Chapter 67
Carrakis Folds, Helen, Terran Claimed Space
19 June, 3026
Steph stood quietly in the cool morning inside the command centre for the HAF’s 12th Division. Over her cooling vest and shorts, she had a wool lined set of dull green combat fatigues, which kept her warm and could also be dispensed with very quickly if called to action. She stood behind the officers of the 12th, a guest and an observer, sent here by Pat Millray to see how the officers of this less experienced division were doing. It made some conversations awkward, but her record and position got past much of that for her.
Presenting to the tent was Lieutenant-General Marlena Santoli, commander of the 12th, a tall, red haired woman, who had led the 12th to Fomalhaut and Styx, neither of which had been difficult assignments. Also present we Santoli’s staff, the commanders of the three Combat Brigade Groups, their XO’s, and the commanders of each regiment and their XOs. It made for quite a gathering, which made the otherwise large tent feel cramped and all too small.
The sub-units of the 12th were the 34th, 167th and 322nd Combat Brigade Groups, which were generally competent, though not renowned units. The 34th was the “senior†unit, and the heavy Mechs of the 34th had become the HAFs orbital insertion specialists, albeit at company level and below. Individual 34th CBG units were highly adept at locating and securing landing zones for other formations, though they suffered from lack of coordination when the brigade tried to operate above battalion level. The 167th was less than eighteen months old, whilst the 322nd was the divisional baby, having come together just prior to Operation REMUS.
All three brigades, and Step’s provisional company from the 1st Terran Regiment, were all now on Helen, facing a difficult task. The previous month, the 12th had landed under the guns of the cruisers THS Zeus and THS Kirov to face the Screaming Eagles, 3rd Crucis Lancers RCT, and 10th Lyran Guards RCT; a defending force more than up to the task of repulsing the 12th. The AFFS had brought substantial forces onto Helen over the weeks before the HAF arrived, with only the THN WarShips ensuring that a safe planetfall was made. Without the support of the fleet, things on Helen would have gone badly, but the HAF was able to drive back the 10th Guards and militia from their landing zones and establish a strong beachhead, carved out by companies from the 34th. However, additional troops would be needed to ensure the fall of the world, and they would not be forthcoming for two weeks yet, as the HAF was now heavily engaged with the AFFS, CCAF, FWLM and LCAF across a vast swath of territory. Divisions under pressure would need to hold the line and make do with what they had.
That would have made the task of the 12th hard, though not truly herculean, however, herculean had had recently replaced hard as March moved into April. Though the THS Hugh de Beauchamp had arrived to bolster the defence of the world, the CCAF had arrived, in force, and seemed to be working with, not against the AFFS. Eight Capellan aerospace wings and five WarShips had destroyed or captured the THN WarShips over the planet, whilst two AFFS fighter wings had arrived to bolster the RCT’s, making life difficult for the HAF. Without the support of the fleet to track the movement of the AFFS, and keep them honest with ortillery strikes, the HAF brigades had been on the back foot and taken noticeable losses.
“Word is the 9th Division is on its way to us, along with heavy elements of 2nd Fleet, though they won’t be here for close to two weeks. That means we must keep at least two RCT’s at arm’s length, knock a third about, and cause enough problems that the enemy focuses on their own problems and not ours. That way, we get the 9th down clean and easy, and go on the offensive once we have the numbers.†General Santoli looked around the room. “I want a company of fast heavies and strong mediums from each brigade, and a lance of good hovercraft. Colonel Moore, you up for an assignment?â€
Steph was caught unawares by the General’s question but answered automatically. “Yes General, of course. What do you need from my company?â€
The General smiled, “Your battalion Colonel. I want you to take the forces I am stripping away from each brigade and form a temporary battalion, we are calling it Cavalier Battalion, and get out and around the flank of either the 10th Lyrans or the 3rd Lancers, and then hit them from behind when we surge out. When we hit their flank hard it will recoil, or so I hope, then we land the 9th in that region and hammer home the advantage.â€
“Yes Sir, that I can do.†Steph was both curious and a little apprehensive about pulling five companies together quickly for such a mission, though she was excited at the prospect. She had done well at Hilton Head having to think on her feet, and this would be no different, just on a bigger scale. “What will the third of our brigades do to hold the line against and RCT and two mercenary Mech regiments?â€
“Good question Colonel. One brigade, plus two battle groups from a second will act as the anvil to your hammer. The third battle group will support the third brigade, and I plan for it to hold the line along the Carrakis Folds. That is terrible country to advance through, and the left flank can anchor on the Bankstown River.â€
There were nods around the room, as the 12th had skirted the folds over the past few days and were now on the eastern edge of that broken and heavily forested country.
“No one in their right mind wants to take a large formation straight into the folds, however, the city of Kretchmeer is in the western end of the folds, on the Bankstown River, and Kretchmeer has a space port, which to allied eyes would appear to be the logical place for HAF reinforcements to land. I want them to think that, then we strike out of the folds on the right, with the Cavaliers coming around the long way, once the their flank in in disarray, the 9th come down and we try to roll them up against the river and smash them.â€
Steph liked the simplicity of the plan, good terrain, a simple ruse, and a relatively straight forward flanking attack. Problem was, if things went south, the Cavaliers would wear it right in the face.
110km North West of the Carrakis Folds, Helen, Terran Claimed Space
29 June, 3026
Steph sat on the foot of her Highlander, facing her officers, whom she had come to know decently well over the last two weeks. The first week had involved getting them together and working as a unit. The second week they had struck out south east to begin their long loop around the flank of the 10th Lyran Guard RCT, a trek that had covered fourteen hundred kilometres, well outside the path of the 10th and around them to a point now ninety kilometres from their rear areas. The Mechs and hovercraft of what had come to be known as Moore’s Cavaliers were well hidden in the hilly and wooded terrain, which was a less rugged outlier of the Carrakis Folds, where the rest of the HAF force was preparing for the next day’s assaults.
Her four officers, Nazar Balikian, Žaneta Vyvozilová, Kiyomi Machi , and Stian Christensen lounged or sat in the grass before her in the late afternoon sun, enjoying the chance to relax and go over their plans for the last time, before they moved out in the pre-dawn darkness in nine hours’ time.
The dark haired and hard-faced Captain Nazar Balikian was her XO, and was a skilled pathfinder from the 34th Brigade, and whose company was second only to Steph’s Terrans in terms of competence. Nazar was friendly, in his own way, not one to speak unless it was necessary, and led his company with skill and focus. Steph had little concern about delegating to him, and he would command half the force in the morning’s assault.
Lieutenant Žaneta Vyvozilová commanded the hovercraft detachment and embraced a put-on persona, Steph was sure of it. She considered herself a cavalry officer, a Hussar of old, scouting daringly before the mainline and casting caution to the wind. That was ok with Steph, as the stocky and tanned woman was good at her job and had led the Cavaliers to their current point without loss or discovery, despite her antics.
Lieutenant Kiyomi Machi, a recent graduate from Sandhurst and native of Japan was a solid officer, with few frills and limited issues, someone an officer could count on to get a job done, but not rattle the universe with new applications of warfare or amazing battlefield manoeuvres. Machi was commanding the second company of Nazar’s force and worked with the man well.
Lieutenant Stian Christensen, had potential, problem was, the Nordic pin up boy knew it and acted like it. Potential was one thing, realising it was another and he had a long way to go. Steph had jumped hard on him twice and kept a close eye on him at all times, hence why his company was part of her force, she would not lump Nazar with him, and she suspected Nazar was deeply appreciative of that fact.
Once the four officers were settled and quite, and any banter had faded out, Steph spoke quietly, making sure each had to strain a little to hear, which she observed had tended to make people focus on what she had to say. “I have General Santoli’s final instructions. The 10th Lyran Guards RCT are forming the left flank of the allied advance, as we had expected, and they have thrown most of their heavy forces towards the 34th and the brigades of the 322nd that are supporting them. They are pursuing our comrades into the folds and it is costing them, but also fixating the unit on the task of rooting out what is in front of them. They have moved their logistical bases to a point 20km north of the front, 90km south west of us. At 0415 tomorrow, the 34th will hit the Lyrans with everything they have got, whilst the 167th digs in hard to hold the Lancers and Eagles. Our job is to come straight on into the Lyran rear areas, and smash through. We are not to stop for trophies, showboating, or fallen comrades, Žaneta will pick those up. We are to push on until we hit heavy resistance, which will mean the Lyrans are pulling forces off the front. We will then withdraw north west to string them out. At that point, the two supporting brigades of the 322nd will pass through the 34th and continue the assault on the weakened 10th. That should be some time around late afternoon tomorrow and continue into the night. At dawn the following day, 9th Division will begin landing operations 120km south of where we are now, and as soon as they are ready, will reinforce the assault.†She paused. “Questions?â€
“What’s our battle order?†Asked Nazar?
“The hovercraft 10km in advance in a scouting line, heading out at midnight, that gives us four hours to cover 70km. Your demit-battalion on the left, I’ll take the right. I have more heavy hitters, so we can shield you if the Lyrans come on hard. If they try to bury us, we’ll act as rear-guard and you bug right the hell out.â€
There were a couple of hard looks and a little squirming. “Seventy in four…we won’t have a lot of time to stop and sniff.†This from Žaneta.
“No, you won’t, but that’s how it is, we have been pushing hard and need some down time before striking. But the word is, old Frederick Steiner and his crew are tired after a long war and are focused on getting into the folds, not on what’s behind them. It’s a risk, but a calculated one.â€
“I am not happy being on the left sir,†said Nazar, “no disrespect intended. If the Lyrans come hard at us, my force can disengage and be covered by you as we do so, the other way does not work to our advantage in the same manner.â€
Steph leaned back and looked at her XO, “No Nazar, it doesn’t. But the Lyrans love a slugfest, and when they see my heavy cavalry company, they will focus on it, that lets you and the others get in between them and carve them up. My company is one of the more experienced in the HAF, we can move fast if we have to, and have been in this sort of environment before, that’s why I am giving the other companies more space to operate. Your point is a good one, but in this instance, I am in the fire, not you.â€
He nodded in understanding. “Of course, yes sir.â€
10km North of the Carrakis Folds, Helen, Terran Claimed Space
30 June, 3026
The Lyran logistic and repair area was now 10km behind them, an area of glowing fires and billowing smoke. The only warning the LCAF had of Moore’s Cavaliers had been the panicked calls of their outposts as they were overrun by hovercraft. As soon as the hover tanks had targets, the Mechs with LRMs started raining them in. Steph had led her company straight at the security unit, a Mechanised Infantry platoon and a lance of Rommel and Patton tanks. Five minutes of furious fire ended the resistance, though Tom Skallen’s Grasshopper was a total loss. The other three companies had rampaged through the depot smashing anything they could find, as Steph called in the code word for a successful attack. Like the depot behind her, the sky to the south was also lit up, as the HAF drove in the 10th Lyran Guards with a vengeance.
Her speakers crackled as her Mech swayed about her as she cruised south at 50 kilometres per hour, “Cavalier, this Hussar, we have contact with three plus companies of Mechs, with armour support on a reciprocal heading. We are withdrawing east. Expect contact in four minutes.â€
“Roger Hussar.†Steph checked her tactical map. In four kilometres she would be coming down a moderate slope as the Lyrans moved out of a series of gullies and creeks, which would break their formation up. She thought for a moment. “Cavalier two, move east two kilcks then come in hard on a south westly track, I am going straight in, you flank them. Cavalier Four, line up behind me, I’ll go in first and break them up, you focus on any cripples. Once Cavalier two and three hit the flank, we pull back north west by companies, four, three, two, one. Hussar, chart us a path out of here. Clear?â€
Four voices answered her in the affirmative, and Steph’s Highlander ploughed on. Three minutes later, she crested a ridge and then before her was a battalion of the LCAF doing its best to untangle itself from some really crappy terrain it had to cross. Too bad kids, wrong place and the wrong time. “All Cavaliers, have at them!â€
Her command was answered by ten heavy and fast assault Mechs opening up as one, then Stian Christensen’s company added its fire ten seconds later. Steph targeted one of the new Lyran Wolfhounds, which had turned in surprise at her arrival and got a gauss slug in the right arm for its trouble. She followed that strike up with her medium lasers and LRMs, the former severing what was left of the arm, and the missiles hammered home all over the smaller Mech. A PPC and autocannon blast from behind her finished the Wolfhound off before it could react, and she shifted targets. There, you can be next. A Lyran Marauder had just put two PPC’s into Liam Holm’s Victor, which staggered sideways, and Steph let loose an Alpha Strike in response, her Mechs excellent heat dissipation systems keeping her Mech cool in a way the Lyran’s could not. She tracked right and accelerated, and as the Lyran brought up its weapons to fire again, it was savaged from its right as Nazar’s force came piling into the Lyran flank. Steph fired her gauss rifle and medium lasers into the Marauder, and the machine collapsed into itself as her fire cored out the torso of the Mech.
Steph then pulled back to assess the situation, looking over her force and that of the Lyrans. Two Lyran companies had become disorganised as they crossed the broken land at the centre of the valley, and her attack had caught them between four of her own. However, the assault weight company coming on and that company and its armoured support would change matters. It was already time to leave.
“All cavaliers, execute withdrawal by company.†She called across the battalion network. Kiyomi Machi’s company peeled away at pace, one Mech short and withdrew two kilometres back. On her set signal, Nazar pulled back, a Mech short as well, then Christensen’s intact company, and final hers, now down to nine Mechs. As they covered the withdrawal of the other companies, two of her number had succumbed to the heavy fire coming from the Lyran assault company. As she began to pull back under the cover of Machi’s Mechs, she could see the two initial Lyran companies her troops had savaged reforming, but there we at least ten that were still down.
“Good work Cavaliers, Cavalier one is heading to point 4. Hussar, how’s the path look.â€
“All clear so far Cavalier.†Came Žaneta’s cheery voice.
Steph smiled too, they had not only smashed the rear areas of the 10th Lyran Guards, they had hammered one if it’s Mech battalions, and hopefully, drawn more attention, making life easier on their compatriots coming north and preparing the way for the 9th Division to land and ensure Helen returned to the Terran Hegemony.
Though at the time, and through the next few days, the HAF troops on Helen felt they were in a war that was growing in tempo and savagery, they were actually sitting on the cusp of victory, as they politics of the Inner Sphere kept their enemies disorganised, at odds with each other, and facing a foe that had crushed every attempt they had made to slow it.
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Topic: KU Book 3: Rage's Descent (Read 40625 times)