3070 - July - Operation Heart Attack
While Operations Achilles, Agamemnon and Ajax continued to be considered "live" and active operations with their own staffs and planning, the war with the Draconis Combine was largely subverted into a new Operation Heart Attack. Intended to provide the knock out punch that would drive the Combine to it's knees and force it's leadership to accept the growing reality of their defeat, the hope was that if Operation Heart Attack was successful it would allow the AFFS to bring active combat operation's to a conclusion from a position of strength and without any further large scale fighting. As such the AFFS High Command threw almost everything they could into the planned strikes. The first element of the Operation was a massive strike by multiple units across the entire Ashio Prefecture and much of the remaining Al Na'ir Prefecture, combining with elements of Operation Achilles. Actually seizing the worlds attacked while obviously hoped for was less important than merely hitting them. The sheer breadth of the strike and the amount of troops that the AFFS was throwing into the Operation was supposed to drive home the hopelessness of their situation not only to the leadership of the DCMS but also the troops on the ground. They had lost, it was time to quit while they were behind. The second part of Operation Heart Attack was the threat of what would happen if the DCMS didn't wake up and do the smart thing, strikes again vital and key targets that were now on the front lines. These strikes unlike the first element not intended to take these worlds. They were merely to show that if the AFFS so wished they could reach out and hit these targets. For the purposes of Operation Heart Attack, the ships assigned to Operation Caesar were re-tasked.
Halstead Station
The 1st Chisholm Raiders LCT was assigned the conquest of this famous system along with the Fighting Urukhai's Demestri Slugger's regiment. While historically important and strategically located on the Combine/FedSun's border the world had long been stripped of it's garrison in order to mount the doomed counter attack on Cylene. The destroyed 46th Dieron Regulars had never been replaced and the local garrison had been left to it's own devices. The Fighting Urukhai regiment had been included at the last minute to aid overcoming the expected strong local militias and also as a nod to their losses facing the 46th Dieron. They had been promised that whatever remained of the supplies of the 46th Regulars would be handed over to them to help rebuild - but also warned that ANY war crimes or excessive violence directed at the locals would be dealt with severely. While including them was felt to be a risk, it did double the battlemech strength of the invasion force.
In the end it didn't really matter. The world's domed and underground cities while on the face of it united in their defensive preperations had largely concentrated on defending their own regions. This allowed the 1st Chisholm Raiders and their mercenary allies to concentrate on grinding down each city at a time, with help from 2 free battle armour battalions that had been assigned to them for just such fighting. The domed cities largely surrendered early rather than risk explosive damage to the domes that kept the toxic atmosphere out and with these as bases the AFFS forces swiftly moved to secure the rest of the planet. By the end of the month there were still a handful of underground cities and mines that maintained allegiance to the Dragon, but they were increasingly isolated and cut off from each other.
Yance I
The civilian population of Yance was well known for being armed and extremely proficient with said small arms (living on a planet with a carnivore like the Black Reaper was a strong incentive to learn to shoot), however despite the planets agricultural and mineral resources it had been almost 30 years since it had a regular DCMS garrison. The local militias were heavily weighted towards (excellent) rifle companies that would however prove little match for the veteran 7th Chisholm Raiders LCT and 2 brigades of mechanised conventional infantry. Although snipers would be a major problem at least initially there was little or no prospect of the world resisting the AFFS invasion and subsequently the local government surrendered on the 28th.
Shinonoi
The hugely productive agricultural and mining world of Shinonoi was a key target for the AFFS during Operation Heart Attack and as such the 2nd and 12th Chisholm Raiders LCT were both tasked with securing it for the Sword and Starburst. The veteran 2nd took point while the still under strength 12th acted as a mobile reserve for the more experienced unit. The wealth of the planet had allowed a respectable militia force to be formed (subsidised by the DCMS to help protect this key border world), including no less than 3 companies of battlemechs. However the Chisholm Raider forces had all been reequipped with either new machines or totally rebuilt and upgraded older machines and compared to the DCMS cast off's that equipped the militia there was no contest even if the Raiders hadn't outnumbered them 2:1. In a series of battles best labelled as skirmishes the AFFS Regular's routed the local militia and forced their surrender on the 29th. With the surrender of the last company of battlemech equipped locals the government surrendered on the 30th.
Ashio
The prefecture capital was protected not only the almost intact 24th Dieron Regulars but also the 16th Sun Zhang Cadre which had yet to see combat as well as a sizeable conventional force consisting of a mix of regular DCMS troops and militia. Against a force consisting only of Chisholm Raider troops the defenders had every expectation of victory. An expectation that the AFFS High Command and Robinson had shared and as such they had assigned a stronger force than usual for Operation Heart Attack. Joining the 8th Chisholm Raiders were the 2nd Crucis Lancers RCT and the 12th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT as well as the newly formed 1st Davion Lions.
While Marshal Anne Sung is officially in command of the operation she deliberately deputises Major General Andrew Redburn as her primary combat commander. With much to prove the Major General's 1st Davion Lions take the point, with their flanks heavily reinforced by the light and medium battlemech's of the 12th Deneb Light Cavalry, and smash into the defending 24th Dieron Regulars like a hammer.
Even as the 24th finds itself fighting for their lives against one of the finest regiments in the entire Inner Sphere the 8th Chisholm Raiders LCT deploys to contain the 16th Cadre. While ordered to hold the capital of Iscariot while the 24th mounted a more mobile defence the panicked communications of the embattled Regulars leads the 16th Sun Zhang Cadre to attempt to reach their comrades to reinforce them. Sweeping in from the north the 8th Chisholm Raiders LCT along with the overwhelming air power provided by the 12th Deneb Light Cavalry's fighter wings batter the Cadre as they advance. Meanwhile behind them the 2nd Crucis Lancers sweep in on Iscariot and seize the planet in the face of only disheartened conventional forces who had been left behind when the Cadre charged to the aid of the 24th Dieron.
After a three day battle the 24th finally breaks under a mass assault to their centre by the 1st Davion Lions while each of their flanks are attacked by 2 battalions of the 12th Deneb along with a supporting armour and battle armour regiment. Falling back they find their relief column of the 16th Cadre in little better shape after a running battle with the smaller but vastly more experienced 8th Raiders.
Attempting to turn on the Raiders and overwhelm them with the combined strength of both commands the DCMS officers are frustrated when the 8th merely fires a few volleys of "parthian" shots and falls back. Attempts to chase them down and crush them are met by repeated stalling tactics and airstrikes, while the Lion's and the Light Cavalry sweep up behind the frustrated DCMS formations.
On the 26th of July Major General Redburn's pursuing forces catch up with the DCMS task force while at the same time the 8th turns around and for the first time charges the pursuing Combine units. Realising the trap that he is in however Tai-sa Akhito orders his forces to break off and attempt to slide out from between the two Davion formations. His orders are only partially followed. While the bulk of his own remaining Deiron Regulars immedietly follow his orders the 16th Sun Zhang Cadre's remaining officers (Tai-sa Jean Fabier had had his battlemech destroyed by an air strike during the initial days of the battle and is restricted to a MASH unit) hesitate for just a few minutes too long before following the orders.
Disengaging with roughly five companies of his own troops and a single company of Cadre cadets the Tai-sa can do little to save the remaining troops of the Cadre who are cut off and destroyed by the massed AFFS units. Their deaths do at least allow him to break contact with the pursuing units and head for Shigata to join up with the local militia and conventional forces there. This does mean however that at the end of July the entire continent of Rhodesia has fallen to the AFFS and the defending battlemech formations have lost nearly 75% of their strength. In return they have inflicted moderate casualties on the AFFS forces - mostly concentrated in the 1st Davion Lions and 8th Chisholm Raiders.
Chichibu
The 4th Chisholm Raiders LCT landed upon the world and immedietly took the surrender of the local militia formations and government. Settling in to a safe and secure garrison posting they were entirely taken by surprise when a battalion of enemy battlemech's appeared from the mountains of Chichibu and attacked them. Casualties were heavy, particularly amongst the LCT's attached infantry and armour formations, but after a few days of hurried reorganisation the 4th went back on the offensive and soon crushed the unknown battlemech formation which consisted almost exclusively of Panther, Jenner and Dragon battlemechs. After having re-secured the planet (this time after heavy losses) the 4th Raiders arrested the local militia and government officials who had betrayed their surrenders. However a subsequent investigation by the DMI would reveal that the attacking force actually consisted of Black Dragon terrorists and was entirely unknown to the local officials and militia who were then released and compensated for their imprisonment extremely generously - paid for by the diamond mine that was found during the investigation and which had been apparently owned and run by the Black Dragons. The prisoners who had been working the mine were similarly freed and compensated (indeed being offered shares in the new company formed to run the mine). Many of these released prisoners (many of whom had been "disappeared" over the years for subversive actions/politics and then sold to the Black Dragon by corrupt prison officials) would subsequently go on to take up prominent positions in the new FedSun's loyal government formed.
Piedmont
The local government of Piedmont notified that they would surrender to the incoming 3rd Chisholm Raiders LCT as long as the Raiders garunteed the security and continued operation of the Piedmont Institute for Disease Control. The commanding officer of the 3rd immedietly agreed to the first condition and after hurriedly contacting Robinson and New Avalon was able to agree to the second before the first troops landed. Indeed he was able to offer not only that the Institute could continue operating but that it could partner with NAIS if it so wished to help fight diseases. As such Piedmont was almost immedietly accepted into the Federated Suns peacefully.
Albalii
The Azami leadership of the world of Albalii had contacted Arkab in order to request at least one of the Arkab Legions be assigned to the defence of the system. However when the leadership of the Azami on Akrab had requested that the 2nd Arkab Legion be dispatched to protect the planet they had been informed that would be impossible. While this somewhat soured relationships between Arkab and the DCMS it massively soured the relationships with Albalii and the Combine. As such when the 5th Chisholm Raiders arrived in the system the local government ordered all of the Azami militia units to stand down and offered to join the Federated Suns as long as their traditions were respected.
With some foresight the High Command had managed to attach a number of Markab natives to the conventional forces of the 5th prior to the unit being assigned to the invasion of Albalii. These fellow Azami were able to reassure the local leadership of their sect that the Federated Suns would respect their traditions and there was little friction as the world surrendered rather than fight for the Combine which had denied them aid even from their own kin.
Shimonita
Despite the presence of a battlemech manufacturing facility on the planet Shimonita had long been neglected by the Draconis Combine and as such there was little love for the Kurita's amongst the locals. The 9th Chisholm Raiders LCT's officers were optimistic that they would face only limited resistance from the locals, however they were surprised to find out that the executives of Sapphire Metals had not only opted for neutrality but had actually came out in favour of joining the Federated Suns. Although suspicious they received coded messages verifying that Sapphire Metals turn could be counted upon and the 9th was able to land at the industrial facilities own spaceport and use it as a safe base from which to secure the rest of the planet from. While the 9th declined the offer of a sale of a company of Charger assault mechs due to the rather specialised nature of the poorly thought of design, they did accept the support of the locals repair shops to keep themselves fully operational during the few skirmishes that took place between themselves and hold outs.
It would subsequently be revealed that a team of MI4 Stealthy Foxes had been infiltrated in the system and had arranged the defection of Sapphire Metals to the Federated Sun's in the preceding months to Operation Heart Attack. In order to ensure this they had not only promised that Sapphire Metals would not be absorbed into an existing FedSun's company but also would be eligable for the same sort of investments that FedSun's companies had previously received to expand their production. With little interest in the extremely limited Charger House Davion would offer Sapphire Metals the specifications for the Spartan assault mech to be produced and sold to the AFFS and ComGuards as part of this agreement. Plans were also put in place to add further designs to the companies production in order to reinforce the worlds loyalty.
Sadachbia
The 6th Chisholm Raiders LCT was reinforced with the veteran 22nd Avalon Hussars RCT in order to ensure that the 13th Ghost would not be able to resist the invasion force. The defending DCMS unit had concentrated it's forces at the planetary capital of Jalna'ir and had dug in knowing that it was only a matter of time before they were attacked. The 22nd Avalon Hussars along with an extra attached mixed conventional brigade landed in the surrounding area and soon had the city under siege. Meanwhile the 6th Chisholm Raiders landed at the spaceport of Kamalabad and seized the remainder of the continent of Grangi with only minimal resistance. While the bulk of the unit remained to garrison Grangi the 6th did dispatch it's heavy armour units and battle armour battalions to aid the 22nd Avalon Hussars as well as their artillery company. Attempting to avoid losses the 22nd continued a slow grinding campaign against the 13th Ghost, hammering the defenders with air and artillery strikes while probing the defensive lines for weaknesses.
Ancha
With only a small population and little in the way of militia forces or conventional DCMS regiments the newly formed 16th Ghost was the primary garrison of the planet. Heavily under strength (with only 5 battlemech companies and almost no supporting conventional forces) the 16th's officers greatest hope was that the AFFS units wouldn't have been vacinated against the local virus that had killed the initial colony. When this hope was dashed there was little that the 16th Ghost could do when faced with not only the 10th but also the 11th Chisholm Raiders LCT's. Outnumbered in terms of battlemechs and vastly outnumbered in terms of sheer firepower the 16th put up the best resistance they could, but when their 2nd battalion was wiped out they requested terms and surrendered on the 30th.
Biham
The 2nd Davion Guards RCT fresh from their reconquest of their old garrison posting at Fomalhaut arrived in the skies over Biham and were immedietly contacted by the local governor who surrendered. Who was promtly shot by one of his aides who turned out to be an ISF agent. Unfortunately for the agent however the next in line for leadership of the planet immedietly repeated the surrender (after having hired fresh bodyguards). The 2nd Davion Guards landed a force consisting entirely of battlemechs on the planet while sending most of their conventional forces back to Fomalhaut rather than risk contamination from the planets poisoned atmosphere. Specialist infantry units were dispatched to garrison the planet and relieve the 2nd.
Telos IV
The 27th Avalon Hussars RCT arrived on Telos and immedietly began to have to deal with local resistance. However unlike on most worlds this didn't take the form of active military actions but instead passive resistance from the population. Deploying across the world the 27th found little to no actual military attempts to fight them but a slow and steady draining civilian resistance. The population of the world was largely loyal to Theodore Kurita personally. The commanding officer of the 27th requested that additional conventional infantry be routed to the planet along with specialist intelligence units to win the hearts and minds campaign that this world would require.
Kervil
The 33rd Avalon Hussars RCT was joined in the invasion of Kervil by no less than 3 independent aerospace wings. This was deemed a solid descision when the local militia proved to include a full reinforced wing of the locally produced Sabre light aerospace fighter - the Kervil Defence Wing. With the 3 wings of the 33rd along with the independent naval wings the AFFS formation was able to push through the light fighters and land intact. Had they lacked the numbers to do so the AFFS ground forces might have been mauled. In a controversial choice the 33rd's CO decided to launch the invasion by a combat drop directly on top of not only the main spaceport of the world but also the base of the militia fighter wing.
While a number of descending battlemech's were shot from the sky despite the best efforts of the FedSun's aerospace forces the vast majority of the reinforced regiment landed and seized the Iron Spaceport in a short fight. As well as seizing the spaceport, they also managed to capture nearly 80% of the ground support for the enemy fighter wing as well as nearly a dozen fighters that were down for repairs. With their primary base seized the Sabres of the militia were forced to relocate to the Wakazashi plant in order to land. Unfortunately for them the distance involved ended up with several fighters running out of fuel en-route. With combat losses, fighters seized at the iron Spaceport and losses from running out of fuel the reinforced wing had been ground down to only 21 fighters after the 33rd had landed.
Giving the exhausted pilots of the Kervil Defence Wing no time to make any but the most basic repairs with the help of the technicians of the industrial facility the 33rd launched a combined ground and air assault to seize the facility, for the time being ignoring Iron City (although leaving a strong garrison of 2 infantry regiments and an armoured regiment to hold the spaceport). The march on the Wakazashi plant was under constant air attacks, but by the time the 33rd drew in sight of the industrial plant the Defence Wing had been reduced to only 5 serviceable fighters due to air to air combat losses and ground flak fire from the marching 33rd. In a short battle the Hussars secured the plant and deprived the single remaining fighter of any possible landing site - to which he responded by attempting to ram his damaged fighter into a column of the 33rd's armoured support, being killed 30 seconds short of his goal ironically by an AFFS Sabre.
With the fall of both the spaceport and Wakazashi plant and the loss of the primary garrison unit the remaining militia (poorly equipped infantry which had always been overlooked for support in favour of the Defence Wing) refused to fight. With the Tai-sa in charge of the mixed militia brigade (1 battalion of antiquated tanks and 2 regimetns of armour) refusing to fight the governor surrendered his world to the Federated Suns on the 29th.
Benjamin
As Operation Heart Attack subsumed Operation Caesar the ships of the 4th Corvette Flotilla along with the FSS Daring and FSS Dryad jumped into the Benjamin system at the Nadir jump point along with a veritable flotilla of Tramp class jumpships which disgorged a fleet of assault dropships, pocket warships, dropship carriers and marine transports. The DCS Draconis Rift, while individually larger than any of the ships jumping in, found itself woefully outgunned. With more bravery than sense the commanding officer of the Kyusha class frigate attempted to get in amongst the jumpships carrying the various dropships in an initial rush. However this rush unfortunately carried him straight into the broadside firing arcs of the FSS Daring who's fast recovering gun crews proceeded to pour crippling volleys into the Kurita ship. While the return fire managed to cause light damage to the destroyer, the FSS Dyrad used the time to close in from the front and the firepower of the two Davion III ships tore the damaged DCS Draconis Rift apart. Meanwhile the various Fox II corvettes proceeded to demolish any Kurita dropship that even looked like it might be hostile and every jumpship that didn't immedietly disengage their jumpdrive.
With the Nadir jump point's huge jump-station secured by marines and prize crews taking control of the nearly dozen jumpships and three dozen dropships that had surrendered, the AFFS task force began to slowly head in-system. In orbit over Benjamin the DCA Tai-sho on the bridge of the DCS Takashi ordered the two Inazuma corvettes deployed at the Zenith jump point to make best speed to join the DCS Takashi, the heavily damaged DCS Siriwan and the DCS Pesht the latest New Samarkand carrier in the DCA in orbit over Benjamin. He also requested and was granted full control over all assault dropships and pocket warships within the system, although not the fighter wings attached to the garrison units. All other fighters (consisting of two naval wings and an independent wing) were however released to his command.
Heading out slowly to meet the invading (under direct order from Hohiro Kurita) the Tai-sho was joined by the two Inazuma class corvettes after they performed a risky inter-system jump to rendezvous with him. This brought his warship numbers up to five - although the DCS Siriwan was still sporting heavy damage from her fight at Dieron. Outnumbered 14:5 however he felt he had no other option but to bring the damaged cruiser with him. He and his crews could at least console themselves that they numbered two cruisers, a carrier and two corvettes against two destroyers and 12 corvettes. Perhaps the larger ships would give them an advantage in a ship to ship engagement.
As the two formations closed in on each other however it soon became apparent that the Davion Admiral had absolutely zero intentions of engaging in a ship to ship engagement. Instead the attached fighter regiments assigned to each of the Fox II corvettes under his command (20 carried in the warship itself along with 40 carried in a vengeance class dropship) as well as a sizeable number of independent fighter wings launched in a massive attack formation and bore down upon the Kurita formation.
With the fighters integral to his warships - excluding the DCS Pesht numbering just enough to form a single combined wing - the Combine Tai-sho is able to muster almost 200 fighters to defend his ships. This is against over 900 incoming Davion fighters. In order to achieve greater tactical flexibility and control the Davion wings come in in three distinctive waves. The Kurita fighters largely manage to blunt the first wave with the assistance of the warships own guns and the support of the various dropships deployed as an anti-fighter screen. The second wave however smashes the already damaged fighter screen and mauls the dropships deployed around the warships. Which leaves the way free for the massed fighters of the third wave to sweep in almost unopposed against the DCA warships. It is no accident that the third wave largely consists of assault and heavy aerospace fighters specifically configured for anti-warship operations.
The first ship to succumb to the fighter attack is the already damaged DCS Siriwan. Even during the second waves attack the Davion fighters had managed to close and further damage it's already shattered armour and now the third wave closes in and almost immedietly turns the crippled warship into a drifting dead hulk. The DCS Pesht, the next target for the Davion fighters and frantically rearming as many surviving Kurita fighters as it can, barely outlives the DCS Siriwan. Finding itself the target of 2 entire fighter regiments the light carrier is torn apart before it can launch even a handful of fighters for it's own defence.
The remaining strength of the third wave is just enough to launch a number of crippling attacks upon the DCS Takashi before breaking off to head back to refuel and rearm. The two Inazuma class corvettes have suffered almost no damage in the exchange, having been ignored in favour of more important targets.
Even as the DCA officers are frantically trying to reorganise the Davion fighter reserve, roughly 300 fighters held back for their own defence, are launched as a fourth wave. With the destruction of almost every Kurita fighter and the DCS Pesht the Davion Admiral has little to fear of a DCA fighter strike and judges the short window of time between the first and second wave rearming to provide cover worth it.
With a fourth wave bearing down on his still shaken formation the Tai-sho orders both Inazuma class corvettes to break off and attempt to avoid destruction, while his own flagship attempts to buy them time. Both ships Captains have to be ordered twice before they do so. He orders the few remaining dropships to accompany them. Alone his damaged ship faces the incoming Davion fighters. Even though most of them are configured for anti-fighter work their sheer numbers are more than enough to tear the DCS Takashi apart in a single pass.
With the Kurita fleet gutted and it's few survivors attempting to flee the Davion warships proceed to take their time to destroy every piece of orbiting infrastructure. Every dropship that can't avoid them is either destroyed or captured. Every jumpship that doesn't get clear is either seized or destroyed. Both jump point's Olympus class stations are scuttled and destroyed. The Davion's only spared the large orbiting solar sails that kept the planet habitable after making it abundantly clear that had they so chosen they could have destroyed them - proving this by flying a full fighter wing past each orbiting sail at the same time.
Having arrived on the 1st of July the Davion task force jumps out of the Benjamin system on the 31st. Leaving behind them a system in shock. On the planet itself Hohiro Kurita has had to be physically restrained having went berserk following the disastrous naval battle. Even when he has calmed down however he orders that the captains of the DCS Floating Blossom and DCS Light Falling from Heaven (the two corvettes which had managed to evade the Davion warships for nearly 3 weeks of nerve wracking cat and mouse manoeuvres) executed along with their executive officers (for not having executed their captains when they initially displayed their cowardice). He also personally executes Warlord Boris Petroff and his entire staff for clear incompetence in preparing the defences of his District Capital and personally assumes the duties and roles of the Warlord of Benjamin.
Galedon
Just as at Benjamin on the 1st of July a Davion warship task force jumps into the Galedon system. Consisting of the 7th Corvette Flotilla and the FSS Divine and FSS Diomede it "only" consists of 8 Fox II corvettes along with a large number of escorting dropships. Unlike at Benjamin there are no warships at the two jump points and the Davion's quickly seize the Zenith jump-station before scuttling it. Again just as at Benjamin the Davion warships begin heading in system.
The Kirishima cruiser DCS Urizen II and the Kyusha frigate DCS Galedon Explorer along with the Inazuma class DCS Whispering Wind all in high orbit above Galedon itself are immedietly ordered by Warlord Li Dok To to flee the system and retreat to the world of New Samarkand to form the core of a relieving task force if the Davion's attempt to seize the planet. They are to take with them every dropship and fighter wing that can reach them in time.
With the enemy warships fleeing at their approach and having broken orbit well in advance of any Davion fighter strike being able to catch them, the Davion Admiral in charge of the Galedon raid can do little more than take out his frustration on the orbiting infrastructure. Destroying everything outside of the actual atmosphere of Galedon itself the Admiral also contents himself with seizing a number of jumpships which due to the shattered nature of the lines of communication of the Military District continue to arrive at the Nadir and Zenith jump points. On the 31st of July he jumps out, taking with him nearly two dozen jumpships and 53 dropships as well as having caused massive economic and infrastructure damage to the Galedon system. Still the main "prize" the three enemy warships have escaped him.
