Battle of Juggermire Isle
Overview
Juggermire Isle is a small, rocky islet in the middle of the Altian Ocean, located east-southeast of Edison. Once the top of a hill near the city of Juggermire, this islet holds extreme strategic importance due to its central location between the territories of the Eldwell Empire, the Yun Sacred Empire, the Thierry Free States, and the Leidenstein Consortium.
Historical Significance
Before The Burn, Juggermire was one of the core territories of the Eldwell Empire. During the Great Flood, a military outpost was established on the hill to assist in evacuating the local population. This outpost played a crucial role in relocating Eldwelian citizens, and the Leonese people of the Thierry Free States.
The Battle of Juggermire
On March 15, 1823, Leidenstein naval forces, led by Grand Admiral Markus Joseph Ludwig, launched an unprovoked attack on the Juggermire outpost. The attack was spearheaded by the LCB Kaiser, one of the largest dreadnoughts in the Leidenstein navy, accompanied by three support vessels carrying over 2,000 troops.
On the night of the 15th, the seas were stormy, and torrential rain had already plagued the rescue mission for days. At exactly 03:00 AM, the Kaiser opened a ferocious artillery barrage. In the first minutes of the attack, three out of the four civilian transport ships were sunk. Over 10,000 survivors, mainly civilians, drowned in the dark and stormy waters of the Altian Ocean.
The LCB Kaiser continued its relentless artillery barrage, almost decimating the Eldwell Navy escort force of two destroyers and one light cruiser, assigned to Guard the civilian convoy on its journey from Juggermire to Edison. In a valiant last-stand effort, Captain Bathsheba Bernice Kipps of the EEC Falcon commanded her crew to abandon ship and set the engines of the fast and maneuverable vessel full speed ahead for the port bow of the LCB Kaiser.
The small but heavily armored vessel rammed the battleship hard enough to penetrate its thick armor and cause significant damage to the port engines, main weapon battery, and port magazine. The subsequent explosion caused massive damage to both the battleship and one of its supporting vessels. The EEC Falcon and its Captain sunk to the bottom of the ocean soon after, but the damage caused to the Kaiser was significant enough that all three remaining support ships had to be tied to it to keep it afloat until help could come. The last remaining destroyer of the Eldwell Navy and the single surviving transport ship fled to Edison. Victorious, Leidenstein Consortium, stated a claim and occupied Juggermire and its surrounding territories.
Aftermath and Strategic Importance
The Battle of Juggermire marked the beginning of the Eldwell-Leidenstein war, which remains an open, albeit cold, conflict to this day. In the following year, Leidenstein Consortium fortified Juggermire Isle into an impregnable naval base, extended control over a significant part of the Altian Ocean. Due to its proximity to the Eldwell core territories, it remains a continuous source of attacks.
Although the Eldwell Empire trades uninhibited with both the Yun Sacred Empire and the Thierry Free States using circuitous routes through the deep north Barren Ocean and the dangerous edges of the Ichor Ocean, the strategic importance of Juggermire Isle cannot be overstated. Its position allows the Leidenstein Consortium to exert control over a critical maritime chokepoint, complicating Eldwell's naval operations and trade routes.
Juggermire Isle stands as a testament to the enduring conflict and strategic maneuvering between the powers of Nyria. Its history and current status highlight the ongoing tensions and the high stakes of control in the Altian Ocean.
Belligerents
Strength
x1 Light Cruiser, EEC Falcon
Casualties
x1 Light Cruiser, EEC Falcon
Objectives
Strength
x1 Destroyer, LCD Kondor
x1 Battleship, LCB Kaiser
Casualties
x1 Battleship, LCB Kaiser (Damaged)
If all else fails... RAMMING SPEED