Today we rise up and crush our oppressors! Today we liberate our home! For Sinya!
—Tray Doich rallying his troops
The Battle of Sinya was a large-scale uprising of Sinyan resistance troops against the Srav Federation. Planned by SDF leader Joe Tylars, the uprising was staged on several fronts planet-wide. Since they had no air power, the Sinyans hired The Flyboys mercenary squadron to neutralize strategic targets and provide them with air cover. Various civilian uprisings also assisted the Sinyans and it all eventually resulted in success as the Sravs decided to withdraw.
Prelude[]
Pay's good. Job looks easy. We get our faces plastered on the infofeeds of half a sector. What could go wrong?
—Jakson Hgess
After the successful raid on Eisenval, SDF Supreme Commander Joe Tylars decided it was time for a major strike against the Sravs. Furthermore, the Sravs had been pulling occupation forces offworld to fight in battlefronts they considered more important, encouraging the Sinyans. Plans were immediately drawn up and preparations were made. One of the major problems was the Sinyan's lack of an air force. To remedy this, Tylars hired The Flyboys mercenary squadron, promising money and weapons for their services. Also, the new SMMV-A11 was ready for use providing addition anti-air support as well as a mobile missile platform.
The battle[]
Initial moves[]
Citizens and comrades of Sinya, cease this foolish insurrection. There is no need to hinder the betterment of your society that we are providing. Should you continue, we will react with extreme prejudice.
—A Srav information broadcast
To remove as many threats as possible, Tylars launched commando strikes on the night of the offensive. These commando raids were assisted by civilian underground movements in destroying various gun implacements and strategic locations. Along with this the Sinyans used stolen transports to drop advance soldiers around larger targets such as bridges and towns. Most Srav leaders didn't expect the Sinyans to attempt anything large and dismissed most reports as petty resistance raids.
Clearing the skies[]
Comrade commander, the uprising appears to be spreading. Orders?"
"Standard procedure. Wipe them out from orbit."
"Negative, comrade. Unidentified fighters have eliminted our orbital platforms."
"Pity. I suppose we will have to do this the coventional way. Send the order to all occupation and peacekeeping forces: full mobilization.
—A Srav officer and Strigoi Khaz
Concurrently, the Flyboys showed up in orbit, in a hired freighter, which the orbiting, nuclear-armed Srav Tarbarossa satellites did not register as an immediate threat, although they did broadcast communications to it ordering it trasmit intent and origin. Regardless, the Flyboys brought the freighter as close as possible, ignoring warnings, before launching their fighters and then immediately firing off volleys of cluster missiles. Overwhelmed by the sheer number of warheads, many of the satellites were immediately taken out.
Down on the ground, Srav fighters were scrambled, but Flyboys pilots Butch Horsin and Jakson Hgess were launching high-altitude strikes on airbases and hangars, styming their launch capability, and the fighters that did get airborne did not present a challenge to the Flyboys. However, they were kept away from other targets by flak and missile volleys, but in a short while most of the Srav orbital presence was down. As fear of nuclear destruction from the satellites had been a hindering factor to the Sinyan plan, Tylars felt confident enough to order an advance.
The offensive begins[]
Let 'em taste our new missiles! Fire!
—Tray Doich giving the order to bombard Stahlon
Tray Doich orders the bombardment of Stahlon
With the orbital threat removed, Sinyan forces began attacking their targets. Dak Chamblers easily took Eisenval, which was still being rebuilt, and several attempts by the Sravs to retake it were drivin back. Most other Sinyan commanders enjoyed similar success. Tray Doich lead several attack on the fortress of Stahlon but was repulsed each time. In order to weaken Srav defenses, Doich fell back and began bombarding the city with SMMV-A11s, which had a devastating effect. After bombarding the Sravs for several hours, Doich lead another assault on the city. This time he was successful and after breaking through the initial defensive positions, easily entered the city and began cutting down Srav infantry. After hours of assaults and bombardment, the city was finally taken.
Elsewhere, Tylars lead the largest column of Sinyan troops toward the capital Reshlund, crushing Srav troops along the way. The advance was ground to a halt once they reached the city however, and Srav infantry began taking up defenses in the buildings. Tylars was forced to resort to slow street-to-street fighting.
Counterstrike[]
Commander Maverik, we got some targets for ya boys.
—Joe Tylars
The Srav occupation command, meanwhile, decided to perform a counterattack they hoped would immobilize the Sinyan advance. They brought forward a force bolstered by willing collaborators, including many former SSR loyalists, from the capital to cut off highways and vital routes into the city, depriving any insurgents already in the urban area of reinforcements and supplies. This was initially successful, as small groups of Sinyan insurgents attempting to link up with their forces inside the city were destroyed as Srav troops and their helpers began seizing said points.
However, Tylars noted this, and ordered the Flyboys to act on it. The pilots began taking out and scattering the Srav counterattacking forces with repeated precision airstrikes, with Sinyan troops on the ground distracting any anti-air capability the Sravs had. Battered by the aerial attacks, the Sravs were forced to pull back into the city, although by now the Flyboys had to pull back to their freighter in orbit in order to replenish fuel and munitions. During this time, Srav commander Strigoi Khaz took the opportunity to head into orbit in a personal ship to command the battle from there.
Taking the city[]
Looks like they've won down there. Killing my own people is a bit strange...but still fun.
—Miro Yakkav
With the attempted counter-attack destroyed, Tylars ordered his men to resume the advance. Dak Chamblers, with Eisenval now secure, arrived to reinforce Tylars while other smaller columns from various locations also began entering the city in different areas. In a last-ditch effort to stop the advance, Srav command deployed their reserve tanks. However, Tylars simply bypassed them and proceeded toward the capital building were the Sravs commanders were located. Srav forces were now in a state of disarray and were quickly brushed aside by Sinyan troops. With no escape many Srav officers killed themselves, while others desperately tried to call for reinforcements, but to no avail.
Tylars arrived and surrounded the building. Former SSR general Verrater Traditore, who had assisted the Sravs during their occupation, attempted to save his own skin by selling out the Sravs in the building. Tylars would have none of it however, and had Traditore shot. Most of the remaining Srav commanders then surrendered, but a few attempted to barricade themselves in various rooms. These were quickly taken out by Sinyan commandos however. With all the top Srav commanders now captured or killed, Tylars broadcast the news to all radio stations on the planet that the occupation was finished and all remaining Srav forces must stand down or be destroyed. Most complied and the few that continued to resist were easily put down.
Aftermath[]
Following the battle, the Sinyan people were filled with a new sense of patriotism, having just defeated one of the most powerful militaries in the galaxy. Joe Tylars, hoping to take advantage of this, approached Emperor Yen Balestone with a proposal to begin a massive military buildup and expand Sinyan territory. Balestone told him to proceed and put all available resources at his disposal.
However, when news of the incident reached the Srav capital world of Sviat, Srav command dismissed it as irrelevant, viewing losses there as insignificant. There was some suggestion to retake the world, but the general consensus was there was too little of value on Sinya to warrant diverting resources from the war effort against factions such as the Necasian Military and Death's Tongue Militia, and that the Sinyans were incapable of posing a threat. Furthermore, increased stellar activity hindered access to the system somewhat. As for the Flyboys, they felt that they had gained valuable experience from the battle, and were pleased with their payment, deciding to sell some of the lesser munitions they were rewarded with on the black market. In the case of Khaz, he quietly returned to Sviat, and was re-posted to a remote Srav asteroid mining colony permanently.