- This article is about an in-universe event. For the in-game mission, see Valkyrie's Call.
- "Hey wait, those aren't our planes! Sound the alarms!"
- ― Task Force 1
Operation Free Agent was a long-range strike operation carried out entirely by Cascadian Independence Force-backed mercenaries at the Pacific Federation vassal state of Sawaiiki. Their goal was to destroy the Federation's main airfleet Task Force 1, which was on its last stopover before heading to Cascadia to turn the tide of the Cascadian Conflict.
The raid was described as the single worst airship loss of the After Calamity Era, and which effectively deprived the Federation of any legitimate means to win the war.
Prelude[]
With intelligence related to the deployment of Task Force 1 to Cascadia after almost a month of collation,[1] the CIF planned to neutralize this threat by destroying them at Wai Mami Port, the main port of Sawaiiki and their final break before heading to Cascadia. This was decided as a direct engagement with the airship task force would be a complete disaster.
With Sawaiiki being an economic hub in the Pacific Ocean and also having geothermal reserves like Cascadia, it was ideal for a resupply port for their navies. The country, although being a member of the Federation, had stayed neutral to this point,[2] so the CIF sent mercenaries to carry out this long-range mission, so as to not turn Sawaiiki against Cascadia.
Sicario, because of their continued frontline successes in the CIF Offensive Campaign, was selected to lead the raid, with the rebels sending out every tanker they had to refuel the mercenaries en route. The objective was the complete dissolution of Federation military and infrastructure in the entire ocean, as well as to avoid engagement with local forces and excessive collateral damage.
Battle[]
- "Visual confirmed, a majority of Task Force 1 is in port. The operation is a go. All aircraft, you're cleared to attack. Engage any and all targets, but make sure those airships are dealt with first. If they start powering up, you'll be in for a world of hurt."
- ― Dominic Zaitsev
After refueling, the mercenaries descended onto Sawaiiki Harbor and began their raid, catching the Federation completely by surprise. By the time their vessels got active, a large part of them were sunk. Some of them were able to take off, but the rest were still in the water, and were easily bombed and destroyed; they were recommended to engage the airships first in order to minimize difficulty, notable by the fact that the Federation ground forces began making haste loading their airships up for combat.
The local Commander, in response to the raid, ordered Crimson 7, to escape the area in the PW-Mk.I and fly to the Federation Core States for Icarus Armories to finish the aircraft there. Determined to ensure Task Force 1's crucial survival, he also ordered surface ships to get into blocking positions to allow airships to launch, despite objections from defense units.
Throughout the battle, the Kingdom of Sawaiiki's military prepared to engage the mercenaries, but one of Hitman, through convincing by his AWACS, was able to get them to stand down and remain neutral in the battle by clarifying that their real target was the Federation, not Sawaiiki.
Despite the arrival of patrolling reinforcements, all Federation naval forces were destroyed. With the threat completely wiped out, the mercenaries left Sawaiiki as soon as possible for another refuel.
Aftermath[]
- "There it is, ladies and gentlemen! The worst airship loss in history, all done because of us! [laughs] Oh, it's a good day to be a mercenary! Monarch, Hitman, dinner's on me!"
- ― Frenken
Task Force 1 had been destroyed, its destruction reported all over the news. The Federation's remaining airships in Sawaiiki had none of the combat experience that their pride had, and Federation formations depending on its arrival at Cascadia crumbled to the CIF advance. All in all, the Federation military had suffered a powerful, irreparable blow.
Sawaiiki, despite sustaining damage to resource facilities and being technically attacked by Cascadian rebel forces, did not give out an official response to the raid. However, they blamed the Federation for failing to protect their port facilities despite everything the country offered them. Relations between them strained as a result; Sawaiiki questioned its vassalization policy[3] and even blocked Federation access to its ports at least four months later.[4]
References[]
- ↑ Sector D2. (2020). Project Wingman [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 11: "Cold War."
- ↑ Sector D2 Limited. (2020). Project Wingman [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Files Archive → Factions: Sawaiiki
- ↑ Sector D2 Limited. (2020). Project Wingman [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Files Archive → World Entries: Federalization of Sawaiiki
- ↑ Sector D2. (2020). Project Wingman [Video game]. San Francisco, CA: Humble Games. Mission 19: "Red Sea."
| Battles and events of the Cascadian Conflict | |
|---|---|
| Relevant topics | |
| January | - |
| February | |
| March | |
| April | |
| May | Harkema Industrial raid • Sawaiiki raid • CIF Offensive Campaign |
| June | |
| July | |
| August | |