The Battle for Zarahemla Prime

The battle for Zarahemla Prime was one of the most crucial battles of the Grand War. When the Grand War started in 2000 A.H., with a surprise attack by the Frankish 3rd Fleet on High Palestine, the Confederation was caught completely off guard. The destruction of the shipyards, orbital and ground, was a huge blow to the Confederation's war machine. The Nuclear Obliteration of the capitol city,New Ramallah a city of 20 million ,was a psychological hit to the citizens of the Confederation.

The Confederate navy reacted immediately by having their 2nd fleet slide into the New Kurdistan star system to help protect the ship yards there. The Confederation military high command was at first a bit confused by the fact that the Franks had not made their first strike against the New Kurdistan ship yards. As the ship yards there have nearly 8 times the capacity as the ones the Franks destroyed. It was only after the war that they learned the Frankish military intelligence had over estimated the local Pesh merga defense boats by 2 fold. And that they thought the Confederation's 4th fleet had been stationed there. This initial intelligence failure was to make a large difference in the out come of the war.

Confederation Intelligence soon made up for their initial mistake of not detecting the attack on New Palestine, by intercepting and decoding messages between the Frankish empire and the Unity of Saints. Realizing that the Unity was about to enter the war on the side of the Franks, the Conferation military decided to dispatch the battle group Abdul-Hasib with a marine force made up entirely of soldiers from Hausa world to make a daring attack on Zarahemla prime the capitol of the Unity. This was not to be a hit and run raid, but a capture and occupation of Zarahemla Prime and it's star system. Success would mean not only would they the capture Zarahemla's large ship yards and H3 mines, but they would capture the leadership of the Unity.

Before The Abdul-Hasib battle group slid into the Zarahemla star system Admiral Rahman sent this short message to all of the ship captains and marine captains.

Al-Hajwiri, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"
Do not seek sustenance from people. Allah is the real Provider. If He wills a certain person to be the means of your livelihood, do not consider that person to be in control of your destiny. Have faith and be certain in the knowledge that your daily bread does not depend upon any mortal, but upon Allah who created all.
-Al-Hajwiri, "The Kashf al-Mahjub"

After the battle Marine commandos captured the Unity leadership, Their President and the First and Second councilors as well as Quorum of the Twelve. The Unity leadership signed a peace treaty with the Confederation. Confederate marines continued to occupy Zarahemla prime for 26 years after the Grand War.

Many believe that the gamble the high command took in the invasion of Zarahemla prime was reckless and that it was only luck that it succeeded. But it should be remembered that the defense forces around Zarahemla prime were caught by surprise as even the Unity's military leadership did not know about the negotiations to ally with the Frankish Empire. Also, once the space battle was over, the Hausa marines were able to use two things to their advantage. The new Assault Tanks had a stealth mode and their cannons had a longer range than any of the unity's armored vehicles and the fact that unlike the citizens of Zarahemla they could breathe the atmosphere.

Zarahemla prime has an atmosphere which is 63 % CO2 like Hausa world. The unity has always outlawed genetic modification of humans and therefore the defenders had to wear bulky filter masks. All of its cities are domed and underground. Many cities were captured by threatening to blow the airlocks and many were defeated by blowing the airlocks. This unfortunately led to many civilian deaths during the pacification campaign on Zarahemla prime.