Editing Jade Falcon Incursion (3058)

{{Update Needed|[[Shattered Sphere]]|[[Field Manual: Mercenaries, Revised]]}}
{{InfoBoxConflict
| conflict = Jade Falcon Incursion (3058)
| partof = the [[Clan Invasion]]
| image = 
| caption = Jade Falcon Incursion (3058)
| date = 30 January [[3058]]
| enddate = 15 June [[3058]]
| place = 
| planet = [[Engadine]], [[Willunga]], [[Neerabup]], [[Bucklands]], [[Australia]], [[Recife]], [[Ellengurg]], [[Guatavita]], [[Coventry]]
| territory = No Change
| faction1 = (Attacker)<br>[[Clan Jade Falcon]]
| faction2 = (Defender)<br>[[Lyran Alliance]]<br>[[Coventry Expeditionary Force]]
| commander1 = [[Khan of Clan Jade Falcon|Khan]] [[Marthe Pryde]]
| commander2 = [[Archon]] [[Katherine Steiner-Davion]]<br>[[Precentor Martial]] [[Anastasius Focht]]
| forces1= 
| forces2= 
| result = Draw: Clan Jade Falcon blooded its forces while the Lyran Alliance saved its planets
| environment = 
| conditions = Normal
}}

The '''Jade Falcon Incursion''' was a [[Clan Jade Falcon]] military campaign which was launched 30 January [[3058]] into the [[Lyran Alliance]].  This would be the first of many such incursions by the Falcons into Lyran space, and is also known as the '''Battle of Coventry'''.

==Brief==
In late [[3057]], Clan Jade Falcon engaged in the [[Refusal War]], a massive [[Trial of Refusal]] against former [[ilKhan of the Clans|ilKhan]] [[Ulric Kerensky]] and his [[Clan Wolf]], fought within Clan Jade Falcon's [[Occupation Zone]] in a series of brutal combat engagements. In its wake, the bulk of Clan Wolf was defeated and absorbed, but at a steep cost to Clan Jade Falcon, the Wolves having gutted the [[Clan Jade Falcon Touman|Falcon ''touman'']] of valuable combat forces in the process. With their armed forces reduced to a mere shadow of their pre–Refusal War strength, the Falcons were left increasingly vulnerable to potential [[Trial of Absorption|Absorption]] by other Clans. Shortly after the war, the Clan would also go through an upheaval of its leadership. With both [[Khan]]s dead and Clan Wolf reborn from its very ranks, [[Marthe Pryde]] emerged as the Jade Falcons' new supreme leader.  She began a crash course of ramping up her sundered military.  The ranks of her depleted Clusters would be filled with inexperienced cadets graduated early from their schools.  She brought these would-be warriors to the Falcons' Occupation Zone border. There she selected units that would assemble an expeditionary force consisting of these unblooded troops. The expedition's aim would be to gain experience for these unblooded warriors at the cost of Lyran troops, while proving to all factions that the Falcons were still a force to be reckoned with.

On 30 January 3058, her task force of combat units crossed the border and made their way down from the Occupation Zone to their final destination, [[Coventry]].<ref>''The Battle of Coventry'', p. 6: Learning to Fly - The original sourcebook's description of events leading to the Falcons' expedition to Coventry.</ref><ref>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 8: newer scenario pack indirectly calls the event the Falcon Incursion</ref>

==Forces==
===Clan Jade Falcon Expedition===
*[[Gamma Galaxy (Clan Jade Falcon)|Gamma Galaxy]]
**[[3rd Falcon Talon (Clan Jade Falcon)|3rd Falcon Talon Cluster]]
**[[Jade Solahma (Clan Jade Falcon)|Jade ''Solahma'' Cluster]]
*[[Delta Galaxy (Clan Jade Falcon)|Delta Galaxy]]
**[[1st Falcon Striker (Clan Jade Falcon)|1st Falcon Striker Cluster]]
*[[Rho Galaxy (Clan Jade Falcon)|Rho Galaxy]]
**[[7th Falcon Regulars (Clan Jade Falcon)|7th Falcon Regulars Cluster]]
**[[12th Falcon Regulars (Clan Jade Falcon)|12th Falcon Regulars Cluster]]
**[[Jade Falcon Eyrie (Clan Jade Falcon)|Jade Falcon Eyrie Cluster]]
*[[Iota Galaxy (Clan Jade Falcon)|Iota Galaxy]]
**[[2nd Falcon Jaegers (Clan Jade Falcon)|2nd Falcon Jaegers]]
**[[305th Assault (Clan Jade Falcon)|305th Assault Cluster]]
**[[Gyrfalcon Eyrie (Clan Jade Falcon)|Gyrfalcon Eyrie Cluster]]
*[[Epsilon Galaxy (Clan Jade Falcon)|Epsilon Galaxy]]
**[[5th Battle (Clan Jade Falcon)|5th Battle Cluster]]

*Temporary Formations<ref>''The Battle of Coventry'', pp. 10, 44–45, 47–48</ref>
**[[Harrier Strike (Clan Jade Falcon)|Harrier Strike Cluster]] (temporary unit for Coventry)
**[[Red Tail (Clan Jade Falcon)|Red Tail Cluster]] (temporary unit for Coventry)

===Inner Sphere Forces===
====Lyran Alliance====
*[[10th Skye Rangers]]
*[[25th Skye Rangers]]
*[[Coventry Donegal March Militia]]
*[[Neerabup MTM|Neerabup Periphery March Militia]]

===Coventry Expeditionary Force===
*[[Eridani Light Horse]]
**[[71st Light Horse Regiment]]
*[[Wolf's Dragoons]]
**[[Delta Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Delta Regiment]]
**[[Gamma Regiment (Wolf's Dragoons)|Gamma Regiment]]
*[[Waco Rangers|Waco's Rangers]] with the [[Crazy Eights]]

==Campaign History==
===Crossing the Alliance===
[[File:Coventry (The Battle of Coventry).png|right|thumb]]

In 30 January [[3058]], Khan Marthe Pryde organized her expedition into four task forces, which would travel independently into the Lyran Alliance.  As they proceeded into the Alliance's interior, these Task Forces would conduct a series of strikes against Lyran worlds. These worlds leading to Coventry did not usually have significantly strong garrison forces to challenge these mostly unblooded warriors of the Clan.

In 3 February, elements of the Jade Falcon Expedition arrived on [[Engadine]], where they fought the [[22nd Skye Rangers]]. The Rangers regiment was conducting training exercises with a local non-'Mech militia. The Falcons chose to deploy their 2nd Falcon Jaegers and 7th Falcon Regulars against the Lyran defenders. With barely time to prepare, the Rangers and militia engaged in a running six day battle around the frigidly cold waters of Manistuque Lake. Hoping to hold out for reinforcements to arrive, the Lyran forces were able to bloody the Regulars as they pursued them. The Lyrans were caught off guard by the Jaegers' arrival when they conducted a combat drop on top of their position during a snowstorm. The Rangers and Militia were brutally smashed by Clan forces.  The Falcons forced worthy bondsmen to join them and killed those who would not surrender.<ref>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 18: Touchpoint: Engadine</ref>

On 10 February, [[Neerabup]] was visited by a task force of Falcon [[JumpShip]]s. Its commanders chose to deploy some of their ground forces to challenge the locally stationed Periphery March Militia unit.  Determined to fight the Falcons, the Neerabup PMM answered the Clan's ''[[batchall]]'' and chose their military compound, Fort Dresden, as their battlefield.  The Falcons chose to deploy their 5th Battle Cluster against the Militia unit, believing that the Trial would be an easy fight.  To the surprise of the Cluster, the Neerabup Militia turned out to be a serious opponent.  From their hardened positions in their base, the Neerabup PMM put up a tremendous fight for the unblooded Falcon attackers, impressing them with their courage. The militia was unable to prevail against the 5th Battle Cluster and was defeated. Despite the regional militia's defeat, the Falcons took a number of Bondsmen for their depleted ranks.<ref>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 19: Touchpoint: Neerabup</ref><ref>''Field Manual: Lyran Alliance'', p. 117: Neerabup MTM</ref>

On the 12th, [[Bucklands]] was threatened by Marthe Pryde's task force.  The Khan chose to deploy her unblooded warriors to gain some experience against the planet's local militia.  They had not expected that the [[Bucklands Militia]] would be little more than a social club for retired veterans. Retirees, taking this threat seriously, cobbled together a force of armed [[IndustrialMech|IndustrialMechs]]. In less than an hour's time on the Coursey Plains, the Bucklands Militia was wiped out by the 3rd Falcon Talon Cluster.<ref>''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 20: Touchpoint: Bucklands</ref><ref>''The Battle of Coventry'', p. 6: Proving Grounds - Bucklands Militia and its cobbled together industrialMech force is noted in the original campaign history</ref>

===Battle of Coventry===
: ''Main Article [[Battle of Coventry (3058)]]''

Coventry quickly became a meatgrinder for Inner Sphere forces. Despite being bolstered by Coventry Expeditionary Force, Lyran and mercenary forces were soundly defeated.  The tactical situation was salvaged with the arrival of the multinational Coventry Relief Force led by [[Precentor Martial]] [[Anastasius Focht]] with [[First Prince]] [[Victor Steiner-Davion]] as second in command.  Though possessing a massive force, it far from overwhelmed the combined Jade Falcon forces and both sides were faced with a costly battle for little strategic gain.  Khan Pryde had received a communication from Khan [[Vlad Ward]] of [[Clan Wolf]] stating his intention to strike at the under-defended Falcon Occupation Zone, making the surprising offer of ''[[hegira]]'' from the Relief Force an easy decision to make.  After bondsmen and prisoners were exchanged the two sides parted, with the Falcons returning to their Occupation Zone.

==Aftermath==
The coalition efforts proved that the Inner Sphere factions could work together, leading to the first [[Whitting Conference]], the formation of the [[Second Star League]] and a war to destroy [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]]. <ref>''The Battle of Coventry'', p. 13: "Endgame", "Aftermath"</ref><ref name=OTPFIp8> ''Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion'', p. 8</ref>

==Notes==
* Inner Sphere and Falcon combat units mentioned in this article are units which were from the original and later PDF scenarios.  Other combat forces were later mentioned in other sourcebooks but were not listed as major combatants and are not listed here.

==Map==
[[Image:Jade Falcon Incursion Map (3058).jpg|200px|Jade Falcon Incursion]]

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[The Battle of Coventry (scenario pack)|The Battle of Coventry]]''
* ''[[Field Manual: Crusader Clans]]''
* ''[[Malicious Intent]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion]]''


[[Category:Clan Invasion Era Military Operations|Jade Falcon Incursion, 3058]]