FedCom Civil War

This article is about the fictional event. For the sourcebook on it, see FedCom Civil War (sourcebook).

The Federated Commonwealth Civil War (FedCom Civil War or simply FCCW for short) was one the most devastating wars to take place in the Inner Sphere. It lasted from 3062 until 3067 and destroyed hundreds of regiments from the former Federated Commonwealth states, the Federated Suns and Lyran Alliance. In addition, many mercenary units took part in the conflict, and even the Draconis Combine & Free Worlds League were dragged into it. Others like the Capellan Confederation and Clan Jade Falcon took advantage of their neighbors' distraction to gain territory.

The very nature and scope of this conflict make it very difficult to properly cover the war. This was not a traditional war with waves and fronts. Instead, fighting started up between units that were posted on the same world, often resulting in even engagements that produced no clear winner. In some cases, leaders sent reinforcements to aid in capturing important worlds (as with Tikonov, Kathil, and Dalkeith), only to find that the other side had done the same, creating "meat grinders," as neither side was able to secure an advantage for any length of time. In a few cases, military leaders (Victor Steiner-Davion, Maria Esteban, Tancred Sandoval) were able to form up task forces composed of multiple units, but these usually acted as one unit, rather than as a military front. Even in areas where there were no line units, fighting still took place between militia units, though those events often went undocumented.

Opponents

The main opponents were those units, who were loyal to either Victor Steiner-Davion or Katherine Steiner-Davion. This stretched to frontline units, militias and even split intelligence agencies apart.

Furthermore there were units and planets that were neither, but took the fightings as an excuse to further own goals, like the rebellion in the Isle of Skye. And there were units who were neutral, but as they disobeyed orders, they were attacked by the pro-Katherine-units as traitors. This group includes for example the whole Capellan March.

A host of various mercenary-units was drawn into this war and destroyed.

The Draconis Combine was drawn into this war, when renegade Draconis March units attacked them from 3063 to 3065.

The Capellan Confederation used this war to it's advantage, by first allying with Victor and then surprisingly conquering Tikonov in 3067.

The Taurian Concordat destroyed 3065 a regiment of the Fighting Urukhai that entered it's territory without allowance, while fleeing the war.

The Free Worlds League almost was dragged into this war, when it's mercenary-unit Kristen's Krushers was attacked by Lyran forces in 3063.

Clan Jade Falcon attacked the Lyran Alliance in 3064 to test it's troops against the supposedly battle-hardened Lyrans.

Reasons

Genesis

The genesis of the war lies in the peace proposal Archon Katrina Steiner circulated to her fellow House lords in the mid-3020s. Only Prince Hanse Davion showed any interest, resulting in the Federated-Commonwealth Alliance. That document came with a secret provision that betrothed Hanse to Archon-designate Melissa Steiner, a union that would eventually produce a united nation in the person of their child. That child, Victor Steiner-Davion, was born in 3030. The two nations informally merged after Katrina's abdication in 3039, and their armed forces became more unified after the aborted War of 3039.

Victor stood poised to take over both nations from his parents after their deaths, but his eldest sibling, Katherine, schemed to take control. She had their mother Melissa assassinated in 3055, three years after their father's death, making Victor Archon-Prince of the Federated Commonwealth. She further manipulated events by playing up her Lyran nationalism, often leaving the "Davion" off of her surname, and began to refer to herself as "Katrina," after her maternal grandmother. This paid off for her after the Second Skye Revolt, when Victor permanently moved his court to New Avalon and left Katherine as his regent on Tharkad. Katherine took advantage of the Liao-Marik Invasion of 3057 that sought to punish Victor for replacing Captain-General Marik's son with a double by invoking Emergency War Powers and seceding the Lyran half from her brother's realm and recalling all traditionally Lyran units to within traditional borders. In doing so, she gave Marik his objective, so he ceased offensive operations. This situation led to the creation of the Chaos March and forever sundered the Federated Commonwealth. Katherine called her new nation the Lyran Alliance, because she claimed her brother had sullied the term "Commonwealth."

Victor made no moves to reclaim his territory, so, when he prosecuted the reborn Star League's war against Clan Smoke Jaguar, he left his rump Commonwealth open to Katherine. She manipulated their little sister Yvonne into giving her the regency of the Commonwealth. When Victor returned from Clan space in 3060, he came back to the Inner Sphere a leader without a nation. Though Victor did not want to lead a civil war against his sister, events forced his hand.

Ignition

Katherine had an unscrupulous style of government. This led to small battles on various worlds for three main reasons:

When a local political leader was deemed dissenting or disloyal, Katherine punished his or her whole planet with economic problems, such as rerouting shipments of luxury goods. This led to civil unrest, sometimes against the political leaders of the respective planets and sometimes against inner or outer enemies, or even herself.

Katherine also regularly bypassed the military chain of command and gave direct orders to units, creating confusion and encouraging cronyism. Additionally her orders were often so vague, that the commanding officers knew what she wanted, but all the blame would be put on them if anything went wrong. These units were used to restore order on the aforementioned rebellious planets and to secure planets with important installations. One such planet was Kathil with its shipyards. Two chains of command collided: Sharp words were traded and each side considered the other as traitors. In the end, open warfare was inevitable.

The third reason was her favoring of Lyran interests. Although Katherine was head of both houses and states, she was supposed to be neutral between the cultures and populations. However she openly favored Lyran interests and military units. This led to a silent dissatisfaction and sometimes demonstrations. When local police and military units tried to contain the problem, it went worse. One such example is Thorin, where Archer Christifori's sister wrote newspaper articles about this unfair behavior. She was accidentally shot and when her killer used his political connections to the Lyran military to avoid prison, Archer started his rebellion.

All these were isolated events, but like an avalanche, the battles infested other planets and other minds.

Victor viewed the scattered conflicts as a direct result of his sister's lies and manipulations and was confident that she would be dethroned one day. Arthur Steiner-Davion was apparently assassinated, and Victor openly blamed Katherine for his death. Laying aside his new post as Precentor Martial, Victor jumped into the fracas. The leaders of the various rebellions immediately accepted him as an ally or even as their commander.

History

Early Stages: 3062-3063

Upon hearing of his brother's death, Prince Victor gathered his loyal forces on the world of Mogyorod and immediately drafted up a plan to take the key infrastructure of the Commonwealth intact. He jumped from Mogyorod to the planet Newtown Square, where he was almost killed by the Lyran troops until rogue ComGuard forces loyal to Prince Victor from his position of Precentor Martial landed on the planet. Victor allowed the Lyran forces (commanded by his cousin Adam Steiner) to retreat. With the new troops in hand, Prince Victor moved against the planet of Coventry, which was one of the greatest production sites for military supplies and 'Mechs in the whole Lyran Alliance. Additionally the duke of Coventry was a critic of Katherine and had to go underground to evade prison. In a few weeks of low-key fighting, Victor's forces captured the planet and its factories intact, which he used to refit his weary personal units.

Coinciding with Victor's march on Coventry was the breakout of major rebellions on the planets Muphrid and Thorin in the Lyran Alliance. Sparked by the accidental shooting of the sister of one Archer Christifori, the Thorin militia revolted and began a guerrilla campaign to dislodge the garrisoning regiment (which proved to be eventually victorious). Prince Victor offered Christifori's troops status as regular troops, and refit many of Christifori's worn out 'Mechs. The newly-promoted General Christifori, his ranks swelled to two regiments, began a campaign of liberation against planetary rulers accused of cracking down on Davion supporters all across the Alliance. This was noticed by LAAF High Command, however, and a plan was drafted to destroy Christifori's unit.

On the planet of Odessa, the ruling Count was told to begin a program of cracking down on dissenters. It was hoped that Christfori would land on the planet and try to destroy the Lyran forces on-planet. Coinciding with the plan, the elite mercenary unit Snord's Irregulars was on-planet pending the signing of a new contract with the Lyran Alliance. A trap was planned to set the two sides against each other, which would fill the Lyran goals of destroying Christifori and shaming the Irregulars into signing a new contract. Both units fought hard and suffered heavy losses, until evidence of the plan came up. The Irregulars and Christifori joined forces and destroyed the Lyran troops (another mercenary unit) on planet and captured Odessa. But the Irregulars still declined to sign a contract with Prince Victor. But Christifori came up with another idea, to keep Snord's Irregulars from rejoining the Alliance. He offered them a contract with ComStar, guarding a planet right next to the border against Clan Jade Falcon.

Realizing that her public opinion was dropping even amongst her normally loyal Lyran subjects, Archon Katherine quietly ordered the elimination of the popular, bizarre and extremely critical artist Reginald Starling. Reginald Starling was the artist-identity of Sven Newmark. Newmark was one of Ryan Steiner's top aides and (except Katherine herself) the only living person who knew that Katherine ordered the assassination of her mother. Her Loki agents took Starling out, but he left traces for his lover (a secret agent working for Victor) that led her ultimately to proofs of Katherine's vile actions. But the evidence was not enough, so the agent came up with a plan to pretend that Reginald Starling was still alive, just underground. Victor hoped, this would make Katherine so nervous, that she would try to destroy further evidence, leading Victor's agents to it.

Middle Stages: 3064-3065

The main theaters of the war were concentrated around the main manufacturing planets of both the Alliance and the Suns. The fighting on planets such as Kathil became veritable meat grinders for both sides, chewing up any units sent into the fray. Victor's conquering armies swept through the Lyran Alliance, taking many worlds from Katherine's followers. However, Victor's leadership was almost cut short by a near-defeat of his forces on Halfway which left his forces badly battered. General Maria Esteban's combat force (formed by regular units and militias) had set up a trap.

Victor stepped back from the fighting, to join the next Whitting-conference on Marik. He successfully persuaded Thomas Marik, head of the Free Worlds League, that Katherine was a very dangerous person. Thomas allowed Victor's participation under one condition: That he would only speak out, if Katherine herself brought up the topic of the FedCom Civil War. Sun-Tzu Liao followed his agreement with Katherine and nominated her for the next Lord of the Star League. She indeed brought up the FedCom Civil War and tried to present herself as willing to negotiate with Victor, thus branding herself as a caring goodhearted diplomat and Victor as a warmonger. At this point Victor demanded to be heard and Thomas Marik granted his wish. Victor stated that Katherine had killed their mother, but that he had no hard evidence, just like Katherine had no hard evidence for her misrepresentations of Victor. Eventually Katherine was not elected but she had her revenge as well. She hired an assassin who killed Omi Kurita, the love of Victor, to break his spirit. Upon hearing the news of his success, Victor had a nervous breakdown and suffered depressions for almost a year.

The offense of Victor's combat group (which had conquered the heavy industrialized planet Tikonov in a surprise attack) came to a standstill and they returned to Thorin and Muphrid. Only with the help of Kai Allard-Liao and Isis Marik was Victor convinced to refocus on the present. His combat group finally returned to Tikonov, reinforcing his troops.

On the Suns front, Archon Katherine was wary that Duke George Hasek, son of the late Marshal of the Armies Morgan Hasek-Davion, would someday challenge her rule. He tried to stay neutral between Victor and Katherine, though he secretly backed Victor, but that was not enough for her. She finally freed up enough forces from various conflicts to be able to send three regiments to the Capellan March capital of New Syrtis. The leader of the March rallied his troops however, and, in months of bitter fighting, drove off the invading units from his capital world. Reinforcements loyal to Victor arrived, but the enemy was already beaten. Ardan Sortek tried to persuade Hasek to support Victor, but he declined. George wanted to keep most of his troops within the Capellan March to guard against Capellan aggression.

The Jade Falcon Offensive

In 3064, Khan Marthe Pryde wanted to test the newest generation of Clan Jade Falcon's warriors against Lyran forces. She started a full-scale invasion with several Galaxies against heavily guarded planets along the whole border. Later it turned out that she also had wanted to open a new route to Terra, unguarded by the ComGuard, by conquering the planet Rasalgethi.

Both Loyalists and Allies combined their forces to turn back the Falcons.

Sharon Byran, the commander of the Melissia Theater, had a plan to lure the Clan forces into attacking Melissia, where they should break on the fortress and the defending regiments "like a wave breaks on a shore." General Adam Steiner knew that this strategy had long been proved fatal against the Clans and hassled Sharon Byran until she allowed him to draw up a reserve plan. Khan Marthe Pryde attacked personally with the Turkina Keshik, Delta Galaxy and Omega Galaxy. She crushed the defenders which only narrowly escaped from the planet. After this, major resistance in the Melissa Theater was broken. Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion sent a letter promoting Adam Steiner to the commander of the Melissa Theater, but still sent no reinforcements.

Archer Christifori united his forces with a reluctant Adam Steiner, who finally agreed to a two-fold plan. Rather then just defending Alliance planets, they would attack Jade Falcon planets, as well, forcing the Clan forces to retreat.

Christifori and Steiner conquered several planets in the Jade Falcon Occupation Zone, though they suffered heavy losses. On Twycross, a planet which has seen a historic defeat, Christifori challenged the Falcon Guards, one of the most prestigious units of Clan Jade Falcon. He wanted to humiliate them by beating them in honorable combat. However a lazy Tech wreaked doom on Clan Jade Falcon. A technical flaw caused Star Colonel Ravill Pryde to accidentally break Zellbrigen, leaving the Falcon Guards victim to the superior firepower of Christifori's troops.

In the meantime, Clan Wolf-in-Exile kept reconquering worlds the Jade Falcons had deemed safe. They defeated the Jade Falcons in every instance, taking warriors and 'Mechs as isorla. They even liberated Melissia for the Alliance.

Several Jade Falcon units started their own Trial of Annihilation, without approval by Khan Marthe Pryde, against Christifori's forces to wipe out their Clan's shame. This fighting waged for a few weeks until Marthe Pryde called a ceasefire. Both sides met on Blair Atholl, where no clear victor was in sight. Adam Steiner negotiated a cease fire agreement with Marthe Pryde. Each side kept the planets it had conquered. As a result, the Jade Falcons controlled more worlds than they started out with, although they were in a strategically unsound position. Blair Atholl would remain jointly-held. As long as Adam Steiner would send troops to Blair Atholl as sparring-partners for the Jade Falcons, there would be no need for them to attack Lyran worlds.

Adam, now not only the commander of the Melissia Theater, but also a popular hero among its soldiers and populations, sent a strongly worded letter to Katherine Steiner-Davion. He declared that he was heavily disappointed that it took rebels and outlaws to save her nation because she did not sent reinforcements. Due to her incompetence, he declared the Melissa Theater neutral in the conflict between her and her brother. For the rest of the civil war, units of neither side were allowed to stay in the Melissia Theater.

Late Stages: 3066-3067

By 3066, the war had become more of a battle of attrition across both of the afflicted realms, as Prince Victor's forces advanced against Archon Katherine's Lyran troops, and began to plan attacks on the respective capitals of both of the realms. It was decided that Victor himself would lead the attack on the Davion capital world of New Avalon, where Katherine and seven regiments of elite loyalist troops awaited the inevitable assault on the capital world. While Victor was tempted to just go for the kill with all of his available forces, he and his advisers realized that the conflict could not end until Nondi was defeated on Tharkad. They needed a political joker, someone trustworthy to Victor and to the Lyran people. Morgan Kell went to the desert planet Zaniah III in early 3067, where Peter Steiner-Davion was hiding, living among monks. He wanted to stay out of the cruel political games, that were so common in the Inner Sphere. But in the end, Morgan Kell persuaded Peter that he had to return, for the good of the Lyran people.

In early 3067, the attack on New Avalon commenced, with Prince Victor leading a gigantic assault force to the planet. After a long and costly WarShip battle above the skies of New Avalon, Victor's forces emerged triumphant and landed on the planet, joining with a task force already there under the command of Field Marshal Tancred Sandoval. Immediately upon landing, the fighting commenced, and went on for several grueling months against Katherine's elite troops. Victor's forces, although nearly losing at one point, were bolstered by veteran troops (Davion Light Guards and others) brought to New Avalon by Ardan Sortek. Those reinforcements pushed back Katherine's forces until they finally reached the Davion Palace. Katherine waited too long to flee and in the end Victor's forces blocked all escape routes. Confident that she would find a way to talk herself out of this situation in any court, Katherine ordered the surrender of her forces through former Marshal of the Armies Jackson Davion.

Simultaneously, Prince Peter arrived on Tharkad along with troops representing the whole spectrum of the Lyran Alliance, including regular units, Skye loyalists, the Kell Hounds, and forces of Clan Wolf in Exile. Peter not only battled for a planet. He tried to truly represent the Lyran Alliance to the population of Tharkad. Accordingly, the Avalon Hussar regiment in his combat group never saw battle. They successfully pushed back Nondi Steiner's forces until they reached the Tharkad palace. There, in an urban area, Peter and Nondi Steiner happened to end up in a direct fight, where he killed her with a shot to the cockpit. The FedCom Civil War was over.

Aftermath

It was expected that Prince Victor would take over both of the realms again to rule as the Archon-Prince of the reunited Federated Commonwealth. Subsequently, it came as a great shock when Prince Victor abdicated the thrones of both of those realms, instead giving them to his siblings Peter and Yvonne to rule in his place.

Peace and order were restored. Only minor battles remained, with commanders loyal to Katherine unwilling to give up.

Initially, Katherine was to be interred in a palatial prison under the wary eyes of the exiled Wolves. But then Khan Vlad Ward of Clan Wolf showed up on Arc-Royal. He demanded the extradition of Katherine to Clan Wolf, knowing that re-educating her into a Clan Warrior was the only way, she would finally understand his motivations. He threatened the assembled leaders with a renewed offensive (the Truce of Tukayyid having expired one month prior to the conference) unless he got his way. Victor complied, and handed over Katherine to Clan Wolf.

Victor was allowed to resume his role as the Precentor Martial of ComStar under the condition, that he would never again interfere with political decisions of the Inner Sphere.

Timeline

see also Timeline

3057

• • Katherine Steiner-Davion segregates the former Lyran Commonwealth from the Federated Commonwealth and renames it to Lyran Alliance. Victor Steiner-Davion takes no action in order to prevent a military conflict.

unknown date

• • Katherine Steiner-Davion renames herself Katrina after her popular grandmother Katrina Steiner to appease the Lyrans.

3060

• • Victor leads Operation Bulldog to Huntress. He leaves Yvonne Steiner-Davion as regent of the Federated Commonwealth.
  • October: Katherine Steiner-Davion tricks Yvonne into installing her as ruler of the Federated Commonwealth, after creating massive political pressure through manipulated polls and news. As Katherine Steiner-Davion already has a powerbase in the Lyran Alliance, she mainly resides on New Avalon.
  • Nationalistic tensions between Lyrans and FedSuns are growing rapidly. As a cultural symbol, the Federated Suns return into the hearts and minds of it's citizens.

3061

• • March: Victor Steiner-Davion returns to the Inner Sphere and lays down all official posts and duties.
  • November 5th: Victor Steiner-Davion joins ComStar as Precentor Martial.
  • December 15th: Katherine Steiner-Davion hires the Dancing Joker to assassinate Omi Kurita.
  • unknown date: Duke Eric Dresari of Kentares IV voices strong opposition to Katherine Steiner-Davion and demands the return of Victor. She responds by garrisoning a lyran unit on his planet.
  • unknown date: Katherine Steiner-Davion orders the 8th FedCom RCT to guard the McKenna shipyards of Yare Industries on Kathil. As she circumvented the regular military chain of command, this will lead to tension with the regular units on Kathil.

3062

• • unknown date: After cautiously-worded encouragements by Katherine Steiner-Davion to solve this problem by violence, Lord Roland (the commander of the lyran troops) executes the whole Dresari-family on Kentares IV. Rumors about estimated 5000 dead or wounded civilians.
  • unknown date: Revolts and mass-arrests on New Aragon.
  • February: Katherine Steiner-Davion orders the Davion Heavy Guards to leave New Avalon and guard the Galax-shipyards. There, they are left without jumpships.
  • May 24th: The First Circuit of ComStar orders Victor Steiner-Davion to inspect all ComGuards along the Lyran-Jade Falcon-border.
  • On Solaris VII, massive brawls between Lyran and FedSun hooligans appear regularly at duels.
  • August 15th: Due to sabotage, the Lyran-FedSun-duel Victor Vandergriff vs Michael Searcy leaves the arena. As nobody trusts the other, everybody tries to contain the fight, but nevertheless shootouts between stables of different nationality begin. This turns into open warfare in Solaris-City.
  • August 15th: Katherine Steiner-Davion orders ComStar to pull their 56th ComGuard Division from Solaris VII.
  • August 19th: One battallion of the 32nd Lyran Guards arrives on Solaris VII as peacekeepers. They are decimated within hours.
  • August 22th: Victor Vandergriff and Michael Searcy finish their duel. It ends in a draw with the apparent death of both fighters. The 17th Arcturan Guards arrive on Solaris VII as peacekeepers. Ceasefire is negotiated.
  • September 30th: One Battallion of the 15th Arcturan Guards is stationed on Thorin, the two others on Muphrid.
  • October: The 8th FedCom RCT resists direct orders from Field Marshal George Hasek to transfer from Kathil to Lee. It issues it's orders from Katherine Steiner-Davion and the inexperience of the Kathil CMM as an excuse. Duke Petyr VanLee orders the 1st Capellan Dragoons to Kathil to bolster his loyal troops and counter the inexperience-argument.
  • November 3rd: The live-feed HPG-connection between Tharkad and New Avalon is completed. Katherine Steiner-Davion will use it in the following years as a powerful political tool for propaganda and speeches.
  • November 9th: The sister of Oberstleutnant Archer Christifori, the CO of the Thorin FTM, is accidentally shot by a lyran officer.
  • November 11th: Major-General Weintraub from the 8th FedCom RCT sent a letter to Katherine Steiner-Davion, asking for clarification of his orders. She answers, that Kathil is a very important planet and that he should just follow his orders.
    Duke VanLee arranges food shortages for the 8th FedCom RCT to annoy them. Weintraub reacts by deploying his troops to guard the Hall of Nobles against rioters.
  • November 16th: The murderer of Andrea Christifori is acquitted, by using his political connections. Archer Christifori begins with preparations to drive the 15th Arcturan Guards off-planet. He is politically anti-Katherine, but not yet pro-Victor.
    Duke VanLee orders the Kathil CMM to infiltrate their HQ and arrest all officers of the 8th FedCom RCT in a covert operation. The commandos fail and open warfare between the 8th FedCom RCT and the Kathil CMM breaks out.
  • November 24th: The lyran government press secretary denounces, that there are any open revolts against the Archon's reign.
    The 8th FedCom RCT attacks the 2nd NAIS Training Cadre and conquers one of the microwave transmitters for the orbital docks.
  • November 28th: The Avalon-class battlecruiser IFS Robert Davion is conquered by the lyran members of the crew and infantry of the 8th FedCom RCT.
  • December 5th: Arthur Steiner-Davion is apparently assassinated with a bomb, in the midst of a speech. But he really is abducted. (Speculation: Maybe it was Word of Blake) James Sandoval suspects the Draconis Combine and orders a military counter-attack.
    Four planets are engaged in an open rebellion against Katherine's rule. Five more might join after hearing of Arthur's death. Violent anti-Steiner-protests on Clinton.
    Oberst Felix Blücher of the 15th Arcturan Guards is attacked with a bomb, apparently by Davion-terrorists. Indeed it was planted by Lyran soldiers who want to escalate the situation. Blücher reacts with mass-arrests.
  • December 7th: The 1st Capella Dragoons reach the orbit of Kathil. The Kathil CMM fights a hard battle against the 8th FedCom RCT to secure a safe landing for the dragoons, suffering heavy losses. The 8th FedCom looses a whole Mech-Battallion in the process. The IFS Robert Davion is destroyed by a complicated ram-maneuver by an Excalibur-class dropship. The 1st Capellan Dragoons immediately join the Kathil CMM and the 2nd NAIS Training Cadre in their war against the 8th FedCom RCT. Within days the tables have turned and the 8th FedCom is on the brink of defeat.
  • December 8th: Open rebellions on Kathil, Benet III, Kentares IV, Demeter and Bromhead, among few others.
    Victor Steiner-Davion leaves ComStar. In a public speech, he declares Katherine unfit for rule and declares his intention to depose her.
    Upon hearing this speech, mass-protests break out on Thorin. Archer Christifori mobilizes his militia and begins a guerilla-war against the 15th Arcturan Guards. Oberst Blücher reacts by declaring martial-law.
  • December 10th: Violent revolts on Muphrid. The Battallions Beta and Gamma of the 15th Arcturan Guards and the Muphrid FTM are mobilized.
    Confirmed revolts on Kathil, New Aragon, Coventry, Nanking, Kikuyu, Demeter, Algol, Benet III, Brockway, Bromhead, Fort Loudon, Rasalgethi and Thorin.
  • December 15th: The Thorin FTM allies with the other anti-Steiner-rebells on Thorin.
  • December 23rd: A message by Victor Steiner-Davion reaches Archer Christifori: He is awarded Colonel of the Federated Suns and his troops are renamed to 1st Thorin Regiment/Archers Avengers.
  • December 29th: Katherine Steiner-Davion sends a to secret note to all Commanding Officers of the Lyran Aliance Forces, declaring war to Victors reinstated Federated Suns. All private HPG-messages are furthermore declared illegal.

3063

• • unknown date: The mercenaries Vanguard Legion are deployed to New Syrtis by Duke George Hasek.
  • January: Duke Frederick Bradford voices sympathies for Victor.
  • January 6th: The 5th Alliance Guards are deploying patrols to counter the uprising and looting on Fort Loudon.
  • January 7th: The pro-Victor 1st Kestrel Grenadiers have conquered Nanking.
  • January 17th: The Coventry CPM is detained and wiped out by the 1st Coventry Jaegers and Kristen's Krushers. The media reports are manipulated, as if the militia was the aggressor.
    Tancred Sandoval manages to found a task force by allying with the pro-Victor 3rd Crucis Lancers.
  • January 22nd: The 1st Thorin Regiment (their strength slightly at 2 Companies) leaves Thorin and launches a surprise-attack on the Battallion Beta of the 15th Arcturan Guards on Muphrid. They are able to salvage most of their military equipment.
  • February: On Kikuyu, the 8th Deneb Light Cavalry declared itself neutral and is attacked by the pro-Katherine 6th Donegal Guards and Storm's Metal Thunder. On Newton Square the 39th Avalon Hussars declare themselves for Victor. The 7th Crucis Lancers stand on Winter and the 15th Lyran Regulars on Hood IV.
  • February 2nd: The 1st Thorin Regiment attacks and defeats Battallion Alpha of the 15th Arcturan Guards on Thorin. They capitulate and Oberst Felix Blücher negotiates the retreat of the remains of Battallion Alpha and of Battallion Gamma from Muphrid.
  • February 3rd: The pro-Katherine 11th Avalon Hussars are defeated on Brockway, which is conquered by pro-victor forces.
    The neutral Snord's Irregulars are deployed to Odessa to trick them into either fighting the 1st Thorin Regiment, or into signing a new contract with the Lyran Alliance that includes fighting Victor's forces.
  • Conflicting data in the novels: From February 9th to 11th the 1st Thorin Regiment has conquered Syrma and Milton. The conquest of Alcor started in mid-January.
  • February 11th: The 1st Thorin Regiment defeats the Alcor homeguard and establishes a pro-victor resistance-cell on this planet. It recieves orders by Victor Steiner-Davion to either negotiate a contract with Snord's Irregulars that brings them on victor's side, or at least ensure that they won't fight for Katherine. The pro-Victor Loki-agent Anton Gramash is assigned to Archer Christifori's unit for this mission.
    Bryceland and Sirdar have been conquered by pro-Victor forces. Confirmed fights on Algol, An Ting, Alcyone, Demeter.
  • March: The family Yalos, the rulers of the planet Mayetta in the Draconis March, declares themselves in an opportunistic change pro-Victor. As they are attacked by the pro-Katherine Milligan DMM and Bremond DMM, Kirk Yalos offers Tancred Sandoval control over the Mayette DMM in exchange for military support.
    The IFS Melissa Davion defects and begins it's search for Victor.
  • April 15th: The 1st Thorin Regiment reaches Odessa. To discredit Snord's Irregulars as unpatriotic and unreliable, Duke Nicholas Fisk orders the Odessa militia to attack the 1st Thorin Regiment on their own. They are decimated and driven back.
  • April 16th: Archer Christifori and Rhonda Snord are about to meet, but fall into a trap by the pro-Katherine Loki-agent Erwin Vester and a Mech-company of the mercenary unit Wolverton's Highlanders.
  • April 18th: The 1st Thorin Regiment and Snord's Irregulars suspect each other of treason and start to fight to exact revenge for their dead. Snord's Irregulars are driven back into their base and the 1st Thorin Regiment lays siege.
  • April 24th: On Newton Square, Victor and the 39th Avalon Hussars fight the pro-Katherine 14th Donegal Guards. They win narrowly, when the 244th ComGuards Division arrive.
    Tancred Sandoval prepares a political trick: He declares Woodbine neutral, knowing that this will prompt Katherine to attack. Afterwards he can free the planet, securing the loyalty and political support of it's rulers.
  • April 26th: Snord's Irregulars are reduced to one understrength Battalion. (The 1st Thorin has lower casualties, as they were able to salvage material.)
  • April 29th: The rest of the Wolverton's Highlanders-Regiment arrives on Odessa.
  • May 1st/3rd: The 1st Thorin finds evidence of the ploy to trap them in a no-win-situation. They present the evidence to Snord's Irregulars and declare a unilateral ceasefire.
  • May 4th: Wolverton's Highlanders attempt to destroy the weakened 1st Thorin. However the 1st Thorin and Snord's Irregulars join forces. Wolverton's Highlanders are wiped out. Thusly, the 1st Thorin accidently conquered Odessa.
  • July: The 7th Crucis Lancers declare themselves for Victor and conquer the heavily industrialized planet Inarcs in his name.
    The 1st Argyle Lancers suffered heavy losses against an unknown pro-Katherine unit and retreat to the neutral ARD.
    The 1st Davion Guards rebelled against Katherine on New Avalon. They are fighting, among two other units, the 3rd Robinson Rangers.
    The 1st Ceti Hussars declared themselves for Victor, the 3rd Lyran Regulars for Katherine. The 3rd Lyran Regulars recieve orders to conquer Woodbine.
    The LAS Angela Franks is renamed LAS Arthur Steiner-Davion and recieves orders to defend Coventry against Victor.
  • September: The IFS Melissa Davion finds Victor and he integrates it into his task force.
    The Foreign Legion joins Victor's forces, consisting of foreigners who want to fight for Victor: one lance from Kingston's Legionnaires, one company from the 1st Regulan Hussars, one Battallion from various draconian volunteers.
  • October 8th: The LAS Arthur Steiner-Davion disappears under unclear circumstances, after encountering a non-standard jumping signature.
    The 1st Crucis Lancers have joined Tancred Sandovals task force. He absolutely wants to win the support of Duke Ferdinand Rein of Woodbine, so he plans to use the influence of his aunt Jessica Sandoval-Groell to postpone his fathers arrival until his position is strong enough.
  • October: Victor's task force (39th Avalon Hussars, 244th ComGuard Division, Foreign Legion) attacks Coventry. The 1st Coventry Jaegers are outnumbered and driven into a dead-end landscape, where Victor wants to wear them down bit by bit.
  • unknown date: fights on Dahar IV, Benet III, Allerton
  • November 28th: The last remains of the 3rd Lyran Regulars capitulate.
  • December 12th: The last survivors of the 1st Coventry Jaegers are defeated, when they try to break the siege.
    James Sandoval reaches Woodbine. As he declares, that Woodbine is only one world among many that he has to care about, Duke Ferdinand Rein sides with Tancred Sandoval.
  • December 20th: The 1st Davion Guards are defeated and wiped out by the 3rd Robinson Rangers, the 10th Deneb Light Cavalry and the New Avalon CrMM. Propaganda depicts them as traitors. Some of them are executed before even being court-martialed. They are striked from the official unit-list.

3064

• • February: Victor's task force (39th Avalon Hussars, 244th ComGuard Division, Foreign Legion) tries to conquer Alarion. They prepare for a huge battle, but General Maria Esteban has withdrawn the defenders, creating her own task force for a counter-attack. Alarion is conquered without a fight, but proves to be useless for Victor: The only valuable installation are the shipyards and Victor's task force has neither the ressources nor the time to use them. The 39th Avalon Hussars are left as a garrison to secure them nevertheless.
  • March: Victor's task force is on the way to the Skye Theater. He wants to reinforce it and schedules a rendezvous on York with the 6th Crucis Lancers and 17th Skye Rangers. But Maria Esteban is on his heels: She manipulates the 17th Skye Rangers to return to Skye instead.
  • March 6th: Katherine Steiner-Davion broadcasts a fake press conference (actually no journalists are present) to the whole Lyran Alliance and Federated Commonwealth. She states that the war has tuned down and that she hopes, that he will soon be over, for the sake of the common good.
  • March 13th: Victor's troops (6th Crucis, 244th ComGuard, Foreign Legion and the Avalon-class Melissa Steiner-Davion) are resting on York and prepare to launch a new offensive, when they are attacked by Maria Esteban's task force (11th Arcturan Guards, 1st Alarion Jaegers, Alarion APM, Carlisle APM and two Fox-class corvettes). Victor's forces are outnumbered and their only chance is a hasty withdrawal to Halfway.
  • March 15th: Omi Kurita is assassinated by a trap, set up by the Dancing Joker. She dies with Victor's name on her lips. Theodore Kurita orders the immediate halt to all travels and interstellar communications crossing the border of the Draconis Combine. The Dancing Joker saw this coming and stays on Luthien for the next few years with a false identity.
  • May 14th: The 244th ComGuard Division destroys the Halfway BPM and conquers Halfway.
  • May 23rd: Victor sets up a strategic conference in an empty brothel on Halfway with the commanders of his task force, Morgan Kell, Khan Phelan Kell, General Caradoc Trevana and Archer Christifori. (Nobody would suspect them there.) The 23rd Arcturan Guards are on the way to reinforce Victor's task force.
    Victor and Katherine recieve intelligence, that Clan Jade Falcon has attacked the Lyran Alliance. They attacked Blue Hole, Kikuyu, Kookens Freudental, Ballynure and Newton Square and were only beaten on Newton Square. Katherine Steiner-Davion asks Comstar to activate the ComGuards, but Precentor Martial Gavin Dow refuses: Clan Wolf and Clan Ghost Bear are still a threat. Katherine decides to counter the Jade Falcons by shuffling the troops already in the region. She explicitly leaves the Arc-Royal Defenye Cordon out of any plannings: Morgan Kell's domain, his problems.
  • June 11th: Maria Esteban's task force ((11th Arcturan Guards, 1st Alarion Jaegers, Alarion APM, Carlisle APM, half a dozen smaller militias like the Timbuktu TTM and one Fox-warship) attacks Halfway. They are encountered by only the aerospace Wings of the 6th Crucis Lancers, who retreat as well after dealing enough damage. Maria Esteban's units are forced to stay on Halfway and repair their Dropships.
  • June 23rd: The aerospace units of the 6th Crucis reunite with Victor's task force on Clinton
    Victor has pulled a political trick, by asking Robert Kelswa-Steiner for permission to attack Hesperus II. But he never had this in mind and knew that this information would trickle to Katherine, prompting her to rearrange her forces to repel this attack. Instead, Victor's task force temporarily breaks up into the single units, rapidly attacking a dozen unimportant planets to further irritate the Lyrans.
    The pro-Victor 5th Syrtis Fusiliers have conquered Axton.
  • July: The Foreign Legion (including Victor and his personal staff) attacks Dar-es-Salaam and destroys the Dar-es-Salaam BPM.
    The 23rd Arcturan Guards attack Aristotle, Gallery and Thuban.
    The 6th Crucis Lancers attack Solihul, Drosendorf and Gypsum.
    The 244th Comguard Division attacks Eidsfoss, Ciotat and Furillo.
  • November 4th: On the eve of the third Whitting-conference, Duke George Hasek tries to talk to Katherine. He hoped, that they could together find a way to stop the fighting in the Capellan March, which was essentially neutral in the FedCom Civil War. But Katherine is not in the mood to listen. She offers George Hasek to sit next to her during the Whitting-conference (to demonstrate his support for her side) and to talk about this issue later. He declines and angrily questions her loyalty to her own people. She reminds him, that his people would have to suffer for his decisions.

3065

• • unknown date: In early 3065, Katherine Steiner-Davion deployed additional LAAF-forces and mercenaries to the Skye-Province, to quell secessionist tendencies. Operatives of Lohengrin, the Molehunters and Loki are deployed as well, to counter any uprising. In some systems all interstellar travel was shut down, to suppress informations about war-preparations of the Lyran Alliance.
  • unknown date: The pro-Victor 17th Skye Rangers are defeated on Lost. They are poised to join Victor's task force, but Nondi Steiner influences Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner to order the remains of the 17th Skye Rangers to return to Skye instead.
  • unknown date: The pro-Katherine 11th Avalon Hussars fight the Lexington Combat Group on Brockway. They suffer heavy losses and have to retreat to Ridgebrook.
  • January: The pro-Victor 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry arrive on Kathil.
  • April: The fighting on Kathil has come to a halt. The neutral 2nd NAIS Training Cadre and Kathil CMM were destroyed first, then the pro-Katherine 8th FedCom RCT, then the neutral 1st Capellan Dragoons, then the 8th Donegal Guards (maybe pro-Katherine), then the 5th Davion Guards (maybe pro-Victor), then the 2nd Chisholm's Raiders. During al this fighting, the shipyards kept on working. The 2nd Chisholm's Raiders held out long enough to extract 2 Avalon-class battlecruisers (the FCS Andrew Davion and the FCS Hanse Davion). Finally, in April, the heavily damaged, neutral 6th Syrtis Fusiliers and the pro-Victor 1st Federated Suns Armored Cavalry stand on Kathil.
  • April 16th: Nondi Steiner orders the arrest of Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner to prevent a rebellion of the Skye-region in advance.
  • April 25th: The Gray Death Legion recieves orders to reinforce the defenders of Hesperus II and arrives there on Juny 14th.
  • May: Rumors about a possible invasion of New Syrtis by pro-Katherine-forces rise.
  • Juny 4th: Victor's forces control Alarion, Bolan, Coventry and Donegal.
  • Juny 15th: The 22nd Skye Rangers sneak into the Hesperus-system in preparation of an invasion. First they sneak to Hesperus V and then Hesperus III, where they hide and wait for the right time for a surprise attack on the space-port of Hesperus II.
  • Juny 23rd: An aerospace patrol of the 12th Hesperus militia (deployed on Hesperus III) finds the landed Dropships of the 22nd Skye Rangers, but is destroyed before they can issue a warning.
  • Juny 28th: A task force of the Skye rebels arrives in the Hesperus-system: 2 Fox-class corvettes (the Indefatigueable and the Illustrous) and the 4th Skye Rangers. They are engaged by the loyalist Avalon-class Simon Davion, which destroys the Illustrous. In return, the Simon Davion is conquered by boarding troops from the Indefatigueable. The 22nd Skye Rangers start from Hesperus III and reach Hesperus II later that day. They proceed with the alternative attack plan and attack the agricultural region of Hesperus II, to lure the defenders (Gray Death Legion, 15th Lyran Guards, 36th Lyran Guards, Defiance Security Forces) away from the installation.
  • Juny 30th: The 4th and 22nd Skye Rangers start an irritating strategic game against the Gray Death Legion and the 15th Lyran Guards, slowly gaining ground, while the 36th Lyran Guards stay in the Maldon valley to defend it's industry.
  • July 1st: The Skye-controlled Simon Davion destroys the HPG of Hesperus II via an orbital bombardement, seconds the defenders can call for reinforcements.
  • July 18th: The pro-Skye 17th Skye Rangers and 32nd Lyran Guards reach Hesperus II. The 17th Skye Rangers attack the 36th Lyran Guards, while the 32nd Lyran Guards reinforce the depleted 4th and 22nd Skye Rangers in their attack on Defiance Industries. The Gray Death Legion is wiped out, but in return, infantry from the 15th Lyran Guards captures the commander of the 32nd Lyran Guards. Defiance Industries have been successfuly defended, the Skye-rebels are in disarray. Maybe the 36th Lyran Guards are dispatched to hunt them down.
  • July 22nd: The Davion Light Guards depose their CO Major-General Jon Buckvold under dubious circumstances and court-martial him for (among others) dereliction of duty. Marshal Jessica Quarles takes over the command. This shifts the political direction of the Davion Light Guards from neutral to pro-Victor.
    The Davion Light Guards, 8th Syrtis Fusiliers, New Syrtis CMM and Vanguard Legion set up plans to defend New Syrtis against possible invaders. This includes the Covenant-battlecruiser.
  • August 25th: A provisional Regiment, created from the remains of pro-Katherine units, is dispatched to Hesperus II to bolster the defenders.
  • September 20th: Ardan Sortek, an emissary for Victor, arrives on New Syrtis. He tries to persuade George Hasek to support Victor, but George Hasek refuses, as he thinks that Victor wages this war to become ruler himself.
    A press spokesman on New Avalon issues a carefully-worded statement to denounce rumors, that a military strike on New Syrtis is planned.
    Katherine orders her champion Simon Gallagher to prepare an invasion of New Syrtis. He offers three units, five if Katherine were willing to wait two more months. But she wants the attack to commence as fast as possible. Katherine orders the MI6 to assassinate George Hasek.
  • October 31st: A pro-Katherine task force, consisting of the 4th Donegal Guards, 11th Avalon Hussars, Ridgebrook CMM and Avalon-class FCS Hanse Davion arrives in the New Syrtis-system.
    An agent of MI6 attempts to assassinate George Hasek, but manages only to wound him heavily, before he is killed. George Hasek falls into a coma.
    Katherine Steiner-Davion delivers a press-conference, claiming that George Hasek were a secessionist and wanted to establish his own nation and House under his dictatorial rule. She said that a task-force had arrived on New Syrtis to persuade him with a peaceful demonstration of power to give up his plans.
    The Covenant and the FCS Hanse Davion face off in the orbit of New Syrtis. Both are destroyed, when the first attacks the later with a suicidal ram maneuver. This merciless, suicidal behaviour will set the tone for this whole conflict.
    Major-General Victor Amelio from the 4th Donegal Guards tries to buy the Vanguard Legion with a new contract, right before the battles begin, but they reject.
  • November 1st: After long fighting, the pro-Katherine 3rd Alliance Guards have finally destroyed the pro-Victor 7th Crucis Lancers, but that victory only came in, after the 7th Crucis Lancers had destroyed the 9th Lyran Regulars (at an unknown date). Inarcs and it's Mech-factories are reclaimed by Katherine.
    The invaders of New Syrtis achieved great initial gains, as the defenders were demoralized. A turnaround comes as George Haseks awakes from his coma.
    Central points in this war are Cavanaugh II, Dalkeith, Giausar and Markette, as each side has at least 3 units invested in these fightings.
    The pro-Victor 20th, 23rd and 25th Arcturan Guards have defeated the 3rd Donegal Guards and conquered Cumbres, but the 25th Arcturan Guards were destroyed in the process.
  • November 9th: Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao issues a press release, denouncing the accusations the the Capellan Confederation was behind the attack on George Hasek and demands proofs and a public apology from House Steiner-Davion.
    The invaders of New Syrtis have paralyzed most of it's industry, but the defenders keep harassing them.
  • December 11th: George Hasek returns to it's duties as CO of the defenders of New Syrtis. (He lost his left hand in the assassination attempt.) Counter-attack-plans to drive the invaders off New Syrtis are initiated.
  • December 31st: Demiprecentor X Peter Fedt sends a secret note to Katherine Steiner-Davion, assuring her, that the 299th ComGuard Division (except for one Level-III unit) will support her in the defense of New Avalon.
    The 11th Avalon Hussars singlehandedly try to neutralize the cavern (the military HQ of New Syrtis) by a parachute-surprise-attack of a company of Infiltrator Mk II Battle Armors. To their surprise, they are awaited by a company of Chevalier-battle armors. The Infiltrators are finally defeated after a gruesome battle.

3066

• • January 21st: By two coordinated surprise attacks, units from the Vanguard Legion and the 8th Syrtis Fusiliers attack the HQ of the 11th Avalon Hussars. They capture or kill their entire command and leave the Hussars inoperable, as their chain of command is destroyed. The Hussars still have 70% of their initial strength.
  • January 25th: The pro-Katherine 19th Arcturan Guards and 5th Donegal Guards are deployed to New Avalon to further bolster the defenders.
  • February 12th: Using the survivors of the 11th Avalon Hussars as a bait, the New Syrtis CMM is tricked into leaving their position and attacking them on their own. The New Syrtis CMM is almost wiped out entirely, when they are attacked by the Hussars, the 4th Donegal Guards and several Aerospace Wings.
  • March 16th: George Hasek is desperately looking for reinforcements, but none are available. He could call several militias, but they would end up as cannon-fodder. Ardan Sortek offers him Victor's help: He could ask the 321st ComGuard Division to come to New Syrtis as peacekeepers. George Hasek rejects the offer, as he doesn't want to owe Victor a favor.
  • April 1st: The pro-Katherine 21st Avalon Hussars destroy the pro-Victor 20th Avalon Hussars on Wernke, securing the Mech-factories.
  • April 26th: The 4th Donegal Guards and the Ridgebrook CMM have surrounced and laid siege to New Saso, the capital of New Syrtis. The defenders (Davion Light Guards, 8th Syrtis Fusiliers, Vanguard Legion) suffer ammunition shortages.
  • May 14th: The pro-Katherine 17th Avalon Hussars arrive on New Avalon.
  • May 16th: The fighting on Cavanaugh II is over. The pro-Victor Penobscott CTM (destroyed in the fighting), 2nd Crucis Lancers and 182nd ComGuard Division(!) have defeated the 7th and 10th Lyran Regulars. A truce was negotiated by (pro-Victor) General Richard Steiner: They cease control of Cavanaugh II and may leave the planet with all their material.
    The 4th Donegal Guards attack New Saso and fighting ensues with the Vanguard Legion and the 8th Syrtis Fusiliers. The Vanguard Legion takes the command-lance of the 4th Donegal Guards as prisoners (not knowing who they are). They begin executing them, when members of the 8th Syrtis Fusiliers arrive. Grayson Addison challenges Chad Dean to a duel over this barbaric behaviour and defeats and wounds him. Major General Victor Amelio from the 4th Donegal Guards is so shocked by these events, that he declares the capitulation of the 4th Donegal Guards and the Ridgebrook CMM. The Davion Light Guards, 8th Syrtis Fusiliers and Vanguard Legion each suffered approximately 50% losses. Of the invaders, only the 4th Donegal Guards leave New Syrtis as a unit.
  • May 24th: The 2nd Ceti Hussars arrive on New Syrtis to save their Duke, after securing their planet for Victor's cause.
  • May 28th: The fighting in the whole former Federated Commonwealth is cooling down. There are two main reasons: There are simply not enough units left for much of a war. And second, Victor and Katherine are amassing troops for the final battle. For example, Katherine has so far assembled 9 unit, most of them RCTs.
  • May 29th: Duke George Hasek announces, that he will not support Victor's fight against Katherine, until he has freed every single world of the Capellan March. (This has major political implications for the Federated Suns: For the first time in centuries, another prince is challenging the power of the First Prince of New Avalon.) The 2nd Ceti Hussars and the Light Guards head off for New Avalon, but they don't have enough dropships to transport all troops.

See Also

• Federated Suns#The FedCom Civil War
• Lyran Alliance#FedCom Civil War

References

• Prince of Havoc (novel)
• Patriots and Tyrants (novel)
• Measure of a Hero (novel)
• Flashpoint (novel)
• Call of Duty (novel)
• The Dying Time (novel)
• Imminent Crisis (novel)