Pirates War

The Pirates War refers to a period between 3057-3058[1] wherein the Marian Hegemony and the Sixth of June movement of the Word of Blake Toyama faction waged an undeclared war against the Magistracy of Canopus using troops disguised as pirates.[2][3]

Background

Following the formation of the Word of Blake and their relocation to the Free Worlds League, various factions were formed with differing visions and philosophies. One such faction was the Toyama/Sixth of June sect led by Precentor Demona Aziz.[4][3] As the Word of Blake made final preparations for their assault on Terra, the various WoB factions began to jockey for position to claim credit. As an attempt to marginalize the Toyama, Precentor William Blane removed Toyama forces from the assault plan for Operation Odysseus and instead assigned them to continue overseeing WoB's Periphery operations.[5]

As most of the Word of Blake focused on retaking Terra after the Schism, the Toyama allocated resources on the Periphery. The past four years of smuggling weapons and new technology into the Marian Hegemony has made Ceasar Sean O'Reilly very receptive to the Toyama's plans. The Toyama also had a presence in the Magistracy as they competed for business with ComStar. With the Hegemony supplying the troops and WoB ROM providing intelligence data, the attacks on the Magistracy were expected to be severe enough to initiate a full-blown alliance between the Magistracy of Canopus and the Taurian Concordat beyond what the Treaty of Taurus stipulated.[5] The creation of this super state would thus fulfill a prophecy WoB believed and was the ultimate objective of the Pirates War.

Simultaneously occurring in the rest of the Inner Sphere, Operation Guerrero has created the Chaos March and a Capellan Chancellor in need of troops to finish retaking it. With few options available, Chancellor Sun Tzu Liao began to look at the Periphery for the added support.[6]

Known Military and Political Actions

  • While staging raids as a distraction, the planetary governors of Gambilon, Palladix and Marantha were assassinated by Sixth of June operatives in early 3058. Their near simultaneous loss caused widespread panic and rioting on various worlds.[7]
  • On 4 May 3058, Chancellor Sun Tzu Liao arrives on Canopus IV to begin negotiations to borrow Canopian troops in exchange for technological and educational assistance.[8] 15 days later, Sixth of June operative Demi-Precentor Jamie Nicholas attempted to assassinate the Capellan Chancellor, but he failed and was killed by his Death Commando guards. This incident alerted Sun Tzu Liao of Word of Blake's active involvement in the crisis.[5]
  • On 18 May 3058, the mercenary Avanti's Angels was immediately attacked on arrival in Marantha. Hired to take the war to the enemy, it was their mission to locate the pirate supply depot and destroy it. Despite suffering heavy damage from Demi-Precentor Cameron St. Jamais' forces, the Angels were able to rebuild with support from the planetary government. Soon afterwards, information was received identifying Astrokaszy and Campoleone as possible links of the pirate supply chain. Evidence implicating the Capellan Confederation was also found.[5][8]
  • On 24 May 3058, Magistrix Emma Centrella confronts the Capellan Chancellor with evidence obtained from Marantha.[6] Sun Tzu Liao successfully proposes leading a battalion of 1st Canopian Cuirassiers into the Free Worlds League planet of Campoleone, bearing all political repercussions should something go wrong. Actually leading the MAF regiment would be Danai Centrella with her sister Naomi Centrella as liaison.[5][8]
  • On 28 June 3058, Avanti's Angels arrive on Astrokaszy. They are soon attacked by a WoBM Level III led by Cameron St. Jamais. The Angels managed to survive until relief arrived on 11 July 3058. Aware that the battle was lost, Cameron St. Jamais made an agreement with Sun Tzu Liao in exchange for allowing him to escape.[5]
  • On 2 August 3058, Chancellor Sun Tzu Liao and the Magistracy Forces arrived on Campoleone. Using Death Commandos to capture Demona Aziz in a commando raid, major battles were avoided. Precentor Demona Aziz was executed personally by Chancellor Sun Tzu Liao.[5][8][2]
  • The abrupt end of Word of Blake support and discovery of evidence implicating the Marian Hegemony forced Ceasar Sean O'Reilly to suspend raiding operations. This ends the Pirates War.[8]

Aftermath

The most obvious beneficiaries of the conflict were the victors, the Magistracy of Canopus and the Capellan Confederation. Sun Tzu Liao's involvement in a multi-realm scandal guaranteed that all parties involved favored secrecy. The reparations provided by the Toyama allowed the complete renovation of both BattleMech factories at Detroit and Victoria. The Confederation obtained the MAF troops it wanted in exchange for educational and technological assistance. This was prescient as soon afterwards Sun Tzu Liao was elected as First Lord of the Star League and used Canopian troops under Star League authority to regain control of several Chaos March factory planets. Finally and most significant of all, this level of cooperation between two States would eventually lead to the creation of the Trinity Alliance.[8]

The outcome for the Word of Blake was no less significant. The death of Demona Aziz left Cameron St. Jamais as leader of the Toyama. Using his Sixth of June movement, St. Jamais would use assassination and subversion to eventually become the Precentor Martial of the Word of Blake Militia.[9]

As for the Marian Hegemony, the loss of the Pirates War would undermine Ceasar Sean O'Reilly's power base. He would eventually be overthrown by his son in 3063.[10]

References

  1. Era Report: 3062, p. 27
  2. 2.0 2.1 Era Report: 3062, p. 17
  3. 3.0 3.1 Era Report: 3062, p. 81
  4. ComStar p. 93 "New Orders - Word of Blake - Organization - Splinter Groups"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Double-Blind
  6. 6.0 6.1 Shattered Sphere, p. 66
  7. 7.0 7.1 Field Manual: Periphery, p. 40
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Era Report: 3062, p. 43
  9. Shattered Sphere, p.111
  10. Field Manual: Periphery, p.70

Bibliography

Dates

  • Start Date - 3057
  • End Date - 3058