Princess Celestia The Changeling Queen: Stories Behind the Mask

by vren55

The History of Equestria Under Alternia Part 11 (589 AR): Mares El Kabul, Ch. 8 of the Saddle Arabian War arc

Author’s Note: In lieu of Remembrance Day, I dedicate this chapter to the fallen civilian and soldiers who died protecting their families and friends from tyranny, and the living who suffer from the effects of war.

With the understanding that Admiral Sea-Tack was a brilliant tactician, the new Fleet Admiral Dreadnought decided that the best way to fight her Saddle Arabian counterpart was not to fight him at all.

This proved a rather effective strategy. Sea-Tack could not figure out how to engage the new Equestrian 4th fleet, which was made from the remnants of the Equestrian 2nd and 3rd fleet. Furthermore, Sea-Tack’s counterpart, Grand Admiral Ironsides could not force an engagement with Admiral Grey Hood and the Equestrian First Fleet. The opposing naval forces were essentially embarked in two chases. Such chases would only be broken when one fleet had to withdraw to re-supply and re-fit.

It was the need to refit that brought Ironsides’s Saddle Arabian Grand Fleet back to the fortified harbour of Mares El Kabul. The Equestrian 1st Fleet wanted to attempt a pursuit, but they were sorely in need of a resupply and refit as well, and so also disengaged.

Mares El Kabul was the chief naval supply depot of the Saddle Arabian Grand Fleet. The harbour was well-protected, with only one 80 meter wide channel, which opened to a bay shaped like a lightning-bolt, with the widest part narrowing to said entry channel. Said entrance was guarded by twin star-forts, the Thunder-fort and the Lightning-fort, each having about forty cannon between them. There were also numerous other batteries and coastal forts along the land facing towards the sea.

It would be suicide to attack such a blockade, and so, Dreadnought decided not to.

She knew that Admiral Sea-Tack and Admiral Ironsides were not at odds with one another due to Iosfe’s promotion of Admiral Sea-Tack. The younger Saddle Arabian admiral now outranked Admiral Ironsides, but the latter, a career navy-horse, was jealous of Sea-Tack’s friendship with the sultan.

Dreadnought was aware though that when push came to shove, Sea-Tack and Ironsides would work together, but that their animosity would help with her plan.

Thus, when the Equestrian 4th Fleet disengaged from Sea Tack’s Saddle Arabian Home Fleet, Sea-Tack pursued, but the now much lighter ships of Dreadnought’s formation made this impossible. However, Sea-Tack had managed to pursue Dreadnought to the Equestrian Coast and to the port of Vanhoofer. He assumed that the Equestrians had been going for a resupply and so sent a rather low-priority message to inform Ironsides, who didn’t get the news until three weeks later.

Except, Dreadnought had no intention of docking at Vanhoofer.

About a month later, sentries at the Thunder-Fort and Lightning-Fort saw shapes in the dark, obscured by the typical seasonal fog. They fired starshells, but could not identify the unknown ships, which charged forward.

At the same time, sentries on the boats in Mares El Kabul were silently knifed in the back. Even as the Thunder and Lightning forts raised the alarm. The ships in the bay remained unmoving, or their commanders greatly confused as to where their sentries had disappeared to.

Too late, the forts open fired on the unknown ships, five 3rd rates and five frigates, from the look of it, but they kept charging forward, their hulls being blasted, until at the narrowest point in the channel, they sunk, forming a barrier to block the harbour off.

The forts called for reinforcements, but they had more pressing issues. Widespread fires were breaking out. Pegasi had dumped lamp oil onto the ships of the line of Admiral Ironsides fleet and had set them alight. The crews, confused, sleepy and panicking due to the fire, either had to crawl through gunports to get free, or were burnt alive in their flaming ships.

Several of these warships actually exploded, sending flaming wood chips flying into their neighbours, and setting the piers they were moored at alight, addingo the confusion.

In the aftermath every single one of the Saddle Arabian Grand fleet’s ships of the line was either damaged or sunk. Admiral Ironsides had escaped, but his flagship, The Kings-Hammer, a 1st Rate ship of the line, was sitting on the bottom of the ocean, along with another 1st Rate, 3 2nd rates, and 10 3rd rates. The rest of the damaged ships could not even get out of the harbour thanks to the ten block-ships that Dreadnought had deliberately ordered sunk at the mouth of Mares El-Kabul, rendering the port useless for months.

Months that Dreadnought could use to concentrate all her naval assets against Sea-Tack’s fleet.

All in all, Dreadnought had succeeded at an astounding Equestrian naval victory, using the same unconventional tactics that she was so fond of, and had set the stage for the final battle of the Equestrian-Saddle Arabian Naval Theatre.

Author's Note:

This battle was inspired by the Japanese taking of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese war, which I learnt about during my summer trip to Japan and the pre-ww1 dreadnought IJN Mikasa, a definite treat if you love naval history.

Comments

[ShadowLDrago]

Dreadnought was aware though that when push came to shove, Sea-Tack and Ironsides would work together, but that their animosity would help with her plan.

This is reminding me a lot of Legend of the Galactic Heroes from last year.

[Xanni]

"in lieu of Remembrance Day" - don't you just mean "in honor of Remembrance Day"?

"not at odds with one another" - should this be "now at odds with one another" (opposite meaning?)

"addingo the confusion" - "adding to the confusion".

[vren55]

9285493
I did actually watch a few episodes of it

[DracoLazarus]

The name was inspired by Mers-el-Kébir, right ?

[vren55]

10818462
YES! XD