The Battle of Oras III is the name given to a USEF training-mission-gone-wrong; military analysts have perhaps unkindly referred to it instead as the Oras III Disaster. Several capital ships and an experienced fighter squadron were bested and other operations cancelled in order to secure survivors. The Broken Oaths Mercenary Brigade emerged as victors and their reputation greatly enhanced.
A illegal Strandweed smuggling operation had been covertly tracked and traced by British Intelligence; a complicated collection of black bank accounts and unmarked freighters. The covert smuggling of Strandweed was in violation of human law and so intelligence was shared through the four factions. The USEF took responsibility for the operation and assigned a newly formed task force to the task. Newly promoted Vice Admiral Franks was placed in charge.
Task Force Baker Flank was formed of mostly new ships and new crews; 5 Washington-class LCS, a Boston-class and an older model Escort Carrier. The latter was the temporary home to the veteran 504th Rattlesnake Squadron, brought in as experienced support for the recruits. The decision was made to ambush the cargo ships at an identified stop point; British spies had posited that this was for refueling but could not validate. The plan was to attack in force and take Strandweed as well as prisoners for interrogation. Reports were not specific as to if there would be an escort; the Vice Admiral confidently assumed his Task Force would be strong enough to handle whatever would be waiting. He would quickly be proved wrong.
Oras was marked as uninhabited, a four planet star system with no resources or settlements of note. It was a surprise, then, when two USEF ships were badly damaged on arrival; hit by FTL-sensitive mines. The remaining members of the task force were sent into a panic, caught between giving aid to their comrades and assessing the threat ahead. This consisted of Gnobo corvettes and destroyers, arrayed in a defensive formation around the unmarked transports.
The Gnobo ships concentrated their fire against the USS Zapata; this meant the carrier could not open its hangar bay doors and as such the Task Force remained at the mercy of the Gnobo Gun Skiffs. These ships raked the remaining USEF vessels with fire, supported by the big guns of the capital ships, and within the hour the USS Darroch was disabled and drifting and another of the LCS’ destroyed. The Darroch was the Vice Admiral’s flagship and without his confused and unclear orders, a general retreat was sounded by the captain of the Zapata; only her and the USS Polk were able to make escape in one piece.
The Broken Oaths took surviving USEF crew prisoner; they were later ransomed back to the Americans via Ephii mediators. The mission was kept hush-hush from the USEF point of view, eager to not publicise their failures, and the responsible personnel were re-assigned to other duties. Vice Admiral Franks was demoted and left the service to work in private security.
Analysis of the loss was extensive. A combination of factors was blamed for the loss, including incomplete intelligence (vehemently denied by the British), inexperience of the task force under fire, overconfidence of an untested commander and the relative efficiency of the Broken Oaths. The Zapata was so badly damaged that it was sold for scrap, never seeing service again. The Polk was repaired and fought more successfully in the later campaigns against the Broken Oaths. And 504th were deployed in these operations also and built quite the reputation for vengeance, having sat out the first round with the Gnobo.
USEF Fleet
Boston-class Destroyer (1)
USS Darroch (Flagship); badly damaged and surrendered.
Escort Carrier (1)
USS Zapata; badly damaged, retreated.
Washington-class LCS (6)
USS Polk; significant damaged, retreated.
USS Franklin; destroyed
USS Fairview; badly damaged, half crew lost, half crew captured.
USS Ashland; destroyed
USS Clayton; badly damaged and surrendered
Broken Oaths Fleet
Heavy Destroyer (1)
GS Holy Industry; minor damage
Destroyers (3)
GS Ata; no damage
GS Eta; no damage
GS Ita; heavy damage, withdrew
Corvettes (3)
GS Fal 1; heavy damage
GS Fal 2; no damage
GS Fal 3; minor damage
The Agency Universe. 