Scorpio Ascendant

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masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Here is Natasha's Timber Wolf that will appear in the next snippet. Her opponents (all from the Ebon Keshik) will consist of six OmniMechs, entering combat one-by-one. In sequence, they are a Pouncer, an Ice Ferret, a Nova (50 tons), a Stormcrow (55 tons), a Mad Dog (60 tons), and a Hellbringer (65 tons), all in their Prime configuration.

As a Bloodnamed Warrior, Natasha has been provided with the right to use a custom configuration (shown below).

She must defeat all six to gain a Cluster command in the Invasion . . . if she defeats at least four, she will retain her rank of Star Colonel, but will then be assigned to a staff (non-combat position), or can take a reduction in rank to Star Captain and command a Trinary.

Code: Select all

Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) 

Mass: 75 tons
Tech Base: Clan
Chassis Config: Biped Omnimech
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-E-E
Production Year: 2945
Cost: 21,366,406 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,066

Chassis: Unknown Endo-Steel
Power Plant: Unknown 375 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 54.0 km/h
Maximum Speed: 86.4 km/h
Jump Jets: Unknown
    Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Unknown Ferro-Fibrous
Armament:
    27.5 tons of pod space.
Manufacturer: Unknown
    Primary Factory: Unknown
Communications System: Unknown
Targeting and Tracking System: Unknown
================================================================================
Loadout Name: Natasha                                        Cost: 24,071,797
Tech Rating/Era Availability: F/X-E-E                         BV2: 2,659

Equipment           Type                         Rating                   Mass  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heat Sinks:         Double Heat Sink             18(36)                    3.00
    Heat Sink Locations: 1 LA, 2 RA
    CASE Locations: LT, RT                                                 0.00
    Actuators:      L: SH+UA+LA    R: SH+UA+LA

Equipment                                 Location    Heat    Critical    Mass  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ER Large Laser                               RA        12        1         4.00
ER Large Laser                               LA        12        1         4.00
LRM-20                                       RT        6         4         5.00
    Artemis IV FCS                           RT        -         1         1.00
LRM-20                                       LT        6         4         5.00
    Artemis IV FCS                           LT        -         1         1.00
ER Small Laser                               CT        2         1         0.50
@LRM-20 (Artemis) (12)                       RT        -         2         2.00
@LRM-20 (Artemis) (12)                       LT        -         2         2.00
                                            Free Critical Slots: 8

BattleForce Statistics
MV      S (+0)  M (+2)  L (+4)  E (+6)   Wt.   Ov   Armor:      8    Points: 27
5          6       6       6       0      3     0   Structure:  4
Special Abilities: OMNI, CASE, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, IF 3
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LadyTevar
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by LadyTevar »

The scary part is Natasha can do it
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Nitram, slightly high on cough syrup: Do you know you're beautiful?
Me: Nope, that's why I have you around to tell me.
Nitram: You -are- beautiful. Anyone tries to tell you otherwise kill them.

"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP" -- Leonard Nimoy, last Tweet
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Field Headquarters of the ilKhan, Lubeck
Hohenems, Clan Wolf Occupation Zone
September 15, 3043


Yvonne watched closely the faces of the holographic projections of the Khans as they digested the information that her aide told them; an air of unease had settled over the chamber, but there was no panic, no fear, . . . only concern. That was good, she thought.

“Provided that the information she provided is true,” the ilKhan said in the silent chamber, “we must decide how to continue with the Invasion—on our terms. Khan Truscott; you wish to address the Khans?”

“I do, ilKhan,” the Adder said with a slight bow. “She used the terms Corps and Divisions—Army is what she actually claims ComStar uses as its organization—but does she know the exact configuration of these formations? Are they the equivalent to SLDF Divisions or some new formation?”

Yvonne nodded. “She left Tukayyid before the ComGuards were scheduled to arrive, so she claims. She also claims that she was not told exactly how the formations were comprised, but that she did hear Jaime Wolf boast of soon having one hundred regiments to forge into a single weapon. Khan Djerassi?”

“Has she been interrogated?”

The ilKhan frowned. “She has been debriefed, Khan Djerassi. That is what you mean, quiaff?”

“Neg,” Nikolai said as he shook his head. “I mean full chemical and pain interrogation; has she underwent in-depth questioning.”

The Khans stirred uncomfortably, and Yvonne sternly looked down upon the holographic projection of the Scorpion. “I need not remind you, Khan Djerassi, she is a Blood-Named Warrior of the Clans—and as such has rights under the Martial Code; one of which is that she cannot be subjected to such measures without absolute, unequivocal proof of her malfeasance.”

“She has been in the employ of a unit that defected from the Clans—that has turned itself from our trothkin in our enemies! She has served with them for forty-three years; twenty-three of those years with the knowledge that the Dragoon’s were committing treason! She is no more a Blood-Named Warrior of the Clans than a Dark Caste bandit!”

“She rejoined us of her own free will, Khan Djerassi!” Ulric thundered. “Alone, she answered the recall orders issued by the ilKhan; and she has brought with her this information—including the location of this so-called Grand Army of the Inner Sphere.”

“I do not deny that, Khan Kerensky,” Nikolai answered, “but can we be certain that she is not playing us all for fools? Exaggerating their strength to make us hesitant to hit Tukayyid? Against an honorable, Blood-Named Warrior of these Clans, I would not . . .” his voice trailed off and Nikolai shook his head. “This would not be my first choice,” he continued in a softer tone. “But my Khans, we must know the truth of this matter. She must be subjected to a full interrogation.”

Brandon Howell of the Jaguars nodded his—grudging—agreement. “The Scorpion speaks the truth—the Dragoon’s have betrayed us; we must confirm the veracity of her statements.”

“And set aside the rights which all Warriors of Kerensky are granted under the Martial Code?” questioned Mark Steiner of the Cobras. “My Khans, there is always a chance that a Warrior—even a Blood-Named Warrior—will become corrupt and betray the Way of the Clans, the Path that Nicolas Kerensky set us to walk down. But we cannot, we must not, automatically presume that every Warrior is corrupt and honorless until his chemical interrogation proves otherwise. We are brothers and sisters—trothkin—bound together by honor and unified in our adherence to the Martial Codes we live by. We cannot, we must not, set aside these ties that bind so lightly.”

“She is just one Warrior, Khan Steiner,” protested Olivia Sutherland.

Marius West shook his head. “If we sacrifice our rights as Warriors for the sake of security this time, there will be other cases where we feel the necessity to do the same; and then there will be precendent for such actions and removal of our rights—and soon enough we will no longer have those rights.”

“In any case,” Ulric interjected, “she is a Blood-Named Warrior, and has the right to call a Trial of Refusal—will you face her Khan Djerassi?”

“If I must,” Nikolai answered. “She should be questioned thoroughly.”

“No, Khan Djerassi,” the ilKhan replied as she shook her head. “Not without more proof will I—as ilKhan—disregard the Martial Code in such a manner. She will not be subjected to chemical interrogation. You have the right to challenge my decision if you wish.”

Nikolai stared at the ilKhan for several moments, but at least his shoulders slumped and he answered. “Neg.”

Yvonne nodded. “In any case, this information shows that we face a far larger challenge than we anticipated—and that Silver Sable II was not the source of the Inner Sphere’s knowledge of the Clans. Options?”

No one spoke for a few moments, but at last Perigard Zalman, the new Khan of the Steel Vipers stepped forward. “Moving against Tukayyid now, with the full force of the Clans is one option—but it will leave our new territories virtually defenseless against the House forces of Steiner-Davion and Kurita. We would need" and he paused as he mentally compared the numbers reported against the Clan's strength, "twenty-four Galaxies at a minimum to guarantee a victory on Tukayyid—if Natasha Kerensky’s reported numbers are true; my Khans, that is half of our entire strength in the Inner Sphere.”

Marion sighed. “Until we bleed out these House units that the Dragoon claims are waiting for us to launch Waves III and IV, we cannot leave our enclaves open to a counterattack—but by bleeding them, we bleed ourselves, and give Wolf’s Grand Army a chance to take the initiative and defeat us in detail. There is an ancient term for the trap in which we find ourselves, it is a Catch-22. My Khans, we need more Warriors.”

“And yet we cannot stand on the defensive and surrender the initiative,” Jake Fletcher added. “That just allows them more time to choose when and where to hit us—at least we know that they have not the slightest idea of where the Homeworlds are.”

If we believe Natasha Kerensky,” muttered Nikolai. He shook his head and continued in a louder voice. “I am worried about the state of the defenses in Chainelaine as well—Wolf will not pass up such an inviting target . . . if he is aware of how we are converting the Isles into our depot of supply. And the House Lords would risk much to gain examples of our technology from our working factories there.”

“It is a risk we must take unless we weaken our strength on the front lines, Khan Djerassi,” stated Timur Malthus. “What would you suggest we do?”

“Each Clan must bring forward a second-line Galaxy—or even a front-line Galaxy—immediately and garrison our holdings in the Isles as though it were our capital enclaves in the Homeworlds!”

“So basically, we copy what you and the Bears are already doing?” asked Peter McKenna with a wry grin.

Amanda bared her teeth at the Raven Khan and nodded. “I would note that the Ravens already have a Naval Star built around CSRS James McKenna to guard their factories—and rather more troops on the surface than many here present, a full Cluster of front-line troops, two more of second-line, and a Provisional Garrison Galaxy.”

Peter gave the Bear a half-bow, acknowledging her point.

“We should proceed with Wave III—and show these dezgra barbarians that their defensive measures will not stop the Clans!” Norman Rood bellowed. “The Hellions are to be unleashed—let them quake with fear!”

“As much as I hate to admit agreement with the Hellions,” Elias Crichell said, “we really have no choice but to proceed ahead expecting traps and trickery . . . although I think we can all agree that a reasonable delay; say perhaps two or three weeks, might be in order to ensure that our toumans are restored to full combat strength.”

“Push back the starting date of Wave III to November 1st, then?” mused Sarah Weaver, the newly promoted saKhan of the Jaguars. She nodded. “The Jaguars could agree to that—provided that no Clan decides to start earlier, that is.” Brandon Howell nodded his agreement as well.

“And I believe that we will ensure that there is sufficient force present on all of our target worlds that no matter what their defenses are in place, we shall emerge victorious,” said Yvonne. “I would ask all of the Khans to therefore assault a single world at a time, so that we cannot be caught by surprise by . . . unforeseen hidden forces again.”

Brandon Howell winced, knowing that even though she didn’t name the Jaguars, they had certainly been caught unawares and suffered for it. But he nodded. “Aff, my ilKhan.”

One by one, each of the Khans signified their agreement.

“Very well then. I understand that every Clan has activated a Galaxy which in en route to join us. I would advise the Khans to consider well the words of the Scorpion—and to see to the defenses of your enclaves in the Isles, even if that means bringing forward yet another Galaxy. I am well aware that we will not have these reinforcements in place until next March or April, but at least they will be on the move. I expect every Khan’s revised invasion schedule on my desk by no later than the 30th of this month. We are adjourned.”
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Here are the Clan Garrisons for Chainelaine, since we are rapidly approaching that part of the story.

Clan Garrison Forces (Chainelaine Isles)

Chaine Cluster (7) (Steel Viper)
5th Viper Regulars (Veteran)* (also responsible for garrisoning Blackstone, Last Chance, and Palcida)
Viper PGCs: 3 (also reponsible for garrisoning Blackstone, Last Chance, and Palcida)

Far Reach (Ice Hellion)
52nd Hector Cavaliers (Regular)*
Hellion PGCs: 2

Fredotto (Blood Spirit/Fire Mandrill/Nova Cat)
Spirit 441st Crimson Guards (Veteran)*
Spirit PGCs: 2

Mandrill 12th Support Cluster (The Keystone Cluster) (Regular)*
Mandrill PGCs: 5 (also responsible for garrisoning Elissa, Ferris, and Nyserta)

Cat 4th Nova Cat Regulars (Veteran)*
Cat PGCs: 2

Haublan (Diamond Shark)
Shark Delta Galaxy (Snapping Jaws)
Shark 8th Assault Cluster (Rogue Hunter) (Elite)
Shark 28th Cruiser Cluster (Strum Wache) (Regular)
Shark 21st Strike Cluster (The Merfolk) (Veteran)
Shark PGCs: 4

Aegis-class Cruiser (Blood Lust)

Idrmach (Smoke Jaguar)
Jaguar 17th Jaguar Regulars (The Ghost and the Darkness) (Veteran)*
Jaguar PGCs: 4 (also responsible for garrisoning Manaringaine, Porthos, and Santander V)

Ingvolstand (Coyote/Wolf)
Coyote 403rd Battle Cluster (The Legionnaires) (Veteran)*
Coyote 246th Strike Cluster (The Coyote Irregulars) (Veteran)*
Coyote PGCs: 3

Wolf The Steel Keshik (Veteran)*
Wolf 8th Wolf Regulars (Stalking Death) (Veteran)*
Wolf 15th Wolf Regulars (The Inquisitors) (Veteran)*
Wolf PGCs: 7 (also responsible for garrisoning Butte Hold, Oberon VI, and Sigurd)

Paran (Hell’s Horses/Snow Raven)
Horses 61st BattleMech Cluster (Fire and Brimstone) (Veteran)*
Horses 51st Mechanized Cavalry (The Nightrider Cluster) (Veteran)*
Horses PGCs: 4 (also responsible for garrisoning Erewhon, Gotterdamarung, and Lackhove)

Raven 97th Raven Striker Cluster (The Soaring Ravens) (Veteran)
Raven 4th Raven Regulars (Veteran)*
Raven 6th Raven Regulars (Veteran)*
Raven PGCs: 5

Swift Wing Naval Star
McKenna-class BB (James McKenna); Conqueror-class BC (Ark Royal); Congress-class FF (Magpie); Lola III-class DD (Bloody Talon); Whirlwind-class DD (Drake)

Rondane (Ghost Bear/Goliath Scorpion)
Scorpion Delta Galaxy (Swift Strikers)
Scorpion 20th Scorpion Cuirassiers (Scorpion Ascendant) (Veteran)
Scorpion 26th Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Dark Sting) (Veteran)
Scorpion 7th Scorpion Dragoons (The Din of Battle) (Veteran)
Scorpion 22nd Scorpion Hussars (Eye of the Storm) (Veteran)

Scorpion Epsilon Galaxy (Nightcrawlers) (en route)
Scorpion 18th Scorpion Cuirassiers (The Khan's Castle) (Veteran) (en route)
Scorpion 28th Scorpion Cuirassiers (Death Stalkers) (Veteran) (en route)
Scorpion 10th Scorpion Dragoons (Poisoned Gambit) (Veteran) (en route)
Scorpion 19th Scorpion Hussars (Untamed Will) (Veteran) (en route)

Scorpion PGCs: 4

Striking Claw Naval Star
McKenna-class BB (Requiem); Aegis-class CA (Corona Borealis); Congress-class FF (Garlon); Lola III-class (Sagitta)

Bear Omega Galaxy (The Raging Bears)
Bear Tseng's Keshik (Veteran) (1 Trinary)
Bear 357th Assault Cluster (The Cave Bears) (Veteran))
Bear 10th Bear Cuirassier (Tundra Roughriders) (Veteran)
Bear 115th Striker cluster (The Rolling Wave) (Elite)
Bear 139th Striker Cluster (The Sphere Hunters) (Veteran)

Bear Zeta Galaxy (The Claws of the Ghost) (en route)
Bear The Claw Keshik (Veteran) (1 Trinary) (en route)
Bear 20th Battle Cluster (Polar Bears) (Elite) (en route)
Bear 300th Battle Cluster (Roaring Phoenix) (Veteran) (en route)
Bear 1st Bear Regulars (Tip of the Spear) (Veteran) (en route)
Bear 2nd Bear Regulars (Ivory Claws) (Veteran) (en route)

Bear PGCs: 4

Note: The Scorpions and the Bears evacuated the populations of Crellacor, Gustrell, and Star's End and do not maintain a permanent garrison

Syrstart (Cloud Cobra/Star Adder)
Cobra 116th Dragoon Cluster (Last Stand) (Veteran)
Cobra PGCs: 2

Adder 97th Adder Sentinels (Veteran)*
Adder 235th Adder Sentinels (Elite)*
Adder 522nd Adder Sentinels (Elite)*
Adder PGCs: 6 (also responsible for garrisoning Drask's Den, Paulus Prime, and The Rock)

Vannes (Jade Falcon)
Falcon Zeta Galaxy
3rd Battle Cluster (The Falcon's Honor) (Elite)
53rd Battle Cluster (The Cat Snatchers) (Veteran)
2nd Falcon Dragoons (The Lightnings) (Veteran)
5th Falcon Regulars (Eden's Hope) (Veteran)
3rd Falcon Velites (The Swift Wings) (Veteran)
Falcon PGCs: 4 (also responsible for garrisoning Botany Bay and von Strang's World)

Emerald Talon Naval Star
Nightlord-class BB (Emerald Talon); Liberator-class Cruiser (Gauntlet); Aegis-class Cruiser (Jade Talon); Vincent-class Corvette (Lightning Strike)
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Eisenhugel Preserve
Hohenems, Clan Wolf Occupation Zone
September 19, 3043


Warrior Janos kept his eyes squarely on his sensory equipment as he slowly walked his Pouncer OmniMech through the rugged countryside. That antiquated traitor had ‘negotiated’ with the ilKhan to make this Trial more ‘realistic’ and less an arena competition . . . in her words. And the ilKhan had agreed. She had designated this 50 kilometer by 50 kilometer section of thick forests and rugged hills and narrow waterways as the Trial Grounds . . . and Natasha Kerensky was playing for keeps.

The former Wolf and former Dragoon was somewhere in the dense forests—and the native iron ores contained within the ridgelines and hillocks was playing havoc with Janos’ sensor systems. He broke into a clearing and snarled as he still could not register her OmniMech on his radar, his magnetic anomaly detector (which was going haywire from all of the false contact reports generated by the ore), or the seismic sensors. He did take a moment to appreciate the rainbow formed by the waterfall that plunged fifteen meters from the bluff above into a wide, shallow pool, before the tributary it spawned split off to flow downslope towards the distant sea.

A sensor scan revealed nothing and turned away to make yet another pass through the foliage. And at that moment, alarms began to scream in his cockpit—and Janos blanched.

A 75-ton Timber Wolf emerged from the cavern hidden behind the waterfall, and the war-machine was facing him square towards his exposed back. Janos stood on his jump jet pedals, but he was too late as one golden beam and then a second burnt through his weak rear armor and caution alerts began to beep and hoot and flash in the cockpit—and then forty louvered panels covering the missile cells on the Timber Wolf’s twin launchers flashed open and thirty-six guided rockets slammed into the holes punched through his woefully inadequate rear armor.

His systems died as the engine went into emergency shutdown, and Janos gritted his teeth as the unstable Pouncer—with no power, no hydraulics, and no longer any stabilizing gyroscope—twisted and teetered and fell to the ground with an impact that left his molars aching. And then that flat-black painted Timber Wolf with the crimson hour-glass symbol of Clan Widowmaker on its nose passed him by.

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

The Ice Ferret sped through the thick woods towards the last reported location of the Pouncer . . . Warrior Helena at the controls. She weaved expertly through the trees and then she broke past the undergrowth and the old growth timber and detected her opponent waiting for her atop a ridge. She raised his right arm PPC and fired a bolt, but the Timber Wolf twisted away as it back into a hull down position—and it flushed its missile racks in reply before sending two beams of coherent light tearing into the armor of her medium-weight OmniMech.

Helena fought to retain her feet and she pressed the throttle forward, closing the range to bring her other weapons into play . . . but her opponent kept backing down the reverse slope and she lost contact!

She cursed the ore which prevented an accurate MAD-scan, but the vibration sensors showed that the Timber Wolf had picked up the pace. She was running! Natasha Kerensky was running. Helena howled as she slammed the throttle to the stops and soared over the ridge . . . only to see the dense forest a few hundred meters in front of her; she didn’t stop, however, she kept going in pursuit until her threat sensors detected the massive missile launcher from behind her!

Helena twisted the Ice Ferret, and her face reddened as the rear camera showed Natasha’s OmniMech running in place beneath an outcropping of rock—she didn’t have time to curse as forty missiles slammed into her, and then two powerful lasers severed her right arm . . . and her main weapon. The young Warrior completed her turn and she charged back into towards the heavy OmniMech, but Natasha didn’t move; she stood perfectly still and only adjusted the angle of her pod mounted lasers, which streaked out and clipped the Ice Ferret’s right thigh. Helena triggered her last two weapons, but the two small Short-Range Missiles failed to lock, and the single ER Small Laser just burnt a shallow gouge across the Timber Wolf’s thick nose.

The hip of her ‘Mech destroyed, Helena slammed into the ground, despite all that she tried to keep it standing, and Natasha Kerensky lowered her weapon pods a fraction and fired again and again and again, until the medium-weight machine simply shut down from the accumulated damage.

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

Karl sneered at other two Warriors who had failed to stop this old decrepit dezgra surat who had defeated them. Surely she would not fare as well against his Nova. He had spotted her OmniMech during his drop, standing in open ground and waiting for him—approaching her would offer him no cover, no concealment, and he would be vulnerable to her weapons until he closed the range. But she had to have to taken damage from the previous fights. And once he closed, nothing could stand against the combined force of his onboard armament . . . NOTHING!

He cleared the last ridge soaring over on his jump jets—and he reeled as twin beams of golden light tore into his right arm! How had she seen him approach? But that question went unanswered and Karl swore as he realized that she had severed his right arm, along with half his guns! He charged down the slope as she just stood there and then the missile racks blossomed with fire and dozens of explosions tore across the Nova’s forward face—two even spider webbed the cockpit canopy, but didn’t manage to penetrate. Then she fired the lasers again—and this time his left arm took both hits, which left him without any guns. Karl came to a stop and he simply stared at his opponent . . . she didn’t have a targeting computer, she couldn’t have aimed those shots! It simply wasn’t possible! And yet . . . she had.

“Eject,” an amused voice came over the radio.

“You have won, go and do not add to my shame,” Karl answered, and she laughed. She laughed.

“You’re all a bunch of fools, Warriors. There are no lethal weapons, only lethal people. True-born, free-birth, young, old, it makes no difference, if you are one of those lethal people.” Her lasers reached out again and tore into his chest, and then a second time, and the Nova crashed into the ground. “The fight is not finished as long a real Warrior has breath in her body—this is not Trial, boy, this is War.”

And the Black Widow moved off.

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

The Stormcrow was Natasha’s toughest fight, and the two circled each other as the Black Widow held the range as much as she could, while the Warrior fighting her tried to close. Lasers and missiles criss-crossed the battlefield, and the Timber Wolf’s armor had been weakened—but the lighter Stormcrow simply could not take the pounding of missile flight after missile flight, and the blazing icepicks of armor-ripping death her Large Lasers represented.

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

Star Commander Heinrich Mattlov felt as if the Black Widow was leading him into a trap; he slowed the pace of his Mad Dog and he consulted his map. Her transponder was on and flashing; she was ahead of him and stationary—but she had also destroyed the OmniMechs of his Star mates rather handily. He moved cautiously and through the thick woods he could see here standing there, just waiting for him.

His radio crackled. “Are true-borns admitted to the Ebon Keshik this cowardly today? Fifty years ago when I received my Bloodname, at least they had balls.”

Heinrich roared and he threw caution to the winds and charged forward, his large pulse lasers spitting fire and his missile launchers roaring—but the Black Widow was moving sideways and her lasers were returning fire . . . only the lasers. One hit each of the legs of Heinrich’s Mad Dog, and he snarled as half of his own missiles went true, along with one of large pulse lasers at extreme range. My legs have more armor than that, he thought!

That was when he charged straight into the field of FASCAM mines Natasha had laid with her final missile salvoes. Explosions ripped into his OmniMech’s feet and ankles and shins and knees—and the Star Commander felt the shuddering crack as the skeletal structure broke in two, and the ‘Mech fell. But he did not eject, he held down the trigger and sent another missile flight flying, even as his cockpit landed atop another mine.

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

Star Captain Edward Banacek laughed as he sent first one and then the second ER PPC bolt home against the Warrior before him. He was bathed in sweat due to the sweltering heat the weapons produced, but he maneuvered his Hellbringer through the woods expertly. The Timber Wolf facing him was heavier, but Kerensky had depleted her missile ammunition and suffered damage at the hands of the prior Warriors to face her. She had no chance, not in this fight against a pristine—if non-upgraded Hellbringer Prime. Her lasers lanced out, tearing through Banacek’s thin armor, but in answer he fired one of his PPCs and a flight of LRMs; lowering the heat burden on his machine—and seven of those missiles and the PPC bolt landed on her left arm and tore away half of her remaining firepower.

“Surrender, Star Colonel Kerensky,” he transmitted. “You have defeated five—but you shall not defeat me.”

“I don’t give in that easily, Star Captain,” she answered as she charged forward, her Timber Wolf tearing through the underbrush and she fired her last remaining weapon, connecting squarely against the chest of the Hellbringer. Banacek returned fire, once again with twin ER PPC bolts lancing out and tearing away her last weapon system. He smiled . . . she was done for. His armor had been thinned, but she had not even penetrated anywhere on his front, although the little remaining was barely more than foil.

But Natasha didn’t seem to realize she had lost, and Banacek paled as she kept charging forward, transforming into a 75-ton battering ram moving at 86.4 kilometers per hour! The Star Captain hit the override and he salvoed every weapon he had, tearing into the rugged OmniMech bearing down on him—he didn’t even take the time for a target lock; he just judged her rate of closure and opened up with all of his weapons.

Sirens screamed and Banacek gasped against the heat spike as his OmniMech went into automatic shutdown, but Natasha didn’t slow, despite the missiles and PPC bolts and lasers and machine-guns ripping away chucks of armor from her Timber Wolf's frame.

And then she slammed into Banacek’s Hellbringer, and the lighter war-machine crumpled, knocked over and trod on by the heavy round feet of Kerensky's Timber Wolf; it’s thin armor already weakened was torn asunder, internal components were ripped apart and shattered beneath the weight bearing down atop of them, and emergency lights began to flash showing weapons and engines and gyros and a dozen other systems disabled. Banacek winced as the 65-ton heavy OmniMech slammed into the ground on its back, battered and broken, and defeated. And then his radio—operating on battery power—crackled one last time.

“The fight’s not over until the widow-lady sings. Na-na-na-na. Na-na-na-na. Hey hey-ey, goodbye. And now, your fight is over,” she laughed. “Six for six; you know, in the old days, they would’ve given me a Galaxy!"
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LadyTevar
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by LadyTevar »

And THAT is the Black Widow I was expecting. Use of terrain, tricks to fool sensors, expert marksmanship, understanding of foe's weaknesses, variety of weapons-load, and sheer cussedness. She was a Ristar before she left, and she's only gotten wiser with age. :twisted:

Well Done. Now to see how many Warriors try to claim she cheated.
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Nitram, slightly high on cough syrup: Do you know you're beautiful?
Me: Nope, that's why I have you around to tell me.
Nitram: You -are- beautiful. Anyone tries to tell you otherwise kill them.

"A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP" -- Leonard Nimoy, last Tweet
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Clan Wolf Field Headquarters, Lubeck
Hohenems, Clan Wolf Occupation Zone
September 22, 3043


Ulric Kerensky grinned broadly as Yvonne officially acknowledged the results of Natasha Kerensky’s Trial, and confirmed her rank as Star Colonel—and a Cluster commander in the Clan Wolf Invasion force.

“You have assembled a command for her Khan Kerensky, quiaff?” asked Yvonne.

“Aff. The 13th Wolf Guards are even now forming up from replacements we have available—the Cluster will be attached to Alpha Galaxy.”

Yvonne nodded and she turned to the Black Widow and shook her head. “I wish you would reconsider, Star Colonel Kerensky . . . the Ebon Keshik could use someone of your skills as its commanding officer.”

“I was decanted a Wolf, ilKhan, and I intend to die a Wolf,” Natasha answered. And then she snorted. “Besides, I believe that my presence—and my lack of patience for certain customs and traditions that do not serve the Clans any longer—in your Keshik would give some of the other Khans reasons to oppose your leadership.” She laughed. “Of course, the thought of Norman Rood, Andrew McFadden, or Perigard Zalman suffering a stroke is quite attractive. But I fear I must decline your offer.”

Yvonne nodded. “That is your right, Star Colonel Kerensky. Will you be ready for operations come November 1?”

“Aff, ilKhan. Khan Kerensky has already informed me that my 13th Wolf Guards will lead the assault on Tamar.”

“Hopefully with the remainder of the Wolf Alpha Galaxy at your back,” Yvonne said dryly. “Those defenses will not succumb to a single Cluster.”

Ulric snorted. “Tamar will be taken by Alpha and Beta Galaxies, with Gamma in reserve—fully supported by the Coyote Alpha Galaxy as well. I will take no chances at my first attempt to capture a theatre capital.”

“Very well, then. You have my congratulations once again, Natasha Kerensky—welcome back to the fold of the Clans of your namesake,” the ilKhan finished. “And now, I must depart Hohenems and see to the Vipers. Your hospitality to the ilKhan has been flawless, Khan Kerensky; good day.”

“Good day,” Ulric and Natasha answered as the ilKhan left their presence en route to her DropShip.

Ulric sat back down in his chair and he motioned for Natasha to pull up a seat. “And now that we are finally alone, Natasha . . . what the hell is Jaime Wolf really up to? And why did you really come back?”
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Chapter Six

“There are some who ask why we of the Federated Suns are spending our treasure and blood to protect Steiner, Magnusson, and Kurita worlds. There are some who would see our traditional opponents in the Draconis Combine go down to bitter defeat. My people, such a vision is short-sighted, for the Clans of Kerensky pose a threat that the House of Kurita could never match. They threaten not only our sovereignty, but our very way of life; to a degree that the Combine has never threatened us. If House Kurita and House Steiner falls, then it is only a matter of time before the Sun sets across our Federation.”

“We grieve for those brave men and women who have given their last full measure of devotion, not just for the Federated Suns, but for all of mankind. Their sacrifice cannot, and must not, have been made in vain. Upon this High Holy Day, when we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace, I would ask all those in my realm to remember that there are families among us who mourn the loss of their fathers, their mothers, their sisters brothers, their children . . . reach out to them and let them know that their loved ones died as heroes who stood and fought for a cause in which they believed.”

“I cannot promise you that the coming year will bring any respite from the fighting along the Clan front, but I can promise you that if we stand united against this threat, we will triumph in the end. And on that day of our victory, when the guns fall silent and peace settles across our common borders, then will the supreme sacrifice our sons and daughters have made be redeemed. This year, I do not send you my thoughts for a Merry Christmas, for our sorrows consume much of our thoughts. Instead, I ask that you share with me a moment of silence and a prayer for the families of those who have laid downs their lives in defense of your liberties.”

—Hanse Davion, in his Christmas Address, New Avalon, Federated Suns, 3043


Chainelaine Expeditionary Force,
Chainelaine Isles
October 26, 3043


With only scanty intelligence on the Clan defenses in Chainelaine, General Winson and Marshal Davion decided to rely upon speed and surprise to disrupt the Clan defenses. Each system would be hit simultaneously by two Regiments of the Chainelaine Expeditionary Force; their mission to destroy factories and supply depots . . . and to steal as much Clan technology as possible. By striking everywhere at once, they hoped that no one Clan could call upon the others for help.

Their decision was endorsed by Jaime Wolf, who believed that there would be few defenders in the Isles . . . and for the most part, their decision was the correct one, but one that would come with hellacious casualties.

In the Chaine Cluster, the handful of Viper defenders were quickly overcome by the 4th Deneb Light Cavalry and the Legion of the Rising Sun; on Far Reach, the 3rd Regiment of the 12th Star Guards and the 2nd Ceti Hussars fought through the Hellion defenders to sack the factory complexes. All four of the regiments assigned to these attacks managed to withdraw in good order, leaving burning factories and broken formations in their wake—and with hundreds of tons of stolen goods in their possession.

Fredotto was a surprise in that three Clans shared that world, but the 10th Deneb Light Cavalry and Grey Death Legion managed to bull through the Fire Mandrill defenders of one enclave . . . and then redeploy against the Blood Spirits to strike a second target. The ferocious defense of these facilities by the Mandrills and Spirits, however, had weakened the attackers to the point where Colonel Carlyle decided against hitting the Nova Cats; he managed to withdraw in good order, wrecking two factory complexes, but both of the regiments under his command lost around a third of their number.

Idrmach was hit by the 1st Regiment of the 12th Star Guard and the 8th Deneb Light Cavalry. The single Smoke Jaguar second-line Cluster assigned to defend the factories was caught off-guard and quickly forced to retreat, but the free-birth Warriors of the 232nd Provisional Garrison Cluster refused to budge; they fought a vicious battle amid the burning factories, until the shame of seeing the PGC put up such a gallant fight brought the 17th Jaguar Regulars back in a blistering counter-offensive. Both Inner Sphere Regiments were forced to withdraw with heavy casualties, and the Jaguar factories—though damaged—remained operational.

Ingvolstand was a most unpleasant surprise for the 1st and 2nd Screaming Eagles. While their drop was unopposed, they faced four Clusters of Coyotes and Wolfs . . . but luckily, the two were situated on separate continents. The mercenaries managed to defeat the Coyote defenders and smashed their factories flat—but in the process suffered the loss of nearly half their number. The survivors withdrew instead of hitting the Wolf factories, saving themselves for future operations.

Syrstart, defended by one Cluster of Cobras and three of Adders was next: and here the 21st Striker and 71st Light Horse of the Eridani hit. Led by General Winson, she dropped her command atop of the Cobras and quickly managed to defeat them and wreak havoc amongst the factories. She attempted to move on and assault the Adders, but found herself outnumbered and outgunned—and two of the second-line Adder Sentinel Clusters facing her were elite. Discretion being the better part of valor, she then withdrew to her waiting DropShips and left the system, bearing much salvaged loot in the empty 'Mech and fighter bays.

The 12th Deneb Light Cavalry and the 7th Regiment of the 12th Star Guards hit Haublan—and ran straight into the gaping maw of a Diamond Shark front-line Galaxy. In a similar fashion, the 1st Ceti Hussars and 15th Deneb Light Cavalry dropped into the waiting talons of the Falcon’s Zeta Galaxy (another front-line unit) on Vannes. Not one member of the four Regiments survived to escape off world.

The 3rd Ceti Hussars and 5th Deneb Light Cavalry Regiments jumped into Paran—only to see the bulk of a McKenna-class battleship and her escorts in orbit. Throwing all of their aerospace fighter assets against the Snow Raven ships, the two Regiments tried to quick-charge their drives and escape—one Invader-class ship suffered a KF drive failure, stranding the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Deneb, but the rest withdrew sans their fighters and assault ships. The 2nd of the 5th bargained for a combat drop onto the surface, using Jaime Wolf's shared knowledge of Clan customs where they faced off against a single Cluster of Horses. The few survivors were quickly taken as bondsmen.

And then there was Rondane . . .
Last edited by masterarminas on 2012-07-15 05:55pm, edited 1 time in total.
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Scorpion Delta Galaxy Field Headquarters, Bodo
Rondane, Chainelaine Isles, Clan Goliath Scorpion Enclave
October 26, 3043


Star Colonel Nelson Elam shook his head in disbelief. “What do you mean we are not responding to this attack?” he thundered at last.

“Watch you tone, Star Colonel Elam,” spat Galaxy Commander Ronald Madsen and commander of the 7th Scorpion Dragoons. “The Khan might have given you command of the 20th Cuirassier, but you are still the Warrior who lost our Trial against the Wolves! We are not responding to these landings—they are in the Bear enclave, in case you have not noticed!”

Nelson stood straight and he looked sideways at the commanding officers of the 26th Cuirassier and 22nd Hussars (Star Colonels Denise Pakhalina and Jean Brinker, respectively), but neither met his gaze. Finally, he turned back around to look Madsen squarely in the eyes. “The Raging Bears jumped out yesterday! They have nothing defending those factories except for a handful of garrison troops, Galaxy Commander—not until their Claw Galaxy arrives next week; we have to go to their aid!”

“Star Colonel Elam! Delta Galaxy has been charged with the defense of Scorpion holdings on Rondane; not that of the Bears. And once Epsilon arrives, we too shall depart this miserable, primitive, cold, wet world. If the Bears suffer, then they will suffer—but I will not risk a single Scorpion Warriors life to defend another Clan! There will be no more discussion of this, quiaff?”

“NEG!” shouted Nelson. “Are you truly that much of an imbecile, Galaxy Commander? Have you lost sight of what the Khan is trying to accomplish here? Do you fail to realize what this utter betrayal of our ally will cost us in the Invasion to come?”

“You are bordering on facing me in a Circle of Equals, Elam,” Madsen growled. “Return to your Cluster and prepare your Warriors to defend our factories here!”

“Neg. The 20th will board ship and we will drop on the Bear complex to aid our ally—that is what our Khan, whose aide I have been since this Invasion began, wants and expects!”

Ronald Madsen drew himself up to his full six foot four inches in height and he glowered down on Nelson. “You are relived and under arrest, Star Colonel—I will deal with you after the Swift Strikers repulse this attack on Scorpion holdings within our enclave.”

“I demand a Trial of Refusal, Galaxy Commander.”

“Denied—this is a combat operation.”

“In that case, I demand a Trial of Grievance.”

Denied! Now leave, or I will have you removed!”

“Then you leave me with no choice, Galaxy Commander,” Nelson whispered as he drew his sidearm and fired a single round through Madsen’s left eye. “I find you guilty of treason against the Scorpion—and of utter incompetence that cannot be allowed in this Clan’s ranking officers,” he said to the corpse. “I am assuming immediate command of the Swift Strikers,” he said to the two shocked Scorpions standing before him. “Your Clusters will board ship immediately to intercept these free-birth attackers, or you will join Ronald Madsen in death. The decision is yours.”


Command Trinary, 20th Scorpion Cuirassier Cluster
Rondane, Chainelaine Isles, Clan Ghost Bear Enclave
October 26, 3043


We are taking heavy casualties, Ascendant Actual,” the voice of the beleaguered Bear Garrison commander came over the radio. “These free-birth are very good—and they are tenacious. We cannot hold much longer,” he admitted.

“Swift Strikers are inbound your position, ETA three minutes to contact—Khan Djerassi promised that the Scorpions would defend the Bears by sting or claw; today we fufill that promise.” Nelson switched frequencies. “Swift Strikers! Strike hard, strike fast, and strike true! May victory be given to the righteous and the just!”

“SEYLA!” the voices of more than eight hundred Scorpions answered Nelson as he topped the final ridge and immediately came under attack.

"Half a league, half a league, half a league onward; all in the valley of Death rode the eight hundred; 'forward the Strike Brigade, charge for the guns' he said; into the Valley of Death rode the eight hundred," Nelson recited over his open transmitter as he fired his Gauss Rifle and ER PPC into a Federated Sun's Quickdraw that approached him.

He pressed on, shifting his weapons to an Eridani target. "'Forward the Strike Brigade!' Was there a man dismay'd? Not tho' the soldier knew some one had blunder'd: theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do & die, into the Valley of Death rode the eight hundred!"

Nelson's heavy Summoner II staggered as four Light Horsemen poured their fire into his frame, melting away armor, but he twisted and pivoted and smashed one into bloody ruin with his Gauss Rifle; the second with the massed banks of ER Small Lasers lining his torsos. His trothkin dealt with the third and the fourth.

"Cannon to the right of them, cannon to the left of them, cannon in front of them volley'd & thunder'd; storm'd at with shot & shell, boldy they rode & well, into the jaws of Death, into the mouth of Hell, rode the eight hundred."

His voice rose as he pressed on forward and in his wake came the eight hundred Scorpions, and faced with the shock of that sudden and swift attack on their flank, the Federated Suns Armored Cavalry reeled back; the Light Horsemen of the Eridani's 151st shuddered and shivered and pulled away from their lines where they were still fighting the few remaining Bear vehicles and infantry.

"Flash'd all their sabres bare, flash'd as they turn'd in air, sabring the gunners there, charging an army while all the world wonder'd; plunged into the battery-smoke right thro' the line they broke; FedSun & Light Horse reel'd from the sabre-strike, shatter'd & sunder'd. Then they rode back, but not, not the eight hundred!"

"NOT THE EIGHT HUNDRED!" shouted scores of voices across the radio, and the wave of Scorpion 'Mechs and Elementals, and the Aerospace and OmniFighters overhead slammed into the vastly outnumbered opponents in the Valley below.

"When can their glory fade?"

"NEVER!"

"O the wild charge they made! All the world wonder'd. Honour the charge they made! Honour the Strike Brigade! O Noble eight hundred!"

Nelson finished as he fired another Gauss Slug into a Griffin painted in the colors of the House of Davion; its hip shattered, the medium 'Mech slammed down to the ground.

"Surrender, or your troops will live no more than the men that Tennyson once wrote about all those centuries ago," Nelson said as he lowered his ER PPC to point directly at Stephen Davion's cockpit. "Whether they live as bondsmen, or die in vain, that is now your choice. Make that choice, and make it now."
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Eternal_Freedom
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by Eternal_Freedom »

Oh bravo!
Baltar: "I don't want to miss a moment of the last Battlestar's destruction!"
Centurion: "Sir, I really think you should look at the other Battlestar."
Baltar: "What are you babbling about other...it's impossible!"
Centurion: "No. It is a Battlestar."

Corrax Entry 7:17: So you walk eternally through the shadow realms, standing against evil where all others falter. May your thirst for retribution never quench, may the blood on your sword never dry, and may we never need you again.
NovaCameron
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by NovaCameron »

One word: EPIC

VERY nice writing. I approve this Clan message. :D
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

CGSS Serket, High Orbit
Rasalhague, Clan Ghost Bear Occupation Zone
October 28, 3043


“I do not know what are going to do with Nelson,” Nikolai said as he and Randall waited for the HPG connection to be made. “I did not send him out there to shoot down Ronald Madsen!”

Randal Posavatz shook his head with a grin on his face as the Khan of the Goliath Scorpions’ newest aide cleared his throat. “You should promote him to Galaxy Commander, my Khan,” Jason Scott said. “He served you—and the Clan—well on Rondane.”

“Remind me why I appointed him as my aide, Randall?”

“Something about you needed someone to keep telling you that you are only mortal and can make mistakes just like everyone else.”

“Yes, now I remember,” Nikolai said sourly. “Star Captain Scott, he killed Galaxy Commander Madsen in cold blood without a Trial—I cannot reward him!”

“Of course you can, my Khan,” Jason answered. “Remember how Mikhail Kirov became Khan? Gregor Lunde was a threat to our Clan’s continued survival—and so was Ronald Madsen. And I have heard certain . . . rumors concerning you and Angela Tazegul. Rumors of events within the Temple of the Nine Muses before her death during your Trial.”

Nikolai frowned, but his saKhan only burst out laughing. “He is right, Nikolai. Nelson Elam saved our relations with the Bears and right now the rumors that I am hearing from Rondane seem to indicate that he may well be elected to Galaxy Commander if you do not put forward a candidate soon.”

“And the other Khans will take my rewarding him as proof that we are edging away from the True Clan Way.”

“My Khan, they already believe that,” commented Jason. “We Scorpions are seen as different—because we are. We learn philosophy and history and literature and we ask questions that no proper Warrior of the Clans of Kerensky should ask. We take a pragmatic view on things—such as the interrogation of a Warrior who has long been apart from the Clans and may be a spy for our enemies. The other Khans need no additional reason to dislike us . . . but at this moment, when it was your warnings those Khans disregarded about their own defenses in Chainelaine, they cannot touch you in the kurultai without appearing as hypocrites of the highest order. And do not forget, you have your own backers, especially Khan Tseng who owes her factories and supply depots continued existence to you and the actions of Star Colonel Elam.”

Jason grinned. “And should the worst come to pass, we will soon have four full Galaxies—seventeen Clusters—here in the Inner Sphere and Chainelaine. That is, I believe, as many as the Primary Clans in this Invasion possesses. Once Epsilon arrives on Rondane, you already have the ilKhan’s command to bring forward Delta, whether Norman Rood or Perigard Zalman or Brandon Howell take umbrage at that or not. And since we Scorpions are hitting no worlds in Wave III, and the Bears but four worlds, our Clusters will be at full strength and well-rested if some Khan wishes to challenge you.”

Nikolai frowned and he shook his head, before turning to Randall. “You are enjoying this, quiaff?”

“Aff. I am outclassed by your wit and your foresight and your ruthlessness, my Khan—always have been. It is worth two full Clusters of OmniMechs to see that you have a rival in those departments amongst the next generation of Warriors to come. You know, he is much like you in your youth!”

“Please! I was never so . . . arrogant.”

“Says the Khan who strapped the Clan’s Loremaster to a table and chemically interrogated her,” Randall laughed. “You did not hear that Jason Scott.”

The young man bowed. “Hear what, my saKhan?”

“See?” Randall beamed. “Just like you—and you deserve it.”

Jason cleared his throat. “The connection is being made, my Khan.”

Nikolai took in a deep breath and he nodded. The lights in the compartment dimmed and the holographic projector activated; one-by-one the holograms of his fellow Khans shimmered into existence.

“I shall waste no time,” Yvonne said. “Wave III starts in four days—have we sufficient supplies of munitions and spare parts to carry on?”

Ulric nodded. “Barely, my Khan—if those Clans who were not hit quite so hard in Chainelaine share some of their stockpiles. But our reserve has vanished.”

“Agreed,” said Brandon Howell. “The 17th Jaguar Regulars were unable to prevent all loses, but they preserved enough supplies that we should be able to complete Wave III on schedule—we will need to rebuilt and repair those facilities before Wave IV, however. I cannot speak for the worst hit Clans, however—the Vipers and Hellions, the Mandrills and Spirits who each share a corridor; they lost virtually all of their stockpiles.” Howell paused and he shook his head. “And before anyone else can rub salt into our wounds, Khan Djerassi—you were right, we should have stationed a larger and more robust garrison on our depot worlds. That oversight by my predecessor—which I concurred with at the time—is now being corrected!”

Nikolai nodded his head. “I devoutly wish that I had been wrong, Khan Howell. My Scorpions have ample supplies—if the Jaguars, Spirits, or Mandrills have need of them, I can make good their losses for Wave III. Wave IV might be . . . problematic.”

Many Khans looked surprised; most had expected Nikolai to hold over their heads his warnings—but his calm demeanor and reasoned response only underscored the fact that he had been right, and they had been wrong.

“And you can spare nothing for the Vipers and Hellions!” screamed Norman Rood. “You would wreck the Invasion by denying us our rightful supplies!”

“Khan Rood,” Nikolai said calmly, “the Jaguars, Spirits and Mandrills are closer to my worlds than either the Ice Hellions or the Steel Vipers. You have the Falcons and Sharks, the Horses and Ravens in much greater proximity than my Clan.” And then Nikolai smiled. “And I cannot say that I am sorry we in an adjoining corridor; after all, if I must give up my supplies for the good of the Invasion, I would prefer to see them used for some gain and wasted on not foolish loses inspired by your own haughty sense of honor and entitlement.”

Norman Rood’s face drained of blood until he appeared as white as a ghost, and he began to snarl his furious outrage . . . until another voice cut him off.

“ENOUGH!” thundered Yvonne, and while she managed to hold onto her stern expression, Nikolai could see she was struggling to contain the laughter.

“If it is fighting that you desire, all of you can find it on your own front-lines! We have enemies enough surrounding us; we do not need to fight each other here in this Council as well!”

Yvonne paused and she looked—glared—at each and every Khan in turn. No one challenged her and she finally nodded. “In absolute terms, we did not lose that much in supplies—the majority of the factories destroyed were small in output and mostly devoted to munitions and spare parts. I believe that the more . . . extensive facilities emplaced by the Scorpions and Sharks can take up the slack—and our OmniMech production was not touched. Still, this serves as a warning that we cannot rely on the Inner Sphere to remain on the defensive. Even though the ratio of casualties remained heavily tilted in our favor, we cannot allow our opponents the opportunity to deliver a catastrophic blow in the future.”

Each Khan nodded. “For the moment, I am ordering the Falcons, Scorpions, and Ravens to move at least one WarShip into orbit above every one of our worlds in the Isles. Khan Djerassi . . . I was informed that your Striking Claw Naval Star was not present during the attack. If it is not a Clan secret, where exactly were your WarShips?”

Nikolai smiled. “As the command circuit is not yet completed, ilKhan, I sent them to ferry Epsilon Galaxy from the current endpoints to Rondane—the timing was . . . not exactly fortuitous. They will be back on station in two weeks time.”

Yvonne nodded. “See that they are. I understand as well that your Fire Wheel Transport Star just arrived back in the Pentagon and will be making another delivery of your civilians to Rondane; is this true?”

“Aff, ilKhan Hazen.”

“With fifty docking collars, I want those ships ferrying additional combat forces instead of civilians. Those two ships can carry two Galaxies and their supplies—the Jaguars and the Horse’s each have a front-line Galaxy waiting for transport in the Pentagon.”

Nikolai winced, but he nodded. “I will make the arrangements, ilKhan.”

“Thank you, Khan Djerassi. And I shall expect the remaining Khans to comply with my requests in support of this Invasion just as graciously . . . unless someone wishes to demand a Trial of Refusal?”

No one spoke.

“We launch Wave III in four days—make certain we are not surprised this time around. We are adjourned.”
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

CGSS Serket, High Orbit
Rasalhague, Clan Ghost Bear Occupation Zone
October 31, 3043


The blue-white orb of Tukayyid rotated slowly in the holographic projection. saKhan Randall Posavatz shook his head sorrowfully as he gazed at the orb. “That is Wave V, Nikolai—and in the Wolf Zone. Yvonne has already ruled out trying to leap ahead and hit them now.”

Nikolai nodded his agreement. “Yes, she has. Consider this, however: at the conclusion of Wave III, we will be just three jumps away from Tukayyid—and we will have, as Star Captain Scott said just a few days ago, four full Galaxies with seventeen Clusters at our disposal—well rested and unharmed from Wave III operations.”

Randall frowned. “That is if we leave Rondane virtually defenseless, Nikolai.”

“We have four Garrison clusters on Rondane, Randall—there comes a time in War when one must take calculated risks. I doubt that the Inner Sphere will throw another twenty Regiments against the Isles; Jaime Wolf will believe that we reinforced those worlds heavily . . . which is what he wants us to do.” The Scorpion Khan ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “We do not have enough Warriors to garrison all of our worlds in strength, saKhan Posavatz. And this Supreme Commander knows it. I am coming to believe that this raid on the Isles was done to force us to station more troops there, where they will play no part in the key battles yet to come.”

“That may well be, but against what the Black Widow reported this Grand Army has? Seventeen Clusters will die a quick death, my Khan. We are speaking of two-thirds of our entire touman.”

“I do not believe her,” Nikolai said quietly. “Wolf is there, but not in the numbers she claimed. I know it deep within my bones, Randall. And it will be with no seventeen Clusters that we carry off this attack.” He punched a button and additional icons began to appear on the holographic display.

“Amanda has agreed to this?” the saKhan asked in surprise.

“IF, the ilKhan approves the operation, and IF the Sharks and Falcons commit their reserve Galaxy in support.”

“Still, even with those forces, that is just another twenty-one Clusters—five Falcon, four Shark, and twelve Bear. Thirty-eight Clusters in total on our side versus an unknown number of hostiles. Let us say that Natasha lied and doubled the number available to this Grand Army—we will be facing fifty regiments of ‘Mechs, plus supporting forces. The numbers alone are adverse in the extreme.”

“Plus the Ebon Keshik—if we commit to this, I cannot see Yvonne standing on the sideline.” And Nikolai smiled. “Jake and Marion will commit forces as well; their own plus those of the Ravens and Cobras. Pavel Kerensky will give us at least two Clusters, and Khan West has already agreed—in confidence—to add two more of his own; IF Yvonne approves. The Mandrills have not the numbers to add to our forces—and Howell’s Jaguars will be hard pressed until their next Galaxy arrives . . . too late for this operation. And frankly, I think our chances of success are better without the Vipers and Hellions than with them.”

Randall snorted his agreement.

“But . . . Khan McFadden has an entire Galaxy scheduled to arrive on November 2nd—and he is very interested in being a part of the force that breaks this Grand Army.”

“Eighteen more; fifty-six Clusters—which gives us the advantage in units, but still leaves us outnumbered once we factor in their armor and infantry support,” the junior Khan mused. “What about Ulric? Have you spoken to him?”

“And risk Natasha finding out? When she may be spying on us for her master of so many years? Neg. If we do this, he has to be informed at the last minute—which will limit his contribution.”

Randall nodded his agreement.

“Fifty-six Clusters, plus what the Wolves can throw together on a short notice—say one Galaxy—for a total of sixty. Khan Djerassi, we have already seen what the Inner Sphere is capable of on the defensive; it will not be enough to guarantee victory. Not against fifty of their finest Regiments.”

“Or will it, saKhan Posavatz?” Nikolai asked. “So far, we have danced to Jaime Wolf’s tune—we have played his game. He anticipated where our attack was coming and the worlds we hit have had years to build their fortifications. But Tukayyid? If I am judging our opponent correctly, Tukayyid is not meant to serve as a battleground—it is his staging and training area. I am willing to wager the entire Invasion that world is not as heavily fortified. Oh, there will be local defenses, I am certain, but not the extensive defensive works we have so far seen—and will see more of in Wave III.”

Nikolai circled the floating globe. “No,” he said shaking his head. “Wolf’s Grand Army is an offensive unit—not defensive. And if we allow him to launch his attack without disruption, it will stop the Invasion for years, if he doesn’t shatter us all and force us to withdraw to Chainelaine.”

The saKhan sighed and he nodded his agreement. “Yvonne will never agree; it is too much the gamble, Nikolai,” he whispered.

“Every Khan is a skilled gambler, Randall—you know that. And while Yvonne Hazen is cautious, she is also a Falcon; one to whom this type of spoiling attack is greatly appealing. But we will have to approach her correctly—and make her believe that this will neutralize the Grand Army. And we play to her hubris; as ilKhan she will command sixty Clusters on the field of battle; she will not just coordinate the Clans, but will have to serve as our Supreme Commander, our War Leader.. If she does this and is successful, her legacy will be prized alongside that of Elizabth Hazen hereself. The Scientists have yet to breed pride and hubris away from us, Randall. We remain human, after all.”

“And their WarShips?” Randall laughed, “Not that I believe they have fifty at Tukayyid—but they will have some.”

“And we have our own. “Peter McKenna has agreed to command our combined Naval forces from the bridge of CRS James McKenna—and CGSS Requiem will be there beside her.”

“That will require reshuffling of our naval assets, my Khan. Yvonne has already ordered a WarShip in orbit of every world in the Isles.”

“We cannot be strong everywhere, Randall. We must be strong at the point of decision,” Nikolai gestured towards the floating orb as it slowly turned in place. “This world is our point of decision.”

"Seyla," whispered Randall.

And the Khan of Clan Goliath Scorpion nodded his agreement. "Seyla, indeed."
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Ducal Palace, Bueller
Robinson, Federated Suns
October 31, 3043


James Sandoval hovered over the map, as his most loyal Colonels of the 1st and 2nd Robinson Rangers and the 2nd New Ivaarsen Chasseurs waited stoically for his commands; in addition, several lesser commanders, and the Colonel of the Draconis March Militia, along with five mercenary commanders stood alongside.

“Has this been confirmed?” the newly crowned Duke of Robinson asked.

“Yes, my Lord. Theodore Kurita has pulled the majority of the Galedon and Dieron Regulars from the border—a merchantman who engages in cross-border trading travelled to Marduk himself . . . they have only the planetary militia left there and a single battalion of cadets from the 5th Sun Zhang Training Cadre.”

“Well, well, well,” James whispered. “Perhaps these Clans are good for something after all, eh, gentlemen?”

Chuckles went around the room and James stood and stretched. “There is no time like the present—General Vehrson . . . are my Rangers prepared for operations off-world?”

“They are indeed, your Grace,” answered Eric Vehrson.

“Then to hell with Hanse Davion and what he has ordered—go, General. Reclaim Marduk, McComb, and Royal for the Lion of Robinson. The rest of you will prepare to receive any counterattack that Kurita sends against us—if he proves too weak to defend himself against us and these Clans at the same time, we will start a general offensive to seize all the worlds we have lost to the Snakes in the past! Gentlemen. This is our time! Now, New Avalon will follow our lead!”

James received the applause of his officers humbly and then he motioned them to the door. He drew in a deep breath and sat down at his desk—the desk that until recently had been his father Aaron’s. Drawing a stylus, he licked the tip and began to write graceful letters upon an old-fashion sheet of parchment.

Dear Hanse, he wrote. Today, I have done what you should have done. Today, I have launched an invasion of the Draconis Combine. They are our enemy, not these so-called Clans who claw away at your wife’s realm. By the time you receive this message, it shall be too late for you to stop me—my Regiments will accomplish what so many generations of Davions have failed to do. I will end the threat posed to the Federated Suns by the Draconis Combine—and you, dear Hanse, will be a spectator to my victory.

James signed it with a flourish and he folded it carefully and sealed it within a parchment envelope, dipping his Ducal seal in wax before pressing down upon the flap.

“Take this to the JumpShip, Leonard,” he ordered his major-domo, “and tell Captain Cassidy he need not hurry to make the delivery.”

And with that, the Lion of Robinson sat back and he smiled as he stared at a map of all of the worlds he would liberate from Kurita rule.
Last edited by masterarminas on 2012-07-16 05:02pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by Eternal_Freedom »

Oh dear oh dear oh dear :D
Baltar: "I don't want to miss a moment of the last Battlestar's destruction!"
Centurion: "Sir, I really think you should look at the other Battlestar."
Baltar: "What are you babbling about other...it's impossible!"
Centurion: "No. It is a Battlestar."

Corrax Entry 7:17: So you walk eternally through the shadow realms, standing against evil where all others falter. May your thirst for retribution never quench, may the blood on your sword never dry, and may we never need you again.
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

ComStar First Circuit
Hilton Head, Terra
October 31, 3043


Michael York frowned as he restarted the video. On the screen, the image of Duke James Sandoval, the leader of the Draconis March in the Federated Suns appeared—his face grave and somber.

“Citizens of the Federated Suns. Today, I come before you with news that we are once again at engaged in military operations. Now, this is not news, I am certain many of you will say. You are well aware of the sacrifices made by brave men and women of the Federated Suns; sacrifices made to defend foreign soil from a group of invaders that do not threaten our realm. I do not deny their bravery and their courage, to lay down their lives so far from home, to defend the realm of the wife of the First Prince. After all, the Lyrans need our soldiers to defend their homes—they have been nothing but a failure at military arms for centuries.”

“Whereas we, the citizens of the Federated Suns, we have taken warfare to heart and our Regiments outmatch any other in existence today. I do not question the need for the First Prince to bleed away our treasure and our men in order to preserve a small portion of his wife’s realm—but in the process of preparing for this attack, Hanse Davion has neglected our border with the Draconis Combine.”

“Have you forgotten how throughout history the House of Kurita has made their goal the subjugation and conquest of the Federated Suns? Have you forgotten how they drove to the gates of New Avalon in the First Succession War? Have you forgotten Kentares? Have you forgotten how the Snakes pursued Wolf’s Dragoons relentlessly and only the superior skills of those mercenaries saved them from annihilation?”

“Have you forgotten that even today, there are worlds on their side of our border with men and women who were born citizens of the Federated Suns and now languish under the dictatorship of the Kuritas?”

“I have not forgotten, and I am certain that many of you remember as well.”

“Prince Davion has forgotten, it seems. He ignores the threat posed to us by the House of Kurita. He draws forces of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns from our borders, leaving us defenseless before their ambition for conquest. He has sent the cream of our fighting men and women into a foreign land to defend worlds which we have interest in.”

“I have heard the briefs from the First Prince of the Federated Suns. I have heard the arguments that the Combine must stand so to divert the Clan’s strength; it must serve as a buffer zone between us and the Clans who are coming. I have listened, I have heard, and I have read.”

“But one question gnaws at me, fellow citizens. What happens if the Combine, if the House of Kurita collapses under the strain?”

“My briefs show that they are losing regiments like chaff before the fire! Pesht is threatened by these invaders—and soon enough Luthien itself will be. They cannot hold; they have not the strength to hold for much longer.”

“Accordingly, I cannot and I will not leave men and women who were born under the Sword and the Sun to languish any further under the tender affections of the ISF and become in some short time the property of these Clans. I move now, with all of the forces available to me, so that I can liberate Federated Suns worlds conquered by the Snakes in the past, and to establish defensible lines where we in the Federated Suns can contest the Clans, if they come so far. The Clans will be stopped—they will be stopped by the gallant and courageous soldiers of our own Federated Suns Regimental Combat Teams. They will be stopped because we as a free people took a stand and drew a line. And our citizens, those who were born with the full rights and liberties of any of you, will once again be free.”

“My forces will encounter little opposition—the Snakes are too strained to stop us. I do not expect that this . . . police action to preserve the peace will be opposed by the House of Kurita, but if they choose to do so, our soldiers will prevail. We will recover all of our worlds, and all of our people.”

“I am James Sandoval, the Duke of Robinson, and the commander of the Draconis March. And tonight I ask that you pray for the troops of the Federated Suns who are travelling into harm’s way against the Snakes, as well as those on such distant soil fighting the Clans.”

He froze the image. “When did this go out?” the Primus of ComStar asked.

“Demi-Precentor Robinson sent it directly to us. It is being broadcast on Robinson and other key worlds throughout the Draconis March—but not in the Crucis or Capellan Marches,” answered Charles Seneca.

“This could be a problem,” Michael mused.

Charles snorted. “One could say that.”

“Our assets on Robinson?”

“ROM? No, Primus. The Robinson detachment was . . . committed to the philosophy of the prior administration—I had to purge all of them, and replacing them has been a low priority to this point.”

“Pity,” Michael sighed. “James Sandoval certainly deserves a bullet for this. Well, if we have no assets in place, perhaps the MIIO might. Forward this immediately to New Avalon—priority transmission. Waive the fees.”

Charles raised one eyebrow. “You might cause the Fox to have a heart attack, Primus. I mean ROM cooperating with the MIIO?”

“Perhaps Waterly should have tried that if she wished him dead—everything else she did failed, after all.”

“Shall I send a copy to Luthien as well?” asked Charles.

Michael sat down in his seat and he lifted a pen. “No. But inform First Prince Davion I will set up a real time HPG link between New Avalon and Luthien so that he can explain this to Takashi Kurita—and I will once again waive the costs involved. Now, I have reams of paperwork, Charles. Get that transmitted immediately, along with my offer to the Fox.”

“Of course, Primus,” Charles said with a bow.
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

The Fox’s Den, Palace of the First Prince, Avalon City
New Avalon, Federated Suns
October 31, 3043


“That idiot did WHAT?” bellowed Hanse Davion as he came out of his chair.

“He has launched an invasion of the Draconis Combine,” Quintus Allard said quietly. “I have sent instructions to the MIIO on Robinson to investigate this immediately—I have no idea how he managed to pull this off.”

“Wait, if MIIO didn’t know, then how do we have this information?” asked Hanse.

Quintus winced. “ComStar forwarded a video broadcast James is playing on several worlds in the March to New Avalon—at no charge. Primus York is willing to set up a real-time link between New Avalon and Luthien as well, at no charge.”

Hanse sat back in his chair and he looked stunned for a moment. Finally he nodded. “It is a different world, Quintus. Now how do we stop this?”

“We can’t,” the Intelligence Minister said quietly. “His troops are already in motion: the 1st Rangers are heading for Marduk, the 2nd Rangers for Royal, and the 2nd Ivaarsen Chasseurs for McComb.”

“Where did he get the ships?”

“That I can answer—he didn’t.”

“Go on.”

“He has a single battalion combat-loaded; the rest of those units are crammed into a Mammoth as cargo and passengers. He pressed three Merchants into service from companies his family owns—and that was sufficient for his needs.”

“Is James Sandoval insane? Those regiments will cut to pieces if Takashi has anything on the surface—it will take the better part of a day to unload the bulk of those units!”

“Perhaps not, because those worlds are barren of defenders. Just a few battalions of militia and some training cadre on Marduk—the sole combat loaded battalion can deal with those until the rest of the regiments off-load.”

Hanse groaned and Quintus began to reach for the panic button, but the First Prince waved his hand. “No, it’s not that, Quintus. Takashi informed me last week that Marduk was going to serve as the test grounds for a piece of equipment—he didn’t want to provoke me by sending it without a warning.”

“A new piece of equipment?”

Hanse smiled a grim smile. “An old piece of equipment, actually. Are you familiar with the Togura?”

Quintus frowned, and then he blanched. “They didn’t?”

Hanse nodded. “I have no idea how effective she will be, but somehow, Takashi and Theodore got her operational again—probably with ComStar help.”

“She’s an inoperable museum ship!”

“Well, museum or no, Takashi told me she was undergoing weapons trials in the Marduk system before she reports to Luthien.”

“Christ, the Rangers won’t stand a chance.”

Hanse nodded. “And speaking of which, I need to use that link to inform Takashi of what my idiot March commander has done—in the meantime, I want you to get the 1st Guards, the 2nd Guards, and the Assault Guards mobilized for deployment. They can accompany me to Robinson, along with the 4th Crucis Lancers. It is past time that James Sandoval and I had a talk face-to-face.”

Hanse stood. “Get cracking, Quintus. I want to lift immediately after Takashi finishes yelling at me,” the First Prince of the Federated Suns chuckled. “At least the shit rolls downhill, because James is about to get fully coated in it.”
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

White Palace Press Release—November 8, 3043
Union of Federated Press (UFP) Release for General Publication
(UFP) Filed by Leslie Newman, accredited journalist, New Avalon.


At the White Palace today, Intelligence Minister treated the press corps to Quintus Allard treated the press corps to a very rare briefing session.

Three items were discussed with significant ramifications for the Federated Suns in the years to come.

First, the Minister informed us that First Prince Hanse Davion has officially created the Periphery Marches (see attached map file below) and elevated that oftentimes insecure and insular section of the Federated Suns to an equal footing with the Crucis, Capellan, and Draconis Marches. Minister Allard was also pleased to report that Duke James Sandoval, the Duke of Robinson and commander of the Draconis March, asked the First Prince for a less stressful assignment and will be named as the Duke of Broken Wheel and commander of the Periphery March. Duke Sandoval has made no comment, but his office on Robinson has confirmed the report citing health concerns on behalf of his Grace.

The second piece of information was an explanation of the loss of the entire 1st Robinson Rangers Regimental Combat Team. On maneuvers in the Draconis March, the 1st Rangers JumpShip suffered a mis-jump from which there were no survivors. Minister Allard offered his and the First Princes condolences to the families of the victims and then the Intelligence Minister offered his views on how the tragedy occurred.

“The JumpShip in question was an older vessel owned by the Robinson family; maintenance logs and an examination of the repair practices in use by the vessel’s crew indicate that the vessel had not received several critical upgrades to her K/F Drive Core and a malfunctioning drive controller initiated a jump in close proximity to an asteroidal refueling base. The resulting tidal surges utterly destroyed both the JumpShip (and her attendant DropShips) as well as the refueling base. Due to potential legal actions against the owners of the JumpShip, the names of the crew and the vessel itself are not being released.”

Third, Field Marshall Ardan Sortek has been named as the new Duke of Robinson and the commander of the Draconis March. Duke Sortek is returning from the Clan front to assume his office immediately.

This has been a UFP update. (Cleared for internal and foreign distribution-MIIO)
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by LadyTevar »

I assume the Togura's weapons tests were satisfactory? :twisted:
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Headquarters, 10th Donegal Guards RCT
Zoetermeer, Lyran Commonwealth
November 1, 3043


Colonel Robert Ohell of the 2nd Regiment, 12th Star Guards spat on the ground as the voice of the invader’s spokesman came over the speaker. “We are the Ice Hellions! From the frigid depths of the empty void we strike, claiming this world in the name of our Clan, the true Heirs of Kerensky. Yield, or dispute our claim by stating the forces you wish to see destroyed.”

“So much for our intelligence claiming that the Vipers would hit us,” muttered Marshall Sarah Steiner, newly appointed to command of the 10th Donegal. “What information do we have in Wolf’s briefing on these . . . Hellions?”

The HQ staff hustled as officers and NCOs scrolled through data, and then one looked up. “A second, perhaps even third, tier Clan. Small, with little Elemental support, but a concentration of ‘Mechs and Fighters . . . according to the file, Marshall, they favor lighter, faster combat units—they have nothing in their touman in the Assault-weight class, outside of ASF assets.”

“Well, hell. Maybe we hand these bastards a defeat after all,” chimed in Robert, as Sarah waved away the acrid smoke from his cigar. “Both our regiments are heavy-weights—we might just have the firepower advantage here, with your tanks and infantry, Marshall Steiner.”

“Maybe,” Sarah answered as she lifted the transmitter. “This is Marshall Sarah Steiner, commanding the 10th Donegal Guards. We will defend this system in the name of Archon Melissa Steiner-Davion; come at your own peril.”

Transmit your Order of Battle so that we may properly tailor our attack,” the radio crackled after a moment.

“Cheeky bastards, aren’t they!” barked Robert.

“Negative, Hellions,” Marshall Steiner answered. “You will have to learn our dispositions the old-fashioned way—through recon.”

There was a pause and then the radio crackled with static again. “We accept your challenge, Marshall Steiner of the 10th Donegal. Do you intend to use artillery in your defense?

“Why don’t you land and find out?”

We shall meet you with the full force of The Blinding then,” and the radio signal died away.

Sarah nodded. “Get back to your Regiment, Bob. I think we might be in for a rough time ahead.”

“Ja, mein Marshall,” he answered with a grin as he snapped to attention; then he turned and left.

Sarah leaned over the map table and bit her lip. Zoetermeer had two vital locations to defend—the capital city of Nieuw Den Haag and the mining operations run by Tamar Mineral Extractions, Ltd., a corporation owned entirely by Duke Kelswa—and she had clear orders from the Duke in command of the Tamar March that the mineral extraction facilities were to be defended at all costs. In addition, the capital spaceport lay fifty-two kilometers outside of Nieuw Den Haag; it too must be held to prevent the Hellions from having access to the refueling facilities and runways.

Accordingly, her 10th Donegal was broken into three Combat Groups, each built around a ‘Mech battalion, a regiment of armor, and two regiments of infantry, reinforced with a battery of artillery. Each Combat Group was dug in deep around the objectives, while her fourth armored regiment had been assigned as subordinate to Ohell’s Regiment. Bob would command her reserve and either reinforce her fire-bases or conduct a counter-attack.

She nodded to herself. There was nothing more to do but wait.

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

The battle started as the 10th Donegal’s aerospace fighters sparred with the Clan fighters in the upper atmosphere. But quickly, the Federated Commonwealth defenders found that they were vastly outnumbered in space; not only did the Hellion have the fighters assigned to the Clusters of their Alpha Galaxy, a York-class carrier had settled into orbit overhead.

Of the seventy-two ASF from the mercenaries and the 10th sent to interdict the attackers, fourteen managed to return to base—nine of those heavily damaged. The Hellions fighters had suffered as well, but they started the conflict with more than two hundred and sixty—and had two hundred untouched units left when the 10th’s few remaining fighters landed.

Following the aerial holocaust, the Hellions took four hours to send recon flights criss-crossing over the inhabited continent of Zoetermeer, their powerful active probes scanning the landscape and seeking out Marshall Steiner’s concentrations. Only after these flights were concluded did the DropShips begin to descend through the atmosphere, landing well outside the reach of the fire-bases.

Five Clusters of Hellion OmniMech formed up and advanced as one upon the defenders of the starport. But unlike the Falcons or the Vipers or the Jaguars, the Hellions did not blindly charge ahead; no, they circled at extreme range and picked away at the defenders, too far distant for the 10th’s weapons to reach them. But the 10th’s artillery reached out and shells began to fall among the Hellions—and in reply the fighters once again plunged into the planet’s atmosphere. Mostly heavy-weight designs, with a few faster mediums in support, the fighters swooped down and released six hundred Arrow IV air-to-ground missiles that plunged into the perimeter of the 2nd Battalion, 10th Donegal Combat Group—and on the heels of the massive explosions, the Hellion OmniMechs closed faster than anyone could have imagined possible. At the same time, hordes of small craft dived down from orbit and two hundred and Elemental infantry para-dropped directly into the center of the compound.

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

They’re swarming all over us, Marshall! They aren’t fighting like the Clans should! They are teaming up and tearing my ‘Mechs and tanks to pieces! Behind you Jim!” the radio crackled with the thunder of a heavy autocannon, and then there was a scream . . . and then only static.

She swallowed. She was only thirty-nine years old, and Aunt Nondie—well, a third cousin twice removed—had given her this command just four months ago. She licked her dry lips and changed the radio frequencies. “Bob, I need you to hit them at the star-port—now, if we are going to save anything. I am ordering the 1st battalion to roll out as well.”

Negative, Marshall! Stick to the plan—we’ve got to bleed them!

“My men are dying, Colonel!”

Your men are already dead, Marshall. We can’t get there in time to save them, and the 1st will get cut to ribbons outside of the defenses! Hold your position!

“Damn you, Colonel Ohell! Hit them now!”

But there was no reply from the radio. Sarah frowned and she turned to her staff, “What’s going on?”

“Marshall—we are being jammed!” one yelled, as the crack and whine of the Clan’s anti-personnel gauss rifles began to thunder outside, amidst the explosions of SRMs and the screams of her HQ security detachment.

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

Another of Ohell’s ‘Mechs exploded as it ate four converging ER PPC bolts and ER Large Laser beams. For two and a half hours now, Robert had pulled back, leaving the bulk of the 10th Donegal behind as he tried to evade the Hellions and make it to his DropShips—but now he was surrounded. He twisted his Stalker to one side and locked his missile launchers on another of the distant ‘Mechs; he squeezed the trigger and twenty missiles shot away; only a dozen hit however. And his computer’s calm voice whispered into his ears, “LRM magazine depleted.”

Half of his ‘Mechs littered the line of his march behind him—and every last one remaining was damaged, some critically. But still the Hellions didn’t close in, they circled at range, with that impossible speed, and they bled him out one cut at a time.

“Colonel,” Captain Edward Bowen spoke up. Bowen was the senior officer left in the entire regiment, other than Robert. “The DropShips report that they are under attack—and now I have lost their transmission.”

Robert Ohell looked up at the faint plumes of smoke in the distance and his heart sank. “Enough of this running, Star Guards. Let’s show these scum how the 42nd Striker chooses to go out. CHARGE!” he yelled and he pushed the Stalker forward into a run.

But the Hellions simply gave way and continued to gnaw his command to death—Robert Ohell was fortunate enough not to see it however, for a Hellion Gauss slug slammed into his cockpit and he never again saw anything.

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

Your command are the only survivors to date, Colonel Dane,” the voice of the Hellion Khan came over the radio of the commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion of the 10th Donegal. “I can crush you as easily as I did you fellows—or you recognize the folly of your continued fighting and lay down your arms. In honor of the courage of your comrades, we will treat you as we treat captured Clan Warriors, instead of consigning you to the laborer class.

“Go to hell,” spat Colonel William Dane.

I take it that is a no? Colonel Dane, there are no civilian population centers within your perimeter; there is nothing preventing me from wiping you out without suffering a single casualty in response. You do know I have WarShips in orbit, quiaff?

“You do that and you will be hung for War Crimes!”

The victors write history, Colonel Dane. We slaughter no civilians, nor do we hide behind their skirts like cowards. Your battalion is a legitimate military target. I offer you one last opportunity to spare your Warriors their lives.

Dane began to answer, but the weeping of his communication officer—newly married just three months ago, made him stop. A tear leaked down his own cheek. And he tried the raise the radio microphone once, and then twice; finally he managed to lift it. “Damn you. We accept your terms.”

I will give you sixty minutes to lay down arms and march out, Colonel Dane. Do not make me obliterate those mining facilities.

And the radio transmission ended. Dane pulled himself up straight. “Burn the code books—purge the database. And tell the troops to stack arms and form up to surrender.”
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

CJWS Turkina’s Pride, inbound to orbit
Morges, Lyran Commonwealth
November 1, 3043


“Our opponents are concentrated here, on the industrialized continent of Windhoven,” Timur Malthus said as he aimed the point at the land mass closest to the equator on the frigid world of Morges. “It is cold, wet, and thoroughly miserable, with nearly constant rain and lightning storms. Thanks to the crew of the corvette Kerensky’s Blues and their signal intercept equipment, we know what units are awaiting us on the surface. Our opponents today will be the 20th Arcturan Guards Regimental Combat Team, the 23rd Arcturan Guards Regiment, the three mercenary regiments of the Blue Star Irregulars, and two mercenary battalions of the Dioscuri. This is in addition to nearly two score regiments of conventional infantry and armor.” Timur paused and he folded his hands behind his back. “The Blue Star Irregulars trace their founding to the Star League: they claim their founders were recipients of the Blue Star of Kerensky—and they have the 1894th Light Horse Regiment in their ranks.”

Mutters broke out among the dozen assembled Galaxy and Cluster commanders, and Timur nodded slowly. “Another of their regiments is the 21st Rim Worlds, a unit that defected from Stefan Amaris’s army to join the SLDF during the Campaign to reclaim the Hegemony and the Liberation of Terra. These regiments may prove themselves honorable foes. They may not; they are, after all, mercenary sell-swords. However, we will extend to the Blue Star Irregulars the courtesy of zellbrigen; as for the rest,” Timur shrugged, “deal with them as you see fit.”

The saKhan broke off as he spotted Elias Crichell making his way forward. “Attention on deck!” he snapped, and all of the Falcons present instantly stood.

“Today is a great day, my Falcons,” said Crichell as he mounted the stage. “On Deia, Galaxy Commander Vandervahn Chistu is leading the Gyrfalcon and Peregrine Galaxies to victory; I expect the Jade Falcon and Goshawk Galaxies to do better! Quiaff!”

“Aff!”

“saKhan Malthus with the Turkina Keshik will have tactical control over this operation; I will remain at the Clan forward command post to coordinate actions between Deia and Morges. You have all been assigned your Drop-zones: we reach orbit in thirty-four minutes, so get to your ships. Victory, Falcons!”

“VICTORY!” The assembled officers shouted and then raced through the corridors of the battlecruiser to board small craft heading back to their DropShips. All but Timur Malthus, who remained behind. Elias frowned.

“Was there something else, saKhan?”

Timur bowed his head slightly. “My Khan, you have yet to participate in a single battle since this invasion began—no other Khan or even the ilKhan can make such a claim. Is it wise for you to remain behind . . . again? There will be talk of your . . . aversion to risk.”

The frown on Elias Crichell’s face deepened and he stepped close against the chest of the younger Falcon. “You leave the control of this Clan to me, Malthus—and I will allow you free reign to slaughter these free-birth as you wish; challenge me and you will find there are many who desire your position. Vandervahn Chistu not least among them. Be careful that he does not perform better than you, or I might well have to listen to my Falcons when they call for your head.”

Timur’s eyes flashed with anger and he started to reply, but the Khan cut him off. “NOT another word, saKhan Malthus!” Elias thundered. “I gave you your rank—and I can take it from you, along with your life. Now go, and pray that I forget this conversation.”

Still fuming the Falcon saKhan bit his lip and he turned to leave. “And Timur? I will be watching the conduct of your battles below closely—there are rumors that you have not been behaving as a proper Falcon recently. Tread lightly, saKhan.”

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

Four hours later, Timur Malthus entered the tent hurriedly erected for his august presence. The 23rd Arcturan Guards had put up a tenacious defense, but led by the Turkina Keshik, the Jade Falcon Galaxy had sent them running—now the mercenaries were approaching, even as the Goshawk Galaxy held the 20th Arcturan and their lesser regiments at bay.

The saKhan accepted with grace the proffered canteen that one of the Techs held out and he took a deep swallow of the cold water within. He handed it back and looked down on the map and nodded. Then he traced line back to a single icon in his rear—an icon marked with the symbol for the Clans Field HQ.

Timur smiled and he extracted a folded piece of paper from his cooling suit. “Let us treat these Blue Star Irregulars as if they were Clan. Establish contact with them, and inform them of our current strength and location—all of our units locations and strength on that sheet. In the meantime,” he turned to face his Cluster commanders, “it is time for the Dioscuri to die. Star Colonel Folkner, I want the Falcon Guards to hammer them, to hound them, to annihilate them. The remainder of Alpha and the Turkina Keshik will redeploy to here,” he said tapping the map.

“Sir?” asked Star Colonel Marthe Pryde, the young commander of the 89th Falcon Striker Cluster. “That will open a gap fifteen kilometers wide between our forces and those of Zeta Galaxy; could not the Blue Star Irregulars attempt to use that space in an effort to drive us even further apart?”

Timur smiled. “If they do, they are in a rude awakening. With the Turkina Keshik here,” he tapped a section of the mapboard, “the 12th Regulars here,” another section, “your Strikers here,” yet another section tapped, “and the 3rd and 9th Talon Clusters here and here, what will happen if the Blue Star Irregulars attempt that?”

Marthe inhaled. “All five of the Clusters can catch them in the flank as they move through—and they cannot evade against your higher speed,” she nodded to herself. “Their lead elements might well punch through—and if they do there is nothing standing between them and the Khan.”

“War is a matter of gambling, Star Colonel Pryde. And I think this time, we will have gambled successfully. If not, our Khan is a Warrior and he as an Honor Guard to defend him as well. He knows and has chosen to accept the risk, I might add. If the Blue Star prove dishonorable," Timur smiled, "and refuse to meet us in single combat, he will, of his own violation and command, serve as bait. Once we finish dealing with the Blue Star Irregulars—and Star Colonel Folkner and the Falcon Guard finish off the Dioscuri, we will then wheel en masse and flank the conventional regiments bolstering the defenses of the 20th Arcturan in the foothills here.” And once again the finger tapped the map.

“Questions?” None of the Cluster commanders said a word, and Timur nodded. “Then get your commands moving,” he said, dismissing the officers and walked over to the comm tech. “Have they replied?”

“saKhan, forgive me, but I have not sent the message yet.”

“And why have you not?”

“saKhan, you honor our foes, but you have given them the location of the Khan’s headquarters—and told them that he is defended by just two points of Elementals and a Star of ‘Mechs!”

Timur smiled. “Send it, Tech. That is a direct order from the saKhan of the Clan.”

Trembling, the comm tech began the transmission, and Timur’s smile turned into a grin.

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

Elias Crichell looked up in surprise as Kael Pershaw’s misshapen body pushed past the honor guards at the entrance to his headquarters, and his surprise rapidly turned into a frown as he saw the distress on his old friend’s face. “Kael . . .”

“Evacuate now!” the Watch officer shouted. “Leave the equipment and run!”

He had reached the Khan and put one myomer hand on Elias’s arm and began pulling him towards the tent flap. Elias emerged out into the sunlight and he stopped. “What is going on?” he barked.

“Timur Malthus has made a mistake that not even a sibkin could make—he has split his forces and there is a full battalion of BattleMechs heading straight here! They will arrive in minutes, my Khan! We must go now! I have a DropShuttle waiting outside.”

Elias’s face paled and his head twisted towards the sound of autocannon fire from the pickets. No, Timur did not make a mistake; somehow he had engineered this. Damn him and his ambition. Kael was shouting, but Elias just stood there as two dozen aerospace fighters descended through the clouds, laser bolts emerging from their nose to strafe across the Falcon’s HQ.

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

“Jade Falcons!” Timur Malthus broadcast. “Khan Crichell has been killed by our opponents! Our Khan has fallen as he fought these dezgra surats alone! The Jade Falcon Galaxy will avenge him! FALCONS . . . FORWARD!”

Six Clusters of furious Warriors tore into the flanks of the strung-out columns of the Blue Star Irregulars, even as their lead battalion ripped apart the Clan’s Field Headquarters . . . and Timur Malthus smiled.
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Khan’s Star, Golden Keshik
Tamar, Lyran Commonwealth
November 1, 3043


“Clever,” Ulric rumbled to himself as he topped the ridgeline that overlooked the Kelswa Fortress that protected the approaches to Tamar’s capital city. The broad plains around the Fortress would have allowed the Clan to reduce the city with ease, from outside of the range where Kelswa and his defenders could reply—but some enterprising young officer had apparently stocked hundreds of mortar teams amongst the infantry . . . and every one of them was firing a constant barrage of smoke shells, mixed with chaff and flares.

Not even the Clans could hit what they couldn’t see.

“How many troopers does he have, Natasha?” the Khan asked.

“The 26th Lyran Guard that are giving the Coyotes so much trouble on the far side of the valley, plus the Training Cadre from the Academy here, and two battalions of the Kelswa Guard, the latter two within the Fort itself.”

“That is all?”

Natasha snorted. “Hardly, but that is all that is here now—that we know of. Kelswa has been buying up mercenary contracts left and right—he could have another six or seven regiments in that old Fort. The 5th Crucis Lancers and 11th Avalon Hussars will be here by nightfall as well.”

“Options?”

Garth Radick cleared his throat and then spoke up. “The smoke blinds them as well as us. We will take casualties, but we press forward and eliminate this burr in our side before the Davion RCTs arrive.”

“It also forces us into their range, saKhan Radick,” snapped Natasha acerbically. “Don’t you think he’s mined the approaches until a ballet dancer couldn’t get through?”

“Mind your language, Star Colonel!” the saKhan barked. “Of course I considered that; which is why I think your 13th Wolf Guards should lead the assault. After all, half of them are free-births and the other half were on the verge of being sent to Solahma formations. After you clear us a path through the minefields, Beta will take the fortress before nightfall—I give you my word on that Khan Kerensky.”

Ulric nodded, but he noticed the expression on the Black Widow’s face. “Yes, Star Colonel Kerensky?”

“While some might agree that the saKhan’s plan has merit—or they would if they had the intelligence of two year old chimpanzee—I suggest we strip our Elementals from every Cluster on planet and the ships above, and use them as sappers. They are too lightweight to detonate the mines, and the defenders cannot see them to trigger the explosives remotely. Once lanes have been cleared, we move in—but after the sappers have infiltrated into the interior of the fortress.”

Garth snorted. “After they magically walk through the walls? You do not believe they shrouding their own walls in this smoke, do you?”

Natasha smiled. “It just so happens, I have an old map of the Kelswa Fortress—including their sewage system—which is large enough for two Elementals abreast. They can bypass the walls and pop up in the middle of the Fort; distracting the enemy while we make our approach.”

“And those tunnels are not guarded?”

“Of course they are! Which is why I have outfitted my Elemental Trinary with the old SLDF Nighthawk PA(L), with their full ECM and Stealth systems. My Elemental infantry in light power armor will go ahead and eliminate the guards on the tunnels, opening the way for your Elementals to open the breach—and then Alpha and Beta will destroy them utterly.”

The Wolf saKhan started to reply, but Ulric held up one hand. “Agreed, Star Colonel Kerensky. Pull the Elementals from Alpha, Beta, and the ships above—quickly. But Alpha Galaxy will make the assault. Garth,” he held up a second placating hand, “I will need Beta to hold back two furious and intact Regimental Combat Teams until this location is secure. Can I trust you to do that? Without Beta's Elementals, but with Alpha's aerospace assets?”

Garth’s jaw worked for a moment, but at last he said simply, “Aff, my Khan.”

“I will inform the Coyotes that they may stop playing with their prey and drive the 26th to destruction . . . in the meantime, let us get this ready to launch.”
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Interlude
November 3, 3043


Of course, not all went according to plan. On Deia, Vandervahn Chistu and the Jade Falcon’s Delta Galaxy were mauled by the 1st, 11th, and 15th Lyran Regulars, supported by House Davion’s 1st Argyle Lancers. To make matters worse, both Chistu and the commander of Vau Galaxy were killed in the fighting, and disputes between Cluster commanders over who was now in charge prevented the Falcons from stopping the Fed-Com troops from executing an organized withdrawal. Once in orbit, the survivors of the four Regiments scatted, leaving the single Falcon WarShip present unable to intercept and engage them all. Although the 11th Lyran was destroyed, the remaining regiments survived (in part) to fight another day.

On Parakoila, the Ravens met with their toughest fight to date—and perhaps a harbinger of things of come. Three independent aerospace fighter wings, supported by no fewer than thirty assault DropShips swarmed over the Raven JumpShips as they emerged in-system. While saKhan Damien Crow responded almost instantly, two entire Raven Clusters (the 4th Raven Wing and the 1st Raven Dragoons) were lost, along with their DropShips. The remaining three Clusters of the Swift Wing Galaxy proved insufficient to clear the surface of the defenders, and Khan McKenna was forced to reinforce his saKhan with elements of Beta Galaxy—despite a sudden surge in terrorist activities all through the Horse/Raven Occupation Zone.

The Wolves and Coyotes won on Tamar, but Garth Radick died holding back a ferocious assault by the Davion RCTs, and Beta Galaxy suffered serious losses. Perhaps luckily, Tamar was the only seriously contested world for the Wolves and Coyotes in Wave 3; the remainder fell with scarcely a fight.

The Bears and Scorpions had the single easiest and least costly Wave of all of the Clans. Hitting only four worlds, opposition was encountered only on Gunzburg and Vorarlberg, but the Bears easily swept aside the defenders. On Memmingen, the planetary governor—with no troops of the KungsArmee and a militia just four companies strong—answered the batchall with a challenge for a game of beach volleyball. The competition turned into a major attraction, complete with a fair, and the governor handed control over to saKhan Posavatz when the team of Scorpions from the Heartvenom Cluster handily won. Posavatz surprised many, however, when he appointed the same governor as the Clan’s interim ruler—and Memmingen quickly became part of the Clan fold.

Radstadt should have been a bitter fight for the Adders and Cobras, but the KungsArmee had completely collapsed, leaving the planet with only militia and a single Capellan Regiment (the Blackwind Lancers) for defenders. Kaesong and Thessalonika were much more difficult; the Draconis defenders—once again, mostly militia with a handful of ‘Mech companies and battalions in support—fought to the last man, woman, and child. Insurgents hidden among the civilian population started a terror campaign, the day that the last organized military force was defeated, and slowly the Adder and Cobra garrisons were being bled.

Already suffering from the shame of being the only Clan to have lost a WarShip in the invasion (the destroyer Rage being the victim of a kamikaze strike at Schuyler two months earlier), the small Mandrill Kindraa’s, many of which failed to coordinate and cooperate, found themselves strained to the breaking point. There were too many casualties against the fanatical defenders, and nowhere nearly enough garrison forces to hold the worlds that the Mandrills had conquered. Where some Clans in Wave III refused to commit forces in less than Galaxy strength, the Mandrills were forced to rely on single Clusters to take their objectives. Without the Blood Spirits aid and assistance, they would have failed, but even with the help of their partners, the Mandrill garrisons were woefully thin, and their brutal methods of dealing with insurgents made for a volatile situation.

On Outer Volta and Juazeiro, the Nova Cats pounced; relying upon their superior technology, training, and numbers to overcome stiff resistance before moving on to secure Caripare. The Jaguars fought fiercely for Teniente and Irece (wrecking the LAM factories there utterly), but both of those worlds were defended by far less troops than Brandon Howell had feared—and the subsequent interrogations told him why.

Pesht was heavily fortified, with no fewer than eleven DCMS BattleMech Regiments, thirty regiments of armor and infantry, and six aerospace fighter wings (in that odd Combine 36-fighter wing that they flew). Khan Howell made certain that his forces finished the pacification of Irece and Teniente, and then resupply and received the first few trickles of replacements coming from the homeworlds. And then he jumped three full Galaxies of Jaguars, supported by a Galaxy of Nova Cats, into what would become known as the Cauldron of Pesht.
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Eternal_Freedom
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by Eternal_Freedom »

Deciding the conquest of a planet voer a game of beach volleyball...priceless!
Baltar: "I don't want to miss a moment of the last Battlestar's destruction!"
Centurion: "Sir, I really think you should look at the other Battlestar."
Baltar: "What are you babbling about other...it's impossible!"
Centurion: "No. It is a Battlestar."

Corrax Entry 7:17: So you walk eternally through the shadow realms, standing against evil where all others falter. May your thirst for retribution never quench, may the blood on your sword never dry, and may we never need you again.
masterarminas
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Re: Scorpio Ascendant

Post by masterarminas »

Here are a few of my rambling thoughts:

Grand Army of the Inner Sphere (~55 Regiments):

Capellans (5): Ariana Grenadiers; 1st Confederation Reserve Cavalry; 1st St. Ives Lancers; Justina's Cuirassiers; 1st Kearny Highlanders

Free Worlds (4): 1st Free World Guards; 1st Marik Militia; 6th Marik Militia; 12th Atrean Dragoons

Lyrans (6): 20th Arcturan Guards RCT; 3rd Donegal Guards RCT; 11th Lyran Guards; 15th Lyran Guards RCT; 1st Lyran Regulars; 4th Skye Rangers RCT

Rasalhague (3): 1st Drakon; 1st Kavalleri; 3rd Freemen

Kurita (10): 1st Genyosha; 2nd Genyosha; Ryuken (5 Regiments); 1st Night Stalkers; 2nd Night Stalkers; 3rd Prosperina Hussars

Davion (8): 4th Davion Guards RCT; Davion Heavy Guards RCT; 3rd Crucis Lancers RCT; 7th Crucis Lancers RCT; 1st New Ivaarsen Chasseurs RCT; 6th Syrtis Fusiliers RCT; 1st Kestrel Grenadiers RCT; 1st Kathil Uhlans RCT

ComStar (~6): 1st Army; 2nd Army

Mercenary (~13): Wolf's Dragoons (3+ Regiments); Eridani Light Horse (2 Regiments); 12th Vegan Rangers (4 Regiments); 1st Kell Hounds; Hell's Black Aces; St. Cyr Heavy Assault Group

The Grand Army is massing on Tukayyid, as loyal readers know. The Grand Army also has 22 WarShips.


Units Destroyed in Waves I-III:

Capellans (3): Blackwind Lancers, Kingston’s Legionnaires; 4th Confederation Reserve Cavalry

Free World (4): 4th Brigade (Fusiliers of Oriente); 4th Marik Militia; 6th Orloff Grenadiers; 4th Regulan Hussars

Lyrans (19): 8th Arcturan Guards RCT; 19th Arcturan Guards; 23rd Arcturan Guards; 24th Arcturan Guards RCT; 4th Donegal Guards RCT; 5th Donegal Guards RCT; 10th Donegal Guards RCT; 12th Donegal Guards RCT; 13th Donegal Guards; 5th Lyran Guards RCT; 13th Lyran Guards RCT; 26th Lyran Guards RCT; 32nd Lyran Guards RCT; 7th Lyran Regulars; 8th Lyran Regulars; 9th Lyran Regulars; 11th Lyran Regulars; 22nd Skye Rangers; Winfield’s Brigade

Rasalhague (13): 2nd Drakon; 3rd Drakon; 4th Drakon; 1st Freemen; 2nd Freemen; 1st Hussars; 2nd Hussars; 3rd Hussars; 2nd Kavalleri; 3rd Kavalleri; 4th Kavalleri; Gunzburg Eagles; 1st Tyr Assault Regiment

Kurita (27): 2nd Alshain Regulars, 3rd Alshain Regulars, 5th Alshain Regulars; 7th Alshain Regulars; 10th Alshain Regulars; 11th Alshain Regulars, 2nd Amphigean Light Assault Group; 4th Arkab Legion; 9th Benjamin Regulars; 40th Dieron Regulars; 41st Dieron Regulars; 19th Galedon Regulars; 3rd Ghost Regiment; 7th Ghost Regiment; 8th Ghost Regiment; 12th Ghost Regiment; 11th Legion of Vega; 14th Legion of Vega; 4th Pesht Regulars; 6th Pesht Regulars; 9th Pesht Regulars ; 10th Pesht Regulars; 11th Pesht Regulars; 4th Prosperina Hussars; 1st Shin Legion; 2nd Shin Legion; 9th Sun Zhang Academy Cadre

Fed-Com (7): 3rd FedCom RCT; 6th FedCom RCT; 8th FedCom RCT; Hot Springs TMM; Laurent Tamar TMM; Twycross TMM; Wotan TMM

Davion (16): 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry (AFFS); 11th Avalon Hussars RCT; 22nd Avalon Hussars RCT; 33rd Avalon Hussars RCT; 39th Avalon Hussars RCT; 41st Avalon Hussars RCT; 42nd Avalon Hussars RCT (AFFS); 1st Ceti Hussars; 2nd Chisholm’s Raiders RCT; 5th Crucis Lancers RCT; 8th Crucis Lancers RCT; 5th Davion Guards RCT; 12th Deneb Light Cavalry; 15th Deneb Light Cavalry; 1st Robinson Rangers; 8th Syrtis Fusiliers RCT

Mercenaries (33): Narhal's Raiders (2 Regiments); Lexington Combat Group (180th Dragoon Group; 32nd Recon Group); 2nd Regiment (12th Star Guards); 7th Regiment (12th Star Guards); 151st Light Horse (Eridani Light Horse); Dioscuri; Blue Star Irregulars (3 regiments); plus 22 unnamed mercenary regiments

OMG! One hundred and twenty-two (122) Regiments and RCTs lost to date. A quarter of them mercenary. This is higher than canon because of the Clans willingness in this AU to target JumpShips and strand the defenders, not allowing them to Jump away and live to fight another day.


Survivors: Hansen's Roughriders; 21st Centauri Lancers; Lexington Combat Group (241st Battle Group); 1st Argyle Lancers; 2nd Ceti Hussars; 3rd Ceti Hussars; 4th Deneb Light Cavalry; 5th Deneb Light Cavalry*; 8th Deneb Light Cavalry*; 10th Deneb Light Cavalry*; 1st Lyran Regulars*; 15th Lyran Regulars*; Legion of the Rising Sun; 1st Regiment (12th Star Guards)*; 3rd Regiment (12th Star Guards); Grey Death Legion*; 1st Screaming Eagles*; 2nd Screaming Eagles*; 21st Striker (Eridani Light Horse)*; 71st Light Horse (Eridani Light Horse)*

These are units that faced the Clans and survived. Those marked with an Asterisk (*) took losses of 50% or higher.


Clans

At the conclusion of Wave III, the Clans are hurting. They are all out replacements, so lost without you . . . sorry. Got Air Supply stuck in my head today, for some reason. While they retain all of their units with which they began the invasion (other than those second-line Clusters destroyed in Chainelaine), some are woefully understength at the end of Wave III. Overall, the Clans are probably hovering at around 80% of their book strength right now; with some Clans better off and others (Fire Mandrills, Steel Vipers, and Jaguars) worse. And except for those reserves close by (a Shark Galaxy, a Falcon Galaxy, two Bear Galaxies, and two Scorpion Galaxies), it will be at least three months before new replacement Warriors arrive.

So, like Jar-Jar says: OUCH-TIME!

MA
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