Editing Grieg Samsonov

{{Update Needed|[[The Galtor Campaign]]|[[Wolf Pack]]}}
{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Grieg-Samonsov-warlord.png|right|thumb|Warlord Grieg Samsonov in 3025
| caption             = 
| name                = Grieg Samsonov
| birthdate           = [[2970]]<ref name=HK:DCp173>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 173: "Grieg Samsonov profile"</ref>
| died                = [[3030]]<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 232</ref>
| affiliation         = [[Draconis Combine]]
| rank                = [[Warlord of the Galedon Military District]]<ref name=HK:DCp173/>
| title               = [[Knight of the Dragon]]<ref name=HK:DCp173/>
| position            = 
| profession          = [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]]
| parents             = 
| siblings            = 
| spouse              = 
| children            = 
}}
'''Grieg Samsonov''' was an early-[[thirty-first-century]] [[Draconis Combine]] MechWarrior, Military Officer, Politician, and [[Tai-shu|Warlord]] of the [[Galedon Military District]].<ref>''Wolf's Dragoons'' pp.32</ref>

==Character Description==
Samsonov was known for being a tall and handsome man, despite signs of age from wrinkles and a sagging jowl. Notable traits include having a very good sense of judgment and an aptitude for interrogation. Combined with a direct and often emotionally charged attitude, personal interactions with him could easily become difficult for anyone he disagreed with or disapproved of.<ref>''Wolves on the Border'' ch.15</ref>

==History==
===Early Life===
Grieg was born and raised from a poor family on [[Tinaca]]. Despite their low status, the Samsonovs underwent state-sponsored education as schooling was guaranteed for all Draconis citizens. During this period, Grieg used his deductive abilities to discover a local [[ISF]] agent placed there. Soon afterwards, and unbeknownst to this agent, he would utilize the spy's resources to set himself on career to become a [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]].{{cn}}

===Career as Military Officer===
While attending [[Wisdom of the Dragon]], he learned a reasonable degree of leadership skills while excelling in administrative abilities. After graduating, he began his service in the DCMS and became involved in its political dealings.  Using his administrative skills, Grieg worked within the military bureaucracy to keep whatever command he was assigned to well supplied, making him an extremely valuable officer as most Combine units at the time suffered from logistical dysfunction. His success earned the enmity of other officers, especially those of higher rank whom he regularly outperformed.

He eventually ascended to become commanding officer of the [[Nineteenth Galedon Regulars]]. While in command, his unit conducted a successful series of raids against border worlds of the [[Federated Suns]] during the later years of the [[Third Succession War]].  Targeting [[Elidere]], [[McGehee]], [[Errai]], and [[Kesai IV]], his unit did not always win, but it usually did better than any other DCMS regiments in the area.<ref name=HK:DCp173 />

===Warlord of the Galedon Military District===
In [[3018]], Coordinator [[Takashi Kurita]] asked Samsonov to become the new Warlord of the Galedon Military District. He accepted the post and, as his military reign progressed, he increasingly gained both wealth and prestige. However, since the position was one of true politics and less so of actual military operations, he also became more petty. Furthermore, his antics would more often include subterfuge to further his goals, often at the cost of others.

During the Galtor III campaign, it was discovered that Samsonov was blackmailing mercenary companies within his district. These manipulations would cause significant problems during the fighting as they fueled a general distrust for the Combine Military among mercenary units. A notable consequence of this was Warlord Yoriyoshi's troops coming to suffer hardships due to their mercenary support regularly loading up with Combine-furnished supplies ahead of his house troops.<ref>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 175: Grieg Samsonov/profile - Basic history of character</ref>

By [[3025]] there had been many scandals in the [[Hachiman]] government, some of which pointed to Warlord Samsonov. These eventually triggered an [[ISF]] response that included several agents being sent to infiltrate the planetary government.<ref name=HKDCp182>''House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)'', p. 182: "Hachiman"</ref>

Arguably, his greatest political endeavor took place from [[3023]] to [[3028]] with his conspiracy against the [[Wolf's Dragoons]] mercenary unit during their five-year contract with [[House Kurita]].<ref>''Wolf's Dragoons'' pp.32-35</ref>

In [[3025]], after the defeat at ''Galtor campaign'', asked the Coordinator the right to commit [[Seppuku]], but Takahashi refused it, though in a later gathering, also refused his petition to take direct command of [[Wolf's Dragoons]].<ref>''Wolves on the Border'' ch.15</ref>

===The Dragoon Conspiracy===
Initially, Samsonov was directed by the Coordinator to cause just enough discredit to the Dragoons to justify a decreased performance rating with the Mercenary Review Board. With reduced marketability among the other Houses, the likelihood of the Dragoons being hired elsewhere would become uncertain and possibly force a renewal of their contract to the Combine for a longer timeframe.<ref>''Wolf's Dragoons'' pp.36</ref>

Ultimately, this plan would not only fail but backfire due to the nature of Samsonov’s methods. Under the premise of enforcing policy, he sent representatives to embed themselves with the Dragoons to report on contract fulfillment, often with intrusive and overbearing implications. Samsonov would also administratively adjust and increasingly restrict Dragoon resourcing. Eventually, he sent officers personally loyal to him to engage in espionage and sabotage against Dragoon operations.

Throughout all of this, he would openly voice his disdain for mercenaries, berate Dragoon leadership for incompetence, and regularly express his intent to have all Dragoon regiments placed under his direct control. His ire would also be directed at anyone who formed a positive relationship with the Dragoons, including the DCMS Mercenary Liaison Officer, [[Minobu Tetsuhara]]. Indeed, Minobu’s professionalism was often key to Dragoon success, which only served to hamper Samsonov’s efforts.<ref>''Wolf's Dragoons'' pp.32</ref>

Instrumental to Samsonov's plans was [[Jerry Akuma]], an officer without any scruples which deeply hated Tetsuhara. He nominated Jerry the Dragoons' PSL, but ignored whhich, in fact, Akuma had his own plans and was manipulating him. Samsonov made everything he could to discredit the Dragoons: delay their supplies, send Tetsuhara far away from [[Jaime Wolf]], and even faking atrocitities to blame the Dragoons.<ref>''Wolves on the Border'' ch.25</ref>

However, the Warlord's efforts to convince his Coordinator failed: even after Takahashi called Jaime Wolf to [[Luthien]], the Coordinator mantained his full support over the Dragoons. That, however, only enraged Samsonov more, making him take even more extreme measures.<ref>''Wolves on the Border'' ch.34-35</ref>

Eventually, tensions would reach a boiling point that caused the Dragoons to consolidate on the frozen world of [[Misery]], where they would await their contract’s expiration (April 23rd, 3028) and any Draconis forces seeking retribution. In an effort to cover his failure to merely discredit the Dragoons, Samsonov would send the now ''[[Tai-sho (rank)|Tai-sho]]'' Tetsuhara to lead a punitive campaign against the mercenaries, culminating in the [[Battle of Misery (3028)]]. Samsonov intended not only to destroy the Dragoons, but also the [[Ryuken]], lying to Tetsuhara and sabotaging any option he may have of victory. That plan would end in failure and cost the Combine substantial losses to several experienced DCMS units including Tetsuhara himself.<ref>''Wolf's Dragoons'' pp.38</ref><ref>''Wolves on the Border'' ch.49-54</ref>

===Demise===
Takahashi Kurita only realized the full actions of Grieg Samsonov at the wedding of [[Hanse Davion]] and [[Melissa Steiner]] on [[Terra]] when he publicly endured a humiliating rebuke from Colonel [[Jaime Wolf]] for the pointless fighting on Misery and the loss of such an exceptional leader as Tetsuhara. Because of this, Takashi declared Samsonov a rogue and ordered his head delivered to him on a platter. The Warlord was eventually killed in [[3030]] by [[Michi Noketsuna]], a former aide and protégé of ''Tai-sho'' Tetsuhara, at the direction of Coordinator Takashi Kurita.<ref>''Wolves on the Border'' Epilogue</ref>

Under the guise of the [[Bounty Hunter]], and accompanied by ex-Dragoon officers [[Dechan Fraser]] and [[Jenette Rand]], Noketsuna proceeded to carry out his orders. Samsonov was pursued into the [[Periphery]] before being caught and then beheaded by Noketsuna himself.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 223–232</ref>

===Legacy===
Samsonov's actions would have a lasting legacy, prolonging the Combine-Dragoons feud for decades. When the ''Kanrei'' [[Matsuhari Toranaga]] decided to contract the Dragoons again, he was reminded the Warlord's actions, and he made sure to avoid making the same mistakes.<ref>''Redemption Rift'' Prologue</ref>

==BattleMech==
* Samsonov was a noted ''[[Atlas (BattleMech)|Atlas]]'' pilot, and used a personally modified version of that 'Mech during the Galtor Campaign.<ref>''Historical Turning Points: Galtor'', pp. 2, 19: Samsonov's Customized Atlas for Galtor campaign. Including record sheet info</ref>

==Notes==
* Samsonov had what warriors call the "sixth sense", an unnatural ability to anticipate approaching danger. This was the reason he was able to get away with so much without being caught.<ref name=HK:DCp173/>
* Samsonov had a natural aptitude for interrogation, which he uses on most everyone.<ref name=HK:DCp173/>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Historical Turning Points: Galtor]]''
* ''[[House Kurita (The Draconis Combine)]]''
* ''[[Redemption Rift]]'' (novela)
* ''[[Wolves on the Border]]'' (novela)


[[Category:Draconis Combine Characters|Samsonov, Grieg]]
[[Category:Notable Atlas Pilots|Samsonov, Grieg]]