The Rasalhague Dominion: Friend of a Friend (but not your Friend)

[Deadborder]

MUL says they have it in the "Clan Invasion Era" which is 3050 to 3060. You're probably not going to get a better answer then that.

[Jellico]

I used to think some kind of trade. After all the Stooping Hawk is based upon a CGB design.

These days I lean towards the shared territory on Arcadia in 3067.

Which messes up the MUL entry a bit.

But then again. The Stooping Hawk is old enough to end up anywhere in 3049.

[Foxx Ital]

Eldingars or Tyrs? Which would you use?

[Ghostbear_Gurdel]

that is a tough call. I like the range, damage, and ammo independence of the ERLL, but the ECM plus ATM9 is a nice combo.  I think, in a Trial i would use the Eldingar, but in a raid or invasion against the IS I would prefer the Tyr for the Energy weapon.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

So been a long time since we posted anything trothkin...

Anyways friends here are trying to start up a group around my parts which I'm excited about. Good news is they want to play anywhere between 3025 and 3075 but the bad news is their leaning towards pre-3050 which bites. Still 'won' the first match (called for time but I had two kills to his none out of eight mechs a piece) so gotta paint up some more Bear mechs an post a couple pics soon.

[Smegish]

So been a long time since we posted anything trothkin...

Anyways friends here are trying to start up a group around my parts which I'm excited about. Good news is they want to play anywhere between 3025 and 3075 but the bad news is their leaning towards pre-3050 which bites. Still 'won' the first match (called for time but I had two kills to his none out of eight mechs a piece) so gotta paint up some more Bear mechs an post a couple pics soon.

If they're leaning towards pre-3050, surely this just limits you to fights within the Clan Homeworlds?  :D

[Rainbow 6]

So been a long time since we posted anything trothkin...

Anyways friends here are trying to start up a group around my parts which I'm excited about. Good news is they want to play anywhere between 3025 and 3075 but the bad news is their leaning towards pre-3050 which bites. Still 'won' the first match (called for time but I had two kills to his none out of eight mechs a piece) so gotta paint up some more Bear mechs an post a couple pics soon.

Well the Clan invasion started in the Periphery in 3049 which technically is pre 3050.

[Tyler Jorgensson]

Lol to both

My friend and I both got the box sets cheaply and we've been both using the attached Timber Wolf which everyone seems to love using but hate facing (obviously) I just need to convince a couple more of them 3067 tech is the best for introduction: not limited to intro tech but not super advanced 3150 stuff either

[Zeruel]

you could point out that 3067 games should play a bit faster than intro tech what with XL engines and better weapons

[Foxx Ital]

Dunno how this happened, but somehow iv been turned into a SibNanny recently. Someone recommended me to a couple of guys to teach battle armor tactics and now iv got 2 students who are rasalhague/ghostbear fans.
 Seriously,you should be worried,nows the time to run if your a wolf/horse  ;)

[Diamondshark]

Dunno how this happened, but somehow iv been turned into a SibNanny recently. Someone recommended me to a couple of guys to teach battle armor tactics and now iv got 2 students who are rasalhague/ghostbear fans.
 Seriously,you should be worried,nows the time to run if your a wolf/horse  ;)

Sounds good to me; we always need more Bears  O0

[Foxx Ital]

well make that 3 now *laughs*  They also want me to teach them how to use Aerospace assets. I'm really just paying it forward for all iv learned from other bear players over the years. Thanks to trothkin like Jellico,Zeruel,JadeHellbringer and others (yes jade, i remember when you were all ghostbear fanboyed out) iv become a very well rounded player despite my niche specialisation in infantry tactics.
 Plus I'm 32, that's about time to go teach in the creches right?  ;)

[Jellico]

Does that mean that I am old enough to grab a gun and run screaming into traffic?

[Foxx Ital]

Nah we strap you to a ostrogoth and give you nothing vut rl and tsemp ;)

[truetanker]

Seriously,you should be worried,nows the time to run if your a wolf/horse  ;)

Now you say this with pride, wanna go up with something I can think of off the top of my head?

I've been busy do other things, but I can still come up with nasty ideas all on my own.

Like:

My Elemental-TT's, that "S" Star of mine, those Society Units, some of my other designs and lest you forget, Whispers of Blake, a Level IV combat ready Manei Domini unit. ( Only 2 Level III's worth, rest Elite WoB, complete with Transport ). But since this is a clan thread, I'll just leave this here:

Think about the Belter Mods in Clan society and how they could be used today to increase your levels.

TT

[Jellico]

I have been sitting on this for a while. Arguably it should be down in Fan Fiction but things have been quite up here. It is of interest because it shows how brutal combat in the Black Out can be. It may come across a bit fan-w***y in the first few Waves, but given the end result there is no way I could commit Bear troops to this, on troop losses alone. Phyric is an understatement. It certainly shows why some factions aren't just rolled up.

This is NOT canon in any way. Nor does it use information not available in public sources.

Anyway. Let me know if you want more Waves.

A Visitor from Terra
On the 1st of January 3146 an envoy arrived at Silverdale, Alshain. After passing through customs she made her way to the house of a deactivated agent of the Republic of the Sphere. After the envoy proved her credentials the agent took her to a friend who happened to be a civilian member of the Dominion Council. Shocked by the envoy’s mere existence the Councilmember managed to get the envoy an audience with Prince Hjalmer Miraborg. Khan Dalia Bekker was soon summoned and the wheels of history began to turn.
The envoy had come from Terra. Behind the Wall. If this seemed impossible it paled compared to what she revealed next. A trivid of Exarch Devlin Stone. A Devlin Stone talking of events a man fifteen years dead should have no knowledge of. Stone praised the Dominion for their efforts in keeping the peace but now he called the Dominion to war. There were appeals to loyalty and promises of rewards. More importantly the envoy brought intelligence on the Draconis Combine’s plans and an inkling of how the Republic would bring them crashing down. The Rasalhague Dominion’s role would be on the other border, to eliminate the Jade Falcon threat.
The Rasalhague Dominion had plans for this, just as it had plans to eliminate the Hell’s Horses, or Draconis Combine, or any of its neighbours. All nations planned for these eventualities. But having threats on both borders typically prevented the more grandiose of these plans being carried out. But with the near guarantee that the Draconis Combine would be no threat in the medium term these plans suddenly became practical. The Dominion would be going to war.
The next nine months would be spent preparing the touman for war. Refitting and rebuilding the weak, repositioning troops for effect, and observing the Falcons locations. It would be a close run thing, but the touman could do it.

Operation Khan Polly
Strategy
Clan Jade Falcon’s touman was extremely stretched. Pushing deep into the Lyran Commonwealth orders would take weeks to arrive. The lack of JumpShips was acute, effecting both civilian trade and military operations.  Though not planned for by the Dominion, the fall of Arc Royal in September had weakened the Falcon’s troops on the Coventry front.
The Dominion strategy was to overwhelm and eliminate Falcon garrisons before moving forward without making any serious attempt to hold a world. The intention was to rapidly move onto major worlds and establish heavily fortified positions while eliminating enemy units that might otherwise get loose in the now exposed Dominion.
Three main worlds were targeted, Sudeten, Skye, and Pandora, with Arcturus as a secondary target. Seizing these worlds would deny Clan Jade Falcon 80% of its military industrial capacity. Seizing the Sudeten/Pandora corridor would isolate the Falcon Reach. The Reach itself was of marginal value outside of Skye and Arcturus and could be allowed to fall to the Lyrans if they took the initiative. The main reason for fighting would be to supress the twenty-two Falcon Clusters stationed there.
Approximately a third of the Dominion’s touman would be committed to the offensive. Beta, Tundra and Rho would lead the way with elements of Rasalhague and Omega Galaxy providing support. The remaining touman would be tasked with screening against the Hell’s Horses and Draconis Combine, even though its border was supposedly denuded.
Nearly 60% of the Falcon touman would be targeted. While outnumbering the Dominion the Falcons were hindered by a lack of JumpShips limiting both transport and communications options. This would continually prevent the Falcons from reacting to attacks and concentrating their forces for counter attacks, it would even make retreat difficult for many Clusters.
On the other hand the Dominion’s communications would remain solid. Enough JumpShips existed to allow for a network of couriers and to maintain the invading Clusters mobility.

Wave 1 (3rd September 3146)
The opening phase of the conflict favoured the Dominion. Able to achieve strategic surprise the Dominion used its Hunter fleet to locate and identify most of the Jade Falcon garrisons with the Republic providing intelligence on the remainder.  Able to tailor its assault forces the Dominion was able to keep losses low as it neutralised the Falcon defenders.

Coreward Front
Three Clusters of the Rasalhague Galaxy were tasked with hugging the Hell’s Horses’ OZ border so that they could continue to keep tabs on the Horses. Beta Galaxy would penetrate deeper, jumping the border before D-Day in order to attack cut the Reach in two. Losses had to be kept to a minimum as the bulk of the Falcon touman would inevitably bear down upon them as the Dominion’s intentions became known.

Benfled
Years of raids by the Wolves in Exile had ill prepared the 1st Falcon Swoop for a direct assault by the 14th Battle and 140th Striker Clusters. The 1st was positively excited to get the chance to face an opponent in clear Trials rather than fleeing raiders. Undermanned and filled with green troops the 1st collapsed when drawn into a series of ill-advised Trials against the better armed and more experienced Dominion units.

Biota
The green 5th Mixed was targeted by the elite 1st Tyr Assault. Despite the skill difference near equality in numbers meant that the 5th managed to reduce the 1st to 55% strength before being eliminated.

Koniz
The 10th PGC on Koniz was equally vulnerable as the 1st Falcon Swoop when the 332nd Assault and 18th Battle Clusters arrived. While the 10th was doomed a groups of survivors managed to retreat to Dustball and get out an alarm.

La Grave
The elite 1st Falcon Jaegers on La Grave were a much tougher target. Identified by the Watch as a major threat the 2nd Tyr Assault and Gunzburg Eagles had been assigned to root them out. The Jaegers fought hard and effectively reducing the Dominion forces by 30% before retreating in good order and requesting hegira. Unfortunately through it was granted, a lack of transports meant the survivors were not able to leave La Grave until the 5th Wave.



Rimward Front
The Dominion’s Omega and Rho Galaxy were tasked with isolating and assaulting Skye. To do that they first had to nullify a series of Falcon garrisons stationed along the border to prevent retaliations inside the Dominion. This forced the Dominion to proceed along a relatively wide front that would cause its coreward elements to spend a lot of time in transit.
The Falcon defences largely consisted of Alpha, Vau and Zeta Galaxies, all Chinggis Khan loyalists. Largely homogenous and concentrated under saKhan Ryan Pryde they would be able to co-ordinate an effective defence once the situation became clear. Unfortunately that would not be until the 3rd Wave.

Kimball II
Threatening the Vega Protectorate, the 12th Falcon Jaegers would have to be nullified to free up the rest of the Dominion’s Omega Galaxy. The under baked 2nd Vegan Regulars were tasked to pin down the 12th in a role widely expected to neutralise the 2nd in turn. To the surprise of all the 2nd was able to grind out a victory with only 30% losses after convincing the 12th to enter a straight Trial on an unnamed plain. Hegira was offered and accepted though Star Colonel Angela von Jankmon complained of the 2nd using massed fire tactics. Star Colonel Sergio Moss responded by having the 12th’s DropShips routed through Alshain before returning to Falcon space 6 months later.

Symington
A grudge match between the Dominion Rho Galaxy and the Falcon’s Omega Galaxy saw the 9th Falcon Velites being matched against the 300th and 343rd Battle Clusters. Repeating their tactics of a few years earlier the 9th sent waves of small units at the Dominion Clusters. Keeping their DropShips off world Rho denied the 9th a logistical tail to attack while their big ‘Mechs maintained cohesion and methodically crushed the 9th. Hegira was not granted.

Unkalhai
For the first time since facing the Nova Cats the 5th Bear Guards and 3rd Bear Regulars found themselves facing a Clan opponent. The 6th Falcon Dragoons. Hitting hard and fast the Omega Galaxy Clusters were barely detected before they dropped on the 6th’s barracks. No pretence of Zellbrigen was maintained keeping Dominion losses low. This breach of honour would not become apparent to the Falcons until later in the conflict and Wave 2 would be complete before the Falcons realised Unkalhai was lost.

Yed Posteria
The 2nd Mixed Cluster found itself under attack by the 243rd and 283rd Battle Clusters. Battle was swift and brutal and the outnumbered 2nd was gutted and retreated to Auldhouse.

Central Front
Wedged between the Lyran Commonwealth and Dominion, a series of nine Falcon Clusters kept the supply routes to Skye open. For the Dominion these Clusters were a clear and present danger to the manufacturing centres of Orestes and Grumium. It would be the task of the Tundra Galaxy to keep the Falcons occupied.

Fatima
Facing the 4th Falcon Striker Cluster the 1st and 2nd Drakøn gleefully employed the tactics the 3rd  used on Meacham in 3138. Faced with a massive application of the Viking doctrine the 4th retreated to Blue Diamond alerting the defenders to the Dominion assault.

Tomans
The 9th Falcon Striker Cluster had the misfortune to find themselves under attack from the 3rd Drakøn, 1st and 3rd Hussars. With a massive advantage in missile weapons the Tundra Galaxies were able to make the 9th fight in the shade. Unable to secure transport off world the 9th died where they fought.

[Jellico]

Wave 2 (24th September 3146)
Here the quirks of Clan combat began to work to the Dominion’s advantage. So far none of the Falcon garrisons had attempted to fight a guerrilla campaign. This was good for the Dominion as without HPG communications they were on a schedule. After a brief pause for recovery the Dominion was on the move again.
In the meantime word had begun to get out amongst the Falcons. Counter attacks were planned on Dustbowl but as yet Sudeten had no idea the whole Reach was under attack while Skye was unaware of an attack at all.

Coreward Front
Having secured a bridgehead, it was time to cut the Falcon Occupation Zone in two. With only the Raptor Keshik defending it Sudeten was ripe for conquest. However a number of Falcon garrisons remained on systems a single jump away that could prove threatening if they were not neutralised.
At the same time the naval war heated up as Dominion assets struck sites where Falcon WarShips were suspected to be stationed.
On Sudeten so far the Falcon high command was approaching the situation as a deep raid. Only the Koniz garrison had managed to get any warning out. There were concerns about the apparent silence from Blenfled (on the route to Skye), but Biota and La Grave were not high priority destinations for the stretched Falcon JumpShip fleet. For the moment they were happy to encourage the counter attack being planned on Dustbowl.

Blair Athol
After securing Benfled the Dominion 14th Battle and 140th Striker struck out at Blair Atholl. Upon arriving they found the 4th Mixed Cluster gone. Landing to gain intelligence the Clusters stayed long enough to stay on schedule then jumped on to Sudeten as part of the 3rd Wave.

Butler
One of the Dominion’s great concerns was facing the seven WarShips of the Jade Falcon fleet. The Dominion would have to rely on JumpShip based defences if the Falcons decided to disperse its fleet. So some months before D-Day the Dominion dispatched a Star of four Odysseys to Butler to perform a cutting out operation and to try and ascertain the location of any of the Falcon WarShips. Travelling undetected through the Hell’s Horses’ OZ the Dominion task force’s arrival coincided with the attack on Sudeten.
Defending the Butler Yards was the cruiser Red Talon. The 16 Dominion DropShips deployed their fighters then tried to put as much space between themselves and the cruiser as possible. An hour later Red Talon was drifting and the DropShips were beginning boarding operations on the Butler Yards. After taking prisoners for interrogation purposes and scuttling a Starlord and Invader in the slipways the task force began the month-long trip to Sudeten.

Koniz
The missing 4th Mixed Cluster was at Koniz. The survivors of the 10th PGC had managed to get to Dustbowl and coordinate a counter attack with the 4th Mixed and 8th PGC. The three Clusters hit the 332nd Assault and 18th Battle Clusters hours before the Dominion were due to board their DropShips to attack Dustbowl. Fighting was vicious with the 332nd losing 40% of its force and the 18th a third. However and experience and equipment told. Fearing a repeat the Dominion forces denied hegira and interned the survivors. With Dustbowl’s defenders neutralised the Dominion forces no longer needed to secure Dustbowl so would instead jump directly to Sudeten in the 3rd Wave.

Sudeten
Sudeten was Clan Jade Falcon’s capital and centre of its war industry. Despite that it was only defended by the elite Raptor Keshik and the WarShip Turkina’s Pride. However the Dominion would not be taking any chances.
The arrival of the battleship Rasalhague at Sudeten’s LaGrange point signalled the Dominion’s intentions early. Remarkably the Falcon battlecruiser moved to engage in Sudeten’s orbit as Rasalhague finished its burn in. The reason became obvious when Turkina’s opening salvo of missiles was identified as nuclear armed. Rasalhague’s screening DropShips made the effort futile and Turkina’s Pride’s captain apologised as the Dominion Star Admiral berated him over an open channel. The Falcon Star Admiral had her orders from her Khan and so nuclear missiles continued to fly even as Turkina’s Pride collapsed under heavy laser fire.
The 1st and 2nd Tyr and the Gunzburg Eagles deployed and called out the Raptor Keshik. No quarter was asked or given with the Raptor Keshik breaking Zellbrigen before the Rasalhague Galaxy Clusters had to. A single Star of the Keshik would escape escorting Khan Malvina off world. Sudeten was the Dominion’s and fortification efforts could begin.

Rimward Front
Now the wide front began to effect Dominion operations. The 2nd Vega Cluster was two jumps from their next target meaning that they would spend the entire Wave in transit. At the same time word was starting to get out to the Falcons.

Alphecca
Always skipped over for battle in favour of Alpha Galaxy, the 10th Falcon Talon had battle come to it when the 5th Bear Guards and 3rd Bear Regulars landed. At best the 10th was not caught off guard detecting the inbound DropShips early. At worst they were fighting an enemy who did not know honour and made full use of the fact. Though the 10th went down the survivors were able to retreat to Skye, finally alerting saKhan Pryde to the danger.

Auldhouse
Traveling more coreward, the 300th and 343rd Battle Clusters were mostly focused on eliminating Clusters that could break into their rear. Their next stop was Auldhouse and the 14th Falcon Jaegers. The 14th were not an easy target and along with the 2nd Mixed Cluster managed to reduce the Dominion forces by 25% before retreating in good order to Apostica.

Izar
The elite 7th Falcons Striker Cluster would provide a major challenge to the 243rd and 283rd Battle Clusters. The Dominion Clusters played on the Falcon’s sense of honour to goad them into a relatively quick battle. Zelbriggen was maintained but numbers told in the end.

Central Front
Tundra Galaxy continued to push into the Falcon Reach with no shortage of targets, but this would be the last time they would catch the Falcons unaware.

Blue Diamond
Alerted by the 4th Falcon Striker Cluster, the understrength 75th Falcon Striker was ready when the lead Drakøn Clusters arrived. Once again the Falcon Omega Galaxy failed to perform in the face of rushing heavy ‘Mechs and overwhelming fire support. The survivors of the 4th would again retreat, this time to Kelenfold, but the 75th remained in place trying vainly to defeat the Viking doctrine a second time.

Crimond
The 5th Falcon Talon had been hearing rumours of invasions when the other three Tundra Clusters arrived in system. Recognising the hopelessness of the situation Star Colonel Harold Sender scattered his light forces in the hopes of waging a guerrilla campaign. Unfortunately the severe numerical imbalance meant that the Dominion troops were able to find his troops and defeat them in detail. Nonetheless the delay meant that the Tundra Clusters were barely ready in time to make the 3rd Wave.

Wave 3 (15th October 3146)
By now it was clear to the Falcon Khans a major attack was under way. On Skye SaKhan Pryde used the apparent pause in combat to organise a counter attack while Khan Hazen started recalling troops from the Coventry front. Unfortunately it would take months for the messages just to reach the front so for now the Chinggis Khan would have to concentrate on securing what she had.
For the Dominion three waves of combat were starting to cause stress on their troops. Most Clusters reported 50% strength with far too many Falcon Clusters still operational. New Clusters would have to be shuffled into the front line, but where could they come from without risking attacks from the Horses or Draconis Combine?
For both sides it became clear that allies, or at least declarations of neutrality, would need to be found to end the war. However the limitations of communications without HPGs meant that results would not begin to be noticed until after the 5th Wave.

Coreward Front
Sudeten had been captured, now it would have to be held or retaken. It immediately became clear to Khan Hazen that the Dominion was pouring troops into Sudeten. Normally this would be a signal to attack elsewhere but the capital world represented 50% of the Falcon’s military industrial capacity, and with Skye cut off and Pandora equally exposed Sudeten needed to be retaken.
Unfortunately the continued presence of the battleship Rasalhague meant any rushed attempt would be doomed. Worse, with two cruisers disabled or destroyed she lacked to naval might to face the battleship in the short term. To retake Sudeten Hazen would need troops which would take time. For now the Chinggis Khan would have to wait.

Colmar
With Beta Galaxy starting to arrive on Sudeten the 2nd Tyr Assault Cluster and Gunzburg Eagles were freed up to raid Colmar hoping to catch the 78th PGC still on world. Luck was with the Dominion and they were able to catch the 78th before it left the world. Though the Dominion Clusters were reduced to under 50% strength the 78th was rendered combat ineffective before the survivors retreated off world. The Dominion Clusters made no attempt to hold the world and retreated to Sudeten.

Sudeten
Well aware of Sudeten’s strategic position cutting the Falcon OZ in two, as well as its industry, genetic repositories and organs of government for the whole OZ, all of Beta and the three Rasalhague Clusters began massing on the world under the guns of the battleship Rasalhague. While seemingly overkill it served two functions. Firstly all but two Clusters were under 60% strength making the available force equivalent to only four Clusters. Secondly Sudeten’s strategic location made it well suited to act as a base of operations from which to monitor and put down any Falcon build ups on nearby worlds.

Rimward Front
The arrival of the 10th Falcon Talon alerted SaKhan Pryde to the danger he faced. Attempts to contact Kimball II and Unkalhai revealed that these worlds had fallen. At the same time the Dominion forces on Alphecca were oddly stalled. Taking decisive action Pryde sent orders recalling the 1st Mixed Cluster from Alkaid to Skye and ordered the 3rd Falcon Velites and 12th Falcon Hussars to rendezvous over Alphecca. The attackers would not be allowed to threaten Skye without a fight.

Alphecca
The experienced 3rd Falcon Velites and 12th Falcon Hussars successfully landed and set about finding the enemy. Unknown to the Falcons the 2nd Vega Regulars had reinforced the 5th Bear Guards and 3rd Bear Regulars on the initiative of Star Colonel Sergio Moss. This would prove fortuitous as it swung the numbers in favour of the Dominion. Knowing the history of who they faced, the Falcons had little respect for the Omega Galaxy Clusters.  The five Clusters slugged it out over three weeks and two continents, The Falcons to avenge the 10th and 6th, the Dominion for survival. Ultimately the Dominion Clusters would be victorious but with all reduced to 20% strength.


Apostica
Apostica had become something of a Falcon haven with survivors from the 14th Falcon Jaegers and 2nd Mixed taking refuge under the protection of the 2nd Falcon Dragoons. This ended when the 300th and 343rd Battle Clusters arrived. A fairly straight forward action left the 15th trapped on world without transport. The exhausted Dominion Clusters stripped the Falcons of any equipment and took the warriors and support staff as prisoners promising their freedom as soon as they could be safely delivered to Falcon space.


Central Front
The Dominions troop numbers were coming to a head in the Central Front. While securing Pandora with a healthy garrison would demand three Clusters the remaining two were expected to neutralise three more Falcon Clusters. While the garrison on Kelenfold had some idea what was coming the remaining two were cut off from the high command and reliant on rumours.

Kelenfold
The 1st and 2nd Drakøn hit Kelenfold on schedule. The 4th Falcon Striker Cluster had warned the veteran 8th Falcon Velites and would this time use fortifications rather than the Mongol Doctrine to defend the world. These tactics did slow the Drakøns down forcing them spend the full allotted time for the Wave. Battle would consist of extended artillery bombardments followed by close quarter fighting as the Drakøns cleared out the Falcon’s nests. While the Falcons died where they fought the Drakøns were reduced to 50% strength.

Pandora
The 3rd Drakøn and 1st and 3rd Hussars found no opposition on Pandora as expected. With no heavy aerospace cover the Clusters set about constructing hidden bivouacs and fortifications for the orbital bombardment expected to come when the Falcons returned. Attempts were made to curry favour with the locals but neutrality was the best that could be achieved. Fear of Khan Hazen was strong and many would be happy to play the Falcons off against the Dominion.

[Foxx Ital]

Really enjoying it jellico, will the leviathan III be making an appearance or will that still just be "experimental". Really liking your taking into account the jumpship numbers the dominion has. I suspect those hunter jumpships. We make (think thats the right one) will be earning their pay.

[Natasha Kerensky]

Good stuff, J.  It's interesting to ponder the impact of little or no HPG comms on large-scale operations.

On the one hand, it seems rather implausible that Stone could sucker the Bears into doing his dirty work a second time.  ("You promised Not-Named but we found none...")  But Dalia Bekker in the Khanship makes it possible given her sympathies for the Republic.  Have Malvina throw another WMD fit that marks her for annihilation, and the Bears could be into it.

If there was a Republic resurgent plotline, I'd have the Bears go after both the Falcon and Combine -- assisted by their Raven allies on the Combine front and by a Republic-coordinated Elsie attack on the Falcon front.  Squeeze both the Falcons and the Combine in vises.  Have the FedRats go after the Cappies, and that leaves the Wolves as the remaining threat to the Republic.

Keep up the good work.

[Archangel]

On the one hand, it seems rather implausible that Stone could sucker the Bears into doing his dirty work a second time.  ("You promised Not-Named but we found none...")

Wasn't it Uncle Chandy who made the Ghost Bears believe that the Blakists were harboring the survivors of Clan Wolverine?

[Jellico]

Thanks. Much appreciated.
No Leviathan 3. Yep. It is Hunters that we build. Scouting and comms are everything.

The big impact of no comms is rapid loss of control. You get about 2 and a half waves of free hits where you can mass 2 or 3 Clusters vs 1. At that point you lose track of everybody. If you stop, you lose initiative and they can find you and whack you. If you keep pushing you can be attacking thin air. You are into classic middle ages combat. Small garrisons being hit by large forces. Bunker down in castles and hope you get saved. Destroying an enemy outright is very hard to coordinate. Small bites over decades is easier to control. Which pretty much describes the history of the Inner Sphere.

Lets be clear. The Falcons are stuffed. As soon as the Lyrans pick up this kind of attack is underway they will be in on it. The Horses have no incentive to back the Falcons. The more interesting problem I found is whether the Dominion can GAIN from it. Remember they have to do more than win. They have to have a surviving army that can defend against the Lyrans, Horses, or Combine. By the end, I don't know that it was worth the effort.

The Bears went into Vega to support the Republic. That was the claim anyway. I have assumed that they support the Republic concept and would be receptive to a fight back. I am not sure that it is public that the Bears (and by extension the Clans) were played so I am not sure what bearing that would have on anything.

[Jellico]

Wave 4 (5th November 3146)
By now the Dominion had achieved its primary aims of seizing Sudeten and Pandora. Only Skye remained unconquered. Despite smashing twenty-two Falcon Clusters the Dominion’s own Clusters were approaching combat ineffectiveness. The most effective were fortifying Pandora and Sudeten while it was assumed five free Falcon Clusters remained outside Skye with no free Dominion units to counter them. The initiative was shifting and the Dominion would now be forced to react to the Falcons.
However other actors were about to take an interest. Rumours of the war were spreading to other powers. The Hell’s Horses were receiving delegations from the Falcons and Dominion making promises of territory in return for support. For aggressive Lyran units in the Enkoping Corridor like the 11th Donegal Guards news of a Dominion assault was manna from heaven. Reconnaissance was discretely undertaken during Wave 3 and by Wave 4 they were ready to begin extracting revenge on the Falcons. Meanwhile on Tharkad only the barest picture was starting to be formed.

Diplomacy

Both the Falcons and the Dominion had troops stationed on the Hell’s Horses’ border which would serve better on the front line. However while the Horse’s intentions remained unclear these troops would have to remain.
Relatively nearby and with time to burn while her touman massed, Khan Mavina Hazen personally entered negations with Khan Gottfried Amirault. By negations we mean she demanded her recent allies invade the Dominion and offered them New Oslo as compensation. In contrast the Dominion delegates also offered New Oslo after hostilities ended, merely requesting neutrality in return. Of course they noted that Butler and Erewhon were temptingly close and vulnerable.
For Amirault’s part he listened to all comers and then promised nothing and did nothing. For now, the Horses’ role would remain unclear.

Rimward Front
For the Omega Galaxy Clusters on Alphecca a time of decision had come. After two waves in transit the 243rd and 283rd Battle Clusters were scheduled to arrive at Skye at the start of Wave 4. The 5th Bear Regulars and 3rd Bear Guards were meant to meet them but were now reduced to a mixed Trinary each. Ultimately it came down to numbers. With two elite Falcon Clusters on Skye all four Dominion Clusters would need to be present. Leaving the 2nd Vega Regulars on Alphecca the 5th and 3rd left for Skye and their date with destiny.

Skye
Unknown to the Dominion the 1st Mixed Cluster had arrived Skye bolstering Falcon numbers. SaKhan Pryde hid the presence of the 1st until the 243rd, 283rd Battle 5th Bear Regulars, and 3rd Bear Guards were heavily engaged. At that point the 1st struck from the flank shattering the Dominion assault. Retaining air control the shattered survivors were able to retreat to their DropShips and make it off world, though none would take any further part in the war. Skye remained in Falcon hands.

Centre Front
With half of the Tundra galaxy fortifying Pandora the 1st and 2nd Drakøns were forced to continue neutralising Falcon garrisons. The next stop would be Arcturus; a minor industrial would with a useful military output. The defending 13th Falcon Dragoons would probably cripple the Drakøns but the Falcons could not be allowed to remain free to attack the rear areas.

Arcturus
When the 1st and 2nd Drakøns reached Arcturus they received a surprise. Instead of the 13th Falcon Dragoons they found Wolf in Exile’s 1st and 3rd Wolf Guards. While the Wolves expected problems the Dominion had already considered the possibility of Lyran involvement.  Galaxy Commander Terje Hembre outlined the Dominion position. The Dominion claimed Pandora, Sudeten and Skye. The Lyrans were free to take anything else they could occupy. Star Colonel Hiram Radick accepted these terms pending approval from his superiors and the Dominion Clusters moved on to Pandora to await further orders. 

Enkoping Front
The Lyran Commonwealth and Clan Wolf in Exile had been valiantly holding the Enkoping Corridor against the Wolf Empire and Jade Falcons. When news of the Dominion Assault reached the border garrisons the opportunity was clear. It was time to take back the Commonwealth.

Arcturus
Always ready to tweak the Falcon’s tail feathers Wolf in Exile’s 1st and 3rd Wolf Guards were more than willing to jump the border and raid Arcturus. Chasing down the 13th Falcon Dragoons outside the Arcturan Arms facility the Exiles put killed them to a man in memory of their loved ones on Arc Royal.

Edasich
Hauptmann-General Paul Ramirez was initially cautious about the rumours of the Dominion assault but when reconnaissance confirmed Eaton he moved quickly. Sending a JumpShip to Whittington to pick up the Dioscuri they would rendezvous with the 8th Lyran Guards at Edasich. The veteran 7th Falcon Hussars had dug in and were awaiting rescue by the Chinggis Khan. Remembering the terrors Vau Galaxy had used to supress its conquests the Lyrans took a special pleasure in eliminating the 7th Falcon Hussars.

Pandora
Hauptmann-General Tammy Diaz took a risk when she jumped the desperately understrength the 26th Arcturan Guards over the border to Pandora but the lure of the Clantech factories was too much. Especially if the rumours about Dustball and Koniz were to be believed. Instead of the Falcon garrison Diaz found the full Tundra Galaxy. Negotiations made it clear that the Dominion would not be surrendering Pandora but there were opportunities to target worlds anti-spinward of Pandora and Sudeten. Unwilling to push her luck Diaz retreated to Kanderstag and dispatched a courier to Tharkad to alert them to the situation.

Seginus
Long practiced at raiding the Falcons the 11th Donegal Guards in the company of Nekkar DPM jumped the border as soon as they noticed the 1st Mixed Cluster was missing from Alkaid. Rather than hit Alkaid Leutnant-General Nathan Bergstrom hit Seginus hoping to catch the 8th Falcon Dragoons still in place. Severely outnumbering the Cluster the Lyrans gained a quick victory. From the prisoners Bergstrom learned of the 1st Mixed recall to Skye and the likely battle to come. Sensing a chance to thrust his regiment into the action and stake a claim to the spoils Bergstrom quickly moved on to Skye.

Wave 5 (26th November 3146)
Now in direct communication with the Dominion forces the Lyran forces in the Enkoping Corridor started to move. Aware that the Falcon garrisons between Sudeten and Skye had been all but eliminated the Lyran defenders could push forward until they hit the Dominion troops approaching from the other direction.
The Dominion lacked this luxury. Aware that the assault on Skye had failed they began scrambling to find a suitable assault force which wouldn’t leave their borders exposed. In the meantime the bulk of their invasion force was fortifying Pandora and Sudeten as they refitted and cycled in new warriors. It was here that the Falcon hammer would be expected to fall.
Coreward Khan Hazen’s couriers had finally reached the anti-spinward elements of her far flung touman and they were beginning to turn back to Sudeten. Shattered troops were beginning to arrive from the Falcon Reach and Clusters needed to be rebuilt. For now the Sea Foxes promised to recognise Falcon credit and supply what was needed to rebuild, but Hazen needed to retake what had been captured.  For her own survival if not that of her Clan. If she couldn’t retake Sudeten, there were other ways to force the Dominion to retreat.



Enkoping Front
While Wolf in Exile largely maintained its position for fear of stumbling into Falcon Clusters transiting back towards Sudeten the Lyran regiments pushed forward like children in a candy shop. There were simply too few troops and too many worlds to recapture. They would only stop when they reached a world with some harried lone Dominion official trying to assert his authority over the levers of power left behind by the Falcons. Communications difficulties meant that the end result depended heavily upon the officers on the ground. Diplomacy would later cause some planet swaps, but ultimately the border would run rimward to Komephoros, then down to Ko. Before that happened the remaining Falcon garrisons would have to be destroyed.

Eaton
After the hard fought battle on Edasich the 8th Lyran Guards made their way to Eaton. Here they engaged the 15th Falcon Jaegers, another Vau Cluster. Using their superior numbers the 8th set about dismembering the Falcon Cluster with extreme prejudice.

Leganes
Starting from well back behind the border the 2nd Donegal Guards redirected itself towards Leganes after discovering the Exiles had taken Arcturus. The understrength 6th Mixed Cluster was barely an afterthought for the RCT leaving the 2nd free to begin retaking Lyran worlds.

Skye
SaKhan Pryde’s forces on Skye were at just over 55% strength and quietly confident after repelling the Dominion assault. It was a grim realisation when the incoming Lyran RCT was detected. Leutnant-General Bergstrom was pleasantly surprised to discover the expected Dominion troops were nowhere to be seen. Expecting to fight three full strength Clusters the 11th Donegal Guards and Nekkar DPM made a cautious approach until they started finding signs of the earlier battle. Bergstrom played a hunch and moved directly on New Glasgow and major industrial centres. Faced with losing the planet without a fight and unwilling to begin a guerrilla campaign Pryde attacked the Nekka DPM. The militia unit managed to hold out long enough for the 11th to arrive and turn the tide of battle. All three Clusters would be destroyed in place with SaKhan Pryde captured and sent to Tharkad to be charged with war crimes.

Units Involved
Jade Falcon
Unit   %   Exp      
Raptor Keshik   10   1      Falcon Space
Turkina Keshik   0   1   Alpha   
8th Falcon Dragoons   0   3   Alpha   
6th Falcon Dragoons   0   2   Alpha   
7th Falcon Striker   0   1   Alpha   
12th Falcon Jaegers   20   3   Alpha   Falcon Space
1st Falcon Jaegers   15   1   Epsilon   Falcon Space
5th Falcon Talon   0   2   Epsilon   
9th Falcon Striker   0   3   Epsilon   
8th Falcon Velites   0   2   Epsilon   
13 Falcon Dragoons   0   3   Epsilon   
7th Falcon Hussars   0   2   Vau   
8th Falcon Hussars   0   2   Vau   
14th Falcon Jaegers   0   2   Vau   
15th Falcon Jaegers   0   3   Vau   
2nd Mixed   0   3   Vau   
124th Falcon Striker   0   1   Zeta   
12th Falcon Hussars   0   3   Zeta   
3rd Falcon Velites   0   2   Zeta   
10th Falcon Talon   0   3   Zeta   
1st Mixed   0   4   Zeta   
4th Falcon Striker   0   2   Omega   
75th Falcon Striker   0   3   Omega   
2nd Falcon Dragoons   0   3   Omega   
9th Falcon Velites   0   3   Omega   
6th Mixed   0   3   Omega   
8th PGC   0   3   Kappa   
10th PGC   0   4   Kappa   
1st Falcon Swoop   0   4   Kappa   
4th Mixed   0   3   Kappa   
78th PGC   30   3   Rho   Falcon Space
5th Mixed   0   4   Rho   

Rasalhague Dominion
Unit   %   Exp      
332nd Assault   49   1   Beta   Sudeten
14th Battle   91   2   Beta   Sudeten
18th Battle   69   3   Beta   Sudeten
140th Striker   90   2   Beta   Sudeten
243rd Battle   10   2   Rho   Dominion Space
283rd Battle   15   2   Rho   Dominion Space
300th Battle   29   3   Rho   Pandora
343rd Battle   33   4   Rho   Pandora
1st Tyr Assault   48   1   Rasalhague   Sudeten
2nd Tyr Assault   41   2   Rasalhague   Sudeten
Gunzburg Eagles   49   2   Rasalhague   Sudeten
1st Drakøn    40   1   Tundra   Pandora
2nd Drakøn    64   3   Tundra   Pandora
3rd Drakøn    61   2   Tundra   Pandora
1st Hussars   70   3   Tundra   Pandora
3rd Hussars   61   2   Tundra   Pandora
5th Bear Guards   10   2   Omega   Dominion Space
3rd Bear Regulars   10   2   Omega   Dominion Space
2nd Vega Regulars   19   3   Omega   Alphecca

Lyran Commonwealth         
Unit   %   Exp   
1st Wolf Guards   51   1   Apostica
3rd Wolf Guards   61   2   Apostica
8th Lyran Guards   34   4   Izar
The Dioscuri (m)   36   3   Edasich
11th Donegal Guards   60   2   Skye
Nekkar DPM   60   4   Skye
2nd Donegal Guards   79   4   Leganes

[truetanker]

The Bears need to eat more Horse manure.... like a CHH raid in here. Otherwise, good report Jellico.

TT

[Foxx Ital]

The Bears need to eat more Horse manure.... like a CHH raid in here. Otherwise, good report Jellico.

TT

I dunno, the horses have been making overtures twords the bears. If anything its a chance to get back new oslo while also taking revenge on the falcons for using them.

[(SMD)MadCow]

I dont see the Dominion giving up New Oslo. Its an original Rasalhague world and giving it away seems like a great way to piss off the citizens as it could be easily twisted to fly in the face of the Dominion being founded for the good of the Rasalhagian people, maybe even re-spark Motstand. "See, we told you not to trust the clanners, theyre just using us and trade away their 'family' when it suits them" type stuff.

[Foxx Ital]

Can always take it back later ;)

[Natasha Kerensky]

Wasn't it Uncle Chandy who made the Ghost Bears believe that the Blakists were harboring the survivors of Clan Wolverine?

You're right.  It was Chandy who passed along and/or made up Parradeau's journal.

The Bears took independent action against the Blakies before joining Stone's coalition.  Some of that -- like breaking the Blakie blockade of Tukayyid -- was driven by the desire to bring more Rasalhagians under Bear protection.  The rest seemed to be in reaction to (apparent in some cases) Blakie WMD atrocities at Radstadt, and later Cebalrai and Luthien.  Early Bear actions against Blakies seemed driven security concerns -- ridding their peoples, worlds, and borders of unstable Blakie elements.

Stone enlisted the Bears' help in September 3075, at which point the Bears start driving rimward towards Terra instead of securing their Coreward peoples and borders.  Not certain whether the journal and Not-Named hunting were part of those discussions.  But given how inward-facing the Bears are and especially were at that time, I have to think the journal and Not-Named were the driver behind the Bears joining Stone.  It's one thing to secure your peoples and borders.  It's another to wage an expeditionary war in the opposite direction on behalf of other peoples and someone you just met.  Without the possibility that Not-Named were among the Blakies and the fear that other Clans would find out that the Bears had harbored Wolverine survivors centuries ago, I don't think the Bears had a solid reason to join Stone.

I think... as always with the fuzzy Jihad, YMMV.

Lets be clear. The Falcons are stuffed. As soon as the Lyrans pick up this kind of attack is underway they will be in on it. The Horses have no incentive to back the Falcons.

It's interesting how the Horses are written up in FM: 3145.  Khan Gottfried Amirault is described as a political animal, which fits with rebuffing Bear and Lyran overtures and sitting out their Falcon campaign, at least initially.  But FM: 3145 also mentions that Amirault is seeking Bear allies to replace the Falcon alliance and that a couple Horse galaxies have been positioned for a drive on Sudeten.  It appears that the Horses would join with the Bears against the Falcons, if asked, and would probably initiate such discussions themselves. 

The more interesting problem I found is whether the Dominion can GAIN from it. Remember they have to do more than win. They have to have a surviving army that can defend against the Lyrans, Horses, or Combine.

If Amirault and the Horses do want to ally with the Bears against the Falcons, that would seem to secure that border.

The Elsies can contribute to taking down the Falcons, but they don't seem to be in a position to take on a Clan on their own.  Even if they were, their priority would be reclaiming Elsie worlds from Wolves.  So a future Bear border with the Elsies would also seem secure.

The Combine is the major threat for the Bears, and that border has to be fortified above others.  Logically, the Bears should have a contingency in place with their Raven allies so that if one clan is attacked by the Combine, the other will initiate an offensive (or at least raids) on the other side of the Combine.

Rethinking a Republic resurgent plotline, I'd have the Bears sideline the Combine with the Ravens, the Horses sideline the Falcons with the Bears, the Elsies sideline the Wolves with the Republic, and the FedRats sideline the Cappies with the Republic.

The Bears went into Vega to support the Republic. That was the claim anyway. I have assumed that they support the Republic concept and would be receptive to a fight back.

Khan Bekker certainly supports the Republic outwardly.  But I sometimes wonder if Omega's "defection" wasn't plausible deniability, and that underneath the Care Bear and traditionally inward-facing Bear pelts, there's not some old-fashioned Crusaderism roiling around.

Plot-wise, it's hard to ignore that the three most powerful Spheroid clans have all been positioned on the Republic's doorstep in advance of whatever happens in ilClan.  That's obviously not an accident.

I am not sure that it is public that the Bears (and by extension the Clans) were played so I am not sure what bearing that would have on anything.

I'm not even saying that the Bears have to know or feel that they were played.  I'm just saying that the main reason for the Bears to have joined Stone's coalition and the drive on Blakie-held Terra must have been Parradeau's journal and the Not-Named threat.  Absent the Not-Named, I'm not sure the Bears would have a strong reason to once again come to Stone's aid.

It could be Bekker's admiration for the Republic.  But I don't know how deep that goes amongst the traditionally inward-facing Bears and their Rasalhagian populace.  I'm not sure that reason is strong enough for the Bears to once again wipe out several of their own galaxies in someone else's war.

I might go the Care Bear route.  Have Malvina overreach and commit some WMD atrocity that can't be ignored -- maybe against a Horse invasion -- and have the Bears feel compelled to respond, probably with some prodding by the Republic.  Heck, taking down Malvina after an unforgivable Not-Named-like WMD act could even be a unifying purpose for the Clans ahead of taking out the Republic and establishing an ilClan on Terra.

Random musings... FWIW...

[(SMD)MadCow]

Can always take it back later ;)

That is Falcon level backstabbery.
I would rather invite the Horses to go halvesies on Sudeten.

[Foxx Ital]

Id rather share new oslo..they get the half that doesnt produce mechs ;)

[Jaim Magnus]

Would create a very interesting dynamic were the Bears and Horses to share a world.