Battle of the Strait of St. Peter

Battle of the Strait of St. Peter
Part of 1991 Bjeorg Conflict
Date July 25, 1991 - Location Strait of St. Peter, the coast of Province of Bjeorg, Libertas Omnium Maximus
Belligerents
Federal Supporters Libertas Omnium Maximus Zamastan	Rebel Supporters Bjeorgite Revolutionaries Xiomera Eiria
Commanders and leaders
Nathan Colton Jarris Tavoka Ursel Trenton Eric Falsted	Admiral William North Eiria Commodore Janis Balodis
Casualties and losses
Libertas Omnium Maximus 35 Killed Cruiser heavily damaged Zamastan 110 Killed Loss of the ZMS Lance Pelio Loss of the ZMS Girssh	Bjeorg 104 Killed Loss of the BNS Kiln Loss of many small craft BNS Månsten heavily damaged Eiria 153 Killed Loss of the EIS Napoleon EIS Triton heavily damaged Xiomera 8 Killed One speed boat sunk

The Battle of the Strait of St. Peter was a series of naval skirmishes off the coast of the province of Bjeorg during the 1991 Bjeorg Conflict. The time when the battle officially began is met with differences from experts, but a widely accepted beginning is when the Eirian Chancellor Cera Balodis ordered the battleship EIS Triton to the edge of Bjeorg waters, and confirmed with Governor Smith that he would accept their military support. Hostilities would begin the fighting phase of the battle on July 25th, 1991, when Zamastanian vessels engaged the Triton and Xiomeran smuggling ships.

Background

On July 23rd, Eirian Chancellor Cera Balodis ordered the battleship EIS Triton, under the command of her brother Commodore Janis Balodis, to the edge of Bjeorg waters, and confirmed with Governor Smith that he would accept their military support. Around the same time, Bjeorgite rebels took their commandeered vessels out into the Strait. During the wait for confirmation from the Governor, the Triton was circled at least twice by a Zamastanian jet, and received communications to back away further into international waters.

First Skirmish (First Battle of the Strait)

On July 25th, the ZMS Lance Pelio, under the command of Captain Ursel Trenton, and the ZMS Clift, under the command of Captain Eric Falsted, began pursuing the EIS Triton and an unmarked Xiomeran cargo vessel known as a "Q Ship", or "mother ship". The fleeing vessels were accompanied by six Xiomeran speed boats. The Pelio was first attacked by the smaller speed boats, and lost at least 12 sailors before destroying one of the speed boats. The ship then engaged the Triton, scoring a direct hit on the cruiser's rear side. Shortly after, the Xiomeran Q Ship struck the Lance Pelio with a torpedo, damaging the engine systems on the Zamastanian frigate. Commodore Balodis then ordered the Triton to take advantage of the surprise strike and fire, striking the bow of the Lance Pelio and causing it to list and sink thirty minutes later. 67 sailors were killed on the Lance Pelio, and many more were injured, including Captain Trenton.

The Eirian and Xiomeran ships then were flanked by the addition of two Eirian battleships, the EIS Liberty and the EIS Napoleon. They provided retreat cover to the damaged Triton while under fire from the Clift, which was also in the process of rescuing survivors from the sinking Pelio. The Eirian ships were followed for roughly 30 miles out into open waters by the ZMS Tofiniua, the ZMS Jackson, and the ZMS Whiterock, as well as a combined fighter jet and bomber squadron. The retreating fleet took heavy fire during the retreat, with all ships receiving at least minimal damage. The EIS Napoleon was hit by frigate fire, resulting in an explosion that destroyed their movement, and a cluster of bombs dropped by the plane squadron resulted in the ship's quick capsizing and sinking. 153 total Eirian sailors were killed during the course of the skirmish.

North's Last Stand

On the morning of July 28th, Admiral William North of the Bjeorgite Revolutionaries sent his two frigates and corvette to the north end of Strait of St. Peter in an attempt to repel the Maximusian fleet positioned there. After linking with Xiomeran smugglers for supplies, they approached the fleet in the mouth of the Strait, the rebels engaged the federal fleet. Four Maximusian vessels steamed in a direct assault to meet the rebel ships, and North gave an order to spread his three ships in a flanking pattern. In order to give North's ship, the BNS Kiln, more maneuvering room, the corvette BNS Månsten veered far to the west side of the battle zone, running in very shallow water.

At 7:26 AM a missile detonated after impacting the Månsten's lower bow. The missile's impact and subsequent detonation was sufficient to destroy the vessel's starboard propeller and the ship veered hard to the west. Before the captain could regain control of the ship, the Månsten collided with a sandbar and ran aground. Unable to reverse off the sandbar due to extensive engine damage as a result of an earlier missile, the ship was stranded and unable to further aid its fellow ships after they moved out of range in the following minutes.

With the open hole in the defense created by the grounded Månsten, the BNS Kiln was surrounded by the Maximusian vessels and was heavily damaged by turret fire. One Maximusian ship was damaged extensively by a strafe rocket from the Kiln as it attempted to fight back. A missile from a Maximusian ship struck the bridge of the Kiln, killing all the officers everyone in that cabin, including Admiral North. The resulting explosion crippled the ship and left several breaches in her hull, and the Kiln sunk within five minutes.

Sinking of the ZMS Girssh

Just past noon on July 28th, a squad of six 30 foot long Bjeorgite boats fitted with Xiomeran torpedos attacked the ZMS Girssh, a Zamastanian frigate sailing just outside of the main Maximusian force's reach in a patrolling pattern. The ship was on its own, making it a tempting target for the rebel craft. However, the Girssh spotted the vessels approaching and managed to strike four of them, sinking three and making retreat. The other two boats were able to fire off their torpedos and strike the Girssh's munitions room below the water line, which ignited explosive ordinance inside. This caused a massive explosion that tore the ship so devastatingly to almost separate in half. The explosion killed several crew instantly, but the majority of the casualties came as water and fuel leaking from the ship rushed over its deck and caused a whirlpool effect as the ship sunk quickly, drowning many more sailors.

A Maximusian warship in the vicinity had broken off from the main fleet to assist once a distress call was sent out, and it was able to scare off the remaining two boats and rescue sailors stranded in the water. Of the 180 on board the ZMS Girssh, 43 Zamastanian sailors died.