Operation Ouka (
Secondary objectives of the operation included numerous diversion assaults on other Hives world-wide, further information gathering on the BETA (both within the scope of Alternative IV and data gathering by diversionary units in the vein of how the Volk Data was gathered), and securing potential caches of G-Elements, as well as their production facilities, identified by the Alternative IV data code-named "Atelier".
The operation would be the largest counter-BETA military operation in the history of mankind, involving the militaries of numerous nations around the Defence Lines, significant contributions from the US Space Corps, and numerous personnel and material from the UN Aerospace Force.
Preparation[]
The operation itself was rushed ahead of schedule, with the remainder of Special Task Force A-01, and their remaining XG-70d Susanoo IV being the core of the strategy. Despite the heavy losses suffered by UN forces and STF A-01 during Operation 21st on December 25th, and the following Defence of Yokohama Base on December 29th, UN command decided to execute Operation Ouka in order to take advantage of new data retrieved by the 00 Unit, before the BETA could adapt to the 00 Unit's two-way mental link with the BETA hivemind and extract more information about humanity's defence.
The primary assault group consisted of the XG-70d Susanoo IV, escorted by the remaining active members of STF A-01 outfitted with three Type-00As and one Type-00F of the Type-00 Takemikazuchi-series, lent to them by the Imperial Japanese Royal Guard's 19th Independent Guard Flight, with the addition of one Type-00R Takemikazuchi given by the Shogun to 2nd Lieutenant Mitsurugi Meiya. This was because the 19th IRG IGF were prevented from participating directly, as it was strictly a UN operation, despite the fact they were in possession of some of the few remaining functional TSFs at Yokohama Base. This was a huge improvement over the original plan, which called for A-01 to be assigned with leftover F-4J Gekishin and F-15J Kagerou units in Yokohama Base.
Secondary assault forces, which were intended to draw out the BETA's forces and attention away from the Kashgar Hive, included members of the Soviet Union, European Union, Middle Eastern Coalition, African Union, COSEAN, Unified Front of China, and other non-aligned national militaries, against the Hives directly closest to the Defence Lines encompassing the Eurasian/Asian continents.
Since the secondary objective involving capturing the G-Elements in the Kashgar Hive was considered suicidal, the 00 Unit tampered with the other forces' data in order to redirect them back out of the Kashgar Hive and away from danger. It is unclear if they survived the landing however, since the game implies that, save for the A-01, the entire attacking force was all but wiped out by the lasers.
Operation[]
All assaults were carried out with orbital bombing followed by a land-based attack, with Hives closer to the sea coming under naval gunfire salvos as well.
Unnamed BETA strain at the Evensk battle.
A new BETA form was also sighted at the Evensk Hive, on the Kamchatka Peninsula, that boasted superior range and attack capability over all land-based and Laser/Heavy Laser-class BETA strains. This new BETA strain was engaged by elements of the Soviet Army, including the 211 Batalon Zhar. Its attempts to take down the XG-70d Susanoo IV, while it launched from Yokohama Base, was unsuccessful.
The primary assault force was escorted by the 3rd Fleet of the UN Aerospace Corps and their attached Orbital Diver Corps, along with forces from the US Space Corps, who were to assist in securing a landing zone and then break off to retrieve G-Elements for the USA. Preceeding them were US Space Corps forces and UN Aerospace Force units, which were tasked to secure the drop zone; however, heavy casualties forced the primary force to accelerate their operations.
The 3rd Fleet, accompanied by the XG-70d.
During the orbital bombing and follow-up drop operation, the BETA's adaptation to the anti-laser tactic of heavy metal bombardment by no longer vaporizing HM shells on detection caused the 3rd Fleet to come under heavy fire by Heavy Laser-class BETA at medium-orbital ranges, resulting in the destruction of most if not all of the HSSTs and TSFs of that fleet, excluding the forces of STF A-01. Most of the HSSTs were destroyed when their captains and crew attempted to shield the XG-70d Susanoo IV from the barrage of Heavy Laser fire, allowing the XG-70d to land in Kashgar without taking lasting damage.
Despite the heavy losses, STF A-01 and the XG-70d Susanoo IV managed to penetrate the Hive, suffering further losses in their fight while traversing one of the Main Halls of the Hive leading towards the core chamber. 2nd Lieutenants Ayamine Kei and Sakaki Chizuru self-destructed their units to collapse a passageway to further impede the BETA; 2nd Lieutenant Tamase Miki was killed during combat against the BETA, and 2nd Lieutenant Yoroi Mikoto was electrocuted to death after destroying the brain of a Barrier-class BETA in order to close off the passageway behind the Susanoo IV.
Having been reduced to the Susanoo IV and 2nd Lieutenant Mitsurugi Meiya's Type-00R, they eventually made contact with the Kashgar Hive's Reactor and the BETA's overall controlling intelligence, the Superior, and eventually destroyed both after achieving a brief verbal exchange with the Superior itself, although not without losing 2nd Lieutenant Mitsurugi to friendly fire, partially caused by the Superior. This act proved that Alternative IV was a success, as communication with the BETA was achieved. The knowledge gleaned from that exchange revealed much about the BETA's point of view.
Following the destruction of the Kashgar Reactor and the Superior, 2nd Lieutenants Shirogane Takeru and Yashiro Kasumi, who survived the combat, escaped the Kashgar Hive using a shuttle, leaving the Susanoo IV in the Hive; the 00 Unit escaped along with them, but expired shortly after the completion of the mission.
Aftermath[]
Operation Ouka was the single most successful Hive raiding operation in mankind's current history of war against the BETA. The destruction of the Superior allowed humanity to gain a significant strategic edge against the BETA, removing the enemy's capability for higher-end strategy, and the data gained from the global Hive assaults allowed them to further improve Hive combat tactics, which would later be proved in Operation Sledgehammer. Professor Kouzuki Yuuko estimated that Operation Ouka's success allowed humanity to gain another 30 years in the war, allowing them to finally focus on turning the tables against their enemies.
The success of Operation Ouka also resulted in a renewed arms race, as each frontline nation sought to bring as many Hives as it could under their own control. The UN, in an effort to combat what might lead up to a potential Second Cold War, took measures, such as working together with other nations in frontline combat, as well as considering the purchase of TSFs, like the Type-00 Takemikazuchi, which had been proven to be effective in Hive combat.
Evensk Hive Operation[]
- Main article: Evensk Hive Operation