Diane Anu

Diane Anu
Diane Anu MM.jpg
Personal
Born3025[1]
AffiliationClan Jade Falcon
Profile
ProfessionsaKhan of Clan Jade Falcon

Diane Anu was a Clan Jade Falcon Trueborn MechWarrior, Officer, saKhan and Galaxy Commander.

Character Description[edit]

Diane was known to be a driven and inquisitive woman who poured her energies into passionate study of many different subjects. She was noted for taking pride in commanding BattleMechs and developed a mastery of tactics after fighting with them in her youth. She would go beyond simply studying to be a warrior, with her interests ranging from maintenance to rebuilding a shattered engine.[2]

History[edit]

Early Life and Clan Invasion[edit]

Diane possessed an innate talent for piloting 'Mechs and strategy, allowing her to move up ranks with few enemies to become Star Colonel of the 5th Battle Cluster.

Her Cluster, assigned to the Gamma Galaxy, was among units selected to participate in the Clans' long awaited return to the Inner Sphere in 3050.[3][4]

The Refusal War and its Aftermath[edit]

Diana's Fifth Cluster was called to assist in the defense of Wotan against the Wolves in December of 3057. Her unit was virtually destroyed while fighting in the Battle for Borealtown. However, the Fifth was among the units that Khan Marthe Pryde chose to reconstitute in the aftermath with unblooded warriors. The unit would be retained as part of Epsilon Galaxy, after its Galaxy Commander Rard Hoyt fought a series of Trials against other sundered Galaxies to keep the unit designation. [5][6]

The Coventry Campaign[edit]

Shortly after the Fifth was re-formed, it was selected to participate in Khan Marthe Pryde's expedition to Lyran world of Coventry. With the expedition leaving on January 30th, 3058, Diane's unit would be part one of four task forces penetrating into Alliance space.

During the taskforce's voyage, they made a stop on Neerabup, where they took on the system's defending force. On February 10th, Diane's Clusters landed and and engaged a determined Neerabup PMM. The Militia force took position in what they viewed as their most strategically important site on planet, which was their command compound. To the Fifth's surprise, the Militia fought well and gave an impressive show of force. While the Cluster eventually overcame the Inner Sphere command, they were impressed by Militia's bravery. Various members of the Cluster inducted Militia members as bondsmen as a way to honor their bravery.[7][8]

On Coventry, her force would be regulated to defensive action for the remainder of the conflict. Among her unit's actions included a defense on April 5th, where elements of her Cluster garrisoning a warehouse were attacked by elements of the 10th Skye Rangers. However, she pulled her forces from the warehouse to meet a new threat arriving on planet with the arrival of Inner Sphere reinforcements.

She and rest her fellow Cluster commanders were summoned to hold Port St. Williams from the three mercenary regiments and the remnants of the Coventry defense forces. After the expedition ended, her Cluster would remain understrength.[9][10][11]

Lyran Alliance Invasion[edit]

During the FedCom Civil War in May 3064, Khan Pryde launched a new expedition into the Lyran Alliance. Diane and her 5th Battle Cluster at time were stationed on Hot Springs as part of their garrison assignment. In November, a Lyran taskforce led by General Adam Steiner arrived on Hot Springs to wage a Trial of Possession for the planet. During this campaign, Diane gave them a tough fight using Inner Sphere tactics despite being outnumbered.

Eventually, the Lyran force withdrew from the planet, the General Steiner needing to aid other Lyran task force on Blackjack after month of fighting. After effectively eliminating threats on-planet, she would take her elements of her Cluster with elements from the 18th Falcon Regulars and 9th Falcon Talons to retake Butler in December.[12] After the conflict members of her Clan would be disgusted by her use of Inner Sphere tactic and yet praised at the same time holding planet.[13]

Early Jihad and Actions during the Ice Hellion Invasion[edit]

Shortly after the Jihad began, Diane was promoted to take command of Epsilon Galaxy in place of her old commander Rard Hoyt.

She lead her Galaxy, which had been scattered among garrison worlds, against the invasion of the Ice Hellions and Hell's Horses. In early years of the conflict in June 3071, her forces attempted to regain worlds lost to Hell's Horses advance into their Clan's Occupation Zone. Diane helped assemble her Galaxy together to focus removing the invaders from Steelton in October.[14] Her philosophy of hitting enemy where it hurts and not letting up on them served her well during the invasion.

During last stages of the conflict, Diane took part in the assault on Vantaa in 3072. Diane led her forces in hit & run attacks which took advantage of Hellions' methods of warfare. She was noted for leading two Clusters' worth of troops against Ice Hellions positions in a Blitzkrieg style assault.[15]

After the Hellions' invasion ended, she advocated that her Galaxy should return to the Homeworlds with naval support to reclaim the lost Falcons worlds and seek revenge against Hellions. However, her request was turned down by Khan Pryde despite Diane's quiet advocacy for further action.[16]

Late Jihad and Dark Age Era[edit]

Diane continued to command Epsilon Galaxy after the Jihad, leading Epsilon in an aggressive response to the Lyran Alliance invasion of Kikuyu and Newtown Square in 3080. Epsilon was swiftly transported from its position on the border with Clan Wolf's salient into the Lyran Alliance - Epsilon being an intact and available frontline Galaxy at the time - and redeployed in a swift campaign that saw Diane secure the worlds of Mogyorod, Clermont and Machida quickly and without the Lyrans being able to muster any serious resistance.[17]

After saKhan Uvin Buhallin was killed on Graus, the Falcons elected Diane as the new saKhan, the other candidate being Quinn Kerensky.[18][19] Diane's election was a moment of triumph for Epsilon, one made all the sweeter when Diane led the First Falcon Jaegers to Graus and defeated Rubinsky's Light Horse, a unit Delta Galaxy had been unable to beat.[17] Diane was still serving as saKhan and leading Epsilon in 3085.[20]

BattleMechs[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • It is unclear when she assumed command of the 5th Battle or what battles she was in command. A Star Colonel Evalk Mattlov is mentioned in 5th Battle Cluster's actions in March of 3050 in the invasion of Winfield. Due to the only inclusion of 5th Battle Cluster, it suggests that Evin Buhallin was its commander at time of this battle.[23]

Rules[edit]

Game Rules[edit]

The sourcebook Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers grants character specific abilities to Diane RPG setting and regular tabletop combat. In RPG play, her character is considered a regular rated Technician, she would be able to do maintenance should it been needed. While in command of a force, she grants it a +2 Initiative, and enables the Force Specific Ability Overrun Combat ability. If in command, her force will not follow strict Clan rules of zellbrigen. Should her BattleMech take a pilot hit, she is able to ignore that first hit of damage.[24]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 129: Diane Anu's profile notes her birthday
  2. ↑ Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 129: Profile describes her personality as of 3077
  3. ↑ Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 129: Diane Anu's profile gleans some details of her rise to command based on her character and talents
  4. ↑ Jade Falcon Sourcebook, p. 75: Brief profile on Star Colonel Diane Anu
  5. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 105: Epsilon Galaxy - 5th Battle Cluster/Epsilon Galaxy - unit background in aftermath of the Refusal war, it was destroyed and was on Wotan though not listed in other sources
  6. ↑ The Falcon and the Wolf, p. 32: In the Falcon's Nest - Falcon forces fought in brutal battle of Borealtown are noted for being 80% destroyed. 5th Battle Cluster is not noted mentioned in this sourcebook
  7. ↑ Operational Turning Points: Falcon Incursion, pp. 13, 21: Diane Anu's 5th Battle Cluster's early actions in the Coventry Campaign, including battle on Neerabup
  8. ↑ Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 117: Neerabup MTM - Unit's information includes battle when they were taken by Falcons' forces. Diane's unit is not yet named as their captures
  9. ↑ Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 105: 5th Battle Cluster, Diane Anu's unit's exploits on Coventry briefly noted
  10. ↑ The Battle of Coventry, p. 8: History of Coventry campaign includes the mentioning of the Diane's 5th Battle Cluster
  11. ↑ Historical Turning Points: Falcon Incursion, p. 8: Incursion history includes events at end of the time on Coventry
  12. ↑ FedCom Civil War, pp. 120, 186: Diane Anu credited for her tactics during Hot Springs occupation and her leading her force to reclaim Butler later
  13. ↑ Field Manual: Updates, p. 48: Epsilon Galaxy - Star Colonel Diane Anu and her performance on Hot Springs
  14. ↑ Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, pp. 29–30: Operation: Ice Storm - Epsilon Galaxy actions during the conflict
  15. ↑ Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, pp. 126, 129: Gutting the Enemy & Diane Anu's profile - Diane actions on Vantaa are noted and highlighted
  16. ↑ Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 129: Profile describes her bio describes how she wish lead retaliation raid against the Hellions
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Field Manual: 3085, p. 117: "Epsilon Galaxy"
  18. ↑ The Wars of Reaving, p. 177
  19. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 118
  20. ↑ Field Manual: 3085, p. 125: "Epsilon Galaxy"
  21. ↑ The Lions of Prezna, p. 5
  22. ↑ Clan Jade Falcon, p. 73: Diane Anu's 'Mech listed with her unit listings in the original Jade Falcon Sourcebook
  23. ↑ Jade Falcon Sourcebook, p. 37: Winfield - 5th Battle Cluster entry suggests different commanding officer at the time of its invasion. Diana had not been its commanding officer, but unclear when
  24. ↑ Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers, p. 258: Character Specific Abilities

Bibliography[edit]

Retrieved from "https://www.sarna.net/wiki/index.php?title=Diane_Anu&oldid=1034770"