Dominion Civil War

Part of ilClan Era
Start Date From 22 September 3151 through May 3152 Location Rasalhague Dominion Result Second referendum delayed, Dominion launches invasion of the Draconis Combine
Factions
Deniers	Joiners

The Dominion Civil War was a ilClan Era internal conflict within the Rasalhague Dominion.

Operation Brief

The military operation took place in Dominion space.

Operation History

Factions & Known Units Involved in the Conflict

Joiners

• The Children of the Ghost Bear
• Kyodai no Danketsu

Deniers

• Vart Land

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Origins of the Conflict

The Rasalhague Dominion was born by the fusion of Clan Ghost Bear and the Principality of Rasalhague. The combination of the Clans and Rasalhague's culture had created one of the strongest, most stable states in the Inner Sphere. It had also had its problems, like the Motstand terrorist group, but towards the end of the Dark Age Era, that group had been decimated. However, the year 3151 brought deep changes to the situation. Despite the Dominion's close relationship with the Republic of the Sphere, the Dominion did not directly assist the Republic against the invasions it suffered. Both Bear Khans also refused to participate in the competition to be the ilClan. After the Clan Wolf victory at the ilClan Trial, the Bear Khans traveled to Terra, participating at Alaric Ward's crowning as ilKhan. In a private meeting with Alaric, the Bear Khans pledged their Clan's support to the ilClan, but for the Dominion to join Third Star League, the Khans would have to consult the lower castes. Alaric accepted this arrangement, at least initially.

Referendum and Polarization

Even before the Khans returned to the Dominion, the news of the ilClan's birth reached it. The Dominion's population became very polarized about the ilClan, creating two fields: the Joiners which wanted to join the Third Star League at any cost, and the Deniers, which wanted to remain free. Soon, as the referendum's preparations were on their way, the Dominion found itself more divided on the question. On the planet Alshain, a Joiner group appeared calling itself Children of the Ghost Bear who's leader, Sanura Ghost Bear, made speeches encouraging the people to vote to join, and when votes began, the "Children" turned to violence to force the people to join, forcing the polis to clear the streets.

On Carse, most of the militant Joiner-Denier groups grew around former resistance cells. Militiamen calling themselves Ghosts of the Tyr had the tacit approval of the polis to force the citizens to vote their way, mostly in a peaceful way, but another group, Sandra Tsen's Way began brawls, which escalated, forcing the polis to make mass arrests.

On the Periphery planet Damian, Deniers used WorkMechs in their attacks, causing heavy damage. Grumium saw also rival sibkos turn their weapons against each others during an exercise. On Rasalhague, the vote was peaceful, but even the highest rank politicians began arguing between themselves. On other worlds, like Sheliak, the situation was tense, but violence was limited. Ironically, on worlds deemed problematic, like Vega, the voting was generally peacefully.

Eventually, the vote for Yes (to join the Third Star league) won, but the numbers were close, very close, which angered the Deniers. The "Children of the Ghost Bear" proclaimed the caste system would return, sowing anger and confusion.

Refusal and Open Conflict

On 1 August, a Clan Sea Fox vessel brought Alaric Ward the results. Alaric denied the Dominion the right to enter the Star League, claiming they must manifest their desire more unanimously. The refusal shattered the Khans' plans, and doubt about what to do next settled. Another Referendum was not possible, and some leaders even wanted to attack the Wolves in reprisal. The population felt outraged at the refusal, and violence exploded, with the Joiners attempting to force the Deniers to join their cause, killing them and razing some farms. A Trial of Grievance began extending between members of the Bears' units, who were Joiners versus Deniers. All cohesion vanished. Officers targeted the lower ranks. The lower ranks targeted the officers... saKhan Jorgensson's orders for the military to take an apolitical position were ignored.

Violence extended across the Dominion, with the polis taking one side or the other side. Former Rasalhagian and Draconis Combine descendants clashed. Even survivors of the Motstand group resurfaced, using the chaos to attack again. On Damian, the Bears Third Hussars (Rasalhague Dominion) restored order forcibly, but even their leaders were polarized. In the Vega Protectorate, local factions wanted to get rid of the Freeminders, but calm prevailed, with Rho Galaxy (Rasalhague Dominion) settling on defensive positions.

However, in other places, the violence only escalated, with both sides taunting the deployed Clusters with some military leaders being assassinated. On Nox, the 141st Striker Supernova Cluster forcibly occupied the capital, and Joiners assaulted the 141st warriors outside of their 'Mechs and tanks. In the Alshain Province, another Joiner faction, the Kyodai no Danketsu, ignoring the peaceful intentions of their leader, Atsushi Jones and turned violent, despite Atsushi's attempts to control his people. And a Denier faction, the Vart Land, led by Lars Andersson extended to other worlds, with the Bears' Watch being unable to catch their leader.

On Alshain, a factory world, the "Children of the Ghost Bear" quickly armed themselves, and the rest of the factions did so as well, with open battles with live fire happening on the streets. Military units, like the First Drakon Cluster, attacked by agent provocateurs, caused a slaughter of unarmed civilians. The Unity Council, divided between Joiners and Deniers, found themselves unable to control the chaos. First Prince Hjalmer Miraborg and Khan Dalia Bekker had to forcibly keep the Council on Rasalhague.

All across the Dominion, the Bears' touman began coming apart at the seams, with Trials happening often, and units turning against each other. Sanura Ghost Bear was arrested, and calm returned. Very shortly, on 25 November, Alpha Galaxy (Rasalhague Dominion) commander, Lars Magnusson, was captured by a rogue group of Joiner soldiers, which forced him to declare martial law on planet. The capital of Alshain was turned into a Joiner stronghold, though the countryside was dominated by Deniers.

Only on Quarell, was the conflict begun by an outsider intruder. The Clan Jade Falcon Remnants Khan Jiyi Chistu, traveled there to launch a Trial of Possession for several sibko cadets, and won. When the Bears' garrison commander, Star Colonel Emilio Hall refused to forcibly recover the sibko cadets, his subordinate, Allison Rand, murdered him. That divided the Cluster, and on the 21th of November, they were fighting each other to protect the civilian authorities or force them to change their decision to not joining the ilClan.

On Alshain, the end of 3151 brought escalation, and sudden changes. A team of the Watch rescued Lars Magnusson and a Trinary of his loyalist, taking them to orbit. The orbital facilities were taken by the Deniers, and an aerospace battle ensued. However, the Bears' navy refused to become involved and stayed neutral, retreating far away from planet and sending Lars to the capital, where he informed the Unity Council. Meanwhile, Sanura's group found a violent resistance movement growing on Alshain.

Escalation

The only good news that the end of the year brought to the Unity Council was that space tragic remained active, thanks to the navy's neutrality. Lars Magnusson's arrived at Rasalhague to inform the Unity Council, which called an emergency session. The emergency session ended in Trials of Refusal and fights within the chamber. Soon fighting broke out on the streets of Asgard, with drunken mobs fighting each other, looting, and overwhelming the polis with a three sides street battle. Khan Bekker had to declare martial law and mobilize the Watch and First Kavalieri to restore order. Soon after, both saKhan Jorgensson and Lars Magnusson departed, expecting to resume control of Rho Galaxy and Alpha, respectively.

The dawn of 3152 signaled a worsening of violence, with conflict exploding in more and more worlds. Fort Loudon saw the First Hussars join Deniers, and a resistance movement harassing them with wild reprisals. On Sheliak, violence also grew. Atsushi Jones' arrest and liberation made the Kyodai no Danketsu an open enemy of the Third Freemen Cluster.

Ironically, the Vega Protectorate remained peaceful, and in fact, the conflict made its people realize how much they needed the Dominion, until Star Colonel Albert Hall decided to get rid of the Freeminders. However, Omega Galaxy's commander, Isis Bekker-Florala, ordered his forces to scatter and avoid the fight. When saKhan Jorgenson arrived, Hall expected him to approve his actions, but was he proved wrong. In a meeting of leaders, Hall murdered the saKhan, then Hall was killed by Lars Magnusson. Magnusson forced peace between factions before returning to Alshain Province.

Conflict Conclusion

Gradually, calm returned, with leaders, such as Loremaster Hans Kabrinski, forcing units to obey their orders, punishing the leaders responsible of violence, and bringing Galaxies to heel, one by one. Lars Magnusson was forced to flee to Rasalhague Province, in an attempt to join forces with cells of the Motstand, in vain. On Alshain, Alpha Galaxy, once again led by Lars Magnusson, landed in May. The outnumbered Joiner Clusters turned to the "Children of the Ghost Bear" to provide cannon fodder, but a headhunting attack from the Watch killed Sanura Ghost Bear, signaling the end of her group. After a week of battle, the Second Tyr and Ourse Keshik surrender, requesting surkai. By April 3152, Atsushi Jones surrendered to the Watch, but since he wasn't imprisoned, he fled.

Later, Prince Hjalmer Miraborg publicly sided with the Joiners, breaking the Unity Council's tie, giving him the de facto authority to lead the Dominion. Sending councilors again to their worlds, they helped calm the situation. In March, the Council reconstituted, with Miraborg supporting new Trials of Refusal, which silenced all grumbles, and the Council voted in favor of a new referendum at a future date. Miraborg and Bekker later traveled across the Dominion, enforcing their authority. By the end of April, the conflict started to calm. At the end of May, Lars Magnusson, fresh from Alshain, returned, presented a report on Alpha Galaxy's failures to the Dominion Council, and offered surkai; Miraborg, seeing a chance to eliminate a political rival, instead declared a Trial of Grievance and, in a very short combat, stabbed Magnusson to death with his ceremonial dagger.

Draconis Combine Invasion

In May 3152, the Civil War appeared to be calming. Combat on Alshain had ended, The fractious Vega Protectorate was accommodating. The promise for a new vote calmed the Deniers in Rasalhague Province. Then, Prince Miraborg, with support of Khan Bekker, decided to invade the Draconis Combine, to unify the Dominion against their traditional enemy.

The invasion was very successful. The Combine, focused on fighting the Federated Suns, barely had any forces defending the Dominion border. In June, the Third and Fourth Freemen Clusters invaded Yamarovka, defeating the mercenary garrison of the Crater Cobras easily. The Fourth dug in, and the Third jumped to Asgard and Port Arthur, where they stopped, leaving the Dominion barely two jumps from the Kuritan capital, Luthien.

Gallery

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  Silveroot Keshik attacks Ourse Keshik.

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  A Ghost Bear camp under attack.

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  Infighting of Alpha Galaxy (Rasalhague Dominion).

Bibliography

• A Question of Survival (novel)
• Dominions Divided