Fifteenth Battle of Hesperus II

Fifteenth Battle of Hesperus II
Part of Civil War era
Start Date 3065 Planet Hesperus II Result Lyran Commonwealth victory
Factions
Lyran Commonwealth	Free Skye Movement
Forces involved
Gray Death Legion 15th Lyran Guards 36th Lyran Guards Defiance Self-Protection Force 2nd Donegal Guards	4th Skye Rangers 17th Skye Rangers 22nd Skye Rangers Skye Guards 14th Lyran Guards

The Fifteenth Battle of Hesperus II was the pivotal battle of the Third Skye Rebellion, during the FedCom Civil War. Representing the Free Skye forces were the Twenty-second Skye Rangers, the Fourth Skye Rangers, the Warships LAS Illustrious and the FCS Indefatigable. Defending the planet on behalf of the Lyran Alliance were the Gray Death Legion, the 15th and the 36th Lyran Guards, and the Defiance Self-Protection Force, a corporate military unit. In orbit was the Warship FSS Simon Davion. Early in the campaign, the Illustrious was destroyed but the Simon Davion was captured by the Free Skye forces, giving the invaders a decisive advantage in orbit. After initial skirmishing, the two Skye regiments lifted off the planet, only to drop directly on the target factory, leaving the divided defenders in a desperate position. Orbital bombardment by the Free Skye forces destroyed an HPG Station, killing hundreds of civilians, and dealt tremendous damage to the 15th Lyran Guards. When the 32nd Lyran Guards joined the attack in support of Free Skye, the campaign appeared lost for the loyalists. The Gray Death Legion spent itself holding off the Rangers, losing most of its troops and its commander, Colonel Lori Kalmar Carlyle. The 32nd Lyran Guards had lost their own commander, however, and were now plagued by dissent. The 22nd Rangers were shattered, while the 4th and 17th Rangers were mauled. The pro-Skye 14th Lyran Guards arrived with Maria Esteban in command, inflicting heavy losses on the 32nd Guards. Despite all of this, the loyalists still held the massive Defiance Industries factory while the rebels had been ravaged, demoralized and had lost the element of surprise. The 4th Skye Rangers abandoned the battle, returning to Skye. Esteban made one last push for the factory, neutralizing much of the Defiance SPF and reaching the gates of the legendary facility. Loyalist battle armor units, however, managed to regain control of the situation, and the Free Skye forces, facing a suddenly resurgent SDF and 15th Lyran Guards, were forced to retreat. When General Caesar Steiner arrived with the pro-Lyran 2nd Donegal Guards, Esteban and her forces surrendered.

Bibliography

• Handbook: House Steiner
• The Dying Time (novel)