Difference between revisions of "Operation ICE STORM"

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===Aftermath===
 
===Aftermath===
By April of [[3072]], hostilities had ended and the Ice Hellions were defeated.  The only known survivors of the Clan invasion force freely departed aboard the remains of the Ice Hellion fleet, which included the ship ''Coterie''. It is believed they were bound for an outpost on the Periphery world of Noveaux Paris. Hellion remnants were making piratical attacks on coreward regions of the Ghost Bear Dominion a few years later where they were eventually fended off by former Kungsarme units now part of the Ghost Bear Touman.
+
By April of [[3072]], hostilities had ended and the Ice Hellions were defeated.  The only known survivors of the Clan invasion force freely departed aboard the remains of the Ice Hellion fleet, which included the ship ''Coterie''. It is believed they were bound for an outpost on the Periphery world of Noveaux Paris. Hellion remnants were making piratical attacks on coreward regions of the Ghost Bear Dominion a few years later where they were eventually fended off by former [[KungsArmé]] units now part of the Ghost Bear Touman.
  
 
Clan Hell's Horses, while returning three worlds to the Falcons, gained six star systems from the conflict.   
 
Clan Hell's Horses, while returning three worlds to the Falcons, gained six star systems from the conflict.   
Line 144: Line 144:
 
The Jade Falcons, while succeeding well against Ice Hellion, suffered considerable damage to its military forces in its occupational zone but prevented much damage being done to its industrial complexes.
 
The Jade Falcons, while succeeding well against Ice Hellion, suffered considerable damage to its military forces in its occupational zone but prevented much damage being done to its industrial complexes.
  
Vantaa was uninhabitable by [[3073]] and abandoned due to vital life-supporting equipment being critically damaged by the final battle.<ref>''Masters and Minions: The Starcrop Dossiers'' pp. 126 - Preening and Posturing - Vantaa is noted rendered uninhabitable due to damaged caused by the Ice Hellion invasion.</ref>
+
Vantaa was uninhabitable by [[3073]] and abandoned due to vital life-supporting equipment being critically damaged by the final battle.<ref>''Masters and Minions: The Starcrop Dossiers'' p. 126 - Preening and Posturing - Vantaa is noted rendered uninhabitable due to damaged caused by the Ice Hellion invasion</ref>
  
 
==Also See==
 
==Also See==

Revision as of 21:22, 31 May 2020

This article is about the Clan Ice Hellion operation. For the two-part Blitzkrieg novel detailing the event, see Operation ICE STORM (novel).

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Operation ICE STORM
Part of The Jihad
Start Date From June 3071 to April of 3072
Result Clan Ice Hellion's utter defeat
Factions
Clan Ice Hellion Clan Jade Falcon Clan Hell's Horses
Conditions
Normal


Operation ICE STORM was the code name given to Clan Ice Hellion's invasion of Clan Jade Falcon's occupation zone in the Inner Sphere during the early years of the Jihad.

At the same time Clan Hell's Horses conducted their own invasion of Clan Wolf and the Falcons' occupation zones. The Ice Hellions and the Hell's Horses were aware of each other's plans and had an unspoken agreement, but no joint battle plan or even formal cooperation or alliance. The objective of the two Home Clans invasion of the Clan Occupational Zones was a bid to carve out a new occupational zone for themselves.

For Clan Ice Hellion the operation was a bold gamble that overextended their resources and ended in defeat. Clan Jade Falcon, in cooperation with the angered Clan Hell's Horses, crushed the entire Clan Ice Hellion, eradicating it save for a small band of refugees who were allowed to limp away towards the Clan homeworlds (already devastated by the Wars of Reaving). Unfit to survive on their own, the Ice Hellion remnant allowed themselves to be absorbed into Clan Goliath Scorpion.

Operation Brief

In the middle 3071, Clan Ice Hellion began its invasion of Clan Jade Falcon's occupation zone. The invasion was split between the Clan's Khan and saKhan, who each had a task force assigned to them. Intelligence reports of the invasion showed that the Hellion's efforts were uncoordinated between the two invasion forces.[1]

Factions & Units Involved the Conflict

Clan Ice Hellion

Khan Raina Montose's Task Force

saKhan Conner Rood's Task Force

Clan Jade Falcon

Clan Hell's Horses

Operation History

June 3071

In the summer of 3071, the Clan Jade Falcon worlds of Golandrinas, Persistence, Wotan, and Winfield were taken by Khan Raina Montose's Task Force. The invasion of Winfield causes the planet's industrial sectors to be destroyed in the fighting.[1]

Meanwhile, saKhan Conner Rood's Task Force's Galaxies successfully took Anywhere, Bone-Norman, the Dark Nebula, Erewhon, Lackhove, and Somerset.[1]

Clan Jade Falcon's Gamma Galaxy reclaimed Golandrinas and Wotan in counterattacks. The Falcon Guards, operating independently, invaded and retook Bone-Norman on their own. On Wotan, the planet's HPG was damaged in the fierce fighting.[1]

Clan Hell's Horses meanwhile invaded the Falcon's worlds of Seiduts and Steelton and defeated Clan Jade Falcon's Epsilon Galaxy which was garrisoning them. The Horses also took the Clan Wolf worlds Liezen, Harvest, and Planting.

The Horses also sent an ambassador to the Ghost Bear Dominion to normalize the relations between the two past enemies.

July 3071

In July, Khan Montose's Task Force invaded and captured Derf, Maxie's Planet, Romulus, and Trell I. Khan Rood dispatched Hellion forces to retake Golandrinas and Wotan. However, the Hellions' counterattacks had with mixed results. Golandrinas was successfully retaken for the Hellions, but Delta Galaxy failed to capture Wotan.

Fighting over Derf went badly for both sides, with the Hellions' Alpha Galaxy Naval Star destroying an orbital supply station.

The Jade Falcons' Gamma Galaxy attacked Somerset in an attempt to retake the planet. A naval battle ensued over the planet that resulted in each side losing a WarShip; Clan Ice Hellion's Aegis-class heavy cruiser CIH Taney and Clan Jade Falcon's Vincent-class corvette CJF Lightning Strike.

August 3071

Khan Montose led Alpha and Zeta Prime Galaxies to conquer of Evciler. During the fighting, both Galaxies broke long-honored traditions of zellbrigen with the Falcons. Khan Montose was badly injured.

The Hell's Horses captured Ferleiten and Zoetermeer. The Ghost Bears joined these assaults and started Trials of Possession for Balsta, Hermagor, and Dawn.

September 3071

SaKhan Rood's Task Force split. The three divided forces took their separate objectives: The saKhan's Beta Galaxy captured Apollo, Botany Bay, and Von Strang's World. Delta Galaxy attacked Steelton, but its Naval Star saw heavy action against defending Falcon forces. The battle resulted in the capture of Delta's Fredasa-class corvette CIH Swift Bait by Falcon forces.

Clan Jade Falcon's Alpha Galaxy recaptured Erewhon.

Meanwhile, Clan Jade Falcon forces outside the occupational zone capture a very large Ice Hellion supply convoy in bound for the Inner Sphere at their Deep Periphery holding of Falcon’s Beacon. The Whirlwind-class destroyer CJF Emerald Tornado is credited with the capture. The loss of the supplies (and the ships carrying them) is a severe blow for the Ice Hellion forces, and saKhan Rood alters his overall strategy to conserve supplies and thereby his fighting ability. The increasingly erratic Khan Montose countermands his orders without Rood learning of this.

October 3071

Ice Hellion's saKhan Rood continues to advance his Beta Galaxy into Falcon's territory. His galaxy splits and attacks Lackhove & Last Chance. However, Falcon forces are later bolstered by elements of the Falcon's Gamma Galaxy.

The Hellion's Zeta Galaxy successfully captures Here & Gotterdammerung. However, elements of Zeta still on Wotan end up razing the planetary capital. The razing of Borealtown was in order to destroy the Falcon's entrenched 78th Provisional Garrison Cluster. saKhan Samantha Clees declares Hellion dezgra after their razing of Borealtown is reported. Falcon forces on Wotan receive reinforcements from the Alpha Galaxy. The Falcons loses Evciler but reconquer Anywhere and Lackhove.

The Ice Hellion's Delta Galaxy is forced to quit Steelton, after being pushed off by Falcon's Epsilon Galaxy.

The defending Wolf's units on Ridderkerk, Basiliano, Hohenems repulsed the conquest attempts of the Horses and the lost ground on Basiliano Hohenems. The Wolfs on their own started a counter invasion on Ridderkerk, Mozirje and Unzmarkt.

November 3071

Fighting on Apollo boils to the breaking point for Ice Hellion forces. Zeta Galaxy's elements are forced to withdraw under fire. During withdrawal the Galaxy's WarShip, Lola III Class Destroyer CIH Cold Hunter is heavily damaged by Jade Falcon WarShips, the Texas Class Battleship Falcon's Nest and Aegis Class Heavy Cruiser Blue Talon.

The Falcon's Gamma Galaxy forces saKhan Rood's Beta Galaxy to retreat from Lackhove. During the fighting, the Hellion's 200th Attack Cluster is destroyed in the fighting.

The Clan Hell's Horses move to assault a number of worlds taken by the Ice Hellions, and retreat from Basiliano and Hohenems because of Clan wolf attacks. Mozirje, Feltre, Unzmarkt and Planting are lost to the Wolfs . They deploy their Iota & Theta Galaxies to assault; Apollo, Bensinger, Toland, and Von Strang’s World. During the attack on Bensinger, the Horses destroy Hellion's 176 Attack Cluster. While, Ice Hellion's naval forces clash over Toland. The Ice Hellion's Essex Class Destroyer, CIH Moore's Honor is destroyed by Horse's Potemkin Class Troop Cruiser CHH Steel Shield and Lola III Class Destroyer CHH Black Knight.

December 3071

Ice Hellion Khan Montose splits her task force as she continues take Falcon worlds for the Clan. She leads her Alpha Galaxy to Vantaa, where they take planet. Her forces avoid being caught in a deadly trap by tech caste members of Jade Falcon. The trap, which resulted in the destruction of Vantaa's spaceport, failed to destroy Khan Montose's DropShips. Elements of the Alpha Galaxy are defeated on Derf by Jade Falcon's own Alpha Galaxy, which resulted in them taking back planet from them. Meanwhile, the Khan Montose's other Galaxy, Zeta Prime, attacks Seiduts where they force the defending Falcon's Delta Galaxy to retreat from the planet.

Elements of the Falcon's Alpha Galaxy successfully retake Winfield from their Ice Hellion occupiers. On Trell I, the Gamma Galaxy's Falcon Guards invokes Trial of Possession using Zellbrigen against defending 45th Striker Irregulars. The Guards are successful, in the trial and defeat the Irregulars in honorable combat.

Clan Hell's Horses' Theta Galaxy split up to conqueror a score of Ice Hellion held worlds. These included Botany Bay, Lackhove, Last Chance and Here. While taking Gotterdammerung, Theta Galaxy forces destroyed all Hellion's Zeta Galaxy units on planet save, but the 3rd Hector Cavaliers who managed to escape off planet.

The Ice Hellions fought their former allies on Seiduts and Vantaa.

Operation ICE STORM in 3072

January 3072

3072 signaled the beginning of the Clan Jade Falcon's renewed efforts to eradicate the Ice Hellion from their space. The Falcon's Alpha & Delta Galaxies launch their successful invasion of Romulus. The Jade Falcons ravaged the Ice Hellions on the planet, destroying Hellion's 150th Hellion Lancers. Falcons retakes the planet, while successfully absorbing the 53rd Strike Irregulars into their ranks. They also lose Persistence and Winfield.

The Horses would lose the worlds of Planting, Mozirje, Feltre, and Unzmarkt before offering a ceasefire to the Wolves.

February 3072

Clan Ice Hellion forces are in tatters and try regroup at worlds they still retain. Khan Montose's Alpha Galaxy retreats to Vantaa, while its Task Force mate, Zeta Prime, retreats from Seiduts and makes its way to linke up with Alpha. saKhan Rood's Task Force survivors retreat to Dark Nebula orbital station with remains of Beta Galaxy Naval Star.

Clan Jade Falcon forms a task force of three Galaxies consisting of Alpha, Delta, and Gamma. The task force assaults and retakes Evciler. Though they were successful, the initial planetary assault cost the task force's Aegis Class Heavy Cruiser, CJF Janis Hazen to remains of Hellion's Aerospace forces.

Maxie’s Planet and Seiduts is captured by Clan Hell's Horses' elements of Theta Galaxy. During this time period, in a gesture of friendship, Horses transfer control of Botany Bay & Last Chance back to the Jade Falcons.

March 3072

The final battles of the conflict occur, as Jade Falcons and Hell's Horses unit to finish off Ice Hellions. Ending in two key battles; Dark Nebula and Vantaa.

Dark Nebula

Clan Hell's Horses dispatches its Theta Galaxy to Dark Nebula with Jade Falcon's Delta Galaxy. saKhan Rood's Beta Galaxy Naval Star engages the two clans in a fight for the station. While, Delta attacks the station itself, Naval forces of both the Clans clashed. The Hellion's naval forces consisted of Potemkin Class Troop Cruiser CIE Coterie, Fredasa Class Corvette CIE Whelp, Lola III Class Destroyer CIE Cold Hunter, The York Class Destroyer-Carrier CIE Pack Leader, and Aegis Class Heavy Cruiser, Chaos Sailor. The Naval battles that ensued resulted in the destruction of Whelp & Cold Hunter. When it became apparent that the Ice Hellions had lost, Falcon's saKhan Samantha Clees offered them Hegira, which saKhan Rood accepted to the later dismay of the Hellion Khan. For their loses, Falcons claimed Chaos Sailor as isorta and while Horses claimed Pack Leader. SaKhan Rood and barely three Clusters of Beta Galaxy departed in Coterie for the Periphery.

Vantaa

Vantaa was the last vestige of Ice Hellion's hold of Inner Sphere. Hellion's Khan Raina Montosa leads Alpha & Zeta Prime Galaxies against Jade Falcon Alpha & Gamma & Hell's Horses' Iota Galaxy. Over the skies of the planet, Clan Jade Falcon Warships Sovetskii Soyuz Class Heavy Cruiser CJF Hawker & Black Lion Class Battlecruiser CJF Jade Aerie battled the Hellion's task force lone Warship, the McKenna Class Battleship CIH Cage's Pride. The Pride provides Orbital Fire Support for Hellions on ground, severely damages the Horses' Galaxy. The naval battle resulted in the Hellion's Battleship being destroyed.

Khan Montose receives word of saKhan Rood accepting Hegria from the Trial of Possession for worlds of Falcon's Occupational Zone. She rebukes her saKhan for accepting it. In the course of the ground battle for Vantaa, a series of brutal battles ensued. Notable figures such as , Diane Anu, Galaxy Commander of the Epsilon Galaxy would push her forces to crush any Hellion units in her warriors' way. In the end of fighting, both Ice Hellion galaxies are destroyed. Among casualties, reportedly killed was the Hellions Khan Raina Montose. The Jade Falcon's Falcon Guards were also destroyed in the battle as a fighting unit.

Aftermath

By April of 3072, hostilities had ended and the Ice Hellions were defeated. The only known survivors of the Clan invasion force freely departed aboard the remains of the Ice Hellion fleet, which included the ship Coterie. It is believed they were bound for an outpost on the Periphery world of Noveaux Paris. Hellion remnants were making piratical attacks on coreward regions of the Ghost Bear Dominion a few years later where they were eventually fended off by former KungsArmé units now part of the Ghost Bear Touman.

Clan Hell's Horses, while returning three worlds to the Falcons, gained six star systems from the conflict.

The Jade Falcons, while succeeding well against Ice Hellion, suffered considerable damage to its military forces in its occupational zone but prevented much damage being done to its industrial complexes.

Vantaa was uninhabitable by 3073 and abandoned due to vital life-supporting equipment being critically damaged by the final battle.[2]

Also See

Notes

Due to the nature of the intel & scattered media reports of source books used to provide the Operation's details, some information maybe considered to be incomplete.

The conflict was also named the Hellion Tantrum by Clan Jade Falcon's then Loremaster Kael Pershaw in a intelligence report made to Khan Marthe Pryde in May of 3072.[3]

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents, p. 28, "Operation ICE STORM"
  2. Masters and Minions: The Starcrop Dossiers p. 126 - Preening and Posturing - Vantaa is noted rendered uninhabitable due to damaged caused by the Ice Hellion invasion
  3. Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents p. 28 - Prefect of original report to Khan Pryde by Pershaw given informal name of the Hellion conflict.

Bibliography