Author Topic: Cavalli’s Cavaliere  (Read 82330 times)

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #420 on: 20 May 2018, 21:39:49 »
Demi Precentor Nate Dexter stopped for a second on the crest of the ridge, glancing first at his wrist-watch and then back over his shoulder.
It was 0539; the barrage was due in eleven minutes, at the spot where he was now standing. Behind, on the long northeast slope, he could see the columns of black oil smoke rising from what had been the Blakists' supply dump.

There was a great deal of firing going on; he wondered if the Robes had managed to corner a few of his men, after the commando had accomplished its mission and scattered, or if a couple of Wobbie units were shooting each other up in mutual mistaken identity. So much for clear communication from the Toastee Lovers, he mused.

The result would be about the same in either case—reserve units would be disorganized, and some men would have been pulled back from the front line. His dozen-odd ComGuard regulars and Terran Firman partisans had done their best to simulate a paratroop attack in force.
Just in time for the Coalition to arrive.

Snapping hand signals with his left arm, while cradling the Federated Assault Gun in his right he stepped off. As they reached the scrubby treeline the night sky suddenly lit up - craning his neck, Dexter caught a glimpse off drive flares as Dropships descended.
"They're early! Come on," he hissed, throwing himself into the trees.

A second later there was freight train howl of orbital artillery and the ridge line exploded.
The liberation of Terra Firma had begun.


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #421 on: 20 May 2018, 23:14:26 »
Interrogation log 14-07-XL:
Falks, Dylan R
DOB: 1/11/3049
PLACE OF BIRTH: New VanOuten, Van Diemen
RANK: Acolyte (Word of Blake Militia)/Staff Sergeant (Terra Firma Protectorate Militia)

Subject surrendered himself to Coalition forces as the fighting in Marseilles petered out. With a visible arm wound he advanced on a Coalition position with the other arm raised.
In the confusion our forces resumed firing  and the subject was again wounded. He eventually made his intentions clear and a medic started first aid
However, the subject refused to leave with Coalition forces, insisting on leading them to where a portion of Protectorate Militia were holed up nearby - also intent on surrendering.
Fearing a trap, the officer in charge sent Falks ahead but kept a close eye on him.
The subject led our forces to a nearby basement where 16 Protectorate Militia - mostly newly drafted teenagers were waiting. The group promptly surrendered while Falks pointed out several nearby booby traps.

Voice one: Run through it again. How did you end up on Terra Firma.

Voice two: again? You realise I’ve been held here for days and you keep asking the same questions?

Voice one: none the Less. Let’s go over it again.

Voice two: alright, alright. Like I’ve said already - I was born on Van Diemen. I flunked out of college at 21 and was almost immediately drafted into the Protectorate Militia. That was in late ‘70.
I won’t say I loved the military but i found something i was good at and the pay was ok.
In 3073 I re-upped for another four years and was a Sergeant in the recon battalion in ‘76 when you boys came screaming in.

Voice one: why evacuate a PM soldier when the Blakist high command left?

Voice two: I can assure you I didn’t bloody ask for it! Our forces pretty much crumbled within a couple days - I got shunted between units. They were forming and reforming companies on the fly and i somehow ended up in a unit holding the remaining space port. One of our squad commanders tried to slip away but got caught and shot on the spot by the CO, so most of us figured we would just stay out and ride it out.
But turns out we got pulled into the rear guard and then oddly loaded up - seems the head honcho was a real Word Precentor, not a local, and wanted security all the way off world.

Voice one: and how did you end up being inducted into the Word?

Voice two: again! Not by bloody choice! We ended up on Caph. No one told us where we were going and anyone who asked usually got a bloody ear and a day in the brig. They pretty much just dumped us Van De lot into a compound and left us. After a couple weeks a Robe came around and told us we could stay there or join up. Honestly, I was just a little worried about what they’d do to any of us who didn’t sign on - plus, I didn’t have any real family left back home.
Most of us were battlefield replacements for the the 3rd Division, but I heard some people got shunted back towards Terra.
It was a pretty brutal training crash course - complete with a final exam of sorts hunting insurgents on Epslion E, where we got dumped for a while.

Voice one: and then Direon with the 3rd  Division.

Voice two: yeah. Yeah, Dieron was a real bitch. Those crazy Samurai were one thing, but the Bears were like demons from Hell itself.
Half the company I was with didn’t make it out and on the retreat out the APC I was riding in took a direct hit. Half the guys are dead, I reach over to pull the driver out and his head came away in my hands.
We had to run the last five klicks back to the LZ.
I don’t know how we got out.

Voice one; we will come back to Dieron. But how did you end up on Terra Firma.

Voice two; they dumped us here! We got this far and then anyone who could still get got going - running further into the Protectorate or just running. I woke up in a field hospital to find no med staff and half the patients dying from infection.
A little later a Terran Firma Protectorate Militia Major comes around and says anyone who is left has officially joined up.
They gave me a platoon and assigned me to some ad-hoc formation as you boys burned in.

The platoon were reserves and kids called up out of school. I had nine actual Protectorate Militia troops - but all were guardhouse types or older guys. The planetary chief had pulled all the front line troops back to keep him safe while we gave kids, cripples and granddads Inferno launchers and told them to fight to the end


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #422 on: 26 May 2018, 00:54:11 »
I almost went and gave Stone a piece of my mind - hundreds are dead, not to mention the thousands of civilians killed by the brutal city fighting. What those Nova Cat sacrificed now for - to save that bastard. I was actually approaching him - he was standing near his Atlas in the ruins of the city's public square - and then I saw his face. It was the same way I looked when the LT bought it.
Either way, I don't think we should keep blindly following this maniac to hell.
- Lt Eli Moss

New Home. It feels like so muhx of this started right here on New Home.
Years ago, we rescued some pirate war leader from a POW camp here and the universe changed as a result.

The last nine days have been brutal - no just the bitter block by block fighting here in Fidler to push those cyber freaks out, but the sheer toll it's taken on all of us. Watching friends and comrades die in front of you, desperatel wondering if Stone actually has a plan or is just making it up as he goes along.
No matter. It's done. We suffered serious casualties and now we're sporting a lightning battalion of Mechs plus our infantry and vehicles.
- Felix Cavalli

1st Company
Command lance
Marauder II MAD-4S Felix Cavalli
Awesome AWS-9M Joe Paige
Nightsky NGS-5S Raita Mbugua
BattleMaster BLR-5M Benji Sukumaran

Support Lance
Phoenix Hawk PXH-3S Eli Moss
Icarus ICR-1X Helena Polo-Cruz
Vindicator VND-3L Janos Nyugen

Juggernaut Lance
Thunderbolt TDR-9M Jenna St George
Rook NH-1A Gustav Henrig
Rook NH-1A Marius Bertram Tung

2nd Company
Command Lance
BattleAxe BKX-8D Taige Barrett
BattleAxe BKX-7K Octavius Cavalli
Marauder MAD-5M - Moses Cavalli
Dragon DRG-5N Yasmin Keyes

Security Lance
Avatar AV1-OA Conal Blair
Vulcan VL-2T Rex Manahi
Strider SR1-OG Kyle Manahi
Osprey OSP-25 Charity Lauber-Smyth

3rd Company

Command Lands
Lynx LNX-9Q Asha Akouayn
Hussar HSR-500-D Cal Sampson
Wasp WSP-1D Kylie-Leeza Smith
Dervish DV-1S Electra Reva-Singh

Pursuit Lance
Wolfhound WLF-2 Lucuis Black
Panther PNT-10KA Bjorn "Big Bear" Kramer
Commando COM-7S Sharni Kharti
Griffin GRF-6CS Bruno Allegra


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

truetanker

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #423 on: 26 May 2018, 07:30:14 »
What's the TO&E of the vehicle unit and what type of Infantry your trying out now Nav_Alpha?

What's next, can't wait for the next installment after action report!

Need anymore * cough * mechanical body parts?  ;)

TT
Khan, Clan Iron Dolphin
Azeroth Pocketverse
That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
TT, we know you are the master of nasty  O0 ~ Fletch on 22 June 2013
If I'm attacking you, conventional wisom says to bring 3x your force.  I want extra insurance, so I'll bring 4 for every 1 of what you have :D ~ Tai Dai Cultist on 21 April 2016
Me: Would you rather fight my Epithymía Thanátou from the Whispers of Blake?
Nav_Alpha: That THING... that is horrid
~ Nav_Alpha on 10 October 2016

DOC_Agren

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #424 on: 26 May 2018, 09:47:15 »
Need anymore * cough * mechanical body parts?  ;)

TT

Felix can always use a new part or 2   :thumbsup:
"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed:And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!"

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #425 on: 26 May 2018, 19:31:05 »
What's the TO&E of the vehicle unit and what type of Infantry your trying out now Nav_Alpha?

What's next, can't wait for the next installment after action report!

Need anymore * cough * mechanical body parts?  ;)

TT

Let’s face it - off to Terra, so he’ll probably need more limbs!

2nd Battalion
 Major Amber Mori-Paige

1st company

Sprint lance - Maj Mori-Paige
Pegasus Scout Hover Tank (3058 upgrade)
Pegasus Scout Hover Tank (3058 upgrade)
Savannah Master Hovercraft
Savannah Master Hovercraft

Crusher lance - LT Saladin
Zhukov Heavy Tank (WoB)
Brutus Assault Tank
Brutus Assault Tank
Demolisher Heavy Tank

Infantry company - CPT Angus "Gus" Howell

Headquarters squad + Saxon APC (HQ variant)
Scout foot platoon + Saxon APC (Standard)
Mechanized Field Artillery Infantry Platoon
Mechanized Field Artillery Infantry Platoon

Commando company - Captain Hamish Basara

1st Platoon
Purifier BA Squad
Gray Death Scout squad
Gray Death Scout squad

+ Bolla Stealth Tank "Invictus"
+ Saxon APC
+ Saxon APC

2nd Platoon
Longinus Battle Armor [David]
Gray Death Standard Suit [Laser]

1st Squadron - The Flying Knights
Captain Mira Fowler-Jenkins

Alpha Flight
TR-13A Transgressor - Mira Fowler-Jenkins
TR-13A Transgressor - Eryn Calosso

Bravo flight
TR-15 Transgressor - Lena Goldsmith
ZRO-114 Zero - Boris Jazenko

As you can see, there’s a few holes from casualties in the armour/infantry battalion.


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #426 on: 26 May 2018, 19:44:41 »
Why did it have to be Hogarth?

We’re still recovering on New Home - and I mean that literally. Big Bear Kramer has been inducted into the prosthetic limb club after a Deva kicked in his Panther’s head and tore off his left arm.
He swears he’ll be right when the big push comes - but we all still have plenty of recovering time needed.

Stone has torn off on some jaunt. He was last seen boarding a ComGuard dropship. Meanwhile, the big whigs have been in conferences and meetings since.
A day later, the Colonel comes out and tell us - we’re joining up with General Thomas Bloody Hogarth when the push to Terra happens.
Great, just great
- Taige Barrett

Typical. Show you’re loyal, show you’re competent. And you get assigned to babysit a moron who only got his rank through family connections and a silver tongue.

General Lee’s master plan for taking Terra’s eastern hemisphere has two components. The primary objective is the massive Robe stronghold in Australia.
A secondary task is taking the critical choke points across Moscow and Asia.
We’re going to Asia.

We’ll be working with Hogarth as he comes down in Thailand before island hopping through Malaysia and into the huge Castle Brian in Singapore.
At least he’s got some decent troops to keep him out of trouble - the 1st ComGuard Army, 2nd Davion Guards, 5th FWL Guards.
But why do I feel like that buffoon is going to get us all killed?
- Felix Cavalli


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

truetanker

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #427 on: 27 May 2018, 14:34:30 »
Ohhh!!!1  :drool: xp


Terran Robe OpFor, smells like you need some stuff... PM me ASAP if you need a unit or two.

I've cooked up a few Terran units.  >:D :thumbsup:

TT
Khan, Clan Iron Dolphin
Azeroth Pocketverse
That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
TT, we know you are the master of nasty  O0 ~ Fletch on 22 June 2013
If I'm attacking you, conventional wisom says to bring 3x your force.  I want extra insurance, so I'll bring 4 for every 1 of what you have :D ~ Tai Dai Cultist on 21 April 2016
Me: Would you rather fight my Epithymía Thanátou from the Whispers of Blake?
Nav_Alpha: That THING... that is horrid
~ Nav_Alpha on 10 October 2016

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #428 on: 27 May 2018, 16:19:53 »
Ohhh!!!1  :drool: xp


Terran Robe OpFor, smells like you need some stuff... PM me ASAP if you need a unit or two.

I've cooked up a few Terran units.  >:D :thumbsup:

TT

I did think of you TT!
How do you go building TerraSec forced? The best bit is - the location is the home of the Purifier Terra (police) from XTRO: Phantoms. Al kinds of fun


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #429 on: 30 May 2018, 09:03:37 »
Lush green foliage whipped by as Eli Moss threw his Phoenix Hawk forward in a rush.
Spinning the medium machine around he faced back the way he’d come through the jungle.

Thick tendrils of fog clung to the jungle trees, almost totally obscuring his vision.

“C’mon, c’mon... where are you?”

Almost in answer, Moss’ radio crackled.
“Looks like they took the bait, boss,” his lance number two Janos Nyugen said.
“We saw two Mechs - both lights - and battle armour rolling out after you so rudely burst in on them.”

“Roger. Get a make on those lights?” Moss asked in reply, slightly shifting his Hawk’s torso from side to side as he scanned the jungle.

“No, boss. Scans pegged them as 25 tonnes or so, but they were small and hunched. Dunno what they were.”

Moss was just starting to relax when twin beams of amber light pulsed from the thick fog, narrowly missing his Mech.
A second later, the lasers were joined by a stream of tracers as a heavy machine gun probed the jungle.

Moss was dropped the Phoenix Hawk into a low crouch, raising the right arm - which ended in the rifle muzzle of his large laser.
Pulling free of foliage, first one Mech stepped, then another.
It took the Mechwarrior a second to realise the hunched, squat forms were actually four legged, with multiple gun barrels sprouting from their stubby little arms.

“What in the hell-“

The pair shambled forward, tracking Moss with their guns, but there was something distinctly odd about their movements.
Something... inhuman.

****************

I’ll spare the stories of the horror approach into Terra. There’s been plenty written about it since the Liberation of Terra. Suffice to say - it was brutal.
When you’re strapped into your Mech inside a metal coffin, tucked in the depths of a Dropship’s hull you have no idea that outside in the cold black, people are fighting and dying.

We all knew it was going to be bloody - the casualty lists and records show that. But all I knew was that I was strapped into my Panther’s command couch trying not to throw up as the ‘ship bucked and kicked.

Turns out we were lucky - all up, the Asian taskforce lost something like 10 per cent in fighters and ships coming in - the Word had focused their heavier weapons and screens on the Australian taskforce - ironically where I’d end up next.
A buddy of mine in Charlie Company bought it when his ship got hulled, but otherwise the Kentares DMM got off pretty easy.

General Hogarth wanted to play a slow and steady game in the move on Singapore and brought the bulk of his command down around Phuket, while a smaller group game down on the island of Koh Samui to destroy the big TerraSec supply depot.
We, along with some ComGuards and a couple smaller merc units were tasked with taking the depot - we quickly discovered the TerraSec troops were hardly the third line garrison nobodies we’d been told to expect.
Instead, they were tough defenders with the home side advantage who knew how to hit and run through the jungles and beaches.

To make matters worse - they were operating a variety of drones, piloted from out of the way bunkers and BA we’d never seen before.
As soon as we thought we had them beat - they would pop out of the jungle anew and open fire.

Everyone fights hard when it’s their homes they’re defending. If it were my home, foreign invaders coming for my family - I’d have fought Like that too.

- partial transcript of a speech delivered by Harrry M Braverman at the Dieron College of Applied Arts, March 11 3085
Mr Braverman is a RAF Standing Guard (reserve) Major and a former officer in the AFFS’ Kentares Draconis March Militia

Background: A native of Kentares in the Federated Sun, Harry M Braverman joined the Armed Forces of the Federated Commonwealth in 3059 and was assigned to the 1st Robinson Rangers, he subsequently saw combat against the Draconis Combine and throughout the FedCom Civil War. The younger son of a Mech owning family, Braverman served as both a Mechwarrior and later as part of the Rangers’ public relations staff. Discharged in 3067, Braverman returned to Kentares where he penned a memoir before joining The Robinson Press Agency, which saw him report on a variety of issues including the Draconis March’s growing refugee issue in the wake of the civil war, human trafficking and crime. In 3077, he was a senior sub editor for the Kentares Telegraph and re-enlisted in the military after being endowed a distant cousin’s Panther Battlemech. As part of the Kentares DMM he took part in Operation Scour, before again resigning and offering his services to the nascent Republic of the Sphere.
Braverman would go on to serve as part of the Republic military during the Capellan incursion and was critically injured during the attack on Tikonov, which saw him shipped to Dieron for extensive rehabilitation. Following his almost year long stay on Dieron he fell in love with the planet and culture and vowed to return as he departed to rejoin his unit. Wounded again during the fighting on Wei, Braverman retired to a reserve roll.
His Panther was gratefully accepted into Federal hands as part of the Military Material Redemption Program. That donation secured him Citizenship and a sizeable sum of money, which he used to open a charity on Dieron assisting orphans and refugees of the Word of Blake Jihad.
He now splits his time between Dieron and Formahaut.
Braverman is now working on his second book.
« Last Edit: 19 July 2018, 03:54:27 by Nav_Alpha »


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

truetanker

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #430 on: 30 May 2018, 10:39:05 »
 >:D

TT
Khan, Clan Iron Dolphin
Azeroth Pocketverse
That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
TT, we know you are the master of nasty  O0 ~ Fletch on 22 June 2013
If I'm attacking you, conventional wisom says to bring 3x your force.  I want extra insurance, so I'll bring 4 for every 1 of what you have :D ~ Tai Dai Cultist on 21 April 2016
Me: Would you rather fight my Epithymía Thanátou from the Whispers of Blake?
Nav_Alpha: That THING... that is horrid
~ Nav_Alpha on 10 October 2016

Deadborder

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #431 on: 31 May 2018, 15:56:41 »
Singapore with Hogarth. I see no way this could end badly at all.
Author of BattleCorps stories Grand Theft Agro and Zero Signal



How to Draw MegaMek Icons the Deadborder Way. Over 9000 so far. Determination or madness?

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #432 on: 01 June 2018, 00:04:33 »
ATT: Hogarth, Thomas LT GENERAL
CC: Lee, Belle GENERAL
FROM: Cavalli, Felix COLONEL
SUBJECT: Unusual equipment deployed by WoB - Thailand

Generals, during recent operations in and around the Mae Nam region in the Thai Gulf region, Cavalli’s Cavaliere have encountered several previously unknown Mechs and Battle Armour deployed by Word of Blake/TerraSec troops.

After making landfall four days ago my unit were initially resisted by conventional infantry and vehicles before we, in coordination with the Kentares DMM pushed deeper.
One of our lances encountered several of what we’re calling Revenant drones - Light Battlemechs that are controlled by remote.
Initially we believed their odd movements were the result of a new form of MD - but after knocking out two we discovered otherwise.

VIDEO ATTACHED:
The picture is grainy and obviously shot from a Battlemech that is bending several metres over the scene.
It’s a jungle clearing, but the lush trees and ground is marred by black scorch mark and churned soil.
In the centre a mass of metal lays sprawled - it’s obvious it was preciously a multi legged, spider-like machine but it’s now torn and twisted.

Several men and women in a mix match of combat equipment and body armour stand around it - rifles ready. A short man with close cropped dark hair and three days’ worth of stubble stands among them.
But he’s dressed in the brief shorts and cooling vest of a Mechwarrior. He holds a pistol loosely in one hand.

“Alright Corporal, crack her open!” The Mechwarrior says, gesturing with his pistol.
His voice has the twang of the Silver Hawks region of FWL space.

At his command, two soldiers run forward while another trio cover them.
One trooper clambers up onto the shattered Mech’s hull plants a small charge atop it, while the other feeds her a length of det cord. They scurry back and a second later there’s a puff of dirty, white smoke and a muffled crack.

The camera zooms in on the blast zone to reveal a small cupola filled with now charred electronics and wiring.

“That’s no cockpit, Lieutenant!” One of the soldier bawls.

FOOTAGE ENDS

As you can see, these drones appear to be controlled from afar. So far, we’ve encountered only two lances or so and while they’re brutally effective against our infantry, they’re little match for real Battlemechs.
Next up, I’d like to draw your attention to several new variants of Battle Armour we’re encountering.
It’s appears local TerraSec forces have modified the Purifier BA - so far, we have seen two different variants: one solely dedicated to paramilitary and police roles and another, high-tech variant that has been frighteningly effective.

FOOTAGE ATTACHED:

It’s a muddy field, thin streaks of fog still hanging to the ground. The camera is shaky and bounces about as it moves forward.
Suddenly from the fog bounds a hulking armoured figure - an insect like head set atop sculpted torso and arm. The right arm ends in the wicked muzzle of a laser. As it strides forward it gestures with the last and a sudden stream of ruby darts pour out.

Both have shed the mimetic stealth armour that made the original Purifier an excellent infiltrator and raider for conventional armour.
However, our initial tests show the upgraded new version is actually carrying Clan-grade armour and weaponry.
This is even more of a disturbing discovery because POW interrogation reports suggests the advanced equipment was manufactured locally.

My force is now advancing to Ko Pha Ngan to clear out a nest of TerraSec holds out. I’m expecting to face more of the same.


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #433 on: 05 June 2018, 00:29:13 »
5 September
The Kentares DMM have left us, bound for the fight in Australia. Sounds like it's a real bloodbath there.
Despite the soaking monsoons, jungles full of creatures and humidity I'm glad we were tasked with Thailand and not Sydney. Not only is it an unspoiled, pristine beauty of. Place - the duty is light.
So far, we've mostly policed up surrendering TerraSec forces and flushed out insurgents.
The first couple days saw some heavy combat but it has eased right off.

7 September
Five days of patrolling deep in the jungle with my demi company and I cannot tell you how keen I am for a flush toilet and a warm shower. We caught some fleeting contact out near a place called Haad Thein and followed it through the jungles to the other side of the island. Half way through our coordinating company of Kentares DMM got pulled off and we had to go it alone - days of constant movement and occasional sniping in the fetid green. Eventually we caught them - maybe a Platoon of local TerraSec infantry and BA, with two badly damaged Mechs. It was short work after we finally cornered them - I hulled the Ph-Hawk with a spray of SRMs and Yasmin ran down the Nexus. As we circled around them, there were a few scattered shots and then their commander radioed to surrender.

8 September
Infiltrators breached our perimeter here at Haad Yuan late last night. They must have swum from around the cove an up on to the beach - gutsy move.
They killed the four troopers in an LP on the beach and moved in.

Suicide bombers hit the main Mechbay, our ammo dump and one of our barracks.
Charity Lauber, the Osprey pilot in the security lance and Henrig were alone in the barracks - everyone else assigned to that building was on duty.
Charity lost both her legs in the blast and we've not found any trace of Henrig.
We also lost four astechs and a couple locals who had been hired as support staff.

We were lucky - officers were assigned quarters in the big resort just off the beach and enlisted were staying in three big dorms right on the sand. Not for any elitist reason - the resort gave us room for planning and operations and a full blown headquarters set behind concrete walls.
But a heavy storm the night before caused leaks in two of the dorms, so we moved most of our people up into the resort.
Those buildings were right next to the ammunition dump, which went sky high.

9 September
Me and my big mouth - just as I saw we're glad we're sitting in paradise, we get the move order.
The 2nd Davion and the 1st ComGuard Army are commencing a push on Singapore.
Seems someone finally woke Hogarth up!

10 September
Hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait. We're still holding fast awaiting the go signal. Can't complain though!

14 September
Oh boy. Sounds like the 1st Army ran into real trouble - they've been pulled off the line after making the initial push into Singapore. Sounds like suicide attacks, dug in forces and even Blake's ****** cyber zombies.
The 2nd Davion and the 5th FWL Guards are now being funnelled into the meatgrindger. And who gets to be tip of the spear this time?
Yeah... us

- CPT Taige Barrett
« Last Edit: 05 June 2018, 00:32:32 by Nav_Alpha »


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #434 on: 23 June 2018, 07:29:15 »

October 17 - comm intercept #001XP-Alpha

Slugger Six: We are falling back, the 5th Guards have had it and our right flank is wide open.

Sunray Minor: Roger that. Stay frosty Barrett, we are seeing reports it's 19th Division - regulars, not TerraSec.

Slugger Six: That explains it - these SOBs are playing for keeps. Conal had to punch out and I'm sending most of his lance back for a refit. They came in hard.

Hiss of static and garbled voices.

One Magpie: Castle! Castle! Dammit, they're all over us! We're being overrun everywhere! Oh, God - where are they coming from?

The transmission dissolves in static before returning. This time, it's just a guttural scream.

One Magpie - but the voice has changed. This one is low and deep with an almost buzzing tone:
Peace of Blake be with you, infidels.

Static

Slugger Six: What the hell is going on, Joe?

There's repeated explosions and rapid gunfire.

Slugger Six: Sunray Minor, what's happening? Where's the Colonel?

Sunray Minor: They've taken the Castle Brian. Bastards popped up everywhere - they've overrun the CP and I'm shifting anywhere I can find to this map reference. Link up if you can.

Slugger Six: what's Sunray's status? Joe, where's the Colonel?

Sunray Minor: He's taken a scratch force north to find Hogarth - the Word sent a hit team after him. They're trying to break through.

There's a sudden boom, a rolling rush of sound and then the line dissolves into static.

Transmission lost

June 23, 3084
Hunter Valley, Australian continent, Terra
Republic of the Sphere


"Look at this guy!"
Julian Dekker extended his arms wide as the gathered knot of men and women grinned at him, admiring the dark blue dress uniform and the golden commander's rank insignia at his throat.
Dekker made the round of hugs and back slaps among the group.
A good head and a half taller than everyone else in the group, Joe Paige - Lieutenant Colonel Joe Paige - was dressed in a matching uniform and was the last to step in for an embrace.
As he pulled back he flicked the silver miniature version of a Interdictor class pocket warship on Dekker's breast.
"How's it feel to command the fleet's newest ship?" He asked, stepping back.
Dekker couldn't keep the joy from his face as he accepted a flute of sparkling wine from a waitress.
"She's a beauty - just a shame we're missing out on all the action against the Cappies."

Everyone now had drinks - it was a wedding reception after all - now and Dekker looked around. Paige and his wife Amber - her in a green satin dress and him in uniform.
If you didn't look too closely you didn't notice his left hand was smooth and pink, in contrast to the rest of his sun darkened skin. Modern prosthetics were pretty believable.

Taige Barrett was in civvies - a dark suit with wine red cravat - but still looked like the Mechwarrior he was. The Republic didn't like having mercenaries inside its borders, even those who had served under Stone, and Barrett was smart enough to not flaunt his profession here on Terra.

Asha Akouayn was also in civilian clothing - a cream pants suit, belted tightly at the waist and a shawl of shifting, iridescent colours.
She excused herself, crossing the lawn to take her wife's arm. Liberty's senator June Lee was a petite Asian woman with a gorgeous mane of straight, jet black hair.
The Senator looked over at the gathered knot and nodded.

Moses Cavalli appeared at Dekker's side with a glass of sparkling wine. Unlike his CO, Barrett, he was wearing the slate grey uniform and highly polished belt the RAF spacer remembered from his time fighting alongside the Cavaliere. Apparently Cavalli didn't care what feathers he ruffled even here in Terra.

"Being here with all of you," Paige began, addressing the group, "it does make me think back to not so long ago. When we were all together."
The big man raised his glass.
"To the Colonel."
The response was instant.
"To the Colonel!"

Static

Sunray: Anyone who can hear me, this is Felix Cavalli. Form on my position, all units - on me. That's the only way we're getting through these bastards.

Vixen Four: We hear you, Sunray. We are to your 11 - holding against them. Soaking up casualties and could use some help.

Sunray: Can you come to us, Vixen?

Vixen: No, we have too many casualties to move. We do, they die. Squirting you coordinates.

Static.

Sunray: On way!

"The Colonel!"
Moses Cavalli knocked back about half his drink in a single swallow.
He was desperate to hold back his tears and was doing pretty well until Barrett dropped an arm around his shoulders and squeezed.
"It's ok kid," Cavalli's Cavaliers' CO whispered.
Cavaliers - that was something new - gone was the near unpronounceable name for something snappy in a new era of slim pickings for mercs.
But the surname had stayed - held for one day when he or Occy took over the unit.

Hiss of static and occasional explosions.

Kaiser: Cavalli! I need you right now - the gottverdammt swine are all over me! I need help

Sunray: Hogarth, we're the only thing holding this line - if we start tearing off to save your arse, the Word walks straight through here. We are-

Kaiser: I don't want to hear any more excuses - I'm being torn to pieces here, give me assistance. That's an ORDER.

Sunray: I'm moving to your position.

Static

Two Slugger: they're falling back! They're breaking off!

Slugger Six: You hear that Joe? The Word is breaking off all over our position.

Sunray Minor: I know, something's up.

There's a massive explosion and the line is filled with static.

There's a mash of voices and static.

The next voice is obviously strained, each word is a drawn out rasp and obviously difficult.

Sunray: Joe? Joe, I'm down. The Word lit off the Castle's self destruct codes.

Sunray Minor: Colonel! We're coming! Hold on!

Sunray: No. it's unstable, this whole area is about to go up-

Slugger Two: Dad! Dad we're coming! It.. it's ok.

Sunray: Stay put Mo, don't come up here. I love you, I love you both - if you ever see your mum, tell her I understand.

Slugger Three: We're coming! Hold on!

Sunray: Joe, the unit's your-

There's a huge secondary explosion and the line dissolves in static.

Transmission lost


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

truetanker

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #435 on: 23 June 2018, 07:34:36 »
UH-OH!    :-X

Can't fault my designs, but Uh-oh....

TT
Khan, Clan Iron Dolphin
Azeroth Pocketverse
That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
TT, we know you are the master of nasty  O0 ~ Fletch on 22 June 2013
If I'm attacking you, conventional wisom says to bring 3x your force.  I want extra insurance, so I'll bring 4 for every 1 of what you have :D ~ Tai Dai Cultist on 21 April 2016
Me: Would you rather fight my Epithymía Thanátou from the Whispers of Blake?
Nav_Alpha: That THING... that is horrid
~ Nav_Alpha on 10 October 2016

Deadborder

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #436 on: 23 June 2018, 09:26:25 »
Wow. Not what I was expecting at all.
Author of BattleCorps stories Grand Theft Agro and Zero Signal



How to Draw MegaMek Icons the Deadborder Way. Over 9000 so far. Determination or madness?

snakespinner

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #437 on: 23 June 2018, 18:51:57 »
TT it should be oops I did it again. ::)
Not a good situation and just after they ordered all new body parts for the Colonel.
I wish I could get a good grip on reality, then I would choke it.
Growing old is inevitable,
Growing up is optional.
Watching TrueToaster create evil genius, priceless...everything else is just sub-par.

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #438 on: 23 June 2018, 19:21:24 »
I’m going to say - it was tough killing Felix. I knew it was coming - I’d planned it for awhile.
Ran through the End of Day scenario (the battle for Singapore) and while we took some hits, it was an easy win for us.
But you can’t fight the Robes blowing up the whole damn island!


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #439 on: 23 June 2018, 20:03:54 »
Camera zooms in on a long line of Mechs and vehicles boarding two Union class dropships. The outline of a city can be seen behind.

The dateline scrolls across the bottom: Bangkok, October 15

The scene shifts -  now the boarding machines are in the background, ground crew can be seen running this way and that.

In the foreground stands a prim, blonde man with a feather duster of groomed hair and a pencil thin moustache.

“For almost two weeks these mercenaries have rested and refitted here in Bangkok after the brutal fighting in Singapore. While they defeated the Word of Blake forces there, the victory came at their cost of their commanding officer. A bittersweet victory, considering much of Singapore was destroyed in the Word’s spoilsport counter attack.

Now, these brave troops are being asked to go back into the meat grinder. The target: Sydney.”

The camera shifts to B-roll of techs working on the knee joint of a Battleaxe - power cables have been plugged into various jacks and access panels hang open, exposing wires and Mymor muscles.
The next image is a tall dark skinned Mechwarrior climbing into his Phoenix Hawk’s cockpit. He looks grim and deathly tired as he pulls the hatch closed.

“The war for Terra still rages across the globe, but General Lee has run into a particularly rough choke point in Sydney as the Coalition battles to take the massive Mech Works there.”

The image is back to the reporter. The line of Mechs troops on behind him.

“In Bangkok, this is Brett Mason-Crouchhead-Cox for New Avalon Broadcasting”.

As the reporter offers a dazzling smile to the camera three grimy, dirt smeared infantrymen step into frame behind him. All have slung rifles and two wear massive knives - almost short swords - at their belts.
“Why don’t you get a real job?” The burliest of the troopers growls as he shoulders past the reporter.

Pinwheeling his arms, the blonde reporter falls backwards and lands in a muddy puddle.

The camera pans around and zooms in as he mutely lets out a string of expletives.

- unaired footage


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

DOC_Agren

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #440 on: 23 June 2018, 21:41:00 »
Wow they killed the Borg known as Felix
 :'(
"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed:And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!"

truetanker

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #441 on: 24 June 2018, 12:22:57 »
Wow... I need to make my OpFor harder to die... took what 2 years time to kill Felix off after his arm got replaced?  ;)

I gots more if you'll have 'em Nav buddy!  ::)

Just say the Word...  >:D

TT  :thumbsup:
Khan, Clan Iron Dolphin
Azeroth Pocketverse
That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
TT, we know you are the master of nasty  O0 ~ Fletch on 22 June 2013
If I'm attacking you, conventional wisom says to bring 3x your force.  I want extra insurance, so I'll bring 4 for every 1 of what you have :D ~ Tai Dai Cultist on 21 April 2016
Me: Would you rather fight my Epithymía Thanátou from the Whispers of Blake?
Nav_Alpha: That THING... that is horrid
~ Nav_Alpha on 10 October 2016

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #442 on: 25 June 2018, 19:12:07 »
Recorded interview  - FedSun Civil Affairs Branch. Interview compiled by 1/115th Civil Affairs Battalion, attached to Kentares DMM

INTERVIEWER (Sergeant Major Holly Byrnes): Please state your name and occupation for the purpose of the recording.

INTERVIEWEE: My name is Ryan Masters-Smith. I'm 33 and I'm a digital archivist influencer here in Sydney, Terra.

BYRNES: err.. what does that involve?

SMITH: I spend my time scouring the HubWeb - one of Terra's biggest social digital networks and when I find a moment in history or someone's personal timeline, we upload it and companies buy advertisement around it and we generate revenue based on the number of people virtually reliving that moment via the Hub.
But my real passion - work only takes a day or two a week - is my art. Right now I'm experimenting in 3D custom work in artificially made Martian gravity -

BYRNES: Ok, can you just tell us about the day in question?

SMITH: Well, I live in Newtown in Sydney's old area. Early that morning, I'd got up to jog - your troops had been camped out on literally my lawn all week and I knew I'd have to spend an age getting through all that extra security.
As I came out of Gowrie Street I ran into the first checkpoint - half a dozen soldiers rigging up razor wire and a tank doing its best to destroy the footpath.
They'd just waved me past when the whole road shook. Next thing I know, the whole apartment complex on the corner sort of sags and collapses and Battlemechs come pouring out.
Later I saw the building had collapsed over the top of a plug or hole that dropped straight into a tunnel.
Five years I've been there and I never realised the place across the road was sitting on some sort of military tunnel system.

BYRNES: The point of this interview is to determine if you're liable for any form of compensation, Mr Smith. You were injured, is that correct?

SMITH: That's right! First one Mech came screaming out of that hole on jets and then more. One of them turned on your troops and let loose with this stream of flames from one arm. I felt the heat from across the street.
Those poor men turned into human torches, staggering around and screaming.
I started running when an explosion lifted me up and threw me over a low wall into a front yard - that's what saved me I guess.
I only woke up when your troops returned

- partial interview

Voice one: Sierra Echo Four, this is Badger. Can we get a SITREP?

There's a stream of static, broken only by muffled voices and occasionally the deep bass noise of blasts.

Voice one: Sierra Echo Five - this is Badger. Any SITREP?

No response.

Voice one: Sierra Echo -

Voice two: Badger! Badger, this is Oscar Tango Two! We are under heavy fire and cut off! They're killing us Badger.

The voice is wild and seems on the edge of panic. In the background there's near constant gunfire.

Voice one: Oscar Tango Two, this is Badger. We read you - can you tell us what the hell is going on?

Voice two: The Robes came out of the freakin ground! Tunnels just opened up in the street and they came out - Mechs, infantry and BA. The LT lost contact with half our posts - but he's gone out to check the next position over. I don't know where he is!

Voice one: Calm down, so. Help is on the way. Wait, out.
Yardbird, Yardbird this is Badger - proceed to the LOC we've just squeezed you. Seems like the Blakists have cut King and Alice streets in half - move up and support our positions.

Voice three: Roger that, Badger. We're moving. Alright, Fire Lance - let's roll!

Static

Voice three: Badger, this is Yardbird. We are picking up some strange readings here
MadScan is off the chart.

Voice one: keep moving Yardbird.

The line is cut off by a series of explosions.

Voice three: Smitty! On your right, dammit! Quickly! Someone hit that damn Mercury!

Voice one: Yardbird, what's going on?

Voice three: Hit him again! Again!

The line is overcome by static, Yardbird can be heard yelling orders in the distance - as if speaking from deep inside a well.

Voice one: Yardbird? Please respond Yardbird. Yardbird, please respond


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #443 on: 04 July 2018, 18:46:51 »
And with that our part in the battle of Sydney is over. There's still fighting - General Lee has her forces gathered around the last bastion of Blakist Resistance. The Word is mostly deep underground or under the ocean.
God, I can't imagine how awful that must be - crouching underground waiting to die.

We're being re-deployed: Antarctica. The Word has an airbase there they're using to hit targets across Australia and Asia.
But we're not going in alone - at 0630 tomorrow the FSS Admiral Micahel Saille will unleash hell on the base from orbit.
I've heard rumours Stone and Lee have been screaming at the Clanners to provide orbital support but they've refused to fire on holy Terra - so we had to wait until the rest of the task force was in position.
Once they drop their load, we'll move in and scout out whatever's left. The Rasalhague Freemen are already in position and have fed targeting data to the Saille, we'll drop in behind them and clean out any remaining Robes.
- Joe Paige

I'm going to say it - I feel like they're grinding us down piece by piece. First Singapore and we lose the Colonel, then Terra where we get ambushed on day one. And now down south to kill Blakist hold out.
Anyone left after we blast them from orbit is going to be mighty fanatical - and pissed at us.
- Taige Barrett


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #444 on: 10 July 2018, 01:26:23 »
Talk about an anti-climax.
- Eli Moss

The vision is shaky - the camera jerking around with every bow legged step.
The vision shows hard packed ice and a blazing sun rising in the horizon.
Nothing else - just kilometre upon kilometre of white.

A flickering red light and REC glow in the top right corner of the picture, while the elapsed time rolls across the bottom.

Voice one: Echo lead, I’m approaching the ridge line. Moving up.

Voice two: Rodger Two, I’m just behind you. Let’s do it.

The vision shifts as the Mech mounts a sudden rise. All that can be seen is white as the camera rolls back and forth.

Then it shifts, the white falls away to expose a scene of detestation.

Voice one: Bloody hell...

The snow is pitted with blackened craters - steam and smoke drifting lazily from many.
Shards of metal and pieces of ruined equipment are scattered about haphazardly.

Small flames gutter and flicker among the ruins.

As the camera pans around, the full scene is revealed.

There were obviously four large buildings in the centre of the mess. All four are gutted and charred by flames. Two longer but low slung buildings are closer to the camera - one is a crumpled mess and the other is still engulfed by flames.

Next to it a fierce fire is twisting and snapping in the breeze. Around it there’s twisted shards of metal that look like they might have once belonged to storage tanks and pumping equipment.

Furthest away is a long, narrow stretch of blacktop - a run way.
It’s littered with twisted metal wrecks.

Nothing moves among the carnage.

Voice two: Reaper, this is Echo. We’re here - looks like the orbital support has done all the work for us.

It was a mess. Almost nothing left. Just survivors who were in no shape to put up a fight. Orbital bombardment sure makes a mess of unhardened targets.
High command was convinced a counter attack was coming, so we got orders to dig in.
We processed the POWs, helped the wounded and waited. And waited.
By December we finally got word - the war was over. The Robes had surrendered!

It was strange. Ludicrous. Here we were digging in and waiting for an assault when the war was over.
- Joe Paige
« Last Edit: 10 July 2018, 03:46:10 by Nav_Alpha »


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #445 on: 23 July 2018, 17:47:17 »
Grainy image shot down an alleyway. Rubble and bits of litter are strewn about. Graffiti - most of it Cantonese - is scrawled on the grimy walls.

A short, stocky figure moves down the alley - he’s wearing a long, dark overcoat and has his head pulled down so it’s obscured.
The black and white image makes out dark hair as the figure moves past.

Second image shows a stairwell. Somehow, the interior scene is actually dirtier than the street.
Overflowing garbage bags have been dropped in a corner and there’s liquid weeping across the landing.

The same figure climbs the stairs, two at a time. This time the image is clearer and he man’s features are briefly illuminated by a flickering wall light. He’s early 30s with dark hair cut very short - complete with shaved patches over his temples and across the back.
The figure also has a couple days’ worth of thick, dark stubble.

The image flickers into static as the man walks by.

The third image is in colour and in contrast to the past two scenes shows a clean, if dimly lit scene. A wooden bar runs down one length of the room, while a busy kitchen can be glimpsed in the background.
The same figure from earlier enters via a steel door and sheds his coat. Underneath he’s wearing a plaid work shirt, jeans and boots. The shirt hangs open slightly as he leans over the coat rack to reveal medical tape and bandages over his left shoulder and chest.

The image shifts, the man is now sitting and nursing a beer at the bar.
A minute later a woman appears - she’s tall and lithe but surprisingly broad across the shoulders, wearing grey cargo pants that hug her shapely thighs and rear. Over the top the brunette is wearing a bulky tan spacer’s jacket without insignia.

AUDIO RECORDING:

Voice one (deep and masculine, faint trace of a FedSuns’ Capellan March or even Taurian accent): Glad you came. But you a drink?

Voice two (husky and feminine but very flat. Like someone who has spent time and lessons on erasing an accent):

Gideon Larsen, How is it that every time we meet you’re in trouble? And mine is a PPC - Marik.

There’s muffled conversation and then after several moments the clatter of glasses on wood and some more muffled comments.

Voice one: Cheers

Voice two: cheers

Clatter of glasses

Voice two: so, you want off Liberty. It’s not going to be easy.

Voice one: I know, that’s why I came to the best. I can pay.

Voice two: How’d you get stranded here when all your buddies fell back to Terra. Last I heard, you were the Boozefighters' golden boy, I even heard you and the CO were-

Voice one: I didn’t want to die in an unmarked grave on Terra or find myself facing a kangaroo court. So I’m here, enough said.

Voice two: it’ll be tough, this might officially be part of the Terran Protectorate or whatever they’re now calling it, but you might as well be in Cappie space thanks to their blockade.

Voice one: like I said, I came to the best. I need you to move me and my Mech to at least Nanking. Further if possible.

Voice two (raised, agitated): Woah! Woah! No one said anything about a friggin Battlemech! I don’t care if Stone has his boys in the capital, the CapCon has ships at both point and they’re checking every hold manifest. Not to mention, Coalition troops going around looking for anyone suspicious - like, I dunno, a former Blakist Merc trying to move his Mech offplanet.

Voice one (hissing, almost whispering): Keep your voice down! I know, I know.! The Mech is non negotiable. It’s going with me. Plus, I have a sweetener.

Voice two: well, it’s going to have to be the secret location of the Master or what kinda lingerie Alex Kerensky liked to wear under his cooling suit, because nothing is getting a Mech off this rock.

Voice one: I know what the CapCon are busy doing here on Quantico. I’m thinking Stone’s people will pay very handsomely for it - or at least look the other way while I scoot outta here.

- Recording ends -


Weeks of sitting here waiting and then High Command has a mission for us. Off the books, very hush hush.
Seems the war is over but not everyone has surrendered. They want us to go to New Home to clean house - and more importantly, investigate rumours the Blakist holdouts have a cache of WMD - nukes and chemical weapons.
In 3072, the Word used chemical weapons to horrific effect on rebels. Rebels we personally helped.
So, I think we’re happy to head back and finish all this.
It means officially finishing our contract with Stone - this whole mission is off the books, meaning we get paid out and sent off before heading to New Home.
- Joe Paige

No thanks, nothing. And we’re off to another war zone to clean up Devlin Stone’s mess. Just great.
The colonel gave his life for the man and he can’t be bothered with us. Instead, we are packed off to some sideshow to root out remaining fanatics.
Yeah, the same fanatics who dropped chemical weapons on their own countrymen not even 10 years ago.
But Stone’s not sending his precious Clanners or Lament. No, it’s us mercs.
- Eli Moss


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #446 on: 28 July 2018, 19:23:26 »
DATELINE: New Home, February 30, 3080
Interstellar Press


A SERIES of coordinated terror attacks have killed at least 30 people and injured hundreds in New Home's capital city of Findler.

About 10am a Flashman class heavy Battlemech emerged from a stormwater canal in the city's eastern suburbs and opened fire on the Dixon St polling station. After using its flamer to set the building alight, the Battlemech opened fire on several surrounding buildings.

At approximately the same time several car bombs exploded at a polling station on Ian Davion Ave. An hour later a suspected suicide bomber attempted to enter a counting and ballot return building on Eve St when he was stopped by security forces - the man then detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and two security troops.

Emergency services remain at all three scenes but government sources say the death toll stands at about 35. Another 150 people have been injured - including severe burns, and shrapnel wounds.

The Flashman used in the initial attack fled the city, pursued by security forces - including a lance of Mechs from the ComGuard's 3rd Army, on planet to oversee the elections.

New Home's elections - the first since the Word of Blake was ousted last year have been marred by violence, including bombings and sniper attacks directed at government buildings, candidates and electoral workers.

Last week, Labour and Unity Deputy Leader Sonja Markal was found murdered in her home. The Word of Blake have taken responsibility for the killing, along with other violent attacks.

In a recorded statement, the Word of Blake insurgents called the elections "illegal" and "an affront to years of wise leadership under the Word".

ComGuard Third Army commander Precentor Michael Tarly urged New Home's voters to not be put off by the violence.

"It's unfortunate - but we can protect you," he told reporters today.

"Do not let them win. Turn up and vote."

<ENDS>


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #447 on: 31 July 2018, 02:34:26 »
Following the fall of Terra to Coalition forces in late 3078, New Home sat on a knife's edge.
One of the first worlds to be colonized, New Home was colonized by industries looking to exploit the various chemical, mineral and metal resources on the planet; the industries landed scores of young settlers looking to colonize a new world, and many of these new colonists chose to settle on Spina Planetia.

Weathering the Sucession Wars, New Home found itself trapped in the Chaos March as the Federated Commonwealth fractured and began to collapse in 3057, and without any external direction the planet lapsed into chaos. When the Word of Blake came to annex New Home the population offered almost no resistance, as the Blakist fanatics were considered a better alternative than anarchy.

The Jihad initially treated the world kindly - but increasingly draconian reprisals and crackdowns isolated much of New Home. A revolution in 3072, which led to the ultimately disastrous Fritz Donner scenario, was bloodily put down with liberal use of chemical weapons.
The 72-78 years saw increasingly strict policies, mass arrests and show trials as the Blakist puppet government tried to cling to power amid growing unrest.
An increasing number of New Home citizens flocked to the ranks of the growing insurgencies.

Shortly after midnight on the night of March 11, 3078 traitorous elements of the New Home Protectorate Militia rose up and gained control of the capital and other key facilities. Approximately four hundred Blakist soldiers and administrators were killed in the initial uprising, almost all while sleeping in the quarters they shared with locals, who used knives and bayonets.

This coincided with a general uprising and strike action, which crashed much of the planet to a halt. Loyal Blakist Militia elements were killed while standing guard or patrolling throughout the following morning and resistance fighters rounded up key government figures and known Blakist collaborators.

The Protectorate Militia fractured along pro and anti Word lines - with the bulk going over to Stone. Cut off, the remaining loyalists pulled out of the capital.

On the surface, New Home seemed like a classic example of a pro-Stone Revolution throwing off the Blakist yoke after years of misrule and abuse, with a Coalition task force led by Devlin Stone himself landing a few days later.
However, it was all a ruse - with the Master happy to sacrifice loyal elements to trap his greatest enemy with his elite Shadow Divisions.

Partisans and former Militia units played a key part during the brutal fighting and suffered severe casualties against their former overlords.
While New Home was eventually free, the destruction was enormous; dozens of farms went up in flames, cities were gutted and  damage was later estimated at ten billion Stones.

Stone quickly moved on - leaving a token ComGuard force - to assault Terra, and partisan forces continued to consolidate their hold over New Home, intent on punishing their former oppressors.

While Governor Boris Jachenko - a former partisan - was intent on moving his planet past the Jihad, he was forced to bow to public demands for war crime trials and a boycott campaign aimed at companies that had supported the Word of Blake.
That aggressive stance - or a fear of how extensive it could become  - led many former Protectorate Militia units holed up in New Home’s Spina Mountains who would have otherwise surrendered to carry out a low level insurgency.

The insurgency lasted until early November 3079, although conventional fighting trailed off in March after the largest band of Blakists were cornered and destroyed deep in the Spina Mountains.
Between April and November, operations were confined to car bombings and sniper attacks directed and government forces and infrastructure.
On November 11, the remaining handful of Blakists agreed to surrender their arms and come in outside the regional city of New Delphi, in what would later be called the Delphi Peace Agreement. Key to the agreement was a general amnesty for 90 per cent of the remaining hold outs, while the ring leaders were sentenced to varying terms of between two and five years behind bars.
New Home had had its fill of war.
- New Home, New Start: How One Planet Survived the Jihad, Barcelona Press, 3086


Unconventional Warfare in the post-Jihad Era: A Primer
Special Warfare Studies curriculum - Sanglamore Acadamy (The Marcel Webb Special Operations Annex)


Between mid-3079 and the Capellan’s invasion of the Republic of the Sphere in the fall of ‘81, unconventional warfare came to dominate the battlefield - especially along the Tikonov border.
There are two components to this - first is the continued operations by remaining Word of Blake insurgents, who continued to carry out a campaign of terror against both Republic military forces and civilian targets. For further information, CLICK HERE to read about New Home's Blakist insurgency.

On a larger scale was the clandestine war being carried on between the Republic and the CapCon, which carried out insurgencies on more than a dozen worlds.
In many cases, these insurgencies were long established affairs - rebels who had unconventionally battled the Word of Blake for more than a decade.
Terrorism - including bombings and assassinations - was coupled with irregular warfare by these Capellan partisans and Coalition (the Republic had yet to officially form and was still a collection of loosely allied and donated military commands and administrators) forces were ill equipped to deal with attacks.

In the wake of the Terra armistice, several of the Coalition’s irregular commands were shifted to the Tikonov front, including Stone’s Trackers and Task Force 101. These units initially provided a force multiplier for regular troops but were quickly tasked with beating the CapCon at its own game.
These units - experts at irregular and unconventional warfare after years of fighting the Word of Blake - trained their own pro-Stone partisans to carry out the same unconventional wars House Liao was carrying out.

The prime example of this method is Liberty between 3079 and 3081.
Contested by Warrior House Imarra and a cluster of our own Nova Cats, along with Federated Suns militia troops, Liberty was an early flashpoint between the still forming Republic and the Confederation.

The Word of Blake had faced a bitter and well organised pro-Liao insurgency since 3068 and Coalition forces quickly found themselves the new target following Liberty’s liberation.

In mid-3079, elements of Stone’s Tracker arrived on world and after several skirmishes with the irregular Liao forces began organising cadres of local partisans to carry the fight.
While conventional forces - in the form of Imarra and elements of the Nova Cat’s Alpha Galaxy faced off in a largely bloodless Cold War, irregular troops fought and died on Liberty’s island chains and rainforest basins.

After 3081, the irregular troops who had battled Liao across the region were rewarded with citizenship and mostly went back to civilian life.
However, the success of the various partisan groups were kept in mind by the next generation of Republic personnel

« Last Edit: 07 August 2018, 00:13:15 by Nav_Alpha »


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #448 on: 06 August 2018, 23:29:41 »
- it was at that point that Major Kelly Walker, GSO1 of the New Home assigned 84th Avalon Light Infantry’s 3rd battalion sought permission to form a counter-insurgency unit to combat the Blakist guerrillas. A veteran of the Scour Campaign, she sought to utilise the experience available from the former anti-Blakist insurgent fighters who had been integrated into the world’s standing militia. Her unit would be eventually known as Burma Force.[3]

Walker's new unit would operate in two groups. Each group would typically be composed of four teams or sections. Each team would be composed of 12 soldiers - usually made up of six regular AFFS troopers or former Protectorate Militia troopers (usually it was a mix of the two), five former irregulars and a local liaison officer. Each section was commanded by an experienced AFFS NCO, while there local liaison was typically a veteran irregular and usually served as the squad’s 2iC.

Burma Force became operational in March 3079. Operating in the mountains and forests, the teams would typically rely on local trackers and guides to find Blakist camps. Once the camps were located, Burma Force teams would set up ambushes, waiting for guerrilla columns along suspected infiltration routes or designate potential artillery targets to be later destroyed.

However, when guerrilla strongholds were too large to assault, the lightly armed Burma troops would call in assistance from attached mercenary troops who came to work closely with their local counterparts.

While New Home’s defence was entrusted to ComStar’s 3rd Army and a Davion infantry unit that would later former the nucleus of the Standing Guard, it was this irregular Burma Force and mercenary units that effectively destroyed Blakist hold outs.

New Home was devastated during the tail end of the Jihad and Stone was clear the planet and its people needed to be cared for. As such, conventional forces spent the majority of their time protecting a mix of AFFS and ComGuard combat engineers rebuilding roads and bridges, repairing power plants and rendering the huge amount of un exploded ordinance safe. As such, these troops were mostly reactionary.

Although the Burma Force groups were successful against the Blakist guerrillas, their greatest enemy was the New Home government and (later) the Legate’s office. There was much debate among the commanders favouring large unit actions to sweep and clear areas and those who preferred small unit tactics focusing on specific targets or persuading the Blakist to come over to the nascent Republic’s side.[8] Additionally, there was concern about the allegiance of some members of Burma Force by the regular establishment of the Republic Army. Some of the Burma Force members, because of their Jihad work with the resistance, had ties with the eventually banned New Home People’s Front.[9] In the end, Burma Force was too unconventional for New Home’s first Legate Lila Whitman.

Colonel Walker retired from the New Home Standing Guard in 3086, later joining Senator June Lee’s staff as chief of staff.

Unconventional Warfare in the post-Jihad Era: A Primer
Special Warfare Studies curriculum - Sanglamore Acadamy (The Marcel Webb Special Operations Annex)


« Last Edit: 12 August 2018, 05:13:43 by Nav_Alpha »


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

Nav_Alpha

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Re: Cavalli’s Cavaliere
« Reply #449 on: 07 August 2018, 00:25:57 »
Well, they knew we were coming. Despite all the secrecy about our hiring and the off the books nature of our arrival, someone told the Word of Blake holdouts we were coming.
We grounded all three droppers at the main port - on the way down we could see the scars across the city from the fighting last year. Hell, you could even see the big ruined fort on the hill where we thought we were making our last stand.

Within minutes we got reports a car bomb had hit the port's main gate, killing a dozen civilians.
Half an hour after touching down a ground crew technician walks into the hold of the Spada and sets off an explosion. Collapsed a leg strut and caused untold amounts of internal damage - we are damn lucky that centuries old Fortress did explode and take a Company of tanks and infantry each with it.
As it is, the repair bill will damn near wipe us out.

Not long after that, the insurgents tried a full push across the drop field - infantry backing suicide bombers. Our infantry caught one of the poor bastards and we found he was wired up and brainwiped. Had no idea what was going on before he hit the trigger and took two of our guys with him.
A little afterwards we get hit with rockets from somewhere inside the city - too much metal for us to track them back. Took out Sgt Kameson's tank.
And here was me thinking the Jihad was over!
- Joe Paige

New Home, welcome to New friggin Home. We were off the dropper ten minutes before some Toaster worshiping nut drove his truck right up to us and exploded.
We lost one of our tanks about a minute later when rockets came pouring out from a nearby building.
Then someone takes out one of our droppers by walking right in and hitting the clacker on his suicide vest.
If Terra was hell, than this is 10 times worse. Welcome to Hades.
- Eli Moss


"Hold your position, conserve ammo... and wait for the Dragoons to go Feral"
- last words of unknown merc, Harlech, 3067

 

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