OK, 14 maps covering January and February 3063 are available here:
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/ij747h7tnp2g3/Of_Flacons_and_Wolves-9-
27th of February, 3063
Celestial Palace
Sian, Capellan Confederation
“And that, Prince Victor, you intolerable little prick, is how one goes about spanking a petulant child.†Candace Liao leant back in her chair, steeplling her fingers and looking at the huge wall sized screen that sat across from her on the other side of the long teak table at which she sat. Carvings of dragons and phoenixes decorated the table and matched the carvings on the room’s walls and ceiling and those cavorting in gold on the room’s burgundy carpet.
The map projected before her showed forty Federated Commonwealth worlds from Zavijava to Verdigries flashing red and with a quick flick of her wrist and the controller, the map jumped Coreward to show another dozen from Elume to Botany Bay flashing due to Clan assaults. “And there is the icing on the cake you stupid little boy, courtesy of the House Liao and our friends in Clan Steel Viper.â€
Candace’s exultations were disturbed as her brother Tormana Liao entered the room, “Gloating like father my dear sister, how it does become you.â€
“Oh shut up Tormana! We have been handed the opportunity to do to Davion what every Liao since Barbara has wanted to do, and I could not think of a smugger Davion to do it to.†Candace’s voice was measured, but an undertone of heat lay within it.
Tormana, looking dapper and unruffled in a very dark green pin striped suit, dropped unceremoniously into the seat next to his older sister, “Of course dear sister-Chancellor, however, you do look like father when you do that.â€
Candace dropped her hands and smiled, “I do, don’t I? However, the fact remains that we may have given little Prince Perfect a situation he can’t deal with.â€
Tormana leaned back as far as his chair would allow, then reached out and took the controller from his sister and brought the map back to centre on the Capellan Confederation. “Perhaps Candace, but there is much that can still go wrong for us and our unreliable new allies.†He pointed at the Taurian Concordat, “For example, Protector Calderon does not trust us any more than he trusts the Davions and he would sink a knife in our back given half the chance.â€
Candace shook her head, “He’s not that bad.â€
Tormana shrugged and grimaced, “Perhaps, but those savages he leads would. Nevertheless, he has deployed two to two and a half times what Davion has on the border and hit eleven worlds all at once. I’m not sure if New Syrtis will be able to comprehend that size of an assault coming out of the Concordat, especially when our own offensives are added to the mix.â€
“Prince Victor will comprehend enough and the key will be how the monster reacts. If he even hints at behaving like he did on our former worlds in 3057, I’ll unleash a cocktail of weapons that will make Kali’s response seem measured and reasonable.â€
Tormana levelled a flat stare at his sister, “He really did get under your skin back then, didn’t he?â€
“Yes, he did,†she answered, paused and then continued, “It was his monumental arrogance and the assumption that his own actions against Liao guerrillas and troops were moderate and reasonable in light of what Kali did on New Aragon and his general attitude to Capellans in general. I will not defend Kali’s actions, but his order to “…exterminate Liao sympathisers even suspected of supporting Kali…†and his support of his officer’s brutality against our people left me no choice but to face him down. However, when he referred to St. Ives as his client state, that is patience with the House of Liao was running out and that he expected St. Ives to take all actions it could to support the Federated Commonwealth in ending the Capellan disease, I chose that moment to snap.â€
Tormana laughed, “Snap is an understatement for what you said to him.â€
Candace looked at her brother, “Perhaps, but from that moment the die was cast, though I do not think he ever realised what I planned. Neither did Sun-Tsu, but then I have always found that few lack the vision to truly see where their actions will take them. Prince Davion might be learning and getting better at it, but the current war continues to show that he is still not the strategic thinker his father was.â€
Tormana nodded and then changed the subject, “I have the preliminary reports on the various fronts and despite what you might think of some of our allies, they are performing well.†Tormana waited to see if Candace would say something, when she did not, he zoomed the map into the Taurian section of the front.
“As I said, the TDF hit eleven worlds, which was audacious, especially considering this is their first and largest offensive in centuries.â€
Candace cocked her head and placed her hands on the dark table top, which caused her iridescent emerald robe to shimmer, “That is true, isn’t it, for all their bluster and steam, the Taurians rarely strike first.â€
“First time for everything,†said Tormana, “However, they have managed to blood the AFFC’s nose and claim the worlds of Bromhead, Midale, Lindsay, Montour and Verdiegreis. They have deployed fifteen Mech Regiments, six of them mercenary, seven Conventional Divisions and three Aerospace Regiments. The AFFC, in my opinion, has the forces in the broader region to halt the TDF in a few months, however, by that stage the Taurians may have reclaimed most of what they lost in the Reunification War. The TDF has lacked a bit of finesse in its advances, which is costing them, but I do believe, based on our intelligence, that the TDF can sustain it operations until October or November. Just as importantly for the Taurians is that I expect their economy to drop by approximately 10-12% prosecuting this war, so the Protector won’t be able to fight for too long: His people have become accustomed to certain living standards.â€
Candace nodded slowly and reached out to pull across a copy of the notes Tormana was reading from. “Do you think they can snatch Panpour as well?â€
Tormana shook his head, “It is past the territory they once held and I don’t believe they would risk the justification of their “War to reclaim their lost worlds†by invading old Davion systems. Protector Calderon was adamant on that point during the planning for the offensive. He is a man of his word and a more stable and rational Taurian than we have been used to of late.â€
Candace grimaced and dropped the folder, “Pity he lacks real ambition. What of our assaults?â€
Tormana beamed a smile at his sister, “As you are aware, we have dispatched thirty-one Mech Regiments, twenty-three of them House troops, twenty Conventional Divisions and eight Aerospace Regiments into Davion territory. We have meet with stunning success in the drive towards Liao, nearly cut the Ziliang Salient in some rather bloody fighting and are currently stalled, but in a good position to begin cutting the Kittery Salient.â€
“What have we taken?†Candace asked with a hard stare.
“Ten worlds: Frazer, Glentworth, Hunan, Jonzac, Kafr Silim, Pleione, Safe Port, St. Andre, Styk and Tsitsang.â€
Candace laughed aloud and slapped her brother on the back, “Say that again.â€
Tormana repeated himself and chuckled, “It does sound good, doesn’t it?â€
“Yes.†responded Candace
“Oh, and there is something else you might like dear sister.â€
“What is that?†Candace gave Tormana a quizzical look.
Tormana clapped his hands twice and two members of the Prefecorate Guards entered, carrying what looked to be a large golden banner. “In addition to destroying the 1st Kittery Training Battalion and the 8th Federated Commonwealth RCT,†the two soldiers then moved apart, raised the banner’s poles and started to walk away from each other, unveiling it, “your noble troops on Frazer have destroyed the Davion Assault Guards and taken their banners.â€
Candace’s jaw dropped and remained there for a moment as she took in the banner before her, which showed the head of an Atlas set on a stylized version the Davion Royal Brigade's crest. The banner was covered in battle honours from many wars against the foes of the Davions, including many in green, with worlds named in white and few in black, showing the victories and defeats the regiment had experienced against the Capellan Confederation.
“I thought you might like it. I had is couriered here with the high value prisoners we have taken in the Ziliang Salient.â€
Candace was still smiling, then she waved her hand and the two soldiers furled the banner and began to move from the room, “Yes, I do like it. I think I might hang it in the Throne Room. Now down to specifics. How are the three assaults actually proceedings?â€
Candace had always impressed Tormana with her ability to change track, but he was used to it and got back to his briefing. “The assault towards Liao goes well and we should be able to link up with the advance of the Free Worlds by May or June, though I doubt we will be able to get ahead of them and regain Nanking.â€
Candace pursed her lips before stating, “The price you pay for revenge. We can deal with the League in future, if their current offensive is any indicator of their will for a real fight.â€
Tormana leaned back, “True, though it would be nice to have Nanking’s resources. Nevertheless, we hold Styk and the main line of Davion resistance has been clearly breached. I expect all of our primary targets will fall, however, I do not think we will advance much beyond those due to resource constraints and AFFC reinforcements. Nevertheless, our troops will be landing on Liao within a week.â€
“What units have you dispatched?â€
“Warrior House Dai Da Dhi, the Harloc Warriors and the 3rd Regiment of McCarron’s Armoured Cavalry and several supporting formations.â€
“That should be sufficient.†Responded Candace.
Tormana continued, “The assaults into Kittery have not met with the success of the other strikes, though I expect that to change by the end of the month. Spica is presenting some issues, but we have the advantage on Kittery. The main issues I see there is AFFC reinforcements arriving on Mentasta and Weekapaug and preventing a closure of the salient. In that case I suggest we cut our losses and hold what we have around Kittery.â€
“You don’t think we should push to ease the pressure on St. Ives.†Candace’s attachment to St. Ives had led to her requiring an assault into the Kittery Salient.
“Whether we clear the Kittery area or not, the threat to St. Ives will be minimised for a considerable period of time.â€
“Perhaps.†Candace responded, but her lack of further comment indicated that Tormana could proceed.
“â€Further Edgeward, we have nearly cut the Ziliang Salient from the Federated Suns, with only Sirdar holding the corridor open. I plan to dispatch additional units freed from our successful assaults in the region to assist in the fighting there, however, I also plan to hedge our bets and hit additional worlds nearby to make a second closure: Cotoacallo, Abruzzi and Courcellete are the logical targets.â€
Candace nodded, “And the head of the salient?â€
“Fighting there has been heavy,†continued Tormana, “Some of Davion’s better regiments remained there despite the Clan threat. The Federated Suns Armoured Cavalry has driven off the assault on Ziliang and I expect General Rennard to move the regiment and cause us no end of headaches before we put them down.â€
“They are certainly an efficient regiment.†She paused, “It’s a pity they did not have the decency to suffer the same fate as the Assault Guards. How are our logistics?â€
Tormana, shifted in his seat as he reached for a new document. “Tolerable, for now. Supplying such a huge offensive was always going to be difficult and expenditures are at or about where they I predicted them to be, which is about 30% greater than what the staff had believed. Currently, we have enough supplies on hand to maintain our offensive tempo for five, maybe six months. After that, our ability to maintain any sort of combat actions will be severely curtailed.â€
“Hence why I feel we may need to move on Nanking. Every facility we can take is critical to our future needs and hang what the Captain-General thinks.â€
“I disagree.†Said Tormana forcefully, “To throw aside our shaky alliance after a month will dam us and dam the effort to cut the Federated Commonwealth in half. We can strike at Axton, Demeter and Tikonov if the AFFC falls apart, but if we strike at Nanking, the League will withdraw from the war and we will face the Davion armies on our own.â€
Candace folded her arms, “You are right, but I don’t like it. Nanking was our world thirty years ago and was one of our brightest jewels.â€
“There will be other wars and the League cannot remain united for ever.†Tormana’s answer was delivered in a soothing tone: He genuinely sympathised with his sister, but the realities of the CCAF, it size and logistics had kept him firmly focused on the achievable.
Neither spoke for several minutes, then Candace seemed to wake up, “What of our other allies, how goes their wars?â€
Tormana smiled, “You will be happy to know the Theodore Kurita has managed to put one over Thomas Marik.â€
“Really, how delightful.â€
“Yes, with the funds the Free Worlds provided to Kurita for mercenaries, he has bought up contracts for twenty regimental sized formations. Twelve are poised to strike at the four targets the Combine has in the Terran Corridor and the other eight are on their merry way to the Clan border.â€
Candace’s eyes narrowed, “He sends us all, and Prince Davion, a message. He will use what force is necessary for the good of the Combine, shows that the Combine will be used by no one and lets us all know that in using mercenaries, his claim to those four worlds will be contingent upon his willingness to keep them contracted. He believes by doing so he holds the key to controlling the flow of supplies through the corridor and can placate Davion, whilst remaining on our good side.â€
Tormana raised his hands, “If you say so, but to me it was more of case of needing those troops against the Cats and Jaguars.â€
Candace’s retort held heat, “I do say so because it is so. Now what of the offensives.â€
Tormana, chastised and knowing that pressing the issue would be a lost cause continued, “The League has hit eight systems in to separate strikes, one aimed at Nanking, the other in the Terran Corridor. They have taken four worlds at little real cost to themselves, but I expect that the FWLM and the DCMS will face the full brunt of the AFFC counterattack.â€
He pressed a button on the controller and brought up a new map, which showed the area around Terra, with tow red lines running across it. “Those worlds within those two red lines are the critical corridor for the AFFC. They must keep that link clear, or mostly clear to ensure the safety and control of the link that joins the two halves of the Commonwealth. The League now controls two – Thorin and Chara – and is fighting on another, whilst the Combine will strike at four more in February. It is here that the war will be decided and here where the AFFC may well deploy WarShips, which the FWLN will handily dispatch.â€
Candace harrumphed, “That is if the League keeps its gander up. I have limited faith in their ability to go the distance in a real fight.â€
“As do I.†Answered Tormana, “The DCMS’s arrival should give them some backbone.â€
Candace changed tack again, “And what of our colleagues on the Clan Front? They best be seeing success as getting them to agree to strike when we did was a master class in diplomacy with base idiots.â€
Candace thought back on the eleven months of discussions with the Steel Vipers and later Ice Hellions and Hell’s Horsmen. Strategic thinking was not their forte, but the Horses at least saw the benefits and were able to talk the Vipers around. The Hellions followed from there, but there were at least two dozen times the discussions nearly fell apart, and all the Capellans had asked for was to launch any future assaults in concert with the strikes to close the Terran Corridor. “We are never negotiating with Clansmen again, they are too stupid by half.â€
Tormana smirked ruefully, “A least the ones we dealt with were. Still, they are efficient little killers and have, it would appear, taken three worlds apiece from the Lyrans, with more to come. I doubt the Hellions or Horses will go far, as they did not appear to have much in the way of force deployed to the Inner Sphere, however, the Vipers looked to be of use to us, at least until the most recent news from the Combine arrived stating that the Wolves and Bear had stopped fighting.â€
Candace grunted, “Can’t trust a Clansmen to do what is needed. Kell’s peace has the Vipers watching their back no doubt. Still, as long as they kill a few Davions and Steiners and take a few worlds, it will keep much of the Federated Commonwealth’s strength focused on the Clan front and not against us.â€
Tormana zoomed the map out to take in the entire Inner Sphere, “True dear sister, very true indeed.â€