Second Battle of Veos
The colony of Falkeos sat at the very edge of the Pact's foothold in Diab space and was viewed as a significant obstacle to Warlord efforts in the region. Though the Margan's previous attack during Operation Sledgehammer had inflicted considerable damage to the colony's infrastructure and resulted in the development of a worsening crystal infestation, the Diabs refused to cede the planet, and had deployed a large number of troops as they repaired and expanded the colony's fortifications. This led the Repzork to believe that Falkeos would soon be used as a springboard for offensives into the foothold. With Diab attention divided between the Battle of Lichen and the Rathakern's attack on Larvos, Repzork high command planned to attack and conquer Falkeos with all readily available forces. Elements of the 277th and 14th, alongside the 13th and 12th Magellan Battle Fleets and a large number of Skrey auxiliaries, were tasked with conquering the planet while the 355th protected logistical assets and provided reserve troops.
The first target of the invasion was Falkeos' expansive orbital construction and maintenance facilities, which were connected to space elevators that ferried troops and supplies to and fro the surface. Though some of the stations had been damaged or destroyed, the bulk of the network remained operational, and were protected by an array of point-defense cannons, gun platforms, and the Diab navy, which maintained a battlegroup around each station. The Repzork aimed to capture the stations and use them to send troops to the surface without having to establish a landing zone amid the crystalline fields that now covered some parts of the planet.
The battle commenced with the 277th, 14th, and Magello each launching attacks on separate fronts, forcing the Diabs to divide their forces. Several Diab ships were quickly crippled or outright destroyed by shock jumps, allowing the 14th to close in on two of the installations and deploy boarding pods full of Skrey. Though most of the Skrey died in the subsequent engagement, they cleared the way for Repzork troops to move in and secure the facilities. The 277th and 14th claimed a third station roughly an hour later, but failed in capturing a fourth, opting instead to destroy it so as to deny it to the defenders. As Pact troops descended the elevators, companies of shock troops were deployed around the elevator's ground-side hubs. Once the hubs were secured, Pact forces began landing en masse.
Though they had secured a safe landing zone, crystal growths still made traversing some regions difficult, prompting the Pact to utilize a liberal number of armored vehicles, artillery, and when able, aircraft. Tank columns navigating crystalline fields were often targets of Diab infantry, who would lie in wait and ambush vulnerable targets. Pact forces responded by deploying chemical weapons within crystal patches and using infantry to sweep through and flush out resistance. Diab reinforcements had also begun appearing in the sector and were contesting Pact naval forces for orbital control. Despite these difficulties, Repzork forces were able to slowly advance across the surface.
The heaviest fighting of the campaign took place near the orbital elevators that remained under Diab control. The Pact attempted to first capture each elevator; but if they were not able, they would instead use starships to destroy it. This was a risky maneuver, as destroying the elevator would rain debris weighing upwards to several thousand tons in a several-kilometer perimeter around the elevator. This forced the Pact to withdraw their ground forces whenever the order for destruction was given, which in turn gave Diab forces an opportunity to withdraw. The last elevator was eliminated four months into the campaign, marking the point in which Pact forces gained near-total orbital and aerial superiority over the planet.
Fighting would on the surface continue for another month before what remained of the defenders were cornered in Vigríar, a derelict fortress that had been bombarded with crystals during the previous invasion. The Pact attempted to bomb the facility, but were forced back when the Diabs reactivated some of the station's guns. The fortress was then bombarded with artillery for five straight days, but the Diabs inside survived by hiding in underground bunkers and continued to put up resistance. In a last-ditch attempt, biochemical munitions were launched into the fortress hours prior to an infantry assault. As Pact soldiers approached, the Diabs emerged from their positions and charged the attackers. Most were visibly wounded and had been coughing up blood from the chemical attack. Fearing that any one of the Diabs would frenzy, Pact soldiers panicked and routed, causing confusion amid their ranks that allowed the Diabs to close in. A fierce skirmish followed, during which the Diabs fought to the last, but not before killing a large number of Pact troops.