If I'm Victor, I reinforce the Lion's Thumb venture with forces from the Lyran Marches, and heavily reinforce the naval forces to try and prevent any sort of WMD deployment.
Battletech Clover Spear - The War of 3056 (Battletech AU)
- Thread starter CurtisLemay
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Simonbob
Well-known member
If I was Sandoval, I'd be turning up at a number of already restive worlds, and broadcast on every channel.
"Citizens of (world X), I am here to offer you something, something better than what you have right now. That is leaders that aren't monsters. My men will come down, and they will have food, medicine, and teachers for all who will choose our path. All will have a chance for something better."
"Citizens of (world X), I am here to offer you something, something better than what you have right now. That is leaders that aren't monsters. My men will come down, and they will have food, medicine, and teachers for all who will choose our path. All will have a chance for something better."
Kekku, Part 2
Kekku, Part 2
“Loyal Citizens, rejoice, the rebels are leaderless, we have struck down the mad coward that led them with our righteous justice! Now we can put this foolish civil war behind us and bring the Dragon back to the pinnacle of human existence it was before the foolish line of Theodore and his traitor spawn betrayed us all to the Clans and the Davions!”
- Announcement by Voice of the Dragon 19th November, 3057
Secure Wing, Benjamin Military District Headquarters
November 6th, 3057
Fort Shandra
Benjamin
Benjamin Military District
Draconis Combine
Miyako Kurita fumed at need to delay her trip to Hachiman to rally her flagging forces. She flung her robes of office contemptuously as she thought of a suitable fate for the Warlord who dared to tell her no. Her right hand dropped to the hilt of her sword. Perhaps I should use him for some sword practice. She shook her head, banishing the thought, as exciting as it was. I am here reminding one of my Warlords who his loyalties need to be focused on. His mewling about the fortunes of this district means little compared to the need to put the Dragon’s house in order, decisively. As much as he deserves to be made an example of, replacing him would be “problematic.”
She turned to her aide, Sho-sa Ichiro Tomokamai and noticed the troubled expression on her aide’s face. His brows were furrowed with worry, and his face was wan with concern.
“What troubles you Sho-sa? Do you not agree with our presence here?” Miyako queried her aide, a hint of danger present in her voice.
“Iie, Tono, I see the need for it from a political sense, but the military needs are paramount here, and our forces are flagging on both Hachiman, and Al Na’ir. Not to mention we have reports of Nova Cat movements threatening Pesht, and the Alashain Avengers have departed Chatham and have shown up on Krenice and are attempting to take the world from the Ghost Bears.” Tomokamai drew a breath before continuing, using the pause to carefully construct his thoughts, “Much is happening, Tono, and I think we are grasping for too much.”
Miyako’s eyes flashed with anger “Ask for too much!? Are all our slain warriors asking for too much? Is the blood of our slain Coordinator and his family asking for too much? We fight the best enemy of all, we fight traitors. Sho-Sa, we purify the Combine with this trial, and we will come out the other side stronger, and ready to reclaim all that is ours. Don’t tell me you agree with that baka of a Warlord?”
Tomokamai’s eyes dropped to the floor, conceding the argument. “No, Tono, I do not.”
Miyako smiled cruelly. “Good, I would hate to think I would have to prune traitors in my own midst. Come Sho-Sa, we have a Warlord to chastise.”
20 minutes later
“Warlord Marai, I plucked you from the obscurity of your district regulars because you showed a measure of skill in your defense of Dover from the Smoke Jaguars. I am disappointed to hear that your efforts to secure more troops for our drive on Hachiman has been…unsuccessful.” Miyako Kurita circled around the conference table in the secured conference area regarding her Warlord and his staff with the same look a hungry shark gave its prey.
She tightened the circle slightly, making a show of removing her ‘mechwarrior’s gloves, and dropping them to the floor, and letting her right hand come to rest lightly at the handle of her katana. Her eyes were as black as flint, but the electric energy of barely suppressed rage flowed through them as she fixed her Warlord with her gaze. “I expect better Marai. Much better. And I will find a replacement if you cannot find a way to do the job.”
Marai nodded and cleared his throat. “Tono, I understand your frustration- “
Miyako interrupted with gritted teeth “’You dare to think you can understand the depths of my frustration?! Warlord Marai, you are severely trying my patience. And people who try my patience happen to have dark things happen to them…very dark things.”
Marai nodded again “Yes, Lady Kurita, but it doesn’t change the fact that the well has run dry with regards to men and material. My own Substitution officer has raided every planet within 100 light years to attempt to find qualified warriors. We’re even bringing back veterans of the 3rd Succession War, and their giggling grandchildren!” Marai said the last bit in a hoarse whisper, that in the quiet of the room, was as loud as any shout.
Miyako paused. A flash of calm momentarily appeared in her eyes. It warred with the rage that was the usually in the driver’s seat, but like always, the rage won out. She smiled dangerously at Marai and his staff, who had done their best imitation of statues during the entire exchange.
Tomokamai swore he didn’t think any of them had blinked during the entire exchange. “Marai, you have a month, get me more troops, or I’ll be sending you and this miserably inefficient pack of curs you call a staff to the nearest front line, with all of you getting the Order of Washzkazi first.”
Marai nodded, a resigned look crossing his fate as even he knew, there would be no pleasing Miyako Kurita, no amount of equipment or men available to either side in the Combine would get Miyako to New Samarkand to depose Franklin Sakamoto. It also meant the forces loyal to Franklin couldn’t get to Miyako Kurita easily either.
The truth was that the Combine Civil War was collapsing under its own weight. Too many regiments on both sides had fallen, or simply had left. The entire DCMS logistical network had collapsed, and any fool with an abacus could see that there wasn’t enough of anything for either army to win decisively. Whole chunks of the Combine were declaring independence, or simply not paying attention to either side. And the Dieron and Pesht districts were in turmoil, with the worlds of the Benjamin district making up the front line. But Miyako was outnumbered six to two in Benjamin in regiments loyal to the Usurper, with the Ryuken only able to grant local superiority where it went into action, not to mention having to stamp out fires everywhere else. In short, it was a horror show. And the message he had just received was an admission he had received was little more than an admission of the facts.
It still is a betrayal; it is perhaps a good thing that I am not planning to survive this. Tenno Hakka Banzai Kurita-sama! Tomokamai’s mind raced, as he reached for a vial in his pocket. It was small, the size of a small pencil. He applied pressure, and felt the vial shatter, and the deadly liquid contained within splash across his hand. He began to feel the effects almost immediately, and he began to feel the tremors in his hand as the nerve agent began to take effect.
He smiled and turned towards the others in the room who were now looking at him with eyes as wide as saucers. Miyako’s mouth was open in shock. Tomokamai’s smile was wide, as his body began to lose control, and his mouth began to froth. It was a struggle for him to form his last words, but they were simple ones: “Omi Kurita sends her regards.” Tomokamai then collapsed in a heap and began to jerk as his dying nerves misfired and his body contorted painfully in his last moments. It wasn’t long before everyone in the room was doing the same. Miyako Kurita, last of her line, died painfully contorting and fouled in her own fluids and waste, her last moments full of pain and terror. With her, the Combine Civil War died as well, but like most civil wars, the end was messy indeed.
“I’ll never forget when we got word that Kurita-chan was dead by the hands of an assassin on Benjamin. We were ordered by some general I’d never heard of to surrender. The Ryuken surrender? Iie! We do not surrender. We fight. But for whom. We were not sell-swords, and we were not ronin. Fortunately, we did find an option another Kurita presented us…”
- Memoirs of Tai-Sa Hanji Morris, commander of the Ryuken-san, quoted in “In At The End: The Last Days of the Combine Civil War, by Hauptmann-General Fritz Kaller, AFFC (ret), Published by Tharkad Green Press, 3071.
Well, that's pretty much what I was expecting for her end if it wasn't in some sort WMD event.
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
It was only a matter of time before her insatiable rage got her killed by her own subordinates, it is fitting for the manner of her death being similar to what she inflicted on Chandy. Draconis Combine is crippled though and will remain so for a very long time.
PeaceMaker 03
Well-known member
Loyalty must be earned, royal backside needs to be worthy of its loyal supporters.
Kujo
For the FEDCOM! For the Archon-Prince!
Alexander conquered nearly the entire world and when he started to go off the deep end well ended up with successor states. the Roman Empire got to large to manage, it's emperors failed to rule again we got successor states. We have Franklin and Miyako having completely shattered the DCMS and damaging the Combine's political, economic and industrial bases, we will end up with successor states, that and about half the remaining combine becoming either part of a rival Successor state (See the possibility of a 'Benjamin March' of the Federated Commonwealth), or part of the Clans. The other half maybe able to survive with 'no limits' use of WMD, but are more likely to be taken in later by the FEDCOM or Clans. Basically when your leadership stinks on ice bad things happen, who would of guessed that!
Great chapter, thank you.
Great chapter, thank you.
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Hmm...I hopeful but doubtful that the Black Dragon Society will finally die off.
AS for the fall of the Combine as a whole...yeah, I don't see much left worth saving. They've finally demonstrated that their House was poisoned fruit, and all their works followed from that.
AS for the fall of the Combine as a whole...yeah, I don't see much left worth saving. They've finally demonstrated that their House was poisoned fruit, and all their works followed from that.
Tiamat
I've seen the future...
Some of the best "cough" aspects of feudal-era Japan, and the Imperial Japanese Empire during WW2 = The Draconis Combine.
Yeah, gee, nothing could go wrong with that...
@Tiamat to be fare, each one of the Great Houses is really just a bad generation away from Balkanizing or Completely self destructing. A couple have setup at least some sort of bulwark to prevent terrible leadership from wrecking everything (Steiner and Davion), while Liao....well, that family is just nuts. FWL is just waiting for someone to fart in the wrong company before it shatters into component parts (not really THAT bad, but it feels like it at times).
Hell, even the Periphery nations really only seem to be held together in OPPOSITION to their Inner Sphere neighbors.
Hell, even the Periphery nations really only seem to be held together in OPPOSITION to their Inner Sphere neighbors.
Tiamat
I've seen the future...
It's fair to say, Battletech was playing the "Game of Thrones" LONG before George R. R. Martin came along.
Kujo
For the FEDCOM! For the Archon-Prince!
Well Steiner has the best 'fail-safe' in Hiemdale, while Davion has the best 'defense in depth' with the six liberties (right of revolt) privy council, March Lords and a huge Davion family that isn't afraid of committing justifiable homicide if that's what it takes to save the Federated Suns (see Edward Davion's death by Simon Davion...)
Free Worlds League doesn't have to worry as it is already Balkanized and self-destructing
Thank you.
Kekku, Part 3
“Allah the Merciful, Peace upon him, and you, citizens of the Azami Caliphate. For 560 years we served the Kurita family with loyalty and fidelity with our warriors. But we will not serve pretenders who have murdered their way to the throne, or madwomen addled with dreams of power. Thus, with joy and determination, we of the Azami Caliphate hereby declare our independence from the Draconis Combine and we call all sons and daughters of the Azami home. We furthermore welcome the regiments of the Ryuken to our service, though they may be infidels, they believe that the Combine as it exists now, is a poor relation to the state we loyally served. We hope to uphold the best of what the Combine was, as well as restore respect for Sunnah in public life. We furthermore welcome all citizens of the Combine who are people of the book to our worlds, and seek to live in peace with our neighbors…”
Excerpt from the Independence Broadcast of Caliph Hadi Vaziri, 1st Caliph of the Restored Azami Caliphate, 3rd December, 3057
“People of the Kessel and Vega Prefectures. Last night, I signed a document that declared our independence from the Draconis Combine. I did this with a heavy heart and a sense that I have altered our destiny forever. But the civil war has shown us that the leaders who we placed our trust and faith in, were not worthy of it. They were not worthy of us. And so, we shall deny them their prize. Furthermore, I have petitioned the Federated Commonwealth for membership. I know our peoples have been at war many times, but I felt, as did my staff, that this was the best decision for our people to finally know the peace we have been denied so long. I furthermore call home all members of the Legions of Vega, and ask them to serve as our defenders until help from the Commonwealth can arrive…”
Excerpt of the Independence Broadcast of the “Grand Duke of Vega” Amaya Dai. 10th December, 3057
Offices of the Duke of Robinson
Ducal Palace
Bueller City
Robinson
19th December, 3057
“Has the intelligence significantly changed in the last two months?” Duke James Sandoval read the room as he queried his staff. His son, Tancred, kept his own counsel, but looked at his father with grey, dull eyes that looked as if they were about to roll back like a shark about to devour an unfortunate seal.
James surveyed his Ducal situation room. The bunker dated back to the Third Succession War, and though it was beautifully decorated with woods from all the woods of the Draconis March, one item caught his eye. It was a burned piece of wood nailed to the wall. There was a small brass plate below it, it read simply, “Remains of the First Ministry of the New Avalon Catholic Church of Kentares IV. Serva Dei Innocentes” It had been a gift to his great-grandfather from the bishopric of Robinson. Even though the Sandovals were Jewish, they had a responsibility to all the citizens of the March. And that piece had come from the ruins of the orphanage. Focus, James, Focus.
James nodded with satisfaction. “Are the units at their assembly points, and are we ready to cross the line of departure, ladies and gentlemen?”
Marshal Aileen Lugo nodded, “Sire, we’re as ready as we can be. The entire operation is really on a shoestring to be honest, and we’re going without any real approval from the NCA, but the fact remains, we do have something of a blank check- “
Duke Sandoval waved off the concern expressed in Marshal Lugo’s voice “Aileen, we’re keeping operations limited to Dieron, and I think we can expect the Combine will be as confused as hell, Miyako’s armies are in a state of collapse, and it’s something of a footrace to beat Sakamoto’s troops into Dieron. A footrace I intend to win. We have the entire Robinson Ranger brigade in place by mid- February and we don’t expect the DCMS to be able to reintegrate most of rebel held Galedon till then at the earliest. The good news is that we’ve managed to hire a few additional merc battalions. We now have eight mercenary battalions at our disposal.”
“How much in the way of artillery?” James queried
“Three brigades, all training units from the Bryceland PDZ. And they haven’t got a lot in the way of ammunition. Frankly, sir, I’d plan on going without them, sir. They’re not remotely combat-ready.”
James nodded, and said, “At this rate, all we have going for us is surprise and the fact the Combine’s worse off than us?”
Lugo nodded, “Yes, sire, but we only have enough supplies for sixty days of combat operations. And to be honest, I am not sure the 2nd Kearny Highlanders are going to be very happy to leave Northwind with only their local defense force. This is the Combine we’re talking about here.”
There were murmurs of agreement with the last comment. It was an article of faith in the Draconis March that the DCMS ate babies and committed war crimes on any day ending in “y”. Worse, this was a wounded Combine, and Sandoval knew there had already been WMD used by both sides in the civil war. With worlds cleaving off from the Combine at an accelerating rate, there was no telling what the Combine would do to “Davion invaders” it could not stop with conventional means.
James, there is nothing you can do if that happens, you, Victor, Omi, and Katherine knew this operation was a risk. But something must be done or half the Draconis March is going to be up in arms. And who the hell was going to blame them, not after Helen…but sixty days of supplies? God in heaven, we’re going to be lucky if this even remotely works. At least the Dracs in Dieron seem to be in a hurry to leave the Combine. But the question is, do they want to join the Federated Commonwealth?
James exhaled and faced the multifunction holo display that was constantly updating with troop numbers and intelligence on the target worlds. Sandoval was bathed in warring colors of light. He took a pregnant pause to utter a short prayer and turned deliberately to face all those present. He met eyes with his son Tancred. I am sorry Tancred; it seems I will visit on others what was done to you. Please forgive me.
He took a breath and turned to Marshal Lugo. “Marshal Lugo, we go on the 31st of December with or without the 2nd Robinson. They can catch up. NAQAM is a go on the 6th of January. Tell the 1st New Ivaarsen to begin their move to Royal and to raid targets along the border at Leftenant General Johnson’s discretion, but not before the 6th. And remind her that her job is to keep the DCMS pinned along the frontier while the rest of us grab as much of Dieron as we can.”
James drew in another breath. There was no stopping it now. The die was cast.
“In most normal circumstances, NAQAM shouldn’t have worked. There was too little of everything and too much of the Combine up for grabs. But let it not be said James Sandoval didn’t have two things going for him…a sense of history, and an innate sense of timing. It also helped that the DCMS’s units along the border were as much as 10-15% understrength and some of them hadn’t seen anything in the way of supplies for months...”
From “Gambling for a Nation - How the Dieron March Came to Be” Alexander Kajori, Kentares Press, 3071
Operation NAQAM
1st Wave – January 3058
Diversionary Raids
Marduk
Attacking Forces: 1st New Ivaarsen Chasseurs
Defending Forces: 22nd Benjamin Regulars, Victory Industries Defense Battalion, Marduk Militia
The 22nd met the Chasseurs outside the planetary capital, with Tai-Sa Dirks trying to pin down the Chasseurs, using the militia as bait. The Chasseurs refused to take the bait, and instead, hit the Victory Industries plant, crushing the defense battalion. The Chasseurs stripped the plant to the walls. This was after the plant had just come back online in 3043 after the last Davion raid. After belting around the 22nd for two more weeks, they left the frustrated Combine defenders behind to explain to Coordinator Sakamoto how one of the Combine’s remaining ‘Mech factories was now just four walls and a roof.
Main Offensive
Al’Nair
Attacking Forces: 2nd Chisholm Raiders, Brigade from Addicks DMM, Union of Liberty Mercenary Battalion (Light/Green/Reliable)
Defenders: 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 15th Direon Regulars, 44th Dieron Regulars, Al’Nair Militia, Yorii Mech Works Defense Battalion. (A battalion of Atlases, Catapults, and Hatamoto-Chis)
The Davion invasion had better luck than it deserved, as the 44th Dieron was in the middle of a safety standdown after a training accident that had killed an entire lance of ‘Mechwarriors. The 15th was caught in their bases, and barely a mixed battalion managed to fight their way clear, as they were reinforced by the 44th. The 2nd consistently outmaneuvered the Direron Regulars, defeating them in detail before forcing the 4 battalions that remained to flee off-world to Styx. The Yorii Mech Battalion was defeated three days later in a nasty fight near the ‘Mech plant that saw the Union of Liberty take 70% casualties, and the Addicks DMM Brigade take 40% casualties. Yorii Mech Works was taken 65% intact, but the Scarborough Manufacturing plant was destroyed by DCMS combat engineers before the Dieron Regulars retreated.
Quentin
Attacking Forces: 1st NAIS Cadre, 2nd Kearny Highlanders
Defending Forces: 17th Benjamin Regulars
Both Davion units arrived in system late in the month but made up for lost time by quickly bottling up in the Steel Valley. The 17th was a shadow of its former self, having been stripped for replacements for the Clan front and was now a “sink” regiment of undesirables and barely competent mechwarriors. After some desultory attempts to break out of the siege, the regiment surrendered en masse on February 6th, 3058.
Fomalhaut
Attacking Forces: Draconis March Provisional Brigade (2 battalions of Mercenaries, The Undead Squad, and the Ghost Crew, both are medium weight, Regular/Reliable battalions, and 2 battalions from the Clovis DMM)
Defenders: Fomalhaut Militia
The attacking forces had little trouble disposing of the local militia, who was more worried about food riots and general unrest in the wake of the Combine Civil War. Many militia members were happy to enter Davion POW cages to keep them from the populace they had been so recently firing on to keep from the remaining food stores.
Saffel
Attacking Forces: Grey Snake Rangers (Veteran Medium weight Reliable Merc Battalion)
Defending Forces: Saffel Militia
The Rangers had little trouble assuming control of Saffel, as the CEO of the reconstituted Saffel Medical Institute and the planetary rulers saw little point in resisting the invasion. The decision was motivated mostly by the general economic collapse of the Combine in the wake of the Civil War, and that there was widespread starvation and disease on Saffel.
***********
“The first wave of NAQAM’s modest goals were successful beyond belief, considering the shoestring the operation was being conducted on. I will give Sandoval a lot of credit. He knew his history, and like the ancient song said, “He knew when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em, and when to run.” Something to be said for a commander like that…”
Unpublished Memoirs of Leftenant General Johnathan Sanchez, former CO of the 1st NAIS Cadet Cadre from 3044-65
“The level of resistance even loyal units is putting up against the Davion offensive is troubling, my lord. We will redouble our efforts to ensure the loyalty of the surviving DCMS and chase down the remaining O5P fugitives, lest they get any ideas of doing to you what was done to the late traitor Kurita. We have uncovered a nest of such traitors on Valentina and have dealt with them severely. I regret to say we have had less success in dealing with the secessionist traitors, as more such movements have appeared on Bad News and Land’s End. We have dispatched intervention battalions to deal with this scum, but it may take time, as the Dragon’s claws are overstretched now…
Excerpt from a report to Coordinator Sakamoto from the ISF, dated January 23rd, 3058
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walkir
Member
The bold " is redundant
Well...Dieron March it is!
Not too surprised by this...I'm wondering if the Lyran side of the FC is going to get in on the action now. You know, as a peace keeping and humanitarian mission.
Not too surprised by this...I'm wondering if the Lyran side of the FC is going to get in on the action now. You know, as a peace keeping and humanitarian mission.
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
Well, Vega and Kessel are getting the hell out of the lunatic asylum and are asking for admittance, so I reckon all available units will be sent to secure the new border, before the mass murder internal security forces arrive.
Yellowhammer
Well-known member
Superb chapter, Curtis, simply superb. Omi definitely shows her skills in espionage here.
(As I've joked, Omiko Steiner-Davion is polite, demure, modest, a perfect Japanese wife in public. Also it's an article of faith in the FedCom Military that Victor needed that Daishi Assault 'Mech to cart around the sheer weight of the brass balls he needed to marry and ride herd on a girl like her....)
(As I've joked, Omiko Steiner-Davion is polite, demure, modest, a perfect Japanese wife in public. Also it's an article of faith in the FedCom Military that Victor needed that Daishi Assault 'Mech to cart around the sheer weight of the brass balls he needed to marry and ride herd on a girl like her....)
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAAHAA!!!!!
Kujo
For the FEDCOM! For the Archon-Prince!
Looks like the Draconis March is playing Poland–Lithuania in "Relieving" Vienna (Dieron) and Duke James Sandoval playing John III Sobieski of that commonwealth. Yeah bit of a stretch but the video Winged Hussars is just too good to be denied for this action! Thank you.
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