruRon 634CruRon 665CruRon 663CruRon 640CruRon 666
CruRon 667CruRon 638CruRon 639CruRon 655
CruRon 650
DesRon 821DesRon 822DesRon 823DesRon 824DesRon 825
DesRon 847DesRon 853DesRon 848DesRon 854DesRon 849
DesRon 860DesRon 856DesRon 857DesRon 851
DesRon 862DesRon 861DesRon 855DesRon 890
DesRon 892DesRon 893
AnarFinduil
CruRon 664
DesRon 850DesRon 858
DesRon 852DesRon 859
DesRon 891

297th Fleet has 518 ships assigned to it, crewed by 118,374 personnel, with a total tonnage of 14, 282,000 tons. 2240 Marines are deployed as Ship's Troops, drawn from 351st Marine Division, as well as 7852 Navy Security personnel.

BatRons usually consist of:
4 x 200,000 dton Kalsorlicalii Class Battleships
6 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
4 x 10,000 dton Reshanan Class Heavy Destroyers
8 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts

CruRons 650, 655 consist of:
6 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
1 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader
6 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts

CruRons 664, 665, 666 consist of:
7 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
1 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader
8 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts

Heavy CruRons 663 consists of:
6 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
1 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader
8 x 10,000 dton Reshanan Class Heavy Destroyer

Heavy CruRons 667 consists of:
7 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
1 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader
8 x 10,000 dton Reshanan Class Heavy Destroyer

CruRon 634
6 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
1 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader
Carrier Group 232
1 x 35,000 dton Niiarsanor Class Escort Carrier
7 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts
1 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Leader
DesRon 855
8 x 5,000 dton Gilsurmii Class Destroyers

CruRon 638
6 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
1 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader
Carrier Group 238
1 x 35,000 dton Niiarsanor Class Escort Carrier
7 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts
1 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Leader
DesRon 865
8 x 5,000 dton Gilsurmii Class Destroyers

CruRon 639
6 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
1 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader
Carrier Group 239
1 x 35,000 dton Niiarsanor Class Escort Carrier
7 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts
1 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Leader
DesRon 866
8 x 5,000 dton Gilsurmii Class Destroyers

CruRon 640
6 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers
1 x 60,000 dton Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader
Carrier Group 241
1 x 35,000 dton Niiarsanor Class Escort Carrier
6 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts
1 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Leader
DesRon 867
6 x 5,000 dton Gilsurmii Class Destroyers

DesRons 821, 822, 823, 824, 825
8 x 7,000 dton Matador Class Destroyer Escorts

DesRons 847, 848, 849, 850, 853, 854, 855, 859, 893
8 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts

DesRons 851, 852, 856, 857, 858
4 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts
1 x 5,000 dton Alicapanii Class Destroyer Leader

DesRons 860, 861, 862, 890, 891, 892
8 x 5,000 dton Gilsurmii Class Destroyers

SupRons 1183
8 x 2,000 dton Oudiir Class Medical Transport Frigates
5 x 50,000 dton Da'sanai Class Marine Troop Carriers



Notes: I've always had a bit of difficulty with the OTU's Naval vessel numbers.The "1000" ship Sector Fleet of various Traveller editions just does not seem to stack up against the, admittedly rudimentary, economic data.

If the Gross Planetary Product is figured from Population x Trade Code Modifiers x Base GPP, and the Base Military expenditure is factored as 3% of GPP, and the Imperial Military tax is factored as 30% of the Base Military expenditure, and the population of Gamelea Subsector is 142 billion, then we have a Military budget of TCr71, before allowing for planetary Government modifiers, and the conversion rate between local credits and Imperial Credits. In the case of Gamelea Subsector, the Imperial Navy budget component is TCr10, while the Subsector Navy budget is TCr28. Even deducting TCr0.1 from the Imperial Navy budget (1% of the budget) and committing this to maintain Imperial Navy Bases within Gamelea Subsector, pay for support personnel, etc, there is still easily sufficient funds to support 518 Imperial ships of various tonnages within Gamelea Subsector.

Local conditions vary from subsector to subsector - both Nolgor and Miazan Subsectors, for example, have large proportions of the resident local population on non-Imperial worlds, and so of the four 'original' subsectors I developed (Gamelea, Nolgor, Miazan and Gazul), Gamelea Subsector is possibly the best resourced. It may be that as I work out the budgets of the other Subsectors I will have to reassign units from 297th Fleet to support other Fleet deployments, but at the moment Imperial Sector Fleet - RimWorlds is looking like a fairly powerful force.

Having already determined the number of marines available for deployment from 351st Marine Division, I suddenly realized that I had to be careful when assigning security details to the ships I was designing for the fleet. An initial design pass resulted in over 9000 Marines assigned as Ships' Troops - approximately a division's worth. After a second pass, I reduced the number of Marines to 2240, about a regiment, by increasing the number of Security personnel. This tallied better with my notes on 351st Marine Division and the proportion of personnel assigned as Ship Troops. I have been considering doubling the Marine deployment to two divisions per subsector - this would allow more Marines as Ship's Troops, as well as allowing larger groundside deployments - but I am trying to work within the concept that Imperial Marines do not do protracted ground deployments (that is the job of the Unified Imperial Army), and are deployed purely as shock troops.

Each of the  Kalsorlicalii Class Battleships carries 20 Fighters, and there are 4 Escort Carriers assigned to 297th Fleet, each carrying 80 Fighters. These fighter wings both protect the larger ships from smaller warships, as well as extend the Fleet's sensor sphere well out beyond the range of the main fleet. I imagine that Fighters would have little impact in an actual fleet battle, instead being used for scouting other bodies in a system, driving off hostile scouts, and interdicting trade.

Edit: Discovered that I had neglected to deduct the 1% of budget for maintaining the Naval Bases. And once I had sorted out the spread sheet, I found a number of other errors. When this was all tidied up, and a few ships shaved off the budget to bring expenditure under budget, I found myself feeling a little less smug about how powerful the 297th Fleet was.

Thursday 17 September 2015

The 5th Outrim War: Initial Imperial Forces


On 236-1109, Imperial Task Force hault-Criolarsos jumped from Anar/Lymethius. A division of 297th Imperial Fleet - Gamelea, the Task Force under Vice-Admiral Sir Ankorl hault-Criolarsos was tasked with delivering Lieutenant-General Dame Risha von Kervhan-Malushii's Expeditionary Corps to Auru/Lymethius in the Tallu Cluster of the Border Worlds.

Von Kervhan-Malushii's Expeditionary Corps consists of 117th Bryaki Infantry Division, 123rd Feorean Infantry Division, and 106th Armoured Division of the Imperial Unified Army, Three Marine Expeditionary Units - 22nd MEU, 23rd MEU, and 24th MEU - have been attached to Von Kervhan-Malushii's Corps and tasked with spearheading the Unified Army deployment on Auru.

351st Imperial Marine Division
Imperial Ground Forces:
22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • 2nd Battalion 1200th Marine Regiment
  • A Coy 295th LAR Battalion
  • C Coy 540th Marine Tank Battalion
  • B Coy 2/1550th Marine Engineer Regiment
  • Battery B 891st Marine Meson Artillery Regiment
  • C Coy from 3/10201st Marine Logistics Regiment
  • 9854 Squadron COACC Close Support
  • 9857 Squadron COACC Close Support
  • 9751 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft
  • 9754 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft

23rd Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • 1st Battalion 1033rd Marine Regiment
  • B Coy 540th Marine Tank Battalion
  • B Coy 295th LAR Battalion
  • A Coy 3/1550th Marine Engineer Regiment
  • Battery C 891st Marine Meson Artillery Regiment
  • B Coy from 1/10201st Marine Logistics Regiment
  • 9856 Squadron COACC Close Support
  • 9859 Squadron COACC Close Support
  • 9752 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft
  • 9756 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft

24th Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • 3rd Battalion 1204th Marine Regiment
  • A Coy 540th Marine Tank Battalion
  • C Coy 295th LAR Battalion
  • C Coy 2/1550th Marine Engineer Regiment
  • Battery D 891st Marine Meson Artillery Regiment
  • A Coy 1/10201st Marine Logistics Regiment
  • 9855 Squadron COACC Close Support
  • 9858 Squadron COACC Close Support
  • 9753 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft
  • 9757 Squadron COACC Battalion Landing Craft
Imperial Unified Army's Von Kervhan-Malushii's Corps
117th Bryaki Infantry Division
  • 1st Brigade
    • 2nd Battalion 641st Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 663rd Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 664th Infantry Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 796th Armoured Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 700th Artillery Regiment
  • 2nd Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 642nd Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 664th Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 665th Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 797th Armoured Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 700th Artillery Regiment
  • 3rd Brigade
    • 2nd Battalion 642nd Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 665th Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 666th Infantry Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 796th Armoured Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 702nd Artillery Regiment
  • Field Artillery Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 703rd Artillery Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 703rd Artillery Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 703rd Artillery Regiment
  • 701st COACC Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 701st COACC Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 701st COACC Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 701st COACC Regiment
123rd Feorean Infantry Division
  • 1st Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 649th Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 675th Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 676th Infantry Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 802nd Armoured Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 712th Artillery Regiment
  • 2nd Brigade
    • 2nd Battalion 649th Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 675th Infantry Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 676th Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 803rd Armoured Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 712th Artillery Regiment
  • 3rd Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 650th Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 676th Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 677th Infantry Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 802nd Armoured Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 714th Artillery Regiment
  • Field Artillery Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 715th Artillery Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 715th Artillery Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 715th Artillery Regiment
  • 707th COACC Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 707th COACC Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 707th COACC Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 707th COACC Regiment
106th Armoured Division
  • 1st Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 625th Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 778th Armoured Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 780th Armoured Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 644th Infantry Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 678th Artillery Regiment
  • 2nd Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 626th Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 779th Armoured Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 781st Armoured Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 643rd Infantry Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 678th Artillery Regiment
  • 3rd Brigade
    • 2nd Battalion 625th Reconnaissance Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 780th Armoured Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 782nd Armoured Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 644th Infantry Regiment
    • 1st Battalion 680th Artillery Regiment
  • Field Artillery Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 681st Artillery Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 681st Artillery Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 681st Artillery Regiment
  • 690th COACC Brigade
    • 1st Battalion 690th COACC Regiment
    • 2nd Battalion 690th COACC Regiment
    • 3rd Battalion 690th COACC Regiment

The Marine Expeditionary Units, as described here, consist of a Marine Battalion Combat Team with supporting companies. Each Unified Army Division consists of 21 battalions, or battalion equivalents,plus support companies such as Engineers and Logistics.

B Company 9092nd Imperial Marine Commando Battalion was deployed to surface, Auru, in a pathfinder role on 236-1109, approximately one week before Imperial Task Force hault-Criolarsos arrived insystem. While the transports for Von Kervhan-Malushii's Corps, with their accompanying escorts, remained deep in the outsystem, Task Force hault-Criolarsos, accompanied by the three Marine MEU carriers, proceeded cautiously towards Auru, alert for any hostile ships in orbit or onplanet.

Task Force hault-Criolarsos

BatRon 215
  • 4 Kalsorlicalii Class Battleships @200,000 Tons = 800,000 Tons
  • 7 Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers @60,000 Tons = 420,000 Tons
  • 4 Reshanan Class Heavy Destroyers @10,000 Tons = 40,000 Tons
  • 8 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts @5,000 Tons = 40,000 Tons
CruRon 663
  • 7 Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers @60,000 Tons = 420,000 Tons
  • 1 Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader @60,000 Tons = 60,000 Tons
  • 8 Reshanan Class Heavy Destroyers @10,000 Tons = 40,000 Tons
CruRon 655
  • 7 Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers @60,000 Tons = 420,000 Tons
  • 1 Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader @60,000 Tons = 60,000 Tons
  • 8 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts @5,000 Tons = 40,000 Tons
CruRon 855
  • 7 Kiirvular Class Strike Cruisers @60,000 Tons = 420,000 Tons
  • 1 Kiirvular Class Strike Cruiser Leader @60,000 Tons = 60,000 Tons
DesRon 855
  • 8 Gilsurmii Class Destroyers @5,000 Tons = 40,000 Tons
Carrier Group 232
  • 1 Niiarsanor Class Escort Carrier @35,000 = 35,000
  • 7 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts @5,000 Tons = 35,000 Tons
  • 1 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Leader @5,000 Tons = 5,000 Tons
Von Kervhan-Malushii's Corps

DesRon 851
  • 4 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts @5,000 Tons = 20,000 Tons
  • 1 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Leader @5,000 Tons = 5,000 Tons
117th Bryaki Infantry Division
  • 3 Corosanear Class Troop Carriers @104,000 Tons = 312,000 Tons
  • 1 Gashoorn Class Medical Transport Cruiser @50,000 Tons = 50,000 Tons
DesRon 847
  • 8 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts @5,000 Tons = 40,000 Tons
123rd Feorian Infantry Division
  • 3 Corosanear Class Troop Carriers @104,000 Tons = 312,000 Tons
  • 1 Gashoorn Class Medical Transport Cruiser @50,000 Tons = 50,000 Tons
DesRon 848
  • 8 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts @5,000 Tons = 40,000 Tons
106th Feorian Infantry Division
  • 3 Corosanear Class Troop Carriers @104,000 Tons = 312,000 Tons
  • 1 Gashoorn Class Medical Transport Cruiser @50,000 Tons = 50,000 Tons
DesRon 849
  • 8 Alicapanii Class Destroyer Escorts @5,000 Tons = 40,000 Tons

22nd, 23rd and 24th Marine Expeditionary Units
  • 3 Da'sanai Class Marine Troop Carrier @50,000 tons = 150,000 Tons
DesRon 821
  • 8 Matador Class Destroyer Escorts @7,000 Tons = 56,000 Tons
  • 3 Oudiir Class Medical Transport Frigates @2,000 Tons = 6,000 Tons

Saturday 12 September 2015

The 5th Outrim War: Auru

A quick look at Auru/Lymethius, the site of the opening moves of the 5th Outrim War.

Auru/Lymethius

C-477342-B S 725 Ni/Lo NA F9V


System Primary: Binde F9V

Binde V - local name Auru

Three small moons, Disar - 768 miles in diameter; Amoloth - 528 miles in diameter; Kheal - 72 miles in diameter

C Class Port - Routine Quality Installation

Diameter: 4000 miles (6437.4 kilometers)

Atmosphere: Standard (Tainted - respirators required in coastal areas during spring when kelpweed blooms, and in late autumn when previous season's growth dies off)

Hydrographics: 70%

Population: 3 (7300)

Government: 4 (Representative Democracy)

Law Level: 2 (Portable Energy Weapons Prohibited)

Technology Level: B (Average Imperial)

Scout Base present (at Auru Downport)

Population Modifier: 7; Planetoid Belts in System: 2; Gas Giants in System: 5

Nearest Gas Giant to Auru - Binde VII

Trade Classification: Non-Industrial/Low Population

Allegiance: Non-Aligned

Auru/Lymethius - planetary map made in Donjon SciFi World Generator http://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/world/
As can been seen from the map, there are three main settlements south of the Joolian Mountains - Auru Down (site of the C Class Downport and a small Scout Base), Karas and Balshibar - that date back to the colonization of Auru in 1007. During the subsequent century, a number of smaller settlements and hamlets have been established along the southern coast and across the plain north of Auru Down. Settlements further inland, and at higher altitudes, suffer less from the annual bloom and die-off cycles of kelpweed - a large and prolific aquatic filter-feeder plant species.

In the last five years, the Geithurian Republic has established three small enclaves in the northern hemisphere - Shtad at Leena Bay, Iavlej, and the mining settlement of Chiebr.

The Auruis - as the local inhabitants now call themselves - remain Imperial in outlook, even though they feel that they have been abandoned by the Imperium. For the last 70 years, they have felt under pressure of annexation from both the Geithurian Republic and the Huiha Esoyatre. Occupied by the Outrim Alliance during the 4th Outrim War of 1080 - 85, many older Auruis have bitter memories of that time.

Thursday 10 September 2015

The 5th Outrim War: Eve of Conflict


Having prepped sufficient figures for the ground side of my proposed Outrim War campaign, I started work on what forces would be committed by both sides to the conflict.

The Outrim War campaign represents the confluence of a series of political streams that have been in play for the twenty-four years since the end of the 4th Outrim War in 1085.

The Geithurian Republic Secessionist Movement, engineered by the Imperial Intelligence Agency in the decade prior to the 4th Outrim War, successfully weakened the Republic to the point where it was forced to launch a premature war against an external foe - in this case the Imperium - to shore up internal support. Falling into the trap set by IIA, the Republic and the broader Outrim Alliance were soundly defeated and the Edlchtel Clan - Konzevrs of Appaer/Lymethius and Presidents of the Geithurian Republic, lost power and prestige.

It took nearly a decade for the Edlchtels to regain their dominance of Appaeran politics, and then a second decade to reassert Appaer's dominance over the rest of the Geithurian Republic. During this period, the wider Outrim Alliance became increasingly moribund under the leadership of the elderly Hleahayaouko, Tlehiui V, of Huiha Esoyatre.

The Kalar-Wi War ended in defeat for the Kalar-Wi in 1105. Within months of the surrender, Duke Adryos Urzov IV of Gamelea, whose incompetence and corruption had very nearly cost the Imperium its victory, was dead. On Appaer/Lymethius, Ashtebr Edlchtel became Konzevr and, within six months, President of the Geithurian Republic.

The colonization of Auru/Lymethius in the Tallu Cluster by the Imperium in 1007 was widely seen as the spark that eventually ignited the 3rd Outrim War in 1025. While Auru was essentially abandoned by the Imperium after the war, a residual colony remained in the southern hemisphere, south of the Joolian Mountains, along with a residual Imperial claim to the system.

Konzevr Ashtebr Edlchtel's first move was to establish a small Republican colony on Auru's sole landmass in the northern hemisphere, while simultaneously using diplomatic channels to revive the Outrim Alliance. Agents of Iqro'Zhdable - IZd, the Republic's main intelligence service - also actively courted and supported the notorious Stranman Society as it moved to ferment revolt against the Subsector Dukes of Gamelea and Miazan Subsectors. Finally, a division sized detachment of the Murkhida Kargesu - the Geithurian "Stranger Force", or "Alien Legion" - was landed on Auru, disguised as a mercenary force, to "protect" the new colony. At least two divisions of Ingeki Kargesu - Geithurian Republican Regulars - as well as a brigade of Republican Marines, were put on standby at Coroson/Lymethius in case the Imperium attempted to resist on Auru.

In mid 1109, an Imperial Scout Ship visiting the southern colony detected unusual activity in near orbit around Auru, and then spotted the Gethurian settlement at Leena Bay. In the subsequent weeks, the Murkhida Kargesu moved quickly to seize the sub-Joolian settlements. What the Geithurians had not considered was the speed of the Imperial response.