[h2][b]The Mercia Front: Between Assaults[/b][/h2]

[i]The original success of the 8th Legion on the Mercia Front played a major role in the war against the Pan-Pacific on Mercia's soil. Losing control of so many hives in Southern Mercia in a matter of months with little in the way of warning or defense caused a massive upheaval to the Pan-Pacific wider plans. With battle still raging against the Thunder Warriors and other Imperial forces on the eastern hives of Mercia, the hives and territory that the 8th had taken posed a very real threat of cutting off Pan-Pacific controlled hives and forces in the east from reinforcements and supplies from more stable territories. 

According to some analysts, if the 8th had regrouped and taken advantage of the confusion to push, they could have actually made this encirclement happen and caused considerable damage to the military of the Pan-Pacific Empire. In practice through, such a lightning assault simply wasn't possible due to a number of factors: The first and most important was that there simply hadn't been enough active members of the 8th legion to try. While their operation was an astounding success and losses were well within accepted parameters, the 8th legion didn't have a large force to begin with and the losses they did take had a large impact on their options moving forward. 

A choice had to be made. The 8th[/i] could [i]take a gamble and rally themselves together to make a push to encircle and cut off the eastern front while the Pan-Pacific was reeling from losing so much ground at once, or they could hold they territory they had taken until reinforcements arrived to help fortify and hold the region or go on the offense themselves. In the end the 8th decided on the latter plan of action.

As Legion Master Pho Scraphurst was quoted saying about the decision: "We have delivered a jab to our enemy that has caused their jaw to be exposed for a follow up uppercut. However, in order to launch that uppercut we would have to abandon all pretense of defense to put force behind the blow... and unfortunately we simply do not have the strength to make that blow powerful enough to put 'em down. Sure it would hurt 'em, but they would be able to counter attack and unless they're completely stupid they'll quickly regain the undefended hives we've taken with a minimum of fuss. Better to draw out the fight then launch a half arsed attack that'll do more harm then good." 

Another factor in the decision to hold and wait for reinforcements to secure Imperial control of the territory was the fact that there were still several Pan-Pacific strongholds within the area the 8th had claimed for the Imperium. Minor hives or independent structures, but still bastions with enemy forces still occupying them. The threat of these bastions reporting back to their higher ups that the territory was undefended or launching assaults of their own to reclaim some of their former territory if the 8th left them be was unacceptable. 

So while the 8th legion waited for enforcing Imperial forces and supplies to arrive, the 8th took the time to ensure the stability of Imperial rule in the hives they had claimed, prepared what defenses they needed to in order to hold their prizes in the event that a counter offensive came before the region was fully garrisoned and secured and launching minor campaigns and sieges against what Pan-Pacific strong points remained. These operations also served as a form of training and bonding among the 8th legion, preparing them for larger scale operations and outright siege warfare that they would no doubt encounter going forward.     

As the months passed, the Imperium was able to bring in the fresh forces and supplies needed to properly hold its new territory, as well as set up facilities to properly recruit fresh members for the 8th legion going forward. While this did have the negative side effect of allowing the Pan-Pacific Empire a chance to dig in and prepare for fighting on the southern front of Mercia, the Imperium had a strong and secure foothold to launch its future liberation campaigns from.[/i] 

-Remembrancer Zygena Ravenlow, attached to the 8th Legion.