Battle of Vega (3039)

Battle of Vega (3039)
Part of War of 3039
Start Date 19 April 3039
End Date 16 August 3039
Planet Vega
Result Initial Federated Commonwealth victory, reversal following counterattack
Factions
Attacker
Federated Commonwealth		 Defender
Draconis Combine
Commanders and leaders
General Nondi Steiner (April–June)
Hauptmann-General Kathleen Heany (July–August)		 Sho-sho Christine Nordica
Forces involved
Third Davion Guards,
Third Lyran Guards,
Snord's Irregulars,
First Gravewalkers,
17th Reconnaissance Regiment		 Fourteenth Legion of Vega,
Fifth Amphigean Light Assault Group,
Second Legion of Vega,
Second Dieron Regulars

Prelude[edit]

Vega was one of the few defeats for the nascent Federated Commonwealth in the Fourth Succession War, so pride in addition to military and political significance contributed to making its conquest a priority in the War of 3039. The Lyran Intelligence Corps located two defending units, the Fourteenth Legion of Vega and elements of the Fifth Amphigean Light Assault Group. Lyran high command assigned the Third Lyran Guards and the Third Davion Guard the task of defeating the Fourteenth Legion of Vega, a rematch for the former's defeat by the Legion in the previous year. Snord's Irregulars, First Grave Walkers, and Seventeenth Recon (Camacho's Caballeros) were assigned the Amphigeans. The two groups were designated Task Force Snow and Task Force Blizzard respectively.[1][2]

Attack[edit]

Landings began on 19 April 3039 with Task Force Blizzard on the western portion of the North Nanturo Continent and Task Force Snow on the eastern portion. Blizzard quickly swooped into the Nasew spaceport, overrunning the small armor and infantry detachments assigned to the spaceport. This spaceport would be vital for supplying FedCom forces. The Fifth Amphigean knew they were facing a heavier force at least twice their size and sought to delay the invasion as long as possible. They split the two battalions they had on planet, First Battalion, commanded by Tai-sho Kent Gerber, kept the Grave Walkers, commanded by Colonel Dennis Merwin, and Cabelleros, commanded by Colonel Carlos Camacho, pinned at the spaceport with probing attacks searching for a weakness that might hamper the FedCom logistics train.[1][2][3]

Third Battalion, commanded by Chu-sa Fengo Olesko dispersed throughout the Great Desert of Tears, raiding targets of opportunity and becoming a major thorn in the FedComs' side. Snord's Irregulars, commanded by Rhonda Snord, had been previously held in reserve at the spaceport, and were now ordered to hunt them down. Equipped by at-the-time unknown sources of Star League technology—namely Beagle Active Probes, double heat sinks, and Arrow IV artillery—the Irregulars tracked Olesko through a sandstorm and on 22 April engaged them near Felicity Oasis. Routed, the Third Battalion fled west across the sea to New Egypt, with the Irregulars in hot pursuit.[1][2][4]

As Third Battalion retreated, the Grave Walkers and Cabelleros continued to repulse First Battalion's probes, eventually forcing First Battalion to retreat off world.[2]

By 30 April, the Irregulars had caught up to Olesko in the Bandli Wastes northeast of New Egypt within sight of the Bandlisi Pyramid. The battle joined at range, with Rhonda Snord dropping Abusan Frazer's Catapult with a Gauss rifle slug through the cockpit in the opening volley. Seeking to negate the Irregulars' range advantage, Olesko challenged Snord to a duel that win or lose would bring the Irregulars to the brawling range the Amphigeans preferred. Olesko's strategy was ultimately unsuccessful, with her battalion shattered in a mere forty minutes, and an unconscious Olesko strapped to a MEDEVAC VTOL. A week later on 6 May, the last of the surviving Amphigeans retreated off world and declared Vega lost.[1][2][5][6][7]

On the other side of the continent, the Fourteenth Legion of Vega, commanded by Sho-sho Christine Nordica, was entrenched around the capital city of Neucason. Having faced the Third Lyran Guards in the Fourth Succession War, they had no intention of retreating and had prepared for a long siege. Nordica knew she faced different odds for this rematch however. Last time the Second Legion of Vega had helped in the defense, whereas this time it was the Lyrans who had the Third Davion Guards bolstering their roster. And, Nordica didn't have the personality insights into the Lyran commander that she did before thanks to her romantic tryst with the Third Lyran's commander, Patrick Finnan (though he was also present this time, on General Steiner's general staff). But she knew that the longer she could hold the capital city, the longer she delayed attacks further into the Combine.[1][8]

On 13 May, Nordica sent a force to destroy a Thumper artillery battery that had been located, but ran headlong into a Company of the Third Lyrans.[9]

On the sixth week of the siege, approximately 31 May, the mercenary forces of the Irregulars and Grave Walkers arrived at Neucason from the victory over the Amphigeans and were able to screen the two Guards regiments from Legion raids out of the Great Desert of Tears, the only successful operation Nordica had been able to mount thus far in the conflict. Over four Regiments of FedCom 'Mechs were now solely concentrated against the Legion. A Legion Coolant Truck known as Coolant Team Five commanded by Gunsho Jerry Nakamura were instrumental in helping the Legion stay in fighting condition, the crew of Cooler Team Five braved enemy fire and the soaring Vega heat time and again to keep the Legion's Panthers and Dragons in the fight.[1][8][10]

Beginning on 2 June Nordica realized her position was completely untenable and began a fighting withdrawal from the outskirts of the city to the city center. The Legion continued to lose ground and by 17 June all they held was a small section of the city, now heavily fortified and mined. Despite giving the FedComs a bloody nose, Nordica knew her command was on the verge of annihilation so on 19 June she gave the order to retreat off world, General Nondi Steiner chose to allow the DropShips to leave unmolested. On 21 June FedCom forces had occupied Neucason and on 26 June declared the world secured. Victor Doth, a former Banshee MechWarrior who lost his 'Mech in the 3028 battle for Vega returned for this battle, this time in a COM-2D Commando. He lost his life attempting to cripple a Legion assault BattleMech in order to claim it as his own and leave his Commando behind.[1][8][11][12][13][14]

Battle of Vega (3039)-1.jpg

Interlude[edit]

With Vega under control, General Nondi Steiner began planning for follow-on operations. On 3 July she ordered the Third Lyran Guards to Port Moseby in order to repair and rearm for their scheduled follow-on Wave Three attack on Buckminster and ordered the Caballeros to Marfik for their scheduled follow-on Wave Two attack on Alphecca. On 5 July she established her forward command post in the Neucason government complex, confident of the operation's achievements and momentum. Finally on 11 June (see Note) Marshal Herbert Hobaugh of the Third Davion was promoted to Nondi Steiner's command staff, and his Executive Officer James Seymour brevetted to command the Davion RCT.[1][15]

The morning of 12 July General Steiner received a fax with the go-ahead orders for Wave Two of the Commonwealth Thrust. Unknown to the FedCom forces, at the same time a squad of DEST Commandos had just covertly parachuting onto the roof of the government complex. As the assembled staff were cheering the good news, six commandos attached explosives to the conference room window and then rappelled into the breach. Another dozen fought their way down from the roof and burst in the conference room doors. Hauptmann-General Kathleen Heany threw herself on top of General Steiner which saved her life but didn't spare her from being hit in the thigh. At least two Commandos were killed by responding FedCom security forces, but the rest managed to ascend back to the roof and escape. When the smoke cleared several command level officers were dead, including Uliosha Donovon and Herbert Hobaugh (presumed). General Steiner, Patrick Finnan, Brian Kincaid, and Willy Thompson were all wounded to some degree. The most consequential result of this attack however was that Kathleen Heany, an adherent of the "bigger and better" frontal-assault school of thought was now the senior officer for the entire Commonwealth Thrust.[16][15][17]

Counterattack[edit]

As the DEST attack was unfolding, ISF agents sabotaged key military and communications facilities planetwide, which made a coordinated defense impossible. FedCom defenders would have to meet each threat individually, relying only on short-range communications. Though the sabotage and jamming would prove quite effective, it did not mask the arrival of the Second Legion of Vega at a pirate point, nor their landing late on 12 July. The 72nd Skye Armor (see Notes) moved to contest the landing but were unsuccessful. Snord's Irregulars maneuvered to support the outmatched armor forces but also lacked the numbers to oppose the Legion directly. Accordingly, Snord split her forces into company size elements and ranged out across the Carrier Highlands south of Neucason to strike at the Legion's rear areas and supply lines. Unfortunately the Second Legion of Vega had been reinforced by surviving Fourteenth Legion of Vega forces, including the newly promoted Tai-sa Fengo Olesko and the actions devolved into two weeks of bloody skirmishes. Lieutenant Bregan Gentry of Second Battalion, First Grave Walkers viewed Heany's orders as "incompetent" and set off with his all-energy lance to harass the Legion with hit and fade attacks.[18][19][20][21]

On 28 July with the Irregulars still unable to break out of the Highlands, Heany ordered the Third Davion Guards to make a wall of steel assault out of Neucason towards Halo to the southwest, overruling Brevet-Marshal Seymour's insistence on conducting a mobile defense. The goal of the attack was to create an opening for the Irregulars to move through to obtain needed repairs and rearming in Neucason. The Guards faced the Second Dieron Regulars, commanded by Tai-sa Jerome Tishilar who was a staunch supporter of Theodore Kurita's military reforms. Not only did the Regulars push Heany's clumsy assault aside but the Irregulars push to break out and link up with the Guards met with heavy resistance from the Legion. Long-time Irregular Solomon Storm downed Chu-i Lydia Baker's Grand Dragon, Carter Yols' Wasp, but Chu-i Dakara Singh's Goliath speared his head with a PPC bolt. Dazed, Storm charged the Goliath in his Shootist only to have the Goliath's next salvo critically breach his reactor causing a meltdown that took Singh and Storm with it. Just as the battle seemed to turn against the Irregulars, their Air Lance, commanded by Lieutenant Richter Nikmen rushed in and inflicted enough damage that the Irregulars could disengage. Unfortunately, Lieutenant Bregan Gentry's Lance of Grave Walkers had just joined the fray and the Air Lance mistook them for Legionnaires, killing Gentry in his Locust and one other member of his Lance. By 31 July Snord was forced to break contact with the Legion, her Battalion battered and exhausted.[18][19][22][20][21]

On 2 August the Combine forces were within range of Neucason. The only thing preventing the city from being assaulted were the spoiling attacks by the Guards, now actively ignoring Heany's tactical advice about frontal assaults. This, and the arrival of the Grave Walker's main body slowed the Combine down long enough for a defense of the capital to be prepared though they were also pushed back from Neucason by the Legion. Leftenant Sir Reginald Timmson commanded a Lance of Valkyries and Jenners who were instrumental in blunting a push on the Guard's headquarters. Ordering his Jenners forward he was able to delay the Combine push until his Valkyries could join in the bombardment. Still not sufficient to turn the assault themselves, the delaying action allowed other Guard 'Mechs to enter the fray and push the Combine back, that time.[18][19][23][24]

The next day Snord finally gave up on attempts to link up with the other FedCom forces and broke contact with the Legion for the last time to rendezvous with their DropShips. Snord originally intended to conduct a sub-orbital hop to Neucason, but the DropShips Communications Equipment ECCM was able to cut through the Combine's jamming and Heany ordered the Irregulars to jump back to the Commonwealth and inform LCAF High Command about the situation. Vega's HPG had been mysteriously down due to "mechanical problems" since July and an ISF attack had destroyed Heany's Black Box. On 9 August the Grave Walkers also chose to evacuate Vega.[18][19]

From 11 August all three Combine units were able to direct their full attention of the Third Davion Guards, the only remaining FedCom force on Vega. After enduring three days of a sustained assault Heany finally admitted defeat and retreated offworld with the last of the FedCom forces. By 16 August Vega was once more firmly in Draconis Combine hands. .[18][19][25]

Battle of Vega (3039)-2.jpg

Aftermath[edit]

Heany blamed her second failure against the Legion of Vega on the "underperformance" and "unauthorized retreat" of the mercenary forces, but a Mercenary Review Board inquiry exonerated the Irregulars and the Grave Walkers of any wrongdoing.[18][19]

The remaining members of Bregan Gentry's lance survived to tell of Gentry's heroism, earning him a place in the unit's history.[21]

Olesko later said she considered it an honor to fight against the Irregulars, but she disliked the tactic of broadcasting her music over the communication channels. Not able to get her revenge on Rhonda Snord, she had to content herself with Solomon Storm's death.[7][20]

Vega (Historical, War of 3039).png

Notes[edit]

  • Both Historical: War of 3039 and Turning Points War of 3039: Vega include near identical language and consequentially identical possible errors. An erratum[26] has been submitted for them but until a ruling is made the print version is used above with the exception of the Port Moresby/Port Moseby typo. Hobaugh's transfer to Nondi Steiner's command staff likely occurred on 11 July not 11 June and Seymour's promotion would be approved (which it was) by the First Prince not the Archon. References to Lyran armor, especially armor previously attached to the 4th Skye Rangers in Counterattack are likely Third Davion Guards armor as the Third Lyran Guards had already departed Vega.

Reference[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Historical: War of 3039, pp. 32–33: "Vega (April–June)"
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Turning Points War of 3039: Vega, p. 13: "Task Force Blizzard"
  3. ↑ Turning Point War of 3039: Vega, p. 14: "You Ain't Nothin'"
  4. ↑ Turning Point War of 3039: Vega, pp. 15–16: "Wag Your Tail"
  5. ↑ Turning Point War of 3039: Vega, p. 17: "Ain't Gonna Feed You No More"
  6. ↑ Rhonda's Irregulars, p. 10: "War of 3039 and Later"
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Rhonda's Irregulars, p. 46: "Everything Old is New"
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Turning Point War of 3039: Vega, p. 18: "Task Force Snow"
  9. ↑ Turning Point War of 3039: Vega, p. 18: "Ante Up"
  10. ↑ Technical Readout: 3039, p. 38: "Coolant Truck"
  11. ↑ Turning Point War of 3039: Vega, p. 19: "Raise the Stakes"
  12. ↑ Turning Point War of 3039: Vega, p. 20: "Call the Hand"
  13. ↑ Technical Readout: Succession Wars, p. 14
  14. ↑ "Technical Readout: 3039, p. 102
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Turning Points War of 3039: Vega, p. 21: "Interlude"
  16. ↑ Historical: War of 3039, pp. 64–66: "ISF War"
  17. ↑ Heir to the Dragon, ch. 62
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 Historical: War of 3039, pp. 76–78: "Vega (July–August)"
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 Turning Points War of 3039: Vega, p. 21: "Operation ICHI-GO"
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Rhonda's Irregulars, pp. 48–49: "Storm's End"
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Combat Manual: Mercenaries, p. 100
  22. ↑ Turning Points War of 3039: Vega, p. 22: "The Fool's Idea of Glory"
  23. ↑ Turning Points: Vega, p. 23: "Willing is Not Enough, We Must Do"
  24. ↑ Technical Readout: 3039, p. 284
  25. ↑ Turning Points War of 3039: Vega, p. 24: "One Kick, Ten Thousand Times"
  26. ↑ Errata thread

Bibliography[edit]

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