325 replies to this topic

[Trondheim Live Daily Report]

Yes, things got a little...fanfictiony. While we appreciate the works of contributors immensely, we'd rather not have this thread shipped off to the fanfiction forum *shudders*.

Back and forth between players is fanfiction/roleplaying. Posting of other's work by one "news source" is an Opinion column.

And of course, all credit for the writings will go to those who wrote them.

Edited by Trondheim Live Daily Report, 30 January 2015 - 10:17 PM.

[Trondheim Live Daily Report]

January 31st, 3050

Inside the FRR

KungsArme Meets; Coordinates with Various Units
--For the first time in nearly 2 months, the KungsArme convened as the Allting Council: a Council of the leaders of the largest units fighting currently for the FRR. Almost every active unit in the FRR managed to send a leader or representative to voice in the Council. The Council - lead by the Skjaldborg's Overste - negotiated the toughest decisions the FRR must face. With time running out for the remaining worlds of the FRR, the question becomes - What do we do from here, with what little we have left?

Though they aren't sharing, the Trondheim Live, Daily Report has learned this: They have come to a decision, and they plan to act on it 'As One'.

Wolf Cut Off by Jade Falcon, Ghost Bear
--The Clans are still driving, but it looks like Jade Falcon has gotten the drop on Wolf. By pushing ahead to Tamar and taking several planets well ahead of Wolf, they have effectively blocked off Clan Wolf's Corridor into the FRR. This was a big fear of Clan Wolf with the Jade Falcons pushing deep into their corridor very early in this current Wave, and it seems those fears have been realized. Will the Wolves push around to attack the FRR from the flank, or will they push through the Falcons and Bears to regain their corridor? It's impossible to tell at this stage, though the likely scenario is: Yes.

Ghost Bears Pushing Past FRR
--The Ghost Bears have nearly advanced to the point of pushing past the FRR and on towards Terra. In their drive along the FRR/Draconis border, the Bears have driven down the vulnerable and lightly-defended border worlds. With FRR and Kurita negotiating a ceasefire early on, there has been little need to put frontline units on the border of the FRR. Thus those worlds have been quick to fall as the Clans push deeper into Kurita. While there is a chance and hope that Ghost Bear will push beyond the FRR and focus solely on driving to Terra, that hope is very,very fleeting in the minds of the KungsArme.

Wheel Falls to Skjaldborg
--The planet Wheel fell back into FRR hands after a daring raid by the FRR lead by the mercenary unit Skjaldborg. After repeated raids throughout the day, FRR landed in force on the planet when little resistance was initially met. Surprised to see an all-out invasion, Steiner rallied to defend the planet thinking the FRR would back off after a few defeats. The KungsArme did not come to pal-around however, and the Lyran defenders were quickly and systematically obliterated. The Skjaldborg led the final mop-up operations, but by the end of the day the planet was solidly in FRR hands.

FRR <30 Systems
--It seems hard to believe, but less than 30 planets remain affiliated with the FRR. The Free Rasalhague Republic is crumbling at the seams with no clear path for the future.

---

Have any war stories to share? The TL,DR is looking to share them! Send us a message detailing the accounts of the front lines and we'll do our best to bring your tale to the masses!

Edited by Trondheim Live Daily Report, 01 February 2015 - 11:19 PM.

[UniquePilotName]

Trondheim Live Daily Report, on 14 December 2014 - 09:50 PM, said:

DCMS lose Turtle Bay and Constinople to Smoke Jaguars and Ghost Bears. Turtle Bay held out for 3 days. Reports indicate mass civilian casualties unrelated to battles for planet. Investigating.

Clans won't even consider fighting in or near civilian populated areas.

[UniquePilotName]

Mandrakerootes, on 28 January 2015 - 10:35 PM, said:

"Look at the Smoke Jaguars doing charity work for the tormented people of Trondheim... the people they tormented!"
"As if they would need Advanced Life Support and Regenerative Trauma Centers if it werent for the Stars of the Jaguars running rampant in the cities, trying to rut out the last of the milita defenders, with no afterthought for the civilian populace!"

again Clans don't attack civilian centers

[Damon Howe]

You my friend, need a history lesson.

[Karl Marlow]

Turtle bay was a misunderstanding. The Clans expect complete obedience as dictated by their way of life. The idea that people might not be in for that and live a different way is so confusing to a typical clan warrior that the only response is to start dropping nukes. After all the terrible crime of Turtle bay was resistance to occupation. Teh clans didn't WANT to do it. The residents of Turtle bay begged to be nuked from orbit. Bear in mind this is from a people who abhor waste as well.

[Tordin]

I have to say. If the clan players were actually role playing and having features that called for 1 on 1 to win a world if winning several times but still give us IS the chance to retain control, while we IS were Wild and dishonrable. CW would be much more interesting Now its just Wild and dishonrable in every direction

[Tarogato]

I agree, it would be fun to have a unit be able to respond to a proper batchall and have the result exclusively determine the fate of a planet, but this would be open to so much exploitation by any dishonourable units.

[UniquePilotName]

Damon Howe, on 01 February 2015 - 05:49 AM, said:

You my friend, need a history lesson.

read the aftermatch section. Smoke Jags left the civilians alone entirely until they began taking up arms and fighting. Clan war doctrine is meant to all but remove collateral damage to civilian and production centers. They were provoked.

destroy enemy armies without causing damage to the planet's infrastructure

read their lore, they will pull a fight as far away from urban centers and industrial zones as possible and most collateral during the invasions is the inner sphere's fault

[Cimarb]

UniquePilotName, on 01 February 2015 - 02:19 PM, said:

read the aftermatch section. Smoke Jags left the civilians alone entirely until they began taking up arms and fighting. Clan war doctrine is meant to all but remove collateral damage to civilian and production centers. They were provoked.

destroy enemy armies without causing damage to the planet's infrastructure

read their lore, they will pull a fight as far away from urban centers and industrial zones as possible and most collateral during the invasions is the inner sphere's fault

You are generally correct, but dismissing some important facts. While the Jags may have met fierce guerrilla resistance, how they responded is totally on them. When the old man accepted responsibility for the bombing, for instance, the Jags leveled the whole village as an example. They then committed the same overzealous behavior on the whole city of Turtle Bay. It is that extreme reaction (to their own failure to make a decisive victory, imo) that earned them their place in history/lore.

That being said, I am very glad that "these are not the jags you are looking for", and fully support Prussian's attempts to keep these more noble Jaguars moving forward to Terra.

[Damon Howe]

Before this gets out of hand (again) and the TL,DR guy has to repeat himself (again)...

...this is not a battletech lore/RP debate thread. Please take that elsewhere.

[Arkhangel]

UniquePilotName, on 01 February 2015 - 02:19 PM, said:

read the aftermatch section. Smoke Jags left the civilians alone entirely until they began taking up arms and fighting. Clan war doctrine is meant to all but remove collateral damage to civilian and production centers. They were provoked.

destroy enemy armies without causing damage to the planet's infrastructure

read their lore, they will pull a fight as far away from urban centers and industrial zones as possible and most collateral during the invasions is the inner sphere's fault

Cimarb, on 01 February 2015 - 02:46 PM, said:

You are generally correct, but dismissing some important facts. While the Jags may have met fierce guerrilla resistance, how they responded is totally on them. When the old man accepted responsibility for the bombing, for instance, the Jags leveled the whole village as an example. They then committed the same overzealous behavior on the whole city of Turtle Bay. It is that extreme reaction (to their own failure to make a decisive victory, imo) that earned them their place in history/lore.

That being said, I am very glad that "these are not the jags you are looking for", and fully support Prussian's attempts to keep these more noble Jaguars moving forward to Terra.

not to mention said bombing person wasn't the one that did it, and in fact was a buddhist monk, one of the people LEAST likely to have planted a bomb, and an elemental baked his face with a small laser without even batting an eye. Smokes are notoriously egotistical in lore, but then, they are predominantly a Crusader clan.

[Trondheim Live Daily Report]

February 1st, 3050

KungsArme Meets; Coordinates with Various Units
--For the first time in nearly 2 months, the KungsArme convened as the Allting Council: a Council of the leaders of the largest units fighting currently for the FRR. Almost every active unit in the FRR managed to send a leader or representative to voice in the Council. The Council - lead by the Skjaldborg's Overste - negotiated the toughest decisions the FRR must face. With time running out for the remaining worlds of the FRR, the question becomes - What do we do from here, with what little we have left?

Though they aren't sharing, the Trondheim Live, Daily Report has learned this: They have come to a decision, and they plan to act on it 'As One'.

Ghost Bears Move to Cut Off Jade Falcon
--The Ghost Bears have made the brazen attempt to prevent their fellow Clans - intentionally or otherwise - from reaching Terra; or at least reaching it first. In a bold move, Ghost Bear took the world of Maetsu, preventing the forward assets of the Falcons from advancing further into FRR or Steiner territory from that route. While initially it seemed the Jade Falcons had opened a new attack corridor - straight through the FRR - their slow progress and Ghost Bears' attacks have encircled the 3 isolated worlds, preventing them from doing more in FRR territory. Jade Falcon will likely push harder now for Steiner worlds, as engagement with another clan seems ill-advised.

FRR Takes Rastaban, Biota
--KungsArme forces have been pressing forward into Steiner territory, taking the worlds of Rastaban and Biota in a series of offensive raids. A common attack pattern within the FRR seems to be probing the enemy with light raids on spaceports and mercantile, drawing the attention of the Lyran Guards. When the Guards respond in force, the FRR springs ambushes laying in wait for the defenders. With the Guards devastated and harassed at every turn in their retreat, the FRR has little effort in mopping up the survivors as they move to claim the infrastructure of the planet. Lyran units would be weary to respond to so-called 'pirate attacks' with the standard amount of force.

Ghost Bear Halted; Bessarabia Nearly Retaken
--For the first time in forever it seems, the Bears were prevented from taking a Rasalhague world. Some attribute this remarkable event to the Bessarabia raid, which while unsuccessful in capturing the planet, diverted a large number of Ghost Bear units to the defense of the world, rather than pushing further into FRR territory. It's a small victory for the FRR, and while they didn't take back a world, the victory of 'not-losing' was very sweet indeed for many mechwarriors.

FRR <25 Systems
--It seems hard to believe, but less than 25 planets remain affiliated with the FRR. The Free Rasalhague Republic is crumbling at the seams with no clear path for the future.

Around the Sphere:

Wolf Presses Ghost Bear - Tries Opening Window to Terra
--Whether it is truly with the Ghost Bears or not, Clan Wolf has been taking Ghost Bear worlds in an effort to re-open a corridor to Terra. As many know, the Wolves have been eclipsed by their Clan brethren and encased in the middle of "Clan Territory", unable to advance without going through another Clan. While the Ghost Bears and Wolves have allegedly settled their differences and allowing the Wolves to press on with their blessing, one can assume tensions are still quite high.

Kurita 'Bulges' Into Davion
--Kurita's offensive into Davion has been a rallying success for the DCMS, boosting troop supply lines and above all morale in the devastated Draconis Combine. A noticeable 'bulge' has formed from Kurita's drive towards Robinson, which has become somewhat of a concern for Kuritan High Command; this due to the risk of a counter-offensive pinching off and surrounding the advanced units. Kuritan Commanders have urged that no such threat exists from the current state of the Davion military, but even so the DCMS doesn't seem to be taking any risks with their new worlds. Kurita looks to drive on, hoping to use the new material to supply their eventual counter against Clan Smoke Jaguar.

Liao ReCaptures St. Ives
--Their Commanders said "Soon". They delivered. Liao has recaptured St. Ives, lost early in the Davion offensive back in December. The Green Sword above the world of St. Ives has been a huge morale boost for Liao, Kurita and Marik alike, and when asked if they would stop after their success, the unanimous reply was "Never".

Marik Stalls
--Marik's offensive has finally slowed down to the point of stalling it seems. After being on the offensive for so long, most of Marik's frontline units have outrun their supply lines and likely fought beyond their exhaustion point. Marik has taken more worlds than any Inner Sphere Faction by far, comparing their gains to those of the Clans in shear numbers. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that their frontline units have finally collapsed due to sheer exhaustion. R&R time aside, Marik has gained enough assets to sit comfortably for a bit of time, at least until they can get their units back into fighting shape. Reports indicate that while they rest for now, their offensives are far from finished.

Davion Losing on All Fronts
--Aside from the most recent stall from Marik, Davion has been losing worlds left and right - many of them key interior worlds supplying the Davion war machine. Davion was losing slowly but surely to the combined Marik/Liao offensive, but with Kurita throwing its weight into the mix things have gotten a lot more dire in the past week. Davion has not given up though, and has supposedly called up reinforcements to the front lines to stop the recent advance. At least for tonight, those reinforcements held strong.

Steiner Prematurely Launches Clan CounterAttack
--In an increasingly obvious blunder, the Lyran Commonwealth launched a massive counteroffensive against Clan Jade Falcon this weekend, codenamed ' Operation Blue Strike'. The goal was to strike hard at Jade Falcons, forcing them to defend their worlds to the point of being unable to press Steiner. The plan was good in theory, but lacked a significant amount of intelligence - namely, information about the operation being provided to the various Steiner units. Many units were surprised by the operation and had no way of assisting their fellow units in the attack, leading to confusion and chaos in the ranks. Ultimately the Commonwealth did manage to get enough units to attack the Falcons to prevent their conquest at least one more day, but the mission to take back worlds as a whole was a colossal failure on the part of the Steiner Military. Commanders are now looking at the pieces of the operation and trying to build a new - more organized - operation against the clans, this time coordinating with other factions as well such as the FRR and Kurita. However, such cooperation is seen as premature at this stage, given Steiner's complete lack of coordination to this point.

---

Have any war stories to share? The TL,DR is looking to share them! Send us a message detailing the accounts of the front lines and we'll do our best to bring your tale to the masses!

[UniquePilotName]

You left out the piece about Clan Smoke Jaguars finally losing a planet to Kurita since we began tearing through them. Friday afternoon CSJ lost Baldr due to resources being focused on capturing Darius

[Prussian Havoc]

Spoiler

(Really enjoying TL:DR since it started back up, both the product itself AND the good-natured, constructive and contributory comments engendered in response (particularly starwolf1991!.) A little inclusiveness and tolerance goes along way toward ensuring these open-forums remain a fun and engaging opportunity for us all.)

Edited by Prussian Havoc, 19 March 2015 - 07:21 PM.

[Trondheim Live Daily Report]

Trondheim Live, Daily Report Presents:

Entry #21
From the Diary of Sergeant Aldrik " Starwolf"

Which is the stronger poison for the mind, I ask myself: The horrific news of worlds rapidly exchanging hands under a tide of rampant steel and smoldering fires? The painful hole left from watching respected allies leaving in their dropships and abandoning our cause? Or the ‘dead man’ stares KungsArme Commanders give mercenaries, under the assumption that we are all scum and 'It must be grand not having to care about the affairs of the Republic'.

I consider the question as I down my chilled soda in silence from the crowded bar onboard the Dropship Phoenix Flame. The latest news bulletin on the monitor in front of me replays the decimation of what used to be a proud fortress of Gunzburg. Shattered remains and crimson flames serve as a grim reminder of the struggles made here. Brave as they may have been, the KungsArme's soldiers were powerless against the hungry hordes of the Ghost Bears and that warband of so-called 'mercenaries'. The ones around me carry five times greater the amount of honor they claim to possess. Just who do they think are being fooled? Certainly not the Menig three tables across who has been shell-shocked for the last fifteen minutes. His armor division, the 155th Avalanche, was massacred well before they even had a chance of defending themselves. God help me if he ends up being another psychological casualty, but then how could you not, given the hellish nightmare he just experienced?

I can see it scarred into those citizens and military advisors we evacuated; fear. They have every right to fear the Clans, of course. Worlds across Rasalhague space continue to fall one by one. Still no word has reached us from the Capital, or our contacts that should've made it out from Luthien in the ‘Combine. The worst is all we can ever assume, especially as more mercenaries leave our side for pastures unknown. I know very well how they like to work fear, more than some ought to know. Hell, I even caught a glimpse of it back on Jezersko. Is that what is actually bothering me, or is it those Davion exchange officers who foolishly threw away their lives? I come to realizing my grip on the soda glass was too tight and eased up a little. I’ll figure that one out later, just like how I came to be the Intelligence Officer to a band of misfit mercenaries in the middle of Free Rasalhague space, or what’s left of it. According to what mercenaries are 'supposed' to think, the only thing I know is "Fame, power and the almighty C-Bill mean everything".

Looks like I'm about to be joined again. A Lojtnant needing some 'real' company and finding it with a mercenary; the kind of people the Rasalhague military dislike? Hell, I don't know about real but I don’t think it matters much right now. She's been run into the ground tired from three days straight of coordinating defensive operations and I need a distraction from the battlefield. Glad I won't be spending tonight alone for once since my colleagues are scattered on separate assignments. No doubt we'll end up playing 21 questions again over some drinks.

I sure hope one of them doesn't involve why there is a Mad Dog belonging to Clan Smoke Jaguar under lockdown in my personal Mechbay. Guess we'll find out.

Sergeant Aldrik "Starwolf"
Intelligence Officer of the Reaper's Wraith

Edited by Trondheim Live Daily Report, 02 February 2015 - 04:45 PM.

[Trondheim Live Daily Report]

Trondheim Live, Daily Report Presents:

Unknown Entry - Battle for Harvest
Recovered posthumously by Klappsaten from unknown 'Blue Vengeance' pilot
Published upon request to boost morale of the KungsArme

We were on Harvest on the 4th. KungsArmé command wanted to evacuate civilians that were caught between the lines, somewhere close to the polar region. But the Dropship that was sent to get them out was hit by one of those orbital cannons and went down hard.
BVNJ was the closest unit at that time, so we changed course and approached the cannon so close to the ground I swear I could hear the trees scratch the hulk of our leopard.
It seems the invaders didn´t expect an attack so far from the main battles, or at least that’s the only reason I can imagine why the troops guarding the cannon where just a bunch of random pilots from different units, in machines that clearly had seen combat.
They didn´t see us coming on radar, so our initial attack caught them by surprise. When we jumped over the defensive gates resistance was minimal and hardly organized. So our light company could destroy all three auxiliary generators backing up the Orbital Cannon before they had to bail.
With this early success we thought we would have an easy win on this one, but boy where we wrong.

My job was to lead a diversionary strike with two heavy lances over the left flank, hopefully creating an opening in their defense and let our lights sneak in and finish the job. But the clanners were cautious and wouldn´t fall for it. They dug in and gave us hell from afar.
Sniping ain't our way of fighting, so I ordered my group to advance under cover and get in close. "This has got to look real if we want them to take us serious," I told my pilots, and off we went. At first we met little resistance, but then Rot 5 (who was at the front of our formation) shouted over the com: "They're buying it!"
That was the last I heard from him before his Thunderbolt was thrown back by the sheer firepower that hit him, merely a wreck, a complete loss. I saw his ejection seat fire, but he never made it out of the cockpit. And then we hit a full company of clan OmniMechs, supported by turrets.
I pushed my own Thunderbolt up the hill and immediately stood in front of two Loki, a Mad Cat and a Daishi. ‘F*ck it’ I thought and fired my 4 large lasers at the Daishi, hitting him dead center; but that metal monster just ignored me. I was so pissed I gave him another Alpha, pushing my heat into the red zone. The volley had hit him dead center again. Now he turned to deal with me and I started to think that I had made a mistake.
I was surprised to hear his voice over the broadband frequency, challenging me as his fire tore my right shoulder completely open in one volley. "You fight with valor small man," he told me. "If you survive this battle I shall make you my bondsman." For an answer I returned fire, trying to keep the heat under control by only using one laser at a time. He started to step back and I followed him firing. It was as if I was caught in the eye of the storm. It was just him against me. I ordered my men and women to break through their lines, throwing all we had at the orbital cannon. But I had to finish this.
I put everything on one card as my third Alpha strike boiled the last bit of armor from his center torso, but it wasn´t enough. That monster just took a direct hit of four large lasers right in his internal structure as if it was nothing. And as my ‘Mech shutdown from overheat I was sure that I was done for.
The answer I was expecting came a lot less deadly than I had anticipated. His ACs spread their fire all over my torso and he fired only one of his PPCs; he must’ve been running hot, because just that managed to bring him to a shutdown as well. Maybe he was already overheating from before, or maybe my last attack had damaged the shielding of his reactor.
My renewed hope died fast as I realized that his ‘Mech would be cool off before mine would. "Indeed, you shall be my bondsman!" he declared, as he carefully lined up his shot. His ACs dug in into my right side torso, where no armor at all was left. As the right arm of my Thunderbolt flew away, cleanly cut off by the relentless assault I struggled to keep standing.
He obviously had expected me to have an XL Engine, but I had a Standard...and I still had 3 large lasers. "If you survive this!" I shouted, "I will just kill you again!"
Mega-joules of energy breached his engine shielding as my lasers went straight into the hole in his torso – at this close range, I couldn't miss - and then over and into his cockpit as his ‘Mech collapsed. I had survived, but there was still a battle to be won.
As I stepped over his destroyed ‘Mech I couldn't believe my eyes, the tough sonovab- had crawled out of his molten cockpit and, despite one of his arms missing, firing his laser pistol at my ‘Mech. I laughed as the right foot of my ‘Mech stomped him into the concrete, reducing him to a mere stain while my lasers tore open the back of a Ryoken.

We needed two more attacks to finish off the orbital cannon. This motley crew of clanners from different units had given us the toughest fight of the whole offensive. But in the end they failed, just as all of them will fail.
Our eventual victory was rendered bittersweet in the end. Our conquest was too late for the civilians; they had been killed by an air raid from clan aerospace fighters while boarding the Dropship that was send to pick them up.

[Darth Hotz]

Although im a PUG contracted for Steiner i wanted to express my sympathy to the FRR. Its a shame that the only democratic faction is close to extincion.

[Lily from animove]

Hey the Wolf algorithm was bugged not allowing attackable planets to the souht for wolves.

you need to put that in some kind of story, like, they ran out of fuel or met a giant space ameba or such a thing

Edited by Lily from animove, 03 February 2015 - 07:49 AM.

[Chemistrius]

The great space amoeba of non-passing? Blorp!