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Battle of Cerberus
ConflictFirst Havenite-Manticoran War
DateOct 24, 1913 PD
PlaceCerberus System
ResultESN victory and subsequent escape
Combatants

Manticoran Alliance
- Elysian Space Navy

People's Republic of Haven
- PN-SSNF ad hoc task group

Commanders
Strength
  • 5 BC
  • 4 CA
  • 1 CL
  • 10 BC
  • 6 CA
Casualties

none

all warships destroyed

The Battle of Cerberus was fought in the Cerberus System on 24th October 1913 PD between the Elysian Space Navy and a Havenite ad hoc task group comprised of People's Navy and State Security Naval Forces vessels.

Prelude[]

In 1911 PD, Commodore Honor Harrington was captured by the People's Navy and brought to the prison planet Hades to be executed. However, her crew managed to free her and make it to the surface, where they spent the next T-year taking control of the planet. In October 1913 PD, the Elysian Space Navy was hastily built up with captured StateSec vessels of Shilo Force and manned with freed prisoners.

A joint StateSec/People's Navy task group from the Danak Sector was sent to Cerberus System due to suspicions that Hades had been seized by prisoners.[1] (HH8)

Order of Battle[]

Elysian Space Navy[]

Commanding Officer: Admiral Honor Harrington, the force was referred to as a squadron:

Possible backup support from Charon Control - CO Commander Susan Phillips[3]

Peoples Navy[]

Commanding Officer - Major General (SS) Seth Chernock, State Security CO for the Danak Sector[4]
Second-in-command and de facto naval commander - Rear Admiral Paul Yearman:

Main force:

Transport group: two fast attack transports with 27,000 People's Marines and SSGF troopers, escorted by the PNS Rapier (CA), CO Captain Helen Harken.

The People's Navy component of General Chernock's task group was probably Danak Sector/Danak System Defense under the command of Rear Admiral Yearman.

Course of Battle[]

The joint StateSec and People's Navy task group arrived from the Danak Sector, using a standard approach vector to the Cerberus System. The ESN maneuvered its ships on an intercept course using thrusters only, which allowed it to stealthily catch the enemy and destroy all Havenite warships with "up the kilt" maneuvers. After the second salvo only five battered hulls remained. ENS Krashnark and ENS Barbarosa chased remaining transports. (HH8)

Aftermath[]

After the battle, the Elysian Space Navy, with 106,000 remaining prisoners aboard, escaped to the Trevor's Star System in the Manticoran Alliance space. (HH8, HH9)

References[]

  1. Major General Chernock, became suspicious when Brigadier Tresca failed to send his move in their long-distance chess game.
  2. The ship was significantly damaged in its original capture.
  3. Probably subjugated directly to Admiral Harrington
  4. Chief of Staff - Colonel (SS) Brigham Therret, ground component, CO General Major (SS) Claude Gisborne
  5. Appointed as such despite shorter seniority than the Navy officers.
Operations of the
First Havenite-Manticoran War
Perseus | Allied Counteroffensive 1905 | Allied 6th Fleet Offensive | Stalking Horse | Dagger | Commerce Raiding in Silesia | Cerberus System | Icarus | Scylla | Bagration | Buttercup
Battles of the
First Havenite-Manticoran War
Talbot | Poicters | Casca | MGX-1403 | Yalta | Air | Seaford Nine Ambush | First Hancock | First Seaford Nine | Third Yeltsin | Chelsea and Mendoza | First Nightingale | First Minette | Swanson | Fourth Yeltsin | Candor | Second Minette | Second Nightingale | Tyler's Star | Schiller | Selker Rift | First Seabring | Second Seabring | Trevor's Star | Micah | First Adler | Second Adler | Third Adler | Second Hancock | Second Seaford Nine | First Zanzibar | First Alizon | Second Basilisk | Third Seabring | Cerberus | Elric | Solway and Treadway | Barnett | MacGregor | Hyacinth
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