Operation GUERRERO
Sarna News
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Operation Guerrero was a short conflict between the Federated Commonwealth, the Free Worlds League, and the Capellan Confederation. Despite lasting only three months (September 3057 - December 3057), the conflict set the stage for serious repercussions over the next two decades, ultimately culminating in the FedCom Civil War.
Contents
Background
After the death of Joshua Marik in 3057, Victor Steiner-Davion replaced the child with a double to keep war supplies from the Free Worlds League coming to his forces. Thomas Marik discovered this substitution in September of that year, and ordered the FWLM to attack the Federated Commonwealth in retaliation for the deception. Most of these worlds were former Free Worlds League planets that the Federated Commonwealth had captured and integrated into the Sarna March. Sun-Tzu Liao ordered the CCAF to attack Sarna March worlds as well to support his (possible) father-in-law.
Simultaneously with the attacks on the Sarna March by the FWLM and CCAF, Katherine Steiner-Davion announced the formation of the Lyran Alliance and declared her nation neutral in the conflict.
Military Actions
The Federated Commonwealth was completely taken by surprise by the attacks, as most of their attention was on the Clan front. The LIC, DMI, and MIIO erroneously attributed the movements of the FWLM attackers along the Sarna March border to routine troop movements.
FWLM First Wave
| Planet | FLWM Forces | Federated Commonwealth Forces |
|---|---|---|
| Callison | 4th Free Worlds Legionnaires 1st Free Worlds Guards Silver Hawk Irregular's Falcon |
small planetary militia |
| Denebola | 6th Free Worlds Legionnaires Atrean Hussars 4th Marik Militia |
11th Lyran Guards (withdrew) |
| Marcus | 7th Free Worlds Legionnaires 5th Marik Militia 12th Atrean Dragoons |
12th FedCom RCT |
| Van Diemen IV | 10th Marik Militia 23rd Marik Militia 3rd Oriente Hussars 1st Sirian Lancers |
|
| Talitha | 6th Marik Militia Atrean Hussars Iron Guard |
1st Republican |
| Wasat | Thirteenth Marik Militia 4th Oriente Hussars 2nd Sirian Lancers |
2nd Republican |
In September 3057, the FWLM attacked the Callison, Denebola, Marcus, Van Diemen IV, Talitha and Wasat systems. These six systems were each attacked by three FWLM regiments. The systems were chosen specifically because they were garrisoned by Federated Commonwealth troops.[1]
Callison was attacked by the 4th Free Worlds Legionnaires, 1st Free Worlds Guards, and Silver Hawk Irregular's Falcon regiment. Though normally defended by a Sarna March Militia unit, the Denebola FTM was conducting exercises on Caph with Gustafson's Grenadiers[2] which left the system's defense to the small planetary militia. After holding out for several days the militia unit surrendered.
Denebola was taken by the 6th Free Worlds Legionnaires, Atrean Hussars, and 4th Marik Militia. The 11th Lyran Guards withdrew in good order from the system, basically leaving the system to the FWLM forces.
The attack on Marcus was very different from the Callison and Denebola attacks. Defended by the 12th FedCom RCT, Marcus was attacked by the 7th Free Worlds Legionnaires, 5th Marik Militia, and 12th Atrean Dragoons. The FedCom 'Mech regiment attacked the larger force in a suicidal attempt to provide time for the rest of the FedCom defenders to withdraw. This attack destroyed a third of the Seventh Legionnaires, but the Fifth Militia and Twelfth Dragoons circled behind the Twelfth FedCom's 'Mechs and destroyed them.
On Van Diemen IV the FedCom defenders successfully held off the 10th Marik Militia and 23rd Marik Militia regiments, and the 3rd Oriente Hussars until December, when the 1st Sirian Lancers reinforced the FLWM.
Talitha was secured for the Free Worlds League by the 6th Marik Militia and Atrean Hussars.[3]
The 2nd Republican regiment was destroyed on Wasat by the Thirteenth Marik Militia, 4th Oriente Hussars, and 2nd Sirian Lancers.
FWLM Second Wave
| Planet | FLWM Forces | Federated Commonwealth Forces |
|---|---|---|
| Devil's Rock | 3rd Free Worlds Guards | planetary militia |
| Oliver | 20th Marik Militia 1st Orloff Grenadiers |
3rd NAIS Cadet Cadre |
| Castor | 3rd Sirian Lancers | planetary militia |
| Zosma | 9th Marik Militia | planetary militia |
| Pollux | 34th Marik Militia | planetary militia |
With more time to prepare, the FedCom defenders did marginally better at defending their systems from the Free Worlds League forces that attacked, though they lost Devil's Rock, Oliver, Castor, Pollux, and Zosma. Unlike the first wave, the FWLM didn't always use overwhelming force when taking these systems, allowing the FedCom defenders to give a better performance.
On Devil's Rock the 3rd Free Worlds Guards were rapidly bogged down in a harsh fight with the planetary militia, but eventually crushed all organized resistance.
The 3rd NAIS Cadet Cadre cost the 20th Marik Militia and the 1st Orloff Grenadiers dearly, but eventually were forced off of Oliver.
Castor and Zosma were only defended by a few planetary militia units which were easily defeated by the 3rd Sirian Lancers (Castor) and the 9th Marik Militia (Zosma).
Pollux's defenders were limited to two regiments: One each of armor and infantry. The other five regiments either withdrew to the Lyran Alliance or joined the Free Worlds League, so the 34th Marik Militia gained control of the system within a week of their arrival.
Role of the Capellan Confederation
Though the death of Joshua Marik and the attempt to deceive the Captain-General was the excuse given for starting Operation Guerrero, the Free Worlds League Military wasn't the major aggressor in the struggle. Once the FWLM forces took possession of the eleven Sarna March systems that had belonged to the Free Worlds League prior to the Fourth Succession War, Thomas Marik ordered his troops to consolidate their holdings.
Sun-Tzu Liao, however, had been fomenting rebellion on many Sarna March worlds since he took the Celestial Throne in 3052 and wouldn't be satisfied until all the former Capellan worlds were once again part of the Confederation. While engaged to Isis Marik he also pushed Thomas to assist him in attacking the Sarna March. For five years Thomas refused, but when Operation Guerrero began, the LCCC assigned the tactical and strategic command rights of several mercenary units to the CCAF.
Capellan Preparations Pre-Guerrero
The Capellan Confederation sponsored pro-Capellan terrorist groups on former Sarna March worlds, and in 3056 these groups stepped up their attacks on Federated Commonwealth forces. The most well known terrorist group, Zhanzeng de Guang (War of Light), struck police and militia units on Aldebaran, Gan Singh, Zurich, and Styk.[4] Throughout 3056 and 3057 the Zhanzeng de Guang and other terror groups set up cells on Acamar, Fletcher, and Nanking. These groups did whatever they could to destabilize the Davion-installed governments, but neither the CCAF or FWLM would commit troops to support their efforts until Operation Guerrero was authorized.
CCAF First Wave
| Planet | Capellan Forces | Federated Commonwealth Forces |
|---|---|---|
| Liao | Five Warrior House Regiments | Liao SMM |
| Zurich | Zhanzeng de Guang | Planetary Militia |
Five Warrior House regiments attacked Liao on the same day that the Free Worlds League announced hostilities with the Federated Commonwealth. The Liao SMM surrendered without a shot being fired and the system fell immediately. At the same time, the Zhanzeng de Guang took control of Zurich, overthrowing the existing pro-Davion government.[5]
CCAF Second Wave
| Planet | Capellan Forces | Federated Commonwealth Forces |
|---|---|---|
| Caph | Capellan sponsored guerrillas | Planetary Militia |
| Keid | Capellan sponsored guerrillas | Planetary Militia |
| New Home | Capellan sponsored guerrillas | Planetary Militia |
| Epsilon Indi | Capellan sponsored guerrillas | Planetary Militia |
| Northwind | Capellan sponsored guerrillas | Planetary Militia Northwind Highlanders 3rd Royal Guards |
| Nanking | Black Cobras Smithson's Chinese Bandits |
Planetary Militia |
At the start of Operation Guerreo's second wave, Sun-Tzu Liao activated guerrilla networks on Caph, Keid, New Home, Epsilon Indi, and Northwind in an attempt to return the worlds to the Capellan Confederation. These revolts were successful on each world except Epsion Indi, and the FWLM sent mercenary units to every world except Kied. (Kied would later join the Lyran Alliance.)
On Northwind, home of the famed Northwind Highlander regiments, the pro-Liao terrorist activity prompted Victor Davion to send the 3rd Royal Guards to insure the planet didn't leave the Federated Commonwealth. The Third's commander attempted to take the planet by force when on-world Highlanders started debating who they should fight for. This action prompted the off-world Northwind Highlander units to return home to liberate their planet, practically destroying the Third Royal Guard RCT in the process.[6] Sun-Tzu declared Northwind an independent Confederation barony and permanently ceded it to the Highlanders.[7][8]
Zurich fell to a pro-Davion counter-terrorist group when Carter's Cobras mercenary unit's Black Cobras regiment was ordered to Nanking by the LCCC.
The Black Cobras were assigned to secure Nanking for the Capellan Confederation, which would bring the system's factories under CCAF control. As the Cobras were making planetfall, their DropShips were destroyed by explosives placed by saboteurs. This effectively wiped out the Black Cobras as a whole, and Smithson's Chinese Bandits (a Marik mercenary unit already on Nanking) surrendered to the planet's defenders when a Federated Commonwealth relief force arrived.
Aftermath
There were several important outcomes that resulted from Operation Guerrero's success. The most obvious was the destruction of the Federated Commonwealth when Katherine Steiner-Davion formed the Lyran Alliance. Her actions, and Victor's efforts to oppose her, ultimately led to the FedCom Civil War.
Though the Free Worlds League gained eleven systems it had lost, the real victor was the Capellan Confederation. Most of the Capellan Confederation's Sarna Commonality worlds, controlled by the Federated Commonwealth since the Fourth Succession War, would return to the Capellan Confederation. (Ironically, this didn't include Sarna, which became one of several independent states in the Chaos March.) Sun-Tzu Liao would also create a new commonality centered on Liao.
The other major outcome of this conflict was the creation of the Chaos March, where forces loyal to the Capellan Confederation, Free Worlds League, Federated Suns, and Word of Blake struggled for control of many of the former Sarna March worlds. Rather than a single strong entity that the Capellan Confederation couldn't defeat, the Chaos March was populated by at least six minor and short lived independent nations. Sun-Tzu Liao's Xin Sheng-inspired CCAF would have little trouble conquering these nations in the next few decades.
independent nations in the Chaos March as result of the invasion
| State + Planets | Situation |
|---|---|
| Duchy of Small | |
| Ingress | It forged a alliance with Small World in exchange for protection through the Ducal Militia |
| Small World | The duke's regiment-sized force of personal guards defeated the cappelan terrorists and then declare indepence. |
| Saiph Triumvirate | Fifth Lyran Regulars abandoned Saiph and Tall Trees => civil war on both planets. Pro-capellan groups gained controll. On New Canton forces of McCarron's Armored Cavalry and First Kestral Grenadiers clashed together for two month and abandoned the plante. Then Count Lado Balatine sent Mech forces as support for counterrevolutionaires movements. They won and the Triumvirate were born. |
| Saiph | |
| Tall Trees | |
| New Canton | |
| Sarna Supremacy | |
| Sarna | Stapleton's Grenadiers and the Tooth of Ymir attacked the Kaifeng SMM, the First Battalion from the Sarna Martial Academy, and the Grim Determination. The Grenadiers fled after substatial loses through the air superiorety of the defenders. The Tooth of Ymir surrendered. |
| Sakhalin | Grim Determination and the newly hired Tooth of Ymir to liberate Sakhalinfrom the single battalion of Kingston's Legionnaire. |
| Kaifeng | The Kaifeng SMM liberate the planet from Liao friendly forces. |
| Sirian Holds | Jo's Fourth Cavalry and Boodelay's Backup (both Mercs) defended both planets. The units were crushed by followers of Alisendar Gyrn (he believe he his the reborn Jerome Blake). Fellowers destroying all modern technology. Thugs of Gyrn's began rounding up dissidents, intellectuals, technicians, and many others, ostensibly to begin their re-education as purificaton for a new era. Both palents were later liberated throuth the Sirian Lancers. |
| Procyon | |
| Sirius | |
| Is an defensive alliance. | |
| Styk | Third Donegal Guards - abandoned the planet => chaos and civil unrest. Pro capellan forces were defeated through Assorted Merc Units |
| Gan Singh | Pro capellan forces were defeated through Assorted Merc Units. The planet anouced the creation Styk Commonality for defensive reasons. |
| Terracap Confederation | |
| Terra Firma | A huge part of the lyran defenders abandoned after the declaration of the Alliance. But the remaining militia held of the pro capellan forces this changed with the arrival of the Blackhearts. The Mercs defeated the defenders. |
| Capolla | The Fists of Mokal landed on the planet and forged an alliance with one faction. After their vitory on one planet they succed on Terra Firma too. |
independent planets
| header 1 | header 2 | header 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Acamar | ||
| Arboris | ||
| Bryant | ||
| Caph | ||
| Carver V | ||
| Elgin | ||
| Epsilon Eridani | ||
| Epsilon Indi | ||
| Fletcher | ||
| Genoa | ||
| Hall | ||
| Hsien | ||
| Keid | ||
| New Home | ||
| Northwind | ||
| Outreach | ||
| Sheratan |
planets attacked by CCAF
| Planet | FedCom Forces | CCAF |
|---|---|---|
| Sarna | Grim Determination & Martial Acadamy | ??? |
| Campertown | Twelfth Vegan Rangers {Alpha} | Fourth Tau Ceti Rangers |
| Wazan | 6th Syrtis Fusiliers | Kamakura's Hussars |
| Wei | Wei CMM | 1st MAC |
| Kaifeng | Kaifeng SMM | |
| Sakhalin | 3rd F-C RCT ? | 3rd MAC |
| Second Try | 8th F-C RCT | ??? |
| New Canton | 1st Kestrel Grenadiers | ??? |
| Corey | Corey SMM | ??? |
| Raballa | ??? | ??? |
| Lesalles | 4th F-C RCT | ??? |
| Shengsi | 5th Crucis Lancers | ??? |
| Tsitang | 5th F-C RCT | ??? |
| Styk | 3rd Donegal Guards | ??? |
| Elnath | 15th Arcturan Guards | ??? |
| Phact | 2nd Robinson Rangers | ??? |
| Tsinghai | 12th Vegan {Beta} | ??? |
| Old Kentucky | 12th Vegan {Gamma} | ??? |
| Chamdo | 12th Vegan {Delta} | ??? |
| Truth | 20th Avalon Hussars | ??? |
| Tsingtao | 6th Lyran Guards | ??? |
| Bora | 5th Syrtis Fusiliers | ??? |
??? =I'm hoping to fill in some of the CC units that attacked these planets
In roughly six months, the Confederation reclaimed nineteen systems lost during the Fourth Succession War and also instigated pro-Liao movements or anti-Davion rebellions on more than fifty other worlds.
planets attacked by FWLM
| Planet | FWLM | OPFOR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acamar | Greenburg's Godzillas (Mercs) | Militia | |
| Asuncion (FWL) | 3rd Free Worlds Legionnaires 3rd Free Worlds Guards 1st Atrean Dragoons |
Zion-backed Mercenaries Unruly Mob | |
| Callison | 4th Free Worlds Legionnaires 1st Free Worlds Guards Falcons |
11th Lyran Guards Planetary Militia (Guards withdrew when Falcons arrived on-world) | |
| Caph (CM) | Stealthy Tigers (Mercs) | Gustafson's Grenadiers (Mercs) | |
| Capolla | Blackhearts (Mercs) Assisted CCAF |
Lyran Garrison (Unknown) | |
| Castor | 3rd Sirian Lancers | Handful of militia regiments | |
| Denebola | 6th Free Worlds Legionnaires | small planetary militia | |
| Devil's Rock | 3rd Free Worlds Guards | Planetary Militia | |
| Elgin | Swann's Cavaliers (Mercs) Assisted CCAF? |
2nd FedCom RCT | |
| Graham IV | 30th Marik Militia | Planetary Militia | |
| Marcus | 7th Free Worlds Legionnaires 12th Atrean Dragoons 5th Marik Militia |
12th FedCom RCT | |
| Oliver | 20th Marik Militia 1st Orloff Grenadiers |
3rd NAIS Cadre | |
| Pollux | 34th Marik Militia | 7 militia regiments | |
| Procyon | 4th Free Worlds Legionnaires 1st Sirian Lancers |
Mercenaries | |
| Sirius | 2nd Sirian Lancers 3rd Sirian Lancers |
(Unknown, probably mercs) Sirian Holds Campaign | |
| Talithia | Atrean Hussars 6th Marik Militia Iron Guard |
1st Republican | |
| Van Diemon IV | 10th Marik Militia 3rd Oriente Hussars |
3rd Republican | |
| Wasat | 13th Marik Militia | 2nd Sirian Lancers 4th Oriente Hussars 21st Centauri Lancers (Mercs) |
2nd Republican |
| Zosma | 9th Marik Militia | FedCom Militia | |
| Zurich | Crater Cobras (Mercs) | (Unknown) |
(Unknown) Barrett's Fusiliers (Mercs) (Unknown) Assisted CCAF (Unknown) Redfield's Renegades (Mercs) (Unknown) Assisted CCAF
References
- ↑ Shattered Sphere, p. 74
- ↑ Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 114
- ↑ Shattered Sphere, p. 74 (Note: Third FWLM regiment and FedCom defending unit not named in source.)
- ↑ Shattered Sphere, p. 68
- ↑ Shattered Sphere, p. 68
- ↑ Field Manual: Lyran Alliance, p. 98
- ↑ Shattered Sphere, p. 68 "The Highlander Gambit"
- ↑ These events are detailed in the novel Highlander Gambit by Blaine Lee Pardoe.