An enormous number of ships and mechs had gathered at the Bentheim System.
With the sudden withdrawal of the sandman fleets from occupied human space, many people believed the war had ended.
They came up with several reasons why the Sand War took such a sudden turn when states like the Bright Republic had been pushed to the brink.
The sandmen race returned to sanity.
Killing the sandman emperor caused the aliens to lose confidence.
The invasion achieved its purpose.
Whatever the case, many of the states involved in the Sand War hoped that the ordeal was over.
Sadly, the sandmen weren't done yet. With their original territories ravaged by the CFA, the invasion forces were the only sandmen left in the galaxy!
Instead of running back into the deep frontier with their tails tucked between their legs, the sandman initiated one more suicidal attack.