The premise of this fanfic is fanwishing (namely mine) and watching it all go horribly wrong. And right, in some regards.
What fun is absolute victory anyway?
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200km South of New Derry, Eire Continent, Galtor III
Draconis March, Federated Suns
14 July 3028
Hirushi Shotugama stood his Panther on a crest overlooking watershed land. Galtor III's pastoral beauty was understated, and the Warlord felt a twinge of guilt at the destruction his troop's passage would wreak on the farmland.
'The harvester feels no remorse for the wheat', Hirushi reminded himself.
The Warlord of the Benjamin District zoomed in on patches of overturned earth, analyzing the evidence of a Ryuken force that raided the planet. The farmers had yet to tend those grounds, to plant their crops anew. Hirushi knew that the Ryuken had seeded their own crops, squads of ISF operatives were left behind on every world they raided.
It was those same ISF operatives that guided them to this spot, these open farmlands. Two mercenary battalions were garrisoned nearby, the heaviest and most cohesive of the purely mercenary garrison force on world.
The land was ideal: low, rolling hills, shallow rivers and clear ground, perfect for the Heavy 'Mechs of his 17th Benjamin Regulars.
They advanced now, in a reverse-wedge of battalions churning fertile dark soil with their metal legs, and Hirushi moved to join the trailing battalion. His PNT-9R was the only Light 'Mech in the unit, though his command lance featured Medium designs and kept pace with his trot.
The 17th Benjamin eschewed the use of vehicles, and his officers plainly refused to incorporate them in their planning. He had been inclined to agree, but the Ryuken's success depended greatly on their use, and he saw a great flaw in their composition.
He did not insist on further combat forces, not wanting to convey distrust at the 17th Benjamin's fighting capabilities. They didn't view themselves as samurai like many other DCMS regiments, displaying an almost Lyran-veneration for Heavy 'Mechs instead. Thunderbolts, Crusaders, Catapults, and Orions formed the bulk of the forces, with a smattering of Warhammers, Marauders, and Grand Dragons and Quickdraws as fast responders. A handful of Assault 'Mechs and a few Mediums rounded out the force.
So, as his personal guard, he recruited a battalion each of Attack VTOLs and hovercraft. They swarmed ahead of the regiment now, chasing away scouts and keeping an eye on their flanks. A company of Manticore Heavy Tanks guarded each flank, with another company following in his command lance's wake.
The lighter craft acted as scouts, something the 17th Benjamin grudgingly agreed was a necessity. Bringing their foes to combat had always been the prime concern for a Heavy force, and the hovercraft and VTOLs could also herd or pin down units. The Manticores were not even questioned, their reputation as combat vehicles made their presence tolerable.
It was the DCMS's heaviest regiment, one of the most stubborn, and Hirushi was grateful for these small concessions. In time, he knew, this will be how the DCMS will fight.
Reports began filtering from his command headquarters. He had routed all communications to a Cyclops BattleMech he didn't have any intention of using, tied into a Daimyo command vehicle. It was an efficient system, only requiring an upgraded comm suite for the PNT-9R he favoured.
He listened now to the updated reports his staff forwarded to him, his map updating with each burst of information. The mercenaries had sortied from their bases, and his light craft were calling out targets and numbers.
The swarm of hovercraft parted in coordinated units, allowing the on-rushing mercenaries to be surrounded. The crews exercised fire-discipline, raking their targets only once before moving on. Above, Hirushi could see the VTOLs rain missiles on still unseen targets while the ones armed with light autocannon began streaming fire across the horizon.
To some of the 17th Benjamin's surprise, he was sure, a handful of the larger VTOLs spat lightning at the mercenaries. The Parti-Kill heavy cannon, the same ones used on the Manticore hurled shells of energy that hit with the same force as any PPC. The first kills went to these heavy attack VTOLs.
Then the mercenary battalions surged, scattering his hovercraft. They had orders to disengage and harry the backfield once the 17th Benjamin was in range. They did so without any urging from him, and Warlord Shotugama made a note to commend the battalion for their discipline.
In the open field, two mercenary battalions faced two of his on a front 500 metres wide. The First and Third, equipped with some of the swifter Heavy 'Mechs in the regiment began angling away from each other. Hirushi saw the Grand Dragons carve armour with particle blasts, edging away at angles as Quickdraws and Lancelots seared the mercenaries with coherent light. A lone Kuritan Champion unleashed a burst of shells, piercing a wounded Trebuchet's chest. The Medium 'Mech crumpled to the ground as its pilot ejected.
He signaled for the two Manticore companies on the flanks to advance ahead of even the swift Heavies who were now blasting at the mercenaries' flanks. Their orders were to ignore the enemy 'Mechs until they were in position.
Hirushi's plan was simple, and as with most combat, range was the factor. They had grounded their DropShips, three of which were ancient Fortress-class DropShips, well within bombardment range. With the VTOLs in the air, the mercenaries would've have been shelled with impunity as they retreated.
But the Kuritan force was still debarking, proving to be a tempting target. Hirushi gambled on it, trusting on the mercenaries' expectations of a standard DCMS Light 'Mech force. If the mercenaries had acted swiftly enough, they could have challenged the debarking Lights and pushed them back to their DropShips instead of risking shelling and pursuit.
They could have held off a Light regiment long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
The VTOLs and hovercraft dealt with whatever scouts they could have rushed to the front, and the headlong charge, the only act Hirushi left the mercenaries, was now being deflected. The Heavy 'Mechs blunted that easily enough, and the risk of being flanked by the heavy cavalry 'Mechs forced the two battalions to turn to their sides.
Warlord Shotugama watched as the First and Third battalions steadily fired and spread left and right as they made room for his battalion, comprised of the heaviest in the regiment. One 17th Benjamin Orion crashed to the ground, its head split by lightning. A Crusader went up in a crashing boom as a full mercenary lance pounded it with fire.
His Panther's Lord's Light PPC ripped an Enforcer's right arm off at the shoulder, leaving the joint sparking in ionic wash and shredded circuits. A flight of missiles gorged on its chest and it fell in smoke and fire. Incredibly, its gyro ripped free of its chest and spun away to land at his Panther's feet.
Hirushi ordered the VTOLs forward, to support the hovercraft who were reporting another two mercenary battalions with vehicular support several minutes away. They sped off, clearing the skies, as Hirushi blasted a Blackjack, bewildered by the onrushing 'Mechs. It took the hit to its chest, but it kept blazing away with its autocannon then its medium lasers. Hirushi didn't see what became of it.
Then, they were amongst the mercenaries.
A hulking Atlas working with a Victor riddled a mercenary Awesome with heavy shells. Chunks of armour exploded off its torso as the shells battered its 80-ton frame, the roar of two Class-20 autocannons enough to overpower the cacophony. Short-ranged missiles flew in from both Assaults, seeking the massive openings the shells blasted apart as spears of light gouged deep. The Awesome pilot ejected as its thermal reading bloomed on Hirushi's scanners.
Two mercenary Hunchbacks thundered forward, one sporting its own massive Class-20 autocannon on its shoulder, the other an array of medium lasers and missile packs. They each took one of the fallen Awesome's side, blasting at the Assault 'Mechs.
Hirushi, ignored by the Mediums, darted to the HBK-4G's rear and targeted the Hunchback's signature weapon. The shells inside the autocannon detonated, hurling the 50-ton 'Mech to the ground. Its engine shut down moments later, saving the pilot's life from the Atlas that had been ready to slam its fist at the fallen 'Mech's head.
The other Hunchback alpha-striked the Victor melting a ton of armour across its chest as missiles fired blindly forward. The Assault 'Mech used its left arm as a shield from the dozen missiles and swiveled its right arm underneath. The blast from the Pontiac 100 shrivelled the stout 'Mech's head-armour before the shells burst through.
Hirushi waved the warrior forward as his comm-panel glowed: the two Manticore companies were in position at the rear to the now faltering mercenaries. He granted them leave to fire even as the third Manticore company brought up their rear and massacred any the 17th Dieron did not outright destroy.
Reports from the light craft sought his attention, and Warlord Shotugama allowed the rush to overtake him. The battle clamoured for longer than he predicted, but not longer than he expected.
The first battle was over in less than two minutes.
Warlord Shotugama arrayed his forces and prepared for the next.
