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Nbt - The Clan Watch Report

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#1 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 08 September 2017 - 09:02 PM

(Kael Pershaw served as theLoremaster of Clan Jade Falcon, later becoming the Loremaster to the entire Grand Council. As such, he was one of the few Clan leaders who ever truly viewed and attempted to understand the entirety of the Clan construct, although he remained Jade Falcon to his core until his death in the 3070's.)

Excerpt from The Clan Watch Executive Summary

Is it the twilight of the Clans or the lull before the storm?

Honored Khans and Clan Leaders of the Grand Council, the Watch Report:

-- Overall number of combat actions remain low at this time, as Clans continue to recover from the events of 3060, but all signs point to a renewal of activity along the Clan borders and within the Homeworld Cluster.

-- The first true outbreak of hostilities occurred with a fairly minor raid by Clan Wolf forces against those of the Jade Falcons in the La Grave Sector. Both Clans are being relatively tight lipped regarding the incident, implying it was an internal blooding type raid meant to test the measure of newer warriors more so than anything truly political, but initial battle reports are that the Wolves carried the various small battles.

-- Incidentally, Khan Cassius N'Buta of the Star Adders also announced interoperability exercises being conducted with the Wolves at about this time; while it is known no Adders participated in the raids versus the Falcons with them, it's an interesting concurring event, perhaps a portent of things to come.

-- Apparent closed discussions between the Adders and the Ghost Bears have become public as well, with the Khan of the Bears proclaiming the need for the utter destruction of the recently Abjured Nova Cats. Clearly this announcement of hostilities will create immediate ripples in the invasion corridor as the Bears and Nova Cats are uneasy neighbors and the latter call upon the industry and might of the Draconis Combine to their cause. Within the Homeworld Cluster, the Adders struck within a day of the announcement, seizing one of the remaining planets of the Nova Cats still in that space, declaring that the Abjured Clan no longer had rights to any assets within the Clan Cluster. Offered hegira, the Nova Cats nominal garrison, scientist caste and much of the it's lower-caste population were granted safecon by the Adders and allowed to leave the planet untouched. The Adders have been largely silent on the topic however. How this will saber-ratting will continue to unfound remains unknown.

-- Pre-emptive to the Bear announcement regarding the Nova Cats, Draconis Combine forces initiated a raid into the former's Krenice Sector with undeclared intentions. Clearly their animosity with the Bears did not need a threat to their Kittenish allies to fuel conflict. Not long after the arrival of the Jumpships overhead, DCMS leaders announced a full war-footing against the Bears and initiated their attacks. Caught flatfooted, second line garrisons were culled easily by highly trained and experienced DCMS forces. While reports remain undisclosed to the Grand Council, it is projected that the sector was hit particularly hard.

-- Further activity along the Clan Wolf border included a hard fought raid against Lyran Alliance forces, resulting in a short and explosive campaign win for the Wolves who blooded new warriors and solidified their initial tactics in renewed combat actions against IS forces.

-- Indications are that Clan Diamond Shark and Clan Goliath Scorpion are readying their Touman's for future combat operations; in fact there are rumors that the Sharks intend to kick off a major offensive soon, potentially a planetary assault of some kind, although thus far no formal batchalls or statements have emerged from their Command. Clan Snow Raven also may be emerging from its slumber in the Homeworlds, but indicators are too minimal at this time to predict their ability to project forces outside of their limited holdings in the Cluster.
Great Khans, while I am only reporting what is known to the Watch a the most superficial of levels, I must go on record to say that the lack of an ilKhan is troubling, as it demonstrates directly the lack of unity among the Clans. With the Abjuration of the Nova Cats, the movement of the Falcons, Bears and Wolves almost wholly into Inner Sphere space and the emerging in-fighting that seems to be on the cusp of breaking out, it may be time to bring back a unifying front to the helm of our Great Clans. Without unity of will, how can we resume the drive to Terra??

Only time will tell, but all indicators are that the dusk is rising from a violent dawn.

Seyla.

#2 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 16 September 2017 - 10:52 AM

Honored Khans and Clan Leaders the Watch’s Executive Summary – (Week 37, 3062)

Clan Wolf attacks Clan Wolf in Exile in Arc-Royal, resulting in a lengthy cat and mouse game before the forces could finally meet. Augmented with Star Adder pilots of the renowned Winged Vipers Cluster, the Wolf attacks were met with fierce resistance by WiE pilots spearheaded by a mixture of Alpha and Devil Dog Galaxy pilots. Reports are being kept quiet, but initial feedback from the Watch confirms an overwhelming Clan Wolf & Star Adder victory. Apparently, interoperability exercises between the Adders and Wolves are now paying off in coalition battles.

Kell Hound mercenaries, likely under the coin of the Lyrans, launched a raid against the Jade Falcons in the Sudetan sector, meeting forces from the Raptor’s Talons (the 79th Cluster of the Raptor Galaxy). With planet fall on the 14th, reports are only now trickling in but it would appear that the Raptors acquitted themselves well against the mercenaries.

Within the Alshain sector, the Bears come under the guns of House Kurita yet again. The Ghost Bear Dominion seems somewhat shaken by the recent turn of events, so this sector bears watching, as the DCMS does not appear keen to reduce their efforts there in the short term. The Watch published this report to this august Council prior to the battle’s commencement, but we know that Kuritan Dropships are on the last hours of their burn-in to planet. Per the Councils directive, we will attempt to keep you updated in near time, as best we can ascertain what is happening in that sector.

An Adder task force has also gone comms-black out in recent hours, somehow associated with assisting Clan Ghost Bear, but how or where remains lost to us at this time. It is also known that the Wolves intend to lend aid to the Bear in stemming the tide of Kuritan aggression, but their plans to remain unknown the Watch.

Also, the mysterious periphery people, the Jarnfolk have raided the Wolves as well. The sector capital of Carse was attacked, with the battle initiated with an odd, blithering language being broadly transmitted over all known channels, with the phrase “Ganga Alfrek” being the only recognizable words coming through. Deep research into our limited archives among the scientist caste reveal it has something to do with defecating, or going off to defecate, so we remain unsure of its meaning in this context as a potential battle cry. This is another battle that is only now occurring, with the screaming JarnFolk dropships inbound to Carse’s capital area even as we speak. If we can get reports from the Wolf sector regarding the attack, we will of course update the Council.

Minor skirmishes between the Wolves and Falcons over a Trial of Grievance, between Falcons and the Scorpions merely sharpened claws, fang, and sting rather than resulted in anything of consequence. These served as equivalent to live fire interoperability exercises that if anything strengthened relations between those Clans.

Apparently, the Star Adders see this as an opportunity, launching multiple fleets inside of the Homeworlds to seize key planets and have issued a batchall to all comers in the Cluster (“The Adders uncoil and sink their fangs. We claim these worlds as our own. Who will refute our claim and face our Venom?” ). A statement levied by Khan Cassius N’Buta stated that they had no interest in war with the Homeworld Clans but would not suffer interference with their aim of leapfrogging more forces into the Invasion Corridor. Key to this recent declaration is whether it will derail efforts to bring more forces into the Corridor due to inter-Clan fighting.

Related to these battles, and skirmishes are the machinations of the various Clans throughout both the Invasion corridor and the Homeworlds Cluster. Whispers reach the ears of the Watch that a treacherous taint may be associated with these recent and sudden “alliances” of various sorts involving not only clans involved in the forward fight, but also factions back in the Cluster. Whether this is some sort of atypical aberration or not, it begs the question, are the Clans becoming a band of politicians or do they remain warriors. Unity among the Clans has always come under the watchful rudder steer of an ilKhan, not the backdoor dealings of Clans not involved in battles on the frontlines. The Watch remains concerned that these dalliances potentially hide some other, less noble agenda.

#3 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 23 September 2017 - 02:09 PM

Honored Khans and Clan Leaders the Watch’s Executive Summary – (Week 38, 3062)

Reports from the Dominion front remain stark in their proof of our fall from Kerensky's original vision. The taint of continued interaction with the Inner Sphere frames our current troubles there and must be illuminated for all Clans to see, acknowledge and repair.

As predicted, the Combine has launched an all-out assault to seize the Bear's Alshain Sector in a bid to reclaim lost worlds. Second line garrison units and a recently added Wolf Cluster remain behind in an effort to stem the tide of invasion. Dropships have already penetrated aerospace screens and are enroute to multiple planet surfaces, with the worlds garrisoned by Wolf Binaries expected to be hit first. In an effort to draw off some forces, Clan Wolf also initiated attacks into the Draconis Combine sector of Xinyang, and reports of conflict with an unknown mercenary unit and the Kuritans also point to a general increase in activity along their entire faction.

The Star Adders successfully struck the Lyrans in the Kelenfold sector in an effort to keep them occupied and away from the Wolves during the tumultuous time on the border. The Adders slipped back into space unfettered within hours of their victory, resuming their communications black out. While clearly the efforts in or near the Dominion are troubling, it is an indicator of the growing trust between Clans, with these multiple interconnected operations occurring.

Troubling or encouraging, the Home Worlds Cluster emerges as a pot potentially boiling over, with three Clans issuing batchalls over eight different worlds in Trials of Possession in recent days. Crushing local garrisons quickly among former Smoke Jaguar, Nova Cat and Burrock Worlds, Clans Snow Raven, Star Adder and Diamond Shark have demanded trials over the extremely limited resources left available to them as they vie for opportunities in the Invasion Corridor. Additional Trials of Refusal and possession have erupted over these bold moves with no less than a dozen honor duels, skirmishes and trials being hammered out between various Clans. Whether this represents a set of future inter-Clan hostilities that will only serve to disrupt any chance for Unity in the face of the Inner Sphere's recent successes against us, or merely a sharpening of fang and claw, remains to be seen. At least five Clans are involved in the fighting in the Homeworlds currently, but thus far it has remained the stuff of raids and skirmishes, nothing to concerning to the Council.

The disturbances, claims and counter-claims of the Homeworlds however, have driven many formerly quiet Clans to call, nay clamor, for the reformation of the Grand Council sparking some furious debate in the last several days as you know, regarding a return to a solidified and empowered Grand Council, as opposed to what the Adders referred to us as...."a loose confederation of tribes flailing at the stars." With a Grand Council finally being empowered by the votes of the various Khans, talk of repudiating the Truce already emerges as a potential friction point as well as a return to an ilKhan.

#4 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 29 September 2017 - 07:44 AM


Honored Khans and Clan Leaders, the Watch's Executive Summary - (Week 39, 3062)

As you all are well aware, the affirmation and return of the Grand Council to formal status was determined earlier in the week in this very chamber. Its resurgence could not come at a more dangerous time in Clan history, a time when it could not be more needed. I will refrain from my own editorializing of whether this will provide us the needed direction and unity of effort to see us through on our goals, but needless to say, it should impart some measure of stability in these frenetic times.

The ejection of the Star League (Kael's voice drips with sarcasm at these two words) representative and his token garrison force from Huntress and their return to the Inner Sphere will likely be known to those factions in very short order. Forces all along the Exodus road were instructed to give this Colonel Masters and his dropships safecon back to the Free Worlds League and in fact, at several points enroute, a brief command circuit of jumpships will help them speed along our space and remove the responsibility for their safety from our docket that much sooner.

First among your tasks as the Grand Council has been finalizing the methodology regarding the Harvest Trials over the final planets within the Homeworlds Cluster; already Khans bargain back and forth for these resource laden positions and the expectation is that the fighting will be fierce. Ostensibly, this should posture the Homeworld Clans to promote their future in the Occupation Zone, as the Council evaluates their worthiness for inclusion.

This could not come at a more important time, given the recent assaults in the Bear Dominion and that Clan's apparent return to hibernation as they work out a return to the Truce with the victorious Draconis Combine. While this may safeguard the Bears for a limited time, the Draconis Combine's rattling of sabers continues unabated, with over threats to continue violating the Truce of Tukkayid agains the nascent Adder footprint in the OZ and the Wolves. Which begs the question, why does the Council adhere to the Truce at all at this point if the Inner Sphere factions see fit to come rimward with their aggressions. This merely paints them for what they are, raw opportunists, and apparently, honorless brigands. But I digress.

In addition to the war in the dominion, the harvest trials and the various other items, the remainder of the Clans' activities seem limited to border raids, skirmishes and the very minor assaults associated with the culling of worlds in the Homeworlds Cluster. Clans Snow Raven, Diamond Shark and Star Adder continue to cement their positions rimward and prepare for combat. The Falcons have launched a small raid against the Adders over rights to a factory line on Huntress. The lone exception to this seeming to be a rather interesting move by the Adders challenging the Snow Ravens on their capital world for a singular item; a Union-C class dropship. Overall, a quiet time between the Clans.

But rumors of a pending offensive reach the ears of the Watch, and while it would be untoward of us to be seen taking sides in inter-Clan conflict, the risk to our unity cannot be ignored if such an offensive becomes too large a distraction. Multiple Hunter-class Jumpships continue to emerge in various Clan holdings both in the Homeworlds and the Occupation Zone, and leaping away. We cannot help but suspect these activities are a prelude to some sort of major offensive. We caution the Grand Council to stay abreast of these machinations, and to not let a potential conflict between the Clans become larger than the simple bloodings and challenges by which we sharpen claw and fang.

#5 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 08 October 2017 - 10:48 PM

Honored Khans and Clan Leaders, the Watch's Executive Summary - (Week 40, 3062)

The Watch Report must begin with the utter loss of forces at Alshain and the return of the Clan Ghost Bear to hibernation. The fighting was fierce and overwhelming for the second line garrisons that remained on Alshain during the attack. Lightening waves of Draconis forces mopped up the Bears with no real pause until the siege of Alshain itself began in earnest. A bright spot in the form of an initial repulse of the Kuritans from the capital itself proved short lived, as the Bears were attrited to nothingness in the sector. This devastating blow opens the remainder of the Occupation Zone to attacks from the Inner Sphere, as they are not required to remain below the Truce Line of Tukkayid.

Another telling blow, the Lyrans managed to deal a significant blow the Falcons at LaGrave. While the Falcons are ever tight lipped regarding losses, the details are only slowly being ferreted out by our analysts, but it would appear that the Lyrans managed to hammer the garrisons of that sector quite handily before removing themselves.

An Honor Star of the Raptor Galaxy from Clan Jade Falcon faced Smoke Keshik warriors of the Star Adders for rights to the Huntress factory lines, while simultaneously, additional elements from the Raptors launched a "Blooding" raid against the Star Adder's 173rd Sky Fang's Cluster on the continent of Lootera. While the Falcons failed in a hard fought brawl against the Honor Star provided by the 373rd Winged Vipers Cluster, they fared well in splitting engagements with the 173rd and 505th Clusters on the far continent. It is unclear whether these raids between the 79th Raptor's Talons of the Falcons will continue or provoke a response from the Adders.

The Adder raid on Lum resulted in the Adders seizing mechs as isorla and then returning the salvage and captured material to the Snow Ravens as a sign of respect. This defies the typically pragmatic nature of the Adders, to release isorla back to an opponent, but neither side has made any further diplomatic overtures regarding the raid, so the Watch considers the issue closed.

Clan Wolf launched an attack into Lyran territory as well, with a raid focused on Kelenfold. This sector was recently hit by the Star Adders, so this may predict a crack in the armor of the Lyrans who are also faced with a sector assault to their south, launched by the Free World's League and their own perhaps presumptive raid against the Falcons. The Lyrans, potentially stretched too thin in the coming days, to manage all of these conflicts, may be an opportunity in the making if the Clans can gain any sort of consensus.

Additionally Clan Wolf launched an attack into Nova Cat space, into the sector of Irece and the Adders launched an attack into Arc-Royal in an attempt to disrupt aggressions from that portion of the IS. While both attacks were successful, what impact they can have in stabilizing the truce-line front seems marginal at best. At the likely behest of the either the Wolves in Exile or the Lyrans, mercenaries of the Kell Hounds have launched a strike against the Falcon sector of Sudetan, so clearly that front remains problematic.

Jarnfolk emissaries have reached out to multiple Clans in recent weeks in an effort to gain Jump coordinates to the Homeworlds, most assuredly to raid. This marks the third Inner Sphere faction to attempt to turn the Clans against each other, sparking as you are aware, heated debate within the Grand Council.

The Grand Council moved forward with their plans for the final Harvest Trials, with a vote finishing only days ago. Our observation is that the Invaders may not have the resources or latitude to return for many of these trials, outside of a truly enticing target, which may allow the homeworld clans to augment their resources considerably, once the fighting, begins in earnest. Whether or not this will promote another Clan to the Invasion Corridor will largely depend on that Clan's ability to not only succeed within the Trials, but to truly make their worth known, their impact felt. Combined with the success or failure along the Lyran front, this will portend whether or not another Clan can operate successfully within the Occupation Zone at all. Room must be made, squabbles must be put aside between the Clans for the Invasion to ever return to reality, whether upon the Truce's end or upon repudiation.

#6 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 27 October 2017 - 04:45 PM

Honored Khans and Clan Leaders, the Watch's Executive Summary - (Week 42, 3062)

Dire times indeed for the Clan forces in the Occupation Zone, as the Draconis Combine wasted no time in launching a series of raids against the Wolves and the lone Adder sector there, resulting in a newly launched sector assault against Stanzach. While it is unknown, with what forces if any, the Star Adders defend those planets at this time it can only be regarded as full-blown war between the Combine and the remaining invasion Clans. This will likely further incense the Grand Council to repudiate the Truce of Tukkayid as you know.

Within the previous weeks, successful blooding raids were launched by the Wolves, Falcons and Adders and attempts by the Lyrans, Exiles and their proxies were rebuffed. How long these combats remain mere raids as pressure from the Combine increases however, is anyone's guess. It is very likely the Falcons and Wolves will feel compelled to launch assaults into Lyran and Exile space in an effort to forestall gains by the DCMS "behind them."

Of particular note is the resurgent Falcons seemingly locked in just such a conflict with the Wolves-in-Exile. With each side launch raids into each other's space, it seems highly likely the Falcons will escalate these raids to full-blown assaults in the near future. While these two have only fought once previously, there is a great deal of rhetoric going back and forth between various leaders and as the Falcons are known for their slavish, even rigid reverence for the Clan way, recent accusations by the Exiles regarding dishonorable practices by the Falcons will only incense them further. This front bears watching in the coming days.

In the Homeworld Cluster, the Wolves were successful in securing Paxon in a Trial of Possession versus Clan Diamond Shark. While the latter is only recently emerging from the sleep that has taken hold over many of the Homeworld Clans, they fought well, blooding the more experience Wolf Touman, although the seasoned Wolves could not be overcome through mere effort. The Sharks will have much to learn in the coming months, as the Cluster continues to grow as a battleground. More fleets within the Cluster are being tracked now by the Watch than previously, with forces undoubtedly posturing for raids seen arriving in jump points all along the space. We merely wait for the batchalls to occur that will send these forces into combat as these smaller Clans continue to vie for the limited resources available.

#7 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 04 November 2017 - 05:54 PM

Honored Khans and Clan Leaders, the Watch's Executive Summary - (Week 43, 3062)

The Clans remain largely consumed with Trials of Possession in the Homeworlds Cluster, pitting Clan versus Clan, and with the battles in the Occupation Zone which threaten to expand with more speed in coming days.

Clan Wolf seized Paxon from Clan Diamon Shark in the Harvest Trials and Clan Star Adder and Clan Snow Raven battled mightily on the continents of Atreus II, with CSA emerging victorious. Recent reports show that Wolf suffered significant losses in the Trial of Possession for Cesis, with units of the 7th Falcon Cluster leading the Jade Falcons to victory there. While these Trials of Possession continue to occur, as resources are battled over and consolidated within the Cluster, at least for the most part, Blooding Raids and spats have diminished between the five active Clans.

This is timely as the Draconis Combine throws it's might against the Adder sector of Stanzach. Knowing of Stanzach's isolation from the other Adder power centers, the Combine's dropships appear to be taking a rather leisurely three day burn in to the surface of the first planet they intend to hit within the sector, presumably to keep their Mechwarriors and Aerospace pilots in the best possible shape for the fight. Over two clusters of Theta Galaxy pilots and machines, newly emplaced in the sector, are on hand to repel the invasion.

Similarly, combat along the Wolf and Falcon portions of the OZ have been in the heat of battle as well.

Twice the Wolves have repelled Combine raids in the Carse and Kobe sectors, and in retaliation, the Wolves have launched their own strike against Alshain, the sector recently seized from the Bears by the Combine. With current Clan intelligence provided by the Watch and the remaining Ghost Bear leaders available, knowledge of industry, factories, defensive positions and key terrain have already been relayed to the Wolve's Golden Keshik, who is leading the raid. Surprisingly, the Lyrans have also chosen to escalate matters by launching a mercenary led sector assault into Carse, perhaps in an attempt to capitalize on any weakening of forces caused there by the recent Combine raids. Our indications are that the Wolves stand ready to repel the mercenaries known as the Northwind Highlanders, a unit with a significant reputation and lineage they trace back to the original Star League. Whether they have retained the skill of their forefathers will be displayed within days. Our initial reports indicate the Wolf Aerospace assets have managed to divert the burn-in of the Highlander Dropships however, forcing their landings to occur at other, as yet to be determined locations. How this will impact their cohesion in the face of the Wolves will play out in the coming days.

Additionally, those same Highlanders are leading a raid into the La Grave sector of Jade Falcon territory, only a week after the demoralizing defeat of the Exiles versus the Falcons in the Waldorff sector. With the Falcons recently revitalized by forwarding their entire core, first line component of the Touman into the OZ, this seems a gamble, but clearly whomever is paying these mercenaries are less concerned with the lives of money-warriors and stravags and merely wishes to gauge resolve by such a move.

Ultimately, honored leaders, the Occupation Zone continues to see escalations on all sides here and soon a call to arms will likely have to be answered by the Grand Kurultai. Watch analysts are of course, not privy to the machinations of those of this august assembly, but with logistics changes happening that we can observe, coupled with these aggressive maneuvers coreword, it is only a matter of time before things come to a head. We estimate that within only weeks of the completion of the ongoing Harvest Trials, this lust of battle will overcome cooler heads and spill out between the Clans. How you choose to channel it, or fail to, will determine our fate as a society.

#8 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 19 November 2017 - 01:51 AM

Honored Khans and Clan Leaders, the Watch's Executive Summary - (Week 45, 3062)

The Harvest Trials remain a large focus within the Homeworlds, with Toumans battling back and forth over a variety of planets and resources. Within the Occupation Zone, the Clans have seen significant success in rebuffing enemy advances and are even now, moving forward with limited counter-pushes.

Clan Star Adder's Winged Viper Cluster managed a successful, albeit limited defense, against the cream of the Draconis Combine. It is uncertain when they will attack again, but Watch reports it will likely coincide with the end of the month, bleeding into December (Terran Standard Calendar). Whether or not the Adders can hold out again is unknown, given their limited presence within the OZ and their lack of production facilities within the region, but it is known they reformed the garrison after the Combine's most recent attempt.

Clan Wolf defeated a Lyran sponsored attack into Carse and successfully bloodied the same Combine forces in Alshain, demanding a down-payment in blood for the crushing blow suffered by the now hibernating Ghost Bears. Additionally, within these last weeks, they've successfully carried on another raid into Kelenfold, taxing the Lyrans for their folly in sending mercenaries into Carse. Reports are sparse from the fighting, but indicate the Northwind Highlanders suffered significant losses in the attack.

Clan Star Adder claimed victory against the Ravens in a ritualistic affair on Gatekeeper, seizing the planet for themselves. While these Harvest Trials do not suffer the presence of observers, it is rumored the ever pragmatic Snow Ravens suffered little in the way of actual losses in their defeat. In fact, the usually tight-lipped Adders inserted quite a bit of praise for the "honored foes, the Snow Ravens," at the end of the battle.

Clan Diamond Shark has challenged the Wolves for Londenholm. That the Wolves would even fight for such a small prize remains of interest to the watch and rumblings from the Homeworlds continue to gain volume, as Clans bite back and forth over the inequities perceived by some Clans, in the manner in which these Trials are being fought.

The Watch has conducted significant analysis of both troop movements, communications intercepts and the political statement and would note to this august council, that a schism is very likely to emerge if things continue at this rate. While certainly no match in resources and size compared to the Invader Clans, the Homeworld Clans clearly enjoy a local numbers advantage spinward, and the Wolves and Falcons would be hard pressed to defend all of their Homeworld Cluster worlds if they were suddenly attacked in multiple locations. Whether things develop to such a distracting degree remains to be seen.

With these recent successes however, come more threatening portents of disagreement between the Clans, which may well shatter what fragile peace exists between them as these battles steer towards larger conflicts, which will prove to be a sure detriment for any hopes for success in the OZ.

Edited by Kael Pershaw, 19 November 2017 - 01:34 PM.


#9 Kael Pershaw

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Posted 04 December 2017 - 09:05 PM

Honored Khans and Clan Leaders, the Watch's Executive Summary - (Week 46)

Warriors all, the Watch sees troubling times ahead for the Clans. For all of our recent good fortune against the Inner Sphere forces, the cracks and fissures within our own great enterprise become more and more evident with each passing day. The Harvest Trials come to a close, but with that end comes rancor and resentment, all traits unenviable in any leader who would call themselves a child of Kerensky or his exalted eight hundred and yet the signs are there.

While we remain beholden only to this council, lacking an ilKhan, we have refrained from digging too deeply into the machinations of the many Clans, in an effort to not shy away from our mandate as servitors of the Clan, but current winds bring to our ears, troubling concerns that this council must hear and we counsel you to address.

Before we address those concerns, let us first acknowledge the tactical and operational events of recent days, so that the context is fully understood by the Council.

As to the aforementioned Harvest Trial, Kirin fell to the Winged Viper and Sky Fang Clusters of the Star Adders in brutal fighting against Alpha Galaxy of the Diamond Sharks. The blunting of the Adders in the swamps and bogs of Kirin's lower continent of Vagoda was a true testement to the skill and dedication of the Sharks, who were only to be overwhelmed on the Kirin's lone moon, and in fighting around the forests of Krin's capital before the fighting ended in a pyhric victory for the Adders. Both sides reduced Binaries were attrited so badly that only three, limping and nearly weaponless Adder mechs were all that remained to claim the planetary capital in the fourth and final battle.

Now, the Falcons and Wolves remain to fight the final battle of the Harvest, with the fate of Suffolk hanging in the balance. Already a reinforced cluster of Wolves sits planetside, watching the uncontested burn to planetside of an even larger force of Falcons, as both sides have bid away aerospace assets for control of the planet. With safecon offered to the Falcons, their Dropships are expected to land within the next several days and for combat to begin in earnest almost immediately afterwards.

Tactically, the front along the OZ has largely stabilized. Within the occupation Zone, the Falcon's launched a blooding raid into the planet of Danzibar 16, wiping away a corrupt and impotent planetary militia and then staging a series of duels against a force of mercenaries sent by the Federated Suns to investigate the planet's drop from the HPG communications network. The 79th "Raptor's Talons" Cluster of the Falcon Touman successfully prosecuted the battles against a surprisingly honorable mercenary foe. This is further changing our understanding of the differences between how some mercenaries within the Inner Sphere are significantly different than the bandit caste scum we found in the Periphery and among our own backwater worlds that are worth attention only for the effort taken to wipe them from existence.

Additionally, the Falcons easily held off raiding Lyrans as the Falcons reinforced and cemented their gains in the newly acquired Arc-Royal sector. Within 24 hours, another raid launched by the Falcons is expected to make planet fall among three of the planets in the Lyran Pandora sector, will see the returning Raptors Talons back in action after no respite from their earlier raid on Danzibar-16. Whether or not these Binaries will have been able to make the needed repairs and maintain their people through injury and combat wounds, will be demonstrated in close combat on these planets.

The raid by the Wolve's Golden Keshik went as expected on Irece, with them blooding the Nova Cats effectively. Whether this will blunt Nova Cat efforts in the future is unknown, but clearly they seem to have lost some of the protection of the Draconis Combine benefactors they relied upon previously in rattling their sabers.

Ultimately, these events, combined with the utter collapse of the Wolves in Exile along the Arc-Royal salient points to gain after gain for the Clans. But herein lies the calm before the storm as the Watch sees it.

Constant communiques between the Clans, unit movements, and recent industrial ramp ups clearly point to multiple Clans furthering their war machines but we must counsel this Council that all of these signs do not point to renewed efforts within the OZ, but point instead to brewing warfare among our own.

It is clear from recent intercepts (cultivated largely in passing, not in direct efforts to monitor our own, a clear sign to the recent apathy among our own regarding operational security - but that is another matter), that there is significant resentment brewing. The smaller Home Worlds Clans feel they are not given equitable opportunity for the limited resources available for capture, further incentivizing them to band together against potentially larger Clans. Others resent the political manueverings and machinations of their rivals that they feel distinctly lack honor, even as we all struggle to adjust to the post-Truce paradigm that is our reality. Multiple Clans chafe at the lack of efforts to repudiate the Truce, seeing it as yet another method by which rivals yoke and marginalize them. At this time, the Watch has discovered two of the largest Dropships already under construction across Clan Holdings, a relatively unheard of purchase in these times and forces earmarked for immediate deployment. Mechs numbering in the hundreds have been seen marshaling across multiple planets, but without declared IS targets. These marshaling efforts, industrial ramp ups across multiple factories and few if any launching sites into IS territory (especially along the truce line) indicate that something else must be afoot. Watch analysts concur that Inter-Clan efforts are the most likely answer and clearest danger to our future plans. Reining in and addressing these issues soon, may be the only thing that forestalls outright war between the Clans and frankly we reassert our recommendation for a search for an ilKhan among the Council.

Edited by Kael Pershaw, 04 December 2017 - 09:09 PM.






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