Battle of Robinson (3144)

Battle of Robinson (3144)
Start Date 23 August 3144 End Date 27 August 3144 Location Bueller, Robinson Battle Academy Planet Robinson Result Draconis Combine victory Territorial changes Draconis Combine conquest
Factions
(Attacker) Draconis Combine	(Defender) Federated Suns
Commanders and leaders
Tai-sa Lawrence Pinkett, Sho-sho Kintomo Kido, Tai-sa Reynaldo Zapata	Duke Corwin Sandoval
Forces involved
Second Sword of Light, Seventh Sword of Light, Eighth Sword of Light, Ryuken-go, Ryuken-nana	Twentieth Avalon Hussars, Second Robinson Rangers, First Robinson Strikers, Robinson Battle Academy Training Battalion, Robinson Draconis March Militia

Prelude

On 14 March 3144 the Draconis Combine launched their long delayed invasion of the Federated Suns. Anticipating the line of attack the Second Robinson Rangers rushed to New Ivaarsen to defend the world but were overwhelmed and pushed off world. They regrouped on Robinson hoping to refit and counterattack. Instead they were hit a few week later as the Combine dragon come for them again.

Overview

On 23 August the Combine landed on Robinson for the first time since they were expelled more than two and a half centuries ago. A fierce battle took place in the space and skies above Robinson as Federated Suns forces tried desperately to destroy as many transports as possible. While they were unsuccessful at blunting the invasion, they decimated the Combine aerospace fighter screen; the 243rd Aerospace attached to the Eighth Sword of Light suffered ninety percent loses. Subaltern Avril Feore distinguished herself when her CUT-01D Cutlass engaged in three simultaneous dogfights resulting in two personal kills, with her wingman claiming the third.

The Seventh Sword of Light and formed the tip of the spear, with Second Sword of Light in close support. Drawing on lessons learned from the First and Second Succession War, they landed on the Canaan continent and drove headlong towards the capital city of Bueller, and the Twentieth Avalon Hussars defending it. At the very vanguard of that spear was Chu-i Alisdair Miyamoto's Tengu Lance composed entirely of RK-4X Rokurokubis. Engaging their Superchargers, they slammed into a company of Hussars, utilizing their Swords and Clan-Tech PPCs to brutalize the Hussar lines. After two minutes six Hussar ’Mechs, two tanks, and two squads of Cavalier battle armor lay broken before them. His Company shattered before him, Captain Dairmad Chaines nearly fell to the onslaught as well but a quick reaction force of four Gunsmiths were able to prevent Miyamoto from killing or capturing Chaines, downing one Rokurokubi and driving the three others off. But the damage had been done, and a serious breech in the Hussar lines formed, through which the Sword of Light poured through.

While such a breech might have turned into a rout, the Hussars held and fell back in orderly fashion allowing their truly staggering array of defensive works to slow the Combine forces down and allow the Hussars to reposition effectively. These works were the product of the Hussars' regiment-strong combat engineer section, the Sandbaggers. By 25 August the Hussar lines had reformed to the point the executed a counter attack, seeking to drive on the grounded Sword of Light DropShips. A battalion of light ’Mechs and tanks sallied forth, where they ran into the battered company of Chu-sa Moishe Tolkowski, Executive Officer of the Seventh Sword of Light. Though low on ammunition and outnumbered nearly four to one, as a heavy and assault company they held the advantage in individual mass and closed ranks in the shallow pass to contain the breakout. Even after expending the last of his munitions, Chu-sa Tolkowski stomped and smashed his SH-1V Shiro against the Hussars, inspiring his command to unmatched courage. At the end of the day the entire battalion was broken and destroyed.

The news was not all good for the Seventh, however. As Tolkowski stopped the Hussar counter attacked, elsewhere on the line of Tai-sa Lawrence Pinkett was killed. Assuming command of the Seventh, Tolkowski consolidated his troops and positioned them alongside the Eighth Sword of Light who had since made planetfall. Twenty hours after beating back the Hussar counterattack the Seventh stormed through the remaining defenses outside Bueller, sending the Hussars and First Robinson Strikers reeling. With the way to Bueller open and their mission accomplished, the Seventh settled back to lick their wounds while the Eighth and Ryuken-go swamped the city. It had been brutal, with ’Mech losses close to a third but far worse among supporting elements. The Forty-fifth Recon ceased to exist, and the Ninety-ninth Lancers could barely muster a battalion.

As the battle focused on Bueller, several engagements on periphery of the lines continued to occur. Robinson DMM sent a squad of eight snipers in PAB-28 Sniper Suits to the cantonment outside Bueller to assassinate key officer, but these were quickly detected by roving patrols of Kishi battle armor. Six were torn apart by the Kishis' vibro claws while the remaining two were captured after being knocked unconscious. Elsewhere a company of DMM infantry were cut off by a battalion from the Eighth and despite the risks a DMM Major ordered a flight of sixteen Marten Scout VTOLs to extract them. Four Martens were lost trying to weave through the Eighth's lines, but twelve were able to make contact with the infantry company and evacuate. None of them returned to AFFS lines, going down with all hands. Rumors say the AFFS Inspector General had been considering charging this Major with gross negligence, but as he was later killed in the continued fighting the investigation was dropped. Leftenant Georgia Johnstone of the DMM had already gained some notoriety by destroying six BattleMechs in the frantic days following the Palmyra Disaster before losing her Argus. Her loss was replaced with a brand-new Ostsol fresh from the factory as the fighting raged around it, and he achieved another six kills in that ’Mech. During a Combine push Chu-i Entoshi Ransom was in command of a detachment of six JES III Missile Carriers and two JES I Tactical Missile Carriers. Tactically reinterpreting orders to stay abreast with the advance, he instead swung wide to catch any AFFS forces attempting to flee the main body. His analysis on their avenue of retreat was correct, and three ’Mechs approached his position. Leaving his JES IIIs in hull down positions he sent his Is forward to act as bait, which the ’Mechs took. Once the ’Mechs were in the kill zone it only took three barrages to bring them all down. Ransom's Tai-i was tempted to discipline him, but when all eight vehicles returned safely and three AFFS MechWarriors were lashed to their turrets his superior elected to overlook the violations.

While the battle outside Bueller raged, Sho-sho Kintomo Kido and his Ryuken-nana had their own mission, pin the Robinson Battle Academy Training Battalion in place in order to prevent them turning into a flanking force against the Bueller assault. Kido exceeded expectations. During initial reconnaissance of the Academy, nana's lone Saladin Mk II "Red Lotus" repositioned itself with such rapidity that the defenders believed it to be two platoons worth of Saladins. They worked themselves into such confusion trying to intercept the "tanks" that they allowed themselves to be pulled out of position enough that nana's impending frontal assault proved devastating. Captain Charles Joseph Pangle Domingo was an Academy instructor who organized students and instructors alike into an ad hoc force to supplement the Training Battalion, he was last seen wading his Victor into a tide of Combine ’Mechs. After facing stronger resistance than anticipated, Kido elected to pull back to stand off range. Initially the defenders were elated, but those hopes died quickly as cruise missiles crashed down around the campus, leveling the majority of the Academy along with the defenders. The few survivors were slaughtered shortly afterwards.

Back in Bueller, the fighting grew characteristically fierce for urban combat. The defending forces made the Eighth and Ryuken-go pay for every block of ground they took. It was in this arena that Tai-i Brian Dean further distinguished himself by disabling two Second Robinson Ranger ’Mechs in close combat. Though low on supplies and lacking in individual skills and cohesion, the First Robinson Strikers under General Wilhelmina Groell bled the Combine over their inexorable advance through the city. Likewise, Lieutenant Colonel Justin Morning continued to coordinate what remained of the Hussars, taking direct command of the security company responsible for the regiment's headquarters to the tune of heavy Combine casualties. After four days of nearly constant brutal fighting, the inevitable breaking point was reached. Days earlier Chu-sa Lorei Stuttgar and her squad of Kishi battle armor infiltrated a municipal facility which granted them detailed plans of underground alternative transportation networks. Utilizing those and intercepted communications she was able to track Duke Corwin Sandoval's movements. This knowledge allowed Ryuken-go to force a confrontation with the Duke at a strategic intersection on 27 August which resulted in the March Lord's death. Like a helium leak in a drive core, that pivotal death drained the will to continue from AFFS forces who began their retreat off world. To their credit it was mostly orderly, but every unit left mauled. Lieutenant Colonel Justin Morning's battered but functional Marauder II was the last AFFS ’Mech to leave the planet.

Aftermath

Impressed with the performance of their brothers in the Seventh, Chu-sa Moishe Tolkowski and his unit were given the honor of hoisting the Combine flag over the Sandoval palace once the world surrendered. The Kanrei promoted Tolkowski to Tai-sa, gave him command of the Seventh, and a new SH-2P Shiro.

For his actions Entoshi Ransom was promoted to Tai-i and given a command in the Robinson garrison that was forming. Tai-i Reynaldo Zapata of Ryuken-go was personally awarded the Bushido Blade by Tai-shu Tori Ishihara.

Gunsho Heihachiro Bora and his NK-1C Narukami Heavy Tank crew had been captured on Barlow's Folly during Operation PELAYO, and held in a POW camp on Robinson ever since. With the Combine's conquest, they regained their freedom and the recognition for disabling Leftenant Colonel Ayven D’Amato's Ostwar.

Gaining control of the Robinson Standard BattleWorks the Combine gained access to a new source of Ostscout and Ostsol ’Mechs. The former were used to recoup Seventh Sword of Light losses, which also proved useful in rooting out resistance cells throughout the world. The later came from a production line that was so newly upgraded the first shipment of Ostsols hadn't departed the factory yet, these too were allotted to the arm of the Dragon.

Despite the historic achievement of sacking Robinson, it would prove to be a short-lived victory. On 18 October 3149, Task Force ERUPTIO wrested control away from the Combine.

Bibliography

• Era Report: 3145
• Field Manual: 3145
• Folly's Children
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 1
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 2
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 5
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 9
• Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 14
• Technical Readout: 3145
• Technical Readout: 3145 Federated Suns
• Technical Readout: 3145 Draconis Combine
• Technical Readout: 3150