Battle of Kilii Ar
A major battle of the early Vargr Campaigns fought in 239
Description (Specifications)[edit]
Kilii Ar had been a major world with a significant population during the long night, and, in 238 declared that it would support the Imperial efforts to suppress piracy in the Ian Subsector. The Vargr Admiral Atuegarz Godhngorrakfo saw that the world's intent and the forces available to it were completely miss-matched, and as Kilii Ar sent out anti-piracy forces, it left its mainworld insecure. Admiral Atuegarz Godhngorrakfo organised a massive raid - said to have included over a million tons of Vargr shipping - which struck the planet on 002-239.
The local defenders were mostly caught in their barracks and died in the initial orbital bombardment, but pro-Imperial Vargr units from Atsah, exercising in the Neniini Mountains, struck back with nuclear weapons against the initial landing grounds. The Battle of Kilii Ar became a no-hold-barred contest between competing Vargr forces on a densely populated Vilani world fought with Weapons of Mass Destruction.
The raiding Vargr forces didn't stand up to the defenders - instead they loaded up their vessels with all the loot they could find and started back towards the Vargr Extents, breaking into small parties to escape the vengeful Imperial fleets that tried to intercept them. As a final farewell, nearly 800 nuclear warheads were landed on the planet's cities as they went - supposedly aimed at manufacturing facilities that could "Aid the repair Imperial ships".
Aftermath[edit]
The sheer amount of loot taken in this massive raid guaranteed Admiral Atuegarz Godhngorrakfo's fame in the extents, and the destruction guaranteed his infamy in Corridor Sector. Kilii Ar's economy collapsed and had to be propped up: the Imperial Navy (under Admiral Kiran) created a base there to aid in the process and provide for future defence. Some estimates suggest that nearly Cr 1,000,000,000,000 were taken in the raid, but later calculations suggest that the total was nearer 10 BCr.
Nearly 30% of the population of Kilii Ar died during the raid and nearly 60% of the remainder disappeared in the following year - mostly to starvation after the crops failed. Kilii Ar never recovered and slowly, the population moved to new worlds opening up in Deneb Sector and the far Spinward Marches.
References & Background (Sources)[edit]
- Traveller Map, Milieu 0 UWP
- Traveller Map, Milieu 1105 UWP
- Author: BackworldTraveller