The Refusal War

[HunterGratzner]

I had a couple questions about it I was hoping someone might be able to answer:

1. During the conflict Natasha Kerensky starts giving out weapons to civilians on Falcon worlds to start uprisings. Isn't this against Clan law?

2. Phelan bids mercenaries in his defense of Morges against the Falcons. If the Wolves bid their touman isn't it a violation to add in foreign troops?

[Colt Ward]

Natasha opened up the armories on worlds the Wolves already won from the Falcons- or destroyed the Falcon garrisons.  Since there was not a Falcon left to object . . . sort of makes it moot.  During this time the Spirits would used their armed populations to defend their principle world of York so its not a entirely unheard of thing.

As for Morges . . . the unfortunate thing is the whole touman was not involved- 2/3rds fell into a plot blackhole.  Allied troops can become involved in a bid, this has happened a few times in Clan history.  The one that comes most to mind is where the Horses and Coyotes wipe out a kindraa that had offended both of them.  The Bears & Ravens teamed up a few times when the Bears were leaving the Home Worlds and the Horses tried to take what the Bears were gifting the Ravens.  Each individual Trial of Possession during the Refusal War had its own separate bid, and because the way the Council vote had went the Wolves would have to be at a numerical disadvantage though their skills surpassed the Falcons.  Typically it was elite Wolf frontline clusters vs a mix of veteran or regular Falcon clusters, at that point the Falcons were mostly a veteran touman among their frontline forces and for secondline/garrison regulars with a large number of veterans.

[dgorsman]

That was one of the technical reasons for the abjurement of the Exiled Wolves.  Not that they wouldn't have done it anyways, but the Clans are pretty good at rationalizing what they want to do.

[Colt Ward]

It was that Phelan led most of his Beta Galaxy to Morges, not that the Kell Hounds jumped in.

But yeah, its one of those technicalities that TPTB overlooked in the late 3050s- like Katherine could not become Archon?  Or First Princess? because she did not meet a military service requirement.

[Gaiiten]

But yeah, its one of those technicalities that TPTB overlooked in the late 3050s- like Katherine could not become Archon?  Or First Princess? because she did not meet a military service requirement.

IMHO TPTB did not overlook this, they simpy decided to get a civil war unleashed to solve this  ;)

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

1. During the conflict Natasha Kerensky starts giving out weapons to civilians on Falcon worlds to start uprisings. Isn't this against Clan law?
  Was there an overall Clan prohibition? Doubtful. It may have enraged one or another Clan but the Clans tend to make up laws as they go.

2. Phelan bids mercenaries in his defense of Morges against the Falcons. If the Wolves bid their touman isn't it a violation to add in foreign troops?
  Again, a violation of what, past tradition? Zellbrigen doesn't go into details on who may participate in bidding or which actual forces may participate. As usual, there is always at least one Clan to cry "foul" at the idea.
 

[Natasha Kerensky]

1. During the conflict Natasha Kerensky starts giving out weapons to civilians on Falcon worlds to start uprisings. Isn't this against Clan law?

The Blood Spirits provided basic combat training to all their civvies for decades.  This wasn’t an issue until the Star Adders “absorbed” (really annihilated) the Spirits during the end stages of the Wars of Reaving.  Only when the Spirit civvies took up arms against the Adder warriors did the Adders call foul.  Based on that history, I’d say arming your own civvies was left as an internal matter for each Clan to decide unless and until a bigger, tougher Clan decided otherwise.

Arming Spheroid civvies is a bit different.  In 3019, Kerlin Ward secretly ordered Wolf’s Dragoons to prepare the Inner Sphere for an eventual Clan invasion.  The fact that Kerlin had to do so secretly indicates that such a move would have been viewed as treasonous by other Clan leaders.  And that makes sense, as Kerlin was essentially ordering the arming an anticipated enemy, right down to Victor and Hohiro’s Dragoon-built custom Dire Wolf configurations.

That said, no Homeworld Clanners found out about Kerlin’s treason, or he and Clan Wolf would surely have paid the price.  The other Clan leaders just assumed that the dirty freebirth Dragoons had gone native.

That’s probably also the case with Nattie K. arming Spheroid civvies during the Refusal War.  After the Falcons were all dead or gone from a world, the civvies could have just opened the remaining Falcon weapons depots on their own and proving otherwise would probably be an exercise in frustration.

Treason is treason, but if done in secret or under the fog of war, it’s hard to uncover or prove, even in the real world.

2. Phelan bids mercenaries in his defense of Morges against the Falcons. If the Wolves bid their touman isn't it a violation to add in foreign troops?

It’s disgraceful to exceed your bid in a trial of possession, and your codex will take a hit.  But it’s no violation of Clan law or custom to bring in additional forces, and probably especially so in a life-or-death, Clan-wide trial of refusal (really annihilation).

The bigger issue was, again, treason,  Phelan and the Warden Wolves were defecting to the enemy and joining with them in war against the Clans.  At that point, it really doesn’t matter whether Phelan’s force exceeded Ulric’s original bid of Clan Wolf for his trial of refusal.  They were now dezgra or worse and not deserving of zellbrigen in the eyes of the Falcons or Clans at large.

Hope this helps.

[Warship]

I had a couple questions about it I was hoping someone might be able to answer:

1. During the conflict Natasha Kerensky starts giving out weapons to civilians on Falcon worlds to start uprisings. Isn't this against Clan law?

No, Natasha rarely adhered to Clan law and since the Blood Spirits appear to have done the same without sanction.

2. Phelan bids mercenaries in his defense of Morges against the Falcons. If the Wolves bid their touman isn't it a violation to add in foreign troops?

No, any troops available and willing to fight could be used.

[Colt Ward]

The bigger issue was, again, treason,  Phelan and the Warden Wolves were defecting to the enemy and joining with them in war against the Clans.  At that point, it really doesn’t matter whether Phelan’s force exceeded Ulric’s original bid of Clan Wolf for his trial of refusal.  They were now dezgra or worse and not deserving of zellbrigen in the eyes of the Falcons or Clans at large.

Hope this helps.

Treason?  Even the Falcon Khans did not accuse them of that . . . and Clan law does not recognize defection as a concept.  And your last sentence is proven false in that the two galaxies that chased him accepted the bid and Trial.  They were not viewed as dezgra then or by the other Clans- even the extremely strict Jaguars recognized the Warden Wolves bids against them as part of the Star League.

[Natasha Kerensky]

Treason?  Even the Falcon Khans did not accuse them of that . . .

They didn’t but they should have.  The Falcons had just fought a bloody, clan-wide trial of refusal to continue prosecuting a war against the Inner Sphere.  Now Phelan’s Wolves were joining the Inner Sphere.  Phelan’s Wolves were literally joining the enemy on Morges.  It was blatant treason, and it makes little sense that the Falcons allowed themselves to be restricted by Clan battlefield honor against such an opponent.

and Clan law does not recognize defection as a concept.

Sure it does.  You join the Bandit Caste and you’re marked for extermination.  That, or something along those lines, is what should have happened to Phelan’s Wolves.

When you lose to another Clan, Clan society expects you to support your new Clan.  But that’s not the same thing as making a free-willed choice to join with a non-Clan enemy.  The former is becoming a bondsman.  The latter is defecting to the enemy.

They were not viewed as dezgra then or by the other Clans

They actually were.  To be clear, Phelan’s Wolves were _abjured_ by the other Clans and referred to as bandits by them.

But then goofy stuff happened like the Falcons, Jags, and Bears repeatedly accepting combat trial terms from the Wolves-in-Exile.  Or the Sharks/Foxes and Horses trading with the Wolves-in-Exile.  Heck, the Horses even co-developed weapons with Phelan’s Wolves!  If Phelan’s Wolves were truly abjured and considered bandits, they should never have been accorded battlefield honors or treated as trading/development partners by the other Clans.

I chalk it up to lazy writing.  Either the Wolves-in-Exile were abjured or not.  The developers/writers should not have had it both ways.

(To be clear, I prefer the Warden Wolves.  But their treatment in the canon is highly inconsistent and rather ridiculous at times.)

[Mohammed As`Zaman Bey]

Treason?  Even the Falcon Khans did not accuse them of that . . .

  Treason seems to be an overused term nowadays, often to describe people who aren't liked. Even Ulric was never accused of treason; He was ridiculously charged with genocide, which is as common among the Clans as changing their socks. Kerensky was guilty of not giving orders to Clans that had absolutely no intention of heeding his orders and posture, as if insulted, that anyone would dare  give them commands in the first place. Ulric couldn't win, either way, he was the scapegoat responsible for the Clans failing in what was believed to be a done deal.
  What Phelan wanted to do wasn't illegal, because it was something no Clanner would even consider doing. I have to use the example of Wolf's Dragoons fighting at Luthien: Clan Smoke Jaguar didn't even make a peep about them actively fighting for the Combine against the Clans. Instead of calling down units to destroy the Dragoons, CSJ kept to their original bid and fought as if nothing had changed, the presence of the Dragoons changed nothing, even though the knowledge of their presence changed the intelligence upon which CSJ based their bid and would have justified some form of reconsideration and rebid.

[Takiro]

Since might makes right to the Clans and the Wolves lost then the answer to your questions is yes. Had the Wolves won then the answer would be no or more specifically -

1. Yes, the Wolves engaged in illegal behavior when they armed civilians encouraging chalcas behavior. [If they had won - No, they were no longer Falcon possessions and the Wolves were evaluating possible warriors from among their isorla]

2. Yes, the Wolves relied on dezgra mercenaries in order to supplement their forces. [If they had won - No, the ilKhan bid everything at his disposal and the Kell Hounds had just been added - sorry for the oversight]

Also curious the victorious Falcons never wiped out the Wolves on Morges for these betrayals just abjured them and what the hell does that mean? Kicked them off the Grand Council and in theory declares the dezgra for future combat thereby unfit for honorable zell. It was just merely good enough to amend their original claims into a de facto Trial of Absorption which you can blame on Ulric for bidding everything in his defense which he lost.

I will now whine that the Refusal War was never covered in the Clan Homeworlds as the pre-war Wolf Touman (aka Homeworld defenses) were never given in detail prior. Consequently they are a matter for fanfics to cover.

[Colt Ward]

They actually were.  To be clear, Phelan’s Wolves were _abjured_ by the other Clans and referred to as bandits by them.

But then goofy stuff happened like the Falcons, Jags, and Bears repeatedly accepting combat trial terms from the Wolves-in-Exile.  Or the Sharks/Foxes and Horses trading with the Wolves-in-Exile.  Heck, the Horses even co-developed weapons with Phelan’s Wolves!  If Phelan’s Wolves were truly abjured and considered bandits, they should never have been accorded battlefield honors or treated as trading/development partners by the other Clans.

I chalk it up to lazy writing.  Either the Wolves-in-Exile were abjured or not.  The developers/writers should not have had it both ways.

(To be clear, I prefer the Warden Wolves.  But their treatment in the canon is highly inconsistent and rather ridiculous at times.)

No, Vandervahn Christu declared the Warden Wolves abjured- after he claimed the whole of Wolf Clan was absorbed, after he murdered Ulric and 'won' the Trial of Refusal.  The whole maneuvering is also why Crichell rewarded Vlad for his victory in the Trial- which instead of undoing all Christu did from declaring them absorbed, instead split off a portion of the 'Jade Falcons' to make a new Clan.  The Absorption and Abjurement actions were never Grand Council actions:  Phelan & Co thumbed his nose at the Falcons with an attitude daring them to make it stick; Vlad accepted it after Crichell pointed out his actions cleared the Crusaders of Genocide; and since it was never official the other Clans could use it for posturing and doing whatever they wanted.  The Diamond Sharks were censored for selling equipment to the IS but during this time they were the most like conduit for the Warden Wolves getting Protos to test, Morrigu tanks (which also ended up in IS hands), Mercer dropships, and new weapon systems like ATMs & HLs.

Joining the Bandit Caste is not defection as they are not a legally recognized entity- they are considered criminals among the Clans and outside of the legal structures.  Defecting is if a Falcon scientist takes his lab work and runs off to a Wolf enclave saying he wants to join the other Clan- or even without his lab work.

Takiro-  Albatross, Rage & I had several discussions years ago fleshing out the Invading Clans strength that was left behind in the homeworlds as well as their structures.  If I have my notes I can share them . . . keeping in mind this would be a reflection of the comments in FMCC/WC rather than how they were presented in 3050 Invasion information.

[Natasha Kerensky]

No, Vandervahn Christu declared the Warden Wolves abjured- after he claimed the whole of Wolf Clan was absorbed, after he murdered Ulric and 'won' the Trial of Refusal.  The whole maneuvering is also why Crichell rewarded Vlad for his victory in the Trial- which instead of undoing all Christu did from declaring them absorbed, instead split off a portion of the 'Jade Falcons' to make a new Clan.  The Absorption and Abjurement actions were never Grand Council actions: 

I don’t have my books with me, but I think you’re confusing Chistu and Crichell.

Chistu was the Falcon saKhan. He did not have the authority to abjure a Clan or portion thereof.  If he did in the canon, then that’s more sloppy plotting from back in the day.

Crichell was the Falcon Khan and briefly ilKhan.  With the Grand Council’s imprimatur, he would have had the authority abjure a Clan or portion thereof.

Defecting is if a Falcon scientist takes his lab work and runs off to a Wolf enclave saying he wants to join the other Clan- or even without his lab work.

Well, then Phelan’s Wolves still clearly defected.  And they should have been treated as defectors on Morges and afterwards, not accorded trial honors or trading rights.

(Again, I was and still am happy to see Warden Wolves survive in whatever form.  But not via these goofy plot holes.)

[Colt Ward]

No, Christu did it right after he defeated Ulric- its why Vlad challenged him and Crichell split off the Crusader Wolves after he defeated and killed Christu.  The Grand Council went along with Christu's proclamations b/c the Warden Wolves had no representation b/c they had already removed themselves from Clan society.  By the time any Grand Council was formed, Christu's actions had already been acted on and passed by events- Christu declared the Refusal War was a de facto absorption of the Wolves; abjured the Warden Wolves by claiming they moved outside the Circle of Equals; Vlad played off the Falcons' saKhan and Khan to end up facing Christu in a Trial of Refusal (see below); Christu lost & died while Crichell altered the outcome/reward for winning the Trial; Vlad, the last Wolf (ignoring half the touman that was not on Wotan), 'won' a bloodname- instead of claiming Conner's vacant heritage he took Cyrillas as his 'right' due to it being vacant by abjurement (which was not reversed by Crichell's finagling that bypassed Vlad's called Refusal); somewhere in there after Christu died Marthe became saKhan; Crichell split off all the assets of the former Wolves to form the new Clan, the Jade Wolves, and I think recommends Vlad as Khan; Vlad is seated in the back as a new Clan for the called Grand Council where he announces all the Jade Wolves will now be part of a new Clan- Clan Wolf; then the Council is called to business . . .

Vlad used Crichell's sponsorship to challenge Christu in a meeting by pointing out to Crichell that his saKhan had used the Refusal War and the huge reputation boost of killing Ulric Kerensky on the field of battle to leapfrog over Crichell as the next logical candidate for ilKhan.  Crichell was all about power, and when Vlad offered to remove his sudden rival- even if he lost his Trial of Refusal since he would turn over the battleROMs to Crichell for Falcon Clan Council maneuvering, then he agreed to sponsor the unblooded challenge to a saKhan.  When Crichell heard the phrasing of the Refusal- that Vlad was refusing the Absorption and thus Christu's right to abjure any Wolves- he revoked his permission . . . but Vlad's declaration also challenged Christu's story of how Ulric died, if he refused the Trial then it made him look weak and lent legitimacy to Vlad's accusations of murdering Ulric.  So Christu was forced to be the sponsor of Vlad's challenge b/c it was public- after Crichell reneged on the deal- otherwise it hurt his chances of becoming ilKhan.

Crichell never got to do anything as ilKhan except win the vote.  He did not even die as ilKhan since Vlad was challenging his status as a warrior, and without that status he cannot be elected to or hold the office.

You can call it defection and OOC it can be seen to clearly meet that definition . . . but the Clans themselves do not have that legal concept.  Even the 'Abjurement' of the Nova Cats was to cast them out of the Home Worlds and Clan society.  Some Clans, and even down to the individual, still treated them under Clan laws.

[Natasha Kerensky]

When Crichell heard the phrasing of the Refusal- that Vlad was refusing the Absorption and thus Christu's right to abjure any Wolves

I’m sure you have the events right from the canon.  But it makes no sense that the saKhan of one Clan has the authority to abjure a different Clan (or some fraction thereof).  Only the ilKhan (in an emergency) or the Grand Council should have the authority to abjure an entire Clan or intervene in another Clan’s affairs.  Sloppy plotting.

You can call it defection and OOC it can be seen to clearly meet that definition . . . but the Clans themselves do not have that legal concept.

Maybe in your head canon, but it’s an imaginary universe.  There’s no legal code we can check to see if those terms are defined.

Regardless, it still makes no sense for Falcons to respect zellbrigen and engage in formal trials with Phelan’s Wolves during and after Morges.  Phelan’s Wolves had joined with the Spheroids, and the Falcons had just suffered a debilitating war against the Wolves for the express purpose of guaranteeing their right to prosecute a war against those same Spheroids.

It doesn’t matter whether we call it defection, treason, or something else.  Phelan’s Wolves had joined with the enemy.  There’s no way the Falcons would continue to accord Phelan’s Wolves battlefield honors and restraint.  The Falcons are sometimes portrayed as crazy and sometimes as dumb.  But even for this Wolf player, this Falcon plot hole in favor of the Warden Wolves is just too goofy.  There are better ways to have allowed Phelan’s Wolves to survive.

[dgorsman]

The Clans have engaged others with zell or near-zell conditions, provided they at least expected the same in return or were trying to prove a point.  Both can be applied to the WiE trial of possession for the Jaguar cluster and other cases during Bulldog and the eventual trial of refusal.

[Colt Ward]

The thing is, Christu did not abjure a different Clan- he 'abjured' rogue 'Falcons' because he declared the battle on Wotan was a de facto Trial of Absorption of the Wolves.  All the leadership was gone or dead-  surviving Star Colonels were mostly Wardens and evacuated to join Phelan with what they could so . . . you had a bunch of Star Captains and Star Commanders dealing with a bit of shock where they ended up following the orders of a higher ranked individual.

The Absorption was the poisoned fruit that Vlad tried to reverse but Crichell redirected.

[Takiro]

Vandervahn over played his hand. :D

Sorry but that is what I think happened in this case. First, there was simply no precedent for the Clans before the Refusal War as the Combat Trials created by Nicholas were clearly meant to limit the scope of conflicts. The Crusaders wanted Ulric out as the ilKhan and that is what they got but that created a vacuum which could have capped the number of warriors for the Trial. Establishing a ceiling like the Clans did for the Revival Refusal at a single Cluster for the Wolves was one such example. BUT when the Crusaders removed Ulric from the chief leadership position of the Clans there was simply no way to cap the Trial of Refusal at "X" number.

Vandervahn than defeated the ilKhan in combat (yes, I know - dishonorable) beginning his possible ascendancy to that high post. So he took several stances such as proclaiming an Abjurement and Absorption when neither had been declared and sanctioned by the Grand Council. These were no doubt controversial and perhaps even radical in nature but Crichell ever the politician let Chistu play his games resulting in the Vlad trial. If Chistu had won that trial defeating the Wolves right down to the last warrior than who knows Vandervahn might well indeed be the candidate for ilKhan. Elias would still have cards to play before that happened and you may very well have had dueling Falcon Khans going for the ilKhanship. An interesting scenario for someone to play out somewhere...

Takiro-  Albatross, Rage & I had several discussions years ago fleshing out the Invading Clans strength that was left behind in the homeworlds as well as their structures.  If I have my notes I can share them . . . keeping in mind this would be a reflection of the comments in FMCC/WC rather than how they were presented in 3050 Invasion information.

Yes please! I continue to try and put this information together based on all possible intel. I would enjoy further input.

[Colt Ward]

Alright, when I get home I hope I remember . . . I want to say we chatted about it over a MSN group chat while trying to kill each other in a MegaMek game.  Spur of the moment invitational thing, and the three of us still had a mech left, Hellbie had been dead early, Jake I think was still around . . . 8 player FF on some ice maps.

[VensersRevenge]

Regardless, it still makes no sense for Falcons to respect zellbrigen and engage in formal trials with Phelan’s Wolves during and after Morges.  Phelan’s Wolves had joined with the Spheroids, and the Falcons had just suffered a debilitating war against the Wolves for the express purpose of guaranteeing their right to prosecute a war against those same Spheroids.

Most of their fighting with the Wolves in Exile until the Dark Age (when they stop using zellbrigen and start using ramming attacks with warships) was more about training their soldiers then conquering territory. If the Wolves are willing to fight with zellbrigen, giving them honour they do not deserve gives the Falcons the ability to train their new warriors in lower-risk conditions.

[Colt Ward]

Most of their fighting with the Wolves in Exile until the Dark Age (when they stop using zellbrigen and start using ramming attacks with warships) was more about training their soldiers then conquering territory. If the Wolves are willing to fight with zellbrigen, giving them honour they do not deserve gives the Falcons the ability to train their new warriors in lower-risk conditions.

 . . . except that . . . losing . . . part.

Btw Nat, I never said- nor do I think- Christu should have been able to do it.  I can disagree the Refusal War was badly handled- like I said earlier, half the touman became vaporware when it kicked off.

[VensersRevenge]

. . . except that . . . losing . . . part.

I mean, they didn't really fail to train warriors. And especially in heir weakened state after the Great Refusal, actually winning too much might have caused the Lyrans/Star League to try to Bulldog them. The Falcons got what they said they wanted, and proved how honourable they were by using zellbrigen even if they didn't need to. Does it make sense, maybe not but the Clans never make sense anyway.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I’m sure you have the events right from the canon.  But it makes no sense that the saKhan of one Clan has the authority to abjure a different Clan (or some fraction thereof).  Only the ilKhan (in an emergency) or the Grand Council should have the authority to abjure an entire Clan or intervene in another Clan’s affairs.  Sloppy plotting.

He didn't actually have the authority.

Everyone went with it anyway because it was an outcome they liked.

[Natasha Kerensky]

He didn't actually have the authority.

Everyone went with it anyway because it was an outcome they liked.

It still doesn’t pass the smell test for me.

A government body just doesn’t go along with decision that’s taken out of their hands, even when they agree with that decision.

A more believable (and maybe dramatic) sequence would have the Grand Council slap the Falcons around for claiming the Grand Council’s prerogatives and then hold a vote (or votes) on what to do about Phelan’s Wolves (abjure, absorb, annihilate, etc.).

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The Clans aren't a government body in that sense.  Their rules are really more like suggestions that can be ignored if you're good enough at punching people.

[Colt Ward]

Yeah, they would have do undo weeks?  months?  of actions on top of actions.  And the Crusaders were in a hurry to get on with the Invasion.

[Natasha Kerensky]

The Clans aren't a government body in that sense.  Their rules are really more like suggestions that can be ignored if you're good enough at punching people.

I don’t want to derail the thread, but I think these kind of arguments are lazy broadbrushing that does a disservice to what’s actually been written about Clan culture.  It’s clearly a very stratified society bound up by all kinds of rituals.  If you don’t know your place, you get whacked in one of those rituals.  Logically, that’s what should have happened to the Falcon leadership when they took the mantle of the Grand Council’s authority for themselves.  It strains credulity for a dozen or so Khans to just look the other way, especially when the Falcons are at a point of weakness and those Khans would all like a shot at their own invasion corridor.

Yeah, they would have do undo weeks?  months?  of actions on top of actions.

No, slapping the Falcon leadership down could have been just a short, one-day trial.  And if Phelan’s Wolves were still just abjured, there would be nothing more to do after that.

And if Phelan’s Wolves were targeted for absorption or annihilation, that could have just been rolled into the resumption of the invasion.

[Colt Ward]

In response to your comment to me-
No, by the time the Grand Council met it was weeks to months after Christu pulled his shenanigans.  Granted the Ghost Bear observers should have blown the whistle to cry foul and stopped it before it was done.  But EVERYTHING that flowed afterwards-Abjurement, Vlad's Bloodname (Falcons hosted the Bloodname Trial), Jade Wolves and then Crusader Wolves- comes from Christu's declaration of absorption.  You pull that string loose and the rest follow.  Its called a fiat accompli . . . and its what the Falcons pulled off.

To the previous?  Sure the Clans have rules and are very stratified at that time BUT . . . its a society based on might makes right- rules for thee but not for me- and you are talking about the 32 highest ranking leaders who answer to no one.  Clan history has several incidents where this has happened- heck IIRC they elected a ilKhan to reign in the mad scrambling for the Omni & Elemental tech, b/c the Khans as a whole took steps to keep chaos in check.  They had no ilKhan at this point so there was no one to call them to account, and it was not until Crichell fell that the Falcon's weakness was exposed.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Remember that the whole point of the Refusal War was a shame trial by the Crusaders because they were pissy about having lost at Tukayyid.  Their charge of "genocide" was nothing more than a pretense.