Loum Battle Chart

[Deacon Blues]

Today I was browsing through the copy of "The One Year War UC0079-0080 Complete History" book (the Gakken Mook released some time ago) and I came across an interesting chart. So, I thought I'd take a whack at translating it for everyone. There were a couple things that I wasn't sure on the translation, and I've noted them at the end.

In the meantime, enjoy.

Code: Select all

Combat Ranking of the Principality of Zeon Army during the Loum Battle

First Combined Fleet (Flagship: Gwaran)
   Combined Fleet Main Group (Vice Admiral Dozle Zabi)          First Mobile Fleet
      First Group (1st Fleet) MS x 142                             Colony Assault Force        
         Battleship Squadron -- Battleship x 4                        Mobile Escort Squad -- HC x 2 SC x 6 MS x 52  
         Heavy Cruiser Squadron -- HC x 6                             Special Mobile Engineer Squad -- SP x 6 MS x 36
         Light Cruiser Squadron -- LC x 9                             Mobile Fleet Main Group
                                                                      Group 1 MS x 220
      Second Group (2nd Fleet) MS x 150                                 Heavy Cruiser Squadron -- HC x 3
         Heavy Cruiser Squadron -- HC x 12                              Light Cruiser Squadron -- LC x 6
         Light Cruiser Squadron -- LC x 9                               Mobile Assault Squadron -- Papua x 8

      Flight Squadron (Type B) -- Pazock "C" x 1                      Group 2 MS x 180
                               -- Gattle Space Fighter x 40             Heavy Cruiser Squadron -- HC x 3
                                                                        Light Cruiser Squadron -- LC x 6
   Second Mobile Fleet (Flagship: Famel)                                Mobile Assault Squadron -- Papua x 6
      First Group MS x 98                                                
         Light Cruiser Squadron -- LC x 3                             Group 3
         Mobile Assault Squadron -- Papua x 4                           Light Cruiser Squadron -- LC x 6 MS x 18*
                                                                        Assault Squadron -- Jicco Assault Vessel x 34
      Second Group MS x 98                                                               -- Pazock "TT" x 1
         Light Cruiser Squadron -- LC x 3 
         Mobile Assault Squadron -- Papua x 4                           Flight Squadron (Type A) -- Gattle SF x 360
                                                                                                 -- Pazock "C" x 3
   Battle Resupply Group -- MS x 600                                     
                         -- Pazock "MSC" x 10                           Battle Resupply Group -- MS x 600
                                                                                              -- Pazock "MSC" x 10
Combined Fleet Service Fleet
　　　　MS Service Group -- Supply-type MS x 726
　　　　1st Fleet Service Group -- Pazock x 10
　　　　2nd Fleet Service Group -- Pazock x 10

Notes:

* denotes an error in the book. They merely had MS18, which would be impossible considering the Kampher wasn't around then.

重巡 - I'd assume this means 'heavy patrol' so I changed it to main instead.
軽巡 - I'd assume this means 'light patrol' so I changed it to sub instead.
直率 - I have no idea what this word means, so I left it in.
没務 - I have no idea what this word means, so I left it in.

The last listing on the list with the unknown kanji is suppose to be a third column in line with the "1st Mobile Fleet". A source scan can be furnished if needed.

[toysdream]

重巡 and 軽巡 are just abbreviations for 重巡洋艦 (heavy cruiser) and 軽巡洋艦 (light cruiser). In other words, these are squadrons of Chivvay-class heavy cruisers and Musai-class light cruisers.

直率 means "directly led." In other words, Dozle Zabi leads the main force of the combined fleet in person.

As for that last item, I'd suggest "Combined Fleet Service Fleet." Its mobile suits are listed as "reserve MS," and according to the explanatory caption its mobile suit teams have been provisionally formed from transport teams and mobile suit instructors and trainees.

Like most of the "order of battle" listings in these books, the numbers are carefully calibrated so that they add up to same figures seen in Entertainment Bible 39. As such, they're subject to all the regular confusions and contradictions associated with the Battle of Loum, not least the problem of reconciling them with what we see in MS Igloo (huge numbers of Musais, no Chivvays, mobile suits launched from behind the lines rather than from the warships themselves).

On the other hand, I'm intrigued by the idea that the 2nd Mobile Fleet which served as an advance force for the attack consisted of a handful of Musai cruisers and a few battalions of mobile suits carried in Papua transport ships. This sounds a lot like the "special assault battalion" we see in Gundam The Origin, and it seems compatible with MS Igloo as well. Based on the latter two examples, it's possible that an "accurate" account of the Battle of Loum would involve this 2nd Mobile Fleet and its Papua-carried Zakus providing most of the mobile suit action, while the cruiser fleet engages the Federation Forces in conventional naval warfare as shown in MS Igloo.

-- Mark