A/N- This chapter is a follow up to chapters 1 and 3.
Chapter 4- Like Punch Drunk Boxers
Era 7- year 1522- October to December
The Ukoson-Terekvadan war had been swinging back and forth for several months and neither side wanted to give up. Terekvadan forces were pounding away at cities held by Ukoso whilst Ukoso retaliated by bombing Terekvadan forces and supply routes as well as key targets in Terekvada itself. Of particular importance to both sides were a pair of cities in the agricultural and industrial region in the east of Ukoso, separated by a river in between them. Both sides fed forces into the area and suffered heavy casualties because of their opponents' actions. However, it was not the only area where seemingly inconclusive fighting was being waged.
Further west, a Ukoson city called Khalasorn and the surrounding areas captured by Terekvada in the early days of the conflict was facing the prospect of liberation. Terekvadan forces were facing attacks from multiple directions with Ukoson army and naval infantry units facing them frontally and partisans initiating sabotage raids and ambushes in their rear areas. The Terekvadan forces in the Khalasorn area consisted of two infantry divisions and a number of battalion sized battlegroups. They had plenty of tanks armoured vehicles and artillery but compared to their forces in the east of the country, it was a relatively modest number. Ukoson forces by comparison consisted of two infantry divisions, two mechanised Infantry brigades and a naval infantry brigade as well as a smattering of smaller volunteer units. The Ukoson forces also had an airborne brigade, which had been decimated in recent fighting, reconstituting in the area and it would become involved in the fighting later than the other Ukoson army formations. In the Terekvadan rear areas, Ukoson partisans numbered the equivalent of one and a half divisions and continued growing throughout the fighting for Khalasorn.
On the 6th of October, after five days of intense skirmishes, the Ukoson counteroffensive began with the Ukoson forces attacking towards a bridge in the nearby city of Zharoara. The city of Zharoara was critical to the Terekvadan defence of Khalasorn as it was the primary supply route to the forces there as well as being situated on the Dneiperster river, which was the second biggest river on that continent at one and a half kilometres wide at its widest. Because of the scarcity of large formations for both sides in the area, the Ukoson army primarily used their two mechanised Infantry brigades and some of the smaller volunteer units to push to Zharoara whilst the Terekvadan army tried to counterattack with three of their battalion sized battlegroups. Recognizing the threat posed by the Ukoson counteroffensive, the Terekvadan high command sent a fresh mechanised Infantry division to Zharoara whilst also sending an airborne brigade to help the defence of Khalasorn. The Terekvadan forces halted the initial attacks on Zharoara in the nick of time as the lead elements of their reinforcements entered the city. The initial Ukoson counteroffensive lasted for just over three weeks.
A month passed after the initial counteroffensive petered out and the battle around Khalasorn degenerated into a stalemate. The Various versions of Palpatine conspired to assist the Terekvadans by sending cloning equipment and various armoured walkers. The various factions of Chaos, except for elements that were either neutral or loyal to Samgon, sought to undermine Samgon's efforts in the region by providing the Terekvadan military with numerous tanks and aircraft. Harry and Samgon quietly agreed to coordinate with each other on supplying arms and equipment to Ukoso as well as providing transport to volunteers wishing to fight for Ukoso. The vast quantities of men and material assembled by both sides meant that a massive, brutal battle for Khalasorn was anticipated by almost everyone.
On November the 27th, Terekvadan forces tried to disrupt Ukoson preparations. The attempts failed miserably as the Ukoson forces were fully alert and had been preparing to attack again. The following day, the Ukoson forces resumed their counteroffensive and it resulted in several Terekvadan units becoming cut off and virtually encircled. Those Terekvadan units were then destroyed at leisure by the Ukoson forces. By mid-December, the Ukoson forces had reached Khalasorn and had even reclaimed some of the city. Unfortunately for the Ukoson forces, once again, the Terekvadan high command sent a large infusion of reinforcements to their beleaguered units in the area. Tank duels took place at near point blank range and artillery fire from both sides killed or wounded friend and foe alike.
By the end of December, both the Ukoson and Terekvadan militaries had become exhausted. Both sides were determined to have Khalasorn however and both sides continued to feed forces into the fight for several days. Both Terekvada and Ukoso eventually conceded that their armies had reached a stalemate and switched to the defence, hoping to build up enough forces for the decisive blow that would decide the campaign.
Meanwhile, in the northern wastes, a city occupied by the Greenskins of Outer Heaven was about to rise up and revolt.
A/N- Please review and I hope you have enjoyed this chapter.