The Federated Sun's Reborn

[Adventwolf]

The supply lines are only stretched on the CC front. The other boarder still has all of its own supplies and support structure intact and not in use on the CC. If the Dracs attack they will face forces more than ready to hold the line.

[Intermittent_Coherence]

Also, I seem to recall that the CC doesn't have much depth to it?
3 or 4 jumps and they should already be right through?

[Ajax_Wolf]

This was Wave II of Rat II. I wonder what Wave II of Rat III will entail?

[Billy Boy Mark II]

3068 - November - Operation Rat III Second Wave

With Operation Rat II battering it's way down through the Liao Commonality the Chancellor and his military advisors were desperate for good news from any front. Yet the front lines between the CCAF and Operation Rat III were not the place to look for good news. As November began the AFFS had the 2 key worlds of Menke and Victoria under heavy siege and had occupied 9 other worlds. This situation was even worse than the dark days of 28-30 when at least the CCAF was only threatened on a single front. Now ever single Commonality (with the exclusion of the "new" Andurien Commonality) was under threat and facing invasions.

Menke

The situation on Menke for the continued to go from bad to worse for the 2nd and 5th McCarron's Armoured Cavalry. Down to a little over 2 battalions between their 2 regiments they were being hunted by a force that outnumbered them 7 or 8 to 1. No matter their skill, no matter their home field advantage it came down to a game of simple numbers in the end, and the AFFS forces on planet had more.

In any other situation the regiments might have simply ignored the orders coming to them from their commanding officer, Marcus Baxter to attempt to leave the planet. After all it was their home. Their landhold. Where their homes, families and income came from. Yet their home had become a death trap for the mechwarriors of the 2nd and 5th and they knew it. Yet given the overwhelming firepower arrayed against them and the AFFS's total aerospace superiority (as well as rumours of a Fox warship somewhere in system) they couldn't simply make a break for it.

The solution as suggested by Zhong-shao Rhamses McCarron was as revolutionary as it was unpopular. Indeed the remnants of the 5th nearly went into open rebellion at the very suggestion. However faced with the choices of dying inch by inch in the jungle or following Rhamses's suggestion the remaining officers of the 2 trapped units relented. They did however to a man and woman demand that the young Zhong-shao himself act upon his own idea.

Therefore the patrol from the 9th Illician Rangers were astounded when the Emperor class battlemech piloted by none other than 1 of the 2 heir's to the world walked quietly from the jungles into their sights, with all of it's weapons powered down. Rhamses requested that he be brought before Marshal Silver to discuss an arrangement.

When brought before the AFFS Marshal the young "major" was blunt and to the point. He offered that the 2nd and 5th McCarron's Armoured Cavalry would quit the world without any further fighting and indeed would give oaths to the fact they would not engage the AFFS or it's mercenary allies in any further fighting on any other world for the current conflict and in return he wanted safe passage for the 2 units and also the dependants of the various Big Mac regiments. The FedSun's would get the world of Menke without any further fighting and in return McCarron's Armoured Cavalry would be allowed to leave unhindered with their equipment, mechwarriors and families.

This was far above the pay grade of the Marshal and he quickly kicked it up the chain to New Syrtis. As much as George Hasek was tempted to deal with the matter personally he took the advice of his staff and proceeded to contact the First Prince with the offer. After less than 24 hours consideration Victor Davion gave his assent to the deal - although insisted that the St Ives also be included in the list of factions the Armoured Cavalry wouldn't be able to fight for the current conflict.

The rest of November then was spent on Menke not in furious combat and jungle guerrilla warfare, but instead in the former owners of the world packing up their personal items and families and preparing to leave. While they kept their possible destination a secret, nobody was fooled. They were heading for Andurien.

A final act by the AFFS against the by now reviled McCarron's Armoured Cavalry was completed when the brokered deal was released to the people of Menke just prior to the evacuation of the former overlords. No doubt some MASK agent on Menke would be able to feed back to Sian the disloyalty of one of his premier commands... Any attempt by the Chancellor to punish them would only weaken both the Big Mac and the CCAF as well. The 2nd and 5th McCarron's Armoured Cavalry weren't ignorant of the Chancellor's response to this news and took their leave from the world knowing they'd have to run a gauntlet to reach Andurien, reviled now by foe, friend and former allies.

The invading force of AFFS troops and mercenaries took the time to refit. While they couldn't leave the world until the Big Mac, they could at least prepare themselves for any future deployments. Ensuring they would be ready and as fully equipped and supplied as they could be.

Victoria

The defenders of Victoria at least had no intention of betraying their oaths to the Chancellor and continued their fanatical resistance to the invasion. Although outnumbered and surrounded as well as isolated from each other the Prefectorate Guard and the remaining 2 battalions of the 3rd Victoria Rangers continued to fight on against the odds.

The green Victoria Rangers, although disheartened by the loss of their 2nd Battalion at the Earthwerk's plant continued to maintain their existing numbers by drafting promising cadets from the Victoria Academy of Arms and Technology into any battlemech's they could repair or salvage with the help of the technical school of the academy. Loses in these cadets lances however were astronomically high with few of them lasting more than a single engagement. The 2nd FedSun's Dragoons and the 1st Cunningham Commando's, former brother regiments renew their old bonds in this fighting and prove that the 2nd joining the FedSun's Dragoons has done nothing to reduce the effectiveness of the 2 units fighting together. They are soon able to pin the remaining Rangers in place, while allowing the newly arrived 11th Avalon Hussar's to attack from the southern flank of the pocket around the Victoria Academy. Once again the 4th Battalion of the 11th leads the way and breaks through a scratch company of cadets to allow the rest of the 11th to pour into the rear lines of the Rangers. Even with their lines broken and a large scale formation of AFFS regular's in their rear areas running rampant the 3rd fight on, forting up wherever they can and are prepare to sell themselves dearly. Repeated calls from the AFFS officers to the "gallant defenders and cadets of the Academy" to surrender are refused point blank. Leaving the attacking AFFS forces no other option but to systematically clear the tunnels and caverns one pocket of resistance at a time. Using overwhelming firepower and superior numbers the Davion troops and mercenaries are able to destroy the 3rd for little additional loss. Many of these losses come from the attempts by the attacking troops to spare the defenders lives if at all possible, but even with these efforts few of the 3rd survive to be taken prisoner and even less of the cadets.

The Prefectorate Guard can do no less than follow the example of the "lesser" regiment of the 3rd Victoria Rangers and fighting on despite the terrible odds against them. Over the course of November they fight a bloody fighting retreat as they fall further and further back towards and eventually into the Shengli Arms factory. Again and again lances of the Guard would turn on their attacks and launch suicidal counter attacks to allow the rest of their formations to disengage and fall back to the next prepared position. Even the addition of the 2nd FedSun's Dragoons to the attacking 1st Crucis Lancers RCT and 3rd Dragonlords RCT did little to hasten the process of reducing the fanatical defences. As November ended the Prefectorate Guard still remained in possession of roughly a third of the now ruined Shengli Arms facility although reduced to a scratch battalion of troops huddled in the ruined production lines. Refusing the almost pro-forma offer of surrender from Marshal Rand-Davion of the 1st Crucis Lancers they swore they would "do the 3rd Rangers proud" and "show the Davion Dogs how Capellan's can die". The AFFS formations began preparing for a last push in the first week of December...

Grand Base

The 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry had barely landed upon Grand Base in the hopes of rebuilding and resupplying before news came that their tormentors had followed them. Worse they had been joined by the 4th Avalon Hussars RCT. While the 4th might be green, they were an expanded regiment of battlemech's with a full RCT in support and their addition to the invasion made an impossible situation almost ludicrously one sided.

Marshal Rudolph Chapman immedietly released his own reinforced regiment of elite troops and their supporting forces to attack the 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry, while also sending out heavy patrols to the Death Commando training establishment's upon the world. The 4th he ordered to strike out and seize secondary targets while also supporting his attacks upon the 5th. Within 2 weeks he had managed to secure the planet and reduce the 5th to half it's original strength, namely to 2 companies of battered battlemechs. At which point he managed to pin them with a battalion of his own troops while bringing up and entire combat command of the 4th Hussars. Faced with annihilation the Reserve Cavalry surrendered.

The world would however remain a hothead of resistance as Death Commando instructors and potential recruits continued to fight a guerilla war from the worlds deadly jungles. Faced with these attacks Marshal Chapman took advangate of the status of his regiment and sent a personal request to the First Prince. Even as his unit and the 4th began to prepare to move off world the new garrison was dispatched: the 2nd and 3rd Jaguar Guards Clusters of Alpha Galaxy of Clan Sun Jaguar is heading for the world to hunt down the Death Commando's on planet. These are warriors raised and trained in the jungles of Huntress.

Muridox

The 3rd Ceti Hussars RCT struck out from the newly secured world of Rollis and headed for the planet of Muridox as part of the Second Wave. While relatively worthless in itself the target is in fact not the world, but it's garrison. The 1st Victoria Rangers, barely a battalion strong is the only uncommitted unit of the Commonality "brigade". It is the High Command's intent to destroy this unit and with it the morale of the entire Victoria Commonality.

However with his command little more than a battalion in size, Sang-shao Green is no fool and releases the PR disaster the destruction of his command would be for the FedSun's given the surrender of the 2nd Ranger's on Rollis and the imminent destruction of the 3rd on Victoria. As such he doesn't wait for the 3rd Ceti Hussars to land, but instead retreats off world taking with him the cream of the world's Home Guard which he folds into his own command as 2 additional companies of troops. He falls back to Drozan to link up with the Marshigama’s Legionnaires in the hope that combined the 2 units might be able to launch a counter attack. With the loss of not only their own garrison but the best of their Home Guard the world of Muridox falls to the 3rd Ceti Hussars with barely any fighting.

Pojos

The 8th FedSun's Dragoons RCT also fresh from Rollis launch an attack on the world of Pojos in the Second Wave. Attacking the minor world they swiftly rout the defenders and crush any thoughts of further resistance with their trade mark heavy and assault weighted battlemechs. Indeed such is the swiftness of their victory the High Command quickly send orders for the unit to press onto the world of Quimberton and leave the defence of Pojos in the hands of a mixed conventional brigade that had moved up in support of the 8th.

Quimberton

The 8th, running low on supplies attempts a similar attack to the one that reduced Pojos in a matter of days as they land at the tail end of December. However the local Home Guard are commanded by a Sang-shao of the "old school" of Romano Liao. With surrender not even an option he launches his mostly infantry with a handful of armoured companies into the 8th's landing zones with an almost horrific disregard for casualties. In a 5 day battle the 8th manage to effectively wipe out the bulk of the Home Guard, but only after having almost all of their battlemech's heavily damaged and their infantry brigade devastated by the heavy losses that the Quimberton Home Guard inflicted when things got almost hand to hand. Although only 2 full companies of battlemechs and a similar percentage of their armour regiments are lost the 8th FedSun's Dragoons RCT is effectively removed from future active operations until they can recover and rebuild. The entire unit however is awarded the Limp Sword Flag and Marshal Weintaub is personally awarded the Syrtis Medal of Honour and made a Knight of the Capellan People by Duke Hasek himself. Quite a turn around from 3061 when the Marshal referred to the Duke as "the traitors blood run true".

Columbine

The 1894th Light Horse advanced to the world of Columbine in the Second Wave. Facing little more than Home Guard formations of weekend warriors the elite mercenary regiment routed those formations rash enough to contest their landings before sweeping the rest of the militia clean from the world in a matter of weeks. By the time the follow on conventional AFFS brigade arrives on the 21st November there is little for them to do.

Vard

The 21st Rim World's sister regiment of the 1894th Light Horse arrive on Vard and face little more opposition than the other Blue Star Irregular command. Indeed even less, in that the Home Guard formations which had long been allowed to languish given Vard's interior position on a quite front until recently, are barely able to form up before the 21st have made planet fall. A few carefully planned displays of the Rim World's martial abilities and on the few units which have managed to deploy to face them and the rest of the Home Guard simply melts back to their homes. Leaving the 21st to await the arrival of the follow on conventional units of the AFFS to begin securing the planet.

Larsha

Faced with the 4th Syrtis Fusiliers and knowing Leftenant General Chad Dean's reputation from the holo-news the planetary duke of Larsha immedietly ordered his actually rather experienced regiments of Home Guard troops to stand down rather than face the no doubt brutal reprisals and attacks into cities that the notorious former mercenary unit would launch. Even given the high quality (for Home Guard) of his troops and their equipment due to their status right on the periphery border the Duke is under little illusion that they can defeat the elite RCT. He is also aware that Larsha's hopes of regular CCAF reinforcements are somewhere between nil and zero. The almost reluctance with which the General accepts the surrender of his world reassures the Duke he has made the right choice!

Randar

The final 3 attacks of Operation Rat III's Second Wave are kept back right until almost the end of November. On the 20th of November the 1st Kathil Uhlan's RCT hit the world of Randar alongside the 8th Syrtis Fusiliers RCT. Although landing late in Operation Rat III's Second Wave the 2 RCT's swiftly overwhelm the Home Guard units that are all that Randar has to defend itself with, taking only minimal losses. Combined with the other late target of the Second Wave these 2 formations are a dagger pressed at the throat of the Capellan Commonality's capital world itself.

No Return

At the same time the 1st Kathil and 8th Fusiliers are hitting Randar the elite 7th Crucis Lancers are landing on No Return with the support of Khan Nevversan, her Golden Keshik and 1st Sun Jaguar Guards Cluster. Allowing the Khan to take the lead as a mark of honour the 7th have little more than mop up duties to perform as the Sun Jaguars smash the local Home Guard formations into scrap in a matter of days. Not even in the worst nightmares of the local Home Guard had they ever envisioned facing Clan warriors and the planet surrenders with almost indecent haste.

Minnacora

The attack upon Minnacora almost seems an after thought when the 15th Avalon Hussars RCT arrive from Capricorn III. Without the overwhelming numbers or Clan warriors of the other late invasions the unit is unable to fully pacify the world within the single week after they land and the end of November, but the world is effectively secure and well on the way to officially surrendering. Although the green 15th does take some losses against dug in Home Guard formations.

Summary

The initial attacks of the Second Wave of Operation Rat III were devastating enough. Yet with the last 3 worlds attacked the Strategios is rocked to their core and the Chancellor lapses into a frenzied rant at their incompetence that remind many of his mother and grandfather before finally collapsing into an almost comatose state for 2 days. These 3 attacks leave no less than 4 full RCT and a Clan formation at the gates of Capella itself. A world held currently only the the Holdfast Guard and the "cowardly" Syn's Hussar's who's commanding officer has just been shot. To call the defence of the Commonality Capital faced with this potential invasion threadbare is an understatement. The Warrior House's Ma-Tsu Kai and Ijori are ordered to rush to Capella and the 1st Capellan Defence Force newly arrived upon Sarna is ordered to turn around and rush back to Capella. Orders are sent out to form a new force upon the world of Capella, the Capellan Sacred Volunteers - a scratch force of infantry with little training and few weapons beyond obsolete small arms who are ordered to defend "every inch of the sacred soil of Capella to the last drop of their blood!".

The AFFS has taken 10 new worlds in the Second Wave and also secured Menke from the First Wave. While Victoria is still technically holding out nobody in either the CCAF or the AFFS or the Inner Sphere at large expects this to continue for more than a week into December. The loss of Grand Base is a major blow, but one that is almost ignored given the now real and very imminent threat of an invasion of a further Commonality capital world at Capella.

[Billy Boy Mark II]

This was Wave II of Rat II. I wonder what Wave II of Rat III will entail?

Ask and ye shall receive!

[cawest]

I wonder when the rats are going to start running from Rat II and Rat III?  I bet it will start with just a few cargo dropships and merchant class jumpships.  But once word spreads about missing ships... it is going to hit the fan. 

[kelgar04]

Well, Sunnys sanity is going the way of the dodo.

I just hope Kali doesn't turn up and take charge.

Hey BillyBoy will we get another St. Ives update?

[PsihoKekec]

Capellan Sacred Volunteers. Is this going to be like in Clover Spear?

And I see Wilson's Hussars have the same luck as always.

[snakespinner]

You would think the regiments in Andurien would be recalled by now, or if they are all changing their loyalty to the Big MAC.
Don't they know that the AFFS are desperate for targets. >:D

[marauder648]

You would think the regiments in Andurien would be recalled by now, or if they are all changing their loyalty to the Big MAC.
Don't they know that the AFFS are desperate for targets. >:D

There's probably orders to that effect being screamed at them from Sian. But tragically, the transmissions were garbled and due to the issues with our HPG we can't ask for a reply. So sorry old chap.

[Chris OFarrell]

3068 - November - Operation Rat III Second Wave

With Operation Rat II battering it's way down through the Liao Commonality the Chancellor and his military advisors were desperate for good news from any front. Yet the front lines between the CCAF and Operation Rat III were not the place to look for good news. As November began the AFFS had the 2 key worlds of Menke and Victoria under heavy siege and had occupied 9 other worlds. This situation was even worse than the dark days of 28-30 when at least the CCAF was only threatened on a single front. Now ever single Commonality (with the exclusion of the "new" Andurien Commonality) was under threat and facing invasions.

Menke

Well that ended amusingly. Most other Merc units would have been able to simply switch sides, get recognized by the Federated Suns as the new owners of the world and away you go. See, this is what happens when you keep working for a ****** up state that desires to keep throwing you at its much more powerful rival! with orders to keep doing war crimes! Although I'm actually surprised that the AFFS accepted the offer. The last of the Big Mac were in a position to be taken down in short order, being heavily damaged, zero supplies and outnumbered 7-8 to one with their family members at least nominally hostage to the good graces of the AFFS (Not that the AFFS would do anything there but its the thought that counts!). The AFFS doesn't get terribly much by letting them go ... on the other hand, the sheer humiliation of making them beg for their lives and leave their homeworld with their tails between their legs ... and the Liaos wanting them dead?

Yeah, that's something that's going to have Victor and the High Command smirking as they silently sip their champagne....

Although I'd worry that Victor is (yet again) falling into his own 'tactical at the expense of the strategic habits. Why would you want to reinforce an occupied Andurien under Baxters fist?

Victoria

They swore they would "do the 3rd Rangers proud" and "show the Davion Dogs how Capellan's can die". The AFFS formations began preparing for a last push in the first week of December...

Yeah. At that point, agree that they will do so ... and call in the ortillary. There is a point where this kind of fanatical resistance needs to have a very clear point made that if you ignore constant requests to surrender what is absoloutly clearly an untenable position ... be it on your head and ****** risking your own troops for the sake of honor. Poor brainwashed idiots.

Grand Base

Even as his unit and the 4th began to prepare to move off world the new garrison was dispatched: the 2nd and 3rd Jaguar Guards Clusters of Alpha Galaxy of Clan Sun Jaguar is heading for the world to hunt down the Death Commando's on planet. These are warriors raised and trained in the jungles of Huntress.

That ... sounds a lot like hunting down bandits, I'd be very careful about how you put thus to the Trashborns! And I'm not sure Clanners are the right people to send against Death Commandos leading fanatics. That kind of asymmetric warfare has historically been the kryptonite of Clan units. At least send a few MI6 teams in to 'advise' them, perhaps localizing the enemy units to call in headhunter Elemental strikes or something?

Muridox

Hey look a Smart Government that 'nopes!' any suicidal last stands! 

Pojos

Hey look, a dumbass Government that engages in a suicidal last stand ... and lasts about as long as you might think!

Quimberton

 ???

That man should be relieved his his command and court martialed for incompetence in the face of the enemy, not given a Knighthood! A full RCT with the best equipment taking massive losses against nothing more than light infantry with IEDs determined to suicide charge his LZ?!?

Well at the last if you have to give him a medal to hide his incompetence and impact morale, make sure to 'promote' him to some REMF post.

Columbine

NomNomNom!

Vard

NomNomNom!

Seriously, good to see that the Home Guard are smart. Once things calm down and they are ferrited out, they could make excellent recruits for the new local Milita if they are loyal to their people and not to the crazy.

Larsha

Hey look, a sane leader who keeps his people alive knowing when to fold em. He'll go far in the future.

Randar

NomNomNom! Hillariously as the Star League folds, the former Ulhans who went to the SLDF and 1st Royal Battlemech regiment might be up for grabs, how about a second Ulhans :D
Make them a 'White Knight' counterpoint to the Genyosha? Except, you know, better? :D

No Return

Be very very careful giving Clanners blueballs.   :)) They came all this way for a glorious fight for the first time in forever ... and they get this? Well, hopefully they know this is just a warmup, a chance to loosen the muscles, get the blood pumping and all that before the big game...

Minnacora

I'm going to put down the continued Home Guard resistance mostly to massive disinformation and info-control programs by the state, so that the vast vast majority of the worlds and their defenders don't know that this is one tiny slice of a massive invasion. And they are all being told this is just one raid by the hated Davions and the might of the CCAF is on its way they just need to hold on...or something like that.

Also on that note, ComStar are presumably sending more people in to take all those HPGs over? That could be very interesting - I doubt many of the WOB people are going to go quietly and unless I'm wrong, ComStar still hasn't setup its own HPG factories, the WOB are in control of the only ones on Terra itself, so if they are disabling the HPGs before pulling out...

As for Capella, the fact that the CCAF are even worried about this and not about SIAN itself shows a marked lack of understanding of what Victors goals are in this war. Poor bastards.

[Dave Talley]

Well that ended amusingly. Most other Merc units would have been able to simply switch sides, get recognized by the Federated Suns as the new owners of the world and away you go.

  The AFFS doesn't get terribly much by letting them go ... on the other hand, the sheer humiliation of making them beg for their lives and leave their homeworld with their tails between their legs ... and the Liaos wanting them dead?

Yeah, that's something that's going to have Victor and the High Command smirking as they silently sip their champagne....



Yeah. At that point, agree that they will do so ... and call in the ortillary. There is a point where this kind of fanatical resistance needs to have a very clear point made that if you ignore constant requests to surrender what is absoloutly clearly an untenable position ... be it on your head and ****** risking your own troops for the sake of honor. Poor brainwashed idiots.

yeah I  could see a lot of merc units fighting for 15-20 minutes and then saying ok, we made a best effort and massively outmatched, transmit our surrender

i  would had told the sniveling Baxter to go ahead and run, the civvies are safe, we arent the Liao

at the factory, transmit one surrender request, glass a 100 meter line in front of them, transmit again, there will be no more requests, and our ground forces will not need to fire another shot

[Adventwolf]

Despite the success in this wave the FedSuns are at the limit of how far they can go with their established supply lines. They need to build up new lines in their conquered territory and get their allies the St. Ives Compact and the Grand Duchy Government-in-exile built back up before they move onto the next set of attacks. In order to buy that time and keep the CC off-balance is to have raiding forces led by detachments of the FSN going around in the rest of the CC sowing chaos and unrest. That way in a few months the next wave can go off and tear massive amounts of territory, resources, and units from the remaining CC. Plus it will allow the Terra Task Force more time to build up since without the St. Ives forces the whole operation is lessened. Since Victor should be smart enough to know not to use them for his war with the CC until after Terra is dealt with.

[marauder648]

I'm really enjoying this :)

[Lone-Wolf]

Yes, and I am waiting for the next installment. Please, PLEASE, PLEASE!!!

[Billy Boy Mark II]

Hiya guys, sorry I was on holiday. Once I clear the backlog of work (never work for a small law firm!) that I have to get through regular service will resume!

[marauder648]

Hiya guys, sorry I was on holiday. Once I clear the backlog of work (never work for a small law firm!) that I have to get through regular service will resume!

Ya never need appologise :)

[PsihoKekec]

It's his own fault, he spoiled us rotten with his steady rate of updates before his vacation.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Ditto to both comments: take your time , but hurry up... please maybe we enjoy it a lot ya spoiled rotten bunch we are. The best and worst of the BattleTech Community: when will then be now? ;)

(Sarcasm heavily implied: hope you enjoyed your vacation, sucks to be back)

[Billy Boy Mark II]

3068 - November - St Ives

In response to the new Duchess of St Ives's request for aid the Federated Sun's Government began to rush support and supplies forward to the embattled nation. Jumpships under heavy escort began arriving in St Ives's systems carrying dropships packed with medical and other emergency supplies as well as teams of experts to help bring the situation under control. Alongside these experts came the soldiers of the 5th FedSun's Dragoons RCT and the 1st Kittery Borderer's who formed almost a "mobile brigade" of troops which rushed from one emergency to another. With much of the St Ives's Military Command devastated by the losses of the last few months and by the loss of central control the 2 Federated Sun's units were often the only ones available to be rushed to a world if there was an attack or similar emergency.

In the meantime Duchess Cassandra Allard-Liao attempted to secure her position on St Ives itself. The remnants of the 1st St Ives Lancers which were now little more than a combined arms regiment immedietly swore allegiance to her alongside the 2 mercenary commands that she had brought with her. The 1st St Ives Cheveau-Legers and 1st Jannissaries Brigade also sent word of their support while garrisoning their respective posts. Roman's Mounted Fusiliers while not making any formal pledge at least continued to take orders and didn't launch any unsanctioned attacks of their own.

In comparison the 2nd St Ives Lancers on Harloc and the 2nd Jannissaries Brigade on Gei-Fu refused any orders to pull back to the St Ives Compact. Both units clearly had decided that given the shattered state of the CCAF there was little that Sian could do against their occupation of the 2 border worlds.

Unfortunately at least in the case of the 2nd Jannissaries they were wrong. The 2nd Confederation Reserve Cavalry and 3rd Capellan Chargers regiments, both hovering around half strength themselves moved to combine and hit the world of Gei-Fu combined on the 24th of November. With both regiments individually stronger than the Jannissaries the St Ives's unit found itself facing almost 3:1 odds and both regiments were eager to revenge themselves for the destruction of the 3rd Capellan Defence Force. Immediately upon landing the 2 Capellan regiments began launching blistering attacks against the St Ives regiment which was hovering around 30% of it's full strength and still contained a large number of battlemechs and tanks which required repairs. With no real connection to the local population or knowledge of the planet the Jannissaries were hounded from the planet within 5 days. The regiment that returned from it's aborted conquest of Gei-Fu was shattered with almost no remaining unit cohesion. Given the losses it had suffered and it's shattered state Duchess Cassandra ordered the unit to St Ives where she intended to fold it into the 1st St Ives Lancers to help rebuild that unit that was at least in a state that would allow rebuilding.

While the 2nd St Ives Lancers and 2nd Jannissaries Brigade had refused orders to fall back, the Blackwind Lancers had simply ignored them and thrown themselves back into the fighting with the 6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry. Both units were determined to destroy the others and often went into the battles with already damaged battlemechs and with many of their soldiers sporting bandages with existing wounds. Both units hovered around 2 battlemech battalions of strength, with the Blackwind Lancers having a slight advantage in experience and the 6th having the advantage of fighting on their home ground. The Confederation Reserve Cavalry also had some reinforcements trickling in from the local Home Guard units.

Over the course of November the fighting on Hustaing descended into an almost Succession Wars level of brutality. Quarter was neither asked, nor given by either side. Finally after almost a full month of heavy and brutal fighting the Blackwind Lancers realised they were facing annihilation and attempted to break off and retreat off world. Even knowing that they had won, the 6th and it's remaining militia allies pressed the Lancers as they retreated, despite their own losses. By the end of November around 2 companies of Blackwind Lancers had managed to get off world and were heading back into the St Ives Compact. They left the 6th Confederation Reserve Cavalry in a similar state and the local Home Guard almost totally destroyed. What was left of the Home Guard were folded into the 6th to bring them up to around a battalion of battlemechs with some attached armour and infantry formations.

Even more worrying for the new Duchess of St Ives was the almost total breakdown of civilian supply lines between her worlds due to the heavy losses of jumpships in the attacks. The world of Warlock for instance was only able to avoid mass starvation due to massive shipments of food from the nearby Federated Sun's world of Kittery and smaller shipments from other FedSun's worlds which had agricultural export industries. By the end of November nearly 80% of all goods transported within the Compact were being transported in FedSun's hulls by FedSun's shipping lines. Even with this aid and support the Compact's civilian economy was entering it's worst recession since the 1st and 2nd Succession Wars, worse even than the one which had followed their breakaway from the Capellan Confederation!

[kelgar04]

Damn even with all the aid flowing in from the FedSuns I'll be amazed if St. Ives survives this. It can ethier fragment, rejoin the CC not bloody likely I'd say, join FedSuns, or try to stay stable.

[Shadow_Wraith]

Yay an update!  Looks like the new Duchess of St. Ives  has a mountain size work ahead of her.   The St. Ives Compact will need at least a few years of humanitarian help from the FS and other friendly nations. 

[cawest]

this seems like an area were the FedCom could send small units (mech co or a mech co and tank co) that was on garrison duty to get some combat experience.  use them for small raids to weakening the CC.  they just land take out a some CC mechs or tanks run around then pull out to hit the next planet.  the problem would be the jumpships.  they are needed by the St I.  but a scout class with a union could buy time for St I

[Adventwolf]

Well that is about what was expected for the St Ives Compact. Victor should be capturing dropships and jumpships in his war. It is a good idea to move those ships to St Ives Compact to replace the ones they lost.

[kelgar04]

Well that is about what was expected for the St Ives Compact. Victor should be capturing dropships and jumpships in his war. It is a good idea to move those ships to St Ives Compact to replace the ones they lost.

Sell a load of the captured ones to St. Ives at a 80% discount along with any captured war material and new built stuff so they can rebuild their shattered commands. Hell sent them a few CC factories as a show of good faith.

You know kind of like a grand gesture.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Sell a load of the captured ones to St. Ives at a 80% discount along with any captured war material and new built stuff so they can rebuild their shattered commands. Hell sent them a few CC factories as a show of good faith.

You know kind of like a grand gesture.

I like the idea of that. Everything taken from the Cappellans repainted and sold to St. Ives for massive discounts. ‘Victors just giving it to the state as a sort of I support this splinter faction in the civil war. ‘Unconditional Surrender and St. Ives gets its own state back.

[cawest]

I was thinking more along the lines of lend lease.  like the warships they gave Russian in WW2

[PsihoKekec]

I hope that Blackwind Lancers will be folded into another unit and never revived.

[Chris OFarrell]

Glad to see this going again!

Well, looks like Saint Ives is on its last legs as a nation. The only real question is if they outright become part of the new Capellan March of the Fedeated Suns (and what is now the Capellan March becomes the Sytris March or something), or, they just become their own little sub-march and a defacto client states.

Because its pretty much one or the the other if they want to survive.

[Billy Boy Mark II]

3068 - November - General Update

Following upon from the planning in October the High Command on New Avalon began beginning the practical preparations for the new commands they intended to form. Stockpiles of battlemechs, tanks, aerospace fighters and other equipment were built up at the mustering sites of the new units - always somewhere that was already protected by an existing unit or other strong garrison so as to avoid any "temptation" for someone to attempt to raid the mustering point. Although some of the equipment set aside for the new formations were cast offs from other regiments the High Command made sure to send at least some newly built front line equipment even to the new Broken Wheel CrMM - which was now possible given the huge expansion of the military industrial production within the FedSuns. As well as the various Regular Army formations the formation of the various new training commands also had to be supported not only with equipment but also with hand picked officers and NCO's who would be best placed to continue the military education of the various cadets.

The High Command also finalised the issues with the Islamabad CrMM. Leftenant General Carrie Zetso's career with the Islamabad CrMM was effectively over, however a number of voices had been raised to attempt to salvage what they could of this well respected officers career - particularly given how forthcoming she has been in disclosing the full scope of the crimes committed. As such she was given the option of retirement or transfer to command one of the new Avalon Borderer LCT. Although she would remain at her current rank the smaller size of her prospective command was an obvious demotion, but the General accepted with almost embarrassing gratitude, having assumed her military career was over. She was however warned that she had a great deal to do to redeem herself and she would be carefully watched. Duke Pravin Singh however had no such mercy given to him. He was stripped of his titles and sent to jail for the crime of blackmailing a serving officer within the AFFS for his own political and economic gain. Count Kirsh Larouque was immedietly informed that he was the new Duke of Panpour and informed this was subject to him rooting out any remaining corruption on his new fief.

The evacuated Duchess of Andurien also meets with Conrad Davion on behalf of his cousin Victor Davion. Also present is Duchess Isis Marik, the First Princes's consort. Both promise her continued support not only for herself and her government in exile but also the flood of refugees who are mostly housed within the Capellan March. Conrad Davion promises that the Federated Sun's will attempt to retake the Grand Duchy, but admits that given the distance between the front lines and Andurien this will be difficult. In the meantime however and as a sign of good will the First Prince will gift a newly discovered and habitable world on the Periphery border of his realm to the Duchess and to the people of Andurien. New Andurien will be a protectorate of the Federated Suns and the FedSun's will happily aid in the movement of the exiles from the current refugee camps to the world and help set up a functioning colony for them. The handful of surviving Defenders of Andurien will be reequipped and set up as the planetary garrison. While the exiled Duchess is unhappy that the FedSun's refuses to commit to a full on crusade of liberation of her homeworld she is practical enough to realise that this was never likely and accepts with pained grace the offer of a new homeworld for those of her people who have fled into exile with her. Although she promises both Conrad Davion and Isis Marik that she fully intends to reclaim her lost homeland no matter the cost.

On Outreach the Wolf's Dragoons see their industrial company Blackwell open a new line for a Clantech Gallowglass class battlemech. While the AFFS strongly suggest they round out their production with a medium weight battlemech, the Wolf's Dragoons are eager to restart production of their iconic Marauder II IIC battlemech. This leads to some delay as the 2 sides argue over which is the best option for pushing ahead.

The new Maltex facility on Brockton finishes construction of the Wyvern class battlemech line. The Highlander line continues to be built and is scheduled to begin producing the assault class battlemech in May 3069.

At Filtvelt the Cattlemaster industrial mech line enters production and is soon shipping the popular mech across the Outback and beyond within the Federated Suns. While Outback FarmMech's are most proud of their 3 battlemech lines their agricultural industrial mechs are a major seller for them.

The Yeffter’s Weapons plant in orbit over Gulkana begins work on it's first of the huge new NAC-30's that it has been commissioned to provide for the growing Federated Sun's Navy. These huge naval autocannon are to form the backbone of the firepower of many of the ship classes currently either planned or under construction and the new plant is to help meet the demand.

The Corean Enterprise industrial facility producing Musketeer Hover Tanks on June upgrades from semi-automated to fully automated in November, increasing production of the popular medium tank to meet demand. This brings the number of fully automated facilities producing this tank to 3 throughout the Federated Suns and even with this massive production the demand is barely being met.

The New Independence Weaponry plant on Kestrel has it's new Marauder II production line go online on the 23rd of November. This expansion is just another reason for the AFFS pushing the Wolf's Dragoons to produce a Clantech medium battlemech rather than a Marauder IIC variant.

Kallon Industries Kirklin plant also see's a new Thunderbolt line go operation in November, bringing the total number of battlemech lines at this facility to 4. The Thunderbolt line is producing the NAIS variant of the battlemech under license.

On New Avalon Achernar's production facilities are expanded with a third Dervish-O line going operational. Even as the first omnimechs are marching of the production facility they are swiftly being allocated to some of the new commands.

The New Earth Trading Company facility on Kentares see's their Von Luckner production line begin construction, although a few hiccups with the turret assembly facility will result in a backlog of semi completed tanks that will only be caught up with by Christmas. Further expansions are under active consideration.

The front lines on Andurien finally collapse and the last of the 1st Defenders are wiped out in their last stand at the Ducal Palace by a combination of orbital strikes and artillery barrages. A handful of infantry hold out in the cellars of the palace until the 4th of November, but they are finally burned out by specially outfitted battle armoured troopers. On the 5th of November the new self styled Duke Baxter announces the formal formation of the Andurien Commonality of the Capellan Confederation with himself at it's head. Sian remains silent on the matter but doesn't formally endorse his new title.

The new Duke's first order of business is to begin rebuilding work. Priorities are given for industrial sites, his Ducal Palace and the training facilities on the planet. While these are underway he meets with the commanding officers of the Shin Legion, 15th Dracon and 4th Tau Ceti Rangers. He formally offers each of their commanding officers titles and fiefs within the new Andurien Commonality and commensurate lesser titles and lands for their subordinates. He also promises to support them against any recall orders from Sian making the point that if they follow said orders they will only be thrown into the meat grinder of the Federated Sun's Front. All 3 officers accept. Alongside his own units this will give him more than enough firepower to hold onto his position - indeed he begins sending feelers to the garrison formations on the Capellan conquered League worlds such as Shuen Wan and Cronulla which aren't formally part of his Commonality. Or at least not yet. More worrying for the government on Sian similar feelers are sent to worlds such as Sigma Mare and Shiba...

On Sian the disloyalty of Duke Baxter would normally be a major concern, however compared to the news from the front it's a minor matter. Chancellor Sun-Tzu enters into negotiations with the WOB in desperation for troops to bolster his shattered lines, however even his "friends" within the WOB are cold to his entreaties.

Coordinator Theodore Kurita makes a major play on the 26th of November when he "invites" First Prince Davion to a secret meeting face to face to discuss the current crisis. The language in the invitation ruffles more than a few feathers with the AFFS officers and FedSun's diplomatic staff who see it, but the First Prince agrees almost instantly and suggests meeting in the Northwind system. However this is immedietly refused and instead the Coordinator suggests the dead system of Lockdale, once a thriving Hegemony capital world, as a neutral meeting site. Reluctantly the First Prince agrees, but with the condition that he can bring a strong escort which is accepted...