 This work is considered secondary-canon. Although it has not yet been removed from the Robotech universe, it is still not considered Primary Canon. See Continuity and Canon in the Robotech Universe. |
Zeraal, architect and namesake of the Zeraal Campaign.
The Zeraal Campaign was an armed conflict between the forces of the Robotech Defense Force and Zentraedi Malcontents under the command of the warlord Zeraal. It lasted from 2011 to 2015, with it's origins rooted in the Malcontent Uprisings.
Prelude[]
During the First Robotech War, Zeraal was a flag officer who served under Khyron during the war, as did many of his future lieutenants. He participated in the final battle with humanity and witnessed the ultimate defeat of Dolza and the Imperial Grand Fleet at the hands of the SDF-1. Following the end of the war, many Zentraedi did not assimilate with human culture, and became scavengers and renegades in the wastelands. These included Zeraal and those forces still loyal to him, who were soon sought out by Khyron once more.
From left to right: Skarrde, Kiyora, and Gorian -- Zeraal's top lieutenants.
Khyron, who had not surrendered following the end of the war, recruited Zeraal as part of his own plans to destroy the SDF-1. He placed numerous highly-trained warriors under the command of Zeraal, including Skarrde, Gorian, and Kiyora, and ordered them to fan the flames of rebellion in the wastelands. While they were able to remain largely undetected by the RDF, their operations were repeatedly interrupted and dismantled by Jack Archer and the other personnel at Base-6.
Their organization was finally exposed to the public eye following an incident in Flood City, when Skarrde shot down a Catseye that the RDF were using to search for Zentraedi activity. Following the crash, Skarrde stationed a garrison in the city, believing the RDF would send someone to recover the crew. This proved to be correct, as Archer was sent by Commander Helena Chase to rescue them. To Skarrde's surprise, the human defeated the garrison, and the officer chose to intervene. However he was unable to defeat Archer and was forced to retreat. Following this the RDF realized they were dealing with a larger organized presence in the wasteland and identified Zeraal as the leader. At the same time, Zeraal began to break away from Khyron, choosing to pursue his own goals rather then continue with the efforts to destroy the SDF-1.
The Campaign Begins[]
Zeraal's new autonomy proved to be a challenge for the RDF. Reassembling the old Zentraedi armies, Zeraal launched increasingly ambitious attacks. During one incident, his forces attempted to level a city using the weapon systems on a crashed Zentraedi Carrier, which was only halted when Base 6 sent Wolf Squadron and a small detachment of Destroids to take it offline. Shortly afterwards the Zentraedi hit both the Destroid Armory and the RDF's Protoculture Storage Facility. While they were both foiled, these attacks severely damaged Base 6's already strained resources, allowing Zeraal greater flexibility in his attacks across the wasteland.
Utilizing Gorian's Male Power Armor Commandos, Zeraal would harass the RDF during a hostage crisis, and later attempt to kill both Rick Hunter and Lynn Minmei in Granite City. Once again Archer intervened, supported by Destroid Commander Hiro Ishi, and stopped both plots. Zeraal, realizing that Archer was his primary obstacle, decided to remove him from the field. Deploying Kiyora, an infamous Zentraedi Ace who had gone up against Wolf Squadron once before, he ordered her to kill the ace pilot. Having a personal grudge against Archer, Kiyora gladly complied, killing RDF scouts to force Wolf Squadron to come after her. Eventually they did, with both Archer and Izzy Randal coming to face her. When it became clear that she could not defeat them both, she shot down Izzy, and forced Archer to attempt a rescue while still fighting off the Zentraedi. Despite the odds, Archer both rescued his comrade and friend, and defeated Kiyora.
Little Mesa Massacre[]
Even as Zeraal pressed his attacks, the RDF still did not consider him their greatest concern, as they were busy fighting off Khyron as they prepared to launch the Robotech Expeditionary Force to search for the Robotech Masters. However this would change following actions taken by Zeraal's lieutenants at the town of Little Mesa. Under the command of Gorian and Skarrde, Zentraedi took over the town and blocked communications. While Base 6 believed it to be an anomaly, an investigation by Jack Archer and Hiro Ishi revealed the town was under occupation, with the civilians trapped in armored shelters. Archer picked off the Scout Pods that were jamming the array, allowing Ishi to send out a distress beacon, but any reinforcements were miles out. Forced to act alone, they attacked the Zentraedi, and were successful for a time.
Gorian orders his troops to open fire on the civilian shelters.
When they reached the civilian shelters they quickly found Skarrde and Gorian surrounding the shelters with Battle Pods. When Jack and Hiro tried to rescue them, Gorian ordered his troops to open fire on the shelters, killing hundreds and earning him the title of Butcher of Little Mesa. Witnessing this atrocity Hiro ordered the death of every Zentraedi in Little Mesa and Archer obliged. However Gorian escaped and Skarrde attempted to flee aboard a Reentry Pod that was shot down by Archer and Ishi. The Little Mesa Massacre was the final straw for the RDF who ordered Base 6 to kill or capture Zeraal at all costs.
Zeraal's Offensive[]
At some point prior to 2014, Zeraal established Zentraedi City, a base of operations in the shadow of an intact Zentraedi Carrier. The carrier was stocked to the brim with Battle Pods, Reentry Pods, and Power Armor, which was enough for Zeraal to carry out a large scale offensive on the wasteland. With Base 6 severely strained on resources, Zeraal overran the frontier towns, and all civilians were evacuated to an exclusion zone around Base 6. One of the major towns lost was Graystone, where the RDF put up a desperate defense to ensure the townsfolk escaped. Among the defenders were Jack Archer and Hiro Ishi, the former of which would later protect the civilians as they made their way to Base 6.
Sometime after that, the RDF would secure a few small victories against Zeraal, each would involve Archer. One would include the defection of Skarrde who supplied the RDF with a data capsule on Zeraal's strategy and allowed them to save more civilians from Zeraal's wrath. Another would be the destruction of a Protoculture Shuttle Convoy and an attack on Zeraal's staging area where he was preparing to launch a direct assault on Base 6. This stalled Zeraal's efforts for a time.
The greatest victory for the RDF during this time was the demise of Gorian whose MPA Commandos were proving to be one of the most dangerous enemies for RDF forces. After harassing Destroids on the outskirts of Base 6, deep within the Safe Zone, the commandos were hunted down and killed by Jack Archer, who pursued Gorian as he tried to flee. Recognizing Gorian as the Butcher of Little Mesa, Archer avenged the town and slew Gorian just a few miles outside of Base 6. It was at this stage that the tide began to turn in the RDF's favor.
Endgame[]
Following severe defeats at the hands of Rick Hunter and the RDF, Khyron prepared to launch what would be his final assault on the SDF-1 in late 2014. Khyron was assured by Zeraal that his forces would support him, but when Khyron launched his attack, Zeraal sent no assistance to the dying warlord. In one final act of defiance, Khyron would destroy both the SDF-1 and the SDF-2, and leave Zeraal as the Supreme Commander of the Zentraedi. He would attempt one final assault on Base 6 in the hopes of asserting his dominance over the wasteland.
Jack Archer adrift in space following the final battle. (Robotech: Battlecry)
However once again Jack Archer stood in his way. Destroid Monsters pounded the invading Zentraedi as Wolf-10 engaged Kiyora, who was Zeraal's only remaining field commander, and finally ended the Zentraedi Ace's reign of terror. Archer would later that year launch a final assault on Zentraedi City as Zeraal's army collapsed. Recognizing that his end was coming Zeraal decided that if he had to die he would take Archer with him. Activating a Space Fold, the city was warped to the rings of Saturn, and Zeraal was killed by the human ace in the ensuing battle. While Archer's fate after the final battle remains unknown, the organized Zentraedi on Earth disbanded, and the Zeraal Campaign came to an end.
Major Battles[]
- Flood City Incident
- First Battle of Graystone
- Battle of Granite City
- Little Mesa Massacre
- Second Battle of Graystone
- Data Capsule Recovery
- Safe Zone Incursion
- Battle of Base 6
- Battle of Zentraedi City