Battle of Santa Elva

The First Battle of Santa Elva is a military operation launched by the Aurelians to liberate Santa Elva, probably the most important supply route used by the Leasathians.

Situation

Santa Elva is a vital transportation route, the Aurelians plan to secure this position to force Leasathian forces to pull out from the southern part of Aurelia. Leasath forces, aware of the impending assault, devices plans to repel the Aurelians.

Objectives

The Aurelian army's objectives were to destroy the Gleipnir and take back Santa Elva.

The Leasath forces objectives The two ways the Leasathian forces would defend the city was 1) to withdraw all of their own ground forces and deploy the Gleipnir to destroy the Aurelian ground forces and 2) with the battle damage taken by the Gleipnir in the Battle of Terminus Islands, they plan to let the Gleipnir escape by deploying massive amounts of Anti-aircraft defense, including SAM's and AA guns, pull back and lose the city and then take the city back when Gleipnir was completely repaired.

The Battle

Situation 1) The fully powered Gleipnir plans to destroy the invading forces of Aurelia. To accomplish this without killing their own troops, the Leasath ground forces were withdrawn from Santa Elva. The Gleipnir escorted by several SU-27's, F-16C's, A-10A's, Gripen's and F-15E's was a force comparable to the power of several armies. However, the Gleipnir was not invincible. It's escorts were shot down and its optical camouflage was disabled by Gryphus 1. The ace pilot continued the attack on the Airborne Fortress, the commander of the fortress ordered to launch the SWBM, the Gleipnir's ultimate air weapon. However, Gryphus 1 managed to evade the missile's blasts and destroyed the SWBM ports on Gleipnir. The commander of Gleipnir seeing that the end was near, ordered that Santa Elva and its civilian populations shall be destroyed. The Gleipnir was destroyed and crashed into the river. Santa Elva was in Aurelian hands.

Situation 2) The Gleipnir was damaged in Terminus Island and was attacked by the Aurelian Air Force, the Gleipnir tried to defend itself the best it could, however, it's defense platforms were destroyed and the Gleipnir was defenseless, Gryphhus 1 took down the escorts and the AA guns and SAM's in Santa Elva. The commander of the Gleipnir went insane and attempted to attack the Gryphus 1 with the Shock Cannon. With amazing maneuverability, he flipped the Gleipnir on its back and fired the cannon. However it was destroyed by Gryphus 1 and the Gleipnir was destroyed.

Aftermath

Leasath has lost Santa Elva and the Gleipnir, their army's morale is at an all time low, with Santa Elva lost in Aurelian hands it was now possible to attack the capital, Griswall. The destruction of the Gleipnir has boosted Aurelian troop morale and made the name of Gryphus 1 as the ace that shot down the airborne fortress. This was the turning point of the war, with the Gleipnir gone the Leasath forces began to lose every single battle in the southern part of Aurelia and the Aurelians getting closer to liberating the capital.

The Inevitable

If the Player doesn't silence the remnent forces of Leasath in Kallana Steppes in time, they will attack Santa Elva again that will result in the Second Batlle of Santa Elva.