In December 794 UC, to commemorate the thirtieth year of the reign of Kaiser Friedrich IV, the Galactic Empire announces a large scale military campaign against the Free Planets Alliance comprising of 35,400 ships. While news of the impending invasion quickly reaches the Alliance via Fezzan, the Alliance response almost causes a scandal when a merchant convoy bringing vital supplies to the front lines is almost destroyed by Imperial cruisers due to the majority of the Alliance escorting warships shirking their responsibilities and abandoning the merchant ships before they reach their destination. By February 795 UC, the Alliance decides to intercept the Imperial expeditionary force in Tiamat Starzone with the 5th Fleet, 10th Fleet and 11th Fleet, with the possibility of the 4th Fleet and 6th Fleet being added as reserves. When both sides finally clash with each other later in the month, the 11th Fleet under Willem Holland leads the opening phase by ignoring standard tactics and charging into the Imperial line in a haphazard fashion, which manages to confuse the Imperial forces.