OBT Forum

Takiro Battlezone: Kervil « on: March 19, 2007, 10:12:17 PM »

Kervil
Star Type: K3V
Position in System: 2 (of 3)
Number of Moons: 1 (Paxin)
Days to Jump Point: 5
Surface Water: 92%
Atm. Pressure: Standard (Breathable)
Surface Gravity: 1.26
Equatorial Temp: 24° C
Highest Native Life: Mammals
Planetary Ruler: Duke Stephan Oleanna

With water covering almost all of its surface, and the remainder given over to ten large island masses and an assortment of smaller chains dominated by volcanoes, Kervil was quickly established as a mining world. Industries geared toward locating and exploiting the valuable metals churned up by lava flows arose within a decade of the planet’s colonization. The Ozawa Mercantile Association, a collective of merchants that dominated the region before the rise of House Kurita and the Draconis Combine, took a liking to Kervil and its vast metal deposits. Through negotiations with the local government, the Association established its own offices, outposts, offshore mining rigs and orbital processing centers, maximizing the efficiency of Kervil’s mining operations in exchange for almost exclusive access to the refined metals. When the Dragon crushed the Association, these facilities, some damaged by Kuritan attacks, came under Combine control for a short time until the expanding Terran Hegemony claimed the planet by force. The planet remained in dispute until the founding the Star League when the world became a shared possession of House Cameron and Kurita. At the peak of the Star League, Kervil’s metal industry and orbital refineries became a major producer of ferro-fibrous armor and endo-steel, used extensively in the manufacture of BattleMechs and other military vehicles. It was perhaps for this reason that forces sympathetic to the Outworlds Alliance attacked Kervil during the Reunification War, attempting to demolish the distribution centers on the planet’s surface after crippling several orbital factories. A small BattleMech unit stationed on Kervil, part of the SLDF’s 138th BattleMech Division, was all that stood between the renegade forces and total destruction. The woefully outnumbered SLDF troops put up a brave fight, first with hit-and-run attacks and later with an assault against one of the renegade DropShips, while waiting for reinforcements to arrive. Still outnumbered nearly 5 to 1, however, the defenders were forced to fall back to Fort Steel, their main base near the planetary capital of Iron City. For three days they held out against a siege by angry renegades; then the enemy troops overwhelmed them and destroyed the fort and its defenders to the last ’Mech and soldier. This stand, likened to the battle for the Alamo on Terra, ultimately achieved its goal, as the departing renegades ran full-on into SLDF reinforcement troops on their way out of the system, losing the entire raiding force to the guns of SLDF WarShips. The brave SLDF defenders who died at the Battle of Kervil are still remembered today: Fort Steel’s remains are a historic site open to tourists year-round. This battle, as it happens, was the only major military action seen on Kervil; even the SLDF liberation from Amaris the Usurper was comparatively bloodless. The Coup did destroy some of the advanced armor metal plants in orbit and several military-grade metal refineries on the surface but much of this damage has already been repaired by Project Phoenix. Today mining and metallurgy remain Kervil’s greatest industries. Iron City, still the planetary capital, is located on Greater Domain, Kervil’s largest island continent. Greater Domain and seven other large island masses—Brahn, Northland, Satella and Lesser Domain in the north and Bellas Major, Bellas Minor and Karnophia in the south—support the majority of the planet’s population and industries. The north polar continent of Freiholt and the equatorial continent of Infernus are sparsely settled, due to the extreme cold and lack of minerals on Freiholt and the chain of active volcanoes on Infernus.

Takiro Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #1 on: March 25, 2007, 06:54:48 AM »

Defenders
5th Dieron Borderers Veteran/ Fanatical CO: Brigadier Noriko Akuri
11th Provisional Combat Brigade Regular/ Reliable CO: Brigadier Arnold Roberts
Kervil SDF Green/ Fanatical CO: Colonel Seth Tagert
34th Attack Wing Regular/Reliable CO: Lt. Commander Sarah Franks
10th Interceptor Wing Regular/Reliable CO: Lt. Commander Ashley Charles
7th Pursuit Wing Veteran/ Reliable CO: Lt. Commander Jim Matthews
SitRep: This disputed world was clearly valuable to both sides in this conflict for its abundant natural resources. As a result the 5th Dieron Borderers were sent here early on by the Royal Command to defend this planet in the name of Terra. The Fifth has gone beyond its original mandate to familiarize itself with the world for the purpose of defense. The unit has intimate knowledge of the terrain and people of Kervil and will not rest until the planet is secured. This level fanaticism is shared by the SDF which lacks real battlefield experience but makes up for in sheer level of eagerness. Training almost daily with the Fifth both units now stand ready to defend Kervil or die trying. While capable officers in every respect Brigadier Noriko Akuri and Colonel Seth Tagert are viewed as absolute fanatics by some who are concerned about their last stand planning. Both units have been recently reinforced by the 11th Provisional Combat Brigade which is led by Brigadier Arnold Roberts who is urging a more realistic elastic defense but the other commanders refuse to give ground. The large aerospace contingent currently assigned to Kervil is certainly an asset to planetary defense but shares the Eleventh’s concerns over defensive strategy. Fort Adamantine is the one Castle Brian located on Kervil but may not factor in the battle if Brigadier Akuri insists on defending the population centers of Kervil rather than its industrial and military strong points.

Takiro Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #2 on: March 26, 2007, 04:40:37 PM »

Attackers
2nd Ronin Taskforce (the Shadow Warriors)
Commander: Brigadier General Shin Mayota
Force Skill/ Loyalty Ratings: Veteran/ Reliable
Description: The Second Ronin Taskforce is eclipsed only by the First in overall force quality and is quite a formidable military unit in its own right. Many of its members resent the fact that they have been overlooked for other assignments in the past. This has led to the soldiers of this taskforce to drive themselves hard in order to prove their worth not only versus the Gaijin but its fellow Ronin as well. Like the rest of the Ronin this taskforce is mainly equipped with medium weight BattleMechs but it does have some heavier elements for support. With access to select Star League era technology the Second is comparatively well equipped to its fellow Ronin regiments. The force is commanded by the very capable Shin Mayota who sees himself as General Toyotomi’s closest rival and chief competitor. The Brigadier General himself is the second youngest Draconis commander to be involved in Operation Katana. Shin voluntarily joined the ranks of the Ronin at a young age when he chose to leave the DCMS rather than serve with the SLDF and the militaries of the other Great Houses. Mayota was an outspoken adversary of the Star League and proudly trained Periphery freedom fighters to help bring it down. He was glad to see the Periphery Uprising, the Amaris Coup, and Kerensky’s Exdous from the InnerSphere. Rejoining the DCMS immediately after the dissolution of the League in 2781 Shin was promoted to his current rank and selected to lead a Ronin Taskforce. He is only too happy to help in the ultimate destruction of those who imposed the shackles of peace upon his beloved nation. Mayota plans to crush the renewed Terran nation before it can threaten his homeland again.

Takiro Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #3 on: March 26, 2007, 04:43:09 PM »

By the Numbers

Type of Unit     TR     DC
BattleMechs     144    432
AeroFighters      54    108
Warships            0       9

Please Note that Armor & Infantry Numbers will follow eventually

BattleMechs for the Terrans include one battalion (Reserves and Nobles) in the SDF

Also actual Ronin forces are only Mechwarriors the rest of their troop is made up of regular DCMS and DCA personnel

Walegrin Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #4 on: March 26, 2007, 05:39:25 PM »

Oh boy............

MechRat Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #5 on: March 27, 2007, 07:44:12 PM »

It looks like the Terrans are in for a world of hurt... Sad This doesn't look good.

Takiro Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #6 on: June 02, 2007, 07:40:26 PM »

Unfortunately your predictions proved correct guys, have a look.

Battle of Kervil

   On September 6, 2785 a large Draconis invasion force entered the Kervil star system intent on adding it to the Combine. Their appearance at the Nadir Jump Point scared away any Terran jumpships on station and redirected all in system traffic. While this approach seemed sloppy or overly conservative it would mark the first difference between this Ronin assault and all others. Brigadier General Shin Mayota surmised that most of his fellow commanders would rush their attacks in order to finish first. With a time table from the High Command governing each wave this wasn’t a concern for Mayota who was determined to out perform the other Taskforces.

   The commander of the Terran defenses, Brigadier Noriko Akuri, deployed most of his forces to protect Greater Domain. The 5th Dieron Borderers and the Kervil SDF were both assigned to guard this heart of Kervil. Akuri’s hatred of the Draconis Combine blinded him to the possibilities of creating a more elastic defense of the planet favored by Brigadier Arnold Roberts and his 11th Provisional Combat Brigade. Rather than argue about their deployment Akuri who openly devalued the Eleventh gave Roberts discretion to conduct his own outer defenses. Splitting his force into two equal strength combat commands Roberts chose to defend the planet’s northern islands (Brahn, Northland, Satella and Lesser Domain) while his second, Colonel Omar Faroudia, defended the southern islands (Bellas Major, Bellas Minor and Karnophia).

   Terran aerospace forces were put on alert status as the invading forces approached the planet on September 11th. The first target for Draconis troops was not the planet itself but its orbital facilities which housed much of Kervil’s mining and armor making operations. Kurita marines from the First Naval Escort Squadron made short work of any defenses left there by Terran workers and rapidly secured these valuable facilities. There was little if any collateral damage to these complexes and there addition to the Draconis Combine’s industry is a boon to the Dragon’s war effort.

   At the same time aerospace assets from this taskforce’s Second Naval Escort Squadron, composed of three Mogami class Light Cruisers, engaged Terran orbital defenders. One hundred and eight Draconis fighters supported by their Light Cruisers fought a fierce battle with three Terran aerospace wings made up of fifty four aerospace fighters in all. Outnumbered two to one these valiant defenders could not stave off the invaders and after two hours were forced to withdraw from orbit.

   With aerospace superiority clearly established in their favor Draconis forces regrouped and again did something different from other Ronin attacks seen during the first wave of Operation Katana. Taking an entire day the Kurita invaders carefully scanned the planet for the best landing site and any Terran defenses. On September 13, 2785 Ronin forces landed on the frozen continent of Frienholt during a break in that areas fearsome weather. At the same time their aerospace escorts screened their landing and attempted to destroy any possible Terran defense satellites that might be able to observe their movements. While their efforts did somewhat blind Terran forces on planet enough remained to keep the defenders reasonably informed of Draconis movements.

   Satisfied with his preparations Brigadier General Shin Mayota split his ground forces into two groups. Leading the first group of two BattleMech regiments Mayota attempted a secret underwater assault against Greater Domain. The long submarinal approach from Frienholt was difficult to say the least but he was confident his troops could pull it off.  Meanwhile Colonel Hitomi Kasake would led what appeared to be the entire Draconis BattleMech force southward in a traditional island hopping assault. Executing a suborbital hop this group made for its first target, Northland, on September 14th 2785.

   The remaining Terran aerospace fighters on world attempted to stop this operation in mid flight launching from hidden positions. Again despite a spirited effort to breach the Draconis fighter screen and turn back the invading dropships their effort was ultimately rebuffed. A few Terran fighters managed to escape but the attackers were able to land on Northland without any other problems. Getting there proved to be only half the struggle as Brigadier Arnold Roberts was determined to make the Ronin pay for every inch of ground. Commanding a brilliant ambush at Kline’s Glen his reinforced conventional battalion managed to completely halt the Ronin’s advance.

Despite concerns from some in his command that they faced a much larger force Colonel Kasake drove his troops forward again. Their furious advance thwarted Brigadier Roberts’ efforts to fade away to defend the next major island. Draconis aerospace forces managed to obliterate Terran nautical transportation stranding the entire Northern Defense Group. The Ronin proceeded to annihilate their enemy on the third day of the assault on Northland. The Northland Defense Battalion did its job however delaying the Kurita advance and making them pay for every inch of Terran soil. While his command was wiped out a wounded Brigadier Roberts managed to escape into the underground with the help of some civilians. His whereabouts today are unknown.

   On the 18th of September the Ronin began their second suborbital hop to the island of Brahn. With no aerospace opposition and a Terran commander out of the fight many in the Draconis force thought this would be a single day operation. They didn’t figure on the Brahn Defense Battalion led by Major Roger Lane. These fanatical defenders again delayed the Combine advance with guerilla tactics and ambushes. As the Ronin pushed forward their supporting armor and infantry units began to secure territory already taken which aided the continuing assault. In the end it took the Ronin three days to defeat a much smaller conventional force on Brahn. Some of the defenders even managed to fade into the civilian populace and helped to create a formidable resistance movement there.

   With the attacks on Brahn and Northland concluded the Draconis Combine launched its main offensive on September 22nd 2785. As the entire Second Ronin Taskforce again appeared to execute their third suborbital hop to the island of Satella their hidden undersea attack on Greater Domain would be launched. The gambit was incredibly successful especially on Greater Domain where Ronin forces carefully selected their time and place to attack. The Ronin attack targeted positions defended by the Kervil SDF and easily drove threw the Terrans establishing a beachhead. The stunning surprise attack was so successful that it threatened to completely undo Terran defense plans. All remaining Terran aerospace forces were thrust into a final desperate attack hoping to slow the Ronin’s advance. The heroic run of the last fighters allowed Terran forces to regroup and defend their positions but cost the defenders their last aerospace craft.

   Meanwhile the attack on Satella was not going as well for the Dragon. Terran conventional forces had perfected their island defense strategies and the Ronins’ attempt to advance easily was thwarted at every turn. Despite their stubborn defense it took only two days for the superior Kurita force to completely secure the island. After that point only sporadic resistance was encountered by supporting elements of the Draconis advance. As operations to the north wrapped up an entire Kurita aerospace wing that had been escorting dropships shifted to the south to watch for any troop movements. The decision was made to skip Lesser Domain for the moment and link up with other Ronin forces on Greater Domain.

   Both groups of Ronin met up on Greater Domain on September 25th when the Combine successfully executed its fourth suborbital hop. Colonel Kasake’s group attempted to outflank the Terran defenders but was thwarted as the defenders contracted inward to the outer edge of Iron City. With no other choice the Ronin with the help of their conventional ground forces pushed inward for one final battle inside of the capital. While the urban combat was intense superior DCMS numbers and tactics eventually won the day. Bloody street to street fighting lasts a full week as Terran defenders are wiped out to the last man. Thanks to the efforts of Brigadier General Mayota the Draconis troops inflict little collateral damage on the capital and avoid civilian causalities in large part limiting popular resistance. Greater Domain is declared fully secured on October 3rd 2785 but the assault doesn’t stop there.

   Mayota intent on eliminating resistance planet wide and completing the Dragon’s conquest of Kervil orders his Ronin to take the other islands on this world before declaring victory. One at a time the forces of the Draconis Combine descended on the other islands shattering all armed resistance to the Coordinator. Ronin forces landed on Lesser Domain on October 4th and proceeded to engage what they could of the Terran defenders. What they found was little resistance as Terran defenders faded into the populace leaving much of their heavy weapons apparently to mount a resistance.

   On October 10th the Ronin shifted their efforts southward to Bellas Major where they finally encountered some honorable resistance. The defenders there were ultimately wiped out in just four days as the Ronin ruthlessly hunted them all down. On the fifteenth the Ronin landed on Bellas Minor to find that Terran defenders had faded away leaving much of their heavy weapons. The last major action of the battle came on the island of Karnophia where Colonel Faroudia led his defenders in one ferocious last stand. Again Terran forces were wiped out despite their heroic efforts by superior numbers of Ronin who secured the island and thus the planet on the 21st of October 2785.

   In the end the Terrans lost all there armed forces deployed on Kervil and have only a spotty resistance left on world. Only Lesser Domain, Bellas Minor, and Brahn have active resistance movements on them currently. Separated by great distance none of these efforts appear to be coordinated at all helping the Combine occupation. Duke Stephan Oleanna and Brigadier Arnold Roberts remain at large as well. Clearly Terran military commanders let their hatred and preconceptions of the DCMS cloud their judgment. If Brigadier Roberts elastic defense strategy had been more widely implemented the results of our defense might have been very different.

   The Battle of Kervil was easily the Ronins’ most successful assault of Operation Katana’s first wave. They 2nd Ronin Taskforce didn’t lose much in the way of equipment especially when it came to BattleMechs. Salvage from their Terran opposition has actually given the Second a surplus of these valuable war machines. Their ‘Mech force was able to replaces all battlefield loses with this salvage and stand-bye warriors. Armor was like wise replaced leaving Mayota’s taskforce well off for the second wave. Only the Second’s infantry support lost a battalion during the conflict. All in all a stunning success for the Draconis Combine.

cawest Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #7 on: June 03, 2007, 02:34:48 AM »

looks like the Draconis Combine is rolling up the TR

Takiro Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #8 on: June 03, 2007, 08:24:23 AM »

This one is certainly there most impressive victory against the Terrans during the first wave. They didn't miss a beat here on Kervil unfortunately. Cry

Bradshaw Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #9 on: June 03, 2007, 01:46:55 PM »

I enjoyed myself crushing the Terrans on this planet  Cool  Wink

Takiro Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #10 on: June 03, 2007, 03:01:12 PM »

Even a blind squirrel stumbles upon a nut sometimes. Grin

Rainbow 6 Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #11 on: October 30, 2008, 03:54:31 PM »

Not a good end for the 5th Dierion Borderers.

Takiro Re: Battlezone: Kervil « Reply #12 on: October 30, 2008, 06:18:51 PM »

Yeah I would term this the Terrans second worst defeat during this wave.