Battle of Franklin (3147)

Battle of Franklin (3147)
Conflict details
Part of	Operation PERCEVAL
Start Date	Mid June 3147
Planet(s)	Franklin
Attacking Forces
Affiliation	Federated Suns
Command(s)	First Davion Guards, First Kestrel Grenadiers, First Avalon Hussars
Defending Forces
Affiliation	Draconis Combine
Commanding Officer(s)	Tai-sa Toshio Hayashi
Command(s)	Fifth Ghost
Other Forces

Prelude

The Draconis Combine conquered the world in 3144, though their conquest was incomplete. A short company of Franklin Militia light BattleMechs remained and had been harrying the Combine since.

Overview

Operation PERCEVAL began in mid June with a raid in force against Franklin. The garrisoning Fifth Ghost sallied forth to engage the lead First Davion Guards elements, expecting a traditional pitched battle. Included in the Fifth's charge was Tai-i Achara Adeyemi and her Cricket, and Chu-i Andrea Massaud with her NK-1C Narukami Heavy Tank and a desire to redeem herself. The Guards initially appeared to give them the standup fight they expected, albeit one with heavy shelling from the Mech Mortars on Antlions and other artillery. This coordination was aided by the Guards' use of Browning Mobile HQ. With the majority of the Fifth pinned down, Tai-i Adeyemi ordered her Crickets into the fray to engage the Antlions. Aware they lacked the firepower to bring down the support Mechs, their pin pricks still caused the Guards to cease their shelling and divert their attention to the Crickets. During this engagement, Tai-i Adeyemi leaped her Cricket onto the back of an Antlion and hung on as the other ’Mech thrashed about to dislodge her, at one point dangling from one of the head mounted Light Machine Guns. The indirect fire subsided, the Fifth regained the ability to maneuver, but the Guards disengaged shortly afterwards, leading the Fifth further out of position on a series of hit and run attacks.

While the Guards were stringing the Fifth Ghost along, the First Kestrel Grenadiers and First Avalon Hussars were linking up with resistance cells and supplying them with supplies they liberated from the Combine or could spare from their own stores. The Grenadiers relied on Leftenant Chris “Noktoo” Tyranis' Victor and his lance were at the heart of the raiding, and the Hussars were able to employ their WVR-10R Wolverines to great effect in this stage of the operation. At was at this point that the key to the Militia's longevity was discovered; after a strike the ’Mechs were disassembled, packaged, and then flown to a new location aboard Bishop Transport VTOLs painted in Isesaki Shipping livery.

With their mischief managed, the Taskforce boarded their DropShips and departed to attack Sakhara V.

Aftermath

Tai-i Adeyemi's ’Mechbay mounted the Antlion's light machine gun above her Cricket as a battle trophy.

Shortly after PERCEVAL departed, the resistance attempted to assassinate the Fifth Ghost's commander, Tai-sa Toshio Hayashi though succeeded only in killing his Executive Officer. In response Hayashi called upon yakuza contacts to discover the location of the resistance cell. Once found he dispatched a battalion to destroy the cell, which they did along with most of the PERCEVAL supplies and several city blocks. This wanton destruction inspired a new wave of resistance fighters, and three years later on 5 March 3150 the civilians of Franklin rose up in revolt to overthrow the Combine government and replaced it with one loyal to the Federated Suns. Shortly after, the Guards disengaged and

Bibliography

• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 6
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 18
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 29
• Shattered Fortress
• Technical Readout: 3150