This article is about the Battle of Saturn as depicted in Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love. For the comparable battle in Space Battleship Yamato 2, see Battle of Saturn (OS).
The Battle of Saturn, also known as the Battle of the Saturn Sector, was a battle between the Earth Federation and the Gatlantis Empire which saw the first mass mobilization of the Earth Federation's wave-motion gun fleet used in battle, it started on the 8th of May 2203. While hostilities between the Earthling forces and the empire had begun in 2202, the Battle of Saturn signs the official beginning of a state of war between the two powers.
Prelude[]
The Eighth Mobile Fleet over Planet 11
Following their intervention in the Garmillas-Gatlantis War in December of 2202, the Earth Federation had been targeted by the Gatlantis Empire as the next victim of their destructive campaign to eradicate human life from the universe. The goddess Teresa of Terezart had also called a Earthling battleship, Yamato, to her planet, heightening Emperor Zworder's interest in the Earth and its people.[7] On December 24,[1] the Eighth Mobile Fleet of the Gatlantis Army was deployed to carry out an attack on the 11th planet of the Solar system.[8] The Gatlantean forces were defeated by Yamato,[9] but the battle was understood by the Earth Federation Defense Force as merely the first step toward a total invasion of the Solar system.[3]
The 11th planet's refugees
The testimonies of the survivors from the attack, paired with the information collected from Yamato's various encounters with Gatlantis, confirmed that the empire would not accept negotiations and that their ultimate goal was to completely annihilate the Earth. When the empire's mobile capital, the White Comet, was detected performing various warps toward the Earth, it became clear that Gatlantis was on a war footing and preparing for a full-blown conflict. In response, the Defense Force hastened the development of new ships and AI technology in the time fault factory in accordance with the Wave-motion Gun fleet plan. To achieve maximum production capacity in the fault, the private and public sectors were temporarily united and the Earth fully transitioned into a war economy.[3]
The Yamanami fleet in orbit of the Moon
In the days leading up to their invasion, between April 21 and May 5, 2203,[2] the Gatlantis Empire's forces and the Earth Federation Peripheral Fleet[1] engaged in various skirmishes on Pluto, Neptune, and throughout interstellar space[2] as far as the Asteroid Belt. These small-scale battles were understood to be diversions,[3] and the United Nations Cosmo Force drafted Operation S, or the solar system defense operations, to ready the EF's defenses. Four areas of interest, from s1 to s4, were identified, and the bulk of the UNCF Cosmo Navy's forces were deployed to protect them. The Enceladus Defense Unit was stationed on s1, Saturn; the Ginga Fleet was stationed on Jupiter, s2; while the Yamanami Fleet, the primary Cosmo Navy fleet, was placed in orbit of the Earth, s4. A fleet from the Greater Garmillan Empire was tasked with the protection of the Mars Defense Front, s4. Additionally, the possibility of Gatlantis trying to assemble a Legionnaire Cannon was taken into consideration. Two points were identified as the most plausible points from which the empire could assemble the weapon, Saturn and Jupiter, and countermeasures were put in place.[3][2] The AI of the still-in-completion Yamato-class research ship Ginga was used to predict the most plausible hypothesis for Gatlantis's tactics. The computer suggested that the enemy would probably break through the center of the Earth Federation's formation and try to overwhelm their forces with sheer numbers.[3]
Ginga in construction inside of the time fault
Ginga was also at the center of Project G, the Earth Federation's contingency plan for the upcoming war. If the conflict were to drag on and the Earth was under threat of being annihilated, the Ginga and its crew would leave the battlefield and turn into a modern-day Noah's ark. The cruiser would fall entirely under the command of its autonomous sub computer and, carrying the seeds of humanity, it would leave the Solar system in search of a new homeworld for the Earthling species. This plan would only be executed if the losses of Earth-Garmillas joint forces reached half of their total strength, in the meantime, Ginga was being built to see active combat. It was also equipped with a Cosmo Reverse System to carry out special operations.[3][4][10]
Technical Officer Sanada and Chief Engineer Tokugawa working on the Transit DWIE
In the meantime, as Yamato was returning from its journey to Terezart, the ship's Technical Officer devised a theory on how to implement the Anti Wave-motion Lattice, a device that had been used to sabotage Yamato's engine, into the Wave-motion Gun. The result was the so-called Transit Wave-motion Gun, a much more powerful version of the standard weapon.[3]
The Battle[]
Initial encounter[]
The EFG President declares war on Gatlantis
On May 8,[1] over 100 Calaklum-class battleships belonging to Gatlantis's Seventh Mobile Fleet warped out near Saturn, directly in front of the patrolling Enceladus Defense Unit. The unit's commander, Captain Tetsutaro Ozaki, promptly radioed Earth to request backup, at which point the waiting Yamanami fleet, led by Captain Osamu Yamanami and the Andromeda, proceeded to warp away from Earth towards the battlefield. At the same time, the Earth Federation's President appeared live in an emergency broadcast, announcing a state of war had been declared against the Gatlantis Empire.[3]
Valsey's fleet encircles the Enceladus Defense Unit
The Enceladus Defense Unit, which consisted of mainly Kongo-class battleships, alongside some patrol ships and a few Dreadnoughts, was able to initially hold the line against the Gatlantean onslaught. A few of the ships were able to fire their Wave-motion Guns and disrupt the initial Gatlantean lines, but the constant stream of Calaklums formed a semi-circle formation around the unit and began pummeling it with fire. The tide turned completely in favor of the invaders with the arrival of Commander in Chief Valsey aboard his Apocalix-class carrier. Identifying the large carrier as the enemy flagship, Captain Ozaki ordered all aerial units to dive down into an hit-and-run attack against the Apocalix and the other Nazca-class carriers that had warped out with it. While the four Nazcas were sunk, the flagship remained unscathed and launched eighty arrow-shaped self-destructing Eater Is, a new Gatlantean ship capable of neutralizing Wave-motion Shielding. The Eaters were able to break through the Earth Federation's lines, whittling the Enceladus Defense Unit down to a mere eight escort ships and six Kongo-class battleships. As another wave of Calaklums descended on the remaining garrison force from above, they were suddenly destroyed by a massive blast from the Andromeda.[3]
The bulk of the EF fleet warps out behind Andromeda
As Valsey pressed his forces forward, a wave of Dreadnoughts warped out from behind the Andromeda, effectively doubling the garrison's initial numbers. Yamanami then ordered his fleet to charge and fire their Wave-motion Guns, eliminating a sizeable quantity of the ships in Valsey's forces. Realizing the power advantage Earth had over his numbers, Valsey ordered 48 of the remaining Calaklums to assume and fire the Inferno Cannon. Despite its massive power, the Inferno Cannon almost no effect on the wave-motion gun fleet, who was then further reinforced by two massive waves of Dreadnoughts arriving from not only behind them, but also emerging from beneath Saturn's rings. As the Dreadnoughts surrounded the Gatlantean fleet, Intelligence Record Secretary Gairen, from the White Comet, analyzed the Earth, and relayed to Emperor Zworder the exiastance of the time fault and how it was helping Earth.[3][6]
Arrival of the Comet[]
The White Comet warps out
Deciding to act, Zworder had Chief Minister Saberah warp the comet to Saturn, and ordered Valsey to fall back in the meantime. Yamanami, watching from aboard the Andromeda, decided to switch to Plan M, and to fire every single wave-motion gun at once, converging them into a single blast aimed at the White Comet. This was done at the President's behest, who hoped this would make the Earth Federation gain the upper hand in future negotiation with Gatlantis. As all the ships charge their guns to fire, a fleet of Calaklums advanced and began firing on the Earth fleet, who were shielded from their attack by the gravity wells they had deployed. On cue, every single ship fired their Wave-motion Gun, and as the beams struck the wells, they all converged into a single ray that struck the White Comet head-on, creating a swirling storm of gas and fire while simultaneously wiping out the advance Calaklums.[6]
The Ark of Destruction disintegrates Saturn
As the smoke and gas cleared away, the Ark of Destruction showed itself for the first time unobstructed by the gas. No damage had been done to it at all. The gigantic structure, dwarfing even Saturn in size, advanced straight through the planet, dissipanting it entirely. Yamanami, undeterred, ordered the fleet to fire again, intent on wiping out Gatlantis. However, as the fleet fired an array of singlular, non-converged Wave-motion gun blasts, the Ark of Destruction deployed its protective field, again creating a swirling fire and gas cloud, and again protecting the ark from any damage whatsoever.[6]
Apollo Norm and the damaged Andromeda
The Ark of Destruction deployed a massive gravity field, disrupting the careful arrangement of the UNCN fleet and sending all the ships spiraling in various directions. As the Earth forces attempted to regain their footings, a Gatlantean missile fleet emerged from the Ark and launched their Annhilation Missiles, creating swirling gravity storms within the disintegrating Wave-motion Gun fleet that helped to draw all ships in towards the White Comet, even destroying the Andromeda's Wave-motion Gun muzzle. Seeing the flagship in trouble, the Andromeda-class carrier Apollo Norm rammed the Andromeda, using the last of its power to push it away from the White Comet, before falling into its gravity well and being destroyed.[6]
Kato reactivates the Anti Wave-motion Lattice
On May 9,[11] as the fleet retreated, the Yamato arrived at Saturn, prepared to use their Transit Wave-motion Gun to blow away Gatlantis' protective shielding on the Ark of Destruction. However, Gatlantis's imprisoned spy aboard the battleship, Toko Katsuragi, had blackmailed Yamato Squadron commander Saburo Kato into reactivating the Anti Wave-motion Lattice in exchange for the cure to a terminal illness that had been contracted by multiple Earth children including Kato's own son. Before the gun could fire, the Lattice was turned on by Kato, again crippling the Yamato, and sending it plunging into the White Comet.[6] Admiral Hijikata, believing that the ship could not be salvaged, ordered the crew to abandon ship, but only a handful could make it off and onto the Andromeda-class Antares, which was being carried into a TAG formation, in time before the Yamato was completely engulfed in the White Comet's gas.[1][4]
Heir to the Yamato[]
Zoellguut-classes carrying Anti-warp Shield being protected by surviving Dreadnoughts
As the Yamanami fleet withdrew, the Ginga fleet, headed by a now fully completed Ginga and assisted by a large Garmillan fleet, arrived to the battleship and formed a new defensive line. The Ginga projected a large wave-motion shield, protecting the retreating Antares. A series of Walls of Garmillas Subject deployed by Garmillan Zoelluguut-class ships prevented the White Comet from advancing forward. As the Andromeda and the other ships of her class retreated from the battlefield, the remaining Dreadnought-class Vanguard Starship joined Ginga and the hundreds of Kelkapia-classes, holding back the advance of another wave of enemy Calaklums with their Dispersion Wave-motion Guns.[4]
The joint Garmillas-Earth fleet began an operation to contain Gatlantis's advance using the Garmillas Subjects Walls.[11] Some crew members from Yamato, including Kato, were welcomed aboard Ginga and new plan was devised by the cruiser's AI to attack the Gatlantean force.[4]
Aftermath[]
A repaired Andromeda during the Third Battle of Mars
On May 11,[2] a task force headed by Ginga would begin Operation Black Bird, starting the Attack on the annihilation missile fleet. The forces that withdrew from Saturn regrouped on Mars and eventually saw action during the Decisive Battle off Mars.[12] Yamanami and Andromeda were taken back to the time fault where the flagship saw extensive repairs before being redeployed in the same battle. [10]
Yamato crashlanded on Zemuria
Yamato survived it fall inside the Ark and fell on planet Zemuria, one of the worlds that were being held inside of the Ark of Destruction by Gatlantis. There, they encountered a pair of AIs and discovered the truth behind the empire's origins. They also discovered a mechanism that, if activated, could kill all Gatlanteans.[10][12]
Even though it almost resulted in Yamato sinking, Kato's decision did provide the Earth with a cure for Planet Bomb Syndrome, saving the lives of multiple children including the airman's son.[4]
Gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
The Yamato 2202 encyclopedia, taken from Hachette Collections Japan Magazine, erroneously calls it Battle of Jupiter, despite it taking place on Saturn.[13]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 The Era of Space Battleship Yamato: Choice of 2202
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "The Era of Space Battleship Yamato: Choice of 2202" theatrical program book p.27
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 3.39 3.40 3.41 3.42 3.43 3.44 3.45 "Battle off the Coast of Saturn - Gather the Wave Motion Gun Fleet!"
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 "Heir to the Yamato, Her Name is Ginga"
- ↑ Yamato fightercraft taken from Hachette Collection Japan magazine
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 "Yamato in Crisis - The Devil's Alternative Once More"
- ↑ "Tension – Reach the Embassy on the Moon"
- ↑ "Shock – Legacy of the Cosmo Reverse"
- ↑ "The Beam of Light Flashes! / Radiance of the Wave Motion Gun"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Escape from the Nightmare!"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Trajectory of YAMATO 2024 official calendar
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Gatlantis, the Cursed Children"
- ↑ Yamato 2202 Mechanic Encyclopedia on Cosmo DNA taken from Hachette Collections Japan
Japanese language information[]
- 土星沖海戦 Dosei Oki Kaisen (Battle of Saturn)
- 土星宙域 戦 Dosei chū-iki-sen (Battle of the Saturn Sector)