Vakarel
Sarna News
(References to Vakarel)
Note: X and Y are coordinates (light years on XY plane) relative to Terra at (0, 0)
X: -141.34 Y: -354.42[e]
Contents
Garrisoning Military Force
2577
- Samuelson's Slaughterers (prior to invasion)[1]
- Mieselsen's Marauders (during invasion)[1]
Owner History
- 2571 - Magistracy of Canopus [2][3][4]
- 2577 - Magistracy of Canopus[5] (occupied by SLDF troops from November)[6]
- 2596 - Free Worlds League [7]
- 2750 - Free Worlds League [4]
- 2822 - Free Worlds League [8][9]
- 2864 - Free Worlds League [10][11]
- 3025 - Free Worlds League [10][11][12]
- 3030 - Free Worlds League [13][14]
- 3058 - Free Worlds League [13][14]
- 3059 - Free Worlds League [15]
- 3067 - Free Worlds League [16][17][12]
- 3079 - Free Worlds League [18]
- 3130 - Free Worlds League [19]
Planetary History
War between the Star League and the Magistracy of Canopus was inevitable after the Magistracy joined the other Periphery nations in rejecting the Pollux Proclamation; Vakarel was an early target in the initial Star League Defense Force campaign against the Magistracy. The last of the systems to be invaded in the first wave of SLDF attacks, responsibility for capturing Vakarel fell to the 59th Brigade, one of three brigades that made up the Star League Defense Force 20th Division. The Magistracy Armed Forces were attempting to confuse the SLDF task force by making frequent troop redeployments in advance ofSLDF attacks; while Samuelson's Slaughterers had been garrisoning Vakarel when the war began, they'd been replaced by Mieselsen's Marauders prior to the 59th Brigade attack.[6][20]
While forcing the Marauders to retreat proved relatively easy for the 59th, securing the various mining operations within the system's asteroid belts was another matter entirely; forced to navigate within the fields hampered sensor performance and maneuverability, the bulk of the combat action fell to the marine detachments aboard the various SLDF WarShips, while the bulk of the 59th Brigade remained aboard their DropShips waiting for the rare call for them to deploy their firepower. Despite the asteroid clearance work being tedious and time-consuming, the 59th Brigade declared that the system had been occupied on the 11th of November 2577.[6]
It came as a great shock to the 59th Brigade when the combined MAF 1st and 2nd Fleets jumped in-system to launch a counter-attack on the 14th of November. The first time the MAF navy had attacked - the two fleets represented every MAF capital ship not permanently assigned to guarding key worlds - the combined force pressed the SLDF forces hard, striking throughout the system. The SLDF force had been operating in small formations to clear the system, and suffered significant losses at the hands of the Canopian navy; one detachment alone lost a corvette, five JumpShips as well as two battalions of embarked troops from the 59th Brigade. The SLDF WarShips, fighters and DropShips managed to drive the MAF ships off, but not before the Canopians had bloodied Star League.[6]
Despite having to cede control of the Vakarel system to the Star League, the MAF wasn't finished; in 2580, the 2nd Canopian Light Horse raided the system as part of a pattern of organized raids on Star League garrisons and supply lines throughout occupied space and the border regions of the Free Worlds League.[1]
The Magistracy of Canopus had 13 worlds annexed by the Free Worlds League, either during the Reunification War[7] or by Star League decree in 2602,[21] and Vakarel was one of these worlds.
Planetary information
The following information about Vakarel is from an apocryphal source:[22]
- It is an ice world with a turbulent atmosphere of perpetual blizzards called the "Star Veil" which does not permit the use of flying craft smaller than a DropShip.
- Local native fauna includes the (apparently predatory) Ugmar.
- By ca. 3025, Vakarel is a Free Worlds League planet ruled by House Walkner.
- Qaere Crystals, which are apparently very valuable, are found on Vakarel but this is not generally known. Around 3025, geologists found out about the crystals but a renegade ComStar Precentor disposed of them and unsuccessfully attempted to seize control of the world in the wake of an attack by Magistracy of Canopus 'Mech forces. Shocked by the loss of life incurred, Count Walkner and his wife decided to destroy all information about the crystals and forget about them.
Nearby Planets
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Historical: Reunification War, p. 150, "Magistracy Of Canopus Front( Jump-Off - 2582)"
- ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 25, "Capellan Confederation after Age of War [2571]"
- ↑ Handbook: House Marik, p. 24, "Free Worlds League after Age of War [2571]"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 93, Magistracy of Canopus after Age of War, p. 93, "Magistracy of Canopus after Age of War [2571] and fall of the Star League [2750]"
- ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 94, "Reunification War: Magistracy of Canopus Front Deployments (2577)"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Historical: Reunification War, p. 98, "Butzfleth and Vakarel (October-November 2577)"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Historical: Reunification War, p. 158, "Inner Sphere - 2596"
- ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 31, "Capellan Confederation after First Succession War [2822]"
- ↑ Handbook: House Marik, p. 34, "Free Worlds League after First Succession War [2822]"
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Handbook: House Liao, p. 39, "Capellan Confederation after Second Succession War [2864]" Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "HB:HLp39"" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 11.0 11.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 38, "Free Worlds League after Second Succession War [2864]" Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "HB:HMp38" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 12.0 12.1 Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 96, Magistracy of Canopus after Age of War, p. 96, "Magistracy of Canopus after Third Succession War [3025] and after FedCom Civil War [3067]"
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Handbook: House Liao, p. 49, "Capellan Confederation after Fourth Succession War [3030]" Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "HB:HLp49"" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 14.0 14.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 51, "Free Worlds League after Fourth Succession War [3030]" Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "HB:HMp51" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ The Periphery, 2nd Edition, p. 112, "Magistracy of Canopus & Tortuga Dominions"
- ↑ Handbook: House Liao, p. 68, "Capellan Confederation after FedCom Civil War [3067]"
- ↑ Handbook: House Marik, p. 56, "Free Worlds League after FedCom Civil War [3067]"
- ↑ Field Report: FWLM, p. 17, "Free Worlds League Military Deployment Map - August 3079"
- ↑ Map of the Inner Sphere 3130
- ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 148, "Magistracy Of Canopus Front(Jump-Off - 2582)"
- ↑ Historical: Reunification War, p. 161, "Good Neighbours To The Magistracy"
- ↑ Blackthorne_BattleTech_(Comic_series), issues #5 and #6