We just weren't ready, the crims had us beat before we even knew what happened.
—A Sinyan soldier recounting the invasion
The Invasion of Sinya was a conflict of the Cruentusian War. It occurred when the Srav Federation decided to incorporate the planet of Sinya into its territory. After the Sinyans refused the Srav demand to join peacefully, the Sravs sent a force to invade and occupy the planet. The Sinyans, unsuspecting an attack, were easily defeated by the Sravs.
Prelude[]
If you cannot make a fool see sense with words, thermonuclear saturation bombardment from high orbit should suffice.
—Jasef Yuiln
As part of their expansionist policies, the Srav Federation decided that the planet of Sinya and the surrounding system would be the next world it would incorporate into its territory. After evaluating the inhabitants of the system, the Sravs sent a message to Sinyan Emperor Yen Balestone asking that he peacefully accept to be incorporated into Srav territory. With Balestone's refusal, the Sravs dispatched a division and a small flotilla to take the planet by force.
The Invasion[]
Arial assault[]
This is what we get for not investing in an air force!
—A Sinyan soldier
To open the attack, the Sravs sent waves of fighters to destroy any Sinyan air power and anti-air defenses. The SDF however, had no air force and the only fighters in service were old machines used by local militia groups. Due to this, the Srav fighters encountered little resistance as they began their bombing runs. The few militia fighters that made it into the air stood little chance against the modern Srav models and thus, it wasn't long before most Sinyan military bases were in ruins. With the air threat out of the way, Srav commander Strigoi Khaz decided to proceed with the invasion.
Land campaign[]
Greetings comrades! It's an honor to be the first to give you a friendly welcome!"
"Always nice to see some intelligence on a rock apparently populated mostly by short-sighed idiots. Now let go of my hand.
—Verrater Traditore welcomes Strigoi Khaz
As the last of the Srav fighters finished their bombing runs, transports filled with soldiers began landing on the planet's surface. SDF and militia forces attempted to launch counter-attacks on the invaders but the Sravs easily crushed these assaults. The Sravs then began to advance throughout the Sinyan country side, smashing militia men who tried to stop them. In some places resistance was non-existant, such as in the industrial city of Stahlon, where SDF colonel Vince Ergiez withdrew without a fight as he didn't want an important economic center damaged. In some places however, the Sinyans were able to slow the Sravs and even launch small counter-attacks. Near Etsako, Sinyan tank commander Joe Tylars was able to lead his unit in a successful assault which damaged many of the Srav transports and vehicles.
Despite these few successes, the Sinyans were dealt a crushing blow when a group of SSR remnants emerged on the side of the Sravs. With their help, the Sravs were able to take control of several cities, such as Eisenval, that were still holding out against the attackers. Blow after blow was dealt to the defenders, until there was only one major target left. The capital city of Reshlund.
Destruction of Reshlund[]
Disgusting dump, just like the rest of this miserable backwater planet. It'll look so much better as a crater.
—Strigoi Khaz
As Sinyan resistance crumbled around them, the soldiers of Reshlund remained steadfast in their defense. Srav and SSR forces were repulsed several times despite being in much larger numbers. SDF Supreme Commander Ken Trallar directed the defense from the SDF Headquarters within the city. In order to prevent him from being harmed, Trallar sent Emperor Balestone to a secret hideout in the Sinyan wilds. The defenders repulsed another attack as the Emperor escaped. As yet another assault failed, Khaz grew very impatient. Finally he decided that it was not worth wasting Srav lives to take the city intact, so he ordered it to be decimated from orbit. The resulting bombardment destroyed SDF HQ and killed all of the Sinyan generals present, including Trallar. Command of the Sinyan forces fell to Dak Chamblers, who was not in Reshlund at the time. Chamblers ordered all SDF forces to retreat or go underground, so as to preserve some men for a continued resistance.
Aftermath[]
The Sravs had scored another early victory as they continued their conquest of the galaxy, but despite what seemed an easy win, they had failed to capture or kill Emperor Balestone, who had escaped just before the nuclear attack on Reshlund. To add to that, the SDF had managed to save some troops and vehicles and formed an underground resistance. Verrater Traditore was given the position of Commandant of the Reshlund garrison and overseer of its rebuilding. Despite this, he still desired to gain a higher post.