Battle of Tharkad (3143)
Battle of Tharkad (3143) | |
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Conflict details | |
Part of | Dark Age |
Start Date | 2 July 3143 |
End Date | 20 July 3143 |
Planet(s) | Tharkad |
Location(s) | Bremen (Nagelring, Tharkad City, Triad, Lockhead-CBM), Tatyana Islands (Tropicana, Sommerposten) |
Result | Lyran Commonwealth victory |
Territorial Changes | No change |
Attacking Forces | |
Affiliation | Lyran Commonwealth |
Commanding Officer(s) | Colonel Callandre Kell |
Command(s) | Twentieth Arcturan Guards Twenty-fifth Arcturan Guards Twenty-sixth Arcturan Guards First Buena Guards Seventh Donegal Guards Seventh Lyran Guards Tenth Lyran Guards First Royal Guards Second Royal Guards Third Royal Guards Queen's Gambit Wolf Hunters First Davion Guards |
Defending Forces | |
Affiliation | Clan Wolf |
Commanding Officer(s) | Galaxy Commander Alaric |
Command(s) | Alpha Galaxy Beta Galaxy CWS Rogue |
Other Forces | |
Affiliation | Clan Jade Falcon |
Commanding Officer(s) | Khan Malvina Hazen |
Command(s) | Raptor Keshik Delta Galaxy |
Contents
Prelude
Melissa Steiner regained the throne to the Lyran Commonwealth shortly before Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon descended on the capital world. Anticipating an apocalyptic battle, Lyran units from throughout the sector raced to reinforce Tharkad. Among them was Kommandant Penrod Schollmeyer, who helped prepare for the space defense.[1][2][3][4]
Overview
On 2 July 3143 Galaxy Commander Alaric arrived at the zenith jump point aboard the Invader-class JumpShip Lope. After requesting and receiving safcon in order to present his batchall in person, Beta Galaxy burned towards the planet. Aware that Khans Seth Ward with Alpha Galaxy and Malvina Hazen with Raptor Keshik and Delta Galaxy were a jump-roughly a week-behind, the Archon charged Colonel Callandre Kell with the defense of Tharkad.[1][2][3]
A week later on 9 July, Alaric and his bondsman Anastasia Kerensky issued their batchall to the Archon, Colonel Kell, Julian Davion and Trillian Steiner. To their suprised he did not issue a Trial of Possession for the entirety of Tharkad, only the continent of Bremen, which contained Tharkad City and the Triad.[1][2][3]
It would be four days until the first recorded encounter, however. Looking to demoralize the Lyrans by crushing their legendary "Wall of Steel" with the Wolf version, he assembled an ad hoc Binary of Tomahawk II MechWarriors under the command of Star Captain Dana and set them against the Second Royal Guards and First Buena Guards protecting The Nagelring academy. Over the course of two hours, this Binary crushed two combined companies of heavy and assault BattleMechs before withdrawing after exhausting their ammunition. The Royal Guards took heavy causalities, while the Buena Guards took only moderate losses. This paled next to the students and faculty of the Nagelring, with nearly fifty percent fatalities. In exchange, the Wolves lost only a single Tomahawk II, that of Star Captain Dana. A faulty ejection system resulted in a double leg amputation when her command couch landed. Following the destruction of the Nagelring, the Royal Guards relocated to Tharkad City.[1][5][6][7][8][9]
Despite this morale blow, Colonel Kell knew the main thrust would be at the seat of government, the Triad and she maintained her forces in their positions in order to blunt the Wolf thrust. On the 15th Khan Hazen arrived in system and grew furious to learn Alaric had not only beat her to Tharkad, but had challenged for the most important continent on the world. When she threatened to attack Alaric for Bremen he replied that the Lyrans, so fearful of what her Mongol Doctrine would mean for their world, would join forces with the Wolves against her. Khan Ward had just arrived in system with Alpha Galaxy, the Congress-class WarShip CWS Rogue, and three Pocket WarShips including the Union-C Pocket WarShip-class Snarling Leap. Khan Hazen quickly realized she could not prevail against such a force, but by possessing the rest of the planet she would still gain glory for conquering Tharkad while allowing time to rebuild her forces. Khan Hazen agreed, and issued her batchall for the Tatyana Island continent, home to House Steiner's secondary offices.[1][2][3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Field Manual: 3145, pp. 120-121: "Succession War"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Era Report: 3145, pp. 26-28: "Tharkad in the Crosshairs"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 A Bonfire of Worlds, ch. 15
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3145 Lyran Commonwealth, p. 50: "Würger"
- ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 122: "Lyran Commonwealth Military Academies"
- ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 123: "First Buena Guards"
- ↑ Field Manual: 3145, p. 124: "Second Royal Guards RCT"
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3145, p. 180: "Tomahawk II"
- ↑ Technical Readout: 3145 Clans, p. 52: "Tomahawk II"
Bibliography
- A Bonfire of Worlds
- Era Report: 3145
- Field Manual: 3145
- Technical Readout: 3145
- Technical Readout: 3145 Clans
- Technical Readout: 3145 Free Worlds League
- Technical Readout: 3145 Lyran Commonwealth
- Technical Readout: 3145 Mercenaries
- Technical Readout: 3150
- Technical Readout: Dark Age
- Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 3
- Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 14
- Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 16
- Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 25