91 replies to this topic

[BigRed40Tech]

Second Try, Free World's League, January 25th 3051:

The passing days had been rife with intrigue as well as military strategy. What would befall the Capellan Confederation in the dying days of the month of January, was nothing short of the disaster they'd fought so desperately to avoid. in the days leading up to the fall of Second Try, the forces of the Free World's League, the Federated Suns, and the Capellan Confederation, would see a series of violent battles resulting in the absolute repulsion of Capellen forces across all fronts. Hardened warriors would fall on all sides, and despite major turns in the conflict, it would be the forces of the Federated Suns and the Free World's League, who appeared to be on the path towards a glorious and hard fought victory.

In a series of brilliant assaults across their border, the forces of the Federated Suns, using momentum and an understanding of logistics, launched a massive assault on the Planet Sarna, one of the most important within the Capellan Confederation. Spearheading this assault were the forces of the Phoenix Legion. Ferocious battles broke out across the surface of the world, even as reinforcements were recalled to Sarna to hold the world, but all the same, it fell to the forces of the Phoenix Legion, as the local government officially surrendered. The Capellan Confederation however, has not officially acknowledged the planet as lost, and even maintains that the battles ravaging its surface, did not occur.

But in the midst of this major victory, the hardest fighting across the border, now lay at the feet of the Free World's League. TCAF, the largest Liao regiment, bolstering a series of regular and veteran companies, has thrown the bulk of its weight against the Free World's League. Day in and day out, the regiment has pushed, and has made some stunning recoveries. The conquest of Asuncion, as well as the recapture of Styk, were brilliant offensives spearheaded by the unit. Mercenaries bolstering their numbers however, became the chief crux of the problem. In the midst of the conflict, the forces of RSRV, a mainstay so far during many battles, as well as 69MG, and others, flipped their allegiance to the Free World's League. With this severe depletion of forward units, the Capellan counterattack evaporated as their former allies turned on them.

In a stunning array of victories, the FWLM, as well as their mercenary counterparts, crashed into Capellan forces. In several cases, the Confederation opted to not even bother defending planets as they were overwhelmed by a deluge of Marik forces, as well as their own former mercenaries. In a series of military disasters, truly hard for the Capellans to predict or avoid, their armies were cast aside. Not even the veteran formation of TCAF could hold back assaults on all fronts, and with such quantities of units.

Asuncion, Styk, Second Try, and Suzano have all fallen to the Eagle's claws. Despite this, Capellan resistance during early hours of every day, stiffens as regrouped and reinforced TCAF units throw themselves into battle, hoping to slow the advance.

FWL command is now pleased with the results, taking note that it has recovered, again, six planets which were being taken as compensation for the worlds taken by needless Capellan aggression. The Capellan Confederation has yet to comment.

[MischiefSC]

The Capellan Confederation comment goes something probably a lot like this:

*sound of shuffling cards*

'Hey, that blinky light thing. Is someone taking one of our worlds?'

'Probably. Go stir the potato mash, vodka doesn't brew itself. I will shuffle cards and certainly not stack the deck while you're not looking. Next hand we play for clean socks. Then I'll go order more turrets.'

[Karl Marlow]

Nah. I'm pretty sure the Capellan response is as follows.

[Heart of Storm]

Davions and Mercs doing all the heavy lifting yet Marik loyalists lead on the trashtalking

[MingTheMerciless]

@Stormeagle -- great writing as per usual. Keep it up.

We're now sending the trash from our re-education centres into the fray! Die for the Chancellor! Step back and we blow the bomb collars! FORWARD. FORWARD. FORWARD.

[Goolduck]

i understand the bomb-collars, but why did you shave all their heads?

[Karl Marlow]

Goolduck, on 27 January 2016 - 03:57 PM, said:

i understand the bomb-collars, but why did you shave all their heads?

It's more aerodynamic. That way they can gather more speed as they leeroy forward to their doom.

[Sandpit]

Goolduck, on 27 January 2016 - 03:57 PM, said:

i understand the bomb-collars, but why did you shave all their heads?

aerodynamics

[BigRed40Tech]

The End of the Front:

It would appear, despite some low level fighting and negotiations, that the front came to an end on January 29th, 2016. A ceasefire had already been in the works for several days. After the loss of nine planets to the Free World's League, and one of those nine planets in contention, the majority of FWLM forces were pulled back from the border, creating what is now called the Marik Salient. This large swath of space is seen by high command as its priority for future military operations in the increasingly chaotic area.

The war proved several things to the majority of those who participated in it, and to those on the outside. The first thing it proved was the Capellan Confederations already suspected problems regarding material and manpower. How Liao faced an opponent of little more strength, and one of significant more strength. Every time it turned its attention, it could do little to stop the bleeding of its worlds to these other factions. It also showed it had severe issues with regular forces, barring those of TCAF. The majority of its war effort was managed by the unit, who was on poor terms with its own command structure. With every world that fell, and every mech and pilot that were lost, the Capellens increasingly realized their hostile acts of aggression, largely created by rogue elements like mercenaries and TCAF, were issues which had ramification beyond just rhetoric. To those outside the Capellan Confederation, the war showed that the House was unable to fight a two front war, and worse, was unable to hold onto vital territory beyond it. The cost to the house, in material and men, was also great. Of course, Capellan Commands decentralized, often frantic response to the conflict, was seen as at times, incompetent, and worse, incapable. If not for veterans taking their own initiative, the conflict could have been twice as bad.

For House Davion, the war proved to be a tremendous success, and so far has continued to be so. Despite several setbacks, their campaign was bolstered by their incredible size and strength. What losses they took, were easily replaced, and the House ruthlessly pushed its advantage forward. Capellan worlds that were defended, were overwhelmed by superior Davion material and manpower, those who were undefended? Were claimed all the same. The push also had a level of advancement not even dreamed of by any who participated in the conflict. Even to this moment, Sarna, one of the most important regions in Capellan space, is now hotly contested by House Davion, who regularly takes majority ownership of the world. This means in this war so far, the only faction to lose a major planet, was House Liao. The only one to gain it? The Federated Suns. The war demonstrated to those inside and out, that when not being assaulted on three sides, House Davion, capably lead and well supplied, could defeat any opposition. Even with an active border with the Draconis Combine, diverting significant forces, House Davion still managed to achieve this dizzying level of success.

Finally, for House Marik, the Free World's League, the war proved to be a mixed result. The planets gained were at a high cost, and the battles waged were often most violent on its border. Much of command had expected many of Liao's more hardened formations to appear on the Davion border, but instead had found their way to the Marik one. In more than one instant, FWLM forces were caught unaware by battle hardened formations like TCAF and others. In fact, in many cases, there was a conscious effort to place these forces on the Marik border, in order to savage the FWLM first, before diverting back to Davion. The strategy of the plan was born of the idea that if demoralized, the Free World's League would bow out of the war. At several points in the war, this almost proved true. It wasn't until significant reinforcements arrived, and regular units rallied, that the war was finally able to be pushed to its limit, throwing the Capellans back from their worlds and even into Capellan ones. Several commanders and mechwarriors from the start of the campaign were also instrumental in taking and holding key worlds, often with little to no support at times, showing their tenacity in battle.

The goal of Operation Flaming Sword was achieved, but in almost twice the allocated time. Command was often lax, and lead to confusion on orders to attack or defend. In many cases units were assigned to the wrong front of the war, leading supply shortages elsewhere. In many ways, the conflict bore open that the FWLM was in need of restructuring in many respects. Despite having a number of regular units, its veteran units were seen less in the fighting than under other circumstances, many less willing to fight their former allies, showing the other problem of Marik structure, which was its internal conflicts and struggles.

In totality and summary, the war was primarily a boon for the Federated Suns, and became the war that could have been for the Free World's League. FWLM command saw a great reckoning being visited on their neighbour for their treachery, and instead found itself desperately trying to save face in the midst of the bloodbath. For the Capellans, the war was a horrible shock, devastating in its scope and humiliating in its results, despite the best efforts of its warriors.

With the borders redrawn, there is a sense of discomfort across the region now. With such rapid movement of military forces, and so many armies and ships in the area, there seems to be the chance of the region being set off in a blaze of violence again, and quickly.

Chief Command Units recognized by this Thread:

The 1st Free World's Guard
Marik Gunfighter Alliance
RMA
The Seraphim
13th Oriente Hussars
The Phoenix Legion
69MG
TCAF
HHoD
RSRV

And everyone else who was dropped on those worlds, guns blazing, looking for c-bills or glory.

[El Bandito]

stormeagle, on 30 January 2016 - 02:33 PM, said:

The End of the Front:

Here is a comparison picture to illustrate the changes somewhat.

First was taken on January 3rd, 2016 when the FWL had already lost several planets to the Capellan backstab.



Second is taken today, January 31st. The Capellans had definitely lost a lot of worlds for their shenanigans.



Here is the overlay version. The FWL had largely regained their lost planets and then some, but its stellar offensive towards Fed Sun space was halted by over a month.



*NOTE* I didn't realize that the FRR is biting that deeply into the Draconis Combine and Steiner space. Heck, they seem to be the next generation of Clans.

Edited by El Bandito, 30 January 2016 - 11:53 PM.

[MingTheMerciless]

At the rest of necro -- just wanted to say a big thank you to StormEagle for the super writing / reportage / front-line reports of the Marik v Liao 'incident'.

Best writing by far and injected much needed content and excitement.

[Sandpit]

MingTheMerciless, on 09 February 2016 - 03:11 AM, said:

At the rest of necro -- just wanted to say a big thank you to StormEagle for the super writing / reportage / front-line reports of the Marik v Liao 'incident'.

Best writing by far and injected much needed content and excitement.

It's stuff like that, that will bring some much needed community to community warfare