FIFTEEN FEET OF PURE WHITE SNOWNear Haakonstad, Christiana
New Oslo
Clan Hell's Horses Occupation Zone
16 November 3146Stung yet again the wily Horses, Taiga Galaxy at last gathered its strength at Lillihammer and then set out for the final march against Haakonstad. With Tau having had nearly three weeks to dig in, the Dominion forces were expecting a brutal decisive contest, but Galaxy Commander Johansen remained confident that the weight of Taiga's remaining artillery and the sheer fanaticism of his troops would be enough to secure victory. The Horses, too, braced themselves for what likely be an incredibly bloody affair.
Then the snow started.
A sudden cold snap on 15 November brought the first of the white flurries. Soon, both temperature and visibility plummeted. The Dominion's various Clusters, still in the middle of the march, began to lose sight of each other during maneuvers the following day, and the artillery bogged down, their spotting VTOLs and hovercraft unable to operate effectively in the sudden icy conditions. Unbeknownst to the Bears, even as they began to drift out of their artillery umbrella, they were being tracked from high in the clouds by the high-powered imagers of the 116th Mechanized Cavalry's
Issus ASFs. With the Dominion positions relayed to him as he went, Deacon Amirault personally led the Galaxy Command Supernova in a series of expert maneuvers that used the obscuring weather to cut around several troop concentrations before honing in on his opposite number. As the two Galaxies' command units came into contact, a savage battle erupted, even as the snow began to come down even harder.
The Horses' two heavier Novas pinned Johansen and his 'Mechs against a ridge, trading gouts of laser and missile fire while Kasinda Rickard's Nova angled around the left side of the Dominion lines, suddenly appearing on their flank and disgorging a horde of Salamanders. The deadly battlesuits tore into Johansen's command Star with reckless abandon, bringing down his
Stone Rhino even as he screamed for reinforcements. Nearby BattleMechs from both sides began vectoring toward the site, as it suddenly became clear that the campaign could end here and now if the Horses captured Johansen. Two more Trinaries from Taiga, one each from the First and Fourth Freemen, tried to overrun Galaxy Commander Amirault and his Supernova, but the arrival of Nova Captain Lanoe Hawker with two Stars of heavy and assault 'Mechs in tow proved just enough to stop them dead in their tracks. With the snow now so deep that 'Mechs were routinely bogging down in it, the jump jets on most of the remaining Horse 'Mechs proved the decisive advantage, as their precise use of the terrain to shield themselves from a significant portion of the Dominion's return fire nullified their lesser numbers. The Horses funneled the Dominion 'Mechs into overlapping fields of fire and methodically cut them down, targeting suspected officers first. Finally, with barely more than a Star of 'Mechs still standing, the Freemen began to fall back, tacitly acknowledging the Horses' victory.
Tau Galaxy Elementals pulled Galaxy Commander Johansen, unconscious and badly injured but still alive, out of the wreckage of his
Stone Rhino, several minutes later. While Horse medics treated him, Deacon Amirault broadcast an open message from
Rocinante, declaring to the remaining Freemen that Johansen was in their custody but would be returned once his injuries had been stabilized. With Johansen's aide, Star Colonel Carl Frederickson, now breveted into command of a Galaxy that had lost three-quarters of its BattleMechs, half its artillery and most of its command staff inside of three weeks, it took little further convincing on Amirault's part that the honorable thing would be to conclude the Trial without further bloodshed. Taking only a meager amount of
isorla and a handful of bondsmen as a token of respect for the Rasalhagians' ferocity, Tau stood by and watched as Taiga's DropShips landed, loaded the survivors, and burned back toward the jump point. Victory had finally come on New Oslo! Tau Galaxy had definitively secured its precious BattleMech factories for their Clan, a triumph that would no doubt be celebrated in the Remembrance and catapult Deacon and his warriors to ever greater glories.
Victory!
-------------------
Winner is: Tau Galaxy
First Freemen: 13662 BV remaining (10.88% of 125564 initially) 0 BV fled
Tau Galaxy: 61586 BV remaining (46.53% of 132350 initially) 18554 BV fled
Survivors are:
Blood Asp M (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Galaxy Commander Deacon Amirault [2/1]
Kills : 3
Kingfisher X (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Star Colonel Elias Cobb [0/1]
Kills : 6
Gladiator (Executioner) G (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Homer [1/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 2
Gladiator (Executioner) F (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Danny [2/3] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Gnome Battle Armor (LRM) #5 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 1
Man O' War (Gargoyle) W (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Leo [1/4] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 2
Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) T (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Farah [0/3]
Kills : 1
Black Lanner S (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Rhodes [3/2]
Kills : 0
Dragonfly (Viper) S #2 (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Karla [3/1]
Kills : 0
Tomahawk (Prime) (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Alban [2/3]
Kills : 2
Daishi (Dire Wolf) C (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Raquel [2/5]
Kills : 0
Savage Coyote HH (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Owen [2/4]
Kills : 1
Masakari (Warhawk) C (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Nova Commander Zarek Moiseyev [1/2] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 3
Kingfisher C (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Lykaios [1/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 2
Night Gyr Prime (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Saadet [2/5] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Loki Mk II (Hel) C (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Felix [3/3]
Kills : 0
Pilot Margaritha (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 0
Kills : 0
Pilot Tyler Dowthwaite (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
Pilot Galaxy Commander Fred Johansen (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Pilot Seiryo Morimoto (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Kodiak (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Noel Blom [2/2]
Kills : 1
Dragon Fire DGR-3F (First Freemen)
Pilot : Stine Iqbal [2/4]
Kills : 0
Black Knight BL-6-KNT (First Freemen)
Pilot : Bjorn Sundal [3/5] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Rifleman IIC 8 #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Vui Thu [2/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Thresher (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Zhi-jun Chin [2/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Thresher (Standard) #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Mehveth Akbulut [2/2] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Arctic Wolf (Standard) #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Yong-sup Kwon [2/4]
Kills : 0
Pilot Hilde Endress (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
Pilot Sanaul Puliyur (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 4
Kills : 0
Pilot Swagata Priti (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 4
Kills : 0
Pilot Di Haugen (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 4
Kills : 0
Pilot Marilyn Engebretsen (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Pilot Toimi (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Pilot Star Captain Dorothy Suzuki (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
Pilot Nick Hiorvst (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 5
Kills : 0
Pilot Petter Schjonberg (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
Pilot Hakeem Saud (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 4
Kills : 0
Pilot Star Captain Neill Marr (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Pilot Anthony Narita (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
The following units are in retreat:
Dragonfly (Viper) S (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Damiano [1/4]
Kills : 0
Man O' War (Gargoyle) W #2 (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Izabella [1/3]
Kills : 0
Grendel (Mongrel) A (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Nova Commander Kasinda Rickard [1/1] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Gnome Battle Armor (LRM) #3 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 1
Gnome Battle Armor (LRM) (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 0
Kills : 0
Gnome Battle Armor (LRM) #2 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Salamander Battle Armor (Anti-Infantry) #3 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Gnome Battle Armor (LRM) #4 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Buraq Fast Battle Armor (Support) (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 0
Kills : 2
Buraq Fast Battle Armor (Support) #2 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Buraq Fast Battle Armor (Support) #3 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Buraq Fast Battle Armor (Support) #4 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Buraq Fast Battle Armor (Support) #5 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Graveyard contains:
Arcas 2 #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Karen Koriche [3/4] ( 4 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Arctic Wolf II A (Tau Galaxy)
Wyvern IIC (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Helga Eichmann [3/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Gnome Battle Armor (LRM) #3 (Tau Galaxy)
Vulture Mk IV (Mad Dog Mk IV) A (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Nova Commander Javier Mendoza [0/2]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Arcas 2 #4 (First Freemen)
Highlander IIC (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Matthew Martens [3/3] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Kingfisher X (Tau Galaxy)
Guillotine IIC (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Star Commander Pippa Travanti [2/2]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Buraq Fast Battle Armor (Support) (Tau Galaxy)
Masakari (Warhawk) E (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Adisvara [2/1] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Ursus II (Standard) (First Freemen)
Arcas 2 #4 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Jamilyn Brown [3/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Gnome Battle Armor (LRM) #5 (Tau Galaxy)
Arctic Wolf II A (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Margaritha [0/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Behemoth (Stone Rhino) (Standard) (First Freemen)
Salamander Battle Armor (Anti-Infantry) #5 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Behemoth (Stone Rhino) (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Galaxy Commander Fred Johansen [1/2] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Salamander Battle Armor (Anti-Infantry) (Tau Galaxy)
Arcas 2 #5 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Tyler Dowthwaite [3/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Blood Asp M (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot Star Commander Pippa Travanti (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 2Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pilot Helga Eichmann (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 3Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Arcas 2 #3 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Seiryo Morimoto [2/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Kingfisher X (Tau Galaxy)
Shadow Hawk SHD-12C (First Freemen)
Pilot : Mangala Maqbool [5/6] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Kingfisher X (Tau Galaxy)
Supernova (Standard) #3 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Christine Horn [4/3] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Salamander Battle Armor (Anti-Infantry) #2 (Tau Galaxy)
Barghest BGS-1T (First Freemen)
Pilot : Sanaul Puliyur [4/6]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Kingfisher C (Tau Galaxy)
Hunchback IIC (Standard) #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Hilde Endress [3/6]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Kingfisher X (Tau Galaxy)
Hunchback IIC (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Star Commander Josh Kim [4/5]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) T #2 (Tau Galaxy)
Hunchback HBK-5N (First Freemen)
Pilot : Swagata Priti [4/5] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Gladiator (Executioner) G (Tau Galaxy)
Hitotsume Kozo HKZ-1F (First Freemen)
Pilot : Star Commander Karlijn Arents [4/4]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Kingfisher C (Tau Galaxy)
Shadow Hawk SHD-12C #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Johan Yamada [4/6] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Tomahawk (Prime) (Tau Galaxy)
Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) T #2 (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Toimi [1/3]
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Kodiak (Standard) (First Freemen)
Ryoken II 2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Star Captain Dorothy Suzuki [3/4] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Man O' War (Gargoyle) W (Tau Galaxy)
Salamander Battle Armor (Anti-Infantry) (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 0
Kills : 1
Destroyed by pilot error.
Salamander Battle Armor (Anti-Infantry) #2 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 1
Destroyed by pilot error.
Hunchback IIC (Standard) #3 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Mona Johansen [5/4] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Gladiator (Executioner) F (Tau Galaxy)
Shadow Hawk SHD-12C #3 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Nick Hiorvst [5/6] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Masakari (Warhawk) C (Tau Galaxy)
Ursus (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Petter Schjonberg [3/2] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Arctic Wolf (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Inger Breen [2/4] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pack Hunter II (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Star Commander Langgeng Hieke [1/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Great Wyrm 2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Sari Aguilera [4/5] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Tomahawk II D (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Geoffroy [2/3] ( 5 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Black Knight BL-6-KNT (First Freemen)
Bombardier BMB-12D (First Freemen)
Pilot : Devavadha Vivatma [4/6] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Masakari (Warhawk) C (Tau Galaxy)
Hitman HM-1 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Hakeem Saud [4/3]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) T (Tau Galaxy)
Rifleman IIC 8 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Star Commander Lucas Goethe [1/3] ( 1 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Man O' War (Gargoyle) W (Tau Galaxy)
Turkina X (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Star Captain Lanoe Hawker [1/2] ( 2 hit(s) )
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Thresher (Standard) #2 (First Freemen)
Rifleman IIC 8 #3 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Anthony Narita [3/2] ( 4 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Tomahawk (Prime) (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot Star Commander Lucas Goethe (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
The following utterly destroyed units are not available for salvage:
Ursus II (Standard) #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Bianka Pohl [2/3] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Buraq Fast Battle Armor (Support) (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot Bianka Pohl (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pilot Matthew Martens (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Ursus II (Standard) #3 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Jeroen Sakshaug [1/4] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Salamander Battle Armor (Anti-Infantry) #4 (Tau Galaxy)
Salamander Battle Armor (Anti-Infantry) #4 (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 1
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pilot Jeroen Sakshaug (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Supernova (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Sigrun bin Nu'man [2/4] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Kingfisher X (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot Sigrun bin Nu'man (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Supernova (Standard) #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Rai Yokoyama [2/2] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Blood Asp M (Tau Galaxy)
Arcas 2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Star Commander Etkin Talu [1/4] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pilot Rai Yokoyama (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 2
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pilot Star Commander Etkin Talu (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 1
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pilot Mangala Maqbool (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 5
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Ursus II (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Marilyn Engebretsen [2/3]
Kills : 1
Destroyed by Kingfisher X (Tau Galaxy)
Loki Mk II (Hel) F (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot : Kisabaka [3/4] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Ryoken II 2 (First Freemen)
Hunchback HBK-5N #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Di Haugen [4/6]
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Blood Asp M (Tau Galaxy)
Hitotsume Kozo HKZ-1F #2 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Sam Porter [4/4] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Masakari (Warhawk) C (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot Kisabaka (Tau Galaxy)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pilot Sam Porter (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 4
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Great Wyrm (Standard) (First Freemen)
Pilot : Benjamin Harnock [5/4] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Turkina X (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot Benjamin Harnock (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 5
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Pilot Sari Aguilera (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 4
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.
Warhammer IIC 6 (First Freemen)
Pilot : Star Captain Neill Marr [1/2] ( 3 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Gladiator (Executioner) G (Tau Galaxy)
Kabuto KBO-7A (First Freemen)
Pilot : Lisa Hrusovsky [3/4] ( 6 hit(s) )
Kills : 0
Destroyed by Savage Coyote HH (Tau Galaxy)
Pilot Lisa Hrusovsky (First Freemen)
Gunnery Skill : 3
Kills : 0
Destroyed by pilot error.