Defense of Quantum Gate Beta

The Defense of Quantum Gate Beta, fought during Year 11 of the Great War, was a naval battle between the Luminarian Navy and the Zaretian Monarchy Navy, taking place during the Battle of Rigni of the Rigni Campaign. Although considered to be a minor battle by many standards, the Defense of Quantum Gate Beta had far-reaching effects for the Battle of Rigni.

In an attempt to wrest the initiative from the combined Aeverian and Luminarian forces in the Rigni system, the Zaretians decided to eliminate and remove the Luminarian Quantum Gates in the Rigni System, preventing the other Battlegroups of the 2nd BattleFleet from regrouping in the Rigni System, eliminate the combat potential of Battlegroup Noxia which accounted for 40% of the Peacekeeper forces in system via killing its logistics train, and allow the Zaretian Navy to retain its numerical superiority. The plan to accomplish this was called Operation Heart Rend and involved the mobilization of several major fleets in the Rigni System. Command of the Operation was given to General Peacha of the 7th Fleet.

Both Luminarian and Aeverian forces in the Rigni System were subjected to a massive offensive on the onset of Operation Heart Rend, a majority of targets were decoys, masking the Zaretian Navy's true objective and forcing Peacekeeper assets to be committed away from the quantum gates. Within 1 hour of the Operation, 4 out of 5 quantum gates had been destroyed by Task Force 7122 before Peacekeeper hunter-killer elements had managed to damage TF 7122 and force a retreat. With their goals still not met, General Peacha dispatched Task Force 7238, a carrier battlegroup and her escorts to eliminate the last remaining Quantum Gate. Rear Admiral Xentha of the Luminarian Battlegroup Noxia, still commanding Luminarian forces in the Rigni System, could only spare Sub-Battlegroup Citera, an understrength Sub-Battlegroup to reinforce Quantum Gate Beta's defenders, Sub-Battlegroup Mendaria.

The Defense of Quantum Gate Beta would continue for 30 minutes, in which both sides carriers engaged in strikes. In the first 10 minutes, the Zaretians managed to sink a Luminarian Cruiser and damaged a Luminarian Frigate. The Luminarians managed to sink 2 Zaretian Frigates and damage a Zaretian Cruiser. The next 10 minutes saw the sinking of 1 Zaretian Frigate and 1 Luminarian Frigate. The final 10 minutes saw direct action between both Luminarian and Zaretian forces. Zaretian forces had managed to sink 1 Luminarian Carrier, 1 Luminarian Frigate and heavily damaged another Luminarian Carrier and Frigate. Luminarian Forces would sink 1 Zaretian Cruiser and heavily damage 2 Zaretian Carriers and 2 Zaretian Frigates.

Although a tactical victory for the Zaretians in terms of ships sunk, the battle would prove to be a strategic victory for the Peacekeepers for several reasons. The Zaretian Carriers, the ZMS Beehive and ZMS Devil's Nest were heavily damaged and their air wings nearly wiped out, which included 42% of the Zaretian Bomber Craft within the system. This led to the Peacekeepers achieving numerical superiority in terms of strikecraft and allowed Peacekeeper hunter-killer elements to operate freely within the system without fear of retaliation. Additionally, within 4 days of the Defense, Battlegroup Telethia managed to transit into the Rigni system, giving the Peacekeepers numerical superiority and allowing the Peacekeeper forces to press the initiative, which contributed to the fall of Rigni.