Template:UnderConstruction Template:Battle The Second Battle of Gallinore was the massive and pivotal battle of the Hapan civil war when the Draconian Union made a full scale attack on the naval forces of the Phoenix Movement around the gas giant Gallinore in the Alsace system. A large Phoenix fleet had stationed itself in orbit of the planet and its neutral mining installations some days prior to the battle and the Draconians quickly assembled a large task force to deal with what it viewed as an imminent threat to Alsnin, the last Draconian stronghold in the system.
When the Draconian Union signalled a retreat following thirty hours of battle, several thousand vessels had been destroyed and hundreds of thousands of soldiers had been lost on both sides. Leaders on both side of the conflict had perished, but the battle paved the way for the reunification of the Hapes Consortium twenty months later.
Prelude
Gallinore and Rebord were part of the Grand Duchii of Gallinore which had stayed largely out of the Hapan civil war. Due to House Lant's control over numerous mining guilds within the Hapes Cluster, the planets had managed to convince all parties of the conflict that neutrality was their path. They had sold raw materials to all the various factions, but were constantly under severe pressure from the leadership of the Draconian Union to limit sales to the Sword Confederacy and later also the Victory Alliance and Phoenix Movement.
By 3998 the Victory Alliance was gone and most of the Sword Confederacy had been annexed by the Phoenix Movement which was viewed by the leadership of the Draconian Union as a mere resistance fighter organisation and peasant revolt. The Alsace system remained contested space as the Phoenix Movement had gradually gained a foothold in the system, first by seizing Dreena and also later Cavallero. Alsnin remained the last Draconian world within the system and the former ruling family of Alsace, House Shaa, was unwilling to release its iron grip on the planet.
From August 28 and onwards there was a buildup of Phoenix Movement activity in the system, particularly around the neutral gas giant Gallinore. House Lant dispatched messages to House Shaa, assuring them that the Phoenix forces were purchasing raw materials from the the mining installations on the planet, particularly tibanna gas. Lady Wensay Shaa refused to believe the claims by Lant and dispatched messages to the leadership of the Draconian Union, warning them of an impending invasion of Alsnin.
Princess Da'tanah convened a session of the Draconian ruling council and called upon House Olanji and House Tini'duran to assist House Shaa in driving out the Phoenix Movement's forces. The Princess was informed that both Andrew Starfyre and Derrik Florda were present at Gallinore and insisted on leading the armada herself. The death or capture of the Phoenix Movement's leaders at her hands would surely ensure the Draconian Union's victory in the war, she insisted.
Overview
Opening Movement
"As soon as we finish off this pathetic task force, I will ensure that House Lant's cities get an express trip in to the core of Gallinore" - Countess Emilie Shaa, commander of the 6th Draconian Order
The 6th Draconian Order under command of Lady Wensay Shaa's younger sister, Countess Emilie Shaa, left Alsnin shortly before midnight on September 1 and set course towards Gallinore. The massive fleet was spearheaded by the Maiden of Iron, one of the three remaining Tractia Heavy Cruisers which had been in House Shaa's possession since 3979. Due to the slow speed of the flagship, the fleet used extreme caution, using the gas giant Rebord to mask their approach.
Both the Royal Draconian Order and 2nd Draconian Order were enroute to the Alsace system, but were not due to arrive for several hours yet. It remains unclear if the 6th Draconian Union's advancement before the arrival of the rest of the Draconian naval forces was part of Princess Da'tanah's plan for the battle or not.
1-3 Hours
Around 3 in the morning the 6th Draconian Order cleared Rebord and opened fire on an unsuspecting Quasar Battle Cruiser, destroying it a matter of minutes. The fleet then proceeded directly towards Gallinore, taking the Phoenix Movement's fleet head on. The Phoenix forces were likely taken off-guard as the ships had not yet organised themselves in to a defensive formation and the Draconian fleet was quickly able to gain the upper hand by engaging the Phoenix ships at point-blank range.
Admiral Florda signaled for Phoenix reinforcements from outside the system almost immediately. Logs recovered from his command ship, Song of Peace, indicate that he suspected more Draconian forces were en route. The Phoenix leaders were unwilling to abandon their fleet and decided to stay at Gallinore, organising the battle from the two modified Quasar Battle Cruisers Song of Charubah and Song of Peace.
4-6 Hours
In the fifth hour of the battle, the Phoenix reinforcements arrived in the Alsace system, making a risky maneouver and dropping out of hyperspace in the gravity well between Gallinore and Rebord. The 6th Draconian Order, having around 500 large freighters and capital ships in the battle, was greatly outnumbered by the Phoenix forces which had close to 1000 vessels.
Countess Shaa used the fighter detachments from the Draconian Fighter Corps to engage the majority of the Phoenix Movement's ships. The Druui Assault Bombers launched proton torpedoes at the Phoenix capital ships while the Miy'cal Interceptors engaged the Phoenix fighter squadrons. The capital vessels of the 6th Draconian Order circled the Maiden of Iron, protecting their flagship.
