See what happens when I get some holidays here's another update
I'd like to thank JA Baker for letting me play with Fenwick - it's been a while but I've gotten around to it finally
And Sharpnel for posting
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=55511.0 which has become the Nemean with one configuration added to give it an BA LBX Firedrake option.
Border Skirmish
Federated Suns/Draconis Combine border
3rd October 3108 The Draconis Combine and Federated Suns low intensity border skirmish continues as the two nations continue fighting over a few worlds. With Mordecia Sandoval known to be on Small World commanding a detachment of the AFFS the DCS Draconis Rift and the First Yokosuka Special Landing Force Regiment carried inside it launch an assault. With LAMs filling the air and assaulting the ground forces pinning Mordecia Sandoval in position the DCS Draconis Rift opens fire directly on Sandoval’s position effectively wiping out Sandoval, the First Robinson Strikers LCT and the First Robinson Defenders units. Further along the border heavy fighting is recorded on Ozawa and Mallory’s World as the DCMS seize Ozawa but are forced to retreat from Mallory’s World. On Ozawa McCarron’s Armoured Cavalry are forced to retreat off world with seventeen year old Grant McCarron becomes a MechWarrior as he commandeers a Bandersnatch BattleMech to engage the Combine forces. Although he is unable to destroy any of the BattleMechs he is fighting during the retreat it is the first real battle for the young heir of the mercenary command. With no WarShips to support the DCMS are unable to stop the mercenary command withdrawing from battle.
As word passes of Modecia Sandoval’s passing Field Marshal of the Draconis March Jerome Sandoval, his cousin, orders the MIIO investigation into Mordecia’s involvement in Duke Tancred Sandoval’s death and his questionable financial actions squashed. Instead Jerome turns to the Federated Suns media agencies ordering them to spin the story setting Mordecia Sandoval up as a hero of the Draconis March and the Federated Suns.
Snow Raven Proving Grounds
Quatre Belle, Raven Alliance
Periphery
11th October 3108 “Treachery to Sceptre and Spartan complete a full roll on our mark” the communications officer on the bridge of the Snow Raven Potemkin-class Troop Cruiser. “And mark” she commanded beyond the Troop Cruiser the seven hundred and ten thousand ton Sceptre and Spartan completed full rolls of their hull before righting themselves alongside the Treachery. The communication’s officer looked at Treachery’s commander who nodded. “Superb and Sovereign complete directional change one hundred and eighty degrees on our mark… and mark.” She said this time the Superb lowered its nose turning end over end as its nose while the Sovereign did the same but instead of lowering its nose it raised end over end. It as the intricate dance continued through space the four seven hundred and ten thousand ships continued to manoeuvre. Each of the ships was based on the Splendid-class Cruiser Hull but each of the ships was configured different as the Snow Ravens tried various different weapons and carried craft on the ships.
Graduation Ceremony
Sandhurst, England
Terra, Star League Protectorate
19th October 3108 Although Star League Defence Force cadets trained all over Terra it was tradition for each class to pass by the commandant’s tower at the end of the parade ground at Sandhurst in Southern England. In the grandstand behind the tower Duke Bannister Cameron stood beside his wife Andrea Kincaid-Cameron and watched proudly as the cadets passed the tower looking immaculate in their uniforms and in their ranks. Although he could not see from where he was within the ranks were his son Jeremy and his daughter Nicola as they completed their training and joined the Star League Defence Force following in the footsteps of their parents.
Off to Bannister’s side he was aware of someone else standing just off at the side glancing over he saw a young Star League Defence Force Major who immediately saluted after gaining Bannister’s attention. Initially the Duke ignored the man he had retired from the military life and had no reason to interfere but the Captain remained standing where he was slowly lowering the salute. “Speak son” Bannister said finally giving up on ignoring the man.
“Sir, I’m Major Simon Rosberg of Star League Intelligence” he said introducing himself.
“I’m retired Major...” he began “Rosberg as in Adrian Rosberg?”
“My father, sir”
“A good soldier I was sorry to hear of his passing Major” he said Adrian Rosberg had been a Colonel in the Second Royal Armoured Cavalry Division during Bannister Cameron’s command the man was known for running a tight Mech Regiment, even if he was also a bit of a joker at times, Bannister had kept tabs on many of the officers and warriors who had served in his command.
“Thank you, sir” he replied but didn’t move from his position.
“Either way, Major, today my children join the ranks of the Star League Defence Force I’ve retired from command duties take anything else to your CO.”
“Yes, sir, I normally would but he isn’t part of the family and doesn’t credit my work with the attention it should require.” He said “the family” was what members of the Second Royal Armoured Cavalry Division, the crew of the SLS Wasp, and their descendants often regarded themselves as original members of the Star League Defence Force out of their place in time and now part of this new Star League. Bannister Cameron and his own direct family tried not to make such references they were members of the Star League regardless of what era they were in.
“Then you go sideways, Major, come now you can’t have raised in rank without knowing how to speak to your superiors and get your ideas forwards?” He asked finally looking at the man as the last ranks of cadets passed the tower.
“Yes, sir, I mean no, sir, I do have alternative reporting methods but this intelligence refers to something I have found from the records of the Second and the Wasp and I wished make further enquires.”
“As your question Major” Bannister said deciding to humour the man as he was part of the family.
“I was wondering if the name Fenwick meant anything to you?”
“Fenwick” Bannister repeated a moment or two later “Fenwick” he said rolling the name around in his mind for a moment. “I vaguely remember a Michael Fenwick but that was when I was still a Lieutenant.” He said as the Major took a step closer.
“Sir, there was eight Fenwicks in the original Star League Defence Force all died during the Liberation of the Terran Hegemony campaign. However I do not refer to an individual instead a system.”
“A system?” Bannister asked glancing at Andrea who also shrugged her shoulders “a system that appears on our records but not on those of the Inner Sphere. Sir, we know that ComStar hid systems from the Inner Sphere and then the Word of Blake did the same. Fenwick could be another of those systems.”
“And why is your CO not crediting this intelligence as important as they should?”
“Because the information comes from a member of the Wasp’s original crew an officer who is no longer with us.” He said seeing Bannister give a questioning look “I was tasked with going through their personal databases to ensure no tactical or classified data in their logs before it was archived permanently.”
“And this data isn’t backed up elsewhere?” Andrea Kincaid-Cameron asked speaking for the first time remaining by her husband’s side. Despite Victor Steiner-Davion being the First Lord of the Star League and basing himself and his wife off of Terra Bannister and Cameron were still considered to be the “first family” of the Star League and seeing them together was a morale booster for many.
“Nothing that directly refers to it, which is why the data has been written off, there is nothing left not even on some of ComStar’s old record files.”
“Is the system there?” Bannister asked beginning to wonder if the reason the Major’s work had been written off was because it had been checked and there was nothing there.
“There is a system there with five planets unfortunately it is far off the local JumpShip traffic routes and has rarely been visited. Reports suggest that a JumpShip did travel through the system in 2843 looking for dissidents to Kurita rulership they found no worlds within the Habitation Zone but a proper survey of the system was not conducted.”
“Kurita?”
“Yes sir, the system is currently within space controlled by the Draconis Combine.” He said breaking the next reason that his superiors didn’t want to approach the problem.
“Send your findings to my office Major, I promise nothing, I’ll have a look over your data and speak with some of my advisors and we will get back to you.” He said to a grateful looking Major.
- - -
Three weeks passed before Simon Rosberg heard anything back about the intelligence data. However it was not with a direct confirmation that his findings had been correct instead it was with the arrival of a Lieutenant with orders for him to report to the SLS Bremen, a Peter-class Scout Ship. The Star League Defence Force was not just sending a team to Fenwick they were sending Simon Rosberg himself.
Trial of Annihilation
Blackstone, Periphery
25th October 3108 For six days the Clans had fought over the surface of Blackstone engaging the Society and pirate forces that littered the world. Now the Clans had focused their attention on a single fortress that remained half buried under a mountain of rock.
“After the orbital bombardment has silenced the external guns I will employ a Cluster to subdue he survivors within.” Gottgreid Amirault Khan of Clan Hell’s Horses stated looking at Khan Canin Rosse of the Clan’s on Blackstone only the Nova Cats and Hell’s Horses had the available forces to attack.
“I will employ the same orbital bombardment” Rosse admitted he hated its use but the Society had proven to be dishonourable so he had agreed not to oppose its use. “I will then employ a Supernova Binary, the 212th Nova Cat Headhunter to be exact, to take out the facility.”
“A Supernova Binary it cannot be done!”
“I will provide you with their codex data” he said placing a portable holo imager on the table. Moments later codex data and profiles of the warriors but Gottgreid Amirault was not interested.
“Khan Rosse you will see your men dead if you attempt this Trial.” He said Canin Rosse actually thought the younger man was concerned for the Nova Cat’s safety a surprising revelation about the leader of another Clan.
“Do you concede this bid?”
“Aff I do”
“Very well then we shall begin” Canin Rosse said triumphantly still confident that his single Supernova could do what the Hell’s Horses Khan claimed it could not. The next two hour consisted of several Clan WarShips bombarding a specific section of the fortress creating a gap in its defences so that the Clan ground forces could move in. In the space between the Khan’s Encampment and the fortress two Stars of BattleMechs, a single star of Battle Armour and several APCs prepared for the ground assault on the fortress.
“What is this Khan Rosse you said two Supernovas what are the APCs there for? Have your kittens got sore feet?”
“Neg, they are transporting my star of conventional infantry.”
“Conventional Infantry? An entire Star of them?” The Horse Khan asked surprised all of the Clans had conventional infantry forces but rarely were they deployed with front-line forces. Where a normal Battle Armour star had twenty-five members this formation had five times the number and would be far more capable in the close quarters of the fortress. Khan Amirault looked at the old Nova Cat Khan realizing that he still had several tricks left in him.
“Aff, one hundred and twenty-five troopers the second star of my Supernova. I did offer to show you their codex information.” Rosse suggested as the ground troops began their assault the BattleMechs leading the way behind them the star of Battle Armour followed and flanked the Mechs providing support.
“I do not recognize the Battle Armour suits either” Gottgreid Amirault noted having been thwarted by Khan Rosse once he now realized that the Khan had included yet another element to the unit which he was not aware.
“A new design named the Nemean” he said referring to the four legged Battle Armour suit “an assault chassis with a variety of weapons capable of tackling a wide range of rolls.”
---
As the Khans discussed the battle below the Nova Cat Supernova moved forwards at pace the BattleMechs began firing all of them were of the dezgra classification of BattleMechs, units the Nova Cats officially did not acknowledge existed, the mixed binary of Spector, Liberator and Exterminator BattleMechs firing their weapons at the fortress doors further weakening them. The bombardment had silenced the Fortress’s guns but still its armoured doors stood under the punishment of the BattleMech’s guns. With the BattleMechs holding the perimeter the Nemeans and infantry moved forwards with the Battle Armour suits providing close in cover two points swarmed over the doors setting up charges across its surface then they all pulled back. After a couple of moments there was a huge explosion which crumpled and shattered the fortress doors. From inside weapons fire began to fire on the Nova Cats.
In his Exterminator Dezgra Star Captain Elijah Lossey targeted the troops inside the facility firing his heavy and extended range lasers and long range missiles. On either side Nova Cat BattleMechs followed the same targeting anything that moved red and opal beams of light burned into enemy targets as missiles exploded around them. Further missiles and pulse lasers joined Elijah’s fire. “Star Commander Jalo move your people in, clear them up.” He commanded the Nemean star then ran forwards breaking formation breaching the front of the facility “Spectors move up give them support the rest of us maintain the perimeter.”
The quad Battle Armour star moved forwards led by a point of five suits armed with Battle Armour autocannons, a light machine gun and Inner Sphere built Firedrake Needlers threatening any of the defenders with a hair of fire. Behind them another point flooded into the area firing short range missiles and lasers as they closed. The Nemean assault had opened the first area of the fortress to the Nova Cats but the facility was still extensive beneath them which was where the Infantry would come into play. While Battle Armour troopers would struggle to move in the tight confines of the facility the Infantry would have no such trouble.
Moving in their points each trooper was equipped with a Mauser IIC Infantry Assault System which had a pulse rifle, grenade launcher and vibroblade bayonet while several troopers also carried a Heavy support laser system. As they moved into the facility the Battle Armour troopers blow open the armoured doors inside the facility allowing them access deeper into the fortress. The bigger corridors were taken by the Battle Armour troopers two points in one corridor and the remaining three in the second corridor each supported by a point of infantry for clearing the smaller rooms while the remaining infantry took the remaining three access corridors.
What followed was four hours of room to room fighting as the Nova Cats eliminated every living thing in the facility. Casualties were high on both sides with seventy-five percent of the Nova Cat conventional infantry killed in the fighting as were ten of the Battle Armoured Nemean pilots though several of their suits would be salvageable. As a final measure to ensure that the facility could not be used by pirate forces the Nova Cats placed the equivalent explosives of ten capital missiles in the lowest level of the facility detonating them once their forces were cleared from the facility reducing it all to rubble.
