OBT Forum
General BattleTech => Canon Inspired => Topic started by: masterarminas on May 07, 2012, 01:03:16 AM
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Okay, folks, I overreached with Revival Reborn; I know that. I am certain Drakensis could have told me I has grabbing for too much, but I wanted to at least try. But in between everything else I have been working on (Star Trek, Star Wars, my novel for Baen, Pathfinder, etc.), I've got this idea that keeps popping up in my head.
Bear with me as I outline it here. Starting about 3030, history is slightly changed. Mikhail Kirov becomes Khan of Clan Goliath Scorpion (I have no clue who was Khan at the time, by the way). Kirov is a forward thinker and he sees the impass between the Wardens and the Crusaders is something that will, eventually, be resolved. And is a pragmatist. All of the defections have so far been toward the Crusader camp, with the numbers of Wardens shrinking.
Although a staunch Warden himself, he orders a full review of the Scorpion toumen--and is not pleased by what is reported. Out-dated equipment, units of superbly trained Warriors who act as individuals and not formed units, a full sixth of his entire cadre of Warriors Seeking on their vision quests.
Meanwhile, the other Clans have leapt ahead of the stagnent Scorpions. With a mere four enclaves (five, if you include Strana Mechty) on Dagda, Roche, Tokasha, and Marshall, all of which have been traditionally seen as 'resource poor', the Scorpions were in a sorry state.
Furious over how the previous Khan and his saKhan (Gregor Lunde, who is still Kirov's saKhan), Kirov shakes up the system. He recruits a ristar named Nikolai Djerassi, newly promoted to command of the 20th Scorpion Cuirassier, to demand a Trial of Greivance against Lunde. Appearing surprised by this, but saddened greatly, Kirov grants the young Scorpion permission--to the abject horror of the saKhan. Djerassi kills him quickly.
Kirov then promotes Djerassi to saKhan and assigns Nikolai to get the Clan back into shape. All Seekers are recalled to duty, which brings the Loremaster (Angela Tazegul) to confront the Khan and Nikolai in a furor. Nikolai accepts her Trial of Refusal, but then she bids the entire Gamma Galaxy to defend her Seekers. Kirov puts the khibosh on that, but allows her to fight with a single Cluster. She accepts with the 3rd Scorpion Cuirassier and Nikolai meets her on Roche with his own 20th.
The Loremaster accuses Nikolai of ignoring the rules of Nicolas Kerensky when his well-training 20th begins tearing apart her own formation. The younger saKhan then informs the Loremaster that if she is so concerned with the Martial Code of Nicolas Kerensky, she should stand down her men and meet him in single combat--she agrees, and dies. Kirov takes the opportunity and appoints Randal Posavatz, a close associate of Nikolai as Loremaster.
Over the next five years, Kirov, Djerassi, and Posavatz reform and retrain the Scorpions, using the returning Seekers who are able to serve to fill out four new Clusters. In addition, saKhan Djerassi organizes the training cadre of the Scorpion sibkos on Dagda and Roche into the 51st and 52nd Reserve Dragoon (Cadre) Clusters. Each sibkin class is assigned to one of the two Cadre Clusters in their final year, before they actually qualify as warriors. Here they learn real tactics and strategy from the cockpits of real 'Mechs in the field.
The sudden glut of new Warriors and extensive Trials of Position spur Kirov to form a Scorpion Solahma Cluster, to which he assigns aging Warriors who hope for one final chance at glory. The remaining three Clusters are formed as Cuirassier formations, with one designated as the Knife Dance Keshik. The remaining two, remain independent and are assigned to the Clan's six galaxies on an 'as-needed' basis.
Although there are many in the rank-and-file who question these decisions, the pace of the reforms keeps all of the Warrior Caste too busy to do little more than complain--and by the end of 3035, the increase in battlefield effectiveness and general Clan morale is palatable. Part of this comes about when Kirov and Djerassi announce that fifteen new Garrison Clusters, consisting only of vehicles and conventional are being formed. These Garrison units--initially manned by failed Warriors assigned to Civilian castes--will be assuming much of the burden of garrison, freeing the Scorpion Toumen to play the Great Game with the other Clans.
Early in 3036, another surprise binds the Scorpions still closer to their Khan. Back in 3031, Khan Kirov ordered Scientists, Technicians, and Laborers to construct a major industrial complex in a deep cavern hidden beneath the Temple of the Nine Muses on Roche. At the same time, teams of Scientists began work on five new OmniMechs--OmniMechs designed by Scorpions for Scorpions. In 3036, the first products of that hidden factory were revealed. Although light on firepower, the new designs were heavily amored for their respective weight classes (35, 45, 55, 65, and 75 tons), ALL were equipped with jump jets for maximum mobility (one each speed from 6/9/6 to 8/12/8, plus two 5/8/5s), and EVERY configuration featured a targeting computer. Not one missile launcher was installed. Except for Artillery Configurations with Arrow IV on the 55 and 65 tonners.
These new OmniMechs began to trickle into the ranks of Alpha and Beta Galaxy by the summer of 3036, and both Gamma and Delta were promised their BattleMechs would begin being replaced by 3044. Epsilon and Zeta were last on the schedule, but at the current rate of production were expected to receive their new Omnis by 3052. Of course, the immediate results were explosive: OmniMechs (standard Clan models) from Alpha and Beta began to replace second-line BattleMechs in Gamma and Delta. Which then replaced old antiquated SLDF BattleMechs in Epsilon and Zeta.
Fast forward to 3048. Khan Kirov died in 3044, and now Nikolai Djerassi is Khan, with Randal Posavatz as saKhan. When the Jaguars reveal to the Grand Council that they have captured the Outbound Light and that the Inner Sphere has found the Clans, both men recognize that this is the moment--and they cannot stop the wave, only hope to ride it.
They shock the Council by siding with the Crusaders, and fiercely debate over Showers and Critchells plan of attack. Taken aback by the ferocity of the normally placid Scorpions, the Jaguar and Falcon quickly meet with Djerassi in private. When they question him, they discover that he wants the Scorpions assigned to the Invasion. Both men humor him, and promise Djerassi his Clan will have a place in the trials.
Selecting his finest unit, outfitted with the relatively new and still exclusively Scorpion OmniMechs, Djerassi watches in pleasure as his men tear through first the Cobras, then the Coyotes, and finally defeat the Diamond Sharks. All three Clans protest against the 'un-Clanlike' behavior of the Scorpion troops, but Djerassi--supported by the Khan of Clan Star Adder--successfully argue that if the Clans cannot defeat Warriors utilizing basic SLDF tactics, how do they expect to defeat the Inner Sphere bandit armies?
As the plans for the operation are being finalized, the Trials come down to the Falcons, Jaguars, Bears, Adders, Cats, Vipers, Scorpions, and Horses, with Clan Wolf assured an invasion lane. With slots for three active and two reserve Clans, the Trials begin, with the Adders being narrowly defeated by the Bears, the Vipers falling to the Falcons, the Jaguars defeating the Cats, and the Scorpions soundly defeating the Horses in a move that stunned the Crusader Clans.
However, ilKhan Showers proclaimed that the Scorpions bid for the invasion was too conservative, and awarded the final active Clan slots to the Jaguars, Bears, and Falcons, with the Vipers and Cats in reserve. The Adders and Horses both withdrew their bids, but Khan Djerassi was furious and he demanded a Trial of Refusal, over his forces denied a place despite defeating his opponent.
Heated words were exchanged between the new Jaguar Khan (??) Howell and Djerassi, and the Jaguars gained the honor of putting the Scorpions back into their place. Things did not work out so well. Personally leading his command Keshik, Nikolai Djerassi fought against Khan Howell and killed him in battle, routing the Jaguar forces. Furious over the loss, ilKhan Showers--unable to avenge his former saKhan--compromised and created a third 'Reserve to the Reserve' Clan and assigned to the Scorpions to that slot.
From here things proceed according to canon, with the Scorpions on-hand (with Alpha and Beta Galaxy, the Knife Dance Keshik, the 20th and 26th Scorpion Cuirassier, and the Scorpion Solahma Cluster; 12 Line Clusters in all, with another 10 Garrison Clusters in support). Forbidden from actual combat operations (as the Reserve to the Reserve Clan), Djerassi and his Star Colonels took note of each and every setback and triumph. They brought forward and posistioned huge reserves of materials, munitions, and supplies--and they bartered with Clans Ghost Bear and Wolf when the need for PGCs was suddenly realized. The ten Scorpion Garrison Clusters proved instrumental in calming down the former Rasalhague worlds.
Then comes the death of ilKhan Showers. Djerassi argues against returning the Homeworlds, but his debate fails to alter the vote. A year is wasted through which Ulric Kerensky is elected as ilKhan.
The invasion resumes, and once again, Nikolai is disappointed when Ulric activates the Vipers and the Cats, but not his Scorpions. As the invasion restarts, Nikolai begins to question the ilKhan, arguing about the wisdom of assigning the Vipers with the Falcons and the Cats with Jaguars. As these four Clans begin fighting each other over worlds, Nikolai becomes more and more alarmed--he fears that the ilKhan is sabotaging the invasion. Although a Warden, the very idea of such an act is . . . unthinkable to a Clansman.
Taking his concerns to the ilKhan, Nikolai is assured that the success of the invasion is very much on Ulric's mind, but the Scorpions fears are not eased. And then comes Tukayyid.
Finally allowed to participate in battle, Nikolai shocks the assembled Khans when he refuses to bid away his WarShip support. Ulric thunders at him, but the Scorpion stands his ground--and cites the Martial Code. Not even the ilKhan can command a Khan to lower his bid in actual combat. This is in addition to the fact that he bids all 12 of his Line Clusters and 4 Garrison Clusters. Ulric finally backs down, but the inclusion of the capital ships and the large bid means that the Scorpions will land 24 hours after the Wolves touch down Dead last.
Most believe that Nikolai chose poorly.
The battle progresses according to canon, but when the Scorpions hit dirt they ripped through the relatively inexperienced Eighth Army with a combination of speed, mobility, and precision fire that the ComGuards simply could not believe. With the Eighth routed, Djerassi pivoted and tore into the Second Army--already understrength and manned by green troops. The ComGuards were unable to stand against the onslaught, and retreated as Focht desperately arranged for the Fifth Army to move in and repel the Scorpions from Kozice Prime and Urcunat. Although the combat drop of the Fifth directly atop the Scorpion positions gave the ComGuards an opportunity to reclaim the cities, the mauled Eighth and Second were unable to provide assistance. A desperate stand by the Scorpion Solahma at the head of the free-born Garrison Clusters held back the Fifth long enough for saKhan Posavatz to arrive with Beta Galaxy and send the robe a'running.
By this point, the ilKhan was facing that the Vipers, Cats, and Jaguars had been defeated, the Falcons fought to a draw, and the Wolves, Bears, and Scorpions were victorious. The battle was in balance, and Ulric was concerned about the status of the remaining three Clans--Wolves, Bears, and Scorpions--and their supplies. The other four had withdrawn, three in disgrace and one licking its painful wounds and mourning the loss of a great Warrior.
The Scorpions had taken grevious casualties, including the loss of saKhan Posavatz. The ilKhan was urging both Nikolai and the Bears tattered leadership into admitting their defeat. It was at that moment that Nikolai Djerassi won the Battle of Tukayyid. Comming Star Admiral Elijah Ben-Shimon aboard the GSS Serket in orbit, he ordered his WarShips to immediately begin an orbital bombardment of all Comstar troop concentrations.
Ulric countermands the order. Nikolai confirms it and warns the ilKhan not to interfere--his ships had been bid by the customs of the Clans. "And after all, Nicolas himself ordered my very Clan to use such weapons on Dagda, did he not?"
Focht watches in horror as his concentrations of troops are burnt and shattered from orbital fire--before his command bunker is the target of a direct hit. The Precentor Martial dies.
Less than seventeen hours later, all of the surviving Comguard units have surrendered.
Of course, it is for naught. The Primus has launched Operation Scorpion (funny about that name) and refuses to hand over Terra. Ulric is disgraced by her perfidity.
And that is as far as I have gotten in my outline. Any ideas? Thoughts? Suggestions? Should I write it?
Master Arminas
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This will be apolitical **** storm of enormous magnitude. The rest of 3052, with gutted Clans, a weak sphere, Waterly still in charge and Ulric weakened will make for some excellent divergence points.
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It's a very interesting sequence of events. Both Ulric and Nikolai are likely to face Trials of Greivance, either against each other or by other Clans.
The Inner Sphere are rallying troops and have been given a further pause in the invasion to continue, while Waterly just jumped to the number one target. At this point the Clans are going to hit Terra even if they have to bypass every world on their path, even if they're attacking with two injured Solahma with rifles, they are going after Waterly.
Meanwhile the rest of the Inner Sphere is rallying and taking control of the HPGs. Without Focht to grant prestige to ComStar, the organisation is finished.
The FedCom will have brought massive reinforcements to bear and have more time to rearm but an attack on Terra by the Clans threatens them most and Hanse Davion is probably still dead. With the Clans exhausted this is the best time to counterattack but they arguably can't. Also, there's the menace of warships which are back on the table as a threat. I suspect that the DCA will make taking out Clan warships a priority to the point of Kamikaze tactics and it's not impossible that the Steiners might decide to do the same (they use the Seydlitz in combat which is pretty suicidal already).
The FWL is probably in the best place to restore their HPG network given Thomas Marik's connections, and they may also send more units forward to fight against the Clans.
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Also keep in mind, that with Waterly still in charge, the real Thomas Marik still around, and a ComStar sans-Reform the suicidal-religious ferocity of ComStar may very well be unleashed upon the Clans sooner rather than later.
I'm not talking about Shadow Divisions, etc., but suicidal use of the ComGuard fleet, tactical nukes in space, etc. Given your newly-written flexibility, timing is everything (like when did the WoB or ComStar create said Shadow Divisions, or how long will it take for Terra's armament factories to get into full swing again with the full backing of ComStar?)
What if Waterly went public with the true identity and goals of the Clans (I'm not sure by 3052 the entire Inner Sphere knew the full extent of the Clan's origins, goals or method of assimilation), would ComStar receive a huge influx of eager (albeit untrained) recruits spoiling to fight the Clans? I'm sure Operation Scorpion won't help that much...
The fact that the Chaos March hasn't been created and the Terran Corridor is a peaceful zone, I doubt she'd get much old-school Terran support.
I wonder if ComStar would be reduced to using Taurian Reunification War tactics to stem the tide...
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Question: would Focht's Comguard (the survivors) serve the Clans as bondsmen? Or would they consider themselves prisoners of war? Bound to resist by any means?
The largest difference in the BoT is that the Scorpions land with their full Invasion Force, whereas the Sharks (in canon) landed just FIVE clusters. Eleven front-line Clusters, a Solaham, and four PGCs instead of FOUR front-line and a second-line unit. That gives Nikolai enough reserves to react to Fifth Army's combat drop and pull out a victory in the (formerly) Shark engagement zone.
Do I have Ulric's reaction right? Would he try to stop Nikolai from using his ships against the (mostly) evacuated planet (no civilians, only military targets, remember)? Should he try and stop the battle when it tetters on the verge of victory--or is he more savvy than that? Ulric is a hard character to read sometimes, and I am not exactly certain.
Master Arminas
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I'm fairly certain he'd rail against the inclusion of the WarShip in the original bid since it undermines the pseudo-ban on WarShips after Turtle Bay. Despite Ulric's Warden ideals, he's still a Clanner. So I'm fairly certain he's a firm believer that the Clans will triumph over the Guard at Tukayyid. If so, then the Scorpion's WarShip is a premature challenge to the existing status quo - especially if you consider that the ComGuard fleet is still a no-show and the Great Houses haven't deployed any WarShips yet.
However, as the battle begins to turn against the Clans it's a coin flip whether or not Ulric would continue to challenge use of the WarShip. With so much on the line - even for a Warden - and the lack of civilian targets, I'm not sure he'd fight its use.
Ulric's a pretty smart guy. As a Warden he always struck me as the type of character who would always lead from the front. So as a Warden, if he were incapable of stopping an invasion, but then given the opportunity to direct it, I fully expect Ulric to go the extra distance. After all, the final say in the Warden/Crusader debate is to become the ilClan.
Ulric's pragmatic attitude lends me to believe that if the opportunity to win at Tukayyid presented itself he'd seize it so that he could continue to maneuver his Wolves into a better position - perhaps even gaining the ilClan slot further down the line.
However, with the Scorpions effectively "saving the day" at Tukayyid, he's have a serious contender with the Scorpion Khan. However, however even more...should Ulric and the Scorpion start to work together after the battle (say Ulric final take the Scorps seriously), then you have a tremendous Warden power bloc in the Grand Council post-Tukayyid. Under Ulric's leadership and the momentum/prestige earned by the Scorpions could translate into a serious lead ahead of the other Invading Clans.
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What surprises me a little is that the Scorpion Khan doesn't face more Trials.
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And here is the Solaris VII armory with the new Scorpion machines (I made a change and there are only 4 new Omnimechs (35, 45, 55, and 70 tons). ALL of them have jump jets as fixed equipment, plus targeting computers. No missile weapons, not in any configuration. Very much in the Scorpion style.
http://www.solaris7.com/Armory/ArmoryInfo.asp?ID=2547
Ice, he will face PLENTY of Trials. This isn't the actual story, it is only a bare-bones outline/synopsis that I am using to plan out the story.
Master Arminas
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Seems more likely to me that the ComGuard Aerospace forces would destroy the Scorpion WarShip fleet. Plus, by failing to bid-away the WarShips or any of his forces, the Scorpions look to me like they're setting themselves up to have another Clan bid for the Scorpion targets (in addition to their own), since the Scorpions are obviously so afraid of the ComGuards. I think that'd be a major challenge to your plan for the Scorpions to single-handedly win the BoT.
On the other hand, since they unilaterally destroyed every other Clan's enemies without permission, I'd expect the Scropions to be facing a pretty serious challenge for Annihilation due to the flagrant violation of Zellbringen. Certainly the Khan is going to face trials of Un-Clan-like attitude.
I think your overall attempt to bring sense to the Clans (in the form of sensible military tactics) would, itself, be seen as a threat to the Clan way of life. The Clans - rightly or wrongly - are a duelist culture, rather than a military one. And I don't see overturning that being anywhere as simple as this. And the first question I'd ask is, if the Scorpions had the resources to build a secret new 'mech production center why hadn't they done it before? I think you need to reform the society before you can reform the equipment (you can then use their newfound sense of unity & purpose to claim workers in all castes became more efficient, imaginative and effective). I think you'd also be better off having the Scorpions sit out the first campaign (their reforms hadn't quite taken effect yet, say), but let them send observers. This lets them benefit from the first part of Revival without having to change canon too much (or that silly "Reserve of the Reserve"), but let them fight their way into the second part of the campaign -- if only as reserves, so they can still make the BoT.
On the other hand...if you're going to let the Clans use basic military tactics and all the weapons at their disposal, it's only right if the DCMS and AFFC can do the same...and I think that'd stop the Clanners long before they got to Tukayyid. And the Inner Sphere forces are a hell of a lot more experienced in war than the Clans -- who only know how to fight duels.
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Seems more likely to me that the ComGuard Aerospace forces would destroy the Scorpion WarShip fleet. Plus, by failing to bid-away the WarShips or any of his forces, the Scorpions look to me like they're setting themselves up to have another Clan bid for the Scorpion targets (in addition to their own), since the Scorpions are obviously so afraid of the ComGuards. I think that'd be a major challenge to your plan for the Scorpions to single-handedly win the BoT.
On the other hand, since they unilaterally destroyed every other Clan's enemies without permission, I'd expect the Scropions to be facing a pretty serious challenge for Annihilation due to the flagrant violation of Zellbringen. Certainly the Khan is going to face trials of Un-Clan-like attitude.
I think your overall attempt to bring sense to the Clans (in the form of sensible military tactics) would, itself, be seen as a threat to the Clan way of life. The Clans - rightly or wrongly - are a duelist culture, rather than a military one. And I don't see overturning that being anywhere as simple as this. And the first question I'd ask is, if the Scorpions had the resources to build a secret new 'mech production center why hadn't they done it before? I think you need to reform the society before you can reform the equipment (you can then use their newfound sense of unity & purpose to claim workers in all castes became more efficient, imaginative and effective). I think you'd also be better off having the Scorpions sit out the first campaign (their reforms hadn't quite taken effect yet, say), but let them send observers. This lets them benefit from the first part of Revival without having to change canon too much (or that silly "Reserve of the Reserve"), but let them fight their way into the second part of the campaign -- if only as reserves, so they can still make the BoT.
On the other hand...if you're going to let the Clans use basic military tactics and all the weapons at their disposal, it's only right if the DCMS and AFFC can do the same...and I think that'd stop the Clanners long before they got to Tukayyid. And the Inner Sphere forces are a hell of a lot more experienced in war than the Clans -- who only know how to fight duels.
Yes, the Reserve of the Reserve is a bit silly: but in effect that is what the Sharks were during the Invasion. The original plans called for four Active and one Reserve Clan. That was then altered to two Reserves, and then the Sharks were added as a 'final reserve'. Of course, that was done by Stackpole and FASA so that Ulric could bog down the Falcons and Jaguars when they were paired with the reserve Vipers/Cats; and they needed SEVEN Clans to hit Tukayyid so that two wins and a two close fights wouldn't stalemate.
Comguard Aerospace Forces? The same ones that have been fighting the Clans for two solid weeks? Against a Star of fresh WarShips with fighters and assault ships of their own? I'd take that fight.
Ah, but Halvagor, by their own actions earlier in the Invasion, bidding WarShips was commonly accepted Clan practice. They didn't stop as a show of disdain to the Inner Sphere; they stopped because Ulric bid his own away! Nikolai returning to the earlier common practice isn't a sign of fear--merely one of not allowing his Clan to be swayed by a need to match his fellows. Remember that Tukayyid was the first (and only) time that the Sharks were allowed to engage during the Invasion. They weren't bidding for the right to assault a Target; Ulric had already stated that all seven Clans would participate. (Primarily because if one didn't and the rest were defeated, that Clan could claim the Truce didn't apply to them.) They bid against each other to determine the order they would land and which two targets they would assault.
So, really, all I see with the 'inflated' and 'conversative' bid by Nikolai is moving the Scorpions BEHIND the Wolves, who in canon landed seven full days after the first fighting began.
Now, I don't doubt that there would indeed be Trials of Greviance and/or Refusal, but the Clans that had already withdrawn from the combat don't have a leg to stand on--especially since Focht was redeploying his forces to gang up on the Clans that remained. One could argue that Tukayyid had already become a grand melee from the moment any Clan forces were attacked by a Comguard Division already assigned to another Clan.
Just my thoughts.
Master Arminas
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The ComGuards should have deployed 39 AeroSpace fighters per each of ~70 divisions, or 2700+ fighters. And as AeroSpace was listed as the one area where all IS forces had rough parity with the Clanners, I doubt that two weeks of solid fighting had done enough damage to the ComGuard Aerospace forces to make them incapable of dealing with a measely star of WarShips. That's 270 stars of fighters, or 90 trinaries of fighters, or 20-30 clusters of fighters, or 4-6 galaxies of fighters. How many did the combined clans bring to the fight?
Focht is also not portrayed as a fool. Might he not have had the ComGuard fleet hidden somewhere in the system, in case the Crusaders tried to pull something on Ulric?
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So, of those 2,730 ComGuard aerospace fighters, how many do you think were lost during the fighting? ASF on bombing and strafing runs tend to HEAVY casualties, after all (hence the term 'lawn-darts' that many do use for ASF).
We know the following:
The Jaguars had two Galaxies (Alpha and Beta), including a number of units not shown in Invading Clans (6th Jaguar Draoons, Jaguar Grenadiers, and the 122th Striker cluster).
Clan Nova Cat fielded three Galaxies (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma).
The Vipers also fielded three Galaxies (Alpha and Gamma were front-line, and the second-line Zeta in reserve).
The Sharks had the smallest contribution: 5 clusters in canon. But my own Scorpions will be taking their place.
The Bears bid three front-line Galaxies: Alpha, Beta, and Delta.
The Falcons also bid all three of their front-line Galaxies; Delta, Vau, and Gamma.
The Wolves fielded three Galaxies as well: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.
AND we know that the ComGuards took 40% fatalities of the twelve Armies that they committed, with many more injured.
Estimates of Clan ASF as as follows: the Falcons deployed 559 Omnifighters, the Bears 460, the Vipers 195, the Cats 240, the Jaguars 120, and the Wolves are unknown. That is from this site: http://psychopompousgb.xanga.com/tags/tukayyid/
That is 1,574 Omnifighters, exclusive of the Wolf and Scorpion contribution. My Scorpions field another 384, plus their WarShip has an additional 90. That is 2,048; before we include the Wolves. Assuming the Wolves field 20-30 aerospace fighters per cluster, that would put another 300-450 ASF in the air on the Clan side of things: Let's split the difference at 375.
Final numbers are 2,423 (Clan) vs. 2,730 (Comstar), a difference of about 11% in strength. Which given the higher levels of tech in Clan fighters makes it about even.
Of course, my numbers could be wrong: does anyone here on site have an accurate number on Clan and Comstar troop strength at Tukayyid?
Master Arminas
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Your argument are getting neater the more people pick at them. I think the major fallout will be weather the Scorpions and Wolves act together after Tukkayid. Individually they can be cut down by the Crusaders for either setting Tukkayid up, or for Dezgra tactics, weather either charge has a basis of fact or not. Together, they can dramatically change the stance and charecter of the invasion, but what the Scorpins do next, in order to win IS territory to base from will be a critical action.
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Final numbers are 2,423 (Clan) vs. 2,730 (Comstar), a difference of about 11% in strength. Which given the higher levels of tech in Clan fighters makes it about even.
Keep in mind also that while Clan Aerospace Pilots and Inner Sphere Pilots were considered to have achieved rough parity (unlike MechWarriors), the ComGuard Aerospace arm is completely un-blooded. In comparison to a House regular, the ComGuard is down right green. So if your 2,423 vs. 2,730 is correct then the Clan had a pretty distinct aerospace advantage.
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Those numbers will not remain constant, though. The Scorpion bombardment would occur at the point where the Battle was officially 'called' in canon. And by that point, the Comguards had taken 40% dead! Casualties among the Clans ranged from 20% (dead) for Clan Wolf to 32% (once again dead) for Clan Smoke Jaguar; with similar percentages for wounded on both sides!
The Battle raged for twenty-one days straight . . . the bombardment would occur on either Day 21 or 22.
Master Arminas
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I dunno about that, Knightmare, for a couple reasons. First, the ComGuards, per all the sourcebooks, were kept at a high state of training, which is why Waterly was able to intimidate the Great Houses with them after they became public following the Fourth War. Second, the ComGuards field Star League equipment almost exclusively at Tukayyid, which means the technology gap is much narrower for the ComGuards than for the Great Houses.
The site listed by Master Arminas gives the following experience breakdown for the ComGuards by division:3 Elite, 16 Veteran, 24 Regular, 28 Green. 71 divisions, if each has 39 aerofighters as the post-Tukayyid divisions do, this makes for 2769 fighters.
The author of the page gives an overall estimate of 2800 fighters to 2500. Of course, this assumes the Clans didn't bid away some of their fighters, which is the sort of foolish thing the Clans do all the time.
Per Lost Destiny, at Luthien the Nova Cats & Smoke Jaguars "never came close" to killing 1.3 Inner Sphere 'mechs for each of their own lost, and it was that 1.3 number which the Clans needed to reach in order to win at Tukayyid, assuming they had full forces, nothing bid away internally.
Even assuming the ComGuards took 70% material casualties, by the time the Scorpion WarShips are called in they should still have 600-800 AeroSpace fighters, vs your 90 fighters in the WarShip contingent and 5-6 WarShips.
I recommend reading his methodology (http://psychopompousgb.xanga.com/729528516/the-tukayyid-campaign-introduction/), however, especially in light of the existing thread asking what sources people value. For the purposes of that examination of Tukayyid, novels trump everything else, because they're novels. The sourcebooks, naturally, tend to either blindly quote or outright disagree with each other.
I would also like to echo Blacknova's point that this is clearly getting more believable the more we challenge it. I personally think the Clans should have come to a crushing halt shortly into the first year, because a single cluster vs an RCT is a great way for the Inner Sphere to gain Clan salvage, yet those are the number disparities which the Clanners routinely mop the floor against in the novels & sourcebooks. An RCT vs an entire galaxy would come down to difference in command, and the Clans don't operate in formations that size as often as the Inner Sphere militaries -- especially the post-Fourth War militaries of the AFFC and the DCMS benefiting from the Dragoons model (via the Ryoken) and Teddy Kurita's much-heralded reforms (which seem much more thorough in the sourcebooks than the novels, which makes sense to me from a top-down bureaucratic vision).
On the other hand, I'm not sure that your argument for why the Scorpions can orbitally-bombard all the ComGuard forces on Tukayyid freely holds up. Maybe I misunderstand Zellbringen, but as it's portrayed in the fiction, the fact that other people can't hit their targets doesn't automatically give the Scorpions the right to do so. As in the case of Natasha's comments at the end of her and Phelan's Trials -- it's dishonorable to steal someone else's target even if they can't attack it. To the point where Natasha would have let Phelan die (despite Ulric's needs & plans for the boy) rather than attack Vlad, even though Phelan's mech was clearly disabled and incapable of combat. Only their pre-start agreement to share targets allowed Natasha to save Phelan when he was incapable of saving himself.
By the same token, the Scorpions would only be authorized to attack their own targets. If they seize their objectives, well and good. Glory for the Clan. But just because they got theirs does not mean they can go attack the targets of the Clans which had quit. Targets were assigned to each Clan, and the Clans themselves bid for the targets they attacked and the time they could land. The fact that the ComGuards weren't behaving according to Zellbringen wouldn't matter -- they're not Clanners, and do not need to follow Clan rules in combat.
Nor were the ComGuard troops the goal of the battles on Tukayyid -- each fight was a battle to seize objectives. Destroying all the ComGuards after the battle was "over" is unlikely to sit well with the other Clans. Whether they can do anything about it after the fact is another story. Per Zellbringen, I'd argue that a general melee wouldn't matter, as the goal was not to gain kills, as in a Trial of Position, but to seize territory -- the troops defending those targets were not included in the bargain. We'd probably need a group of Loremasters to decide in the end.
And finally, given the highly political nature of the Clan competition, if the Scorpions fail to bid away some of their forces, I can see another Clan launching a claim that they are cowards and incompetent -- afraid of the ComGuards. This is a pretty serious charge, which could likely get them booted out of the battle completely at this point, especially if Ulric applies some pressure over their refusal to bid away their WarShips. All of which assumes Ulric didn't ban WarShips from the bid in general. Ulric did however, per Lost Destiny, establish the upper limit on total Galaxies for the battle of Tukayyid at 25 -- three per Clan, except Wolf, who would be allowed the extra four galaxies (two of which Ulric bid away, leaving the Wolfs with only 5). It seems Ghost Bear got at least one of those extra Galaxies, but either way, the Scorpions would be constrained to three, which would seemingly be the two line Galaxies and the line Clusters, with none of the PGCs. I'm not certain if you were including the PGCs in your bid for the Scorpions or not. But per the setup, they'd be barred.
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A Galaxy consists of up to seven Clusters, though it can be as few as two, and normally doesn't exceed five. Since the Scorpions have 12 front line Clusters (the Knife Dance Keshik, the two 'independent' Curassier Clusters, and four Clusters each in Alpha and Beta Galaxy), they could add all four of the Garrison Clusters and still remain at three Galaxies. Of course, some other Clan might well take exception to that, but the Falcons used 22 Clusters among their 3 front-line Galaxies (not sure if all were present at Tukayyid), including 3 Solahma and 3 Eyrie Clusters.
You are quite true about the Comguard being highly trained, but for a (rather) large percentage, Tukayyid was their first combat. And that Star League is mostly TRO: 2750 designs, which are far from the cutting edge of SLDF technology, albeit better in many respects than level 1 IS standard.
Now, as to the Scorpions attacking other objectives; well, they don't. Focht was already redeploying forces freed from the withdrawal of the Cats, Falcons, Jaguars, and Vipers (Sharks as well in canon) to move them against the Wolves and Bears. All the Scorpions (and Bears and Wolves) have to do is sit tight and then attack the ComGuards as they come to them. Remember as well, the Jaguars didn't want to withdraw: one of their Clusters (the 6th Jaguar Dragoons) in fact disobeyed the ilKhan's withdrawal order and attacked on their own--they had a total of six individuals survive.
The stakes for Tukayyid are incredibly high: it was a proxy fight for Terra itself.
Zell only holds for as long as both sides adhere to it. As soon as the Comguards used mines, or concentrated fire on a single Clan 'Mech, Zell should have--and did--go out the window.
And finally, given the highly political nature of the Clan competition, if the Scorpions fail to bid away some of their forces, I can see another Clan launching a claim that they are cowards and incompetent -- afraid of the ComGuards. This is a pretty serious charge, which could likely get them booted out of the battle completely at this point, especially if Ulric applies some pressure over their refusal to bid away their WarShips. All of which assumes Ulric didn't ban WarShips from the bid in general.
Oh, there will be probably be plenty of Trials of Refusal and Greviance arising from this, but really the Clan system does not do what you are saying here. If one party does not wish to lower a bid, he cannot be forced to. That is his bid. Now, he might gain shame from or derision from the other Clans (for precisely the reasons that you state), but he cannot be made to lower his bid. And since the bids for Tukayyid were only for landing location and time of the landings, not to participate in the battle itself, really there is nothing the other Clans can do. The Jaguars bid a mere nine Clusters (including the three Keshik trinaries), winning the first landing zone. The Cats went in with slightly more. But the Falcons pretty much bid their whole force, as did the Bears, and so did Ulric.
Master Arminas
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All True and now everything is being refined by all these great opinions
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What if Star Adders and Goliath Scorpions had more weight in the Clans way of doing warfare since the beginning?
And I agree with Halvagor, Inner Sphere commanders are more used to bigger coordinated fights and it makes also more sense for them to fight with RCT and such.
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The principle issue with Clan numbers versus Inner Sphere numbers is that on neither side did warfare usually mean the full force of both sides forming up and fighting in one place. Instead battles taken the form of large numbers of sub-units - companies, binaries and trinaries; sometimes even just lances and stars - fighting dozens of small clashes spread out over a period of space and time. Reading through the three Invading Clan sourcebooks, very few worlds were won in a single sharp battle but in a series of smaller ones.
There was an article - I don't have a link unfortunately - titled The Golden Horde, on CBT a long time ago that analyzed the OmniMechs of TRO 3050 to judge the impact of the Clans' equipment compared to that of the Inner Sphere. With the exception of assault 'Mechs, the least common designs in any force, there was a substantial speed edge to the Clans. Thus they could engage or dis-engage easily, not mention holding ranges open where their longer reach gave them the advantage. Thus they very rarely needed to fight any single clash at a disadvantage and if they were out-numbered could maneuver for space and engage while only one enemy could reach them. This is a matter of individual Mechwarriors making the best use of their equipment, not of widespread team tactics, so there's no reason the Clans couldn't do this.
Obviously with the gap in individual firepower due to Clan's use of lighter weapons and near universal use of double heatinks, Inner Sphere 'Mechs are not going to win those contests unless they uptech (as with the ComGuards), can hamper mobility or range (Wolcott's swamps or Twycross's storms) or force a massive set-piece in a confined space (Luthien). Not to mention that Inner Sphere light mechs and tanks in a recon role will be torn apart by the more aggressively built Clan lights, leaving Inner Sphere commanders without a good idea of where the Clans are, greatly impairing their ability to move reserves to counter the faster Clan units.
While the Clans logistics aren't too clever, they do have some advantages in repairs as well. While supplies last, omnitech means that weapons and some internal components can be replaced with far more ease that Inner Sphere Mechs. Thus, while an IS Mech damaged might have armour patched up but have to accept that some weapons can't be fixed easily, the Clans will quite often be able to yank out damaged weapons and slot intact ones in even faster than armour patches can be welded into place. Rather than feeding ammunition into bins they can simply yank the whole ammo bin and replace it with a new one.
Therefore Clans would tend to erode an inner sphere force over a few days by hitting them, pulling out after scoring a few kills and then sallying out again, repaired, to do so again while their adversary is left blinded, unable to form concentrations of firepower necessary to hit back effectively.
Once these advantages were understood, and the Inner Sphere was thinking how to counter it (and build their own advanced 'Mechs) this slipped away, but through most of 3050 the Inner Sphere forces might as well have been the dumb blonde in a horror movie, unable to hit back, sometimes not even aware what was going on until it was much too late. It's not surprising that some refused even to try to fight back.
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Not to throw a wet blanket on the whole thread but the Scorpions have much to overcome to be an Invading Clan. Their military prowess is impressive granted but they are pretty resource poor. Love the reforms and all but blood from a stone just ain't gonna happen. What I'm saying is they need to some how build their power before the Clans depart the Homeworlds. You have a good basis for this with your Seeker recall and new OmniMechs which would be extremely taxing - where are these factories and resources for these new models. These new designs would draw immediate interest from the more aggressive Clans like Smokre Jaguar whose thunder you could steal.
Smoke Jaguar is the one Invading Clan who is resource poor yet preys upon the children of Kerensky to create their prosperity. No Falcon banking, Wolf cunning, or Bear industry. I suppose Steel Viper and Blood Spirit are lesser examples of this "we take what we want prosperity" but Smoke Jaguar is my choice for you to make the hay for Scorpion success. If the Scorpions successfully tangle with the Jags and knock them for their perch taking worlds instituting wiser economic policies you'd have a good basis for an Invading Clan.
Another option could be absorbing a Clan prior to the invasion perhaps in 3025 like Burrock if their Dark Caste activity was discovered then by the Scorpions. You'd have your resources and quite possibly an alliance with Star Adder or Blood Spirit. I'd also advise merchant deals with Snow Raven or Diamond Shark a scientific exchange with the Coyotes to help design your Mechs but I'd urge you to build the Scorpions resources prior to invasion.
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From Colonel Drakensis's Introduction to Clan Warfare, 3rd Edition, NAIS Press, New Avalon, 3067.
That was an excellent summary of the Clan advantages in combat during the early invasion period.
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Not to throw a wet blanket on the whole thread but the Scorpions have much to overcome to be an Invading Clan. Their military prowess is impressive granted but they are pretty resource poor. Love the reforms and all but blood from a stone just ain't gonna happen. What I'm saying is they need to some how build their power before the Clans depart the Homeworlds. You have a good basis for this with your Seeker recall and new OmniMechs which would be extremely taxing - where are these factories and resources for these new models. These new designs would draw immediate interest from the more aggressive Clans like Smokre Jaguar whose thunder you could steal.
Smoke Jaguar is the one Invading Clan who is resource poor yet preys upon the children of Kerensky to create their prosperity. No Falcon banking, Wolf cunning, or Bear industry. I suppose Steel Viper and Blood Spirit are lesser examples of this "we take what we want prosperity" but Smoke Jaguar is my choice for you to make the hay for Scorpion success. If the Scorpions successfully tangle with the Jags and knock them for their perch taking worlds instituting wiser economic policies you'd have a good basis for an Invading Clan.
Another option could be absorbing a Clan prior to the invasion perhaps in 3025 like Burrock if their Dark Caste activity was discovered then by the Scorpions. You'd have your resources and quite possibly an alliance with Star Adder or Blood Spirit. I'd also advise merchant deals with Snow Raven or Diamond Shark a scientific exchange with the Coyotes to help design your Mechs but I'd urge you to build the Scorpions resources prior to invasion.
Another option is to fall back on the Scorpion strength: underwater mining. Utilizing massive expansion of underwater operations, away from the prying eyes of the other Clans. these mining centers link into the underground facilities through hidden entrances, creating an enclave hidden within an enclave. Even if the OverEnclave is taken, the attackers would not get the UnderEnclave as they never bidded for it.
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Well put drakensis.
I always found Tukayyid to stand out as the odd bird during this period simply because Focht was one of the first commanders to "get smart" to the Clan combat style and psychology...and was (luckily) afforded the right circumstances to actually use what he learned on his terms.
While using tactics most Inner Sphere armies had long considered their bread and butter, yet exceedingly frustrating for the Clans certainly helped win the battle, I think a large part of the ComGuards' success came directly from the nature of the venue.
Tukayyid was a proxy battle for Terra.
The weight of that outcome and its impact on the Invading Clans shouldn't be underestimated. I can only imagine what the thought of earning Terra through a Trial of Possession was doing to the psych of even the most dire-hard Warden. Regardless of political direction, Trials of Possession through combat speak to the very fiber of the Clans...the poor slots were probably salivating at the thought of precious Terra.
This type of anxious "all or nothing" energy with a prize that big was exploited. No question about it. Focht's war of attrition likely exacerbated and exploded the condition, thereby feeding the cycle as the battle wore on. With so much on the line, the Clans (as a whole) would do nothing less but continue to fully commit. At some point reckless abandon becomes a pretty good adjective to describe their war effort.
The only Clan seemingly unaffected are your Scorpions. Their actions just seem a little too cool, too calm perhaps for the scenario. But that's just me after a second re-read.
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I do agree that firepower and speed are with the Clans and that they have a better repair service than the Inner Sphere when we think about a battle on a world and not about the whole campaign.
However most of the Inner Sphere forces were facing other threats (ie other Inner Sphere powers).
But if the Clans have better tactics, why wouldn't the Inner Sphere have some too?
After all, I read again the 3 "Invasion books" and I could hardly find any battle where RCT were used to the best.
It seems as if they didn't manage to work together or made bad tactical moves or were ignored by the other defenders...
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Revising the Outline according to your suggestions. Here is what I have so far (Part II, 3045-3052 should be up in a little while).
Timeline for Scorpion Rising (Working Title), Part I (3030-3044)
3030: Mikhail Kirov becomes Khan of Clan Goliath Scorpion. Displeased with the current status of his clan he arranges for ristar Nikolai Djerassi to challenge saKhan Gregor Lunde to a Trial of Grievance, defeating him and becoming saKhan. Scorpion Seekers are recalled to service, expanding the toumen from eight front-line and sixteen second-line Clusters to eleven front-line, sixteen second-line, and one Solahma Cluster. Loremaster Angela Tazegul objects and fights a Trial of Refusal in which she is killed. Randal Posavatz (another ristar of Nikolai’s generation) becomes Loremaster.
3031: Kirov diverts fund from civilian projects to construct a new, modern Manufacturing Complex on Roche. An underground cavern deep beneath the Temple of the Nine Muses is selected as the site ensuring a high level of security and defensive capabilities. Djerassi reforms the Scorpion training sibkos, focusing less on individual Warrior tactics and reintroducing the new Scorpion sibkin to the tactics used by the SLDF. Many dissenters in the Scorpion ranks protest this change in training, but lack the numbers to alter the Clan’s new course. The Scorpion toumen begins regular, large-scale maneuvers aimed at instructing the veteran Warriors in these same tactics. Kirov challenges Clan Wolf to a Trial of Possession for Star Colonel Vlad Dinour—by now an old man—and once again Dinour becomes a Scorpion. He is placed in charge of the Scorpion sibko program, taking the title Master of Instruction.
3032: In clandestine meetings with the Khans of Clans Cloud Cobra and Snow Raven, Kirov hammers out a deal where these two Clans agree to provide needed resources for the new manufacturing complex on Roche. In exchange, the Cobras and Ravens—perennially short of modern OmniMechs—will each receive one-quarter of the complexes annual production once the facility comes fully on-line.
3033: Djerassi finishes his reorganization of the Scorpion toumen. All Scorpion Clusters are reformed to include a Command Trinary, two Assault Trinarys, a Battle Trinary, and a Striker Trinary. The groundwork is laid to expand each cluster by 20% over the next decade, adding a Reserve Specialist Trinary to each Cluster. The reorganization eliminates the Grenadier and Uhlan Clusters, streamlining the Scorpion toumen into the Knife Dance Keshik, fourteen Cuirassier Clusters, six Dragoon Clusters, six Hussar Clusters, and one Solahma Cluster, for a total of 28 Clusters.
3034: Dinour establishes the 51st and 52nd Scorpion Reserve Dragoon (Cadre) Clusters as part of his reformation of the sibkin training program. Manned by cadre instructors and final year sibkin, these Clusters are designed to introduce the sibkos to actual military operations—even before their final test as Warriors.
3035: With the aid and assistance of Cobra and Raven engineers and scientists, the Scorpion Manufacturing Complex Alpha on Roche comes on-line. Production begins on the Sanguine Shrike, Sidewinder, Night Scorpion, Golden Osprey, and Deathstalker OmniMechs. The Khans of Goliath Scorpion, Cloud Cobra, and Snow Raven agree to withhold the knowledge of this facility from their fellow Clans until 3040, so that an ample supply of the new OmniMechs will be on-hand. None of the Clans will field the new units before that time.
3036: Master of Instruction Vlad Dinour dies in a training accident at Scorpion Sibko Dagda when he throws himself atop of a fumbled grenade, saving the lives of forty sibkin.
3037: Civil unrest erupts on Dagda over the lack of funding for civilian projects. saKhan Djerassi successfully meets with the civilian caste leaders and negotiates an end to their strike—pointing out that other Clans are watching and the last thing the civilians want was to become Jaguars. In return, Kahn Kirov presses through several reforms loosening the control of Warriors over the civilian castes, a move which placates the protestors.
3038: Khan Kirov issues a call for all those who tested out of the Warrior caste to report for duty. Thousands of Scorpion civilians between the ages of 16 and 40 report to military bases where they are reintroduced into the military caste and assigned to the first of more than dozen Garrison Clusters Kirov has been acquiring the vehicles and combat gear for. Eventually fifteen Garrison Clusters will be raised. Each Scorpion enclave opens a military testing center, where any member of any civilian caste may report to be tested for military service in a Garrison Cluster. High scores mark suitable candidates for possible inclusion in the second-line Clusters instead. Civilian morale soars as the Scorpion populace sees a genuine way to move out of their caste.
3039: Concerned with the growing competence and confidence of the Scorpions, Clan Smoke Jaguar decides to test the waters by sending the 6th Jaguar Dragoons against Roche in a Trail of Possession for the genetic legacy of saKhan Djerassi. While the Jaguars do not actually want the Scorpion genetics, they know that such a challenge will cause the Scorpions to respond with their best Warriors, allowing the Jaguars to accurately gauge their strengths and weaknesses. Khan Kirov informs the Cobra and Raven Khans that he will unveil the new OmniMechs in this Trial; although the Cobras and Ravens are displeased at the early revelation, they agree that it will prove good for the OmniMechs to be tested in this instance. Observers from the Ravens and Cobras arrive on Roche, as the 1st Scorpion Dragoons Cluster (Heartvenom) engages the Jaguars.
Shocked by the ranks of heretofore unknown OmniMechs filling the ranks of the Scorpion Cluster, Star Colonel Marcus Kotare deploys very conservatively, planning on probing the Scorpions and discovering the capabilities of the new units. Offensively, the Jaguars find that they have the advantage in firepower, but the speed, mobility, and precision of the Scorpions offsets that advantage. Every OmniMech in the 1st Scorpion Dragoons is equipped with jump jets, and the elite Scorpion Warriors use this mobility and their speed to ruthless advantage, using terrain to shield their movements before popping up and engaging the Jaguars.
The battle in the Roche Wastes rapidly disintegrates into chaos for the Jaguars as the Scorpions eliminate the Jaguar scouts and then drive the Jaguars apart. Furious at the heavy damage his Cluster is taking, Kotare forms up the 6th into the famed Jaguar ‘wall of steel’ and charges the Scorpions, but Star Colonel Linda Myers melts away into the desert each time, exchanging space for time—and each volley fired by the Scorpions is precisely targeted to strip away the Jaguars arm-mounted weapons.
After four hours of non-stop skirmishing and hit-and-run attacks, the 1st finally makes a stand against the (now) outnumbered Jaguars. Adhering strictly to zellbrigen, the Scorpions tore into the Jaguars, sending first their lighter Sanguine Shrikes and Sidewinders to wear down the Jaguar OmniMechs. The battle turned when Star Colonel Kotare was killed, and the Jaguar’s morale crumbled. Her own OmniMech disabled by heavy fire, Myers passed tactical command of the Cluster to a young ristar, Star Captain Nelson Elam, who hounded the Jaguars for eighty-eight kilometers back to their DropShips, until finally it was the Smoke Jaguars who requested hegira.
3040: While Kirov and the Cobra and Raven Khans were very pleased with the results of the Trial, the other Clans demanded answers. Reporting to Strana Mechty for a Grand Council, Kirov was accused by Khan Moon of the Jaguars with violating the Martial Code of Kerensky. He claimed that the Scorpion troops on Roche had breached zell and he demanded compensation for his losses, threatening to call for a Trial of Absorption against the Scorpions. Battleroms of the Trial, however, showed no glaring breach in the Clan dueling customs, as the Scorpions had done no more—and no less—than such Clans as Ice Hellion and Star Adder routinely fought.
The Wardens united behind the Scorpions, defending them—and the vote was assured when Khan Truscott of the Adders added his own to the Scorpion cause. Still, all of the assembled Khans demanded to know why these new OmniMechs were only now coming to light. But Kirov was prepared for that and he disseminated copies of the schematics and field trials of the OmniMechs to all of the Khans present. He, and the Cobra and Raven Khans, acknowledged that they had designed and built these new units, which were only now becoming ready for actual deployment. It had been the ill luck of the Jaguars that the 1st Scorpion Dragoons were one of the few units so far outfitted.
Careful study of the schematics revealed that the pod-space on these new OmniMechs was rather less than that preferred by many Clans, but the combination of speed, mobility, heavy armor protection, and targeting computers (on EVERY OmniMech, in EVERY configuration) took many of the Khans aback. These OmniMechs were not a hammer, or even a sword—they were a scalpel, and in the hands of the precise and highly disciplined Scorpion Warriors could well prove far more deadly their limited pod-space might otherwise indicate.
Still, the Grand Council ended without the Scorpions receiving more than a mild admonishment from the assembled Khans. The Jaguars, on the other hand, were incensed that a ‘third-rate’ Clan had managed to defeat one of their best units.
3041: Trials of Possession rage across the Homeworlds. The Scorpions fight thirteen Trials this year against every last Clan of Kerensky (from the Blood Spirits to the Wolves), excepting only the Jaguars, Cobras, and Ravens. The professionalism and discipline of the reformed Scorpion toumen, combined with the new OmniMechs, leads the Scorpions to win eleven of the Trials—only the Star Adders and the Falcons emerge victorious in close-run engagements. The Cobras and Ravens as well are flooded by challenges and trials, and before the end of the year, the right to produce these new OmniMechs are in the hands of no fewer than eight separate Clans.
3042: With Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta Galaxies fully equipped with the new OmniMechs, and the reserve Garrison Clusters now manned and trained, Khan Kirov launches a series of lightning Trials against first the Jaguars and then the Horse’s, seizing resources from those two powerful Clans and solidifying the enmity and hostility of the Jaguars towards these upstart Scorpions. Not all of the Trials are won, of course, but by the end of the year, the Scorpions have prevailed in three-fifths of the Trials they committed too, and a flood of fresh resources flow into the Scorpion enclaves.
3043: Kirov meets with Khan Truscott of the Star Adders on Sheridan. Despite the Crusader/Warden divide between the two, the Khans agree to a series of conferences to discuss the eventual return to the Inner Sphere—and what the tactics of the Clans should be on that return. Impressed by the forethought and vision of Kirov, Truscott proposes an annual series of war-games on Marshall, where both Clans have an enclave. These maneuvers will pit second-line forces of both Clans against each other and will use . . . unconventional tactics hearkening back to the SLDF tactical operations field manuals. Kirov agrees and the Marshall Martial Competition becomes an annual event that hones the skills of Scorpion second-line Clusters.
3044: Kirov is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Unresponsive to treatment, the Khan of Clan Goliath Scorpion steps down from his position and arranges for transport to Huntress. There he challenges Khan Moon to a Trial of Grievance, and finds his death. Although Khan Moon kills Kirov, he is mortally wounded himself. Leo Showers becomes the Khan of the Smoke Jaguars. Nikolai Djerassi is elected as Khan of the Scorpions, with Randall Posavatz as saKhan and Jeremy Sword as the new Loremaster.
Master Arminas
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Timeline for Scorpion Rising, Part II (3045-3048)
3045: The chaos of 3044 begins to calm down somewhat. Djerassi offers the Shark Khans an investment opportunity in the Dagda undersea mineral extraction operations of the Scorpions: 15% of the annual production in exchange for a massive one-time infusion of resources and capital to expand the jewel of the Scorpions resource base. But the Sharks balk—they want more than 15% of the returns. Three weeks of negotiations resulting in an agreement for 17.5% of the annual production going to the Sharks—and the Scorpions hand over an archipelago to the home of a Diamond Shark enclave. Djerassi agrees, but also gains the Sharks agreement to fund the majority of a new oceanic mining operation on Strana Mechty.
In June of 3045, the Cobras uncover the Burrock dealings with the Dark Caste. This news sends shockwaves throughout the Clans. The Burrock Khans deny the allegations at a hastily convened Grand Council meeting on Strana Mechty, but a Bloodnamed Burrock Warrior (Star Colonel Anthony Moreau) abandons his post with reams of evidence and manages to evade three separate attempts on his life. Arriving on Strana Mechty, he presents the evidence to the Grand Council, signed documents showing that both the Khan and saKhan (amongst others) were fully aware of their Clan’s support of the Dark Caste.
Khan Hallik manages to escape off Strana Mechty to rejoin his Clan, but saKhan Janos Messi is taken into custody by the Ebon Keshik.
Clan Star Adder calls for the immediate Absorption of the Burrocks, but at this point Djerassi steps in. Citing the Martial Code of Kerensky, and the severity of the Burrock Crimes, he calls for the Annihilation of the Burrocks—excepting only those Warriors willing to surrender to the Grand Council. Djerassi’s call for Annihilation shocks all of the assembled Khans, but he argues that the Burrocks have, effectively, committed treason against the Clans of Kerensky. An Absorption, he says, will not ensure that the taint of the Burrock’s dealing with the Dark Caste is extinguished—it will merely give it a chance to go underground and infect the other Clans.
The Khans debate for several days on the issue, but the general consensus is against Annihilation. Absorption is decreed, with the Blood Spirits and Star Adders competing for the honor.
Meanwhile, the Burrocks do not wait for the Grand Council decision. They launch a preemptive strike against the Star Adders on Marshall. The 21st Scorpion Cuirassier Cluster (Black Sun) is present on Marshall for the 3045 Marshall Martial Competition and swings into action to defend the Star Adders from the surprise attack. In conjunction with the 132nd Adder Guards, the Scorpions blunt the worst of the attack, defending the civilian castes from the initial onslaught. Unfortunately, the Burrocks had committed two entire Galaxies in an attempt to loot the Adder storehouses on Marshall, and in the end the numbers were simply too great.
The 21st Cuirassier and the 132nd Guards melted before the assault of ten full-strength front-line Burrock Clusters.
Thousands of Adder civilians were lost in the fighting, but the Burrocks took heavy damage of their own. Meanwhile, the remainder of the Scorpion Delta Galaxy (charged with protecting the Scorpion enclave on Marshall) was en route, joining up with elements of the Adder Epsilon and Kappa Galaxies. The Burrock’s withdrew before any of these reinforcements were able to deploy for combat.
News of the attack on Marshall arrived on Strana Mechty while the Council was still determining who would gain the honor of Absorbing the Burrocks. In a fury over the attack, the Adders demanded the right to go after the Burrocks, but their righteous rage was contested by the Blood Spirits. Djerassi was angered by the losses of his own personnel, and he too pressed forward a claim.
In the end, the Council voted to allow the Adders the right—but they granted the Scorpions a secondary role for their valor in defense of the Adder civilians on Marshall. The Spirits were aghast that their own claims had been so light dismissed, and their Khans departed from the Council and Strana Mechty.
Khan Djerassi met with Truscott, and offered him the use of the Scorpion Alpha and Beta Galaxies against the Burrocks; an offer that Truscott accepted.
Throughout the rest of 3045, the Scorpions and Adders engaged the Burrocks in a running fight throughout Clan space—and then the Spirits intervened. The Spirits attacked the Burrocks on their own, in defiance of the Grand Council, and Spirit Warriors assault the Scorpions and Adders as well.
Khan Hallik of the Burrocks attempted to use the infighting in an effort to flee, but one of his own Galaxies turned against him, resulting in a massive grand melee on the world of Tiber. In the end, the Spirits were forced to withdraw after suffering heavy damage and Khan Hallik and his loyal Galaxies were decimated.
The Scorpions and Adders took their own share of the casualties in the fighting, but the captured isorla promised to repair many of their own losses relatively quickly.
His own losses lighter than those of the Adders, Djerassi asked Truscott for only two things: full rights to the Moreau Blood Name and sufficient isorla to restore his Clan to its pre-conflict strength. An astonished Truscott immediately accepted the offer.
3046: Calling a halt to all planned Trials against other Clans, Djerassi spent this year rebuilding the battered Alpha and Beta Galaxies, and reconstituting the 21st Scorpion Cuirassier. Finding himself with too many ships to adequately man, Truscott offered Djerassi an Aegis-class cruiser, a Lola III-class destroyer, and a Potemkin-class troop cruiser, which the Scorpion accepted. Despite calls for sanctions against the Spirits for their intervention in the Burrock Absorption War, the Mandrills stood united (for once!), preventing the Grand Council from taking any significant actions. However, the Spirits and Adders became bitter enemies, and the enraged Spirit Khans were also quite wroth towards the Scorpions.
3047: In an effort to streamline their logistical needs, the Scorpions reached out to the Ravens and offered to trade them their Nightlord-class battleship, their Essex-class destroyer, a Volga-class transport, one Carrack-class transport, and one Potemkin-class troop cruiser in exchange for a Cameron-class battlecruiser, a Congress-class frigate, and three Lola III-class destroyers. Even though the Potemkin (Epimetheus) was heavily damaged, the Ravens they knew that their Clan would actually gain in effectiveness and agreed. By the end of the year, the Scorpion Fleet thus consisted of a McKenna-class battleship, two Cameron-class battlecruisers, one Sovietski Soyuz-class heavy cruiser (the Clan flagship), three Aegis-class cruisers, three Congress-class frigates, six Lola III-class destroyers, and four Potemkin-class troop cruisers.
3048: Khan Showers of the Jaguars and Khan Elias Crichell of the Jade Falcons reveal to the Grand Council that they have captured the Comstar Exploration Vessel Outbound Light. Debate immediately arises over the proposal by Showers and Crichell to return to the Inner Sphere. Djerassi shocks many Wardens when he supports the idea, but not Showers plan. Speaking out with Khan Truscott and Khan Ulric Kerensky (of the Wolves), the Scorpion angers the Jaguars yet again as he dissects his proposed Operation Revival on the floor of the Grand Council. Yet, it is not enough, and the Khans approve of Showers plan. Ulric Kerensky demands a Trial of Refusal; but neither Djerassi nor Truscott supported him.
The Wolves lost the Trial of Refusal, and Operation Revival was approved.
Every Clan (except Wolf, for Showers and Crichell had arranged for a vote that the Clan of Kerensky would participate) arranged their initial bids.
Djerassi bid three full Galaxies, plus a Solahma Cluster, and no fewer than fifteen Garrison Clusters, with two WarShip stars in support, for his opening volley. Skeptical of the possibility of success with so few Clans participating—and still rebuilding from the heavy casualties of the Burrock Absorption—Khan Truscott made a very conservative bid that included a full three-quarters of his toumen and was eliminated from the bidding process. The Bears defeated the Mandrills; the Falcons won against the Horses; the Vipers prevailed over the Cobras; the Smoke Jaguars eliminated the Coyotes; the Cats beat the Ice Hellions; the Sharks narrowly won over the Ravens; and last—but not least—the Scorpions soundly emerged victorious over the Blood Spirits.
For the second bid, Djerassi pared his forces down to the bone: committing 11 elite front-line Clusters, a veteran Solahma unit, and ten Garrison Clusters, supported by a single reinforced WarShip Star, with his Potemkins designated to serve as non-combat supply vessels.
Despite that low bid—lower than any other Clan—the new ilKhan listed the active Clans as the Ghost Bears, Jade Falcons, Smoke Jaguars, and Wolves, with the Steel Vipers in reserve. The Diamond Sharks, Nova Cats, and Goliath Scorpions all demanded Trials of Refusal, with the Cats and Scorpions winning.
ilKhan Showers then added the Cats to the invasion force as a second Reserve Clan—but once again he left the Scorpions out in the cold. However, Ulric Kerensky and Khan Truscott spoke up at this point, declaring that the since the Scorpions bid had been less than either that of the Vipers or Cats, they should either be placed in the Invasion as a replacement for one of those two Clans, or held as a third Reserve Clan.
A majority of the Grand Council agreed, and the ilKhan assigned the Scorpions as the seventh invading Clan. Privately, he vowed to Elias Crichell that the Scorpions would not see combat while he remained ilKhan.
Djerassi made a whirlwind tour of the Scorpion enclaves. Although Wardens, the Scorpion Warriors were far from immune at the jubilation over their Clan having a role to play in the return to the fabled worlds of the Inner Sphere. Nikolai informed them that Alpha and Beta Galaxy would be participating, plus the 20th and 21st Scorpion Cuirassier Clusters and the Scorpion Solahma Cluster. But, he added that every Scorpion Warrior had the right to challenge (via non-lethal combat) for a place in the Expedition. In short order, the finest Warriors in the Scorpion toumen won positions in the Invasion.
Djerassi also cut short their celebrations. He assigned saKhan Posavatz and his new aide—Star Colonel Nelson Elam—with organizing the supplies for the Expedition. Stockpiles of munitions, small arms, spare parts, four entire Clusters of replacement OmniMechs and OmniFighters, scores of combat vehicles, hundreds of suits of Elemental Battle Armor, provisions, clothing, and all of the many things that were necessary to keep a force in the field a year or more away from home were assembled and loaded aboard the Potemkin-class troop cruisers Enceladus, Karttikeya, Prometheus, and Renown. Although not technically part of his bid, Djerassi also embarked replacement Warriors in sufficient numbers to fill out two front-line and three garrison Clusters.
The Striking Claw Naval Star was ordered for prepare for the voyage as well. Consisting of the Cameron-class battlecruiser Hephaestus; the Aegis-class cruiser Corona Austrina; the Congress-class frigate Garlon; and the Lola III-class destroyers Auriga and Scorpio, these ships would be led by the Clan’s Flagship: the Sovietski Soyuz-class heavy cruiser Serket.
In the meantime, Djerassi devoted himself to leading the Expeditionary Force through high-levels of training exercises and maneuvers. Drawing upon the experience and good-will of his friend Khan Truscott, the Scorpions exercised for three months straight against the most unorthodox and crafty of the Adder toumen.
Finally, the Scorpions loaded aboard their ships, and began the long journey to their destiny.
Part III will follow.
MA
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Timeline for Scorpion Rising, Part III (3049-3052)
3049: In August, the first attacks against the Periphery worlds bordering the Lyran Commonwealth, Rasalhague Republic, and Draconis Combine were launched. The Scorpions were prohibited from participating in the actions, but Djerassi, Posavatz, and their Galaxy and Cluster commanders watched the engagements intently, taking notes and offering their advice upon occasion. That advice was rejected by most of the other Clans, but Ulric Kerensky listened carefully. Although his opinion of the Scorpions was quite low—based in no small part of that Clan’s use of the drug necrosia—he had developed a friendship with Djerassi and when the Scorpion spoke, the Wolf listened.
However, pitiful conditions of the Periphery worlds shocked even the most prepared Scorpions. And despite his own misgivings that the Invasion would not come to a good end, Nikolai found himself growing more and more eager for the real assault to start.
3050: The first and second wave of attacks proceeded without major incident, with the Clans sweeping aside all opposition with barely a fight. But slowly resistance began to increase and problems started to arise—primarily with logistics. Not all Clans were as prepared as the Scorpions, and equipment and munitions shortages soon plagued the invaders. Further, resistance on ‘conquered’ worlds was steadily increasing and soon enough Ulric Kerensky requested permission to bring forward his PGCs. Although ilKhan Showers was loath to grant him that permission, his own Jaguars, the Falcons, and the Bears were needing that same support. Djerassi offered his own Garrison Clusters—already in position—to the Bears and Wolves, but the ilKhan refused to allow the Scorpions to move from their Reserve status. Then, in a move that blind-sided the ilKhan, Djerassi contracted out ten of his Garrison Clusters (five each to the Bears and Wolves), transferring them to the Wolf and Bear toumens.
Showers nearly challenged Djerassi to a Trial of Grievance over this, but with the support of Ulric Kerensky and Khan Karl Bourjon of Clan Ghost Bear, he was forced to allow this practice to continue.
Consisting of one hundred combat vehicles (light tanks, APCs, hovercraft, and VTOLs), six hundred and twenty-five infantry equipped with PA(L), twenty light and medium Aerospace Fighters, and ten mobile Arrow IV carriers, these Scorpion Garrison Clusters quickly managed to restore order until the Wolf and Bears could bring their own garrison troops forward.
Still, the main Scorpion force remained in the Reserve. Summoned to Radstadt for a Grand Council aboard the Wolf flagship Dire Wolf, Djerassi learned that the ilKhan had been killed in a suicide attack by a Rasalhague pilot.
Although he vehemently opposed halting the invasion to return to Strana Mechty to elect a new Khan, he was outvoted, and saw the invasion halted in place.
3051: Nikolai supported the election of Ulric Kerensky as ilKhan to replace the fallen Showers, and he took the time while back in the Homeworlds to ensure that his remaining forces were still in fighting form. Under the command of Loremaster Ariel Suvorov, the Scorpions were faring well, with new untapped resources flowing into the Clan’s coffers from the expanding undersea mining operations on Dagda and Strana Mechty. Fearing that the Homeworld Clans might begin to take advantage of the Invaders—and not trusting the Blood Spirits or Jaguars that remained in the Homeworlds—he worked throughout this very short year with Suvorov to increase the number of cadets cycled through the sibkos, and authorized her to begin building a seventh Galaxy.
3052: Nikolai is astounded when Ulric informs him that the Scorpions will remain as the sole Reserve Clan for the Fifth Wave of the Invasion. He almost declares a Trial of Refusal, but Ulric manages to convince him that he needs a strong Warden presence in Reserve, should things take a turn for the worse. Still, Djerassi believes that Ulric has made a mistake in assigning the Cats to the same invasion corridor as the Jaguars, and the Vipers alongside the Falcons. He argues heatedly against this, but Ulric assures him that those two Clans need the most help. Djerassi suspects that Ulric is sowing mischief among those four Clans, but after one last attempt to convince Ulric to swap the Cats and the Vipers, he ceases his protests.
As the Wolves and Bears race ahead, taking scores of worlds in the Fifth Wave, Djerassi hopes that his fears are only his imagination—but then comes Luthien. The disunity and ill will between the Cats and the Jaguars doom that enterprise from the start. Still, while he suspects the worst, Djerassi keeps his thoughts to himself, knowing that the highly arrogant Jaguars would not have cooperated any better with any other Clan.
At this point he learns of Focht’s offer as Tukayyid as a proxy for Terra. It is a challenge—a Trial—in the finest of Clan traditions. Djerassi is delighted when he learns that his Clan will activated for this Battle.
When all of the Invading Clans have assembled at Tukayyid, the bidding (and bickering) begins—and Djerassi’s hope and faith in the Clan way once again falters. Instead of allowing Ulric to act as ilKhan, each Khan seems determined to win his own fight without assistance. Most ignore Ulric and Nikolai as they plead with others ensure that their supplies are sufficient and protected—and to commit enough forces to ensure a victory. Khan Lincoln Osis of the Smoke Jaguars accuses Nikolai of cowardice, and Ulric is forced to call upon the Ghost Bears to separate the two Khans on the flag bridge of the Dire Wolf. Nikolai demands a Trial of Grievance, and Osis accepts, but Ulric refuses to allow it before the Battle.
The bidding begins, with the Nova Cats casting aside nearly half of their available forces, bidding just ten clusters in an attempt to garner the glory of landing first. Osis then counters with nine clusters of Jaguars! The Vipers bid thirteen in response. But neither the Bears nor the Falcons will allow themselves to be baited: they bid fifteen front-line Clusters each. And then it is Nikolai’s turn. He bids his full force: eleven front-line Clusters, one Solahma Cluster, five Garrison Clusters, and the Striking Claw Naval Star.
Ulric is taken aback by this: WarShips have been bid away since the Battle for Rasalhague in 3050! He bluntly informs Nikolai that he cannot bid his ships—Nikolai asks the ilKhan was he now speaking as Khan of the Scorpions? The Scorpions, he said, have not agreed to the convention to bid away a valued asset of the Clan. And they will not.
Ulric points to the Jaguar bombardment of Turtle Bay, and he thunders at Nikolai that he will not allow such a slaughter while he is ilKhan. And Nicolai replies: has not the population been evacuated? The entire planet is empty but for the enemy and use. I shall confront my enemy in this Trial with all of my forces at my disposal—for the prize here today is no less than TERRA!
Osis starts to make a swarmy remark, but between Khan Jorgensson (of the Bears) and Crichell (of the Falcons), he is restrained.
Finally, Ulric relents, but he warns Nikolai that those ships are not to be used except in the most dire of circumstances—and promises his own Trial of Grievance if that order is disobeyed.
The bid does cost the Scorpions the opportunity for an early landing, as they will now touch down on the sixth day of the Battle, 24 hours after the Wolves. Most Khans present believe that the Battle will already be decided well before then—for they need only seize eight of the fourteen objectives to win the Battle and thus Terra.
The Battle does not go according to plan.
By the time that the Scorpions land, the Nova Cats and Jaguars have been forced to withdraw, neither Clan having secured their objectives. Casualties were horrendous, with the Jaguars suffering an estimated 70% dead and wounded; the Cats a mere 54%. All four of the remaining Clans were engaged in heavy combat, with casualties mounting by the hour.
The Scorpions, under heavy aerospace fighter cover, landed their DropShips in the center of the Kozice Valley, equidistant from their two objectives of Kozice Prime and Urcunat. Nikolai proceeded cautiously, waiting until of his forces had off-loaded in full before he advanced towards the twin cities. Leaving the Solahma Cluster, the 21st Scorpion Cuirassier, and all four Garrison Clusters to defend his grounded DropShips, he led Alpha Galaxy against Kozice Prime, while saKhan Posavatz commanded Beta against Urcunat. The ComGuard Eighth Army was waiting for them, but they were not prepared for the speed and ferocity of the assault. Every Scorpion OmniMech featured jump jets giving the Scorpions mobility that the relatively inexperienced troops were not ready to counter—and the precise targeted fire that lanced out from the Scorpions tore into the white-painted BattleMechs and combat vehicles cleaving arms from their bodies and turrets from their hulls. Finding that the ComGuards had heavily mined the approaches, and noting that his OmniMechs were taking concentrated fire from the enemy, he declared his opponents dezgra and order the suspension of zellbrigen for the duration of the battle.
Suddenly on the receiving end of the simultaneous fire from multiple Clan OmniMechs, the front lines of the Eighth exploded as Arrow IV began to rain down on atop of them. They broke under the strain.
At Urcunat, the Second Army—already understrength and lacking what little experience of the Eighth—were driven away by Randall Posavatz in full rout.
Precentor Martial Focht committed his reserves against the Scorpions, with the veteran Fifth Army performing a combat drop directly atop Alpha Galaxy. As Khan Djerassi and his men fought for their lives in hand-to-hand combat, saKhan Posavatz order the Solahma and 21st Cuirassier, and two Garrison Clusters to advance and hold Urcunat—and he rushed Beta Galaxy to the defense of his Khan. Caught between two fires, the Fifth Army withered away beneath the Scorpion onslaught.
Meanwhile, the commanders of the Eighth and Second had rallied their men and assaulted the defenders of Urcunat in force, but a gallant defense by the Solahma and 21st (and the vehicle crews and infantry of the 104th and 107th Garrison Clusters) held firm.
Finally, the veteran Fifth broke, and Djerassi dispatched Alpha Galaxy to hound them in pursuit. Assuming command of Beta (saKhan Posavatz and Galaxy Commander Sandra Dinour had both been killed in the battle), he recrossed the valley again, and assaulted the flank of the brittle Eighth Army. It broke, followed by Second, and the Khan called upon his final two reserve Garrison Clusters to pursue the broken and dispirited ComGuards.
By this point, the ilKhan was facing that the Vipers, Cats, and Jaguars had been defeated, the Falcons fought to a draw, and the Wolves, Bears, and Scorpions were victorious. The battle was in balance, and Ulric was concerned about the status of the remaining three Clans—Wolves, Bears, and Scorpions—and their supplies. The other four had withdrawn, three in disgrace and one licking its painful wounds and mourning the loss of a great Warrior.
The Scorpions had taken grievous casualties, nearly 50% dead or wounded out of the troops who had landed just a few short days earlier. Calling back his forces to the Valley, Djerassi appointed Nelson Elam as commander of Beta Galaxy, while he returned to Alpha (Galaxy Commander Albert Collesano being among the dead). Hastily reforming his units, he consolidated his forces into six ad-hoc front-line clusters, a handful of Solahma Trinary, and two garrison clusters.
The ilKhan was urging both Nikolai and the Bears tattered leadership into admitting their defeat. It was at that moment that Nikolai Djerassi won the Battle of Tukayyid. Comming Star Admiral Elijah Ben-Shimon aboard the GSS Serket in orbit, he ordered his WarShips to immediately begin an orbital bombardment on the Comstar troop concentrations converging on the Kozice Valley.
ilKhan Kerensky demanded to know what Djerassi was playing at. At which point the Scorpion responds that the Battle hangs in the balance, Ulric. We now a chance to win it—without breaking our bid. This fight is for Terra. Will you have us stop now, when we are so close to that goal, only for the bloodshed to resume in greater force in fifteen years time?
For many moments, Ulric did not answer, and then he asked Djerassi to place the WarShips under the command of the ilKhan. Nikolai did.
And Ulric confirmed the orders and also instructed Star Admiral Ben-Shimon to prepare to target the Precentor-Martial’s command bunker.
Focht watched in horror as the WarShips in orbit opened fire on the Tenth and Seventh Armies en route to the Kozice Valley. And then his radio receiver came to life.
“Precentor-Martial, you are beaten,†came the sad voice of Ulric Kerensky. “Will you surrender your command and spare the lives of your men?â€
Focht looked at the map in agony, at the long scrolling list of confirmed casualties already accumulated. And he longed to give the order for his remaining fighters to launch an assault on the ships in orbit. But then he looked at his subordinates, and he could see the faces of all of his ComGuards.
He picked up the transmitter. “This is Focht. All ComGuard units . . . stand down. ilKhan Kerensky, I request hegira.â€
“Granted. I give you two standard weeks to recover your wounded, Precentor-Martial. Bargained well and done.â€
Of course, it is for naught. The Primus has launched Operation Scorpion (funny about that name) and refuses to hand over Terra. Ulric and Focht are disgraced in the eyes of the Clans by her perfidy.
And that is as far as I have gotten. Any better? Remember, it is just an outline of events. I haven’t started actually writing the thing yet.
Master Arminas
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Figuring up the casualties, the ComGuards have around 14 divisions of troops left (if given a chance to consolidate), while the Clans have about 22 clusters between the Bears, Scorpions, and Wolves. That is assuming around 25% dead, 25% wounded for the Bears and Scorpions, 20% dead and 20% wounded for the Wolves, and 40% dead/40% wounded for the ComGuards. It would be a tough fight that would gut both sides . . . but would Focht surrender?
Master Arminas
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With the game in the balance and having 3 wins on the board, he could alsways retreat out of two battles and swarm on a third. That way he wins 4, draws 1 and looses 2, as per canon.
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Ulric was always too softhearted
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If the Clans have the high ground then I could see Focht surrendering under those circumstances.
Of course there is the wild card: the Clans are using their warships. The ComGuards have warships of their own. With the Scorpions having bid warships, would Focht have brought one or more of his own?
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I do not think at that time they had enough operational at that time to make a difference. Also Clan crews had more combat experience than the Comguard.
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Regarding your timeline, why did you drop the different Scorpions units? (not that I am against it, I just want everything to be well thought).
WarShips have been bid away since the Battle for Rasalhague in 3050! He bluntly informs Nikolai that he cannot bid his ships—Nikolai asks the ilKhan was he now speaking as Khan of the Scorpions? The Scorpions, he said, have not agreed to the convention to bid away a valued asset of the Clan. And they will not.
I don't remember everything but wasn't it an order from the ilKhan?
Finally, Ulric relents, but he warns Nikolai that those ships are not to be used except in the most dire of circumstances—and promises his own Trial of Grievance if that order is disobeyed.
Your definition of dire might seem a bit too flexible.
Again, I just want everything to be logical and coherent (or as much as possible).
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In Stackpole's novels, did Ulric (as ilKhan) actually order the Invading Clans to forgo the bidding of WarShips? No, they gave them up because the Wolves gave them up, and they wanted to beat bids made by the Wolves. So without an actual ORDER, it merely remains up to the Clan's Khan to make his bid, quiaff?
I did it to streamline the units. The Guard Trinary was what made the Grenadier Clusters so different. But having 50 Elementals and 5 BattleMechs, made it an incredibly slow moving units (limited to the Elemental's jump of 3). Functionally, while the Uhlans and Hussars had different configurations of Trinary assigned to them, they both had the exact same number of BattleMechs, Aerospace Fighters, and Elementals, so that was an easy decision to consolidate. And then Dragoons were completely different from the 1st Cateran, while was more like Airborne Assault. I wanted to streamline the Scorpion units: when you meet a Scorpion Cluster, you know if it is full strength it will field 47 OmniMechs, 135 Elementals, and 32 Aerospace Fighters in Six Trinary sub-units. Or 47 Omnimechs, 85 Elementals, and 22 Aerospace Fighters in Five Trinary sub-units. Hussars are assigned lights and mediums, dragoons have lights, mediums, and heavies, and the cuirassier field just mediums and heavies.
It is the same reason that I got rid of the Nightlord, the Essex, the Volga, and the Carrack. That way, each Scorpion Naval Star has an Aegis, a Congress, two Lola IIIs, and either a Cameron or a McKenna. Their transport star has four Potemkins. And their last ship is the Clan Flagship, a Sovietskii Soyuz. Simplifies logistics, having to stock parts for seven classes of ships, instead of eleven. Heck, if it wasn't for the sheer prestige involved, I'd ditch the Sovietskii Soyuz for another Cameron, and replace all three Aegis with Congress-class ships! Or replace the Sovietskii Soyuz, Aegis, and Congress class ships completely with a new cruiser (but I decided against changing it that far).
Understood. Point out where you think I am wrong, so we can tighten this up before we even start on the actual contents.
Master Arminas
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For toghtening I still go back to my earlier point of Focht bum rushing one of the last three Clans and calling it off agasint the other two. With the Wolves and Scorpions the most moderate, he would know this from his time with the Clans, he can avalanche the Bears ad still get a win. Additionally, this leaves the Wolves and Scorps as the only undefeated Clans. However, I do see how this would alter where you wnat the universe to go.
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I'm also not sure Waterly's power play would affect Ulric. After all, Ulric's agreement was made with/through Focht, not Waterly. (So there's a proxy thing going on there, that can be played with.)
While the Crusading Clans would look for a culprit, it wouldn't be the ilKhan - after all, the Clans did WIN Tukayyid.
I think the fallout of Operation Scorpion would fall one way or another solely on Focht's response. Focht's Heigra is a first step. Once he's learned of Operation Scorpion the ball is more or less in his court. If Focht turns on Waterly AND respects the ruling of the Trial, no harm no foul if you think about it. However, Ulric and the Clans by extension would be placing a lot of faith in Focht to do the right "thing" AND succeed entirely on his own...if that's the route decided.
Alternatively, all bets are off if Focht doesn't maintain his end of the bargain. Then I expect the Clans to show little respect to the heigra.
Again, while I think Ulric isn't in a position of vulnerability (this is an Spheroid breaking a promise - big surprise there.) he'll probably be forced to smash through the remaining ComGuard forces for voiding the Trial and continuing with the invasion.
Future bidding against Inner Sphere forces might also be affected.
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So . . . is it better for the story if Focht lives or Fochet dies?
Master Arminas
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Depends where you want the story to go at this point.
If Focht surrenders (or dies and the rest of the Scorpions) then his remaining forces are bondsmen to the three victorious clans. That could be leveraged into their recovering faster and offsets the blame on Ulric and Focht, laying it all on Waterly. This isn't good for ComStar but is relatively good for the Bears, Wolves and Scorpions.
If Focht survives and withdraws, then the clans may decide he and Focht are jointly responsible, dezgra and that Ulric catches blame for letting him go. ComStar and the ComGuards are going to be treated very harshly by the clans and Ulric's position is weakened although he'd probably survive. Focht overthrowing Waterly would offset it if he then surrenders Terra to the clans and tries to pull ComStar service from the Successor States (the latter of which would not be possible given the HPG stations are occupied post-Scorpion). If he doesn't try to do these then he bargained in bad faith and is even more despised than Waterly.
Personally I'd lean towards Focht being captured and becoming a bondsman to Ulric, the ComGuards being absorbed into the Wolves, Ghost Bears and Scorpions. Waterly does not surrender, and the Clans push on for Terra with an uneasy rivalry between Ulric and Djerassi. Don't know how that fits in with your plans though.
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A few comments since I just discovered this.
On the Orbital Bombardment:
I'd suggest targeting all the Airfields the Comguards are using / could use. This effectively grounds a majority of the surviving ASF, and also demonstrates that yes the Scorpions are serious about using their big stick.
It demonstrates the overwhelming strategic fire power of the Scorpions Naval Star in action, heavily degrades the ComGuards ability to deploy ASF, and doesn't trod on the Mechwarrior's domain.
On the Scorpion Fleet:
Serket as the Flagship Does Not Appear in my copy of Warden Clans. Instead it can be read that the McKenna Lei Kung is the Flagship of the Einheriar Battlegroup and of the Scorpion Fleet.
Instead of dropping the NightLord for the Cameron (really keeping a Cameron? A 2/3 Cruiser instead of a new built 3/5 Battleship that's designed to carry a Galaxy into action).
I'd suggest dropping the Scorpions down to two Naval Stars, plus transports:
Star 1: McKenna, Conqueror, 3 x Congress,
Star 2: Nightlord, Conqueror, 3 x Congress
Note the Conqueror's, which the Snow Raven's had started building for the Bears in the mid 3040's ~ Essentially an updated Aegis Design. The Scorpions Fleet now has a standard movement of 3/5, 1 Battleship, 1 Cruiser, 3 Frigates and 14 / 12 Collars between the respective stars.
Thematically this build is suggestive of Clan on the way up. They've put aside older, worn out designs for newer more capable ones.
Not to mention gotten rid of the sluggish Camerons, Soyuz and Aegis Cruisers.
As an alternative to the Conqueror's I'd suggest the Kimagure Class Cruiser, as a fast, and armed with energy weapons cruiser.
On the Heart Vemon (Cateran Cluster):
The Scorpion's have been the go to "Special Forces" Clan, from Operation Klondike onwards with SaKhan's Scott airdrop on the SDS, and with the "Sea Wolf" Incident. It's been one of their strongest bits of flavour & fluff.
I'd ditch the Scorpion's Keshik and replace it with the Cateran Cluster as presented in the Field Manual: Warden Clans. Everybody else has a bog standard Keshik filled with Mechs, ASF and Elementals.
No other Clan has a Special Forces Cluster.
Ciao,
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Admittedly i have not read everything but warships? What of the ComGuard fleet? Likely within the area helping to transport the vast ComGuard Armies to Tukayyid.
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Depends where you want the story to go at this point.
If Focht surrenders (or dies and the rest of the Scorpions) then his remaining forces are bondsmen to the three victorious clans. That could be leveraged into their recovering faster and offsets the blame on Ulric and Focht, laying it all on Waterly. This isn't good for ComStar but is relatively good for the Bears, Wolves and Scorpions.
If Focht survives and withdraws, then the clans may decide he and Focht are jointly responsible, dezgra and that Ulric catches blame for letting him go. ComStar and the ComGuards are going to be treated very harshly by the clans and Ulric's position is weakened although he'd probably survive. Focht overthrowing Waterly would offset it if he then surrenders Terra to the clans and tries to pull ComStar service from the Successor States (the latter of which would not be possible given the HPG stations are occupied post-Scorpion). If he doesn't try to do these then he bargained in bad faith and is even more despised than Waterly.
Personally I'd lean towards Focht being captured and becoming a bondsman to Ulric, the ComGuards being absorbed into the Wolves, Ghost Bears and Scorpions. Waterly does not surrender, and the Clans push on for Terra with an uneasy rivalry between Ulric and Djerassi. Don't know how that fits in with your plans though.
Sounds good. Let me work it into the plans.
MA
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If the Scorpions have declared the ComGuards dezgra, why would they wait to use their fleet against selected concentrations of units?
As I said, your definition of dire is quite flexible.
Let's say that ComGuards ask for the mother of all trials to decide who is the winner and pick up one Clan and not the others.
How would the Goliath Scorpions that said that the ComGuards were dezgra react? And the other two Clans?
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Admittedly i have not read everything but warships? What of the ComGuard fleet? Likely within the area helping to transport the vast ComGuard Armies to Tukayyid.
Ah, but were ComGuard WarShips actually bid by Focht? If not, he is breaking his own bid, which might well bring the other Clans WarShips into the fight.
Maybe.
Master Arminas
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A few comments since I just discovered this.
On the Orbital Bombardment:
I'd suggest targeting all the Airfields the Comguards are using / could use. This effectively grounds a majority of the surviving ASF, and also demonstrates that yes the Scorpions are serious about using their big stick.
It demonstrates the overwhelming strategic fire power of the Scorpions Naval Star in action, heavily degrades the ComGuards ability to deploy ASF, and doesn't trod on the Mechwarrior's domain.
Good idea, I may well use it.
On the Scorpion Fleet:
Serket as the Flagship Does Not Appear in my copy of Warden Clans. Instead it can be read that the McKenna Lei Kung is the Flagship of the Einheriar Battlegroup and of the Scorpion Fleet.
Instead of dropping the NightLord for the Cameron (really keeping a Cameron? A 2/3 Cruiser instead of a new built 3/5 Battleship that's designed to carry a Galaxy into action).
I'd suggest dropping the Scorpions down to two Naval Stars, plus transports:
Star 1: McKenna, Conqueror, 3 x Congress,
Star 2: Nightlord, Conqueror, 3 x Congress
Note the Conqueror's, which the Snow Raven's had started building for the Bears in the mid 3040's ~ Essentially an updated Aegis Design. The Scorpions Fleet now has a standard movement of 3/5, 1 Battleship, 1 Cruiser, 3 Frigates and 14 / 12 Collars between the respective stars.
Thematically this build is suggestive of Clan on the way up. They've put aside older, worn out designs for newer more capable ones.
Not to mention gotten rid of the sluggish Camerons, Soyuz and Aegis Cruisers.
As an alternative to the Conqueror's I'd suggest the Kimagure Class Cruiser, as a fast, and armed with energy weapons cruiser.
I believe that FM:WC states that the Lei Kung is the Clan flagship. But almost every other Clan has a cruiser or battlecruiser as its flag. So, for this story, I decided to change it to the Serket, especially since deploying a McKenna would be overkill. (They know the Dragoons never reported any WarShips.)
The Nightlords are cool ships, but I've never actually liked them. They can't carry a Galaxy, their docking collars are sub-par, and I just don't really care for them. Plus, why should the Scorpions have two Battleships? Unlike ground combat, speed is not nearly as important amongst WarShips, and the Camerons are tough ships. Since their Aegis- and Sovietskii Soyuz-class cruisers are already rated at 2/3 thrust, and their Potemkins, why not the Camerons as well?
The Conquerors haven't been built yet, not in 3049. And the Kimagure is another one of those designs that I just don't like.
On the Heart Vemon (Cateran Cluster):
The Scorpion's have been the go to "Special Forces" Clan, from Operation Klondike onwards with SaKhan's Scott airdrop on the SDS, and with the "Sea Wolf" Incident. It's been one of their strongest bits of flavour & fluff.
I'd ditch the Scorpion's Keshik and replace it with the Cateran Cluster as presented in the Field Manual: Warden Clans. Everybody else has a bog standard Keshik filled with Mechs, ASF and Elementals.
No other Clan has a Special Forces Cluster.
Except the 1st Cateran Cluster (Heartvenom, one word by the way) has never been described as a SpecOps Cluster. It had a Command Trinary (12 'Mechs, 10 Elementals, 2 Fighters), a Battle Trinary (5 'Mechs, 25 Elementals, and 10 Fighters), a Striker Trinary (10 'Mechs, 10 Fighters), and two Specialist Trinary (50 Elementals and 10 Fighters each). Meaning it fields a total of 27 'Mechs, 135 Elementals, and 42 Fighters, in Five Trinary.
My version (1st Scorpion Dragoons) has 47 'Mechs, 135 Elementals, and 32 Fighters, in Six Trinary. Same Elemental numbers, slightly less Aerospace Fighters, and TWENTY more OmniMechs or BattleMechs.
How would a Clan SpecOps Cluster work? Wouldn't its very presence be an insult to the Clan method of Trials and dueling? We know, from canon material, that the Clans DID form their Elementals into headhunter units which were dedicated to taking out the IS headquarters units, but that is the closest thing to a SpecOps mission that we see.
But keep barnstorming those ideas, Fitzgerald!
Master Arminas
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If the Scorpions have declared the ComGuards dezgra, why would they wait to use their fleet against selected concentrations of units?
As I said, your definition of dire is quite flexible.
Let's say that ComGuards ask for the mother of all trials to decide who is the winner and pick up one Clan and not the others.
How would the Goliath Scorpions that said that the ComGuards were dezgra react? And the other two Clans?
So Focht and Ulric, with the game tied, decide on a final trial to determine the winner? I like that idea, Ice.
Master Arminas
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I haven't had time to scan the whole thread just the first few posts so please don't shoot me down (pardon the pun) but since Focht and Kerensky shared the bids/information during the trial wouldn't Focht having seen WarShips in the Clan bid wouldn't he have called in the ComGuards own ships?
Sure they didn't have them all active but I bet anyone the Guards had at least a few active ships (the 3 Dantes at least) at the time badly inexperienced but their appearance would have paused the Scorpions and likely delayed the Trial even longer.
Suddenly everyone (except the Wolves who forgot there's) have WarShips on the table, maybe even the Dragoons say hello with their own as well then all hell would literally break loose
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So Focht and Ulric, with the game tied, decide on a final trial to determine the winner? I like that idea, Ice.
Seems a bit too clean ala Great Refusal, but could certainly work. I lean more towards drakensis's evaluation of the situation. Although I'm not necessarily sure Ulric would suffer as much fallout as you've mentioned.
After all, Focht is soldier in ComStar's army, not it's Khan. He acted honorably, even when his superiors did not. The blame would fall on Waterly immediately - that goes without saying - Focht's culpability depends on his decision post-Scorpion. Either way, Waterly's actions ruined a clean Trial. So even if Focht surrenders the ComGuard, a Schism within the Guard and ComStar is likely to occur. Meaning, the Wolves, Bears and Scorpions may not recover as quickly, let alone at all depending on how bad a mini-ComGuard war hits them.
As for Ulric, he might suffer backlash in the Grand Council depending on Focht's actions and their fall out. Either way, because Waterly ruined a clean Trial, some of the Crusading Khans will point their finger at Ulric and say "I told you they couldn't be trusted.
I think most of what happens to Ulric rests on Focht and what the ComGuard/ComStar do.
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Okay, from looking at the material, Ulric and Focht agreed that 25 Galaxies of Clan Warriors would engage the Twelve ComGuard Armies.
Nothing is said of WarShips, but the ilKhan and Precentor Martial could have bid them away.
From that maximum of 25 Galaxies, the Jaguars bid 2, the Cats 3, the Vipers 3, the Falcons 3, the Ghost Bears 3, the Wolves 4, and the Scorpions (effectively) 3 (two actual Galaxies, plus the Keshik, independent clusters, and Garrison clusters). Total of 21 Galaxies.
Now, we from invading Clans that the Jaguars had two more Galaxies they didn't bid, the Bears 1, and the Wolves 1.
Hmmm. If Khan Osis is restored to consciousness before the end of the battle, could he break his bid and land again with his remaining two fresh Galaxies? HE didn't order a withdrawal--the ilKhan did, which cost him two Clusters of Alpha Galaxy (the 6th Dragoons and Jaguar Grenadiers).
If so, and the ComGuard units defending Dinju Heights and Port Racice have been weakened to add to the remaining contests, might the Jags capture at least one of the two cities?
Just some ideas.
Master Arminas
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A dirrerent twist, but at the time with ther C3 crippled, the ilKhan was the ranking officer for the Jaguars in the Trial, as the other Galaxy commanders were out of things on the sidelines. To countermand the ilKhan's legal order, Osis would need to fight a Trial of Refusal against the order, likely using a proxy. Would Ulric accept? He could ignore the Trial due to being in combat with the Wolves, as (from memory here) ToR are rare in a combat theatre, or am I remembering wrong?
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I have changed a few things on the Invading Clans. Here is the (tentative) TO&E:
Clan Ghost Bear (effective 19 Clusters; 4 Galaxies; 11 WarShips)
Alpha Galaxy: The Ourse Keshik, The Silveroot Keshik, 1st Bear Guards, 3rd Bear Guards, 5th Bear Guards, 50th Striker Cluster
Beta Galaxy: The Shrill Keshik, 7th Bear Guards, 12th Bear Chevaliers, 304th Assault Cluster, 332nd Assault Cluster, 14th Battle Cluster
Delta Galaxy: Jorgennson's Keshik, 8th Bear Guards, 20th Polar Bear Attack Cluster, 68th Striker Cluster, 115th Striker Cluster, 140th Striker Cluster
Rho Galaxy: Kabrinski's Keshik, 18th Battle cluster, 243rd Battle Cluster, 288rd Battle Cluster, 300th Battle Cluster
WarShips: Black Lion-class Bear's Den (Flag), Congress-class Shining Claw, Lola III-class Blizzard, Icepick, Essex-class White Fang, Whirlwind-class Fire Fang, York-class Ursa Minor, Fredasa-class Black Ghost, Volga-class Ursine Boatman, Carrack-class Den Mother, Yggdrasil
Rationale: Ghost Bear had the worst of the starting corridors, yet it had a smaller bid force than the Falcons. That doesn't seem right. So, I increased the size of the Bears to equal (in clusters) that of the Falcons.
Clan Goliath Scorpion (effective 15 Clusters; 3 Galaxies; 11 WarShips)
Alpha Galaxy: Knife Dance Keshik, 24th Scorpion Cuirassier, 25th Scorpion Cuirassier, 8th Scorpion Dragoons, 14th Scorpion Hussars
Beta Galaxy: 9th Scorpion Cuirassier, 20th Scorpion Cuirassier, 23rd Scorpion Curassier, 1st Scorpion Dragoons, 6th Scorpion Hussars
Delta Galaxy: 17th Scorpion Cuirassier, 21st Scorpion Cuirassier, 26th Scorpion Cuirassier, 11th Scorpion Dragoons, 4th Scorpion Hussars
WarShips: Sovietskii Soyuz-class Serket (Flag), Cameron-class Hephasestus; Aegis-class Corona Austrina, Congress-class Garlon, Lola III-class Auriga, Scorpio, Potemkin-class Bonaventure (hired from Clan Snow Raven), Enceladus, Karttikeya, Prometheus, Renown
Rationale: Did away with the Solahma and the Garrison Clusters. Three Galaxies seems about right for a Reserve Clan. Five full ships of the WarShip Reserve (the Potemkins) are only being used to transport supplies, not troops, and are considered non-combat assets able only to defend themselves. They will not be bid in any fight.
Clan Jade Falcon (effective 19 Clusters; 4 Galaxies; 11 WarShips)
Turkina Keshik (Cluster)
Gamma Galaxy: Jade Falcon Guards, 7th Falon Regulars, 12th Falcon Regulars, 3rd Falcon Talon Cluster, 9th Falcon Talon Cluster
Delta Galaxy: 305th Assault Cluster, 5th Battle Cluster, 2nd Falcon Jaegers, 8th Falcon Regulars, 1st Falcon Striker Cluster
Vau Galaxy: 89th Falcon Striker cluster, 94th Falcon Striker Cluster, 4th Falcon Talon Cluster, 4th Falcon Velites
Iota Galaxy: 3rd Battle Cluster, 1st Falcon Jaegers, 124th Falcon Striker Cluster, 2nd Falcon Velites
WarShips: Cameron-class Turkina's Pride (Flag), Nightlord-class Emerald Talon, Liberator-class Gauntlet, Aegis-class Frost Falcon, Hawkeye, Jade Talon, Congress-class Green Lantern, Kerensky's Pride, Whirlwind-class Emerald Tornado, Vincent-class [/i]Lightning Strike[/i], Carrack-class Ironhold Provider
Rationale: The Falcons, in canon, had three Solahma Clusters and three Training/Cadre Clusters! Seriously? I removed those and added a fourth Galaxy. Even so, the Falcon numbers shrank to 19 Clusters--the same number as the Ghost Bears. That extra Galaxy seems to fit the Falcon style more than overloading Galaxies to seven or eight clusters each.
Clan Nova Cat (effective 13 Clusters; 3 Galaxies; 6 WarShips)
Alpha Galaxy: The Nova Cat Keshik, The Vision Keshik, 4th Nova Cat Guards, Nova Cat Fusiliers, 449th Assault Cluster, 489th Assault Cluster
Sigma Galaxy: The Lachesis Keshik, 44th Nova Cat Cavaliers, 53rd Nova Cat Cavaliers, Nova Cat Lancers, 179th Striker Cluster
Delta Galaxy: The Shiva Keshik, 3rd Nova Cat Guards, Nova Cat Uhlans, 274th Battle Cluster, 119th Striker Cluster
WarShips: Black Lion-class Severn Leroux (Flag), Congress-class True Vision, Lola III-class Faithful, Hunter, Ranger, York-class CVL Anna Rosse
Rationale: The Nova Cats had a mere 10 Clusters, divided amongst three Galaxies (and this is if you add in the combined Keshiks as the tenth Cluster!). I increased their strength slightly (three Galaxies of four Clusters each, plus four command Keshik Trinary units).
Clan Smoke Jaguar (effective 16 clusters; 3 Galaxies; 11 WarShips)
Alpha Galaxy: The Shroud Keshik, The Jaguar's Den Keshik, Jaguar Grenadiers, 5th Jaguar Regulars, 6th Jaguar Dragoons, 7th Jaguar Dragoons, 17th Jaguar Dragoons
Beta Galaxy: The Swath Keshik, 1st Jaguar Guards, 362nd Assault Cluster, 225th Jaguar Battle Cluster, 4th Jaguar Dragoons, 21st Jaguar Dragoons
Delta Galaxy: The Skyriders Keshik, 2nd Jaguar Guards, 3rd Jaguar Cavaliers, 336th Jaguar Combat Cluster, 1st Striker Cluster, 19th Striker Cluster
WarShips: Black Lion-class Streaking Mist (Flag), Congress-class Hunter's Pride, Snow Leopard, Lola III-class Griffin, Stormcat, Essex-class Dark Claw, Sabre Cat, York-class Lioness, Queen Lynx, Vincent-class Azov, Ripper
Rationale: I added the Jaguar units we see listed in Invading Clans, which brings the Jags up to a respectable 16 Clusters (including 5 command Keshik Trinary units). Of the primary Clans in the invasion, they are still the lowest bid, which gave them the prestigous Draconis Combine corridor.
Clan Steel Viper (effective 14 Clusters; 3 Galaxies; 6 WarShips)
Triasch Keshik (cluster)
Alpha Galaxy: 1st Viper Guards, 2nd Viper Guards, 4th Viper Guards, 400th Assault Cluster, 94th Battle Cluster
Beta Galaxy: 9th Viper Guards, Viper Fusiliers, 126th Striker Cluster, 195th Striker Cluster
Gamma Galaxy: 423rd Assault Cluster, 428th Assault Cluster, 51st Battle Cluster, 57th Striker Cluster
WarShips: Cameron-class Zalman's Endeavor (Flag), Sovetskii Soyuz-class Sanra Mercer, Congress-class Snake Leader, Lola III-class Anaconda, Essex-class Martial Legacy, Whirlwind-class Constrictor
Rationale: I increased the size of the Vipers slightly, to 14 Clusters.
Clan Wolf (effective 21 Clusters; 5 Galaxies; 6 WarShips)
Alpha Galaxy: The Golden Keshik, 4th Wolf Guards, 13th Wolf Guards, 328th Assault Cluster, 279th Battle Clsuter
Beta Galaxy: The Silver Keshik, 9th Wolf Guards, 341st Assault Cluster, 352nd Assault Cluster, 3rd Battle Cluster
Gamma Galaxy: The Bronze Keshik, 7th Battle Cluster, 11th Battle Cluster, 13th Battle Cluster, 16th Battle Cluster
Delta Galaxy: The Red Keshik, 11th Wolf Guards, 12th Wolf Guards, 4th Striker Cluster, 37th Striker Cluster
Epsilon Galaxy: The Green Keshik, 5th Wolf Guards, 8th Wolf Guards, 271st Assault Cluster, 103rd Striker Cluster
WarShips: Sovetskii Soyuz-class Dire Wolf (Flag), Congress-class Rogue, Lola III-class Nature's Wrath, Vincent-class Trailblazer, Valiant; Potemkin-class Full Moon
Rationale: An entire Galaxy of Garrison forces? And labelled like a front-line Galaxy (Epsllon)? That has always bugged me. I did away with those five Garrison Clusters and instead added four actual combat Clusters. No other Clan had PGCs or Garrison units considered as part and parcel of their offensive strength, so I removed that from the Wolves. I also added three more Clusters (one each to Beta, Gamma, and Delta) bringing all give Wolf Galaxies up to a strength of 4 Clusters and a command Keshik.
Total Strength: 25 Galaxies (effectively 117 Clusters) and 62 WarShips
Thoughts?
MA
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Seems a better mix and balance than in cannon.
P.S. As long as the wolf 352nd Assault Cluster is covered in glory, I am more than happy.
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Seems a better mix and balance than in cannon.
P.S. As long as the wolf 352nd Assault Cluster is covered in glory, I am more than happy.
You can count on it.
MA
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That seems to work a little better.
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Still don't see how Focht or Ulric will really suffer from Waterly's perfidy. Focht and the Guard fought the Trial to its conclusion (and honorably by some standard) and Ulric earned the Clan''s victory. Waterly is dezgra, and maybe Focht by association (he's a Spheroid after all), but unless Ulric loses some Trials, the original censure for Tukayyid - denying generations of Clan warriors from conquest - doesn't hold.
What's going to be the rallying cry of the Crusaders now? Outside of trusting ComStr to honor the Trial - which any Clanner would do - I'm not sure there's enough to damn Ulric. In canon, there's failure, (Incidentally, Op Scorpion doesn't affect Ulric in the slightest) but in your AU there's victory.
If Ulric has got to go, then he's got to go. I just think using Waterly or a victory at Tukyyid is kinda week.
Just somethinto think about.
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Sigh. Copy and paste error. I meant to delete that part of Ulric and Focht being disgraced. I will fix.
MA
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I had another idea. Does THIS work better?
3052: Nikolai is astounded when Ulric informs him that the Scorpions will remain as the sole Reserve Clan for the Fifth Wave of the Invasion. He almost declares a Trial of Refusal, but Ulric manages to convince him that he needs a strong Warden presence in Reserve, should things take a turn for the worse. Still, Djerassi believes that Ulric has made a mistake in assigning the Cats to the same invasion corridor as the Jaguars, and the Vipers alongside the Falcons. He argues heatedly against this, but Ulric assures him that those two Clans need the most help. Djerassi suspects that Ulric is sowing mischief among those four Clans, but after one last attempt to convince Ulric to swap the Cats and the Vipers, he ceases his protests.
As the Wolves and Bears race ahead, taking scores of worlds in the Fifth Wave, Djerassi hopes that his fears are only his imagination—but then comes Luthien. The disunity and ill will between the Cats and the Jaguars doom that enterprise from the start. Still, while he suspects the worst, Djerassi keeps his thoughts to himself, knowing that the highly arrogant Jaguars would not have cooperated any better with any other Clan.
At this point he learns of Focht’s offer as Tukayyid as a proxy for Terra. It is a challenge—a Trial—in the finest of Clan traditions. Djerassi is delighted when he learns that his Clan will activated for this Battle.
When all of the Invading Clans have assembled at Tukayyid, the bidding (and bickering) begins—and Djerassi’s hope and faith in the Clan way once again falters. Instead of allowing Ulric to act as ilKhan, each Khan seems determined to win his own fight without assistance. Most ignore Ulric and Nikolai as they plead with others ensure that their supplies are sufficient and protected—and to commit enough forces to ensure a victory. Khan Lincoln Osis of the Smoke Jaguars accuses Nikolai of cowardice, and Ulric is forced to call upon the Ghost Bears to separate the two Khans on the flag bridge of the Dire Wolf. Nikolai demands a Trial of Grievance, and Osis accepts, but Ulric refuses to allow it before the Battle.
The bidding begins, with the Nova Cats casting aside nearly half of their available forces, bidding just ten clusters in an attempt to garner the glory of landing first. Osis then counters with nine clusters of Jaguars! The Vipers bid thirteen in response. But neither the Bears nor the Falcons will allow themselves to be baited: they bid nineteen front-line Clusters each. And then it is Nikolai’s turn. He bids his full force: fifteen front-line Clusters and the Striking Claw Naval Star.
Ulric is taken aback by this: WarShips have been bid away since the Battle for Rasalhague in 3050! He bluntly informs Nikolai that he cannot bid his ships—Nikolai asks the ilKhan was he now speaking as Khan of the Scorpions? The Scorpions, he said, have not agreed to the convention to bid away a valued asset of the Clan. And they will not.
Ulric points to the Jaguar bombardment of Turtle Bay, and he thunders at Nikolai that he will not allow such a slaughter while he is ilKhan. And Nicolai replies: has not the population been evacuated? The entire planet is empty but for the enemy and use. I shall confront my enemy in this Trial with all of my forces at my disposal—for the prize here today is no less than TERRA!
Osis starts to make a swarmy remark, but between Khan Jorgensson (of the Bears) and Crichell (of the Falcons), he is restrained.
Finally, Ulric relents, but he warns Nikolai that those ships are not to be used except in the most dire of circumstances—and promises his own Trial of Grievance if that order is disobeyed.
The bid does cost the Scorpions the opportunity for an early landing, as they will now touch down on the sixth day of the Battle, 24 hours after the Wolves. Most Khans present believe that the Battle will already be decided well before then—for they need only seize eight of the fourteen objectives to win the Battle and thus Terra.
The Battle does not go according to plan.
By the time that the Scorpions land, the Nova Cats and Jaguars have been forced to withdraw, neither Clan having secured their objectives. Casualties were horrendous, with the Jaguars suffering an estimated 64% dead and wounded; the Cats a mere 56%. All four of the remaining Clans were engaged in heavy combat, with casualties mounting by the hour.
The Scorpions, under heavy aerospace fighter cover, landed their DropShips in the center of the Kozice Valley, equidistant from their two objectives of Kozice Prime and Urcunat. Nikolai proceeded cautiously, waiting until of his forces had off-loaded in full before he advanced towards the twin cities. Leaving Delta Galaxy as his reserve, he sets off for Kozice Prime with Alpha Galaxy, while saKhan Posavatz leads Beta to Urcunat. The ComGuard Eighth Army was waiting for them, but they were not prepared for the speed and ferocity of the assault. Every Scorpion OmniMech featured jump jets giving the Scorpions mobility that the relatively inexperienced troops were not ready to counter—and the precise targeted fire that lanced out from the Scorpions tore into the white-painted BattleMechs and combat vehicles cleaving arms from their bodies and turrets from their hulls. Finding that the ComGuards had heavily mined the approaches, and noting that his OmniMechs were taking concentrated fire from the enemy, he declared his opponents dezgra and ordered the suspension of zellbrigen for the duration of the battle.
Suddenly on the receiving end of the simultaneous fire from multiple Clan OmniMechs, the front lines of the Eighth exploded as Arrow IV began to rain down on atop of them. They broke under the strain after thirty-six straight hours of combat.
At Urcunat, the Second Army—already understrength and lacking what little experience had been possessed by the Eighth—were driven away by Randall Posavatz in full rout.
On the ninth day of the battle, Precentor Martial Focht committed his reserves against the Scorpions, with the veteran Fifth Army performing a combat drop directly atop Alpha Galaxy. As Khan Djerassi and his men fought for their lives in hand-to-hand combat, saKhan Posavatz ordered Delta Galaxy to advance and hold Urcunat—and he rushed Beta Galaxy to the defense of his Khan. Seventeen hours later, the Fifth was forced to stop their assault against Alpha to meet the advance of Beta. Caught between two fires, the Fifth Army withered away beneath the Scorpion onslaught. Despite his own heavy casualties, Nikolai sortied Alpha the following day, and the Fifth finally broke.
Meanwhile, the commanders of the Eighth and Second Armies had rallied their men and assaulted the Delta at Urcunat in force, but a gallant defense by the Scorpions held firm, despite artillery raining down upon the city.
The Secondary Army tried to bypass the conflict and seize the Scorpion DropShips, but Galaxy Commander Gordan Arbuthnot had left the elite 21st Scorpion Cuirassier to protect the vulnerable ships. Aiding by the defensive weapons mounted about the DropShips, the 21st handily repulsed the attack
With the Fifth running, Djerassi dispatched the a shrunken Alpha Galaxy to hound them in pursuit. Assuming command of Beta (saKhan Posavatz and Galaxy Commander Sandra Dinour had both been killed in the battle), he recrossed the valley again, and assaulted the flank of the brittle Eighth Army. It broke, quickly followed by the few survivors of the Second, but the Scorpions were unable to immediately set out in pursuit.
Djerassi recalled Alpha, and by Day 16, he had consolidated his forces in and around the two cities, moving his DropShips close to the fighting units where they could be more easily defended.
On Day 17, the Scorpions came under assault by more ComGuard reinforcements, this time from the Eleventh and Seventh Armies, but they managed to hold both cities.
By Day 21, the ilKhan knew that the Vipers, Cats, and Jaguars had been defeated, the Falcons fought to a draw, and the Wolves, Bears, and Scorpions were victorious. The battle was in balance, and Ulric was concerned about the status of the remaining three Clans—Wolves, Bears, and Scorpions—and their supplies. The other four had withdrawn, three in disgrace and one licking its painful wounds and mourning the loss of a great Warrior.
The Scorpions had taken grievous casualties, nearly 50% dead or wounded out of the troops who had landed just a few short days earlier. Djerassi appointed Nelson Elam as commander of Beta Galaxy, while he returned to Alpha, appointing Ariel Suvorov as commander of Delta (Galaxy Commanders Morgan LeClair and Jennifer Hardo having been killed). Hastily reforming his units, he consolidated his forces into nine ad-hoc Clusters, and prepared to meet the coming storm as the Precentor Martial desperately massed his forces in a bid to win the battle.
Djerassi ordered the 1st Scorpion Dragoons, consolidated with other elite survivors, and nearly at full TO&E strength aboard their DropShip and he tried a desperate, last-ditch play. Lifting into the atmosphere, the exhausted ComGuard aerospace forces thought that the Scorpions were breaking and let the ships rise towards orbit—but then they altered course and conducted a night drop deep in the Tamo Mountains. Interrogation of one of the high-ranking Fifth Army officers captured had managed to reveal the location of the Precentor-Martial’s command bunker.
Designed for secrecy, Focht’s bunker was not heavily defended and the elite Heartvenom troopers quickly fought their way into the bunker, despite heavy losses. The Precentor-Martial tried to escape and evade, but was shot—a Clan medic assigned to the assault managed to save his life however.
Bereft of their command and control, the ComGuards wavered, and Ulric seized the opportunity—he ordered the Bears, Scorpions, and Wolves to advance! Within seventeen hours, the final ComGuard formation at last laid down their arms.
Of course, it is for naught. The Primus has launched Operation Scorpion (funny about that name) and refuses to hand over Terra.
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Very Interesting Oh By the By Clan Fennec also believes in using Special Forces. They think on a higher order. They have an entire galaxy devoted to the Special Forces Doctrine Shadow Galaxy. This Galaxy is composed of six clusters. One Cluster of Battle and Omnimechs,One Cluster of Vehicles,One Cluster of Nighthawk Equipped Infantry, One Cluster of Conventional Aircraft (Heavy on the Torrent-IC model) One Cluster of Special Operations Jump Infantry (Fisher/Rider Battlemechs) and One Aerospace Cluster (Heavy on the Kirghiz-C variant Aerospace Fighter).
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that does work better as a turning point and keep warships for when matters turn nastier
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To make the Warship bid relevant.
Instead of interrogation revealing the location of the Bunker Khan Djerassi had his Warships using their sensors system's and (by Day 20) tuned in Neutrino Detection System crack the location of the command bunker.
Without firing a shot the Scorpion's Naval Star sets the stage for the climatic battle, the capture of Focht.
Ciao
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Ulric points to the Jaguar bombardment of Turtle Bay, and he thunders at Nikolai that he will not allow such a slaughter while he is ilKhan. And Nicolai replies: has not the population been evacuated? The entire planet is empty but for the enemy and use. I shall confront my enemy in this Trial with all of my forces at my disposal—for the prize here today is no less than TERRA!
This is the only bit I'm shaky on.
The Clans only quit using their WarShips because the Wolves opted to do so. Since the Wolves are the Clan of Kerensky, mostly Warden and the most successful invader up until Tukayyid I expect the remaining Crusader Clans to carry a bit of a chip on their shoulder. After all, if a bunch of Warden pups can conquer without their WarShips, a mighty Jaguar, Falcon, or Ghost Bear should easily do the same. Seems like forced follow the leader to prove a who's the better Clan. Still, the ban is unofficial and logically reinforced by the lack of Inner Sphere opponents. The Clans have a long history of using their WarShips in combat (their use never disappeared), from Klondike, through the Mongoose Absorption.
I think the concept of combat is the key here. With Tukayyid evacuated and the parameters of the Trial set, the battlezone is clearly a combat zone.
With Tukayyid, there's no way an uppity group of non-warriors will rebel. No way for a hysterical orbital response, or a psychological gut punch. Think about it, Edo shocked some of the Clans. Not because the WarShip was used, but because it was utilized against non-Warriors. Tukayyid has only warriors.
So I think Ulric's reaction is out of character in this situation. Besides being in a precarious position, his election as ilKhan was less than ideal as well. IF anything, I'd expect one of the other Crusading Khans to challenge the Scorpion's use of WarShips at Tukayyid. Ulric is also well aware of the fact that there are no non-combatants on Tukayyid. The number of dead is inconsequential here, they're all warriors participating in the Trial. Ulric wouldn't be careless as to forget this key fact. Plus, the WarShip ban IS unofficial. He knows that. The fact that no Crusader Clan has opted for something different until Tukayyid probably has more to do with a lack of opponents than avoiding another Edo. (The term convergent convenience comes to mind...)
Here's the situation: At this point the Scorpions are unblooded, the Crusaders have been fighting the invasion and done so without their WarShips. Now the Scorpions want to bring one along, and against an opponent that doesn't have any WarShips present at the Trial. I'm sure the Jaguars and Falcons will have something derogatory to say about the Scorpions. Their censure could replace Ulric's in your story.
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It might turn things on it's ear
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To make the Warship bid relevant.
Instead of interrogation revealing the location of the Bunker Khan Djerassi had his Warships using their sensors system's and (by Day 20) tuned in Neutrino Detection System crack the location of the command bunker.
Without firing a shot the Scorpion's Naval Star sets the stage for the climatic battle, the capture of Focht.
Ciao
Fitzgerald, I like this idea. Consider it adopted.
MA
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Ulric points to the Jaguar bombardment of Turtle Bay, and he thunders at Nikolai that he will not allow such a slaughter while he is ilKhan. And Nicolai replies: has not the population been evacuated? The entire planet is empty but for the enemy and use. I shall confront my enemy in this Trial with all of my forces at my disposal—for the prize here today is no less than TERRA!
This is the only bit I'm shaky on.
The Clans only quit using their WarShips because the Wolves opted to do so. Since the Wolves are the Clan of Kerensky, mostly Warden and the most successful invader up until Tukayyid I expect the remaining Crusader Clans to carry a bit of a chip on their shoulder. After all, if a bunch of Warden pups can conquer without their WarShips, a mighty Jaguar, Falcon, or Ghost Bear should easily do the same. Seems like forced follow the leader to prove a who's the better Clan. Still, the ban is unofficial and logically reinforced by the lack of Inner Sphere opponents. The Clans have a long history of using their WarShips in combat (their use never disappeared), from Klondike, through the Mongoose Absorption.
I think the concept of combat is the key here. With Tukayyid evacuated and the parameters of the Trial set, the battlezone is clearly a combat zone.
With Tukayyid, there's no way an uppity group of non-warriors will rebel. No way for a hysterical orbital response, or a psychological gut punch. Think about it, Edo shocked some of the Clans. Not because the WarShip was used, but because it was utilized against non-Warriors. Tukayyid has only warriors.
So I think Ulric's reaction is out of character in this situation. Besides being in a precarious position, his election as ilKhan was less than ideal as well. IF anything, I'd expect one of the other Crusading Khans to challenge the Scorpion's use of WarShips at Tukayyid. Ulric is also well aware of the fact that there are no non-combatants on Tukayyid. The number of dead is inconsequential here, they're all warriors participating in the Trial. Ulric wouldn't be careless as to forget this key fact. Plus, the WarShip ban IS unofficial. He knows that. The fact that no Crusader Clan has opted for something different until Tukayyid probably has more to do with a lack of opponents than avoiding another Edo. (The term convergent convenience comes to mind...)
Here's the situation: At this point the Scorpions are unblooded, the Crusaders have been fighting the invasion and done so without their WarShips. Now the Scorpions want to bring one along, and against an opponent that doesn't have any WarShips present at the Trial. I'm sure the Jaguars and Falcons will have something derogatory to say about the Scorpions. Their censure could replace Ulric's in your story.
Let's try this then:
The Khans are taken aback by this: WarShips have been bid away since the Battle for Rasalhague in 3050! More arguments ensure, led by Osis and Crichell, accusations of cowardice and incompetence are leveled at the Scorpions. Nikolai responds by citing Klondike, where no less a personage as the First ilKhan, Nicolas Kerensky himself, ordered the Scorpions to bombard a military target from orbit during the Battle of Dagda. “Throwing away an asset such as our ships, in a combat situation where success is not certain by any means; when the stakes are those of Terra itself, that, my Khans, is folly!â€
Ulric stays silent during the debate, but when things grow even more heated, he nods to the Khans of Ghost Bear, who physically separate the three enraged Khans. Ulric at last stands, and he informs Osis and Crichell and all of the other Khans present, that the bidding is for a zone of battle. And that no Khan had the right under the Martial Code to dictate another on how to bid his forces. He points out that the civilians of Tukayyid have been evacuated, and that while it is within Nikolai’s rights to bid the vessels, the lack of opponents fielded by the ComGuard will make their use quite . . . overwhelming.
He turned to Khans Crichell and Jorgensson; the Scorpion bid, including WarShips, favors you own Clans. Were he to withdraw that bid, his Clans would gain the choice of either of your intended landing zones—and arrive on planet before your forces. While I, personally, the ilKhan continued, believe it be overkill and unnecessary, the bid is within his rights as Khan. Unlike Edo on Turtle Bay (and Khan Osis’s face turned even more scarlet with anger), there are only Warriors present on the surface. Indeed, all of you are welcome to bid your own capital ships—but the Wolves will not. If you choose to, then the Clan of Kerensky will land first.
Slowly, the other Khans withdraw their objections. But the inclusion of ships mean that the Scorpions will land dead last—twenty four hours after even the Wolves. Most Khans present believe that the Battle will already be decided well before then—for they need only seize eight of the fourteen objectives to win the Battle and thus Terra.
The Battle does not go according to plan.
Master Arminas
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Nice.
See that seems more Ulric. He's a canny one, too shrewd for his own good. (I mean, this is the guy that basically tells Critchell to stuff it with the Refusal War.)
So for example, say if the Clans roll over the Guards the Scorpion WarShips look unnecessary, and the Crusaders will simply level an "I told you so" - along with the obligatory follow up Trials against the Scorpions for irritating them. :D
With Ulric saying the ships were "overkill," his opinion is vindicated in condemning the vessels by the battle's outcome. The Scorpions are the target of Crusader wrath, not him.
The flip side comes when the Scorpion WarShips save the day. Then, Ulric's support of the Scorpion's right to bid their WarShips accomplishes much the same thing. His personal opinion aside (which isn't much of a slight to the Warden Scorpions - Ulric simply believes the ships were "overkill"), he's still the fellow that reminded/verbally reprimanded the other Invading Clans that the Scorpions had the RIGHT to include their WarShips - and thus won the battle of Tukayyid.
Then again, using Fitz's modifications the endgame gets a little murkier depending on who wins the battle for Focht's command center - if it's a Clan other than the Scorpions.
Then you have an interesting situation were victory is possible because of the Scorpion ships, but they're still not directly responsible for ending the battle and forcing Focht's surrender.
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I like Fitz's idea.
Question: if the IlKhan bids away Warships in his initial bid with ComStar, a bid made for all the Clans, how can a single Clan bring them back in the game?
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I like Fitz's idea.
Question: if the IlKhan bids away Warships in his initial bid with ComStar, a bid made for all the Clans, how can a single Clan bring them back in the game?
Did Ulric bid them away? As far as I am aware, we do not know the answer to this question, do we? In canon, I mean.
Master Arminas
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Been busy, trying to catch up. In general, I like the refinements. Have to object to a couple points raised earlier, however.
Re: using WarShips against ground targets.
Part of the Clan way is to not cause undue casualties, even of combat troops, and to respect an enemy which fights well. Where is that in the Scorpions orbitally bombarding the ComGuards after they have clearly achieved victory, having lost only 2 out of 7 sub-battles?
Re: Clan vs InnerSphere equipment & tactics circa 3052
That write-up back around page 2 or 3 misses one key point: the Clanners don't make war, they try to win glory. They act with all the confidence and subtlety of the French at Agincourt (where in addition to being better trained and equipped, the French also outnumbered the English). An Inner Sphere military would take advantage of the Clan equipment to fight in such a way to deny the enemy any advantage and keep out of their primary killing zone, but this is not the way the Clans are depicted fighting -- either at Tukayyid or anywhere else. This is precisely why the Kuritans are able to toy with the Falcons at Wolcott and lead them into a trap.
Clan combat stresses fast & simple warfare, charge right in and get to where the enemy is so you can shoot them. As genetically engineered super-soldiers, they assume they're better in every way than their Inner Sphere opponents -- even the Warden Wolves have this mindset, other than a handful who are either depicted as uncommonly wise (Ulric) or highly experienced at fighting Inner Sphere-style (Natasha). Case in point, the youth bias. Real militaries, where war is an intellectual pursuit as much as a physical one, prefer calm, thoughtful leaders. The Clans take hotheads and promote to leadership based on who is best at single combat (which is why their tactics suck and they have almost no inkling of strategy; sadly, as depicted the Inner Sphere militaries lack such an excuse for their lack of tactics and atrocious strategy).
The Inner Sphere militaries should eat the Clans for breakfast, because the Clans don't care if the Inner Sphere forces gather all in one spot -- to the Clan way of thinking, this guarantees a quick & decisive battle, as all the enemy troops are in one spot -- and also makes the fight the most difficult, thereby arranging the most glorious conditions possible. Issuing BatChalls ensures that the Inner Sphere commanders have time to assemble & prepare their troops. It shouldn't take a Theodore Kurita to lead the Clans to ground of the Inner Sphere's choosing in order to savage a Clan offensive -- Clan military culture is begging for just that to happen.
With the game in the balance and having 3 wins on the board, he could alsways retreat out of two battles and swarm on a third. That way he wins 4, draws 1 and looses 2, as per canon.
But Focht only lost one of the seven fights, to the Wolves, while the Bears drew on account of seizing one objective, but not the other, while the Falcons drew due to casualties sustained on both sides (they never took an objective). This has been true from when Lost Destiny was published, and is still what's listed in Era Report: 3052. If everything else goes according to canon, it doesn't matter whether the Scorpions seize both of their objectives or not, it doesn't affect the outcome of Tukayyid. It would result in ComStar winning 3 fights, drawing 2, and the Clans only winning two; clearly this is still a victory for ComGuard. And Ulric, in Lost Destiny, even points out that the only reason the Falcons could be said to have forced a draw was because Focht declined to commit any reserves to that battle; had he done so, Ulric implies, the Falcons would have suffered a clear defeat.
If due to the Bear's draw & the Wolf & Scorpion victories Focht needs another clear win (though he wouldn't, so long as Ulric gets to make the determining vote in the Clans, which he would), in the canon it seems it would have been simple for Focht to turn the Falcons from a "draw" (in which, it should be noted, the ComGuards retained both of the Falcon's objectives; per the rules of the fight, that should have been a clear "win" for ComStar) into a win.
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Also, I forgot to discuss the conflict in sources on the outcome of this portion of the Tukayyid Campaign: The Wolf Clan sourcebook states that the Ghost Bears achieved a draw, while Invading Clans and Comstar claim that the Ghost Bears achieved a victory. The Tukayyid Sourcebook, of course, includes the re-printed information from the Comstar sourcebook and Invading Clans. Invading Clans and Comstar are backed up by the novel Lost Destiny, with Anastasias Focht commenting on Clan Ghost Bear's victory in a conversation with Ulric Kerensky immediately after the battle of Tukayyid was concluded. Lost Destiny, being a novel, is the highest available order of canon and takes precendence over the Clan Wolf sourcebook - it happens to agree with Invading Clans, Comstar, and Tukayyid. Some more recent sourcebooks have included re-prints of sections of text regarding the Battle of Tukayyid, drawn either from Wolf Clan or Invading Clans, those sources that have re-printed information from Wolf Clan are clearly in error, while those sources with re-printed information from Invading Clans are correct in this case.
From http://psychopompousgb.xanga.com/tags/tukayyid/
There seems to a difference of opinion on whether or not the Bears won, Halvagor. Subsequent novels, and Field Manual: Warden Clans, also point out that the Bears and Wolves were only Clans to achieve victory on Tukayyid. Focht can't wipe away the Falcon draw, not when they have already left the field of battle after the fact. He might well want to, but he can't.
Back to Clan Warriors and Tactics 101. Yes, by and large, the Clans are tactical (and usually) strategic idiots. But not always. I dare say that had Clan Star Adder been part of the Invasion Force, that Clan would be a suprising change of pace. And the Scorpions are students of history--almost cultists of the Star League of the past. They well might not use SLDF tactics, but they are probably expecting them from the Inner Sphere.
In order to win glory, one must either die in a spectacular fashion (ala Adain Pyrde) or win. The Scorpions are going for the win here. They may well fight on the ground in the Clan way (until the Comguards begin double- and triple-teaming Scorpion 'Mechs, at which point zell goes OUT the window), but they will do it in lightning fast passes that empasize mobility to avoid obstacles and with precision fire to makes up for its lack of redundacy by sheer accuracy.
Now about using the WarShips on targets on the ground, I am just about ready to kill that idea (thanks again Fitz and KM!) and think I am going to go with the Heartvenom assault on Focht's HQ bunker.
Master Arminas
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I like Fitz's idea.
Question: if the IlKhan bids away Warships in his initial bid with ComStar, a bid made for all the Clans, how can a single Clan bring them back in the game?
A trial of grievance against the ilKhan would bring WarShips back in, it could also result in a dead ilKhan and that turns everything around
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Special Forces all the way all day
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I can think of any number of ways for an Inner Sphere unit to completely undermine the Clan 'mechs general speed advantage. But I'm willing to drop that subject and continue on with the main point, as I relish the idea of Waterly seeing both a Clan victory at Tukayyid and their reaction to her perfidy.
Ulric's point about Focht being able to change the Falcon fight into a win was based on the fact that Focht didn't commit any reserves to press the Falcons while they were retreating. And were I Focht, I'd have used the argument that as the Falcons didn't take either of their objectives, it wasn't a draw, it was a ComStar victory (if a Pyrrhic one in that zone). Warden Clans, I note, is written from the PoV of the Clanners, and the Ghost Bear who wrote their section was clearly trying to one-up every other clan (save the Wolves); but my copy says (Page 82) "As it was, we captured and held one of our two objectives, and claimed a marginal victory for our Clan." I submit that what is meant by that is that they claimed second-best status of the Clan performances, having seized one objective, which is more than any Clan other than the Wolf can say. Given that both Lost Destiny and Era Report: 3052 list the Ghost Bears as a draw, and the biased point-of-view of Warden Clans, I'd say that TPTB are counting it as a draw.
I think the strike on Focht's bunker is good, yes, as that's a well-established tactic on the part of the Clanners in the Inner Sphere, as seen by Hohiro Kurita's misadventures and the deliberate targeting of Viccy S-D on Alyina. Of course, I'm not sure that Focht's bunker is even on the same continent as the rest of the fighting, which is likely to make it rather obvious when the SpecForces raid on it launches -- assuming the Clanners can even figure out its location. But I don't have the time to comb Lost Destiny to find where it talks about Focht's hideout, so I could be wrong.
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They may have their bad days but they could get their act together to launch a SpecForces Strike
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One thing I never got about Tukayyid.
All the Clans made bids to decide when they would join the assault.
In a trial the lowest bid wins the rights to fight. In the case of Tukayyid it was to determine when they were allowed to land.
Now... in a trial if you pull in your earlier bids you lose honour, but there is no greater honour than victory.
Why not just pull in previous bids to supplement their forces? ComGuards face new forces and fall Focht is still killed or captured and Waterly still screws them over. The Clans are so beat up because of them pulling in previous bids they can't resume invasion immediately giving IS time to either take out ComStar or prepare for the upcoming onslaught. Including reforming the league.
As the invaders rebuild the home Clans screw over the Invaders and Ulric by pretty much activating themselves for invasion. Using Ulric's fail to secure Terra and the destruction of most of the current invasion force as an excuse to invade. More than likely Ulric being killed in the process of the Clan political backlash.
When the Clans come again the current invaders face the Inner Sphere but they also find themselves fighting more arriving Clans. Lyrans and DCMS suddenly also feel the force of more invasion corridors.
All the Clans are united in one thing - kill ComStar unfortunately they don't agree on how to do it...
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Re: Clan vs InnerSphere equipment & tactics circa 3052
That write-up back around page 2 or 3 misses one key point: the Clanners don't make war, they try to win glory. They act with all the confidence and subtlety of the French at Agincourt (where in addition to being better trained and equipped, the French also outnumbered the English). An Inner Sphere military would take advantage of the Clan equipment to fight in such a way to deny the enemy any advantage and keep out of their primary killing zone, but this is not the way the Clans are depicted fighting -- either at Tukayyid or anywhere else. This is precisely why the Kuritans are able to toy with the Falcons at Wolcott and lead them into a trap.
Clan combat stresses fast & simple warfare, charge right in and get to where the enemy is so you can shoot them. As genetically engineered super-soldiers, they assume they're better in every way than their Inner Sphere opponents -- even the Warden Wolves have this mindset, other than a handful who are either depicted as uncommonly wise (Ulric) or highly experienced at fighting Inner Sphere-style (Natasha). Case in point, the youth bias. Real militaries, where war is an intellectual pursuit as much as a physical one, prefer calm, thoughtful leaders. The Clans take hotheads and promote to leadership based on who is best at single combat (which is why their tactics suck and they have almost no inkling of strategy; sadly, as depicted the Inner Sphere militaries lack such an excuse for their lack of tactics and atrocious strategy).
The Inner Sphere militaries should eat the Clans for breakfast, because the Clans don't care if the Inner Sphere forces gather all in one spot -- to the Clan way of thinking, this guarantees a quick & decisive battle, as all the enemy troops are in one spot -- and also makes the fight the most difficult, thereby arranging the most glorious conditions possible. Issuing BatChalls ensures that the Inner Sphere commanders have time to assemble & prepare their troops. It shouldn't take a Theodore Kurita to lead the Clans to ground of the Inner Sphere's choosing in order to savage a Clan offensive -- Clan military culture is begging for just that to happen.
I'm sorry but while this is the stereotype, it is one with foundations based on sand. (also Agincourt was far more complicated than you seem to realise, you may be thinking of Crecy)
The Clans value glory, yes. But you get glory by winning first and winning economically second. A fondness for single combat does not mean an obliviousness to tactics: they're still encouraged to make use of terrain, select equipment for their Omnimechs according to a plan and very happy to outwit their adversaries. These are all completely applicable to small unit tactics as well as to single combat.
They are weak in large unit deployments, in logistics for extended campaigns and in information-gathering, but this does not mean that they are kill-crazy fools who care nothing for casualties and will blindly charge into point-blank range to trade shots. That would be lunacy against other Clan soldiers and it is those circumstances that have shaped their practises.
They want great victories and the overwhelming majority of them realise that if they can kill half-a-dozen of Inner Sphere Mechs in long range fights with minimal damage to themselves, that's going to be far more glory - and far more chance of advancement - than killing two or three in close quarters before getting dragged down and killed, losing the Clan a valuable BattleMech.
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The Precentor Martial was in the Tamo Mountains, not far from the Smoke Jaguars.
As for the IlKhan bidding away WarShips, you wrote it that way a little bit earlier (or I misread it).
I like the Tamo Mountains operation but I would make it happen a little bit earlier as otherwise the IlKhan might agree the Clans have lost.
There is also a slight problem with your plan as I read somewhere that ComGuards attacked a landing zone while a Clan was retreating. Why would they do something else right now?
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Drakensis, you just forgot their superiority complex. 8)
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To make the Warship bid relevant.
Instead of interrogation revealing the location of the Bunker Khan Djerassi had his Warships using their sensors system's and (by Day 20) tuned in Neutrino Detection System crack the location of the command bunker.
Without firing a shot the Scorpion's Naval Star sets the stage for the climatic battle, the capture of Focht.
Ciao
Fitzgerald, I like this idea. Consider it adopted.
MA
To pour salt in metaphorical wounds Nikolia always can quip "Information is ammunition"
For a double burn against the Falcons and Mandrill's. Both Modern and Historic.
The Mandrill's by recalling their bidding away of intelligence assets in Op: Klondike and the disruptions it caused their offensive on Dagda.
Ciao
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Drakensis, you just forgot their superiority complex. 8)
All mechwarriors are subject to that so it evens out.
More seriously, that was a strategic and logistical flaw. Tactically they performed quite well, so any belief in their superiority may have been justified.
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I forgot that Falcon Rising is a book by Thurston. Duh! This work will henceforth be named: Scorpio Ascendant.
MA
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Hi I remember their is a scenario pack Tukayyid that has a battle between Clan Smoke Jaguar and the Comguard involving the Tamo Bunker. If the Clan Goliath Scorpion is watching over the battles this might them Foch's whereabouts
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Hi I remember their is a scenario pack Tukayyid that has a battle between Clan Smoke Jaguar and the Comguard involving the Tamo Bunker. If the Clan Goliath Scorpion is watching over the battles this might them Foch's whereabouts
It was a what if scenario.
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Ahh Well I am toiling at work and do not have access to my books but if it did happen oh boy the Scorpions would of jumped at that chance.
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One point I just found in favour of the now defunct orbital bombardment was the Jaguar strikes on Circe during the Mongoose Absorption, where the Jags used the tactic to clear thier landing zones.